is the Fountain the Sacrament is the Conduit Faith is the Cock the heart is the Vessel Turn but this Cock and the oyl of joy and peace will flow in abundantly into your Souls from the fountain of living waters There are two special seasons for a Christian to act faith in the former when under sore afflictions then he must live by Faith Faith is an inquisitive grace it will not be quiet till it have found out the Sin that hath provokt God and procur'd the rod Faith then eyes the Sin to humble the Soul and the promise to comfort the Soul Faith eyes the hand inflicting and works patience and it eyes the sin procuring and works repentance When God is striking for sin Faith will be striking at sin Faith will make great afflictions little bitter potions sweet unbelief makes short afflictions long and easie burdens heavy Faith will enable the Soul to pray Prayer i◠the very breath of Faith Faith is all for Prayer and Prayer is all for Faith the latter when about divine Institutions and holy Ordinances what Christ said to his Disciples Joh. 15.5 that faith Faith to us Without me ye can do nothing Nothing acceptable to God nothing profitable to your selves 2. Act Love and Charity now 's the time to have your Hearts fired inflamed with love to God and filled with love to Man As the Sacrament receiv'd without Faith is receiv'd without fruit so if receiv'd without love 't is receiv'd without life Love puts life into a Communicant and Love puts life into a Sacrament When the Lord Jesus was a dying on the Cross he stretcht out his Arms to both Malefactors to teach us surely when we come unto this Ordinance to be in charity with all men All men love their Friends but Communicants should love their enemies Amare est bonum alicui velle non nostrâ sed ejus causâ Aqu Amicos in te inimicos propter te Aug. else what do they more than others Mat. 5.47 The Spirit of the Lord is a Spirit of Love and loves to do good to such as live in love But we cannot live in love may some say No It may so happen you cannot live in peace I am for peace saith David but when I speak they are for war Well but you may live in love you may love them though they hate you If so you do your duty is done and you may come in hope and assurance to receive good by this Ordinance carry these two things along with you 1. 'T is connatural to a Sinner to hate a Saint if he chance to love him 't is because he is of a sweet nature or for some external Considerations not because he is of a sanctify'd nature Holiness is the thing he disgusts and hates 2. If any man love not the Lord Jesus think it not strange if he hate you never court his favour for his love is not worth the having who thinks not Christ worth loving See Tertullian's Book to Scapula who was a great enemy to Christians the beginning of it 3. Renew your Repentance and the Spirit of the Lord will do you good by this Ordinance The Jews before the Passover cleansed all their Vessels which they suspected might have any leaven in them they burned all they could find and what they could not find they cursed Thus should we do by our sins we should search every corner of our hearts and every passage of our lives if possible We should go with a Melius inquirendum What have I done since the last time I was at the Lords-Table What sin have I lapst into what dishonour have I done to God what disservice to Religion and now repent of all Do as the Royal Prophet did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Calculavi Consultavi Psal 119.59 I considered my ways and turn'd my feet into thy Testimonies I considered i.e. I set my head and heart and mind on work I turned them over and over upside down I weighed them in the ballance I thought on them i.e. what they were whither they did tend in what they would end I saw they were not good holy right I durst not own them at the great day and I turned I saw 't was high time to turn I busied not my self about other mens ways and works my own found me work enough A serious Consideration of our ways helps us to a sight of the evil of them a sight of the evil of our ways helps us to godly sorrow for them 2 Cor. 7.10 and godly sorrow worketh repentance The Dunghill is never so lothsom and offensive as when you stir in it you never so fully discern the Bran as when you sift the Corn you will never discern sin mourn for sin or turn from sin till you consider your ways O pray remember only the true penitent is the right qualify'd Communicant Say Lord here is the sin by search I have found it out that hath so highly dishonoured thee so greatly troubled me 't is this that soiled my Evidences cankered my Assurance I loth my self now and repent in dust and ashes Apposite to what I have in hand is that passage of St. Ambrose Ita nos quando ad altare Domini communicaturi accedimus venemum pessimum viz. Iracundiā invidiam suberbiam avaritiam haec sunt animarum venena ista prius repellamus c. Feria 2. post Dom. 1. Quadrag the subject or argument of his Sermon is The universal or general day of Judgment Serpens cum venerit ad bibendum aquam priusquam bibit extra fontem evomit venenum suum Even as a Serpent coming to drink first it vomits up its poyson and then drinketh so when we come to the Lords Table we must first by humble confession which is vomitus sordium animae cast up and vomit out our poyson the worst of poysos viz. Anger and Hatred Envy Pride and Covetousness Sacriledg Theft and Luxury these are the poysons the bane of the Soul away with these and then we shall be satisfied with those Spiritual dainties and Heavenly viands viz. the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Athenagoras the Athenian Philosopher hath a parallel passage in the very beginning of his Book de Resur Mortuorum Nec Medicus infundere salutare pharmacum aegroto corpori apte potest nisi vitiosa prius expurgârit aut affluentem purulentilentiam cohibuerit c. Fourthly Constantly and conscientiously wait diligently and duly attend upon the Lord in every Ordinance if you would have the Spirit of the Lord to do you good in and by This let this be your practice and it shall be your praise if it be somewhat painful yet you shall find it very gainful it is your duty and your glory too The Merchants Ship takes not in all its Lading at one Port nor does the Christian enrich himself with treasures of grace and peace at one Ordinance only He hath instituted none to be kickt at or neglected
Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world In an Evangelical sense one may walk perfectly and thus Zachary and Elizabeth did See Luk. 1.6 They walked in all the Commandments of the Lord blameless 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not sinless but blameless Sineâ—querela non sine peccato as St. Austin glosseth it in the end of his 95. Epist and since him Osiander and others 'T is a true saying of one They err egregiously who look for that in the Law which is only to be found in the Gospel for that in themselves which is only to be found in Christ and for that on Earth which is only to be had in Heaven i.e. A sinless perfection To dispatch this enquiry know that to this upright walking three things are necessary 1. A Rule is requisite a certain infallible and inflexible Rule by which we act that 's the Word 't is not only a rule of Knowledg but also a rule of Duty 2. A knowledg of this Rule and then there must be 3. An acting conformably suitably to our knowledg We must have an eye as well to the manner of our Obedience as to the matter of our Obedience For as Luther well Adverbia apud Deum praevalent verbis We must obey him as well in the spirit of the command as in the letter of it In those things which seem to make against us as in those that make for us Gen. 22.1 to the 12. v. We must not only not do that which is evil but we must do that which is good We must have respect to all his Commandments Psal 119.6 As good to none at all as not to all David fulfilled all Gods wills Act. 13.22 Gal. 3.10 3 Q. We shall now enquire after the Quae ratio of what importance and concernment is it that we thus walk It were easie to be voluminous but take hints That there is an absolute and indispensable necessity of walking sincerely uprightly that it is of great concernment we do so Appears 1. If we appeal to God under the Law there we see the Lord requires it Gen. 17.1 I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect or upright 2. If we appeal to Christ under the Gospel all his commands breathe Holiness and Uprightness and his promises are to the pure and sincere in Heart Mat. 5.8 He came to save us not in our sin nor with our sin but from our sin He requires us to be holy as he is holy and we must follow the example of his life if we hope to be saved by the Merits of his Death 3. If we appeal to the practise of the Saints under both Dispensations they ever made it their business to walk uprightly Enoch and Noah and David and Josiah and Hezekiah Hear one for all Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart says good Hezekiah Isa 38.3 For the New Testament consult 2 Cor. 1.12 and 1 Thes 2.10 Ye are witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved our selves among you that believe Phil. 1.27 4. If we appeal to Conscience our own or others Conscience is a faculty or habit of the practical understanding whereby the mind of man by the discourse of Reason applys the light it hath to every particular moral act There is a Conscience convinced and awakened but not converted nor renewed Consult this and it will tell you that 't is a matter of importance to walk uprightly a Conscience upon the rack will confess it freely There is a good renewed Conscience and this will tell you there is a necessity of walking uprightly In every man God hath placed a Conscience 't is his bosom-preacher 't is a petty God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it reproves accuses checks and smites when we do evil Ask your Consciences when you are under some sore affliction or when upon your Death beds and they will bear witness to this truth that 't is your part and prudence your duty and discretion to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long To walk humbly and uprightly before God Excellent is that passage of Justin Martyr in his Defense for the Christians to Antoninus Pius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If any be found who lives not as Christ hath taught 't is a certain Argument he is not a Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though with the Tongue he confess the Doctrine of Christ for not those which only profess but those who make good their profession doth Christ assure of Salvation But to ground the Point We are thus oblig'd to walk upon a sevenfold account 1. He is an upright God whom we walk before he is so in his Nature in his Attributes in his Mercy Love and Justice in his Precepts in his Promises in Threats he is so in his offers and tenders of Christ and Grace and of Pardon and eternal Salvation in Him is no iniquity no hypocrisie at all He is a God of Truth his eye is fixt upon it his heart is in love with it He disgusts and abhors all leaven of hypocrisie and vizors of piety all falseness 'T is not all you can say or do or suffer or lose that can make you precious in his eyes without this sincerity In that Psalm of Thanksgiving there is an excellent passage 2 Sam. 22.22 to the 28. I have kept the ways of the Lord. All his judgments are before me I was also upright before him For with the upright man thou wilt shew thy self upright David walkt before an upright God and it concern'd him the more to walk uprightly 2. We have an upright Pattern and upright Presidents to walk after The Lord Jesus is our pattern he hath left us an example 1 Pet. 2.21 and we must follow his steps who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouthâ— We must look at Jesus Heb. 12.2 He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pattern not only for patience in death but for holiness and uprightness of life too for this end and purpose is his life recorded in this sacred Volume Bonos tibi adjunge quia si socius fueris conversationis eris virtutis Ambr. that all his Members might lay it as a golden Samplar before them according to which they should work Upright Presidents the godly Patriarchs the holy Prophets and Apostles pious Princes and other religious persons of whom we read in Holy Story These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Examples propounded for all our imitation In every Profession there are Chieftains The Roman Warriors had their Camilli Fabricii and Scipio's The Philosophers had their Plato Aristotle and Pythagoras We have the Prophets and Apostles Man is a ductile creature led as well by the eye as by the ear we must follow them so far as they follow Christ Non
that Rite was instituted to intimate that the Lamb of God is only savingly taken and eaten by those who are in bitterness of spirit and sorrow of soul for Sin and thus is this Holy Sacrament to be received Does not a broken bleeding Saviour call for a broken and bleeding Sinner How can we see the Bread broken and the Wine poured forth and so should you place your selves as you may see them both which do represent and shew his bloody Death and bitter Passions and yet have no remorse no contrition no compunction no godly sorrow in our Hearts for sin shall the Lord of Life thus suffer Death and shed his precious innocent blood for thy for my sins and shall not our Hearts be so affected with 'em as to weep and drop one tear for ' em What sad lamentation do we make for the death of our Relations especially when taken away by the hand of violence nay they are not interred without tears who die in their beds such so such was the death of our dearest Lord Vellosillus disputes the question Whether the Death of Christ might or ought to be lamented He cites Ambrose and Theophilact Vide Vellosill Advertentias in B. Amb. Quest 19. pag. 33. Beda and Erasmus holding the Negative from Luk. 23.28 but concludes for the Affirmative which most of the Fathers are for But out of dispute it is That he was wounded for our iniquities died for our sins and that it concerns us all to weep for our sins which had so deep an hand in his Death and Sacrament-days are proper times and seasons for godly sorrow When your Eyes and Hearts are wrought and brought into this melting mourning frame when your sorrows for 'em is quadrate adequate and proportionable to that delight and complacency you have taken in them when thus you find it at such a time as this then does this Ordinance work for your good O that Rivers of waters did this day run down our Eyes at the remembrance of that River of blood which ran down from his sides 3 When it makes their Hearts to die to Sin when they do not only discard but disgust it not only leave but loth it when there is not only a breaking of the Heart for Sin but also a breaking of it from Sin When their unbelief is blasted their pride and other lusts are mortified when they come with strong and impetuous lusts to the Lords-Table and there get though no more peace yet more power over them The death of Sin is the Souls life its ruin is our rise its falling is our advancing 't is sad to come and see Sin living in us and Christ bleeding for us to see a crucified Christ and yet to find in our hearts uncrucified lusts When you come to this sacred and solemn Ordinance and there can cry Lord Here is a proud unbelieving heart an heart that does not love thee I cannot I will not therefore love it it does not fear thee but I fear it O Lord help help thy poor servant with a better heart that I may lead a better life As it is I cannot serve thee and thou wilst not save me Oh let my Sin die but let my Soul live and it shall praise thee for ever Let not that which thou didst not make destroy what thine own hand hath made O kill my pride my passion As thy Son died unto Sin for satisfaction so inable me to die unto Sin by Mortification Let me see that Christ died for me even for me by the death of Sin in me Lord help me to revenge the Blood of my dearest Lord upon my dearest lusts When thus it works then it does you good indeed 4 When their Hearts and Affections are more firmly cemented and united animosities are removed breaches healed differences composed when their Heart-burnings are turn'd into Heart-breakings and more Hearty-breathings after love peace and unity St. Austin tells us of a Street in Rome call'd Via Sacra De Civit. Dei lib. 18. cap. 12. the Holy Street Ludovicus Vives gives the Reason viz. because Romulus and Tatius King of the Sabins made their League of Union there Well may this be called the Holy Sacrament as on other so on this account because of that Holy League the Saints renew with God and make one with another here This is the great Love-Feast one great end and design of God in this Ordinance is by it to increase and strengthen Love and Unity amongst his Servants by their Communion in this Ordinance they are made to drink into one Spirit or into oneness of Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 But alas Nullum suit indoctius insaelicius saeculum in eo quippe nulli Scriplores illustres De Rom. Pontif lib. 4. cap. 12. what Bellarmine observ'd of the Tenth Century No Age was so unluckie and unlearned as that the like may I say of this Seventeenth No Age since our Saviours Passion no nor since the Worlds Creation was ever so divided and disunited as ours we live as if we had been born upon the Mountains of Bether i.e. the Mountains of Division and Baptized in the Waters of Meribah i.e. the Waters of Strife They who once did weep and pray together and did suffer together cannot now sit together at the Lords-Table this is a Lamentation c. Excellent is that passage of Paulinus in his Epistle to St. Austin Inter Augustini Epistolas Ep. 33. in Med. Paulinus Tâ—erasia Augustino It is no marvel though we both that are absent be yet present and being unacquainted yet know one another seeing as we have one Head so we live by one Bread walk in one Way c. When you who break Bread together are bound up together when such silver-showers of Love are rained down upon your hearts as cement them more firmly as heal your Schismes and repair your Breaches and make you like the Cherubims with your Faces looking one upon another when you go from this Ordinance with stronger resolutions to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace when by it you are more inabled as well as more engaged to love more purely to live more Christianly to forgive more cordially to forget injuries to pity and pray and live and love as Brethren as did those Primitive Christians Act. 2.46 47. When you that are one in so much will not be two in or for a trifle for vestures or gestures or such little matters When thus you find it at or after a Sacrament then indeed doth it work for your good 5 When their Holiness is thereby more promoted and advanced 't is the end and design of God in all his Ordinances especially in and by this to make them who are holy more holy them who are heavenly more heavenly When Moses had been with God in the Mount he came thence with his Face shining When you go from this Ordinance with your Graces shining then it does work for your good indeed
way of resemblance Holy in all manner of Conversation all that Holiness in Saints or Angels is of his implanting 5. He can fill your Hearts with assurance of his Grace in you and of Gods Grace and Favour towards you The influences of the Spirit work Grace and the Evidences of the Spirit discover Grace 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God He bears witness with our spirits that we are the Sons of God Et quando Spiritus testatur quaenam relinquitur ambiguitas The Spirit brings the Heart to the command that 's holiness he brings the promise to the heart that 's assurance In a word Sp. S. irradiat Intellectum inclinat voluntatem sigillat Animum c. he can turn your Water into Wine your night into day he can remove your fears resolve your doubts revive your Souls recruit your Comforts Others only walk in the light of Gods Providence he can make you to walk in the light of his Countenance 6. He also who reconciled Man to God can reconcile Man to Man He can cement your hearts The stones of the Temple were so closely cemented as if they all had been but one He can unite you thus too When the Sons of Brutus and the Vitellii conspired with Tarquinius his Embassadours against the Consul they drank the blood of a man to confirm their Amity and Unity You are now a going to drink the precious Blood of Jesus Christ what hinders but the Spirit of the Lord may shed abroad his love in your hearts and make you live in love what are all the motions of the Spirit but tenders of Love or what is the zeal of the Spirit but the print of love or the Graces of the Spirit but engagements to love He can give you such hearts as will be Afraid of every little Sin Amended with every little Cross Affected with every little mercy The Spirit of the Lord hath power enough to give a being to us and hath he not power enough to do any thing in and about us Can he give a being to his Ordinances and cannot he give a blessing to them He can do every thing and therefore This But that shall serve for the fifth Query The improvement of the point is not the least considerable part of my work and indeed 't is all that now remains Here is a word of Counsel and a word of Comfort something which concerns Sinners and something too which concerns the Saints I would not discourage the weak yet must I awaken the secure I begin with the Counsels such first as concern you that are Saints and I have something to say in General something in particular Two things would I say in general Is not the Spirit of the Lord so straitned but that he can cause this Ordinance to do you good Then see that 1. You believe this Truth and believe it firmly and undoubtedly The Spirit is God as Almighty as the Father or as the Son To an Almighty power nothing is impossible nay nothing difficult When God promised Abraham a Son in his old age what a hard task was here for God Sarah could not believe it she laughed but what saith the Lord Is any thing too hard for me He can do it because he is omnipotent and he will do it because he hath promised to do it 't is a truth as full of comfort to the Saints as is the Sea of water or the Sun of light therefore believe it stedfastly And see that you 2. Look for good for great workings in and by this Ordinance from the Spirit of the Lord. And look well to this Ordinance that it do you good for if it do you no good it will do you hurt if it be not bread it will be poyson it will set you either a step nearer to Heaven or nearer to Hell Who can say when he hath been at a Sermon or at a Sacrament as some Tradesmen may when their accompts are cast up I have neither got nor lost Be you well assured that if it do not strengthen your graces it will strengthen your corruptions This is a sad saying but not more sad than true others have found it so and so may you it will further you either in the way to glory or in the way to misery O that whilst the sound of these words is in your ears the savour of them were upon your hearts But to come yet more close to the business in order hereunto perhaps some of you may enquire And it brings me to the Sixth Query Q. 6. What course must a serious Christian take or hold that the Spirit of the Lord may cause this blessed Ordinance to work for his good In this numerous Auditory I am in hopes there are not many if any but they seriously desire the Ordinances may do their Souls good They would not pray nor hear nor receive in vain Well I will confine my discourse to this Ordinance before you take these ten Directions 1. Carefully prepare your hearts for it if you would profit by it Till the Earth be prepared you cast not in the seed till the Instrument be tuned you do not begin to play Till your Hearts be prepared you cannot receive worthly Gods Dispensations are generally suited to our Dispositions Those Beasts which came in to Noahs Ark unclean went out again unclean You know the Jews had their preparation for the Passover Job 19.14 And is not this an Ordinance every way as holy and venerable When our Blessed Saviour was about to institute this Ordinance it was his pleasure the House should first be fitted and prepared in which he was to do it Mark 14.15 Is there not as much nay much more need our hearts be fitted and prepared Well then say I to you as Samuel did to the Elders of Bethlehem 1 Sam. 16.5 Sanctifie your selves and come with me unto the Sacrifice put your hearts in order These two things have a special eye unto 1 To get an Understanding 2 An humble Heart 1 Get an Understanding Heart when the Lord appear'd to Solomon in Gibeon and said unto him Ask what I shall give thee 1 King 3.5 Give unto thy Servant an understanding Heart says Solomon in vers the 9th Some render the words Cor dicile Sapientiam circa agenda Cor capax divinarum legum Cor audiens an hearing Heart others Cor intelligens aut sapiens an understanding wise heart He asked Wisdom with a great deal of Wisdom had not he been wise before he had not known the worth of wisdom When you are about these Sacramental duties pray for an Understanding heart Amongst the Graces requisite to qualifie a Communicant Knowledg is neither the last nor the least considerable Knowledg of what may some say I answer I the Knowledge of our selves Est Disâ—iplinarum omniuÌ„ pulcherrima
then be not supercilious and censorious but candid and ingenuous towards others who come thence without any sense of increased grace or evidences of his love and favour Job 6.14 To him that is afflicted melted in the furnace of Affliction pity should be shewed Is it not enough that God doth grieve them by the suspension of his influences but must you add unto their sorrows and why should you insult over them Are you Saints so are they Though they walk in darkness yet they are children of Light Know and do your duty pray for them and pray with them Can you go from promise to promise and say These are mine Or from Ordinance to Ordinance and say By all these the Spirit of the Lord hath done and still is doing me good Well be you thankful but be not proud nor supercilious be not high-minded but fear At the next Communion he may vail his Face from you and reveal his love to them whom now you brow-beat Psal 30.6 7. He may turn your Wine into water and their water into wine he may do them much more and you much less good at the next address you make unto the Lords Table Let not such as are high and rich in grace and peace censure them that are poor and low and do not you that are low envy them that are high but bear ye one anothers burdens rejoyce in one anothers Graces mutually promote the work of Holiness be less in censuring and more in praying Oret Apostolus pro plebe oret plebs pro Apostolo pro se omnia membra orent caput pro omnibus interpellat Aug. in Psal 38. the Pastor for the People the People for their Pastor one member for another ever remembring that Jesus Christ our merciful high Priest is pleading and interceding for us all Egregia laus non modo non satiscere sed indies proficere in melius Grot in Rev 2 19 5 Walk fruitfully Make it your business to do all the good you can Wherefore doth the Spirit of the Lord at any time or by any means do you good but only to make you better and to enable you to do better Go then and abound in the work of the Lord let your last be more than your first more for quantity better for quality Be filled with the fruits of righteousness This Ordinance concerns the Soul may be the last is the purchase of Christ is a good gale for Heaven Study then to be fruitful which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God Be more vigorous in every holy duty more zealous for the advancement of Gods Glory Follow the Lord fully faithfully and chearfully Study how you may answer his expectations from you his dispensations to you and the many obligations that are upon you Hath he done more for you do you the more for him or your answer and account at the last day will be sad indeed You love to see every thing you have fruitful much more doth the Spirit of the Lord love to see you so O how happy were we yea Foelices ter amplius might it but as truly be said of us as it was of Joseph Joseph is a fruitful Bough Gen. 49.22 Naturalists say of the Pomecitron that it bears fruit at all times of the year this is the Emblem of an Evangelical Communicant As a plant differs from a stone by vegetation and a Beast differs from a plant by sense and a Man differs from a Beast by speech and reason so should a Communicant differ from other men by fruitfulness Come then and spread your branches send forth your spices as Aromatick Trees in Lebanon Christ chides a little Faith Mat. 14.31 but admires and applauds a great Faith Jer. 11.16 Joh. 15.8 Mat. 25 30 Non tantū de non servato sed de non aucto munere damnabuntur homines Profp O woman great is thy Faith Scholars are not at ease till they have taken all their Degrees though it cost them dear and why should Christians till they come to a Non ultra Our blessed Saviour did only two terrible wonders the one was the drowning of the Swine Mat. 8. and yet that was only done by his permission The other was his cursing and blasting of the barren Fig-tree and that was symbolical not done in spleen to the Tree but only to manifest his indignation against an unfruitful profession Let us view that Text Mar. 11.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subaudi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ubi enim erat tempus erat ficuum vel tempestivae ac maturae trant ficus Accentus enim spiritusque distinctiones negligebant veteres Mark 11.13 Seeing a Fig-tree afar off having leaves he came if haply he might find any thing thereon but when he came to it he found nothing but leaves For the time of Figs was not yet You will say was not this a cruel act or unreasonable had it been a time for Figs the blasting of it had been reasonable and just I answer the words in the original are not rightly comma'd and accented if they were they would run thus For where he was it was a time of Figs as one well observes viz. Learned Heinsius on Mark 11.13 You have been some of you at least three or four days together at the Lords Table upon this signal and special occasion besides your Communions in course every first Lords-day in the Month. You are planted in a fruitful Hill Isa 15.1 The Sun-beams of mercies Zions silver-drops have fallen on you you hear more of God and from God in one day than some thousands in the world have done in all their lives These are your enjoyments what now are your improvements your receipts are high let not your returns be low if he find you without fruit he will leave you without excuse Nay he may deal with you as with that barren Fig-tree blast and not bless you But my hopes are and my prayers shall be for you as St. Paul's were for the Philippians that your Faith and Love and all your Graces may abound Phil. 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet more and more 6 Walk closely Keep close that 's my meaning to this precious Ordinance where you have so happily met with all this good from the Spirit of the Lord those sweet experiences you have had of his quickening and strengthening influences should engage you if it will not others to a more constant and diligent attendance upon him in this solemn Ordinance The Question once was Mat. 22.12 How camest thou in hither not having on the Wedding garment The Question I must invert and put it thus to you Having on the Wedding-garment how comes it now to pass that you go out Do vestures or gestures or the prayers of the Church deter or drive you hence would you not complain of us should we excommunicate or cast you out and is it well done in you thus to
us if so you will of God if so you dare of his Decrees Ordinances this or that but assure your selves he can as soon cease to be God as cease to be good or just he will lay the fault where you will not like it whence you shall never be able to remove it even at your own doors Therefore be advised 1. Cherish not any longer such undervaluing thoughts of this mysterious holy and precious Ordinance Judg not rashly nor falsly of the things of God I am speaking for God and for his Institutions and though it be an easie matter to slight me your Minister yet I fear it will be no easie province to answer your Maker for the contempt you do to his sacred Ordinances 2. Break off your Sins by repentance and that speedily though a late repentance may be a true repentance yet you will find that a late repentance will prove an hard repentance a disease the longer it grows upon a man the harder it is to be cured Be quick in this duty lest God be quick in judgment Rev. 2.3 Repent or else I will come unto thee quickly Mark that quickly Lament and weep over your Souls for the loss of all that good you might ere this day have got by this Ordinance Now get your persons clothed with his Righteousness your natures cleansed by his Spirit your sins pardoned in his blood and doubt not if then you come but the Spirit of the Lord will do you good by this Ordinance The good Lord follow this work of Conviction with a work of Conversion And make this word effectual to confirm the doubtful to quicken the slotful to encourage the fearful Go to God though you cannot go in Faith yet go for Faith though you cannot yet he can reform your lifes and put you into a right frame for communion with him in this Ordinance We are now arrived at the last Enquiry Q. 8. What soul-reviving comforts doth this truth afford to the people of God who care take and conscience make of walking uprightly Resp I will not presume too far upon your patience and therefore shall not launch out into this vast Ocean take an account of them in these ten particulars and these ten rather in Figures than in words at length Is the spirit of the Lord at liberty and has he a sufficiency of power to enlighten and strengthen and comfort and to do you good by this Sacrament Here is comfort for you in ten cases or respects 1. As to the weakness of these Sacramental Elements alas what is a little morsel of bread or a sip of Wine and a few words spoken over them no Transubstantiating words we abhor all thoughts of that Doctrine which is so contrary to our Senses to Reason to the Scriptures to the comfort of the Saints to the honour of Christs glorious Body all which is abundantly evinced by our Divines True it is indeed they are poor and weak things in themselves but you must remember they are of divine Institution this is an Ordinance of the great God who hath own'd it and can and will bless it Though these outward Elements be weak yet the Spirit of the Lord is strong he delights to do great things by weak means What is the word if abstractly considered but a dead letter yet 't is the power of God unto Salvation to them that believe 't is mighty through God it transforms the heart reforms the life by it the dead in sin are quickened sinners are turned from darkness unto light and this is a greater work to turn the Soul from a state of Sin to Grace than from Grace to Glory By it Lepers are cleansed afflicted Consciences comforted c. What is a little water in Baptism to a tender Infant 't is in it self but a mean thing but water-baptism is of divine sanction and institution Joh. 1.33 He that sent me to Baptize with water and Infant-Baptism is so too Mat. 28.19 Go disciple ye all Nations Posito toto generali pars ejus negari non debet How Baptizing them c. and the Spirit of the Lord can do us good by it yea our tender Infants too even in their Minority much more when they arrive at years of Discretion He can and hath made his Elect who were baptized at ten days as careful to repent to believe and obey the Gospel as those ever were who were twenty years of age ere they were dipped Say men what they will of it or against it that it is a sign or shadow this or that if God set us a shadow a brazen Serpent it shall not be in vain to look up unto it Do not less prize or use the institution being well assur'd of the Lords Benediction I told you but even now That the meanness of the Element adds more to the honour and wonder of the Sacrament And that it derives its being and value from its Author I refer you for more of this to St. Ambrose his fourth Book de Sacr. chap. 4. Tom. 4. pag. 173. And to Bishop Reynolds his Meditations on the Holy Sacraments chap. 4. 2ly Here is comfort for you in case of bitter taunts and Satyrical or Sarcastical speeches which you may meet with from ignorant sensual and secure Sinners because of your constant and conscientious attendance upon God in this Sacred Ordinance Nazianzen said long since 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In all Ages the most serious holy men are represented as the most vicious wicked men have no favour from God and good men shall have no favour from them whilst they have virulent Tongues or violent hands If the Son of God was crown'd with thorns let not the Saints of God expect a crown of Roses As the Lilly amongst the Thorns as the lamb amongst the Wolves so is the Spouse amongst the Daughters They will do by you as Stunica did by Erasmus observe and review all your works and pick and cull out only what they conceive is worst but those perhaps as did his may prove your greatest truths and vertues However solace your selves in this The Spirit of the Lord is doing you good and never the less for their saying or doing you evil what though you hear ill whilst you fare well their reproaches shall hurt you no more than the Dog does the Moon which he cannot bite though he bark all night at it Apol. pro Christianis Antonin Virtus nihil est imminuta propter existimationem vulgi Nobis temerariae quorundam calumniae sanctioris vitae institutum non obscurant nec per eas gloriae nostrae coram Deo aliquid decedit as Athenagoras told Antoninus and Commodus in his Apology for the Christians a Diamond sparkles never the less nor is it any whit the less precious because an ignorant or a blind man disparageth it 't is so in this case their reproachings tend to your greater glory they will wish but perhaps when 't is too late they had been fitted