of Prayer and other parts of Divine Worship All these will aggravate your sin But the Possibility of doing other Services of Religion amiss is not counted a sufficient Reason for the not doing ' em After all such pretences and excuses there is too much Reason to think that the most are afraid of coming to this Ordinance lest the preparing for it and the consequent Duties which they know are required should interrupt their Sensual Pleasures or their inordinate Prosecution of the World and oblige them to leave their sins which as yet they have no mind to part with Such as these ought not to come indeed they have other work first to do They are first called to Repentance and Faith in Christ and afterwards to the Communion of his Body and Blood They are called to understand and own their Baptismal Covenant by the Answer of a good Conscience and then to renew it at the Table of the Lord This Priviledge belongs not to them till they have truly repented and forsaken sin and yielded themselves to be the Lord's 3. Object But others are ready to say I would come and have had many a Thought about it But I doubt of my own Sincerity and the truth of my Grace I know it is Childrens Bread and I am not certain I am one of that number And does not the Apostle tell us That he that doubteth is damned if he eat Now I doubt whether I am passed from Death to Life or no May such a one as I venture to come who have no Assurance that I am in a State of Grace Are all those unworthy and unfit to come who come in any other State of Soul than they think they may safely dye in Several things may be said in Answer to this 1. That many mistake the Nature of true Faith and Sincerity and think if they have not Assurance of the Love of God that therefore they have no true Faith They make saving Justifying Faith to consist in believing the special Love of Christ to their Souls in believing that their sins are pardoned and that they are in Christ But this is a dangerous Mistake which one would wonder under such clear Light as we enjoy should be so common For how unspeakable is the Difference between the Truth of Grace and the Knowledge of its being true between a hearty Consent to the Terms of the Covenant and the Reflex Act of Faith so as to be able to say I know my Interest in the Covenant Many a false Professor may flatter himself that his Faith is true when it is not and many an Vpright Christian may doubt and question Whether he be one or no But the Latter shall one Day be ashamed of their Fears as the Former of their Hopes The Lord knoweth who are his when many that are His do not know it themselves And if a Minister of Christ will ask a few home close Questions of such doubting trembling Christians by which their hearty consent to the Covenant may be judged of Their Answers plainly shew That they believe in Christ and love him above all the World and regard no Iniquity in their hearts And yet will continue to doubt of their Integrity though the Bent of their Hearts and the Endeavours of their Lives do abundantly prove that they are Sincere 2ly However it may ordinarily be known whether your Faith be of the right kind or no and whether you are Vpright towards God or no. We are bid to Examine and Search and try and prove our selves in order to it that we may find the Mark and Impress of God upon our Souls the Fruits of the sanctifying Spirit there and so have Rejoycing in our selves and not in another It is so far from being unlawful to collect Comfort from the Marks and Signs of our Sanctification and to prove our Vnion to Christ and Justification that way that it is the very Method of the Gospel to direct us to know our State towards God by thus looking inward to find the Image of Christ upon the Soul and by observing the Fruits of the Spirit in a godly Conversation Such doubting Christians would do well to Consult some Faithful Minister of Christ and Represent the State of their own Case what they feel that so they may be told what it doth signifie and be help'd to judge of themselves It is granted that you know how it is with you better than any Minister can do For as * Mr. Baxter One well expresses it A Patient knows better than any Physician what he feels but a Physician when he hears it can tell from what Cause it comes and what is the Nature of the Disease and what is like to come of it and what is the proper Method for a Cure There is a great deal of Reason why you should expect and hope for the Resolution of your Doubts in such Cases by consulting some Minister of Christ especially him under whose Ministry you have chosen to place your selves as the Helper of your Faith and Joy 3. The Penitent Christian though he want Assurance is Accepted of God and hath Right to this Ordinance whether he believe it or no. If you unfeignedly consent to the Covenant of Grace and with an humble penitent Sense of your past Sins are willing and desirous to close with Christ on the Terms of the Gospel That God shall be your God and Christ your Redeemer and Lord and the Holy Spirit your Sanctifier and Guide If you are willing heartily willing to give up your selves to be instructed ruled and saved by him This is the very Heart of saving Faith And if this be your Character you are the Members of Christ and ought to come to the Lord's Table For though your timorousness and present Scruples may make you Suspend for a-while they cannot deprive you of your Right to the Ordinance nor disoblige you from the Duty of coming to it For All such who unfeignedly consent to the Covenant they may and ought to come to signifie their Consent and to receive the Seal of the Covenant 4. Every Christian ought to endeavour to know his State lest they be distracted between the Hopes of God's Acceptance of them on the one hand and the Fears of coming Vnworthily on the other Because they doubt of their Worhtiness they fear to come And because they have some good Hope they dare not stay away lest they neglect their Duty The proper Remedy is to Resolve Unfeignedly to please God and obey him in this and all other Instances and then do this in Remembrance of Christ as what all his Followers are obliged to do It may be that Ignorance of thy State from whence thy Doubts proceeds is owing to the Neglect of Self Examination and the use of proper Means to know thy Self 5. It may yet be Adviseable for some melancholy tempted Persons under some perplexing Doubts to stay away for a-while till they have competently over-come their Fear lest
are so only by Baptism and a visible profession others by a living union Such a difference our Saviour makes John 15. v. 6. where he tells us there are some Branches of a Tree that have only Influence enough to bring forth Leaves and no Fruit and are cast off as Branches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They seemed to be Branches in Christ they appeared as Branches they profest union to him but were not what they seemed to be In this sense I understand the being in Christ spoken of Gal. 1.22 I was known by face to the Churches that are in Judea that are in Christ Jesus That is to the Body of professing Christians there as distinguished from the Jews though there were many rotten Members amongst them that were not in Christ by a lively Faith Therefore 3. The great Bonds of Vnion between Christ and real Christians or true Believers are the Spirit on his part and Faith and Love on ours On which account Christ is said to dwell in us by his Spirit and we are said to dwell in him by Faith By the Spirit he comes down to us by Faith we ascend up to him It is by Faith we are joyned to Christ as our Foundation 1 Pet. 2.6 And by the Spirit we are built together for an habitation of God Ephes 2 v. 22. And he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit with him 1 Cor. 6.17 Our Union unto Christ immediately ariseth from the Communication of his Spirit to us and our Participation of the same Spirit with him by which Spirit the Divine Nature as the Image of Christ is formed in us 2 Pet. 1.4 Gal. 4.19 And the Introduction this new spiritual form gives denomination to the Person Christ enters into us by Faith and inhabits in us by his holy Spirit And of these two Bonds the Spirit is the primary one as being the Author of the other And therefore Believers are said to live in the Spirit of Christ and to walk in the Spirit and after the Spirit and to be led by the Spirit Hereby says the Apostle We know that we dwel in him and he in us because he has give us of his Spirit 1 John 4.13 2 Corinth 13 14. I confess it is hard to conceive any Vnion nearer than that between God and every creature For God as Creator is as near to every Creature as that Creature is to it self and yet distinct from that Creature for that Creature is not God But the different sort of Vnion must be distinguished by different Operations God is nearer to Creatures in their Natural State worketh on them as the God of Nature Christ is nearer to the Souls of Believers by his Spirit worketh on them as an Head of holy gracious Influences The different Operations make the great difference Though we shall not fully understand this till we come to that Place and State where that which is imperfect shall be done away However we are said to be built on him as on a Foundation to be inserted into him as Branches into a Vine to be incorporated with him as an Head and what words can be used more significant of an Intimate Vnion Therefore 4. We may add That it is more than a Relative and Political Vnion such as is between King and Subjects It exceeds it in the Intimacy of the Union as well as the Benefits of it The Similitude between Head and Members making one Natural Body amounts to more Besides his Kingdom is not of the same sort and he rules his Subjects after another manner And the Mystery of the Trinity in Vnity to which it hath some Resemblance carries it yet higher and further It is therefore a most near and immediate Spiritual Vnion whereby every particular Believer is joyned to the Lord. This is a Great Mystery Ephes 5.32 Oh how †Mr. How 's Funeral Sermon of Mrs. Baxter p. 10. mysterious and ineffable is this Vnion of the Lord and the Soul Who would not admire at their proud disdainful Folly that while they cannot explain the Union between Soul and Body are ready to jeer at their just humble and modest Ignorance who call this other a Mystical Vnion Or because they know not what to make of it would make nothing and will not allow there should be any such Thing at all or would have it to be next to nothing But have those words no sense belonging to them or not a Great Sense 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit This is a Mystery saith the Apostle that hath Riches of Glory in it 1 Col. 27. And that Vnion is the Foundation of Fellowship and Communion with him as the Apostle speaks 1 John 1.3 That he may have Fellowship with us and truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ That is That you may have like Fellowship with God and Christ as we have Not that our Union and Communion is first with the Church and then with Christ as some of late have Argued though therein they contradict a Learned Man whose Opinions in other Instances they are very fond of I mean Episcopius For upon that place he says That this sense is carefully to be avoided That we are first united to the Apostles and then to God and Christ It is both absurd in it self and of very ill consequence It is in it self absurd because we and the Apostles themselves are but Brethren in respect of Union unto Christ They are united to him in the same manner with us And there are very ill consequences would follow from that Opinion For then there must be Union and Communion with some Men and Company of Men before we can have Union and Communion with Christ which Error by degrees was serviceable to introduce the Papacy Let me add 5. This Union is not to be supposed without Regeneration without the Renovation of our corrupt Nature by the Spirit of Christ in order to Communion with him The Union otherwise between Christ and us would be like Nebuchadnezzar's Image the Head of gold and the Arms of silver and the Feet of clay If there be not Spiritual Life from Christ by the quickening Spirit the Body of Christ would be partly dead And who would ever indure a dead Body to be joined to him though it were the Carkase of one he never so dearly loved 6. This must also be remembred That this Union between Christ and us is to be brought about by mutual consent and therefore often set forth by the Conjugal Union to which Consent is necessary Our Lord has laid the Foundation and declared his readiness to receive us into Union with him by the publication of his Gospel And it is the work of his Spirit to make us willing to yield our selves to the Lord that we may enter into Union with him and be brought under the Bond of the Covenant We must know him chuse him and accept him for our Teacher Saviour
and Lord by a present compliance with his Terms We must devote and give up our selves heartâ—ly and unfeignedly and unreservedly to be his And then we may say My Beloved is mine and I am his I am in Christ and Christ in me And here is the great Office and Work of Faith in this World to bring Christ and our Souls into this blessed Union Upon which Account we are now in him as hereafter we shall be with him When the work of Faith is over and we are brought to Glory we shall be with Christ and shall be ever with the Lord But now we are said to be in him It is true we are now said to sit in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus But hereafter it is promised we shall sit down on his Throne with him Now he dwells in us and we in him Hereafter we shall be with him to behold his Glory For so he Prays John 17. And he promised the Penitent Thief that he should be with him that day in Paradise Our spiritual life is now hid with God in Christ as to present Union by Grace but it is hid with Christ in God as to eternal Glory The expressions are observably different In Christ now with Christ hereafter Now united with God in Christ Hereafter with Christ in God In Christ upon Earth In God in Heaven For to be in Christ refers to the Mediator and is by Faith But Faith shall cease in Heaven and the Mediator deliver up the Kingdom to the Father that God may be all in all Thus for a brief Explication of the Priviledge of being in Christ II Let us consider what is affirmed of those that are in Christ or what they are exhorted to What they are if they be in Christ What they must manifest themselves to be if they will prove an Interest in such a Priviledge that is New Creatures If any Man be in Christ he is a New Creature Or a New Creation for so the Original will bear And it is not in this place only but several others where the like Expressions are used concerning that great Change that is made by the Grace of God on the Souls of Men. It is termed a Creation for the greatness of the Change and a new Creation for the Excellency of it One may be apt to think That the Extraordinary Conversion of the Apostle Paul made so great a Change in him that it is on that Account he so often speaks in such terms that he mentions so often old things done away and the old Adam put off That he speaks of a New Man a New Creation and New Creatures and a Spiritual Resurrection from the Dead and the like As that Glorious Light which shone round about him when he was struck to the ground in the way to Damascus might occasion him so often to use the expression of Light for at every turn he speaks of the Father of Lights the Armour of Light the Kingdom of Light the Inheritance of the Saints in Light of Illumination of opening the Eyes c. But how fit a representation is this of the Change by converting Grace as might be illustrated by considering the state of Spiritual Death that we are in before and by considering the nature of the Change it self and the Effects and Operations that do afterwards manifest and discover it We are created in Christ Jesus unto good works begotten again born from above quickened and made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins Several words are used according to the several Powers of the Soul and according to the different objects the New Creature is conversant about For as this Change discovers it self in the Vnderstanding it is a translation from darkness into Marvelous Light and brings us to the true and saving knowledge of God in Christ The fâ—rst thing that God created in the Natural World was Light 1 Gen. 3. 2 Cor. 4.6 1 Pet. 2.9 10. As in the Will it is a choice of God and full purpose of heart to cleave to him And as to the different objects it has also other names As referring to Christ dying it is Faith To Christ living it is Love To Christ ruling and commanding it is New Obedience But here it is called a New Creation Not as if it were a removal of the old Substance or any of the Powers of the Soul But a rectifying a sanctifying of them by setting up a new light in the Understanding giving a new Byas and Inclination to the Will turning the Heart from Sin and the World to God and Christ to Holiness and Heaven Not changing the Nature of our Affections but curing the Corruption and Disorder of them and changing the Objects about which they are conversant Some think the Metaphor is taken from the Proselytes to the Jewish Religion whose Conversion to Judaism was accounted a kind of New Birth and they reckoned New Creatures Which our Lord seems to allude to in his Discourse with Nicodemus and wonders such a Doctor in Israel should be ignorant of it Others think it may allude to the Jewish Custom with respect to their children They taught them to read at three years old and then instructed them till five then put them to School where they learned the Law of Moses till Ten and for three years more they applyed themselves to understand the Jewish Traditions and the Mysteries of the Synagogue and when that time was expired at the Age of Thirteen they said a Child was a New creature that is sufficiently instructed how to live and please God alledging Isa 43.21 This People have I formed or created for my self Our state of nature and sin is ordinarily exprest by the Metaphor Dr. Hammond's Serm. on Gal. 6.15 of Old Age our natural Corrupt Affections that are born and grow up with us are called the Old Man as if since Adam's Fall we were decrepit and feeble and Aged as soon as Born as a Child begotten by a Man in a Consumption never comes to the strength of a Man is alway weak and crazy and puling hath all the Imperfections and Corporal Infirmities of Age before he is out of his Infancy And accordingly all that is opposite to this old corrupt decrepit state is termed New And so we read of a New Doctrine and New Covenant New Tongues a New Commandment New Man Mark 1.27 Chap 16.17 John 13.34 Ephes 2.15 and the state of Grace exprest by this All things are become New The Man when old hath entred a second time into hiâ— Mothers Womb and is born again and is become a glorious beauteous New Creature so that you would wonder to see the Change You have heard in the Primitive Church of a Grain of Faith removing Mountains The work of Regeneration the bestowing of a Spiritual Life on one dead in Trespasses and Sins the making of a Carcass walk the Natural Old Man to Spring again and move spiritually is as great a Miracle as that Therefore called a
those who have formerly been at the Lord's Table but very often do tarry away though they have time and opportunity as being afraid to come by reason of their own Unworthiness 4. Consider further What are those sins that you charge your selves with as the ground of your Vnfitness They are either of Weakness or of Wilfulness Either such as can hardly be avoided by the Care and Watchfulness of Good Men as sins of daily infirmity These do not make you unfit for the Lord's Table For if they did who at all would ever be fit If a perfect sinless Fitness were necessary none could come aright And by such a thought we make Christ an hard Master But if they be sins of Wilfulness you are Self-condemned if you do not Reform And yet how many are there concerning whom we may charitably judge that they do not allow themselves in wilful sins that do yet tarry away from this Table 5. Let me ask you further Have you ever tryed to fit and prepare your selves as worthy Receivers of the Lord's Supper Have you endeavoured in the use of all God's appointed Means to obtain that Knowledge Repentance Faith and Love which should fit you for this Ordinance If you have never used the Means that God hath appointed if you have never seriously and in good earnest set about the Work of Preparation How can you say that you never shall or can be fitted for this Priviledge What Minister of Christ have you ever consulted about it It may be you mistake the very Notion of the Lord's Supper and understand not the True Nature and Design of it Have you set apart time to search your Hearts and examine your Coâ—sciences and Repent of all Sin and give up your selves to God in Christ and beg the help of Ministers and Friends to that purpose 6. Therefore let me ask you again Is not your Unfitness from sloath and Idleness or the distracting hurry of Worldly Affairs that you cannot be brought to spare so much time as is necessary for this Work How will you Answer this at the Great Day Will you then have the Courage to tell the Lord Redeemer to his Face what this Pretence amounts to Will you tell him in that Awful Solemnity Lord I would not have omitted the Ordinance of the Supper but have remembred Thee and thy dying Love by breaking of bread But I was unfit for it altogether unfit because my Mind was distracted with the cares of the World I had so much of other matters all the Week from Moneth to Moneth to take up my Thoughts and Time that I had no leisure for serious Preparation What self-condemning Excuses will these prove at last Lastly Is there not yet something worse at the bottom viz. That you are unwilling of that strictness and seriousness that you think such are obliged to as come to the Lord's Table Unwilling of that circumspect walking which such of all others should be exemplary in Are you not afraid that if you come you must abridge your selves of some Liberties that you now take That you must be more constant in secret Prayer That you must set up daily Family Prayer in your houses That you must spend more Time in Reading be more careful of your Company and be more faithful and exact in your Dealings and do many things that now you neglect How dreadful is the Import of such an Excuse for not Coming of such a Ground for staying away For it seems to lye in this That Men are resolved they will live at large and not be bound up by the Rules of the Gospel That is They never mean to take upon them the Yoke of Christ or to live as his Disciples If they would speak it out it must signifie thus much Thou shalt not be my Lord and Redeemer I will not deny Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts and live Soberly and Righteously and Godly in this World Notwithstanding my baptism whereby I have sworn Fidelity to Christ he shall not reign over me This is practically and in effect their Sense For this Command and Order to do this in Remembrance of Christ is as much a Law of Christ as any in the Bible And yet many refuse to obey this Command lest they should be obliged more strictly to obey all the other How little do such Professors consider how unbecoming it is to call themselves Christians or that they are Antecedently by their Baptism and Christian Profession bound to obey Christ in all these Instances And at the Lord's Table we do but renew the Obligation upon our selves to do so We are bound to obey Christ as our Ruler and to yield Obedience to all the Laws of Christ whether we come to this Table or no Though we are also bound to come and to profess and promise Obedience there There are other Objections I may consider hereafter and therefore shall now close with a few words of Counsel 1. Let those of us who have eaten of this Bread and drunk of this Cup and so have professedly had Communion in the Body and Blood of Christ Let us Examine whether we have really and truly had any Fellowship with him in this Ordinance or no Whether we have only partaked of the outward Signs and been present at such a Feast of Love without any Spiritual Nourishment to our Souls Without attending to this the Design of the Institution is overlooked and all the Genuine Advantages of it will be lost Without this we have but played the Hypocrites and Acted a Part and shall pay dear for our Solemn Trifling as having slighted the Redeemer's Love and made our selves Guilty of his body and blood If we have not laboured to see the Evil of Sin and to have our hatred of it encreased If we have not found our Hearts set more against it and our Resolutions confirmed to forsake it If we have not felt the Attractive Influence of the Love of Christ to bring us to Adore him and Magnifie his Condescention and Love If we have not had Admiring Thoughts of the blessed God of the Purity of his Naâ—ure the Justice of his Government and all his Excellent Perfections which are so highly honoured in our Redemption by the bloody Sacrifice of Christ If we have not been cordial and unfeigned in the Dedication of our selves to him and all we have and are to be at his Dispose and Order for the rest of our Time If we have not had our Thoughts raised up to Heaven to a risen glorified Redeemer on his Throne as triumphing over all the Adversaries of our Salvation as able to save to the uttermost All that come to God by him as faithful to compleat what he hath begun and to preserve what is committed to him and to give us the full purchase of his Meritorious Death in the Heavenly Kingdom And if we have not been melted under the sense of pardoning Mercy to our selves and brought to a better Temper of Mind as to the
assured None can be in Christ without it none in Christ so as to have any special distinguishing saving Benefit by him Application 1. Are none in Christ but new creatures How many then must be excluded How many of excellent and laudable Qualifications of great Attainments and high Professions and moral Accomplishments must yet he excluded and shut out from having any part in Christ because they are yet Strangers to this New creation and consequently are not in Christ but under condemnation Meer Civility and a plausible inoffensive Carriage is quite another thing We need but view the Lives and Actions of the generality of such as are called Christians to confirm this That the Number is but small of those who are in Christ How few have had any awakening Convictions about these things and many such miscarry 2. How miserable is the condition of all unrenewed Souls without a change they are excluded from all saving benefit by the Redeemer They are not in Christ and therefore are under the Curse and Condemnation which by union to Christ we are delivered from Rom. 8.1 Know ye not that Christ is in you except ye are Reprobates 2 Cor. 13.6 All our hopes of Life and Salvation by Christ depend upon it The Guilt of all our Sins doth otherwise lye upon us And all the black Clouds of Divine Vengeance hang over our heads The Wrath of God bides upon us as if there were no Christ no Gospel And there is nothing between us and Everlasting Ruine but a little Breadth 3. Then none but New Creatures have a Right to the Lord's Table For the invited Guests are such who are in Christ The Covenant of Grace cannot be sealed in that Ordinance to those who are not under the Bond of the Covenant The Benefits purchased by Christ are not confirmed at his Table unto those who are none of his I grant there is an Unworthiness as to present frame that even those who are in Christ may have but it is the Unworthiness as to state that I am speaking of Such as are not in Christ having nothing to do to eat his Flesh and drink his Blood lest they eat and drink Judgment and Condemnation to themselves He that doth not truly Repent cannot be truly Interested in the Promise of Pardon and therefore cannot have a Right to the Seal of it They are dead in Sin cannot receive Nourishment by this spiritual Food The least that can be said as one observes is this That it is in vain and to no good purpose for such can no more receive Christ in the Sacrament than a Chicken that should come into the Assembly and pick up some of the crumbs of the bread from the ground after Consecration can be said to receive the Body of Christ But the Danger is unspeakable of Eating and Drinking unworthily for such eat and drink Judgment to themselves not discerning the Lord's Body You may desire to come to this Table and you may say enough it may be to satisfie a Minister of Christ who cannot judge of your Heart and Conscience doth not know the whole of your Life But you your selves must look to it that you be in Christ and that you evidence you are so by being New Creatures We can but Warn and Admonish you and offer our Assistance and help At your own peril be it if you come and yet live in any known Sins and cherish the Enemies of Christ though you profess to be his and presume upon all the Priviledges of his House and Family as real members of it But I will yet add That those who are in Christ if they would have Assistance and Grace from the Spirit of Christ to walk as New Creatures they ought on the other hand to take heed how they absent themselves from that Ordinance If they would either have the comfort of their being in Christ or would have supplies of Grace to walk as New creatures they should be frequent and serious in Sacramental Duties Have you not weak Graces to be strengthened and manifold Corruptions to be more subdued Inordinate Love to this World more Crucified Do you not need more Ability to discharge several Duties and overcome divers Temptations Do you not desire to be more Partakers of the Image and Life and Spirit of Christ Is your likeness to Christ so compleat your Faith in all its branches so active and firm your Love to Christ so warm your Heavenly Desires so fervent your Patience and Resignation so perfect your Obedience so exact your standing so sure that you need no more Influence of the Spirit of Christ Should not your own necessity oblige you to be frequent in this work besides the Authority of your Lord which is motive enough to those that are in Christ And he requires you should remember his Dying Love this way and show forth his death tiâ—l he come It is proper work for us to begin the year with To renew our Covenant with the Lord by partaking of the Symbols of Christ's Body and Blood giving up our selves again to be the Lords with renewed Repentance for the sins of the Year past and repeated Exercises of Faith for Pardon and Peace and Grace and Righteousness and Life 4. The next Vse may be of Examination To try whether we are in Christ or no by inquiring whether we are New creatures or not Your Love to Christ your Likeness to him your Subjection to him your Fruitfulness in him will discover it Are old things done away with you and all things become new Is there still the old Darkness and Blindness that was upon your minds or Are you Light in the Lord Doth the old Deadness Security and Carelessness remain upon your Hearts and Consciences old Thoughts and old Designs old Discourses and Conversations as little Savour in the things of God as ever As little Victory over the Temptations of the World and the Flesh as formerly Are your Wills as rebellious and stubstorn as ever Are your Desires after Vanity and your Affections towards Earthly Things the same as formerly So for your Hopes and Fears Joys and Sorrows What Change hath been wrought Does fleshly Appetite and Sense and Carnal Interest sway and govern as much as ever Or is there a New Creation wrought in you Have you a new Mind and Judgment a new Heart and new Affections Do you walk in Newness of Life Is your Internal Principle changed and the External Rule of your Actions changed too Are you no longer conformed to the World but transformed by the renewing of your Minds Rom. 12.2 Is that sin hated and crucified that before was indulged Is that Saviour prized for to them that believe he is precious and the Chiefest of ten thousands that before was slighted Do you delight in the Law of God after the Inward Man Do you find the Holy Law of God written in your Hearts setting you against every sin in your selves and others Do you walk in the Spirit and after
many of our Acquaintance and Friends but that our Names may be amongst those who shall not out-live this It is true It may be you shall live to see the Conclusion of this New-year but it may be you shall not live till Midsummer It may be I may Preach a Twelve-month hence but peradventure you may hear a Sermon occasioned by my Death before that time Or your own ears may be stopped if my mouth be not You may die if I should live yet a few years more I cannot look round on this Assembly but I must conclude that of all this number it is past doubt but some one or more will dye before this year be over I believe I need not scruple to pronounce it There is none can question but if the number were much less one or more would dye within a year Therefore the Voice of God is to every one of you Awake and mind your Work Turn to the Lord and seek after Union to Christ and see that you be New creatures for you shall die before another year But you will almost All be ready to say To whom in particular do you speak this Sure not to me Yes I speak it to you to every of you whether in Youth or Age To you Parents and to you that are Children To you Masters and to you Servants To you Husbands and to you Wives To you before me and to you on either hand This Call of God is to every one of you in particular See that you be found in Christ for you may not be found alive at the end of this year Oh but I hope the contrary say such and such As for me I hope I have many a fair year to come I am in sprightly vigorous Youth or I am in setled confirmed Stength and Health or I am but just entred into the busie World or just now entring upon it c. But How many younger and more likely to live have died this last year and therefore why may not you be one of those who shall dye this Nay Elder Persons are ready to excuse themselves and say They have many Seniors to go before them That many who are Elder than they they see do yet hold out year after year Their inward thought is that they have escaped many Dangers and been recovered from many Sicknesses And though they are but weak and crazy and have many Infirmities and Pains to presage their Dissolution Yet notwithstanding these they make a shift to live and have rubbed on for several years under such weakness And several of their Acquaintance as weak and sickly as they have continued a good while for all that And so neither Young nor Old will admit the Supposition as to their own case Nor You nor You nor any body will believe they shall dye this year And so the next year I doubt not your Hearts will say the same as now for there will be the same pretence And therefore it is not unto you I must speak of Death but rather wish you Joy of the long Life which with so much confidence you reckon upon Well Shall I say then Go and enjoy this World and live as you list if you durst put it to the Venture Go and gratifie your Senses Appetites and Lusts for this year as you did the last and never think of Death or fear it You are not like to dye this year or the next But How unreasonable is such Security when some one or more of this Assembly you grant will probably or most certainly dye this year And how can you be certain that you shall be the Exempted Person Or that your nearest Relations and those you love best That they shall not dye this year Your Parents your Pastors your Husbands and your Wives and your Children and your Bosom Friends you will as hardly admit the thoughts that they shall dye this year But if some or other of those that now hear me that now look upon me that now listen and attend to what I say should be called away to Judgment before another year Why may not you in particular be the Persons or the Desire of your eyes those whose Lives are dearest to you Certainly To begin the year with such a Thought can do you no harm but may be improved to many useful purposes However I must tell you If after all the Changes which we have seen within a Twelve month and which every year brings fresh experience of we will not look forward to our own great change If we will not heartily concern our selves for our greatest truest Interest and prepare for an Everlasting State by voluntary vital Union with the Son of God I must tell you for a Conclusion That God changeth not And if neither the Voice of his Providence nor the Voice of Conscience If neither the Calls of the Word nor the Motions of the Spirit If neither the Experience of others nor so much as we have had of our own will awaken us to change our course You must know that the Holiness of God his Justice and his Truth are unchangable He will not alter the terms of Life for you and me He will not find another way for us to escape Condemnation than by being in Christ and being New creatures Therefore look to it that you be found such And in wishing and praying you may all be Such I do not only wish you a happy New year But a happy Life if it be for many years And withal a Blessed Eternity after Death which such as are now in Christ shall then Enjoy with him when Days and Years and Time shall be no more God grant it for Christ's sake Amen The Second Discourse â— Christ's passing over the Brook and Entring into the Garden After the Lord's Supper From JOHN XVIII 1 2. When Jesus had spoken these words he went forth with his Disciples over the Brook Cedron where was a Garden into the which he entred and his Disciples And Judas also which betrayed him knew the place For Jesus oft times resorted thither with his Disciples UPon Thursday the Day before the Crucifixion of our Lord he goes to Jerusalem from Bethany and there eats the Passover with his Disciples at the end whereof he institutes the Sacrament of the Supper and then makes a large Pathetical Discourse contained in the 15th and 16th Chapters Upon which followed his admirable Mediatory Prayer in the 17th Chapter Now having said and done this having said these words and sung an Hymn with his Disciples he goes forth with his Disciples over the Brook Cedron c. The Jews it is true did not go out of their Houses that Night after the Celebration of the Passover Exod. 12.22 24. Because of the Angels passing by the Houses of the Israelites when the first born of the Egyptians were to be cut off That the Israelites might not mix with the Egyptians at that time but sprinkle the Blood of the Paschal Lamb on their
of it according to its Dignity and Excellency And thereupon to compose the outward and inward Man in partaking of this Ordinance as those that know we have to do with Christ himself and that the body and blood of Jesus Christ is Refer'd to by the Bread and Wine Such a discerning of his body would help to compose us to serious Reverence would awaken suitable Affections would excite the Exercise of Repentance Faith Love Thankfulness and Joy answerable to the Nature of this Feast of Love upon the Sacrifice of Christ This would Regulate the Behaviour of our Bodies and the Temper of our Spirits the Government of our Thoughts and the Motions of our Affections and make us Worthy Receivers The Neglect of this the not thus discerning the Lord's body is the Sin here mentioned and thereby they are Guilty of the body and blood of the Redeemer i. e. They are Profanely Injurious to the very Person of Christ they treat his sacred body and precious blood unworthily and with Contempt It is a Guilt like theirs that abused and crucified the Lord himself when he was upon Earth It is a Sin againâ—â— the body of Jesus Christ against his Humanity which of all Creatures that ever were upon Earth or that are now in Heaven is the most Sacred The Affront Contempt and Injury Redounds to the blessed Redeemer as God Incarnate as having our Nature now in Heaven 't is an Injury to the body of Christ That Body wherein he bore our Sins upon the Cross wherein as a Sacrifice for Sin he offered himself to God That Body that was prepared for him and formed by the Holy Ghost in the Womb of the Virgin that was afterwards Gloriously raised from the Dead to a Divine Life and is now in Heaven the Wonder and Admiration of the blessed Angels and Raised to a State of Glory there as the Pledge and Earnest of our Resurrection and Bliss The not discerning the Lord's body has such a Guilt as this Implyed in it 2. The Punishment of this Sin of Vnworthy Receiving expressed by not discerning the Lor'ds body is here set forth by Eating and Drinking Damnation to our our selves or Judgment to our selves That is As sure as he eats and drinks if he do it unworthily So certain it is that Judgment shall follow he eats and drinks Judgment to himself That Addition To himself may denote two Things First That the whole blame should be laid upon our selves If such a Divine Institution designed for the Spiritual Good and Advantage of our Souls do prove to our Detriment and Damage In such a case it is we our selves that are the sole Cause of it Secondly The Expression may Import further That such as Receive Vnworthily they only hurt and defile Themselves but not other Men that communicate with them You may partake worthily and to Edification while Another by unworthy Receiving that sits in the same Pew may Eat and drink Judgment and condemnation but he eats and drinks Judgment to himself only not to You. Ephes 4.5 Every man shall bear his own burden Let every man prove his own work It cannot be thought that our Lord was defiled by coming to the Baptism of John when there were such a Generation of Vipers who came to it as well as Christ Or that our Lord and the Eleven Apostles were defiled by the company of Judas at the Passover-Supper For there be sure he was The Lord's-Supper was at the close of it And for his being present at that also many contend though * See Mr. Charnock Of the Lord's Supper 2d Vol. p. 7â—3 Compared with Mr. Kettlewell Of the Lord's Supper 12º 1687. p. 387 388 c. The one for his being Present the other against it Others think it probable that he went out before But the presence of some unworthy persons is made an Argument by many against their Partaking of the Lord's Supper in such or such a particular Church as if their presence would defile and infect them This therefore I shall consider as one Objection which several are apt to make against the Performance of this Duty Of frequent remembring the Death of Christ at his Table And then Secondly Consider the other Objection from this Text viz. From the Danger of Receiving Vnworthily lest they should Eat and Drink Damnation to themselves And Thirdly What many more are wont to plead That the Danger being so great they durst not Adventure till they know that they are Believers or such as are Invited For it is Children's bread and they durst not come till they are Assured of their Regeneration and Adoption I shall therefore enquire Whether any ought to come to the Lord's Table till they have Assurance or while they want it 1. It is Objected by many That they do not Communicate because there are such and such Admitted who ought not to come to the Table of the Lord Such as walk disorderly who discredit their Profession and are as bad as any of their Neighbours and Acquaintance And the Apostle says 1 Cor. 5.10 That with such we should not so much as eat That we should have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness Ephes 5.11 That we should withdraw and separate and have no free familiarity with such 2 Thes 3.6 2 Tim. 3.5 2 Cor. 6.17 I Answer First That the Separation from Wicked Men required in such Passages of Holy Scripture refers to our intimate Converse and Familiarity with such who live in notorious and scandalous Sins and do not Testifie their Repentance We must avoid their company lest we be Infected And there is much more danger of Infection by Familiarity with them in daily Converse than by joyning with them in Religious Duties But we must be careful not to call those Vngodly whom we cannot prove to be so we should rather hope they are not unless we can prove the contrary What Sins are there that even a good Man by the surprize of a Temptation may not commit who yet mourns in secret and truly Repents It may be you may have heard of the Sins of many of whose Repentance you have not heard And yet they might truly Repent and you might know it if you would enquire But where the mixture of the â—ares and the Wheat is such that the one cannot be pull'd up without the other both must grow together till the Harvest Such a Difference as God will make at the last Day cannot now be made by us We may safer let the Righteous and Wicked go together as if all were Righteous when we cannot prove the contrary And we do not therein make a false Judgment we do not judge that it is certain that such and such are Sincere and truly Godly but that it is probable they may be so And we may have a stronger Confidence concerning the Sincerity of Some while we have only probable Hopes of Others yea with such Hopes there may be some Fear of their Hypocrisie joyned when
because you have many good Books on this Subject that will Assist you in this Matter I shall only put you in mind of a few Things As 1. That you take some convenient Time for solemn and serious Preparation They especially should do so who have never come till now And they who for some considerable time have neglected it with whom several Months have past since they have been at the Lord's Table Either through their own Neglect which they must Repent of or for want of Opportunity God expected and required solemn Preparation for the Passover Feast Exod 19.10 He doth so for this Feast upon Christ our Passover sacrificed for us Therefore take some time to consider what you are about to undertake Beg of God a prepared Heart and by Reading Meditation and Prayer endeavour to bring your Spirits into a suitable Frame for such solemn Work He brought me into his Banquetting-house Christ himself by his Spirit must lead his own Guests to his own Table He must awaken and excite all those Graces that are to be exercised in this Feast Therefore beg a prepared Heart and do what you can by other means to endeavour it 2. Renew your Repentance for all the Sins of your Life Do not come with filthy Hearts and Hands to the Table of the Lord no more than you would in filthy Rags to a great Man's Table Lay aside all Filthiness and Superfluity of Naughtiness Purge out the Old Leaven of Hypocricy and Malice of Ignorance or Envy and Wickedness of every sort that you may come with penitent humbled Hearts and so with a thankful receptive Frame consenting to all the Claims and Purposes of this Ordinance 3. Therefore Examine your selves afresh that you may thus come Review the State of your Souls see how it hath been and is with you as to Heart and Life State and Frame Let a man examine himself and so let him eat 1 Cor. 11.28 Examine your selves about your Knowledge and your Faith to understand the meaning and the very mystery of this Table that you may firmly Assent to and heartily believe what is Represented and exhibited here And have right Apprehensions of those Doctrines that Explain this Ordinance as concerning our State of Apostacy concerning the Method of our Recovery by Christ and our Faith in him as Teacher Saviour and Lord in all his Offices The like might be said concerning Repentance or Godly Sorrow for Sin hatred of it and hearty forsaking of it Whether you can penitently believingly seal back your part of the Covenant when God sets the Broad Seal of Heaven unto his part when he says I will be thy God and I will remember thy sins no more I will with my Christ freely give thee all things This I promise this I seal to every of you says God I here deliver it as my Act and Deed. Now can you seal back your part of the Covenant Lord I will be thine henceforth I desire and resolve to be entirely thine thy sealed Fountain thy sealed Garden I engage henceforward to be the Lord's This I deliver as my Act and Deed. In a word Examine your selves Do you believe the Gospel of Christ to be true and heartily consent to the Doctrines of it Do you resolve to be Governed by Christ as your Lord and consent to the Terms of his Gospel Do you take him for your only Saviour and look for all your Acceptance with God and hope of Pardon and Life only for his sake and upon his Account Do you consider the Vow you made in Baptism of Fidelity to Christ and resolve to be true to it Do you here seriously Renew it and will you now again promise Faithfulness to him to your Lifes end Do you value his Favour and Grace above all things and come to remember his dying Love and receive the Communications of the purchased Spirit with this Desire Design and Hope That you may love him and obey him better and that you may live in Love and Charity towards your Brethren and all Mankind c. 4. Look to the Inward part of the Ordinance and labour to Appropriate and Apply Christ to your selves Here is a Covenant confirmed by Sacrifice by Blood by the precious blood of Christ I am called O my Soul to feat upon it This Blood was shed to Reconcile me to God I will drink of it in token of such a Reconciliation made as a Testimony that I have Recieved the Atonement made by that Blood My Body was broken for you says Christ Take and eat it My Blood was shed for you Take and drink it Apply it to your selves every one to his own Soul saying He loved me and gave himself for me 5. Endeavour to fix your Purposes and Resolutions of faithful Adherence to Christ whatever it cost you Tell him that you distrust your selves and are afraid of Temptation Tell him in Prayer You are almost ashamed to come to his Table you are such vile unworthy Sinners and are afraid you shall not keep the Covenant that now again you desire to renew But bewail your selves as sensible of your sins and weary of them Tell him that you hate them and resolve against them or else you durst not have the face to ask forgiveness and receive the Seal of it Therefore Resign your selves into his Hands Beg that the Holy Spirit would take possession of you that you may not backslide and wander as you have done Tell him that you renounce all Confederacy with his Enemies you would fain be more stedfast in the way of the Lord It is the desire of your Souls that you may not violate this Covenant but having sworn that you may perform it to keep his Righteous Judgments and that you hope you are ready through his Grace strengthning you to do and suffer any thing for him Therefore penitently and humbly offer up your selves to be his for ever saying Lord I present thee with what thou hast so dearly bought And here without reserve I give up my self to be Thine O do not reject a broken and contrite Heart that desires to be employed and used as may best please and serve thee Lord I am nothing I have nothing I can do nothing I deserve nothing I desire nothing but to love thee better to be more filled with thy Grace to partake more of thine Image to be enabled to honour thee now and enjoy thee for ever Grant me this Lord and do with me what thou wilt Accept the Sacrifice I make of my self unto thee of Soul and Body of all I have without any Exception or Reserve to thy holy will and pleasure Lastly After all this Remember that Thanksgiving and Joy is a principal part of our Work at this Table Let our Souls and all that is within us then praise the Lord giving Thanks to the Father of Mercies for this unspeakable Gift Blessing the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for all the Riches of his Grace in him