tree And the Tree of Knowledge of good and evill assuring him of death upon breach of Covenant and tasting of that Tree 9. Finally Adam enjoyed sweet Peace and Communion with God all the while he continued in this his pure primitive state God familiarly conversed with him he with God in the Garden of Eden receiving from God no expressions but of love and favour This Peace and Communion with God was the Eden of Eden the Paradise of Adams Paradise Object These were Adams Priviledges before the fall and they were excellent But what is all this to us Asw. All this is very much to us For all Adams Priviledges were our Priviledges Adam being a publick person the generall Parent Root and Stock of Mankinde and we all at that time in his loyns Therefore as Levi is said to pay Tithes in Abram unto Melchizedech because Levi was in his father Abram's loyns when Melchizedech met him So we may be truly said to enjoy all the Priviledges of the state of innocency in Adam because at that time we all were in Adams loynes when he injoyed them Oh therefore How happy a man was Adam and how happy were all we in Adam before the fall Thus we should know our selves and our primitive state what once we were in Adam before the fall Next we should know what we now are by nature since the fall II. What are we now in Adam by nature since the fall Answ. As the pillar of cloud between the Israelites and Egyptians had a light side and a dark side Giving light by night to Israel but being darknesse to the Egyptians So our state before and after the fall had a bright side and a dark side I have already shewed you the bright side of the cloud Now I shall represent unto you the dark side We were not once so happy before the fall but we are now as miserable since the fall And this chiefly two ways 1. Through the Privation and Absence of all good which we had 2. Through the Position or presence of all evil which we had not 1. By the fall of Adam we have lost all the good we had all the happinesse we enjoyed in our first estate 1. Our reasonable and immortall soules are become brutish in the things of God and liable to die everlastingly 2 We are banished out of Paradise our pleasant Habitation 3 We are deprived of Edens liberall Provision In the sweat of our browes we must now get our bread and though we toyle never so much Yet the earth yields not its strength but brings forth thorns thistles 4 We have lost much of our dominion over the creatures many of them rebeling against us 5 The sweetness of Marriage-society is imbittered The wives subjection to her husband becoming grievous Her sorrows in Conception and bringing forth being greatly multiplied and both of them being exercised with cares and troubles in the flesh touching their children one another 6. Our innocency and spotlesnesse is swallowed up with nocency and sinfulnesse 7. We are disrobed of Gods beauteous image Having sought out many inventions till Christ the second Adam repair Gods image in us 8. We have brok Covenant with God by eating the forbidden fruit and so have debar'd our selves of all benefit of the Tree of Life 9. And finally we lost our sweet Peace and Communion with God sin defiling our consciences with guilt clothing us with shame and filling our hearts with fear and horrour at the presence of God our â—irst Parents and we in them endeavouring to hide our selves from Gods presence among the trees of the Garden Thus by the fall we are quite stript of all our glory and happinesse wherein we were created 2. By the fall of Adam we are also implunged into all manner of evil which we had not before viz. 1. Evil of sin 2. Evil of punishment 1 The evil of sin is most grievous upon us divers wayes Principally in regard 1. Of Adams sin whereof we are guilty 1. Of Original sin wherein we are naturally drowned 3. Of Actual sin of all sorts and degrees whereunto we are naturally disposed 1. We are all guilty of Adams sin of Adams fall For we all being in the loyns of Adam the publick Root of mankind we stood with him and we fell with him Hence it is said By one man sin entred into the World and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned And again By one mans disobedience many were made sinners So that Adams fall and first sin together with all the sinfull ingredients aggravations thereof As Vnbelief Pride Disobedience Rebellion Vnthankfulnesse Intemperance Murder Apostacy Hypocrisie c. may all most justly be laid to our charge And this is sin enough were we guilty of no more to sink us into everlasting death 2. We are all drowned in Original corruption For even Infants from Adam to Moses that lived not so long as to sin Actually as Adam in his Apostacy did even they were brought under death for their guilt of Adams sin and of Originall corruption of their natures Death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression And David thus laments himâ—elf Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me This the common lot of all Adams posterity even of David among the rest Yea Iob long before David said Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one So then Adam by the fall becoming unclean all Adams children naturally and by ordinary propagation descending from him are naturally unclean also This sinful uncleannesse of nature we call Original sin or Original corrupâ—ion That we may the better discern the venome and sinfulnesse of Original sinne Let us a little consider 1. The names 2. The Nature 3. Thâ— Aggravations of it Thâ— Names given to Original sin in Scripture are divers and very observeable It is called 1. Sin by way of Emphasis as being the sin of sins the mother sin In sin did my mother conceive me 2. Sin-dwelling-in-us Because it hath its continual abode in our natures while we continue in these Tabernacles whether we wake or sleep c. As Ivy abides in an old wall till the wall be pulled down Hence Paul It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me 3. The easily-encompassing-sin Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily-beset us By weight Beza seems rightly to understand all burdensome worldly impediments which hinder us in our Christian course By Sin easily-encompassing Original corruption of our natures that like snares besets us before behinde and on every side tangels our Mindes Consciences Wills Affections and all our members is as fetters to our feet manacles to our hands c. so that we cannot run
3. The Terms of this change and conversion From which and To which both heart and life must be changed From sin to God The heart must be changed from the state and power of sin the life from the acts of sin but both unto God The heart to be under his power in a state of grace The life to be under his rule in all new obedience To open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God Cease to do evill learn to do well Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord. Thus of the Nature of true Repentance 3. The Notes of true Repentance follow The Nature of Repentance thus described and opened may be a rule of tryal and that chiefly in three particulars viz. Conviction and Contrition Conversion 1. Hast thou a true Conviction and sense of sin A true sight of sin is the first step to Repentance No man will come to the Physician till he feell himself sick To this effect 1. Art thou convinced and sensible of sins sinfullness 1 How extreamly opposite and contrary sin is to God God is light sin is darkness God is life sin is death God cannot do it in himself nor endure it or look upon it with the least approbation in any his creatures Men become enemies in their mindes against God through wicked works Yea the carnall minde is enmity it self against God 2 How repugnant sin is to Gods holy just and good Laws Sin is the transgression of the Law The carnal mind is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed can be 3. What power sin hath over thy self and every man by nature It is a Law in thy members A reâ—gnâ—ng King A bond of iniquity c. 4 In a word how filthy odious â—oul and abominable sin is in it self Scripture in this reâ—pect resembles it to the Ethiopians black skin To the filth under the nailes or Arm-holes as the Greek word signifies To the uncleannesse of a menstruous woman To the filthinesse of the Sodomites To the stinking purrified deadly steam of an opened grave To the poison of Aspes and Serpents to the vomit of a dog To the myre and puddle wherein a swine wallows yea it 's called superfluity of naughtinesse or as the Greek signifies the excrement of malice The Holy Ghost useth such coorse expressions in describing of sin to let us see no language is bad enough for it Yea sin is farre more ugly black filthy then the devil himself for through sin he becomes a devil so ugly and abominable Art thou thus sensible of sins sinfulnesse as the glasse of Scripture represents it 2. Art thou convinced and sensible of sins mischievousnes How it cast Adam and all his posterity out of Paradise and Communion with God there depriving all of Gods Image How it makes all men by nature spiritually dead in sin slaves of Satan children of wrath heirs of all Gods curses and every moment liable to death temporal spiritual and eternal How not onely man but the whole Creation groans under the burden of it How by reason of sin thou art naturally in a lost undone damned state in the very gall of bitternesse being godlesse Christlesse and hopelesse in this present World c. Hast thou such apprehensions of sins mischief and danger that thou seest plainly thou art but a dead and damned wretch if thou gettest not out of thy sinful state c. This is to be truly sensible of sin 2. Hast thou true Contrition of heart and godly sorrow for sin thus discovered Art thou so sensible of thy sins as that thine heart is broken with sighs and sobs and thine eyes run down with tears who can aright discern his sins and refrain from sorrows Thou sayst I mourn for sin but how may I know that I mourn aright and that my sorrow is not carnal but godly sorrow Answ. Thou mayst discover the truth of thy godly sorrow for sin by these particulars 1. True godly sorrow is sincere It is for sin as it is sin especially More for the sinfulnesse of sin then for the dangerousnesse of sin Hence the godly mourning soul is most wounded for offending God and piercing Christ by sin For offending God So David Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight He had sinned also against Vriah shedding his blood against the Church giving them offence and cause of mourning against the enemies of God giving great occasion to them of blaspheming and against his own soul wounding it with all this guilt and doubtlesse he mourned for all these but nothing so stabbed him to the heart as that he had offended against such a God For piercing Christ by sin This also most deeply pierceth the soul of him that mourns for sin They shall look upon him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him and be in bitternesse for him c. for He was wounded for our transgressions c. What thinks the bleeding soul were my sins the Iudas that betrayed him the Pilatâ— that condemned him the nails spear and thorns that pierced him the gall and vineger given him to drink him that so loved me as to pray sigh weep bleed and die for my redemption Weep bitterly for this oh my soul let thine eyes run down with floods of tears 2. True godly â—orrow is great the greatest sorrow in the world Hence it 's called A Mourning as for an onely son being in bitternesse as one that 's in bitternesse for his first-born A great mourning as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo A mourning apart All this to shew that godly sorrow for sin is beyond all worldly sorrow When Peter wept for his sins he wept bitterly True there may be such a sudden push of worldly sorrow for a wife child c. that may seem greater then godly sorrow but this sorrow lasts not like godly sorrow So godly sorrow is greatest intensively for degree or extensively for continuance A land-flood may have a greater stream for present than a Spring but the Spring sends forth more waters because it 's still arunning 3. True godly sorrow is penitential it never leaves a man till it reform him of his sins Godly sorrow worketh repentance not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death Try now is thy sorrow such a sorrow Is it sincere more for offending God and wounding Christ then for any other respect Is it transcendent thou canst mourn more for sin then any worldly occasion Is it pâ—nitential it hath never left thee till it hath reformed thee Doubtlesse this is true godly sorrow indeed 3. Hast thou a true change and conversion of thine heart and
thou art earnest with God more and more for assurance of pardon for purity of heart and stablishment in the wayes of grace for time to come it 's a good signe thy sins are pardoned God told David by Nathan The Lord hath put away thy sin thou shalt not die Vpon this David prays so pathetically Purge me with Hysope and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter then Snow Make me to hear joy and gladnesse Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit 5. Finally it 's a signe thy sins are pardoned if thy heart and soul and all within thee be singularly inlarged to blesse and praise God for his pardons So it was with David Blesse the LORD O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the LORD O my soul and forget not all his benefits Who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases If thine heart feel his pardons thy mouth will sing his praises 5. Lastly they are parties to the New Covenant that have Gods fear so implanted in the heart as not to depart from him And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turne away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from me Apostates and Back-sliders were never truly in Covenant with God All in Covenant with God persevere for God will not forsake them and they shall not forsake him his fear in them shall be their Preservative Now then if the Lords fear in thee keep thee from falling away thou art in Covenant with God Thus thou mayest from the substance and nature of the New Covenant discover wâ—ether thou beest a Party to the New Covenant having true inward interest therein and consequently having true inward Right to the New Covenant-Seale the Lords Supper in respect of God himselfe Now if this be thy case thou hast a childes portion in the Lords Supper and mayst lay claim to it and all the benefits of it beyond any carnal man in the world Thou shalt be no usurper in â—hat regard come and well-come Thus examine What right thou hast to the Lords Supper What need we have of the Lords Supper As we should examine our Right to it that we be not usurpers so we should search what need we have of it that we be not despisers of the Lords Supper The full soul loatheth an Honey-combe Sense of want excites desire and enlivens the appetite after what we want And Hunger we say will break stone-walls Now Christians have need urgent pressing need of the Lords Supper in many reâ—pects Examine thou whether thou hast not great need of it in all these respects 1. Hast thou not great need often to nourish strengthen and comfort thine inward man with all the graces and spiritual abilities thereof Consider 1. Thy whole new man when at perfectest is but imperfect We see now but through a glasse darkly we know but in part and so we love but in part obey but in part c. Paul himself durst not challenge perfection to himself in this life saying Not as though I had already attained or were already perfect but I follow after that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ Iesus 2. Consequently thy new man all thy gracious endowments are but weak when at strongest for every thing that 's imperfect is comparatively weak 3. Thy inward man is assaulted with many temptations adversaries and difficulties tending to enfeeble and discourage it especially with the reliques of the flesh The flesh lusteth against the Spirit Paul saith in the Person of the Regenerate I finde a law that when I would do good evil is present with me For I delight in the Law of God after the inward man But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and bringing me into Captivity to the law of sin Hast thou not need now to nourish thine imperfect graces that they may grow up to perfection thy weake graces that they may be strong thine assaulted graces that they may not faile Behold now what need thou hast of the Lords Supper to these ends For what nourishing ordinance is this Sacrament for all these purposes For it 's stiled The Lords Supper It 's A Supper therefore suitable to nourish the inward man The Lords Supper therefore sufficient to nourish it effectually As the body and all its strength decays without due corporal food so the soul and its graces without due spiritual food Here is meat indeed Christs body and drink indeed Christ blood and both tendred most familiarly in this Ordinance and most effectually When the Lord Christ prepares a Supper for his members he provides like himself They that truly eat with Christ eat of Christ in this Supper shall never die never totally hunger or mortally thirst more 2. Hast thou not need to have the pardon of thy sins often testified to thee and to have thy faith apprehension and assurance thereof conâ—irmed to thee There are many things may daily make thee question and doubt whether thy sins be pardoned or at least may darken and dimme thine evidence of pardon As 1. Multitudes of sinfull infirmities that still hang upon thee invincibly makes thee fear sin is not pardoned Hence for clearing the assurance of pardon daily we are taught daily to pray Forgive us our debts 2. Lapses into grosser sins obscure the evidence of our pardon David by his fall lost in great measure the joy of Gods salvation which he prayes to have restored 3 Sharp trials and severe afflictions are wont to revive sin unto the conscience and to bring in scruples about the pardon of them Iob himself in the great storms of his afflictions somewhat dazeled in his sence of pardon complains How many are mine iniquities sins make mee to know my transgression my sin wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemy Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me possess the iniquities of my youth Thou numberest my steps dost thou not watch over my sin my transgression is sealed up in a bag and thou sowest up mine iniquities Thus here 's great need to have thy senâ—e and apprehension of thy sins pardon assured to thee Consequently thou hast great need of the Lords Supper which notably tends to relieve thee in this case This is saith Christ in the Inâ—â—itution my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for Remission of sins That is this wine in this Ordinance is a Signe Seal and Conveyance of my blood ratifying the New Testament which blood is shed for many viz. for all the Elect for all Christs sheep for remission of sins Christs blood then was shed meritoriously to procure our sins remission and the Lords Supper is appointed
in being and well-being He that made the world is still upholding all things by the word of his power 2. Governing and disposing all Creatures and all their actions even the least and smallest of them all The LORD hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens and his Kingdome ruleth over all Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father but the very hairs of your head are all numbred 3. Oâ—dering and directing all creatures and al their actions to his own glory and his peoples good Ioseph said to his brethren God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance So now it was not you that sent me hither but God Ye thought evil against me but God mean't it unto good c. So didst thou lead thy people to make thy self a glorious name For of him and through him and to him are all things As for Gods special Creation of man and Providence over man in his fourefold state viz. of 1. Creation 2. Corruption 3. Restitution and 4. Perfection They will come farther to be considered in the next branch the knowledge of our selves Hitherto of the first branch of knowledge requisite in some competent sort before communicating viz. The Knowledge of God 2. Knowledge of our selves Knowledge of our selves is the next point of Knowledge necessary to a worthy Communicant Christians eyes and apprehensions should be like the windowes of the Temple widest inward narrowest outward far more dispoâ—ed to look home then abroad better acquainted with themselves then with others And not like Plutarch's Lamiae or Witches that put on their eyes when they went abroad but put up their eyes in boxes when they came home The necessity of this Self-Knowledge hath before been evidenced The particulars of Self-Knowledge follow We are principally to know our selves 1. What we were in Adam before the fall 2. What we are in Adam since the fall 3. What we should and may be in Iesus Christ the second Adam I. What were we in Adam before the fall Answ. Before the fall Adam was the happiest creature under the Sun enjoying many surpassing Priviledges And all mankind being then in his loyns enjoyed in him the same happinesse and Priviledges viz. 1. A reasonable and immortall soul personally joyned with a suitable body both of them fearfully and wonderfully made yea curiously wrought according to divine Consultation of the blessed Trinity Adams soul was so rationall that he knew the nature of all the creatures which God brought before him and named them accordingly And so immortal that it cannot die a natural death as many Scriptures intimate But the souls of all other sublunary creatures besides man are irrationall and die with their bodies 2. A most pleasant Habitation God planted a Garden Eastward in Eden and there he put the man A garden is the glory of the fields A garden of Gods planting the glory of all gardens Herein grew every tree pleasant to the sight and good for food And a Quadripartite or four-streamed river to water the garden Oh what a garden of delights what an earthly Paradise Here man was placed to dresse this Garden Man must not be idle no not in Paradise 3. Liberall Provision Man was allowed freely to eat of every herb and of the fruit of every tree in the Garden except only the tree of Knowledge of good and evil His food therefore was most various and delicious 4. Vniversal dominion over the creatures Let them have dominion over the fish of the Sea and over the fowle of the air and over the cattell and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth This dominion was not supreme but subordinate to Gods dominion Adam was Monarch of the earth God the sole Monarch of all the world Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him the Son of man that thou visitest him Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands thou hast put all things under his feet So that all sublunary creatures were to do homage unto Adam 5 Conjugal society with his wife created out of Adams side while he was asleep She was thus taken out of man that she might be a meet help for man and become affectionately dear to man as bone of hâ—s bone and flesh of his flesh Man is naturally a sociable creature and loves society And Marriage-society is the sweetest of all natural societies 6. Innocency God made man upright As man came at first out of Gods hands he was spotlesse undefiled and wholly without sin Hence that state is stiled The state of innocency Except Christ never man on earth was perfectly without sin as Adam was in his first Creation The holiest Saints in this life have sinne in them though sin reigne not over them We were without sinne in the earthly Paradise and shall be without sin in the heavenly Paradise How happy is a sin-less state 7. The image of God God created man in his own image in the image of God created he him There was not only an utter absence of all sinfulnesse but also a presence of all due righteousnesse in him in which regard he was perfectly conformable to the will of God This image of God in man seems principally to consist in 1. Knowledge 2. Rigâ—teousnesse and 3. True holinesse or as the Greek phrase is Holinesse of truth This image of God in Adam made him ful of divine beauty whereby he was all glorious within surpassing all sublunary creatures 8. A Covenant-state with God In all times and states of the Church God hath pleased to deal with his people by way of Covenant Adam before the fall being perfect and without sin had perfect ability given him to keep that Covenant with God in which he was naturally enstated The Covenant into which Adam was admitted with God was the Covenant of Works the substance whereof is the Morall Law or Ten Commandements The Morall Law was perfectly written in Adams heart for the substance of it so that he was fully able to know and keep it for even since the fall the Gentiles which have not the written Law do by nature the things contained in the Law which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts Much more was the Law written in Adams heart before the fall This Covenant of Works the substance whereof is contained in the Morall Law required personal perfect and perpetual obedience under the severest penalties Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Vnto this Covenant of Works with Adam seem to be annexed two Sacraments viz. The Tree of Life assuring him of life upon his keeping Covenant and eating of that
the race set before us 4. The fleâ—h The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit lusteth against the flesh It 's called flesh to set forth the baâ—enesse of sinne the flesh being â—he base part of man 5. The old man â—o called Partly because of the long continuance of it in us it 's an inâ—eterate diâ—ease as old as our selves Partly because of the corruptness and deceitfulness of it Put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts 6. The law of sin in our members becauâ—e it as it were commands compels and even necessitates us to sin As a law rules them that are under it 7. Finally Original corruption is stiled A body of death because As the naturall body hath many members so Original sin hath mâ—ny lusts as limbs thereof And because this body of sin exposeth unto death These and such like are the denominations of Original sin by all which the vilenesse of it may in some measure appear The nature of Original sin seems especially to consist in theâ—e three particulars vâ—z 1. In a totall privaâ—ion of the Image of God and of all that Original righteousnesse and integrity wherein we were at first created 2. In an utter inability to any true spiritual good yea in an absolute enmity thereunto For when we were yet without strength When we were enemâ—es we were reconciled to God The carnal minde is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be 3. In an universall and continual pronenesse to all evil God saw that every imagination of the thoughts of mens hearâ—s was onely evill continually Their throat is an open Sepulchre c. And our Saviour tels us A corrupt tree cannot brings forth good fruit This is the nature of Original corruption Oh how deadly is the Poison of it to the Nature of man The Aggravations of Originall corruption whereby it appears to be extreamly sinfull are these viz. 1. Original sin is Naturall and Hereditary It 's bred and born with us it 's propagated with our very natures and rooted in our bones and inmost principles and consequently more dangerous and desperate As those corporal diseases which are not accidental and occasional onely but Hereditary and natural are most perilous and remediâ—esse 2. Original sin is univerâ—all And the more universally extended the more bitterly to be lamented As epidemicall univerâ—al diseases are the most terrible diseases as oâ—â—e in Egypt when There was not an house wherein there was not one dead Now Original sin is universal Partly in that All men men ordinarily descended of Adam are defiled with it Iewes Gentiles bond free male female all are involved in it All are sinners by it Partly in that All of all men are tainted hereby soul bodie all the faculties and affections of the one all the senses parts and members of the other Minde Conscience Memory Will Love Hatred c. mouth hands feet c. all are wholly depraved and unclean I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing 3. Original sin is reigning over all the sons of Adam it reigns whilst they continue in the first Adam And it reigns most cruelly and tyrannically It enthrals men unto Saâ—â—n at his Will unto actual fulfilling the lusts and wills of the flesh and unto death That as sin hath reigned unto death c. The Turkish slavery Spanish Inquisition Eâ—yptian cruelty â—abylonian captivity are all â—â—ort of this tyranny and dominion of sin Thiâ— reign of sin is evidenced Partly by our beinâ— Servants of sin Partly by our obâ—ying 〈◊〉 in the lusts thereof Partly by our yielâ—ing 〈◊〉 members as weapons of unrighteousness◠〈…〉 to take sins part to fight for it defend it justifie it c. against opposers 4. Oriâ—â—nal sin whilst we are in this body is in some sort incurable The reign of it cannot be â—ured till Christ come to reign in thee and pluck thee out of â—hy carnal state And the â—â—-dwelling or in-being of Original sin cannot 〈◊〉 fully cured no not in a believer whilst he 〈◊〉 here on earth As the Canaanitâ—s though tributaries and slaves yet would dwell â—mong the Israelites or as Ivie will remain in an old wall till it be utterly pull'd down to the ground â— We are all by nature wholly disposed and proâ—e to run headlong into all Actual sins for kindâ— and degree Into all impiety against God all unrighteousnesse against man and intemperance againâ—t our selves contrary to all the Commandments of the first and second Table and this in thought word and work Into open and secret sins Omissions of good and Commissions of evil Wilfulnesses and Weaknesses c. Against lighâ— of mind checks of conâ—cience motions of Gods Spirit means of grace professions and promiâ—es of better waâ—king multitudes of mercies terribâ—enesse of judgements c. and this in youth and age in â—oâ—iety and â—olitarinesse yea by Original corruption we are fundamentally dispoâ—ed to that unpâ—rdonable sinne against the Holy Ghost Oh who can understand hâ—s errours who can comprehend his sinfulnesse who can chuse but admire the patience and mercy of God to such masses of all corruption and abominâ—â—â—â—â— 2. The evil of punishment whereunto we 〈◊〉 continually liabâ—e by reason of this evil o◠〈◊〉 is manifold and unâ—peakable both for this world and the world to come In thiâ— world the soul is expoâ—ed to â—â—â—â—â—tual judgeâ—ents viâ— bâ—indnesse of â—ind gâ—dâ—iness 〈◊〉 infatuation and strong 〈◊〉 horrour searednesse and senslesnesse of Conscience A reprobate sense c. The body name and state lies open to all external and temporal miâ—eries and curâ—es In the world to come both soul and body are liable to endlesse easelesse and remedilesse torments in hell fire wherein they shall be ever dying and never dead ever burning and never consumed ever tortured but never eased or pittied The worme of conscience ever gnawing blacknesse of darknesse ever amazing the infernall fiends ever torturing the wrath of God ever devouring and swallowing up the whole man c. Oh the misery of a meer carnall man is extreamly miserable III. What should we and what may we be in Iesus Christ the second Adam For clearing of this consider chiefly theâ—e three things viz. 1. The necessity of Getting out oâ— our naturall state into a supernaturall condâ—tion in Christ. 2. The Duties we are to performe when once we are brought into Christ 3. The Priviledges which we shall enjoy in Christ. 1. The necessity of our getting out of our naturall into a supernaturall state in Christ is â—o great that we cannot otherwise possibly be saved For 1. The proper adequate wages of every sin is eternâ—ll death Much more the state of sin must needs be most deadly and damnable 2. Every man that remains in
Resurrection from the dead out of the grave the third day He both revived and rose again As a second Adam and Head of his Church for our Iustification Spiritual raising of our souls out of sin and Corporal raising of our bodies out of the grave at the last day declaring hereby his infinite God-head His Lordship over quick and dead His full satisfaction of Gods justice for us and his absolute victory oâ—er sinne death and the devil 3. In his Ascension up into heaven fourty days aâ—ter his Resurrection as our Head and Fore-runner Thereby to lead Captivity Captive most triumphantly To receive and give gifts for men To cause our hearts and Affections spiritually to ascend after him To prepare a place for us that where he is we might be also 4. In his Session or sitting down at Gods right hand as God-man our Mediatour in highest Majesty and Glory farre above all Angels Having compleat dominion not only over his Church but over all things in the whole world for the good of his Church Pouring his Spirit upon his people continually making intercession for them 5. Finally In his coming again at the last day to judge the whole world in righteousnesse In his Humiliation at his first coming he was judged and condemned by sinners unjustly In his Exaltation at his second coming he shall judge both men and Angels justly And he shall come in His own and his Fathers glory descending from heaven with a shout and the voice of the Arch-Angel and the Trumpet of God attended most gloriously with the triumphant train of innumerable Saints and Angels to render to every one according to his works Thus we are to know that Christ diâ—charged his office of Mediatourship as Prophet Priest and King both in his state of Humiliation and Exaltation V. That this Mediatour Jesus Christ is an absolutely All-sufficient Mediatour There can be nothing required for sinners salvation which is not compleatly to be had in Christ. Is it Redemption He hath obtained eternal Redemption for his Elect. And by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Is it reconciliation to God When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Is it Justification He is made unto us righteousness He is The LORD our Righteousnesse He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the Righteousnesse of God in hâ—m for he is the Righteousnesse of God viz. which God hath devised and will accept So that Christ hath more righteousnesse than we have unrighteousnesse more pardons than we have debts more justification than we have condemnation Is it Holinesse He is full of grace and truth that out of his fulnesse we might receive and grace for grace Is it any thing He hath all fulnesse in hâ—mself that we may be compleat in him And he is able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to moke intercession for them VI. That though Jesus Chriâ—t be such an All-sufficient Mediatour and Saâ—iour yet he will saâ—e none at all but them onely to whom he is actually applied He that hath the Son hath life but he that hath not the Son hath not lâ—fe He justifies sinners but onely thoâ—e sinners that beleeve in him He gives soul-rest to wearied souls but onely to thoâ—e wearied and heavy-laden â—ouls that come unto him He gâ—ves Priviledge to become the sons of God But this Priviledge he onely gives to them that receâ—ve him c. Our union to Christ is the foundâ—tion of all our Communion with Christ. No Vnion no Communion VII Finally we are to know touching Christ that he is the subâ—tance of all the Sacraments both of Old and New Testament The Centre of the Covenant of grace and of all the Promises And the very marrow of all the Scriptures They that know not Christ aright know nothing of the Holy Scriptures to purpose for they principally testifie of him They are as the â—tarres that lead to Christ They are as the Sun-beams that discover this Sunne of Righteousnesse They are the secret swadling-clothes of the childe Jesus These things we should know touching Christ before we come to the Lords Supper 4. Knowledge of the New Covenant Knowledge of the New Covenant is the fourth point of knowledge requisite to a worthy Communicant before receiving of the Lords Supper In the Institution of the Lords Supper it is said of the Cup This is my blood of the New Testament That is this Wine in the Cup is a Signe and Seal of my blood by which the New Testament is ratified So that by the Lords Supper the New Testament or New Covenant is confirmed to us and in receiving the Lords Supper we renew Coâ—enant with God This we cannot do judiciously unleâ—s we competently understand the nature of the New Covenant Now for the opening of the New Covenant in some measure Consider these following Propositions which may afford some true taste of the nature of the New Covenant 1. The New Covenant is not the same Covenant which God made with Adam in Innocency but far different from it and that in divers particulars For 1. The Covenant with Adam was a Covenant of amity or friendship made by God with him as by a Creator with his creature But the new Covenant is a Covenant of reconciliation made by God as a Redeemer with the sinner 2. The Covenant with Adam was upon tearms of personal perfect and perpetual Obedience to the Moral Law written in his heart the curse and death being threatned to the least transgression thereof But the New Covenant is upon tearms of Faith and new obedience as the fruit thereof and testification of our thankfulness The Spirit of Grace being promised to work that faith and obedience whereunto eternal lifâ— is promised c. 3. The Covenant with Adam was with a person perfectly able to fulfil the Covenant in his own peâ—son alone The New Covenant is with persons unable of themselves to do any thing acceptably before God without divine Grace assisting and therefore performing Covenant onely in Jesus Christ their Surety 4. The Covenant with Adam was wâ—â—hout a Mediator Adam in his innocency nâ—eding no Mediator of Redemption or Reconciliation But the New Covenant is with a Medâ—ator Jesus Christ most necâ—ssary unto sinners for their salvation II. The New Covenant is the same in substance and essential constitution but far different in circumstance and manner of administration from the Old Covenant By Old Covenant I understand The Covenant of promise That is to say all the Covenants and Promises touching Christ from the first promise of The seed of the woman immediately after the fall till Christs
onely bread and wine these the least matters But also Christs body and blood and all the benefits thereof So that we must here take A lively memorial of Christs death A rich banquet for our inward man A sealed pardon of our sins A blessed bond of our communion with Christ crucified A sensible ratification of the New Testament with all its promises and priviledges These things we must take eat and drink in the Lords Supper and wherewith shall they possibly be thus taken and applied but by true saving Faith alone 4. Finally faith is necessary for enabling us duely to walk after communicating This Sacrament affords heavenly nourishment Conâ—equently after it we should walk as nourished strengthened comforted enlivened c. Now it 's faith especially that acts moves ruleâ—+ doth all in a Christian from Christ assisting Faith in Christ being the very Lâ—fe of a Christian. Thus of the necessity of faith before communicating â— How this saving faith thus necessary may be typed and examined before we come to the Lords Supper This is the last branch to be considered touching Faith We may try and examine whether we have true saving faith or no Partly by the former description of true saving faith See if thou hast such a faith Partly by these ensuing properties and qualities of faith 1. True saving faith notably softens supples and melts the heart It thawes and dissolves the most stony hard adamantine spirit into streams and floods of penitential sorrow I wâ—ll pour upon the house of David the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced there 's faith and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his onely son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitternesse for his first-born In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon c. The Spirit of grace shall make men look upon Christ by faith as Israel looked upon the type of Christ the brazen Serpent in the wilderness and looking shall melt them make them mourn How mourn Mourn with a witness for their sins whereby they pierced Christ They shall mourn they shall be in bitterness there shall be a great mourning As for an only Son As for a first-born as for that peerelesse King Iosiah in Hadadrimmon Emphaticall expressions Naturally mans heart is closed up as a compacted Rock of Flint or Marble Faith comes as another Moses smites this Rock and brings forth Rivers of waters Faith brings the soul to Christ crucified sets him as it were with Mary under his Crosse in Golthotha makes him view the transcendent anguish agonies bitterness and torments of his sufferings and all this for our sins his thy my sins in particular For he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities c. The Lord hath made to meet on him the iniquities of us all He was made sin for us who knew no sin Oh how this strikes to the believers heart How this makes him sigh with Christ lament with him smart with him bleed with him cry out with him as it were die with him nothing melts the heart so kindly as faith looking on Christ pierced for our sins particularly Here faith reads the intolerable sinfulness of sin that could not be expiated but at so dear a rate Here in Christs sufferings faith reads the sinners doom If this befell the surety what was due to the principal If sin imputed be so plagued what might have been expected for sin inherent If this be done to the green tree what would have be fallen the dry Here faith reads the boundless Ocean of Gods matchless love in Christ What such a God give sitch a Jewel as his only Son to such a death and that for such worthless loveless hopeless godless sinners Greater love then this hath no man Oh the breadth and length and depth and height of Christs love passing knowledge Oh how do these and like considerations of faith pierce the heart break the spirit imprint contrition and overcome the soul 2. True saving faith having pierced the heart purifies the heart Purifying their hearts by faith Faith cleanses not only the outward but the inward man not onely the actions but the fountain of those actions the heart and affections washes not onely the outside but the inside of the cup and platter makes a man forbear not only outward grosse acts of sin but inward imaginations and impure inclinations to sin A true believer as truly makes conscience of and laments for the vileness of his heart and thoughts in the sight of God as the enormity of his life and actions in the sight of men But how doth faith cleanse and purifie the heart Answ. 1. By Augmentation from the word against sin which discerns the odiousness and danger of sin How shall I do this wickedness which God so forbids and abhors c. In this respect the Word hath a sanctifying efficacy Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth 2. By application of Christs blood and death Christs blood is that Fountain opened for sin and for uncleannesse to wash in And faith is that hand which puts us into this Fountain applies Christs death and makes us conformable thereunto That as Christ died for sin so we die to sin 3. By inward efficacy and operation Faith is not only an Instrument of Justification but an eminent part of Sanctification and so doth of its own nature purge out sin as wine works out the Dregs Honey the Drosse or as fire purifieth unwholsome aire Shew now thy faith by thy purity A faithfull soul cannot have a foul heart As that soul that by faith looks upon Christ pierced for his sins cannot chuse but be wounded and pierced with Christ so that soul that 's pierced for piercing Christ by sin cannot but abandon and abhorre all those sins for which Christ was pierced Faith having endeared the heart to Christ embitters the heart against sin Sin being the Iudas that betrayed Christ the Pilate that condemned him the Crown of Thorns nails and spear that pierced him 3. True saving faith makes a man sincerely obedient and fruitful in good works This is a duty charged upon the faithful This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works This is an intrinsecal property of faith To work by love and Love is the fulfilling of the Law therefore the nursing-Mother of all good works And that faith that is without works is dead as a body without a soul. A workless faith is a worthless faith And this the faithful in all ages have practised the alacrity of their obedience hath born witness to the integrity of their faith as in
life from sin to God This is the truth and life of Repentance when it brings us to a converting change Vnchanged men are impenitent men In repentance there 's a double conversion and change wrought viz. 1. Of a mans Heart and Person 2. Of his life and Conversation His person and heart is brought to a new state Make you a new heart and a nâ—w spirit His life and conversation is brought to a new course That we should walk in newnesse of life A mans peâ—son and heart is changed when he is brought from a state of sin to a state of grace Now a man is brought from his carnal to a spiritual state 1. When he is converted from the darknesse of sin ignorance and spiritual misery to the light of holinesse knowledge and spiritual happinesse To turn them from darknesse to light Ye were sometimes darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord. 2 When he is conâ—erted and raised from death in sin to life in Christ. You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses sins wherein in time past ye walked The father said of the repenting Prodigal This thy brother was dead and is alive again was lost and is found 3. When he is converted from the reign of sin and power of Satan to God and Christ and brought under his dominion To turn them from the power of Satan unto God Ye were the servants of sin but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you Being then made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousnesse Now we are free from the reign of sin 1 When we obey it not in its lusts 2 When we yield not our members as weapons or instruments of unrighteousness unto sin And we are delivered from the power of Satan 1 When The Prince of the air works not in us as in the children of disobedience 2 When we are not led captive by Satan at his will but resist him and fight against him and yield up our selves wholly as spiritual sacrifices to God Try whether thine heart and person be thus changed from the state of sin to a state of grace A Mans life and Conversation is changed when he is brought from a sinfull to a gracious course Now a man is then truly and effectually brought from a sinful to a gracious course of life 1. When he converts from sin to Sanctity sincerely forsaking sin because it is sin and contrary to God and his holy Law â— following holinesse for holinesse sake because it is most agreeable to God and his Will As Ioseph How shall I do this greâ—t wickednesse and so sin against God 2. When he converts from sinfulnesse to holinesse of life compleatly He that hates sin because sin hates all sin and he that follows holinesse because holinesse follows all holinesse Repent and turn from all your transgressions Cast away from you all your transgressions As obedient childrenâ— not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance But as he that hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation Yea he that truly turnes from all sin turns from every special sin whereunto he is inclined by Nature Calling or Temptation more peculiarly I was also upright before him and I kept my self from mine iniquity 3. When he turnes from sinfulnesse to holinesse of life continually Hypocrites though they seem to repent yet they are again intangled and overcome of their corruptions turning from the holy Commandment as the Dog turneth to his own vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire But the true Convert returns not to his vomit but becomes dead to sin and alive to God through Christ. Whereupon the Apostle thus argues How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer herein And where there 's no living in sin any longer there 's a continual converting from sin to sanctity of life Both heart and life are converted truly unto God 1. When we accept God as our God in Covenant and we become his people according to the tenouâ— of the New Covenant as was formerly shewed 2. When heart and life are acted ruled and guided by God inwardly and outwardâ—y by his Spirit and Word Then we yeeld our selves unto God as servants of God And being led by the Spirit of God we are the Sons of God Gods Testimonies also being our delight and Counsellers 3. When heart and life tend to God as their ultimate End When our desires love delight c. are towards God more then to any thing in Heaven or Earth Whom have I in Heaven but thee and in Earth there is none that I desire besides thee And when our hearts and affections desire love or delight in other things in order and subordination unto God And when both heart and life Persons and Conversations are devoted unto God and to his Glory Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods None of us liveth to himself and no man dâ—eth to himself For whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords This is to be truly converted in heart and life from sinne to God IV. NEW OBEDIENCE which is an immediate fruit effect of Repentance is another qualification requisite in a worthy Communicant And therefore in the next pâ—ace consider 1. The Necessity of it 2. The Tryall of it 1. The Necessitie of New Oâ—edience to Qualifie a Christian for worthy communicating appears divers wayes For 1. Without true Obedience All outward Professions of Religion seeming love to Gods Ordinances and outward performances of service are dis-regarded of God as vain hypocritical and abominaâ—â—e They profess that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and dâ—sobedient and unto every good work reprobate Conâ—equently Receiving of the Lords Supper will be in vain without new obedience 2. The Lords Supper being a Token and Seal of the New Covenant The New Testament in Christs blood is also a Bond and Obligation to New Obedience whereby we solemnly engage our selves to fear and obey God for ever as his Covenant-people And so oft as we renew the Lords Supper so oft we renew this Bond of Obedience without true Obedience communicating is but dissembling 3. In the Lords Supper we have a solemn Record and Memorial of the rarest and highest obedience in the world viz. The Obedience of Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God and that to the Death for our sakes Such obedience of such a person to such a death even the death upon the Crosse and all for such sinners as we are How admirable and incomparable is that obedience Christ herein
Evangelists Read the History of Christs passion in them before thou commest to the Lords Table that the memory thereof may be fresh and lively in thy thoughts at the Lords Table Think with thy self how Christs life was as it were a continued Passion and a daily dying He was very meanly brought forth into the world borne in a stable wrapped in swadling cloathes and laid in a Manger He was no sooner born but Herod seeks to murder him murdering many poor Infants lest he should misse him He is no sooner baptized but Satan assaults him Tempting him to Despaire Self-murder worshipping of the Devil in perâ—on but prevailed nothing Is he in his publick Ministery How is he hated reviled blaâ—phemed and persecuted by Scribes and Phariâ—es by his own people the Jewâ— yea by his own kindred And when he was nigh the period of his Minisâ—ery what torrent of sorrows sufferings flow'd in upon him Remember what he endured in the Garden in the High Priests Hall and in Mount Calvary and then behold and consider if any sorrows were like his sorrows 1. In the Garden How was his soul surrounded with sorrows even to the Death How bitter was the Cup which he then began to drink which set him into an Agony so that he prayed thrice most earnestly to his Father to let that Cup passe from him if possible and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground hereby his spirits being brought so low that there appeared an Angel from heaven strengthening him With this Agony probably Christ was so weakened that the next day he was not able to bear his Cross but Simon was compelled to bear it after him And immediatly after his Agony Iudas betrayes him to the multitude of the Jews with a kisse who apprehended him bound him and led him away to the High Priests House Thus as the first Adam sinned in a Garden the second Adam suffered in a Garden Now then when thou art at the Lords Table Remember Christs Garden-sufferings think so lively of them as if thy self hadst been in the Garden with the Disciples imagine thou hadst heard him pray so earnestly against his bitter Cup thou hadst seen him sweat drops of clotted blood so lamentably in his woful Agony that the earth was all besprinkled with his blood and that thou hadst lookt on to see him betrayed so villainously by Iudas his own Apostle into the hands of his enemies 2. In the High Priests Palace and the judgement-Hall How was Christ denyed by Peter How was he mocked â—mitten blindfolded buffetted spit upon crowned with Thornes having a Reed in his hand being scornfully bow'd unto and derided with haile King of the Iews cruelly scourged blasphemously intreated falslely accused causelesly exclaimed against by the people and unjustly condemned by Pilate against his own conscience When thou art at the Lords Table Remember those passions of thy Saviour Imagine thou hadst stood by all the while and sadly beheld all these passages his cheeks swoln with buffetting his face defiled with spitting on his head wounded with thornes his back torn with scourges c. Oh behold what a woful spectacle 3. In Mount Calvary in that filthy Golgotha how woful and tragical was his end His body was stripped of his garments His limbs were cruelly stretched upon the Cross His hands and feet pierced with rugged nails and fastened to the cursed tree He was ranked betwixt two crucified thieves as if he were the Arch-malefactor he hanged from the sixth till the ninth houre most painfully upon the tender wounds of his hands and feet He was forsaken by his disciples and friends derided by his enemies by the very thieves that were crucified with him being a thirst in his pains abused with gall and vineger given him to drink And which was heaviest of all he was in a sort deserted of God so that he bitterly cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and so he yielded up the Ghost after which a souldier with a spear piercing his side and heart there gushed out water and blood Now when thou art at the Lords Supper â—emember all those sad passages Think thou hadst stood with Mary and Iohn under â—is Crosse and hadst seen and heard his intolerable reproâ—ches his bleeding wounds his tortured body his bitter cries his dying groans think thou hadst his dead body all besmeared in his own blood like Ioseph of Arimathea in thine armes Remember this story of Christs death and remember it seriously pathetically Imagine The Sacrament-day to be as Christs Agony-day His Condemning-day His Crucifying-day The Lords Table to be as the Crosse whereon he was crucified And the breaking of the bread as the breaking of his body with all these mortal Sufferings This is the first Act or degree of thy Remembring Christ crucified to remember him Historically 2. Mysteriously Remember the Mystery of Christ and of his Death This is a farther and an higher degree of remembring Christ crucified at the Lords Supper Christs Death was not a common and ordinary Death full of miseries only but a speciall and extraordinary Death full of Mysteries also Among other Mysteries of Christs death The Causes and Effects of his death are singularly mysterious Remember them in communicating 1. Causes of Christs death were either 1. meritorious or 2. impulsive 1. Meritorious procuring causes of Christs death were the sins of Gods Elect imputed to him Christ in himself was totally without sin no guil was found in his mouth He was a Lamb without blemish without spot He was Holy harmless undefiled and separate from sinners Pilate his Judge cleared him saying I finde in him no fault at all The condemned thief justified him We indeed justly but this man hath done nothing amisse But Christ becomming Surety for sinners even for all his Elect that were ruined by Adam's sin stood charged with their whole debt which they were no way able to satisfie for in the least degree And so all their sins were at once imputed to him and death the due wages of their sins was inflicted upon him that his Elect might be fully acquitted and discharged Hence those passages He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Admirably the Evangelical Prophet Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him strieken smitten of God afflicted But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed All we like sheâ—p have gone astray we have turned every man to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him Heb. hath made to meet on him the
iniquity of us all For the transgression of my people was he stricken By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities And he was numbered with the transgressors and he bare the sin of many Thus Christ who in himself had no sin was crucified for the sins of his Elect who had nothing but sin The guiltless for the guilty the innocent for the nocent the Pastor for the flock the Master for the servant the Captain for the Souldier the Physician for the Patient the King for the people the workman for the work and he that was God himself for man Christ was betrayed but our sins the Iudas that betrayed him Christ was condemned but our sins the Pilate that condemned him Christ was crucified but our sins the nails that fastned him to the Crosse Christ had Gall and Vineger given him to drink but our sins were the Vineger and the Gall Christ was pierced but our sins were the Thorns and Spear that pierced his head and heart Remember these things when thou receivest the Sacrament of Christs death call to minde thy sins the procuring causes of Christs death Say in thine own heart to Christ as Augustine I am the stroke of thy grief I am the fault of thy killing I am the desert of thy death I am the offence of thy revenge I am the grievousness of thy passion I am the toil of thy torment O wonderfull condition of censure and ineffaeble disposition of the mystery The unjust sins and the just is punished the guilty transgresseth and the guiltless is beaten the impious offends and the pious is condemned What the bad deserves the good suffereth what the servant perpetrates the Lord payeth what man commits â—od undergoeth Whither O Son of God whithe◠〈…〉 humility whither flamed thy charity whither proceeded thy piety whither increased thy benignity whethtr reached thy love whither came thy compassion For I have done unjustly thou art punished I have dealt heinously thou art â—evengefully smitten I have committed the fault thou art tortured I have been proud thou hast been humbled c. Thus remember that thy sins were the procuring causes of Christs sorrows 2. Impulsive or inward moving causes of Christs Death were only the free grace self-propension and love of God Christ to sinners The Souldiers had never fast'ned Christ to the Crosse had not our sins first fast'ned him there our sins had never fixed him to the tree if his Love had not first fixed him Love moved God to give his Son Love moved Christ to give himself Love brought him down from Heaven râ—frus Love brought him upon the Crosse foâ—ous Love made him pray sweat and bleed and die for us God so loâ—ed us as to give his Son for us God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perâ—sh but have everlasting life Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were â—et sinners Christ died for us And Christ so loveâ— us as to give himself to death for us I am the good Shepherd The good Shepherd gâ—veth his life for the sheep No man tâ—keth it from me but I lay it down of my self Greater love hath no man then this that a maâ— lay down hâ—s life for his friends Ye are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down hâ—s lâ—fe for us Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in hâ—s own blood Hence Paul experimentally saith The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me In Communicating remember this love of God and Christ to thee But for this love God had never died for thee 2. Effects fruits and benefits of Christs Death are manifold and most excellent In this memorial of Christs Death especially remember these fruits of his death viz. 1. Redemption We by the first Adams fall were utterly enslaved and enthralled under sin the curse of the Law Death and all the powers of darkness By the second Adam's Death we are redeemed from them all But Christ by his own blood entered in once into the holy place having obtained eternal Redemption for us Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation c. but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us and Christ hath by his death triumphed over all our enemies and deliâ—ered us from them Hence Christ is said to be made of God to us Redemption 2. Reconciliation By the first Adam's Apostasie we are not only enthralled under sin death Satan and all our spiritual enemies But we are become utter Enemies to God and to all true spiritual goodness yea the carnal minde is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God And being at enmity with God we are consequently at enmity with all his creatures every thing is against us But by the blood and death of Christ the second Adam we are reconciled again to God For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell And having made peace through the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minde by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death c. Hence God is said to be in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them And the Gospel is called The word of Reconciliation 3. Iustification and Pardon of sin By reason of our fall in Adam we have lost all our original righteousness our persons are become sinners our natures principles and actions unrighteous and our selves are become guilty of death before God Now Christ is made of God righteousness unto us He is The Lord our righteousness For God imputing all our unrighteousness to Christ and all Christs righteousnesse active and passive to us through the merit of Christs death and obedience our sins are freely remitted our guilt removed and our persons are accepted as righteous before God Christ was offered to bear the sins of many While we were yet sinners Christ
died for us Much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Hence Christ in the Institution of the Supper saith This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins God justifies us efficiently Christ justifies us by his blood and obedience meritoriously by his Resurrection evidentially evidencing the full vertue and victory of his death Faith justifies us instrumentally good works justifie us declaratively in the sight of men declaring our faith to be lively and true that brings forth good works 4. Victorie over our spiritual enemies Naturally by the fall we are in the bond of iniquity and through fear of death all our life-time subject to bondage and led captive by Satan at his will Israels bondage and slavery in Egypt or Babylon no way comparable to this spiritual bondage But Christ by his death Hath condemned sin in the flesh Hath overcome death and destroyed him that had the power of death the Devil having spoâ—led principalities and powers and triumphed over them openly by his Crosse. 5. Finally Entrance into Heaven Though our sin had cast us out of Paradise and from all hope of Heaven yet Christ by his death and blood hath opened to us the gate of the heavenly Paradise We have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Iesus by a new livâ—ng way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh Theâ—e are some of the glorious fruits of Christs death Redemption Reconciliation Justification Victory over our spiritual enemies and entrance into the holiest of all Remember theâ—e at the Lords Supper that sweet Memorial of Christs death Thus remember the Mystery of his death 3. Energetically Remember Christ and his death the History Mystery of his death so as to work this remembrance with energy force and efficacy upon thine heart and spirit Let this remembrance of Christ make some savory practical impressions upon thy soul which may dwell and fix there for thy good How may that be done Answ. Thus 1. Remember Christ and his death so as to lay to heart the deep sinfulness and misery into which the first Adam plunged us by his fall Judge of the extremity of the malady by the eminency of the remedy No lesse then death then such a death and that of such a person as Christ who was God-man could eâ—er have expiated that sinfulness or haâ—e remoâ—ed that misery If all the men on earth and all the Angels in heaven had died and that eternally they could never have satisfied Gods justice for one sin For Gods justice offended is infinite and all that mere creatures can do or endure are as themselves meer finite but Christs person being of infinite worth in respect of his God-head satisfied to the full Think not Adams sin to be small It murdered himself and all his posterity It cost Christ his dearest hearts blood And Adams first sin was thy sin for thou wast in his loyns when he fell Lay this to heart proportionably 2. Remember Christ and his death so as to admire Gods infinite 1. Wisdom 2. Iustice and 3. Love therein toward sinners 1. Admire his wisdom in contriving this strange way for saving of sinners which men and Angels could not have contrived or imagined That the eternal Son of God should become man personally uniting the humane nature to his divine person That as man he might suffer as God he might satisfie for sinners Here 's Chrâ—st crucified the wisdom of God indeed God! 2. Admire his justice Christ his dear and only Son must be sacrificed that we his utter enemies might be spared Christ his spotless Son who knew no sin must be condemned that we sinners who knew nothing but sin might be cleared Christ who was thâ— life it self must die that we who were dead in sins might live Who would not count it an unrighteous Act if any King should put to death his own obedient Son to save the life of a Traytor or condemn the innocent knowingly for the nocent Oh then how infinite is this Justice of God in giving Christ the righteous to die for us unrighteous It is such justice as seems to have a shew of injustice but that God is so righteous that he can do nothing unrighteously 3. Finally Admire his love God so loved us as to give his own Son his only Son his righteous Son the Son of his love to die a painful shameful and cursed death for us worthless loveless sinners dead in sins enemies enmity it self against God O the depth and heighth and length and breadth of this love of God in Christ which passeth knowledge Say be astonished O my soul at this love which passed all love 3. Remember Christ and his death so as to lament and hate those sins for which Christ thus suffered When thou seest the bread broken think how Christs body was broken wounded for thy sins And then fill thine heart with grief and indignation against those sins Shall Christs body be so broken and his heart pierced for thy sins and shall not thy heart be pricked and broken for thine own sins Shall thy sins derive Gods wrath upon Christ and shall not thine hatred and wrathful indignation be kindled against thine own sins Dost thou count those sins small or light which Christ found so heavy and heynous that he sweat great drops of blood falling down to the ground and cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Dost thou think much to shed a few penitential tears for those sins for which Christ shed all his hearts blood Canst thou love or be reconciled to those corruptions for which Christ was so hated to the very death Say to thy soul O my soul consider thy sins aright For those Christ bled wilt thou not bleed for them for those Christ died and wilt thou live in them â— c. 4. Remember Christ and his death so as to resolve more effectually to conform to Christ and to his death Then we aright remember Christ crucified when we resolve and endeavour to resemble Christ crucified In this Supper so think upon Christ dying as to be willing to die with him But how shall I die with him or be conform to Christ crucified Answ. By dying to sin By being crucified to the world And by suffering for Christ. 1. By dying unto sin Christ died for sin that we who are dead in sin might die unto sin Whilest we are dead in sin we can do nothing else but sin but when we die to sin we habitually live not any longer therein nor thenceforth serve sin How should we that are dead to sin live any longer therein Hence the Apostle urges our death
to sin from Christs death That as Christ died and rose again so we should die to sin and live to God And Peter saith Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same minde for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin c. Was Christ wounded for thy transgressions and bruised for thine iniquities and wilt thou wound and bruise him afresh by these iniquities Had not Christ sorrows and sufferings enough for thy sins of old that by renewed offences thou wilt tear open his wounds afresh and crucifie him again If thou knowest not what sin is go to the Garden of Gethsemane the High Priests Palace the Judgement-Hall and to the Mount Calvary and there see what it cost Christ. Oh the Worm-wood and the Gall Kill those sins that have killed thy soul let not them live that would not let thy Saviour live When thou art ready to commit sin then imagine thou didst meet thy crucified Saviour all bathed in his own blood and beseeching thee by all his wounds and blood to forbear thy sin and would not this disswade thee 2. By being crucified to the world Christ dying forsook this world and went up in his soul that day into Paradise And Christ instituted this Supper when he was now the same night readie to be betrayed Let this Supper remember thee to be crucified with Christ to the world As Paul gloried in the Crosse of Christ whereby the world was crucified to him and he unto the world Let thy spirit mount up after Christ into Paradise that thou mayst live above this world having thy conversation in Heaven Let thine heart be wholly in Heaven whilst thou art at this heavenly Feast 3. By suffering with Christ and for Christ or at least being resolved and prepared for suffering wâ—th him thou becomest conformed to Christ crucified In this Supper in the breaking of the bread for thee thou hast represented the breaking and suffering of Christ for thee Christ most worthie was broken for thee most unworthie Did Christ so willingly bear all his sorrows for thee and dost thou grudge to bear any sufferings for him was he so reproached for thy sins and dost thou think much to be reproached for Christs righteousness Art thou treacherously used by friends Christ was betrayed by his own Apostle Art thou imprisoned Christ was apprehended Art thou in bonds Christ was bound Art thou belied Christ was falsely accused Art thou unjustly censured Câ—rist was more unjustly condemned Art thou spoiled of thy good Christ was stripped of his very rayment and they cast lots for his vesture Art thou put to death Christ Jesus the Prince of life was put to death before thee Grudge not to pledge Christ in his bitter cup. He hath suffered for thee giving thee an example that thou shouldst follow his steps 5. Remember Christ and his death so as to enflame thine heart with love to Christ dying for thee Christs death for thee is the highest expression possible of his love unto thee as was before evidenced And this Sacrament is Christs Love-token to his Church for perpetuating of the memory of Christs death that high discovery of his love When therefore thou comest to the Lords Supper call to mind Christs infinite love and stir up thy self to love him again Love breeds love as fire breeds fire Shall Christ love thee so as to die for thee so as to wash thee from thy sins in his own blood And wilt not thou love him with all thine heart and soul and mind and might Was Châ—iâ—â— so fastened on the Crosse for thee and shall he not be fastened in thine heart by thee Shall thy sins pierce his heart and shall not his love pierce thine heart 6. Remember Christ and his death so as to comfort thy self in the sufficiency of Christs death and thy propriety in it As in this Supper is tendred a sufficiency of bodily nourishment both against hunger and thirst here being both bread and wine So in Christs Death hereby represented there 's a sufficiency of spiritual nourishment His flesh being meat indeed and his blood drink indeed And he that eats his flesh drinks his blood hath eternal life For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and so is able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by him And as the sufficiency of Christs death is set forth in the Lords Supper so Christ endeavours by this Ordinance to assure every worthy Communicant of his particular interest and propriety in Christs death as certainly as he eats this bread and drinks this cup. Therefore at the Lords Supper thus think How all sufficient is Christs death for my salvation There 's more righteousness in it then unrighteousness in me There 's more merit and pardon in it then sin and misery in me There 's more Reconcilement Redemption and Justification in it then enmity slavery and condemnation in me His person being an infinite God I being but a finite creature And all this sufficiency is as surely mine as this bread and wine mine Therefore why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me Trust in Christ and his death herein is more for thy consolation then in thy self or sins for thy disconsolation 7. Remember Christ and his death at the Lords Supper so as to provoke thy self to all true thankfulness for Christ crucified This Sacrament is called the Eucharist as was formerly noted It is the Christians solemn Thank-offering Christ gave thanks in instituting it and we should give thanks in celebrating it For what for Christ for his death for all the fruits and benefits of his death Oh what great and manifold matter of thankfulness Say with David Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who healeth all thy diseases pardoneth all thâ—ne iniquitâ—es redeâ—meth thy soul from death c. What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me â— I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vowes unto the Lord c. Thus should we remember â—hrist and his death at the Lords Supper and this will be to communicate indeed VII Finally Carefullie avoid all dâ—straction throughout the whole Sacramental Administratâ—on From the beginning to the end keep thine heart and thoughts closely fixed on the mysteries in hand Let not thine eye wander but intentively behold the pledges and memorials of Christ crucified Let not thy thoughts rove but be glued to these heavenly objects laid before thee Here 's enough in Christ crucified fully to take up thy utmost meditations at this Feast Think upon them from point to point as the Sacrament ministreth occasion In this and all duties we should attend
fellowship with his members The Lords Supper is not onely a Seal of the Saints fellowship with Christ but also of their Communion with one another They are stones of the same building branches of the same vine members of the same body spiritual children of the same father Therefore they should mutually love one another care for one another sympathize with one another in joyes and sorrows help instruct exhort admonish and comfort one another that thus by mutual edification they may help one another on unto salvation Thus the Primitive Christians were of one heart and soul and worshipped the Lord with one accord David professeth himself to be a Companion to all them that fear God and keep his Commandments And that n the Saints the excellent ones on earth was all his Delight Oh how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity c. Now the Lords Supper seals up strengthens and quickens this fellowship of Saints Enlinks their hearts to one another and all to Christ. Let thine affections therefore towards Gods people be incited by this feasting together at the Lords Table Shake off all carnal ungodly Society and make the liveliest Saints thy most intimate contenting companions And upon all occasions improve their fellowship 〈◊〉 the best spiritual adâ—antages 6. Chear up and comfort thy spirit against all thy discouragements temptations corruptions upon consideration of the Cordials applied in the Lords Supper Especially 1. Vpon the pardon of sin in Christs blood seated in this Ordinance This is my blood of the New Testament shed for many for remission of sins Sins unpardoned are the heaviest burthen upon the Conscience Christs blood alone can procure Sins pardon The Lords Supper most peculiarly and particularly seals unto us Christs blood and the vertue thereof beyond all outward Ordinances Hast thou duly received the Lords Supper then thou hast spiritually received the Lords blood for washing away and remission of thy sins As the Red Sea overwhelmed all Israels enemies the Egyptians so the blood of Christ hath overwhelmed and drowned all thy corruptions Sit thou down with Israel and sing praises Comfort O Comfort thy soul in this Salvation What ever be thy miseries this will be a Cordial reviving when thou canst say Yet my sins are pardoned 2. Vpon thine Interest in the New Testament confirmed In the Lords Supper the New Testament in Christs blood is ratified to thee that thou hast part and property in it and in all the Priviledges promises Comforts and Benefits of it Glorious advantages The New Testament is the Churches Great Charter for her happy state in this â—nd the world to come The Promises thereof are most great and precious The benefits and priviledges thereof are such as carnal eye hath not seen ear heard or heart of man conceived And all these are assured to thee as thine in the Lordâ— Supper Consider now why walkest thou dejectedly uncomfortably in respect of sin temptation or tribulation In the New Testament are plentiful Cordials for all thy faintings abundant remedies for all tâ—y maladies thou canst not have that sore but here 's a salve for it Be of good chear therefore in this behalf As truly as the Sacrament and the Blood of Christ is thine so truely the New Testament with all its Promises and Priviledges are thine 7. Finally After the Lords Supper is done long for new refreshments of thy Spirit by renued Sacraments Hath the Lord made bare his face to thee at his Table bidden the welcome filâ—ed thy soul as with marrow and farneâ—s staid thee with flâ—ggons feed the with hidden Mannah bread of life and water of life assur'd thee of thy sins pardon in his blood and â—olac'd thy soul with Communion with him Then let theâ—e tastes of his sweetnesse and pleasantnesse make thee pant after like opportunities Thinke with thy â—elf When will the Lords Supper come When shall I come and appear before the Lord When shall I see his power and glory taste his love and grace as sometimes in the Sacrament Lord evermore give me this bread I think the time long betwixt Sacrament and Sacrament Oh that I might still be feasting my soul with theâ—e heavenly dainties Thus fill thine heart with longing desires after Sacraments till they come so shalt thou make way for more satisfying delights therein when they come But eâ—pecially thirst and cry out for compleat enjoyment of Jesus Christ in heaven face to face which is beyond all Sacraments and all Ordinances For if a little glimpse and taste of Christ in these darksome Ordinances be so sweet how sweet and ravishing will the full Vision and immediate fruition of Christ be in the Highest heavens Say therefore in thine heart Lord Jesus thy word is sweet thy Sacraments sweet and all thine Ordinances are sweet through thy sweetness yet they satisfie not fully Thou art more sweet and soul-â—atisfying then all Therefore I love thâ—ne appearing I long for thy coming Thou hast â—aid Behold I come quickly And mine heart echo's Even so come Lord Jesus Amen FINIS An Alphabetical TABLE Directing to the Principal Matters contained in this BOOK A. ADam how happy he was before the fall and we in him in nine particulars p. 50 to 55. How miserable since the fall both by losse of Goâ—d and Presence of Evil both of Sin and Sorrow p. 55. to 63. Appetite How necessary a spiritual Appetite is before Communicating in two respects p. 191 192. A good spiritual Appetite to the Lords Supper may be tried and discovered by six properties p. 193. to 197 Attributes of God See God B. BAptisme what it is p. 94 95. Brotherly love See Love to Christians C. Christ. The Necessity of getting out of our Natural state into Christ in four particulars p. 63. to 66. The Duties to be performed by them that are in Christ in nine particulars p. 66 67. Priviledges which we enjoy by Christ in seven respects p. 68 69. Points of Knowledge necessary touching Christ viz. That 1. There is but one true Christ. p. 70. 2. Iesus Son of the Virgin Mary is this true Christ shewed three wayes p. 71 72. 2. This Christ is God-man and why p. 73 74. 4. Christ hath taken upon him the Office of Mediatorship and dischargeth it as a Prophet two wayes p. 75 76. As a Priest two wayes p. 79. As a King seven wayes p. 76 77. And all in his state of Humiliation wherein chiefly five degrees p 77 78. And in his state of Exaltation wherein are observable five degrees also p. 78 79.80 5. This Mediatoâ—r Iesus Christ is All-sufficient p. 80 81. 6. Christ save none but those to whom he is actually applyed p. 81. 7. Christ is the Substance of all Sacraments c. p. 81. Love to Christ. See Love Considerations upon which this Book was published In Ep. Ded. Covenant The Substance of the New Covenant p. 5. We may
discover whether we are parties to the New Covenant and have inward interest in it 1. By our New Covenant-Knowledge of the Lord evidenced three wayes p. 6 7 8. By the Inscription of Gods Law in our Hearts proved four wayes p. 8 9.10 3. By our Covenant-Relation to God p. 10 11. 4. By the pardon of our sins where five Signes of that pardon p. 11 12 13. 5. By the implantation of Gods fear in our hearts p. 13,14 The New Covenant differs four wayes from Gods Covenant with Adam in innocency p. 82 83. How it agrees and differs from the Old Covenant p. 84 85 86. Four grand Priviledges of it p. 87 88. The New Covenant-Priviledges none can actually claim without the New Covenant-Grace p. 89. Creation What it is p. 46. 4. Excellencies in Gods Creation p. 47 48. D. DEcrees What Gods Deerees are more generally and specially considered p. 42 43. 6. Perfections of Gods Decrees p. 44 45 46. How God Executes his Decrees bâ— Creation and Providence p. 46 c. E. EXamination before Communicating is publike and Private p. 1 2 Necessary upon four grounds p. 2 3. 1. We are to Examine Our Right Need and Actuall Fitnesse p. 3. 1. Our Right to the Lords Supper is Outward and Inward p. 4 5. Our Inward Right to the Lords Supper may be try'd by our inward Right to and Interest in the New Covenant and that five wayes p. 5. to 15. See Right and New Covenant 2. Our Need of the Lords Supper is great in five regards p. 15. to 29. See Supper of the Lord. 3. Our fitnesse of the Lords Supper consists in having and using Knowledge Faith Repentance New Obedience Love Thankfulnesse and a Spiritual Appetite p. 26 c. See these heads severally F. FAith Five sorts of Faith and which fits for the Lords Supper especially p. 110 111. Saving Faith is described and the description cleared by Scripture p. 111 112. The necessity of this Faith to worthy Communicating in four regards p. 113. to 116. The Properties of Faith 1. It softens the Heart and how p. 116 117. 2. It purifies the Heart three wayes p. 118 119. 3. It makes sincerely obedient and how in four respects p. 120 121. 4. It loosens the heart from the world p. 121 122. 5. It enliveueth a Christian. p. 122. 6. It 's attended with three Companions p. 123. 7. It overcomes the World Flesh and Devil p 123 124. 8. It upholds under troubles p. 124. 9. It daily grows and perseveres p. 125. Fall of Adam How happy he and we were before the fall in nine respects p. 50. to 55. How miserable Adam and we are since the fall By privation of Good nine wayes p. 55 56. By position of Evil both of Sin and Sorrow p. 56. to 63. G. GOD. Concerning God these things are cleared by Scripture 1. That God is 2. That God is one 3. That this one God subsists in three distinct persons p. 29 30. 4. That God is a Spirit p. 31. 5. That God hath made himself known by his Attributes and Works p. 31. c. His Attributes Incommunicable Communicable and Resulting from both seventeen in all are Ennumerated and cleared by Scriptures p. 31. to 42. His Works are his Decreés and the Execution thereof p. 42. What Gods Decrees are more Generally and more Specially Considered p. 42 43. 6. Excellencies or Perfections of Gods Decrees p. 44 45 46. His Execution of his Decrees is by Creation and Providence p. 46. What Creation is and how Gods Freedom Wisdom Power and Goodnesse shine forth therein p. 46 47 48. What Providence is generally considered and the three Acts thereof p. 48 49. Gods special Providence over man in his four-fold estate p. 39. Iustification p. 224. How God Christ Faith Good works justifie p. 225. K. KNnowledge Three Characters of New Covenant-knowledge p. 6 7 8. Knowledge is necessary to worthy Communicating in three respects p. 26 27. Knowledge of God our selves Christ New Covenant and Lords Supper why necessary to worthy Communicating p. 27 28 29. 1. What Knowledge of God is requisite to worthy communicating p. 29. â—o 49. 2. What Knowledge of our selves p. 49. to 69. 3. What Knowledge of Iesus Christ. p. 79. to 82. 4. What Knowledge of the New Covenant p. 82. to 90. 5. What Knowledge of the Lords Supper p. 90. to 99. True Sanctified Knowledge may be tried by eight Properties of it It is 1. Experimental p. 99 100. 2. Soul-abasing p. 101 102. 4. Communicative for others Edification p. 103. 4. Growing p. 104. 5. Heart-affecting p. 105. 6. Spiritualized p. 106 107. 7. Pure p. 107. 8. Obedientiall and that from four grounds p. 108 109. L. LAw Four Signes of Gods Law written in the Heart p. 8 9 10. Lords Supper See Supper of the Lord. Love to Christ. It is in two degrees necessary to fit for worthy Communâ—cating p. 147. to 151. Our Love to Christ may betryed 1. By the grounds of it viz. Christs Lovelinesse Faâ—th in Christ Experience of Christ. p. 151. to 154. 2. By the Degrees of it viz. Good-will to Christ Desire of Christ and Acquiescence in Christ. p. 154. to 158. 3. By the properties of it viz. It is Obedientiall â—ranscendent Breathing after more Evidence of Christs Love Accepting Christs Rebukes Sincere Constant. p. 158. to 164. Love to Christians How necessary it is to fit for worthy Communicating in five regards p. 164. to 170. How it may be tryed by these Properties It is 1. Arising from our Love to God 2. Pure 3. Spiritual 4. Vniversal 5. Sincere two wayes 9. Kindly-affectioned three wayes 7. Contenting in Society of the Brethren 8. Fervent 9. Constant. p. 170. to 178. N. NAture The Necessity of getting out of our Natural condition into a Supernatural state in Christ four wayes evidenced p. 63. to 66. New Covenant See Covenant New Obedience See Obedience O. OBedience New Obedience is necessary to Qualifie for worthy Communicating in three regards p. 139 140. Properties of true Obedience It is 1. Conscientious p. 140. 2. Cordiall in three respects p. 141 142. 3. Transforming p. 142. 4. Resolved in many regards p. 143. to 146. 5. Compleat two wayes p. 146. 6. Constant p. 146. P. PArdon of Sins Five Signes of it pag. 11 12 13. Preparation before the Lords Supper consists â—n Examination p. 1 2. It is urged upon four weighty grouâ—ds viz. From the Author Nature Benefit of the Lords Supper and Danger of unworthy Communicating p. 2 3. See Examination Providence What it is generally considered Thrâ— grand Acts of Providence p. 48 49. Gods Special Providence over man in his fourfold estate p. 49. R. Remembring How we are to Remembr Christ crucified at the Lords Supper 1. Histrically p. 214. to 218. 2. Mysteriously p. 218. to 2â—6 3. Energetically p. 226. to 234. Rendering again See Thankfulnes Repentance How necessary it is to sit for worthy Communicating in three regards â— 126 127. Repentance is described and
was Such a death as all things considered never was endured wherein malice of men rage of all the powers of darkness the wrath of God sins of all the Elect did meet in him at once And think what we worthless sinners gain by this Death of Christ What pardons Reconciliation Peace with God c. And all these confirmed to us in the Lords Supper that lasting Monument of Christ crucified Oh what manifold cause of thankfulness is here 2. The outward matter of the Lords Supper viz. the Elements of Bread and Wine together with the actions of taking blessing breaking giving eating and drinking them affords also much cause of thankfulness that Christ would thus condescend to our weakness as to represent such heavenly mysteries to us by such homely elements and actions He deals herein with us as once with doubting Thomas makes us as it were thrust our finger into the print of his nails that we may believe helps our inward graces by our outward senses 3. The ends of the Lords Supper are such that they notably challenge manifold thankfulness from us whensoever we partake the Lords Supper These ends are The solemn remembrance of Christs Death never to be forgotten The nourishing of the inward man of faith and all our graces The confirmation and application of the New Testament with all the Promises thereof to us The Ratification of the pardon of our sins in Christs blood And the sealing up unto us that sweet priviledge of Communion with Christ and with one another Not one of these but deserves much thankfulnesse How great thankfulness then is due for all of them together in the Lords Supper 2. The Tryal of our thankfulness which is thus necessary for worthy communicating comes next to be considered and we may try the truth of our thankfulness by the three eminent Acts or degrees of thankfulness viz. 1. Notice-taking or acknowledgement of blessings received 2. Estimation of mercies received and acknowledged 3. Retribution or rendering again for mercies received acknowledged and esteemed 1. Notice-taking or acknowledgement of benefits received is a first degree or Act of thankfulness Till a man take notice of a benefit and whence it comes he can neither esteem it nor render again for it as he ought Thus when David would express his thankfulness to God for enabling him and his people to offer so willingly and liberally towards the building of the Temple He takes notice of the benefit and whence it came even all from God alone Our God we thank thee and prayse thy glorious name But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee And in the Hebrew phrase Giving of thanks is most usually expressed by Confessing to the Lord. For confessing and acknowledging what good we receive and whence we have it is a prime point of thankfulness Contrariwise it 's a point of deep ingratitude not to observe and acknowledge the benefits and whence they come Israel is blamed for this She did not know that I gave her corn and new wine and oil and multiplied her silver and gold Such like Swine eat up and devoure the Acorns or mast but never look up to the Oak whence they fall Dost thou now duly take notice of that mercy of mercies Jesus Christ and his Death how mysteriously the saving of sinners by him is contrived in Gods eternal Counsel and revealed in the Scriptures How Chriâ—t his death and all his benefits originally flow from Gods meer grace and the good pleasure of his will Dost thou duly observe and acknowledge the mercy of the Lords Supper tendering and applying Christ and his death and how it was from Christs tender love and care of his Church that he instituted it This is some degree of gratitude But alas how many come to the Lords Supper who do not considerately take notice of this Mystery of saving sinners by Christ which is the sum of all the Bible c. 2. Estimation of Benefits received and acknowledged is a second Act or Degree of thankfulness The Virgin Mary thankfully magnifying the Lord for that extraordinary mercy to her Her Conception of Christ by the Holy Ghoâ—t She notably estimates and amplifies the Mercy by the Mâ—jesty of the Giver the meanness of the Receiver and the Greatness of the Gift My soul doth magnifie the Lord For he hath regarded the low estate of his hand-maid for he that is mighty hath done to me great things God had done great things for Mary in that Christ according to the flesh was conceived in her womb but he hath done greater for thee in that Christ according to the Spirit is conceived in thy soul. She was happy in bearing Christ much happier in believing in Christ. She was happy in being Christs natural Mother Happier in being Christs spiritual member Now as true thankfulness esteems and values mercies turns them over and over views them on every side c. so unthankfulnesse debases viâ—ifies discommends twits fleights the mercies as Israel the Mannah Our soul loatheth this light-light Bread as the Hebrew phrase is Art thou now qualified with thankfulness for the Lords Supper where then is thy due estimation of 1. Christ 2. His Death 3. His Supper All theâ—e are thankfully to be esteemed according to their respective worth by thankful Communicants 1. Dost thou esteem Christ the Matter of the Lords Supper according to his worth Paul so esteemed him that he desired to Know nothing but Christ. That he counted all things losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ yea all things dung that he might win Christ. The Church so esteemed Christ as to count him The chief among ten thousand How dost thou estimate Christ Dost thou amplifie and commend Christ to thy self by such consideration as may raise up greatest estimation of him As 1. The greatnesse of the Giver the all-sufficient self-â—ufficient God Having all happinesse fulneâ—s and perfection in himself and no way needing any of his creatures Yet he gave Christ for us 2. The eminency of the Gift or Benefit Christ is The Gift of God That is The Gift of Gifts No other Gift being comparable to him And therefore they are said to have Received no mercy that are not partakers of this mercy of mercies He is the Son of God the only begotten Son of God the brightnesse of his Fathers glory the expresse character of his person The Son of his Love Holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners and higher then the Heavens c. Who can truly know Christ and not highly esteem Christ 3. The indignity of them for whose sakes Christ was given He was intentionally indeed given for his elect sheep and for his Church But these all undone by the fall of the first Adam
and whilest in that wretched state Whilest yet without strength when sinners whilest enemies whilest enmity it self against God when they were dead in trespasses and sins in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity Even then when there was nothing but unworthiness and abominableness in them was Christ given for them And this whilst Christ was not given for the Reprobates of the world for whom Christ would not so much as Pray much lesse die yet these in no worse condition by nature then those for whom Christ died How doth this heighten the mercy 4. The motive or impulsive why Christ was bestowed was not any thing at all in the creature but meerly the free Grace and Love of God Vpon these and like considerations what estimation hast thou of Christ 2. Dost thou esteem Christs Death The Mystery of the Lords Supper Christ is the matter but how Christ as crucified as Broken as slain for us in that respect Christ is the matter his Death therefore is the Mystery of it How dost value Christs Death Dost thou estimate it according to the true valuableness of it viz. 1. Esteemest thou Christs death according to the love evidenced in it Greater love then this hath no man then that a man lay down his life for his friends But greater then this Christ shewed in laying down his life for enemies Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us Was ever love like this love The Apostle prayes for the Ephesians and his expressions are admirable That they may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge He measures Christs love by 4 Dimensions Philosophy knows but three Length Breadth and Depth Divinity adds a fourth Heighth intimating that Christs love is far beyond all ordinary measures and dimensions There 's Depth in it without bottom Heighth in it without top Breadth in it without side and Length in it without end Yea it utterly passeth knowledge Christs warmest love to sinners flowed with his blood out of all his wounds Esteemest thou his Death according to Christs love in dying 2. Esteemest thou Christs death according to the sufficiency of it Christs death was an Odour of a sweet smell most acceptable to God He by once offering up of himself hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified So that there needs now no more Sacrifice for sins The infinite dignity of his person so infinitely dignified his passion Hence Christ by his short suffering prevailed more for our salvation then all men on earth or Angels in Heaven could have done if they should have suffered to eternity 3. Esteemest thou Christs death according to the many inestimable benefits of it Hereby Sinners are justified sins purged away Hereby Enemies to God are reconciled Hereby death he that had the power of death the Devil with all Principalities and powers are subdued Hereby eternal Redemption from spiritual thraldom is obtained In a word hereby we have accesse with boldnesse and entrance into the Holiest of all Heaven it self Christs blood is Heavens Key Oh what soul can truly taste these saving purchases of Christs death and not admire it 3. Finally doest thou aright esteem the Lords Supper it self It deserves high estimation 1. For the mysteries in it Christs death and all the benefits of it The New Covenant and all the promises of it Communion with Christ and all the comforts of it 2. For the familiarity of it Herein Christ deals familiarly with his members He stoops to their senses below that their senses may lift up their faith to him above He represents highest mysteries under meanest elements and actions Thus he condescends to our earthliness that we may aseend to his heavenlinesse 3. For the Firmnesse of it In right use the Lords Supper doth as surely signifie seale and exhibit Christ crucified and all his benefits to us as we partake the outward elements there being such a Sacramental union betwixt signes and things signified Do these and like considerations raise up thy thoughts to an high estimation of this Ordinance 3. Retribution or rendring again according to the benefit received acknowledged and esteemed is the third and highest act or degree of thankfulnesse When David was most enlarged unto thankfulnesse he saith What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me And because King Hezekiah recovered of his â—â—knesse at his prayer rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him therefore there was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem If non-rendring be â—o dangerous then how dangerous is it to render to God evil for good But what can we or ought we to render again for Christ for his Death for his Supper which are the eminent benefits that immediately call for thankful returns or rendrings when we communicate Answ. What should we not render again for these benefits All we can render is farre too little We should râ—nder 1 Triumphant praises Thus David resolved to render I will take up the cup of salvations and call on the name of the Lord. That is I will take up the Cup of Thanksgivings for Gods salvations and deliverances and will pray and praise God or preach abroad Gods mercies For Israel offered for mercies receied Thank-offerings eating thereof with joy before the Lord and in their eating were wont to take up the Cup of wine and blesse God to this custome David alludes In like sort we should be much in Praises and Thanksgivings for Christ his death c. As Paul notably thanks Christ not only for calling him to the Apostolical Ministery but also and especially for coming into the world to save sinners and himselfe chief of sinners making him a pattern of his grace to all that after should believe 2 Indeared affections Christ pardons the womans many sinnes this was one fruit of his Death Hereupon She loved him much and testified the same by washing his feet with her teares wiping them with the hairs of her head kissing them and anointing them with oyntment She hath nothing too good nothing good enough for Christ. Hath Christ loved thee and given himself for thee leaving this Sacrament as a legacy of his love Oh how should'st thou love him again that thus loved thee first 3 True hearted repentance and reformation Christ came into Zacheus's house to dine with him yea rather into Zacheus his heart there spiritually to feast his soul presently Zacheus the Arch-publican penitentially reformes Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him fourefold And Christ testifies This day is salvation come to this house forasmuch as he also is the sonne of Abraham Sâ—ul