soul compose a distracted mind Consider so great a presence and lift up thy heart for a blessing ere thou eat knowing that even the best partake unworthily if his Graces be not excited and exercised But again beware of resting on preparations for never more unfit than when proud of fitness like poor children that grow proud of being a little finer than ordinary but considering how far short of what God requires and Christ deserves there is cause of humbling Never are we more fit than when humbled under and ashamed of unfitness If ashamed of our selves we are most like to have a sight of himself Ezek. 43.11 And at our best there will still be room left for Hezekiah's prayer 2 Chron. 30.18 19. The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God the Lord God of his Fathers tho he be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary But beware of abusing God's Grace in allowing or regarding in your heart any sin you seek pardon or with your Lips Seek to be sanctified wholly and get of God no less than his own allowance of a new heart and a new spirit for God will not put his new wine into your old bottles nor his precious Liquors into unclean Vessels but his secret is with them that fear him and he will shew them his covenant Sensual hearts that savour nothing but of the world cannot feed here on Christ and eat of the hidden Manna For the carnal mind can neither be subject to the Law of God nor suit the Gospel of Christ And here being high set let us labour to be such as may be well served with the best Now to perform high duties upon low motives argues a heart full of flesh The Noblest Motives to Duties are to be found in God especially as revealed in Christ And unto the service of this exalted Lord should we be engaging all that is within us for he is worthy for whom we should do it But if any be questioning if so great a Majesty will give man a meeting But will God in very deed dwell with men Ye he will Tabernâ—â—le it with man And if any come hither sensible of sin and with a broken heart for it and well resolved to break away from sin and all that may hinder this happy meeting he will noâ— fail to meet yoâ— yea to dwell with you too Isa 5â— 15 Again must you meet with him and cannot be refused this Request whatever he say you nay in 〈◊〉 I dare promise such a soul a meeting this day if with Jacob you cannot be contented to go without him And yet again â—â—st thou shâ—t thy Eyes on all preparations and performances as Mediators in the meeting and fixed them on Christ for merit and mercy then will he come and commune over the mercy-seat and no where else If thou be'st so addicted to his fellowship as no Joy is to those banquets Isa 64.5 And if strong desires from fervent love can be maintained there is a visit a coming Hos 6.3 Song 2.5 8. 29. The title of this Ordinance of the Lords last supper is the same with some Psalms To bring to remembrance Christ is here to be remembred in his death at the best advantage for his love to sinners and where Faith is best accommodated with an object to feed upon above what all the earth can afford it Christ crucified is the great doctrine of the Gospel and the great sight in this ordinance It s a dying Christ we come here to remember which hath something in it beyond all his life in doctrine miracles and obedience And this memorial is appointed to be kept up of him till he come again not that afterward he shall be more forgotten but that there will then need no such help to remember when we shall be ever with the Lord and Immediately behold him But till we come to see him as he is we can have no better sight of him than thro' the glass of this ordinance we have now at our eye For here are we under the view of a pierced Lord Jesus to mourn and rejoyce to believe and love for no other ordinance can give so fair an oceasion to exercise a Gospel grace at once as this does For here have we matter of mourning in our eye for sin that sacrificed our high priest himself And no small matter of Joy in God through Jesus Christ by whom we have received the attonement and then let us look on our suffering Lord and believe in that sacrifice offered for Grace and peace And love him that hath loved you and washed you in his own blood so the Capital Graces in stead of the four Cardinal Verâ—ues may all here be most eminently imployed and exerted And how can we partake but unworthily if we neglect the exercise of graces in and about the Action And no Wonder then one guilt draw one another viz. We exercise not Grace in the Action if we neglected to prepare for it before our coming hither And let no Christian think that our examining for all will serve no at every approach be seeing how it is with faith in Christ how lively strong and well grown since last occasion of looking on your Redeemer in this Ordinance 30 This is the most solemn memorial of Christ crucified that his Church on Earth is blessed with Now it is appointed for remembring of Christ implies 1. That for all Christ hath done for us yet his people are apt to forget him 〈◊〉 That Christ is careful to help his people's weakness 3. That there is that in Christ's death which is worthy of a perpetual remembrance 4. It points out the easy â—â—kâ— of Christ and reasonable service of Christianity that for all his death and purchase he requires but a thankful remembrance of what he hath done for his Elect. 5. It speaks the deâ—ire of Christ to be in his peoples thoughts and shews how much his de iâ—hts are with the sons of men still 6. It shews forgetters of Christ can be none of his Disciples and that no frame can fit this ordinance without heart affecting thoughts of our blessed Redeemer Think never so much of sin and duties and of all other divine truths if you think not much on your suffering Saviour you answer not the end of this ordinance 7. That if you can by the help of this ordinance keep up a due remembrance of Christ here you shall not need to fear for getting of him hereafter where we shall for ever look this Lamb of God in the face Qu. What are we to remember of Christs death in this Ordinance Ans 1. The bitter Agonies and bloody Passions of his Death How pained pierced buffeted reviled tempted betrayed denied deserted by his own Desciples and which is more than all bruised and forsaken of his Heavenly Father And who can declare the sufferings that he endur'â— in his generation 2. The unspeakable patience with which he suffered all
our condition only in our Nature as Man he was too feeble to assure us and as God only too high to attract us so that our Elect and Chosen one hath a Nature for our Comfort and a Nature for our Confidence And now by Christ's Incarnation a neâ—rer approach is made unto us by the Divine Nature than ever could have entred into the Heart of Man to conceive Some say the Spiritual Glorified Body of Christ is the Medium of the Beatificial Vision to Saints and Angels above That the God-head shines through it in all its brightness as the Sun shines through clear Christal And lastly Wonder that two Natures infinitely distant should be more intimately united than any thing in the World and yet without confusion The Flesh of Chri t is the Vail Heb 10.20 alluding to the Temple where the Vail hid the glory of the Sanctâ—m Sanctorum and gave entrance to it So 〈◊〉 we draw near by Christ's Incarnation wâ—ich rebates the edge of the Divine Glory and Brightness that Creatures may converse without Terror Who can behold God out of Christ And what could we do with a Christ but in our Flesh How hopeful to â—oâ—k to a Saviour in our Flesh This is the sight this Ordinance gives us of Christ In our preparations we are chiefly to look to our Selves to see whether we have a right to Christ and be fit for him but in this Action we are chiefly to look to Christ and as a blind Man cannot look to tâ—e Sun shine it never so brightly so cannot we without Faith look to Christ Run your Race with Patience looking unto Jesus Heb. 12.1 2. They who would run well must keep their Eye to Christ and indeed manâ— run nâ—t well they look so little to him Some look back to the World they 're left behind with Lot's Wife others too much to discouragements and difficulties and too little to Christ and his Promises and some look to sin and not to Christ If the wounded Israelites had only lookt to their wounds and not to the brazen Serpent they had never been healed But the Command of Christ is look unto me and be saved Quest What is the well-disposed eye for looking unto Jesus or rather Who gets the right look of Jesus in such an Ordinance as this Ans 1. A discerning-look 2 Cor. 3.18 many go forth to Ordinances that know not whom they go to see Whom went ye forth for to see Matt 11 7. few take up Christ in his Natures Offices and Excellencies a King a Saviour a Physitian a Peace-maker c. 2. Seek a tender look of Christ to look upon him whom you have pierced and mourn Zach. 12.10 Song 7.4 Seek a heart-meltâ—ng look of Christ such a one as he gave Peter Luke 22.61 3. A love look Song 4 9. Isa 17.7 Look upon him till you Love him 4. A transforming look 2 Cor. 3.18 look upon him till you be like him in some measure here and long for that perfectly assimilating look 1 John 3.2 5. A self-denying and sin-forsaking look of Christ expressed by going forth and beholding him Song 3.11 6. A stedfast look Get a believing look of Jesus here that will make you follow your look when you are gone so as your blessed Jesus may be more kept in your eye in all your work in all your way even running your race with patience looking unto Jesus as ever you would hold out unto the end and not be wearied and faint in your mind 20. Here come we to renew our Covenant and remember Christs Merit and God's Mercy Qu. What is the Covenant we come to renew Ans The same you entred into at Baptism to take God to be your God to submit your self to his Laws for your Rule of Life and to his Righteousness for your Salvation that you will Love him and serve him and having Sanctified and saved you from the dominion and damnation of sin you 'll still strive against its remainders through his grace and strength in the use of all appointed means Qu. How are Covenants to be renewed 1. We must look what sad breaches have been in this Covenant since it was last renewed how careless we have been of many duties how unkind to Christ with how little zeal for his Glory and hatred of Sin hath he been served 2. When you have seen your Sore repent and seek pardon resolve on new obedience if you know of any sin you purpose not to forsake it 's certain you come unworthily and your sin you can never forsake till God shew you cause to hate it and then no man is willing to abide with what he hates 3. It ought to humble us deeply that no bounds even most sacred can hold us and that he is even mindful of his Covenants in giving out the mercies of it and we so unmindful of performing the Duties of it 4. We must make and renew Covenants in Judgment Hos 2.19 with a right understanding of the Terms of the Covenant even Christ and you becoming mutually one anothers in a Marriage Covenant now no more your own but his as bought with a great price Read and understand the Articles of the New Covenant frequently for no wise man will Seal an Obligation he knows not the Conditions of 5. It must be expresly with resolution to break with strange Lovers â—osh â—4 23 Cords of Vanity and Bonds of Iniquity must be broken and if resolution be right you 'll instantly set about the Practice of what you intend you will make haste and not delay Psal 119.16 6. We must bind our selves in the highest manner to obedience even under the Curse threatned upon our breaking as well as expecting the Promise if we keep it Neh 10 29. There the Covenant was sworn and else where written and seal'd ch 9.38 See also Isa 44.5 7. Renew your Covenant with earnest desires to God for Grace to keep it with humble acknowledgment of our own inability for any part of it knowing that the God we Covenant with must perform the Promise of Grace before we can perform our promise of Service Psal 113.32 Hos 14.8 John 15.5 And above all depend on Christ the surety of the Covenant by Faith and importunate Prayer that be see all may be made good on both hands that when he hath by his good Spirit helped thee to hearty endeavours and sincere performances thou mayst see thy self infinitely obliged to his grace and merit for covering the defects of thy best duties and pardoning all short-comings Psal 119.122 Christ is the surety of the Covenant for paying our Debt and undertaking our Duty Q. What are the benefits of renewing Covenants We ought to have them now in our eye 1. Heart-establishment and cleaâ—ing to God called the Boâ—d of the Covenant Our unstable souls need engagements not to go back We give up our heart to God intirely here to perform duty and avoid sin and snares and this by God's blessing
v 47 and my words are spirit v. 63. So that all must be understood spiritually and done in Faith Then there is a feeding here by faith on Christ 1. when the soul finds rest in him as it could never do in self or any other now being come to Christ finds rest in him and sees its safâ—ty by building on the Rock 2 when refreshed with the lively hopes of the purchased pâ—sessâ—â—n 3 when it receives spiritual strength for service and his Love girds its loyns 4 when his sensible presence makes glad the soul 5. when sights of Christ mortifies the mind to the world then feeds the Christian by faith on Christ 33. Christ saith to none eat and drink and his heart is not with them Nay this is the bread of him that hath an evil eye we are forbid to eat of Prov. 2.3.6 7. â—ut our liberal Lord saith eat and drink abundantly O Beloved Song 5.1 Q. What is it to eat and drink abundantly in Gods house or at Christs table Ans It s the same with being filled with the spirit Eph. 5.18 Q. What is it to be filled with the spirit Ans 1. To be eminent in Grace and ripe for Glory To be under rich anointings of the spirit above our fellows abounding in the fruits of the spirit 2. A sowing to the spirit full of spiritual projects and designs Act 10.38 a forward activity and doing our outmost to advance the Kingdom of God among men 3. To abound in spiritual thoughts and be spiritually minded Psa 139.17 18. Magis Dei â—neminisse debemus quam respirare Omne tempus quo de Deo non cogitasti cogita te perdiâ—â—â—â—â— 4. To be filled with spiritual desires still breathing after heaven Psa 101.2 Rev. 22.27 5. To be filled with holy zeal and boldness for Christ and his cause 6. To be well furnished with all spiritual abilities for the work and worship of God 7. To be â—illed with spiritual Consolation Acts. 9.31 The Joy of the Lord to be our strength Alas with what stant measures take most of us up in Religion and the matters of God Qu. What are the marks of these fuller measures of eating and drinking abundantly with Christ or being filled with the spirit Ans 1. A constant drawing and ever bringing our empty buckets to his well to be filled A Saint that cannot be contented to stand always at the bottom but teaching forth to get up to the top of the hill for a fuller view and getting new discoveries of the holy land bringing out of his treasures things new and old 2 When spiritual receivings have greatly quenched our thirsts after temporal things 3. When we can rejoyce in our Lords work and find a delight in Gods ways 4 The well is full when it runs over in praises to God for his communications Eph. 5.18 19. And in commending Christ unto others Song 5. Qu. What shall we do for fuller measures Ans 1. Keep a good Stomack fervent desires and spiritual hungrings are the best preparations for plentiful partakings Psa 81.11 2. Beware of self conceit and creature fulness that will hinder being filled with the spirit God gives more grace to the humble Jam. 4.6 3. Be very thankful for measures received Col. 2.7 We can never abound in Grace but by thanksgiving Prize a little grace above all Gods gifts and he will not fail to give you more 4. Put in for larger measure and let thy heart tell God that if he will but fill thee with grace and Godliness you will be content with the less allowance in other things Joh. 16.24 Song 2.5 5. Sue out thy fill out of the promises Joel 2.28 Zech. 9.12 Eph. 3.19 20. And tell God that he put it out there that it should ly there but in thy heart 34. Qu. By what motives may Christians be stirred up to eat and drink abundantly and to richer participations of the spirit Ans 1. There is no other fill recommended to us but to be filled with the spirit not with wine or any nature else Other things are commended to us in a Moderation to be used soberly and sparingly 2 Because in these spiritual enjoyments there can be no excess Surfeiting as in earthly things Eph. 5.18 Other things may cloy you and you loath them as Ammon did Tamar and Solomon his Worldly Vanities But not so with Christ and Grace rich receivings begets greater hungering after richer and full participations 3. It 's set in opposition to sinful sensuality It is not a light tincture but a double dy of Reâ—igion that will bring down some lusts and ast out some Devils What shou d be the reason that lust st nds as a Marble pillar again â— all our partaking of ordinances but that we eat and drink but not abandantly Eph 5.18 4. 〈◊〉 best proportions a Christian for his work He had need feed and gird his loins wâ—ll 〈◊〉 that hath a great Journey to go Much grâ—â—â— will fit us for doing more serviâ—â— Cor 15 10. 5. 〈◊〉 becomes a Gospel state for Christ I come that we might partake more abundantly than believers did under the law Joh. 10.10 6. Our emptyness reflects dishonour on the Fathers fulness as if there were not bread enough and to spare in his house If the servants be seen poor and meanly appareled they will hardly believe the Master to be rich and bountiful 7. The more Grace the more Glory and they lose mâ—re than the whole World that lose thâ— least degree oâ— Glory 8. Larâ—e receivings would make oâ—r passage at last far more easy and comfortable 2 Pet. 1.8 11. Acts 7.55 more of the Spirit would better assure us of our Heavenâ—y Interest so as to have the witness in our selves If we live poor we cannot think to die rich 9. The more of God in any Creature he is the more delighted with it Song 5.1 10. It conforms us best unto our blessed Head who received not the Spirit by measure and all for filling us If we draw not from his fulness we make it void as much as we can 11. We should labour to drink as deep of Grace and Christ's Cup as we have done of Sin and the World's Rom. 5.2 12. It would be matter of Praise in the Churches of Christ 1 Cor. 1.5 2 Cor. 9.11 35. If Satan should accuse any honest comers as once Joseph accused his Brethren You are Spies It were a good Answer what they made to him Thy Servants are true men and for Good are we come I this be our end it 's right in Christ's Eyes that we come for good to our Souls Q. What Arguments may we use with Christ for his feeding and refreshing us â—â—â—e A. 1. Say to Christ as the Aneel to the Prophet The Journey is too great and therefore thou must have that thou mayest be refreshed 1 Kings 19.7 Thou canst not go on thy way without it 2. It 's sights of Christ here that will make Saints go on