desires of sin obeyed and the commands of Christ slighted and yet these are the most common sights we see on earth O! what pride self conceit passion prejudice revenge worâ—dlynes spiritual sloath and slumbering about salvations work is there among us These we oppose not as the enemies of our souls who thinks that a sweet lust is the poison of his soul the disgrace of our nature the cause of our unhappiness bereaves us of true delight subjects us to Vanity and Satan tyranny and Gods wrath We hide and smother sins deformity and damnableness under the mask of pleasing and pitying our selves O might Christ prevail this day with our hearts to perswade us to be up and doing even acquitting our selves liâ—e men in this matter to assault our corruptions like them who are really allarmed from heaven against our mortal enemies O that ye would resolve to give your selves no rest till you be rid of them Except not against this counsel by saying that they stick too fast and are too good friends and the work too hard and they too strong I answer all hell can put in against mortifying of lusts with this one word viz. Where eternal salvation is concerned there is no excuse to be taken Rom. 8.12 It were better to pluck out your ey s yea bowels than spare your sins and perish Be not affraid of hurting your self by parting with sin no no could we fall upon our sins and cutt them off O what free lives might we live what noble Lords and brave conquerours were we And for their strength fear it not Go forth against them in the faith of this Lord you see crucified for them and invites you to partake of the life purchased by the death this ordinance calls us to remember It ill becomes us to complain of the strength of this enemy that Christ hath overcome All sin's strength consists in our cowardice Fight and ye shall overcome conquer and ye shall be crowned 6. If we eat of the sacrifice let us have faith that we may partake of the Altar and have Christ in it We may say to you in this sacrament as Philip to the Eunuch in the other if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest Act. 8.37 At all times we have need of faith for we must live and walk by faith but in no step more need than in this John 6.56 We cannot eat his flesh unless we dwell in him now Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith Eph. 3.17 Faith is the eye to discern the Lords body here the hand to receive him the mouth to feed on him We do neither see receive nor feed here without Faith Now it 's an easier matter to look with a bodily eye on bread and wine than to behold the slain lamb of God bruised for us The world think it easy to believe who never had a true sight of their sins nor sense of Gods wrath nor were ever sifted or shaken by Satans temptations nor troubled with terrours of Conscience nor acquainted with natural weakness and Christian infirmities and our own insufficiency for so much as a right or good thought of God Is it easy for a proud heart to deny it self in the point of salvation And wholly to take a Righteousness from Christ heartily submitting to a Gospel salvation in saith and patience Is it easy to see Christs humiliation and look for exaltation out of it and to look for pleasure by his pain Riches by his poverty strength by his weakness and life by his death and a blessing by his curse There is a kind of bastard faith is easy to come by you 'll find every where too much of it but the Faith of Gods elect peculiar to them even the spirit of Faith which purifieth the heart and worketh by love and maketh the soul live is not so common Now 1. this faith is never without heart humiliation for sin even a looking on him whom we have pierced with a tender sense of the dishonour and wounding of him by our Rebellions and Unbelief O! here the soul sees its baseness and weeps that so blessed a Redeemer should bleed for the sins of such a wretch and be still so insensible of this love 2 And then it wonders at infinit mercy and mourns more misery and mercy pierce the soul and make it even exceed in tenderness and tears to think of abuseing such inestimable treasures of grace 3. And it wonders at the glorious freedom of love that it should chuse such objects and this even confounds a sinful soul and makes it with a holy shame lye down in the dust and open its mouth no more Ezek 16.63 4. It renounceth carnal reason and a rebellious will and now gives up all to him who hath won its heart and payed its Ransom and therefore it 's called the obedience of faith 5. It abandons a vain world and tramples on all its glory Psal 119.96 6. And now resolves to trust in Christ for all other things since it sees a sufficiency in him for saving its soul 1 Tim. 4.8 Rom. 8.32 Luk. 12.32 7 I am affraid some come hither to seal a Covenant who never knew to make or keep a Covenant Isa 19.21 Even to enter into a perpetual Covenant with Christ to be wholly and unreservedly devoted and resigned to him in love and obedience and who have taken him to be all that the Father have given him to be to the souls of his Eâ—ect i. e. Not only to be a high priest to ransom their â—ouls from sin in hell and to appear for them before God in heaven but likewise for their great prophet to â—each them the wâ—â—le will of God and a King to conquer their lusts even a leader and commander to the people in all the ways of his revealed will Now whosoever comes hither short of this at best the seal is but set to a blanck and so stands them in no stead for they receive not Christ and carry none of his benefits with them yea it 's well if it seal not their damnation And I 'm likewise affraid of another sort that may come hither who formerly might have covenanted with Christ but for want of a lively and well exercised faith grow blind and see not astar off and have forgotten that they were purged from their old sins and so turn formal and customary And readily such Consuetudinaries who follow the drove can give little other account of their coming but that it 's the way other good people go in and it they should not come they might be missed by good neighbours and how could they keep up a name to live if they cast themselves out of good company It 's to be feared many such things are with us But if so such may eat and drink Judgment to themselves temporal Judgments in stead of spiritual enemies For such things many were weak some sick and others fallen asleep in the Church of Corinth 1. Cor. 11.30 And if such
belong to God he will find out the way to awaken them and not let them sleep the sleep of death but will shew them wherein they have exceeded and a wake them to their work out of this Lethargy either by renewing some terrrors of Conscience or turning his hand upon them by some torturing tribulation And there is a third sort I fear may come who are almost well resolved never to come up to the terms of having Christ because of some beloved lust they are so loath to part with and go away with the young man in the Gospel sad from every discovering ordinance whereby he finds all must be left to follow Christ if he have treasure in heaven which his hypocritical heart could never yet comply with and so finds no sweetness in sacraments nor Sermons nor never can in this condition for the consolations of God are small because of some secret thing with him Job 15.11 But as ever you think to be happy be advised whatever it be hang up that Idol before the sun this day look but to Christ and see whither thou durst lay it in the ballance with him who is yet wooing thee to win tâ—y soul by parting with thy sin Let it wither under Christs curse for the many good days and far sweeter imbraces of a better beloved it hath kept thee from 8. Such a day will either be one of our best or worst days It will either further salvation and bring you nearer God or harden your hearts and heighten your Judgment A hot summers day ripens the corn so do these seasons of grace ripen faster than any thing can for Judgment when not improved but abused Would it not be sad that any of us should be worse at last than if we had never been here nor seen the Lord in these precious ordinances Neglecters of the great salvation are in a worse condition than if the new Covenant had never been made for they must answer not only for breach of Law but abuse of mercy Now that this Feaâ—t hurt â—ou not you must be careful that you be not unworthy partakers To eat and drink unworthily is to eat and drink unsuitably So that the best way to examine this matter is by a due consideration of the nature and use of this ordinance Here is bread that calls for hunger and wine for thirst and both for strength and refreshing Here is bread broken and wine poured out which calls for a broken heart and pouring out of our souls to him whom we pierced and put to pain Here 's consecrated Bread and Wine come as Consecrated Persons to Consecrated Elements Here is a Feast then come as confederated Friends to take a fill Here is a Seal of a Testament call'd the Cup of the New Testament in his Blood come and take a Legacy And as it 's full of Mysteries it calls us to come with a Piercing Eye to discern the Lord's â—ody and its worth under the meanness of outward Signs Now you see to come unsuitably is to come unworthily And may we not tremble to think on the doom of that Guest that came in without the Wedding Garment and that it is not one or a few that come so but very many appears from Matt. 22.11 and 1. v. compared In the application of that Parable they are said to be many that are called but sew chosen ones The King took no exceptions against his guests when he came to view them because of being poor halt or weak but offended with them that refused to come and with them who came without the wedding garment Many refuse to come that are utterly careless to be in any condition to meet Christ in this ordinance and make nothing of a life time of refusing an offered Christ therein For which so gross a contempt of his grace how shall many answer And others come without the wedding garment and with these he is angry intimating that many weaknesses he could pass by provided we make conscience of preparation and putting on the wedding garment which I take to be a good state in Christ through his righteousness imputed and a spiritual frame lamps trimmed and in good fashion for feasting with Christ minds spiritual and graces active Repentance faith hope and love in exercise 9. I am affraid our familiar and frequent conversing with such sacrâ—d things do's great hurt to carnal hearts and hardens hypocrits in their sins and seares their consciences more to obduration Thus Judas received the sop and Satan entered Abuseing these sacred spiritual things with careless and carnal frames makes way for Satans entering and possessing men more strongly whereby they become twice more the children of wrath than before For who eat and drink unworthily eat and drink damnation i. e. Reprobates thereby bring eternal damnation to themselves and it brings to Gods own temporal punishments as 1 Cor. 11. Now to prevent this danger beware of Hypoctisy in sacred things Double dealing here will undo us I mean a heart and a heart or a sacrifice without a heart The work is the Lord's have you a heart for him I wish our case be not Jehu's who had a great pretended zeal for God but had no care of his heart in Gods ways 2. Kings 10.16 31. What sayeth God of this service did he accept and reward it No he avenged it upon his House Hos 1.4 Tho' he shed blood in Gods cause and quarrel yet he did it not with a right and sound heart O look to it that you reap not his reward for a rotten heart We say by our coming hither come and see my zeal but if the heart be not right with him the blood of Christ will be required at our hand it 's a great guilt to be guilty of the body and blood of Christ O take care that things be all right in our dealings with Christ and particulary in our sealing Covenants with him Isa 61.8 It 's a precious promise that in making an everlasting Covenant with them he will direct their work aright or in truth and that is when their heart is directed into the love of God 2. Thes 3.5 Now may we ask for love in this action If it have a root now is the season of its putting forth We may say as the Rulers of Israel spring up O well Let your love be carried out according to the vastness of his loving kindness that we may love him in our measure who hath loved us with a love that hath neither bounds nor bottom let their be some risings of love some returns of love an entertainment of love in this feast of love But when we have said all it 's the Spirit that quickens and giveth life and where its power is wanting there the word is a dead letter the Sacraments dead Elements and we dead creatures Now since the spirit worketh all in all grieve not the spirit resist it not but walk in the spirit and look to Christ for a heavenly
119.60 as all spiritual purposes are to be manag'd but yet leâ— it be done with greatest seriousness and fulness of consent it being a bargain never to be broken a covenant never to be forgotten and doing a thing never to be undone again If the desires after Christ you make this Covenant with be true they will make worldly desires in a good measure dye and run low Sometimes you desire a thing so that all other things are so little they scarce come into your thoughts for that same thing you love so â—uch Such a desire had Christ to redeem us that even Sufferings were desirable in order to its accomplishment I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished 13 â—o seal our covenant are we come even that Câ—venant he maâ—e with his Christ the everlasting Covenant the sure and ordâ—red Covenant wherein lies all our salvation hereafter and all our consolation here O let our hearts be carried out according to the loving kindness of the Lord shewed in it Consider all the mercies of this Covenant and labour to taste in every one of them that the Lord is gracious This is the Salt of the Covenant without which our Morâ—el will be unsavoury There is something in the Covenant better than Salvation better than Heaven and that is the Lord our Righteousness and Jehovah our God He is not ashamed to be called our God let not us be a shame but a praise to him To have him for your God is to have all in God for your good and O then let all that is in you be for God Christ is here sending us by the hands of his Commissionated Officers the Cluster of Grapes as the first fruits of the Land of promise and commanding you to take and eat the Bread of Life He is reaching unto the thirsty Soul the fruit of the Vine turning it Sacramentally into his Blood bidding you drink it in remembrance of him till he come and feasting you with his fullest Love and satisfying you with the pleasure and presence of his glory Great and glorious things are soâ—nd here under the plainest dress that the eye of faith may be most exercised The glory of their Ordinances under the Law was a stumbling block to them for they rested in the Cabbinet and over-looked the Jewels The meanness of our Ordinances are so to us for we look not for the Treasure in earthen Vessels The Types were rich and our Memorials poor they had finer Spectacles we better Eyes If their Tree had more shadow ours hath more fruit Christ in commanding us to do this in remembrance of him builds a Monument of himself before he dies plain and simple to the eye but firm and lasting to continue till he come again and all that is said of him in the Gospel is here to be seen in this Sacrament Here may we see him dying and paying our Ransom the Lamb of God lying bound on the Altar heated with his Father's wrath On the Table we have a fair prospect of the Cross with the sacrifice of the Son of God set before us And let us say Lord if thou remember our sins we will remember thy Christ For in remembring his death we must by all means mind that as our sins slew him so his death conquers sin and expiates guilt and this is the food of the sacrifice that our souls must live upon And if this be rightly apprehended you see the great benefit by Christ here represented confirmed and participated And it 's easy to perceive how far they forsake their own mercies that for the sake of sin come not up to the terms of the covenant Iâ— ye think good give me my price it not forbear Any that come hither thinking to â—old â—ast their sins receive not Christ in the â—acrament but Satan receiâ—es them as he did Juâ—as after he had received the Sop Such be all these who come not hither to repent of sin but to câ—ver it 14. When we look into our Bibles we fâ—nd the Death and sufferings of Christ represented here a far greater matter than many make of it bearing so great a part in the â—criptures and making so great a figure there â—or we find the sufferings and satisfaction of Christ the chief thing manifested by the Spirit of God to the Prophets together with the Glory that should follow thereupon to him and his redeemed ones 1 Pet. 1.11 which shews us their prime study was taken up in this And this was likewise the end of all the discoveries of sin and threatnings of God's wrath in the Law even to point out the necessiâ—y of his sâ—tisfaction Rom. 10 4. And lastly the very substance and signâ—â—â—â—â—m of all Typeâ— aâ—d sâ—crâ—fices was but to point out the sufferingâ— of Christ and the glorious effects thereof Heâ— 20.1 Now no hing we hear of his Sâ—ffâ—rings in the World or see thereof in Sacraments makes any saving impression upâ—n us till thereby siâ— bâ—comes exceeding siâ—fâ—l and Christ exceeding prâ—cious among the many things we have seen in the World and works we have done whâ—n shall we begin to see sin in its own colourâ— viz. To sâ—e it the only thing that breâ—ks the Law and so dishonoureth the Law giver Crucified Christ Grieves the Spirit gratifies Sâ—â—an debaseth human nature dâ—stracts the world and damos Souls And yet for all this men cannot hatâ— sâ—n becaâ—sâ— it 's oâ—r â—o k Hel 4.10 O monstrouâ— sinful sâ—lfishâ—ess that fâ—r all the inconceivablâ— evâ—l in sin yet cannot hate it because it 's ours whâ—n â—o tâ—â—t we should hate it more than all th◠〈…〉 the whole woâ—ld Now this due sense of Sâ—n 〈…〉 exâ—lt Christ and make him â—â—â—â—â—ous who is the â—â—â—ha and Omega â—n the busâ—â—â—ss of Relâ—giâ—n without him you câ—n do nothing and lok for nothing It'â— by hâ—s â—treâ—gâ—h 〈◊〉 muâ—t wâ—â—k and by his Righteousâ—ess you muâ—t be â—ccâ—pted Isa 45.24 For indeed we cannot for sin â—hink of any mercy till God turn our eye on Christ in whom he is gâ—acious And the end of all we see Christ to be for â—s is to oblige us to love and obedience We have new representations of the favour of God and grace of Christ daily in these Ordinances that our obedience may be new our hearts and livâ—s â—â—larged and consecrated to the service of such a Saviour who hath Redeemed us with the blood we come here to commemorate Iâ— Faith â—ake these things real to our minds we shall be affected now and reformed hereafter If unbelief reign and we abide under its Power we shall be dead still and worldly as we were But look to him for a share of Heavenly Grace to â—xcâ—te our minds aâ—d thoughts to a Holy Zeâ—l and higher â—ctings than we are usually acquainted with in the lower regions of our converse 15. Having given up our names to Christ in Covenant we are obliged often to renew it to shew the â—â—â—câ—ritâ— of our heart
He is spoiled by Jesus â—hrist Col 2.15 2. More power is implo ed for Believers than can be against them 1. John 4.4 2 Kings 6.16 3. Victory oâ—er him is sure and near to Believers Rom. 16.20 Qu. But since we must be strong in the Lord and in the power oâ— his might if we wou d overcome may we not question with our Selves â—s once the â—hilistines with Dalilah concerning Sampson wherein lies the great strenth of a Christian This case Satan studies that he may know how to deal with us 1. The great strength of a Christian lies in his Covenant Relation to God and Union with Christ his head for tho weak in our selves yet a strong head have we in Heaven The Church is a weak Woman bâ—t hath a Redeemer miâ—hty to plead her Cause A Christians strength lies in his Confederated Friendship in Heaven the improvement of this is the laying out of that strength Psal 44 4. Tho Jacob was desâ—itute for outward help yet was he well befriended in Heaven and the blessed God whom he sought did his business for him against his Brother 2. In the gracious qualitieâ— brought into the Soul at Câ—nversion without which in a natural unrenewed State we are said to be without strength Rom. 5.6 So that Grace is a new party or Spiritual Power brought into the Soul for Christ to oppose sin and appear for God 3. In Divine Assistances for every Christian is weak or strong as â—ssisted as God girds or loosens us the girdle of his Loins wherefore we had need to keep in good terms with Christ that we fall not under his withdrawings of Gracious aids so needful for our Spiritual Warfare 4. In a careful retaining the impressions of Oâ—dinances O! pray that God â—ould stamp these glorious appreheâ—sions of himself on your minds that you have sometimes here and may not tâ—â—e in other Images to bow down unto Let the impression of these Ordinances of Word and Sacrament wear off and you are weak as others Peter had forgot Christ s work and so forgot himself Luke 22.61 and his M ster too Had Evah's thoughts been intent on the word the Lord hath said and not diverted to sensual Motions it had been sufficient to put by all the passes Satan could make against her O Christians be first sound that ye may be strong Job 17.9 The way of the Lord is strength only to the upright but the more a Hypocrite does in Reliâ—ion he is inwardly the weaker And for your encouraâ—ement let never a found heart despair of higher measures than â—ommon attainments â—or your helps viz. The love of Christ and hope of Heaven are greater than your hindrances can be 18. We say times of Trouble and great Afflictions are trying times but I say Sacrament seasons ought to be trying times with us Now in the trying of the truth of Grace we must labour to find out the habitual temper and disposition of hearts by the quality of their Acts. 1. If they be free and chearful not constrain'd or such as we had rather not do if we could help it Psal 119 108. 2. How frequent opportunity offering Psal 55.17 3. Thorough and serious else they prove neither habit nor disposition Rom. 12.11 4. We must try the Soul by the acts which make after the end as desire and love to God Christ and Heaven and this is more than to try our hearts by the Acts that make after the means only I know all gracious hearts would fain know their own sincerity 1 It is willing if sincere to know all its sin Job 13.23 even the worst of its own heart to câ—me to the light that it may be made manifest to its self yea had rather a l the World should know it than its rottenness should be hid from it sâ—lf it loves the most discovering Ordinances best but a Hypocrite had rather have a rotten Heart than be searched and repent 2. It 's willing to part with every sin it knows of it self when one is more willing to part with a sin than to keep it that puts the Soul out of danger by it 3. And then the best way to know our sincerity in this parting with sin is by serious indeavours in the use of all appointed means to oppose sin and carry on the spiritual Warfare against the Body of Death 4. And is obtaining some success and Victory The Spirit of God repeat that promâ—se to all the seven Churches of Asia to him that overcometh 0◠〈◊〉 vincenti every sincere Soul is in the way of overcoming the honest use of means gives some check to thâ— prevailing of Iniquity where no Conflicting with sin there can be no sincerity and every honest heart will be helped of God to some Victory and what ever men make now of other Victories this is that which you will have only cause of triumph in at the last as Valentinian the Emperour said on his Death-bed That of all his Victories one only comforted him and that was his overcoming his own naughty heart And that we may finish this Tryal we are upon in examining of our selves if we can find our sins and be humbleâ— for them and judg our selves with a righteous Judgment impartially and severely we may warrantably partake of the Body and Blood of Chriâ—t in the Sacrament tho we cannot discover our Graceâ— as we would For such examination as issues in self-judging hath the promise of not being judged of the Lord for unworthy receiving 1 Cor. 11.28 31. Now our sins which are the proper caâ—se of Self judging are the object of Self-examining rather than our Graces 19. Rom 8.3 God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh Obs 1. God's sending is a great Mistery It 's the Grandure of Earthly Princes that their Subjects send to them and a wonder if Rebels have access if they come in the humblest manner but he sends to us and sends for us that we may come anâ— be pardoned come and be saved 2. He sends his Son not an Angel 1 John 4.9 3. In the flesh he senâ—s his Son which is but gross in the state of Beggar to bring in the Blind and the Lame Heb. 2.16 4. In likeness of sinful flesh as like a sinner as might be not to be a sinner that he might save us from our sins i e. with infirmities and necessities that attend sinful man that no eye could descern a difference Isa 53 4. As the brazen Serpent was like a Serpent but had not the Venom of a Serpent This Incarnation of God is a Subject of the highest Admiration and fountain of the sweetest Consolation that the World affords O! the wonder of God's coming down to man to be handled seen and tasted of us a contract even for the wonder of Angels as the welfare of Man O wonder of wonders that ever it should be heard in Heaven or on Earth Let one of us become Man A Redeemer could never have suited
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
thou come unto me that is for my assistance and help to make good my promises to God Psa 101.2 Let my songs of praise be all of him here until I come where I shall be able to tune them higher than my sinful imperfections will now permit 49. Qu. Have I heavens permission Yea have I the Masters Invitation to be here Ans Any that are weary of the worlds Vanity and laden with the sense of sin looking out for Health and cure and come for a Physitian sensible of soul diseases and heart distempers have Christs own Call to come Mat. 11.28 2. If thou durst not come for a World without his Invitation and that the best encouragement of thy approach is his Calls of Grace such a sinner may draw near Mar. 10.49 3. Reconciled Friends are invited to come and eat Song 5.1 And we are Gods Friends no further than we keep his commandments Job 15.14 4. What warm Invitation have you given Christ for coming and blowing on your garden to prepare all for himself to make way for his inviting you Compare Song 4 Ult. with ch 5.1 5. Solemn humiliation and secret personal examination must go before our Lords allowance to eat and drink here 1. Cor. 11. Do we come to imploy Christ in the exercise of his offices upon your souls for grace and mercy to purge and pardon come ye for favour and forgivness Do you come for power and virtue to kill your lusts and coole your affections to a vain world to draw you that you may run after him come you for the things of the Kingdom of God for Righteousness peace and Joy the choice entertainments of wisdom's house Do you comâ— with your Bills in your hand Black Bills of your own indictment for the red lines of his Cross to blot out Bills of Grievances to be Redressed Bills of Wants to be supplied especially Church-grievances and Soul Grievances Satan making havock of the one without and daily inroads upon the other by prevailing Temptations that makes you groan for Heavens Care and better keeping of you than your own Q. Faith being so necessary to right receiving may they adventure to come who doubt whether they have true Faith or no A. 1. Tho we have not such a full perswasion as exempts us from all doubâ—â—â—g yet if on a due examination â—our See 〈◊〉 our Hearts accuse us not of â—â—â—â—criâ—◠〈◊〉 double dealing with God 〈◊〉 may â—â—â—ture to come yea whâ—n 〈◊〉 found much drosâ— and can jâ—dg and â—â—hor our selves for it in dusâ— and asâ—es and betake our selves humbly and sincerely to the blood of Christ for Peace and Pardon wâ— are allowed to comâ— But if any come 〈◊〉 â—hers may not take them for unbeâ—evers and yet are unwiâ—â—iâ— to believe indeed and wholly give up themselves to be ruled by Gods Laws and saved by Christs righteousness had better forbear than mock God and drink Damnation to themselves Happy Soul that can keep a â—ingle eye on Christ in coming hither to partake of his Gracious Spirit and Merit himself and all his blessed benefits to get Grace and Strength to oppose sin and serve God better and to walk more worthy of the Christian Vocation such comers may come and have Christ's Welcome 50. In Prov. 31.27 we read of eating the bread of Idleness And as our painful Redeemer eat no such bread when he was here travelling in the greatness of his strength for us so must we beware of turning this to eating of the Bread of Idleness i. e. to be guilty of the want of a diligent and serious examination of heart and way ere we come hither and not walking worthy of the profession and priviledg of our appearing here Q. What walk will best becâ—me our being here A. 1. A walk of tenderness towards him who was so tender of us as to say down his Life to save ours It ill becomes us to yield to any thing dishonourable to him that hath espoused our best intâ—rests at so dear a rate 2. A wâ—lk of Holy Communion and Heavenly Fellowship with him that sâ—rs you down here with himself That the result of Feasting with Christ here may be a Life of Following hard afâ—â—â—im and going away and remembring hi◠〈…〉 Wiâ—â— 3. A Life and 〈◊〉 of Fâ—â—â—â—lness â—â—ounding in all the fruits of the Spirit whâ—re think we to be filled with the Sâ—iriâ— if not herâ— It 's 〈◊〉 pity when we are gone that it shoul I not be seen â—â—re we have been It 's said of the lean King that when they had â—â—â—en up the sâ—t Kine it could not be known that they had â—atâ—n them they â—â—re still â—â—ill favoured Gen. 41.21 I wish there were no such eaters found among us 〈◊〉 day 〈◊〉 we be Marriâ—d to Christâ— It 's meet we bring fâ—râ—h Fruit unto God 4. A Life of Faithfulnesâ— in reâ—â—ing sin â—o we sit where we have seen our Lord â—â—â—eding a fresh for our Sins and shall we ever plead for sin or listen to Satan any more Have I seen the Lord w shing me in his own blood and will I ever wallow again iâ— the mire O! his never to be forgotten Agony and his dismal groans in the Garden The V neâ—ar and Gall my sin put to is Head on the Croâ— The Bâ—ftâ—tings and Spittings my sin laid on his sâ—â—r Face The cruel Piercings of his blessed Sides hiâ— Hands and his Feet for my sins Shall I â—vâ—r refuse resâ—sting unto Blood striving against Sin Jerome tells of a Woman that reâ—â—llâ—d all temptations with this I am a Christian 〈◊〉 Bâ—ptised and shall 〈◊〉 sit at his Table and lift up the heel against him And now go away resolving to â—onâ— yâ—urselves no more in the dust of this dirty World being â—nce rolled in the precious Garments of yoâ—r â—lder Brother 51. Q. If thou wouldst mâ—â—t with Christ what is thy business with him A. I. I come to pay the â—ebt of Thankfulness and to Celebrate his praise in this way of his appointment for Christ's Unspeakable love to my lâ—st Soul the Ordinance being Eucharistical 2. As Joseph's Brethren came to Egypt so for Food am I come to eat and drink abundantly Song 3.1 3. I am counselled of Christ to come for all his rich Supplies Rev. 2.18 And for these very ends anâ— come for his tried Gold his whire raiment and his eye Sâ—lve that I may be rich with his Grâ—ces cloathed wi h his â—ighâ—enâ—sness and enlightned by his Spirit to know the â—hing◠〈◊〉 given â—e of God 4. For what end comâ—s the Câ—â—ld to the Fathers House the â—â—ngry to the Full the 〈…〉 the Bride to the Bridegroom but to Marrâ— aâ—â— maâ—e Merry Why comes the Prodigal home but to Râ—pent of his Folly and to live with his Father in better Fashion And that thou mayst leave thâ—â—â—â—â—ling and like better of thy Fathers House take a promise for it Jer. 3.19 Thou shalt call me my Father and shall not turn away from mâ— 5.
bent of the heart and continued course of life 4. Try thy self more by Closet-communion than by publick duties for what one is in secret that he is indeed 5. Take the help of faithful Ministers and judicious Christians about thy condition when it 's too hard for thy self 6. Lean much upon and leave more than many do to the discovering Spirit of Jesus in the use of all means whose properly it is to make known the hidden things of God and of our hearts too 58. If there be any Soul seeking Christ in this and other of his own Ordinances and yet meets not with but complains with the Spouse of seeking her Beleued but found him not Song 3. let such know there be more professors in a worse than better condition For 1. She was sensible of Christs absence and knew her own condition not as they Jer. 2.6.8 2. She complain'd of it as her present misery that she went without enjoyment 3. Under this desertion Love and Desire were active 4. She called not her Interest into question â—oâ— he is her beloved still 5. She seeks Still and cannot be are quiet till she find her Beloved and such a seeker cannot be long a finding Now the marks of a found Beloved in such an Ordinance are clear in the Churches Practice and Carriage 1. A care to keep him v. 4. I would 〈◊〉 let him go and that he may abide she shews her publick Spirit in bringing him to her mothers hoâ—â— and straitly charges that to provocation may be given him tolegene v. 5. That if he depart it may be an act oâ— meer Soveraignty Now nothing will more readily fur up Christ to be gone than unruly passions so contrary to a meck Lord Jesus Isa 42.2 Unmortified affections and unwaâ—â—â—ed hearts when the soul grows secure and careless of such a Guest 2. A fear to lose Christ accompanies the enjoyment of him v. 8. And if you find your beloved here go away with a holy fear in your hearts left you should not render again according to the benefit bestowed upon you Let not that Name be written on the sand that hath wrote yours on his heart They may go away with much joy in their hearts this day that have made a good and sure bargain with Christ for their Souls Bâ—t you mâ—y eat of this sâ—iritual meat anâ— drink of this spiritual drink as tâ—e Israelitâ—s did of the Rock that followed them which was Chriâ—t and yet God may not be pleased with you 1 Cor. 10.4 5. especially if after this eating and drinking â—here be â—ound with us a careless heart a carnal mind and 〈◊〉 fruitless lâ—fe And whoever be the poor mâ—â— of whom Câ—riâ—â— hath â—uâ—◠〈◊〉 this poor man will I look Now if â—ou haâ—◠〈◊〉 this kind and graâ—â—â—â—â— loâ—k go home an 〈◊〉 rejoice â—nd râ—â— in his love but â—et reâ—oâ—câ— with trembling when you consider â—our sin aâ—d hath that may provoke him to be gone and 〈…〉 you are most frâ—id even of sinful self anâ— a deâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—rt trust in him at all times look unto him an◠〈…〉 feaâ—â— Ps 56.3 What time I am afraid I will 〈◊〉 in tâ—eâ— What Sweet Experiences do many treâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 â—nâ—â—eâ—ch from Gods speaking at a Sermâ—n an◠〈…〉 Sâ—◠〈◊〉 Buâ— let us by all mâ—â—â— beware of goiâ—◠〈…〉 of sprinkling at a Sacrament without iâ—s â—â—ing 〈…〉 on 〈◊〉 Coâ—sciences lest it lead back to 〈…〉 and bâ—ing us to the King of Terâ—â—rs Anâ— i◠〈◊〉 Kiâ—â— sittinâ— with thee at his aâ—â—â— â—â—th madâ— Gâ—â—â—â— liâ—â—ly â—o â—oy coâ—fort say of Graceâ—â—â—â—â—ity â—s the 〈◊〉 said 〈◊〉 â—â—nathan He shall not die for he hath wrâ—ught with Gâ—d thâ— day 1 Sam. 14.45 5â— 2 Sam 9.3 Dâ—vid enquires if there be any yet of the house of Saul that he mâ—â—â—hâ—â— him the kindness of God i.e. by an Hebraism great kindness or free kindness as God shews to us who little deâ—â—rvâ— it 〈◊〉 Saul deserved little kindneâ—s at the hands of David Buâ— however by our sitting and feasting here we have had the kindness of the Lord shewed unto us that haâ—h provided so comfortable a repast for poor Pilgrimâ—â—n our Wilderness-condition It 's a Feast of Love and Kindnesâ— to us and he may reasonably expect Love again Love will but please him and ease us For as Faith makes all things possible solâ—â—â— makes all easy 1 Joh. 5.3 Now Love hath its own peculâ—ar out-goings for God saying What shall I do for him that hath â—one 〈◊〉 much for me And love will readily answer its own question 1. I will do more for him than others he having done more for me than for many 2. I will do more for him than for all my dearest friends and nearest Relations O that it were so in very deed with us all 3. I will do nothing against him to the best of my knowledge whatever it cost me 4. I will nay I can do nothing without him 5. I will do all for him and eye his glory And when by his help I have done what I can it deserves not to be named the same day with his doings for me and is infinitely short of what he deserves and I owe and therefore I see I must die in his debt but will be still doing as I can and mend what hath been amiss by learning to love more and then I cannot but do better for love is the fulfilling of the whole Law And Love's inquiries will be 1. Whither is he gone that I may seek him 2 How shall I seek him that I may find him O that I knew where I might find him that I might come even to his Seat Job 23.3 3. And when I have him how shall I keep him 4 And what shall I do to please him 5. And that which puts Love most to it is how shall I sufficiently praise him Ps 106.2 And now let love lean on Christs bosom at this Supper and think the Master saying to thee as Ahasuerus to Esiher at his Feast What is thy sâ—it and what wouldst thou have done What Hâ—man to hang what lust to subdue what grace to be strengthned But most may say of such things as David of Saul's Armor I have not been accustomed to them 60. Ps 4.4 Commune with your own heart Heart-communing being so necessary an exercise for Christians at all times and so suitable to this Ordinance that requires the indispensable duty of self-examination to fit us for it Q. What should we chiefly commune about-with our own heart 1. About sin and a sinful corrupt state that shews it self in an ungodly life about secret sins predâ—minant sins what powerful sway they bear in the soul or what repentings are kindled within you what relentings or renewings and how preferable Grace is to Nature Luk. 15.17 and how much better God would be to you than all your Idols and sinful or worldly pleasures Hos 2.7 Commune with your heart about unruly passions Soul-distractions and confusions disorderly unmortified affections 2. About temptations what res stâ—â—â—e you are helped to make what victory is obtain'd how you strive against sin and prosper in the spiritual warfare 3. What welcome you have yet given Christ it his most gracious offers what closure with Christ as Lord and Saviour Ps 16.2 and how the heart stands affected to him or stands off from â—â—m as not well contented with him whether thy 〈◊〉 hath open'd to him making a free and full surrender â—o the Lord of Glory whose right it is to rule and if thou hast yet granted the great request of God My Son give me thy heart Jer. 3.22 4. Be communing with thy heart about its bearing up in Gods service and what part it acts in religious duties for fear it should draw back unto perdition be often looking up for further renewings and fresh assistances to continue believing to the saving of the Soul 5. And about the returns that are made or should be made for remarkable mercies 2 Chr. 22.25 6. Ask thy heart what preparations are yet made for Death and Judgment by mortifying the mind and clearing Evidences an unmortified mind and an unâ—etled conscience being the chief things that makes us so unwilling to die be thinking with thy self often about finishing thy work and what is yâ—t to be done if thou beest not undone for ever Ask thy eart what deep sense thou hast of another world and what careful preparations there be to gâ—t thither This work of heart-communing Christians find hard partly because so little inured to it partly because it 's so spiritual and we so carnal and beâ—â—use of the sliâ—pery inconstant temper of our Spirits for what Son of fâ—llen Adam ever served God one half hour without distraction But let its necessity and profit stir us up to attend it more for how can we know our hearts without communing with them and self-ignorance becomes the cause of most sins and self-acquaintance is made a great part of the wisdom of the just Prov. 14.8 and spiritual profiting is said to come by this 1 Tim. 4.15 and where it thrives no doubt becomes more pleasant than was thought of being one of the Galleries where the King is held Song 7.5 And how strange a thing that men commune so little with their own hearts being so near to our selves and having so many opportunities for it that we should be so much without and so little within when our great business lies with our own hearts FINIS