us if so you will of God if so you dare of his Decrees Ordinances this or that but assure your selves he can as soon cease to be God as cease to be good or just he will lay the fault where you will not like it whence you shall never be able to remove it even at your own doors Therefore be advised 1. Cherish not any longer such undervaluing thoughts of this mysterious holy and precious Ordinance Judg not rashly nor falsly of the things of God I am speaking for God and for his Institutions and though it be an easie matter to slight me your Minister yet I fear it will be no easie province to answer your Maker for the contempt you do to his sacred Ordinances 2. Break off your Sins by repentance and that speedily though a late repentance may be a true repentance yet you will find that a late repentance will prove an hard repentance a disease the longer it grows upon a man the harder it is to be cured Be quick in this duty lest God be quick in judgment Rev. 2.3 Repent or else I will come unto thee quickly Mark that quickly Lament and weep over your Souls for the loss of all that good you might ere this day have got by this Ordinance Now get your persons clothed with his Righteousness your natures cleansed by his Spirit your sins pardoned in his blood and doubt not if then you come but the Spirit of the Lord will do you good by this Ordinance The good Lord follow this work of Conviction with a work of Conversion And make this word effectual to confirm the doubtful to quicken the slotful to encourage the fearful Go to God though you cannot go in Faith yet go for Faith though you cannot yet he can reform your lifes and put you into a right frame for communion with him in this Ordinance We are now arrived at the last Enquiry Q. 8. What soul-reviving comforts doth this truth afford to the people of God who care take and conscience make of walking uprightly Resp I will not presume too far upon your patience and therefore shall not launch out into this vast Ocean take an account of them in these ten particulars and these ten rather in Figures than in words at length Is the spirit of the Lord at liberty and has he a sufficiency of power to enlighten and strengthen and comfort and to do you good by this Sacrament Here is comfort for you in ten cases or respects 1. As to the weakness of these Sacramental Elements alas what is a little morsel of bread or a sip of Wine and a few words spoken over them no Transubstantiating words we abhor all thoughts of that Doctrine which is so contrary to our Senses to Reason to the Scriptures to the comfort of the Saints to the honour of Christs glorious Body all which is abundantly evinced by our Divines True it is indeed they are poor and weak things in themselves but you must remember they are of divine Institution this is an Ordinance of the great God who hath own'd it and can and will bless it Though these outward Elements be weak yet the Spirit of the Lord is strong he delights to do great things by weak means What is the word if abstractly considered but a dead letter yet 't is the power of God unto Salvation to them that believe 't is mighty through God it transforms the heart reforms the life by it the dead in sin are quickened sinners are turned from darkness unto light and this is a greater work to turn the Soul from a state of Sin to Grace than from Grace to Glory By it Lepers are cleansed afflicted Consciences comforted c. What is a little water in Baptism to a tender Infant 't is in it self but a mean thing but water-baptism is of divine sanction and institution Joh. 1.33 He that sent me to Baptize with water and Infant-Baptism is so too Mat. 28.19 Go disciple ye all Nations Posito toto generali pars ejus negari non debet How Baptizing them c. and the Spirit of the Lord can do us good by it yea our tender Infants too even in their Minority much more when they arrive at years of Discretion He can and hath made his Elect who were baptized at ten days as careful to repent to believe and obey the Gospel as those ever were who were twenty years of age ere they were dipped Say men what they will of it or against it that it is a sign or shadow this or that if God set us a shadow a brazen Serpent it shall not be in vain to look up unto it Do not less prize or use the institution being well assur'd of the Lords Benediction I told you but even now That the meanness of the Element adds more to the honour and wonder of the Sacrament And that it derives its being and value from its Author I refer you for more of this to St. Ambrose his fourth Book de Sacr. chap. 4. Tom. 4. pag. 173. And to Bishop Reynolds his Meditations on the Holy Sacraments chap. 4. 2ly Here is comfort for you in case of bitter taunts and Satyrical or Sarcastical speeches which you may meet with from ignorant sensual and secure Sinners because of your constant and conscientious attendance upon God in this Sacred Ordinance Nazianzen said long since 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In all Ages the most serious holy men are represented as the most vicious wicked men have no favour from God and good men shall have no favour from them whilst they have virulent Tongues or violent hands If the Son of God was crown'd with thorns let not the Saints of God expect a crown of Roses As the Lilly amongst the Thorns as the lamb amongst the Wolves so is the Spouse amongst the Daughters They will do by you as Stunica did by Erasmus observe and review all your works and pick and cull out only what they conceive is worst but those perhaps as did his may prove your greatest truths and vertues However solace your selves in this The Spirit of the Lord is doing you good and never the less for their saying or doing you evil what though you hear ill whilst you fare well their reproaches shall hurt you no more than the Dog does the Moon which he cannot bite though he bark all night at it Apol. pro Christianis Antonin Virtus nihil est imminuta propter existimationem vulgi Nobis temerariae quorundam calumniae sanctioris vitae institutum non obscurant nec per eas gloriae nostrae coram Deo aliquid decedit as Athenagoras told Antoninus and Commodus in his Apology for the Christians a Diamond sparkles never the less nor is it any whit the less precious because an ignorant or a blind man disparageth it 't is so in this case their reproachings tend to your greater glory they will wish but perhaps when 't is too late they had been fitted
for admitted to and shared with you in this Sacred Ordinance 3ly Here is matter of comfort for you in respect of the meanness of the men or weakness of the persons by whom it is dispensed We are not Prophets we pretend to no such inspirations or immediate calls as they had we are not Apostles we have no immediate call from Christ to preach the Gospel to all Nations we cannot do not dare not pretend to an infallible conduct of the Spirit as they had and some ignorantly and impudently now challenge to themselves No we are men men subject to like passions and perturbations temptations and infirmities as they were and perhaps to more than you are you know it we confess and lament it Guilty were we of sin before we could do any thing and ever since we could do any thing we have done nothing without sin But in this may you and we not little solace our selves Though we can do you little good very little good yet the Spirit of the Lord can do you very much All we can do is to endeavour it but the conversion of Souls is not ours but Gods work we may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speak what is in it self perswasive but 't is the Spirit of the Lord alone that can and must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 actually perswade you The efficacy of the Word and Sacraments depends not upon the arts or parts or gifts or graces or greatness or goodness of men but upon the power institution and blessing of God Is a golden treasure ever the worse because 't is laid up in an earthen vessel or is water the less sweet because conveyed to your cisterns in leaden pipes Mark well the Text in hand and you will find the great stress laid upon your own upright walking if you expect a blessing a parallel you have in Heb. 4.2 The word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it It is not said Not being mixed with faith in them that preach it but in them that heard it In short the spirit of the Lord can do great and mighty things as by poor and weak means so he can do great and mighty things by poor and weak men He imployed not at the first publication of the Gospel any mighty Monarchs or noble Lords or profound Philosophers for the Conversion of the Nations whose Majesty Authority and Wisdom might have had a powerful and prevailing influence on their inferiours No a few poor Fishermen are the men 2 Cor. 4. that the excellency of the power might be and appear to be of God alone and not in or of man at all Men and means are productive of nothing if they operate only from an inherent or natural vertue but when they have a divine stamp upon them the Spirit of the Lord can do great and mighty things by them 4ly Here is comfort for you in case of temptations to disbelieve the Godhead or Deity of the Holy Ghost other mediums are urged to evince his Divinity but the Ancients make much use of this viz. the glorious operations and most mighty and powerful works done by him as Cyril and Châ—â—â—ostom and Ambrose de Sp. sancto He that can quicken dead Souls subdue such strong lusts implant and increase Grace and bless the Ordinances and all this by an immediate primary underived power as the Spirit doth certainly he is more than a meer creature he is truly God for these are works for a God and for a God only O the boundless incomprehensible and infinite power of the Spirit What all the Creatures yonder above the Clouds with these on Earth cannot that he can do omnipoteutissima facilitate Aug. Epist 107. ad vitalem non procul a fine as an Ancient elegantly expresseth it when he will work who shall let him Isa 43.13 He acts omnipotenter insuperabiliter this speaks him to be God indeed He is not strained he can do his people good by his institutions 5ly Here is comfort for you too in case of mighty oppositions from the flesh when you are about any holy and religious exercises there is no one duty in the whole course of Christianity but it is sure to meet with one impediment or other The Flesh if nothing else do wil belusting against the Spirit corruption will be opposing grace so that you cannot do the things that you would and should The agency and enmity of the flesh appears both in the matter and manner of our performances Sometimes it hinders from duty from praying hearing and receiving sometimes in duty nay it ever hinders us in the manner abating the vigor and fervour or lessening the alacrity of our Souls in duty your own experience is proof sufficient but here is comfort for you in this present case the Spirit of the Lord is not shortned nor straitned he can help your infirmities subdue corruptions quicken graces and in spite of all oppositions he can bless his own Institutions He can make mountains to become plains and cut a way through the hard rock Zach 4.9 Behold I am the Lord the God of all flesh is there any thing too hard for me Jer. 32.27 It may poor Soul be too hard for thee but not for me this is applicable to the Spirit in the personal consideration of God and it is no less comfortable than applicable A Child of God fain would do more but cannot a wicked man may do more but will not the godly mans heart is larger than the duties a wicked mans duties are larger than his heart 't is the complaint of a gracious Soul O how do my corruptions hinder in these holy duties But O says the other how do these duties hinder me in the pursuit of my lusts A godly man is griev'd because he cannot do all the good that he would and the other because he cannot do all the evil that he would 'T is the burden of a Saint the greatest trouble upon his Spirit that he can pray no more fervently hear no more profitably receive no more worthily so to bungle and baffle and trifle is his great trouble but he hath this to comfort him The good Spirit of the Lord to assist and help him in every duty and he knows that his arm is not shortned 6ly Here is comfort for you as in case of the activeness of the flesh so in case of the weakness of the Spirit i.e. of Grace you find that you are wofully and wonderfully straitned in your selves you complain of the narrowness of your Hearts the unactiveness of Grace you are not so humble and holy not so tender-hearted and enlarged your lives are nothing so blameless and harmless as you could wish and this to you is matter of saddest Lamentation and deepest Humiliation But remember pray the Spirit of the Lord is not straitned though you be he is not and this is matter of consolation though you be impotent chill and dull yet if you be sensible
really so It was a cutting question which St. Austin put to one Quid tibi prodest vocari quod non es What will it advantage one to have a name to live if he be dead See Hâ—insius in Joh. 1.47 To pass for a Saint here and to be found amongst Sinners hereafter to be reputed an Israelite indeed and to be a Gibeonite to be named of the House of Jacob i.e. of the Church of God and to be of the House of Sodom How shall Men and Angels stand amazed at the great day when the secrets of all Hearts shall be disclosed to see some taken up to Heaven who were named the vilest of sinners and others turned into Hell who were reputed choicest Saints A form will do nothing without the power of Godliness There are two things which every man is mainly concern'd to mind 1 To be Good 2 To appear so He that is not so is lost with God and he that appears not so is lost with men Ones goodness if unknown to himself will afford him little comfort and if unknown to others it will procure him little credit Abbreviatus contractus Drus Is the Spirit of the Lord straitned Doct. 5. The Spirit of the Lord is not so straitned but he knows how to inspire and instruct his Prophets Doct. 6. The Spirit of the Lord is then straitned when proud people presume to prescribe to dictate unto his servants the Prophets what and when and to whom they shall speak and when and what not Are these his doings Hence note that Doct. 7. The ordinary way of the Lords dealing with men is in love and mercy acts of judgment are his but they are his strange not his genuine acts how full and sweet is that in Hos 11.8 How shall I give thee up Ephraim How shall I deliver thee Israel c. In this sacred volum where is the parallel What pathetick Interrogations puts he there unto himself q.d. Thou art upon the brink of destruction 't is but a giving thee up and thou art ruined Oh but how how shall I do it Do not my words c. Doct. 8. Note that the Word delivered and Ordinances dispensed by faithful Ministers are his Attend them then with due care and conscience with fear and reverence with faith and patience Doct. 9. From the connexion of the principal efficient and instrumental causes viz. the Spirit and the Word Such as sincerely desire to receive good from God must attend to and depend on the Spirit of the Lord in the use of Ordinances Ubi enim Ecclesia ibi spiritus ubi spiritus Dei illic est Ecclesia omnis gratia Iren. lib. 3. udvers Haereses For the Word can do nothing without the Spirit and the Spirit will do nothing ordinarily without the Word Let people talk as their deluded fancies prompt them One day they will see and say that they who are enemies to the Word are no true friends to the Spirit despising the one they do quench the other Quae Deus conjunxit c. How sweet Oh what a reviving Cordial is that precious promise to a pious Soul in Exod. 20.24 In all places where I record my Name my word and Ordinances by which I am known as a man is by his name I will come unto thee by my Spirit and I will bless thee there shall be a comfortable meeting and a Cordial closing of my Spirit with your Spirits See one for all Isa 30.20 21. Thine eyes shall see thy Teachers mark that and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee c. Do not my words do good There is a twofold word the one is verbum audibile that 's the Holy Scripture Ephes 6.17 and there is verbum visibile viz. the Sacraments they are call'd visible Sermons as Christ in that conveys himself by the ear so in these he conveys himself by the eye into the Heart Hence observe Doct. 10. That the Word and Ordinances of God are very operative and powerful The Spirit of the Lord concurring they are not only preceptive and directive but affective and effective they are the rod of his strength Psal 110.2 In a word there is a sevenfold force or power in the Word There is a Sin-subduing power it puts down strong holds casts down carnal reasonings Oh 't is mighty through God 2 Cor. 10.4 5. A Soul-humbling power it lays a proud sinner as low as Hell makes him cry out Lord I am vile what wilt thou have me to do and I will do it To be and I will endeavour to be it Act. 2.37 9.6 16.31 A Soul-cleansing power Joh. 15.3 Now are ye clean through the Word which I have spoken to you And chap. 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth A Soul-solacing power This word of promise is my comfort in my affliction Psal 119.50 it keeps the Soul from fainting a promise like pearl in broth is cordial A Soul-quickening power No such Incentives to holy duties in the World as in the Word Psal 119.50 A Soul-searching power It ransacks and rifles the Conscience and looks into the most secret transactions of the Heart When the Sun shines into the House the Atoms are easily discerned when the Word shines into the Heart our secret lusts are easily discovered Rom. 7.7 Heb. 4.12 A Soul-healing power Psal 107.20 He sent his Word and healed them How long might a Soul sit at the foot of a Philosopher and hear his Lectures of Morality ere it should experimentally feel and find such an Heart-transforming power going along with them such a mighty change wrought by them Est quaedam verbi omnipotentia as Luther said of Prayer To him that walketh Doct. 11 D. 11. Christianity is a walk a Christians life is not a standing or sitting still every day must we do a days work and go a days journey towards our Heavenly Country Up then and be doing here is not your rest Quo brevior opportunitas co major sedulitas lose your season and you may lose your Souls opportunities are for Eternity but they are not to Eternity The Spirit will not always strive with man now Christ stands and knocks Gen. 6.3 Cant. 5.3 but he that stands stays not give him no childish no churlish answers work and walk now now if ever now for ever you may want an 1 opportunity if you slip this Esto in diebus aestatis Formica Prov. Arab. who knows what a day may bring forth if you be not present in duty God may be present in judgment may come quickly Rev. 2.5 His Judgments are often sudden and prevent mens expectations but never their deserts Lam. 4.12 Hos 10.15 Ere you can get out of bed he may let out your blood Or 2 you may want ability and not be in a capacity a sickness may come that may take away your senses your friends perhaps may be forc'd to bind you in your beds and is that a
my treasure my fullness my All I am dead but to thee I come for life and quickning grace I have a proud heart but unto thee do I address my self I know thou who givest more and better grace to the humble canst give me grace to be more humble I am impotent but to thee I come for strength against my corruptions and for holy duties Lord I am nothing I have nothing I can do nothing I am good for nothing I cannot plead my merits but thy mercy unworthy I am to live unfit I am to die When thus we find it with us at or after a Sacrament then has it been working for our good 11 When you have the Covenant of Grace sealed and the Characters thereof impressed upon your hearts when Sacrament-days are healing and sealing days the Saints are sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise such sacred stamps he sets upon their Souls as shall never be obliterated Many a child of God has here had monumentum aere perennius when by this Ordinance you gain such full evidences of his love such influences of his Grace such experiences of his Truth such assistances from his Spirit such ratifications and confirmations of the Gospel-promises as you never had before When thus you find it with you you may safely and solidly conclude it has been working for your good 12 Once more and in a word When more glorious conquests over your spiritual enemies are obtained when prevailing lusts are vanquished and fiery temptations are quenched and all these wonders one drop of his precious blood when taken down by Faith can do when you can go from this Ordinance triumphing over and trampling upon the neck of your unbelief and pride c. and this some have done when you can come from the Sacrament as Israel did out of the Red Sea and see your spiritual enemies bleeding gasping dying dead your lusts destroyed but your Souls preserved When thus you feel and find it surely the Sacrament has done you good and much good Q. 5. How doth it appear that the Spirit of the Lord is not so straitned but that he can cause this Ordinance to work for your good Answ 'T is a truth written with a Sun-beam 't is tanquam ex tripode dictum None of those Oracles may vye with this The Spirit of the Lord hath owned and blessed it to others and therefore can to you The Spirit of the Lord is God and what cannot a Great Almighty God do What will not a good and gracious God do by his Ordinances for his people His arm is not shortned nor love lessened or impaired Of all the Fathers were I confined to one alone I should fix on Ambrose Vide S. Ambrosii de sp s lib. 1. cap. 1 3 6 7 9 11 14 20. Lib. 2. cap. 4 9. 12. Lib. 3. cap. 5 12 14 17 23 Tom. 4. for he hath writ enough to evince the Deity and divine operations of the Holy Ghost from him I might extract what would abundantly confirm the Proposition under our present consideration but I forbear As St. Paul reasoned concerning the Resurrection of the dead saying in his Apology for himself before King Agrippa Act. 20.8 Why should it be thought a thing unreasonable with you that God should raise the dead So may I say to you in this Apology for the power of the Spirit Why should it be thought a thing unreasonable for the Spirit of the Lord to do all these things in at and by this sacred and solemn Ordinance The Doctrine under debate neither exceeds the bounds of Faith nor is it contrary to the experience of the Saints Doubtless some within these walls have had sweet experience of the powerful influences and mighty workings of the Spirit of the Lord in their Hearts and upon their Spirits at this Ordinance But we will review and succinctly reflect upon some of the forementioned particulars we shall fix on four or five the rest you may clear up to your selves in your private Meditations I remember that Athenagoras an Athenian but a Christian Philosopher disputing for the Resurrection of the Dead hath a passage which is pertinent to what I have in hand The impotency of an Agent ariseth either from his ignorance something he would do but knows not what nor how or from his insufficiency or weakness though he knows what and how to effect yet a power is wanting to accomplish and bring it to pass neither of which says he truly can be affirmed of God who is infinitely wise and powerful The same say I of the Spirit of the Lord He is a Spirit of Wisdom and Power and both infinite they are really the same with his Essence 1. He knows how to break the Heart for Sin and he can as easily bring it into a melting mourning frame alas we may pray and hear and wait in the use of means and yet our Hearts remain as hard as Adamant Fortiter yet Suaviter but when the Spirit of the Lord once takes them in hand he works irresistibly and effectually a nullo duro corde respuitur when he breaks in and breaths upon the Soul then it begins to thaw and melt and mourn We read of Peters sins exceeding great and very many were they sadly circumstantiated highly aggravated Mat. 26.75 Peter even now and but just now had a forewarning from Christ Peter was dearly belov'd of Christ none of the Twelve more John ever excepted He was the first whom Christ call'd to be an Apostle Peter was often admitted when others were excluded He yielded easily to the Temptation and that of a poor silly Damsel He sinned not in a corner once and again and a third time denies Christ with cursing and swearing c. yet when our Blessed Saviour began to look and the Spirit of the Lord set in to work then Peter went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26. ult A strange look and a strong look it was that thus quickly broke his heart in pieces he lookt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Theophylact observes with a look of love with a benign aspect Christ looks the Spirit works the Conscience stirs and out he goes and weeps exceedingly 2. He knows how to break the Heart from Sin and can easily do it be it a darling lust a Delilah never so near or dear a peccatum in deliciis He can make a full a final a total and an eternal Divorce between you and them though your lusts were mighty Hosts he can lay them dead at your feet I appeal from Gods Book to your own Breasts for the proof hereof 3. He can increase your Graces are they weak he can strengthen them if little he can increase them There is no Corruption so strong but he can make it weak no Grace so weak but he can make it strong This Men cannot Means cannot Angels cannot but He can 4. He can make you Holy as he is Holy that is for Quality not for Equality Holy in
way of resemblance Holy in all manner of Conversation all that Holiness in Saints or Angels is of his implanting 5. He can fill your Hearts with assurance of his Grace in you and of Gods Grace and Favour towards you The influences of the Spirit work Grace and the Evidences of the Spirit discover Grace 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God He bears witness with our spirits that we are the Sons of God Et quando Spiritus testatur quaenam relinquitur ambiguitas The Spirit brings the Heart to the command that 's holiness he brings the promise to the heart that 's assurance In a word Sp. S. irradiat Intellectum inclinat voluntatem sigillat Animum c. he can turn your Water into Wine your night into day he can remove your fears resolve your doubts revive your Souls recruit your Comforts Others only walk in the light of Gods Providence he can make you to walk in the light of his Countenance 6. He also who reconciled Man to God can reconcile Man to Man He can cement your hearts The stones of the Temple were so closely cemented as if they all had been but one He can unite you thus too When the Sons of Brutus and the Vitellii conspired with Tarquinius his Embassadours against the Consul they drank the blood of a man to confirm their Amity and Unity You are now a going to drink the precious Blood of Jesus Christ what hinders but the Spirit of the Lord may shed abroad his love in your hearts and make you live in love what are all the motions of the Spirit but tenders of Love or what is the zeal of the Spirit but the print of love or the Graces of the Spirit but engagements to love He can give you such hearts as will be Afraid of every little Sin Amended with every little Cross Affected with every little mercy The Spirit of the Lord hath power enough to give a being to us and hath he not power enough to do any thing in and about us Can he give a being to his Ordinances and cannot he give a blessing to them He can do every thing and therefore This But that shall serve for the fifth Query The improvement of the point is not the least considerable part of my work and indeed 't is all that now remains Here is a word of Counsel and a word of Comfort something which concerns Sinners and something too which concerns the Saints I would not discourage the weak yet must I awaken the secure I begin with the Counsels such first as concern you that are Saints and I have something to say in General something in particular Two things would I say in general Is not the Spirit of the Lord so straitned but that he can cause this Ordinance to do you good Then see that 1. You believe this Truth and believe it firmly and undoubtedly The Spirit is God as Almighty as the Father or as the Son To an Almighty power nothing is impossible nay nothing difficult When God promised Abraham a Son in his old age what a hard task was here for God Sarah could not believe it she laughed but what saith the Lord Is any thing too hard for me He can do it because he is omnipotent and he will do it because he hath promised to do it 't is a truth as full of comfort to the Saints as is the Sea of water or the Sun of light therefore believe it stedfastly And see that you 2. Look for good for great workings in and by this Ordinance from the Spirit of the Lord. And look well to this Ordinance that it do you good for if it do you no good it will do you hurt if it be not bread it will be poyson it will set you either a step nearer to Heaven or nearer to Hell Who can say when he hath been at a Sermon or at a Sacrament as some Tradesmen may when their accompts are cast up I have neither got nor lost Be you well assured that if it do not strengthen your graces it will strengthen your corruptions This is a sad saying but not more sad than true others have found it so and so may you it will further you either in the way to glory or in the way to misery O that whilst the sound of these words is in your ears the savour of them were upon your hearts But to come yet more close to the business in order hereunto perhaps some of you may enquire And it brings me to the Sixth Query Q. 6. What course must a serious Christian take or hold that the Spirit of the Lord may cause this blessed Ordinance to work for his good In this numerous Auditory I am in hopes there are not many if any but they seriously desire the Ordinances may do their Souls good They would not pray nor hear nor receive in vain Well I will confine my discourse to this Ordinance before you take these ten Directions 1. Carefully prepare your hearts for it if you would profit by it Till the Earth be prepared you cast not in the seed till the Instrument be tuned you do not begin to play Till your Hearts be prepared you cannot receive worthly Gods Dispensations are generally suited to our Dispositions Those Beasts which came in to Noahs Ark unclean went out again unclean You know the Jews had their preparation for the Passover Job 19.14 And is not this an Ordinance every way as holy and venerable When our Blessed Saviour was about to institute this Ordinance it was his pleasure the House should first be fitted and prepared in which he was to do it Mark 14.15 Is there not as much nay much more need our hearts be fitted and prepared Well then say I to you as Samuel did to the Elders of Bethlehem 1 Sam. 16.5 Sanctifie your selves and come with me unto the Sacrifice put your hearts in order These two things have a special eye unto 1 To get an Understanding 2 An humble Heart 1 Get an Understanding Heart when the Lord appear'd to Solomon in Gibeon and said unto him Ask what I shall give thee 1 King 3.5 Give unto thy Servant an understanding Heart says Solomon in vers the 9th Some render the words Cor dicile Sapientiam circa agenda Cor capax divinarum legum Cor audiens an hearing Heart others Cor intelligens aut sapiens an understanding wise heart He asked Wisdom with a great deal of Wisdom had not he been wise before he had not known the worth of wisdom When you are about these Sacramental duties pray for an Understanding heart Amongst the Graces requisite to qualifie a Communicant Knowledg is neither the last nor the least considerable Knowledg of what may some say I answer I the Knowledge of our selves Est Disâ—iplinarum omniuÌ„ pulcherrima
is the Fountain the Sacrament is the Conduit Faith is the Cock the heart is the Vessel Turn but this Cock and the oyl of joy and peace will flow in abundantly into your Souls from the fountain of living waters There are two special seasons for a Christian to act faith in the former when under sore afflictions then he must live by Faith Faith is an inquisitive grace it will not be quiet till it have found out the Sin that hath provokt God and procur'd the rod Faith then eyes the Sin to humble the Soul and the promise to comfort the Soul Faith eyes the hand inflicting and works patience and it eyes the sin procuring and works repentance When God is striking for sin Faith will be striking at sin Faith will make great afflictions little bitter potions sweet unbelief makes short afflictions long and easie burdens heavy Faith will enable the Soul to pray Prayer i◠the very breath of Faith Faith is all for Prayer and Prayer is all for Faith the latter when about divine Institutions and holy Ordinances what Christ said to his Disciples Joh. 15.5 that faith Faith to us Without me ye can do nothing Nothing acceptable to God nothing profitable to your selves 2. Act Love and Charity now 's the time to have your Hearts fired inflamed with love to God and filled with love to Man As the Sacrament receiv'd without Faith is receiv'd without fruit so if receiv'd without love 't is receiv'd without life Love puts life into a Communicant and Love puts life into a Sacrament When the Lord Jesus was a dying on the Cross he stretcht out his Arms to both Malefactors to teach us surely when we come unto this Ordinance to be in charity with all men All men love their Friends but Communicants should love their enemies Amare est bonum alicui velle non nostrâ sed ejus causâ Aqu Amicos in te inimicos propter te Aug. else what do they more than others Mat. 5.47 The Spirit of the Lord is a Spirit of Love and loves to do good to such as live in love But we cannot live in love may some say No It may so happen you cannot live in peace I am for peace saith David but when I speak they are for war Well but you may live in love you may love them though they hate you If so you do your duty is done and you may come in hope and assurance to receive good by this Ordinance carry these two things along with you 1. 'T is connatural to a Sinner to hate a Saint if he chance to love him 't is because he is of a sweet nature or for some external Considerations not because he is of a sanctify'd nature Holiness is the thing he disgusts and hates 2. If any man love not the Lord Jesus think it not strange if he hate you never court his favour for his love is not worth the having who thinks not Christ worth loving See Tertullian's Book to Scapula who was a great enemy to Christians the beginning of it 3. Renew your Repentance and the Spirit of the Lord will do you good by this Ordinance The Jews before the Passover cleansed all their Vessels which they suspected might have any leaven in them they burned all they could find and what they could not find they cursed Thus should we do by our sins we should search every corner of our hearts and every passage of our lives if possible We should go with a Melius inquirendum What have I done since the last time I was at the Lords-Table What sin have I lapst into what dishonour have I done to God what disservice to Religion and now repent of all Do as the Royal Prophet did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Calculavi Consultavi Psal 119.59 I considered my ways and turn'd my feet into thy Testimonies I considered i.e. I set my head and heart and mind on work I turned them over and over upside down I weighed them in the ballance I thought on them i.e. what they were whither they did tend in what they would end I saw they were not good holy right I durst not own them at the great day and I turned I saw 't was high time to turn I busied not my self about other mens ways and works my own found me work enough A serious Consideration of our ways helps us to a sight of the evil of them a sight of the evil of our ways helps us to godly sorrow for them 2 Cor. 7.10 and godly sorrow worketh repentance The Dunghill is never so lothsom and offensive as when you stir in it you never so fully discern the Bran as when you sift the Corn you will never discern sin mourn for sin or turn from sin till you consider your ways O pray remember only the true penitent is the right qualify'd Communicant Say Lord here is the sin by search I have found it out that hath so highly dishonoured thee so greatly troubled me 't is this that soiled my Evidences cankered my Assurance I loth my self now and repent in dust and ashes Apposite to what I have in hand is that passage of St. Ambrose Ita nos quando ad altare Domini communicaturi accedimus venemum pessimum viz. Iracundiā invidiam suberbiam avaritiam haec sunt animarum venena ista prius repellamus c. Feria 2. post Dom. 1. Quadrag the subject or argument of his Sermon is The universal or general day of Judgment Serpens cum venerit ad bibendum aquam priusquam bibit extra fontem evomit venenum suum Even as a Serpent coming to drink first it vomits up its poyson and then drinketh so when we come to the Lords Table we must first by humble confession which is vomitus sordium animae cast up and vomit out our poyson the worst of poysos viz. Anger and Hatred Envy Pride and Covetousness Sacriledg Theft and Luxury these are the poysons the bane of the Soul away with these and then we shall be satisfied with those Spiritual dainties and Heavenly viands viz. the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Athenagoras the Athenian Philosopher hath a parallel passage in the very beginning of his Book de Resur Mortuorum Nec Medicus infundere salutare pharmacum aegroto corpori apte potest nisi vitiosa prius expurgârit aut affluentem purulentilentiam cohibuerit c. Fourthly Constantly and conscientiously wait diligently and duly attend upon the Lord in every Ordinance if you would have the Spirit of the Lord to do you good in and by This let this be your practice and it shall be your praise if it be somewhat painful yet you shall find it very gainful it is your duty and your glory too The Merchants Ship takes not in all its Lading at one Port nor does the Christian enrich himself with treasures of grace and peace at one Ordinance only He hath instituted none to be kickt at or neglected
what in you is to hinder the Spirit of the Lord from doing you good But surely when you have a Spirit of Prayer and your hopes are high these are pledges to you that he hath a purpose to do you good Alexander the Great was wonderfully well pleas'd with Anaxarchus the Philosopher Plut. when he desir'd an hundred Talents of his Treasurer Apoph He does well says he in asking it and understands his friend aright who hath one both willing and able to give him so great a gift The same Author relates the like of that Kings munificence and bounty to his Favourite Perillus who askt but ten Plut. but the King gave him fifty Talents The great God allows his people to ask great things nay commands them to believe and hope for mighty things to covet earnestly the best if thus you do the Spirit of the Lord will surely do you good you shall not seek nor hope in vain Well then when you address your selves to this Ordinance remember what great things Christ hath purchas'd for you what great things are there proposed and God hath promised to you and then regulate your prayers by and raise your hopes to the riches of his merits and greatness of his mercies Some look for good by this Ordinance but what good or for what 't is good they know not or they look for that good in it which God never intended to convey by it Others have their hopes fixt on the right object their ends are right too but they have not a lively Hope In short if the Spirit of the Lord be not present the Sacrament is but a gaudy pageant 't is the spirit in the Word that causeth efficacy in Prayer that causeth prevalency in this Ordinance that causeth proficiency But then must we have an active Faith a strong and lively Hope Eighthly Lament over the chilness dullness the deadness and unpreparedness of your Hearts for this blessed Ordinance When one hath taken Physick and it doth not operate something is prescribed and used to quicken it A sincere sorrow for your former carelesness and deadness may much conduce to your future proficiency They shall come with weeping says the Prophet Jer. 31.9 Tears dropping from a mournful eye and grieving Heart are like Water dropping from the Roses very sweet fragrant and soveraign Mary stood at Christs feet weeping Luc. 7.38 Could we kneel at the Lords Table weeping and is not the humblest posture fittest for miserable sinners could we weep tears of blood for our scarlet crimson bloody sins acting her part we might hope for her portion a gracious pardon and that sealed in this Ordinance We pity weeping persons and do them good Tears melt our Hearts Psal 6.8 and though silent yet they are prevalent Orators when you are in such a melting frame occasion'd by serious meditation on your sins and Christs sufferings on his bitter passions for you and most tender affections to you then lo then 's a season for the Spirit of the Lord to do you good by this Ordinance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says Chrysostom Weep out your eyes for the loss of lands or friends all your tears will nothing avail you but in this case they may nay will much Ninthly Go out in the power and might of the Spirit of the Lord to this Ordinance you cannot relie on men or means too little or on him too much you should depend on him though you had never tried him but having tried him you are now under greater obligations to depend on him Royal and religious is that resolution of the Prophet David Psal 71.16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inpoâ—â—â—tus q.d. Tuâ— unius virâ—â—â—â— situs Let us write after his Copy remember ejus est benedicere cujus est instituere Alas all our light is darkness our strength weakness and our wisdom foolishness Frustra nititur qui non innititur that man labours in vain who labours and yet relies not upon the Spirit of the Lord if the Spirit help you to pray he will also help you to speed and if he help you to prepare for and to go out in his might unto this Ordinance surely he will do you good by it I will close up this with that excellent passage of Saint Cyprian de Bapt. Solus spiritus rem sacramenti nobis confert Or that famous speech of the School-Doctors Sacramenta ex similitudine repraesentant ex institutione significant Sed ex virtute Christi sanctificant Or with that of Prosper in his Epistle to Demetrius speaking of the holy Sacraments Forma adhibetur per humani ministerii obsequium virtus autem per Divini spiritus praestatur effectum Tenthly Once more Walk uprightly and the Spirit of the Lord will do you good by this Ordinance you have his promise for it Psal 84.11 The Lord will give grace and glory Grace that 's the best thing that you can have on Earth Glory that 's the long and the short of what you shall have in Heaven No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Let a thred of uprightness run thorough the whole web of your lifes and then you are sure 1 of being safe in this world Prov. 10.9 Men may kill you but they cannot hurt you 2 of being saved in the other world But of this anon Follow these few Directions and I dare be the Prophet to foretel you good by this holy Institution I proceed now unto the seventh Query Q. 7. What shall a Christian do who hath sound some good at in and by or after this precious Ordinance from the powerful workings of the spirit of the Lord I will hint a few Directions to you in answer to this Query the amplification of 'em I leave to your private Meditations They are Ten or Eleven 1. Walk Thankefully Hath it been the day of his power let it be a day for his praise you have had news from Heaven let the Heavens hear good from you Though you have not got all the good you desired yet bless God for this that you have got more than you have deserved And bless God for this too that you have a desire still to get more O despise not the day of small things Say Lord who or what am I that the Spirit of the Lord should condescend or stoop so low as to breathe upon my Soul to blow upon my Garden and cause the Spices therein to flow forth who am I that he should cause this Ordinance to work for my spiritual and eternal good when others eat and drink Damnation to themselves I will write my self an eternal debter to free Grace for 't is that that fitted me for admitted me to and benefited me by this sacred Ordinance I will ever remember that golden sentence of Saint Austin Hoc totum hominis est curare ut anima non sit ingrata Deo This is the whole business of a
Christian man To take care that his Soul be not unthankful to his God Have I received any light or life or increase of grace and peace I will remember to my dying day though 't is wrought in me yet 't was not wrought by me Non nobis Domine non nobis Not unto us Lord not unto us Because not by us Lord not by us but by the Spirit of the Lord of Hosts Though I cannot praise thee so much as I should yet will I praise thee as much as I can Sacramenta Judaeorum umbra Christianorum Aug Enar in Psal 37 nobis 38 At the Jewish Passover was sung the 113. and some following Psalms and this they call'd the Great Hallelujah And the Sacraments of the Jews were but shadows unto ours In every thing we must give thanks but for this especially others stand without you are admitted into the Presence-chamber of the great King They feed on husks and trash you on the hidden Manna My flesh saith Christ is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed All other food compar'd with this is cibi tantummodo umbra vana imago as Cameron speaks all shadow no substance To a worthy Receiver the choicest of mercies and blessings are here exhibited one calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Food made up all of Thanksgiving And having tasted so much nay drunk so deep of the cup of blessing does it not concern you now to sing Glory be to the Holy Ghost That praise is due to God from every Creature in the World and from every corner of the world I need not prove but 't is not comely for any but such as you Psal 33.1 'T is a garment that suites none but Saints Isa 61.3 You read there of the garment of praise The Jewish Doctors have a saying That the World subsists by three Pillars the Law the Worship of God and Thankfulness O let the high Praises of God be now and for ever in your lips and lives Hath the good Spirit of the Lord gone out before you in love and mercy Do you follow him now in praise and duty 'T is the happiness of the Saints in Heaven to enjoy God and 't is their only business in Heaven to bless God and is it not your wisdom as well as duty to be daily doing that on Earth besides which you shall have nothing to do to all Eternity in Heaven Hosanna's here and Hallelujahs hereafter 2 Walk charitably Do all the good you possibly can for the Spirit of the Lord and for the people of the Lord. I know your goodness extendeth not to God but let it the more to the Saints Yet you may plead for and vindicate his honour which is by many now laid in the dust many father their errors and blasphemies on the Spirit laying them at his door as if he were not the Spirit of Truth There are four sorts of men amongst us 1 Some who are all for Ordinances not eying at all the Spirit of the Lord for his teachings 2 Some are all for the Spirit Sans-ordinance men casting of Baptism the Ministry of the Word and this blessed Sacrament Beza in 1 Cor. 1.12 As Beza said so shall I Hoc Pestilentissimo morbo utinam nulli hodie laborarent Oh that none had this Plague-sore now 3 Others and not a few neither regard the Spirit nor men nor means nothing but mundum fundum 4 Only the sincere Christian is for all and he is the man to whom I address this counsel if you espouse not his cause who shall if in your stations as Magistrates as Ministers as Christians you plead not for it who will But walk charitably towards men that 's the duty I would press on you Has the Spirit of the Lord done you good do you now all the good you can to others shew your love to God by your love to your needy Brethren and your love to them by works of mercy Acts of charity do not impoverish but enrich Perhaps the Purse may be lighter but your Crown will be heavier Who ever heard or read of a man that liv'd charitably that died miserably Non memini me legisse malâ morte morâ—â—â— qui libenter opera charitatis exercuit Hieron Morison in his Itinirary Hierom in his Epistle to Nepotian tells us he never did nor did the royal Prophet Psal 37.25 26. One tells us of a fountain of Salt in Germany of which all the poor about it had Salt-water freely for their use but when once it was deny'd them it lost its vertue If once you harden your Hearts against or hide your faces from those pale faces and withered cheeks and maimed arms from those who have no bread to eat nor where to lay their heads well may the Spirit of the Lord suspend his influences at the next Communion and then it cannot heal nor seal nor do you good What greater incentive to shew mercy to others than a due sense of mercies received from God Do good to all as you are of ability and have opportunity but especially to the houshold of Faith 3 Walk contentedly Have you received good and much good at the Lords Table then be not so full of complaints if you have little of the worlds goods Is your grace increased have you got more assurance of your Lords love do not murmur though your Corn and Wine and other matters increase not Whilst those put gladness into your Hearts let not the want of these cause sadness to appear in your faces It is enough says Jacob Joseph is alive So say you It is enough the Spirit of the Lord is alive and hath enlivened and sealed 1 Tim. 6.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and comforted me at and by this precious Ordinance Shew us the Father says Philip and it sufficeth us The sight of God without riches or honours or lands or friends should satisfie your Souls Having food and raiment you should be content well Having food not fine fare Raiments not Ornaments and you have both nay much more viz. the Mediatory Righteousness of Christ to deck and adorn you and his precious Body and Blood to nourish you And whatever afflictions you meet with in or from the World still be contented They say whatever betides a Spaniard he will not change his pace whatever troubles betide you let no change appear in your Face Whether God give or take whether he stroke or strike Nimis delicatus es frater si hic vis gaudere cum mundo posthac regnare cum Christo Hierom. whether men hum or hiss fret not your selves shall you receive good from the hand of God What all good and no evil you are too delicate if you would have two Heavens one here and another yonder above the Clouds 4 Walk Compassionately Have you tasted there of the Lords graciousness can you tell of the great things the Spirit of the Lord hath by that Ordinance done for your Souls
cast out your selves Have you no need of this Ordinance if so why do you turn your backs and by your examples discourage others you should rather come and cry to others Come ye and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and feed us with the bread of life and do us good by his holy Spirit Excellent is that passage of St. Austin in his first Book de vera Relig. cap. 6. where he shews the constancy of the Godly for publick Assemblies against Conventicles a word it is you may observe of above 1200 years standing upon record sine ulla conventiculorum segregatione usque ad mortem defendentes Testimonio juvantes eam fidem quam in Ecclesia Catholica praedicari sciunt There is an Observation which some have concerning the simpathy of Plants that some plants will bear better near other Trees than when they grow alone they instance in the myrtle and the Olive Sure I am 't is true in Divinity when the Saints associate in these publique Assemblies and sit together at the Lords Table they thrive most Therefore having had such experiences of the Spirits influences in this sacred and solemn Ordinance forsake not the Assembling of your selves together but exhort one another to a more constant and conscientious attendance Heb. 10.24 26. 7 Walk chearfully Let your Hearts be wonderfully enlarged now in rejoycing in God Rejoyce in the Lord always 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and again I say rejoyce Phil. 4.4 The Ingemination of the charge intimates three things The Necessity The Difficulty The Excellency of the Duty Joy suits no person so well as a Saint no day so well as the Sabbath no duty so well as a Sacrament no Ordinance better I am sure Has he made you fruitful then be it your care to be joyful The Rabbins have a saying Spiritus sanctus non quiescit nisi super Hilarem Heins in N. T. Has the Spirit of the Lord been doing you good this day or at any time by this Ordinance has he been as a refiners fire Non 〈◊〉 Dux gementem militem burning up the dross and making your Graces sparkle like gold in the furnace are his signatures and engraving upon your Souls Then say This is the day which the Lord hath made a good day a day of mirth and gladness we will be glad and rejoyce therein Now sing the Magnificat My Soul doth magnifie the Lord and c. None have that call none have that cause to rejoyce as you 'T is a saying too trite unless it were more true Spiritus Calvinisticus est Spiritus Melancholicus Most think they shall never have merry day if once they devote themselves to Gods service and engage though but in the duties which concern this Ordinance But your chearfulness will confute their ignorant and malicious censures you may assure them from your own experience that there is more true and solid joy and comfort to be had in and by this precious Ordinance more peace in having Communion with God and Communications from the Spirit of the Lord at his Table than in the most luscious acts of sin or those brutish pleasures the World affords Tell them the fruits of the Spirit are joy and peace Gal. 5.22 His comforts are the golden Pot and the Manna the Nectar and Ambrosia of a Saint But their pleasures are mixt with mortiferous ingredients at the best like Wine that runs dregs and whilst they have a cheerful countenance they cannot deny if they will speak all the truth but they have a corroding and chiding Conscience 8 Walk perseveringly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 119.112 Walk on in the strength of this food as Elias did of his till you come to the Mount of God be not weary of nor weary in well-doing Blood ennobles and Learning adorns but 't is perseverance in the way and worship and favour of God that crowns all Rev. 2.10 Only the through-Christian is in Gods account the true Christian The fixed Stars are few in our age many are falling Stars they are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stedfast in Godliness they are like Reuben unstable as water an Element hardly kept within bounds But hold fast that which you have good things are not easily got therefore it concerns you to hold 'em fast and many good things are easily lost and therefore it is your wisdom to hold 'em fast Remember that in Heb. 10.38 If any man draw back c. Surely the good you say you have got at this Ordinance is such as you highly estimate and perhaps it cost you many tears and prayers then be the more choice of it it will sweeten your passage to the Heavenly Canaan Some notions concerning the Perseverance of the Saints were lately hinted I shall now say no more of this but leave you in the meditation of two famous Scriptures Job 17.9 The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Prov. 4.18 The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day 9 Walk Heavenly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Heavenly employment calls for an Heav'nly deportment An earthly Saint is a Solecism or contradiction therefore has the Spirit of the Lord done you good by it that he might engage you to live more to him and to live more with him more for Heaven and more in Heaven Every manifestation of his love unto the Soul should raise it above the World And if you do not live much above the World you live much beneath your Principles and priviledges and beneath your selves O let your dispositions and affections your operations and communications and conversations and expectations be more Heavenly The good which God sends you in by his Spirit is to fetch your hearts up to him Grace in the heart like fire on the hearth tends sursum upwards it makes the Soul to mount or sparkle upwards in divine breathings and ejaculations The man whose heart is not in Heaven before himself comes there is never like to come there O let your thoughts and delights your hopes and comforts be above the world Be content with the worst of it but be not satisfied with the best of it for every crumb you should be thankful but with Crowns and Diadems you must not take up The more sweet you have met with at this Supper the more bitter should the world be unto you for ever after Ludov. Vives on Aug. l. 18 cap 54. Cui dulcescit Christus amarescit mundus When our blessed Saviour was a dying the whole World was in obscurity 't was midnight dark at Noon-day and the Stars were visible This Sacrament is a lively representation and solemn Commemoration of his Death when you are about it and gone from it let the world be darkness to you I will leave St.
of it and sorrowful for it you will find his Grace sufficient for you and himself alsufficient in you A weak Christian assisted by the Spirit of the Lord can do all things Phil. 4.13 7ly Here is comfort for you against those oppositions and temptations you may meet with from the Devil when you are at the Lords Table O that we were as careful to prepare our selves for that Ordinance as he is to prepare for us he is ever fixed and very diligent on holy days in holy places at holy duties Job 1.6 not because he loves them but because he hates us I have read of one who said he saw but one Devil in the Market for most of the buyers and sellers were his already but a Legion in the Church A Legion according to Varro is 7622 but what imploy had so many evil spirits there why to lay snares for them to hinder the operation of the Word and Sacraments and consequently the salvation of Souls Doubtless you are not without discouragements by reason of your own corruptions and his oppositions Well but your Redeemer hath not left you comfortless the Spirit of the Lord is not straitned He is a most glorious and victorious Spirit your way in this case is to set the power of this Spirit against the power of Satan when the gates of Hell and powers of Darkness press hard upon you 't is your wisdom in order to your comfort and conquest to improve this power of the Spirit of the Lord. The more you are assaulted by that evil spirit the more shall you be assisted by this good spirit He will be with you in the floods and in the flames Who and what art thou O great Mountain before this Zerubbabel 8ly Here is comfort for you as to the greatness of those mercies and blessings now by you desired and expected O says a child of God how shall I get my heart humble more quick and lively what shall I do for a broken bleeding Heart for more full assurance of the pardon of my sin and the salvation of my Soul Ah what shall poor I do for a little more light in my Understanding O that my Will were healed c. These indeed are great things they are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as accompany Salvation Yet although these be very great things as to you they are not so to the Spirit of the Lord if it be marvelous in your eyes is it therefore marvelous in Gods Zach. 8.6 All things are alike easie to an Almighty Agent and this Spirit is such Exod. 14.24 a look from him in anger can lay your strongest lusts dead he can irradiate your minds with beams of Divine light and efficaciously incline overpower determine and heal your Wills He can in one word do every thing therefore be confident of this very thing viz. that as he easily can so he assuredly will He I say who hath begun a good work in you will own it and crown it and perform it until the day of Christ Job 42.2 with Phil. 1.6 9ly Here is also comfort for you in case of barrenness under former administrations perhaps you find not that power as yet over your impetuous lusts as you then and there expected no more peace of conscience Nec mibi dant sâ—â—llae lucem c. You have often been at the Lords Table and yet no assurance or no more assurance of his love and of eternal life than you had before If it be thus your present case is sad yet thus it may be your internal eternal state be good For though you have not peace yet you want not grace in the best of Saints there is a want in grace but in the worst or weakest Saint there is not a want of grace Though you are cast down yet you are not cast off you have not so much as will comfort you but you have enough to save you 'T is Heaven that is the proper place of comfort and Earth of grace 'T is the pleasure of our all-wise God to make some to weep and wait long for a smile from Heaven and thus he acts in a way of wisdom not ever in a way of punishment Know and do your own work let the most High alone with his hear what he will speak for he will speak peace unto his people the day that 's clouded now may be clear anon 't is darkest a little before the dawning of the day Remember for your comfort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lux fidei veritatis â—â—materia perpetuae laetitiae Orta Sparsa justi multa patiuntur antequam laetitiâ fruantur that light is sown for the Righteous and joy for the upright in heart Ps 97.11 The Interval of time may be considerable between the sowing and the reaping But act you faith on the Promises acquiesce in and submit to the Will and Wisdom of the Lord for unto the Upright and they are the persons I am now addressing this discourse to I say unto the upright there ariseth light in darkness i.e. comfort in troubles remember that the Spirit of the Lord is not straitned Concerning him take three notions along with you He is 1. A free Agent as the wind bloweth when and where it lifteth so the Spirit worketh witnesseth sealeth assureth when whom himself pleaseth 2. A wise Agent and therefore will act most seasonably and opportunely when it will most conduce to his own honour and your comfort 3. A strong and mighty Agent when he begins 't is not sin nor Satan nor the World shall let him Therefore though now you mourn yet you may not murmur Groan you may but must not grumble be it never so little life light and power and peace you have arrived at I say to you as did Elibis to Job ch 34.32 should it be according to your mind is it fit you have just what you will and when you will if you will be your own carvers take heed of cutting your own fingers Withdraw not from this Ordinance but as before wait with patience and work with diligence for the Spirit of the Lord is not straitned this is a reviving Cordial in this case Antisthenes an Heathen Philosopher desired nothing of the Heathen gods so much as the Spirit of Socrates You have a more glorious Spirit this Spirit of the Lord who will in due time make you more fruitful and cheerful and give you more increase of grace more setled peace of Conscience yea an absolute mastery and victory over all your spiritual enemies Once more and I dismiss you 10ly This speaks comfort to you who persevere in prayer the seed of Jacob not in name only as were these in the Text but in deed and truth To hold on in Duty is not the practice of the most Job 27.10 but of the best 't is no easie work which is both above nature and against it This affords comfort to you 't is like the rod of myrtle in the travellers hand Pliny which makes him fresh and lively and keeps him from being weary O nourish no jealous thoughts of God if you distrust him you will desert him Remember for your encouragement and comfort that the good Spirit of the Lord is in full power and at liberty still to give a blessing by as at the first to give a being to his holy Institutions To which ever-blessed Spirit together with the Father and the Son be ascrib'd all Honour and Glory World without end .. FINIS
ever thus I may in no wise maintain He is a great King and Soveraignty would and should be waited on It is good for a man to attend and wait on God in all his appointments Increase of grace strength and power against sin assurance of his love come too soon to that man who thinks Gods time of sending them is too long or late I will shut up this Discourse with that memorable passage of the Prophet Isaiah ch 30.18 Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you for the Lord is a God of Judgment Blessed are all they that wait for him And that of Habakkuk The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie though it tarry wait for it because it will surely came it will not tarry So say I the Sacrament is for an appointed time but in due time the Spirit of the Lord will speak peace though he tarry wait for him because he will surely come and give in more life and light and grace and peace yea joy without measure and joy without mixture Now to God the Father c. The End of the second Sermon The Third SERMON On Micah 2.7 Is the Spirit of the Lord straitned July the 27th 1673 Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly T was excellent Counsel which an eminent German Divine once hinted to a young Preacher Luther Cum vides populum attentissime andientem conclude eo alacriores redibunt When you observe the people hearing most attentively conclude your discourse quickly and they will return with more alacrity This numerous Assembly gives in evidence enough thereof The Logical resolution of these words you heard before and the observations thence deduced The Propositions under debate cleared and several Queries resolved we are now upon the Sixth 'T is this Q. 6. What course shall a Christian take that he may have the Spirit of the Lord to do him good by this Ordinance of the Supper The Directions are many we have dispatcht four and now proceed to the fifth in order which is this Fifthly Be thankful to God for what good you have any time got by this precious Ordinance For Gratiarum actio est ad plus dandum invitatio He who can cordially praise him for a little life and strength and grace and peace shall soon have more than a little to thank him for the most expeditious way to get what at any time we want is to be grateful for that we already have others have only the shell you have had the kernel they nothing but bones and you the marrow Have you had any quicknings any refreshings from the Spirit of the Lord at this Table then say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bless the Lord O my Soul A Sacrament in its full extent compriseth two things A visible and an invisible part the Schools call that Sacramentum this rem Sacramenti Excuse this short digression pray upon this occasion If they of the Romish Church will stand their ground and be true to their own Principles it will appear to every vulgar capacity that they have none of this Sacrament amongst ' em For before they take and eat the visible part is gone both being converted into the Body and Blood of Christ for thus their Council or rather their Conspiracy at Trent or if you will that transcendent thing call'd Pope defines Transubstantiation 'T is a change of the whole substance of the Bread into the whole substance of the Body of Christ and of the Wine into his Blood Sess 13. Can. 2 and this change is wrought ere any take or eat This is a novel opinion a new Article of the Romish Creed of the same date with Pius the fourth without any basis or foundation in the Holy Scripture Vide Alanum de Euch. lib. 1 cap. 34. pag. 419. See that unanswerable piece of Bishop Morton in 8. Books against the Romish Mass as their own Scotus and Cameracensis and Cajetan confess Nay Bellarmine himself says Non tam ex Evangelio quam ex Ecclesiae authoritate constat But to return When this change is made where is that outward and visible part which their School-Divines call Sacramentum But have my Beloved by a lively faith fed on and been strengthned by this Heavenly Manna then take heed of unthankfulness 2. Chron. 32.25 O remember that But But Hezekiah remembred not to render unto the Lord according to the benefit done unto him O what a blot was that But in that good Kings scutcheon When you come next to the Lords Table bring Harps in your hands they are emblems of praise Heb. 5.8 The Spirit of the Lord will not I had almost said he cannot but do you good if humble and thankful for what good he hath done you already Sixthly Grieve not the Spirit of the Lord if you would have him to do you good by this Ordinance He is a delicate person if you grieve him he may nay will grieve you Has he begun in love to melt and mollifie your flinty hearts to increase your graces to speak peace unto your Souls if you now distaste him he may withdraw and leave the work at a sad and long stand you may hear no more of him of many days nay months or years Grieve not the holy Spirit of God why Paul gives his Ephesian Converts a cogent reason why they should not Ephes 4.30 thereby ye are sea led to the day of redemption if you do you may be the first will rue it you shall be without the witnessings and sealings of the Spirit for a longer time than you are aware of But how or when is the Spirit of the Lord grieved I answer briefly When his Ordinances are not attended his commands are not obeyed his comforts are not prized his graces are not acted and improved his assistance in duties is not desired his motions are not regarded In a word if you will not have the Spirit for your Counsellor you cannot expect him long to be your Comforter lay not a bar in his way and he still will do you good by this holy Ordinance Seventhly Heighten your hopes and expectations when you are about this Ordinance if you would have the Spirit of the Lord to do you good by it There is much good laid up for you come on then Sirs and quicken your hopes great expectations from God greatly honour the greatness of God and wonderfully advantage you 'T is as displeasing to him and as prejudicial to you when you believe little as when you do little Open your mouths and hearts wide you have not only Gods power for it but his promise too to fill you One reason why you receive so little good at it is because you look for so little good by it when your faith is very weak and your expectations are very low you do
Ambrose his Counsel with you Toto animo odi damna quod diligit mundus Tanquam mortuus a labe affectu illius te separa Epistolarū lib. 4. Floriano sicut sepultus nil habeas carum de saeculo tanquam defunct us omni terreno te abdica negotio contemne vivens quae post mortem habere non poteris 10 Walk watchfully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uprightly As it is not enough that you be and do good for a day or two before you come to the Sacrament but your care must be to walk uprightly so it must be your care when you are gone thence to walk thus Go then and sin no more Joh. 5.14 no more so wilfully so prefumptuously To sin after a Sacrament is to sin with a witness To sin against clearest light and dearest love provokes exceedingly and yours will be found of this nature To provoke God in a Wilderness is not so bad or sad as to provoke God in a Paradise 'T was an aggravation of Eves sin to listen to the whisperings of the Serpent when placed there 't is so for you who have been sealed with the holy Spirit of promise now to listen to the delusions of that lying Spirit Enar. in Psal 29 Adam in stercore says St. Austin est cautior quam Adam in Paradiso Sacramentum est juramentum every wilful iniquity now comes little short of perjury There are some sins which the fallen Angels were never guilty of they sinned not against the Patience of God non expectavit Angelos they suffered immediately as they had sinned Nor against the tenders and offers of Grace the golden Scepter was never held out nor pardon offer'd to them Nor against the Death and Passion of Jesus Christ he died not for them if now we sin not out of weakness but out of wilfulness our sins will be found such as the Devils themselves are not guilty of What higher priviledg is or can mortal man be capable of on this side Heaven than to be feasted at the Lords Table with these Heavenly viands Now the greatness of the Priviledg adds to the greatness of the crime Ubi sublimior praerogativa ibi major culpa Salv. de Gub. Dei lib. 4 pag 128. your sins after a Sacrament cannot take Christ from you but they may take rest from you Psal 38.3 They cannot take Grace from you but they may take peace from you God may break your bones and leave you long in the dark you may never recover that comfort and assurance which you had before Wicked men have their Heaven here and their Hell hereafter and some good men have their Hell here and their Heaven hereafter Now Sirs you have been at the Lords Table you have seen what Sin cost Christ what buffetings what bruisings what woundings what bleedings and shall not this engage us to greater circumspection to our dying day having received so much good from the Spirit of the Lord shall not we watch our ways and keep our Hearts and Eyes and Tongues Obstrue quinque Fenestras i.e. quinque sensus ut luceat Domus Prov. Arab. and All with more care and diligence If Israel play the Harlot yet Judah must not transgress Having now been at such an Ordinance as this shall we again return to break his Commandments Every mercy is a motive to duty and to walk circumspectly watchfully wisely uprightly is one without dispute Eph. 5.15 Mark 13.37 Col. 4.5 Let not the increase of our mercies be the decrease of our duties Though we walk in yet let us not walk after the Flesh but after the Spirit of the Lord who by this Institution hath done us all this good Once more Walk Penitently You must renew your repentance as well after as before this Ordinance Call to remembrance the deadness of your Hearts the coldness of your Love the unactiveness of your Faith the many wandrings and distractions of your minds and spirits when about this duty There are some special seasons for the renewing of repentance As 1. When you are a dying though we must not defer it till death yet we must be sure to renew it at death We should take our fill of repentance before we take our leave of repentance thus St. Austin did he caus'd the Penitential Psalms to be fixt before him on the wall and as he lay in bed he wept and read and read and wept abundantly Intuebatur legebat jugitr ac ubertim flebat as Possidonius relates it De vita Aug. cap. 31. 2. And when you are suffering for God or from God under some great afflictions though repentance must not be limited to a time of affliction yet it must be renewed in a time of affliction for Gods end and design in and by them is not to break our backs but to break our hearts Once more 3. When you are a doing or have done any great and more solemn duty What is there nothing now you have been at this Ordinance to renew your repentance for was all so well done did corruption act so weakly and Grace so vigorously and strongly was the evil spirit so chained and restrained and did the good Spirit of the Lord so enlarge enliven and strengthen is there no need of praying over your prayers again of repenting that your repentance was no more Evangelical Did you thorowly consider as you ought your Saviors Passion in the matter and quality of it in its bitter ingredients and heightning circumstances of it or your own sins the meritorious cause of it You had some light about this in your heads but was it attended with power and efficacy upon your hearts for the clearest notions without suitable impressions will not advantage you And thus have we dispatcht the counsels which concern you Saints and also resolv'd the seventh Query If thus you walk you will much honour the Spirit of the Lord who is the great Agent in your Regeneration Illumination Conversion and in your proficiency by this sacred institution And as you are concern'd to honour the Son for what he hath done without so are you concern'd to honour the Spirit for what he hath done within You will honour this Ordinance too and advantage your selves and you will be instrumental to bring in others whose hearts are too full of disgusts and prejudices against this high and holy Institution I told you of something I had to say to sinners I could be well contented to say nothing at all had I none at all to speak to But there are two ranks or sorts of them 1. Such as peremptorily but most perniciously and erroneously assert that they are above Ordinances this or that Sans-or supra-ordinance men in what predicament to place them how to call them or how to cure them I well know not Is not the Spirit of the Lord straitened can he do his people good by this Ordinance why then is there no breaking of Bread no Sacrament of the Lords Supper
amongst you why is this cast off and cast out As the Center of the Earth hath an attractive power and vertue to draw all heavy substances to it so hath the Sacrament such an enlivening strengthning nourishing power and vertue as may nay will draw all real Saints to it and you amongst the rest if you be such What is said of Socrates is true of the Sacrament all that know it its power preciousness and usefulness love it if any do not love it it is because they do not know it The whole management of Soul work in order to Salvation now lies upon the hands of the Spirit but in the use of means He that made us without us will not save us without us True it is means are but means and therefore not to be relied upon and as true it is means are means and therefore not to be neglected or despised 't is an excellent observation of an eminent Divine In things of this nature men are very prone to run themselves on one of these two rocks Dr. Jacomb on Rom. 8. pag. 246. saith he Either they rest upon the means not looking up to the Spirit Or they cast off the means casting all upon the Spirit Either they are proud and can do all without God or idle and slothful so as that God must do all without them But you should remember that the spirits sole-efficiency as to the formal production of the act is well enough consistent with mens endeavours in the use of means he doth all in us and for us yet he will do nothing without us nor without means if he will you may do well to shew where he hath promised it till then we cannot believe it Our Saviour once though this Ordinance very necessary and he is the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 are you wiser than he speaking of this Ordinance St. Paul moved by the Spirit saith As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye shew the Lords Death till he come But he is not yet come yet you have laid it by as vain needless and fruitless Shall his Ordinance have his or your date He set it up how dare you take it down You talk much of the Spirit but see and say if it be not a spirit of pride or ignorance or a Popish spirit that prompts you thus to speak and act They of the Romish Church have taken away the Cup but you have out-done them in taking away the Bread too Is the command and example of Jesus Christ of no force with shall his Institutions be of no longer use to you than your wits and wisdoms think fit This Sacrament is q.d. the picture of our dying Saviour an injury done to the Kings coyn or picture is taken as done to the Kings person so in this case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil de Sp. S. cap. 28. Gen. 45.3 Men love not to see the faces of those they have injured if arm'd with power to punish them How were Josephs Brethren amazed when he said I am Joseph what horrour and confusion will one day possess your hearts when you shall hear Christ say I am Jesus I am Jesus who instituted and appointed this Ordinance to continue in full force till the end of the world I am Jesus who can and will do you good by my Spirit in the use of this Ordinance if you walk uprightly But as sure as I am Jesus my enraged justice shall avenge the quarrel of my abused mercy and they shall meet with wrath and vengeance who are contemners of my Ordinance How discursive is foolish pride when it would prescribe unto God vain man dost thou censure his benefits when thou shouldst enjoy them art thou so stupid and sottish as to judg of the things conveyed by the quality and value of the instrument that conveys them Doth not the weakness of these Elements add much to the wonder of the Sacrament It was an argument of Christs power to feed five thousand with a few Loaves this miracle of his Sacrament is equal thereunto which feeds the whole Church with such slender Elements But I will expostulate no farther with 'em I convert my speech to others For 2. As there are some who look upon themselves as above this Ordinance so there are others who look upon this Ordinance as above them and why but because they are not qualified nor can any arguments prevail with them to capacitate themselves for it Others will say they know no good got by it no fruit that grows on it The poor have no leisure for it and the rich take no pleasure in it and few there are who come to it in most Assemblies I have a word for you Et valeat quantum valere potest 1. Suppose this were but it is not a prerogative-command given only for the probation and trial of your obedience and no benefit at all should redound to the observer of it are you not yet obliged to consider your ways to turn your feet unto his Testimonies to break off your sins by repentance to prepare your selves and then to come and take and eat The observance of such commands hath been well rewarded Gen. 22. and the disobedience thereof most severely punished as in Adam Gen. 2.17 in Lots wife Gen. 19.17 and in the young Prophet 2. Gods standing Laws and Ordinances and such is this oblige not to observance only but they intend a real benefit withal which should be an incentive to our obedience Deut. 10.13 Psal 19.11 And 119.165 Great peace have they which love and keep thy Law 3. Though you never got good by this Ordinance will you say no good is to be got by it or that never any did it will in no wise follow 4. You speak expresly against the Word of God this very Text and for every blasphemous word you shall account another day 5. Do not your speeches reflect upon the glorious Trinity 1. On God the Father as if he had made or instituted an Ordinance in vain you call in question his wisdom 2. On God the Son as if his Body and Blood were good for nothing And 3. On this holy Spirit as if he were straitened so that he could not do them good by it who walk uprightly or as if he would not 6. Do not you speak against the sweet experience of the Saints in all ages they have found good by it 7. Do not you speak against right reason for as the guilt and danger is great in case one receive unworthily so must there in reason be some proportion of fruit and benefit to such as come preparedly 8. Once more Is it not your pride carnality and hypocrisie is it not your earthliness unbelief and impenitency that hinders your addresses to it and proficiency by it Water there is enough in this well had you but buckets to draw it forth the Spirit is present to heal but you are insensible of your Maladies You may complain of