let faith and love and hope and prayers and praises which are the stairs to the other World and your weapons against this be your Sabbath-work and delight Let not finer cloaths and better fare let not idleness and ease no nor filling up a place in the Congregation be the only difference betwixt Sabbaths and other daies but this better work and meat for souls Provide against the dayes of scarcity provide against the dayes of temptation Let not the Manna fall besides your vessels Let him that hath an ear hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches Catch at every word observe every look of your Lord upon you And whatever you receive lay up and ponder in your hearts Have you received a check or reproof lay up your reproof have you received a word of counsel or instruction lay up your instructions Hath he spoken peace to you lay up that word charily by you whatever transactions have passed betwixt the Lord and your Souls keep the records and when you go forth whither ever you go carry all this upon your hearts that whenever the World meets you again and tempts you again you may be thus well appointed and throughly furnished against its assaults Brethren put hard on every Sabbath for such an undisturbed attendance on the Lord single out the Lord for the object of your whole converse knit your hearts thus to him solace your selves thus in him get you thus elevated and raised in your spirits from earthly to heavenly and every inch of ground you get of your adversary maintain it carefully from Sabbath to Sabbath If this were seriously design'd and more generally attempted by Christians we should find both another face and another power of Christianity in the earth the children of the Kingdom would be more visibly differenced from the men of this World and both the guilt and reproach of earthliness and sensuality be wip'd off from the Professors and Profession of the Gospel 3. Improve Sacraments this way The advantage that we have in Sacraments against the World lies In our Preparation Participation 1. In our preparation One confessed preparatory duty is self-examination 1 Cor. 11. 28. A great security of this Idol is the secret of its tabernacle It s covert in which it lurks unseen Worldlings many of them if they knew what is within them their Conscience would so prick that they could have no rest or ease till this thorn were puld out but they are not aware that the World is within them Yet this enemy lies not so close but upon a privy search it may be discovered Sacramental trial should be close and thorow no corner within us should be left unransacked The reverence of this great Ordinance and the dreadful consequence of comming so solemnly before the Lord with a Traitor in our bosoms eating and drinking judgment will cry in our ears Make diligent search The evidence that this one thing an earthly mind carries in it of our treachery towards God is so notorious that he hath but little understanding in the matters of God that would not from this alone conclude himself an unworthy guest at the Table of the Lord were all things else never so specious and fair Dar'st thou say Surely the Lord will accept me for he hath but this one thing against me That I love the World more than I love God I can own his name and waies I join with the Assemblies of his people I can pray and hear and fast I am neither proud nor froward nor envious nor malicious there is no evil but this covetousness but I hope I can acquit my self of Dar'st thou say thus I am no drunkard I am no Adulterer I am no swearer I am nothing but an Idolater the Lord I hope will excuse me in this thing Dost think he will indeed And may it not be like enough that upon this diligent search thou mayst find this to be thy case Friends get the sense of these terrible truths upon your hearts He that eateth and drinketh unworthily is guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself He that is an Idolater eateth and drinketh unworthily He that is covetous is an Idolater Let these things sink into your hearts and then see if you dare come without a narrow search make a narrow search and then you will see how great your unworthiness and danger is Certainly were there a due care taken of this duty it were not possible that men could go on from Sacrament to Sacrament under the power of their earthly hearts this would surely startle them This Ordinance would either make them afraid of their worldliness or this worldliness would make them afraid of Sacraments Worldly Professors what care is there ordinarily taken of this duty do you examine do you make diligent search do you make particular search for this evil It may be you enquire Am I in the faith am I in charity do I bear no malice hath no man a quarrel against me nay possibly you may go a little farther and ask Am I unjust am I an oppressor an extortioner have I done wrong to no man and if you can acquit your self here then an end But do you further ask Do I not love the world Is not mine heart too much upon it Am I not too busie for the world is not my time spent too much upon it are not duties neglected is not my soul or my families souls neglected for its sake am I not so bent upon growing rich in the world that I mind not how poverty grows upon my soul do I honor the Lord with my substance am I merciful am I bountiful do I seek no more nor no otherwise then God would have me seek do I aim at God do I entitle God to all I have do I know how to abound can I want if the Lord will have it so is God enough if I have nothing is not all the world enough if God be a stranger how can I bear crosses and disappointments in the world Speak friends are any of these things enquired after I doubt whether you be faithful in this matter oh might I prevail with you to put upon this closer and severer tryal you know not what it might gain you If you can but apprehend your Enemy at such a time as this when you are making this solemn approach to the Lord when it would be so dreadful to you to be found in league with it at what an advantage would you then have it Now is a time when if ever we are like to have you serious loose not the season beware of solemn triflings hide not now your eyes from seeing your disease beware of palliating and mincing be zealous to know the worst of your case put Conscience close to it what sayst thou Guilty or not guilty If Conscience plead Guilty then come before the Lord if thou darst without serious repentance and
in the case of the Apostles Acts 5. When the Priests and Rulers forbad them a boldness to be holy and upright and not to sin against God as in the case of Job chap. 1. When the Devil afflicted him for it a boldness to confess Christ before men both in our ordinary conversation and in special when called before rulers bearing witness both by word and works against all the sins the prophaness the Atheism the Idolatries and Apostacies of the world a boldness to suffer rather then sin against God This is Christian fortitude and is then the clearer proof of our victory over the world 1. When we follow God and keep his way with the contempt of the greatest advantages on the one hand and the sharpest sufferings on the other when the highest price that the World can give cannot entice us and the greatest mischief that the World can do cannot force us to unfaithfulness when its best and worst are contemned in comparison of a good conscience towards God Wilt thou mind and serve and follow me saith the World why what reward wilt thou give me Thou shalt have wealth what nothing else yes thou shalt have pleasure what no more yes thou shalt have honours and preferments thou shalt be a great man and exalted in the earth and what more canst thou desire And if thou wilt not hearken if thou wilt forsake me why what then look for all the mischiefs I can do thee look for reproach and scorn if that will not do look for hunger and thirst if yet it be not enough look for stripes and bonds and prisons and torments and death Well is this all that thou canst give is this the worst thou canst do Away from me I neither love nor fear thee I will keep the Commandments of my God there 's a bold Soul one of Christs worthies 2. When we choose the greatest of sufferings rather then little sins May be thou wouldst be afraid to run upon horrid sins If these were the terms that were given thee Curse God and live Renounce thy part in Christ forswear thy Lord blaspheme and live These horrid wickednesses have too ghastly a face these look too much like Hell thou darest not buy thy liberty or thy life at so dear a rate But mayst thou escape by Zoar will some little sin secure thee some little sinful shift a little complyance or that which hath but the appearance of evil what sayest thou now If thou canst not drink down a full draught of the cup of fornication canst thou not sip of the cup or so much as put to it thy mouth canst thou not kiss the cup no no every drop is poyson and a drop of poyson is deadly every little sin is the price of bloud the very appearance of evil will be a blot on my holy profession 1 Cor. 9. 13. I had rather dye then that any should make my glorying void Not only what 's unjust or impure or dishonest but what 's dishonourable what ever hath an evil face or an evil sound my life shall go rather then I will redeem it by any such unworthy way 3. When we refuse the greatest advantages rather then neglect the least of duties When we can resolve from love what Balaam did for fear Numb 22. 18. If Balak would give me an house full of silver and gold I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord to do less or more I will not willingly fail of a tittle of all that the Lord requires me I will not be bought out of my duty weigh me my price whatever can be given houses or mountains of gold and silver they will be contemned in comparison of faithfulness to God I will not be hired not only to a total neglect of God but not to do less then he requires I can make no abatements I will not keep back part there is unfaithfulness in the least the whole World shall not hire me to be unfaithful If God saies Keep thy self pure keep thy self unspotted of the World If God saies Be faithful be circumspect be zealous If God saies Hold fast that which thou hast Hold forth the word of life be not asham'd to confess me before men be harmless be blameless in the midst and in the sight of a crooked generation endure hardness deny thy self take up thy cross and follow me without turning aside either to the right hand or to the left As the Lord liveth as I will not go beyond so neither will I take up short of the word of the Lord to do less or more It may be if the profane World say let all alone give up all thy religion have done with this praying and hearing yea and this professing of religion scrape out all prints and raze out all principles of righteousness and holiness and prostitute thy self with us to all manner of licentiousness possibly thou wilt not dare to do thus But if thy carnal friends say at least be wise be not righteous over much be not fondly precise remit of thy heat abate of thy zeal conceal thy self Hast thou faith have it to thy self Hast thou conscience have it to thy self If thou wilt follow Christ still yet walk no more openly with him thou mayst be a Disciple and no body the wiser if thou wilt be a little more moderate and wary What sayst thou to this no if all the friends I have in the World should thus plead with me even in this I cannot hearken What Christ saith is over much shall be abated when Christ saith be less precise be not so zealous keep thy religion to thy self keep thy conscience to thy self I will hearken What Christ calls discretion and moderation I will embrace what Christ calls pride and fondness and nicety I will avoid where Christ saies be sober be wary hide thy self I will obey but beyond the word of the Lord I will not go to do less or more I will not be rash or heady I will not be wilful or obstinate I will not be turbulent or contentious I will not contend for any thing as religion which Christ hath not call'd so nor for that which is farther or otherwise then he hath required me Christian wisdom and moderation and meekness and gentleness and condescention and peaceableness I will embrace and follow after with all men for this is the will of my Lord. But say no more to me be less holy be less zealous for righteousness and holiness I cannot be righteous overmuch and I will not be wicked in a little If you ask further what are the properties of this godly boldness I answer it is 1. An humble boldness that does not make a noise that does not boast and bluster nor shew it self in uncomely heats and animosities that hath firmness and undauntedness but joyn'd with lowliness and meekness 2. A prudent boldness that doth not espouse needless controversies that is wary of mistaking matters or measures that doth not rashly and headily
it is chiefly because their Victory over the world is not perfect and compleat There are three grounds of mens unwillingness to die 1. From a natural abhorrence of death 2. From a lothness to part with their treasure here 3. From an uncertainty whither they shall go when they go hence 1. From that abhorrence of death which is implanted in the natures of all living And upon this account there may be even in the best of Saints an unwillingness to die Our Lord himself who was without sin discovers something of it when he cried out Matth. 26. 39. Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me It s true in his case there was more in it there was wrath in the Cup there was a curse in the Cup there were all the sins of the World wrung in to mingle him a bitter draught but this was also something of it there was death in the Cup. He that said a little before Luke 12. 50. I have a Baptisme to be baptized with this Baptisme of Bloud was it and how am I straitned till it be accomplished I think long ere that day come yet when it came his Innocent Nature you see how it was put to it Christians you that seem to have triumph'd over the fears of death that upon good grounds have said unto it in the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 55. Death where is thy sting grave where is thy victory yet when it comes to it in earnest you know not how this flesh may shrink and if it do yet be not discouraged possibly this very instance of our Lord may be left upon Record to this very end to comfort his Saints when they shall be thus troubled It will be your wisdome to whatever confidence you are arrived that your death is already swallowed up in victory that you shall entertain your dying day as the most joyful day of your life though in this confidence your hearts pant after the approach of that day Make haste my beloved come Lord Jesus yet will it be your wisdome to buckle on all your armour all your hopes all your graces all your evidences all your experiences and comforts and to expect that the conflict of that day may be such as may need your utmost preparations for it 2. From a lothness to part with their treasure here What men have they cannot carry it with them and they are loth to leave it behind them When men die can they carry their money with them can they carry their houses or Lands with them they covet they purchase they build they lay up with so much care and zeal as if they could ship over all they have into the other world but yet they know that as they came naked in so naked they must go out of this world Job 1. 21. But now a Christian that hath Conquered the World the World from thenceforth ceases to be his treasure A Worldling what he has here 't is his treasure for 't is all he has God is a treasure but he 's none of his Christ is a treasure but he 's none of his heaven is a treasure but man 't is none of thine this earth is all thou hast a Christian hath another treasure he hath not his hopes in his hand that 's to come But yet in regard we have hitherto conquered but in part there may be some unwillingness upon this account also even in the Saints to die-Woe to us there are still such remains of the spirit of this world in us our hearts are still carnal to such a degree so suited to an earthly and fleshly life taking such large allowances of our fleshly delights and finding such pleasure in the enjoyment of them that this makes us linger and hang back when God calls away And indeed such Christians who indulge themselves the pleasures of the flesh and are overgrown with an earthly mind is not this the case of too many such Christians do but deceive themselves and others while they say they are willing to die Thou saist if I were sure that Christ were mine I would not care to live a day longer I want assurance and that 's the only reason I would yet a while longer abide in this Tabernacle No no there 's something more in the matter the world hath still such hold of thy heart thou findest such pleasure in an earthly life thy friends and thy estate and thy contentment thou hast herein are so taking with thee that yet thou canst not find in thine heart to part Search Christians narrowly if you find not the matter to be thus with you I never look to be more willing to die till I find mine heart more loose from the pleasure of an earthly life 'T is the mortified Christian he whose soul is already dead to this world who is ready to die out of this world Those who live most with God whose souls being weaned from this milk and honey can keep their distance from it whose self-denying course hath made the pleasures of the flesh to loose their gratefulness to them whom their communion with God their converse with Eternity their delightful fore-views of the pleasures above have already carried up their hearts these are the Christians that are ready to be gone I will believe such an one that he is in earnest when he sayes Make hast my beloved 3. From an uncertainty whither they shall go when they go hence what world they shall find when they leave this Upon this ground I cannot blame worldlings to be afraid to die art thou afraid thou mayst well enough for whither will thy death carry thee O the Lord knows I know not whither nor where it will lay me Dost thou not know whither death will carry thee thou mayst be sure into no good place if it find thee thus Captives to the world are Captives to the Devil and whither will the Devil carry his prisoners Who would be willing to leave his Country his habitation and acquaintance for an unknown Land especially when he had a jealousie he should be sold for a Bondman Is this thy case Worldling I wonder not that thou sayest It s better to abide here A Christian may know whither he is going when he goes hence 2 Cor. 5. 1. We know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens And hence sayes the Apostle v. 2. We groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven Whatever our dwelling be here we know where we shall have a better when this fails we groan not under the ruines of this but in hopes of a better building earnestly desiring that joyful day It s true Christians may be at some uncertainty through the weakness of their faith and in doubts what their place and portion hereafter may be and therefore also may fear to be gone But however upon
there any empty souls among you hungring and thirsting after the bread and water of life what if Christ should come down and meet you here and feed you with these good things would you not say O this is sweet feeding O this is a sweet morning O this is a pleasant meal If you could see all the blessed fruits of the gospel spred upon this table if you saw pardons sealed before you for every one of your souls if grace and peace if love and joy if holiness and power and every thing your souls want or wish for if you should see them here on the table if you should hear a voice from Heaven calling unto you Eat O friends drink yea drink abundantly O beloved you that want a pardon there 't is for you you that want holiness humility patience power assurance here 't is for you take it It may be the full souls among you would be nothing moved it would better please them to hear there 's a penny for you there 's a sheep or an house or a living for you But every hungry soul would cry out O this is sweet ' its good to be here 3. That these fruits of Christ are exhibited and given forth in the sacrament The sacrament is a communion the Communion of the body of Christ the Communion of the bloud of Christ 1 Cor. 10. 16. wherein we come not only to see but to receive Christ crucified to receive of his fulness grace for grace Isa 12. 3. we have a promise with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation here note 1. That the Church of Christ hath her wells of salvation without is death and destruction sinners have their pits and their pools and their cisterns but no wells There is a fountain and a fountain opened Zech. 13. 1. but 't is to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to the Israel of God not to his enemies to these the fountains opened is a fountain sealed Christ shall profit them nothing Christ is the Churches inclosure no common for aliens If you ask what are those wells I answer the word is a well the ordinances are wells in particular this ordinance this sacrament to which we are come this day to draw this is a well it hath the depth of a well this ordinance is a deep mystery 't is not every hand no nor every eye that can reach the water 2. It hath the spring of a well wells have not a standing and underived fulness but they have a spring that feeds them Christ is the spring that fills this well 3. It hath the fulness of a well cisterns will hold little water in the well there is store all Christ is here in whom all fulness dwells This well is the Churches it belongs only to those that belong to God 1 Cor. 3. 22. 23. whether Paul Apollos or Cephas whether ministers or ordinances all are yours because you are Christs and Christ is Gods Rom. 9. 4. who are Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory and the covenants to whom the adoption and the covenants belong theirs are the seals The things that are without are yours sinners sin is yours guilt is yours temptations snares woes death is yours because ye are none of Christs this well of life is none of yours It will be demanded of you as Math. 22. 12 Friend how camst thou in hither what hast thou to do to take my covenant or the bloud of my covenant into thy mouth since thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee Psal 50. Such may not come to the well or if they come it may prove a well of damnation to them not of salvation and so the Apostle tells them it will prove 1 Cor. 11. 29. This water of life may prove as the water of jealousie that bitter water that will cause their belly to swell and their thigh to rott may be a curse and not a blessing Look to it sinners you may be drown'd in this well when you come to drink you may drink flames and fury instead of the water of life Oh how many have been drown'd in these waters who rushing unpreparedly upon this dreadful ordinance have drown'd all that little good they seem'd to have something possibly they formerly had that was hopeful but by the just judgment of God upon them for abusing such an ordinance they have lost all at first they came it may be with some little tenderness and trembling of heart but not being upright in the main they have at length lost all their sense and have been smitten with deadness and hardness O consider what you are and how 't is with you now you come here are you Christs are you sincerely his are you resolvedly his if you have not assurance that you are his what probable evidences have you that you are are your souls wishing for Christ waiting for Christ thirsting and panting and following after love to Christ likeness to Christ subjection to Christ evidences that he is yours are you resolved never while you live to turn back and give over your pursuit of Christ nor to sit down by any thing short of an universal conformity to his image and will Are you crucified with Christ Is the world crucified to you and you unto the world Is the old man slain and all your earthly members feel every limb of the old man if there be not life still found in them feel the heart of the old man is there not self-will self-love and the love of this present world yet alive feel the head of the old man is not pride and self-conce it alive what plottings and contrivances what great designs are there carrying on for the flesh and the world feel the gall and the spleen of him is not bitterness and wrath envy and malice yet alive observe the eyes and the ears and the tongue and the habit and the way doth not the old man live in all these are not the eyes pleas'd with beholding vanity the ears itching after fleshly fooleries Is not the sound of him upon the tongue the shew of him in the countenance the habit and whole way of life feel the pulses of the old man his breathings and pantings is it not after earth still Brethren if there be any sad remains of this earth and flesh in you as doubtless there are yet is there an abatement of the power and vigor of them if the old man be not quite dead yet is he in a Consumption are the waters of lust fallen yea and still falling lower are you in good earnest for mortification for the death of every lust and are you impatient while they live are you come to this point you 'l never be the friends of your flesh you 'l never take its part again against warnings against reproofs you 'l never live in peace with it but will wrestle and fight and wait for the victory as long as you live