idlenesse and vanity in sinfull company or excessive recreations spend it so no more you that have been wont to give way to your exorbitant passions and suffered them to break forth in unseemly actions and language do so no longer You that are Masters or Servants Parents or Children Husbands or Wives consider well what particular duties your relations call for and be faithfull in the performance of them You that are Subjects obey them that are set over you in the Lord. Towards your neighbours and all with whom you converse be just and honest loving and courteous avoiding all backbiting lying and slandering all foolish and filthy speaking Be compassionate and charitable to all that need your help in one sort or another Be conscientious for the future in the more immediate service of God Be frequent serious in his worship both in publick and private alone and with your families Beware of swearing and cursing or of taking the holy Name of God or Christ in vain make not mention of him in your common discourse without due reverence that you are not like to have if at every turn you are crying oh God and oh Lord as is the custome of careless people Profane no more Lords-Days as you may have formerly done but improve them to your souls good Whatever talent you have of wit wealth time or honour employ it to his honour who entrusted you therewith In all things study to please God and so commit your self and all concernments to his will and quietly submit to all his dealings with you without murmuring or repining To a sincere endeavour after all this you have bound your selves by the Sacrament where you have taken God to be your God and have profest your selves his people Wherefore I beseech you beware of that dangerous and yet too common mistake To think this weighty action terminaâ—es in it self and that all 's done when the work 's over I have endeavoured all along to prevent this false conceit and I care not how oft I inculcate it for if this be not removed all my labour will be lost and so will yours too yea and worse than lost your receiving of Sacraments will then prove but an idle unprofitable ceremony and will help forward your damnation rather than your salvation whilst you heed not the design of it nor improve it to its due end What would you think of that woman that when she had promised a man to be his wife and was solemnly married to him in the face of the Congregation should think there was now nothing more required of her but that she might go whither she list and live with whom she pleased Even just such is your folly and grosse absurdity who when you have been in the most solemn manner engaging your selves to God and have taken the Sacrament upon it that you will live in obedience to him then think that you may go away and live as you list Beware how you make such mistakes as these for believe it God's in earnest whether you are or not If you would not have him take you at your word you had better never have made such fair promises Since then the great design of this duty is to be an engagement to and an help for holinesse of life I shall finish this Treatise with a Direction or two for the promoting carrying on of â—he same 1. And to that end first let me advise you to be frequent in considering the engagement you have hereby laid upon your selves and let that hold and quicken you to faithfulnesse This is the principall thing which we are to do in order to the due improvement of Sacraments to our advantage even to remember often what a strict Covenant we thereby entred into that by the remembrance thereof we may be the more aw'd and restrain'd from doing any thing against it Thus ought you to make use of your Baptisme which is I doubt too seldome minded often you should think how absolutely you are bound to take him for your God to whom you were so early devoted Remember the end of it and now see to answer and attain iâ— which you may find fully exprest Rom. 6.3 4. Therefore are we buried with Christ by Baptisme into his Deâ—th thâ—t like as Christ was raised up from the Dead by or for the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newnesse of life Whenever you see a Child Baptizâ—d let it bring to your mind that you were once so dedicated to God and admitted into his Church and then think how you ought to walk who have such a bond upon you And thus improve the Lords Supper where you have personally owned and renewed your Covenant with God Especially make this use of it when you meet with temptations to any sin whatever or when you begin to grow carelesse and remisse in your carriage If old companions should set upon you and entice you or if your own heart should incline you to any former sinfull courses then say with your selves How can I do this and go back from the vow that I have made No I must not I will not the oath of God is upon me and shall I be forsworn with the living and true God How severely will he avenge himself on all such dissemblers wicked Herod seemed so fearfull of perjury that he permitted the murdering of a Prophet to avoid it and shall I be guilty of it rather than destroy my lusts God's and my own greatest enemies Most justly may I argue that for my Oath 's sake and for those that sate with me I will not do thus For not one of my Fellow-communicants but might witnesse to God against me that they saw me make a Covenant with him And God himself who stood over me will be witnesse as well as Judge How then should I appear before him with this heinous guilt upon me Wherefore Depart from me yee evil doers for I will keep the Commandments of my God If you 'l come a long with me and walk in the holy path come and welcome but never hope to draw me back again with you into those waies that have cost me so dear and which I have protested against I am now no company for you For I have taken the Sacrament Depart Satan and tempt me not from my Allegiance to my Lord and Master I will not forsake him I have obliged my self afresh to be a Christian a sworn enemy to thy Kingdome and a faithfull Souldier under Christ's Banner therefore depart from me For I have taken the Sacrament And think moreover with thy self Hath God been so gracious to me as to vouchsafe me a pardon for all former transgressions and to seal it to me at his Table and shall I go and wilfully run upon the score again Should I thus turn his grace into wantonnesse and abuse his patience how justly might I fear that his anger will be kindled against me and that he will no
ignorance and superstition no blessed and for ever praised be our God for that unspeakable mercy to this unworthy Land for the happy effects whereof doubtless thousands of souls are praising him in glory and thousands more yet on earth have cause to be infinitely thankful for that clear light which visited this corner of the earth when sunk into little less than an Aegyptian Darkness So that I verily beleive there is no Nation under the Sun where there are greater numbers of knowing hearty Christians who walk agreeable to the Gospel rule such that would be owned and approved by Christ himself and his Apostles were they now amongst us and will be at the day of their appearance before him But having said this to prevent exception and mistake give me leave to resume my complaint that still there are so many that are in Darkness in the midst of Light and that walk as in darkness not as children of the light Notwithstanding the means of knowledge multitudes remain in gross ignorance and are unacquainted even with the great foundation-truths of the Gospel and can it then be otherwise but that they should bee vicious careless and worldly And many who have a superficial knowledge of their Duty and confess its best to be careful in doing of it yet are themselves wilful and gross neglecters of it and live in open violation of Gods holy Laws Many there are that can talk religiously and are ready in the Scripture that yet will not by any means bee brought to forsake those sins which they finde Gods Word every where condemns nor will they set themselves to live such an holy serious life which is again and again so expresly and earnestly urged upon them As â—or the Sacraments though most are careful to bring their Children to be Baptized yet I pray God it be not more out of Custome than Conscience for some of these can give no tolerable account of the Reason of that Ordinance nor why they would have their Children partake of it only as they see their neighbours do so do they But yet there are far fewer who make any conscience of enforming their Children what a strict Covenant they are entred into how they are related and solemnly engaged to God for alas can we expect Parents should teach their Children to walk as becomes those that are in Covenant with God when they themselves live rather like Rebels to his Majesty than faithful Subjects And as for the Lords Supper which I intend to make the subject of my following discourse how sadly is it neglected in many places or else rusht upon inconsiderately and carelesly as if it was but a matter of course and no such a dangerous thing to receive it unworthily as Scripture assures us that it is How many hundreds yea thousands are there in both City and Country who make no conscience at all of coming to the Table of the Lord perhaps they may come once a year and scarce that Nay many go from one year to another and never appear there as if they acknowledg'd not they had a Saviour died for them or as if he had not bid them thus to remember his Death or as if his Death were not worth the remembring Oh careless stupid sinners what have you got to take up your thoughts and mindes that Christ himself is thus forgotten by you You can think well enough of your Children and Friends yea of your Cows and Sheep and your very Swine and must Christ have no room in your thoughts or memory Do these indeed deserve more love than hee Have they done more for you than he hath done Or can they do more than he is able farther to do and willing also if your wretched obstinacy did not prevent him I know you can say many of you that he deserves not to live who can forget Christ and that you do indeed remember him and take him for your only Saviour and will pretend that you have God alwaies in your minde when you are about your work or upon the way and you think wee must take your word for 't because wee know not your hearts and cannot disprove you but if one may judge by your carriage you manifest nothing less If one follow you from morning to night he shall scarce hear one serious word come out of your mouths you spend not half an hour in a day in Prayer either with your familys or alone plain enough we can hear you swear and cuâ—se and take Gods holy Name in vain but scarce ever so much as once to mention him with reverence What ever company you light into you are still talking foolishly and vainly or else only of your own worldly affairs but nothing that concerns the service of God and the salvation of your souls But for mâ—ny of you I need no other evidence against you than your gross neglect of this Sacrament of the Lords Supper If this Paper fall into the hands of any such and I hope God wil direct it into their hands for it was for sâ—ch â—hat I did chiefly intend it If I say thou who art reading these lines be guilty of neglecting this Ordinance of Christ from one year to another when thou hast frequent opportunities and invitations to partake of it let me ask thee how thou hast the face to say thou remembrest Jesus Christ when thou wilt not do such a small thing as he enjoyns thee to do in remembrance of him never taking care to prepare thy self and come to his holy Table Canst thou remember him and yet forget his command and absent thy self from those who meet together to celebrate his remembrance at an ordinance appointed by Christ himself for that very purpose Ah poor creatures that you did but well know your selves and your own necessities and concernments then could you never bee sounmindful of Jesus Christ you would as soon forget your daily bread Oh did you well know what he hath done for you and under what engagements you stand to him you would sooner forget your dearest friend who had sav'd you from death and daily fed you and cloathed you and kept you alive for indeed this and much more than this do you owe to the Redeemer of mankinde Oh that you would but beleive and consider what glorious unspeakable treasures of love and goodness he hath purchast for and will bestow upon you if you will accept them upon his terms and then you would no more forget him than you could forget your Prince or Landlord from whose bounty you were in daily expectations of a plentiful estate And if you would but see to get your selves well informed of the nature of this holy Ordinance distinctly and clearly to apprehend the reason and use of it and what priviledges and blessings are contained in represented and sealed by it I dare say you would more long to partake of it than of the most delicious banquet or sumptuous feast that ever was prepar'd But what do
your souls not to come hither in love with your sins or without resolutions to turn from every evil way Be it known to you God will be sanctified in those that draw neaâ— him and will severely punish irreverence and profane rudenesse in those that pretend to his solemn worship and service as you may see in that terrible instance of Nadab and Abihu Levit. 10.1 2 3. And for unworthy Receiving of the Lords Supper the Apostle tells the Corinthians For this very cause many were weak and sickly amongst them and many faln asleep and because they would not judge themselves therefore God judged them 1 Cor. 11.30 31. He 's an holy God and commands all those to be holy that hope for acceptance in their approaches to him And he 's a God that searches the heart so that there 's no hope of deceiving him Wherefore stand off all you that have design'd to persist one moneth or week longer in your rebellions against the Soveraign Majesty Dare not to offer so great an affront to him as to thrust in amongst his subjects whilst thou art a resolved traitour as if thou would'st make a triall whether he could discern thee in that croud He 's a jealous God and will not endure to be so tempted And sooner or later be sure thy sin shall find thee out If then thou dislikest the holy Laws and government of Christ take not an oath in a mockery that thou wilt be subject to him which beforehand thou intendest not to keep Here 's no jesting or dallying beware how thou playest with edge-tools These are serious things wherefore either be serious and sincere in thy medling with them or keep at a distance Avoid I say all you loathsom defiled sinners that are in love with your filth and will not be washed and cleansed whilst this is your posture you are no way fit to fit at the Table of the King of Glory there to Feast with his beloved friends whom he hath purified and made meet for his fellowship and favour But perhaps you 'l presently reply you like all this well enough this is that you would have and you agree with me to stay away as perceiving your own unfitnesse And are you indeed resolved to stay away and to continue in this unprepared posture as thinking you have hereby some more dispensation for a carelesse ungodly life than others have Alas poor wretches how willing you are to be cheated into misery And how desirous do you seem of a freedome to do your selves the greatest mischief But a little to undeceive you Let me assure all you that live upon this earth and are endued with reason whether you will bind your selves to God by this Sacrament or not there lie so many other indispensable engagements on you to his service that you have not the least liberty more than others to rebell against him and that will sufficiently appear if you do but consider these two things 1. The relation wherein you naturally and necessarily stand to God 2. Your more expresse and profest obligations to him For the first Consider Are you not his creatures and â—e your Maker And is he not the upholder of your being the lengthner of your lives and the giver of all your mercies Is he not therefore your owner and Governour Do you not owe your selves and all you have to him And is it not your duty to serve and obey him whether you have promised you will do so or not Do you think he hath no title to you till in some solemn manner you have profest subjection to him Do you think the service you owe to God is so purely a free-will offering that if you will render it you may and if not you are in no fault By this reason God must be much beholden to you for it What do not his Laws bind till you have given your consent Must he ask you leave to govern you Do you think it is with you in this case as with a Servant that owes this man or that no duty till he hath hired himself into his service Sure you cannot be so stupid But rather will you not yield that from your very birth you are at least as much obliged to obedience to your Maker as any Child to his Parent And pray tell me what would you think of that Child who when his Father bad him do any thing should stubbornly refuse and tell him he never promised him any such obedience Would you think this a satisfactory answer Do you not easilie perceive that Children are bound to obey their Parents even by virtue of that relation they stand in to them though they never enter into any formall engagement to be dutifull Even thus do you stand absolutelie bound to obey God the Father of Spirits before ever you professe you selves to be his people And all your professions though they are as so many farther ties upon you to obedience yet they give not God any new right to you which before he had not onelie hereby you acknowledge his right and promise to render him what is his due Hence then you may see what an absurd conceit it is that you may any whit more freelie sin against God before you have taken the Sacrament than after Can you be so sottish as to imagine that such excuses as these will serve your turn at that day when you must be called to render a reason of your doing When the Gospel first came to the Heathens I hope you 'll grant they were bound to receive it and yet they had never before given their consent to be rul'd by Christ nor had made any Covenant with him But why stand I so long on a case so plain And then take notice farther that by virtue of this subjection which you owe to God as his creatures you are bound to expresse your resolutions to serve him by what signs and in what manner he shall appoint you now he hath commanded you to expresse these resolutions by receiving the Lords Supper as I have before proved And will you disobey this particular command and then think this will excuse you from obedience to the rest To make the case plain by a like instance Suppose when the King had commanded all his Subjects to repair to severall places in the Kingdome there to take the Oath of Allegiance many amongst them should absent themselves and refuse to take it and afterwards should conspire together and rise up in arms against him do you think it would excuse them to plead that they never swore Allegiance to him Why first it was their fault that they did not since they were commanded to do it and then however they were engaged to peace and faithfulnesse by living in the Kingdome and receiving protection from their Prince Even thus will your neglect of Sacraments be charged on you as a fault for which you had no reason but will be farre from being admitted as an excuse of any other sins