Duty must be performed immediately Nehemiah must now speak there was no Deferring of his Answer but he appeareth Self Deemed not daring to Trust his own Understanding and therefore must needs go to God with it what shall I speak he had been at this time an accomplished Courteour and Favourite and admitted near the King's Person yet he will not Trust his Parts or Elocution but he will Trust his God here also is another profitable Example that when men are clearly called to speak either before few or many and have not time to premeditate yet there ought to be a serious humble looking up to God for his Assistance what ever be mens Station in the World no doubt Humility is a Mother of many Prayers and if this Example were followed how Blessed a Help would it be for frequent Remembring God these are but a taste of the many Occasions we have for these short Ejaculatory Prayers which will do hurt to no mans other concerns in the World but are a great Help to Communion with God CHAP. VI. Pertinent Meditations in the time of Communicating The fifth Inference SEing such Blessed and near Communion with Christ may be obtained at the Lord's Table then Communicants should prepare for entertaining Communion with him in the time of that Solemnity after serious preparation great Diligence is necessary that this Holy Ordinance be managed on our part in an acceptable manner that we may find it a true Communion with Christ suitable to it's name and of all Communicants they have the most peculiar advantage who are acquainted with Communion with God before they come to the Lord's Table for except there be some admirable work of power and Mercy men will surely profane the Sacrament who have their Fellowship with Christ then to begin not knowing how to receive Christ when they receive these Sacred signs or how to Feed upon him I say without some great work of God's Mercy for we must still leave place for Soveraign Power and Mercy who can not only Confirm such as have doubted of their Fellowship with God but even then give it a Beeing which had no Beeing before and in one day or hour give both Faith and Fellowship with God yet this is no Warrant for any to presume without endeavouring both Faith and Fellowship before they come to the Lord's Table It should also be remarked that many godly persons find themselves at a great loss when they come to the Lord's Table by not knowing how to act their part distinctly in Communicating and though they have made some Conscience of Preparation before yet complains they act but confusedly in the very time of the Solemn Action which doth much obstruct their Peace and Comfort yea though they dare not Charge themselves with Hypocrisie as to their desires for Communion with Christ or that they were altogether inconcern'd in Partaking yet not knowing what Meditations were most suitable in the time of Partaking and wandring from one thought to another without fixing on that which was most proper for the work do often fall into impertinecies alien to the great work in hand which being Reflected upon giveth such a Wound to their Conscience that the day or hour which should have been the time of their great Joy is turned into Grief and Complaints and that which will appear strange unto Strangers to these things that some find more dificulty to be Composed in their minds in the very time of that Solemnity than they found before they came to it whereby they are Surprised and fall into great Consternation that when the Soul should have been most United Fixed and elevated for Communion with Christ that than their thoughts should be a gathering though possibly the things they were thinking of were Pious and Good in themselves but altogether unseasonable such would Consider that Feeding on Christ is so excellent and profitable for the Soul and so Destructive for Satan's Interest that no Devices or Temptations will be wanting to frustrat that Profite and therefore should be Guarded against not onely to Resist Temptations in the time or any thing Impertinent to the Work in hand but withall before we come to Partake this should have a peculiar Consideration how we should Act in the time of that Solemn Action and who knoweth but the Neglect of this part of Preparation may provock God to let us find our own Weakness to our Grief if we be so proud as to think we can Act the Most Solemn part of the Work of our selves without any Preparation therefore it will be found our Duty both to Pray and Meditate before hand how to be Employed in the time of Receiving and such are in a special manner concerned to notice this who have Smarted already for it's Neglect complaining that God had Deserted them for no other reason but because of their Impertinent wandring at the Lord's Table And for your help in this part of the Work how to Act your part of this Holy Communion I shall propose by the Lord's help a few things to your Consideration I say how to Act lest any should say there 's no Acting required of us but only Receiving but such would Consider that our Receiving of Christ is the Acting of Faith as is clear from John 1. 12â— Wherein also Love to our Blessed Redeemer must be Acted so that we must Act our part in this Holy Communion if we expect the Benefite for which also we should be active in Praises First Then when we are to enter on this Blessed Duty we should humbly request for the Lord's Asistance and Presence with us that our hearts may be Established by his Grace and kept closs to the Work this should be done were there never so many about you 2. It 's necessary also that what the Lord sendeth by his Messengers for clearing the Nature of the Sacrament be Diligently hearkened unto and I do the rather mind you of this because some do then shut their ears from attending to any thing spoken being wholly taken up with thoughts of their own I am not yet speaking of the very Instant of Receiving for at that time People must be exercised with their own Meditations and should not be diverted with many Words but that which I say is that before the Sacred Action be engaged some take a liberty to Neglect all they hear attending only to their own secret thoughts and debates but this is not the seasonable Work for if it be Ministers Duty to Preach and open up the Nature of the Sacrament and teach the Duty of communicants then it 's the Peoples Duty to hearken not knowing but the Lord will Direct that unto them which may either clear their present Doubts or set them on some more seasonable Work than that wherewith they are at present Exercised 3. When ye are entering the Work labour to come to it cheerfully and thankfully Blessing God you have so Blessed a Work to go to as actual Solemn
Christ was made a curse for us v. 13. so John 3. 18. He that believeth not is condemned already But Rom. 8. There 's no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus Observe also that God accepteth of sincerity where obedience to the precept is not perfect John 17. 6. They have kept thy word yet their obedience was evidently Imperfect Therefore let not this break up thy work that thou hast nothing suitable to the purity of Gods Law neither conclude thy self graceless because thou doest not that which thou wouldest in obedience to God Rom. 7. 19. 5. Beware of insufficient marks or evidences either of a gracious or graceless State for thou mayest deceive thy self either of the ways It 's not a sufficient work of Grace thou takest delight some times in approaching to God as Isai 58. 2. Nor great appearances if there be no root Matth. 13. 5. forthwith they spring up the appearance may be such as beholders may take notice there is a great change the seed springeth up then appears a fresh green field that appeared not before yet no sound Root none of the uncorruptible seed which springeth up to Life Eternal Thou mayest be again and again ashamed of thy sin and confess it as Saul yet no Godly sorrowing on the account of sin it self you may also have the out side clean and whited beyond others and yet be but whited sepulchres nothing within but Death what is whiter than a dunghill covered over with snow but when the snow is gone the dunghill appears as it was On the other hand it is not easie for a Christian when he Examineth his Souls State to take the highest degrees of grace which hath been attained by the Saints and makes them the only Evidences of true graces as Pauls wish Rom. 9. 3. For I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh There is no ground to think that is recorded as a Mark whereby every Christian must Try if he be in a State of Grace a man may be a sincere Christian and not know how to manage such a wish The Apostle Paul understood how to abide in Christ notwithstanding of this his extraordinary Zeal for his Countrey-men but the measure of grace is given according to the gift of Christ Eph. 4. The safest way is to take Scriptural Marks such as are set down as evidences of sanctifying Grace for it is Dangerous to overlook these such as that John 3. 3. Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And 2 Cor. 5. 17. Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are past away behold all things are become new and such as that John 14. 23. If a man love me he will keep my words Such as these are the Marks we should Try our selves by for the Spirit of God hath given them as Discoveries of Grace and our Interest in Christ and therefore it is our sin to neglect them being a great Mercy that the Lord in a manner Condescendeth to answer our Questions How shall I know if Heaven shall be my Habitation It 's answered we must first be born again we must be regenerated by the Spirit of God How shall I know if I be in Christ It 's answered I must be a new Creature How shall I know if I have the love of God It 's answered Prov. 8. 17. I love them that love me again how shall I know if I Love him It 's answered I must keep his Words and 1 John 5. And every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him 6. When thou art under this Tryal seek to have thy Witnesses assisting and speaking freely Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God albeit Grace hath been freely given thee yet thou wilt need the help of the Spirit of God to make known the things that are freely given thee as 1 Cor. 2. 12. If the Giver of Grace shine not on Grace it will not appear the Spirit is the Comforter even on this account to give the Comfort of his own Grace to to make it evident for thou canst not Judge without evidence 1 Cor. 2. 10. The Spirit searcheth all things yea the Deep things of God Thy second Witness is thy own Spirit or Conscience for the Spirit beareth witness with our Spirits Let your Conscience speak freely all it hath to say as to the very Intentions and Designs of thy heart for what end and by what Motives thou performest Duties if thy Conscience can Charge thee with hypocrisie let all its Depositions have a fair hearing if it accuse thee of any retained Idol of heart or any lust thou makest Provision for if faithful Witnesses be not heard how shalt thou Judge of thy State or if thy Conscience warrantably Excuse and Comfort thee as to thine Integrity that thou canst humbly appeal to the Searcher of hearts and thy very Soul content he Search thee then thou art not to pass from thine Integrity Job 27. 5. I will not remove my integrity from me 7. Search not only into your sins nor only into your Grace but search out both some who are under Bondage by fear when they Examine themselves look only into their faults and often are apt to say what need for any further Search here are so many sins often prevailing I see them I feel their Power the world also may see many of them in my Practice though they cannot see all whereupon they are forthwith discouraged they open their eyes upon such Words as these Psal 65. 3. Iniquities prevail against me and their faint heart not considering what follows as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away nor the Interest they have in such Comfort that the Lord will purge away their Iniquities nor that the Grace of God hath made it their ordinary care to keep themselves from their iniquities Psal 18. 23. and cannot deny but sin is their greatest burden Psal 38. 4. And that there is a constant warfare against it Rom. 7. Some on the other hand sinfully covering their sin consider only their best side Luke 18. 11. Lord I thank thee that I am not as other men I am more holy than many others Isa 65. 5. But these are found most unsavoury before the Lord as a smoake in his nose they please themselves as preferable to all others they will soon say come see my zeal 2 Kings 10 16. but dare not say as Psal 139. 24. see if there be any wicked way in me If thou cover thy sins thou shalt not prosper Prov. 28. 13. Therefore be ingenuous with God and thy own Soul search out the worst as well as the best and the best as well as the worst the worst that thou mayest be yet more humbled and the best that thou mayest praise 8 Remember also to search into
which is by the Faith of the Son of God thou must have a Jesus to Save thee from thy sins thou must flee to him as thy Refuge then Consider what is said Heb. 6. 18. That we might have a strong consolation who have fled for a refuge our merciful Redeemer saith not to the poor sinner thou hadst never come to me but because thou could make no other shift thou has made me thy last choice therefore be gone No no but when the poor sinner cometh only by a Consent of necessity yet he will in no ways cast him out though he could find no other Refuge yet when he cometh he shal have strong Consolation thou findest Blessed Jesus like none but himself for this not the manner of men 3. Search thy way as to the subduing of thy Sin if thou sufferest sin peaceably to prevail as its willing servant or is its prevailing bitter making thee often complain to God against thy self as Psal 65. 3 Art thou not often crying to him that no sin may have dominion over thee That he would cleanse thee from secret faults and keep thee back from sinning Psal 19. 12 13. Art thou not searching also upon what ground thou mayest expect the mortifying of any sin For if thou art sincere with God and pained with Sin thou will be as earnest to know upon what grounds thou may expect the subduing of sin as the pardon of it Therefore it will not suffice thee to have it to say thou has prayed for a clean heart but to know what encouragement God hath given to hope for it this will make thee search the Promises for cleansing and sanctifying of thy Soul and what interest thou hast in these Promises this will make thee careful for an interest in Christ Crucified that by him thy lusts may be crucified and that thou serve sin no more as Rom. 6. 6. And though it be one of the greatest trials of thy Faith to believe the mortification of some rooted sins that easily beset thee yet dare thou not distrust the Promise of God Ezek. 36. 25. From all your filthiness and from all your I dols will I cleanse you Though thou has been striving many years against some particulur sins without the desired success yet thy regard to the Promise continueth thou dependest still upon it as Mic. 7. 19. He will subdue our iniquities This is the Faith of the Saints who now inherit the Promises 4. When thou has Duties to perform far above thy strength try what is then thy ways Dost thou neglect them because they are difficult or dost thou go to thy work in the strength of the Lord God If thou goest to work in his strength then thou art acting Faith Art thou not strongest when weakest in thy own opinion and upon this experience that out of weakness thou art made strong and that God never faileth thee thou resolvest to refuse no duty he requireth of thee for thy Ebenezer is set up hitherto hath God helped this is direct living by Faith and if Believers were more exact in remarking how often God doth countenance their essays to believe when they are weakest in their own eyes the comfort of their Faith would not be so rare how gratefully is it to be remembred that when there is sharp sense of guilt and fear of being deserted because of guilt yet engaging in work that God calleth unto some can hardly instance a time when they lean to promised strength but God appeareth the glory of their strength Whoso observeth these things are in the way to understand the loving kindness of the Lord and so obtain the comfort of their Faith 5. If thou canst not yet take comfort to thy self that this precious Faith is thine Search yet further for it 's worth the pains of many days or years if it be found at last Try then if thou canst find it in the Furnace of affliction where sometimes it shineth more brightly than in any easie lot In the day of thy Calamity whether goest thou for help to the arm of Flesh or to the arm of Jehovah Where goest thou first dost thou no sooner come to trouble but thou lookest up to meet with God as soon as the trouble There is much to be discovered of the dependance of a Soul by the way it first taketh in Affliction for what is habitually trusted is commonly first resorted unto When godly Job heareth the surprising tidings of the Death of his dear Children and other losses immediatly he looketh to God and Worshippeth Job 1. 20. So when David was distressed by the Amalakites taking his Relations and all away Captives 1 Sam. 30. 1. The first thing he doth is to encourage himself in the Lord verse 6. But the first thing we hear the poor Men speaking who were not so acquainted with dependance on God was the Stoning of David Next when thy tryals are overwhelming so that thou art ready to sink Try if thou believest that there is a Rock able to bear thee and the heaviest of thy Burdens and that God hath not left his people so destitute as that perishing must needs be the result of these overwhelmings But as it is Psal 61. 2. When my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the rock that is higher than I So thou betakest thy self to God as thy Rock and withal commits the leading of thy soul unto this Rock to him who is thy Rock here is abounding Faith not only trusting the Lord as the Rock of Ages but the leading of thy soul to himself thou commits the very management of thy Soul into his hands if thou canst claim this as thy way then thou has the precious Faith thou art seeking after Try also the unseignedness of thy Faith by other unseigned fruits If thou has true Faith toward God it will carry up thy heart to him thou will live upon Christ and obtain some real victory over this World it shal not captivate thy soul as it doth the souls of Men who have their portion in this life 1 Joh. 5. 4. It will raise thee to the affectionat Meditations of thy better Countrey and there thy desires will be captivated until thy self be placed with them Heb. 11. 16. Thou will find the first fruits so pleasantâ— as to deaden thy heart to the pleasures of sin for Faith will purifie thy heart Act. 15. 9. And though this evidence of Faith appeareth difficult because of the many impurities of heart remaining in Believers Yet the Words of God must be regarded and this purifying of the heart must and will be found where justifying precious Faith is for Believers even in this life obtain some measure of true purity as appeareth by Matth. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God For here Christ declareth some are pure in heart before they come to see God as they shal see him hereafter so Joh. 15. 3. Now are ye clean or pure as the word is commonly
Communion with Christ and that the Lord himself hath brought you into the Banqueting-house Cant. 2. 4. He brought me to the Banqueting-house This is Comfortable when a Communicant is so far cleared that the Lord hath brought him there begin it with hope of a Comfortable meeting with Christ it 's a feast of Love wherein thou a Believer and lover of him mayest find his Banner of Love spread over thee and himself a covert from the Tempest of all Temptations that may assault thee 4. When thou art to Partake that thy Meditations may be Pertinent and suitable to this Holy Action labour to have thy thoughts agreeable to the Institution it self considering the Elements and what they Represent and pondering the very Words of the Institution because these Words of Christ's Institution point out thy present work and what should be the nature of thy Meditations nor canst thou partake aright if thy mind be not Exercised with what Christ speaketh in that Action besides that this will be the Blessing of God an hedge in the way to keep thee from Impertinent excursions and unseasonable thoughts but no hedge to the Breathings of God's Spirit or Limiting of him for thou art to expect most of the Spirit 's help when thou art closs at thy Duty and this is the present Duty to Meditate on the Words of Christ spoken by him at the Celebration of this Ordinance and to be suitably affected with them 5. And more particularly when thou seest the Bread broken and readest or hearest that word this is my Body which is broken then thou art to Meditate on Christ Crucisied his Blessed broken Body and Bleeding Wounds and so to Behold him as in exquisite pain Crying out of being Forsaken Mocked and Tempted by the Wicked to come out of that pain and relinquish the work Mat. 27. 48. If thou be the Son of God come down from the Cross Thus we are to Behold him and Mourn for the deep hand we had In all his Sufferings we having Pierced him are oblidged to Look and Mourn and this mourning with Admiration of that Love that provided so Costly a Remedy for us and leaning to him who made his Soul an Offering for sin is a part of our acting this Blessed Communion with Christ 6. When thou hearest that Blessed Word take and that by taking the Bread thou art to take Christ himself here thou art to Meditate on the Great Offer made to thee and to Believe in thine heart that now the Redeemer and Saviour of the World Offereth Himself to thee and requireth thee to take Him as He gave Himself for thee so now He giveth himself unto thee this giving and thy Receiving is the very Acting of this Blessed Communion He giveth Himself to be thine for ever and so thou Receives He gives Himself intirely with all His Purchase and so thou by Faith Receives thou comest with the Sense of thy Sin and Guilt and He giveth the Benefit of His Blood to Cleanse thee from all Sin Thou comest with the Sense of thy Diseases and thy Sins often prevailing against thee and out of His fulness thou receivest Grace by Receiving Him thou hast a Right to all the Blessings purchased as thy need Requires here and a Right to Glory which in due time thou shalt Possess setting thee down together with Him in Heavenly places Eph. 2. 6. O Blessed Communion begun here on Earth and shortly to be perfected in that Eternal Communion where there shal be no more paining distance 7. When thou hearest that Word eat and thereby Christ saying take me into thy heart eat and be Satisfied now fill thy hungry Soul eat abundantly make Room open for me I will come in and sup with thee and the Meat shal be my Flesh Meat indeed What a pain is it sometimes to a Believer that he cannot duely value this Love even when he valueth it most and therefore will Eat and Wonder and VVonder and Eat but dare not for all his wondering say Lord it 's too Good for me I dare not touch or eat it no no saith the Believer my Life is in it I cannot want it let His gifts be like Himself though I be still like my self meer nought I find Him saying if I eat not His Flesh I have no Life in me John 6. 53. Therefore I will choose Life and Eat and whatever may be said of eating of Christ's Flesh when a man believeth yet I will eat in this manner because he Requireth it He hath opened my heart and prepared His place in my Soul O let him come and Possess His own Conquest and since he alloweth to take and eat I will do it I will take Him into my very heart that I may Live and Live to Him for ever and I do Request Him to take deep Possession of all the Powers of my Soul by the Graces of his Spirit and animate them all for His Service as meat is diffused through the Body for it's service Here is intimate Communion with Christ in His Ordinance 8. VVhen that overcoming word is heard for you broken for you Christ Himself making Application of the great Sacrifice to thee as this goeth deepest into the heart so it raiseth the greatest Admiration that it was for me even for me who was not only worthless but a Rebel and dishonourer of Him this cutteth through the heart giving it a deep Loves wound was I then in His thoughts and upon his heart and did He thus Suffer for me who acted against Him for so many years and resisted as I could His Love when pursued by it what shal I now render to the Lord what can I render what have I to render but what is His own and that same I often keep back how good is it that by what I now receive I shal be qualified to Extoll His Love in another manner and in a better place though my Praises cannot through Eternity recompense His Love for He is above our Blessing and praise only I shal take pleasure to Sound out His Praises before Angels and men when I am taught the Song of the Lamb I am this day deep Debitour to His Love and shal be so for ever I shal Glory in it and spend but cannot out-spend Eternity in acknowledging this Debt that His Precious Body was Broken for me and Himself allowing me now to Believe it This is also a part of the Believers Communion with Christ at His Table 9. VVhen thou hearest these words This do in Remembrance of Me. I Consider who Requireth this is it not He who Remembred me in my low estate wallowing in my Blood and no eye to pity me but His Remembring me when I was not remembring my self nor come to my self to consider my forlorn estate when my wretched self and all the World about me would let me Sink into the Pit whence there is no Redemption no man caring for my Soul is not this He who Remembreth me still hath He
required for its Celebration for every Partaker was to be sanctified unto the Lord 2 Chron. 30. 17. But some had not cleansed themselves yet did they eat the Passover otherwise than it was written ver 18. But Hezekiah prayed for them that the Lord would pardon such as prepared their hearts to seek God though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary ver 19. And the Lord hearkned to Hezekiah and healed the people ver 20 Whereby we may see that sins of that Nature are pardoned when sincerely acknowledged and application made unto the tender mercies of God The knowledge of this is necessary for some who fear their condemnation is inevitable because of their not Communicating aright but by these Scriptures ye may see that all shall not be condemned who have been guilty by sins of that nature where Repentance is there is remission of sins by Christ giving both together Acts 5. 31. CHAP. X. Communicants obliged to review their Communicating The 9th Inference THis Ordinance being the Communion of Christ's Body and Blood then after Partaking Communicants are obliged to try if they have obtained that blessed Communion Consider 1 The Reasons why this should be tried and 2. A few helps how to perform it All Communicants should seriously examine the way of their own hearts when they did Partake because First It was our blessed Redeemer's way after the first Celebration of this Sacrament to set the Communicants in this Road of searching themselves whether they did then believe or not Joh. 16. 31. Do ye now believe This was demanded of them when they had but lately risen from the Lord's Table and therefore is a question that Communicants ought to put to themselves and obliged to have a ready Answer as these Communicants had which is the more to be noticed that after they had declared their Faith ver 30. Yet ver 31. Christ urgeth it again that they may be deliberat and know well what they say when they say they believe Secondly Our Communicating should be carefully reviewed lest we did eat and drink unworthily otherwise we shal be found despisers of that important warning 1 Cor. 11. 27. That such as eat and drink unworthily are guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Men have neither a due fear of the anger of God nor regard to their own souls who having partaken think there is no more to be done not so much as to enquire whether they came from the Lords Table guilty of his Body and Blood or not for the best of men should take notice of the great regard God hath to Sealing Ordinances The First thing we find Godly Hezekiah considering after the Celebration of the Passeover 2 Chron. 30. 18. Is the transgression of the people who did eat the Passeover otherwise than it was Written for whom he prayed and the Lord mercifully answered his prayer Thirdly If the pains thou did take in preparation before Partaking was sincere that thou might have a blessed meeting with Christ then the same principle will lead thee to enquire if he did meet with thy Soul for no man can be said to be earnest for that which he will not so much as observe if it be found if Communion with Christ was the desire of thy Soul then it will be thy desire now to be secured of it that thou may'st say I sought and found him whom my soul loveth Cant. 3 4. Fourthly If thou shalt find after searching that thou did obtain real spiritual Communion with Christ this will make thy Thanksgivings sincere this will be a mean to endear thy soul to Him and increase thy Love which thou knowest hath need to be encreased when thou has it to say he came and manifested himself to thy Soul did draw the in to his Fellowship fed thee with the hidden Manna whereby thy Soul was revived canst thou then but Love and seek to have thy heart enlarged for more Love This will also endear thy heart to this holy Ordinance wherein thou found Him this will make thee forward in seeking occasions for it hereafter because there the Lord appeared unto thee This will help thee to be a good example to others who are negligent in seeking after it this will be a mean to endear to thee the Promises to thee the Lord promised to come and bless his people where he recorded his Name thou has found it even as he hath said his Words be true now thou knowest it to be a meer Temptation to doubt of his Promise or think that it faileth now thou canst say I will no more distrust any offer that Christ maketh of himself to a poor Sinner for as he offered so I did embrace and am not disappointed now thou canst Sing by experience as Psal 33. 21. For our heart shall rejoyce in him because we have trusted in his holy Name Be perswaded then of the clearness and necessity of this Duty to review thy work at the Lord's Table that thou may'st know what to conclude of thy self whether thou may'st safely take comfort to thy Soul as a sincere and accepted Communicant or not for a mistake here is dangerous if on the one hand thou judge thy self a worthy Communicant and thy self but a stranger to Christ this will harden thy heart in Sin and render thee obstinate against all necessary admonition and reproof and thus you may go on adding to your guilt at every Communion and remain impenitent ye thinking it improper for you to repent for any sinful Communicating on the other hand it 's also dangerous for you to conclude your selves unworthy Communicants without sure grounds or ever searching into the matter for thus you may deny the grace freely given you and belie the operations of the holy Ghost and thus ye may deny God the glory due to him for his mercies and cast your own souls into perplexing diquiet and bondage therefore there is much need to be guided of God in this Search And for the clearing of this a little we are to Consider both how it was with our Souls in the time of Communicating and with what impressions and help we come from that work as for our work in the time of that Solemnity albeit by the Word of God it may be declared how Communicants should act and if they have so acted then they are not unworthy Communicants yet no man can discover the internal acts of other mens souls whether they have acted as they should or not none can know that but God and mens own consciences Therefore when ye are to try your sincerity at the Lords Table the Word of God must be your Rule the spirit of God your Guide and your own Conscience a Witness for the utmost that can be said by men is Conditional that is if you have acted suitable to the nature of the Work if you have embraced Christ c. Then you are accepted and not unworthy Communicants 2. VVhen Communicants are
Season of their Mercy feeling their hearts to burn within them they would not part with Christ but verses 28. and 29. Albeit He made as though He would go away they constrained him to stay with them unto which He Graciously yielded approving their Diligence to have their Mercy continued Keep your selves in the love of God Jude 21. And remember that these Disciples who fell asleep presently after Communicating the next thing we hear of them was forsaking their Master 3. As thou art to begin thy work early so Engage in it Effectually and particularly to follow the Lord fully Remember before thou came to the Lord's Table when thou was Examining thy heart and Practice how many sins then appeared and how Hainous insomuch that thou thought it hard for thee to approach the Lords Table lest thou should prof me it and durst not resolve on Partaking until thou hadst resolved and Engadged against such and such particular sins as for Instance thy pride and seeking of vain glory to thy self polluting lusts over reaching of the siâ—ple wasting of time in company without necessary occasion thy being often ashamed of thy Lord's Words rather complying with than rebuking of evil thy offensive passions fretting at thy Lot thy fainting in time of Trial thy earthliness of mind thy frequent neglecting of Prayer thy lukewarmness in it thy neglect of Meditation on the state of thy Soul thy wearying of Sabbaths or the Holy Duties then required thy Ingratitude for many signal Deliverances and Mercies thy being unâ—utiful either to the Souls or Bodies of thy Relations or to the Poor the bad example thou often givest to thy Family and the like sins If all these or any such evil were wounding to thy Conscience acknowledged to God Lamented and Engadged against as in the sight of God when no Mâ—â—tal eye was witness and with this Engadgment on thy Conscience to Reform thy ways to endeavour all Duty and cast away all thy Transgressionâ— by the help of Grace if thus thou came to the Lords Table and there Solemnly Renewed thy Covenant with God avâ—ching Him that day to be the Lord thy God and to walk in his ways Deut 26. 17. And in Testimony of thy Consent to all the Articles of the Covenant of Grace didst receive the Lord's publick Gospel Seal then know that God will call thee to account for thy observation of this Covenant take care lest thou be Charged as these Psal 78. 36. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth and they lied unto him with their tongâ—es For their heart was not right with him neitheir were they stedfast in his Covenant Take heed ye be not as these who said they would not Transgress and yet are found wandring from God and playing the Harlot every where Jeremiah 2. 20. And that ye may be stedfast in your Covenant with God and faithfully performing your Vows that ye may shine more and and more bright unto the perect Day and continue that Blessed Communion with Christ which is begun Resolve on a true walk with God this honourable Walk is often mentioned and diverse ways expressed in Scripture whereby the Lord Condescendeth to our weakness for our good that we may the better understand how to manadge this Walk as First Walk in Him Col. 2. 6. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him What a wonderful walk is this to walk in Christ who can understand this if it be not given from above yet they are the Words of God discovering our Duty our Priviledge and our greatest Help for this Holy Walk 1. Our Duty still to abide in Christ never to go from Him to any hand to have all our way consisting with Communion with Christ to admit willingly of nothing but that which He will admit of in fellowship with Him that so our fellowship may be continued 2. Our Priviledge in partaking of so great Happiness as to be Interested in His Favour His love and care and Blessed with such nearness as to have Him for our Habitation where we may live and walk at a Holy Liberty 3. Here is our greatest Help and the very Fountain of it if all ordinary Cisterns were dried up the Believer shal Live by the Fountain itself because Christ Lives he who is in Him shal Live also the Believer Liveth upon Christ and His Fullness there he hath Grace to make him Love this Holy walk and hold up his goings in it 2. Walk with God Micah 6. 8. Walk humbly with thy God Let none be so profane as to say are not these one to walk in Him and to walk with Him and what need is there for Expressing this walk so many ways for they are the Words of God and therefore all to be Regarded This walking with God is a Testimony and Proof of our being agreed with Him otherwise there could be no walking with Him For He putteth away all the wicked like dross Psal 119. 119. The Lord confereth this honour upon Believers that being now reconciled by the Blood of Christ they may draw near with some Holy confidence and without Presumption walk with their God though it must be Humblâ— because He is God and we but dust nor is it possible to keep up this walk without Humility for the proud in heart are an Abomination to Him and the rareness of true humility maketh this walk so rare 2. It 's to walk with God that is in His way not in our ways we must attend Him in His own ways not expecting to walk with Him in our sinful ways this is the more to be regarded because we would willingly have God to be with us in our own way to owne and countenance us in the way of our own chusing when there is little care taken to be with God in his ways but we cannot walk with Him out of His own way and as we would have Him to be with us so we should take care that we be with Him 2 Chr. 15. 2. The Lord is with you while ye be with Him 3. Walk before me Gen. 17. 1. I am God Almighty walk before Me and be thou perfect 1. To walk as being under Gods al-seeing Eye which is a great help to a Holy walk labouring to do nothing but as being content God behold it setting the Lord always before our eyes or as the Apostle expresseth it I forsaw the Lord always before my fâ—ce Acts 2. 22. Blessed is the man who frameth all his way for that Omniscient Eye 2. To walk before Him is not only to be impressed with His discerning all our ways but to set Him before our eyes as our all sufficient God and help Believing in our hearts that He can strengthen and bear us up in all the difficult steps of our walk 3. To walk before Him or before His face is to Encourage the Believer that not only God can help but that His Eyes Mercifully upon His People observing all their
Advice to Communicants For necessary preparation and profitable improvement of the great and comfortable Ordinance of the Lords Supper That therein true spiritual Communion with Christ may be obtained and the eternal enjoyment of God Sealed By Robert Craghead Minister of the Gospel in L. Derry Acts 2. 42. And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayer 1 Cor 11. 28. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. verse 31. For if we would judge our seâ—ves we should not be judged EDINBVRGH Printed for William Dickie Book-seller in Glasgow and are to be sold at his Shop in the Saltmarket 1695. To the Right Honourable The Lord Provost The Bailiffs The Dean of Gild The Deacon Conveener and remnant Members of the Council of the City of Glasgow c. And all the Inhabitants thereof THe unquestionable duty of all men who cannot pay just Debt is at least to acknowledge it specially where the Debt is so great that the Debitor is not responsable when I remember the good hand of God upon me in bringing me to such a refuge as Glasgow through so many difficulties and dangers having stayed in Derry until the second day of its Siege could not get out of the Gates without great difficulty and forced to leave the half of my Family within the Walls by the violence of Souldiers and the next day was taken and Robbed by the Enemies yet coming unto you in grief for the lamentable State of this Nation and particular relations found no less affectionat tenderness and care than if I had come among so many near Relations being suffered to want nothing necessary for this life Many others also of this Nation do and have reason to remember gratefully your labour of love in their destitute condition I can see no reason why such seasonable compassions should be buried in oblivion but rather should be published according to many Scriptural precedents rendering fragrant and perpetuating the memory of such Christian Sympathy And though in point of modesty some find it difficult to commend Benefactors to their face yet find no less dissicult to be ungrate Your friendly reception of me at first was not all for after ye were pleased to call me for a season to labour in Gospel-work your acceptance of my poor labours was yet a greater comfort and the testimonies I had of affection from Magistrats Ministers and People were really surprising being conferred on so worthless a Creature and that which added yet more to render my lot comfortable at that time was the exemplary conversation of many Christians whose knowledge and experience in godliness was such as gave occasion for my own edification every day Pardon this confidence of perfixiâ—g your honourable Names to so mean a Work which I the rather hope to obtain because experience of your former indulgence hath made me thus presume to hope for acceptance of an affectionat and obliged testimony of gratitude though it be but as a mite where so many Talents are due And that ye may continue of one heart and way exemplary as hitherto in appearing for and promoting the Kingdom of Christ that your labour of love may be fruit abounding to your account that the Countenance of God may be lifted up and his face shine on your assemblies and that upon all the glory a defence may be created to continue from generation to generation is the desire of Right Honourable Your obliged Servant in the Lord ROB CRAGHEAD L. Derry Feb. 26. 1694 5 TO THE Christian Reader REason requireth that the ensueing Discourse appear with an Apology in the entry for troubling the World with any thing new on the Lords Supper by so unpolished a Pen after so many elaborate and profitable Treatises on this subject but for thy satisfaction know that though I presume not to offer any thing near so excellent as others yet having occasion to converse with many in soul-distress on the account of the Lords Supper some doubting if they should Partake others troubled because they did Partake and some afflicted because they did not Partake Finding also some objections from their own mouths that have not been usual and because they have not occurred to others are therefore not discussed by such as have written Learnedly and Piously on this Sacrament and being peculiarly concerned with some who are thus troubled found it Duty to endeavour their relief by a few particular instructions not presuming a Treatise on the Lords Supper so Divine and profound a Subject as giveth work sufficient if not more tâ— the most able and choice of men if all thingâ— be considered that natively belong to thaâ— Ordinance The Lords Supper is a largâ— and fertile Field where diligent Reapers may yet find more and more for the gathering both for the comfort of Believers anâ— seasonable warning to the presumptuous As for Believers First There is an appointed meeting between Christ and them the desire of all Nations is there to be received He who is our all the one peaâ—â— for which when the richest of men sell theiâ— Earthly all yet have him freely and for nothing the light and glory of Heaven cometh down to us to be the hope of Glory in us He cometh with Garments rolled in Blood to make us know what we cost him and through these Garments Eternal and overcoming love shineth warmeth and attracteth the hearts of Believers 2. Christ cometh in this Ordinance to give Believers a hearty taste of that intimate Communion which shall hereafter be the fulness of their joy their Crown and their Glory and though now they see him but darkly yet they know it to be himself and not another and when he and they shall meet again in another manner when he shal come to receive them without a Vail on his glorious Face they shall know it 's the same blessed Face which they beheld before but as in a Glass How sweet to think on that meeting with Hope Where the hope is sure as an Anchor already entred within the vail at the first Celebration Christ willed the Communicants to raise up their hearts to the Meditations and joyful Expectations of that blessed Communion to come by putting them in mind that he and they shal drink together of the new Wine in his Fathers Kingdom 3. Believers admitted to true Communion with him in this Ordinance receive with himself grace to love his fellowship grace to hate what offereth to separat grace to love the means of its continuance grace to long for its perfection when he who is full of grace and truth comes near to a poor sinner the savour of his Oyntments goeth to the poor mans heart Christ bringeth him near not that he may look at him and get nothing but look and be saved behold and be transformed into the same image eat and be satisfied Christ's fulness of Grace overfloweth yielding
and offering himself a Sacrifice to the justice of God for these who were given him of his Father was accepted of God then we cannot lay the burden of our sins upon and trust our Souls to that Sacrifice 5 If we do not believe that God hath provided a way for our partaking of that Sacrifice and the benefits thereby purchased then we cannot believe a Participation and Fellowship of his Sufferings 6. And if we know nothing of that appointed way viz. by Faith then we cannot make application of his Death and so shal not have the Communion of his Body and Blood And that the necessity of firm believing the Doctrine of Christ may appear Consider First that we may see with grief how many turn Apostates Athiests Blasphemers who were professed Christians and appeared to have no doubt of what they professed for many years yet by frequent Apâ—stacy mens Souls are ruined Religion reproached Satans kingdom advanced 2. It 's found also that others of a better stamp who do not precipitate themselves into such Gulfs of Apostacy improving the benefit of a good Education their practice being in some measure according to their knowledge yet in progress of years when they come to be more deeply concerned with their eternal state and to know on what grounds they can warrantably expect to be no worse but better when this life hath its period searching into these grounds do often find such difficulties to believe the truths whereof they doubted nothing in their younger years that their souls are cast into deep disquiet and sometimes are made to bless God who hath kept them alive and under means of knowledge that they may yet be confirmed in some important truths which nearly concern their very Salvation And notwithstanding that conscientious Christians are cautious and sparing in uttering their Doubts specially when they are such as might prove stumbling to others Yet where the benefit of cordial Sympathy is obtained many are found under distressing conflicts of this nature in so much that if their gracious God did not relieve they could not stand long in their profession but would be noticed to their grief as fainting Such temptations have not yet left this World in vain I have washen my hands in innocency Psal 73. 13. 3. It 's also too evidently found that some by reason of not being fixed in the great Gospel truths concerning Christ and Salvation are retarded in their whole Christian progress for the foundation not being firmly laid they cannot go on to perfection this is no charge against the foundation which God hath laid for that is still sure and unmoveable 1 Cor. 3. 11. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ For which we are to bless God but it 's mens not being fixed upon and cemented with the true foundation and whether men will or not this hath a Secret strong influence to deaden all their religious practice when they doubt but all their pains may be in vain at last and that they have been but beating the air 1 Cor. 9. 26. 4. Some are assaulted with violent temptations tempting them to doubt of many truths at once and such as are of great consequence and then their weakness appeareth then they smart bitterly for not being established in the truth having no solid answer for repelling of such temptations then they are tossed to and fro with any wind of Doctrine yea many woes are at hand then they are ready to call good evil and evil good and put darkness for light then they are ready to run down the stream and yield all were it not that God knoweth how to deliver his own out of temptation 2 Pet. 2. 9. 5. Known instances may be given of some who in their day shined to the glory of God and Edification of many who yet not long before their great change found it their greatest tryal and difficulty to be fixed in believing even as to the object of their Faith which should be remarked as a warning to weaker persons to spend more of our time and seriousness for rooting in the truth that we may know whom we have believed which was the Apostles great rejoycing 2 Tim. 1. 12. 6. It 's also to be observed that especially at Communions Doubts do arise in many of the People of God when they are examining their Faith and Knowledge and Satan always going about to resist good labouring to obstruct the best works whereof self-examination is one instead of questioning their own weakness in knowledge or slowness to believe he tempteth them to doubt of the object of their Faith and if not fixed they are at least so disturbed in their Souls and cast down that they have no confidence for going to the Lords Table and supposing they were not afflicted with such temptations yet if fundamentals Gospel-truths be not understood nor a judicious assent of the mind yielded to them then there can be no consent An assent of the mind may be to the truth without consent but we cannot chuse and consent to that which the mind doth not believe to be truth So then you cannot consent to receive Christ at his Table except ye believe the report and testimony that God hath given of him 1 John 5. 10. Therefore spare no pains for knowledge dig for it as for hid treasures account the knowledge of Christ excellent knowledge as others did who knew him better than you who did look upon other things as but loss and dung Phil. 3. 8. Thou hast none to know like him nor any knowledge so necessary as to know him 1 Cor. 1. 30. Who is made of God unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification Redemption be not too easily satisfied with thy knowledge of Christ as many in this age are Let it be an exercise of thy Soul by it self how to know Christ lest thy first knowledge of him be as of a Judge to give out Sentence Depart I know you not lay this to heart though thou had not the Lords Table to go to but if thou wilt go to it ignorant of him ignorance it self will render thee an unworthy Communicant as I sear it doth too many in our times who yet cannot be judicially debarred what if thy own conscience should rise upon thee when thou art going to his Table and accuse thee of presumption for attempting a Communion with him to whom thou art a meer stranger not so much as believing the record God hath given of his Son Can such a person be accepted of him Labour then to be acquainted with him in time Job 22. 21. Acquaint thy self with him rendering praise to God that thou has yet a season for it and if thou dost not affect ignorance but art one who longest for the knowledge of the Holy fearing thou art the very person that has not that knowledge Prov. 30. 3. Fearing the danger of thy Soul were it for nothing else but thy ignorance of
thy former ways as well as present otherways there may be unpardoned Guilt upon thee for former sins Psal 79 8. Remember not against us former sins And Psal 25. 7. Forgive the sins of my youth Try what way thou hast taken for the pardon of them lest as Lam. 3 42. thou find we have transgressed thou hast not pardoned Consider also what the Lord did for thee what he wrought in thee in the days of thy youth that though thou be not now as lively as then yet thou must be excited to cry unto God as Job 29. 4. O that it were with me as in the days of my youth when the Secret of God was upon my tabernacle and though thy declinings should be bitter to thee yet try if it did convincingly ever appear thou wast the Planting of the Lord a tree of righteousness bringing forth fruit unto holiness for If it was so though the Tree appear to be cut down as Job 14. 7 There is hope of a tree if it be cut down that it will sprout again and vers 9. through the scent of water it will bud and bring forth boughs like a plant gather what thou canst safely of this nature that thou mayest yet hope to sing as in the days of thy Youth for trees of righteousness never utterly decay both root and branch 9. When thou has not only thy souls Condition and way to Examine whether advancing or backsliding from the ways of God but the very State of thy Soul whether under the Dominion of Sin or Grace and must draw some Conclusion from the whole of thy Examinations for thou art allowed to Judge 1 Cor. 11. 31. For if we would judge our selves we should not be judged Then take care that rash Judgment proceed not look to God that thy Sentence come from before him it being of great moment what thou mayest safely judge of thy self and particularly for clearing thy Right to the Lords Table Delusions being the Ruine of most men The fourth thing to be considered is what we are to Try and Examine and the things that I conceive to be the most necessary are 1. Our knowledge 2. Our Faith 3. Our Love 4. Our Repentance and 5. Our Obedience As to our Knowledge 1. It 's necessary we have some measure of Knowledge of the Lord Himself 2. His Covenant 3. Of the Sacrament it self particularly how to Discern the Lords Body Ye are first to Try your Knowledge of God in Christ for though it be a small Portion of him we can know yet we must know or perish 2 Thess 1. 8. Christ is coming to render Vengeance to them who know not God This Knowledge of God we must have by Jesus Christ for the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God is in the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. We cannot transact with him in this Ordinance if we be Ignorant of him 1 John 1. 6. For if we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie Therefore some competency of Saving Knowledge we must have lest we be found Children of Darkness yet 2. In Examining this think not to find a Knowledge unto Perfection for that which is Perfect is to come 1 Cor. 13. 10. And when that is come all that is in that Infinite Divine Majestie can never be be known by us or finite Creatures We are apt vainly and some times Presumptously to desire such a knowledge as is Gods peculiar Prerogative perfectly to know himself and too often more curious to know what we cannot know than what we should and may know how silencing to all flesh should be Exod. 3. 14. I AM and though all Creatures be incapable of a comprehensive knowledge of that Glorious Immense being yet 3. Great shal be our mercy to apprehend aright of him if your conceptions of him be suitable to the Revelations he hath given of himself in his VVord content thy self with these lest thou wander in thy Imaginations and lose thy self in Aspiring further 4. Do not conclude thou knowest nothing of him because thou knowest not as thou wouldest or knowest not as thou a Believer shalt hereafter 5. Yet try if thou art sure that though weakly yet it is certainly the Lord himself thou knowest this is a greater attainment and mercy then many think to have the Soul delivered from fear of delusion in it's apprehensions of God These words Jer. 24. 7. are of great Consideration I will give them a heart to know me that I am the Lord. These people had long professed the Knowledge of God and yet need to know that he is the Lord. 6. To be sure of thy knowledge try what Impressions have the Divine Attributes made on thy Soul what effects attend thy knowledge Psa 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee Try also if thy practice can prove thy knowledge Jer. 22. 15. 16. Thy father did judgment and justice he judged the cause of the poor then it was well with him was not this to know me saith the Lord v. 7. In a special manner try if Christ hath manifested himself to thee if thereby thou has been enabled to Behold him and in Beholding transformed into the same Image 2 Cor. 3. 18. Be particular with thy Conscience to have an account wherein that Blessed Image doth appear 2. VVe must try what knowledge we have of the Covenant of Grace Because First This Ordinance of the Lords Supper is one of it's Seals for here we have the New Testament in his Blood and this blood is the Blood of the Covenant Heb. 13. 20. The blood of the everlasting Covenant therefore the Seal shal be profained if there be no knowledge of that gracious Transaction and Covenant unto which it is a Seal 2. VVe are obliged actually to renew our Covenant with the Lord when we partake of this Ordinance for we are to embrace Christ according to the Terms of his Covenant Receiving of Christ and joyning our selves to the Lord is the very Substance of the VVork which cannot be performed if we be Ignorant of the Covenant for who can take hold or joyn in a Covenant whereof he is utterly Ignorant and the man who taketh not hold of the Covenant cannot have a right to the Seal try then particularly First If ye know the chief Articles of the Covenant if ye know the Difference betwixt doing as the Condition of the Covenant of VVorks and believing as the Condition of the Covenant of Grace try if you believe this great Gospel truth in your heart that whosoever believeth shall not perish â—ohn 3. 16. 2. And that the Covenant of Grace requireth perfection though sincerity be accepted Matth. 5. 48. 3. And that all sincere believing hath gracious Fruits and VVorks attending it for we are created in Christ Jesus unto good works Eph. 2. 10. 4. Do ye know him who is surety of this better testament Heb. 7. 22. In whom all the
Promises are yea and Amen Do ye know that all your Interest in this Covenant is by Jesus Christ who is given a Covenant for the people Isa 42. 6. 5. Do ye know that all your Salvation and all that ye should desire is in this Covenant 2 Sam. 23. 5. That it 's Ordered in all things for your good and sure hath the Lord showen you his Covenant Psal 25. 14. Do ye in heart believe it to be sure 6. VVere ye ever taught of God how to take hold of this Covenant and how to Subscribe your selves the Lords Isa 44. 5. One shall say I am the Lords and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord If ye know nothing of it ye cannot perform it and if not performed the Seal is not yours for ye have not Subscribed to the Deed. Remember Christian thou hast no other Charter for thy part of Heaven but this Covenant of Grace and if thou art a Christian indeed it will be to the as a Fountain of Joys that he hath made with thee an everlasting Covenant thou wilt never think thy self safe till thou know thou art Savingly in it and therefore it will be the great concern of thy Soul how to Joyn thy self to the Lord especially before thou partake of it's Seal blessed is that hour wherein a man may say now I subscribed my self the Lords I have given my self to him and he hath received me graciously what has thou to do from thy Birth to thy Grave like this which can make thee sing in the face of Death 3. Try thy Knowledge of the Sacrament it self specially if thou canst Spiritually and believingly Discern the Lords Body for if thou Discernest no more than Bread and VVine thou wilt Receive no more and if thou Receivest no more thou hast not Received the Sacrament of Christs Institution thou hast but a shadow for the Substance besides the Guilt of profaning that Holy Ordinance The words of the Holy Ghost are carefully to be remarked 1 Cor. 11. 29. he eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself not discerning the Lords Body This Discerning of his Body is a Discerning Spiritually Christ himself as Crucified and if this one thing be wanting the Communicant will surely Eat and Drink unworthily Therefore put such Questions as these to thy self First I am perswaded that the Son of God did take unto him our nature and in due time did shed his Blood for the Remission of the sins of many 2. That this our Blessed Saviour did Institute this Ordinance of the Lords Supper to be Celebrated in Remembrance of him 3. That the Bread and VVine there presented and Blessed doth Represent his Body and Blood 4. That Christ who Offered himself to his Father doth in this Ordinance Offer himself to be Received by Believers 5. That in Offering himself to be Received by them he Offereth unto them also the Benefits purchased by his Death 6. That every partaker must so Discern him by Faith 7. And every Partaker is Obliged by Faith to Receive himself with all his Benefits when he Receiveth that Bread which Christ Requireth to take and eat and that no person should presume to eat of that Bread or drink of that Cup but with a full purpose of heart thankfully to Receive himself seek to be established in these before thou go to the Lords Table that thou mayest partake in Faith and not by eating and Doubting or Eating and Ignorant what thou art about many Souls are Guilty before God for taking so little pains to prevent their being Guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord and some not of the very worst obstruct their own Comfort by indistinct Communicating there being no action under the heavens that Requireth more fixed ripe and distinct apprehensions than partaking at the Lords Table Secondly Our Faith must be Examined before we go to the Lords Table Consider first the Reasons why this must be done And 2. How to find out Saving Faith The Reasons 1. Christ himself is to be Received at his Table and this Receiving of him is Believing as is plain by John 1. 12. But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his Name Therefore Christ cannot be Received without Faith and if he be not Received the Sacrament is profaned The Communicant should be a believing Believer having Faith not onlie in Habit but in Act. 3. Our Faith must be Examined because we are VVarned that there are manie sorts of Faith and yet but one kind of Faith Is Saving whereby the man is Justified we Read of a Believing which Devils have James 2. 19. Some wicked men also are said to Believe yet remaining in the bond of Iniquitie Acts 8. 13. VVe have an account also that some Believed for a while Luke 8. 13. It 's Lamentable that men stand not in awe of such Scriptures and so few moved with fear least their Faith be no better we Read also of some mens Faith raised so high as thereby to work Miracles and yet their last Sentence Depart from me Matth. 7. 21 22. It appears these men did mistake true Saving faith thinking such as they had would cary them to Heaven for they make it a plea for their Admissions did we not cast out Devils in thy Name doubtless this made them Christians of great Fame in the VVorld but how easie is it even for men of great Gifts to mistake Faith and go to Death without a Discovery of that Mysterie VVe are warned also of a dead faith James 2. 17. Such a faith as found men and leaveth them dead in their sins It cannot therefore be safe after such warnings for any man to Conclude that because in the general he belleveth therefore he shal be Saved and hath a Right to the Lords Supper except the nature of his faith be instructed and made out to be such as thereby he is united to Christ and so shal be Justified 4. This Danger of mistaking Faith being so great it 's our Mercy that there is a particular Command to Examine our Faith as we would be Secured we are not Reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. So that if this be still neglected we not only endanger our Souls by Delusion but shal be found sinfully disobedient to a merciful Command 5. That which is said Heb. 11. 6. That without faith it 's impossible to please God should of it's self engage us to Examine our Faith what Regard can we have to God and be contentedly in that State wherein it 's impossible to please him or be ignorant whether in that State or not can ye look up to God and think it not worth the while to enquire whether ye be pleasing or displeasing to him Dare ye sit down at his Table not knowing but it may be said of you in particular it 's impossible for this man to be pleasing to me and no wonder he cannot be accepted as not
rendered Believers being in a justified state they obtain in this life some real purity of heart notwithstanding of their Imperfections and it becometh a snare or woe to souls that study no purity because of no intire perfection in this life and these have the true beginnings of holy purity who follow that example and direction 2 Cor. 7. 1. Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God for 1. Christ died to purifie a people unto himself zealous of good works Tit. 2. 14. And he will see the travel of his soul 2. Christ dwelleth in the heart by Faith and where he dwelleth there the throne of iniquity cannot stand Psal 94. 20. 3. All who receive forgiveness of sins are sanctified by faith in Christ Acts 26 18. 4. Sin shall not have dominion over any who are brought truly under grace Rom. 6. 14. Search diligently for this purifying of the heart as thou wouldest not be deceived of thy faith hope for according to 1 Joh 3. 3. Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure think not of accepting thy self where the words of God are every man examine your selves Particularly in these 4 things First If thou findest an active Principle in thy Soul standing in opposition to sin if sin be hated so as thou can say of it it 's the evil I hate Rom. 7. 15. See that this hatred be not pretended and Sin in the mean time cherished for it 's not only a sure step toward but also a great length in the purity of holiness to be a hater of Sin 2. And to secure the truth of this hatred try if there be an ordinary warfare against Sin For if it be hated there will be opposition made to it as Rom. 7. 23. Thy sins will feel thy grace to have some power and therefore Christ compareth the mortifying of sin to the cutting off the right hand c. And where there is nothing of this it 's vain to pretend hatred 3. Try if thou lovest the Law which requireth this purity for to love that very Law which reâ—â—râ—ineth from Sin yea the sins that easily beset us is a blessed but I fear a rare attainment to be content to be hedged up from the way of our own hearts and to love the hedge of Gods making not to wish in heart that the Laws of God were otherwise that we might have a greater liberly for sin Psal 119. 97. O how love I thy law There is the greater necessity of searching into this because it 's given us as the character of a godly man to delight in the law of the Lord Psal 1. 2. 4. Try what success attendeth your endeavours against sin if by dependance on the spirit of Christ which mortifieth the deeds of the body it may be said of you as 1 Pet. 1. 22. Seing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth Mark these words ye have purified whereby we may see that Believers have some success against their sin their work is to cleanse themselves and their labour is not in vain in the Lord and it 's necessary that every Christian have some instances and proofs of this in readiness that he hath purified his Soul and kept himself from his iniquity and shut not your eyes upon that awful evidence of an interest in Christ Gal 5. 24. They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Know then that it not only should be but is a sound Believers work to be purifying his Soul though he get not sin abolished in this life 3 Communicants should also examine their love to Christ before they go to the Lords Table and if any shal say that this is a superfluous burdening of people with unnecessary questions their saith being clear what needeth examining of love also But I find Christ is of anâ—ther mind who examineth his followers both as to their Faith love John 16. 31. Do ye now believe And John 21. 16. lovest thou me Therefore we are concerned to be in a readiness to answer both and if our love cannot abide the trial no more can our faith for faith worketh by love Gal. 5. 6. Consider first that Christ manifesteth himself to such as love him John 14. 23. And if Christ do not manifest himself to us at his Table we shal never be able to discern him aright A manifested Christ is the blessing and beauty of that work even when he manifesteth himself as crucified bleeding to death he is then most lovely and beautiful to the Believer he then sheweth himself dying in pure love and what manifestation of him should be more engaging and overcoming but no eyes can thus profitably behold him except he manifest and shew himself which the lovers of Christ may expect and therefore our love to him should be examined 2. This holy Communion is a banquet of love and therein it might well be said he giveth his loves giving himself and the pledges of his love Cant. 7. 12. And is appointed only for the lovers of Christ they are his friends and beloved who are allowed to eat and drink aboundantly Cant. 5. 1. The lovers of Christ are the only prepared persons for Communion with him for he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God 1 Joh. 4. 16. And no man is capable of Communion with him who wants it love being necessary to true fellowship Ther 's need then to search for it lest Christ have it to say as Joh. 5. 42. I know you that ye have not the love of God in you 3. This grace should be carefully searched for Because we are ready to flatter and deceive our selves with an hypocritical love Ezek. 33. 31. with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousness They make a show of what they have not men are not willing to charge themselves with the want of love to God it appears so hainous and therefore must have it's shadow but their heart is reserved for others and far from God Isa 29. 13. They have removed their heart far from me Yet the poor men were honouring God with their lips 4. Blessed Jesus Christ not only declareth that love is the great Command Matth. 22. 37. But also searcheth most narrowly and pressingly for this grace in his people as appears by questioning Peter 3 times if he loved him until the godly man was grieved fearing his love was suspected This wounded him that he was asked the third time Joh. 21. 17. Christs questions should teach us to question our selves and to be in readiness for such an answer as was then given Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee He could give an account of his love and appeal to the searcher of hearts for it's sincerity and so should we 5. It distresseth serious souls to be in doubt of their love being of the same mind with the
Rom. 6. 16. Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness This therefore should be carefully tried if the course of our life he serious to the Lord if we be indeed his Servants he will make us eat but others shal be hungry his Servants shal eat of the hidden Manna ye shal have his Company when others are far from any Fellowship with him John 12. 26. And where I am there shall also my servant be If any man serve me him will my Father honour As ye would enjoy all these the verie choisest of Mercies 1. To eat the best of Soul Foodâ— 2. To be accepted into near Communion with Christâ— 3. The Father to put honour upon you 4. As ye would Sing for Joy when others houl for vexation of Spirit and 5. As ye would at length serve him and see his Face together Rev. 22. 3. 4. Labour to have it Secured that ye are entred into his service and let it not Discourage you from this search into your serving and obeying of him that ye find great failings for he whose servant ye desire to be hath the tongue of the learned and is able to furnish you with such distinctions as that ye may be found faithful though not perfect Servants he saw it necessary to have that recorded for encouraging all the sincere in heart Matth. 26. 41. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak And that some persons of many failings yet their heart was perfect all their days as Asa 2 Chron. 15. 17. The Lord knoweth how to manage his own peoples heart so as these condescensions shal not be perverted into a Latitude for sinning but only to strengthen when they are under fears that their Service is not accepted this the Apostle Paul Comforteth himself that though he found a Law hindring him from the good he would yet he delighted in the Law of God after the inward man Rom. 7. 22. nor was this Comfort only Paul's but remaineth to be a great Encouragment to every Christian who can say without delusion or dissimulation that he findeth his heart inclined and set upon Obedience to God in all things Psal 119. 112. I have inclined my heart to perform thy Statutes always even unto the end 3. The Lords Table should be approached in obedience to his Command A Communicant should be engadged to that Ordinance not only because of the rich benefites he may expect there if he be seâ—king Christ but because of his Command Do this in remembrance of me and therfore should Examine if a Principle of Obedience â—eadeth â—â—m to that work and for your help to find out the sincerity of your Obedience Examine First if thou seekest the Lords precepts that not only thou endeavourest to perform what thou already knowest but lest any Duty be omitted thou searchest for thy Duty this was a comfort to the man of God Psal 119. 45. I will walk at Liberty because I seek thy precepts Thus we find the man of God so often praying that he would teach him his Law and not hide Commandments from him Psal 119. 19. 2. When Duty is discovered to you and that it 's the present season for such a Duty Dare ye not deferr it conferring with flesh and blood to darken a clear Duty as many do who have no minde to obedience taking pains that it may appear no Duty which once was made clear Disputing their Light into darkness whch becometh a snare to their Souls putting Light for Darkness and darkness for Light Isai 5. 20. But if the Laws of God be so written in thy heart that thou makes haste and delayes not to keep his Commandments as Psal 119. 60. Then thou art in the way to the same Comfort expressed verse 57. Thou art my portion O Lord. 3. Is it not the desire of thy Soul to be always in some obedience to God Psal 119. 44. I will keep thy Law continually art thou afraid to be out of path of Duty at any time never thinking thy self safe but when thou art obeying God even in thy worldly concerns or whatever thou hast to do And canst thou go from one Duty to another willingly as the Lord directeth though thou be engadged in a Duty very pleasant to thee yet if the Lord call thee to another thou goest not grudgingly to it not wishing in thy heart that God had not Commanded it but judging all his Commandments to be Right Psal 119. 128 Thou dare not carve out thy own work thou dare not be wiser than thy Lord saying such a piece of work would do better than that he requires for to be a follower of God is sufficient to thee this is the Principle of his children as Eph. 5. 1. 4. Hath God made thee serious and frequent in Prayer that he would teach thee to do his will not only to know it but do it Psal 143. 10. Teach me to do thy will Dost thou improve the Promise of the new Covenant for new Obedience I will write my Laws in their heart Heb. 8. 10. and drawest grace out of Christs fulness for doing of his will John 1. 16. Go then and get more where he Offereth himself 5. Is it the Rejoycing of thy heart when God helpeth thee to obey with Spiritual cheerful Gospel obedience when he maketh thy feet as Hinds Psal 18. 33. So that thou runnest and dost not weary and if thou find thou hast not Obeyed God from the heart in any Duty though men should give thee applause and be saying God appeared in such a performance yet thy heart is heavy and ready to sink within thee for want of the Testimony of a good Conscience knowing thou didst not serve God in Spirit Dost thou frame thy duties for Gods Eye and not for mans Is pleasing of him thy Study canst thou safely averr it with any confidence in the sight of God that notwithstanding of many failings yet it is thy constant endeavour to please him then thou mayest have Confidence toward God 1 Joh. 3. 21 22. Beloved if our heart condemne us not then have we confidence toward God And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight And for thy Comfort whom God hath made sincere compare this with the words of the same Apostle 1 John 1. 8. If we say that we have nâ— sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Here you may see how these 2. Things consist in the same persons 1 The sense of remaining sin and imperfections and yet 2. The certainty of doing these things that please God whereupon the Conscience is comforted and Holy Confidence ariseth but let that still be remembred that what we do can only be acceptable and our selves accepted in the Beloved 6. Dost thou take care not to be ashamed of thy
16. 6. I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live I die for thee that thou mayest not die I am come that thou mayest have Life then the Blessing of these who were ready to perish are poured out upon the Ransomer Then as Mic. 7. 18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity The deeper thy Sense of Guilt be being joyn'd with some hope of Mercy thou art in the surer way for the rich Consolations of God they that Sowe in Tears shal reap in Joy the Lord hath appointed the Garment of Praise after the spirit of Heaviness Isai 61. 3. 6 And though thou has no fear of Wrath having ground to hope that thou art Reconciled to God by the Blood of Christ Yet come humbly because thy sins are against such Streams of Mercy runing upon thee and passing by others thou knowest that thou hast never lived Suitable to the Greatness of thy Mercy never fully payed thy Vows never Glorified God in body and spirit as it became one not his own but Bought with a Price much is required of thee because much is given thee let the Sense of this go deeper in thy heart for if hope of Pardon make thy sin easie thou has cause to suspect both thy self and thy hope There are no Convictions should be more humbling than foolish requiting of the Lord and no Grief more grieving than grieving of his Spirit who minded our griefs and knew our Souls in adversities Thou will not want Matter of humbling to take with thee to the Lords Table and need of Renewed Application of that Precious Blood If thou open thine eyes to see thy way Jer. 2. 23. 7. Come humbly in the Sense of thy sin that thou mayest value the least of Mercy and the very Crumbs that fall from his Table and if such a full Cup of Consolation be not poured out to thee as to others or as at other times to thy self yet to Justifie God in thy heart not thinking thou hast hard measure not wondering if he hide his face from thee but rather wondring if it shine upon thee considering thy Provocations This true Sense of thy unworthiness will make thee think O that I may have a Cup of Salvation when I go to his Table whether it be a Cup of present Consolation or not And that thou may'st approach with some humbling sense of thy sin Consider that there must be some more deadly poison in sin than we do apprehend when no less doth expiate the guilt than that Blood which is called the Blood of God that no other Sacrifice nor Offering could avail Study O Christian to know more of the demerit of sin the greatness of the Justice of God that would accept of no other Atonement and the greatness of thy deliverance if thou art now a Believer that the weight of wrath is not come upon thee And think with thy self thou by thy sins pierced him thou brought blessed Jesus to sweat these drops of Blood thou pressed on him with the weight of thy sins until he cryeth out My GOD my GOD why hast thou forsaken me Canst thou want a humbling sense of sin and think this was for thee Canst thou yet mind it and not mourn What hateful hearts have we that are not more pierced with the piercing of Christ and a wonder if many of us find an interest in that Death wherewith we are so little concerned 2. Be Particular and Impartial in searching out the Aggravations of thy Sin from thy Youth up and when convictions arise in thy Conscience choke them not but intertain them as a Mercy until they be ripened for gracious humbling Thou may'st soon lay aside thy convictions but not so soon take them up again it may be God gave thee the mercy of many Convictions but thy love to sin has mastered them all that now thy Conscience lets thee sin with ease being seared and thy heart hardned and no wonder for many wakenings of Conscience that still end in security makes our hearts as the Iron many heats and many cools makes the Iron harder 3. But when none of thy Meditations or Convictions can soften thy heart but thou can behold thy sin and not grieve and often confess it yet canst not mourn never get thy heart poured out to God except some weight of Affliction press thee and then thou wilt pour out a prayer when the Lord is chastening thee and when thy affliction is over the pouring out of thy heart is at an end I say when nothing prevaileth with thy obdured heart yet bless God that there is a promised spirit of mourning Zech. 12. 10. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shal mourn Cry to God for this help that thou may'st go to this blessed Ordinance as is expressed Jer. 50. 4. going and weeping and verse 5. joyn thy self to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant CHAP. V. Communion with Christ should be known before Partaking The fourth Inference IF that the worthy Receiver at the Lords Table obtain the Communion of his Body and Blood then Communicants are obliged to understand what that is which is called Communion with Christ before they Partake lest they be found ignorant of it when they Partake Consider then that true Communion with Christ being the happiness and honour of all who obtain it meriteth the greatest seriousness to know how sinful Mortals partake of it And though it be wonderful yet the exceeding riches of free Grace hath made it sure for Believers have the priviledge of entering into the holiest by the blood of Jesus and so obtain a more gracious nearness to God than those who remain only in the outer Court and that this may appear for the incouragement of those who still retain a value for it but fears that this fellowship is reserved wholly for a better life I shal by the help of God shew first that Believers in this life partake a peculiar and intimate fellowship with Christ Secondly It 's preparatory Antecedents whereby they are brought unto it And Thirdly Wherein it consisteth and the way how it 's enjoyed so far as God giveth to understand it I can promise the Reader no more For the First This blessed Communion with the Lord is not only Commanded both in the Old and New Testament Micah 6. 8 walk humbly with thy God Joh. 15. 4. Abide in me I in you so is made the plain Duty of the People of God to seek after it but is also promised Psal 140. 13. The upright shall dwell in thy presence Joh. 14. 23. We will come unto him and make our abode with him So that Believers may expect success to their Prayers and endeavâ—urs after Communion with God For faithful is he who hath promised Heb 10. 23. Secondly The near Union that is between Christ and Believers doth undeniably prove this Communion he being the Head and Believers the Body supplied in every part by the Head
Eph. 4. 16. He the Vine and we the Branches Joh. 15. 5. The very design and scope of these similitudes is to hold forth Christs continued Communications and the Believers Participation Thirdly The experience of the godly who have published it doth also prove its certainty 1 John 1. 3. And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Cant. 2. 3. I sat under his shadow with great delight Fourthly Believers remarking his drawing near and withdrawings from their souls Cant. 5. 1. He hath come into his Garden and Cant. 5. 6. he had withdrawn himself Lam. 3. 57. In the day when I cryed thou drewest near and Psal 13. 1. Why hidest thou thy face c. Fifthly This Communion with Christ is of such necessity that a Believer can do nothing without it and on this account Christ requireth his followers to abide in him Joh. 15. 5. So that they do but discover their ignorance and estrangement from God who think there is no nearer Communion with him necessary than the external administration of Ordinances by the Word and Sacraments for many do enjoy these externally and do only draw near to God with their lips and their hearts far from him Isa 29. 13. The godly man findeth it good to draw near to him and so near as to find him the strenght of his heart Psal 73. 26. That is intimate Communion indeed to have the Lord the strength of a mans heart Oh that our merciful God would give the understanding of this to many who have never thought on so near a help as this for such may well go in the strength of the Lord God to any work he requireth himself being the strength of their heart What if our heart be found as a dried withered branch of a Vine that is fit for no work yet that witheredness shal not be known when he cometh to be the strength of our heart For the second thing proposed how the People of God are brought into this Communion with Christ First The Fountain of it is the eternal and free love of God whereby so many as pleased the Father are given to the Son by that eternal mysterious and merciful transaction between the Father and him and by him to be redeemed and prepared for the everlasting enjoyment of God compare Joh. 17. 6. Thine they were and thou gavâ—st them me with Joh. 6 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me He will effectually draw them into his Communion they shall come unto me and so must meet together 2. According to this glorious transaction in the Covenant of Redemption the eternal Son of God is declared to have his delight with the Sons of men before the foundation of the World Prov. 8. 31. Fore-known unto God are all his Works from the Beginning things future being as present to his intuition So that the Son of God hath always taken pleasure in these of the sons of men who were given him of his Father 3. Pursuant to the same transaction and in order to its accomplishment It pleased the Son of God often to appear before his Incarnation in the similitude of man on earth and converse with Men as a fruit of his eternal delight in them and a prelude of his Incarnation as one hasting this gracious nearness and more conspicuous Communion with him Gen. 32. 24. Jacob was left alone and there wrestled a man with him Dan. 3. 24. He appeareth as a man keeping company with the three godly men in the Furnace and his form appeared also as the Son of God this fourth glorious man made the place designed for torment to the three a place of joy and a very Paradise 4. In order to the same partaking of Communion with God a Covenant of Grace is published which is a marriage Covenant Isa 54. 5. Thy maker is thine husband 2 Cor. 11. 2. I have espoused you to one husband by vertue of this honourable relation Believers may plead for his dwelling with them in this holy Communion 5. In due time the Son of God was Incarnate taking unto him our nature that his Fellowship might be the more agreeable to our nature and we come the more familiarly unto him and thereby to have the more feeling Sympathy with us Heb. 2. 14. For asmuch then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death and ver 18. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Having taken our nature he continued for some time in the World and conversed with men especially his own Joh. 1. 15. He dwelt among us and we beheld his glory And though this people were not always to have his bodily presence Yet at that time he did manifest so much of his power meekness patience and mercy that thereby he did facilitate the knowledge of spiritual Communion with him some also beheld his glory and had Spiritual Communion with him while he was in the World 6. After he had given a gracious taste of his Fellowship and given instructions for its continuance in a spiritual manner in his own appointed time he purchased reconciliation for all that were given him laying down his life for them that being reconciled by his Blood they might be capable of Fellowship being agreed they might walk together and 1. Pet. 3. 18. The just suffered for the unjust that he might bring us to God and Eph 2. 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ So that his suffering were to bring his People into this gracious Fellowship with God 7 In order to their actual Fellowship with him he qualifieth them by pouring out of his Spirit Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart will I give and a new spirit will I put within you Whereby they are made meet for the Masters use as a sanctified People 2 Tim. 2 21. Without this there could be no Communion with a holy God our perverse natures being rather inclined to hide our selves from him and say Let the Almighty depart from us but by the renewing of the Holy Ghost they have the spirit of Love whereby the desire of their soul is toward him his Fellowship comes to be their deliberate and delectable choice So great a change doth the spirit of Grace make Eph. 2. 22. In whom also you are builded together for an habitation of God through the spirit And by the same spirit they obtain the grace of Faith which is a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. And by this Faith they receive Jesus Christ himself John 1. 12. Then we are united to Christ by receiving him and being united to him he dwelleth in our hearts by Faith Eph. 3. 17. So that Communion with Christ doth infallibly follow upon our union with him for where he is
appointed to an eternity mind where it shall be whither with Christ or with Devils a little more time will discover it and time is precious on this very account that we are as yet called into fellowship with the Son of God and may have hope of such a beginning of it here as nothing present or to come shall separat 1 Cor. 1. 9. Blessed Jesus Christ hath opened a door for it by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail that is to say his flesh Heb. 10. 10. He hath opened his door and standeth knocking knocking at our doors for this fellowship He hath a desire to use his Followers as Friends and to admit them unto a comfortable Communion with him Joh. 15. 15. Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his lord doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you Which is not so to be understood as if they were no more to serve him for when they are at their best his servants shall serve him and see his face Rev. 22. 3. and well may it serve the best of them at their best But the matter is that Believers are admitted to more than the ordinary priviledge of Servants which is to have great Mysteries and Secrets communicated to them for so our Lord explaineth it the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have made known to you c. He sometimes openeth the very secret counsel of God to them the Father himself loveth you Joh. 16. 27. and Psal 25. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him This leadeth me to the second thing proposed That Believers are made active in entertaining this communion wherein Christ and the Believer do intimatly converse together as Friends tho' with a due distance on their part this communion is the very life of a Believer Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me this only maketh the Believer fruitful Joh 16. 4. Abide in me and I in you As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the vine for the better understanding of this actual fellowship with Christ I shall premit these few things First That tho' the Infinite and Immense Divine Majesty be not far from every one of us For in him we live and move and have our being Act. 17. 28. Yet as to his gracious presence some are said to be far off Ps 73. 27. They that are far from thee shall perish and we are required to draw nigh to him Jam. 4. 8. and these who were far off are made nigh Eph. 2 13. So that these Expressions of being near unto or far from God are Scriptural and therefore should not be mistaken or stumbled at by any on the account that God is every where present 2. There is no special and gracious communion with Christ where there is not first union with him by faith some wonder they have not that communion with Christ that they read and hear of but consider not the reason that they are not agreed and so cannot walk together How confidently and I fear ignorantly do some speak of communion with God as if it were due to them who as yet are uncapable of it until they be reconciled to God there being no entering into the holiest but by the blood of Jesus 3. After a poor sinner is united to Christ by faith he is never altogether deprived of some communion with him Joh. 14. 19. Because I live ye shall live also and Christ dieth no more and vers 23. We will make our abode with him And he that believeth shall never die Joh. 11. 26. 4. Yet every Believer is not admitted to the same degree of nearness as to the manifestations of Gods gracious presence every believer getteth not his face to shine with that glory as Moses Exod. 34. 29. Yet he manifesteth himself to all who firmly love him Joh 14. 23. 5. The best of Believers obtain not in this life that degree of nearness which sometimes they desire when Moses got his face to shine yet was he covered with the hand of God and did see but his back-parts after he had beseeched God to shew him his glory Exod. 33. 18 22 23. 6. Nor doth one and the same Believer enjoy the same degree of this nearness at all times Moses had fellowship with God before that time his face did shine so the Disciples who were on the Mount must come down and take share with other Believers of that which was ordinary you may be sitting under Christs shaddow with great delight this day and in a little time crying out saw ye him whom my soul loveth my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone Cant. 5. 6. 7. Sometimes Believers do not discern in the very time how near they are unto God and he to them Gen. 28. 18. Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not And sometimes he maketh them know distinctly that they have fellowship with him Cant. 5. 1. and and themselves can give an account of their fellowship Cant. 3. 4. I found him whom my soul loveth I held him c. 8. There is sometimes strengthning communion with Christ when their comfort is not so great as at other times Psal 138. 3. In the day when I cryed thou answeredst me and strengthnedst me with strength in my soul Here is prayer and an answer to it which is blessed communion with God and is made out by the strengthning of the soul so Paul 2 Cor. 12. 8. He besought the Lord thrice and obtaineth a strengthning answer vers 9. My grace is sufficient for thee this the Lord said to him giving it him as his answer this also was true communion and sometimes there is great delight in this fellowship the Lord is free to dispose of it as he will Cant. 2. 3. I sat under his shaddow with great delight Ps 63. 7. Because thou hast been my help therefore in the shaddow of thy wings will I rejoyce Who can but rejoyce when they know they are admitted to such an habitation the wings of the Almighty spread about them It s also seriously to be observed that when the Children of God make mention of their great joy in communion with him they are found usually clearing the soundness of their joy by the gracious help that their souls partake of so in this Scripture because thou hast been my help I find it was true communion I had by the help I got and therefore it is allowed joy Psal 28. 7. My heart trusted in him and I am helped therefore my heart greatly rejoyceth Here is communion with the Lord for his heart trusted and the Lord helped and finding this help he greatly rejoyceth It s necessary for the people of God to try any joy they have in holy dutiâ—s whence it ariseth because some may have delight
in acts of worship and yet have no fellowship with God as Isa 58. 2. And many are apt to think if they have joy and pleasure in these duties that then doubtless they have fellowship with God which becometh a snare to them not considering the deep deceit and hypocrisie of mans heart which can easily stretch it self in the externals of Religion and that with pleasure that thereby they may think themselves religious as well as to be thought so by others this yieldeth them some delight and so much the more that notwithstanding of all they perform in Religion they can reserve their lusts and Idols of heart entire even the whorish woman can delight in her peace-offerings to God that she may have the more peace in her wickedness Prov. 7. 14 15. It s her delight that she can please God well enough with a show and ceremony of Religion and her heart and practice go to her own pleasure therefore therefore all delight in worship is not found and will not prove fellowship with God for natural Vivacity the exercise of common Gifts hope that it will please God and sometimes hope of the applause of men may and doth go a great length to make these Duties pleasant where there is neither joy in the Lord nor sanctifying communion with him That which is indeed the joy of the Lord is strengthning to us Neh. 8. 10. The joy of the Lord is your strength And if you be admitted to gracious nearness so as to behold him we shall thereby be in some measure changed into the same image 2 Cor. 3. 18. These spiritual advances in godlinese and conformity to the image of the Son of God are the safest indications and proofs of the truth of our communion with God 9. Consider also that this Communion with God is to be found both in our worship and walk for where he recordeth his Name he cometh to his people he meeteth with them and blesseth them Exod. 29. 43. As also in their practice Isai 64. 5. He meeteth him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness these things being premised let us now consider how this blessed Communion between Christ and believers doth appear First There is a peculiar knowledge that Christ and Believers have of each other John 10. 14. I am the good shepherd I know my sheep and am known of mine Though he knoweth all things yet he knoweth them in in a special manner with approbation and for his enemies because they are rejected he saith Matth 7. 23. Depart I know yow not And therefore he Manifesteth himself where he designs to make abode Joh. 14. 21 23. They know his voice Cant. 2. 8. The voice of my beloved behold he cometh and verse 14. He knoweth their voice Let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice strangers who never converse know not the voice of one another they who are His know His voice that they will follow his voice and will flie from the voice of a stranger Joh. 10. 45. They know his voice when he speaketh to them by his Ordinances and when they observe his voice there they attend knowing the danger of souls to take the voice of strangers for his they know his call and knock Cant. 5. 2 It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh saying Open to me and he understandeth their secret moans Jer. 31. 18. I have heard Ephrain bemoaning himself Thus Christ and Believers have a peculiar way of acquaintance that is unknown to others 2. They mutually mind others in love he hath them ever graven on the palms of his hands Isai 49. 16. And they remember him in his ways and these the Lord meeteth with Isai 64. 5. Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness those that remember thee in thy ways He is the good High Priest that beareth the names of his people on his heart and the desire of their soul goeth toward him Isai 26. 8. It is the Believers great joy to think that he mindeth him Psal 40. 17. I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinketh upon me how satisfying is it to cordial friends when they are assured that what ever they be yet are affectionatly minded by a friend of worth If a man live until most of his intimate friends are gone what a bare comfortless World do they leave him when friends and familiars are put far from him he sees none that he can unbosom his soul to this maketh the World like a very wilderness to him but here is a brother born for the day of adversity when father and mother or most Sympathizing friends are removed yet he is the same yesterday to day and for ever he supplieth all and often dearest friends are removed from Believers that Christ himself may be their all that himself may have their heart and fellowship more intirely they used to run to their Sympathizing friends with every grief and it may be before they went to Christ with it which Christ observing in any with whom he determines fellowship turneth the Cisterns utterly dry one way or another and then the man must come to the Fountain or faint Blessed Jesus loves to be remembred by his people he writeth a Book of remembrance for them who thought upon his Name Mal. 3. 16. Complaines when they forget him Jer. 2. 32. My people have forgotten me days without number But when his people come to be well acquainted with the blessings of his fellowship the meditation of him becomes sweet Psal 104. 34. The love they have to him makes remembering of him habitual native and in some respect easie rather a pain to be long without thoughts of him and the same love makes it most uneasie to be forgotten by him it is as Death to them if they think their Lord forgetteth them Psal 88 5. Free among the dead like the slain that lie in the grave whom thou rememberest no more 3. There is pains taken for this blessed fellowship on both sides though the unequality be greater than we can imagine he being at the greatest Pains and Expence who hath no need of such company yet he is found standing and knocking at our Door pursuing this fellowship Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the Door I well come in to him and will sup with him and he with me It is Communion with thee I am seeking and let me have it I will Sup with thee and it shall not be at thy Charges I will bear the Cost all is provided and you shall find it meat indeed how many wonders are in this love that the Prince of the Kings of the Earth should thus urge our nearness as if he were to have some great Prize is this the manner of men Where did you ever hear of a King in possession of his Kingdom and Splendor come to a poor mans Door and stand there waiting for a word of him or to let him in to do him
account of their soundness in the Faith nor declare a consent to receive Christ as Redeemer and Lord or Thirdly Are of such ungodly conversation that they testify themselves to be strangers to Christ and the power of his grace these persons while they continue such could not but profane the Lords Supper and therefore should consider that they deprive themselves of that benefit For Ministers must not transgress the Laws of Christ to humour men nor must they be partakers of other mens Sins who would precipitate themselves into that heinous guilt of the Body and Blood of the Lord. 7ly And these who are thus debarred should not take this censure as if they were totally rejected but rather for their present good to prevent the guilt of eating and drinking unworthily and for the time to come should pray and endeavour to be qualified for partaking with others in that holy Ordinance CHAP. VIII Believers should come to the Lords Supper with Faith and Expectation The seventh Inference THis holy Ordinance being the Communion of Christs Body and Blood then Believers should approach it with Faith and Expectation of this blessed Communion And that the Believer is obliged to this Faith and Expectation Consider First I hat Believers must render unto Christ the honour due to his faithfulness since he maketh an offer of himself saying take eat then we are to believe in our hearts he will be present making good his offer to the believing Receiver otherwise we dishonour him as if what he saith and offereth were not to be trusted which would run us unto deep guilt besides that it would render the whole transaction on our part Faithless Void and Unprofitable this therefore should be carefully adverted that there be no suspition of the truth of Christs offer or his faithfulness lest we profane that holy Name who will not suffer his faithfulness to fail Psal 89. 33. This his honour should be most dear to thee who was so dear to him as to make his soul an offering for thy sin and now offereth himself to be thine Come therefore believingly to the Lords Table trusting him who is truth it self Joh. 14. 6. Secondly The whole of this holy work must be managed by Faith for we have no other way of seeing him with whom we are to have Communion but by Faith though now we see him not yet we believe 1 Pet. 1 8. Faith is now our eye to behold him ye go to the Lords Supper in Faith of a Divine Institution ye go to it believit's your duty by Christs Command ye go to it believing he was slain and is alive ye go to it believing he hath provided a way for Interest in his Body and Blood and are to go to it actually believing in him for your personal partaking of this Communion so that Faith is required in all the parts of it and grounds laid down for the Believers comfortable Expectation 3ly Come to it with Expectation for herein thou art about thy Lord and Masters service which he requireth thou needest not fear it to be said who hath required this at thine hâ—â—d for himself hath required it and ther 's still good to be expected in doing of his Will Rev. 22. 14. Your labour shal not be in vain for ye serve the Lord Christ Col. 3. 24. Blessed are all his attendants whose care is to serve him For Christ saith Where I am there shall also my servant be Joh. 12. 26. Thou mayest expect he will be with thee at his Table who art his servant in sincerity 4ly Come in Faith and Hope for the promise is to him that believeth Gal. 3. 22. Believing is the only sure way for this blessed Fellowship and your seeing the glory of God in his power and mercy toward you Consider your need of the Lords appearing for your good and do not obstruct your mercy by mischief remember what is said Mat. 13. 58. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief If he shal say according to thy Faith so be it unto thee and thou hast no Faith then blame thy self if no mighty works be done for thee for he will not humour thy misbelief Labour then not only to have some actings of Faith but being strong in it giving glory to God devise liberally of thy God seek that he will deal bountifully with thee and remember what is said Mat. 15. 28. O woman great is thy saith be it unto thee even as thou wilt 5ly If thou comest not to this Ordinance with Expectation thou wilt be ready to think the matter is not great whether thou partake or not for thou expectest no great benefit by it and so any trivial excuse will prevail to let it alone for our natural corruption is so strong and our grace commonly so weak that pure Duty of it self doth not always engage us without some prospect of advantage but when our own good appeareth in the work then we have an argument from our own souls to resist obstructions standing in the way of this profit and if thou should go forward and partake yet thy expectations being languide thy seriousness will too readily be proportioned to thy hope and languid also but remember that proclamed gracious Name Exod. 34. 6. Is in a peculiar manner recorded in this Ordinance and having recorded his Name he will come and bless his people Exod. 20. 24. 6ly Endeavour to approach the Lords Table with expectation of good that ye may be able to encourage others to the same Duty many of you will have the occasion to see and speak with one another before ye partake and out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth will be speaking for which cause ye should observe where there is need of strengthning the hands of weak and doubting persons and purposely let something fall which may be gathered by others for their encouragement as in thy own Family when thou art considering who of thy children or servants may be most ripened for that holy Ordinance who had never yet the confidence to presume it yet drop words of encouragement by shewing the excellent things to be there obtained the happiness of those who indeed receive Christ the dignity and mercy of being solemnly engaged to Christ the comfort of having a Pledge of his love the mercy of being admitted unto such near communion with him thus a word may be blessed for engaging others in that Duty which may be their blessing for ever Whereas on the other hand if thy mouth be filled with complaints and others hear thee saying thou hast no great benefit by Communions thou questions whether thou wilt go to the Lords Table or not especially if thou be a person noted for Religion these who hear such Discourse being weak will be tempted to think what a fool am I to take in any thoughts of communicating when such an eminent Christian speaketh so meanly of it as if little or no profit were to be had I
trying whether they have Communicated acceptablly or Unworthily they must distinguish between their being helped to perform the Substance of the work then required and having their Graces revived and elevated by the shining of God's Face upon them because a Believer may sincerely receive Christ Offered to him in the Sacrament when â—â—ere is not such lifting up of God's Countenance upon him as at other times a Believer may be under some deserved rebuke even at the Lord's Table and yet he cleaveth to Christ though hiding his face and affectionatly Embraceth Him though his affections be not raised to that hight that they have been and should be 3. There is great need of wisdom from God how to Judge of the passions of mens souls in time of communicating for some men may have great flashes of Grief or joy at such times who know no such thing at other times or if they should be so at other times yet no better than the weeping of an Esau or the joy of an Hypocrite which soon perisheth others again at the same work may have true Godly sorrowing melting down their hearts before the Lord in the Sense of their sin and sometimes the Joy of the Lord 's true Spiritual comfort replenishing their fouls so that they find it unspeakable and these elevated affections having a sincere Root flowing from indignation at sin or Love to Christ are most desireable so that it should or will be painful to a Believer if he find not some gale of affections suitable in some measure to the love he is receiving and publishing at the Lord's Table nor will it abate his regard to these due affections that an Hypocrite may have the Counterfit of them Fourthly Such Believers as doubt of their acceptance at the Lord's Table which doubt doth often arise from people not being comforted at that time or the lowness of their graces not acting vigourously when they were Partaking such Communicants I say for preventing of disponding disquiet of mind must in Reviewing their work Consider if that which was indispensably necessary was performed that is the souls receiving of Christ as He is offered in the Gospel and offereth Himself to His people in that Ordinance if the heart was opened for Him and He embraced then the most Substantial part of the VVork was performed though there be Cause to Mourn that the affections were so low at such enriching and Honourable work yet Bless God if thou wast enabled to Joyn thy self to the Lord for the Ordinance is not profaned and though thou wast a weak yet not an unworthy Communicant It may also contribute to thy Comfort if when thou comest from the Lord's Table thou findest in thy Soul First an Inclination to Praise and Exalt thy Redeemer and for this particularly that He did not utterly forsake thy soul as thou knowest was deserved and though thou had a Rebuke by the hiding of His Face as to thy Comfort yet thou submits to it and does not cease to love Him knowing that He can make a Blessing of that froun to render thee more humble and diligent for the time to come 2. If thou find a desire to hold fast what thou hast received Thou art so far from having done with Christ when thou has done at the Table that thy heart cleaveth close to Him and so much the more if thou had any fear of His anger by withdrawing of His Comfort if thou canst not sray from Him but must have some renewed Testimony of His Love fear of His anger being too heavy for thee to bear Job 10. 2. Psal 80. 7. Thirdly VVhen thou comes from the Lord's Table thou findest upon thy heart a fear of sinning that thy Lord be not provocked more and this fear is of any manner of sinning so that there is no Trial or trouble thou fearest so much as sin and so much the more because thou thinkest thy sin hath provocked thy God already thy indignation is now raised against all sin as thy greatest Enemy making thee long to be Delivered from Root and Branch of it Rom. 7. 24. Fourthly If this thy Indignation at sin be Testifyed by thy watching against it and all Temptations leading to it though it were as Plucking out of the Right Eye if thou find thy heart Purified then thou has the Faith of God's Elect the cleansing Vertue of Christ's Blood hath reached thy Soul for nothing else could do it 1 Peter 1. 19 22. Fifthly If thou comest from the Lord's Table with this fixed on thy heart that from henceforth whatever come in thy way thou wilt Believe let the Difficulty be never so far above thy Strength thou wilt Honour thy Redeemer by Trusting Him with any thing without exception thou has now Professed thy self a Believer before Angels and men and by Grace thou wilt act as becometh a Believer thou fearest sin thou fearest Temptations thou wants not fear that the Burden of some Trials is ready to breake thy Back but now thou dare fear none of them with a faithless fainting fear knowing thy Redeemer is Strong and that thou art Solemnly Engaged to Trust Him at all times If this be the fruit of thy Communicating then the Bond of the Covenant hath bound thy heart to thy Lord then thy heart beareth the Impression of His Seal Psal 52. 8. Sixthly Since thou came from the Lord's Supper observe what Gracious alterations are to be found in thy Soul and Practice that were not found before what thou can find of that exceeding great and Mighty Power whereby the Lord worketh in them that believe if thou has not only brought Godly resolutions from that Ordinance but vertue and power if thou can observe more of the Spirit of Power in thy Duties if there be any observable new spring that decayed Graces are revived if thy sin be languishing and Grace flowrishing if whatever Holy work thou art Engaged in some vigour Life and strength appeareth thou art not now desiring to shift clear Duties thy heart and thy work go now together which often before were far asunder thou now takest delight in doing thy Lord's VVill thou can run now and not weary as formerly if this be found then the Lord hath abundantly Blessed thy Provision thy Meat hath been thy Blessing and thou mayest now find it even as Christ said His flesh Meat indeed and His Blood Drink indeed I shal add but one word more to such as still fear they did not Communicate acceptably even as to the very Substance of the work and cannot say they Believed when they did Partake Answ This Fear is very afflicting but some who find not comfort at a Communion are so cast down and so disturbed in their apprehensions concluding the Lord hath diserted them that they can see nothing for their Comfort and sometimes refuse to be comforted having a strange kind of pleasure to harden themselves in sorrow though they did Believe in the time of Partaking yet now they have not an
good I think this passeth all thoughts but silent Admiration yet he standeth there till he complain that his Locks are wet with the drops of the night Cant. 5. 2. This increaseth the wonder but however wonderful glory to God that we safely may and must believe it on the other hand the Believer having tasted of the blessings of his fellowship cryeth out O when wilt thou come unto me Psal 101. 2 and Cant. 1. 7. Let me know where thou feedest that I may feed there I can feed no where but where thou art this meeting cannot but hold at last when both are on the way to other 4. And when the Believer doth so meet with Christ as that he knoweth he is come by the lifting up of his countenance with how great joy is he received Isa 12. 1. Tho' thou wast angry yet thou hast turned away from thine anger and comforted me now thou art become my song and my salvation how meanly do they think of any pains they have been at in seeking after him Cant. 3. 4. It was but a little farther that I went and I found him whom my soul loveth If it were to do I would go on tho' I should be torn by the way for it 's as life from the dead when he cometh and bringeth healing under his wings then it is that they sit down under his shaddow with great delight his countenance is the health of their countenance Psal 42. 11. Then their Graces have a reviving and a new Spring then their Spiknard casteth forth its smell when the king sitteth at his table Cant. 1. 12. Then it is that worldly Comforts become insipid and of no value then it is they say what have I to do any more with idols Hos 14. 8. When they sit under his shaddow they know then that no idols ever gave them such entertainment then they can say their Lines are fallen in pleasant places What out of Heaven can be compared to that complyancy between Christ and Believers when they can without terrour converse with God and solace their souls in him He delighting in them Isa 62. 4. And they delighting in him Isa 58. 14. And commanded to do it Psal 37. 4. This made the godly Martyers go through Flames chearfully to the full possession of this Fellowship 5. In this Communion there is great freedom on both sides the Lord allowing them to pour out their hearts before him Psal 62. 8. And they accordingly as Psal 142. 2 3. I poured out my complaint before him I shewed before him my trouble When my spirit was over whelmed within me then thou knewest my path They willingly expose all that is in their heart before him and are content he search them Psal 139. 23. It would be an affliction to them if their nearest friends knew all that is in their hearts but a sincere Soul desires to conceal nothing from him but rather desires his help to search fearing there may be evils in them which they cannot search out themselves they dare not proudly boast as if nothing evil were to be found in them but humbly beg that he would see and heal what they see not and so far as they know they lay their hearts open before him their most secret sins complaining how they prevail against them such evils as they could reveal to none on earth so also their Doubts and Temptations their Griefs their Fears and what they desire most all their desire is before him Psal 38. 9. And blessed Jesus Christ is faithful to them and free with them both as to necessary reproofs I have somewhat against thee Rev. 2. 4. And as to encouragement Thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word Rev. 3. 8. and Psal 25. 14. He sheweth them his Covenant he openeth it up to their understandings and there they find all their Salvation there they find relief as to their Sins Doubts and Fears there they find their victory secured for The secret of tho Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his covenant 6. In this Communion there is still desire for more nearness to Christ Cant. 8. 6. Set me as a seal upon thy heart What boldness of Love is Oh is there nothing will satisfie less than Christs heart They must be placed there for his love is their happiness 2. They desire it may be made evident for their comfort as by a Seal that thereby they may read his desires is toward them this secureth their comfort when they can say his desire is towards me Cant. 7. 10. If it be thought never so great ambition yet sincere love to Christ is kept in pain without some evidence of the love of his heart his mercies are sweet his graces very sweet but his heart is sweetest of all I question if there be any sincere love to Christ where this is not desired though such an habitation such a seat as the heart of Christ cannot be enjoyed without admiration 3. When it 's said set me as a Seal c. That is ratisie and confirm this my Interest in thee and Communion with thee as by a Seal that thy love shal be my allowance and Communion with thee my priviledge for ever 4. When it 's said set thou me as a Seal is as much as an humble acknowledgement Lord I cannot place my self where I would be I cannot bring my own soul to this near Communion with thee but I commit it to thee who can draw my heart to thy heart I trust thy efficacious power that what ever be my natural aversness to such holy Communion yet my heart is under thy dominion thou canst prepare and form it for thy self all this Salvation is thy own doing thou canst bear me up to this eminent part of it to be so near as on thy heart Therefore it 's my humble request that thou set me there the Spouse doth not say I will set my self there but set thou me as a Seal c. It 's observable that after Moses had near Communion with God on the Mount yet he still presseth for more Exod. 33. 13. I beseech thee shew me thy glory What he had obtained did but excite his desires for more and so it is with all who have the true beginning of Communion with God in this life though they have it not in the manner Moses had the Communications that Believers receive here are discoveries of a greater beauty and glory yet before them these foretasts captivate their love and desire so as they cannot but pursue for greater discoveries the first fruits they have found are so sweet to their taste that the more they get the more they hunger Rom. 8. 23. 7. That which Believers obtain in Communion with God is so strengthning and comfortable that the hideing of his face is most bitter Psal 30 7. Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled If there be no grief of heart upon the hiding of his Face
there is just cause of fear that such persons have not known the shining of his Face as on the other hand these who diligently observe the Lords withdrawing from their souls and are forthwith pained and wounded for his absence do thereby testifie their acquaintance with the blessings of his presence especially if their grief be that they have provoked him to withdraw that his withdrawing is not only as to comfort but as to the measure of strengthning Grace formercy allowed them the very fear of the Lords deserting doth often mix water in the best of their wine that until Christ and they be at home in their Fathers Kingdom their brightest and most serene days are often overcast with clouds and therefore when they do enjoy his gracious presence fearing some alteration though not of their fixed gracious estate yet of their present blessings cry out Stir not up nor awake my love till c. Cant. 2. 7. O that he would stay and not leave my soul destitute and when the Cloud covereth them O what a damp it giveth then Darkness Jealousies Fears arise as Job 29. 1. O that I were as in moneths past when his candle shined on my head ver 2 3 4. As I was in the days of my youth when the secret of God was upon my Tabernacle when the Almighty was yet with me This godly mans desires were fulfilled for Job 4. 2. So the Lord turned the captivity of Job and ver 12. blessed his latter end more than his beginning But many now come to old age are almost hopless that they shal ever in this life be as in the days of their youth and decline so far that they tempt themselves to doubt if ever the Almighty was with them and his secret on their Tabernacle 8. Where true Communion with God is there its perfection is desired not only to have that measure continued which is here allowed but to be for ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4. 18. Here their Fellowship is but as seeing through a Glass there it 's often interrupted as to its comforts here a body of sin is still pressing them downward to this Earth that they get not their Affections staid and fixed on things Above here they are surrounded with snares and temptations such as have made strong Cedars to shake And therefore having already the first fruits of a better Countrey they desire to be where he is who hath taken up their hearts to himself For to be with Christ they sincerely think best of all and Heb. 11. 16. But now they desire a better countrey that is an heavenly It 's not some extraordinary persons only who are of this mind but all true Believers for Rev. 22 17. The spirit and the bride say Come Christ saith I come quickly and they agree even so come Lord Jesus The crown of righteousness is laid up for all who love his appearing 2 Tim. 4. 8. So that it 's dangerous for a Christian to want desires of this nature for they are consistent with submission to his appointed time but since the Crown is laid up for such as love his appearing every Christian is concerned to try whether the meditations of that day be his terrour or delight these being a few of the great blessings found in Communion with God there remaineth yet one difficulty which perplexeth some serious souls that is how to have this blessed Communion ordinary so as they may be said to walk with God knowing that this walking with him is more than to perform some stated Duties of VVorship the grounds whence this difficulty ariseth are First They hear and read of abideing in Christ Joh. 15. 4. Setting the Lord always before our eyes Psal 16. 8. of waiting on God continually Hos 12. 6. of resorting continually unto him Psal 71 3 When they think on such Scriptures and withal the regard God hath to such as remember him in his ways Isa 64. 5. And such as thought on his Name Mal. 3 16. And his Indignation against these who forget God Psal 50. 22. These and the like passages being laid to heart they think that God should be always actually remembred some few find great disquiet if any considerable portion of time be spent without thoughts of God On the other hand they find themselves concerned in worldly affairs or Reading Studying c. Which cannot be managed without serious and suitable thoughts to the work they are about God clearly calleth them to these other things it were sin in them to ruine their families and neglect the duties of their station some of which duties may require a considerable portion of time and seriousness in that time now their strait is how to manage these external necessary Duties without sinful forgetting of God Answ 1. Whatever weakness may be found in this difficulty yet it appears to flow from a good root of love to God and fellowship with him it 's a savoury kind of trouble yet 2. It 's not safe for a Christian to arraign himself for a forgetter of God when he is serving God in the duties of his station but 3. It will be found that the bitterest ingredient of this accusation is when there is opportunity for remembring God without obstructing any other duty that these opportunities are not improved and for the help of such who find trouble of this nature as I know some for many years afflicted with it I shal propose but these 4 things leaving their usefulness to the blessing of God 1. The continued exercise of the love of God 2. Performing our external Duties as obedience to God 3. Frequent retirements to God and 4. many ejaculations For the First The lively exercise of the love of God makes the remembrance of him delectable a Christian hath a great advantage when the desire of his soul goes to it for then he is so far from grudging that God have his affectionat thoughts that he cannot be easily kept from them this being one of the strong constraints of Love to think on the object Beloved you may observe the Spouse in the Book of Canticles cannot be kept long from the thoughts of her Beloved either seeking after him or delighting in his Fellowship or commending him to others Christs love is the surest Bond on the soul to prevent sinful forgetting and if it decay your thoughts and meditations will decay with it but vigorous love will make you both embrace and seek for opportunities of converse with him and the meditations of him sweet Psal 104. 34. For the 2d Even our external duties should be performed as obedience to God Therefore 1. Take nothing in hand but what is Duty 2. And present Duty for God hath appointed a season for every Work Eccl. 3. 4. 3. Do what is Duty because it 's Duty because God requireth it For a man may do that which upon the matter is Duty and yet not to do it because God requireth it and then he cannot
will give it over and thus some poor tender smoaking Flax may be quenched by your means and if compassionate Iesus be tender of them as no doubt he will yet no thanks to you who are guilty by casting water on their little coal which could have quench't it if a better friend had not kept it in life It may not be amiss to consider in this place what may be the reasons that so few professing Christians go to the Lords Supper with this necessary believing expectation seing its dishonourable to our blessed Redeemer obstructeth our own good and is often found prejudicial to others Ans First It will be found that the seeds of Atheism and unbelief of Gods Word and Promise hath a deep hand in this wo. Ah! few Christians by profession are established in the truth men do not will not lay this to heart tho' they often hear it and I fear are disgusted because they so often hear it proud Nature taking it heavily to be charged with unfixedness in the Faith and these disrelishing such warnings most who have most need of them I wish the Reader concerned in this retire to his own Conscience and put the question closly home do I firmly believe the history of Christs Passion And that Salvation is by no other Name I speak not now of mens perswasion that Christ hath loved them and washed them in his own Blood but mens perswasion that he was dead and is alive Iâ— ye will not try your unfixedness in fundamental Truths in season you may soon come to know your misbelief by experience to your grief in an hour of temptation or at the hour of death try therefore in time what ye believe and on what grounds seek to be fixed in the faith of Christ and his truth otherways your expectations will still be faint Nor do I speak here of such perswasion and fixedness in the truth as is inconsistent with any degree of doubting for here we know but in part but that which I speak is against that dangerous unfixedness that hath no degree of perswasion under which too many are perishing Secondly But some others are not so much discouraged by misbelief of this nature as by their fears that Christ will have no regard to them that he will never honour them with such communion with himself others they grant may have it but for themselves they look for nothing but a dry Fleece when others are wet they have deserved no better and expect no better Ans If our mercies be dispensed according to deserving then we may all stop together and proceed no further But blessed be God that our expectations depend on free gree grace I will freely love them Hos 14. 4. 2. Hath he not regarded thee already in opening thine eyes to see thy wretchedness which thou didst not see before Doth he not discover Diseases in order to a remedy If he had no regard to thee he could have suffered thee to run on in presumption and sit down at his Table without ever minding a wedding Garment and made thy rising thy terrour but now he preventeth it by making thee consider what thou art about Therefore 3. If thou would be regarded at his Table and accepted know that a garment of Salvation will cover all thy spots give praise that this Garment is ready for the putting on give praise that its not only provided for the putting it on but himself puteth it on Isa 61 10. He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation Give praise that ever any poor sinners were secured of these garments and render praise that there is a minut of time left thee to beg these garments that fine Linnen of the Saints under which covering thou canst not be despised noâ— thy holy Expectation disappointed Thirdly Others faint in their expectations because tho' they have been often at the Lords Table yet they never get great profit Ans and whose fault was this If thy misbelief deprived the of the communications of grace where wilt thou leave thy complaint For he warned thee that mighty works were not to be expected where unbelief had the dominion thou mayest go to a hundred Communions and never be the better if thou dost not believe nor draw out of the Wells of salvation therefore if thou hast a sincere value for Communion with Christ if thou would not always carry away a bad report of that enriching Ordinance if thou would'st prevent a contempt of it in thy own soul consider seriously what hath been thy manner of communicating formerly see thy way wherein thy particular defects have been thy neglect of preparation thy hypocrisie thy lukewarmness in the whole of the work and thy misbelief at the work repent of these evils that thou mayest not say thou had a hard Master but an hard heart Fourthly Others are discouraged in their expectations because they observe not others who frequent Communions much bettered in their conversations This I grant is for a lamentation that so few appear like communion with Christ yet it is not so with all and tho' they were but few as Isa 17. 6. a few berries in the utmost fruitful branches Its Gods great mercy when some are preserved as Witnesses against a declining generation who not only are made suitable to a publick solemn Communion but such as rarely any thing can be discovered in their practice that is not consistent with present fellowship with God tho' possibly ye discern it not as being ignorant of walking with God your selves 2. If this be thy regrate that that thou seest so few fruitful Christians after Communions then labour to add one to the number of these few lest others be discouraged by thy practice also Thirdly However it be as to partakers tho many prove very unfruitful yet this is never occasioned by want of provision being allowed to eat and drind abundantly and the hungry are filled with good things and many have found their souls made as a watered Garden in attending this holy Ordinance O that we were stirring up our selves and stirring up one another to pray down such showers of Blessings as hath been found at Communions in the days of old CHAP. IX Objections of doubting Christians answered The eighth Inference THe eighth Inference from the words is That seing so great a benefit as the Communion of Christs Body and Blood may be had in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper then Christians are obliged to endeavour the removal of all Objections and stumbling Blocks that stand in the way to obstruct their partaking of this Benefit Before the particular Objections be mentioned I shall premit these few things First That all professed Christians should make conscience not to pretend Scruples and Objections where there is none for where the Conscience is not really burdened with some difficulty it s but hypocrisie to frame Objections against peoples partaking of the Lords Supper that they may appear more serious than others the heart of man is
so desperatly wicked and deceitful that some have need of this Caution 2dly Yet on the other hand when some are exhorted to prepare for the Lords Supper especially young people who did never partake before if fears and doubts arise in their hearts whereby they stand in need of counsel and help of the more experienced they should not deprive themselves of that help fearing they may be thought Hypocrites or get a name of more seriousness than they deserve as some have kept up their doubts from all others until their doubts were too strong for them and brough them under such distress that it had been much their advantage to have revealed them sooner 3dly Where stumbling Blocks are such as may be removed with a little pains or some more humility all should make conscience of getting them removed As fore Instance if there be variance betwixt persons where a little true humility would cure all in confessing of wrongs and injuries done to others or forgiving injuries then men should go to the utmost against their own pride and submit to one another rather than to deprive themselves of so blessed a communion with Christ Eph. 5. 21. Submitting your selves one to another in the fear of God 4thly Where Objections are really serious and of weight yet Christians should take care not to indulge them by heaping up of Scruples and in the mean time shutting their ears against any solution or mean of cleâ—ring their Doubt they should not conclude that such Objections cannot be answered and so determine to follow their own Opinion before means be used As for Instance some because they find such a particular evil in themselves or because they have no perswasion that Christ will countenance them in that Ordinance do inconsideratly conclude they will not partake but such should use all means within their reach to know if these or the like Objections be sufficient arguments to keep them from the duty of communicating 5thly When some are observed to withdraw from the Lords Table if they be of sober and Christian Conversation its uncharitable to judge them Hypocrites on that account and to load them with Reproaches as if they were all distempered if they be not Hypocrites for ye are discharged to judge Mat. 7. 1. Judge not that ye be not judged 6thly Such as are of that Opinion that all professing Christians should without debate be Communicants should consider that all Communicants are required to examine themselves and accordingly act and the Examination required is in order to partaking that he who examineth may find clearness in his Conscience to partake and without this no man should approach the Lords Table that is no man should partake who in the mean time doubteth whether he should partake or not for whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14. 23. I grant a Christian may partake tho' he hath may other doubts but he cannot safely partake while this doubt remaineth therefore all means should be used to have his conscience convinced that its his duty to partake It cannot be sufficient for a Christian to say I am not clear to communicat and so continue neglecting that Ordinance if he make not conscience of getting stumbling Blocks in his way removed the man is guilty of his own bondage who doth not what he justly may to get his Fetters off And for your help I shall consider and by the Lords help answer some of these Objections which I have most insisted on and urged As First Some object I am not a Believer and therefore should not go to the Lords Table Answ Some object this indeliberatly is it easie to think thy self no Believer Dost thou consider what will be the eternal lot of Unbelievers sure this comfortless Conclusion should have very evident reasons But it s to be lamented that some will very lightly object their not believing when it may serve a turn and keep them from a Duty they have no mind to and yet little exercised or grieved for the matter You are easily satisfied not to go to the Lords Table but will not take pains conscientiouslly to examine your faith putting it to the tryal of Gods word but thou thinkest thou art no Believer and there 's an end and thus thou mayest sinfully neglect that Ordinance while thou livest 2dly Before thou dost impartially examine thy self thou art not sure but the grace of Faith is given thee and if it be given thou art most ungrate to deny it for a conscientious Christian doubting of his Faith dare not therefore peremptorily say he hath no Faith lest he be injurious to the free Grace of God not knowing but after serious examination he may be enabled to say I know in whom I have believed 2 Tim. 1 12. He finds it very uneasie to charge himself with a graceless state except the grounds were undenyable therefore search well before you fix so comfortless a Conclusion 3dly Weak Faith should not be lookt on as no Faith for Faith admitteth of degrees some are of little Faith Mat. 6. 30. O ye of little faith Some are of great Faith Mat. 15. 28. Woman great is thy faith And if you be of the very meanest who have obtained like precious Faith acknowledge it to the glory of the Giver see that your Faith be of that kind which uniteth Christ and the sinner Eph. 3. 17. Thy ' ye cannot say that ye are strong in faith yet if you have received Christ ye have a right to the childrens food Gal. 3. 26. By faith we are the children of God 4thly See that you mistake not the nature of saving Faith as if it were only a perswasion that you shall be saved which is to follow after believing if you cannot deny but the desire of your soul is toward him then you have ground of comfort for the people of God have comforted themselves with this desire Isa 26. 8. 9. The desire of our soul is to thy Name with my soul have I desired thee If God hath wrought this in you do not deny the thing you find What pleasure have ye to deny God his due glory and keep your souls in perplexity Ye see the Children of God have searched out their very desires and avowed them thankfully before the searcher of hearts which is also your duty and if you cannot deny some real willingness to have Christ as he offereth himself then a day of gracious power hath come to thy soul for nothing could make thy heart willing but divine power Psal 110. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power God hath bestowed more on thee than only light this is the Light of life therefore search it carefully if thy soul be made willing and if thereby thou hast been opening thy heart for Christ for where the heart is opened by willingness Christ hath certainly performed his word Rev. 3. 20. He cometh in and suppeth with such There is no willing opened heart for Christ but he