7. We must walk with a more inflamed Love and endeared Affection to the blessed Lord Jesus This Supper-Ordinance is a Love-token betwixt Christ and his Church where they mutually seal up their Affections to each other In it we have had the highest and the fullest demonstrations of his Love to us Greater love than this hath no man that a man lay down his life for his friends VVhy such love there was in the heart of Christ to poor finners as to lay down his life for them Hereby perceive we the love of God says the Apostle John because he Laid down his life for us 1 John 3.16 Ay here was a full demonstration of it indeed This was a demonstration of that love which was in the heart of Christ from Eternity to poor sinners O wonderful Love that he should open his Breast to receive into his own heart the sharp point of that sword which was directed against us VVhere shall we find love to match this love Rather than we should be Sacrifices to Divine Justice he himself would become the Sacrifice Have we had such demonstrations of his love represented to us in this Ordinance O then with what an inflamed love and endeared affections to the Lord Jesus Christ ought we to walk after this Ordinance of the Lord's Supper As we are to hate sin more so we are to love Christ more Let us therefore as the Apostle exhorts us walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5.2 The most intense love and purest affections are due from us to Christ who loved us and dyed for us and rose again for our Justifycation and is gone before to prepare Mansions of Glory for the seeing God's Face and enjoying God's Presence to all Eternity These are endearing considerations and should mightily endear Christ to our Souls And O that we could find and feel more of the constraining power and efficacy of this Love of Christ every day drawing out our hearts and affections more after himself 8. We are to walk more inquisitively that is to say more upon the search and enquiry not so much into the affairs and concerns of others as into the frames and conditions and affairs of our own Souls Many are busy in making their reflexions and observations upon others and in the mean time overlook themselves The Mind hath many turnings but the best is when it turns in and reflects upon it self This was holy David's way and practice Psal 77.6 I commune with my own heart and my spirit made diligent search Ay this is a commendable walk indeed when we are much in communing with our own hearts enquiring how matters go there As the wise and prudent and careful Tradesman is often looking into his Accounts that he may know how it is with him whether he goes backward or forward in the World So should we be often looking into our hearts that we may know how it is with us whether we go backward or forwards in our Souls That we may know what our losses have been and what our gains have been This is a walking that is pleasing to God as is evident from the many Injunctions of his Word and Will to this purpose Lament 3.40 Let us search and try our ways and turn again unto the Lord Hag. 1.5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts consider your ways 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves prove your own selves c. In order to the preparing our hearts to approach the Lord's Table the Apostle recommends to us this excellent duty of Self-examination 1 Cor. 11.28 But let a man examine himself and so let him eat c. The Apostle is here laying before them the sin and danger of unworthy participation of this Ordinance of the Lord's Supper and gives them to understand that such as eat and drink unworthily are guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Here he lays before them the sin And in the 29th Verse he lays before them the danger and tells them plainly that such as eat and drink unworthily eat and drink Damnation to themselves Now to prevent such a mischief as this he recommends to them this excellent duty of Self-examination It is as much as if he had said If ye would not eat and drink unworthily and thereby eat and drink damnation to your selves then set upon this business of Self-examination Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. Truly as this is necessary before we venture upon this Ordinance so it is as necessary after we have partaken of it Let a man examine himself and so let him eat c. So also let a Man eat and drink and so let him examine himself An after reflection is as necessary as a previous examination We examine our selves before in order to receive good And we must examine our selves after to see what good we have received After our performance of any duty we should be upon the enquiry what good we have got This Question we should put to our selves after every Prayer we make after every Sermon we hear after every time we Communicate at the end of every Duty and at the end of every day We have been lately partaking of this Ordinance of the Lord's Supper and as we are frequently exhorted to examine our selves before we sit down at this Ordinance So the Exhortation now is to examine our selves after we are risen from it What Warmth of Affection had we in it and not only so But what Warmth of Affection do we now find remaining and abiding upon us Is not that Heat and Warmth in a great measure abated and lost already This is that which we should look to that we do not easily or quickly after Duties are over lose that Heat and Warmth which we got in the Duty at the end of every Duty and at the end of every day we are seriously and faithfully to examine and consider what of God and what of Christ hath been discovered to me this day or in this or that Duty VVhat discoveries have been made of our selves to our selves of the baseness and vileness and corruptions of our own hearts VVhat expressions of love to God and Christ VVhat expressions of Sorrow for sin VVhat delight in Christ and desires after Christ have been working in my Soul this day VVhat lively vigorous acts and exercises of Grace hath been put forth not only in the Duty performed but since the Duty was performed VVhat Power hath been exerted this day in a way of opposition and resistance against Temptations and against Corruptions VVhat Backfildings and Apostacys and defections from God have I been guilty of since the last time I renewed my Covenant And what Sorrow and Contrition of heart hath been expressed for it VVhat guilt and defilement have I a-fresh contracted and what application in a way of Faith of
the Blood of Christ hath been made for pardon and cleansing VVhat growth and encrease of comfort and refreshment and joy do I find in my Soul VVhat encrease of strength do I find to perform Dutys To bear Afflictions To resist Temptations To mortify Corruptions To walk with God Thus we should be upon the enquiry every day and after every Duty and especially after this Ordinance of the Lord's Supper Is my Soul more knit to Christ my heart more ravished with his Beauty and Excellency Doth Christ appear more Fair and Sin more foul to me than before Christ more sweet and Sin more bitter Sure I am it ought to be so with every one of us who have been Guests at our Lord's Table where we might see Two affecting heart-melting heart-breaking sights The one was Christ broken for us The other was Christ broken by us A Christ broken for us and there was an heart over flowing with love pitty and compassion to us which should beget in us hearts glowing and burning and flaming with love to him And then we have seen a Christ broken by us wounded and bruised and pierced and broken by our sins which were the occasion of his bitter Agonies and Sufferings Now as in the first we saw the fulness of Christs love so in this we see the foulness of our sins that nothing but the blood of Christ can cleanse us from it There is nothing that represents to us the bitterness of sin like the Suâ—â—erings of Christ These things have been lately in a most lively manner represented to us and set before the eye and view of our Faith in this Supper-ordinance But how have our Hearts and Souls been affected with these lights Doth Christ appear more fair and Sin more foul than before Christ more sweet and Sin more bitter thus it ought to be with us who have been at this Ordinance of the Lord's Supper And our work and business now is to look to it that indeed it be so 9. More Couragiously and with greater resolution for Christ VVe that have had such Tokens of Christs love and such Instances of his zeal and courage for our good as to encounter the greatest difficulties that lay in the way of our Salvation and Happiness not only the rage of Men and Devils but the VVrath of his Father too How should the consideration of this arm and fill our Minds and Souls with an holy zeal and courage for him 1 Pet. 4.1 For as much then as Christ suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same mind At this Table of the Lord we have seen what Christ hath done and suffered for us It therefore concerns us to give a proof of our zeal and courage for him by owning his ways and defending his truths by withstanding Temptations and turning a deaf ear to all the Sollicitations of the Flesh not betraying the Interest of Christ into the hands of Enemies standing our ground as long as we have ground to stand upon suffering the loss of all things rather than part with Christ Honours Pleasures Preferments Liberties Livelyhoods nay Life it self rather than part with Christ VVith such a zeal for Christ was the Apostle Paul filled Acts 21.13 What mean ye to weep and break my heart For I am ready not only to be bound but to suffer at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus Where shall we find such a bold Lyon-like spirited Man for the Lord Jesus Christ again as this blessed Apostle was He feared neither Bonds nor Death I am ready says he not only to be bound but to suffer and dye at Jerusalem for the sake of the Lord Jesus rather than deny or disown Christ Neither the flatteries of the World on the one hand should entice him away nor the frowns of the World on the other hand fright him away from Christ Such a zeal and courage for Christ should our Minds be armed with as to hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering in the view aud face of the greatest opposition and difficulty that may be in our way to Heaven A Christian of all Men should be armed with the greatest Courage and Resolution because he is like to meet with the soarest and sharpest Assaults In the world ye shall have Tribulation John 16. ult Whilst we are in this World we must not expect much ease or quiet Storms and Tempests we must expect in our Voyage or Journey to Heaven The Christian's Life is a continual warfare From our Spiritual birth to our Natural death from the hour and moment we did first set our face Heavenward till we come to set our foot in Heaven we shall have trouble and molestation on one kind or another There is no place which the Christian can call Priviledged Ground O then what need have we of Courage to hold on and hold out to the end The Devil will never leave Tempting nor the World Alluring nor the Flesh Solliciting whilst we are upon our March The Israelites you know had no Peace till they lodged their Colours in Canaan Fresh Troubles and Difficulties did arise in their March from Aegypt to Canaan so it will be with us in our March to Heaven We must bear the Cross before we wear the Crown through much tribulation must enter into the Kingdom of God Acts 14.22 10. With a more endeared love and affection one to another Ephes 5.2 And walk in love as Christ also loved us and gave himself an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour This is the Apostles Exhortation to the Ephesians viz. To walk in love And the Argument by which he presseth this is taken from the love of Christ to us in laying down his Life and offering up himself a Sacrifice to God for us Now this Love we have been lately Celebrating and Commemorating in this Ordinance of the Lord's Supper where we have seen Christ broken and Crucifyed for us And can we have a greater Motive to love one another than this who have been Celebrating the love of Christ together It highly concerns every one of us to walk in love as Christ also loved us and hath given himself for us But here it may be asked what is it to walk in love Why to walk in love Non est simpliciter diligere sed totam vitam in Charitate transigere Zanch. inloâ— Not simply to love but to pass our whole life in love Ita ut omnia a Charitate sluant in Charitate fiant in Charitatem desinant So that all may flow from love and may be done in love and may end in love This is to walk in love and so ought we to walk in love one towards another Performing all Offices of love and kindness and respect one towards another pittying and praying one for another Admonishing and reproving one another in love and meekness Bearing one anothers burdens assisting and helping one another kind and tender-hearted one to
which is laid up for you in heaven c. And then shews himself greatly concerned for their good and welfare in praying always for them For this cause we also since we heard of it do not cease to pray for you v. 9. See what concernedness he manifests and expresses for his Brethren his Kinsmen according to the flesh Rom. 9.1 2 3. I say the truth I lie not my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart for I could wish my self accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsmen according to the flesh It is a very strange expression but it notes his zeal and affection and concernedness for their good and welfare Rom. 10.1 Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved It is a great sign that Grace hath taken hold of our hearts when we are really concerned for the good of others that the same Grace that hath taken hold of us may take hold of others too By this says the Apostle John we know that we are passd from death to life because we love the brethren 1 Joh. 3.14 And truly our love to others cannot be more fully expressed and truly demonstrated than by an affectionate concernment for their spiritual good and welfare If they be wholly ignorant of God and Christ that they may be brought to a saving knowledge of God and Christ Or if they be such as have been in any measure brought to a saving knowledge of God then that there may be a dayly increase of it And this was the Apostles Prayer for these Colossians having heard of their Faith in Christ and their Love to the Saints and their Knowledge of God he prays that they may be filled with it in a dayly encrease of it for a stronger Faith in Christ and for a farther increase in the Knowledge of God He is not you see of a little narrow private spirit swallowed up in his own private concernments but of a brave noble generous spirit imploying his desires and endeavours not only to his own good but to the good of others too And this is one character and property of a gracious Soul of a sanctifyed person that he is full of constant and ardent desires after the good and welfare of others The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Member to profit withall 1 Cor. 12.7 Religious love seeketh not her own things 1 Cor. 13.5 We should not seek our own things as many do but the things which are Jesus Christ's viz. that which tends to his Glory and the Good of his Members Christians should serve one another by Love Certainly what a Man is in Religion he is relatively so If not fit to serve the Body than not fit to be of the Body He is no Saint that seeks not the Communion of Saints Having taken notice of this by the way I come now to the words themselves In which words we have not only the Apostle's Desire and Prayer for them but we may also read our own Duty in them and that is to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing This is the end of all our Knowledge of God and his will which in the 9th verse he desired they might be filled with Why filled with the Knowledge of God's Will Why That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing To this end we should be filled with the Knowledge of God's Will that our Conversations may be rightly ordered to the Glory of God that our Lives may answer the Profession we make and the Knowledge we have obtain'd and the Mercies we receive and the Means we enjoy The Papists would find Merit of Works in this Verse Both because holiness of Life is so much urged by it And also because here is the word Worthy used as if the Apostle should grant that they might be worthy of or Merit the Blessings of God Now to this might be returned a Two-fold Answer 1. That Merit cannot be founded upon Scripture 2. That it cannot be founded upon this Scripture First It cannot be founded upon Scripture The Scripture doth abundantly and in many places declare against it It cuts off and excludes all glorying and boasting in our selves as if by our worthiness we could procure any thing of favour at the hands of God or by our goodness any way recommend our selves to the favour and acceptance of God You see your Calling Brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called for God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise c. And all this that no flesh should glory in his presence But he that gloryeth let him glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28. Alas we are so indebted to the Divine Bounty and Goodness that gave us our beings both in Nature and Grace that when we have done all we can we are forced to acknowledge that we are unprofitable servants Luk. 17.10 Whatever good we do it is from God and therefore cannot Merit any thing at the hands of God 2 Cor. 3.5 So says the Apostle Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency it is of God 1 Cor. 4.10 For who maketh thee to differ from another And what hast thou that thou hast not received Now if thou didst receive it Why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it Were there no other Scriptures these were sufficient to overthrow the Notion ef Merit 2. Nor can it be founded upon this Scripture This expression of walking worthy of the Lord cannot be applied to Merit by any means in as much as the Lord had bestowed many of his Blessings and Favours and Benefits already They cannot by any good Works afterward be said any ways to Merit what is past now it is very absurd to think that we can by any after good Works Merit what was given us before But we will pass by this and come to the true meaning of this expression To walk worthy of the Lord is no more than to walk suitably and agreeably and some way answerably and becomingly to the many-fold Favours of God vouchsafed to us which will be better understood by comparing it with the parallel places Eph. 4.1 I therefore the Prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called Walk worthy of your vocation that is answerably and suitably and becoming your Calling as appears by the following words which fully explain it viz. With all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering forbearing one another in love c. This is such a kind of Walking as is becoming and agreeable to our High and Holy Calling Phil. 1.27 only let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ This is the true meaning and explication of this Expression of walking worthy He means no more by
and dying for us and is to continue to the end of the World even till the coming of our Lord to Judgment So that Christ and his Death Christ as Crucified is that which is represented and pointed at in this Sacrament Here it is that Christ Jesus is as it were afresh Crucified before our eyes bruised by his Father pierced by the Souldiers bleeding for our sins Here is a sweet love-token indeed betwixt Christ and his Church betwixt Christ and Believers What greater love can be imagined than to dye for us Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friend Ay but here was greater love than this here was Blood shed and a Life laid down for very Enemies This Ordinance may truly be stiled a Love Feast Every thing in it speaks love The Mysteries in it speak love Here is Christ's Body not whole but broken Christ's Blood not in his veins but shed and freely poured out for poor sinners The benefits intended to us by it speak great love Here is compleat Provision and full Nourishment for our Souls for our Faith and all the graces of the inward man intended by it A fresh seal of the Pardon of our Sins in the Blood of Christ Fuller and clearer discoverys of God's reconciled face in and thro the Attoning Blood of the Lord Jesus that Blood of the Everlasting Covenant A more full confirmation and a more close application of the New Covenant and all the Promises Comforts Benefits and Priviledges thereof to our Souls and a more full Communion with Christ in his Grace and fullness in his Death and Sufferings in his great Undertakings and glorious Transactions in his high Dignitys and Relations in his great Victorys and Atchievements and in those necessary offices of Prophet Priest and King to his Church these are some of the great benefits that are intended to us by this Ordinance Now we that have been so lately entertained at this Table of the Lord that have or might have been feasting and satiateing our Souls upon this Banquet of Christs love it behooves and concerns every one of us to walk worthy of the Lord unto all-pleasing to walk worthy of this love of Christ in doing and suffering in bleeding and dying for us That is to walk suitably and some way becoming those expressions of love that have been exhibited and represented to us in this Ordinance I say it highly concerns every one of us who have been feasting at this Banquet of Christs love it concerns us to keep up and maintain a suitable and becoming walk after it Remembring that it is not enough to Eat and Drink worthily at this Supper but we must also walk worthily after this Supper we have oftentimes bills put up for a prepared heart and a suitable frame that persons may come prepared to this Ordinance of the Lords Supper that they may not eat and drink unworthily But I do not remember that ever I saw a bill for a suitable walk and behaviour afterward It is not enough that we duely prepare before act worthily in but we must also walk suitably after Communicating And there is as much need to put up a Prayer and to dispatch a cry to Heaven that we may walk worthily after as well as come preparedly to this Supper By walking worthily I mean no more than walking suitably and becomingly But here it may be asked what is this suitable walking or wherein doth it consist or how is it that we are to walk after this Supper Ordinance To this we shall answer I. More Generally II. More Particularly I. The general answer to this is more Holily after this Supper of the Lord we are to walk more Holily Now to this holy walking there must be a Principle of Grace wrought in the heart I say before there can be any holiness in the life we must first suppose that there be Grace in the heart A person must be holy before his actions can be holy For till a Man be Regenerated and act from a Principle of Grace in his heart all he doth is but the shadow and imperfect imiation of a good action as an Ape would imitate a Man or as an artificial motion doth resemble that which is natural Grace must first be infused to beget life and then we are visibly to express it in a course of godly walking And then there must not be only a Principle from which we must walk but there must be a Rule by which we must walk and that is the Law or Word of God which meets and sets out the bounds of Sin and Duty which tells us what evil we are to decline and shun and what good we are to prosecute and persue Now there is a twofold Holiness Internal and External Internal which lies in the hatred of sin and a love of that which is good External and that is expressed in avoiding of the one and persuing after the other Now this Holy Walk doth consist in a careful avoiding that which is evil and sinful and in an eager persuite after that which is good It hath two parts The one Privative The other Possitive The Privative part which is called Mortification or a dying to sin The Possitive part which is called Vivification or a living unto Righteousness The one is the purging out of Sin the other is the spiritual refining of the Soul The one is a ceasing to do evil the other is a learning to do well The one is a strenuous opposition of Sin the other is a vigorous exercise of all Grace Now after this Supper Ordinance we are to walk more Holily To hate sin more than ever and to love God and Christ and the things that are spiritually good more than ever To dye more unto Sin and to live more unto Righteousness It is true we cannot be more Elected we cannot be more justified after Communicating than we were before But we may and ought to be more sanctified than before Sanctification is a progressive thing it is compared to seed that grows first the blade springs up then the ear then the ripe Corn. We are not so much sanctified but we may be more sanctified We do not walk so holily but we may walk more holily still there is none so good but he may be better 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. So I may say having these love Banquets these Sacrament seasons and Supper Ordinances dearly beloved time after time returning upon us let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of the Lord. Tho' Justification doth not admit of Degrees yet Sanctification doth that is still encreasing like the shining light or Morning Sun that shines more and more and brighter and brighter unto the perfect Day Prov. 4.18 and should be daily growing more
and more in Knowledge in Faith in Patience in Love in all Grace and Consolation until all be perfected and swallowed up in Glory II. More particularly And we may take the Answer in these following things which indeed are but branches of the other but for Method and Memory sake I chuse to put them into so many Particulars As 1. More Watchfully and Circumspectly After Communicating there must be a watchful circumspect walking As a Man that hath a Treasure in his house is very watchful and careful least he be robbed of it Now it is to be supposed and hoped that we have received that in the participation of that Ordinance which the Devil would be glad to deprive us of Whatever comfort and refreshment we have had whatever Assurances and Evidences of Gods Love we have had a-new and a-fresh whatever lights of Christ and resolutions against sin we have had he stands ready to undoe all that hath been done and to deprive us of all that we got Upon this account we have need to walk watchfully and circumspectly We had need to have our eyes upward and our eyes inward and our eyes round about us Did we find through Grace our hearts wrought up to any gracious frames Did we find that our Souls were refreshed that our hearts were inlarged that our affections were inflamed to Christ that we received any virtue from and had communion with Christ Did we make fresh vows and resolutions that through the Grace of Christ enabling us we would walk before him in holyness and newness of life all our days Why then we may depend upon it and look for it that the Devil will be very busy to undoe all this We must expect that he will have a fling at us for he is never more busy in tempting then when we have been Worshipping He is never more busy in Tempting us to sin then after we have been making new and fresh resolutions against sin When we have been at the Lord's Table renewing our Covenants with God and establishing our resolutions of better Obedience After these things the Devil will come with all his forces and endeavours to make us break our Vows and neglect our Covenants He will be courting us to return to our old sins and our old frames to our coldness and deadness and lukewarmness and worldly-mindedness to our fears and doubtings to our old manner and course of living Therefore we had need to walk watchfully and circumspectly watching our words thoughts actions lives and conversations that we do not return to our old vain light frothy conversations that better becomes the Prophane than the Professor The liberty that some do allow themselves this way Communicants I mean in frothy I had almost said in filthy Discourses and unseemly Actions is a thing that is much to be lamented and bewailed in our day It is a hard matter to distinguish the professing from the carnal part of the World who are very near as airy in their Dresses as light and frothy in their Discourses and as vain in their conversations as the Carnal Crew And is this a walk becoming those who sit down at their Lord's Table O no such ought to walk very watchfully and circumspectly that they may not occasion the ways of God and Religion to be reproached and blasphemed We had need walk watchfully that we do not lose those sights of Christ those comforts and refreshments those enlargements and enjoyments that we had in the Ordinance That the fellowship and communion we had with Christ be not quickly interrupted and disturbed It is a great mistake in Persons to think that when the Supper is ended their Work is ended that they have nothing more to do nor nothing farther to mind as if now they might return to their former courses again and be as vain and worldly and wicked as before It is to be feared this is the practice of too many Communicants in our day that no sooner or soon after the action is over they return to their old course of sinning Receive the Sacrament one day and may be be Drunk before the next nay it may be have their Oaths and Curses in their Mouths before the Bread and Wine is well out of their Mouths It were well if that which was laid unto Israel's Charge might not be laid to the charge of too many Communicants in our day Exod. 32.6 The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play O how many sit down at the Lord's Table to eat and drink of the Sacramental Elements and rise up to play return again to their old courses playing and sporting and fooling with sin to their Cursing and Swearing and Sabbath-breaking to their Adultery Uncleanness Injustice Drunkenness c. Like the Dog to his vomit and the Sow when she is washed to her wallowing in the mire Thus do many return again to their former lusts and sins with as great nay greater strength than ever so making themselves twofold more the Children of hell than before There ought to he a mighty careful heedful circumspect watchful walking after we have been at the Table of the Lord remembring that the Sacramental efficacy and bond doth not oblige us for a day only or a week only but it binds us for our whole lives But to conclude what I intend to say upon this head was it the sincere and earnest desire of our Souls before we came to this Ordinance that we might bring suitable frames and affection to it and did the Lord answer our crys herein why now we ought to be as careful and as much concerned that those gracious frames of heart may be maintained and kept up in our Souls Did we beg to come with bleeding and broken hearts to this Ordinance why now it is our duty to beg that they may be kept bleeding and broken Did we beg for a stronger Faith for more glowing burning affections to this loving lovely Jesus why now we are to watch and pray against unbelief against coldness and luke-warmness of love and affection Did we purpose to forsake our Sins why now we are to watch more narrowly against it and to beg of God strength and Grace that those purposes and intentions may be forthwith put into execution 2. More Humbly entertaining low and mean thoughts and opinions of our selves acknowledging our own baseness and vileness and sinfulness and unworthiness loathing and abhorring our selves under a sense of our daily weaknesses and sinful Infirmities renouncing and rejecting all Righteousness of our own as being altogether insufficient any ways to recommend us to the Divine Love and Favour looking upon our selves as loathsome and odious and no way lovely and amiable in the fight of God accusing judging and condemning our selves owning and admiring and adoring free Love and free Grace in all that Christ hath done for us and in us Having done all for us in a way of Purchase and Merit and all in us in a way of
another forbearing and forgiving one another even as God for Christ's-sake hath forgiven us All bitterness and anger and wrath and clamour and evil speaking being put away from us with all malice Indeed it is much to be lamented and bewailed that there should be such heats and divisions and animosities such anger and clamour and evil-speaking and I wish I could not say malice too amongst Professors and Church-members Is this a walk any way suteable or becoming the expressions of Christ's love in dying and bleeding for us Surely no. O how contrary is this to a Gospel spirit which is a Spirit of Love and meekness What members of the same Body and mutual Members members one of another and shall we not own one another embrace one another be cordially affected Zanch. inlo◠each to other What Members one of another and yet carry it with that strangeness and distance and disaffection as if we stood in no relation at all one to another What never agree but just when we are under the lash just under the Rod How just is it with God to bring us into our former straits and difficulties again that we may learn to love one another better that there may be a greater harmony and agreement amongst us There never was more need of such a Prayer as the Apostle put up for the Thesalonians than now The Lord make you to abound in love one towards another 1 Thes 3.12 I say a Prayer never more needful since Christ had a Church upon Earth than it is in this day amongst us in this Nation where love amongst Brethren was never at a lower Ebb. Divided heads have made divided hearts Division in Judgment hath made division in love and Affection so that the love of many is waxed cold Now the good Lord who only can make dry bones to live revive this Affection where it is dead or dying and confirm it where it yet continues that being thus Members of Christ and Members one of another we may fulfil that great and everlasting Commandment that as it hath been taught from the beginning of the World so it is to be practised to the end of the same yea even to Eternity that we love one another 1 John 3.11 This is that we are most frequently exhorted to Heb. 13.1 Let brotherly love continue Rom. 12.9 10. Let love be without dissimulation be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love 1 Pet. 3.8 Finaly brethren be ye all of one mind having compassion one of another c. 1 John 3.23 And in many other places This is that which as it is the bond of all Christian Virtues so it is the bond of all Christian Societys in both which respects it is called the bond of Perfectness Col. 3.14 A most perfect bond knitting and uniteing hearts together which no other bond can do and being so it is in the first place to be put on by all those who would joyne themselves to the Mystical Body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above all things says the Apostle put on Charity which is the bond of perfectness This also is laid down for a mark and character of Christ's Sheep and Disciples and laid down by Christ himself By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another John 13.35 This is that which is so highly applauded and commended in Scripture Psal 133.1 Behold how good aud pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity And where this is kept up and maintained even there the Lord commands the Blessing even life for evermore Now by all this it appears that to walk in love is a very suteable and becoming walk especially after this Supper of the Lord which indeed is a Sacramental seal and token not only of our communion with Christ but also of our communion with his Members of our fellowship with the Saints and of our communion and fellowship one with another This the Apostle clearly intimates 1 Cor. 10.16 17. For we says he being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread This Supper as it is a bond of our union and communion with Christ so it is a bond of our union and communion one with another as his Members Therefore every time we partake of it we should be more and more faster and faster knit in love and affection one to another This is a confirming Ordinance and as it is to confirm and inflame our love to Christ so it is to confirm and inflame our love one to another 11. After this Ordinance we are to walk more chearfully and comfortably Of all persons Believers have most reason to be chearful and joyful at all times and in all conditions in times of Adversity as well as in times of Prosperity tho' he feeds upon Bread and Water yet he hath greater reason to rejoyce than the greatest Monarch in the World I do not say a Believer always walks joyfully and chearfully no sometimes he walks dejectedly Tho a child of light yet sometimes he walks in darkness but yet I say a Believer hath most reason to walk joyfully and chearfully and it is his duty so to do and hath frequent calls and exhortations to it Phil. 3.1 Finally my brethren rejoyce in the Lord c. Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord always and again I say rejoyce 1 Thes 5.16 Rejoyce evermore Now a Believer hath evermore matter of rejoyceing and reason to rejoyce inasmuch as all that which is really matter of dejection is removed and taken away viz. the guilt of Sin and the Curse of the Law and the Wrath of God now these are all removed and taken away by Christ who came to procure peace by the Blood of his Cross and in whom we have Redemption thro his Blood A Believer hath evermore matter of rejoyceing upon the account of that fulness that is treasured up in Christ in whom it pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell Col. 1.19 Now what is there that a poor creature can desire or stand in need of in order to the making him compleatly happy and blessed but what may be found in this All-fulness of Christ Here is wisdom for his Direction and Instruction included in it Here is a compleat Righteousness for his Justification Here is Grace and Holiness for his Sanctification Righteousness to give him a Right and Title to Heaven Grace and Holiness to give him a meetness and fitness for Heaven and power and ability to bring him safe thether upon these considerations amongst others a Believer hath always ground and matter of rejoyceing And by this they are described as by their vital act Phil. 3.3 We are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the Flesh A Believer should rejoyce always walk joyfully and chearfully at all times and especially after Sacrament seasons when he hath been renewing his Covenant
to have a recourse to this blood of Christ for the removal of it and under the daily sense and feeling of the working of innate inbred Corruption we are to have a daily recourse unto this blood of Christ that it may be subdued we are to eye the Death of Christ for sanctification as well as for Justification for Mortification and killing of Lust as well as for the taking away and removal of Guilt Alas we are no more able to subdue our own Lusts than we are to remove our own Guilt but are as much beholden to Christ for the one as for the other In a word throughout the whole of our Christian Race and Course our eye must be unto Christ Looking unto Jesus who is the Author and Finisher of our Faith Every day by fresh acts of Faith casting and committing all the concernments of our Souls into the hands of our dear Redeemer This is to walk fiducially and thus we are to walk after this Supper One end of which Supper was for the strengthening of Grace in our Souls not only for the inflaming our Love but for the strengthning our Faith Not only that our love to him might wax hotter and hotter but that our Faith in him and Relyance upon him might be stronger and stronger 5. VVe must walk with a greater hatred of and indignation against sin VVe have been Commemorating a Crucifyed Bleeding Dying Jesus And pray what was the occasion of this shameful ignominious and Reproachful Death Why it was sin But not any sin of his own that he was brought to this Death and Sufferings but for the sins of his People The Lord laid upon him the Iniquity of his People Isa 53. And there was not only an act of God the Father in laying these sins upon Christ but there was also Christ's own voluntary consent to take them upon him So that it was sin the sins of his Elect People that he took upon him which was the occasion of his bitter Sufferings He was wounded for our Transgressions and bruised for our Iniquities Ay and these were far more wounding and painful to him than was the piercing of his natural Side with the Souldier's Spear This was that which occasion'd that Agony of Body and Anguish of soul even the Wrath and Displeasure of God manifested against the sins which he bare And who of us is able to conceive of that which he felt of that Torment he felt in his Body and of that Anguish he felt in his soul. My Soul says he is exceeding sorrowful even unto death and upon the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Surely fin must be an exceeding great evil which was the occasion of so great Sufferings And indeed there is no Glass doth so fully and clearly discover to us the evil and heinous nature of sin as the Glass of Christs Death and Sufferings Now in this Supper Ordinance we have a lively Representation of a broken Crucifyed Christ broken and Crucified for our sins his Body broken and his Blood shed for our sins this is that which our Faith is to eye in our participation of this Ordinance Have we seen Christ in this Ordinance Broken and Crucifyed and bruised for our sins and shall we dare to live in sin Is this a walk suteable and becoming those that have been at the Table of the Lord Suteable to those expressions of Love that are manifested or suteable to those Mysteries that are tendered there or to those great Benefits that are represented there Surely no After we have been at this Table we come under deeper Obligations of abandoning and hating sin than before Have we received the Lord's Supper as a Seal of the Remission of our sins And shall we dare after this Supper to fall a-fresh into the Commission of the same sins What is this but to prophane the Blood of the Covenant and to trample under foot the Blood of the son of God And is this our kindness to our Friend who so freely parted with his Life and Hearts-blood Surely they greatly mistake the nature and end of this Supper that go from it with a purpose to return to their Vice and Wickedness and use it only for a Protection and Tolleration for their sins It is a sure and certain sign that our hearts were never rightly and truly humbled and broken for sin before we came to this supper if there be any secret purposes and resolutions kept up and maintained in our Souls of returning to our sins afterwards If it was necessary to bring bleeding hearts to this Ordinance then certainly it is as necessary to carry away broken and bleeding hearts for sin from it especially when we have had such an affecting sight presented to us viz. a Christ bruised and broken for our sins Methinks every time we partake of this Ordinance it should stir up in us a greater abhorrency and hatred of sin than ever O consider what wrath our sins did derive upon Christ in order to the kindling our hatred and indignation against them What shall we make light of that which Christ found so heavy and heinous which fetched from him such great drops of Blood and extorted from him so bitter and dreadful a Lamentation My Soul says he is exceeding sorrowful even unto death and upon the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Did Christ shed all his Hearts-blood for thy sins and dost thou think much to shed a few Penitential Tears for them Or wilt thou hug such a Viper in thy bosom which was such a sting in the heart of thy Saviour Wilt thou pretend to have had Fellowship with Christ in this Ordinance and afterward hold fellowship with the unfruitful works of Darkness What a contradiction is this 6. We must walk with a greater weanedness of affection from the World God forbid says the Apostle that I should glory in any thing save in the Cross of Christ by which the world is crucifyed to me and I unto the world Gal. 6.14 He was arrived to such an holy indifferency as to care no more for the World than the World cared for him and this he did through the Cross of Christ Remembring how the World dealt with Christ and how little he regarded the World Now shall we who have been so lately Celebrating and Commemorating the Death and Crucifixion of Christ love that and cleave to that which dealt so unkindly by him or esteem that which was so little esteemed by him Is this a walk worthy of his Dying-Love no this is no way becoming those that have been entertained at this Table Therefore where we see Persons after they have been at this Table conforming to the World to the Fashions and Vanities thereof their Hearts and Affections glued to the World and the Things of the World persuing after it with the greatest vehemency and eagerness why this is such a kind of walking as is no way suteable and becoming the Guests of Christ