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
24. Whereby we must have the knowledge of our sin be convinced be humbled Yet we shal not find that every one who cometh to Christ is or must be a like measure humbled all are not in a like depth before their heads be brought above water all have not the pangs of the new Birth alike painful all are not struck down to the ground and made blind before they be comforted as Paul We find not the degree of any mans grief for sin set up as a Standard whereby all others must be measured but we find the difference between a worldly and a godly sorrowing much regarded 2 Cor. 7. 10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death Therefore we shal be wiser to search out the nature of our grief than its degrees only If it be a godly sorrowing on the account of sin and its sinfulness in provoking a holy and gracious God This we find made a ground of comfort to the people of God ver 11. That they sorrowed after a godly sort and reformation attended their sorrow 5. It 's necessary also that we take care lest our pressing for such a measure of grief be not by the secret deceitfulness of our hearts designed as a Sacrifice for our sin Idolizing it too much as if thereby sin might be expiated 6. It would be also considered that poor frail men may be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow so that some persons seek after they know not what even such a measure of sorrow as might be their own ruine 2 Cor. 2 7 You ought rather to comfort such a man lest perhaps he be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow 7. Where sorrowing for sin is truly godly sorrowing yet one Christian may have a higher degree than another who is also sincere a man may have true Faith true Love true Repentance and yet another exceed him in all these for both the grace and its measure are the gift of Christ Eph. 4. 7. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ 8. Yet because the most common danger is a defect in this godly sorrowing and no sincere humbling found with many professed Christians no such grief or hatred of sin as can bear the name of sound Repentance and effectual turning to God Therefore as it is a most necessary grace we should seek to grow in it as we would have God to lift us up we must be humbled Jam. 4 10. And blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted And that you may be in some measure helped to discern the soundness of your Repentance Search thy own soul for these things First If thou grievest for the first motiâ—ns of sin in thy heart and resists them though they go no further than thy thoughts and imaginations and though not intertainted by thy affections For the thought of foolishness is sin Prov. 24 9. But thou findest a hateing of vain thoughts Psal 119 113. This was a comfort to the man of God and so it may be to thee 2 Do you not find a sincere loathing of your selves so that hardly can any man judge thee worse than thou judgest thy self and this thou feelest without dissimulation By this ingenuous judging of your self you may take comfort for what is said 1 Cor. 11 31. For if we would judge our selves we should not be judged ye shal not be judged into condemnation godly Jâ—b lookt upon this abhorring of himself as sound Repentance Job 42 6. For he really judged himself vile Job 40 4. 3. Dost thou not search out thy sins purposely that thou may'st mourn over them and turn from them This makes it appear that sin is hated in the soul when thou dost search for it as an enemy to be cast out when a soul is so straight with God that help is desired to find out his enemies Psal 139 23. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts And see if there be any wicked way in me It 's good when a Christian resisteth sin that 's obvious to him but it 's better when he desireth Gods help to discover secret sins that may be lurking in his heart that he may oppose every sin though this give him more matter of mourning yet being sincere he must pursue sin to the utmost 4. And doth it not endear thy heart to God when thou get'st help of this nature that thy greatest enemy triumpheth not over thee Yea for the very hope that he will subdue thy iniquity Mic. 5. Is not sin bitter to thee even when thou hast no present thoughts of Wrath to follow upon thy Sin I do not say but it 's lawful to mourn for fear of Wrath but it 's comfortable to a Christian when he can Observe that some times on the first Discovery of sin before any thought of it's woful fruit come into his mind it forthwith woundeth his heart for then it appears to be grief for Sin because it 's sin which is true Godly sorrowing we find Psal 65. 3. Iniquities prevail agairst me as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away Here is sin Lamented as bitter when yet there is Faith in the very time that these sins shal be purged away thou has cause to be Comforted to whom sins is bitter when thou hast greatest expectations of pardon and the remembrance of thy sin melting thy heart into the greatest grief when thou considerest the tender Mercies of thy God in pardoning all thy iniquities sins against Love gives the Child of God the deepest Wounds hast thou it not to say that the thoughts of Hell and Wrath hath often left thy heart very obdured but the thoughts of Gods Love and care of thy Soul hath softned and poured it out in mourning that even thou shouldest provoke him to anger who is so Gracious to thee 6. Canst thou not give some Instances of particular sins that are now in a great measure Subdued and thy heart departed from them by nothing that thou canst know of but by the Grace of God such sins as thou wast once a very slave unto Canst thou not now say that by the grace of God thy feet are kept from falling in a great measure Psal 18. 36. Thy turning from sin is the surest evidence of Repentance Psal 119. 59. 5. We are obliged also to try our Obedeince to God First Because Christ will not own us for his friends if we be not found Obedient to him John 15. 14. Ye are my friends if ye de whatsoever I command you Therefore as we would enjoy the happiness and comfort of this Friendship we must study obedience as we would have his Countenance lifted up upon us at his Table and be used as his Friends indeed we must endeavour to have it clear that we obey him from the heart Rom. 6. 17. 2. By our obodience we testifie whose servants we are
not mercifully Remembred me this day in bringing me here where I find the Bread of Life hath he not now made me taste of that Tree of Life which shal be food for ever and all by His Gracious Remembring of me and shal I not Remember His Love more than Wine no thanks to me O Lord to Remember Thee and thy Love hadst thou required me to pass through some flames of a Hell it were my part to essay it at thy Command how much more when I have nothing but Love to remember shal not I remember thy unquenchable Love who hast rescued me from unquenchable Flames I have many times VVretchedly done what I could to quench thy Love but many waters hath not done it I do remember it Lord and through thy Grace will remember it and I will do this which thou now Requirest in remembrance of Thee and Thy love giving Thee thanks for Commanding it and had I nothing else to do in this Ordinance yet by Thy grace Thy gracious Command shal be Answered though in great weakness Here also is another part of this Blessed Communion Christ requiring remembrance and the Believer cordially yielding it 10. And when thou hearest of the shewing forth of His Death which Christ is not ashamed of but will have it in this manner Published then saith the Believer that Death brought Life to my Soul that Death hath overcome Death for me that now I may say O Death where is thy Sting by this Death is the Death of Deaths Hos 13. 14. O Death I will be thy plague and 1 Cor. 15. 54. Death is swallowed up in victory Death was long my terrour and kept me in Bondage not knowing what hour the first and the second Death might surprise me together now when I must go through that Passage I hope to fear no evil Christ hath Sweetned the Passage made it no Enemy but a necessary step for puting off Corruption that I may be Cloathed with incorruption there shal be no Prints of Sin or Death seen upon me no spot or wrinkle by the shrugs of Death I shal take no stench of Death with me where I go and all this by His Death who was Slain and is Alive I will this day apply it thankfully and Solemnly shew it Forth Christ Crucified being my Glory and He who bringeth me to Glory desiring in my Soul that His Death were shewed Forth from the Rising to the Setting of the Sun Here also is a part of this Blessed Communion Christ Requiring His Death to be shew'd Forth and the Believer cordially performing it 11. VVhen the Believer heareth that the Cup is the New Testament in His Blood Considering that by the Death of the Testator the Testament is of Force Heb. 9. 16 17. The Believer Interested in the Legacy may now with Confidence expect what is bequathed for the Testament thus Confirmed cannot be Disanulled Gal. 3. 15. Then saith the Believer I will give Credit to the Tokens and Pledges devised by Himself for my Confirmation He requireth me to take them as such and so I receive them from Him who is Faithful I will from henceforth expect all the Promised Blessings that I stand in need of for in this Covenant or Testament is all my Salvation Christ hath made all sure by His Death and now He hath made all sure to me by His Seal I dare not distrust His Seal or Pledges He hath made me a Believer He hath this day given me to believe in Christ Crucified I have Received Him according to His Offer He hath given me power to become one of the Children of God His Testament therefore is for me and it's Seal sealeth me up unto the day of Redemption and here is a comfortable part of this Communion with Christ He giveth the Pledges and Seal of His Testament and the Believer joyfully receiving them as such and Rendering Him Praise the Believer resolving now to go to Death in humble confidence That the Lord hath made an everlasting Covenant with him ordered in all things and sure These are but a taste of the seasonable Meditations in the time of Partaking and a Help for preventing Impertinent wanderings of the Mind and though a Communicant reach not all such particular Meditations at one time yet one or moe suitable serious Meditations on Christ's words of Institution will be found by the Blessing of God a mean to keep the Soul at that work which God then Requireth and so prevent the wounding Reflections of many after they have Communicated for it must be supposed that every Godly Communicant will reviewe the way how his Soul was Imployed at the Lord's Table and if he find that his Meditations were not opposit to the work it cannot but make a very bitter Reflection Know also that these Meditations already hinted are but for puting some weak People in mind to keep close by the Institution lest their thoughts go off their VVork but no ways intended as any Restriction or Limiting of Communicants except from wandring for if Christ manifest Himself and entertain thee with His Loves thou will not need such Helps for He can soon Elevate thy Soul into such Meditations affections and joy by the Breathings of His Spirit as thy self cannot Express and all of them suitable to the Blessed work thou art about CHAP. VII Believers should desire to Partake of this Communion The sixth Inference THis Blessed Ordinance of the Lord's Supper being the Communion of Christ's Body and Blood then Believers are oblidged to have a sincere and an earnest desire to partake of so great a Mercy And that we should desire this great Benfit Consider First The Lord Commandeth it and therefore we should have a desire and a delight to do His will we may not chuse or refuse as our inclination leadeth which appeareth to be the Errour of many not Considering that the Lord will call to an account what Regard is testified to so Gracious a Command which is to be Lamented that so many make their Humours their Rule they have not a mind to it it 's not their present desire and so lay it aside forgetting that it should be their desire because of Christ's Merciful Command 2. Because it 's a Feast of pure Love on Christ's part therefore it should be desired it was His Love that laid it's Foundation in laying down His Life 2. It 's His Love to appoint such a Memorial of it 3. His Love the Tokens of it then to be Communicated to Believers in a special manner Can there be Love where there is no desire to meet with Love and entertain it Consider what is to be your Feast the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the World if this be believed in heart how can ye but hunger and desire to eat for such Food will not be always in your Offer give praise that ever ye had the Offer of that which will make you praise for ever and be satisfying to
showers of Blessings to the dry and parched Ground we cannot so much as touch him by Faith but vertue proceedeth for healing the poor sinner 4. Here also is the Seal of Christ's Testament securing the Believer he shal be preserved unto the Heavenly Kingdom and be forever witb the Lord he hath given himself to them and they bave received him Therefore now no Sin no Death no Devil no ensnaring World nothing present or to come shall separate from his Love The believing Receiver may and should conclude this because the honour and regard that is due to Christ's Seal and therefore together with dependance on the Spirits sealing the Believer is not to be idle waiting only if assurance will drop down upon him but is to endeavour the assuring of his own heart by the Seal of God On the other hand the danger is great if this Ordinance be profaned for the more of Christ's Love shine in any Ordinance the nearer he cometh with the offers of his Love the more heinous is the profanation Now of all Gospel Ordinances Christ offereth to come nearest to us in the Lords Supper preaching is to bring us near to Christ but in the Lords Supper the Believer directly acteth Communion with Christ and therefore this Ordinance doth in a peculiar manner bear this name of Communion There is no cause then of judging it great severity when it 's said he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh Damnation or Judgement to himself some are ready to say these were monsters of men who imbrued their vile hands in that precious Blood they would not have been guilty of it for all the Kingdoms of the Earth who yet forget that the Lord chargeth the same guilt on themselves for profaneing that holy Ordinance being thereby guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. The danger of this hath made me insist the more largely on that head of Self-examination before partaking at the Lords Table which perhaps some may think tedious but if it may conduce as a mean to prevent the guilt of one poor soul I shall not think any pains too much as for others who find no need of so many and particular Examinations they may pass them by and leave them to others Some may be apt to Object the same against so long discoursing on Communion with God but whosoever Objecteth this let him Consider First That Communion with Christ is the very Text and Subject in haâ—d 2. If Men know nothing of the Nature and Way of Communion with God how shall they seek after it in the Sacrament 3. If true Communion with Christ be obtained at the Lord ' s Table then it ought to be Cherished and Entertained in a Believers Walk for Christ being Received we are to Walk in Him It were great Ignorance if not Ir-religious profaneness to say that Communion with Christ being Obtained at His Table we are to be no more concerned with it until the next Communion for such as are of this Opinion have just cause of Fear they never yet had Communion with Christ any where 4 The very Happiness of men consisting in Communion with God this being the Believers only help and Comfort it's interruptions his great loss grief disquiet finding that without it he is as nothing for nothing but evil I therefore wish this little hint of it may be serviceable were it for no more but to excite others better Qualified Blessed with more experience to write on this Subject of Communion with God by it self in a more full and particular manner than I have yet seen or such a weak Person as I am able to perform Some also will probally Object against the many Objections here Published especially these Temptations mentioned that it might be Prudence rather to conceal some of them To which I answered First That many Horrid Temptations are Recorded in the Holy Scriptures as also the Mercy of God's delivering from them Published to His Glory Therefore His Gracious support under such Temptations and granting frequently a Comfortable Victorie is not to be concealed 2. It 's necessary that People be Warned and Armed for the worst of Temptations that so they may be fixed by the Armour of God before they be assaulted 3. Many conceal their Temptations too long until they are ready to sink and are sâ—ill silent for this very Reason that they hear so little of the Temptations of others and therefore think there is no sorrow like theirs which addeth to their Affliction whereas some particulâ—ar Instructions Pertinent to their distressed Case ready at hand might by the Blessing of God be Vseful especially in the beginning of their Temptations 4. This requireth the more Publick consideration because such distressed Souls under grievous Temptations and Suggestions are more Numerous than is commonly Apprehended and these not only of our Perswassion for I can give Instances of several sober Persons now living and of another Perswassion Afflicted in like manner 5. Let it be Considered that their is nothing in the following Discourse for Indulging any manner of Temptations but what is said is to resist them in a Christian manner The last thing I am to acquaint thee with is that this little Treatise being wholy practical and designed only to for help to the weaker sort of Christians it 's stile is fitted for the meanest for though Controversies cannot be Mannaged without words dificult to the Ignorant yet it hath sometimes grieved Me to see some Excellent practical Books Thrown away by some Readers for no other Reason but that the Words were above their reach which I Humbly Conceive should be conscientiously prevented for knowing Readers can understand the plainest but the Ignorant cannot understand words for which they had no Education That this Essay notwithstanding it 's Manifold Imperfections may Obtain thy candide reception and that it may prove by the Blessing of God in some Measure Servicable to to thy Souls great Interest is the desire of Thy Souls well wisher and Servant for Christ's sake R. C. CHAP. I. 1 Corinthians 10. 16. The Cup of blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ the Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ COmmunion with God is justly the wonder of all that obtain it who can do little more while here but wonder not understanding it's value untill the shaddows flee away and they see His Face in a greater brightness This dignity and mercy must be exceeding great seing the blood of him who is God was shed for it's Purchase The just suffering for the unjust to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3. 18. But when his servants shal serve him and see his Face and thereby themselves be made to shine in their Fathers Kingdom then shal the glory of that love which contrived and the glory of that love which purchased this Communion be celebrated in another manner Yet this Communion
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
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
thy Soul when all other things fail thee Psal 22. 26. The meek shal eat and be satisfied Can ye with peace keep your selves out of the way where such an Offer is made know ye not that the Receiving of Christ is your begun Eternal happiness which neither Death nor any thing else shal deprive you of if thou say thou hast received Him already in another manner dost hope to be Blessed in Him for ever though thou never Receive Him at the Lord's Table I would Answer that thou art the more Ingrate who doest not desire to Receive Him afresh in the manner He hath appointed Art thou weary of Receiving Him didst thou get such a fill of Him before that thou desirest to Receive Him no more this is ground sufficient to make thee suspect thou didst never yet Receive Him if thou be wearied of it for thy heart should be still open to Christ 3. Is it not Communion with Christ thou art dayly Praying for and if thou prayest in sincerity then it should Elevate thy heart to hear of His appointments for obtaining it when he saith in such an Ordinance I am to be present in a peculiar manner allowing you a most intimate fellowship as near as you can expect in this Life there thou mayest expect the return of thy Prayers and if thou hast no regard to it thou rendrest thy self and Prayers suspicable of meer Hypocrisie wilt thou not be ashamed to call thy self a praying Christian for fellowship with Christ and yet have no desire to be there where thou mayest meet Him and have Him dost thou not often say O that I knew where I might find him Job 23. 3. He answereth in this Ordinance I will be present giving my Self and my Loves if thou regard not this and yet has no desire to be where He is what can thy self judge of thy Prayers but as words of course and flattering God with thy lips beware of bewraying thy estrangement to Christ as one that has never seen Him in any part of His Beauty lest thou be of these who say as Isai 53. 2. There is no beauty that we should desire him 4. The Love we owe to the Glory of our Blessed Redeemer oblidgeth to this desire of shewing it forth in the manner He hath appointed yet on this account also many are Guilty by the neglect of this Ordinance for these Dangerous mistakes are too much rooted in many thinking because they receive Christ at any time when they Believe therefore they need not be solicitous for Receiving Him at His Table and because they may Render Him Glory at other times for His Love in Dying therefore they need not go to the Lords Supper to perform it but these thoughts involve you in great Guilt for however frequent thy praises be at other times why would thou presume to wiser than thy Lord who hath appointed this Publick Solemn manner of performing it Darest thou say in His face Lord I think this way of shewing forth thy Death needless I think a more privat way may serve wilt thou Impudently advance thy own wisdom as above His whether doth He or thou know best which way He is to be Glorified whether art thou to give Him Rules or to be Ruled by Him if thou wilt be so arrogant as to plead that thou knowest better how to do thy Duty than he can teach thee it 's no wonder thou have no desire for the Lords Supper but rather if thou canst regard any Gospel Ordinance since thou art wise enough to teach thy self Think with thy self I must once compear before my Judge the same blesed Redeemer who requires his Death to be shewed forth what shal I answer when thus charged by him the just died for the unjust I submitted to agony in my soul and torments in my body to relieve poor sinners from eternal torments thus my Death was the reconciliation of the whole Elect World who thereby now stand upright in Judgement I required that this my Death should be shewed forth unto this day that I am come again But here is a man that thought it not necessary to render me that publick honour What can be thy answer but speechless consternation Think also with thy self if I expect reconciliation with God by that precious Death how can I refuse Nay should I not rejoyce to publish that love especially in so comfortable a manner as in Communion with Christ and his Saints on earth and contribute my mite to keep its memory fresh and fragrant in the world It 's great ingratitude to have no longings for this Ordinance yet it appears that if some were placed in such circumstances as no occasion offered it would be no great grief of heart to them or if occasion offer but it may be at some distance occasioning bodily trouble in attending they can easily forego it though perhaps performing longer journeys at the same time to other places or if opportunity offer in the place of their residence yet it cometh undesired and a very triffle shal detain some from partaking and all this because there is no love and desire of soul after it I speak not this of all but it 's shameful to be found in any professing Christian and so much the more because our blessed Redeemer testified so great regard to this Ordinance that when he was immediately to engage his deepest sufferings yet even then he would have this Feast of Love celebrated and fixed for after generations Shal our Saviour testifie so great desire for our good and we have no desire to receive it Shal we so undervalue that Love which can neither be overvalued nor duely valued Luke 22. 15. And he said unto them with desire have I desired to eat this passeover with you before I suffer Appointing this Communion of his Body and Blood to continue until he come again 5ly If thou be a Christian indeed then thou art duely praying for grace to strengthen thee for the Duties thou must perform for Strength against thy secret or open sins for strength against Temptations from thy own heart or from Satan and his Instruments for strength to bear thy afflictions and grace to carry Christianly under thy trials therefore thou should desire to be there where he is to be received who shal be the strength of thy heart Art thou not often fainting both in thy Duty and Trials Then believe in thine heart that Christ is that true bread of life Joh. 6. 48. Hereby thou shal be strengthned for Duties far above thy own strength hereby thou shalt be enabled to cut thy way through the greatest difficulties Thy Redeemer is thy strength Psal 19. 14. Thou art to receive that which will make thee a lively Christian for the honour of thy Lord. refusing nothing he commandeth and sinking under no burden he layeth on thy back Great is the mercy to believe this strength and great is the loss of our souls when that strength is but thought
upon as an uncertain may be Remember Christian and believe in thine heart what Christ saith Joh 6. 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him If thou dost believingly receive at his Table doubt not thy strength seing Christ dwelleth in thee and what have ye to desire like an indwelling Christ And that thou mayest desire be sure to believe his Words thou shalt dwell in him how desireable is it to have him so near and how encourageing against all manner of assaults when we can say as 1 Joh. 4 4. Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world 6ly By sincere Communicating ye may warrantably expect to be confirmed Christians by the Seal of God for a blessed Eternity and therefore the desire of the Soul should be to partake of this blessed Communion For this Ordinance is designed for securing Believers of a Title to all the benefits of the new Covenant for which cause these pledges are given by Christ have ye pondered the greatness of that mercy to have a Charter for Heaven ratified with Gods own Seal And that thou shalt be preserved unto that heavenly Kingdom Is not thy poor soul many times ready to faint by reason of thy Doubts that thou has no interest in Gods special Favour that thou never received the mercies of his Chosen that though thou hast received many mercies yet thou knowest not but an Hypocrite may have all that sort of mercies conferred on thee Art thou not sometimes afraid that if death should now seize thee thou may'st have no better than the Hypocrites portion Would not some solid perswasion of God's love be a great relief to thy poor soul to know that Christ is come to dwell in thee from whose love thou shalt never be separate Who shal make thee live because he lives Then consider what Christ the truth saith Joh. 6. 51. I am the living bread which came down from heaven If any man eat of this bread he shal live for ever He well knoweth that our eternity is our great concern and tâ—erefore taketh pains to secure those who depend on him that if they receive him they shal have no cause of fear he is so deeply concerned with the Believers certainty and comfort of his Eternal well-being that in this 6. of Joh. He poureth out Arguments to secure it ver 50. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven That a man may eat thereof and not die and ver 51. Is an man eat of this bread he shal live for ever and continueth to inculcat the certainty thereof to ver 59. Trust then what he saith that if thou eat of this Bread of Life at his Table which the believing Partaker doth then thou shalt not die but live for ever This should raise thy desires for this enriching Ordinance that thy Doubting may be turned into rejoycing in God thy Saviour I might add here that our desire for this holy Communion should be so sincere and strong that Believers should endeavour frequent Communicating But having occasion elsewhere to speak a little of frequency in partaking I shal now only put you in mind that some Celebrating this Sacrament much more frequently than others should both be charitable one to another where neither precipitancy can be charged on the one side nor sinful negligence on the other There is no doubt but many godly Ministers celebrate the Lords Supper very frequently by principles of Conscience and Love to that Duty and should not be otherwise Judged of by these who celebrate more seldom And other gâ—dlâ— Ministers cannot have this Ordinnce so frequenâ—ly Celebrâ—ted â—ho by their principles judge it necessary to examine most of the Communicants before Celebration that they may the better know the state of their flocks which requireth a considerable portion of time for its performance ther 's no cause of stumbling on either hand when it 's known that in both ways there is a conscientious and affectionat regard to that great Ordinance of Christ the Scripture mentioning often but not how often yet because it mentioneth often and because of the love we should have to frequent Fellowship with Christ in that way of his own appointment frequency should be endeavoured and if people cannot frequently partake in in the place of their residence other opportunities should be improved as God giveth occasion in his providence which is now frequently offered and embraced also by the most serious It may not be improper in this place to enquire why some that profess a desire to partake of the Lords Supper nevertheless may be warrantably debarred Answ 1. The desire of partaking simply of it self cannot quâ—lify a person for the Lords Supper except this desire be qualified by a right principle for a good end and due preparation endeavoured otherwise a profane Ruffian Apostate or Atheist might pretend a desire and so be admitted if a proâ—essed desire were a sufficient qualification and so that holy Ordinance profaned 2ly These who are appointed stewards of the mysteries of God are required to be faithful 1 Cor. 4. 2. For they must give an account to their Master and therefore cannot dispose of what is his but by his own direction 3ly His express direction is Matth. 7. 6. Give not that which is holy unto dogs And therefore the Gospel priledges wherewith they are entrusted must be dispensed only to those who have a right to them As none were to partake of the Passeover but such as were clean and sanctified 2 Chron. 30 17. Jer. 15 19. If thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth 4ly Seing these holy mysteries are to be administred to those only who have a right to them then the Stewards without presuming on Gods Prerogative to know the hearts of men and who have a right in Gods sight they are to dispense these Mysteries according to ordinary Rules given them by their Master and recorded in the holy Scriptures wherein we find some actually deprived of the priviledges of others and cast out from the Communion of Believers 1 Cor. 5. 4 and 5. ver and verse 13. Put away from among your selves that wieked person 5ly When men are thus deprived of these Benefits according to the rules of Gods Word Subjection and Obedience should be yielded unto those who are set over them in the Lord Heb. 13 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account 6ly When it 's apparent that some who press to be at the Lords Table have no knowledge of the Covenant of Grace unto which the Lords Supper is a Seal nor any competent measure of the knowledge of Christ himself nor how to discern the Lords Body or Secondly Are so obstinate that they will subject to no trial whereby Ministers may know to whom they Administer that holy Ordinance such as will give no