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
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
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
Apostle 1 Cor. 13. 12. If I have not charity or love I am nothing And ver 3. Though I give my body to be burned and have not love it profiteth nothing Some of the people of God know well that they take pains in religious Duties but have no comfort in them fearing their diligence floweth not from a principle of Love it would be great joy to them if they were assured that ever they performed any duty by a constraint of the love of Christ and is worth the labour of many years when our searching cometh at length to this issue Lord thou knowest I love thee and no wonder it be most sweet to the soul to know the truth of its love for thereby it may warrantably read and conclude it self beloved of God 1 John 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us Prov. 8. 17. I love them that love me and Joh. 16. 27 the father himself loveth you because ye have loved me This being discovered the Believer may go to God as his exceeding joy Psal 43. 4. What riches or honour like this to be actually interested in the love of God wâ—th what pleasure and confidence may such a man go to the Lords Table knowing that the master of the Feast loveth him And for your help to discover whether ye love the Lord Jesus in sincerity or not take notice of these few things First Christ himself condescendeth to give us help how to resolve this question in proposing to us a sure evidence of love John 14. 23. If a man love me he will keep my words And though this mark appear difficult because of our many failings in keeping of his words yet it will be dangerous to overlook it and may prove a contempt of the mercy that is in such a discovery and a neglect of so gracious a bond to obedience that as we would testifie our love to Christ we must keep his words 2. Hereby Christ also sheweth that a study of obedience and pleasing him will natively flow from love if we love we cannot but endeavour to please the Party beloved his commands will not be grieveous 1 John 5. 3. This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commands are not grievous Love maketh his yoak easie and pleasing him their delight 1 John 3. 22. We keep his Commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight Try if your way be formed for his eâ—e and greatest care to please him whoever else be displeased 3. And when this is become your habitual affectionate eare to please him though there be fuilings yet Christ can discern the sincerity of your love and say you have loved me Joh. 16. 27. He can discern a willing spirit when the flesh is weak though Christ had his Disciples often to reprove yet knowing he had their hearts and that their ordinary care was to obey him He as their good advocat declareth to his Father that they had kept his Word Joh. 17. 6. And they have kept thy word Secondly If ye be lovers of Christ ye will desire his fellowship I sought him whom my soul loveth Cant 3. 1. Their prayers are not only to quiet their conscience that they have not neglected their Duty but they long to be near to him and must seek until they find it was himself they sought and nothing else can supply his room Thirdly True love to Christ is earnest for his love and cannot be quieted without it there is a wonderful boldness in this Grace they aspire to no less than to know that Christs desire is toward them Cant. 7. 10. Then they know they are safe then they know he will not be long from them the desire of their soul being toward him Isa 26. 8. And his desire toward them his favour and love is better than life to them And therefore they cry as Psal 106. 4. Remember me O Lord with the favour that thou bearest to thy people It 's the love that thou hast to thy chosen that is my happiness whatever other mercies I get yet they will all leave me miserable if I have not that favour which is peculiar to thy chosen Lord give me that favour which will at length make me glory with thine inheritance Lord do to me as thou usest to do to those who love thy Name Psal 119. 132. Try what earnestness and wrestlings you ever had for his love or if common mercies or common Gifts of the Spirit be all which you seek after Fourthly If thou be a sincere lover of Christ thou wilt love his honour yea the very place where his honour dwelleth Psal 26. 8. Thou wilt desire his praise may be glorious Psal 66. 2. Sing forth the honour of his Name make his praise glorious As thou art able thou wilt set forth the beauty of Christ to engage others to love and praise him Cant. 5. 10. And if thou lovest him and his glory thou wilt be active in glorifying him thy self Psal 86. 12. I will praise thee O Lord my God with all my heart I will glorifie thy Name for ever more Put such questions as these to thy own soul Is it on my heart how to glorifie him Do I cry to God in secret for help to glorifie him Is it my rejoycing when he giveth help to do it Have I fear that vain glory be more studied than his glory Am I as much grieved for dishonour to him as dishonour to my wretched self Hath the grace of God so far prevailed that no applause of men is satisfying except I have some testimony in my conscience that I really designed the glory of God That blessed Word of Christs should humble us and make us ashamed of that predominant sin of pride in the World John 8. 50. I seek not mine own glory How great is tâ—e mercy to hear that part of his Image and the victory sweet when it can be said Nor of men sought we glory 1 Thes 2. 6. The want of this love to Gods glory and indulged love to vain glory makes many a poor man lose all his labours in Religion and ther 's no remedy without uprightness of love to God Fifthly Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him 1 John 5. 1. If thou lovest Christ thou will love his Image and where his renewed Image shineth most there thou will love most This is so much regarded that it 's improved for the certainty of mens being passed from Death to Life because they love the brethren 1 John 3. 14. Try then who are the excellent in the earth in thy account try if thou lovest godly persons though mean in the World or if thou art such as can value no man for his godliness except he be rich in the World Try if thou canst love a godly man though he have no great opinion of thee it may be thou deservest no great opinion and should not love him the worse
for that Try thy self the more exactly in this point of thy love to the people of God because God is greatly dishonoured in this age for the want of it Beware of patcht up counter feit agreements and love before Communions But as thou art to labour for Communion with Christ himself so labour to the utmost of thy power for a cordial Communion of Saints that you may Feast together here in love and hope to be together in a better place and be not saying I forgive such a Christian but I desire never to see him I desire never to speak with him this will not be found forgiving from the heart as Christ requireth Matth. 18. 35. Let your love be without dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. Not in Word only but in Deed promoting the good name of one another See that ye love one another with a pure heart servently 1 Pet. 1. 22. These are the Words of God but Ah how little regarded and I fear shal not be much regarded while we continue falling from our first love to Christ love to him and his followers must revive together 4. We should also examine our Repentance because First Christ hath enjoyned it with a certification that except we repent we shal perish Luke 13. 3. How speechless will it render the impenitent perishing sinner when the Books are opened and this found that this obdured sinner was forwarned of this perishing but shut his ears and would not hearken 2. This repentance is that part of Religion which we are most averse either to act or try and therefore the greater need to oblige our selves to search if we have it For to hear of Faith and love and Love goeth more easily down the very naming of them is sweet to such as know little of them but cannot with patience hear of conviction mourning or departing from iniquity many also continue to ensnare their own souls with the conceit that they believe so well that they need not trouble themselves with repentance but they should remark Christs requiring of both Mark 1 15. Repent and believe 3. Others observing repentance to be peremptorly commanded Conclude that some repentance they must have but are satisfied with a shadow of it and are so superficial that any extorted flash of sorrowing any change any returning though not to the most High satisfieth them We find Hos 7. 16. That some return but not to the most High They think they have returned sufficiently And therefore need no more saying as Mal. 3. 7. Wherein shall we return The Lord seeth that they are yet to turn to him as in the same ver return unto me saith the Lord but they think otherwise this should make us afraid lest God do not iudge of our Repentance as we do and therefore to examine it in time It 's easie for people to think themselves sufficiently qualified for a Communion or for Heaven it self but the woe will be that it was only themselves thought so when they find God their judge of another mind 4. There is the more need to examine our Repentance in this age wherein the broken in spirit and contrite in heart are as signs and wonders as if all the broken in heart before us had been in an error and troubled themselves in vain or as if God never regarded any such Soul-exercise and wounding of Spirit though he hath expresly declared Isa 66. 2. But to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word Then it 's necessary as men would have God to look favourably upon them as ye would have a comfortable reviving look at this Table to try if ever you were wounded in heart for your sin See to it lest the searcher of hearts have it to say here is a man that to this day was never humbled Jer. 44. 10. Never pierced at the heart never at what shal I do to be saved never so wounded but he could easily cure himself no use for that mercy Psal 147. 3. He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds You will needs go to the Communion but it 's not for any great business you have to do there you have no burden of sin to take off as finding it too heavy for your selves Psal 38. 4. 5. There is the greater need to search particularly into the sincerity of our Repentance before we approach the Lords Table because some serious Christians may deprive themselves of that benefit fearing their Repentance is not sound and that because they had never such a measure of grief as others never so deeply wounded for sin as they think they should or as they have perceived by others who refused to be comforted were long in bondage of fear and ready to be swallowed up with grief and terrour To clear this alittle Consider first That trouble or terrour of mind of it self cannot prove any gracious good in a soul A Judas hath terror of mind but no grace terrour is sometimes a Judgement from God as Lev. 26. 16 I will appoint over you terrour and Deut. 28. 20. The Lord shal send upon thee vexation And some wicked persons are consumed with terrours Psal 73. 19. Therefore it 's not safe to desire such terrour of mind as some have been under for it was their plague 2. Men may have a temporary sorrowing and grieâ— which sin hath occasioned and yet their sorrowing is not for their sin nor any sanctifying grace in their mourning A Saul may lift up his voice and weep and confess others more Righteous than himself and yet still go on in his sin 1 Sam. 24. 16 17. Some may make a great noise of their repentance as he lift up his voice and wept And yet but a worldly sorrow that David was like to have the Kingdom is his greatest grief 3. Some are surprised with a sudden fear of Wrath which they cannot shake off but are as captives so far from any true and humbling sense of sin that all their trouble is for being troubled and cannot help it They are in chains and fetters not knowing for what for it seised them without any apprehension or sense of their sin This doth sometimes make a great alteration and commotion while it continueth so that they tremble under it as Felix Acts 24 25. The poor man knew not what was come on him he is frighted but getteth no good of it and therefore desires Paul to be gone I have seen severals after the same manner frighted with a sudden fear of Judgement and for any thing appeared their Religion never went a greater length yet their trouble in the time was great and made a great noise but when the fright was over their Religion was also over It is not safe then to set up such as paterns for your Repentance though the degree of their anguish might be greater than yours 4. Though the Law be our School-master to bring us unto Christ Gal. 3.
good I think this passeth all thoughts but silent Admiration yet he standeth there till he complain that his Locks are wet with the drops of the night Cant. 5. 2. This increaseth the wonder but however wonderful glory to God that we safely may and must believe it on the other hand the Believer having tasted of the blessings of his fellowship cryeth out O when wilt thou come unto me Psal 101. 2 and Cant. 1. 7. Let me know where thou feedest that I may feed there I can feed no where but where thou art this meeting cannot but hold at last when both are on the way to other 4. And when the Believer doth so meet with Christ as that he knoweth he is come by the lifting up of his countenance with how great joy is he received Isa 12. 1. Tho' thou wast angry yet thou hast turned away from thine anger and comforted me now thou art become my song and my salvation how meanly do they think of any pains they have been at in seeking after him Cant. 3. 4. It was but a little farther that I went and I found him whom my soul loveth If it were to do I would go on tho' I should be torn by the way for it 's as life from the dead when he cometh and bringeth healing under his wings then it is that they sit down under his shaddow with great delight his countenance is the health of their countenance Psal 42. 11. Then their Graces have a reviving and a new Spring then their Spiknard casteth forth its smell when the king sitteth at his table Cant. 1. 12. Then it is that worldly Comforts become insipid and of no value then it is they say what have I to do any more with idols Hos 14. 8. When they sit under his shaddow they know then that no idols ever gave them such entertainment then they can say their Lines are fallen in pleasant places What out of Heaven can be compared to that complyancy between Christ and Believers when they can without terrour converse with God and solace their souls in him He delighting in them Isa 62. 4. And they delighting in him Isa 58. 14. And commanded to do it Psal 37. 4. This made the godly Martyers go through Flames chearfully to the full possession of this Fellowship 5. In this Communion there is great freedom on both sides the Lord allowing them to pour out their hearts before him Psal 62. 8. And they accordingly as Psal 142. 2 3. I poured out my complaint before him I shewed before him my trouble When my spirit was over whelmed within me then thou knewest my path They willingly expose all that is in their heart before him and are content he search them Psal 139. 23. It would be an affliction to them if their nearest friends knew all that is in their hearts but a sincere Soul desires to conceal nothing from him but rather desires his help to search fearing there may be evils in them which they cannot search out themselves they dare not proudly boast as if nothing evil were to be found in them but humbly beg that he would see and heal what they see not and so far as they know they lay their hearts open before him their most secret sins complaining how they prevail against them such evils as they could reveal to none on earth so also their Doubts and Temptations their Griefs their Fears and what they desire most all their desire is before him Psal 38. 9. And blessed Jesus Christ is faithful to them and free with them both as to necessary reproofs I have somewhat against thee Rev. 2. 4. And as to encouragement Thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word Rev. 3. 8. and Psal 25. 14. He sheweth them his Covenant he openeth it up to their understandings and there they find all their Salvation there they find relief as to their Sins Doubts and Fears there they find their victory secured for The secret of tho Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his covenant 6. In this Communion there is still desire for more nearness to Christ Cant. 8. 6. Set me as a seal upon thy heart What boldness of Love is Oh is there nothing will satisfie less than Christs heart They must be placed there for his love is their happiness 2. They desire it may be made evident for their comfort as by a Seal that thereby they may read his desires is toward them this secureth their comfort when they can say his desire is towards me Cant. 7. 10. If it be thought never so great ambition yet sincere love to Christ is kept in pain without some evidence of the love of his heart his mercies are sweet his graces very sweet but his heart is sweetest of all I question if there be any sincere love to Christ where this is not desired though such an habitation such a seat as the heart of Christ cannot be enjoyed without admiration 3. When it 's said set me as a Seal c. That is ratisie and confirm this my Interest in thee and Communion with thee as by a Seal that thy love shal be my allowance and Communion with thee my priviledge for ever 4. When it 's said set thou me as a Seal is as much as an humble acknowledgement Lord I cannot place my self where I would be I cannot bring my own soul to this near Communion with thee but I commit it to thee who can draw my heart to thy heart I trust thy efficacious power that what ever be my natural aversness to such holy Communion yet my heart is under thy dominion thou canst prepare and form it for thy self all this Salvation is thy own doing thou canst bear me up to this eminent part of it to be so near as on thy heart Therefore it 's my humble request that thou set me there the Spouse doth not say I will set my self there but set thou me as a Seal c. It 's observable that after Moses had near Communion with God on the Mount yet he still presseth for more Exod. 33. 13. I beseech thee shew me thy glory What he had obtained did but excite his desires for more and so it is with all who have the true beginning of Communion with God in this life though they have it not in the manner Moses had the Communications that Believers receive here are discoveries of a greater beauty and glory yet before them these foretasts captivate their love and desire so as they cannot but pursue for greater discoveries the first fruits they have found are so sweet to their taste that the more they get the more they hunger Rom. 8. 23. 7. That which Believers obtain in Communion with God is so strengthning and comfortable that the hideing of his face is most bitter Psal 30 7. Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled If there be no grief of heart upon the hiding of his Face
there is just cause of fear that such persons have not known the shining of his Face as on the other hand these who diligently observe the Lords withdrawing from their souls and are forthwith pained and wounded for his absence do thereby testifie their acquaintance with the blessings of his presence especially if their grief be that they have provoked him to withdraw that his withdrawing is not only as to comfort but as to the measure of strengthning Grace formercy allowed them the very fear of the Lords deserting doth often mix water in the best of their wine that until Christ and they be at home in their Fathers Kingdom their brightest and most serene days are often overcast with clouds and therefore when they do enjoy his gracious presence fearing some alteration though not of their fixed gracious estate yet of their present blessings cry out Stir not up nor awake my love till c. Cant. 2. 7. O that he would stay and not leave my soul destitute and when the Cloud covereth them O what a damp it giveth then Darkness Jealousies Fears arise as Job 29. 1. O that I were as in moneths past when his candle shined on my head ver 2 3 4. As I was in the days of my youth when the secret of God was upon my Tabernacle when the Almighty was yet with me This godly mans desires were fulfilled for Job 4. 2. So the Lord turned the captivity of Job and ver 12. blessed his latter end more than his beginning But many now come to old age are almost hopless that they shal ever in this life be as in the days of their youth and decline so far that they tempt themselves to doubt if ever the Almighty was with them and his secret on their Tabernacle 8. Where true Communion with God is there its perfection is desired not only to have that measure continued which is here allowed but to be for ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4. 18. Here their Fellowship is but as seeing through a Glass there it 's often interrupted as to its comforts here a body of sin is still pressing them downward to this Earth that they get not their Affections staid and fixed on things Above here they are surrounded with snares and temptations such as have made strong Cedars to shake And therefore having already the first fruits of a better Countrey they desire to be where he is who hath taken up their hearts to himself For to be with Christ they sincerely think best of all and Heb. 11. 16. But now they desire a better countrey that is an heavenly It 's not some extraordinary persons only who are of this mind but all true Believers for Rev. 22 17. The spirit and the bride say Come Christ saith I come quickly and they agree even so come Lord Jesus The crown of righteousness is laid up for all who love his appearing 2 Tim. 4. 8. So that it 's dangerous for a Christian to want desires of this nature for they are consistent with submission to his appointed time but since the Crown is laid up for such as love his appearing every Christian is concerned to try whether the meditations of that day be his terrour or delight these being a few of the great blessings found in Communion with God there remaineth yet one difficulty which perplexeth some serious souls that is how to have this blessed Communion ordinary so as they may be said to walk with God knowing that this walking with him is more than to perform some stated Duties of VVorship the grounds whence this difficulty ariseth are First They hear and read of abideing in Christ Joh. 15. 4. Setting the Lord always before our eyes Psal 16. 8. of waiting on God continually Hos 12. 6. of resorting continually unto him Psal 71 3 When they think on such Scriptures and withal the regard God hath to such as remember him in his ways Isa 64. 5. And such as thought on his Name Mal. 3 16. And his Indignation against these who forget God Psal 50. 22. These and the like passages being laid to heart they think that God should be always actually remembred some few find great disquiet if any considerable portion of time be spent without thoughts of God On the other hand they find themselves concerned in worldly affairs or Reading Studying c. Which cannot be managed without serious and suitable thoughts to the work they are about God clearly calleth them to these other things it were sin in them to ruine their families and neglect the duties of their station some of which duties may require a considerable portion of time and seriousness in that time now their strait is how to manage these external necessary Duties without sinful forgetting of God Answ 1. Whatever weakness may be found in this difficulty yet it appears to flow from a good root of love to God and fellowship with him it 's a savoury kind of trouble yet 2. It 's not safe for a Christian to arraign himself for a forgetter of God when he is serving God in the duties of his station but 3. It will be found that the bitterest ingredient of this accusation is when there is opportunity for remembring God without obstructing any other duty that these opportunities are not improved and for the help of such who find trouble of this nature as I know some for many years afflicted with it I shal propose but these 4 things leaving their usefulness to the blessing of God 1. The continued exercise of the love of God 2. Performing our external Duties as obedience to God 3. Frequent retirements to God and 4. many ejaculations For the First The lively exercise of the love of God makes the remembrance of him delectable a Christian hath a great advantage when the desire of his soul goes to it for then he is so far from grudging that God have his affectionat thoughts that he cannot be easily kept from them this being one of the strong constraints of Love to think on the object Beloved you may observe the Spouse in the Book of Canticles cannot be kept long from the thoughts of her Beloved either seeking after him or delighting in his Fellowship or commending him to others Christs love is the surest Bond on the soul to prevent sinful forgetting and if it decay your thoughts and meditations will decay with it but vigorous love will make you both embrace and seek for opportunities of converse with him and the meditations of him sweet Psal 104. 34. For the 2d Even our external duties should be performed as obedience to God Therefore 1. Take nothing in hand but what is Duty 2. And present Duty for God hath appointed a season for every Work Eccl. 3. 4. 3. Do what is Duty because it 's Duty because God requireth it For a man may do that which upon the matter is Duty and yet not to do it because God requireth it and then he cannot
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
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
being in Christ there 's no acceptation but in the Beloved Eph. 1. 6. These few Reasons without adding mo may convince that it highly concerneth thee to be at the utmost pains in trying of thy Faith Consider also that all thy pains shal be richly payed Home if by searching thou shalt find that God hath bestowed upon thee Precious Faith 2 Pet. 1. 1. The Faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1. 1. That Faith whereby a sinner is justified and hath peace with God Rom. 5. 1. That Faith whereby thou art Sanctified Acts 26. 18. That Faith the end whereof shal be the Salvation of thy Soul 1 Pet. 1. 9. Receiving the end of your faith even the Salvation of your Souls What pains should be valued where this is the Result How great may be thy Joy in his Salvation when thou canst say The beloved is mine and I am his Cant. 2. 16. Christ is mine the Pledges of his Love are mine his Fellowship is mine his Food and Table is mine He hath clothed me with the garments of Salvation Isa 61. 10. I shal not be rejected for want of a Wedding Garment Shall be not with Christ freely give us all things Rom. 8. 32. Q. But what way shal I take to Examine my Faith First try if you can observe the direct Actings of Faith that you may say now Lord I believe though before it be well out of your lips ye must add Lord help my unbelief Mark 9. 24. Acceptable Believing is of so great Importance that serious souls are solicitous so to Believe as that they might immediately Reflect upon it and finding it believing indeed Blessed Jesus Christ would needs have it out of his Disciples own mouths that they did Believe John 16. 30. By this we believe They do not say we have Belleved but in the very present time we Believe And in the next verse Christ saith Do ye now believe for this Cause it were good especially for you who doubt of your Faith to set your selves for actual present Believing before ye go to the Lords Table some people are apt to weary of long Debates in their mind whether they have Believed or not and tempted to give it over who by the Blessing of God upon this mean are Relieved of their Fears and cleared of their Doubts Addressing themselves to the Lord with all the Reverence and Seriousness they can attain and in the Sense of their sin and need of a Saviour set themselves to Receive and Embrace Christ as their Redeemer and Lord. This Mean hath been so Countenanced of God that after it's serious Performance some hath gone to the Lords Table with desire Chearfulness and Peace though Doubting before Oject But I cannot Believe when I please nor is it so light a matter to go off hand and Believe and so have done Answ 1. Ye cannot Believe too soon if you Believe indeed 2. This is an Opportune Season for it when ye are called to Partake of an Ordinance which you cannot neglect without sin nor Partake without Believing 3 Ye are peremptorly Commanded to Believe therefore it 's Duty to endeavour it and it 's such a Duty as should not be Deferred That ye are Commanded Consider John 14. 1. 1 John 3. 23. And this is his Comandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ And that it 's a Duty not to be Delayed see John 3. 36. He that believeth not the wrath of God abideth on him If you still reply I cannot Believe though it be a Duty I will Answer that no more can you perform any Religious Duty aright will ye therefore resolve to perform no Religious Duty will ye not Pray because ye cannot Pray aright will ye never praise because ye cannot do it aright see what thy verie Reason can Answer to this plain Argument what ever God Commandeth we are obliged to endeavour Obedience unto it but God Commandeth us to Believe therefore we are Obliged to endeavour Obedience to this Command of Believing And though it be granted that we cannot Believe when we will yet we are to endeavour and put out the Withered Hand hoping we may take it in Whole if the Lord shal say arise from the dead as Ephes 5. 14. Should we Dispute and Proudly Quarrel in stead of Obeying cannot the Lord of Life give Life with the Word of Command as to Dead Lazarus mind John 11. 25. He that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live But if ye cannot find the Truth of your Faith by this manner of Trial yet ye are not so to leave it for what quiet can a man have in his Soul not knowing but he is still under the Wrath of God as all Unbelievers are and not knowing what hour that VVrath may Surprise him with it's intollerable weight and Eternity Therefore other Means must be essayed to Search it out by it's Fruits for Luke 6. 44. A tree is known by his fruits and the Apostle James saith He will shew his faith by his works it 's a great mercy that there is any way to have it secured Consider these two ways wherein by the Blessing of God the sincerity of your Faith may be Discovered as first by trying your ordinary Dependance on God and 2. By searching into the Gracious Fruits of Faith specially that by Faith the heart is purified Acts 15. 9. For the first enquire at your own Conscience what Course is ordinarly taken for Light and Direction when ye are in Darkness or Doubts do ye still lean to your own Understanding or on Christ as made of God VVisdom unto Believers 1 Cor. 1. 30. 2 VVhen ye do Pray for wisdom and Light is it that you may walk according to that Light or Direction Deal ye Ingenuously with God not seeking Counsel of God with a Reserve if it be to your own Humour but Resolved to walk in his Light whithersoever it lead you has thy Soul fixed on the Lord as thy Guide then Remember what is said Psal 73. 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel and afterward recelve me to glory for Glory will follow to the Followers of this Guide 2. Try also what way thou taketh for thy Guilt whither dost thou go for ease to thy Conscience when it accuseth thee as it certainly will if not seard is it to the Blood of Christ or dost thou make a cover to thy Sin of thy Duties thy Tears thy Mourning thy Amending of some evil Practices and thy not being as some other men if this be thy way thou art yet a Stranger to Gospel Faith but if thou believest in thine heart that the Blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin and thou will not dishonour that perfect Sacrifice by thinking it insufficient for thy sin and therefore leans thy Soul with all it's Guilt upon him who made his soul an offering for sin Isai 53. 10. Thy care is to be found in him not having thine own Righteousness but that
Eph. 4. 16. He the Vine and we the Branches Joh. 15. 5. The very design and scope of these similitudes is to hold forth Christs continued Communications and the Believers Participation Thirdly The experience of the godly who have published it doth also prove its certainty 1 John 1. 3. And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Cant. 2. 3. I sat under his shadow with great delight Fourthly Believers remarking his drawing near and withdrawings from their souls Cant. 5. 1. He hath come into his Garden and Cant. 5. 6. he had withdrawn himself Lam. 3. 57. In the day when I cryed thou drewest near and Psal 13. 1. Why hidest thou thy face c. Fifthly This Communion with Christ is of such necessity that a Believer can do nothing without it and on this account Christ requireth his followers to abide in him Joh. 15. 5. So that they do but discover their ignorance and estrangement from God who think there is no nearer Communion with him necessary than the external administration of Ordinances by the Word and Sacraments for many do enjoy these externally and do only draw near to God with their lips and their hearts far from him Isa 29. 13. The godly man findeth it good to draw near to him and so near as to find him the strenght of his heart Psal 73. 26. That is intimate Communion indeed to have the Lord the strength of a mans heart Oh that our merciful God would give the understanding of this to many who have never thought on so near a help as this for such may well go in the strength of the Lord God to any work he requireth himself being the strength of their heart What if our heart be found as a dried withered branch of a Vine that is fit for no work yet that witheredness shal not be known when he cometh to be the strength of our heart For the second thing proposed how the People of God are brought into this Communion with Christ First The Fountain of it is the eternal and free love of God whereby so many as pleased the Father are given to the Son by that eternal mysterious and merciful transaction between the Father and him and by him to be redeemed and prepared for the everlasting enjoyment of God compare Joh. 17. 6. Thine they were and thou gavâ—st them me with Joh. 6 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me He will effectually draw them into his Communion they shall come unto me and so must meet together 2. According to this glorious transaction in the Covenant of Redemption the eternal Son of God is declared to have his delight with the Sons of men before the foundation of the World Prov. 8. 31. Fore-known unto God are all his Works from the Beginning things future being as present to his intuition So that the Son of God hath always taken pleasure in these of the sons of men who were given him of his Father 3. Pursuant to the same transaction and in order to its accomplishment It pleased the Son of God often to appear before his Incarnation in the similitude of man on earth and converse with Men as a fruit of his eternal delight in them and a prelude of his Incarnation as one hasting this gracious nearness and more conspicuous Communion with him Gen. 32. 24. Jacob was left alone and there wrestled a man with him Dan. 3. 24. He appeareth as a man keeping company with the three godly men in the Furnace and his form appeared also as the Son of God this fourth glorious man made the place designed for torment to the three a place of joy and a very Paradise 4. In order to the same partaking of Communion with God a Covenant of Grace is published which is a marriage Covenant Isa 54. 5. Thy maker is thine husband 2 Cor. 11. 2. I have espoused you to one husband by vertue of this honourable relation Believers may plead for his dwelling with them in this holy Communion 5. In due time the Son of God was Incarnate taking unto him our nature that his Fellowship might be the more agreeable to our nature and we come the more familiarly unto him and thereby to have the more feeling Sympathy with us Heb. 2. 14. For asmuch then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death and ver 18. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Having taken our nature he continued for some time in the World and conversed with men especially his own Joh. 1. 15. He dwelt among us and we beheld his glory And though this people were not always to have his bodily presence Yet at that time he did manifest so much of his power meekness patience and mercy that thereby he did facilitate the knowledge of spiritual Communion with him some also beheld his glory and had Spiritual Communion with him while he was in the World 6. After he had given a gracious taste of his Fellowship and given instructions for its continuance in a spiritual manner in his own appointed time he purchased reconciliation for all that were given him laying down his life for them that being reconciled by his Blood they might be capable of Fellowship being agreed they might walk together and 1. Pet. 3. 18. The just suffered for the unjust that he might bring us to God and Eph 2. 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ So that his suffering were to bring his People into this gracious Fellowship with God 7 In order to their actual Fellowship with him he qualifieth them by pouring out of his Spirit Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart will I give and a new spirit will I put within you Whereby they are made meet for the Masters use as a sanctified People 2 Tim. 2 21. Without this there could be no Communion with a holy God our perverse natures being rather inclined to hide our selves from him and say Let the Almighty depart from us but by the renewing of the Holy Ghost they have the spirit of Love whereby the desire of their soul is toward him his Fellowship comes to be their deliberate and delectable choice So great a change doth the spirit of Grace make Eph. 2. 22. In whom also you are builded together for an habitation of God through the spirit And by the same spirit they obtain the grace of Faith which is a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. And by this Faith they receive Jesus Christ himself John 1. 12. Then we are united to Christ by receiving him and being united to him he dwelleth in our hearts by Faith Eph. 3. 17. So that Communion with Christ doth infallibly follow upon our union with him for where he is
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
every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed 2ly It 's also clear that Satan who is called the tempter Matth. 4. 3. Doth work upon mens own corruptions and promoteth the wickedness of them so that the lusts of wicked men are said to be the lusts of the Devil Joh 8. 44. And the lusts of your father ye will do So he Improveth the prevalent Sins that men have the greatest propension unto as the covetousness of Judas and the excesses of mens passions as grief to have them swallowed up with overmuch grief 2 Cor. 2. 7. Lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow and ver 11. Lest satan should get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices And melancholy souls darkened with their own Imaginations give great advantage to the Rulers of the darkness of this World 3ly But Temptations do sometimes arise only from Satan as to their first original and therefore he is called the tempter Matth. 4. 3. Because it 's his work to tempt and therefore tempted where there could be no hope of prevailing as appeared in his tempting of Christ 4ly And because of our depraved natures we are in danger of infection by these Temptations that hath their source and first rise from Satan 5ly All Temptations to Evil should be resisted whether we know the first spring from whence these Temptations flow or not our work is to reject them whether they be our own or mixt with Satans Temptations or his only 6ly Some of these Temptations that are immediately from Satan are called the fiery Darts of the wicked One Eph. 6. 16. So that the Dart cometh from the Devil and not from the mans heart they are called fiery Darts being suddenly thrown in for setting all on Fire in the Soul whereby there is such an unusual disturbance and surprising terrour as if all were in a Flame it being as death to them finding such suggestions against God and their own Salvation as they never found before and these so rageing that they know not where or how to hide themselves from the fury of the Flame these will be charged on Satans account Considering First That upon their very first appearing and assault thou meetest them with hatred indignation and horrour 2ly Though they continue sometime yet they are no more welcome than if Fireballs were thrown into thy House to burn thee and it up together thou givest no consent to them 3ly As thou canst thou resistest them 4ly Thou lookest up to God to deliver thee 5ly If they remove thou rejoycest 6ly Thou art so far from cherishing of them that their returning is thy great fear 7ly And any wicked suggestion against the honour of God is paining to thy soul These may help thee to understand that such hellish blasphemous Temptations are the Darts and Sins of Satan Object Some say they dare no more presume to go to the Lords Table because when they did partake they are perswaded that they did eat and drink unworthily so that it 's not only an unsuitable deportment that they have to bemoan as to their practice afterward but conclude that when they did Receive they did eat and drink Judgment to themselves and therefore wish they had never Received I heard some say that they thought their Communicating was the greatest Sin they ever committed in their Life-time but then they were overwhelmed with other temptations so that this was said in an hour of Darkness Answ Who can say that they eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup so worthily but that their failings are great in the very time of Receiving for which if God would enter into Judgement they could not stand What humble man dare say his apprehensions of a crucified Christ were so distinct as ought to have been Or that his Faith and Love were acted to that degree required Shal therefore the best of men on Earth conclude that they did eat and drink unworthily and so are guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord and leave his Table always with Anguish rather than rejoycing in God their Saviour do you not see this a Temptation tending to the utter rejection of that blessed Ordinance of Christ 2ly Some of you who make this Objection cannot deny but that you did make Conscience of serious Preparation that you desired with reverence love to Receive Christ himself when you did receive the visible Signs only ye had not that measure of Faith and Love which you desired the worst you have to charge your self with was your weakness not Contempt nor was it Ignorance as to the discerning of Christ's Body but because your graces were not so lively as they ought I grant it 's necessary to bemoan our Failings but this is not the place of our perfection when that cometh we shal not need to Partake in such a manner as now but while we are here we must apply that precious Blood for purging away the guilt we contract in our best actings yea in the very time of Communicating we must apply Christ's Blood for the pardon of our Failings in Communicating so that your better way were to go again to the Lords Table and when you Receive learn and practise that way of applying that precious Blood that cleanseth from all Sin to cleanse you particularly from any sin you are guilty of by your weakness in Communicating 3ly And know that there is a necessity of distinguishing between Sins of Infirmity and Sins allowed The Apostle Paul was constrain'd to make use of this distinction for his own comfort when he saith Rom. 7. 15 For that which I do I allow not 4ly But supposing it were as you Object that you did once eat and drink unworthily it doth not follow that eternal Judgement shal be inevitable albeit the Sin be repented of for the clearing of this alittle Consider First That it 's granted every sin deserveth Judgment yea eternal Judgment and therefore 2ly This Sin of unworthy Communicating deserveth that Judgement 3ly The Apostle by Judgement here doth not understand only Eternal Judgement for he speaketh plainly of temporal Judgments inflicted for profanation of the Lords Supper ver 30. For this cause many are weak and Sickly among you and many sleep therefore he understandeth not only Eternal Judgment 4ly Some Partake of these temporal Judgments as chastenings that they should not be condemned with the World ver 32. Yet these chastenings are for their sinful Communicating then it followeth that some who are sinful in their manner of Communicating yet many obtain pardon the Lord chastening them for not Communicating aright that they may not be condemned with the World Though they deserved Eternal Judgment by profaneing that holy Ordinance yet by free grace they are forgiven God in his tender mercy reserving room for Repentance Consider also that the Passeover was a Seal of the same Covenant of Grace and great Sanctifying Preparation
required for its Celebration for every Partaker was to be sanctified unto the Lord 2 Chron. 30. 17. But some had not cleansed themselves yet did they eat the Passover otherwise than it was written ver 18. But Hezekiah prayed for them that the Lord would pardon such as prepared their hearts to seek God though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary ver 19. And the Lord hearkned to Hezekiah and healed the people ver 20 Whereby we may see that sins of that Nature are pardoned when sincerely acknowledged and application made unto the tender mercies of God The knowledge of this is necessary for some who fear their condemnation is inevitable because of their not Communicating aright but by these Scriptures ye may see that all shall not be condemned who have been guilty by sins of that nature where Repentance is there is remission of sins by Christ giving both together Acts 5. 31. CHAP. X. Communicants obliged to review their Communicating The 9th Inference THis Ordinance being the Communion of Christ's Body and Blood then after Partaking Communicants are obliged to try if they have obtained that blessed Communion Consider 1 The Reasons why this should be tried and 2. A few helps how to perform it All Communicants should seriously examine the way of their own hearts when they did Partake because First It was our blessed Redeemer's way after the first Celebration of this Sacrament to set the Communicants in this Road of searching themselves whether they did then believe or not Joh. 16. 31. Do ye now believe This was demanded of them when they had but lately risen from the Lord's Table and therefore is a question that Communicants ought to put to themselves and obliged to have a ready Answer as these Communicants had which is the more to be noticed that after they had declared their Faith ver 30. Yet ver 31. Christ urgeth it again that they may be deliberat and know well what they say when they say they believe Secondly Our Communicating should be carefully reviewed lest we did eat and drink unworthily otherwise we shal be found despisers of that important warning 1 Cor. 11. 27. That such as eat and drink unworthily are guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Men have neither a due fear of the anger of God nor regard to their own souls who having partaken think there is no more to be done not so much as to enquire whether they came from the Lords Table guilty of his Body and Blood or not for the best of men should take notice of the great regard God hath to Sealing Ordinances The First thing we find Godly Hezekiah considering after the Celebration of the Passeover 2 Chron. 30. 18. Is the transgression of the people who did eat the Passeover otherwise than it was Written for whom he prayed and the Lord mercifully answered his prayer Thirdly If the pains thou did take in preparation before Partaking was sincere that thou might have a blessed meeting with Christ then the same principle will lead thee to enquire if he did meet with thy Soul for no man can be said to be earnest for that which he will not so much as observe if it be found if Communion with Christ was the desire of thy Soul then it will be thy desire now to be secured of it that thou may'st say I sought and found him whom my soul loveth Cant. 3 4. Fourthly If thou shalt find after searching that thou did obtain real spiritual Communion with Christ this will make thy Thanksgivings sincere this will be a mean to endear thy soul to Him and increase thy Love which thou knowest hath need to be encreased when thou has it to say he came and manifested himself to thy Soul did draw the in to his Fellowship fed thee with the hidden Manna whereby thy Soul was revived canst thou then but Love and seek to have thy heart enlarged for more Love This will also endear thy heart to this holy Ordinance wherein thou found Him this will make thee forward in seeking occasions for it hereafter because there the Lord appeared unto thee This will help thee to be a good example to others who are negligent in seeking after it this will be a mean to endear to thee the Promises to thee the Lord promised to come and bless his people where he recorded his Name thou has found it even as he hath said his Words be true now thou knowest it to be a meer Temptation to doubt of his Promise or think that it faileth now thou canst say I will no more distrust any offer that Christ maketh of himself to a poor Sinner for as he offered so I did embrace and am not disappointed now thou canst Sing by experience as Psal 33. 21. For our heart shall rejoyce in him because we have trusted in his holy Name Be perswaded then of the clearness and necessity of this Duty to review thy work at the Lord's Table that thou may'st know what to conclude of thy self whether thou may'st safely take comfort to thy Soul as a sincere and accepted Communicant or not for a mistake here is dangerous if on the one hand thou judge thy self a worthy Communicant and thy self but a stranger to Christ this will harden thy heart in Sin and render thee obstinate against all necessary admonition and reproof and thus you may go on adding to your guilt at every Communion and remain impenitent ye thinking it improper for you to repent for any sinful Communicating on the other hand it 's also dangerous for you to conclude your selves unworthy Communicants without sure grounds or ever searching into the matter for thus you may deny the grace freely given you and belie the operations of the holy Ghost and thus ye may deny God the glory due to him for his mercies and cast your own souls into perplexing diquiet and bondage therefore there is much need to be guided of God in this Search And for the clearing of this a little we are to Consider both how it was with our Souls in the time of Communicating and with what impressions and help we come from that work as for our work in the time of that Solemnity albeit by the Word of God it may be declared how Communicants should act and if they have so acted then they are not unworthy Communicants yet no man can discover the internal acts of other mens souls whether they have acted as they should or not none can know that but God and mens own consciences Therefore when ye are to try your sincerity at the Lords Table the Word of God must be your Rule the spirit of God your Guide and your own Conscience a Witness for the utmost that can be said by men is Conditional that is if you have acted suitable to the nature of the Work if you have embraced Christ c. Then you are accepted and not unworthy Communicants 2. VVhen Communicants are
Season of their Mercy feeling their hearts to burn within them they would not part with Christ but verses 28. and 29. Albeit He made as though He would go away they constrained him to stay with them unto which He Graciously yielded approving their Diligence to have their Mercy continued Keep your selves in the love of God Jude 21. And remember that these Disciples who fell asleep presently after Communicating the next thing we hear of them was forsaking their Master 3. As thou art to begin thy work early so Engage in it Effectually and particularly to follow the Lord fully Remember before thou came to the Lord's Table when thou was Examining thy heart and Practice how many sins then appeared and how Hainous insomuch that thou thought it hard for thee to approach the Lords Table lest thou should prof me it and durst not resolve on Partaking until thou hadst resolved and Engadged against such and such particular sins as for Instance thy pride and seeking of vain glory to thy self polluting lusts over reaching of the siâ—ple wasting of time in company without necessary occasion thy being often ashamed of thy Lord's Words rather complying with than rebuking of evil thy offensive passions fretting at thy Lot thy fainting in time of Trial thy earthliness of mind thy frequent neglecting of Prayer thy lukewarmness in it thy neglect of Meditation on the state of thy Soul thy wearying of Sabbaths or the Holy Duties then required thy Ingratitude for many signal Deliverances and Mercies thy being unâ—utiful either to the Souls or Bodies of thy Relations or to the Poor the bad example thou often givest to thy Family and the like sins If all these or any such evil were wounding to thy Conscience acknowledged to God Lamented and Engadged against as in the sight of God when no Mâ—â—tal eye was witness and with this Engadgment on thy Conscience to Reform thy ways to endeavour all Duty and cast away all thy Transgressionâ— by the help of Grace if thus thou came to the Lords Table and there Solemnly Renewed thy Covenant with God avâ—ching Him that day to be the Lord thy God and to walk in his ways Deut 26. 17. And in Testimony of thy Consent to all the Articles of the Covenant of Grace didst receive the Lord's publick Gospel Seal then know that God will call thee to account for thy observation of this Covenant take care lest thou be Charged as these Psal 78. 36. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth and they lied unto him with their tongâ—es For their heart was not right with him neitheir were they stedfast in his Covenant Take heed ye be not as these who said they would not Transgress and yet are found wandring from God and playing the Harlot every where Jeremiah 2. 20. And that ye may be stedfast in your Covenant with God and faithfully performing your Vows that ye may shine more and and more bright unto the perect Day and continue that Blessed Communion with Christ which is begun Resolve on a true walk with God this honourable Walk is often mentioned and diverse ways expressed in Scripture whereby the Lord Condescendeth to our weakness for our good that we may the better understand how to manadge this Walk as First Walk in Him Col. 2. 6. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him What a wonderful walk is this to walk in Christ who can understand this if it be not given from above yet they are the Words of God discovering our Duty our Priviledge and our greatest Help for this Holy Walk 1. Our Duty still to abide in Christ never to go from Him to any hand to have all our way consisting with Communion with Christ to admit willingly of nothing but that which He will admit of in fellowship with Him that so our fellowship may be continued 2. Our Priviledge in partaking of so great Happiness as to be Interested in His Favour His love and care and Blessed with such nearness as to have Him for our Habitation where we may live and walk at a Holy Liberty 3. Here is our greatest Help and the very Fountain of it if all ordinary Cisterns were dried up the Believer shal Live by the Fountain itself because Christ Lives he who is in Him shal Live also the Believer Liveth upon Christ and His Fullness there he hath Grace to make him Love this Holy walk and hold up his goings in it 2. Walk with God Micah 6. 8. Walk humbly with thy God Let none be so profane as to say are not these one to walk in Him and to walk with Him and what need is there for Expressing this walk so many ways for they are the Words of God and therefore all to be Regarded This walking with God is a Testimony and Proof of our being agreed with Him otherwise there could be no walking with Him For He putteth away all the wicked like dross Psal 119. 119. The Lord confereth this honour upon Believers that being now reconciled by the Blood of Christ they may draw near with some Holy confidence and without Presumption walk with their God though it must be Humblâ— because He is God and we but dust nor is it possible to keep up this walk without Humility for the proud in heart are an Abomination to Him and the rareness of true humility maketh this walk so rare 2. It 's to walk with God that is in His way not in our ways we must attend Him in His own ways not expecting to walk with Him in our sinful ways this is the more to be regarded because we would willingly have God to be with us in our own way to owne and countenance us in the way of our own chusing when there is little care taken to be with God in his ways but we cannot walk with Him out of His own way and as we would have Him to be with us so we should take care that we be with Him 2 Chr. 15. 2. The Lord is with you while ye be with Him 3. Walk before me Gen. 17. 1. I am God Almighty walk before Me and be thou perfect 1. To walk as being under Gods al-seeing Eye which is a great help to a Holy walk labouring to do nothing but as being content God behold it setting the Lord always before our eyes or as the Apostle expresseth it I forsaw the Lord always before my fâ—ce Acts 2. 22. Blessed is the man who frameth all his way for that Omniscient Eye 2. To walk before Him is not only to be impressed with His discerning all our ways but to set Him before our eyes as our all sufficient God and help Believing in our hearts that He can strengthen and bear us up in all the difficult steps of our walk 3. To walk before Him or before His face is to Encourage the Believer that not only God can help but that His Eyes Mercifully upon His People observing all their
necessities and weakness and the need they have that His Gracious Power be forth-coming to them He hath them still before His Face or Eyes all which are strengthening for this Holy walk and keeping up Communion with God yea this walking before Him in a Believing manner is the way to bring us nearest unto Perfection walk before me and be thou perfect and this should be the Study of every Believer to be always making Progress toward Perfection the very endeavouring of it is also a great help to this Holy walk 4. We are to walk after God Deut. 13. 4. Ye shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him This walking after Him is that we may not mistake our selves by forgeting our due distance but understand that no Dignity no Priviledge no Intimacy granted should make us forget what He is and what we are it 's the Honour of His dearest Children to be His Followers Eph. 5. 1. 2dly We are hereby instructed that walking after Him is to fear Him and keep His Commands this must be in every step of our walk no pretence of a good Design no Invention of our own without His Command will agree with this walk 3. When the Believer is admitted into true Fellowship with God yet he is to follow on for greater nearness and at the nearest in this Life is to follow for more and the more near there is still the more of these Infinit Excellencies Discovered that maketh the Believer's Communion with God still a following after Him Phil. 3. 12. Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after 5. We must walk as Christ walked 1 John 2. 6. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk even as He walked we must not shut our eyes upon the Holiness of this walk required in this Scripture and must not throw it by saying it's impossible for us to Imitate Christ O that prejudice against the holiness of this walk did not more obstruct our Imitation than that Christ's Practice was in many things Unimitable for though it be true that no man is foolishly to presume an Imitation in all things or to attempt pure impossibilities yet it 's no less true that we are Oblidged to learn by Christ's Practice and Example wherein He is imitable For Matth. 11. 29. He requires us to Learn of Him for saith He I am meek and lowly in heart The Command is to learn by His Example there is the greater cause to Regard this because no man can Love Him and not desire to be like Him so far as is imitable in hope to be more like Him ere long when He shal appear 1 John 3. 2. Consider then O Christian His dâ—â—â—gence still going about doing good His not seeking His own Glory as a man His patience both towards His friends and foes His Humilitie and Meekness His Submission to His Father's Will His Diligence in Prayer sometimes continuing all Night Praying as Luke 6. 12. How much should it sweeten any Duty that Christ Practised it before us get this necessary Imitation once upon your Conscience as a Duty John 13. 15 Do as I have given you Example here is a Pattern that cannot deceive as the best of sinful men may do Therefore follow no man further than he is a Follower of Christ 1 Corinthians 11. 1. 6. Walk worthy of God 1 Thess 2. 12. That ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto His Kingdom and Glory These also are the Words of God and must be regarded whatever difficulty appear in them the Believer must Study a suitableness to the Relation God has honoured him with 1 John 3. 2. Now are we the sons of God Believers must represent this Relation by the shining of their Father's Image upon them There are some of whom He is not ashamed to be called their God Heb. 11. 16. Walk suitable to your Engagements many eyes are upon you and your Conversation will be sure either to do good or hurt to others let no man Converse with you but so as he may have occasion for some good to his Soul let never poor Creature have cause of complaint that you hardned them in their sin and pushed them on to Hell walk suitable to thy hope of that Kingdom and Glory whereunto thou art called walk as it becomes an Heir of that Kingdom neither cast down nor lifted up with any thing that a little time shal consume labour to walk carefuly as an expectant of Heaven hoping shortly to be in it with thy best Company and that thou mayest get these things in some measure cheerfully performed First Seek to be Confirmed that thy fellowship with God is begun 2. Adore the Mercy that ever brought thee so near Him 3. Mind often what is revealed of the Glorious eternal Communion to come 4. See that Love constrain thee to keep still near God 5. Watch and oppose whatever allureth thy heart from this fellowship 6. Yet Commit the keeping of thy Soul into the hands of thy Redeemer 7. Trust Him with every thing thou hast to do 8. Seek to delight in Him as thy exceeding Joy in all Revolutions Publick or Privat 9. Meditate on thy Mercies as well as either thy sin or wants 10. Grieve not the Holy Spirit whereby he dwelleth in thee and Sealeth thee 11. Lay out thy Graces or Gifts for the Master's use and so they will grow 12. Labour to know better what a Conversation in Heaven is that thou mayest be daily drawing out of Heaven that which will help thee to it that which will sweeten all the severities of the way to thy Home and these First Fruits that will secure it to be thy Home and make thee desire that better Countrey and while thou art here draw out of Christ's fulness with Joy abide in Him who purchased that Inheritance and hath prepared it for thee and is the way to it and shall receive thee to Himself when thy walk is over and place thee with Himself in His Father's Kingdom whence thou shalt go no more out nor ever desire to be out FINIS