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
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
Duty must be performed immediately Nehemiah must now speak there was no Deferring of his Answer but he appeareth Self Deemed not daring to Trust his own Understanding and therefore must needs go to God with it what shall I speak he had been at this time an accomplished Courteour and Favourite and admitted near the King's Person yet he will not Trust his Parts or Elocution but he will Trust his God here also is another profitable Example that when men are clearly called to speak either before few or many and have not time to premeditate yet there ought to be a serious humble looking up to God for his Assistance what ever be mens Station in the World no doubt Humility is a Mother of many Prayers and if this Example were followed how Blessed a Help would it be for frequent Remembring God these are but a taste of the many Occasions we have for these short Ejaculatory Prayers which will do hurt to no mans other concerns in the World but are a great Help to Communion with God CHAP. VI. Pertinent Meditations in the time of Communicating The fifth Inference SEing such Blessed and near Communion with Christ may be obtained at the Lord's Table then Communicants should prepare for entertaining Communion with him in the time of that Solemnity after serious preparation great Diligence is necessary that this Holy Ordinance be managed on our part in an acceptable manner that we may find it a true Communion with Christ suitable to it's name and of all Communicants they have the most peculiar advantage who are acquainted with Communion with God before they come to the Lord's Table for except there be some admirable work of power and Mercy men will surely profane the Sacrament who have their Fellowship with Christ then to begin not knowing how to receive Christ when they receive these Sacred signs or how to Feed upon him I say without some great work of God's Mercy for we must still leave place for Soveraign Power and Mercy who can not only Confirm such as have doubted of their Fellowship with God but even then give it a Beeing which had no Beeing before and in one day or hour give both Faith and Fellowship with God yet this is no Warrant for any to presume without endeavouring both Faith and Fellowship before they come to the Lord's Table It should also be remarked that many godly persons find themselves at a great loss when they come to the Lord's Table by not knowing how to act their part distinctly in Communicating and though they have made some Conscience of Preparation before yet complains they act but confusedly in the very time of the Solemn Action which doth much obstruct their Peace and Comfort yea though they dare not Charge themselves with Hypocrisie as to their desires for Communion with Christ or that they were altogether inconcern'd in Partaking yet not knowing what Meditations were most suitable in the time of Partaking and wandring from one thought to another without fixing on that which was most proper for the work do often fall into impertinecies alien to the great work in hand which being Reflected upon giveth such a Wound to their Conscience that the day or hour which should have been the time of their great Joy is turned into Grief and Complaints and that which will appear strange unto Strangers to these things that some find more dificulty to be Composed in their minds in the very time of that Solemnity than they found before they came to it whereby they are Surprised and fall into great Consternation that when the Soul should have been most United Fixed and elevated for Communion with Christ that than their thoughts should be a gathering though possibly the things they were thinking of were Pious and Good in themselves but altogether unseasonable such would Consider that Feeding on Christ is so excellent and profitable for the Soul and so Destructive for Satan's Interest that no Devices or Temptations will be wanting to frustrat that Profite and therefore should be Guarded against not onely to Resist Temptations in the time or any thing Impertinent to the Work in hand but withall before we come to Partake this should have a peculiar Consideration how we should Act in the time of that Solemn Action and who knoweth but the Neglect of this part of Preparation may provock God to let us find our own Weakness to our Grief if we be so proud as to think we can Act the Most Solemn part of the Work of our selves without any Preparation therefore it will be found our Duty both to Pray and Meditate before hand how to be Employed in the time of Receiving and such are in a special manner concerned to notice this who have Smarted already for it's Neglect complaining that God had Deserted them for no other reason but because of their Impertinent wandring at the Lord's Table And for your help in this part of the Work how to Act your part of this Holy Communion I shall propose by the Lord's help a few things to your Consideration I say how to Act lest any should say there 's no Acting required of us but only Receiving but such would Consider that our Receiving of Christ is the Acting of Faith as is clear from John 1. 12â— Wherein also Love to our Blessed Redeemer must be Acted so that we must Act our part in this Holy Communion if we expect the Benefite for which also we should be active in Praises First Then when we are to enter on this Blessed Duty we should humbly request for the Lord's Asistance and Presence with us that our hearts may be Established by his Grace and kept closs to the Work this should be done were there never so many about you 2. It 's necessary also that what the Lord sendeth by his Messengers for clearing the Nature of the Sacrament be Diligently hearkened unto and I do the rather mind you of this because some do then shut their ears from attending to any thing spoken being wholly taken up with thoughts of their own I am not yet speaking of the very Instant of Receiving for at that time People must be exercised with their own Meditations and should not be diverted with many Words but that which I say is that before the Sacred Action be engaged some take a liberty to Neglect all they hear attending only to their own secret thoughts and debates but this is not the seasonable Work for if it be Ministers Duty to Preach and open up the Nature of the Sacrament and teach the Duty of communicants then it 's the Peoples Duty to hearken not knowing but the Lord will Direct that unto them which may either clear their present Doubts or set them on some more seasonable Work than that wherewith they are at present Exercised 3. When ye are entering the Work labour to come to it cheerfully and thankfully Blessing God you have so Blessed a Work to go to as actual Solemn