never give that repose and satisfaction to the mind as the internal Witness or Seal of the spirit doth for that may be a delusion but this cannot The witness of our own heart may amount to a strong probability but the witness of the spirit is demonstration 1 Joh. 4. 24. So that as it is the design and work of Satan to cast in doubts and fears into gracious hearts to perplex and intangle them so oppositely it is the work of the Spirit to clear and settle the sanctified soul and fill it with peace and joy in believing Joh. 16. 7. Rom. 14. 17. In Sealing he both attests the fidem quae creditur the doctrine or object of Faith and the fidem quâ creditur the infused habit or grace of Faith Of the former he saith this is my Word of the latter this is my Work and his Seal or Testimony is evermore agreeable to the written word Isa. 8. 20. So that what he speaks in our hearts and what he saith in the Scripture are ever-more concordant and harmonious testimonies To conclude in Sealing the Believer he doth not make use of an audible Voice nor the Ministry of Angels nor immediate and extraordinary revelations but he makes use of his own graces implanted in our hearts and his own promises written in the Scriptures and in this method he usually brings the doubting trembling heart of the Believer to rest and comfort 2. Query Why are none Sealed till after Believing Answ. It cannot be denied but that many persons in the state of nature and unbelief may have ungrounded confidences and false comforts built thereupon This is evident from Matth. 7. 22. Many will say unto me in that day Lord Lord have not we Prophesied in thy Name And Joh. 8. 54 55. of whom ye say that he is your God and yet ye have not known him And beyond all is that startling Scripture Heb. 6. 4 5. Who were once enlightned and have tasted of the Heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the World to come if they fall away c. But for any except real Believers to have those Witnesses and Sealings of the Spirit described above is utterly impossible and will evidently appear to be so whether we consider The Author Nature Object Mediums End and design of this work First Consider the Author of this work the Spirit of God who is an Holy Spirit as the Text calls him and the Spirit of Truth as Christ calls him Joh. 14. 17. and it cannot be that ever he should give testimony to a lye or give a false witness quite cross to the very tenour of the written word as he must do should he Seal an Unbeliever What though they be Elect yet whilst Unregenerate they have no actual interest in Christ and the Promises and therefore can have none Sealed by the Spirit Prius est praedicare de esse quam de cognosci we must be Saints befose we can be known to be so Secondly Consider but the nature of this work and it cannot be that ever an Unbeliever should be Sealed by the Spirit For assurance is produced in our souls by the reflexive acts of our Faith The Spirit helps us to reflect upon what hath been done by him formerly upon our hearts Hereby we know that we know him 1 Joh. 2. 3. To know that we know is a reflex act now it 's impossible there should be a reflex before there hath been a direct act No man can have the evidence of his Faith before the habit be infused and the vital act first performed Thirdly Consider the object matter to which he Seals and it will be found to be his own Sanctifying operations upon our hearts and consequently to our priviledges in Christ Rom. 8. 16. 1 Joh. 3. 24. The thing or matter attested is that Christ abideth in us and that we are the Children of God But no such thing can be Sealed till we believe for neither our Adoption nor Sanctification can be before Faith Fourthly Consider the mediums or instruments used by the Spirit in his Sealing work the promises are his sealing instruments and on that account he is call'd the Spirit of Promise in the Text Not only because he is the Spirit promised but as the Promises contain the spirit so the Spirit'uses the Promises i. e. clears them to our understandings and helps us to apply them to our souls but this he never doth nor can do till the soul by Faith have union with Christ for till then it hath no right in the Promises Fifthly and lastly Consider the end and design of this work of the Spirit which is to secure to the soul its peace pardon and salvation in Christ he seals Believers to the day of Redemption Eph. 4. 30. i. e. to their compleat Salvation So then it must be equally impossible for an Unbeliever to be sealed as to be saved 3. Query The next enquiry is whether all Believers are Sealed by the Spirit Answ. The resolution of this Query will depend upon several distinctions that must be made upon this matter 1. Distinction We must distinguish the different kinds of the Spirits sealing all his Sealing work is not of one kind nor to one and the same use and end There is an Objective Seal which distinguishes the person and a Formal Seal which clears and ratifies his interest in Christ and Salvation The first he doth in Sanctifying us the second in Assuring us When he Seals us Objectively that is when he Sanctifies us really by the infusion of grace he Seals us by way of distinction from other men which is one end of Sealing for though in respect of Gods decree and purpose there was a difference betwixt us and others before time 2 Tim. 2. 19. And although in regard of Christs intention in his death there was a difference betwixt us and others Joh. 17. 9. yet all this while there is no personal actual difference betwixt us and others till Sanctification do make one Eph. 2. 3. and 1 Cor. 6. 11. But the Sanctification of the Spirit makes a real difference in the state and temper of the person 2 Cor. 5. 17. and manifests that difference which Election put betwixt us and others before-time 1 Thes. 1. 4 5. And yet all this while a man may not be formally Sealed i. e. his Sanctification may be very doubtful to himself and he may labour under great fears about it 2. Distinction The seasons of the Spirits sealing must be distinguished and these are to some First Immediately upon the souls first closing with Christ at Conversion especially when Conversion is wrought at riper age and is usher'd in by a greater degree of the spirit of bondage and deep inward terrors Thus the Prodigal the emblem of a Convert so brought home to God was entertained with the fatted Calf and Musick but all
the Book of Life than that the Devils are subject to us Luk. 10. 20. From hence it may be inferr'd that we are chosen of God Act. 13. 48. As many as were ordained to eternal life believed Fourthly The least measure of saving faith is a mercy greater than most men ever partake of 'T is true God is rich and bountiful in the gifts of Providence to others they have the good things of this life many of them more than their hearts can wish Psal. 73. 7. He enricheth many of them also with endowments of the mind natural and moral knowledge and wisdom yea and adorns them with Homilitical Vertues that render them very desirable and lovely in their converses with men but there are but few to whom he gives saving faith Isa. 53. 1. Believers are but a small remnant among men Fifthly and lastly He that hath any the least degree of saving faith hath that which shall never be taken away from him all other excellencies go away at death Job 4. 21. But this is a spring that never fails it springs up into everlasting life Joh. 4. 14. A man may out-live his Friends and Familiars his Estate and Health his Gifts and Natural parts but not his Faith how great matter of joy and comfort is wrapt up in the least degree of Faith 1. Use of tryal It concerns us then to examine our selves whether our Faith be true be it more or less stronger or weaker and till we discern its truth it will yield us but little comfort I confess weak Believers are under great disadvantages to comfort small and weak things being usually very inevident and undiscernable but yet in this example before us we find weak faith was made evident though much unbelief was mixed with it Lord I believe help thou my unbelief In which words many very useful signs of true though weak faith did appear and they are very relieving to weak Believers to consider them O that we might find the like in us First His Faith gave him a tender melting heart He cry'd out and said with tears Doth your faith melt your hearts either in the sense of your own vileness or of the riches of free grace to such vile Creatures Secondly His Faith gave him a deep sense of his remaining unbelief and burdened his heart with it Help my unbelief And sure so will yours if it be but as a grain of Mustard-seed in you Thirdly His weak Faith carried him to Christ in servent prayers and cries for his help to subdue unbelief in him and so will yours if your Faith be right Oh how often do the People of God go to the Throne of Grace upon that Errand Help Lord my heart is dead vain and very unbelieving there 's no dealing with it in my own strength Father help me Fourthly His Faith made him hunger and thirst after greater measures of it Help my unbelief i. e. Lord cure it that I may believe with more strong and steddy acts os Faith that I may not question thy power any more or say If thou canst do any thing Why thus will it be with you if you be true Believers Luk. 17. 5. Lord said the Disciples increase our Faith Fifthly There was a conflict in his soul betwixt Faith and Infidelity Grace and Corruption and this very sensible to him faith inclining him one way and unbelief carrying him another and hence he speaks like a man greatly distressed betwixt the workings of contrary principles in his own soul and so you will also find it in your selves Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh so that ye cannot do the things that ye would 2. Use of Consolation Well then bless the Lord for the least degree of saving Faith and be not so discouraged at its imperfections as to over-look and slight the smalest working of faith in your souls This poor man was deeply sensible of his unbelief and yet at the same instant truly thankful for a small measure of Faith and so should you For First The least measure of saving Faith is more than all Creatures power could produce 'T is the faith of the operation of God Col. 2. 12. 't is the work of God that ye believe Joh. 6. 29. Yea 't is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power Eph. 1. 19 20. No Ministers of Christ how excellent soever their gifts are no duties or ordinances no labour or diligence of your own without this mighty power of God can ever bring you to Faith Secondly 'T is just matter of wonder and astonishment that ever one spark of faith was kindled in such an heart as thine is an heart which had no predisposition or inclination in the least to believe yea it was not rasa tabula like clean paper voâ—…d of any impression of faith but fill'd with contrary impressions to it so that it 's marvelous that ever your hearts received the stamp or impression of faith on them It was wonderful that fire should fall from Heaven and burn upon the Altar when Elijah had laid the wood in order upon it but much more when he poured so much water upon it as not only wet all the wood but fill'd the Trenches 1 King 18. 33. Just so was the case of thy soul Reader when God came to kindle faith there Thy heart was dark and ignorant neither acquainted with God or thy own condition yea thy heart was a proud heart full of self-righteousness and self-conceitedness Rev. 3. 17. Rom. 10. 3. a heart that would rather venture Eternal Damnation than deny Self and submit to Christ and yet the light of the Lord must shine into this darkness and the pride and stiffness of thy heart must be broken and brought to yield or there is no believing Beside How many and mighty Enemies did oppose the work of Faith in thy soul Among which Satan and thy own carnal reasonings were the principal 2 Cor. 10. 4. By them what strong holds and sortifications were raised to secure thee from the strokes of conviction and made way for Faith Let but the state of thine own heart as it was by nature be considered and thou wilt say it is the wonderful work of God that ever thou wast brought in any degree to believe Thirdly Though thy Faith be weak yet it is growing if it be saving faith The largest Tree was once but a Kernel or Acorn The most famous Believer at first but a weak and doubting one Be not discouraged therefore God will fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness in you and the work of faith with power It were certainly much better for you to be blessing God for a little faith praying for the increase of faith and diligently attending those means by which it may be improved and made flourishing in your souls than by a sinful ungrateful and prejudicial despondency at once to
Flesh to be rent and his Blood set abroach for you what love like the love of Christ Secondly Learn hence a ground of Content in the lowest and poorest condition allotted to any Believer in this world It may be some of you live low in the world you have hard fare and are abridg'd of many of those sweet comforts in the Creature which the Enemies of God abound in but still remember you have no cause to envy their dainties and be dissatisficd with your own lot and portion when not many Nobles or mighty in the world feed as your souls do feed O what a feast have you What dainties do your souls tast by faith Whilst others do but feed upon Ashes and Husks what is the flesh of Lambs and Calves out of the Stall to the Flesh of Christ What is Wine in bowls and the chief Oyntment to the Blood of Christ and the anoyntings of his Spirit O be satisfied with your outward lot however God hath cast it whilst he hath dealt so bountifully with your souls Thirdly Learn hence the necessity of faith in order to the livelihood and subsistance of our souls What is a Feast to him that cannot tast it And what is Christ to him that cannot believe That cannot by faith eat his Flesh and drink his Blood 'T is not the Preparation made for souls in Christ but the Application of him by faith that gives us the sweetness and benefit of him Faith is the souls mouth or pallate the Unbeliever tasts no sweetness in Christ he can rellish more sweetness in money meat drink carnal mirth or any sensual enjoyment than Christ. Fourthly How excellent are Gospel-Ordinances What sweetness is there to be found in them by true Believers For there Christ is prepar'd and as it were serv'd in for them to feed upon It is your Ministers work to cook and prepare for you all the week long and to furnish for you a feast of fat things Loe here 's a Table spread and furnish'd this day with the costliest dainties that Heaven affords O prize these mercies sit not here with flat or wanton appetites lest God call to your Enemies and bid them take away 2. Use of Exhortation Is the Flesh and Blood of Christ Meat and Drink indeed then let me exhort you Brethren First To come to this Table with sharp and hungry appetites Have you ever tasted that the Lord is gracious and do you not hunger and thirst to taste it again Surely where the Carcass is thither will the Eagles be gather'd Math. 24. 28. There is a two fold appetite a dainty and an hungry appetite beware of a nice and dainty appetite that can rellish nothing in the most solid and spiritual duties except the dish be garnisht with flowers of Rhetorick or the matter serv'd in with art and elegancy This hath been the great sin of the Professors of this Generation O Christians no more of that I pray you Were you really an hungred and athirst for Christ you would come to his Ordinances as famishing men to a feast Secondly To feed heartily upon Christ in every Ordinance and in every Sacrament especially O that your souls might hear and answer that invitation this day Cant. 5. 1. Eat O Friends drink yea drink abundantly O Beloved For Motives I will only hint these three following First Christ is the matter of this Feast God hath prepar'd him for your souls Is any thing in Heaven or Earth so sweet as Christ Sacrificed is Do not the Angels and Saints in Heaven feast upon him Surely one drop of Christ's Blood hath more sweetness and excellency in it than the whole Ocean of all Creature-comforts Secondly Don't your graces need it Have you not a languishing love a staggering faith dull and sluggish desires Look into your hearts and see what need there is of strengthening the things that are in you which are ready to die O feed upon Christ that your graces may be revived strengthened Thirdly Do you know how many daies you are to go in the strength of this meal How long it may be ere you sit again at the Lords Table Surely even these as well as your inferior temporal comforts stand upon terms of greatest uncertainty Ah Christians Consider well the times you live in the Enemy that stands ready to take away the cloth and remove your spiritual food from you It 's said of Peter Martyr that being in Oxford when Q. Mary came in and hearing the first Mass-bell ring he was struck to the heart and said haec una notula omnem meam doctrinam evertit This one tinkling Bell overthrows all the labours of my Ministry at once God grant we may hear none of that Musick in England any more but it 's like to be according to your estimation and improvement of Christ's precious Ordinances Thirdly Commend the experiensed sweetness of Christ to others Don't conceal his loveliness and excellency Thus the fair and enamoured Spouse charges or adjures others Cant. 5. 9. Be not content to feast upon Christ alone whilst others souls are starving and perhaps the souls of your dear natural Relations Say to them as David Psal. 34. 8. O taste and see how good the Lord is Fourthly and lastly See that your appetite to Christ be right and truly spiritual Such an hunger and thirst upon which blessedness is entail'd by promise and you may conclude it so when First It is a sharp and strong appetite Psal. 42. 1. Let your thoughts run upon Christ night and day like the desires of a longing Woman Secondly When 't is a Universal appetite after every thing in Christ his Holiness as well as his Righteousness his Commands as well as his Promises for he is altogether lovely Cant. 5. 16. Thirdly When 't is a continual appetite I mean not that the pulse of your desires should keep an even stroke at all times but that there be real and sincere workings of heart after him always Psal. 119. 20. Fourthly When 't is an industrious appetite awakening the soul to the Use of all means and practice of all duties in order to satisfaction Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after Fifthly and lastly It 's then aright when 't is an insatiable appetite never to be allaid with any thing besides Christ Psal. 73. 25. No nor with Christ himself till thou comest to the full enjoyment of him in Heaven The Believer knows how sweet soever his Communion with Christ is in this world yet that Communion he shall have with Christ in Heaven far excels it there it will be more intimate and immediate 1 Cor. 19. 12. more full and perfect even to satisfaction Psal. 17. 15. more constant and continued not suffering such interruptions as it doth here Rev. 21. 25. More pure and unmixed Here our Corruptions work with our graces Rom. 7. 21. but there grace shall work alone In a word more durable and
the representation of it But loe here is more than a representation Christ is set forth in this Ordinance as Crucified for you as suffering and enduring all this in your room and stead Now Suppose Reader thy self to be justly Condemned to the torture of the Rack or Strappado and that thy Father Brother or dearest Friend preferring thy life to his own would become thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ransomer by undergoing the torment for thee and all that is left for thee to suffer were only by way of Sympathy with him Suppose now thy self standing by that Engine of Torture and beholding the members of thy dear Friend distorted and all out of joynt hearing the doleful groans extorted by the extremity of anguish and under all these torments still maintaining a constant love to thee not once repenting his torments for thee couldst thou stand there with dry eyes could thy heart be unaffected and stupid at such a sight Write him rather a Beast a Stone than a Man that could do so But this is not all The Believers interest in Christ is Sealed as well as the sufferings of Christ represented in this Ordinance And is a Sealed Interest in Christ so cheap or common a thing as that it should not engage yea swallow up all the powers of thy soul O what is this What is this The Seal of God set to the Soul of a poor Sinner to confirm and ratifie its title to the Person of Christ and the inestimable treasures of his Blood Surely as the Sealing up of a man to Damnation is the sum of all misery and that poor Creature that is so Sealed hath cause enough to mourn and wail to Eternity So the sealing up of a soul to Salvation is the sum of all mercy and happiness and the Soul that is so sealed hath cause enough to lie at the feet of God over-whelmed with the sense of so invaluable a mercy Secondly As the nature and ends of the Ordinance call for the greatest composedness of spirit so the danger of unworthy receiving should work our hearts to the most serious frames For if a man be here without his Wedding-garment if he eat and drink unworthily it is at the greatest peril of his soul that he doth so 1 Cor. 11. 27. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this Bread and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. To prophane and undervalue that Body and Blood of the Lord is a sin above measure sinful and the punishments of such sins will be most dreadful for still the more excellent the Blessings are that come by any Ordinance the more dreadful the Curses are that avenge the abuse of such mercies How soon may a man draw fearful guilt upon his soul and dreadful judgments upon his body by an heedless management of such sacred mysteries For this cause many are weak and fickly among you and many sleep ver 30. It is a most weighty Note that a worthy Pen sets upon this Scripture they discerned not the Body of his Son Jesus Christ in his Ordinances but instead of that holy reverend and deep-dyed behaviour which was due to it both from their inner and outward man as being a Creature of the highest and deepest Sanctification that ever God Sanctified Sanctified not only to a more excellent and glorious condition but also to many ends and purposes of far higher and dearer concernment both for the glory of God and benefit of men themselves than all other Creatures whatsoever whether in Heaven or Earth they handled and dealt by it in both kinds as if it had been a common or unsanctified thing Thus they discerned not the Lords Body And as they discerned not his Body so neither did God in some sense discern theirs but in those sore Strokes and heavy Judgments which he inflicted on them had them in no other regard or consideration than as if they had been the bodies of his Enemies the bodies of wicked and sinful men Thus drawing the model and plat-form of their punishment as usually he doth from the structure and proportion of their sin Thus the Just and Righteous God builds up the breaches that we make upon the honour belonging to the body of his Son with the ruins of that honour which he had given unto ours in health strength life and many other outward comforts and supports O then what need is there of a most awful and composed spirit when we approach the Lord in this Ordinance Thirdly As the danger of unworthy receiving should compose us to the greatest seriousness so the remembrance of that frame and temper Christs spirit was in when he actually suffered those things for us should compose our spirits into a frame more suitable and agreeable to his when we see his death as it were acted over again before our eyes was his heart roving and wandering in that day Did he not sense and mind the work he was going about Was his heart like thine stupid and unaffected with these things Look but upon that Text Luke 22. 44. and you shall see whether it were so or no. It 's said when this Tragedy drew nigh and his Enemies were ready to seize him in the Garden That being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of Blood falling down to the ground And Matth. 26. 38. he saith My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death His soul was full of sorrow and is thine full of stupâ—…y God forbid If thy heart be cold Christ's was hot If thou canst not shed a tear he poured out clods of blood from every part Oh! how unsuitable is a dry eye and an hard heart to such an Ordinance as this Fourthly As the frame Christs spirit was in at his death should command the most solemn frame upon our spirits at the recognizing of it so the things here represented require and call for the highest exercise of every grace of the spirit in our souls for we come not thither as idle Spectators but as active Instruments to glorifie God by exercising every grace upon Christ as Crucified for us Behold here among the rest 1. The proper object of Faith 2. The flowing spring of Repentance 3. The powerful attractive of Love First The proper object of Faith is here This Ordinance as a glass represents to thine eye that glorious Person of whom the Father said This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. 17. 5. Of whom he said I have laid help upon one that is mighty This was he that was made Sin for us who had no Sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. Who trod the Wine-press alone and is here to be seen in his red Garments Every drop of his precious Blood hath a tongue calling for Faith to behold it poured forth as a Sacrifice to God for sin This saith he is
First The Hypocrite is described by what he hath he hath God in his mouth Thou art near in their mouth i. e. they profess with a full mouth that they are thy People saith Piscator or they speak much about the Law as another senses it God and his Temple Religion with its rites are much talked of among them they have him in their prayers and duties and this is all that the Hypocrite hath of God Religion only sanctifies his tongue that seems to be dedicated to God but it penetrates no farther and therefore Secondly He is described by that he hath not or by what he wants And or but thou art far from their reins i. e. they feel not the powers and influences of that name which they so often invocate and talk of going down to their very reins and affecting their very hearts so we must understand this Metaphorical expression here as the opposition directs For the reins having so great and sensible a sympathy with the heart which is the seat of affections and passions upon that account it is usual in Scripture to put the reins for those intimate and secret affections thoughts and passions of the heart with which they have so near cognation and so sensible a sympathy When the heart is under great consternation the loins or reins are seiz'd also as Dan. 5. 6. Then that Kings Countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him and the joynts of his loins were loosed On the contrary when the heart is fill'd with delight and gladness the reins are said to rejoyce Prov. 23. 16. Yea my reins shall rejoyce when thy lips speak right things totus laetitiâ dissiliam I shall even leap for joy So then when the Prophet saith God is far from the reins of the Hypocrite the meaning is he feels not the heart-affecting influence and power of Religion upon his heart and affections as Gods People do And hence the Note will be That God comes nearer to the hearts and reins of his People in their duties than he doth to any Hypocritical or formal Professor By Gods nearness we understand not his Omnipresence that neither comes nor goes nor his love to his People that abides but the sensible sweet manifestations and out-lets of it to their souls So in Psal. 145. 18. The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him unto all that call upon him in truth Note the restriction and limitation of this glorious priviledge 't is the peculiar enjoyment of sincere and upright-hearted Worshippers Others may have Communion with duties but not with God in them But that God comes nigh very nigh to upright hearts in their duties is a truth as sensibly manifest to spiritual persons as that they are nigh the fire when they feel the comfortable heat of it refreshing them in a cold season when they are almost starved and benumed with cold Three things make this evident First Sincere souls are sensible of Gods accesses to them in their duties they feel his approaches to their spirits Lam. 3. 57. Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee thou saidst fear not And what a surprize was that to the Church Cant. 2. 8. It is the Voice of my Beloved behold he cometh c. Certainly there is a felt presence of God which no words can make another to understand they feel the Fountain flowing abundantly into the dry pits the heart fills apace the empty thoughts swell with a fulness of spiritual things which strive for vent Secondly They are sensible of Gods recesses and withdrawments from their spirits they feel how the ebb follows the flood and how the waters abate So you find it in Cant. 5. 6. I opened to my Beloved but my Beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone my soul failed when he spake I sought him but I could not find him I called but he gave me no answer The Hebrew is very Pathetical He was gone he was gone A sad change of the frame of her heart quickly followed Thirdly The Lords nearness to the hearts and reins of his People in their duties is evident to them from the effects that it leaves upon their spirits For look as it is with the Earth and Plants with respect to the approach or remove of the Sun in the Spring and Autumn So it is here as Christ speaks Luk. 21. 29. When ye see the Figg-tree and all the Trees shoot forth we know that Summer is nigh at hand An appoaching Sun renews the face of the Earth and makes Nature smile The Trees bud and blossom the Fishes rise the Birds sing it 's a kind of Resurrection to Nature from the dead So is it when the Lord comes near the hearts and reins of men in duty For then they find that First A real taste of the joy of the Lord is here given to men the fulness whereof is in Heaven hence call'd 2 Cor. 1. 22. The earnest of his Spirit And 1 Pet. 1. 8. Glorified Joy or a short Salvation O what is this What is this Certainly it is something that hath no Affinity with flesh or gross corporeal pleasures but is of another nature something which transcends all that ever was felt or tasted in this world since we were first conversant among sensible objects Secondly A mighty strength and power coming into their souls and actuating all its faculties and graces When God comes near new powers enter the soul the feeble is as David Psal. 138. 3. In the day that I cried thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul Hope was low and Faith was weak little strength in any grace except desires but when the Lord comes strength comes with him Then as it is Neh. 8. 10. The joy of the Lord is your strength O the vigorous sallies of the heart to God! Psal. 63. 8. O the strength of Love Cant. 8. 6. Duties are other manner of things than they were wont to be Did not our hearts burn within us Luk. 24. 32. Thirdly A remarkable transformation and change of spirit follows it These things are found to be marvelously assimilating The sights of God the felt presence of God is as fire which quickly assimilates what is put into it to its own likeness So 2 Cor. 3. 18. They are said to be changed from glory to glory It always leaves the mind more refined and abstracted from gross material things and changed into the same Image They have a similitude of God upon them who have God near unto their hearts and reins Fourthly A vigorous working of the heart Heaven-ward A mounting of the soul upwards Now the soul shews that it hath not forgot its way home again It is with such a soul as sensibly embraces Christ in the arms of Faith as it was with Simeon when he took him bodily into his Arm. Now saith he let thy Servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation O! it would
Religion upon your very hearts and reins this will settle you better than all Arguments in the world can do By this the ways of God are more endeared to men than by any other way in the world When your hearts have once felt it you will never forsake it THE THIRD MEDITATION UPON Rom. 7. 21. I find then a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me THIS Chapter is the very Anatomy of a Christians heart and gives an account of the most secret frames inward workings of it both as to Graces and Corruptions and this Verse is a Compendium of both for the words are a mournful complaint uttered with a deep sense of an inward pressure by reason of Sin wherein we are to consider three things 1. The person complaining 2. The matter of complaint 3. The discovery of that matter First The person complaining I find I Paul though I come not behind the chiefest of all the Apostles though I have been â—…rapt into the third Heaven heard things unutterable yet I for all that find in me a Law Never was any meer man more deeply sanctified Never any lived at an higher rate of Communion with God never any did Christ more service in this world and yet he found a Law of sin in himself Secondly The matter of the complaint which consists in a double evil he groaned under viz. 1. The presence of sin at all times 2. The operation of sin especially at some time First The presence of sin at all times Evil saith he is present with me it follows me as my shaddow doth By evil we must understand no other evil but sin the evil of evils which in respect of power and efficacy he also calls a Law because as Laws by reason of their annexed rewards and punishments have a mighty power and efficacy upon the minds of men so sin in-dwelling sin that root of all our trouble and sorrow hath a mighty efficacy upon us And this is the mournful matter of his complaint 'T is not for outward Afflictions though he had many nor for what he suffered from the hands of men though he suffered many grievous things but 't is sin dwelling and working in him that swallows up all other troubles as Rivers are lost in the Sea this evil was always with him the constant residence of sin was in his heart and nature Secondly And what further adds to his burden as it dwelt in him at all times so it exerted its efficacy more especially at some times and those the special times and principal seasons in his whole life When I would do good saith he any spiritual good and among the rest when I address my self to any spiritual duty or Heavenly imployment when I design to draw near to God and promise my self comfort and redress in Communion with him then is Evil present O if I were but rid of it in those hours what a mercy should I esteem it though I were troubled with it at other times Could I but enjoy my freedom from it in the seasons of duty and times of communion with God what a comfort would that be But then is the special season of its operation Never is sin more active and busie than at such a time and this O this is my misery and burden Thirdly The next thing to be heeded here is the discovery of this evil to him over which he so mourns and laments I find then a Law saith he I find it i. e. by inward sense feeling and sad experience He knew there was such a thing as Original sin in the Natures of men when he was an Unregenerated Pharisee but though he had then the notion of it he had not the sense and feeling of it as now he had he now feels what before he traditionally understood and talkt of I find a Law q. d. What or how others find I know not I examine not some may boast of their gifts and some may talk more than becomes them of their graces they may find excellencies in themselves and admire themselves too much for them But for my part I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present I am sure I find a bad heart in the best season a proud dead wandring hard heart I find it wofully out of order God knows and this is my misery Hence Note Doct. That the best Christians do sensibly feel and sadly bewail the workings of their corruptions and that in the very seasons and opportunities of their communion with God Bring thy thoughts Reader close to this point and sadly ponder these three things in it First In what special acts Christians use to feel the working of their corruption in the season of their Communion Secondly Why is it that Corruption stirs and troubles them more at such times than at others Thirdly Upon what account this is so great a burden to every gracious heart 1. First As to the first of these namely the special actings of Corruption in the seasons of Communion they are such as have a natural aptitude and design to destroy all Communion betwixt God and the soul Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit It 's contrary to the spirit and by reason of that contrariety a poor Christian cannot do the things that he would How many times have some Christians lamented this upon their knees with bleeding hearts and weeping eyes Lord I came hither to enjoy thee I hop'd for some light strength and refreshment in this duty I promis'd my self a good hour my heart began to warm and melt in duty I was nigh to the expectation and desire of my soul but the unbelief deadness and vanity of my heart hath seperated betwixt me and my God and with-held good things from me Three things are requisite to Communion with God in duties First Composedness of thoughts Secondly Activity of Faith Thirdly Excitation of affections and all these are sensibly obstructed by innate Corruption For by in-dwelling sin First The order of the soul is disturbed by sending forth multitudes of vain and impertinent thoughts to infest and distract the soul in its approaches to God the sense of this evil gave occasion to that prayer Psal. 86. 11. Unite my heart to fear thy Name How much have we to do with our own hearts upon this account every day Abundance of rules are given to cure this evil but the corruption of the heart makes them all necessary Secondly The activity of Faith is clogg'd by natural unbelief O what difficulties is every work of Faith carried through Lord I believe help thou my unbelief Mark 9. 24. It cramps the hand of Faith in every part of its work the soul sensibly feels it self bound and fetter'd by its own unbelief so that it cannot assent with that fulness clearness and determinatness that it would It cannot apply with that strength certainty and comfort it desires and thus are the
soul to him We have known and believed the love that God hath to us 1 Joh. 4. 16. 19. When Christ had forgiven much to that poor Woman that had sin'd much and manifested pardoning mercy to her soul O how much was her love to Christ inflamed thereby Luk. 7. 47. Secondly Renewed care and diligence follows the Sealings of the Spirit Now is the soul at the foot of Christ as Mary was at the Sepulcher with fear and great joy He that Travels the Road with a rich treasure about him is afraid of a Thief in every bush This is exemplified in the Spouse who had endured many a sad day and night in Christs absence and sought him sorrowing but when she had regained his felt and sensible presence it 's said Cant. 3. 4. I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and would not let him go She doth not as one speaks lay by diligence as if all were done but is of new taken up with as great care to retain and improve this mercy as before she was solicitous to obtain it Whether a Believer want or have whether he be seeking or enjoying there is still matter of exercise for him in his condition Thirdly Deep abasement and great humblings use to follow the eminent appearances of God to the souls of men Lord said that Disciple how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us and not unto the world Joh. 14. 22. When God Sealed the Covenant to Abraham to be a God to him at this Abraham fell upon his face Gen. 17. 1 2 3. Never doth a soul lie lower in the dust and abhor it self than when the Lord makes the most signal manifestations of his grace and love to it Fourthly Increased strength follows the sealings of the Spirit New powers enter into the soul and a sensible improvement of its abilities for duty or ever I was aware saith the Spouse my soul made me as the Chariots of Aminadab Cant. 6. 12. Now the wheels of the soul being oyled with the joy and comfort of the Spirit run nimbly in the ways of obedience The joy of the Lord is your strength Fifthly Sealings of the Spirit inflames the desires of the soul after Heaven and makes it long to go home Nothing makes death so undesirable to the Saints as the doubts and fears that hang upon their Spirits about their condition Were their evidences for Heaven clear and their doubts resolved they would as the Apostle speaks desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Phil. 1. 23. If once the great question of our interest in Christ be throughly decided and all be clear betwixt us and our God we shall find Life the matter of Patience and Death the object of desire Sixthly and lastly Improved Mortification to the world flows naturally from the Sealings and Assurances of the love of God to our souls It is with our souls after such a view of Heaven and a sealed interest therein as it is with him that hath been gazing upon that glorious Creature the Sun when he comes to cast his eye again upon the Earth all things seem dark and cloudy to him He sees no beauty in any of those things because of that excellent luster which he lately beheld We know saith the Apostle that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolv'd we have a building of God an House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens there 's Assurance or Sealing For in this we groan earnestly desiridg to be cloathed upon with our House which is from Heaven There 's the natural effect of it 2 Cor. 5. 1 2. Uses The point speaks to three sorts of persons viz. 1. To those that have not yet been Sealed 2. To those that once had but now want this comfort 3. To those that enjoy the comforts of it First To those that yet want this mercy who have not been formally Sealed by any assurance of their title to Christ but all their days have been clog'd with fears and doubts of their condition To such my Counsel is First That you be not quiet under these uncertainties but pant after the assurance of peace and pardon Say unto Christ as the Spouse did Cant. 8. 6. Set me as a Seal upon thy heart as a Seal upon thine arm Pant after it as David did Psal. 35. 3. Say unto my soul I am thy Salvation How can you look upon such precious promises and not dare to tast them How can you hear others speak of their satisfaction peace and assurance and be quiet until you also have attained it What is it that hinders this mercy that it cannot come home to your souls Is it your neglect of duty O stir up your selves to take hold of God Is it want of a through search and examination of your estate O let not thine eyes find rest till that be fully done Is it some special guilt upon thy soul that grieves the Spirit of God Be restless till it be removed I know this mercy is not at your command do what you can do but yet I also know when God bestows it he usually doth it in these ways of our duty Secondly To those that once had but now want this blessing who say as Job 29. 2 3. O that it were with me as in days past The darkness is the greater to you because you have walked in the light of the Lord. The sum of Christs Counsel in this case is given in three words Rev. 2. 5. Remember Repent Reform First Remember i. e. ponder consider compare time with time and state with state how well it once was how sad it now is Secondly Repent mourn over these your sinful relapses sure you may challenge the first place among all the mourners in the world Your loss is great O better to have lost the light of your eyes than this sweet light of Gods countenance your sin hath separated betwixt you and your God O mourn over it Thirdly Reform Do your first works again O Christian consider thy heart is sunk deeper into the world than it was wont to be Thy duties are fewer and thy zeal and affection to God much abated Return return O back-sliding soul and labor to recover thy first love to Christ what-ever pains it cost thee Lastly To those that do enjoy these choice and invaluable mercies the Sealings of the Spirit First Take heed that you grieve not the good Spirit of God by whom you are Sealed to the day of Redemption Eph. 4. 30. He hath comforted you don't you grieve him The Spirit is a tender and delicate thing you may quickly deprive your selves of his joy and peace Secondly Be humble under this advancement and dignity If your hearts once begin to swell look out for humbling dispensations quickly 2 Cor. 12. 7. This treasure is always kept in the Vessel of a contrite and humble heart Thirdly Keep close to duty yea tack one duty to
Christ the best mercy but delivered him up for us all when we were his Enemies then certainly he will not deny lesser mercies when we are reconciled and made Friends to him And this is the forcible reason of the Apostle which even compels assent Rom. 5. 9. Much more being now justified by his Blood we shall be saved from wrath through him In a word Fourthly and lastly If it were the very design and intention of God in not sparing his own Son to open thereby a dore for all mercies to be let in upon us then 't is not imaginable he should with-hold them He will not lose his design nor lay so many stripes upon Christ in vain Some shall surely have the benefit of it and none so capable as Believers When God spared not his own Son this was the design of it and could you know the thoughts of his heart they would appear to be such as these I will now manifest the fierceness of my Wrath to Christ and the fulness of my Love to Believers The pain shall be his that the ease and rest may be theirs the stripes his and the healing balm issuing from them theirs The Condemnation his and the Justification theirs The Reproach and Shame his and the Honour and Glory theirs The Curse his and the Blessing theirs The Death his and the Life theirs The Vinegar and Gall his the sweet of it theirs He shall groan and they shall triumph He shall mourn that they may rejoyce His heart shall be heavy for a time that theirs may be light and glad for ever He shall be forsaken that they may never be forsaken Out of the worst of miseries to him shall spring the sweetest of mercies to them O Grace Grace beyond the conception of the largest mind the expression of the tongues of Angels THE SEVENTH MEDITATION UPON Mark 9. 24. And straight-way the Father of the Child cried and said with tears Lord I Believe help my Unbelief THE occasion of these words is to be gather'd from the Context and briefly it was this A tender Father brings a possessed Child to Christ to be cured with a Sipotes a doubting question If thou canst do any thing have compassion upon us and help us Words imparting much natural affection and tender love to his Child Have Compassion upon us and help us If the Child be sick the Parent is not well What touches the Child is felt by his Father And as they import his natural affection to his Child so also his own spiritual disease or the weakness of his Faith His Child was possest with a dumb Devil and himself with unbelieving doubts and suspitions of Christs ability to cure his Child The Child had a sick body and the Father an infirm soul. Satan afflicted one by a possession and the other by temptation ver 22. Christ returns his doubting language upon himself ver 23. If thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth q. d. Dost thou doubt of my ability to heal thy Child question rather thy own ability to believe for his cure If he be not heal'd the cause will not be in my inability but in thine own infidelity Which he speaks not to insinuate that Faith was in his own power but to convince him of his weakness and drive him to God for assistance which effect it obtain'd for immediately he cry'd out and said with tears Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief O how good is it for men to be brought into the straights of affliction sometimes Had not this man fallen into this distress it 's not like that he had at least not so soon arrived either to the sense of his grace or the weakness of it In the words we may note these three parts First A profession of his Faith Lord I believe Secondly A sense of the weakness of his Faith Help thou my unbelief Thirdly The affection with which both were uttered He cried out and said with tears If these tears proceeded from the sense and feeling of divine power inabling him to believe as some think than they were tears of joy and would inform us of this great truth That the least and lowest measure of true Faith is matter of joy unspeakable to the possessor of it If they proceeded from the sense of the weakness of his faith then they give us this note That the remainders of unbelief in the people of God do cost them many tears they are the burdens and sorrows of gracious souls 1. Doct. That the least and lowest measure of Faith is matter of joy unspeakable to the possessor of it The Apostle in the 2 Pet. 1. 1. calls it precious Faith and it well deserves that Epithet for the least and lowest degree of saving Faith is of invaluable excellency as will appear in these particulars First The least degree of saving faith truly unites the soul to Jesus Christ and makes it as really a branch or member of him as Moses Abraham or Paul were All saving Faith receives Christ Joh. 1. 12. Indeed the strong Believer receives him with a stronger and stedier hand than the weak one doth who staggers doubts and trembles but yet receives him and consequently is as much interessed in the blessed priviledges flowing from Union as the greatest Believer in the world Such are Christs complacency in our persons and duties his sympathy with us in our troubles and affections and our interest in his person and purchase And is not this matter of exceeding joy Is it not enough to melt yea overwhelm the heart of a poor Sinner to discover and feel that in his own heart which entitles him to such mercies Secondly From the least degree of saving faith we may infer'as plenary a remission of sin as from tht strongest The weakest Believer is as compleatly pardoned as the strongest Act. 10. 43. By him all that believe are justified from all things All that believe without difference of sizes strength or degrees the least as well as the greatest the Believer of a day old as well as the Fathers and Worthies of greatest name and longest standing Loe then the least measure of faith intitles thee as really to the greatest blessing as the highest acts of faith can do 'T is true the stronger the acting of faith is the clearer the evidence usually is but interest in the priviledge is the same in both If then thou canst discern but the weakest act and smallest measure of faith in thy soul hast thou not reason with him in the Text to cry out and say with tears Lord I belive Canst thou receive and read this Pardon the pardon of such and so many sins and not wet it with thy tears O it's matter of joy unspeakable Thirdly The least degree of saving faith infers thy Election of God and if that be not matter of melting and transporting consideration nothing is O it 's matter of more joy that our names are written in
dishonour God and thus wrong your selves 2. Doct. That the remains of unbelief in gracious hearts do cost them many tears and sorrows There are many things that afflict and grieve the People of God from without but all their outward troubles are nothing to these troubles that come from within There are many inward troubles that make them groan but none more than this the unbelief they find in their own hearts This sin justly costs them more trouble than other sins because it is the root from which other sins do spring a root of bitterness bearing wormwood and gall to the imbittering of their souls For First The remains of unbelief in the Saints greatly dishonour God and what is a great dishonour to God cannot but be a great grief and burden to them For look as faith gives God special honour above all other graces so unbelief in a special manner both wrongs and grieves him above all other sins Unbelief in dominion makes God a liar 1 Joh. 5. 10. and even the reliques thereof in Believers doth shake their assent to his truths and promises and nourishes a vile suspicion of them in the heart and how do those base jealousies reflect upon his honour Certainly it cannot but be a grief to gracious hearts to see God dishonoured by others Psal. 119. 36. and a much greater to dishonour him our selves hinc illae lacrimae Upon this ground we may justly cry out and say with tears Lord help our unbelief Secondly The remains of unbelief in the Saints doth not only dishonour God but defaces and spoils their best duties in which they at any time approach unto God Is the face of God clouded from us in prayer hearing or receiving Examine the cause and reason and you will find that cloud rais'd from your own unbelieving hearts Are your affections cold flat and dead in duty dig but to the root and you will find this sin to lie there If the word do not work upon you as you desire and pray it might 't is because it is not mingled with faith Heb. 4. 2. No Duties no Ordinances no Promises can give down their sweet influences upon your souls because of this sin Now Communion with the Lord in duties is the life of our life These things are dearer to the Saints than their eyes Justly therefore do they bewail and mourn over that sin which obstructs and intercepts their sweetest enjoyments in this world Thirdly The remains of unbelief gives advantage and success to Satans temptations upon us Doth he at any time affright and scare us from our dudy or draw and intice us to the commission of sin or darken and cloud our condition and fill us with inward fears and horror without cause all this he doth by the mediation of our own unbelief The Apostle in Eph. 6. 16. calls Faith the souls Shield against temptation And 1 Joh. 5. 4. 't is call'd the Victory by which we overcome i. e. the Sword or Weapon by which we Atchieve our Victories And if so then unbelief disarms us both of Sword and Shield and leaves us naked of defence in the day of Battel a prey to the next temptation that befalls us Fourthly The remains of unbelief hinder the thriving of all graces it 's a worm at their root a plant of such a malignant quality that nothing which is spiritual can thrive under the droppings and shaddow of it It 's said Heb. 4. 2. that the Gospel was Preached to the Israelites but it did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it No Ordinances nor Duties be they never so excellent will make that soul to thrive where unbelief prevails You Pray you Hear you Fast you Meditate and yet you do not thrive your spiritual food doth no good You come from Ordinances as dead careless and vain-as-you went to them and why is it thus but because of remaining unbelief Use 1. Let all the People of God bewail and tenderly mourn over the remainders of insidelity in your own hearts There there is the root of the disease and surely Reader thy heart is not free of such symptoms of it as appear in other mens hearts For do but consider First What is our Impatiency to wait for mercy and despondency of spirit if deliverance come not quickly in the outward or inward straights of soul or body but a plain symptom of unbelief in our hearts He that believes will not make hast Isa. 28. 16. He that can believe can also wait Gods time Psal. 27. 14. Secondly And what doth our readiness to use sinful mediums to prevent or extricate our selves out of trouble but a great deal of Infidelity lurking still in our hearts might but Faith be heard to speak it would say in thy heart let me rather die ten deaths than commit one sin It 's sweeter and easier to die in any integrity than to live with a defiled or wounded Conscience 'T is nothing but our unbelief that makes us so ready to put forth our hands to iniquity when the rod of the Wicked rests long upon us or any eminent danger threatens us Psal. 125. 3. Thirdly Doth not the unbelief of your hearts shew it self in your deeper thoughtfulness and great auxieties about earthly things Matth. 6. 30. We pretend we have trusted God with our souls to all Eternity and yet cannot trust him for our daily bread We bring the evils of to morrow upon to day and all because we cannot believe more O Reader how much better were it to hear such questions as these from thee how shall I get an heart suitable to the mercies I do enjoy How shall I duely improve them for God What shall I render to the Lord for all his goodness This would better become thee than to afflict thy self with what shall I eat what shall I drink or wherewithal shall I be cloathed Fourthly What doth the slavish fear of death speak but remains of unbelief still in our hearts Are there not many faintings tremblings despondencies of mind under the thoughts of death O if faith were high thy spirit could not be so low 2 Cor. 5. 1 2 3. The more bondage of fear the more infidelity Fifthly To conclude what is the voice of all those distractions of thy heart in religious duties but want of faith weakness in faith and the actual prevalence of unbelief You come to God in prayer and there a thousand Vanities beset you your heart is carried away it roves it wanders to the ends of the earth Conscience smites for this and saith Thou dost but mock God thy soul will smart for this thou feelest neither strength nor sweetness arising out of such duties You enquire for remedies and fill the ears of Friends with your complaints and it may be see not the root of all this to be in your own unbelief But there it is and till that be cured it will not be better with you Use 2.
SACRAMENTAL MEDITATIONS Upon divers select places OF SCRIPTURE WHEREIN Believers are assisted in preparing their hearts and exciting their affections and graces when they draw nigh to God in that most awful and solemn Ordinance of the Lords Supper By Jo. FLAVEL Minister of Christ in DEVON Cant. 4. 16. Awake O North wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the spices thereof may flow out Let my Beloved come into his Garden and eat his pleasant fruit London Printed for Jacob Sampson next door to the Wonder Tavern in Ludgate-street 1679. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Christian Reader CHrist may be said to be Crucified three ways by the Jews actually in the Sacrament Declaratively and by Unbelievers at his Table Interpretatively Among sins Blood-guiltiness is reckoned one of the most heinous and of all Blood-guiltiness to be guilty of the Blood of Christ is a sin of the deepest guilt and will be avenged with the most dreadful punishment 1 Cor. 11. 27 29. If Vengeance be taken sevenfold on him that Slew Cain what Vengeance shall be taken on him that Crucifies afresh the Lord of glory The heaviest blow of Divine Justice is still ready to avenge the Abuse of the best mercy What can the heart of man conceiâ—…e more solemn more sacred or more deeply affective than the representation of the greatest love of the Father and the most grievous passions of the Son What sin can be more provoking to God than the slight and contempt of those most awful mysteries and what punishment can be more terrible than for such a wretched soul to eat and drink Damnation to it self Melancthon records a very dreadful example of God's righteous Judgment upon a Company of Prophane wretches who in a Tragedy intended to act the death of Christ upon the Cross. He that acted the Soldiers part instead of piercing with his Spear a Bladder full of blood hid under the Garment wounded him to death that was upon the Cross who falling down killed him who in a disguise acted the part of the Woman that stood wailing under the Cross. His Brother who was first slain slew the Murderer who acted the Soldiers part and for staying him was himself hanged by order of Justice Thus did the Vengeance of God speedily overtake them and hang'd them up in Chains for a warning to all that should ever dare to dally with the great and jealous God These are terrible strokes and yet not so terrible as those which are more ordinarily but less sensibly inflicted upon the inner man for the Abuse of this Ordinance To prevent these Judgments and obtain those blessings which come through this Ordinance great regard must be had to two things viz. 1. The Inbeing of true Grace 2. The Activity of true Grace 1. Examine thy self Reader whether there be any gracious principle planted in thy soul whereby thou art alive indeed unto God It was an ancient abuse of the Sacrament condemned and cast out by the Carthaginian Council to give it unto dead men Dead souls can have no Communion with the living God no more benefit from this Table than the Emperors Guests had from his Table where Loaves of Gold were set before them to eat There is more than a shew of grace in the Sacrament it hath not only the visible sign but the spiritual grace also which it represents See that there be more than a shew and visible sign of grace also in thy soul when thou comest nigh to the Lord in that Ordinance See to the exercise and activity as well as to the truth and sincerity of thy grace Even a Believer himself doth not eat and drink worthily unless the grace that is in him be excited and exercised at this Ordinance It is not Faith inhereing but Faith realizing applying and powerfully working It is not a disposition to humiliation for sin but the actual thawing and melting of the heart for sin whilst thou lookest on him whom thou hast pierced and mournest for him as one that mourneth for his only Son for his First-born Nor is it a disposition or principal of love to Christ that is only required but the stirring up of that fire of love the exciting of it into a vehement flame I know the excitations and exercises of grace are attended with great difficulties They are not things within our command and at our beck O! 't is hard 't is hard indeed Reader even after God hath taken the heart of stone out of thee and given thee an heart of flesh to mourn actually for sin even when so great an occasion and call is given thee to that work at the Lords Table for the same power is requisite to excite the act that was required to plant the habit Gratia gratiam postulat However the duty is thine though the power be Gods why else are his people blamed because they stirred not up themselves to take hold of him Isa. 64. 7. To assist thee in this work some help is offered in the following Meditations 'T is true it is not the reading of the best Meditations another can prepare for thee that will alter the temper of thy heart except the Spirit of God concur with these truths and bless them to thy soul But yet these helps must not be slighted because they are not self-sufficient Man lives not by Bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God yet it were a fond Vanity and Sin for any man upon that ground to cast away Bread and expect to live by a miracle without it We must lift up our hearts to God for a Blessing and then eat do the same here first pray then read and the Lord quicken thee by it for duty There are two things of special concernment to the Reader when thou art to address thy self to any solemn duty especially such as this 1. Prepare for thy duty diligently 2. Rely not upon thy preparations First Prepare with all diligence for thy duty take pains with thy dull heart cleanse thy polluted heart compose thy vain heart remember how great a presence thou art approaching If Augustus thus reproved one that entertained him without sutable preparation saying I did not think we had been so familiar much more may thy God reprove thee for thy careless neglect of due preparation for him Secondly But yet take heed on the other side that thou rely not upon thy best preparations It is an ingenious and true note of Luther speaking to this very point of preparation for the Sacrament never are men more unfit than when they think themselves most fit and best prepared for their duty never more fit than when most humbled and ashamed in the sense of their own unfitness That the blessing of God and the breathings of his good Spirit may accompany these poor labours to tby soul is the hearts desire of Thy Servant in Christ JOHN FLAVEL SACRAMENTAL MEDITATIONS c. The First Meditation UPON
do I can have no comfort This is a sad perplexity indeed Fifthly and lastly By these things the Spirit of God is grieved and that which grieves him cannot but be a grief and burden to us His motions are quench'd by these Corruptions his sanctifying designs as much as lies in us obstructed by them surely then there is cause enough why a Christian should follow every vain thought with a deep sigh and every stirring of unbelief with a sad tear The usefulness of this point is great and exceeding seasonable when we are to draw nigh to God and address our selves to spiritual duties It may to great purpose be improved by ways Of 1. Information 2. Direction 3. Consolation We may greatly improve it for our Information in the following particulars 1. Hence we may take our measures of the wonderful and astonishing grace and condescension of God to his People who notwithstanding all that evil which is present with them in the good they do will not reject their persons or duties for all that How doth free grace make its own way through swarms of Vanity How doth it break through all the deadness infidelity and hardness of our hearts to do us good Though evil be present with us our gracious God will not be absent from us notwithstanding that How greatly was the Spouse amaz'd at the unexpected condescension and grace of Christ in this matter Cant. 2. 8. It is the voice of my Beloved behold he cometh leaping over the Mountains skipping over the Hills It is the Voice of my Beloved That abrupt cutted expression shews a perfect surprize She saw mountains of guilt and unworthithiness betwixt Christ and her Soul and yet behold he comes skipping over all those mountains and hills O free grace rich and admirable grace which with so many notwithstandings and neverthelesses will save and comfort the poor unworthy soul 2. How little reason have any of us to be proud of our best performances There is not a just man upon Earth that doth good and sinneth not saith Solomon Eccles. 7. 20. If there be something supernaturally good in our duties yet there is abundance of natural evil commixed with that good the evil is wholly ours the good wholly Gods we have no reason then to glory in our best performances It hath been a question with some whether some short transient act of a regenerate soul may not be free from sin but it was never question'd whether any continued act much less a course of actions could be without sin Evil will be present with us in all we do 't will be with us in our Closets present even in the awful presence of the holy God in the most high and solemn duties of Religion in the most pure and spiritual actions that pass from us cease then as from dependance so from Pride and Conceitedness in all you do Whilst our natures are sanctified but in part and our principles mixt our duties and performances can never be pure Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Not one Job 14. 4. 3. How are we all obliged to bless God for Jesus the Mediator to make us and our sinful duties acceptable to God Sad were our case if this High Priest did not bear the Iniquity of our holy things as it is Exod. 28. 38. 'T is his Oblation and Intercession that obtains and continues ouâ—… pardon for our Prayer-sins our Hearing-sins our Sacrament-sins These alone would eternally damn us if we had no other did not free grace make us accepted in the Beloved Eph. 1. 6. When evil is present with us then is Christ our Advocate present with the Father for us and thence it is that we are not destroyed upon our knees and that the jealousie of God breaks not forth as fire to devour us in our very duties 4. If evil be present with us yea inherent in us in our best duties what need had Christians then to watch against the external occasions of sin and to keep a close guard upon their senses especially when they have to do with God! There 's danger enough from within you need not open another door from without This natural corruption is too active in it self if there be no irritation by any external occasion how much more when the eye and ear are open and unguarded and occasions are offer'd it from without Watching is half the work of a Christian whilst he is praying Eph. 6. 18. The Arabian Proverb is as instructive as it is mystical shut the Windows that the House may be light 5. If evil be present when we would do good if it infest us in our best duties then certainly there is no rest to be expected for any of Gods People in this world Where shall we go to be free from sin if any where let us go to our Closets to our knees to the Ordinances of God yea but even there evil is and will be present with us if we cannot be free from evil there it 's in vain to expect it elsewhere in this world Only in Heaven Believers rest from sin when once they are absent from the body and present with the Lord sin shall no more be present with them which should make all that hate sin long for Heaven and be willing to be dissolved and be with Christ. 2. For Direction Let all that experimentally sense and feel what the Apostle here mourns over carefully attend such directions as may prevent the spoil of their duties by the working of their corruptions in them Though no rules are found sufficient to prevent wholly the influence of our Corruptions upon our duties yet own it as a special mercy if it may in any measure be prevented or restrained in order whereunto I shall hint briefly these following rules which the experience of many Christians hath recommended as exceeding useful in this case First Be more diligent in preparation for your duties if you would meet with less interruption in your duties The very light of nature teacheth solemn preparation to all important and weighty business and is there more solemn and concerning business in all the world than that which thou transactest with God in duties Angels approach not this God with whom thou hast to do without profound respects to his immense greatness awful holiness Esa. 6. 3. When you stretch forth your hands it is required that you first prepare your hearts Job 11. 13. Secondly Realize the presence of God in all your duties and awe your hearts all that you are able by that consideration O think what a piercing holy eye beholds thy heart and tries thy reins Wouldst thou not be really ashamed if thy thoughts were but vocal to men and the workings and wandrings of thy heart visible to those that joyn with thee in the same duty O if the presence of God were more realized certainly your hearts would be better secured against the incursions of your Corruptions Thirdly
Predication is very Emphatical it is meat indeed and drink indeed which notes two things First Reality in opposition to all legal shaddows and types Secondly Transcendent excellency far surpassing all other food even Mannah it self which for its excellency is styled Angels food My Flesh is meat indeed i. e. true substantial and real food to souls and choice excellent and incomparable food Hence observe Doct. That what meat and drink is to our bodies that and much more than that the Flesh and Blood of Christ is to believing souls Two things require explication in this point First Wherein the resemblance or agreement lies betwixt the Flesh and Blood of Christ and Meat and Drink Secondly Wherein the former transcends and excels the latter 1. Query Wherein lies the resemblance and agreement betwixt the Flesh and Blood of Christ and material Meat and Drink Sol. The agreement is manifest in the following particulars First Meat and Drink is necessary to support Natural life we cannot live without it Upon this account Bread is call'd the Staff and Stay i. e. the support of the natural spirits which do as much lean and depend upon it as a feeble man doth upon his staff Isa. 3. 1. But yet how necessary soever it be the Flesh and Blood of Christ is more indispensibly necessary for the life of our souls Joh. 6. 53. Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of man and drink his Blood ye have no life in you Our souls have more absolude need of peace and pardon by Christ than our bodies have of meat and drink Better our bodies were starved and famished than our souls damned and lost for ever Secondly Meat and Drink are ever most sweet and desirable to those that are hungry and thirsty It is hunger and thirst that gives value and estimation to meat and drink Prov. 27. 7. To the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet and so it is in our esteem of Christ Joh. 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come to me and drink When God by illumination and conviction makes men deeply sensible of their miserable lost and perishing condition then ten thousand worlds for a Christ. All is but dung and dross in comparison of the excellency of Christ Jesus Thirdly Meat and drink must undergoe an alteration and lose its own form before it actually nourishes the body The Corn is ground to pieces in the Mill before it be made Bread to nourish us And Christ must be ground betwixt the upper and neither Milstones of the wrath of God and malice of men to be made Bread for our souls The Prophet saith Isa. 52. 14. His Visage was marr'd more than any mans He did not look like himself the beauty and glory of Heaven but the reproach of Men and despised of the People Oh what an alteration did his Incarnation and Sufferings make upon him Phil. 2. 6 7. Quantum mutatus ab illo Fourthly Natural food must be received into our bodies and have a natural Union with them and Christ must be received into our souls and have a spiritual Union with them by faith or else we can have no nourishment or benefit by him An empty Profession a meer talkative Religion nourishes the inner man just as much as the sight of meat and our commending of it doth our outward man It 's Christ's dwelling in our hearts by faith Eph. 3. 17. our receiving of him Joh 1. 12. our eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood Joh. 6. 53. i. e. the effectual application of Christ to our souls by faith that makes us partakers of his benefits Fifthly Meat and drink must be taken every day or else natural life will languish and spiritual life will never be comfortably maintain'd in us without daily communion with Jesus Christ If a gracious soul neglect or be interrupted in its course of duties and stated times of prayer it will be quickly discernable by the Christian himself in the deadness of his own heart and by others also in the barrenness of his discourses And in these things stands the Analogy and agreement of the Flesh and Blood of Christ with meat and drink 2. Query The next thing is to open the transcendent excellency of Christs Flesh and Blood above all other food in the world and this appears in four particulars First This Flesh and Blood was assumed into the nearest Union with the second Person in the blessed Trinity and so is not only dignified above all other created Beings but becomes the first receptacle of all grace intended to be communicated through it to the Children of men Joh. 1. 14. Secondly This Flesh and Blood of Christ was offered up to God as the great Sacrifice for our sins and Purchase of our peace Col. 1. 20. Eph. 5. 2. and so it is of inestimable price and value to Believers The humane Nature of Christ was the Sacrifice the divine Nature was the Altar on which it was offered up and by which it was dignified and sanctified and made an Offering of a sweet smelling savour to God Eph. 5. 2. Thirdly This Flesh and Blood of Christ is the great medium of conveyance of all blessings and mercies to the souls and bodies of Believers It lies as a vast pipe at the Fountain-head of blessings receiving and conveying them from God to Men Col. 1. 14. 19. So then it being united to the second Person and so become the Flesh and Blood of God it being the Sacrifice offered up to God for Attonement and Remission of sins and the medium of conveying all grace and mercy from God the Fountain to the souls and bodies of Believers how sweet a rellish must it have upon the pallate of faith Here faith may tast the sweetness of a Pardon a full free and final pardon of sin than which nothing in this world can be sweeter to a Sin-burdened Conscience Here it tasts the incomparable sweetness of Peace with God a Peace which passeth Understanding the breach Sin made is by this Sacrifice made up for ever Col. 1. 20. Here it tasts the unexpressible sweetness of acceptation with God and an interest in his favour a mercy which a poor convinced soul would give ten thousand worlds for were it to be purchased Yea here it rellisheth all the sweet Promises in the Covenant of grace as confirmed and ratified by this Sacrifice Heb. 9. 5. So that well might he say my Flesh is meat indeed and my Blood is drink indeed the most excellent New Testament-food for Believers 1. Use of Information First See here the love of a Saviour that Heavenly Pelliâ—…an who feeds us with his own Flesh and Blood You read Lam. 4. 10. of pitiful Women who eat the flesh of their own Children but where have you read of Men or Women that gave their own flesh and blood for meat and drink to their Children Think on this you that are so loth to cross and deny your flesh for Christ he suffered his
mend every day I am now in Christ and it is but a little while before I shall be with Christ and arrive at the full satisfaction of my very heart O what pleasure doth every glance backward or forward give to the sealed soul 4. It is a Cordial in death and there is none like it This will make the soul triumph over the grave take death chearfully by the cold hand welcome its grim Messengers and long to be gone and be with Christ. Dark and doubting Christians may indeed shrink back from it and be affraid of the exchange but the assured soul longs to be gone and needs patience to live as other men do to die When one was asked if he were willing to die his answer was Illius est nolle mori qui nolit ire ad Christum Let him be loth to die that is loath to go to Christ. The sugar of assurance sweetens the bitter cup of death and makes it delectable to a Believers rellish 5. In a word it is a sweet support in all the troubles and afflictions on this side the grave Let the assured soul be cast into what condition the Lord pleases be it upon a bed of sickness yet this gives his soul such support and comfort that he shall not say I am sick sin being forgiven the soul is well when the body is in pain Isa. 33. 24. Let him be cast in to a Prison here 's that will turn a Prison into a Paradise Act. 5. 41. Let him be pincht with any outward want this will supply all As having nothing and yet possessing all things 2 Cor. 6. 10. Thus you see how desirable it is for its own excellency And as it is desirable for the sweetness of its own enjoyment so also from the difficulty of its attainment all excellencies are lockt up under many difficulties but none like this it is indeed easie to presume an interest in Christ and cheat a mans own soul with a dream and fancy of our own Creation but sure it 's hard to get a sealed clear title to Christ and his benefits and there be among others three things that make it difficult 1. The corruptions that remain and daily work in the best hearts these are evermore puzling and scaring the poor soul with fears and doubts about its condition Grace teacheth men due severity to themselves and fear of their own deceitfulness makes them think no hearts are like their hearts especially whilst they compare other mens outside with their own inside as generally they do O how do our own corruptions every moment raise mists and clouds that it is a wonder we ever should have one clear beam of assurance shining into such hearts as our hearts are 2. The multitudes of mistakes and cheats that are frequently committed and found in this matter makes upright hearts the more suspicious and doubtful of their own conditions O when they read Matth. 7. 22. that many will say to Christ in that day Lord Lord we have Prophesied in thy Name c. It scares them lest they also be deceived 3. The grand importance of the matter makes poor souls fearful of concluding certainly about it O when a man considers that the whole weight of his eternal happiness or misery depends upon the resolution of these Questions Am I in Christ or am I not It will makâ—… him tremble to determine In a word assurance is not in our power or at our command There be many holy humble diligent and longing souls to whom it is denied It is arbitrarily dispensed by the pleasure of the spirit to whom he will and such favours are rare even among true believers the more therefore it is to be valued and desired by all as the Spouse doth in this place And so much to the first thing Upon what account the assurance of Christs love is so desirable in the eyes of Chrians In the last place let us consider how this mercy which is so desirable may be obtained and this is our proper work and business at this time You are now come to a sealing Ordinance instituted on purpose for this noble end and Use. O that we could pray and plead for it as the Spouse here doth Set me as a seal upon thine heart as a seal upon thine arm for love is strong as death jealousie is cruel as the grave c. Now in order to the attainment of this most desirable mercy take a few necessary hints of your present work and duty in the following directions 1. Direction Would you be well secured of Christs love to you and that you are set as a seal upon his heart then exercise and manifest more love to Christ and let him be much upon your hearts If it be clear to you that you have true love to Jesus Christ you need not at all to doubt but you are in his heart and in his love I love them that love me Prov. 8. 17. And surely you have now before you the greatest motive in the world to inflame your love to Jesus Christ. Behold him as he here represented to you wounded for your iniquities yea sacrificed to the wrath of God for your Peace Pardon and Salvation O what manner of love is this Behold how he loved thee If Christ's love draw forth thine it will so far clear thy interest in his love as it shall engage thy heart in love to him 2. Direction But seeing the activity of your love will be according to the activity of your faith therefore in the next place I advise you to make it the main work and business of this hour to exercise your faith upon Jesus Christ set your selves this day to believe the more strong the direct acts of your faith shall be the more clear and comfortable its reflex acts are like to be There are three distinct offices or imployments for your faith at this Table viz. 1. To realize 2. To apply 3. To infer from the sufferings of Jesus Christ. 1. Realize the sufferings of Christ for you and behold them here represented in a true glass to the eye of faith See you that Bread broken and that Wine poured out As sure as this is so Jesus Christ endured the Cross suffered the Wrath of the great and terrible God in his Soul and in his Body upon the cursed Tree for and in the room of poor Condemned Sinners Your faith for the one hath as much yea more certainty than your sense hath for the other This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save Sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. and without controversie great is the mystery of Godliness God was manifest in the flesh c. 2. Apply the sufferings of Christ this day to thine own soul. Believe all this to be done suffered in thy room and for thy sake He offered not this Sacrifice for his own sins but ours Isa. 53. 9. Heb. 7. 27. He
wings of Faith pinion'd that when we should soar aloft in the highest acts of sweet communion with God we can but flutter upon the Earth and make some weak essays and offers Heaven-ward which often times are frustrated and put by through the unbelief that is in us Thirdly The excitation of the affection is rendred difficult by reason of that natural deadness and hardness that is in the heart Alas It 's naturally an heart of stone and as easie it is to dissolve or melt the Rocks into a sweet syrup as the heart into spiritual and Heavenly affections towards God There is scarce any one thing in this world that Christians more passionately bewail and are more sensibly afflicted for than the deadness and hardness of their own hearts Nothing is found sufficient sometimes to effect and raise them and yet if they be not excited out of their torpor and stupidity they cannot have Communion with God in duties 2. Secondly And if we enquire into the reasons why poor Christians find themselves more infested by natural Corruption in the seasons of duty than at other times the reasons are obvious to him that considers That 1. Duty irritates it 2. Satan excites it 3. God permits it to be so First Corruption is irritated by duty it s provoked by that which bridles and purges it Nothing is found more destructive to Sin than Communion with God is and therefore nothing makes a fiercer opposition to all fellowship and communion betwixt the soul and its God than sin doth As Waters swell and rage when they are obstructed by a dam so do our Corruptions when obstructed and check'd by duty Sin would fain make men leave praying and Prayer would fain make men leave sinning Secondly As Duty irritates it so Satan excites it especially in such seasons When Joshua the High Priest stood before the Lord Satan was seen standing at his right hand to resist him Zech. 3. 1. How hard is it for a Christian then to be dexterous apt and ready for spiritual works whilst Satan stands at his right hand the working hand to make resistance The Devil is aware that one hour of close spiritual and hearty converse with God in Prayer is able to pull down what he hath been contriving and building many a year Now this envious Spirit having an easie access to to the phansie that busie and unruly power of the soul will not be wanting to create such figments and notions in it as like a rapid stream shall carry away the soul and all its thoughts from God in duty Oh what adoe have most Christians to prevent the sallies and excursions of their hearts from God at such times Thirdly As Satan exercises it so the Wise and Holy God for good ends to his People permits it to be so This Thorn in the Flesh keeps them humble these lamented destructions and corruptions in their duties destroys their dependance upon them and glorying in them For if we be so prone to pride and confidence in our duties amidst such sensible workings and minglings of Corruption with them what should we be if they were more pure and excellent These things also make the Saints weary of this World and to groan within themselves after the more perfect state wherein God shall be enjoyed and seen in more perfection and satisfaction But 3. Thirdly This in the mean time cannot but be a very grievous affliction and pressure to the gracious soul to be thus clog'd and infested by its own Corruptions in the very season of its communion with God For First By this the soul is rendred very unsuitable to that holy presence it approaches Hab. 1. 13. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look upon Iniquity Must the great and blessed God wait upon a poor Worm till it be at leisure to attend him Must he be forsaken for every trifle that comes in the way of its phansie Oh how provoking an evil is this Surely God heareth not Vanity neither will the Almighty regard it Job 35. 13. This unsuitableness of our spirits to the Lord cannot do less than cover our faces with shame as it did Ezra 9. 6. O my God I am ashamed and even blush to look up unto thee Secondly By this those benefits and comforts are intercepted which are better than life There is a sensible presence of God there are manifestations of pardon peace and love there are reviving influences and fresh anointings of the spirit there are a thousand mercies of this kind that in their seasons are communicated to men in the way of duty and would it not grieve a man to the very heart and soul to be defeated of those inestimable treasures by the breaking forth of the Unbelief Pride or Vanity of his own heart when such mercies are almost in his hand Your Iniquites saith the Prophet have separated betwixt you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear Isa. 59. 2. O cruel covering O dismal Cloud that hides the face of God from his People that they cannot behold it Wherefoream I come from Geshur saith Absalom if I may not see the Kings face What do I here upon my knees saith a Christian if I may not see God Duties are nothing to me without God The World and all its comforts are dry and tasteless things to me without God His manifested favour and sealed love are the very life of my life and from this the corruptiun of my own heart have cut me off Thirdly By these things the beauty and excellency of duties are defaced These dead flies spoil that excellent Oyntment for wherein consists the beauty and true excellencies of duties but in that spirituality Heavenly temper of soul with which they are performed This makes them suitable to their object Joh. 4. 24. take away spirituality from duties and then you may number them among your sins and the matters of your shame and sorrow Take away the heart from duty and what remains but a dead carcass without life or beauty Fourthly By these things gracious souls are greatly puzled and perplexed about their estate and condition This is the fountain of their fears and doubtings O when a man feels such deadness in his heart towards God such stiffness in his will to the will of God such a listless careless temper to all that is spiritual How thinks he can this consist with a renewed state and temper Sure no Christian is troubled with such an heart as mine is especially when it shall be found in its ordinary course so free nimble and indefatigable in its persuits and entertainments of things sensual and earthly There it is as the Chariots of Aminadab but here like Pharoahs Chariots there it as much needs the Curb as it doth the Spur here Lord saith the poor soul I know not what to do If I do not look into my heart I cannot be sincere and if I