16. 6. I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live I die for thee that thou mayest not die I am come that thou mayest have Life then the Blessing of these who were ready to perish are poured out upon the Ransomer Then as Mic. 7. 18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity The deeper thy Sense of Guilt be being joyn'd with some hope of Mercy thou art in the surer way for the rich Consolations of God they that Sowe in Tears shal reap in Joy the Lord hath appointed the Garment of Praise after the spirit of Heaviness Isai 61. 3. 6 And though thou has no fear of Wrath having ground to hope that thou art Reconciled to God by the Blood of Christ Yet come humbly because thy sins are against such Streams of Mercy runing upon thee and passing by others thou knowest that thou hast never lived Suitable to the Greatness of thy Mercy never fully payed thy Vows never Glorified God in body and spirit as it became one not his own but Bought with a Price much is required of thee because much is given thee let the Sense of this go deeper in thy heart for if hope of Pardon make thy sin easie thou has cause to suspect both thy self and thy hope There are no Convictions should be more humbling than foolish requiting of the Lord and no Grief more grieving than grieving of his Spirit who minded our griefs and knew our Souls in adversities Thou will not want Matter of humbling to take with thee to the Lords Table and need of Renewed Application of that Precious Blood If thou open thine eyes to see thy way Jer. 2. 23. 7. Come humbly in the Sense of thy sin that thou mayest value the least of Mercy and the very Crumbs that fall from his Table and if such a full Cup of Consolation be not poured out to thee as to others or as at other times to thy self yet to Justifie God in thy heart not thinking thou hast hard measure not wondering if he hide his face from thee but rather wondring if it shine upon thee considering thy Provocations This true Sense of thy unworthiness will make thee think O that I may have a Cup of Salvation when I go to his Table whether it be a Cup of present Consolation or not And that thou may'st approach with some humbling sense of thy sin Consider that there must be some more deadly poison in sin than we do apprehend when no less doth expiate the guilt than that Blood which is called the Blood of God that no other Sacrifice nor Offering could avail Study O Christian to know more of the demerit of sin the greatness of the Justice of God that would accept of no other Atonement and the greatness of thy deliverance if thou art now a Believer that the weight of wrath is not come upon thee And think with thy self thou by thy sins pierced him thou brought blessed Jesus to sweat these drops of Blood thou pressed on him with the weight of thy sins until he cryeth out My GOD my GOD why hast thou forsaken me Canst thou want a humbling sense of sin and think this was for thee Canst thou yet mind it and not mourn What hateful hearts have we that are not more pierced with the piercing of Christ and a wonder if many of us find an interest in that Death wherewith we are so little concerned 2. Be Particular and Impartial in searching out the Aggravations of thy Sin from thy Youth up and when convictions arise in thy Conscience choke them not but intertain them as a Mercy until they be ripened for gracious humbling Thou may'st soon lay aside thy convictions but not so soon take them up again it may be God gave thee the mercy of many Convictions but thy love to sin has mastered them all that now thy Conscience lets thee sin with ease being seared and thy heart hardned and no wonder for many wakenings of Conscience that still end in security makes our hearts as the Iron many heats and many cools makes the Iron harder 3. But when none of thy Meditations or Convictions can soften thy heart but thou can behold thy sin and not grieve and often confess it yet canst not mourn never get thy heart poured out to God except some weight of Affliction press thee and then thou wilt pour out a prayer when the Lord is chastening thee and when thy affliction is over the pouring out of thy heart is at an end I say when nothing prevaileth with thy obdured heart yet bless God that there is a promised spirit of mourning Zech. 12. 10. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shal mourn Cry to God for this help that thou may'st go to this blessed Ordinance as is expressed Jer. 50. 4. going and weeping and verse 5. joyn thy self to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant CHAP. V. Communion with Christ should be known before Partaking The fourth Inference IF that the worthy Receiver at the Lords Table obtain the Communion of his Body and Blood then Communicants are obliged to understand what that is which is called Communion with Christ before they Partake lest they be found ignorant of it when they Partake Consider then that true Communion with Christ being the happiness and honour of all who obtain it meriteth the greatest seriousness to know how sinful Mortals partake of it And though it be wonderful yet the exceeding riches of free Grace hath made it sure for Believers have the priviledge of entering into the holiest by the blood of Jesus and so obtain a more gracious nearness to God than those who remain only in the outer Court and that this may appear for the incouragement of those who still retain a value for it but fears that this fellowship is reserved wholly for a better life I shal by the help of God shew first that Believers in this life partake a peculiar and intimate fellowship with Christ Secondly It 's preparatory Antecedents whereby they are brought unto it And Thirdly Wherein it consisteth and the way how it 's enjoyed so far as God giveth to understand it I can promise the Reader no more For the First This blessed Communion with the Lord is not only Commanded both in the Old and New Testament Micah 6. 8 walk humbly with thy God Joh. 15. 4. Abide in me I in you so is made the plain Duty of the People of God to seek after it but is also promised Psal 140. 13. The upright shall dwell in thy presence Joh. 14. 23. We will come unto him and make our abode with him So that Believers may expect success to their Prayers and endeavâ—urs after Communion with God For faithful is he who hath promised Heb 10. 23. Secondly The near Union that is between Christ and Believers doth undeniably prove this Communion he being the Head and Believers the Body supplied in every part by the Head
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
Christ was made a curse for us v. 13. so John 3. 18. He that believeth not is condemned already But Rom. 8. There 's no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus Observe also that God accepteth of sincerity where obedience to the precept is not perfect John 17. 6. They have kept thy word yet their obedience was evidently Imperfect Therefore let not this break up thy work that thou hast nothing suitable to the purity of Gods Law neither conclude thy self graceless because thou doest not that which thou wouldest in obedience to God Rom. 7. 19. 5. Beware of insufficient marks or evidences either of a gracious or graceless State for thou mayest deceive thy self either of the ways It 's not a sufficient work of Grace thou takest delight some times in approaching to God as Isai 58. 2. Nor great appearances if there be no root Matth. 13. 5. forthwith they spring up the appearance may be such as beholders may take notice there is a great change the seed springeth up then appears a fresh green field that appeared not before yet no sound Root none of the uncorruptible seed which springeth up to Life Eternal Thou mayest be again and again ashamed of thy sin and confess it as Saul yet no Godly sorrowing on the account of sin it self you may also have the out side clean and whited beyond others and yet be but whited sepulchres nothing within but Death what is whiter than a dunghill covered over with snow but when the snow is gone the dunghill appears as it was On the other hand it is not easie for a Christian when he Examineth his Souls State to take the highest degrees of grace which hath been attained by the Saints and makes them the only Evidences of true graces as Pauls wish Rom. 9. 3. For I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh There is no ground to think that is recorded as a Mark whereby every Christian must Try if he be in a State of Grace a man may be a sincere Christian and not know how to manage such a wish The Apostle Paul understood how to abide in Christ notwithstanding of this his extraordinary Zeal for his Countrey-men but the measure of grace is given according to the gift of Christ Eph. 4. The safest way is to take Scriptural Marks such as are set down as evidences of sanctifying Grace for it is Dangerous to overlook these such as that John 3. 3. Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And 2 Cor. 5. 17. Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are past away behold all things are become new and such as that John 14. 23. If a man love me he will keep my words Such as these are the Marks we should Try our selves by for the Spirit of God hath given them as Discoveries of Grace and our Interest in Christ and therefore it is our sin to neglect them being a great Mercy that the Lord in a manner Condescendeth to answer our Questions How shall I know if Heaven shall be my Habitation It 's answered we must first be born again we must be regenerated by the Spirit of God How shall I know if I be in Christ It 's answered I must be a new Creature How shall I know if I have the love of God It 's answered Prov. 8. 17. I love them that love me again how shall I know if I Love him It 's answered I must keep his Words and 1 John 5. And every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him 6. When thou art under this Tryal seek to have thy Witnesses assisting and speaking freely Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God albeit Grace hath been freely given thee yet thou wilt need the help of the Spirit of God to make known the things that are freely given thee as 1 Cor. 2. 12. If the Giver of Grace shine not on Grace it will not appear the Spirit is the Comforter even on this account to give the Comfort of his own Grace to to make it evident for thou canst not Judge without evidence 1 Cor. 2. 10. The Spirit searcheth all things yea the Deep things of God Thy second Witness is thy own Spirit or Conscience for the Spirit beareth witness with our Spirits Let your Conscience speak freely all it hath to say as to the very Intentions and Designs of thy heart for what end and by what Motives thou performest Duties if thy Conscience can Charge thee with hypocrisie let all its Depositions have a fair hearing if it accuse thee of any retained Idol of heart or any lust thou makest Provision for if faithful Witnesses be not heard how shalt thou Judge of thy State or if thy Conscience warrantably Excuse and Comfort thee as to thine Integrity that thou canst humbly appeal to the Searcher of hearts and thy very Soul content he Search thee then thou art not to pass from thine Integrity Job 27. 5. I will not remove my integrity from me 7. Search not only into your sins nor only into your Grace but search out both some who are under Bondage by fear when they Examine themselves look only into their faults and often are apt to say what need for any further Search here are so many sins often prevailing I see them I feel their Power the world also may see many of them in my Practice though they cannot see all whereupon they are forthwith discouraged they open their eyes upon such Words as these Psal 65. 3. Iniquities prevail against me and their faint heart not considering what follows as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away nor the Interest they have in such Comfort that the Lord will purge away their Iniquities nor that the Grace of God hath made it their ordinary care to keep themselves from their iniquities Psal 18. 23. and cannot deny but sin is their greatest burden Psal 38. 4. And that there is a constant warfare against it Rom. 7. Some on the other hand sinfully covering their sin consider only their best side Luke 18. 11. Lord I thank thee that I am not as other men I am more holy than many others Isa 65. 5. But these are found most unsavoury before the Lord as a smoake in his nose they please themselves as preferable to all others they will soon say come see my zeal 2 Kings 10 16. but dare not say as Psal 139. 24. see if there be any wicked way in me If thou cover thy sins thou shalt not prosper Prov. 28. 13. Therefore be ingenuous with God and thy own Soul search out the worst as well as the best and the best as well as the worst the worst that thou mayest be yet more humbled and the best that thou mayest praise 8 Remember also to search into
Rom. 6. 16. Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness This therefore should be carefully tried if the course of our life he serious to the Lord if we be indeed his Servants he will make us eat but others shal be hungry his Servants shal eat of the hidden Manna ye shal have his Company when others are far from any Fellowship with him John 12. 26. And where I am there shall also my servant be If any man serve me him will my Father honour As ye would enjoy all these the verie choisest of Mercies 1. To eat the best of Soul Foodâ— 2. To be accepted into near Communion with Christâ— 3. The Father to put honour upon you 4. As ye would Sing for Joy when others houl for vexation of Spirit and 5. As ye would at length serve him and see his Face together Rev. 22. 3. 4. Labour to have it Secured that ye are entred into his service and let it not Discourage you from this search into your serving and obeying of him that ye find great failings for he whose servant ye desire to be hath the tongue of the learned and is able to furnish you with such distinctions as that ye may be found faithful though not perfect Servants he saw it necessary to have that recorded for encouraging all the sincere in heart Matth. 26. 41. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak And that some persons of many failings yet their heart was perfect all their days as Asa 2 Chron. 15. 17. The Lord knoweth how to manage his own peoples heart so as these condescensions shal not be perverted into a Latitude for sinning but only to strengthen when they are under fears that their Service is not accepted this the Apostle Paul Comforteth himself that though he found a Law hindring him from the good he would yet he delighted in the Law of God after the inward man Rom. 7. 22. nor was this Comfort only Paul's but remaineth to be a great Encouragment to every Christian who can say without delusion or dissimulation that he findeth his heart inclined and set upon Obedience to God in all things Psal 119. 112. I have inclined my heart to perform thy Statutes always even unto the end 3. The Lords Table should be approached in obedience to his Command A Communicant should be engadged to that Ordinance not only because of the rich benefites he may expect there if he be seâ—king Christ but because of his Command Do this in remembrance of me and therfore should Examine if a Principle of Obedience â—eadeth â—â—m to that work and for your help to find out the sincerity of your Obedience Examine First if thou seekest the Lords precepts that not only thou endeavourest to perform what thou already knowest but lest any Duty be omitted thou searchest for thy Duty this was a comfort to the man of God Psal 119. 45. I will walk at Liberty because I seek thy precepts Thus we find the man of God so often praying that he would teach him his Law and not hide Commandments from him Psal 119. 19. 2. When Duty is discovered to you and that it 's the present season for such a Duty Dare ye not deferr it conferring with flesh and blood to darken a clear Duty as many do who have no minde to obedience taking pains that it may appear no Duty which once was made clear Disputing their Light into darkness whch becometh a snare to their Souls putting Light for Darkness and darkness for Light Isai 5. 20. But if the Laws of God be so written in thy heart that thou makes haste and delayes not to keep his Commandments as Psal 119. 60. Then thou art in the way to the same Comfort expressed verse 57. Thou art my portion O Lord. 3. Is it not the desire of thy Soul to be always in some obedience to God Psal 119. 44. I will keep thy Law continually art thou afraid to be out of path of Duty at any time never thinking thy self safe but when thou art obeying God even in thy worldly concerns or whatever thou hast to do And canst thou go from one Duty to another willingly as the Lord directeth though thou be engadged in a Duty very pleasant to thee yet if the Lord call thee to another thou goest not grudgingly to it not wishing in thy heart that God had not Commanded it but judging all his Commandments to be Right Psal 119. 128 Thou dare not carve out thy own work thou dare not be wiser than thy Lord saying such a piece of work would do better than that he requires for to be a follower of God is sufficient to thee this is the Principle of his children as Eph. 5. 1. 4. Hath God made thee serious and frequent in Prayer that he would teach thee to do his will not only to know it but do it Psal 143. 10. Teach me to do thy will Dost thou improve the Promise of the new Covenant for new Obedience I will write my Laws in their heart Heb. 8. 10. and drawest grace out of Christs fulness for doing of his will John 1. 16. Go then and get more where he Offereth himself 5. Is it the Rejoycing of thy heart when God helpeth thee to obey with Spiritual cheerful Gospel obedience when he maketh thy feet as Hinds Psal 18. 33. So that thou runnest and dost not weary and if thou find thou hast not Obeyed God from the heart in any Duty though men should give thee applause and be saying God appeared in such a performance yet thy heart is heavy and ready to sink within thee for want of the Testimony of a good Conscience knowing thou didst not serve God in Spirit Dost thou frame thy duties for Gods Eye and not for mans Is pleasing of him thy Study canst thou safely averr it with any confidence in the sight of God that notwithstanding of many failings yet it is thy constant endeavour to please him then thou mayest have Confidence toward God 1 Joh. 3. 21 22. Beloved if our heart condemne us not then have we confidence toward God And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight And for thy Comfort whom God hath made sincere compare this with the words of the same Apostle 1 John 1. 8. If we say that we have nâ— sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Here you may see how these 2. Things consist in the same persons 1 The sense of remaining sin and imperfections and yet 2. The certainty of doing these things that please God whereupon the Conscience is comforted and Holy Confidence ariseth but let that still be remembred that what we do can only be acceptable and our selves accepted in the Beloved 6. Dost thou take care not to be ashamed of thy
Lords words but Confessest him before men then take comfort from what Christ saith Mat. 10. 32. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven and mind what followeth in the next verse But whosoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny and though we have not often the occasion of such publick confessions as many Blessed witnesses had before us yet while we converse with men on Earth we shal still be found either confessing Christ his words and true godliness or ashamed and fainting great may be their Comfort who a vow Holiness in all companies This is the more to be adverted because if some Christians be permitted to keep their chambers or much retired from Converse with men then they obtain some measure of comfortable exactness in their Practice but no sooner engadged in Company but some fainting appears shrinking from their former exactness and failing of the Duties required in all company sinfully forgeting God whereby they often return with loss to their Souls and a condemning Conscience Therefore let the fear of being Denied by Christ still influence thy deportment more than fear of mens displeasure 7. When thou art helped in some sincerity to Obey thy Lord having a respect to all his Commands endeavouring to act all thy obedience by Grace out of Christs Fulness and taking delight to do his will yet art thou not of the same mind that Christ requireth Luke 17. 10. When ye shal have done all these things which are Commanded you say we are unprofitable servants though ye take comfort in obeying from the heart as an evidence of Gods grace and Favour yet dare not trust to it as a procuring Cause of the least of your Mercies thou thinkest in heart there is no more cause to boast of the best of thy performances than if a man should declare himself a fool by boasting of filthy rags then the Grace that helpeth thee to obey maketh thee also humble and of the poor in spirit who are rich and Blessed in Christs account CHAP. IV. Sense of sin necessary before Partaking The third Inference THis Blessed Ordinance of Christ being the Communion of his Body and Blood Then Communicants are to approach it with a humble sense of their sin as needing the Vertue of that Precious Blood And that this is necessary Consider First That if ye have not the Sense of your sin you cannot duely regard a Crucified Christ and so may mistake the whole work despising his Death as of no great use for you and so cannot and will not apply his Blood for purging away of Sin and Guilt for thou art not sensible of Guilt This of it self were there nothing else will make thee eat and drink Unworthily undervaluing that Life-giving Death for the Communicants work is humbly and thankfully to receive a Crucified Christ Represented in that Ordinance as knowing they perish without him 2. If there be no humbling Sense of sin thou shalt Partake as an hypocrite pretending before God and men that thou comest to Embrace Christ as the onely propitiation for thy sins and yet there 's no such thing on thy heart Thou doest not Judge thy self so Guilty or that ever thou provocked God to such wrath but that less might have served Thou felt no such a Burden of thy sin but such as thy self could bear with great ease thou wonderest there should be such a stirr in the World about sin thou never committed any sin but thou hadst a Covering of thy own to cast over it Thou couldest at any time after thy greatest abominations with the whorish Woman Prov. 30. 20. Wipe thy mouth and say I have done no wickedness If thus thou comest to the Lords Table thou wilt but receive Bread and Wine finding need of no more 3. If thy sin do nothing smart and wound thee thou wants the very best Qualification of a Communicant which is hungring after the Bread of Life For he satisfieth the longing soul Psal 107. 9. The Lord hath his Eye upon such more than all others â—sai 66. 2. But to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit he findeth out such when others are passed by such as are so sensible of their Guilt that they wonder that he should look upon them any other way but to Consume them such as are ashamed to look up to him because of their Iniquities Psal 40. 12. And yet are Longing for a Favourable Look They cannot look up and yet cannot but look up necessity constraineth them to hang upon him for Mercy knowing they perish without him such as these will be Graciously Visited and Received Isai 57. 15. He will revive the spirit of the Humble and revive the heart of the Contrite ones But thou a Stranger to these Contritions of heart will be a Stranger also to these Revivings and no wonder for thou feelest no need of them and therefore Consider 4. That it 's the way of God first to wound and then to Heal Deut. 32. 39. I wound and I heal If thou didst never know any Wounding of heart for sin what Healing canst thou either expect or value for no wounding and no healing no casting down and no raising up no sickness and no Physician For the whole need not the Physician but the Sick Thou hast no use for his coming with Healing under his Wings Thou has nothing to Heal he may spare his Visit until thou has more need of him and keep his Medicines for others Thus thou mayest sit down at the Lords Table with the Best but Christ and thy Soul have no Merciful meeting When the poor and needy are drawing out of Christs fulness getting their Diseases Healed and their Souls Restored Thou art sent away Empty neither art thou Disappointed for thou sought after no more Thou canst not complain of Christ for he Refused thee nothing thou sought Thou art like these Rev 3 17. I have need of nothing 5. Consider also that of all the meetings between Christ and poor sinners on this Earth this is the most Endearing and Comfortable when Sense of deep Guilt and deep Mercy meet together some times the poor sinner is ready to sink under the weight of Guilt it 's a Burden they cannot bear the Fear of Gods Wrath and Separation from him being intollerable The Soul chusing rather if possible to be Reduced to nothing and some times ready to Cry out O happy no Beings being compared with me they shal have no Anguish but my Anguish I can neither bear nor escape no Mountains can cover me from my Judge no Death will extinguish my Pain but if I die in my sins my pain shal never Die Death will flee from me when thus the the poor sinner is Bruised and can stand no longer how Gracious is that Message as Job 33. 24 Deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a ransom And Ezek.
Eph. 4. 16. He the Vine and we the Branches Joh. 15. 5. The very design and scope of these similitudes is to hold forth Christs continued Communications and the Believers Participation Thirdly The experience of the godly who have published it doth also prove its certainty 1 John 1. 3. And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Cant. 2. 3. I sat under his shadow with great delight Fourthly Believers remarking his drawing near and withdrawings from their souls Cant. 5. 1. He hath come into his Garden and Cant. 5. 6. he had withdrawn himself Lam. 3. 57. In the day when I cryed thou drewest near and Psal 13. 1. Why hidest thou thy face c. Fifthly This Communion with Christ is of such necessity that a Believer can do nothing without it and on this account Christ requireth his followers to abide in him Joh. 15. 5. So that they do but discover their ignorance and estrangement from God who think there is no nearer Communion with him necessary than the external administration of Ordinances by the Word and Sacraments for many do enjoy these externally and do only draw near to God with their lips and their hearts far from him Isa 29. 13. The godly man findeth it good to draw near to him and so near as to find him the strenght of his heart Psal 73. 26. That is intimate Communion indeed to have the Lord the strength of a mans heart Oh that our merciful God would give the understanding of this to many who have never thought on so near a help as this for such may well go in the strength of the Lord God to any work he requireth himself being the strength of their heart What if our heart be found as a dried withered branch of a Vine that is fit for no work yet that witheredness shal not be known when he cometh to be the strength of our heart For the second thing proposed how the People of God are brought into this Communion with Christ First The Fountain of it is the eternal and free love of God whereby so many as pleased the Father are given to the Son by that eternal mysterious and merciful transaction between the Father and him and by him to be redeemed and prepared for the everlasting enjoyment of God compare Joh. 17. 6. Thine they were and thou gavâ—st them me with Joh. 6 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me He will effectually draw them into his Communion they shall come unto me and so must meet together 2. According to this glorious transaction in the Covenant of Redemption the eternal Son of God is declared to have his delight with the Sons of men before the foundation of the World Prov. 8. 31. Fore-known unto God are all his Works from the Beginning things future being as present to his intuition So that the Son of God hath always taken pleasure in these of the sons of men who were given him of his Father 3. Pursuant to the same transaction and in order to its accomplishment It pleased the Son of God often to appear before his Incarnation in the similitude of man on earth and converse with Men as a fruit of his eternal delight in them and a prelude of his Incarnation as one hasting this gracious nearness and more conspicuous Communion with him Gen. 32. 24. Jacob was left alone and there wrestled a man with him Dan. 3. 24. He appeareth as a man keeping company with the three godly men in the Furnace and his form appeared also as the Son of God this fourth glorious man made the place designed for torment to the three a place of joy and a very Paradise 4. In order to the same partaking of Communion with God a Covenant of Grace is published which is a marriage Covenant Isa 54. 5. Thy maker is thine husband 2 Cor. 11. 2. I have espoused you to one husband by vertue of this honourable relation Believers may plead for his dwelling with them in this holy Communion 5. In due time the Son of God was Incarnate taking unto him our nature that his Fellowship might be the more agreeable to our nature and we come the more familiarly unto him and thereby to have the more feeling Sympathy with us Heb. 2. 14. For asmuch then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death and ver 18. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Having taken our nature he continued for some time in the World and conversed with men especially his own Joh. 1. 15. He dwelt among us and we beheld his glory And though this people were not always to have his bodily presence Yet at that time he did manifest so much of his power meekness patience and mercy that thereby he did facilitate the knowledge of spiritual Communion with him some also beheld his glory and had Spiritual Communion with him while he was in the World 6. After he had given a gracious taste of his Fellowship and given instructions for its continuance in a spiritual manner in his own appointed time he purchased reconciliation for all that were given him laying down his life for them that being reconciled by his Blood they might be capable of Fellowship being agreed they might walk together and 1. Pet. 3. 18. The just suffered for the unjust that he might bring us to God and Eph 2. 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ So that his suffering were to bring his People into this gracious Fellowship with God 7 In order to their actual Fellowship with him he qualifieth them by pouring out of his Spirit Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart will I give and a new spirit will I put within you Whereby they are made meet for the Masters use as a sanctified People 2 Tim. 2 21. Without this there could be no Communion with a holy God our perverse natures being rather inclined to hide our selves from him and say Let the Almighty depart from us but by the renewing of the Holy Ghost they have the spirit of Love whereby the desire of their soul is toward him his Fellowship comes to be their deliberate and delectable choice So great a change doth the spirit of Grace make Eph. 2. 22. In whom also you are builded together for an habitation of God through the spirit And by the same spirit they obtain the grace of Faith which is a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. And by this Faith they receive Jesus Christ himself John 1. 12. Then we are united to Christ by receiving him and being united to him he dwelleth in our hearts by Faith Eph. 3. 17. So that Communion with Christ doth infallibly follow upon our union with him for where he is
and Vers 13. I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. And therefore 5thly When thou art at his Table set thy soul for accepting of Christ and be not jealous of his Offer for thou shalt have a blessed Meeting I may say of this Ordinance as is expressed by the Prophet pointing at Gospel Ordinances in the latter days Ezek. 20. 40. This is the mountain of the heigth of Israel and there will I accept thee here is a Mercy-seat indeed Christ revealed as dying to obtain mercy for poor sinners and on this Mercy-seat he meeteth with his people Exod. 25. 22. Object I cannot go to the Lords Table for I know that I shall not live suitable to Engagements made there I find it already to my grief that all my former Vows are broken I will break no moe engagements of that nature better keep my self free of that addition to my former sins and pray that the Lord would pardon me for my unfaithfulness in times past Ans It s to be supposed in charity that you do not design to be unfaithful if ye should communicat again for ye appear to grieve for it but for you to prophesie that it will be so hereafter is a limiting of the power and mercy of God What do you know what is to come For you may have that at one Communion which you never obtained before Is the spirit of the Lord straitned that ye cannot be made faithful Micah 2. 7. 2dly It appears to have been your custom to trust your selves with keeping of your Vows for ye dare not trust God with it you think it dangerous to put your selves so far in his reverence as that either you must trust him or be treacherous and therefore you will not expose your selves to that necessity of his help Ah poor soul wilt thou not be beholden to God for holding up thy goings Psal 17. 5. Hold up my goings Wilt thou not be beholden to him for causing thee walk in his ways and making thee faithful Ezek. 39 27. Cannot his mercy and grace preserve the when thy foot is ready to slip Psal 94. 18. When I said my foot slippeth thy mercy O Lord held me up 3dly If thou be a Christian indeed and concerned in Christ then thou art commanded to do this in remembrance of him Now what sort of a Christian art thou who dare say to him in his face Lord thou sayest do this But I say I will not do this for thy Objection runs so I resolve I will not communicat more and givest thy reason because I will not come under such Engagements as I am ready to break and because thou canst never communicat but thou wilt come under such Engagements it s all one as if thou had said I will never communicat Christ saith his yoke is easie Mat. 11. 30. Thou sayest it is so uneasie I will never put my neck more under it Canst thou hold up thy face and tell him so Remember who said Psal 2. 3. Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us Here is the Mystery pretend what ye will that the Bonds of Duty are troublesome and therefore these Cords must be cast away and then we shall have some more liberty to do as we list and thus thou makest a snare for thy own poor soul thou lookest on thy Duty as a snare to thee but now thou art caught in a snare of thy own making to sin with ease 4thly Thou appears to think it unlawful to come under such a Bond as if we should not make such Engagements How then sayest thou to that Psal 76. 11. Vow unto the Lord your God and pay there the Lord maketh it a Duty which thou refusest as evil Psal 119. 105. I have sworn and will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgements It was never the way of Godly men to say I will engage no more to God but their way hath been to resolve on paying of their Vows to God Psal 61. 8. That I may dayly perform my vows And Psal 56. 12. Thy vows are upon me O God I will render praises unto thee And therefore 5thly Thy best way is to lament and mourn for thy unfaithfulness and yet resolve upon paying of thy Vows blessing God that there is yet a Season for repentance and if thou repents indeed there will be a care for the time to come that no Duty be neglected thou wilt be afraid to neglect communicating but labour to prepare for it because Christ hath made it a Duty thou wilt not think that any sinful omission can cure thy former evils 6thly Whereas thou sayest that thou wilt seek for the remission of thy former failings which thou hopest to obtain tho' thou never go to the Lords Table I answer if thou obtainest pardon it must be by the Blood of Christ which cleanseth from all sin 1 Joh. 1. 7. The blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin Now in the Lords Supper there is an offer of the benefit of this precious Blood and if thou deliberatly refusest the application of Christs Blood in the way that he hath appointed its just that thou should never get that precious Blood applyed in thy way since thou knowingly refusest his way for albeit the pardon of sin doth not absolutely depend on participation of that holy Ordinance but that he who believeth eateth Christs flesh and drinketh his blood Joh. 6. 54. And a Godly person may be in such Circumstances as he cannot have the benefit of the Lords Supper yet the contempt of Christs Institution where this Ordinance is administred is a sin of an high nature as if Christ had instituted it in vain and therefore I say its just with God to deprive thee of pardon in thy way while thou despisest his way 7thly No Christian who observeth his own way but will find cause of mourning for being unsuitable to such holy Priviledges and Engagements will it therefore follow that no Christian who hath failed in his Duty shall again partake Then the best of men might resolve on no more communicating and Christ shall not have the publick honour due to him by it But if you say your unfaithfulness hath been very grievous and extraordinary still answer you have the more need of the vertue of Christs Blood for remission which should be applyed in that special manner he hath required and therefore thy Duty is to repent and prepare to shew forth the glory of Christs love manifested in that holy Ordinance and the greater thy transgressions be the greater is thy debt to shew forth his Death by which Death only thou can be preserved from that second Death which thou hast deserved Object I cannot go to the Lords Table for he hath forsaken me he hath cast off my soul he sendeth nothing for my good and nothing doth me good he hath left me to my own counsels why then should
required for its Celebration for every Partaker was to be sanctified unto the Lord 2 Chron. 30. 17. But some had not cleansed themselves yet did they eat the Passover otherwise than it was written ver 18. But Hezekiah prayed for them that the Lord would pardon such as prepared their hearts to seek God though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary ver 19. And the Lord hearkned to Hezekiah and healed the people ver 20 Whereby we may see that sins of that Nature are pardoned when sincerely acknowledged and application made unto the tender mercies of God The knowledge of this is necessary for some who fear their condemnation is inevitable because of their not Communicating aright but by these Scriptures ye may see that all shall not be condemned who have been guilty by sins of that nature where Repentance is there is remission of sins by Christ giving both together Acts 5. 31. CHAP. X. Communicants obliged to review their Communicating The 9th Inference THis Ordinance being the Communion of Christ's Body and Blood then after Partaking Communicants are obliged to try if they have obtained that blessed Communion Consider 1 The Reasons why this should be tried and 2. A few helps how to perform it All Communicants should seriously examine the way of their own hearts when they did Partake because First It was our blessed Redeemer's way after the first Celebration of this Sacrament to set the Communicants in this Road of searching themselves whether they did then believe or not Joh. 16. 31. Do ye now believe This was demanded of them when they had but lately risen from the Lord's Table and therefore is a question that Communicants ought to put to themselves and obliged to have a ready Answer as these Communicants had which is the more to be noticed that after they had declared their Faith ver 30. Yet ver 31. Christ urgeth it again that they may be deliberat and know well what they say when they say they believe Secondly Our Communicating should be carefully reviewed lest we did eat and drink unworthily otherwise we shal be found despisers of that important warning 1 Cor. 11. 27. That such as eat and drink unworthily are guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Men have neither a due fear of the anger of God nor regard to their own souls who having partaken think there is no more to be done not so much as to enquire whether they came from the Lords Table guilty of his Body and Blood or not for the best of men should take notice of the great regard God hath to Sealing Ordinances The First thing we find Godly Hezekiah considering after the Celebration of the Passeover 2 Chron. 30. 18. Is the transgression of the people who did eat the Passeover otherwise than it was Written for whom he prayed and the Lord mercifully answered his prayer Thirdly If the pains thou did take in preparation before Partaking was sincere that thou might have a blessed meeting with Christ then the same principle will lead thee to enquire if he did meet with thy Soul for no man can be said to be earnest for that which he will not so much as observe if it be found if Communion with Christ was the desire of thy Soul then it will be thy desire now to be secured of it that thou may'st say I sought and found him whom my soul loveth Cant. 3 4. Fourthly If thou shalt find after searching that thou did obtain real spiritual Communion with Christ this will make thy Thanksgivings sincere this will be a mean to endear thy soul to Him and increase thy Love which thou knowest hath need to be encreased when thou has it to say he came and manifested himself to thy Soul did draw the in to his Fellowship fed thee with the hidden Manna whereby thy Soul was revived canst thou then but Love and seek to have thy heart enlarged for more Love This will also endear thy heart to this holy Ordinance wherein thou found Him this will make thee forward in seeking occasions for it hereafter because there the Lord appeared unto thee This will help thee to be a good example to others who are negligent in seeking after it this will be a mean to endear to thee the Promises to thee the Lord promised to come and bless his people where he recorded his Name thou has found it even as he hath said his Words be true now thou knowest it to be a meer Temptation to doubt of his Promise or think that it faileth now thou canst say I will no more distrust any offer that Christ maketh of himself to a poor Sinner for as he offered so I did embrace and am not disappointed now thou canst Sing by experience as Psal 33. 21. For our heart shall rejoyce in him because we have trusted in his holy Name Be perswaded then of the clearness and necessity of this Duty to review thy work at the Lord's Table that thou may'st know what to conclude of thy self whether thou may'st safely take comfort to thy Soul as a sincere and accepted Communicant or not for a mistake here is dangerous if on the one hand thou judge thy self a worthy Communicant and thy self but a stranger to Christ this will harden thy heart in Sin and render thee obstinate against all necessary admonition and reproof and thus you may go on adding to your guilt at every Communion and remain impenitent ye thinking it improper for you to repent for any sinful Communicating on the other hand it 's also dangerous for you to conclude your selves unworthy Communicants without sure grounds or ever searching into the matter for thus you may deny the grace freely given you and belie the operations of the holy Ghost and thus ye may deny God the glory due to him for his mercies and cast your own souls into perplexing diquiet and bondage therefore there is much need to be guided of God in this Search And for the clearing of this a little we are to Consider both how it was with our Souls in the time of Communicating and with what impressions and help we come from that work as for our work in the time of that Solemnity albeit by the Word of God it may be declared how Communicants should act and if they have so acted then they are not unworthy Communicants yet no man can discover the internal acts of other mens souls whether they have acted as they should or not none can know that but God and mens own consciences Therefore when ye are to try your sincerity at the Lords Table the Word of God must be your Rule the spirit of God your Guide and your own Conscience a Witness for the utmost that can be said by men is Conditional that is if you have acted suitable to the nature of the Work if you have embraced Christ c. Then you are accepted and not unworthy Communicants 2. VVhen Communicants are