Section 15
the follies we have returned to, since God spoke peace to as, and may be more particular and steady in our resolution for the future.
To give some assistance in this inquiry, I shall ask a few questions :
1. How have I employed my thoughts ? Has God been in all my thoughts ? It is well if he has been in any. When I awake, am I still with him? or am not I still with the world and the flesh ? When I should have been contemplating the glory of God, the love of Christ, and the great things of the other world; has not my heart been, with the fool's eyes, in the ends of the earth, following after lying vtini-iieSf and forsaking mine own mercies ? How seldom have I thought seriously, and with any fixedness, of spiritual and divine things! I set myself sometimes to meditate, but I soon break off* abruptly; and this treacherous heart starts aside like a broken bow, and nothing that is good is brought to any head. But how have vain thoughts and wild thoughts dodged within me, gone out and come in with me, lain down and risen up with me, and crowded out good thoughts ! Has not the imagination of the thought of my heart been evily only evil and that continually? Gpn, viii. 21.
2. How have I governed my passions ? Have they been kept under the dominion of religion and right reason? or have they not grown intemperate and headstrong, and transgressed due bounds? Have not provocations been too much resented, and made too deep an impression ? Has not my heart many a time been hot within me, too hot, so that its heat has consumed the peace of my own mind, and the love I owe my brother? Has not anger rested in my bosom ? Have not malice and uncharitablcncss, secret enmities and antipathies, been harboured there, where love and peace should have reigned and given law?
3. How have I preserved my purity ? Have I possessed my vessel in sancti Bcation and honour; or am I not conscious to myself of indulging the lust of uncleanness ? If, by the grace of God, I have kept my body pure; yet, has not my spirit been defiled by impure thoughts and afl'ections ? I have made a covenant with my eyes, not to look and lust; but have I made good that covenant? have I, in no instance, transgressed the laws of chastity in my heart, and modesty in my behaviour? Let this inquiry be made with a strict guard upon the soul; lest that, which should not be named among Christians, be thought of without that just abhorrence and detestation which becomes saints.
4. How have I used my tongue ? It was designed to be my glory; but has it not been my shame ? Has not much corrupt communication proceeded out of my mouth, and little of that which is good, which might either manifest grace, or minister grace ? have not I sometimes spoke unadvisedly, and said that im haste, which at leisure I could have wished ansaid? Have not I said that, by which God's great name has been dishonoured, or my brother's good name reproached, or my own exposed ? If, for every idle word that I speak, I must give account to God; I had best call myself to account for them; and I shall find innumerable of these evils fx>inpassing me about.
6. How have I spent my time ? So long as I ha?e lived in the world, to what purpose have I lived • What improvement have I made of my days, for doing or getting good ? It is certain that I have lost time ; have I yet begun to redeem it, and to repair those losses ? How many hours have I spent, that might have been spent much better! There is a duty which every day requires; but how little of it has been done in its day!
6. How have I managed my worldly calling? Have I therein abode with God 7 or have I not, in many instances of it, wandered from him ? Have I been just and fair in all my dealings, and spoken the truth from my heart ? or have I not sometimes dealt deceitfully in bargaining, and said that which bordered upon a lie ? Has not fleshly wisdom governed me more, than that simplicity and godly sincerity which becomes an Israelite indeed? Have I no wealth gotten by vanity, no unjust gain, no blot of that kind cleaving to my hand ?
7. How have I received my daily food ? Have I never transgressed the law of temperance in meat and drink, and so made my table my snare ? Hate not God's good gifts been abused to luxury and sensuality ; and the body, which, by the sober use of them should have been fitted, by the excessive use of them unfitted, to serve the soul in the service of God ? Have not I eaten to myself, and drmnk io myself, (Zech. vii. 6.) when I should have eaten and drank to the glory of God y
8. How have I done the duty of my particular relations ? the word of God has expressly taught me my duty as a husband, a wife, a parent, a child, a master, a servant; but have I not in many things failed of my duty ? Have not I carried myself disrespectfully to my superiors, disdainfully to my inferiors, and disingenuously to my equals ? Have I given to each that which is just and right, and rendered to all their dues? Have I been a comfort to my relations ? or have not I caused grief ?
9. How have I performed my secret worship! Have I been constant to it, morning and evening? or have I not sometimes omitted it, and put it by with some frivolous excuse? Have I been conscientious in it, and done it with an eye to God ? or have I not kept it up merely as a custom, and suffered it to degenerate into a formality ? Have I been lively and serious in secret prayer and reading ? or have I not rested in the outside of the performance, without any close application and intention of mind in it ?
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10. How have I laid out what God has given me in the world? I am hut a steward; have I heen faithful ? Have I honoured the Lord with my substance, and done good with it ? or have I wasted and misapplied my Lord's goods ? Has God had his due, my family and the poor their due, out of my estate ? What should have been consecrated to piety and charity, has it not been either sinfully spared, or sinfully spent?
11. How have I improved the Lord's day, and the other helps I have had for my soul ? I enjoy great plenty of the means of grace; have I grown in grace in the use of those means ? or have I not received the gce of God therein in vain ? Have I called the sabbath a delight, holy of the Lord, and honourable ? or have I not snuffed at it, and said. When will the sabbath be over? How have I profited by sermons and sacraments, and the other advantages of solemn assemblies ? Have I received and retained the good impressions of holy ordinances ? or have I not lost them, and let them slip ?
12. How have I borne my afflictions? When Providence has crossed me, and frowned upon me, what frame have I been in, repining or repenting ? Have I submitted to the will of God in my afflictions, and patiently accepted the punishment of my iniquity ? or have I not striven with my Makcr and quarrelled with his disposals? When my own foolishness has perverted my way, has not my heart fretted against the Lord ? What good have I gotten to my soul by my afflictions? What inward gain by outward losses ? Has my heart been more humbled and weaned from the world? or have I not been hardened under the rod, and trespassed yet more against the Lord ?
Many more such queries might be adduced, but the.se may suffice for a specimen. Yet it will not suffice to put these questions to ourselves, but we most diligently observe what return conscience* upon an impartial search, makes to them. We must not do as Pilate did, when he asked our Saviour, What is tmth ? but would not stay for an answer, John xviii. 38. No; we must take pains to find out what hath been amiss, and herein must accomplish a diligent search.
(1.) As far as we find ourselves not guilty, we must own our obligations to the grace of God, and return thanks for that grace, and let the testimony of conscience for us be our rejoicing. Jf our hearts con-demn us not, then have we confidence towards God,
(2.) As far as we find ourselves guilty, we must be humbled before God for it, mourn and be in bitterness at the remembrance oT it, cry earnestly to God for the pardon of it, and be particular in our folutions, by God's grace, to sin no more. Pray, Job is taught. That which I see not teach thou me; and promise, as it follows there, Wherein I have done iniquity, I will do no more. Job xxxiv. 32.
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III. Inquire, What am I doing ? When we have considered what our way has been, it is time to consider what it is. Ponder the path of thy feet, Prov. iv. 26.
1. What am I doing in the general course of my conversation ? Am I doing any thing for God, for my soul, for eternity, any thing for the service of my generation, or am I not standing all the day idle ? It is the law of God's house, as wetf as of ours; He that will not labour, let him not eat, 2 Thess. iii. 10. If I find that, according as my capacity and opportunity is, through the grace of Christ, I am going on in the way of God's commandments, this ordinance will be comforting and quickening to me; but if I give way to spiritual sloth and slumber, and do not mind my business, let this shame me out of it, and humble me for it. How unworthy am I to eat my Master's bread, while I take no care to do my Master's work ?
2. What am I doing in this approach to the ordinance of the Lord's supper ? I know what is to be done; but am I doing it? Do I apply myself to it in sincerity, and with a single eye, in a right manner, and for right ends ? Am I by repentance undoing that which I have done amiss ? And am I, by renewing my covenants with God, doing that better, which I have formerly done well? Am I joining myself unto the Lord, with purpose of heart to cleave to him unto the end ? It is the preparation for the passover: am I doing the work of that day in its day ? Am I purging out the old leaven, buying such things as I have need of against the feast, without money and without price ? Am I engaging my heart to approach unto God ? or am I thinking of something else? Am I slothful in this business? or do I make a business of it?
Here it is good to examine, whether, beside the common and general intentions of this ordinance, there be not something particular, which I should more especially have in my eye in my preparation for it Do I find my heart at this time more than usually broken for sin, and humbled at the remembrance of it? Let me then set in vigorously with those impressions, and drive that nail. Or is my heart in a special manner affected with the love of Christ, and enlarged in holy wonder, joy, and praise? Let its outgoings that way be quickened, and those thoughts imprinted deep and improved: so of the like.
IV. Inquire, What progress do I mahe? If upon examination there appear some evidences of the truth of grace, I must then examine my growth in grace; for gce, if it be true, will be growing: that well of water will be springing vp; and he that hath clean hands, will be stronger and stronger. There is a spiritual death, or at least some prevailing spiritual disease, where there is not some improvement and progress towards petfectiTi.
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By what measures then may I try my growth in grace?
1. Do I find my practical judgment more settled and confirmed in its choice of holiness and heaven ? if so, it is a sign I am getting forward. We cannot judge of ourselves by the pangs of affections, those may be more sensible and vehement at first, and their being less so afterwards, ought not to discourage us: the fire may not blaze so high as it did, and yet may bum better and stronger. But do I see more and more reason for my religion ? am I more strongly convinced of its certainty and excellency, so as to be able better than at first to pive a reason of the hope that is in me ? My first love was able to call religion a comfortable service, was my after light better able to call it a reasonable service ? I was extremely surprised when at first I saw men as trees walking but am I now better satisfied, when I begin to sec all things more clearly, Mark viii. 24, 25. Am I through God's grace better rooted, or am I through my own folly still as a reed shaken with the wind.
2. Do I find my corrupt appetites and passions more manageable ? or, are they still as violent and headstrong as ever'{ Does the house of Saul grow weaker and weaker, and its struggles for the dominion less frequent and more feeble ? If so, it is a good sign that the house of David grows stronger and stronger. Though these Cauaanites are in the land, yet if they do not make bead as they have done, but are under tribute, then the interests of Israel are gaining ground. Do I find that my desires toward those things that are pleasing to sense, are not so eager as they have been, but the body is kept under more, and brought into subjection to grace and wisdom, and is it not so hard a thing to me as it has been sometimes to deny myself? Do I find that my resentments of those things which are displeasing to the flesh, are not so deep and keen as they have been ? Can I bear afllictions from a righteous God, and provocations from unrighteous men, with more patience, and better composure and command of myself, than I could have done ? Am I not so peevish and fretful, and unable to bear an affront or disappointment, as sometimes I have been ? If so, surely be who has begun the good work, is carrying it on: but if nothing be done toward the suppressing of these rebels, toward the weeding out of these roots of bitterness which spring up and trouble us, though we lament them, yet, we do not prevail against them, it is to be feared that we stand still or go back.
3. Do I find the duties of religion more easy and pleasant to me? or am I still as unskilful and unready in them as ever ? Do I go dexterously about a duty, as one that understands it, and is used to it, as a man that is master of his trade goes on with the business of it ? or do I go awkwardly about it, as one not versed in it ? When God says. Seek ye my face, do I, like the child Samael, run to Eli, and terminate my regards in the outside of the service, or do I, like the man David, cheerfully answer, Tki/ face. Lord, will I seek, and so enter into that within the vail. Though, on the one hand, there is not t greater support to hypocrisy than a formal and customary road of external performances; yet, on the other hand, there is not a surer evidence of sinceritj and growth, than an ever constant, steady coarse of lively devotion, which by daily use becomes familiar and easy, and (by the new nature) natural to os. A growing Christian takes his work before him, and sings at it.
4. Do I find my heart more weaned from this present life, and more willing to exchange it for t better ? or am I still loth to leave it ? Are thoughts of death more pleasing to me than they have been, or are they still as terrible as ever? If throagfa grace we are raised above the fear of death, by reason of which many weak and trembling Christians are all their life-time subject to bondage, and can trolj say, we desire to depart and be with Christ, whidt it far better, it is certain we are gaining ground thoogk we have not yet attained.
If upon search we find that we make no progress in grace and holiness, let the ordinance of the Lord's supper be empowered for the furtherance of our growth, and the removal of that, whatever it is, which hinders it. If we find we thrive, though bat slowly, and though it is not so well with us as it should be, yet through grace it is better with us than it has been, and that we are not always babes, letos be encouraged to abound so much the more. Go and prosper, the Lord is with thee, while thon ait with him.
V. Inquire, What do I want? A true sense of our spiritual necessities is required to qualify as for spiritual supplies. The hungry only are filled with good things. It concerns us therefore, when we come to an ordinance, which is a spiritual market, to consider what we have occasion for, that we may know what to lay hold on, and may have an answer to that question which will be put to as at the banquet of wine. What is thy petition, and what is thy request! Or that which Christ put to the blind men. Matt. XX. 32. What will ye that I should do unto you ?
Grace and peace from God the FatheVy and from our Lord Jesus Christ, are inclusive of all the blessings we can desire, and have in them enough to supply all our needs: since, therefore, we must ask and receive, that our joy may be full, it concerns as to inquire what particular grace and comfort we need, that we may, by faith and desire, reach forth toward that in a special manner.
1. What grace do I most wantt Wherein do I find myself most defective, weak, and exposecf? What corruption do I find working most in me? the grace which is opposite to it, I most need. Ao
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I apt to be proud or passionate ? humility and meekness then are the gces I most want. Am I apt to be timorous and distrustful ? faith and hope then are ibe graces I most want. What temptations am I most frequently assaulted with? which way does Satan get most advantage against me; by my constitution, calling, or company ? there I most want help from heaven, and strength to double my guard. Am I in danger of being drawn by my outward circumstances to intemperance, or deceit, or oppression, or dissimulation? then sobriety, justice, and sincerity, are the graces I most want. What is the nature of the duties I am most called out to, and employed in ? Arc they such as oblige me to stoop to that which is mean.' then self-denial is the grace I most want Are they such as oblige me to struggle with that which is difficult and discouraging? then courage and wisdom are the graces I most want. Whatever our wants are, there are promises in the new covenant adapted to them; which, in this ordinance, we must in a particular manner apply to ourselves, and claim the benefit of, and receive as sealed to us. If we cannot bethink ourselves of particular promises suited to our case, yet there is enough in the general ones: / will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutesy Ezek. xxxvi. 27. / will put my law in your hearts (Heb. viii. 10,) and my fear, (Jer. xxxii. 40.) and many of the like. And we know who has said. My grace is sufficient for thee, 2 Cor. xii. 9.
2. What comfort do I most want? What is the burthen that lies most heavy? I must seek for support under that burthen. What is the grief that is most grieving ? I must seek for a balance to that grief. The guilt of sin is often disquieting to me: O for the comfort of a scaled pardon ! The power of corruption is very discouraging ; O for the comfort of victorious grace ! I am often tossed with doubts and fears about my spiritual «tate, as if the Lord had utterly separated me from his people, and I were a dry tree, Isa. Ivi. 3. O for the comfort of clear and unclouded evidences ! I am sometimes tempted to say, The Lord hath forsaken me ; my God hath foryotten me, Isa xlix. 14. O that he would seal to my soul that precious promise, / will never Uave thee, nor forsake thee, Heb. xiii. 5. But my greatest trouble arises from the sense of my own weakness, and bent to backslide, and I am sometimes ready to make that desperate conclusion, / shall one day perish by the hand of Saul, I Sam. xxvii. 1. O that I might have the comfort of that promise, (Jer. xxxii. 40.) / will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. There is in the covenant of grace a salve for every sore, a remedy for every malady, comforts suited to every distress and sorrow; but, that we may have the benefit of them, it is requisite that we ktiow every one his own sore, and his awn griif as it is expressed, 2 Chron.
vi. 29. that we may spread it before the Lord, and may apply to ourselves that relief which is proper for it, and/i'om the fulness, which is in Jesus Christ, may receive, and grace for grace; grace for all occasions, John i. 16. t
Here it may be of use to take cognizance even of our outward condition, and inquire into the cares and burthens, the crosses and necessities of it; for even against these there is comfort provided in the new covenant, and administered in this ordinance. God-liness hath the promise of the life that now is: when Christ was inviting his disciples to come and dine with him, he asked them first, Children, have ye any meat? John xxi. 5, 12. Christ's inquiry into our afi'airs directs us to make known before him in particular the trouble of them. Let every care be cast upon the Lord in this ordinance, lodged in his hands, and left with him, and let our own spirits be eased of it, by the application of that general word of comfort to this particular case, whatever it is. He careth for you, 1 Pet. v. 7. What is the concern I am most thoughtful about, relating to myself, my family, or friends ? Let that way be committed to the Lord, and to his wise and gracious conduct and disposal, and then let my thoughts concerning it be established. What is the complaint I make most feelingly ? Is it of a sickly body, disagreeable relations, a declining estate, the removal of those by death that were very dear? Whatever it is, spread it before the Lord, as Hczekiah did Rabshakeh's letter, (2 Kings xix. 14.) and allow no complaint that is not fit to be spread before him.
When God came to renew his covenant with Abraham, and to tell him that he was his shield and his exceeding great reward, Abraham presently puts in a remonstrance of his grievance. Behold, to me thou hast given no seed. Gen. xv. 1—3. Hannah did so when she came up to worship, 1 Sam. i. 11. And we also must bring with us such a particular sense of our afflictions, as will enable us to receive and apply the comforts here offered us, and no more. Holy David observed how his house was with God, and that it was not made to grow, when he was taking the comfort of this, that however it were, God had made with him an everlasting cove7iant,2 Sam. xxiii. 5.
VI. Inquire, What shall I resolve to do? This question is equivalent to that of Paul, (Acts ix. 6.) Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ? We come to this ordinance solemnly to engage ourselves against all sin, and to all duty ; and therefore it is good to consider what that sin is which we should particularly covenant against, and what that duty which we should most expressly oblige ourselves to. Though the general covenant suffice to bind conscience, yet, a particular article will be of use to remind conscience, and to make the general engagement the more effectual. It is good to be particular
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in our pious resolations, as well as in our penitent reflections.
For our assistance herein, let us inquire,
1. Wherein ha\e we most missed it hitherto? • Where we have found ourselves most assaulted hy the subtilty of the tempter, and most exposed by our own weakness, there we should strengthen our defence, and double our guard. What is the sin that hasmosteasilybesetme, Heb. xii. 1. cvireperarov a/iap-riav — the well circumstanced sin ? that is it which I must more particularly resolve against in the strength of the grace of God. What is the duty I have most neglected, have been most backward to, and most careless in ? to that I must most solemnly bind my soul with this bond.
2. Wherein we may have the best opportunity of glorifying God ? What can I do in my place for the service of Gbd's honour, and the interests of his kingdom among men? The liberal deviseth liberal things, and so the pious deviseth pious things, that he may both engage and excite himself to those liberal pious things in and by this ordinance. What is the talent I am intrusted with the improvement of? My Lord's goods I am made a steward of. What is it that is expected from one in my capacity? What fruit is looked for from me ? That is it that I must especially have an eye to in my covenants with God; to that I must bind my soul, for that I must fetch in help from heaven, that having sworn, I may perform it.
CHAPTER V.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR RENEWING OUR COYENANT WTFH GOD IN OUR PREPARATION FOR THIS ORDINANCB.
It is the wonderful condescension of the God of heaven, that he has been pleased to deal with man in the way of a covenant; that, on the one hand, we might receive strong consolations from the promises of the covenant, which are very sweet and precious; and, on the other hand, might lie under strong obligations from the conditions of the covenant, which, on this account, have greater cogency in them than mere precepts, that we ourselves have consented to them, and that we have therein consulted our own interest and advantage.
The ordinance of the Lord's supper being a seal of the covenant, and the solemn exchanging of the ratifications of it, it is necessary to make the covenant before we pretend to seal it. In this order therefore we must proceed, first, gve the hand to the Lord, and then enter into the sanctuary; first, in secret consent to the covenant, and then, solemnly testify that consent: this is like a contract before marriage. They who ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, must join themsehes to the Lord in a perpetual covenant, Jer. 1. 5. The co Tenant is mutual, and in vain do we expect the blessings of the covenant, if we be not truly willing to come under the bonds of the covenant We mast enter into covenant with the Lord our God, and into his oath, else he does not establish us this day for a people unto himself, (Deut xxix. 12, 13.) we arc not owned and accepted, as God's people, though we come before him as his people come, and sit before him as his people sit, if we do not in sincerity mtoueh the Lord for our God, Deut. xxvi. 17, 18. In our baptism this was done for us, in the Lord's sapper we roust do it for ourselves, else we do nothing.
Let us consider then in what method, and after what manner, we must manage this great transaction.
I. In what method we must renew oar covenant with God in Christ, and by what steps we most proceed.
1. We must repent of our sins by which we have rendered ourselves unworthy to be taken into covenant with God. Those who would be exalted to this honour, must first humble themselves. God layeth kis beams in the waters, Ps. civ. 3. The foundations of spiritual joy are laid in the waters of penitential tears. Therefore, this sealing ordinance sets that before us, which is proper to move our godly sorrow; in it we look on him whom we have pierced, and if we do not mourn, and be not in bitterness for him, surely our hearts are as hard as a stone, yea, harder than a piece of the nether mill-stone. Zech. xii. 10. Those who join themselves to the Lord, must go weeping to do it; so they did, Jer. I. 4, 5. That comfort is likely to last, which takes rise from deep humiliation, and contrition of soul for sin. Those only who go forth weeping, bearing this precious seed, shall come again rejoicing in God as theirs, and bringing the sheaves of covenant blessings and comforts with them, Ps. cxxvi. 6, 6. Let as therefore begin with this.
(1.) We have reason to bewail oar natural estrangement from this covenant: when we come to be for God, we have reason to be affected with sorrow and shame, that ever we were for any other; that ever there should have been occasion for our reconciliation to God, which supposes that there had been a quarrel. Wretch that I am, ever to have been a stranger, an enemy, to the God who made me ; at war with my Creator, and in league with the rebels against his crown and dignity. O the folly and wickedness and misery of my natural estate! My first father an Amorite, and my mother a Hittite, and myself a transgressor from the womb, alienated from the life of God, and cast out in my pollution. Nothing in me lovely, nothing amiable, bat a great deal loathsome and abominable. Such as this was my nativity, my original, Ezek. r?i. 3.
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(2.) We have reason to bewail our backwardness to come into this covenant. Well may we be ashamed to think how long God called, and we refused; how often he stretched forth his hand, before we regarded ; how many offers of mercy we slighted, and how many kind invitations we stood out against; how long Christ stood at the door and knocked, before we opened to him; and how many frivolous excuses we made to put off this necessary work. What a fool I was to stand in my own light so long! How ungrateful to the God of love, who waited to be g^-cious ! How justly might I have been for ever excluded this covenant, who so long neglected that great salvation ! Wherefore I abhor myself,
(3.) We have reason to bewail the disagreeable-ness of our hearts and lives to the terms of this covenant, since first we professed our consent to it In many instances we have dealt foolishly, it is well if we have not dealt falsely, in the covenant In our baptism we are given up to Chnst to be his, but we have lived as if we were our own; we then put on the Christian livery, but we have done little of the Christian's work; we were called by Christ's name to take away our reproach, but how little have we been under the conduct and government of the spirit of Christ! Since we became capable of acting for ourselves, perhaps we have oft renewed our covenant with God, at his tabic, and upon other occasions, but we have despised the oaih in breaking the covenant, when /o, we had given the hand, Ezek. xvii. 18. Our performances have not answered the engagements that we have solemnly laid ourselves under. Did we not say, and say it with the blood of Christ in our hands, that we would be the faithful servants of the God of heaven ? Wc did, and yet, instead of serving God, we have served divers lusts and pleasures ; we have made ourselves slaves to the flesh, and drudges to the world, and this has been our manner from our youth up. Did we not say, We would not transgress, (Jer. ii. 20.) we would not offend anymore? Job xxxiv. 31. Wc did, and yet our transgressions are multiplied, and in many things we offend daily. Did we not say we would walk more closely with God, more circumspectly in our conversation, we would be better in our closets, better in our families, better in our callings, every way better ? We did, and yet we are still vnin, and careless, and unprofitable; all those good purposes have been to little purpose: this is a lamentation, and it should be for a lamentation. Ltt our hearts be truly broken for our former breach of covenant with God, and then the renewing of our covenant will be the recovery of our peace, and that which was broken shall be bound up, and made to rejoice.
2. We must renounce the devil, the world, and the flesh, and every thing that stands in opposition to, or competition with, the God to whom we join oarselves by covenant. If we will indeed deal sincerely in our covenanting with God, and would be accepted of him therein, our covenanting with death must be disannulled, and our agreement with hell must not stand, Isa. xxviii. 18. And all these foolish sinful bargains, which were, indeed, null and void from the beginning, by which we had alienated ourselves from our rightful owner, and put ourselves in possession of the usurper, must be revoked and cancelled, and our consent to them drawn back with disdain and abhorrence. When we tiike an oath of allegiance to God in Christ, as our rightful King and Sovereign, we must therein abjure the tyranny of the rebellious and rival powers. O Lord our God, other lards beside thee haae had dominion over us, while sin has reigned in our mortal bodies, in our immortal souls, and every lust has been a lord; but now we are weary of that heavy |oke, and through God's grace it shall be so no longer, for, henceforth, by thee only will we mahe mention of thy name, Isa. xxvi. 13.
Tlie covenant we are to enter into is a marriage-covenant. Thy Maher is to be thy husband, (Isa. liv. 5.) and thou art to be betrothed to him, (Hos. ii. 19.) and it is the ancient and fundamental law of that covenant, that all other lovers be renounced, all other beloved ones forsaken; and the same is the law of this covenant; (Hos. iii. 3.) Tliou shalt not be for another man, so will I also be for thee. Quitting all others, we must cleave to the Lord only; lovers and crowned heads will not endure rivals. On these terms, and no other, we may covenant with God, (1 Sam. vii. 3.) If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods, and Ashtaroth; else it is not a return to God.
(I.) We must renounce all subjection to Satan's rule and government. Satan's seat must be overturned in our hearts, and the Redeemer's throne set up there upon the ruins of it We must disclaim the devil's power over us, cast off that iron yoke, and resolve to be deceived by him no more, and led captive by him at his will no more. We must quit the service of the citizen of that country, and feed his swine no longer, feed upon his husks no more, that we may return to our Father's house, where there is bread enough and to spare. We must renounce the treacherous conduct of the evil spirit, that we may put ourselves under the gracious guidance of the holy and good Spirit. All that turn to God, must turn from the power of Satan, (Acts xxvi. 18.) for what communion hath Christ with Belial? Our covenant with God engages us in a war with Satan ; for the controversy between them is such, as will by no means allow us to stand neuter.
(2.) We must renounce all compliance with tlie wills and interests of the flesh. The body, though near and dear to the soul, yet must not be allowed to have dominion over it The liberty, sovereignty, and honour of the inmiortal spirit, by which we are
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allied to the upper world, that world of spirits, must be asserted, vindicated, and maintained against the usurpation and encroachments of the body, which is of the earth earthy, and by which we are allied to the beasts that perish. The elder too long has served the younger, the nobler has served the baser, it is time that the yoke should be broken from off its neck, and that part of man should rule under Christ, whose right it is. The servants on horseback must be dismounted, the lusts of the flesh denied, and its vrill no longer admitted to give law to the man; and the princes who have walked like servants upon the earth, must be raised from their debasement, and made to inherit the throne of glory: the dictates (I mean) of right reason, guided by revelation, and consulting the true interests of the better part, must have the commanding sway and empire in us, Eccl. X. 7.1 Sam. ii. 8. We must never more make it our chief good to have the flesh pleased, and the desires of it gratified; nor ever make it our chief business to make provision for the flesh, that we may fulfil the lusts of it. Away with them, away with them; crucify them, crucify them ; for like Barabbas, they are robbers, they are murderers, they are enemies to our peace; we will not have them to reign over us; no, no, we know them too well; we have no king but Jesus.
(3.) We must renounce all dependence upon this present world, and conformity to it. If we enter into a covenant which ensures a happiness in the other world, and therefore look with a holy concern, we must disclaim the expectations of happiness in this world, and therefore look upon this with a holy contempt. God and Mammon, God and gain, these are contrary the one to the other; so that if we vrill be found loving God, and cleaving to him, we must despise the world, and sit loose to it. Matt. vi. 24. We must so far renounce the way of the world, as not to govern ourselves by it, and take our principles and measures from it; for we must not be conformed to this world, (Rom. xii. 2.) not walk according to the course of it, Eph. ii. 2. We must so far renounce the men of the world, as not to incorporate ourselves with them, nor choose them for our people, because though we are in the world, we are not of the world, nor have we received the spirit of the world, but Christ has chosen and called us out of it, John XV. 19. We must so far renounce the wealth of the world, as not to portion ourselves out of it, nor lay up our treasure in it; nor to take up with the things of this world as our good things, (Luke xvi. 26.) as our consolation, (Luke vi. 24.) as our reward, (Matt. vi. 2.) as the penny we agree for. Matt. XX. 13. For in God's favour is our life, and not in the smiles of this world. The Lord make us cordial in thus renouncing these competitors, that we may be found sincere in covenanting with God in Christ.
3. We must receive the Lord Jesus Christ as he is oflfered to us in the gospel. In renewing our covenants with God, it is not enough to enter oar dissent from the world and the flesh, and to shake oflf Satan's yoke, but we must enter oar consent to Christ, and take upon us his yoke. In the everlasting gospel, both as it is written in the Scriptare, and as it is sealed in this sacrament, salvation by Christ, that great salvation, is fairly tendered to us; to ns who need it, and are undone for ever without it We then come into covenant vrith God, when we accept of this salvation, with an entire complacency and confidence in those methods which inflnite wisdom has taken of reconciling a guilty and obnoxious world to himself, by the mediation of his own Son, \ and a cheerful compliance with those methods for ' ourselves, and our own salvation. Lord, I take thee at thy word ; be it unto thy servant according to that word, which is so well ordered in all things, and so sure.
We must accept the salvation in Christ's way, and upon his terms, else our acceptance is not accepted.
(1.) By a hearty consent to the grace of Christ, we must accept the salvation in his own way, in such a way, as for ever excludes boasting, humbles man to the dust, and will admit no flesh to gloiy in his presence: such a way, as (though it leave the blood of them that perish upon their own heads) lays all the crowns of them who are saved at the feet of free grace. This method we must approve of, and love this salvation, not going about to establish our own righteousness, as if by pleading not guilty, we could answer the demands of the covenant of innocency, and so be justifled and saved by it; but submitting to the righteousness of God, by faith, Rom. iii. 22. All the concerns that lie between us and God, we must put into the hands of the Lord Jesus, as the great Mediator, the great Manager; we must be content to be nothing, that the Lord only may be exalted, and Christ may be all in all, God has declared more than once by a voice from heaven. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. To consent to Christ's grace, and accept of salvation in his way, is to echo back to that solemn declaration, '' This is my beloved Saviour, in whom I am well pleased." The Lord be well pleased with me in him, for out of him I can expect no favour.
(2.) By a hearty consent to the government of Christ, we must accept the salvation on his own terms. When we receive Christ, we must receive an entire Christ; for. Is Christ divided T A Christ to sanctify and rule us, as well as a Christ to justify and save us; for he is a Priest upon his threme, and the counsel of peace is between them both, Zech. vi. 13* What God has joined together, let not us think to put asunder. He saves his people from their sins, not in their sins; and is the Author of eternal re-
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361 demption to those only that obey him. That very grace of God which hHngeth salvation ieacheth us to deny ungodlines* and worldly and fleshly /u#<*, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in {his world. Tit. ii. 11, 12. Life and peace are to be had on these terms, and no other. And are we willing to come up to these terms ? Will we receive Christ and his law, as well as Christ and his love ? Christ and his cross as well as Christ and his crown? " Lord, I will;" (says the believing soul;) " Lord, I do;" My Beloved is mine, and I am his, to all the intents and purposes of the covenant.
4. We must resign and give up* ourselves to God in Christ. God in the covenant makes over, not only his gifts and favours, but himself, to us, [/ will be to them a God,] what he is in himself, he will be to us, a God all-sufficient; so we in the covenant must ofler up not only our services, but ourselves, our own selves, our whole selves, body, soul, and spirit, to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, according to the obligations of our baptism, as those who are bound to be to him a people. This surrender is to be solemnly made at the Lord's table, and sealed there; it must therefore be prepared and made ready before. Let us see to it, that it be carefully drawn up, without exception or limitation, and the heart examined whether a free and full consent be given to it. We must first give our own selves unto the Lord, (2 Cor. viii. 5.) and I know not how we can dispose of ourselves better. By the mercies of God, which are inviting, and very encouraging, we must be wrought upon to present our bodies and souls to God a living sacrifice of acknowledgment, not a dying sacrifice of atonement, which if it be holy shall be acceptable, and it is our reasonable service, Rom. xii. 1. Thus he who covenants with God, is directed to say, / am the Lord's, and for the greater solemnity of the transaction, to subscribe with his hand to the Lord, Isa. xliv. 5. Not that we do or can hereby transfer or convey to God any right to us which he had not before; he is our absolute Lord and Owner, and has an incontestable sovereignty over us, and property in us, as he is our Creator, Preserver, Benefactor, and Redeemer; but hereby we recognize and acknowledge his right to us. We are his already by obligation, more his than our own; but, that we may have the benefit and comfort of being so, we must be his by our own consent. More particularly,
(1.) To resign ourselves to God, is to dedicate and to devote ourselves to his praise. It is not enough to call ourselves by his name, and associate among those who do so, to take away our reproach, but we most consecrate ourselves to his name, as living temples. Corban, It is a gift, a gift to God; all I am, all I have, all I can do is so; it is a dedicated thing, which it is sacrilege to alienate. All the powers and faculties of our soul, all the parts and members of our bodies, we must, as those that are alive from the dead, freely yield unto God as ]ft#^rM-ments of righteousness, to be used and employed in his service for his glory, Rom. vi. 13. All our endowments, all our attainments, all those things which we call accomplishments, must be accounted as talents, which we must trade with for his honour. All being of him and from him, all must be to him and for him. Our tongues must not be our own, but his; in nothing to offend him, but to speak his praise, and plead his cause, as there is occasion. Our time not our own, but as a servant's time, to be spent according to our Master's directions, and some way or other iA our Masters glory; every day being in this sense our Lords day. Our estates not our own, to be spent or spared by the directions of our lusts, but to be used as God directs; God must be honoured virith our substance, (Prov. iii. 9.) and our merchandise and our hire must be holiness to the Lord,' Isa. xxiii. 18. Our interest not our own, with it to seek our own glory, but to be improved in seeking and serving God's glory: that is, God's glory must be fixed and aimed at as our highest and ultimate end, in all the care we take about our employments, and all the comfort we take in our enjoyments. As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, we must have this still in our eye. That God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. iv. 10, 11. By this pious intention common actions must be sanctified, and done after a godly sort, 3 John 6. Our giving up of ourselves to be to God a people, is thus explained, (Jer. xiii. 11.) it is to be to him, for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory,
(2.) To resign ourselves to God, is to be subject and submit ourselves to his power: to the sanctifying power of his Spirit, the commanding power of his law, and the disposing power of his providence. Such as this is the subjection we must consent to; and it has in it so much of privilege and advantage, as well as duty and service, that we hfiVe no reason to stumble at it
[I.] We must submit ourselves to the sanctifying power of God's Spirit We must lay our souls as soft wax under this seal, to receive the impressions of it; as white paper under this pen, that it may write the law there. Whereas we have resisted the Holy Ghost, quenched his motions, and striven against him when he has been striving with us, we must now yield ourselves to be led and influenced by him. with full purpose of heart in every thing to follow his conduct, and comply with him. When Christ in his gospel breathes on us, saying, Receive ye the Holy Ghost, (John xx. 22.) my heart must answer, ** Lord, I receive him, I bid him welcome into my heart, though he come as a Spirit of judgment, and a Spirit of burning, as a refiner's fire, Rnd fuller's soap, yet blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lard. Let him come and moitify my
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lusts and corruptioDS, I do not desire that any of them sliould be spared; let them die, let them die by the sword of the Spirit, Agag himself not excepted, though he comes delicately. Let every thought within, even the inward thought, (Ps. xlix. 11.) be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. X. 5. Let the blessed Spirit do his whole work in me, and fulfil it with an almighty power."
[2.] We must submit ourselves to the commanding power of God's law. The law, as it is in the hand of the Mediator, is God's instrument of government; if I yield myself to him as a subject, I must in every thing be observant of, and obedient to, that law; and now I covenant to be so, in all my ways to walk according to that rule. All my thoughts and affections, all my words and actions, shall be under the direction of the divine law, and subject to its check and restraint. God's judgments will I lay before me, and have respect to all his commandments ; by them I will be always ruled, overruled. •* Let the word of the Lord come," (as a good man once said,) ** and if I had six hundred necks, I would bow them all to the authority of it." Whatever appears to me to be my duty, by the grace of God I will do it, how much soever it interfere with my secular interest; whatever appears to me to be a sin, by the grace of God I will avoid it, and refrain from it, how strong soever my corrupt inclination may be to it. AII that the Lord shall say to me, / will do, and unll be obedient
[3.] We must submit ourselves to the disposing power of God's providence. This must be the rule of our patience and passive obedience, as the former of our practice and active obedience. AH my affairs relating to this life, I cheerfully submit to the divine disposal; let them be directed and determined as Inflnite Wisdom sees fit, and I will acquiesce. Let the Lord save my soul, and then, as to every tiling else, let hiqdo with me and mine as seemeth good unto him; Twill never find fault with any thing that God does: Not as I will, but as thou wilt, I know I have no wisdom of my own ; I am a fool, if I lean to my own understanding, and therefore I will have no will of my own : Father, thy will be done. The health of my body, the success of my calling, the prosperity of my estate, the agreeableness of my family, the continuance of my comforts, and the issue of any particular concern my heart is upon, I leave in the hands of my heavenly Father, who knows what is good for me, better than I do for myself. If in any of these I be crossed, by the grace of God I will submit, without murmuring or disputing: all is well that God does, and therefore welcome the will of God in every event. While he is mine, and I am his, nothing shall come amiss to me.
5. We must resolve to abide by it as long as we live, and to live up to it. In our covenanting with God, there must be not only a present consent.
Lord, I do take thee for mine, I do giwe ap mjieif to thee to be thine ;" but this must be ripened into a resolution for the future, with purpose of heart tt cleave unto the Lord, Acts xi. 23. We mast lay hold on Wisdom, so as to retain her, (Prov. ilL 18.) and choose the way of truth, so as to stick to it, Ps. crix. 30, 31. The nail in the holy place must be well clenched, that it may be a nail in a sure plsiet Isa. xxii. 23. Many a pang of good affections, and manj a hopeful turn of good inclinations, come to nothing for want of resolution. It is said of Rehoboam, (2 Chron. xii. 14.) that he did evil, becauge he prepared not, or, he fixed not his heart (so the word is in the margin) to seeh the Lord, The heart that is unfixed, is unprepared. Joshua took pains with the people, to bring them up to that noble resolntioD, (Josh. xxiv. 21.) Nay, but we will serve the Lord; and we should not be content, till we also are in like manner resolved, and firmly fixed for God and duty, for Christ and heaven. This is the preparation ^ the gospel of peace, wherewith our feet must be shod, Eph. vi. 15.
Let us inquire what that resolution is, which is an entire dependence upon the grace of Christ, to which we should come up in our covenanting with God.
(I.) We must come up to such a settled resolution, as does not reserve a power of revocation for ourselves. The covenant is in itself a perpetnal covenant, and as such we must consent to it; not as servants hire themselves, by the year, or to be free at a quarter's warning; not as apprentices bind themselves, for seven years, to be discharged at the expiration of that term; but it must be a covenant for life, a covenant for eternity, a covenant never to be forgotten: and in this beyond even the marriage-covenant, for that is made with this proviso, " till death us do part;" but death itself must not part as and Christ Our covenant must be made like that servant's who loved his master, and would not go out free; our ears must be nailed to God's doorpost, and we must resolve to serve him for ever, Exod. xxi. 5, 6. A power of revocation reserved, is a defeasance of the covenant; it is no bargain if it be not for a perpetuity, and if we consent not to put it past recal.
Let not those who are young, and under tutors and governors, think to discharge themselves of these obligations, when they come to be of age, and to put them off with their childish things: no; you must resolve to adhere to it, as Moses did, when you come to years. Heb. xi. 24. As children are not too little, so grown people arc not too big, to be religious. You must resolve to live under the bonds of this covenant, when you come to live of yourselves, to be at your own disposal, and to launch out ever so far into this world. Your greatest engagements in care and business, cannot disengage you from these.
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363
Whatever state of life yoa are called to, yoa mast resolve to take your religion with you into it.
Let not those who are in the midst of their days think it possible, or desirable, to outlive the binding force of this covenant. If now we should set out in (he way we should go, it must be with a resolution, if we live to be old, how wise and honourable soever old age be, yet, then, we will not depart from it, (Prov. xxii. 6.) as knowing that the hoary hairs are only a crown of glory y when they are found (as having been long before fixed) in the way of righteousness, Prov. xvi. 31.
(2.) We must come up to such a strong resolution, as will not yield to the power of temptation from the enemy. When we engage ourselves for God, we engage ourselves against Satan, and must expect his utmost efforts to oppose us in our way, and to draw us out of it. Against these designs we mast therefore arm ourselves, resolving to stand in the evil day, and having done all, in God's name, to stand our ground, (Eph. vi. 13.) saying to all that, which would either divert or deter us from prosecuting the choice we have made, as Ruth did to Naomi, when she was stedfastly resolved, (Ruth i. 16.) Entreat me not to leave Christ, or to turn from following after him; for, whither he goes I will follow him, though it be into banishment; where he lodges, I will lodge with him, though it be in a prison; for death itself shall never part us.
We must resolve, by God's grace, never to be so elevated or enamoured with the smiles of the world, as by them to be allured from the paths of serious godliness; for our religion will be both the safety and the honour of a prosperous condition, and will sanctify and sweeten all the comforts of it to us.
And we must in like manner resolve never to be BO discouraged and disheartened by the frowns of the world, as by the force of them to be robbed of oar joy in God, or by the fear of them to be driven from our duty to God. We must come to Christ, with a steady resolution to abide by him all weathers : Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest, Tltough I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. None of these things move me.
6. We must rely upon the righteousness and strength of our Lord Jesus Christ in all this. Christ is the Mediator of this peace, and the guarantee of it, the surety of this better covenant; that blessed daysman, who has laid his hand upon us both ; who has so undertaken for God, that in him all God's promises to us are Yea, and Amen, 2 Cor. i. 20. and unless he ' undertake for us too, how can our promises to God have any strength or stability in them? When therefore we enter into covenant with God, oar eye must be to Christ as the Alpha and Omega of that covenant. When God had sworn by himself, that unto him every hnee should bow, and every tongue should swear, (Isa. xlv. 23.) immediately it follows,
V. 24. Surely shall one say, every one that bows and swears to God, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength ; in the Lord Jesus is all my sufficiency for the doing of this well. In making and reiew-ing our covenant with God, we must take instructions from that of David, Ps. Ixxi. 19. / will go in the strength of the Lord God ; I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
(1.) We must depend upon the strength of the Lord God for assistance, and for the working of all our works in us, and for us. In that strength we must go, go forth and go on, as those that know we can do nothing that is good of ourselves; our own hands are not sufficient for us; but we can do alt things through Christ strengthening us, Phil. iv. 13. Our work then goes on, and then only, when we are strengthened with all might by his Spirit. This way we must look for spiritual strength, as Nehemiah did, {ch. vi. 9.) Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands. On this strength we must stay ourselves; in this strength we must engage ourselves, and put forth ourselves, and with it we must encourage ourselves.
We cannot make this covenant, but in the strength of Christ, nor make it at all. Nature, corrupt nature, inclines to the world and the flesh, and cleaves to them: without the influences of special grace, we should never move towards God, much less resolve for him. We cannot do it well, but in Christ's strength, and in a dependence upon that If, like Peter, we venture on our own sufficiency, and use those forms of speech which import a reliance on the divine grace, only as words of course, and do not by faith trust to that grace, and derive from it; we forfeit the aids of it; our covenant is rejected as presumptuous, and shall not avail us. Promises made in our own strength betray us, and do not help us; like the house built on the sand.
We cannot keep this covenant when it is made» but in the strength of Christ; for we stand no longer than he by his grace upholds us, we go no further than he by his grace, not only leads us, but carries us. His promises to us are our security, not ous to him: from his fulness, therefore, we must expect to receive grace for grace ; for it is not in ourselves, nor is it to be had any where but in him. We then, that are principals in the bond, knowing ourselves insolvent, must put him in as surety for us. He is willing to stand; and without him, our bond will not be taken. We arc too well known to be trusted; for all men are liars; and the heart is deceitful above all things. Go to Christ therefore with that address, (Ps. cxix. 122.) Be surety for thy servant for good. (Isa. xxxviii. 14.) / am oppressed; undertake for me,
(2.) We must depend upon the righteousness of Christ; make mention of that, even of that only, for acceptance with God in our covenanting with him. We have nothing in us, to recommend us to God's favour; no righteousness of our own, wherein
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to appear before him: we have, by sin, not only forfeited all the blessings of the covenant, but incapacitated ourselves for admission into it. By sacrifice, therefore, by a sacrifice of atonement, sufficient to expiate our guilt, and satisfy the demands of injured justice, we must make a covenant with God. And there is none such but that one offering, by which Christ has perfected for ever them which are sanctified. That is the blood of the covenant, which must be sprinkled upon our consciences when we join ourselves to the Lord, (Exod. xxiv. 8.) that everlasting righteousness, which Messiah the Prince has brought in, must be the cover of our spiritual nakedness, our wedding-garment to adorn our nuptials, and the foundation on which we must build all our hopes to find favour in the sight of the Lord.
I shall not here draw up a form of covenanting with God ; both because such may be found drawn up by far better hands than mine, as Mr. Baxter's, Mr. Allen's, and others; and, because a judicious Christian may, out of the foregoing heads, easily draw up one for himself.
II. After what manner we must renew our covenant with God, that we may therein please God, and experience the good efl*ect of it in our own souls.
1. We must do it intelligently. Blind promises will produce lame performances, and can never be acceptable to the seeing God. Ignorance is not the mother of this devotion. Satan indeed puts out men's eyes, and so brings them into bondage to him, and leads them blindfold; for he is a thief and a robber, that comes not in by the door, but climbeth up some other way; and therefore to him we must not open. But the grace of God takes the regular way of dealing with reasonable creatures, opening the understanding first, and then bowing the will: this is entering in by the door, as the Shepherd of the sheep does, John x. 1, 2. In this method, therefore, we must see that the work be done. We must first acquaint ourselves with the tenor of the covenant, and then consent to the terms of it. Moses read the book of the covenant in the audience of the people, (Exod. xxiv. 7.) and then sprinkled upon them the blood of the covenant, v. 8. And we must take the same method ; first peruse the articles, and then sign them. That faith which is without knowledge, is not the faith of God's elect
2. We must do it considerately. We need not take time to consider whether we should do it or no, the matter is too plain to bear that debate; but we must seriously consider what we do, when we go about it. Let it be done with a solemn pause, such as Moses put Israel upon, when he said, (Deut. xxix. 10, 12.) Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God; that thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath. Consider how weighty this transaction is, that it may be managed with due seriousness, and of what consequence it is that it be done well; for it is to be hoped, that if it be once well done» it is done for ever. We must sit down and count the cost; consider the restraints this covenant will pat upon the flesh, the loss and expense we may sustain by cor adherence to it, the hazards we run, and the dif-culdes we must reckon upon, if we will be faithful unto death ; and in the view of these consent la the covenant; that hereafter, when tribalation and persecution arises because of the word, we may not say, " This was what we did not think of." Do it deliberately, therefore, and then it will not be easilj undone. The rule in vowing is. Be not rmsA wilk thy mouth, neither let thy heart be hasty to utter awf thing before God, Eccl. v. 2. It is the character of the virtuous woman, that she considers et field, md buys it. And it has been thought a dictate of pni-dence, though it seem a paradox; " Take time, and you will have done the sooner." Many, that without consideration have put on a profession, when the wind has turned, have in like manner, withoat consideration, thrown it off" again. " Light come, light go." Those, therefore, that herein woald prove themselves honest, must prove themselves wise
3. We must do it humbly. When we come to covenant with God, we must remember what we are, and who he is with whom we have to do, that the familiarity we are graciously admitted to, may not beget a contempt of God, or a conceit of ourselves; but rather, the more God is pleased to exalt us, and condescend to us, the more we must honour him, and abase ourselves. Abraham fell on his face, in a deep sense of his own unworthiness, when God said, / will make my covenant between me mnd tkee, and began to talk with him concerning it; (Gen. xvii. 2, 3.) and afterwards, when he was admitted into an intimate communion with God, pursuant to that covenant, he drew near, as one that knew his distance, expressing himself with wonder at the favour done him, (Gen. xviii. 27.) Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, wkieh am but dust and ashes. When the covenant of royalty was confirmed to David, and God regarded him according to the estate of a man of high degree, he sits down as one astonished at the honour conferred on him, and humbly expresses himself thus: Who am I, O Lord God; and what is mine house, that tkou hast brought me hitherto? 1 Chron. xvii. 16, 17. Thus must we cast ourselves down at the footstool of God*s throne, if we would be taken up into the embraces of his love. He that humhleth himself shall be exalted,
4. We must do it cheerfully; for here, in a special manner, God loves a cheerful giver, and is pleased with that which is done, not of constraint, but willingly. In our covenanting with God, we must not be actuated by a spirit of bondage and fear, but by a spirit of adoption, a spirit of power and love, and a
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305 somid mindy Rom. Tiii. 15. 2 Tim. i. 7. We must join ourselves to the Lord, not only because it is our datj, and that which we are bound to, but because it is our interest, and that by which we shall be unspeakable gainers : not with reluctance and regret, and with a half-consent extorted from us ; but with an entire satisfaction, and the full consent of a free spirit. Let it be a pleasure to us to think of our interest in God as ours, and our engagement to him as his; a pleasure to us to think of the bonds of the eo Tenant, as well as of the blessings of the covenant. Much of our communion with God (which is so much the delight of all that are sanctifled) is kept np by the frequent recognition of our covenant with him ; which we should make, as those who like our choice too well to change; and as the men of Jndah did, when they tware unto the Lord with a loud voice and with trumpets: and all Judah rejoiced at the oath; for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire, 2 Chron. xv. 14, 15. Christ's soldiers must be volunteers, not pressed men, and we must repeat our consent to him with such joy and triumph, as appears in that of the spouse, (Cant. v. 16.) This is my be-loved, and this is my friend*
5. We must do it in sincerity. This is the chief thing required in every thing wherein we have to do with God; Behold, he desires truth in the inward parts. When God took Abraham into covenant with himself, this was the charge he gave him, Walh hefure me, and he thou perfect, that is, upright, for uprightness is our gospel perfection. Writing the covenant and subscribing it, signing and sealing it, may be proper expressions of seriousness and resolution in the transaction, and of use to us in the review; but if herein we lie unto God with our mouth, VLud flatter him with our tongue, as Israel did, (Ps. Ixxviii. 36.) though we may ]^ut the cheat upon ourselves and others, yet we cannot impose upon him; Be not deceived, God is not mocked. If we only give the hand unto the Lord, and do not gve our hearts to him, whatever our pretensions, professions, and present feelings of devotion may be, we are but as a sounding brass, and tinkling cymbal. What will it avail us to say, we covenant with God, if we still keep up our league with the world and the flesh, and have a secret antipathy to serious godliness? dissembled piety is no disguise before God, but is hated as double iniquity. It is certain, that thou hast no part nor lot in the matter (whatever thou mayst claim) if thy heart be not right in the sight of God, Acts viii. 21. I know no religion but sincerity: our vows to God are nothing, if they be not bonds upon the soul.
CHAPTER VL
HBLP8 FOR MEDITATION AND PRAYER IN OUR PREPARATION
FOR THE ORDINANCE.
Meditation and prayer are the daily exercise and delight of a devout and pious soul. In meditation we converse with ourselves; in prayer we converse with God; and what converse can we desire more agreeable, and more advantageous ? They who are frequent and serious in those holy duties at other times, will find them the easier and the sweeter on this occasion; the friends we are much with, we are most free with: but if at other times we be not so close and constant to them as we should be, we have the more need to take pains with our own hearts, that we may effectually engage them in these services, when we approach the ordinance of the Lord's supper.
Enter into thy closet, therefore, and shut the door against diversions from without: be not shy of being alone. The power of godliness withers and declines, if secret devotion be either neglected or negligently performed. Enter into thy heart also, and do what thou canst to shut the doors of that against distraction from within. Compose thyself for the business, and summon all that is within thee to attend on it; separate thyself from the world and the thoughts of it; leave all its cares at the bottom of the hill, as Abraham did his servants, when he was going up into the mount to worship God, (Gen. xxii. 5.) and then set thyself about thy work ; gird up thy loins, and trim thy lamp. Up, and be doing, and the Lord be with thee.
We must set ourselves to meditate on that which is most proper for the confirming of our faith, and the kindling of pious and devout affections in us. Good thoughts should be often in our minds, and welcome there; so should our souls often breathe towards God in pious ejaculations that are short and sudden: but as good prayers, so good thoughts, must sometimes be set and solemn. Morning and evening they must be so, on the Lord's day also, and before the Lord's supper.
Meditation is thought engaged, and thought inflamed.
1. It is thought engaged; in it the heart fastens upon, and fixes to, a select and certain subject, with an endeavour to dwell and enlarge upon it: not matters of doubtful disputation, or small concern, but those things which are of greatest certainty and moment. And since few of the ordinary sort of Christians can be supposed to have such a treasury of knowledge, such a fruitfulness of invention, and so great a compass and readiness of thought, as to be able to discourse with themselves for any time upon any one subject, so closely, methodically, and
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pertinently as one would wish ; it may be advisable either to fasten upon some portion of Scripture, and to read that over and over with a closeness of observation and application ; or to recollect some profitable sermon lately heard, and think that over; or to make use of some books of pious meditations, or practical discourses, (which blessed be God we have great plenty and variety of in our own tongue,) and not only read them, but descant and enlarge upon them in our minds, still giving liberty to our own thoughts to expatiate, as they are able, but borrowing help from what we read, to reduce them when they wander, and to furnish them with matter when they are barren. In the choice of helps for this work, wisdom and experience are profitable to direct, and no rule can be given to fit all capacities and all cases: the end may be attained in different methods.
2. It is thought inflamed. To meditate, is not only to think seriously of divine things, but to think of Uiem with concern and suitable afiection. While we are thus musinfff the fire mutt burn, Ps. xxxix. 3. When the heart meditates terror, (Isa. xxxiii. 18.) the terrors of the Lord, it must be with a holy fear. When we contemplate the beauty of the Lord, his bounty, and his benignity, which is better than life, we must do it with holy complacency, solacing ourselves in the Lord our God. The design of meditation is to improve our knowledge, and to affect ourselves with those things with which we have acquainted ourselves, that the impressions of them upon our souls may be deep and durable, and that by beholding the glory of the Lord, we may be changed into the same image.
Serious meditation before a sacrament, will be of great use to us, to make those things familiar to us, which in that ordinance we are to be conversant with : that good thoughts may not be to seek when we are there, it is our wisdom to prepare them, and lay them ready beforehand. Frequent acts confirm a habit; and pious dispositions are greatly helped by pious meditations. Christian gces will be the better exercised in the ordinance, when they are thus trained, disciplined, and drawn out in the preparation for it.
For our assistance herein, I shall mention some few of those things which may most properly be pitched upon for the subject of our meditations before a sacrament: I say, before a sacrament, because, though this be calculated here for the sacrament of the Lord's supper, yet it may equally serve us in our preparations for the other sacrament, both that we may profit by the public administration of it, and, especially, that we may, in an accceptable manner, present our children to it; for which service we have as much need carefully to prepare ourselves as for this. As we must in faith join ourselves to the Lord, so we must in faith dedicate those pieces of ourselves to him.
i
That our hearts then may be raised, and quickened, and prepared for conmianion with Christ at his table,
I. Let us set ourselves to think of the anfalnesi and misery of man's fallen state. That we may be taught to value our recovery and restoration by the grace of the second Adam, let us take a fall tad | distinct view of our ruin by the sin of the first Adam; j' come and see what desolations it has made on the earth, and how it has turned the world into a wilderness. How is this gold become dim, mnd the most fine gold changed! What wretched work did sin make ? What a black and horrid train of fatal consequences attended its entrance into the world! |
Come, my soul, and see how the nature of man is corrupted and violated, and lamentably degenerated from its primitive purity and rectitude: God's image defaced and lost, and Satan's image stamped instead of it The understanding blind, and unapt to admit the rays of divine light; the vnll stubborn, and nnapC to comply with the dictates of the divine law; the affections carnal, and unapt to receive the impressions of the divine love. Come, my soul, and lament the change; thou thyself feelest from it, and sharest in the sad effects of it; for a nature thus tainted, thus depraved, I brought into the world with me, and carry about with me to this day sad remainders of its corruption. It was a nature by creation little lower than that of angels, but become by sin much baser than that of brutes. It was like the Nazarites, purer than snow, whiter than milk, more ruddy than the rubies f and its polishing was of sapphires ; bat now, its visage is blacker than a coal, Lam. iv. 7, 8. Never was beauty so deformed, never was strength so weakened, never was a healthful constitution so spoiled, never was honour so laid in the dust How is the faithful city become a harlot! Man's nature was planted a choice vine, wholly a right seed: but alas, it is become the degenerate plant of a strange rine, Jcr. ii. 21. I find in myself, by sad experience, I am naturally prone to that which is evil, and backward to that which is good. Foolishness is daily breaking out in my life, and by that I perceive it is bound up in my heart: for these things I blush, and am ashamed; for these things I tremble, and am afraid ; for these things I weep, mine eye, mine eye runs down with tears. Lam. i. 16.
Come, my soul, and see how miserable fallen man is; see him excluded God's favour, expelled the garden of the Lord, and forbidden to meddle with the tree of life; see how odious he is become to God's holiness, and obnoxious to his justice, and by nature a child of wrath. See how calamitous the state of human life is; what troops of diseases, disasters, and deaths, in the most horrid and frightful shapes, man is compassed about with; Lord, how are they increased that trouble him ! See him attacked on every side by the malignant powers of darkness that
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307 leek to destroy ; see him senteoced for sin to utter darkness, to the devouring Are, to the everlasting burning ; How art thou fallen, O Lucifer ^ son of the morning; O what a gulph of misery is man sunk into by sin; separated from all good to all evil; and bis condition in himself helpless and hopeless. A deplorable case! And it is my case by nature. I un of this guilty, exposed, condemned race ; undone, undone for ever; as miserable as the curse of heaven and the flames of hell can make me, if infinite mercy do not interpose. And shall not this affect me? Shall not this afflict me? Shall not these thoughts beget in me a hatred of sin, that evil, that only evil ? Shall I ever be reconciled to that which has done so much mischief? Shall I not be quickened hereby to fly to Christ, in whom alone help and salvation is to be had? Is this thy condition, O my soul, thine by nature, and is there a door of hope opened to thee by grace ? Up, then, get thee out of this Sodom ; escape for thy life, look not behind thee, itmff not in all the plain, escape to the mountain, the mountain of holiness, lest thou be consumed,
II. Let us set ourselves to think of the glory of the divine attributes shining forth in the work of our redemption and salvation. Here is a bright and noble subject, the contemplation and wonder of angels and blessed spirits above, and which eternity itself will be short enough to be spent in the admiring view of.
Come then, O my soul, come and think of the kindness and love of God our Saviour, his good will to man which designed our redemption ; the spring and first wheel of that work of wonder. Herein is love ! Though God was happy from eternity before man bad a being, and would have been happy to eternity, if man had never been, or had been miserable ; though man's nature was mean and despicable ; though his crimes were heinous and detestable • though by his disobedience he had forfeited the protection of a prince; though by his ingratitude he had forfeited the kindness of a friend ; and, though by his perfidiousness he had forfeited the benefits of a covenant; yet the tender mercies of our God moved for his relief. Come and see a world of apostate angels passed by and left to perish; no Redeemer, no Saviour provided for them; but fallen men pitied and helped; though angels had been more honourable, and would have been more serviceable.
Come and think of God's patience and forbearance exercised toward man; The long suffering of our Lord is salvation. Think how much he bears, and how long, with the world, with me, though most provoking. This patience left room for the salvation, and gives hopes of it. If the Lord had been pleased to kill us, he would have done it before now.
Come and think, especially, of tlie wisdom of God, which is so gloriously displayed in the contrivance of the work of our redemption: here is the wisdom of God in a mgstety, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world for our glory, 1 Cor. ii. 7. Think of the measures God has taken, the means he has devised, that the banished might not be for ever expelled from him, 2 Sam. xiv. 14. Think with wonder how all the divine attributes are, by the method pitched upon, secured from damage and reproach, so that one is not glorified by the diminution of the lustre of another. When sin has brought things to that strait, that one would think either God's justice, truth, and holiness must be eclipsed and clouded, or man's happiness must be for ever lost, infinite wisdom finds out an expedient for the securing both of God's honour and of man's happiness: it is now no disparagement at all to God's justice to pardon sin, nor to his holiness to be reconciled to sinners; for by the death of Christ justice is satisfied, and by the Spirit of Christ sinners are sanctified. Mercy and truth here meet together ; behold, righteousness and peace kiss each other. Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and wonder, O earth. And thou, my soul, thou that owest all thy joys and all thy hopes to this contrivance, despairing to find the bottom of this unfathomable fountain of life, sit down at the brink, and adore the depth ; O the depth of the wisdom and knowledge of God I Rom. xi. 33.
III. Let us set ourselves to think of the person of our Redeemer, and his glorious undertaking of the work of our salvation. Come, my soul, and think of Christ, who thought of thee; think of him as the eternal Son of God, the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person ; who lay in his bosom from eternity, and had an infinite joy and glory with him before the worlds were, and in whom dwells all the fulness of the godhead; the eternal Wisdom, the eternal Word that has life in himself, and is one with the Father, and who thought it no robbery to be equal with God. He is thy Lord, (O my soul,) and worship thou him.
Think of him as the Former of all things, without whom was not any thing made that was made. Thrones and dominions, principalities and powers, all things were created by him and for him, and he is before all things, and by him all things consist, Col. i. 16, 17. Let this engage my veneration for him, let this encourage my faith and hope in him: if I have my being from him, I must consecrate my being to him, and may expect my bliss in him.
Think of him as Emanuel, the Word incarnate, God manifest in the flesh, clothed with our nature, taking part of flesh and blood, that for us in our nature he might satisfy the justice of God whom we had ofiended, and break the power of Satan, by whom we were enslaved. Come, my soul, and with an eye of faith behold the beauties, the transcendent, unparalleled beauties of the Redeemer. See him white aud
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ruddy, fairer than the children of men, perfectly pure and spotless, wise and holy, kind and good ; who has the infinite mercies of a God, and withal the experimental compassions of a man, who has heen touched with the feeling of our infirmities. See him by faith, as John saw him in vision, Rev. i. 13, &c. See him and admire him, as one who in all things has the pre-eminence; none like him, nor any to be compared to him.
Think of him as undertaking our redemption, the redemption of the soul, which was so precious, that otherwise it must have ceased for ever. When the sealed book of God's counsels concerning man's redemption was produced, none in heaven or earth was found worthy to open that booh, or to look thereon. Rev. V. 3, 4. When sacrifice and offering for sin would not do, and the blood of bulls and goats had been tried in vain, and found ineffectual, then said he, Lo, I come ; this ruin shall be under my hands, alluding to Isa. iii. 6. Come, my soul, and see help laid upon one that is mighty; one chosen out of the people, and every way qualified for the undertaking; able to do the Redeemer's work, and fit to wear the Redeemer's crown. See how willingly he obliged himself to the service, how cheerfully he obliged himself to go through with it, and engaged his heart to approach unto God as our advocate. It is the voice of thy beloved, O my soul, behold he eometh, leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills, making nothing of the difficulties that lay in his way. Behold thy King comes, thy Bridegroom comes, go forth my soul, go forth to meet him with thy joyful hosannahs, and bid him welcome; Blessed is he that €ometh in the name of the Lord,
IV. Let us set ourselves to think of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, the dishonours done to him, and the honours done to us, by it. Here is a wide field for our meditations to expatiate in, nor can we determine to know any thing before a sacrament more proper and profitable ih&n Jesus Christ, and him crucified ; lifted up from the earth, and drawing all men unto him, as the attractive loadstone of their hearts, and the common centre of their unity. Come then, and behold the Man ; represent to thyself, (O my soul,) not to thy fancy, but to thy faith, the Lamb of God taking away the sins of the world, by the sacrifice of himself.
Come and look over the particulars of Christ's sufferings, all the humiliations and mortifications of his life; but especially the pains, agonies, and ignominies of his death. Review the story ; thou wilt still find something in it surprising and very affecting. Take notice of all the circumstances of his passion, and say. Never was sorrow like nnto his sorrow. Take notice especially of the disgrace and reproach done him in his sufferings, the shame he was industriously loaded with : this contributed greatly to the satisfaction made by his sufferings. God has been injured in his glory by sin; and no other way could he be injured : he, therefore, who undertook to make reparation for that injury, not only denied himself in, and divested himself of, the honours due to an incarnate Deity, but, though most innocent and most excellent, voluntarily submitted to the utmost dis-gces that could be done to the worst of criminab. Thus he restored that which he took not away. See him, my soul, see him enduring the cross and despising the shame.
Come and see the purchases of the cross; the blood, there shed, is the ransom with which we are redeemed from hell, the price with which heaven is bought for us. See it a price of inestimable value: the topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, nor shall it be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precioMs onyx, or the sapphire. No, my soul, thou wast not redeemed with such corruptible things. The pardon of sin, the favour of God, the graces of the Spirit, the blessings of the covenant, and eternal life, could not be purchased with silver and gold, but are dearlj bought and paid for vnth the precious blood of the Son of God. AH the praise be to the glorious Par-chaser !
Come and see the victories of the cross. See the Lord Jesus even a conqueror when he seemed a captive ; spoiling principalities and powers, when he seemed totally defeated and routed by them. See Christ upon the cross breaking the serpent's head, disarming Satan, triumphing over death and the j grave, leading captivity captive, and going forth in ' that chariot of war, conquering and to conquer.
Think, my soul, think what thou owest to the dying of the Lord Jesus: the privileges of thy way, and the glories of thy home; all thou hast, all thou hopest for that is valuable, they are all precious fruits, gathered from this tree of life. Christ's wounds are thy healing, his agonies thy repose, his conflicts thy conquests, his groans thy songs, his pains thy ease, his shame thy glory, his death thy life, his sufferings thy salvation.
V. Let us set ourselves to think of the present glories of the exalted Redeemer. When we meditate on the cross he bore, we must not forget the crown he wears, within the vail. Think, my soul, think where he is, at the right hand of the Father, far above all principalities, and powers, and every name that is named; he is set down upon the throne of the Majesty in the highest heavens. Having obtained eternal redemption for us, he is entered with his own blood into the holy place. Think how he is attended there with an innumerable company of angels, who continually surround the throne of God, and of the Lamb. Think of the song there sung to his praise, the crowns there cast at his feet, and the name he there has above every name. Think especially what he is doing there. He always appean in the presence of God, as the great High Priest of
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sm
)ar profession, to intercede for all those that come .0 God by him, and he attends constantly to this k'ery thing: there he is preparing a place for all his followers, and thence he will shortly come to receive :hera to himself, to behold his glory, and to share in it.
Dwell on these thoughts, O my soal, and say as :hey did who saw the glory of his transfiguration, It II pood to be here; here let us make taheimacles: let ;hese thoughts kindle in thee an earnest desire (shall [ call it a holy curiosity) to see him as he is, face to 'ace. His advancement is thy advantage: as the forerunner, he is for me entered: let the contempla-ion of the joy he is entered into, and the power he s there girded with, have such an influence upon ne, that by faith I may be raised up likewise, and node to sit together with him in heavenly places, Eph. ii. 6.
YI. Let us set ourselves to think of the unsearch-ible riches of the new covenant made with us in Jesus Christ, and sealed to us in the sacrament. Peruse this covenant in the several dispensations of it, from the dawning of its day in the first promise* to that noon-day light, which life and immortality are brought to by the gospel. Read over the several Eirticles of it, and observe how well ordered it is in all things; so well, that it could not be better. Review its promises, which are precious and many, very many, very precious, and sure to all the seed. Search into all the hidden wealth that is treasured up in them; dig into these mines; content not thyself with a transient view of these fountains of living water, but bring thy bucket, and draw with joy out of these wells of salvation. Go walh about this Zion, this city of God; tell the towers, marh well the bulwarks, consider the palaces, and say, This God, who is our God in covenant, i* ours for ever und ever; he will be our guide even unto death, Ps. xiviii. 12—14.
Stir up thyself therefore, O my soul, to meditate !>n the privileges of a justified state; the liberties ind immunities, the dignities and advantages, that ire conveyed by the charter of pardon. O the blessedness of the man whose iniquities are for-lven! See him secured from the arrests of the law, iie curse of God, the evil of atfliction, the sting of jeath, and the damnation of hell. Read with pleasure the triumphs of blessed Paul, Rom. viii. 33, &c. Happy thou art, my soul, and all is well with thee, >r shall be shortly, if thy sins be pardoned.
Meditate on the honours and comforts of a state 3f grace. If now I am a child of God, adopted and regenerated, and have received the Spirit of adoption, I have liberty of access to the throne of grace, [ have a saoctified use of my creature-comforts, my fellowship is with the Father, and with the Son Jesus Christ; all ii mine, tfhether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephoif or ike world, or life, or death, or things pre-tent, or things to come, all are mine, 1 Cor. iii. 21,
22. I have meat to eat that the world knows not of, joy that a stranger intermeddles not with. Let the thoughts of these privileges work in thee, O my soul, a holy disdain of the pleasures of sense, and the profits of the world, whenever they come in competition with the gains of godliness, and the delights of the spiritual life: offer those to them that know no better.
VII. Let us set ourselves to think of the communion of saints. This contributes something to our comfort in communion with Christ, that through him we have fellowship one with another, (1 John i. 7.) so tliat we being many, are one bread and one body ; for Christ died to gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad, John xi. 62. That all might be one in him, in whom we all meet, as many members in one head, so making one body; many branches in one root, so making one vine; and many stones in one foundation, so making one building.
Enlarge thy thoughts then, O my soul, and let it be a pleasure to thee to think of the relation thou standest in to the whole family, both in heaven and earth, which is named of Jesus Christ; to think that thou art come in faith, hope, and love, even to the innumerable company of angels, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, Heb. xii. 22,23. Even these are thy brethren and fellow-servants. Rejoice in thy alliance to them, in their affection to thee, and in the prospect thou hast of being with them shortly, of being with them eternally. Here we sit down with a little handful of weak and imperfect saints, and those mixed with pretenders; but we hope shortly to have a place and a name in the general assembly of the first-bom, and to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of our Father; with all the saints, and none but saints, and saints made perfect; and so to be together for ever with the Lord.
Please thyself also, O my soul, with thinking of the spiritual communion thou hast in the acts of Christian piety, and in the exercise of Christian charity, with all that in everyplace on this earth call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours, 1 Cor. i. 2. Some good Christians there are who fall within the reach of our personal communion, to whom we give the right hand of fellowship. Others within the line of our acquaintance and correspondence, and many more, whom we know not, nor have heard of, never saw, nor are ever likely to see in this world; hut all these our companions in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ: they and we are guided by the same rule, animated by the same spirit, conformed to the same image, interested in the same promises, and joined to the same great body: they and we meet daily at the same throne of grace, under the conduct of the same Spirit of adoption, which teaches us all to cry,
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Abbti, Father: and they and we hope to meet shortly at the same throne of glory under the conduct of the same Jesus, who will gather his elect from the four winds, and present them all together unto the Father. Christ hath prayed, that all that believe on him may he one, and therefore we are sure they are so, for the Father heard him always, John xvii. 20, 21. Let this subject yield us some delightful thoughts here in a scattered world, and a divided church.
YIII. Let us set ourselves to think of the happiness of heaven. A pleasant theme this is, very improvable, and pertinent enough to an ordinance which has so much of heaven in it If indeed we have heaven in our eye as our home and rest, and our conversation there, we cannot but have it much upon our hearts. Have we good hope through grace of being shortly with Christ in the heavenly paradise, where there is fulness of joy, and pleaniresfor evermore, where we shall see God's glory, and enjoy his love immediately, to our complete and everlasting satisfaction ? Do we expect, that yet a little while and the veil shall be rent, the shadow of the evening shall be done away, and we shall see as we are seen, and know as we are known ? Are we in prospect of a crown of glory that fades not away, an incorruptible and undefilcd inheritance ?
Raise thy thoughts then, O my soul, to the joyful contemplation of the glory to be revealed. Arise then, and survey this land of promise, as Abraham, Gen. xiii. 14. Go with Moses to the top of Pisgah, and take a view of it by faith. Get a scripture map of that Canaan, and study it well. Think, my soul, what they see in that world, who always behold the face of the Father, and in it see all truth and brightness, and the perfection of beauty. Think what they have there who eat of the tree of life, and the hidden manna, whose faculties are enlarged to take in the full communications of divine love and grace, and who have God himself with them as their God, Rev. xxi. 3. Think what they are doing there, who dwell in God's house, and are still praising him, and rest not day nor night from doing it. Think of the good company that is there, thousands of thousands of blessed angels, and holy souls, with whom w« shall have an intimate and undisturbed converse in perfect light and love.
Compare the present state thou art in, my soul, with that thou hopest for ; and let it be a pleasure to thee to think that whatever is here, thy grief and burthen shall be there removed, and done away for ever. Satan's temptations shall there no more assault thee, thy own corruptions shall there no more in-snare thee, the guilt of sin, and doubts about thy spiritual state, shall there no more terrify and perplex thee ; no pain, nor sickness, nor sorrow, shall be an allay to the enjoyments of that world, as they are to those of this world. All tears shall there be wiped away, even those for sin.
On the other side, whatever is here thy delight and pleasure, shall ther be perfected. The knowledge of God, joy in him, and communion with him, are here as it were thy running banquets, there they shall be thy continual feast. The work of grace begun in thee, is that which reconciles thee to thyself, and gives thee some pleasure now in thy reflections upon thyself. This work shall there be completed, and the finishing strokes given to it by the same skilful and happy hand that begun it.
Come now, my soul, and neglect not the gift that is in thee, but meditate upon these things, give thgulf wholly to them, (1 Tim. iv. 14, 15.) tv rnrotc tthe thou in them, as in thy business, as in thy element
Think of the things that are not seen, that are eternal; the things of the invisible and unchangeable world, till thou findest thyself so affected with them, as even to forget the things that are here below, that are here behind; and look upon them with a holy negligence, that thou mayst with greater diligence reach toward the things that are before, and press toward the marh for the prize of the high calling, Phil. iii. 13, 14.
We must not only meditate, but we must pray, and cry earnestly to God for assistance and acceptance in what we do. When the apostle had reckoned up all the parts of the Christian's armour, he concludes with this, Praying always, Eph. vi. 18. Prayer most gird on the whole armour of God ; for without prayer all our endeavours are Tain and ineffectual. Therefore in our preparations for the Lord's supper, time must be spent, and pains taken in prayer, for two reasons:
1. Because this is a proper means of quickening ourselves, and stirring up our graces. One duty of religion is of use to dispose and fit us for another; and the most solemn services ought to be approached gradually, and through the outer courts. In prayer the soul ascends to God, and converses witii him, and thereby the mind is prepared to receive the visits of his grace, and habituated to holy exercises. Even the blessed Jesus prepared himself for the offering up of the great sacrifice by prayer, a long prayer in the house, (John xvii.) and strong cryings with tears in the garden. Three times Christ was spoken to while he was here upon earth, by voices from heaven, and they all thre found him praying. That at his baptism, (Luke iiL 21.) Jesus being baptized and praying, the heaven was opened. That at his transfiguration, (Luke ix. 29.) As kt prayed the fashion of his countenance was altered. And that a little before his passion, (John xii. 27, 28.) when he prayed. Father, glorify thy name; the voice came from heaven, / have glorified it, &c Saul of Tarsus prays, and then sees a vision (Acts ix. 11, 12.) and afterwards. Acts xxii. 17, 18. Cornelius had his vision when he was at prayer, (Acts X. 30.) and Peter his, v. 9, 10. All whiek
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071 instances, and many the like, suggest to us, that communion with God in prayer prepares and disposes the mind for communion with him in other duties.
2. Because this is the appointed way of fetching in that mercy and grace which God has promised, and which we stand in need of. In God is our help, and from him is our fruit found ; and he has promised to help us, to give us a new heart, to put hi* Spirit within nt and to cause u* to walh in hit statutei, (Ezek. XXXvi. 26, 27.) but it follows there, v. 37. / wiil yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them. How can we expect the presence of God with us, if we do not invite him by prayer ? or the power of God upon us, if we do not by prayer derive it from him ? The greatest blessings are promised to the prayer of faith ; but God will not give, if we will not ask: why should he ?
But what must we pray for, when we draw near to God in this solemn ordinance? Solomon tells us, that both the preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord, Prov. xvi. 1. To him therefore wc must apply ourselves for both. The whole word of God is of use to direct us in these prayers, and in it the blessed Spirit helpeth our infirmities, for as much as we know not what to pray for, in this or in any other case, as we ought
(1.) We must pray that we may be prepared for the solemnity before it comes. Whatever is necessary to qualify us for communion with God in it, is spoken of in Scripture as God's gift; and whatever is the matter of God's promise, must be the matter of our prayers; for promises are given not only to be the ground of our hope, but also to be the guide of our desire in prayer. Is knowledge necessary ? Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding, (Prov. ii. 6.) and at Wisdom's gates we must wait for Wisdom's gifts, rejoicing herein. That the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, 1 John V. 20. Is faith necessary ? That is not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, Eph. ii. 8. Him therefore we must attend, who is both the author and the finisher of our faith. To him we must pray. Lord, increase our faith: Lord, perfect what is lacking in it: hord, fulfil the work of faith with power. Is love necessary ? It is the Holy Ghost that sheds abroad that love in our hearts, and circumcises our hearts to love the Lord our God. To that heavenly fire we must therefore go for this holy spark, and pray for the breath of the Almighty to blow it into a dame. Is repentance necessary ? It is God who gives repentance, who takes away the stony heart, and gives a heart of flesh, and we beg of him to work that blessed change in us. Behold the fire and the wood, the ordinance instituted, and all needful provision made for our sacrifice: but where is the lamb for a burnt-cfferingT Where is the heart to be offered up to God ? If God did not provide himself a lamb, the tolemnity wodld fail (Gen. xxii. 7,8.) to himthere-
2 B 2 fore we must go to buy such things as we have need of against the feast; that is, to beg them, for we buy without money and without price; and such buyers shall not be driven out of God's temple, nor slighted there, however they are looked on in men's markets.
(2.) Pray that our hearts may be enlarged in the duty. It is the graciou promise of God, that he will open rivers in the wilderness and streams in the desert; and the joint experience of all the saints, that they looked unto him and were lightened. Such outgoings of soul, therefore, toward God, as may receive the incomes of divine strength and comfort, we should earnestly desire and pray for. Pray that God would grace his own institutions with such manifest tokens of his presence, as those two disciples had, who reasoned thus for their own conviction that they had been with Jesus, Did not our hearts bum within us ? Luke xxiv. 32. Pray that, by the grace of God, the business of the ordinance may be faithfully done; the work of the day, the sacrament day, in its day, according as the duty of the day requires, Ezra iii. 4. Pray that the ends of the ordinance may be sincerely aimed at, and happily attained, and the great intention of the institution of it answered, that you may not receive the grace of God therein in vain. O that my heart may be engaged to approach unto God! so engaged, as that nothing may prevail to disengage it! Come, blessed Spirit, and breathe upon these dry bones; move upon the waters of the ordinances, and produce a new creation. Awake, O north wind, and come thou south, and blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may fiow forth; and then let my beloved come into his garden, (his it is, and then it will be fit to be called his,) and eat his pleasant fruits. Cant iv. 16.
(3.) Pray that we may be favourably accepted of God, both in the preparation and the performance* In vain do we worship if God do not accept us: the applause of men is but a poor reward (such as the hypocrites were content with, and put off with) if we come short of the favour of God. Herein therefore we should labour, this we should be ambitious of as our highest honour, the top of our preferment, that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of the Lord, 2 Cor. v. 9. About this therefore we should be very solicitous in our inquiries. Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord, so as to please him ? For this we should be very importunate in our prayers, O thai I knew where I might find him ! Job xxiii. 3. O that I might be met at the table of the Lord with a blessing, and not with a breach ! O that God would smile upon me there, and bid me welcome! O that the beloved of my soul would show me some token for good there, and say unto me, / am thy salvation! Son, daughter, be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for his love ii better than wine, O that it migt be a com-
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munion indeed between Christ and my soul! That which is in voge with the most of men is. Who will show %u any good? But when I am admitted to touch the top of the golden sceptre, this is my petition, this is my request, Lord, lift up the light of thy eovntenance upon me, and thai shall put true gladness into my heart, greater than the joy of harvest.
(4.) Pray that what is amiss may be pardoned in the blood of Christ. This prayer good Hezekiah has put into our mouths, (God put it into our hearts! 2 Chron. xxx. 18, 19.) The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart in sincerity, to seeh the Lord God of his fathers, and aims honestly, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. We cannot but be conscious to ourselves, that in many things we come short of our duty, and wander from it. The rule is strict; it is fit it should be so; and yet no particular rule more strict than that general and fundamental law of God's kingdom, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and soul, and mind, and might. But our own hearts know, and God, who is greater than our hearts, and knows all things, knows, that we do not come up to the rule, nor continue in all things that are written in the booh of the law to do them. By our deficiencies we become obnoxious to the curse, and should perish by it, if we were under the law; but we are encouraged by a penitent believing prayer, to sue out our pardon, having an advocate with the Father.
Would we take with us words in these prayers ? David's Psalms, and St PauFs Epistles, will furnish us with great variety of acceptable words, words which the Holy Ghost teaches; and other helps of devotion, which, thanks be to God, we have plenty of, may be used to much advantage. And if in these prayers we stir up ourselves to take hold on God, our experience shall be added to that of thousands; that Jacob's God never said to Jacob's seed, Seeh ye me in vain.
CHAPTER VII.
DIHBCnONS IN WHAT FRAMB OF SPIRIT WM SHOULD COMS TO, AND ATTKND UPON, THIS ORDINANCB.
To make up the wedding garment, which is proper for this wedding feast, it is requisite, not only that we have an habitual temper of mind agreeable to the gospel, but that we have such an actual disposition of spirit, as is consonant to the nature and intentions of the ordinance. It is an excellent rule in the scripture directory for religious worship, (Eccl. V. I.) Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God; that is, keep thy heart with all diligence, (Prov. iv. 23.) look well to the motions of thy soul, and observe the steps it takes. When we are to see the goings of our God, our King in the sanctuary, (Ps. Ixviii. 24.) it concerns us to see ta our own goings. Keep thy foot that is, do nothing rashly, but when thou goest to eat with a ruUr, eoK-sider diligently what is before thee PrOY. xxiii. 1. It • was not enough for the priests under the law, that they were washed and dressed in their priestly garments, when they were first consecrated, but thej must be carefully washed and dressed every time they went in to minister, else they went in at their peril. We are spiritual priests to our God, and nnist do the office of our priesthood with a due dcconua, remembering that this is that which the Lord has said, (God by his grace speak it home to our hearts!) / will be sanctified in them thai come nigh me; that is, I will be attended as a holy God, in a hely manner, and so before all the people I will be glaruL Lev. X. 3. We then sanctify God in holy datiei, when we sanctify ourselves m our approaches to them; that is, when we separate ourselves fitn every thing that is common or unclean, from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, and consecrate ourselves to God's glory as our end, and to his service as our business. If wc would have the ordinance sanctified to us for our comfort and benefit, we must thus sanctify ourselves for it. Joshua's command to the people, when they were to fo Uov the ark of the covenant through Jordan, ahoold be still sounding in our ears, the night before a sacn-ment, (Josh. iii. 5.) Sanctify yourselves, for to-morrmo the Lord will do wonders among you. When the God of glory admits such worms, such a ^neration of vipers as we are, into covenant and communion with himself; when he gives gifts, such gifts, ereo to the rebellious; when by the power of his grace he sanctifies the sinful, and comforts the sorrowful, and gives such holiness and joy as is life from the dead; surely then he does wonders among us. That we maj see these wonders done, and share in the benefit of them, that we may experience them done in our souls, Jordan driven back at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, to open a passage for us into the heavenly Canaan, let « sanctify ourselves, and earnestly pray to God to sanctify us.
For our help therein, the following directions perhaps may be of some use.
I. Let us address ourselves to this service with a fixedness of thought. There is scarce any instance of the corruption of nature, and the moral impo-tency which by sin we are brought under, more complained of by serious Christians, than the vanity of the thights, and the difficulty of fixing them to that wnich is good. They are apt to wander after a thousand impertinencies; and it is no easy matter to gather them in, and keep them employed as they should be. We all find it so by sad experience. Vain
I
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373 thoughts lodge within us, and are most a hinderance and disturbance to us, when good thoughts are invited into the soul, and should be entertained there. When, therefore, we apply ourselves to a religious service, which will find work for all our thoughts, and which present objects well worthy of our closest contemplation, we are concerned to take pains with ourselves to get our hearts engaged, and to 6rtft every thought into obedience to the law of this solemnity.
This is a time to set aside the thoughts of every thing that is foreign and unseasonable, and all those foolish speculations which use to be the unprofitable amusements of our idle hours, and the sports and pastimes of our carnal minds: away with them all; clear the court of these vagrants, when the doors are to be opened for the King of glory to come in. Are they thoughts that pretend business, and are as buyers and sellers in the temple? Tell them you have other business to mind ; bid them depart for this time, and at a more convenient season you will call for them. Do they pretend urgent business, as Nehemiah's enemies did, when they sought to give him a diversion ? Give them the repulse that he gave, and like him, repeat it as oft as they repeated their solicitations, (Neh. vi. 2—4.) / am doing a great work, why should the work eeoie, while I leave it and come down to you? Do they pretend friendship, and send in the name of thy mother and thy brethren standing without, to speak with thee? yet dismiss them as Christ did, by giving the preference to better friends: let not thoughts of those we love best, divert us from thinking of Christ, whom wc know we must love better.
This is a time to summon the attendance of all the thoughts, and keep them close to the business we are going about. Suffer none to wander, none to trifle, for here is employment, good employment, for them all, and all little enough. Though a perfect fixation of thought, without any distraction during the solemnity, is what I believe none can attain to in this state of imperfection, yet it is what we should desire and aim at, and come as near to as we can. Let us charge our thoughts not to straggle, keep a watchful eye upon them, and call them back when they begin to rove. Keep them in full employment about that which is proper and pertinent, which will prevent their starting aside to that which is otherwise. Come, bind the iacrifice with cards to the home of the altar, that it may not be to seek when it should be sacrificed, Ps. cxviii. 27. Be able to say, through grace, O God, my heart is fixed my heart is fixed, though unfixed atother times, yet fixed now. Look up to God for grace to establish the heart, and keep it steady: look with sorrow and shame upon its wanderings : shut the door against distractions: watch and pray against temptations ; and when those birds of prey come down upon the sacrifices, do as Abraham did, (Gen. xv. 11.) Drive them away. And while you sincerely endeavour to keep your hearts fixed, be not discouraged ; the vain thoughts that are disallowed, striven against, and repented of, though they are our hinderance, yet they shall not be our ruin.
II. Let us address ourselves to this service with an evenness and calmness of affection, free from the disorders and ruffles of passion. A sedate and quiet spirit, not tossed with the tempests of care and fear, but devolving care on God, and silencing fear by faith; not sinking under the load of temporal burthens, but supporting itself with the hopes of eternal joys, easy itself, because submissive to its God; this is a spirit fit to receive and return divine visits. They were still waters, on the face of which the Spirit moved to produce the world. The Lord was not in the wind, was not in the earthquake. The prince of the power of the air raises storms, for he loves to fish in troubled waters: but the Prince of peace stills storms, and quiets the winds and waves, for he casts his net into a calm sea. The waters of Shiloah run softly, and without noise, (Isa. viii. 6.) And that river, the streams ureof make glad the city of our God, is none of those, the waters whereof roar and are troubled, Ps. xlvi. 3, 4.
Let us therefore always study to be quiet, and however we are crossed and disappointed, let not our hearts be troubled, let them not be cast down and disquieted within us. Let us not create or aggravate our own vexations, nor be put into a disorder by any thing that occurs, but let the peace of God always rule in our hearts, and then that peace will keep them. They, whose natural temper is either fretful or fearful, have the more need to double their guard; and when any disturbance begins in the soul, should give diligence to suppress the tumult with all speed, lest the Holy Spirit be> thereby provoked to withdraw, and then they will have but uncomfortable sacraments.
But especially let us compose ourselves, when wo approach to the table of the Lord. Charge the peace then in the name of the King of kings ; command silence, when you expect to hear the voice of joy and gladness: stop the mouth of clamours and noisy passions, banish tumultuous thoughts, suffer not those evil spirits to speak, but expel them, and let your souls return to God, and repose in him as their rest. Bring not unquiet distempered spirits to a transaction which requires the greatest calmness and serenity possible. Let all intemperate heats be cooled, and the thoughls of that which has made an uproar in the soul be banished, and let a strict charge be given to all about you, to all within you, by the roes and hinds of the fields those innocent pleasant creatures, that they stir not up, nor awake your love, nor give disturbance to your communion with him.
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III. Let us address ourselves to it with a holy awe and reverence of the Divine Majesty. We ought to be in the fear of the Lord every day, and ail the day long, for he is our strict observer wherever we are„ and will be the Judge of persons and actions, by whose unerring sentence our eternal state will be decided; but in a special manner he is greatly to he feared in the assemblies of his saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him, Ps. Ixxxix. 7. and the nearer we approach to him, the more reverent we should be. Angels who always behold God's face, see cause to cover their own. Even when we are admitted to sit down at God's table, we must remember that we are worshipping at his footstool, and, therefore, must lay ourselves very low before him, and in his fear worship toward his holy temple, Ps. V. 7. Let us not rush into the presence of God in a careless manner, as if he were a man like ourselves, nay, so as we would not approach a prince, or a great man, but observe a decorum, giving to him the glory due unto his name, and taking to ourselves the shame due to ours. If he be a Master, where is his fear ? We do not wocship God acceptably, if we do not worship him with reverence and godly fear, Hcb. xii. 28.
1. We must worship him with reverence, as a glorious God, a God of infinite perfection, and almighty power, who covers himself with light as with a garment, and yet as to us makes darkness his pavilion. Dare we profane the temples of the Holy Ghost by outward indecencies of carriage and behaviour, the manifest indications of a vain regardless mind ? Dare we allow of flat and common thoughts of that God who is over all, blessed for evermore ? See him, (my souly) see him by faith, upon a throne, high and lifted up, not only upon a throne of grace, which encourages thee to come with boldness, but upon a throne of glory, and a throne of government, which obliges thee to come with caution. Remember that God is in heaven, and thou art upon earth, and therefore let thy words he few, (Eccl. v. 2.) Be still and know that he is God, that he is great, and keep thy distance. Let an awful regard to the glories of the eternal God, and the exalted Redeemer, make thee humble and serious, very serious, very humble in thy approach to this ordinance keep thee so during the solemnity.
2. We must also worship him with godly fear, as a holy God, a God whose name is Jealous, and who is a consuming fire, Heb. xii. 29. We have reason to fear before him, for we have offended him, and have made ourselves obnoxious to his wrath and curse, and, we are but upon our good behaviour as probationers for his favour. He is not a God that will be mocked, that will be trifled with. If we think to put a cheat upon him, we shall prove in the end to have put a most dangerous cheat upon our own souls. In this act of religion therefore, as well as in others, we must work out our salvation with fear md trembling.
IV. Let us come to this ordinance with a holy jealousy over ourselves, and a humble sense of our own unworthiness. We must sit before the Lord io such a frame as David composed himself into, when he said. Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my father's house, that thou hast brought me hitherto! 2 Sam. vii. 18. Nothing prepares the soal more for spiritual comforts than humility.
1. It may be, that we have reason to suspect oar-selves, lest we come unworthily. Though we most not cherish such suspicions of our state, as will damp our joy in God, and discourage our hope in Christ, and fill us with amazement; nor such as will take off our chariot wheels, and keep us standing at a gaze, when we should be going forward; yet we must maintain such a jealousy of ourselves as will keep us humble, and take us off from all self-conceit, and self-confidence; such a jealousy of ourselves as will keep us watchful, and save us from sinking into carnal security. And now is a proper time to think how many there are who eat bread with Christ, and yet lift up the heel against him; the had of him that betrayeth him perhaps is with him upon the table i which should put us upon asking, as the disciples did, j ust before the first sacrament. Lord, is it I? Matt. xxvi. 22. Many who eat and drink in Christ's presence, will be rejected and disowned by him in the great day. Have not I some reason to fear, lest that be my doom at la&t? iofear lest a promise being left me of entering into rest, I should seem to come short ? to fear lest when the King comes in to see the guests, he find me without a wedding garment! Be not too confident, O my soul, lest thou deceive thyself; he not high minded, but fear.
2. However, it is certain, that we have reason to abase ourselves, for at the best, we are unworthy to come. If we are less than the least of God's mercies, how much less are we than the greatest, than this, which includes all ? We are unworthy of the crumbs that fall from our Master's table, much more unworthy of the children's bread, and the dainties that are upon the table. Being invited, we may hope to be welcome; but, what is there in us that we should be invited. Men invite their friends and acquaintance to their tables, but we were naturally strangers and enemies in our mind by wicked works, and yet are we invited. Men invite such as they think will with their quality or merit grace their tables; but we are more likely to be a reproach to Christ's table, being poor and maimed, halt and blind, and yet are picked up out of the high-ways and the hedges, Luke xiv. 31. Men invite such as they are under obligations to, or have expectations from, but Christ is no way indebted to us, nor can he be benefited by is; our goodness extends not to him, and yet he invites us. We have much more reason than Mqphiboahetb bad,
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375 when be was made a constant guest at David's table, to bow ourselves and say, What is thy servant, that than shouidst looh upon such a dead dog as I am ? 2 Sam. ix. 8. They who thus humble themselves shall be exalted.
V. Yet, let us come to this ordinance with a gracious confidence, as children to a father, to a father's table; not with any confidence in ourselves, but in Christ only. That slavish fear, which represents God as a hard Master, rigorous in his demands, and extreme to mark what we do amiss; which straitens our spirits, and subjects us to bondage and torment, must be put off and striven against, and we must come boldly to the throne ofgrace, to the table of gce, not as having any thing in ourselves to recommend us, but having a High Priest who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, Heb. iv. 15, 16. As a presumptuous rudeness is a provocation to the Master of the feast, so a distrustful shyness is displeasing to him, which looks as if we questioned either the sincerity of the invitation, or the sufficiency of the provision.
This is the fault of many good Christians; they come to this sacrament rather like prisoners to the bar, than like friends and children to the table; they come trembling and astonished, and full of confusion. Their apprehensions of the grandeur of the ordinance, and the danger of coming unworthily, run into an extreme, and become a hinderance to the exercise of faith, hope, and love : this extreme we should carefully watch against; because it tends so much to God's dishonour, our own prejudice, and the discouragement of others. Let us remember we have to do with one who is willing to make the best of sincere desires, and serious endeavours, though in many things we be defective, and who deals with us in tender mercy, and not in strict justice; and who, though he be out of Christ a consuming fire, yet in Christ is a gracious Father: let us therefore draw near with a true heart, and in full assurance of faith, Heb. x. 22. It is related of Titus the emperor, that when a poor petitioner presented his address to him with a trembling hand, he was much displeased, and asked him, *' Dost thou present thy petition to thy prince, as if thou wcrt giving meat to a lion ?'' Chide thyself for these amazing fears; Why art thou east down, O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me? If the Spirit undertake to work all my works in me, as the Son has undertaken to work all my works for me, both the one and the other shall be done effectually. Therefore hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him,
VI. Let us come to this ordinance with earnest desires toward God, and communion with him. It is a feast, a spiritual feast, and we must come to it with an appetite, a spiritual appetite; for the full soul loathes even the honey-comb, and slights the offer of it r hot to the hungry soul, that is sensible of its own need, every bitter thing is sweet, even the bitterness of repentance, when it is in order to peace and pardon. Our desires toward the world and the flesh must be checked and moderated, and kept under the government of religion and right reason; for we have been too long spending our money for that which is not bread, and which is at the best unsatisfying; but our desires toward Christ must be quickened and stirred up. As the hart, the huniedh&Tt,panteth after iheretreshmeniof the water-brook, so earnestly must our souls pant for the living God, Ps. xlii. 1, 2. The invitation is given, and the promise made, to them only who hunger and thirst; they are called to come to the waters, (Isa. Iv. 1.) to come and drink, (John vii. 97.) and it is promised to them, that they shall be filled; (Matt. v. 6.) it is very necessary therefore that we work upon our hearts the consideration of those things that are proper to kindle this holy fire, and to blow its sparks into a flame. We are best prepared to receive temporal mercies, when we are most indifferent to them, and content, if the will of God be so, to be without them. Did I desire a son of my lord ? said the good Shu-namite, 2 Kings iv. 28. Here the danger is of being too earnest in our desires, as Rachel, Give me children, or else I die. But we are best prepared to receive spiritual mercies, when we arc most importunate for them: here the desires cannot be too vehement. In the former case strong desires evidence the prevalency of sense, but in this they evidence the power of faith, both realizing and valuing the blessings desired. The devout and pious soul thirsts for God, for the living God, as a thirsty land, Ps. cxliii. 6; Ixiii. 1. It longs, yea even faints, for the courts of the Lord, and for communion with God in them, Ps. Ixxxiv. 2. It breaks for the longing it hath unto God*s judgment at all times, Ps. cxix. 20. Can our souls witness to such desires as these ? O that I might have a more intimate acquaintance with God, and Christ, and divine things! O that I might have the tokens of God's favour, and fuller assurances of his distinguishing love in Jesus Christ! O that my covenant interest in him, and relation to him, might be cleared up to me, and that I might have more of the comfort of it! O that I might partake more of the divine grace, and by its effectual working on my soul, might be made more conformable to the divine will and likeness, more holy, humble, spiritual, heavenly, and more meet for the inheritance ! O that I might have the earnest of the Spirit in my heart, sealing me to the day of redemption !
Thus the desire of our souls must be toward the Lord, and toward the remembrance of his name. In this imperfect state, where we are at home in the body, and absent from the Lord, our love to God acts more in holy desires than in holy delights. It is rather love in motion, like a bird upon the wing, than love at rest, like a bird upon the nest All
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those who have the Lord for their God, agree to desire nothing more than God, for they know they have enough in him; but still, yet they desire more and more of God, for till they come to heaven, they will never have enough of him. Come then, my soul, why art thou so cold in thy desires toward those things which arc designed for thy peculiar satisfaction, distinct from the body? Why so eager for the meat that perishes, and so indifferent to that which endures to everlasting life? Hast thou no desire to that which is so necessary to thy support, and without which thou art undone ? No desire to that which will contribute so much to thy comfort, and yield thee an inexpressible satisfaction ? Pro vision is made in the Lord's supper of bread to strengthen thee, will not the sense of thy own weakness and emptiness make thee hunger after that ? Canst thou be indifferent to that which is the staff of thy life ? Provision is made of pleasant food, fat things full of marrow, and wines on the lees; art thou not desirous of dainties, such dainties ? Was the tree of knowledge such a temptation, because it was pleasant to the eye, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, that our first parents would break through the hedge of a divine command, and venture all that was dear to them to come at it ? And shall not the tree of life, which we are not only allowed, but commanded, to eat of, and the fruit of which will nourish us to life eternal, shall not that appear more pleasing in our eyes, and more to be desired ? God, even thy own God, who has wherewithal to supply all thy need, and has promised to be to thee a God all-sufficient, a God that is enough, he has said, (Ps. Ixxxi. 10.) Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it Thou art not straitened in him, be not straitened in thy own desires.
VII. Let us come to this ordinance with raised expectations. The same faith that enlarges the desire, and draws it out to a holy vehemence, should also elevate the hope, and ripen it to a holy confidence. When we come thirsting to these waters, we need not fear that they will prove like the brooks in summer, which disappoint the weary traveller, for when it it hot, they are consumed out of their place. Job vi. 17, &c. Such are all the broken cisterns of the creature, they perform not what they promise, or rather, what we foolishly promise to ourselves from them. No, but these are inexhaustible fountains of living water, in which there is enough for all, though ever so many, enough for each, though ever so needy, enough for me, though most unworthy.
Come, my soul, what dost thou look for at the table of the Lord ? The maker of the feast is God himself, who does nothing little, nothing mean, but is able to do exceeding abundantly, above what we are able to ask or think. When he gives, he gives like himself, gives like a king, gives like a God, all things richly to enjoy, considering not what it becomes such ungrateful wretches as we are to receive, but what it becomes such a bountiful Benefactor ai he is to give. A lively faith may expect that wbick is rich and great from him who is Possessor of heaven and earth, and all (he wealth of both; and that which is kind and gracious from him, who is the Father of mercies, and the God of all contols Uiom. A lively faith may expect all that is purchased hj the blood of Christ, from a God who is righteous in all his ways, and all that is promised in the new covenant, from a God who cannot lie nor deceive.
The provision in this feast is Christ himself, and all his benefits, all we need to save us from being miserable, and all we can desire to make us happy; and glorious things, no doubt, may be expected from him, in whom it pleases the Father that ali/ubuss should dwell. Let our expectations be built upon a right foundation; not any merit of our own, bat God's mercy and Christ's mediation; and then build large, as large as the new covenant in its atmost extent; build high, as high as heaven in all its glory. Come, expecting to see that which is most illustrious, and to taste and receive that which is most precious ; come, expecting that with which you will be abundantly satisfied.
Though what is prepared seems to a carnal eye poor and scanty, like the five loaves set before five thousand men, yet when Christ has the breaking of those loaves, they shall all eat and be filled. In this ordinance the oil is multiplied, the oil of gladness, it is multiplied in the pouring out, as the widow's oil, 2 Kings iv. 2, &c Do as she did therefore, bring empty vessels, bring not a few, they shall be filled; the expectations of faith shall all be answered ; the oil stays not (as there, v. 6.) while there is an empty vessel, waiting to be filled ; give faith and hope their full compass, and thou wilt find (as that widow did, v. 7.) there is enough of this oil, this multiplied oil, this oil from the good olive, to pay the debt, and enough besides for thee and thine to live upon. As we often wrong ourselves by expecting too much from the world, which is vanity and vexation, so we often wrong ourselves, by expecting too little from God, whose mercy is upon us, according as we hope in him; and who in exerting his power, and conferring his gifts, still says, According to your faith be it unto you. The king of Israel lost his advantage against the Syrians, by smiting thrice, and then staying, when he should have smitten five or six times, 2 Kings xiii. 18,19. And we do often in like manner prejudice ourselves, by the weakness of our faith; we receive little, because we expect little; and are ■ like them among whom Christ could not do many mighty works, because of their unbelief, Mark vi. 6.
YIII. Let us come to this ordinance with rejoicing and thanksgiving. These two must go together, for whatever is the matter of our rejoicing, most be the
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877 matter of oar thanksgiving; holy joy is the heart of our thankful praise; and thankful praise is the language of holy joy; and both these are very seasonable, when we are coming to an ordinance, which is instituted both for the honour of the Redeemer, and for the comfort of the redeemed.
Besides the matter for joy and praise, which we are furnished with in our attendance on the ordinance, even our approach to it is such an honour, such a favour, as obliges us to come before his pretence with singing and even to enter into his gates with thanksgiving, Ps. c. 2, 4. With gladness and rejoicing shall the royal bride be brought, Ps. xlv. 15. Those who in their preparations for the ordinance have been sowing in tears, may not only come again with rejoicing, bringing their sheaves with them*, but go with rejoicing to fetch their sheaves, to meet the ark, lifting up their heads with joy, knowing that their redemption, and the sealing of them to the day of redemption, draws on. Let those who arc of a sorrowful spirit hearken to this; cheer up, and be comforted. This day is holy unto the Lord your Godf mourn not, nor weep., Neh. viii. 9. It is the day which the Lord hath made, and we must rejoice and he glad in it, and the joy of the Lord will he our strength, and oil to our wheels. All things considered, thou hast a great deal more reason than Haman had, to go in merrily with the King to the banquet of wine, Esth. v. 4.
Two things may justly be the matter of our rejoicing and thanksgiving in our approach to this ordinance:
1. That God has put such a price as this into oar hands to gain wisdom. That such an ordinance as this was instituted for our spiritual nourishment and growth in grace: that it is transmitted down to us, is administered among us, and we are invited to it. This is a token for good, which we have reason to rejoice in, and be very thatikful for. That oar lot is not cast either among those who are strangers to the gospel, and so have not this ordinance at all, or among those who are enemies to the gospel, and have it wretchedly corrupted, and turned into an idolatrous service; but that Wisdom's table is spread among us, and her voice heard in our streets, and we are called to her feasts; we have a nail in God*s holy place, a settlement in his house, and stated opportunities of communion with him. If the Lord had been pleased to kill us, he would not have showed us such things as these. O what a privilege is it thus to eat and drink in Christ's presence! To sit down under his shadow, at his table, with his friends and favourites! That we who deserved to have been set with the dogs of his flock, should be set with the children of his family, and eat of the children's bread; nay, that we should be numbered among his priests, and eat of the dedicated things. Bless the Lord, O my soul.
2. That God has given us a heart to improve this price in our hands. We have reason to be thankful that he has not only invited us to this feast, which is a token of his good will toward us; but, that he has inclined us to accept the invitation, which is the effect of a good work upon us. Many who arc called make light of it, and go their way to their farms and merchandise, and if we had been left to ourselves, we should have made the same foolish choice, and in the greatness of our folly should have gone astray, and wandered endlessly. It was free grace that made us willing in the day of power, and graciously compelled us to come in to the gospel feast; it was distinguishing grace that revealed to as babes, the things which were hidden from the wise and prudent. Let that grace have the glory, and let us have the joy of this blessed work.
IX. Let us come to this ordinance in charity with all men, and with a sincere affection to all good Christians. It is a love feast, and if we do not come in love, we come without the wedding garment, and forfeit the comforts of the feast. This is to be seriously thought of, when we bring our gift to the altar, as we hope for acceptance there.
When we come to this sacrament, we must bring with us, ill will to none, good will to all, but especially to them who are of the household of faith,
1. We must bear ill will to none, no, not to those who have been most injurious and provoking to us: though they have affronted us ever so much in our honour, wronged us in our interest, and set themselves to vilify us, and do us mischief, yet we must not hate them, nor entertain any malice toward them; we must not be desirous or studious of revenge, nor seek their hurt in any respect, but must from our hearts forgive them, as we ourselves are, and hope to be, forgiven of God. We must see to it, that there be not the least degree of enmity to any person in the world lodged in our breast, but carefully purge out that old leaven; not only lay aside the thoughts of it for the present, but wholly pluck up and cast out that root of bitterness, which bears gall and wormwood. Pure hands must in this ordinance, as well as in prayer, be lifted up, without wrath and doubting, 1 Tim. ii. 8. How can we expect that God should be reconciled to us, if we bring not with us a disposition to be reconciled to our brethren? for our trespasses against God are unspeakably greater than the worst of our brethren's trespasses against us. O that each would apply this caution to themselves! You have a neighbour, that upon some disgust conceived you cannot find in your hearts to speak to, nor to speak well of; some one that you have entertained a prejudice against, and would willingly do an ill turn to, if it lay in your power; some one, whom, it may be, you are ready to say, that you cannot endure the sight of: and dare you retain such a spirit when you come to this ordinance? Can you conceal it from God ? or
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do yon think that you can justify it at his bar, and make it out that yon do well to be angry ? Let the fear of God's wrath, and the hope of Christ's loTe, reduce you to a better temper; and when you celebrate the memorial of the dying of the Lord Jesus, be sure you remember this, that he is our peace, and that he died to slay all enmities.
2. We must bear good will to all, with a particular affection to all good Christians. Christian cha-rity not only forbids that which is any way injurious, but it requires that which is kind and friendly.
The desire of our hearts must be toward the welfare of all. If we be indeed solicitous about the salvation of our own souls, we cannot but have a tender concern for the souls of others, and be hearty well-wishers to their sanation likewise: for this it pood and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who will have all men to be savedt I Tim. ii. 3, 4. True grace hates monopolies. We must thus love those whose wickedness we are bound to hate; and earnestly desire their happiness, even while we industriously decline their fellowship.
But the delight of our souls must be in the saints that are on earth, those excellent ones; as David's was, Ps. xvi. 3. They are precious in God's sight, and honourable, and they should be so in ours ; they have fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, and therefore, by a sincere and affectionate love to them, we also should have fellowship with them. Our hearts will be comforted when they are knit together in love. Col. ii. 2. This love must not be confined to those of oar own communion, our own way and denomination ; then we love them for our own sakes, because they credit us, not for Christ's sake, because they honour him: but since God is no respecter of persons, we must not be such. In every nation, he that fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him, and should be so of us. Acts x. 34, 35. Doubtless there may be a diversity of apprehensions in the less weighty matters of the law, such as the distinction of meats and days, and a diversity of practice accordingly, and yet a sincerity of mutual love, according to the law of Christ. Those who think it is not possible, should be content to speak for themselves only, and must believe there are those who have much satisfaction in being able to say, that they love the image of Christ wherever they see it, and highly value a good man, though not in every thing of their mind. He who cast out devils in Christ's name, must be dear to us, though he follows not us, Mark ix. 38. The differences that are among Christians, though fomented by the malice of Satan for the ruin of love, are permitted by the wisdom of God for the trial of love, that they who are perfect therein may be made manifest. Herein a Christian commends his love, when he loves those who differ from him, and joins in affection to those with whom he cannot concur in opinion. This is thankworthy: T%e kingdom of God is not meat mi drink; they who have tasted of the bread of life, ail the water of life, know it is not, but it is righieemt' ness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost ; he, therefore, who in these things serves Christ, is acceptable to God, and, therefore, though he esteem not ov days, though he relish not our meats, he should be acceptable and dear to us.
Let us then in our approach to this sacrament, idr up ourselves to holy love, love without dissimulation; let us bear those on our hearts, whom the great Higb-Priest of our profession bears on his ; and as we are taught of God to love one another, let us increase therein more and more, 1 Thess. iv. 9,10. Christ's having loved us, is a good reason why we should love him; Christ's having loved our brethren also is a good reason why we should love them. Behold, how good and how pleasant a thing it is for Christians to be kindly affectioned one toward another, of one heart, and of one soul; there the - Lord commands tbe blessing, and gives earnest of the joys of that world, where love is perfected, and reigns eternally.
CHAPTER VIII.
SOMK ACCOUNT OF THB AFFBCTING STOHT8 THAT AMM TO BB 8BBN BT FAITH IN THIS OROINANCB.
Care being taken, by the grace of God, to compose ourselves into a serious frame of spirit, agreeable to the ordinance, we must next apply ourselves to that which is the proper business of it, that we may do the work of the day in its day, of the houi in its hour. And the first thing to be done, is to contemplate that which is represented to us. and set before of there. This David aimed at, when he coveted to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life, that he might behold the beauty of the Lord, (Ps. xxvii. 4.) might see his power and his glory, Ps. Ixiii. 2. To the natural man, who receives not the things of the Spirit of God, there appears in it nothing surprising, nothing affecting, no form nor comeliness ; but to that faith which is the substance and evidence of things not seen, there appears a great sight, which, like Moses, (Exod. iii. 3.) it vrill with a holy reverence turn aside now to see. As therefore, in our preparation for this ordinance, we should pray with David, Open thou mine eye, that I may see the wondrous things of thy law and gospel; so we should with Abraham, (Gen. xiii. 14.) Lifi up our eyes imv and look.
When the Lamb that had been slain had taken the book, and was going to open the seals, St John, who had the honour to be a witness in vision of the solemnity, was loudly called by one of the four living creatures to come and see. Rev. vi. 1,3, ^ 7. Tbe same is the call given to us, when in this sacnuaeiit
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379 there is a door opened in heaven, and we are hidden to come up hither Rev. iv. I.
I. In general, we are here called to see the Lamh that had hecn slain opening the seals. This is the general idea we are to have of the ordinance. We would have thought ourselves highly favoured indeed, and heloved disciples, if we had seen it in vision as John did; behold, we are all invited to see it in a sacramental representation.
1. In this ordinance is showed us the Lamb as it had been slain. John the Baptist pointed to him as The Lamb of God, and called upon his followers to behold him, John i. 29. a Lamb designed for sacrifice, in order to the taking away of the sins of the world, a harmless spotless Lamb; but John the divine goes further, and sees him a Lamb slain, now sacrificed for us, in the outer courts; and not only so, but appearing in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and of the elders, as if he were newly slain, bleeding afresh, and yet alive, and lives for evermore, (Rev. v. 6; i. 18.) constantly presenting this sacrifice within the vail. The blood of the Lamb always flowing, that it may still be sprinkled on our consciences, to purify and pacify them, and may still speak in heaven for us, in that prevailing intercession which the Lord Jesus ever lives to make there in the virtue of his satisfaction.
In this ordinance the Lord's death is showed forth, it is showed forth to us, that it may be showed forth by us. Jesus Christ is here evidently set forth cru-cified among us, (Gal. iii. I.) that we may all with open face behold, as in a glass, the glory of God in the face of Christ. Thus as Christ was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, in the types and prophecies of the Old Testament, and the application of his merits to the saints who lived then; so, he will be the Lamb slain to the end of the world, in the word and sacraments of the New Testament, and the application of his merits to the saints that are now, and shall be in every age. Still he is seen as a Lamb that had been slain, for this sacrifice does not, like the Old-Testament sacrifices, decay and wax old.
This is the sight, the great sight, we are here to see; the bush burning, and yet not consumed, for the Lord is in it, his people's God and Saviour. The wounds of this Lamb are here open before us: come see in Christ's hands the very print of the nails, see in his side the very marks of the spear. Behold him in his agony, sweating as if it had been great drops of blood falling to the ground; then accommodating himself to the work he had undertaken; couching between two burthens, and bowing his shoulder to bear them. Behold him in his bonds, when the breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits, and he was bound that we might go out free. Behold him at the bar, prosecuted and condemned as a criminal, because he was made sin for us, and had undertaken to answer for our misdemeanors. Behold him upon the cross, enduring the pain, and despising the shame of the accursed tree. Here is his body broken, his blood shed, his soul poured out unto death; all his sufferings, with all their aggravations, are here in such a manner as the Divine Wisdom saw fit, by an instituted ordinance, represented to us, and set before us.
2. In this ordinance is showed us the Lamb that was slain, opening the seals of the everlasting gospel; not only discovering to us the glories of the divine light, but dispensing to us the graces of the divine love: opening the seals of the fountain of life, which had been long as a spring shut up, and rolling away the stone, that thence we may draw water with joy: opening the seals of the book of life, that things hidden from ages and generations might be manifested unto us, and we might know the things which are freely given us of God: opening the seals of God's treasures, the unsearchable riches of Christ, which would have been sealed up for ever from us, if he had not found out a way to supply and enrich us out of them: opening the seals of heaven-gates, which had been shut and sealed against us, and consecrating for us a new and living way into the holiest, by his own blood. This is a glorious sight, and that which cannot but raise our expectations of something further. This is the principal sight given us in this ordinance; but when we view this accurately, we shall find there is that in it, which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard.
II. In particular, we are here called to see many other things, which we may infer from this general representation of the sufi'erings of Christ. It is a very fruitful subject, and that which will lead us to the consideration of divers things very profitable. When we come to this sacrament, we should ask ourselves the question which Christ put to those who had been John's hearers; What went ye out for to see ? What do we come to the Lord's table to see? We come to see that, which, if God gives us the eye of faith to discern, it will be very affecting. Let this voice therefore be still sounding in our ears. Come and see.
1. Come and see the evil of sin. This we are concerned to see, that we may be truly humbled for our sins past, and may be firmly engaged by resolution and holy watchfulness against sin for the future. It was/or our transgressions that Christ was thus wounded, for our iniquities that he was bruised: know therefore, O my soul, and see, that it is an evil thing, and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts, Jer. ii. 19. That was a great provocation to God, which nothing would atone for but such a sacrifice; a dangerous disease to us, which nothing would heal but such a medicine: nU it thy wicked-
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nett because it U hitter, because it reaeheth unto thine heartf Jer. iv. 18.
(1.) Here sin appears sin, and, by the cross of Christ, as well as by the command of God, it becomes exceeding sinful, Rom. vii. 13. The malignity of its nature was Tcry great, and more than we can conceive or express; for it had made such a breach between God and man, as none less than he who was both God and man could repair; none less than he durst undertake to be made sin for us, to become surety for that debt, and intercessor for such offenders. It was impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin; the stain was too deep, to be washed out so ; sacrifice and offering God did not desire, would not accept, as sufficient to purge us from it: no; the Son of God himself must come to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself , or it will for ever separate between God and us.