The Communicant's Companion (continued)
sin more resolutely, keep Sabbaths more cheerfully, do good more readily.
Thou hast heard the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, plain indications of the presence of God with thee, therefore now thou shalt bestir thyself. Let the comforts of this ordinance employ thy wings, that thou mayest soar upward, upward towards God; let them oil thy wheels, that thou mayest press forward, forward towards heaven: let God's gifts to thee stir up his gifts in thee.
V. We should come from this ordinance with a watchful fear of Satan's wiles, and a firm resolution to stand our ground against them.—Whatever comfort and enlargement we have had in this ordinance, still we must remember, that we are but girding on the harness, and therefore we have no reason to boast or be secure, as though we had it put off. When we return to the world again, we must remember that we go among snares, and must provide accordingly; it is our wisdom so to do.
1. Let us therefore fear. He that travels with a rich treasure about him, is in most danger of being robbed. The ship that is richly laden, is the pirate's prize. If we come away from the Lord's table replenished with the goodness of God's house, and the riches of his covenant, we must expect the assaults of our spiritual enemies, and not be secure. A strong guard was constantly kept upon the temple, and there needs one upon the living temples. The mystical song represents the bed which is Solomon's, thus surrounded by valiant men of the valiant of Israel, "because of fear in the night." The Holy
Ghost thus signifying, that believers in this world are in a military state, and the followers of Christ must be his soldiers. They that work the good work of faith, must fight the good fight of faith.
We must always stand upon our guard, for the good man of the house knows not at what hour the thief will come; but this we know, that immediately after our Savior was baptized, and owned by a voice from heaven, "he was led into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil." And immediately after he had administered the Lord's Supper to his disciples, he told them plainly, "Satan hath desired to have you," he has challenged you, "that he may sift you as wheat;" and what he said to them, he says to all
—"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." We must then double our guard against temptations to rash anger, and study to be more than ordinarily meek and quiet, lest, by the tumults and transports of passion, the Holy Spirit be tempted to withdraw. If we have in this ordinance, received
Christ Jesus the Lord, let a strict charge be given, like that of the spouse, "by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that nothing be said, nothing done to stir up or awake our love until he please." Peace being spoken, peace made, let us be afraid of every thing that may give disturbance to it.
We should also watch against the inroads of worldly cares and fears, lest they make a descent upon us after a sacrament, and spoil us of the comforts we have there received.
But with a particular care we must watch against the workings of spiritual pride, after a sacrament.
When our Lord Jesus first instituted this ordinance, and made his disciples partakers of it, they were so elevated with the honor of it, that, not content to be all thus great, a contest immediately arose among them, which of them should be greatest. And when St. Paul had been in the third heavens, he was in danger of being "exalted above measure with the abundance of the revelations." We therefore have cause to fear lest this dead fly spoil all our precious ointment, and to keep a very strict and jealous eye upon our own hearts, that they be not lifted up with pride, "lest we fall into the condemnation of the devil." Let us dread the first risings of self-conceit, and