A Light from Christ Leading Unto Christ, Classis 29
The twenty ninth Claſsis or company of Queſtions.
1 Queſtion.
YOu have made profeſſion of your faith, and knowledge of all thoſe preſent acting, concomitant graces, and gracious acts and operations of your ſoul which are to be exerciſed at the Lords Table in every Sacramental act and object of your ſenſes, corporal and spiritual to your refreſhing and ſtrengthning in the Lord Jeſus, by vertue from Chriſt the heavenly husband of your ſoul: Now what light from Chriſt have you for thoſe ſubſequent graces or gracious following acts or operations of ſoul or body in the inner man, which are to be exerciſed and acted by you after the partaking of Chriſt in this holy Ordinance, that a Chriſtian may walk comfortably with Chriſt in the whole courſe of his or her life? And what light have you received from Chriſt to lead you to Chriſt in this respect?
Anſ. There are two kindes of graces or gracious acts, ſome to be put in practiſe preſently and immediatly before we depart from the Ordinance, and ſome after in the whole courſe of our lives and callings general and ſpecial.
Queſt. 2. What are thoſe to be acted and put in execution, in and upon the act of receiving before you depart from this holy Sacrament, in which you may wait on Chriſt for a ſweet and full aſſurance of Chriſts love unto you, and of all thoſe rich and invaluable benefits, which the Lord Chriſt doth communicate and ſeal to your ſoul at the Lords Table?
Anſ. The firſt is a ſpiritual, repletion, Sacramental ſatisfaction, glorious reſt, and full contentment in this rich Banquet at the Lords Table, not in the action alone, as reſting in the thing done, but having now fully fed on Chriſt,Pſal. 63.1, &c. and being ſatisfed with Chriſts ſweetneſſe as with marrow and fatneſſe.
Queſt. 3. How are your affections now bent towards Chriſt?
Anſ. I deſire now heavenly dainties, and reſolve by the power of Chriſt to feed no more at the Table of Devils, upon the prodigals husks of ſinful profits and pleaſures,Hoſ. 14.8. Luke 15.16, & 221 30. 1 Cor, 10. Ier. 50.4, 5. Pſa. 65.4. but to keep my Covenant with my God in Chriſt for ever, and to meet Chriſt upon all opportunities in his Ordinances, that I may feed on Chriſt often at his Table of grace, till I come to feaſt with him at his Table of glory.
Queſt. 4. In what manner, or how may you wait on Chriſt in thoſe three acts of your ſoul and inward man; viz. 1. Serious obſervation. 2. Divine meditation. And 3. Faithful application for improvement of this reſt, ſatisfaction and spiritual content in this heavenly refreſhing by Chriſt at the Lords Table? What light from Chriſt for this duty?
1 Pet. 2.3Anſ. Firſt, for obſervation I may mark diligently divers particulars, Firſt, what refreſhings I finde in the ordinance.
Ioh. 13.Secondly, what ſign of Chriſt and his love to my ſoul in dying for my ſins.
Thirdly, how my affections are wrought upon with grief and godly ſorrow in my ſoul.
1. That my ſins have crucified Chriſt.
2. That I have been ſo unthankful and ſo often forgetful of this ineſtimable love to me.
Fourthly, how I am cheered up with a joyful aſſurance that yet God accepteth me in Chriſt, and that the pardon of my ſins is now ſealed to my ſoul in this Sacrament.
Queſt. 5. What aſſurance is gained from theſe?
Anſ. That Chriſt will make me ſtrong in time to come,
1. To reſiſt all ſin in thought, word nnd deed. And,
2. More able to honour God in all eſtates and conditions.
3. And more enlivened to delight in Chriſts preſence of grace then ever before.Cant. 5.
Queſt. 6. What further grace way be obſerved?
Anſ. That in Chriſt I am more hungry after the Word of God.
4. More longing to feaſt wit Chriſt in this Sacrament,Acts 14.22. Luk. 22.30. and more inabled to powre out my ſoul in prayer, more aſſured, that although I may paſſe through many aafflictions, yet I ſhall one day feaſt with Chriſt in the Kingdom of glory.
Queſt. 7. What further may you ſtir up in your ſoul?
Anſ. To obſerve how I am delighted and fully ſatisfied with this heavenly and joyful feaſt; yea, that I am ſo ſatisfied, as never any more to feaſt at Satans Table, or to have the leaſt communion with the Devil, the World, or the Fleſh, or any ſinful feaſt of ſinful profits or pleaſures whatſoever,Iſa. 55.3. Iohn 6.34, 35. as being now fully contented with Chriſts preſence in this life, and with aſſurance of Chriſts preſence in that life eternal which is to come.
Queſt. 8. How may you wait on Chriſt in the ſecond of theſe Divine meditations?
Gant… 2.3, &c.Anſ. In fixing the eye of my ſoul ſo fully upon Chriſt in this feaſt, I may meditate, by the power of Chriſts ſpirit, ſo exactly upon every particular dainty which my ſoul meeteth with at the Lords Table.
Queſt. 9. What elſe mayyou meditate upon?
Anſ. Upon thoſe glorious refreſhings and ſtrengthnings of my ſoul in grace (by the lively holding forth of Chriſt) and my ſo near union and communion with Chriſt, and with all the Saints, until my ſoul ſay,Cant. 2.1, &c. It is enough, Lord, I deſire no more, but ſtill to enjoy thee the delight of my ſoul, and moſt thankfully to remember thy love above all the delights and loves of the world for ever.
Queſt. 10. How may you wait on Chriſt in the third and laſt, faithful application of all to your own ſoul in particular?
Anſ. By the power of Chriſts ſpirit and faith, I now by ſecret medication in faith; may and do apply Chriſt, and the love of Chriſt in all this rich feaſt to my own ſoul.
Queſt. 11. What benefits do you enjoy by this?
Anſ. Firſt, now by the eye of faith I ſee evidently, that God my Father ſo loved me, that he gave his Son for me, that I now believing, ſhall not periſh,Iohn 3.16. but have everlaſting life.
Queſt. 12. What is a ſecond?
Anſ. Secondly, I now ſee by the eye of faith, that my Lord Chriſt loved me, and gave himſelf for me, thar he is now become the Author and finiſher of my faith; yea,Gal. 2.20. Heb. 12.2. the Author of eternal life to and for me, to whom he hath given power to obey him, in and by believing.
Queſt. 13. What is a third?
Anſ. Thirdly, I now ſee by the eye of faith, that all this great feaſt was prepared for me, and lor my refreſhing, and ſouls contentment, and is a ſure and infallible ſign,Mat. 22.1, &c. Iob 19.25, 26. and ſeal, and pledge of God my Fathers love to me in the Lord Chriſt, who is my ſtrength and my Redeemer.
Queſt. 14. What is a fourth?
Acts 3.20, 21. Pſa 24.7 Can. 5, 1. Luk. 22.23, &c,Anſ. Fourthly, I now ſee, that although my Lord and Saviour, my great King of glory (who hath entred into the everlaſting door of my ſoul) keep his reſidence in his moſt glorious Court of heaven; yet he hath been preſent with my ſoul in this rich feaſt of grace, he hath fed me with his delicates, he hath cheered up my ſpirits with his wines of joyes; O the ſweet meats of comforts that have made my ſoul fat this day, I am filled with the loves of my Lord, my heavenly husband, who hath married me to himſelf for ever, and made me ſit with him at his Table.
Queſt. 15. What may I conſider further?
Anſ. Fifthly, How great was my unworthineſſe, and how invaluable was his love and Freegrace to my ſoul, when he ſaw me in my blood, and ſaid live; yea, when I was in my blood, dead in my ſinful blood, he gave me life; when I was an Infant new born,Exek. 16.3, 4. caſt out to the loathing my perſon; when my Father an Amorice, and my Mother was an Hittite could not relieve me, then my Chriſt, my Lord did graciouſly ſuccour me, he cheriſhed me, he bred me up while I was grown in grace, he caſt his skirt of love over me, and I became his, and he made me glorious in grace through the comelineſſe that he hath put upon me.
Queſt. 16. what is the ſixth grace or benefit?
Anſ. Surely, as I may, ſo I will greatly rejoyce in my Lord, and my ſoul ſhall be joyful in my God, for he hath clothed me with the garments of ſalvation,Iſa. 61.10. and he hath covered me with the robes of righteouſneſſe, as a Bridegroom decketh himſelf with Ornaments, and as a Bride adorneth her ſelf with Jewels.
Queſt. 17. What is the ſeventh benefit?
Anſw. Seventhly, when I was in danger of my life through the plots and conſpiracies of bloody enemies, the World, the Fleſh and the Devil, I drew near into the preſence of my Lord with a true heart in full aſſurance of faith,Eſt. 5.2. Heb. 10.22. Can. 4.6. having my heart ſprinkled from an evil conſcience, and my body waſhed with pure water, my Lord held forth his golden Scepter of grace, and revived my ſpirits which formerly hid been fainting for want of his gracious preſence.
Queſt. 18. What may you conclade from theſe?
Anſ. Now I may truly and aſſuredly conclude, I am my Beloveds, and my Beloved is mine, I will hold faſt the profeſſion of my faith without wavering,Can. 6.4. Heb. 10.23, &c. 1 Theſ. 4.16, &c. Luk. 22.36. Ioh. 17.24. for he is faithful that promiſed, I will conſider my brethren and ſiſters in Chriſt, to provoke unto love and to good works, and I will not forſake the aſſembling of our ſelves together to meet our Lord at his Table, as the manner of ſome is, but exhort one another while it is called to day, becauſe the day approacheth when our Lord and King Jeſus will call us all by his laſt Trumpet, to feaſt at his Table in heaven, where we ſhall be with him, and ſee his glory for ever and ever, Amen.
Queſt. 19. What is a ſecond grace or gracious action to be put in preſent execution before your departure from the congregation and communion of Saints in this ſacred feaſt?
Anſ. A preſent manifeſtation of my thankfulneſſe and love to Chriſt my Lord and Saviour again in the work of charity,Neh. 8.8, &. Acts 20.7. & 2.46. 1 Cor. 16.1, 2, 3. 2. Tim. 1.16. 3. Ioh. 5, 6, 7, 8. 2 Cor. 9.4, &c. Ioh. 2.34, &c. according to my ability, to the poor Saints my fellow-members of the ſame body of which Chriſt my Lord is the Head, that I may refreſh their hungry bodies as the Lord Chriſt hath refreſhed my hungry ſoul with plentiful refreſhings at his Table.
Queſt. 21. What is the third grace or gracious action to be acted and exerciſed by the power of Chriſt, to Gods glory and your own comfort, before the Congregation be diſmiſſed after partaking this Sacrament?
Anſ. Firſt, I am to joyn with the Miniſter of Chriſt,2 Cor. 2.14. Col. 1.12, 13. and the congregation of Saints, in ſolemn thankſgiving unto God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghoſt, for the ineſtimable gift of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, for his taking our humane Nature upon him, that he might be a fit Mediator betwixt God and my ſoul, to reconcile me to God for his Paſſion, Death, Reſurrection, Aſcention, and Interceſſion, and all his rich merits and benefits of my Redemption, Vocation, Iuſtification, Sanctification, and Glorification, ſo gloriouſly ſet forth and ſealed, and ſo graciouſly communicated in this Sacrament to my ſoul, and to all Saints with me at the Lords Table.
Secondly, Humbly and faithfully to joyn in Petition for aſſurance, that all failings and infirmities in my performances are pardoned in Chriſt, my pardon ſealed, my perſon & whole ſervice accepted with the ſweet merits, and incenſe of Chriſts righteouſneſs upon the golden Altar, with a continual influence of power and vertue from Chriſt, that all the congregation of Saints may keep covenant with the Lord, and declare our thankfulneſſe by our fruitfulneſſe in all good works, as becometh the people of God, who have received ſo great ahd aſſuring plesges of the love of God to us in Chriſt, and of our eternal ſalvation in and by the Lord Ieſus.
Queſt. 21. What is the fourth and laſt thing to be acted or joyned in with the Congregation?
Anſ. Divers particulars:
1. After the example of Chriſt, to glorifie God in a holy Hymn or Pſalm (if it be thought fit) praiſing the Lord for his goodneſſe to his Church in Chriſt Ieſus, and to his congregation preſent in his Ordinance.
And ſecondly, waiting for the bleſſing, giving in and with which the congregation is diſmiſſed, according to the practiſe of Chriſt, the Apoſtles and Churches of Chriſt, as of old, to leave the people of God with a bleſſing, as Numb. 6.22, &c. 2 Sam. 6.17,18. 1 Kings 8.55. &c. Luke 22.50, 51. And the bleſſing which the Apoſtle gave when they took leave of the Church in ſeveral Epiſtles, as Rom, 16.24, &c. 2 Corinthians 3.15.
And thirdly, I ſhould return home with rejoycing, as the Eunuch did after he was baptized, or the two Diſciples who met with Chriſt as they went to Emmaus, and take notice my ſelf, and tell others how my heart burned within me, and how my ſouls was affected.
1. With grief for my ſins. And,
2. With joy in my Saviour, while I heard Chriſt talking with me;
1. Outwardly, by the voyce of his Miniſter:
2. Inwardly, by the voyce of his ſpirit at his Table, and how it was declared out of the Scriptures, that Chriſt ought to ſuffer that his moſt bitter Paſſion, and curſed Death for my ſins, and to riſe again for my Iuſtification, and ſo to enter into his glory. And,
3. How Chriſt was known to me in the breaking of the Bread, in the powring out of the Wine, and in Chriſts giving, and my receiving of thoſe ſoul-reviving and ſoul-cheriſhing refreſhing; which I enjoyed at his Table. And,
4. And laſtly, by the ſtrength of Chriſt, and this refreſhing from Chriſt, I am reſolved, with the aſſiſtance of the ſpirit of God the Father, and God the Son, and of God the holy Ghoſt, daily to keep in memory that feaſt of the Lord, with that ſweet welcom I had at the Lords Table, and in this or the like manner to beſpeak my ſoul every morning. O my ſoul, thou haſt this night received a ſweet refreſhing from the Lord for thy body (praiſed be the Name of thy God and Father in Chriſt) who is the keeper of Iſrael, who never ſlumbreth not ſleepeth, who hath kept thee from the dangers of this night paſt, and brought thee to the light of this day, who hath awakened thee out of ſleep, and given thee a kinde of Reſurrection from the dead.
Queſt. 22. How may I ſtir my ſoul to this?
Anſ. In this or the like manner: Now, O my ſoul, be thou awakened, and break thy faſt with Chriſt, and call to minde the ſweet refreſhing the Lord did give thee the laſt Sacrament at his Table, and in what thou didſt ſee and hear.
1. His invitation to draw near and partake of the feaſt that he hath prepared.
2. Didſt thou not ſee Bread and Wine ſet upon the Table, and with the eye of faith didſt thou not behold Chriſt himſelf prepared for thy ſpiritual refreſhing.
3. Didſt thou not hear the Miniſter of Chriſt conſecrate thoſe Elements to that holy uſe; and with the ear of faith hear how God the Father had conſecrated and ſealed his beloved Son Ieſus for thy Redemption.
4. Didſt thou not ſee the Bread broken and Wine powred out, and by the eye of faith ſee Chriſts body broken with torments, and his blood ſhed to the death for thy ſins to Redeem thee from Hell and death eternal.
5. Didſt thou not hear Chriſt bidding thee welcom, Take, eat, this is my body, Drink, this is my blood which is ſhed for thee, and for many for remiſſion of ſins, Mat. 26.26, 27, &c.
6. Didſt thou not obſerve and believe thoſe Sacramental promiſes, aſſuring that Chriſt loved thee, and gave himſelf for thee; and as verily as Chriſts Miniſter having bleſſed and broken the Sacramental Bread, and bleſſed and powred out the Sacramental Wine, did preſent and give them unto thee to eat and to drink; ſo verily hath Chriſt given, and did Chriſt preſent and give and reach out himſelf for a ſpiritual and heavenly refreſhing to thee, to nouriſh thee to life eternal, according the the Govenant of Grace.
7. O my ſoul, didſt thou not take and eat the Bread, and take and drink the Wine, and ſo ſpiritually feed on the body and blood of Chriſt, that in ſtrenght thereof thou mighteſt walk thy great journey of this life, not as Elijah, fourty dayes and fourty nights to Horeb the Mount of God, but to Heaven Gods Kingdom of glory.
8. O my ſoul, didſt thou not actually renew thy Covenant with the Lord as God, in gi…ing, and thou in actual receiving and partaking of theſe ſeals and pledges of his love; conſider thy ſelf, what haſt thou now to do any more with ſin and Satan, with the World, the Fleſh or the Devil, with any ſin of omiſſion or commiſſion, that may grieve the ſpirit of life? Remember thy Covenant, thy Promiſes, thy Vow, thy Proteſtations to thy God; and be conſcientious, by the power of Chriſt, to keep them all the dayes of thy life.
9. O my ſoul, was there not a ſoul-ſatisfying feaſt ſet before thee at that time, never to let thee to return to the feaſt of ſin again.
10. And was it not the command of Chriſt to celebrate that Sacrament in remembrance of him,Acts 8.39. Luk. 14.13, &. Phil. 4.11, &c. 2 Tim. 4.7,8. and what he hath done for thee? O then remember that holy feaſt every morning when thou awakeſt, every evening when thou goeſt to bed: Thus thou maiſt feed daily on Chriſt by faith, O my ſoul, and rightly endeavour to declare thy thankfulnes to God in Chriſt again, and ſhew forth my thankfulness to my Lord Jeſus, in daily remembring of him until he tranſlate thee to eternal glory.
Queſt. 23. What are the ſubſequent graces to be acted, and duties to be exerciſed and practiſed in manifeſtation of your thankfulneſſe to your God in Chriſt all the dayes of your life? And what light from Chriſt have you received for direction herein?
Gal. 2. 20. 2 Cor. 5. 14, &.. Mat. 22.37, &.. Gal. 5. 13, 14. Eph. 4.1, &c.Anſ. There is one root-grace flowing into my ſoul from Chriſt, and Chriſts wonderful love to me, Chriſt loving me and giving himſelf for me: And this is the grace of love; that love of Chriſt with a holy gracious power (as a precious Loadſtone) doth draw my ſoul to my God in Chriſt, and ſweetly conſtrain me to love Chriſt again, who loved me firſt, moving me powerfully to live henceforth, not to my ſelf, but to him that dyed for me, and role again; and the fruits of this love are to be made evident by the power of Chriſt dwelling in me,
1. Towards God the Father in Chriſt.
2. Towards my ſelf in true charity.
3. Towards my Neighbour in love and unity all the dayes of my life, all comprehended in one, Grace Love And all this as fulfilling the Law of Chriſt, Gal. 6.1, 2. Iohn 13.34, 25. and 15. 12, &c. and becauſe I finde God hath loved me firſt in the Lord Ieſus, John 4.19.
Queſt. 24. What is the fruit that spring from this root Grace, of your Chriſtian Walking, the free love of God to you in Chriſt, aſſured by the ſpirit and faith, and the reflex of that love, as the eccho of love in your ſouls anſwering love again?
Anſ. The manifeſtation of my thankfulneſſe, or thankful remembrance of Chriſt, of Chriſt,Ioh. 4.9. &c. love held forth to me in this Sacrament by a conltant and continued acting and exerciting of that grace of love wrought in me by the power of Chriſts ſpirit in my ſoul:
1. Towards God my Father, Iohn 20.17.
2. Towards my ſelf as to a childe of God in Chriſt, Luke 10.17.
3. Towards my Neighbour, and eſpecially towards the Houſhold of ſaith, the Church and Saints of the moſt High God, and my fellow-members in Chriſt Ieſus, Gal. 6.10.
Queſt. 25. Wherein ought you to declare your thankfulneſſe, and exerciſe your love towards God and your Neighbour in Chriſt?
Anſ. In yielding obedience to the will of God as my Father in Chriſt.
Iohn 5.39. & 6.68.Firſt, in believing whatſoever truth the Lord my God holdeth forth to be believed in the Scriptures.
Secondly,Iohn 14.21. in doing or ſuffering whatſoever is by the will and pleaſure of God my Father to be done or ſuffered by me according to his will.
Thirdly, in praying to or praiſing God all the dayes of my life.
Queſt. 26. What light from Chriſt, or what directory or rule is there of your faith, or of tboſe truths in which you are to declare in thankfulneſſe your love and duty to God your Father by believing?
Anſ. The holy Scripture or whole Word of God recorded in Gods Book,Ioh. 5.32 2 Pet. 1.19, 20. Gen. 3.15. & 22. Iſa. 53. Ioh. 3.16. the holy Bible, is my light, but that which is eſpecially for my comfort, is the promiſes of the Goſpel or Covenant of grace held forth unto me in the Old and New Teſtament by the Lord himſelf, or by men of God, as they were inſpired by the holy Ghoſt.
Queſt. 27. What brief or ſum is there to be believed of that which is taught at large, as the Doctrine of faith in the holy Scriptures?
Anſ. Thoſe twelve Articles in that ſymbole of faith, or brief ſum commonly called the Apoſtles Creed, explained further in thoſe other ancient Creeds received in the Church of Chriſt, and known by the Names of Nicene Creed, and Athanaſius Creed.
Queſt. 28. Which call you the Apoſtles Creed?
Anſ. That which begins thus:
I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth; And in Ieſus Chriſt his onelyonly Son our Lord &c. as is expreſſed at large in my leſſer Catechiſm.
Queſt. 29. Which call you the Nicene Creed?
Anſ. That Creed which beginneth as followeth:
I believe in one God the Father Almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth, and of all shings viſible and inviſible: and in one Lord Ieſus Chriſt, the onelyonly begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all Worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, &c.
Queſt. 30. Which call you Athanaſius Creed?
Anſ. That Creed which begins and follows thus:
Whoſoever will be ſaved, before all things it is neceſſary that he hold the Catholike Faith. Which Faith, except every one do keep whole and und…filed, without doubt he ſhall periſh everlaſtingly. And the Catholike Faith is this: That we worſhip one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Ʋnity. Neither confounding the Perſons, nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Perſon of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghoſt. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt is one: The glory equal, the Majeſty co-eternal, &c. as is alſo Printed at large in my leſſer Catechiſm.
Queſt. 31. But are theſe Creeds the ground or rule of Faith?
2 Pet. 1.19, & 2. Iohn 5.39.Anſ. The holy Scripture is the moſt proper ground of Faith, and moſt perfect rule for judging all Controverſies: But theſe Creeds, as they are grounded on the Scriptures and holy Wod of God, are and may be an obj…ct and directory of our faith; and ſo they have been and are yet received in the Church of Chriſt, and are very profitable for our help and furtherance in the knowledge and remembrance of the Doctrine of Faith, Iohn 5.39. Romans 15.4. 2 Timothy 3.15, 16, 17. 2 Peter 2.19, 20.