A Help to Holy Walking, Treatise · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Directions in Receiving the Sacrament.
THE next Duty to be ſpoken to, is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, which is an Ordinance of God, wherein by the External ſigns of Bread and Wine, ſet apart, and Sanctified to that End and Uſe, and duly Adminiſtred by God's appointment, the Lord ſignifieth, and Sealeth up the Truth of his Covenant to his Elect; and they Seal up their Covenant with him. This Sacrament is a Sign to Repreſent, a Seal to Confirm, and an Inſtrument to convey Chriſt, and all his Benefits to a Believing Soul. The principal Efficient Cauſe, or Author of this Sacrament, is the whole Trinity, but eſpecially Chriſt, who is the Angel of the Covenant; he it is that made the Covenant, and ratified it with his Blood; and therefore it muſt be he that adds the Seals, he makes the Promiſes, and muſt make them good. The Eſſential parts, or Matter of the Sacrament, are either External, or Internal, the one perceived by our Bodily Eyes, the other by the Eye of Faith: The External is the outward Signs, or Symbols, viz. Bread and Wine; which, though they are not changed into the Body and Blood of Chriſt, as the Papiſts Teach; yet are they not naked, bare, or empty things; but ſuch as really exhibit, yea, Seal Chriſt, and all his Benefits to a Believing Soul: No other Bread nor Wine in the World, though a drop, a bit were worth a Kingdom, are to be compared hereunto. The Internal Matter is Chriſt, and all his Graces; theſe are ſignified, reſembled, exhibited, and applyed by the outward Elements. The Form is that which gives a Being, and perfection to the Matter, without the which this Bread and Wine would be but Common Bread and Wine: This alſo is External or Internal; the External Form conſiſts in the Lawful Adminiſtration, and participation of it, according to God's Word; the Internal Form is the Union between the Sign and the thing ſignified. Now, this Sacramental Union is an Act of God's Spirit, by whoſe virtue Chriſt his Merits, and Benefits are not only reſembled, and preſented to the mind, but are really made one, with the Elements; yet this Union is not Natural, according to place, for there is no mutation of the Sign into the thing ſignified; neither is the thing ſignified included, or faſtened to the thing ſignifying, it cannot be a local Union, that Chriſt's Body ſhould be locally preſent with the Sign; for Chriſt's Body, though Glorified, cannot be in all places at once. Neither is it a Phyſical Union, as if of two United, loſing their proper Forms, ſhould by a mixture make a third; but 'tis a Spiritual Union, whereby the Lord Jeſus is really conveyed to the Soul; for beſides his Divine preſence, and the preſence of his Spirit, he is preſent with his Body and Blood, not locally, but Sacramentally; he is Symbolically preſent to the mind, he is preſent Spiritually by the Eye of Faith; Efficaciouſly preſent, though abſent in Place; yet we find the fruit of his preſence in our Spirits, the Ends of the Sacrament are the confirmation of our Faith, the Sealing of the Covenant of Grace, and to be a Badge or Note of our Profeſſion, to be a pledge of our Obedience to, and Communion with Chriſt, and a Teſtimony of our Society with the Church; and may ſeem as a Proſpective Glaſs to view Chriſt afar off. In the Covenant, God promiſes to be our God, and the God of our Seed, and ſets to his Seal; and we Seal the Counterpane, and ingage that we and ours will Serve the Lord; and by virtue of this Covenant; ſo mutually entred into, all the Promiſes and Benefits of the Covenant are ours: ſo that you ſee a right receiving of this Sacrament is of very great Concernment, and the unworthy Receiving is very dangerous. Here is Manna for a believing Soul, but Poyſon to an unworthy Receiver: This nouriſhed Peter, but Poyſoned Judas; it feeds the good, but kills the bad; it makes ſome better, and ſome worſe; ſome more Holy, and ſome more Prophane; it increaſeth Grace where Grace is, but increaſeth Guilt where Grace is wanting: 'Tis like the Sun when it ſhines upon a Garden of Herbs, it makes them ſmell more odoriferouſly, when upon a Dung-Hill it makes it ſmell more fulſomly: 'Tis like the paſſing through the Red Sea, ſafe to Iſrael, dangerous to the Egyptians; he that brings ſtrange Fire he ſhall be burnt by it, Lev. 10.3. God will be Honoured by thoſe that draw near to him; he that comes without a Wedding Garment, ſhall go away, not with Grace in his Heart, but with Bolts upon his Heels, Mat. 22.12. According to a mans preparation, ſuch is like to be his Entertainment: He that Sows nothing, ſhall Reap nothing; and he that Soweth Vanity, ſhall Reap Folly; and he that Sows ſparingly, ſhall Reap little, 2 Cor. 9.6. He that taketh moſt care and pains is like to have the beſt Crop. Me-thinks there needs no more Motives to perſwade you, than the benefit of worthy Receiving, and the danger of the contrary; the one hath his Grace increaſed, the other his ſin; the one hath his Salvation Sealed up; the other, without Repentance, his Damnation: He hath God's Curſe under Seal, and they Eat and Drink their own Damnation, and are guilty of Chriſt's Death.
1. Direct. If thou wouldſt partake of the Sacrament worthily, thou muſt Examine thy ſelf, whether thou haſt thoſe Habitual Qualifications which are requiſite for ſo Holy a Duty. There are ſeveral Graces that muſt be Exerciſed at this time; but how can a Man Act Grace, that hath it not? He that comes to the Wedding Feaſt, without a Wedding Garment, is not like to be a welcom Gueſt, Mat. 22.12. Without Grace in Exerciſe this Ordinance will do thee little good: Thou mayſt indeed eat the Bread, and drink the Wine, theſe are bodily Actions, but without Faith thou canſt not feed upon Chriſt in the Ordinance; and what good will a bit of Bread, or a ſup of Wine do thee? Faith is the Hand that receives him, the Mouth that feeds upon him, and the Stomach that digeſts him, and ſucks ſweetneſs from him. Try whether thou haſt Spiritual Life; a Man, by Nature, is dead in ſins and Treſpaſſes, and without Regeneration he remains thus; and what good will a Feaſt do to a Dead Man? If you put Meat into a Dead Man's mouth, what is he benefited by it? Will it nouriſh him? Can he eat it, ſwallow, or Digeſt it, when he cannot Exerciſe any Act of Life, without which, Food will be in vain? No more can this Sacrament nouriſh till a Man be Regenerated, and new born, and have a Principle of Spiritual Life put into him. A wicked Man is a Stranger to the Covenant of Grace; he hath not the required Qualifications, neither doth he intend to keep the Condition; and what then hath he to do with the Seal? Or what hope can he have of the Priviledges? If a Man hath Evidences for Lands mutually Signed and Sealed, if he fail in the Covenants on his part, how can he expect another ſhould make good his? A wicked Man is Uncircumciſed in Heart, and thoſe that were not circumciſed, were not permitted to eat the Paſſeover, to which the Lord's Supper Anſwers, Exod. 12.43. Now, theſe Habitual Qualifications are ſuch as the Scripture requires, and ſuch as make up the Wedding Garment: And a Man ſhould have Evidences to ſhew, before he lay claim to ſuch an Ordinance; he ſhould be in Covenant, before he receive the Seal of the Covenant. This Ordinance is not for the begetting, but for the ſtrengthening of Grace. The Apoſtle, to this End, bids a Man Examine himſelf, and ſo let him eat of this Bread, and drink of this Cup, 1 Cor. 11.28,29. For he that eateth this Bread, and drinketh this Cup of the Lord unworthily, eateth and drinketh Damnation to himſelf, not diſcerning the Lords Body. The word Examine ſignifies to take a ſtrict Account of himſelf, and make a diligent ſearch into himſelf; as whether he be Gold, or droſs; whether he be chaff, or Wheat; it may be it is a Metaphor taken from a Goldſmith, that try their Gold, whether it be pure, and the droſs purged out, and conſumed; or from thoſe that try their Coin, not ſuperficially, but by the weight, by the ſight, by the ſound, by the touch ſtone, that ſo they may not be deceived with what is bad, and counterfeit; and ſo muſt we in this caſe: Eſpecially conſidering the Devil hath much counterfeit coin goes abroad for currant, and moſt Men are deceived; and 'tis eaſie to be deceived, eſpecially when our own Hearts are the greateſt Cheats, Try thy Evidences for Heaven, whether thou art Regenerated or not; otherwiſe thou art not for Heaven, John 3.3.5. Whether thou art an Adopted Child of God? For none elſe ought to eat at his Table: Chriſt will not be Food to nouriſh any other, he will not have the Devils Brats Dine at his Table; none ought to ſit there but thoſe that ſhall ſit with him in the Kingdom of Heaven: Haſt thou thoſe Graces that always accompany converſion? For theſe are neceſſary in this work, as Sanctified, and Sanctifying knowledge, without which thou canſt not diſcern the Lord's Body, or know God, or thy ſelf, or the Tenure of the Covenant of Grace, the Nature of the Sacrament, or the ſtate of thy own Soul, &c. Faith alſo is neceſſary to lay hold upon Chriſt in this Ordinance, and feed upon him, &c. Repentance for ſin paſt, and new Obedience for the time to come. Love alſo to God, to his Word, and to his Children, with a longing deſire after Chriſt in the Ordinance; for what ſhall we do at a Feaſt without a ſtomack: The Trial of theſe Graces I ſhall now wave, having in another Treatiſe partly handled it; 'tis called, The Souls Looking-Glaſs, or, a Spiritual Touch-ſtone, to which I refer you, becauſe I will not Actum agere, do a thing that is done before.
2. Direct. Though Habitual preparation, and a gracious diſpoſition, of which we have Treated before, be abſolutely neceſſary, without which a Man cannot be a welcom Gueſt to this Marriage Feaſt, as we ſee in the Fooliſh Virgins, Mat. 25.1,2, &c. who, notwithſtanding they had Lamps in their Hands, yet for want of this Oyl of Grace in their Hearts, were not admitted, but the door was ſhut againſt them. I ſay, though this be neceſſary, yet it is not ſufficient; 'tis not enough to have a Marriage Garment, but we muſt have it on, and made clean and handſom, if we would Honour the Wedding. 'Tis not enough to have Faith, and Knowledge, and Love, and Obedience, &c. in the Habit; but we muſt have them in the Exerciſe: what good will they do us, if we uſe them not? 'Tis not enough to have Lamps in our Hands, yea, and Oyl in our Veſſels, though moſt go without, but we muſt have our Lamps always burning; we muſt riſe, and trim our Lamps. When we go to meet▪ the Bride-groom Chriſt in ſuch a Duty, we muſt ſnuff our Candles, that they may burn bright: 'Tis not enough for a Muſician to have an Inſtrument, but he muſt have it in Tune, or it will yield bad Muſick; nay, he muſt have skill to uſe it, or it will not do; nay, he muſt be in a capacity to make uſe of his skill, which is not if his hands be cold or numb'd, or otherwiſe out of Order. The Souls Muſick is quickly ſpoyled if it be out of Tune: 'Tis not enough for a Carpenter, or Joyner to have Tools, and Matter to work upon, but he muſt often by grinding, or whetting, put an edge upon them, or they are not fit for his purpoſe. 'Tis not enough to have Houſhold ſtuff in abundance, but it muſt be ſet in Order, not on a confuſed heap; yea, and ſcoured, and made bright, if we would uſe them to adorn the Houſe. And in like manner, 'tis not enough for a Chriſtian to have the fore-mentioned Habits, and Qualifications, but he muſt reduce them into Art and Exerciſe; he muſt ſcour them up againſt ſuch a good Time as this, and rub off the ruſt, and make them fit for uſe; yea, make uſe of them, for to this End they were given. And a Chriſtian, notwitſtanding the Habits, may, and will be an unworthy Receiver, if they be not in Exerciſe. 'Tis neceſſary that ſome Vital Operations co-operate to the Receiving, Digeſting, and Concocting our Meat, or it will not nouriſh; and ſo that this Spiritual Food may prove Refreſhing to the Soul: 'Tis neceſſary that there be a principle of Spiritual Life, and the Actings of Grace, concur with the Receiving, and Digeſting of it. A Godly Man may ſometimes be in an Appoplexy, and have a ſtupifyed Soul, and a benumbed Conſcience; he may have his ſwooning Fits, when Life is ſcarce diſcerned to appear: It may ſeem David ſometimes was in this Condition, or ſome other great Diſtemper. Now, you know though there be Life, yet in ſuch caſe 'tis not ſafe to give Food; ſtir up therefore thy Graces, and get them in Exerciſe, 'tis the beſt way to procure heat and digeſtion: Conſider ſeriouſly what thou art about, and with whom thou haſt to do, and what is the danger of unworty Receiving, and the benefit of the contrary: Conſider thou haſt a price put into thy Hand, O let not an Heart be wanting to get wiſdom. In this Ordinance all thy wants may be ſupplyed; here thy Graces may be ſtrengthened, and thy Communion with God renewed. Thy Covenant with God is here ratified, and Chriſt, and all his Benefits made over to thy Soul: Here thou mayſt have the pardon of thy ſins, and whatever elſe is requiſite for thy Soul, if thou come preparedly, and Act Faith upon the Promiſe, and improve thy Intereſt in the Covenant; come therefore with a Thirſting deſire of Chriſt in the Ordinances; this is a Qualification required, Iſa. 55.12. John 7.37. Rev. 22.15. Long after this Bread of Life, for this Longing ſhall be ſatisfied. Come with Confidence to have thy needs and wants ſupplyed, and to this End, Exerciſe Faith on the Promiſe, this Grace is all in all in the Duty; 'tis both the Hand and the Mouth: Exerciſe Repentance for ſin paſt, and reſolve to Obey for the time to come. But if thou come unprepared, thou eateſt and drinkeſt thy own Damnation, and becomeſt guilty of the Body, and Blood of Chriſt; let ſuch ſuch Conſiderations as theſe move thee.
3. Direct. If thou wouldſt worthily partake of this Sacrament, propound right Ends to thy ſelf in ſo doing; the End, as I have ſaid, as in other Duties, ſo in this, either makes or marrs the Action. Now, the End, though laſt in the Execution, is firſt in the Intention; 'tis the firſt mover: What is it that a man will do, but is for ſome End; this, like the weights on a Clock, or the Spring in a Watch, ſets all the Wheels on work, and is the cauſe of the Entrance, and continuance of the Motion: Who is it that Builds an Houſe, but he propounds ſome End for ſo doing, otherwiſe 'tis an irrational Enterpriſe? The skilful Archer ſhoots not at random, but the Mark is in his Eye. The skilful Pilot propounds to himſelf the wiſhed Haven, as his End, and all his endeavour tends thither. Every one incoming to the Ordinance propounds one End or other, but if thou propound a wrong End, take what pains thou wilt, thou wilt, like the Phariſees, Mat. 6.1,2, &c. loſe thy Reward, if thou perform, with them, a Commanded Duty, and aim not at God's Glory, but thy own, thou muſt look a Reward elſewhere, and not from God. The Papiſts, as they Corrupt this Sacrament, in leaving the Inſtitution, and making Additions, and detractions of their own deviſing, which never came into the mind of God; ſo they pervert it to wrong Ends to further their own Helliſh deſigns; as to Murder Kings, blow up Parliaments, Maſſacree Proteſtants, and conceal their Helliſh Plots, &c. and many others, I fear, come with baſe, low, and unworthy Ends to this Sacrament. Cuſtom brings ſome, ſhame others, fear of the Law a third ſort, &c. and coming in their ſin, with unprepared Hearts, and vicious Lives: They make the Table of the Lord the Table of Devils, as the Apoſtle complains; and inſtead of Sealing the Covenant with God, they Seal a Covenant with the Devil, to remain his Slaves, and have the Curſe of God, and their own Damnation under Seal. Now, the Principal End which Chriſtians ſhould aim at, is God's Glory, in the Remembrance of the Death of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 11.24.26. Do this, ſaith Chriſt, in Remembrance of me: By eating this Bread, and drinking this Cup, we ſhew the Lord's Death till he comes. Theſe Elements ſet apart, and Sanctified to this Holy Uſe, being thus taken, we profeſs, and, in a manner, Preach to others the Death of Chriſt, and the Benefits thereby procured, which is the ſum of the Goſpel. This Sacrament is unto Chriſtians as the Pillar of Stone Erected in the midſt of Jordan, by Joſhua, for a Memorial of the wonderful paſſing of Iſrael over Jordan; or, as the Pot of Manna, commanded to be kept in a Memorial that Iſrael was forty Years fed in the Wilderneſs with Bread from Heaven. So is this Sacrament to be Received, even to the End of the World, in a Memorial of Chriſt's Death, and Bloody Paſſion, and the Benefits procured to the Church by it. And if Iſrael had ſufficient Cauſe to keep the Paſſeover for a Memorial of their Deliverance from the Egyptian Bondage; much more, and greater cauſe have Chriſtians to keep this Feaſt, for a Memorial of their Deliverance from this Helliſh Pharaoh, the Devil, and his Slavery: This is one End why God left us Sacraments, that whenever we did partake of them, we might Remember this Deliverance, and bleſs God for it; this ſhould put us in mind what Chriſt hath done for us: His Life, his Doctrine, his Miracles, his Death and Paſſion, and the whole work of our Redemption. But alas! many Men, when they have the Sacrament in their Mouths, have the Devil in their Hearts; they ſeldom mention God's Name, except in an Oath, or vain ſpeech: But theſe Mens damnation ſleepeth not. Another End is the Sealing of the Covenant between God and us, as I have often mentioned; God on his part ratifies it, and aſſures us by his Seal, he will make it good. And we on our part Dedicate our ſelves to his Service, and annex our Seal: He promiſes to be our God, and we promiſe to be his People: But many are not in the Covenant, and have nothing to do with the Seal, for this is not a begetting Ordinance but confirming thoſe that are begotten: ſuch as theſe Seal a Covenant with Death, and Hell, Iſa. 28.15. This Sacrament is like the Water of Jealouſie, mentioned in the Law, if a Woman that drinks of it were pure, it would make her fruitful; if defiled, it would make her Thigh to rot, and her Belly to ſwell. Another End is for the increaſing Faith, and other Graces; 'tis not for the begetting, but increaſing Grace, and therefore pre-ſuppoſeth Grace to be there; as alſo for the maintaining Communion with God, and Love one with another, they being Members of the ſame Body, and Heirs together of the ſame Glory.
4. Direct. If thou wouldſt receive the Sacrament profitably, examine what it is thou ſtandeſt in need of, and what thou wouldſt have God to give thee, or do for thee; for the Sacrament was Ordained to ſupply our wants, and heal our Diſeaſes. 'Tis the Souls Market day; now, when a Man goes unto the Market, he conſiders what he wants, and what he needs to buy: Now, a Chriſtian's wants, which he here comes to ſupply, are principally in his Graces: 'Tis Spiritual wants, Soul wants, that are here ſupplyed; if Grace be wanting, there is no ſupply promiſed: but if it be weak, there is: Food may nouriſh a weak Man, and make him ſtronger, but it will not give Life to a dead Carkaſs: The Sacrament is not a begetting, but a nouriſhing Ordinance, and God gives none leave to ſit at his Table but ſuch as are his Children: Who will invite a dead Man to a Feaſt? Now, though all God's Children have the Truth of Grace, yet have they many defects in Grace. A Child that hath Life, muſt have Food to maintain Life, and to bring him to his Maturity, and full growth. Now, the wants we ſhould examine before the Sacrament, are either defects in Grace, and decays of Grace, for here is a ſupply to be had for both, if we make a right improvement of this Ordinance: Defects in Grace are often diſcerned by the prevailing of Corruption, examine thy ſelf well concerning the ſtate of thy Soul, caſt an Eye over the ſeveral paſſages of thy Life, and bring thy Thoughts, and Words, and Actions to the Rule, and compare them with the Word of God; hereby thou maiſt ſee what is ſtrait, what is crooked; look into this Glaſs of the Law, and thou wilt ſee thy own ſpots; when thou compareſt it with the Rule, thou wilt ſee thy Deviations, and wilt find where thou haſt come ſhort, and where thou haſt gone out of the way: Make a Catalogue of thy ſins, eſpecially thoſe ſince thy Converſion, and ſince thy laſt renenewig thy Covenant with God, by this Sacrament; and conſider thy ſins, with their ſeveral aggravations, and when thou ſeeſt what thou ſhouldſt have done, and what thou haſt done, compare the one with the other, and compare the difference, and ſee how ſhort thou comeſt; 'tis the Direction of the Holy Ghoſt, Jer. 3.40. Search and try your ways, and turn unto the Lord. Come then to God with ſhame in thy Face, and ſorrow in thy Heart, and, if poſſible, with Tears in thine Eyes; confeſs theſe thy ſins, with their aggravations: Aaron was Commanded to lay his Hands upon the Head of the Scape-Goat, and confeſs over him all the Iniquities of the Children of Iſrael, and all their tranſgreſſions and ſins, Lev. 16.21. Chriſt is our Scape-Goat, let him bear all our Iniquities. To name thy ſin, without ſorrow, is but an aggravation of it; mourn for it therefore, but let the Love of God, and not the fear of puniſhment, be the ſtrongeſt Motive to Repentance: When thou ſeeſt Chriſt Crucified afreſh before thine Eyes in the Ordinance, conſider, and ſay to thy ſelf, Oh, what a wretch was I, to pluck him out of the Arms of his Father, and cauſe him to ſuffer ſuch Helliſh Torments for my ſake; it was my ſin that were the Nails that pierced his Hands, and his Feet, the Spear that wounded his Side, the Thorns that pricked his Head, the Traytor that betrayed him, the Judge that Condemned him, and the Executioner that put him to Death. It was not the Devil, nor his Inſtruments, the Jews nor Gentiles, nor all the wicked Men in the World, could have done it, had it not been for the ſins of his Elect: Me-thinks the conſideration of this ſhould work upon an Ingenious Heart; and when thou haſt confeſt thy ſin, reſolve to forſake it; God makes no promiſe of Pardon to any other: And look ſtedfaſtly upon Chriſt offered to thee in the Sacrament, for Pardon of ſin, and power againſt it, he is a propitiation for ſin, Rom. 3.25. The Lamb of God, that takes away the Sins of the World, John 1.29. Having now found out thy defects of Grace, for 'tis weakneſs of Grace that makes us run into ſin: Go to God for a ſupply, Chriſt is ready with ſupplies; if thou be but ſenſible of thy wants, come to the Ordinance in God's way, and where thou art weak Chriſt will ſtrengthen thee, and where Corruptions are ſtrong, he will weaken them: Be not aſhamed to ſhew to him thy nakedneſs; unlap thy Sores, that thou mayſt have a Plaiſter, and Chriſt will be thy Chyrurgeon, and Phyſitian. In thy decays of Grace, though there be great cauſe of ſhame and ſorrow, yet none of deſpair; there are Recovering Plaiſters, as well as Healing; be but ſenſible of thy want, and go boldly for a ſupply. Come with an empty Soul to Chriſt, and he will fill it; 'tis the full that are ſent empty way.
5. Direct. When thou comeſt to this Ordinance be ſure to ſet thy Grace on work, quicken them up unto the Duty, let them not flag, nor faint, for then thy work will be to little purpoſe; what good will Tools do, if not uſed; and how can they be uſed, if not in Order? A Workman that would Live by his Works, ſees that his Tools be ſharp, and fit for the work, without them we can do nothing; nay, if they be dull, or blunt, the work will not go forward; and therefore let us ſtir up our Graces, as Deborah did her Soul, when ſhe was to ſing forth the praiſes of the Lord, Judg. 5.12. Awake, awake, Deborah; awake, awake, utter a Song, &c. Or as David did his Soul, Pſal. 42.5. Why art thou ſo ſad, O my Soul? And why art thou ſo diſquieted within me, &c. Pſal. 103.12. Bleſs the Lord, O my Soul; and all that is within me praiſe his Holy Name, &c. Stir up thy Self, and lay hold upon him, Iſa. 64.7. This is the time for thee to renew, quicken, and ſtrengthen thy Grace; it was given thee for ſuch a time, and for ſuch a Uſe as this is; let not this Opportunity be let ſlip that may be done now, which cannot be done at another time; renew thy Repentance, and quicken it: This may be done by the conſideration of the Number, Nature, and Effects of thy ſins, and among the reſt this is one, it brought the Lord Jeſus Chriſt to this ſhameful Death: Here thou mayſt ſee him Crucified before thy Face, his Body broken, and his Blood poured out; and mayſt look upon him whom thou haſt pierced, and mourn for him as for an only Son, Zach. 12.10. Quicken thy Love to God alſo, and this thou mayſt do by the conſideration of his Love to thee, and what he hath done for thee, eſpecially in the work of thy Redemption, held out in this Ordinance of the Sacrament: Hadſt thou had a Temporal deliverance from Turkiſh Slavery, thou wouldſt have been thankful to thy Deliverer, and have Loved him for it; much more then is due to him that Redeemed thee from the guilt of ſin, and from the filth of ſin, and from the puniſhment due to ſin; from the Curſe of the Law, the wrath of God, the Slavery of Satan, and from Everlaſting Damnation. Renew thy fear of him alſo, conſider the Fervency of his wrath, againſt Sin, and Sinners, when thou ſeeſt it was ſo hot againſt his own Son, when he ſtood in the room of Sinners; and let this make thee fear to Offend. This alſo may quicken thy Love to thy Brethren; yea, to thine Enemies, when thou conſidereſt how dearly God Loves thy Brethren in Chriſt, and what he ſuffered for them; and to thine Enemies, when thou conſidereſt the Torments which Chriſt indured for thy ſake, when thou waſt his Enemy, and Commands thee to imitate him in Loving thoſe that hate thee. But eſpecially quicken, and Exerciſe thy Faith, for this is all, and in all, in this Duty, and much conduceth to the well performing of it: 'Tis true, Chriſt hath all fulneſs in himſelf to fill empty Souls; he is the Bread and Water of Life, to feed and Refreſh the Hungry and Thirſty; of his Fulneſs we receive Grace for Grace, John 1.14.16. In him all Fulneſs dwells, Col. 1.19. There is in him both fulneſs of Merit, and fulneſs of Spirit; Mortifying, Sanctifying, Quickning Virtue: Here Soul-wants may be ſupplyed. But the way of obtaining this at God's Hands, the way of emptying of Chriſt into the Soul, is by the way of Ordinances; the Word and Sacraments are the Breaſts of Conſolation, from whence we muſt ſuck and be ſatisfied: Theſe are the Pipes through which the Water of Life run, from the Fountain into the Ciſtern; from Chriſt to our Hearts. Chriſt is the Olive, and theſe the Golden Pipes, that convey the Oyl into the Candleſtick, Zach. 4.12. 'Tis true, he could convey it immediately, and empty himſelf into the Soul, without any Inſtrument at all, but this is not uſual, where the Word and Ordinances are to be had. But that we may get benefit by the Ordinances: Faith is neceſſary, the Well is deep, and Faith is the Bucket to draw up this water of Life; and though the Conduit be full of water, and we empty Veſſels, yet if we bring them not thither, they will ſtill remain empty; nay, though we bring them, and place them under the Cock, if we turn not the Cock they are empty ſtill: The Child that plays with the Breaſt, is not ſatisfied till it ſuck: Thou muſt ſuck Honey and Oyl out of this flinty Rock, Deut. 32.13. Faith is the Souls Eye, which muſt be fixed upon Chriſt; the Souls Hand, to lay hold upon Chriſt; the Souls Mouth, to feed upon him: Chriſt, and all his Benefits are offered in the Sacrament, but without Faith they cannot be laid hold upon.
6. Direct. Having ſhewed you what Preparation is neceſſary, and alſo what Qualifications, and how thou ſhouldſt ſtand affected when thou comeſt to this Ordinance. I ſhall next ſhew thee how to demean thy ſelf in the very Act of Receiving. For thy External behaviour, or outward demeanour, it ſhould be ſuch as is ſuitable to the Ordinance, and to the preſence of the Great God; Reverent, Grave, Seemly, and ſuch as beſpeaks Humility, and ſelf-abaſing, not Light, and wanton, and gaziſh, but ſuch as becomes a Gueſt at ſuch a Table; yet beware of ſuch Voluntary, or Superſtitious Humility, ſuch as the Papiſts, and ſome others uſe, which hath no Footing in the vvord of God; the ſureſt way is to take the Scripture for our Guide. But for thy Inward Carriage, which is moſt to be regarded, be ſure thy Heart be not wanting, for God cannot endure Heartleſs Service; if this Inſtrument be not in Tune, the Muſitioner is bad; here, if any where, God calls, Son, give me thy Heart; and nothing elſe will ſerve turn but the Heart, and the Heart broken, and bleeding. Come with the Heart humbled, God cannot endure a proud Perſon, eſpecially in an Ordinance, that hold forth, that which may humble thee; here is Chriſt Crucified, and his Blood ſhed for thy ſin; thou waſt the Traytor that betrayed him, the Judge that Condemned him, and the Executioner that put him Death; and will not this work upon thee? Is it nothing to have Blood lying upon thee, the Blood of the Innocent, the Blood of a Friend, the Blood of a King; yea, the Blood of the Son of God? What ingenious Spirit but would melt at ſuch a Conſideration? Every Sacramental Action of the Miniſter may further thy Meditation, and help thee up to Heaven in thy Contemplation. When thou beholdeſt the Miniſter, who ſtands in the place of God, ſetting apart, and Conſecrating the Bread and Wine, by the Word and Prayer, will not this bring to thy Mind, the Love of God to thy Soul? Who from Eternity ſet apart his only Son, Jeſus Chriſt, to be thy Mediator, and Advocate; thy Surety, and thy Saviour; well may it be ſaid, God ſo Loved the World, &c. May not the thoughts of this furniſh thee with Heart-raiſing, Heart-warming Meditations. And when thou ſeeſt thee Bread broken, and the Wine poured out, doth not this Lively repreſent the bitter Death, and bloody Paſſion of the Son of God, Jeſus Christ, thy ſweet Saviour, and Redeemer; his Body was broken, his precious blood was ſhed for the Remiſſion of thy ſins, which otherwiſe could not have been forgiven. Ah! what a wicked thing then is ſin, when nothing would ſatisfie Divine Juſtice but the death of the only begotten Son of God? When the Bread and Wine thus ſeparated, thus ſet apart, from common uſe, are held forth to thee, apprehend God himſelf, giving Chriſt, yea, Chriſt offering himſelf with all his Treaſures to be thy Husband, thy Surety, thy Mediator, and thy Saviour: Ah! what Soul-refreſhing thoughts may this produce? Well mayſt thou ſay, with David, Lord, what is Man, that thou art mindful of him? Or rather, Lord, what am I, that thou regardeſt me, and haſt provided ſuch a Feaſt of Fat things for me, with Wine on the Lees? When thouſands are laid aſide as good as I by Nature. And when thou receiveſt the Elements at the Miniſters hand, let thy Faith lay faſt hold, and claſp faſt about the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and take him, as given by God, to be thy Husband; and Reſolve that the Devil and all his Inſtruments ſhall never draw off thy Affections from him; but thou wilt, all others being forſaken, prove his faithful Spouſe. And when thou Eateſt, and Drinkeſt the Bread and Wine, let thy Faith feed upon thoſe Spiritual dainties, hereby repreſented, upon this Nectar and Ambroſia; this Bread, and this Water of Life: Receive him, and all the Benefits of the New Covenant by Faith, and in the whole Action let thy Heart Cloſe with God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt; and let the whole bent of thy Soul be ſet upon him, and by ſuch Meditations ſtir up thy Heart to bleſs God, and praiſe him for his Mercy, and to Love him above all, and to vow Obedience to him; and as thou lookeſt upon thy ſin with one Eye, to hate and abominate it, ſo look upon Chriſt with the other, to keep thee from deſpair; as he is offered up in the Sacrament, a Sacrifice to ſatisfie Divine Juſtice, and beg of God humbly, yet believingly that he will accept of this Sacrifice as ſatisfactory for thy ſin, and pardon what is paſt, and give thee power againſt Sin for the time to come. Conſider alſo the giving and receiving of this Sacrament, is a further ratification of the Covenant, as I ſaid before, wherein God offers Chriſt and all his Benefits; and promiſes to be thy God, and the God of thy Seed: And thou promiſeſt that thou and thine will Serve the Lord. Let this ſtrengthen thy Faith in his Promiſes, for he will never break his word; and let it ſtrengthen thy Reſolution, that thou wilt never break with him, then this will be to thee an Happy Ordinance.
7. Direct. If thou wouldſt receive Benefit by the Sacrament, behave thy ſelf well after thou haſt received it. All thy work is not done; nay, moſt is to be done when thou haſt turned thy back upon the Congregation; 'tis not the making a Vow, but the making it good, the fulfilling of it, that is the moſt of the work; 'tis not the preparing for the Duty, or carrying thy ſelf well in the Act of Receiving (though this be neceſſary) that is ſufficient, God expects ſome after-work: A Servant that is refreſht with wholſom meat, and drink, ought not to be Idle, nor to ſpend his time vainly, there is a greater tye lyes upon him, to diligence and pains taking. So he that comes from ſuch a Feaſt, and is refreſhed with ſuch Dainties, ſhould be more Active, Lively, Quick, and Diſpoſed to Spiritual Exerciſes; plung not thy ſelf too ſuddenly into worldly buſineſs, diſtract not thy thoughts about things here below; for, as in ſweats, 'tis dangerous to cool over-ſuddenly: So 'tis here, when the Affections are raiſed to Heaven, let them not ſuddenly grovel upon the ground; when they are heated, let not the cold wind of the World ſuddenly benumb them: And when thou doſt ſet about Worldly buſineſs, remember there is a buſineſs of greater concernment lyes upon thy Hands; and therefore do all in Subordination to God, Redeem ſome time for Divine Meditation, to conſider what thou haſt been about, and with whom thou haſt had to deal? Thou haſt been renewing that Covenant between God and thy Soul, which was made in Baptiſm, and therefore look to it that thou make it good. It is better not to Vow, than to Vow and not perform. Conſider whether God makes good his Promiſe Sealed by this Sacrament; if not, doubtleſs, the fault is thine own: God gives thee Chriſt, and thou giveſt him thy ſelf; if thou hold, God will not flinch: He promiſes Heaven, and Happineſs; and thou promiſeſt Love, and Obedience: And thoſe Vows which thou madeſt in Baptiſm, and reneweſt in this Sacrament, muſt be fulfilled; 'tis an horrible thing to prove Treacherous to this God, and to break Covenant with him; God will avenge the Quarrel of his Covenant. 'Tis a dangerous thing to have God for an Enemy, and our Conſciences for our Accuſers; reſolve therefore to make good thy Engagements, and fulfill thy Vows. Conſider in the Sacrament what Entertainment thou haſt met with from God, and what welcome he hath given thee; haſt thou ſped, or no? Did he meet thee in the Ordinance, or haſt thou had an Anſwer of thy Prayers, or haſt been fruſtrated of thy hopes and expectations? If ſo, examine thy Preparations, and demeanour before and after the Duty, haply thou maiſt find ſome miſcarriage; if ſo, humble thy ſelf, and be more careful for the future; take notice of the repulſe, and be humbled, yet deſpair not: Sometimes the Ordinance may be more beneficial after, than at preſent, as the Sacrament of Baptiſm uſually is. If thou haſt met with ſome Fruit, but not ſo much as thou expecteſt, or deſireſt, conſider thou art not to be thy own Carver; he deals his Mercies as he ſees beſt, thou muſt wait upon him in a longing Poſture, it will come in the moſt ſuitable Seaſon; if thou haſt found any, 'tis more than thy deſert, bleſs God for it, from whoſe bounty it proceeds: If it be not ſo much as thou expecteſt, 'tis more than thou deſerveſt; 'tis to be owned, he that is not thankful for a little, God will not truſt him with much: Thou giveſt him thanks for Bodily Food, and wilt be thankful for Crumbs, and not for Chriſt? For Temporal Favours, and not for Spiritual Mercies? And this ſhould be expreſſed in deeds, as well as words; thou ſhouldeſt live thanks as well as ſpeak thanks: And as Chriſt gives himſelf to thee, ſo give up, not only thy Name, but thy Heart to him; keep alive in thy Soul the Spiritual Fervor, and maintain thy ground againſt thy Corruptions: See how thy Graces grow, and how thy Corruptions dye; this is the way to grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt: Walk in the ſtrength of one Ordinance to another, and thus doing, thou wilt be a growing Chriſtian, and thou wilt find, through the Bleſſing of God upon thine Endeavours, that the Sacrament, which many get little benefit by, is indeed a Soul-fatting Ordinance.