Advice to an Only Child, Chapter 34 – Conclusion
CHAP. XXXIV. Of Suitable Behaviour at the Table of the Lord.
BE careful ſo to behave your ſelf at this Divine Feaſt, as becomes one of the Lords Gueſts. It's not ſufficient to get your Heart into a Devout Frame, before you Approach to this Table of the Lord, but it is requiſite alſo, that it be kept up in a Holy Tune, in a right Diſpoſition and ſuitable Deportment, during the whole Solemnity. It's not enough to Trim up ones ſelf to go to the Table of ſome Noble Perſon, but there muſt be alſo a becoming Behaviour there, leſt Offence be given, by any undecencies. And therefore that your Demeanour here may be proper and becoming, I ſhall inſtruct you how, and in what particular Seaſons or Paſſages of the Adminiſtration, your Sacramental Graces reſpectively are to be exerciſed. I hinted to you in the former Chapter, which are thoſe Graces that are moſt proper to be exerciſed at the Sacrament, and ſhall now ſhew you in what Order and Method, and in what ſeaſon they are aptly and pertinently to be acted there.
When you are called up by the Miniſter to draw near to the Table of Bleſſing, think you hear Chriſt himſelf by his Miniſter calling you up, and bidding you welcom. And then Exerciſe Humble Thankfulneſs and Joy, together with hungring deſires, and let your Heart ſay: Lord, what am I, that thou ſhouldſt ſo far condeſcend, as to invite me a poor Worm, thy worthleſs Hand-maid to thy Royal Table? And to admit ſuch a wretched Creature to the Banquet of Spiced Wine, who have deſerved nothing but Gall and Vinegar to Drink? My Soul therefore doth Magnifie the Lord, and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour, for he hath regarded the Lowlineſs of his Hand-Maid, from henceforth all the powers of my Soul ſhall call thee Bleſſed. Lord haſt thou now called me into thy Banquetting-Houſe? I do promiſe here, that while the King ſitteth at the Table (and I there with him) my Spicknard ſhall ſend forth the ſmell thereof. My Faith, Deſires, Love and Thankfulneſs: Yea, all my Graces ſhall ſend forth a ſweet and holy Perfure to pleaſe him. O that the ſame Love that hath prepared a Table for me, and now called me to it, would prepare me for it, and refreſh my Soul with Love and Sweetneſs there!
At the Miniſters reciting the words of Inſtitution, Separating and Bleſſing of the Bread and Wine, whereby they are Conſecrated; Exerciſe Faith and Thankfulneſs, and fervent Deſires to God the Father, and ſay, Lord, out of thine infinite Love, thou didſt ſeparate and ſet apart the Lord Jeſus from all Eternity, and appointed him for our Redeemer, and didſt bleſs him with the Spirit above meaſure, making him the rich Treaſury, and common Stock of Grace, a Fountain over-flowing, to the ſupply of all Believers: Let him not be to me a lockt Treaſure, or a Fountain Sealed up, but Bleſs and Sanctifie theſe Creatures of Bread and Wine to me, that they may be the Body and Blood of Chriſt in effect to me, for my Attonement, Peace and Propitiation, and pardon of all my Sins, and convey Spiritual Life, Nouriſhment and Comfort to me abundantly. O let my Soul be ſteept in ſweetneſs; and let the Rock pour out Oyl into me, even the Oyl of Grace, and of Joy and Gladneſs alſo.
When you look upon the Bread and Wine after Conſecration, Exerciſe Faith to diſcern the Lords Body; and look now upon them not as common Bread and Wine, but as Sacramental Repreſentations, Spiritually Exhibiting the Body and Blood of Chriſt, look by Faith beyond theſe outward Elements and ſay; Lord, thou doſt here ſend me a covered Diſh of Royal Cheer from Heaven, from thine own Table, as to a Beloved Friend, or Dear Child: Teach me to take off the outward Cover, and to ſee plainly and clearly the rare Delicates that are laid in it. Let me ſo imploy my outward Senſes, in minding the out-ſide of the Sacrament, ſo as to raiſe my Spiritual Senſes, to ſee and diſcern the inſide thereof, and the Glorious Myſteries couched in it. And here exerciſe further longing deſires after thoſe vailed Myſteries, and ſay, As the Heart pants after the Water-Brooks, ſo panteth my Soul after thee O God, my Soul is athirſt for God, yea, even for the Living God.
When you ſee the Bread broken and the Wine poured out, then you ſee the lively Spectacle of a Dying Saviour. Let then Repentance be renewed, Faith, Love and Reſolutions, for New Obedience, and Holy Deſires alſo Acted and Elevated in the Soul. Repreſent now to your ſelf in this Myſtery, what our Lord Jeſus endured when he hung upon his painful Bed of Sorrows the Croſs, and ſay to your ſelf, canſt thou look upon a broken Saviour, without a broken Heart? upon a bleeding Chriſt, without a bleeding Soul? Upon a pierced Jeſus, without a Heart pierced thorow with Godly ſorrow, for thy Sins that pierced him? Doth not every Orifice made by the Nayls, the Thorns, and the Spear in that pretious tormented and pained Body, and every drop of Blood that iſſued thence, call aloud to thee for Repentance of thoſe Sins that cauſed theſe Torments? I do therefore here Vow and Covenant to take a revenge upon my Sins, and give them their mortal wound, and cauſe them to Bleed to Death, uſing them, as they uſed my Dear Lord and Saviour. O what Streams of matchleſs Love were theſe, that flowed from a Dying Saviour, laying down his Life for me; and do not theſe call for ſtreamings of Love back again from my Breaſt towards him? O that my Soul may be ſprinkled with that Blood, which iſſued from that Fountain of infinite Love! O that it may be Bathed in that Bleſſed Bath, ſet open for Sin and for Uncleanneſs! Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there's none upon Earth that I can deſire beſides thee, my bleeding Saviour.
When the Miniſter comes and delivers to you the Bread or Wine, look on him as doing it in Chriſts Name, and here ſtir up Faith and Love to God. Think with admiring Love, how God in Chriſt delivers up himſelf in Covenant to you, offering to be your God, your Reconciled Father and Redeemer: And believe with Joy and Thankfulneſs, that you hear Chriſt by the Miniſter ſaying to your Faith, Take my Body and Blood, all the Riches of that Covenant, which was Sealed with my Blood, all the Bleſſings coucht in that Bleſſed Charter of the Goſpel.
When you take theſe at the Miniſters hands, then let the Hand of Faith ſtretch forth it ſelf, to reach God, and ſtir up your ſelf to take hold on him, and put forth intire Reſolutions of New Obedience, and ſay, Lord, by taking this, I do Covenant with thee, that I take thee with my whole Heart, to be my Lord, to be ruled and governed as well as ſaved by thee, and I do here ſeriouſly devote my ſelf, both Body and Soul to the intire Obedience of thee.
When you are eating the Bread, then lift up your Heart by Faith to God and ſay; I believe, Lord, that thy fleſh is meat indeed; thou that didſt Dye for me, art the Bread of Life, that ſhall nouriſh my Soul to eternal Life. My Soul ſhall be ſatisfied as with marrow and fatneſs, and my Mouth ſhall praiſe thee with joyful Lips. And here by eating this Bread, I do Covenant with thee, to be thy Servant and Obedient Child for ever.
And when you are drinking of the Wine, or immediately upon it, ſay, Lord, thy Blood is Drink indeed. O that my Soul may taſt the refreſhings of this Heavenly Wine! O ſtay me with Flagons, Comfort me with thy Love, which is better than Wine. I believe that thy Blood was ſhed for the Remiſſion of Sins, O that I may be waſht from all mine in that Holy Laver! And that I may hear the ſoft Voice of thy Spirit whiſpering to my Soul, Daughter be of good Cheer, thy Sins be forgiven thee. Bleſs the Lord, O my Soul, and that is within me bleſs his Holy Name, who forgiveth all thine Iniquities, and healeth all thy Diſeaſes.
When you look upon the Communicants receiving with you, exerciſe Love to the Saints, and ſay, where the Carcaſs is, where the Crucified Body of my Saviour is, thither will the believing Eagles be gathered together, and ſhall not I be joyned in love with all that Heavenly Flock, and Holy Society? Theſe Eagles do all feed on Blood, the Blood of a Crucified Chriſt, and hath not this a Cementing Virtue to unite Affections? Theſe are the Friends of the Bride groom, and ſhall not I make them my Friends? Shall not the Beloved of my Saviour, be the Beloved Ones of my Soul?
CHAP. XXXV. What is to be done after the Adminiſtration is ended.
VVHEN the ſolemnity is over; go home with a glad heart, and a chearful Spirit, and ſay to your ſelf: what, did Haman go from Eſthers Banquet of Wine, with a glad Heart, glorying in the honour of his being there? And ſhall not I much more rejoyce and glory, who have been in the Spouſes banqueting Houſe, where his Banner over me was love; and have been royally entertain'd by the King of Saints with the choiceſt delicates of Heaven!
When you are come home retire your ſelf into privacy for a little time, and ask your ſelf what your demeanour was at the Lords Table, and what happy fruit you have found of your being there. What meltings, or ſoftnings of Heart? What glimpſes of Love? What cheriſhing Beams of the Spirit? What ſtrength, vigor and livelineſs of Soul? What ſecret ſpringings and elevations of Spirit? What ſpiritual quicknings and refreſhings have you had at that Feaſt of Fat Things and refined Wines? And according as you find it with your Heart upon this ſhort tryal, ſo do you anſwerably make your addreſſes unto God. If you have found the efficacy of the Ordinance, and ſweet ſatisfaction there, bleſs God for it, and ſing glory to God in the higheſt, and pray earneſtly to him, that it may abide upon your Soul, but if you find no Divine reliſhes, no drops of ſweetneſs, but are come away with an earthy and droſſy Soul, then humble your ſelf before God, and labour to find out the Sin that was the obſtruction, and remove it.
3. Be watchful afterwards, leſt the World or any trifling occaſions damp thoſe influences, which you found at the Sacrament. All perſons are moſt careful of themſelves after they come out of a hot Bath, leſt they ſhouid take cold. When you have been at this Spiritual Bath of the Sacrament, be exceeding careful that cold get not info the Heart, that thoſe affections that were warmed and heated there, be not cooled again. Let not thoſe ſweet gales of Devotion, that did blow within you, at the Lords Table, be preſently driven away with a counterblaſt from Satan or the World. Satan will now be moſt ready to Way-lay you, for to rob you of your Jewels, theſe pretious Love-tokens of Peace, and Joy, and holy Vigour, which you received from your bleſſed Lord at his Table, and therefore you have more need after you have been there to look well about you, and to walk more circumſpectly, and to live more orderly. A diſorderly Diet after Phyſick received will do more hurt than before. Live ever after as one that hath been at the Table of the Lord, then ſhall you at the end of your life be welcomed to the Supper of the Lamb, in the kingdom of Glory, and the Cloath never drawn to all Eternity.
The Concluſion.
I Have now drawn out to you the Lineaments of practical Religion (the chief Lines and Features of Godlineſs) which conſiſts mainly in believing in, and devoting your ſelf to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, in living by Faith, in holineſs of Heart and Life, in Love to God, in walking before God and in univerſal obedience to him, ſtrictly and circumſpectly, as alſo in Mortification, Repentance, praiſing of God and delighting in him, Humility, Meekneſs, Love and Charity, exerciſing Grace in all Conditions and Relations, well ſpending of your time, eſpecially on the Lords day, and waiting upon God in the Holy Ordinances of Prayer, Word and Sacraments. It's now your duty not only to view theſe lines, but to draw out the ſame in your practice, and to mould your ſelf into the like form. I have endeavoured to anoint your right ear with wholeſome advice, ſee that it be your care to get your right foot anointed with the Oil of Grace, that you may ſmoothly and chearfully walk in the way here Chaulkt out before you, till you come to the Land of Glory.
FINIS.