A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 240 (Question 97 cont.)
SERMON CCXL.
4. ANOTHER thing that we are to Examine our ſelv…s about in order to our worthy partaking, is our Love. It is certain that this Sacrament cannot be rightly a…e…ded without Love in exerciſe; for which there muſt be a root of it in the Soul. The Ordinance is called a C…mmunion, 1 Cor. 10 16. And there can be no comfortable Communion without it be animated with Love between the Communicants. This Ordinance is called a Feaſt, and Feaſts are made for friendſhip; which ſuppoſeth Love, and that without diſſimulation. It muſt therefore be needful that we call our ſelves to an account about our Love; whether we have it in us, and in what poſture it is to exert it ſelf. In a Word, it is to be a Commemoration of the greateſt Love which cannot be done as it ought to be, without the reciprocation of our moſt ardent and intenſe Love. Now there is a twofold Love which we are here to Examine our ſelves about, viz. Our Love to God and Chriſt, and our Love one to another.
1. WE are to make trial of our Love to God and Chriſt. In this Ordinance is exhibited to us the ſingular Love of God in Chriſt unto us; and if our Love be not by it drawn out to him, we muſt …eeds be unworthy Communicants. We are here to celebrate the Love of God. As the Deity is the ultimate Object of our Faith, ſo of out Love. One God in Three Perſons, is co…ce…ed in our Salvation; and each of theſe Divine Subſiſtences hath his peculiar manner of expre…g his Love to us, which calls for … grateful acknowledgement. God the Father in choſing of us, which is aſcribed to his Everlaſting Love, J…r. 31.3. God the Son in Redeeming of us; which is alſo aſſigned to his Love, G…l. 2.20. And God the Spirit in Calling of us, which was a demonſtration of his infinite Love, Jer. 31.3. But i…ſmuch as God peculiarly ſignalized this Love of his in the great Work of Redemption wrought out by Chriſt; and that in his doing and dying for Sinners, there is a ſpecial Commemoration of this appointed in the Ordinance, and it is ſaid to be to ſhew f…th his Death until be comes: altho' this muſt always have a regard to what each of the Perſons hath done in it. G…d the Father gave him for us, Rom. 8.32. God the Son gave himſelf freely to this; he gave his Life for many, and he offered himſelf up by the Eternal Spirit, and it is the Spirit who powerfully applies the vertue of this Sacrifice unto …s. Now except we Love Chriſt he cannot profit us, but we abide under the Curſe. As in 1 C…r. 6.22. If any man love not the Lord J…ſus Chriſt, let him be Anathema, Ma…ath…. N…w among others, there are th…ſe particular Rules by which we may try our Love to him.
(1.) Do we love God with a Supream Love. I… there be any thing that we love better, or equally with him, we do not Love him at all, Mat. 10.37. So that tho' there is a Love which we owe to the Creature, yet when it comes in competition with this, it is comparatively hatred, Luk. 14.26. Is our Love for him ſuch as we cannot expreſs, but are forced to cry out, as Pſal. 119.97. O how love I thy law! Do we prefer Chriſt before all the World? Cant. 5.10. Have we ſeen his Amiableneſs ſuch as makes every thing elſe contemptible in compariſon of him?
(2.) HAVE we forſaken all for Chriſt? And this will follow on the former. If we Love him above all, we have counted nothing too good to part withal for him: Other things have earneſtly ſollicited our Affections, and courted our Love, but we have counted nothing ſo dear as to break on this account, but could readily let all go that offered to part between him and us: We have choſen him, and rejected every thing for him. This was it the Diſciples could plead, Math. 19.21. We have forsaken all and followed thee.
(3.) DO we expect our whole Happineſs from him? If we Love him as we ought, he is our all; we go no whither elſe, rely upon no other Object for our Bleſſedneſs but him only. We can ſay, as Pſal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and thee is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee. Doubtleſs the ſuitableneſs & ſ…ciency of Chriſt is the attractive of this Love: And hence … reſolve to go no whither elſe for any thing, but to him, Job. 6.63. And hence we … ſatisfied in him, and count him to be a portion ſufficient.
(4.) HAVE we …n…med …ſires after Communion with him? And this hath a reſpect to our preſent frame, for there may be a …oot of Love in us, but the act…ity of it may be impeded by Corruption in …s; and our Affections c…ded and this pa…s us out of frame. So it was with the Spouſe, …ant, 5 begin And this frame will grow inſenſibly on us, if we be not aware: other things will attract us, and our Hearts will be to… much engaged to them; and ſometimes prejudices will get room in our Hearts, which will damp our Love to him. This therefore ought alſo to be inquired after; and we are not as we ſhould be, when we come to this Ordinance, unleſs we can ſay with the Pſalmiſt, in Pſal. … begin It we do not come to enjoy him, and lie in a…s Embraces, we do not come with a right de…ign, not can we expect to profit. And the more e…gerly our Hearts are diſpoſed for this, the more clear is the diſcovery of our Love.
2. …E are alſo to make …rial of our Love is our Brethren. This Sacrament is ordained, not only for our Communion with God and Chriſt, but alſo one with another. We therefore have ſuch an expreſſion, 1 Cor. 10.17. For we being many are e…e bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that o… bread. In which it is intimated, that as the Bread is the ſame in ſignification, though broken and diſtributed to each Communicant; ſo it tells us that we are one in C…riſt, becauſe it is the ſame Chriſt that we love upon: which is Myſtically to be underſtood. Now if there be ſuch a oneneſs in Believers, doubtleſs it beſpeaks them to be one in Heart, Affection and Love. Beſides, this Sacrament tells us, what potent Obligations there are lying upon us to have and maintain the exerciſe of this Love. It tells us that we are the Children of one Father, the Spouſe of the ſame Chriſt, the Temple of the ſame Spirit; that he entertains us as Children at the ſame Table; which is alſo and Emblem of our ſitting together with Chriſt in h…s Kingdom; that we are engaged in the ſame Profeſſion, and equally hated by the World. All of which challengeth our endeared Love one of another. Now if we have not this Love in its vigour, we put an unavoidable obſtruction to our profitable Communion. If that was a good plea, 1 Pet. 3.8. Love as …thren; it muſt needs be of equal force with regard to our partaking at this Sacrament; nay the want of i… w…ll darken our evidence of our ſincere L…ving of God. For ſo the Apoſtle argues, 1 J…h. 4.20. If a man ſay, I love God, and h…eth his brother, he is a liar: for be that l…veth not his brother whom be hath ſeen, how can be love God whom be h…th not ſeen. Yet it is neceſſary to prove that we are truly Converted, as Chap. ….14. … know that we have …ſſed from death unto …ſe, … cauſe we l…ve the brethren: he that …veth not his br…er, …b…deth in death. Now the Rules of Trial on this account are particularly ſuch as theſe,
(1.) DO we love the Brethren in & for Chriſt? There is a natural affection of Love which we have to Man, on the account of ſomething in them natural or moral that we ſee in them, which is attractive; a neatneſs of carnal Relation; ſim…l…ude of Manners, aff…ble and courteous Carriage; Kindneſſes which they ſh…w to us, and whatſoever elſe of like nature. But this will not amount to a demonſtration of Brotherly Love, which is thing here to be ſought. But is it becauſe we ſ…e ſuch diſcoveries of the Image of Chriſt upon them, and the ſhine of the Graces of his Spirit in their Converſation? This is to Love them for Chriſt's ſake. If we Love a Diſ…iple in the name of a Diſciple, this is the Love that will declare us to be Diſciples. And the move we ſee of this, the more delight we take in them, Pſal 16.2.
(2.) DO we live in the due exerciſe of not Charity towards them? Love is an operative Affection, and will diſcover it ſelf where it is by its overt-acts, in which it will witneſs for it ſelf in our own Conſciences; and there are many things in which this is to be obſerved: We ſhall delight in their Company, and refreſh our Hearts with Chriſtian Communication; we ſhall bear with their Infirmities, allowing them to be in the Body, and cover a multitude of Sins. We ſhall put the beſt interpretation on their dub…us Actions, and not ſtrain them to the higheſt. If there be occaſion to reprove them, we ſhall do it faithfully, but with a Spirit of meekneſs and tenderneſs; and eaſy to be perſwaded. If the Providence of God brings them into outward nece…ry, we have a ſpecial regard to them, and open our Hearts and Hards to them, …. 6.10. And if Perſecuted for Righteouſneſs take, we are not aſhamed of them.
(3.) DO we care…lly ſeek to remove all Prejudices that at any time ariſe between us? Thro' remaining Corruption there will ſometimes Contention fall ou…; and either we or they, or both, may be the blam…able Cauſes of it: Such there was between Paul and Bar…es. Now this Love will make us willingly to acknowledge our own fault; and to accept of Satisfaction of them for their's. Hence that Exhortation, Eph. 4.32. And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Chriſt's ſake hath forgiven you. And Love will make us very willing, and not … critical, becauſe the Love of Chriſt … conſtrain us to be very tender to ſuch as we hope that he hath loved.
(4.) DO we maintain a placable Spirit, tho' ſometimes they for the preſent diſcover an obſtinate Spirit? Here it may be asked, Whether if our Brother have offended us, and we ſeek Satisfaction and cannot obtain it, we may juſtly withdraw from the Sacrament, on his account? This is too much practiſed: But the matter may eaſily be decided. It we have not taken the orderly Means preſcribed by Chriſt, we our ſelves are under Guilt, and add one Sin to another, by our withdrawing: If we have done all we can; and either have not proof to make it publick; or if when brought to the Church, they do not ſee ſufficient ground of proceeding to a Cenſure; there is no reaſon that we ſhould puniſh our ſelves for a other's offence, by abſtaining, or condemn the Church by this act of ours; but rather to leave it with God, when we have cleared our own Conſciences. And we ſhall thus avoid being partakers in another's Sin; and mean while hear no malice againſt the Perſon, but Pray for him, and wait for his Conviction and Humiliation.
5. THE last thing mentioned which we are to Examine our ſelves about, is our New-Obedience. There is an Obedience due to God from Mankind by the obligation of the Moral Law; and by this was his Allegiance to God as his Lord to be proved, which was to be perfect and indeficient. Now, tho' Man by his Fall loſt this power, yet he is thereby acquitted from his Duty, the Moral Law being of perpetual force, as a Rule. But there is a reinforcement of this Duty in the New Covenant, it being required by Chriſt, as Head and King of his Church, only with this difference, that under the firſt Covenant, the leaſt failure brought the Man under the Sanction of Death; whereas under the New Covenant, tho' it is our duty to aſpire after Perfection, yet Chriſt will accept of ſincerity at the hands of thoſe who are intitled to his Benefits: and for that reaſon it is called New Obedience, becauſe it is accepted in the New Covenant of ſuch as have a claim to it; and by this we are to prove our Faith and Love. For, where there is Faith it will purify the Heart, Act. 15.9. And it will work by Love, Gal. 5.6. And this is the great trial of Love, Joh. 15.14. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatſoever I command you. Except therefore we can approve our ſelves for this Obedience, and are in the exerciſe of it, we cannot come worthily. Now if we would truly prove our ſelves by this, we muſt bring our ſelves to the Teſt of theſe Rules;
1. HAVE we made a free choice of the Law of God for the Rule of our Life? If we are Subjects, we are under Government; and that ſuppoſeth a Rule of Government, and for a reaſonable Creature; a Command requires free and voluntary Obedience: And we are aſſured that every one of Mankind is under the Obedience of Chriſt or Satan; and that is one neceſſary Note of diſtinguiſhing them, viz. their Service; for which we have that laid down, Rom. 6.16. His ſervants ye ar… to whom ye obey. Now Chriſt and Satan have their Laws, which are not only diverſe but repugnant, ſo that we cannot be Servants of both a… once, Ma…th. 6.24. And the Law of God contains all the Precepts of the Moral Law, and all the Commands of Chriſt in his Goſpel; and if we are engaged to him in new Obedience, we have cordially choſen this to regulate our ſelves by; which ſuppoſeth that we approve of it, Rom. 7.12. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. That we entirely Love it, Pſal. 119.97. and hate all that is contrary to it, Ver. 104. And that it is pleaſant and not grievous to us, 1 Joh. 5.3.
2. DO we regulate our Lives carefully by the Law? And this will neceſſarily follow from the former, and ſtands for a good evidence of it; hence, Pſal 119.105. And that we may do ſo, we make it our ſtudy to get acquaintance with it, Ver. 97. And therefore when we go about to do any thing, we repair to it as the Man of our Counſels; and we ask at this Oracle: If the Law approves of it, and calls for it, we diſpute it not, but readily conform to it; but if that forbids it, we dare not to do it, l…ſt we ſhould Sin againſt God, Gen. 39 9. Nor do we plead excuſe from our Ignorance, but aggravate our fault by the conſideration of our Negligence; and the more watchful we are in this regard, the better evidence we have for our Obedience.
3. DO we try our Lives by this Rule? We may be and too often are over-precipitant in our Actions, too many of our Thoughts, Words and Deeds are over haſty; but an obedient Heart will maintain an holy Jealouſy; which will make us to reflect and recognize theſe Actions, as being afraid leſt we have offended: We are not Antinomians; if we are Obedient Subjects, we do not think we are freed from Duty or Danger; but are afraid of provoking God, and procuring his Diſpleaſure, Pſal. 119.120. I am afraid of thy Judgments. And this engageth us a daily ſearch.
4. DO we take pleaſure in doing the Will of God? There is a ſort of Obedience which is produced by other Principles; the force of Reaſon the inſtigations of a natural Conſcience, the ſenſe of Shame, and the fear of Puniſhment; and there is the Uſefulneſs of all theſe for the Godly, whilſt they have ſo much of ſinful Corruption cleaving to them. But the great Teſt here is our delight in doing the Will of God; we do not do Duty upon force, but on choice; and we take our beſt content when we moſt of all pleaſe God: This is to be like Chriſt; of whom, Pſal. 40 8. I delight to thy will, O my God. Paul therefore ſaith, 2 Cor. 5.14. For the love of Chriſt conſtraineth us.
5. DO we ſhun the Temptations to Sin. The People of God are arreſted here with many; ſometimes allurements, ſometimes diſcouragements. Now one that hath the root of this Obedience in him, is ſenſible of his own Infirmity, of the deceitfulneſs of Sin in him, and the cunning devices of Satan, and the …res that …y in his way; and this makes him watchful againſt being drawn into Sin, (Pſal. 39.1.) which makes him to walk Circumſpectly, (Eph. 5.15.) and avoid the appearances of evil. Hence he will not run himſelf upon any Temptation, in carnal Confidence; he keeps as much as he can out of the road of Temptation: Such therefore is the Advice given us, Prov. 4.14, 15. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, paſs not by it, turn from it, and paſs away.
6. Do we mourn under the constant ſenſe of our remaining Concupiſcence? There will be a law in our members warring againſt the law of God, as long as we abide here; and it's endeavours are to make Captives of us, and to hinder us in our regular Obedience, and draw us into Sin: And when this Obedience is rooted in the Heart, it will make us to carry this about as our greateſt burden; and we ſhall teſtify it by our groans and bitter cries, as he, Rom. 7.24. Pſal. 31.10. & 38 4. And this is the Frame which beſt becomes us in our approaching to this Table. And let us not be ſuperficial, but thorough in Examining our ſelves upon theſe points.
3. WE are told of what importance it is for Chriſtians, thus carefully to Examine them themſelves, in order to their worthily Partaking; which is taken from the Danger there is in the neglect of this; leaſt coming unworthily, they eat & drink Judgment to themſelves. And there is a two fold Danger intimated in this Argument, which may be conſidered:
1. THE Omiſſion of this Duty, expoſeth us to the hazard o… …oming unworthily. That there may be ſuch a coming is ſuppoſed, 1 Cor. 11.29. And is there brought in to urge the Duty preſſed, Ver. 28. And the word there tranſlated unworthily, ſignifies unbecomingly, or ſo as is not ſuitable to the Perſon doing it, or the thing it ſelf which is done; and ſuch an Unworthineſs as this, will eaſily accompany this Communion, if Men be not very heedful to themſelves in this Duty. If a Man approach this Table, and participate in the Elements which are there ſet apart for this ſacred Uſe, being in his Natural and Unregenerate State, he cannot avoid this Unworthineſs: And this is becauſe he cannot poſſibly Spiritually diſcern the Lord's Body, or partake in Chriſt and his Benefits, any more than a dead Man can receive Bodily Nouriſhment. Godly Men alſo are not out of this danger, by reaſon of the Corruption there is in them, and their aptneſs by the influence of it, to come unprepared and indiſpoſed to the exerciſe of theſe Graces which is here required; and in how many ways this may be done we have formerly taken an account: If he come under the prevalence of a rooted Prejudice againſt his Brother, or under the Guilt of any clandeſtine Sin, whereby he hath debauched his Conſcience; if he know that his Brother hath a juſt Offence at him, and he hath not fought reconciliation with God, and renewed his Peace; nay the very coming raſhly, without this Examination; it is a manifeſt breach of the Command, and readers him unworthy. And indeed, if he doth not diligently ſearch himſelf for theſe things, he cannot poſſibly …e in a fit Poſture for right attendance on ſo ſol… an Ordinance; and this neglect argues … to be ignorant of himſelf, and lifted up with Pride, and argues great Contempt.
2. THE other Danger is, That if he do … come unworthily, he will certainly out & drink Judgment to himſelf. This is plumply aſſerted in the fore-cited, 1 Cor. 11.29. and there urged as a forcible Argument to put Men upon this Duty, as a thing very neceſſary: And doubtleſs to one that rightly conſiders of it, it muſt needs carry great a… with it on his heart. The word which is there tranſlated Damnation, firſtly ſignifies Judgment; and it is ſometimes uſed for the Crime it ſelf which a Man commits; ſometimes for the Gui… which attends on the Crime, and ſometimes for the Sentence of Condemnation which is paſt on the guilty Perſon, and ſometimes for the Puniſhment it ſelf that is inflicted on him; and it may be here in a right ſenſe applied to every one of theſe, and there is a ſort of connection between them. Now theſe Judgments are either Temporal or Eternal; and are applicable in either ſenſe diſtributively, in conſideration of the Perſons ſo offending. Doubtleſs a truly Godly Perſon ſo offending, altho' every Sin deſerves Death, yet doth not come under the Condemnation of Eternal Deſtruction, becauſe his Perſon is Juſtified; and ſo, Rom. 8.1…. But he herein lays himſelf open both to temporal and ſpiritual Judgments; and ſuch the Apoſtle particularly ſpeaks of in the following Verſes; although unregenerate Men being already under Condemnation, do by ſuch an Act encreaſe their Guilt, and ſtrengthen their Sentence. And the manner of the Apoſtle's Aſſertion concerning it, is very remarkable, He eateth and drinketh Damnation to himſelf; the meaning whereof is well to be conſidered: And we may here obſerve, that the Sacrament is a Seal of the Covenant, and is a Medium of Application; and a Seal not only ſignifies, but alſo confirms ſomething; and that is to be Judged of according to the Contents of the Covenant to which it is affi…ed… Now the Promiſe of the Covenant is Hypothetical; and not only ſo, but hath alſo a Threatning annexed to it; which alſo comes within the compaſs of the Seal, ſo that whoſoever partakes of this Ordinance, comes under this ſolemn Caution, that if he doth it worthily, it will be a confirming Ordinance to him, and a Seal of the Bleaſſings of the Covenant, for the eſtabliſhing of his Faith and Conſolation; whereas if he do it unworthily, this ſtands as a witneſs againſt him, and ratifieth the Threatning: Not that in it's prime Deſign it is a …acrement of Death, but is ſo to him by his own default in receiving unworthily; ſo that by thus eating and drinking, he pulls on his own Head the Judgment denounced upon that Hypotheſis; and that whether it be temporal or eternal. Only to prevent a miſtake here, let us obſerve, that this caution is here carefully to be thought of, viz. that under the Diſpenſation of the Goſpel-Covenant, there is a room left for Evangelical Repentance; and God's Sovereign Grace hath a reſerve for diſplaying it ſelf, by renewing the Guilt contracted, and ſo it doth not abandon any ſuch to deſpair of Salvation, who are convinced of the Guilt of this Sin; but it calls them to a ſoaking Sorrow and ſound Repentance for this aggravated Crime, and to fly to the ſame Blood which hath been thus deſpiſed, for the removal both of the guilt and puniſhment. And ſurely, this danger reſented, is ſufficient to rouſe us up to great diligence in this Self Examination.
USE. LET is be to callen us all to quicken our Care & Diligence in this regard. We cannot live in the neglect of this Ordinance contentedly, without caſting contempt on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, whoſe Love is here to be commemorated, and whoſe Command ought to be obeyed: not can we come to it ſafely, unleſs in ſome good meaſure prepared; for if we come unworthily we ſhall contract new Guilt, and thereby expoſe our ſelves to puniſhment. If Corruption within, and Satan and World from abroad, can diſcompoſe us, they will not be wanting to do it. Let all this then put us on the greateſt care to try ourſelves in order to our coming and for that end the better to do it, let us call our ſelves every day to a ſtrict account; and let us take a new Survey of our ſelves, when we are about to come; and keep a guard upon our Hearts, while we are in actual Communion; and after the Solemnity is over, inquire what our Graces have gained by it: and if thus we judge our ſelves, we ſhall better know what our preſent duty is, and be in the proper way to gain the more of ſtrength and comfort in our Chirſtian Courſe.