CHAP. I. That GOD must be sought in a right Order, as well as in a right Ordinance.

WE reade CHAP. 1 1 Sam. 4. 3, 4. That the Israelites be­ing beaten by the Phi­listims, they send for the Arke of God from Shiloh to bee brought into the Campe, that it might save [Page 2] them out of the hands of their ene­mies. Such be the silly and the poore confidences of carnall and superstiti­ous hearts, to rest and rely more up­on outward signes of Gods presence, and to betrust their safety with them, than to take care for the presence of God Himselfe. As if God had beene so chained to his Arke, that it com­ming, God himselfe must needs come into their Campe. A far wiser course it had beene, to have taken a course to have fetcht the Lord of Hosts himselfe, then the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord of Hosts. GOD could, and would have holpen them without the Arke; but alas, What could the Ark doe without God? They might have learned another thing from Moses, Num. 10. 36. And it came to passe when the Arke set forward, that Moses said, Rise up O Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered. He knew, and taught, That though the Arke did rise, yet if God sate still, it would not make one ene­my flie; but let God arise, and let his [Page 3] enemies bee scattered: it is Gods rising that is the enemies scattering. And suppose there had beene somewhat in the outward presence of the Arke, yet what hope of helpe could they have by it, as it came attended? And the two Sons of Ely, sayes the Text, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the Arke of the Covenant of God. Lit­tle likelyhood of Gods being there, when they were there. Their presence in the Campe was likelier to do them more mischiefe, than the Arkes pre­sence was like to doe them good. But they so dote upon the Arke, and put such confidence in it, have it they must, and have it they will, not taking care to bring God along with it, nor being in any feare of miscarriage, though it comes upon the prophane shoulders of Hophni and Phinehas. Well, and when they have it, how speed they? That confidence of theirs was miserably checkt, not onely by their owne ruine and overthrow, but by the captivity of the Arke. Even [Page 4] that which they hoped should have saved them out of the hand of their enemies, was delivered into the ene­mies hands, He delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the ene­mies hand, Psal. 78. 61. So righteous it is with God, to let men see the vani­ty of their fond confidences, That the winde shall carry them all away, that vanity shall take them, Isa. 57. 13. That he rejects such confidences, and that men shall not prosper in them, Ier. 2. 37. Well, but now though Israels confi­dences be in the dust; yet have the Phi­listims little reason to vaunt of their victory: The Arke, though it saves not Israel, yet proves a plague to the Philistims: God soone makes them weary of their booty, and make them glad to returne it home againe, and that with flying colours, and in an honourable manner. And now the Arke returning, is not seated as before at Shiloh, where it had beene till its captivity, ever since the dayes of Ioshua, but was placed in the Citie [Page 5] of Kiriath-Iearim, a Citie in Iudah. There it remained separated from the Tabernacle, unto the time of Davids ferching it thence, which could not be lesse than about the space of forty seven yeeres. Samuel and Saul gover­ned the people forty yeeres, and Da­vid raigned in Hebron seven yeares before he came to Ierusalem. All this while were the Arke and Tabernacle separated: yea, the Ark was not inqui­red at, all the dayes of Saul, 1 Chro. 14. 3. Out of all which by the way we may note; That the want of some Or­dinances of GOD doth not annull a Church of God. A Church may want some Ordinances, Ordinances of great weight, & yet be a true Church; or else for these forty seven yeeres there had beene no true Church, nor true worship in Israel; and so not in the world. The Arke, and enqui­ring at it, was a matter of great weight in Gods Church, and worship. It was one of the most speciall types of Christ, a symball of Gods gracious [Page 6] and speciall presence: it was the place of Gods speciall residence; hee dwelt betweene the Cherubims, and from thence hee gave answers. It was the first and chiefest of al the holy things, for it principally, was the Tabernacle made, Exod. 40. 18. 21. It sanctified the whole Tabernacle, The places are holy whereinto the Arke of the Lord hath come, 2 Chro. 8. 11. And yet this Arke out of the Tabernacle, the place of worship and sacrifice, the space of forty seven yeares. Yea more, du­ring all Davids time it continued se­parated from the Tabernacle, it being pitched in a Tent by it selfe at Ierusa­lem, and the Tabernacle being at the High-place in Cibeon, 1 Chron. 1. 4, 5, 6, 13. The Arke and the Tabernacle never came together more, after it was once removed from Shiloh; but when Salomon built the Temple, and the Tabernacle was dissolved, then was the Arke placed in the Holy of Holies in the Temple. And yet all this while who will say they had not [Page 7] true worship, and a true Church? wants therefore, and defects in a Church, unchurch it not.

The Arke now having continued forty seven yeeres at Kiriath-Iearim, David being made King over all Isra­el, and come to Ierusalem; the first thing we reade he did, after his plena­ry possession of, and Inauguration in­to the Kingdome, is to bring home the Arke from Kiriath-Iearim unto Ierusalem. In the bringing it home they meet with a shrewd check, and a sore miscarriage in the death of Vz­zah; and that by reason of a miscar­riage in the carriage of the Arke upon a Cart, which should have been born upon the Priests shoulders. David finding their former errour, and their faile in a prescribed formality, doth now a second time set upon the work, and in this Chapter and place, direct the Priests what course to take, and gives them to understand, that for want of this observance, God gave them that former blow in Vzzahs [Page 8] death. Sanctifie your selves both ye and your brethren, that you may bring up the Arke of the Lord God of Israel, namely upon your owne shoulders, accor­ding to the Canon, Exod. 25. 14. as the fifteenth Verse of this Chapter explaines it. For because ye did it not at first, V. 13. The Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order. As if hee had said, It was not onely Vzzahs errour in touching the Ark contrary to that, Num. 4. 15. but it was all your errors to carry it in a Cart, when it should have beene borne upon your shoul­ders. Indeed unto the Sons of Ger­shon, and to the Sons of Merari Moses gave Wagons and Oxen, according to their service, but unto the Sons of Kohatb (who were to beare the Ark, Num. 4. 5, 15.) he gave none, Because the service of the Sanctuary belonging to them, was, that they should be are up­on their shoulders, Num. 7. 6, 7, 8, 9. A Gershonites or a Merarites burthen might be carted, but not a Kohatbites, [Page 9] they must put their shoulders to the burthen. And for this irregularity was the breach made. Indeed the Philistins sent home the Ark in a Cart, but God brookes not the carting of the Arke in Israel: God will beare with that in Heathens and Strangers, which he will not brooke, nor winck at in his owne people, who must live by rule. Hee will be sanctified in all those that draw neere unto him. So precisely strict is God for the obser­vation of his Ordinances; and so jea­lous, and so quick a Iudge in cases of the smallest prevarication.

The thirteenth Verse then is a rea­son of that counsell given, V. 12. You must sanctifie your selves, and you must bring home the Ark. We went another way to worke before; and Gods displeasure brake out against us, because we sought him not after the due order. The Point then wee may learne, is this,

That it is not enough to seeke God, but we must seeke him after the due or­der [Page 10] that he hath appointed, and prescri­bed: And, That where God is not sought after the due order, there men not onely meet not with a blessing, but with a blow, and with a breach.

To goe and fetch the Arke, and to enquire of God at it, it was an Ordi­nance of God, but to neglect the san­ctification of themselves, that they might bring up the Arke of the Lord, and to carry it in a Cart, this was not according to Gods Order. His order was that they themselves should beare it, and that they should sanctifie themselves before-hand for the ser­vice. David and his people made full account of it, when they went about that dayes worke, to have had a good and a comfortable day of it: but Gods order being neglected, instead of a blessing, they meet with a blow, and a breach. It proved a sad day, they were sent home with sad and sorrow­full hearts. It is true indeed, that the carrying of the Arke upon a Cart, was a faile but in point of outward [Page 11] order, the due outward order was not observed. And if God be so se­vere in making a breach upon them, for the breach of an outward order, How much more severe may it bee thought will he be in denying a bles­sing, and in making a breach for the neglect and breach of that spirituall and inward order, with which he re­quires holy services to be performed. God hath prescribed not onely holy Ordinances and wayes, in which he will be sought and found; but he hath also prescribed an holy Order, and a spirituall manner, after which, and in which, he will be sought in the use of those his Ordinances. Gods Ordi­nance, and Gods Order must ever goe together. Let us suppose that which cannot be. Suppose that a man could seeke God in the right Order, in regard of inward disposition of spirit, in a wrong Ordinance; yet God being sought in a wrong Ordinance though in a right Order, no blessing, but a breach were to be expected. So contrarily, [Page 12] Though a man seek God in a right Or­dinance, yet if he seeke him in a wrong Order, for inward frame of heart, not a blessing, but a breach would fol­low. As no blessing to be expected from a right Order in a wrong Ordi­nance, so no blessing from a right Ordinance in a wrong Order. The blessing is derived from God, through a right Ordinance used after a due Or­der. We shall see both going there­fore together. See Isa. 64. 5. Thou meetest him that rejoyces, and workes righteousnesse, those that remember thee in thy wayes. Here is first, Gods bles­sing, communion, and fellowship with God, Thou meetest him. When God meets a man seeking him, there is a blessing: but marke in the next place how the blessing is met with­all. And that by doing two things. First there is a seeking in Gods Ordi­nance. That remember thee in thy wayes. They that will meet GOD must seeke him in his owne wayes. His Ordinances are his wayes, and his [Page 13] walkes. If wee make walkes, and wayes of our owne, there can bee no meeting of GOD in them, because Hee will walke in no wayes but His owne.

Secondly, there is a seeking in Gods Order, that rejoyces, that workes righ­teousnesse. There must bee a seeking Him in that Spirituall manner, with the heart set in due order, in all those gracious dispositions that GOD re­quires, and then GOD meetes a man. But now as a man that seekes GOD out of His Ordinance meetes not with Him, because he seekes Him not in His wayes, so though a man doe seeke Him in His wayes, yet if he re­joyce not, and worke not righteous­nesse, but seekes God with an unholy, a dead, and a dull heart, though he bee in Gods wayes, and seeke God in a right Ordinance, yet he seekes not in a right order, and therefore neither GOD nor His blessing met withall. GOD meetes with a man that seekes him in both joyntly, Right Ordinance, [Page 14] and right order. The like we have, Ier. 29. 12, 13. Then shall ye call upon me, & ye shall goe, and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you, and ye shall seeke me, & find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart. Here is a promise of a blessing to them that seeke God. But first they must seeke God in His Or­dinance. Yee shall call upon mee, and yee shall go, and pray unto mee; not goe to Saints, Angels, Images, Idols, that's none of Gods Ordinance. Secondly, they must seeke God after His Order, when yee shall search for mee with all your heart. Thus Gods blessing at­tends seeking in His Ordinance, and Order joyntly. If they prayed with all their heart, that were His Order, but if they prayed to an Image, that were not His ordinance, therefore in such a case would he not be found. So againe, if they prayed to Him, that were His Ordinance, but if they pray­ed with dead, and dull hearts, that were not His Order, therefore neither in such a case would He be found.

But this is not all. There is not only no blessing, but there is a breach where God is not sought after the Due Order. Wee shall see it true in the severall Ordinances wherin God is sought.

1 In the Word. God is sought in the Ministery of the Word, 1 Sam. 9. 9. Before time in Israel, when a man went to enquire of GOD, thus he spake: Come let us goe to the Seer. Therefore when they went to the Seer they went to enquire of God. That is one Or­dinance wherein GOD is sought. But yet when GOD is not sought in the due order in this Ordinance, it brings no blessing but a breach, 1 Cor. 1. 23. To the Iewes a stumbling blocke, to the Gentiles foolishnesse, 2 Cor. 2. 16. A savour of death unto death, Is. 28. 13. And the Word of the Lord was unto them—that they might goe, and fall backward, and be broken, and bee snared and taken. And be broken. There is a breach in stead of a blessing.

2 In prayer. GOD is sought in prayer, Zach. 8. 21, 22. Let us go spee­dily [Page 16] to pray before the Lord, and to seeke the Lord of Hostes, yea many people shall come to seeke the Lord of Hostes in Ieru­salem, and to pray before the Lord. That is another Ordinance wherein the Lord is sought. But when God is sought in prayer, and not sought in the due order, not a blessing but a breach followes. Psal. 109. 9. Let his prayer become sinne. If our light become darkenesse, how great is that darkenesse! If our duties become sin how great is that sinne? A prayer turned into sinne is a curse, and brings a curse.

3 In sacrifices of the Old Testa­ment. They were Ordinances in which God was sought. Hose. 5. 6. They shall goe with their flockes, and with their heards to seeke the Lord. But yet if God were not sought in them after the due order, there was a breach in stead of a blessing, Prov. 21. 27. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, how much more when hee brings it in wickednesse. when he brings it with [Page 17] an heart out of order. Mal. 2. 3. I will spread your doung upon your faces, even the doung of your sollemne feasts, and sacrifices.

4 In fasting. God is sought in it. Ezr. 8. 21. I proclaimed a fast▪ to seeke of him a right way for us. Isa. 58. 2, 3. Yet they seeke mee-wherefore have wee fasted? Yet if GOD not sought in fasting after the due order, there fol­lowes a breach, Ier. 14. 12. When they fast I will not heare their cry. There is no blessing. But that's not all, there is a breach also, But I wil consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

5 In Sacraments. God is sought in the use of them, 2 Chron. 30. 19. That prepares his heart to seeke GOD, namely in the use of the Sacrament of the Passeover. But yet if GOD be sought in the Sacrament, and not after the due order, it will proove a breach; wee see it in Tudas, hee received the Passeover, the Sop was the close of it, and see what followed, Iohn 13. 27. [Page 18] And after the Soppe Satan entred into him. The Divell made a breach into his soule. The Soppe proved poy­son to him, and when hee receives it he receives the Divell. Not because hee received an evill thing, for the Nam & nos ho­die accipimus visibilē cibum. Sed aliud est Sacramentum, aliud virtus Sa­cramenti. Quā multi de Altari accipiunt & moriuntur, & accipiendo mo­riuntur? unde dicit apostolus, Iudicium sibi manducat & bibit. Nonne buccella Do­minica vene­nū fuit Indae? Et tamen Ac­cepit. Et cum Accepit, Inimi­cus in cum in­travit: non quia malum accepit sed quia bonum malè malus accepit. Aug. Tract. in Ioh. 26. Passeover was Gods Ordinance, but because, as Augustine sayes, hee being an evill man received a good thing in an evill manner, in an undue order.

We see it in the Israelites. 1 Cor. 10. 2, 3, 4, 5. All baptised, did all eate the same Spirituall meate, did all drinkt he same Spirituall drink, But with many of them God was not well pleased, there is the want of the blessing, for they were overthrowne in the wildernesse. There is the breach. We may see it in the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 11. 29, 30. He that eateth, and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe, for this cause many are weake and sickly, and many sleepe. He that eates, and drinkes the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament he uses a right Ordinance, but he that cates and drinks unworthily, he uses it [Page 19] not in a right Order, and therfore not only no blessing but a breach followes both upon soule and body.

The grounds of this Truth are these two.

First, All Gods Law is copulative, Iam. 2. 10. And therefore marke Deu. 5. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. how those Com­mandements are layd downe, Thou shalt not kill, And thou shalt not com­mit Adultery, And thou shalt not steale, And thou shalt not beare false witnesse, &c. He doth not say as Exo. 20. Thou shalt not Kill, Thou shalt not commit Adultery, Thou shalt not steale, &c. But wee see one of these Commandements is knit to the other by the Copulative particle And. That same particle And is amongst these Commandements as the Taches, and Loopes were amongst the Curtaines of the Tabernacle. The taches put into the loopes did couple the Cur­taines of the Tent, and sew the tent to­gether that it might bee one. Exod. 26. 10, 11. So doth this particle cou­ple [Page 20] these Commandements together. Now as it is with those Commande­ments there specified, so it is with all the rest, the first, second, third, &c. Thou shalt have no other Gods be­fore me, And thou shalt not make to thy selfe any graven Image, And thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vaine. So that the break­ing of one is the breach of the whole Law, as he that had uncoupled but one Curteine of the Tabernacle had un­coupled the whole Tent. Now then the same Law of God that commands Ordinances, the same Law of GOD commandes Order. And hee that breakes the Commandement enjoyn­ing order whether outward or in­ward, makes a breach upon the whole Law. And when we make a breach, what can wee looke for but a breach? God commandes order, even outward order, and will have it precisely obser­ved. Levit. 1. 7, 8. The Priests shall lay the woode in order upon the fire, and the Priests shall lay the parts, the head, [Page 21] and the fat in order upon the woode. Not onely woode layd upon the fire, but layed in order, not onely the parts, head and fat layd upon the wood, but layd in order. And Abraham, Gen. 22. 9. Layd the wood in order.

Now GOD that commandes out­ward order, and stands so punctually upon the outward order, how much more commandes He, and standes He upon inward order, the right ordering, and disposing of the inward man? If God will have the wood in order, the parts of the Beast, the fat, and the head in order in the Sacrifice, how much more requires hee to have the Heart and Soule of a man in order in any ho­ly service, and in the use of any holy Ordinance of His? As to Hezekiah in that case, Is. 38. 1. Set thine house in or­der, for thou must dye. So set thy Soule in order, for thou must pray, heare the Word, receive the Sacrament. Let all things bee done decently, and in order, 1 Cor. 14. 40. That is a Cannon, and a Commandement for outward order, [Page 22] and God that will have men so Cano­nicall for His outward order, how much more requires He that men be as regular for inward order? Let all things be done holily, and in Spiritu­all order. Let not onely the Word be heard, Gods Name be called upon, the Sacrament received, but let it bee done after the due order, with an heart, and a spirit so spiritually ordered as God commandes. So that God com­manding inward order, as well as an outward Ordinance, and His Law being Copulative, such must our obe­dience be, or else we make a breach in His Law, in uncoupling what he hath coupled together. What God hath joyn­ed together let no man put asunder, what GOD hath coupled together, let no man uncouple. He hath coupled to­gether the second Commandement enjoyning His Ordinance, and the third enjoyning the inward manner, and order of the use of His Ordinance. And therefore to use His Ordinance without that order is a breach of what [Page 23] He hath coupled. And if we make a breach in His Law, what wonder if He make a breach in our service, in our comfort!

2 That same, Levit. 22. 21. per­fect shall it be to be accepted. God ex­pects Non est Actio bona simplici­ter nisi omnes bonitates con­currant: quia quilibet singu­laris defectus causat malum, bonum autem causatur ex In­tegra causa. Tho. Aquin. 1a. 2ae. qu. 18. Art. 4. Bonum causa­tur ex Integra causa, malum autem ex singularibus defectibus. Id. ibi. qu. 19. art. 6. perfection, perfection of parts where man expects acceptance. Now as unto that which is good so unto that wh^ch is perfect there must bee an entire concurrence of all requisites. The de­fect or want of any one thing required may cause an imperfection, but to the constitution of perfection, there must be a meeting of all things required. It will appeare in the case specified, Lev. 22. 21. The sacrifices of Beeves, or Sheepe there mentioned must be per­fect. Now if the beast had wanted but any one part, an eye, an eare, an horne, an hoofe, any one of these de­fects had caused an imperfection, and the sacrifice had beene imperfect, and so no acceptance of it. But now to have made it perfect to bee accepted, it must have all, and every one of the [Page 24] parts, every member of the body in its number, and proportion. Now the equity holds in all dutyes of worship. To what end is our worship, if not ac­cepted, if we will have it accepted wee must have it perfect, there must be all these things in it that God requires. Now God requires in worship, not on­ly that wee use his Ordinance, but his order; as outward, so inward. Now when there is this perfection that God requires, then may a blessing, and ac­ceptance bee expected. But if that order, that Spirituall order which God calls for be wanting, if wanting in any one part of it, there the duty is imper­fect, there no acceptance can be look­ed for, but rather a breach. We may see it exemplified in the Law of the peace offerings, Levit. 7. First see the Ordinance of God, vers. 11, 12, 13. There is the substance of the sacrifice prescribed. Then the order is prescri­bed. That they be eaten in due time, v. 16. It shal be eaten the same day that he of­fers his sacrifice. That the flesh be cleane, [Page 25] v. 19. And the flesh that touches any un­cleane thing shall not be eaten. That the persons that doe eate it must be cleane, verse 19. And as for the flesh, all that be cleane shall eate thereof, that is, all that eate therof must be cleane, as appeares by that which followes, verse 20. So Atque haec munera pure, à puris, pura percipi opor­tuit ex p [...]ae­scripto Dei, Iun. Analis. in Levit. 7. then as here is the Ordinance prescri­bed, so the order of eating, that they be eaten purely, that pure things be ea­ten, that they be eaten of pure persons. Their peace offerings thus eaten were accepted, because here was perfection from the concurrence, and integrity of the causes constituting perfection: But now if any one of these things were missing in point of order it made them imperfect, and so unacceptable. If not purely in regard of time, though pure flesh, and eaten by pure persons, yet no blessing, no acceptance, but a breach, verse 18. It shall not be accepted, it shall be an abomination, and the soule that eateth of it shall be are his iniquity. If not pure flesh eaten, though in due time, and so purely, though by pure [Page 26] persons, yet not accepted. If not eaten by pure persons though in due time, and though pure things, yet not onely no acceptance, and blessing but an uncom­fortable breach, even that soule shall bee cut off from his people, verse 20, 21. So then perfection being required unto acceptance, and an universall concur­rence of all things commanded by God required unto perfection, and or­der being required of God as well as his Ordinance, therefore it is not e­nough to seeke God in an Ordinance, but he must bee sought after that due order which hee hath prescribed, or else we may not onely meete with no blessing, but with an heavy checke, and such a breach as may send us away from Gods Ordinances with a drooping, and a mourning heart.

This serves first to let us see what the reason is that many times after our Vse 1 seeking GOD in His Ordinances it fares so ill with us as it doth. God hath promised to make us joyfull in, and so to send us joyfull away from his [Page 27] house of prayer, Isa. 56. And he makes his people not onely to feele joy, and gladnesse, but he makes them heare it, Psal. 51. 8. He infuses it by hearing the Word, and promises opened. He pro­mises to make us rise from His Table full of quikning, comfort, joy, refresh­ment, and ravishment of spirit: Take eate this is my body, my body which shall feede you, quicken, refresh and comfort you. Now it may be thou hast come many a Lords-Day to the house of God, to the Table of the Lord, and hast met with no such bles­sing, hast found no such cheering, no such comfortable refreshment: Nay thou hast rather met with a blowe, and a breach, thou hast gone away with a dead, a sad, a drooping, an uncomfor­table spirit. Thou hast seene it may bee some such spirituall token of Gods displeasure, as might make thee call the Church, the Table of the Lord, Perez-uzzah, or Perez-nephesh the breach of thy soule. And what think­est thou may the reason be? Is Gods [Page 28] hand shortned? Is His fidelity wea­kend? Are His Ordinances deforced or enfeebled? No, by no meanes. God is as powerfull and as faithfull as ever, His Ordinances as energeticall, operative, and efficacious as ever: what then may the reason bee? An hundred to one, but the Lord hath made this breach upon thy soule be­cause thou soughtest him not after the due order. Call thy selfe to an account, was there that prayer, humi­liation, renewing of thy repentance, and quickning of thy faith before hand as there should have beene? If thou hast made a breach in Gods or­der, it is not strange that God hath made a breach in thy conscience, and comfort. Certainely it seldome fares thus ill with any man in the use of GODS Ordinances, but upon due search it will bee found that there hath beene a neglect of due order.

And let it teach us in the second place, not to rest contented in the Vse 2 bare and formall use of any Ordi­nance; [Page 29] but let it be our great care, to seeke God in it, after the due Order. Doe not satisfie thy selfe, and set up thy rest in praying, hearing; but have a speciall care to doe these duties af­ter the due Order. But in more spe­ciall manner bee exhorted to thinke upon this, when thou art to receive the Sacrament. Men have generally an high conceit of the Sacrament, what ever esteeme they have in the mean time of other Ordinances. And true it is, that it is a very precious Or­dinance of God, and highly to bee esteemed; but yet strange it is, to see what little regard men have to come in due Order thereunto. In any case men must come; and it were the grea­test wrong that could be if they shold not come: be they adulterers, drunk­ards, swearers, bee their lives and wayes what they will, yet because it is the custome to come at such a time, in any case they must come. No question but many have the same idle and vaine conceits that some had in [Page 30] Saint Chrysostomes time, that if they came at such and such times, what Multos video qui Christi corporis sunt participes in­considerate, & temere, & ma­gis ex consue­tudine, & lege quam ex cogi­tatione, et con­sideratione. Si advenerit, in­quit, tempus sanctae quadra­gesimae, qualis­cunque fuerit quispiam, fit particeps my­steriorum, si advenerit dies Epiphaniorū. Atqui tempus ad ea acceden­di, neque Epi­phania, neque quadragesima, facit dignos qui accedunt, [...]. Chrysost. ad Eph. hom. 3. ever their lives were, yet it skill'd not, the comming at such times was dis­position sufficient for the service. But heare how he cries downe that vaine consent. I see many, sayes he, that are partakers of the Body of Christ, in­considerately, and rashly, more out of custome and law, than out of considera­tion. If the time (sayes one) of holy Lent be come, or the day of Epiphany be come, what kinde of person soever the man bee, hee is made partaker of the my­steries. But it is not the time of comming unto them, neither Epiphany nor Lent, which makes them worthy that come, but the sincerity and purity of the soule. Al­wayes come with that, never come with­out it. So that they lookt more at the time they came, than to come with sincerity and purity; as if the time should impart that holinesse to them which the Sacrament requires, and they neglected to bring with them. And are not there too many in the [Page 31] world, that nourish such secret con­ceits in their hearts, who thinke, that so long as they come at such times as law and custome sets, all is well e­nough, there needs no more to look after. But let men know, that at what time soever they come, let it be ever so soleme a time, or how often so­ever they come, were it monethly, or daily, yet if they come not after the due Order, they shall be so farre from receiving a blessing, that they shall receive a breach, yea, a very curse upon their soules: let a man come as oft as he will to the Sacra­ment, yet if he come not after the due Order, God will deale with such a communicant as with the wicked man in that case, Iob 20. 23. When hee is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall raine it upon him whilest hee is eating. So here, when a man comes to the Sacrament, and not after the due Or­der, even whilest he is eating, GOD may raine downe his wrath upon [Page 32] him; and when hee thinkes to eate Christs flesh, and drinke his bloud, that which he eats, may bee sawced, and that which hee drinkes, may bee spiced with the bitter wrath of God. Such is the case oftentimes of many receivers, who will bee comming to the Sacrament without any regard to Gods due Order: as it was with the Israelites at their Quailes, Psa. 78. 29, 30, 31. So they did eate and were filled, for he gave them their owne desire: but whilest the meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of GOD came upon them. Quailes were dainty food, but wrath was ill sawce: flesh they must needs have, no remedy, and they murmure that they have it not; flesh they have, and wrath they have. And the wrath of God came upon thē while their meat was yet in their mouthes. Who would have their meate to have had their sawce? So, many will needs come to the Sacrament, by no meanes may they be perswaded to forbeare till bet­ter fitted, come they must, there is no [Page 33] remedy: and they have their desire: but while the Sacramentall meate is yet in their mouths, the wrath of God comes secretly and insensibly upon their soules, because they come, and doe not seeke God after the due Or­der. That same is an heavie curse, Psa. 69. 22. Let their Table become a snare before them, and that which should have beene for their wellfare, let it become a trap. It is very heavie, when our or­dinary Table becomes a snare unto us; but to have the Table of the Lord be­come a snare, and the Sacrament w^ch is appointed for our wellfare, to be­come a trap; what judgement can be imagined heavier? And yet this is the sad condition of such as come not to the Lords Table after the due Order, even that holy Table becomes a snare unto them. How wondrous jocund and jolly was Haman, that he must go with the King to Esthers banquet? Esther 5. 9. Then went Haman forth, that day, joyfull, and with a glad heart. And he brags of it, Vers. 12. Yea, Est. [Page 34] her the Queene did let no man come in with the King, unto the banquet she had prepared, but my selfe; And to morrow I am invited unto her also with the King. But little reason had the man to be so cranke; for not only at the banquet; but at the banquet of wine, Esther 7. 7. which was the merriest banquet of all, hee meets with the Kings wrath, and thereupon with the sentence of death. How happy were it, it were not the case of many Communicants; full brag & jolly they be, that though they bee most unfit, yet they may come, and none can keepe them back; and to the Sacrament they will goe, that they will: but alas, at the very banquet of wine they meet with the King of Heaven, his wrath upon their soules, which there arrests them, and sentences them to death. As if God should say, Loe, here is a company of people come to my Table, & amongst them, I spie a great many that are not come after the due Order: and shall such as these that thus unduly and dis­orderly [Page 35] seeke me, meet with my bles­sing? Shall these have my Christ? such as these, shall they eate my sons flesh, and drink his bloud? No, here is not for you. God will say to them, as Nabal to Davids servants, 1 Sam. 15. 10, 11. Who is David? And who is the sonne of Iesse? Shall I take my bread, and my water, and my flesh, that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be? So will the Lord say to all such, Who are ye? and whence are ye? shall I take my Sacramentall bread, and my Sonnes flesh and bloud, which I have prepared for such as come after the due Order, & give it unto a company of persons, I know not whence they are? Be gone, and meddle not; or if you will needs be medling, not on­ly no blessing, but my curse be upon your communicating. Therefore in the feare of GOD looke we to it, to come to this holy Ordinance in an holy Order. A great conscience is to be made of comming. It is a grievous [Page 36] sin to neglect Gods Ordinance; and as great a conscience is to be made of comming after the due Order. Be no lesse solicitous to come in due Order, than to come to the Ordinance.

Chap. 2. Of preparation before the Sacrament, and the neces­sity of it.

CHAP. 2 SInce then our comming to the Sa­crament, is not enough, unlesse we come in due Order: and since the dan­ger of comming otherwise is so great, it will not be amisse to make enquiry, & to consider what is that due Order, and that holy and spirituall manner, after which God is to be sought in the Sacrament.

This due Order therefore of seek­ing God in the Sacrament of the Sup­per, it stands especially in three things, or three kinds of Duties.

• [Page 37]In
  • 1 Doing such Duties as must go be­fore the Sacrament. Antecedane­ous Duties.
  • 2 Doing such Duties as accompa­ny the Action of Receiving. Du­ties concomitant.
  • 3 Doing such Duties as follow af­ter the Action of Receiving. Du­ties Subsequent.

1 In doing such Duties as must go before the Sacrament. And they may all be reduced to this one duty of Pre­paration.

The Duty then before the Sacra­ment, is Preparation. This is GODS Order, and this is to seeke God after the due Order, to begin with Prepa­ration: and the man that desires to seek God orderly, must first prepare himselfe. A man comming to the Sa­crament without preparation, comes not after the due Order. Take heede to thy foote when thou entrest into the House of the Lord, Eccl. 5. 1. Now when we come to the Sacrament, we come to the Table of the Lord: and [Page 38] if it concerne a man to prepare him­selfe, before he enter into the House of the Lord; then much more when he comes to approach to the Table of the Lord. See how David speakes here in this Text, Sanctifie your selves and your brethren, &c. for we sought him not after the due Order. Therefore they that will seek God in due Order in the use of his Ordinances, must first sanctifie and prepare themselves. It holds good in the case of the Sacra­ment which Samuel spake in the case of Sacrifice, 1 Samuel 16. 5. Sanctifie your selves, and come with me to the Sa­crifice. So, Sanctifie your selves, and come to the Sacram^t. Come, but first sanctifie your selves, Psal. 26. 6. I will wash my hands in innocency, and So, &c. 1 Cor. 11. Let a man examine himselfe, & So, &c. It was not enough then to cō ­passe Gods Altar, but it was to be cō ­passed So. It is not enough to eate of this bread, to drinke of this cup, but it must be eaten So, drunken So. This same So, it notes unto us the due [Page 39] Order of seeking God in his Ordi­nance. We seek God in due Order when we seeke him So: we eat and drinke in the Sacrament in due Order when we eat and drink So. That is, when we do it So, as S. Paul enjoynes, With due preparation going before. There ought to be no lesse care in us comming to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, than was requi­red in the Iewes to the eating of the Passeover. And speciall care was re­quired of them for preparation, see 2 Chron. 35. 6. So kill the Passeover, and sanctifie your selves, and prepare your brethren. And if they were in their places to be carefull to prepare others, how much more ought others to be carefull to prepare themselves? And that is to be observed, Exod. 12. 3. Speake unto all the Congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this moneth, they shall take to them every man a Lambe, a Lambe for an house. And Vers. 6. And ye shall keep it un­till the fourteenth day of the same [Page 40] moneth. So that the Lambe was taken and set apart, foure dayes before it was killed. What might the mean­ing of that ceremony be? what ever o­ther meaning it had, this might be one thing aimed at therein; to teach them what care they were to have, of pre­paring themselves for eating the Passeover: if the Lambe must be pre­pared, and be set and kept apart from the rest of the flock, foure whole dayes before; then how much more were they in a solemne and an holy man­ner, to prepare themselves for the eat­ing of that Lambe? What was all that foure dayes separation of the Lambe, but a continuall standing-Sermon, preaching preparation to them? It was as if God had said unto them, Be ye also prepared. It questionlesse tea­ches that there should be a preparati­on; and that not a sudden, but a so­lemn serious preparation, some good space of time before men come to re­ceive the Sacrament.

Therefore we reade, Iohn 19. 14. [Page 41] That the Iewes had a day of preparati­on, and it was the preparation of the Passeover. And Vers. 31. Because it was the preparation. And upon that ground was that Act of theirs, In ab­staining from comming that day into the Iudgement Hall, Iohn 18. 28. And they themselves went not into the Iudge­ment-Hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the Passeover. It shewes, that upon the day of their preparation, they were to take heed of doing any thing that might defile them, and unfit them for the eating of the Passeover: though it be true, that they were not in that case so carefull to keepe themselves from morall, as from ceremoniall defilement. And if such preparation were required for the eating of the Passeover; why then should not there be as great a care at least, if not greater, to come with due preparation to the Lords Supper? Is our sacrament inferior to theirs, in in­stitution, excellency, efficacy, benefit, and comfort? Nay, is it not in many [Page 42] regards above and beyond it? and shal our preparation be lesse than theirs?

When we are invited to our neigh­bours Tables to feast with them, how doe we spruce up our selves, in our comelier and cleanlier apparrell, and how much rather will we choose to be absent, then to come in undecent and homely attire? When we come to the Sacrament, we come to the Lords Table, to a Feast of his preparing: and therefore should be no lesse care­full to dresse, trim, and spruce up our soules, then we are to trim our bo­dies when we goe to the Tables of men. It is a sad thing to consider, what little care and conscience men generally have of this duty; and how rudely and rashly men thrust them­selves into Gods presence, and unto his Table. Many have the civility and the manners, not to offer to sit downe at a Noblemans Table, be­cause they doe not judge themselves persons of that rank and quality, who are fit to sit downe at such a mans [Page 43] board. But who is it that doth not thinke himselfe as fit, and as worthy, to sit downe at Gods Table as the ho­liest, and the best prepared person that is? Our Saviour put a question to those Disciples, Mat. 20. 22. Are ye able to drinke of the cup that I shall drinke of? And we know how round­ly, but yet withall how rashly they answer, We are able. So, put the like question to most men; Are yee able and ready fitted, and worthy to drink of the Cup of the Lords Table? and you shall have as round and as rash answer, Wee are able, wee are fit and worthy; and yet the Lord he knowes they never have bestowed one poore houre in preparation: they are so far from foure dayes, they have not foure houres preparation; so farre from a preparation-day, that there is not so much as a [...] preparation-houre with thē. The preparation, specially of the younger sort, is to put on their best dresse, their finer apparell; and to be a little braver when they come to the [Page 44] Sacrament than at other times. But for a spirituall preparation of the heart, to fit it for so holy and solemne a service, it is a thing that is never once lookt after nor thought upon. To quicken men then to this Duty, consider these things:

1 First, According to a mans prepa­ration, such is his profit and benefit. God proportions every mans profit by the Sacrament, according to his pre­paration to the Sacrament. The more diligent and serious preparation be­fore we come, the greater benefit and profit when we come. Preparation is the seed time, receiving is the har­vest: every man reapes proportiona­bly to what he sowes. He that sowes nothing, reapes nothing. No pre­paration, no profit. Hee that sowes little, reapes not much, reapes but little, 2 Cor. 9. 6. Hee that soweth spa­ringly, shall reape sparingly. He that is sparing and slight in his preparation, shall reape but slightly and sparingly in matter of benefit: little preparation, [Page 45] little profit. But the more we pre­pare our selves, and the more time, paines, and diligence, we spend ther­in, the greater benefit and comfort we shall meet with in receiving: for he which sowes bountifully, shall reape bountifully. It is in the duty of re­ceiving, as in the duty of praying. The more prepared the heart is to pray, the greater is a mans returne from heaven, Psal. 10. 17. Thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine eare to heare. To have our heart prepared is the due order of seeking God in prayer. And the more God gives a man an heart to prepare him­selfe to pray, the more God prepares his owne eare to heare. So in the case of receiving; thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine hand to give. God so enlarges his hand, as we enlarge our hearts; and nothing furthers the enlargement of the heart more, than solemne preparation. Then may a man expect a liberall and plentifull blessing in the use of the [Page 46] Ordinance, when he comes with a sufficient preparation and sanctifica­tion of himselfe. Hezekiah, his passe­over which he appointed to be kept, could not bee kept at the appointed time, but was put off to the second moneth; and the reason is given of it, 2 Chron. 30. 3. For they could not keepe it at that time, because the Priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently: which implyes, that when the Passe­over was to be celebrated, the Priests were not only to sanctifie themselves, but to sanctifie themselves sufficiently. And so it holds good for people also; that when they come to the Sacra­ment, they must have a care not only to sanctifie themselves, but to sanctifie themselves sufficiently. There may be an insufficient preparation; and where the preparation is insufficient, there cannot be expected such a suffi­cient measure of spirituall good, and blessings, as we desire. The more suf­ficient our preparation is, the more effectuall the Sacrament shall be. The [Page 47] efficiency of the Sacrament, is ever sutable to the sufficiency of our prepa­ration.

Fill the mens sacks with food as much as they can carry, sayes Ioseph to his Steward, Gen. 44. 1. Look how they came prepared with sacks & Beasts, so they were sent back with corne: the greater and the more sacks they had prepared, the more Corne they carry away: if they had prepared but small sacks, and a few, they had car­ried away the lesse. A prepared heart is a vessell that shall be filled at the Sacrament, Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it, Psal. 81. 10. Now the more or lesse the heart is prepared, the greater or lesser is the Vessell. Ac­cording to the size and capacity of the Vessell shall it be filled. Fill such mens hearts with spirituall blessings, with vertue from Christ, with the comforts of the Holy Ghost, says the Lord at the Sacrament, fill them with spirituall food as ful as they can hold, as much as they can carry. What a [Page 48] sweet comfort is that? Who desires not to carry away frō the Sacrament as much as may be? Then be carefull to prepare our hearts, and pre­pare Sacramenta sunt fodinae gratiae. Dispo­sitio est vascu­lum gratiae, pro majore dispo­sitione, & affe­ctu tuo majo­rem reporta­bis. Euseb. Ne [...]eml. then to the purpose. The larger is our preparation, the larger is our Vessell; the larger our Vessell, the lar­ger is our largesse and doale at the Sa­crament. If we carry not away as much as we would, it is our owne fault, that by preparation we did not furnish our selves with a more capa­cious vessell. The poore pittances that many goe from the Sacrament with­all, make them droope when they are gone. They may thank themselves: for if Iosephs brethren had brought small sacks, they could not have car­ried away much corne out of Egypt. Let men come with hearts so prepa­red as they should, and they shall be laden and filled with as much as they can carry.

2 Secondly, when we come to the Sacrament, We come to meet God, and to serve God. We come to meet God. [Page 49] Now it must be in cases of meeting God in mercy; as it must be in cases of meeting him when he is displeased. Amos 4. 12. Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. In cases of justice and dis­pleasure, God will meet with men though they prepare not; yea, and be­cause they prepare not; but in a case of blessing in the use of an Ordinance, no preparation, no meeting. They Note 1 that will meet God in an Ordinance must draw neer to him, Iam. 4. Draw neere to God, and he will draw neere to you. There must be a mutuall drawing neer betweene God and us, if ever we will meet. If God draw neere to us, yet if we draw not neere to him, we cannot meet him. Now unlesse we first prepare our selves to an Ordi­nance, we cannot come neere unto him: but when prepared, then we are in a disposition and qualification to come neere unto him. Marke how Hezekiah speakes to the Levites, 2 Chron. 29. 31. Now ye have consecrated your selves to the Lord, Come neere, [Page 50] and bring Sacrifices, and Thank-offe­rings into the house of the Lord. The preparation of a mans selfe is the con­secration of a mans selfe; and when by preparation a man is consecrated and sanctified, then may a man come neere and draw neere, and so meet with God. But if no preparation, no con­secration; if no consecration, no drawing neere; if no drawing neere, no meeting with God. To the same purpose is that, Exod. 12. 48. When a stranger shall sojourne with thee, and will keepe the Passeover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come neere and keep it. So that first there must be circumcision, be­fore he must come neere. An un­prepared person is uncircumcised, and such an one may not come neere; and how can he meet with God that may not come neere? So when we come to the Sacrament, we come to serve God: it is a speciall service of his Name. Now no service can be done to God without preparation, [Page 51] 1 Sam. 7. 3. Prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him. So that if no preparation, no service. Vnprepared persons in comming to the Sacra­ment doe God no service at all. The very Heathens saw that by the light of Nature, that God was not to be served at an adventure, or by the [...]. Plut. way; but that men should come on purpose to worship him, and come prepared from their houses. If there­fore we intend God a service in the receiving of the Sacrament, Come we prepared. All Gods services re­quire a precedent preparation.

Thirdly, it is a comfortable signe of uprightnesse and sincerity of heart, to prepare our selves religiously for the re­ceiving of the Sacrament: and the more forwardnesse and readinesse in preparation, the greater signe of up­rightnesse of heart. When the Sacri­fices, and the rest of that service of God was to be performed, 2 Chron. 29. we find that Vers. 34. The Priests were too few, and the Levites [Page 52] were faine to helpe untill the other Priests had sanctified, had prepared themselves: but what was the reason the Levites were forwarder to sancti­fie themselves than the Priests were? The reason is laid downe in the end of the Verse, Because they were more upright in heart: therefore by pro­portion it followes, that they that are most forward and most carefull to sanctifie and prepare themselves for the Sacrament, are the most sincere and upright in heart. And as in all Ordinances, so especially in the Sa­crament, it is good to come with an upright heart. We come thither that it may doe us good, and that we may receive good from God in it: with the more sincerity we come, the more may we looke for good, Psal. 125. 4. Doe good, O Lord, unto those that bee good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. God will doe good in the Sacrament to all such as come to it with an upright heart. And they that come duly prepared, come with up­right hearts.

Fourthly, no man can come so worthily as hee ought, nor so fit as he ought; when wee have prepared our selves the best that we can, yet alas, what a deale of deadnesse and dulnesse of spirit, what a deale of hardnesse of heart will come along with us? But here now is one singu­lar encouragement to seeke God in this Order of preparation. Though a man may have many wants, may come much short of that he should have, and be; yet if the Lord see that a man sets himselfe seriously to prepare himselfe, and that he takes paines in the duty, that he may seeke God sin­cerely in the use of the Sacrament, he will winck at, beare with, and passe by many failings, and they shal prove no hinderance at all to his profitable and comfortable receiving. Consider that passage 2 Chron. 30. 18, 19, 20, 21. There were diverse of them that had eaten the Passeover otherwise than it was written; that is indeed a fault, for that was not to eate the Passeover [Page 54] after the due Order; and their faile was, That they had not cleansed them­selves: they failed in some legall and ceremoniall purification: but yet, though they failed in outward prepa­ration, yet they were carefull of the inward and spirituall preparation of their hearts. That being done, though the other were overslipped, Hezekiah prayes for them on this manner, The good Lord pardon every one that prepares his heart to seeke God, the Lord God of his Fathers, the he be not cleansed accor­ding to the purification of the Sanctuary. As if he had said, Lord though these men have not purified themselves with outward purification, yet in as much as they have prepared and pu­rified their hearts, so long as the main and materiall thing is done, be pleased to pardon this faile: impute not this want unto them, neither let it be any barre to thy blessing, but that faile notwithstanding, let thine Ordinance be powerfull & effectuall unto them. And see what the successe was, V. 20. [Page 55] And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. And Vers. 21. There followed great gladnesse of heart in the people, they kept the Feast of unleavened bread with great glad­nesse. See then how gracious God is to passe by all wants and weaknesses, to heale them and hide them, when people are carefull of the maine, to prepare their hearts to seeke God in an Ordinance. There followes gladnesse and joy of spirit upon it, that was a signe of Gods being wel pleased with them. And that is ever the fruit of pre­paration; a prepared heart shall be a joyfull heart. See 2 Chron. 29. 35, 36. So the service of the house of the Lord was set in Order. And Hezekiah rejoyced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people. Here was Gods service set in Order, and Gods servants set in Order, their hearts prepared and set in Order; and Hezekiah and all the people rejoyced.

Chap. 3. Of the great danger of comming to the Sacrament without preparation.

CHAP. 3 SVfficient might these things alrea­dy mentioned be to make us care­full to come to the Sacrament after the due Order with preparation. But because our carelesse hearts are not so easily wrought upon; try we yet a lit­tle further what we may be brought unto by shame or feare of danger: for to come to the Sacrament without due preparation, is both a shamefull and a dangerous thing. Rogo vos, fra­tres, diligenter attendite, si ad mensam cujus­que pot [...]ntis hominis n [...]mo presumit cum vestibu [...] con­scissis & in­quinatis acce­dere, [...]u [...]nto m [...]is, &c. Aug. De temp. Ser. 251.

1 First, it is a matter of shame. It were a matter of soule shame, for a man to come and sit downe at a great mans Table in rags and tatters, in his nastinesse and filthinesse: and in such a case how would we take and tucke up such an one, Art thou not ashamed to come to such a mans Table in so base a fashion? What an uncivill fel­low [Page 57] art thou, in such a garbe to come into such a presence? And is it not then a matter of fouler shame, to come rudely, unpreparedly, and unbesee­mingly, Quid vero an­non vides vasa abluta adeo ni­tida & splendi­da? His longe mundiores oportet esse animas, his sanctiores, & splendidio­res. Quare? Quoniam illa propter nos fi­unt talia. Illa eum qui inest non partici­pant, non sen­tiunt. Nos au­tem participa­mus, & senti­mus. Nunc au­tem vase qui­dem sordido uti nolueris, sordida autem & immunda accedis anima? [...]. Chrys. in Ephes. 1. hom. 3 unto the Lords Table? Con­sider that 2 Chron. 30. 15. The Priests and the Levites were ashamed, and san­ctified themselves. And why were they ashamed? because they had so long deferred their sanctification and preparation, and therefore at length for very shame did sanctifie them­selves. It was a matter of shame then that they had so long put off their sanctification. They have cause of shame that sanctifie not themselves in due time for holy duties. And if it be a matter of shame to deferre it, though done at the last; then how much more is it a shame to neglect it altogether, and not to doe it at all? If a foule cloath should be laid on the Communion Table, if the Napkin wherein the bread is laid were not cleane; if the Cup & Vessels in which the Wine is put, were not made hand­some [Page 58] and decent, men wold cry shame of it, and would say that it is an arrant shame that the linnen and vessels be in such a case; that it is an arrant shame that these things are not provided and prepared to be in more decent and cleanly order. And a shame it were indeed: there ought to be an outward decency in these things. Our Saviour made no choise of any room at adventure to eat the Passeover in, but of a decent handsome furnisht roome, Luke 22. 12. He shall shew you a large upper roome, furnished, there make ready. Now then were it a shame that the vessels and linnen should not in their kinde be fitted, and decently prepared: what a foule shame then not to have our soules and hearts prepared? what is a foule cloth or a sullied vessell, to a foule and an unprepared soule? Oh shame, that men will offer to come to Gods Table with sluttish and unprepared spirits! should not we much more be prepared than the vessels? They con­taine [Page 59] but the outward elements for our use; but we come to receive the body and bloud of Christ. Will we have the vessels prepared, and can we for shame come with unprepared hearts?

2 Secondly, it is a matter of great danger to come unprepared to the Ta­ble of the Lord: that eating of the Passeover of theirs otherwise than it was written, 2 Chron. 30. 18. it was a dangerous thing: and Hezekiah was faine to make speciall suite for mercy for them. And yet that want of theirs was but an omission of some Legall Ceremony. How much more dan­gerous had it beene if for the inward substance of preparation they had done it otherwise than it was written? To come to the Sacrament without such preparation is dangerous in­deed. The dangers are these.

1 First, that which the Apostle speakes of 1 Cor. 11. 27. Whosoever shall eate this bread and drinke this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty [Page 60] of the body and bloud of the Lord. The end of the Sacrament and our com­ming to it, is to shew forth the Lords death. But now if we come unprepa­redly to it, we make our selves guilty of the Lords death. We come to the Sacrament to drink the Lords bloud, but if we come unpreparedly to it, wee come to shed the Lords bloud, and so instead of drinkers prove shedders of Qua ratione reus fit indigne assumens? per­inde nimitum ac si ipse san­guinem Domi­ni effundat. Vt n. qui tum pupugerunt Christum non ut biberent ef­fuderunt, verū ut effunderent, sic indigne bi­bens nihilque inde commodi referens fru­stra ac temere profudie san­gumem. Theo­phil. in 1 Cor. 10. & Chrys. 1 Cor. 11. hom. 27. Christs bloud. An unworthy receiver is guilty of Christs bloud: how so? because he doth so as if he shed his bloud: he doth so as the shedders of Christs bloud did. For looke as they that crucified & pierced Christ, pow­red not forth his blod that they might drinke it, but onely that they might powre it forth and shed it. So he that doth unworthily and unpreparedly drink his bloud, receiving thereby no profit nor benefit, he hath rashly and in vaine, shed his bloud. Now do but sit downe and consider how fearfull a thing it is to be guilty of Christs bloud. It is a fearefull thing to be guilty of [Page 61] any mans bloud, yea, to bee guilty of a wicked mans bloud, how much more then to be guilty of the bloud of the Sonne of God, of the bloud of God? De­liver me, O Lord, from bloud-guilti­nesse, cryes David, Psal. 51. It is a ve­ry heavie thing, to have an hand in mans bloud. That same is a sad Text, 2 Sam. 3. 28, 29. I and my kingdome, sayes David, are guiltlesse before the Lord for ever from the bloud of Abner the Son of Ner, let it rest on the head of Ioab, and on all his Fathers house, and let there not faile from the House of Ioab, one that hath an issue, or that is a Leaper, or that leaneth on a staffe, or that falles on the sword, or that lacks bread. What an heavie Im­precation was this upon Ioab, and that for the bloud of Abner, who was none of the best neither? And if so heavie a curse upon Io­ab for being guilty of Abner's bloud, how much more heavie will the curse be upon him that shall be [Page 62] guilty of the bloud of Christ? God will require the bloud of a man at the hands of a beast, Gen. 9. 5. The Ox that killed a man must be stoned to death, and his flesh must not be eaten. Exod. 21. 28. Doth God take care for Oxen (sayes Saint Paul) in another case, and doth God doe justice, and require justice to be done upon Oxen? doth he re­quire mans bloud at a beasts hand? Then how much more will he do ju­stice upon men that are guilty of Christs bloud? and how much more will he require his Sons bloud at the hands of reasonable creatures, that by unprepared receiving the Sacra­ment, make themselves guilty of it? Iudas his great sinne, for which, his soule and his memory is everlasting­ly accursed, was the betraying of in­nocent bloud, the betraying of Christs bloud; his sin was, That he was guil­ty of the bloud of the Lord. The hor­rible sin of the Iewes which we pro­fesse with so much indignation to ab­hor and detest, it was the shedding [Page 63] of Christs bloud: and how remark­able and dreadfull a curse and venge­ance, hath lyen upon their heads for the space of above fifteene hundred yeeres for that very bloud, according to their owne wish, His bloud be upon us, and upon our children? And doth it not then deeply concerne men to take heed how they make themselvs guil­ty of that bloud? Why then in the feare of GOD take heed of comming to the Sacrament unpre­paredly. If thou commest unprepa­redly, thou commest unworthily; and if thou commest unworthily, in­stead of being a drinker, thou wilt be a shedder of Christs bloud. Bloud is a crying sin, take heed above al things of having bloud cry against thee; but especially take heed of having Christs bloud cry out against thee. Christs bloud indeed applied by faith speaks better things than the bloud of Abel: but if wee make our selves guilty of it, as we do, if we come un­preparedly and unworthily to the [Page 64] Sacrament, it speakes no better things than the bloud of Abel: it then speakes Quod si ipse pellere non au­des, mihi dicas. Non permit­tam ista fi [...]eri. Animam prius tradam meam, quam domini­cum corpus a­licui indigno: sanguinemque meum potius effundi patiar, quam sacratis­simum illum sanguinem praeterquam digno conce­dam. Chrys. in Mat. hom. 64. and cries as Abels bloud for justice and vengeance. Woe be to him for whom Christs bloud speakes not; but woe a thousand times more to him against whom Christs bloud cries. All which considered, were enough to make unworthy and unprepared ones to resolve with themselves in the case of receiving the Sacrament, as S. Chrysostome did in the case of giving it to unworthy ones. I will ra­ther, sayes he, give my life, than I will give the body of Christ to any unworthy one, And I will rather suffer mine own bloud to be shed, then I will give that most holy bloud to any but him that is worthy. So should this consideration worke men to those thoughts. Is it so dangerous to receive the Sacrament unpreparedly? Shall I thereby make my selfe guilty of Christs bloud? Then surely I will rather lose my bloud, then by unprepared and un­worthy receiving make my selfe guil­ty of such bloud.

[Page 65] 2 The second danger is, That a man comming unpreparedly to the Sacrament, he not onely receives no good, but a great deale of hurt to his soule. Good he receives none. God blasts his Ordinance to such a soule, so that it shall not yeeld its fruit and its effica­cie unto such an one, Isay 1. 13. Bring no more vaine oblations. Were not those oblations of Gods owne ap­pointment, and by his owne precept? Why then are they called vaine obla­tions? because they were to them in the use of them but vain. Then a thing may be said to be vaine, when there is no profit in it. Things are vaine things which are unprofitable things, 1 Sam. 12. 21. Vaine things which can­not profit. That is a vaine thing, that yeelds not a man fruit answerable to his paines and endeavours. Levit. 26. 20. And your strength shall be spent in vaine, for your Land shall not yeeld her increase, neither shall the Trees of the Land yeeld their fruits: They should use their strength in tilling and plant­ing [Page 66] the Land; and yet all their labour should be vaine, because the land should not yeeld her increase, nor the trees their fruits. So here, when a man shall use Ordinances, come to the Sacrament, and they doe not nor can profit him: when a man comes to the Sacrament, and it doth not yeeld its increase and its fruit, then is the Sacrament vaine to such a man: and then the Sacrament yeelds not fruit, when men come unprepared unto it; for want of preparation was the thing that made their oblations vaine, as ap­peares Isay 1. 16, 17, 18. For those whom he forbids comming before, he bids them come upon their prepa­ration. Come now, namely, when you prepared your selves as is required, Verse 16. 17. To come to the Sacra­ment, and not to partake of the bene­fit and fruit of it is an heavie thing. And it is the case of every unworthy and unprepared communicant. The same curse is upon him that was upon the Prince of Samaria, 2 Kings 7. 2. [Page 67] Behold thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not eat thereof. They see the plenty that God provides, but yet they eat not of that spirituall provisi­on with which God so richly furni­shes his Table. They are spiritually in this case under those curses, Hos. 4. 10. They shall eat, and not be satisfied. Hag. 1. 6. Ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled. There is a Law. Deut. 16. 16. That three times in a yeere they must appeare before God, in the three solemne Feasts: And they shall not, (sayes the Text) appeare before the Lord empty. So must it be with us when we appeare before God in this solemne feast at the Sacrament, we must not appeare empty before the Lord. He that is voide of that disposition of spirit which God requires, he that comes unprepared, he appeares empty. And what will the danger be of appearing empty? Surely as we come, so shall we goe; God will send us away emp­ty. As in another sense, God sends [Page 68] away the rich and the full empty, Luke 1. 53. so in this sense he sends the emp­ty away empty. Yea, the Ordinance of the Sacrament which in Gods institu­on comes to us as Paul to the Romans, Rom. 15. 29. And I am sure that when I come unto you, I shall come in the ful­nesse of the blessing of the Gospell of Christ, shall come empty handed to us, and shall prove an empty Sacrament unto us. So that upon our receiving, it shall be no better with us, than with those in that case, Isa. 29. 8. It shal even be as when an hungry man dreames, and behold he eats, but he awakes and his soule is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreames, and behold he drinks, but he awakes and behold he is faint, and his soule hath appetite. So shal it be w^th every unprepared Communicant, he may eat and drinke the outward ele­ments, and may thinke to eat Christs flesh, and to drink Christs bloud, but he is but in a dreame, he is never the fatter nor the fuller for his dreame, he came empty without preparation, [Page 69] and he goes away empty without pro­fit; his soule is empty. It was a sad threat against those that refused to come to the Supper when they were invited, Luke 14. 24. I say unto you that none of those that were bidden shall taste of my Supper. They should not so much as taste of it. There be many that come to the Supper in the Sacra­ment, and yet though they come, meet with that judgement that was threatned against them which refused to come to that Supper. They come and taste not of this Supper; tast not the sweetnesse, fatnesse, and good­nesse of this Ordinance. And all be­cause they come unprepared thereun­to. Sacramenta quidem, quan­tum in se est, sine propria virtute esse non possunt: nec ullo modo se absentat di­vina majestas mysteriis, sed quamvis ab in­dignis se sumi vel contingi Sacramenta permittant, non tamen possunt spiritus esse participes quorum infi­delitas vel in­dignitas tantae sanctitudini contradicit. Cypr. de coen. Dom. Not that Gods Ordinance in it self is forcelesse, & ineffectual, or that Gods hand is shortned, that he can­not conveigh a blessing thereby, but therefore the Sacrament proves a dry and an empty brest unto them, because they come so unworthily, and unpreparedly to it.

But yet this is not all. It is bad [Page 70] enough to receive no spirituall good by receiving the Sacrament, but there is a further danger in it, there is a great deale of spirituall hurt received by it, when received unpreparedly. For that is a sure thing, that when men re­ceive not good by Ordinances, they alwayes withall receive a great deale of hurt, and when they are not the better, they are the worse for them. So much that of the Apostle implies, 1 Cor. 11. 17. That you come together, not for the better but for the worse. And he speaketh it of their comming toge­ther to the Sacrament, as appeares V. 20. So thē when men come to the Sa­crament & are not the better, they are the worse. Men should come toge­ther to the Word and to the Sacra­ment for the better; to be the better for it, to be quickned in their inner man; to have communion w^th Christ, to receive efficacy and vertue from him, but when they do not come to­gether for the better; and be not the better by these holy duties, they are [Page 71] undoubtedly the worse. They are the worse, for the Sacrament disorderly received without preparation, spiri­tually the worse, and that in respect of a double spirituall danger.

1 First, instead of receiving Christ, we receive Satan. We come indeed to receive Christ, more quickning and grace from him; but comming unpreparedly, we not onely receive not Christ, but we receive Satan, and hardning from him in sin, and more strength and greedinesse unto sin, Ioh. 13. 26. 27. And when he had dipped the sop he gave it to Iudas Iscariot the son of Simon, and after the Sop Satan entred into him. Indeed it is said, Luke 22. 3. That Satan entred into Iudas before his going to the high Priests, and compacting with them, and before his receiving this Sop. He entred then, that is, he began to enter, but now at the receiving of the Sop he fully and wholly entred. His head was in before, but now after the Sop he gat in his whole body. Iohn 13. 2. The [Page 72] divell had put it into his heart to betray him, but now as it is said of Ananias, Nunquid Sata­na [...] tamen ante cor ejus intrave­rat? Omnino fra­tre, ante buccel­lā cor Iudae intra­verat, sed affectu, & voluntate tan­tum: sed post buc­c [...]llā intravit Sa­tanas effectu, & opere, tamen bo­na fuit buccella. Aug. ad frat. in erem. Ser. 28. Acts 5. He had filled his heart. So that Satan now was more powerfull and efficacious in him, than before, hurries and headlongs him more vio­lently then before, brings him to a ful & setled resolution to practise that perfidious villany in betraying his master. Satans entry implies a most stiffe and obdurate resolution, without any further delay or deliberation, to goe thorow-stitch with this mischie­vous purpose, and therefore, V. 30. He went out immediately. But now marke the time of Satans entry, and the time when the divell brought him to this thorow resolution of execu­ting his treason, After the Sop Satan en­tred into him. This Sop was the close of the Sacrament of the Passeover, which Sacrament Iudas had received, & the substance of that Sacrament the same w^th our Sacrament of the Supper now. Now one would have thought that Iudas not despising the ordinance [Page 73] but having been present at so holy and religious an exercise, it should have Nam in Iudam post cōmunicati­onem mensae dia­bolus intravit, non quia con­temp [...]erat domi­nicum corpus, sed quia impudentia Iudae & maligni­tas mentis, ut ad­versarius in eo habitaret effecit: ut discas quod in­digna &, fucata mente mysterio­rum secreta cele­brantibus a dia­bolo praeparan­tur insidiae, & magis ac magis assimilantur eis qui non aequo animo Commu­nicate festinant: & haec dico, non ut vos terream, sed ut cautiores efficiam. Nemo sit Iudas in men­sa. Chrys. de pro­ditione Iuda. hom. 30. beene a meanes to have weakned Sa­tans power, and to have holpen him with power and strength against Sa­tan. But Iudas comming unprepared, he is so farre from getting strength against Satan, that Satan gets strength against him, and that at the very time of the Sacrament, 1 Cor. 10. 21. Ye can­not drink the cup of the Lord & the cup of Divels: ye cannot be partakers of the Lords Table, and of the table of Divels. But yet wicked men that are unwor­thy, and unprepared, because they drinke the cup of the Divel, therefore when they drink the cup of the Lord, are so farre from receiving the Lord that they rather receive him whose cup they love. Because such de­light in the table of Divels, therefore when they come to the Lords Table, Christ enters not after the bread, but he enters that enterd into Iudas, he in whose table they doe delight. And so an unworthy receiver makes the [Page 74] Table of the Lord to be to him a Table of divels, and his cuppe the cuppe of divels, because that af­ter the unworthy and unprepared receiving of the Sacrament, Sa­than enters. Sacraments unprepa­redly received, are so far from ma­king a way for CHRIST to en­ter, that they doe but prepare and make a way for Sathans entrance. Satan enters when the Sacrament is unworthily received; and brings men from the Sacrament with more hard­nesse of heart, with more power and strength in them to carry thē to their old and former sins. Now it is a ve­ry fearefull thing to have Satan en­ter into us at the Sacrament: it is fearefull to have him enter into us at any time, in any place; but to have him enter at the Sacrament, at the Lords Table, this is far more feare­full. To rise up from the Lords Ta­ble with greater greedinesse, and more eagernesse after our lusts; to rise from the Lords Table with more [Page 75] strength and minde than before, to do the divell service, is wondrous feare­full. And doth thine heart tremble at the thoughts of such going from the Sacrament? then let thine heart tremble no lesse at the thoughts of such comming to the Sacrament, of comming unpreparedly unto it. Loth thou wouldest be to have Satan enter but into thine house, be as loth to have him enter into thine heart; especial­ly in the use of the Sacrament: and as thou wouldest be carefull to prevent N [...]m & Sacra­mentum sicut accip [...]t ad vi­t [...]m [...]ignus, sic ad judicium, & mo [...]em pro­p [...]m indig­nu [...] Sacramen­tum [...] sine re Sacramenti, mors est [...]u­men [...]. Res ve­ro Sacramenti praeter Sacra­mentum vita ae [...]rna est ac­cip [...]en [...]. Bern. in caen. Dom. Ser. 2. so great a danger, so dismall a case; so look to it to come in due order, duly prepared for the Sacrament.

2 Instead of receiving that which might further our salvation, we shall receive Iudgement, and damnation. We come to the Sacrament to further our salvation, but comming unpreparedly further our damnation. 1 Cor. 11. 29. He that eates and drinkes unworthily, eates and drinkes his owne damnation. The Paschall Lambe might not be eaten raw, Exod. 12. 9. Eate not of it [Page 76] raw. To teach that the Sacrament must not be eaten unpreparedly. He that receives unpreparedly eates the Sacrament raw, because hee comes rawly and eates it rawly and unprepa­redly. Now to have eaten the Pas­call Lambe raw had beene both un­wholesome, and dangerous. He that eates raw flesh never digests it kindly. The eating of flesh that hath not been so well prepared as it should, that hath bin somewhat too raw, hath cost many a man his life. As dangerous as eating of raw flesh is to the body, so dangerous to the soule is the eat­ing of the Sacrament rawly, and un­preparedly. It appeares by 2 Sam. 6. 6. That Vzzah put forth his hand to the Arke of God upon a good in­tention, to save the Arke from a fall when the Oxen stumbled, or shooke it. But his good intention notwith­standing, there was an error, or a rash­nesse in it. And for that errour, and rashnesse the anger of God was kind­led against Vzzah, and for that errour [Page 77] and rashnesse God smote him there, and there he dyed by the Arke. What is the Arke of God to the body, and bloud of the Sonne of God? And if God punisht him so severely for his errour, that he rashly layde hold on the Arke, which yet he did out of a sodaine feare of the Arkes comming to some hurt and miscarriage, and without diliberation, there being no place for deliberation in so sudden a chop; if yet God was so severe against him, how much more are they in danger to bee smitten for their errour that will rashly put forth their hand to lay hold on the body and bloud of CHRIST? Especially not doing it rashly upon any suddaine occasion that puts them upon it, but having time, and liberty for deliberation, yea and doing it against so many faire warnings as they continually have? Every one that meddles with the Sa­crament unpreparedly, meddles with it rashly, and he that meddles rashly is in danger of Gods stroake, of a worse [Page 78] stroake then Vzzahs was, of a stroake upon the soule, for he that eates and drinkes unworthily, eates and drinkes his owne damnation. So strangely doth our unpreparednes pervert Gods Or­dinance, Ideo (que) alijs sunt haec munera odor vitae in vitam, alijs odor mortis in mortem: quia omnino justum est, ut tanto p [...] ­ventur beneficio gratiae con emp­tores, nec in [...] ­dignis [...] g [...]a­tiae pu [...] faci [...] ma [...] ­nem. [...]. de [...]oen. dom. and of an Ordinance of life makes it an Ordinance unto death. That as they spake in that case, 1 Reg. 4 40. Oh thou man of God, death is in the pot: So it may bee sayd unto an unprepared Communicant, ôh thou unworthy receiver, Death is in the cup. If thou drinke unpreparedly thou drinkest thine owne death. And as God speakes of Ierusalem to the enemies of it. Zech. 12. 2. Behold I will make Ierusalem a cup of poyson or a cup of trembling unto all the people round a­bout, so may it be sayd of the cup in the Sacrament to an unprepared re­ceiver. Inte [...]j [...] nefarie necatus veneno per infectum pa­nem sacrum, Be­neconventi, a Bernhardino Monacho [...]e fami­lia fratrun [...] pradicatorum qui ad hoca Florentio [...] e [...]at conductus Carion. Chronic. lib 5. Behold I will make the cup in the Sacrament a cup of poyson, or a cup of trembling to all unprepared Communicants.

The Emperour Henry the seventh was poisoned in the bread by a Monk, [Page 79] and Pope Victor the second was poy­sond by his Subdeacon in his challice, and one of our Bishops of Yorke was poysond at the Sacrament, by poyson put in the wine. Now if poyson were mingled with the Sacramentall bread, or if poyson were put into the cup, would not men tremble to eate that bread? would not that cup be a cup of trembling? would not the very feare and suspicion of poyson make men tremble to drinke of it? Assured­ly if thou be an unprepared receiver there is poyson in thy bread, in thy cup, and it will poyson thy soule to death. And therefore it should make men as much tremble to come unprepared, as Medicus enim non daret vene­num, salutem medicus dedit, sed indigne acci­piendo, ad perni­ciem accepit. August. they would tremble to go away with their soules poysoned.

If a sonne shall aske bread of any of you that is a Father, will hee give him a stone, sayes our Saviour? Luk. 11. 11. We professe when we come to the Sacrament that wee come to seeke bread, and foode for our soules. And bread, the true living bread that came [Page 80] down from heaven is there to be had, but when we come unprepared, it so falls out with us, that in stead of bread we have a stone given us, a stone that will choake us. The Divell would have had our Saviour to have turned stones into bread, but contrarily men comming unpreparedly turne the bread in the Sacrament into a stone, so that not onely no more nourishment by it then by a stone, but so much dan­ger by it, as by feeding on a stone, which is no lesse then death. I will, sayes David, Psal. 116. 13. Take the cup of salvation. How many in taking the cup in the Sacrament take the cup of damnation? Either take it a cup of salvation, or take it not at all.

3 The third danger is bodily danger. Vnprepared receiving brings bodily judgements upon men, as sickenesse, weakenesse, yea and death it selfe. 1 Cor. 11. 30. For this cause many are weake, and sickely amongst you, and ma­ny sleepe. For what cause? For re­ceiving the Sacrament unworthly, [Page 81] and comming unpreparedly to it: yea and some thinke that it might be the Pestilence that was amongst them for that sinne, at least some mortality was at that time amongst them. As for the neglect of his worship, and Ordinan­ces, God falls upon men with the Pesti­lence, Ex. 5. 3. So no lesse is he pro­voked for the undue order of using his Ordinances to fall upon men either with pestilence, or other sick­nesses. There be many when they bee sicke will confesse themselves to bee sinners, and that it is for their sinnes that GOD brings sicknes upon them. Custome, and fashion teaches men at the least to say so much. But if a man should aske them wherein they be sinners, or for what sinne Gods hand is upon them, that they know not. I have dreamed a dreame, sayes Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 2. 3. but he knew not what his dreame was. So, I have sinned, sayes many an one in his sicknesse, but yet can scarce tell wherein, if he were put to [Page 82] it. I will tell you therefore wherein you are sinners, and for what one sin amongst many others God layes sick­nesses, and that unto death upon you. For this cause, for your unprepared and unworthy receiving the Sacra­ment. For this cause God takes a­way your health, visits you with sore, sharpe, long, mortall sicknesses. If we would judge our selves we should not bee judged, 1 Cor. 11, 31. Because men doe not by Iudging themselves prepare themselves before they come, there­fore God doth Iudge them by punish­ing with sicknesse and untimely death after they come. It may be there be some that greatly regarde not the danger of their soules that yet love their healths, and lifes well enough. If Spirituall dangers will not, yet let temporall dangers make men looke about them. When God cast Adam out of Paradise, he set an Angell with a flaming sword to keepe him from of­fering to make a re-entry. If Adam would have adventured, hee had cer­tainely [Page 83] gone upon his owne death. And so hath God set all his threat­nings against unworthy receivers, as so many Angels with flaming swords, to keep off all unprepared persons from the Sacrament. And because all this notwithstanding they will adventure to come in their unpreparednes, there­fore they smart for it, God kills them with death for it. GODS Iudge­ments have beene very remarkable upon such as have profaned, despised, and abused either the Table, or Ves­sels belonging to the Sacrament, or the Elements themselves.

For the prophaning of the Table, memorable is that divine vengeance Centuriat. Magdeb. cent. 4. ca. 3. Theod. lib. 3. ca. 11, 12. w^ch was upon Iulian unckle to Iulian the Apostata. He comming into a Church at Antiochia profaned the Lords Table by pissing upon it in con­tempt, and smote Euzoias the Bishop who chode him, and sought to hinder him from such horrible villany. But not long after divine Iustice found him out, for he dyed miserably, being [Page 84] taken with a disease that rotted his bowels, so that his excrements came from him not by the accustomed pas­sages of nature, but came thorow his wicked mouth, which had said to Eu­zoias endeavouring to hinder him from that vile act, that the divine providence tooke no care at all of Chri­stians affaires.

For disposing the Communion ves­sels, Centuriat. Magdeb. ibid. & Theod. or scorning at it that such preti­ous vessels should be used at the Sa­crament, that Iustice of God is re­markable upon Felix treasurer to Iu­lian the Apostata, and himselfe also an Apostata, for he beholding in the same Church those vessels which Constantine, and Constance had given for that use, behold saith he in scorne, En qualibus vasis ministra­tur Mariae filio. what vessels the Son of Mary is mini­stred unto withall. But suddenly the stroake of God was upon him, and he perisht miserably, bleeding day and night at the mouth.

For abuse of the Elements: The Donatists that cast the holy Sacra­ment [Page 85] to the Dogs were themselves af­ter devoured of Dogs. The Reverend and learned Bishop that now is of Dur­ham, In his learned booke of the Institution of the Sacrament, li. 5. ca. 3. sect. 5 reports a story upon his owne knowledge of one S^r Booth a batche­lour of Arts in S. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, who being Popishly affect­ted at the time of the Commuion tooke the consecrated bread, and forbearing to eate it, conveyed, and kept it closely for a time; and afterwards threw it over the Colledge wall: but a short time after not induring the torment of his guilty conscience, hee threw himselfe headlong over the battle­ments of the Chappell, and some few hours after ended his life.

Now howsoever all these were sinners in another kinde then unpre­pared receivers be, yet thus far these examples may be of use to our pre­sent purpose, to let us see that God is a Iealous God in the case of his Sa­crament abused and despised, that he will be a swift witnesse, and a severe Iudge against such. And though [Page 86] unpreparednesse, and unworthy recei­ving be not a sinne so foule as those grosse prophanations, yet therein there is a prophanation of GODS Name, and Ordinance, and therefore very dangerous, because God will not beare nor brooke profanations of his Ordinance.

4 In the fourth and last place, con­sider this one thing. It is a very dan­gerous thing not to come to the Sa­crament, to neglect Gods Ordinance in an infrequent use thereof, or utter disrespect of it. Gen. 17. 14. He that neglected circumcision was to bee cut off. And we see that God would have killed Moses for neglecting his Childs circumcision. Exod. 4. 24. And see that place. Numb. 9. 13. But the man that is cleane, and is not in a journey, and forbeares to keepe the Passeover, even the same soule shall be cut off from his people, because he brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season, that man shall beare his sinne. And we know the severity of their punishment that [Page 87] neglected to come to that Supper of the King Matth. 22. 5, 7. They made light of it, and went their wayes, &c. But when the King heard thereof, hee was wroth, and he sent forth his ar­mies, and destroyed those murtherers, and burnt up their City. Not to use the Sacrament, and to be without it, is all one. And to be without the Sacrament, and without CHRIST, and without God in the world, are joyned together, Ephes. 2. 11, 12. whilst they were cal­led uncircumcision, at that time they were without CHRIST, and with­out God in the world. And the ne­cessity of the use of the Sacraments appeares by this, that before the Is­raelites must enter into Canaan, they must bee circumcised, and eate the Passeover, Iohn 5. 7, 10. To teach that all that will enter into the hea­venly Canaan must of necessity in obedience to GODS Commande­ment bee partakers of his Sacraments. It is therefore very dangerous to be without the Sacrament, not to come [Page 88] to it when God invites to it. And yet as dangerous as it is not to come to Etenim sic vi­vendum est ut panem illum semper accipere valeamus, quia vae ei qui se alienum fecerit ab eo: Et mul­tum vae illi qui spurcus et im­mūdus accesse­rit. Vtrobi (que) grande periculum. Ideo magna necessitas in­stat ne indigni Inveni [...]mur. Bern. de ordi. vitae. Non dixit, Cur accubuisti? sed ante accubi [...]um & ingressum eum dicit esse indignum. Non enim dix­it, Cur accubu­isti? sed cur in­trasti? Chrys. ad Ephes. ho. 3. the Sacrament, yet it is no lesse dangerous to come, if we come unpreparedly. Vnprepared comming is as dangerous as not comming. It is with this Supper in the Sacrament, as it was w^th that sup­per of the Kings, Mat. 22. They that neglected to come, and absented themselves, they smarted. But v. 13. there was one that came to the Supper, and yet he seems to be more severely punisht then those that came not. What shall men be punisht for not com­ming, and be punisht for comming too? Yes surely, if they come not as they should, comming will not serve the turne. Marke that question, v. 12. Friend how camest thou in hither? He doth not say, Friend how satest thou down, but how camest thou in? There­by implying that his sinne was not, that some indisposition had over­taken him in sitting downe, but that hee did not looke to himselfe, and prepare himselfe before he came in. [Page 89] So it is in the Supper of the LORD. A man may transgresse as well in an unprepared presence, as in a pro­fane absence. And hee may incurre a danger by comming, as well as by not comming. There is not a man comes to the Sacrament but GOD hath an eye upon him to take notice how he comes in, and if he come not in prepared he is like to heare of it to his sorrow. We come to the Sacrament to enquire of God, to seeke his face, and to receive a gracious an­swer from him. But if we come un­prepared, in stead of an answer we shall meete with a question, Friend how camest thou in hither? Such a que­stion as will trouble us to answer; Such a question as will gag us, that wee shall not have a word to say for our selves. A great many can­not endure their Ministers should question it with them to prepare them the better for that holy duty, but let such know that God himselfe will question them, and put them such a [Page 90] question as will smite them dumbe, and speechlesse: such a question, to which because they can make no an­swer, they must answer it in another kinde, Take him, bind him hand and foot, and cast him into utter darknesse, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Chap. 4. Of the necessity of know­ledge in a Communicant.

CHAP. 4 THus we have seene how needfull preparation is to the receiving of the Sacrament after the due order. It followes now to consider what this preparation is, or wherin it stands. The preparation required before the Sa­crament, is twofold. Habituall and Actuall: Habituall preparation stands in the having of all such dispositions and graces, as qualifie a man for the worke of receiving. Actuall prepara­tion stands in the exciting and awake­ning [Page 91] of those graces and dispositions, and renewing of them when a man is to receive. Both these must be done by him that will receive in due order. It is here as in preaching. A man that will preach the Word, must first be habitually prepared for the worke, by having such gifts, graces, abilities, and ministeriall qualificati­ons of learning and knowledge in the Scriptures, as are required to accom­plish and furnish a man for that work. He must be a man well read, well stu­died. Now though a man be a fur­nisht man, and have competent abili­ties, yet he will not on a sudden with­out any study step up into the Pulpit, take a Text at adventure and fall a preaching; but besides his habituall preparation in the course of his stu­dies, he will study afresh upon a par­ticular Text, and for a particular Ser­mon, and bestow speciall paines for that particular worke; and that is Act­uall preparation. Mat. 13. 52. Every Scribe which is instructed unto the king­dome [Page 92] of heaven—bringeth out of his treasure things new and old. He is in­structed unto the Kingdome of Hea­ven, he hath a treasure of things new and old. There is his habituall prepa­ration for preaching; he brings them out, namely by study and meditation, he gathers together things apt and fit for the present worke; there is his actuall preparation. And there is first an habituall preparation before an actu­all. He first studies Arts, Tongues, Di­vinity, and then after studies his Ser­mons: his first study is habituall, his second is actuall preparation. Though a man should study a Sermon & have an actuall preparation, yet if he had not studied Divinity and other things needful, but wanted habitual preparati­on, it would prove poore, lank, empty stuffe: and though a man had studied Divinity, and had habituall preparati­on, yet if without study and premedi­tation, without actuall preparation he should offer to doe the worke, hee might be guilty of tempting God, [Page 93] might make but wilde and confused worke of it, and might come off with a check. Neither of these thus prea­ching should preach after the due Order: and both these might be as those Prophets, Zech. 13. 4. It shall come to passe in that day, that the Pro­phets shall bee ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied. The first might well be ashamed, because he wanted habituall, the second, be­cause he wanted actuall preparation. He is not fit to preach that wants habitu­all preparation: he may say (if called to preach) as Zech. 13. 5. I am no Pro­phet, I am an Husband-man; for man taught me to keep cattell from my youth. I am not habitually prepared; I have not beene trained up in the Schooles, & amongst the Sons of the Prophets, but I am a Trades-man, I have beene brought up in the shop in a Trade from my youth: and though he be fit to preach that hath habituall prepara­tion, yet if he want actuall preparation he is not ready to preach, not provi­ded [Page 94] for it at such a time. And there­fore mark how the Rulers of the Sy­nagogue speake to S. Paul and his companions, Acts 13. 15. Ye men and brethren, if ye have any words of exhor­tation for the people, say on: as if hee had said, If ye be provided for a Ser­mon, if you have any meditations ready, bestow them upon the people. He did not desire they should adven­ture into the Pulpit with their extem­porary effusions, to powre out what Ad nu [...]itio­nem spiritua­lem requiritur non tantum habitus & dis­positio fidei, sed actus etiam ejus exercitus, & exercit [...]tus, ita ut non om­nes fideles semper digni sint convivae in hac coena, nisi fidem quam habent, exci­tent & exerce­ant pro ratio­ne hujus insti­tuti. Ames. Cat. p. 152. ever came next hand, 2 Tim. 2. 15. Study to shew thy selfe approved unto God, a workman that needs not to bee ashamed. Timothy was a studied man, a man of rare and singular gifts and en­dowments; and yet for all that, if he would bee an approved workeman, S. Paul would have him study to doe it: he would not have him rest on his habituall preparations, but would have him actually fit himself for his work, when he was to worke. Now thus is the case in the Sacrament, there must be an habituall and an actuall prepa­ration [Page 95] to it. A man that will receive the Sacrament, must first be furnished with such graces and dispositions, as a Communicant ought to have: and though he have such graces as are requisite to habituall preparation, yet may he not therefore all on a sud­den rush to the Lords Table, and without any more adoe receive the Sacrament: but first there must be an actuall preparing and fitting of himselfe for the worke. Both must be had, or else no due order in the worke, or else no fruit from the duty. There be, that in their fashion do act­ually prepare themselves that yet are voide of those graces that are requi­red to habituall preparation. And there be that are habitually prepared, and yet faile in an actuall fitting of themselves. To both these the Sa­crament proves as Iobs brooks to the Travellers, Iob 6. 19. 20. The troopes of Tema looked, and the companies of Sheba waited for them, as hoping by the waters of those brookes to have [Page 96] beene refreshed, but they were confoun­ded because they had hoped, they came thither and were ashamed; because they came with an hope to have found water in those brookes: but they be­ing dried up with the heate of Sum­mer, their hope was disappointed, and so they went away ashamed of their lost labour. So both those sorts of people come to the Sacrament, there they looke and wait for some spiritu­all refreshment by it; but they may goe away ashamed, because they ho­ped, and their hope is frustrate; they meet with no such thing as they ho­ped for. And the reason of their dis­appointment is that which is spoken in another case, Matth. 22. 8. The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. The wedding was ready, but the guests were not ready. So the Sacrament is ready, and God ready in the Sacrament to do his part, but these kinde of Communi­cants are not ready, either not ready by an habituall, or not ready by an actuall [Page 97] preparation, and because not ready, not worthy; and because not worthy, there­fore their hopes disappointed. Now though both these be required, yet habituall preparation must bee in the first place; for no man can indeed act­ually fit himselfe, till he be habitually prepared; and in vaine is all actuall preparation where habituall goes not before it.

This habituall preparation therfore, stands in having the soule furnished with all such graces and dispositions as may make a man worthy, that is, fit for the Sacrament. And those gra­ces and disposi­tions are these,

• 1 Knowledge.
• 2 Faith.
• 3 Repentance.
• 4 Charity.
• 5 Obedience.

All these must a Communicant be qualified with, that in the Sacrament seeks God in due Order, and the want of any of these makes him guilty of not seeking God after the due Order.

1 The first thing then that is re­quired, [Page 98] is knowledge. The Apostle makes this a great fault in receiving the Sacrament, so to receive it, as not to discerne the Lords body, 1 Cor. 11. 29. Not discerning the Lords body. There­fore that should be a mans care, so to come, as to discerne the Lords body. This Discerning stands in knowledge, understanding and judgement, of the nature, use, and necessity of the Sa­crament; the which, because they cannot be known without the know­ledge of the fundamentall principles of religion, therefore under this dis­cerning the Lords body, is included and comprehended a convenient and competent measure of knowledge of all the grounds of Religion: and that such knowledge is necessary for every one that desires to come after the due Order, will appeare by these follow­ing reasons.

1 First, God prizes knowledge more than the outward acts and performances of his service. Yea, so highly prizes knowledge above outward perfor­mances, [Page 99] that if it should needs be that one must be wanting, the knowledge of God (without publike performan­ces) is more acceptable than publike performances, Hos. 6. 6. I desired the knowledge of God more than burnt offe­rings. Possibly the case might be so that a man could not offer sacrifice, as it was with David in his exile, yet ha­ving the knowledge of God he might be saved. But if a man did Sacrifice and offer Burnt-Offerings, yet if he had not the knowledge of God hee could not be saved. There may bee cases in which a man cannot come to receive the Sacrament, but yet a man having the knowledge of God hee may be saved. Iohn 17. 3. This is life eternall to know Thee, &c. But let a man receive the Sacrament ever so often, yet if he be voide of the know­ledge of God, he cannot be saved; For God will haue all men to be saved, and come, he sayes not to the Sacra­ment, but to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Tim. 2. 4. So that as in that case, so [Page 100] in this I desired knowledge of God more than receiving of the Sacram^t. Men commonly desire the receiving of the Sacrament more than the knowledge of God. But our desires should be suitable to Gods desires. As he desires so should we desire, and he desires the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings, and so by proportion more than Sacraments.

2 Secondly, a man should so pre­pare himselfe for the Sacrament, as he would prepare himselfe for his death, look how he would be loth to goe to his grave, so should he be loth to go to the Lords Table. A man that would die comfortaby, would die with the knowledge of God; and a man that would receive comfortably, would receive with knowledge. It is a dread­full thing to die without knowledge. If a man die without knowledge, I know but one way with him. It is threatned as an heavie judgement, Ioh. 36. 12. They shal die without knowledge. And that is an heavie saying. Ioh. 8. 21 [Page 101] Ye shall die in your sins, that is, ye shall die in a damned condition. Now to die without knowledge, is all one as to die in our sins, for questionless he that dies in ignorance dies in his sins, and so dying without knowledge, dies in a state of damnation. And if so fearefull to die without knowledge, how fearefull to come to the Sacra­ment without knowledge? For what makes a man unfit to die, makes him unfit to receive; and what condi­tion is dangerous to die in, that con­dition is dangerous to receive in. A man is not fit to receive, that is not in a state of salvation, as no man is fit to dye that is not in such a state: we are not in a state of salvation, but so far forth as we have the knowledge of the truth, 1 Tim. 2. 4. Who would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Therefore no salvation but where there is the know­ledge of the truth. No knowledge then, and not yet in the state of salva­tion; and what have we to doe with [Page 102] the Sacrament that not in the state of salvation? That man that is fit for the Sacrament, and duly prepared for it, is fit and prepared for Heaven; and that man that is unfit for Heaven, is unfit for the Sacrament, and that man is unfit for Heaven that is without the knowledge of God.

3 Thirdly consider what is the end of our comming to the Sacrament. The end of our comming is to have Com­munion with God in his Ordinance. And therefore there is a necessity of comming with knowledge. He on­ly comes comfortably and profitably to the Sacrament, who therein hath communion with God: and one spe­ciall way to have communion with him, is to have the knowledge of him, I [...] [...]4 7. I will give them an heart to know me that I am the Lord, And they shall bee my people, and I will bee their God: when we are his people, and he our God, then we have communion with him; and this cannot be that he should be our God and we his peo­ple [Page 103] till we know him. We have nothing to do with the Sacrament, nor with fellowship with God therein, till we be his people, and his people we can­not be, till we have an heart to know him. A man will not have communi­on with any with whom he hath not acquaintance, with such as are stran­gers to him. We doe decline famili­arity with strangers: where the know­ledge of God is not, there men are strangers to God. Ephes. 4. 18. being alienated estranged through the igno­rance that is in them. And so, no know­ledge of God, no fellowship with God: no knowledge, no communi­on. And to what end is it to come to the Communion without communi­on with God? A Communion with­out Communion with God, is but a comfortlesse Communion. As there­fore we desire to have Communion with God when wee come to the Communion, so come with know­ledge. Knowledge it is true that a man may have, and yet have no com­munion [Page 104] with God, but Communi­on with God can no man have unlesse he have knowledge. A man is not fit to partake of the Sacrament till he be fit to partake of the Covenant; and that which is required to make a man fit for the participation of the covenant, is no lesse required to make a man fit for the participation of the Sacrament. Now knowledge is necessarily requi­red for the participation of the cove­nant, Heb. 8. 10, 11. For this is the co­venant I will make—for all shall know mee from the least to the greatest. That which is required to make us parta­kers of the covenant, is required to make us fit for communion with God; and that which is required to make us partakers of the covenant, must needs be as much required to make us par­takers of the seale of the Covenant. Such a necessity of knowledge there is in him that receives the Sacrament.

4 Fourthly, consider, how utter­ly unfit a man is, whilest he is in ig­norance. That appeares in these par­ticulars.

[Page 105] 1 First, No man is fit to be a par­taker of the seale of the covenant, who is not in the covenant of grace, nei­ther can say that he is so. Ignorant persons cannot say that they are in the covenant of grace; for such as are in the covenant of grace have recei­ved an anointing, which teaches them of all things. 1 Iohn 2. 27. And they that be effectually called are taught of God, Iohn 6. 45. And they that are in co­venant with God they all know him from the least of them to the greatest of them, Ier. 31. 33, 34. Therefore they that know not God, that are not taught of God, they that are not anointed, are not in covenant with God. Such are all ignorant persons; they be persons unanointed, they be persons untaught of God, they know not God, there­fore are they not in covenant with God, and being not in covenant have nothing to doe with the Sacrament: for in the use of the Sacrament there is a sealing of the covenant unto us. Now a man can have no right to [Page 106] have the covenant sealed unto him, till he be in the covenant; and igno­rant persons are not in covenant with God: so that the ignorant mans recei­ving, is but the having of a seale to a blanke. And what is a man the bet­ter for that? What is a man the bet­ter for having the Kings broad-Seale to a Parchment that hath nothing written in it? He hath nothing but a peece of Parchment and wax, he hath neither land nor living, sealed and conveighed to him thereby. Iust so it is in this case.

2 Secondly, none have any benefit by the Sacrament, but such as are re­al and actual members of Christs bo­dy. The Sacrament is spirituall food, and all the members of Christs body receive nourishment, and growth by the use of this food, but yet they must bee members of the body, or else no nourishment, growth, or life. Ignorant persons are not actu­all members of Christs body. They are captives of Satan, fast in the Di­vels [Page 107] clutches and possession. 2 Tim. 2. 25, 26. They that know not the truth are in the snare of the divell, and are ta­ken captive by him at his will. Igno­rance is the very power of the divell. Acts 26. 18. To turne them from dark­nesse to light, from the power of Satan unto God. That which is called dark­nesse in the first, is called the power of Satan in the latter clause; so that the divell having, and holding a man in ignorance, hath, and holds him in his power. And are such the members of Christs body that are wholly in the power and possession of the di­vell? Have they any thing to doe to participate of Christs body in the Sa­crament, that are no members of his mysticall body? Are such as are Sa­tans slaves, vassals, and captives, fit to come to the Lords Table, and have fellowship with the God of heaven?

3 Thirdly, an ignorant person is utterly unfit for the Lords Table. God forbad to offer the blinde; the blinde was an abomination to him. And what [Page 108] difference betweene a blinde offering, and the offering of the blinde. A blinde offerer that hath the eyes of his mind out is worse, and more abominable then a blinde offering. The Law denyed a Leaper the benefit of civill Society, therefore much more of ho­ly Communion in publike services and sacrifices. Now an ignorant person is a kinde of leaper, he hath one perillous symptome of leaprosie, namely that same, Levit. 13. 44. The Priest shall pronounce him utterly un­cleane, his plague is in his head. There­fore when a man hath a plague in his head he is utterly uncleane, and there­fore to bee shut out of the campe. verse 46. Much more therefore from holy society. An uncleane man is not fit to come to the Lords Table, and every ignorant person having a plague in his head is uncleane, and therefore unfit for the Lords Table. There bee two things that shew an ignorant person unfit for the Sacra­ment.

[Page 109] 1 We judge fooles and children un­fit for the Sacrament, and that upon that ground, 1 Cor. 11. 28. Let a man examine himselfe. Because they can­not examine themselves; for by the Apostles rules whosoever cannot ex­amine, and try himselfe ought not to come to the Sacrament. Now there­fore an ignorant person ought not to come because it is impossible that an ignorant person, should examine him­selfe. Yea if fooles and children ought not to come, then neither may ignorant persons, for they are children and fooles both. They be children, Heb. 5. 13. For every one that useth milke is unskilfull in the word of righteous­nesse, for he is a babe, 1 Cor. 14. 20. Be not children in understanding, but in understanding be men. And fooles they be also, Iere. 4. 22 For my people is foolish. And why so? They have not knowne me, they are sottish children, they have no understanding, Prov. 14. 7. Goe from the presence of a foolish man. But how shall I know him [...] [Page 110] foolish man? When thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge. Are babes, children, fooles and sots fit for the Sacrament?

2 We all confesse that he is not fit to come to the Sacrament that comes with an ill minde, Prov. 21. 27. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, how much more when hee bringeth it with a wicked minde? At the best it is loathsome, but when brought with a wicked minde it is worse by farre. Ig­norant persons use to pleade for them­selves that they have not the know­ledge, and understanding which o­thers have, and cannot answer as o­thers doe, yet they hope they have as good meanings, and come with as good mindes as the best. Thus silly crea­tures delude they themselves, and their owne soules. Alas what talke you of your good meanings, and your good mindes? Are not your mindes ignorant? Have ye not igno­rant mindes? Why then be it knowne unto you that your mindes are naught, [Page 111] starke naught. Will ye beleeve God? Heare what hee sayes, Prov. 19. 2. Without knowledge the minde is not good. That mans minde then is not good that wants knowledge. And so he comes with an evill minde to the Sacrament that comes with an igno­rant minde thereunto. Though I be ignorant, sayes one, yet I thanke God I have a good minde. How sillily is this spoken? as if one should say, though I have a blinde eye, yet I have as good an eye as he that can see far­thest. Wherein lyes the goodnesse of the eye but in the sight, and the goodnesse, of the minde but in the knowledge of God? He cannot have a good minde that wants goodnesse. An ignorant person wants goodnesse. See Rom. 15. 14. Yee are full of goodnesse. How came they so to be? filled with all knowledge. They must be first full of knowledge, that will be full of goodnesse. Full of knowledge, full of goodnesse, voyde of knowledge, voyde of goodnesse. And what then [Page 112] doest thou talke of thy good minde that hast as little goodnesse as thou hast knowledge in thee?

Therefore let all ignorant people be advised to take heede what they doe. It is woefull to consider the grosse ignorance of many Commu­nicants, it would pity a mans heart, and make his spirit bleede to see how many come to the Sacrament, and yet are utterly to seek in the very grounds of Religion. They heare of Christ, and they see a Sacrament, but what, or who CHRIST is, what is the end and use of a Sacrament, they know no more then such as have scarce heard of CHRISTS Name. In the feare of God looke to your soules, and get some competent mea­sure of the knowledge of God, and CHRIST, before you offer to medle with so holy an Ordinance. Especially let such looke to them­seles as may be taught, and instructed, and yet in a wilfulnesse, and rebellion of spirit will not be taught, nor in­structed [Page 113] that they may be fitted for the Sacrament, but will continue in their ignorance, and willfully come to the Sacrament therein. As the LORD speakes to such persons con­cerning the taking of the Covenant in their mouth, so it may be said of taking the seale of the Covenant into their mouthes, Psal. 50. 16, 17. What hast thou to doe that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction, so in this case, what hast thou to doe that thou shouldest take the seale of my covenant into thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction, and refusest, and scornest to be taught, and be holpen out of thine ignorance. The worst I wish to such rebellious spirits is, that the time may never come, in which with weeping and howling, and wringing of hands they doe not curse the time wherein they scorned to bee taught, and instruct­ed before they came to the Sacra­ment.

Chap. 5. Of the necessity of faith in him that will bee a worthy Receiver.

CHAP. 5 THe second thing requisite in Habi­tuall preparation is the grace of faith. He that will come and receive after the due order must come with faith. It is in the case of the Sacrament as it was in the case of the sacrifices. The Iewes were very carefull, and precise to performe the outward rites of Gods worship, to bring their ob­lations, sacrifices and the like. And yet God was offended at them, and solemnly contests with them. Isa. 1. 11▪ 15. To what purpose is the mul­titude of your sacrifices? Who hath re­quired this at your hand to treade in my courts? Bring no more oblations. I cannot away with your new Moones, Sab­baths, and the calling of assemblies, &c. Now these may seeme strange spee­ches. To what purpose is the multitude [Page 115] of your sacrifices? Why? did not God Himselfe command them, and en­joyne them? And doth God use to enjoyne things to no purpose? Who hath required this at your hand, &c? Who but God Himselfe? Did not he require it, and charge them to doe it? Is God weary of his owne wor­ship? Doth he hate his owne Ordi­nances, and are his owne services bur­dens to himselfe? It cannot be de­nyed but all these services were of his owne appoyntment, he himselfe re­quired them of them, he commanded sacrifices, incense, oblations, but he withall commanded them to be per­formed after the due order. He ne­ver required these things to be done in that order and manner they did them. It was to no purpose to offer multitudes of sacrifices in that order they offered them, he hated their ser­vices done in that order they did them. Why after what order did they per­forme them? Not after the due order, for they did these things without [Page 116] faith, and came to God in their unbe­liefe, and therefore it is that God thus contests with them. But now consi­der vers. 16, 18. wash you, make you clean, come now, and then we see that he that before forbad them, now com­mandes them to come, but yet withall how he commandes their comming, come now, that is, now that yee have washed your selves by faith in Christs bloud, now come, come after this order, and welcome. So that all that came to these sacrifices, and services without faith washing themselves in CHRISTS bloud came not in due order. So it is in the case of the Sacrament. Come without faith and God will say unto you, To what purpose is your frequent receiving of the Sacrament? To what purpose is the multitude of your Communions? Who hath required this at your hands to sit downe at my Table? Come no more at the Sacrament, yee trouble me, I am weary of your Com­munions, and your receiving, it is ini­quity. [Page 117] But let us get faith, and wash and sprinkle our selves with Christs bloud, and then will God say, come now. This is to come after the due order: Now that you come after the due order, come, and welcome. No man ought to come till he come in due order, and no man can come in due order till hee come washed in CHRISTS bloud, and there is no being washed in CHRISTS bloud but by faith. Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw neare with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience, and our bodyes washt with pure water.

We saw before that Gods Ordi­nance, and order must goe together. We must come to the Sacrament, that is, Gods Ordinance, but wee must come with faith, that is Gods order. As it is an heynous sinne to neglect Gods Ordinance, so it is no lesse hey­nous and dangerous to neglect, and contemne Gods order, and Gods due order is, that every Communicant [Page 118] come prepared with faith. So that it is no lesse sinne nor danger to come without faith then not to come at all. He sinnes dangerously that comes not at all. He sinnes as dangerously that comes, and yet comes without faith. Consider againe that same passage, Matth. 22. 4, 5. There were some in­vited to that feast that came not. They made light of it, what tell you them of CHRIST, of the excellencies to be had in CHRIST, to be had in the Word, or ministery of the Gospel, or in the Sacrament? They made light of it, but was this a light sinne? They found it an heavy sinne to them in the end, verse 7. Well after this there is a second and a fresh invitation, and the wedding was furnished with guests, ver. 9, 10. The feast being furnished the King comes in to see and view his guests, and one he spyes that had not a wedding garment. The man was come, he was not guilty of the contempt of the Ordinance, but yet was guilty of the neglect of Gods [Page 119] order. In he was come, but not after the due order. Well, but what is his entertainment? Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment, verse 12. that is, how haps it that thou art come in, and not after the due order? That was a question that silenced him, smote him starke dumb. But yet that is not all. See v. 13. Take him, binde him, &c. and do but compare that with the seventh v. and doe but consider which of the two verses sound sadliest. And see that it is no lesse dangerous to neglect Gods order then his Ordinance. But wherein was his neglect of the due order? Not having a wedding gar­ment, that is, not having faith, or the righteousnesse of faith. He that coms to the Sacrament without his wed­ding garment, comes not after the due order, and he that comes to the Sa­crament without faith comes without his wedding garment. Doe but consider foure specialties in that parable, that will serve to our purpose.

[Page 120] 1 When the ghuests were come in, the King comes in to see them. So doth the Lord with all that come to the Sacrament. Take notice of that, all ye that come to the Sacrament; When you are come together unto the Table of the Lord you have one that comes in to overlooke you, and to view you, that comes with an ex­amining searching eye, Let a man, sayes the Apostle, examine himselfe, and so let him eate, &c. And there is great reason why a man should so do, for when we come to the Lords Ta­ble, the Lord will come in to see, to search, to examine his ghuests. God is not satisfied that men come to his Ordinance, but God will examine, and see whether they bee come after the due order. If indeed God should not come in to see his ghuests, then might they be the more remisse, and care­lesse, but beleeve it hee will come in and see them and looke narrowly on them too, and therefore I thinke it neerely concernes men to looke to [Page 121] themselves, and to see to it before they come, that they come after the due order.

2 The whole house was full of ghuests, and there was amongest them all but onely one man that wanted a wedding garment. In such a crowd, and company one would thinke that happily one might have skulked, and have lyen hid, and not have been spi­ed out, and yet that one man was not hid, but was found out. So if but one man come to the Sacrament, and come not after the due order, God wil finde him out. The crowd and mul­titude cannot hide him from Gods eye.

And if one could not bee hid in a multitude, how much lesse shall twenty, forty, or more bee hidden from him?

3 That his fault was the want of due order in comming, and his want of due order was his want of faith. So not a man comes to the Sacrament without faith but God spies him, and singles him out with this question, [Page 122] friend how camest thou in hither, not having the grace of faith?

4 That this man not comming af­ter the due order with faith to that feast meets with a breach, and a blow, verse 13. Such will the case be of all such as come to the Sacrament with­out faith. Is is nothing to be exami­ned by God? To be smitten dumbe? Is it nothing to bee bound hand and foot, and be cast into utter darkenesse? If this bee any thing then it is some thing to come to Gods supper without a wedding garment. He that comes in without a wedding garment on his backe shall not go out without chaines and fetters on his feete. So that all this considered, we see how necessary it is that he that will come to the Sa­crament in due order must come with faith. And that we may yet be fur­ther convinced of the necessity of bringing faith with us, consider these things following.

1 First, a mans greatest care should be so to come to the Sacrament, that [Page 123] his comming and his performance of the duty should be acceptable. As good absent as present without ac­ceptance: who cares to come to his neighbours table, unlesse he may be welcome? Who had not rather bee absent than be lowred upon, and to be entertained with sowre and darke cloudy lookes? now it is not possible to finde acceptance without faith. No mans performance of any service is acceptable till his person be accepted, Mal. 1. 10. I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I ac­cept an offering at your hand: Why would he not accept their offering? because he had no pleasure in them. He was not pleased with their persons, & therefore not pleased with their offe­rings; he had no pleasure in their per­sons, therefore no pleasure in their performances. It is the acceptance of the person, that makes the perfor­mance acceptable, Gen. 4. 4. God had respect to Abel and his offering: first to Abel, and then to the offering for [Page 124] Abels sake. If God had not had re­spect to Abel, he would not have had respect to his offering; as in Cains case, Vers. 5. But unto Cain and his offering he had no respect. But because God likes Abel, therefore he likes his offe­ring. But what is it now that will bring our persons into acceptance, that God may take pleasure in us? That very thing that brought Abels person into acceptance, Heb. 11. 4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain: so that the way to bring our persons into accep­tance, is to bring faith: faith is it which makes the person acceptable; leave that behinde, and our case will be theirs, 1 Cor. 10. 3, 4, 5. They did all eate the same spirituall meat, and they did all drinke the same spirituall drinke, but with many of them God was not well pleased. So we may eat and drink the outward elements in the Sacrament, but if we do it not with faith, God is not well pleased with us; and being not well pleased with us, neither will [Page 125] he be well pleased with our service. It was speedy acceptance that Daniel had in his prayers, Dan. 9. 23. At the beginning of thy supplications the com­mandement came forth, &c. And what was the ground of his accep­tance, and that so speedy? for thou art greatly beloved. When a mans per­son is in favour and beloved of God, then followes acceptance. The way to get acceptance, is to get our per­sons beloved: the way to get our per­sons beloved is to get them into Christ, the way to get them into Christ, is by faith. This is my belo­ved Son in whom I am well pleased. God is well pleased with no man till he be in Christ; no man is beloved but in his beloved Sonne. And when once we are in Christ, purged, and purified by his bloud, then our services are performed in righteousnesse, and when so performed, then accepted, Mal. 3. 3, 4. He shall purifie the Sonnes of Levi; namely Christ by his bloud, that they may offer unto the Lord an offe­ring [Page 126] in righteousnesse, Then shall the of­ferings of Iudah and Ierusalem be plea­sant unto the Lord. And what is it that will bring us into Christ, but the grace of faith? As therefore wee would have acceptance at the Sacra­ment, so come in due Order, Come with faith.

2 Secondly, for what end come we to the Sacrament? Is it not that we may be partakers of Christs bo­dy and bloud? The Apostle speakes 1 Cor. 10. 17. Of being partakers of one bread, and Vers. 21. Of being partakers of the Lords Table. Now, will this serve our turne, and satisfie us to be partakers of the Bread, of the Wine, of the Table; or doe we not aime at an higher matter, namely to be par­takers of Christ himselfe? Heb. 3. 14. We may partake of the bread and the wine, we may be partakers of the Table, though not a dram of faith in us. But that which priviledges us to be partakers of Christ, of his body and bloud, is faith. We come to the [Page 127] Sacrament to be made partakers of Christs body and bloud, but this we cannot doe, nor may do till we have faith.

First, we cannot doe it; for he that will receive Christs body and bloud, must have an eye to see Christ and his worth, must have a foot to come to Christ, must have an hand to re­ceive, and lay hold upon him, must have a mouth to feed on him; with­out all these there is no partaking of Christ. Now faith is all these. It is the eye of the soule, Isay 17. 7. At that day shall a man looke to his maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Ho­ly one of Israel. Isay 45. 22. Look unto me, and be ye saved all the ends of the earth. It is the foot by which we come to Christ, Iohn 6. 35. He that commeth to me shall never hunger, and he that be­leeveth on me shall never thirst. Com­ming and beleeving are the same, faith being that by which we come to Christ. It is the hand by which we receive him, Iohn 1. 12. To as many as [Page 128] received him, that is, to as many as be­leeved in him. Beleeving and recei­ving the same, because by faith we re­ceive Christ. It is the mouth by which we feed on him, Iohn 6. 53. Except ye eat the flesh of the Sonne of man, and drinke his bloud, that is, except ye be­leeve in Christ. Now, can a man see without an eye? come without a foot? receive without a hand? feed without a mouth? GOD hee lookes that when he offers CHRIST, men should receive him, and takes it ill when it is not done. Take, eat, this is my Body: Christ therefore would have us eat him in the Sacrament. God is never better pleased, than when he sees men fall hungerly and hartily up­on Christ: nothing displeases Him more, than when the Bread of Life, the flesh of Christ shall be set before us, and we sit and looke another way, and feed not and fall not to. When a man makes a feast, if he sees his guests fall too, and feed hard, how highly well it contents him; but if hee sees [Page 129] them sit looking about them, and not to feed upon those dishes he hath bin Quomodo igi­tur corpus Christi edent, & ejus sangui­nem bibent, cum & illud non habeant quo solo haec edi & bibi pos­sunt? Gualib. in 1 Cor. 11. 27. at so much cost and care to provide, it troubles and frets him. Therefore if a man would please God in the Sa­crament, he must feed and partake of Christ. Now therefore a man must bring faith: he cannot feed that hath no mouth, he hath no mouth that hath no faith. Christ is a treasury of rich commodities, there is any thing to be had in him we want, Apoc. 3. 18. There is gold to be had tried in the fire, there is white raiment, there is eye-salve to be had. But now, how may these be had, what is the way to get them? There Christ tels us, I counsell thee to buy of me gold, white raiment, eye-salve. The way to get them then, is to buy them. But what is that which will buy them? Not money, not silver, Isay 55. 1. Buy Wine and Milke without money, and without price: no money of the worldlings, no price of the merit-monger will purchase these commodities. And [Page 130] yet there is a money wee must trade withall if we will buy them, and with­out which they cannot be had; and that coine is faith: faith is that alone which buyes those riches of gold, white raiment, &c. faith is it that makes us partakers of Christs benefits. Hee that goes to mercate and carries no money in his purse, cannot buy com­modities that he wants. To come to the Sacrament, or Christ in the Sa­crament, and bring no faith with us; is to come without a penny in our purses; and if we come without mo­ney, we shall be sent back without commodity. So that without faith we cannot be partakers of Christ in the Sacrament.

Secondly, we may not doe it. We may not doe it till wee have right to eat of Christs flesh, and drinke his bloud; and right we have none till we have faith. None had right to eat of the flesh of the sin-Offering, but the Priests; only they might eat it, Levit. 2. 26. The Priests onely had [Page 131] right to eat the shewbread, Lev. 24. 9. It shall be Aarons and his sons, and they shall eat it in the holy place, Marke 2. 26. Which is not lawfull to eat but for the Priests. It is so here. None may eat the flesh of Christ who is our true sin-offering but they that be Priests; till we be Priests we have no right to it, we must be Priests before we can have this priviledge. But what is the way to be made Priests? To be wa­shed in Christs bloud, as the Priests were consecrated by being washt in water, Levit. 8. 6. By washing also are we made Priests, Rev. 1, 5, 6. He hath loved us, and washt us in his own bloud, and made us Priests. But how come wee to bee washt in Christs bloud? That is done by faith, faith takes Christs bloud, and sprinkles and wa­shes the conscience therewith, Heb. 10. 22. and being washt by faith in Christs bloud wee are made Priests. And therefore wee are said to bee made Priests by faith, 1 Pet. 2, 4, 5. To whom ye comming ye are also an holy Priest­hood, [Page 132] that is, you beleeving are made Priests, for to beleeve is to come, and to come is to beleeve. And so faith making us Priests doth give us right to eat of these holy things, and privi­ledges us to be partakers of Christ. Since therefore wee cannot eate and partake of Christ till we have a right, and we have no right till Priests, and no Priests but by faith; therefore no right to partake of Christ till we have faith. And therefore if wee would come to the Sacrament after the due Order, so as to eate of Christ, and be partakers of him, we must come with faith. It is not after the due Or­der for any but a Priest to eat the flesh of the sin-offering, or the shew-bread. It was a case extraordinary that the shew-bread was given to David, and the men with him to eat.

We may not eat Christs flesh, and drink his bloud till we have a right to it; we have no right to it, till we be of Gods family and houshold. The Sacra­ment and Christs flesh and bloud [Page 133] therein, is the bread and food which God provides for those of his owne household, and not for strangers and foreiners: for wee finde mention, Ephes. 2. 19. of the household of God, and they there stand in opposition un­to foreiners and strangers. And Gal. 6. 10. there is mention of the house­hold of faith. When we are of the household of faith, we are of the house­hold of God; and when we are of Gods household, we may eat his household provisions; when we are of Gods fa­mily, we may eat his bread. But till we be of his family we have no right to his provisions. We had need there­fore have faith, to make us of the fa­mily of faith, that so wee may bee of Gods family, and may have right to his provisions.

They that will have right to Christ in the Sacrament, they must be first Gods children; It is not meet to take the childrens bread, and give it unto dogs, Mat. 15. It is not a good Order in a family that dogs should eate the [Page 134] the bread that is provided for his children; offall and scraps are good enough to feed dogs withall; if they get upon the Table, and meddle with childrens bread, they shall bee set downe again with a whip or a cudgel. So here, the flesh of Christ is chil­drens bread, and we have no right to it till we be children, and children we are made by faith, Iohn 1. 12. To as many as beleeved he gave them this pri­viledge to become the Sons of God. Gal. 3. 26. Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus: And so by faith being children, have a right given us to partake of this bread of life. So that to come without faith is not to come after the due Order: which is, that none eate Christ, and be made partakers of him, but such as by faith are made the children of God▪ Give not holy things to dogs, that is not the due Order, that is a disorder. Ther­fore till we have faith God forbids to meddle with the Sacrament; and if in this undue Order we wil be medling, [Page 135] looke for a check. God will say to such in this case, as he did to Adam af­ter he had eaten the forbidden fruit, Gen. 3. 17. Because thou hast eaten of the Tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eate of it, cursed is the ground for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou eat of it, &c. So because thou eatest the Sacrament of which God hath commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eate of it till thou bring faith, therefore in sorrow shalt thou eate, it is small comfort thou shalt have in thine eating.

3 Thirdly, consider the evils that follow upon comming without faith, and in our unbeleefe. And they are these.

1 First, such as come without faith, are not welcome to God: for such as come to the Lords Table with their persons, and consciences defiled cannot be welcome. We see Num. 9. 6. that there were certaine men who were defiled by the dead body of a man that they could not keepe the [Page 136] Passeover. What if they had in that defilement come to the Passeover? They had to themselves defiled the Passeover. For holy Ordinances doe not sanctifie defiled persons, but defiled persons defile holy Ordinances, as ap­peares by the resolution of that case, Hag. 2. 11, 12, 13. An uncleane person by a dead body, touching the bread or wine, makes them uncleane. It is not safe to defile Gods Ordinances. We know what was the voice from hea­ven to Peter in his vision, Acts 10. 15. What God hath cleansed, call thou not, and so make thou not common. A defiled person comming to the Sa­crament, makes a cleansed thing com­mon. Now an unbeleeving person is a person defiled, Tit. 1. 15. Vnto the pure all things are pure, but unto them that are defiled nothing is pure; no, not the pure Ordinances of God. Every word of God is pure, Prov. 30. 6. And so his Sacraments are pure. But to a defiled person, neither of these pure. Well then, who are they now that [Page 137] are defiled ones? See the words of the Text, to them that are defiled and unbelieving. Therefore an unbelie­ving person is a desiled, and an un­cleane person. Faith purifies the heart, Acts 15. 9. and so fits for pure Or­dinances, but unbeliefe defiles the heart, and a defiled heart defiles Gods Ordinance to it selfe. And how can that man bee welcome to an Or­dinance, welcome to a Sacrament, that defiles it?

2 To come without faith makes our comming an abomination. To come without faith is to come out of Christ, and to performe the service which a man doth, out of CHRIST. Now all service performed out of Christ, is abominable to GOD. See Lev. 17. 3, 4. What man soever there be of the house of Israel that killeth an Oxe and a Lambe, &c. And brings it not to the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation to offer an offering to the LORD, &c. bloud shall be imputed to that man: he hath shed bloud, and that [Page 138] man shall be cut off from among his peo­ple. And againe vers. 6, 7. And the Priest shall sprinkle the bloud upon the Altar of the Lord at the doore of the Ta­bernacle, &c. And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto divels. Sacri­fices then not brought to God to the doore of the Tabernacle were as mur­der and bloudshed, were as the service of the Divell. And what more abo­minable before God? The doore of the Tabernacle was a Type of Christ. Iohn 10. I am the doore. And the drift of that Law is to teach that they should performe all their services to GOD in CHRIST, and to shew how loathsome to GOD all services are that are not done in him. Now he that is in his unbeleefe, that wants the grace of faith is not in Christ nei­ther can he doe any thing in Christ. And therefore such a mans comming cannot but be an abomination. God abhors, and abominates that man, and his comming that wants faith. The end of comming to the Sacra­ment [Page 139] is to seeke, and see Gods face, and to have fellowship and commu­nion with him. Now if we come without faith God will not let us see his face, GOD will turne away and hide his face from us, Deu. 32. 19. 20. And when the Lord saw it hee abhorred them, because of the provoking, &c. And he sayd, I will hide my face from them. But why will God do so? He gives his reason for it, for they are children in whom is no faith. So that when a man hath not faith he shall not see GODS face in the use of his Ordinance, for how can a man see an hidden face? But that is not all, GOD not onely hides his face, but he abhorred them. He abhorred them because of their provoking him. How did they provoke him? Not onely by that spoken of in the verses going before, but by that also in the verse following, because they were children in whom was no faith. Such then as have no faith have no communion with GOD, and doe provoke God so as he abhors them. [Page 140] There can bee no communion with GOD where a man is cut off from God, and fellowship with him. And where a man is cut off from covenant he is cut off from communion. Now where there is no faith there is an ex­cision, a cutting a man off from God, and covenant with him, Rom. 11. 20. Through unbeleife they are cut off. And besides it is a provoking sinne. An un­beleever lives in a sin that continually provokes God. Numb. 14. 11. How long will this people provoke mee? And how long will it be yer they beleeve me? And Psal. 78. 21, 22. The Lord was wroth, so a fire was kindled against Iacob, and anger also came up against Israel, because they beleeved not in God. And what wonder then that a man com­ming to the Sacrament without faith is abomination to GOD, when his unbeleife angers and provokes the Lord.

3 The state of unbeliefe is a state of spirituall death. I live by the faith of the Sonne of God, Gal. 2. 20. A belee­ver [Page 141] is a living man, an unbeleever a dead one, spiritually dead. The want of faith in the soule is the death of the Vnde mors in anima? quia nō est fides; undemors in corpo­re? quia non est ibi anima▪ ergo animae tuae a­nima fides est. August. in Ioh tract. Placuit ut cor­poribus defun­ctorum Eucha­ristia nō detur. Dictum n. est [...] Domino, Acci­pite, & edite. Cadavera aut [...] nec accipere posiunt, nec e­dere. Concil Carthag. 3. can. 6. soule, as the absence of the soule from the body, is the death of the body. It was an ancient abuse of the Sacra­ment to give it to dead bodyes, an abuse condemned and cast out by a Councill upon this reason: Because CHRIST; sayes Take, Eate: But car­cases, and dead bodies can neither eate, nor drinke. It was a good reason to deny it to dead bodyes. The very same reason excluds unbeleevers. Vn­beleevers are dead, unbeleevers can neither eate nor drinke, for beleeving is eating & drinking, Ioh. 6. 53. What should a man doe at the Sacrament that can neither eate nor drinke CHRISTS flesh and bloud? An unbeleever can doe neither, because he is a dead man, because hee wants faith, the life and teeth by which Christ is to be eaten.

4 Vnbeleife evacuates, enervates, and de-sorces the Sacrament of its [Page 142] efficacy, and vertue, or powerfull operation. The Sacrament in Gods Institution, is an Ordinance that hath a fulnesse of spirituall blessing in it, full of efficacy, and spirituall power, and offers to empty it selfe with a rich, and plentifull blessing upon the soule of the receiver. But yet provided, that hee come to receive it after the due order, that hee come prepared with a beleeving heart. And Christ sayes to every receiver, as he sayd to the Centurion, Matth. 8. 13. As thou hast beleived so be it done unto thee, and as to the blinde man, Matth. 9. 29. According to your faith bee it unto you. So in this case, as you beleive, and ac­cording to your faith when you come to the Sacrament, so bee it done unto you. According to your preparation with faith so shall mine Ordinance worke, and be effectuall, and empty out it selfe unto you. And as every man brings faith, so hee carryes away an answerable portion of blessing, and spirituall good from the Sacrament. [Page 143] But now when a man comes to the Sacrament in unbeliefe, voyde of the grace of faith, the Sacrament proves but a dead Ordinance, utterly ineffectuall, utterly empty of any spi­rituall good. That looke as the A­postle speakes of CHRIST to them in case of circumcision, and justifica­tion by the workes of the Law, Gal. 5. 2. Behold, I Paul say unto you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing, and verse 4, Christ is become of no effect unto you who ever of you are justified by the Law. So it may be said of the Sacrament, and CHRIST in the Sacrament, behold, the Lord him­selfe saies it unto you that if you come to the Sacrament, and to CHRIST in the Sacrament and come in your unbeliefe: Without faith that Christ and the Sacrament shall profit you no­thing, CHRIST and the Sacra­ment becoms of no effect unto you who ever of you come in the state of unbe­liefe. Vnbeleife freezes up, bindes, and lockes up the vertue of the Sacra­ment, [Page 144] and CHRIST therein. It is still with Christ in the Sacrament, as it was with him in that case, Mark 6. 5, 6. He could there doe no mighty worke, and the reason is rendred in the next verse, Hee marvelled because of their unbeliefe. So that their unbe­liefe did in a manner binde CHRISTS hands. It is sayd verse 2. that the astonished people sayd, What wisedom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty workes are wrought by his hands. And yet it is sayd that he could there doe no mighty worke. CHRIST was a CHRIST that could doe mighty workes, and yet there could doe no mighty worke, be­cause of their unbeliefe. He could not doe any mighty thing; why? can any thing limit the mighty power of CHRIST? Not so; but he could not, because this is the order accor­ding to which alone hee hath tyed himselfe to worke, and be efficacious by, namely that he will exert, and put forth his mighty power in, and unto [Page 145] those that beleeve, 1. Pet. 2. 7. Vnto you that beleeve he is pretious. Christ is pretious in himselfe, but not preti­ous, and efficacious to us, but so farre forth as we beleeve, Ephes. 1. 19. The exceeding greatnesse of his power, and the working of the might of his power is towards them that beleeve. So that if no faith on our part, no exerting nor putting forth of his power on Christs part. So it is here. The Sacrament, and CHRIST in the Sacrament doth mighty workes. There is a migh­ty efficacy in the Sacrament. And yet it can doe no mighty worke in many, it can doe no worke at all in many for their good, because of mens unbeliefe which enervates the Sacrament, and deads the force and operation of it to unbelieving hearts. The Sacrament is pretious, powerfull, and efficacious to them that beleeve, but the Sacra­ment received without faith is recei­ved without force, and without fruit. A faithlesse is a fruitlesse receiver. Looke how it is with the Word, so [Page 146] is it with the Sacrament. Great things are spoken in the Scriptures of the power, and efficacy of the Word. No where more then Heb. 4. 12, 13. The Word of God is quicke and power­full, &c. And yet in the second verse of the same Chapter the Apostle tels us that it was powerlesse to some, and wrought not with them. But what was the matter? For unto us was the Gospell preached as well as unto them, but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. Though the Word in its owne nature were powerfull, yet their unbeliefe made it power­lesse. Iust so in the Sacrament, though it be a powerfull Ordinance to doe great things in the soule, yet the Sa­crament administred doth not profit many because it is not received with faith, and mens owne unbeliefe makes it powerlesse unto them. It is said, Luke 5. 17. That as Christ was teach­ing, there were Pharisees, and Doctors of the Law sitting by: And the power of [Page 147] the Lord was present to heale them. It is ever so, that when any of Gods Or­dinances are on foot, that then there is a power of God present to heale. As in the Word, so also in the Sacra­ment. Now if men come to the Sa­crament with faith, that faith of theirs drawes forth that power, and sets that power on worke, and so makes the Sacrament powerfull. But if men come in their unbeliefe, then they dead that power to themselves, and so make the Sacrament powerlesse. Moses hath a speech, Deut. 32. 13. Hee made him to sucke hony out of the Rocke, and oyle out of the flinty Rocke. Give mee leave to allude to this speech. The Sacrament is a Rocke, and it is a Rocke in which is much sweetnesse, and fatnesse, hony, and oyle. But how may a man get this hony, and this oyle, out of this Rocke. He made him sucke hony out of the Rocke. There is neither hony, nor oyle, to bee had without sucking, he that hath faith can sucke, and so fetch out this hony and [Page 148] oyle. But now though this Rocke have hony and oyle, if a man sucke not, he hath neither. Now he that comes in his unbeliefe, hee suckes not, nor cannot sucke, and so he hath but a dry Sacrament of it, because he hath nei­ther honey, nor oyle. Vnbeleevers they onely licke the Rocke, doe not sucke it, Ve [...]ùm hi qui verbo tenus co [...]de [...], & mente a [...]di sa­cris intersunt, vel etiam par­ticipant [...]onis lamb [...]nt qui­dem [...], sed [...]de nec mel [...]ugunt, nec oleum. Cyprian. de Caen. Dom. and so fetch not the honey, and oyle out of the Rocke, for it is sucking and not licking that must doe that. A childe may licke the mothers brest and yet if it sucke it not, gets no milke. A thir­sty man may licke the outside of the cup, but that will never satifie his thirst. He that comes to the Sacra­ment without faith, and rests upon the use of the outward signe, is like a man, as M^r Tyndall speakes in the like case, that thinkes to quench his thirst by suc­king the Alepoole. By all this then we may see of what necessity it is that e­very one that will come after the due order to the Sacrament come pre­pared with faith. Like enough there be too many in the world that thinke [Page 149] there is no such necessity of faith. So long as they be in charity with their brethren, and owe no man any ill wil, they hope all will bee well enough. And this men ought to doe indeed, but must take heed how they neglect the other. Some Papists indeed have affirmed that faith is not necessary Cajetan at the conference at Augusta with Luther said, Fides non est necessaria ac­cessaro ad Eu­charistiam. Iuel. def. Apol. 283. for a man that is to come to the Sa­crament, but upon what hath beene in this Chapter premised, let us be advised in this case above all things, Ephes. 6. to have a care to come with faith, if we have any care to come af­ter the due order.

Chap. 6. Of the necessity of Re­pentance in him that will be a prepared Communicant.

CHAP. 6 WE are come now to the third thing required in Habituall preparation to the Sacrament, and that is Repentance. He that will come to the Sacrament after the due Order, must come with repentance, must be a man that hath repented of his sinnes. It is with the Sacrament of the Sup­per as with the Sacrament of Bap­tisme, when administred to men of yeeres: the Sacrament of Baptisme may not be received of men of yeeres without solemne repentance, Mat. 3. Iohn did baptise the people that came unto him, but he first preaches repen­tance to them, Vers. 2. and they pro­fesse repentance unto him before they be baptised, Vers. 6. They were bapti­sed of him confessing their sins. And so [Page 151] Acts 2. 38. Repent and be baptised: first repent, and then come to the Sa­crament of Baptisme. It is so also with the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, repent and receive the Lords Supper: first repent, and then come to the Lords Supper. And therefore 1 Cor. 11. 31. he wishes us to judge our selves before we come to the Sacra­ment, which is a speciall worke of repentance. In the Sacrament wee draw nigh to God, and we desire to have the Lord draw nigh to us. If therefore we would draw neere to God, or have him draw neere to us, we must come after the due Order. If we draw neere to God, and do it dis­orderly, he will not draw neere to us, nor have any fellowship with us. Now what is Gods Order, and the due Order wherein he would have us draw neere unto him, we finde Iames 4. 8, 9. 10. Draw nigh to God, and hee will draw nigh to you. But after what Order must we draw nigh to him? Cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purifie [Page 152] CHAP. 5 your hearts you double minded, be affli­cted, and mourne, and weepe, &c. Hum­ble your selves in the sight of the Lord. This is the Order after which wee must draw neere to God, namely, prepared and fitted for fellowship with him by unfained repentance.

Hezekiah proclaimed a solemne Passeover to be kept at Ierusalem; and the Order after which they kept it, is worth the observing, and is for our imitation before we come to the Sa­crament. First the Priests they cleanse the Temple, and brought out all the uncleannesse that they found in the Temple of the Lord, into the court of the House of the Lord: and the Levites tooke it to carry it out abroad into the brooke Kidron, 2 Chron. 29. 16. And as the Priests and Levites doe their parts in purging uncleannesse out of the Temple, so the people doe theirs in purging the Citie, They arise, and take away the Altars that were in Ierusalem, and all the Altars for incense tooke they away and cast them into the [Page 153] brooke Kidron 2 Chron. 30. 14. And marke what followes, Vers. 15. Then they killed the Passeover, namely, when all uncleannesse was fetcht out of the Temple, and all the Altars knockt downe in the Citie, and were thrown into the brooke Kidron, as it were in­to the Towne-ditch, Then they killed the Passeover. First, there was a pur­ging, a cleansing out of filthinesse: first, al the baggage and uncleane stuffe throwne into Kidron, and then a kil­ling of the Passeover. This must bee our Order in comming to the Sacra­ment: first, purge our hearts and lives of al manner of uncleannesse that may be found in them, by repentance, and by repentance throw it all into the brooke Kidron, and then come to the Sacrament, then receive the Lords Supper. So must men come to the Lords Table, as the Priests came to the services of the Tabernacle. When the Priests came to performe holy services in the Tabernacle, see in what Order they must come, Exod. [Page 154] 30. 18, 21. They must wash their hands CHAP. 6 and their feet at the brazen laver when they went into the Tabernacle, or when to the Altar to minister there. The equi­ty of it reached farther than to the Priests. David was no Priest, yet Psal. 26. I will wash mine hands in inno­cency, so will I compasse thine Altar. He alludes to the ceremony of the Priests washing at the brazen Laver, before they ministred at the Altar; to let us see, that though this ceremony be­longed onely to the Priests, yet the morality belongs to all, and that there is a washing that concernes all before they meddle with holy services, and so with the Sacrament. As the Priests were to wash themselves, so some parts of the Sacrifices also were to be washt, Levit. 1. 9. But the inwards and his legs he shall wash in water. The same Order must be observed in comming to the Sacrament: every sinner is an uncleane person, and uncleane ones must be washed before they offer to have fellowship with the GOD of [Page 155] Purity. There is a double washing with which wee must bee washed be­fore we can come in due Order. First the washing of our selves in Christs bloud by faith. And secondly the washing of our selves by repentance. He that will come in due Order, must wash by repentance as well as by faith: yea, he must wash both his in­wards and his feet. His inwards must be washt, Ier. 14. 4. Wash thine heart, O Ierusalem, how long shall thy wicked thoughts lodge within thee? All inward and secret lusts must be washt out by repentance. And the feet must bee washt also. Iohn 13. 10. As we walke in our daily wayes; we gather a great deale of soile, and this same soile of our outward actions, must also bee washt away by repentance. Why must the inwards and the feet or legs of the Sacrifices be washt, above all the rest? The reason is given, because the inwards or intrailes, are the ves­sels that containe the filth and excre­ments of the Beast; and therefore [Page 156] were they to be washt. And the legs CHAP. 5 or feet to be washt, because they tread in the dirt, and mire, and so are more defiled then any other part of the bo­dy. And all this was to teach, that when wee draw neere to God, wee should specially wash there where most filth is readiest to bee contra­cted. Our inwards, our hearts and consciences, what abundance of ex­crements and filth have they? what dunghils of filthy lusts lye in our hearts? our legs, our feet, how doe we defile them by walking and trea­ding in foule wayes? Even he that is washed already, still and daily needs to have his feet washed, Iohn 13. 10. Now then for us to come to the Lords Ta­ble, with such inwards, with such feet, is not to take heed to our feet, nor to come in due Order. It were disor­derly to sit downe at a mans Table in so slovenly a fashion, as with unwash­en hands; therefore more disorderly to sit downe at the Lords Table with unwashen hearts. The Pharisees [Page 157] quarrelled with our Saviours Disci­ples, Matth. 15. 2. Why (say they) doe thy Disciples transgresse the tradition of the Elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But to such Com­municants as come to the Lords Ta­ble without repentance, it may be said upon better ground, Why doe ye trans­gresse the commandement of the Lord? For yee wash not your hands, nor your hearts, when ye eat bread at the Lords Table.

Quest. But what is that repentance wherewith a man must come? How must a man repent before he comes?

Ans. This is indeed a thing worth the inquiring after, because many that come to the Sacrament that yeeld to it that there must be a preparation be­fore they come, yet fouly deceive themselves in their repentance. Re­pentance it stands in a sorrow for sin, and an actuall renouncing and forsa­king of sin, so as to have no further communion with it. And here is that wherewith many gull themselves, do [Page 158] mock God and their owne soules. CHAP. 6 Their consciences tell them that their lives are so vile, that there must bee somewhat done before they come, and therefore there must bee at least some sorrow, or shew of sorrow, at least, before their receiving, and ther­fore haply they will hang down their heads, not for a day or two, that is somwhat too long to, but for an houre or two like a bulrush, will confesse their sinnes to God, and make a shift to be sad and demure for a while: and all this is but to stop the mouth of conscience. But yet all this repen­tance is not worth a bulrush, because there is no abdication, no forsaking and putting away those sins, but the duty once over and past, and the Sa­crament a little forgotten, upon the next occasion offered, they are as rea­dy for their sinnes as ever before. They do with their sinnes when they come to the Sacrament, as Abraham with his servants when hee went to Sacrifice Isaac, Gen. 22. 5. And Abra­ham [Page 159] said to his young men, abide you here with the Asse, and I and the Lad will goe yonder and worship, and come againe to you. So say many in ef­fect in this case to their sins and their lusts: Stand you awhile aside, I must goe to the Sacrament, and receive the communion, doe but stand by a while, and when the Sacrament is over, or at furthest as soon as the Sa­crament-day Soror in Christo amabilis, rogo ut audias prudenti­am Serpentis. Serpens enim cum coeperit ire ad bibendum, antequam veni­at ad fontem, evomit omne ve­nenum. Imitare & tu charissima hunc serpentem in hac parte, ut antequam venias ad fontem, id est, communionem corporis & san­guinis Domini, evomas omne ve­nenum, scilicet, odium, iram, ma­litiam, invidiam, malam volun­tatem, & noxias cogitationes ex corde tuo. Bern. de modo benevi­vendi. c. 28. is over, I will come again to you. But this is meere mockery; in that repentance which must duly pre­pare a man for the Sacrament, there must be an utter departure from, and a forsaking of our evill wayes. Before we come to the Sacrament to eat, and drink there, we should do as the Ser­pent is said to doe, and in this case should be wise as Serpents. The Ser­pent before he goes to drink at the Fountaine, first vomits up all his poy­son: so should we before we come to eat and drinke at the Lords Table, vomit up and cast out all the poison of our lusts, and so vomit them up, as [Page 160] never with the dog to returne to our CHAP. 5 vomit againe; cast up, and cast away all our poison, before we come to meddle with these holy Mysteries. We saw in that case before, how they did before the Passeover, 2 Chron. 30. 14, 15. Then they killed the Passeover; Then? when? When that was first done, in the 14. Vers. They arose and tooke away the Altars, &c. and cast them into the brooke Kidron. It had beene but a folly to have killed and have eaten the Passeover, those abomina­tions standing and remaining; there­fore they do not onely professe a sor­row for those abominations, as it is like enough they did professe a sor­row, but before they come to the Passeover, they take them away first, and make sure worke with them, they cast them into the brooke Kidron. So must our repentance bee before wee come to the Sacrament; not only a repentance that sorrowes for sin, and yet keepes sin in the bosome still; but such a repentance that casts them [Page 161] quite out, even into the brook Kidron. CHAP. 6 That is the right course which they tooke, Ezra. 6. 21, 22. Marke there who did eat the Passeover: not all, not every man that would, but only such as had repented, and so had prepa­red themselves for it. How did their repentance appeare? by their actuall separation of their sinnes from them, All such as had separated themselves from the filthinesse of the Heathen of the Land. It had beene an hainous and horrible thing for them to have come to the Passeover in the filthines of the Heathen. But they onely that did separate themselves from that filthinesse of the heathen did eat. Thus must it be also with a man that will eat at the Sacrament; it is not enough for him to confesse his sinnes, to shed some teares and blubber for them, but he must separate himselfe from the filthinesse of the heathen. What is swearing, whoring, drunkennesse, profanation of the Lords-day and other Holy-dayes but the filthinesse [Page 162] of Heathens? What are these but heathenish filthinesses? Therefore whosoever is polluted with any such filthinesse, or the filthinesse of any other sin, must first separate himselfe from that filthinesse before he come to the Lords Table. Let a man sepa­rate himselfe from his filthinesse, and so let him eat of this bread, and drink of this cup. And the way to separate our selves from our filthinesse and sins, it is by repentance. Sin separates us from God, but repentance sepa­rates sinne from us, and so fits us for fellowship with GOD in his Ordi­nance.

And this is that thing which was typified in purging out of leaven be­fore the Passeover, Exodus 12. 15. They are forbid to cat leavened bread: nay, that would not serve the turne, but Exod. 12. 19. There must be no leaven found in their Houses. They must not onely have no leaven in their mouthes, but there must be no leaven in their houses, seaven dayes shall [Page 163] there no leaven bee found in your houses: not onely no leaven to be ea­ten, but no leaven to be seene, Exo. 3. 7. And there shall no leavened bread be seene with thee, neither shall there be lea­ven seene with thee in all thy quarters. No leaven in the mouth, in the house, in all their quarters. And the Iewes were exceeding precise in purging out leaven. We reade Iohn 19. 14. of the preparation of the Passeover, which was the day before the Passeover. Now on that day the father of the family, with other men lighted wax­candles, searched all corners to purge out all remnants and crums of leaven. And their Scribes taught, that a man was to search after leaven in secret pla­ces and in corners, and to search it out by the light of a candle out of all holes and corners. So that a Iew before the Passeover would not have left a crum of leaven in a crany, or blinde corner of his house. Leaven typified sin and wickednesse, 1 Cor. 5. 8. And all this teaches us that exact care we should [Page 164] have to purge out, and cast out all our sinnes before we come to the Sacra­ment. There was no Iewes house had so many darke holes, blinde corners, and crannies, as have our hearts, and therefore wee should take the light, and candle of the Word, Psal. 119. 105. Thy word is a light, a Lampe; And by the light of this candle search and ranscke the blinde corners and secret crannies of our hearts, and out with all the very crums of leaven. So that as the Apostle speakes in that case, 1 Cor. 5. 7, 8. Purge out therefore the old leaven. Therefore let us keepe the feast, not with old leaven, &c. So let us doe in this case of comming to the Sacrament. This is to keepe our Passeover after the due Order. If we will eat of the Lambe, we must have no leaven: if Lambe no leaven, if lea­ven no Lambe: if Christ in the Sacra­ment, no sins and lusts favoured; if sins and lusts favoured, no Christ. There bee that expound that Text, Cant. 7. 2. of the two Sacraments, [Page 165] Thy navell is like a round goblet which wants not liquor, thy belly is like an heap of wheat, set about with Lilies. By the navell they understand the Sacra­ment of Baptisme: the navell serves for the nourishment of the babe in the wombe, and baptisme nourishes infants and new borne babes in the Churches wombe. By the belly like an heape of wheat, they understand the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, for the aboundance and store of excellent spirituall nourishment ther­in: and marke with what this heape of wheat is set about, set about with Lilies, signifying Christians of holy and godly life. To be sure, such they should bee by repentance that come to this Sacrament, they should be Li­lies pure and white; Lilie-white, that are set about this heape of wheat. It is not after the due Order when stinck­ing weeds, hemlock, nettles, and such trash are set about this heape of wheat, when scandalous and profane per­sons, common swearers, customary [Page 166] drunkards, &c. thrust in, and set them­selves downe at the Lords Table.

It is a case much to be lamented to see the desperate boldnesse of many in comming to the Sacrament; swea­rers, habituall drunkards, uncleane persons, make no more bones of comming to the Table of the Lord, than of sitting downe at their owne ordinary Tables: sweare this day, re­ceive the next, be drunke on the eve, and receive the Sacrament on the morrow. Herein dealing as the Har­lot in that case, Prov. 30. 20. She eats and wipes her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickednesse, I am as honest a woman as the best of my neighbours. So these eate and drinke at the Sacra­ment, and wipe their mouthes, and who hath any thing to say to them, they hope they are as orderly faire Communicants as the best. That therefore men may bee awakened to bee more considerate, and may bee provoked to come prepared with re­pentance, let them a little thinke seri­ously [Page 167] on these following particulars.

First, hee that comes to the Sacra­ment, and not after this order, prepa­red with Repentance, shall be sure to meet w^th no blessing, benefit, or com­fort. There is a great deale of com­fort and joy to bee had in the use of the Sacrament, provided a man so come to it as he ought, provided that a man come prepared with repen­tance. Marke that passage, Ezra. 6, 22. They kept the Feast of unleavened bread seven dayes with joy. What are civill Feasts without joy? and what are holy Feasts without joy? A Feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry, Eccl. 10. 19. Little comfort in this Feast, and Wine in the Sacra­ment, unlesse it make a mans heart merry and joyfull. Ioy is that which GOD promises to the right users of his Ordinances, Isay 56. 7. I will make them joyfull in mine house of prayer. So God makes men joyfull in the house of preaching, and joyfull at the Table of his house. They kept the Feast with [Page 168] joy. How so? For, (sayes the Text) the Lord had made them joyfull. But observe who they were whom God made joyfull at that Feast, and Passe­over: namely, those who had separa­ted themselves from the filthinesse of the heathen of the land. Such as come with true Repentance, God makes joyfull in the use of his Ordinance. A man may be bold to challenge impenitent persons that come in their sinnes, and to charge them with it, that they have no joy in their receiving: God joyes them not, makes them not welcome.

As in the Gospell, so at the Sacra­ment God makes a Feast, such a Feast as the Feast of the Gospell is, Isay 25. 6. A Feast of fat and sweet things, a Feast of Wine, a Feast of things full of marrow. But who must eate of that Feast, who must be feasted with that wine and marrow? How must they bee prepared that eat of this Feast? They must come in due Order that come to that Feast; and that due Or­der is to come with repentance: for [Page 169] marke what God subjoynes there, Vers. 7. And I will destroy the face of the covering, & the veile that is spread, &c. So that they that will be parta­kers of that Feast, must first have the veile & the covering taken away; they that come veiled and covered come not after the due Order, and therfore shall not taste of the sweetes of this Feast. But what is that veile then that must be taken away, before they shall eat of that Feast? We may see what it is by that of the Apostle, 2 Cor. 3. 14, 15, 16. The veile is the hardnesse of mens hearts, and that veile is taken away when men turne to the Lord. Repentance takes away that veile: when men are humbled for their sinnes, and doe truly repent, then is the veile taken away. And when the veile is taken away, then are men prepared to come to that Feast of fat things. The Sacrament is a Feast of fat things also, and they that will come to this Feast in the Sacra­ment, must come with their hearts [Page 170] unveiled. It is a Feast of fat things, but they that will eat of this Feast of fat things, must not come with fat hearts. They that come with fat hearts will finde it a Feast of leane things; will finde neither sweet nor comfort in the use of the Sacrament; Goe make the heart of this people fat, Isay 6. that is, Goe make their hearts hard, and impenitent; Psal. 119. 70. Their heart is fat as greasse; fat hearts shall not be feasted with these sweet things. A leane heart that mournes, that pines, that grieves for sin, that heart shall eate of these fat things. Psal. 22. 26. The poore shall eate, and shall bee satisfied. The man that is humbled and abased, he shall eat unto satisfaction: so that they onely have benefit (taste the sweet and the marrow in this Feast, that come prepared with repentance. But let a man come without repentance and humiliation, and he receives no bene­fit at all at the Sacrament, but findes a leane and a drie Feast of it. It is in [Page 171] this case with a man, as it was with the Prodigall, when once he came to himselfe, and was soundly humbled for his folly, and fals to confession, Father I have sinned against thee, and against heaven, then see what follow­eth, Luke 15. 22, 23. bring hither the fatted Calfe, let us eate and bee merry. Now that he repents, he is fed, and feasted with fat things; the fat Calfe must be killed and prepared. But look upon him in his impenitency, whilest he is in his sinnes, and how fares hee then? alas, he then eats husks, feeds with the Swine, and his belly not fil­led neither: whilest he was in a Swi­nish condition, he was fitter to feed at a Swines trough, than to feed at his Fathers Table; and then he is fed with nothing but with empty huskes. It is just so here. If men come to God and to his Table with confession and contrition of spirit, with true and sound repentance; then God sayes, Come bring the fatted Calfe, make a Feast, give this repenting sinner my [Page 172] Sons flesh and bloud, his spirit; let him eat marrow, glut his heart with the comforts of my spirit, with the sweet­nesse and goodnesse of Christ. But when men come in their swinish and brutish lusts, come no better than Swine without repentance for their sins, then GOD sends them to the trough: What doe you a company of swinish adulterers, and drunkards, at my Table? get you to the trough; the trough is fitter for you than the Com­munion-Table. And though such per­sons in their impenitency will thrust and crowd in to the Lords Table, yet they shall be fed but with husks. Im­penitent persons find their food in the issue no better: they receive but the huske of the Sacrament, bare Bread and Wine, the naked Elements, they never taste a whit of the fatted Calfe, they eate not a whit of CHRISTS flesh and bloud. God feeds Swine onely with huskes, huskes are good enough for Hogges. And what are impenitent persons better than Hogs [Page 173] to whom Pearles must not bee gi­ven. Observe how the Prodigals father speakes to him after his re­repentance, Come bring the fatted Calfe, let us eate and bee merry. A man can never so eate at the Sacra­ment as to bee merry, till hee eat of the fat, Nehemiah 8. 10. Goe your way, eat the fat, and drinke the sweet, neither bee yee sorry, that is, be you merry and joyfull; eating the fat, and drinking the sweet, cheeres and makes the heart merry. But when sayes his father, let us eat and bee merry? Now after hee saw his Sonne to bee sorry, when hee saw his soule humbled and afflicted with sorrow for his sinnes, he saw him truly penitent; Now let us eate and bee merry. It is to little pur­pose, to eate at the LORDS Ta­ble, unlesse wee may so eate that wee may bee merry, that wee may bee cheered, refreshed, rejoyced. Now hee that would eate and bee merry at the LORDS Table, [Page 174] Lords Table must weepe and be sorry in his owne private Chamber, and Closset. And when we have made our selves sorry God will make us merry, when we have sadded our soules by repentance, God will glad them with the comforts of his Spirit dispersed to us in the Sacrament. And the greater our sorrow is before we come, the greater will our mirth be when we be come.

But contrarily when we come to the Lords Table, and have not beene sorry, have not beene humbled, have not repented, then may we come and eate, but we cannot eate, and be mer­ry; we can have no comfort, no joy in our receiving, because GOD feeds us in such a case with nothing but huskes. Huskie food will never make the heart merry, and where repen­tance is wanting it makes the Sacra­ment proove to a man no better then an husky banquet.

Where repentance is wanting a man in receiving receives nothing but [Page 175] bare bread, and bare wine, neither is it any more with God then if a man did eate common bread, and drinke ordinary wine at his owne Table. It is in Sacraments as it was with sacri­fices. When men came to the sacri­fices, and offerings without repen­tance see how God esteemed of them; Hos. 9. 4. For their bread for their soule shall not come into the house of the Lord. Zanch. in Lo­cum. The bread for their soule, that is, the bread for their life, their daily bread for the sustinance of their bodily life. He speakes of that meate offering, Levit. 2. 5. That meate offering was appointed of God for a spirituall use, and yet it is called the bread for their life, or livelihood. Because they using those Ordinances without Re­pentance, though the meate offering were appointed for a spirituall use, God esteemed no other then com­mon meate, as their ordinary bodily bread they fed upon to susteyne bo­dily life. In the same sense it is that Iere. 7. 21. the Lord in a kinde of [Page 176] scorne calls their sacrifices flesh; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eate flesh. There wanted repen­tance in the offerers, and therefore God reckons them but as other ordi­nary flesh in the Shambles. And be­ing so, what had they more at their meate offerings then at their owne Tables? what at their sacrifices more then might have beene had at the Shambles?

And no wonder, for God intends not his Ordinance to such; God calls not, invites not such, and he will not welcome those whom he invites not. Consider those Canons which were for eating the Passeover. Exod. 12. 43, 44, 45. This is the Ordinance of the Passeover, there shall no stranger eate thereof. But every mans servant that is bought for money when thou hast cir­cumcised him, then shall he eate thereof. A forreyner, and an hired servant shall not eate therof. Here be three Canons. First no stranger must eate thereof. Suppose he had, yet surely should he [Page 177] have had no Communion with God, God would have beene a stranger to him. Secondly no hired servant must eate thereof, suppose he had, certainly God would not have accepted his service. Thirdly no uncircumcised one must eate thereof. If an uncircum­cised person had eaten thereof could he have looked for a blessing? Now all these three Canons make against an impenitent sinners comming to the Sacrament. For an impenitent sinner is all these. He is a stranger to God, Psal. 58. 3. The wicked are estranged from the wombe. And Psal. 54. 3. David calls the Ziphims who were notwithstanding of Israel, strangers, for what so estranges a man from God as doth sinne? He is an hyred servant, a servant to Satan, and his lusts, Iohn 8. 34. Whosoever commit­eth sinne is the servant of sinne, 2 Pet. 2. 18. They themselves are servants to corruption, for of whom a man is over­come, of the same he is brought in bon­dage. And who will set his servant [Page 178] at his Table with him? The servant abides not in the house for ever, Iohn 8. 35. and therefore sits not down at Table at any time. He is an uncir­cumcised person, Iere. 4. 3, 4, Breake up the fallow ground, circumcise your selves to the Lord, and take away the fore skine of your heart. What is the circum­cision of the heart, but the breaking up of the fallow ground, verse 3. So that a repenting heart is a circumcised heart, and contrarily an impenitent is an uncircumcised heart, Acts 7. 51. Ye stifnecked, and uncircumcised in heart. So that an impenitent person is an un­circumcised person. And what won­der then that an impenitent person meets with no blessing at the Sacra­ment, when he comes to eate against the Canon, being a stranger, a servant, an uncircumcised person?

The Israelites Manna was Sacra­mentall, and there is Manna in the Lords Supper, and in the use of the Sacrament the Lord gives that hidden Manna, Apoc. 2. 17. But it is to be [Page 179] observed that the Israelites did not eate Manna presently so soone as they were out of Aegypt, but first of all Sicut populus Israel ante transitum ma­ris nonpotuit manna come­dere, sic ne­mo valet ante baptismū cor­pus redemto­ris accipere. Anselm. in 1 Cor. 10. Nondum bap­tizati, vel eri­am adhuc ex­communicati, &c. arcebantur a communio­ne. Centuriat. Magdeb. Cent. 10. cap. 6. they passed through the red Sea, and that passage was a Baptisme. See ther­fore Saint Pauls order, 1 Cor. 10. 1, 2, 3. Our fathers all passed thorow the Sea, And were all baptised in the Sea, And did all eate the same spirituall meate. So that before they did eate that spirituall meate, they were first baptised in the red Sea. There must be a baptisme before the Manna may be eaten. None ought to receive the Lords Supper till he be first bap­tised. It were utterly against Gods owne order to have a man receive the Communion before he be baptised. That very order teaches that there must be repentance before we come to the Lords Table. For baptisme is the baptisme of repentance, Luke 3. 3. Iohn came preaching the baptisme of re­pentance. So that where no repentnace, there the Sacrament belongs not to men, and they can have no benefit [Page 180] by it, to whom it belongs not. As in that case Bethsheba speakes, Pro. 31. 6, 7. Give strong drinke to him that is ready to perish, and wine to those that be of heavy hearts, or bitter of soule, let him drinke, and forget his poverty, and re­member his misery no more. So it holds good here, God would not have this wine to be given to every man, it is not for profane, and impenitent sin­ners to drinke this wine, but when men are by repentance in poverty of spirit, bitternesse of soule, heavie in heart, then the Lord would have this wine given them; and such as come to drinke it with such hearts, they shall have their hearts cheered, refreshed and sweetely comforted against the sense of their poverty, and misery. Repenting sinners goe away with the sweetnesse, and comfort of the Sacra­ment. The Prophet speakes of a cup of consolation that was wont to be gi­ven to some, Iere. 16. 7. That cup of consolation was not given to every one. But when any had buried some [Page 181] deere friend, and was in heavinesse and sorrow, mourning and in bitternesse as Zechariah speakes, Zech. 12. Then their friends did invite them to their houses, and give them a cup of consola­tion. So that that cup of consolation was for sad, and sorrowfull persons only, only for mourners. The cup in the Sacrament is a cup of consolation, but this cup is prepared for mourners for sin, and when men receive it prepared with repentance, then it is indeed unto them a cup of consolation. But no cup of consolation at al to such as in impeni­tency of spirit come to the Sacrament.

2 He that comes to the Sacrament, and not after this order prepared w^th repentance, he not only meets with no blessing, but with a blow and a breach. And that in a double respect.

First, Such an one shall not onely not be the better, but farre the worse for his receiving in his sinnes, and im­penitency. Some have a conceit that though they be such sinners as they are, yet the comming to the Sacra­ment [Page 182] will mende and heale them, and may doe them good. But such are deceived, they shall be so farre from being the better, that they shall be worse. That as our Saviour speakes of a Pharisees Proselyte, Mat. 23. 15. that when he was made, he was made twofold more the childe of hell then themselves, so is it with impenitent re­ceivers, by their receiving they make themselves twofold more the chil­dren of hell, and the Divell then they were before, as having added both to the guilt of their impenitency the fresh guilt of the profanation of Gods Ordinance, and having doubled their hardnesse, and increased their strength to follow sinne with the more gree­dinesse.

Such an one meetes with an heavy curse, a spirituall curse upon his soule, so as the receiving of the Sacrament shall doe his soule mischiefe. Sacra­ments worke according to that dis­position wherein they finde such as receive them. Such as are the Re­ceivers, [Page 183] so prove the Sacraments un­to them. It is in this case as it was with the woman under Iealousy, and suspicion of uncleannesse, drinking the cursed waters, Numb. 5. 27, 28. And when he hath made her to drinke the water, then it shall come to passe that if she be defiled, and have done trespasse against her husband, that the water that causes the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot, and the woman shall be a curse amongst her people. And if the woman be not defiled, but be cleane, then she shall be free, and shall conceive seede. Looke then as the woman was, such was the worke of the water. If she were cleane the water did her no hurt, nay it did her good, she conceived seede, she became fruitfull: but if she were defiled, and uncleane it wrought with a mischiefe, her belly did swell, her thigh did rot, & she became a curse. It is so in receiving the Sacramēt. As men Quicquid re­cipitur recipi­tur ad modum recipientis. are that receive it, so is the worke and efficacy of it, either for good or hurt, [Page 184] either for bane, or blessing. If a man be prepared with repentance, and so be cleane, then the Sacrament brings a blessing, it makes a man fruitfull. But if a man be defiled, and uncleane, Ideo nemo malo prodest, quia quicquid ad illum per­venit id pravo usu corrumpi­tur. Quemad­modum sto­machus mor­bo vi [...]iatus quoscun (que) ac­cepit cibos mutat, & om­ne alimentum in causam do­lo [...]is trahit, ita animus cae­cus quicquid illi commiss [...] ­ris id onus su­um et pernici­em, et occasio­nem miseriae facit. Senec. de benef. lib. 5. c. 12. as every impenitent sinner is, then it banes, and mischiefes him, it proves as cursed water, it rots his soule, he proves a more rotten, and wretched sinner then before. An unwholsome, and diseased stomach what ever food it receives it alters, and rather nouri­shes the disease then the body, and turnes wholesome nourishment to matter of griefe, and vexation. So an impenitent soule comming to Gods Ordinance in its sins and defilement doth but turne the wholesome nutri­ment of the Sacrament to the feeding of its diseases, and the increasing of its owne sorrow and mischiefe, as the water that made the cleane woman fruitfull made the uncleane woman swell and rot. God curses the Sacrament to an impenitent defiled person, and so makes a sad breach upon him in stead of a blessing.

Secondly, such an one as comes in his impenitency shall meete with a breach in another kinde, with Gods heavy wrath falling upon him at the Sacrament. That same is a terrible Text, and worthy to be well thought upon by every man before he comes to the Sacrament, Lev. 7. 20, 21. But the soule that eats of the flesh of the peace offerings that pertaine to the Lord ha­ving his uncleannesse upon him, even that soule shall be cut off from his people: Moreover the soule that shall touch any uncleane thing, as the uncleannesse of man, or any uncleane beast, or any abo­minable uncleane thing, and eate of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, even that soule shall be cut off from his people. Their peace offerings were eucharisticall offerings. Now sup­pose a man had defiled himselfe, and should have come, and with that un­cleannesse upon him have eaten of the flesh of those offerings, what had the issue beene? surely it had beene better for that man to have beene a bed, and [Page 186] asleepe, for that soule shall be cut off from his people, that man shall be de­stroyed, destroyed by GODS hand, and from before his face, as Lev. 22. 3 That soule shall be cut off from my pre­sence. Nay marke yet further, ver. 21. That if a man did but touch any un­cleane thing; uncleannesse of man, or beast, or any abominable uncleane thing, and then in that case after such a touch, before he be clensed shal offer to eate of the flesh of the peace offering, he should be cut off from his people. What? If no more uncleannesse up­on him then came by a touch must he yet be cut off? Must he be cut off that eates but with a touch of uncleannes? What then will become of him that not touches but wallowes and tumbles in uncleannesse? In the uncleannesse of whordom, drunkennes? If he must be cut off that touches the uncleannes of a man, what will become of him that wallowes in the uncleannesse of the Di­vell? If he must be cut off that touches but the uncleannesse of a beast, then [Page 187] what will become of him that is an uncleane beast, an uncleane adulterer, an uncleane drunkard, or any other uncleane sinner? See how our Saviour speakes, Matth. 10. 12, 13. When you come into a house, salute it, And if the house be worthy; let your peace come upon it, but if it be not worthy, let your peace returne to you. If the Apostles came to an house that was worthy, then up­on their salutation the blessing they prayed for came upon that house, but if an unworthy house, the blessing fell not upon it, but returned to them a­gaine. So is it in the receit of the Sacrament. When it is received, if he bee worthy that receives it, then comes a blessing from GOD upon a man, but if the person be unworthy then comes neither blessing, nor peace. Now who is worthy? Iudge in your owne consciences, are impe­nitent sinners that live, and lye in their sins? Are customary profaners of Gods Name? Are habituall drunk­ards? Are loathsome Adulterers, [Page 188] covetous earth-wormes, are these worthy? If these be worthy who then is unworthy? Either these, or none are unworthy. Therefore no peace, nor blessing can come upon them. Nay that is not all, not only no blessing, but a curse shall come up­on them. If he will shew himselfe a worthy man saies Salomon of Adonijah, there shall not an hayre of him fall to the earth, 1 King. 1. 52. but when after he carried himselfe unworthily, it cost him his life. If men come worthily to the Sacrament, so prepared by re­pentance as they ought, they meete with no hurt, but with a great deale of good. But if wickednesse be found Mutet ergo vitam qui vult accipere vitam. Nam si non mutet vitam, ad judicium accipiet vitam, & magis ex ip­sa corrumpitur quàm san [...]tur, magis occidi­tur, quàm vivi­ficatur. Aug. Ser. de Temp. 1. in men, as Salomon there speakes, and so men come unworthily, God will curse them for so comming. He that eates, and drinkes unworthily, eates and drinkes his owne damnation. And who doth it unworthily, but he that doth it impenitently? And what can such unworthy impenitent persons expect but a breach with a witnesse? The [Page 189] Israelites had a wondrous strange minde to flesh, Numb. 11. 4. They wept and said, who shall give us flesh to eat? And as great a minde have many to come to the Sacrament, but yet it fares no better with them at the Sa­crament, than it did with Israel at their Quailes, Psal. 78. 30, 31. Whilst the meat was yet in their mouthes, the wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote downe the chosen men of Israel.

And so whilest many have the bread and wine in their mouthes, the wrath of God comes upon them. But why so? Because it is with them at eating the Sacrament, as it was with Israel in another case, Verse 30. They were not estranged from their lusts, but whi­lest the meat was in their mouthes, the wrath of God, &c. So many come to the Sacrament, but are not estranged from their lusts, their whoring, drunk­ennesse, worldlinesse, &c. but come in impenitency, without sorrow, and reformation, and therefore whilest [Page 190] the Sacramentall elements are in their mouthes, the wrath of God comes upon them; and so instead of eating Christ they eat wrath. And all because they comming in their impenitency, provoke GOD to wrath. It may be thou feelest no wrath for the pre­sent, but yet wrath may be inflicted insensibly on thy soule. And though thou feele it not, yet thou mayest heape and treasure up wrath against the day of wrath. A man that brings every day but a fagot or two to the stack, may in time make a great heap: every day a stick to the pile, may make such a pile, as being fired at once, will make a dreadfull fire. Thou feelest no wrath for the present, but every Sacrament thou receivest, thou brin­gest a fagot to the heape, and makest such an heape, as at last will make the fire so much the greater, & so much the hotter at the day of wrath. And then shalt thou feele that wrath which now thou heapest up. Thou greatenst thine heape now, and the greater the [Page 191] heape, the greater the fire. Now the reasons why God thus sadly makes a breach upon impenitent sinners are specially two.

1 Because every impenitent sin­ner defiles the Lords Table, and the Sacrament. Holinesse becomes thine house, O Lord, and so no lesse, holi­nesse becomes thy Table, O Lord. As God himselfe is holy, so his word Sicut sanctum Canes non sanctificat, nec margaritae porcos nutri­unt, sed con­tra Canes co­inquinant san­ctum, & porci margaritas, confringunt. Sic si hom ini­bus caninos, vel porcinos mores haben­tibus sanctum dederis, nec sanctum illos sanctificat, sed contra, ipsi sanctum coin­quinant. Chrys. hom. 17. oper. imper. and Sacraments are holy, and there­fore an horrible thing to polute and defile the Sacrament. Now every impenitent sinner doth so. An impe­nitent sinner is a filthy person, and he befilths every thing he meddles with­all. He is an uncleane person. Now to the uncleane all things are unclean, holy things sanctifie not them, but they pollute holy things: under the Law, an uncleane person defiled the Campe, Num. 5. 2, 3. Put out of the Campe whosoever is defiled, that they de­file not their Campes. He defiled eve­ry bed he lay on, and every thing hee sate on, Levit. 15. 4. He defiled every [Page 192] man he toucht, Lev. 15. 7. His ve­ry Saddle he rode upon was uncleane, Lev. 15. 9. He defiled the Tabernacle of the Lord. Num. 19. 13. He defiled bread, potage, wine, oile, &c. Hag. 2. 13. Thus an uncleane sinners pitch touches nothing which it defiles not. He defiles Word and Sacraments, the Lords Tabernacle and his Table. Is it any wonder then that comming to the Sacrament, he meets with a breach and a curse? If any man defile the Tem­ple of the Lord, him shall God destroy, 1 Cor. 3. 17. Put Table in stead of Tem­ple, and it is as true; if any man defile the Table of the Lord, him shall God destroy, He that defiles the Tabernacle of the Lord, shall be cut off from Israel, Num. 19. 13. And whosoever defiles the Table of the Lord as well as the Tabernacle of the Lord, shall God cut off from his people. Their sinne was foule and hainous, Mal. 2. 12. that said, the Table of the Lord was pol­luted; what is their sin then that doe not say the Table of the Lord is pol­luted, [Page 193] but doe pollute and defile it? GOD sorely complaines of it, that their common Tables in their houses at which they did eat and drinke, and take their common repast, that they were defiled with drunkennesse and gluttony, Isa. 28. 8. All Tables are full of vomit, and filthinesse, so that there is no place cleane. An horrible thing to defile a mans owne Table with the vomit & filthinesse of drunkennesse? what an horrible thing then to pol­lute Gods Table with such filth? And what doth that man better, that when he hath defiled himselfe with drunkennesse, and with the vomit and filth of it, yet before hee hath humbled himselfe with sorrow for it, and before he hath utterly forsaken and renounced it, doth presume in that filthy case to come to Gods Ta­ble? How horrible a thing were it to defile the Lords Table with the vomit of drunkennesse, now let all that de­file themselves with drunkennesse be­thinke themselves, how they can be­fore [Page 194] God free themselves from it. And so all that live in other foule sins, let them consider how they can wash their hands from the guilt of this sin. Therefore when God sees his Ordinance defiled by them, his wrath is kindled, and he smites them with a curse. Incense from foule hands is an abomination, Isa. 1. 13, 15. not only no sweetnesse in it, but a fil­thy Incensi odor de immundorum manibus reputa­tus est profaetore, & i [...]am non gra­tiam praesumptio meruit. Cyp. de caen. Dom. stench in it, yea, such an offensive savour from it, as provokes God to wrath. If a beast touch the Mountaine, it must be stoned or thrust through with a dart, Heb. 12. 20. If such severity against a Beast, how much more shall it be against a Man, that by his base and brutish lusts makes himselfe a Beast, and yet will dare, not only to touch the Mountaine, but to goe up into the Mountaine? Any beast that had toucht the mountaine, must have died for it, though it had beene a clean beast, how much more if it had beene an uncleane beast? That man that by his base and brutish courses becomes [Page 195] a beast, he is not only a beast, but an uncleane beast. If a sheepe had toucht the mountaine, it must have been sto­ned or thrust through with a dart, much more then should a Dog or an Hog, if they had toucht the Moun­taine.

O that they would seriously consi­der this who in the guilt of their sins, smoaking and reeking, thrust in them­selves unto the Table of the Lord, and that their hearts would tremble to thinke how dreadfull a thing it is to pollute Gods Ordinance. Is it a small thing in your eyes to defile Gods Table? Is it nothing with you to pollute holy things? It was a smart and piercing speech of Ambrose to Theodosius, offering to come in the guilt of that slaughter at Thessalonica, Istasne adhue stillantes injustae caedis cruore ma­nus extendes, & iis sanctissimum Domini corpus prehendes? Vel tu pretiosum san­guinem Domini admovebis ori tuo? Magdeb. Cent. 4 cap. 6. What? wilt thou reach forth those hands of thine yet dropping with the bloud of unjust slaughter, and with them lay hold upon the most holy body of the Lord? or wilt thou offer to put that precious bloud to thy mouth? So may it bee said to [Page 196] many comming to the Sacrament: What? will you reach forth those hands of yours defiled with bloud, with the bloud of oppression? These fingers of yours defiled with iniquity, Isay, 59. 3. and with these hands and fingers touch these holy mysteries? with these lips of yours that have spo­ken lies, that daily drivell forth such a deale of obscene filth; that with so many foule oathes and bloudy blas­phemies have dishonoured God; with these mouthes with which you have so often swine-like swilled unto drunkennesse, & with which you have drunke of the cup of divels; with these lips and mouthes will ye offer to drinke the precious bloud of Christ? Is it not sin and guilt enough, that with your sins you have already defiled your hands, fingers, lippes, mouthes, but that now also you will needs come, and defile the Lords Ta­ble? it is more than you can answer that you have thus defiled your selves, why will you double your sin [Page 197] and your damnation in defiling also these sacred Mysteries? Consider this with trembling-hearts all impe­nitent persons, and you especially that dare impudently croud into the Sacrament, when you come piping hot out of your sinnes and provoca­tions.

2 Secondly, because a man com­ming in his impenitency hee brings his sinnes along with him, and they put God in minde to doe justice up­on him. There is a prayer for their King, Psal. 20. 3. The Lord remem­ber all thine offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice. That is a speciall thing we should aime at in all our services, that God would remember them, that they may come up in remembrance before God. Now when a man lies in his sinnes, and brings them with him to any holy service they will rise up in remembrance against him at that very instant, and so not his services but his sins being remembred, a man shall not onely misse of acceptance, [Page 198] but meet with a breach and a curse: see Hos. 8. 13. They sacrifice flesh for the Sa­crifices of mine offerings, and eat it, but the Lord accepteth them not. But why did not God accept them? the next words shew the reason, now will he re­member their iniquity: no marvell he remembers not their Sacrifices, when he remembers their iniquity. And yet this is not all: he will not onely not ac­cept, but he will visite their sins. When iniquity comes up in remembrance, God will visite their sin. And when will he visit? now will he remember their iniquity and visit their sin. Now will he remember their iniquity, now, even just now, as they be sacrificing, and now will he visit their sins, even then plague & smite them spiritually, when in their Sacrifices. God remem­bers wicked mens sinnes at all times, especially when they come to him in holy duties; even then whē they come to the Sacrament he remembers them then; freshly remembers them then. When GOD sees a wicked man come with his sins to the Sacrament, he doth [Page 199] (as it were) on this manner speake in heaven: Behold here is a man come to the Sacrament without repentance, & he thinks to do me a goodly piece of service, but by no meanes do I accept him, nay, I abhor him, and am angry at his comming. I remember that at such a time he was drunk, I remember that hee is an adulterer, a covetous worldling; I remember at such a time how he griped, pinched, and defrau­ded his brother; I remember hee is a common neglecter of the duties of my worship; and now without repentance for these sins, he is come to my Table, therefore now, all these his sins come up a fresh in my remembrance, and he shall be so farre from being accepted, that I wil now at this very time of his receiving smite him with my wrath, my curse be upon him and his recei­ving, instead of a blessing; let Satan en­ter into him, and carry him on stil to all ungodlines. It is a heavie judgment to have God remember and avenge our sins in the Sacrament. Thus God doth with [Page 200] impenitent persons, because they bring their sinnes thither with them. Sins brought along to the spirituall banquet of the Sacrament, they will doe by men as Esther did by Haman at the banquet of wine, Esther 7. 2, 6. whilest he is at the banquet of Wine, she petitions against him, and she ac­cuses him; the adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman: and Vers. 7. the Kings wrath is up at the banquet of wine, and he presently gives sentence against him. So all the sinnes that a man repents him not of, when hee comes to the Sacrament to come with him, and they being present, doe pick out that very time to accuse him, and to say, This man is a drunkard, and uncleane person, a common swearer, an adversary, an enemy to religion; even thus at the Banquet of Wine, sin unrepented of puts in accusations against men. And therefore no won­der that Gods wrath is kindled against such even at the banquet of Wine, when they bring along those with [Page 201] them that accuse them, and clamour against them at that very time.

So that these things considered, let us be awakened and stirred up in the feare of God to looke to it that wee presume not to come to Gods Table in our sins and impenitency; unlesse we have mourned for our sins, the Sa­cramentall bread will be unto us as bread of mourners, Hos. 9. 4. uncleane bread that will defile us; unlesse wee doe by repentance wash away our fil­thinesse, we shall pollute Gods Ordi­nance, and bring accusers with us, that will put God in remembrance to curse us. And were it not better for us before we come, to remember our sins our selves, and to be humbled for them and renounce them? Christs body was laid in a new Sepulchre, where never any had beene laid, and he wil give his body to none but such as come with a new heart. This new wine must not be put into old vessels, but new Wine must be put into new vessels. Be new vessels therefore by [Page 202] repentance, that the new wine of the comforts of Gods spirit may be pow­red Rogo vos fratres, num est aliquis qui in arca sordi­bus plena velit mittere vestem suam? Et si in ar­ca sordibus plena non mittitur ve­stis pretiosa, qua fronte in anima quae peccatorum sordibus inqui­natur Christi Eu­charistia suscipi­tur. Non puto esse aliquem ho­minem qui in ar­ca sua ubi preti­osas vestes habet repositas, acqui­escat aut carbo­nem vivum aut qualem cunque scintillam inclu­dere. Quare hoc fratres? quia ti­met ne combu­rantur vestimen­ta quibus in festi­vitate induitur. Rogo vos fratres, qui in arca sua non vult scintil­lam ignis inclu­dere, quare in anima sua flam­mam iracundiae non timet accen­dere. Aug. ser. de Temp. 252. into us at the Sacrament. I will close this point with S. Augustines words, If a man will not put a faire and precious garment into a foule Chest, with what face can he take the Sacrament of the Eucharist into a filthy soule? There is no man that will put live coales into the chest where he puts his best apparell. Why so brethren? because hee feares his garments may be burned with which he cloathes himselfe on Festivals. I beseech you brethren, he that will not put fire in­to his chest, why is he not afraid to kin­dle the flame of wrath in his owne soule?

Chap. 7. Of the Necessity of Charity and Love in him that will bee an Orderly Commu­nicant.

NOw followes the fourth thing re­quired in habituall preparation to the Sacrament, and that is charity and love towards our brethren. This is a thing necessarily required. This is a truth confessed on all hands, that men should be in charity that come to the Sacrament. And many that have no great care, nor make any great conscience of comming with know­ledge, faith or repentance, yet will seeme to make some scruple of com­ming without charity. Yea though many will not abstaine for their drun­kennesse, oathes, &c. yet if there be a breach, and a falling out betweene them, and others they will by no meanes meddle; though without breach of charity a man may judge of [Page 205] them that they are reasonably well contented that they have so faire an excuse to stop the mouthes of their consciences that are ready to checke them, and quarrell with them for their neglect of GODS Ordinance. For if out of conscience they scruple com­ming to the Sacrament without cha­rity, why then scruple they not living without it? But yet this showes that men generally acknowledge that love is a necessary preparative to the Sa­crament. It is that which indeed is ne­cessary in all our services of God, and dutyes of his worship. It is required in all that will pray aright, 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will that men pray every where lifting up pure hands without wrath. Every Christians care should be to have his prayer like Iobs, Iob 16. 17. Also my prayer is pure. The way to have our prayer pure, is to lift up pure hands without wrath. Love is that which makes heart, and hands, and so prayer pure from the defilement of wrath. It is required in all that will heare the [Page 206] Word aright, Iames 1. 19. They that will bee swift to heare, must bee slow to wrath, and verse 21. all superfluity of maliciousnesse must be layd apart to fit for the receiving of the Word. So 1 Pet. 2. 1, 2. Wherfore laying aside all ma­lice, as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word. And so likewise no lesse requisite in all such as will come to the Sacrament in due order. Every sacrifice was to be salted with salt, Levit. 2. 13. And every oblation of thy meate offring shalt thou season with salt. Thou shall not suffer the salt of the Covenant of thy God to be lacking, &c. with all thine offrings thou shalt of­fer salt. Vnseasoned services are un­savoury services. Services without salt are services without savour. And here is a salt with which all our duties are to be sprinkled, Marke 9. 50. Have salt in your selves, and have peace one with another. And as at all times, so especially is it required before we come to the Sacrament. If without love, we are neither fit to pray nor [Page 206] heare, then not fit to receive the Sa­crament; for he is not fit to receive the Sacrament, that is neither fit to pray, nor heare the Word. The necessity of it will appeare by these things.

1 By that so well knowne a place, Matth. 5. 23, 24. If thou bring thy Nun quam mi­hi contingat turbatum ad pacis accedere sacrificium, cū ita & discepta­tione contin­gere Sacramen­tum-Certe non recipitur mu­nus quodcun (que) meum quod defero ad alta­re, nisi ante pla­cato fratre, quē me forte laesisse meminero, quanto minùs si meipsum non placavero pri­ùs. Bern. de precept. & di­spens. guift to the Altar, and there remember that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy guift before the Altar, and goe thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy guift. It may seeme to be some­what an odde thing, an incongruous carriage, and to carry some shew of irreverence with it, that a man being come into the Temple, having brought his offering before the Altar, should all on a sudden turne his backe upon the Altar, and goe his waies out of the Temple. Might not a man therefore in such a case better have stayed there still, so that in his heart he were sorry for the wrong done to his neighbour, and be fully resolved so soon as the sacrifice is ended, to recon­cile [Page 207] himselfe to him? No, it will not serve the turne, but how od, and unde­cent it may seem to be, yet go thy way; and first be reconciled, and then come and offer thy guift. Not offer thy guift, and then go and be reconciled. This must be done first; it is a preparative duty, and preparative duties must be done be­fore the services themselves be done. Now as in Sacrifices so is it in Sacra­ments, Et tum veni­ens offeres munus tuum. Vae mihi mise­ro, ne dicam & tibi, qui tanto tempore aut non obtuli mu­nus, aut ira per­manente, sine causa obtuli. Hieronym. Ep. ad Castorin. Matert. GOD will have love, and reconciliation before men come to His Table. Go first and be reconciled before thou goe to receive the Sacra­ment. He that will goe to the Sacra­ment without charity, can looke for no better then to returne without fruit. Vncharitable receiving can bee no better then unprofitable receiving.

2 That same, 1 Cor. 12. 13. By one spirit wee are all baptised into one body, and [by one spirit] have beene all made to drinke into one spirit. The Apostle had shown before, v. 8, 9, 10. that though some men do receive personall pecu­liar gifts, yet they are given by the spi­rit [Page 208] for the good of the whole Church. The reason in briefe is because all the whole Church is but one body, and one soube: and every beleever being a member of that body, whatsoever he hath, he hath it not for himsefe, but for the common good of the body. But now the question might be whe­ther all beleevers be one body, and one spirit or soule. Now therefore the Apostle shewes, and proves this unity of the Church, that all belee­vers are one body and soule, from the end, and effect of the Sacrament, which is to seale this unity. That they be one body it appeares by the Sacrament of baptisme, for by one Spirit wee are baptised into one body. That they be one spirit, or soule it ap­peares by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, for by one spirit we are made to drink into one Spirit, or soule. Thus by both the Sacraments is this unity sealed. Observe then that a mayne end, and use of the Supper is, that wee may be made to drinke into one spirit, into [Page 209] the Sacrament in love and charity, CHAP. 7 or else how shall the end and use of the Sacrament be made good? How can they be made to drink into one spirit, that are of two spirits, of two different, contrary spirits? it is excee­ding requisite that they be of one spi­rit, that come to be made drinkers in­to one spirit. It is love that makes men of one spirit, and so fits them to bee made in the Sacrament to drinke into one spirit: love makes men of one spirit, the Sacrament seales this unity of spirit. There cannot be an unity of spirit sealed, till there be an unity of spirit made. Now because it is love that makes this unity, and this unity must be sealed at the Sacrament, therfore necessarily must a man come with love that will come aright to the Sacrament, or else hee frustrates a maine end of the Sacrament.

3 Thirdly, as the Sacrament of Baptisme is the Sacrament of our new birth, so the Sacrament of the Supper is the Sacrament of our new [Page 210] life, and spirituall nutrition and growth. And unto it should a man come, that in the right and religious use of it he may be spiritually nouri­shed, and may thrive and grow in grace and goodnesse. Now no man can grow, thrive, or be nourished by the use of the Sacrament, that comes to it without love. The whole Church is a body, every Christian is a mem­ber of that body; now a member that will grow in the body, and thrive, must necessarily be united to and con­joyned with the body. If a member be separated from the body it cannot be nourished, nor grow: an hand or an arme rent or cut off from the bo­dy, cannot be nourished, nor grow. Nay, though a part of the body bee not separated from the rest, yet if there be but a dislocation of a part, so that it be only out of joynt, it cannot thrive and prosper till it be set in joynt againe. So it is here in the body My­sticall; it is a growing body, every member thereof growes and increa­ses, [Page 211] Col. 2. 19. It increases with the in­crease of God. But how comes it to increase? All the body by joynts and bonds having nourishment ministred and knit together, increaseth with the in­crease of God. So that unlesse the bo­dy bee knit together by joynts and bands, it cannot increase by the mini­stration of nourishment. But now what are these joynts and bands, and what is it that knits the parts of the body so together as that it increases? That the Apostle layes downe some­what more fully, Ephes. 4. 16. From whom the whole body fitly joyned toge­ther, and compacted by that which every joynt supplies, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of it selfe in love. These words are taken and translated from the naturall body, and the Apo­stle shewes that it is in the Church, the mysticall body of Christ, as in a naturall body. Now in a naturall bo­dy; first, there be diverse and small members which goe to the making of it up: secondly, these members [Page 212] are fitly joyned and compacted toge­ther: thirdly, there is a conjunction of them after an excellent manner, and that thus: all the severall parts they have their bones, the solid parts of those members. Now these bones are coupled by the joynts, so as the end and the round part of one bone goes into the hallow end of another; This is an [...], or [...], Eph. 4. 16. Col. 2. 19. But this is not all, but as the joynts are fitted and suited each to other, so as the round part of one joynes to the hallow part of the o­ther; so also that there may be a sure coarticulation, there be certaine liga­ments and bonds that grow fast to the end of each bone in the joynt, that fa­sten bone to bone, this is [...], Col. 2. 19. There is not only a fitnesse by which one bone suites with another in the joynt, but there a fastnesse also by vertue of that bond that knits bone to bone. This is a compaction by that which both the bones in the joynt mutually minister: fourthly, the [Page 213] parts of the body thus sweetly fitted and suited together, and thus firmely fastened, they all by their nourish­ment received, thrive, and grow, and so the body increases, which it could not doe if there were a dis-union, or a dislocation, or [...] luxation of those parts. Now thus it is in the Church the body of Christ: 2. There be many and sundry members to make up this body. 2. They are all joyned and compact together. 3. Their conjun­ction is after the same manner. The mindes and spirits of beleevers are so coupled together, as that one mans spirit doth as it were insinuate it selfe into anothers: and that this conjun­ction & joynt may be the surer, there be certaine bonds and ligaments that knit these members together: and these bonds are two: first, The Spirit of God, they have all one and the same spirit, Ephes. 4. 4. One body, one spirit: and by this one spirit Christians are knit in this one body, 1 Cor. 12. 13. Secondly, The bond of love, and peace; [Page 214] and every joynt or member supplies and ministers this bond each to other whereby they are knit each to other, Ephes. 4. 3. Endeavouring to keepe the unity of the Spirit; that is, endeavou­ring to be of one spirit and minde, as two bones meeting at a joynt are coupled in the unity of the joynt: there is the [...] or [...], that spo­ken of, Rom. 12. 10. [...]. There is a fit joyning together, and this is added in the bond of peace. There is the compacti­on of both, by that which each joynt supplies, each Christian supplying and ministring the bond of peace and love, doe thus knit and joyne to­gether themselves members in the same body: this is the [...]. So [...]. Col. 2. 19. there is mention not on­ly of joynts, but of bonds. And Col. 3. 14. love is called The bond of perfe­ction; that is, a bond which doth per­fectly binde together the members of the mysticall body, each ministring and supplying love to another; as the [Page 215] ligaments that knit bones together are mutually ministred from both the bones: so that the compaction of the members is by the ligament of love, as the Apostle expresses it, Ephes. 4. 16. Fourthly, the body of the Church thus compacted increases it selfe, and is edified and growes up, Epes. 4. 16. Maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it selfe in love. The body encreases and edifies when the seve­rall parts doe, and they doe increase and grow when joyned together and knit together in love. So that all this serves to shew the necessity of love in such as come to the Sacrament; we come to the Sacrament to be nouri­shed, to grow, to increase: none of these can be done without love. A man comming to the Sacrament out of charity, is a member out of joynt, yea, as a member disunited. It is not possible such a member should bee nourished and thrive. As therefore a man would finde nourishment and in­crease with the rest of the body, so it [Page 216] concernes him to come prepared with love.

4 God requires that men should eat their bodily food with love & mutu­al charity. There is little contentment in bodily Feasts, when men sit down at one Table with divided hearts and affections: we may see Acts 2. 46. how the Primitive Christians did eat their common bread at their com­mon Tables, Breaking bread from house to house, did eat their bread with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart: the which they could not have done if they had not met at their Houses and Tables, as they did in the Temple, in the same Verse, with one accord, or unanimously. They could not have eaten with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart, if they had not eaten toge­ther in love. For there can be neither gladnesse nor singlenes of heart where love is wanting. And if they came to­gether with such love & affection to their common tables to take their bo­dily repast, how much more think we [Page 217] did they come with love, and all good mutual affection one to another to the Lords Table. Therefore it was that before the Sacrament they had their love-feasts to testifie with what affe­ction they came to the Lords Supper. The sweet and sauce of common re­past, is love; Prov. 15. 17. Better is a dinner of greene herbes where love is, than a stalled Oxe with hatred: love makes a few green herbes farre better cheere, than the greatest fare that is eaten with hatred and malice. If love therefore be required at our own Ta­bles, that when wee eate together wee should eate in love, how much more then will God require it in those that come to sit downe at his Table? Saint Augustine would not endure any at his Quisquis amat dictis absen­tum rodere fa­m [...]m, Hanc mensam indignam no­verit esse sibi. Posid. de vita. Aug. cap. 22. Table that should shew any malice against others in backbitings or de­tractions, and had two Verses writ­ten on his Table, to bee Monitours to such as sate thereat, that in such cases that Table was not for them. And how much lesse will the [Page 218] Lord endure any at his Table that come thither with malice and hatred against their brethren. Such must know that they are utterly unwor­thy to come to the Lords Table.

To come to the Sacrament in ma­lice, and to eat it in distemper of spi­rit is not to eate the Lords Supper: that is, such as so come do not so receive it in regard of the benefit and blessing, as if they received so holy an Ordi­nance as the Lords Supper: see 1 Cor. 11. 20. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lords Supper. The particle, Therefore, car­ries the words to some thing before, to that Vers. 18. When you come toge­ther in the Church, I here there be divi­sions amongst you; when ye come toge­ther therefore in one place, this is not to eate the Lords Supper. Therefore when men come together, and there be divisions amongst them, this is not to eate the Lords Supper; for such persons eat not the Lords Supper in regard of the benefits and blessings [Page 219] that are received at the Lords Supper because they eate not after the due order. This is not to eate the Lords Supper sayes the Apostle, for verse 21. in eating every one takes be­fore other his owne Supper, and one is hungry, and another is drunken. So it may bee sayd in this case, to come in malice to the Lords Table, this is not to eate the Lords Supper, which is a Supper of love, for how doe they eate the Lords Supper, when in eating, one mans heart swells against another, one man is sicke with envy, another is filled with malice and hatred. They eate my people as they eate bread, Psal. 14. 4. Ye bite and devoure one another, Gal. 5. 15. Thinke wee when men eate up one another and devoure one another that they be fit to eate at the LORDS Table, or to eate the LORDS Body? or if they doe eate the Sacrament thinke wee that they doe eate the LORDS Supper? That they suppe with CHRIST and have any fellow­ship [Page 220] with him? It is a good dispo­sition in one sense to eate the Supper of the LORD in bitternesse, with bitternesse of sorrow for sinne, but to come in bitternesse of spirit in regard of hatred and malice, this is that which will so imbitter the Ordinance unto us, that we shall have little com­fort in the action. The Sacrament is a seale, and in the right use of it the spirit seales up a mans redemption to him. Now he that would at any time be sealed by the Spirit of God, especially in the use of the seale of the Sacrament must take heede that hee grieve not the Spirit of GOD; And grieve not the holy Spirit of God where­by ye are sealed unto the day of Redemp­tion, Ephes. 4. 30. If we grieve him how shall we looke to have him seale us? Specially when we come to the Sacrament? I but what is it that grieves him so that he will not seale? Iudge by that which immediately followes, verse 31. Let all bitternesse, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and [Page 221] evill speaking be put away from you with all malice. Therefore bitternesse, wrath, and malice, they grieve the seal­ing Spirit of God. We loose our er­rand when we come to the Sacra­ment, and goe away unsealed; we goe away unsealed when we grieve the Spirit; we grieve the Spirit when we come to the Sacrament with a mali­cious, and an imbittered Spirit. There­fore as at all times it is good counsell to put away bitternesse, and malice, so it is especially when men come to the Sacrament. There is a leaven of ma­lice, and the feast must not be kept with that leaven, 1 Cor. 5. 8. This must be purged out as old leaven. That same of the Apostle 1 Co. 14. 20. may serve for a rule for comming to the Sacrament; Brethren be not children in understanding, how bee it in malice bee yee children. How many come to the Sacrament as children in one sense, and not as children in another? As children in an ill sense, and not as children in a good sense; for know­ledge [Page 222] as very children, to come thus like children is a dangerous thing. But to come as children in regard of malice, as free, as voyde of it as chil­dren, thus to come like children is an happy thing. And as our Saviour speakes in another case of receiving the Kingdome of GOD, so in this sense it is true of receiving the Sa­crament, Luke 18. 17. Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the Kingdome of GOD as a little childe shall in no wise enter therein. So who­soever shall not receive the Sacra­ment as a little childe, in regard of freedome from malice, he shall reape no fruit by his receiving. There­fore as Saint Paul speakes of charity in the generall, so I close this point concerning charity in this particular to fit a man for the Sacrament, 1 Cor. 13. 2, 3. Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, &c. and have no charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feede the poore, &c. and have not charity [Page 223] it profits mee nothing. So in this case, though thou often, and frequent­ly receive these holy mysteries, and yet have not charity thou art nothing, and thy receiving is nothing. Though thou receivest the Sacrament every day in the weeke, and givest liberally at the Sacrament to the poore, and yet hast not charity, it profits thee no­thing. So much wrong they doe themselves that come not in due Order to the Sacrament, with that Love and Charity which GOD requires.

Chap. 8. The Necessity of obe­dience in an Orderly Commu­nicant.

CHAP. 8 THe last thing remaines requisite in Habituall preparation to the Sacrament, and that is obedience to GOD, and his Commandements. Hee that will come after the due order must bee such an one as Psal. 50. 23. That orders his conversation aright. That he doth, that walkes orderly according to the rule of Gods Word, and in obedience thereto. Such an orderly man must he be that will be an orderly Communicant. It is impossible for him to be an orderly Communicant who is a disorderly man. He walkes disorderly that walkes disobediently, 2 Thes. 3. 7. That walkes disorderly. Who is he that doth so? verse 14. If any man obey not our word. And if it were possible to have all the former things without this, yet the [Page 225] want of this would marre all. For CHAP. 7 what though a man had all know­ledge, and all understanding that can fall within a mortall capacity, yet what is it all if obedience were want­ing. All such knowledge is as igno­rance, 1 Iohn 2. 3, 4. Hereby we know that we know him if we keepe his Com­mandements, He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar, and the truth is not in him. There be that see many things, and yet are blinde, Isa. 42. 19, 20. and that because obedience is wanting. And how welcome ignorant, and blinde persons be to the Sacrament we saw before. And what evidence is there of the truth of faith where obedience is wanting? Thou sayest thou hast faith when thou commest to the Sa­crament, shew me thy faith by thy works, by thine obedience. As faith is the principall of all true obedience, so obedience is the evidence of true faith. He that is wanting in obedience must needs be wanting in faith, and he that [Page 226] coms to the Sacrament without faith CHAP. 8 comes to no purpose. And how will it appeare that that man hath repent­ed, and truly turned from his sin, who is not yet in the wayes of obedience. There is no man repents but he brings forth fruits worthy of repentance. The fruits of obedience are the fruits be­seeming repentance. And how is there love without obedience, when love is the fulfilling of the Law, Rom. 13. 8. How can the Law bee ful­filled without obedience. So needfull is obedience to qualify a man for the Sacrament. A mans care must be to eate, and drinke worthily. He that will doe so, must have a care to doe that, Col. 1. 10. To walke worthy of the Lord. He that is an unworthy walker can never be a worthy receiver. But how may a man walke worthily, or what is it to walke worthy of GOD? The Apostle teaches us what it is in the same place, That yee might walke worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing be­ing fruitfull in every good worke. So [Page 227] that to walke obediently is to walke worthily. And such a worthy walking fits for a worthy receiving.

It is that which GOD regards more then all outward performances, then the services of his worship. It is a common error in many men to thinke that if they performe the out­ward duties of worship they doe enough, and that these alone are high­ly well pleasing to God though no more be done. They thinke, so long as they pray, heare the Word, receive the Sacrament all is wondrous well, though they make no conscience of obedience to Gods will otherwise; Though they obey not yet because they doe duties of worship that they doe God very acceptable service, whereas the truth is that when we give not God obedience, all services have poore acceptance. Profession of Religion, and godlinesse a good thing it is, but yet a vaine thing with­out obedience. Excellent speech be­comes not a foole, Pro. 17. 7. And what [Page 228] though Israel cry, my God wee knowe thee, what is this to the purpose so long as Israel hath cast off the thing that is good, Hos. 8. 2, 3. Disobedient pro­fession is abominable and a kinde of Athisme denying GOD, Tit. 1. 16. And as profession, so performances vaine. Their sacrifices without o­bedience as acceptable as a Dogges head, or as Swines bloud, Isa. 66. 3. Hearing without obedience as good as nothing, Ezek. 33. 31, 32. no more then hearing a song, or a Musician. GOD is highly well pleased with prayer, and yet he that prayes to God and yeelds him not obedience will finde poore speede, Prov. 28. 9. He that turnes away his eare from hearing the Law, even his prayer shall be abomi­nation. Yea the receiving of Sacra­ments is to as little purpose as all the rest, Rom. 2. 25, 26. Circumcision profits with obedience. Circumcision is made uncircumcision without obedience, and uncircumcision with obedience preferred before circumcision with­out. [Page 229] Circumcision profits if thou keepe the Law, so receiving the Commu­nion profits, and thou shalt finde benefit and good by it, if thou be one that walkest in obedience to GOD. But if thou be a breaker of the Law thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. So if thou be not obedient to GOD and his Law thy receiving is no bet­ter then not receiving. It is a good thing to come to the Sacrament, but it is a better thing to give God obe­dience, and it is the best of all, when first giving GOD obedience wee then come to receive the Sacrament. That which Samuel speakes to Saul is true in this case, 1 Sam. 15. 22. Behold, to obey is better then sacrifice. Sacrifice was a solemne service. Saul thought sacrifice was a goodly thing, and so it was when performed with obedi­ence, but he thought if God had sa­crifice, it was no matter for obe­dience. Therefore Samuel teaches him another lesson, that his obedience without a sacrifice had beene better [Page 230] then a sacrifice without obedience. And so behold, to obey is better then to receive Sacraments. There were diverse reasons why obedience was better then sacrifice. 1. Because obedi­ence was more spiritual then sacrifice. 2. Sacrifice was only at set, and solemne times, obedience was to be daily, hour­ly. 3. Sacrifice wicked men might and did offer, Cain sacrificed as well as Abel; obedience onely could a good man performe, a wicked man obey­ed not God. 4. Sacrifice was no­thing if separated from obedience, obedience separated from, and per­formed without sacrifice might be acceptable. 5. Obedience qualified, and fitted a man for sacrifice, and pre­pared him to be an acceptable sacri­ficer. But sacrifice fitted not a disobe­dient person unto obedience. There­fore to obey was better then to sacri­fice. Vpon the same grounds to o­bey is also better then to receive Sa­craments. It is a more spirituall ser­vice then bare receiving, it is a con­tinuall [Page 231] and a more daily duty; it is duty which many doe not, cannot do, that yet receive the Sacraments: it may be accepted when the Sacrament is not received, not the receiving of the Sacrament accepted without it; and it is that which qualifies and pre­pares a receiver for the Sacrament. And how needfull it is for a Com­municant to bee prepared thus, will appeare by these things:

1 First, when we come to the Sa­crament, we come to eat the flesh and bloud of Christ, wee come to eate Christ. It is but a folly to hope to eat Christ, when we yeeld not God obedience, My flesh is meat indeed, and my bloud is drinke indeed, Iohn 6. But for whom is it meat and drink? For such as when they come to the Sacra­ment are found such as our Saviour was, Iohn 4. 34. My meat is to doe the will of him that sent me; Take, eat, this is my body: hee therefore offers his body to be eaten. But may any one eate it? Is it meate for all sorts to [Page 232] eat? No, see who they are that eat and drinke, Cant. 5. 1. Eat, O friends, yea, drinke abundantly, O beloved: He cals upon his friends, and his beloved, and cheeres them up to eat and drink; we must then be his friends and his be­loved if we will eat and drinke. And who then are his friends? who are his beloved? Such as yeeld him obedi­ence, such are his friends; Iohn 15. 14. Ye are my friends if ye doe whatso­ever I command you. Such are his be­loved, Iohn 14. 21. Hee that hath my Commandements, and keepes them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him; he shal be my beloved. Such are his best beloved friends, his bro­ther, sister, and mother, Mat. 12. 49, 50. Such friends shall be sure to eat and drinke, and to drinke abundantly; & obedience making us such friends, makes us fit to eat and drinke at his Table. Looke how the Prophet speakes of eating the good things of the Land; so it is in eating the good [Page 233] things of the Sacrament, Isay 1. 19. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good things of the Land. There were good things in the Land of Ca­naan, it was a Land flowing with milke and honey; they were good things. There were precious fruits brought forth by the Sun, and precious things thrust forth by the Moone, Deut. 33. 14. Now God promises them to make them partakers of these good things, that they should eat of these precious fruits of the Land; but marke upon what condition, If ye be obedi­ent yee shall eate the good things of the Land. The case is the same here. In the Sacrament there be good things, there be precious things put forth by the Sonne of Righteousnesse, thrust forth by the Spirit of God. Now these things are there to be eaten; take, eat, this is my body, but yet they are to be eaten with the same condition, If yee bee obedient, ye shall eat the good things of the Sacrament. If then wee come without obedience wee misse [Page 234] eating the good things of the Sacra­ment; and as good not eat the Sacra­ment, as not eate the good things of it. Any man may eat the Sacrament, but only such as be obedient, eat the good things of it: judge then how much it concernes to come to the Sa­crament prepared with obedience.

2 Secondly, when we come to the Sacrament, we come thither to have communion with Christ. They must first be obedient to Christ that will have communion with Christ, Revel. 3. 20. There is a promise of commu­nion that Christ will have with us, and that we shall have with him, I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with me; we will have mu­tuall communion together. But yet marke upon what termes that com­munion is promised, Behold, I stand at the doore and knock, if any man will open unto mee, I will come in, &c. Christ Hee knocks at the doore of mens hearts, by the gratious motions of his Spirit; by the ministery of his [Page 235] word he cals for this and for that du­ty: now when wee yeeld obedience to his voice and cals, then we open the doore, and when the doore is opened he enters, and there followes mutuall fellowship betweene him and us: if the doore be kept barred and bolted, then neither entrance, nor supper; but when the doore is unlockt and set open, then he enters, and the mutuall Supper followes. To teach us, that then Christ will have communion with us when we are obedient to his voice; but no obedience to him, no communion with him; even from the Lords Supper wil he send them away supperlesse, that have not opened to him and yeelded obedience before their comming to the Table. There is a promise Ioh. 14. 21, 23. that Christ will come unto us, that he will mani­fest himselfe unto us: now Christ ne­ver makes good this promise more than in the use of the Sacrament; there he comes to a man, and there he manifests and makes knowne himselfe [Page 236] to a man, that looke as it is said in that case, Luke 24. 30, 31. That as he sate at meat with them, and took bread and bles­sed it, and brake, and gave them, their eyes were opened and they knew him, and Vers. 35. He was knowne of them in breaking of bread; so it is in this case in the breaking and giving the Sacra­mentall bread, the faithfull have their eyes opened, and they know him, he is made knowne to them in breaking of Sacramentall bread; in the use of the Supper he specially manifests him­selfe to them. But now observe the condition on which Christ makes this promise, Verse 21. He that hath my Commandements and keepes them, he it is that loves mee, and hee that loveth mee shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and I will manifest my selfe to him: and so Vers. 23. If any man love me, hee will keepe my words, and my Father will love him, and wee will come unto him and make our abode with him: so that both these promi­ses run with the condition of obedi­ence; [Page 237] upon a mans obedience will Christ come, upon a mans obedience will he manifest himselfe to him. As good not come to the Sacrament, un­lesse Christ also come in it to a man: as good never come, unlesse Christ manifest himselfe to him. If then we would have Christ come and manifest himselfe to us in the Sacrament, so must it be our care to come with, and to manifest our obedience. A man may aske that question that Iudas doth, Iohn 14. 22. Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy selfe unto us, and not unto the world? So, how is it that Christs manifests himselfe to some in the Sacrament, and not to other some? To which the same answer in effect may be given that there Christ gives; because some are obedient to God, they love him and keepe his Com­mandements; therefore hee shewes himselfe to them in the Sacrament, and they therein have communion with him, but others live not, walke not in obedience: therefore he nei­ther [Page 239] comes to them when they come to the Sacrament, nor shewes or ma­nifests himselfe to them, they goe as they come.

The Apostle, 2 Cor. 13, 14. speakes of the communion of the Holy Ghost, The communion of the Holy Ghost bee with you all. That which he wishes them should be the thing we should especially aime at in comming to the Communion, namely, that the com­munion of the Holy Ghost should be with us. And it is a cleere case that the Holy Ghost is to be received in the Sacraments, Act [...] 2. 38. Be baptised and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and he is no lesse to be received in the Supper, than in Baptisme. And when we receive him his communion will be with us. Now how may he be received? Doe all that receive the Sacrament, receive him? No, The world cannot receive him, Iohn 14. 17. But who are they then to whom God gives the Holy Ghost? See Acts 5. 32. The Holy Ghost whom God hath gi­ven [Page 238] to them that obey him. So that upon obedience we have the Holy Ghost, and upon it his communion is with us, as otherwise, so also in the Sacrament. What is it that a man should desire in comming to the Sa­crament, but that; Cant. 1. 2. Let him kisse we with the kisses of his mouth, for thy love is better than wine. Commu­nion with Christ, and the expressions of his favour and love, these are the things should be desired and looked after. What is the receiving of bread and wine, if a man meet not with ex­pressions of Christs love; if Christ kisse him not with the kisses of his mouth? What may be the meanes to get Christ to kisse a man in the Sacra­ment? That same Psal. 2. Kisse the Son, namely, with a kisse of obedience and subjection, for so kissing sometime betokned, Gen. 41. 40. let us give him the kisse of obedience and subjection, and he will give us the kisse of his love, [...] other times, so especially in the use of the Sacrament. By both these [Page 240] things then we see, how needfull it is for a Communicant to be prepared with obedience. And by this also we see how many deceive themselves in their comming to the Sacrament, who minde nothing lesse than an obe­dient walking in a godly course to fit them for the Sacrament. How many that give no regard at all to Gods word, that indeed slight it, and obedience to it, and yet would seeme to make an high account of the Sa­crament? Make men what account they will of the Sacrament, yet if they slight the Word and obedience to it, they shall finde as little comfort or benefit in the Sacrament, as they give respect and obedience to the Word. See how the Lord speakes, Psal. 50. 16, 17. What hast thou to doe, that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth seeing thou castest my words behind thee. So God will also say, what hast thou to doe to take the Seale of the covenant into thy mouth, the Sacrament into thy mouth, seeing thou castest my [Page 241] words behinde thee, and refusest to CHAP. 9 yeeld obedience thereunto. What Quid est au­tem dementius quàm Sacra­mentis Domi­ni communi­care, & verbis Domini non communicare? Aug. de Bapt. cont. Donat. lib. 2. cap. 55. likelihood that God will vouchsafe communion with that man in the Sa­crament, that regards not to have any communion with him in his word? It is a madnesse to pretend a desire of communion with God in the Sacra­ment, and to refuse communion with him in his Word: for so they do that yeeld not obedience to Gods Word. There is communion with God in o­bedience, Ier. 7. 23. Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall bee my people. And therefore a refusall of communion with God, in refusing obedience and respect to his Word. And certainly he can have no com­munion with God in one Ordinance, that refuses to have communion with him in another.

Chap. 9. Of the solemne seque­string and setting a mans selfe apart before the Sacrament.

THus we see how a Communicant is habitually prepared, and wher­in his habituall preparation stands. It followes now to speake of that actu­all preparation, which is required in every one that would bee a worthy and a welcome guest at the Lords Ta­ble, and would come after that due Order that is required: for though a man have all these forenamed quali­fications, yet he must not here set up his rest: but there is yet a further worke to be done, as wee partly be­fore saw in the fourth Chapter. This actuall preparation stands in the fit­ting of himselfe in speciall manner for that worke, and service of recei­ving, by doing those things, and per­forming such duties, which are requi­site [Page 243] not onely for a good Christian, but for a good and profitable Com­municant. Knowledge, Faith, Repen­tance, Charity, and Obedience, are re­quired in every one that will bee a good Christian. A good Christian a man must be before he can be a good Communicant: but yet a good Chri­stian is not enough in the generall, there must be something in speciall done in reference to this duty. Indeed some Papists thinke that actuall devo­tion is not necessary to the receiving of the Sacrament; because as the Sa­crament was of ancient given to chil­dren, so now it may be given to mad­men, and frantick persons who have no actuall devotion at all. But it suffi­ces that this conceit is disallowed of their owne men: for to give persons without actuall devotion no more right to the Sacrament then to chil­dren and mad-men, is to give them no right at all. There is no question but they may come as orderly to the Sacrament, as children and mad-men [Page 244] may doe. But whosoever it is that will come orderly, must have actuall devotion, and actuall preparation, yea, though he be already habitually prepared. The five wise Virgins took oile in their Vessels with their lamps, Mat. 25. 4. and their lampes were burning, but yet when they heare the Bridegroome was comming they presently arise and trim their lampes, and so prepare to goe and meet him. They prepared to meet him when they tooke their lampes, and when they lighted them, and when they tooke oile in their vessels: all this was preparation to meet the Bridegroome; but when they heare the Bridegroom was comming, then they fall to a fresh preparation, in trimming their lampes to make them burne brighter and cleerer. So it is in this case; habituall preparation is like the taking and lighting the lampes, and carrying oile in the vessels: actuall preparati­on is like the fresh trimming of them when they burnt dimly. The get­ing [Page 245] of knowledge, faith, repentance, love, and obedience, this is the ta­king and the lighting of the lampes, and taking oile in the Vessels, but the renewing, exciting of these, and the doing of other things in actuall pre­paration, is the trimming of the lampes. A Musitian hath skill and cunning on his instrument, but yet if his Instrument be out of tune, and his hands cold, and his fingers num; he will first tune his Instrument, and warme and rub his hands and fingers to make them active and nimble, to play on his Instrument. An Artifi­cer hath the skill of his trade, and knowes the mystery of it thorowly well; but yet when he goes to build a house, or doe some such worke, hee first grindes, whets, and sharpens his tooles. If a Musitian shall play up­on an untuned Instrument, or with his benummed fingers, he will make but harsh and unpleasing musick. If the Carpenter though ever so expert in his faculty, shall worke with blunt [Page 246] and gapt tooles, hee will make but bungling and clouterly worke of it. And though a man may have know­ledge, faith, &c. yet if he rest conten­ted with that habituall preparation, and doe not besides actually prepare and fit himselfe, hee is like to meet with little comfort and content in the duty, in regard of the cold and dead manner of performance: he will but fumble and bungle in the worke. So that besides this habituall there is an actuall preparation necessary. Now this actual preparation stands in these things:

• 1 In a solemne sequestration of a mans selfe.
• 2 In examination.
• 3 In renewing & quickning these former graces in us.
• 4 In raising and stirring up in our selves strong desires after Christ.
• 5 In stirring up in our selves a strong expectation of the benefits of the Sacrament.
• 6 In seeking God in speciall and [Page 247] more than ordinary manner by prayer.

1 For the first. In this actuall pre­paration there must be an abstraction and a solemne sequestration of the soul from all other avocations whatso­ever. There may be, and must bee some fitting of a mans selfe for the duty, from the time that a man hath notice of the Sacrament to be admi­instred; but now on the day before, when the time of receiving approa­ches, a man should at least towards the end of the foregoing day separate himselfe from all other thoughts and occasions, & mind wholly the worke of preparation to the Sacrament. And this sequestration of a mans selfe stands in two things.

1 In setting aside all lawfull thoughts, occasions, and businesses of our callings. Set by all such cares and thoughts, and wholly suspend them. Doe as Abraham did when he went to sacri­fice Isaac at Mount Moriah, Gen. 22. 4, 5. When he saw the place afar off, he said unto them abide you here with the [Page 248] Asse, and I and the Lad will goe wor­ship. It was wisely and well done of Abraham. He saw and knew that if they had gone with him they would have distracted him, they would have bin troublesome to him, and have hindred him in the Sacri­fice, they would have cried out, and have made such clamours, that with no quietnesse and freedome of spirit he could have done the service. Ther­fore when he saw the place a farre off, he bids them stay behinde, it was a preparation afarre off, when he saw the place afarre off. The like should our care be when we see the time afar off, but specially when wee see the time neere and at hand, the Even be­fore, wee should then set aside all our thoughts and businesses, and bid them wholly stand aside, and not suffer them, not onely not to goe to the Mount with us, but not to goe into our closets, and secret chamber with us. It may bee such a businesse will bee calling upon thee to attend, and [Page 249] thinke upon it, It is a matter of some consequence and concernment, it is not good to slight it. It may bee there is such an occasion of weight that cals upon thee to be remembred; but in such a case say to all secular occasions, and avocations as Nehe­miah did to Sanballat and Geshem when they sent to him, Nehemiah 6. 2. Come (say they) let us meet to­gether in some of the Villages, &c. But marke how hee answers them, Vers. 3. And I sent messengers un­to them, saying, I am doing a great worke so that I cannot come downe; why should the worke cease whilest I leave it and come downe to you?

And though these fellowes had so round and resolute an answer, yet they were importuning him still, Verse 4. Yet they sent unto mee foure times after this sort, and as of­ten as they sent, so often hee gave them that answer, And I answered thē after the same manner. So when a [Page 250] man begins to sequester himselfe, and to set himselfe apart for his actuall preparation, this and the other busi­nesse wil be calling upon a man, come let us think upon this thing, and let us consider that; but then should a man answer, I am doing a great worke, I am preparing my selfe for the Sacra­ment, I cannot attend upon you, why should the work of preparation cease whilest I leave it and attend upon you? And though they haunt and importune thee, even unto four times after this sort, yet still answer them after the same manner. We finde in their fasts, Zech. 7. 3. the phrase of se­parating themselves, should I weepe separating my selfe. Now as in fast­ing, so in our preparation to this holy Feast, there should be a separating of a mans selfe. And this is a maine part of this separation, when a man sepa­rates himselfe from all his secular thoughts and businesses, and sets them wholly aside to fit himselfe the better for this worke. It must be here as [Page 251] in the case of prayer, Matthew 6. 6. When thou prayest enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy doore, pray, &c. I know our Saviour meanes it in another sense, that in regard of pri­vacy and secrecy, a man should shut his doore when he prayes; but yet also in another sense should a man first shut his doore, and then pray, that is, shut his doore against all such thoughts, as may distract him in the duty, he should shut out of doores all distracting thoughts, and cause them to stand without doores that he may doe the duty with the more free­dome. And so in this duty of prepa­ration, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy doore prepare thy selfe; when thou hast shut out of doores all secular cares and thoughts of other businesse, set upon the work of preparation.

In receiving the Sacrament there is a service to be done to God. Now we must serve God in that or­der that a servant doth his master. [Page 252] See how our Saviour speakes of a ser­vant to doe his master service, Luke 17. 8. Girde thy selfe, and serve mee. It was the fashion in those Easterne parts, for men to go in long garments downe to their feete. And therefore when men were to goe about any worke, they used to gird, and tuck up their garments that they might not trouble them in their worke, by hang­ing loose about their heeles. So it must be with us when we goe about any service to GOD; we must first gird up our selves, and then serve him. A loose, discinct, and a diffluent mind is not fit to doe God any service. Therfore we are called upon to gird up our loynes, Luke 12. 35. Let your loines be girded about, 1 Pet. 1. 13. Wherefore gird up the loines of your mindes. Two things are required in a good servant. 1. Readinesse, and preparednesse to do his masters commands so soone as he calls. 2. Nimblenesse, handinesse, and handsomenesse in doing what he is enjoyned. Now this girding im­plyes [Page 253] both. 1. A prepared readinesse before hand to doe his masters will. A servant that is girded and hath his garments trust up about him, let his master bid him doe such a service, he is ready, and prepared to doe it so soone as he speaks, Luk. 12. 35. 36. Let your loynes be girded, and ye your selves like men that waite for their Lord, that when he comes and knockes they may open unto him immediately. Let a ser­vant be ungirt, and he is not so ready to doe what his master commands, because first he must have a time to gird himselfe, and his masters worke must stay till he be girded, and he must be girding, when he should be working. 2. It implies dexterity, and handsomenesse in his worke. An un­girt servant if he served his master and did his worke enjoyned, yet he could not doe it cleaverly, because his garment hanging loose about him would so puzzle, and cumber him: an ungirt servant would be but a fum­bling puzzle in his worke. And ther­fore [Page 254] the master bids his servant first gird himselfe, and then serve him. It is just so in all Gods services, and so in this service of receiving the Sacra­ment. God requires a preparednesse to, and an handinesse in the worke. And therefore this girding up of our loines is exceeding necessary before our comming to the Sacrament. First, because God lookes that when we come to the Sacrament we should be ready to doe the worke he there requires. If the loines of our mindes be ungirt, and we come to the Sacra­ment with loose spirits, distracted with a company of earthly cares, we shall be unready to doe the worke of receiving CHRIST which he there commandes. He will com­mand us there to take, and receive CHRIST. Now if we come with loose hearts, and mindes, we must make God stay our leasure before we can doe it; we must first have some time to gird up our loynes, and to tucke up this tatter, and that ragge, and the [Page 255] other danglement that hangs about our heeles, before we can take, and re­ceive CHRIST. And so we must be girding, and tucking when wee should be receiving. Secondly, because if we come with ungirt loines, with loose spirits, and doe Gods worke so, we shall doe it puzlingly, and fum­blingly. Our long garments hang­ing loose about our sides and heeles, we shall make but poore worke of it. If a master had commanded a Iewish servant with his loines ungirt to have gone to plow, or to have digged in his vineyard, how awkely would he have done these workes? He could not have followed his Plough but he would ever, and anon have been tread­ing upon his loose garment, and have beene ready to have fallen upon his face, he could not have set his foote upon his spade, but he would have beene treading upon the loose skirt of his garment which would have ex­ceedingly hindred, and troubled him in his worke, he could not have been [Page 256] expedite in his businesse, so long as his garments hang about his feet. It wil be no better with us comming to the Sacrament with ungirt hearts, and mindes, our loose thoughts will be so troublesome that it will be impossi­ble for us ever to make good worke of it. And therefore looke how God would have that first Passeover eaten, so must it be in eating the Sacrament, Exod. 12. 11. And thus shall yee eate it, that is, after this order, with your loines girded. And thus shall you eat the Lords Supper, with your loines girded. And this is one maine part of girding our loines, the setting aside, & putting by al our secular thoughts, and imployments.

We shall finde two cases that made a man unfit for eating the Passeover. Numb. 9. 10, 13. Vncleannesse by a dead body, and being in journey a far off. If a man had touched a dead body it made him uncleane, and so unfit for the Passeover. It was not fit an un­cleane person should meddle with so [Page] holy an Ordinance. But observe, that not onely a man uncleane by a dead body was unfit for the Passover, but a man that was in a journie a farre off. Why was such a man unfit? Like enough being in a journey his minde, and thoughts would be so ta­ken up with the businesse of his jour­ney, or being in a journey a farre off, his minde would be so upon home, and he would be so taken up with such cares, and feares as usually men are filled withall when they are farre from home, that he by reason of those thoughts, and distractions would be utterly unfit for the Passeover. Many are in the minde that if they be free from a dead body, that if they have not defiled themselves with some grosse sinne, of drunkennesse, uncleannesse and the like, that they are very fit for the Sacrament, but in the meane time come to the Sacrament whilest they are in their journies, with hearts undischarged of earthly businesse, and cares, and having their hearts in [Page 258] journies, travelling up and downe af­ter one worldly businesse or other, even when they are at the LORDS Table. Therefore let men take no­tice, that a journey may unfit for the Lords Table, as well as a dead body. That he is unfit to come to the Sacra­ment, that hath a company of earth­ly cares, and thoughts pestering his minde, as well as he that hath defiled himselfe with some grosse sinne. It is lamentable to consider how many men bring their servants, and the Asse, even to the very mount, how many are called away from the Lords worke to meete with their Sanballats, and Ge­shems, how many are in their journies when they are comming, and when they are come to the Sacrament. When our Saviour CHRIST overtook the two Disciples going to Emmaus, he asked them this question, Luke 24. 17. What manner of commu­nications are these that ye have one to an­other as ye walke? So let one but aske men, What manner of thoughts are [Page 259] they that you have in your hearts over night before the Sacrament? What manner of conferences, and communications be they that they have one with another, the night be­fore, nay the very morning as they walk together to the publique assem­blies to receive the Sacrament? How happy were it that they could answer as the two Disciples did there, verse 19. Concerning Iesus of Nazareth, concerning the benefits and the ends of the Sacrament, and the preparati­on required to it. But it is nothing so. If their communications, and con­ferences be not vaine, foolish and froathy, yet at the best they are but mercate communications, conferen­ces about Sheep, Oxen, about the pri­ces of graine, &c. and with these conferences come they to the very Church doores when they come to receive the Sacrament. Is not this worse then to have received the Sa­crament of the Passeover a man be­ing in a journey? Is not this a pitifull [Page 260] preparation to this holy service? When men come to the Sacrament piping hot out of the world, out of their worldly conferences, and from their worldly thoughts, and have not some convenient time before dischar­ged, and disburdened their hearts of them, must not that frame of heart, and bent of spirit needs come along with them to the Lords Table? And must they not needs be tumultuous and troublesome? Must they not needs make such a noyse and such a dinne as must cause distraction in this holy service? And how can such a frame of spirit agree with the A­postles rule, 1 Cor. 7. 35. That you may attend upon the Lord without distracti­on? Which is a rule as well for recei­ving the Sacrament, as for all other services of God. What doe such men bring upon themselves, but the Aegyptian plague of the flyes? The flyes came into Pharaohs house, and the houses of his servants, so as the Land was corrupted by reason of the flyes. [Page 261] Exod. 8. 24. But in the Land of Go­shen where Gods people were, there were no swarmes of flies, verse 22. It should be with the Lords people at the Sacrament, as in Goshen; there should be no flyes there to trouble them with their buzing importunity. It must be with a godly man at the Sacrament as it is sayd to have beene in the Temple. There was abundance of flesh sacrificed in the Temple, and yet they say there was never any flye seene in the Temple. So should it be with us at the Sacrament, not a fly to be seene, or heard buzzing there. The way to have it so is, beforehand, to drive away these flyes, these buz­zing thoughts, by setting them aside the day before, and then labour so to remove them as at last the Aegyptian flyes were removed, Exod. 8. 31. He removed the swarmes of flyes, there re­mained not one. And when they are thus removed before, then shall not a man be troubled with them at the Sacrament. It should be a mans wise­dome [Page 262] to deale with his lawfull and honest cares, and the thoughts of his calling before he comes to the Sacra­ment, as Nehemiah did with those Merchants before the Sabbath. Nehe. 13. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. When the gates of Ierusalem began to be darke, before the Sabbath, I commanded that the gates should [...]e shut, and charged, they should not be opened till after the Sabbath, and some of my servants I set at the gate, &c. So the merchants lodged without Ierusalem once or twice. Then I testified against them, and sayd unto them, why lodge ye about the wall? If you do so a­gaine I will lay holde on you. From that time forth they came no more on the Sab­bath. Do so with the honest, and law­full cares of thy calling before the Sa­crament. Shut up the gate of thine hart against them, and let it not be opened till all the duties of the Sacrament-day be ended. It may be they will be hank­ring, and hanging about for entrance, but set a watch at the gate of thine heart, testifie against them, rebuke [Page 263] them, threaten them, let thy spirit rise against them in an holy indigna­tion, and this will be a good meanes to helpe to a gracious liberty from Cessa ab inquie­tudine tua, non si [...] tumultus quidam in corde tuo per corruptionem volitantibus phantasmatibus, & compungenti­bus te—Cimphe, natae sunt in ter­ra Aegypti de [...] ­mo, mascae quae­dam, sunt min [...] tissimae, inquie­tissimae, inordi­nate volitantes, in oculos i [...]uen­tes, non permit­te [...]es hominem quiesc [...]e, dum a [...]g [...]tur iterum i [...]ruunt, dum ab­actae fuerint ru [...]su redeunt, s [...]c [...] omnia va­na [...]hanta [...]mata co [...]d [...], Aug. in fragm. serm. de De. alog. their annoyance. But for want of this preparation duty how many, even when they are at the Sacrament, are no lesse pestered with their cares, and earthly thoughts, then the Aegyptians with the bitings, and burrings of their flyes? Those flyes miserably pestred the Aegyptians, and plauged them ex­ceedingly; what ever they were a do­ing they were about them, very un­quiet, flying in the eyes of them, not suffering them to be quiet. If they drave them away they came upon them againe, if they chased them away they still returned. This was a vile vexation. And this is the case of many comming to the Sacrament, just so are they pestered with their cares, and thoughts that these flyes even corrupt the duty, as the Aegyptian flyes did the Lande And all is from the neglect of its dutie.

What acceptance a man is like to finde in such a service, judge by that Law, Exodus 22. 31. Ye shall not eate any flesh that is torne of beasts in the field, ye shall cast it to the Dogges. Torne flesh it was neither fit for ser­vice of men, nor of GOD. Not for service of man, for they must not eate it. Yee shall cast it to the Dogges. Torne flesh must not be mans meat, but Dogges meate. It was not fit for the service of GOD. For if torne flesh must be cast to the Dogs, it had beene an haynous thing to have offered that to GOD, which was to be given to Dogges. And if a man had brought a torne, rent beast for Sacrifice, GOD by no meanes would have accepted it, Mal. 1. 13. Yee brought that which was torne, should I accept this at your hands? GOD then will accept no torne Sacrifices. Distracted communica­ting, it is torne flesh. A man that re­ceives the Sacrament with his head and his heart full of worldly [Page 265] thoughts, doth as highly offend, as a Iew should have done that had eaten of a torne beast which should have beene cast to the Dogges. He of­fends as highly as he, that should have sacrificed torne flesh (dogges meat) to GOD. When thou commest to the Sacrament, and hast not first separated thy selfe from these worldly thoughts, and so like­wise much more from all vaine, idle, lustfull thoughts, and hast not first discharged thy selfe beforehand of all disturbing, distracting, distempering thoughts, this is a torne sacrifice, and should God accept it at thine hands? God loathes rather such torne servi­ces. And thus is the first thing to be done in this sequestration of our selves, this setting aside, and putting away all, even our honest and lawfull thoughts of our callings, and there­fore much more all other sinfull and foolish thoughts. Abstraction of the minde from whatsoever may cause Distraction.

[Page 266] 2 The second thing to be done in this sequestring, and setting our selves Sicut enim Do­mina volens aliquod unguen­tum conficere pre [...]iolum susci­tat famulas suas, atque ad semet­ipsam congregat, imperat aliae te­nere libram, aliae [...]e [...]e [...]e injungit, aliam jube: miscere, &c. Ita & anima quae pretiosissimum [...]stud unguentum componere, ac serv [...]e d [...]side­rat▪ omnes cor­poris su [...]sensus ad seipsam con­greget, segniti­emque ipsorum, ac negligentiam deturbans, tota solicitudine vi­gilare & in hoc tantum quod proposu [...] cogat intendere. Chrys. de compunct. [...]rd. l. [...]. apart, is to summon and call in, and to collect together all the powers and faculties of the soule, to attend upon the businesse now in hand. As Da­vid, when he was to praise God, hee cals upon all that is within him to set upon the service, Psal. 103. 1. My soule praise thou the Lord, and all that is within me blesse his holy name. So when we now goe about to prepare our selves for the Sacrament, call up­on all that is within us, all the pow­ers of our soule to be ready to attend this businesse; that now all other bu­sinesses being husht and ceased, they bend all their strength to do the pre­sent worke in hand. So fit we our selves for receiving, as David fits himselfe for singing & giving praise, Psal. 57. 7, 8. My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed, I will sing and give praise. Awake up my glory, awake Psal­tery and Harpe, I my selfe will awake early. When he would sing and give [Page 267] praise to God, first he hath his heart fixed, or firmely prepared; he dou­bles it, my heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed. The first may imply the fi [...] duty, a setting apart of all other thoughts. An heart taken up with worldly thoughts, when a man goes about Gods service; is not a fixed heart, but a wandring, stragling heart, a kinde of planetary spirit. As there bee fixed starres and planets, wandring starres, so there bee wan­dring spirits, and fixed hearts in Gods service. Now Davids heart was a fixed heart, an heart firmely prepa­red, not taken up, nor wandring after any by-businesse, when hee prepared himselfe to that service. The second may imply this second duty; my heart is fixed and bent with all its power to do the duty, and therefore hee awakens his glory, his tongue, his Psaltery, his Harpe, himselfe to the worke. So should a mans heart be doubly fixed when he fits himself for receiving the Sacrament: fixed [Page 268] as not drawne away, and drawne about other businesse, and fixed, as bent wholly with all the powers of it to doe the work of preparation. So fixed upon the businesse, as he should summon, and awaken, all the powers of the soule to attend it. Awake my understanding, and mine affections, awake my affections, and all that is within me, awake and stirre up your selves, to attend this great worke in hand.

Chap. 10. Of Examination.

CHAP. 10 THe heart thus withdrawne from all avocations, and bent upon the worke of preparation, let a man in the next place come to the second duty of examination, to that duty which the Apostle prescribes, 1 Cor. 11. 28. Let a man examine himselfe, and so let him eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup. Vnto orderly receiving, is required, a precedent examination of a mans selfe. A duty, though to bee done at other times, yet never more seasonable then before our comming to the Sacrament; and yet a duty to which above al others we are natural­ly extreamly backward. Might some slight formalities serve the turne, wee could be contented withal, but if men be pinched and pressed to a solemne examination of, & a strict inquiry in­to themselves, they are ready to snuff at it, and to say of this duty as they speake in that case, Mal. 1. 13. Behold [Page 270] what a wearinesse is it? It is a duty so CHAP. 9 wearisome and toilesome, that they have neither list to, nor leisure for it. That therfore men may be the more cheerefull and willing to it, consider these two things:

1 This is an undoubted and a sure truth, that a mans comfort depends as well upon his knowledge of his fitnesse, as upon his fitnesse it selfe. It is not enough to be fit and wor­thy, but a man must know it. So long as the conscience questions a mans fitnesse, and is in doubt whe­ther a man be fit or no, though hee bee fit and well prepared, yet the doubts of the conscience, and the feares it is in, will not only allay, but quite forestall all the comforts that would arise from his fitnesse. To a mans comfortable receiving, it is as needfull to know his fitnesse, as to have it. There is no grace or good thing that a Christian hath, but it may be knowne to him that he hath it. What is a rich man better than a [Page 271] poore man, if he be not privie to his wealth, if he have treasure and know it not? Wherein are his wants, feares, cares, distractions, and disquiets of spirit lesse than a poore mans? It was Laodiceas ill condition, Apoc. 3. 17. Thou sayest I am rich, and knowest not that thou art poore. And it is ma­ny a mans condition, He saith I am poore, and knowes not that he is rich. This is the safer condition indeed of the two, but yet for the present, it is but a drooping and uncheerefull estate. Therefore as our safety lyes in having Christ and his graces, so our comfort lyes in knowing that we have them. And know our wealth wee may. A Christian not onely knowes God, but hee knowes that hee knowes him, 1 Iohn 2. 3. And hereby wee know that we know him. A Christian not onely is in God, but he may know that he is in God, 1 Iohn 2. 5. Hereby know wee that wee are in him. And 1 Iohn. 4. 13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him. A Christian [Page 272] may know that he beleeves, 1 Iohn CHAP. 10 5. 10. He that beleeves on the Sonne of God, hath the witnesse in himselfe. A Christian may know that God loves him, 1 Iohn 4. 16. And we have knowne and beleeved the love that God hath to us. A Christian may know that he loves Gods children, 1 Iohn 5. 1. By this we know that we love the children of God. A Christian may know that he is of the truth, 1 Iohn 4. 19. And hereby we know that wee are of the truth. A Christian may know that God abides in him, 1 Iohn 3. 24. And hereby we know that hee abides in us. A Christian may know that he hath eternall life, 1 Iohn. 5. 13. That ye may know that ye have eternall life. But now how comes a Christi­an to know all these things? The way by which a man gets the knowledge of all these things, is the examination of himselfe. A man first tries and exa­mines himselfe in all these, and by examination comes to the knowledge of them, and from the knowledge of [Page 273] them arises his comfort in them. So it is in the case of fitnesse for the Sacra­ment. It is abundance of comfort the heart hath in the knowledge of its owne fitnesse; and this knowledge arises from the examination of a mans selfe. A man that examines not himselfe, for ought he knowes, may come an unworthy guest, hee knowes not whether he be worthy or no; but this he knowes, that hee that is unworthy is unwelcome, and so cannot come but with a tremulous and an hesitant heart, fearing lest in­stead of a blessing he may meet with a breach. It is impossible in such a case that a man should receive com­fortably. I dare not say of eating the Sacrament, as S. Paul speakes in the case of eating some meates, Rom. 14. 23. And he that doubts is damned if he eat; a man may come with doubts and feares to the Sacrament, and come acceptably: but this I may say, That he that doubts of the lawfulnesse of his comming, he exceedingly hin­ders [Page 274] his owne comfort if hee eate doubtingly, doubting whether he be fit to eat, doubting whether he may come, yea, or no; eating with such doubtings must needs be prejudiciall to a mans comfortable eating. Now the way to prevent such doubtings, is to live by that rule the Apostle gives in that case of eating, Rom. 14. 5. Let every man bee fully perswaded in his owne minde. Be carefull beforehand to take such a course, as may assoile and cleere up such doubts: take such a course as may assure, and perswade your hearts, that you are fit in an ac­ceptable measure to come to the Sa­crament. But what course may be taken to this purpose? Let a man ex­amine himselfe. The way to put all out of doubt, and to prevent such troublesome doubtings when we are come, is selfe examination. For when a man hath seriously examined him­selfe, hee shall thereby bee inabled to give a true judgement of his own fit­nesse; and an examined heart, that up­on [Page 275] examination hath found it selfe fit, is able to charme all troublesome doubts, and can say to them, Be stil, & trouble me not, for I have throughly examined my selfe, and upon serious and sincere examination, I know that I am a fit and a worthy Communi­cant. Doubts, they trouble the heart, examination prevents doubts, and settles the heart, and puts things out of doubt. When Christ after his re­surrection appeared to his Disciples; they were terrified and affrighted, Luke 24. 37. but see how Christ an­swers them, Vers. 38. Why are yee troubled, and why do doubts, [...], arise in your hearts. They should with all gladnesse have received and im­braced Christ, but contrarily, they were troubled. And whence came the trouble of their spirits? Why doe doubts arise in your hearts? Mark then, that doubts trouble the heart, and un­fit it for the receiving of Christ. They doubted whether hee were Christ or not, and were so troubled [Page 276] with these doubts, that as yet they received him not. But afterwards their doubts are turned into joy, V. 41. They rejoyce at the sight and presence of Christ, but how came these doubts to be removed, and to be changed into joy? Christ puts them to the examination and triall of him­selfe, Vers. 39. to put them out of doubt, Behold my hands, and my feet, that it is I my selfe; and when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. As if he had said, I see you are much troubled with doubtings, whe­ther I be Christ, or not; examine and try me, view me, feele me, handle me, and you shal find by examination, that I am not as you think, a spirit. And so in probability they examining him w^th their eyes, and with their hands found him to be no spirit; found him to bee Christ, and had their doubts remo­ved, and joyfully received him for Christ indeed. Thus, as this examina­tion removed & cleered their doubts that troubled them; so examination of [Page 277] our selves would prevent the doubt­ings that are ready to trouble us in receiving the Sacrament. If we would behold and see, if we would look in­to our hearts, and feele and handle our owne hearts, yea, search and dive into them by examination, how should we prevent our troublesome doubtings, and how should we meet with joy & comfort instead of doubt­ings? We come to Christ in the Sa­crament; In one sense, in regard of that awfull respect wee should have unto his blessed Majesty, we should come to Christ as that woman did, Mark 5. 33. The woman fearing and trembling, came and fell downe before him: but in another sense, namely when it rises from an ignorance of our own estate, whether we be fit to come to his or­dinance, or not, and from the doubt­ings of conscience, that we are not pre­pared as we should be; thus to come with feare and trembling is not good: examination would prevent feare. By examination we should finde out the truth [Page 278] of our condition, we should finde out whether we be fit or not. And upon examination finding our selves fit, we should come with an holy bold­nesse and confidence of spirit, to Christ in his Ordinance. As there­fore we desire to have our hearts dis­charged of troubles, and doubts, when wee are drawing neere to the Lords Table; as we would not have conscience pester us with disquieting scruples, and unseasonable disputes, & reasonings whether we may come or no; so beforehand bestow some time and paines in a private scrutiny, and search of our selves: examination wil prevent all these, and we shall be able to hush and still them all, if wee can say, I have examined mine heart, I have sincerely tried my selfe, and I find upon good examination, that I have good leave to come to the Lords Ordinance.

2 Secondly, it is better a great deale to examine our selves before we come, then to be examined by God. [Page 279] God wil examine such to the purpose, that wil not be at the pains & trouble to examine themselves. It was a sharp kinde of examination by which Saint Paul should have beene examined, Acts 22. 24. The chiefe Captaine commanded that he should be exami­ned by scourging. Certainly, when men neglect selfe-examination, God will himselfe examine them, but it will be an examination with scourging. Every interrogatory and question that God puts to us, shall be as a smarting lash with a scourge, yea, as a stinging lash with a Scorpion. The man that came to the Feast without his wedding garment, never examined himselfe be­fore he came, whether he had a nup­tiall garment to goe in or not; God therefore examines him, but it is with a scourging question that made his heart smart, Friend, how carnest thou in hither, not having a wedding gar­ment? It was a scourging question, that drew bloud on his conscience. When a man comes to the Sacrament, and [Page 280] hath not examined himselfe, and God comes to him, and sayes, as to Eliah, 1 Kings. 19. 13. What doest thou here Eliah? So, what doest thou here at my Table? How will such a questi­on pinch the conscience, what a gir­ding lash will it be to a mans heart? Those are lashing interrogatories, Isa. 1. 12. Who required these things at your hands, to tread in my Courts? Isay 58. 5. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? Psal. 50. 16. What hast thou to doe, that thou shouldest take my cove­nant in thy mouth? Ier. 7. 9, 10. Will yee steale, murder, and commit adul­tery, &c. and come and stand before me in this house? These be scourging examinations, that fetch bloud at eve­ry stroake: with such kind of questi­ons and such kind of interrogatories, will God examine men that come un­self-examined to the Sacrament. Now when God shall come to such exa­minations, who may abide the day of his comming? and who shall stand when he appeares? as Malachi speaks in another [Page 281] case, Mal. 3. 2. How terrible a thing will it be to be thus examined: were it not good for every one to take a course to prevent so sharpe an exami­nation? There is a way to doe it, and that is, before wee come to the Sacrament, let a man examine him­selfe; for as the Apostle sayes, 1 Cor. 11. 31. If we would judge our selves, we should not be judged, namely, of the Lord: so if we would examine our selves, we should not be examined of the Lord. But if we examine not our selves, then shal we be both examined and judged of the Lord. When a man hath examined himself, he needs not feare Gods examination; nay, a man may then be willing to come under Gods examination. David puts himself upon Gods examination, Psa. 139. 23, 24. Search me, O God, and know mine heart, try me, and know my thoughts, and see if there bee any wicked way in me. Certainly, David never durst have beene so bold, as to have put himselfe upon Gods examination, if [Page 282] he had not first examined himselfe. But having first examined himselfe, and thereupon knowing his own con­science throughly well, now he dares be tried by God himselfe. Oh, with what sweet confidence might we put our selves upon Gods owne triall when we come to the Sacrament, if we our selves had had our selves up­on triall first? But how dreadfull will Gods examination be to such, who neither use, nor list, nor care, be­fore they come to the Sacrament, to examine themselves?

Chap. 11. Of the examination of Faith.

THat this duty of examination must be done, we have seene. Let us now consider what it is on which we must examine our selves. And the things upon which we must exa­mine our selves, are these three.

• 1 The [...]th of our graces.
• 2 The growth of them.
• 3 Our wants.

The graces that must bee tried and examined, must bee specially those before named, required to bee habitually in a Communicant, Faith, Repentance, Love, and Obedience. The truth, growth, and wants of them, all must bee examined. A man should examine grace as he doth gold. Gold may be counterfeit, may shew faire, and yet be base mettall; in such a case, a man examines it by the Touchstone, [Page 284] and bringeth it to the Test: gold may CHAP. 11 be true and good, but may faile in the weight; it may be good gold, but too light: in such a case, a man brings it to the scales, and to the weight, and so either weight or want is discove­red. So must grace bee examined. There is a great deale of counterfeit grace in the world. All is not gold that glisters; and all is not grace that makes a shew. There is a great deale of copper grace, copper faith, repen­tance, &c. in the world▪ What did Moses for a time, but the Aegyptian Sorcerers did the same? Moses turnes the waters into bloud, so doe they, Exod. 7. 22. Moses brings Frogs upon the Land, so doe they, Exod. 8. 6. 7. And their bloud and Frogs see­med as true bloud and Frogs, as those brought by Moses. Those things they did, seemed as great miracles as what Moses did; yet Moses wrought realities, all theirs were but juglings and sorceries. There is nothing that a true Christian can have, or doe, [Page 285] but an hypocrite may have and doe, for the outward semblance as much as he. Therefore since a mans gra­ces may be counterfeit, they must be brought to the touchstone, and be ex­amined there for their truth. Againe, there is much true grace, that is grace indeed, faith, and repentance indeed, which yet have not that growth, that their time and meanes they have beene under requires, and so want of their weight. How often doth CHRIST rebuke his Disciples with this, O ye of little faith. There­fore in such a case, a man must bring his graces to bee examined by the ballance of the Sanctuary, which may make knowne to every man, what is the weight, and what is the want of his graces.

1 First then try and examine the truth of Grace, whether these gra­ces be truly in us, or no.

The first grace to be tryed is the grace of faith. That which the A­postle puts Christians upon at all times is specially of use before the Sacrament, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether you be in the faith, prove your owne selves. The Corinthians were very busie about examining S. Paul, and his ministery, verse 3. Since ye seeke a proofe of CHRIST speak­ing in me, and so we are very ready to be busie in the examination of other men, and their faith, but sayes Saint Paul, examine your selves: so it is good for us at all times, but specially before the Sacrament, to examine our owne faith. As Philip, before he administred the Sacrament of baptisme to the Eunuch, Acts 8. 37. did examine him of his faith: so should every man before the receiving of the Sacrament of the Supper examine himselfe of his faith. These reasons that pinch us to examination of our faith at all times, have strength in them to doe it specially at this time. as,

First without this tryall, and exa­mination a man may be cheated, gul­led, and cosened in the poynt of faith. It is good therefore to try before we trust, Iob 34. 3. The eare tryes words as the mouth tastes meate. To the eye many meates seeme pleasant, and dainty, but the mouth tasting them knowes justly what they be. So the eare heares words. We should get a good spirituall eare, that we may be able judiciously to discerne the faire, and flattering words of Satan, and our owne hearts. These will give a man as good words as may be. Doe not, say they, disquiet thine heart with needlesse feares, cheere up thine heart man, thou needest not question the truth of thy faith, These are good words. But now, as the mouth tastes meate, and by tasting takes a tryall of it, so must we labour to have such an eare as may try these words whether they be true or not. A good musitian had neede to have a good eare, and a good Christian hath neede of a good [Page 288] care too, by which he may be able to judge of the false, and flattering mu­sicke the Divell, and his owne heart make him. Try the spirits, 1 Ioh. 4. 1. As forreyne spirits without, so it is good to try the secret spirits within us. For there be two spirits, the Spi­rit of God, and the spirit of Satan; and Satans spirit doth often counter­feit the voice of Gods Spirit, and tels us that we have faith, excellent mea­sures of faith, when there is no such matter: therefore try the spirits. That was a vile thing in the people, Acts 12. after Herods Oration, to cry out, The voice of God. It is much more vile in us, when Satan and our owne heart shall flatter us, with false con­ceits of faith, to cry out, The voice of God, and the voice of the Spirit. Try therefore before you trust.

2 Secondly, it is a very hopefull and comfortable evidence of the truth of faith, when it is willing to be tried, and desirous to be examined. It is a suspicion that that mans gold is [Page 289] not good, that is unwilling to have it toucht; that a mans cause is naught, when he is unwilling to have it tried; that a man is no Scholler, that shuns examination. It is a signe that a mans gold is good, that is willing and desi­rous to have it brought to the touch. A good cause desires a faire triall. A good Scholler that hath it in him, is willing to undergoe examination, which a dunce and a non-proficient hath no liking to. A faith that is a true faith, will be willing to undergoe any triall and examination.

3 Thirdly, the triall and exami­nation of faith, is the strengthning and increasing of it. Faith examined and tried, proves a faith increased and strengthned. Some things some­times prove the worse, and suffer losse by triall; but the more faith is tried, the more faith is increased. Gold is not the worse, but the better, the purer for triall. As the fiery triall of faith betters it, and makes it the more pretious, and makes it to be found [Page 290] unto praise, and honour and glory, at the appearing of Iesus Christ, 1 Pet. 1. 7. So doth selfe-triall make it more pre­tious, and more glorious. Examinati­on and triall of a good Scholler hurts him not, either in his learning or his credit; nay, it advances him much in both: his very examination rubs up his learning, it brings much to minde that would have been forgotten, yea, it puts much learning into a Scholler: and besides, it conduces much to his praise, and honour, it sends him away with the credit of an approved lear­ned man. It is so in the examination of faith. In trying faith there is an exercise of faith, and by exercise it is but increased and manifested.

4 Fourthly, who knowes but his faith may come to a fiery triall, 1 Pet. 1. 7. and 4. 12. Bilney first tried his finger by himselfe in the Candle, be­fore he tried his whole body in the fire at the stake. How shall our faith abide the fiery triall by others, if it have never beene put to this triall by [Page 291] our selves? When fiery trials come, how many mens faith which was thought more precious than gold, proves more vile than drosse? And what is the reason? Therefore failes their faith in fiery trials, because it was never put to, nor would abide selfe-triall, Ier. 12. 5. If thou hast run with the Footmen, and they have wea­ried thee, then how canst thou match thy selfe with Horses? How shall that faith try a match with Horse-men, that ne­ver tried a match with Foot-men? How shall he abide a fiery triall, that hath ever shunned and beene shy of a closet triall? How wilt thou abide to be tried at a barre, at a stake, that art loath to be tried in thy chamber, in thy closet? Examine your selves upon your beds, Psal. 4. He will never abide to be examined at a barre that will not abide to examine himselfe upon his bed. Yea, selfe-triall is it that prepares, and fits, and traines up a man to doe service in the fiery triall. David could not goe in Sauls armour, because he [Page 292] was not accustomed to it, he is likely to undergoe a fiery triall of his faith, that hath accustomed himselfe to the duty of selfe-triall. Abraham was likely to doe good on it, when hee carries not forth a company of raw fellowes from the plough, but armes his trained servants, Genesis 14. 14. They will never be fit for fighting, that have not beene used to training. Selfe-triall is training, the fiery-triall is fighting. They are like, and fit to fight that have beene trained up to it.

5 Fifthly, is our faith so low pri­zed by us, and of so little esteeme with us, that we care not of all other things we have, how it proves? Men will not have Oxen, but will put them to triall, Luke 14. 19. I have bought five yoke of Oxen, and am going to prove them. Men will try whether their Oxen be good and usefull; and care we not what our faith proves, usefull or useless? what a monstrous wretch­ednesse of spirit is this? Therefore as at all other times, so specially be [Page 293] carefull to examine your faith, when to come to the Sacrament. How of­ten have men tried it, that their com­ming to the Sacrament hath beene fruitlesse; their owne hearts seriously dealt withal, will witnes to them that their receiving hath beene to little, or no purpose. And what hath beene the cause of it, but because there was no examination of faith? How can they receive any benefit by the Sa­crament, that go at an adventure, not knowing whether they bring that with them, that must make the Sacra­ment effectuall to them?

Quest. How then may a man so try and examine his faith, as that he may know the truth thereof, that it is true faith?

Answ. The Apostles phrase of faith unfained, twice used by him to Timothy, 1 Tim. 1. 5. and 2 Tim. 1. 5. Faith without hypocrisie, as the word is, implies that there is a faith feined, an hypocriticall faith. Therefore it [Page 294] is not a needlesse question to make inquiry, how truth of faith may bee discerned. Our times are happy in the abundance of helpes they have in this kinde; and this point being so largely and fully handled in many learned Treatises that are extant, and in every mans hand; I will give but a touch upon it, and so passe on. True faith then may be knowne by the ef­fects and fruits of it. Every Tree is knowne by the fruits. When the Spies returned from searching the Land of Canaan, they brought with them a cluster of Grapes, and Pomgranates, and Figs, Num. 13. 23. And they report and evidence it to be a good land, by these fruits, Vers. 27. It flowes with milke and honey, and this is the fruit of it, holding forth and shewing those fruits they brought thence. By the fruits of it, it appeared that it was a good Land. And so the way to search and finde out the goodnesse of our faith, is to bring forth of the Figs, Pomgranates, and clusters; that [Page 295] by shewing them to our consciences, wee may bee able to say, Surely our faith is a good, and a true faith, and these be the fruites of it. Now the fruits and effects by which faith may be examined, are three:

• 1 Such as respect God, and Christ.
• 2 Such as respect our selves.
• 3 Such as respect our brethren.

1 First, the effects of faith, as it respects God, are these.

1 First, Obedience to God and his word, and fruitfulnesse in all good workes. True faith is no droane, no loiterer, but it is an active and a work­ing grace, Gal. 5. 6. Faith which works. 1 Thess. 1. 3. Your worke of faith. 2 Thess. 1. 11. The worke of faith with power. A workeman may be tried by his worke. What is the worke of faith? It workes with power. It makes a man with power to yeeld GOD obedience, and to endeavour the do­ing of Gods will, to the which no man hath any power at all. Hence called the obedience of faith, Heb. 11. 8. [Page 296] Rom. 16. 26. Because faith workes obedience, and no man can give God the obedience of his heart, that hath not faith in his heart. On the con­trary, unbeleeving and disobedient per­sons are joyned together, Tit. 1. 15, 16. They who are called unbeleeving, Vers. 15. are called disobedient, Vers. 16. It is an hard duty to forgive an offending brother upon his repen­tance, a difficult point of obedience. But yet it must be done, Luke 17. 4. If thy brother turne againe unto thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him. But how shall we be able to doe it? See Vers. 5. And the Apostles said un­to the Lord, Increase our faith. Faith then where it is, inables to duties of obedience, & facilitates hard works. The children of Abraham do the workes of Abraham, Iohn 8. and Abrahams workes were workes of obedience. We must be Abrahams children, be­fore we can doe the workes of Abra­ham. And Gal. 3. 7. They which are of faith, are the children of Abrahā. They [Page 297] that have the faith of Abraham, doe his workes. Now then hereby let a man examine his faith. Put that question to thy conscience which Saint Iames puts, Iam. 2. Shew me thy faith by thy workes. Shew the coates and garments which this Dorcas hath made. And so many works of obedience as thou canst shew, so many witnesses shalt thou produce of the truth of thy faith. But if thy faith be idle, slothfull to doe service, a faith that workes not, suspect the truth of it, and know that such a faith will not serve to admit thee to the eating of the Sacrament. For the Apostles injunction in that case, 2 Thess. 3. 10. That if any would not worke, neither should he eat, holds as true in this case of an idle faith, as in that case of an idle man.

2 Secondly, true faith beleeves God, and depends upon him in all things, and at all times. It beleeves him not only in some things, but in all, not only at some times, but at all. It beleeves Gods promises for spirituall [Page 298] things, Gal. 3. 22. for temporall things, Psal. 37. 3. It beleeves Gods Com­mandements to be his Commande­ments, to be just, holy, and good, Psal. 119. 66. I have beleeved thy com­mandements. It beleeves Gods threat­nings, Ion. 3. 4, 5. Yet forty dayes, &c. So the people of Nineveh beleeved God. It beleeves God not only in time of peace, but in times of distresse, afflicti­on, and tentation, Psal. 73. 1. Yet God is good to Israel. Yea, even then when all things goe against it, Iob 13. 15. Though hee slay mee, yet will I trust in him, Psal. 46. 2. Hab. 3. 17, 18. faith it beleeves All things, Luke 24. 25. O slow of heart to beleeve all that the Pro­phets have spoken. Faith beleeves God in all. Examine thy faith by this: put these interrogatories to thy consci­ence. Beleevest thou God in his pro­mises for this life, as well as for a better? For thy daily bread, as well as for thy salvation? Beleevest thou all Gods Commandements, without questioning any whether it be his or [Page 299] no? Beleevest thou his threatnings as well as his promises? Doest thou hang upon him and his promise, and live upon that in all thy pinches, straights, and exigents? As thou canst answer these, so mayest thou answer for thy faith. But this will convince many, not to bee faith­full, but faithlesse. Oh, they do be­leeve Gods promises with all their hearts: but what promises? for life and salvation. But how beleeve they Gods promises for the things of this life? Let that be judged by their co­vetousnesse, worldlinesse, their cark­ing immoderate cares, He that beleeves makes not haste. Isay 28. Therefore he that makes haste doth not beleeve. Such haste to be rich, such haste after the world, such carking, caring, such pining and whining; what doth it but proclaime their grosse distrust in Gods providence, and promises? Thou that beleevest not God for thy body, beleevest him lesse for thy soule. Thou that beleevest not God [Page 300] for a crust, beleevest him lesse for a Crowne. Try men in Gods Com­mandements, pinch and presse them with the very letter of the Law. Tush they will never beleeve that God re­quires such strictnesse. Try them with threatnings, and thunder them ever so against them, yet they have not so much faith as the divels, who beleeve and tremble. Let meanes bee wanting, or meanes be against them, and they are of Thomas his profes­sion, Except I see and feele, I will not beleeve. Whilest all is with men as they would have it, they are full of faith; but let God pinch them, and bring them into a strait, and where is their faith then?

3 Thirdly, A sweet and holy bold­nesse of accesse unto the Throne of Grace, with confidence in Gods good­nesse, and his gracious acceptation of us. Why are yee afraid, O yee of little faith! It was spoken in another case; But yet the more faith, the lesse feare in any case. A guilty con­science, [...]. 5. 7. [Page 301] if awake, hath no great list to come before GODS face; but when once by true faith in CHRISTS bloud, guilt is ta­ken off, and by faith a man is made friends with GOD, Iames 2. 23. Then shall a man have the boldnesse of a friend to come to the LORD in prayer. Many that have not a dramme of faith are bold enough, For who so bold as blinde Bayard, as ignorant and silly ones are. But yet there is a great difference betweene the boldnesse of a friend, and the boldnesse of a stranger. For Strangers may bee bold with a kinde of sawcinesse and intrusion, but they are not so welcome as bold; neither hath a stranger that ground for, nor that contentment in his boldnesse that a friend may have; his heart will secretly check him, though hee face it out for the present, and be ready to tell him, that hee goes further than civility, [Page 302] and good manners can warrant him. But a friends boldnesse is out of that sweetnesse of interest, and ac­quaintance, and intimate communi­on each with other. So that bold­nesse which faith breeds, is from that knowledge of God, that peace, com­munion, and acquaintance it hath with God in Christ. This is that bold­nesse spoken of, Ephes. 3. 12. In whom we have boldnesse, and accesse with con­fidence through the faith of him. Heb. 4 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace. But how shall we doe to come boldly? See Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw neere with a true heart in a full assurance of faith. A man may therefore try his faith, by the carri­age of his heart in prayer. If with a friendlike boldnesse, and with a con­fidence of his gracious acceptance we can come unto God, and with such a boldnesse can powre out our hearts unto him, it is a comfortable evi­dence of the truth of faith. The con­trary shewes how far most men are [Page 303] from faith. Deale truly with thy self; speakest thou not to God in prayer, as to a stranger, as to one with whom thou hast no intire fami­liarity or acquaintance? Certainly true faith is better acquainted with God than so.

4 Fourthly, a desire of Christs ap­pearance, and his second comming to judgement. We walke here by faith and not by sight. But where faith is, it longs to be turned into sight, and to have the immediate fruition of the Lord Iesus. Therefore the voice of faith is that, Cant. 8. 14. Make haste my beloved, and be like unto the Roe. And that Apoc. 22. Come Lord Ie­sus, come quickly, not onely come, but quickly; that is, make haste with that speed that the Roe runnes withall. Hence beleevers are said, not only to looke for the blessed hope and appea­ring of our Saviour Christ, but also to hasten the appearing of him, 2 Pet. 3. 12. Looking for and hasting unto the comming of the day of God. For though [Page 304] in another case it is true which the Prophet speakes, Isay 28. Hee that beleeves makes not haste, yet in this case, hee that beleeves most, makes most haste, and cannot but make haste, and therfore makes haste, because he beleeves. And no won­der that faith in her desires hastens the appearance of CHRIST, when as it is the beleeving soules solemn mariage day. What espoused Bride longs not for the mariage day, when shee shall enjoy her Bride­groome? Faith unites Christ and the beleever, and contracts them toge­ther. Now when once the contract is past, there followes a longing for the mariage-day. And this longing after the mariage-day, is a signe of a contract made by faith. Doth thy soule then long for those blessed nup­tials with the Lord Christ, when thy soule shall have the fill of his Love? Doth the Spirit in thee cry, Come Lord Iesus, make haste my beloved? Oh happy signes of true faith. But [Page 305] now enter into thy soule, O thou co­vetous worldling, and thou voluptu­ous epicure, &c. Deale seriously and honestly, and tell the plaine truth. Is there any one thing in the world thou thinkest lesse upon, wishest lesse, or dreadest more, than the comming of Christ? When S. Paul disputed of Righteousnesse, and the judgement to come, before Foelix, he trembled. How many boast of righteousnesse, even of the righteousnesse of faith, but how troublesome are the thoughts of the judgement, and Christ, to come un­to them? How heartily could they wish, oh that that day might never come. Let such as cannot rejoyce in the thoughts of that day in some mea­sure, and desire it as the day of their refreshing, question, if not the truth, yet the strength of their faith

2 Secondly, The effects of faith in regard of our selves. And they are these:

1 First, the Operation and effectuall working of the Word upon our hearts: [Page 306] faith is that which makes all Gods Ordinances effectuall, and so the word, 1 Thess. 2. 13. The word of God which effectually workes in you that be­leeve. Indeed, the word workes on those that beleeve not; workes their hearts to rage and rebellion, workes to their hardning and damnation. But it workes no good thing, when faith is not to set it on worke, Heb. 4. 2. The word which they heard profited them not, because it was not mixed with faith. The Gospell is the power of God to every one that beleeves, Rom. 1. 16. Faith is as the vitall and naturall heat of the soule. If the body be dead, and without naturall heat, give a man the most stirring and working Phy­sick that is, and yet it workes not, be­cause there wants a principle of life and heate, to set it on worke. Iust so is it here. The word dispensed in the most powerfull manner that can bee, workes not upon an unbeleeving heart, because the heart is dead with­out faith: but if any faith in the heart, [Page 307] it makes the Word worke effectual­ly. Try thy selfe by this: workes the Word upon thy soule? workes it thee to a conformity to it selfe, so as thou art cast into the mould of it. Such efficacy of the Word argues a presence of faith in thine heart. But how many discovers this to be void of faith? How many have lived all their dayes, and are even growne gray under the Gospell, and yet what grace or goodnesse have all the Ser­mons that ever they have heard wrought in them, more than in such as scarce in all their dayes ever heard Sermon? Nay, what is wrought in many, but scorne, rebellion, resoluti­on of disobedience, wrath, swelling, and hellish boiling of the heart, both against Minister and doctrine? Are these the workes of faith? or is it ra­ther a signe that he workes in their hearts, that effectually workes in the children of disobedience. This is a fear­full signe that a man is in the state of unbeleefe.

[Page 308] 2 Secondly, Sanctification, and ho­linesse of heart and life, Acts 15. 9. their hearts were purified by faith. Pha­risisme may wash thy hands, but faith washes hand and Heart. Pharisisme washes cleane the outside of the cup, and platter, but Faith makes cleane the inward part also; yea, there faith begins the worke. Faith is not onely an holy, but an hallowing grace. Acts 26. 18. Amongst them which are san­ctified by faith. We finde a woman in the Gospell that had beene troubled twelve yeeres with a bloudy issue, who was healed: but how came shee to be healed? She touches the garment of Christ, touches but the hem, and yet straightway the Fountaine of her bloud was dried up, Marke 5. 29. It is true that it was Christ that healed her, It was vertue that went out of Christ that healed her, Vers. 30. and yet Vers. 34. Thy faith hath made thee whole. Faith then fetches healing vertue from Christ, and heales disea­ses. The faith that is true faith, fetches [Page 309] healing vertue from Christ. Every mans heart naturally hath such a spi­rituall disease, as shee had a bodily. That disease which the woman had, did typifie under the Law, the natu­rall filthinesse of our hearts. Prov. 4. 24. Observe the heart, from thence are the issues of life. Every action issues from the heart, the Fountaine of all our actions. This Fountaine is a Fountaine of bloud: and all the issues from this Fountaine, in our thoughts, words, actions, all these issues are bloudy issues, and very filthy and loathsome before God, Mat. 15. 18, 19, 20. Hence hands defiled with bloud, Isay 59. 3. Bloudy filth, Isay 4. 4. Their way was before me, as the un­cleannesse of a removed woman, Ezek. 36. 17. and Hos. 4. 2. Bloud toucheth bloud. Many bloudy issues out of the heart, one issue meets with another, and so bloud touches bloud. Now when faith is once wrought in the heart, it workes strange cures both in heart and life. There were wont to be fil­thy [Page 310] issues out of the heart, in vile loathsome noisome thoughts of un­cleannesse, wantonnesse, covetousnes, worldlinesse. There was wont to be a filthy issue at the mouth, a deale of vaine filthy rotten communication, bloudy oathes and curses. There was wont to bee issues in all the severall actions and passages of the life. But now when faith comes into the heart, that presently carries a man unto Christ, touches him, fetches healing vertue from him, that dries up this Fountaine of bloud in some good measure, and so heales all those loath­some bloudy issues. It is true, that where faith is, there may be stil some ouzings of this Fountaine, but yet the flux of it is nothing so aboundant, and so continuall as formerly. A mans heart naturally is like the Sea, Psal. 104. 25, 26. This great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumera­ble, both small and great beasts: There goe the Ships, there is that Leviathan whom thou hast made to play therein. In [Page 311] the sea, there be vast Whales, huge Leviathans that sport themselves, and play in the deepes thereof; but besides those huge Whales, what a world of creeping and crawling smal creatures are there to be found there­in. Such is the heart of a naturall man; there be therein, not only some Leviathans, some speciall uncleane and foule lusts, some speciall Sea­monsters, but there are also creeping things innumerable, a world of craw­ling bugs and baggage vermin. That looke as is said of Gods Angels, Dan. 7. 10. Thousand thousands mini­stred unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. So may it be said of the lusts and corruptions of an unbeleeving heart, that thou­sand thousands minister unto Satan, and ten thousand times ten thousand corruptions are crawling & creeping there. But faith once come into the heart▪ not only those Leviathans, but those creeping things are strangely ferretted out of the heart. That as [Page 312] Gen. 1. 26. God spake of man in his creation, Let us make man in our image after our likenesse, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, &c. and over every creeping thing, &c. So in the new creation, when God stamps his image upon a man, and gives him faith, he gives it dominion over every creeping thing; so that in a gracious measure it frees the heart, from these creeping, crawling corruptions and lusts, that so aboundantly swarmed in the heart. It is true, that after faith, some Serpent may creepe into the paradise of a beleeving heart; but yet, first there is not a quarter of those creeping things that were there be­fore in multitudes innumerable, and those that be there are not there with­out loathsomenesse and vexation. A cleanly person may get some vermin creeping about him, but yet they swarme not, as in rogues, neither are they about him without vexation, in­dignation, and loathing of them, con­trary to what they are in a nasty beg­garly [Page 313] rogue, that takes no offence at them at all. Now then try thy faith by the holinesse it hath wrought, by the holinesse, and purification of thine heart. If these old bloudy issues bee staunched, if this puddle, my ry Fountaine dried up; that now on the contrary thou canst say with David, Psal. 104. 34. My meditation of him shall be sweet: if the thoughts of thine heart be sweet and savoury, if thou finde thy heart in a gracious measure freed frō these creeping things, thou hast cause to rejoyce in thy faith. But contrarily, here is that which con­vinces men still to bee in their unbe­leefe, because they have still their bloudy issues. As a Fountaine cast­eth out her waters, so their hearts cast out their wickednesse, Ier. 6. 7. What soule abominations, and secret loath­some lusts, are harboured and lodg­ed within their hearts? What cove­tous, proud, malicious, loose and adulterous thoughts, with a continu­all flux, issue out of their soules? yea, [Page 314] and that with delight, following, and contentfully pursuing them in their speculations. God speakes of dete­stable things he will save his people from, Ezek. 37. 23. But now those mens detestable things are their dele­ctable things. A signe no faith in their hearts. What litters and legions of creeping things in their hearts, yea, and that without any controll, yea, with much pleasure and content­ment? A signe of a faithlesse heart.

3 Thirdly, A strife and strugling against, with a victory and conquest over sinne and Satan, corruptions, and tentations. Where faith once comes into the heart, there followes that conflict and combate, Gal. 5. 17. Flesh against spirit, and spirit against flesh. All was jolly quiet at Ephesus, before S. Paul came thither, but when Saint Paul was once gotten in, and had some footing there, see what follow­ed, Acts 19. 23. And the same time there arose no small stir about that way; namely, that way of God that S. Paul [Page 312] taught, or as some coppies have it, Against that way; and wee see in the story, what hurly-burlies Demetrius raised in Ephesus. When the strong man armed, keepes his Pallace, his goods are in peace: all pretty quiet and faire, whilest a man in the state of unbe­leefe; but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, when faith comes, and shall set upon the dispossession of Sa­tan, and corruption, and they perceive that by faiths entrance, their trading, and Diana, shall downe; then there is to doe, then there followes no small stir. It is with a man then, as with S. Paul, 2. Cor. 7. 5. Wee had no rest, but we were troubled on every side, without were fightings, within were feares. When once faith comes into the heart, a Christians heart is a Re­beccas wombe: there is an Esau and a Iacob strugling and spurning each at other. There is an Ephraim against a Manasseh, and a Manasseh against Ephraim.

But yet in this combate and con­flict, [Page 316] faith makes a man victorious, gets the better of tentations, subdues, mortifies, and vanquishes, rebellious lusts and corruptions. Esau and Iacob struggle, but the elder must serve the younger. Though corruption bee the elder, as being borne into the world with a man, yet it must bee made a servant when faith comes. Faith is another Rachel, Gen. 30. 8. With the wrestlings of God have I wre­stled, and I have prevailed. It is be­tweene faith and lusts, as it was be­tweene the house of Saul and David, 2 Sam. 3. 1. Now there was long warre betweene the house of Saul, and the house of David, but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul wax­ed weaker and weaker. There is a continuall trucelesse warre beweene faith and lusts, corruptions, ten­tations, but faith waxes stronger and stronger, and corruption and lust waxes weaker and weaker. Faith is the master of the field, though there be enemies up in armes. [Page 317] Faith is a victorious grace, like him that rode on the white Horse, Apo­calyps 6. 2. It goes forth conquering, and to conquer. 1 Iohn 5. 4. This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. It overcomes the men of the world, the lusts of the world, and so all other lusts. It con­quers the divell himselfe, Iames 4. 7. Resist the divell and hee will flye from you. When the enemy flies there is a victory. Whence is this victory? from resistance. But whence comes power to resist? that comes from faith, 1 Pet. 5. 8. Whom resist stedfast in the faith. The shield of faith hath a rare excellency above other shields, Ephes. 6. 16. Taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. It is not only a fencing, but a quenching shield: it not onely keepes off, but puts out the fire. And so it mortifies and cruci­fies, all our lusts, and subdues and brings them under. As in that case, Heb. 11. 33, 34. Through faith they [Page 318] subdued Kingdomes, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of Ali­ens. So doth faith worke the same spirituall effects still. In whose heart once it is, it subdues therein the king­dome of lust, and the dominion of corruption, it unthrones them; it makes a man valiant to fight against, and puts to flight his lusts. That faith that layes hold on Christ crucified, doth fetch crucifying vertue from him, whereby it weakens and infee­bles the body of corruption. By this try we our faith. If we finde those wrestlings and struglings against, and power, and victory, over our lusts, conclude thereupon the presence of a lively and powerfull faith: but the want of these argue a want of faith. There is indeed a strife betweene the judgement and affections of an unbe­leever; betweene his minde, judging such an action to bee against credit, profit, & his sensuality headstrongly headlonging him upon its satisfacti­on, but yet not between wil and will, [Page 319] affection and affection, minde and minde, no strife in the same faculty, as in a beleever. And there may bee a victory that an unbeleevers minde and his judgement may have over his sensuality, pleading to him his losse of credit, profit, friends, &c. which is but a bare restraining of corruption in some one particular; but this is far from a victory, subdu­ing and mortifying, the power and body of sin, to bring it into a langui­shing consumption, which is the worke of faith. Sin may live, yea, and rebell in a beleeving heart; for it is with lusts in a beleevers heart, as with those beasts, Dan. 7. 12. As con­cerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. They had their lives for a time prolonged, but their dominion was taken away. So in a beleever, his lusts have their lives prolonged for a time, but yet their dominion is taken away; they live, but they live slaves, and [Page 320] they dye gradually, both they, and their rebellions.

4 Fourthly, True faith growes and increases, 2 Pet. 3. 18. Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ: yea, it growes exceedingly, 2 Thess. 1. 3. Your faith growes exceedingly: and Rom. 1. 17. The righteousnesse of God is revealed from faith to faith. Graines of mu­stard-seed grow to the procerity, and spred of trees, in which the fowles of heaven may nestle. Men may try themselves by this. So much growth, so much truth of faith. But how would it puzzle the most to find any such growth. They have beleeved ever since they can remember, and yet what beleeve they more now, than at the first. The faith that grows not, lives not; the faith that lives not, is dead. Most mens faith therefore is fit for the grave. Lord, saies Mar­tha of Lazarus, Hee by this time stink­eth, for he hath beene dead foure dayes. And what is theirs then but a carrion faith, [Page 321] that hath beene dead more than so many yeeres? for what more spiri­tuall strength have they, then at first? what more experience of Gods dea­ling? what neerer acquaintance with Christ? or what sweeter communi­on with him? Not a jot, therefore not a jot of true faith.

3 Thirdly, Effects respecting our brethren; and they are these:

1 First, Mercy, Love, Compassion, and beneficence, to the members of Christ in necessity, Gal. 5. 6. Faith workes by love, as by love to God, so also to our brethren. Therfore so of­ten joyned together, as an individuall paire, 2 Thess. 1. 3. Psal. 5. 1 Tim. 1. 5. And therefore when Tyrus should be converted to the faith, she should leave hoarding and heaping up her wealth, and should find another man­ner of imployment for it, namely, to feed and cloath Gods Saints, Isay 23. 18. Her merchandise shall not be trea­sured nor layed up, for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the [Page 322] Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for durable cloathing. When Tyrus should once beleeve she should trade in a new kind of merchandise, she should trade in workes of mercy and bounty in re­leeving and refreshing the necessities of Gods Saints. Faith is full of bow­els, tender-hearted, and open-handed to Christs members in want. She is a right Dorcas, Acts 9. 39. that makes coates and garments, to cloath and keepe warme the backs and loynes of Christs servants in want. If we finde such compassionate bowels in us, hands ready to the good workes of mercy, to do poore Christians good for Christs sake, in those bowels there lyes faith. If we do love a Saint because a Saint, that love is of faiths working. How doth this one thing damne the common faith of the world? They beleeve in Christ, that they do; but how love they a godly man? Is there any whom they more disaffect, distast, or against whom they shew more imbittered malice? [Page 323] This malicious spitefull faith, is not the faith of Christians. Thus divels beleeve, they beleeve, and are mali­cious. This is a divelish faith; the di­vels so beleeve as that they tremble, and yet tremble not to be malicious against those that doe beleeve. And what is their bounty and mercy? Alas, they are not only close fisted, but with the man in the Gospell, they have a withered hand, not able to stretch out their hand in any worke of compassion. Such a creeple, and same-handed faith, is not the faith that will passe with God.

2 Secondly, a desire, and an en­deavour to bring others to the faith. It having once tasted, and found the sweetnesse and goodnesse that is in Christ, and in the wayes of God, it cannot rest, but it must seeke others, to bring them to participate of the same goodnesse with it selfe Phil. 6. That the communication of thy faith. Faith is a communicative grace, and a generative grace. S. Paul once come [Page 324] to the faith hath Timothy his own son in the faith, 1 Tim. 1. 2. When Andrew hath found Christ he cals Peter; when Philip hath met with, he must bring Nathaniel. Faith indeed in one sense doth impropriat Christ, and speakes as Thomas, My Lord and my God: but yet though in its application it make Christ her own, yet not so as it would exclude others; but knowing the all­sufficiency of Christ doth desire to make him common, to as many as it can, and in that regard sayes, Our Lord and our God. So far forth then, as thou endeavourest to bring on others to faith in Christ, so much evidence hast thou of faith in thy self. But if others specially such as neere unto thee may be what they will, for any care or endeavour of thine, it is an evill signe, that thou thy selfe wantest that, to which thou hast no care to bring others. Many other trials might be added for the discern­ing of our faith, but these shall suf­fice, referring the Reader to the lar­ger [Page 325] treatises, of such as have bestow­ed their profitable paines in this ar­gument.

Chap. 12. The examination of Repentance.

CHAP. 12 HOw faith is to be examined, we have seene, let us now see how we may try and examine the truth of repentance. How true repentance may be discerned, we may know by that speech of Iohn Baptist, Mat. 3. 8. Bring forth fruits therefore worthy of repen­tance, fruits meet for repentance, such as become, and evidence repentance: where true repentance is, there bee ever such fruits. And those fruits are these:

1 First, shame for sin. True repen­tance is ever accompanied with shame, Ier. 31. 19. I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, &c. Ezek. 16. 61. Then shalt thou remember thy wayes, [Page 326] and be ashamed; yea, it so individually goes with repentance, that it is put for repentance it selfe, 2 Thess. 3. 14. That they may be ashamed; that is, that they may repent and reforme their evill course. The Heathens said, That blushing was the colour of Vertue: meaning, that it was a good signe to see a man blush and be ashamed when he had done amisse. And we may truly say, that blushing is the colour of Repentance, Ezra 9. 6. I am asha­med, and blush to lift up my face. It is true indeed, that men may bee and are ashamed, that are far enough from repentance. There is a shame of the face, and a shame of the heart: they have the shame of face, but not the shame of heart. And if they have the shame of heart, yet there is a dou­ble kinde of that shame. 1. First, the shame of a thiefe, Ier. 2. 26. As the thiefe is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed. And so there is the shame of any infamous sinner, which arises from the disgrace [Page 327] and discredit of his action, that hee hath done such a thing by which hee hath crackt his credit, or may bring himselfe to some shamefull punish­ment, the whip, stocks, or the gal­lowes. So wicked men may be asha­med of their sins in their heart and conscience, because of that shame their sinne will bring them unto in hell. 2. Secondly, there is a shame of a sonne or childe, a filiall gracious shame of heart and conscience; and that is, when a mans shame rises not from the shamefull consequents that follow sin; but out of a sight of the filthinesse, and loathsome basenesse of their sinnes, they see them so nasty and so filthy, that it makes them ashamed that they have defiled them­selves with such filth. And this is the shame that is in the cheeks of true repentance. There is a great deale of difference betweene the shame of a thiefe when he is taken, and the shame of a man that fals into a puddle, into the kennell, or the myre: a thiefe is [Page 328] ashamed, because some disgrace will light upon him, or some punishment of shame. A man that is fallen into the myre, or kennell, he is ashamed; but his shame is from the filthy, na­sty, unsavoury pickle that he is in. So a wicked man hath shame of consci­ence, because his conscience tels him he shall come to shame in hell: but a true penitent man hath shame of con­science, because his conscience tells him, that he hath defiled and besmea­red himselfe with loathsome filth. And such a shame as this, may prove a surer signe of repentance then some­times sorrow may doe. There may be a griefe and a sorrow for sin, that may come from the sense and appre­hension of wrath, and such a griefe will not evidence true repentance: but a shame for sinne, out of the sense of the filthinesse and vilenesse of sinne, is an unfailing evidence of the faith of repentance. If upon exami­nation we can finde such a shame in our soules, if with Ezra wee are [Page 329] ashamed, and blush to lift up our face, not because our shamefull punish­ments are increased over our heads, not because our trespasses will sinke us downe into hell, but because Our iniquities are increased over our heads, and our trespasse is growne up to the heavens: such shame yeelds comfort. But few are thus ashamed of sinne; now how many glory in their shame, in their sinne, which should be, and is their shame. The Prophet Isaiah complaines of a brow of brasse, Isaiah 48. 4. The Prophet Ieremy, of an Whores forehead, Ierem. 3. 3. And Zephany, Of sinners that know no shame, Zeph. 3. 5. Sinners have lost those few remaining sparkes of mo­desty they were wont to have, and are so farre from being ashamed of their sins, that they rather count it a shame not to sinne. May not the Lord say of many now, as he twice com­plains, Ier. 6. 15. 8. 12. Were they asha­med when they had committed abomi­nation? nay, they were not at all ashamed, [Page 330] neither could they blush. And are not men growne to that height of So­domes impudency, Isay 3. 9. The shew of their countenance doth witnes against them, and they declare their sin as So­dome, they hide it not. Is the drunk­ard ashamed of his drunkennesse? They that are drunke, are drunke in the night, 1 Thess. 5. Drunkennesse then had some shame, it sought to mantle it self with the darknesse of the night. But are men now ashamed of drunk­ennesse in the open day, in the open streets? So for swearers, adulterers, and others. Such impudency pro­claimes mens impenitency in an high degree: such persons are as far from repentance, as they are from shame.

2 Secondly, deepe sorrow, and hear­ty griefe for sin. Where consider two things: 1. first, The object of repen­ting sorrow. 2. secondly, The depth and greatnesse of it. Both will try truth of repentance.

1 First, the object of repenting sorrow, is sin. It is sin that specially [Page 331] afflicts and disquiets a repenting soul, that is the thing that wrings and pin­ches it. Where was it that the pro­digals shooe did specially wring him? Luke 15. 21. Father I have sinned against heaven; that is, against God in heaven: he doth not say, Father I am in a depth of misery, ready to pe­rish with hunger, in that pinching di­stresse that I would be glad to eate husks with Hogs. But, Father I have sinned. This is the griefe of a repen­ting soule, that Gods Majesty hath beene offended in and by his sinnes. This was that which lay heaviest up­on, and sate closest to Davids heart. He neither cries out of his discredit and shame in the world, nor yet speakes a syllable of wrath, or hell; but Psal. 51. 3, 4. My sin is ever before me, against thee only have I sinned, and have done this evill in thy sight. My sinne is ever before me, not Hell and damnation is ever before me; not the shame and reproach of the world, but my sin is ever before me. It is this, [Page 332] Lord that pinches and disquiets mee, that I have sinned and done this evill in thy sight. A good heart feares more the committing of sin, than the suffering of punishment following it, Prov. 30. 9. Give me not poverty, lest I be poore, and steale, and take the name of my God in vaine. He doth not say, lest I be poore, and steale, and bring my selfe under the Magistrates sword, or thy wrath; but he lookes only at the sin, lest I steale, and take thy Name in vaine. He feares the pro­phaning of GODS Name more, than the bringing of his owne name and person in question. And to this purpose is that which Elihu charges Iob withall, Iob 36. 21. Regard not ini­quity, for this thou hast chosen rather than affliction; that is, thou hast rather chosen sin and iniquity, than pover­ty and affliction: as if he had said, in­asmuch as thou hast vainely, and rashly, expostulated with God, V. 20. desiring death, rather than to beare this affliction: thou art guilty of ini­quity, [Page 333] and sinnest in this thy choice. This therefore implies, that a good heart would rather choose affliction, than iniquity; to suffer affliction, than to do iniquity. Now, as a good heart is more afraid of sin, than affliction and punishment; so likewise a repen­ting heart is more grieved for sinne committed, then for sorrow to bee suffered. We shall finde David in great anguish and distresse of spirit, Psal. 25. 17. 18. The troubles of mine heart are inlarged, oh bring thou mee out of my distresses; wringing, pres­sing anguishes looke upon my affliction and my paine. Here be troubles of heart, distresses of spirit, affliction, and paine. But what is it now, that thus wrings, distresses, and paines David? See the last words, And for­give all my sinnes, not forgive all my punishments; Davids sin, not his pu­nishment, was his paine. Wee shall see the like in him, 2 Sam. 24. 10. I have sinned greatly, I beseech thee take away the iniquity of thy servant: hee [Page 334] mentions not the taking away of any smart: nay, Vers. 17. He is willing to beare it, I have sinned, let thine hand be against me. He begs that the pu­nishment may be laid upon him, but begs that his iniquity may be taken away. Let God be pleased to take away his iniquity, and he is nothing solicitous for the punishment: the of­fence of GOD troubled him, more than his personall smart. So that Gods heart were but towards him in the pardon of his sinne, he did not care though Gods hand were against him in smiting him with temporall cha­stisement. And this will better ap­peare, if wee doe but compare Pha­raoh with David, Ex. 8. 8. Intreat the Lord that hee may take away the Frogs from mee: the Frogs troubled him more than his sin against God, Take away the Frogs, but no mention at all of taking away his sin. And when af­terwards, a confession of sin is extor­ted from him, yet was it not his sin that disquieted him, Exod. 9. 27, 28. [Page 335] not take away my sin, but take away the thunderings and the haile. Lord, sayes David, Take away the iniquity of thy servant: oh, sayes Pharaoh, take away these filthy Frogs, and this dread­full thunder. A repenting heart is more troubled at sin, then at thun­der and Frogs. It sees more filthi­nesse in sin, than in Frogs or Toads, or what ever else can bee presented more ugly to it.

A repenting sinner hath his eye upon God, and upon his Law. Hee sees the holinesse of God, that he is a God of pure eyes that cannot behold iniquity, Hab. 1. 13. Hee sees him a good, gracious, patient Father, and so it cuts him to the heart to have offen­ded such a Father, and God. He looks upon the Law, and sees it to be Holy, just, and good; and this gals him to the heart, to have violated so holy and so pure a Law. Now wicked men, they looke wholly at the justice and wrath of GOD, at the curse of the Law, and so nothing troubles them [Page 336] but the feare of hell and death. If these might be avoided, the offending of an holy and good God, the viola­ting of an holy and a good Law, would not a whit afflict or disquiet them. Nay, it is remarkable in Da­vid, that though hee had upon Na­thans message to him confessed his sin, and Nathan upon his confession had pronounced the pardon of it; yet after this he cries out, My sinne is ever before me, against thee only have I sin­ned. Marke then, that even pardoned sinne, forgiven sin, vexes and disqui­ets a true repenting heart. It pinches him, and disquiets him, though it be forgiven; it grieves him that he hath so played the foole, and that ever he was such a beast to offend so gracious a God. When the Prodigals Father sees him comming a far off, he runs to meet him, shewes compassion to him, fals upon him, and kisses him. That kisse was the seale of his par­don, as if he had said, Behold, I for­give thee all thy sin, as when David [Page 337] kissed Absalom, and Esau kissed Ia­cob, they both did it in token of full re­conciliation. And yet for all this, see how the Prodigall speakes: he sayes not, O Father, from the ground of my heart I unfainedly thanke thee, oh how great is my Fathers good­nesse thus to pardon me, &c. but Fa­ther I have sinned against thee. I, but his Father had kissed him, and there­by testified that he had freely forgi­ven him, what need hee confesse his pardoned sin? Why is he not rather in the confession of praise, than in the confession of sin? Oh no: A repen­ting sinner is so affected and grieved with the offence of God in his sinne, that though God have pardoned and forgiven it, yet he cannot but mourne for it, and be afflicted with it, that so holy a Law hath beene broken by him, that so good a God hath beene offended by him, Psal. 25. 6, 7. Re­member, O Lord, thy tender mercies, remember not the sinnes of my youth. If God remember mercy, hee forgets [Page 338] and forgives sinne. If God forget it, why doth David remember the sins of his youth? Yes, so will a true re­penting heart doe; it will remember the sin that God forgets, it will mourn for the sin which God hath forgiven.

Now hereby may men try the truth of their repentance. Pharaoh can say, I have sinned, yet was he not to be trusted: and Saul can say so too, as well as hee, I have sinned: and Iu­das can say, I have sinned, as well as them both, and yet not a true peni­tentiary of them all. We may say as much, and make large confessions before the Sacrament too, and yet be farre from true repentance. Deale honestly: if thou be grieved indeed, what is it that grives thee? sinne, or smart. Such as is the object of thy griefe, such is thy repentance. As in the case of feare of sin, so is it in the Qui Gehennas meluit, non pec­care metuit, sed ardere. Ille au­tem peccare me­tuit, qui pecca­tum ipsum sic ut Gehennas odit. August. [...]ep. 144. case of griefe for sin. In the case of fear, Augustines saying is true, He that feares hell▪ feares not to sin, but to burne. But he feares to sin, who so hates sin it [Page 339] selfe, as hell. To feare hell, is to feare burning, not sinning; he feares sinning, that dreads sinning as he dreads bur­ning. It is so in case of griefe: he that is sorry because of hell, is not sorry because he hath sinned, but because he shall burne. He is truly sorry for sin, that is more grieved for sinning than he is afraid of burning. If then sin, meere sin, without relation to hell, be that which doth disquiet us, and this be the thing that mainly troubles us, that we have beene such beasts to of­fend God, there is a cause of great joy in such sorrow, it is an evidence of thy true repentance. But if dread of hell, and the feare of being damned, bee the thing that workes this sor­row and griefe in us, there is little cause of comfort in such repentance. So may our repentance be tryed by the object of our sorrow.

2 Secondly, the depth and great­nesse of this sorrow, will serve to try the truth of our repentance. The sor­row of repentance is not a slight, [Page 340] overly, superficiall griefe, but a deepe and an hearty sorrow. That as David speaks of in that case, Ps. 73. 21. Thus was mine heart grieved, or thus was mine heart leavened; that is, his griefe was so great, that his heart was leave­ned with it. A little leaven leavens the whole lumpe, therefore much leaven doth it much more; his whole heart was sowred with the leaven of sor­row. Such is the griefe and sorrow of repentance; it is a leavening griefe that leavens the whole lumpe of the heart, it seasons and affects all the whole heart. Therefore the mourn­ing of repentance is called a great mourning, Zach. 12. 11. In that day there shall be a great mourning in Ieru­salem. How great? as the mourning of Hadadrimmon, in the valley of Me­giddo. As great as was the mourn­ing for the untimely losse of Iosiah. How great that was, see 2 Chro. 35. 24, 25. So deepe is the sorrow, and so great is the sorrow for sin in repen­tance. Yea, it is a bitter mourning, [Page 341] Zech. 12. 10. And they shall mourne for him, as one mournes for his onely Sonne, and shall bee in bitternesse for him, as one that is in bitternesse for his first-borne. A man that looses his first-borne, and his only sonne, how bitterly mournes that man? Repen­tance mournes so bitterly, Peter went out, and wept bitterly; they be waters of Marah that flow from the eyes of repentance. Nay, though it be a bitter sorrow, which is for the losse of an only son, and the losse of deere friends; yet in repentance God lookes for a geeater sorrow than that is, which is for the death of dearest friends: therefore Isay 22. 12. The Lord called to weeping, mourning, and baldnesse. God in speciall man­ner prohibited baldnesse in their mournings for the dead, Deut. 14. 1. Yee shall not cut your selves, nor make any baldnesse betweene your eyes, for the dead: and yet God that forbad it in mourning for the dead, cals for it in mourning for sinne. To teach how [Page 342] great our sorrow for sin should be; that there ought to be a greater sor­row in repentance for sin, than of naturall affection for the losse of our dearest friends by death. It was a great sorrow that of Davids for Am­nons death, 2 Sam. 13. 36, 37. The King wept very sore, or with a great weeping greatly: and David mourned for his son every day. He wept: He wept with a great weeping, and with a great wee­ping greatly: And he mourned daily. Such is the sorrow of repentance, a deepe and a daily sorrow, till God allay it with some answers of peace. Hence it is that it manifests it selfe with such outward expressions. The Publican smites upon his breast, Luke 18. And Ephraim smites upon his thigh, Ier. 31. 19. And Ezra rends his garment, plucks the haire off his head and beard, Ezra 9. 3. All but to testi­fie the deepe and hearty sorrow for sin. By this may men take a triall of their repentance. If thou hast had a leavened spirit, an imbittered spirit, [Page 343] & hast lamented after the Lord, 1 Sam. 7. 2. whom thou hadst lost by thy sin, as thou wouldest have lamented after a deere lost friend; if thou hast beene in the waters of Marah, the greater thy griefe hath beene, the greater cause of comfort hast thou in the truth of repentance. But so formall, so slight, is the sorrow of many hearts for sin, that it is a cleere case they are strangers to repentance.

3 Thirdly, A forsaking, an utter Post luctum poe­nitentiae non re­deas ad pecca­tum, non iterum facias quod ite­rum plangas. Non est paeni­tens sed irrisor, qui adhuc agit unde paenitent. Bern. de modo bene vivendi. ejection, and rejection of all our former sinfull lusts and wayes, Prov. 28. He that confesseth and forsaketh. Repen­tance not only confesses, but forsakes the confessed sin, Iob 34 32. If I have done iniquity, I will doe no more. That is the language and the resolution of true repentance, Ephes. 4 28. Let him that stole steale no more. True repen­tance makes men doe as God did when he repented him, Gen. 6. 6, 7. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on earth, and it grieved him at his heart: but that was not all, And [Page 344] the Lord said I will destroy man, whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, &c. for it re­pents me that I have made them. Nay, repentance in man goes further, one Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, and hee was spared from the common destruction; but here, not one lust or sin finds grace in the eyes of a man, that truly repents, but all must be drowned in the floud of the teares of repentance. It is with a man that hath the griefe of true repen­tance, as it was with Nehemiah, Neh. 13. 7, 8. I came to Ierusalem, and under­stood of the evill that Eliashib had done for Tobia, in preparing him a cham­ber in the courts of the house of God, and it grieved mee sore: but he rests not there, but goes further, therefore I cast forth all the houshold-stuffe of To­biah out of the chamber. What should Tobiah doe with a chamber there? Therefore he not onely outs Tobiah, but out goes all his stuffe too. So doth repentance, when it considers [Page 345] all the evill that Satan and corrupti­on have done, and how they have taken up chambers in the heart, that should be the house of God, it is grie­ved sore, and thereupon it outs Satan and all his stuffe; neither Satan, nor his stuffe, shall bee chamberd there any longer. So doth repentance dis­possesse Satan of the soule, as Christ dispossessed his body of him, Marke 9. 25. Thou dumbe and deafe spirit, I charge thee to come out of him, and en­ter no more into him: so repentance casts Satan and filthy abominations out of a man, that they enter no more, they are cast out for ever. Teares of repentance are not onely wetting but washing teares, Isay 1. 16. Wash you, make you cleane. Davids teares washt his couch, Psal. 6. and so much more washt himselfe. Baptisme is called the Baptisme of Repentance, Luke 3. 3. In baptisme there is a washing away of sinne. And how is bap­tisme the baptisme of repentance, if in repentance there were not the [Page 346] doing away of sinne. If a man could shed a sea of teares, yet if he doe not drowne his sin in that sea, what were he the better? If a man should weepe his eyes out, yet if he weepe not his sins out, to what purpose were it? Wheresoever repentance is, there must necessarily follow this forsa­king, and casting off our sins, because with true repentance these two things ever goe: first, an abomination and loathing of sin; the man that repents horribly, loathes his sins by which he hath offended, Iob 42. 6. I abhorre my selfe, and repent. Ezek. 20. 43. Ye shall loath your selves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have commit­ted. Secondly, an indignation against sin, 2 Cor. 7. What indignation? Hosea 14. 8. Ephraim shall say, what have I to doe any more with Idols? Now that which a man loathes, and that against which a man hath an indignation, hee must needs put it and cast it away from him, see Isay 30. 22. Thou shalt cast them away, namely, their Idols; [Page 347] and why so? Because they loathed them, they were as a menstruous cloath; and because they had indigna­tion against them, Thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence. So that let there once be abomination and indignation, and there will be a casting away. Try thy repentance by this; consider what have thy sins, thy beloved sins beene; is thy drunkennesse with loath­ing and indignation forsaken? are thine oathes, uncleannesse, covetous courses, &c with loathing and indig­nation Nam qui plangit peccatum & ite­rum facit pecca­tum, quasi si quis lavet laterem crudum qui qui quanto amplius laverit tam am­plius faciet lu­tum. Bern. de modo bene vi­vendi. abandoned? it is a good signe. But how idely talke they of repen­tance, who because they have blub­bered out a few teares, thinke all is well, when yet they still live and lye in their sins, and hold them as fast as ever. The Mariners when they found out Ionas, yet faine they would have saved him, wondrous loath to cast him over-board. Many see their sins, and know them to be dangerous sins, but yet exceeding loth to shake hands with them, loth to throw [Page 348] them into the sea, but will rather ad­venture their owne casting away, than cast them over-board. Never deceive thy selfe; though thou hast sighed, cried, prayed, beg'd mercy, yet if still thou live and goe on in thy sinfull courses, there is no truth of repentance in thee.

4 Fourthly, A walking in holinesse and obedience, and bringing forth the fruits thereof. Bring forth fruits meet for repentance. There is mention, Rom. 6. Of fruits in holinesse, and Phil. 1. 11. Of fruits of righteousnesse, and Col. 1. 5. Of fruits of obedience: Now such fruits are meet for repentance. Bring forth fruits, saith S. Iohn, meet for repen­tance. It is a metaphor taken from trees transplanted, or grafted into other stocks. Before their grafting they bring forth fruit, but it is bitter and sowre fruit, wildings and crabs; but new siances grafted upon those stocks, there is new fruit brought forth. A Pepon being grafted upon a Crab stock, the stock brings forth [Page 349] no more Crabs, but Pepons, a new and a good fruit. Such a change and renovation is there in repentance, it makes a man a new man, walking in newnesse of life, Ephes. 4. 23, 24. Be renewed in the spirit of your minde, and put on the new man. How shall it appeare that this is done? Amongst other things by that, Vers. 28. Let him that stole steale no more, there is the former thing in the forsaking of sin. But that is not all, there is yet more to be done, But rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have to give to him that needs. So that repen­tance not only bindes the hands from theeving, but opens them to giving. It makes a theefe become a mercifull man. It was the Churches sin, Cant. 5. 3. that when Christ knockt, and would have had her opened unto him, she neglects him, and puts him off with excuses. But afterwards V. 4. Her bowels were moved for him, or in her, her bowels made a troubled [Page 350] noise, sounded, and rumbled, that is, she was exceedingly grieved and dis­quieted, that she had done so foolish­ly. But that doth not serve her turne, to grieve for her fault, but shee will mend it too, and fals to doing of du­ty, Vers. 5. I rose up to open to my be­loved. Many have their bowels move within them, but yet it will not move them out of their beds; they lye still, but I rose up and open'd, sayes the Church, and makes after CHRIST whom she had foolishly neglected. Try thy repentance by it. Sonne, goe worke to day in my Vineyard, sayes the Father in the Parable to his Son, he answered and said, I will not, but after­wards he repented, and went, Mat. 21. 28, 29. He repented, because he was not only grieved for his former dis­obedience, but also because he went, & did his Fathers work in the Vine­yard. If thou doe the like, if thou so grieve for former disobediences, as that now thou fallest to thy Fathers worke, and fallest hard and [Page 351] close to it, then thou repentest. The contrary convinces men of impeni­tency. It is not weeping, but working, that must evidence repentance; wee may see many weepe, but we cannot see them worke; and all that repent must turne to God, and doe workes meet for repentance, Acts 26. 20. Where no such workes of holinesse and obe­dience, there is no turning to God, nor truth of repentance.

Chap. 13. The Examination of Love.

COme we now in the next place to the Examination of Love. There is deceit and hypocrisie in love as well as in faith, Let love, sayes the Apostle, bee without dissimulation, Rom. 12. 9. or without hypocrisie, [...]. 1 Pet. 1. 22. Vnto unfained love of the brethren, [...], Vnto a love of the brethren without hy­pocrisie. So that there may be hypo­crisie in love, and a man may play the hypocrite in his love, as well as in the profession of his faith. God hates hypocrisie wheresoever, as well in the second Table, as the first. And therefore requires sincerity in our love to our brethren, 1 Iohn. 3. 18. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed, and in truth. Men must have love in their [Page 353] tongues, and love in their words, but CHAP. 13 that is not all, men must have and shew love in their deeds. Love, that is all words and all tongue, and no deeds, is hypocri [...] ▪ and dissem­bling love, Iames 2. 15, [...]6. There we finde love in words, a loving tongue, but where [...] deeds? There is no loving hand, Notwithstanding ye give them not those things, &c. Love that hath a smoth and a kinde tongue, and yet hath a withered hand, shewes it selfe in no good deeds and workes, it is but a fained and a dissembling love. It is no more than an hypocrite may doe. Nay, a man may have a loving tongue, and be like Nepthali, Gen. 49. 21. Give goodly words, yea, and may doe goodly deeds, not be wanting in outward actions and expressions; and yet for all this may play the hypo­crite, and his love not be without dis­simulation. Therefore the Apostle yet addes one thing more, Let us love in deed and in truth. Therefore there may be words, and tongue, and deeds, [Page 354] and yet not truth. And so long as that is wanting, bee there else what there will, all is but hypocrisie; words, tongue, and deeds, may bee without truth [...]uth will never be without them [...]ve will creep where it cannot goe. That therefore the Apostle gives in cha [...] to elder men, belongs to all, Tit. 2. 2. That the aged men be sound in faith and charity. It is not enough to be sound in faith, but we must be sound in love. As faith must bee without hypocrisie, 1 Tim. 1. 5. so must love, Rom. 12. 9. It is dangerous to bee rotten in the faith, it is also dangerous to be rotten in our love. It therefore concernes a man as well to examine the truth of his love, as of other graces. Men may doe much and go far in the love of Gods people, and yet not love them as they ought to be loved.

First, they may hold an outward correspondency with them in out­ward peace and neighbourhood, they may live quietly by them, and with [Page 355] them, bee free from quarrels, suits, contentions, vexations, and opposi­tions against them, and in these re­spects may keepe faire quarter with them, and yet for all this not love them as godly people are to be lo­ved. Abimelech and Phicol, Gen. 26. 28, 29. desire to live peaceably and quietly with Isaac, that there may bee an oath, and a covenant betweene them: But yet these being heathens, could not love Isaac as a godly man should be loved. They departed from him in peace, Vers. 31. Peace is one thing, and love is another.

2 Secondly, they may preferre, dignifie, advance, and honour them, and yet not love them as godly men should be loved. Besides Gods san­ctifying graces, there are oftentimes in Gods children other gifts of wis­dome, prudence, learning, fidelity, skill and activity in secular imploy­ments. All which may gaine them great respect in other mens hearts. So Pharaoh honoured Ioseph, and we [Page 356] see his ground, Gen. 41. 38, 39, 40. So Nebuchadnezzar preferred Daniel, and we see his ground, Dan. 2. 47, 48. So Laban set Iacob over his flocks, and we see his ground, Gen. 30. 27. So many a Master loves a godly ser­vant, not because he is a good man, but because he is a good servant. This is selfe-love, they love them, because they love themselves: such men are for their ends of profit, advantage, &c. and for their turnes; and there­fore out of a selfe-love, and selfe-re­spect, love and respect them. That their love of them is not for their godlinesse, appeares by this, because though there were not one dram of grace and godlinesse in them, yet for their other abilities should they be no lesse deere unto them, then now they are with all their graces.

3 Thirdly, they may magnifie them, highly commend and reve­rence them for good men, and yet not love them as godly men should be loved. Abimelech called Isaac, The [Page 357] blessed of the Lord, Gen. 26. Herod ob­served and reverenced Iohn, Marke 6. The people magnified the beleevers, Acts 5. 13. There were a great many that hated, opposed, and vilefied them; but yet among the Iewes there were some that were of a more tolerable and equall temper; and though they durst not goe so far, as to joyne them­selves with them, yet thus farre they went, that when others reproached, scorned, and calumniated them, they were ready to commend and pleade for them. They would haply thus speake, Well, you may say this and that, and speake your pleasure of them, but when you have said all that ever you can, yet we see they be very good people, very conscionable and godly men, they are [...] other but what you and we should [...]. Here was magnifying of them, but yet not loving them as they should have beene loved, because as the Text saies, Of these no man durst joyne himselfe to them. All this arises not from love, [Page 358] but from the conviction of consci­ence, upon the sight of the lustre and beauty of their shining graces, and upon the experience of the integrity of their wayes. Conscience convin­ced cannot but open the mouth to give godly men an honourable testi­moniall, in magnifying and reveren­cing them.

4 Fourthly, they may doe them many kinde offices, courtesies, and favours, and yet for all this not love them as godly men are to be loved. Ierobo [...]m may invite a Prophet to din­ner. The very Barbarians did shew courtesie to them, Acts 28. 2. and yet were farre enough from this love. Humanity, civility, good nature, and good nurture, may carry men farre in this kinde.

5 Fifthly, they may as honour their lives, so desire their deaths, and yet not love them as godly men should be loved. Balaam desires the death of the righteous, and that his latter end may be like unto his; and [Page 359] yet Balaam that faine would have cursed Israel, was farre enough from the love of a Saint. Many when they see a godly mans end, may speake ho­norably of him, and wish, Oh that my soule might rest with his, oh that my soule might speed as his, for I am perswaded he is in heaven; and yet all this while not love a godly man as a godly man should be loved.

6 Sixthly, they may honour the memory of them when dead and gone, and upon all occasions give them honourable testimonialls for their piety, godlinesse, &c. and yet not love them as godly men should be loved. The Pharisees, Matth. 23. built up the Sepulchres of the Pro­phets, and seemed to shew great love to their memorials; and yet if they had beene alive, they would have dealt no better by them than their Fa­thers did. Thus much may be done, and yet love wanting; that love want­ing wherewith a Saint is to be loved. For with such a love must a man [Page 360] come to the Sacrament, in which there is so speciall an exercise of the communion of Saints. Since there­fore all this is not enough, let us see then what it is that is required more, that our love may bee such, as will qualifie us for the orderly receiving of the Sacrament. True love then to the members of Christ, to godly and gracious persons, may bee thus knowne.

1 First, it loves them as Saints un­der the relation of brethren, because they be brethren, because they bee sons of God the same Father, sons of the Church the same common mo­ther, and members of Christ our el­der Brother. When a man loves god­ly men, not because they be great, rich, learned, wise, because they may doe or have done him a pleasure; but meerely because they have Gods Image upon them, in grace and holi­nesse, he loves them, as godly persons should be loved. When Gods grace in them is the ground, and Gods [Page 361] Image upon them is the Loadstone of our love, when we love them not because we love our gaine, respect, &c. but because we love God, and see them to be his, then is our love right, 1 Iohn 5. 2. Hereby wee know that wee love the children of God, and love them as the children of God, bearing Gods Image upon them, when wee love God. That is true love of godly men when our love to them is groun­ded upon, and flowes from our love to God. On the contrary may it be said of many, that they love not the children of God. No, not love the children of God? Why, I love such and such a man, and you will not say but they are the deere children of God. I but by this wee know that men love not the children of God, when men love themselves, and seek their owne base ends. It is one thing in some sort to love a man that is a childe of God, and another to love him because he is a childe of God. It is one thing to love a godly man, and another [Page 362] because he is a godly man. A man may love one who is a Scholler and a Preacher, but yet not love him be­cause he is a Scholler or a Preacher; nay, it may be he could love him a great deale better if he were neither. The Apostle speakes of love out of a pure heart, 1 Tim. 1. 5. And S. Peter of loving the brethren with a pure heart, 1 Pet. 1. 22. When love is pure, it is true. Then it is pure love, when it springs from none other Fountaine but the lovelinesse of Gods grace and Image, in those whom we love.

2 Secondly, true love to the chil­dren of God, and to Saints; it loves such above all others, the best of all others, 1 Pet. 2. 17. Honour all men, love the brotherhood. There is a love, and a respect to be given to all men, according to their relations, worth, quality, &c. but yet true Christian love bestowes its Beniamins portion, the specialty, and choise of its affe­ction upon godly ones. It loves a godly religious man better than a [Page 363] learned man; and the more godly a man is, it loves him the more. Doe good to all, but specially to the houshold of faith, Gal. 6. So love all men in their order and degree, but let your brotherly love, your heartiest and sweet affection, be towards such as are brethren. Love the brother-hood. A love of the brother-hood must be a brotherly love, a love as to brethren. In a Family, a man loves all the ser­vants, but yet he beares a more spe­ciall neerenesse and deerenesse of af­fection to his brethren, than to ser­vants, 1 Pet. 3. 8. Love as brethren. We reade of a young man, Mark. 10. that came running to Christ, and en­quiring how he might inherit eternall life. And we reade of Lazarus whom Christ raised from the dead, Ioh. 11. It is said of both, that Christ loved them: of the rich young man, Marke 10. 21. Then Iesus beholding him, loved him: of Lazarus, Iohn 11. 3. Lord, he whom thou lovest is sick. Now the young man was a Pharisee, only he had some [Page 364] candour and ingenuity in him, more than usually was in Pharisaicall spi­rits, and so farre Christ loved him, shewed loving respect and carriage towards him. But now Lazarus was a godly and an holy man, and there­fore Christ loved him with a more specialty of affection. He loved the one as a morall faire conditioned man, that had some good desires and inclination towards good; but he lo­ved Lazarus deerely, and intimately, as a godly and a good man, with such specialty of affection, that it was enough to know him without his Name, by Christs love to him; The man whom thou lovest. By this try the truth of thy love: Whom lovest thou best? Have the best men the best of thine affection? Are those deerest to thee, who are deerest to God? the best evidence that can be of the truth of thy love. But this proves many to want this love, and that they love not the godly as godly men should be loved, what ever their [Page 365] professions and protestations of love be. For let it be granted that they love them, yet let it bee enquired whom they love best, to whom their hearts and affections are closest knit. Looke upon those that are deepest in their affections, and judge whether they be at the best, more than morall and civill; and whether those that be godly and religious have halfe that affection and love that meere civill persons have. Thou doest not love godly men best, therefore thy love is hypocriticall; thou lovest a morall man better than one that is religious, therefore thy love is with dissimu­lation.

3 Thirdly, true love loves as the Colossians did, Gol. 1. 4. It loves all the Saints. Where grace is the ground of love, where ever grace is, there is love, as fire still followes the fuell. Grace hath the same beauty in all; and if grace be the attractive of affe­ction, it drawes affection to all in whom it is. The love that is amongst [Page 366] Gods Saints is compared to the oint­ment that was powred upon Aarons head, Psal. 133. 2. It was powred upon his head, but it rested not there, it ran also downe upon his beard, nay, it ran downe to the skirts of his garments. So the love that is among the Saints, it diffuses it selfe to all the members of Christ, it runs not only upon the head and beard, but upon the skirts of the garments to the very lowest and meanest of Gods people in whom there is grace. It excludes not any whom God hath received, Rom. 14. 3. despises not any whom God hath cho­sen, Iames 2. 5, 6. Love the brother­hood, sayes S. Peter. He doth not say, love a brother, or such of the bre­thren, but love the brother-hood, the whole fraternity, society, and com­pany of the Saints, the whole brood and brother-hood of Gods people. Try thy love by this. He that loves a godly man for his grace, that hath no other thing to commend him, nei­ther friends, nor riches, nor credit, [Page 367] nor profit, that can love poore god­linesse, as well as rich godlinesse, that can love grace in rags, as well as in robes, in russet and leather, as well as in silkes and velvets; such a love to all Saints is a good evidence of truth of love. But when men love onely some great and rich ones that have grace, and regard not meaner ones though gracious, it is a signe that it is not true love. Yea, it is a blameable errour in many, that though their love be indeed to the godly, yet it is with a kinde of confinement only to some as worthy of their communion and affection. It is not to be denied, but that a man may love some godly men more than othersome. Christ himselfe had his beloved Disciple, and wee shall finde that thrice Christ shewed some speciality of favour and affection to three of them above the rest, Luke 8. 51. He suffered none to goe in, save Peter, Iames, and Iohn. Luk. 9. 28. in his transfiguration he tooke up with him onely Peter, Iames and Iohn. [Page 368] And in his agony when he sequeste­red himself from the rest of his Dis­ciples, yet he takes these three along with him, Mat. 26. 37. But yet such a confinement of our affection to some choise ones, as goes with a contempt or plaine neglect, and exclusion of others of meaner abilities and gra­ces, is an unwarrantable thing, such as will not be allowed by this signe of love now instanced in.

4 Fourthly, true love loves and delights in the fellowship and society of the godly. Love the brother-hood sayes S. Peter. He doth not say, love the brethren, but love the brother-hood, that is, as some expound it, the fellowship of the brethren, and so our former translation reades it, Love brotherly fellowship. Brother-hood implyes sometimes fellowship, as Zech. 11. 14. I will breake the brother-hood betweene Iudah and Israel. The naturall relation between them could not be broken, but their mutuall so­ciety and fellowship should be bro­ken, [Page 305] they should be divided and dis­persed each from other. So then, they that love the godly, love their bro­ther-hood, their company, their con­ference and communion with them. This evidence [...] t [...] truth of Davids love, Psal. 1 [...]. 3. All my delight is in the Saints on earth, my delight is in their company and conference. Ma­ny in the world magnifie the Saints in heaven; yea, some over▪magnifie them, whilest they would give divine worship to them; but in the meane time make little account of the Saints on earth, nay, hate them, imprison, kill, and burne them, Apoc. 13. 7. but David delights in the Saints on earth. Psal. 119. 63. I am a companion of all them that feare thee, and of them that keepe thy precepts. Try then, where lyes thy delight? What is the company and society thou affe­ctest? If it be the society of the god­ly, thy love is to them. But this dis­covers the hypocrisie of many mens love. They doe love godly men [Page 370] with all their hearts. But yet exa­mine who be their companions, and marke who they be in whose society they delight, and are they such as are godly and religious? Take they not more delight in the fellowship of drunkards, vaine and [...]thy persons? Is not godly company the most irke­some, wearisome thing in the world to them? What can cleere it more, that men love not the godly. It may be thou commendest them, and speak­est all good of them; but if thou joyne not in society with them, thou do­est but as those before spoken of, Acts 5. 13. They gave the beleevers good words, but they durst not joyne them­selves unto them. It may be thou spea­kest not against them, not because thou lovest them, but because thou lovest thy selfe, that they may not speake against thee. It may be thou speakest well of them, and all be­cause with good words thou woul­dest buy good words againe. This is love in word, in tongue, but not in deed [Page 371] and in truth. Look where thy delight and company is, there is thy love.

5 True love is hardly angred, ea­sily pleased. Hardly angred, 1 Cor. 13. 4. Charity suffers long. Vers. 5. It is not easily provoked. It will suffer long, and beare much, ere it will break. It may be provoked, but not easily. Easi­ly pleased, 1 Cor. 13. 4. Charity is kind, Iames 3. 17. The wisdome that is from above, is gentle, easily to be intreated. God is love (sayes the Apostle, 1 Iohn 4. 8. And God is slow to anger, Ps. 103. 8. He suffers long, Exod. 34. 6. He is not easily provoked. And he is easily reconciled. Psal. 103. 9. Neither will he keepe his anger for ever. Nay, not easily to be intreated, but he intreates and beseeches us, the offending par­ties, to bee reconciled, 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now what makes God so slow to an­ger, so quick, so easie to be appeased? Because God is love. It is the nature of love so to be, and love is his nature. The Apostle presses Christians to two speciall things, Col. 3. 13. For bea­ring one another, and forgiving one [Page 308] another, if any man have a quarrell against any. I but these bee hard things to bee done, how shall a man come to be able to doe these things? Therefore the Apostle teaches us a way how to doe it in the very next verse and words, And above all things put on charity, which is the bond of per­fectnesse. The way to do these things, is to get charity and love. Mark then the nature of love. It is not easily pro­voked, it is hardly angred, it is a for­bearing grace. It is easie to be plea­sed. It is a forgiving grace. It is hard­ly angred, because it forbeares. It is easily pleased, because it forgives. Love is a forbearer, and a forgiver. Try thy selfe by this. If thou art ex­ceeding loth to be provoked, sufferest much, and sufferest long, and art wil­ling to beare, till the number and weight of the burthens grow so hea­vie and unsupportable, that thy back is ready to breake before thou com­plaine. If thou art willing to swal­low injuries and wrongs one in the [Page 309] neck of another, so long as they are swallowable, that they would not choake or poison thee if thou shoul­dest offer to swallow any more (for no charity bindes a man openly to wrong himselfe) such forbearance argues that thou hast put on charity. If offences be given thee, and wrong, grosse wrong done thee, yet if thou canst readily, cheerefully, willingly, and cordially forgive, it is a good signe of true love. But how farre are many from the truth of this grace in their hearts, who are easily off the hookes, and presently provoked, and all to peeces upon a small offence gi­ven; nay, it may be upon no offence given at all, only upon an accidentall slip, or a faile in a formality and com­plement. No forbearance argues small charity. As far are they from love that are of implacable, irrecon­cileable spirits; once lost, and lost for ever, whom no kindnesses can over­come, whom no satisfactions can ap­pease, nor no wisdome can set in joynt againe.

Quest. But what if a man have done me wrong, and diverse wayes injured me by offensive carriages; whether am I bound to forgive him or no, hee seeking no reconciliation with me. Am I bound to forgive, where forgivenesse is not sought, and must I stay from the Sacrament be­cause I have not forgiven one that wrongs me, and seekes not peace.

Answ. In forgiving of an offender there be three things:

1 The letting fall of al wrath, ma­lice, and desire of revenge.

2 The testification of forgive­nesse. A solemne profession of re­mission.

3 The re-acceptance, and re-ad­mission of an offendour into former society, communion, and familiar converse.

For the first. A man is bound to forgive in that respect whether the party offending aske forgivenesse, or aske it not. A man must so forgive as that he must beare no malice, nor [Page 311] nourish any thoughts of revenge. For though mine adversary sinne in his obstinacy, yet his sin will not war­rant me to sin in malice, and thoughts of revenge. If mine enemy will not doe that which belongs to him, yet I may not doe that which belongs to God. Therefore for matter of re­venge, and malice, we must alwayes forgive: and unlesse a man doe so forgive as to let fall all malice and thoughts of revenge, he sins in com­ming to the Sacrament.

For the second. Our Saviour gives a rule, Luke 17. 4. If he trespasse against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turne againe unto thee, saying, It repents me, or I repent, thou shalt forgive him. He doth not say, If thy brother offend against thee seven times, thou shalt forgive him seven times: but if he say, I repent. Whe­ther he say so, or not, I must forgive him in regard of malicious and vin­dictive thoughts. But I am not bound to testifie my forgiving him, [Page 312] and to say to him, I forgive thee, un­lesse he say, I repent. To forgive is one thing, and to say I forgive and make a solemne profession of remis­sion is another.

For the third. A man is not bound in that particular to forgive till just satisfaction be given. Satisfaction be­ing duly given, I must forgive so far, but satisfaction obstinately denied, I may refuse society and fellowship with him. Religion bindes not to re­ceive an enemy into bosome com­munion: now so long as he stands out in his enmity, he can be interpre­ted to be none other, so long as hee sayes not, It repents him: yea, and though a man doe not forgive in these two cases, yet may he with a good conscience come to the Sacrament. And therefore marke how our Savi­our speakes, Matth. 5. 23, 24. If there thou remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee, go thy wayes and bee first reconciled, &c. He doth not say, If there thou remembrest that thou [Page 313] hast ought against thy brother. There­by shewing that the barre is against the party delinquent, and that a per­son receiving injury and wrong, so he come without malice, and forgive in the first respect, is not debarred Gods ordinance, though he remit not in both the last, just satisfaction not being tendred upon wrong done.

6 Sixthly, true love loves fervent­ly: fervent love, and unfained love are joyned together, 1 Pet. 1. 22. True love will abound and increase more and more, 1 Thess. 4. 10. Yee love all the brethren, but we beseech you that ye increase more and more. It sets it selfe no sint nor bounds, it is ready and willing to give and take all occa­sions, for increase and confirmation. As fire is not only ready to kindle, when blowne, but ready to catch of it selfe any combustible matter be­ing ministred. True love hates all hypocriticall reservations, and lets out it selfe to the giving and imbra­cing of all opportunities that may [Page 378] prove incentives to it. Thereby try and examine the truth of thy love. A sparke will kindle to a flame if it bee true. But this one thing disco­vers a great deale of hallow-hearted hypocriticall love in the world. There bee that for their turnes and ends can doe more, and dispense fur­ther than they will for God and his Commandement: if God and his Commandement, and coales heaped upon their heads, call for the letting fall of their stomacks, they cannot stoope to it, nay, with scorne and pride of spirit, reject tenders and of­fers of love. But if some end of their own to be compassed, or turn of their own to be served, then they can make a shift to make some shewes of love and desire of friendship; but yet with resolutions to keepe a faire distance, that there shall never bee an intire knitting, and mutuall closing of affe­ctions; and therefore set themselves bounds, and a stint, beyond which they are resolved never to passe. They [Page 379] will not be wanting in common cour­tesies, civill correspondencies, but yet for intirenesse, and intimate fami­liarity, will be sure to block up the way thereto, by affected distances, and reservations of themselves. They will be pardoned for familiarity, that is more than needs. A carriage faire to the worlds eye, that the world shall not see but all is well, they will frame to, but further they resolve never to goe. Surely they were as good say, they will play the hypo­crites with men, and that their love shall be with dissimulation. For love which sets it selfe bounds and bars, beyond which it will not step, that love steps not beyond hypocrisie. That love which will not kindle, which will neither bee blowne to a flame, nor take flame, it is love dis­sembled. True fire, though it bee ever so little a spark, may be blowne and be brought to a flame; but all the blowing in the world will never make painted fire burne. Such per­sons [Page 380] are but like Salomons silverd pot­sheard, Prov. 26. 23. Burning lips and a wicked heart, are a potsheard covered with silver drosse. What ever faire silverly shewes they make, they are potsheards slubbered over with drosse. Such love as is not fervent, is fained. So much for the examinati­on of love.

Chap. 14. The Examination of Obedience.

CHAP. 14 THe last thing whose truth is to be examined, is Obedience. There is deceit in obedience, and much hy­pocrisie may be in it. Saul glories in his obedience, 1 Sam. 15. 13. I have performed the commandement of the Lord. Behold, I have obeyed God. Yea, after Samuel had pinched him with so close an answer, he still stands to it, Vers. 20. Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way [Page 381] which the Lord sent me. And yet Sa­muel charges him still with rebellion and disobedience, and leaves him not till he makes him confesse his sinne. So ready are men to deceive them­selves in their obedience to God, as if their obedience were good and ac­ceptable, when there is no such mat­ter. Men will not be borne downe but that they are obedient people to God, I have performed the commande­ment of the Lord, Behold I have obeyed God, sayes Saul, and so say many as well as he, as farre from it as was he. But as Samuel there convinced Saul, 1 Sam. 15. 14. so may men be convin­ced of disobedience. What meanes then, sayes Samuel, this bleating of the sheepe in mine eares, and the lowing of the Oxen which I heare. There was not an Oxe that Iowed, not a Sheepe that bleated, but openly, and loudly, proclaimed Saul a disobedient per­son. So men say they doe obey God, and they are wronged to be charged with disobedience. But what then [Page 382] meanes the bleating and the lowing of their oathes? What meanes then the neglect of God, in the publike or­dinances, in their private families? what meane their Lords-day profa­nations? what meane their whore­domes, drunkennesse, and other not bleating, not lowing, but crying, loud crying sins, in the eares of God and man?

It is needfull therefore that men ex­amine their obedience, whether it be such as is required in him that will be an orderly Communicant. True obe­dience then may be knowne by these things:

• 1 The Grounds of it.
• 2 The End of it.
• 3 The Properties of it.

The Grounds of obedience are 3.

1 First, the ground of true obedi­ence is the authority and will of God. Gods will is, that such a thing bee done, and his power is soveraigne and absolute to command, so as what­soever hee commands it must bee [Page 383] done, because he commands. There­fore we shall finde, Levit. 19. that in that one Chapter this one reason, I am the Lord, is used thirteene severall times. The meaning whereof is this; such and such commandements I en­joyne you, if you will know the ground why you shold obey thē, this is the ground, I am the Lord, a God of soveraigne power and authority, and my will it is that such things be done. And therefore it is that Gods will is brought in Scripture, as the reason of the obedience that is requi­red. 1 Thess. 4. 3. For this is the will of God even your sanctification. So 1 Thes. 5. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 15. The ground there­fore of all obedience must be the will and Commandement; that if a man bee asked a reason of his obedience, why he doth this or that, he may be able to say, I see it is Gods will and commandement it should be done, and because it is his will, therefore I doe it. This was the ground of Da­vids obedience, Psal. 119. 4. 5. Thou [Page 384] hast commanded us to keepe thy precepts diligently, Oh that my wayes were di­rected to keepe thy Statutes. His desires were exceeding strong to give God obedience in keeping his statutes, and the ground of it was, Thou hast com­manded. That onely and properly is obedience, which is done Intuitu vo­luntatis, by looking at Gods will, by having a respect or an eye to Gods commandement, Psal. 119. 6. and do­ing it because it is his will. Looke as it is in the case of faith, so is it in the case of obedience. Then a man be­leeves, when the ground of his faith is onely the Word of God; he be­leeves onely because it is the Word and will of God he should beleeve. If a man beleeve such a truth because he hath good arguments and reasons for it, by which he is led to beleeve it, this is science, but not faith. Thus is it in obedience, to doe things com­manded upon other grounds then the commandement, is not obedi­ence. Suppose a man doe the same [Page 385] same thing that God commands, and yet know not that God commands it, this is no obedience: or if a man do know that it is commanded, but doth it not, because it is commanded, nei­ther is this obedience to God; for as where there is no Law, there is no trans­gression, so where there is no know­ledge of a Law, there is no obedi­ence. In all true obedience there must be a knowledge of, and an eye to the will of God, Rom. 12. 2. Proving what is the will of God, that is, searching and trying, and so allowing the good and acceptable will of the Lord, Ephes. 5. 17. Vnderstanding what the will of the Lord is. Both which pla­ces imply thus much, that that onely is obedience indeed, which is done upon the knowledge and conscience of being Gods will. To doe that which is Gods will, and not to doe it because it is his will, is not obedi­ence. By this may a man try his obe­dience. If thine heart can sincerely witnesse that the ground of thy obe­dience [Page 386] and all thine actions there­in, is Gods will, that thou seest it is his will to have it done, and because it is his will thou doest it, such obe­dience is upon the right ground. But by this may the unsoundnesse of ma­ny a mans obedience be discovered. Some men come duly to publike du­ties of Gods worship and service; but what is the ground? Is it the will of God, or the law of Man, or the talke of the World, that brings them thereunto. Many a man is diligent in his calling, followes it close, and it is a thing commanded of God so to do. But if a man doe it, not because God wils it, but because desire of gaine carries him on, or necessity of maintenance forces him thereto, this is no obedience to God, but obedi­ence to his covetousnesse, or obedi­ence to his necessities, which call up­on him for diligence and painful­nesse.

2 Second ground of obedience, The grace of faith. True obedience [Page 387] must spring and flow from faith. S. Paul speakes, Rom. 16. 26. Of the obe­dience of faith, that is, that obedience which in beleeving we give to God. But yet in a larger sense, all obedi­ence may be called the obedience of faith, because by it we give God that obedience we give him, Heb. 11. 8. By faith Abraham obeyed God. Faith quickens and enables to obedience, so as without it wee can give God no obedience. Therefore Rom. 3. 3 [...] Faith stablishes the Law; because it is faith that helpes a man to performe all the obedience he performes to it. Faith is the ground of obedience thus.

1 First, a man must first beleeve what the will of God is, before hee will goe about to yeeld it any obe­dience.

2 Secondly, all obedience flowes from a mans laying hold on the co­venant of grace. In that covenant God articles with us, and binds him­selfe to enable to obedience, Ezek. 36. 27. Now this covenant must be [Page 388] laid hold on for ability and strength to obedience, before a man can obey God. It is true in obedience to every Commandement which is spoken of the fourth, Isay 56. 4. That keepe my Sabbath, and take hold of my Covenant. In the Covenant there is promised strength unto obedience; and this co­venant being taken hold on, strength to obedience is given. Now that which layes hold upon the covenant is faith, which from the covenant fetches ability to obedience.

3 Thirdly, CHRIST is the principle of all spirituall life and acti­vity, Iohn 15. 5. Phil 4. 13. Christ must first dwell in a man before hee hath strength in the inner man, Ephes. 3. 16, 17. Now all vertue to be fetcht from Christ, must be drawne out of him by faith. And he by faith dwels in us, Ephes. 3. 17. No obedience, till we have Christ effectually working in us, and quickning us by his spirit; and no Christ but by faith. By this then a man may try the truth of his [Page 389] obedience. If it be fruit comming from a root of faith, it is good fruit. I beleeved, therefore I spake, Psal. 116. So if thou canst say, I beleeve, there­fore I pray, and doe God service, Iohn 9. 38. He said, Lord I beleeve, and he worshipped him. I beleeve, there­fore I sanctifie the Lords-day, I be­leeve, and therefore I doe duties of obedience; then is thine obedience true fruit of Paradise, because it growes upon the tree of life. But if thine obedience arise from a root on­ly of morality, it is but hedge fruit.

3 Third ground of obedience, is the true love of God and Christ. In­deed obedience must not bee upon constraint; but in one sense it is by constraint, yet by the constraint of Love, 2 Cor. 5. 14. For the love of Christ constrains us. Love hath such an active power that it constraines us to obedience, not only that love which Christ beares to us, but which wee beare to him. Obedience to God must be filiall obedience, 1 Pet. 1. 14. [Page 390] As obedient children. Now the obe­dience of a son to his Father flowes from love. The love of his Father sets him on worke, to do what his fa­ther commands. The good son in the Vineyard, Mat. 21. When his Father bid him go work in his Vineyard, he at first said, I will not, but afterwards he repented, and went and wrought in the Vineyard. Now what was it that made him obey his Father: his Father promised no wages if hee would go worke, nor threatned him any evill if hee did not worke, but there was only a bare command, Mat. 21. 28. Son go work to day in my Vine­yard: here are neither wages promi­sed, nor anger threatned, and yet hee went. It was neither hope of wages, nor feare of punishment, that carried him; but meerely a sonlike love, and the dutifull affection he owed to his Father, that wrought upon his heart, and constrained him to goe, though at first he refused it. And such is true obedience unto God. Love unto God [Page 391] is the weight that sets the wheeles on going, Iohn 14. If ye love me, keepe my commandements. 1 Iohn 5. 3. This is the love of God, that we keepe his com­mandements. Try we our obedience by this. What is it that moves to obe­dience? If thou canst plainely say, as the servant, Exod. 21. 5. I love my Master, I will not goe out free; so, I love my God, I will not sweare, &c. I love my God, therfore I will yeeld him all carefull obedience. If love be the weight and the oile that makes the wheeles run, thine obedience is such as it ought to bee. But this dis­covers a great deale of false obedi­ence. Some men yeeld obedience for the love of themselves, the love of their credit. Such was the Phari­sees obedience, in their almes, pray­ers, and fastings, onely to purchase credit with men. Such is a civill mans obedience, whose obedience is only to such commandements, and onely to such branches of those comman­dements, the breach whereof would [Page 392] blemish his reputation, and blurre his credit in the world. Some yeeld obe­dience, and worke in the Vineyard for their penny, such as doe all they doe with a conceipt of binding God to them; and bringing him into their debt. Some againe yeeld some obe­dience neither for love, nor wages, but for meere feare; for feare either of the penall lawes of men which fence any commandement of God, or for feare of a greater measure of wrath in Hell. None of all these is filiall obedience rising from love: These are obedient workemen, obedient slaves, that dread the whip, but not obedient children. It is love to the Father, not wages from the Father, that is the ground of a childes obedi­ence. The sonne of a poore man that hath not a penny to give, or leave him, yeelds his father obedience as cheerfully as the sonne of a rich man, that lookes for a great inheritance. If there were no heaven, Gods children would obey him, and though no hell, [Page 393] yet would they doe their duty. So powerfully doth the love of their Fa­ther constraine them.

2 Secondly, the end of obedience that is obedience indeed, is the ho­nour and glory of God, 1 Cor. 10. Whatsoever ye doe, let all be done to the glory of God. Iohn 15. 8. Herein is my Father glorified, that yee beare much fruit. The maine end that true obe­dience propounds, is the glory of him that commands. When Christs people give him obedience, it is the setting of the crowne upon his head, what makes him more a King than obedience, Cant. 3. 11. Behold King Salomon with the Crowne wherewith his mother crowned him. Now this is the main end of right obedience, that the Crown may be set on Christs head, that it may bring him in the ho­nour of the King, the crowned King of the Church, Phil. 1. 11. Filled with the fruits of righteousnes, which are un­to the glory and praise of God. Let eve­ry man examine his owne heart, [Page 394] [...] [Page 395] [...] [Page 390] [...] [Page 391] [...] [Page 392] [...] [Page 393] [...] [Page 394] what his end is in his obedience. If wee have any other maine end but Gods glory, it makes it obedience to our end, and not to God. How many yeeld that obedience they do, not to set the Crowne on Christs head, but to set the crown upon their owne heads. So doe hypocrites that seeke their owne praise, and credit, or profit; so doe all specially that doe any thing with a conceit of meriting at Gods hand. Such obedience as hath squint respects at base and by ends, is in Gods sight as base as the ends it lookes at.

3 Thirdly, the properties of obedi­ence. And they are these:

1 First, true obedience to God must bee universall. And that in a three-fold respect.

1 In regard of the subject or per­son that yeelds obedience, he must do it with the strength of his whole man, and all the faculties thereof, Ps. 119. 4. To bee kept exceedingly. Psal. 103. 1. All that is within me. And [Page 395] thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, &c.

2 In regard of the object, and of the commandements to be obeyed. They must be all obeyed, Deut. 6. 25. Psal. 119. 128. The obedience to bee given to God, is a filiall obedience, 1 Pet. 1. 14. Now filiall obedience must be universall, Col. 3. 20. Chil­dren obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. It is not well pleasing to God, when chil­dren will obey their parents only in what they thinke good. That is to yeeld obedience upon courtesie, and not upon duty. See what a filiall obedience the sons of Ionadab gave their father, Ier. 35. 8, 10. In all that he hath charged us. According to all our father commanded. It was but an homely businesse that Kish sent Saul about all considered. Kish, a man of great substance, A mighty man of power, 1 Sam. 9. 1. And Saul his son, a choise young man, and a goodly, not a goodlier man amongst all the [Page 396] children of Israel, and yet his father sends him with one of his servants to seeke the Asses. And though it were but a meane service, yet Saul yeelds him obedience. Our obedience to God must be a child-like obedience; a childe-like obedience is universall to all commandements without ex­ceptions, dispensations, and reserva­tions. Here Saul failed, 1 Sam. 15.

3 In regard of all time. Obedience must not be for some times, nor for a time. Not for sometimes, to bee sometimes on, and sometimes off, but it must be a constant, setled, even course of obedience, that God lookes for. Some men have their fits of goodnesse, and have their good daies, as men in an ague, but are fickle and loose hearted, hold not their hearts close to God and good duties. Thus is that obedience which the Scrip­ture calls walking with God. Some take a turne or two with him, go with him three or foure steps; but that is not walking with him. Walking [Page 397] with God, implies a setled even course of obedience to him. Neither must obedience be for a time, but it must be continuall to our lives end, Luk. 1. 75. All the dayes of our lives. 2 King. 17. 37. He shall observe to doe for ever more. Phil. 2. 8. Christ became obedi­ent unto death: that is, as Beza ex­pounds it, Vnto his dying day: not onely obedient in his death: but Christs obedience as it begun at his incarnation, so it continued to his dy­ing day on the crosse.

2 Secondly, true obedience is prompt and present; ready and speedy, without shucking and hucking, with­out delayes and consults, Psal. 119. 60. I made hast, and delayed not. Mar. 1. 18. And immediately they forsooke their nets, and followed him. Zech. 5. 9. They had the wind in their wings. Wings, and wind in their wings, to note, as Iunius observes, their readi­nesse in their obedience. Thy will bee done in earth, as it is in heaven. The Angels in heaven are exceeding rea­dy, [Page 398] and speedy in their obedience, and therefore mention also is made of their wings. It was Lots fault to linger, Gen. 19. 16. There be that say they will repent, and they will re­forme their wayes. Obedience makes haste, delayes not. Where there be delayes, where there is lead in the heels, or the wings be pluckt, or clipt, where men put off obedience to the time to come, they may justly que­stion the truth of their obedience.

3 Thirdly, true obedience is free, willing, unconstrained, Psal. 110. 3. Thy people shall come willingly. Psal. 40. 8. Then I said, loe I come to doe thy will. Obedience is not [...], 2 Cor. 9. 7. nor [...], not grudgingly, or of necessity, not sad, nor forced; but Col. 3. 23. [...], and Rom. 6. 17. [...], from the soule and the heart. His commandements are not grievous, 1 Iohn 5. 3. To wicked men, the word of the Lord is a burthen, Ier. 23. 33. Cords and bonds, Psal. 2. 3. Yokes and bonds, Ier. 5. 5. Now according to all [Page 399] these things frame Articles, and In­terrogatories, and put thy conscience to examination. This in briefe may suffice for the triall of the truth of grace.

Chap. 15. The growth of grace, and our wants, examined.

CHAP. 15 THe second thing to be examined followes, the growth of our Graces. It is a point that concernes a man at all times to looke to the growth of his Grace, as that which must evidence the truth of it: for where there is no growth of Grace, there is no truth of Grace. True Grace is growing grace. There is a growing in knowledge, 2 Pet. 3. 18. A growing in wisedome, Luke 2. 40. A growing in faith, 2 Thess. 1. 3. All true grace growes. There bee counterfeit and false graces; and this is a maine thing that differences true and counterfeit ones: True grace [Page 400] growes, counterfeit grace growes not. There is a great deale of diffe­rence betweene a true Tree, and a pictured Tree, betweene a true child, and the statue or Image of a childe. A true childe growes, but the Image growes not, it is no taller nor bigger at an hundred yeeres end, than it was the first day it was made. Where there is truth of grace, there is life of grace, and life will put forth it selfe and cause a growth, as we see in li­ving Trees, and living men that are not yet come to the fulnesse of their growth, they grow because they live. And to shew that true grace growes, we shall finde in Scripture severall ages of Christianity and re­ligion, which are the severall de­grees of spirituall growth, the seve­rall degrees of the growth of a Chri­stian: ye have,

1 His conception, and the forming of him in the wombe, Gal. 4. 19.

2 His birth, 1 Peter 1. 23. 1 Peter 2. 2.

[Page 401] 3 His childe-hood, 1 Cor. 3. 1, 2. Heb. 3. 13. 1 Iohn 2. 13. His infancy.

4 His well-growne age, or youth, when he is past the spoone, 1 Iohn 2. 13. Young men.

5 His full growne age, Ephes. 4. 13. when he comes to mans estat, Heb. 5.

6 His old age. Mnason, an old Disciple, Acts 21. 16. when a man is growne a gray-headed experienced Christian, 1 Iohn 2. 13. when men be grown Fathers. Such as Psa. 92. 12, 13, 14. All to shew, that where there is grace in truth, there will be growth. And therefore it concernes us at all times to try the growth of our grace. But though at all times it concernes us to examine the growth of grace, yet in speciall manner doth it con­cerne us before we come to the Sa­crament. As the Sacrament of Bap­tisme is the Sacrament of our new birth, so is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, the Sacrament of our spirituall nutrition and growth. And therefore is this a reason why bap­tisme [Page 402] is but once; but the Supper is of­ten administred and received, because a man is born but once, but after he is borne, he stands in need to be fed of­ten for his nourishment and growth. And spirituall growth is a maine end and fruit of this Ordinance. What makes the body grow more, than the use of food, in eating and drinking? In the Supper there is provision of spirituall food to make us grow. So that in this respect I may allude to that, Zech. 9. 17. How great is his good­nes, & how great is his beauty? corn shal make the young Man grow, &c. Gods goodnesse is great in the Sacrament; he gives bread and wine, and with them, to every faithfull receiver, the Body and Bloud of his Sonne; that by the bread of his flesh, and the wine of his bloud, hee may cause Christians to grow. So that it concernes us much to examine our growth, that we may know what good our former recei­ving hath done us. It is a great helpe to our profit in receiving the Sacra­ment, [Page 403] to examine our selves how we have profited formerly. Then may we know whether we have pro­fited, when we know whether wee have growne. Such, and so much as is our growth, such and so much is our profit. And when we finde that we have profited, then may we com­fortably still expect the like blessing upon our use of the Ordinance. A man must needs go with little cheere­fulnesse to the Lords Table, when he knowes not whether he shall get any good by going, or not. That man that knowes not whether ever hee have received any good or no, by his former receiving, can have little hope of receiving any good by his future receiving. But when a man sees he is growne by the use of the Ordinance, then he must needs goe full of hope to the Ordinance. The way to know a mans growth, is ex­amination, and that by the signes of growth. And they be these:

1 First, spirituall strength. The [Page 404] more growth, the more strength in spirituall things. In nature, strength followes growth. Trees in their first beginings are weake, will bend and bowe every way, but as they grow, they grow stronger, and grow to that strength, that they are fit for Timber, and the strongest services. When a Man is new borne, and a Babe, how weake and feeble a crea­ture is he? but as he growes up, so he is stronger and stronger, and is at last fit for man-like services. So it is in spirituall growth. A man at first is weake, Rom. 14. 1. but growth brings strength. The man that growes in grace growes so strong, that he can wrestle with a spirituall enemy. A babe or a childe cannot wrestle with a Man, much lesse with a strong Man; but a growne Man, he can wrestle with a strong Man, and haply can make his part good with him, foile him, and lay him on his backe. So a growne Christian can wrestle with Powers and Principa­lities, [Page 405] Ephes. 6. with lusts and corrup­tions, and can get mastery and victo­ry over them. Yea, a Christian that is growne can wrestle with GOD himselfe, as Iacob did. Now when a man is so strong, that he can wrestle with strong ones, it is a signe that he hath growth in grace. The man that growes in grace, growes so strong, that he can beare burdens, the heavie burdens of afflictions, and of the crosse. An heavie burden laid on a childes back, would breake his back, but a growne man hath the strength to beare a great weight. Sampson could carry the Gates of Gaza upon his shoulders when he was a growne man, that would have crusht him to peeces when he was a childe. He that can beare Christs crosse in any kind, hath a proportionable measure of growth. It is then with spirituall growth and strength, as it was with Christs natural and spiritual strength, Luke 2. 40. The childe grew and waxed strong in spirit. So if we grow [Page 406] we wax strong in spirit, Pro. 24. 10. If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is but small. Small is their strength that cannot beare a scorne, a lash with the tongue, that shrink and sink at a sowre looke. As the man is, so is his strength, say they to Gideon. And as a mans strength is, so is a man; if but small strength, small growth, little strength, as little growth.

2 Secondly, a mans growth may be judged by his stomack, by his ap­petite to his spirituall food. So we see it is in nature. Young men have farre better stomacks to their meat than old men have, and the reason is, because they are growing: for where there is growth, there is a more spee­dy expence of the nourishment that is concocted; and therefore hunger in young bodies, is counted a signe of growth. Men that have done growing are hungry also; but nothing so soon hungry, nor so sharp as yong­er stomacks; because where nature is [Page 407] growing, it cals faster and sooner for a supply than where it hath done. So it is here. The man that growes in grace, hath an hungry soule, a sharpe appetite; he is never well but when he is feeding, he takes all occasions to be eating: though he have had a good meale, and have beene well satisfied, yet hee is quickly hungry againe. Though he have bin well fed on the Sunday, yet he can have a stomack to a Sermon againe, before the week goe about. Though hee have had sweet satisfaction and refreshment at the Sacrament, yet he hath a good stomack to the Sacrament againe, be­fore the moneth come about againe. Growers are hungry, and great fee­ders. If it be thus with us, we have an happy evidence of our growth. But this shewes how few grow, be­cause so little hunger after their spi­rituall food in the Word and Sacra­ment. You have many can goe fa­sting a long while together; one meale in halfe a yeare, nay, in an [Page 408] whole yeere can serve their turne, and it is enough, richly enough in con­science; what needs such adoe? It is easie to judge such a mans growth, what it is. Their birth is rather to be questioned than their growth.

3 Thirdly, growth in grace is vi­sible and sensible to others. Where grace growes, it so growes that o­thers may discerne it and see it. It is true here, as Mark 4. 26, 27. The seed should spring and grow up, hee knowes not how. We cannot see corn grow, but we can discern when it is grown. For when it is come from sprouting to the blade, from the blade to the full corne in the eare, by these seve­rall degrees it is discerned that it is growne, though wee could not see how it grew. So though we cannot discerne the growing of grace, yet we may discern when it is grown. So Luke 2. 52. It is said that our Saviour increased in wisedome before men, for it is referred to both things there spe­cified, 1 Tim. 4. 15. That thy profiting [Page 409] may appeare to all. If corne be sowne and speere in the ground; yet if it come not up and appeare above ground, wee doe not reckon that it growes. There is no man that growes in grace, but his grace will be sensi­ble in one kinde or other. A Tree that is stinted and growes not, and a Tree that growes and thrives, may bee discerned each from other by their very bark and rind, a man may distinguish them by their lookes. By a mans looks and complexion it may be discern'd that a man is growing. A mans growth is discerned by his vi­sage & by his voice. A man that hath had a sicknesse, that hath kept under his growth, so long was ill coloured ill complexioned, but if once his dis­ease bee cured, and a mans growth mends, there followes an alteration of his complexion. So is spirituall growth discerned; when a man growes in grace, there will bee an alteration of the visage, an amend­ment of the complexion. The visage [Page 410] of a man that growes, continues not the same it did before, Eccl. 8. 1. A mans wisdome makes his face to shine, and the boldnesse of his face shall bee changed. As when we have not seene some persons a long time, they grow out of our knowledge, there is such an alteration in their visage we scarce know them, they are so altered by their growth, that they looke no­thing like the men they were wont to doe: so in this case, a mans visage and outward carriage, strangely al­ters where the soul growes in grace: the outward behaviour of a mans life so changes, that a man knowes him not by his former lookes. It may be a mans behaviour was covetous, earthly, carnall, but if a man once grow in grace, he is growne cleane to another kind of behaviour. That look as it is said of Christ, Luke 9. 53. They saw what he was by his face; so may a growing Christian be discer­ned by his face: the life of such a man hath another kinde of face, and of [Page 411] lookes with it, so as his old acquain­tance wonder at it, 1 Pet. 4. 4. Thus also is growth in grace sensible by the alteration of the voice. When one growes towards mans estate, his voice alters and changes, he speakes no longer like a childe, but he begins to have a big and a man-like voice, 1 Cor. 13. 11. When I was a childe, I spake as a childe, but when I became as a man, I spake as a man; which is true, not onely of the subject, but of the sound of a mans speech. So the growth of a Christian in grace, is sen­sible by the alteration and change of his voice. Even in this sense it is true, though spoken in another, that they that beleeve shall speake with new tongues, Marke 16. 17. The vaine, frothy, earthly tongue is gone: hee speakes not vainly, foolishly, so chil­dren doe; but he speakes profitably, to edification, Iohn 3. 31. He that is of the earth, is of the earth, and he speakes of the earth. 1 Iohn 4. 5. They are of the world, therefore speak they of the world. [Page 412] Here is an old tongue. But Psal. 37. 30. The mouth of the righteous speakes wisdome, and his tongue talkes of judge­ment. Prov. 31. 26. She openeth her mouth with wisdome, and in her tongue is the law of grace. Col. 4. 6. Let your speech be alwayes with grace. Ephes. 4. 29. That it may minister grace to the hearers. Here is a new tongue: here is a change of the voice, and a signe of growth. Looke then upon thine owne complexion, thou shalt see by it, whether thou hast grown in grace by thy former receiving the Sacra­ment, Dan. 1. 12, 13, 15. Give thy ser­vants pulse to eat, and water to drinke. Then let our countenances be lookt upon,—And their countenances appeared fai­rer and fatter in flesh than all the chil­dren, &c. By the looking upon Da­niels countenance and the rest, it ap­peared that they thrived and prospe­red with their pulse and water. So much more by mens countenances, carriages, and behaviours, if they be looked upon, whether they thrive, [Page 413] and grow with their Sacramentall food formerly received. But mens old visages, and ill-favoured com­plexions, are ill signes how little growth there is. With too many it is as with Pharaohs seven ill-favoured Kine, they ate up the well-favoured, and the fat, but were still as ill-favou­red as before. Many come to the Sacrament after Sacrament, and eat and drinke at the Lords Table, but what alteration in their lives? Are not their lives as ill-favoured still as before. Listen to their voices, and as little change shall you finde there, as in their lives. Thus may we examine the growth of grace in generall. But besides this, there must be a speciall examination of the growth of the grace of faith: and that may briefly be thus discerned. A growne faith is a great faith, O Woman, great is thy faith, Mat. 15. Great faith is seene:

1 First, not only in obedience, but in great obedience. Great faith does great workes of obedience. It was a [Page 414] great worke of Abraham, to sacrifice his son. No wonder he did it, who was a man of so great faith as he hath the honour to bee the father of the faithfull, I am. 2. 5. Rich in faith. 1 Tim. 6. 18. Rich in good workes. It is a signe that a man is Rich in faith, when rich in good workes. A poverty or beg­gery in good workes cannot stand with a riches in faith.

2 Secondly, in great victories and conquests over great lusts, where corruptions and lusts are strong, and get head, faith is little, Mat. 6. 30, 31. Mat. 16. 8. O ye of little faith. But where faith growes great, it fetches downe the greatest lust, the most ra­dicated corruptions. As faith of mi­racles, a graine of it removes Moun­taines, Mat. 17. 19, 20. Plucks up trees by the roots, Luke 17. 6. So much more doth justifying faith, when growne and great. Many talke of a great faith, yet cannot remove Mole­hils, nor pluck up small twigs. Many will sweare by their faith; how swea­ring [Page 415] and beleeving will stand toge­ther, I leave it to them to scanne. I but this is (they will say) a small mat­ter, a matter of nothing to sweare by a mans faith. The smaller a matter it is, the greater evidence that such have not a great faith; because that would get great victories over great evils, therefore much more over small ones. It is no great faith that cannot remove so small a Mole-hill, that cannot pluck up so small a twig.

3 Thirdly, In this, that it can and will beleeve on God, as a man may say with reverence, whether God will or no. It will beleeve in an an­gry God, in a killing God, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. It will beleeve in a forsaking God, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why hast thou forsaken me, and yet my God. It will not bee beaten off, not damped, nor discouraged with silence, nor with sad answers, Matth. 15. 28. O woman, great is thy faith. A signe it was great, or else such great [Page 410] [...] [Page 411] [...] [Page 412] [...] [Page 413] [...] [Page 414] [...] [Page 415] [...] [Page 416] discouragements had overcome it.

4 Fourthly, great confidence and strength of heart in the midst of dan­gers and feares, Psal. 112. 7. Hee shall not be afraid of evill tydings, why so? His heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. A fixed heart in such a case a signe of great faith. Much feare is an argu­ment of little faith, Mat. 8. 26. Why are ye so fearefull, O ye of little faith? Had they not reason to be fearefull? It was a great danger they were in, Vers. 24, 25. True, but yet if they had had great faith, they would have had great courage and confidence in that great danger. For faith foresees dan­gers, hath a quick eye to discerne a storme before it comes, and so gives a man the liberty of himselfe to pro­vide against the worst, and so that errour is taken off which suddennesse brings with it. And besides, when a danger is come, faith doth as the bloud of the body doth in time of feare, it gets to the heart, and succours and strengthens it, Iohn 14. 1. Let not [Page 417] your heart bee troubled, yee beleeve in God, beleeve also in me. Great faith is full of great quiet, great comfort, great courage, and confidence in the middest of great feares and dangers. Thus in briefe may a man know the growth of faith. But if a man can­not finde his faith so growne, yet is it no barre to his accesse to the Ordi­nance. If a man find his faith weak, yet may he come, yet must he come that hee may helpe it hereby in its growth. But the more our faith is growne, the more comfort shall we have in comming, and the more be­nefit shall wee carry away with us Optima disposi­tio ad Sacra­mentum Eucha­ristiae est, non nisi ea qua pessi­me es dispositus, & e contra tunc pessime es dispo­situs, quando ap­tissime. Quod sic intelligitur, quod quando sentis te miserri­mum & egenum gratia, jam co ipso capax es gratiae, & ido­neus maxime. Luther. from the Sacrament.

3 The third thing, wherein our ex­amination must be, is our wants. A speciall end of our comming to the Sacrament, is to have our spirituall wants supplied. If we will have our wants supplied, we must come pur­posely with that intention. We can­not do that unlesse we know distinct­ly and directly what our wants are. [Page 418] We cannot know what our wants of grace are, unlesse we looke into our soules by examination. Wee should doe in this case, as we see such doe as go or send to market: at the market there is a supply to be had of all the wants of the family; if there want bread, if there want food, if any other houshold necessaries be wanting, they are to be had at the market; there­fore when any is to be sent or to goe to the market, there is an inquiry what is wanting in the house. Is there bread or bread-corne enough in the house? Is there not such and such a necessary wanting? do you not need such a provision into the house? So when we are to go to the Lords Ta­ble should we doe with our selves. The wants of the soule are not a few. There is nothing that the soule can want or wish, but it may bee had aboundantly in Christ, and in him in his Ordinance. Now therefore should the soule before the Sacra­ment bee inquisitive into its owne [Page 419] wants. Say to thy soule, I am now going to the Sacrament, there is abundance of spirituall commodity to bee had, now then what is it that thou wantest? Doest thou not want assurance of thy pardon? Doest thou not want strength of faith? Doest thou not want power against such a speciall lust that hath haunted thee, and pester'd thee a great while? Do­est thou not want some healing ver­tue to staunch some bloudy issue? Doest thou not need some quickning in thy spirit? Thus labour to search and find out what be the wants of thy soule, and what be thy particular ne­cessities.

In the Sacrament of the Lords Supper wee goe to CHRIST IESVS to have him helpe us in our wants and necessities. Now CHRIST IESVS will first have us know our wants, and be particu­larly sensible of them, before he will supply them. Hee councels the Church of Laodicea, to buy of him [Page 420] gold, raiment, eye salve, Apocal. 3. 18. But first hee convinces her of her wants, of her poverty, na­kednesse, and blindnesse, that shee comming to him in a particular sense of those wants, and making that her errand to him, shee may have them supplied. It was, one would thinke, a strange question, that our Saviour put to that man, Iohn 5. 6. Wilt thou bee made whole? was there any question to be made of it, whe­ther that a man that had beene sicke eight and thirty yeeres would be wil­ling to be made whole? It is sure he desired nothing more: why then doth Christ aske him that question? purposely to affect him with the sense of his want, to make him the more sensible of his necessity. So will Christ have men affected with the sense of their wants, that would have a supply of their wants from him. It will not serve a mans turne in the generall, to know he wants be­nefit from Christ, but he will have [Page 421] a man in particular be sensible of that speciall want wherein he would have his helpe. That is a remarkable place to this purpose, Luke 18. 35, 36. The blinde man hearing that Christ past by, he cries out, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David, and hee cries so againe, Vers. 39. At last Christ cals him to him, Vers. 40, 41. and said, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? Did not Christ see he was blinde, and did not hee know what mercy it was he beg'd? Yes questi­onlesse. But yet he would first have him particularize his wants, and in what particular it was he would have him shew him mercy, before hee would doe it. Have mercy on mee, was a general suit; many wayes might mercy be shewed: therefore Christ presses him to instance in his particu­lar want, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? what is the particular mer­cy thou standest in need of, that thou wouldest have me help thee withall? and then followes his answer, Lord [Page 422] that I may receive my sight; Lord, I am blinde in this particular, I have need of thee to open mine eyes. And then Christ saith, Receive thy sight. And he received his sight. They then that come to Christ to receive any thing from him with a sense of the want of that they would receive, they are they that are like to speed in their receiving, what they desire to have from Christ. I doubt whether hee should have had that mercy, if he had only still beg'd for mercy in gene­rall; but when once he comes with a particular sense of his want, then hee findes Christ ready to helpe him. It must be thus with us when we come to the Sacrament, if ever we will have good by it. Many they come that they may receive good by it, but doe not pitch upon such particu­lar good as they need, and all be­cause they know not what particular good from Christ they want: and that is not knowne for want of exa­mination. There is nothing more [Page 423] prejudiciall to mens benefit by the Sacrament than this one thing, that men before they come doe not finde out their wants, and so in the sense of them seek to Christ in his Ordinance. They comming without the sense of any particular want, they come with­out the desire of any particular grace or benefit from Christ. And com­ming without desire, goe as they come. As our Saviour speakes to his Disciples, Luke 22. 35. When I sent you without purse, &c. lacked ye any thing? And they said, nothing. So if a man should aske many, When ye went to the Sacrament, lacked ye any thing? did you want any thing in your own par­ticular feeling? they may answer, no­thing. And what received they then? just as much as they lacked, just no­thing. Therefore it should be a mans wisdome, so to examine his owne wants, that if Christ should say to him when he is come to the Sacrament, what is it that thou wouldest I should doe for thee? thou mightest be able [Page 424] out of a privity to thine own wants, upon examination to answer, Lord that my pardon might bee sealed, Lord, that I may receive the vertue of thy death, that such a rebellious lust might be mortified, Lord, that I may receive thy Spirit, that mine un­cleane heart might be sanctified, that I might bee enabled with more strength to performe such a duty, &c. And Lord, upon this very errand, and for this end doe I come now to thee in thine Ordinance, to have help in this or that particular from thee. If once we could come thus with the sight of our wants to receive, then would Christ answer, and say, Re­ceive the mercies thou feelest the want of, receive my Spirit, receive power against thy lusts, receive strength to obedience. They that come for they know not what, goe even away with they know not what.

Chap. 16. Habituall graces to be quickned and renewed, before the receiving of the Sacrament.

CHAP. 16 THus have wee seene the second thing, in which actuall preparati­on stands, namely, examination. The third thing followes, and that is the quickning and renewing of our habitu­all graces. That which S. Paul wish­es Timothy to doe, and which is need­full for Christians to do at all times, is of speciall use, and needfull to be done before the Sacrament, namely that 2 Tim. 1. 6. I put thee in remem­brance, that thou stirre up the gift, or grace of God that is in thee, that thou blow up, and cause to kindle, the grace of God. Fire that lyes raked up in the ashes, here and there a coale, wil not on a sudden kindle and burne out into a flame, but if a man before-hand [Page 426] gather the coales together, and lay on some small sticks, and blow those coales, and kindle those sticks, then when a man will, hee adding more fuell, he may have it burne and flame out as he please. At the Sacrament a man would be willing to have all his graces up in a burning flame; now that will not be done on a sud­den, but if before the Sacrament we lay these coales together, and bee blowing them, and kindling them with some fuell in private, then when we come at the Sacrament, they will the easier and sooner flame out. Now the graces specially to be quickned, and renewed, are faith and repentance.

1 First, it is not enough for a man that he have faith, but if a man will come in due order, he must before his comming, quicken, awaken, and stir up, and renew his faith. Though a man have faith, yet if he come with his faith halfe asleepe, he comes not in due Order. A man that is sleepy and drowsie, is a true man, but yet he [Page 427] is an unfit man to be implyed in a businesse of weight, wherein he had need to have his wits about him, in a businesse that will require the activity of all his parts and faculties. A faith that is drowsie, and halfe asleepe, is haply a true faith, but yet is not a fit faith to come to the Sacra­ment, it being a businesse that re­quires all the livelinesse and activity that possibly faith can have. A man that would have a good stomack to his meat, and have his meat doe him good, will a little before his meat use some exercise which may awaken his spirits, and stirre up his naturall heate: he hath life in his body before, and heat in his body before, but yet if a little stirring and exercise be used before meat, it raises a mans spirits, prepares for, and helpes digestion, and a mans meat does him a great deale the more good. So in this case some exercising of faith, and setting it on worke before the Sacrament, would bring warmth and heate into [Page 428] it, and would sweetely prepare it to worke the more kindely at the Sacra­ment, and so would the Sacrament doe a mans soule much the more good. The Physicians say, that a breakfast moderately and Seasonably taken, gets a man the better stomacke to his dinner, because thereby a mans naturall heat is awakened, and the spirits raised, and so the better way prepared for concoction. Doe so here, take a breakfast before this feast, set Faith a feeding on some promise or other, and so whet and provoke the appetite of thy faith. A man that is to run a Race, will not put off all to the very point of running, then would he be so pursie and breathlesse that hee would run to little purpose, but because he would be sure to have his wind and legs at command in his Race, he will for many dayes toge­ther bee exercising himselfe before the day of his Race, he will run so much one day, so long another, and so will be every day breathing him­selfe, [Page 429] that when he comes to run, he may have wind at will, and neither legs nor lungs may faile him. So, be­fore the Sacrament, it is good to be exercising our faith, that it may be in breath, and fit to performe its office when at the Sacrament. A faith un­exercised before, will prove pursey and short winded, when it should do the main busines at the Sacrament.

Quest. But how should a man thus exercise and quicken his faith, before he comes to the Sacrament.

Ans. Take some of the promises and set thy faith on worke upon them. Thou commest to the Sacrament to eat Christ. Before thou commest to eat him at his Table, first labour to taste him in chewing some promise; and that taste gotten of him in the chewing of a promise, would sweet­ly prepare faith to the eating of him in the Supper: we shall conceive it the better by some instance. God com­mands us to come to Christ, Come, for Luke 14. 17. al things are ready. We have not only a [Page 430] com­mandement which yet might have sufficed, but wee have a promise, Ioh. 6. 37. Him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out, that is, I will with all hearty welcome, imbrace, and receive him that comes unto me, that beleeves in me. Why then I see, that come and welcome. He that bids me, if I come at his bidding, he will bid me welcome. Doth my soule doubt of it? Why then doe but consider what Christ is now, by what he was when on earth. I finde in the Gospell that the poorest and meanest that were might come unto him. I see Matth. 21. 14. That the lame and the blinde came unto him; they came, and they were welcome, They came unto him, and he healed them. I see then if I come to him, I shall finde him an healing Christ. And how much doth my soule need healing? I see, Mat. 8. 2, 3. that a Leper comes, a foule uncleane Leper, and yet he is not loathed for his leaprosie, neither doth Christ check him, and bid him keepe off, but [Page 431] he was welcome to, and had his le­prosie cleansed. I never find Christ displeased with any for comming to him, never finde him complaining of any for comming. I see none refused or forbidden comming unto him. I heare him complaining, that men did not, would not come unto him, Iohn 5. 40. And ye will not come unto mee. I finde him displeased with his Dis­ciples, for forbidding little ones to come unto him, Mark 10. 13, 14. and V. 16. Suffer little children to come, yea and he imbraces and blesses them. Then I see Christ barres none from com­ming. My conscience discourages me, and tels me, If I were so holy as such a man, &c. then I might come. But what wilt thou that hast beene such a sinner doe going? Well, but I see the lame, the blinde, yea, the Lepers were admitted with wel­come. What then though I bee a Leper; yet since he bids mee come, and promises to bid me welcome, I will go to him, Lord Christ I will come [Page 432] to thee. What ever I have beene, I have beene but a prodigall, and I see prodigals shall be welcome if they come. The Prodigall leaves his Fathers house, runs riot, wastes all, and be­ing pincht with hunger, bethinkes himselfe of his Fathers house, I will, sayes he, goe unto my Father, &c. Go to his Father: alas, what should such an one that hath run his race do go­ing to his Father? with what heart or hope, with what face and fore­head, could he come into his Fathers fight? but yet he arose and came to his Father, Luke 15. 20. And what fol­lowed, But when hee was yet a great way off, his Father saw him, and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck, and kissed him. Behold, O my soule, the unconceiveable readinesse and uncredible forwardnesse of the Lord to welcome and receive a comming, a beleeving sinner.

1 First, I see that his Father sees him first, yea, before he sees his Fa­ther. No sooner doth a man thinke [Page 433] upon looking towards God, but God lookes towards him. How great is the Fathers desire towards his son! It is said, that after Absoloms three yeeres exile, that Ioab perceived that the Kings heart was towards Absalom, 2 Kings 14. 1. Thus seemes this Fa­thers heart to be towards his sonne, yea, that his desire such, as if he sate in some higher place, watching to see when he should come, that he might no sooner bee within ken, but hee might spie him, according to that, Iohn 30. 18. The Lord will wait, that he may be gracious unto you. I see then the Lord stands waiting and watch­ing, that we can no sooner be upon our way to come, but he sees and spies us to bid us welcome.

2 Secondly, I see that he saw him whilest he was yet a great way off. He was but yet in the beginning of his way in comming. His Father might have let him alone till he had beene come quite home to his house, and it had beene singular mercy to have [Page 434] welcomed him then. But it is done whilest he is yet a great way off. Is the Lord thus ready to welcome mee, when yet a great way off, what will he be if I be come neere to him. Certain­ly, the Lord that will draw nigh to such, as yet, a great way off, will much more draw nigh to those that draw nigh to him.

3 Thirdly, I see his Father had compassion on him, I see his bowels yerne, worke, and stir within him at the sight of his sonne, at the sight of him afarre off. Gods bowels yerne within him, towards a beleeving re­penting sinner. It is said of that Har­lot, 1 Kings 3. 26. That her bowels yearned, or were hot upon her son. So when the Lord sees a sinner come to him, his bowels wax hot, and yerne within him, Ier. 31. 18. 20. Therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy upon him. God hath not only mercy, but bowels of mer­cy, Luke 1. 78. And these bowels be sounding bowels, or a multitude of bow­els, [Page 435] Isay 63. 15. He delights in loving kindnesse, Ier. 9. 24. And he pardons sin, because mercy pleases him, Mic. 7. 18.

4 Fourthly, I see that his Father ran. How rich and aboundant mer­cy had it beene in his Father, to have stood still till he had come at him; but what mercy is this that he will goe towards him, and give him a meeting. Oh mercy, that his Father ran not from him; but what mercy call you this, that his Father runs to him? If hee would needs goe meet him, why might it not have served the turne, to have walked towards him with a softly and grave pace! No, no: I see that serves not the Lords turne. When a sinner comes to the Lord, mercy not only comes, and goes a foot-pace, but mercy runs. Mercy comes upon the wings. Gods rowling bowels sets his feet on running. That as David speakes of Gods readinesse to helpe him, when he called upon him in his danger, Psal. 18. 6. 9. 10. [Page 436] He rode upon a Cherub, and did flye, yea, he did flye upon the wings of the winde. So when a sinner comes to God, mercy comes to him; not walking, but running, not on foot, but riding, riding on the wings of the wind. That looke as Gabriel came with an answer to Daniels prayers, Dan. 9. 21. Hee being caused to flye swiftly, or with wearinesse of flight; he not only came, but came flying; not only flying, but flying swiftly; yea, so swiftly, as hee had wearied himselfe with the swift­nesse of his flight to make haste. So comes mercy to a man comming to Christ; it is caused to flye swiftly, with wearinesse of flight. The Father ran: mercy comes full speed. Nay, what a difference doe I see, betweene the offending son, and the offended Father! The sons pace is, He arose, and came; he came walking on towards his Fa­ther. The Fathers pace is, And hee ran. The son most needed to have run, his belly was pincht with hun­ger; yet he onely walkes, but the Fa­ther [Page 437] runnes. Bowels troubled with mercy, out-pace bowels pinched with hunger. God, I see then, makes more haste to shew mercy, than we make to receive mercy. Whilest we doe but go towards him, he runs to­wards us. Whilest misery goes but a walking, mercy comes a running pace. God, who is slow to anger, Psal. 103. 8. is swift to mercy. He ran. And why then, O my soule, shouldest thou bee slow of heart to beleeve? up, and run to him, that will come run­ning with his mercy, and his Christ to thee.

5 Fifthly, I see him falling upon his neck: And fell on his neck; that is, he hugged, and imbraced him. How! Fell upon his necke, and imbraced him! Who would not have beene loth to have toucht him? yea, to have come neere him? Is he not in his loathsome stinking rags? Smels he not of the Swine he kept? Could a man come neere him, without stop­ping his nose? Would not a man be [Page 438] ready to lay up his stomack, upon such an imbracement? Certainly, a sinner is a loathsome verminous per­son, not onely clothed in rags, but in stinking and vile rags, Isay 64. 6. All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. What then are our unrighteousnesses? What loathsome rags are they? And yet let a sinner come to the Lord, and the Lord will fall upon his neck, will hug him, and imbrace him. Isaac smelt the savour of Iacobs raiment, and he blessed him, Gen. 27. 27. That was a sweet savour. The smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed: no wonder that Isaac blesses him. But here is one in such an unsavoury pickle, that when his Father should smell the savour of his garments, one would have thought he should have cursed him, because his smell was as the smell of a Swine, as the smell of a Gaole. But yet for all that his Father claspes him in his armes, and blesses him with an hear­ty welcome. Mercy then, I see, is [Page 439] not squeamish, is not nice, and dain­ty, but let a sinner have beene what he will, let him be as filthy, as unsa­vory as he can; yet if once he loath himselfe, God will not loath him; if hee once come to God, God will claspe him with the armes of mercy. The Prodigall comes to his Father, with the savour, and in the habit of a loathsome rogue, and yet his Father fals upon his neck. O the stupendi­ous and astonishing mercies, and goodnesse of God, to a sinner that comes unto him. And will God thus imbrace a Prodigall in his loath­some rags, and will he not imbrace him much more afterwards, when he hath put the best robe upon him? Oh the welcome then that they shall finde with God, that have put on Christ, and are clothed with the sweet smelling garment of their el­der brother, that have the whole rai­ment of Christs righteousnesse upon them!

6 Sixthly, but yet behold a grea­ter [Page 440] wonder than all the rest. I see him kissing his son. And he kissed him. Who could have brooked to have imbra­ced a person in so filthy a pickle; much more, who could have broo­ked to have kissed such an one? What! kisse those lips that had beene lately lapping in the Hogs trough! Kisse those lips that had so often kissed those base and baggage Harlots of his! Kisse him! A man would have thought he should rather have kickt him, than have kist him: and yet his Father kisses him. There is a passage somewhat like this, Gen. 33. 4. Esau ran to meet Iacob, and embraced him, and fell upon his neck, and kissed him. A strange, and a wonderfull thing, that he that had threatned to kill him, and came now upon that errand, to kill him and all his, that his heart should so strangely bee altered by God, that killing should be turned into kissing. It was very strange that Esau should kisse Iacob; but it is more strange here, that this Father should [Page 441] kisse this Prodigall. It is an obser­vable thing in that place, Gen. 33. 4. That over that word kissed, in the Hebrew Text, there be set three ex­traordinary pricks, or markes, to put the Reader in minde, that he should observe this matter well, as a very strang thing. Now how much more might three such pricks, nay three times three such markes be set over this word here, He kissed him! Here is a matter of greater wonder, worthy greater observation, that such a Fa­ther should kisse such a son, in such a filthy pickle. It had beene much if he might have kist his Fathers hand, but he gives him not his hand, but his mouth to kisse. Was it not much that Christ would suffer that sinfull woman, Luke 7. who had defiled her lips w^th many an adulterous kisse, to kisse his feet; but Christ gives not his feet, but his mouth, his lips, to be kissed by beleeving, repenting sin­ners, Cant. 1. 1. Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth. Behold then [Page 442] the ineffable goodnesse of God to all that come to him. Though this son a Prodigall, yet his Father kisses him, gives him a kisse, the seale and pledge of his pardon and remission. See then, oh my soule, what here is to excite and stir up thy faith, and to quicken it mightily. Behold, God hath an eye of mercy, he sees a farre off. Hee hath bowels of mercy; Hee had compassion. Hee hath feet of mercy; He ran to him. He hath armes of mer­cy; He fell upon him, and imbraced him. He hath lips of mercy; And he kissed him. Wouldest thou not come to God, if he would looke upon thee? He will see thee whilest yet a great way off. Wouldest thou not come, if God will compassionate thee? He will draw forth the bow­els of his compassions to thee. Wouldest thou not come to him, if he would meet thee? Behold, he will run to meet thee. Wouldest thou not come, if God would imbrace thee? Loe, he will fail upon thee, and claspe [Page 443] thee in the armes of his mercy. Woul­dest thou not come if he would par­don thee? He will seale thy pardon with a kisse. Oh my soule, up, come to Christ, receive and imbrace him without any more adoe. Thus by considering GODS promises, and weighing his sweet mercies in Christ, faith cannot but receive much life and quickning. So may a man doe with other like places, and with pro­mises, whereof the Word is full. This shall suffice for instance to di­rect us, and let us see how much the consideration of the promises would conduce to the quickning of our faith.

2 Secondly, it is not enough for a man to have repented in his first con­version, nor to have it renewed it up­on some sin since fallen into; but it is required that before the Sacrament, there be alwayes a fresh renewing of repentance. So oft as the Priests went into the Tabernacle, they washt their hands and their feet, at every fresh [Page 444] entrance, a fresh washing, Exod. 40. 31, 32. When they went into the Tent of the Congregation, and when they came neere unto the Altar, they wash­ed, as the Lord commanded Moses. So must it be here, there must be a fresh washing in the laver of repentance, before the receiving of the Sacra­ment. And that upon these reasons:

1 First, though wee bee well washed before one Sacrament, yet before another it is a great deale of soile that our soules gather. Though wee wash our hands well this mor­ning, yet because a man is medling with this businesse, and medling with that worke, it cannot bee but his hands will bee sullied before next morning againe. Men have many occasions of businesse in the world, meet with many snares and tentations, have many slips, and treadings awry, and so contracting fresh pollutions there is need of fresh purgations. Wee desire at the Sa­crament to have CHRIST make [Page 445] a fresh entrance into our hearts, therefore there must bee a fresh trimming and dressing up of the house; as when wee looke for ghests, though our houses bee tol­learably handsome already, yet we doe afresh dresse up our houses for their entertainment, and make them more than ordinarily hand­some; every roome is swept, wash­ed, rubbed, strewed, and garnished. How much more should there be a fresh trimming, and dressing up of the roomes of our hearts, for the entertainment of so glorious a ghest as the LORD CHRIST is. Looke as it is said of Sathan in his kinde, Mat. 12. 44, 45. That when he findes his house swept, and garnished, then hee enters and dwels there; so it is true of the LORD CHRIST in his kinde, that when he findes his house swept and garnished, then he enters and dwels there. He will not enter into, nor dwell in a sluttish undrest heart. Repentance renewed before the Sa­crament, [Page 446] it sweeps and garnishes the heart, and so fits it for Christs entrance. The entertainment wee should give the Saints of God, should be much more given to Christ himselfe. How should the Saints of God be enter­tained? see 3 Iohn 6. [...], Deo convenienter, sayes Beza. It is a phrase hard to be englished, Agreeably to God, as one would say. Christ is God, blessed for ever; and therefore when we entertaine him, we must enter­taine him [...], with such en­tertainment as beseemes God. Then wee doe so entertaine him when the heart is swept and garnished. That is done by the fresh renewing of our repentance, when we come to receive him in the Sacrament.

2 Secondly, when wee come to receive the Sacrament, wee come to renew our acquaintance with the Lord. Now what it is that helpes to bring us into acquaintance, the re­newing of that must renew our ac­quaintance. What is it that helpes [Page 447] bring us into acquaintance with God? see Iob 22. 21. 23. Acquaint now thy selfe with him. If thou returne to the Almighty. Repentance a great meanes of acquaintance with God, and so renewing of repentance a great meanes to renew acquaintance with God. Since therefore in the Sacra­ment there is a renewing and a re­freshing of our acquaintance with God, there must necessarily be a re­newing of our repentance before the Sacrament.

3 Thirdly, the Scriptures speake of a sealing with the holy Ghost, 2 Cor. 1. 22. Ephes. 1. 13. Ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, and Ephes. 4. 30. Now as in Courts, there be some dayes that are called Sealing-dayes; so there be some speciall sealing-times and sealing-dayes in this kinde. Sa­craments are seales, Rom. 4. 11. And Sacrament dayes are the sealing dayes of the Court of Heaven. So that when a man comes to the Sacrament he comes to be sealed. And therefore [Page 448] in this regard there must be a renew­ing of repentance before the recei­ving of the Sacrament. Otherwise a man is not sealeable, not capable of the seale and the impression of it. Hard wax will not receive the print of the seale. Before we put the seale to the wax, wee first melt the wax, or warme, and so soften it at the fire, and so prepare it for a capacity of the seales impression. So when the heart is melted and is softned, then it is fit to take the seale of the Spirit in the use of the seale in the Sacrament. Now the renewing of repentance before the Sacrament, is a melting, a warming, and a softning of the heart, and a fitting it for the seale. So needfull then and requisite, as the melting or softning of the wax is before sealing, so needfull is the renewing of repentance before the Sacrament. Many come to the Sa­crament, and there is no print or im­pression made in their heart, there is no appearance of any seale; let such [Page 449] consider whether they did not neg­lect the softning of their hearts by not renewing their repentance.

Quest. Wherein stands this re­newing of repentance?

Ans. 1. First, in a fresh examina­tion of our hearts, to finde out our sinnes and corruptions. We saw be­fore, that we must examine our gra­ces, but that is not all, there must bee an examination of our selves for our sins. That Lam. 3. 40. Let us search and try our wayes, is to be done in our renewed repentance before the Sa­crament. Better we our selves search and make inquiry, before we goe to the Sacrament, than God should in­quire after our iniquities, and make a search after our sins at the Sacra­ment. Iob complaines, Iob 10. 6. That God enquired after his iniquity, and searched after his sin. That is a sore thing. We can looke for no better at the Sacrament, if we have not done it before we come thither.

2 Secondly, in a solemne confes­sion [Page 450] of sin, with deepe humiliation for them. This confession, let it be full, and bring out thy sins, as they tooke the Vessels of the Temple, Ezra 8. 34. By number and by weight. By number first. Charge thy selfe im­partially with all the sins thou canst recall. So let thy confession be full in regard of enumeration, Lev. 16. 21. All their iniquities, all their transgres­sions. Then by weight; so let thy confessions be full in regard of aggra­vation, make them as great and as foule in their natures and circumstan­ces as thou canst, Psal. 25. 11. Psa. 40. 12. 2 Sam. 24. 10. And thus haply may we understand that place, Levit 16. 21. He shall confesse all their ini­quities, and all their transgressions in all their sins: not only their sins, but all their transgressions in their sinnes; that is, hee shall not onely confesse their sins, but he shall aggravate their sins, by laying open how many trans­gressions were wrapped up in their severall sinnes, and how many trans­gressions [Page 451] were in the severall circum­stances of their sins. The laden soul is called to come to Christ, is promised ease and refreshment: and this pro­mise is made good in the use of the Sacrament. As therefore we would bee in the number of those whom Christ cals, and to whom he promi­ses ease and refreshment; yea, as we would have this ease and refresh­ment in the Sacrament, so come with laden soules as much as we can. The heavier and the weightier wee make our sins in our confessions, the likeli­er they are to lade us. And let thy confessions be with deepe humiliati­on; let them bee dolorous confessions with griefe and sorrow for sin, and from a sight and sense of it. Labour to see and feele thy sin, and sight and sense of it will worke sorrow for it. Sight helpes to sorrow. As in that case, Lam. 3. 51. Mine eye affects mine heart: so is it true in the sight of sin: the eye that sees sin affects the heart, feeling of sin helpes to sorrow. The [Page 452] weight of it felt, will bring the heart to sorrow in confession. Davids con­fession was with sorrow, Psal. 38. 18. I will declare, that is, confesse mine iniquity. But how shall his confession be qualified? I will be sorry for my sin. How comes he by his sorrow? Sure­ly by that, Vers. 4. For mine iniqui­ties are gone over mine head, as an heavie burthen; they are too heavie for me. What can make the heart more hea­vie than when it feeles the heavinesse and weight of sin? So should a man carry himselfe in his confession be­fore the Sacrament, as Ephraim did in that confession of his, Ier. 31. 18. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning him­selfe. Make thy confessions before the Sacrament, bemoaning confessi­ons. Let our confessions be ever so long and so large, ever so exact and particular, yet if done without sor­row, it is but an historicall confession. It is all one, as if a man should come and tell God a Story, or a long Tale of his sins. God doth not require [Page 453] our confessions before the Sacra­ment, to tell him that which hee knowes not; he knowes our sins bet­ter than our selves, but that in our confessions wee should have our hearts sorrowfully affected for them. Be sure therefore before thou come to the Sacrament, to renew thy re­pentance in confession: one sweet ad­vantage shalt thou have by it amongst others, and that is this; Our selfe-ac­cusations in our confessions will be a prevention, and a disappointment of Satans accusations against us. The Divell, even at the Sacrament, will bee laying in against us; it is good therefore to take a course to defeat him. He will be pleading against a man, Lord, shall this man be welcome to thy Table? Shall he receive the benefit of thine Ordinance? He hath done thus and thus; I can lay to his charge these and these sins. Thus by his accusations will he seek to put in a bar against a blessing upon us. Now when a man before the Sacrament [Page 454] renewes his repentance, and hath in his confessions brought in the accu­sations Praeventus Dia­bolus in accusa­tione, ultra nos accusare non po­terit. Et si ipsi nostri simus ac­cusatores proficit nobis ad salu­tem, si vero ex­pectemus ut a Diabolo accuse­mur, accusatio illa nobis cedit ad poenam. Orig. Hom. 3. in Levit. against himselfe, Satan is pre­vented: for then wee doe, as I may say, furnish the Lord with an answer to stop Satans mouth: for then will the Lord be ready to answer for us, Why Satan, thou accusest this man of nothing, whereof he hath not al­ready, to the full, accused himselfe; he himselfe hath accused himselfe of all this already. Thou commest too late, all thine accusations shall be no barre to my blessing. The elder bro­thers nose swels at his Fathers kind­nesse and goodnesse to his prodigall brother, and therefore Luke 15. 30. He rips up all his courses, and throws the filth of them in his face, that hee was one that had devoured his Fa­thers living, and had spent it among Harlots. And this hee doth now whilest they are at the Feast, at the fatted Calfe, and good cheere. Yet all this doth the prodigall no hurt, the musick ceases not, the Feast is not [Page 455] broken off, nor he thrust out of dores againe. And how comes it about that all this did him no hurt? Because the prodigall had prevented his bro­ther, he himselfe had accused him­selfe to the full in his confessions, when he came to his Father: and so by his owne confession, had tooke out the sting and poison of his bro­thers malicious accusation. So that his brother comes too late now, the Feast and the merriment goe on ne­verthelesse. So will the Divell bee snarling against, and picking quar­rels against men, even in the Feast time; but he comes too late to doe them hurt, if they themselves have first put in the bils of their owne in­ditements against themselves in their confessions before their comming to the Sacrament.

3 Thirdly, in judging and con­demneing our selves. The duty instan­ced in S. Paul, 1 Cor. 11. especially in judging our selves unworthy the fa­vour and honour of comming to the [Page 456] Lords Table. Lord, I am not worthy, sayes the Centurion, that thou shouldest come under my roofe. So should we acknowledge our utter unworthinesse of comming under the roofe of Gods house, much more of comming to his Table. We should judge our selves unworthy of such fellowship with God. And the more unworthy we judge our selves, the worthier ghests shall we be in the Lords acceptance. And thus must our faith and our re­pentance bee renewed, before our comming to the Lords Table.

Chap. 17. Excitation of earnest desires after Christ; and a strong expectation to receive him and his benefits.

CHAP. 17 THE fourth thing to bee done in actuall preparation, is the excita­tion and stirring up in our selves [Page 457] strong and earnest desires, that we may come with inlarged hearts and affe­ctions, with hungring and thirsting desires after Christ in his Ordinance, and after the Ordinance in which Christ is to be had. This is the due Order that God requires; hee that comes thus, comes in due Order. So should men come to the Sacrament, as Christ to that Passeover, Luke 22. 15. With desire have I desired to eat this Passeover with you: that is, I have exceedingly, earnestly, and heartily desired to eat it with you; not desired it, but desired it with desire. Single de­sires will not serve the turne, but a man must come with desiring desires, with double desires, with earnest and strong desires, that will seek God after the due Order. God must be sought after the same order in the Sa­crament, as in other his Ordinances. After this Order must GOD bee sought in all his Ordinances, Psa. 63. 1. O God, thou art my God, early will I seeke thee. There is the duty of seek­ing. [Page 458] He will seeke God in his Ordi­nances, in his Word, Worship, Sacri­fices, &c. Well, but after what Or­der will he seeke him? After the due Order. How is that? with longing, thirsting, enlarged desires of spirit, My soule thirsteth for thee, my flesh lon­geth for thee. Then comes a man to Gods Ordinances, and so to the Sa­crament in due Order, when hee comes with these thirsting, longing desires. So should a man come to the Sacrament, as an hungry man comes to his meat, as a thirsty man to his drinke. A man that is hungry, is not only willing to eat, a man that is thirsty, is not onely willing to drinke, but he strongly longs after his meat, and drinke; with desire he desires it, and thinks it very long till he have it. In the Sacrament there is not only food, but a Feast, such a Feast as that, Isay 25. 6. If an hungry man will long after food, what will he doe after a Feast, after a Feast of choice dainties? How needfull this [Page 459] dis­position is, appeares by these things.

1 First, onely such are invited to the Sacrament, as are invited to come to Christ: for what come they to the Sacrament for, but to come to Christ. Now they onely are invited to come to Christ, and they onely are fit to come to Christ, that doe hunger and thirst after him with inlarged desires, Isa. 55. 1. Iohn 7. 37. Apoc. 22. 17. So must they be qualified that will re­ceive Christ, and so must they bee qualified also that will receive him in the Sacrament. It is cheerely com­ming to the Sacrament, when a man knowes he shall be welcome. He shall be sure to be welcome that is invited, and the desiring, hungry, thirsty, en­larged spirit, is undoubtedly invited.

2 Secondly, to such onely is the end of the Sacrament made good. As such are only invited, so such are onely fed and feasted. What come we to the Sacrament for? Come we not to be made partakers of the good things there prepared for us? God, [Page 460] he prepares, and makes ready for us, Mat. 22. 4. And when we come, we come to eat the good things GOD hath prepared, and made ready for us. Now if wee would eat those things which GOD hath prepa­red for us, we must come prepared with hunger, thirst, and desires after these things. And when we come thus qualified, wee shall bee sure to meet with a blessing, and to feed up­on that which God hath prepared. God that would have men deale their bread to the hungry, Isay, 58. 7. will certainly himselfe much more deale bread to an hungry soule, Psa. 107. 9. For he satisfieth the longing soule, and fils the hungry with goodnesse. Do we not come to the Sacrament to be fil­led, to be satisfied? would we not be loth to be sent away lanke and emp­ty? They that come with longing soules, shall be sent away with satisfied soules. Isay 44. 3. I will powre water up­on him that is thirsty, and flouds upon the drie ground. Not drop, but powre, [Page 461] not a showre, but a floud. So liberally God answers hungring and enlarged desires. There is a phrase, Isa. 58. 10. If thou draw out thy soule to the hun­gry. When men come hungry to his Ordinance, God will draw out his soule to satisfie them. We shall see it made good in Davids case, Psa. 63. 1. My soule thirsteth, my flesh longeth. What came of it? Did hee long in vaine? Did hee lose his longing? No: but Verse 5. My soule shall bee satisfied as with morrow and fatnesse, and my mouth shall praise thee with joy­full lips. So aboundantly should his heart be satisfied and cheered, with the fat and sweet of GODS Or­dinances, that hee should breake out into the praises of GOD, What an excellent thing is it to taste the marrow and fat of Gods Ordinances! much more to feed on it! much more to feed un­to fulnesse and satisfaction! whose teeth would not water after such curious delicates? Bring longing, [Page 462] hungry enlarged desires, and fat, and marrow shall be our portion. For herein hath spirituall hunger an ad­vantage above bodily. Bodily hun­ger a man may hunger withall, and yet his hunger helpes him to no meat nor satisfaction: But spirituall hun­ger doth, as having the promise of satisfaction. Christ out of his com­passions will liberally releeve all hun­gry Ecce, pauper ve­nio ad te divi­tem, miser ad misericordem, ne recedam vac [...] ­us, vel contemp­tus. Esu [...]iens in­cipio te quaere [...]e, ne deserar [...] te jejunus. Fameli­cus accedo, ne [...]e­cedam impastus. Et si antequam comedam suspi­ro, da vel post suspiria ut comedam. August. lib. medit. c. 39. soules that with desire seek after him. Excellent is that place, Mat. 15. 32. Then Iesus called his Disciples un­to him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three dayes, and have no­thing to eat, and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. He that would not out of his com­passions send away the multitude with fasting bodies, lest they should faint; how much more, thinke we, will he compassionately regard an hungry soule, and not send it away fasting from the Sacrament, lest it should faint. Christs compassions [Page 463] will not suffer him to send away an hungry soule fasting. Alas, he knowes it would faint if it should come emp­ty, and goe away empty, if it should come hungry, and goe away hungry.

3 Thirdly, the more strength in our desires, the more hunger in our spirits, the more aboundant and the more plentifull satisfaction. The more our hearts are inlarged in our desires, the more Gods hand will be inlarged in his bounty, Psal. 81. 10. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. God hath an open hand, for all that have an open mouth. God hath an hand wide open, for such as have their mouthes wide open. A mouth wide opened, shall be a mouth full filled. A wide mouth shall be a full mouth. God will inlarge himselfe to all that come to him with inlarged hearts. Gods admeasurements of grace and spirituall good, are suitable to mens inlargements and dilations of their spirits. Three things fit a Vessell to receive a great measure of liquor. [Page 464] 1. When it is of large capacity. A small Vessell may be filled, but yet a small Vessell cannot have so much infused into it, as a Vessell that is of larger capacity. The larger the bucket is that is let downe into the Well, the more water it brings up. 2. When it is an open Vessell. Though a Vessell be of sufficient capacity, yet if the Vessell bee shut, and the mouth of it closed up, though it be throwne into the Sea where there is water enough, yet it fils not. 3. When it is wide open. Though the mouth of a Vessell be open, yet if it be not wide open, it doth not fill so readily. Take a Bot­tle, or a narrow-mouth'd Glasse, and dowse it under the water, and yet it may bee pulled up againe with little or no water in it, though it bee of great capacity, because the narrow­nesse of the mouth hinders the ready and quick passage of water into it. A wide-mouth'd Vessell, as a Paile or Bucket, is no sooner under water, but it is instantly filled, because the [Page 465] mouth of the Vessell is wide and broade. So when we come to Gods Ordinances, to the Sacrament, wee should come so as to be filled, wee should come to get as liberall larges­ses as possibly we can. The way to doe that, is to have our hearts Ves­sels of competent capacity, to have them opened, to have them wide ope­ned. The way to doe these things, is to have our hearts inlarged with hungring and longing desires. Such enlarged desires open the mouth, & open it wide; and when our mouthes are opened, God will open his hand, his filling hand. As therefore we de­sire to have the Lord fill our mouthes when we come to the Lords Table, so let us get our mouthes wide open. When wee come to the Sacrament, why come wee? Is it not that wee may eat our fill of Christs body, and drink our fill of his bloud? Is it not that we may go from the Lords Ta­ble as Christ went from Iordan, full of the Holy Ghost? As we desire to [Page 466] have full mouthes, so let us bring ope­ned, wide opened mouthes. When men come to the Sacrament with hearts enlarged, and hungring desires, Christ will give such a Commandement to the Sacrament, as he did to those ser­vants concerning the water-pots, and it shall doe as they did, Iohn 2. 7. Ie­sus said unto them, fill the water-pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. So in this case will Christ say, Loe, here be men come with in­larged hearts, with earnest and strong desires, I see they have opened their mouthes wide; fill them with my Spi­rit, with my vertues, and efficacies, fill them with spirituall strength against their corruptions, fill them with power to walke in obedience: and upon this command of Christ, the Sacrament shall empty it selfe with an aboundant blessing upon their soules, yea, it shall fill them up to the brim. What an happy thing is it to be full, brim-full of Christ? A mouth wide open, will be a meanes [Page 467] to fill the heart full, brimme full of Christ. That man comes happily to the Sacrament indeed, that can say after his being at the Sacrament, as they did in that case, Psal. 126. 2, 3. Then was our mouth filled with laugh­ter, and our tongue with singing. The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad. Now, woul­dest thou be able after a Sacrament to say, When I was at the Sacra­ment, then was my mouth filled with laughter, my tongue with signging, and mine heart with spirituall com­fort and joy; The Lord hath done great things for me, whereof I am glad. Wouldest thou after a Sacra­ment be able thus to say? Why then when thou goest to the Sacrament, Open thy mouth, and open thy mouth wide, and GOD will fill thy mouth with laughter, and thine heart with spirituall joy. It is true, that a great many goe from the Sacrament, and their mouthes are not filled with laughter, but with complaints, with [Page 468] sad complaints of the little good they receive at the Sacrament. Many come from the Sacrament with emp­ty mouthes, empty hearts? And what may the reason of it be? Is not God as bountifull as he was wont to be? Yes surely: he is the same God that ever, his hand is not shortned; but the very reason is, that men come with shut mouthes, or at lest, with their mouthes but narrowly opened; and shut mouthes, and narrow mouthes, must needs be empty mouthes. Wee open not, therfore God fils not; we open not wide, therefore God fils not full. Is the Sea empty, because a stopt Vessell is not filled when throwne into it? Is there no water in the Ri­ver, because a narrow mouth'd Ves­sell brings up so little? Surely there is a sufficiency of all spirituall good, in Christ a fulnesse of blessing in Gods Ordinance: all the fault is in our own indisposition, we come w^th dead, live­lesse, formall, narrow, straight, and closed hearts, and that is the very [Page 469] bane of the businesses, See how Saint Paul speakes to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 6. 11, 12. O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is inlarged, yee are not straitned in us, but yee are straitned in your owne bowels. So sayes Christ: O ye sons of men, mine hand is full, mine hand, and mine heart is open unto you, mine Ordinance in the Sacrament is open unto you; that is not straitned in its owne nature, but it is ready to powre out it selfe to you. What is the matter then that ye go away so empty mouthed? ye are straitned in your owne bow­els, you have not opened mouthes, nor inlarged hearts. Certainly, if men could come to the Sacrament, as Hannah did to that service of Thanks­giving, 1 Sam. 2. 1. it would be farre otherwise with us; Mine heart, saith she, is inlarged over mine enemies. So if we could say, mine heart is inlarged towards my Saviour, my desires, and hunger is inlarged after him, we shold then finde Gods hand suitably inlar­ged to our hearts.

Quest. But how should a man get his mouth wide opened, how should he get his desires thus inlarged after Christ?

Answ. 1. First, get a sense and a sight of Christs worth, and thine owne wants. Offer meat and drinke to a man that is full, and he will not open his mouth to receive it, The full despises the honey-combe; but let a man alone till his stomack be empty, and when once he feeles the pinches and twitches of emptinesse, and when once he feeles the want of meat and drinke, and so begins to prize the worth of it, he will quickly open his mouth, and open it wide, readily, and greedily too, if food be presented to him. Such a sense of the want and the worth of Christ, would open our mouth wide indeed. There is no­thing so shuts up our mouthes as our senselessenesse of our wants, and the worth of Christ. The pincht Pro­digall can thinke upon, and desire the bread in his Fathers house. Labour [Page 471] therefore to affect thine heart with the sense of thy want of Christ; la­bour to feele how miserable thou art without him; labour to see his riches, excellencies, and all his all­sufficiencies, these things would be as keyes to unlock and open our shut mouthes.

2 Secondly, labour in private, before you come to the Sacrament, by your owne endeavours, to stretch and widen your mouthes. Strive by much prayer to get thine heart inlar­ged. Inlargements of the heart in private prayer, will fit the heart for inlargement in the Sacrament. One duty affords contribution to another, and one duty disposes to another. La­bour to have thine heart inlarged by private meditations and workings upon the promises. This is that which is the mischiefe of all, Men put off the worke of opening their mouthes, till in a manner they be ope­ning their mouthes to receive the Elements, and having the work then [Page 472] to doe, they are so shut up in hard­nesse, and deadnesse, that they cannot by any meanes open their mouthes at all. The heart will not on a sudden, and at a beck, be brought into a Sa­cramentall frame; it is a worke that will ask time and paines. The ope­ning of the spirituall mouth, and the widening of it, is not so soone, nor so easily done, as the opening of the bodily mouth. It is a worke that must bee done gradually, and with some striving before hand. It will aske much prayer. The same God that must fill them, it is even he that must open them, and therefore hee must be sought to earnestly. It will aske much meditation and strugling in private. A man that would make a bladder capacious to hold spices, he blowes it, and rubs it, and blowes and rubs it many times over, and all to make it the larger. If a man were promised, that on such a day hee should have as much money as his purse would hold, how would hee [Page 473] every day before be stretching, and reaching his purse, that by little and little hee might stretch it to such a bignesse and capacity, that it might receive a great summe. If therefore thou wouldest have thy heart capaci­ous and large at the Sacrament, bee often before the Sacrament strugling with thine owne heart, and get it well inlarged by the serious use of private helpes. Our customary formality undoes us. When we should be eat­ing and drinking, then have wee our mouthes to open. How can they eat and drinke, whose mouthes are not opened? It is said of Solomon in ano­ther case, 1 King. 4. 29. God gave So­lomon largenesse of heart, as the sand that is on the Sea shoare. It is said of Hell, Isai. 5. 14. that Hell hath enlar­ged her selfe, and opened her mouth without measure. Now if it were thus with our hearts, that we had large­nesse of heart, as the sand on the Sea shore, if our hearts were inlarged, and our mouthes opened without measure, [Page 474] yet were there aboundantly enough in Christ to fill our hearts, and satis­fie the hungring desires of our soules: our desires cannot exceed Christs riches, nor Gods bounty, he is able to give above all that we can aske or thinke: and therefore let us labour with all our might, for a distention, and a dilation of our hearts and de­sires, stretch, and widen them to the utmost we possibly can.

Object. Men seeme generally to have these inlarged desires, this hun­ger and thirst; for how desirous doe men seeme to be to come to the Sa­crament, and how wondrous ill would they take it to be kept back?

Answ. There be false hungers, and false thirsts, false desires. 1. First, there is a desire that comes from custome and fashion. It is the custome of the Time, or the custome of the Towne, and by any meanes they will bee neighbour-like; and because others go to the Sacrament, they must needs go too. It is not any desire of Christ, [Page 475] nor any hungring after him in his Ordinance, that drawes them on, but only a desire to doe as others doe. You shall see many desire to go to a Feast, whither they see all their neighbours go, and will take it excee­ding ill, if they be not invited; not because they want a meales meat, or because they greatly care for the cheere, but because the rest of their neighbours go, and it would be some disgrace to them to bee left out; and therefore are very desirous to goe, though they weigh not the cheere a whit, when they come there. 2. Se­condly, there is a desire that comes from superstition. Many have a strong conceit, That the very deed doing, what ever they be that do it, and how ever they doe it, will work wonders with them. They are perswaded, that if they do but receive the Sacra­ment, that they shall receive some good thing, though they know no more than the post, what good thing it is that is to be received. This is a [Page 476] superstitious thirst. 3. Thirdly, there is a true thirst, and a right hunger in­deed. And this is discerned and distinguished from the other by these things.

1 First, by the object of it, for it is directly carried after Christ, fellow­ship, and communion with him, and fruition of him and his benefits, Psal. 42. 1, 2. My soule panteth after thee, O God, my soule thirsteth for God, for the living God, when shall I come and ap­peare before God? This neither doe ignorant nor superstitious persons doe. Experience proves it, for when they are questioned withall what makes them desirous to come to the Sacrament, either they can give no reason why they desire to come, or else never give any such reason as this. Their desires, at the best, are but after the worke and the perfor­mance, beyond which they never looke.

2 Secondly, by the grounds of it: for the grounds of true desires, 1. Ei­ther [Page 477] a sense of the want of Christ, a selfe-emptinesse. Want of drinke makes men thirst, want of meat makes men hunger. So true desires come from the sense of a mans owne wants and emptinesse, which can on­ly bee supplied, and satisfied by Christ. 2. Or else from the sense of former sweetnesse and goodnesse of Christ in the use of the Ordinance. A man hath formerly received the Sacrament, and in the use of it hath found aboundance of sweetnesse in communion with CHRIST, hath found pardon sealed, faith strength­ned, hath found his heart inlivened, and inlarged, hath gotten some pow­er against his lusts, some strength unto obedience: and having former­ly received some good by it, this quickens and stirres up his desires, and makes them the more vehement after Christ and his Ordinance. But with ignorant and superstitious per­sons, it is not so. It is neither a sense of present wants, nor feeling of [Page 478] former benefit that moves their de­sires to come.

3 Thirdly, by the qualities or pro­perties of it. They are these:

1 First, an holy kinde of impati­ence in the want of the Ordinance. A man in bodily hunger and thirst, growes impatient in case of delay, thinkes every minute seven, till hee come where he may have that which will satisfie. True desires, specially in case of delay, thinke long, till they be at the Ordinance where Christ is to be had. It is not once in a yeere will serve his turne. An hungry man eats oft, a thirsty man drinkes oft, and thinkes long till he comes to his meat, and drink. It is so here, Psa. 42. 1, 2. My soule thirsteth, when shall I come? Not so with ignorant, for­mall, and superstitious ones. Let all be but agreed to stay from the Sacra­ment, and once in a yeere will richly suffice them.

2 Secondly, nothing quiets the heart, nor can still the craving desires [Page 479] of it, but injoyment of Christ in his Ordinance. When a man is heartily hungry, and thirsty, nothing satisfies him but meat and drinke. Give him what else you will, yet still he craves meate and drink. So give a man what you will, that desires Christ in the Ordinance, yet his soule is not quiet and satisfied. Give him the Ordi­nance, yet if hee have not Christ in the Ordinance, his desires are not at quiet. Formality, and superstition, let them but do the outward worke, let them but receive the outward Elements, though they receive no­thing at all else, yet they are well a-payd, and their spirits highly well contented. They thinke themselves as well as a Sacrament can make them.

3 Thirdly, great and sweet con­tentment in the use of the Ordinance. What sweet contentment doth an hungry man finde in eating his meat, in drinking his drinke, Iudg. 15. 19. When hee had drunke, his spirit came [Page 480] againe and he revived, Prov. 25. 25. As cold waters to a thirsty soule, so is good newes from a far Country. The Proverbe implies a great deale of contentment, that a thirsty man takes in drinking cold waters. No such sweet findes formality, or supersti­tion, in the use of the Sacrament. And so much may suffice for this fourth thing.

5 The fifth thing to bee done in actuall preparation is, To raise up in our selves, and to come with a strong expectation of the benefits to bee received in the Sacrament. There be excellent and precious things to bee received in the Sacrament. As in the institution we have a commandement to eat and drinke, Take and eat: so we have a promise from Christ of ex­cellent things to be dispensed in this Ordinance. Take and eat: why, what if we take and eat? what shall we take, and what shall we eat? What is it that is to be had in the use of this Or­dinance? This is my body. Drinke ye [Page 481] all of this; What shall wee drinke? This is my bloud. So then Christ in the institution of this Sacrament, hath promised that worthy receivers shall eat his body, shall drinke his bloud. In the Sacrament Christ ten­ders his body to be eaten, and his bloud to be drunke; and promises that he will give those things to the faithfull receiver. Now then when we come to the Sacrament, we should come with an expectation to have these promises made good, we should come with a full account to receive these things promised. When Peter and Iohn went up to the Temple, the Creeple asking an almes of them, Acts 3. 4. they fastning their eyes on him, said unto him, looke on us. And the Text sayes, hee gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. And his expectation was not disappointed, he received something, and a better thing than he expected. When we come to the Sacrament, we should give good heed to the Sa­cramentall [Page 482] promises, and should have a fixed eye upon them, expecting to receive something from them, and from the Ordinance. And surely such ex­pectation of ours should not be dis­appointed. If we come with expe­ctation, God would never send us away without satisfaction in our ex­pectation. We never finde any that came to Christ to be healed, or hol­pen in any kinde, but they came to him with a strong expectation to re­ceive the benefit they came for. If a Leper came, he came with expectati­on of cleansing. If a blind man came, he came with expectation of his sight. If a lame man came, he came with expectation of the restitution of his limbs. And we never reade in all the Gospell, that ever any man that came with an expectation of any good from him, that was turned away with his expectation deceived. If I have caused the eyes of the widdow to faile, sayes Iob, Chap. 31. 16. Poore Widowes, that were oppressed and [Page 483] wronged by others, or that were in want, and needed succour, they came to Iob, and they came to him with ex­pectation, that he would assuredly pleasure them. Their eyes were to Iob, and Iob seeing that they came to him with such an expectation, he by no meanes would cause the expecting eyes of the Widow to faile. If we would so come to the Sacrament with our eyes to Christ, and to his promises, expecting his making good his promises to us, hee would not cause our eyes to faile. Thus there­fore resolve, Christ hath promised to give in the Sacrament his body and his bloud, to give the benefits of his death, he hath promised to seale pardon, to manifest himselfe, to give power against lusts, &c. I will there­fore now go to this Ordinance, with a particular expectation of such and such a particular blessing as my soule stands in need of. And most sure it is, that the want of this duty proves very prejudiciall to us. How come [Page 484] many from the Sacrament without any benefit, or good at all. How fals it out so? They have as much as they expected; as they went expecting no­thing, so they come away receiving nothing. God will not drop downe his blessings upon oscitant and negli­gent hearts. We our selves will not give unto others where wee know there is no such thing expected from us.

Chap. 18. God to be sought in speciall manner by prayer, be­fore the Sacrament.

CHAP. 18 THere remaines now onely the sixth and last thing to be done in actuall preparation, and that is the solemne and serious seeking of God in prayer. Indeed prayer is a common preparative duty to all services of God, yea, to all workes we take in hand, Col. 3. 17. And whatsoever ye doe [Page 485] in word or deed, doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus; that is, calling upon the name of the Lord, and seeking first to him by prayer. It is layed to their charge as a great sin, Isay 30. 2. That walke to go downe into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth. No bu­sinesse, especially businesse of weight and concernement, should be under­taken without prayer. And what bu­sinesse of greater weight, what busi­nesse wherein we stand so much in need of God, and his helpe, as in the worthy receiving of the Sacrament? If common and ordinary businesse must not be medled withall without prayer for direction and blessing, how much lesse should this great bu­sinesse of receiving the Sacrament? How needfull a duty this is will thus appeare:

1 First, this duty neglected, it will cast a dampe upon all other our pre­parations. This failing in the last act, will marre all that hitherto wee have done, neither can a blessing be [Page 486] expected upon all the rest, in the want of this. We know Solomons Proverbe, Prov. 16. 1. The preparati­ons of the heart are in man, but the an­swer of the mouth is from the Lord. The meaning of it is, that though a man have studied hard, and have well pro­vided and prepared himselfe what to say, yet he hath need of Gods help, to deliver the thoughts of his mind, and that a man cannot bring forth his con­ceptions without the obstetrication of Gods assistance. A Minister, when he is to preach, spends time in prepa­ration for the work; now when he is thus prepared, yet he needs the helpe of God for a doore of utterance. Is it not therefore exceeding necessary for a Minister, though he have ever so well prepared himselfe by study, to seeke to God by prayer, that ut­terance may be given unto him, that he may open his mouth, as S. Paul desires to be prayed for, Eph. 6. 19. Though a man by study be well and sufficient­ly provided, yet if a man, without [Page 487] prayer to GOD for his assistance, should up into the Pulpit, might not such an one feare that his mouth might be stopt, and God should si­lence him in the Pulpit? Or could he looke at lest that his tongue should so speake, as that the preparations of his heart should go to the hearts of o­thers? For al a Ministers preparations, notwithstanding he stands in need of Gods speciall assistance, and there­fore it neerely concernes him, toge­ther with his preparations to seeke to God by prayer, for that helpe and assistance of his. Iust so it is in the case of the Sacrament. The prepa­rations of the heart are in man, but yet ability and power to do the work at the Sacrament, is from the Lord; so that if God helpe not, and assist not, all preparations come to little. And it cannot be expected that God should helpe, when he is neglected and not sought to, and intreated to helpe. We need Gods helpe in all things, but specially in holy duties. [Page 488] What was the bearing of the Ark on the Priests shoulders to the receiving of the Sacrament? One would think there should have needed no such speciall help to that work of bearing the Arke, besides the generall con­course of Gods providence. And yet it is said, 1 Chron. 15. 26. That God helped the Levites that bare the Arke: yea, it was such speciall helpe, that they offered sacrifices upon it. And if they needed the helpe of GOD to beare the Arke of the Lord; how much more do we need the helpe of God in this solemne action and ser­vice of receiving the Sacrament? And if such need of helpe, is there not then as much need of prayer? Will helpe come from God without prayer? Will the Lord helpe us if we seeke not for his helpe? nothing lesse. Nay, so farre from helping us, that we may rather feare he will curse our performances. For upon our pre­parations, before specified, to come to the Sacrament without speciall [Page 489] seeking God in prayer, what is it better than a trusting in our selves, and in our preparations? Assuredly God will blast all selfe-confidences, and all confidences in our owne pre­parations. Therefore never thinke thy selfe duly prepared, till to all the rest thou hast joyned solemne and earnest seeking of God by prayer.

2 Secondly, it should bee a mans great care, both to sanctifie himselfe to the Ordinance, and to have the Or­dinance sanctified to him. Sanctifie your selves, sayes Iosiah, 2 Chron. 35. 6. to the Levites. Now prayer is the way to doe both. It sanctifies us to the Ordinance, and the Ordinance to us, 1 Tim. 4. All things are sanctified by the word and prayer. All things, both persons to the Ordinances, and Ordinances to the persons, not only meats and drinkes, but Ordinances, Sacraments are sanctified to our uses by prayer. Where prayer is neglect­ed, neither is the person sanctified to the Ordinance, nor the Ordinance to the person.

[Page 490] 3 Thirdly, what an happy and a joyfull thing is it, when a man comes to the Sacrament, and it shall as it were say to a man, as Ananias said to Saul, Acts 9. 17. Brother Saul, the Lord hath sent me unto thee, that thou mightst receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. So when the Sacrament shall come with such commission to us, how blessed a thing is it? The Lord hath sent mee unto thee, that thou mayest receive comfort, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. Now there is a course to be taken, that the Sa­crament may bee sent with such a Commission. But what may that course be? Doe as Saul did, Vers. 11. Ananias, goe inquire for Saul, &c. for behold he prayes. Saul was praying, and praying hard, and then when he is at prayer, before Ananias his com­ming, then God gives this Commis­sion, Go Ananias, go thy wayes to Saul, and let him be filled with the Ho­ly Ghost, for behold he prayes. So if men before the Sacrament would [Page 491] spend time in prayer, and be earnest in seeking God, God would give a Commission and a charge unto his Ordinance, Go and be effectuall and powerfull to such a man, be a meanes to fill him with the Holy Ghost, for behold he prayes; and hath before his comming to my Table spent much time in prayer. It was at the Sacra­ment of Christs baptisme that Christs prayer opened Heaven and brought downe the Holy Ghost, Luke 3. 21, 22. And there is no question, but our prayers at the Lords Supper, would the more easily and readily open hea­ven, and bring downe the Holy Ghost, if we did but begin the work at home in private prayer by our selves.

Vpon these considerations there­fore let us bee stirred up to bestow much time in private prayer by our selves, before our comming to the Sacrament. Doe in this case as the Prophet speaks in that, Zech. 12. 12, 13, 14. Every family apart, their wives apart. We must not only pray when [Page 492] we are met in publike, and joyne with the Minister, but we must pray in our Families, pray in our Closets, every Family apart, the Husband apart, the Wife apart, the Children apart, the Servants apart, every soule apart by himselfe. And have a spe­ciall care in prayer to put up to God such Petitions as are suitable to the businesse of the Sacraments; yea not onely is God to be sought by fre­quent and fervent prayer, but when we finde our hearts more dull and un­toward to the worke, it is not amisse to quicken and put more life into our prayers by fasting. It may be thou hast such hardnesse and deadnesse in thine heart as can not be cast out but by fasting and prayer. Holy fasting proves an excellent preparative to holy feasting. Fasting prayers wil bring feasting joyes. Thus is God in speciall manner to be sought by prayer. But how this is done is pittifull to consi­der. Many know not what praying meanes. He that cannot pray, can ne­ver [Page 493] receive the Sacrament as hee ought to doe. How rarely is God sought apart in the closet? Or if any prayer be used, what is it but mens customary formalities that they use at all other times, which no more concernes the Sacrament, than the riding of a journey, or going to plough, or any other common occa­sion. There is no putting up of Pe­titions agreeable to the occasion, no begging of those particular bles­sings that are to be had in the use of the Ordinance. Not one of an hun­dred thinkes on these things. Vrge men to prayer in this kinde, and may they not answer, as David to Saul when in his armour, 1 Sam. 17. 39. I cannot goe with these, for I have not beene accustomed to them. So they cannot pray and seeke God when they are to come to the Sacrament, because they are not accustomed to these duties at other times. How can they pray before they come to the Sa­crament, that pray not at other times? [Page 494] And thus we now see how we are to prepare our selves before we come to the Sacrament. Now therefore be we exhorted to take paines, and to be industrious in the doing of these duties of preparation; up and be do­ing, and the Lord will be with you. And for our better encouragement to be painfull and industrious in seek­ing God in these duties of preparati­on, know this, That God will never be wanting to true and industrious desires and endeavours. God will give good and happy successe, sweet and graci­ous answers, to all such as seek him industriously in those wayes and meanes that he appoints. Luk. 19. 1, 5. Zacheus had a great desire to see Christ, but yet had great discourage­ments. The crowd was great, and he a little man. But his discouragements dampe not his desires, but his desires make him industrious against his dis­couragements. He runs before▪ climbes up into the Sycamore, or wilde Fig­tree, gets him a place there, from [Page 495] whence he might see Christ over the heads of the multitude. And what comes of all this? Was it labour lost? Was it paines taken to no purpose? No. It proved paines wondrous well worth the while: for do but see what followed upon it.

1 First, as soone as Christ comes neere him, he lookes up to, and sees him. It had beene small comfort to have seene Christ, if Christ had not seene him. They that set themselves to seeke Christ, shall not onely see Christ, but shall be seene of Christ. How many of the multitude see Christ, crowd, and touch Christ, and yet are not once minded, nor re­garded by Christ? But Zacheus who is thus painfully industrious to see Christ, both sees, and is seene.

2 Secondly, Hee not onely sees Christ, and is seene of him, but hee heares Christ, and heares him call him by his name, and in particular to speak to him. For Christ to speake to him, and to speake to him by [Page 496] name, being a man he had never seene before, how must this needs affect and ravish his heart?

3 Thirdly, hee invites himselfe home to his house, to be his guest, to eat and drinke with him. If he had but barely seene Christ, it had beene some content, he had not altogether lost his end. But that's not all, Christ lookes up to him, casts up a gracious looke towards him. Oh what a sweet comfort is it, to have Christ looke graciously towards one! And yet that's not all neither, but Christ speakes to him by name, Zacheus▪ As if hee had said, Though thou knowest not me, nor I ever saw thee before, yet that thou mayest know that I take speciall notice of thee, and beare a speciall favour to thee, Loe, I call thee by thy Name. The good Shepherd knowes his Sheepe, and cals them by name, Iohn 10. Know there­fore that I call thee by name, and call thee by name as one of my Sheepe. This was sweet. If Christ had said [Page 497] no more but this, Well done Zache­us, thou out of a desire to see me hast taken paines, now see me, look upon me thy fill, that had beene sweet; but here is more yet, Zacheus, come downe, I will go to thine house, to thy Ta­ble with thee, thou shalt be my Host, and I will be thy guest. Since thou hast taken so much paines to run, and climbe, and hast by thy paines over­come all discouragements, Come, come downe Zacheus, thou shalt en­tertaine me, have me for thy guest, and have sweet fellowship and com­munion with me. So sweetly, so aboundantly, were Zacheus's painfull endeavours recompensed. Oh, what sweet and precious figs doth Zacheus gather in this wilde fig-tree? Who would not run and climbe, and clam­ber with all his might into such a Tree, to pick such excellent fruit? When we therefore are to come to the Sacrament, do we the like. When we come to the Sacrament, would we not be glad to see Christ, to have [Page 498] him look graciously upon us, to have communion with him, to have him invite himselfe to us, to have him be a guest in our hearts? Would we not be glad to have it thus with us? Sure­ly there is little comfort in the Sa­crament, when it is not thus with us. Word and Sacrament both, are but dead and dull services when Christ is not seene in them; when we heare not his voice, see not his face in them. Therefore when we are to come to the Sacrament, looke to that, and provide for it before-hand; that when we are come, we may see Christ, have him see and owne us. But how may that be done? Set thine heart, first, strongly to desire to see Christ; and then though thou may have discou­ragements, that there is a multitude, and a crowd of duties to be done, and that thy stature and strength is very little, and therefore no great hope that thou shouldest get the sight of Christ in the Ordinance; yet for all that, hold on thy desires to see [Page 499] Christ, and run before, and get up, and though it cannot be done with­out much adoe, yet climbe up into the Sycamore Tree, and thou shalt see Christ, and have communion with him from the top of that Tree. I, but what is that Sycamore Tree? what is this running before? what is this climb­ing up? It is out of a desire to see and enjoy Christ in his Ordinance, an in­dustrious paines-taking in private du­ties of preparation, examination, ex­citation, and renewing of faith and repentance, and striving in prayer with God. This is running before, this is climbing up into the Sycamore Tree. And whosoever takes paines before­hand, in the fore-named and fore­handled duties of preparation, he runs before, he climbes up into the Sycamore, & shall speed as happily as Zacheus did; shal from the top of that Sycamore, so painfully climbed, see Christ, and enjoy fellowship with him.

All that come to the Sacrament [Page 500] say they desire to see Christ, and in­joy him there; and yet to how many doth Christ say in effect, at the Sa­crament, as the Lord speakes to Eze­kiel, Ezek. 12. 18. Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy wa­ter with trembling. So, Son of man, eat thy Sacramentall bread with qua­king, and drinke the Sacramentall wine with trembling, Go, get your wayes home with a drooping, and an heavie heart. But why should they so do? because they see not Christ, nor Christ looks not at them, vouch­safes no fellowship with them in his Ordinance. Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a mer­ry heart▪ sayes he, Eccles. 9. 7. for God now accepts thy workes: but contrari­ly may it be said to many, Go thy way, eat thy bread at the Sacrament, with sorrow, and drink thy wine at the Sa­crament, with an heavie heart, for God accepts not thy work, nor thy ser­vice herein. Christ doth not looke upon thee, doth not invite himselfe [Page 501] to thee. And what may the reason of it be? Men say, they desire to see and injoy Christ in the Sacrament, but they doe not run before, they doe not take paines to climbe up into the Syca­more Tree. Their desires are, idle, lazie, slothfull; there is no industri­ous preparation, no industrious exa­mination, no industrious renewing faith and repentance, there is no in­dustrious praying, and painfull seek­ing of God before▪hand. And hence is our mischiefe and miscarriage, we run not, we climbe not, and therefore we see not. So long as Zacheus kept on the ground, he saw not Christ, nor could see him; but when he had run before, and climbed, then he doth more than see him. Our desires keepe on the ground, we spend no time, wee take no paines, the week, and the day before, and therefore we misse the comfortable sight of Christ in the Sacrament. But let our desires be once running and climbing desires, let them once get up in the Sycamore [Page 502] Tree, and they shall finde fruit worth the running and the climbing for, Pro. 27. 18. Whoso keepes the Fig tree, shall eat the fruit thereof; so, he that climbs the Fig-tree, shall eat the fruit thereof. We must not thinke that these Figs will drop into our mouthes, they must climbe for them that will have them, and climbing is painfull. They that will take Zacheus's paines, shall reape Zacheus's gaines. A little faith, a faith of as small a stature as Zacheus, if it be industrious, and will take paines before-hand, will helpe a man to great benefit and comfort from Christ in his Ordinance. Though in­dustrious preparation, examination, prayer, &c. be teadious and weari­some to sloathfull flesh, and that pre­tends a presse and a crowd of earthly businesses that must be lookt to, and a crowd of duties to be done, that will keepe a man off from a possibility of seeing Christ; yet all the wearisome­nesse notwithstanding, and presse of secular businesse notwithstanding, [Page 503] hold thy selfe closely to this worke, there will come that comfort, and that sweet in the Sacrament, that will pay for all. Though it were trouble­some to run before, though it were a matter of trouble and difficulty to climbe and clamber into the Sycamore Tree, yet findes Zacheus that precious fruit therein, that richly payd him for all his paines. Now besides all this paines in our own personall pre­paration, we must also know that we must have a care to prepare others, as wee stand charged with them in their severall relations to us. Mini­sters must not onely prepare them­selves, but must do their best to pre­pare their people. As Iosiah speakes to them, 2 Chron. 35. 6. Sanctifie your selves, and prepare your brethren: so it may be said to Ministers, sanctifie your selves, and prepare your peo­ple: so to Parents, sanctifie your selves, and prepare your children: so to Masters and Governours, sanctifie your selves; and prepare your ser­vants [Page 504] and your Families. See Exod. 12. 26, 27. It shall come to passe, that when your children shall say, What mean you by this service, that ye shall say, It is the Sacrifice of the Lords Passeover, &c. And Vers. 48. When a stranger shall sojourne with thee, and will keepe the Passeover to the Lord, let all his males bee circumcised, &c. Such whom it concerned, must looke that he were prepared before he came. Thou ther­fore that hast others under thy charg, have a care to prepare them, instruct them, direct them, call upon them to have a care to come in due Order. If thou know'st any sin or evill in them, admonish them, and advise them to repentance for it, and to a resolution to a reformation of it before they come to the Sacrament. And thus much for preparation to the Sacra­ment.

Ob. But when I have done all that I can, I must say, I am an unprofita­ble servant. When ye have done all those things which are commanded you, sayes [Page 505] our Saviour, say, We are unprofitable servants, we have done that which was our duty to do. The Lord then be mer­cifull unto me; for if when I have done all that is commanded me, and when I have done that which is my duty to doe, I must say, I am an un­profitable servant; then how much more must I say it, that am far short of doing all that in this particular I am commanded to do, and have not done that which is my duty to do? I doubt therefore that I may not come to the Sacrament, because I cannot finde my selfe thus prepared; I were better keepe away than come, unlesse I were thus prepared. I have done what I possibly can do, but alas, how short am I of what is required?

Answ. 1. First, have recourse here to that which before was said in the last point of the second Chapter. La­bour and endeavour to be as exactly prepared as possibly thou canst, but if thou canst not attaine to that mea­sure and degree of preparation thou [Page 506] desirest, yet if thy heart witnesse to thee, that what is wanting in thy pre­paration, is not from sloth, idlenesse, and lothnesse to take paines, but it is the highest degree that with all thy paines thou art able to attaine unto; I say unto thee in this case, as Saul spake to David in that, 1 Sam. 17. 37. Goe, and the Lord be with thee. Go to the Sacrament, and feare not, but that the Lord will be with thee.

2 Secondly, if indeed thou hast no faith, no repentance at all wrought or renewed in thee, I would in any case advise thee to forbeare; for why shouldest thou destroy thy selfe, as Salo­mon speakes in that case, Eccl. 7. 16. But now deale uprightly, as in Gods presence, and take heed as well of bearing false witnesse against thy self, as against thy neighbour. It is a sin to beare false witnesse against thy selfe, as well as to foredoe thy selfe, and therefore make conscience of it, deale sincerely therefore. Darest thou confidently, and upon unquestiona­ble [Page 507] grounds affirme it, that thou hast no faith, no repentance? I much feare me, sayest thou, that I have not. That is not the point what thou fearest, but what thou assuredly knowest. A man may have much faith that feares hee hath none: yea, there may bee greatest faith, where there be grea­test feares. Thou, upon serious ex­amination of thine owne condition, not upon an ignorant selfe-love, da­rest not for a world, resolutely and peremptorily say, thou hast no faith, no grace, no part in Christ; then take heed how thou upon thy feares for­beare Gods Ordinance.

3 Thirdly, if thou have done thine utmost in the sincerity of thy spirit to fit thy selfe for the duty, and thine heart charges thee, neither with any grosse guilt in thy life, nor with any slothfull formality in thy preparati­on, though thou canst not finde thy selfe so fitted as thou wouldest, yet go to the Ordinance, if it be upon conscience of giving God obedience. [Page 508] Christ commands the use of the Sa­crament, Doe this in remembrance of me. Now though thine owne feares discourage and dis-hearten thee, and when thou lookest at thy selfe, thou fearest to go; yet if when thou look­est at Gods commandement, and in the conscience of it fearest to stay away, here in this conflict of feares, let this last feare get the victory; and be more afraid to stay from the Sa­crament, in regard of Gods com­mandement, then to come to the Sa­crament in regard of thy discourage­ment. Gods commandement sayes Go, thine own discouragements sayes Goe not. Give obedience rather to Gods commandement, than to thine owne feares. Obedience yeelded to God, out of pure conscience to his commandement; yeelded, I say, against discouragements and feares, may be no whit inferiour unto, nor lesse acceptable then a preparation in a more exact and excellent degree then yet thou hast. Such obedience [Page 509] is most excellent and most accepta­ble; for that is the most excellent obedience, when there is nothing else to toll and draw us on but only Gods commandement. When a man finds himselfe in such a frame of spirit, as that he questions not but to meet with comfort, and a good answer at the Sacrament; then possibly not Gods commandement, but that comfort may rather seeme to draw him to the duty. But now when a man hath some discouragements, in regard of the feares of the indisposition of his spirit, and yet in regard of Gods com­mandement, dares not absent himself, dares not but go: it is cleere, that such obedience is pure obedience, because there is nothing to draw him on but Gods commandement, and that hee doth the duty upon this ground, Be­cause God will have him do it, & that he doth it more for Gods sake, than his own. Excellent is that Exo. 14. 15. The Lord said unto Moses, speak unto the chil­dren of Israel that they go forward. For­wards [Page 510] Why, there was great danger before them, they go upon a manifest dan­ger, the Sea is before them. As good go backward to the Aegyptians, or as good stand still and let the Aegypti­ans come and put them to the sword, as to goe forward. It is but death to stand still, but death to go backward, and it is no better than death to goe forward. What safety can be expe­cted by going into the Sea? Well, for all this, speake to the children of Is­rael that they go forward. Now to go forward, because God commands it, when nothing but present danger in sight, was an argument of pure obe­dience: it was not safety, but consci­ence of obedience to Gods comman­dement, that carried them forwards. A man in the truth and sincerity of his spirit hath done his utmost in his preparation, and yet his heart mis­gives him that he shall sin to go to the Sacrament, and that he shall run him­selfe upon a manifest danger; speake unto such a man that he go forward, [Page 511] because God commands him to doe him this service, and his going for­ward in obedience, being pure obe­dience, it shall returne him at last as great comfort, as if he had beene so prepared as his desire was to have beene.

Object. I, but my heart is full of feares and doubts; I feare and trem­ble to come to Gods Ordinance in my feares.

Answ. Yet come; Feares in comming are no barre to comfort. Thou mayest come in feare, and yet goe away with much comfort. See Mark 5. 33. The Woman fearing and trembling came and fell downe before him. And what sayes Christ to her? Vers. 34. Daughter, go in peace. She comes to Christ with feare, she goes away in peace; she came trembling, she goes away rejoycing. If her feare and trembling had kept her from Christ, she had missed of that sweet and com­fortable answer, Daughter, go in peace. We know not what comfort we de­prive [Page 512] our selves of, when we suffer our feares and jealousies to prevaile so farre with us, as to keepe us from Christ in his Ordinances.

Object. But my feare is, that I shall not meet with Christ, nor finde him in his Ordinance, and therefore what should I do there?

Answ. A man may then meet with Christ, and find him, when he least of all hopes to finde him. Mary meets with Christ, Iohn 20. 15. and suppo­ses he had beene the Gardiner, and accordingly inquires of him as of the Gardiner, Where hee had laid Christ. But yet before an answer could be returned her, she turned her selfe from him, for when Christ speakes to her, Vers. 16. She turnes her selfe to him. Therefore she had turned away from him, as thinking it a bootlesse businesse to stand talking with him, and inquiring of him about finding of Christ. And just when she as hopelesse of finding Christ by him, turnes her selfe from him, Christ [Page 513] calls her by her name, Mary. So that a man may often finde Christ, when he least hopes for it. Therefore though thou hast but little hope to finde Christ at the Sacrament, yet turne not from it, but come to Christ in his Ordinance, even then when thou least hopest for it, mayest then heare so gratious a compellation from CHRIST, as may make thy soule joyfully eccho backe againe, Rabboni.

Chap. 19. Meditation, and ex­ercise of Repentance at the Sa­crament.

CHAP. 19 A Communicant being thus fitted and prepared, and being now come to the Lords Table, it followes to consider, what behaviour is there required of him. It is not enough for a man to dresse, and trime up him­selfe in his handsomer apparell before [Page 514] he comes to a great mans table, but there is a great care also to be had of that carriage, and behaviour that be­seemes such a mans table, and person. Though a man come handsome, and cleanely apparel'd to a great mans Table, yet hee may there carry him­selfe so rudely, unmannerly, and un­civilly that hee may give great of­fence. As therefore wee must have a care to get our hearts into an holy, and fitting frame before we come, so no lesse must our care bee to have them in a convenient frame during the time of the whole action. Though a man have bestowed much paines with his heart before his comming, yet, if there bee not a care of due behaviour in the action, all his former paines may bee lost. Though the Priests had been carefull to have wa­shed themselves, and to put on their Priestly garments, yet might they be guilty of irregularities at the Altar in not placing the wood, or the parts of the sacrifice in due order, Leviticus 1. [Page 515] Therefore as the Apostle speakes in the generall, so it may be said in this particular, 2 Iohn 8. Looke to your selves that wee loose not those things which wee have wrought, &c. So looke to your selves when yee have bestowed a great deale of time, and paines in preparation, that by a loose, and carelesse carriage in the duely do­ing, you loose not the things you have done. There must bee a care therefore of the duties to be done in the Action, Duties convenient. There bee some duties in which the whole congregation joyne together, in which we must take heed of all loose­nesse, and evagation of spirit, especi­ally exprest in idle gazing about, have a care to hold the heart close to all those duties in which all joyne toge­ther. But I meane not to insist in these. There are therefore some spe­ciall; and personall duties that every one is particularly by himselfe to per­forme, and those have a speciall care of. The duty in generall to be done [Page 516] at the Sacrament. 16. The offering up of our selves to God in an holy, and spi­rituall disposition in receiving of the Supper. This generall branches it selfe into diverse particulars. And they are these.

1. First, solemne, serious and deepe meditation. A leading duty to others that follow, and that which onely furthers them. There must bee an heart enlarged with godly sorrow for sinne, there must be compunction, and contrition of spirit. It is medita­tion that must fit for it, and bring that, and lay that to the h [...] which must bruise it. Meditation gives a man Meditatio siqui­dem pascit scien­tiam, scientia compunctionem, compunctio de­votionem. Inter opera August. l. 3. de Spir. & ani­ma. a sight, and knowledge of himselfe, of his sinnes, of the riches of Gods mercies in Christ, and such know­ledge is it which workes compuncti­on of spirit. We are to be taken up in duties of Thankesgiving, and to bee more than ordinarily enlarged there­in. There is no such way to enlarge the heart in that duty, as by meditati­on to heate and warme our hearts. [Page 517] So Psalme 104. 33. 34. I will sing un­to the Lord as long as I live, I will sing praise unto my God whilest I have my being, my meditation of him shall bee sweete, I will be glad in the Lord. There is nothing so feeds spirituall joy, and so maintaines and holds up that holy flame that should be in a mans heart in the duty of thankesgiving, as doth meditation. That is the Oyle and the Fuell that keepes such fire burning. The sweeter our meditation is, the more is the heart prepared, and enlar­ged to prayses, thankesgiving, and joy in the Lord. Therefore a spe­ciall duty to bee done at the Sacra­ment is, to take up our hearts with se­rious meditation. And for the better raising and feeding meditation, it is good when we are come to the Lords Table, to doe as Solomon wishes us to doe in that case, Proverbs 23. 1. When thou sittest to eate with a Ruler, consider diligently what is before thee. He advises it for a mans better cauti­on, if hee be a man given to his appe­tite, [Page 518] that hee may not be desirous of such dainties as are set before him. But in this case it is good to consider what is set before us to provoke our ap­petite, and to stirre up in us a longing after those dainties. Consider there­fore what is set before thee, what is done before thee. Consider the Sa­cramentall elements, the sacramentall promises, and sacramentall actions. Here then wee see Bread, and Wine set before us, and not bare bread and wine, but the sacramentall Body, and Blood of Christ: This is my Body, This is my Blood. Behold then what a Feast God hath prepared for us; such a feast as that: Isa. 25. 6. A feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things, full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. Alas! how leane are our soules? What hunger-starved spirits have wee? But here be fat things, full of marrow to feed, and fat our leane soules. How dead and dull are our hearts; but here is wine upon the lees, here is wine that goes [Page 519] downe sweetly, that will cause the lips of those that are asleepe, to speake, that will refresh & sweetly quicken our spirits. Here wee see this Bread broken, this Wine powred out. Here we see Christ crucified before our eyes; now we see him hanging, and bleeding upon the crosse, wee now see him pressed, and crushed under the heavie pressure of his Fathers infinite wrath: Now we see him in the Garden in his bloody sweate. Now may wee behold him under the bitter conflict, with his Fa­thers Celebrantes cō ­monemur quasi ungulam findens, & [...]minan [...] pe­cus [...]voca [...]e ad fance [...] ▪ & minu [...]a­tim commolere Dominicae insti­tutionis exem­plum, ut semper passio sist in me­mo [...]ia, &c. Cypr. de caena Dom. M [...]d [...]t [...]io [...]umi­nat [...]vores vulne [...] ▪ fixu [...]as [...]la vorum, lanceam ut acetum, perse­cuto [...]ū faevi [...]iam, Apostolo [...]um fu­gam, & mo [...]em [...]urpissimam, cor­poris sepulturum. Bernard. Hom de d [...]ob. Discip. e [...]nt. ad E [...]. wrath upon the crosse. Behold the man, saies Pilate, That is our duty to doe now by meditation, to repre­sent unto our selves the bitternesse of Christ's passion: Exod. 24. 8. And Moses tooke the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said: Behold the blood of the Covenant. So here: Behold the Lambe of God that takes away the sins of the world: Ioh. 1. and behold the blood of that innocent, and spotlesse Lambe; yea, behold him now shed­ding his precious blood to take away [Page 520] the sinnes of the world, and looke up­on him as the Scape-goat, bearing, and carrying our sinnes upon him. Re­present we unto our selves in our me­ditations, as lively as wee are able, all the sorrowes of Christ's passion. Ps. 26. 6. How prodigious a darkenesse was there at Christ's passion for three houres together? Surely a speciall end of this darknesse, was to shew the dreadfull and horrible wrath of God against his owne Sonne, now hanging on the crosse, a sacrifice for the worlds sinnes, was it nothing, or was it but a small matter that God did ma­nifest his wrath against him, by let­ting loose the tongues, and hands of all his carnall enemies against him, but that the Lord himselfe from hea­ven would reveale his wrath against the unrighteousnesse of the world, which now lay upon him. Now stood Christ in our stead, we should have suffered the horrour of darke­nesse for ever, even that blacknesse of darknesse, as Iude calls it. Now Christ [Page 521] undertaking for us he suffers darknesse. And God by this, as by a visible signe, would testifie, that the blacknesse of darkenesse, caused by Gods wrath for sin, was upon him. Thereby con­ceive wee in some sort the sad plight, and wofull agony in which Christ then was. God causes the Sun to shine upon the Iust, and the unjust, Mat. 5. 45. But now, that Christ is a sacrifice for our sinnes, and to suffer his Fathers wrath for them, he must not have so much as the common comfort of the light of the Sunne, but as if hee were of all vnjust ones the most unjust; the very light of the Sunne shall be taken from him, and hee be left in horrid darknesse. Do but looke upon Christ on the crosse, under all our sins lying upon him, and how heavie a presse, how ponderous a waight was that? But consider besides this, how many were the paines of his body by their inhumane, and barbarous usages? what was the bitter exacerbation of his Spirit, by so many base and ignomi­nious [Page 522] reproches of all his malignant opposites, what, was it nothing to be scourged? to give his cheekes to the smiters? to be spitefully intreated, to be spitted on, and indure all those outragious insolencies of his enemies before, and at his crucifying? Oh! how bitter were these things? But consider besides all this, to have all the power of Hell against him, and all those Lyons, Bulls, Vnicornes, and Dogs, to be taken up, and imployed in assaulting and afflicting him. Oh! how past all conception of the under­standing of man was the smart of this misery? Heere was Earth against him; here was Hell against him. And yet Earth and Hell not enough, but Heaven it selfe against him. After all this, to have God his Father from Heaven by this prodigious, dreadfull, and long darkenesse, to testifie his wrath against him: here was that which added waight and perfection to all the rest. To be three whole houres together under a visible signe [Page 523] of the darkenesse of Gods counte­nance, under the darkenesse of the sense of his wrath, witnessed from Heaven, by the darkenesse of the Sun: how bitter, and sharp a conflict was this above all the rest? Thus repre­sent we to our selves Christ hanging on the crosse; thus, Behold the Lambe of God rosting in the fire of wrath; yea, further, After that we have seene Christ thus for three houres space in deepe silence, conflicting in this time of darknesse with all these sorrowes, Now as not able any longer to hold his peace, thinke wee that we heare him by that formidable cry, mani­festing the bitternesse, and unutterable extremity of his passion: My God, my God, Why hast thou forsaken me? All these three darke houres was Christ drinking this bitter cup, and now at the third houres end was he come to the dregs and lees of it. This was the sharpest paroxisme and fit of his passion. Now were the enveno­med arrowes of the Almighty shot [Page 524] up to the heads in his soule. And how can we see, and heare Christ suffering all this for us, and not withall in our meditations stand astonished at the heynousnesse and hideousnesse of our sinnes, for which no other way of ex­piation could be made, but by this bitter passion of Christ. Behold in the passion of Christ as in a glasse, the greatnesse of sinne. Thinke we sadly with our selves, Surely sinne against God must needs be more than men commonly esteeme it. It could be no small matter for which the deare Sonne of God did suffer such horri­ble and dreadfull torments on the crosse. Let we out our hearts there­fore here in the meditation of the greatnesse of our sinnes. And with­all, Ad victimam il­lam pendentem in cruce nos con­feremus. Ibi vere contemplabimur Deum, ibi in ip­sum cor Dei in­trospiciemus, quod fit miseri­cors, quod nobis mortem peccato­ris, &c. Luther. in Gen. 19. let we out our hearts especially in the meditation and admiration of such unmatchable love and good­nesse as God hath shewen in the worke of our Redemption. La­bour to comprehend, what is the bredth, and length, and depth, and [Page 525] height; and to know, and see the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. What heart is able sufficiently to admire the depth of the riches, the bottome­lesse depth, the unfadomable depth of the riches of Gods love, and mercy in Christ. How may wee with David cry out: Lord, what is man that thou art mindefull of him? Psalm. 8. 4. and upon a better ground with Iob, Iob 7. 17. What is man, that thou shouldest magnifie him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? especially that thou shouldest so be mindefull of him, that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him, as to give the Sonne of thy love to suffer the cursed death of the crosse, to make us cursed chil­dren, firebrands of hell, damned hell­hounds, heires of blessings and eter­nall life: Is not here matter of medita­tion and admiration to take up all the thoughts and hearts of men and An­gels. And how should such love fire and inflame our hearts with holy love [Page 526] to God, and Christ? How should our hearts grow warme, and hot within Tribue ut conca­leat cor meum intra me, & in meditatione mea exardescat ignis. Aug. medit c. 17. us? That as David speakes in ano­ther case, Psalme 39. 3. Mine heart was hot within me, whilest I was musing, the fire burned. So whilest we are thus musing, and meditating of the love of Christ in his passion, the fire should burne, and our hearts should waxe hot within us, the fire, and flame of our love to Christ should kindle, and grow hot in our hearts. The view of his passion should worke in us an ho­ly Rogo te per illa salutifera vulne­ra tua quae passus es in cruce pro salute nostra, e quibus emanavit pretiosus ille san­guis quo sumus redempti [...] vulne­ra hanc animam meam peccatri­cem, pro qua eti­am mori digna­tus es: vulnera eam igneo & potentissimo tel [...] tuae nimiae Charitatis—Config­cor meum jaculo tui amoris, ut di cat tibi anima mea, Charitate tua vulnerata sum, &c. Aug. lib. medit. c. 37. passion of love. The view of his wounds should wound our hearts with holy, and enlarged affection to him. Follow, and goe along with CHRIST in all his sufferings in thy meditations. Begin where his passi­on begun, Iohn 12. 27. follow him thence into the Garden, from thence into the High Priests Hall, from thence into the Iudgement Hall, from thence to the Crosse. There is not a passage in all the story that affordes not matter of meditation; and not a [Page 527] meditation that may not set forth his love to thee, and kindle thine to him. Thus therefore at the Sacrament should our hearts be imployed in the meditation of CHRISTS death, and passion, and thus should we make that good, Cant. 1. 12. Whilest the King Sit [...] at his Table, my spikenard sends forth the smell thereof: that is, whilest CHRIST had communion with me, my graces were exercised, and manifested themselves, even then whilest I had fellowship with him. As CHRIST sate at Table Mary tooke a pound of oyntment, of Spikenard very costly, and annoynted the feete of Iesus, and the house was filled with the odour of the oyntment. So the King sits at his table, and when wee sit at his table in the Sacramēt, we shold cause our spikenards to send forth, the smell thereof. That we do, when in the ordi­nance we take up our hearts with the holy meditations of the love of Christ, in his bitter passion. Such holy meditations are the smell of the [Page 528] spikenards, and are as pleasing to Christ as Maries spikneard was, that filled the whole house with the odour ther­of. This Christ commandes, and makes it one maine end of the Insti­tution of the Sacrament. Doe this in remembrance of me, therefore appoin­ted he the Sacrament, that therein we might in speciall manner meditate upon his passion, and his love to us therein. David had a Psalme of Re­membrance, Psalme 38. in the title. But for the death of Christ, his love in it, and the benefits by it, we have not onely some Psalmes of Remem­brance, as Psalme 16. 22, and 69. and others, but besides, the Lord Christ hath to the worlds end appointed a Sacrament of Remembrance, that this great worke of CHRISTS death, and his infinite love, and mercy ther­in might above all other workes bee meditated upon, and had in remem­brance. One specially in the Evange­lists is worth our notice. Some of Christs workes are specified only by [Page 529] one Evangelist, at his turning of Wa­ter to wine, as his healing the sick man at the poole of Bethesda, his healing that blind man, Ioh. 9. Some of them are specified by two Evangelists, as the history of Christs birth by Mat­thew, and Luke. Some things are re­corded by three of them as the Insti­tution of the Sacrament of the Sup­per. But as for Christs death, and Passion it is recorded by them all foure. Onely two write the History of his birth, but all foure the History of his death, without doubt to teach us, that though all Christs workes, and actions are to be seriously min­ded, meditated upon, and remem­bred, yet none so speciall as his death, and sufferings. And therefore speci­ally should his death be meditated up­on at the Sacrament, whose instituti­on was purposely for the remem­brance of it. Therefore ought men to make speciall conscience of this duely. How cold, and dead a re­membrance of Christs death is the [Page 530] receiving of the Sacrament without this serious meditation of the bitter­nesse of his death, and the sweetnesse of his love therein? Wee make not good the end of the Sacrament with­out it, yea wee as much as in us lyes make the Sacrament but a dumbe shew. What remembrance is there of Christs death in such receiving the Sacrament? Makes it bee in a fresh crucifying him againe by our unwor­thy receiving.

2 Secondly, An exercise of Repen­tance. And this exercise of Repen­tance must be in two things.

• 1. First, in godly sorrow for sinne.
• 2. Secondly, in a solemne re­newing of our Covenants with God.

1. First, in godly sorrow for sinne, for our owne sinnes in particular for which Christ did undergoe all that sorrow, and smart in his sufferings. Wee have in the Sacrament a repre­sentation of the sufferings of Christ, [Page 531] wee have him crucified before our eyes. Behold, saies Iohn, the Lambe of God, that takes away the sinnes of the world. In the Sacrament should we behold him taking away the sinnes of the world. In it we see, and behold Christ crucified, wee see his hands, feete, and side pierced, now this sight should so affect us, as it should pierce the very hearts of us. What? The blessed Sonne of GOD to strip him­selfe of his glory, to humble and a­base himselfe to the ignominious, and accursed death of the Crosse? The glorious Sonne of GOD thus abused, and abased, Why? How comes this about? The only begotten Sonne of the Father to make such bitter lamen­tation, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? What may the cause of all this be? Alas, all this was for our sinnes. It was not Iudas, not the Iewes, not Pilate, not the Souldiers, but they were our sinnes, thy sinnes, my sinnes that put the Sonne of God to all his sorrow. We, we, and none [Page 532] but we were the evill beasts that de­vour'd this Ioseph. Our sinnes were so heinous, and had so provoked the Iustice of God, that there was no way to satisfie Gods Iustice, to appease his wrath, and to make our atone­ment, but by the pretious bloud of the Sonne of God crucified on the Crosse. And shall I now see my sins lye so heavy upon him, as to make him sweate bloud; shall I see him even squeezed under the huge weight of my sinnes; shall I see my sinnes crowne him with thornes, nayle his hands, and feete to the Crosse, Gore his side with the speare, with an un­pierced heart? Oh the deepe sorrow that our hearts should bee leavened withall when wee see Christs body brusing, and bleeding in the Sacra­ment. Christ our Passeover is san­ctified for us. The Passeover was to be eaten with bitter herbes, or will bit­ternesses Exod. 12. 5. And how hap­py is that soule, that in this respect can say at the Sacrament as, Lamen. [Page 533] 3. 15. Hee hath filled me with bitter­nesse, hee hath made me drunken with wormewood? It should bee with us at the Sacrament as with them, Zech. 12. 10. They shall looke upon him whom they have pierced. And how shall that sight affect them? And they shall mourne and bee in bitternesse for him, as one that mournes for his only sonne, as one that is in bitternesse for his first borne. How bitterly will such a man mourne? So bitterly shall they mourne when they looke upon Christ whom they have pier­ced. And great reason, for is it not a matter of greater sorrow to pierce the only Son of God, the first borne, the first begotten from the dead, then to loose one onely, or first begotten sonne? So here in the Sacrament we looke upon Christ whom wee have pierced, this sight should fill our hearts with bitternesse, should make our hearts full of sorrow. Not on­ly with an Historicall sorrow, or a sorrow of naturall compassion when [Page 534] wee heare or see, some sad, or sor­rowfull event, this is nothing, but Homini non est necessarium ut Christū in ipsius passione deploret sed magis seipsū in Christo. Lu­ther. with a practicall sorrow, with an un­fained sorrow of heart, that wee by our personall sinnes have had our hands imbrued in the bloud of the Sonne of GOD, that our sinnes en­venomed those thornes, those nayles that pierced him, and by their ve­nome made them put him to such bit­ter anguish. Have we hearts confor­meable Si vis ipsum cog­noscere, sicut se fregit, ita te fran­ge: quia qui dicit se in Christo ma­nere, debe [...] sicut ille ambularit, & ipse ambulare. Bern. hom. de du­ob. dis [...]euntib▪ ad. Em. to the Christ wee see in the Sacrament. Thou beholdest a bro­ken Christ, thou beholdest a bleeding Christ, thou beholdest a bleeding Christ, behold him therefore with a broken heart, with a bleeding heart, with a pierced spirit. So behold Christ in the Sacrament, as the Vir­gin Mary his Mother beheld him on the Crosse. And how was that? Woman, sayes Christ, behold thy Son. How did shee behold him? Simeon tells her, Luk. 2. 35. That a sword shall passe thorow her soule. Then did a sword pierce thorow her soule when [Page 535] she beheld him pierced on the Crosse, that sight was a sword through the heart of her. So when wee see him pierced in the Sacrament, it should be as a dagger in our hearts. Oh wretch that I am, that my sinnes have beene thornes on his head, nayles in his hands, and feete, a speare in his side: LORD, saies David, when he saw the people slaughtred by the Angels sword, loe I have sinned, and I have done wickedly, but these sheepe, what have they done? 2 Sam. 24. 17. So say Electe puer Dei mei. quid tanta a­maritudine, quid tanta confusione dignum commi­seras? Prorsus nihil. Ego perdi­tus homo totius proditionis tuae causa extiti. Ego domine unam ac­ce [...]bam comedi, & dentes tui ob­stupuerunt: quia quae non rapuisti tunc exvolveb [...]s Bernard. Serm. de pass. Dom. here, lo I have sinned, I have done wickedly, but this Innocent, and Im­maculate Lambe, what hath he done? It is I that have sinned, and it is thou Oh LORD that hast smarted. It is I that have sinned, and it is thou Oh Lord that hast suffered. It is I that have put thee to all these sorrowes, my oathes, my uncleannesses, my lusts, my covetousnesse, my drunken­nesse, &c. These were the Iudasses that betrayed thee, these were the Iewes that crucified thee. Lord I [Page 536] have eaten the sowre grapes, and thy teeth were set on edge, LORD I plaid the thiefe, and thou restoredst the things thou tookest not.

Doe this, sayes Christ, in Remem­brance of me. Hee would have the Sacrament appointed to renew, and refresh the remembrance of his suf­ferings, that in the remembrance of his sufferings wee might remember our owne sinnes the causes of them, and bee deepely humbled for them. That as the Prophet speakes in that case, Lamen. 3. 19, 20. Remembring mine affliction, and my misery, the worme-wood, and the gall, my soule hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in mee. So in [...]is case, re­membring Christs affliction and his misery, the gall and the worm-wood, our soule should still have them in re­membrance, and be deepely humbled in us: what a sweete temper were it to bee at the Sacrament with a melting heart? Mine eye, saith the Prophet, affecteth mine heart, Lam. 3. 51. how [Page 537] happy that our eye could effect our heart? we have Christ crucified for our sinnes, in our eye at the Sacra­ment, ô that that which our eye sees could affect our heart with such sor­row for sinne as becomes. That our vide quomodo his qui Christi com­memorant passio­nem, inter sacra officia quasi per quosdam canales de interioribus fontibus egredi­antur torrentes, & super omnes delicias lachry­mis nectarijs ani­ma delectetur—Ros matutinus est de caelestibus stillans, & quasi unctio spiritus mentem deli­niens. Gemitus illos pietas exci­tat—& se sana­tam & sanctifica­tam agnoscens fletibus se abluit, & lachrymis se baptizat. Cypr. de caen. Dom. eye could affect our heart, and our heart could affect our eye, that whi­lest wee behold Christ shedding his bloud for our sinnes, we could be af­fected with such sorrow upon the sight of our eye, that our heart could melt out at our eyes, and shed teares for those sinnes for which wee see Christ shed his bloud. That we could turne the Sacrament of the Supper, into a baptisme of teares, and could wash, and baptise our selves with the teares of Repentance, as Saint Cyprian speakes. It was layde to the charge of those unkinde husbands, Malach. 2. 13. that by their unkindnesses they caused their wives, when they should have been cheerefull in Gods service, to cover the Altar of the Lord with teares with weeping, and with crying out [Page 538] insomuch that he regarded not the offer­ing any more, nor received it with good will at their hands. But how happy were it with us that wee could so bee affected with our unkindnesse to CHRIST our Husband, that we could cover the Lord's Table with our teares, with weeping, and with crying out, how then would the Lord regarde our service the more, and re­ceive our receiving with good will at our hands? Vere potest con­scindere cor meū miserum, & san­guineis lachrimis madefacere: quia ecce creator meus pro me sanguineo rore prefundi­tur, nec levi qui­dem sed decur­rente in terram. Vae misero cordi, quod ta [...], & tanto [...]udore non ma­descit perfusum. Bern. de pass. Dō. tract. c. 37.

Alas, alas, for the hardnesse of our hearts, that we can see our Lord all in his gore bloud for our sins, his bloud shedding upon the earth, and that our hearts cannot be rent, and bleed teares of bloud, that this bloud moystens not, and softens not our hard hearts! Consider yee and call for the mourning women, and send for cunning women that they may come, saith the Prophet, Ier. 9. 17, 18. that they may come. And let them make haste, and take up a wai­ling for us, that our eyes may runne down with teares, and our eylids gush out with [Page 539] waters. So when ye be come to the Lord's Table, consider ye, consider ye, O lacrymae, ubi yos subtaxistis? O lacrimae ubi estis? Vbi estis fontes lachrymarum? Movemini obse­cro ad fletum me­um, fontes lachry­marum fluite su­per faciem meä, Rigate maxillas meas Date mihi planctū amarum. Ber. de mod. ben. viv. serm. 27. Miserum me, quo­modo sic insen­sata facta est ani­ma mea.—Mise­rum me, quomo­do sic induruit cor meum, ut ocu­li mei uon indesi­nenter producant flumina lachry. marum. Aug. med. c. 34. Percute Domine, percute obsecro hanc durissimam mentem meam,—& sic de capite meo educ aquam immensam, & de oculis meis verū fontem lachry­marum. Aug. med c. 37. what is before you. Call for mourning hearts, call for mourning affections, call for sad, and sighing spirits, call for teares, that your eyes may run downe with teares, and your eylids gush out with waters. Say with the same Pro­phet, Ier. 9. 1. Oh that mine head were waters, and mine eyes a fountaine of teares, that I might weepe, &c. Ah our rocky hearts, harder then the neither milstone, that cannot dissolve into ri­vers of teares upon the view of so sad a spectacle as the sight of CHRIST hanging crucified on the Crosse for our sins. Smite LORD, thou that canst bring water out of the rockes, and canst turne the flint into a stand­ing poole, LORD smite thou this rocky heart, breake thou this heart of flint, and make the waters gush out abundantly. And this is the first exercise of repentance at the Sacra­ment.

2 The second exercise of repen­tance [Page 540] at the Sacrament is in a solemne renewing of our vowes, and covenants Plinius sub Tra­jano scripsit soli­tos stato die con­venire Christia­nos ante lucem, carmenq, Christo quasi Deo cō ­muni voce dice­re: Postea se Sacramento ob­stringere, non in scelus aliquod, sed ne furta, ne latrocinia, ne adulteria com­mitterent, ne fi­dem fallerent, ne depositum appel­lati ab negarent. Centur. Magdeb. Cent. 2. c. 6. with GOD to hate, forsake, and re­nounce all our former sins, lusts, vani­ties, unprofitablenesse, and to walke more closely, and watchfull then ever before. The word Sacrament is a latine word that signifies an Oath, to receive the Sacrament is to take, and receive an Oath, And when we receive the Sacrament we should binde our selves in a solemne Covenant with God to forsake all our sins, and to walk in new and better obedience before GOD. And that practice of repen­tance rises thus. In the Sacrament I see CHRIST crucified for my sins. And was CHRIST crucified for my sins? Surely then I resolve, and vow too, and covenant with God that I will use my sins as I see they have used CHRIST. They pierced him, I will pierce them, they killed, and put him to death, LORD I will doe by them, as they have done by thee, I will kill, crucifie, and put them [Page 541] to death. LORD CHRIST thou gavest thy selfe for me. Behold here I am, and here I give my selfe to thee. That same is to be done in the Sacra­ment which we finde, Deut. 26. 16, 17, 18. This day the Lord hath com­manded thee to doe these Statutes, &c. Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and &c. And the Lord hath avouched thee this day, &c. So may it bee said of a Sacrament day; This day the LORD thy GOD hath com­manded thee to keepe his Statutes, &c. And this day thou hast avouched the LORD to be thy GOD, and to walke is his wayes, &c. And this day the LORD hath avouched thee to be one of his. There should be in a Sacrament a mutuall avouchment be­tween GOD, and his people. When wee come to the Sacrament, as wee come that GOD may avouch us for his people, so we should come to a­vouch him for our GOD, and that we will keepe his Commandements. We can have no comfort in the use of [Page 542] the Sacrament, unlesse in it God avouch us for his people. And wee have no reason to thinke that God will avouch us for his people, unlesse wee will a­vouch him to be our GOD, and co­venant with him the renoucing of our lusts, and yeelding him obedience. This therefore is to be done in the Sacrament, Lord avouch me for thine, as I avouch, and covenant my selfe to be thine in all obedience to thy Com­mandements.

It must be with us at a Sacrament, as it was with the Iewes of ancient in a Sacrifice. In Sacrifices the people did not onely offer their oblation, and performe that service, but withall they did in Sacrificing renew, and make their covenants afresh, the co­venants of offering up themselves a li­ving, and acceptable Sacrifice, of mortification of their brutish lusts, of an holy, and obedient life. So much implyes, as that Rom. 12. 1. So that place, Psal. 50. 5. Gather my Saints to­gether, those that have made a cove­nant [Page 543] with me by Sacrifice. Therefore in Sacrifices there was a making of covenant with GOD. The same must be done in the Sacrament of the Supper, wee must there renew our Baptismall covenant. For in the Sa­crament there is, and must be a mutu­all stipulation, and sponsion betweene GOD, and the soule of a Communi­cant, that as we expect GOD should binde himselfe to us, so hee expects that wee should binde our selves to him. As David joynes the cup of sal­vation, and the paying of his vowes to­gether, Psal. 116. 13, 14. I will take the cup of my salvation, I will pay my vowes unto the Lord, so should wee joyne the cup of blessing and the making of our vowes together, I will take the cup of blessing, I will make my vowes unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people. And thus in these two things must there be a practice of re­pentance at the receiving of the Sa­crament.

Chap. 20. Faith to bee Actuated and exercised in the Sacra­ment; An exercise of Thankes­giving, Love, and Mercy.

CHAP. 20 3 THe third thing in which the spirituall and holy dispositi­on in receiving the Sacrament stands is an exercise of faith. Now must a Communicant speake to his faith as Deborah doth to her selfe, Iudg. 5. 12. Awake, Awake, Deborah, Awake, Awake, utter a Song. So Awake, Awake oh my faith, Awake, Awake, and now bestirre, and rouse up to do the speciall, and maine worke of the Sacrament in the receiving of Christ now offered, and tendered in his Or­dinance. The great, and chiefe work of the Sacrament comes now to be done in the Actuating of faith so, as to fetch forth the fat, and marrow of the Ordinance. For the better con­ceiving, [Page 545] and practising of this point we must know these foure things.

First, That CHRIST is an all­sufficient fulnesse for the thorow sup­ply of all the wants, and necessities of our soules whatsoever they may be, Col. 1. 19. It pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell. First then, there is a fulnesse in him. Secondly, All fulnesse is in him. Looke whatso­ever it is that is required to bee in a Mediator, it is all fully in him, it hath it all to the full. Thirdly, He saies not simply that this fulnesse is in him, but that this fulnesse dwells in him. A Vessell may bee full, and a Treasury may be full, but these may be emp­tied againe, and so an emptinesse may follow that fulnesse. But this fulnesse dwells in him, it is an Inhabitant, re­sident, permanent fulnesse, so as he is, and ever shall bee full. There is in him a fulnesse of merit for our justifi­cation, and a fulnesse of spirit, and ha­bituall graces, and so a fulnesse of ef­ficacies, vertues, as mortifying, san­ctifying, [Page 546] quickning vertues. And thus he is full of all kindes of Graces, Apoc. 3. 1. He hath the seven spirits of God. And Esa. 11. 2, 3. with which that suites, Prov. 8. 12, 13, 14. And therefore not onely Treasures, but All the treasures of wisedome, and knowledge are hid in him, Col. 2. 3. And all these Graces he hath in the highest, and fullest degree. Therefore the Apostle saies not, Col. 2. 3. In whom is know­ledge and wisedome, but the treasures of knowledge, treasures of wisedome. Some peeces of silver and gold are not treasures, but the treasures are vast heapes.

Secondly, That Christ is thus filled, and enriched for the behoofe of his Church, and members, that he may conveigh and communicate unto them of his fulnesse for the supply of their wants. There is in CHRIST not only a fulnesse of abundance, in re­gard of which he is sufficiently full in himselfe, but also a fulnesse of redun­dance, by which he overflowes, and [Page 547] fills all his Saints. His fulnesse is not onely a full fulnesse, but a filling ful­nesse, Iohn 1. 14, 16. Full of Grace, and Truth, and of his fulnesse have we all received and grace for grace, Ephes. 1. 23. Which is the fulnesse of him that fills all in all. There is such an abun­dance powred out upon him, as that he is not onely full, but he hath re­ceived a good measure running over, so as to fill all the empty soules, and all the empty hearts of his people. For look what CHRIST received, he received for us, Psal. 68. 18. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast recei­ved gifts for men; That is, gifts to give unto men, as the Apostle ex­pounds it, Ephes. 4. 8. When he ascen­ded upon high, he gave gifts unto men. So that he received to give, he was filled to fill. He is the well head, the fountaine which is not onely full it selfe, but springs, and flowes over to the filling of streames. He received a fulnesse, that we might receive of his fulnesse, and that hee might derive of his fulnes to us.

Thirdly, that Christ derives, and conveighes of this fulnesse and good­nesse of his unto us by his owne holy Ordinances which he hath sanctified as the channells of conveyance. By the Word, and Sacraments doth he communicate of this his fulnesse unto us, Luke 5. 17. As CHRIST was teaching, the power of God was present to heale them. When the Minister of the Word is on foot, then is Gods power present, and ready to exert, and put forth it selfe for spirituall good, Acts 9. 17. The Lord hath sent me, that thou mightest be filled with the HOLY GHOST. CHRIST could not of his owne fulnesse imme­diately have filled Saul with the HO­LY GHOST, but CHRIST sends Ananias to him that he might be fil­ [...] with the HOLY GHOST. But [...] must Ananias doe it? By the Acts 22. 14, 15, 16. [...]istery of the Word, and Sacra­ment. He preaches to him, and he baptises him, and so by these Ordi­nances is the HOLY GHOST con­veighed [Page 549] unto him. We finde mention made, Zech. 4. 12. of two Olive bran­ches, which thorow two golden pipes emptied the golden oyle out of them­selves. Those two Olive branches emptied golden oyle out of them­selves into the golden Candelsticke, but yet they did it thorow the two golden pipes. So it is in this case; All golden oyle it is in CHRIST, Hee is the Branch, as Zechary calls him, Zech. 4. 3. He is the olive Branch, and the olive tree from whom comes all the golden oyle of grace, and spi­rituall comfort, and he it is that emp­ties it out of himselfe into our hearts. But yet he doth empty it into our hearts by his Ordinances, they be the golden pipes by which this golden oyle is conveighed. CHRIST doth not ordinarily empty the oyle into our hearts immediately, but first into the golden pipes of his Ordinances, his Word, and Sacrament, and so thorow them into our hearts. The graces and comforts of the HOLY [Page 550] GHOST are oft in Scripture com­pared to oyle, and the powring forth of those graces to Anoynting. To this purpose is that speech of David, Psal. 92. 10. I shall bee anoynted with fresh oyle, or greene oyle, that is, thou shalt adde fresh measures, and new en­creases of the graces of thy spirit. So that after the first gift of the spirit, in the first worke of grace, GOD often annoynts his people with fresh oyle, and that hee doth in the Word and Sacrament. He annoynts them in the ministery of the Word, Esa. 61. 1, 3. The Lord hath annoynted me to preach good tydings, to give the oyle of joy for mourning. God anoynts his Ministers, that they may annoynt his people. By preaching the Gospell God anoynts his people with the oyle of gladnesse. So he anoynts us in the use of the Sacra­ment of the Supper, there in speciall manner he annoynts with fresh oyle. God deales at this spirituall feast as the Iewes used to doe in their feasts, they used in token of welcome to [Page 551] anoynt their guests, Luke 7. 46. Our Saviour tells Simon the Pharisee, Minc head with oyle thou didst not an­noynt, that is, thou hast not bid mee welcome, nor cheered me. God at the Sacrament annoynts the heads of his people. That looke as Mary did with CHRIST, Iohn 12. 2, 3. There they made him a Supper—Then tooke Mary a pound of oyntment of spikenard, and annoynted the feete of IESUS; Then. When? Namely when at the Supper they made him. So deales the LORD with his people at the Sa­crament. There hee makes them a Supper, it is the Lords Supper, then takes the LORD precious oyntment, and annoynts their heads with fresh oyle, there they have fresh unctions, and fresh delibutions, there he gives them fresh, and new comforts, fresh supplies, and new measures of grace, then, and there hee annoyntes them at the Sacrament, yea the Sacra­ment is the very Alabaster box of pre­cious oyntment, and out of this box [Page 552] God powers it on their heades as she on Christs head as hee sate at meate, Matth. 27. 7. So that a man may tru­ly speake of the Lords Table, as Da­vid of his owne, Psalm. 23. 5. Thou preparedst a Table before mee, thou an­noyntest mine head with oyle. When God prepares this Table for his, and they prepare themselves aright and in due order for this Table, and come as they ought to doe, God doth at this Table feast them, and annoynt their heads with oyle, cheeres them, and bids them heartily welcome.

4. Fourthly, That the way to make this ordinance thus effectuall to us is the Actuating, and setting our faith on worke upon the ordinance, and Christ in the ordinance. Christ is full, Christ communicates of his fulnesse, Christ communicates of his fulnesse by his ordinance, but yet if now at the ordinance our faith lye still, and stirre not, if our faith be idle, or a sleepe, here is nothing done, no­thing gotten at the ordinance, but the [Page 553] Sacrament proves a dry empty huske unto us, there is neither oyle, nor an­nointing to be had. Therefore now the maine worke of all at the Sacra­ment is to awaken, and Actuate our faith, and to set it on worke upon Christ in his ordinance, and so draw forth the efficacy of Christ, and his ordinance. The power of God is present in his ordinance to heale, and to helpe, but now withall the power of our faith must also be present to set this power of God on worke, to make the ordinance an healing, a wor­king ordinance. If Gods power be present, and our faith be absent, or as good as absent, Gods power will not work, for then will his power work, when our faith workes. A conduit is full of water, now a man that would fill his vessel, must bring it to the con­duit, must bring it to the cocke, and set it there, but yet that is not enough, if that be all, and he doe no more, he may goe home againe with an empty vessell: Therfore the man that would [Page 554] fill his vessell when he hath brought it to the conduit, and set it under the cocke, he also turnes the cocke, and then the water runnes forth, and fills the vessell. So here, Christ is the conduit of all grace, and spirituall good, hee that would bee filled must come to him. His ordinances the word, and Sacrament they are the cockes of this conduit, so that a man that would be filled, must not only goe to Christ, but to Christ in these ordinances must bring his vessell to these cockes. And thats not enough, but when he is come to them, he must turne them; faith Actuated, and working upon the ordinance that turnes the cocke, and then the effica­cies, and vertues of Christ flow forth, then these waters powre forth abun­dantly. See that speech, Isa. 12. 3. Therefore with joy shall yee draw waters out of the wells of salvation. Christ he is indeed a well full of water: But now as the woman of Samaria said to our Saviour, Iohn 4. 11. Sir, thou hast [Page 555] nothing to draw with, and the well is deepe, from whence then hast thou that living water? So in this case, Christ is indeed the well of salvation, but yet this Well is deepe, and how can a man fetch up those waters thence, if hee have nothing to draw with? God ther­fore of his goodnesse hath provided us buckets to fetch up these waters out of this well, and they are his ordi­nances. But now though there be a well stored with abundance of wa­ter, and though also there be buckets to fetch up these waters, yet if a man doe not let downe, and draw up these buckets he cannot draw waters out of the Well. Now the setting faith on worke in use at the ordinances, and the Actuating of it therein, that is the letting downe, and drawing up these buckets, that is the turning of the wheele which drawes up the buckets with water. Christ is the Well of sal­vation, the ordinances are the buck­ets, faith Actuated, and set on worke in the use of the ordinances, is the [Page 556] drawing of waters up out of the well of salvation.

See how David speakes, Psal. 105. 41. Hee opened the Rocke, and the wa­ters gushed out, they ranne in the dry places like a River. Waters gushed out of the Rocke: but when? when the Rocke was opened. So Gods Or­dinances, and Christ in those Ordi­nances have abundance of waters in them, such abundance as gushes out to the refreshing of dry soules, but yet first these Rockes must bee broken up, these Rockes must bee opened. But how must these Rockes come to be opened? As the Rocke in Horeb was opened, Exodus 17. 6. Behold I will stand before thee there upon the Rocke in Horeb, and thou shalt smite the Rocke, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drinke. GOD stood upon the Rocke, but Moses must smite the Rocke, and then comes wa­ter out of it, that the people may drinke. God is present in his Ordi­nances, and his power is present at [Page 557] them, The power of God was present to heale them, Luk. 5. 17. but yet before water will come out that wee may drinke, we must first smite the Rock, and when it is smitten then shall wee have it opened, and waters gushing out. Now what is this smiting of the Rocke? It is nothing else but the Actuating of our faith, and setting it on work in the use of the Ordinance, faith Actuated & set on work smites the Rocke, breakes up,, and opens the Rocke. So that in an Ordinance, and at the Sacrament that should bee a mans wisedome which was Moses his errour, Numb. 20. 11. with his Rod he smote the Rocke twice, and the water came out abundantly. Smite the Rocke twice, againe, and againe, Actuate wee our faith, and then the water shall come out abundantly.

Gods Ordinances, or CHRIST in them, is not onely a Rocke from whence waters come forth, but they are Rockes from whence Oyle, and Honey issue forth. That a communi­cant [Page 558] may say of the Sacrament as Iob speakes in that case, Iob 29. 6. The Rocke powred mee out rivers of Oyle. And this Rocke powers out Honey. But how and when? Doth it powre forth rivers of Oyle, and Honey to all commers? No such matter. How many neither finde Oyle, nor Honey thereat? But how come men to have honey, and oyle at this Rock? when men doe as Moses speakes of Israel Deut. 32. 13. He made him to sucke Honey out of the Rocke, and oyle out of the flinty Rocke. God gave Israel ho­ney, and oyle out of the Rocke, but how? Did he make the Rocke drop it into their mouthes, whilest they stood gazing, and looking upon it? No. He made him to sucke it. If hee had beene so idle as not to have taken the paines to have suckt it, hee might have lickt his lippes long enough af­ter it, ere he had had it, ere he had ta­sted, much lesse have beene filled with it. So thus men come to have oyle, and honey out of the Sacra­ment, [Page 559] and CHRIST in the Sacra­ment when they sucke: when Faith is Actuated, and set on worke in the use of the Ordinance, and applyes Christ in it, then faith suckes, and when faith suckes, then it fetches ho­ney, and oyle out of the Rocke. As the Prophet speakes in that case, Isa. 66. 11. That yee may sucke and be satis­fied with the breasts of her consolation, so in this. There must bee sucking before there can be satisfaction. The word, and Sacraments, are breasts of consolation, and these be full of sweet milke, but there can be no satisfacti­on unlesse there be sucking. A child may handle the mothers breasts, may play with them, may kisse them, but all this while the child is never the fuller; Therefore the child when it would be satisfied, it layes its mouth to the breast, gets the nipple into the mouth, and then suckes, and drawes with all the strength, and might and so fetches forth the milke out of the mothers breast. So must it be in these [Page 560] case. Men may come to the Sacra­ment, and gaze upon the elements, and eate, and drinke them, and yet not receive the sweete of the Ordinance, but if they would have the milke out of this breast, they must fall to suck­ing, and to drawing with all their power, and strength. Then doe men sucke, and draw the breast of the Sa­crament, when in the use of it they Actuate, and set their faith on work. Faith Actuated suckes vertue out of he Sacrament, suckes from Christ in the Sacrament mortifying vertue to kill lusts, healing vertue to cure the pollutions of the heart, quickning vertue to enable to duties, and actions of spirituall life.

Look how David speakes of wick­ed men in that case, Psalm. 73. 10. Waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. So is it to all true beleevers in the Sacrament. They have therein full draughts of Christs bloud, they have their hearts filled as with the comforts of the Holy Ghost, so with [Page 561] the efficacies of Christ, they have waters of a full cup. But how come they by these waters of a full cup? They are wrung out to them. And how are they wrung out to them? Faith being set on worke in the Ordi­nance, and working upon the Ordi­nance, that wrings out waters of a full cup, that wrings out the juyce, the sap, and sweete of the Sacrament, that wrings and presses out the succulency of it. It is just here as it was in the dreame of Pharaohs Butler, Gen. 40. 10, 11. The clusters of the Vine brought forth ripe grapes, and Phara­ohs cup was in mine hand, and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaohs cup. The Sacrament is as a Vine set before us, full of clusters of rippe grapes, and these grapes full of Iuyce, Christ with all his fulnesse offered to us in this Ordinance. Now our care, and course should bee to have the li­quour, and bloud of these grapes powred into the cup of our hearts. How may that bee done now? As [Page 562] Pharaohs cup came filled. Hee tooke the grapes and pressed them, and crush­ed them into Pharaohs cup, and so the cup was filled. So must wee take these grapes, and presse, and crush them, wee must squeeze forth the li­quor of them. That we doe when faith is Actuated, and is set on worke in the use of the ordinance. Actua­ted faith takes these grapes, and pres­ses them, and wrings out of the Or­dinance that which fills our hearts.

When therefore we are come to the Sacrament, and now are to re­ceive, set we all the Powers of our faith on worke. Lift up this eye to see Christ, reach out this hand to lay hold upon, and receive him, set this mouth on feeding, eating, drinking, sucking. Set the mouth of thy faith to the breast of the Sacrament, and Quomodo ergo capiunt, qui lac capiunt? Iesum Christum, inquit Apostolus, & hūc crucifix [...]m. Su­ge quod pro te factus est, & cres­ces ad id quod est Aug. in Psa 119. sucke, and draw at it with all thy might, and draw hardest, for that ver­tue of Christs thy soule stands in most need of. David speakes of the marrow of Gods house, and Ordinan­ces, [Page 563] Psalme 63. 5. He that will have the marrow out of the bone, must breake the bone, and knock the bone, and that will fetch sorth the marrow. So must faith worke, and bestirre it selfe, and take paines at the Ordi­nance, and then the marrow of the Sa­crament will bee had. So should a man doe at, and with the Sacrament, as Christs Disciples did when they passed through the corne fields, Luk. 6. 1. And his Disciples plucked the eares of the corne, and did eate, rubbing them in their hands. They did not plucke off the eares, and so eate the whole ea [...]es, but first they rubbed the eares in their hands to fetch out the corne. So at the Sacrament set faith on worke, to rub the eares, and fetch out the corne that is in them for foode. A rub'd eare will yeeld corne fit for foode, but there is no eating of eares unrub'd without danger, Prov. 29. 33. Surely the charming of milke brings forth butter. They must charme therefore, and charme hard, [Page 564] set their faith hard to this worke of charming, that will have butter, that will have benefit out of the Sacra­ment. There is oyle in olives, but before there could be oyle fetcht out of them to anoynt a mans selfe with­all, they used to treade the olives, and so expresse the oyle out of them, as appeares, Micah 6. 15. Thou shalt treade the olives, but shalt not anoynt thee with oyle. It is threatned as a Iudgement, but yet it implyes that oyle was fetcht forth by the trea­ding, stamping, bruising, and breaking of the olives with their feete. The Ordinances of Gods word and Sa­craments are olives, full of good, full of excellent oyle, but these olives will not drop oyle upon us, they must be stampt and trod, if we would have oyle out of them to anoint our selves. Faith Actuated, and set on worke in, and upon these ordinances, that treads these olives, and helpes us to the oyle of them. And how-ever the Pro­phet in that place threatens it as a [Page 565] judgement that they should tread O­lives, and not anoynt themselves, yet it never so falls out in this case. He that Actuates his faith, and sets it soundly on work to tread these olives, he shall be sure to dippe his foote in oyle, and to be comfortably anoynted in the use of the Ordinance. It is only the want of faiths taking of paines in industri­ous treading of the olives, that makes us go away dry headed, dry hearted, and unanoynted from the Sacrament and all other Ordinances. Thus must faith worke hard at the Sacrament, and eate her bread in the sweate of her browes.

Quest. But how, and in what man­ner is faith to be Actuated, and set on worke in the use of the Sacrament?

Answ. In the Sacrament consi­der three things. First, Sacramentall offers. Secondly, Sacramentall promi­ses. Thirdly, Sacramentall Represen­tations: fix the eye of faith upon them all, and set faith on worke upon them all.

[Page 566] 1 First, in the Sacrament we have Sacramentall offers, Christ Himselfe is offered with all his benefits. Take, eate, drinke. I see then God offers me Christ to be taken, His body to be eaten, His bloud to be drunke. Here then must faith Actuate it selfe, and set it selfe on worke, striving with all it's might to take Christ, to eate, and drinke Christ offered. Lord Christ, as verily as I take, and eate, and drink these outward Sacramental elements, so verily doe I by my faith receive thy selfe into my soule, and feede up­on thee for spirituall nourishment. Christ is offered to us, offers to come in, and enter into our hearts. The Act of faith now then is that, Psalm. 24. 7. Lift up your heads, ô yee gates, and be yee lift up yee everlasting doores. But why must these gates, and doores of their hearts be thus lift up? And the King of glory shal come in, Christ is come, and he makes an offer to come into your hearts, open therefore the gates of your hearts, lift them up, even [Page 567] from off the hookes, that faire, and full way may be made for his ready entrance: when a great man, specially a King comes to a mans house, he will not only open the small wicket, his little doore, but he sets open his great gates, throwes them wide open to make spatious way for his entrance. Now Christ in the Sacrament offers Himselfe to come to us, the King of glory offers to come in. Here then let thy faith busily bestirre it selfe in widning the passage, and opening thine heart to make Christ way, now strive might and maine to stretch o­pen thine heart to such a breadth, and largenesse as a fit way may be made for the King of glory to enter. Doe in receiving Christ at the Sacrament, as Zacheus did in receiving him into his house, Luk. 19. 5. Zacheus, saies Christ, Make hast, and come downe, for to day I must abide at thine house. Here Christ offers Himselfe to Za­cheus, and upon the offer made, in­stantly Zacheus made haste, and came [Page 568] downe, and received him joyfully. Think upon that gratious offer of Christs how Zacheus bestirred himselfe, with what haste he leaped down from the Tree, with what readinesse, and hear­tinesse he brought CHRIST home, with what sweetnesse of affection he claspes about CHRIST when he entertained him into his house. Christ makes thy soule the same offer at the Sacrament, now let thy faith as busily bestir herselfe as Zacheus did, hasten, open, claspe, embrace, welcome, and receive CHRIST thus offered to thee.

Secondly, In the Sacrament wee have Sacramentall promises. This is my body. This is my bloud. This is my body which is given for you, my blood which is shed for you. Shed for the re­mission of sinnes. Take, Eate, Drinke, saies our Saviour. Well what if we doe so, what shall we get by it? What shall we be the better for it? A great deale the better, for this is my body, my bloud; I promise you in the use of this [Page 569] Ordinance you shall receive my bo­dy, and my bloud, that body which was once crucified and offered for the re­demption of the world: that bloud which was shed for Recon [...]n, and Remission of sin, and you by being made partakers hereof s [...]ll re­ceive efficacious vertue of my quick­ning death. So that these are Sacra­mentall promises. So that here is that which may abundantly set faith on worke, for the promises are the most proper object for faith to worke up­on. Well then, CHRIST saies, This is my body given for you, my bloud shed for you, shed for the remission of sinnes. Let faith now beleeve these promises, Lord I beleeve that thy bo­dy was given for me, thy bloud shed for me, thy bloud shed for the remis­sion of my sins, Lord I cheerefully and gladly beleeve that I am now made partaker of thy body, and bloud, and that my sinnes are pardoned in thy bloud. Faith must doe here, as Da­vid doth, Psal. 60. 6, 7. God hath spo­ken [Page 570] in his holinesse, that is, hee hath made me a gracious promise that he will bring all the land under mine o­bedience. Here David hath Gods promise, marke now what followes: I will rejoyce, saith he, I will divide Se­chem, I will mete out the valley of Suc­coth, Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine. See how hee actuates his faith upon Gods promise so as to rejoyce, so as to take possession of Sechem, Succoth, Gilead, and Manasseh. So Christ hath spoken in, or by his holinesse, This is my body which is given for you, this is my bloud which is shed for you, for the remission of your sins. Here be Sacra­mentall promises. Now upon the view of these promises should a man Actuate his faith, and say, I will re­joyce, I will eate Christs flesh, I will drinke his bloud. Christ is mine, His death is mine, His Resurrection is mine, Remission of sin is mine, Par­don, and Heaven are mine. And thus by this Actuation of faith should a man with Iohn, leane on CHRISTS [Page 571] bosome, Iohn 13. 23. When he is at the Sacrament, so participating of him, as to have communion with him in all his benefits Thus leane wee on our beloved, Cant. 8. 5. when at the Sacrament. Againe; This is my bloud shed for you, for the remission of sinne. Loe here is that bloud offered me to drinke, and promised to me in the Sacrament, by the shedding wher­of, remission of sin was purchased, yea here is remission of sin, not onely offered me, and promised me, but of fered, and promised under seale. Now then Actuate thy faith, and say, Lord I accept, Lord I beleeve this sea­led pardon of my sin. And faith thus Actuated, will make good unto us the Sacramentall promises; for as it is true in case of prayer, Mar. 11. 24. What things soever you desire when yee pray, beleeve that ye receive them, and yee shall have them, so is it as true in case of receiving. What things soever ye desire when ye receive, doe but Actuate your faith, and set that on [Page 572] worke for them, beleeve that yee receive them, and yee shall have them.

Thirdly, In the Sacrament we have Sacramentall representations. There is in the Sacrament a visible remem­brance of CHRISTS death, and in the breaking of the bread, and powring out the wine, there is a re­presentation of Christs death, and Passion. When I see the wine pow­red out, it represents unto me the shed­ding of Christs bloud, here I see Christs bloud shed on the Crosse. What is to be done now when I see this bloud in the Sacrament? Do but consider that same, Exod. 24. 6, 8. Moses tooke of the bloud of the Sacrifi­ces, and put it in basons, and he tooke the bloud, that was in the basons, and sprink­led it upon the people, haply with a bunch of hysope, as the manner was, to which David alludes, Psal. 51. Purge me with hysope. Now so must it be here: The bloud of our burnt offering which was shed for us, the [Page 573] Lord hath put in basons, in the basons of the Word, and Sacraments, and out of these basons it must be sprinkled. The Sacrament of the Supper is one bason in which this bloud is put. This bloud is held forth in this bason, This is my bloud. Now when this bloud is held forth to us in this bason, wee should sprinkle our selves with this bloud. That must be done by Actua­ting our faith, and by the act of faith applying that bloud of Christ unto our selves. We finde mention, Rom. 3. 25. of faith in Christs bloud, there is not onely faith in Christs Name, but faith in his bloud. Faith when Christs bloud is holden out to us either in the Word, or Sacrament, puts her hand into this bason, or dippes the hyssope into the bloud in the bason, and so be­sprinkles a mans soule therewith. Faith applying CHRISTS bloud to a mans selfe, doth put her hand into the bason, doth dip the hyssop into the bloud in the bason, ye doth with Tho­mas put her hands into the wounds of [Page 574] CHRIST, and take bloud thence, and besprinkles the soule withall. When therfore we see CHRISTS bloud in the Sacrament, we are to take it, and besprinkle our selves with it, that is, we are to have faith in his bloud, and by faith to apply the me­rit of Christs death unto our owne soules. And this application is the Actuation of faith.

Nay that is not all, faith seeing the wounds, and the bloud of Christ, not Cruci haeremus, sanguinem sugi­mu [...], & intra ipsa Redempturis no­stri vulnera sigi­mus linguam. Cyp. de Coen Dom. onely puts her hands into Christs woundss, or into the bloud in the ba­son, but faith layes her mouth to these wound, and to this bloud, and suckes these wounds, suckes in this bloud with an holy greedinesse. A faith Actuated in the Ordinance is a bloud­sucking faith, Prov. 30. 15. The horse­leech hath two daughters which cry, Give, give. Such an eager, and holy greedinesse hath faith in sucking in Christs bloud. It cannot be satisfied, but still cries, Give, give. Lord give me evermore of this bloud, give me [Page 575] of this bloud to sprinkle my unrigh­teous soule, Give me of this bloud to staunch the bloudy issues of mine heart, Give me of this bloud to heale my leprose spirit, Give me of this bloud to helpe subdue and mortifie my lusts, Give me of this bloud of Christ crucified, to crucifie old A­dam, and all my rebllious lusts. Thus when a man suckes in earnestly the bloud of Christ, whom he sees cruci­fied, and shedding his bloud in the Sa­crament, and suckes it in for his seve­rall and speciall necessities, then is faith Actuated in the use of the Sa­crament.

And thus also may and must a man Actuate his faith for his comfort. In this bason of the Sacrament I see Christs bloud. Christs bloud is a re­conciling bloud, Rom. 3. 25. Col. 1. 20, 21. It is justifying bloud, Rom. 5. 9. We are justifyed by faith. How by faith? By faith in his blood, Rom. 3. 25. It is a pacifying bloud, Col. 1. 20. Ephes. 2. 13, 14. A pardoning bloud, Mat. 26. 28. Eph. 1. 7.

It is a sanctifying bloud, Heb. 13. 12. A purging bloud from dead workes, Heb. 9. 14. A cleansing bloud, 1 Ioh. 1. 7.

It is a mortifying bloud, such a bloud as fetches out the heart bloud of old Adam, and delivers from the domi­nion of sinne. The bloud of Christ crucified, is crucifying bloud, Rom. 6. 2, 3, 6. Gal. 6. 14. It is a bloud that sets prisoners free, Zech. 9. 11. It is a bloud that makes men Kings, and Priestes, Apoc. 1. 5, 6. It is a softning, molifying bloud that makes the heart tender, it supples a stony heart, and Illa invicta vis, & duarum violentis­simarum naturae rerum (ignis, & ferti) contemptrix hircino tamen [...]si­pitur sanguine, faedissimo Ani­malium. Plin. makes it a heart of flesh, Zech. 12. 10. Goats bloud some say breakes the A­damant, which neither Iron nor fire can doe: but to bee sure the bloud of this Goat, Lev. 16. the bloud of this Lambe breakes the Adamant heart of a man, which nothing else can breake.

It is a quickning bloud that brings life, and strength with it. Therefore represented by wine in the Sacra­ment. [Page 577] It is life-bloud, bloud full of CHAP. 21 spirit, that fills the soule with excel­lent vigour to holy performances, Heb. 13. 20, 21. Now the God of peace, that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus, &c. typified by that, Exodus 24. 7, 8. Now what a deale of comfort may faith draw from all this. Alas my person is unrighteous, but LORD thy bloud is Iustifying bloud, mine heart is uncleane but thy bloud is sanctifying bloud, my lusts are many and mighty, but LORD thy bloud is Mortifying bloud. Mine heart is wondrous hard, but Lord thy bloud is softning bloud, mine heart is exceeding dead, but Lord thy bloud is quickning bloud. In this bloud of thine I beleeve, this bloud of thine I thirstily drinke downe, this bloud of thine I heartily apply, with a comfor­table expectation of all these blessed benefits. Be of good cheare, oh my soule, here is pardoning bloud; to comfort thee against thy guilt; here is sanctifying bloud to comfort thee [Page 578] against the pollutions of thy nature, CHAP. 20 here is crucifying bloud to comfort thee against thy lusts, here is follow­ing bloud to helpe thee against thy hardnesse, quickning bloud to helpe thee against thy deadnesse.

He was wounded for our transgressi­ons, Isa. 53. 5. And here in the Sacra­ment we may see his wounds, and faith must looke upon them as hea­ling wounds. With his stripes are we healed, Isa. 53. 5. what sweete com­fort may faith fetch hence? Looke upon the wounds of Christ on the Crosse, as on the Cities of refuge, whi­ther thy pursued soule by the aven­ger of bloud may flye for safety, and Sanctuary. Indeed I am a grievous sinner, I have wounded my conscience Feccavi peccatū grande, turbatur conscientia, sed non perturbabi­tur, quoniam vul­nerum Domini recordabor. Nē ­pe vulneratus est propter iniqui [...]a­tes nost [...]. Quid tam ad mortem, quod non Christi mo [...]te salv [...]tur? Bernard. [...]i [...]p. Can. Serm. 61. with my transgressions, but behold my Saviour here wounded for my trans­gressions. I have [...]se to be troubled in my conscience for the wounds my transgressions have made therein, but yet my conscience needs not sinke in a despondency of spirit, whilest I [Page 579] looke at these wounds of Christ; Here be wounds for wounds, healing wounds for stabbing wounds, curing wounds for killing wounds. He was wounded for our transgressions: what wound so deadly that cannot, or may not be healed by his death, and wounds? what comfort is here for faith in the wounds of Christ crucified, whose death is represented in the Sacra­ment? Foderūt manus ejus & pedes, la­tus (que) lancea fora­verunt. & per has rimas licet mihi sugere mel de pe­tra, & oleum de saxo, id est, gusta­re, & videre, quo­niā suavis est do­minus—At clavis reserans, clavis penetrans factus est mihi, ut videā voluntatem do­mini. Quidni vi­deā per foramen! clamat c [...]edens sit in Christo mū ­dum reconcilians sibi, patet Arca­num co [...]dis per foramina corpo­ris? Patent visce­ra misericordiae Dei—Quidni vis­cera per vulnera pateant? In quo enim clarius quam in vulneribus tuis eluxisset, quod tu domine suavis, & multae misericordiae, &c. Ego vero siden­ter quod ex me mihi deest userpo mihi ex visceribus domini quoniam mise­ricordia affluunt, nec desunt foramina per quae affluant. Bernard. s [...]p. Cantic. Ser. 61. They pierced my hands and my feete, Psal. 22. 16. They pierced his side with the speare, and there came out water and bloud, nay there comes out of those wounds honey, and oyle unto faith. By these passa­ges may our faith sucke honey, and oyle out of the rocke, and may taste how good, and sweete the Lord is. The nayles, the speare, the wounds all preach unto faith a reconciled God, that God is in Christ reconci­ling the world to Himselfe. The [Page 580] Lords bowels are laid open by these CHAP. 21 wounds, so as throughout them wee may see the tender bowels of his mercy, and so as through them mer­cy flowes from those bowels unto us.

Oh my Dove that art in the clefts, or holes of the Rocke, Cant. 2. 14. Some of the Ancients understood those clefts of the Rock the wounds of Christ in which the Dove, the Church hides, and shelters her selfe. How­ever, it may be alluded to, and that, should be no work of faith at the Sa­crament, when it sees those clefts of the Rocke opened, like a Dove to be­take her selfe therunto for shelter, and security against all feares and distres­ses Tuta requies est infirm is peccato­ribus in vulneri­bus salvatoris, se­curus illic habito Patent mihi vis­cera per vulnera. August. Mannal. Miles aperuit mi­hi latus Christ lancea, & ego in­t [...]ali, & ibi requi­esco securus. Aug ibid. that wrath, and guilt may put the conscience to. Doe any feares of wrath trouble thine heart? Doth any Conscience of guilt disquiet thee with the feares of hell? Why now in the Sacrament for thy comfort be­hold the holes in the Rocke where thou mayest be sheltred. Dwell now in [Page 581] the rock, and be like the Dove that makes her rest in the sides of the holes mouth, Ier. 48. Nessell thy soule now at the Sacrament in the clefts of this Rocke. See, and fully beleeve thy peace to be made with God in Christs bloud, and look upon him wounded for thy transgressions, with such a faith, as may fill thine heart with an holy se­curity against all such feares, faith thus Actuated cannot but send thy soule from the Sacrament with much comfort. And thus much for the Actuation of faith, which is the third thing in that holy disposition requi­rrd in the receiving of the Sacra­ment.

The fourth thing followes, which is an exercise of thankesgiving to God, for the great worke of our Redemp­tion by the death of Christ. And this must rise from an heart affected, and enlarged in the use of the Ordi­nance, the heart being warmed, and growing hot with the sense of Gods goodnesse, a man should breake out [Page 582] and give vent to his heart in magnify­ing CHAP. 20 the mercy of God for the death of Christ represented in this Ordi­nance, and the fruit thereof is com­municated to us therein. In the use of our naturall foode there followes a cheerefulnesse of spirit, Act. 14. 17. Filling our hearts with foode and glad­nesse. Now when the heart is chee­red, and refreshed with the creature, it should then let out it selfe in thanks­giving to God, Nehem. 9. 25. So they did eate, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodnesse, Psalm. 22. 26. The meeke shall eate and be satisfied, they shall praise the Lord that seeke him. So when the heart is cheered with the sense of the sweetnesse of an Ordinance of the Sacrament, when the Lord hath fil­led the heart with spirituall foode, and gladnesse, when we have beene filled, and have delighted our selves in Gods great goodnesse in the Sacra­ment, then let we out our hearts to blesse, and praise the LORD. See it in [Page 583] David. Psal. 63. 5. My soule shall be satisfied as with marrow, and fatnesse. That blessing he looks for in Gods or­dinances: and what should then fol­low? And my mouth shall praise thee with joyfull lippes. When, men are excessively filled with Wine, they shout and make a noyse, and sing, and take on. The Prophet alludes to it, Psalme 78. 65. like a mighty man that Fons vitae, replementem meam torrente volupta­tis tuae, & inebria cor meum sobria ebrieta [...]e amoris tui. Aug. medit. c. 37. shoutes by reason of wine. Such ex­cesse, and such drunkennesse the Apo­stle forbids, Ephes. 5. 18. Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excesse. But yet there an holy, and a sober Inebriation the Apostle allowes, and calls for. But be filled with the spirit. Drinke deepe of that Wine. And where is that Wine to be drunke? As in other Ordinances, so in the Sacrament. Here Christ makes merry with his people, Eate O friends, drink ye, drink abundantly ô beloved, or be drunken with loves, Now when a man hath li­berally Cant. 5. 1. drunke of this Wine of the spirit at the Sacrament, what should [Page 584] follow? That which followes in that CHAP. 21 Text, Ephes. 5. 19. Speaking to your selves in Psalmes, and Hymnes, and spi­rituall songs, singing, and making melo­dy in your hearts to the Lord. When a Quo interius ex­terius (que) rubricati a sapientibus hu­jus saeculi judica­mur amentes. man is made Red with this wine with­in, and without, as St. Cyprian speakes, then should a man let out his heart in holy Iubilitions, and Thankesgivings Haec ebri [...]tas non accendit, sed ex­tinguit peccatum, &c. Cypr. de caen. Dom. unto God. Doe this in remembrance of mee, that is, in remembrance of the great worke of your redemption wrought by me, and doe it in a thank­full remembrance. So remember it as to have your hearts in special manner enlarged in all thankefulnesse unto me for this worke. And from this it is that this Sacrament beares the name of the Eucharist, as being the Sacra­ment of Thankesgiving for the work of Redemption in the remembrance whereof it is celebrated. Our Savi­our gave a patterne of this, Matth. 26. 30. When they had sung an Hymne. So then they sang an Hymne toge­ther. An Hymne is a Psalme of [Page 585] praise. So the Iewes in the celebra­tion of the Passeover did sing the 113. Psalme with the five following Psalmes, which they called the Great Hallelujah, which they began to sing after that cup of Wine which they called Poculum Hymni, seu laudationis, the Cup of praise. And thus it should bee with us in receiving the Sacra­ment. At all times, upon all occasi­ons wee should sing Hallelujahs to GOD, but at the Sacrament wee should sing a Great Hallelujah, at all times wee should thankefully blesse GOD for the worke of our Redemption, but at the Sacrament we should have our hearts greatly enlarged in more speciall manner to blesse God for Christs Death, and the sweet comforts received in the use of the Sacrament.

Fifthly, and lastly, this holy Sacra­mentall disposition stands in an exer­cise of love and mercy. In an exer­cise of love, when wee looke upon our fellow members communicating [Page 586] with us, we should cleave to them in CHAP. 20 one spirit, as unto members of the same body. 1 Cor. 10. 17. For we be­ing many are one bread, and one body, for wee are all partakers of that one bread. So that in partaking of that one bread, we are one bread, and one bo­dy. Many cornes goe to the making of one loafe, but yet they will not be knod into one loafe, unlesse by the mixture of some moysture they bee wrought, and fastned together. Love exacted & stirred up is that moysture that unites us many severall graines into one bread. So 1 Cor. 12. 13. We drinke into one spirit, that is, into one soule.

In an exercise also of mercy, and compassion to the poore members of Indigne mandu­cant qui corpus & sanguinem Christi in Sacra­mēto manducunt & bibunt, mem­bra autem ejus Evangelio non agnoscunt. Aug. cont. lit. Tetil. l. 2. c. 55. Christ, shewing mercy to them in con­tributing to their necessities. And here specially at the Sacrament shold that ground work with us, 2 Cor. 8. 9. And thus we see what the concomi­tant duties are, and such as accompa­ny the Action.

Chap. 21. Subsequent duties, and such as must follow the Sacra­ment received.

CHAP. 21 VVEE are now come to the third, and last sort of Du­ties, in which the due order of recei­ving the Sacrament stands, and they are subsequent duties, such as follow after the Sacrament received:

There ought to be a speciall care of duties after the Sacrament, as well as before, and in receiving, for though a man may come conveniently prepa­red, and may in a good measure be holily conversant in the duty of re­ceiving, yet if a man be carelesse, and looke not to himselfe after the duty is done, he may marre all. A man may come to his meate prepared with a good stommach, may eate it with a good appetite, and feed hungrily, and [Page 588] heartily, and yet as soone as he hath eaten may doe that which may spoile all. If a man, before his meate bee well out of his mouth, fall to sleepe, or to serious study, or to violent ex­ercise, or specially if he shall after meate eate some unwholesome food, or take some poyson, these must needs hinder digestion, and concocti­on, these must needs make him the worse after his meat, though he come to it prepared with a good appetite, and fed upon it with a good stomach. Physitions before they give physicke prepare the body for it, and give it when the body is in a convenient dis­position for it, but that is not all. They have also a speciall care to or­der, and dyet a man after he hath ta­ken his physicke. For though a mans body may be well prepared before taking physicke, and be well disposed in taking it, yet if a man be not after­wards carefull of taking cold, be not carefull what, and when he eates, his physicke will not kindly worke, nor [Page 589] doe him any good. Carelesnesse in dyet, in taking cold afterwards may Qui pharmacum sumunt, solent eo die ab omnibus abstinere quibus pharmaci vis, & operatio, impedi­ri potest. Gualth. in 1 Cor. 11. 27. dead, and kill the force of the phy­sicke, so as it may not onely doe a man no good, but much hurt, though the physicke were very good and proper for his body, and disease. A great care therefore ought to be had of a due, and a right ordering our selves after the Sacrament. And this care thus to order our selves stands in these two things.

First, In a mans examining him­selfe after he is come from the Sacra­ment. Let a man examine himselfe, and so let him eate, and so let him drinke. So also, let a man eate, and drinke, and so let him examine him­selfe. A man is seriously, and faith­fully, after he hath beene at the Lords Table, to consider between God, and his owne soule what entertainment, and welcome GOD hath given him, whether God hath dealt with him at this Supper, as Mary delt with CHRIST at that Supper, Iohn 12. [Page 590] 2, 3. whether the LORD hath powred any precious oyntment upon him or not, what comfort, and in­crease of faith, and grace he hath re­ceived, what quickning, what refresh­ment, what friendship and commu­nion with CHRIST, what ver­tue hee hath found to flow out of Christ into his owne soule.

Now upon such examination a man shall finde that it hath been well with him at the Sacrament, or it hath not, he hath had a good day of it, or no good day. And accordingly as he findes, so he is to proceed.

First, then if a man have found no joy, comfort, enlargement, no com­munion with, nor answer from CHRIST, but upon examination findes that he hath beene unfruitfull, and that his heart was full of dead­nesse, hardenesse, and dulnesse of spirit; then two things are to bee done:

First, Suspect thy selfe that some miscarriage hath beene in thee, either [Page 591] in thy preparation to, or in thy per­formance of the duty. Labour ther­fore to finde out where the faile was, and what it was that hindred the ef­ficacy of the Sacrament, that caused God to keep his hand close, that cau­sed him to deny to anoynt thee with fresh oyle. And having found out what hindred, and deaded the Sacra­ment, judge thy selfe for that, and be seriously humbled for it. And this being thus done, so that after our re­ceiving we can but be sensible of our owne senselesnesse of heart in that ho­ly duty, and can mourne for it, and complaine to God of it, and of our selves, we neede not be overmuch dis­maied, and cast downe, because this is one fruit of the life of Christ which was undoubtedly received in the Sa­crament. Though thou hast not that thou wouldest have had, yet thou hast that which was worth the going for. Construe this very thing as a fruite of going to the Sacrament, and be thankefull for that.

Secondly, Endeavour by after paines in prayer, and humiliation to quicken, and awaken the efficacy of the Sacrament, for this wee must know as a point of great use and com­fort, that Sacraments doe not alwaies worke for the present, but the efficacy may come afterwards. It is in this case as in that, 1 Sam. 10. 1. 6, 9. Samuel anoynted Saul and said, The Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, &c. And it was so that when had turned his back to goe from Samuel, God gave him ano­ther heart. The Spirit of God came not upon him in the Anoynting, but afterwards, when hee was departed from Samuel. The Actions of God are of eternall efficacy, though he put forth that efficacy in such times, and seasons as he sees good. Though the Sacrament worke not for the present in the administration, yet if wee bee after touched with a sense of our unworthinesse, and thereupon awaken our selves to quicken the Ordinance to our selves, the Sacrament, shall be [Page 593] ready afterwards to empty it selfe with blessings upon our soules, and shall prove effectuall, and comfor­table unto thee. The first Sacra­ment of the Supper the Disciples received, it is not like they found the efficacy of it for the present, for they then knew, nor understood no­thing of CHRISTS death, nei­ther could it sinke into their heads that he should dye, but yet afterwards when they came more cleerely to un­derstand the mysteries of Redempti­on, and the whole doctrine of Christ, no question but they reaped the be­nefit of that Ordinance, which then they fully understood not. Physicke doth not alwayes worke when it is taken, but many times a good while, some dayes after. It is with the Sa­crament as it is with the word. Ma­ny a man heares the word; and minds it, but for the present it hath no work at all. It is possible that seven yeares, twenty yeares after it may worke, a Sermon preached seven yeares be­fore [Page 594] may prove the meanes of a mans conversion seaven yeares after, wee have an example in that kinde, Iohn 10. 41, 42. And many resorted unto him, and said, Iohn did no miracle, but all things that spake of this man were true, and many beleeved on him there. Iohn had preacht of Christ before, they did not there upon beleeve in Christ when hee preacht. Iohn was dead, and gone, but now when Christ comes amongst them, they upon Iohns former Sermons preacht a great while before, doe now beleeve. Iohn was dead, but his word was not dead, that now workes when he lyes in his grave. Thus also may it be with the Sacrament, it doth not alwayes pre­sently worke, it may, and doth work some longer time afterwards, when a Communicant humbled for his un­profitablenesse in the duely endea­vours, by after-diligence and Humi­liation to quicken and put life into it. And if such a course may quicken a Sacrament some time after, then why [Page 595] not much more on the same day? What hinders but it may bee in the case of the Sacrament of the Supper, as in the Sacrament of Baptisme? The efficacy, and force of Baptisme doth not presently appeare, no not presently upon the yeeres of discreti­on. Many an one lives vitiously, in sinfull course, a swearer, adulterer, &c. but yet afterwards if God give once a man the heart to bee toucht with the sense of his owne unwor­thinesse, and hee beginnes to bestirre himselfe to secke GOD by faith, and Repentance, the Lord quickens a mans Baptisme, and makes it as powerfull, and efficacious as if that very day ad­ministred. So in this case, possibly a man that hath beene at the Lords Ta­ble, and hath more then once beene an unworthy receiver, but yet if a man shall come once to bee humbled of that unworthinesse, God will make sacraments so oft unprofitably recei­ved, to become efficacious unto him. For though hee were unprepared to [Page 596] receive, yet God was not unprepared to dispense the benefit of them. Therefore if wee have miscarried in our preparations, and dispositions so as we have found no benefit, no com­fort, yet here is a remedy and an help, take this course by after-diligence, and after-Humiliation to fetch life in­to that Ordinance in which thou wert dead, and which was dead unto thee in the Administration. It is a fre­quent, and foule fault amongst many, that so soone as the Sacrament is done, and the duty ended in publike, they never once looke after it more. They leave the Sacramentall disposi­tion, and devotion in the Church, there they shake hands with it, and bring not a whit of it home with them. When the Sacrament is done, all is done with them, and as they come to it, so they goe from it, with­out any examination at all. It is ne­ver once more thought upon. And thereupon no Humiliation for dead­nesse, hardnesse, and indisposition in [Page 597] the duty, and no care to make up that by after diligence, wherein they were wanting in the present perfor­mance.

2 Secondly, If upon this examina­tion we finde that we were refreshed, had our hearts enlarged, had vertue from, and communion with Christ, and that GOD was very good to us, then doe these two things:

1 First, Blesse God with all thy soule for his mercy shewed unto thee, acknowledge with all thanke­fulnesse Gods gracious dealing with thee in the communication, and ma­nifestation of himselfe to thee in his Ordinance.

2 Secondly, Be carefull, and watch­full to keepe up, and maintaine that holy, and gracious frame of heart in thee which thou acquirest in, and bringest from the Sacrament with thee. A man when he findes enlarge­ment, and a gracious disposition of spirit in the Ordinance, should be of Peters mind, when in the Mount with [Page 598] our Saviour in his transfiguration, Master, It is good being here. It is good to be here as long as may bee, when therefore in the Sacrament wee have gotten holy affections by de­grees wound up to some spirituall height, have gotten them up to more than an ordinary, and common pitch, our care should be to keep, and main­taine so long as we can, what we have gotten at the Sacrament, to keepe the sweete meates wee bring from this banquet. It is true indeed that wee cannot hold them up in that height, and pitch, to which we have wrought our hearts in holy duties, and in the heate of holy exercises, but yet wee should endeavour it what we can, and so long as is possible by after private duties of prayer, meditation, good conference, and the like. That as Da­vid prayes for the people in that case, 1 Chron. 29. 18. when he saw them in a floate of good affections, their hearts sweetely, and graciously en­larged, O Lord, saies he, keepe this for [Page 599] ever in the Imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare or stablish their heart unto thee. As if he had said, Lord thou seest what a good frame of heart is in them at this present, oh that thou wouldest keepe, and maintaine this frame of heart in them ever. So when we finde a good frame of heart wrought in us at the Sacrament, wee should pray, and endeavour that this frame of heart might bee still upheld, and continued in us. See an excellent example of this after a Sacrament, 2 Chron. 30. 21, 22. They finde their hearts comfortably, and sweetly enlarged in the use of Gods Ordinance, and loath they are to let this frame of heart sinke in them, faine would they keepe it up still, and therefore see ver. 23. what they doe: And the whole assembly tooke counsell to keep other sea­ven dayes, and they kept other seaven dayes with gladnesse. This was done to keep up still this gladnesse of heart which they had in keeping the first [Page 600] seven daies. And this by way of pro­portion, serves to teach us what a spe­ciall care we should have after the re­ceiving of the Sacrament, to looke wisely to our selves, to keepe alive as long as may be, that holy fire that was kindled in our hearts in the use of the Sacrament.

It is a grosse miscarriage, & a shrewd faile in men, who after good and faire enlargements at the Sacrament, have no care to keepe their hearts in good frame by prayer, meditation, or good conference, but as soone as they come from the Sacrament, doe fall to worldly and earthly conference, or vaine and idle discourse, and so all on a sudden quench, dash, and dampe all, undoe all they have been so long a doing in their preparations, and per­formances. Such abrupt chopping off, and jumping off from holy duties, is a dangerous quenching of the Spi­rit. Such a quenching of the Spirit, as tends much to the hardening of the heart. Yron red hot put into water, [Page 601] and suddenly quencht, it makes it the harder. It is a very dangerous thing to the body, when it is hot, and in a sweat, suddenly to cole it; by casting off a mans clothes, or leaping into the cold water: Such a thing is as much as a mans life is worth. Such sudden coolings, and dampings of spirituall heats, got in holy duties, cannot be without much danger to the soule. What a poore thing is it, that when at the Sacrament a man hath gotten an excellent fire kindled, and flaming in his heart, that an houre or two af­ter, hee should not have so much as a coale, or a sparke of that fire remain­ing? And so much for the first thing to be done after Receiving, name­ly, the examining of our selves.

2 The second thing to be done followes: And that is; A speciall, and a wondrous great care to keepe touch with GOD, to expresse the power, and efficacy of Gods Ordi­nance in making our good, and keep­ing our vowes and covenants we have [Page 602] made at the Sacrament, our owne hearts are very false, fickle, and slip­pery, there is therefore the more neede to looke narrowly to them. They never long more to breake loose, then when they are fresh bound with new cords. The divell also is exceeding malicious: Hee is never more busie, more violent to tempt, and bring men to sin, then when they come new from the Sacrament. Hee knowes that is the way to make their sinnes out of measure sinfull. Hee is exceeding desirous to goe in, and goe downe after a Sacramentall sop. No sooner was CHRIST Baptized, Luk. 3. but Luk. 4. presently after the Sacrament received, hee sets fiercely, and with all his skill, and strength up­on him in his tentations. Looke how Senacherib did with Hezekiah, so doth Satan with us: When Hezekiah had reformed the Church, setled the wor­ship of GOD, and had put all in good order, 2 Chron. 31. then Chapt. 32. 1. After these things, and the establishment [Page 603] thereof, Senacherib came with his army into the land. So when a man hath beene at the Sacrament, and hath re­nued his Covenants with GOD, and stablished his resolutions of better obedience; After those things, the Divell will come with all his forces, and seeke to make a man breake his vowes, and neglect his Covenants. Therefore proportionable, and an­swerable to the loosenesse of our hearts, and to the malice of Satan, should our care be to keepe our cove­nants and our vowes, and to expresse, and manifest the power, and vertue of Gods Ordinance in the holinesse, and obedience of our lives. Now should our care be to shew what benefit wee have received by the Sacrament, in walking closely with GOD in the forsaking all former sinnes, and per­forming all duties of obedience for­merly neglected. Elias, after he was fed by GOD, went in the strength of that food forty daies, and fortie nights, 1 King. 19. 8. So should we [Page 604] walke in the strength of our Sacra­mentall foode many daies and nights, and shew that indeed we have recei­ved strength by, and from it by keep­ing our covenants with GOD of ho­linesse, and obedience. See how Wis­dome speakes, Prov. 9. 5, 6. Shee kills her beasts, she mingles her wine, shee furnishes her Table, shee invites her guests; Come, saies she, eate of my bread, and drinke of the drinke which I have mingled. But marke what it is that shee requires of her guests after she hath fed them, and feasted them at her Table, Forsake the foolish and live, and goe in the way of understanding. Now, that I have fed and feasted you at my Table, live now no more as yee were wont to doe; now choose new company, and new courses, now become new men, and goe, and walke in new waies. It is the very thing that GOD lookes for at our hands after we have been at the Sacrament. So should it be with a man after his communion with GOD in the Sa­crament, [Page 605] as it was with Iacob after his communion with GOD in Bethel: Genes. 29. 1. Then Iacob lift up his feet, and came into the land of the people of the East. Hee lift up his feet, he went with strength, with spirit, with cheer­fulnesse, and Then he went, that is, af­ter he had had that sweet fellowship with GOD in Bethel, hee was so cheered, and refreshed with that spi­rituall baite, that in the strength, and force of that, he went on livelily, and cheerily in his journey. So when we have had fellowship with GOD in the Sacrament, in the strength of that heavenly baite at the Sacrament, wee should lift up our feete, and goe on cheerily, livelily, lustily in our jour­ney towards Heaven. After Christ had beene at Iordan at the Sacrament, he goes forth furnished with strength from Gods Ordinance to encounter the Divell; Then Iesus returned from Iordan full of the HOLY GHOST to be tempted of the Divell: Mat. 4. 1. Luk. 4. 1. Hee went from the Sacra­ment [Page 606] full of the HOLY GHOST, and full of power against the filthy ghost. So should wee rise from the Sacrament full of the Holy Ghost, Tanquam Leo­nes igitur ignem spirantes ab il­la mensa receda­mus facti diabolo terribiles, & ca­put nostrū mente revolvētes, & cha­ritatem quam no­bis exhibuit, Chry. ad pop. Hom. 61. full of power, and spirituall strength, and like Lyons, breathing fire, as Chry­sostome speakes, so as wee might be terrible to Satan, and powerfull a­gainst our lusts, and corruptions to mortifie and subdue them, for this is one maine end and use of the Sacra­ment, for which we come to eat, that we may get from CHRIST in it, power to mortifie our lusts, and cor­ruptions, and to be enabled to walke in better obedience then wee have done. Therefore that we may shew that wee have made good the end of the Sacrament, wee must mortifie lusts, and performe duties of obedi­ence with more power than ever. That which Paul speaks, Ephes. 4. 28. Let him that stole, steale no more, &c. It must specially be remembred after the Sacrament; Let him that swore, sweare no more; that used to lye, lye [Page 607] no more; to be drunke, be drunke no more; to be uncleane, be uncleane no more, &c. This we come for to the Sacrament, and this vow wee at the Sacrament. It is the note of a man that shall goe to Heaven: Psalm. 15. That he keeps his oaths and his promises, though to his owne hurt. How much more then should a man be carefull of his oathes and promises which hee makes to GOD in the Sacrament, and that for his owne good? There­fore after the Sacrament thus thinke, and reason the case with thy selfe: I have beene at the Sacrament, I have there vowed, and taken the Sacrament upon it, that I will forsake my sinnes, I have beene a swearer, oathes have beene frequently, and familiarly in my mouth, I have beene guilty of drunkennesse, uncleannesse, oppressi­on, covetousnesse; well now accor­ding to my vow at the Sacrament, I will watch over my tongue that I sweare no more, I will get this bloud out of my mouth, and this abomination [Page 608] from between my [...]eet [...], I will beware how this leprosie breake out againe Zech. 9. 7. in my lips, since the word is gone out of my lips, by which I have vowed at the Sacrament against this sinne. I will now this day begin to renounce my drunken company, and courses. I have neglected holy duties in pub­like, and private by my selfe, I will this day begin to reade Scripture, to pray diligently by my selfe, and to doe all those duties of holinesse mine oath at the Sacrament bindes me to. If after thou hast beene at the Sacra­ment, Satan, or any of his instruments set upon thee in any tentation to any evill, or sinne, feare thy selfe with thy sacramentall vow. Say to Satan, I was lately at the Sacrament, there thou knowest what a vow I made to GOD, therefore I may not doe this evill. Wouldest thou have mee be forsworne before GOD? Should I, that have beene at Gods Table, and have eat and drunke with him, should I lift up the heele against [Page 609] him? I that have taken an oath to the contrary? Avoide Satan, I may not, I will not in any case doe it.

Thus should a man fence himselfe Legitur de qua­dam sancta [...] ­gine, quae quo [...]ie [...] ten [...]abatur, non nisi bapti [...]mo, [...]uo repugnabat di­cens brevissime, Christiana, sum. Intellexit enim hostis statim vir­tutem baptismi, & fidei, quae in veritate promit­tentis pendebat, & fug [...]t ab ea. Lut [...]. against Satans temptations by his ha­ving beene at the Sacrament of the Supper, as that Virgin did, of whom Luther speaks, by her having received the Sacrament of Baptisme, when she had vowed, and covenanted with God against those things to which hee tempted her, Satan I am a Christian, I have beene baptized, there I vowed to the contrary. And so she quenched the fiery darts of the Divell with the waters of her baptizme. So do when Satan tempts thee after the receiving of the Supper: Avoide Satan, I have received the Sacrament, and therein made a covenant to the contrary.

It is a great fault in men that they are no more watchfull over their hearts, and wayes after the receiving of the Sacrament, and no more care­full to expresse the power of the Or­dinance in their lives. It was a great [Page 610] fault in the Disciples, that there was at all a contention amongst them for greatnesse, and superiority, Luk. 22. 24. But their fault was so much the greater by the circumstance of time wherein the quarrell sprang, for it was presently after they had received both the Sacrament of the Passeover, and the Lords Supper, as appeares by the verses before going. Was that a time to be contending, to be striving, when they were newly risen from the Sacrament? contending, and striving with God in prayer, for a blessing up­on his Ordinance freshly received, had beene farre more seemely, and seasonable, wofull is the carriage of many, and much to be lamented. Ma­ny come to the Sacrament, and there make their vowes of Renouncing their sins, and becomming new men, and yet when once the action is over, and past, how soone are their vowes forgotten? how quickly returne they to their old courses againe? It may be, the same weeke returne unto the [Page 611] same sinnes, receive the Sacrament on the Lords day, and drink drunk again before the next Lords day, nay it may be, be drunke the next morrow, nay it were to be wished, that it were not to true a complaint, that they be drunke the selfe same day. So for other sins, men have not the care, nor consci­ence to forbeare them the same day, but sweare the same day they receive, and have their oathes in their mouths before the bread, and wine are well out of their mouthes: Iust as the strumpet, Prov. 7. 14, 18. I have peace offerings with me; this day I have paid my vowes, come let us take our fill of love, so she stiles her filthy lust, un­till morning, let us solace our selves with loves. The selfe same day that she had beene at the sacrifice, and the Al­tar, the selfe same day shee playes the Whore, and comes from the Altar, into the adulterers bed. How hey­nous had her adultery beene at any time, but when she had beene at Gods Altar, to play the strumpet, and the [Page 612] filth in that very day, how heynous was her transgression? Must she needs sacrifice her selfe to the Divell in her lusts in the same day she had beene sa­crificing to God? It is an heynous thing that hath beene objected justly against some impure Popish votaries, that they have risen from Harlots sides, to consecrate the Sacrament. And is it not as heynous to rise from the Sacrament to whoredome, as to rise from whoredome to the Sacra­ment? Is it not as heynous a thing to rise from the Sacrament to drunken­nesse, as to rise from drunkennesse to the Sacrament? How happy were it that that which was laid to Israels charge, might not be charged upō too too many Communicants, Exod. 32. 6. The people sate downe to eate, and drinke and rose up to play. How many sit downe to eate, and drinke the sa­cramentall elements, and that done, rise up to play? To what play? To play the beasts, to play the swine, to play the wantons, to play the wret­ches, [Page 613] and so make themselves by such receiving, twofold more the children of the Divell then they were before. That was exceeding heynous, and horrible, that the Lord complaines of Ezek. 23. 39. for when they had slaine their children to their Idols, then they came the same day into my San­ctuary to prophane it. What villany was this? Play the Idolaters, the mercilesse murderers of their owne Children, and then come the same day into the Lords Sanctuary? what had they to doe to come into Gods Sanctuary upon any day, but especi­ally upon the same day? And had it not beene every whit as hainous to have come to Gods Sanctuary, to the Lords Table, Mal. 1. 12. and the same day to have committed Idolatry, murther, and so also to fall to Adul­tery, Drunkennesse, Blasphemy, and oathes? Is not this in an high degree to pollute Gods name, and his Table, and to make the fruit thereof con­temptible? Mal. 1. 12. What is [Page 614] this, but to take poyson after Phy­sicke? O shame that those hands that have beene reached forth to receive Christs body at the Sacrament, shold afterwards be stretched forth to op­pression, and violence; that those mouthes and lippes that have drunke Christs bloud at the Sacrament, shold be after, and specially the same day, de­filed with the slabbering drivell of oathes, filthy obscaene speech, and rotten communication? The Habas­sines, after the receiving of the Sacra­ment, thinke it not lawfull for them to sp [...]t that day till the setting of the sun. Brerew. enquir. cap. 23. 166. It is no better then superstition in them, but yet their superstition will rise up in Iudgement against the mon­strous profanenesse of many amongst us. They that hold it unlawfull to doe so much as spit that day, would they out of excesse of drunkennesse spue that day? They that will not spit that day, would they endure the Divells drivell to fall from their mouthes that day in ungodly oathes, [Page 615] and unsavory rotten communicati­on? They that will not spit that day, would they in that day spit in Gods face, as common profane swearers, and blasphemers doe?

But yet some againe there are, that have so much reverence to the Sacra­ment, and so much respect to the Or­dinance, that upon that day they re­ceive, they will carry themselves fair­ly and demurely. If they be tempted by their companions to any irregular carriage, they can answer, Oh fie, by no meanes, I have beene to day at the Sacrament, I may not so much for­get my selfe. And it is a good answer; But yet that day once over, the next day, or a few daies after, let out them­selves, and take their former sinfull li­berties. Now here let men a little consider themselves. Doth the sacra­mentall efficacie last, and doth the sa­cramentall covenant binde but for a day? If, because thou hast beene at the Sacrament to day, it be a good argument that thou must not sin, and [Page 616] breake out to day; why is it not as good an argument for the next day, for the next weeke, for the next month, the next yeer? Is the efficacy, the bond of the Sacrament stinted to a day? Nay, if thou returne to thy sins seven yeeres, twenty yeeres after thou hast received; if in so long a time thou shouldest not, or couldest not receive againe, yet still the bond is as strong upon thy conscience, as if thou hadst received the Sacrament but this pre­sent day. There is one and the same reason in both Sacraments. The Sa­crament of Baptisme is but one ad­ministred, and that in our infancie, and yet I know our Baptismall vow, and covenant, binds to the day of our death, though we should live an hun­dred yeeres, yea, though wee should fulfill Methusela's daies. The same covenant and vow wee make in Bap­tisme, we renew at the Supper, and the bond in this, as binding and as lasting as in the other Sacrament. That is true, or should at least be true [Page 617] of both the Sacraments, which Paul speakes of the Rocke, 1 Cor. 10. 4. They dranke of that spirituall Rocke that followed them, or went with them. They dranke of the materiall Rocke, which is called a spirituall Rocke, because it was a type of Christ. The Israelites did not onely drinke of the Rocke when they were at it, but after they were removed and gone from it, they still dranke of it. But how could that be? yes, the Apostle saies, The Rocke followed them. That is, the water that issued out of the Rocke followed them as they journyed, and streamed after them in their removes. So the Rocke followed them virtually, the vertue and benefit of the Rocke followed them, and went along with them. So is it, so should we have a care it should be, that the Sacraments should not onely be efficacious when we are pre­sent at them, and in the act of recei­ving them, but their efficacy and ver­tue should follow us, and streame after us all the while wee are travelling in [Page 618] the wildernesse of this world, till we come into Heaven.

When we come to the Sacrament, and doe not shew the efficacy and power of it, doe not keepe our cove­nants, and walke the more religiously and fruitfully after it, there followes upon it these two evills:

1 First, God accounts such recei­ving no service done to him. The Sacrament received without follow­ing, and answerable obedience, he re­putes and accounts as no service at all to him. Looke how God contests with his people, Zech. 7. 5. 6, 7. Did yee at all fast unto me, even to me? And when yee did eate, and when yee did drinke, did yee not eate &c? Should yee not heare the words, &c? As if hee had said; yee have kept many fasts for many yeeres, but yee did no service to me in all your fasts; for your fasting was no more service to me, then when yee did eat and drink for your selves, and for your owne pleasure and de­light. But how so? Because with your [Page 619] fasting, yee joyned not your obedi­ence to me and my words, there fol­lowed no obedience in your lives; and therefore you fasted not unto me. Did yee at all fast to me, to me? So likewise will God contest with such commu­nicants, as doe not expresse the power of the Sacrament, and keepe not their sacramentall covenants in following obedience. When yee received the Sacrament in the first, second, third, and every moneth in the yeere, did ye at all performe any service unto mee, unto me? And when yee did eat, and when yee did drinke, did yee not eat for your selves, and drinke for your selves? Should yee not heare the words which the Lord cries by his Mini­sters? Your eating and drinking at the Sacrament, is no more service to me, then when yee eat and drinke at your owne ordinary tables for your selves, and your owne pleasures, so long as after your receiving, and eating, and drinking at my Table, there followes no expression of the power of mine [Page 620] Ordinance, no conscience of keeping your covenants, in yeelding obedi­ence to my words in your lives. Now what comfort can we have in our ha­ving received the Sacrament, if God accept it not as a service done to him? Nay, it is so farre from being a ser­vice accepted of God as done to him, that he accounts it treachery against him. It is true here, which Hoseah speakes, Hos. 6. 7. But they like men, transgressed the Couenant, There have they dealt treacherously against me: There, that is, in the very Covenant they have plaid false with me; where they thought they did God great service, there they abused him; where they thought to please God, there they provoked him to anger, there they dealt treacherously against me. It is in it selfe a service to God to re­ceive the Sacrament, and to make a Covenant with him. And many thinke they doe God good service herein, but they are deceived, because like deceitfull false hearted men, they [Page 621] transgressed the Covenant; There, there, in the very Covenant, they deale treacherously against GOD. And so it is no service, but a provo­cation to the Lord: For what can provoke more then treachery? And what is it but treachery to transgresse so solemne a Covenant.

2 Secondly, we horribly pollute, and take Gods Name in vaine, and make our selves guilty of spirituall perjury before God. What thinke we of perjured and forsworne persons? What think we wil become of them? When we take an oath solemnely at the Lords Table to forsake our sins, to walke in obedience in the per­formance of such holy duties, and then afterwards live in those sins still, and in the neglect of those duties still, Are we not forsworne? If we sweare Siquidem vo­vens, & non solvens, quid nisi peiero? Bernard. de Precept. & Disp. c. 20. to doe such a thing, and doe it not, doe we not forsweare? And is it a light thing with us to be forsworne, and that by the breach of an oath, and co­venant made solemnely with God? [Page 622] Doe but consider, how heavily God threatens Zedekiah for breaking his oath and covenant, with the King of Babylon, Ezek. 17. 12.—21. Reade, and well observe the whole place. Zedekiah made an oath to Nebucad­nezzar, and brake it: And what fol­lowes upon it? Vers. 15. Shall hee escape that doth such things? or shall he breake the Covenant, and be delivered? Vers. 19. As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my Covenant that hee hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his owne head. But how? He should die for it in the midst of Babylon. Vers. 16. and it first cost him the losse of his eyes, so soone as he had seene his children slaine before his eyes. So smart vengeance hath God for perjury. God hath sworne that he will be revenged upon such as are forsworne, verse 19. And though men will, yet GOD will not bee for­sworne. Now then will the Lord be so heavily avenged for breach of oath, and covenant with a man, nay, [Page 623] with an heathen man, and an Idola­ter? Woe then to that man that breakes covenant with the great God of heaven and earth, who will not be mocked, who will not bee baffled withall, who will be a swift witnesse, and a severe Iudge against all such as grossely take his glorious Name in vaine, and so foulely pollute his holy Ordinance. And thus a man doing the duties required before, in, and af­ter the Receiving of the Sacrament, comes to the Sacrament after the due order. And he that walkes after this Rule, peace shall be upon him, and all the Israel of God.