*w ^C5 *kl\<\b THE PRACTICAL WORKS OF JOHN WILLISON, MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL AT DUNDEE. INCLUDING TREATISE ON THE SANCTIFICATION OF THE LORD'S DAY; A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY; SACRAMENTAL MEDITATIONS, SERMONS, ADVICES, laces of this realm hath been, and now is, profaned and neglected by disorderly sorts of people: it is therefore enacted, that there shall be no more meetings, assemblies, or concourse of people on the Lord's day, for any sport and pastimes what- soever," &c. Tertio Car. I. cap. 1. it is enacted, "That no carrier, carman, wainman, nor drover of cattle, shall travel on the Lord's day, upon pain of for- feiting twenty shillings; nor any butcher shall be allowed to kill or sell meat," &c. Vioesimo nono Car. II. cap. 7. it is enacted, "That all the laws enacted and iu force concern- ing the observation of the Lord's day, and repair- ing to the church thereon, be carefully put in execution: and that all and every ])erson and per- sons whatsoever shall on every Lord's day apply themselves to the observation of the same, by exercising themselves thereon in the duties of piety and true religion publicly and privately; andthat no tradesman, artificer,workman, labom-er, or other person whatsoever, shall do or exercise any worldly labour, business, or work of their ordinary callings upon the Lord's days, or any part thereof (works of necessity and charity only excepted;) and that every person, being of the age of fourteen years and upwards, offending in the premises, shall, for every such offence, forfeit the sum of five shillings; and that no person or persons whatever shall publicly cry, show forth, or expose to sale, any wares, merchandises, fruit, herbs, goods, or chattels whatsoever upon the Lord's day, or any part thereof, upon pain that every person so offending shall forfeit the same goods, so cried, or showed forth, or exposed to sale." It is further enacted, " That no drover, horse- courser, waggoner, butcher, higler, they or any of their servants, shall travel or come into his or their inn or lodging upon the Lord's day, or any part thereof, upon pain that each and every such offender shall forfeit twenty shillings for every such offence. And if any other person travels on the Lord's day, and should then be robbed, the hundred is not to be answerable for it; and what- ever the person loses, he is barred from bringing any action for such robberies. No waterman is to be employed to travel, except as licensed for any extraordinary occasion. No person is allowed to serve, or execute, or cause to be served or exe- cuted, any writ, process, warrant, order, judg- ment, or device, except in cases of treason, felony, or breach of the peace. The impeachment of offenders is to be within ten days, and a third part of the forfeitures is appointed to the prose- cutor." etc. SOME ACTS OP HIE PARLIAMENT OF SCOTLAND FOR THE RELI- GIOUS OBSERVATION OF THE LORDS DAY, WHICH STILL STAND IN FORCE. James VI. Pari. G. chap. 71. It is enacted, " That there be no markets on the Sabbath-day: and that no gaming, playing, passing to taverns and ale-houses, or selling of meat or drink, or wilful remaining from the parish-kirk iu time of sermon or prayers, upon the Sabbath-day, be used, under the pains of twenty shillings Scots. And who refuse, or are unable to pay the said pains, shall be put and holden in the stocks, or such other engine for public punishment, for the space of twenty-four hours," &c. Charles II. Pari. 1, Act. 18, intituled, Act for the due observation of the Lord's day; which act doth discharge, " All going of salt-pans, mills, or kilns, under the pains of twenty pounds Scots, to be paid by the heritors and possessors thereof: and also all salmon fishing, hiring of shearers, carrying of loads, keeping of markets, or using of merchandise upon the said day, and all other pro- fanation thereof, under the pain of ten pound Scots, the one half thereof to be paid by the said fisher or shearer hired, and the other half by the persons hiring. And if the offender be not able to pay the said penalties, that he be exemplarily punished in his body, according to the merits of his fault. This act is again ratified, Charles II. SANCTIFICATION OF THE LORD'S DAY. Pari. 2. Scss. 3. chap. 22. Likewise it is ratified by K. William, Pari. 1. June 15, 1693. And also, that parliament made several new laws to the said purpose, June 28, 1G95, October 9, 1C9G, January 31, 1701. And in these acts they ratify, renew, and revive, all former laws against Sab- bath-breaking, and strictly recpiire and enjoin all inferior magistrates to put the same to exact and 2>unctual execution against all persons without exception; with certification, that any magistrate that shall refuse, neglect or delay, to execute the said laws, upon application of any minister or kirk-session, or any person in their name, inform- ing and offering sufficient probation, shall be liable lolies quoties to a fine of an hundred pounds Scots by the Lords of Session," &c. Likewise our sovereigns, upon their coming to the throne, do still emit proclamations for execut- ing the laws against Sabbath-breaking, and other vices; and wherein they charge all magistrates and judges to suppress and punish the profanation of the Lord's day by gaming, selling of liquors, and otherwise; and they require and command all persons whatsoever, decently and reverently, to attend the worship of God on every Lord's day, on pain of their highest disjJeasure, and with being proceeded against with the utmost rigour that may be by law. To these acts of parliament and proclamations, I might subjoin some acts of the General Assembly of the church of Scotland against Sabbath-break- ing and for the better observation of the Lord's clay. Many such acts have they made since our reformation from popery: I shall only mention a few of them. Assemb. 1639, at Edinburgh, August 29. They made an act, intituled, Act anent keeping of the Lord's day, in which we have these words: "The General Assembly recommend to the several pres- byteries the execution of the old acts of assemblies against the breach of the Sabbath-day, by going of mills, salt-pans, salmon-fishing, or any such like labour," &c. Assemb. 1646, at Edinburgh, June 18. They made an act, intituled, Act against loosing of ships andbarksonthe Lord'sday, which runs thus: "The General Assembly, understanding hoAV much the Lord's day is profaned by skippers and other sea- faring men, do therefore discharge and inhibit all skippers and sailors to begin any voyage on the Lord's day, or to loose any ships, barks, or boats out of the harbour or road upon that day: and who shall do on the contrary thereof, shall be censured as profaners of the Sabbath." Assemb. 1 699, at Edinburgh, January 30, in their act against profaneness, they have these words : "The General Assembly recommends to kirk- sessions and presbyteries, the vigorous, impartial, and yet prudent exercise of discipline against all immorality; especially drunkenness and filthiness, cursing, swearing, and profaning the Lord's day, which too much abound : and that they apply to the magistrate for the execution of the good laws made against immorality and profaneness. And seeing it is observed, that in burghs, especially those of the greatest resort, as Edinburgh, many sit too late in taverns, especially on the Saturday night, and men of business pretend they do it for the relaxation of their mind; through which some neglect the public worship of the Lord's day in the forenoon, and others attend the worship drowsily : Therefore the General Assembly recommends it to all ministers, where such sinful customs are, to represent to the people, both pub- licly and privately, the sin and evil thereof; and to call them to redeem that time which they have free from business, and to employ it in converse with God, about their soul's state, and in prepara- tion for the Sabbath ; which will yield more delight than all sensual pleasures can do. And the General Assembly beseech and exhort all magis- trates of burghs to be assistant to ministers in inquiring into and reforming such abuses." Assemb. 1 705, at Edinburgh, April 10. " The General Assembly, taking to their serious con- sideration the great profanation of the Lord'sday, by multitudes of people vaguing idly upon the streets of the city of Edinburgh, pier and shore of Leith, in St. Ann's yard, and the Queen's park, and in diverse places about Edinburgh; and con- sidering the profanation of the Lord's day in other places, by unnecessary travelling and otherways; and the General Assembly being deeply sensible of the great dishonour done to the holy God, and of the open contempt of God and man manifested by such heaven-daring profaneness, to the expos- ing of the nation to the heaviest judgments; there- fore they do in the fear of God earnestly exhort all their reverend brethren of the ministry, and other officers of the church, to contribute their utmost endeavours in their stations for suppressing such gross jirofanation of the Lord's day, by a vigorous and impartial, yet prudent exercise of the discipline of the church, and by holding hand to the execution of the laudable laws of the natiou against the guilty, in such a way and man- ner as is allowed by law. And, because the con- currence and assistance of the civil government will be absolutely necessaiy for the better curbing and restraining of this crying sin, the General Assembly do hereby appoint their commission to be nominated by them, to address the Right Honom-able the Lords of her Majesty's privy council, that their Lordships may be pleased to give such orders, and take such courses for re- straining such abuses, as they in their wisdom shall judge most effectual." Assemb. 1708, at Edinburgh, April 27. "Foraa INTRODUCTION. much ministers from diverse parts of this national church do represent that there is a general pro- fanation of the Lord's day by travelling there- upon, carrying goods, driving cattle, and other abuses, to the great scandal of religion, and mani- fest breach of mauy good laws; therefore the General Assembly did, and hereby do appoint each presbytery within this church to nominate two or three of their number-, to attend the Lords Commissioners of Justiciary at their first circuit that falls to be in their bounds, and to represent to their Lordships the profanation of the Lord's day by the foresaid wicked and sinful practices : and the General Assembly do seriously recom- mend to the said Lords of Justiciary to take such effectual courses as they in their wisdom shall think fit to restrain and punish the aforesaid abuses; which the Assembly will acknowledge as a singular service done to God and his church. And they do, in the meantime, enjoin all the ministers of this church, from their pulpits, to advertise their people, among whom such prac- tices are, of the great hazard their immortal souls are in by such courses," ON THE LORD'S DAY, 51 God's sight; under the tyranny of Satan, liahle to all the miseries of this life, cares, toils, losses, crosses, sickness and death; yea, exposed to the wrath of God, the curses of the law, the sword of justice, to a strict and severe judgment-seat, to unquenchable fire, and everlasting burnings, and to banishment from God's favour and presence to all eternity? 3. Your wants. Are ye not poor beggarly sinners, full of wants and necessities? "In us dwells no good thing." — Do you want the bread of life, the balm of Gilead, pardon of sin, peace with God, deliverance from wrath, a new nature, a soft heart? Do you want "eye salve, white raiment, gold tried in the fire?" Do ye want "faith, love, repentance, victory over lusts?" &c. And have ye not matter for prayer and supplica- tion? Have ye not temporal wants to lay before God? Ye can tell them to your friends, and complain to them, though they afford you little help; ought ye not far rather go to God with them, who is both able and willing to help? Do you want health to your bodies, bread to your families, provision for your children, a blessing on your labours? Then seek them from God: "The ravens cry to him, and he hears them," how much more will he hear you ? 4. Your mercies. God daily loads you with his mercies ; they are new to you every morning : it is of the Lord's mercies, that your houses are not consumed with fire, in the night, and ye buried in the ruins thereof; that sudden death doth not smite your children, servants, cattle, or relations; that you waken in safety every morn- ing, and not in everlasting flames. Doth not the Lord set a hedge about you, and all that you have, and preserve you from devils, enemies, and mani- fold dangers; give you health and strength, bless the work of your hands, cover a table for you, and rain manna about your tents? And have you not plenty of matter for thanksgiving? Yea, he hath contrived a way to save you, sent his Son to redeem you, makes pressing offers of his salvation, and waits patiently for your repentance. Now, if you think on these mercies, can you want words in prayer to bless God for them? I say then, remember your sins, miseries, wants, and mercies, and ye will never be scarce of matter for prayer. Object. III. " We have not confidence to pray be/ore others." A.\s. 1. Mind what Christ saith, "They that are ashamed of him before men, he will be ashamed of them before his Father in heaven." 2. Many are ashamed to pray before others, who are not ashamed to sin, curse, swear, get drunk, and break the Sabbath before others. 3. Why should you be ashamed to pray before your own family, these you constantly converse with, and of whom you have the command? "Will you have confidence to plead this frivolous excuse at the day of judgment? But, lastly, You will not plead such excuses in things relating to the body. If your children and family were starving for want of bread, ye would neither want words nor confidence to make known your case to a rich friend; if you were mortally sick or wounded, you would freely tell your case to a physician; if ye were drowning, ye would call aloud for help: and now, when ye and your fami- lies are ready to perish in your sins, will ye not make known your case to God, and cry with the disciples, "Lord, save us, or else Ave perish?" The common beggars, that go from door to door, will rise up against you : they think no shame to cry at the rich man's door, hear them who will; they want not words enough, ye need not teach them what to say; thou* pinched bowels make them both eloquent and importunate ; they weary not to stand and cry, though they be but expect- ing a small morsel. And shall we, whose needs are far greater, whose expectations arc far higher, want words or confidence to cry and knock at God's door, since he declares that our importun- ity is nowise a trouble but a pleasure to him ? Are not everlasting life, and deliverance from hell, worth the seeking? Shall men do more for the welfare of their dying bodies, than we for the sal- vation of our immortal souls ? Object. IV. " We have not time to spare for family worship, our labour is so great, and busi- ness so throng'' Ans. 1. Is not the worship and service of God the greatest business you have to do in the world ? All other things arc trifles in respect of this. 2. Better want time for sleeping, for eating, or any thing, than want time for this, which is far more necessary than any thing else. 3. God in his providences, may soon cast greater hindrances in the way of your worldly business than this, as ye suppose, would be. He may send fevers among children and servants, that will stop your labour much longer than a little time spent daily in family worship would do. When sickness or death comes, they will not be put off by telling that you have no time for your labour to be sick; no, ye must find time to be sick and lie on beds, though it were in the throng of har- vest. And must ye, whether ye will or no, find time to be sick and die ; and will ye find no time to pray with your families, in order to prepare you and them for sickness and death ? And fur- ther, it is likely, that if ye prayed more in your families, your labour would be less stopt by sick- ness and other troubles; you should have fewer crosses and perplexities in your business; and, whatever they were, you might expect they would be sanctified. Family prayer would be a sweet 62 SAXCTIFICATION OF THE LORD'S DAY vent and ease to the mind, under all family cares and anxieties. 4. Family prayer will not hinder your busi- ness, though in the throng of harvest. What stop would it he to your work, to be every morn- ing and evening a quarter of an hour upon your knees with your family? Nay, it would further it, and procure a blessing on the work of your hands. And I have observed, that in those parts of the nation where husbandmen and tradesmen take time for family worship, they are in a more flourishing condition in worldly things, than in those parts where it is neglected. Remember, that all the success of your labour depends on the special blessing and providence of God, and there is no way more likely to obtain this than family prayer. If God vouchsafe not his blessing, your labour will be labour in vain, Psal. exxvii. 1, 2. How soon may God blast all the labours of prayerless persons? 5. Whatever you pretend from want of time on week days, to excuse you from family worship; yet there is no shadow for this objection upon the Sabbath-day, in which you have no other business but to serve and worship God. He is graciously pleased to free you this day from your labour, that ye may apply yourselves entirely to his wor- ship without distraction. O ye are straitened for time through the week for family and secret prayer, be busy on the Lord's day in the perform- ance thereof, and be thankful to God for allowing you this day for these exercises. In the name then of the great God, who hath founded families, and is the God of all the fami- lies of Israel; and in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, in whom only the families of the earth can be blessed; I beseech and conjure all you that are masters of families, to honour the Creator and Redeemer of the world in your families; erect him a family-altar, and dedicate your houses to be temples for the worship of God. Perform this duty conscientiously every day, but more espe- cially upon the Lord's day; let your family sacri- fices this day be doubled. I shall add some more motives to it. I. This is the way to procure you all sorts of family blessings. Would you have God to build your houses, bless your substance, dwell in your families, and be a guard to them night and day? Would ye have your relations comfortable, your affairs successful, and your enjoyments sweet? Then set up, and keep up family worship, make your houses little churches. 1. You may expect family protection. If you, by family prayer, lodge your families "under tbe shadow of the Almighty, you need not be afraid of terrors that fly by night or by day:" for you are under the tuition of him "that keeps Israel, v> ho neither slumbers nor sleeps." — Praying fami- lies are preserved from many more evils and mis- chiefs than they are aware of; sometimes divine providence makes a visible distinction between them and others. I have read of a little town in the canton of Berne in Switzerland, consisting of ninety houses, that in the year 1584 was all destroyed by an earthquake, except the half of one house, where the master of it, with his family, were at the time on their knees at family prayer. This is a noble pillar for supporting your houses. 2. You may expect family provision; "your bread shall be given you, and your water shall be sure; you shall dwell in the land, and verily have food." God feeds the ravens that cry to him, and will he not much more feed Christian families that cry, "Lord, give us this day our daily bread?" O poor tradesmen, who can hardly get your credit kept and families maintained; O poor tenants, who can scarcely get your farms, and children provided for, by all your sore toil and labour; will you try family prayer sincerely? I dare say, that the Lord, who "blessed the house of Obcdedom, and all that pertained to him, because of the ark of God which he lodged," will from that day forth bless you, prosper the work of your hands, and make your affairs more suc- cessful: it will not hinder your labours, but pro- cure a blessing on them. I say then, make a fair trial, and I hope in a little time you shall find a sensible change in your affairs. Some Lave observed this in their experience. 3. You will have the more comfort and satis- faction in your family relations ; this is the way to keep up your authority among them, and to procure you more respect from them. If a mas- ter of a family exert his authority to bring those under his charge to attend family worship, he will find them more observant of his other commands; children would be more obedient, and servants more faithful; the fear of that God, whom they daily worship with you, would be an awe-band upon them, to do their duty to you, and act for your interest. II. Family worship is an excellent mean to advance religion and reformation through the whole land. If every one would begin with his own family, reform it, and plant piety therein, what happy cities and parishes would we soon have? If ye would recover decaying piety in the land, and banish cursing, swearing, drunkenness, Sabbath-breaking, &c. out of the town and parish where you live, then begin with your own family; set up prayer and religion therein. Satan and vice will not dwell contentedly beside prayer. The way to make a clean street is, for every house to sweep before their own door. Religious families are excellent nurseries to the church, and seminaries of piety. Do you wish then to see religion flourish, and reformation carried on? and DUTIES REQUISITE UPON THE LORD'S DAY. do you desire to be instrumental therein? then worship God, promote piety in your own family. Your example might influence your neighbours about you to the like ; it would excite your chil- dren and servants to secret prayer; and, when they come to get families of their own, they will readily do as you do, and so will their children and servants after them. And thus you will be instruments of handing down religion to the rising generation, and for " turning many unto righte- ousness." O ! if God would persuade the hearts of people, both in town and country, to set about family worship, how soon would religion put on another face ? The streets and fields would not be so thronged with old and young on the Sab- bath, people walking and discoursing idly, and boys playing and sporting themselves; the church would be better frequented, and people more attentive and devout in time of sermon and public worship. Family worship also, is a notable help to prepare us for public worship, and the right observation of the Sabbath. But the domestic sanctification of the Sabbath, enjoined by the fourth commandment, includes more duties than prayer, reading the word, and singing of psalms in families: and so I come to speak of others. A SECOND DOMESTIC DUTY ON THE SABBATH IS FAMILY CATECHISING AND INSTRUCTION. Masters of families are bound to instruct and teach those under their charge, viz. their children and servants, in all things necessary to salvation. Yea, they are bound, not only to instruct them in the knowledge of the principles, but also to enjoin upon them the performance of the duties of the Christian religion, and to admonish and reprove them for the neglect thereof. The necessity of this duty may be proved by many arguments. 1. From the law of nature, that binds us to do what we can to promote the welfare and happi- ness of our children and families, and to help them, when in misery and distress. Children are a part of the parents wrapt up in another skin; and therefore parents should do for them as for themselves. It is not enough that ye provide for their bodies; for the veiy birds and beasts do this; nay, even " the sea-monsters draw out the breast, and give suck to their young ones!" Lam. iv. 3, but you ought to provide for their souls, which are their better part, yea, a thousand times more precious than their bodies. Y"ou would think it barbarous cruelty in a parent to suffer his child or servant to starve for want of bodily food ; 0 but it is far more cruel to suffer their precious souls to perish and starve for want of spiritual food, or ueccssary instructions. 2. From the clear light of God's word, that binds this on masters of families as a duty. "We see the fourth commandment obligcth masters to be answerable for their children and servants, touching the sanctification of the Sabbath, and the service of God on that day; which certainly imports their instructing them in their duty. The Lord commits their souls to their care, and they must account for them to him. "When God gives any of you a child, he charges you, as Pharaoh's daughter did to Moses'smother, Exod. ii. 9, "Take this child, and nurse it for me; and I will give thee thy wages." Or, as the prophet said to the king, 1 Kings xx. 39, "Keep this man; if by any means he be missing, thy life shall go for his life." If this child or this servant perish in his sins or ignorance, through your neglect, his blood will I require at your hands. Nay, we have express scripture precepts binding you to this duty; read Deut. vi. 6, 7; Prov. xxii. C; Eph. vi. 4. Also, Ave have the examples of the saints, who were careful in performing this duty. God takes special notice of it in Abraham, to his ever- lasting commendation, Gen. xviii. 19, "I know him, that he will command his children, and his household after him ; and they shall keep the way of the Lord," &c. It was David's practice, Psal. xxxiv. 11; Prov. iv. 3, 4; and also Hezekiah's, Isa. xxxviii. 19. 3. You are concerned, in common justice, to instruct your children, that ye may, so far as lietli in you, repair the injury done them, by your con- veying original corruption to them. Has God provided a cure for them in the gospel, and will ye not do so much as show it to them? If you had rashly given a wound to any of their bodies, would ye not in haste provide a cure, or send for a physician? and will ye do nothing for their souls, that are dying of the wounds of sin given them by you? 4. It doth highly contribute to advance Christ's kingdom in the world, to train up a seed for his service. This is likely to prove a more success- ful mean of reformation, than any other that can be used, either by magistrates or ministers, laws or sermons. Therefore, as Pharaoh sought to destroy the Israelites by killing their young ones ; so Satan, who is filled with spite against the kingdom of Christ, knows there are no such com- pendious ways to ruin it, as by perverting youth, and suppressing family religion : this is a blow at the root, which causes him to employ all his power and policy this way. 5. It is also very much for your own interest and comfort, to instruct your families in the know- ledge of Christ, and ways of religion. Ye may expect that your children and servants will prove dutiful to you. Well educated children will take care of their parents in time of old age, sickness, 5i SA^XTIFICATION OF THE LORD'S DAY. or poverty: whereas those that are not so, often neglect their parents in the foresaid cases, or wish them dead. If you conscientiously instruct your children and servants, God will reward you for it, even in this life. Abraham, as we heard, made conscience of it; and God blessed him with a dutiful son, Isaac, and a faithful servant, Eliezer of Damascus. What an unparalleled instance have we of Isaac's profound obedience to his father's commands, in submitting patiently to bear the wood, yea, to be bound, and laid upon the altar to be sacrificed? And, what a wise and faithful servant was the steward of his house, Eliezer, whom he trusted with all he had, and with the great concern of his son's marriage, which he managed with great prudence and integrity, and prayed earnestly for the good success of it? So that, if ye sow the seeds of piety in children and servants, yourselves shall reap the fruit thereof, even in this world. Again, it will be very comfortable to you on a death-bed, to leave a religious praying family behind you. "What though you leave your wife and children poor? yet if you leave them praying, God will provide for them while here, and ye shall shortly have a joyful meeting with them in heaven. Your children here will "rise up and call you blessed;" they will praise you, and follow your pious example : and as you took care to hand down religion to them, so will they do to their children and servants, when they come to get families; and, when you are blessing God in hea- ven, they will be blessing God for you on earth. Nay, they will meet you at a judgment-seat with blessings in their mouths. Your children will bless God that ever they had such parents; your servants will bless him that ever they had such masters, that ever they saw your faces, or came under your roof. It has been known, that many, at a dying hour, have blessed God for determining their lot to fall into such and such religious fami- lies, where first they became acquainted with Christ and religion. A THIRD DOMESTIC DUTY ON THE LORD S DAY IS GODLY CONFERENCE. According to Isa. lviii. 13, we ought not this day to speak our own words; and consequently we ought to speak religious words, and entertain spiritual discourse, when we are together, con- cerning Christ and heaven; or about the sermons we have heard, telling one another what we remember thereof, and that which did edify us most. Godly conference is well pleasing to God; he notices and records all the good words his people speak, Mai. iii. 16. When the two disciples going to Emmaus were about this exercise on the Lord's day, Christ is so well pleased, that he comes to them, and makes the third man; he entertains them with heavenly discourse, and opens their understandings to know the scriptures. We see, when Elijah is so employed with Elisha, 2 Kings ii. 11, he is taken up and transported gloriously into heaven. This is a heavenly exercise, and the employment of the glorified in heaven. It was Christ's work, when he was transfigured on mount Tabor, and met with Moses and Elias: he con- ferred with them upon the blessed subject of his death and sufferings. O how holy and fruitful was Christ always in his discourse! "His lips dropped as the honey-comb, and his tongue was as choice silver." He spiritualized earthly things, and turned them into heavenly instructions; when he conferred with the woman at the well of Samaria concerning the water of that well, John iv., he quickly drew her from ordinary water to the water of life. And, when eating bread in the Pharisee's house on the Sabbath-day, Luke xiv., he discoursed of eating bread in God's kingdom: so let all the disciples of Christ on this day imitate his example: see that your speech be seasoned with grace, and your lips like those of the righte- ous that feed many. Speak much this day to the commendation of Christ, and invite others to acquaintance with him; and, when you see it for edification, communicate the experiences ycu have had of his love; " Come here, all ye that fear God, and I will tell what he hath done for my soul," Psal.lxvi. 16, and thus one live coal will help to kindle another. Upon this day of holy rest, Christians should be oft thinking and speaking of the everlasting rest above, and conferring together of the way to it, and their meeting there. Do you believe you are going to that rest, and yet never speak of it? If two or three of you had entered into an agree- ment to go to America, and seek the gold mines which are there, would ye never be speaking of that country, or desirous to hear of it before your going? O Christians! are ye shortly to bo " caught up together in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so to be for ever with the Lord?" and will you not "comfort one another with these words?" according to 1 Thess. iv. 17, 18. It hath likewise been the practice in many places, when religion comes to be in esteem, for young persons to meet together in the evening of the Lord's day for godly conference upon spiritual subjects, or the sermons they have heard, and for prayer and praises to their mutual edification* And it is always observed, that such religious meetings on Sabbaths or week-days are set up in parishes where the gospel begins to thrive, just as naturally as birds draw together in spring; young converts are Christ's "singing birds," Cant. ii. 12. DUTIES REQUISITE UPON THE LORD'S DAY. oo And the scripture affords good ground and warrant for such meetings, Mai. iii. 16; Psal. lxvi. 16; cxix. 63; Jcr. xxiii. 35; Acts xi. 5, 12; Heb. iii. 13; x. 24, 25; 1 Pet. iv. 10. A FOURTH DOMESTIC DUTY ON THE SABBATH IS A HOLY CAKE IN MASTERS OF FAMILIES TO RESTRAIN ALL PROFANATION OF THE DAY BY CHILDREN AND SERVANTS, OR ANY WITHIN THEIR GATES. The fourth commandment expressly requires this. Though you be not magistrates, yet God lias clothed you, who are heads of families, -with power and authority in your families, to sec to the honour of this day. Use it then for God, as ye will be answerable. Let none under your charge profane this holy day, by working, sport- ing, or playing; or by idleness or neglect of the duties of the day. See that they duly attend public ordinances and family worship ; suffer them not to be absent therefrom. O masters of families, concur frankly with the minister of the parish to suppress the abuses of this day: you will see them, and know of them, when ministers cannot. Testify against them in your stations, and this will make the minister's work the more easy. 0 what a sad thing is it in many places, to see ministers left to fight against sin alone, without having one to join with them, or once open a mouth against it! Hence it is that many are turned impudent in sinning, par- ticularly in Sabbath-breaking, and value not a minister's rebuke. Alas! have ye neither love to God nor your neighbours' souls? Have ye no concern for God's glory, nor grief to see him dis- honoured? Have you no charity to your near relations, no love to your own children, no concern for your servants or nearest neighbours, no desire to keep them from falling into everlasting burn- ings; that you will not speak one word to prevent it, or warn them of their hazard? Let none say, with cursed Cain, " Am I my brother's keeper?" For God requires you to be doing good to all in your station, and to love your neighbour as yourself. And the fourth com- mandment expressly makes you accountable for all within your gates. Object. I have stubborn servants that will not he restrained by my admonitions or reproofs. Axs. 1. You should be more careful in the choice of the members of your family, and par- ticularly of your servants, since God gives you a free choice in this matter. Consider "David's care therein, Psal. ci. 6, 7, " Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. He that worketh deceit, shall not dwell within my house; he that tellcth lies, shall not tarry in my sight." Do ye think that he or she is fit for your service, that cares not for God's service? Can you expect a blessing on the work of their hands, who are enemies to God? A godly servant (though I confess he is rare enough to be found) is a greater blessing than many think; he not only works for his master with his hands, but with his prayers, as did godly Eliezer, Gen. xxiv. 12, and to be sure he did his master Abraham as good service by his prayers as by his prudence. But, 2. If it be your lot to be concerned with stubborn and disobedient servants, let them know that you have authority from God to oblige them to keep the Sabbath, by attending ordinances in public and private, and to restrain them from pro- faning this day; and, if they will not be reclaimed, to expel them from your house. If they neglect or mismanage your work, would ye not use your power and authority with them, to cause them help their faults? And, were you in as good earnest for God's service on the Sabbath, as for your own upon week days, I am persuaded ye might bring your children and servants to serve God, and keep this day far better than they do. Quest. III. What are the secret duties requisite upon the Lord's day? Axs. It is not enough that we worship God this day in conjunction with others, whether in the congregation or in families: the right sanctifi- cation of the Sabbath includes secret duties also, such as prayer, reading, meditation, &c. That religion is not true, which is all visible to the world; for the life of religion lies in the secret intercourses which are betwixt God and the soul, that the eyes of men do not penetrate into. Secret duties are the best trial of our sincerity; the Lord, that sceth in secret, takes special notice of them, and, if duly performed, he will openly reward them. Let us therefore make conscience of them, and that especially upon God's holy day, which is entirely set apart for holy duties: and labour to time duties so this day, as one duty may not jostle out another. As you must not let family duties interfere with public duties; so you must take care that secret duties do not interfere with family ones. But, more particularly: 1. Secret prayer is a duty necessary on the Lord's day, both for preparing us to attend the public ordinances, and for improving and reaping benefit by them afterwards. I do not mean, that this duty is to be confined to the Sabbath only: no ; it is necessary every day, according to David's example, Psal. Iv. 17; but that it is especially requi- site as a part of the worship of this day. Prayer is so necessary, that it is put for the whole wor- ship of God, Acts ii. 21. It is the character of a converted soul, " Behold he prays," Acts ix. 11, but it is the mark of an atheist, that "he calls not 56 SANCTIFICATION OF THE LORD'S BAY. upon God," Psal. xiv. And, in a special manner, secret prayer is what every carnal man hath an aversion to. The devil can allow men their church prayers, their family prayers; hut, closet prayers he cannot bear with, especially when they are frequent and constant, because they are too much an argument of sincerity. A hypocrite takes no delight in secret prayer, nor in any duty but what is seen of men, and will gain him a name. But, reader, if thou art sincere, thou wilt consider that God's eye is upon thee in private, as well as in public; and therefore wilt seek to approve thyself to God in secret duties, as well as public. As secret prayer was our Saviour's con- stant practice while on earth, so it was his special injunction to all his followers, Mat. vi. 6. You need not fear that your secret prayers will be for- gotten. No: God is every where: he has an ear to hear your secret groans, and an eye to see your secret tears : yea, he has a bottle to preserve them, so as a drop of them shall not be lost. In our secret addresses, which are more stated and solemn, let us carefully remember the three parts of prayer, confession, petition, and thanks- giving. Let us confess the sins we are guilty of, cry for the mercies we want, and thank God for those we enjoy. Let us mind that this is not only a commanded duty, but our dignity and privilege. What an honour is it for dust and ashes to be allowed access to the great God ! for a wrorm to speak freely to its Creator! for a poor beggar to converse familiarly with the King of heaven ? O sinner, would not all thy neighbours envy thee, if thou wert so honoured by an earthly king ? Be exhorted then to value and make use of this liberty? 2. Consider at what a dear rate Christ hath bought this freedom for us. How much did it cost him to erect a throne of grace, to which we may repair with confidence? And, shall not we make use of this privilege with thanksgiving? 3. Consider the profit of it: it is like the "mer- chants' ships, Prov. xxxi. 14 that bring our food from afar." By it we trade with heaven, and bring down Christ's unsearchable riches. It is a key to open the treasure of God's mercies to us in the morning, and to lock us up under God's pro- tection at night. By it we prevail with God, screen ourselves from 'wrath, and put Satan to flight. In a word, prayer is a key to heaven, a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge to the devil. 4. It is the way to make up and preserve acquaintance with God, which will be of great use to you in the time of trouble, or at the hour of death. It is no small encouragement to you to address one for help, with whom you have had long acquaintance and familiarity, and of whose kindness you have had frequent experience. But, prayerless man, it will be a most melancholy case, when you are going out of the world, to be put to cry to that God you have been an utter stran- ger to all your life; or to be forced to appear before that God you never loved, or desired to converse with ; or to be fain to challenge acquaint- ance with him, who will utterly disclaim you, and say, "Depart from me, I never knew you." But, 0 praying soul ! that hast acquaintance with God, death will have another view to thee; thou may- est look on it, as Jacob did on the waggons sent to carry him to his friend Joseph, and say, "Now I am going to God, whom I know; I am going to meet with that Friend, with whom I have had a long acquaintance, to whom I havo paid many a visit, and with whom I have had sweet secret converse, and whom I have longed to see, and who will embrace me in his arms, and welcome me to glory." 5. Consider what a mercy it is, O man, that God is yet calling thee to prayer, and continuing thee in the land of prayer, when so many thou- sands, as deserving, are beyond prayer, and lost for ever. O then pray now, while thou hast time to pray, health to pray, helps to pray, and encouragement to pray. Read the gracious pro- mises of life and salvation to you, if you do it, Psal. lxix. 32; Rom. x. 13. Make this world a time for prayer, and the next shall be a season for praise. Dost thou think to be saved without prayer ? Dost thou expect to have thy life with- out begging it at God's hands? 0 what oil will it add to thy flames in hell, when conscience will tell thee, if thou hadst prayed, thou hadst not been there? Well then, now thou hast a season for prayer; but, remember, it will not always last: if thou improve it not, expect that God will turn a deaf ear to you in the day of your calamity, at a death bed, or a tribunal. Read, and tremble at that word, Prov. i. 26 — 28. God says, "He will not hear you when you cry." And, if he refuse to hear you then, who will hear you? Angels will not, saints will not, nearest relations will not, hills and mountains will not : and, what a wretched, forlorn, and forsaken creature wilt thou be? There will be none to own thee then, if thou acquaint not thyself with God by prayer now. See the answer the foolish virgins got, when they came after the door was shut, Matt. xxv. See what an answer the rich man got, when he begged for "a drop of cold water to cool his tongue," Luke xvi. "Seek God, then, while he may be found; call on him while he is near:" otherwise your late untimely cries will not be regarded. Object. " 0, say some, we have not the gift of prayer, ice cannot pray" Ans. I have said enough in answer to this a little before. I shall only add one word. Ait thou a Christian, O man, and canst not pray? DUTIES REQUISITE UPON THE LORD'S DAY. 57 Thou mayest as well say, thou art a scholar, hut canst not read; a soldier, but canst not light. Prayer is as essential to a true Christian, as breath is to the body. Why? prayer is the very breath- ing of the soul to God. So it is called, Lam. iii. 56. O man, have you nothing to say in prayer? then go to God, and tell him so; sit down on your knees, and say, " Here is a poor ignorant creature, that cannot pray; Lord, teach me to pray." The publican made a very short prayer, Luke xviii. "God be merciful to me a sinner;" yet it was accepted, since it came from an humble heart. Oh! if your heart be broken, your words will be accepted, although they be broken and few. The silliest beggar will find something to say at your door, though he expect but a crumb; and can you find nothing to say at God's door, when you have a soul to save, a hell to shun, and Jesus Christ and a kingdom in your view? But, besides that sort of secret prayer which is more stated and solemn, there is prayer that is more sudden and ejaculatory, when we lift up our hearts to God with some short petitions, on any occasion or emergency. Ejaculatory prayers are useful on every day, but you should have them more frequent on the Sabbath-day. For, since on this day you must " not think your own thoughts, or find your own pleasures," heavenly breathings and pious ejaculations should issue forth continu- ally; by seeking pardon for such a sin, strength against such a lust, victory over such a tempta- tion, and grace to spend Sabbath-time suitably. Are you going to the church, or returning from it? Are you reading, hearing, communicating, praising, or about any other duty? be frequently making use of this kind of prayer, particularly begin and end every duty with it; look up before for assistance, and look up after it for acceptance, and that infirmities in it, for Christ's sake, may be pardoned. These prayers, of all others, are the freest of distraction, they being put up and over before ever Satan be awakened to tempt us. As for other prayers, our preparations to them, though only by the alteration of our posture, give notice to Satan what we are about to do; but ejaculatory prayers are so quickly darted up to God, that they will be in heaven before Satan can shoot any of his darts against us. They arc used to keep up communion with God in the intervals of other duties, and for keeping the heart in the fear of God all the day long. As the priests, under the law, were not only to "offer up the morning and evening sacrifice duly," but "to keep the fire burning on the altar all the day;" so we must not satisfy ourselves with solemn and stated duties only, but should study to keep in the fire always by holy thoughts and ejaculations. Christ saith of the spouse, that "her lips drop as an honey-comb," which is either still dropping, or in a continual forwardness to drop. Some of God's people have more devotion this way in their shops, than others have in their closets; and while walk- ing in the streets, or working in the fields, than others have when praying on their knees: they have stricter communion with God this way at their common tables, than others have at a com- munion table. A SECOND SECRET DUTY ON THE LORD'S DAY IS READING OF THE SCRIPTURES AND OTHER GOOD BOOKS. Tnis is a duty necessary every day, but espe- cially on the Lord's day: it is the character of the blessed man, that "his delight is in the law of the Lord, and he meditates therein both day and night," Psal. i. This should be particularly veri- fied of us on the Sabbath. Read the word, that you may be taught what to believe of God, what duties you owe to God, and what sins you are guilty of against him. Who can set forth the excellency and usefulness of it? It is a glass to discover our spots, a lamp to guide us in the dark, a fire to warm our cold affections, a magazine to supply us with armour against our spiritual ene- mies. It is a physic garden, wherein grow all sorts of medicinal herbs for our spiritual maladies. The promises are as fragrant flowers and spices in this garden; believers take many a pleasant walk among these beds of spices. It is an apothecary's shop, out of which we may have eye-salve for our blindness, sovereign cordials in all our soul dis- tresses. David found this to his sweet experi- ence, Psal. cxix. 50. "This is my comfort in my affliction, for thy word hath quickened me." Here are suitable cordials for all our various cases, be it desertion, temptation, poverty, sickness, reproach, persecution, Sec. Here are the waters of the sanctuary for cleansing us from our pollu- tions. Here is the heavenly rain, for making soft and tender our hard hearts. — The scriptures are both food and physic to our souls; here is meat for strong men, and milk for babes. " The two Testaments, as Augustine saith, are the two breasts which we must suck for spiritual nourish- ment." And there are none of God's children that will call them dry breasts or empty cisterns; they have often afforded them strength, nourish- ment, light, life, and comfort: O how highly have God's people in all ages prized God's holy word, and the liberty of reading it! It hath been "sweet as honey to their taste." I have read of one who, being a prisoner in a dark dungeon, when light was allowed him for a short time to take his meat, he would take his Bible, and read a portion of it, saying, "He could eat without light, but he could not read without it." I am persuaded there is no better way in this world for 5S SANCTIFICATIOX OF THE LORD 'S DAY. improving tlic faculty of sight, and benefit of light, than by reading the word of God. So far as time can allow you upon the Sabbath, I judge it very profitable to read other good books also, such as our Confession of Faith, Vincent's Cate- chism, Vincent on the last Judgment, Guthrie's Trial of a Saving Interest in Christ, Alleine's Alarm, Baxter's Call to the Unconverted, Pcarse's Preparation for Death, Fox's Time and the End of Time, Doolittle's Call to Delaying Sinners, Baxter's Saints' Everlasting Rest, his Poor Man's Family Book, Gray's Sermons, Flavel's Touch- stone of Sincerity, his Saint Indeed, Mead's Almost Christian, the Treatises of Doolittle, Campbell and Henry upon the Sacrament, Ruther- foord's Letters, the Fulfilling of the Scriptures, Clark's Martyrology, Beard's Theatre of God's Judgments. These, and such like books, next to the Holy Bible, I recommend to the perusal of all private Christians, as being easy and plain to common capacities, and some of the most generally useful, instructing, awakening, soul-searching, and heart- warming pieces, that I have seen among human writings, and which have been blessed to the edification of many thousands. A THIRD SECRET DUTY ON THE LORD S DAY IS MEDITATION UPON DIVINE SUBJECTS. This duty is proper every day, much more on the Sabbath, which is set wholly apart for divine employments. It is the character of the blessed man, that " he meditates in God's law day and night," Psal. i. 2. It is a useful and necessary duty; it excites the affections, and quickens the graces; it strengthens faith, Psal. cxix. 02. It nourishes hope, and inflames our love; deep musing makes the fire to burn. Meditation is a great help to every duty, Psal. cxix. 59. It helps to read and hear the word aright, and to know the truths thereof practically; it helps to pray, and yields matter to the tongue, Psal. xlv. 1. It prompts us to confess sin, and mourn for it, Psal. li. 3. Be persuaded then to engage your hearts to this necessary but much-neglected duty; for, though it be most useful and profitable, yet I know no duty more slighted and forgotten. The best of God's people have cause to lament this most bitterly before the Lord. Who can say with David, Psal. cxix. 97, u O how love I tin- law; it is my meditation all the day." As for the generality of the world, they have no sense of the obligation of this duty upon their spirits; they live without thinking, and that proves their ruin. 0! if sinners would retire from company, and spend some little time now and then in secret thinking, it would, through the blessing of God, work some change in them. I remember a pas- sage I have read of a dying father, that on his death-bed left it as a charge upon his only son, who was a great prodigal, " That he should spend a quarter of an hour every day in retired think- ing;" and, to encourage him to undertake it, he gave him liberty to choose any subject he pleased. The son thinks this an easy task, and engages to do it ; and accordingly sets himself to perform his promise. One day he thinks on his bypast plea- sures, another day lie contrives his future delights: after a while, he begins to reason with himself what was his father's design in laving this task upon him ; at length he thinks his father was a wise and good man, and therefore intended and hoped that, among the rest of his meditations, he would some time or other think of religion. When this had truly possessed his thoughts, one thought and question comes upon the back of another, about his bypast life and future state, that he could not contain himself in so short a confinement as a quarter of an hour, but was that night without sleep; yea, and afterwards could have no rest, till lie became seriously religious. O careless sinner, if you think it too much to spend a quarter of an hour every day, I would beg it of you to spend a quarter of an hour every Lord's day in retired thinking upon some spiritual subject. Who knows what it might produce ? Do you say this is a hard task ? Will it not be far harder to lie in hell a whole eternity thinking on your bypast folly, when there is no remedy? O sinner, will you perish for want of thinking ? Be not scared at the difficulty of it; for though at first this duty seem hard, and corrupt nature show aversion to it, yet press your heart to it, and afterwards you shall find it pleasant. Though it be difficult to climb this mount of meditation, yet, when once we get up, we will be ready to say with Peter, on the mount of transfiguration, " It is good for us to be here." David found it so, " My meditation of him shall be sweet," Psal. civ. 34. The more we meditate on God, the sweeter we will find him. Yea, so sweet did he find this duty, that he spent whole days in it, Psal. cxix. 97; and, as if the day had been too little, he borrows a part of the night too, Psal. lxiii. G. Object. Alas! (some say) our minds are bar- ren of good thoughts. Axs. 1 . If you would accustom yourselves more to the duty, you would have less ground of com- plaint this way. 2. When your hearts are barren, there arc two subjects you can never exhaust. Fix your thoughts upon any one of them, viz. God's mer- cies to you, and your sins against him. The Psalmist acknowledges them both to be innumer- able in the same psalm, Psal. xl. 5, 12. DUTIES REQUISITE UPON THE LORD'S DAY. 59 Quest. V\liat subjects of meditation are most proper for the Sallath-day? Ans. Natural things may be spiritualized, and common things may afford us ground for spiritual instructions, if we had our eyes enlightened, and minds spiritually exercised. But it is fit that on the Sabbath, we choose those subjects of medita- tion that are most edifying, and most suitable to the great ends of the day. In general, we ought this day to think upon God, upon ourselves, and upon eternity. But more particularly, I. Meditate upon the goodness of God : both that which is common, and manifested to you in his works of creation and providence, and that which is special and distinguishing, discovered to you above others. That this is a suitable subject for the Sabbath, is clear to any that reads the xcri. psalm with its title. 1. Think upon his common goodness to us, represented in that great mirror of the creation. He hath made the world a commodious habitation for us, arched it over with the bespangled hea- vens, and floored it with the solid earth. He hath set up great lights in it for our accommodation. He hath placed a tabernacle for the sun, at a due distance from the earth and the upper heavens, to enlighten the stars above and enliven the earth below. And, that we might neither be starved with cold, nor burnt up with heat, he gives us the clouds as fans to screen us from the scorching heat, and as cisterns to water the parched ground. He gives us the wind to purify the air, the sea to be a pond for fish, the valleys to be granaries for corn, the mountains to be a treasure of minerals, the rivers to be as veins to carry refreshment to every part of the earth. Let us admire both the goodness and wisdom of God displayed in his wonderful works, Bsal. civ. 24, " 0 Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches." The Psalmist also saith, " The heavens declare the glory of God," Psal. xix. 1 ; and indeed we may look up and read it in these shining capital letters of sun, moon, and stars. His being is legible in their existence; his wisdom in their frame; his power in their motion; his goodness in their usefulness; and his faithfulness in their continuance. The book of nature, as well as the scriptures, shows much of God to us. " This book (as one saith) consists of three leaves, hea- ven, earth, and sea; the creatures therein are so many letters whereby we may spell out the attri- butes of God: some whereof are capital letters, and more legible than others. Man is a capital letter on earth, the sun in the heavens, and the whale in the sea." Again, we ought to meditate upon his goodness manifested in his works of providence. He hath curiously formed us in the womb, and carefully watched over us therein. He preserved us several months in that dark cell, without air or breath. He brought us safe out of it, and presently there- after provided two bottles to sustain us; and ever since hath succoured us in distress, rescued us from danger, supplied us in wants; yea, he hath set us at his own table, and made us live upon his cost, Acts xvii. 28. He hath given us all the creatures for our use and service, yea, the most glorious of them; the angels are our ministering spirits, the lower heavens serve to give us breath, the middle heavens to give us light and heat, and the highest heavens afford us a dwelling-place. The sun shines, the fire burns, the wind blows, and the water flows; nay, all the creatures are at work, both day and night, and all for the service of a poor worm of the earth. If a friend give us our bread for a month or two, we think ourselves much bound to him; but how much more beholden arc we to God, who keeps an open free table for us all the days of the year, and all the years of our life, and even to us when enemies to him? Behold, those who have their mouths opened wide against God, he merci- fully puts bread in their mouths ! How great is God's goodness to us! and, how great is our ingratitude to him! I know not which of them we should most wonder at. God gives us peace, money, health, and wealth; but, instead of serving him therewith, many offer them up in a sacrifice- to the devil and base lusts, according to Hos. ii. 8. God gives some folk strength, and they waste it among harlots; to others money, and they waste it in drunkenness and prodigality; to others power, and they waste it in oppression; to others honour, and they abuse it to pride and vain-glory. Many make use of the mercies of God as darts to shoot against the heavens; they pervert and mis- apply them for dishonouring God, wounding Christ, and grieving the Spirit; for debauching their bodies, damning their souls, and dashing both tables of the law in pieces before God's face. And yet, even while they are doing so, God is guarding them by his providence, and feeding them by his bounty. " O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works," to such undeserving and ill-deserving creatures! We ought this day to "triumph in the works of his hands," according to Psal. xcii. 4, and cry, " Lord, what is man, that thou art mind- ful of him?" 2. Meditate this day upon God's special and distinguishing goodness to us beyond others, both with respect to soul and body: he hath not dealt so with any nation as with us. Both our national and personal mercies are singular, and ought this day to be remembered by us. Hath not God delivered many of you from death, when some dangerous accident, or violent sickness, was threat- GO SAXCTIFICATION OF THE LORD'S DAY. euing to break the slender twig of life, and to let you fall into the grave, and into hell both at once? Hath he not mercifully recovered you, and given you further space and place for repentance. Hath not God long preserved this land from the famine, sword, and pestilence, and such destroying judgments as have been making havoc in other nations about us, laying heaps upon heaps? God hath secured our lives, liberties, and estates from rapine and violence, and length- ened out our peace and tranquillity, when other nations have been turned into a seat of war and sea of blood. Consider the goodness of God to us this day, that we are not among the Jews or Fagans on the earth, that never heard the news of Christ; or among the damned in hell, who are beyond the reach of the offers of Christ. Let us also bless God, that we live not under the Old Testament times, but under the New; not under that darker and harsher dispensation of the covenant by Moses, whose first miracle was the "turning of water into blood;" but under the clearer and sweeter dispensation of the Messiah, whose first miracle was the " turning of water into wine," that cheers the heart of man; and hath mercifully freed us from the heavy yoke of Levitical sacrifices and ceremonies. Let us also this day thankfully remember God's goodness in delivering us from the yoke of anti- christian tyranny, popery, idolatry, and persecu- tion, and frequently blasting the hellish plots and contrivances of our enemies against the gospel and Protestant religion, and preserving us from being invaded in our consciences, or cut off from the wells of salvation, and barred from the springs of ordinances, and having our teachers murdered or driven into corners. Let us bless God, that we have the peaceable enjovment of pure ordinances under the protection of Protestant magistrates, and are allowed to serve God according to our consciences, to read the bible in our own tongue, and examine the doctrines delivered to us by this rule; and that we are not under the tyranny of bloody papists, forced to hide or burn our bibles, to bow to stocks and stones; or otherwise in hazard ourselves to be burned in fires, or banished our native land. Let us bless God that we live in a land of light, " a valley of vision," while others about lis " sit in darkness, and in the region of the shadow of death;" and that he allows us such rich gospel feasts, while others are visited with cleanness of teeth, and a famine of the word of God: that every Sabbath-day there is a free market of grace publicly proclaimed in our ears, whilst others enjoy silent Sabbaths; yea, though we have slighted his goodness, and loathed the manna and noney-comb, liis goodness is renewed and con- tinued with us. "What shall wc render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards us?" II. Another subject of meditation upon the Lord's day, is the work- of man's redemption, this day completed by Christ's resurrection. This is a subject the angels are still prying into; and ought not we much more, who arc the persons immediately concerned ? Christ never testified such love to them, he never forgave them one sin, he never shed one drop of blood for them; and shall not we, for whom he poured out streams of blood, and to whom he hath for- given ten thousand talents, be employed in prying into this mystery? 1. Meditate upon the spring of this work, God's infinite free love, that moved him to pity lost mankind, and contrive a way to redeem him; when, in the meantime, he passed by a world of fallen angels, who were the elder brothers by creation, had a more natural claim to the inherit- ance, and might have been far more serviceable to their Maker than we. Yet, behold, there is not one word of their redemption, no sacrifice pro- vided for them; there is not one devil spared, not one of all the thousands of fallen angels recov- ered; God presently took vengeance on them all. But O how did his bowels yearn, his heart pity, and his eye spare poor fallen man in his miserable condition ! He, indeed, drove Adam out of para- dise, but it was a wonder he drove him not pre- sently out of the world into hell, where he had a little before plunged far more excellent creatures than Adam was. Christ took not on him the nature of angels, but he was content to clothe himself with the rags of human flesh, that he might become our Saviour. O glorious incom- prehensible love ! 2. Think upon the wise contrivance of our redemption. It would have eternally nonplussed the wisdom of angels, to find out a method how to satisfy God's justice, and secure man's happi- ness both at once; how to save the life of the law- breaker, and yet maintain the honour of the Law- maker. But here is a way to do both, here is a device for reconciling justice and mercy, and satis- fying both their demands. Sin is severely pun- ished, as justice required; and yet the sinner is pardoned, as mercy pleaded. It would never have entered the thoughts of angels, that God would have parted with his Son and their Lord, to die a cursed death for vile worms; it would have been blasphemy for any to have thought or spoken it. Though fallen man might have had the liberty to choose any way of redemption he pleased, he could never have proposed this. Indeed, when he had been perishing, he might have cried, O Son of God, have mercy on us; but who would have said, 0 Son of God, come make thyself a man, come die a cursed death, DUTIES REQUISITE OTON THE LORD'S DAY. 61 come suffer hell's pains for mc? This noble device originated only in the hreast of the eter- nally wise God; for, had he waited till men or angels had devised a way for our redemption, we had hcen miserable to all eternity. But what do I speak? the wonders of man's redemption can never he told. Here is a large suhject for medi- tation and admiration, that can never he exhaus- ted by men or angels to all eternity. Let this work he the delight of our souls, especially on the Lord's day. O helievers, think much this day upon the love of your Redeemer; rcmemher what he hath done and suffered for you ; consider how much he hath given and forgiven to you ; view what he hath laid out and laid up for you; think what he hath performed and promised to you; and so you will not want matter of meditation. III. Another suhject of meditation on the Lord's day is our state, and here we may take a view of man's fourfold state. 1. What he once was in a state of innocency. 2. "What he now is in a state of nature. 3. What he may he in a state of grace. 4. What he shall he in a state of glory. 1. O sinner, retire this day and think on your misery. If thou he yet in a state of nature, thou art without God and without Christ in the world, thou sleepest and walkcst in danger of hell ; thou Host still under the heavy load of unpardoned guilt, there is not one of all the numherlcss mil- lions of your sins forgiven, and they are heavier than ten thousand millstones hung ahout your neck ; for every one of them hath the fearful curses of the law hanging at them; and in the mean time thou licst on the very brink of the fiery fur- nace, like a man sleeping on the top of the mast in time of a storm; there is hut one step betwixt thee and eternal death, nothing but a rotten thread of life keeps thee from dropping into everlasting burnings. Thou knowest not, when thou risest in the morning, but ere night thou mayest make thy bed in hell; and when thou liest down, thou canst not tell but thou shaft wake in the flames; all the men in the world, nay, all the angels in heaven, cannot assure thee of the contrary. O what a doleful condition is this, to be always in a state of damnation, not sure to be one hour out of hell! A serious meditation upon your natural state, O sinner, might cause your heart of stone to tremble. But hast thou any happiness while thou art on this side of hell ? No surely, for your best worldly comforts and enjoyments are accursed to you: "Thou art cursed in the city, cursed in the field, cursed in thy basket and thy store, cursed in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy ground," Deut. xxviii. 1C, &c. Nay, every bit of bread thou eatest, the curse of God goes down with it. All your blessings turn into curses, and your mercies into judgments: "your table is a snare to you, the word is the savour of death," and the sacraments arc seals of condemnation to you. The best actions you perform are but an abomination to God; they bring the more guilt upon your head, and treasure up the more wrath against you. Better you had perished in infancy than continue to live in a Christlcss state; for, the longer you live, still the more miserable you are. Every day, every night, every hour you live, you heat the furnace hotter by yotir new actions, which are all sins, even the very best of them. O is this a state to be continued in? Canst thou lie down con- tentedly to sleep another night in this condition ? God forbid that thou live and die in this state; for, if thou dost, thou wilt rise in the same con- dition at the last day. Nay, your state then will be more dreadful than ever, for then thou wilt sec above thee the Judge frowning, beneath thee hell gaping, within thee conscience gnawing, with- out thee the world burning; on the right hand your sins accusing, on the left hand the devils terrifying, the good angels keeping thee out of heaven, and the evil angels pulling thee down to hell. O poor Christlcss soul, continue to think on this subject till your heart begin to melt, your eyes to weep, and your tongue to cry, "0 what shall I do to besaA'ed! 0 that I knew where to find Christ: 0 to be found in him! I would give ten thousand worlds to be sure of this, it will be terrible if death or a tribunal find me before I be found in him." Is it not worth your while to spend some time upon this soul-concerning suh- ject? Hath not God given you reason for this very end, and will you not exercise it? Can you think to be saved otherwise? Do you expect that God will carry you to heaven like a stone, or save you without or against thy will? Doth the world and your bodies deserve to be remembered the whole day, or whole week or year through- out ? and doth not God and your soul deserve to be thought on one day in the week, or one hour of the day? Say not that you have no spare time for this work: for, if you will spare none of your own time for it, I beseech you to spend God's time well this way. Is it not better to spend some part of the Sabbath in thinking upon your soul's state, than in thinking upon the world? Spiritual things, alas! trouble you little on week days, and why should worldly things intrude upon God's day? 2. Think upon your happiness, if you be in a state of grace, and in Christ; you are delivered from sin's guilt, from Satan's fetters, from the law's curses, from death's sting, and hell's terror. Thou hast now peace with God; justice itself is thy friend; all thy enjoyments are sweetened by Christ's love; all your afflictions sanctified by his blood. God himself is your God, your Father, G2 SANCTIFICATIOX OF THE LORD'S DAY. your Friend, your Portion; yea, all things arc yours. IV. Death is a proper subject to be meditated upon on the Sabbath-day; for, in the xcii. Psalm, wherein the exercises of the Sabbath are described, God calls and teaches us to consider our latter end. First, the end of the workers of iniquity, who, though they spring up as grass, and flourish for a season, shall yet in the end be destroyed for ever, verse 7, 9. And again, the latter end of the godly, whose horn, though it be abased to the dust for a while, yet in the end shall be exalted. It is one principal work of ministers this day, to be proclaimers of mortality, and remembrancers of death, according to Isa. xl. 6 — 8. So then it is our duty every Sabbath to have serious thoughts of death. Think with yourselves, what if this be the last Sabbath that ever I will see on earth? I may be called to die, before I be called to hear another offer of Christ. Have I obeyed the gos- pel summons this Sabbath, to come and embrace Christ, or to surrender my heart to him? What if I get a summons by death to come and appear before him before the next Sabbath? this I can- not obey. Death is a bold messenger, he cannot be withstood; when he comes and takes a man by the throat, the proudest, stoutest, and strongest in the world, must go, whether willing or unwilling, all is one. There are many in the world, at the church, in health this Sabbath, who will be on a death bed, or in eternity, the next; and, why may not I be one of them? Think seriously upon your latter end. Think what will be your case in a parting hour, where you will take up your lodging, whether in Abra- ham's bosom, or in the devil's arms? " 0 what will be my thoughts, when I am taking my last look of husband, wife, children, and relations ? What will be my cordial, when the world fails, when friends are weeping about my bed, when my senses are losing their office, my heart and eye-strings are breaking, and all turning dim and dark about me? O, what if my sleepy con- science awake then, and my old buried sins revive and fall on me, to tear me in pieces?" O what will Christless sinners do in that hour, when there is but one single step betwixt their departing souls and the state of devils? O it is fearful to die in your sins, as it is threatened, John viii. 24. uIf ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." O better die in a dungeon among toads and serpents, than die in your sins; for these are serpents that never leave stinging, and will fasten so upon thee, as never to part with thee again; they will go to the grave with thee as thy companions, to a tribunal with thee as thy accusers, and to hell with thee as thy tormentors. O it is terrible to die out of Christ, and without eight of an interest in him ; to make a leap in the dark over a bottomless gulf, not knowing where your feet may light; or to launch into the great ocean of eternity, without sight of a landing-place for your soul. O how will the poor soul shrink back into the body in such a case, when it begins to awaken out of its dream, and look out into another world, sajdng, "How shall I venture forth, where I see notbing but darkness and hor- ror, or a flaming sword ready to meet me ?" Think upon the continual hazard you arc in of death; its arrows are flying thick about you, and many are falling slain on every hand of you; and God knows but the next dart may hit thee. And what if thou be unprepared, and hell follow the pale horse? Think upon the sottish stupidity of many, who though they stand tottering day and night upon the brink both of the grave and hell, yet can spend whole weeks, yea months, without a seri- ous thought of eternity. Yea, in the house of mourning, and in the sight of the dead, they can think, talk, jest, and laugh, and never have one grave thought or word about their latter end. Foolish sinners are rightly compared to a com- pany of blind men dancing about the mouth of a very deep pit, which they do not perceive, nor hear the groans of those who fall to the bottom of it: now and then one drops in, but still the rest continue the dance. This day a swearer dies, and tumbles into hell; the next a drunkard, the next a whoremonger: but still their companions in sin go on in their mad career, till they drop in too. Think what a fearful surprise death is to many careless sinners; it lights upon them like a falcon out of the air; they must flit, and they were not thinking on it; they have their lodging to seek, and they know not where. 0 it is sad to be turned out of the clay tabernacle, and to be put to knock, and cry, "Lodging, lodging for God's sake;" and yet get no other answer but a frown, or, "Depart from me, I know you not!" What cause have we to pray, "Lord, let us not have our work to do, when our day is done; our wea- pons to seek when the enemy is at the gates, our oil to buy when the market is ended, and the bridegroom come." Think also upon the happiness of a dying believer, who can go forth half way and meet death, and bid it welcome, as a friend. Death ends his sorrow, and begins his joy. It is an out- let to misery, and an inlet to happiness; it frees him of his greatest grievance in the world, that is, sin. As sin was the womb that brought forth death, so death is the tomb that buries sin; thus God, in his wisdom, causes the daughter to destroy the mother ; and hence it is, that death is put in the believer's inventory of goods, 1 Cor. iii. 22. "Death is theirs." It is then1 Father's servant sent to carry them home to their Father's house; DUTIES REQUISITE UPON THE LORD'S DAY. C3 a palace all bespangled with light, where they shall sigh no more, and, which is infinitely better, where they shall sin no more for ever. They shall be troubled no more with an ill heart, nor a tempting devil; they shall complain no more of darkness, and distance from God; but shall spend a whole eternity in praises, doxologies, hosannas, and hallelujahs to God and the Lamb. Think on the blessed change, O believer, that death will make in thy circumstances ere long. It will transport thee from a cottage to a palace, from a wilderness to Canaan, from a stormy sea to a safe shore, from a vile dunghill to a glorious city, a city whose walls and foundations are of precious stones, its streets of gold, and its gates of pearl; whose light is the Lamb, and whose temple is God. Hast thou not cause then to love the Lord Jesus Christ, who has provided this city for thee, and found out a way to it; who by his death has unstinged death, and by his blood has paved a way through its dark valley for thee to walk in, and fear no ill? O believer, fear not though the trance be somewhat dark, the passage is safe, and the end is light; the day is short betwixt thee and home, 'tis but wink and sec God. Lastly, Think often how holily and spiritually you will wish you had spent this day, when you come to a death bed, and death and eternity begin to stare you closely in the face. You will then hegin to wish, O that I had spent more cf my time, and especially of the Lord's day, in medita- tion and prayer! O if God would try me again, how serious and diligent would I be! Consider, on the other hand, what a pleasant death-bed the righteous will have, who have spent the Sabbath religiously! what satisfaction they will have in the review thereof! and what comfort in the prospect of an everlasting Sabbath above, to which they are hastening! They will be rejoicing when others about them are weeping; they will be smiling when their eye-strings are breaking, and inward strength failing. They will be longing to be with Christ, which is best of all. It was a choice saying of one near death, "My head is in heaven, my heart is in heaven, it is but one step more, and I shall be all in heaven." And must not the latter end of such be peaceable and plea- sant? Many, doubtless, with Balaam, would wish to die their death, however ill they like their life; many, like that young man, who said to his loose companion (after they had visited holy Ambrose on his death-bed, and saw how cheerfully he was triumphing over approaching death) "O that I might live with thee, and die with Ambrose!" But it is vain to think to dine with Satan and lusts in this world, and hereafter to sup with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; "for whatsoever a man sow- eth, that shall he also reap," Gal. vi. 7. V. Another subject of meditation on the Sab- bath-day is the saints' everlasting rest and employ- ment in heaven. You are called this day to have frequent thoughts of it, since the Sabbath is an emblem thereof, and serves to keep us in mind of it. Take care then, O believer, to spend every Sabbath in the view of heaven, and live every Sabbath as it were to be your last, and behave this day as one that believes you may be in heaven before the next Lord's day, celebrating an eternal Sabbath. Let your worship this day below put you in mind of that more perfect worship above, where you shall see him whom you worship, and enjoy immediate communion with him. O tho difference betwixt that worship there, and ours here, is great! There is no weariness there in beholding God, no wanderings nor excursions of the heart from God, no inclinations there to drow • siness or sleep in worship, no dull or low concep- tions of God, no deadness of heart or frame; then- harps are never out of tune, their hearts are always up, and fit for the high praises of God. There is no note lower there than "Glory to God in the highest;" every saint sings his hallelujahs on the highest key, and all of them join harmoni- ously in the work of praising God with one heart and soul. Are congregational assemblies of saints so pleasant on earth, especially when they jointly and melodiously sing God's praise? O what will it be then, when they all meet above in that great " general assembly of the church of the first born," together with the " innumerable com- pany of angels," and there with one heart and voice sing God's praises? How ravishing will it be to hear that eternal music of the bride-cham- ber, that sweet melody of the church triumphant, where there is no jarring string, no displeasing sound, no discord between heart and tongue, no willows there to hang their harps upon, no bad news to be heard, no sad sight to be seen, no evil to be felt or feared to all eternity. Poor dis- couraged believers, are ye now troxibled with ill hearts and vain thoughts? Are ye plagued with wandering and wearying hearts in duty? These complaints ere long shall be taken out of your mouths; read Eph. v. 27, the church above "hath neither spot nor wrinkle." Once the glorified saints' faces were as black and wrinkled as yours, but now they have none: once their hearts were as bad as yours, but now they are as fixed " pil- lars in the temple of God, they go no more out." Take a view this day, by faith, of the glorious company above; behold Christ upon his white throne, Paul with his crown of righteousness, and all the faithful ones in Abraham's bosom. How gloriously they shine in the kingdom of their Father! The sun is a very glorious creature, but it would be useless there, it would not be seen 01 SANCTIFICATION OF THE LORD'S DAY. for tlio brightness of the Lamb; nay, every saint shall be as glorious as that sun. Who can tell the happiness of the inhabitants of that place, where every head wears a royal crown, every hand a palm of victory, every eye overflows with joy, and every tongue with songs of praise? 0 believer, think with yourself, what a difference there is betwixt your state and theirs ! " Oh, I am sighing, they arc singing; I am sinning, they are serving God; I am groaning out my com- plaints, they arc trumpeting forth God's praise ; I am in darkness, and cannot see God; they dwell in light, and see him face to face. O my Lord, must I stay behind, when they are going? Must I lie groaning and sighing here, while they are triumphing above, and dividing the spoil? My Lord is gone and left the earth, and entered into his glory; my brethren and friends are gone to their blessed rest, and must I wander in the wilderness, absent from home, far distant from my Father and my God? Shall I be satisfied in this state? No, I will look after them with a longing eye; I will lie knocking at the gate till God open to let me in; I will still pant, breathe, and cry, O Lord, how long! How is my pil- grimage prolonged! How am I detained in this valley of tears, wandering in the dark, and can scarce get any sight of Canaan! When shall the days of my banishment be finished, that I may get home to my country and friends above? O when shall I sit at the fountain-head, and drink plentifully of the living streams that make glad the city of God ? " O believer, rejoice in the forethoughts of that day, when thou shalt meet with thy Father and thy brethren, and when thou shalt see thy elder Brother on the tlirone ready to pass sentence in thy favour. O how sweet will it be, when he is frowning and thundering against the wicked, to see him turn and smile on thee as thy Re- deemer! 0 what love will be in his looks! what melody will that sentence sound in thy cars, "Come, ye blessed of my Father!" &c. How ravishing a surprise, 0. believers, will it be to meet with your godly acquaintances, with whom ye prayed, praised, and conversed here! O then, may ye rejoice together and say, " This voice of joy we now hear, is not like our old groans and complaints, nor like the oaths, curses, and reproaches our ears were grated with on earth. What is become of our hard hearts, our worldly unbelieving hearts? Where are all our lusts, corruptions, temptations, and burdens now? What is become of a body of death, indwelling sin that lay so long on us a dead weight? What is become of the church's enemies we often com- plained of?" O! these are all gone, they shall trouble you no more; you shall triumph over them, as Israel did on the other side of the Red sea, when they saw the Egyptians drowned and lying dead upon the shore. These Egyptians, O believer, whom thou once sawest to thy great vexation and trouble, " thou shalt see them again no more." I might mention many other subjects of medi- tation proper for the Sabbath ; such as the evil of sin, the vanity of the world, the worth of the soul, the sufferings of Christ, the last judgment, and many others, which the sermons you hear that day will bring to your remembrance. But, fearing that I have been too tedious already upon this head, I must pass them, and proceed to another private duty necessary on the Lord's day. THE FOURTH SECRET DUTT ON THE LORD'S DAT IS SELF- EXAMINATION. Tins duty is near of kin to the former, it being a sort of reflexive meditation, the mind turns inward and communes with itself, according to Psal. iv. 4. It is absolutely necessary that we should take some time to commune with our- selves, and ask what we are, what we have been, and what we have done, Jer. viii. 6. And is not the Sabbath a fit time for this duty, when wo retire from the noise of the world, and are not disturbed with secular affairs? This is a most important duty, and nearly concerns our eternal well-being; but yet it is a duty very much neglected. Many have lived fifty or sixty years iu the world, that never spent one hour in com- muning with their own hearts. There are many going out of the world, who never yet began to inquire why they came into it, and never yet asked the question at their souls, Are you to flit hence, or live here for ever? Why came you hither, and where are you to lodge when you go hence? Many live in a crowd of worldly busi- ness, arc hurried from one thing to another, leap out of their beds to the world in the morning, and from the world to their beds again at night, and so never find one minute on the week-days to take their soul aside; and for the Sabbath, though they have time for it, yet such is their aversion tp the work, they shift it all they can, and avoid meeting with themselves; they rather converse with any in the world, than with their own hearts. It is against self-love and carnal case for a man to turn his own accuser and judge: therefore many would rather drudge and toil their bodies whole days and weeks at the sorest labour, ere they spent one quarter of an hour at this exercise; and so they live their whole lives strangers to themselves. We would think it strange to hear of two men that conversed every day for fifty or sixty years' space, and yet all this while did not know one another; and yet DUTIES REQUISITE UPON THE LORD'S DAY. 05 this is the case betwixt many and their souls ; for as long as they have lived together, they are utterly unacquainted, they never turn inward to converse with themselves, they have no serious thoughts ahout their own state or condition. It is said of the rich man in the parable, Luke xvi., that " in hell he lift up his eyes," as if he had never considered nor bethought himself till that time; and indeed it is the want of retired con- sideration, and people's serious bethinking of themselves, that is the ruin of many thousands. 0 then, resolve in God's strength, that, in spite of the devil and your own corruption, you and your souls shall have a meeting, and live no longer asunder; that ye will imitate David, Psal. cxix. 59, "I thought on my ways, and turned my feet to thy testimonies." Seeing then ye have free time for this duty on the Lord's day, take your souls aside, and inquire into their state ; say, "0 my soul, where art thou? Art thou under a covenant of works, or a covenant of grace? Dost thou belong to Christ's family, or the devil's? Art thou in the narrow or broad way? Suppose 1 should die this night, (for God knows if ever I shall see the morrow's light,) what hope will I have in a dying hour? Where will death land me? Whether with God in heaven, or with devils in hell? Would Christ smile on me in the dark valley, or be my Advocate at God's bar? Is there any saving change yet wrought on my heart and life by a work of conversion? God forbid I undergo my great and final change till this happy change be wrought. Can I say, I am not the man that once I was ; ' once I was blind, but now I see?'" Study and inquire into the marks of the converted and unconverted, with the greatest seriousness and anxiety of soul, and see which of them you can apply to yourself; cry, that God may open a window in your breast, to let you sec into your own heart and soul's state; and, whatever you be deceived in, beg it of him, that he may not suffer you to be deceived in this momentous point, where your soul and your all is at stake. And, if you find your- self in a bad state, " give no rest to your eyes, no slumber to your eye-lids," till, in God's strength, you resolve on a thorough change. It is also incumbent on every private Chris- tian on the Lord's day, to practise the works of charity and mercy, both to the souls and bodies of men. Study to promote the edification of others by good counsels, instructions, admonitions, and reproofs. Comfort the afflicted, supply those that are in straits, visit the sick and those that arc in misery. These are proper duties on the Sabbath, and God is highly pleased with them, Jam. i. 27. If we practise these duties con- scientiously, we may both do good and get good; we may both give direction and comfort to the distressed, and receive instruction and comfort to ourselves. Though we may not inquire at the dead, yet we may learn many wholesome lessons from the dying. And would to God that both the persons visiting and visited were more spiri- tual in their converse than ordinarily they are! for then this duty would be found very edifying and profitable. But if, when we visit the sick this day, we spend the time in worldly discourse, and not for the spiritual advantage of the sick, and others present, we profane the Sabbath, instead of sanctifying it. Do we see some oppressed by continual slum- bering and sleeping, when death is supposed to be near, so that they cannot think on their everlast- ing state? Let this teach us to remember our latter end, and awake our souls to their work, while we are in health. Do we see others troubled with ravings? Let it teach us to employ our reason for our soul's advantage while we have the use of it. Do we see some sadly discomposed with extreme pains and agonies; Let it mind us to dispatch our work while health and ease remain with us. Do we observe their sight failing, tongue falter- ing, or hearing growing worse? O let this teach us to " make a covenant with our eyes," and turn them " away from beholding vanity;" to use our tongues for God's glory, and beware of abusing them now, while we have the use of them; and to employ our ears for hearing spiritual instruc- tions, while they are in case for it. DIRECTION III.— CONCERNING THE SPECIAL ORDER, METHOD, AND MANNER WHEREIN THE DUTIES OP THE SABBATH ARE TO BE PERFORMED. The Lord requires us, not only to take heed to the matter of our duties, but also to the man- ner of them; not only to do what is good, but to do it well. As we must seek God in due ordin- ances, so we must seek him in a due order, 1 Chron. xv. 13. "Very much depends upon the circumstances of our actions, therefore we must look narrowly to them. That we may take a view of the sanctification of the Sabbath complexly, and the order and cir- cumstances of the duties therein required; there are three things to be considered: 1 . What is requisite in order to prepare for the Sabbath before it come. 2. What is requisite in performing the duties of the Sabbath when it is come. 3. What is requisite at the end of the Sabbath, or when the work thereof is over. 66 SANCTIFICATION OF THE LORD'S DAY. I. CONCERNING OUR PREPARATION FOR THE SABBATH. As to the first, that it is needful to prepare for the Sahhath, cannot he denied, if we consider the word remember prefixed to the commandment, " Remember the Sahhath to keep it holy." We j must rcmemher it before it come, so as to provide for it. Moses calls the people, Exod. xvi. 23, to mind that "to-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath." Again, if Ave consider the nature of the Sab- bath-work, and our unfitness for it, preparation for it will be found very needful. We arc called this day to make solemn and near approaches to that God who is a glorious Spirit, and to hold communion with him who is infinitely holy; and is it not very necessary that we, who are natu- rally carnal, and much involved in worldly busi- ness through the week, should endeavour to abstract our thoughts from earthly things, that we may draw nigh to so great a God upon this holy day? For holy performances God requires us to make holy preparations; and therefore David saith, Psal. xxvi. 6. "I will wash mine hands in innocency, so shall I compass thine altar, O Lord." The mariner who intends a voyage, not only provides his tackling, but he is careful, before he sail, to put his ship off from the land, that he may catch the first fair wind. In like manner, Christian, if thou wouldst launch heaven- wards upon a Lord's day, be concerned to get the vessel of thy heart put off from the earth on the evening before. Wert thou a person of great quality and estate, and the kins: should send thee word that he would dine with thee to-morrow, thou wouldst make preparation for his entertainment the day before, by cleansing the house, and putting all things in order, suitable to the dignity of so great a prince. Now, when King Jesus gives thee notice before hand, that on such a day he is to sup with thee, ■wilt thou not testify thy respect to so great a potentate, by making preparation for him ? When Christ prepares a table for thee in the gospel, and furnishes it with all the dainties of heaven, par- don, peace, love, grace, and eternal life; shouldst thou not empty thy stomach, cleanse thy heart, adorn thy soul, and make ready to feast with thy Redeemer? At this gospel table others sit and feed, their souls are filled with marrow and fat- ness, and their mouths praise the Lord with joy- ful lips ; but alas ! many have no stomach ; they can eat little, and savour nothing. Their stom- achs are foul, their hearts unclean; the world fills their thoughts; they taste no goodness in hearing, in prayer, praises, or any duty of God's worship: why? They are at no pains before- hand to empty their minds of the world, and prepare for this heavenly fare. Reader, were I to counsel thee how to improve a market-day, so as thou mightest gain much wealth and treasure, I doubt not but thou wouldst hearken to me: and wilt thou not regard me, when I am to advise thee how to spend the Lord's day, the market-day for thy soul, so as thou mayest get the true treasure, even durable riches and righteousness? Lay aside worldly cares, remember, and prepare for this market- day, before it come, and beg skill from God how to improve it aright to the enriching of thy soul. Anciently there were laws obliging people to lay aside their work at such a particular hour on Saturday's afternoon, that they might remember and prepare for the Sabbath: likewise it was a custom in some places to have public divine exer- cise and worship on the Saturday's evening; so that, at the ringing of a bell for it, people gave over their work, and repaired to the church to worship God, and hear something suitable and preparatory to the Sabbath : I cannot but com- mend this practice, as a good way to conclude and shut up all the labours and cares of the week, and publicly to give God thanks for prospering the works of our hands, and also to confess and mourn for the carnality of our hearts, and our little minding of Christ and heaven in our weekly business, and our manifold short-comings in our duties both to God and man, and our forgetting and not practising through the week the sermons we heard the preceding Sabbath : likewise it is a good way to take off our hearts from the world, and to compose and spiritualise the thoughts for the work of the approaching Sabbath; and also to pray and wrestle together for a blessing on the same, and for special assistance to ministers and people in the duties of the day, that the ensuing Sabbath may be one of the best Sabbaths we ever had, and that it may be one of the days of hea- ven to our souls. But more particularly, the preparation need- ful for the Sabbath consists in these things : 1 . In your dispatching and ordering your labour and business through the week with such pru- dence and foresight, that it may nowise hinder or disturb you on the Sabbath-day. 2. In leaving off your work timeously the night before, and going seasonably to rest, that both your servants and you may be in case to rise early on Sabbath morning, and not to be drowsy or sleepy through the day. It is a great encroach- ment upon the Sabbath that some are guilty of, they sit up and work later on Saturday's night than any other night of the week ; they lie longer on Sabbath morning than any other day; they go sooner to bed on Sabbath night than any other night, and they rise sooner on Monday morning than any other day of the week. Now, what is this but a grudging God Ids due time> a wearying PREPARATION FOR THE LORD'S DAY. 67 of his day, and making it as short as }-ou can, and seeking to win it, if possible, from off the Satur- day's night and Monday's morning? Under the law, the latter part of the day, pre- ceding the Sabbath, was called "the day of pre paration for the Sabbath," Luke xxiii. 54, inti- mating that it is our duty to prepare for the Sab- bath before it come, and to do it upon the day preceding. likewise, we find that Nehemiah ordered the gates of Jerusalem to be shut when it began to be dark before the Sabbath, Neh. xiii. 19, thereby teaching us timeously to give over our trafficking and worldly business on the even- ing before the Lord's day, and not to follow our business too late, lest our thoughts be too much embarrassed with secular affairs, and wc be thereby indisposed for the religious duties of the ensuing holy day. 3. It would be a good way to prepare for the Lord's day, sometimes to take your children and servants on the Saturday's night, when you call them together for family worship, and instruct them concerning the end and institution of the Lord's day which is approaching, and the nature of the service that is requisite upon it. The Lord commends Abraham, for "commanding his house- hold and children after him to keep the way of the Lord," Gen. xviii. 19. And he frequently directs the Israelites to instruct their children concerning the meaning of their rites and obser- vations; and particularly concerning the passover, he saith, Exod. xii. 2G, 27, "And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean you by this service ? that ye shall say, it is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians," &c. So, in like manner, concerning the observation of the Lord's day, you should tell your families, "The day of sacred rest, now approaching, is a memorial of God's wonderful love to us, that when we were lost and undone by sin, cursed by the divine law, and excluded out of God's rest, our Lord Jesus Christ undertook a great work for us to make up our peace, become our surety, and bear the curse and wrath due to us; and when he had so done, and finished his work of redemption, he, on the first day of the week, entered into his rest by his resurrection, and thereby made known to us that we should keep this day as a day of holy rest to him, in remembrance of his glorious work, and as a pledge of our celebrating an ever- lasting Sabbath with him above, in admiring his love, and singing his praise : and therefore let us make suitable preparation for this solemn day, and the duties of it." Alas! the omission of such instructions as these to young persons, causes the observation of this day, with many, to be built only on custom and example; and hence follows the great neglect of Sabbath-sanctification, which is so common among us. 4. If you would prepare for the Sabbath, call off your thoughts timeously on Saturday's night, from worldly cares and business, that you may think on the great work of the approaching day ; and labour to put -yourselves in as solemn and as serious a frame, as if you were to die and step into eternity, and be judged at God's tribunal; or as if you were visibly to promise to meet with God, and solemnly treat with him concerning your salvation. As godly Nehemiah took care to shut the gates of Jerusalem on the evening before the Sabbath, that no burdens might be carried in on the Sab- bath-day; so secure you the gates of your hearts on the Saturday's evening, that no worldly thing may enter to disturb you in the performance of the great and solemn duties of the Sabbath. 5. Look back on the bypast week, and exa- mine your actions therein as particularly as you can, and repent for all the sins thereof, whether omission or commission, and flee to the blood of Christ to be cleansed from the guilt and filth of them, that so you may be prepared to appear before a holy God, who is "of purer eyes than that he can behold iniquity." 0 seek to get all quarrels through the week removed, that you may have a reconciled God to meet with upon the Sabbath. G. Study to have a deep sense of your wants upon your spirits, that you may get suitable sup- plies for them upon the Sabbath. If you were going to a great market next day, you would be thinking the night before what you wanted or needed thereat: the Sabbath is the great market- day for your souls, when you may hear Christ crying, as Rev. iii. 18, "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest bo clothed," &c. 7. Think upon the great design of the Sabbath, the commemoration of Christ's redeeming love; and entertain serious and thankful thoughts of the goodness of God manifested in the glorious work of redemption; and with godly Nehemiah, Neh. ix. 14, bless God for giving you the Sabbath, since it is such a pleasant and profitable day for the soul. 8. Beg earnestly for God's help to sanctify the Sabbath, and that God may put you in a spirit- ual frame for the work thereof, and that you may have grace to leave all your worldly care "at the bottom of the hill, while you go up into the mount to worship God, and return again to them." Beg that the sins of the bygone week, and the misimprovement of former Sabbaths, may not hinder God's presence upon the ensuing Sab- bath. Pray that ministers may be directed to a (J3 SANCTIFICATION OF THE LORDS DAY. suitable word for your soul's case, that your hearts may be prepared, your enemies restrained, and God's ordinances blessed, so that it may be a good day, "a day in God's courts is better than a thousand elsewhere." And then, having so ordered and disposed mat- ters, lay yourselves down to sleep in Christ's arms, and under his protection, leaving your hearts in heaven, that when you awake next morning, you may be still with God. Study to sleep, as well as "eat and chink, to the glory of God." Go to bed with this design, that your bodies may be refreshed, and fitted to serve your souls in the service of God upon the ensuing day. II. — CONCERNING THE DUTIES OF THE SABBATH. As to the second thing proposed, what things are requisite in doing the work of the Sabbath, when it is conic? This is a large subject; I shall reduce all I have to say upon it to three heads; 1 . What is necessary before the public worship. 2. What is necessary in time of public worship. 3. What is to be done after the public worship is over. As to the fa'st, take these directions: I. When you awake on Sabbath morning, rejoice at the approach of this blessed day: as the birds chirp and sing at the dawning of the morn- ing's light, so let believers account the light of this day sweet, as being a day of signal mercies, a day of communion with God, a day wherein the Spirit's dews fall upon the soul. As " Abraham rejoiced to see Christ's day," John viii. 56, so ought you this morning, saying with the Psalm- ist, Psal. cxviii. 24, "This is the day the Lord hath made, Ave will rejoice and be glad in it." II. Let your souls be breathing forth holy meditations and ejaculations upon your very first awakening : lift up your hearts in thanksgiving to God for that comfortable rest and sleep he hath vouchsafed to you the night past: for "it is he that giveth his beloved sleep," and who renews his mercies to us every morning. Likewise give up and dedicate yourselves wholly to God and his service this day: and, betwixt your walking and rising, you may have such meditations as these : "0 if I could say this morning with Isaiah, chap, xxvi. 9, "With my soul have I desired thee in the night, and with my spirit within me will I seek thee early !" Let me this morning awake early from sin to righteousness, 1 Cor. xv. 34, or that in Rom. xiii. 11, 12, "It is high time to awake out of sleep. The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let me cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light." Or, think on your awaking out of the sleep of death, and rising out of the grave at the sound of the last trumpet, what a solemn wakening that will be. Or, think of God's goodness to thee, that thou awakest in life, health, and safety this morn- ing; say, " What a mercy is it, that God has kept my house from -firing, and falling on my head! that he hath chained up Satan my enemy, that he could neither hurt nor fright me in a visible manner! Many have lain down this night without sleep, and been full of tossings to the dawning of the day; but, blessed be God, I have laid me down in peace, I have slept and waked again, and my sleep hath been refreshing. How would I value this mercy, if I were in sickness, and could not get sleep! Many have lain down and slept, but never waked again in this world; their first waking has been in eternity: and O! how sad, if it be in the flames of hell! But, O what shall I render to the Lord, that I wake again in the land of prayer, and of hope; and upon a Lord's day morning, wherein I hope to hear again the joyful sound, and see his power and glory in the sanctuary!" If it is a summer morning, when the sun may be up and shining when thou awakest, then think, Christ the light of the world rose early this morning from the dark grave, wherein he lay buried for my sake. " The Sun of righteous- ness was up this day before the natural sun." Or think, " This is the day wherein God said, ' Let there be light, and it was so.' Is the light so sweet, and is it so pleasant a thing for the eyes to behold the sun? 0 how much more to see Christ, the bright Morning-star, this day by the eye of faith, to see the Sun of righteousness shin- ing in the firmament of gospel-ordinances! Let me rise and prepare for this sight; O that my eyes may be cleared, and the mote taken out of the eye of faith, that I may this day see him, in comparison of whom the sun is but a dark clod of earth! O my soul, rise from the earth this day, get the moon under thy feet, and clothe thy- self with the sun; draw nigh to God in Christ, and set thy. affections on things above; thou art capable of communion with God, do not debaso thyself in raking always in the dunghill of this world, in licking the dust with the serpent, or feeding on husks with the swine, as if thou hadst no higher end to serve than the world. Why wilt thou lie among the pots, and wallow in the puddle, when crystal streams are so near?" Or think, " How happy are the angels, who are exempted from the necessity of sleep ! They never rest, nor weary of God's work, but ' praise him day and night.' Behold, the sun never wearies to serve his Creator: how many thousand miles has the sun travelled since the last night I went to rest, that he might bring the light of a new Lord's day to me, a poor undeserving crea- ture! And, shall not I rise with cheerfulness to THE MORNING OF THE LORD'S DAY. G9 celebrate this clay, and serve my God and Saviour upon it? It is a mercy the natural sun is risen; but a far greater that the 'Sun of righteousness' is up, and hath ascended to his meridian, that he may the better diffuse the influences of light and beat upon poor cold and blind souls, such as I am : I will get up tins day, and lie in his way as he passeth by, and cry with the blind man, ' Son of David, have mercy upon me.' " Lastly, The morning sun may remind thee of the danger of secure, Christless souls. The sun shone bright on Sodom that morning it was destroyed: little did they think that fair morning, that the clouds would gather on a sudden, and drop fire on their heads; neither knowest thou, O Christ- less sinner, what a storm of wrath may fall on thee before night : wherefore flee presently out of the Sodom of a natural state to the Zoar of Christ's righteousness. III. Rise full as early this day as on other days, and be as soon at God's work this day, as you are at your own work on other days: God is the best Master, his work the sweetest, and his wages the greatest. Yet, alas ! there are many who lie long on the morning of the Lord's day, they are loth to rise and fall to God's work ; when they rise, they have no time for secret and family duties before the public worship: so that they are eitber slightly performed, or wholly neglected. O fool- ish sinner ! dost thou think thy worldly business more worthy of thy early rising; than thy spiri- tual employment? Or wilt thou show greater regard to thy worthless body, than to thy gracious God, and thy precious soul? You owe thanks to God, that you have had the bypast week for your own affairs, and that now you have the prospect of another for them, and that God lets you see the first day of it; but O consider, that your Creator and Redeemer puts in for some time with you. All your time is not your own, neither is it in your own hands, God alone is the Author and Disposer of it. Well then, now is the time, this is the day that he requires : O let him have it wholly, seeing he gives you six times as much for yourselves. And grudge him not the morning of his own day. Remember that promise, Pro v. viii. 17, " They that seek me early shall find me." In the morning the spirits are most fresh and lively, and fittest for contempla- tions and prayer. "We are told, Exod. xvi. 13, that in the morning the dew and manna fell. "Wouldst thou have the dew of a blessing to fall on thy soul, and to make thee as a watered gar- den? then rise early to wait for it. This was the practice of the saints; Job rose early and offered his sacrifices, Job i. 5. David prevented the dawning of the morning with his prayers, Psal. cxix. 147. Christ rose early this day before the sun. And for what end did he rise? Even to justify and save his people. O believers, did your Saviour rise early this morning to justify you, and will you not rise early this day to glorify him? This is the great design of the Sabbath. And the xcii. psalm, which is intituled, A song for the Sabbath-day, saith, " It is good to show forth God's loving-kindness in the morning." Timeousness at God's work on this day, or dili- gence in it, will not prove prejudicial to health; for, since God hath pronounced a special blessing upon the Sabbath, you have ground to expect that less sleep, food, and refreshment, than at other times, will be blessed for your support in his work, and that you shall live in the doing thereof. IV. When you are up, hasten to put on your clothes, and spend as little time this day in dress- ing yourself as possible, that you may have time for secret duties, and retired converse with God. But, since the body must be clothed this day, let your thoughts be well employed in the time you are doing it: think on sin, that was the cause of your soul's nakedness, and of your body's need of apparel. Remember from whom you have your clothes, to cover, keep warm, and adorn your bodies, even from God, it is his wool and his flax; therefore give thanks to him for your raiment, as well as your food. And though your clothes be not so fine as you would wish, yet mind that " these of whom the world was not worthy, wan- dered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins:" and, if you be not so outwardly splendid as others, seek that decking which will "make you all glorious within." When others are following vain fashions, seek ye to be " covered with the robes of Christ's righteousness." And, since you are this day to make a solemn appearance before God your hea- venly Father, you must be sure, like Jacob, to come in the garments of your elder Brother, otherwise you cannot expect your Father's bless- ing. Put no confidence in your own righteous- ness; for it is no better than rags, or a garment full of holes, the least whereof is sufficient to let in the curse of God upon you. Therefore " put on the Lord Jesus," if you would this day appear before God, and be accepted of him. Take care also, that your bodies this day be gravely and decently apparelled, and beware of pride and vanity this way, if ye would have God to own you; the adorning which he recommends is not that " of plaiting the hair, wearing of gold, and putting on ot apparel, but the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price," 1 Pet. hi. 3, 4. Most people on the Sabbath are concerned to adorn their bodies with their best clothes; but, alas! who amon°r vou is carefid to attire his soul 70 SANCTIFICATION OF THE LORD'S DAY as he ought on this day, when he is going to meet the blessed Redeemer of souls, the King of glory? Mind your souls chiefly this day, and take care, whatever you he doing about your bodies, that your hearts be employed in spiritual medita- tions. Do you comb your head? you may think how numerous your sins are; they are "more than the hairs of your head," so that " none can reckon them," Psal. xl. 12. And to be sure, if you cannot reckon them, you are far less able to reckon for them. Do you wash your hands? think on the necessity of " washing your hands in innocency, that so ye may compass the altar of God:" for those that would "ascend the hill of God, and stand in his holy place, must have clean hands and pure hearts." Holiness both in heart and life is absolutely needful, in order to our enjoying communion with God in ordinances. V. As soon as possibly you can, retire this morning for the duties of secret prayer, praise, reading the word, meditation, and self-examina- tion. Much of the Sabbath, and especially the morning of it, should be spent in praising and thanksgiving, upon account of God's goodness, both common and special, manifested in the works of creation and redemption. It is a most neces- sary and proper duty to r'show forth God's loving-kindness on the Sabbath morning," Psal. xcii. 2. Thanksgiving is the great end of the day, and of the mercies of it; "the redeemed of the Lord" ought this day to sing, "His mercy endureth for ever," Psal. cvii. 2 ; for God sent his Son to redeem us for this very end, that he might have from us "the praise of the glory of his grace," Eph. i. 6, 12, 14. And if you deny him praise, you do what you can to disappoint him of the design of this wonderful work. Many serious souls think the Sabbath should be spent only in prayer, mourning, mortification, &c, and almost wholly neglect the duty of praise, which ought to be the principal, and wherewith God is best pleased. Remember that praise is not only the end of the day, but the end of your lives; yea, the design of all God's works: God made man the tongue of the creation, to trumpet forth aloud what the rest of the creation do but silently whisper. DIRECTIONS IN PERFORMING THE FORESAID DUTIES. Before I proceed further, I shall give some special advices concerning the duties of secret reading, prayer, and self-searching. I. — OF READING THE WORD. A s to the reading of God's word, if you would do it with profit, then, 1. Look up to God for his blessing upon it. When you begin, pray that he may " open your eyes to see the wonders of it," and that he may " open your cars and hearts to hear and comply with it as the voice of God." 2. In reading the word, quicken yourselves to all possible attention. -As children wiH rouse up themselves at the reading of their father's will, out of expectation of some portion or legacy bequeathed them therein by their father; so ought you to rouse up yourselves in reading of the word, in regard of the many rich and precious legacies which our Saviour hath bequeathed to you, in that last will and testament of his, sealed by his own blood. 3. Read the word with holy reverence, as if Jehovah himself stood by, and sj>ake these words unto you ; for reading is a kind of holy conference with God, and therefore ought to be gene about with a holy awe and concern. I do not mean that this reverence is to be shown to the paper and print, but the matter contained therein, though even these, as the dead bodies of saints, ought not to be used dishonourably, as I have heard some graceless merchants do, by rolling up their small wares in leaves of the bible. Is this like the practice of the ancient martyrs, who made more account of a leaf of the bible than of a treasure? And indeed the leaves of the bible, in some sense, are the field where the treasure is hid, and the pearl of price may be found; they are the swaddling-clothes of the holy Jesus. And therefore, in the next place, 4. Have an eye to Christ in every thing ye read, for he is the end, scope, and substance of the whole bible, and every thing in it is reduce- able to him. 5. Read it with application to yourselves, as if God spoke to you by name and surname in every line of it. Read it as if it were a letter sent straight from heaven to you, to warn you against sin, and to persuade you to faith and holiness. Let us accept of its reproofs and admonitions with thankfulness, and say, What a mercy is it that we may read our Father's will in our mother- tongue, and that God speaks his mind so plainly to us in his word? C. Mark the special passages of the word, either these that are most important in themselves, or most applicable to you. Mark the duties enjoined, and sins forbidden, with the promises to the one, and threateninss against the other: fasten these upon your memories, and hide them in your hearts; meditate on them, and pray that God may keep them in your minds, ready for use against the time of need. II. — OF SECRET PRAYER. As for secret prayer, take these directions, if you would speed in it: I. See that you be new creatures, and born THE MORNING OF THE LORD'S DAY. 71 again, if you would pray aright. A child, while in the womb, cannot cry; so no more can you cry, Abba, Father, while in the womb of a natural state. An unconverted man's prayers are not accounted prayers before God. The long prayers which Paul had, while a Pharisee, were not reck- oned prayer at all; but, when he is a converted man, we are told then, with a Behold, that he prayed, Acts ix. 11. II. Be frequent in this duty, for your needs are many. God hath erected the " throne of grace for the time of need," Heb. iv. 16. And he hath left the more needs upon us, that he may the oftener hear from us; he loves to hear his people's voice, and great need have we to let him oft hear it ; for we have many lusts to be sub- dued, many graces to be strengthened, many doubts to be resolved, and many grievances to be redressed : therefore be frequent in your addresses to God. Frequency begets familiarity, and fami- liarity confidence; we go boldly to his house, we often visit. Eusebius tells us of the apostle James, surnamed the Just, that he kneeled so oft and so long in secret prayer, that his knees became as callous and insensible as a camel's. And he tells us of the first Christian emperor, Constan- tino the Great, that he kneeled very much in secret prayer: — and, for an example to others, that he had his image in his coins, pictures, and statues, represented in the same praying posture, with his hands spread abroad, and his eyes lift up to heaven. King David was frequently in this exercise, Psal. Iv. 17, "Evening, morning, and at noon, will I pray and cry aloud." And, if that be not enough, he says, Psal. cxix. 164, "Seven times a-day will I praise thee, because of thy righteous judgments." III. Affect privacy and retirement in it. Strive to let no car hear but God's; for his ears are open to the most whispering prayers that can be put tip : not that we should be ashamed of our duty, but that we may avoid misconstruction, and hide pride from our eyes; for, when there is a desire that men should take notice of our prayers, God takes no notice of them, unless it be to abhor and reject them. But if you be so circumstanced, that you cannot pray without being observed, you cannot help it ; for it is bet- ter to- hazard the censure of others, than the neglect of prayer: only take care there be no ostentation in the doing of it. IV. Pray with holy awe and reverence of God, before whom you bring yourselves. Labour for as much devotion and seriousness in prayer, as if you were taken up and presented before God, on his holy tlu'one, with millions of glorious angels ministering to him; or, as if you saw death and the grave on the one hand, and heaven and hell on the other; or, as if you heard the saints sing- ing in heaven, or the damned roaring in hell. Do you not believe these things as well as if you saw them? and why are you not as serious as if you did sec them? V. Study to pray in faith, eyeing the power, mercy, and promise of God, and relying upon the mediation and righteousness of Jesus Christ; for those who pray thus, shall not seek God in vain. This kind of prayer is like the sword of Saul, 2 Sam. i., " that never returns empty." YI. Pray with fervency and importunity. Why? for ought you know, this may be the last Sabbath you may sec, the last sermon you may hear, and the last prayer you may put up. Pray therefore as a dying man would and should do. Remember how fervent you have seen some dying persons in prayer, and labour for the same frame and fervency. You should seek this day, to have such a feeling of spiritual wants, and to have your bowels so pinched with a sense thereof, that, like the hungry and almost starved beggars, you may cry aloud for the bread of life. Let your prayers be the travail of your souls, and not the labour of your lips. Let your hearts be suitably affected in all the parts of prayer; never leave confession without some sorrow for sin, nor petition without some sense of the worth of mercies, nor thanks- giving without some solace and joy in God, the Author and Fountain of all our happiness. Let your affections correspond with your expressions, and continue instant in prayer. You ought this day, like Samson, Judg. xvi., to "bow yourselves with all your might" in prayer, to pull down the pillars of Dagon's temple, and the strongholds of sin in your souls. "Lift up you hearts with your hands to God in the heavens, and stir up yourselves to take hold of him." Cast yourselves down at his feet, and say, as once a great man did to his prince, " I am resolved never to rise till I obtain mercy." VII. Use arguments with God in prayer, either taken from God's power and mercy, or from your misery and necessity. Dost thou thou doubt, O man, if thou be converted? then lie sobbing before God, like that leper, Matt, viii., " Lord, if thou wit, thou canst make me clean;" q. d. Lord, thou mayest do as thou wilt; but this I know, though thou should never help me, that thou can do it. Thou hast power enough, yea, it is easy for thee, and will be no manner of trouble to thee, to change my heart, and give me an alms of mercy. Thou hast mercy as well as power; I have heard a good report of I thy mercy, that " the King of Israel is a merci- I ful King, and delights not in the death of a sin- 1 ner," and that " his mercy endures for ever." Lord, here a poor condemned rebel comes in upon the proclamation, to accept of the King of heaven's indemnity; I lay myself at thy feet, 72 SAXCTIFICATION OF THE LOPD'S DAY. content to accept of mercy upon any terms: " IJast thou not one blessing for me, even for poor me, 0 my Father?" If there he not enough of merit in Christ to save me, I do not seek salva- tion ; but in him I know there is a fullness of redundancy, a treasure that cannot he emptied. And, Lord, art thou not willing as well as able? Hast thou not opened thy side, that I might look in and see the yearning of thy bowels? yea, I have heard many times sounding towards lost sinners : why then should I go dwell with ever- lasting burning's? " What profit, Lord, is there in my blood ? The dead cannot praise thee, they that go down to the pit cannot celebrate thy goodness." Is it not better to make me a friend, than let me be an enemy ? Is it not better that I should eternally sing thy praise, than live for ever blaspheming thy name? " Lord, what shall I do to be saved ? Is there no balm in Gilead for a wounded soul?" Is there no hope for a dis- tressed sinner? Is there no city of refuge for a pursued criminal? Lord, I am come like a starv- ing beggar to the last door for relief, if thou help me not I must perish at thy threshold, I can go no further. Could we believingly make use of such arguments as these, Christ's pitiful heart would burst out in midst thereof, and say to us as to the woman of Canaan, Matt, xv., " O woman, great is thy faith, be it to thee even as thou wilt." VIII. As on Sabbath morning we should address God with more solemnity and intenseness, and with greater length than ordinary; so also with special petitions for the day. 1. Pray for yourselves that God may give you hearts and frames to sanctify a Sabbath to the Lord; that he may prepare your hearts for hear- ing, strengthen and sanctify your memories, go alongst with you to the sanctuary, and allow his presence there. Before you enter upon the pub- lic work of this day, labour to get your hearts possessed effectually with these truths : that God must work his own work in you and for you, or it will never be done; and without him you can do nothing: that there is no healing virtue in the waters of the sanctuary, unless the angel of his presence descend and move them: that as in the first creation the Spirit moved on the waters, and then the living creatures were formed; so the Spirit must move upon the waters of ordinances, before they can produce or increase spiritual life: and as he must move upon the ordinances, and give virtue to them, so he must move \ipon your souls in attending on them. Pray earnestly then, that God may give you his Spirit to prepare you for hearing of his word, and to assist you in hear- ing; and, particularly, that he may give you attention to hearken, understanding to conceive, wisdom to apply, judgment to discern, faith to believe, memory to retain, and grace to practise what you shall hear; that so the word may prove unto you " the savour of life unto life," and not " the savour of death unto death." O pray fer- vently, that it may not be your condemnation to go to the sanctuary every new Sabbath to get new bands laid upon you, to get your hearts more hardened, your affections more deadened, and your souls slain by the words of God's mouth; but that the word may be attended with saving power, for your conviction of sin, and your con- version to God in Jesus Christ the Mediator. Be so intent for Christ's presence this day, that no Lord's day may satisfy you without the Lord of the day. O what is the best day that ever wu without the Ancient of days? What are the ordinances of God, without the God of ordin- ances? What are the assemblies of saints, with- out the Master of assemblies? What is a sermon, without a Saviour? What is a communion-table, without a communion with God? What is a Sabbath-day, without the Lord of the Sabbath? Protest therefore in a humble but an importunate manner, that you will be satisfied with nothing this day, without his presence; say with Moses, Exod. xxxiii. 15, "If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence." And cry to him with the church, Isa. lxiv. 1, "0 that thou wouldst this day rend the heavens ! 0 that thou wouldst come down, that the mountains might flow at thy pre- sence." 2. Pray for him that dispenses the word, that God may open to him both a door of utterance, and a door of entrance; and particularly, that God may direct him to speak something that may be suitable to your case. It is a great loss to yourselves, as well as to ministers, that you pray so little for them. What is the reason that many times ministers are straitened in delivery, do not reach your hearts, nor speak closely to your case? it is because you pray not for them. Mind that sad threatening, Ezek. iii. 26, where the Spirit saith to the prophet, " I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover; for they are a rebellious house." O pray against this sad judgment, and beg that God may loose the minister's tongue, and put a word in his mouth for you. Can you expect a blessing on your food, when you will not so much as seek it from God, by praying for him that is to break the bread of life to you ? 3. Pray for the whole congregation, that the Sabbath may be a day of the Son of man, and a day of God's power unto them. Pray that Christ may mount the white horse of the gospel, gird his sword on his thigh, and ride in triumph among them; that the arrows of his word maybe sharp, and pierce hearts. Beg that some may be con- THE MORNING OF THE LORD'S DAY. 73 vinced, others strengthened, and others comforted. Pray that God's word preached may not only be as a living song to the hearers, as Ezek. xxxiii., but as a lively song to them, that many may have it to say as David, Psal. cxix. 50, " Thy word hath quickened me." Pray that God may this day make his word as a "sharp two-edged sword," to divide betwixt sinners and their sins; that he may cause its point prick their hearts and savingly wound their consciences, and make its edge fetch blood from their lusts, yea, hew them in pieces like Agag, before the Lord. Pray that God may make his word both as a fire and a hammer to the congregation; a fire to burn up the stubble of their corruptions, and a hammer to break the rocks of their hearts into pieces. Pray that it may be as the key of David, both to open and shut many hearts on this day; a key to open hearts, so as they may never more be shut upon Christ when he stands and knocks at them ; and a key to shut hearts, so that they may never open to sin and Satan when they knock for entrance. Pray that the whole congregation may get grace to hear sermons, and put up prayers this day, as if they were the last that ever they were to hear or put up in this world: and that Zion's King may take to himself his glorious, conquering power, and in his majesty ride prosperously; and that he may make the arrows of his word " sharp in the hearts of his enemies, so that the people may fall under him." IX. You must take care, that your secret prayers on Sabbath morning be early and season- able, that they interfere not with family worship, which ought this morning to be timeously per- formed before the public worship begin; for one duty must not jostle with another, every duty is beautiful in its season. And in family prayer you must be more solemn and particular than at other occasions; our sacrifices this day ought to be doubled. O it were happy, if secret and family duties were our souls' delight on this day; and if we had such spiritual skill to perform them, that they might be helps, not hinderanccs to public ordinances. Lastly, Having this morning put up your fer- vent prayers to God, you ought to look and wait for a return of them through the day. A wise merchant, that sends a ship to the sea, will inquire after her. Prayer brings your food from afar, look what becomes of it. If you present a petition to a prince, you wait what answer will be returned ; and arc ye not much more concerned in this case to do it? If you look not after your prayers, it is a sign you have little sense of your needs; little sense of the burden and yoke of sin; little sense of the prcciousness of Christ, or the excellency of these mercies you have been seek- ing. You ought this day to be able to say, as Psal. xxv. 5, "On thee do I wait all the day." Your sculs should be still panting after God and the light of his countenance, saying, "0 that I may this day behold the beauty of the Lord ! O that I may see his power and glory ! O that I may taste that he is good! 0 that I may hear his voice, may bear his image, may be brought into the chamber of presence, and see him through the lattice of ordinances!" If ye would have a gracious return this day, you must be looking above ordinances and duties to him who is "the dew of Israel," and expect the heavenly rain from himself; otherwise your fleece will remain dry, for all that men or angels can do. Therefore plead with God that he will bless and concur with the means, and "breathe upon your dry bones," without which the breath of men can never make them alive. III.— OF SELF-SEARCHING. As to the duty of self-searching, it is very necessary on the Sabbath morning, in order to prepare your souls for the work of the day. 1. Inquire into your own state; try whether you be in nature or grace, that, when you hear the word, you may know what belongs to you : for, if you be ignorant of your condition, you may apply promises for threatenings ; conclude for heaven, when you are heirs of wrath; persuade yourselves of the love of God, when you are in a state of enmity. II. Inquire into your particular necessities, what are these wants you would have supplied by the word, these sins and lusts you would have slain by it, what are these weak graces you would have strengthened by it, what are these doubts you would have resolved by it, and these heart- plagues you would have cured. III. Inquire into the frames of your hearts, and see if they be duly qualified and disposed for attending the public ordinances. Quest. What sort of hearts ought we to hriwj with us? Axs. 1. Bring humble hearts. Consider that you are pieces of mean and vile dust venturing into the presence of an infinitely glorious God, to hear the "voice of the Lord, that is full of majesty," and solemnly to converse with him, before whom the " angels vail their faces." 2. Bring soft hearts, that the word may make some impression on them; for an arrow shot against a stone sticks not, but falls to the ground. Labour to get the "fallow ground of your hearts ploughed up and broken," before you come to receive the "seed of the word," according to Hosea x. 12. If you would have the fallow ground ploughed up, you must seek the Lord by fervent and heart-breaking prayer. 3. Bring hunger and thirst with you to God's 7-1 SANCTTFICATIOX OF THE LORD'S DAY. banqueting house; bring a deep sense of soul wants and necessities, and longing desires to meet with Christ in the ordinances: for he "fills the hungry with good things, when the rich arc sent away empty." O for the hungry appetites of God's children, when wc come to God's house! Say, "O that, like a new born child, I may this day desire the sincere milk of the word for my nourishment! and, O that, like a true child of my heavenly Father, I may love that milk hest which comes warm from the hrcasts of puhlic ordinan- ces !" IY. Search into these lusts and evils that hin- der the success of ordinances; cast them out, and guard carefully against them. If you would have God this day to hear your prayers, and accept of your sacrifices, you must "regard no iniquity in your hearts," you must throw out all bosom lusts and idols. Christ saith to you this day, as once he did to Judas in another case, John xviii. 8, "If therefore you seek me, let these go their way:" let your pride, worldliness, prejudice, &c. go away; for they bar Christ out of the heart. 1. Throw out worldliness, and all thoughts about the world, that you may with your whole souls this day attend upon God: say to the cares of the world, as Abraham to his servants, Gen. xxii, "Stay ye here till I go yonder to worship God." Suffer not a vain thought this day to take up its lodging in your heart, according to Jcr. iv. 1 4. It is said of Bernard, that, when he came to the church door, he would say, "Stay here, all my earthly thoughts." Nay, say this also hefore you come from home. Worldly hearts will hinder you from getting good of the ordinan- ces; they will make the church like the market- place to you, full of tumult and distraction; they will make such a noise and buzzing in your cars, that you cannot hear; or they will make you wander in time of hearing, as those, Ezck. xxxiii. 31. Nay, they will make you weary of all Sab- bath work, as those, Amos viii. 5. 2. Lay aside self-conceit, or a good opinion of yourselves, your duties and performances; count all these but "dung and loss for the saving; know- O © ledge of Christ." For, if you lean upon your prayers and preparations this day, as an}' piece of righteousness before God, this will mar your access to God this day, and make the ordinances prove dry breasts to you. 3. Throw out all prejudices against ministers, and against the laws of Christ; and with meek- ness lay your ear and heart open to receive instruction, saying with Paid, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" and with Samuel, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth." 4. Guard against doubtings concerning the truths of God, and mvstcrics of religion: let us captivate and subject reason to faith, and deal with it, as Joshua did with the Gibeonites; he made them "hewers of wood, and drawers of water, for the service of the temple:" so let lis make reason subject to faith, and serviceable to religion ; but nowise set it up as a standard for examining its mysteries by, since they arc above its reach. 5. Beware of erroneous principles; for these will mar the good of ordinances to you; while there is an error in the foundation, you cannot be "built up in the most holy faith." Christ bids us "be wise as serpents;" and serpents, they say, whatever injury is offered to them, their great care is to preserve their head. Let it be our great care, then, not only to preserve our hearts and hands from sin, but our heads from error; especially when there are so many false teachers going abroad, seeking to "jiervert the simple, by fair words and false speeches." 6. Beware likewise of schism and division, and guard against those who are instruments to divide and scatter Christ's sheep. Do not straggle from Christ's flock, but abide close by the place where the good Shepherd feeds his flock, "and makes them to rest at noon," and do not "turn aside after the flocks of the companions," Cant. i. 7. I refer the handling of the duties of masters of families, as such, till afterwards : only, it ought to be their care early to call their families together to pray with them, and praise God ; and to cause them rise as early this day as others. Let not your servants and children waste away this morn- ing in sleep and idleness, but call them up as carlj- to God's work this day, as you do to your own upon other days. How blame-worthy are these families, and especially the masters thereof, who on week-days can rise betimes to follow their worldly business, but on the Lord's day do lie longer in bed than ordinarv, giving themselves to carnal case and •' 7 © © rest? Is this to keep holy the Sabbath-day, thus to sleep and loiter away the first and chiefest part thereof? Is this the way to accomplish the work of the Sabbath, to promote the glory of God, and carry on the work of your salvation? All of you have great work to do this day; therefore rise early to it, as the Israelites did to the besieging of Jericho : they had been encompassing the city six days before; but we arc told, Josh. vi. 15, that "on the seventh day, they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city seven times:" and so that day they became mas- ters of the city. And, according to the best expositors, this seventh day, on which the walls of Jericho fell down, was the Sabbath. Now, O Christian, as the Israelites had the strong walls of Jericho, so hast thou the strong holds of sin to batter down this day; thou hast these Canaanites to conquer which would keep thee out of the THE MORNING OF THE LORD'S DAY. 75 promised land : therefore imitate the Israelites, and rise early this morning to your work: the walls are thick, your enemies strong; if you would expect then to conquer on the Sabbath-day, and triumph against night, sec that you begin the siege early. And, if you would manage the work success- fully, you must set about and carry it on con- junctly, as well as separately; by family- prayer, as well as secret-prayer: and see that all in the family attend family worship this morning. Like- wise, as occasion offers, exhort your children and servants to prepare themselves for the public wor- ship by the performance of secret duties, particu- larly reading and prayer. When you are at meat this morning, show by your holy speeches, that your minds are not forgetful of the work of the day. Check playing and idle talking, both in children and servants, and labour to engage them by your example, to show a more grave and seri- ous air in their countenances this morning, than upon other occasions. Let as many of them as can be conveniently spared, accompany you to the public ordinances; and suffer none of them to be absent therefrom, except in cases of necessity. Remember the fourth commandment, "Thou, thy son, thy daughter, thy man-servant, and thy maid-ser- vant, and all within thy gates." Let not the dressing of meat for you, keep servants from the house of God this day; but see that you be able to say with Cornelius, (who feared the Lord with all his house) ""We are all here present before God." Though children be young, yet bring them with you; for they are capable of getting good by the word sooner than we are aware. The scripture takes several times notice of little ones in the solemn assemblies, Deut. xxix. 11; Ezra x. 1 ; Acts xxi. 5. If we lay our children by the pool-side, who knows how early the Spi- rit of God may help them in, and heal them ? Take your families alongst with you to the church ; leave them not behind you, to come straggling to the church after worship is begun; nor allow them to drop away before it be ended. This is very indecent and disorderly; you would not allow them to do so with respect to your work. If you were going to the harvest field, you would not suffer them to come or go when they pleased. No, you would oblige them all to be ready timc- ously to come forth together, and fall to their work at once, and tarry till they loosed from work together: and should you not be as much concerned for God's work, as for your own; for the business of eternity, as for the affairs of time? GOING TO THE CUURCH. In the next placo, let me give some advices relating to your behaviour in going to the church , proper especially for you whose houses lie some- what remote from it. Having dressed your souls, as well as may be, this morning, according to the foresaid directions, go forth, watching over your hearts and senses, having the lively impression of God's eyes upon you, and believing that he takes special notice of all your thoughts, words, and actions this day. If you walk in company with others, take heed to your words, that they be savoury and suitable. 0 that people would guard against worldly dis- course in their going to the church (which very much discomposes the heart for the public wor- ship) and would talk of spiritual subjects, of the design and work of the day, and encourage one another to it! How pleasant would this be! This was the ancient practice of God's people, Zech. viii. 21, and we see how much David is taken with it, Psal. exxii. 1, "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord:" q. d. it was the most pleasant sound I heard all the week through, to hear people encouraging one another to assemble to God's public worship, in God's house, upon God's day. This to him was the most pleasant journey ever he went; he was not backward to it, he did not weary of it: nay, it was "the joy and life of his soul:" he was glad of it. How few among us are in this frame! Alas! instead of it, there are many in our day glad of any trifling excuse to stay them at home, or take them away from the afternoon's sermon. If you live at some distance from the church, and be joined by carnal company by the way, who savour nothing but the world; it is best for thee to retire from them to thine own meditations, lest thou be infected with their carnal and corrupt communications: for even a Peter, when he is conversing and warming his hands with the ene- mies of Christ, his heart turns ice-cold and frozen to Christ his Master, till a love-blink from the Sun of righteousness thawed it again. If better meditations offer not to thee by the way, I shall furnish thee with some very suitable from natural things, which are objects of your senses. If it be in a winter morning thou goest out, when the sun is but rising, think, if one sun make so bright a morning, what a shining morning will that be, when Christ, with all his bright angels and saints, shall break through the clouds, when there shall be as many suns as we sec stars in a winter's night? O ! shall I be one of those that "shall shine as the sun, in the kingdom of my Fatter?" If it be in the spring time, and when a plea- sant rain is falling upon the grass and grain. think, the Sabbath should bo a grow-day for 70 SAXCTIFICATION OF THE LORD'S DAY. believers. This day God is as the "dew to Israel." O that my soul may "grow as the lily, and revive as the corn!" O that I may grow inward in sincerity, and outward in good works : downward in humility, and upward in heavenly- mindedness! Let the doctrine of God's word drop this day on my soul, as "the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass," that I may wax taller in grace, and stronger in faith and love. This day I should he "going from strength to strength," according to Psal. lxxxiv. 7. As the bee is busy in going from flower to flower, still gathering honey as she passcth; so should I this day go from duty to duty, from one ordinance to another, from pray- ing to reading, from reading to hearing, from hearing to meditating, still gathering grace and strength as I go. Dost thou look to the heavens? Think I have my Saviour and my all there ; there is the place of my everlasting abode. Sense tells me what the outside of it is; yet that spangled roof over my head is but the pavement of that glorious palace, where I shall enjoy my eternal Sabbath, and my everlasting rest in Christ's bosom. O my soul, yonder is Goshen, the region of light; yon twink- ling stars, shining moon, and flaming sun, are but as lanterns hanging out at my Father's house to light thee, while thou walkest in the dark streets of the earth. Little dost thou know the glory, mirth, and joy, that are within: O what are worldlings' joys to them ! 0 let my affections and desires this day mount thither, that this may be one of the days of heaven to my soul ! Again, think, the Lord hath spread out the "heaven as a curtain," Psal. civ. 2, and, notwith- standing of its rapid motion, this curtain hath continued spread nearly these six thousand years, and not one hole is to be seen in it to this day. Is not heaven then a safe place for me to lay up my treasure in, where none can break through and steal it from me? 0 that my portion and treasure may be there; "that, where my treasure is, there my heart may be also !" Dost thou see the clouds? Think on the day when Christ will rend and break through them; as he went up triumphing in a cloud to heaven, in like manner he shall come again. Are the heavens of such bright and pure matter? Think on the purity of the inhabitants thereof. There is no room, no, not a foot-breadth, for impure persons in the heavenly Jerusalem, where the gates are of pearl ; no profane sinner, no unclean thing shall enter there. When thou walkest on the ground, think, this whole earth is but my Father's footstool, that he bath given me to tread on: O how glorious then must his palace be! yet it is mine in Christ. Again, this earth "hangs upon nothing," Job xxvi. 7. O shall I be so foolish as to hang tny hopes upon that which hangs on nothing? Again, wonder at God's power and faithfulness, that, notwithstanding it hangs as a ball in the air, and hath had many dreadful tempests upon it, and terrible earthquakes within it, yet God hath kept it from moving out of its place for nearly these six thousand years past. Dost thou tread upon the grass? Think how God calls thee thereby to remember thy fading life and withering condition, every step thou makest, Isa. xl. 6, " All flesh is grass," and death is coming with his scythe to mow down this grass. And, though some grass escape the scythe in summer, when it is fresh and green, yet the win- ter frost will wither it away; so, though you escape the scythe of death in the summer of your youth, yet the winter of old age will come and wither you. Dost thou pass over a little brook or rivulet in the way ? Tliink, O if I could say this day with the Psalmist, Psal. xlii. 1, 2, "As the hart pants after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God; my sold thirstcth for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?" Dost thou go up an ascent? Think, the way to heaven is all up the hill, Psal. xxiv. Lord, strengthen me to climb it, without fainting or sliding back. O that my soul this day may be ascending to God, and God may be descending to me! Dost thou behold the sea ? Wonder at the ebb- ing and flowing of it, and at God's power and goodness, that sets restraining bounds to it. How easily might that power, that makes it to flow twenty feet, make it flow two bundled feet ? and so it would overflow our sea-towns and adjacent coasts; but the Lord's goodness commands it back again by its ebb. Dost thou see a ship in the sea? Think, Christ's church is compared to a ship ; this world is the sea through which she sails; believers are the passengers; God is her pilot; the angels are her rowers; faith is the helm; hope is the anchor; for a mast, she hath, in midst of her, erected the saving tree of the cross; the graces are the sails hanging thereon; the Spirit is the wind that fills them ; but Christ alone is the bottom that carries all safe and sure to the haven of eternal rest and felicity. O let my soul lean upon no other bot- tom. Again, think how mercifully Christ deliv- ered his disciples, when tossed in a ship on the sea, in a dark night. My soul is a little ship, often ready to be overwhelmed with the waves of temptations: O then, when it is in this danger, let me awake Christ by my prayers. Again, as it is said of the mariner, with respect to his ship, that he sails always within four mches of death; THE PUBLIC WORSHIP. 77 so it may be raid of the soul in relation to the body, that it lives still within four inches of eter- nity. If these earthen vessels break, then our souls are immediately set a-drift into the bankless and bottomless ocean of eternity. Lord, let not my soul launch out into that deep, while I am uncertain whether it sink or swim. Doth it rain upon thee while the sun is shining? Think, if the sun of God's countenance shine on me, I may well be content to be wet with some rain of affliction: this easily doth counterbalance any trouble whatsoever. Art thou drawing near to the church? Then put up some fervent ejaculations and prayers for God's blessing and presence. Say, as Abraham's servant did, when he came to the well of water near the city, Gen. xxiv. 12, "O Lord God, I pray thee send me good speed this day." — " Let mc not miss my errand; let it be the day when salvation shall come to my heart and house; let it be the day of my new birth, the day when my hard heart will be broken; let it be a day to be had in everlasting remembrance. As I am draw- ing nigh to thy house, Lord, draw nigh to my soul, and let me have a meeting with thee this day. As thou art to knock at the doors of my soul by the hammer of thy word this day, Lord, come and make patent doors for thyself, and com- mand thy loving-kindness to break in. Lord, open my eyes, that I may see the wonders of thy law; open my ears, that I may hear the charming voice of the Son of God; open my heart, that the King of glory may enter in; and open my lips, that my mouth may show forth thy praise." Dost thou come within sight of the church? Let thy heart rejoice to see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, and pray that God may still " create a cloud of defence upon every dwelling-place in mount Zion, and upon all her assemblies;" and that " the mountain of the Lord's house may be exalted above all mountains." We ought to be much concerned for the church, and "prefer Jerusalem above our chief joy." Let us do, in a spiritual way, what Simon Maccabanis did in a natural, who, with three years' labour, took down the top of the mount Acra in Jerusalem, that no hill there might compete in height with the temple of God: so let us cause the greatest mountain of secular interest vail to the mountain of the house of the Lord. Do you see a poor man begging by the way? Let it awaken your gratitude and thankfulness, that you are not in his case, and he in yours; and that you are not begging from him, instead of his begging from you. Hearken, how importunate some beggars are; with what warm and feeling expressions do they plead! they uncover their sores, and show their maladies, and use all methods to move our compassions; when we think to put them off with excuses or refusals, yet they follow us, and by their importunity draw an alms from us. Then think with yourselves, O why do not I thus with God? why am I so careless in seek- ing an alms of mercy from him ? is not my need greater than any beggar's? is not the alms I am seeking far better? is not the fullness and pity of the Giver infinitely more? and shall I be so formal and lifeless in prayer? It was a good counsel of one, that he bade people learn to pray of beggars. As it is one of the duties of this day to make collections, and bestow alms for the relief of the poor; so you should take heed that you perform this duty in the right manner; that you do it not for a praise of men, but for the glory of God. Pray that your alms may be perfumed by the incense of Christ's merits, that they may be a " sweet-smelling sacrifice unto God." Would you have a bountiful alms from God this day? then give liberally to his poor. Remember Christ's eye is upon you, and noticeth from hea- ven what every one casts into his poor this day, as well as he noticed the poor widow's casting in her two mites into the treasury, when he was here upon earth. Though you have not much to yourself, yet you are bound to give somewhat; and, if it be given in sincerity, God will gra- ciously accept of it, though it be but two mites. But sure this will never break you, nor waste your substance, but rather increase it, and obtain a blessing thereon. I pity those miserable per- sons who want not money to tipple and drink with, but yet have none to bestow upon God's poor. DIRECTIONS CONCERNING TUE PUBLIC WORSHIP. I proceed to the second thing proposed, What is necessary to be done in time of public worship, and when we enter into the church. I. " Keep thy foot when thou goest into the house of God," Eccl. v., that is, look to your affec- tions, which are the feet of the soul, by which men go to God, and walk or converse with him. Firmly believe, and constantly remember, that God's eye is very much on your behaviour while you arc in his house. Therefore in the tabernacle, which was the place of public worship, it was commanded, Exod. xxv. 37, "Thou shalt make seven lamps, and they shall light the lamps, that they may give light ; " to teach us, that nothing there could escape God's sight; for in his house there was always light. You cannot sin in secret there, for there are seven lamps to discover your miscarriages in the Lord's house. And, when the temple succeeded the tabernacle, God says of it. 78 SANCTIFICATION OF THE LORD'S DAY 1 Kings ix. 3, " Mine eye shall bo there per- ! pctually." God hath an eye, 1st. Of observation, Jer. xvi. 17, to notice with what sincerity and liveliness you offer your services and perform- ances. 2d. An eye of good-will, Amos ix. 4, to approve and bless you, if you worship him sin- cerely and faithfully. 3d. An eye of indignation, Jer. xxi. 10, to bring wrath on you, if you approach God irreverently, worship him carelessly, and profane his day. Now, you may be assured of it, that God is as jealous of his courts under the gospel, as he was under the law, and doth take special notice of his people's behaviour there; tor he tells us, "Where two or three are gathered in his name, he is in the midst of them," Matt, xviii. 20. As you ought to have a lively sense of God's omniscience when you enter God's house, so you ought to have awful impressions of God's great- ness, into whose presence you come, and a deep sense of your vileness and unworthiness to appear before him : and therefore be putting up ejacula- tions to God for acceptance in Christ Jesus. I do not mean that you should stand up (as some do) to private prayer in a public way, as the Pharisees did of old in the synagogues, to be seen of men, for which our Saviour reproves them, Matt. vi. 5, 6, telling us, that secret prayer should be performed in a secret manner. And far less should this be practised (as some do) when the congregation is employed in other worship: for this were a confounding of worship, and unaccept- able to him who is the God of order, and is plainly reproved by the apostle, 1 Cor. xiv. Alas! it is to be suspected of many that do so, that these are all the prayers they use on Sabbath morning, for preparing themselves or their families for the public worship. But, if you come in before wor- ship be begun, it is very proper you have your private ejaculations, and be lifting up your thoughts to heaven in a private manner; and, when you are set down in your scats, see if you be able to give a satisfying answer to that ques- tion the Lord put to the prophet, 1 Kings xix. 1 3, " What dost thou here, Elijah?" Can you say, " Lord, I have come, at thy command, to the place where thine honour dwclleth, to the place where thou usest to appoint with thy people, that I might meet with thee, and get a glimpse of thy countenance?" Alas! it is much to be regretted, that many come to church, they cannot tell for what end, like those Ephesians, mentioned Acts xix. 32, " The more part knew not wherefore they were come together." They come for noth- ing, and they ordinarily go away with nothing. But as for you, whose errand is to meet with God, and get quickening to your souls, look to the frame of your hearts, set yourselves to hear God's word, and join in his worship with great reverence and fear; consider, not only ministers (God's ambassadors) are present, but the glorious angels are present, nay, the God of angels himself is present; therefore say, as Jacob did of Bethel, Gen. xxviii. 1G, 17, ""Surely the Lord is in this place. How dreadful is this place ! This is none other but the house of God, and the gate of hea- ven." In every part of God's worship, this day, whether singing, praying, hearing, partaking, study to behave as one that believes he is placed in the presence of the all-seeing God, as one that is working for his immortal soul, as one that, within a few days, shall enter the gates of death., and render an account at the bar of the great Judge of the world. II. Study to be at the beginning of worship, that you may be able to say with Cornelius, Acts x. 33, " Now we are all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God." Think not that you are in time if you win to the lecture or sermon, though you miss the prayers that went before; for, if you sinfully miss these, you have no ground to expect good by the whole day's preaching, since it is by the means of the public prayers that the word ia sanctified to you, and you are prepared for it; and what good can the word do you, if God bless it not to you? and how can you look for the blessing, if you come not to seek it? It is not the way to profit by one ordinance, to neglect another. To be late of coming is offensive to God, stumbling to serious Christians, and injurious to your own souls. Alas ! upon what small and frivolous excuses do many stay back from the public worship, or linger in coming to it ? A little business, a little rain, snow, or cold, will detain them from the means of salvation. You that cannot hear the word, or come in time to God's worship for a little cold now, consider what an alteration there will be in hell; there it will be hot enough, and you shall not have the liberty of hearing. Did the cold hinder vou? There the heat shall punish you for it. Doth a little rain or snow keep you at home, when Christ is calling you to receive him? How then will you endure that horrible tempest, which he will rain on gos- pel-slighters, even a flood of kindled brimstone that will never cease nor quench. III. When you first see the minister this day in the pulpit, think, " O how welcome should I make him that bringeth glad tidings, even the news of reconciliation to a perishing world? Lord, how great is thy clemency to us this day, in sending thy ambassadors with an olive-branch of peace, and not a trumpet of war in their mouths?" Consider our reiterated rebellions and provocations, it might have been expected we should have had a fearful message sent us, like that of the flying angel, Rev. viii. ult., " Woe, THE PUBLIC WORSHIP. 79 woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth," &c. Rut, instead of this, we have the sweet message in Isa. It. 1, renewed, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come to the waters, and he that hath no money, come, buy," &c.; and that in ver. 7, " Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him," &c. That is a joyful sound. " How then shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" IV. Study to be devout and reverent in the public worship, both as to the frame of your mind, and gesture of your body. It was a good advice of one, for this end, " Fix your eye on the minister, your car on the word, and your heart on God." Awe your hearts into a holy rever- ence, by viewing the holiness and power of that God whom ye worship, and revolving his titles of majesty; so did the Psalmist, Psal. lxxxix. 6 — 8, "Who in heaven can be compared to the Lord? &c. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of his saints, &c. O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee ! &c: Make a cove- nant with your eyes," that they gaze not about in spying your neighbour's clothes and gestures. A gadding eye is the ready way to make a wander- ing heart. The devil hath many objects to tempt and divert us; first men let loose their eyes, and then away goes the heart. Make a covenant with your eyes this day, that they neither shut with sleep, nor wander after vanity. Though bodily service without the heart profiteth little, yet the worship of our bodies is not to be wholly slighted; God hath a right to the adoration of our bodies as well as our souls, for Christ suffered for both, 1 Cor. vi. 20. And we find Christ and the saints in the scripture using reverent gestures in prayer. I dare not precisely restrict people to any one particular gesture in public prayer, neither desire I to lay more stress upon gestures than they will bear, since I know communion with God may be obtained in any gesture; yet I must own, that it is the unhappy effect of our contention about gestures, that some serious persons, who have a devout respect to God and holy things, do yet scorn more irreverent in their outward carnage, than some who are strangers to the power of god- liness, and immoral in their conversations. I know these place all their religion in outward gestures and forms, and go no further; yet this warrants none to run to the other extreme, to despise a decent or devout gesture. If weakness of nature require a person to sit in time of public prayer, I do not quarrel it, but, when no just cause can be pleaded for it, I cannot say that it is a suitable praying posture at public worship. A lazy sluggish posture in prayer tends to bring on sleep and drowsiness, and makes us forget what we are about; whereas, when we stand up, j and universally change our posture when public prayer begins, it helps to awaken people to think I upon the solemn addresses they are making to the great God. Only let us take care, that there be no vanity, self-conceit, or affectation, in the pos- tures of our bodies at worship. V. Come to hear the word with a sincere pur- pose to obey it, and comply with the whole will of God without reserve, be it pleasant or harsh to nature ; be ready to perform every known duty, and part with every known sin, be it as dear as your right hand or right eye. It is not enough to say, We are all present to hear the sennon; but you must say, with Cornelius and his com- pany, Acts x., " We are present to hear all things commanded us of God." And in a special manner you must be ready to hear and obey his " great command, of believing on the name of his Son," which is the great end of preaching and hearing. Wherefore, when Christ knocks by his word at the door of your heart, be ready to open, and welcome him in with joy; say to him, as Laban to Abraham's servant, Gen. xxiv. 31, "Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; wherefore standest thou without ? " Though, alas ! I cannot say what follows, "I have prepared the house, yet, Lord, come in and prepare it for thyself:" and though " I be unworthy that thou shouldst come under my roof," yet a word from thee can cleanse and repair the house, yea, and " prepare an upper room" for thyself; "Lord, speak the word, and it shall be done." VI. Give close attention to the word. God looses you this day from the world, that you may " attend on the Lord without distraction," 1 Cor. vii. 35. Attend this day to what your Lord saith to you, as men who believe that every Sabbath and every sermon, that every prayer and exhorta- tion, every call and offer of grace, bring you a step nearer heaven or nearer hell; nearer to the mansions with Christ, or to a dwelling with devils; and that endless eternity depends upon your attention to God's word. How attentively would a condemned rebel hearken to his prince, every word being either life or death to him ! Consider, it is matter of life and death to you, yea, your life through all the ages of never-ending eternity; your life depends on right hearing, Deut. xxxii. 47. And will you not take heed? You would have God attentive to your words in the time of your distress, and will you not be attentive to his words in the time of your health? Could a minister tell you how you might acquire a good estate, or where you might find a rich treasure, you would hearken to that; but, for an inheritance or treasure in heaven, many think it not worth their while to notice. Is not this an argument of strong carnality and atheism? 0 if we could imitate Christ's hearers, Luke xix. 4S, 80 SANCTIFICATION OF THE LORD'S DAY it is said, " They were all very attentive to hear him;" the word attentive according to the original, may he rendered, They hanged on him, or They hanged their ears at Christ's lips! Let us, in like manner, hang upon Christ in hearing of the word, even as the child doth upon the breast, or as the bee upon a flower. There is nothing that Satan aims at more, than to divert your attention in time of hearing the word. This enemy of your souls is busy every clay laying snares for you, seeking your ruin: but, O how active is he every Lord's day! The devil is still first at church ; the children of God never gather together, but Satan is among them : and his great design is, to render this engine of the word fruitless, because by it the strongholds of his kingdom have been battered and broken down. Now, the way he finds most successful is, by tempting our eyes and thoughts to wander, in order to keep us from being attentive in time of hearing. O then, if we would have the word to profit us, let us watch against Satan's temptations and suggestions; let us guard against wandering, wearying, drowsiness, or any thing that may hin- der our attention. And for those that can write quickly, to write down the heads of the sermon in time of hearing, is by some reckoned a good mean to engage the attention, prevent drowsiness, and help the memory afterwards; and some have found it very refreshing and edifying a long time after, to be looking over what they had written. But, especially, it is proper for young people to learn and use this way of writing. VII. In a special manner, take heed to the word that suits your case, and most concerns your soul ; particularly to that word that discovers the sinfulness and vileness of a poor soul by nature; and to that word that points out the misery of the unbeliever, and that shows the weight of those curses, the terror of that wrath, and severity of divine justice, to which he is hourly exposed; and to that word that sets out sin in its black and bloody colours ; to that word that shows your inability to help yourself out of your miserable state; to that word that discovers your need of Christ, and his excellency, fitness, and suitable- ness for you ; and to that word that comes close home to your conscience, and tells you, as Nathan did David, "Thou art the man," thou art the poor lost sinner that is condemned, and for ever undone, without Christ. Take heed to that word that points out your particular sins, your pre- dominate lusts and idols; take with the charge, and cry out, Unclean, unclean. While hearing the word, you ought to place your sins, and especially your darling lusts, in the front of the battle (as Uriah) purposely to be slain, and say, " Lord, let these smooth stones taken out of the brook of the sanctuary be thrown by so skilful and powerful a hand, that they may sink deep into the foreheads of these uncircumcised ones, to their utter ruin and destruction." And 0 it were happy, if, while the word doth touch our sins, our hearts were melted like Peter's, and moved to go home and weep bitterly. O what reason have we to weep, when we hear of the boundless mercy which we have despised, the matchless misery which we have deserved, the infinite love which we have abused, and the righteous law which we have transgressed ! VIII. Mix you hearing with faith, that is, believe, Is*. That it is God who speaks; the word is his, and not man's. 2d. That he speaks to you in particular, as if he mentioned you by name and surname. Put not reproofs and threat - enings by yourselves, and say, They belong to your neighbour, and not to you; for this is a dangerous stratagem of the devil against your souls. But let every man open his ear, and hear what the Spirit saith to him, and apply the word particularly to himself; for the best plaster that ever was made up, can do no good unless it be applied. 3d. Believe that what the Lord speaks to you by his word, is true and certain; that his doctrine is holy, and his laws just: that his threatenings will be strictly executed, and his promises faithfully accomplished. It is for want of faith that the word doth not profit. If but as much credit were given to the divine testimony and word of God, as we give to human testimony and the writings of men, the word would have more success and efficacy than, alas! it hath on the most part. IX. Lay up what you hear in your hearts and memories, and be at all pains to retain it; for the devil, like the fowls of the air, is at hand to snatch away the seed of the word as soon as it lights, if we be not careful to hide it in our hearts. Therefore it is a good help in time of hearing, to be often recalling and repeating the heads of what has been spoken in our minds; for when we hear a head but once, and think no more upon it till the sermon be done, we are fair to lose it. X. Join cordially with the congregation in singing the praises of God. This is a heavenly duty, pleasant to God, and profitable to your- selves: therefore be conscientious in the per- forming of it: "Sing with understanding," anil meditate upon what you sing; "sing with grace in your hearts," Col. iii. 16. It is grace that sweetens the voice in God's ear, an old heart cannot sing a new song; nay, grace must be in a lively exercise when you sing, according to Psal. lvii. S, you should cry to your hearts and to your graces, and particularly to faith, love, and delight, as in Judg. v. 12, "Awake, awake, Deborah, awake, awake, utter a song," &c. BEHAVIOUR BETWIXT SERMONS. 81 There should be a great warmncss of love and affection to God when we sing to him, according to Isa. v. 1. Look well then to your hearts in singing, mind the matter more than the music, the cleanness of the heart more than the clear- ness of the voice. I cannot pass some here without a reproof, such as those, 1st. Who sit dumb in the congre- gation, while their neighbours are praising God, as if the devil had tied their tongues to the roof of their mouths. Think not this work below the greatest of you, for it is your honour. Excuse not yourselves by saying you cannot sing music- ally; for, if you had any delight in the duty, you would sing as you can. 2d. Those who in sing- ing notice the tune more than the matter, and mind the voice more than the " making melody in their hearts to the Lord." 3d. Those that absent themselves from the singing of the psalms, who either come not at the beginning of worship till the psalms be over, or rise and go out at the close before the psalms be sung. Would you know whose disciples they are who do so? they are not Christ's, but Judas's; for when Christ sang the hymn on the back of the communion, Matt. xxvi. 30, all the disciples were present but Judas, who slipped out before the psalms; and, since he turned his back upon so sweet a duty, it could not be a good errand he was going about ; it was first to betray his master, and then to hang himself. O then, take warning, and follow Judas's example no more. XL Let none go forth before pronouncing of the blessing. God allows none, great or small, to go out before his worship be ended; both prince and people must meet and part at the same time, Ezek. xlvi. 10. Those that wilfully depart without hearing the blessing pronounced, and make a custom of it, if they repent not, it is to be feared they must one day stay to hear that sentence, " Depart from me, ye cursed." You run away from the blessing, but you cannot run from this curse. Wherefore let us stay the blessing, and reverently stand up (as the con- gregation of Israel did, 1 Kings viii. 14,) to receive our share in it, hoping and praying that it may come down upon us, as it surely will, if we believingly look up to him that " com- mands the blessing upon mount Zion, even life for evermore." CONCERNING OUR BEHAVIOUR BETWIXT SERMONS. Having finished the work of the forenoon, you must take care how you dispose of yourselves betwixt sermons. 1. If the intermission be somewhat long, and your houses near at hand, then retire to them, meditating upon what you have heard, and fixing the convictions and directions into your minds; beware of worldly thoughts or words by the way. 2. As soon as you come home, go to secret prayer, and beg God's help to improve what you have heard, that it may kill sin, and quicken grace in you; and that God may strengthen your weak memories to retain it, and parden your fail- ings in his service. 3. Eat sparingly betwixt sermons, lest it dull your spirits, and indispose you for the afternoon's work ; and see that your discourse in time thereof be suitable to the day. 4. If time allow, neglect not to call your fami- lies together for the worship of God. 5. If you have any time to be alone, spend it frugally in reading, praying, or meditating; let not a moment of it be lost : either think on what you have been hearing, or draw spiritual instruc- tions from what you see. . Do you sit by the fire, and see the sparks fly up? Think, "Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward," Job v. 7. "Sin hath filled my short life with troubles; but blessed be God, that I am this day invited to come to Jesus Christ, who is a remedy both for sin and sorrow." Dost thou see a spider in the window weaving cunning webs to catch the silly fly? Think, " Satan, that cunning enemy, is doing the like for my poor soul." Seest thou how the spider hides itself in its hole till once the fly be entangled, and then runs to seize it, and drag it into its hole? So the devil lies in wait till once sinners be caught into his snares, and then he lays on them, and drags them away to hell with him. Again, think how painfully and curiously the spiders weave their cobwebs to catch flies, never considering that, before their prey be caught, both they and their webs may be swept down by the besom, and trode in the dust. What is this but a lively emblem of the curious projects which some frame for gaining the world? What are they else but a taking great pains to catch a fly? And oft, before it be caught, death comes with its besom, and sweeps them and their fine pro- jects down in the grave altogether: "For in that day all their thoughts perish," Psal. cxlvi. 4. But 0 how wise are those souls, who are laying out all their thoughts, and using all means this day to win Christ! This is a project that will survive death; here is gain that death cannot rob them of. Thus we see how every thing might learn us a spiritual lesson, if we were spiritually- minded. G. If you be far from home, and have not a house to which you can conveniently go betwixt sermons, then improve your time as well as you can, either in the church or church-yard, by read- ing, meditating, private ejaculations, or spiritual 82 SANCTIFICATIOX OF THE LORD'S DAY. conferences. It is very sad to hear people in the church- yard this day talking ahout their markets, grain, cattle, and other worldly subjects: alas! the devil is as busy sowing his tares in the church-yard as Christ's ministers are in sowing the good seed in the church, and hath far more increase than they. Is it not strange that people should go forth from hearing a warm sermon, yea, a sermon exactly adapted to their souls' case, and yet have never a word of it among them, more than they had been deaf or sleeping all the time; but no sooner is the word out of the minis- ter's mouth, but presently the world is in theirs ! Quest. May not ire ask or hear neics this day ? Axs. Asking, hearing, or telling news this day is sinful, if it be done to satisfy curiosity, to divert or put off the time; this would be a "finding our own pleasure," which is forbidden on the Lord's day. But if it be done that we may know how- it fares with the church at home or abroad, and that Ave may get our hearts suitably affected with the case of Zion, as it" was with Nehemiah, Neh. i. 2, "I asked them concerning the Jews, and concerning Jerusalem;" I say, in that case it is lawful; for thus we show our concern for the kingdom of Christ in the world, and hereby we may be furnished with matter both of prayer and praise. Outward events and occurrences, if rightly improven, will be so far from unframing the spirit for the duties of the Sabbath, that we may reap much spiritual advantage from them. Let us therefore take care to make a spiritual improvement of the news we hear this day; for God's power, mercy, and justice, maybe seen and admired in the occurrences of providence, as well as in the works of creation. Dost thou hear any news that makes thee glad? Let it excite thee to bless God for the sweet gospel news of "Christ's coming to save lost sinners," which thou hast been hearing this day. Let it put thee in mind what glad tidings it will be to a believer to hear the sound of the last trumpet, and the absolving sentence of Christ his judge. Dost thou hear of the raging contentions, divisions, and confusions, that are in the world? Let it remind thee of the blest agreement and harmony that is among the saints and angels above. Dost thou hear of bloody wars and rumours of wars ? Remember the day is at hand, 0 believer, when thou shalt be housed with Christ the "Prince of peace," where there is nothing but perfect peace, union, and tranquility. But, in case you sit or walk alone betwixt ser- mons, in the church or church-yard, you may cither think upon what you have been hearing, or meditate upon your latter end, which the graves you sec and tread on, loudly calls you to. Think how "one generation comes, and another goes." — Our fathers had their day upon the stage, and they are gone off to make room for us; now we have our day \ipon the stage, but in a little we must go off also, and give place to the suc- ceeding generation. As we draw on some upon the stage, these do thrust us off it again, and we must shortly be laid with our fathers. .Again, think what a mortifying sight is before our eyes; there lies the rubbish of a thousand generations. What is the whole world, almost, but a heap of graves and dead men's bones? Much of the ground we now tread on, as well as these graves, was once living; so that we plough up and dig through our forefathers, and must shortly turn earth ourselves to bury our posterity. "What cause have we then to be humble? "We are made of the same metal with the ground we walk on: God's hands have kneaded our bodies of the same clay with others, and his fingers will crumble us again into the same dust. Let us abhor pride, for this piece of ground will lay us all low enough in a short time : as six feet of air doth contain us while we live, so six feet of earth here will suffice us when we are dead; and why should we boast of any earthly enjoym ents? What is it we value ourselves upon? Is it our high extract! Ah! the worms have as noble an extract as we; nay, they are of an older family and rise, for "every creeping tiling" was made before man, Gen. i. Do you value yourselves for your riches? remember both the poor and you shall lie down in the dust together, and the worms shall cover you alike, Job xxi. 26. Nay, the body of a beggar makes as good dust as the body of a king; the grave dust of the one smells as sweet as the other, there it makes no obeisance to it, nor keeps any distance from it. THE AFTERNOON'S WORSHIP. When the time for the afternoon's worship is come, see that ye return again to it in due time; think not the half of the day enough for the ser- vice of God; remember the whole day is Lis r your souls' necessities also require your attending on all diets of worship; therefore miss no oppor- tunity, for you know not when you may meet with Christ. Thomas, by being absent from one meeting of the disciples, lost a joyful sight of Christ which the rest got, and for some time afterwards laboured under sad doubting and unbelief: so you that withdraw from any of the meetings of God's people in the sanctuary, have reason to fear plagues upon your soids. You that go away unnecessarily from the afternoon's worship, (as many in the country do,) consider what a shrewd sign it is, that ye have got little good the forenoon, and that ye are very indiffer- ent what become of your precious souls. Know THE AFTERNOON'S WORSHIP. 83 you not that the loss of one opportunity may be the loss of your souls? It may be, in your absence, the Spirit, who blows when he listeth, did vouchsafe a gale, which might have melted your frozen heart; it may be, then the word wras spoke, that, through God's blessing, might have besar, and cruci- fied at Jerusalem, in the reign of Tiberius, Pon- tius Pilate being then the Roman governor in Judea. The Mahometans acknowledge all this frankly, except the last part, out of an excess of respect to Jesus Christ; they will by no means allow of his infamous crucifixion and death; but affirm, that he was taken up into heaven, and some image of him only left upon the cross in his room, by which the Jews, as well as his own followers, who pretended to be witnesses of the fact, were imposed on, and made to believe that i he suffered, when in reality he did not. But this is a groundless fiction, contrary to all sense and reason, like many others in their Alcoran. But, however, they all own that there was such an excellent person, who lived such a life, taught such doctrine, and wrought such miracles as Christians give out. 10. The Jews freely own there was such a person who died such a death at Jerusalem: and hence they bestow the reproachful name on him of Talui, or a person that was hanged, and call the Christians the servants of Talui. Though they disown him to be the Messiah, yet they never refuse there being such a person. Their learned countryman, Josephus, (no Christian,) his testimony concerning him is well known to all the learned world, Antiq. Jud. lib. xviii. cap. 4. p. 2G1, Edit. Genev. 1635, where he plainly testifies of the life, miracles, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and of the fulfilling of the prophecies in him, and of the wonderful conversion both of Jews and Gentiles to the faith of his gospel. Some, indeed, question the genuine- ness of this passage of Josephus, but without just ground; for we find this testimony taken notice of as his by very ancient writers, as Eusehius in Hist. Eccles. lib. 1. cap. ii. p. 30, Edit. Paris, 1659, in vita Tiberii; also by Nicephorus Calis- tus, by Sozomen, by Jerome, by Isodorus Pelu- siola, &c. Object. This passage is not taken notice of by the ancient defenders of Christianity, as Justin Martyr, Origen, Tertullian, &c. Ans. The reason of this might be, the copies of Josephus they chanced to make use of might want this testimony, which, in all likelihood, was erased out of as many copies as the malicious Jews could come at. For this testimony of such a famous man as Josephus, one of their own coun- try and religion, against the Jews, for treating such an excellent person so barbarously, could not but expose them as an execrable generation through all the world. So that it is not to be doubted but they would use all possible artifices to take out this testimony of Josephus, wherever they had the management of the copies, either by themselves, or others, their emissaries for that purpose. But it was not possible for them to compass the erasing it out of all the copies dis- persed up and down the world. Besides, this famous testimony hath the manifest stamp of Josephus' style and diction. Again, we have certain evidence of other testimonies being erased out of Josephus. For Eusebius, we find, quotes Josephus as recording how just and righteous a man James was, called the brother of Christ, and saying, that the sober and more considerate men among the Jews believed the destruction of Jeru- salem to be a punishment inflicted on them for 113 SANCTIFICATION OF THE LORD'S DAY. murdering of him. Likewise we have Origcn, and Jerome, and Suidas, quoting Josephus for the same passage. And yet in our days there is no such passage to be found in Josephus. Now, would so many authors have agreed in appealing to Josephus for such a passage, if they had not really found it in him ? Would it not have exposed their cause to the contempt of all the world, to have asserted a thing which every body could have refuted as false? 11. Ancient Pagan writers have owned the same thing concerning Christ, as Suetonius, Taci- tus, Pliny, &c. Yea, Lucian expressly owns the crucifixion of Christ, though he jeers both him, and the Christians his worshippers, on that account. So doth Julian the apostate; he owus the truth of facts concerning Christ, though he endeavours what he can to lessen the reputation of his life and miracles, and alleges, that all he did was no great matter, but only to open the eyes of the blind, restore limbs to the lame, and deliver persons possessed from the power and enchantments of devils, which he seemed to make little account of. It is true, he doth not notice his raising tjie dead, but passes that by in silence, being what he could not pretend to answer. The Jews also owned the miracles; but alleged that he did all his wonderful works by virtue of the sacred tetragrammaton. Also Celsus, that enemy of Christianity, confesses the truth of Clirist's nativity, his journey into Egypt, his passing from place to place with his disciples, the fact of his miracles, his being betrayed, and, lastly, his death and passion. I grant they make all these con- cessions, in order to their scoff and ridicule. However, it shows the things were so evident, they could not be denied; but Origen sufficiently chastises and exposes him for railing. 12. It is certain, that the writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, concerning the life and actions of Christ and his apostles, were their genuine compositions, and not the writings of any other. To confirm this, consider that there is no reason to doubt, that the first teachers of the Christian faith would use the most effectual means for propagating a doctrine they so zeal- ously espoused themselves, and they would not on that score neglect so direct and necessary a method for obtaining their end, as that of com- mitting their doctrines to writing. This is what may be rationally expected from the policy and care of the first founders of any sect, as being a step so necessary, in order to the preservation and progress thereof. All the sects who have made any figure in the world, have taken this course, and so have the founders of Christianity too. While the autographa, or original manu- scripts of these penmen, were preserved in the church, there was no access to impose doctrines or facts on the world in their names, contrary to what they had written. And Tertullian, who flourished at the latter end of the second century, or the very beginning of the third, intimates that these venerable writings were preserved till his time. Again, no particular sect of Christians could ever get the writings of the New Testa- ment so forged or adulterated, but all the other sects of Christians would have proclaimed the imposture to the world. The enmity and quar- rels among different parties, were a strong guard on these sacred books, that no designing party could ever thrust into these books their own notions, seeing the copies were dispersed among all the sects. MEDITATION III. — OF THE CERTAINTY OF CHRIST'S RESURRECTION. We have many undeniable evidences of it. 1. The testimony of many eye-witnesses; for, besides the apostles, who were witnesses of it in an eminent manner, there were many others. For Paul tells us, that in his time there were still remaining the greater part of more than five hundred, who did all at one time see Jesus after his rising again. Now, an imposture may he concealed for a while in a few hands, but it is next to impossible that it should lie long undiscovered in the hands of a great many. It shocks a man to think, that so many persons should agree in all the punctilios of a notorious lie, and that they should agree to stand by it in so peremptory a manner as these persons did, and never clash together in any instance whatsoever. It is com- monly observed, that plots never thrive so well as when there are few let into the secret; and large cabals of knaves and bars seldom fail to tell tales of one another. 2. These witnesses had personal knowledge of what they testified. Yea, they not only declared that they saw Christ, but many of them, that they saw him frequently and familiarly, and that for a considerable tract of time. They conversed with him for forty days; they eat and drank with him; they saw him do several wondrous works ; they received orders and instructions from him about the government of his church ; he bid them, "Go, teach and baptize all nations;" he promised them his peace and blessing in so doing, to the end of the world ; ho commanded them to tarry in Jerusalem, till they were endued with power from on high; and a great many other things are recorded, that he said to them; and after all, they saw him taken up from them, and ascend into heaven, angels standing by. Now, it never could be a dream or imagina- tion in so many men — men, for so many weeks, MEDITATIONS FOR THE SABBATH. 110 to fancy all these things alike, without the least variation. 3. Consider the manner of the testimony, and how they delivered it. They invoked God's tre- mendous name, and hegged his assistance and blessing. They appealed to him as the omni- scient judge of the world, concerning the sincerity and integrity of their hearts. They declared they did not this of themselves, but by God's order and appointment; and that he gave them power of working signs and wonders for the confirmation of all they said, and accordingly wrought them before all men. 4. They did not testify of a matter that was transacted at a distance from the place where they gave their testimony, nor a long time after the thing was done. No, there is no ground of objection on any of these accounts : for those men appeared upon the very spot that was the scene of the action, at Jerusalem, where Christ was crucified, and where they affirmed he also rose. They neither sent people a great way to inquire, nor did they defer the publication of it till Jesus Christ was forgotten, and the story of his resur- rection worn out of mind. No, instead of that, they did it while it was fresh in the minds and mouths of all men, and while those persons who could have confuted them were alive, and ready to be produced, if they had any thing to have advanced against it. 5. They did not make a secret of this matter, but declared it in the most public and open man- ner that possibly could be. It was not a story whispered among those of their own party, but proclaimed in the cars of all people, and at a time when Jerusalem was crowded with foreigners of all nations, and where was no want of persons able and curious enough to inquire into the truth of all the strange reports they made. They went into the temple and into the synagogues, and preached the resurrection of Christ; yea, in the most august councils of the Jews, they testified it to the rulers and high-priests who had condemned Christ. Peter's bold speech is most remark- able, Acts iv. 8 — 12. And wc see how con- founded the whole council was with their testi- mony; and not one of them had the confidence to tell them that they were publishing a notorious lie. 6. These persons were men of such probity and virtue, that none of their adversaries could ever call in question, nor show to the world that they were ill men. 7. They were persons not bred up in courts, nor instructed in the arts and intrigues of the world, able to persuade people by elegant dis- courses, &c. No, they were generally mean, though plain and honest men, and their discour- ses plain and homely: and though Paul was a man of polite learning, yet he would make no use of human learning in the propagation of Chris- tianity. 8. They could not possibly have any secular view, by preaching such a doctrine to the world : nay, in preaching it, they acted against all the rules of worldly interest and policy, and could have no prospect from the world, but what was frightful and discouraging; their doctrine being to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness. They could not propose to them- selves either to gain reputation and esteem, or to advance their fortunes in the world; nay, suffer- ing the greatest hardships was all they had in view. 9. Consider how severe the laws were which they published against lying, forgery, and a false testimony: and if they themselves were guilty of it, they were condemned to everlasting punish- ments for doing what they did, by the very doc- trine which they preached. Yet in this doctrine they persisted to the last, and if it were a lie, they went out of the world with a horrible lie in their mouths, which is horrid to think; for so they could have no hope of finding mercy and forgiveness at God's hands; and thus you would make them the most depraved wretches in the world. 10. Now, had they been men who had no reli- gious awe or sense of God themselves, how is it credible' that they would have been so very zeal- ous and industrious to impress it upon the minds of others, and to press them to love and fear him, as the scope of all their writings and sermons show? How oft do they tell us of a judgment- day, and of God's being the searcher of the thoughts and counsels of the heart. 1 1 . It is plain to a demonstration, that these persons heartily believed the doctrines they preached to the world: otherwise, how would they have exposed themselves to such dangers and sufferings upon that score? 12. The Jews who lived at that time were infallibly convinced of the resurrection of Jesus Christ: which appears from this, that the writers of the gospel-history did in express terms publish to the world, that the Jews bribed the soldiers to report that the body of Jesus Christ was stolen out of the grave by his disciples. Now, this was a home charge on the Jews, and shows them to be the most degenerate wretches, that they would stick at nothing to carry on their designs, even the most abominable piece of forgery and bribery. Nay, their priests and rulers would be guilty of this villany, to tamper with soldiers in this man- ner. Well, if these chief-priests and fathers of Israel had been unjustly calumniated in this man- ner, it might have been expected that they would have exerted themselves in some extraordinary manner to clear themselves of this aspersion, and 120 SAXCTIFICATION OF THE LORD'S DAY. that the whole nation would have been in a tumult about it. For they would see that their religion, as well as their credit, was at the stake; this account of their proceedings was like to be published through the world, and transmitted to the latest posterity. Now, surely one woidd think the Christians would have been solemnly called to account for this provoking piece of his- tory, and challenged to make it good, and that with the greatest zeal and concern. "Well, but there is nothing like this; the Jews content them- selves with private whispers, to set the story about, which the bribed soldiers had reported, and make no resentment of the charge. From all which, we may warrantably conclude, that they were conscious to themselves of the truth of the charge, and knew that they had bribed the soldiers to make the report, and consequently that they knew Christ was risen, otherwise they had not bribed the soldiers. 13. Although the disciples of Christ had been so wicked as to have contrived the stealing away the body of Jesus, it was impossible for them to have accomplished it. The Jews were extra- ordinary intent and watchful about this event; for they came to Pilate, and told him, that Jesus had foretold, while alive, that he would rise again the third day; and it was proper that a guard should be set upon the sepulchre till that day was over, lest his disciples should come and steal him away, and say, that he was risen, and so the latter error would be worse than the first. They were sufficiently aware of the consequences of this event, that it would overturn their religion, and establish Christianity, and therefore they take all necessary precautions; and this was ordered by God's wise providence for ascertain- ing the truth of the event. 14. The coined story of carrying off the body of Jesus, while the guard slept, is so very gross, that it will scarce bear a telling. For if the dis- ciples did this while the soldiers slept, how could the trick be known? Did the disciples tell it themselves, or were the guard conscious of what passed in their sleep? Were not their senses locked up during their sleep? 15. If the disciples had been concerned in so vile a piece of imposture, with what courage or confidence could they have entered on their min- istry, and preached salvation in Christ's name ? Could they have ever hoped for any countenance from heaven, or for assistance from the Spirit to work miracles, while they were propagating a notorious cheat. They might have expected that both heaven and earth would be engaged against them in every step of their undertaking, and so would have dropped their design of propagating the Christian faith. But being perfectly assured of the truth of Christ's resurrection, and of all they preached, they undertook and went through their work with that indefatigable zeal and indus- try, with that life and spirit far transcending all that ever was known in human nature before, that no storms nor difficulties, dangers nor deaths could in the least shako them; yea, were ani- mated the more by the greatest of trials and per- secutions. For confirming the truth of the witnesses testimony concerning our Lord's resurrection, consider the horrid and intolerable absurdities that would follow on questioning or denying the truth of it. 1. A deist, who denies it, must believe that a despicable company of wilful impostors and deceivers, men of a hated nation and religion, without power or force, without learning or experience, without wit or policy, should be able to run down all wit, learning, power, and policy of the world; and by preaching a most despised, incredible, and seemingly ridiculous doctrine, directly contrary to all the worldly interests and humours of men, and to their religions and cus- toms, yea, and to their reason and philosophy too, should propagate the belief of it far and wide through the earth, so that there was scarce a nation in the whole compass of the globe, but what in whole or in part received this fiction, as the most sacred truth of God, and accordingly laid the whole stress of their salvation upon it ! Or, if deists will suppose that the apostles and their companions were a company of brain-sick enthusiasts, or of lunatics and madmen: then they must own that such pitiful, weak persons argued with so much art and force as to over- power all the learning and wisdom of the world : that all the sages, philosophers, and statesmen, who embraced Christianity in great numbers, as well as the poor and illiterate, were convinced and persuaded by mere enthusiasm; that they mistook downright raving for the strongest rea- son, and a chain of incoherent falsities for bright and evident demonstrations of truth ! 2. The deists must believe that twelve poor fishermen were not only able to compass that vast design of making the world stoop to the laws they imposed; but also that they laid their plots so deep, that the effects of it should be permanent and lasting, and no succeeding age or generation ever be able to fathom it, and show where the cheat lay. Strange ! that a company of illiterate men outdid the profoundest wisdom and sagacity of mankind, and concerted matters so artfully, that none of all the penetrating wits of the world should, for so many centuries, after the strictest examination, find it possible to discover the least failure or flaw in the contrivance. 3. They must believe that these persons abso- lutely divested themselves of all regard to their MEDITATIONS FOIt THE SABBATH. 121 own preservation or happiness ; that they despised all the comforts and enjoyments of life, and ven- tured upon poverty and misery, upon torments, upon death, yea, upon damnation itself in the next world, and all for nothing, but the pro- pagating of a cheat, which is most absurd to suppose. 4. They must believe that these very persons, who, but a few hours before, had so little spirit and courage left them that they forsook their Master in his extremity, and durst not own them- selves his disciples, nor show themselves openly for fear of the Jews, should all of a sudden grow so resolute, as to venture on that bold and hazardous undertaking of forcing the sepulchre, and carrying off his body; and that they effectu- ated the design without being challenged by one of the guard. 5. They must believe that these timorous men would, in an enterprise that required so much expedition and dispatch, spend so much of their time in divesting a dead body of its burial- clothes, and wrap them up by themselves; and not rather choose to carry off all together in haste, lest the next minute the guard might awake, and come upon them. 6. They must believe that a set of the greatest cheats that ever the world saw, did, notwith- standing, furnish mankind with the most exact system of morality that ever was, and lay the best foundations and scheme for the peace and happiness of the world, that could be laid ! That the vilest hypocrites would spend all their time, and lives too, in indefatigable labours to make other men upright and sincere, and denounce damnation against lying, dissimulation, &c. That the system they compiled of religion was a stand- ing comment of their own shame; and that all their sermons and writings were but so many satires and lampoons upon themselves. Object. Christ's resurrection is attested only by his oicn friends and disciples. Why did he not converse as publicly with men as he did before ? Why did he not appear to the chief-priests and elders of the Jeics, to have convinced them of the truth of this fact? Ans. 1. "We are not to prescribe rules to the Divine Majesty; all his works are done in infinite wisdom, and he is not obliged to account to us for his actings; he himself knows best what makes most for his own glory and the happiness of his creatures. 2. It was not to a few that Christ appeared, but to the twelve apostles, to the seventy dis- ciples; yea, to five hundred brethren at once, to whom he gave the most convincing proofs of his resurrection. 3. It was a sufficient demonstration to the Jews of Christ's resurrection, Pilate's securing the sepulchre with a guard of soldiers, and Christ's body not being found therein. They might have been assured that a handful of timorous men would never adventure on stealing it: and they had a sufficient confirmation from the soldiers, who came into the city, and showed to the chief- priests all the things that were done, viz. th6 earthquake, angel's descent, &c, Mat. xxviii. 11. 4. Christ had given sufficient proof of his divine mission to the Jews before, by the miracles ho wrought, which they blasphemously opposed, and maliciously prosecuted him to death as a traitor; and therefore, because of their malice and obstin- acy, they were unworthy of such a privilege as his conversing with them. 5. Though he had appeared to them, these malicious men would not have acknowledged him to be the person that was crucified, but Avould have alleged he was an impostor, set up by the Cluistians to personate the true Jesus, and been more enraged against his followers than ever. 6. Though Christ had risen and appeared in such a manner, yet deists would have quarrelled the testimony of witnesses the same way they do now, saying, " How should we believe the report of others, and credit what we see not with our own eyes," &c. Christ's miracles were as pub- licly transacted as could have been desired; all men, and the greatest enemies, were allowed to witness the same; yet deists now treat them as mere forgeries, and so would they have done Christ's appearing even to the whole Jewish sanhedrim. Improvement. 1st. From the resurrection of Christ, we may infer that death is fairly overcome, and swallowed up in victory. Christ went into the very den of this dragon, and foiled it. Now, though it retains its dart, yet it hath left its sting in Christ's side, so that the believer may triumph, as 1 Cor. xv. 55 — 57, " O death ! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin ; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." The true believer need not have any slavish fear of death, though it frighten, yet it cannot hurt him. 2d. Let believers dispose and employ their bodies, as those who know what is prepared for them at the resurrection. Sd. Let us all secure to ourselves an interest in Christ and his blessed resurrection. It is this hope that supports under all the troubles of this life. MEDITATION IV. — FROM EPII. V. 16, REDEEM THE TIME. 1. Time is one of the most precious blessings which man enjoys in this world, a jewel of ines- timable worth : it is a golden stream continually Q 122 SANCTIFICATION OF THE LORD'S DAY. running down by us, yea, carrying us alongst with it: it is a stream running from one ocean to ano- ther, from au eternity behind us, to an eternity before us. 2. That which makes time so precious mainly, is, that the salvation of our precious and immor- tal souls, through all eternity, depends thereupon. Upon the improvement of this short moment of time, depends a long-lasting and never-ending eternity. 3. The expense which God the axithor of time is at, to create and beget it for us, shows the pre- ciousness of it. Why? God, by his almighty power, doth continually wheel about these great luminaries of sun, moon, and stars, in their annual and diurnal revolutions, to beget and furnish time to us; and these do never halt nor stop, nor come short of their appointed times of rising and set- ting, and all for the service of man, that he may have time for the service of his Maker, and the saving of his soul. 4. The haste that time doth make, and the consideration of its shortness, that it will quickly be gone, and that a minute of it can never be recalled, shows forth its preciousness. 5. Also the important business we have for every moment of our time; although each of us had a thousand years to live, the service of God, and saving of our souls, is such a vast work, as would require every minute of it. G. We are ready to pass into another world, an eternal state, where every minute of our time must be accounted for, and then it must fare with us eternally, as we have spent and improven this short time here. 7. For as precious as time is, it is undervalued and lavished away more than any thing is. It is seldom taken notice of, until it is quite past away from us; we never consider its worth and useful- ness, till it is just ending. — Hence Solomon saith, Eccl. ix. 12, "Man knoweth not his time." 8. It is most just, that he who hath the order- ing and disposing of all things else concerning us, should be also the supreme Lord and disposer of our time, and therefore hath right to determine what time is to be allotted for our work, and what for his: and most just it is, that he, from whom we have all our time, should have his choice of it. 9. Of all time Sabbath time is the most pre- cious and valuable; it being the time God has allotted and set apart for himself, and upon the improvement whereof, the glory of God and sal- vation of our souls depend in a most peculiar manner, it being the day of special access to God, and of free commerce and correspondence between heaven and earth. It is heaven's weekly mar- ket-day, or God's deal-day to the poor and needy; the day of access to God's presence-cham- ber. Time by some is compared to a gold ring, and the Sabbath to the sparkling diamond, which gives it its lustre, and heightens its value. Where- fore, if we be wise, we will show a peculiar esteem for the Sabbath above all the days of the week ; we will reckon every moment of Sabbath- time most precious, and desire that none of it may be misspent. What Christ said to his disciples concerning the loaves and the fishes, the like he seems to speak to us concerning his holy day, "Gather up the fragments," gather up all the parcels, the spare hours and minutes of it ; account them as precious as the goldsmith doth the small- est filings of his gold, and let nothing of Sabbath- time be lost. Exhortation. 1. Above all time, redeem care- fully Sabbath-time, and improve it diligently. Consider what a blessing the Sabbath is to you, if rightly improved: 1st. An inn for refreshing the weary traveler, that hath been toiled and tossed with storms through the week. 2d. It is Christ's weekly market-day, wherein Christ sets forth the richest wares and commodities for us to buy "without money and without price," Rev. iii. IS. 3d. It is the King of heaven's publie deal-day, wherein he deals his bread to the hun- gry, and gives alms to the poor and needy. 4th. It is the day of conversion, of inbringing and gathering the elect. Multitudes have been brought in to Christ this day. 5th. It is a day of access to God, and correspondence with hea- ven ; a day when Christ is to be seen and con- versed with. You may not only have corres- pondence with Christ, at a distance, but imme- diate access. You may be taken into the palace, the presence chamber, and see the King in his beauty, hear his voice, get the kisses of his mouth, the embraces of his arms; and should not this time be redeemed? 6th. It is the day of hea- ven's festival, wherein Christ useth to feast his saints with the fatness of his house. 7th. It is a day of reaping and gathering, and for laying up in store for the time to come. 8th. A day for ascending the mount of transfiguration, to see Christ transfigured, a day of ascending to mount Pisgah, to see the land that is afar off. 2. Redeem Sabbath-time, for it is flying fast away; you may have but a few more Sabbaths to enjoy. The Sabbath is fast approaching that will be your last Sabbath, after which you shall sec no more in this world. 3. Redeem Sabbath-time, for much depends on it, the glory of God, and salvation of your immor- tal souls through eternity. So important i3 the business that depends on the improvement of your Sabbath-time, that it would call for the improve- ment of every moment: yea, though each of you had ten thousand Sabbaths to spend, the service of God, and saving of your souls, is such a vast work, as would require every minute of them. MEDITATIONS FOR THE SABBATH. 123 4. Redeem Sabbath-time, for we cannot recall one Sabbath that is past; no, though we had a world to give for one Sabbath, we could not recall it. O many will be put one day to wish and cry in vain, O to recover one of these lost Sabbaths, wherein I had the free rich offer of a crucified Christ. 5. Redeem Sabbath-time, for you arc just ready to pass into another world, where you must give a strict account of every Sabbath you have enjoyed, and answer for every minute of precious Sabbath-time. How will you answer for all the Sabbaths you have misimproved, for the Sabbaths of threescore years, which are above three thou- sand: O that will be a terrible item in the accounts of old graceless sinners. Directions in redeeming Sabbath-time. 1. Carefully avoid whatever hinders it; as, 1st. Atheism, or misbelief of the truth, and of the great end and design of the Sabbath. 2d. Ignor- ance. Many are so ignorant, that they think if they pass away the Sabbath without any gross breach of it, they do well enough. 3d. Sloth and laziness. Up and be doing. 2. If you would redeem Sabbath-time, repent of former misimprovements, and humble your- selves for lost Sabbaths, and cry for mercy through Christ's atoning blood. 3. Study to recompence former mismanage- ments by your future diligence ; as a traveller who finds himself like to be benighted by his former laziness, mends his pace, and goes as many miles now in one hour, as formerly he did in two. 4. Spend every Sabbath now as it were your last; and this approaching Sabbath be as diligent on it, as if it were your last : prepare for it in the evening; get up early next morning, pray, read, meditate, examine yourself, and wrestle for God's presence with you in the ordinances. 5. Hearken presently to Christ's calls in the word; believe and embrace Christ's doctrine, and his righteousness, and close with him as your only help and remedy. MEDITATION V.— UPON JOHN XX. 20, "AND WHEN HE HAD SO 8AID, HE SHOWED UNTO THEM HIS HANDS AND HIS SIDE. THEN WERE THE DISCIPLES GLAD, WHEN THEY SAW THE LOKD." Tnis was the first Christian Sabbath, and upon it the disciples met for the work and duties of the day, prayer, and godly conference. Well, did the disciples meet for this work? Christ will not let them part without his peace and blessing. He comes in the midst of them, when the doors were shut, no doors nor bands can shut out Christ's presence from his disciples; and what is his salu- tation to them? "Peace be unto you." A most comprehensive blessing! This was the legacy he had left them a few days before, and now ho makes prompt and ready payment of it to them, he will not be long owing it. Quest. What sort of peace is it ? Ans. Peace with God, peace of conscience, and peace with one another. This was a blessing most suitable to them, who were so full of fears and disorders. After this salutation, he gives them a most comfortable discovery of his pierced hands and side, to convince them of the truth of his resur- rection, of which they were still in doubt, by the marks and scars of the wounds which had been made a few days before by the nails and spear : he shows them that the body they now saw alive, was the same individual body they and many others had seen dead on the cross a few days before. From this, Observe 1. That Christ retained the scars of his wounds after his resurrection. He was not ashamed of them, but gloried in them, as con- querors glory in the marks of their wounds after bloody battles. Moreover, ^Christ had use for them: 1st. They were to speak on earth, and demonstrate the truth of his resurrection to the world, particularly to convince unbelieving Tho- mas. 2d. They were to speak in heaven, by the intercession that he makes for his people there, iu doing whereof he shows his wounds, and there- fore he ascended with them, and now appears in midst of the throne as a lamb slain, with his wounds, as it were, bleeding afresh, Rev. v. 6. 3d. Nay, he retains them, that he may come back with them, for it seems they will be then visible, that enemies may look on him whom they pierced, Rev. i. 7, "Behold he cometh with clouds: and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him." 2. Observe the condescension and pains of a crucified Jesus to satisfy his disciples: he showed them his hands, he is at pains first to open his hands, to let them see the marks of the wounds he got by the nails driven therein. Next he opens his breast, to let them see the wound he got in his side by the spear that was tlirust into it. 0 the condescension of our Lord, to confirm the faith of his poor staggering and doubting dis- ciples! 3. Observe the effect and impression of this sight upon the disciples, "they were glad when they saw the Lord." It revived their drooping spirits, it convinced their doubting hearts and strengthened their faith, and faith produces joy, Rom. xv. 13; 1 Pet. i. 8. Now Christ fulfilled what he said, John xvi. 22, "I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice." Doctrine. A believing and appropriating view of the wounds of a crucified and risen Jesus, is a ! most joyful sight. 124 SANCTIFICATION OF THE LORD'S DAY. Quest, What grounds of joy have we in this sight ? Ans. 1. This sight shows that Christ hath loved us, and given himself for us, who are ohjects of wrath. 2. This tells us our debt is paid, justiee is satisfied, our Surety is risen, and let out of prison. 3. Wo have ground of joy, that we see a shel- ter against all the challenges of the law and jus- tice of God; for Christ has wrought a law-hiding and justice-satisfying righteousness. Here is our city of refuge against the avenger of blood. How glad was the manslayer at this sight! 4. Thou art sure of access and acceptance with God. Why? Here is a powerful ground of intercession, the wounds and blood of the Son of God, "which speaketh better things than that of Abel." The wounds are like a mouth still open for thee ; the blood like a tongue still speak- ing for thee. 5. The fifth ground of joy is, that the covenant is confirmed, whereby thou art safe from the deluge, the rainbow appearing, even the scarlet- coloured wounds and blood of Christ, which is a sure token of God's covenant. Inference. — Then we have reason to bless God for the approach of the Sabbath; and more espe- cially for the news of a communion Sabbath approaching, wherein we may see, in a remark- able manner, the wounds of a crucified Jesus dis- covered to us. 0 that is the most joyful sight the world ever saw! Let us welcome the Sab- bath, and especially a communion Sabbath, which brings us such a sight. Every Lord's day is lovely and desirable; but a communion Sabbath is in a special manner a day of the Son of man, a solemn and high day, a day to be remarked and remembered by all the disciples of Jesus. As the Sabbath is the most excellent of all the days of the week, so a communion Sabbath is the most desirable of all the Sabbaths of the year. For, upon such a day, a crucified Jesus is most evidently set forth before our eyes; then he appears in his dyed garments, glorious and red in his apparel, a most lovely sight to the eye of faith. These are days in God's court indeed, far hotter than a thousand elsewhere. MEDITATION VI. ON THE SABBATH BEING CALLED A DELIGHT, FROM ISA. LVI1I. 13, "CALL THE SABBATH A DELIGHT.'' Great stress was always laid upon the due observation of the Sabbath-day; and it was par- ticularly required from the Jews, when they were captives at Babylon, that by keeping this day they might distinguish themselves from the worshippers of the gods which have not made the heavens and the earth, Isa. lvi. 1, 2. We must put all honour and respect upon it, and call it a delight, not a task or burden. We must not only count it a delight, but call it so, by openly professing the complacency we take in the day and duties of it. We must call it a delight, ] . To God, in a way of thanksgiving to God for it, and earnest desire of his grace to enable us to do the work of the day, because we delight in it. 2. AVe must call it so to others, to invite them to come and share with us in the pleasure of it. 3. We must call it so to ourselves, that we may not entertain the least thought of wishing the Sabbath gone, that we may sell corn or wine. Quest. 1. What is imported in calling the Sabhath a delight? Ans. 1. A belief that God is the author and institutor of it. 2. A knowledge of the ends and designs of it, that it is in honour of God the Creator, and of Christ the Redeemer, and for our good. 3. A thankful sense of God's goodness in instituting the Sabbath, it being a day of com- munion with God. 4. A high esteem of the Sabbath, as the best day of the week. 5. A cheerful compliance with the work and duties of the Sabbath. 6. A thinking on the Sabbath, looking, longing, and preparing for it, before it come. 7. A conscientious and willing perform- ance of all the Sabbath duties. 8. A hating and avoiding all those evils and practices that are con- trary to Sabbath sanctification. Quest. 2. When may it he said that the Sab- bath is our delight? Ans. 1 . It is our delight, when we esteem it a privilege and favour from God to have the Sab- bath; when we say, O what a favour from God is this to me, that when I have been wearying myself six days for the world, God hath appointed this day, that we may refresh ourselves from such labours, mind our souls, and seek after heaven! If we value God above the world, and the joys of heaven above the pleasures on earth, so we will certainly value this day above all other clays. 2. It is our delight, when we make it a day of visiting God, and keeping communion with him in his ordinances. The people of the world find delight in visiting their friends, and conversing and holding society with them; but much more may we have in visiting God, and seeing him in the sanctuary, and holding sweet fellowship with him there. 3. When we are not satisfied this day with a bare approach to God; but when we go to God this day as our exceeding joy, Psal. xliii. 4, and place our happiness in the serving «of God, and enjoying of him; and when we go with joy to draw water out of the wells of salvation. 4. When we draw forth our graces into holy actings and vigorous exercise: the more we are MEDITATIONS FOR THE SABBATH. 125 employed this clay in the actings of faith and love, and hope of heaven, it will he the more delight to ns. 5. When the wcrk and duties of the Sabbath are our element and recreation; when we are in David's frame, Psal. exxii. 1, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go up into the house of the Lord." This is prophesied of believers under the gospel, that they flock to ordinances on the wings of delight, " as doves to their win- dows," Isa. Ix. S. How great was David's delight in them, when he " desires it as one thing, that he might dwell all his days in God's house, to behold the beauty of the Lord," Psal. xxvii. 4, that is, that he might always have free access to God's house, and enjoy communion with God there. Hence he coxints " a day in God's courts better than a thousand elsewhere." David had many earthly things to delight in, such as, 1st. Great victories over enemies, which generals and warriors greatly delight in. 2d. He had palaces and gardens, which great men delight in. 3d. He had instruments of music of all sorts, which great musicians (such as David the sweet singer of Israel was) delight much in: yea, he invented to himself all sorts of musical instru- ments, Amos vi. 5. "Well, but though David knew as much of these earthly delights as most men, yet he delighted most of all in the Sabbath, " a day in God's courts." 6. It is a delight when we find increase and growth of grace in and by the ordinances. Wo sec men delight in a market-day on which they gain much of the world ; and much more will they delight in the Lord's day, who find their love to God on it more inflamed, their desires after him more enlarged, and their hope of heaven more confirmed. 7. It is a delight when we come thereon to discover our interest in the Lord Jesus, and are made to sec that it was he who died and rose from the dead this day for us. O, how delight- ful to think, this is the day my Redeemer lived again! Do others delight in the day of their birth, and shall not I delight in the day on which my Lord did live again? 8. It is a delight when we come on the Sab- bath to get assurance that we shall keep an ever- lasting Sabbath with God above. And if a transient enjoyment of God in a Sabbath here be so pleasant, how much more to have the full enjoyment of God on that Sabbath above to all eternity ! Quest. 3. Do not the special delights of the Sabbath excel all other delights, and wherein do they excel?- Ans. 1. They transcend them in their founda-' tion; they are well founded, not on mistakes and delusions, as carnal delight?, and pleasures are, but on the sure word of God, that is unalterable, his well-ordered covenant. Carnal men rejoice in fancies and delusions, but know not how mat- ters are with them. If they knew how near nell and damnation they are; if they knew the short- ness of their pleasures, and the length of their sorrows, they would have little heart to sport or laugh; nay, it would soon turn then' laughter into mourning and lamentation. 2. Spiritual delights surpass them in reality; the pleasures of the wicked are but seeming and outward, but believers' delights are real, hearty, and inward. In the midst of the laughter of the wicked, their hearts arc sad; though their senses be someway tickled and affected, yet the heart is not. But with believers it is otherwise, Psal. iv. 7, 4l Thou hast put more gladness in my heart," &c. Spiritual delight goes to the heart. 3. They are suitable delights, seeing they are intellectual. Carnal delights in drinking, sport- ing, Sec. make men more like beasts than men. The beasts have pain and pleasure by their senses, but not sorrow nor delight, because these are intellectual. So the joy of carnal men is rather pleasure than delight; but the more intellectual and chaste our delights are, the more pure and suitable arc they to the human nature. Yea, the more our delights are in loving, praising, and worshipping God on the Sabbath, they make us more like angels than men. 4. They surpass them in innocency. Carnal delights, the more we use them, the more we are ensnared by them; they pervert the heart, dis- order the mind, and indispose for duty. But spiritual delights have no such effect; they are so far from perverting or disordering, that they corroborate and strengthen the graces; they com- pose and purify the mind; they make sin the more odious, and fortify us the more against the baits of sense. 5. They excel them in security. Spiritual delights arc pure, like crystal streams, whereas carnal delights are imbittcred with fear, stings of conscience, and sense of guilt. 6. They excel them in strength and sweetness. There is delight in thinking on our temporal interests, but much more in thinking on Christ and our interest in him, and the well-ordered covenant. Yea, there is more delight in the hard- est part of Sabbath work, viz. in mortifying one sin or lust, than carnal men have in satisfying a thousand. 7. They are more profitable delights. There is more profit in one day, yea, one hour's com- munion with God, than in the worldly gains of a thousand market-days. 0 ! do men toil hard in labouring six days of the week for gains of tho world, and will we not labour one day for that which endureth to everlasting life ? 126 SANCTIFICATION OF THE LORD'S DAY. 8. They axe more satisfying than all worldly delights. Surely there is more satisfaction in the spiritual recreations of this day, than in all carnal sports and pastimes whatsoever. O what satis- faction is there in thinking on the work of redemption, and of all that Christ did and suf- fered for the accomplishment of it! What a plea- sant recreation is it to find and feel the actings of love and desire to God, and to have a sense of God's love unto the soul; to meditate on the eter- nal Sabhath of rest from sin, sickness, temptation, and all evil whatsoever, and of joining in the per- fect love and praises of that blessed company above to all eternity! 9. They surpass them in this, that they end well, whereas carnal delights do not. Carnal delights are like the crackling of thorns under a pot; they make a great blaze and noise for a little, but then they go out in darkness; or, like the light of a candle, that doth shine for a little, but then goes out in a stinking snuff. So with carnal delights, they make way for sorrow, "for the end of that mirth is heaviness," according to Prov. xiv. 13. Carnal delight and recreations, especially on the Sabbath, leave a sting behind them, whenever conscience is awakened, and these are the forerunners of hell. Quest. 4. What are those things in the Sab- bath ice ought to delight in ? Ans. 1. In the restraints which the Sabbath lays on us, in hindering us from our worldly employments and recreations, and from all the pleasures of sin; this we should delight in. 2. In the duties and services which the Sab- bath obligeth us unto. Quest. 5. What are those duties and services of the Sabbath which ice ought to delight in ? Ans. 1. There are public services and duties which we should delight in; as in the hearing of the word, prayer, praises, and receiving of the sacraments. 2. Private duties, as reading of the word, prayer, meditation, Christian conference, mourn- ing for sin, &c. A SACRAMENTAL DIEECTOEY. PREFACE. This directory being first published in the year 1716, the preface was added to the second edi- tion of it in the year 1726, in which now I have made some additions and alterations. The book itself also is considerably enlarged from what it was at first, namely, in proving and pressing the necessity of communicating, in obedience to our Lord's dying command; and it is to be regretted that there should be still so much need for urging it. All, that so many Christians, who profess respect to Christ as their Saviour, should five in the neglect of his dying charge! Perhaps, my friends, upon viewing the hazard of eating unwor- thily, some of you may think you are on the safest side to keep away from this ordinance alto- gether; not considering, that the danger of unworthy refusing is fully as great as that of unworthy receiving: for you see those who make light of Christ's invitation to the marriage-supper escaped no better than he that came without the wedding-garment, Mat. xxii. 7, 13. Likewise I have adduced many arguments to press frequency in communicating, and have answered objections against it; which, if you duly consider you must own that frequent partaking is most advantageous and necessary for the exigencies of your souls, and highly acceptable unto God. If there be " a book of remembrance written before the Lord, for them that feared the Lord, thought upon his name, and spoke one to another," Mai. iii. 16, we have no ground to question but there is a book of remem- brance written for them that love their Redeemer, and often remember his death and sufferings in the sacrament which he hath instituted for that end. And as I would have you come frequently to this solemn ordinance, so I would always have you coming with suitable preparation; and, for your help in this matter, I have composed the following directory. Special care should be taken, that our frequency do not breed formality, but that we be as devout as frequent; and, though we communicate never so frequently, that we trust not to former preparations, but that we examine and prepare ourselves of new for every communion. But seeing it is iu vain to exhort Christians to frequent receiving, unless ministers do also fre- quently administrate this ordinance, and call their people to partake thereof; it may be proper to speak something of the necessity of frequent dis- pensing of the Lord's supper. All the arguments and reasons which I bring in the ensuing treatise, to prove the necessity of peoples frequent partak- ing, do as much prove the necessity of ministers frequent dispensing: seeing, if ministers do not dispense, the people cannot partake : but, besides these, I shall, with all humility and becoming respect, add some things here, which, I hope may be of weight with myself, and other ministers of the gospel to persuade to frequent dispensing. I. The inspired apostles of Christ, and other pastors of the church, that were contemporary with them, did (in obedience to the intimation which their Lord and master gave them at the first institution) frequently dispense the Lord's supper to the Christians in their days; yea, it was their ordinary custom to do it every Lord's day, Acts ii. 47; xx. 7. The inspired penman of that book mentions the breaking of bread as a constant concomitant to the apostles' doctrine and prayers, Acts ii. 4. II. In imitation of the apostles, the pastors of the ancient church kept up the practice of celebrating the Lord's Supper every Lord's day, through the second, third, fourth, and fifth cen- turies. To evidence this (if it were called in question) I might cite many passages from the histories of Eusebius and Socrates, and the writ- ings of Justin Martyr, Cyprian, Chrysostom, Hierom, Ambrose, Augustine, and several others, who on that account used to call the Lord's day, day of bread: but, it being a matter of fact so well known, I need not blot paper with quota- tions to this purpose. Nay, it is plain, from the foresaid ancient writers, that the Lord's Supper continued to be dispensed in some places, not only every Lord's day, but also every day of the week, and that for several centuries : which prac- tice Augustine (who lived in the fifth century) doth not seem so heartily to approve; for Lib. de 128 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. Ecclesiasticis, cap. 53, he hath these words : " I neither praise nor dispraise daily receiving of the Lord's Supper; but I would have all men to com- municate each Lord's day." Moreover, learned men, who are best acquainted with the antiquities of the Christian church, do observe, that unfre- quency in celebrating this sacrament crept in together with other antichristian errors and defec- tions, into the church of Christ. III. I shall therefore pass the ages of darkness and defection, and come to the two last centuries of the church, and take a short view of the prac- tice of some Protestant churches since our refor- mation from popery. I grant, the Lord's Supper hath not been celebrated so often since that time, as in the first ages of the church. We have the reason pointed at in a book, which represents the practice of the church of Geneva, particularly in celebrating the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, which was four times in the year. The book is entituled, "Laws and Statutes of Geneva, anent Ecclesiastic Discipline," translated out of the French, and printed London, 1G43, p. 7, we have these words: "for as the Supper hath been insti- tuted by our Saviour Jesus Christ to be frequented and used, and also it hath been observed in the primitive Christian church, until such time as the devil hath turned all upside down, setting up the mass instead thereof, which fault ought to be cor- rected, and also the rare celebrating thereof: we have determined and ordained, that it shall be ministered four times a-year." Again, let us look into the practice of the reformed churches of France whilst their liberty continued. In the acts of the national synod held at Charcntoun, printed London, 1644, cap. 12, art. 14, we have these words: "although it hath been a custom in most of the churches in these parts, to celebrate the holy communion only four times every year; yet it is much wished and desired that it might be used more frequently." As for the reformed churches in the United Provinces, or the Dutch churches, we see what was their practice, in "Corpus Discipline," pub- lished by the ministers and elders of the Dutch congregation in London, 1645, cap. 3, sect 2, art. 3, "It is appointed that the Lord's Supper be administered every two months (i. e. six times a- year) wherein the churches under persecution are left to their liberty." As to the churches in New England, we have an account of their practice, "Brief Narrative of the Practice of the Churches in New England," printed London, 1651, p. 8. "As for the administration of the Lord's Supper, because Christ desires us to do it often, we commonly have it monthly, though we tie not ourselves to any set time, but alter it as often as reason appears." Let us come to the church of Scotland, and consider the ancient practice of our worthy reformers in this matter. And, in the^rs^ place, if Ave look to the old Scots liturgy or the "Book of Common Order," whichwas written by John Knox, first for the order of the English kirk at Geneva, whereof he was minister, and approved by John Calvin, printed at Geneva, 1556, and after- wards received and used by the reformed king of Scotland; we will find, in the 10th chapter, con- cerning the manner of administration of the Lord's Supper, these words: "the day when the Lord's Supper is ministered, which is commonly used once a month, or so often as the congregation shall think expedient, the minister useth to say as folio weth," &c. From which it appears, that tho first practice of our reformers, after the reforma- tion of this nation from popery, was to adminis- trate the Lord's Supper commonly once a month. Afterwards, it seemeth, they found that the people did not so generally fall in with the fore- said order for monthly sacraments as could be wished: and therefore in the General Assembly which was held at Edinburgh in December 1562, they thought fit to condescend to a less frequent administration of this ordinance ; for, in their act thcreanent, recorded by Calderwood in his his- tory, page 816, we have these words: "It is ordained, that the communion be four times min- istered in the year within borough towns, and twice in coxintry parishes." Here, indeed, there is a distinction madb betwixt the frequency in boroughs and country parishes : but, in the first book of discipline, which was compiled by several of our famous reform- ers, by way of address to the civil government, and much about the same time approved and established both by church and state, we find four times in the year condescended upon for the sacrament, without any distinction of congrega- tions, cap. 2, parag. 2. They tell us indeed, that the order of Geneva, concerning the minis- tration of the sacraments, was at that time used in some of their churches, i. e. the "Book of Com- mon Order" forecited, which declareth for monthly sacraments; but, in cap. 11, parag. 5, they give their judgment for quarterly communions, in these words; "four times in the vear we think suffi- cient to the administration of the Lord's table, which we desire to be distincted, that the super- stition of times may be avoided so far as may be; for your honours are not ignorant how supersti- tiously the people ran to that action at Pascli, even as if the time gave virtue to the sacrament; and how the rest of the whole year they are care- less and negligent, as if it appertained not to them but at that time only. We think it therefore most expedient that the first Sunday of March be appointed for one time, to that service, the first A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. 129 Sunday of June for another, the first Sunday of September for the third, the first Sunday of December for the fourth. We do not deny but any several kirk, for reasonable causes, may change the time, and may minister oftener; but we study to repress superstition." From all which we may see what it was that came to be the more general, settled, and declared mind of the Church of Scotland after the Reforma- tion, concerning the frequency of the Lord's sup- per, viz. that it should at least be celebrated once in the quarter, allowing liberty to any minister or congregation to administer it oftener, if they thought fit. Some, perhaps, may doubt if it was altogether right in our reformers to reduce the primitive practice of celebrating the Lord's sup- per once a week to once in the month, and after- wards to once in the quarter; but we are to suppose they had weighty reasons for it at that time : but there are many now of the mind, that we of this age cannot now so well account for reducing the ancient practice of this church in administrating this sacrament once in the quarter to once in the year. Is not this a lamentable deviating from the sentiments and practice of our great and zealous reformers? What can our unfrequency in celebrating this Christian com- memorating ordinance be imputed to, so much as a sad decay of love to a crucified Jesus ? Alas, that love to our unchangeable lovely Redeemer should cool by length of time ! We sadly verify what he foretold of the latter days, Matt. xxiv. 1 2, " Iniquity shall abound, and the love of many shall wax cold." But 0 1 are not Christ's bene- fits as great as ever, his blood as fresh and efficacious as ever? Why then should not Chris- tian love be as warm as ever, and their respect to his gospel institutions as strong as ever ? O that the Christians of this age were sensible from whence we are fallen; how far we have departed from the zeal of our ancestors, and left our first love to a crucified Christ; so that all ranks were concerned to revive and recover it, in and by the use of the means which God hath appointed for that end; that by degrees we might again attain our reformers' frequency of celebrating this Christ-exalting and leve-inflaming ordinance, and so change our annual to quarterly communions! I know it is affecting to some hearty well-wishers of the prosperity and credit of the Church of Scotland, to think that a church so excellently well constituted, and which had attained to a greater pitch of reformation in other things than her neighbours, should yet lie behind them in this point. I acknowledge that matters were so put out of order in this church, by reason of the long oppres- sion she groaned under, and the great defections of many, before the late happy revolution, that ministers in several places were afraid to dispense this sealing ordinance to their flocks for some time: and finding themselves very much strait- ened betwixt the indisposition of their people, and the hazard of a total omission, they came to an unfrequent celebration of this ordinance, per- haps but once in two or three years, till this unfrequency became customary and too general. Serious Christians indeed flocked unto those places where it was dispensed, whereby their loss at home was in some measure repaired. But the General Assembly, being sensible of the evil of this unfrequency, began to take notice of it, and make several excellent acts for the more frequent celebration of the Lord's supper, as in the years 1710, 1711, 1712, and 1724. Though these acts have not hitherto had their full effect, yet they have been so far effectual as to bring the ministers generally to administrate this ordinance in their congregations at least once in the year. I know several worthy ministers have some years ago given a laudable example to their brethren, in celebrating the Lord's supper in their congregations twice a year; though indeed it is to be regretted that so few hitherto have copied after it. The authority and judgment of the great Cal- vin (whom the Church of Scotland dcth most deservedly regard and esteem) concerning annual and frequent communicating, hath very great weight with me: we have it in his Institutions, lib. 4. cap. 17. par. 46. mihi fol. 507; after he had showed what was the practice of the ancient church in purest times, he hath these words: "And indeed this custom, which commands to communicate once only in the year, is most cer- tainly the invention of the devil, whoever was instrumental to introduce it. When there was a law made for communicating once in the year, it came to pass, that almost all, when they had once communicated, turned slothful and slept securely throughout the rest of the year. But it should have been far otherwise: every week, at least, the Lord's table should have been set before the assembly of Christians, and the promises therein set forth upon which we should feed spiritually : no man indeed should be compelled to come by force, but all should be exhorted and excited; and the sloth of all the negligent reproved." And upon the margin, we have these words; " The popish custom, which enjoins men to com- municate once a year, is a cursed invention." And certainly the godly and judicious Calvin's observation is most just: for when we call our people to come to the Lord's table but once in the year, and there believingly to remember a crucified Christ for the remission of their sins, the most part are tempted to think, when they have done that, their main work is over for that H 130 A SACRAMEKTAL DIRECTORY. year, and so fall asleep and turn secure through the rest of the year; upon which account he calls this popish custom " a cursed invention," and an " invention of the devil." It is to he hoped that the Church of Scotland, which so much abhors popery and all popish customs, will at length throw out this of annual communicating, as well as they have done others. OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. Object. I. By divine appointment the pass- over was celebrated but once in the year ; and now the Lord's supper is come in room of the passover. Ans. 1. It must be remembered, that as the passover served to signify and prefigure Christ's death and sufferings to the Jews, and their spiri- tual redemption thereby; so it was instituted to preserve the memorial of their temporal freedom and deliverance from the bondage of Egypt, which God wrought for them on the fourteenth of the first month, Exod. xii. 17, 18. And there- fore he appointed them to keep the passover annually upon that day of the month. But the Lord has fixed no certain day of the year for the Lord's supper under the New Testament times ; but only in general hath enjoined a frequent cele- bration of it. 2. The Jews did not need a very frequent celebration of the passover to put them in mind of the coming, death, and sufferings of the Mes- siah; seeing, besides the passover, they had, by divine appointment, many other lively types, figures, and institutions, which were designed for that very same end, such as the sacrifices of slain beasts, which they frequently witnessed in the temple: yea, every day they had, both morning and evening, a lamb killed in the temple, its blood poured out, and its flesh burnt on the altar, for a sacrifice to God for their sins; which did in a most eminent and lively manner represent to them the death, bloodshed, sufferings, and bitter agonies of Christ, the great sacrifice for the sins of the world, just in the same manner as the passover did; only it was not eaten in every house, as that was. So that we see a plain rea- son why the Jews did not stand in need of such a frequent celebration of the passover to be a remembrance of Christ under the law, as we do of the Lord's supper under the New Testament times, when we have no other ordinance insti- tuted to keep up the remembrance of Christ's death and sufferings, but this alone: and there- fore it ought much more frequently to be cele- brated than the Jewish passover was. 3. Supposing the Jews had no other ordinance but the passover to keep up the remembrance of the Messiah that was to come; yet, seeing our Messiah hath now come, and actually sacrificed himself upon the cross for our redemption, hath fully completed the work, and made far more bright displays of his love and glory to us Chris- tians than he did to the Jews under the law, and hath instituted the Lord's supper for a memorial for what he hath done and suffered, limiting us to no time, but enjoining frequency in the use of it; I say, seeing the case is so with us, we aro under many strong ties to be more zealous and frequent in celebrating the memorials of Christ's love to us in the Lord's supper, than the Jews were to do it in the passover. The apostles and primitive Christians were so sensible of this, that they thought themselves bound to remember Christ crucified once a week in their gospel pass- over, which the Jews did but once a year in theirs. From all which, we see no argument can be brought, from the Jews' annual custom in celebrating the passover, to justify annual com- munion. Object. II. To administrate the Lord's slip- per frequently, would tend to diminish the respect and reverence which is duo to it, and at length briny it into contempt among the people. Ans. 1. If we make conscience of our duty, our Lord will see to the credit of his own ordin- ance. 2. Will any say, that the apostles and primi- tive pastors brought this ordinance into contempt by celebrating of it every Lord's day? Did they not esteem and prize it much higher than we who celebrate it but once a year? And why should we think, that the administrating of the Lord's supper twice, thrice, or four times in the year, would at all derogate from the credit of it. 3. Were this reason valid against the frequent dispensing of tins ordinance, why not against other ordinances also? And so we should but seldom preach, or read the scriptures in the audience of the people; we should seldom pray or sing psalms with our flocks, lest we contribute to lessen the esteem and reverence due to these ordinances, by the frequent use of them. 4. Are not there many serious exercised Chris- tians, who communicate almost every Sabbath during the summer season, when they can have the occasion in neighbouring congregations, who can tell us that they reap spiritual advantage by so doing; that their esteem of the ordinance is much increased, and that they do not at all find that their frequent partaking tends to bring this awful institution into contempt with them ? And why should it be thought that their communicat- ing twice, or even four times a year, in their own congregations, at a convenient distance, would produce that bad effect ? No : I am persuaded it would not; for the oftener that this sacrament is worthily received, instead of diminishing our respegt, it increaseth our reverence of God, and A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. 131 our affection to our Saviour. I am sure, a con- scientious owning of God's authority is a greater sign of holy reverence, than the neglect of his institutions. 5. We may perhaps think to keep up the cre- dit of this solemn ordinance, among those who are not the better sort, by seldom dispensing it ; but it should be minded, that it is not true esteem which ariseth merely from the rarity of a thing, but that which springeth from knowledge of its intrinsic worth, and experience of its usefulness : and those people who have no heart-acquaintance with precious Christ, and the ends, uses, and suc- cess of his ordinance, will never have a due res- pect unto them. Let us by all means recom- mend .to such persons the worth and excellency of Christ, show them their daily need of him, and iiis daily usefulness to them, and press their mak- ing suitable preparation, by searching themselves and closing with him, before they be admitted to partake; and then we need not much fear the fre- quency would detract from the reputation of this ordinance: for frequent experience of its useful- ness would beget the highest esteem of it, and sharpen the appetites of people for it. As he prayeth best, and with most delight, that prayeth oftenest; so a worthy communicant increaseth in the love of God and of religion, the oftener he receives: the more acquaintance and communion he attains to with Jesus Christ in this ordinance, he values it still the more. I cannot think this blessed sacrament will be undervalued by frequent repetitions, but by persons most unworthy, who ought not much to be regarded; for no true- hearted Israelite would loathe his heavenly manna because it is common, and afforded us in plenty. Lastly, And with all due submission to others, I strongly incline to have a great regard to the judgment of the famous Mr. Calvin, and many learned and godly divines, who are so far from thinking that annual communicating is a mean to preserve the esteem of this ordinance, and prevent people's carelessness and formality in receiving, that they rather judge it a device of Satan, to cherish sloth and security^ in sin, to stifle true Christian love, to discourage endeavours after serious godliness, and to obstruct very much the life and continued exercise of religion. Object. III. We see how much the other sacra- ment, baptism, is contemned, because of its fre- quent repetition; and so might it alsofareicith this. Ans. 1 . If the people's contempt of sacraments be a good argument against the frequency of one sacrament, it is as good against the frequency of another: and so we ought to set up for the administration of baptism but once in the year, to preserve the esteem and solemnity of it, as much as we do for that of the other sacrament. I Are they not both precious institutions -of the ! same Lord? Both seals of the same covenant? Why then should we put the one at so great dis- tance from the other, and seek to raise its honour so much above the other? 2. Though baptism be frequently administrate, yet the Lord doth still keep up the reputation of his ordinance, so that no man is easy to be exclu- ded from it: yea, people generally have stronger impressions of the necessity of this sacrament than of the other, notwithstanding of all our endea- vours to maintain the credit of the other more than this; which may teach us, that we ought still to go on in the way of our duty, and leave it to God to see to the credit of his own institutions. 3. It is not so much because of the frequent administration of baptism, that people slight it, as because they, not being to partake of it them- selves, do commonly apprehend they are no more but spectators (though indeed there is much more incumbent on them:) but were they bound to partake frequently of this sacrament, as of the Lord's supper, and that under the pain of Christ's highest displeasure, if they either neglected it, or performed it slightly; all sober people would reckon themselves obliged to attend it when they had the opportunity of doing so, and that with some awe and fear too. Object. IV. There is more slightness and for- mality amongst the communicants in those churches where the Lord's supper is frequently dispensed, than where it is seldom. Ans. 1. This is not generally true; for as there may be much slightness and formality in some places where it is but seldom dispensed, so there is much devotion and seriousness in other places where it is frequently administered. 2. The people's slightness in receiving, may proceed very much from the pastor's slightness in administrating. Were due pains taken to keep back the unworthy, to inform people of the great- ness of the work, to warn them of the danger of unworthy receiving, to observe fasts, preparation and thanksgiving days; to choose suitable texts, preach awakening doctrine, make particular appli- cation, and to fence the Lord's table with awful solemnity, perhaps there would not be such slight- ness among the people in receiving. Object. V. It will not be easy to get different texts and subjects suitable to such frequent com- munions. Ans. A crucified Jesus is a subject most suit- able, and one so large and copious as cannot be exhausted. The apostle, while he preached at Corinth, determined to know nothing among the people, but "Christ and him crucified," 1 Cor. ii. 2. He resolved to make this the great and con- stant subject of his sermons; and can any think it too much to preach upon this theme, twice, thrice, or four times a-year? 132 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. Certainly a crucified Jesus is the spring and scope, the matter and end, of all gospel-preach- ing. Every thing we say is reducible to him; and the design of all is to exalt him, who is the great founder of our religion, and the foundation of all our hopes: when we dehort from sins and vices, we do it mainly because they were the cause of Christ's sufferings, and tend to crucify him afresh: when we exhort to duty, we do it chiefly from this topic, that we should live to him that died for us: and that the love of Christ should constrain us to follow his pattern, and obey his precepts. We press duties as a necessary fruit of faith in Christ, and of love to him; and we teach, that they are only to be performed by his strength, and accepted through his merits. Nay, Christ crucified is the scope and substance of the whole Bible; "for to him give all the prophets witness," Acts x. 43. A crucified Christ is a subject so pleasant and so fertile, that we cannot be strained to preach directly thereupon many times a year, if we take a view of these things in him, viz. the infinite dig- nity and glory of his person; the perfections of God that shine in him ; the freeness and greatness of his love ; his eternal undertaking ; his glorious suretyship; his wonderful incarnation; his three- fold office, significant metaphors and types, whereby Christ and his benefits are represented; his manifold sweet relations to his people; his mediatory fulness; his deep humiliation; his inno- cent life: his holy example; his heavenly doctrine; his unparalleled sufferings ; his meritorious death ; his victorious resurrection; his triumphant ascen- sion; his prevalent intercession; his glorious com- ing again ; the excellency of that covenant he hath confirmed; the sufficiency of the sacrifice he hath offered; the necessity and completeness of the righteousness he hath wrought; the innumerable benefits of his death; the unsearchable riches of his grace; his exceeding great and precious pro- mises; the incomparable virtue of his blood; our union with him by faith; our adoption by relation to him; our justification by his merit; our sancti- fication by his Spirit; our fighting and conquering under his banner; our protection under his sha- dow; our bearing burdens by his grace; our per- forming duties by his strength; our holy walk in obedience to his injunctions; the thankfulness we owe to him in heart and life ; and the sweet com- munion believers have with him in duties and ordinances. Yea, we have blessings unspeakable, grace and glory, peace and pardon, light and life, strength and growth, riches and wisdom, joy and hope, perseverance in grace, comfort in affliction, conduct in life, throughbearing at death, resurrec- tion from the grave, absolution at the tribunal, happiness through eternity, and all things coming to us with and by a crucified Jesus. So that in this noble subject there is a perpetual plenty and variety of suitable matter for sacramental occa- sions. Object. VI. To administer the Lord's supper so frequently, would -occasion very much labour and toil to the administrators. Ans. 1. Did we dispense this sacrament more frequently, probably the labour and toil would be lessened; we might come to find our people habitually in a better case for that solemn ordin- ance than at present- generally they are; so that less pains in exciting, instructing, and preparing them for it, might be more successful than greater is now. 2. We have no cause to distrust our faithful and kind Lord, who doth not fail to give strength and furniture to his servants, as their needs require, according to his gracious promise, Deut. xxxiii. 25, " As thy days so shall thy strength be." We have experience hitherto of his pitying our weakness, supplying our wants, and helping us in time of need; so that we may assure our- selves that he will send none to warfare upon their own charges. 3. If we put the glory of our Master, the advantage of our people, and the increase of our reward in the balance with our labour, I hope we will not think it deserveth once to be men- tioned. Though we had no more to expect, it is a great reward in itself to be honoured to bring glory to our Redeemer, and to advance the sal- vation of immortal souls: and seeing the season of our capacity for either is so very short, with what cheerfulness should we bestir ourselves to ply that blessed work? What a pleasure would it be to see Christ in esteem, sin in disgrace, the world in contempt, and religion in prosperity amongst men ! Well then, would we contribute thereto in our station; would we have a lively remembrance of God, and Christ, and heaven, kept up in the world; would we have our people closely and constantly to bear in mind the evil of sin, the preciousness of immortal souls, the love of God to mankind-sinners, the death and sufferings of the Son of God in our room: let us frequently administer the Lord's supper in our congregations. Would we help the carelessness of our people's minds, and the weakness of their memories; would we give our hearers a compendious and affecting view of the Christian religion; would we bring them to have fresh and lasting impres- sions of its truths and doctrines; — I know no more effectual means for it: for, in this solemn ordin- ance, we have man's fall and disease, together with his recovery and remedy, set forth to the life; and that in such a way as makes impression on the outward senses, so that the eye may affect the heart. A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. 1S3 Would we have sin and vice kept under con- stant rebukes among our people, let us keep their eyes always fixed upon the bleeding wounds of a crucified Jesus: would we have them care- fully to maintain family religion, secret duties, and a holy, tender walk; let us constrain them to it by the love of a dying Jesus, frequently set before their eyes in this ordinance. This, through the divine blessing, would be an excellent means and help to carry about with us always the dying of the Lord Jesus, and to make the print of his wounds deep and lasting on our hearts. If we duly ponder these things, I hope it will appear that the advantage of the frequent cele- bration of the Lord's supper will abundantly recompense our small toil and pains. Object. VII. The unworthiness of the people is a great discouragement to the frequent cele- bration of the Lord's supper among them : ice have but few that are in any measure Jit to he admitted to it. Ans. 1. If this reason were valid, it would con- clude as strongly against the dispensing of this ordinance at all, as against the frequency of it: and we know an argument that would prove too much proves nothing. 2. I know many are unworthy, but all are not alike; and the unfitness of many cannot excuse us from administrating to those that are in some measure fit. As it is a sin for parents to keep back from their children their due and necessary food, because of some unworthy persons that are in the family; so it is a sin for pastors to with- hold the soul-nourishing meal from those of their people that have a right to it: for, though not a few slight and abuse it, yet there are others hun- gry and needful of it; and these ought not to be denied the advantage of frequent partaking, for the fault of their neighbours. It is the saying of one, that we find fault upon good ground with the papists for denying one of the elements to the people : and how can we jus- tify those that deny both elements to their people, at least for a long time? 3. Though the number of our communicants be small, that should not discourage us from our duty; for the divine blessing is not tied to num- bers. God did own the institution of the pass- over, though there were but few that eat it together; and our blessed Saviour had but a small number that did partake with him at the first communion: but, for our encouragement in that case, he graciously promiseth, that " where two or three are met together in his name, he will own them with his presence and blessing." Object. VIII. To administrate this sacrament so frequently as before-mentioned, would require considerable expenses to furnish communion ele- ments, and otherwise; and -we hove no sufficient fund for that charge. Ans. 1. Though we should be put to more charge this way than formerly, I hope no faith- ful minister will say, that this consideration should be laid in balance with the glory of God, and good of souls ; we should all be willing to spend and be spent for Christ: and whatever we expend of our private goods this way, is surely lent to the Lord, who will repay it. 2. The law provides a fund in every parish for such expenses; and, where it is not settled, our judges are very favourable to the church, and give a liberal allowance to such ministers as apply for it : and, no doubt, if the sacrament were more frequently celebrated, they would not grudge to augment the fund, when it is not sufficient. 3. If a sufficient fund cannot be had otherwise, let collections be made in parishes for defraying this charge, as Eusebius tells us was done by the primitive Christians in this case; and surely there is no honest-hearted Christian or com- municant but would contribute liberally for that effect, rather than the Lord's work should bo hindered. Lastly, We may see from the old act3 of assembly, that the General Assembly, 1638, had this very objection under their consideration, and declareth that the charges should rather be paid out of that day's collection, than that the congregation want the more frequent use of the sacrament. But I hope the General Assemblies of this church will in due time take this and other objections under further consideration, pro- vide effectual answers and remedies thereunto; so that this solemn ordinance shall be more fre- quently celebrated amongst us than it is at present : and I wish all may pray fervently, that, together with the foresaid laudable practice, some- thing of the warm love and zeal of the ancient Christians may be happily revived in our land. Before I conclude this preface, there is another thing I would advertise the reader, that in the following treatise I have endeavoured to keep by the form of sound words in use amongst us, avoiding both the extremes of Antinomianism and Legalism, seeing the principles of this church guide us equally to avoid both the one and the other. And it must be acknowledged, that it is not easy to shun these extremes; for people commonly, when their zeal is excited against one extreme, are in great hazard of sliding insensibly into the other. And indeed, not only fools, but some of the greatest and wisest of men, have erred in this respect: it was Mr. Baxter's zeal and great keenness against Antinomianism, that drove him to some rash and dangerous assertions on the other side. And this should be a warning to us, always to take heed to ourselves, and be 134 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. careful to guard on all sides; for we are still in hazard this way, and especially when things come to warm disputations with us. It is possihle that some who preach the gos- pel, may pick out some of the glorious truths thereof; such as "the freedom of grace in the salvation of sinners, our justification by the righte- ousness of Jesus Christ as our surety, the excel- lency of faith in Christ, the privileges of the covenant, and blessings of Christ's purchase," and may make these truths almost the only subject of their preaching; and yet, perhaps, manage them so unhappily as not to lead people to study regeneration of heart, holiness of life, abhorrence of sin, tenderness of walk, and the conscientious practice of all commanded duties. And surely in this way of doing they in great measure miss the design of our Saviour's incarnation, and the end of the doctrine of grace, which is " to destroy the works of the devil, and to teach men to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world." On the other hand, it is as possible that others may insist very much in enforcing morality, and make very fine rational harangues of its excel- lency; and yet make little use of gospel motives to press it, and be at little pains to show the gospel principles from whence it must proceed. Likewise they may preach against vice and immorality, and warn people of the evil of it; and yet take up but little time to teach them concerning the root and spring of vice (viz. our fall in Adam, and the corruption of our natures), and the necessity of an inward change by a work of regeneration, for healing of the inward disease and plague of the heart. Also they may press holy duties very much, and yet make little men- tion of the true fountain and source of holiness (viz. our union with Christ by faith, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost), and speak little of the necessity of Christ's blood to wash our per- formances. Now both these extremes, in the way of preaching, are equally to be avoided. It is a prevailing conceit among many, that there is no more requisite to make a man a Christian than morality, or a blameless walk before men. Morality indeed is a very comely thing, and most necessary both to beautify and preserve human societies; and therefore it is to be wished that there were much more of it in the world than we see there is, and every preacher of the gospel ought strongly to recom- mend the practice of it ; but yet it is certain that morality is not sufficient to make a man a Chris- tian, seeing it hath been found in heathens, and those that were ignorant of Christ, and the way of salvation through faith in him. Christianity indeed doth enforce morality and moral virtues by the strongest motives and argu- ments; but in the mean time it teacheth us that these virtues are never good and acceptable to God, until they be the fruit of the Spirit's opera- tion, and spring from their proper principles, faith in Christ, and love to him: they must be grafted in Christ as their root, have a new prin- ciple to quicken them, and a new end to direct them, before moral virtues can commence Chris- tian graces. Unregenerate morality will never please God: let men advance it never so far, yet, till the heart be renewed, it is still but nature at best; and the fruit is always sour that grows not upon the root, Christ : it can never be acceptable unto God, while Christ's strength and Spirit is not sought and employed in it, nor his righteous- ness to cover it. So that there is a great differ- ence betwixt morality and gospel holiness. A moral man, then, though he profess him- self a Christian, yet he really is not so, if he lives not as one that looks for and receives daily influ- ences from Christ; if he hath not Christ still in his undertakings, duties, and affections, and be not saying, " How empty and vain are all my duties without Christ! yea, though 1 could do never so much, I should be utterly lost and undone, if it were not for Christ my surety, and his righteousness. I count all but loss and dung, that I may be found in him." This church a good many years ago manifested much zeal against Antinomianism, and doctrines which seemed to tend that way: and surely it is incumbent upon all churches to watch and take care that the obligations of Christians to holiness and good works, and to all kinds of duties, both of the first and second table, should never be in the least weakened, by the preachers of the gos- pel, under the specious pretext of exalting free grace; seeing free grace and strict holiness nobly consist together. Again, on the other hand, it should equally be the church's concern to labour to prevent the spreading of legalism, or the preaching of moral- ity and the practice of duties in a legal strain ; that is, in a way tending to the neglect of Christ and his righteousness, or to the disparagement of the doctrine of free grace. It was the flagrant reports of the abounding of that sort of moral preaching, especially among younger clergymen, that occasioned the bringing in an overture to the General Assembly, 1726, for an act to discourage the same, and to direct to the right method of preaching Christ, and how to preach morality in an evangelical strain. But, though endeavours were used by several to get this overture turned into an act, it was hindered by some leading men, lest it should reflect upon the characters of some preachers to whom they had respect : so that an act of this kind could never be got brought to a bear- ing until the Assembly, 1737: and then those who A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. 135 were most zealous to promote the act, in order to get it the more unanimously agreed to, were fain to drop out of its preamble the true cause of making it, namely, the abounding of legal preach- ing in the land, or of a wrong strain of preaching the gospel. But, notwithstanding of this, the act itself is of excellent use, if duly regarded and put in execution; and without this the best acts in the world signify nothing. O that I could persuade all ministers and preachers of the gospel to consider and observe the foresaid act ! It would surely fare the better, both with them- selves and their hearers: and if no more may be done for that purpose, let me at least use some means to get the act made known to them, by transcribing it in this place. Til. ACT CONCERNING PREACHING. " Edinburgh, May 21, 1736, Sess. 8. "The General Assembly being moved with zeal for the honour of God and our Lord Jesus Christ, especially at a time when the Christian revelation is openly impugned, and infidelity, deism, and other errors, do so much prevail : they do hereby recommend to all ministers and preachers, seriously to consider and observe the directory of this church concerning the preaching of the word, which is approved by the General Assembly, 1645: and, in particular, that they be careful to warn their hearers against any thing tending to Atheism, Deism, Arianism, Socinian- ism, Arminianism, Bourignianism, Popery, Super- stition, Antinomianism, or any other errors. And that, in their sermons, they insist frequently upon the truth, necessity, and excellency of super- natural revelation, the supreme deity of the Son and Holy Ghost, as well as of the Father; together with the oneness of the Godhead, our sinful and lost estate by nature, the necessity of supernatural grace, and of faith in the righteous- ness of Christ, without which the best works cannot please God: and that they make it the great scope of their sermons, to lead sinners from a covenant of works to a covenant of grace for life and salvation, and from sin and self to precious Christ. And the General Assembly recommends to all who preach the gospel, when they handle the doctrines of God's redeeming love, and of his free grace in the justification and salvation of sinners, the blessings of the Redeemer's purchase, and privileges of the new and better covenant, to study to manage these subjects, so as to lead their hearers unto an abhorrence of sin, the love of God and our neighbours, and the practice of universal holiness; seeing it is one great end of the gospel to destroy the works of the devil, and to teach men to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. Upon which account, it is incumbent on all who preach the gospel to insist, not only upon the necessity and excellency of faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, but also upon the necessity of repentance for sin, and reformation from it; and to press the practice of all moral duties, both with respect to the first and second table of the law, as indispensably necessary, in obedience to God's command, to tes- tify our gratitude to him, to evidence the sincerity of our faith, and for the benefit of human society, the adorning the profession of religion, and making us meet for eternal life, seeing without holiness no man can see the Lord. " And the Assembly do seriously recommend to all ministers and preachers of the gospel, that in pressing moral duties, or obedience to the law, they show the nature and excellency of gospel holiness, and enforce conformity to the moral law, both in heart and life, not from principles of reason only, but also and more especially of reve- lation. And, in order to attain thereto, it is necessary to show men the corruption and depravity of human nature by their fall in Adam, their natural impotence for, and aversion to, what is spiritually good, and to lead them to the true and only source of all grace and holiness, viz. union with Christ, by the Holy Spirit's working faith in us, and renewing us more and more after the image of God : and to let their hearers know, that they must first be grafted into Christ as their root, before their fruit can be savoury unto God; that they must have a new principle to animate and a new end to direct them, before their actions become gracious and acceptable in the sight of God: and that they teach them the necessity of living by faith on the Son of God, in a constant looking to and dependence upon him as the great Author of all gracious influences for the performance of every duty : and withal, that after their best performances and attain- ments, they must count them but loss and dung in point of justification before God ; and to make it their great desire only to be found in Christ and his righteousness. And that ministers, in the application of their sermons, endeavour rightly to divide the word of truth, speaking distinctly to such various cases of the converted and uncon- verted, as arise natively from the subjects they have been handling; and that, in the whole of their discourses, they take care to suit themselves to the capacity of their hearers, as to matter, method, and expression; and to the prevailing sins of the time and place, with all prudent and zealous freedom and plainness : as also, that they make gospel subjects their main theme and study, and press with all earnestness the practice of moral duties in a gospel manner: and that they forbear delivering any thing in public, that may tend more to amusement than edification ; and beware of bringing into their sermons and public 136 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. discourses, matters of doubtful disputation, which tend to gender strife rather than to promote the edification of Christians. And the assembly exhort all to study to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. "And, finally, the General Assembly recom- mends to all professors of divinity, to use their best endeavours to have the students under their care well acquainted with the true method of preaching the gospel, as above directed; and that presbyteries, at their private censures, inquire con- cerning the observation of this act." Now, blessed be the Lord that there is such a public act in record, as a standing witness for Christ in the midst of all our backslidings and defections: may God put it in the hearts of all who preach the gospel among us, to observe the directions of it; that the scope and tendency of their sermons may still be to exalt Christ, and raise him above all in the business in our salva- tion; to press the doctrine of regeneration and the new birth; to preach up justification by Christ's righteousness alone, apprehended by faith, and the necessity of the inward operations of the Holy Spirit, which Christ hath purchased and promised for -working that faith in us, and for bringing about the gracious change of the new birth, and carrying on a work of sanctification in lis, and for enabling us to live the spiritual life ! This being the scope of the act, happy were it for the land if it were also the main scope of our sermons. But, after all, if professors of divinity do not their part in training up students according to it, and if presbyteries do not theirs in calling to account those who do not observe the act, the church will not reap much benefit by it, as I fear she hath not yet done: for, if she had, "what meaneth the bleating of the sheep," and "the lowing of the oxen," which we still hear? what means the mur- muring of serious Christians from several corners, for want of the proper food of their souls? what mean the continued complaints of the growth of deism and infidelity through the land ? It is a just observe, that when moral preaching in a Christless way doth much abound, it makes way for the increase of deism and infidelity; for when persons do long hear moral sermons, and little of Christ in them, or the peculiar doctrines of Chris- tianity, they are tempted to think there is but little difference between them and the discourses of Seneca and other heathen moralists; and there- fore, that they may bo safe enough, and win to heaven, without Christianity at all, and that every moral man is a good enough Christian. Oh! this is a fundamental defection, of most heinous guilt; it is a God- provoking and unchurch- ing evil, which all the ministers and lovers of Christ should be deeply concerned about: for if we suffer ourselves and others to fall from our regard and love to glorious Christ, neglect to exalt him in our sermons, and to preach salvation to men only through Christ's suretyship and sacrifice, and to tell the world, and inculcate it daily upon them, that this, and this only, is the way for them to obtain pardon, peace, grace, glory, and every good thing; I say, if we turn careless and negligent in what so nearly concerns Christ's glory, and our own office as Christian preachers, may he not justly plead a controversy with our church, smite us with the most awful judgments, suffer a flood of infidelity, error, and profanity, to invade us, withdraw his Spirit from ordinances and judicatories, infatuate our councils and conduct, mingle a perverse spirit in the midst of us, and give us up to the most unnatural divi- sions and mournful breaches among ourselves? Ah, how much is this the case with us at this day! And no wonder, seeing Christ's glory is so little minded, notwithstanding of the foresaid excellent act of assembly, and many other good acts, that are sadly neglected this day by minis- ters and preachers among us. And how can wo expect that any individual man should pay regard to them, and particularly to the 7th act of assem- bly 1736, concerning preaching, when he sees whole judicatories pay no respect to the 1 4th act of that assembly against intrusions, nor to the 1 Oth act of assembly 1712, and the Oth act of assembly 1715, concerning the usurpation of patronage upon the church, and her right of calling her own ministers; which acts are conform to other ancient acts of this church and to our reformation princi- ples declared in "Second Book of Discipline" (see chap. 3, par. 4, 5, chap. 12, par. 9, 10,) and which are sworn to in our national covenant, and ratified by many acts both of church and state? Now, how strange and surprising is it, to see men deliberately going contrary to these excellent acts and deeds of the church, both ancient and modern (which are well founded upon the word of God and sound reason), by drawing on the yoke of patronage upon the church without neces- sity, voluntarily strengthening the hands of patrons in their spiritual tyranny, and encouraging men in that vile church-breaking and soul-destroying practice of accepting presentations (which no law requires), and adhering to them in opposi- tion to the people's choice? and yet this way is continued, even after conviction, by long dear- bought experience of the pernicious effect of it. I well remember the time (yea, it is not above twenty years ago) when it was thought to be the universal opinion, that accepting of presentations was inconsistent with Presbyterian principles, and the rights and rules of this church, which we are solemnly engaged to maintain by our form ula 1711, and otherwise: at that time, presentation- A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. 137 hunters among Presbyterians would have appeared as monsters, and their society frightful; but now, alas ! they are become tame and familiar creatures to us. It is this woeful practice, together with the itch of pleasing great men, that hath of late been the great snare to draw in judicatories to go across to our declared principles maintained in this church ever since the reformation (which we should have firmly cleaved to, and never declined from in any case), by making intrusions and vio- lent settlements in Christian congregations, to the ruin, alas ! of the glorious gospel, and of precious souls therein: and upon that account alone, though we had no acts nor declared principles against intrusions, it is astonishing to think how any man, that hath the glory of his Master and the saving of souls at heart, should ever concur in a violent settlement that is manifestly destructive to both. That is an awful threatening to ministers, Jer. xxiii., "Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, saith the Lord :" and yet, notwithstanding, we see many, who go under the character of wise men, still per- sisting in that miserable infatuation and destruc- tive course, driving multitudes of hearty friends and serious Christians out of the church, and never gaining any to it of those they intend to gratify ; yet acting as if they were joined in conspiracy against the Commons of Scotland, and were car- rying on a plot to strengthen the secession from the church. But let me tell these wise brethren, if our conventions and parliaments had paid so little regard to the inclinations of the people of Scotland, as our judicatories do now, we would not have had these courts at this day to sit in. I shall not insist here upon this melancholy subject, having said so much on it elsewhere ; only let me add this word, if leading men go on in these methods, though they may enjoy their ease, power, and preferments, for a while; yet upon their grave- stones it is too likely it may be written, " Here lie the men who destroyed the most beautiful national church and constitution that was in the world." But, alas! we have cause not only to lament our .departing from reformation-principles, and weakening the establishment, but also our shame- ful defection from vital and practical religion. The power of godliness is at a very low ebb among us, and little of God's Spirit is to be found in our administrations: God is angry, and threat- ens to cast us off. Ah! great ground have we to bewail our mournful case, and cry with the pro- phet, under the fearful tokens of God's anger, Jer. xiv; Lam. v., "Hast thou latterly rejected Judah? Hath thy soul loathed Zion? Why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, and there is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold trouble. We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers : for we have sinned against thee. Do not abhor us, for thy name's sake? do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us. The anger of the Lord hath divided us. The crown hath fallen from our head: woe unto us that we have sinned. Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, forsake us so long time? Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned: renew our days as of old." There are many other passages in Jeremiah's writings very suit- able to our present case, such as Jer. xii. 10, 11, " Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. They have made it desolate, and, being desolate, it mourneth unto me." Well, what can the sons of Zion do for their mother in such distress? They must even bring her case to the Physician of Israel, when it is wholly desperate and incur- able as to human help, and cry, as in Psal. Ix. 1 1 , "O God, give us help from trouble; for vain is the help of man." Let us fall in with Christ's call to the man with the lunatic child, whom his disciples could not cure, Mat. xvii. Bring him hither to me, saith our Lord. Let us bring the case to Christ, when it is desperate and incurable by all others. The church's extremity is Christ's opportunity : he can help her, even then when all her friends are going with their hands on their loins in the greatest anguish and trouble; accord- ing to that word, Jer. xxx. 6, 7, "Wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas ! for that day is great, so that none is like it; it is even the time of Jacob's trou- ble." Yet even then, when Jacob's trouble comes to that extremity that none can match it, the Lord pities and adds that word, "But he shall be saved out of it." A matchless trouble cannot nonplus his saving skill. Now, how doth he save Jacob out of such extremities? Not by human might or power, but by his own Spirit, Zech. iv. 6. O that God would help all Zion's friends to plead with him for an out-pouring of his Spirit upon ministers, preachers, students, and all ranks, for saving his covenanted land out of extreme darkness, and reviving primitive Chris- tianity among us! This, and nothing else, will do it. O that he would speak such a comfort- able word to Scotland, as that he said to the Jews when their state was low, Hag. ii. 5, "According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my Spirit remaineth among you." Fear ye not ! He hath remembered his covenant with Scotland in former times, and surprised our fathers with gracious effusions of his Spirit : let us steadily look up to 138 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. him, who hath still bowels of pity, and can help us as well as others in distress. We have heard of the wonderful goodness of the Lord of late, in pitying other nations and countries, when under great darkness, deadness, and distress, by sending down his Spirit to revive his work among them in an extraordinary man- ner, which may be ground of hope to others. How glorious was the appearance of his sovereign grace about eight or nine years ago in Saltzburg in Germany, in determining about twenty thou- sand of the inhabitants to embrace the reformed religion, merely by reading of the bible; yea, and to become so zealous for it, as to be willing to forsake houses, lands, temporal goods, and relations, and all they had in the world, that they might enjoy the preaching of the gospel. How marvellously did he display the riches of his grace, and the work of his Spirit, in the won- derful conversions of great numbers in Nor- thampton, and other parts of New England, by the ministry of Mr. Jonathan Edwards, and others in that country, about five or six years ago, of which we had a well attested narrative published among us? Nay, within these two years we have most surprising accounts of the goings of our God, and the effusions of his Spirit on several places of Old England and Wales, our neighbouring countries, where, by the ministry of Mr. George Whitfield, Mr. John AVesley, and others (who insist mainly on the doctrine of the new birth, and justification by faith in Christ), great numbers, even of the most profligate, are convinced and pricked in their hearts, and brought to cry out, " What shall we do to be saved?" Which extraordinary work I hear doth still continue in divers places of England. And this very same year we have the like accounts from Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and other of the English plantations in America, by the ministry of Mr. Whitfield and others. Likewise, we have very strange accounts of the success of the gospel in many dif- ferent parts of the world, even among the heathens, by Count Zinzendorf, bishop of the Moravian church, and his missionaries. Verily these good news which we now hear, of God's glorious appearances in the gospel, look as if God was about to accomplish his promises to his church in the latter days, "when the whole earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord." O how refreshing are the remotest dawnings of the glory of these days? Also, they serve to teach us how easy it is for God to rise up, when he pleaseth, for the revival of his work in decayed churches, when their case seems to be very hopeless. How easy it is for him to raise up instruments to preach his gospel with such life and power, as to awaken whole towns and countries of sleepy sinners together to hearken to the gospel call? He can make a nation to be born at once; which should encour- age us to wait on him still. And now, when our blessed Lord is graciously pleased to mount his white horse, as king of Zion, and make his cir- cuit in other countries, to give such evidences of his glorious power, and send down pleasant showers of his grace among them, and make many to bow down at his feet : may we not hope that he hath a great work on the wheels, and is on his march to go through his church in a con- quering manner, to confound deists and infidels, and quell the daring boldness of his adversaries ? And, in that case, may not Scotland look for a visit from him among the rest, and even plead that ancient kindness may revive towards it ? May we not draw hope from the second Psalm, and other scripture passages, where God promiseth to " give his son the uttermost parts of the earth for a possession; and that the isles shall see his salvation, and wait for his law," among which places Scotland certainly is ? And though it be a land that is little and despised among the nations, yet he, whose thoughts are not like man's thoughts, has showed a distinguishing respect to it, by his early sending the gospel to it; and, when overspread with darkness, promoting refor- mation in it against both the power of the mighty and counsels of the crafty; nay, advancing refor- mation so far, and making gospel light so clear and powerful in it, by the remarkable down- pouring of his Spirit, that Scotland was noticed by divines of other places, and called " Phila- delphia," and the " morning-star of the reforma- tion." Nay, he took Scotland into covenant with himself in a peculiar manner, and gave singular tokens of his presence with his people: he hath wonderfully appeared for the interests of religion, when almost sunk in it: he hath raised up savi- ours on our mount Zion, and brought about great deliverances for it (as for Israel of old) when grievously oppressed and brought low. And, from these ancient and peculiar proofs of our Redeemer's care, may we not humbly hope that he will not leave the land that is given him by his father, and solemnly devoted to him by its inhabitants? Our decays and backslidings from God, indeed, are very great, fearful, and threatening; yet, he hath still left a mourning and praying remnant in the land, who are sensible of the want of his Spirit and presence in ordinances, desire to lament after the Lord, and cry for all the abominations that are found in the midst of the city : and though her desolations are mournful, the breaches in her walls many, and the glory of the Lord is gone up from the cherub; yet it seems still to A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. 139 hover and stand over the threshold of the door, and there is a remnant among us wrestling and pleading against his departure. There is a num- ber who take pleasure in our Zion, have a kind- ness for her stones and rubbish, and cease not to lift up a prayer for the remnant that is left: and we see gracious promises made to the prayers and tears, wrestlings and witnessings, of a small godly remnant, Psal. xii. 5; cii. 13, 14, 17. Alas, that this remnant in our land is so sadly broken and divided in the way and manner of their witnessings at this day! O that the meek Jesus, who rules in Zion, would meeken all their hearts, save from a spirit of bitterness, and from dangerous extremes in separating from one another ! O that the God of peace, that hath the command of hearts, would unite his broken rem- nant together, give them a Christ-like spirit, and make them one stick in his hand ! It is nowise difficult to him to accomplish this union, even when the case is most hopeless in our eyes, and instruments to meditate for healing breaches are out of sight. Let us remember and plead that promise, Jer. xxx. 17, " For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord, because they have called thee an outcast, saying, This is Zion whom no man seek- eth after." Many of God's worthies, now in glory, have gone off the stage in the belief and hope that God would yet arise and have mercy on his Zion, that he would signally build her up, and appear in his glory; yea, that there would be more glorious gospel days seen in Scotland than either we or our fathers have beheld. Surely these considerations may encourage God's rem- nant in Scotland, to wait and pray in hope, how- ever dark and cloudy our day be at present. In the mean time, let us rejoice and bless the Lord, that he is pleased to pour out his Spirit, make bare his holy arm, and glorify his power in other parts of the world, yea, and get himself a great name amongst those that have not known him, whatever he doth with us: may his right hand and holy arm get him the victory among them more and more, that we may hear gospel songs from the uttermost parts of the earth ! Likewise, let us mourn for those sins, both old and late, which provoke God to make our hea- vens as brass, and to withhold those pleasant showers from us he is letting fall upon others: and let us plead that Scotland, which formerly was the glory of all lands for the effusions of the Spirit, may not now be past by and left behind all others. O let her fleece be dry, when many others have their fleeces wet; and, when they are getting abundance of rain, may we have a little cloud appearing like a man's hand to prognosti- cate a shower is coming! May the Lord rise up from his place, and come mercifully to decide the quarrel between deists and us; and let infidels, and the profane scoffers of these last days, see that the bible is the word of God, and that the preaching of it is his institution; that there is a supernatural power attending it, for changing men's hearts as well as fives! May fie let the world see it is not fine moral harangues, nor the enticing words of men's wisdom, but the plain preaching of a crucified Jesus, is the only remedy for lost sinners, that becomes the power of God to the conversion and salvation of men! But some have their questions, " By whom shall Jacob arise? will he show wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise him?" These, indeed, are non-plussing difficulties to us, but none at all to him who raiseth the dead, and calleth the things which be not, as though they were. He hath still spirit and clay enough for new instruments; yea, he can make strangers build up his walls, and the greatest enemies become zealous for his glory. And, however unlikely the appearance of things may be at present, both scripture and experience assure us, that the time of God's people's extremity (as I said before) is his usual season of appearing for them; " it is in the mount that the Lord will be seen:" so may the text be rendered, Gen. xxii. 14. God did not appear any way for Isaac's deliverance all the three days' journey he made with his father, till he came to the top of the mount, and was just ready to be sacrificed: neither did he interpose for the Jews in Esther's time, until the decree was past, and day fixed, and but a hair-breadth betwixt them and ruin; then God steps in, and posts are instantly dis- patched to stop the execution. Thus the Lord acts agreeably to his promise, Deut. xxxii. 36, " For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and that there is none shut up or left." Here, then, is food for faith and prayer in the most straitening times. O for grace to pray in hope, mourn in hope, labour in hope, and wait in hope, seeing our dearest Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who is our hope, is gone up, and sits at the helm ! O when shall the power of this great Lord be present to heal us! Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen. Dundee, September 30. 1740. 140 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. INTEODUCTION. It being our great business in tbe world to pro- mote God's glory and our own salvation, and, in order thereto, to seek acquaintance with and secure an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ (the sole mediator betwixt God and men), and also to labour for the comfortable persuasion and assurance of this interest; it hath pleased God, for our assistance in this matter, graciously to prescribe to us the use of several outward means, as the word, sacraments, and prayer, and also to promise the inward influences of his Holy Spirit, for making these means effectual for the ends foresaid, to such as conscientiously attend and use them. The sacrament of the Lord's supper, one of these means, being instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, as a bright representation and compend of the whole Christian religion, and an ordinance nobly adapted for carrying on the ends of God's glory, and our souls' salvation, and particularly for clearing up our interest in Christ, and improv- ing our acquaintance with him; it highly con- cerns every Christian to make conscience of attending in a due and suitable manner. I have elsewhere shown that the Lord's day is of divine appointment, and the celebration of the Lord's supper is the proper work of this day, and one special design of its first institution. Now, if ordinary Sabbaths require great dili- gence and care in our preparing for them, and improving of them; much more do communion Sabbaths, which are solemn and high days, and, in a special manner, days of the Son of man; these being times wherein we make near approaches unto God, and he makes most near approaches unto us; and so may be called days of heaven upon earth; for they eminently repre- sent the employments and enjoyments of the glorified saints in heaven; and, by the right improvement of them, we come to be prepared for living amongst that blessed company. It is, then, our great duty and interest, carefully to make ready for these Sabbaths when they draw nigh, and to improve every hour and minute of them with the greatest diligence, when they actually come. The subject of the Lord's supper is pretty fully handled in my Sacramental Catechism, both in a doctrinal and casuistic manner And, seeing it is needless to repeat what is there written, I must refer my reader to it, for a more full expli- cation of several things relating to this ordinance than what is here to be expected; seeing I mainly design in this treatise to give practical directions for the right improvement of communion-sabbaths. The subject is still very large and copious, after all that hath been said and written upon it; and there is room for much more. What I here intend may be comprehended under the three following heads : I. Directions how to prepare for a communion- sabbath before it come. II. How to spend it when it is come. III. How to behave ourselves when it is over. CHAP. I. CONTAINING DIRECTIONS HOW TO PREPARE FOR A COMMU- NION-SABBATH. DIRECT. I. — CAREFULLY ENDEAVOUR AND STUDY TO HAVE A JUST AND RIGHT UPTAKING OF THE NATURE, ENDS, AND USES OF THE LORD'S SUPPER; AND THE WORK OF COMMU- NICATING WHILE AT THE LORD'S TABLE. There are many who having wrong notions of this ordinance, greatly mistake the ends and designs of it, and therefore cannot rightly par- take of it: but, if we would be worthy commu- nicants, we must seriously ponder and rightly understand the nature and ends of this solemn institution of our Lord Jesus Christ, that so we may approach his table with distinct uptakings of our works and business there. This ordinance was not instituted to turn bread and wine into the true body and blood of Christ, for people to worship it; nor to sacrifice Christ again to the Father to be a propitiation for the sins of the quick and the dead, as the papists absurdly affirm. Neither was it appointed to make atonement for former sins, to purchase a remission, and insure heaven to us opere operate, as some ignorant people do imagine. Nor was it designed to cloak some wicked practices, or maintain a good name among men, or any other worldly end, as hypocrites intend. But it is appointed by our great Lord and Saviour, as a visible representation and commemoration of his death and sufferings for his people, till he come again to judge the world. And, in obedience to his command, all his people ought to come to his table, to celebrate this ordinance; and, while partaking of the outward symbols of bread and wine, they are believingly and thankfully to remember Jesus Christ, and his dying love; and also to receive and embrace him, as their bleeding A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. 141 high priest, into the arms of their faith, apply his benefits, rest upon his merits, seal a covenant with him, look upon him whom they have pierced, with a mourning heart, and a solemn resolve to pierce him no more. This is a short account of the nature of this sacrament, and of the works of communicating. But, in order to give a more full and distinct view of this great and solemn ordinance, we may con- sider and take it up under these several respects following: I. As a peculiar sign and distinguishing badge of the Christian church from the infidel world, and a visible token, that we profess and own a crucified Jesus for our Redeemer and Saviour, and that we depend only upon his death, and the merit of his blood, for the remission of our sins, and our reconciliation with God. II. As a lively representation and memorial of Christ crucified, and the inestimable purchase of his death. This sacrament is a compendious map of the gospel, and a visible preaching of Jesus Christ. The word preached holds him forth to the ear; but this sacrament represents him to the eye, and, in a lively way, displays his redeeming love, his mighty acts, and unparalleled sufferings for lost sinners. This ordinance is a lasting public monument to the world, of Christ's glorious vic- tories and triumphs, as the Captain of our salva- tion; of his vanquishing death and hell, his spoil- ing principalities and powers, and his obtaining peace for us. Likewise, we are to look upon it as a sure pledge of Christ's second coming, and a taste of the new wine which believers will eter- nally drink with him in hi3 Father's kingdom. III. As a special mean appointed by God for our spiritual advantage; namely, for the weaken- ing of corruption, and the strengthening of grace. The death of our glorious Redeemer, represented in this ordinance, gives such a discovery of sin to the believer as makes his soul abhor it. And God blesseth it as a mean to excite and quicken the graces of repentance, faith, love, hope, joy, and thankfulness, in believers; by giving them something of a clearer view of the attributes of God, than they had before; as of his wisdom in the contrivance of our redemption by Jesus Christ, and his suretyship for us; of his mercy, love, and compassion, in sparing poor, guilty, and hell-deserving sinners, such as we are; of his justice and holiness, in punishing sin in such a manner, yea, rather punishing it in his own Son, than suffering it to go unpunished ; of his veracity and faithfulness, in accomplishing the Old Testa- ment types and prophecies, and confirming the covenant of grace with the mercies therein pro- mised, by the death of Jesus Christ. IV. As a great feast, wherein Christ holds communion and fellowship with his people, and richly entertains them. This sacrament is the supper of the great God: the feast-maker is God the Father, the provision God the Son, whose flesh is meat indeed, and whose blood is drink in- deed: the guests are a company of poor unworthy sinners, for whom the crumbs beneath the table are too good; yet to such doth God give kindly wel- come, saying, "Eat, O friends; drink," &c. Cant. v. 1. A strange feast! Christ is both the maker and matter of it, the feeder and the food, the giver and the gift ! O what noble provision is Christ's flesh and blood to the soul ! John vi. 55. As bread and wine afford strength, comfort, and nourishment to the body; so the flesh and blood of Christ, received here by faith, do yield the same to the soul. How great is the variety of heavenly dainties presented to us in this feast! viz. pardon of sin, reconciliation with God, and adoption into his family, peace of conscience, spiritual strength, increase of grace, the precious promises of the covenant, the gracious presence of Christ, the smiles of his countenance, the comfort and quick- ening influences of his Spirit. O what rare and delicious dishes are these for hungry souls! O for appetites for the full feast which Christ doth furnish us in this wilderness. V. "We ought to view this ordinance as the solemn sealing and confirming of a covenant betwixt God and us. This sacrament is one of the seals of the covenant of grace which God makes with believers in Christ; and by it he gives them sasine and infeftment of all the bene- fits of the covenant, and of the glorious inherit- ance purchased for them by Christ. It was usual for people in eastern countries to ratify their covenants by eating and drinking together; so did Isaac and Abimelech, Jacob and Laban, &c. Gen. xxvi. xxxi; 2 Sam. hi. This sacra- ment is a covenanting feast, wherein a bargain is solemnly ratified and sealed betwixt God and us. God's exhibiting the elements to us, is a seal of the covenant, on God's part, that he will be our God, and doth freely give us his Son with all his purchase, and will fulfil his promises to us in him: our taking the elements is a seal on our part, of our accepting of Jesus Christ upon the terms of grace, our engaging to be his people, and that we will, in his strength, perform all the duties required of us. Here Christ gives us his body and blood to save us, and here we give our souls and bodies to serve him. VI. As a solemn military oath, whereby we bind ourselves to be true and faithful soldiers to Jesus Christ, our Captain and General in the spiritual warfare. For the word sacrament, according to its ancient use among the Romans (from whom it is borrowed), doth import so much. Let communicants then consider what they do at the Lord's table. You do most publicly, before men 142 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. and angels, swear allegiance to the King of heaven, over the broken body and shed blood of the Son of God. Now, if the dust of Christ's ministers' feet will be a witness against the slighters of his gospel, and cry for vengeance on them; surely Christ's body and blood will be a more terrible witness against perfidious communicants. Nay, the oath you here swear is not an ordinary one, but an oath attended with solemn imprecations. When ye transact with God in this sacrament, you do on the matter say, "If we be in league with sin and Satan, while we are professing to give ourselves away to the Lord ; then let that wrath, which Christ suffered, fall upon us : and as certainly as we crumble the sacramental bread betwixt our teeth, let the mill-stone of God's wrath grind us to powder; and as we drink the sacramental cup here, so let us drink the cup of God's unmixed wrath eternally, if we deal falsely with God in this covenant." And thus we see how unworthy communicants and dissemblers with God, "eat and drink judgment to them- selves," with a witness. VII. We should take up this sacrament, not only as a feast of love betwixt Christ and believ- ers, but also as a bond of mutual love and unity among believers themselves. As this feast of love is a remembrance of the greatest love that ever was manifested, viz. of Christ's dying love to sinners; so it is an excel- lent mean for procuring and advancing unity and love among the saints and servants of God. It is a mean, not only of uniting believers more firmly to Christ, their head, but also of uniting and endearing the members of his mystical body to one another. Let us view the Lord's supper in the fore- said seven respects, that we may see what a weighty ordinance it is, and have some distinct uptakings of it3 nature and ends, before we approach to it. DIREC1. II. — BE FIRMLY PERSUADED, THAT PARTAKING OF THE LORD'S SUPPER IS A MOST NECESSARY DUTY; AND THE NEGLECTING OF IT IS A VERY GREAT SIN. That communicating is a necessary duty in- cumbent upon us, and not a matter of indifference which we may do, or not do, as we think fit, will appear from the following obligations which God hath laid upon us : I. We have the command of our great Lord and Lawgiver, to partake of this feast, oft repeated by the evangelists: he saith to all his disciples, "take;" he saith to them, "eat;" he saith to them, "drink ye all of it;" he saith to them, "do this in remembrance of me." His precepts to pray, praise, hear, read, meditate, &c. are not more plain or express, than his precept to communi- cate. So that we are as much bound to give obedience to this, as to those. II. Gratitude strongly obligeth us to obey this command, if we remember what he did for us who gave it. O believer, did he not offer up himself, soul and body, as an atoning sacrifice to satisfy divine justice for thy sins? and will not this engage you to obey him? Surely, every time you read or hear these words, "do this in remem- brance of me," your heart should melt and warm within you, when you consider what he, who spoke them, hath done for you; even more than father, or mother, wife, brother, and all your relations could have done ; yea, more than a mil- lion of angels could have done for you. And shall not his command have weight with you? III. Remember the time when he gave you this charge. It was that night he was to begin his bitter and bloody agonies for you, and wade through a sea of wrath and sorrow upon your account. It was then when he beheld heaven, earth, and hell, justice, men, and devils, all con- spiring against him. Just at the time when he was going to offer up himself a sacrifice in your stead, to save you from eternal flames, he gave you this charge, "do this in remembrance of me;" as if he had said, "Now I am just ready to be offered up, to die a cursed death for you, and with my blood to seal my testament, wherein I bequeath to you, pardon, peace, life, fight, grace, and glory; and now there is one request I ask of you, when I am dead, you keep up the remem- brance of my love and sufferings for you, by eat- ing bread and drinking wine together with my people at my table; and there show forth my death till I come again to judge the world." The words of dying men used to be of great weight with their surviving friends; and will not the words of your dying Surety, your dying elder Brother, be of weight with you to obey his dying charge? IV. Consider how small and easy the charge is he gives you: it is not to sacrifice your first- born, cut off a member of your body, give all you have to the poor, go in pilgrimage to the ends of the earth; it is not to go to the holy land, to visit Christ's sepulchre; or to the top of Mount Calvary, where the cross stood, "in remembrance of him." These he required not, because you might have judged them hard ; and yet, as hard as they seem to be, had he demanded any of them, could you have been answerable to disobey such an one as a dying Jesus? How far less will you be able to answer at the great day for disobeying him, when he requires no such burdensome task, but graciously enjoins an action that is most easy, pleasant, and profitable to you ; " eat and drink at my table, in a thankful remembrance of what I A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. 143 have done for you?" and will you not please him in so small a request? V. Christ gives you this charge, not for his good, but for your own. And your obedience to it contributes highly both to your pleasure and your profit. First, O believer, is it not pleasant to set and keep a meeting with your dear Saviour ? Well, this ordinance is the solemn meeting-place where he hath appointed to meet with you; it is there you may "see the King in his beauty;" there doth his glory shine. O how glorious is he in his "dyed garments and red apparel!" With what desire should we go to see such a beautiful sight? How sweet is it to hear his voice in this ordin- ance, which is the very music of heaven? How refreshing for a doubting soul to hear him speak as from the cross, "it is finished, the ransom is paid, and justice is satisfied?" Can there be sweeter melody, than to hear Christ whisper in the soul's ear, "Fear not, I am thy salvation; the Lord hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die; son, be of good cheer, all thy sins are forgiven thee ! " How pleasant must it be to eat and drink at Christ's feast, with such heavenly music sound- ing in our ears? Secondly, Is not this action as profitable to us as pleasant? Knowest thou, O man, what injury thou dost to thy immortal soul by neglecting it? Canst thou have any other but a lean, hungry, starved soul, whilst thou slightest the food God hath appointed for it? Dost thou know what benefit some of thy neighbours have got at this feast? some have come to it poor, and have gone away laden with riches: some have come to it hungry, and have gone away satisfied as with marrow and fatness: some have come thirsty, and have got floods poured out upon the dry ground: some have come blind, and gone away seeing; others lame, and have gone away walking. Here they have got all their diseases cured, and their wants supplied. And have you not as great need of these mercies as others? Come, then, to this enriching and soul-upmaking ordinance; take but a view of the benefits and blessings which Christ presents to you, and which he faithfully offers to seal and apply to you in this sacrament, even his own body and blood, and all the benefits and virtues of the same; surely Christ and all the benefits of his purchase is a vast portion: behold, O believer, in this ordinance you have a seal and pledge, an earnest and taste of them all. More particularly, 1. You have here a sealed remission of sin presented to you, with the blood that was shed for the same, Matt. xxvi. 28. 2. A sealed freedom from wrath and damnation : for a crucified Jesus here represented endured that for you ; and he promises that he who eats this food shall l< never die eternally," John vi. 50, 51. 3. Adoption into God's family, and a right to the children's privileges confirmed; for your being admitted to sit at your Father's table, and eat of the children's bread, is a pledge of it. 4. The weakening of sin, and subduing of cor- ruption; for here you have food that kills sin. 5. The increase of sanctification, and strength- ening of grace: for here you have food that nourisheth grace: and the sanctifying Spirit is promised in that covenant, which is here sealed, Ezek. xxxiv. 27. 6. Union and communion with Christ in the most intimate manner; for, saith he, John vi. 56, "He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him." We dwell in him, by faith and love, and he in us by his Spirit. 7. A title to eternal life, John vi. 51, "If any man eat of this bread, he shall five for ever." 8. A sealed promise of a glorious resurrection, John vi. 54, "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." 9. A sealed right to all the promises of the new covenant, which are great and precious, viz. That God will "put his laws in our inward parts, and write them in our hearts," Jer. xxxi. 33. "That he will forgive our iniquity, and remem- ber our sins no more," Jer. xxxi. 34. "That he will take away the stony heart, and give us a heart of flesh," Ezek. xxxvi. 26. "That he will put his fear in our hearts, and give us hearts to fear him," Jer. xxxii. 39, 40. " That he will cause us to walk in his statutes," Ezek. xxxvi. 27. "That he will not turn away from us to do us good, and that we shall not depart from him," Jer. xxxii. 40. That he will send sanctified rods and afflictions when they are needful, Psal. lxxxix. 32. "That he will put his Spirit within us," Ezek. xxxvi. 27. And thereupon we shall have quickening, strengthening, and sin-mortifying influences. And, lastly, which comprehends all, that he "will be our God, and we shall be his people," Jer. xxxi. 33. Thus you see what a soul-profiting ordinance this is; to slight it then, must be a dreadful despising of your mercies, and a wronging of your own souls. VI. Let me put you in mind with what glad- ness the Israelites of old welcomed the news of the celebration of their passover, in the room of which Christ instituted to us the Lord's supper. O what joy did it occasion in Jerusalem, when the trumpet was blown by the priest, to give intimation to the people of the day of the pass- over! How cheerful was the psalmist's heart, when he saith, Psal. lxxxi. 1, 3, "Make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob : blow up the trum- pet in the new-moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day!" This feast was still 144 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. observed upon the fifteenth day after the first appearance of the new-moon: and not having almanacks, as we have, to forewarn them of it, they used to send men to the top of the hill to watch for the appearance of the new moon, who, as soon as they saw it, hastened to tell the priest, that he might blow the trumpet, and give the welcome notice of it to the people, who received the news with universal joy. And have not we, Christians, more cause to rejoice at the intimation of our gospel-passover, in which we have Christ crucified, with all his benefits, far more evidently set forth before our eyes, than the people of the Jews had? Alas! it is sadly to be regretted, that in our age many people often hear the silver trumpet of the gospel sounding loud and long, calling them to the feast of the great King, but are not suit- ably affected therewith. Were this great gospel- ordinance, like the Jewish passover, to be cele- brated but in one place in all the world; with what zeal and desire would people flock thither, to behold it and partake of it! And, why should we not come with the same affection and devo- tion now, when we have it celebrated in many places? Shall our hearts be evil, because God is good? Shall we despise mercies when they are given in plenty? Surely the frequent occasions we have of this blessed feast, should fill our hearts with the greatest thankfulness to the boun- tiful Maker of it, as they did the Christians in the apostolic age. But, besides these arguments for the necessity of the duty of communicating, I shall, in the next place, show the greatness of the sin and danger of neglecting it. I. You are hereby guilty of disobedience to the command of the highest King and Sovereign in the world; nay, of that King to whom you have sworn allegiance in baptism. Is Jesus Christ your sovereign, and will you not obey his laws? Perhaps, if you neglected any other of his commands, such as to pray, give alms, or to hear the word, for one Lord's day, conscience would smite you for it; and have you no check for dis- obeying this command which he gave in the most solemn manner; nay, a charge which our dying Testator gave us when his heart was full of sor- row for us, and when he was going to undergo God's wrath in the garden, be bound as a male- factor, and led away to the cursed tree for us ? As the sovereign Lord, who gave us this com- mand, hath an undoubted right to our obedience both by nature and dear purchase; so, by the neglect of it, we are at once guilty both of despis- ing the authority of just power, and the obliga- tion of astonishing love. II. What a sin must it be to despise a sacra- ment which is one of the most solemn ordinances of this great King? You will readily acknow- ledge, that it is your indispensable duty to receive the sacrament of baptism, and that it is a great sin to neglect it. And why do you not own the same of the Lord's supper, seeing the same Lord who said, Matt, xxviii. 19, "Go teach and bap- tize all nations," said also, Luke xxii. 19, " Do this in remembrance of me?" So that you have the same authority for both sacraments. What absurd inconsistency are some then guilty of, who think if their children die without baptism (though there be no sinful neglect in the case) it endan- gers their salvation, but are not afraid themselves to live and die without the Lord's supper, though their neglect be wilful and sinful? Surely the practice of many, who overvalue one sacrament, and undervalue another, is most unaccountable. III. By declining to partake of the Lord's sup- per, you do upon the matter renounce your bap- tism (though the sacrament you pretend to esteem), seeing hereby you refuse to be Chris- tians of free choice, and in effect say, you will not stand to these engagements your parents took on in your name, but will be at liberty to believe what you please, practice what you fancy, and serve the devil, the world, and the flesh, as long as you think fit. You may profess the Christian religion ; but you are never Christians by any act of your own, until you present yourselves at the Lord's table, and there personally own your bap- tismal engagements, and openly avouch the Lord Jesus Christ to be your Saviour, consent to his religion, and dedicate yourselves to his service. Hearing of sermons is not a sufficient test of your doing so; for many do this from curiosity or cus- tom, more than any other principle; but the Lord's supper is the ordinance which Christ has instituted chiefly for the foresaid ends. How great then must the sin and danger of wilful neglecting it be? In effect, it is no less than an open denying of Christ before men; and such, he says, "he will deny before his Father in heaven." I would have all who bear the name of Chris- tians to remember this ; and, as they would not be reckoned among those that renounce Christ and his religion, let them not condemn that ordinance, which is the appointed badge of the Christian profession. IV. To neglect the Lord's supper is a most unthankful requital of the kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, in coming to free us from the bur- densome service of the legal sacrifices, rites, and institutions. If we did rightly consider what we are bound to by the subjection we owe to a sov- ereign Lord, and by the gratitude we owe to a kind benefactor; though he had enjoined a great number of costly and laborious rites, and had laid upon us a yoke more heavy than that of the Jew- ish ceremonies, yet in justice we should have OF THE NECESSITY OF COMMUNICATING. 145 thought all hut a small homage to his greatness, and a small acknowledgment of his infinite love. But now, when in his mercy he hath freed us from the yoke of ceremonial bondage, and, besides baptism, hath appointed but this one sacred rite for us to observe, and one that is neither costly nor troublesome, but most easy and pleasant; what monsters of ingratitude shall we make our- selves, if Ave slight this his gracious institution.' V. By neglecting this divine ordinance, you put greater contempt upon the true and living God, than heathens do upon their dumb idols. How great is the respect that some brutish idol- aters show to idols, who cut their flesh, shed their blood, sacrifice their children, and stick at nothing, though never so hard or painful, to testify their homage and obsequiousness to their ugly deities ! And shall we, Christians, professed servants of the glorious Son of God, our sovereign Lord and Redeemer, neglect his easy institution, and refuse to please him in so small a thing! Surely the barbarous savages will rise up in judgment with many professed Christians, and condemn them for their disobedience. You, perhaps, on some occa- sions, will profess to pity the blind heathens and brutish Indians, who are strangers to Christian- ity, and live and die in darkness; but, have not we as much reason to pity you, who disown and pour contempt on that holy religion you were educated in, and thereby put yourselves in a con- dition worse than theirs ? For, the apostle tells us, that it is "better not to have known the way of truth, than, after we have known it, to turn away from the holy commandment," 2 Pet. ii. 21. And our Saviour saith, that it will be more tolerable for the dark cities of Tyre and Sidon, at the day of judgment, than it will be for the enlightened Capernaum and Bethsaida, Matt. xi. 22. Your knowledge and profession of the truths of the Christian religion do very much aggravate your disobedience to the laws and institutions thereof. You think their condition dreadful that say there is no God, and no doubt it is so; but what better is your case ? you acknowledge there is a God, but live as if you defied him, by open contemning and neglecting of his ordinances. VI. By slighting this ordinance, you contemn the most advantageous offer that ever God made unto men. Here God the Father offereth to make over Christ to you, and all his purchase, and seal your right thereto. Particularly to give you his blessed Son, as your "wisdom, righteous- ness, sanctification, and redemption," 1 Cor. i. 30. As your wisdom, to enlighten you, and free you from ignorance; as your righteousness, to justify you, and free you from the guilt of sin; as your sanctification, to make you holy, and free you from the reigning power and pollution of sin; as your redemption, to restore you to the liberty of the sons of God, bring you to the inheritance, and free you eternally from sin and Satan, hell and wrath. Now, O sinner, if thou declinest to come here and take Christ as thy wisdom, how foolish and ignorant must thou still remain ! If thou refusest Christ as thy righteousness, how naked and guilty will thy soul be! If thou refusest Christ as thy sanctification, how vile and polluted must thou still continue ! If thou refusest Christ as thy redemption, who will redeem thee from the wrath to come ? Consider also the near and happy relations which Jesus Christ himself offereth to stand in to those who cordially receive him in this ordinance ; such as that of a master, a father, a captain, a shepherd, a bridegroom, and husband. And, how great must our sin and danger be, if we slight such kind offers! If you refuse Christ as a master now, will not he refuse to own you as a servant in the great day? If you refuse him as a captain, will he not reject you as one of his sol- diers? If you refuse him as a shepherd, will he not deny you as one of his sheep? If you refuse him as a bridegroom and husband, will he not disown you as his bride and spouse? And, if Christ thus disown you at the great day, how fearful will your condition be for ever? VII. Neglecting this feast of memorial is a thing most unreasonable in itself, as being against all the rules of humanity and gratitude. Surely it is most agreeable to reason and equity, that all Christians should love their Redeemer and bene- factor, and keep up the memorial of his great adventure for ransoming their souls. Is it not a most reasonable demand, and a very small return he requires of you for all his love, only " eat and drink in remembrance of me." It is not, go to a scaffold; but go to a well covered table: it is not to bleed and burn, but to eat and drink : it is not to feed on the bread of affliction, or water of adversity, but bread that strengthens the heart, and wine that cheers the drooping spirit; deli- cious fare, which your Saviour hath blessed and sweetened for you. Now, must it not be against all reason to refuse this agreeable demand, in order to preserve the memory of the love of your incomparable Benefactor, and the sufferings of your dying Friend, which he patiently endured for youi Ungrateful world ! Can ye not endure to think on that which Christ refused not to endure for you? Did he leave the glory of his Father, to be clothed with your nature and to dwell in a fleshly cottage ? Did he live a life of sorrows and sufferings, and at last undergo a shameful, pain- ful, and cursed death? Did he rise again, and ascend on high to prepare mansions, and take possession of them for you? Doth he there abide to agent and plead your cause with God? And T 14C A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. do ye believe that he is shortly to come again to receive you to himself? And, will ye not for a short while here keep up the remembrance of his love? O, did Christ drink vinegar on the cross for you, yea, vinegar made bitter, tart, and poi- sonable, with your sins ? And will ye not drink wine at his table, that is sweetened and made delicious with the choice blessings of his love, and consolations of his Spirit? Did he drink a cup of wrath for you, and will ye not drink a cup of blessing for him, nay, for yourselves? For the advantage is only yours. O Christians, had we the due impressions of the amazing goodness and incomparable love of our Matchless Redeemer, the remembrance whereof he enjoins us to keep up in this ordin- ance; we would say, Lord, what is sufficient to be done in memory of this love? Every one of our hearts would echo back at Christ's call, "Do this in remembrance of me." Do this! Lord, what is it that I would not do for thy sake ? Glorious Jesus, didst thou pass by the angels, and wouldst have no nature but mine ! I will then stop mine ears against the solicitations of the world, and have no will but thine. Remem- ber thee! Whom shall I remember if I forget thee? "If I forget thee, O my Saviour, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth: if I remember not thee, let my right hand forget her cunning." Lord, I cannot but blush when I think that I should need any memento or token to keep up the remembrance of thee. Ah ! shall the trifles of the world find room enough in my heart and memory, and my Redeemer's love have scarce any place there? Lord, hadst thou required the dearest of my blood and choicest of my substance to be offered thee in acknowledg- ment of it, yea, hadst thou demanded my life, I owe it to thee, nay, a thousand lives, if I had them : and, shall I not cheerfully give thee up my memory and thoughts when thou art pleased to ask them. O then, if there be any obligations in the high- est authority, any allurements in the sweetest love, any reality in your professed subjection to Jesus Christ, give him this proof of it, cheerfully obey his dying charge, meet with his people, and remember his love at his feast of memorial, and join hymns of praise therewith. O please him in this so easy and so small a request. VIII. Finally, I would have you to remember how provoking the neglect of this ordinance is to him that instituted it. You are guilty of despis- ing the greatest preparation which the King of kings makes for his subjects; for in this ordinance he doth, as it were, kill the fatted calf, and fur- nish his table with the choicest rarities of heaven, and send forth his servants to invite us, saying, " I have prepared my supper, come eat of my bread, and drink of my wine which I have mingled; all things are ready, come to the mar- riage." So great and costly is this feast, that it cost the Maker of it his own life to prepare it. " Pardon of sin, pcaee with God, and communion with him," which are the dainties here set before you, cost Jesus Christ no less than his life to purchase them for you. And, do you think this glorious King can take it well at your hands, if you make light of this rare and costly feast, and slight all the preparation he hath made for you ? Can you ever expect to enjoy communion with him in heaven, if you slight the offer of com- munion with him upon earth? Nay, you pro- voke him to cut you off eternally from his pre- sence : for, as of old, the Lord threatened cutting off to the soul of him that neglected to keep tho passover, because he brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season, Num. ix. 13, so he threatens the same to those who should slight the gospel-feasts typified thereby, Zech. xiv. 16 — 18; Luke xiv. 24. We see how his wrath was kindled against those that neglected to come to the marriage of the king's son, and how severely he punished them for it, Matt. xxii. 5, 7, " They made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise." But, when the king heard thereof he was wroth, and "he sent forth armies and destroyed these murderers, and burnt up their city." He reckons your eating not, no less sin than eating irrever- ently; for, as by this you are guilty of profaning the Lord's body, so by the other you are guilty of despising it, and preferring your lusts before him, which is a crime as heinous. OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. Here it may be proper to answer some objec- tions which are made against partaking of the Lord's supper; whether by the profane, slothful, or scrupulous. Object. I. Some profane persons think meanly of this ordinance, and hence they neglect it. What needs so much noise (think they) about this mat- ter ? It is but eating a little bread, and drinking a small portion of wine; what efficacy can there be in that action ? Ans. This ordinance is of divine authority, and not appointed by men like ourselves. It hath the stamp of our Lord's institution, which should make it to be highly valued by all Christians: for, as he hath wisely instituted it for most impor- tant ends and uses, so he will certainly make it effectual unto these ends. A little parchment, with ink and wax upon it, is in itself a small thing; yet, being of legal authority and institu- tion among men, it serveth to convey a right and title to a great inheritance, and so it becometh highly valuable. The brazen serpent, that was OF THE NECESSITY OF COMMUNICATING. 147 lift upon a pole for healing the Israelites, was mean to the outward view; but, being of God's appointment, it was effectual for healing, and therefore none would despise it. So the elements in this sacrament, however common or mean in themselves, yet being of God's appointment, and consecrated for sacred uses, they are powerful and efficacious to the believing receiver, for the great ends of their institution. Object. II. We may remember Christ in the word; and what need is therefor doing it in the sacrament ? Ans. 1 . It is abominable presumption to think ourselves wiser than Jesus Christ, who is the " Wisdom of the Father." Hath he thought this ordinance needful, and will any man judge it needless? 2. The word only presents Christ unto the ear, but the Lord's supper sets forth a crucified Christ unto the eye. 3. There is more than a simple remembering of Christ required in the Lord's supper; there is also a renewing of baptismal engagements, and a ratifying our covenant with God. And besides, our Lord hath reserved some special blessings and communications to this ordinance, which are nowise to be undervalued or slighted. Object. III. It is hard to be at so much pains, and to employ so much time in meditation, examination, prayer, $c. as is requisite to pre- pare for communicating. Ans. 1. There are many who do not grudge to be at much pains and travel, and frequently to hazard their lives, both by sea and land, for a little temporal gain; and will you grudge some pains to prepare for this ordinance, which seals a right to the unsearchable riches of Christ, and by means whereof you might, through the divine blessing, be enabled to subdue your sins, reform your lives, grow in grace, and be made ready for death and judgment? Is not this spiritual gain better than the gain of a whole world ? 2. Are there not many who throw away their hours in needless pleasures and pastimes? And, with what face can such pretend they have not time to examine themselves, and prepare for this blessed ordinance? What are these transient pleasures of time you are so fond of, to the com- fortable views of an interest in Christ, and of living with him throughout eternity, which may be got at his table? 3. Will you be at no pains to please that King and Sovereign to whom you have sworn allegiance, or to obey the command and dying charge of your great Master and Saviour? That vile impostor, Mahomet, forbade his disciples to drink wine; and this command hath been rigorously observed among them: and shall our renowned Saviour, who is Lord of angels, and Son of the most high God, enjoin us in the use of the wine in the sacrament; and will any of his disciples venture to disobey him? "Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon." Let not this be told among Turks, Jews, Infidels, Atheists, and the rest of the adversaries of the Christian religion, lest they should insult and triumph. 4. Our Lord Jesus had a thousand more diffi- culties and discouragements in the work of our redemption, and yet he did not shrink back, as you do from communicating. He never objected, " The sea is deep, I cannot wade it; the cross is heavy, I cannot bear it; the cup is bitter, I can- not drink it; the wrath is terrible, I cannot endure it." He did not plead, though he had cause, "The work is hard, it will cost me dear: and I shall meet with an unthankful world, that will slight my love, refuse my offers, and despise my institutions." No: he overlooked all that, and went cheerfully through his sufferings: " With desire have I desired (saith he) to eat this passover; the cup that the Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" When the Father called him to drink the very dregs of the cup of trembling for you, he readily answered, " Lo, I come, I delight to do thy will." But when he calls you to take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord; what grudging and back drawing is there with you ? Had Christ so great desire after the bitter cup of God's wrath on your account; and have you no desire after the cup of blessing in the sacra- ment! Did he go so cheerfully to die for you; and are you unwilling to go and feast with him ? Be astonished, O heavens, at this ingratitude! How wretched and perverse a creature is man ! Still he would be flying in the face of God's authority : for when God saith to him, " Eat not of this forbidden fruit;" then he will needs eat, though it ruin him. But when God saith, "Eat of this bread ; " he is backward to do it, though it be for his eternal welfare. O how long doth a patient and merciful God bear with us! Object. IV. / am so stated with my worldly business, that I cannot get time to prepare myself in secret, and give such attendance in public as is needful, and so I cannot come. Ans. 1. Doth not your business afford you time to eat, drink, and sleep, and converse with unprofitable company; and can you find no time to converse with God in his ordinances, or to pre- pare for meeting and dwelling with God through- out eternity? 2. Can you have any greater, any better busi- ness in the world, than to remember the love of a dying Saviour, to put your souls in order to meet with him at his table, and there to seal a covenant with him, and receive pledges from him 148 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. of his pardoning and redeeming love? Is there any business upon earth preferable to this? 3. When sickness and death come, you must find time to attend them whether you will or not; all your business must of necessity give place to them. And, must you find time to be sick and die how soon the summons cometh; and will you not find time in your health to prepare for sickness and death before they come? Now, if you would take time duly to prepare for the Lord's supper, you should not be found unpre- pared for death; for the same preparation is need- ful for both. Object. V. But, say some, we are not Jit for the Lord's table, {and perhaps it is very true.) Why? We have but loose lives and conversa- tions; there is some bad company we cannot be free of, some sins we cannot get left ; and so we cannot come to the Lord's table. Ans. 1. God will surely look upon it as no other than a mocking of him, to say you are not dressed for this feast, when indeed you never went about to make yourselves ready. Nay, he will look upon it as the most heinous wicked- ness, for you to go on wilfully in your sins and wicked courses, and then to make your sins an excuse for the neglect of those duties he com- mands you. 2. If you say, you are not fit for the Lord's supper here, you must confess you are less fit for the marriage-supper of the Lamb , above. And, how can you live one day contentedly in that condition you dare not venture to die in; or, if you die in it, you must be eternally excluded from heaven? Consider then, O pro- fane sinner, although you may now sit Christ's charming call to come to his table and remem- ber him, you cannot sit his alarming call to come to his tribunal to answer before him. And how can you think to look upon that face with com- fort at that day, which now you have no plea- sure to behold in the symbols of bread and wine ? 3. Let me ask thee, O profane man, do you intend to repent and leave your sins; or do you not? If you do not intend it, then it is in vain to treat with you, seeing you wilfully make choice of everlasting burnings. But there are few so graceless and wicked, but will say they have intentions to do it. Well, if your inten- tions be hearty and sincere, surely you will put them speedily in execution: and, if you do this, your objection vanisheth; your bad life can no longer hinder you from this ordinance, seeing all penitent reforming sinners are welcome to Christ, and to his table also, whatever their former lives have been. Object. VI. But (saith one) I am not in char- ity with my neighbours; I am at variance with such a person that hath injured me; and so J cannot come to the Lord's table. Ans. 1. I do acknowledge, the want of love to our neighbours, and the entertaining of angry strife and discord with them, do very much dis- compose and unfit us for approaching to this feast of love; and therefore we should use all endea- vours to remove these impediments beforehand. 2. Suppose thy neighbour hath done thee wrong, and given you just ground of displea- sure with him; yet you ought to use endeavours to get the difference removed, by seeking to con- vince him of his fault, and showing your readiness to forgive him, and be reconciled with him. 3. Suppose thy neighbour, after all Christian methods taken with him, persists in his injuries without repentance or reparation; it is no un- charitableness to be displeased with him, if thy anger keep within just bounds, and thou dost not hate his person, or study revenge against him. The apostle saith, Eph. iv. 26, " Be angry, and sin not," whence we see that anger may be separ- ated from sin. Now, what is not sin, doth not make us unfit for this holy ordinance. A man may be innocently angry, when he is justly dis- pleased with another, both for offending God and himself; but in the mean time, is so far from desiring revenge, or seeking his hurt, that he pities and prays for the injurious person, and is ready to render good for evil. Now, when this is the case, as our anger or displeasure doth not indispose us for the sacrament, so neither should our neighbour's unchristian behaviour and back- wardness to reconciliation deter us from our duty, or tempt us to deprive ourselves of the benefit of this ordinance. 4. But if you be of the number of those who keep up quarrels with your neighbours, and of unforgiving and revengeful spirits, you are alto- gether unfit for this ordinance, and should tremble to approach it in such a condition ; seeing in effect you renounce Christ as a Saviour, reject his example, and despise his precepts. You cannot pray as he directs, " Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us;" for this were no other than a fearful imprecation of wrath against yourselves. AVould you then have forgiveness of the injuries you have done to God? would you have this blessing sealed to you in the sacrament, and openly declared at the great day ? then be ready to forgive those that wrong you, lay aside quarrels, abhor revenge, let not the sun go down upon your wrath, seek peace and friend- ship with all. Remember that those who harbour wrath and malice in their hearts, are as unfit to appear at God's tribunal as at his table. Object. YII. Though we be not in case for this, yet we resolve to prepare and go to the ncrt communion. THE NECESSITY OF COMMUNICATING. 149 Ans. 1. All delays in well-doing are highly dangerous, and particularly in the present case. Your lives are wholly uncertain, you may not live to see another communion. Many were alive at the last communion, that are now dead, and fixed in their everlasting lot; and many now living will, in all likelihood, he in the same state before the next communion; and you know not but you may be among them. And if so, con- sider what stinging reflections the slighters of Christ and his institutions will have through eternity; therefore neglect not the present oppor- tunity. 2. Though God should spare you to see another occasion of this sort, what ground have you to think you shall be more willing or fit to communicate then than at present? Do you not know that by delays the heart is still the more hardened, and the habits of sin the more strengthened? And if you refuse to hearken to God's call now, he may refuse to hear your cry afterward, Zech. vii. 13. Object. VIII. But, say some scrupulous and doubting souls, this is an awful and tremendous ordinance: and it is not safe for such poor, un- worthy, and unprepared creatures as we are, to meddle with it. Ans. 1. It is very ordinary for people to run into extremes about this ordinance. Either they entertain too low an opinion, or else they have too frightful thoughts of it: and both these are to be equally guarded against. Remember that the sacrament was not instituted to terrify believers, but to bring them into converse and familiarity with their Lord and Saviour, and to give them the tokens and intimations of his love. And why should a feast of love be terrible to us? 2. Every man, in a legal sense, is unworthy to approach to this holy table : we are all as an unclean thing, and our righteousness as filthy rags before God. But he is graciously pleased to accept of them who abhor themselves for their pollution, and seek shelter under the covert of Christ's righte- ousness. 3. How long will you make use of this ex- cuse of unfitness and unpreparedness? Do ye intend to do it all your days? Or, will it be of any use to you when you are called to die? When God commands you to die, will you have confidence to say, Lord, I cannot obey at this time, for I am not prepared! No, no; it would be in vain then to hang back, seeing death will not spare when it gets commission, whether pre- pared, or unprepared. Would you not, therefore, in 9uch a case, set about immediate preparation, and do what you are able to get yourselves pre- pared for death? So do in this case; when Christ commands you to come to his table, though matters be sadly out of order with you, yet set about the work in obedience to his command, prepare what ye are able, and look to him for strength who pities the weak, and accepts of sincere aims at duty. Object. IX. But (some may insist to say) we are unworthy; for we have not only many defects in our lives, but also many inward distempers, heart-plagues, hardness, deadness, darkness, pre- vailing corruptions, &c. Ans. 1. No wonder you complain of many distempers, when you refuse the means of healing. May not God look upon it as dissimulation, to complain of the hardness of your heart, while you come not to apply the blood of Christ to soften it; or of the prevailing of your corruptions, while you come not to Christ's cross to subdue them? No wonder that God withdraws from your souls, when you withdraw from your duty. No wonder you are strangers to spiritual joy, when you will not come to draw water out of the wells of salvation. No wonder you complain o£ the weakness of grace, when you will not make use of the means for strengthening it. Many have found at this ordinance a cure for all their dis- eases, a supply to all their wants, and an answer to all their complaints. 2. Study to do your part by serious preparation, and you may expect God will not fail to do his part: spread out your sores and diseases before the great Physician and look unto him for heal- ing; press through all doubts and discouragements towards him, believing you shall be healed, if you can but touch the hem of his garment. If you sincerely, heartily, and impartially repent of all known sins, and rely on Jesus Christ for mercy and pardon, you have no reason to question but you shall be welcome guests at the Lord's table, although you find in your hearts many infirmities and plagues, and in your lives many defects and short-comings. Object. X. But (say some) that word dam- nation frights us, 1 Cor. xi. 29. It is terrible to eat and drink damnation to ourselves, as un- worthy communicants do. Ans. It is very true, unworthy communicants are liable to damnation; but so also are all other sinners : whosoever hears the word unworthily, or prays unworthily, incurs the peril of damnation, as well as he that communicates unworthily; and yet you do not think you ought to desist from hearing or praying on that account, and why only from communicating? Every sin, indeed, is damn- ing in its own nature, and so is unworthy receiv- ing in a special manner: but sincere repenting and believing in Christ is an expedient against this as well as other sins; for "the blood of Christ cleans- eth us from all sins." Object. XL We are afraid (say some) to come and enter into covenant with God, and take on 150 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. vows at the Lord's table, lest we do not keep them, but fall again into new sins, and so increase our guilt. Ans. 1 . If it were left, as a matter of indiffer- ence, to come to or absent yourselves from the Lord's table, as you pleased, your objection might be pertinent; but remember, this is a duty en- joined under the highest pains. You see what fearful destruction came upon them that refused to come to the marriage-supper, Matt. xxii. 7. 2. It is good always to be jealous of ourselves; for we have good reason for it, considering the deceitfulness of our hearts. But this should not keep us from the ordinance, or make us to neglect our duty. 3. Breach of vows, or sins committed after a sacrament, though they be of greater guilt than other sins, yet we are not to judge them unpar- donable; for, who is it that liveth and sinneth not? Such a notion perhaps hath possessed the ignorant Muscovites, who endeavour to fall asleep as soon as they have received the sacrament, to prevent, by that means, any occasion of sinning. 4. There is ground to suspect, that this excuse or pretence is not real with many; but rather, that they are unwilling to come under new bonds and engagements to a holy life. They entertain some affection to their old sins, and are not willing to renounce them altogether, and prepare sin- cerely for this holy ordinance. 5. If you be so much afraid of sin, and of sin- ning after the sacrament; why are you not afraid of this sin of neglecting the sacrament, which I showed before to be very heinous ! Now, why do you live in this sin so quietly ? Surely, if you were afraid of all sin, you would be afraid of this heinous sin too; and so would make conscience of preparing yourselves for the Lord's table, that you might be preserved from the guilt of slight- ing this solemn ordinance. Lastly, Consider you are not to vow and en- gage here in your own strength, but in the strength of the Lord Jesus ; you are to trust and rely upon him, " who performeth all things for us," Psal. lviii. 2 ; for he is become surety for our duty, as well as for our debt. Now, whatever be our own weakness, we should not scruple to engage with such an able Surety. DIRECT. III. BELIEVE AND BE PERSUADED, THAT COMMUNICAT- ING IS NOT ONLY A DUTY, BUT THAT IT IS A DUTY INCUMBENT UPON YOU TO COMMUNICATE FREQUENTLY. Baptism being a sacrament appointed for the initiation and implantation of believers into the church, it is to be received but once by the same person, and not to be reiterated : but the Lord's supper being a sacrament instituted for the nutri- tion, increment, and growth of believers, it is often to be received and repeated by them. And this may be confirmed by many reasons: I. Frequent partaking of the Lord's supper is enjoined by the same "authority which instituted it. For Christ tells us, that we are not only to eat of this bread, and drink of this cup, but we are to do it often; as is recited by the apostle, 1 Cor. xi. 25; "This do ye, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me." And again, ver. 26; "As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come." Now when our Lord doth expressly command the duty in these words, "Do this in remembrance of me;" and doth twice over annex the word often as necessary in the doing of it; it is all one as if he had said, "Do this often in remembrance of me." So that for Christians to communicate seldom, is disobedience to Christ, and a contempt of divine authority : for our Redeemer is God, and we are to look upon his commands as the same with the commands of God the Father, seeing he approved of our Mediator, and of every thing he did. Had not his institutions been agreeable to the Father's will, he had not been so welcomed at his return to heaven, and advanced to such royal dignity to sit upon his throne of glory. II. In obedience to Christ's authority, the apostles and primitive Christians did frequently partake of the Lord's supper: yea, it was their ordinary practice every Lord's day, as is evident from Acts xx. 7, "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them." The Christians there, are brought in as meeting to- gether for partaking of the sacrament (whicli is often expressed by breaking of bread), 'without any previous warning, because it was their ordinary custom so to do. And this practice was kept up in the church for several centuries after the apostles' death, as is testified by the historians and fathers of the ancient church. And from their practice of constant breaking of bread every Lord's day, the day was anciently called Dies panis, August. Epist. 118. And this primitive practice (according to some) was grounded upon the word, Ezek. xliii. 27, "And when these days are expired, it shall be on the eighth day, and so forward, the priest shall make your burnt-offer- ings upon the altar, and your peace-offerings, and I will accept you, saith the Lord God." Now this vision containing a prophetical description of the gospel times, and of the ceasing of the cere- monial law for daily sacrifices, by the eighth day they understand the Lord's day, as being the eighth day following upon the seventh, viz. the Jewish sabbath, in room whereof it was to suc- ceed. By burnt-offering, the Lord's supper, as being the remembrance of the great bumt-offer- THE NECESSITY OF COMMUNICATING. 151 ing, whereby our peace was made. By peace- offerings, prayer, and thanksgiving, which are called sacrifices, Heb. xiii. 15. and are the proper work of every Lord's day. The primitive Chris- tians were peculiarly fond of the Lord's supper; when they had the opportunity of a public assembly, though upon a week day (as severals do observe from Acts ii. 46.) they could not think of parting till they had celebrated the memorials of Christ's dying love. They reckoned this piece of worship a principal part of the Christian reli- gion, which, in a manner, doth comprehend all other parts of it, and is an epitome of the whole. They counted it a chief means of conveying to them the benefits of their Redeemer's death. And they would not slight the occasion of taking this provision and viatcium in those stormy times, when they knew not but they might be snatched away by the fury of persecutors before the next day of public meeting. III. The Lord's supper was appointed for the commemoration of the death and sufferings of Christ, and of his love to us manifested therein; ;ind therefore we ought frequently to celebrate it tor that end. Though gratitude to a merciful God, and love to him that loved us, and washed us in his blood, should engage us constantly to remember redeeming love: yet, alas! we are naturally unmindful of God, ungrateful to Christ our Saviour, and apt to forget his matchless love : and therefore we frequently need his help (which he of purpose hath instituted) to renew our re- membrance of him. Say not, you can remember Christ frequently without this; for this were to make yourselves wiser than the institutor of this ordinance. Besides, may not experience tell you what faint thoughts and languid remem- brance you ordinarily have of him, notwithstand- ing of the word read and preached, until this solemn ordinance doth return and revive the me- mory of his love, and fix your thoughts more solemnly upon him. Ah ! the body of death doth hinder us from remembering the Lord of life. It is not sufficient to commemorate his love once a year; there ought to be a constant and habitual remembering of our Redeemer's death, and this habit must be acquired by frequent and reiterated acts of communicating. But supposing we would remember him without this; yet surely it would be base ingratitude to neglect to remember him in his own method, and by the means of his own choosing, when he might have put far harder con- ditions upon us. IV. Christ hath appointed this sacrament as a spiritual meal for the nourishment and strength of his people, and for the growth and increase of their graces: and therefore it ought to be fre- quently received. Meals for the nourishment of our bodies must be often repeated, because of the frequent recurring of our needs; we arc all so sensible of it, that we do not refuse to come fre- quently to our stated meals: and though it be not told us how often we should eat and drink, yet our craving appetites, and the sense of our want of food and strength, are sufficient to direct in this matter. And should not the sense of our souls' need of spiritual food and strength, direct us to frequency in communicating? We are in a journey, and we need strength to go forward. We are weak of ourselves, and the best are liable to frequent decays of grace, and we have all need of frequent supplies of strength, to enable lis to perform duties, bear crosses, resist enemies, and beat down lusts: and consequently, we have frequent need of this quickening, restoring, and strengthening meal, which Christ hath graciously provided for us in this ordinance. It is hereby that faith is strengthened, repentance renewed, love inflamed, desire sharpened, and the soul en- couraged and confirmed in the ways of God. V. This ordinance was instituted for bringing us to near communion with God; and therefore should be frequently celebrated and attended by us. Hence it is that we call it the communion, according to that word, 1 Cor. x. 16. And as the apostle tells us there, ver. 19, 20. that the partaking of things sacrificed to idols was a fel- lowship with devils; so the partaking of that which was sacrificed to God, is a fellowship with God. In this ordinance there is more communion to be had with God, than in any other; more than in prayer or praise : for we have not so near communion with a prince or great man, by peti- tioning him, or returning him thanks for a fa- vour received, as wc have by sitting with him at his table, and partaking of the same bread and the same cup with him. It is here that believers sit, feast, and converse familiarly with Jesus Christ. Christ was "made known to the disciples in the breaking of bread," though they knew him not before in the opening of the scriptures, Luke xxiv. 30, 31. Now, if it be our duty to seek frequent communion and converse with God, and frequent views and discoveries of Jesus Christ, then surely it is our duty to make frequent approaches to the Lord's table. Do we think we can too oft behold a crucified Jesus? Can we too oft clasp about our bleeding High Priest? Can we too oft hear the music of his voice, or see the beauty of his face? Surely, if we love him, we will desire frequently to be in those ways where we may meet with him. VI. This sacrament is an excellent mean for the weakening of sin, and keeping it under; and therefore we should frequently attend it. The soul is most animated and resolved against sin, when it sees God's wrath and indignation mani- fested against it: now, where can we behold this 152 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. so well as in this ordinance, which represents the dreadful agonies and sufferings of Christ our Surety? Here we may see Christ sacrificed to justice, overwhelmed with blood, made a curse, and bearing all that wrath and vengeance which the law threatened for sin. The soul's looking upon Christ here, opens the spring of sorrow for sin, Zech. xii. 10. Our frequent approaches to a wounded Saviour here, kindle frequent resolutions against sin that pierced him, and make us look and cry to him for grace to subdue it. Now this is what we are constantly needing: for there is still a root of bitterness in us, always sprouting up; but frequent approaches to this ordinance contributes to curb and crop it. Sins and lusts of themselves are apt to revive and gather strength, but the sacramental cup is poison to them. Do you think then that we can too oft take this cup into our hands, or put our hands into Christ's wounds, or take a view of the sin- killing blood? VII. This ordinance is a choice mean for strengthening our faith in the promises, and con- finning us in the sense of Christ's love; and there- fore it should be frequently celebrated. It was upon this account, that so great joy and gladness attended the keeping of the passover of old, 2 Chron. xxx. 21, 26. It was the frequent break- ing of bread that made the primitive Christians to continue in their gladness of heart, Acts ii. 46. And no wonder a man's heart be glad, and be encouraged to go on his way rejoicing, when he gets a new seal of his pardon and peace with God. We frequently contract guilt, and thereby blot our evidences, and disturb our peace; and there- fore we need to come frequently to this ordinance, to get the blood of sprinkling applied, for remov- ing our guilt, clearing our evidences, sealing our peace, and renewing our joy. It is matter of joy to see the rainbow appearing frequently in the clouds as a sign of God's minding his covenant, and securing the world against a destroying deluge: in like manner, it should rejoice the heart, and strengthen faith, frequently to behold this sacrament, which (like the rainbow in the clouds) is a sign of God's securing the believing world against the overflowing flood of God's wrath. VIII. We need frequently the influences of the Holy Spirit, and therefore should come fre- quently to this ordinance. For in this sacrament it is most likely that the Spirit will work and exert himself; when the office of the Spirit, and ends of the institutions, meet and agree in one. The office of the Spirit is to bring things to our remembrance, and the chief design of this ordi- nance is to bring a crucified Jesus, and his love and sufferings, to remembrance ; now, surely it is the most likely time for the holy Spirit to come and exercise his blessed function, and join in with the end of the sacrament Hither, then, should becalmed souls frequently repair, and wait for the Spirit's gales. I might add many other arguments, but surely, if we had a due sense of our soul's necessities, we should need no more" to convince us of the neces- sity of frequent communicating. Do we not feel our needs frequently recurring, our graces lan- guishing, faith weakening, love cooling, affections turning dead? Are wTe not apt frequently to grow cold and formal in hearing and praying, yea, dull and lukewarm in all our performances ? And have we not frequent need of this reviving and enlivening ordinance, to recruit us with new strength and quickening? But, alas! we have little sense of our souls' wants, and little sense of our Saviour's love; otherwise we would not be so unwilling frequently to remember such an incom- parable friend and benefactor, who took our sins upon himself, and cast upon us the robe of his righteousness. Did primitive Christians think once a week little enough to commemorate his love; and shall modern Christians reckon once a-year sufficient? Is this our kindness to the always lovely and loving Jesus! O will we not remember him frequently, who remembers believ- ers perpetually? OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. Object. I. But (say some) the zeal and devo- tion of the apostolic age is now gone; and Chris- tians are become more careless and formal in religious duties, than in those days, and so are unfit for frequent partaking of this solemn ordi- nance. Ans. 1. I grant, indeed, the first Christians were animated with more life and love, and were habitually in a better frame for this love-feast, than, alas ! the most of us are : yet, I am persua- ded, you will not deny but we are under the same obligations of love and gratitude to our dying Redeemer that they were, and have as much need of the frequent application of his blood, and of a confirmed interest in his meritorious death, as they had. And seeing our obligations and exigencies are the same, our differing so widely from their practice cannot be justified. 2. The ancient church followed the example of the apostolic age, in communicating generally every Lord's day, for several hundreds of years after the apostles' days ; as might be made appear, by many quotations (if it were needful) out of the histories and writings of Eusebius, Socrates, Cyprian, Chrysostom, Ambrose, Augustine, and many others of the ancient fathers. As the blood of Christ is as fresh and efficacious in the present, as the first centuries of the church; so it should be as dear and precious to Christians in this as any former age. FREQUENT COMMUNICATING. 153 3. It is most sad that Christians should be so easy under the decay of piety and love to a cru- cified Jesus, that is so visible in these latter days. Should not the consideration hereof be matter of bitter lamentations and complaint to all the lovers of Christ, and put us incessantly to cry to heaven, "Wilt thou not receive us again? Renew our days as of old." 4. Is there not ground to think, that the decay of piety and Christian love, in our days, is much owing to the neglect and unfrequent use of this soul- quickening ordinance? No wonder that our hearts turn hard, when we so seldom have recourse to Christ's blood for softening them, that our graces grow weak and withered, when we so little use Christ's appointed means for cherishing and strengthening them; and that we have but little of the smiles of his face, when we so little regard his dying words. Frequent communicat- ing in Christ's own way and method, might be a mean, through his blessing, to revive decayed religion, to keep sin under constant rebukes and disgrace, and Christ in continual esteem and res- pect among us. This might contribute to cure and prevent that formality in duty, carelessness of spirit, and forgetfulness of Christ, which so woe- fully prevails in our land. Object. II. If we communicate as often as you urge us, tee are of raid frequency will breed for- mality in this duty. Ans. 1. The apostles and primitive Christians found no such bad effect of their frequent partak- ing; but were farther from formality, and far more serious, fervent, and spiritual in this duty, than those Christians who now partake but once a-year. 2. Our formality in attending this ordinance is nowise chargeable upon the institution of Christ, or its frequent administration ; but upon the cor- ruption and carelessness of our hearts, which all Christians should carefully watch and wrestle against, and labour in the strength of Christ, so often as they partake, to prepare for it with all seriousness and solemnity. 3. Were this a good reason against frequency in this duty, it might be pleaded against frequency in other duties also; and so we should seldom read or hear the word, seldom meditate on God, pray, or sing psalms, lest frequency should beget for- mality therein. But it is a bad way of arguing, to say, because frequency in prayer, hearing, or communicating, may occasion formality and heart- wanderings, therefore I will seldom pray, &c. No : the inference should rather be, therefore I will watch over my heart more carefully, I will look for the renewed influences of the Spirit, and strive to be more sincere and fervent in duty. 4. Though freqiiency in partaking should have a. bad effect on some, yet it hath and will have a good effect upon others, who make conscience of preparing for the duty. Instead of breeding for- mality; it begets the greater liveliness and spiri- tuality in them, and will raise their appetite the more after the heavenly manna. It is certain, the oftener we carefully and believingly commu- nicate, the better disposed we shall be for new approaches. Object. III. The Jews partook of the passover only once in the year. Ans. God fixed the passover to a certain day of the year, to mind them of their temporal deli- verance from Egypt, as well as of their future redemption by the Messiah's death at that time; and therefore it was annual. But besides that, they had their daily sacrifices of slain beasts in the temple, which were lively types of Christ, and a remembrance to them of his death ; so that the Jews did not need such a frequent celebra- tion of the passover for that end. But in the new testament church Christ hath settled only his supper as the great ordinance of commemora- tion of his death and sufferings ; and therefore we ought not to confine ourselves to the Jews' annual custom : nay, on the contrary, Christians now, to whom Christ hath made such bright discoveries of his love, in sacrificing himself upon a cross for their salvation, should far exceed the Jews (who lived in such dark times) in expressing love to their Saviour, and in celebrating the memorials of his love to them. The love of the primitive Christians was so warm this way, that they thought themselves bound to celebrate their gos- pel passover in remembrance of a crucified Christ once a- week, which the Jews did but once a- year. Object. I V. But, saith one, my business and calling in the world is such, that I have not liberty for frequent communicating, neither have I occasions near me for doing it. Ans. 1. I grant that all men cannot communi- cate alike often, seeing the worldly callings and affairs of one man administer more distraction than those of another ! And some cannot com- mand their time so much as others. 2. People should do what lies in them to order their affairs so beforehand, that they may have freedom for frequent communicating. But if per- sons have business brought on them, not by them- selves, but by the providence of God, they are excusable for their omission at one occasion; but then they should be careful to lay hold upon the next. In keeping of the passover, there was a dispensation allowed to those that were under ceremonial nncleanness, or engaged in business on a journey, Num. ix., yet it was allowed, not for a year, but for a month's omission. For when they could not keep it upon the 14th of the fir?t month, they were ordered to keep it on the 14th v 154 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. of the next month, and not to stay until the next annual revolution, Num. ix. 10, 11. As it would be agreeable to this injunction, so it would be a desirable attainment in the church, and an advantage to the members of it, if matters were so ordered among us, that, when persons are necessarily hindered from partaking of the Lord's supper in their own congregation, they might be sure of an occasion to do it next month, if not in their own, at least in the neighbouring con- gregation. Object. V. The last time I was at the Lord's table I got no benefit by it; nay, I fear I com- municated unworthily : now, for me to come frequently in this manner, I fear to contract greater guilt, and do myself more hurt than good. Therefore I will not soon venture upon another approach. Ans. 1. There are some good things implied in this objection, such as a review of former actions, some sense of sin and trouble for it, and a lothness to offend God; which are some desir- able tokens of repentance, and may yield some comfort to an exercised soul. 2. In this case, long deferrings will do you more hurt than frequent communicating: for as by too much fasting we often loose our stomachs; so by long withdrawing from the Lord's table, you may come to lose your desire after the food of your souls, and to have a low esteem of Christ and of his solemn ordinance. 3. There is no communicant but, upon a review, may spy many defects in his frame and preparation, for which he could not answer, if God did enter into judgment with him: but he must not therefore abandon his duty, but flee to Christ's fountain for washing, and to the covert of his righteousness to screen all his imperfections. We read of several in Hezekiah's time, 2 Chron. xxx., that were not so suitably prepared for the passover as they should have been, and ate it otherwise than it was written; and yet, upon Hezekiah's praying for them, God pardoned their sin, and healed them. 4. It may yield comfort to a troubled soul, if upon a review he can say, it was his earnest desire to communicate humbly, with a lively frame, and the exercise of all the sacramental graces; and whatever short-comings he was chargeable with, they were not wilful and allowed, but matter of grief and mourning to him. If this be your case, then your defects are sins of infirmity, which your gracious God will pardon for Christ's sake. 5. Whatever your short-comings formerly have been, you ought to be humbled for them, flee to the blood of Christ for pardon, and resolve in his strength to come more reverently, humbly, and believingly to his table for the future, and that in order to renew your covenant with God, and receive a seal of the pardon of all your former sins, and particularly of the sin of unworthy com- municating. And this you may expect, if you persevere in the road of duty, looking to God in Christ, who is still ready to welcome and pardon the penitent believer: but to absent and with- draw from God's ordinance, is to put yourself out of the road of his mercy, and to aggravate your former sin of unsuitable partaking. Object. VI. If we did communicate so fre- quently, we would not have such time to prepare ourselves for this ordinance as were needful, and as now we have. Ans. If we partook more frequently, less pains and time about preparation- work might be more successful, and sooner reach the end than all the pains and time we now bestow that way : for thus we might be helped to keep lip a com- munion-frame habitually, and it would be no such difficulty (as now we find it) to get the tears of repentance poured out, or the fire of divine love blown up, when called to celebrate this ordinance. The believer, when in a right frame, the oftener he comes to the communion, he finds the more nourishment, and hath the greater delight in it; and so he comes to have such a longing for the ordinance as the child hath for the mother's breast. DIRECT. IV. — BE PERSUADED OF THE NECESSITY OF SOLEMN PREPARATION BEFORE TOU APPROACH TO THE LORD'S TABLE. If we be required to take heed to ourselves, when we enter the house of the Lord, Eccl. v. 1, much more doth it concern us to look to our- selves when we approach the table of the Lord. Why? This holy table is under the gospel the solemn meeting-place of the great God, where he useth to meet with men, and to entertain con- verse and communion with them. And have we not then ground to call to you in the prophet's words, Amos iv. 12, " Prepare to meet thy God, 0 Israel?" Remember who it is that agrees to meet with you ; it is God, even thy God. Did an angel appoint to meet you at a certain place against such an hour, would you not prepare with all seriousness and solemnity to keep appointment with him? Oh, but it is the God of angels that agrees to meet with you here; even that God before whom all the angels adore, and the devils tremble: a holy and jealous God, who hath declared that he will be sanctified in them that come nigh to him, Lev. x. 3. And can you come so near him any where in the world as at his holy table? What Samuel spoke to the elders of Bethlehem, in the case of offering sacri- fice, may well be applied to communicants in the PREPARING BEFORE COMMUNICATING. 15? case of approaching to the Lord's table, 1 Sam. xvi. 5, "Sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." So, well may your ministers say to you, " Sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrament." Come here, and behold the sacrifice of the' Lamb of God unto divine justice for your sins: for "even Christ our pass- over is sacrificed for us," 1 Cor. v. 7. Here he is represented as a lamb slain to pacify a holy God for our impurity and unholiness. It is most fit then that we prepare and sanctify ourselves when we venture so near this holy God, and take upon us to celebrate the commemoration of this blessed sacrifice in our gospel-passover. The Jews had their preparation for the pass- over, John xix. 14. They took the paschal lamb and set it apart from the rest of the flock on the tenth day of the month, but did not kill it till the fourteenth. Exod. xii. 3. 6. And during the four days the lamb was kept alive (Jewish rab- bies tell us) they tied it to their bed-posts, that hearing the bleatings of the Iamb as they came in and went out, lay down and rose up, two things thereby might be brought to their remembrance; 1. They might look back to Egypt, and remem- ber the sorrows and bondage they endured there, and be thankful for their redemption: and espe- cially, for their deliverance from the destroying angel that night he passed over their houses which were sprinkled with the blood of the lamb. 2. They were to look forward to the Messiah, and remember the bitter agonies and sufferings he was to endure for their sins. Thus the paschal lamb for several days was to be prepared for its sufferings, to teach the people of God solemnly to prepare themselves for eating thereof, and therein to celebrate the memorial of the Messiah's sufferings, which were thereby typified. That the four days' separation of the lamb was a con- tinual standing sermon, preaching, and prepara- tion to the Israelites, as if God had said to them, "Be ye also sequestrated from the world, and take time to think on the bleatings of the Lamb, the agonies of Christ, and prepare yourselves for this solemn ordinance." Oh, what shall we say of those who, instead of four days, never spent four hours in serious preparation for our great gospel-passover! O worthy communicants, as soon as you hear the Lord's supper intimated, let the lamb be tied to your bed- posts; entertain the lively meditation of your Redeemer's suffer- ings, and beg preparation of heart from God for celebrating the memorial thereof. Was our Lord so long a time in preparing for them, and shall we take no time in preparing to behold them especially when it is so highly for our advantage so to do ? We read that the primitive Christians and ancient fathers used to sit up whole nights at prayer, before they approached to the Lord's table, which they called their Vigiliw. In this ordinance, God makes great prepara- tion for us; he hath provided a feast which hath cost more than ten thousand kingdoms, or a mil- lion of worlds : and ought not the guests who are honoured with an invitation to it to make great and solemn preparation for it? Were we called to dine with an earthly prince, we would dress ourselves, and see to have every thing about us in good order: but here we are called to feasi with a holy and all-seeing God, who will infallibly spy out every unprepared communicant, " when he comes to see the guests," Matt. xxii. 1 1 . If the linen on the communion table, or the vessels that contain the elements, were foul, you would be ready to cry out, It is a horrid shame and abomination to see them in such a case; and so indeed it would, for there ought * be an out- ward decency in these things; our Lord would have the very room in good order, where he was to eat the passover. But O ! it is a small crime to have a foul cloth or vessel for receiving the outward elements, in respect of what it is to have a foul heart, an unprepared soul to receive the body and blood of Christ. Joseph prepared himself, by shaving himself and changing his raiment, before he went in unto Pharaoh; and wilt thou not prepare thyself, by putting thy soul in the holiest dress and humblest posture, when thou art to go in to the King of heaven and earth ? O communicant, thou exceed- ingly wrongest thine own soul if thou dost it not. Preparation is the seed-time, receiving is the harvest: "as a man soweth, so shall he reap. He who soweth sparingly, shall reap also spar- ingly : and he who soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully," 2 Cor. ix. 6. It is in the duty of partaking, as in the duty of praying, the more prepared the heart is to pray, the greater is a man's return from heaven, Psal. x. 17, "Thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear." So in the case of receiving it may be said, " Thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine hand to give." When God gives us a heart prepared for duty, it is a token he hath a hand prepared for mercy. Hence it is that the Lord makes that gracious promise, Psal. lxxxi. 1 0, " Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it." I will enlarge my hand as you enlarge your hearts. He saith, as Joseph to his steward, Gen. xliv. 1 . " Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry." According as Joseph's brethren prepared sacks in number and largeness, so did they carry corn away; and the fewer and smaller sacks they had, the less they carried away. So here, if you bring prepared and enlarged hearts to the ordinance, you shall be supplied with as much as you can carry. 15G A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. DIRECT. V.— CONSIDER THAT BOTH HABITUAL AND ACTUAL I'llEPARATlON IS REQUISITE FOR WORTHY COMMUNICATING. I. Habitual preparation is necessary to every communicant, that is, that he be a believer, a man in a gracious state, furnished with the graces of the Spirit, endued with knowledge, faith, repentance, love, and new obedience. No man is fit to approach the Lord's table, till he have these gracious habits planted in his soul. He must be a man that is renewed inwardly by the Spirit of God, and aims at holiness in all manner of conversation. This new wine must not be put into an old vessel, else the wine will be spilt, and the vessel perish. It was an ancient abuse of this sacrament, condemned by the Carthaginian council, to give it to dead men; so it is an abuse condemned by the word of God to give it to dead souls, and those who have no spiritual life. Under the law, God forbade the offering of sacrifices that either were blind or lame, Mai. i. 8, and they that were ceremonially unclean could not keep the passover. The ignorant person's sacrifice is blind, for he cannot give account of I lis own work: the hypocrite's sacrifice is lame, for he halteth in God's way: the profane man is morally unclean, and so cannot entertain com- munion with a holy God. Holiness becomes God's house, and in a special manner his table. Habitual holiness is requisite for all that would be worthy communicants. You must be holy universally, holy in the frame of your hearts, and in all the actions of your lives; holy in your shops, by diligence and justice; holy at your tables, by sobriety and thankfulness; holy in the streets, by an innocent, useful conversation; holy in your closets, by prayer and meditation. Yea, you must account your whole lives nothing but an opportunity of serving a holy God, and of mortifying sin and corruption; and this habitual holiness would dispose your souls for the acts of immediate worship. But unholy persons are altogether unprepared for such a near approach to God. Hearts full of rancour and malice are not meet to come to this feast of love: feet that walk in the ways of sin are not fit to tread in God's holy place: hands stained with injustice are unfit to handle these holy mysteries; mouths that are polluted with swearing and evil speaking are not fit to eat and drink the sacred symbols of Christ's body and blood; eyes defiled with unchaste looks, and bewitched with the world's vanities, are unfit to look on the holy Jesus; ears that entertain reproaches of God's people, and hearken not to the counsels of his word, are not fit to hear the joyful sound of pardon intimated at his table. They who expect the King of glory to enter into their souls at the solemn occasion, must have the doors thereof cleanly and pure. Unhallowed sinners are not fit to receive this hallowed bread and wine. Our Lord's body never saw corrup- tion in the grave, nor will he lodge in those bodies that are as nauseous sepulchres and cor- rupt sinks of sin. It lay only in a virgin womb and sepulchre, to show that he will only reside in virgin souls, that are devoted and consecrated to his use, and kept pure and chaste for his ser- vice, and do not entertain his rivals. I grant, indeed, impure thoughts will sometimes be crowd- ing into the best hearts; but if we do not enter- tain them, but sincerely strive against them, and earnestly wish for better company, it is a token Christ's Spirit hath entered, and is about his work of purifying the heart. If we would be habitually prepared for the Lord's table, we must be daily acquainted with the work of mortification and true repentance. We must always eye sin as our Saviour's deadly enemy, have no pity on it, but severely condemn ourselves for every trespass, instantly grieve for it, look to the blood of sprinkling for pardon, renew our resolutions to amend, and pray for special strength against every particular sin. We must daily meditate on precious Christ, and upon his first and second coming, and live continually in the view of death. And if we lived thus, it would not be so hard to prepare ourselves for the Lord's table. If we lived in a habitual prepara- tion for the day of death, we would also be habitually prepared for the day of communion. Had we God frequently in our thoughts, and lived constantly under the sense of his all-seeing eye; on the communion day we should find httle else to do but to revive our graces by the exer- cise of prayer and praise. II. Actual preparation is also necessary before our approach to the Lord's table. Seeing, alas! the most part of Christians in this degenerate age are so defective in their habitual preparation for this ordinance, they ought to be the more diligent in actual preparation for it. And this con- sisteth of a great many particulars; such as, 1. Sequestrating ourselves from the world. 2. Self- examination. 3. Humiliation for sin. 4. Renew- ing our personal covenant with God in Christ. 5. Reformation of what is amiss. 6. Exciting of all the graces to a lively exercise. 7. Medita- tion on the death and sufferings of Jesus Christ. 8. Earnest prayer to God for preparation and assistance in the work. All these belong to our actual preparation for the Lord's supper; and of them I shall afterwards treat more particularly. Only I shall here observe that both habitual ' and actual preparation must go together, if we would be worthy communicants. We must both have grace in the habit, and grace in the lively exercise. All wise virgins that wait for the PREPARING BEFORE COMMUNICATING. 157 coming of the bridegroom take care to have oil still in their vessels as well as in their lamps: nay, they must see to have their lamps burning every day. But when they hear that the bride- groom is actually coming, then, in order to meet him, they arise and fall afresh to the trimming of their lamps; they snuff them, stir up the light, and apply more oil to make them burn the brighter and clearer. And thus ought you to do, O communicant, if you would have a joyful meet- ing with your lovely bridegroom in the sacrament. Nay, if you come not with actual, as well as habitual preparation, the sacrament may prove to you as the summer brooks to the thirsty traveller, of which Job speaks, Job vi. 19, 20, "The troops of Tenia looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them. They were confounded, because they had hoped; they came thither and were ashamed." Some come to the sacrament with a sort of actual preparation, but have no habitual prepar- ation, no grace in the habit. Some again have habitual preparation, but not actual prepar- ation; they want grace in the exercise. Both these will go from the ordinance, as the troops of Tema and companies of Sheba, disappointed of spiritual refreshment. If we would reap spiritual advantage in this ordinance, we must take care to be ready both ways, habitually and actually; for it is only such that the all-seeing Master of the feast will look upon as worthy communicants. DIRECT. VI.— BE CONVINCED OP THE GREATNESS OP THE SIN AND HAZARD OP UNWORTHY COMMUNICATING. Wb are told both the one and the other in very plain terms, 1 Cor. xi. 27, 29, "He that eatetli and drinketli unworthily, is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord." And again, "He eateth and drinketk damnation or judgment to himself." So that we see the sin or crime is no less than that of murdering Jesus Christ, and of being found accomplices of the Jews and soldiers, who imbrued their cruel hands in the innocent blood of the Son of God, which in a most dread- ful charge ! The hazard to which this sin exposes, is both temporal strokes, and eternal damnation. Seeing I have spoken of the nature and danger of this sin, in the Sacramental Catechism; I shall say the less in this place. Only to communicate unworthily, is to ap- proach in an unworthy state, or in an unsuitable frame, or with wrong ends. When a person comes to the Lord's table in ignorance, without self-examination, without grief for sin, love to Christ, or faith in his blood, and is unprepared for this solemn ordinance, then he is an unworthy communicant. Now this must be a very heinous sin; for it imports your undervaluing the blood of Jesus Christ, as if it were the blood of an impostor or malefactor. For if you look on the sufferings of Christ here represented, as the sufferings of the innocent Son of God, and the glorious Saviour of mankind, why do you not come suitably affected therewith, and grieved for your sins that were the cause thereof? But if you do not really own or regard them as such, then, on the matter, you charge Jesus Christ as being the greatest impostor and criminal in the world, in declaring himself to be the Son of God and Saviour of sin- ners, when, in your esteem, he was not. If you say, God forbid we be guilty of this, we own Christ to be the Son of God, and the King of glory; why then are you guilty of treason, and of offering the greatest indignity to your prince, by throwing his picture or great seal into a mire, by defacing and defiling a statue erected for his honour and remembrance? For any dishonour done to the image or representation reflects upon the original. What horrid contempt would it be for a subject to come in with nasty clothes and filthy hands, and offer to sit down at his sove- reign's table, and dip into the dish with him? Now all this, and much worse, you do, when you sit down unpreparedly at the Lord's table, and eat and drink unworthily. Nay, you are hereby guilty of the basest dis- ingenuity and of solemn mocking of the Lord Jesus Christ: for, by coming to the Lord's table, you pretend to be doing honour to Christ, to be deeply affected with his sufferings, and to declare your abhorrence of sin, that was the cause thereof. Now when there is really no such thing, but on the contrary, sin is hugged and embraced, what is this but horrid dissimulation with an all-seeing God? yea, it is an acting of Judas's part over again, a "betraying of the Son of man with a kiss." But which is worst of all, by this sin you become "guilty of the body and blood of the Lord:" for, as he is justly reckoned accessory to a murder who either consents to it, makes light of it, or that abets and entertains the murderers : so unworthy communicants, who look upon the death and sufferings of the Son of God without remorse for their sins that pierced him, nay, love and lodge these traitors in their hearts that betrayed and crucified the Lord of glory, as plainly accessory to the Jews' horrid guilt of shedding the blood of Jesus Christ. It is a fearful thing to be guilty of any man's blood, even of the blood of a wicked man: but, how much more to be guilty of the blood of a righteous person, even of the Holy One of God ? Simple murder is a crying sin, Gen. iv. 10, "The voice of thy brother's blood crieth to me from the ground." It cries so, that it gives God no rest, as it were, till he come and take vengeance on 158 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. the shedder of it. Nature's light taught the barbarians that "vengeance would not suffer a murderer to live," Acts xxviii. 4. But 0 what a cry do you think the innocent blood of Christ must have against the guilty communicant! It is terrible to have that blood which pleads for sinners crying against thee. Christ's blood applied by faith, "speaks better things than the blood of Abel:" but when it is trampled on in the sacra- ment, it speaks and cries worse things than the blood of Abel ; it will cry for more terrible ven- geance than Abel's blood did. Wo to that poor soul for whom Christ's blood speaks not, but ten thousand woes to that soul which this blood speaks against. It is the worst kind of treason to shed the blood of an earthly king; but what wickedness must it be to shed the blood of the King of kings, one drop whereof is more precious than all the blood which ever ran in the veins of the kings and princes of the world since its first creation ! We see what David said concerning the motion for killing king Saul : " Who can stretch out his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guilt- less?" 1 Sam. xxvi. 9. But, O who can be guiltless that stretches out his hand against the Son of God? "Had Zimri peace who slew his master?" cried Jezebel to Jehu, 2 Kings ix. 31: and thinkest thou to have peace, O communicant, that goest to slay thy Master and Redeemer too? If God declared, that on him who slew Cain, "vengeance should be taken sevenfold?" Gen. iv. 15, what vengeance shall be taken on him that slayeth Jesus Christ? Hadst thou never harsh thoughts of the Jews for their cruelty to the Son of God, and yet wilt thou be guilty of worse thyself? The Jews crucified him but once, but thou, by continuing to be an unworthy receiver, crucifiest him often; they did it ignorantly, but thou dost it knowingly. And the time when thou committest this sin, makes thy guilt prodigiously great. Would it not be reckoned a piece of the most barbarous wickedness in a poor traveller, that was found starving by the way-side, and out of pity taken in by a person given to hospitality, for him to rise up, without any provocation, and stab his kind friend, while he was entertaining him at his own table? What a monstrous crime would this be! But how much more is it for you to pierce and stab Jesus Christ, when he is making a rich feast for you, displaying his banner of love, and inviting you to take sanctuary in his wounds ! It was a dreadful curse and imprecation that the Jews wished against themselves, Matt, xxvii. 25, " His blood be on us and upon our children." And now it has accordingly lain upon their heads these 1600 years, which has made them the most miserable people on the face of the earth. And wilt thou venture, by a rash approach to the Lord's table, to bring the Jews' curse upon thy- self? Nay, stand in awe of this sin, and the curse following on it, and say with David (when Abishai persuaded him to slay Saul), "The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against the Lord's anointed." So when Satan or thy own heart would persuade thee to be slight in thy self- examination, formal in thy humiliation for sin, and careless in thy preparation for this ordinance, that thou mightest be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord; let conscience then cry out, "God for- bid that I should stretch out my hand against Jesus Christ the Lord's anointed. How can I do this wickedness and sin against God," and wrong my own soul? O communicant, if thou venturest on this horrid crime, God will remember it against thee, and make it bitter to thee another day and in another place, if mercy prevent not. As Reuben told his brethren when they were in distress, Gen. xlii. 22, "Spake I not unto you, saying, Sin not against the child, and ye would not hear ? There- fore, behold, his blood is required." So, if you approach to the Lord's table in sin, or in a formal way, and without preparation, then look for it, when affliction, sickness, or death comes; or, at least, in the other world, that conscience will fly in thy face, and say, "Spake I not unto thee, saying, Do not sin against the holy child Jesus, and thou wouldstnot hear? Therefore behold his blood is required at your hands." And 0, what wilt thou do in such an hour? If thou wouldst prevent such a challenge, take heed to thy preparation, and notice the frame of thy heart. Remember, God will take exact notice of what respect thou hast to the body and blood of his Son, and how thou preparest to receive it, Matt. xxii. 11 — 13, "And when the king came to see his guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding-garment." Christ observes all those that come to his table; and if there be but one unprepared, he cannot escape his eye, be the number or crowd never so great. He observes with what appetite thou goest to this heavenly feast; he observes with what resolution against sin for time to come, thou goest for pardon of sins past. He notices, O com- municant, if thou goest to this gospel-ordinance, in a gospel order. And wilt thou dare to trample on the blood of the Son of God as the blood of a malefactor, and even when he himself stands and looketh on. Will not the sense of his piercing eye overawe you at such a time? Surely, if in any time of thy life thou wouldst be extra- ordinarily serious, this ought to be the season. Now thou oughtest so to prepare for this feast, that the master of it may see that thou art watch- ful of his eye, tender of his honour, and fearful of his anger. Forget not what was the fate of that SIN OF UNWORTHY COMMUNICATING. 159 man who came to the wedding-feast without a wedding-garment; when the king challenged him, "he was speechless," and his sentence was, "bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into utter darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Remember also what strict orders were given concerning Mount Sinai, when God solemnly- appeared on it; "if a beast did but touch it, it was to be stricken through with a dart." And, wilt thou venture to touch the table of the Lord with a beastly heart, a heart possessed with bru- tish lusts? Mayest thou not fear to be stricken through with a dart of God's wrath? We read of some, as the emperor Henry, and Pope Victor II. that were poisoned with the sacrament, by the wickedness of the priests, who mingled poison with the bread and wine. Didst thou, O communicant, apprehend that the bread and wine before thee were poisoned, would not the very suspicion make thee tremble to eat and chink of it? Well, if thou art an unworthy receiver, there is poison in it to thy soul, and thou hast ground to cry to the minister, as the sons of the prophets did to Elisha. 2 Kings iv. 40, " O thou man of God, there is death in the pot;" there is poison in the bread, there is wTath in the cup: how shall I partake, till this meal be sancti- fied to me, and my soul sanctified for it ? Our Lord makes a question, Luke xi. 11, " If a son ask bread of his father, will he give him a stone ?" No; he will not deal so with a son that comes to his table sincerely to seek bread for his hungry soul; but with an enemy that comes unpreparedly to him, he will give a stone instead of bread: unworthy receiving makes a transub- stantiation here, it changeth the bread into a stone; so that it will no more nourish thy soul, than a stone would do thy body: nay, like a stone, it will choke and kill thee, if the Physician of souls do not prevent it. "We are told by the apostle, that unworthy re- ceiving brings on temporal judgments, as well as spiritual and eternal. It brings on sickness and mortality on our bodies, 1 Cor. xi. 30, " For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." And some think it was the pes- tilence, or some such mortal distemper, that the Corinthians' unworthy receiving brought on them. Well, let us think on this; surely, if ever the pes- tilence come into Scotland, we may look on unworthy communicating as a chief cause of this desolating stroke. What a great risk then, O sinner, dost thou run, when thou venturest to this holy table with- out due preparation? Thou even runnest upon the bosses of God's buckler, and provokest the ven- geance of God against thyself. Thou mayest justly expect that God will turn it into such a feast to thee, a3 Belshazzar s was to him, who, in the time thereof, saw " a hand upon the wall writing his condemnation, so that his countenance was changed, his thoughts troubled him, and his knees smote one against another." In this ordi- nance you make a very near approach to God that is infinitely holy, and who is terrible from his holy places. The nearer God's altar, the fire of divine jealousy burns the hotter; and a wrong touch or look at that time is criminal, and may cost you dear. The Lord smote Uzzah dead for one rash touch which he gave the ark; he smote 50,000 of the men of Bethshemesh, for an irre- verent look into the ark? he devoured with fire from heaven Nadab and Abihu, for offering strange incense at his altar: and what he may do to thee for a rash approach to his holy table, none can tell. God may make thee a monument of WTath where thou sittest, strike thee dead with the bread in thy mouth, or cup in thy hand; and if it be otherwise, thou wilt be highly indebted to the divine patience for sparing thee. And indeed, we have cause to be astonished at the matchless goodness and long-suffering of God, in suffering so many thousands of vile mur- derers to live so long in this world, and that he should suffer them to approach his table, and to wound and stab his dear Son over and over again, when he hath flames and vengeance at com- mand, and can more easily crush them all, than we can do a moth; and, which is yet more, that he should unto such murderers make and repeat his offers of that blood which they have spilt, to wash them from the guilt of shedding it. And indeed it is this, and nothing but this, which is able to do it. But, though God be patient and merciful, he will not bear always with such criminals: no, he hath many spiritual and invisible judgments, which he inflicts upon them. He makes fearful breaches upon their souls. He frequently lets loose Satan against them, so that Satan enters in with the sop. And how fearful a thing is it, for the devil to be permitted to enter into a man or woman, and to do it at the Lord's table, so that the man rises up from this holy table with more eagerness after his lusts, and with more resolution and strength to do the devil's service, than before? And thus the table of the Lord becomes the table of devils, and the cup of the Lord the cup of devils, to such persons. And, should God also let loose Satan against their bodies, as upon Judas after the sop, what terrible havoc would he make among unworthy communicants ? How fearfully would he revenge the blood of Christ? Many communion-tables would he turn into Golgothas and Aceldamas, places of skulls and fields of blood. As the sweetest wine becomes the sharpest 160 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. vinegar, so communion-love, when abused, brings the sorest wrath. The death and sufferings of Jesus Christ are the most serious and awful things that can be represented in the world, and therefore not to be dallied with. The blood of Christ is the most precious thing in the world, and therefore a drop cannot be spilt without a cry for vengeance. And have not the best of us, alas, ground to fear we have contracted much of this guilt? Were our hearts never hard, our affections dead, our spirits carnal, and our minds wandering, when we have sat down at the Lord's table? Nay, have Ave not all reason to cry with David, Psal. li., " Deliver me from blood-guilti- ness, O God, thou God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy loving-kindness?" Ought we not all carefully to guard and earnestly to pray against this crying sin, and so prepare ourselves for this holy table, that we may not poison our precious souls with that choice cordial, which is intended for our health and eternal wel- fare ? DIRECT. VII. — IN ORDER TO YOUR BETTER PREPARATION FOR THE LORD'S SUPPER, SEQUESTRATE YOURSELVES FROM WORLDLY CARES AND BUSINESS SOME TIME BEFORE. "When you seethe time of this solemn approach drawing near, separate yourselves from the world, and set earthly thoughts aside, that you may the better apply yourself to the spiritual work you have in hand. Under the law, the Jews were Unfit for keeping the passover at the time appointed, in two cases, Num. ix., either if they had touched a dead body, or were in a journey. The first made a man unclean, so that he behoved not to meddle with that holy ordinance, till he were cleansed according to the instituted method, which took up some time to do it. The second made him unfit, in regard his mind and thoughts would be so distracted with the business of his journey, that he could not be in a composed frame for keeping the passover: his heart would be unfixed and disturbed with worldly thoughts. There are not a few who seem to think, if they be free from a dead body, i. e. if they be not defiled with some gross or scandalous sin, they are fit enough for the sacrament; and that they may approach to it, though they have their hearts in journeys travelling up and down after their worldly affairs. No, be not mistaken; a. journey unfits you for the gospel-passover, as well as a dead body ; a journeying earthly heart, as well as a notorious defilement by any gross sin. If you would be worthy receivers, you must be abstracted from the cares and vanities of this lower world, and seek after a stayed, spiritual, and heavenly frame of heart. Be not as men in a journey when ye come to the Lord's table, but lay aside all wandering and earthly thoughts; for, if you harbour these about such a time, you will not be in case to answer the apostle's rule, 1 Cor. vii. 35, " Attend upon the Lord without distrac- tion." We are told, that in the temple of Jerusalem, notwithstanding of the great abundance of flesh sacrificed in it, not one fly was to be seen stir- ring there. And so it should be with us at the sacrament; not a fly of an earthly or wandering thought should be allowed to buzz or stir there. Now, if these flies be not driven away before- hand, they will surely pester you in the temple, and trouble you when you have most to do ; nay, they will mar the duty, and corrupt the sacri- fice, as that grievous swarm of flies (mentioned Exod. viii. 24,) did the land of Egypt. It is a shrewd sign, then, that those who bring earthly and wandering hearts with them to the Lord's table are Egyptians, not true Israel- ites; seeing they have the Egyptian plague of flies upon them. In the forecited place we are told that there came a grievous swarm of flies into the houses of Pharaoh and his servants, and into all the land of Egypt, so that the land was corrupted thereby; but in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites dwelt, there were no swarm of flies. So, if ye would be worthy communi- cants, ye should be at the sacrament like the Israelites in Goshen, free of that Egyptian plague of flies; you must not have swarms of earthly thoughts to trouble you there with their buzzing noise and importunity. And the only way to be free of them is to drive them away timeously before, and purge your hearts of earthly affections. You ought to do as Abraham when he was called by God to sacrifice Isaac on mount Moriah, Gen. xxii. 4, 5, " When he saw the place afar off, he said to his young men, Abide you here with the ass, and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again unto you." Abra- ham knew if they had gone alongst with him, they would have so disturbed him with their clamour and noise that he could not have offered the sacrifice with any freedom and tranquillity of spirit; therefore when he saw the place afar off, he orders them to stay behind. The same should we be doing with our worldly affairs when we see the time afar off, and much more when we see the time approaching and at hand: then we should give strict orders to all our earthly thoughts and business to stand aside, and not only not to go to the mount with us, but not to go to our closets and retiring places with us. Possibly at such a time some affair of importance may offer to thy mind and require to be con- sidered ; but treat all secidar avocations as Nehe- SEQUESTRATING OURSELVES FROM THE WORLD. 161 iniali did Sanballat and Geshem, when they sent to him, Neh. vi. 2, saying, " Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages," &c. But mark how he answers them, ver. 3, " And I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease, whilst I leave it and come down to you?" And though these companions had so round and peremptory an answer, yet they were importuning him still, ver. 4, " Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort." But he still answered them in the same manner. Thus it will be with a man when he begins to sequestrate himself for actual preparation for the sacrament; this and the other business will be calling upon him that it may be considered and attended : but let your answer be, " I am doing a great work, I am preparing myself for the sacrament, I can- not wait upon you. Why should the work of preparation cease whilst I leave it and attend upon you ? " And though they haunt and impor- tune you many times after this sort, yet still answer them in the same manner. Likewise, remember how Nehemiah treated those merchants that violated the Sabbath, Neh. xiii. 19, " When it began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath; and some of my servants I set at the gates." Do so with your worldly affairs, shut up the gates on your hearts against them, and let them not be opened till all the duties of the solemn occasion be ended. Perhaps, like those merchants, they will be hovering about the gates for entrance: and therefore set conscience to watch at the gates, testify against them, rebuke and threaten them as Nehemiah did. Let thy spirit, in a holy indignation, rise against them, check and chase them from you, as coming most unseasonably to the hurt and prejudice of thy precious soul. As our Saviour says about prayer, Matt. vi. 6, " Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray;" so may I say concerning pre- paration for the sacrament, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door prepare thy- self by meditation, self-examination, and prayer; and especially shut the doors of thy heart against secular cares and earthly thoughts about thy business, and then set about the work. The work is so weighty, that it requires all thy thoughts about it. It concerns you to put your soul in the same order and state as if God were calling you to surrender it to him by death ; and if you be not ready to die, neither are you to receive the sacrament. All communicants should be in such a posture as our Lord directs, Luke xii. 35, 36, " Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord, that, when he cometh and knocketh, you may open to him immediately." Now, if your hearts be encum- bered with worldly things, you cannot be in case to answer this direction; you cannot be in a fit attentive posture to meet with and wait upon the Master of the feast. O communicant, wouldst thou have this ordinance comfortable? say then sometimes before it, Farewell, my wife and chil- dren, friends and secular concerns; abide you here at the foot of the mount: be hushed and mortified all irregular passions and affections ; you are a clog to my soul, I have something else to do than attend you. It is most lamentable to consider how many come to the sacrament in such an unprepared manner. Many are in their journeys when they sit down at the Lord's table; many, Egyptian- like, are environed with a swarm of flies, wan- dering and earthly thoughts; many bring their servants and asses to the very mount of sacrifice ; many leave the Lord's work in the very middle to meet with their Sanballats and Geshems ; they open the gates on the very sacrament-day to their merchants : nay, the world is both in their hearts and mouths about this solemn occasion. If we should ask the question at many com- municants, which our Lord asked the two dis- ciples he overtook going to Emmaus, Luke xxiv. 17, " What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk by the way?" What manner of conference and com- munications were those ye had together when ye went home from the preparation-sermon? Nay, those ye had the very morning as ye walked together to the church to receive the sacrament? How ashamed would many communicants be to tell what passed amongst them? There are many who could not answer them with these two dis- ciples, ver. 19, "concerning Jesus of Nazareth;" we were talking concerning a crucified Jesus, our lovely Redeemer; concerning the advantage of meeting with him in the sacrament, and the pre- paration needful for that end. Nay, it is to be feared the answer of many would be, if they should be ingenuous, We were talking about our corn, cattle, merchandise, families, relations, &c. ; these things, alas! many bring in their mouths to the very church-door. But should we search more narrowly, and propose another question: " What manner of thoughts were those you entertained that night, or that morning, before the sacrament?" Oh, the world would cry, fyc and shame on the thoughts of many if they were known. Well, remember it, our all-seeing Lord knows them all, and you may expect he will answer you according to the idols of your heart. O purge your hearts from vain thoughts, and sequestrate yourselves from worldly business, if x 162 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. you would rightly prepare for this ordinance, and profit in partaking of it. DIRECT. VUI. — SET SOME TIME APART FOR THE WORK OF SELF-EXAMINATION BEFORE YOU APPROACH TO THE LORD'S TABLE. This is a duty indispensably necessary unto worthy partaking, 1 Cor. xi. 28, " But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup." The word which the apostle uses here, dokimazeto, signifies a diligent and narrow search into the nature and properties of a thing, as a goldsmith proves the goodness of his metal. It lies in a close and free communing with our own hearts, by sisting our souls before the tribunal of conscience, and bringing our state and actions to be tried there by the rule of God's word. Self-examination is a reflex act of the mind, whereby we turn our eyes backward and take a view of our bypast life; and also inward, in order to ransack the state of our hearts, and the principles and scope of our actions, by putting such questions to ourselves as these, " What have we been doing? Wherein have we offended? What are we doing now? Where am I, and whither do I design to go? What shall I do to be saved? AVhere withal shall I appear before the Lord?" This duty supposes a serious pause of the soul, an arresting of the thoughts, and an awakening of our powers and faculties to be attentive to this work, that we may proceed with all calmness and serenity, seriousness and deliberation in a matter so important, that we may find out the truth of our state, and sincerity of our perform- ances, the corruption of our hearts, and enormi- ties of our lives. And this must be an exact and impartial search. A general survey of ourselves will not suffice to discover things as they really are; for Satan and our own hearts are very deceit- ful, and ready to impose upon us in this matter: therefore we must be very faithful and particular in our examination before the sacrament, and not sist in generals, or content ourselves with a super- ficial inquiry. Some, at such an occasion, act like Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. ii. 3, 5, " I have dreamed a dream, (says he,) but the thing is gone from me : " so say some, " I have sinned, I have come short:" but scarce can tell wherein, when put to it. If you would deal faithfully in this work, you must retire from the world, and summon your- selves to the bar of your own consciences, accuse yourselves plainly, and try yourselves impartially by the laws of heaven, registered in the holy scriptures. And if you would have a just sen- tence pronounced concerning your state and ways, then ye must in the first place look up to God for light, direction, and assistance; and then ye must excite and awake conscience to do its office, and to speak and judge for God: for though a judge be on the bench, yet if he be deaf, dumb, or asleep, he cannot judge. Conscience then must be roused up, and charged to act faithfully; and you should pray to God for a lively and ten- der conscience that will give just and impartial judgment. A deaf conscience that hears nothing, a dumb conscience that speaks nothing, a sleepy conscience that feels nothing, is the greatest plague in the world. But O ! it is a great mercy to have a waking and tender conscience, that will faithfully do its office in the duty of self-examina- tion, especially before a sacrament. This duty is absolutely necessary; for without it we cannot know how it is with us, we cannot know our plagues and miseries, our defects and necessities; and till such a time as we know these, we will neither value nor apply the remedy provided for us in the sacrament. Nay, we will be ready to mistake our condition, and think we are in a good state, that we have true grace, when really we have it not. There is much counterfeit grace in the world, and many are deceived therewith; yea, there is no grace but what hath its counterfeit. What did Moses for a time, but the Egyptian sorcerers did the like? Did Moses bring frogs on the land? so did they. And the magicians' blood and frogs seemed as real as those produced by Moses; and yet they were nothing but counterfeits and external appear- ances. So there is nothing a true Christian hath or can do, but hypocrites may have and do the same as to outward appearances. Therefore, it is both proper and necessary we bring our gracea and duties to be weighed in the balance of the sanctuary. O communicants, would you know how mat- ters are with you now, and how it is like to fare with you for ever? Would you have your hearts affected with your condition, and made acquainted with Jesus Christ? Would you have a visit from Christ at his table? Would you have grace quickened, and your wants supplied? Would you be worthy receivers, and prevent your eating and drinking your own damnation? Then examine yourselves before ye approach. Many a Christian can declare that the time of their searching themselves in their younger years, in order to prepare for the Lord's table, was the very time their hearts were first engaged to Jesus Christ and serious godliness. O wherefore is it that there are so many dead and formal com- municants; why so many hard-hearted and impenitent sinners, who could never yet be brought to mourn for their sins, or turn from them to God and holiness? The reason is plain from God's word, Jer. viii. 6; Lam. iii. 40; Psal. SELF- EXAMINATION. 163 cxix. 59. They are strangers to the duty of self- examination. If you neglect to examine yourselves, remem- ber you have to do with an all-seeing and heart- searching God, who will not fail to examine and find out every careless and unworthy communi- cant to his utter shame and confusion. Christ, whose eyes are as a flame of fire, will certainly come in and see the guests, and when he comes, he will look narrowly upon them : and though the house be full of guests, he will spy out " one man that wants a wedding-garment," Matt. xxii. 11. In a great crowd or multitude, one single man might think to skulk and not be found out; but we see that not one man can escape his piercing eyes; far less then can forty, fifty, or an hundred unworthy communicants think to escape in one of our congregations. Again, remember what was the fate of the man that came to the feast with- out the wedding-garment. In the first place, we see our Lord not only spied and singled him out, but he examined him also. The man had come without examining himself beforehand whether he had this wedding-garment or not; but God smartly examined him. So that we see, those who will not be at the pains and trouble to examine themselves, God will examine them to purpose: yea, it will be such an examination as the chief captain commanded Paul to be exam- ined with, Acts xxii. 24, viz. that he should be " examined by scourging." Every question and interrogatory that God will put to a sinner, or any unworthy communicant, will have a lash or sting along with it. What a scourging question did he put to that man, Matt. xxii. 12, " Friend, how earnest thou in hither, not having a wedding- garment? " It was so sharp, it drew blood of his conscience ; nay, it stunned and confounded him : it is said " he was speechless." Friend, says he, why? Thou professest thyself to be a friend of Christ, and dost associate thyself with his friends; but in thy heart thou art an enemy to Christ, a traitor that comest to stab him under the fifth rib, " Therefore bind him hand and foot, and take him away," &c. ver. 13. In the meantime, the man is speechless, Christ-condemned, and self- condemned: he had nothing to say against the justice of the sentence. The man that comes without a wedding-garment on his back, shall not go without chains and fetters on his feet, his hands, yea, on his heart, his will, his conscience, and his whole soul. Better for the man to have examined himself, and so to have prevented this terrible examination and sentence. God's questions to unworthy receivers will be nonplussing and confounding. Consider these stinging interrogatories, Isa. i. 1 2, " Who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?" l'sal. 1. ] (5, « What hast thou to do to take my covenant in thy mouth ? " Jer. vii. 9, 1 0, " Will ye steal, murder, commit adultery, and walk after other gods, and come and stand before me in this house?" These be scourging examinations, that fetch blood at every stroke; and you may look for it that God will come and examine thee thus, either by an awakened conscience in this life, or at a dying hour, or as soon as thou enterest into eternity: "and who may abide the day of his coming." Now, the way to prevent such an examination is to examine yourselves: for " if we would judge ourselves we should not be judged." David did not fear God's examination, when he had examined himself sincerely beforehand ; nay, with a humble confidence he appeals to God to search him, Psal. exxxix. 23, 24, " Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me," &c. Wouldst thou prevent the terror of God's search, then put searching questions to yourself before- hand, and see how matters are with your soul. It is better to have conscience awakened to search thee now, than to have it awakened in hell, where there is no place for repentance. This is a duty incumbent, not only on natural and unrenewed men, and upon those who were not at the Lord's table before, but even upon the best of men, and those who have communicated frequently. We can never be too sure about our soul's estate; besides, we daily contract new guilt, are liable to new decays, new wants, new burdens and grievances; and therefore the best have need to examine themselves every time they repair to this holy feast, but much more they who were never there before. Now, there are several things you ought to inquire into at such a time: 1. The state and condition of your souls. 2. Your sins and short- comings. 3. Your wants and necessities. 4. Your ends and designs. 5. Your graces and qualifications. I have discoursed all these points very fully in my Sacramental Catechism, to which the reader is referred. Some few things more I shall add here. I. OF THE EXAMINATION OF OUR STATE. Seeing this holy feast belongs only to the chil- dren of God, and those that are strangers have no right to it, it highly concerns all that design to approach to the Lord's table to examine what state they are in. As the Lord cried to Adam in the garden, "Adam, where art thou?" so do thou cry to thy soul, O my soul, where art thou? Art thou in the broad way or in the narrow ? Whether art thou in Satan's or in Christ's camp ? Whether under a covenant of works or a cove- nant of grace? Under a cloud of wrath or a banner of love? In a special manner, there are two important questions that every communicant 161 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. should much think upon: Whose am I? and, Whom serve I? Happy is the man that can answer hoth these questions with Paul, Acts xxvii. 23, " It is God whose I am, and whom I serve." It is not the devil, it is not the world, it is not my lusts: but God, whose I am, and whom I serve. Surely Paul in this condition, though a poor despised prisoner, was happier than Caesar himself, to whose bar lie was then going. Alas ! it is to be feared there are many communicants, if they would answer the foresaid questions truly, might say, It is not God, but the devil, or the world, or fleshly lusts, whose I am and whom I serve. " O Lord, pity such, and open their eyes to see what woful masters and bad service they are engaged unto, and deliver them speedily from their bondage." Look then to yourselves, examine your state, and see if you be among those who have a right to this sacred meal. Have you these characters? I. Are you priests to God? Under the law, it was not lawful for any to eat of the shew- bread but the priests, Mark ii. 26; so, under the gospel, none have a right to eat of this conse- crated bread but those who pertain to the spiri- tual priesthood. Try then if ye be priests to God. 1. Are you set apart and dedicated to God by your own consent and voluntary resigna- tion? 2. Are you related to the great High Priest of the church, Jesus Christ, and do you pertain to his family? 3. Are you consecrated to God, being washed in Christ's blood? Rev. i. 5, 6, "He hath loved us and washed us in his blood, and he hath made us priests unto God." 4. Do you offer up to God the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praises? Heb. xiii. 15. 5. Do you present the sacrifice of Christ's blood and merits, in the hand of faith, to divine justice, whenever you find yourselves accused by the law, or chal- lenged by conscience ? Well then, if you have these marks of priests, it is lawful for you to come and eat of this holy shew-bread. II. Are you members of God's family and household? then have you a right to this precious food: for Christ's flesh and blood in the sacra- ment is the food that God provides for those of his own household: not for strangers or foreign- * DO ers, not for dogs or profane persons, Matt. xv. 26, " It is not meet, saith our Lord, to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs." Are you children of the family? then may you eat of the household provision. But ah, may some say, how shall we be numbered among the children? Have ye faith in a Redeemer? then are ye among the children, Gal. hi. 26, " Ye are all the chil- dren of God by faith in Christ Jesus." Are ye born in his house? Is there a saving change wrought upon you? Have you the natures of children? Are yc friends of Christ, and sincere well-wishers to him, his family, and interest in the world? then you have a right to the chil- dren's bread. III. Observe the characters of those who were admitted to eat of the passover in Ezra's time, Ezra vi. 21, " And "the children of Israel who were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, did cat." Now, there are three charac- ters of these ancient partakers mentioned: 1. They were such of the Israelites as were come out of captivity; for while they were cap- tives in Babylon, they did not eat the passover. Well, try yourselves if you be among Christ's ransomed captives, delivered from the bondage of Satan, the reigning power of sin, and captivity of your lusts. 2. They were such as had separated themselves from the filthiness of the heathen, viz. swearing, whoring, drunkenness, profanation of the Lord's day, &c; these things are the filthiness of the heathens. Examine if you be separated from all these abominations, not only from the practice, but even from the love of them. 3. They were such as designed sincerely to seek the Lord God of Israel. Well, can you say it is the great aim of your soul in approaching to the Lord's table, to seek the Lord and Master of the feast; it is not the outward ordinance, but a gracious meeting with the God of ordinances, that your souls thirst for. Then you may come and eat of the gospel-passover. By these, and such like characters, let com- municants examine what state they arc in before they venture to this holy table. This is a feast for Christ's friends to cat of, Cant. v. 1. And if enemies thrust themselves in among them, it is at their highest peril. This ordinance supposes you to be within that covenant which it sealeth ; for those who are out of the covenant have noth- ing to do with the seals of it. It supposes you to have something of that spiritual life which it sustains and nourisheth; so that those who are dead in sin have no right to meddle witli it. Uncircumcised persons wTere not to eat of the passover; so neither are unrenewed persons to eat of the Lord's supper. You must be bora before you can eat; you must be united to Christ before you can feed on him; you can- not receive juice or sap from the vine except you are a branch in it. It very much concerns you then at such a time to inquire narrowly into the state of your soids; and in order to attain a true discovery thereof, you ought to put plain and particular questions to your- selves, and charge your consciences, as in the presence of God, to give free and ingenuous answers thereto. And, for instance, see what SELF-EXAMINATION. 165 answers you can give to these Questions fol- lowing: 1. "Have I ever been spiritually enlightened," and got my eyes opened to see the depravation of my nature, and the sinfulness of my heart and life, and that I am all as an unclean thing before God? 2. " Have I been truly convinced and made sensible of the exceeding evil that is in sin ? " Is my heart touched with a deep remorse for it, and brought to lothe it, and willingly to for- sake every known sin? Was I ever brought the length, even to be willing to be loosed from this body of flesh, that I may be freed from the body of sin. 3. " Have I been brought to see my absolute need of Christ " to save me from sin and wrath, to bring me unto God, and to give me grace and glory? Have I seen such beauty, and tasted such sweetness in Christ, that he is truly precious to me, and altogether lovely in my esteem, so that I wTould willingly part with all things for him. 4. "Have I a covenant relation to and interest in God as mine?" Have I made choice of him as my God and portion, and have I resigned and given up myself to him ? Can I say, I am thine, Lord, and all I have, both body and soul ? Are my eyes the Lord's, to behold his wondrous works? Are my ears his, to hear his heavenly Avoid? Are my taste and smell his, to relish his surpassing sweetness in the creatures? Is my tongue his, to proclaim and triumph in his praise? Are my hands his, to work what is good, and to help his people ? Are my feet his, to walk in his ways? Is my understanding his, to know his will, and contemplate his perfections? Is my memory his, to treasure up his counsels and promises ? Is my conscience his, for a deputy to accuse or excuse under him? Is my will his, to choose or refuse according to his pleasure? Is my grief his, to mourn for what is offensive to him ? Is my hatred his, to abhor and flee from what is hateful to him ? Are my desires his, to long and pant for his presence? My love his, to embrace him? My delight his, to acquiesce fully and con- tentedly in him ? 5. "Is sin in some measure mortified in me?" Do I find it weaker, or have I more strength to resist it than formerly? is it now my grief and burden to find it moving and stirring in my heart? 6. " Doth the interest of God my Creator and Redeemer prevail in my heart" above the inte- rest of the world, or of the flesh? Do I seek chiefly, and above all things, the kingdom of God and his righteousness? Do I prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy? Now, if you thus examine yourselves, and commune with your own hearts in secret, you may, by the blessing of God, come to find out the truth concerning your spiritual state and condition. Object. But may we not mistake in examin- ing our state? Do not we see the most part of men presuming that their state is safe and good, and having little doubt of their right to the chil- dren's bread? Ans. 1. There are many we need make no great question concerning their state; such as the grossly ignorant, who know not the misery of a natural state, nor their need of Christ; and the openly profane, who go in the broad way of swearing, lying, drunkenness, neglect of prayer, &c. He that runs may read their character, that they are Christless and unconverted: who- ever they be that are in this state, and go in it, they are unfit for this ordinance, they are not invited guests, they have no part nor lot in this matter. Ignorant persons cannot examine them- selves, nor discern the Lord's body; profane per- sons mock God when they pretend to seal a covenant with him: and if they thrust them- selves upon this table, they affront Christ, and seal their own condemnation. We would reckon it a loathesome sight to see some dead corpse, or men full of plague-sores, sit down beside us at our tables : and do you think that the living and holy God can look with pleasure upon dead sin- ners, or those with the running ulcers of swearing, drunkenness, &c. sitting at his holy table? Let all such stand off; for they will find poison in the bread, and death in the cup, and go away worse than they came. This is not a converting, but a confirming ordinance in its own nature, and there- fore supposes that they are converted and in Christ who come to it. 2. There are others who come the length of a form and profession of religion, that yet are in a bad state; and if they would allow themselves the free use of their reason, and compare their case with the word, they might easily perceive the badness of their condition. Upon a small search they might discover, that though they per- form some duties, yet it is not for the glory of God, but to be seen of men, or to satisfy a natural conscience; they rest upon their duties, and make a saviour of them; and though they read, hear, or pray, yet they never notice heart- wrork; they love the world more than God, and mind the things of the flesh more than the things of the spirit; they are careless about secret prayers, and allow themselves in known sin; they suffer pride, covetousness, malice, revenge, and other lusts, to reign in their hearts without resisting them, or mourning for them: and surely these are black marks of a Christless state. And if ye would set up a tribunal in your own breasts, and hear what God's word and your own con- 166 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. sciences would conclude concerning your condition, ye would find yourselves ranked among the un- clean, and such as have no right to the children's bread, while you remain in your present state; but alas, how many such rush upon this solemn ordin- ance without any heart-search, or acquaintance with themselves ! They trust to their outward form, and hence flatter themselves that they are safe enough ; and so, like the " foolish virgins," they slumber away their time, still dreaming of heaven and happiness; and nothing that God's word or ministers say will undeceive them, till the "cry at midnight" awakes them: and behold, then, when they open their eyes, they meet with an eternal disappointment! When they thought of nothing but open gates at the first knock, behold, the draw-bridge of mercy is taken up, and the gates of heaven shut in, and they hear nothing but that terrible voice, "depart from me, I know you not." O that he who searcheth Jerusalem with candles, and knows the heart, would undeceive you, and awaken you in time! 3. There are others who are really in a good state, though the evidences of it are not so clear to them: Satan rises many fogs and mists to obscure the sight of grace, and the saving change that the Spirit of God hath wrought in their souls. Besides what I have formerly said, I shall add these few remarks or questions more by which you may discern it : 1. "Have you got new discoveries of things which ye had not before?" Though perhaps ye cannot tell exactly the time, manner, and steps of the change; yet can ye say with the blind man, John ix. 25, "One thing I know, that whereas once I was blind, now I see." Once I saw little evil in sin, but now I see it exceeding vile and damnable: once I thought there was some good thing in me, but now I see my heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, and swarming full of base lusts: once I slighted heart-holiness, but now I see it to be most beautiful and necessary: once I saw little need of Christ, but now I see he is more necessary to my soul than meat and drink to my body: once I saw little beauty in Christ, but now I see him to be the chiefest among ten thousand, nay, among all the thousands in the world." Then to be sure there is a change wrought ; though ye were once darkness, yet now ye are light in the Lord. 2. "What are these things you are most taken up and concerned about?" Can you say, once it was my question, "What shall I eat, and what shall I drink, and wherewithal shall I be clothed?" But now my great question is, "What shall I do to be saved?" Once my main care was to secure and increase my temporal enjoyments; but now it is to lay up my treasure in heaven, and clear up the evidences for it : once the world and temporal things were my uptaking business; but now my Saviour, my soul, and eternity, are my chief concerns, and lie nearest to my heart. 3. How stand your hearts towards secret and spiritual duties, and towards secret and spiritual sins: 1. As for the first, do you earnestly desire and study patience under affliction, meekness under injuries, and contentment with your lot and condition? Do you study humility and lowliness of mind, and desire to have pride brought down, that you may be still lower in your own eyes? Are ye delighted with secret mourning for sin? Are ye desirous of intimate converse with God by secret prayer and meditation? Wherever grace is wrought in the heart, it bends towards God, and centers in him. It is the voice and very first cry of the new creature in the soul, Psal. lxxiii. 28, "It is good for me to draw nigh to God." Nearness to God is the mean of its livelihood and subsistence. This is given as the mark of Paul's change, Acts ix. 11, "Behold, he prayeth." The Spirit of grace is never a dumb Spirit, Zech. xii. 10; Gal. iv. 6. But if thou art a stranger to converse with God in secret duties, it is a sad sign of thy estrangement to a saving change upon thy soul. 4. How stand you affected to secret and spirit- ual sins? Are you grieved for your pride and ambition, envy, unbelief, atheistical thoughts, backwardness to duty ? &c. Do you feel the stir- rings of indwelling corruption and heart-lusts, and earnestly striving against them ? Doth the eye of God, or the love of Christ, restrain you as much from secret sins, as from open transgres- sions? Do you abhor the temptations to sin, and start at the first appearance thereof, like Joseph, Gen. xxvi, "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God." Object. Alas, I am a poor, dark, confused creature, I know not what to make of my case; I would sometimes fain lay claim to some of the foresaid marks, but presently I am beat off, and all is darkened to me: for when I begin to consider narrowly, I cannot say that I have any true love to Christ, or that I ever rightly closed with him by faith; I know a little of a work of grace in my heart ; I cannot take up the beauty of Christ and of holiness. Ans. I pity those poor trembling, and doubt- ing souls, who cannot attain to any fight or clear- ness about their condition; who yet are labouring for it and would give all the world to obtain it: .and though, in the mean time, they dare not renounce all hope, yet they can see no solid ground to build upon, and are often tempted to give over all further endeavours. To such I would say, that you ought to wait on God, and hold on in the way of duty to your SELF-EXAMINATION. 167 lives'end, whatever discouragements you may meet with therein, God in his own time will let you know that your labour is not in vain. In the mean time, for thy comfort, I would ask thee some few questions: 1. Thou sayest, thou hast no love to Christ, nor hast thou closed with him by faith. But is love to Christ that which thou would fainest have of any thing in the world? Is it thy greatest grief, so that sometimes it forceth tears from thine eyes, that thou canst not get thy wretched heart to love him. Then, to be sure, thou art not destitute of love to him. Hast thou not so much love to him as makes every thing that bears his image amiable in thine eyes? You are afraid you love him not; but can you say there is nothing in all the world would please you so much as one ray or love-blink of his countenance? And though he should never own you, yet you resolve to lie all your days at his feet, and look up to him, and to none other, for salvation: then be of good cheer, poor soul, for these are comfortable degrees of faith and love. 2. "What is the object in all the world that thy restless heart is most pointing out after? Canst thou say, if thy heart deceive thee not, it is an interest in Christ, communion with God, and love to his ways; and obtaining of these would yield thee more content than all the gold of Ophir? Then, to be sure, there is true grace wrought in thee. There are many true diamonds that are but like sparks in respect of bigger stones, yet these are as true as the other. Every degree of peace is grace; and sincere desires after grace, are certainly true grace. 3. Upon what is it that you spend the strength of your prayers, and what are you most earnest for ? Is it, O doubting soul, for the death of sin, the removal of heart-plagues, the curing of heart- wandering, heart-deadness, and backwardness to duty? Again, dost thou spend another great part of thy prayers for the increase and lively exercise of grace, and for the actings of faith and love? Then this is a sure mark of the Spirit's work in thy soul; for, if thou saw not the evil of sin and beauty of grace, thou woidd not spend the strength of thy prayers for killing sin, and quickening grace in thy soul. But, lastly, O doubting soul, if thou canst not win to clearness, by pouring on the marks of grace and faith (as indeed sometimes doubting believers cannot, since there is no mark that can be given, but a scrupulous conscience will find a back door), then try another way, endeavour to act faith in a direct manner upon Jesus Christ? for many times a believer will sooner come to a clearness of his interest, by the direct acts of faith, than by the reflex acts. Therefore, if thou canst not see faith in thy soul, then presently flee to Christ, and lay hold upon the offer and promise of life, as if thou hadst never done it before. Run as a malefactor to the city of refuge for protection, as if you had never fled there before: go as a wounded man to the physician for a plaster to thy wounds, as if you had never got one applied before. Go transact and covenant with God in Christ, as if you had never essayed any thing like it before; for whatever you have been, Christ still tenders himself to you to be your Saviour, and you cannot possibly be so willing to accept of him as he is to accept of you. Try this method, and there is good ground to hope, that light will break up, and fears evanish; and so you may with comfort come to this sealing ordin- nace. II. OF THE EXAMINATION OF OUR SINS. Examine yourselves of your sins and short- comings; take an account of your debts, and see how great they are : put the question to your- selves, which the unjust steward put to his Lord's debtors, " How much owest thou to my Lord?" And see that ye tell the truth, and do not for an "hundred" write down "fifty," as many a false conscience doth: but deal truly and ingeniously, for an all-seeing God is looking on. Do as the Jews, who, before the celebration of the pass- over, searched their houses for leaven very nar- rowly; they lighted candles, and sought every corner and hole therein; and when they found it, they threw it away with detestation. Some think it is with allusion to this custom, that the Lord is said "to search Jerusalem with candles," Zeph. i. 12. In like manner, you must narrowly search every corner of your hearts for the "leaven of pride, avarice, malice, and hypocrisy," 1 Cor. v. 7, 8. The iniquities of wicked men will find them out, but good men will find out their ini- quities. Now if ye will find them out, ye must set them apart, and convene your souls before God and conscience, and compare your hearts and lives with God's word, and the rule of his com- mandments. Look back upon your actions, recal the passages of your fives, and remember your faults before the Lord. If you would have your repentance full, ye must endeavour to take a full and particular view of your sins, both original and actual, of omission and commission, of youth and riper age, of purpose and of practice, of heart and of life. View your sins both secret and open, against the first and second table; consider how ye have wronged God, your neighbour, and yourselves; how ye have transgressed every com- mandment, either in thoughts, words, or deeds : think upon the lusts of your hearts, the sins oi your tongues, and outbreakings of your lives. Particularly, search out your predominant and beloved sins, and also the heinous circumstances 168 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. and aggravations of your sins; and forget not to examine yourselves concerning the breach of former vows, and the guilt contracted since the last sacrament. Let no wound or sore be con- cealed or skinned over, but search them all to the bottom, if you would have them perfectly cured. Let it not satisfy you to ask conscience in an cursory way, concerning the foresaid sins, but wait for an answer, nay, urge it to give it, and put it hard to it. III. — OF THE EXAMINATION OF OUR WANTS. Examine your wants and necessities, and come sensible of them to this ordinance, where ye may find all needful supplies treasured up in Christ's fullness, which is here exhibited; search out your defects and needs, and come to Christ with them. Are you polluted, heavy laden, and under bonds and terror ? Do you see yourselves blind, naked, lame, sick, or wounded? Come sensible of thy miseries, O sinner, to Christ, who has a broad plaster for every sore. Dost thou find thy graces weak? Doth thy faith shake, thy hope stagger, thy love decline, thy holy desires abate? Dost thou want wisdom, sincerity, self-denial, meekness, humility, or brokenness of heart? Then come sensible of these defects to Christ for new supplies and reinforcements. Do you want a sight of your interest in Christ, a seal of your pardon, clear and unclouded evidences of grace, a view of the King's face, or strength to vanquish your lusts ? Nay, are you oppressed with bodily wants and infirmities, crosses and losses, and many outward pressures and afflictions? Then come with a due sense of all these wants and burdens upon your spirits to Jesus Christ, and cast them all upon him. In this ordinance, Christ sets himself upon a throne of grace with a sceptre of mercy in his hand, and waits to hear his people's complaints and petitions. A feasting time is a time of granting requests; see then that you be ready to present your's at this feast? Christ here saith to thee, as the king did to Esther at the banquet of wine, Esther v. "what is thy peti- tion? and what is thy request? and it shall be granted thee." Or, as he said unto the blind men, Mat. xx. 32, "What will ye that I shall do unto you?" Be ready with them to answer, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened;" or, Lord, that our hearts may be softened; Lord, that such a weak grace may be cherished, that such a strong lust may be vanquished, that such a plague may be removed, &c. IV. — OF THE EXAMINATION OF OUR ENDS. Examine your ends and designs in approaching to the Lord's table. Christ examines the people's ends in going to hear John, Matt. xi. 7, "What went you out for to sec?" Much more ought we to examine our ends in going to the Lord's table. See that it be not to observe the fashion of the country where you live, or to get a name, and be the better thought of by ministers, friends, or neighbours, or to make atonement for your amy as some ignorant persons among us apprehend, who rest upon the bare ordinance, and outward signs and elements, for pardon and justification, without looking to Christ for it : thus, alas, many content themselves with Elijah's mantle, without asking for the God of Elijah; give them the shell, they ask not for the kernel: let them have their communion (as they call it) though it really he nothing but a bit of bread and a sip of wine, they think all is well, their sins are pardoned, they are sure of heaven, they are ready to die, the devil can have no power over them ; and so they use this sacrament as a charm, being ignorant of the true ends and uses of it. Quest. What are these ends and designs ice ought to have in our approaches to this sacred table'? Ans. It is of great consequence to be well instructed hereof, and to try ourselves diligently concerning them. Examine then, (1.) If it be your design sincerely to give obe- dience to our Lord and Saviour's call. Can ye say, that his authority had a powerful influence upon you in this matter and ye dare not slight it, and that ye cannot think of neglecting Christ's dying charge, and the command he hath -left behind him to his disciples, to solemnize and cele- brate the memorial of his dying love ? (2.) Is it your design to show forth Christ's death? This should be your great business in this ordinance, 1 Cor. xi. 25, 26. You are to show forth and annunciate Christ's death three ways : 1. With respect to yourselves, you are by this saci'ament to give a lively representation to your mind of Christ's death, and keep up a fresh remembrance of his sufferings and dying love, and of the great propitiatory sacrifice he offered for you upon the cross, and the great things he hath thereby purchased for you; and hereby you are to raise your faith and hope in a crucified Savi- our. 2. With respect to the world, you are hereby to testify your respect to a crucified Christ, and that ye publicly own yourselves to be his disci- ples ; and are not ashamed of a crucified Jesus, or his ignominious death, but glory in it, as the wis- dom of God, and power of God; and count it your honour to be his followers. As also, ye declare that ye look to his death and merits as the only hope of your salvation, and reject all other saviours besides him. 3. With respect to God, and that two ways: 1st. Show forth Christ's death to a just and sin- SELF-EXAMINATION. 169 revenging God, in a way of faith and prayer: present and plead this sacrifice as a screen and defence against the sword of justice, the wrath of God, and curse of the law; plead it as the ground of all your hopes and desires. 2d. Show it forth to a good God in a way of thanksgiving and praise. Praise God for such a glorious Redeemer, and such an excellent sacrifice ; bless him that sent him, and bless him that came. Thanksgiving to God is a special design of this ordinance, and upon this account it is called the Eucharist, or thanks- giving. Here it is we should celebrate the praises of our Redeemer, who came from a throne to a dunghill, yea, from the height of glory to the depth of misery, to save us from perishing eter- nally. (3.) It is your design to renew a seal and cove- nant with God in Christ, ratify your baptismal vows, and solemnly bind yourselves to be the Lord's people? As believers here come to get God's seals of his covenant, for confirming their right to the benefits of it; so also they are to seal their covenant engagements, to take God for their God, accept of Christ for their prince and Savi- our, give up themselves to him, renounce sin and walk in the ways of gospel-obedience. Now, because many profess to covenant with God in this ordinance, who yet deal falsely with him, you ought to be at great pains to try the sincer- ity of your hearts in this matter. And for trial of it, see if you can say, that your wicked hearts are a greater burden to you than all the crosses and troubles you meet with in the world; and that you are more desirous to be rid of sin and heart-plagues, than of any affliction whatsoever. Or, can you say that you desire heart-holiness, and further degrees of grace, of faith, love, and brokenness of heart for sin, more than any honours, profits, or pleasures, this world can afford? Or can ye say, that the world's best things are in your eyes as dung or nothing, in comparison of Christ and his righteousness, and an interest secured therein? And can ye say that ye are sensible of your own insufficiency and weakness to make or keep any covenant with God ; and therefore ye are made to renounce all confidence in yourselves, and to say, "In the Lord only I have righteousness and strength?" Then these are good signs that you are honest and sincere in the making of this bargain, and are likely to be found stedfast in God's covenant. (4.) Is it your design to draw near to God, and hold intimate communion and fellowship with Christ in this ordinance ? And do you earnestly desire that "ye may sup with him and he with you?" This table is instituted for the kindly correspondence of Christ and his people, and their mutual feasting one with another: for, as Christ here sets before you the dainties and comforts of heaven, and invites you to feast thereon; so you are to set your graces and affections before him, and invite him to come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits. You are to come here, not only to receive the tokens of Christ's love to you, but also to give the expressions of your love to him. Here there is a mutual communication of secrets betwixt Christ and his people. (5.) Is it your desire to get your manifold wants supplied out of Christ's fulness? Is it your earnest desire that his ordinance may be an effectual mean, through the blessing of God, for the weakening and killing of your sins and lusts, the nourishing and strengthening of your souls, the curing of your diseases and plagues, the increase and exercise of your graces; particularly for strengthening faith, inflaming your love, kind- ling your desires, quickening your hope, and renewing your repentance and resolutions against sin. Again, is it your design to get clearer eviden- ces of your interest in Christ, the smiles of his face, and comforts of his Spirit ? Would ye have a seal of your pardon, a display of the riches of free grace, a sight of the "Sun of righteousness, the love of God shed abroad in your hearts," and all your fears removed ? Would ye have at this feast furniture for your spiritual journey, support under affliction, strength against temptations, and preparation for suffering? Would ye have a pledge and foretaste of heaven, and the eternal communion that is above? Then these are good designs; and if you be sincere in them, you may expect a welcome from the master of the feast. V. — OF THE EXAMINATION OF OUR GRACES. A fifth thing you must examine yourselves of, in order to prepare you for this holy table, is your graces and qualifications. Search diligently if you have those sacramental graces requisite in worthy communicants; such as knowledge, faith, repentance, hungry desires, and new obedience. I. We must examine our knowledge, and see if we have a competent understanding of the prin- ciples and grounds of Cliristianity, and of the nature, signification, and use of the Lord's supper. Without this, we cannot know God nor our- selves ; we can neither know God's infinite jus- tice and purity, our own natural corruption and misery, nor Jesus Christ our great help and remedy, the knowledge whereof is absolutely necessary to worthy communicating. In some churches, in ancient times, infants and children were admitted to the Lord's supper, and' the Greek and Armenian churches do the same at this day: but we justly dissent from them in this practice, because it is necessary, in order to our being fit and worthy partakers, that we " exam- ine ourselves " and "discern the Lord's body" 170 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. in the sacrament, according to 1 Cor. xi. 28, 29, neither of which can be done by those that are not come to the years of understanding and dis- cerning. A man without knowledge is not in covenant with God, and therefore hath no right to partake of the seals of the covenant, Heb. viii. 10, 11, "This is the covenant I will make, &c, all shall know me from the least to the greatest." So that these who know not God have no interest in this covenant, and consequently can have no title to his benefits, nor any gracious communion with God. Observe how the promise runs, Jer. xxiv. 7, " I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord ; and they shall be my peo- ple, and I will be their God." It is threatened as a heavy judgment for per- sons to die without knowledge, Job xxxvi. 12, " They shall die without knowledge." It is as much as if it were threatened they shall die in their sins, and perish for ever. Now if it be a sad case to die without knowledge, so is it to come to the sacrament without knowledge; for that which makes a man unfit to die, makes him also unfit to communicate. No man is safe to partake in that case, which he is not in safety to die in. Neither children nor fools are fit to receive the Lord's supper, because they are not capable to examine themselves and discern the Lord's body. Now ignorant persons, in God's account, are both children and fools : so he reckons them, Jer. iv. 22, " For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, they have no understanding." Under the law it was reckoned an abomination to offer that which was blind unto the Lord, Lev. xxii. 22. Now a blind offerer, that hath the eyes of his understanding darkened, is more abominable than a blind offering. Error or ignorance makes a man morally unclean before God. When the leprosy affected the head, then the priest was ordered to pro- nounce the man utterly unclean, and exclude him from the camp of Israel; why? because " the plague was in his head," Lev. xiii. 44. Every ignorant man has a plague in his head, a plague of spiritual blindness and darkness, besides many woful plagues in his heart; for without knowledge "the mind is not good;" (whatever ignorant folk speak of their good hearts and good meanings) it is full of earthliness, enmity, and backwardness to what is good, Prov. xix. 2; 1 Pet. i. 14. Surely then such unclean persons are not fit to come to the holy table of the Lord. It concerns us then to examine our knowledge before we approach. As for the objects, proper- ties, and usefulness of this knowledge, I refer the reader to my Sacramental Catechism. II. Examine your faith before you approach to the Lord's table; for faith is absolutely neces- sary here. Without faith it is impossible to please God in any duty, and far less in this, where faith is highly needful and so much to be employed. He that would receive Jesus Christ in the sacrament must have an eye to see Christ and his worth, a foot to come to Christ, a hand to lay hold on Christ, and a mouth to feed on him; all these are necessary in order to partake of Christ at the Lord's supper. Now faith is all these to the believing communicant. 1. It is the eye of the soul by which it sees Christ, Isa. xlv. 22, " Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth." 2. It is the foot whereby we come unto Christ, John vi. 35, " He that cometh unto me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." 3. It is the hand whereby we receive and lay hold on Christ, John i. 12, "To as many as received him he gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." 4. It is the mouth whereby we feed on Christ, John vi. 53, " Except ye eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God, ye have no life in you," that is, except ye believe on Christ. Now what can you do at the Lord's table without faith? Can a man see without an eye, come without a foot, receive without a hand, and feed without a mouth. Moreover, without faith you can have no right to this holy table, for it is children's bread; and it is by faith you become children. Without it you cannot enter into covenant with God; for faith is the very assent and consent of the soul unto the marriage-covenant which is transacted and sealed in the Lord's supper. Without faith you can have no communion with God in this or any ordinance; God will surely hide his face from them that come without it, Deut. xxxii. 20, " And he said, I will hide my face from them:" and the reason he gives for it is, " for they are children in whom is no faith." So that without faith you cannot see God in the sacrament; for how can a man see a veiled or hidden face? Unbelief cuts a man off from God, Rom. xi. 20, " because of unbelief they were broke off." And how can a man, cut off from God, have any communion with God. Without faith you can derive no virtue from Christ, nor benefit from this ordinance : for as a rich jewel can do you no good unless it be accepted, nor a sovereign medicine unless it be applied, nor a deep well without a bucket to draw with; so neither will Christ's shed blood or purchased salvation avail you, unless you bring faith to apply it to your souls. "The well is deep," said the woman to Christ, " and thou hast nothing to draw with." So may I say to thee, if faith be wanting. Moses saith of SELF-EXAMINATION. 171 God's kindness to Israel, Deut. xxxii. 13, "He made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock." Now Christ is a rock that yields all manner of necessaries to believers, honey and oil, sweetness and fatness, quickening and comfort. But how do they come by it from this rock? it is said, "He made bun suck honey out of the rock." There is no honey or oil to be had without sucking, and there is no sucking without the mouth of faith. He that hath faith can suck this honey and oil from Christ in the sacrament; but he that wants it can suck noth- ing : unbelievers then must have a dry sacrament of it, for they cannot suck though the breasts be full. Nay, which is worse, unbelief lays restraints on the virtue and healing power of Christ in the sacrament: for we are told, Mark vi. 5, 6, "He could there (that is, in his own country) do no mighty work, because of their unbelief." Why? Could any thing bind our Redeemer's hands, or limit his mighty power? No: but he lays down this order of working which he will not alter, to "put forth his mighty power in and unto those that believe," Eph. i. 19. So that unbe- lief doth enervate the force and operation of the sacrament. Without faith you can never prepare for this ordinance, nor partake of its virtue. AVithout faith you cannot put on the wedding-garment, you cannot discern Christ through the elements, you cannot feel the print of the nails, you cannot flee to the city of refuge, you cannot take hold of the horns of the altar, nor clasp the plank of mercy to save thy perishing soul. And what good can you get at the sacrament if you do none of these? Precious faith is the wing whereby the poor trembling dove flies to the window opened in the side of the ark; it is by this that it takes shelter in the clifts of the rock. In a word, faith is the grace that puts life and vigour in a dead soul, it is the spring and primum mobile of all the other graces; it sets repentance, love, desire, and all the rest on works : so that a man can do nothing at the Lord's table without faith, except it be to wound Christ, and bring wrath on himself. You see then what need you have of faith at this ordinance, and to examine if it be true and not counterfeit. As Philip examined the eunuch of his faith before he admitted him to the sacra- ment of baptism, Acts viii. 37, " Believest thou with all thine heart?" So should every man examine himself before the Lord's supper; "Do I believe with all mine heart?" Do I esteem Christ most precious? Doth my heart bleed for piercing him? Do I embrace him in all his offices, and say, He is my salvation and all my desire? Well, if thou canst truly say so, thy faith will make thee whole, and thou mayest expect a kind welcome at thy Saviour's table. The Lord has furnished you with abundance of marks in his word for the trial of your faith. Try your faith now; for you know not but your faith may come to a fiery trial, as did the mar- tyr's faith of old: and how will you be able to abide such a trial as that, if you never put it to a previous private trial? " If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, how wilt thou contend with horses?" How wilt thou abide a fiery trial, that cannot endure a closet trial ? Men will not buy oxen for plough- ing, but they are desirous to put them to trial, Luke xiv. 19, "I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them;" and will communi- cants pretend to such precious jewels as faith, love, &c. and yet not desire to prove them, and especially at a time when it is so highly requisite, and so very much depends on the doing of it ? III. Try your repentance before you partake ; for without a broken heart, you cannot expect to meet with a broken Christ in the sacrament, but a " broken and a contrite heart is a sacrifice he will not despise." You must " sow in tears," if you would "reap in joy:" for a wet seed-time doth here prognosticate a sun-shiny and plentiful harvest. It was of water that Christ made the choicest of wine at the marriage-feast in Cana of Galilee; so the water of true repentance will produce the choicest wine of consolation in the sacrament. When Joseph's brethren came to be sensible of their sin in selling him, then it was, and not till then, that he made them a feast, and kindly entertained them at his table : so till such time as we be sensible of our sins, and repent for piercing our Redeemer, he will not feast us, nor smile upon us at his table. Now, because there is much counterfeit repent- ance in the world, go retire in secret, and put questions to yourselves concerning your repent- ance: say, "Am I a penitent in heart, and a secret mourner for sin, when no eyes see me but God's? Do I mourn for inward and secret sins, as well as for outward and open sins? Do I mourn for the dishonours done to God by the sins of others, as well as by my own? Am I troubled more for the evil of sin, than for the evil of affliction? Am I more grieved for abusing the mercy and goodness of God, than for expos- ing myself to the sword of his justice? Do I cry with the penitent prodigal in my confessions, as in Luke xv. 18, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee?" Alas! I have wronged a kind and loving father, whose goodness towards me hath been as the dropping dew : ah, I have pierced my compassionate Redeemer, and cruci- fied him over again by my sins; and what do I deserve at his hands?" Again, what are the effects and fruits of our 172 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. repentance? Doth it beget in you a vehement hatred and indignation against sin, and a watch- fulness to prevent it? Wherever there is true repentance, there will he a hearty aversion to sin. As a hurned child will dread the fire; so a Chris- tian, who hath truly repented of sin, is so sen- sible of the weight of sin, and the wrath of God, that he has resolved never more to touch these burning coals. David, who heforc his repentance had his conscience so hardened that he could even drink the blood of Uriah; yet, after his repent- ance, his conscience was so tender that he refused so much as to drink of that water which had been hut the occasion of hazarding men's lives. And, lastly, doth thy repentance work in thee a holy revenge against sin? Dost thou look upon it as the enemy of God, the murderer of Christ, and destroyer of thy soul ? and upon that account, that it doth not deserve to live? It was Esau's expression, Gen. xxvii. 41, "The days of mourn- ing for my father are at hand; and then will I slay my brother Jacob." But say thou, 0 com- municant, " The days of mourning for the death of my dear Saviour, and everlasting Father, are come; and now will I slay my most beloved lusts, now will I be revenged on them for seek- ing to rob me of my spiritual birth-right, and wrong me of my eternal blessing, and which is worse, for actual crucifying of my glorious Re- deemer. Shall sin be suffered to live in my soul, that would not suffer my Saviour to live in the world? Away with it, away with it; crucify it, crucify it." By such marks as these, try the sincerity of your repentance. As for the trial of your love, desires, spiritual appetites, new obedience, and other graces, seeing I have no new thing here to add, I refer you to my Sacramental Catechism. SOME OBJECTIONS OF DOUBTING CHRISTIANS, RELATIVE TO THE FORMER DOCTRINE, ANSWERED. Object. I. By what I have heard (may some say) I fear I am not Jit nor prepared for this solemn ordinance; and it heing a thing so dan- gerous to come to it unpreparedly, I tremble and fear to go forward to that holy table. Ans. 1. Did you always keep the fear of God in your souls, preparation- work would be less painful, and an approach to God less frightful than now it is; for then you might go to the Lord's table with a holy fear and reverence, and slavish fear would not so much haunt you. Did you keep more at a distance from sin, and fear to do what God has forbidden, you would not so much fear to do what he hath commanded. 2. Though you be not so prepared for this ordinance as you desire, yet if you sincerely make conscience of preparation-work, and do your utmost to get yourself ready, you ought to go forward in obedience to God's command, "Do this in remembrance of me." I know there are not a few exercised Christians brought to great straits betwixt a sense of their unfitness and the obligation of God's command, so that they know not what they do ; their fears and discouragements are so great, they are like to be overwhelmed with them. But let such mind the word of the Lord to the children of Israel, when they were in great perplexity at the Red sea, and their hearts sink- ing for fear, Exod. xiv. 15, "And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward." Forward, might they say (and the deep sea before us), as good go backward to the Egyptians, or stand still and let them come up and put us to the sword, as go forward into the sea, and be drowned; surely, the deep sea will have no mercy on us more than the Egyptians. But, for all this, "speak to the children of Israel," (saith the Lord) "that they go forward." Let them obey my commandment, and trust me with their lives. Here is encour- agement to the doubting believer, that in all sin- cerity makes preparation for this ordinance, though he hath many doubts about his right to it, and great fears about the event of the duty: the Lord bids us speak to such a man, that he go forward: let him obey God's commandment, trust God for his through-bearing and success. Object. II. But (saith another) none should come to this table, but they who are in a state of grace; and J apprehend I have no grace, I can- not lay claim to any of the marks of grace before- mentioned, and, particularly, I want faith in Jesus Christ; and how shall I go to the Lord's table? Ans. There may be true grace and true faith in a soul, sincere and acceptable before God, though yet the degrees of it may be so small, and the operation of it so weak, that it can hardly he discerned by us. Now, though you cannot lay claim to the foregoing marks, yet see if you can at least answer to the following questions: — 1 . Do you not see yourself undone and lost for ever without Christ, and that none but Christ can save you, and you never resolve to look to any other? 2. Are you not grieved for the sins that have undone you, and would as willingly be free of them, as ever a sick man would be free of his sickness, or a prisoner of his chains ? 3. Do ye not conscientiously practise what- ever you are convinced to be your duty, and dare not omit it when you know it? Do ye not sin- cerely aim at prayer, searching the scriptures, mourning, meditations, and other duties? 4. As you dare not omit these duties, can you say also, that you dare not rest in them, nor rely on them, because you see your prayers for pa*- HUMILIATION FOR SIN. 173 don have need of pardon, and your tears for sin have need themselves of heing washed in the Wood of Christ? 5. Do you unfeignedly desire Christ, and hunger and thirst for him and for his righteous- ness, as that which only can he sufficient to cover the nakedness of your souls? Are you willing to accept of him on any terms, willing that he should sanctify as well as save you, bring you to obedi- ence as well as to glory? Doth your judgment value Christ above all, and doth your will choose him before all things? If you doubt whether you love him, yet tell me whether you would love him if you could? If you doubt whether you have already received him, yet tell me whether you are unfeignedly willing to receive him? Then these are some degrees of grace, some workings of faith, well-pleasing in God's sight; and do you cherish and improve them in the use of God's appointed means; they will increase. Object. III. But (saith one) we are required to draw near to God with a true heart, in full assurance of faith ; and how can I he accepted, who have a heart full of fears and doubts'? Ans. 1. The assurance of faith is indeed to be sought and endeavoured by all in their approaches to God, but yet it is not the attainment of every believer in his approaches to God : for there arc some who have come to him with much fear, and yet have gone away with much comfort. Mark v. 32, the woman that had the bloody issue came fearing and trembling, and fell down before Christ; and yet Christ said to her, ver. 34, "Daughter, go in peace;" she came to Christ in fear, and yet went away in peace. 2. The best course we can take, under a bur- den of fears and perplexities, is to go with them to Jesus Christ for relief. David, when he was overwhelmed therewith, gets to the "Rock that was higher than he," Psal. lxi. 2, and on this rock he lays all his burdens, and founds all his hopes. 0 believer, your rock Christ is higher than you, higher than all your enemies, higher than all your fears and temptations; he is sufficiently able to overmatch them all. Get yourselves to this strong rock, and shelter your souls in the clefts thereof. Object. IV. But {saith another) I have little hope of meeting with Christ at his table; and what should such a hopeless creature do there? Ans. 1. It is indeed the duty of all believers to come to this ordinance with raised hopes and expectations of meeting with Christ; for ordin- arily "his mercy is upon us according as we hope in him," Psal. xxxiii. 22. Yet, 2. A believer may sometimes meet with Christ, when he has least hopes to find him. For Mary, when she met with Christ, John xx. 15, and supposed he had been the gardener, and had inquired of him as such for Christ, she had little hope; for, before he answered her, she turned herself from him, and thought it wholly needless to stand talking with him about finding Christ; and this appears by her turning herself to him, as we are told she did, when he spake the word that gave her comfort. Christ called her by her name, Mary, and made himself known to her, just when she had turned from him as hopeless of finding him. It is good then, 0 discouraged communi- cant, to be in use of means, searching and trying yourself, and making preparation for this ordi- nance, however small your hopes may be of suc- cess: for a poor soul may sometimes find Christ, when he hath least hopes of doing so. "Or ever I was aware (saith the spouse) my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadab," Cant. vi. 12. DIRECT. IX. — SET TIME APART FOR DEEP HUMILIATION AND MOURNING FOR YOUR SINS, BEFORE YOU APPROACH TO THE lord's TABLE. Having found out your sins by self-examina- tion, as before directed, you ought to be deeply humbled for them, and ingenuously confess them before the Lord in secret; and that you may speed the better in this work, join fasting with your humiliation, for we are commanded to turn to the Lord (Joel ii. 12. "with fasting, with weep- ing, and with mourning." Fasting, so far as the state of the body and health will allow, is one of God's appointed means for removing that drowsiness and heaviness, that dullness and deadness of spirit, which we are otherwise liable to; and also for bringing the body more in subjection to the soul, and fitting both for the better performance of holy duties, as meditation, prayer, reading, hearing, examining, judging, and reforming ourselves. It tends to promote spiritual-mindedness, kindle zeal, quicken prayer, and to wean the heart from the world; and the soul being hereby for a time taken off from the thoughts, cares, and pleasures of this life, is the more disposed to be wholly intent and taken up in the work and special duties of the day. Fasting likewise carries in it somewhat of a holy revenge upon the flesh for its former excesses, which in a sincere penitent is acceptable to God, though it cannot make satisfaction to divine justice for the least sin. It also im- plies a deep sense of our guiltiness and ill-deserv- ings before God, and is a plain acknowledgment of our unworthiness of the least mercy, even of the common necessaries of life, and far less of the heavenly manna that God provides for his chil- dren in the sacrament. Now it is the humble and self-condemning sinner that God is pleased to 174 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. lift up and comfort. But it is not enough that the head "be bowed down as a bulrush for a day," that the outward man be humbled, or the body chastened; this is not the fast which God hath chosen : the soul must be afflicted before the Lord, and the man inwardly troubled and cast down for offending God. O communicant, believe it, and be firmly per- suaded of it, that repentance and humiliation for sin is a most important and necessary work for thee before the sacrament. Antinomians vilify this doctrine of repentance, and say, it is no part of the gospel; that it is a legal duty, and not necessary to the obtaining of pardon. But to show you a little of the excellency and necessity of this duty, consider that our Saviour, the great prophet of the church, doth teach it as one of the first and chief lessons of the gospel. When he sent John Baptist, as the harbinger of the gospel, the first text he preached on was repentance, and his doc- trine was, Matt. iii. 2, "Repent ye, for the king- dom of heaven is at hand." "When Christ, the author of the gospel, appeared himself, the first sermon he preached was a sermon on repentance also, Matt. iv. 17, "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Yea, our Saviour tells us, that it was for this very end and purpose he came down from heaven, and was made man, that he might preach repentance unto the world, Luke v. 32, "I came not to call the righteous, but sin- ners to repentance." And, accordingly, the first and chief thing that Christ commanded his apos- tles to preach was repentance, Mark vi. 1 2 ; Luke xxiv. 47. And in obedience to these orders, the first thing that Peter preached to the Jews was repentance, Acts ii. 38. Nay, further, our Savi- our tells us, that repentance is a chief part of his purchase for sinners, and one of the chiefest gifts which he bestows upon them. He not only came from heaven to preach repentance, but also to shed his blood to purchase repentance to us ; and therefore he instructs his disciples, Luke xxiv. 47, "to preach repentance to the world in his name," i. e. as his purchase; and his apostles assure us, that he arose and ascended for this very end, that he might bestow the gift of repentance on his people, Acts v. 31. Now certainly, if repentance had not been so excellent a work, and such a necessary gospel- duty, Christ and his apostles had not insisted so much upon it; our Saviour had not begun his public ministry with it; nor had he told us so peremptorily, and so often, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Tertullian says of himself, that he was born to nothing else but to repentance: a saying well worthy of our most serious observation. Like- wise it was the saying of a godly minister, "That if he were to die in the pulpit, he would wish to die preaching repentance; and, if out of the pul- pit, he would wish to die practising repentance." This is a duty always in season, and never more seasonable than when we go to seal a covenant with God, or go to Teceive the seal of God's Spirit in the sacrament. "We know hard wax will not receive the impression of the seal, where- fore we must first melt or soften the wax before we apply the seal; so the heart must be first softened and melted by repentance and humili- ation for sin, before any impression be made there- on by the heavenly seal of God's Spirit in the sacrament. What Bathsheba saith, Prov. xxxi. 6, 7, is very applicable here, "Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine to those that be of heavy hearts (or bitter in soul.) Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more." So the wine in the sacra- ment is not for the secure and impenitent, but for those who by repentance and humiliation for sin are in poverty of spirit, bitterness of soul, and heaviness of heart for grieving and offending God. The Lord is graciously pleased to appoint this wine for them, to refresh and comfort their hearts against the sense of their poverty and misery. "Blessed are they that mourn (at this occasion) for they shall be comforted; their sorrow shall be turned into joy." But if you come with unpenitent, insensible, and hard hearts to the Lord's table, you will kindle the Lord's wrath against you for crucify- ing his beloved Son. As king Ahasuerus's wrath was kindled against Haman for his bloody plot against his beloved Esther and her people, even while he was at the banquet of wine, and pre- sently gave sentence against him: so may the King of heaven's wrath be kindled against thee, while at this spiritual banquet, and pass sentence on thee presently, and say, "Let Satan enter in v^th the sop, and seal him under his hardness and impenitency, and carry him on to all ungodliness till he be ripe for hell." What Christ said of the Pharisees' proselyte, Matt, xxiii. 15, "He was made two-fold more the child of hell than themselves," may well be said of impenitent receivers; by their communi- cating in this case, they may make themselves two-fold more the children of hell and the devil than they were before : for thereby they fall more under the power of Satan; they increase their hardness, strengthen their lusts; and to all their former sins they add the guilt of profaning God's ordinance, crucifying the Son of God afresh, and trampling his precious blood under foot. Impenitent partaking is a crime so offensive to a holy God, that it will bring all your other sins fresh into God's remembrance, and excite him to HUMILIATION FOR SIN. 175 visit you for them, according to that word, Hos. viii. 13, "They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and cat it; but the Lord accepteth them not:" that is sad enough, but worse follows: "Now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins." Now will he do it, even while they are offering their sacrifice. O impenitent sinners, God remembers your sins at all times, but espe- cially when you come to the sacrament in a hard- ened case; then will he remember how you have formerly abused his mercies, wounded his Son, grieved his Spirit, misspent your time, neglected his worship, dealt hypocritically with him, been unjust to your neighbours, hated his people, &c. So that he will, at the very time you are receiv- ing, come and visit your sins, smite you with his wrath, and give Satan power over you. O then, were it not far better for you, before you come to the Lord's table, to be remembering your sins, and humbling yourselves for them before the Lord, than to have God remembering them in wrath against you, when you are at the table? Now for your help in this matter, set time apart before the sacrament, read over our Larger Catechism upon the ten commandments; and as you read, carefully observe and mark the duties you have omitted, and the sins you have com- mitted against every one of the commands; and from this you may form a black catalogue of your sins, which you ought to spread, as Hezekiah did Sennacherib's letter, before the Lord, and like- wise before the face of your own consciences. Had we but our eyes enlightened by God's Spirit, to take a view of ourselves and our manifold spots, in the glass of God's holy and extensive law, then would we go humbly to God, with ropes about our necks, sorrow in our hearts, tears in our eyes, and confessions in our mouths, cast ourselves down at the footstool of his mercy, and make full and particular acknowledgments of our guiltiness before him. And to give some instances: when we view the first commandment, let us be humbled for our sins against it, and confess them: "Ah! have I not been guilty of much heart atheism? Have I not doubted of the being or providence of God? Have I not much ignorance, and many wrong thoughts and misapprehensions of God ? Have I not been forgetful of God my maker and preser- ver? Have I not put the creature, the world, self, and other things, in his room? Have I not ascribed my mercies to others, to fortune, to my own wisdom and industry, rather than to God? Alas, for my self-love, self-seeking, unbelief, dis- trust, hatred of God, grieving his Spirit, dislike of his image in his ordinances, his children, &c. 2. How have I sinned against the second com- mandment, by devising or approving other ways of worship than God hath appointed, by not prizing pure ordinances, by making representa- tions of God in my mind, and entertaining wrong conceptions of him ? 3. Against the third commandment, by abusing God's name, his scriptures, his ordinances; by irreverent approaches to God, hypocrisy, careless hearing and communicating; by perjury, swearing rashly, breach of oaths and vows; by having a hand in the perjury or false-swearing of others; by wresting the word, misapplying providences, unthankfulness for mercies, insensibleness and incorrigibleness under judgments and afflictions. 4. Against the fourth commandment, by for- getfulness of the Sabbath before it came, not pre- paring for it, not labouring to prevent what might distract me in the duties of the Sabbath : by pro- faning the Sabbath when it came, by idleness, needless visits, unsuitable thoughts, words, and actions; by worldly cares and business on the Sabbath; by needless recreations, seeking my own pleasures, not performing, or careless performing of the duties of the Sabbath, both in public and private. Alas, I have been so far from calling the Sabbath a delight, that ofttimes my heart hath said, What a weariness is it? Ah, the strict observation of the Sabbath hath been tedious to me, I have shifted it over, and said, When shall the Sabbath be gone? &c. 5. Against the fifth commandment, by not behaving myself answerably to my natural, eccle- siastical, and political parents; not loving them, praying for them, and covering their infirmities : by not behaving suitably towards my inferiors, and not admonishing and encouraging them in well-doing, not correcting children, or doing it unduly, provoking them to wrath: and also carrying unsuitably towards my equals, envying their gifts, prosperity, or grieving at their advance- ment. 6. Against the sixth commandment, by sinful anger, hatred, malice, desire of revenge, immoder- ate use of meat and drink ; by quarrelling, fight- ing, striking, wounding, and doing several things that tend to take away the lives of others; sow- ing strife and discord among friends, &c. by not being duly concerned for the preservation of the lives of others, whether of their souls or bodies. 7. Against the seventh commandment, by unchaste thoughts, words and actions; by unclean imaginations; obscene speeches, wanton gestures, immodest apparel; not watching over my senses, heart, words, actions; by going into bad company, occasions of uncleanness; by drunkenness, glut- tony, and other temptations thereunto. 8. Against the eighth commandment, by steal- ing, defrauding, oppression, extortion, unfaithful- ness in bargains and contracts, idleness, prodigal- ity, inordinate prizing of worldly goods. 9. Against the ninth commandment, by slan- 176 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. dering, backbiting, reviling, lying in jest or ear- nest, concealing the truth I should have spoken, speaking the truth unseasonably, and to a wrong end, suborning false witnesses, pleading for an evil cause, rash censuring, aggravating smaller faults, countenancing evil reports, extenuating gross sins. 10. Against the tenth commandment, by dis- content with my own condition, envying and grieving at my neighbour's good and welfare, impatience under affliction. Alas, for my innu- merable breaches of G od's holy commandments ! In the next place, take a view of the particular aggravations of your sins, and be deeply humbled for them, and lay them out before God in their blackest and bloodiest colours: "Ah, I have sinned against more light and knowledge than others, against many checks of conscience, warn- ings, admonitions and reproofs. I have sinned against more mercies and experiences of God's kindness than others. I have had many gracious offers of peace and pardon; nay, God has given me sweet intimations of his love and good- will to my soul; he hath sometimes smiled on me in duty; given me enlargements, breakings and meltings of heart in prayer, hearing and commu- nicating; but I have been most unthankful to him: alas for my ingratitude for mercies! I have sinned against more resolutions, vows, covenants, and engagements, to the contrary, than others have done. Ah, I have sinned with deliberation, and fallen into the same sins over again. I have sinned against my confessions, my lamentations, and prayers. I have sinned against God's rods and chastisements upon myself, and against terri- fying instances of God's judgments upon others. I have sinned against the patience and long-suf- fering of God, that hath waited upon me for many years. Alas, I have sinned against reason, conscience, interest, and a thousand other obliga- tions. I have dishonoured God, hardened the wicked, and opened their mouths against religion. I have gratified Satan, and brought up an ill report on the ways of God by my sins, more than many others. Moreover, how grievously have I sinned against the gospel, by slighting, not sufficiently esteem- ing, admiring, and being thankful for, the infinite love of God displayed in man's redemption. By not loving and rejoicing in Jesus Christ and him crucified: by resting on my duties, and not improving Christ, and relying on him in all his offices, not accounting all things loss and dung for him: by not dying daily to sin, nor sorrowing for it; but often making light of that which nothing but the blood of Christ could expiate. Ah, I have not sought the things of Christ as my own, I have not preferred Jerusalem to my chief joy. My heart hath not (like Eli's) trembled for the ark of God, nor hath my soul (like Lot's) been vexed from day to day with the unlawful deeds of those among whom I live. I have not mourned for the afflictions of God's people, for the signs of God's anger, or for the sins of the times. Alas for the infirmities, imperfections, and iniquities of my holy things ! Oh, the heart-hardness, for- mality, earthly-mindedness, dcadness, indisposi- tion, wanderings, weariness, unpreparedness, and want of relish that have attended my attendance on holy ordinances, and particularly this of the Lord's supper! I have rested in the mere out- side of duties. I have had little appetite after this refreshing ordinance of the Lord's supper. I have not approached to it with such solemn pre- paration, examination, humiliation, renewing of covenant, as I ought to have done. I have walked unanswerably after the communion, and have not minded my resolutions and engagements as becomes a worthy communicant." Having thus accused yourselves, and confessed your sins before God, as far as you can remem- ber; proceed also to judge and condemn your- selves from them, saying, "O what a wretched rebel against God have I been; yea, even a den of filthiness, a sty of uncleanness, and a sink of misery! I have been a heaven-daring, God-pro- voking, Christ-crucifying, Spirit-quenching, law- breaking, gospel-despising, and soul-murdering sinner! Lord, can thy arms of mercy open to receive such a monster of wickedness as I have been? Surely I deserve rather to be trampled under the feet of thy justice, than to be embraced in the arms of thy mercy; for, alas, I have tram- pled under my feet all thy glorious attributes. I have abused thy mercy and patience, and con- temned thy wisdom and power. I have despised thy goodness, that hath been unto me like the dropping dew. I have incensed the infinite power of my dread Sovereign against me, who by a word can unhinge the world, and tear up its foundations as easily as he laid them. I have exasperated the justice of that mighty One who by bis breath can crumble me to dust, and con- sume me to powder. Lord, I have sinned against the clearest light and dearest love : nay, I have repeated and reiterated my heinous sins; I have gone from committing sin to confessing sin, and from confessing sin to committing sin again. Ah! I have lived as carelessly and irreligiously, as if there had been no God to punish, nor devil to torment; no sweetness in heaven, nor bitterness in hell. O what indignities and affronts hast thou borne with from me, a poor, undeserving, ill-deserving, yea, hell-deserving wretch! never were the wages more due to the labourer, than damnation is due to me. If every sin brings down a curse, and deserves hell, how many thou- sand hells, how many millions of curses, do I HUMILIATION FOR SIN. 177 deserve? O how miserable should I be for ever, if thou, Lord, shouldst deal with me according to my deservings! I have forfeited all interest in thy favour, and all claim to thy mercy: I deserve not to live in thy world, or to breathe in thy air; but to have my name blotted out from under heaven, yea, to have all the curses of thy book, and all the vials of thy wrath poured out on me, even a deluge of fire and brimstone rained upon me without intermission. I deserve to be hung up in chains of everlasting darkness, to be a monument of justice, and a derision of devils for evermore. I cast down my soul, Lord, at thy feet; though thou should take it up and fling it into hell, I behoved to say, 'Thou art righteous:' for the hottest place in hell is too good for me. " Oh, shall such a wretch as I think of approach- ing to thy table? What may I expect there but frowns from the Master of the feast? While the Sun of righteousness ariseth with healing in his wings to those that fear thy name, thy wrath may bum against me as fire, and devour me as stubble. The day of feasting and rejoicing, sacri- fice and atonement, to thy sincere servants, may be a day of wrath and trouble, darkness and gloominess unto me. While they are saying, 'Come let us go into the house of the Lord, our feet shall stand within thy gates, 0 Zion, within thy courts, O God :' I may justly be saying, The great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand? And when thy children, Lord, shall go with confidence and present themselves before thee, arrayed in the righteousness of thy Son, lifting up their heads with joy, knowing the time of their redemption draws nigh : I may be hiding myself in the dens and rocks of the moun- tains, saying, 'Fall on me, and hide me from the face of him that sits on the throne.' I may see them taken in and set down at the table above with the King, and myself eternally thrust out : and, while they are feasting and rejoicing at thy table, I may justly be lying under the wrath of the Lamb. " O Lord, I have made light of the gospel feast, and preferred the things of the world before it; so that thou may est justly say to ine, that I shall never taste of thy supper; or if I go to it, that it shall not be for the better but for the worse; I shall meet with a frown instead of a smile, a curse instead of a welcome, a breach instead of a blessing. Lord, thou mayest instead of bread give me a stone, and for the cup of the New Testament give me a cup of wrath and trembling. Thou mayest justly turn my hard heart into a stone, instead of turning my stony heart into a heart of flesh." When thou hast in this manner aggravated thy crimes, and condemned thyself, yet do not despair; but as the poor condemned criminal may cry for mercy, so let a poor, humbled, sel£-condemned sinner cry to a merciful God for pity. Say, " Lord, I am ashamed and confounded at my former madness and folly: I have nothing to plead for myself, except, with the poor publican standing afar off, to smite upon my breast, and lift up mine eyes to heaven, and say, ' God, be merciful to me a sinner.' All my refuge, all my hope is in the free mercy of God through Jesus Christ. Lord, make me a monument of free grace to all the ages of eternity. But alas ! I am ashamed to speak of mercy and grace, who have already abused so much thereof, yea, trampled on the blood that should save me. But, Lord, what can I do, or whither shall I go ? Should I despair with Cain, or make away myself with Judas? O no: this, Lord, were to affront thy mercy yet more, and utterly to reject the gospel- remedy which thou valuest so highly. This tiling I will not do; but seeing I have heard so glorious a report of the mercy of the King of Israel, I will even venture to his throne of grace, where free mercy reigns to pardon abounding sins, and where Jesus Christ sits to save the chief of sinners. Lord Jesus, reach from heaven thy merciful hand to save me a poor sinner, who, like Peter, am ready to sink in the sea of my sins and miseries; that so the blessing of a heavy-laden sinner, that is ready to perish, may come on thy head for ever. ' Lord, save me, or else I perish ; ' wash away the guilt of my many heinous sins with the merit of that blood which ran down from thy wounds on the cross, that I am to see represented in the sacrament, or I am undone. Lord, I am told of the efficacy of this blood, that it hath a mighty current, and the highest moun- tains of guilt cannot stop its course. 0 ! let the blessed experiment be tried on me, as it hath been on thousands before me. I am also told that thou hast sought after many sinners while running from thee; nay, followed them to the very gates of hell with a pardon in thy hand ; and when Satan has been ready to tumble them in, thou hast caught them and brought them back again. And wilt thou now refuse me, who am seeking after thee? Lord, thou heardst and helped, nay, died for thine enemies before they cried to thee for help: and wilt thou now reject me, who am come to lay down my arms, and cry to thee for mercy? Hast thou not said, that he that confesseth and forsaketh his sins, shall find mercy? Thy word was never yet known to fail. Lord, be it to me according to thy word." And having betaken thyself to Christ thy Surety's merit, humbly plead it with God for thy pardon and acceptance; say, " Lord, I have indeed broken all thy commands; but hath not my Surety fulfilled them all? I have, alas! affronted thy justice; but hath not my Surety satisfied it? z 178 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. I have deserved thy wrath, but he hath endured it. The chastisement of my peace was upon him : 0 let the merit of his righteousness be upon me. Lord, remember not what I have done against thee: but remember what he hath done and suf- fered for me. Oh! when I consider thy great- ness and my own un worthiness, thy purity and my uncleanness, thy glory and my vileness, I am confounded and discouraged to draw near to thy table; but when I consider thy bounty and goodness, my Saviour's merit, and thy mercy and readiness to forgive, I am encouraged to come. And 0 that I could come with a broken and a contrite heart, which is a pleasant sacrifice to God!" Object. But (saith some poor discouraged soul) 1 would willingly set about the work of humilia- tion, in order to prepare me for the sacrament; but 0 my hard heart will not break; alas! it is so hardened and bound tip, that I cannot get one tear for sin. Ans. Remember that it is Christ who hath purchased, who hath promised, and who freely bestoweth repentance on poor sinners; therefore go to him and seek it: and that it may be wrought in you, plead for the blessed Spirit, which he hath also promised, to be sent to take off the scales of blindness from your eyes which Satan hath put on, that so you may see sin in its black- ness and deformity. Cry with Job, " What I know not, teach thou me. O make me to know my transgression and my sin." God hath set before you several looking-glasses to represent the evil of sin to you; O make use of them. You have the glass of God's holy nature, the glass of his holy law, the glass of the damned's torments, and the glass of Christ's sufferings; look frequently into these. View the infinite purity and spotlessness of God's nature; consider his holy law in its spiritual meaning and large extent; meditate on the eternal shrieks and bowl- ings of damned souls : and, in a special manner, behold Christ's bloody agonies for sin. A right look of him whom ye have pierced will cause you mourn, Zech. xii. 10. Come then, O hard-hearted sinner, and behold how thy sins pierced Christ's head with thorns, his hands and feet with nails, his side with a spear, and his heart with sorrows: behold how they pressed him down in the garden, till he sweat blood: behold how they bound a heavy cross on his back, till he fainted with the load: behold how they nailed him to the cursed tree, and made God frown upon him, so that he was forced to cry out, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" O canst thou look on Gol- gotha or Gethsemane with dry eyes, or an uncon- cerned heart? Canst thou see Christ's eyes weep, and his heart melted like wax within him, and yet thy heart continue hard and thine eyes dry? Come, hearken to his dying groans, and look to his bleeding wounds: think you hear him saying to you, " Behold what your sins have done ! Is there any sorrow like my sorrow?" 0 wilt thou not say to my hard heart, "What is this that thou hast done? Is not this the Son of God and the King of glory, that thou hast murdered by thy sins ; and wilt thou not be grieved for them? Shall the hard rocks rend, the dead earth shake, the temple's vail rend, the sun vail its bright face, the heavens put on a mourning habit, and the whole creation look sad, when Christ is suffering for thy sins, and thou the guilty criminal, that shouldst have eternally howled in hell's flames, stand only unconcerned?" Be astonished, 0 heavens, at this! and let thy hard heart blush and be ashamed for it. Ah! shall the history of Joseph in the pit move your heart more than that of Christ upon the cross ? Shall the news of the tragical death or sufferings of one of your friends or countrymen among the Turks, move your heart sooner than the death and sufferings of the innocent Son of God? 0 then, go to God and complain of thy hard heart; take it and lay it before God's promise, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, and plead that he would take it away, according to his word, " Lord, thou curedst all manner of plagues and diseases which were brought to thee while thou wast on earth: and hast not thou the same bowels of mercy now in heaven? Surely thy goodness is still the same, thy hands are not shortened that they cannot save: nay, there are holes now in thy hands to let blessings drop through them the more freely on us. Thou art my only Physician, and to thee 1 will look for the cure : Lord, nothing will do it but the plaster of thy blood." Mourning is absolutely necessary for thee, 0 communicant, if thou wouldst have the wine of consolation in the sacrament. When did Jacob find God in Bethel, but when he wept and made supplication to God? Hos. xii. 4. When did Mary meet with Christ, but when she sought him weeping and sorrowing? John xx. 11. If you cast out a flood of tears in Christ's way, he will not be able for his compassionate heart to pass over it, but will turn in and lodge with you. Object. Alas! I cannot win to tears for sin. Are tears absolutely necessary? Ans. They are very desirable where they are; the penitent's tears are the joy of angels and the delight of God, he keeps a bottle for them : but yet all constitutions are not alike moist; a tender heart may be matched with a dry brain that cannot easily command tears; and some perhaps may lay more stress on tears than on the frame of the heart that produces them, not minding that God looks more to the inward frame than FLYING TO CHRIST BY FAITH. 179 to the outward expressions. But the truth is, if thou be one that canst get tears for other things, for worldly losses and crosses, and yet can find none for sin, it is a sign thy heart is not right. How many, alas ! can weep abundantly for the loss of a child, yea, for a horse or cow, and yet have not one tear for the loss of their soul, or of Clirist's favour or presence! DIRECT. X.— FLEE TO JESUS CHRIST BY FAITH, AND EMBRACE HIM AS HE IS OFFERED TO YOU IN THE GOSPEL, BEFORE YOU COME TO HIS TABLE. None have a right to Christ's table, but those who come first to him in the way of faith ; for it is a feast designed only for believers. What hath been said above concerning the multitude and heinousness of your sins, for which you ought to be humbled and mourn, may serve to show your great need of Christ to deliver you from them. Think not that your repentance, confessions, or tears for sin, can any way satisfy the justice of God for it, or merit acceptance or pardon for you : this were to put these tilings in Christ's room, that are only means to lead you to him; and to take up with a righteousness of your own, instead of his, that vicariously can atone the justice of God for sinners. O then, sec that ye look beyond all to Christ alone for atonement, righteousness, pardon, and salvation, and count all things but dung and loss in respect of him. Now, since the gospel offers Christ to all that hear it, and the call and command to receive and embrace Christ as a Saviour is given to all and every one, even to the vilest of sinners; you have a full warrant to lay hold on him for pardon, and flee to him for mercy: and you heinously sin against God and your own soul, if you neglect to do it. " Plow shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation," and slight so great a Saviour. I shall therefore make use of some motives to press poor perishing sinners to flee from sin and wrath to Jesus Christ the only Saviour, and to receive and rest upon him for life and salvation; and then come to the sacrament to get their right and title to Christ, and all his purchase, sealed and confirmed. I. Take a view of the misery of a natural and Christless condition : and O that God would open your eyes to let you see it, and convince you that, while thou art in this state, thou art a rebel to thy God, a prodigal to thy father, a slave to thy lusts, and an alien to the commonwealth of Israel! If thou comest not to Christ with thy burdens, the whole burden of unpardoned sin lies upon thy own back ; and this is a burden that will sink thee lower than the grave; nay, it will press thee to the lowest hell, and keep thee eter- nally sinking there. Consider also how vile and loathesome thou and all thy actions, whether natural, civil, or religious, are in the sight of a holy God : while thou art out of Christ, thy soul is naked, and swarms with the vermin of filthy lusts; and thou hast neither a garment to cover thee, nor a fountain to wash thee : the leprosy of sin spreads over all, so that from the " crown of the head to the sole of the foot, there is nothing but bruises and putrifying sores;" so that there is no mire so unclean, no vomit so loathesome, no carrion so offensive, no pestilence so nauseous, as thou art in thy Christless state in the eyes of a holy God who cannot look upon iniquity but with abhorrence. Again, consider thou art a slave to Satan, the worst of tyrants; he rules and works in your hearts as a workman doth in his shop, Eph. ii. 2. He uses your powers, faculties, senses, and members, according to his pleasure: he says, Go, and you go : do this, and you do it. Your bondage is worse than the Israelites under Pharaoh; for they groaned under theirs, but, alas ! you are insensible of yours, neither will you believe it. The devil knows that if you perceived your slavery, you would seek to make your escape from him; therefore, to make sure work, he deals with you as the Philistines did with Samson; puts out your eyes, that you may not see your chains, nor look to Christ for liberty. O that God would open them, and cause you groan under your fetters, and look to Christ for relief ! Moreover, while thou art in thy Christless state, God's wrath is still burning against thee, the flaming sword of justice is always over thy neck, Psal. vii. 11, " God is angry with the wicked every day," every day of the week, and every hour of the day: when thou goest out and comest in, risest up or liest down, God is still angry with thee; yea, "he hath bent his bow, and made ready his arrows," which are steeled with wrath, and headed with vengeance: nay, his bow is drawn, and his arrows are at the flight ; and, O Christless soul, thou art the very butt thereof; and if he let them fly, they will pierce thee to the very soul, and who will heal that wound? What a dangerous state is this? And, further, all the curses of the law are levelled against thee, and a just God is engaged by his oath to ruin thee, if thou abidest in this state, Heb. iii. 18, "To whom sware he, that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?" Should not the thoughts of this make thee tremble? Were it but the oath of a man, or company of men, to procure thy death, as of those forty men that bound themselves with an oath, they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul, it would bereave thee of J 80 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. thy night's rest and quiet till they were made friends with thee : and will the oath of the great God have no effect upon thee, nor move thee to lice to Christ for protection and reconciliation? Who can help thee or deal for thee, if Christ he neglected? With what face canst thou look to him, or cry for mercy from him, when he comes to judge thee at the last day? If thou remain Christless now, thou wilt be speechless, helpless, and hopeless then. O think, what pale faces, quivering lips, fainting hearts, and trembling con- sciences, will be among Christless sinners then! How will their heads hang down, and knees knock together, and cry, Alas for the dap! they can look no where for comfort; for the judge frowns on them, the saints deride them, their own friends upbraid them, the angels mock them, the devils scoff at them, the heavens thunder against them, the earth flames about them, and hell groans for them, and down they will go roar- ing and howling for ever. O Christless soul, how canst thou think to lie in that dark dungeon for ever, where there is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth to be heard, and utter dailtness to be seen, but never a blink of the light of God's favour to all eternity? How wilt thou live in that pit where there is no water? Not a drop of comfort or refreshment to the thirsty scorched prisoners: no, not so much as one drop to cool their tongue; the torments there are both endless and easeless. O poor Christless soul, thou art, as it were, apprehended by justice for thy debt, and brought the length of this prison door, and there are hundreds of diseases and devils waiting for a warrant to open the door to let you in; and wilt thou not employ a surety nor seek for a ransom, when justice is waiting a while to see if thou wilt do it, and Christ is earnestly offering himself to be thy cautioner, and his blood to ransom thee from this pit? And to be sure no other thing will do it. See Zech. ix. 11. II. As it is God's command that you should receive and believe on his Son Jesus Christ; so he declares that it is a work above all others most pleasing to him, John vi. 29. It is emphatically called his commandment, 1 John hi. 23, being a command he values more than all other com- mands in the bible : and so, upon the other hand, there is no sin so provoking to God, as unbelief and rejecting of Christ; yea, he is more offended with it, than with the breaking of all his other com- mandments; see Heb. x. 28, 29. Put all your other sins in one scale, and unbelief in another, and you will find that unbelief weighs down all the rest; for it is a slighting of the whole work of redemption, which is the master-piece of all God's works,being that which his heart is most set upon, and he hath been at most pains about, 1 John iv. 9. O be persuaded then to do the work that is most acceptable to God, and obey his great com- mand of believing upon the name of his Son. The whole creation obeys his commands; he com- mands the sun to run its daily course, and it obeys him ; he commands the sea to ebb and flow twice a day, and it obeys to a minute? he com- mands the angels and all the hosts of heaven, and they punctually obey him: and will you only be disobedient to him, and that to his beloved com- mandment, when yet he hath done more for you than for the whole creation. III. Consider what an unspeakable mercy and happiness it is to you, to enjoy the free offers of Jesus Christ, and to have God commanding you to receive him. How would the fallen angels value such a mercy, if they had it ? They would would not be loth to leave their dungeon and accept of a Saviour, as you are: but their state is eternally hopeless and desperate, there is no remedy for their misery. O do not put your- selves in the same case with them, by slighting the offered remedy. How would damned souls prize such an offer? The least news and remot- est hopes of it, would make them leap in their chains, and sing in the flames. O how glad would they be to lift up their flaming hands to seize the cords of love and mercy, if they could be let down to them in that dark dungeon! Why then should ye wilfully put yourselves into the same hopeless condition with them by your unbelief ? Nay, your neglecting so many offers will sink you far deeper in that scalding lake of fire and brim- stone, and increase your flames to more vehe- mency than those of others who have not been so privileged. 0 how will devils, Turks, Jews, and Pagans, upbraid you there, for your inexcusable folly in slighting your mercy, and destroying your souls? Be wise then in time, prize your privilege, and " consider the things that belong to your peace, before they be hid from your eyes." IV. Consider what an excellent and suitable help Christ is for fallen sinners; he is well fur- nished and qualified for your case ; he hath gold for your poverty, eye-salve for your blindness, balm for your wounds, physic for your diseases, bread for your hunger, white raiment for your nakedness, a fountain for your pollution, and a ransom for your debt and bondage. In a word, he hath a broad plaster for your broad sore, a deep fountain for your deep guilt; he is the chief of Saviours for the chief of sinners. Behold how one deep calls to another, the depths of thy misery for the depths of his mercy. Are your sins and miseries very extensive, then view the large dimensions of his mercy; who can fathom the height, the depth, the breadth, or the length of it? As for its height, it is high as heaven, and sur- mounts the highest mountains of guilt; it is so deep, that it can bury the greatest of your sins; FLYING TO CHRIST BY FAITH. 181 it is as broad as theeast is distant from the west; and for its length, it is from everlasting to everlasting : so that it fully answers all your wants and miser- ies. In Clirist there is all you need or can desire; there is both food and physic, clothing, strength, and cordials. O sinner, here is blood to justify thee,, and water to cleanse thee ; here is the water of life, O believer, that will restore thy soul again, renew thy youth as the eagles, cure all thy dis- eases, and heal all thy pains. In a word, you have in Christ all that can make you good, all that can make you great, and all that can make you happy. V. Consider how near you are to Christ and mercy. The remedy is prepared, and salvation is brought to your very door: so that you need not say, "Who will ascend to heaven, and bring me down the water of life?" for it is brought to earth to thy hand. You need not say, "Who will roll me away the stone from the well-mouth?" for Christ hath done it for thee ; and as it is now a fountain opened and running by your door, O why will yc be so mad as perish for thirst beside this fountain? Or starve for hunger beside a full feast? Or die of your wounds beside a physician? And all for want of heart to accept the offer? O, it would be sad to be so near Christ, and yet eternally miss him: to perish like the thief on the cross with a Saviour at your side; to be within a step of him, and yet never touch him; yea, to sink into hell betwixt the outstretched arms of his mercy, and with the sweet calls sounding in your ears. What a heart-stinging consideration will this be to you in that place of torment for ever! O then, stir up yourselves to take hold of Christ, when he is so near and in your offer : strive earnestly, while there is an ark prepared, and a window open in the side of it, and the hand of mercy put forth to pull in shelterless doves that can find no rest elsewhere: I say, strive to come near by the 'wings of faith, make your nest (at least) beside the hole's mouth: be not found hovering -without, lest the flood wash you from the sides of the ark, and ye perish miserably. If you be so foolish, you will wish eternally that you had never heard of Christ, or that you had been born among the wild Indians or Mahometans, that never heard a sermon, or witnessed a com- munion. VI. Consider how importunate Christ is in his offers, and how much he presseth you to receive him. "Wisdom crieth in the streets," Pro v. i. 20. Christ makes loud and open proclamation of himself, and oft repeats his calls, Isa. lv. 1, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat, yea come," &c. Behold how earnest he is with sinners, that he bids them come to him three times in one verse, "Come, come, come." What alluring methods hath he taken to gain your hearts! How tenderly and affectionately doth he call and court backward souls! Isa. li. 4, "Hearken unto me, my people, give ear unto me, O my nation." What melting expressions are these? "My people! My nation!" But if calls do not prevail, he comes himself to seek and to save that which was lost. He came personally in the days of his flesh, and now he comes by his Spirit in his word and ordinances. The three wise men came from the east a long journey to seek Christ; but now Christ hath come from heaven to earth, a long journey; yea, come to every one of your congregations to seek you: and are you not willing to be found of him? Nay, he is content to follow you when you run away from him, and pursue you with his gracious offers. As the rock followed the Israelites in the wilderness with its running streams of water, so Clirist, our spiritual rock, follows you now with the streams of his mercy and blood, to wash and save you. O sinner, if you will not hear the words of his mouth, hearken to the call of his wounds, which are open as so many mouths to plead with you. He hath suffered his blessed side to be opened, that ye might look into his bleeding heart, and see it panting with love, and also hear the sounding of his bowels towards you. Will not this prevail? Then behold him by faith with a heavy cross on his back, weighed down with your sins, and the curses of a broken law following you, and calling after you. Hear him knocking with his nailed hands, at the door of your hearts, saying, Open to me, poor perishing sinner; give me harbour in thy heart, behold what I have suffered from heaven, earth, and hell, for thee; look what justice hath done; look what the devil, the Romans, the Jews, and my own disciples have done. View my head, my side, my hands, and my feet, my wounded body, and my bruised soul. Oh, canst thou find in thy heart to keep Christ at the door, when thus wounded, bleeding, mangled for thee? Wilt thou let him stand all the day long, when he hath put on his dyed garments, and red apparel, to court thy backward heart, and when he is saying, 0 sinner, if thou wilt not believe, "reach hither thy hand, and feel the print of the nails; yea, thrust it into my pierced side, and feel my warm bleeding heart, and see if I love you not?" Wilt thou deny him access, who has done so much for thee. Will not this prevail? Then behold him dis- playing his glorious beauty and excellency before thine eyes in a preached gospel, to win thy heart. Will not ministers' commendations of him move thee. Then hear how he commends himself; "I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valley ;" " I am the true vine; I am the good Shepherd," 182 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY &c. And will you not believe his own report, who cannot lie? Surely he is in good earnest with you when he takes this course. Will not this do ? Then hearken how mourn- fully he complains when he wants success, and passionately regrets your folly in rejecting him. He sighs when he mentions it, Psal. Lxxxi. 13, "O that my people had hearkened unto me!" He bitterly laments it, Matt, xxiii. 37, "O Jeru- salem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy children together, and ye would not!" He doubles the name to show his tender affection; as David when he regrets his son Absalom, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son!" &c. "How often would I have gathered you under my wings?" How many an affectionate sermon, call, and invitation have I given you, but all to no purpose? Shall I go through a sea of wrath and blood to save you, and will you not accept of me when I have done it? Shall I shed my blood in vain? Shall I bear the wrath of God, the scorn of men, the terror of death, and curse of the law, to no effect? Will you still prefer your sins before me, and hear Satan's knocks sooner than mine ? Hear that compassionate complaint, John v. 40, " Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." As if he had said, "Why run you so fast from your Saviour? Why come ye not to me, who am come from heaven to seek and to save you? It is not an enemy, but a Mend, you run from; the worse turn I would do you is to save your lives : ye will go, without much pressing, to the devil, to get death and eternal damnation: but you will not come to me to get life and eternal salvation. O what an inexpressible madness are you guilty of!" Behold how he wept for self- destroying Jeru- salem rejecting his offers, Luke xix. 41. When he sat down to consider their case, his bowels 3-earned with pity, his tongue broke forth in lamen- tation, and his eyes gushed out with tears; so that his weeping even interrupted his voice, and made him utter short and abrupt expressions, " If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day," &c., where he seems to pause at every other word, and drop first a word and then a tear. What a moving sight was this, to see the Son of God in such a pang of grief, and flood of tears, for lost sinners? Had he been inquired at, as he did Mary, John xx. 15, "Blest Lord, what seekest thou? Why weepest thou? His answer readily would have been, I seek not my- self ; I weep not for myself ; for I shall be glori- ous in the eyes of the Lord, though sinners be not gathered; but I weep to see sinners so mad as to reject their Saviour and salvation rather than part with their lusts, that have damnation follow- ing them at their heels: it is my grief to see them content rather to cast themselves headlong into the devil's arms, than throw themselves into my arms of mercy, or embrace me in the arms of their faith. O! did Christ weep for you, poor sinners; and will you not weep for yourselves? Did his heart melt with pity for you ; and will not yours melt with desires towards him? Can he do more to win your hearts than this? Yea, if this do not, he is pleased to expostulate the matter with you, and lay your danger before you; "Turn ye, turn ye, (saith he) for why will ye die?" Yea, he condescends to reason the matter with you in a familiar way: "Come, says he, let us reason together," Isa. i. 18, "0 my people, what have I done unto thee?" Mic. vi. 3, " What iniquity have ye found in me ? " What want or unsuitableness have ye seen in me! "Have I been a barren wilderness to you? Are not my ways equal?" Thus he seeks to draw you with the cords of a man, and with the bonds of love, Hos. xi. 4. And if there arise objections in your heart against coming to Christ, and receiv- ing him for your Saviour, see how carefully lie lays out himself in his word to answer them all; for he well foresaw every one of them: produce your cause (saith the Lord) bring forth your strong reasons, I am ready to hear and answer all your scruples. 1. O! saith some poor humble soul, I have no right to come to Christ, for I am a great sinner. — O! saith Christ, "I came not to call the righte- ous, but sinners to repentance." 2. But I am the chief of sinners, my sins are red as crimson. — O saith Christ, "I can make them white as wool." Nay, it is my errand into the world, to save such as thou art, 1 Tim. i. 1 5. 3. But I am sick and wounded: what hath Christ to do with me? — 0! saith Christ, it is my proper employment to be taken up with you; for the "whole need not a physician, but they that are sick," Mat. xi. Am not I the good Samaritan, who am come to pour oil into thy sores, "and tenderly bind up thy wounds ? " Psal. cxlvii. 3. 4. But I have no ground to hope, for I am a lost wretch. — O! saith Christ, I came for this very errand, "to seek and to save that which was lost," Luke xix. 10, and many a lost sheep have I sought and found. 5. But I am past cure, for I am quite dead and rotten in the grave of sin. — O! saith Christ, "I am the resurrection and the life; he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live," John xi. 25. And again he saith, Eph. v. 14, "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 6. But I am a slave to sin and Satan, and a prisoner to justice. — O! saith Christ, I came to "proclaim liberty to the captives, and the open- ing of the prison to them that are bound," Isa. FLYING TO CHRIST BY FAITH. 183 lxi. 1. Yea, "I have the key of David that opens and none can shut." I have the blood of the covenant, that brings prisoners out of the pit. Turn yc to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope, Zcch. ix. 11, 12. 7. But I have heavy burdens that weigh me down. — O! saith Christ, come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 8. But my hand is withered, I cannot receive Christ or any thing from him. — Then do as the man who had the withered hand, make an attempt upon Christ's call, and he will enable thee to stretch out thy hand. 9. But I am lame, and cannot walk in Christ's ways. — 0! saith Christ, I will put my Spirit ■within you, and cause you to walk in my sta- tutes, Ezek. xxxvi. 27, "' Then shall the lame man leap as an hart," Isa. xxxv. 6 10. But what if Christ withdraw his Spirit and grace from me again ? — No, saith Christ, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, Heb. xiii. 1 1 . But may not I, notwithstanding, leave him, and make apostacy? — No, saith Christ, the cove- nant runs otherwise, Jer. iii. 19, "Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me." Christ is the surety for thy perseverance. 12. But I will be overcome by strong tempta- tions.— No, saith Christ, my grace shall be suffi- cient for thee. 13. But (saith some poor sensible sinner) alas! my case is not yet touched, for it is singular: my sins are heinous and peculiar, they are against light, love, conscience, vows, and a thousand obli- gations: there is none that knows what a sinner I have been, but God and my own conscience : will Christ ever accept of such a wretch as me ? Yes, says the Bible. Art thou worse than a devilish Manasseh, or a persecuting P#ul, whom Christ pitied and saved? Art thou worse than Mary Mag- dalene, who was a most notorious vile wretch ? Yet seven devils, an army of lusts, could not keep Christ out of her heart. Nay, though thy heart were as foul and black as hell, and thy life did swarm with the most abominable sins; yet, Christ is both able and willing to save thee, if thou come to him. Are you worse than those in that black catalogue? 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. Read and see what a black roll is there ; and yet the apostle saith to the believing Corinthians, ver. 11, "Such were some of you, yet ye are washed," &c. The blood of Christ is a powerful fountain, and is able to wash away the greatest sins that ever were com- mitted, be they ever so black or bloody: God gave full proof of this, by the first sin we read of that was cleansed by this blood after it was shed, even the murder of the Son of God, Acts ii. 36 — 38. This was the most prodigious wickedness that ever the sun saw; (yea, the sun fainted at the sight, as afraid to look on it) for suppose a man wTere able to pull heaven and earth to pieces, destroy the angels, and murder all man- kind, he would not contract so monstrous a guilt as those did in crucifying the Son of God, whose person was infinitely superior to the whole crea- tion : yet thousands, that were actors in this black tragedy, were washed by this blood, to give us a convincing experiment of its infinite value and virtue, and that no sin or guilt whatsoever was too strong for it : " The blood of Christ (saith John, 1 John i. 7,) cleanseth us from all sin." 14. But though Christ's blood be sufficient, yet I have no right to it. — Be what you will, you have a full and sufficient warrant from the gospel call to flee to it. See what Christ enjoins his apostles to do, Mark xvi. 15, "Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature," q. d. "Make offer of my blood to all without distinction, even to the worst of sinners, every creature, be they ever so wicked, yea, though they have sinned themselves unto the likeness of beasts and devils; yet, if they be creatures of Adam's race, offer my blood, my mercy, and my merits to them: invite and press them to come unto me, 'and him that cometh I will in no wise cast out.' O sinner! accept of the gospel offer; and whatever you have been, you shall find there is mercy enough in God's bowels to pity you, merit enough in Christ's blood to purchase a par- don for you, and prevalency enough in his inter- cession to procure and apply it to you. 15. But I have often slighted the gospel offer, and trampled on this precious blood : with what confidence can I lay claim to it? — Since Christ doth not exclude you, you ought not to exclude yourself; but should reckon that you have the greater need to hasten to this blood, the more heinous that your sins be? Yea, you have a peculiar ground to plead upon for pardon on that account. See how David pleads it, Psal. xxv. 11, ' Pardon mine iniquity,' why ? ' for it is great.' This would be a strange argument with men, 'pardon my crime, for it is great;' but it is a strong argument with God. 'Lord, it is great,' and so I have the more need of pardon : ' it is great,' and so thou wilt have the greater honour in pardoning me, even as a physician hath in curing a desperate disease. The sinning against Christ's blood, or slighting it, is indeed a very heinous sin; but the more it is so, you have the more need to hasten to this blood, as the only fountain that can wash away the guilt of tramp- ling it, and this, indeed, can do it effectually: nay, though you had actually shed this blood, as the Jews did, yet, if you be humbled for it, you are welcome to come to it for mercy. Observe that commission which Christ gave to his apos- tles, Luke xxiv. 46, 47, where he orders them to 181 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. 'preach repentance and remission in his name to all nations, and begin (saith he) at Jerusalem.' O, might they say, why at Jerusalem? To he sure it is not our part to begin there, where they mocked and pierced, and crucified thee the Lord of glory. Nay, says he, begin there, for these miserable wretches have most need of my blood to wash them. If any thing could alienate Christ's heart from sinners, the consideration of their crucifying of him, and using him so despite- fully, might have done it: yet, says he, go make offer of my blood and mercy to these my murder- ers; accordingly, it was done by Peter, Acts ii., and many of them got this blood applied to them. Object. But as my sins are grievous in their nature, so they are vast in their number: they are even like the sand by the sea-shore, both weighty and without number. Ans. Remember the merits of Christ's blood is infinite, but the number of thy sins is not so ; nay, though they were ten thousand times more than they are, they could not stop the current of this everflo wing and overflowing fountain. Though the sands be many and large, yet the sea can overflow them all; so, though thy sins be very numerous and extensive; yet the sea of Christ's blood can cover them all, and hide them from the sight of God, so as they shall never again appear, or rise up against you in judgment. Object. But my sins are not only grievous in their nature, and vast in their number; but they are of very long continuance: I am an old rotten sinner, long have I been in the grave of sin : surely Christ will never accept of me. Ans. Your sins may be old, yet they are not so old as Christ's mercies, which are from ever- lasting. It is not the first old distemper that Christ hath cured ; he raised Lazarus with a word, that had been four days in the grave; he stopt a bloody issue with the hem of his garment, that had run twelve years; he loosened a poor woman, that Satan had bound eighteen years; he cured an impotent man, that had an infirmity thirty- eight years: and, can he not as easily cure all your soul distempers? He received those that came in at the eleventh hour, yea, saved some at the last hour, particularly the thief on the cross, whom the devil thought he was sure of, having drawn him the length of the mouth of hell, just ready to cast him in; yet, even then, upon his looking to Christ, did the arms of mercy catch hold of him. What more canst thou object, O sinner? Hath not Christ provided answers to all thou canst say, either against thyself or him? Hath he not given unanswerable demonstration of his ability, full- ness, fitness, and willingness to be thy Saviour ? Hath he not given full proof of his earnest desire to save thee, by the many methods he takes to prevail with sinners to accept of him? Will not all the pains he hath hitherto taken, prevail with thy obstinate heart? What more would you have Christ to do with unwilling sinners? There is yet one step further he makes, and that is a verj low one : he even, as it were, turns a humble sup- plicant to thee, and upon his bare knees beseeches thee to be reconciled to him. Read 2 Cor. v. 20, " We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." O wonderful condescension! Behold divine mercy kneeling down to a sinner, in the humblest posture, with wringing hands and watery cheeks, importuning the sinner to receive his Saviour, accept of pardon, save his soul, and be reconciled to God in Christ. Be astonished, O heavens! Shall the Sovereign Creator turn supplicant to the vile traitor, and follow him with his remission? or the loving father to the prodigal child, and follow him with intreaties! And, 0 sinner! Will thy stubborn heart be able to refuse peace, or slight the blessed peace-maker, Jesus Christ, after all pains? If all his arguments prevail nothing, yet one would think that the humble intreaties of the great God would certainly do it. How can you resist these? Object. / have no strength to come to Christ, I cannot believe of myself, I have a dead bound up heart, and I cannot help it. Ans. 1. Canst thou say in good earnest, that thou art willing and desirous to embrace a Savi- our, if thou wast able! Alas! it is here that it sticks; whatever you pretend, you are not truly willing. It is our unwillingness that ruins us: it is not so much for want of powTer (though indeed we want it) as want of will, that sinners want Christ: were you once willing, strength would not be wanting. O to get the will conquered, and made to surrender to Christ ! Then the day were one: 0 for one pull more from the omni- potent grace, to make you "a willing people in the day of his power!" 2. Labour for a deep sense of thy own impo- lency; take your dead heart and lay it before God, and lie groaning in Christ's way, and plead for pity. It is true God is not bound, in strict justice, to hear an unbeliever's prayer; but if you be earnest with him, you may expect he will do it out of his great goodness and mercy. " He hears the ravens when they cry:" 0 then, cry to him to your utmost ability, in a deep sense of wrant ; be as earnest seeking faith as your daily bread; cry as fervently for the life of your souls, as ye would do for the life of your bodies, if ready to be executed. If ye would do so, God would not deny you. More particularly, plead these things : (1.) Take your bible, and kneel down, and FLYING TO CHRIST BY FAITH. 185 cast up that gracious free promise, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27. Read it, and plead it; put thy finger to it, and put the Maker of it to his word; lay thy dead heart before it, and look up and cry, " Lord, make good this word to me ; is it not a free promise ? " There is no condition required of me for getting it fulfilled, but to inquire at thee for doing it, ver. 37. Now, Lord, I am come to inquire and request thee to do it. (2.) Humbly plead thy own impotency, and the insufficiency of all others to help thee in this state. This was the impotent man's plea with Christ at the pool of Bethesda, John v. 6, 7. It had good success with him, and so may it have with you. Say, Lord, I have been many years with this dead plagued heart beside the open fountain of thy blood, that has saved many in my condition: I am impotent, and unable to move to it of myself, and have none to put me in : I have tried others, but I find it altogether in vain: ordinances cannot do it, sacraments cannot do it, the loudest knocks or call will not do it: thou, Lord, must put to thy helping hand, or it cannot be done, for it is a work peculiar to thy almighty arm. I have been looking to all points for help, but, Lord, there is none in heaven or earth but thee alone: every one of the creatures, means, and ordinances say, It is not in me : every one of the saints and angels say, as the king of Israel did to that poor starving woman, 2 Kings vi. 27, " If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee?" So if thou, Lord, help me not, I must perish. (3.) In a deep sense of your own impotency, flee to God's power and plead it. Do you feel the Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir of your own corruptions swelling within you? Say with Jehoshaphat, 2 Chron. xx. 12, "We have no might against this great company, neither know wo what to do, but our eyes are upon thee." If you could win this length, then were there good ground of hope : for when we see that we are wholly helpless and shiftless in ourselves, then God's help is nearest : " When I am weak (saith the apostle, 2 Cor. xii. 10.) then am I strong." Renounce then all help in the creature, and look to the Creator : say, Lord, though it be impos- sible with man, yet thou hast told me, Mark x. 27, "That with thee all things are possible:" though I may despair of all help in myself and others, yet thou hast forbid me to despair of help in thee, therefore I flee to thee alone. " Lord, give what thou commandest, and then command what thou wilt." (4.) Plead thy extreme need of Christ, and of faith to give thee an interest in him. The world cannot tell thee, O sinner, how great thy need is: there is not a starving man that needs meat, a wounded man that needs a physician, a ship- wrecked man that needs a plank, a dying man with the dive rattling in his throat that needs breath, so much as thou needest Christ. What wilt thou do on a death-bed, or at a tribunal, without an interest in him? And what will become of thee to all eternity? Go to him, then, and seek faith in Christ, as a malefactor going to die would do his life: fall down at his feet and cry, Give me faith and strength to carry me to Christ's blood, or else I die. I may live without friends, wealth, honours, and pleasures; but I cannot live without faith. I am lost, undone, a dead man, and I perish for ever without it. Lord, deny me what thou wilt, but deny me not faith. It had been better for me never to have been born, than to live without Christ and an interest in him: if I win not to the fountain of Christ's blood, I will sink eternally in that scald- ing lake of fire and brimstone : if I go to Christ's table without faith, I will shed his blood, and eat and drink my own damnation. (5.) Plead with God how easy it is for him to help thee; cry with the Psalmist, Psal. lxxx. 1, " 0 thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth:" it will cost thee no more pains to work faith in me, and do all that I desire, than doth the sun to shine forth : yea, thou canst more easily put forth thy power and grace, than the sun can dart out its beams. It is no trouble or loss to the sun to shine forth; so neither will it be to thee to show thy power and mercy ; a look or touch from thee would do it ; a little thing will save a drowning man; Lord, suffer me not to perish, when it is so easy for thee to prevent it. Were it any loss or trouble for God to help us, we might well doubt of it; but since it is none, we may cry with hope, Lord, grant such an hungry beggar an alms out of the ocean* of thy bounty; for thou wilt never miss it. As the sun, the more it shines, displays its glory the more; so thou wilt gain glory by putting forth thy power to help such a helpless creature as I am. Object. But I have often looked and cried to him for help, hut, alas! I am such a grievous sinner, he doth not answer me, unless it be with a frown. Ans. 1 . It may be there is some idol or sin still harboured that thou art not willing to part with. This may be the Achan in the camp, that caused the Lord to hide his face: search for it, and cast out the accursed thing: "Let not thine eye pity it, neither do thou spare it." If thou canst not find it, go humbly to God and cry, " Show me, Lord, wherefore thou contendest with me." 2. It may be thou art not fervent enough; God keeps the door bolted, that you may be pro- voked to knock the harder, Matt. vii. 7, " Ask, 2 A 186 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you." In which one verse, Christ gives you three calls to fervency and importunity in prayer, each stronger than another: ask, seek, knock. The woman of Canaan readily took up the meaning of Christ's refusing to answer her; she turns the more fer- vent and importunate, and so gets all her will. 3. Resolve, whatever discouragement you meet with, you will never quit the throne of grace, but you will always lay yourself in Christ's way, and never look to another for help; yea, that you will die waiting on him. Remember the Psalm- ist's experience, Psal. xl. 1, "I waited patiently for the Lord, and at length he inclined his ear, and heard my cry." There was never any yet that waited on him had cause to be ashamed. You may meet with many discouragements and temptations, and be put to very sad thoughts; but you must be resolute in looking to Christ for help, come what will: and in imitation of the four lepers at the siege of Samaria, reason with yourself, If I live at a distance from Christ, I will infallibly perish, there is no hope for me: if Christ pity me not when I am waiting on him, I shall but perish; but yet there is hope, he will have pity at length : therefore, if I perish, I will perish at Christ's footstool, looking up to him, where never one yet perished, and I hope he will not let me be the first. 4. Make use of arguments in pleading with him. (1.) Plead the freeness of his mercy. It needs no motive, and expects no worth; but "whoso- ever will, let him come and take the water of life freely." It runs freely, so that mountains cannot stop the current of it, more than rocks can stop the ebbing and flowing of the sea. Indeed, Lord, if sin and unworthiness could stop mercy, I might despair, for I am as unworthy a creature as ever the sun shined upon; but, blessed be God, grace is free. (2.) Plead Christ's commission, Isa. lxi. 1. He was sent " to proclaim liberty to the cap- tives, and the opening of the prison doors to them that are bound." Lord, here is a poor prisoner, a frozen, locked, bound-up heart: here is employment for thee : loose me, knock off my fetters, and " bring my soul out of prison." Thou hast all fullness dwelling in thee, and thou hast it given thee to bestow on such miserable objects as I am; Lord, here is a naked back for thee to cover, and an empty stomach for thee to fill, a wounded soul for thee to cure. " Lord, thou earnest to seek and to save that which was lost;" and wilt thou not be found of a lost sinner that is seeking thee. (3.) Plead the communicativeness of his mercy to others. He had compassion upon men's bodies while he was on earth, even the bodies of wicked men, such as the unthankful lepers; he let none of them go without healing that came to him. Say, Lord, didst thou show so much compassion to diseased bodies, and wilt thou not have some pity on my dying soul, that is far more precious than carcases of clay? Plead his compassion that he hath showed to the worst of sinners, such as Manasseh, Mary Magdalene, Paul, and those who murdered him. Plead his compassion towards the finally obstinate and impenitent, such as Jeru- salem, over which he wept, Luke xix. Lord, did thy heart melt with pity to such, and wilt thou not pity a humbled sinner that confesseth his sin, and would willingly be reconciled to God? Is not mercy the work thou delightest in? Mic. vii. 18. Lastly, Labour for a sense of the misery of a Christless state, of your great need of Christ, and of the happiness of being found in him. And in a sense thereof, look to Christ, and make a reso- lution to take hold of him. Stir up yourself to it, and rest your soul on him as you can, and God will help you, and communicate strength. He will not fail to notice and encourage an honest wish, Jer. xxx. 21, "Who is this that engageth his heart to approach to me?" He will pity and help such. Try, O poor soul, if you can get a hold of Christ, especially upon a sacrament occasion, when you are nearer him than at other times; if you cannot apply Christ to yourself, and say, He is mine; yet apply yourself to Christ, and say, I woidd willingly be thine, yea I am resolved to be thine. Go forth to Christ with all the faith you can win at; say with the poor man, " Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief." You must not sit still and do nothing, but use all means in your power; for it is in the use of those that God works faith. Hoist up the sails, and wait for the gales. DIRECT. XI. — COME AND JOIN YOURSELVES UNTO THE LORD IN A PERPETUAL AND PERSONAL COVENANT BEFORE YOU GO TO HIS TABLE. Unless you be within the covenant of grace, you have no right to the seal of the covenant; now if ye would be found within the covenant, you must by faith take hold of the covenant, and heartily go on with the gracious terms and con- trivance of it. And this is what we commonly call personal covenanting with God. And the more express and distinct we are in this matter, we will have the more comfort. As for the nature, necessity, and manner of personal covenanting, I refer the reader to my Sacramental Catechism, where this subject is largely handled. PERSONAL COVENANTING. 187 Personal covenanting is the communicant's best token, and without it you cannot warrantably come to the Lord's table. You will mock God, and deceive your own souls, if you take the great seal of heaven and append it to a blank or a sheet of clean paper: and this you do, when you com- municate without previous covenanting with God. 0 beware of appending heaven's seal to a blank, lest the King of heaven be wroth, and fill up the blank with a curse. O communicants, come then, take hold of the covenant of grace, and give a hearty and confident consent to its gracious offers and terms. You are miserable while under a covenant of works; be convinced of it, and speedily betake yourselves to the new covenant, and the gracious method of salvation through Jesus Christ and his righteous- ness. Cordially accept of Jesus Christ in all his offices, and in him make choice of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as your God and portion: and give up yourselves, soul and body, and all you have, to be the Lord's, to be for him and not for another. And in Christ's strength, engage to live for God, serve him, and walk with him in newness of life. Do all this in the most solemn manner, with sincerity, humility, and self- denial ; and if this you be helped to do, God will accept of you at his table, and deal with you as his covenanted people. Object. But, saith one, I know it is my duty to come and transact with God in this manner, and renew covenant with him, conform to my baptismal vows; and sometimes I think I am willing to do it, but I much suspect my sincerity in this matter: and it is highly dangerous to deal falsely with God in pretending to covenant with him, when the heart is not right with God? Ans. You have just cause to suspect your own hearts, and therefore should be at all pains to search and try yourselves; and for your help, 1 shall give some characters of those who aim sincerely to transact and renew covenant with God. 1. They are such who are thoroughly con- vinced of their misery under the first covenant, as being wholly unable to fulfil its condition, or pay its penalty: and therefore see they cannot abide in this case, without being undone to all eternity. 2. They are heartily grieved for their natural estrangement, and long living at a distance from God; and are made to say, O how long have I dwelt in Meshech, far from the fountain of my happiness ! 3. They are troubled for their long slighting of Christ's gracious calls and offers of mercy in the gospel, and for the backwardness of their hearts to leave sin and Satan, and come and enter into covenant with God. O how long have I pre- ferred Satan's drudgery and service, to God's friendship and favour; lived in league with my soul's enemy, and at war with my best friend ! 4. They have something of a soul-afl'ecting view of the new covenant, and the new way and method of salvation contained therein. They see there is no righteousness of man or angel that can justify them, none but the righteousness of Christ alone, nothing but an infinite satisfac- tion can do their turn; and it is their cry, None but Christ. 5. They are fully resolved on a rupture and breach with all the enemies of God, and to break all leagues and covenants with sin, Satan, and the world; and that they will never be slaves to them as formerly : they heartily agree with the Psal- mist, Psal. cxix. 115, "Depart from me, ye evil-doers, for I will keep the commandments of my God." 6. They are sensible of, and numbled for, the former treachery and false dealing of their hearts with God. Are there not many who have for- merly entered into covenant with God, have sworn allegiance to him as their Sovereign, and that not only at baptism, but have renewed this deed at the Lord's supper? But may not the Lord take up the same complaint against them, as against Israel? Psal. lxxviii. 36, 37, "They lied to him with their tongues; for their hearts were not right with him, neither were they sted- fast in his covenant." Well, if you be deeply affected on this account, the Lord will not reject you. 7. They sincerely accept of Christ as their surety and cautioner before God; they esteem him altogether lovely, and infinitely precious. They renounce their own righteousness in justifi- cation, and their own strength in sanctification, and look to Christ for both, saying as those, Isa. xlv. 24, " In the Lord have I righteousness and strength." I have not sufficiency of myself, either to make or keep covenant with God, but my confidence is entirely in Christ, my all-suf- ficient surety. 8. They are content to give themselves to the Lord, and all they are and have. Faith hath two hands; by the one it receives Jesus Christ, and by the other it gives the soul to him. Now if your faith want either of these, it is lame. 9. They feel indwelling sin as a grievous clog; they desire heart-holiness more than any earthly thing, and resolve, through grace, upon more care and watchfulness against sin than formerly. Now try your sincerity in covenanting with God by these marks, and if you can lay claim to one or more of them, then you are not hypocrites, nor of the number of those who give Cod the hand without the heart: who pretend to make a covenant with God, and yetkeep a secret league 188 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. with the devil, the world, and the flesh, wno pro- fess a great outward respect to God and his ways, and yet keep a secret antipathy to godliness, as, alas, many do, who come to the Lord's table. And if you would manage this weighty trans- action aright, you must be very deliberate in it: take many a view of the nature and frame of the covenant of grace, and consider what God offers and promises therein, and what he doth require of us; and endeavour to get your hearts wrought up to a cheerful compliance therewith. Your souls are at the stake, and a mistake here ruins you eternally; but if once it be well done, it is done for ever. This bargain is not for a short term, but for life, nay, for eternity; and there- fore you should count the cost of it, and consider it duly; and be resolved, whatever trouble or persecution shall arise, or whatever temptation you may meet with to leave Christ, to say to them, like Ruth to Naomi, when she was sted- fastly resolved to go with her, Ruth i. 16, "In- treat me not to leave Christ ; for where he goes, I will follow him, though it were into banishment : where he lodges, I will lodge, though it were in a prison: for neither death nor life shall part Christ and me." And again, beware of delays of making or entering into covenant with God. It is a work for eternity, and therefore requires present dis- patch. The time of youth is a rare season for this work, and ought carefully to be improved, and no time to be lost. And here I shall address my- self to the young. O young people, and you that never commu- nicated before, set about this work of personal covenanting, before you approach to the Lord's table. Do nbt delay or put off to another year, or till old age or sickness come on: for what do you know but God may be provoked to harden your hearts so in old age (though you should live till that time) that ye shall have no liking to reli- gion and the ways of God? Must it not be highly displeasing to God to reserve for him the refuse and dregs of your strength and time ? "Will you give your Creator and Redeemer only so much of your time and strength as the devil and the world have left? O, what is this, but to offer the blind and the lame of the flock in sacrifice to God, Mai. i. 7, which is an abomination? O young folk, can you dispose of yourselves better in the days of your youth, than give up yourselves to the Lord? When you are ready to choose callings and settlements in the world, can ye take a wiser course than first choose a settlement in Christ's family, which would make all other conditions and circumstances of life the more comfortable to you? Now the way to be made a member of this family, is by the covenanting with God: without this, you have no right to the children's bread, nor to the seals of the covenant. It is not enough that you were baptized, and are Christians by your parents' dedication, unless you be Christians by your own free choice and consent. Remember, you are now to enter into the state of adult church membership, and to be admitted to share of the children's privileges sealed to you in baptism; and therefore, now ye must act as rational men and women, and make a choice for yourselves: you ought personally and explicitly to renew your baptismal covenant, and ratify your parents' deed, now when you are of age; otherwise your baptism and parents' dedication will not profit you. I call you to engage to no more here, than what you are already obliged to by your baptism; for it is just the same covenant you are to enter into now, that ye have already consented to by your baptism: only, by your personal resignation, voluntary consent, and taking the second seal of the covenant, you are to bind yourselves the faster to it; the which if you neglect to do, your baptism will be so far from profiting you, that it will be a witness against you, and cry for vengeance on you, and you will be in no better condition than the heathens that never were baptized. O young communicants, take heed to your first communicating; for very much depends upon it. You are now as it were to lay the founda- tion-stone of your salvation wqrk, and this ought to be done with much spiritual skill and know- ledge, if you would have a sure building. O then dig deep, and found your house, your salvation, your hopes of heaven, upon the rock Christ, by personal covenanting, and express closing with him upon the terms of grace : for if you do it not, but approach to the Lord's table in ignorance, unbelief, or hardness of heart, you may provoke God to smite you with judicial blindness and obduration, and give you up to such heart-hard- ness and formality in duty, as may cleave to you all your lives long, and so you are ruined for ever. The time of your first communicating is a most critical juncture for your souls; for ac- cording to the state, frame, and disposition of people's souls, at their first communicating, so it very often fares with them in some measure at all the rest of the communions they partake of. Many have found this, some to their sweet, others to their sad experience. Some, by their careless approach at first, and neglecting expressly to covenant with God, have drawn down the plagues of heart-hardness and formality upon themselves, and provoked God to leave them to wander in the dark all their days, without any solid assur- ance, or comfortable view of their interest in Christ and the covenant of grace. But others, by means of their sincere preparation and covenant- ing with God at this time, have got a seal of their PERSONAL COVENANTING. 189 conversion, and a view of their interest in Christ, which have proven very useful and comfortahle to them all the rest of their lives, and especially in the time of distress, and when on a death-bed. Then they have remembered, how that at such a time and place they joined themselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant, and then and there God spake with them, intimated their pardon, and owned them as his covenanted children. As their souls were helped to say to the Lord, "Thou art my God:" so God said to them, "I am your salvation." And hereby many have been strength- ened, when ready to faint under doubts and dis- couragements. Therefore, O young communi- cants, as ye regard the wellbeing of your pre- cious and immortal souls for ever, look well to yourselves at this time; if matters be right with you now, they will never be altogether wrong afterwards. Labour to get some distinct uptak- ings of the covenant of grace, and of the nature, ends, and uses of this solemn ordinance, which is the compend and seal of it, before your first par- taking; pray fervently for knowledge and spirit- ual illumination; apply to Jesus Christ, your great Prophet, for this, and see to improve the means and helps which he is pleased to afford you for it. Retire for meditation and reading of the bible; read and meditate much of the sufferings of Christ; read our Confession of Faith, Vin- cent's Catechism, Guthrie's Trial of a Saving Interest in Christ, Doolittle, and other good books on the sacrament, that ye may attain to some right impressions of the covenant, and of the Lord's supper; and particularly, of the obligations you already lie under by the first seal of baptism; and then, under a humble sense of guilt, and with a hopeful view of the gospel offer, go with all seriousness and solemnity and renew those engagements; enter into covenant with God, and next come to his table, to get the transaction sealed and ratified, by getting the other seal of heaven appended to it. And now, young people, I put it to your choice, as Joshua did to the Israelites, Jos. xxiv. 15, "Choose you this day whom you will serve." Make choice at this time whom you will be saved by, and whom you will obey. Whom will you have for your master, whether Christ or the devil? Both are courting your hearts; which of them will ye yield to? Lay your hands on your hearts, and see whether you will grant Christ's or the devil's desire? Whether shall the devil have you, soul and body, to all eternity, or shall Christ have you? Oh, will any be so foolish as halt betwixt two opinions in this case; any so mad as stand in doubt whether to be saved or damned, whether to live with Christ or the devil for ever? Now Michael and his angels, and the dragon and his angels, are fighting about your hearts; the devil is holding, and a dying Saviour is drawing: O, will you not be on Christ's side, and wish Michael may prevail, that the red dragon's head may be broken, that the devil may get a total defeat, and that Christ may get your hearts for ever? Remember, Christ will have none but willing servants, Psal. ex. 3, none but those who freely offer themselves unto the Lord. Amaziah, the son of Zichri, is recorded with great honour, 2 Chron. xvii. 16, because "he willingly offered himself unto the Lord." O for many Amaziahs, many such free-will offerings, among young com- municants. It would be a most pleasant sight to God and ministers, to saints and angels, whose eyes are upon you. The first-fruits under the law were to be offered to the Lord. "The kind- ness of youth is much remembered by him," Jer. ii. Young folks praying, repenting, and coven- anting, are most melodious music in his ears. O, give Christ the first and best of your days, for he well deserves this. Make earnest of covenanting- work in secret, that the communion day may be a day of your espousal to the Lord Jesus, and the marriage-knot may be cast so sure at this table, that death nor hell may never be able to loose it. Need I use any motives to press you to make this bargain, which is so advantageous for your souls? God invites you to treat with him, nay, he summons you to do it, 2 Chron. xxx. 8, "Yield yourselves to the Lord," strike hands with God, submit to his mercy, accept of the terms of grace. O, that God himself would sound an alarm in your ears, and show you the misery of an unconverted state ! 1. While you are in this state, you have no interest in Christ, no share in his blood or pur- chase; you have neither art nor part in the God of Israel, Eph. ii. 12. 2. You are under a covenant of works, and the power, terror, threatening, and curses of a broken law. The sentence of death is pronounced against you, and you may look for the execution of it every moment. 3. While you are out of the covenant, you have no right to any mercy, and all the mercies you receive are cursed to you, and you know not how soon God may strip you of all you have. 4. Consider what a sad stroke death gives to an uncovenanted soul. It deprives him of all mer- cies, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, at one blow; and sets him agoing for ever. And whither cau you flee in the day of visitation, when nothing but grim horror and despair stare you in the face? When the body is on the brink of the grave, and the soul is on the brink of hell, how will you have confidence to cry to an uncove- nanted God, to whom you have been strangers all your days? Must it not be terrible for an uncovenanted soul to think, I am going to appear 190 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. before that God I do not know, have no interest in, nor acquaintance with ? Can I look for friend- ship from him now, since I never sought after it before ? But, on the contrary, how pleasant then will it be for a covenanted soul to look death in the face, who can say, "I know whom I have believed," and I know whither I am going: "The place I know, the way I know," and the God of that land I know? Why should I be backward to go to my covenanted friend, with whom I have oft conversed, been long acquainted, and in whose presence I have placed my happi- ness? 5. Consider how lamentable your case will be for evermore, if you slight the present opportu- nity: the treaty will not always last with you, nay, the day is not far off when it shall end, and God shall treat with you no longer. The door will be eternally shut, and God will become inac- cessible, inexorable, irreconcilable, for evermore: Christ, the blessed Mediator, will become thy implacable Judge; and how will you look him in the face, when on the throne, whom you so basely slighted at a communion table ? What wilt thou do when thou findest thyself shut up under flam- ing wrath without hope? The remembrance of lost opportunities will be as oil to thy flames. "Time was, when God treated, and would have made a bargain with me, but I would not;" this will be the burden of thy eternal lamentation. O, how will you be able to bear the wrath of an uncovenanted God? Who can dwell with devour- ing fire? a small shower of fire and brimstone lighting on our heads now, would be very terrible. But O, it will be infinitely more so, when it shall be poured down in whole streams, and that not for a time, but for ever and ever. Will not ten thousand years' suffering do the turn? No, no; it will be eternal. Well, if you be able to dwell with everlasting burnings, you need not treat with God: but O, it is fearful to fall into the hands of the living God, one that lives, and will for ever live, to revenge himself upon you. Hard must your hearts be, if they be not moved by these threatenings; but yet harder must they be, if they be not melted by God's condescending entreaties. Hear him, Isa. lv. 1 — 3, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come," &c. "Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlast- ing covenant with you." Is God so willing to make a covenant with his creature, a slave, a worm ; and are you not willing to cast down the weapons of rebellion, and enter into a league with him ? Is it not a bargain most suitable for you, and all your circumstances and necessities? Is it not most glorious and honourable for you to be betrothed to so great a prince? Hos. ii. 19. Is it not rich and advantageous for you, to be infeft in so great an inheritance, and to have a sealed right to such blessed privileges as a free pardon, gracious access, fatherly love, covenant provision, covenant protection, and covenant comforts? Object. Alas, I have made a personal coven- ant before, but have broke it. Ans. You have cause to be humbled for it before God; and if you be not, it is a bad sign indeed. All sensible and mourning backsliders are invited to return to him, and renew their covenant, Jer. hi., endeavour to make the bargain surer thau you did before. Object. lam afraid of breaking it over again; and is it not better not to engage? Ans. 1. It is good to be jealous of yourselves, and afraid of breaking; for the more you dis- trust your own strength, the stronger you are. 2. If you covenant honestly, you will get covenant-grace and strength which shall be suifi- cient for you; you will get the dominion of sin broke, and power to wrestle against it : and above all, you will get Christ engaged for you as your surety; and to be sure, though you be weak, he is able enough. DIRECT. XII. — LABOUR FOR A THOROUGH CLEANSING OF BOTH HEART AND LIFE FROM SIN, AND TURN UNTO THE LORD IN THE WAYS OF NEW OBEDIENCE, BEFORE YOU COME TO THH lord's TABLE. All that would attend a holy God, and expect communion with him in this holy ordinance, must see to have pure hearts and clean hands, Pari. xxvi. 3, 4; Jam. iv. 8. What was David's pious resolution, Psal. xxvi. 6, ought to be yours at this occasion, "I will wash my hands in inno- cency, and so will I compass thine altar, O Lord." He alludes to the ceremony of the priests washing at the brazen laver, before they ministered at the altar; to let us see, that though this ceremony belonged only to the priests, yet the morality belongs to all; and there is a washing which concerns all before they meddle with holy ser- vices, and especially such as the sacrament of the Lord's supper. There is a double washing required of all communicants: 1. A washing of yourselves in Christ's blood by the actings of faith. 2. A washing of yourselves by the exercise of true repentance and reformation, which is an effect of the former; by the one, the guilt of sin is taken away, and by the other, the filth of sin is removed. Now, this cleansing must be both external and internal, more than the outside of the cup and platter must be washed, for God looks principally to the heart. Observe those parts of the sacri- fice, that in a special manner behoved to be washed under the law, Lev. i. 9, "But the FORSAKING OF SIN. 191 inwards and his legs shall he wash in water." Now, why should the inwards and legs of the sacrifice be washed above all the rest? Because the entrails contained the excrements of the beast, and the legs and the feet did tread in the mire and puddle, and so those parts were more defiled than any other part of the body. And all this to teach us, that when we draw near to God in solemn worship, we should especially wash where most filth is likely to be contracted. 1. Our inwards, our hearts and consciences, must be washed: O what filth and excrements, even a dunghill of filthy lusts, lie there ! Jer. iv. 14, "O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wicked- ness, how long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee ?" 0 communicants, you must look well to the inwards at this time, and see to get all inward and secret lusts washed out by repentance, and strong resolutions in Christ's strength against them. 2. Our legs and feet must be washed also. The steps of our daily conversation are defiled by walking and treading in foul ways : O, how much pollution do even believers gather by the steps of their daily walk ! And hence it is, that he who is already washed, needs daily, and upon every new occasion, to have his feet wrashed, John xiii. 10. We should then be in earnest, before we come to the Lord's table, to have all the defile- ment of our outward actions washed away by true repentance and reformation of life. Alas, that we should come to this holy table with such inwards, and with such feet, as many times we have! "Lord, purge us with hyssop, and we shall be whiter than the snow." Our own wash- ing will not do it, if Christ put not to his hand ; yet we must be sincerely using the means, and waiting for the help of his Spirit. If you would be suitably prepared for this solemn ordinance, and have a gracious meeting with Clirist at his table, you must not only search out your sins, be deeply humbled for them, make confession of them before the Lord, and by faith lay hold on Christ for pardon, as before directed ; but you must also be washed and cleansed from sin, forsake sin in your life, and cast it out of your heart : for if you come to Christ's table with any of his enemies and traitors lodged in your bosoms, with any of your old lusts unmortified, and sins not put away, he will look upon you as his murderers, and smite you with his judgments; yea, you may expect that the wrath of God will come upon you whilst the bread is in your mouths, as it did upon Israel for the same reason, Psal. lxxvih. 30, 31, "They were not estranged from their lusts ; but whilst the meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel." Perhaps, O sinner, thou mayest not feel this wrath at the time, but it may be inflicted insensibly on thy soul ; and every sacrament thou receivest in this condition, thou dost heap and treasure up wrath against the day of wrath; and every time thou bringest a new faggot to the heap, which will make a terrible fire at last, when it is thoroughly kindled against thy soul. O, then, you who design to approach to the Lord's table, be persuaded to put a bill of divorce into the hands of all your lusts and idols; cast away all your former transgressions, and begin a new life : resolutely turn your backs on sin, Satan, and hell; and come take on with a new master, and engage in God's strength to be good servants and faithful soldiers of Jesus Christ for the time to come. If you do this, God promiseth you mercy and pardon, and that your former sins shall not so much as be mentioned to you, Isa. Iv. 7; Ezek. xviii. 21, 22. But, if you do not, severe wrath is threatened, Psal. Ixviii. 21. The sacrament works and produces effects, according to the state and disposition of the receivers thereof; as the water of jealousy did to the woman under suspicion of uncleanness, Num. v. 27, 28. If the woman was clean, then the water did her no hurt, nay, it did her good, made her conceive and become fruitful: but, if she was defiled and unclean, it did her great mischief; "her belly did swell, her thigh did rot, and she became a curse." It is so in receiving the sacra- ment: if a man be in a gracious state, and made clean by faith, repentance, and reformation, then the sacrament brings a blessing, it makes a man spiritually healthful and fruitful: but if he be defiled and impenitent, it doth him great mischief; like the water of jealousy, it poisons and rots his soul, and he proves a more rotten and wretched sinner than before. O then, let none venture to harbour sin, and deal falsely with God, when he comes to drink this water of jealousy. The Pharisees quarrelled with Christ, Matt. xv. 2, "Why do thy disciples transgress the tra- dition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread." But on better grounds may we quarrel many communicants : Why do ye' transgress the commandment of the Lord? for ye wash neither hands nor heart, when ye eat bread at the Lord's table ; nay, ye presume to dip your filthy hands into the dish with a holy Jesus : do you think he will bear with such an affront from vile worms, when it is more easy for him to crush you, than for you to trample a worm under your feet? Remember, he is a "God of purer eyes than that he can behold iniquity." Would you have God to draw near to you in this holy ordinance, then cleanse your hands and purify your hearts. "Wash ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before his 192 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. eyes, cease to do evil, and learn to do well." And, if ye would be accepted by God, your turning from sin must have these properties: 1. It must be a cordial turning with all the heart and soul. You must not forsake sin with reluctancy, and by constraint (as Phaltiel left Michael), but willingly and readily. 2. You must turn from your sins presently, and without delay. Do not adventure to lie down and sleep with them another night, lest your waking next day be in hell, or under a sentence of final hardness or impenitency : you are not sure the day of grace will last, or the door of mercy stand open till to-morrow. 3. You must turn from sin finally and ever- lastingly; your quarrel with sin must be irrecon- cilable; for if now ye declare war against your sins, as the traitors and murderers of your Lord and Master, ye must draw the sword against them, and throw away the scabbard, and vow never to be satisfied till you revenge Christ's death upon them, and get them utterly destroyed. O, never entertain a favourable thought of, nor give a kindly look to the bloody knife that killed your dearest friend. Do not, like many, who only part with their sins about the time of a com- munion, or when conscience is awakened; but when that is over, they return with the dog to the vomit. Many say to their sins, as Abraham to his servants, "Stay at the foot of the mount till I go up and worship, and I will return to you again." You ought to say so, indeed, to your necessary worldly affairs at this time; but, for your sins, you should pass an act of eternal banishment upon them, and say with Ephraim, "What have I to do any more with idols?" 4. You must turn from sin universally. You must not, like Herod, part with many and reserve some, but readily give up all; with inward heart sins, as well as outward and gross sins; with sins of omission, as well as of commission, with secret sins, as well as open sins. And par- ticularly, turn from your predominant sins, what- ever they be; and from those sins that are com- mon in the age and place wherein you live: reserve no sin, nor darling lust, but hew thy beloved Agag in pieces before the Lord; leave no grip of thy heart to the devil, lest he pull thee to hell by it. Turn from all tongue sins, rotten discourse, and corrupt communication. You would reckon it a sad disease to have your excrements come out at your mouth; and yet, alas! this is the disease of many. O swearer, turn from your swearing: what mean ye to study the language of hell, unless you would have the world believe that you design to travel thither? For those who are to go to a strange country to five, desire to learn something of the language of the country ere they go. What profit or pleasure have you in this sin? Why will you dare heaven and defy God's law, without any temptation? What would you say, if men should baffle or abuse your name, or your father's name, as you do the Lord's name? Object. 0, (say some) it is only the devil's name that we baffle. Ans. There is nothing pleases the devil more than to have his name so frequently used; for thus you make him a god, whom you worship and pray to, by bidding the devil take this or that. Object. / do not Ian or swear but when I am in passion and provoked to it. Ans. 1. This is an aggravation of your sin, first to be in passion, and then to swear : do you think that one sin will excuse another? 2. Is it just to flee in the face of your Creator, because you are affronted by your fellow- creature? Will you stab your father because your enemy strikes you ? If a man wrong you, will you put forth your anger on God, who never wronged you ? Object. I swear but little oaths, by faith, con- science, 8fc. Ans. 1 . The devil would have yoxi think these but little sins now: but stay till a death-bed or a judgment-seat, and you will find him alter his note. 2. Do you think it a light matter to make a common baffle of faith, the precious instrument of your justification; or of conscience, that is the deputy of the great God ; or of your precious soul, that cost the blood of Christ to redeem it? 3. These are but creatures, and to swear by them is plain idolatry: for it is a giving worship and ascribing divine attributes to the creature. O cursers and swearers, be persuaded to for- sake these sins, and turn to God in Christ for mercy. What will God say to you at the great day, if you do not? You wished for damnation in your ordinary discourse; you are now holden at your word, and damned shall you be. You swore in your ordinary discourse, therefore "God will swear in his wrath, You shall not enter into his rest:" you could not speak without cursing, there- fore you shall be banished out of God's presence with a curse: their tongues, that were so liberal of oaths and blasphemies, shall fry in endless and ceaseless flames, without one drop of water to cool them. Again, O liar, forsake your lying, and come to Christ. Though this sin be common, yet con- sider it is most abominable in the sight of God : the devil is the patron of this sin, and the father of liars; it was with a he he ruined all mankind. Ye shall be as gods, said he to our first parents. There is never a he thou makest, but the devil is at thine ear, and whispers it to thee. Remem- ber what God did to Ananias and Sapphira for lying, Acts v., he struck them dead with a lie in their mouth; and it will be a wonder of his FORSAKING OF SIN. 193 patience, if he do not so to thee. Do you know, O liar, whose children you are ? Not God's chil- dren, for they are children that will not lie; and therefore you must he Satan's children, for he is a liar from the beginning, and the father of liars. Knowest thou, O liar, whither thou art going? Even to thy father. Should not children be with their father? You cannot look upward, and say, " Our Father which art in heaven:" but thou mayest look downward and say, " Our father which art in hell;" and there it is (if thou repent not) that thy tongue shall be tormented in flames for ever. Tremble at this, O liar, and be assured it is no lie that I tell you: "Turn ye, turn ye; for why will ye die?" Moreover, O drunkard, turn from your drunk- enness, and come to Christ. While you live in this sin, you he under many woes and curses, Isa. v. 11, 12; xxviii. 2; 1 Cor. vi. 10. God's curses are not light, therefore make not light of them : for if ye do, 0 drunkard, remember what is abid- ing you hereafter, even a cup of red vengeance, filled up with the dregs of God's wrath, which shall be poured down your throat for ever; and yet you shall eternally cry out, I thirst, I thirst; and for all the drink you have had on earth, you cannot get there a drop of cold water to cool your tongue. In the next place, 0 covetous man, cheater and defrauder, turn from your covetousness, your injustice, and unrighteous gain, and come to Christ. If you do not, you shall pay dear for all your unjust gain in another world; God is the avenger of all such as you defraud, 1 Thess. iv. 6. You think yourself very cunning when you can cheat your neighbour of a little money; but know you not that the devil, in the meantime, is more cun- ning in cheating you of your precious soul, which is infinitely more valuable? 0 Sabbath-breaker, secure and prayerless sin- ner, turn from your sins unto God and holiness; flee to Christ for shelter from them, and the wrath due to them; righteousness and redemption are only to be found in him. Would you not count him mad, who being condemned to a cruel death for base crimes, and might escape it if he would accept of a pardon ready provided for him, and leave off such vile acts for the future, would yet obstinately refuse to do it? And are not you yet madder that slight your Saviour, and hug your lusts, when your danger is a thousand times greater? What madness is it to dishonour God, and damn your soul, to gratify the devil, or please a vile carcase, that shortly will be so loathesome that men cannot endure it above ground? 0 sinner, I beseech you in the name of the great and glorious Jehovah, and in the name of our glorious Redeemer, be reconciled to God, accept of a pardon through Christ's blood, and engage to quit these sins that would destroy you. Will you please God, and show kindness to your poor soul by doing it? However much you have abused God's patience, trampled on his love, slight- ed his calls, despised his threatenings, and under- valued his promises; yet he is still standing and beseeching you to be reconciled to him. O will not all this goodness melt your heart, and cause you with Ephraim, Jer. xxxi. 18, to bemoan yourself, and cry, " Turn thou me, O Lord, and I shall be turned?" Without this turning, see that you venture not to this sacred ordinance ; let none with the running ulcers of sin upon them offer to sit down at this holy table, for God's pure eyes cannot look upon them. And if you would turn aright, see that ye turn bclievingly to God in Christ: for there is no access to the King of heaven, without bringing the Prince of peace, the King's Son, in your arms ; no atonement without Christ, no acceptance but in the Beloved. Lastly, If you would turn to God aright, ye must not only turn from sin, but also turn to tho ways of holiness and new obedience. It is not enough to cease to do evil, but you must also learn to do well. Some part with their sins of commission, but continue still in sins of omis- sion; they leave their gross out-breakings, but still neglect commanded duties. But the tree is not only adjudged to the fire that bears evil fruit, but also the tree that bears no fruit: so that the neglect of duty will damn us as surely as the commission of sin. Communicants that God an ill smile upon, are such as not only forsake all known sin, but sincerely endeavour through grace to yield obedience to the whole revealed will of God, and in Christ's strength set about the performance of every commauded duty. But as for those communicants that do not study new obedience, and do not make conscience of performing every known duty, God will say to such as he saith to the wicked, Psal. 1. 16, 17, " What hast thou to do, that thou shouldst take my covenant (or the seal of my covenant) in thy mouth, seeing thou castest my words behind thee?" They can expect no communion or fellowship with him at his table. But on the other hand, he makes very gracious and comfortable promises to those that study obe- dience, Jer. vii. 24, " Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people." As the prophet Isaiah speaks to the Jews of the good things of the land of Canaan, so may we say to you concerning the good things of the sacrament, Isa. i. 19, "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land." As the land of Canaan produced very precious fruits, so doth the Lord's supper; and these far more excellent than those. It is here that the marrow and fatness of God's house is distributed to his children. Well, 2b 194 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. if you be willing and obedient, ye shall eat of the good things of the sacrament. But see that your obedience springs from right principles, from love and gratitude to God, from a true hatred to sin, and high esteem of holiness. It was an excellent saying of one, " Were there neither heaven nor hell, yet sin should be my hell, and holiness my heaven." The spiritually enlightened soul sees an unspeakable deformity in sin, which causeth him to abhor it: he sees such a charming beauty in holiness, that he cannot but love and desire it. DIRECT. XIII. — MEDITATE MUCH UPON THE DEATH AND SUF- FERINGS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BEFORE YOU APPROACH TO HIS TABLE. Would you have your hearts put in a suitable communion frame, then read and think much of the sufferings of Christ; and in a special manner, take a close view of them on the Saturday night before the communion. Think on them till your hearts melt, and affections warm; yea, resolve you will not give over till then; and beg God's blessing on your meditations for this end. Think and wonder at the greatness of the humiliation of the Son of God. Admire the low stoop and condescension of the Son of God, and the King of glory, that he should be content for ns to become a creature, and such a mean crea- ture as man; that he, who was equal with God, should become less than God, John xiv. 28; yea, less than angels, Heb. ii. 7 ; yea, to be depressed below the ordinary condition of man, Psal. xxii. 6, " I am a worm," &c. Think how he denuded himself of all his riches and glory; that though he was the heir of all things, yet, for our sakes, he became so poor that he had not a cradle of his own to lie in when born, a house to lay his head in while he lived, nor a grave to be buried in when he died. He left his throne of state to lodge in the virgin's womb: he is born, not in his mother's house, but in a common inn, and the basest place of the inn, a stable, the inn being probably taken up by persons of richer quality : he is cradled in a manger, having no better place allowed him on earth, though the highest heavens were too mean for him. Think how he was carried to a wilderness to fast and watch, and live forty days among the wild beasts, haunted and tempted by the devil, and sadly buffeted by his own slaves; and all this for us. View him going about on foot, hungry, thirsty, and weary, yet always doing good: and the more good he did to souls and bodies, the more was he hunted and persecuted, reproached and blas- phemed; and all this for our sakes. View him entering into the garden of Gethse- mane, beginning to fear, turn heavy, and cry out, " My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." What made him heavy, hut the dead weight of our sins, and the curses of the law annexed to them?" Behold him complaining to his poor disciples, that could make no help to him; neither they nor the angels in heaven durst touch his load, nor taste his cup: he coidd have helped them, but they could not help him. Yea, he got not so much as sympathy from them; they fell asleep when he was at the worst, and left him to tread out the wine-press alone, and all for our sakes. View him in his fearful agony and bloody sweat, falling sometimes on his knees, and some- times on his face, praying once, praying again, and praying the third time, that the cup might pass from him, till he is overwhelmed and covered with his own blood. Behold the great drops of blood bursting through and standing above his garments, and falling and lying upon the ground round about him; being at this time pressed betwixt the millstone of God's justice and our sins. Behold him sweating without heat, and bleeding without a wound; the fire and the wound were inward, even in his soul. How freely did the fountain of his precious blood open and run to wash us! Every vein and pore pours out a stream, not waiting for the tormentors, and all for our sakes. Behold him betrayed and sold "for thirty pieces of silver," taken and bound with cords like a thief; yea, bound fast, as Judas bade, and so fast (as some say) that the blood burst out of his tender hands. Can your hearts or eyes hold to see those hands, that made heaven and earth, wrung together and bruised with hard cords: to see him bound that came to set the prisoners free, and loose us who were Satan's bond-slaves ? Blessed Jesus, had not the cords of thy own love tied thee faster than the cords of thy enemies, though they had been the strong- est cables or iron chains, they could not have held thee: but thou wast a willing prisoner for our sakes. Behold him struck upon the face, spit upon, buffeted, blindfolded, mocked, and cruelly affront- ed by rude soldiers, a whole night: though he could have breathed them into hell, yet he meekly holds his peace, and patiently suffers all for our sakes. Behold his lovely coimtenance all disfigured hy their plucking the hair from his cheeks with pincers, Isa. 1. 6. The sweetest face that ever the sun saw was all besmeared with "blood and spitting, yet he hid not his face from shame." Behold him led up and down from place to place, with a ridiculous garb put upon him, and MEDITATING ON CHRIST'S SUFFERINGS. 196 yet never resists : he is abused and disgraced; a Barabbas, a murderer, the vilest malefactor in all Jerusalem, is preferred before him; and yet he complains not. View him as he was used by his own family, his chosen disciples; one of them betrays him, another of them denies him, and all the rest forsake him, and leave him alone among his bloody enemies' hands. Behold him that "clothes the lilies of the field," stripped naked: behold him scourged back and side; yea, scourged above measure (Pilate thinking thereby to save his life), till all the pavement of Pilate's judgment-hall about him is bedewed with his precious blood: "Yet he willingly gave his back to the smiters," that we might be freed from the everlasting lashes of God's wrath in hell. Behold him with a platted crown of thorns upon his head, with the sharp points turned inward, and driven into his head, till they pierced his head and skull in an hundred places : and so he is content to be as the ram caught in the thickets, to be sacrificed in our room. Behold a new shower of blood running down his neck and whole body : Oh ! it was my sins that platted the thorns, and they were the reeds that drave them in. Behold him, after all these sufferings, put to bear his heavy cross, upon his sore and bleeding shoulders; with what patience and humility did be bear the law-cursed tree that was weighed down with our sins, and the law's curses fastened to it ? Yea, he bears without complaint till his strength is faint; he is breathless, and ready to faint under the burden, till another must help. It was not the cross that made him faint; he had a greater burden to bear than ten thousand worlds, even the infinite wrath of God due to our sins. Behold him stretched out naked, and laid upon the ground, that they might take the measure of his body and the holes for the nails; yea, they make them longer than they need, that they might both crucify and rack him at once. Behold the four large nails driven in through the most sinewy and sensible parts of his body, and the cross lift up with the Lord of glory nailed to it: and when it fell into the hole digged for the foot of it, how did the fall rend and tear his whole body! His own weight was his torture; and the longer he lived, his wounds grew the wider. His hands and feet are fixed, he cannot turn any way for ease: the blood streamed down for several hours, till he expired amidst these tortures. Behold him hanging on a cross betwixt heaven and earth, as if he had been unworthy of a place in either of them: "Betwixt two thieves," as if he had been the greatest malefactor of the three. His sufferings were universal, and extended over all the parts and powers of his soul and body; no part free but Ins tongue, which was at liberty to pray for his enemies. He suffered in all his senses; his sight was tormented with the scornful gestures of those that passed by, " wagging their heads;" his hearing with taunts and mocks; his smell with the nauseous savour of dead men's skulls; his taste with gall and vinegar; his feeling with the nails and thorns that pierced his head, hands, and feet. Behold him on the cross, suffering till his strength is dried up like a potsherd; his tongue cleaves to his jaws, till he cries out, I thirst. And no wonder he thirsted; for besides all the loss of his blood, he was scourged with the fire of God's wrath. Yea, "the arrows of the Almighty were within him, the poison whereof did drink up his spirit." Behold him at the worst, crying out for relief, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" But yet no relief appears, there is none to answer: yea, his own sun, his own heaven, his own Father, his own Godhead, hid their faces and consolations from him. He is left alone in the midst of devils and enemies insulting over him ; he falls a sacri- fice to incensed justice, for our heinous guilt and provocations. Behold the Son of righteousness under a fearful eclipse! For a candle to be put out is no great matter, but for the sun to be darkened is marvel- lous and strange. In the next place, take a view of his willing- ness to suffer all these things for us. He quickens Judas to do his work, and he goes out to meet his persecutors, and boldly tells them, that he was the man they sought: he will not suffer Peter or the angels to do any thing for his rescue, because of his desire to drink the cup which the Father had given him, John xviii. 11. And God knows, a full and bitter cup it was, being all mingled with guilt, wrath, and curses, heaped up and running over; a cup, which if men or angels had tasted, they had all staggered and fallen back headlong into hell: yet, how cheerfully did he drink it for us! he was not like the legal sacri- fices, dragged to the altar; no, he went willingly to it, and tied himself with the cords of love to the horns of it. 0, what affections should the consideration of these things stir up in the souls of communicants ! Are ye going up to mount Calvary, to see Christ crucified; and will not ye think on his sufferings, and be affected with them before you go? You may here, as in a looking-glass, behold what you deserved at the hands of a just God, if Christ had not interposed for you. You may see the wondrous love of Christ that passeth knowledge, which ought to kindle a flame of love in your hearts. You may see the cursed nature and demerit of sin, that exposed Christ to so much sorrow and suffering. Can you look on 196 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. him whom you have thus pierced, and not mourn hitterly for sin that did it, and hate it as the most ugly thing in the world? "Would not your heart rise against the man, yea, against the knife that killed your father, brother, husband, or friend; and will not your hearts rise against sin, that has killed him that is instead of all rela- tions, and should be far dearer to us than a thousand fathers or brothers? Can we look on Christ's sufferings, and not make solemn vows against sin, and part with lying, swearing, sab- bath-breaking, &c. that crucified him? When the king of Moab was pressed hard by Israel, he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him up for a burnt sacrifice upon the walls, 2 Kings iii. 27, whereupon they raised the siege, and went home. Well, the great God hath taken his only Son, sacrificed him to justice, that we might thereby be persuaded to leave off fighting against heaven. O let this strange act, which is both an act of justice and goodness, so overawe your hearts with fear, and overcome them with love, that you may leave off to offend God any more. DIRECT. XIV. — BE FREQUENT AND FERVENT IN PRAYER, BEFORE YOU APPROACH TO THE LORD'S TABLE. They that forget God in their closets and families, are not fit to come and remember him at his table; therefore let no prayerless soul ven- ture thither. You ought to double your prayers and messages to heaven that week, and especially that night before you approach to this ordinance; if ever you pray and wrestle with God, now should be the time of it. As the heathen ship-master said to Jonah, so say I to thee, 0 communicant, Jonah i. 6, "Arise, O sleeper, and call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon thee, that thou perish not." O sleep not now, when you are in hazard of eating and drinking eternal dam- nation; but be praying when others are sleeping. This course will surely redound to thy advantage, and be the means of procuring special blessings to thy soul. When was it that God gave commis- sion to open Paul's eyes, and fill him with the Holy Ghost, but then, when he was earnest in prayer to God, Acts ix. 11 — 17, "Behold he prayeth." "The Lord hath sent me (said Anan- ias) that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost." So if you were earnest in prayer before the sacrament, God would notice you as he did Paul, and give charge to this ordinance to be the means of enlightening thy soul, and filling thee with the Holy Ghost. It was at the sacrament of baptism that Christ's prayers opened heaven, and brought down the Holy Ghost upon him : so at the sacrament of the Lord's supper the fervent prayers of a believ- ing communicant will open heaven, and bring down the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit upon him. Your work at this time is very great, and much need have you to look to God in Christ, and plead with him for his special assist- ance : you have very great encouragement to do it; for God never calls any to do his work, but he helps them in it. It is said, 1 Chron. xv. 26, that " God helped the Levites that bare the ark." One would think, that the work of bearing the ark needed no more help from God than the gen- eral concourse of his providence; and yet God helped them with special assistance. And if he helped the Levites to bear the ark, because it was his work, will he not help us to receive the sac- rament, which he hath instituted for displaying his glory, if we sincerely seek his help? You have many errands at this time to the throne of grace, for you have many things to pray for. 1. You ought in general to pray for prepara- tion for this solemn feast: "for the preparation of the heart in man is from the Lord," Prov. xvi. 1 . Lay out the case of your heart and soul before the Lord, and say, "Lord, thou callest me to a very solemn ordinance; and who is sufficient for these things ? I have neither a meet sacrifice to offer, nor a meet temple to receive thee in. I know not how to pray, or to prepare myself; how to receive Christ, or behave myself at his table. Behold the bridegroom cometh, but I am not ready; I want the wedding-garment: 0, what shall I do for clothing to my naked soul? My beloved hath spoken, saying, 'rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.' 'I have heard his voice; but I am not stirring for it:' my heart saith, 'yet a little sleep, yet a little slumber.' Lord, awake my heart, stir up my graces, and pre- pare me for a meeting with my Saviour. Lord, thou art the giver of grace as well as of glory, thou must give the frame as well as the feast; for with- out thee we have nothing, we can do nothing; thou preparest a table for me in this wilderness; but shall the time of receiving come before thou comest into my soul to stir up thy graces in me? What commerce can a dead heart have with a living God? Lord, thou knowest my sins, and the unpreparedness of my heart; and if thou wilt mark iniquity, O Lord, who shall stand? My very preparations and best performances carry in them matter of indictment against my soul. But, Lord, though my sins be many and great, yet doth not the blood of Christ cry louder for pardon than my sins do for punishment? O that the cry of that blood may wholly drown the cry of my sins at this time, and answer for the defects of my preparation. O, let not my soul, whose only hope is to be saved by Christ's blood, be sent away from his table with the guilt, instead of the comfort of that blood upon me." PRAYER. 197 2. And more particularly, you ought to pray for saving knowledge: say, "Lord, I am natur- ally alienated and estranged from thee, through the ignorance that is in me; O give me under- standing, that I may know thee, and the my- stery of saving grace. Hast thou not said, that the covenant thou wilt make with thy people is this, "They shall all know thee from the least even to the greatest?" O give me right uptakings of thy covenant, which is well ordered in all things, and sure. Give grace to know the nature, necessity, use, and ends of this ordinance, which is the compend and seal of it, that so I may receive it with understanding, and rightly discern the Lord's body." 3. Pray for holy reverence and humility of spirit. "Lord, affect my heart with awful rever- ence of the greatness and holiness of thy majesty, to whom I am to make so near an approach, and with whom I am to renew the covenant. O, how durst I, who am sinful dust and ashes, pre- sume to come so near thee, unless thou hadst invited and commanded me? O for deep self- abasement and humility of soul when I go to receive the unspeakable gift of God! O what a wonderful gift is Jesus Christ to such an unworthy and ill-deserving creature as I am ! Lord, give me grace whereby I may serve thee acceptably, with reverence and godly fear." 4. Pray for godly sorrow and contrition for sin. "Lord, take away my heart of stone, and give me a heart of flesh, that I may loathe myself in my own sight for all iniquities and abominations. May I abhor them as the scourges, thorns, nails, and spear, that afflicted my Lord and Saviour: and may I be weary and heavy laden with the burden of my sins, so that Christ may give me rest. Lord, help me so to accuse myself, that thou mayest acquit me; so to judge and condemn myself, that thou mayest absolve me; and so to exercise a holy revenge upon myself, that thou mayest spare me. The days of mourning for my Redeemer's death arc at hand; O that then I may slay my most beloved lusts, and be revenged on them for it, and for their endeavours to rob me of my spiritual birthright, my eternal blessedness! O that I may come to thy table, and receive a bleeding Saviour with a broken heart." 5. Pray for faith, both for the being and the increase of faith. "Lord, faith is thy own gift, as well as Christ; I believe, Lord, help my un- belief. O for faith's eye to look upon Christ, faith's wings to flee to Christ, faith's arms to embrace Christ, faith's mouth to feed on Christ, faith's hand to apply Christ! When I see the bread and wine on the table, O let me see a bleeding crucified Jesus. Let me not only eat the bread of the Lord, but the bread which is the Lord. May this ordinance be a lively resem- blance, remembrance, and application of Christ's sufferings to me; and may I be helped so to put my finger into the print of the nails, and my hand into his side, that I may be persuaded of his suffering and dying for me; and may I "not be faithless but believing," and may say with Thomas, "my Lord and my God;" and with Paul, "He loved me, and gave himself for me;" and with the spouse, "My beloved is mine, and I am his." O that I may so touch him, that I may feel strength, peace, and virtue come from him, and be healed of all my plagues and unclean- nesses! Let me so by faith feed on his blessed body, and bathe my soul in his precious blood, that I may be filled with peace and joy in believ- ing; yea, "my soul may magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoice in God my Saviour." 6. Pray for love to God and Christ. "Lord, circumcise my heart to love the Lord with all my soul, with all my strength." Lord, shed abroad thy love in my cold and frozen heart, and inflame it with fervent affection and desires towards thee, that I may be a disciple whom Jesus loveth, and that leans on his breast. O that "Christ may dwell in my heart by faith, and that, being rooted and grounded in love, I may be able to compre- hend with all saints, what is the breadth and length, the depth and heighth: and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." O that the remembrance of Christ's love may transport me with love, captivate my will, and engage all my affections to him. Lord, though I cannot say, I am sick of love to thee, yet I desire to be sick that I cannot love thee more. O for grace that I may be numbered among them that "love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity." 7. Pray for love to all the people of God. "Lord, make all those lovely in mine eyes, to whom Christ is precious : that I may know I am passed from death to life, because I love the brethren." O for a warm love to all those who are Christ's friends, on whom he hath set his heart, and to whom he hath given his Spirit; that so my heavenly Father may look down upon his children, feasting together in mutual love and delight, in remembrance of that great love which he hath already shown to us, and with joyful expectations of those great things he hath further promised to us. And, Lord, seeing that thou hast so loved me, let me be perfectly reconciled to every man, that I may "love my very enemies, and do good to them that hate me." May every spark of anger, malice, and envy, be utterly extinguished in me. 8. Pray for new obedience. " Lord, since thou givest this heavenly feast only to thy disciples, 0 make me one of them, and let me attain this mark of a disciple, obedience to my master. Lord, I cannot cat the passover and stay in Egypt still, 198 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. in the service of Satan, and in bondage to my lusts; O bring my soul out of prison, and let me eat the passover with my loins girt, and ready to march towards the promised land. O help me to wash my hands in innocence, that so I may encompass thy altar. O make me willing and obedient, that I may eat the good of this ordi- nance. And may the love of Christ restrain me to a course of sincere universal obedience, that I may run in the ways of thy commandments. Seeing Christ offers himself to me, by way of sur- render, to receive him as a Saviour, and submit to him as a prince. And, on that solemn feast of dedication, let me come and dedicate myself to thee, set myself apart for thee, that all my days I may live to thy praise." 9. Pray for heart-purity, fixedness and spirit- uality, that you may be fit to entertain converse with a holy God. "Lord, help me to lay aside and leave behind me all vain, earthly, and unsea- sonable thoughts and imaginations, that I may attend upon thee without distraction. O let not worldly or wandering thoughts come in, to stir up or disturb the beloved of my soul : let them not come near, or displease him : nor call me away from entertaining and enjoying of him. Lord, bid them begone. Alas ! my heart is naturally in great disorder, and wholly indisposed for such solemn and spiritual work; but, 0 thou who call- cst me to it, do thou dispose my heart for it." 10. Pray for spiritual hunger and thirst. " Lord, thou art ready to give bread to the hun- gry, and the water of life to him that is athirst: but both the appetite and the food, the feeling of want and the relief, are from thee. O for enlarged affections and desires after this ordinance answerable to my need of it. Lord, create and stir up in me earnest longings and a spiritual appetite after this heavenly food: that so with desire I may desire to eat this passover. ' As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so let me pant after thee, O God.' Lord, enlarge my heart, and open my mouth wide, that thou may- est fill it." 11. Pray for spiritual thankfulness, and holy joy, in partaking of this feast. "0 make me to relish this heavenly food, and receive it with a thankful heart. Let me not sit sad and dejected, as if I liked not the provision, or thought myself not welcome: but take me into the banqueting house, and let my soul be satisfied as with mar- row and fatness, that my mouth may praise thee with joyful lips. I am to feed on angels' food, O let me be employed in angels' work, — praise. Let my soul rejoice in Jesus Christ as my portion; and triumph in his mighty acts, in his victories and purchase." 12. Pray for the assistance of God's Spirit in this work. "Lord, cast me not away from thy presence, take not thy Holy Spirit from me; for without thee I have nothing. I can do nothing. Lord, thou hast promised, and declared thyself more willing to give the Spirit to them that ask it, than parents to give bread to their children. Our love to our children is but hatred, our com- passion hardness, in comparison of thine to thy children: O do not then deny me when my need is so great. Thou never saidst to any of the seed of Jacob, Seek ye my face in vain. Lord, send thy Holy Spirit to breathe on my dry bones and decayed graces, and to be the harbinger to pro- vide entertainment for thy Son in my soul, that he may find it swept of all sin, and garnished with all the sacramental graces. O for the Spi- rit of God to adorn my naked soul, and put on me the wedding- garment, viz. the glorious outer garment of the righteousness of thy Son, and the beautiful inner garment of the holiness of thy Spirit, that fine linen of the saints : that all my nakedness may be covered, and my great deformi- ties hid from thine eyes!" 13. Pray for the cure of all thy diseases, at this healing ordinance. "Lord, my plagues are great, my wounds deep and my distempers many: but I have heard of the balsam of the new covenant, my Redeemer's blood, that heals all diseases. "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there not a phy- sician there? 0, then let not my pain be per- petual, nor my wounds incurable. Lord, I come to thee to get my dead soul quickened, my strong corruptions subdued, my faint purposes strength- ened, and my languishing graces revived. O let the author of spiritual life uphold and preserve life in my soul. Inflame my coldness with the fire of thy love, soften my hardness with the dew of thy grace, enlighten my blindness with a beam of thy light, and anoint my blind eyes with thy eye-salve. Let thy compassion pity my vileness, let thy mercy pardon my sinfulness, let thy wis- dom enlighten my darkness, and let thy strength support my weakness. O will the head let a member perish ? Shall a branch wither for want of juice? Thou art the true vine: O communi- cate sap and influence to my languishing soul. Lord, art thou not as willing to bestow the fruit of thy blood on us, as to shed it for us? Art thou not a ready physician, willing to be employed by diseased souls? Dost thou not bestow thy cures without money, and without price? Lord, here is work for thee, a Job full of boils, a Laz- arus over-run with sores, as poor a patient as ever came to the physician's door; yet if I could but touch the border of thy garment, or get but one word from thee, I should be made whole: 0 say unto me, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt." 14. Pray for a willing and cheerful heart in performing this and all other duties. " O, did my Saviour so cheerfully undertake to suffer for DISTRUSTING OUR PREPARATIONS. 199 me, and shall I be slothful and careless in approach- ing to him? Did he go so willingly to the cross to die for me, and shall I he so backward to go to the communion-table to remember his death? Lord, make me run in the ways of thy command- ments; and let me pray, hear, and communicate with freedom and enlargement of heart. O draw my heart to thee, and let it be carried on with more unweariedness and cheerfulness in thy ser- vice. Send forth the gales of thy Spirit, that may make my soul like the chariots of Ammi- nadab." 15. Pray for nearness and communion with God in his ordinances, and especially at the com- munion-table. "Lord, what will a communion- feast avail me without communion with Christ in it. I go not there for bread and wine, but to see Jesus. What arc the elements to me without Christ's presence? Nothing but this can satisfy me: Lord, what wilt thou give me, if I go from thy table Christless? Shall I go away empty from a treasure, hungry from a feast, dry from a fountain, cold from the sun, comfortless from the comforter? Lord, stand not at a distance behind the wall: show thyself through the lattice of thy ordinance, and let me see the goings of my God and my King in his sanctuary. Lord, do thou not only stand and knock, but do thou also open the door of my heart; vouchsafe to come in and abide with me, yea, sup with me, and let me sup with thee, that I may be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, and drink of the rivers of thy pleasures. And when "the King sitteth at his table, let my spikenard send forth the smell thereof." Descend into my heart by the influences of thy grace, and let me ascend to thee by the breathings of faith, love, and desire. Lord, make this feast a type and earnest of that eternal banquet above; and let me enjoy thy lightsome reviving company in the state of my pilgrimage. O let Christ appear and be known of me in the breaking of bread: O let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for his love is better than wine." Cry importunately to God at this time; say "I will not let thee go till thou bless me: if thy presence go not with me, carry me not up hence. Wilt thou not relieve an importunate beggar, and hear the cry of a needy supplicant? Lord, open rivers in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. Let Jordan, at this season, overflow all its banks, and let all the dry roots of thy people be watered. And 0 let me come from thy table with my pardon sealed, my corruptions subdued, my graces quickened, my faith strengthened, my resolutions confirmed, my heart enlarged, and my soul refreshed and encouraged to run the ways of thy commandments, and so inseparably united unto thee, that no temptation may be able to dissolve the union." O for the Spirit of grace and suppli- cation at such a tune! for it is the praying and wrestling soul that will be the joyful and praising communicant. DIRECT. XV. — AFTER TOU HAVE DONE TOUR UTMOST FOR PRE- PARING YOURSELVES FOR THE LORD'S TABLE, SEE THAT YP, LAY NO STRESS THEREUPON, BUT WHOLLY DISTRUST TOUR OWN PREPARATIONS. O communicants, when you have made the greatest preparations possible, by self-examination, repentance, prayer, &c. say, after all, " We are but unprofitable servants." The greatest stress and difficulty of the Christian life lieth in this, to be diligent in duty, and yet wholly denied to. our duties. Learn then this great point in Christi- anity, to distrust all your preparations, and cast yourselves wholly on Christ for assistance, as if you had done nothing at all; saying, it is only "in the Lord that I have righteousness and strength." You ought to do as king Asa did, who, though he had raised a prodigious army of five hundred thousand, all mighty men of valour, to fight against the Ethiopians, yet he cried to the Lord, and trusted in him for help, as if he had been left alone without one man to fight for him: for after all his great preparations, it is recorded of him, 2 Chron. xiv. 8, 11, "And Asa cried to the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many or with them that have no power. Help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name go out against this multitude." So let every communicant say, "Lord, all my strength and preparations are nought; I have no power for celebrating this feast. Help me, O Lord my God; for I rest on thee, and in thy name I go to this great and weighty ordinance." The soul is never so well prepared, as when it is most sensi- ble of its own weakness, and relies on the Redeemer's strength: "when I am weak (says the apostle) then am I strong." And hence it is said of the ancient worthies, Heb. xi. "Out or weakness, ({. e. felt and apprehended) they were made strong." The gaudy flower, that stands and grows on its own stalk, doth quickly wither and decay; when the plain ivy that hangs and leans on the house is fresh and green all the year. We ought then to be denied to ourselves, and write after David's copy, who looked to the Lord both for assistance and acceptance in all his duties, Psal. lxxi. 16, "I will go in the strength of the Lord, I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only." A man may in words disclaim the opinion of merit and worth in his duties and preparations, and yet in his heart and secret practice put some 200 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. trust in them; for there are practical papists as well as practical atheists. Hence God warns us against this inward trust and secret popery, Dcut. ix. 4, " Say not in thine heart, This is for my righteousness." Though with our tongues we do not plead for merit, yet there may be a saying it in the heart; and God doth well understand the language of the heart. Let us therefore look well to our hearts when we have done our utmost in duty, and by way of preparation for this ordi- nance, that we be wholly denied to all, and cher- ish the thoughts of our own nothingness, accord- ing to Christ's noble rule, Luke xvii. 10, "When ye have done all, say, We are unprofitable ser- vants." David owns he had nothing to plead when he had done all: for says he, "Of thine own, Lord, have we given thee," 1 Chron. xxix. 14. Of this denied temper was Nehemiah also: for when he had done all for God and his temple that he could, he makes free grace his only plea with God, Neh. xiii. 22, " I commanded the Levites to cleanse themselves," &c. " Remember me, O my God, concerning this also; and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy." Whatever good things lie had done, yet he depends on none of them, but pleads, ", Spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy." Hence also Paul wholly disclaimed his own righteous- ness, and that not only while he was a Pharisee, but even when he was a Christian and renewed man; " I account all things but loss for Christ." O this is a noble attainment, but not easily come at. Mr. Fox used to say, " he was more afraid of his grace, than of his sins," because he found himself in such danger by them to be puffed up, and tempted to self-confidence. Let us then be denied to our own attainments in preparation for this solemn ordinance, if we would be accepted of God : for that man comes to God most wor- thy, that comes most sensible of his own un wor- thiness. So much for the first head of the direc- tions how to prepare for a communion Sabbath before it come. I proceed now to the second head, to give directions how to spend it when it comes. CHAP. II. CONTAINING DIRECTIONS FOR THE RIGHT SPENDING A COMMU- S NION SABBATH WHEN IT IS COME. I. See that you rise sooner this morning than ordinary, seeing you have extraordinary work in hand. And while you are rising and putting on your clothes, let your minds be filled with suit- able meditations and ejaculations. Think what a privilege it is that " your eyes see such days of the Son of man, which many prophets and kings desired to see, and might not." O that I may be thankful, and may not abuse my mercy! This is a great day; 0 that it may be a good day to my soul, even a day in God's courts, and in God's presence, that will be better and sweeter to me than a thousand. Again, think this may be the last communion day that ever I may see on earth: this may be the last time that I shall " drink of the fruit of the vine at a communion table." It may be the last offer that I shall get of the water of life; O that I may improve it well! Perhaps several who saw the last communion where I am going, and also drank with me of the sacramental cup, have now a cup of the red wine of God's ven- geance put into their hands, and are eternally sinking or swimming in the brimless and bottom- less ocean of God's wrath; God keep me from unworthy communicating this day, lest that be my lot before the next sacrament. But on the other hand, it may be there are some who sat with me at the last communion table, that are now sitting at the higher table, and are drinking it new with Christ in his Father's kingdom: what a sweet song are they presently singing ! " Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen." O that I may this day get a foretaste of that celestial feast and heavenly joy, and such a seal of Christ's love, as may fill my soul with hope to be a communicant at the upper table, if God shall call me hence before the next com- munion ! " Lord, let me have one good day in all my life-time: show me a token for good before I die." II. Retire presently, O communicant, for prayer and meditation, in order to excite and quicken grace in thy soul; and in a special man- ner, see to get faith enlivened, and love infiamed. And for this end, take a new view of Christ's sufferings, and his unparalleled love manifested therein: " Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world." If you have a clear discovery of his love and sufferings at the table, be taking frequent views of him beforehand. Consider how free and undeserved Christ's love was. Behold the Son of God entreated by no man, but hated by all men; yet in his love and pity entreats for man, yea, suffers and dies for him, even then when he was a sinner and an enemy to him. Behold him suffering for sin, that never sinned: yea, behold him made "sin for thee, who had no sin: that thou, who hadst no righteousness, might be made the righteous- ness of God in him." View his love with won- der, that made him take on the heavy burden of your iniquities, and bear it till he swate, bled, SPENDING A COMMUNION SABBATH. 201 groaned, and cried under the weight. Behold him struggling, praying, and falling to the ground, till he is all covered with his own Wood: fix the eye of faith upon him, till thine eye affect thine heart. Take a view of his tears and bloody sweat, his pierced hands and wounded feet, his scourged back and open side, his streaming heart and yearning bowels to poor sinners: this is he, O sinner! that would rather die than thou shouldst die, who chose thy life before his own, and now pleads his blood before his Father. Behold and wonder at his love, that made him tread the wine-press alone for us, and. drink the cup of the red wine of the wrath of God; a cup whereinto all our vile and deadly sins were grated, a cup that no angel durst taste; yea, the tasting of it made Christ's heart to melt like wax in the midst of his bowels, Psal. xxii. 14, which was a greater matter than if the whole world had melted to nothing: yet he drank it off, with the bitterest dregs of it, and left not so much as one drop of it for us. Behold him taking his most precious heart's blood, to quench hell's flames that were ready to break out on us! Was there ever love like this? This love is unsearchably great: you may sooner find out the height of heaven, the breadth of the earth, or the depth of the sea, than mea- sure Christ's love ; for it passeth knowledge, Eph. iii. It is an unfathomable ocean, that hath neither bank nor bottom. 0 whither did his love carry him? Even from heaven to earth, from the throne to the manger, from the manger to the cross, from the cross to the grave; yea, from the glory of heaven to the torments of hell, and all this for poor creatures, that were despic- able as worms, defiled as lepers, deformed as monsters, black as Ethiopians, yea, as black and ugly as hell could make us. Worse are we than devils, if we are not affected with this love, that made the glorious Son of God leave the heaven of his Father's presence, and wade through hell for dregs of the creation. Did Christ see any thing in us to make him love us? No, he saw much to loathe us, but nothing to love us: yet the time when we were most loathesome was Christ's time of love, Ezek. xvi. We were lying polluted in our blood, and all spread over with running ulcers and putrifying sores, when Christ loved us. Our souls were as unlovely as Laza- rus's body, whose sores the dogs licked; or Job's body, when he was full of boils, and sat in the ashes, and scraped himself with a potsherd: yet all this could not cool his affection to us. The instances of Christ's love are inexpressible, both in their nature and number. Wonder at his con- descendence, in becoming not only a creature, but such a mean creature as man, for us; yea, not only a man, but in taking on him the form of a servant for us, and being willing not only to lie in a manger, but in a cold grave for us. Won- der that the glorious Redeemer of Israel should be content to be born as a beggar, live as a ser- vant, and die as a slave for us. Wonder that he, who is infinitely pure, should be willing, not only to be numbered among sinners, and to bear our sins, but also to be made sin, and likewise a curse for us. Was it not for you and your advantage he did all this? and will you not admire and love him? He was content to endure the poverty of the world, that you might enjoy the riches of heaven: he lived in the form of a servant, that you might have the adoption of sons : he hum- bled himself to live with men, that he might exalt you to live with God: he bowed his soul to death, that he might raise you to eternal life : he was shut up forty days with the devil, that you might not be shut up with him for ever : he Was hungry, that you might be fed: he was num- bered among transgressors, that you might have a room among the blessed. O believer, he wept, that you might rejoice: sorrow oppressed his heart, that everlasting joy might be on your head: he was scourged and woiinded, that you by his stripes might be healed of sin's wounds : he was crowned with thorns, that you might be crowned with glory: he was slandered and con- demned before men, that you might be justified and acquitted before God: he bore the curse, that you might inherit the blessing: he drank the bitter and poisonous cup of God's wrath, that you might drink the pure river of life: he was deserted of God, that you might not be forsaken by him eternally: he bore the burden of sin and wrath, that you might be freed from that burden : he hung upon our cross, to advance us to sit upon his throne : he cried out in sorrow upon a cross, that we might shout joyfully in singing God's praise for ever : he thirsted on the cross, that wo might not thirst eternally with Dives for a drop of cold water to cool our tongue : he struggled in a bloody agony, that we might - not struggle among devils in hell's furnace for ever. O what shall we say of this love! " Lord Jesus, thy pity was infinite, thy love hath overflown all banks, and thy compassion knew no bounds: thou stoodst before the mouth of hell that I deserved, and stoppedst the flaming furnace of divine ven- geance that was breaking out against me : when I was, like Isaac, bound to the altar, ready to be sacrificed to justice, thou offeredst thyself, like the ram caught in the thicket, to be sacrificed in my room : when my sins had raised a terrible tempest, which threatened to drown me eternally, thou wast content to be thrown overboard, like Jonah, to appease the storm : when the sword of justice was furbished, and ready to be sheathed into my bowels, thou interposedst betwixt rac 2 c 202 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. and it, and receivedst the blow into thy heart: when I was shipwrecked and perishing, thou castedst thyself in as a plank of mercy to save my life. Can I think on this, and my heart not burn? Can I speak of it, and not seek, with Joseph, a secret place to weep in?" View the surpassing nature of Christ's love. Xo love like to it; yea, Christ's love to us tran- scends his love to all other things : he loved us more than angels, for he would not put on their nature: he loved us more than heaven, for he left that to come and save us: he loved us more than riches and honour, for he chose poverty, and became of no reputation, to redeem us : he loved us more than the comforts of life, for he parted with these, and became a man of sorrows for our sake: he loved us more than his blood, for he willingly parted with that for us: he loved us more than his soul or body, for he gave both these to be an offering for our sins : he was more concerned for us than for himself; he rejoiced more in our welfare than in his own; he wept and prayed more for us than for himself; and in the time of his greatest strait, when heaven, earth, and hell, were all at once rushing upon him, we have his prayer, John xvii. Yet it is all spent for us, except one verse or two for himself. Again, Christ loved us more than his life; and "all that a man hath will he give for his life;" yet Christ willingly parted with that for our sake: but is there nothing that is better than life? Yes; DaAnd tells us of one thing that is better, Psal. lxiii. 3, "Thy loving-kindness is better than life." The saints and martyrs that parted with all other things, would by no means part with that, they would rather part with a thousand lives than quit with that; yet Christ, who had infinitely more of it than ever any saint attained to, for our sakes parted with it, and had the light of God's countenance totally eclipsed from him on the cross, so that he cried out, " My God, my God, why hast thou for- saken me?" II. If you would have the sacramental graces quickened, particularly faith, take a view of Christ in all his sweet offices and relations: " Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth," Isa. xlv. 22. O communicant, endea- vour upon the morning of a communion Sabbath to give a believing look to our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in all his blessed offices and relations; and this will strengthen and quicken faith, and help thee to act it the more distinctly at a communion table. 1. Look to Christ, as a bankrupt debtor to his surety, and say, "Lord, I owe many thousand more than I can pay, but thou hast a sufficient ransom to pay all my debt : I flee to thee as my Surety: Lord, undertake for me, and satisfy thy Father's justice, that I be not seized on, and dragged to hell's prison for ever." 2. Look to him as an able Physician to cure thy wounds: say, " Lord, here lies a Job full of boils, a Lazarus full of sores at thy gate; here a paralytic hand, here a blind eye, here a hard heart, here a plague, and there a wound, that have scorned all other physicians, and despised all other remedies; let me this day get the balm of Gilead, even the sovereign plaster of thy blood, to my various maladies; one touch of the hem of thy garment, and I shall be whole." 3. Look to him as a ranson 3r of captives, and say, "Lord, it was thy errand to proclaim liberty to the captives : I look to thee this day to knock off my fetters, loose all my bonds, and bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name." 4. Look to him as a mediator and peace- maker to remove all enmity and quarrels betwixt God and thy soul, and say, " Lord, stand betwixt me and the flaming sword, let thy atoning blood this day quench the fire of thy Father's anger, and bring the news of peace to my soul." 5. Look to him as an advocate to plead for thy guilty soul: say, " Lord, my crimes are great, and my cause is bad: but never any cause mis- carried that thou took in hand: be thou mine advocate, and let every one of thy wounds this day be as so many open mouths to plead for me ; let thy blood speak, that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel." 6. Look to him as thy refuge-city and hiding- place, and say, "Lord, I flee to thee for my life : for the avenger of blood, the law and justice of God, are at my heels pursuing me; and if they find me afar off from thee, I am slain without mercy: the clefts of the rock are my only hiding-place: Lord, be a safeguard to me. A heathen could say, when a bird scared by a hawk flew into his bosom: I will not give thee up to thine enemy, seeing thou earnest to me for sanctuary: and surely thou wilt not deliver my soul, when I flee to thee for shelter." 7. Look to Christ as the ark that can only save thee from being drowned by the flood of God's wrath : say, " Lord, there is no ark to save me but thou alone: I am shipwrecked in Adam, and there is no plank but Christ to bring me to shore : I clasp to thee by the hand of faith ; Lord, save me else I perish." 8. Look to him as a reliever of burdened souls: say, "Lord, here is a heavy laden sinner coming to thee this day for rest : O sin is heavier than a millstone, it is weighed down with the law's curses; and, O how many of these millstones are on my back! Lord, I come this day to roll them upon thee, who art the sure foundation that God has laid in Zion, able to bear me and SPENDING A COMMUNION SABBATH. 203 all I can lay upon it : angels cannot free me of my burden, for the burden of one sin has sunk many thousands of them to the bottomless pit; the saints cannot do it, they have burden enough of their own; nay, the whole creation cannot bear my burden, for it is already groaning under the weight of me and it: but, Lord, thou art the mighty one on whom sinners' help is laid, and hast promised rest to such as come to thee. Lord, let all my burdens fall off this day, that I may be at freedom to run the ways of thy command- ments." 9. Look to him as a rich and bountiful helper of the needy : say, " Lord, pity a needy beggar this day, that is going to the feast-house to wait for a crumb; thou hast supplied many: and I have heard a good report of thy bounty: never came there a poorer wretch to thy door than I : is there not a penny of grace left to help me, not a crumb to keep in my life ? Lord, let me not go from thy treasure-house without an alms, there is bread enough in thy house and to spare, let me not go without a crumb. 10. Look to him as a prophet and teacher, that can open thine eyes, and give thee gracious dis- coveries of his truths and ways: say, "Lord, I have heard much of thee by the hearing of the ear, but little have mine eyes seen of thee: I have been long in Christ's school, but little pro- ficiency have I made: Lord, come this day and teach me to profit; let my eyes be opened, that in this ordinance I may see the heinous nature of sin, the severity of divine justice, the greatness of divine love, the beauty of Christ, the preciousness of souls, the excellency of the remedy provided for sinners," &c. 11. Look to him as thy head and husband, with whom you are this day to seal a marriage- covenant: say, "Lord, though I be a most deformed, black, and unworthy bride, and have nothing but poverty, debt, and danger to recom- mend me to thee; yet since thou, who art the chief among ten thousands, art content to match with me, O give me a heart to consent willingly to the bargain, and say, My beloved is mine, and I am his. Lord, help me cheerfully to say Amen to the covenant, and all the articles of it, that I was reviewing and renewing yesternight: 0 let the marriage knot this day be cast, that sin or Satan, death or hell, may never be able to loose again: let him this day kiss me with the kisses of his mouth : 0 for sweet communion and fellowship with him at his own table: Lord, show me a token for good, set me a seal upon thine arm; manifest thyself to me as thou dost not to the world." III. Labour, O communicant, to get thy soul put in a right and suitable frame for approaching Cod's holy table, and entertaining thy Saviour there: now the cry is making, "the bridegroom cometh, go ye forth to meet him ; " prepare the palace of your hearts for him; cleanse, sweep, and wash them; get them adorned and perfumed with the graces of the Spirit. Is Christ gone to prepare a place for you, and will you not prepare a place for him ? Set up a throne for Christ, go forth to meet him with acclamations and praise, receive him gladly, set the crown on his head, and swear allegiance to him, and say, as the men of Israel said to Gideon, Judg. viii. 22, "Rule thou over us, for thou hast delivered us out of the hand of Midian." O but Christ hath delivered us out of the hand of Satan, a far worse oppressor than Midian. Let us welcome him, and compass him about with songs of deliverance. O commu- nicants, deal not with Christ, as his countrymen the Jews did, John i. 11, "He came unto his own, but his own received him not." When he came into the world, there was no room allowed for him any where but in the manger, and thither was he thrust. O deal not so with your Saviour ; think not a full stall good enough for Christ, but make clean your hearts, and give him the best room, yea, the upper room there; O send the key of your hearts this morning to Christ, saying, "Lord, take thy choice where to he :" alas, I may say with the centurion, "I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof." My soul is a ruinous, smoky, and defiled cottage, thou hastnot a fit place with me to lay my head; but, O thou that didst not disdain to lie in a manger among beasts, and to be enter- tained in the house of Simon the leper, come into my soul, repair the house, and prepare an upper room for thyself, that I may eat the passover with thee. Lord, speak the word and thy ser- vant's heart shall be healed, cleansed, and made holy, soft, and pliable, fit for thy use and service. Lord, none can mend my heart but thou who madest it; I put it into thy hands: Lord, make it as thou wouldst have it. Quest. What is that frame and disposition of soul that we should come with to the communion- table? Ans. Take these directions concerning it. I. Come to it with a holy awe and reverence of God. "Were you going to a prince's table, you would go to it with some awe and concern ; and will you have none when you go to the table of the great Jehovah, who is your judge, searches the heart, and observes all your actions? He is a God that is very jealous of his honour, and will not be mocked; you ought to come to this table with a holy dread and reverence, adoring the holiness and justice of God manifested in the suf- ferings of Christ. How vehemently did he hate sin, that he would not pity or spare his dear Son when he cried to him; but seeing he had under- taken to pay our debt, and drink our cup, tho 204 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. least farthing or drop he would not abate him? Though the sinner be spared, yet sin must be punished to the uttermost; our cautioner paid dearly for it. We ought to adore his justice, saying with the men of Bethshemesh, 1 Sam. vi 20, " Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God ? ' There is no standing but at Christ's back, our blessed cautioner, "in whom God is well pleased." II. Come with holy fear and jealousy over yourselves, lest you be found unwelcome guests, and draw down the guilt of unworthy communi- cating upon yourselves; cry, "Lord, keep me from wounding Christ and my own soul this day; let me not betray the Son of God with a kiss;" "deliver me from blood-guiltiness, and from drinking damnation." O what if I want the wedding-garment, " when the king comes in to view the guests?" III. Come with brokenness of heart for sin, the cause of Christ's sufferings. Look on your pride, passion, bypocrisy, covetousness, malice, lying, swearing, &c. as Christ's only tormentors: behold how they pressed him down in the garden, till he swate blood ; see them binding the cross on Christ's back; see them nailing his hands, pierc- ing his temples, and grieving his heart; see them buffeting and spitting on him ; see them making him groan, weep, and roar out his complaint, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" It was on us this tragedy should have been acted, on us these vials of wrath should have been poured, "for he was wounded for our transgres- sious, and bruised for our iniquities," Isa. liii. 5. 0 shall we see Christ's heart-streaming blood, and our eyes not drop tears? Shall we see him stretched out and nailed for us, and our hearts not bleed? O it was my sins that made these nails, they drove them in, they thrust in the spear, yea, they killed the Lord of life ; and shall 1 not mourn? Did you see a malefactor, that had committed twenty murders, used like Christ, your hearts would be concerned: and will you not be affected to behold the innocent Lamb of God so abused by your sins? " Look on him you have pierced, and mourn." This passover must be eaten with bitter herbs. Sow in tears, if you would reap in joy. A weeping communicant is a Aery pleasing sight to both God and man: a broken-hearted weeping sinner will suit well with a bruised and bleeding Saviour. IV. Come with burning love and affection to Christ. This is a feast only for the friends and lovers of Christ, Cant. v. 1. Without love ye have nothing to do here. O believer, is thy heart cold when Christ's love is warm? Will you not recompense love with love? Can you behold Christ on a cross, dying with love in his heart, and smiles in his looks; can you see his bleeding arms open to embrace you, the spear reaching his heart, and his affections streaming out to you in blood, and that when you were enemies to him, and haters of him, and not be ravished with his love? Can you behold his wounds, or put your finger into the print cf the nails, and not be sick of love, and cry out with Thomas, "My Lord, and my God?" Can you view him that is the chief among ten thousand, yea, among an hundred thou- sand, and among all the thousands in heaven and earth, and your hearts not love him? Turn over all things both in heaven and earth, you can find none like him, so excellent in himself, and so well adapted to your conditions and circumstances. Paul was a learned man, and knew many things; a travelled man, and had seen and heard many things : yet when he casts up his counts of all he had ever seen, heard, or known, he says, "I count all but dung and loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ," Phil. iii. 8, 9. V. Come with much hunger aud thirst to this full feast. Sec that your appetites be not glutted with the world, for the "full soul loathes the honey comb:" it is only the thirsty that are wel- come, Rev. xxii. 17, "Christ fills the hungry with good things." When the desire opens the heart widest, then he opens his hand largest to fill it, Psal. lxxxi. 10. O then, cry, "Give me Christ, and deny me what thou wilt; a crumb of mercy from thy table, or else I am gone for ever." Endeavour to say, as Isa. xxvi, "The desire of my soul is unto thee, and to the remembrance of thy name. O that I knew where to find him? When wilt thou come unto me?" O for further tokens of his love, and clear evidences of my interest in him! O for the smiles of his face, and the voice of joy and gladness! There are many heavenly dainties here; here are all the fruits of the tree of life, the comforts of the Spirit, the influences of his grace, the bread and waters of life; therefore come with enlarged appetites. The spouse cries, Cant. ii. 4, " stay me with flagons;" as if she had said, "my thirst is so great, it is not a drop or a little cup that will quench it, I would have whole flagons." Fear not to wrong your neighbours, for there is a river to every one of you. Observe how earnest Christ was to feast with us, Luke xxii. 15, "With desire, says he, have I desired to eat this supper with you," though he had no need either of you or it : and will not you, whose needs are so great, say, "with desire have I desired to eat this sup- per with Christ before I die; it may be my last communion, O let me have something to carry my expence through the wilderness; let me have something to comfort and support me, when I go through the valley and shadow of death ? " VI. Come with humility and self-denial, con- tent to be nothing, that Christ may be all; and willing to submit to any thing for a blink of bis SPENDING A COMMUNION SABBATH. 205 countenance. Be sensible of your ill-deservings, and acknowledge a crumb will be a great mercy. Be content, with the prodigal and woman of Canaan, to be taken into Christ's family, though it were in the meanest station and employment: let me be the meanest of Christ's servants, though I be never so ill used, or ill respected, I will be thankful, if I be within Christ's doors, have a relation to his family, and can call him Master. Again, come self- deniedly, renouncing all confi- dence in yourself, your preparations, humiliations, or performances: these may be good graces, and good duties; but they will be ill Christs, and ill Saviours. Freely own that it is not your own righteousness that saves you, not your own strength that quickens you; but only Christ's righteousness, and Christ's strength. Say, "Bles- sed Jesus, I fly to thee alone; I have no hope in myself, nor in any thing besides thee; all my con- fidence is in the freeness of thy love, the mercy of thy bowels, the merit of thy death, the worth of thy blood, the sufficiency of thy righteousness, and power of thy intercession." VII. Come with charity and love to all men, even to your very enemies. Banish all malice and envy, pray for your enemies, forgive them, wish well and do good both to their souls and bodies, according to Christ's example on the cross: but especially, bring with you love and affection to God's people, delight in their fellow- ship above all others, for they are the excellent ones of the earth. VIII. Come with honest designs to seal a mar- riage-covenant with Christ. Consent frankly to Christ to be your Prince and Saviour; do not think of halving it with Christ, but be willing to take him entirely upon his own terms. Be con- tent not only to be saved by him, but to serve him, live for him, fight for him, and cleave to him, all the days of your life ; resolving that all the pleasures of sin, temptations of Satan, and allurements of the world, nay, the hopes of enjoying ten thousand worlds, shall never prevail with you to part with Christ. Come resigning yourselves, your hearts, and all you have to Christ: say, "Lord, though I had ten thousand hearts, and every one of them ten thousand times better than they are, they should bo all thine." Come with strong vows and purposes against sin, that murdered your Saviour; resolve never to harbour it, or make peace with it; but that you will fight against it to your last breath, and revenge the death of Christ on it. IX. Come with thankfulness and praise to God for redeeming love, and providing such a Saviour for you. Let the high praises of God be in your mouths; send up wrhole vollies of praise to your Redeemer, for undertaking your deliverance. Invite the angels, and all the creation, to assist you in this work. Stir up your souls, and all that is within you, to bless his holy name: your souls (like Mary) "should magnify the Lord, and your spirits rejoice in God your Saviour;" your hearts should ascend, like Manoah's angel, in the smoke of thanksgiving and praise. Say, "Lord, what shall I render to thee for all that thou hast done and suffered for me? Lord, what am I, that thou shouldst part with thy glory, yea, with thy blood, and with thy life for such a wretch as me? I am ashamed that I can love and praise thee no more : O ! my heart is cold, my tongue is slow: let heaven and earth, angels and men, join and extol his free grace and wondrous love : let all the world ring with his praise." X. Come with hope and expectation, depend- ing on God's promises and Christ's merits. You ought greedily to look to Christ, expecting some- thing from him, as the poor cripple did from Peter and John, Acts iii. 4, 5. Peter said "Look on us: and he gave heed to them, expect- ing to receive something from them." We ordi- narily receive little, because we expect little; " God's mercy is upon us, according as we hope in him," Psal. xxxiii. O raise your desires and expectations; for you come to a merciful and liberal God, that will not let the expectation of his poor creatures perish, Psal. ix. 18, "The needy shall not always be forgotten ; the expecta- tion of the poor shall not perish for ever." Object. Alas! I am a poor, weak, heartless creature : I have little ground to hope. Ans. You have God's call and promise to encourage you. Groan under your deadness, and use the means; aim honestly at your duty, and look to God for accomplishing his promise. Do as the Israelites did in the wilderness, Num. xxi. 1 6 — 1 8. God had called them to the place where he promised them water, which was very much valued in that dry desert: well, did they sit still idly, waiting till the water should spring ? No, the nobles put to their staves, and digged in expectation of God's fulfilling his promise, and sung, " Spring up, O well," &c. Make an honest attempt, look up with hope, and cry for the spring- ing of the well. Come, bring all your empty vessels to the fountain, in expectation of a fill : do as the poor widow, 2 Kings iv., "bring not a few :" for I am sure the vessels will fail before the oil fail. Plead with God for the accomplishing of his word : say, " Lord, though we cannot say, Pour water on us, for we are thirsty, yet we can plead, Pour floods on us, for we are dry ground : Lord, make us as hungry as we are empty, and thirsty as we are dry : Lord, if thou deal with us according to our sense of need, we will get little ; but, Lord, we plead thou wilt deal with us according to our real need, and thy royal bounty, and then we will be right enough." 206 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. O poor soul ! Art thou longing for the spring- ing of the well, saying, " O that I knew in what part of this valley of Baca the well would spring, what ordinance, what duty, would be the mean : there I would wait and lie, there I would dig and cry: one gush of these living streams would satisfy my longing soul?" Poor soul, thou shalt not die for want; you have the word of a king for it, Isa. xli. 17, 18, " When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys ; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry- land springs of water." IV. After you have this morning meditated, dealt with your hearts, wrestled with God, read his word, and performed family worship, with faith and fervency suitable to this solemn occa- sion, you ought timeously to repair to the church before the solemn worship begin. And let your hearts be breathing forth many heavenly ejacula- tions by the way; such as that, Psal. xliii. 3, 4, "Send forth thy right and thy truth: let them lead me, and bring me to thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy." O, it were a pleasant frame this morning, to be going with joy to draw water out of the wells of salvation ! Let us be very thankful, that the waters of life flow so pleasantly and plentifully to us, betwixt the banks of gospel ordinances; bless God, that has not made the barren wilderness our dwelling: but let us think, as we go, that as God rained down manna from heaven on his people, so he rained down fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah. This serves to teach us to rejoice so iu the mercies which God rains down upon us in the sacrament, as to fear his judgments in case they be abused. Again, think, "I am now upon my way to mount Calvary: Lord, forbid that Christ's traitors be my attendants : let all my lusts and idols be for ever banished from me: may they never find lodging in my soul any more: Lord, help me to go this day, with such a melted heart and weep- ing eyes, as the holy Virgin, Mary Magdalene, and the other tender-hearted women of Jerusalem had, when they went to mount Calvary, to behold Christ crucified. Am not I going up to see the same crucifixion represented before my eyes?" As it was a part of your secret work this morn- ing, to plead earnestly with God to direct his messengers to speak suitably to your case, so you ought by the way to be sending up ejaculations for this end, and frequently to be crying, " Awake, O north- wind, and come thou south, blow," &c. The minister's words will be but as wind, and a beating of the air (unless the wind of the Spirit blow), "O Spirit of God, come, influence my heart this day, I dare not go to the table without thy presence :" "Lord, stand not this day behind the wall;" for there cannot be a sadder sight in the world, than a poor hard- hearted communicant, with God's back turned on him. " If thy presence go not with me, carry me not up hence." O Lord, it is time for thee to work ; I never stood more in need of thy presence than at this time : it is my errand to meet with thee at thy table: Lord, send me not away with a sore heart. A communion-day, without com- munion with Christ, will never satisfy my soul." Plead with God, O young communicant, that this may be the day of your acquaintance with Christ, even the day of your espousals, and a day to be had in everlasting remembrance. And indeed, if you enter this day into the bond of the covenant, it will be a very memorable day. God will bless the memory of this day, for he will gain a son; Jesus Christ will write this day in his calender, for he will gain a brother; the Holy Ghost will rejoice, for he will gain a temple; angels and saints will be glad, for they will gain a fellow-servant; and you, especially, may rejoice with exceeding great joy, for you will gain an eternal inheritance. DIRECTION'S CONCERNING OUR CARRIAGE WHEN THE TIME OF RECEIVING THE SACRAMENT APPROACHES. I. When the time is come, or near, that you are to go to this holy table; consider that this is the most solemn and august ordinance under hea- ven, and requires the most profound awe and reverence from you. The place is holy, the table is holy, the bread and cup are holy: and "God is terrible from his holy places." Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? Your dan- ger is great, if you make a rash approach, and seek him not after the due order. The least wrong look or wrong touch at this time is crimi- nal, and may cost you your eternal salvation. It may provoke the Lord to make a fearful and visible breach among you, as he did upon Uzzah and the men of Bethshemesh; for the nearer to God's altar you come, the fire of his jealousy bums the more vehemently. Labour then to go to his table with holy fear and trembling; for as communion-love is the sweetest, so communion- wrath is the sorest. Heavy judgments, both spi- ritual, temporal, and eternal, hang over the unworthy communicant's head. If you would prevent these, adventure to this table with holy fear and dread: for if the woman with the bloody issue feared so much to touch the "hem of Clirist's garment," Mark v., how much more ought you HOW TO APPROACH THE LORD'S TABLE. 207 to fear to touch the symbols of his body and blood, to put your hand into his wounds, and feel the print of the nails ? If such a holy man as John the Baptist thought himself unworthy to bear Christ's shoes, how much more are vile sinners like you unworthy to touch and feed upon his broken body and shed blood? Let your souls then be humbled as the dust when you approach, in a deep sense of your great unworthiness, former guilt, and breach of former vows made at this table; for to such humble souls God has pro- mised to look in mercy, Isa. lxvi. 2. II. When you are going to the table, labour to stir up your souls, and all your faculties and affections; excite all your graces and desires to attend Christ. O see that your souls be lively and your hearts fixed, when you are about to draw near and seal a marriage-covenant with Christ. You have great need to look to your hearts and frames at this time. A dead heart or an ill frame now, is very unsuitable; it is like the dead fly in the box of ointment, it will be fair to spoil your communicating. For God's sake look to it. Object. I. Oh! says one, my heart is in a lifeless and stupid frame, even at a dead stand, and thinks neither of good nor ill: what shall I do with it ? Ans. 1. Dispatch presently a swift messenger to heaven, an earnest ejaculation and prayer, to call for the help of Gods Spirit, as Cant. iv. 16. Entreat him to breathe upon your dry bones with a fresh gale, and take a coal from his own altar to inflame your affections. 2. Call on your hearts to awake to a lively frame. It is a mistake of Christians to think they are only to call upon God, you must also call upon yourselves, and rouse up yourselves, as Psal. lvii. 8, " Awake up my glory," &c. Stir up yourselves and all that is within you, accord- ing to Psal. ciii. 1. Speak to your hearts, and expostulate with them : say, " O my drowsy blockish heart, art thou not ashamed to think so coldly of thy bleeding Saviour?" Is his heart so warm, and thine so cold? Doth a dead head become the service of a living God? Object. II. Oh! saith another, my heart is a roving, wandering heart, I cannot get it stayed one moment upon one subject; it presently gets away, and hunts after vanities. 0 what shall I do with the levity and excursions of my heart ? Ans. 1. Labour now to overawe your heart with the deep apprehension of God's presence and all-seeing eye: God noticeth you now more than ever. 2. Chide and check your heart for its vain excursions : say, " Did I come here to think of any thing but of Christ and heaven? Is this a place for thinking on worldly toys? Is this the way to show forth my Saviour's death, which is my business here? What! cannot I watch with Christ one hour now? How then will I behold and contemplate him for ever?" Object. III. Though I am come this length in obedience to a dying Saviour's command, I yet fear to go forward, for I doubt my right, /can- not say I am in covenant with God, or that I have faith, and an interest in Christ, or that his body was broken for me. Ans. O discouraged soul, though you have not the faith of assurance, yet see if you can get the faith of adherence. Though you cannot say that ever you took hold of Christ or the covenant before, yet try if you can get a hold of Christ now; you are much nearer to him now than at other times. Make an endeavour, stir up your souls, and go to Christ with all the faith you can win at, saying with that poor man, " Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." If you cannot apply Christ to yourselves, will you apply your- selves to Christ. If you cannot say Christ is your Saviour and hiding-place, will you run like a malefactor to him for refuge, and try if he will now shelter you in his wounds, when they are so wide opened in the sacrament. He noticeth any poor sinuer that is engaging his heart to approach unto God. Again, though you cannot say that Christ is yours, and you are in covenant with him; yet are you not willing to be his, and give up yourself to him? The covenant indeed is mutual, Cant. ii. 16, "My beloved is mine, and I am his." But if you cannot lay claim to one part of it, try if you can lay hold of another. Is it your language, Though I cannot say he is mine, yet I am resolved to be his, and to give up myself to him? That is well said, poor soul: for you must first consent to be his, before you know that he is yours; you nrast be resolute in your covenanting with Christ; when you are driven from one horn of the altar, hold fast by another. Flee now to Christ, say- ing, "Lord, though I cannot say thou art mine; yet I can say, Lord, I am content and resolved to be thine, wholly thine, only thine, and everlast- ingly thine." David could not always say, God is mine; but when he cannot say that, he cries, " I am thine, Lord, save thou me," Psal. cxix. 94. Here one that belongs to thee, and has surren- dered himself to thee: "Lord, suffer not one of thine to perish." Object. IV. Alas! I cannot say to God, lam thine: I fear he will not accept of me, or own me for his. Ans. Though you cannot say, I am thine by God's acceptance; yet, can you not say, "Lord, I am thine by my own resignation, I devote and give up myself wholly unto thee, I will not be the devil's, the world's, or lust's; I will not bo 208 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. my own, but I will be thine : I am thine, save thou me." Go to him with that plea the Cam- pani came to the Romans with, after they had refused to help them as neighbours and allies against the Grecians, who were distressing them sore, and that because the Romans and the Gre- cians were in friendship together at that time, the Campani went and gave up their whole country in vassalage to the Romans, saying, " If you will not help us as our allies, help us as your vassals and subjects, as we are content to bo; we are sure you will not let your tributaries perish." And indeed this argument prevailed with them, and so will it with God, if you go to him with an impor- tunate faith, and fasten yourself upon him. Plead, " Lord, if thou wilt not love me as a friend, yet pity me as thy poor subject : I resolve to be thine, and if I perish, one must perish that desires to be thine. Lord, whether thou accept of me or not, I give up myself to thy use and service." Art thou come this length, poor soul? Fear not, thou shalt not perish, Christ is as willing to be thine as thou art to be his: come forward, and take the seal of the covenant, and make a new surrender of yourself to Christ, and it may be he will be made " known to you in the breaking of bread." III. When this holy feast comes to be cele- brated, see that your souls be rightly employed, and your graces suitably exercised: study to have your meditations and ejaculations suitable to what you see or hear. When you are coming to this holy table, and perhaps may be put to stand a little by it, by reason of the throng before you get access, think on what Moses said to the Israelites while stand- ing at the Red sea, Exod. xiv. 13, " Stand still," saith he, "and sec the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you to-day." In like man- ner you are standing by the Red sea of the blood of Christ: stand still and wonder at the glorious salvation he is showing to you this day. Or you may think with yourself, that you hear Christ, the Captain of your salvation, now crying as did Jehu, 2 Kings ix. 32, "Who is on my side? Who?" Well, if you will now appear or declare for Christ, then you must throw your lusts, like Jezebel, out of the window, to be dashed in pieces. When you see the communicants set about Christ's table, you may think on that word, Psal. exxviii. 3, where God promiseth to the righteous man, " That his wife should be as a fruitful vine by the sides of a house, and his children as olive plants round about his table." Behold his pro- mise made out to Christ, God's righteous servant; the church, Christ's spouse, is a fruitful vine, and hath born him many children: would to God these may be Christ's children by adoption, as well as they are the church's by profession ! May it be said of them, that this and that man was born of her! O how pleasant a sight is it to see Christ's children set as olive plants round about his table, and to see Christ himself setting them there! Surely, if he set them, he will serve them also, they shall not have" ground to go away with any complaint of him: for Christ is no niggard to his children; he is neither hard-hearted nor hard- handed; if his children seek bread, he will not give them a stone. When you are allowed to come forward to the Lord's table, think with yourself that you hear Christ or his ministers saying to you, as the angels did to the women at the sepulchre, Matt, xxviii. 5, 6, " We know whom ye seek, ye seek Jesus which was crucified; come, see the place where the Lord lay;" come, see the promise; come, see the elements wherein the Lord lieth. And in the meanwhile, take care to entertain very high and exalted thoughts of Christ, and very low and humble thoughts of yourself. Say, or think, " Lord, I am not worthy to approach so near thee, far less that thou shouldst come under my roof. I am not worthy to eat the crumbs that fall from my own, much less those that fall from thy table. O, I am unworthy to be allowed to creep as a dog under the table, far less to sit as one of Christ's invited guests at the table. I deserve not room to stand amongst thy servants, far less to sit down with thy children. I deserve not to have daily bread conferred on me, and shall I be allowed to eat of the bread of life ? I am unworthy to lift up my eyes to heaven, and shall I get manna from heaven? I am not wor- thy to eat the bread of men, and shall I be admit- ted to eat the bread of angels? Shall I entertain him whom they adore: nay, sit down with him at whose feet they fall? Shall I, who am unwor- thy to tread thy ground, be allowed to tread thy courts? Shall I, that am unworthy to breathe in thy air, have thy Spirit to breathe into my heart, or have leave to breathe out my desires unto thee?" O how great is the condescending goodness of our heavenly Father to his prodigal children! These are wonders of mercy, as well as miracles of compassion! SOME DIRECTIONS FOR COMMUNICANTS WHEN AT THE LORD'S TABLE. , I would have you at this time to mind that word of Solomon, Pro v. xxiii. 1, " When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee." O communicant, consider dili- gently the sacramental elements, and what is represented and exhibited by them. Consider the sacramental promises, and what blessings are APPROACHING THE LORD'S TABLE. 209 obtained in them. Consider the sacramental actions, and the gracious acts which the soul should put forth with them. It should be a busy time, and well improven; for though it be short, yet you have many things to do in it, which may generally be comprehended under these two heads : 1. Remember the suitable subjects which are to be considered and meditated on at the table. 2. Observe and exert the special graces which are to be employed and exercised there. As to the first of these heads, I shall mention some suitable subjects of your meditation and contemplation at this time; as, 1. Christ's death and passion. 2. The bitterness and variety of his sufferings. 3. Christ's willingness to undergo these sufferings for us. 4. The blessed effects and benefits of his sufferings. 5. Christ's free love, as the impulsive cause of all he did and suf- fered. 6. The evil of sin, which brought on his sufferings. 7. God's holiness and justice mani- fested in them. 8. The communion-feast above, represented by this lower table. I. Remember and meditate upon the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. David hath a psalm which he calls a psalm of remembrance, Psal. xxxviii. Here the Son of David hath a sacrament, which may well be called a sacrament of remembrance; for the great end of it is to be a memorial of Christ its author and founder: for he said, when he instituted it, " This do in re- membrance of me;" and we find those words used twice over, both at the delivering of the bread and of the wine, 1 Cor. xi. 24, 25. As if he had said, Whatever you mind, see that you forget not your suffering Redeemer. Some of Christ's works are narrated only by one evangelist, as his turn- ing the water into wine, and some others; some of his works are recorded by two evangelists, as the history of Christ's 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 Christ's death and passion, it is recorded by them all four. And this is done no doubt to teach us, that though all Christ's works and actions are seriously to be remembered and thought upon, yet none so especially as his death and sufferings. And when should this be thought upon, if not at the sacrament, whose institution was purposely for the remembrance thereof? O communicant, will ye not think of this subject when you have Christ crucified evidently set forth before your eyes, in the bread broken and the wine poured out ? O was his blessed body broken with torments, and his precious blood shed for the remission of my sin: and will I not think upon him? Dear Saviour, thou biddest me remember thee : O how should I ever forget thee at any time, and far less now when I sit at thy table! If I forget thee, O Redeemer, let my right hand forget its cunning, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth. O that I could ever go out of myself to remember thee, and never think on thee without an extacy of wonder ! II. Think upon the bitterness of Christ's pas- sion, and the variety of his sufferings, and revolve in thy thoughts the several steps and degrees thereof. And particularly take a view of your Redeemer's agony in the garden of Gethsemane; walk into that garden and behold him falling to the ground under the weight of your sins, wrest- ling as in an agony, and sweating great drops of blood, and these bursting through all his gar- ments. O see how he lay, and how he bedewed and stained the flowers of the garden round about him with his blood. Never any in the world was known to sweat in such a manner before, and never any since that time. In a natural way of speaking, the coldness of the night, his lying on the cold ground, and the exceeding greatness of Christ's fear at that time, should have drawn all his blood inward from the outward parts of the body. O but this sweat was preternatural! He sweats without fire, and bleeds without a wound. There was no heat, no fire without him that made him sweat at that time; no, the fire was within him, even the fire of God's wrath kindled in his soul; this made the blood about his heart to boil and burst through his veins, flesh, skin, clothes, and all together. There was no wound outward as yet given him, no sword, no spear, no weapon as yet had touched him, and yet he bleeds: O the wound was inward in his soul; deep and fearful was the gash which the sword of justice made at this time in his soul : the breach was wide as the sea, and accordingly a whole sea of wrath brake in with violence upon his soul. He falls first upon his knees, and then upon the ground; he lies under the pressure till he is overwhelmed with his Father's wrath and his own blood. Deep called unto deep, till all these dreadful waves and billows passed over him. He cried to his Father, he complained to his disci- ples, he sought their sympathy and prayers; but no relief had he from that source; he must tread the wine press alone. Next, O communicants, follow your Redeemer after he was apprehended, by your meditations, and trace his steps through the streets of Jerusa- lem: think what he underwent when he was hurried from one tribunal to another. Go into the high priest's palace and to Pilate's judgment- hall, and observe what unparalleled affronts and indignities he suffered there, and none to take his part; he was reproached, despised, and abandoned by all men, as if he had been the worst of men, and unworthy to breathe in the world. He was put in competition with a vile murderer for his 2d 210 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. life, and yet the murderer is preferred before him. Yea, his own chosen disciples, who had been eye-witnesses of his miracles, and ear-witnesses of his oracles, they turn their backs on him with tbe rest; one of them betrays him, another denies him, and all the rest forsake him. Behold how unworthy men buffet him, blindfold him, and spit on that beautiful face which angels behold with winder. Behold how he was scourged, dragged up and down, affronted and mocked a whole night on your account, as if he had been the derision of wicked men and devils. Now the devil thought, if Christ was to be the elect's surety, and was to pluck them out of his claws, he should pay well for them ere he got them; and therefore many a wound and buffet he got: but content is our Redeemer to take all, to get his elect free and safe. In the next place, Behold how the heavy tree of the cross wras laid and fastened on the sore and bleeding shoulders of our Saviour, and he obliged to carry it to the place of execution. Follow him in your thoughts, and see him wTestling ' under the weight, when going up mount Cal- vary : he carries it, till he can carry it no further, he is spent and founders under the load, yet de- sires no relief. Ascend mount Calvary, and there see the cross laid down upon the ground, and Christ, the blessed victim, laid down upon the cross, which was a rack as well as a death; see how he is racked and nailed to it by the bloody executioners. And then behold the cursed tree lifted up with the Lord of glory fas- tened to it, and fixed on the top of mount Cal- vary, as a sacrifice to justice for an elect world. Behold him ranked among malefactors, and hang- ing betwixt two thieves. Behold his hands and feet pierced and rent with nails, his glorious head covered with a crown of thorns, and his tender side run through with a spear. See how the thorns pierce his holy head; see how his precious blood trinkles down from his many wounds; see how his royal visage turns pale; see how his head bows, and lies a dying on his bleeding breast. Is not this an affecting sight ? Again, Consider the prodigious outward dark- ness that wras on Christ during his passion on the cross for several hours together, to show the horrible inward darkness that was on his soul while the wrath of God acted against him as being the sacrifice for the world's sins. We read, that while Abraham was offering his sacrifice, Gen. xv. 12, the sun was going down, and an horror of great darkness fell upon him. So fared it with Clirist while he offered himself a sacrifice for us. Now the Lord revealed his wrath from heaven against the unrighteousness of the world, which was at this time laid on Christ. Our Redecmer lay under this darkness, to show that we should have suffered the horror of darkness for ever, even that blackness of darkness, which the apostle Jude speaks of. But glory to God the blackness of darkness caused by God's wrath for sin, was now laid on our Surety. Strange! God causeth his sun to shine upon the just and unjust, but on our Redeemer now it must not shine, as if, of all the unjust ones in the world, he were the most unjust, having the whole injustice of the elect laid to his charge. O spot- less Lamb of God ! Innocent Redeemer of man- kind! Most pure and just One, that never offend- ed against the law! And must thou be dealt with as the most unjust person that ever breathed in the world, because of the injustice of others? Now all tbe powers of earth and hell were let loose against our Redeemer : all these lions, bulls, dogs, and unicorns, were set upon him to tear him. And was it not enough that earth and hell were against him, but must heaven set itself against him too, and declare its indignation by that visible sign of the horrible continued dark- ness. O, that was heavier and sharper to our Redeemer than all the rest of his sufferings: under the rest he was silent, but now he cannot hold his peace; and therefore sends forth that formidable loud cry, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" During the continu- ance of these three dark hours was Christ drink- ing the bitter cup; and now he comes to the bottom and bitterest dregs of it. Now were the envenomed arrows of the Almighty piercing him in the most sensible part; and therefore he must cry. O how justly then might he have cried out with Job, and with better ground too than he did, Job xix. 21, "Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me ! " How truly might the husband now have taken up the spouse's lament- ation, Lam. i. 12, "Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold and see, if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath ! " Do but imagine what excessive pain and excessive torment he under- went both in soul and body, when he made this fearful outcry: and canst thou, O communicant, see such a tragedy acted on the bleeding Jesus with dry eyes? This sacrament is, as it were, a visible sermon on our Saviour's passion; in it we behold the whole tragedy that was acted on the cross. Here we view the whole circumstances of the barbarous malice of the JewTs and Romans, against the innocent Son of God. And we should endeavour to be always as much affected there- with, as if we had seen the same acted with our bodily eyes. Moreover, Think now upon Christ's cry upon the cross, when he said, " I thirst, I thirst." No BEHAVIOUR AT THE LORD'S TABLE. 211 wonder he cried so, when there was a furnace of wrath kindled in his soul, a fire that dried up his strength and moisture like a potsherd, and made his tongue cleave to his jaws. A strange com- plaint! I thirst: the Creator is thirsting, and there is no creature to gi ve refreshment. Strange ! Might not one have cried, " O where were all the wells in Jerusalem at this time? Where all the fountains, rivers, and lakes in the world? Where all the vines of that fruitful land, when my Lord and Saviour coidd not get a drink ? Shame upon you all, that would let glorious King Jesus he burnt up with thirst." O, but they might have answered, "We dare not own nor relieve him at this time: God hath laid an arrest on us, and we dare not break it to serve our Master." How strange to hear the fountains and vines say, We will give Pilate and Herod, and all the enemies of Christ drink ; but we will give Christ himself none, though he die for thirst ! 0 is there no liquor for precious Christ in all the earth, but bitter gall and vinegar to increase his thirst and torment: not a cup of cold water for the Lord of glory, not a drop to cool his scorched tongue; but he must die crying out, I thirst? But 0, if my Saviour had not thirsted on the cross, I had thirsted with Dives in hell; nay, all the elect had lain there in that lake of fire, and cried for ever, I thirst, I thirst. And further, consider the extent and univer- sality of his sufferings. He suffered in both natures. His Godhead indeed could not suffer grief, but it suffered an eclipse, and lay under a vail for thirty-three years, except one hour it broke out and shone on mount Tabor. He suf- fered in all his offices ; for they mocked and ridi- culed him as a prophet, despised and insulted him as a priest, abused and slighted him as a king, putting a mock sceptre in his hand, and arraying him with an old purple robe, mock habiliments of majesty. He suffered in all the powers and faculties of his soul, and in all the senses and members of his body: his head, heart, hands, hack, sides, and feet, were all mangled and pierced, and no part of him free but his tongue, to pray for his enemies. He suffered in his out- ward goods; for what he had of this kind were his garments, and these were taken from him. Moreover, he was wounded in his name and reputation; for he suffered as a blasphemer against God, as a traitor against the Roman emperor, and as an enemy to Moses's law, though he was entirely innocent as to all the three. He suf- fered from all hands; from heaven, from earth, from hell; from Herod, from Pilate, from the high priest; from the Romans, from the Jews, from the soldiers; from the clergy; from the law- yers; from rulers, from commons; from friends, from foes; from disciples, from strangers; all were against him : but which was worst of all, God was against him too. For he being substitute in room of sinners, God acted as an inexorable judge toward him; he smote him with the sword of justice, frowned on him in a terrible manner, and withdrew from him all the sensible feelings of his loving-kindness, and restrained the influence of those beams which might any way refresh his troubled soul in the hour of his greatest need. So that there was never any sorrow like our Redeemer's sorrow. Hence it was that he "offered up his suppli- cations with such strong crying and tears," Heb. v. 7. Hearken, O communicant, how Christ wept and sobbed in the garden, and how loud he cried on the cross, Father, Father: mercy, mer- cy: my God, my God. But what a fray think you was there in heaven at this time! — Why? The Son of God weeping! The Creator of the earth crying and sobbing on the earth! Never was there such a commotion in heaven or earth, either before, or ever shall be after. What a stir was there among the angels, when their Lord was weeping, crying, and sobbing? How amazed were they, and intent upon the issue! Strange! might they say, " he that takes up the isles as a little thing," crying so hideously at this time! He that can bear up heaven and earth with a finger, weeping! What can be the matter? Surely there was more than the tree on Christ's back, more than the thorns in his temples, or the nails in his hands and feet. O, there were the curses of God's law on the tree that Christ bore, which were heavier than ten thousand mountains of iron! The poison of God's wrath went in with the thorns and the iron nails, and entered into his very soul. Christ's martyrs and sufferers have rejoiced in their sufferings, and sung praises under their tor- tures; and yet Christ, who is the aiithor of their strength and comfort, doth himself complain and weep! O but all the martyrs' sufferings were nothing compared to those of Christ! They had God's presence with them in their trials; but Christ had God angry and withdrawn from him: nay, the Lord did run upon him as a giant, and made him the butt of his envenomed arrows. Hence it was, that our Lord, at the sight of his wrath, began to fear and be sore amazed, Mark xiv. 33. The word in the original language is ekthambeisthai, i. e., to be astonished with terror. To see millions of men despairing, is not so much as to see Christ beginning to fear. And, O it w7as not a small fear that was on our Redeemer ; no, it was a great fear and amazement. Never was any man so afraid of the torments of hell, as Christ, standing in our room, was of his Father's WTath; because never man knew the power of that wrath so well as he. O what anguish was 212 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. there at Christ's heart, that made it to hlecd without any outward violence, and that blood to burst through both flesh, skin, and garments at once! The perfect knowledge which Christ had of things aggravated his sufferings: he did not shut his eyes when he drank the cup ; no, he per- fectly saw how dreggish and bitter it was, and yet he ventured on it. Many men fear not hell, because they foresee it not; if they did see that pit open for them before they came at it, it might perhaps cause them to tremble at their sins, and many wicked men might run mad at the horror of it: but Christ clearly foresaw all he met with, which was far greater and worse than the tor- ments of any damned soul; and this made him to be amazed with fear. Finally, consider how our Redeemer at last bowed his head, and gave up the ghost! Strange sight ! to see the Lord of life death's prisoner ! To see the princely head of Jesus falling down upon his breast ! To see the Lord of life wanting life; to see these eyes, that were oft lifted up to heaven in prayer, now waxed dim and fixed that they cannot move! To see that mouth, that spake as never man spake, now silent and not able to speak a word! An affecting sight! The world never saw the like! To see the fair corpse of glorious Jesus rolled in linen, and laid in a silent grave! To see him lying there dead, that raised Lazarus from the grave, to see him wanting life, that gave life to men and angels; and all for thy sake, O believing communicant! And then, how moving were the circumstances of his passion! Remember how shamefully the Lord of glory was put to death, how he was stript and hung naked before all Israel, and before the sun. And where was it? Even at Jerusalem, which he had honoured with his presence, taught with his preachings, astonished with his miracles, and bewailed with his tears. " O Jerusalem, Jerusalem (said he), how oft would I have gathered you, but you would not! O if thou hadst known in this thy day!" &c. — What place in Jerusalem was it? Without the gates of Calvary, among the stinking bones of vile malefactors. — When was it ? At the passover, a time of great concourse of all the Jews and proselytes: a time when they should receive the figure, they reject the sub- stance; when they should kill and eat the sacra- mental lamb in faith and thankfulness, they kill the immaculate Lamb of God, our true passover, in cruelty and contempt. — With whom ? Even in midst of two thieves, as if he had been the captain of thieves. How great was the disgrace and contempt that was poured on the glorious Redeemer of Israel! Behold, he who thought it no robbery to be equal with God, is himself made equal with robbers and malefactors! Jeremiah laments it, in Israel's case, as a piece of the most reproachful treatment, that princes were hung up by their hands, Lam. v. 12. O, thus was the Prince of the kings of the earth treated for our sakes; and shall we not be deeply affected with it? III. Another suitable subject of meditation at the Lord's table is, the willingness of our Redeemer to undergo all these sufferings for us. He was no-wise importuned or compelled, but most freely undertook to pay the elect's debt, Psal. xl. 7, 8, Then said I, Lo, I come, I delight to do thy will." As if he had said, "Father, I see no other is able to pay the debt of these poor bankrupts. The Levitical priests, for all the beasts they have killed, and all the sacrifices they have offered these many hundreds of years, they have not been able to pay so much as one far- thing of the elect's debt to this day; it is all entirely owing still." "Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not;" I see these will not do; but I know what will: then said he, "Lo, I come;" I will be surety, and I will do the work effectually; but I must leave the glory of heaven for a time. Then farewell, Father, for thirty- three years; farewell, all my angels, and all my saints, till I come back again; I must go and relieve these perishing souls, and I will do it to purpose." The Lord saith to us, by that wise man Solomon, "Be not surety for any man :" but, saith Clirist, though I give that advice to others, yet I will not take it to myself; I will be surety for many men, yea, for strangers, though my very garments should be taken away for it: my heart bleeds for them; 1 cannot see them thrown into an eternal prison, when I am able to pay their debt; L will go and pay it for them. Well, when the time came to pay the debt, did he begin to rue the bargain? When he found the debt great, and the payment heavy, did he shun his creditors, as many men do? No ; he is as willing to pay the elect's debt, as God to exact it. "With desire," says he, "have 1 desired to eat this passover;" because now the term of payment, which I long looked for, is come. One might have thought, for as frank as he is in undertaking, yet stay till he once taste the bitter cup he is to drink, he will perhaps change his mind, and begin to shrink from it. No, no, the taste he had got of the cup's brim made him thirst the more earnestly for the very dregs of it, that he might get his poor elect put altogether beyond the danger of it, Luke xii. 50, "I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished?" It is a terrible black cloud that hangs over my peoples' heads; I long for its breaking upon me their Surety, that I may get them safe, and out of all hazard. And when Peter drew a sword to defend his Master, and prevent his suffering: "hold thy hand (saith he to Peter), no swords; the cup that my Father hath given me. shall I not drink it? HOW TO BEHAVE AT THE LORD'S TABLE. 213 It is a bitter cup indeed. I find it from the large draught I have taken of it just now in the gar- den; but though it be bitter, yet it is just : I have undertaken it as the elect's Surety; and, Peter, will you hinder a man to pay his debt? What then would become of all my elect's souls, and of your soul among the rest ? If this cup be death to me, it would be eternal damnation to you. I have legions of angels ready to rescue me, if I needed them; they are all looking on, and wait- ing my orders: but keep your posts, ye angels; come none of you to my assistance: let no man draw a sword, and let none of my disciples offer to interpose; for I am resolved to pay their debt, I will lay down my life for my sheep. Let Jonah then be cast into the sea, and ye shall be all safe." O, what a willing sacrifice was our Redeemer! He is content to swim in a sea of wrath for us the space of thirty- three years; and never desired deliverance till the sea is perfectly calm, and his elect out of hazard of being swal- lowed up. Consider how he quickened the traitor Judas, and bade him make dispatch, when he was going about his bloody work. He sung a hymn when he was going to the garden to be apprehended. He cast himself in the persecutors' way, goes forth to meet them, and boldly presents himself to them; and, as if they were too slow in appre- hending him, he quickens them to it, by telling them twice over, he was the man they sought. And then remember how willing he was to let malefactors' bands be laid on his innocent hands; hands that never did evil, hands that never stole any thing, that never shed blood ; nay, hands that healed diseases, cured the lame, fed the hungry, and loosed our fetters. But what need was there for binding so willing a prisoner? Ho was to make no struggle, no resistance, but was like a lamb led to the slaughter, without opening his mouth. O but he is willing to be bound for our sakes! Father, says he, bind me and loose them; let me be the ram caught in the thicket, slay me and save them. All their ills, all their debts, all their deserts be upon me; as Paul said to Phile- mon concerning Onesimus, Phile. 18, "If they have wronged thee, or owe thee ought, put that on my account ;" charge it on me, take payment and satisfaction from me. Again, when he was before the high-priest accused, and witnesses against him, he would not say a word in his own defence ; though they could prove nothing, yet he desired not to be released. Though he was entirely innocent of crime or fault before the world, yet he knew he was guilty by imputation and voluntary substitution, and there- fore he holds his peace. Seeing he was liable before God as a surety, he would not hinder the payment, but willingly submits to the hardest conditions of our relief. Though wicked Pilate was convinced of his innocence, and sought to save his life, yet he sought it not himself: hence we read how Pilate scourged Christ very sore with sharp platted cords, and then brought him forth to the people, to see if their hearts would relent, when they saw him all bleeding, saying, Behold the man : surely, thinks Pilate, when they see his furrowed back and bloody shoulders, they will be ready to say, Poor man, thou art ill enough handled already for any ill thou hast done. But O, he knew no better: justice was not satisfied, and these hell-hounds were not satisfied, they must have his life, his heart's blood, or nothing. And your loving Saviour, O believer, says Amen to it, you shall have it, I will die, I will be a sacrifice for sin, I will satisfy my Father's jus- tice to the uttermost, I will have my beloved bride out of danger ; I will not leave one farthing of the debt for my people to pay. Next, observe how willingly he took the heavy cross upon his bleeding shoulders to carry it to the place of execution, though his strength was very much spent already with watching, wrest- ling, buffeting, scourging, and loss of blood. O what a sight do you think was our Lord Jesus going forth out of the gates of Jerusalem with his heavy cross and your sins on his back, and like to fall under the burden as he went! How weak was he in body, and weary in soul, ere he got to the top of mount Calvary! And what saw he before him as he was climbing that mount ? No til- ing but a cursed death, and a black cloud of God's wrath. Yea, he had a load of wrath already on his back, that was far heavier than the cross he was bearing: O, it was no wonder that he stag- gered, foundered, or fell under his burden; so that Simon the Cyrenian was compelled by his enemies to carry the light end of the tree behind him, lest he had died before he came to the top of the mount. But our loving Jesus, though he was spent and weary in his body, yet forward and wiling was he in his mind to go and be made a sacrifice for us : and therefore up the mount will he go, though he sees justice, devils, and wicked men at the top of it, waiting to fasten on him when he comes; but seeing there was no other way to deliver his lost sheep, he will go and meet them. Well, O communicant, observe and take notice of your Saviour's steps, as he went up the mount, with the burden you laid upon his back, follow him all the way with an eye of faith : though it was cursedly heavy, yet how patiently doth he bear it. He complains not, he opens not his mouth: he will not bid you or any of the elect lend him a lift: for he knows you are not able to bear the least grain -weight of his burden; it would break your backs, and crush you to hell for ever: he will bear it all alone; only he will 2H A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. have you to notice him with the eye of faith, and to remember him with love and gratitude. IV. Let the blessed effects and benefits of Clirist's sufferings be the subject of your thoughts at this time. Hereby justice is satisfied, and believers are redeemed. The fire of divine anger is quenched, the mouth of hell stopt, the ocean of wTath dried up, the raging sea quelled, the roar- ing lion vanquished ; the old serpent is unstinged, and his venomous head bruised; the law is dis- armed of its thunders and curses, and its loud clamours against us silenced; our debts are paid, and discharge obtained; an angry God becomes a reconciled Father, and both grace and glory are purchased. Hereby our putrifying sores are cleansed, our deadly plagues cured, God's beauti- ful image restored, slaves of Satan become sons of God, heirs of hell become heirs of heaven, rebels against heaven become favourites of God, and traitors get access to his throne. Hereby the gates of paradise arc opened, the flaming sword removed, glorious mansions prepared, and the crown of life purchased for believers. It was not for nought that our Redeemer groaned and wept, swate and struggled, bled and died. These great deliverances and mercies were deadly hard to bring forth. They put our Redeemer to cry out, to the amazement of angels, and horror of men, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" But now it is finished, his agony is over, the deliverance is wrought, the redemption is pur- chased: justice now saith, "It is enough, I am fully satisfied with the Surety's payment, I demand no more;" the sacrifice is of a sweet-smelling savour to me, and it perfumes all the elect's persons and performances. Nay, so efficacious and acceptable were these sufferings, that the virtue of them reaches back to the beginning of the world, and extends forward to the end of it. God was so well pleased with them, that he accepted of them as a ransom for elect souls four thousand years before he endured them. The Surety's payment was so acceptable, that he took many thousands to hea- ven before the debt was paid, upon Christ's parole that he shall pay; for all the saints under the Old Testament went to heaven this way: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased;" this God declared from heaven again and again, q. d. "Many a time have the elect grieved me; many a provocation have their sins given me ; yea, have their duties given me : but I am well pleased with my Son, their Surety hath satisfied me for them all." V. You ought to meditate on the impulsh'e cause of Christ's suffering on his part. His free love was the only motive ; it was this that caused him to take upon him the heavy burden of our sins, that would have sunk us into the bottomless pit. As often as we come to the Lord's table to partake of these elements, we should do it in remembrance of Christ's unspeakable and incom- prehensible love to us : we should never perform this holy duty without admiration and astonish- ment at the thoughts of our Saviour's infinite love and undeserved compassion toward us, in that he laid down his life to save ours who had rebelled against him. Our Redeemer well knoweth the evil nature and disposition of man, that he is apt to forget his best friends, and to turn unthankful for the greatest benefits ever he received; and therefore he consults our eternal good, by enjoin- ing us to solemnize this ordinance in remembrance of that immense love he expressed towards us in his death and sufferings. Besides what I have for- merly said of your meditating on and admiring the love of Christ before your coming to his table, I exhort you, now you are at the table, to fall a wondering at it afresh, for this is most proper work for you at such a time. " 0 the love of Christ that passeth knowledge !" Where shall I begin my thoughts on this subject? and when begun, how shall I make an end? Thy love, Lord, is ancient; thou lovedst us first, and that when there was no eye to pity : thou tookest not on thee " the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham;" they are bound with chains of darkness whilst thou art drawing us with cords of love. Yea, thou lovedst us when enemies. To have spared our lives had been unexpected, undeserved mercy ; for " who finds his enemy, and lets him go well away?" But, Lord, thou hast found me in mine enmity, and hast pitied me; yea, when my hand was lifted up against thee, thine arms have been open to embrace me. Nay, thou hast opened thy very heart to lodge thy professed enemies who have trode thee under foot. Thy bowels yearned towards them who raked in them with their bloody hands. Thy heart burned with affection towards them that cruelly pierced it. " Herein Christ hath com- mended his love to us, that while we were sin- ners, Christ died for us." O astonishing love! that the general should die for the soldier, the physician for the patient, the master for the ser- vant, the shepherd for the sheep, the innocent for the guilty, the just for the unjust, the prince for the rebel, the Lord of glory for the children of disobedience! He that was without all sin, for him that was without all righteousness; yea, the Creator for the creature, God for man, the righte- ous Judge for the condemned malefactor ! 0 love without a parallel! For the Judge to put him- self in the malefactor's clothes and room, and suf- fer death for him ! For the blessed Son of God to interpose his own innocent breast to receive these mortal wounds due to us! Behold God all-sufficient exposed to hunger and thirst, grief and weariness, reproach and indignities of all HOW TO BEHAVE AT THE LORD'S TABLE. 215 sorts! Behold the world's Saviour wounded, mangled, and killed by ungrateful man whom he came to save! Glorious Saviour, what love was this, that thou shouldst become " a man of sor- rows and acquainted with grief;" that from the womb to the tomb, from the cradle to the cross, thy whole life should be a continued martyrdom! That thou shouldest be content to be born among beasts, live among murderers, and die among thieves; and all to obtain a place among the blessed for us ! O the unfathomable love of Jesus ! His name is love, his nature is love, his words were love, and his actions were love. He preached love, he practised love, he lived in love, he was sick of love, nay, he died for love." The apostle might well call it a known unknown love, Eph. iii. 19; we may feel it, but O we cannot fathom it. Jacob showed great love to Rachel, in his enduring the heat by day and the frosts by night for her: but our lovely Bridegroom showed far greater love to his spouse in undergoing the cursed, painful, and shameful death of the cross for her. It is reported of the pelican, that when her young ones are stung with some poisonous serpent, she beats her breast with her beak, till the warm blood gusheth out, which they suck and recover: we are all stung mortally by the old serpent the devil; but behold the love of our heavenly Pelican, he let out his heart's blood to recover us. O communicant, remember his love, seeing he requires it at this time, " Do this in remembrance of me." O remember Christ, for he did not for- get you. He minded you at his last supper, he made his testament and put you in it, and left every believer a good legacy. At his death he minded you more than he minded himself. In his last prayer he put up many a petition for you, but few for himself. In the garden, on the cross, and in the grave, his poor lost sheep were still in his mind; lie minded you both day and night; many a night's sleep took Christ's sheep from him, thinking on them, and pleading for them. O that was a remarkable night's sleep that Christ wanted, when he swate blood in the garden for you; that was a night never to be forgotten; think on it now. When wanted you a night's sleep for Christ, thinking on his love, wondering at his sufferings, and pleading for an interest therein? O seek to make it up now, and say, " O the breadth and length, O the height and depth of the love of Christ! Lord, what is man, that thou art mindful of him ? What is he, that thou shouldst magnify him, and set thy heart upon him ? " Strange ! that thou shouldst set thine heart upon wretches, so as to give the glorious Son of thy love to suffer all the curses of the law, and vials of thy wrath; to make us, who are children of wrath, yea, heirs of the curse, and fire-brands of hell, to become chil- dren of God, heirs of the blessing, and of eternal life! Surely, while you are thus musing on the love of God, your hearts, like David's, should wax hot within you, and the fire should burn; nay, the flame of love to God should break out in the most lively and active manner; now your "spikenard should send forth the smell thereof ; " now the sweet odour of your graces should fill all the house. VI. The evil of sin, which was the procuring cause of Christ's suffering, should also be the sub- ject of your thoughts at the Lord's table. He had no sin of his own, but our sins were laid upon him; and divine justice finding them there, took vengeance on our Surety to the uttermost. O Lord, our sins were the principal actors of that woeful tragedy; they were the traitors which by the hands of Judas delivered him up to be cruci- fied : Pilate, the Jews, the Romans, were but the executioners of our sins. Our sins, with clamours more importunate than all the Jewish rabble, cried out, " Crucify him, crucify him." What foolish inconsistent creatures are we, that bewail the event, but redress not the cause ! Alas ! wc naturally have as great enmity against his image, as they had against his person : they grieved him in his body, we in his spirit: they opened his wounds, we made them bleed afresh. Neither had they got the least power to touch him, if it had not been for our sins that made him obnoxi- ous to wrath. O, who was it that armed the Jews and Romans against him? Who put the sword in justice's hands? Who forced these groans and bloody sweats from my Redeemer ? Ah, who but I ? My sins, my pride, my unbe- lief, my atheism, my covetousness, my malice, my lying, cheating, swearing, Sabbath-breaking, &c. These raised the storm of wrath against my Surety. Blame not Judas, Herod or Pilate, the Jews or Romans, so much as my sins: nay, I am the Judas that betrayed him, the Herod that mocked him, the Pilate that condemned him, the executioner that drove in the nails, the soldier that pierced him. O my soul, behold thy Saviour now hanging on the cross for thy sins, and yet saying, Weep not for me that endure this torture, but weep for yourself that causeth it ; behold the cruelty of thy sins. Look through the gaping wounds into my heart, pierced first by love, next by sorrows, and then by a spear for you. Be persuaded what an evil and bitter thing sin is to me; see how it rakes unto my side, and tears my very heart ; canst thou love or harbour that which used me thus? You say you are my friends; and will you not take my part against this deadly enemy? Have not all these wounds mouths enough to persuade you to hate sin ? O 'will you hug my enemy, tear open my wounds, and crucify me 216 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. afresh ? O communicants, let your hearts answer, " No, Lord, I will never requite thy kindness so, I will never account that light which made my Saviour's soul heavy unto death; that shall not be sweet to me that was so bitter to him; that shall never be my joy, that made Christ a man of sorrows. O shall not these sins be forsaken of me, that made him be forsaken of God? Shall ever they be suffered to live in me, that would not suffer Christ to live in the world ? " O what stupid creatures are we, if we do not now stand astonished at the heinousness and hideousness of our sins, for which no atonement could be made but by the bitter passion and agonies of the Son of God! Shall we not say, Surely there must be more in sin than men com- monly reckon? It could be no small matter for which the beloved Son of God endured such hor- rible and dreadful torments. O heavy dead weight of my sins, that pressed down my strong Redeemer to the ground; yea, pressed him down, who upheld the whole fabric of the creation by the word of his power, Heb. i. 3; and without the least pain, could have borne millions of wrorlds more ! 0 bit- ter and cursed sin, thou shalt be crucified this day that crucified my innocent Saviour! Couldst thou ever have been guilty of a more horrid deed than murdering of the Lord of glory? I will not rest this day till I have revenged my Saviour's blood upon thee : say now of sin, as the church said of the daughter of Babylon, that enemy and perse- cutor of Christ mystically, Psal. exxxvii. 8, 9, " O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed, happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served Christ : happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones." VII. Think on the holiness and justice of God manifested against sin, and adore the same at this time. You have other mirrors and bright look- ing-glasses in scripture for representing the same to you, such as the casting down the angels from heaven, the drowning the old world, the burning of Sodom, the rejection of the Jews ! But none of them so clearly show forth sin's evil, and God's spotless holiness, and inexorable justice against sin, as do the death and sufferings of our Redeemer. Come near, and hearken to the raging billows of God's indignation dashing against the Rock of our salvation, and behold God's implacable hatred against sin. Many a sore storm and hurricane of wrath did he endure to keep the sea of divine wrath from overflowing you. Our Rock groaned, trembled, and swate blood; he cried, prayed, and entreated: yet divine justice would not hear, nor abate him one stripe : " awake, O sword of the Lord," cut him off; let him die, saith justice, seeing he stands surety for man's sins. O here is a greater evidence of the inexorableness of jus- tice, and God's implacable wrath against sin, than if he had hurled all the rocks of the creation into the midst of the sea, or the whole world, full of men and angels, into hell. O you that make light of sin, go to the rock in Horeb, go to Geth- semane, go to mount Calvary, go to a communion table, and see what Christ endured for our sins, hear his heavy groans, and behold the blood standing above his garments. O communicant, tremble at sin, and come under the shadow of this rock, run into the clefts of it; and though you hear the roarings and dashings of this terrible sea upon your rock, yet you are safe here, a drop shall not reach you. Finally, you ought at this time to have some thoughts of the "marriage-supper of the Lamb" above, whereof this table is an emblem and representation. Here in the wilderness we get a foretaste of the good things of the promised land, to sharpen our appetites after the Canaan above, where these first fruits grow and are fully ripe. O what a glorious and well furnished table will that be, where the church of the first-born will be .all gathered in one general assembly, and sit down together with Christ? O where are the looks and longings we should have after that heavenly feast! Awake, my soul, from this dark, deceitful, and vexing world. O be not in love with thy disease, thy fetters, and calamities: join not with those that take up their rest on this side Jordan, on this side heaven, and who say, It is good for us to be here; but with these heavenly pilgrims, who say, Arise, let us depart, this is not our rest, for it is polluted. Lament your dis- tance from God: woe is me that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar; that I remain in this sinful polluting place among a strange people, and am so long kept from my Father's house above. " O that I had wings like a dove! Then would I fly away, and be at rest: lo, then I would wander far off, and remain in the wilderness," that I might be free from sin's snares and temptations, and might have free access to enjoy God. " O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death, which so often trouhles, disturbs, entangles, and hinders me from my duty?" So much for the subjects we ought to medi- tate on at the Lord's table, I come in the next place, Secondly, To speak of those graces which are to be employed and exercised at the Lord's table; such as faith, repentance, love, spiritual appetite, and thankfulness. Now is the time, O communi- cant, that all your graces should be stirred up to the greatest liveliness: and therefore do all you can to excite them to it: chide with them when languishing or dull, and say, "What! can ye not watch with my dearest Saviour one hour?" I. In the first place : the grace of faith should HOW TO BEHAVE AT THE LORD'S TABLE. 217 be most active, for it is most necessary at this time. Faith may say to thee, O communicant, at this table, as Christ said to his disciples, "With- out me ye can do nothing." Faith is the eye that sees Christ, the hand that receives him, the mouth that feeds upon him. Let faith's eyes be now opened to see the great sight of Christ cruci- fied on the cross. Do now as Moses, when he saw the bush burning, Exod. iii. 3, "I'll turn aside and see this great sight:" surely you cannot see a greater. Behold the rock of our salvation smitten, to let the water of life come forth to us : come and see him smitten by the rod of Moses, i. e., by the rod of the law, whose minister Moses was; with all the curses and maledictions of the law denounced against us, Gal. iii. 13. Yea, come see him smitten by many hands, by the rod of Moses, by the rod of justice, by the rod of devils, by the rod of the Jews, by the rod of the Romans, by the rod of your sins: come, see him smitten in his head with thorns, in his hands with nails, in his side with a spear, in his heart with sorrows, yea, in his whole soul with the wrath of an angry God. O deep, deep was our rock smitten, before the water of life could come forth to heal us; according to Isa. liii. 5, 6, "He was wounded for our transgres- sion, bruised for our iniquities: — for the trans- gression of my people was he stricken, and by his stripes we are healed." Now let faith look sharply out for Christ at the table. Rest not in the bread and wine, but look beyond these; go a little further, and see if you can espy Christ himself. Let the language of your heart at this time be, "Saw ye him whom my soul loved?" Say now to the Lord as the Greeks to Philip, "Sir, we would see Jesus; "Lord, I would now desire to see Jesus Christ: neither the word nor prayers, ministers nor elements, will content me without a sight of Christ. Mind what Isaac told his father on mount Moriah: "father, behold here is the wood and the fire; but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?" So do thou look up at the table to thy heavenly Father, and say, "Father, behold, here is the minister, here is the word, here is the bread and wine; but where is the body and blood of my Saviour? where is the lamb for a sacrifice? Fa- ther, where is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world?" Alas, all is nothing to me if he be away. Let faith look up and say to Christ, "Make haste, my beloved, be thou like a roe or a young hart on the mountains of spices. Make no tarrying, 0 my God; O when wilt thou come to me? When Mary came to the sepulchre, looked in, and saw the linen but not the Lord, she presently falls a weeping: O, said she, "They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him:" my .Lord is taken away, and I know not where to find him. When our tender-hearted Saviour heard such a moving and mournful com- plaint, he hastened to her, and gave her a gra- cious meeting. So, when thou seest the linen and the elements, but not the Lord Jesus, then be not satisfied, but dart up thy complaints to heaven. "Lord, I came not to see the linen, I came not for the bread and wine, but I came to see Jesus; O Lord, what shall I do? They have taken away my Lord,^and I know not where to find him. Ah, what is the word to me without Christ, but as a conduit without water? What are the elements to me but as a cup without wine ? O Lord, what wilt thou give me, if I go from thy table Christless?" O, if there were such sights, such breathings coming from thy heart, thou mightest be confident Christ would hear them, and make haste to meet with thee and bless thee. Awake faith, O communicant, at this time; behold Christ, apply his benefits. Here a believer may find enough in the wounds and blood of Christ, by which he may resolve all his doubts, scatter his fears, supply all his spiritual wants, and find a remedy against all his soul-distempers, by a believing application thereof to himself. When thou puttest forth the hand of thy body, see that thou also put forth the hand of thy faith, to receive the body and blood of Christ. Do like Joseph of Arimathea; come to Christ crucified, take him down from the cross, and lay him in the new tomb of thy heart. Now give a hearty, full, and unfeigned consent to Christ on the gos- pel terms; receive him as thy Saviour, submit to him as thy prince, and swear allegiance to him as thy undoubted Sovereign. And remember, faith, if true, must have two hands, one to receive Christ, and another to give the soul to Christ; see that both hands be now employed both to take and give. And, especially, make use of faith's mouth to suck honey from the rock, derive supplies from Christ to thysoul's necessities. Observe what God directed Moses, Exod. xvii. 6, "Behold I will stand before thee upon the rock in Horeb, and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink." Would you have drink and supplies from Christ for your spiritual refreshment, then smite the rock, act faith on Christ. At the table, it would be a man's wisdom, which was Moses' error, to smite this rock oftener than once, Num. xx. 11, " With his rod he smote the rock twice, and the waters came out abundantly." So do you smite the rock twice, again and again; put forth many acts of faith at this time. II. The grace of rej)entance and godly sorrow for sin, should be exercised at this time. O com- municant, canst thou now look on him whom thou hast pierced by thy sins, and not mourn and 2 E 218 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. be in bitterness for them ? Canst thou see the Son of God hanging naked and bleeding on a tree, upon the top of mount Calvary, as a sacrifice for thy sins, and not to be grieved for the cause? 0 take a fixed look of him now, and let your eye affect your heart. Behold these hands that swayed the sceptre of heaven, now nailed to the tree of reproach : behold these feet that trampled on all the powers of hell, and made his enemies his footstool, now nailed to the footstool of the cross. O did the earth tremble and shake, the rocks rend, the graves open, and heavens turn dark at this sight; and will not our rocky hearts rend, and our dead souls be affected with this sight? Surely the hardest heart among us may now melt, and the dryest eyes now drop a tear. O, shall the Son of God so sweat and bleed for us, and we not weep for ourselves? Shall we see our sins pierce his head with thorns, his hands with nails, and his side with a spear, and yet look on this with unpierced hearts? O, our sins did envenom these thorns, these nails, and that spear. We, and none but we, were the evil beasts that devoured this Joseph ; we the bloody execution- ers that tormented the glorious Redeemer; and shall not our hearts bleed therefore? O communicant, so behold Christ in the sacra- ment, as the Virgin Mary his mother beheld him on the cross: "woman," says Christ, "behold thy son." And how did she behold him; Simeon tells her, Luke ii. 35, "That a sword should pierce through her soul." Now was the time that the sword did pierce through her soul, when she beheld him pierced on the cross: that sight was like a sword through her heart : so, when you see Christ pierced in the sacrament, it should be like a sword or dagger in your hearts. Observe what David said, when he saw the people slaughtered by the angel's sword, 2 Sam. xxiv. 17, "Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but as for these sheep, what have they done?" So say you at this time, " Lord, I have sinned, I have done wickedly; but as for this innocent spotless Lamb, what hath he done ? " It is I that have sinned, but it is thou, O Lord Jesus, that hast suffered. It was my cursed lusts, my unbelief, my pride, my malice, my covetousness, &c. These were the Judases that betrayed thee, these the Jews that put thee to death; I have eaten the sour grapes, but thy teeth were set on edge. O what a sweet temper were it to behold Christ with a weeping eye and a melting heart! O, shall we not so much as shed tears for these sins, for which we see Christ shedding his blood? It was laid to the charge of these unkind hus- bands, Mai. ii. 13, that by their unkindnesses they caused their wives, when they should have been cheerful in God's service, to "cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out; insomuch that he regarded not the offering any more, nor received it with good-will at their hands." But how happy were it for us, if we could be so affected with our unkindness to Christ our husband, that we could cover the Lord's table with "our tears, with weeping and crying out! Then surely, in this case, the Lord would regard our service the more, and receive our communicating with good- will at our hand3. Ah, rocky hearts! harder than the nether-mill- stone, that cannot dissolve into tears at the sight of so sad a spectacle as the sight of Christ hang- ing crucified on the cross for our sins. O, shall we see Christ's precious blood spilt on the earth, running on the ground, and the ground drinking it up, and our hearts not rend therefore? 0 let us call for tears, for mourning hearts, and say, " O that mine head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep for a slain Lord ! " Smite, Lord ; thou canst bring water out of the rocks, and turn the flint into a standing pool. O that my flinty heart may be touched by the Spirit of God, that the waters may gush out abundantly ! O, when will my heart melt, if not now? Surely, now, "deep calleth unto deep;" deep sufferings in Christ for deep sorrow in me. David's kindness made even a Saul lift up liis voice and weep; and will not Christ's kindness, which is infinitely greater, make me drop some silent tears? Was my Saviour's body broken to let his blood out; and shall not my heart be broken to let it in? May I now receive a bleed- ing Saviour with a broken heart! III. Love is a grace most necessary at this feast, Christ's infinite love should now have a return of love from you: surely now, when you are musing on Christ's love, your heart, like David's, should burn. O believer, Christ died of love to you! and will you not be so much as sick of love to him? It would be a sweet and com- fortable sickness to you to be sick of love to him, who died of love to you. You are now come to the fountain of love, you are now at Christ's pierced side, O look in and see his bleeding heart : see how it beats and pants with love, and see how love flows out in streams of blood, to cleanse you from your sins. And will not this lovely sight melt your affections, and warm your cold heart to love him ? O behold princely Jesus, the world's Saviour, our lovely Bridegroom, mounted on a bloody cross on the top of mount Calvary, for all nations to see him and flock to him : 0 what an engaging sight is this! Since that mount was first created, it never produced such a tree, or such precious fruit as the Lord of glory hanging on the tree of the cross planted there. This tree of life made mount Calvary a lovely paradise that day, notwithstanding all the malefactors' bonea which lay scattered upon it. BEHAVIOUR AT THE LORD'S TABLE. 219 Now, communicants, can you look upon such a sight, and not have your hearts inflamed with love? Surely a crucified Jesus left upon the cross, with his arms stretched out to embrace lost sinners, is the most drawing and attractive sight in the world; for he saith himself, John xii. 32, "If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me," i. e., all sorts of men, both Jew and Gentile. A crucified Jesus is a loadstone of strange virtue, and hath drawn some thousands of iron hearts to him at one sermon. Now he is lifted on high, upon the pole of the cross, and of the sacrament, that you may look to him. Yea, his face and eyes are towards you; O look com- municants; and his voice is, "Behold me, behold me; Look unto me and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth." Poor sinners of Scotland, of Britain, one of the far-off islands and outmost end of the earth; I have turned my back on the Jews, for they will not be drawn to me; and my face towards you, that you may see me and flock to me. 0 will not your hearts be moved and drawn by this lovely sight of a crucified Redeemer, dying with love in his heart, and smiles in his looks towards you? He was most lovely when he was on the cross; and now he is most lovely when he is on the throne. O behold king Jesus with the crown of thorns, wherewith his enemies crowned him, in the day he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief for you; doth not that sight affect your hearts with grief, and make you sad? Then come, behold king Solomon with the crown of glory, wherewith his Father crowned him, when he finished his work, and sat down on the right band of his majesty on high. Now he is clothed with light and shines brighter than the sun : O will not your hearts love him, whom all the angels and saints in heaven adore, and are ravished with his beauty ? His high honour and exaltation above doth not in the least alter his affections, or make him forget his people ; no, he loves all believers as dearly as ever. How oft doth he call them in the song, "My sister, my spouse!" The nearest affinity in the world is spouse, and the dearest consanguinity is sister, to show that Christ's affection is like that of the nearest relations; and shall not Christ's great love be answered with love again? 0 never give Christ cause to complain of you, as Paul of the Corinthians, "The more I love you the less I am beloved," 2 Cor. xii. 15. 0 then awake and excite your love now to Christ, and say, "Lord, thou art infinitely lovely, though my heart loves thee not as it ought to do: lovely and amiable art thou in all the steps of thy humiliation: lovely in thy birth, lovely in thy life, lovely in thy death: lovely with the crown of thorns on thy head, and lovely with the cross on thy back; lovely in the garden, and lovely on mount Calvary: lovely with the nails in thy hands, and lovely when the spear was thrust in thy side. And lovely art thou now with the crown of glory on thy head; nay, thou art altogether lovely." O for more love to my lovely Saviour ! The apostle, when ravished with the love of Christ, cries out, "If any man love not the Lord Jesus, let him be Anathema Maranatha." O what a cold unnatural heart must that be, that hath no love to this lovely One! O communicant, love him now, when you have seen such an enga- ging sight of his love : love him dearly, love him entirely, love him above all, love him more than all. And if you love him, then keep his com- mandments, delight to please him, love his ordi- nances, love his Spirit, love his commandments, love his people, and love his very cross for his sake. IV. At this time you ought to awake and excite your spiritual appetite after Christ and the benefits of his death. You are come to a full feast, an inexhaustible treasure, and the Master of it allows you to partake thereof to the full. There is nothing wanting, then, but a lively feel- ing of wants, and spiritual hunger ; had you this, all would be well; for Christ fills the hungry with good things. If there be any poor drooping communicants at the table, who are discouraged under a sense of their poverty and emptiness, I may say to them, as Jacob to his drooping sons in a time of great scarcity of food, Gen. xlii. 1, "Why do ye look one upon another?" Ye are poor melancholy creatures, all involved in the same calamity and distress; ye may well look to one another, but one of you cannot help another. Well I have good news to tell you, as Jacob told his sons: " Behold I have heard there is corn in Egypt," there is bread enough in your Father's house, sufficiency of grace in Christ Jesus for all your wants. O drooping communicant, take heart, and hasten to your brother Joseph; your elder brother Christ is Lord of the country, and hath the command of all the store-houses in the land ; he will fill your sacks as much as one can carry. Are thy wants many? He has infinite wealth. Hast thou no money to buy, no worth to purchase? Good news! He sells "without money and without price: whosoever will, may come and drink of the water of life freely." Poor soul, earnest thou hither for bread? Thy gracious Saviour will not give thee a stone. He took notice of thy serious preparation for the feast; and do you think he will frustrate thine expecta- tion at it? Can you give any instances, that ever he sent any hungry soul empty away? No; this would be contrary to his faithful promise. I may say to thee, as the disciples said to the blind man, "Be of good cheer, he callcth for thee;" and if he call for thee, he will not send thee empty away. Come away then, hungry soul, to a fall 220 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. Redeemer, and get all your wants supplied, your desires satisfied. What would you have? "What is thy petition, and what is thy request?" Would you have riches, honours, profits, pleasures? You have them all here. Would you have all your five senses satisfied at once? Come, partake of the feast your Redeemer hath provided for you. Would you have your sense of seeing satisfied? Then, saith he, look unto me, behold me, your dying yet ever-living Saviour. Would you have your sense of hearing satisfied? Then, saith he, "Incline your ear and hearken to me;" hear the sweet charming voice of your Saviour on the cross, saying, "It is finished." Would you have your sense of tasting satisfied? Then, saith he, "O taste and see that God is good." Would you have the sense of touching satisfied? O then, says he, "Reach hither thy finger, and feel the print of the nails; reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into thy side." Woxdd you have the sense of smelling satisfied? Then come to him, "Whose garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia; and whose name is like ointment poured forth." 0 what a matchless person is this, that can so richly supply all your needs ! I tell you again, if you go away without supply, it will he for want of a lively sense of your needs, and of panting desires after Christ and his fulness. Awake, holy desires and thirstings of soul, and say, Lord, "Let not the needy be forgotten, nor the expectation of the poor perish for ever." Let not a thirsty soul perish at the wells of salvation. O happy were I, if at this time I could get a sealed pardon of my sins! "O blessed is he whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sin is covered!" Lord, whatever thou deny me in the world, do not deny me this choice blessing. O for a token for good at this time of Christ's own hand! May I receive a plentiful effusion of the graces of his Spirit into my heart. O that my lusts and corruptions may be mortified and sub- dued! May I be enabled to do all my duties better than I have done. May I be more watch- ful over my heart, my tongue, and all my ways, than ever I have been. O that my soul may depart much bettered, much revived, comforted, and strengthened, from this holy ordinance! V. Awake your thankfulness to God at this time for redeeming love; join with the psalmist, and say, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift; what shall I render unto the Lord for all his gifts and benefits unto me? Let me speak of the glorious honour of his Majesty, and declare his wondrous works." You should now be in Mary's frame, to sing and say, as in Luke i. 47, "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit doth rejoice in God my Saviour:" and in Zechariah's frame, to say with him, Luke i. 68, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his peo- ple." The ancients called the Lord's supper still the Eucharist, i. e., the thanksgiving, because the great design of it is to keep up the thankful remembrance of God's redeeming love; and believers in partaking of it should, with their whole souls, give thanks unto God for his un- speakable gift, and sing glory to God in the highest. And for our example therein, our Re- deemer both began this institution with the giving of thanks and singing hymns of praise. The Jews at their passover sang the cxiii. Psalm, witli the five following psalms, which they called the great Hallelujah. A Christian should in every thing and at all times give thanks; but at the sacrament the great Hallelujah must be sung. If ever the heart be tuned for the work of praise, it should be now; for greater matter for it you can- not have on this side of heaven, than at this occasion. The great exhortation the ancients gave at the communion-table was, Up with your hearts, communicants ; elevate them to God in thankfulness and praise. Invite the angels and the whole creation to help you to bless God for Jesus Christ the mercy of mercies. SOME FURTUER MEDITATIONS ON THE SACltAME.NTAI. ELEMENTS, ACTIONS, AND WORDS. Besides what I have said, the sacramental ele- ments, actions, and words may afford suitable sub- ject of meditation to communicants while they sit at the Lord's table, and may be improven for the quickening and upstirring of the sacramental graces above mentioned. And here I shall give some few instances for the assistance and direc- tion of weaker Christians. When you see the elements of bread and wine set upon the table, think on Christ's goodness and condescension in appointing these outward signs to confirm your faith, and excite your affec- tions: they are not costly things, Christ would not be burdensome to his people with any of his ordinances. Think how fitly they represent the body and blood of our Redeemer. Bread, ere it be fit to nourish us, must be first sown and die in the earth; then it must be threshed, grinded in the mill, baken in the oven, broken and eaten : so Christ, that he might be a fit Saviour to us, was content to die, and be bruised for our sins, and scorched in the oven of his Father's wrath. Bread is the most necessary thing in the world; it strengthens man's heart; it is the staff that upholds his life : so Christ is the mercy of mer- cies, the most useful and necessary blessing to our starving souls. Wine, ere it be fit for our use, must be squeezed out of the grape, and this must BEHAVIOUR AT THE LORD'S TABLE. 221 be trodden and bruised in the wine press: so Christ was crushed in the wine-press of his Father's wrath, till the blest juice of his body, his precious blood, gushed out in abundance for the redemption of our souls. No liquor so fit as wine for cheering the fainting spirits, Psal. civ. 15, so there is nothing can refresh the drooping soul so much as the blood of Christ. Though bread and wine be common things of themselves, yet they are highly valuable in respect of their significancy and ends. A little wax, though in itself of small value, yet when affixed to a charter, it serves to confirm our right and title to a great inheritance: so these elements, when consecrated and given to us by Christ's ambassadors, are to us a seal of God's covenant, and confirm our title to all Christ's purchase. "When we see the minister take the bread, think how God did choose and take Christ from among men to be our Mediator, and a sacrifice for our sins. When the minister sets apart, blesses, and consecrates the bread, think how God set apart and sent his Son, sanctified and furnished with all gifts and graces needful to his mediatory office. .When you see the consecrated bread and wine exposed to open view, think how God in his infinite mercy " hath set forth Jesus Christ as a propitiation through faith in his blood," Rom. iii. 25. Behold how ': evidently Christ crucified is set forth before your eyes." Behold the Lamb opening the seals, the seal of God's covenant, the seal of God's treasures, the seal of the fountain of life, and the seal of heaven's gates ; all which were shut before, till Christ came to open them. Suppose now you hear that voice, Rev. vi., " Come and see." Open the eyes of faith, and see a great sight. What is to be seen here. You may, O communicant, see here the heinous nature of sin, the severity of divine justice, the misery of the damned, the deservings of unbelievers: you may see the devil conquered, justice satisfied, a flame of love kindled in Christ's heart that many waters could not quench: you may see the clefts of the rock opened, and a sanctuary found out : you may see the preciousness of souls, the price of pardon, and the worth of heaven. Christ's body and blood, which were given for them, show that they are things of no small value. When you see the elements, you have cause to bless God, and rejoice at the sight of this precious sign and seal of God's covenant of grace and sal- vation. We should rejoice to see the rainbow in the cloud, a sign of God's covenant and promise to secure the world against a destroying deluge: much more should we joy to see the sign of God's confirming his covenant with believers, securing them against the overflowing of God's wrath. If it still rained, and never a rainbow appeared, we might have reason to fear: so if we never saw this ordinance and seal of God's covenant, we might suspect danger: but, O believer, you see God is faithful and wdling to keep covenant; there is the rainbow appearing; a pleasant sight to a guilty sinner. When you see the minister lay his hand on the bread, lift up your soul and pray, " That God may lay his hand on your diseased soul, that all your distempers may depart from you : Lord, lay hold on my soul, as the angel did upon Lot ; save me from the flames of wrath, cause me to escape out of Sodom into the mount of God and clefts of the rock, that I perish not." When you see the bread broken, think on the breaking and tormenting of Christ's body, and the bruising of his soul for our sins. He suffered a double death, one in his soul, and another in his body; he suffered from men and devils: hut all that was nothing to what he suffered from his Father; for when men were wounding his body, the Father's hand bruised his soul, made a thou- sand wounds therein, and poured in a whole ocean of wrath upon him: he brake him with breach upon breach, and overwhelmed him with one wave of vengeance upon the back of another, till all his billows went over him. This was a sad time to our Saviour : yet all these floods could not drown his love to us, nor make him quit the hold he had taken of us, but come of him what will, his poor people must not perish, his love to them flamed highest when his sufferings were greatest. You should at this time desire to be in the same frame as if you had been at Golgotha stand- ing at the foot of the cross, and had seen the blood trickling down, and heard all the dying groans of the Lamb of God. O shall we see the blessed Son of God, the brightness of his Father's glory, with his eyes dim, his cheeks wan, his face pale, his head bowing, his heart fainting, his side bleed- ing, his wounds open to shelter us, and his love streaming forth in blood to us; I say, shall we see all this, and our affections not raised, our love not kindled, and our hearts not concerned ? O what a monstrous thing will it be to see our affections and graces at the lowest ebb, when there is a high stream-tide of the love and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ flowing towards us ! Take a view of Jesus on the cross breathing forth love to us when he was breathing forth his last : let us look straightly and stedfastly to him as he did to us. Many write that he was cruci- fied with his face towards the west: the Jews did it out of despite, as reckoning him unworthy to look on the temple and holy city that stood on the east of mount Calvary; but he had a gracious meaning and design to us thereby, and now was that word remarkably fulfilled, Psal. lxvi. 7, " His eyes behold the nations:" for now his eyes 222 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. looked to us Gentiles, when he was upon the cross; and O it was an eye of love and pity he cast then upon us: and shall not this encourage us to lift up an eye of faith to him upon the cross for healing and salvation? Especially seeing he calls us to do it, Isa. xlv. 22, " Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth." And it is to be observed, that Christ in this call hath a special eye to us in Scotland, who were then Gen- tiles, and are likewise among the ends of the earth. O shall we, in this land and corner of the world, have such a loving invitation to look to a crucified Saviour for mercy, and will we neglect it? Behold his arms stretched out to embrace you, and will you not desire to flee into them ? Behold him bowing his head on the cross to take a view of your wounds, and whisper comfort into your ears : behold him opening a -window in his side to take you into his heart, and pouring out blood thence to redeem you, and water to cleanse you, a fountain both for your justification and sanctification. Again, when you see the bread broken, look to Christ's wounds as an open city of refuge for thy soul that is pursued by justice to take sanctuaiy in: his wounds are laid open, that you may see into his bleeding heart, and see his yearning bowels of mercy, and hear them sounding towards you, an object of pity, and spectacle of misery. Poor shelterless soul, quit all other shelters, and flee to the clefts of the rock here opened, saying, " This is my rest, and here I will stay." Pray at this time, " Lord, may my hard heart be broken and melted, that I may in some mea- sure be conformed to my broken Saviour:" or, "Lord, break the united forces of my sins, and scatter them by thy mighty arm." When you see the minister offering the bread to the communicants, and hear him saying, " Take ye, eat ye," &c, think how freely God offers his Son, and Christ offers himself to be ours: think how you see him at the head of the table, making offer of himself to you, saying, " Take me, and the whole purchase of my blood; take my sealed testament, and all the legacies in it; take a sealed pardon of all your sins, and a sealed right to eternal life." When you receive the bread into your hand, see that you stretch forth the hand of faith to receive and embrace Christ crucified, as your bleeding High-priest, to make atonement for you; say with your heart, " Content, Lord, even so I take thee, and seal a covenant with thee, I clasp about thee as mine; I believe, Lord, help my unbelief." If Christ be not received by faith in this ordinance, there is nothing done but what is ill. 0 will you come to this table and receive the bread of the Lord, and not receive the bread, the Lord? O it will be sad, it will be bitter at death, or judgment; when you come to die, you wdl cry, " Lord, receive my soul : " well, may not Christ answer you, " I will just receive your soul as you received my body in the sacrament when you was entreated, and that was not at all?" 0 then consider what Christ has done for you, and the absolute necessity you stand in of him, and receive him into your souls. O will you not accept of a bruised Lord, a bruised friend, when he is knocking, with the cross on his back, the nails in his hands, and spear in his side! Can you find in your hearts to hold him at the door in this posture? Will you not open your hearts to him who opened his side to you? When you are making use of this bread, praise and magnify God for providing this heavenly manna to keep your soul from perishing: bless him for this feast, and feed on it that you may five : apply Christ and his benefits for the nour- ishing your souls, and strengthening your graces: bless him for this noble contrivance and under- taking. Rejoice in Christ, that hath found out a way, by his death, to reconcile an angry God to you, and procure you access to his table, that you may feast with him. With what joy and thankfulness did the Israelites go forth to gather manna; that bread which God sent them from heaven: but O, here is a better manna come from heaven; will ye not be thankful for it, and run with desire to get it? The Israelites' manna could not give life to the dead; but here is manna that can both restore and preserve life ; yea, give everlasting life to both soul and body. The Israel- ites' manna fell not on the Sabbath, and they might not go to gather it that day: but blessed be God, this manna falls every day, and double on the Sabbath, and welcome are ye to gather it this day; for Christ now rains it in greater plenty, and calls you to be more diligent on it than on other days. His table is well furnished with manna this day: O feed and refresh your souls well before you leave it, and strive to preserve the relish of it when you are gone. Cry now with these, John vi. 34, " Lord, evermore give us this bread." This bread both satisfies the soul and creates an appetite; 0 for a perpetual hunger for it! It is the same bread the glorified saints feed on for evermore: in heaven they never loathe this manna, nor weary of it, as the Israelites did of theirs. It is but a small crumb, O communi- cants, you get of it here, to that eternal feast pro- vided above. Again, bread in scripture is called the staff of bread. O this is the true staff of bread; here is bread, if eaten by faith, that will prove a staff to support you, a staff to defend you, a staff to beat your enemies, and put all your lusts to flight: this is a staff that will enable you to run in God's BEHAVIOUR AT THE LORD'S TABLE. 223 way, " and fight the armies of the aliens." That is a strange dream that one of the Midianitish host had when Gideon was coming upon them, Judg. vii. 13, "Behold, a cake of barley bread came tumbling into the host of Midian, and smote a tent," &c. Strange! a piece of bread over- turned a tent. Lo, that dream is interpreted in this sacrament: here a piece of bread, O com- municant, if eaten by faith, that will tumble into the host of Satan, and thy lusts, these Midianites, which have long vexed you with their wiles, strike down their tents, and put them all to flight. Surely, a view here, by faith, of Christ's body pierced and nailed by sin, will turn a believer's heart against sin, a9 the most hateful thing in the world : let sin flatter as it will, he will never for- get what it hath done to his dear Saviour. This is both quickening and killing bread; for as it is life to your souls, so it is poison to your lusts. When you see the wine poured out, think how freely and willingly Christ suffered for you. He poured out his blood as freely as the wine is poured out to you; yea, it is said, Isa. liii. 12, " He poured out his soul unto death," as freely as we pour water out of a vessel. He had freely emptied his veins in the garden, and on the cross; every pore became an eye to weep blood for your sakes: he is wounded over all, that his blood may run the more plentifully and freely; and when he hath no more blood to pour out, he next pours out his soul for you : and would you have any more from your loving Saviour? O did he pour out his soul unto death, and will you not pour out your souls into his bosom? Again, when you see it, by faith, behold the wells of salvation now opened, the stone rolled away, and the fountain of the water of life run- ning freely, and following poor sinners. 0 run not away from it, but turn to it; drink, and live for evermore. O shall the fountain of life be opened, and the mouths of your souls fast shut! Can you see Christ's blood running, and not desire to be bathed with it? Hast thou blind eyes or lame feet, weak hands or feeble knees, a cold or hard heart, a feared or doubting soul? Here a cure for all thy diseases. Thou art now at the side of the pool, just at the healing waters, one step will bring you to them: look to Christ for strength, stir up your souls, step in, drink, bathe, and be made whole for ever. When you drink the cup, remember the pre- cious blood of Christ; eye it by faith, plead it with God, and apply it to your souls: thirstily drink it by the mouth of faith: say, "I am an unrighteous creature, but here is justifying blood; my heart is polluted, but here i9 sanctifying blood; my soul is wounded, but here is healing blood; my lusts are strong and lively, but here is mortifying blood; my heart is very dead, but here is quickening blood; it is very hard, but here is softening blood. O shall not a drop of this blood light on my hard heart ? O let me not miss a cure, when the balm of Gilead is among my hands! This blood healed thousands, and shall my plagues continue? Lord, may that innocent blood, that dropped from thy hands and thy side, wash away all the spots and stains of my guilty soul." As you find the wine warm on your cold stomach, so let the love and blood of Christ warm your cold heart and affections with vehement love and desire to him. Shall Christ's heart be hot as fire to you, and will yours be cold as ice to him? Can you feel his warm«and bleeding heart, and not cry out with Thomas, " My Lord and my God?" How shall I express my love to my loving and lovely Jesus, who loved me and gave himself for me? How dearly, Lord, hast thou purchased my love, unworthy as it is? What hath the world or sin to do with that which Christ hath bought so dear? O for a heart ready to burst with love to him that is only worthy to be the object of it! O for a live coal from God's altar to kindle the flame, that many waters might not quench! Worse am I than a beast, if I be not ravished with Christ's matchless love. When you see the elements divided and distri- buted among the communicants, believe it, that Christ is really, though invisible, dealing forth the effects and benefits of his death and sufferings to the worthy receivers. When you see both the bread and the wine given, think that God is offering and giving Christ, and all Christ unto us; and we must be willing to take Christ and all that is in him, all his benefits, all his offices, all his laws, and all his cross he thinks fit to lay on us. When the bread and wine are offered to you, and you hear Christ saying, Take, eat, drink; O then cast open all the doors and gates of your soul, that " the King of glory may enter in:" say, " Come in, thou blessed of the Lord ; wherefore standest thou without? As I receive the bread of the Lord into my mouth, let me receive the bread, the Lord, into my soul. Lord, it was my errand to receive thee into my heart, let me not go without thee." Stir up faith mightily, to receive Christ and all his benefits. Stretch out faith's arms as far and as wide as you may, to welcome, embrace, and clasp about your Saviour, and say, " My beloved is mine, and I am his." Now may the marriage be sealed and ratified, and the knot cast which shall never be loosed again: and happy, happy for ever is my choice, ricli is my portion, my soul is made up to all eternity. When you are eating and drinking the bread and wine, let your soul be busy making close and particular application by faith of Christ and all 224 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. his benefits, according to your various necessities. And consider, that as by eating and drinking, your food incorporates with your bodies, and turns one with you; so Christ by faith is mysti- cally united to you, and you are made one with Christ: as the broken bread enters into your body, and becomes yours by feeding upon it; so you are to believe, that as truly Christ's broken body, and the purchase of his blood, are applied to you for curing and saving your soul, and that all his merits and graces are yours by faith; "This is my body that was broken for you." Again, as eating and drinking of proper food is very pleasant to our bodies, so we ought to take great satisfaction and complacency in partaking of Christ and his benefits. Let us satiate ourselves, in tasting of his goodness, and feasting on his heavenly dainties. And as by our earthly food our bodies are strengthened for labour, so by this spiritual food our souls and our graces are nour- ished and strengthened for the duties of religion. Again, you are to look upon these sacramental actions, as a mutual giving and taking sasine and infeftment betwixt Christ and your souls. Hereby you get infeftment of a crucified Christ, his great purchase and glorious inheritance; and hereby Christ takes infeftment of your soul and body, to be his children, his heirs, his servants and sol- diers, to obey him and fight for him while you live. You are hereby consecrated to be temples for his service and residence; beware of defiling the temple of the Lord, suffer not a herd of swinish lusts to enter therein, lest God abhor you and cast you off for ever. When you hear these words of the institution, "This cup is the New Testament in my blood : this do in remembrance of me:" consider why it is called a Testament; it is because in his ordi- nance we have Christ's testament and latter will sealed, wherein he leaves many a rich legacy to his poor friends: and here he gives a sealed copy of his testament into every one of their hands. Quest. What are the legacies he leaves? Ans. Pardon, peace, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption, grace, and glory. Quest. But how shall I know if I have any interest herein? Ans. Are you one of Christ's poor relations? Can you claim any relation to him by faith and regeneration? Then your name is in Christ's Testament. Quest. But how shall I be sure that the Tes- tament is in force, and will be executed? Ans. It is become of force by the death of the Testator, who died, and left his testament in the hands of the blessed Spirit to be executor of it, and to apply it to those the Testator appointed: yea (blessed be God) the Testator is risen again, and Jives to sec the execution of it himselflikewi.se. Quest. But, will I get all Christ 's purchase and legacies just now ? Ans. You shall be infeft, and have your right secured to all this great estate left by Christ's will to you; and out of it you shall have a pre- sent maintenance, till" the time appointed come, when you shall enter into the full possession of the inheritance. You are but minors yet, and not fit to be intrusted with it; but it is secured in good hands for you, till you come to full age. In the meantime, you hear the dying Testator leaves a charge upon you, to "do this in remem- brance of him." Think on him and his love to you; think what he has contrived, what he has promised, what he has done, what he is still doing, and what he is about to do for you: remember him who remembered you in your low- est estate, and is still remembering you : remem- ber him that is coming again quickly in the clouds, to meet you, take you home to his palace, and put you in possession of all. He commands you to show his death till he come again. When you hear of his coming again, consider what a glorious coming and glad meeting that will be. O believer, you now see Christ only through these elements by an eye of faith, but then you shall see him by an eye of immediate vision, you shall see him even as he is; and O how mightily surprised will you be at the sight! You will say, as the Queen of Sheba said of Solomon, The half was not told me when I was in my own country; but, "behold a greater than Solomon is here." Before you rise from the table, you may think on Elijah's cake baken on the coals, and his cruse of water, in the strength of which meat he went forty days and forty nights till he came to Horeb, the mount of God, 1 Kings xix. 6, 8. Think how much more substantial, durable, and nourish- ing the food is that thou hast been partaking of, and bless God for it. Elijah is twice there wakened to take a double meal ; and so ought you to rouse up and provoke your spiritual appetite to take another morsel ere you go; you should feed plentifully at Christ's table. It is a virtue to be a holy glutton at this feast : you know not if ever you get another feast like this, till you come to the mount of God above; this may be your last communion here, and the last time you shall drink of the fruit of the vine in this manner; take a large fill to strengthen your soul for your journey, you know not what blasts and storms may blow by the way: you have a siege to hold out, take in provisions here; you have a voyage to go, see that you victual your ship : death will try and put all your graces to it. The wisest virgins have no grace to spare at the coming of the Bridegroom; what storms of temptations and difficulties do many poor saints meet with on a death-bed ! It RISING FROM THE LORD'S TABLE. 225 is with much ado they put safe into the harhour at last. O then gather manna while it is falling, for your gathering time may be lost. Consider, that, while you are at the table, you are near Christ your Physician; therefore be sen- sible of your maladies and look up to hkn with your finger on your sore, and cry with the Psalm- ist, Psal. xli. 4, "Lord, be merciful unto me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee." Now the balm of Gilead is among my hands, and it will be sad if I should miss a cure. The blood of Christ, that hath healed thousands, is now at hand; O let not my plagues continue witli me. O let a drop of that precious blood light on my cold, dead, and hard heart, that some heat, life and softness may be got and preserved therein. You are come to Christ on a good day, when he is on a throne of grace with a sceptre of mercy in his hand; see that you make all your wants known to him. A feasting time is a time of granting requests: "what is thy petition, and what is thy request, Queen Esther?" said king Ahasuerus at the banquet of wine. So said King Jesus to the worthy communicant at his royal feast, "What is thy petition, and what is thy request? "What will ye that I shall do unto you?" as Christ asked the blind men, Mat. xx. 32. Let your requests be like those of the Psalm- ist, " Consider, and hear me, 0 Lord my God; lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death," Psal. xiii. 3. Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee, Psal. cxix. 175. "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow," Psal. li. 7- " Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit," Psal. li. 12. Or, you may put some of the Spouse's petitions at this time, " Draw me, we will run after thee," Cant. i. 4. " Awake, O north wind, come thou south, blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits," Cant. iv. 16. "Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or young hart upon the mountains of spices," Cant. viii. 1 4. O communicant, thou art near to a crucified Christ when at the table, as the penitent thief was near to him when on the cross; he got mercy from Christ when he sought it, and so may you, if you seek it with the same frame of heart. Cry, Lord, look on a poor sinner at thy table, as thou didst on him that hung on the cross. " Lord, remember me, now thou art in thy kingdom." Thy wounds are open now; Lord, shelter me in them. Thy blood is running fresh: O bathe my diseased soul in this fountain, that I maybe whole for ever. So much for the second head of direc- tions. I now proceed to the third head. CHAP. III. CONCERNING A COMMUNICANT'S BEHAVIOUR, AFTER PARTAK- ING, AND WHEN TilE COMMUNION SABDATH IS OVER. In discoursing this head, I propose to do these following things : 1 . To give some directions con- cerning your deportment when rising and going from the Lord's table. 2. Concerning your car- riage when you go home to your closets and re- tiring places. 3. Concerning your behaviour and conversation in the world when all the work is over. SECT. I. — CONTAINING DIRECTIONS CONCERNING TOUR DEPORT- MENT WHEN RISING AND GOING FROM THF. LORD'S TABLE. Believers are sometimes ready to say, "It is good for us to be here ; let us build tabernacles, and dwell still." But this table, though it be satisfying, it is not lasting; though the meal be sweet, it is short. All things here below are transitory, and communions are passing things with the rest. You must rise and go down from the mount, and return to the world, and travel in the wilderness again. O may the believer say, "And must I rise, and go back to that unsa- tisfying and soul-starving world again? "What shall I do there, if my Redeemer go not alongst with me; Lord, take ire by the hand, lead me, uphold me, and be thou still with me; and at last bring me to that endless feast thou hast prepared for thy people above, where I may ever lie in thy bosom, under the interrupted beams of thy smil- ing and cheering countenance, and for ever feed my hungry soul on thy blessed self, without the help of symbols or sacraments, and where the guests will be never called to rise from that glo- rious table any more." Quest. What is that frame and disposition of soul that we should have in rising and going from the Lord's talle? Ans. "With respect to that observe, the follow- ing directions: You ought to rise and go from the table, 1. In a wondering and admiring frame. Con- tinue to wonder at the love of God in giving his beloved Son to die a cursed death for us. Though he loved him most dearly, yet he wounded him most deeply, that his precious blood might stream forth and save us. Hence it is said, Isa. liii. 10, "It pleased the Lord to bruise him." Junius reads it, Valde delectatus est; i. e. He was exceedingly delighted in it. Strange! other parents, whose love to their children is nothing in comparison of the Father's love to Christ, follow their children to their graves with many tears, especially when they die violent deaths: 2 F 22G A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. but the infinite God deliglitcth in the painful and bloody death of his only Son, because it tended to the salvation of believers: he willingly gave his own dear Son, to die a shameful cursed death, that you might live a glorious blessed life for ever. O what manner of love is this! And what art thou, O believer, that thou shouldst be the object of this love more than others? By nature thou art mean as the worm, vile as the mire, black as hell, and a child of wrath even as others: and thou hadst now been wallowing in sin, with the worst of the world, if free grace had not renewed thee ; nay, thou hadst been roaring in hell at this hour, if free grace had not reprieved thee. Look about thee, and see others refused, when thou art chosen; others polluted, when thou art sanctified ; others put off with common gifts, when thou hast special graces. Though you and they per- haps sat together in the same desk hearing the word, or at the same table receiving the sacra- ment, yet free grace came and made the differ- ence : " One is taken, and the other left." Here is matter for your admiration. The consideration of this free love and dis- tinguishing mercy of God should make thee say with David, " Lord, what am I, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And what am I, the worst of men, that thou shouldst be thus mindful of me ? " O how did Mephibosheth admire David's kindness, when he spake familiarly with him, and said, " Thou shalt eat bread at my table continually!" 2 Sam. ix. 7. Observe his answer, ver. 8, " "What is thy servant, that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am?" But surely, O believer, thou hast much more reason to say so, and wonder that such a mean creature should be set at the table of the great God, and honoured to feast with himself. Lord, what am I, that thou shouldst have noticed the like of me? Better deserved I to be howling among the dogs without the door, than to be let in and feasted among thy friends; I better deserved to have been roaring in hell with devils, than to be set at thy table to rejoice with thy children. Lord, when thou wast pleased to look on me with an eye of pity, and embrace me in the arms of thy tender mercy; thou mightest have spurned my guilty soul into hell, saying, " Depart from me, I know you not." What a wonder of mercy is it, that I, who have forfeited all mercies, and deserved such a sentence as that in Jer. ix. 15, to be fed with wormwood, and to have water of gall to drink, should nevertheless have the flesh of the Son of God given me to be my meat, and his blood to be my drink! The Lord Jesus might justly have said unto me, as in Zech. xi. 9, "I will not feed you: that which dicth, let it die ; and that which is to be cut off, let it be cut off." But O, how tender are his bowels, how compassionate his heart! Rather than my soul should starve, he is content to be slain that his flesh might become my food. II. Rise and go from the table in a thankful and praising frame. Thankfulness well becomes this eucharistical feast, which is mainly designed as a thanksgiving to God for redeeming love. On this occasion you ought to " bless God in the congregation, even the Lord from the fountain of Israel," Psal. lxviii. 26. Now, you should stir up your souls, and all that is within you, to bless his holy name, with the psalmist, Psal. ciii. 1 — 3, Now you should with the angels sing, " Glory to God in the highest, that there is on earth peace, and good- will towards men," Luke ii. 14. Now you should with John, sing praise to him that "loved us, and washed us from our sins in his blood," Rev. i. 5. O may the worthy communicant say, how shall I mention the loving-kindness, and praises of the Lord, according to the multitude of his loving-kindnesses, and according to all he hath bestowed on me, and his great goodness to the house of Israel ! O that I could proclaim thy love to all the world, and make the whole earth ring with thy praises! O that I could sing praises to him that loved me: to him that made the world, and furnished it so richly for me to dwell in : to him that made my body so wonder- fully, and gave me a soul so capable to serve and enjoy him: to him that remembered me in my low estate, and laid aside his glory, took on my nature, and paid my debt on the cross: to him that sent his Spirit to quicken me when dead in my sins, that opened mine eyes, bowed my will, and turned me from darkness to light: to him who forgives my iniquities, heals my diseases, redeems my life from destruction, and crowns me with loving-kindness: to him that hath endured for me many slights, put up with many affronts, and waited on me with infinite patience; even " to him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and made us kings and priests to God his Father," a note the angels themselves cannot sing; "and to him that is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultlr>s before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, be glory, majesty, and dominion, now and for evermore! O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise ? Now blessed be his glorious name for ever: let the whole earth be filled with his glory." And, O believer, remember that you only begin this duty of singing praise in this world, for eternity itself will not end it : endless eternity will be short enough for this glorious work of RISING FROM THE LORD'S TABLE. 227 praise. You ought to be acquainting yourself much with this work while here, that you be not a stranger to it hereafter. Resolve with David not only to begin it, but to persist and hold on in it also ; Psal. cxlv. 2, " Every day will I bless thee, and I will praise thy name for ever and ever; "as if he had said, I will begin it now, and do it every day while here, in hopes that I will spend a whole eternity in it hereafter. Again he says, Psal. cxlvi. 2, " While I live I will praise the Lord; I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being." And when I have no longer being on earth, I hope to have a being in heaven, where I shall praise him to better purpose; and wherein, Lord, I am deficient now in thy due praise, I will pay it hereafter in everlasting Hal- lelujahs. O communicant, hast thou not great ground to praise this day, that thou livest not among the dark pagans that never heard tell of Jesus Christ? That thou art not among the fallen angels, for whom a sacrifice was never pro- vided? That thou art not among the damned in hell, who are without the reach of mercy, and of hearing the joyful sound? You have been set at a full table, when others suffer an everlasting famine. And what will you render to the Lord for this distinguishing love and undeserved good- ness? I have good ground to caution you against unthankfulness, as Moses did the Israelites upon the view of their entry into Canaan, Deut. viii. 10, 11, "When you have eaten and are full, for- get not to bless God for the good land that he hath given you;" that you have a Goshen on earth, and the prospect of a Canaan above: bless him for a land of light that you dwell in, and for the rich table that he covers for you: bless God for a sacrament day, for it is one of the days of heaven; it is a day you ought highly to prize, and to praise God for. They that know the worth of this day could wish, with Joshua, that the sun stood still upon it, that it might be lengthened out, for their enjoying communion with God: but in a special manner they would wisb that the Sun of righteousness stood still this day and shined, that, with Joshua, they might get a more full revenge on their enemies; viz. their lusts, these cursed Canaanites that remain still in the land. III. You ought to go from this table in the eunuch's frame, who, after his sealing a covenant with God, went on his way rejoicing, Acts viii. 39. God's people are frequently in scripture called to "rejoice and be glad in the Lord;" and to be sure there is not a more fit season for it than now, when he hath been making such a glorious discovery of that great love wherewith he loved them. A man that is condemned for a crime, and ready to be executed, O what joy hath he when he receives his pardon! And should not believers rejoice in Cod, who here receive the atonement, and are, as it were, brought again from the gibbet by the mercy of God in Christ? There are two things you ought to rejoice in; 1. In God. 2. In his ways. As to the first, it is the duty of a covenanted people to rejoice in their covenanted God. With what joy doth Zaccheus entertain Christ, when he closed a bargain with him ! Luke xix. 6 ; and likewise the jailor, Acts xvi. 34. And to be sure, whenever the babe of the new man is formed in the soul, it will leap for joy. It is most rea- sonable that Christ should have a joyful welcome into the soul. God not only commands and presses this joy, as in Psal. v. 11; Joel ii. 23; Phil. iii. 1 ; iv. 4, but he affords the greatest grounds for it. God the Father gives himself to us as a portion; his Son to be our Saviour; his well ordered covenant as a never-failing spirit of consolation; his Holy Spirit to be our comforter : his influences to blow up this holy flame of joy; his graces of faith, hope, and love, to breed and feed it; his ordinances to maintain and increase it; and particularly the Lord's supper is a spiri- tual feast instituted for cheering the soul : for after it, we see that Christ and his disciples sung a hymn. What ground of joy have believers in their covenanted Redeemer, in his love, in his victories, and in his purchase? What ground of joy in his person and natures? In God incarnate they may see heaven and earth conjoined, God and human nature eternally married together, and themselves very nearly related to God. 0 believer, he is "bone of your bone, and flesh of your flesh, and has a fellow-feeling of your infirmities;" and is not this matter of joy? What ground of joy have you in the attributes of God, which are all engaged for you, and become yours by covenant? The thoughts of God may be sweet to you as to the psahnist, Psal. civ. 34. The thoughts of God are a terror to the wicked, but every one of his attributes may be a cordial to you, yea, even the most terrible of them: his justice, that before stood with a flaming sword to keep you out of paradise, doth now turn an advocate to plead for your happiness, 1 John i. 9. Justice is come over to your side, and pleads for your pardon and discharge, since Christ your surety hath paid the debt: and for the crown of glory to you, since he hath laid down the price. His goodness and mercy afford you great matter of joy: why? for, as he is good, so he doth good, and will let his people want nothing that is good for them ; he will hear their cry, pity them in danger, and be a strong hold to them in the day of trouble. And when you meet with mercies and comforts, you may receive them as tokens of his special love; they come to you wrapt up in the bowels of Christ, and dipt in his blood, and so are doubly sweet. When you get 228 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. a deliverance from any distress, you may say as Hezckiah, Isa. xxxviii. 17, "Thou hast, in love to my soul, delivered it from the pit of corrup- tion." O believer, all thy mercies are covenanted to thee, which may make them sweet to thy taste; that word in Eccl. ix. 7. belongs to thee, "go thy way, cat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine witli a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works." Every morsel of bread thou eatest comes from thy Father's hand, sweet- ened in the blood of Christ, and is an earnest of greater and better things laid up for thee. God's wisdom and faithfulness may rejoice thy heart. He is a skilful physician, he ponders our case, weighs our necessity, and knows how to pre- scribe sometimes bitter potions, and sometimes cheering: cordials: he knows how to time our blessings and our crosses also. O covenanted soul, it may be sweet to thee to think that all thy afflictions, as well as mercies, are the fruits of infi- nite wisdom and faithfulness : yea, thy being within the covenant, alters the nature and pro- perty of thy crosses, and makes them become good and medicinal to thee ; thou art now to look on them as mercies covenanted and promised to thee. " When his children transgress, he will visit them with the rod. In faithfulness hast thou afflicted me, saith the psalmist." O what com- fort may this bring thee, when thou considerest that all thy afflictions are an article of the cove- nant, the effect of God's love, and a fruit of Christ's purchase: so that you may say of every rod you meet with, The Lord sees I want this, otherwise I should not be exercised with it: my covenanted God and Father knows that this, and no less than this, is needful for me: what am I that he should be so mindful of me ? You may rejoice in the almightiness of God. He hath an arm that is full of power, that can easily level your spiritual Goliahs, pull down Satan's strong holds, and make good all his promises. You may rejoice in his immutability. He is unchangeable in his love and in his covenant. Mutable creatures change their respects, and break their leagues and covenants: but God's covenant is indissoluble ; for he is engaged for our part, as well as his own, Jer. xxxii. 40, " O believer, God hath promised both for himself and thee :" as you may further see in Heb. xiii. 5, compared with Jer. xxx. 9, and 2 Tim. i. 12. If once in the covenant, thou art always in it; you may sing that sweet song, Psal. xlviii. 14, "For this God is our God, for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death;" yea, likewise in death, and over death. That which dissolves the mar- riage covenant among men, will not dissolve this: adultery will not do it; for God saith, "Though ye have played the harlot with many lovers, yet return unto me. Turn, ye backsliding children, for I am married unto you." Death cannot dis- solve it; yea, it brings you nearer to your cove- nanted God, where you shall ever rejoice in his presence. Though death robs worldly men of their poor happiness, and hungry heaven, yet it doth no harm to you : nay, when you find death begin to assault your tabernacle of clay, you may " lift up your head with joy; for behold the day of your redemption draweth nigh." You may sing with the psalmist, Psal. lxxiii. 26, " My flesh and heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." What though my eye and my heart-strings be ready to break, and the lamp of my life be like a candle burned to the socket, and near the going out; yet still God is my God and portion for ever? Thus Olevian, a dying saint, comforted him- self : " My hearing is gone, my smelling is gone, and my sight is going : my speech and feeling are almost gone; but the loving-kindness of God shall never depart from me." When the worldling's portion is gone, yours remains sure te you : lose what you will, you cannot lose that. Good cause had Habakkuk to say, Hab. iii. 17, 18, "Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be on the vines, &c, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of my salvation." 0 believer, the more you view your portion, you will find the more ground for your rejoicing therein: for in God you have all things you need; all things you can desire; yea, more than "eye hath seen, car heard, or heart can conceive." But, secondly, as you ought to go from this ordinance rejoicing in God, so likewise in the ways of God; and like Jehoshaphat, you ought to have your hearts lifted up in the ways cf the Lord. Put on holy resolutions to proceed with zeal, delight, and alacrity in the way of God's commandments: your hearts should now he enlarged to run and sing in his ways, and go about every duty with pleasure. Stedfastly resist every sin, and especially the sin that hath most easily beset you, your predominant sin, your beloved idol: abhor both inward and outward sins; flee drunkenness, uncleanness, swearing, lying, cheat- ing, Sabbath- breaking, &c. Make religion your main work, and make conscience of heart-holi- ness: study to live near Christ, make use of him and constantly depend on him for righteousness and strength. Study to perform the duties both of the first and second table: carefully observe family duties and secret prayer. In a word, go on cheerfully in the ways of piety and devotion, and especially in those duties wherein communion and correspondence with God is to be obtained and kept up. Go on joyfully in the ways of jus- tice and honesty, meekness and peace, temperance and sobriety, charity and beneficence, humility and self-denial; and trust in your covenanted God RISING FROM THE LORD'S TABLE. 229 for covenant strength and furniture for every good word and work. IV. In going from the Lord's table, you ought to mix your joy and praises with a holy fear and trembling; and }'ou have great cause for this, when you consider, 1. Your manifold shortcomings in this solemn approach to God. Surely your souls were not cleansed according to the purification of the sanc- tuary, your preparation was defective in the sight of God. Have you not cause to be ashamed that your hearts were not more deeply affected with the great sights presented to your view, and the glorious things put in your offer? Have you not ground to be humbled for the coldness of your hearts, the waverings of your minds, the deadness of your spirits, and carnality of your affections, when you was about this heavenly and spiritual work ? Alas for the weakness of our graces, the inconstancy of our frames, and the manifold infir- mities which cleave to our best performances! Had we no more sin to answer for, but the iniqui- ties of our holy things, they would be too heavy for us to bear. Let us be humbled under the 6ense of them, and look to our great High-priest to make atonement for them. 2. You have cause to be humbled and fear, considering the manifold dangers you are exposed to, and enemies you are environed with, who are never more busy than after a sacrament, and our being admitted to nearness with God. Christ, immediately after his baptism, and the solemn manifestation he had from heaven, was led away to be tempted of the devil, Matt. iv. 1. And it was after the Lord's supper that Christ told his disciples, that " Satan desired to have them, that he might sift them as wheat," Luke xxii. 31. It was after Paul was wrapped up to the third heaven, that he was in hazard of being exalted above measure, or puffed lip with pride, and therefore had a messenger of Satan sent to bullet him, 2 Cor. xii. Have you got any thing of the riches of Christ, and the treasures of heaven, at this ordinance? Then look well to yourselves that you lose it not, for the devil is going about seeking to rob you thereof : therefore be not lifted Up or secure, but be humble and watchful, and walk circumspectly. SECT. II.— CONTAINING DIRECTIONS HOW TO BEHAVE WHEN TOU GO HOME TO YOUR CLOSETS AND RETIRING PLACES. Think not your work over on a communion Sabbath, wuen you arc come home from the church: but as soon as possible retire. I. For prayer. You should be more bent upon prayer now than ever. The Psalmist, when God had dealt kindly with him, resolves therefore that he will call upon God as long as he lived, Psal. exvi. 2. This is a strange return he would give God for former favours: he would go and beg new favours from him, and he the more closely about his hand; I will love God, and love prayer the better all my days. This is not the manner of men, but God is delighted with such a return. Quest. But what shall we pray for now ? Can God give more than what he hath given us in the sacrament? Ans. Though God hath here given you the seal of the covenant, and a right to all its privi- leges and promises; yet he will be inquired of by you for the particular application and accomplish- ment of them: you must put God to his word, and pray with the psalmist, Psal. cxix. 49, " Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. Be it to thy servant according to thy word." Again, you should pray that God may continue and preserve any good frame or tenderness of heart, spiritual motions and resolutions, or any warmness of affec- tions and desires that have been wrought in you by this ordinance; for our hearts are ready to cool, and our goodness to vanish " like the morn- ing clouds and the early dew:" you have need therefore to pray with David, 1 Chron. xxix. 18, " Lord, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of my heart:" and, Psal. lxviii. 28, "Strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us." Your hearts are naturally deceitful, and your feet bent to backsliding; pray as in Psal. xvii. 5, " Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not." You have no strength in yourselves to keep the promises, and perform the vows to the Lord which you have made: there- fore beg from your covenanted God, that he may furnish you for every good word and work; for "it is he that worketh in you both to will and to do." II. Self-examination is a duty most necessary on the back of this solemn ordinance, as well as before it. Review your carriage at it, so that you may be humbled for defects, or thankful for attainments; cast up your accounts, and see what you have gained at this gospel-market. Will you not be as wise for your souls, as you are for your bodies? Were you at a market trading for the things of this world, you would take this course after you had como from it: but O "what will it profit you, though you should gain the whole world, if you should lose your souls?" There arc two things you should carefully search into when you come home from the Lord's table : 1 . If you had sincerity in covenanting with God. 2. If you had his gracious presence with you in this ordinance. Q i.est. 1 . How shall I know if I have sincerely transacted irith God at his table, and if he hath taken me into the bond of his covenant? Ans. 1. It is of great consequence for you to 230 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. know this; for it is not every one that externally rccciveth the seal of God's covenant, that is really taken into the hond of it : many thousands deceive themselves in this matter. You may discover your sincerity in covenanting, by reviewing the frame and condition your souls were in when you were about it, and by considering the frame and disposition they are in now. I. "What was the frame of your souls when you were transacting with God?" 1. "Were you low and vile in your own eyes, and deeply humbled under a sense of your own un worthiness and ill-deserving; so that you were made to say with the centurion, from the bottom of your heart, "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof ; I have lived all my days in rebellion against thee; the bottom- less pit is my due ? " Then this is a good sign of thy being brought within the covenant, according to Ezek. xvi. 62, 63. 2. Were you weary of the burden of sin? Did you groan under it as a heavy load ? Were you sensible that it was "too heavy for you to bear?" as the psalmist was, Psal. xxxviii. 3. Then it is a good sign; for it is to such that Christ affords rest in his covenant. 3. Did your souls long and pant for Christ, as the hunted hart for the water-brooks, the scorched ground for a refreshing shower, or a condemned man for a remission? Was it your cry, "None but Christ, give me Christ, or else I die: Lord Jesus, here is a poor beggar for thy bounty, a dis- eased Lazarus for thy cure, an empty belly for thee to fill, a naked back for thee to cover: never was there a soul that stood more in need of thee than I." Then this is a good token: for, wherever there is true faith, it empties the soul, discovers want and misery in ourselves, and great fullness in Christ. Faith comes with an empty vessel to Christ's open fountain, it comes with an open mouth to his full feast, and with an empty hand to his rich treasure. 4. Were you in a resigning frame when you took the seal of the covenant into your hand? For faith, as it embraces and lays hold on Christ, so it delivers up the soul to Christ ; and as it takes Christ wholly, so it gives up the soul wholly to him. Did you give all you are, and all you have, your children, relations, honours, estates, interests, time, talents, health, strength, and all to Christ, to be disposed of, and employed by him, according to his pleasure? Then this is a good mark of thy sincerity. 5. Were you in a renouncing frame, wiling to part with every lust, and put a bill of divorce in the hands of every Delilah or beloved idol? Then it is a good sign; for every sincere soul will say, at such a time, Ephraim, "What have I to do any more with idols?" II. Consider the frame and disposition of your souls since you came from the Lord's table; for you may find out your sincerity hereby. 1. Ask your souls that question, which Christ himself once asked the Pharisees, Matt. xxii. 42, " What think ye of Clu-ist?" Covenanted souls, to be sure, will have a very high opinion of him ; for "to all who believe he is precious." Can you say, then, that you have high and admiring thoughts of Christ, and that you wonder at his beauty: once I was at peace without Christ, but now I see nothing but fire and wrath out of him: once I saw little beauty in him, and said, as the daughters of Jerusalem said to his spouse, "What is thy beloved more than another beloved?" But now I see him altogether lovely: yea, I see not only a matchless beauty in his person, but also in his way, his word, his ordinances, his peo- ple; nay, in his very cross, and every thing that belongs to him. 2. All covenanted souls will be mightily pleased with the contrivance, frame, and design of the covenant; they will say, "It is well ordered in all things:" they will be satisfied with all the articles of it, and with all the offices and relations of Christ; they will be content to be governed hy his laws, as well as to be justified by his righte- ousness. All they who have entered into a mar- riage-covenant with Christ will look to his person more than to his patrimony, and they will em- brace his precepts as well as his promises. Try, therefore, if it be so with you. Are you pleased with the design of the covenant, viz. to exalt free grace? Would you have Christ all and your- selves nothing? Would you be content with heaven, though it were for no more than to stand an eternal monument of free grace, and that you might, with others, join in your note to glorify and exalt it? Do you love still to cry, "not unto us, not unto us, but to Christ be the glory?" Then this is a good sign you are within the bond of this covenant. 3. Have you heart-melting thoughts at the remembrance of Christ's wounds? Are you sensibly touched for your sins that pierced him, resolved, through his grace, to pierce him no more, and that you will never give any harbour to those traitors that put to death the Son of God? Then it is a sign you have eyed him by faith at his ] table, and taken hold of his covenant. 4. If you be his covenanted friends, you will resolve to obey every commanded duty, John xv. 14. And remember this, ye will resolve to perform covenanted-duties in a covenant-way, in a _ method; i. c, ye will do all out of love and gratitude to your benefactor and Redeemer; ye will do all to glorify him : ye will go out of your- selves even to Christ for strength, and depend on him for all. BEHAVIOUR AFTER PARTAKING. 231 Quest. 2. How shall I know if I have met with Christ at his table, and enjoyed any thing of his gracious presence there ? Ans. Christ hath many ways of visiting his people, and holding communion with them; and though he hath not done it in the way you were expecting, do not conclude that he hath not done it at all. 1. He sometimes draws near his people in this ordinance, by bringing light to their understand- ings and making gracious discoveries to their souls. Sometimes he discovers to us his great- ness and purity, so as to humble us to the dust, and make us seem nothing in our own eyes, and confess we are the vilest of sinners, and wonder that we are out of the pit: so was it with these holy men, Job xl. 4 : Isa. vi. 3. — Sometimes he discovers his goodness and mercy, in giving his Son to die for such wretches, and offering pardon to such rebels: and thereby he sheds abroad his love into our hearts, and melts them in tears, confessions, and thankful resentments of his love, as in Luke vi. 44; 1 Tim. i. 16. — Sometimes he discovers Christ to be altogether lovely, sin to be altogether vile, the world to be altogether vain, holiness to be altogether necessary, and heaven to be altogether glorious. 2. He kindly visits his people, when he draws out their graces to a lively exercise, and parti- cularly sends his quickening Spirit to melt their hearts into the exercise of repentance and mourn- ing for sin, or to sharpen their faith, and enable them to lean on Christ for pardon and salvation, and say with that poor man, "Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief:" — Or when he kindles love in the heart, and makes it burn while he talks to them, and opens the scriptures, as he did to the two disciples going to Emmaus; or help you to say with Peter, "Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee:" — Or when he draws out the desires, longings, and pantings of the soul after himself, and makes us thirst after him. Hence we see what a mistake many are in, who think there is no communion with Christ but by sensible consolations and manifestations of his love: for where there is a holy shame, grief, and sorrow, wrought in tne soul for sin, it is as real an evidence of his gra- cious presence, as when the soul is affectionately melted into love, praises, and joy. Though Christ come not to you by the higher way yet be thank- ful if he come in the lower way. 3. Christ holds communion with his people in this ordinance, by strengthening them for duty, and making them delight in his service, and count it their meat and drink to do his will, and reckon "oncdayin his courts worth a thousand elsewhere." 4. When he intimates his special love and favour to their souls, which he doth in many ways, by dissolving their doubts and fears, scatter- ing their clouds, shining on their graces, and clearing up their evidences; or whispering by his Spirit into their consciences, " Fear not, I am your salvation: be of good cheer, all your sins are forgiven you : the Lord hath put away thy sins, thou shalt not die." It is by this way the Lord sometimes brings his people into the ban- queting-house, satisfies them, as with marrow and fatness, makes them to hear the voice of joy and gladness, fills them with peace that passes understanding, with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory. It is thus that he kisses them with the kisses of his mouth, i. e., applies the comforts of his promises, which are the sweet words of his mouth, yea, sweeter to them than honey or the honey comb: it is here that he makes them to drink of the rivers of his pleasures, brings them to his holy mountain; and makes them joyful in his house of prayer: it is here he "brings them out of the miry clay, sets their feet upon a rock, establishes their goings, and puts a new song in their mouth, even praises to our God." It might be proper in this place to speak to the cases of several sorts of communicants: but having done this pretty fully in my Sacramental Catechism, I shall here speak only to two sorts. I. Those who, after secret self-examination, and reviewing of their communicating, are put to complain that they do not find any comfort or spiritual advantage by the solemn ordinance of which they have been partaking. II. Those who cannot but acknowledge, to the praise of free grace, that they have been kindly dealt with, and privileged with special manifes- tations of God's love and favour at this holy ordinance. First, As to the first sort of communicants. There are sometimes found not a few of God's people who, on the back of their communicating, are in a desolate condition. " 0," saith one, " 1 have examined myself since I came from the Lord's table, and reviewed my communicating ; and I fear I have not met with Christ there, nor got any comfort or spiritual advantage by the ordination. I think God is angry with me; and what shall I do?" Ans. 1. Granting it be so that thou hast got no benefit by this ordinance, beware of laying the blame in the least upon the Master of the feast, who is a bountiful Lord, and delights in mercy ; but leave your complaint entirely upon yourself, and search for the cause of your disappointment in yourself. And it is likely, upon due search, you will find, that either you have been slight in your preparations for the duty: your appetite hath not been sharpened with a sense of spiritual wants; you have not been watchful over your heart, either before, in time of, or after commu- 232 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. nicating; or perhaps you have gone ahout this work too much inyourownstrength, without look- ing to God for strength and quickening in the gos- pel method. Jacob told his wives, Gen. xxxi., " I see your father's countenance, it is not toward me as before." Now what was the reason of it? "Jacob (say Laban's sons) hath taken away all that was our father's," he hath enhanced his riches. Well, hast thou dealt thus with thy heavenly Father? Hast thou robbed him of his glory in any measure by thy self-confidence ? Then it is no wonder that his countenance was not so pleasant toward thee as at other times. Be hum- ble then for your defects and short-comings: and say, " Lord, thou art righteous, but I am wicked." 2. God may hide his face from his people at the sacrament, either for their trial, or for their spiritual improvement and advantage. He may hereby try you how you will behave under such a dispensation; if you will love him and cleave to him, even when he hides himself, or frowns upon you. Do not despond, 0 believer, though God appear to frown, or to speak bitter things against yon; but cleave still to him by faith, and bless his name that he is at all in speaking terms with you, and not wholly silent to you, as he is to many, upon whom he will not bestow a reproof, but gives them up to walk after the counsels of their own hearts. It is a great mercy to have God rebuking us for our good. But the Lord may be hiding himself, to raise in you the greater earnestness and fervency in seeking after him. Thus he dealt with the spouse, Cant. iii. 3. She was too lazy and careless in her inquiries for him, therefore he retires; and there- upon she rose from her sloth, and went through all the streets of the city in quest of him, saying, "Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? Tell him that I am sick of love." It were happy if your disappointment had the same effect on you, to make you rise and seek him more earnestly, and go further than you did before. The spouse went a little further, she went further than the watch- men, before she found him whom her soul loved; and so must you. You must go further than ministers, ordinances, or sacraments; go and look beyond all to Christ himself. Go also further in respect of diligence, sincerity, spirituality, and heart-holiness. Do as blind Bartimeus did, when he thought Christ was like to pass by him with- out noticing him, Luke xviii. 39, "He cried so much the more," q. d. Lord, pass not by me, allow me one word from thy blessed mouth, one crumb from thy gracious hand. O believer, do not limit God to the precise time of communicat- ing, your feast may be yet to come; for the ban- queting-house is not yet shut, though the com- munion-table be uncovered: therefore, lie still at the door, and cry so much the more, "Lord, others arc served, and not I: hast thou not one blessing for me, even for me, O my Father? Lord, I cannot depart without it; I must even die at thy threshold." Thus pray in faith, and wait in hope, and God will come in due time. "It is good that thy soul should botb hope, and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord." 3. God's people do sometimes get gracious tokens of his bounty, and marks of his favour, when they are not well sensible of it ; so that they have cause to say with Jacob at Bethel, Gen. xxviii. 16, "Surely God was in this place, and I knew it not." There may be real communion, when there is no sensible communion. The hearts of the two disciples going to Einmaus, burned with love to Christ, and Christ conversed with them, when yet they knew it not. Or they may sometimes reckon what they have got at the sacrament to be nothing, because they got not what they were expecting. They were perhaps expecting peace, comfort, or joy, which they have not found; and this makes them overlook any revivings and smokings of grace which now are begot in their hearts. Hast thou, O communi- cant, got a crumb of grace, do not undervalue it, though it be small, but be humble and thankful for it, for surely it is more than you deserve. It is not good manners for a stranger, when invited to a great man's table, to carve for himself; there- fore he content with God's carving for you, and bless him he hath not sent you to the table of devils, and given you a portion with the damned. Many are apt to think nothing is a feast, unless they get smiles from God, joy, peace, and sensi- ble manifestations of his love: but there may he great bounty shown to us without these; parti- cularly, if you have got any more sense of sin's evil, or concern for the hardness of your hearts ; if you have got any higher esteem of Christ, and of the contrivance of salvation through his media- tion; if you have anymore hunger and thirst after Christ, any more love to holiness and the ways of Christ, any more desire after his presence in duties and ordinances, any more sense of your need of the fountain of his blood: then all these are gracious tokens of Iris bounty to your souls, for which you have cause to bless and magnify the Lord. We may enjoy the saving influences of the Spirit, when we do not feel his more abun- dant consolations. God may graciously accept of us, hold communion with us, and seal our pardon to us, though he do not testify it by giving in extraordinary joys. The truest communion with God is to enjoy communion with him in his graces, whereby our souls are made conformable unto God, and are stamped with his image. Well, if you have got any more grace, be thankful to God, though you have got no more comfort. Though you do not spring upward in joy, bless BEHAVIOUR AFTER PARTAKING. 233 God if you root yourselves more downward in humility. Though you do not enjoy much of God in the ordinances here, yet be thankful if you get your desires more enlarged after the full enjoy- ment of God above. The kindness of God must not be overlooked, nor the day of small things despised; but the least crumb of grace is to be noticed and received with thankfulness, and this is the way to get more. We arc not to judge of our profiting in duty, and of our gaining by ordinances, by our present feeling and receiving of sensible comforts: for the souls of God's people may be in a thriving state of grace, even when they are much cast down and sharply exercised. Let us then seriously reflect upon our communicating, and see if we can say that our hearts were single and sincere in the per- formance of the duty, and in our covenanting with God, and if we continue stedfast with God therein; this may administer ground of comfort to us, upon our after-reflection, though our souls were not lifted up with joy and comfort in the time of performance. God looks not so much to people's sudden fits of passion, or flashes of affec- tion, as he doth to the bent and tendency of a sincere soul. Let none then go from this ordinance with any harsh thoughts of Christ, or at all to give credit to these evil reports that Satan and our wicked hearts would bring up upon his good ways: but let us still love and praise him, and speak to the commendation of his grace and bounty whatever way he take in dealing with us. Though we should get no more from him, surely it is great matter of praise, if he continue to strive with us by his Spirit, when he lets others fall dead asleep; if lie keep us waking and restless without him, when he suffers others to lie still in careless security; if he keep us still hoping and waiting in the way of duty, when others are sunk into the gulf of despair. Whoever they be that sincerely "trust in God's mercy, their hearts shall at last rejoice in his salvation," Psal. xiii. 5. Secondly, As to the second sort of communi- cants before mentioned, namely, those of God's people, who cannot but acknowledge, to the praise of free grace, that they have been kindly dealt with at his table; they have been privileged with special manifestations of God's love and favour at this holy ordinance. Well then, O believers, hath the Lord distin- guished you from others at this occasion? Hath lie taken you into his banqueting house, and dealt bountifully with your souls? Hath he feasted you with the goodness of his house, and allowed you his gracious presence, and the special intima- tions of his love? Then to be sure, you are under the highest obligations of love and gratitude to him: God looks for more at your hands than others, be careful to give him suitable returns, and improve what you have got to his glory. And, for that end, I shall give you the following advices. I. Delight and solace yourselves in his presence ; say, as in Psal. cxvi, "Return to thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee :" make Christ's love and favour the beloved centre of your soul. How much did Peter solace himself in that manifestation of Christ's love and glory he had on the mount of transfiguration? "It is good for us, said he, to be here, let us build three tabernacles, one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias." Not a word of build- ing one for himself: he was so satisfied and delighted with the glory he saw in Christ, that he was content to lie without doors to behold it: neither cold nor rain could make him faint or weary. II. Is Christ come into your soul? Take care to entertain him suitably, and attend him duly ; wander not from his presence, but keep close by him, and follow hard after him, that you may be able to say with the Psalmist, " I am continually with thee; I will lie down with thoughts of him at night, and when I awake I will be still with him." Beware of any thing that may be uneasy to him ; it is a pity that such a blessed guest should meet with any disturbance, or be smoked out of the house by sin: O then lay a strict charge on all your lusts, corruptions, and worldly thoughts, to depart, that they "stir not up nor awake your beloved, till he please," according to Cant. ii. 7. III. Earnestly entreat him to stay with you : say, "Lord, be not as a wayfaring man, that turns aside to lodge for a night, or a short time: but be thou my constant guest." And when he attempts to go away, strive to detain and hold him by prayer, as Abraham did Christ, Gen. xviii. 3, " My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away from thy servant :" and with the two disciples going to Emmaus, Luke xxiv. 29, say, "Lord, abide with us; for it is towards evening, the day is far spent : and it is said, they constrained him, and he went to tarry with them." In like manner, plead with Christ, Lord it is towards night, and I know not what a black cloud is coming on me or the church; I need thy strengthening presence before hand: Lord, stay with me a while; I know not how far I may go, and what storms I may meet with, before I get another such meal. IV. Set conscience to the watch-tower of thy soul, charge it to keep its post, and strictly exa- mine all that go out, and all that come in, what thoughts go out from the heart, and what temp- tations are seeking to come in: and when lusts come knocking at the gate, seeking entrance into the heart, answer them according to that word, Ezek. xliv. 2, 3, "It is for the prince: the Lord God hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be 2 G 234 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY shut;" it shall be patent to none but Christ. 0 it is sad when coascience falls asleep, suffers an enemy to come up to the gates, and enter into the city, without giving warning. Charge conscience then to watch, and give timcous warning against every lust and temptation, against every declining of affections or backsliding of heart, and against every wrong or untender step that may blot your evidences or darken your sky; for though a believer cannot lose his salvation, yet he may lose the joy of his salvation, Psal. li., and be left to grope in the dark in a most uncomfortable state, without sun orstarsappearing to him for many days. V. Delight to think on Christ. "Let your meditation of him be sweet; remember him on your bed, and meditate on him in the night watches; let him lie as a bundle of myrrh all night betwixt your breasts," that is, in your heart. Carry him up and down in your thoughts all the day: mind what a view you got of Christ at his own table, think on what he has done and suf- fered; what a sea of wrath, what a sea of blood, a sea of tears, a sea of sufferings and sorrows he waded through to bring redemption and pardon to you. If we rightly considered what cost and pains Christ hath been at for us, we might won- der how he should be one whole hour together out of his people's minds : O what a shame is it to forget him! We see a worldly man doth not forget to think of his money, lands, buildings, and plantings, for a whole day or week to an end : but alas! we weary to think on precious Christ and heaven for an hour or two. O let us lament this plague, and beseech our blest Physician to cure it. VI. The more you see of Christ and his beauty, be still desirous of further discoveries of it : if you have shared of this holy feast, you will find it both satisfies and begets an appetite. Xo doubt Moses was ravished with divine contemplations through the forty days he conversed with God in the mount ; yet, after he comes down from it, he still longs for more, and cries, Exod. xxxiii. 18, "I beseech thee, show me thy glory." In like man- ner, thirst and pray for further discoveries of the King in his beauty. VII. Take pleasure in commending Christ to others, and showing what a lovely Saviour and choice master he is: invite them to come, taste, and see that God is good. Let his name be sweet and savoury to you, delight in mentioning it. How sweet was his name to Paul ? For in 1 Cor. i. and the first thirteen verses of that chapter, he mentions his name no less than twelve times: could never get enough of that sweet name Jesus, that rings with salvation: he sometimes there mentions it twice in one verse. VIII. Remember that Satan envies you, and eyes you as a pirate doth a richly loaden ship, and will do what he can, either to rob you of your treasure, or give you a troublesome voyage: you may expect trials on the back of this feast, and it may be from hands that ye would little expect; but resolve, whatever temptations come, or winds blow, that you will cleave to your Master, and never weary of his "work and service: say to him as the Hebrew servant to his master, Deut. xv. 16, "I will not go away from thee, because I love thee and thine house, and because I am well with thee." I am sure, O believer, thou hast far better reason to say so than any else; there is no drudgery in Christ's service, you have the best master, the best work, and the best wages: have not you found liim kind to you at this time? Will you ever forget it? You have at this time eaten plentifully of his bread. " O do not lift up the heel against him ;" never betray him, nor give a wound to his interest any more. IX. Be much concerned for his glory, and for the advancement of his kingdom. Pity those who are strangers to him, and pray for them; send portions to them for whom nothing is provided: pity others who have not got your length, and put in a word for them ; pray for a crumb to them from that full table at which you have been feed- ing so plentifully. X. Hath Christ been dealing more kindly with you than others? Then he expects you will do more for him than others, Matt. v. 47. He hath done singular things for you; see that you do sin- gular things for him: carry as becomes his pecu- liar people. Be not content with common mer- cies, or such portions as bastards may have: be not content with common conversation; live not as the men of the world, whose hearts are set on things below, but five above the world, have your feet where other men's heads are. Show so much humility, mortification, patience, heavenliness, and charity in your walk, that the world may not only take notice that you have been with Jesus, but that you design to lodge and live eternally with Jesus. Live not according to common examples, but set Clirist and his saints before you for patterns : and whatever others do about you, resolve to stand for Christ, though it were alone; say with Joshua, " As for me and my house we will serve our covenanted God." XL Labour to keep still up a lively and spirit- ual frame of soul, and beware of losing what you have; be sensible that you are not able to main- tain it more than to beget it: you have many ene- mies seeking to rob you of it; walk with a holy suspicion and jealousy, as a traveller, having much money about him, suspects every one he meets for a thief. Delight in Christian fellowship; one live coal helps both to kindle others and to keep them bttming, Heb. x. 24, 25, " Let us consider one another, to provoke to love and good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, BEHAVIOUR AFTER PARTAKING. 235 03 the manner of some is, but exhorting one another." Again, be tender and circumspect in your walk; for a tender walk keeps up a tender frame. Beware of the cares of the world and earthly-mindedness; for if you thrust a knife into the earth, it blunts its edge. Frequent sacra- mental occasions, and those heart-warming ordi- nances which God appointed for your soul's advantage. Call your hearts frequently to account; say, " O my soul, how is it with thee now? Time was thou hadst a good frame, good motions and desires: what is become of you now? Such a chamber, such a place in the field, such a church or communion table, can witness the melt- ings of thy heart and flowings of thine affections towards Christ and things above: where are they now? But above all, be much in secret prayer, and in the exercise of faith on Christ the fountain of life : intrust your hearts and frames to his keep- ing, who is your great Friend and Surety; say believingly with the psalmist, " Lord, be surety for thy servant for good : into thy hands, 0 Lord, I commit my spirit; for thou hast redeemed me, 0 God of truth." Let thine everlasting arms be underneath me, and hold up my goings. Plead for the constant supplies of his Spirit, that he, who is as the dew to Israel, may afford oil to your chariot wheels, and wind to your empty sails. You have need to watch and pray, for Satan is still going about; this old crooked ser- pent can wind himself in at a very narrow hole ; he hath many cold frosty winds to freeze up your affections, many deceitful charms to lull you asleep; you may sleep, but he never sleeps. O communi- cant, watch ; for if he find you asleep, he will soon steal away the living child, and lay a dead one in its room : God save you from this dead sleep. XII. Have you tasted of God's goodness at this occasion? Sit not down satisfied in what you have got; but let it excite in you earnest longings for heaven, where the full feast is. These are but the foretastes and first-fruits of the pro- mised land, sent to wean your hearts from the world, and sharpen your desires after the Canaan that is above, where these first-fruits grow and are full ripe. A communion Sabbath is the likest thing we have in the world to that everlasting Sabbath that is above: but how small are the comforts of this lower table, if compared with the higher table? "What is a sacrament feast here, to the marriage supper of the Lamb? What is drinking of the fruit of the vine here, to the drinking it new with Christ in his Father's king- dom, where the glorious heavens will be the room, and the heavenly host the attendants? Here we feed on Christ by symbols and sacra- ments, and have but bad appetites; but there they enjoy and see him as he is: here are many traitors and unworthv communicants, that thrust themselves in among the children; but there no Judas, no unfurnished guest can come, nor any thing that can impair the glory of that feast. AVhat is the singing of psalms here, to the music of angels there? Had you been with the shep- herds, Luke ii., and seen the angels, and heard the multitude of the heavenly host praising God. saying, " Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, good- will towards men," you would never have forgot that glorious sight and sound; but O that is little to what you shall see and hear above. The greatest manifestations of God here below are but a faint shadow of the beatific vision above. When Moses was talking a little with God in thu mount, and saw his back parts from the clefts of the rock, it made his face so glorious that the people could not behold it without a vail : but O how will Moses' face and all about him shine now ! It was little that he saw then, to what he sees now, and what we, if believers, will see ere long. Peter was so transported on the mount with a sight of Christ's transfiguration, and Moses and Elias talking with him, that he was in an ecstacy of admiration, and said, " Master, it is good for us to be here, let us build tabernacles," q. d. Let us dwell still here, and not go down to yon vain empty world again; here is better company and purer delights. But O how much more is Peter ravished with wonder now ! This was but a small part of that glory which Peter and the saints above see there. O believers, you ought in a communion day to get up to the mount of meditation, as Moses did to the mount Nebo, and view this promised land; and as ye see it, you ought to long for it, and also " rejoice in hope of the glory of God," and say, " 0 shall I ere long join with that one hundred and forty-four thousand that follow the Lamb? Shall I bear a part in that heavenly concert? Shall all tears be wiped from my eyes ? Shall my poor dying body be turned into a glorious star? Shall I be for ever with the Lord, and drink of the rivers of pleasure that run clear as crystal alongst the banks of eternity, and whose streams make glad the city of God? And shall not my heart leap for joy at the prospect of it? The night is far spent, and the day is at hand, the sun is at the rising; and will not a believer rejoice in hope of it?" The wise men, when they but saw the star that pointed out where Christ was, yet it is said, " They rejoiced with exceeding great joy," Matt, ii. 10. But, O believing communicant, thou wilt shortly see the Star of Jacob, namely, Christ himself, who is the "bright morning star," shining in his glory; .and will not that cause far more joy to thee? If the disciples returned from the sepulchre with great joy, when they but got the news that Christ was risen from the dead; 236 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. what joy will it be to thee, to see him raised and reigning in his glory, and thyself raised from the grave to reign eternally with him? "Well then, let a communion day, and the com- forts of it, put thee in mind of that happy state, and raise suitable desires and affections in thee towards it, and make thee long and say, " Lord, these joys are too great to enter into me now; O make me fit to enter into them!" Lastly, As far as time and strength can allow, the evening of a communion Sabbath should be spent in secret and family duties. I acknowledge our frail bodies may be much fatigued by our long attendance, intensencss, and abstinence this day: but 0 if we could say this evening (and particu- larly ministers and elders, who had greater work this day upon their hands than others) that though we may be weary with our work, yet we arc not weary of this work ; for it is Christ's work, which is both pleasant and profitable, and carries its own reward in its bosom! And since your bodies must be refreshed this night, and you must entertain some fellowship with others, there ought to be a more divine and heavenly air upon your conversations at this time than ordinary: let your carriage and discourse be such as becomes those who have been on the mount this day with God, that others may take notice of you, that you have been with Jesus. When you see the table covered this night, or supper set upon it, you may think or say, "Now I am come from a communion-table to a com- mon-table; from tasting of upper-springs, to share of the nether-sinings; from feeding on manna, to eat the bread that perisheth: how great is the change of my fare! Lord, let not this table be a snare to me, nor in any way tend to divert my mind either from the sweet table I have been at, or that blest table above I would be at." We may likewise take occasion to admire the infinite bounty and goodness of God to both our souls and bodies: O what pains and cost he is at with us! At our common table we sec his beast killed to maintain the life of our bodies, and at the communion-table we have seen his dear Son slain to preserve the life of our souls. In the last place, keep a watchful eye upon all your thoughts and words this night; look well to the frames of your souls. Hath God shed abroad his love this day in your hearts ? keep yourselves in the love of God. Lie down this night with sweet thoughts of Christ, fervently praying for a rich blessing upon the day's work, and for his gracious presence on the morrow, that the last day of the feast may be the greatest and sweetest. SECT. III. — CONTAINING DIRECTIONS TO ALL COMMUNICANTS IN GENERAL, CONCERNING THEIR AFTER CONVERSATION IN T1IK WORLD. Remember you have been covenanting with God, and taking solemn vows on yourselves at the Lord's table; see that your conversation he suitable hereunto. You have been admitted to great honours and special privileges: see then that ye show your thankfulness to God, the author of your mercies, by the love of your hearts, the praises of your lips, and cxemplariness of your lives. But more particularly, observe these fol- lowing Directions, I. "Study to be true and faithful soldiers to your General, whose colours you have solemnly sworn to ? " You have come under a sacramental oath- to God; see that you keep it sacred and inviolable. The psalmist gives it as a mark of a man that will go to heaven, Psal. xv., that he keeps his oaths and promises, even though it should be to his hurt and prejudice. How much more, then, should a man be careful to keep his oaths and engagements he comes under to God in the sa- crament, Avhcn it is greatly for his good and advantage so to do? O communicant, be faithful to the Captain of your salvation, abide by his standard, desert him not in the day of battle, go not over to his enemies' camp. Remember what he hath done and suffered for you, and let the love of Christ constrain you to abide with him. Plutarch tells us of the soldiers of Pompcy, that when he could not keep them in the camp by any persuasion, yet when Pompey threw himself on the ground, saying, If ye will go, ye shall trample on your general; it is said, they were overcome and persuaded to stay. So your gen- eral, Christ, when in the garden, threw himself on the ground, wrestling in an agon}-, to save you from sin, and stop your career to hell. 0 then do not trample on your general, but stop your self- destroying course, and abide with jour Saviour. We read, 2 Sam. xx. 12., that David's soldiers were inarching very fast, when they saw the dead body of Amasa lying in the way, (viz. the general wallowing in blood) they stopped their march and stood still. O communicant, though formerly thou hast been marching furiously in the ways of sin, yet when thou seest the mangled, wounded, pierced, and crucified body of thy Savi- our before thee, thou shouldtt stop thy course, and proceed no further. O do not trample on thy wounded General, do not despise his bleeding wounds, nor forget his dying love. Keep sted- fastly your sacramental oath, and never act con- trary to it. Beware of plotting against him, or corresponding with traitors. Let it never he heard, that any of Christ's sworn soldiers shall BEHAVIOUR AFTER PARTAKING. 237 either desert or betray their renowned General. If yon would be faithful soldiers to Clmst your General, then carefully obey his orders, courage- ously adhere to his interest, valiantly fight for his cause, and manfully resist his enemies, and abide by his standard to the very last. "Be thou faithful to the death, and thou shalt get the crown of life," Rev. ii. 10. II. "Study to be active and diligent in a course of new obedience, after the sacrament." You should now walk circumspectly, be more humble and pious towards God, more just and righteous towards man, and more sober and tem- perate towards yourselves. Have a sincere respect to every commanded duty: keep the sabbath more exactly, hear more attentively, pray more fervently, meditate more frequently, and see to watch over your hearts, your words, and your ways more diligently, that so you may please God, walk worthy of Christ, walk worthy of the covenant, of the sacrament, of the kingdom, of the gospel and grace of God. Let your present deportment be answerable to your future prefer- ment; and see tliat there be some proportion betwixt your privileges and your duties. It should be with a man after his communion with God in the sacrament, as it was with Jacob after his communion with God in Bethel, Gen. xxix. 1, "Then Jacob lifted up his feet, (as it is in the original) and came into the land of the people of the east." After Jacob had met with God, then he lifted up his feet, i. c, he went on his jour- ney with strength, with spirit and cheerfulness. So .after we liave had fellowship with God in the sacrament, we should, in the strength of that meal, lift up our feet, and go on cheerfully and resolutely in our journey towards heaven. Nay, we should, like Jehoshaphat, not only liave our hands and feet, but also our "hearts lifted up in the way of the Lord." We should now run his errand most cheerfully, sing in his ways, and serve him with alacrity. "When God calls us to any duty, we should presently answer the first intimation of his will, "speak, Lord, for thy ser- vant hearcth." O communicant, thou oughtest now to be swift to hear every one of God's calls; be like the psalmist, Psal. xxvii. 8, "When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek." Though before I liave neglected to seek thee in public with others, and in private by myself, and been, alas, very negligent in the duties of thy worship; yet now I will begin to read the scriptures, praise thy name, and pray diligently, not only in society with others, but also by myself in secret, and do all these duties of holiness mine oath at the sa- crament doth bind me unto. And see that you resolve and perform all these, leaning to the- btrength of your covenanted Redeemer. HI. "Abandon all your former known sins, and strictly guard against them after the sacrament." Remember what Paul saith, Eph. iv. 28, "Let hiin that stole, steal no more," &c. In like man- ner, say I, Let him that profaned God's name, profane it no more; let him that lied, lie no more; let him that used to break the sabbath, be drunk, cheat, be unclean, &c. do so no more. Hath Christ been washing you in the lavcr of his blood? 0 do not go back to wallow- in the mire. Did he speak peace to you at the table? O do not turn again to folly. Let never that be charged upon communicants that was laid to Israel's charge of old, Exod. xxxii. 6, "The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play." O will any sit down to cat and to drink at the Lord's table, and then rise up to play the wanton, play the pro- digal, play the apostate, and join with the enemies of God. Surely, O communicant, if thou shouldst do so, thy sins will not be of any ordinary dye ; they will be very heinously aggravated, and far more grievous and piercing to Jesus Christ than the sins of many others. David was not much troubled at Shimei's railing, but Absalom's rebellion pierced his very soul, 2 Sam. xvi. 11, "Behold my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeking my life." So may Christ say, The sins of the wicked arc no surprising thing, but the sins of communicants are very piercing: "He that did eat bread with me, hath lift up his heel against me." Psal. xli. 9. O believer, hath Christ delivered thee from sin and Satan, hell and wrath, and wilt thou rebel against thy deliverer? O wilt thou thus rcqiute the Lord for his marvellous loving-kindness! Mayest thou not say with the Jews, after their return from the Babylonish captivity, Ezra ix. 13, 14, "After such a deliverance as this, should 1 again break thy commandments, wouldst thou not be angry with me, till thou hadst consumed me?" If I should again join with the wicked, and return to my old sins, O what a dreadful place in hell might I look for? IV. "Keep a watchful eye and a strong guard against the temptations of Satan, upon the back of a sacrament." Satan is never more busy nor more violent to tempt and draw men to sin, than when they are new come from the Lord's table: why? He is exceedingly malicious, and hellish in his enmity against souls; and he knows, if he can draw them into sin upon the back of such a near approach to God, it is the way to make their sins out of mea- sure sinful before God, and exceedingly to widen the breach between God and their souls. Look how Sennacherib dealt with Ifczekiah after he had reformed the church, settled the worship of God, and put all in good order, 2 Cliron. xxxi. 238 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. 1. There it is said, "After these tilings and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of As- syria came and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself." In like manner doth Satan deal with communicants, after they have been at the sacrament, and have renewed their covenant with God and established their resolutions against the commission of sin, and for the performance of duty: after these things will the devil come with all his forces, and encamp against the fenced cities (the communicants' hearts), and seek to win them for himself. He hath an army of stratagems, wiles, devices, snares, and temptations, always at com- mand; and lays many ambushments against the communicant: O what need have we to be on our guard after such a solemn ordinance, and to labour to foresee and prevent Satan's hellish designs against us! It were- happy if we could say with the apostle, " We are not ignorant of his devices." O communicant, when Satan comes to tempt thee to sin after the sacrament, say, What ! wouldst thou have me perjured before God? Shall I, who have been at God's table, and have ate and drunk with him, lift up my heel against him? Shall I take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? Shall I defile that body wherein he hath chosen to reside ? Shall I force him out of his habitation by any impurity, or offend him by entertaining nauseous thoughts, or the vile suggestions of that unclean spirit ? Shall these hands, that have received the sacred elements, work deceit? Shall these eyes, that have been filled with tears at the Lord's table, be filled with lust or envy? Shall the mouth, that hath drunk of the consecrated wine, be full of rotten discourse? Imitate Joseph; when tempted flee with haste out of temptation's way, and say, " How shall I do this wickedness, and sin against God?" Or say with the spouse, " I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them; I have washed my soul, how shall I pollute it with sin? I have taken on with Christ, and how shall I turn my back on so good a master? " Get thee behind me, Satan." V. " Study that blessed art of improving and feeding on the sacrament, and a crucified Jesus represented therein, after you are gone from it." We should not only feed on Christ while at the sacrament, but we should continue to feed on Christ, the master of this feast, when the com- munion table is removed. As the Israelites in the wilderness, they did not only drink of the rock when they were at it, but after they were removed and gone from it, they still continued to drink of it. But how could that be? The apos- tle tells us that the rock followed them, 1 Cor. x. 4, that is, the water that issued out of the rock followed them as they journeyed, in all (here stages and removes. So when we are gone from the clefts of the rock that were streaming to us in the sacrament, we should continue to make use of these streams, and share of the virtue and efficacy of this water of life", which follows us, and streams after us, all the while we are travelling in the wilderness of this world, till wc come home to the heavenly Canaan. And as the streams of the rock not only followed, but also accompanied the Israelites, and run before them too; so we must have Christ with us, and depend on him in every step of our journey, and likewise have our eye still upon him as our guide and leader to heaven. O that we could learn the heavenly art of living by faith on the Son of God, by con- tinued dependence on him, and making applica- tion to him for righteousness and strength ; righteousness for removing our guilt, and justify- ing our persons before God; and strength for performing duties, conquering lusts, and bearing crosses! O that we could come with our daily sins and pollutions to a crucified Jesus, and make renewed and daily application of that blood we w^ere bathing our souls with in the sacrament! May we still drink of the spiritual rock, and daily find the virtue, efficacy, and benefit of the sacra- ment, following and streaming after us while we are in the wilderness! May we constantly medi- tate on the love and death of our lovely Jesus, carry the print of the nails in our hearts, and continually bear about with us the dying of the Lord Jesus; that we may still look to him, draw nourishment from him, and walk on in the strength of the spiritual meal we have been receiving, till we come to perfection! VI. " Endeavour to keep up the lively and lasting impression of the vows of God upon you." Consider seriously the engagements you have come under at the sacrament : you have done like the people of Judah in Nehemiah's time, Neh. x. 29, who entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God's law, and to observe and do all the com- mandments of the Lord. It is a solemn oath, and a fearful imprecation you come under at the Lord's table, to be faithful subjects and servants to Christ: you swear allegiance to the King of heaven, over the broken body and shed blood of the Lamb of God: you imprecate upon your- selves, that a cup of WTath may be put in your hands, instead of the cup of the new testament, if you deal falsely with God in his covenant, which you here seal. Now, if you perjure your- selves, consider the hazard; you incur not only all the curses of God's law, but the sore vengeance of his gospel also : you not only draw down upon you the wrath of a just God, but likewise the WTath of a merciful Mediator: and whom havo you to interpose for you, if he be against you? BEHAVIOUR AFTER PARTAKING. 239 O communicant, if thou shouldst like Samson break all these hands asunder, and venture to fetch that sacrifice away from the altar, which thou hadst tied to it with sucli strong cords of oaths, vows, and covenants; mayst thou not expect to bring fire from the altar along with it that will consume thee? There are some who remember their vows no longer than the sacrament lasts: while they are at the Lord's table, they have perhaps some sense of their obligations to serve God and leave sin; hut when they rise and depart from the table, the sense of their engagements departs from them. I have read of the Abyssines, that after the sacra- ment they think it not lawful for them to spit that day till the setting of the sun. This is super- stition in them; but yet their superstition will rise up in judgment against the profane carriage of many after the sacrament. Would they not spit that day? What shall we think of those who so soon forget their vows, that they do not stick to spit in Christ's face on that very day they eat his bread, by their loose and ungodly prac- tices afterwards? There are others not quite so gross, that will lay themselves under some restrictions for a day or two after the sacrament; but then, alas! they drop all their engagements, and return to their former sinful liberties. O! doth the sacramental covenant bind but for a day or two? Doth the efficacy of that solemn ordinance last no longer with you? Is not the bond thereof as strong on thy conscience the next month, or the next year, as the very day thou receivest? The sacrament of baptism is but once administered, and that in our infancy; and yet we own that the baptismal vow and covenant bindeth to the day of our death, though we should live an hundred years. Now, is it not the same covenant and vow we renew at the Lord's supper, which we make in baptism? Why then should not the bond in this sacrament be as binding and lasting as in the other? 0 communicant, keep up always upon thy spirit a fresh sense of thy sacramental covenant ; renew the impressions thereof every morning in thy secret retirements, .and then thou wilt be in better case to beat off all temptations to apostacy through the day. Say still to temptations, Tempt me not from my allegiance and fidelity: the vows of God are upon me, sealed at the sacrament, and recorded in heaven: not one of my fellow-com- municants but will be witnesses for God, that they saw me personally and publicly own and renew my covenant with him : wherefore, for my oath's sake, and those that sat with me, I will not do this evil, and sin against God. Shall I alienate and pollute the heart so solemnly devoted to God? Shall I make light of my oath, turn disloyal to my King, and false to my God? Shall I ever be so ingrate or perfidious, as forget his kindness to me, or my vows to him? Shall ho escape that doth such things? or shall he break the covenant and be delivered? Thou hast great need to pray that God may fix the lasting impression of thy vows upon thy heart, for it is naturally deceitful, prone to forget God, and gad after the vanities of time. Cry with the psalmist, Psal. cxix. 3G, 37, " Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not unto covetousness: turn away mine eyes from behold- ing vanity, and quicken thou me in thy way." Let me never be so eager upon the world, as to forget to retire to converse with my Saviour: let me never so perplex myself with worldly busi- ness, as to omit to pray, to meditate, to read, and sing due praises to my God. No, no; I will say to the world and all time's things, I am not at my own disposal: "I have sworn, and will perform, that I will keep God's righteous judg- ments." O how deeply am I obliged to him that has paid my debt ! What shall I render unto the Lord? Lord, though I can do nothing that is satisfactoiy, let me do something gratulatory. Christ gave himself a sin-offering for me, let me give myself a thank-offering to him, let me offer up myself a living sacrifice to my Redeemer, who offered up himself a dying sacrifice for my redemption. VII. " See that you crucify sin, after you have been seeing Christ crucified set forth before your eyes in the sacrament." Hath sin been so cruel as to put to death the Son of God? See that henceforth you have no pity upon the murderer of Christ your Saviour. As Saul eyed David to kill him, so do you eye those traitors, your sins, from this day forward to kill and destroy them. Never correspond or parley with them any more; never entertain a favourable thought of them, nor give them a kind look again, seeing they have done so horrid and inexcusable a deed. O communicant, hast thou seen Christ strug- gling to satisfy justice for sin, and save thee from it; and will you after all choose wilfully to walk in sin? Will you not burn the spear that pierced him, and break in pieces the nails that crucified him? Every one of Christ's wounds is a mouth opened to plead for your wounding and killing of sin. Had you seen Christ wrestling in the gar- den in his bloody agony, sweating great drops of blood, lying on the ground; had you heard him utter these words, " Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me :" had you seen his soul beset on all hands by your bloody sins, and even brought to a nonplus, John xii. 27, when he knew not (to speak with reverence) well what to say; had you seen him bound, led and nailed to the cross, with a black angry cloud upon his 240 A SACRAMENTAL DIRECTORY. soul, crying out, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken nie?" Would you not have vowed a revenge upon sin? O could you have loved or hugged the soldier, or hccn fond of the spear that pierced his blessed side? Well, O communi- cant, this thou dost when thou huggest thy sins, and especially when thou entcrtainest thy pre- dominant lust or darling sin; your other sins arc as the nails in his hands and feet; but this as the spear that made a great wound in his side, and went nearer his heart than any of the rest. O, never suffer sin to live any more in you, that would not suffer your Saviour to live in the world; never allow that a room in your heart, which would not allow him a room amongst the living on earth. O beware of crucifying Christ afresh. Never dispute any more, when a temp- tation is presented, whether Christ or Barabbas should be preferred; your lusts denied or Christ crucified: but presently cry out against your lusts, "Crucify them, crucify them." Have you seen God taking off your former burdens, and laying them upon the back of his dear Son, who willingly took them on for you, though they pressed him down to the earth? O then, go not to lay any more loads upon him. Hath he taken you and washed you from your sins in his own blood? 0 do not return with the sow that is washed to her wallowing in the mire. Hath the Lord been graciously sealing the pardon of your sins? Go not to turn his grace into wantonness, by venturing to run on in a new score. If you have washed your feet in the blood of the Lamb, O beware of defiling them again. VIII. "Walk always under the sense of God's all-seeing eye upon you in every thing you do." A holy and circumspect walk is what every com- municant should endeavour, especially after the sacrament ; this would tend, not only to your own peace and comfort, but also to the glory of God, and the promoting of his interest and kingdom in the world. Were your lives tender, circumspect, and shining in holiness before the world, there would be little need of miracles to confirm the word, or convert infidels; for your conversations would allure strangers, and mightily recommend religion unto them; so that they might thereby be drawn to seek acquaintance with the God of holy communicants, as Nebuchadnezzar was with the God of Daniel: and thus you would be instru- ments of turning many to righteousness, and so shine as the stars for ever and ever. Now, if you would shine in a holy walk and exemplary conversation, then you must, like Caleb, " walk after God," Num. xiv. 24, you must imitate him in his holiness and purity. Again, you must, like Enoch, "walk with God," Gen. v. 22, live in communion and fellowship with him. And then, you must, like Abraham "walk before God," Gen. xvii. 1, live and carry as those who believe he hath a special eye upon you in all that you do. And when you go about any action or business, spiritual or temporal, say to your souls, "I have a watchful eye over me, that pierceth into all my thoughts, that discovers the principles from which I am acted, and the ends to which I move : let me act then, as one that still believes this, as one that must shortly be accountable to God for all I do, and I know not how soon." Or, say to this purpose, "Now I am going about such a business, such a duty; and, if Christ shall send for me at the end of it, what account will I be able to give of my manage- ment to him; What do I know, but at the end of this duty I may either be in Abraham's bosom., or in a gulf of misery?" Walk now in all your steps, as if you saw Christ crucified before you, breathing forth his dying love to lost sinners, and pouring out his blood to cleanse them from sin. Would not that be a great restraint upon you, to keep you from sin? Walk now, as a damned soul would walk, were he again to live under the offers of mercy: how diligently, think you, would he obey, how fervently would he pray, and how peremptorily would he reject all temptations to sin? So ought every sincere communicant to do, that intends to please God and walk worthy of the vocation wherewith he is called. IX. "Endeavour to walk cheerfully and con- tentedly under every lot and condition. You may look for trials and difficulties while you sojourn in this world: but, in midst of .all, y7ou should aim to be much in the eunuch's frame after the seal of baptism, Acts viii. 39, who "went On his way rejoicing." Have you got the seal of God's covenant? Then, whatever your afflic- tions be, you cannot but have a reviving cordial, for your sins are pardoned. Let not worthy communicants say they are sick, when their ini- quities are forgiven them. Should they walk dejectedly, who have got an interest in the new covenant secured, and all the promises and privi- leges of it ratified and confirmed to them? For, what do they want, but is to be had here ? Whatsoever is a blessing is secured here, either sanctified riches, or a contented poverty. A worthy communicant may say, Let God do with me as he will in this world, I desire to be content, seeing he hath engaged himself to be with me in all states and conditions, and to order all things for my advantage: surely "he cannot lie, he cannot deny himself;" all his words are oaths for their certainty, and all his promises "the sure mercies of David." Let my covenanted God choose out my lot for me, surely it shall be with more wisdom and with more affection than I can choose for myself. He whom Almighty BEHAVIOUR AFTER PARTAKING. 241 wisdom and goodness takes a fatherly care of, and hath engaged to feed, cannot hut have enough. If Christ be mine, all things are mine ; nothing is excluded, when he is included. X. " Delight in the company of the people of God." Shake off all ungodly society, and have your hearts linked to all those that hear Clirist's image. Set the psalmist's example before your eyes in this matter, Psal. cxix. 115, "Depart from me, ye evil doers, for I will keep the com- mandments of my God." And verse 63, "I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts." It is a true saying of Solomon's, Prov. xiii. 20, "He that walketh with wise men, shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall he destroyed." Make the liveliest of God's people your greatest intimates, and upon all occa- sions improve their fellowship to the best advan- tage. Beware of the cooling of your affections to the people of God ; but let that divine sentence still run in your minds, 1 Johniv. 11. "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." Let the love of God, manifested to you at the sacrament, engage you to carry lovingly and affectionately to all his people. Henceforth behave yourselves as servants of the same family, branches of the same vine, members of the same body, and children of the same Father. XL " Study to shine in the graces of meekness, patience, and forgiveness of injuries." This is the way to make you like your glorious Redeemer and pattern; and this is the way to adorn the profession of religion, and to make it amiable in the eyes of strangers. And surely all those who have been sharers of God's infinite mercy and goodness in the sacrament, will come away from it with a disposition to bear injuries, and a readi- ness to forgive those that do them wrong. XII. "Labour to keep up constant longings for communion occasions here below, and for the eternal supper of the Lamb above." Surely those who have met with Christ in this ordinance will be breathing for further discoveries of his sweet- ness and beauty. You ought to be saying, like Moses, when he came down from the mount, " I beseech thee, Lord, show me thy glory:" let me have new manifestations of thy excellency, fresh intimations of thy love, and clearer discoveries of thy will. O, when will the oportunity return? When shall I come and appear before God '( When shall I again see his power and glory in the sanctuary? When shall I taste his love and good- ness again in the sacrament ? When shall I again behold his well covered table, sit down thereat with his children, and be satisfied as with marrow and fatness? But seeing this lower table is transient and uncertain, look for one to come which is fixed and abiding. "Yet a little while," saith Christ, "and 1 will see you again, and I will come and receive you to myself." O believer, your lovely bride- groom will keep his word and his day, he will come and marry you to himself for ever : there- fore ever stand upon the watch-tower, wishfully looking for his appearance; never slack thy watch, nor let thy expectation cool, till he come and take thee home to himself, and set you down at the higher table, where he shall for ever lay aside his vail, and his amiable countenance never more be clouded with frowns; where you shall not have a sacramental but a beatifical vision; where you shall not remember him, but behold him as he is; where you shall feed on him without signs, and see him without a vail; where all your sor- rows shall be turned into joys, where, for every reproach you met with in God's service, you shall reap eternal honour; for every hour of sorrow, you shall enjoy endless ages of comfort. "Make haste, my beloved, let the day break and the shadows fly away. Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly." Take me to that place where myster- ies shall be turned into revelations, faith into vision, hope into fruition, espousals into embraces, sorrowful sighs into nuptial songs, drops of tears into rivers of pleasures, transient glances into the radiant and direct beams of the Sun of righteous- ness, short tastes into everlasting feasting and ful- ness. How small are the comforts of the lower table, if compared with these of the higher tabic ! How dark are the discoveries believers have here, if compared with these bright manifestations above! But because I have insisted on this head formerly, I shall add no more here upon it; but wish that we may come at length experimentally to know the difference, to our everlasting comfort. SACRAMENTAL MEDITATIONS. TREFACE. Tiie eternal Son of Gcd, when taking his leave of an ungrateful world, instituted the sacrament of the supper, as a lively resemblance and me- morial of his bloody sufferings and death in the room of his people ; and also to be a bright and lasting evidence of the amazing love of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to perishing sinners. As God once sent his Son into the world in a lowly habit, clothed with human flesh, to save sinners; so now he sends him in a homely dress, clothed with the elements of bread and wine, to assure us of his love, and to engage us to come to him. Kings expect that their children will be respected, though their officers be neglected. "Surely," saith God, "they will reverence my Son." They will make him welcome, and hearken to him. In this most august ordinance of the New Tes- tament, the great God approaches very near to us, and we to him; and yet it is to be deeply regretted, that many, who profess to believe this, come to it with so little thought and preparation, and with so much indifferency and carelessness of spirit. O shall we adventure so near the great God, who is infinitely holy, in whose sight the heavens are not pure, and in whose presence the sun and stars are dimmed, and the brightest sera- phims do gather in their wings, and account themselves as little flies before him! And shall we, who are creatures so mean and so vile, be careless and unconcerned when we make the near- est approach to this great and holy God, that we can make on this side of heaven! Ought we not to go blushing, ashamed and deeply humbled on many accounts, and particu- larly for our ingratitude for redeeming love, that "love which passeth knowledge;" and for our contempt of "God's unspeakable gift," the great- est sin in the world; yea, we should go wonder- ing that we are out of hell, for many thousands are burning there, who have not sinned so hein- ously in making light of precious Christ as we have done. Moreover, reader, consider if you go to this ordinance unpreparedly, or with indifference, you not only make light of the Lord Jesus Christ, but you are "guilty of the body and blood of theLord," I Cor. iii. 27. Surely, that word may cause you to quake and tremble; blood-guiltiness of any sort is a dreadful sin, and especially to be guilty of the " blood of the Lord." Murder is a sin that cries for vengeance on the actor, and gives God no rest till he punish it, Gen. iv. 10, "The voice of thy brother's blood crieth to me from the earth." If it be a crying sin to murder a common person, what must it be to murder a king? "Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless," 1 Sam. xxvi. 9. O then what a crime must it be to murder the eternal Son of God, who is thy exalted King, thy everlasting Father, thy dear Redeemer, and thy God who gave thee a being. Child-murder is a heinous ciime, but what Christ-murder is, no tongue can tell! If on him that slew Cain, that wicked man, vengeance should be taken sevenfold; what ven- geance will be taken on him that crucifies afresh the Lord of glory? This consideration should make all of us afraid of careless and unworthy communicating. If we woidd communicate worthily, we must be earnest, not only for the life of grace, but also for the liveliness of grace; not only for the truth and sincerity of grace, but likewise for the activ- ity and vigorous exercise of grace. So that a believer himself doth not eat and drink worthily, unless the grace that is in him be excited and exercised at this ordinance. There must be not only faith in the truth of it, but there must be faith realizing, applying, appropriating, and making use of Christ's death and purchase in this ordinance. Not only must there be a disposition of soul to be humbled for sin, but there must be actual mourning and melting of heart for sin, and for particidar sins, when we look on him we have pierced by them. Not only must thero be a principle of love to Christ, but also an exciting of love to flame out to Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us. Worthy communicating being a work of such importance, the following Scriptural Meditatbns MEDITATION I. 24-3 and Advices arc humbly offered to Christians, as an help in their preparations for it. Reading and thinking much on the subjects here proposed, may, through God's blessing, be useful to promote their habitual preparation for the holy supper. Christ's body and blood herein exhibited, are pure and holy things, and should be received in pre- pared and cleansed hearts. His body never saw corruption in the grave, nor will be mixed with it in hearts where corruption is allowed. It lay in a virgin- womb, and in a virgin-sepulchre, and will still be entertained in virgin-souls and affec- tions; in hearts purified and consecrated to God. In those Christ chooses to reside, and not in those where sin and the world, with the lusts thereof, are harboured. O had we grace to maintain and cherish the fear of God, and the love of Christ, habitually in our souls, we might, without much pains, be prepared for coming to him at his table. Did we always bear in our minds, that sacra- mental occasions .are solemn appointments, and Bethel meetings with God, for renewing covenant, and entertaining fellowship and communion with him, we would guard more against formality creeping in upon us in our preparations for, and in our attendance upon this ordinance, than, alas, we do. O such formality will provoke the Master of our solemn feast to withdraw from them, and then what poor, dry, melancholy, and lifeless things, will they be ! What are sacra- ments -without Christ's presence in them ? O let us never be satisfied with communion-sabbaths, without communion with Christ in them. On the other hand, if we woidd keep up com- munion with Christ in these ordinances, let us beware of relying on our previous pains or pre- parations, either for the right performing of our duty, or for our acceptance in it. For we are never more ready to miscarry, and to be disap- pointed, than when we are guilty of this resting. Sundry go to the Lord's table with great humilia- tion for sin, and yet come away without com- fort. "Why? because they make a Christ of their sorrow. O what worth can we see in our best preparations, confessions, prayers, tears, humilia- tions, &c. if we compare them with the law of God? "We have more cause to be ashamed of tliein, than to lay any stress on them. Could we renounce all self-confidence, and disclaim all our provision in point of dependence, and cast our- selves wholly on Christ for strength, through- bearing and acceptance, we would have better suc- cess at the Lord's table, than commonly we have. We are never more fit for this holy table, than when wc are most humbled, and most ashamed of ourselves, because of our unfitness for this solemn approach: and wc are never less fit than when we think ourselves most fit and prepared for the duty. A holy deniedness to all suffi- ciency, and a deep sense of unworthiness and unfitness, is the best preparation we can attain to for this solemn ordinance. Let us make holy David our pattern, when going to partake, Psal. Ixxi. 16, "I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only." And let us pray with the spouse, Cant. iv. 1G, "Awake, O north-wind, and come, thou south, blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out." Amen. Dundee, August 1747. MEDITATION I.— "BY FAITH NOAH PREPARED AN ARK TO THE SAVING OF HIS HOUSE." — HeB. XI. 7. Though the flood that drowned the old world, was at many years' distance, yet Noah was moved with fear at God's warning him of it, and pre- pared an ark for his safety. And shall not uncon- verted, unbelieving sinners, who have a far more terrible flood threatened against them, and may be only a few days distant, take warning, and provide with all speed for their safety ? O shall I, a wretched, guilty sinner, take rest, while I am within the flood-marks of God's wrath, and not arise in time to provide an ark to flee to for safety? But, O good news, I have not the ark to provide, it is prepared to my hand. God, in his infinite wisdom and pity, hath made ready an Ark long ago for lost sinners of Adam's race to fly to; and now it is completely furnished and finished, and all things are ready, so that I have nothing to do but go and take possession. O what had become of me, and other perish- ing sinners, had we the ark to build for ourselves ? Nay, the whole creation had not been able or sufficient for this purpose. How soon would the raging flood of divine wrath sweep away all the arks of men or angels' building ! But thanks be unto God for ever, for the excellent well built ark of God's devising, for the many spacious rooms and safe lodging-places within it, for the suitable accommodation and plentiful provision laid up therein, and for the door opened in the side thereof for perishing souls to enter by. The salva- tion of sinners bya crucified Christ is a well-ordered scheme, a beautiful contrivance ! Blessed be the infinitely wise Contriver for it. I see all things in Christ crucified necessary for me : he is made of God to men, " wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption." There is in him infinite wisdom to guide me, a spotless righteousness to cover me, precious blood to wash me, the Holy Spirit to sanctify me, his good word to direct me, his just laws to govern me, and his infinite fulness to sup- ply all my needs. Safe and happy then would I be, were I found in him. O that, upon trial by scripture marks, I could conclude myself to be within the Ark, to wit, a crucified Jesus. 214 SACRAMENTAL MEDITATIONS. Can I say, I have been warned of God, and moved with fear to fly to this ark? Have I dis- covered my shelterless state by nature, the waves and billows of wrath rising and rolling against me? Have I seen my own inability to provide an Ark for myself, and the excellency and fitness of the Ark of God's providing? Have I been made willing to abandon all false arks, and ear- nestly inquisitive how to get into the true Ark? Have I been made willing to use all appointed means for this end, to read, hear, meditate, pray, repent, believe, essay to climb up the sides of the Ark, and press to get in at the door thereof ? Have I been willing to venture my all in the Ark, like Noah, notwithstanding of the discour- agements, scoffs, and hatred of the world for so doing? Have I willingly acquiesced, sheltered, and lodged my soul in God's Ark, and been made to say, " This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell." Come what floods will, Christ shall be my Ark, his righteousness alone my refuge and hiding-place. Alas! upon impartial search, have I not cause to fear that I have not yet fled to the Ark, but am still exposed to the devouring flood? And can I be easy or quiet in such a case? Can I forbear crying, What shall I do to get into the Ark Christ? Nay, what would I not do to get into it? Lord, what would thou have me to do? "Wouldst thou have me to humble myself, confess, mourn, part with sin, close with Christ in all his offices? Prescribe, Lord, what thou wilt, I will not scruple what thou enjoinest me, but obey thee without reserve. I am resolved upon it, what- ever it cost me, that the solicitations of the flesh, the temptations of Satan, the scoffs, reproaches, or persecutions of the world, shall not stop me from flying to the Ark ; I would break through all these to be found in it. Lord, increase and strengthen my faith for that end; and help my unbelief. O how suitable is the Ark Christ to my desti- tute and miserable condition. In myself I want all things, but I see a supply for all my wants in the Ark. I am poor, but I see gold in the Ark to make me rich. I am wounded by sin, but I see balm in the Ark to heal my wounds. I am blind, but there is eye-salve in the Ark to make me see. I am perishing with hunger, but I see bread in the Ark to satisfy me. I am naked, but in the Ark there is white raiment to clothe me. I am polluted, but in the Ark there is a fountain to wash me. I am exposed to more ter- rible floods than Noah was, but I see the Ark Christ can save me from them all. Noah's ark saved him only from a flood of water, but the Ark Christ saves from a flood of the curses of the law, and the wrath of God, which Mill sweep away all the unbelieving world. This flood rose, swelled high, and dashed furiously against our Ark; but the Ark was proof against it, and shel- tered all the elect world from the flood; so that not one drop lighted on them. O how excellent is this Ark ! for it can save me from being over- whelmed or carried away with any flood, and particularly it can save me from being carried away with a flood of Satan's temptations, which sweeps away many; or with a flood of indwell- ing corruption; with a flood of error; with a flood of profanity; or with a flood of neutrality and indifferency about spiritual concerns: by which floods multitudes are destroyed. Let mc then by faith fly to this blessed Ark, where all believers are preserved from these destroying floods. Behold I run, I fly: may Jesus draw me, and help me in. Blessed for ever be the God of heaven, for pro- viding such an Ark for fallen sinners upon earth. I desire to count all things but loss and dung, that I may be found in this Ark, among the pre- served in Christ Jesus, whom no flood can reach. However this Ark may be slighted by the world, I will prize it above all things, and count them for ever happy who get into it, seeing God declares it, that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. The ark was slighted by the old world, and Noah ridiculed for preparing it for himself and his house; but it soon appeared that Noah was the wisest man that then lived upon the earth. Few there were that entered witli Noah into the ark, and no doubt were reproached and mocked for their singularity; but soon was the world persuaded that they were the only wise and happy men in it. Better surely it was to have followed the eight persons that went into the ark, than to have joined eight millions of those who were drowned in the flood. Should I be so foolish as follow the old world in under- valuing the Ark, I must lay my account to be shut out and perish with them too: wherefore, I will not fear the reproach of men for being sin- gular in my esteem for glorious Christ. May I be numbered among that happy company, how- ever few they be, who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, and will bless God eternally for pro- viding this Ark for drowning men! Mav I he one that will ever bless my lovely and loving Jesus, that pitied me and took me in, when others were washed off from the sides of the Ark, as adhering only to it by a dead and formal profes- sion! May I be one that will ever sing to his praise, O amazing free love ! that pitied and dis- tinguished me when the flood came; that gra- ciously drew and determined me in such a man- ner, that I got into the Ark and was safe, when many others were washed off and perished for ever! MEDITATION II. 215 MEDITATION II. — " COD SPARED NOT THE ANGELS THAT SIN- NED, BUT CAST T11E51 DOWN TO HELL," 2 PET. 11. 4. How admirable, free, and distinguishing, is the love of God to mankind sinners, in pitying them in their low and lost estate! O how different is the case of fallen men upon the earth, from the case of fallen angels in hell, and that of damned souls there! Manna is rained down upon us, while an eternal shower of fire and brimstone falls down upon them. They are bound in chains of darkness, whilst thou, Lord, art drawing us with cords of love. Thou didst not spare angels, nor take on their nature ; but thou hast spared us, married our nature, and exalted it to the hea- vens. They continue without hope under the deluge of God's wrath, whilst the pleasant rain- bow of the sacrament appears to us as a token of God's covenant of grace, and of his willingness to secure us from that overflowing flood by the inter- position of his dear Son in our nature. O how welcome should we make that gospel rainbow! Lord, thy wrath soon broke out against the angels that fell; thou didst punish them immedi- ately upon their sinning against thee. Thou didst not wait for their repentance, nor make any offer of mercy to them, but presently, upon their first offence, didst condemn them to everlasting chains of darkness. O how far different is thy manner of dealing with us! Long hast thou waited upon us after wc have sinned; yea, thou hast followed us with thy mercy, after many refusals of it, and even after our trampling the precious blood of Christ under our feet! Marvellous and peculiar is thy mercy to fallen men in respect of fallen angels! Glory to sovereign free mercy, that thou didst not cast us off for ever without a parley, as thou didst them; but waitest to be gracious to us, long stretching out thy hand, and calling us to repentance, saying, " Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die?" Against the sinning angels God was so pro- voked, that he resolved within himself, and hath kept his resolution ever since the beginning of the world, and will keep it to all eternity, that he will not so much as enter into a parley with those creatures, however glorious they once were, nor be reconciled to them upon any terms; yea, that he will hear of no terms, but will revenge himself upon them to all eternity. May not then the hearing of this cause us to quake and trem- ble ? for why might not the Lord have dealt with us in the same manner, who were far more wretched and miserable creatures than angels ? Surely, if a king be so angry with an offending nobleman, that was once his special favourite, as to banish him from court, and afterwards hear of no terms of reconciliation with him : would not a footman or mean servant that had offended, when hearing of this begin to dread, and say, O what will become of me, a poor man, when the king treats his peers so severely? I may surely despair of a remission or reconciliation with him. So, in like manner, we poor clay worms, upon hearing of God's severity to fallen angels, might have been overwhelmed with fear, if the bible had not told us that the Son of God's " delights were with the sons of men;" that "verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took upon him the seed of Abraham," Hcb. ii. 16; and that he gave himself to be a sin-offering and sacrifice for men! Astonishing news! Glory to God for these glad tidings of great joy. O admirable love to Adam's rebellious off- spring ! Hast thou, Lord, passed by angels, and remembered us in our low and lost estate; and in thy infinite compassion become our Surety, to appease divine justice for our heinous sins, when no other sacrifice could do it? O what shall we render to thee for this distinguishing love ? Surely our condition in Adam was no better than that of the angels who left their first estate. By nature we were in a most dreadful case, lying, like Isaac, bound on the altar, to be a sacrifice to the justice of God, and the sword of justice lift up to give us the killing blow, until the Son of God discovered himself, as the ram caught in the thickets, and calling to justice, Hold thy hand, loose them, and bind me in their room ; I will be the sacrifice for them. In choosing fallen men, and not angels, God gave an amazing instance of the sovereignty of his grace, that would be mer- ciful to whom he would be merciful; he would pass by the superior nature, and choose the infe- rior; prefer vessels of clay to vessels of gold ! What can wc say? Nothing, but wonder at God's free grace! Unspeakable love! Lord, it bad been much if thou hadst provided an angel to mitigate our sufferings in hell, by giving us drops of water to cool our tongues; but that thou shouldst have condescended to come and change rooms with us, lie in hell for us, and suffer the very pains and agonies due to us, is love that passeth knowledge. Lord, when I consider thy distinguishing pity and lowly stooping to purchase and recover such clods of earth and sin with thy blood and agonies, I am amazed at thy love, confounded at my own ingratitude, and ashamed at the coldness and hardness of my heart ! O ! was Christ willing to change rooms with the like of me, and shall not I be willing to change rooms with him, and at his demand to part with the filthy rags of my sins, and take on the robe of his righteousness? O shall not this amazing love of Christ constrain me to love him again, and live to him that died for me? Shall it not constrain me to think on him ; con- strain me to commend him; constrain me to adhere 240 SACRAMENTAL MEDITATIONS. to Christ's truths and ways; to persevere in prayer, praise, and holy walking ? Are fallen angels left, and fallen men pitched upon to be the monuments of free grace, to fill up the vacant rooms which angels fell from ? What shall I say to this, but "even so, Father, for so it pleased thee:" let thy sovereign free grace be the eternal song of botli men and angels. '• Not unto us, not unto us, but unto thy name be the glory." Blessed be God, that I hear this joyful sound of reconciliation with fallen men, and of a treaty of peace carried on with them. The devils never heard, and never will hear such news. But 0 if I come not in, and accept of the terms and offers made to me in the gospel, I will put myself in a worse case than the devils : for it cannot be charged upon fallen angels, as on fallen men, that God was willing to be reconciled to them, and they would not. Now, then, when the gospel-treaty is proclaimed, God forbid I be found guilty of refusing his terms, scorning his offers, and defying his threatenings. O how shall I escape, if I neglect so great and wonderful sal- vation as is tendered to me ? Neglect it, Lord, I dare not, I will not. Lo, I come, I accept, I embrace, I take hold of thy covenant, and the seal of it tendered to me ; I renounce the old covenant, I break league this day with all thine enemies, I proclaim war against them: I close with Christ Jesus, both as my righteousness and my strength : I make a full and free surrender and resignation of myself unto the Lord, to be his, and his only, in all I am, and in all I enjoy, to be ordered and disposed of for his glory and ser- vice. Lord, I am thine ; I will not be my own, I will not be the world's, but I will be thine, thine only, and thine wholly; thine to love thee, serve and obey thee, without reserve. Since thou wouldest have no nature but mine, I will have no will but thine. I renounce my own will, and take thine for my rule. Lord, I am thine, O save thou me; and I will trumpet forth the praises of free grace and redeeming love for ever. Amen. MEDITATION III. — " HE HATH NOT DEALT SO WITH ANY NATION," PSAL. CXLVII. 20. The nation of Israel was singularly privileged above others; they were taken into covenant with God, they had God's word and ordinances, the means of conversion and salvation ; they had the gospel revelation, the knowledge and promises of the Messiah. But we, under the New Testament times, and in Britain, are yet more peculiarly privileged witli clearer light and discoveries of the Messiah than the nation of Israel had. They lived under a darker and harsher dispensation of the covenant of grace by Moses, whose first mira- cle was the turning of water into blood ; but we live under the clearer and sweeter dispensation of it by Christ himself, whose first miracle was the turning of water into wine that cheers the heart. The nation of Israel were called a peoplo near unto God ; but in gospel times we are allowed yet nearer access to God than they had. The children of Israel were not allowed so much as to touch the mount on which the Lord came down; the men of Bethshemish had not liberty to look into the ark, the place of his residence : but, behold, we are allowed to take a near view and steady look of a crucified Jesus in the sacrament, who is " the image of the invisible God, the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person." Yea, we have liberty not only to look to him, but also to touch him, handle his wounds, embrace his person, and lodge him in our hearts. The advantage of a clear revelation of a cruci- fied Christ in the gospel ordinances, and particu- larly in the Lord's supper, is an invaluable privi- lege. If the royal psalmist admired the divine goodness in causing the sun, moon, and stai's to shine in the firmament for man's behoof, and therefore cries, " What is man, that God is thus mindful of him?" how far greater cause have we to say so, when we observe how God causes the Sun of righteousness shine so brightly in the firmament of gospel ordinances, and the " day- spring from on high to visit us" with the light of saving knowledge, and of eternal salvation through him? Again, if the psalmist exalts God's good- ness so much in his giving the beasts of the field, fowls of the air, and fishes of the sea to be food for man: what ground have we to admire and praise God's infinite mercy, in giving us the flesh and blood of his own dear Son to preserve the lives of our souls? O what rare gospel feasts arc these which God allows us in the land wherein we dwell ! And O how wonderfully are they preserved and continued with us, from time to time, by the miraculous wrorking of God's mercy and power ; while others are visited with clean- ness of teeth, and a famine of the word of God ! He hath not dealt with every nation as with us. And, Lord, how distinguishing is thy goodness unto me a most unworthy creature ! By thy mercy I was born in a valley of vision; and I dwell in a lightsome Goshen, when multitudes of others, in pagan and popish nations, are covered with Egyptian darkness, and sit in the region of the shadow of death; I hear heaven's free market-days of grace proclaimed, when others have silent sabbaths ; I am invited to a rich ban- queting-house, when others are starving for the want of the bread of life. O that I could value my mercies aright ! It is a great privilege that I am allowed to speak to the great God in prayer, MEDITATION IV. 247 and to hear him speak unto mc in his word! But still he puts a greater honour upon me, hy calling me to enjoy intimate communion and fellowship with himself, yea, inviting me to sit down with him at his tahle, and feast upon the fruits of Christ's death, and henefits of his pur- chase! O I am not worthy of the least crumb that falls from the children's tahle, and far less of being set down at the table with the children to cat of their bread, and share of the dainties pro- vided for them by their heavenly Father. If Peter, after having seen Christ's glory, and his own vileness, judged himself unworthy to be in the same ship with Christ, and therefore cried, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man," how should I, the chief of sinners, adventure to sit at the same table with him, and feed upon his flesh and blood! Amazing condescension! 0 what distinction doth God make among nations, in sending the gospel to them, with clear views and pressing offers of a crucified Jesus to perishing souls? And what cause have we in these nations, of admiring the distinguishing good- ness of God to us in this respect beyond others! Would we not admire his goodness, if he caused the sunshine only in our horizon, as he did on Goshen; when other nations wrere covered with darkness, as the land of Egypt was? Yet surely the gospel-sun is by far a greater mercy. The gospel is indeed a joyful sound, Psal. lxxxix. 15, so called, with allusion to the silver trumpets made use of under the law to call people to the solemn assemblies, and to intimate to them the feast of the passover, which represented the love and sufferings of the Messiah. A joyful sound the gospel is, indeed, if we compare it with the sound of the law's curses and threatenings thun- dercd from mount Sinai against sinners. But, behold, this joyful sound, bringing salvation, comes from heaven, even to heaven- daring sin- ners, who had openly rebelled against the God of heaven! Glad news! blessed are they who know the joyful sound; know it, so as to believe it, admire it, entertain it, and comply with it, so as to receive Christ offered therein to lost sinners. Lord, I make this joyful sound welcome; it is music to my ear, and a cordial to my heart. I reckon their feet beautiful who bring such glad tidings to my soul. 0 how welcome would men make them, who would bring them an invention, that would secure their estates from consuming, their houses from burning, or their bodies from dying! But here we have the sure news of an invention that doth much more for us than all this; even a device that secures us from hell, and ensures us of heaven. Ought I not then cheer- fully to comply with this joyful sound, and fall in with the call thereof ? God forbid that I should stop my ears at it; it had been better for me then, never to have heard of it at all: how dreadful would my case be at the judgment day! How would devils, Turks, heathens, and my own conscience, upbraid me in hell, to all eternity, for my folly in slighting this joyful sound! Surely God may slight the mournful sound of their prayers in the time of distress, who slight the joyful sound of his gospel in time of health. But, Lord, I bless thee for it, I love it, I receive it, I welcome it, I fall heartily in with it, and will admire it for ever. MEDITATION IV. — " BEHOLD WHAT MANNER OP LOVE THE FATHER HATH BESTOWED UPON US ! " 1 JOHN III. 1. In the amazing work of our redemption, we are called to behold and admire both the love of the Father and the love of the Son. Unspeakable love of the Father ! that contrived cur redemption, pitched upon and gave the Redeemer. O how readily accepted he of the Son's offer to suffer and satisfy infinite justice for sin in our room! Upon our fall he might justly have said, No, the soul that sins shall die personally, I will admit of no surety. But glory to the blessed Father, such was his love to us, that when the dear Son said, Father, I will be the surety for sinners of man- kind, let my blood be shed for theirs, let the blow- light on mc, let mc die in their room; such was the love and pity of the Father to us, that he presently accepted the offer, held our Redeemer at his word, saying, Be it as thou hast said: " Awake, O sword, against the man that is my fellow; smite the shepherd," and spare the sheep. I will glorify my justice upon my own dear Son, rather than upon them. Amen, said the blessed Son of God: I will be the sacrifice! O love unspeakable, both in the Father and the Son! human love, angelic love, is nothing to it! O what is the love of creatures one to another, to this love of God to man? Astonishing love! that the eternal Son of God, entreated by no man, but hated of all men, should in his love and pity entreat for men : yea, undertake and die for them, when enemies to God and all that is good! "0 the breadth, O the length, O the depth, 0 the height of this love of Christ, which passeth knowledge ! " I may possibly feel it, but I cannot fathom it. The love of creatures is nothing to the love of Christ. It was great love that Jacob bore to Rachel, that he endured the heat of summer and frosts of winter for her: but all this was nothing to the winter-storm which Christ suffered for us. It was extraordinary love that Jonathan had to David, that he would peril his life to avert his father's wrath from him: but what was that to Christ's love, that took on his eternal Father's wrath, which was infinitely 218 SACRAMENTAL MEDITATIONS. greater than Saul's and actually laid down his life to avert that dreadful storm of wrath from us! What love was it that made him stand before the mouth of hell-furnace, and suffer him- self to be scorched with it in the most terrible manner, that he might stop the flame from break- ing out on us! Behold him receiving the sword of justice into his bowels, to prevent its being sheathed in our hearts. Behold when the sea of God's wrath raged and was tempestuous, threat- ening to swallow us all up ; Christ came, and said, like Jonah, Spare these poor sinners! take me up, and cast me into the sea in their stead, that the storm may be appeased against them ! Christ was willing to be cast into the sea of wrath, to be a blessed plank of mercy for shipwrecked souls to grip to, and be saved. Admirable love of the Father of our Lord •Jesus Christ, who would give his dearly beloved Son out of free love and pity to man, to die and suffer wrath for him ! and would choose rather to see his dear Son agonizing and struggling under infinite wrath for a time, than to see an elect world struggling in hell among devils for ever! Co O O 0 who can ulter the mighty acts of the Lord? who can show forth all his praise? 0 Father of mercies, from all eternity thou foresaw our fall and misery, and in thy wisdom and love didst con- trive a noble remedy for us: thou even didst provide a Surety for man before the debt was contracted, a Saviour for him before he was lost; and by this glorious Surety thou hast found out a noble way to satisfy the demands of justice and entreaties of mercy, and glorify both these divine perfections at once. By this, Lord, we know ihou lovest us, that thou hast not withheld thy Son, thine only Son, from us, to be sacrificed in our room, and graciously callest us to comme- morate thy love, in providing this sacrifice, at thy holy table. Instead of this, thou mightcst justly have called multitudes of us together, to make us a sacrifice to thy justice for our heinous sins and rebellion against heaven. But behold, thou callest us together to thy table upon quite an- other design, even to intimate to us a sacrifice of thy own providing, sufficient for us all; and actually to behold the bleeding victim of the inno- cent Lamb of God, who willingly, at his Father's call, gave himself to be slain to take away the sins of the world! Lord, what didst thou see in such creatures, to make thee to love us after this manner? Nothing, but much to make thee loathe us; yet the time when we were most loathesomc, thou madest it the time of love. Surely "thy thoughts are not as our thoughts, nor thy ways as our ways ! " How astonishing was thy conduct in redeeming us when lost! And worse are we than devils, if we be not ravished with the love of the Father, in projecting our redemption: and with the love of his eternal Son, that made him leave his glory in heaven, and even wade through hell to save the dregs of the creation. O what manner of love is this, that the Father did give his eternal Son, to die for those who deserved eternal wrath for their rebellion ami treason against himself ! When notice was first given in this lower world, that the Son of God was coming down to it from heaven; what could have been expected, but that his business here would be to condemn the world, and hasten the execution of those whom he found in arms against him? But, O who can think, and not wonder, that he should have sent him to suffer and die for such as forfeited their lives, and deserved to be slain; yea, for such as were alien- ated from the life of God, and full of enmity against him, unworthy of any place of abode upon earth, and by their wickedness fully prepared for hell: O how surprising is it, that God would, in this our miserable state, send the Son of his love to die for us, to rescue us from deserving wrath, and purchase a new title for us to life and glory! Behold what manner of love this is, that the just should suffer for the unjust, the just Prince for the unjust rebels, that were in arms against him, the King of glory for the children of disobedi- ence, the obedient Son for mortal enemies! 0 this is such a manner of loving, that the highest transport of wonder cannot reach: "For scarcely for a righteous man will one dare to die ; but God commends his love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us," Rom. v. 7, 8. O how am I able to hear, speak, or think of this love, and my heart not burn with an admir- ing sense of the freeness and riches of God's grace; and with a vehement hatred and indig- nation against my sins, which contributed to pierce and crucify my glorious Redeemer! Can I be but ravished with love to him, when he comes to communicate his love to me at his table, and say, Behold how I have loved you, and given myself for you! I was "cut off, but not for my- self:— I was wounded for your transgressions, and bruised for your iniquities." It was for you I was betrayed, reviled, condemned, and crucified; for you my hands and feet were nailed to the tree, my head crowned with thorns, and my side pierced with a spear : and all this I suffered, that you might be saved from hell, and get sin for- given, and God reconciled to you for ever. MEDITATION V. ; WHAT IS MAN THAT THOU ART MINDFCI. OP HIM?" PSAI.. VIII. 4. AVhcn David beheld the heavens, with its glo- rious luminaries, the sun, moon, and stars, and the mighty works of God in the creation, and consi- dered what a mean figure man made amongst MEDITATION V. 249 thciu; lie admires God's condescension and good- ness, in his concern and pains about him, in his works of providence and redemption. Lord, what is man, fallen man, that thou shouldst notice him so much? A poor, vile, sinful worm! And yet how singularly minded and honoured is he, in God the Son's undertaking to be his Cautioner and Ransom? Had he done it for angels, it had not been so marvellous; but what is man, that God should visit him in this manner! should pay him a homely visit in human nature, to see what ailed him, to hear his complaints, and know feel- ingly his wants and miseries, that he might the better sympathize with him, relieve, and supply him ! But who is this that comes to pay this visit to man? Even he that is King of kings, and Lord of lords, who is infinite in majesty and power, in riches and glory. How awful arc the descrip- tions given us of him in the Bible! "Great is the Lord and of great power, his understanding is infinite. He calls the stars by their names. Whatsoever he pleased, that did he, in heaven and in earth, in the seas, and all the deep places." And it is said of his coming to judgment, Dan. vii. 10, "A fiery stream issued forth before him, thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him." And yet this Almighty Person, the great God, condescends to clothe himself with our nature, and stoops to the very ground, in the most lowly manner, to pay a kind visit to his rebellious crea- ture, man, even man that is a worm ; and when he gets not access to him at first, he continues to stand and knock at his door. O how marvellous is this, that he who was Omnipotent, that could by a word have annihilated fallen man, and created a more amiable creature in all respects in his room, should stoop so low to him ! That he who was Omniscient, and perfectly knew man's unwor- thincss', his enmity, his ingratitude, and what unkind returns he would make for the greatest kindness, should court him so earnestly! That the Judge of heaven should come down from the bench, and put on the panncl's clothes, that he might answer and satisfy the law for him ! That the great General of the armies of heaven, should put himself in the room of a poor condemned deserter, to suffer for him! That the Creator should stoop to die for the creature, even the great God for a worm, — man, is love that swal- lows up our thoughts and language ! What can we think! what can we say of it! it is love that passeth knowledge! the most penetrating angel cannot fathom its height, its depth, its breadth, or its length! Why? For its height is infinitely higher than the highest heavens; for its depth, none can see its bottom, for it made him stoop as low as hell; for its breadth, it is as broad as the whole earth and the whole heavens too; it com- prehends all his people, even the poorest outcast on earth, as Avell as the highest saint in heaven; for its length, it never ends, but continues with- out intcrnrption, notwithstanding of provocations; nay, it is drawn out parallel with the longest line of eternity. Lord, what is man, that thou shouldst have minded him, visited him, and loved him so! A creature most unlovely, ugly and black as hell; that had got the image of God razed out, and the image of Satan pictured in its room. A creature lame and impotent, that could not rise but as Christ lifted him, could not stand but as he upheld him, could not walk but as he led him, nor move but as he drew him. A rebel, that was in league with hell, that hated his Sovereign, and was plot- ting with the devil to pull the crown off his head. A creature made loathesome by sin in God's sight; yea, more loathesome than the new born infant wallowing in its blood, than Job when full of boils, than Lazarus full of sores, or a dead carcase crawling with worms. A creature that was undesirous of God's visit or hehp, and unwilling to accept of it; that said to him, "Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways." A creature that contemned his love, rejected his offers, and trampled on his blood. Who would have pitied such a creature; one so poor, so vile, so miserable ? It had been much to have gi ven him an alms; but for the Son of God to give his life for him, may strike men and angels with aston- ishing surprise for ever. " Lord, what is man," a poor feeble crawling worm, "that thou shouldst be mindful of him" after this manner? And what are we, that we should still have the offers of this love continued to us? O shall we ever make light of this love any more? "I believe, Lord, help my unbelief." There is a parallel text, Psal. cxliv. 3, "Lord, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that thou makest account of him?" What a poor little thing is man, that thou shouldst make so great account of him, put such respect upon him above all other creatures, so as to condescend to stand in a nearer relation to him than to any other ; as that of a Father, a Brother, a Husband, a Friend, &c.; yea more, thou hast dignified this poor thing, man, so much, as to assume his nature into an ineffable, personal union with the second Person of the ever glorious Tri- nity, whereby the nature of man is exalted above all the angels of heaven. It is not the angelical, but the human nature, which God hath chosen to tabernacle in : and now it is honoured so far, as to be set on the right hand of the Majesty on high. The great account God hath of this little thing, man, appears further in the great cost he hath laid out for him. Why, God not only gives his creatures to die for man, to yield him food, but he 21 250 SACRAMENTAL MEDITATIONS. also gives his Christ to die for him, to procure him eternal life. Again, how great is the good- ness which God hath laid up for him hereafter? Eye hath not seen it, ear hath not heard it, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive how great it is! O what a favourite of heaven must this little creature, man, be! Lord, who can hut wonder at the honour thou hast already put upon man, and at the favours thou still designest for him! Great things hast thou laid out, and great things hast thou laid up for man. I admire thy low stoop in the visit thou madest man, in the incarnation of thy dear Son, and in thy visit in the gospel-proclamation, and offer of pardon through him! hut let me still plead for another visit, in the effusion of thy Holy Spirit: this other visit thou knowest is neces- sary to make the former effectual to my salva- tion. May then thy Holy Spirit work faith in me, to fall in with thy glorious device for the redemption of man in all points, to accept of thy love offers, and rest upon thy free promises of salvation through Jesus Christ, and his most per- fect righteousness. Amen. MEDITATION VI. — " AND THAT ROCK WAS CHRIST," 1 COR. X. 4. How useful was that rock in the wilderness to the Israelites sojourning there, after it was smit- ten by Moses's rod: when they were ready to perish in that dry desert, the rock sent forth streams of water to them in great abundance; streams that followed them up hill and down dale, in all their turnings and windings, marches and countermarches, through that weary land. That rock was to them a lively type of Christ, who, being smitten by the rod of the law's curses, whose minister Moses was, sends forth plentiful supplies to his people, while travelling in the wilderness of this world. There are two princi- pal streams of blessings which he sends forth, most useful to us; namely, a stream of blood {or our jus- tification^ and a stream of the Spirit for our sanc- tijication. The channel or conduit-pipes, for con- veying those streams to us, are the ordinances and promises of the gospel, and through these pipes these blessed streams run freely to all true believers, from the Rock Christ which was broached for them. O, how costly was our redemption to our dear kinsman Jesus Christ! dear did our souls cost him! The Rock of our salvation was cleaved asunder, rent and pierced to the very heart, to let out the waters of life to us, by which only wc can be preserved from eternal death, and obtain eternal life. How costly and precious arc the streams of Christ's blood and Spirit, his mercy and grace, which flow from the smitten Rock, and follow us through the wilderness in the free offers of the gospel! They are life-giving streams, fire- quenching, heart-softening, soul-cleansing, healing and fructifying streams : welcome, then, should we make these streams. to our souls in this dry and thirsty land. Likewise the rock was to the Israelites a shadow from the heat, and a covert from tempests and storms: so Christ our Rock screens us from the scorching heat of vindictive justice, and from the waves and billows of God's wrath. How necessary and useful is the Rock Christ to the souls of fallen men ! O let me never, Jesliurun-like, lightly esteem this Rock of our salvation. O let me never go to false rocks, or false streams, for shelter or supply in straits, when the true Rock is so near, and the saving streams run so close by my door: yea, follow me daily in the channel of thy word and sacraments; streams appointed by Heaven to answer all the cases and ailments of lost sinners. O shall God in his ten- der mercy provide such a wonderful remedy, set the Rock a-broach for me, and cause its streams to follow me; and shall I be so foolish as turn my back upon them, and refuse to apply or make use of them ? O save me from such cursed ingra- titude and madness : " I believe, Lord, help my unbelief." O how much should my heart be affected at the holy table, when I see the Rock of my salvation smitten by the rod of justice, and behold the bloody spear pierce into his heart! O Rock of ages, what made thee to rend and cleave so! 0 brightness of thy Father's glory, who hath dis- figured thee so? O river of life, clear as crystal, who hath troubled thee so? O, it was my sins, my pride, my passion, my unbelief, my worldli- ness, my hardness, impenitence, &c. these were the cause of my Redeemer's sufferings. The ini- quities of sinful men were laid upon him. "When he was pierced, it was I that should have been smitten. When he groaned and swate blood, I should have howled and roared in hell. Harder than the rock is my heart, if I can see my dear Saviour smitten and pierced, and not mourn. 0 can I sec his side and heart streaming out blood, and mine eyes not pour out tears! Can I behold the Rock smitten for the sins of men, and not adore the holiness and justice of God manifested therein? Can I see my innocent Saviour wounded and slain for my sins, and my soul not hate them; yea, shall I not be filled with horror and trem- bling at temptations to sin ? Let me, at my Saviour's call, approach to his table, and come near to the Rock of my salvation, and hearken to the raging billows of infinite wrath, dashing against the Rock for my sins, and even making the Rock to groan, sweat, and trem- ble under the pressure. O what a dreadful hur- ricane of wrath did he endure, to keep the swell- MEDITATION VII. 251 ing ocean of divine wrath from overflowing guilty men? Surely my glorious Immanuel's groaning and sweating blood under the strokes of God's vengeance, is a greater evidence of the implacable wrath and indignation of God against sin, than if lie had hurled all the rocks of the creation into the midst of the sea; yea, or a thousand worlds of men and angels into hell. O that, while I am beholding this sight, I may tremble at sin, come by faith under the shadow of this Rock, and run into the clefts of it for safety. Here I would be out of the reach of the law's curses, and threaten- ings of wrath; and though I hear the roarings and dashings of the sea upon the Rock, yet a drop of it could not touch me. O that I could imitate Moses, when I am at the table, and smite the Rock by the rod of faith, that the streams of Christ's blood and Spirit may flow out to me. What was his error will be my wisdom, to smite the Rock oftener than once, to put forth many acts of faith on Jesus Christ; such as the discerning, assenting, approving, deriving, receiving, closing, embracing, trusting, pleading, applying, appropriating acts of true faith. May I, like Israel of old, Dent, xxxii. 13, be helped by faith to suck honey out of the Rock, and oil out of the flinty rock: honey and oil, sweetness and fatness, quickening and comfort. How shall I come at this honey? only by suck- ing: and how shall I suck but by the mouth of faith ? There is no sucking without it. Neither can I suck by faith, unless God make me do it; for it is said, Dent, xxxii., " He made them to suck honey out of the rock." It is God that must give me both a mouth and strength to suck, faith in the habit, and faith in exercise. It is only the blowings of the north and south winds on the garden that make the spices to flow out. "Awake, O north wind, come, thou south, blow upon my garden;" bring faith to life, that I may suck honey from Christ in the sacrament. Christ's breasts are now full; 0 let not faith be wanting; for if it be wanting, I can suck nothing. Blessed be God, Jesus Christ, my Redeemer, is the author of faith. Lord, increase my faith, that I may suck honey from the Rock. But what honey may I expect from it? The honey of par- don of sin. O how sweet is this honey ! — The honey of peace and reconciliation with God: — the honey of a law-biding righteousness: — the honey of access to, and communion with God: — the honey of enlargement of heart, and loosing of bands, &c. O let me ever suck from this Rock, the Rock that answers all my needs, and richly supplies all my wants. Let me also, under all my straits, support myself with the psalmist's cordial, Psal. xviii. 46, "The Lord livcth, and blessed be my Rock." Why should believers in Christ droop in any condition, or look like dead men, while their Lord liveth, and their Rock standeth? Blessed be God, my Rock is a living and lasting Rock: my hopes may die, my com- forts die, my frame die, my gifts, my wealth, and my relations; these may all die; but I rejoice in the news, that my Lord will not die, nor my Rock fall. He once died for me, but he is risen again. Good news! now he is alive, and will die no more. MEDITATION VII. — " THEY SHALL LOOK UPON ME WHOM TIIEV HAVE PIERCED, AND MOURN/' ZECII. XII. 10. This promise hath a respect not only to the Jews when converted, but to all sinners when brought to repentance. We have all pierced Christ, inasmuch as our sins were the cause of his death: "He was wounded for our transgres- sions." Now a believing sight of a pierced Savi- our is the best spring of sorrow for sin; it is faith's look to a crucified Christ that will set us a mourning after a godly sort. O that this pro- mise may be made good to me at this time, that I may be helped to look believingly upon Christ, as pierced for my sins, my pride, my passion, my unbelief, my carnality, my disobedience, my impenitence, my sins of the heart, of the tongue, and of the life; that I may confess and bewail them, mourn and weep over them before the Lord. O! when shall I mourn and weep, if not now, when I am called to look upon my dear Lord and Surety at his table, all red with blood for my red and scarlet-coloured sins? I will not now stand afar off, and look to my Saviour on the cross, as those women who followed him from Galilee, Luke xxiii. 46. No: I will come close to him, take a near look, and a narrow view of his wounds and piercings by my sins, that I may see how wide and deep they arc, that my eye may affect my heart with godly sorrow for sin. When I look on him, I will consider the dig- nity of the Person pierced by and for me; he is the almighty Creator, the glorious Immanuel, the Plant of renown, the Prince of the kings of the earth, that is pierced and nailed to a cross. Jere- miah laments, in the captivity, that princes were hanged up by the hands, Lam. v. 12. But what were the princes of Israel to the Prince of peace, the King of glory, whom I see hanging nailed through the hands on the cross, and his blood poured out like water upon the earth! O it is royal blood, the blood of God, that I see running down to satisfy justice for my sins; and will not such a sight cause me to mourn for them ? Can I look on my lovely Redeemer, stripped naked, mounted up, and fixed with nails to a torment- ing cross? Can I see his head pierced with thorns, his back pierced with scourgings, his 252 SACRAMENTAL MEDITATIONS. hands and feet pierced with big nails, his side pierced with a spear, and his heart pierced with sorrows for my sins, and my heart not mourn for them? Yet all the piercings and wounds of his sacred body were hut small, to the piercings and agonies of his soul, when he drank of the cup of the Father's wrath for me, which made him cry out, " My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. — My God, my God, why hast thou for- saken me?" Can I behold this loving Jesus, standing in my room, bearing the wrath of a Deity for me, and my heart not bleed ? Can I see him, when the sword of justice was drawn to smite me, opening his breast to receive the stroke into his heart, and my heart not melt within me ? Lord, grant me such a sight by faith, of a wounded bleeding Saviour, as to make me a melting and mourning sinner. How can I leave tins subject, until my heart be more affected? Had I been personally at mount Calvary, and with my bodily eyes had seen my dear Redeemer racked and nailed to the tree! Had I seen him lifted up between heaven and earth, that the nations might behold him, with his arms stretched out to embrace sinners! Had I beheld his dying looks, and heard his dying groans! Had I seen his precious blood for many hours run from his wounded hands and feet to the earth! Could I have stood by with dry eyes, or an unconcerned heart, especially when I had thought he was suffering all this out of love to me, for my sins, and in my room! — Why then should not I be as much concerned, when I come to his table to celebrate the memorial of that fearful tragedy, and look upon the outward signs which represent the same? Lord, give me faith's eye to behold the things signified thereby, even the bleeding and dying of the glorious Immanuel. And what kind of blood is it I see running down? It is innocent blood! precious blood ! royal blood! heart blood! Nay, the blood of the eternal Son of God, one drop whereof is worth an ocean of our blood, and is of infinite value ; and yet behold all this blood is shed for such worms as I am ! O can I think long upon this subject, and not find my heart pained with love, and be ready, with Joseph, to seek a secret place to weep in? Had an ordinary man been executed for my crime, it would have affected me all my days; how much should it touch me to see the Son of God put to death for me? The sun fainted, the heavens mourned in black, the earth quaked, and the rocks rent, when this black tragedy was acted; how much more should my heart rend and mourn at the representation of it before my eyes? Surely my mourning should be great, deep, and bitter mourning, as in the text, like the mourning of a parent for the death of an only son; or like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Me- giddo ! O what was the death of king Josiah to the death of King Jesus, the eternal Son of God? O my dear slain Lamb, shall I mourn and weep over thee? O! can I see his -blood run down in streams, and my eyes not pour out some drops? Did Christ sweat blood, and weep blood for my sins," and shall not I weep tears for them ? Shall I not give drops of water for streams of blood? Alas! am I more sparing of my tears for Christ, than Christ was of his blood for me? How fast did the blood trickle down Christ's cheeks in the day he wore the crown of thorns for me? But how slowly do the tears fall from my eyes when I commemorate his dying love! Can I shed tears in plenty for my dead child ; and have I reserved none for a slain Saviour? Yea, slain for my sins! How sad is it to see so many weeping eyes at a funeral, and so many dry eyes at a communion table? Alas! this is a sad sign of few looking by faith to him we have pierced; few sensible of the evil of their sins, that were the hammers which drove the nails into his body. O for a realizing act of faith, representing all that the Lamb of God suffered, in the greatest certainty and clear- est evidence, that it is no devised fable. O for an applying and appropriating act of faith, to bring all home to myself, and say, " He loved me, and gave himself for me." W hat a hard heart is this I have beyond others! Can I see others weeping and mourning over a slain Saviour, that sit at the same table, eat the same bread, and drink the same cup with me, and cannot I get one tear? Is God come with his bottle waiting for my tears? Do others pour into it plentifully, and have I not one tear to drop into God's bottle? Lord, what means the hardness of my heart, and the dryness of my eyes, at the sight of my Saviour's bleeding and dying for my sins? When should I mourn and weep, if not now ? Was there ever such an occasion for tears? O ! doth God intend to reserve weeping for me in hell, where tears shall never be dried up? This is what I deserve, if I be hard-hearted and dry- eyed now. But, Lord, pity my hardness, and give me such a look as thou gavest Peter, that may cause me to weep, and weep bitterly, at the remembrance of my sins which pierced thee. MEDITATION VIII. — "THE LORD LOOKED UPON PETER.— AND PETER WENT OUT, AND WEPT BITTERLY."' — LUKE XXII. 61,6"2. Lord, since my looks to thee are so slight, so wavering and inconstant, that they make little 01 no impression on my hard heart, do thou vouch- safe to look upon me with pity and with power; for thy looks are efficacious, and melt down the hardest heart. O give me such a look as thou MEDITATION VIII. 253 aavebt to Peter, when he denied thee, and hegan to curse and swear : a look that may hring me to myself, and cause me weep, and weep bitterly, at the remembrance of my sins, my unbelief, my pride, my passion, my disobedience, which pierced thee, my dearest Lord and Saviour. " Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me," Psal. cxix. 131. Christ's look to backsliding Peter was merciful, and full of compassion; his bowels yearned for his poor disciple, Avhen ready to fall into the devil's arms by a total and final back- sliding, and prevents him speedily. He would not let him lie long in that dismal state he fell into, as it were on the very brink of hell, but presently plucks him back, and recovers him. In like man- ner, Lord, look on me, and recover me speedily, when I fall into sin, lest my next step be into hell. Christ's look to Peter was a preventing look; lie looked on Peter before Peter looked to his Saviour for mercy, and before he looked on him- self, or upon his sin, and the danger he was exposed to by it. Glory to my Redeemer, that watches over his people, sees and minds their danger when they themselves are little thinking upon it; he is more careful of them than they are of themselves. How marvellous was Christ's love, that would be so concerned about Peter at such a time, when he himself was amidst his bloody enemies, and upon trial for his life: even then, as it were, he forgets his own danger, and takes notice of the danger of his servant. He being "the great Shepherd of his sheep," ventures all to rescue one of his flock out of "the mouth of the lion, and from the paws of the bear." O who would not desire to belong to the flock of such a faithful, loving, and compassionate Shepherd? The look Christ gave Peter was a convincing look; it laid open his sin to him, with all its aggravations, which made it very bitter to him. It spoke such language to him as this: "O Peter, what hast thou done ? Hast thou cast off thy Saviour? And hast thou said, thou knowest not me, who knew thee from the womb, and am going to die for thee? Dost thou not know me, that calledthec from thy nets, that empowered thee to preach the gospel, and work miracles, that kept thee from sinking in the waters? Am I not he thou sawest shining on mount Tabor? Even he thou saidst thou would rather die than deny? O for such a convincing look from Christ, that would pierce and melt my heart, and make me weep bitterly, both now and at his table, for my base ingratitude, in disowning and piercing my dear Redeemer! Christ's look to Peter was a powerful and overcoming look, it conquered his will, loosed him from the world and sin, and made him yield presently to Christ; he was not able to hold out a moment longer, but, like Joseph, seeks a secret place to weep in. O how powerful is a look from Clirist! it is sufficient to bow the most stubborn will, and melt the hardest heart; it can turn "the rock into standing water, and the flint into a foundation of water," Psal. cxiv. 8. How powerful was the look he gave to poor Jerusalem, when "lying in their blood;" a look that caused them to live, Ezek. xvi. 6. How powerful was the look he gave to Zaccheus on the sycamore tree, Luke xix. 5. O for such a look as would bring me presently down, in like manner, from the sycamore of my self-conceit and self-righteousness, and from my best beloved sins and idols, and cause me to receive Christ joyfully into my heart, and go with cheerfulness to his table, and receive the seal of his covenant, saying, "My Lord, and my God." Christ's look to Peter was a peculiar and dis- tinguishing look; the power and grace of God went alongst with it to change Peter's heart, and bring him to his right mind. Christ looked on many thousands that were never the better of it. He looked on Judas after he betrayed him, and when he presumed to kiss him, and reproved him too for his base treachery : but neither that look nor reproof melted his heart. As the beams of the very same sun hardens clay and softens frozen earth; po a look from the same Jesus, "the Sun of righteousness," left Judas hard and impenitent, whilst it softened Peter's heart. The one went on in his villany, whilst the other relented, and melted into tears. Why? he looked but on the face of Judas, looked on the heart of Peter. He looked on the one with a frowning judicial look, but looked upon the other with a recovering and drawing look. Christ's look to Peter was accom- panied with the inward influences of his Spirit on his heart, otherwise it had been ineffectual. O if he would vouchsafe such a gracious look to my frozen heart, and soften it ! I would fain bring my hard heart, and lay it before this blessed Sun, and wait until he draw by the cloud, look through, and shine upon it. Lord, I tremble to go to thy table with this hard heart, lest thou should look on me with anger, as thou didst upon these, Marie iii. 5, upon account of the hardness of their hearts. Lord, I desire to be grieved for my heart-hard- ness, and to look to thee whom I have pierced by it. Give such a look to my heart as thou gave to Peter's, melt it down into penitential tears, and cause me to go aside "and weep bitterly." Christ's look caused Peter to remember and think upon Christ's words to him. It is in and by his word that he works upon sinners' hearts. O if the Spirit would bring the word to my mind, set it powerfully home upon my conscience, and so give the happy turn to my soul. Lord, help me to lay up my words, and ponder them in my heart; and O bring them always seasonably to 254 SACRAMENTAL MEDITATIONS. my view, that when I fall, I may not lie long under sin, nor continue in a state of hacksliding from thee. May I have such a look from thee, as shall look all my idols out of countenance, and look my wandering heart into a right frame for the covenanting and communicating work : A look that shall put new life in all my drooping graces, and kindle such a flame of love to Christ in my heart, and of indignation against sin, as all the devils in hell shall never he ahle to quench. A look that shall make me weep while I live, for piercing Christ the Lamh. O shall others shed tears in plenty for sin, and my eyes remain dry? Shall others get their hearts broken, and mine continue hard? Lord, thy grace is free; O how easy were it for thee to melt my heart, and moisten my eyes: one touch of thy hand, nay, one look of thy countenance, one cast of thine eyes, is sufficient to do it. O turn unto me, and give me one merciful look ; for thy ordinance will be lifeless, and lost unto me, if thou look not on me. How can I go to thy table to behold Jesus, my Surety, all red with blood for my red and scarlet-coloured sins, while my heart doth not mourn, nor my eyes run down ? Surely the streams of my Saviour's blood deserve to be lamented with tears of blood, and shall not I do it, at least with tears of water? Was he wounded for my transgressions, and shall not my heart bleed and eyes weep for his wounds given him by my sins? MEDITATION IX. — " AND SHE SAID, TltUTII, LORD, VET THE DOGS EAT OF THE CRUMBS." MATT. XV. 27. This woman was a Canaanite, and lived among heathens, yet she had greater knowledge and faith of the Messiah than most of the Jews. Her faith, humility, patience, and resolution, amidst the greatest discouragements, are here recorded for a pattern and encouragement to desponding believers in all ages. This woman was so sensible of her misery, that she addresses Christ with great earnestness for help: She doth not speak calmly or coldly to Christ, but she cried unto him, and followed him with her cries, vcr. 22, 23. Surely, if I were duly affected with my spiritual wants and mis- cries, I would speak to God in no other language than that of cries and tears. O wdiat cause have I to bewail my coldness and indifferency in prayer, and the little sense I have of my dangers and necessities, which are great beyond expression. This woman, notwithstanding of her great ear- nestness and strong faith, met with very great trials and discouragements in her addresses to Christ. 1 . Her first trial is Christ's silence to her, when crying to him for mercy, ver. 23, "He answered her not a word." Strange! not a word from a meek and merciful Saviour, that never put a poor sinner, seeking for mere}", away from him before ; but still invited all to come to him for it. That is a sore temptation, Lam. iii. 8, "When I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer." Believers are apt to think that God shuts out their prayers in wrath, when it is not so. Christ heard this woman, accepted her, was pleased with her, and strengthened her to hold on in prayer, though he did not immediately answer her. He entertained her with silence to draw her on to be more im- portunate, and to try her faith, patience, and perseverance, and thereby to teach us to be fol- lowers of those who through faith and patience do now inherit the promises. Christ keeps the door bolted for a time, that we may knock the harder, Matt. vii. 7, "Ask, seek, knock." The choicest mercies come to us after the greatest wrestlings. Likewise I see here, that there is love in Christ's heart to wrestling souls, even when frowns appear in his looks; wherefore let me take encouragement from him, " though he slay me, yet to trust in him." 2. Another sore trial the woman met with, was the answer Christ gave his disciples when interceding for her, whereby he seems to exclude her out of his commission, vcr. 24, "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." The Jews were called sheep, but the Gentiles, dogs. The Jews were indeed to have the free offer of Christ's grace and purchase. Though the woman might have taken Christ's words as a plain repulse, yet she studies to put the best sense on them she can, and continues her impor- tunity. Which teacheth us never to leave the throne of grace for any discouragement. 3. She gets a repulse yet more sharp than the two former, even after she had come close up to him, and fallen down at his feet, saying, "Lord, help me." Then it is Christ ranks her among the dogs, those that were without the covenant, pro- fane and unclean. Now, one might think, she is cut off by this word, and will insist no more after it. Nay, she takes hold of that word of reproach, and pleads upon it in the text, "Truth, Lord, I am a dog," vile and unworthy ; yet let me humbly ask the dog's room and privilege, even to creep beneath the children's table, and gather some crumbs of mercy. O how much is contained here for our instruction and imitation ! 1. What cause have we, O Lord, to bless thy goodness, that we Gentiles, of dogs are now become children, and allowed to come to thy table! And at the same time to fear thy justice. since the Jews, of children, are now become and shut out as unclean! If they were cutoff, who crucified thee in thy low estate, what may wc expect, if, by our sins, we crucify thee in thy glory! Let us not be high-minded, but fear. MEDITATION IX. 255 2. Christ puts the strongest faith of his people upon the sharpest trials : he thinks fit, for his own glory, where he gives much grace, to try grace much. 3. Those who are eminent in faith are most humble: this woman was so. O how humbly did she plead with Christ ! She threw herself on the ground, lay low at his feet, and from the dust cried for help; she claimed nothing, only begged for mercy. And when Christ spurned her from his feet, calling her a dog, she doth not murmur nor complain of his harsh carriage, but humbly takes with the charge; "Truth, Lord," thou dost not miscall me, nor call me so bad as I am, "I am a dog," a most vile and unworthy creature, and have no right to the children's bread, and must starve, if thou hast not mercy on me. She can bear any thing, the worst frown or chastise- ment from Christ, only she cannot bear being ex- cluded from his mercy and grace; she would have some token of it, though never so small: she claims not a Benjamin's meal, nor a child's por- tion, only let her have a dog's crumb. Lord, I take patiently the stripe from thee; give me but a crumb after it, and I will go away satisfied. Surely the more humble any supplicant is at the throne of grace, he comes still the better speed, for the "Lord resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 4. God's usual method of dispensing his mercy and grace to sinners, is, first to cast them down before he raise them up; he first humbles and lays them low in a sense of their unworthincss and vileness, before he advances them to his favour. "We must first sec ourselves to be as dogs, "less than the least of all God's mercies," before we are fit to be dignified with "the privileges of children." 5. When unbelief draws dismal conclusions from every thing, and tempts us to quit our grips and hopes, upon any dark dispensation, and to say with that wicked king, 2 Kings vi. 33, "This evil is of the Lord: why should I wait for the Lord any longer?" Behold, faith is a valiant and importunate grace, it puts the best construction upon all Christ's actions; it is sharp- fcighted, to see and take hold of all advantages to strengthen itself, and finds encouragement even in that which is discouraging. That which seemed © © to cut off this believing woman's hope, she im- proves it as a ground of hope, and an argument in prayer, "Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat," &c. f.