A companion for communicants. Discourses upon the nature, the design, and the subject of the Lords Supper; with devout methods of preparing for, and approaching to that blessed ordinance. / By Cotton Mather, Pastor of a church at Boston. ; [Seven lines from Augustine]

DEVOTIONS At the SUPPER of the LORD; With Some Touches upon the constitution of the Gospel Churches which that Glo|rious Appointment of our Lord Jesus is to be celebrated in.

CANT. 1. 12.

While the King Sitteth at His Table, my Spiknard sendeth forth the smell thereof.

OF all the Mysteries in the World; there is none more, Comfortable and Admirable than the Blessed Union and Communion between the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Church of Militant Be|lievers on Him. Of all the Resemblances that

can be used for the Illustration hereof, there is none more Significant than what the Marriage of two Passionate Lovers will afford. That mystery is most elequently set forth by this Resemblance, in the Song of Solomon▪

The Jewes compare the Three Books of So|lomon, to the Three Parts of the Temple built by him; the Proverbs they liken to the Porch, the Ecclesiastes they liken to the Holy Place; and the Canticles they liken to the Holy of Ho|lies, within the Vail, where all things were full of Mystery, Reverence and Religion. Tis a Pastoral and a Nuptial Song which we an•• here entertained with; but we may make the Enquiry sometimes made upon another occasion. I Pray thee, of whom Speaks the Prophet this? of himself, or of some other? Truly, it cannot be said, of Solomon, That he was a proper Shepherd, or that he was any where shut out of Doors, till his Head was ••et with the Dew. Nor can it be said about the Queen of Solomon, That shee was a Rural Busy Shepherdess, or, that having lost her Brid••|groom, she was beaten by Watchmen that found her seeking of him.

Moreover, The Opinion, That this was a Love-Song, made upon the too Exceptionable wedding between Davids Son and Pharaohs Daughter, is confuted, by the mention which the Song makes about The Tower of Lebanon,

that was not built until more than Twenty years afterwards. It is therefore Evident, That A Greater than Solomon is here! Our Lord Jesus and His Church are the Lovers, whose Inter|view•• are here describ'd unto us. The Wise man, in his old Age, bitterly Repenting of the Impure Loves which his younger years had been defil'd withall, do's now write of a more Di|vine and Sacred Love.

In our Text, we have the Respect of the Church unto the Lord Jesus Christ; upon which, Two Things are to be noted.

First, we have the Season of it. It is, when the King sitteth at His Table.

Behold the Person which we are now con|cerned with; it is a Great King who vouch|safes to be treating with us miserable Beggars and Sinner here. O that we could enough Ad|mire the Benignity and the Condescension of the King that ha's brought us hither! If we now put that Question, in Psal.24 8,10. Who is this King of Glory? Who is this King! We may take that answer, in Mal.1.14. I am a Great King, saith the Lord of Hosts. Our Blessed Lord Je|sus Christ is the King, whom we now make our Addresses to; and it is our Business here to acknowledge Him as our King. Very Royal is the largess, which we are here to Expect from His magnificent and munificent Hands;

we must now look for those things, that Life and that Peace, which it may well be••eem the Dignity of such a King to give. We are here also to Resolve that we will be Governed by His Laws; and with an unspotted Loyalty unto Him, we are now to say, The Lord is our King, and He shall save us.

But behold also the Posture which He stoops unto. We find He, Sitteth at His Ta|ble. The Hebrew Original represents Him as Lying Down in a Round or a Ring of persons, whom He do's feast Himself withal. There is a Blessed Feast which the Lord Jesus do's Refresh the Souls of His People with; and He do's vouchsafe of His Presence to them as, and in this Heavenly Festival. This Presence of His, is indeed that which sweetens all!

Secondly, We have the Effect of it. It is thus Expressed, my Spiknard sends forth the smell thereof. Which is to be understood rather Actively, than Passively. It signifies not only, That the Lord Jesus doth here Per|fume His Church with the Liquid and pre|cious Nard of His own Spirit; and that, We have an Unction from the Holy One; But it also and cheefly Signifies, that the Church doth here very sweetly Delight the Lord Jesus, by Exercising of much Grace upon Him. The Grace of God, is as a pure and rich Spice in

the Souls of them that have it; when this Grace is Exercised, it is like a Perfume in the Resentments of our Lord Jesus Christ; and He says upon it, My Spouse, how much better is the smell of thine Ointments, than all Spices? Our Lavender, which is a Bastard Spiknard, is very sweet; but the true and right Spik|nard of the East- Indies, is unspeakably more Delicious; however, the Grace of God Ex|ercised in us, is far more fragant and grate|ful to that Holy Lord.

But we have this Doctrine then to think upon.

That the Exercise of Graces ought to be the Endeavour of Christians at the Cable of the Lord.

One word or two will bring us to the Ap|plication of this Faithfull saying.

Conclusion. I

The Lord Jesus Christ in His Ordinances dispenses Himself unto us, as if He were sitting at a Table with us. The Salvation of the Lord Jesus is not amiss com|pared unto a Feast; and with Respect ••nto it, He therefore, says, of the Believer, as in Rev. 3. 20. I will Sup with Him. When our Lord Pardons us, Renews us, Comforts us in this, and brings us at length to the Glo|ries of another World, He says to us, I sup with you.

In a Feast, the Good Things are plentiful. Thus may we say to our Lord, as in Psal. 65. 4. We shall be satis|fyed with the Goodness of thy House. There is enough and enough in Christ Jesus to satisfie us all; Merit enough, power enough, and vertue enough; and of His Fulness we may all Receive. Moreover, In a Feast, the Good Things are Various. Thus do's our Lord say unto us, as in Mat 22. 4 Come, for all things are Ready. All that we Want, all that we Wish is in Christ Jesus; He is that Manna which has the Relish of all that any sensible Soul can have a mind unto. Now, 'tis in His Ordinances, that the Lord Jesus Christ con|ve••es to us that Salvation, and all His Benefits; and in these Ordinances we have Him sitting with us. There it is, that He sits, as at a Table, where he may be seen; and his voice unto us, is that in Isa. 45. 22. Look unto me, and be ye Saved.

Conclusion, 2

The Exercise of Graces ought to be the Endeavour of Christians in all of those Blessed Ordinances. The Opus Operatum of coming to the Ordinances of the Lord Je|sus, will be of no Advantage to us, if we have not a Spiritual Communion with Him there; as the Phrase is False Latin, so 'tis none but a False Heart that will be contented with the Thing. In every Ordinance we should be able to say, as in 1 John 1. ••. Truly our Fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, Now, 'tis by the Exercise of Graces, that we maintain that Fellowship; tis by making Returns of Reverence, Repentance, Obedience, to Him, that there bestowes of His Influences upon our Souls. The Matter of our Duties in coming to the Ordinances of our Lord, will neither please Him, nor profit us, un|less we Look also to the Manner of it; now the right manner of attending upon Ordinances is to Exercise all

manner of Graces in the doing of it. The Ordinance of our publick Praying, is well used, when our Graces are so Exercised in it, that we may say, as in Psal. 25. 1. Unto thee O Lord, I do now Lift my Soul; our Souls are therein with sincere and Lively Affections to address Him that is Invisible. An Amen should accompany e|very stroke▪ The Ordinance of our publick Hearing is well used, when our Graces are so Exercised in it, that we do say, as in Psal 85. 8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak: We are herein with a most humble Submission to place our selves under the word, as indeed the word of God: He did so that would not flip an Head, or a Text brought in a Sermon, without a pertinent Ejaculation thereupon. The Or|dinance of our Puplick Singing, is to have our Graces Exercised in it, according to that in Eph.5.19. Sing|ing and making Melody, in your Heart unto the Lord; it is pitty to let one Verse pass us, without one Gracious Observation and Supplication raised from it. And in Like manner are all other Ordinances to be managed with such Motions in our Souls, as may be a fit Entertainment for that God, Who will be wor|shipped in Spirit and in Truth.

But we need not now any longer Prorogue that

Application,

Which this Truth is designed for; Tis this, Let us come to THIS Table of the Lord, on which we have the Supper of the Lord, with such an Exercise of Grace, as He calleth for; and let our Spiknard HERE so send forth the smell thereof, as that we may be

accounted Worthy Receivers of this Blessed Sacrament. You are now coming to a Cable which the King of Heaven is pe|culiarly and eminently present at. O be careful to come so Graciously, as that you may be reckoned to come Worthily hereunto: and this the rather, because a Godly man, may fall into that Pernicious miscarriage of coming a miss unto the Table of the Lord; a man that shall not at last be Condemned with the World, yet may smart very terribly for being a Negligent Communicant. I would set before you, these two Considerations.

Consider. 1. Very Black is the SIN com|mitted by them, who do not in a Gracious and a Worthy manner approach to this Holy Table. We read in 2 Cor.30.15. The Priest & Levites were Ashamed, and Sanctify'd themselves Truly Tis a great Shame for us, to come ••••to the Table of the Lord, in an Unsanctify'd man|ner; a Great Shame it is, because it is a great Sin. Tis an Affront unto Him who says, I am a great King, and my Name is Dreadful; tis a Vile thing to be Undecent and Uncivil, but so tis, to be ungracious, at the Table of such a King. A great prince being too poorly and meanly treated by a nother person, gave him that up braid, Non putabam ess•• me tibitam Fami••earem; I did not look for this Familiari|ty!

Tis an impudent Familiarity that an unfit Communicant imposes upon the God of Heaven with. Every thing else at the Table usually is clean; we have only clean Linnens; and clean Vessels there; tis ••nexcu|sable if our Hearts and our Frames be not al|so cleansed. It is a hot Thunder-bolt that falls, in 1 Cor.11.27. Whosoever shall Eat this Bread, and Drink this Cup of the Lord Unwor|thily, shall be guilty of the Body and the Blood of the Lord. That unworthy, notes not so much the Subject, as the manner, of Concuni|cating. Every Communicant is an Unworthy Subject of this Ordinance, and m••st cry out, Lord I am not worthy of the least of all thy mer|cies. But the Communicant that comes in an unworthy manner, this man, as it were Cru|cifies the Lord Jesus over again, and Justifies all the Abuses that His villainous Murderers give unto Him; he handles the Blessed Body of our Lord, as unworthily as the Jews did, when they Scourg'd it, smote it, Stab'd it, Hang'd it, and Spat upon it: he do's indeed Shew forth our Lords Death; but how? Tis with a Guilty profane, wicked Repetition of it. Yea, the man would be a very Judas, if he had but Judas's Opportunities. Now what an horri|ble Guilt is this? To be Guilty of any mans Death is a most borrid thing; O Deliver me from Blood Guiltiness! was the ourcry of

David once. But what is it then to be Guilty of His, who is the Son of God, the Prince of Life, and the Lord of glory! For the Blood of any man to cry against us, is a dreadful, and a dismal thing; but what is it then, to have the Blood of our only Saviour crying to God against us? Wo to us, if that Blood should not cry for us, and speak better things than the Blood of Abel; but O what a Wofull Thing will it be, if the cry of that Blood should be, for Divine Fury and Vengeance to break forth upon us, as the Guilty Shedders of it?

And therefore,

Consider. 2. Very sad is the WRATH In|curred by them, who do not in a Gracious and a Worthy manner approach to this Holy Table. From this Wrath it is that the unworthy Com|municnat gets no good by coming to this Ordi|dinance: His coming, is one of those things which the Lord calls, Vain Oblations▪ He comes indeed unto a Divine Supper, but he is not so made partaker of it, as to escape that Curse, in 2 King.7,2. Behold, thou shalt see it with thine Eyes, but thou shalt not Eat thereof; or that curse, in Hos.4.19. They shall Ea••, and shall not be satisfy'd. No good got by him, did I say! Nay, much Hurt ••s felt by him. Tis a Dangerous Thing to come Unsuitably,

For,

First, There are very d••reful and heavy Plagues, which in this Life are inflicted on men, for their unworthiness at the Table of the Lord.

It was an expression in 1 Cor 11.30. For this cause many are We••k and S••ck among you, and many sleep There seems to be a mortal Dis|temper sent among the Corinthians, because the Supper of the Lord was profaned with them. Because they did not use the Lords Body in a Becoming manner therefore Their Bodies were plagued with Troublesome Diseases, to chas|tise that Iniquity. If you love your Lives, or if you would not perish like Julian the uncle, or Felix the Treasurer of the Apostate. I pray look to your Behaviours at the Table which represents the Death of our Lord. The Fa|mous and Faithful Paraeus told his Countrey|men, When I consider your Sacrament-Profanati|ons, I do not wonder at the Desolating Judgments of God, that come upon you. And give me leave to say, that the English Nation has at this day but unhappy Symptoms on it, on the score of the Prostitutions which have been made of this Tremendous Ordinance; 'tis well if the Righteous and Jealous God will not shortly make Rivers of Blood to run in a Kingdome, where the Blood of His dear Son, has been us'd as an unholy Thing.

Moreover,

Secondly, Mens Unworthiness at the Table of the Lord, alwayes Deserves, and sometimes Procures unto them the Vengeance of Eternal fire. It 〈◊〉〈◊〉 strike Horrour into every one of our Souls, to read that Sentence in 1 Cor 11.29. He that Eateth and Drinketh unworthily, Eateth and Drinketh Damnation to himself. But what an amazing Morsel is that? Our unworthiness here will render the best of us, worthy of Dam|nation: only the pity and the pardon of a Good God Extends it self to those that are Involuntary in this unworthiness. But if men are Presumpteous in it, if they come to the Ta|ble of our Lord, with an High-handed and an Hard-hearted malignity reigning in them, Wo to those Intruders? They Eat the Passeover Raw, than which nothing more unw••oesome or mischievous. This Ordinance will be to them, as the Tree of Death was to our first Fa|ther; it will prove the Sacrament and Instru|ment of their Eternal Death, and they will swal|low down their Damnation with the Eucharist. It will but leave them the more fixed and set|tled in their Sins, and the more fully possessed by the Evil one; as the Apostle expresses it, They come together not for the Better, but for the worse; thus, they are the worse for their being here. And this will expire in the Everlasting Torments, of that state wherein they shall have 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Bread out the burning Coals of Juniper, and

no Cup except that unmixed one of Red Wine, the Dregs whereof shall be wrung out by all the wicked of the Earth. What became of the Per|son that appeared at the Gospel-Table without a Wedding garment on! Oh Tremble at such a Doom as that; and therefore labour to have the Spiknard of Grace here sending forth a Smell, acceptable to the Eternal King.

Now that you may not be found without the Savours of Grace, at the Holy Table, there are these Counsils to be set before you.

Counsil. 1.

Prepare to Celebrate the Death of the Lord Jesus at His Table, with as much Awfulness and Exactness, as if your own Death, were at the same Time to be prepared for. A serious and a solemn Preparation for the Table of the Lord, is that which will give a Vigorous O|dour to our Spiknard there. Now, Let the sense of our Mortality be Awakned, and be Transferred unto this Preparation. When the Minister gives notice a Week before, That the Lords Supper shall be Administred on the Next Lords Day, if God permit; Let the word come with as much Dread upon you, as if he had said like the Prophet, in Isa.38. 1. Set thy House in Order, for thou shalt Dy, and not live.

Think with your selves, What if I were to Dy the next Lords Day, and appear before the Judg|ment Seat of God! And behave your selves all the week, as if you were then to Dy. Sup|pose you were to Dy at the Time of the next Communion; What Sin would be most Burden|some to you? or, What Wish would be most pow|erful in you? or, What Disposition of Soul would you choose to Dy withal? Why, Be now concerned about those very Affayrs, even as if you were to Dy: who knows but you may Dy before?

Counsil. 2.

Bring to the Table of the Lord, those things without which you cannot keep alive, the Excercise of your Graces there. A few things there are without which, your Spiknard will wither at the Table of the Lord; and these you must be sure to come furnished with. That they come in good States, is indeed, the Unum necessarium of Communicants; you must in the first place look to this, That you have the Root of the matter (of the Spiknard) in you. Having provided for that, then,

First, Be sure to bring Right Ends with you. The Lord that asked an ill person at His Ta|ble, How camest thou hither? will ask every person Why comest thou? Now be capable of

giving a good Answer thereunto. When some had been at Ordinances, our Lord En|quired of them, in Math.11.8.9. what went yee out for to see? Even so, when we come to This Ordinance, our Lord will put that Enquiry to us, What are you come hither to see? O be able to say, That you did not come out meerly for a Show. The Lords Supper ha's been perver|ted unto wretched Ends by evil men too of|ten in the world. It ha's been Hurtfully 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by them that have made it a Test for, an Officer; admitting the vilest of men unto it, in order to their having some civil or military Trust. It ha's been Blasphemously perverted by them that have made it a Bond of Iniquity; taking the Sacrament as a Ty to strengthen one another in some Divillish En|terprise. It ha's been Superstitiously perverted, by them that have made an Host or a Charm of it; carrying it about in Procession for Adoration, or using it as a Medicine for the sick, or cast|ing it into a Sepulchre of the Dead. Renounce all such Ends as these, with all the other more carnal Ends of a Pharisee, in your coming to the Table of the Lord. But when He de|mands of you, What come you hither to see? Reply like those Honest Greeks, in Joh.12.21. We would see Jesus. Take the Sacrament, as a Tarf, or a Key, by which we possess ourselves of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. B•••• able to

say, Lord I come that I may know thee and serve thee better; that thy Grace may be nourished in my soul, and that thy Joy may be my strength. Be able to say, Lord I come that I may have thy New Testament confirmed unto me; and that I may Testify my Faith in thee, and my Love to them that are called by thy Name. O come with such Noble Aims in your Eyes.

Secondly, Be sure to bring Fixt Hearts with you. Take heed of a Wandring, a Roving Fancy, at the Table of the Lord. The Psalmist could say, Psal.••7.7. My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give Praise: Even so should we be able to say, My Heart is Fixed, and now I will Communicate. Lay by all your worldly Thoughts, when you are going to the Lords Supper, and say to them, as he of old said unto the Servants, Abide you here, while I go yonder and worship, and I will come again to you. And if any of those worldly thoughts would haunt you while you are here engaged, fray them away as Abraham did the Fowls, that would have torn and Spoil'd the Sacrifices. Allow of no Distractions, in this important Service; but if any Impertinent Sub|jects would sollicit your Thoughts at such a Time, say to them, like him to them, in Neh.6.••. I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down; why should the work cease, while I

leave it, and come down to you?

The Greek Language gives to a Butterfly the same Name that it gives to our Soul; and alass, our Souls are too like unto Butterflies in our Devotions; they frisk here and there to a thousand objects in an Hour, and are strange|ly Desultory in their Cogitations. But let us chastise this Fickleness, at the Table of the Lord; and if your minds begin to start, call upon them immediately as the Sacrificers did upon the people of old, ho•• Agite! Oh mind what you are about.

Thirdly, Be sure to bring with you Excited Appetites. It is a Supper that we are invited now unto; but what signifies a Supper with|out an Appetite? Methinks, every Dish and Cup upon this Table, ha's that Motto engrav'd upon it, in Math.5.6. Blessed are they that Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness, for they shall be filled. Let us come with Hungry and Thirsty Souls, and very bitterly sensible of the innumerable Wants which our Sins have plunged us into. Get such an Hunger as will even break through stone-walls, and be at any Difficulties rather than go without the Lord Jesus Christ; and get such a Thirst as will cause us with Sampson to cry out, I dy for Thirst! or with David, Long, O who will give me to Drink of the waters of the well of

Bethlehem! (There was our Lord Jesus born.) If our Hearts were but sufficiently enlarged with Desires and vast cravings after Spiri|tual Benefits, the Lord would give that Com|mandment unto the Sacraments, which He gave unto the Servants, in John.2.7. Fill the water pots with water: And they filled them up to the Brim! Let us affect our selves with the Deplorable and Uncountable Ne|cessities of our Souls, and come to the Lords Table, with Importunate wishes to have them all supplied there; come with an Ap|petite like that in Psal.42.1. As the Hart pan|teth after the water Brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God; or like that in Psal.63.1. O God, my soul thirsteth for thee, to see thy power and thy Glory, in the Sanctuary.

Counsil 3.

Let the Affectionate as well as the Historical Remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ, be That which may Exercise your Graces at his Table. our Dying Lord had this Respect put upon Him in John 12 3. Mary took a pound of Ointment of Spiknard, very costly, and anointed the Feet of Je|sus; and the House was filled with the Odour of the Ointment. Even so, Tis our Dying Jesus that our Spiknard is here to be employed upon; and it is by a Remembrance of Him, that the

Spiknard is to become truly Odoriferous. This is the short and the sum of our buisiness here, Do this in Remembrance of the Lord.

First, There is an Historical Remembrance of the Lord Jesus to be had at his Holy Table. The Elements and the Actions in the Sacrament all serve to represent the History of the Lord Jesus Christ unto us, and we should therefore so sit in the Meeting house, as that we may see those Elements and Actions during the whole Administration. Having before-hand read the History of the Lord Jesus in the Scrip|ture; we are now to read it over again in the Supper and accompany him from His Birth to his Grave with our Meditations. Remember now the Incarnation and the following Humili|ation of the Lord Jesus Christ, in all the parts of it; and Remember especially the Agonies of his Bloody Passion, When his Soul was made an Offering for Sin. Remember the Shame cast on the Lord Jesus, when He was Accused and Reproached as the greatest Criminal; Hurri|ed from Court to Court with the Clamours of a whole Nation against him; and at last Hang|ed between a couple of Enourmous Malefactors. Remember the Pain felt by the Lord Jesus, when the heavy Fists and lead ••n Thongs of the Souldiers tore His flesh from His Bones; and after the cruel jerk of the Cross into the Ground with Him Nailed unto it, the Horrid

Anguish of divers Hours caused Him to give up the Ghost. Remember the Soul-Torments endured by the Lord Jesus, when the Terrors of His mind fetch'd from Him a Sweat of Blood, tho' He were then in a cold Night gro|velling on the cold Earth; and when His Roarings were My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? O Remember the horrible suffer|ings of the Lord; Hear the Echo's of His Groans, and look again into every one of His Grievous, Hideous Wounds and Imagine that you have like Joseph of Arimathea, His Dead Body all Ghastly, and Bloody in your Arms.

Secondly, There is furthermore, an Affecti|onate Remembrance of the Lord Jesus, to be had at his Holy Table.

But How?

First, We are here to Remember the Lord Je|sus Christ, with an Adoration of the Mysteries appearing in His Dying for us. Let us now look upon the Causes of His Death and ad|mire the Mysteries contained in them. Re|member the Impulsive Cause of His Death; which was the Love of God. With Admi|ration here Behold, and say, God so loved the World, that He gave His only Begotten Son! Be|hold and say, ••od commendeth His Love towards us, that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for

••s! Remember the Meritorious Cause of His Death, which was the Sin of Man. With Admiration again Behold, and say, He was wounded for our Transgressions, He was bruised for our Iniquities, the chastisement of our Peace was upon him! Behold and say, God made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in Him! These are Mysteries to be here adored. Let us also look upon the Effects of His Death, and ad|mire the Mysteries Illustratious in them. Re|member that Reconciliation which His Death has effected for us, and all the circum|stances of the Friendship now established be|tween God and Man. With Admiration here Behold and say, When we were Enemies we were reconciled unto God by the Death of His Son! Behold and say, God is in Christ reconciling the World unto Himself, nor Imputing their Trespasses unto them! Remember also that Victoriousness Which His Death has effected for us: and re|collect how we are made Conquerors, and more than conquerors thorough Him that loved us. With Admiration again, Behold, and say, The Lord Jesus Christ hath now overcome Death, and destroy'd him that had the power of Death, which is the Divel. Behold, and say, The Lord Jesus having spoiled Principalities and Pow|ers hath made shew of them openly, in His Cross triumphing over them! These are further

mysteries to be Adored here.

Secondly, We are here to Remember the Lord Jesus Christ, with a deep Repentance for, our sins, which His Death is to be ascribed unto.

Particularly, We are now to Remember our Dying Jesus, with a Sorrow for all our sins. Here we should fulfil that word, in Zech. 12. 12. They shall look on Him, whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn. O We should now mourn to think of the Grief, which our sins have put the Lord Jesus Christ unto; and we should look upon our selves, as the Judas, the Pilate, and all the Wicked Miscreants that butchered ou•• Lord. When we see our Blessed Jesus fearfully mangled on his Table we may take it for granted, Surely some evil Beast has devoured Him! But we must presently remind that we our selves were the Devourers, and we may a little alter the Words used by David of old, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but this Lamb, what has he done? Hereupon all the Strokes and Stabs given to our Lord, should enter into our Hearts; and as when our Dying Lord said unto Mary, Behold thy Son! it is noted, A Sword passed through her Soul: So when tis here said unto us, Behold thy Saviour! Every sin of ours that brought the Curse upon him, should be as a Sword unto our very Souls within us.

If a Murderer touch the Body Slain by him▪ it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 afresh, we do here to•••• the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ, which we have Murdered; O that our own hearts may bleed at it; and say, Lord, what a Wretch am I?

Again, we are now to Remember our dying Jesus, with an Hatred, yea, with a Cripling and Killing of all our Sins. Revenge is one study of a Penitent; we are now to Resolve that we will Revenge the wrong done to our Lord Jesus, by the destruction of the sins that have done 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Wrong. We are now to say concerning the Sin that has killed the Lamb of God as David concerning the Man that had Injured Uriah's Lamb, in 2 Sam. 12.5. As the Lord lives, the SIN (the Pride, the Passion, the Sensuality, and the Covetousness) that has done this thing shall surely Dy. Perhaps you are of the same Inclination with that French King, who newly after his Conversion, hearing a Sermon on the Sufferings of Christ, from the Jews, in a fit of zeal, flew out, saying, If I and my Soul|diers had been there, I would have ••ut the Throats of them. Pray fall upon your Sins then; for They did more than all the Jews in this mat|ter. O Resolve, Never will I play with the Spear that Stab'd my Saviour: Never, Never will I have to do any more with Idols.

We should now indeed fetch ve••ue from the Death of Christ, for the Death of Sin; and

we should seriously and sincerely Resolve now to put our sin unto a Death which may bear a notable Analogy to the Death of our Lord. As now, The Jews never left urging of their Governour against the Lord Jesus, un|til they got Him Crucify'd. Even so should we now fall to Sighing and shouting before our God, Lord my sin is a Traitor to thy Throne! and beg till He give order, The Rebel shall Dy, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Complain against this Haman, when you are at this Banquet with the Eternal King.

Moreover, The Jews drew up many Heavy Indictments against the Lord Jesus. When that was done, they throw all Sorts of In|dignities upon Him. They than withdrew all kinds of Refreshments from Him. And lastly, They Tortured Him, till by their Torments they hunted that H••nd of the Morning, His Soul out of His Body. Resolve now upon such a Treatment of every Sin, tho' the sin may be as dear as a Right-Eye, or a Right-Hand unto you. Devout Nazi••••zen said; when a Lust gave too busy molestations to him, he could quickly quell it by Reading the Book of the Lamentations. How much more Mortifying a spectacle should it be unto us, when here we see, The Man who is Gods Fellow, hanging on a Tree?

Thirdly, We are here to Remember the

Lord Jesus Christ, with a True Faith in Him, and in His Death.

Particularly, We are now to Remember our Dying Jesus, with a Choise of Him as our Sa|viour. Profess now before Men and Angels, that you are not ashamed to say of Him, who fell into the Icy paws of Death at Golgotha, as in Isa. 33.22. This Lord is my Lord, my King, my Lawgiver. The foul mouth'd Julian would hellishly deride the Blessed Jesus, calling Him, The staked God. The Heathen would Laugh at the Christians of old saying, Tu adoras Cru|cifixu••••! What? you are one of the Fools, that worship Him that was Crucify'd! And the Jews do still taunt at us, with such a Scoff as that, What? you worship Talu••, i. e. an Hanged man! Thus have these Blasphe|mers foamed. But in Opposition them, do you now make this profession, That man who was Rejected by me•••• and smitten by God Him|self, is God as well as Man; and I will be the servant of Him, while I have any Being. It is noted of Thomas, in John.20.28. That when he handled the Raised Body of the Lord Jesus Christ, in a sort of Transport, he cry'd out, My Lord and my God,! Even thus, when you here handle the Word of life, than break forth into such Acclamations a••, Here shall be my Lord and my God; I will keep His Command|ments, and I will take up my Cross to follow Him, if He require it▪

Again, We are now to Remember our Dy|ing Jesus with a Trust in Him for all Salvation. We are told in John 2. 11. That when Jesus turned Water into Wine, His Disciples Believ|ed on Him. Thus are we to Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, when we see him after a sort here Turning of Wine into Blood. As our Lord said unto the man, in Mark 9. 23. If thou canst now Believe, all things are possible; and he Reply'd, Lord, I Believe. So do's He now say to us, If thou wilt now put thy Trust in me, and give thy Assent and Consent unto it, that this Death of mine, should procure all good Things for thee, I have all the sure mercies of my Covenant to bestow upon thee. O let your Answer be, Lord, I believe! Lord, This is not only the Wish, but also the Trust of my very Soul. We should with a vigorous and Renewed Hope, afresh commit our Souls into the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ, as that Redeemer, Who is able to save unto the uttermost, and In whom all Fulness Dwells; and give not over Appropriating of Him to our selves, till we be Raised into some Raptures of Assura•••••• which may enable us to say, My Beloved is mine, and I am His, and He has placed me now in the midst of the Lillies which He Feeds among.

Fourthly, We should Remember the Lord Jesus Christ at His Table, with a warm Lov••••

to what we should by His Death be Endear'd unto. Particularly, We are now to Remember our Dying Jesus with our Hearts going forth to God, who has made Him a Propitiation for us. We should find our selves now touched with a sensible Gratitude unto God for bestow|ing upon us a Christ, which is infinitely bet|ter than a World. It is an Eucharist that we are here concerned in; Thankfulness is wonderfully proper for us. Our Lord with His Disciples at the Sacrament, in Mat. 26. 30. Sung an Hymn. And so should we, having the High praises of God in our mouths. The Jews at their Passover, sang the Hundred and T••••rteenth with the five following Psalms, which they called, The Great Hallelujah, and indeed it is a great Hallelujah, which we ought to have at our Sacrament. A, bless the Lord, O my Soul; A, What shall I render to the Lord? is a fit Language for us here. But our Thankfulness to God for, Not sparing His Son, but Giving to us all things with Him, is to express it sel•• especially in our closing with Him, and cleaving to Him by New Acts of Stipulation. We should now renew our Cove|nants with God, and Repeat our Vows to be For Him and not for another.

The Word Sacrament, signifies an Oath; and when we receive the Sacrament, we should anew bind our selves by such an Oath as this, Lord, I will never willingly offend thee again, as I

have done heretofore. Old Pliny Writes, That the Christians in his dayes at their Meetings, would Sacramento se Obstringere, ne Scelus aliquod committerent. On a Sacrament Day it should be a thing to be spoken of us, which we have in Deut. 26.17. Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God.

Again, we are now to Remember our Dy|ing Jesus, with an unfeigned Charity unto the people of God, who are with us made partakers of the like precious Faith. When we see how the Members of our Lords Natural Body were lace|rated for us, it should make the Members of His Mystical Body more esteemed with us. The Apostle sayes in 1 Cor. 10.17. We being many, are one; for we are all partakers of that Bread. Even so, when there are many with us feeding on this one Broad, it should cause us more than ever to become One with them. Tho' we don't as they did in Cyprian's Age, mix Water with the Sacramental Wine, to signifie the mixture of all the People with the Blood of Christ; yet we are to look upon the Communion of Saints as represented in this Blessed Festival. And our Compassion towards those that may be indigent or afflicted among them, should now discover it self at no common Rate. The Primi|tive Christians had their Oblations and Collecti|ons for the Distressed in the Household of Faith,

when they had been communicating. Justin Martyr tells us of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and Tertullian speaks of the Deposita pietatis, on these occasions. Contributions for the Poor, are very agreeable Things at the close of the Sa|crament; and when we put our Two Mites into them, it should be with such a Dart of our Souls, Lord, as a Thank-Offering to thy Majesty, Behold my sorry goodness extending to the Saints in the Earth! So should our Love, be Strong as Death, when we come to celebrate the Death of Him, That has loved us, and washed us from our Sins, in His own Blood.

But Finally, and for

The Close of all.

IT should be our Endeavour, That it be a Well-Order|ed House in which we spread or seek the Table of the Lord; and let it be an House in and of which He shall be acknowledged as the Glorious King. The best Spikenard that we have to offer unto the Great King, is to pay that Respect and Homage unto Him, in John 1. 49. Thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel. When we sit at the Table of the Lord, let his Royal Orders be exactly observed in the Constitution of these our Churches, which we celebrate the Holy Supper in. Blessed be God; it may hitherto ••e said of the Churches in which we come to the Lords Table, as in Num 23. 21. The shout of a King is among them! O let that shout continue, and let it still be said, The Lord Jesus is our King! Two things there are, of which my prayer for our Churches, is, Lord, keep these

Things in the Imagination of the Thought of their Heart for ever!

The First is, That our Churches may observe NONE BUT the Institutions of the Lord Jesus; and that we ••••ay be Lo••al to our Soveraign. 'Tis notorious that New-England was planted on that Noble and Holy Design.

But the Next is,

That our Churches observe ALL the I••stitutions of the Lord Jesus Christ; and be perfect and Entire, wan|ting Nothing. So will our Heavenly King delight in us, and afford us much of His Presence and sweetness at his Holy Table. 'Tis the Favour of our God unto us, That the Institutions of our King JESUS,are so far embraced in the Assemblies, of our little Zion. We have our Sacraments, in such a perfection, that the most perverse Disputers cannot charge us with an O|mission of any One Thing required by the Scripture in them; and yet with such a purity, that we have none of those Crossings, and Kneelings, and other Superflui|ties which are not without their Naughtiness. We have our Ministers, the only Dispensers of our Sacra|ments, called and chosen by our Congregations to be the Overseers of their Souls, and by the Imposition of the Hands of the Presbytery, with solemn Fasting and Prayer, set apart for that sacred Service; Pastors and Teachers that are generally, Pious, painful, Faithful, and Learned Men, who devote themselves to the Feeding of their Flocks, and will at last be able to give up their Account with Joy and not with Grief. We have our Deacons, that stand engaged what they can, to free ou•• Ministers from secular Disturbances and Avocations, to look after the Outward Concerns and Supports of the Ordinances, and to dispose of the Church 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for the Relief of such as it belongs unto; in the discharg••▪

whereof many of them do purchase for themselves, A•• Exalted Seat, or, A place of some ••minency in our Church Assemblies. We have our Discipline, in which our Church-Members falling into Scandal, are first with an Open and an Awful Admonition, suspended from Church Priviledges; and if they remain Obstinate, they are by the Elders with the Consent of the Brethren, very so|lemnly Rejected, with a Declaration, That they are Cast out of our Lords Visible Kingdom, and as to their External Condition, given up into the state of the Hea|then, who have the Devil for their Lord. For these things, the Believers among us, do combine themselves into a Church-state by a most Holy Covenant; wherein they give themselves up to God, and Christ and one ano|ther, with an Agreement among themselves to Assist one another in their Attendance to the Rules of the Gos|pel.

And there is herewithal, such a Consociation of our Churches, as that not only a person joined unto any one of them, is admitted unto an Occasional Communi|on, at any time with any of them, in the Supper of the Lord; while in the mean time, the Differences be|tween Independent & Presbyterian, are so swallowed-up, as that only the Substantials of Religion are become the Terms of our Communion: but also, upon Emergen|cies, we have our Synods, wherein the Messengers or Delegates of many Churches do together give that Ad|vice, that Rarely, if Ever, sails of putting an Issue to a|ny Controversies, which they meet upon. While I am thus pleasing my self, with a prospect of these justly Renowned, and yet basely Maligned Churches, methinks I nevertheless cannot advise them to say with Laodicea, We have need of Nothing! Besides what other Defects in our Constitution an Impartial Enquiry may convince us of, I cannot my self at this time forbear Enq••iring, Why the Churches are no better furnished with RULING ELDERS throughout the Land? We have in our Platform

of Church Discipline delivered it as our principle, That We should have Ruling Elders to joyn with the Pastors and Teachers in those Acts of Church-Rule, which are distinct from the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments. But our practice is become so contrary thereunto, that few of our Churches are supply••d with such Needful Officers. Whence comes this to pass? I doubt the Inconveniencies which many worthy Preachers of the Gospel, have too often found that Office bringing with it, have been some thing of the prejudice; whereas, to Multiply those Officers would be a better way to Remedy the inconve|niences than to Nullisy them; instead of One, Let there at least be Two or Three Ruling Elders in every Church. But many among us, perhaps by some Antecedent pre|judice disposed thereunto, have come to Question, yea, to Deny the Divine Warrant, for such an Office. They Object, What Order for Lay-Elders have we in the Word of God? I answer, To speak properly, The only Lay-Elders that are known to be in any Church, are the Chancellors in the Church of England; persons Entrusted with the Rule of the Church, and yet not Ordained unto any Office in it. But for persons to be Ordained in eve|ry Church, To watch over the Conversation of the Church▪ Members with Authority, is a thing which I suppose we may easily find a Divine Warrant for. Unless a Church have Divers Elders, the Church Government must needs become either Prelatick or Popular; and that a Church needs but one Elder is an opinion contrary to the sense of the Church in all Ages. Now let us repair unto the Law and the Testimon•••• see what Elders we ought to submit unto. I shall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 before you, but One Text, which (as the great 〈◊〉〈◊〉 observes) Would be of un|controlable Evidence, if it had any thing to conflict withal, but prejudice and Interest, it is that in 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the Elders that Rule well, be counted worthy of double Honour, especially they who labour in the Word and Do|ctrine. Behold a Scripture that is not so easily to be

Avoided and Evaded, as the Sophistry of some Oppo|sers has represented it. The most of them, who put in Exceptions against the plain sense of the words, yet will not fix any other sense of their own, by which they dare abide: if they would fix upon any other, I durst undertake the disproving of it; nor do they in|deed, Agree among themselves. But he must be very Immodest, who do's not grant, that Divers kinds of El|ders are intended in these words; and there is this Unanswerable Argument advanced in them.

Preaching Elders that Rule well, are not worthy of dou|ble Honour, unless they labour in the Word and Doctrine.

But there are Elders who Rule well, that are worthy of double Honour, tho' they do not Labour in the Word and Doctrine.

Therefore there are Elders, that Rule well, who are not Preaching Elders, that is, who are but Ruling Elders only.

May our Churches then every where, look out, for Prudent, Gracious, Humble men; who may have a parti|cular care incumbent on them, about the Admission and Exclusion of Members; to inspect the Way and Walk of all the Communicants; to prevent all Be|ginnings of Divisions and Contentions; to warn all persons unto the Duties more peculiarly pertinent unto their Circumstances, by a personal Instruction from House to House: to visit the Sick, the poor, the Tempted, & the Persecuted; to inform the Ministers about the state of the Flock from Time to Time; and to consult with them about all the Affairs of the Society, over which they do preside. Surely, our Churches would flou|rish more, if these Officers were less wanting in them!

But I have done; and shall now add no more, but only ask your Amen to my Prayer, That the Lord Jesus would alwayes be the King of our Churches, and grant that We who therein so often sit with Him at his Table, may at last come to Eat Bread in His Kingdom, and Drink of the Pleasures at His Right Hand for evermore. Amen, and Amen!

FINIS