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be principally directed unto the great guilt of sin as represented in the death and cross of Christ, and to the severity of God as there represented. Other things may lay hold upon our carnal affections, but if this lay not hold upon faith, nothing will.

I have one rule more in these meditations; Doth any thing fall in that doth peculiarly affect your spirits, as to that regard which you have to God? Set it down. Most Christians are poor in experience; they have no stock; they have not laid up any thing for a dear year, or a hard time: though they may have had many tokens for good, yet they have forgot them. When your hearts are raised by intercourse between God and yourselves in the performance of this duty, be at pains to set them down for your own use; if any thing do immediately affect your spirits, you will be no looser by it; it is as easy a way to grow rich in spiritual experiences as any I know. This is the first part of this duty of preparation, which, with the rules given, may be constantly so observed, as to be no way burdensome nor wearisome to you; but very much to your advantage. The other duties I shall but name, and so have done.

2. There is examination. Examination is the word of my text, and that duty which most have commonly spoke unto, that have treated any thing about preparation for this ordinance. It respects principally two things, viz. repentance and faith.

(1.) Our examination as to repentance, as far as it concerns preparation unto this duty, may be referred to three heads:

[1.] To call ourselves to account, whether indeed we have habitually that mourning frame of spirit upon us which is required in them who converse with God in the cross of Jesus Christ. They shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn.' There is an habitual mourning frame of spirit required in us, and we may do well to search ourselves about it, whether it is maintained, and kept up or no? Whether worldly security and carnal joys do not devour it? For spiritual joys will not do it. Spiritual joys will take off nothing from spiritual mourning; but worldly security and carnal joy and pleasures will devour that frame of spirit.

[2.] Our examination as to repentance respects actual

sins, especially as for those who have the privilege and advantage of frequent and ordinary participation of this ordinance. It respects the surprisals that have befallen us (as there is no man that doth good and sinneth not) since we received the last pledge of the love of God in the administration of that ordinance. Friends, let us not be afraid of calling ourselves to a strict account. We have to do with him that is greater than we, and knoweth all things.' Let us not be afraid to look into the book of conscience and conversation, to look over our surprisals, our neglects, our sinful failings and miscarriages. These things belong to this preparation, to look over them and mourn over them also. I would not be thought to myself or you, to prescribe a hard burden in this duty of preparation. It is nothing but what God expects from us, and what we must do if we intend any communion with him in this ordinance. I may add,

[3.] Whether we have kept alive our last received pledges of the love of God? It may be at an ordinance we have received some special intimations of the good will of God. It is our duty to keep them alive in our spirits; and let us never be afraid we shall have no room for more. The keeping of them makes way for what farther is to come. Have we lost such sensible impressions, there is then matter for repentance and humiliation.

(2.) Examination also concerns faith; and that in general and in particular. In general; Is not my heart hypocritical? or do I really do what in this ordinance I profess? which is placing all my faith and hope in Jesus Christ for life, mercy, salvation, and for peace with God. And in particular, Do I stir up and act faith to meet Christ in this ordinance? I shall not enlarge upon these things that are commonly spoken unto.

3. The third part of our preparation is supplication; that is, adding prayer to this meditation and examination. Add prayer, which may inlay and digest all the rest in the soul. Pray over what we have thought on, what we have conceived, what we have apprehended, what we desire, and what we fear; gather all up into supplications to God.

4. There belongs unto this duty expectation also; that is, to expect that God will answer his promise, and meet us

according to the desire of our hearts. We should look to meet God, because he hath promised to meet us there; and we go upon his promise of grace, expecting he will answer his word and meet us. Not going at all adventures, as not knowing whether we shall find him or not; God may indeed then surprise us as he did Jacob when he appeared unto him, and made him say, 'God is in this place, and I knew it not.' But we go where we know God is. He hath placed his name upon his ordinances, and there he is; go to them with expectation, and rise from the rest of the duties with this expectation.

This is the substance of what might be of use to some in reference unto this duty of preparation for this great and solemn ordinance, which God hath graciously given unto any of you the privilege to be made partakers of.

Have we failed in these things or in things of a like nature? Let us admire the infinite patience of God, that hath borne with us all this while, that he hath not cast us out of his house, that he hath not deprived us of these enjoyments, which he might justly have done, when we have so undervalued them, as far as lay in us, and despised them; when we have had so little care to make entertainment for the receiving of the great God and our Lord Jesus Christ, who comes to visit us in this ordinance. We may be ready to complain of what outward concerns, in and about the worship of God, some have been deprived of. We have infinite more reason to admire, that there is any thing left unto us, any name, any place, any nail, any remembrance in the house of God; considering the regardlessness which hath been upon our spirits in our communion with him. Go away, and 'sin no more, lest a worse thing befall us.' If there be any, that have not risen up in a due manner in this duty, any conviction of the necessity and usefulness of it, God forbid we should be found sinning against this conviction.

DISCOURSE VII.*

I SHALL shew briefly what it is to obtain a sacramental part of Jesus Christ in this ordinance of the Lord's supper.

It is a great mystery, and great wisdom and exercise of faith lie in it, how to obtain a participation of Christ. When the world had lost an understanding of this mystery for want of spiritual sight, they contrived a means to make it up, that should be easy on the part of them that did partake, and very prodigious on the part of them that administered. The priest, with a few words, turned the bread into the body of Christ; and the people have no more to do but to put it into their mouths, and so Christ is partaken of. It was the loss of the mystery of faith in the real participation of Christ, that put them on that invention.

Neither is there in this ordinance a naked figure, a naked representation: there is something in the figure, something in the representation, but there is not all in it. When the bread is broken, it is a figure, a representation that the body of Christ was broken for us; and the pouring out of the wine is a figure and representation of the pouring of the blood of Christ, or the pouring forth of his soul unto death. And there are useful meditations that may arise from thence. But in this ordinance there is a real exhibition of Christ unto every believing soul.

I shall a little inquire into it, to lead your faith into a due exercise in it, under the administration of this ordinance.

First, The exhibition and tender of Christ, in this ordinance, is distinct from the tender of Christ in the promise of the gospel; as in many other things, so it is in this. In the promise of the gospel the person of the Father is principally looked upon, as proposing and tendering Christ unto us. In this ordinance, Christ tendered himself, This is my body;' saith he, 'do this in remembrance of me.' He makes an immediate tender of himself unto a believing soul; and calls our faith unto a respect to his grace, to his love, to his readiness to unite, and spiritually to incorporate with us. Again,

Delivered July 7, 1673.

Secondly, It is a tender of Christ, and an exhibition of Christ under an especial consideration; not in general, but under this consideration, as he is, as it were, 'newly' (so the word is) 'sacrificed;' as he is a new and fresh sacrifice in the great work of reconciling, making peace with God, making an end of sin, doing all that was to be done between God and sinners, that they might be at peace.

Christ makes a double representation of himself, as the great Mediator upon his death, and the oblation and sacrifice which he accomplished thereby.

He represents himself unto God in heaven, there to do whatever remains to be done with God on our behalf, by his intercession. The intercession of Christ is nothing but the presentation of himself unto God, upon his oblation and sacrifice.

He presents himself unto God to do with him what remains to be done on our part, to procure mercy and grace for us.

He presents himself unto us in this ordinance, to do with us what remains to be done on the part of God; and this answers to his intercession above, which is the counterpart of his present mediation, to do with us what remains on the part of God, to give out peace and mercy in the seal of the covenant unto our souls.

There is this special exhibition of Jesus Christ, and it is given directly for this special exercise of faith, that we may know how to receive him in this ordinance.

1. We receive him as one that hath actually accomplished the great work (so he tenders himself) of making peace with God for us; for the blotting out of sins, and for the bringing in everlasting righteousness. He doth not tender himself as one that can do these things. It is a relief when we have an apprehension that Christ can do all this for us: nor doth he tender himself as one that will do these things upon any such or such conditions, as shall be prescribed unto us. But he tenders himself unto our faith, as one that hath done these things; and as such are we to receive him, if we intend to glorify him in this ordinance; as one that hath actually done this, actually made peace for us, actually blotted out our sins, and purchased eternal redemption for us.

Brethren, can we receive Christ thus? Are we willing to

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