THE analogy between the sacraments of the Old and New Testament is so common a theme, and so generally known, that I need not spend time to show you how near of kin, and what a great deal of affinity there is between circumcision and baptism, the two initial sacraments, and the passover and the Lord's supper, the other two ordinances that serve for our growth and strengthening when we are once admitted. So that you see my choice is suitable to the occasion. This text though it speaketh of the celebration of the passover, yet will well enough befit the solemnity of the Lord's supper; and therefore I shall handle them at present. The occasion of the words is this: Hezekiah, that good prince, is no sooner stepped into the royal seat of Judah, but he thinketh of reforming religion, and the abuses that throughout his father's time had crept into God's worship. And indeed the best way to settle a kingdom is to settle the religion of it, to begin reigning with reforming. Therefore it is said in 2 Chron. xxix. 3, that in the first year of his reign, the first month, he opened the door of the house of the Lord. 'He opened,' for his father Ahaz had shut it, and polluted it, chap, xxviii 25. And indeed his reformation went on in a true step and pace, for it began first with the temple and ministry. The commonalty were likely to follow of their own accord when the doors of the house of the Lord were set open, and the Levites sanctified. It is but Christian prudence to cleanse the spring if we would have the stream clear; to look to God's house, and those that should dispense his word and ordinances, if we would have the people brought in a way of conformity to him. Well, he meeteth with a rotten clergy, especially the first sort; the priests they proved tough burs and knotty pieces, they do not come kindly off in the working, they would not easily be planed by the civil magistrate. The Levites and subordinate ministers were more ready, and pliable, and forward to advance the work, as you may see, 2 Chron. xxix. 34. I remember, when it was debated in the Council of Constance, as I take it, whence the reformation of the church should begin, answer was made, A minoritis - from the minorites, from the lower clergy. Imo vero a majoritis, saith the emperor - from the majorites, the chief, from the greatest of them, those that challenge a superiority over their brethren. And indeed it is but fit it should begin there, if that of Luther be true, Religio nunquam periclitatur nisi inter reverendissimos, that religion and reformation suffereth most of all from the right reverend, and is never at a stay but when it cometh to them. It is said here the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests. But this is by the by.
I shall not go over the several progresses of this glorious design; only tell you that this chapter is chiefly spent in setting forth the care of this good prince for the due celebration of the passover. And indeed that is kindly reformation that maketh the ordinances of God to speak a pure language, Zeph. iii. 9; and above all, ordinances that take care for the purity of the sacrament. Well, the priests are despatched to this purpose throughout all Israel and Judah, and are entertained with varied success. Some laugh and scoff at them; and indeed it is an usual thing for reformers to meet with a scoff; and all the welcome that a reformation finds is but a jeer, a frump. But it is said in ver. 11, however, 'divers humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.' Amongst those that came, all of them are not so clean as could be wished, for there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified, ver. 17; and therefore they are fain to make a virtue of necessity, to put the Levites upon another employment, which was not so properly theirs; for it belonged to the priests (as you may see, Lev. i. 5), only to kill the beasts appointed for the celebration of the passover; yet the Levites are fain to do it now. The reason of this unusual practice is more fully rendered in the text - 'For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim,' &c.
And thus you see I have brought you home to the words, which are, for the general scope of them, a reason why the Levites did execute the priests' office. In them briefly you have - (1.) The state and condition of the people; (2.) The prayer of Hezekiah because of that state and condition; (3.) The gracious answer of God to that prayer.
1. The state and condition of the people, set forth in two things- (1.) By their indisposition - 'Many of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Issa-char had not cleansed themselves;' they were guilty of some legal pollution. (2.) By their practice, notwithstanding this indisposition – 'Yet they did eat the passover otherwise than it was written;' that is, notwithstanding this indisposition, many did rush upon the ordinances.
2. Hezekiah's prayer - 'But Hezekiah prayed for them saying, The Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek the Lord, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary; that is, he entreats the Lord, that though the people failed in some legal and ceremonial preparation and the outward acts of purification, yet that the Lord would be pleased to pardon those whose hearts were right and fitted and prepared for them. As if he had said - Lord, these men have not purified themselves with outward purification, yet because their hearts are set towards thee, therefore, Lord, pardon the failing.
3. Here is the success - 'And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.' He was pleased to dispense with them notwithstanding their indisposition.
There are three queries in all these three parts, and I must despatch them in a word.
1. Concerning the indisposition and practice of the people. A question may be raised, Whether those of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Zebulun, sinned or no in coming to the ordinance?
I answer, briefly and affirmatively, that they did; and that for two reasons drawn from the text.
[1.] They offended; because the text saith - 'They did otherwise than was written.' God's service is prescribed, and what he would have us to do is written. The apostle, speaking concerning the Lord's supper, saith, 1 Cor. xi. 23, 'For I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you.' God is the best appointer of his own worship. The essentials of a sacrament are set down in the institution, from which we must not swerve to the right nor to the left. Obedience must be adequate to the commandment. We must not do more nor less than is prescribed. To do more is will-worship and superstition; to do less is irreligion and profaneness. And this latter was the fault of these Israelites; they were not cleansed according to the law, and 'therefore they did eat the passover otherwise than it was written.' But -
[2.] It is probable they sinned, because Hezekiah prayed for them for the pardon of their offence. Where there is no sin there needs no pardon. If Hezekiah pray, it is a sign the people are guilty. We cannot imagine this good king would compliment with God, and make that a fault in the excuse which was none in the committing; as our gallants would fain be accounted faulty that they may handsomely crave a pardon. No doubt this good prince thought it a weighty business when he saith, 'The good Lord pardon,' &c.
2. Another query falleth in upon this concerning the second part, Hezekiah's prayer. If the men sinned in coming, why did he merely pray for them? He should rather have kept them back, he being the chief governor; did he not offend in not keeping them off? I answer-No; for -
[1.] He took all the pains that possibly he might for the due celebration of the passover; he used all the means; he deferred it for a while, that the priests might be sanctified, and the people better prepared, ver. 3. He sends posts to give warning of it too, and doth what he can to cleanse and fit them; and therefore he could not be blamed.
[2.] The priests were faulty in not being sanctified themselves.
[3.] Something may be said too, if we consider the posture of the kingdom at that time. Hezekiah had but two tribes, Judah and Benjamin; and probably they were all cleansed, and served the Lord with one heart, for it is said the multitude of those that were not purified were of Zebulun, and Ephraim, and Manasseh, and Issachar; that is, some scattered people of the ten tribes that were then in captivity, not under his dominion. He had given them license and passport to come to Jerusalem, and receive; therefore, if they came not after the due manner, the fault was their own. Hezekiah's care is showed in praying for them. And, indeed, it is Christian patience to suffer, where we have not power to help it. When we do what we can to keep off unworthy receivers, if they come still, and we have no other authority over them, let us pray for them; especially if the defect be not in the heart and life of the service. But -
[4.] These had prepared their hearts towards the Lord. They were careful of the main business; therefore, because of a great inconvenience that would follow, it was but fit they should be dispensed with. It is true, a partaker should be fitted and fully accomplished. Preparation is due preparation when it cometh to the fulness of the precept; and a receiver is then purified when he is cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. Yet because the failing and unfitness was in a ceremonial pollution, and because they came from far, and for want of time, it was better for Hezekiah to sue for a dispensation than to turn them off; for they were mocked at their coming up; and they would have been more laughed at if their journey had been to no purpose, and they had returned re infecta, without receiving the passover. And therefore well might Hezekiah pray that the Lord would pass by their other wants and weaknesses, because the people we see set their hearts right.
3. The third query is about an expression - 'And God healed the people.' Why? Had God smitten them for so small a fault, for want of a ceremonial cleansing? especially since the fault could hardly be avoided, by reason of the straits of time, and a long journey. I answer -
[1.] It is true that God doth usually punish faults of this nature with smitings. You know what is said, 1 Cor. xi. 30, 'For this cause many are sick among you, and weak, and many sleep.' For this cause, for irreverent receiving. And indeed that which is little in man's account is not so many times in God's. God is chary of his ordinances, and jealous of his worship; failings are faults there, and therefore he is sensible of the least prevarication. Uzzah is smitten for looking into the ark. And these here may well need an healing for but coming without a due cleansing. For -
[2.] This ceremonial pollution was threatened with death; as Lev. vii. 20, it is said, 'The soul that eateth of the sacrifice, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from his people.' Therefore the people were all under the penalty of this sentence. And though God smote none of them, for aught we know, yet he might well be said to heal them, because he freed them of this guilt, and delivered them from the power and curse of this law. And, indeed, where the heart is right, God is not hard to be entreated to pardon a failing which can plead necessity, especially since God does rather look to the heart than the offering, and the frame of the soul more than to the outward order. Nunquam in odoribus sacrificiorum &c. - A desire of being cleansed is often accepted for the cleansing itself.
Well, these are the parts, and you have heard them explained.
I shall insist on the first - The people's state and condition. And so – (1.) Of their indisposition; (2.) Of their practice.
First. Their indisposition- 'A multitude of the people had not cleansed themselves.' I observe thence briefly, and by way of preface to the rest of the doctrines, that in those times in which there is much care had about the right celebration of a sacrament, there are many yet that are unworthy.
Hezekiah sends posts, breaketh down the idolatrous places, doth what he can for the due celebration of the passover; and yet you see here are many 'that had not cleansed themselves.' The point I prove by that, 1 Cor. xi., the whole context, from ver. 17 to the latter end. The apostle had but newly planted a church amongst them, and instructed them in the nature of ordinances; and yet, you see, ere they are warm in their religion, they had may unworthy communicants, unfit to partake of the ordinances. It is with institutions usually as it is with men; their vigour declineth with their age; ordinances lose much of their life and right observance when a people have been inured to them. And yet you see here, as soon as they began to be instructed what a sacrament meant, and who ought to be partakers, yet most of them were unworthy to receive; some were janglers, and some intemperate; divers faults amongst them.
The reasons of the point are these -
1. Because there is a great deal of laziness in people, and an unwillingness against such a soul-searching ordinance as the sacrament. Now the best governors and most pious reformers cannot reach so low as the people's hearts, and therefore, though they take never so much pains to provide for the due administration of the ordinances, yet, till their hearts be wrought upon by the word, there will be those that are not cleansed, some unworthy receivers that are 'not purified according to the purification of the sanctuary.' Some unwilling wretches there are that will submit no further than law requireth. The laws of men are terminated in the obedience of the outward man, but 'the law of God,' as the apostle speaketh, Heb. iv. 13, 'is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing the soul and spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents.' If religion were only visible, and the strength of a duty did consist in the outward presence at it, it were possible to bring all into a prepared way of receiving; but because of heart-preparations, therefore still there may be some that are unworthy. If men were diligent and willing to prepare their souls upon every hint from the authority of the magistrate, we should see a worthier company of receivers. But when men will do no more than they are compelled to, it must needs be that, notwithstanding all the provisions for the better performance, yet some should remain unfit - namely, lazy, unwilling persons, that take no pains to trim up their lamps to meet the bridegroom, to furnish their soul with answerable affections and a becoming spirit, as being to meet with God in every part of this worship.
2. There is a great deal of hypocrisy in many men, and it is possible that they may carry their naughtiness so secretly that they may hide it from the most discerning eye. Now an hypocritical receiver is an unworthy receiver; and therefore, in the times of greatest care about the admission of worthy communicants, these may slide under covert of their mask and fair pretences. A gaudy show may go far, and indiscernible hypocrites do often press upon the ordinances. Judas, you know, eats the passover even in Christ's own company - 'He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me,' Mat. xxvi. 23. The pharisees and sadducees submitted to John's baptism; it is said in Mat iii. 6, ebaptizonto hupo autou, 'they were baptized under John;' they submitted to the ordinance, and his ministry; and yet they were a generation of vipers all the while - vipers not only in the general, as they were hoi kakai tou ofiou sparamnades, as Ignatins calleth Menander and Basilides, two infamous heretics, the spawn of the old serpent the devil; but vipers they were and serpents in these three respects -
[1.] The viper, they say, when she hath bitten a man, runneth to the water, and if she misseth of it, she dies; so these, after they had devoured widows' houses, they ran to the water of baptism. Hypocrites will come to ordinances to justify their extortion, their biting and griping of the faces of the poor. Sacraments are made stales to their base ends, to pacify their own consciences, or satisfy other men's opinions, concerning their other unjust dealings.
[2.] Vipers, too, as all other serpents, lay aside their poison while they are drinking, but resume and take it up again after their draught. And such hypocrites can lay aside their superfluity of naughtiness while they are at the ordinance, but it is with a promise to take it up again, saying to their sins, as Abraham to his servants, Gen. xxii. 3, 'Abide you here; I must go yonder and worship, and come again to you.'
[3.] Vipers, because this beast is speckled, full of curious spots without, but fuller of poison within. So these have a gaudy painted outside, a form of godliness, but within there is the root of bitterness. Now what course is there to keep off such wretches, such glorious hypocrites and close moralists, that come not within the compass of the law, that look so like saints? To the ordinances venture they will; they must, to still their consciences and to insinuate with other men. And how shall we do to turn such off? for certainly they are unworthy. Therefore, in these times, in which much care is had, many are unworthy still; the viper's teeth not seen till felt. Other reasons might be added; but I come to application.
Use. Is it so, that, when much care is taken about the ordinances, many are unworthy to come? It serveth -
1. To show what need we in this land have to humble ourselves, as for other sins, so especially for our sacrament sins, for the profane mixture and the promiscuous riff-raff that was admitted to the Lord's table without any distinction of persons. For if it be so, that many are unworthy in times when greatest care was had, how much more was it so when no care was had at all! When encroaching governors did let loose the reins of church government to all licentiousness, and none felt the severity of ecclesiastical discipline but conscientious ministers, those that stood in the gap to keep out the drivelling swine and hogs that would have come in there where the hedge was broken down; when every surly drunkard could crow over his pastor, and even dare him to turn him off from the communion; nay, when entangling articles did make it alike punishable to turn off, or admit common scandalous sinners to these holy mysteries, what think you, was there not a great deal of profaneness then, and many unworthy receivers? Oh, then, consider it, and labour to remember this sin in your humiliation, for fear lest the land mourn for it, because it was so general. Oh, think upon it, what it is to be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, and to crucify Christ Jesus so often as it hath been done in our assemblies. And would to God that you and I could so think upon it as seriously to be affected with it, and to bless God for the hopes we have that the ordinances shall be more duly administered, and that we would join in effectual prayers to God to bless the designs afoot to that purpose; for, indeed, as the apostle speaketh, 1 Cor. xvi. 9, 'A great and effectual door is opened, but there are many adversaries.' But I come to another use.
2. Is it so, that when much care is taken, yet many are unworthy, &c. It serveth, then, for a double exhortation, both to pastor and people. (1.) To us of the ministry, (2) To you.
[1.] To us, that we should use all diligent care and circumspection to prevent this unworthiness. Then give me leave to speak a little to myself and my brethren. You see the people are unworthy and un-sanctified, do what we can, though there be never so much care and pains taken. It therefore lieth upon us to double our diligence, that though we may fail of our expectations, yet to discharge our duties in striving to fit you for this great mystery. Were I speaking to a congregation where this part of the exhortation would be seasonable, I should strive to press upon myself and others a twofold duty. (1.) To instruct the people in the nature of the ordinances; (2.) To admonish them of the danger of this their unprepared coining. But in this place let it be enough to name these things.
[2.] Here is an exhortation, too, for the people - to stir them up every one to look unto himself whether he be not one of the number. A gracious heart is apt to suspect itself ; and when it heareth such a doctrine as this is, that when the greatest care is had there are many that are unworthy, it beginneth to think that itself is principally spoken to. You know when Christ had foretold his passion, and said to his disciples that one of them should betray him, it is said in Mat. xxvi. 22, that 'they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one to say unto him, Lord, is it I?' Why, unworthy receiving is a sin of the same nature. The apostle saith, 1 Cor. xi. 27, 'Whosoever receiveth unworthily is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.' Therefore, when I say that when most care is had some come unworthily, many poor trembling souls are ready to groan out such a question, 'Lord, is it I?' and to fear that it is them indeed; whereas, those that are truly guilty will come in last and for fashion's sake, like Judas there; for it is said, ver. 25, 'Then Judas, which betrayed him, said, Master, is it I?' When all had done, then cometh he. Guilt is most backward to put the question; and indeed it is a sign we are unworthy when we do not know ourselves to be so. If we are sensible that we are unfit, and desire to be cleansed, that is the ready way to make us worthy. Ay! but you will say, who is worthy for these things?
I answer briefly - A man is worthy two manner of ways -
(1.) Dignitate aequalitatis, by an exact worthiness - as the labourer is worthy of his hire. And thus we are not worthy to approach into God's presence, or to meet him in this holy ordinance of his. In this sense humble Jacob acknowledged, Gen. xxxii. 10, 'I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies.' And John Baptist, Mat. iii. 11, saith he was not worthy to bear Christ's shoes after him. And thus none is worthy to feed upon his Saviour. And, indeed, when we compare the high privileges that we enjoy by being admitted partakers with our unworthiness this way, it cannot but ravish the soul with thoughts of God's infinite love and the riches of his goodness. But -
(2.) There is dignitas convenientiae, which consists, though not in a perfect and exact proportion, yet in some fitness and meetness unto that which is required. Thus, in scripture, are we commanded 'to walk worthy of the Lord,' worthy of our profession, worthy of the gospel; that is, suitable to all these. And thus must we come worthily; that is, so fitted and prepared as may bear some resemblance and agreement to the solemnity of the work that we go about. And in this sense, this worthiness followeth that worthiness which is called by divines dignitas dignationis - a worth of acceptance, or a desiring of God to take our actions in good part for Christ's sake, and to pardon the many failings that accompany them.
So that briefly now, the unprepared unworthy receiver is he that doth not come with answerable meet affections, and so holy and reverent a frame of spirit as God doth require we should bring into his presence. And those are not cleansed with the purification of the sanctuary that do not take pains with their hearts to fit and furnish them with such a meetness and holy temper. If you ask me more particularly what these are, I shall follow the apostle's method in describing and taking notice of such as are pointed at, 1 Cor. xi. They are -
(1st.) All ignorant persons that cannot discern the Lord's body: 1 Cor. xi. 29, 'He eateth and drinketh unworthily, not discerning,' mè diakrinoon, not differencing, 'the Lord's body,' so the original signifieth. Persons that have not a competent measure of knowledge, and think there is no difference between the elements of the bread and wine that they see before them, and common bread and wine. They are not acquainted with this mystery, for they know as much as they know only by hearsay, and not by experience. They are not able to put a difference, and do not know the nature, use, and end of the sacrament, and cannot tell what the elements signify, but only by rote and custom. They come not with that reverence to it as if it were Christ's body, nor do consider it as a matter of such weight. They say that by the bread is meant the body, and by the wine the blood of Christ. They say, but they do not know it; they have learned in a notion, but do not spiritually know it to be so, and therefore irreverently come to it as if it were a matter of nothing. They do not come to it as if it were to eat Christ's flesh indeed; men of a sottish heart, that cannot have an intimate knowledge of the things that are of God, and of such an high mystery. And, indeed, it is impossible to know it as we ought but by faith.
(2d.) Those that do not judge and condemn themselves, 1 Cor. xi. 31, 32. It is implied there they did not condemn themselves. A gracious prepared heart is a self-judging heart – Iniqia lex est quae se examinari non patitur; a wicked heart is loath to come to trial. Where the soul is sensible of some guilt, there it will not easily be called to an account. And that is the reason why vain frothy men are so averse to this duty, and to ask themselves what they have done before they come to the sacrament. The strength of sin lies much in this, in that it hindereth all that it can the discovery of itself. Now the deceitfulness of sin can never be better discovered than by self-judging; therefore corruption doth what it can to keep us from this severe duty. Men are not willing to judge themselves; and yet until they do they are unworthy. It would require a great conquest over many spiritual wickednesses to be able to look back into our ways; and it is an hard matter to keep our soul from roving that it may be searched. And therefore natural men cannot exercise a restraint over their hearts till they be searched and winnowed. Hence they mislike this preparation most of all, to look into their ways, and the state of their souls. This self-judging is unpleasant, partly because of natural pride, and partly because of our laziness. It is an humbling, and it is a difficult duty. It maketh the soul to take pains to be out of love with itself; and they would fain be excused here, and desire the good Lord to pardon them if they do not thus prepare their hearts, crying out, as Naaman to the prophet, 2 Kings v. 18, 'The Lord pardon thy servant in this thing.'
(3d.) Those that come in uncharitableness and malice are not cleansed, as appeareth by the apostle's finding fault with the Corinthians for this thing: 1 Cor. xi. 17-20, 'They came together, not for the better, but for the worse, because there were divisions among them.' And indeed malice rendereth the ordinance ineffectual. There are two things which we seek in it, union with God, and communion with the members. Uncharitableness in respect of both, is a very unsuitable disposition for a sacrament. As to communion with others, where the hearts are not united, communion is but complemental. And for union with God, God communicates himself there where he findeth answerable dispositions in his servants to receive him. Likeness is the ground of love, and love the ground of union. Then are we united to God when we are like him, as God reasoneth from his truth in Isa. lxviii. 8, 'Surely they are my people, children that will not lie.' So we may reason here, surely they are my people, they love one another; they are gentle and long-suffering, apt to forget wrongs, and pass by injuries, as I do; they are mine, for they resemble me in this. Likeness of desires is the speediest way to beget union of minds. It was an observation of historians, Eadem velle et nolle demum firma est amicitia. - Love is kindled by sympathy and suitable disposition. If we would be one with God we must be as God is, full of love, and lay aside all malice and superfluity of naughtiness. If we would meet God in the sacrament, we must be sure to have each affections about us, as God will own and acknowledge; if John's reasoning is strong and pithy, how shall we love God whom we have not seen, if we do not love our brother whom we have seen? Besides: 1 John iv. 18, 'God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.' Our soul is fitted for God to possess, when it is seasoned with love and holy affections toward the brotherhood. Therefore it is good to come thither with special love towards God's people, and as much as in us lieth with charity to all men. The two gospel commandments are 'faith and love,' 1 John iii. 23. And therefore we must strive to quicken both for this evangelical ordinance. Especially we should take care before we approach there, that we forego all our turbulency, all malicious discontented thoughts. In the ordinary sacrifices under the law this was required, that if their brother had aught against them, they should go first and be reconciled. How much more, under the grand sacrifice of the gospel, should we bring our hearts to such an holy pitch of self-denial, that we may forgive the greatest injuries that are done unto us. Well now, you see who are unworthy. I shall name one use more, and so conclude this point.
3. If it be so that when much care is taken, yet many still are unworthy; it serves then to show there is no cause why men should abstain from the use of ordinances, for fear of communicating with wicked and profane men. Thus it hath been when the greatest care hath been taken of preventing these: and thus it may be still until the church do leave off to be a mixt company, and there be no unclean thing within the pale of it.
Ay! but you will say, My comfort is hindered by it. I answer briefly -
[1.] It cannot choose but be matter of grief to God's people to see Christ's flesh torn by the teeth of wicked men, and their Saviour crucified afresh by their profane and irreverent receiving, and to see carnal wretches to snatch at these privileges which they know were purchased only for them. I say, this cannot choose but be matter of grief. But if we will not partake but there where there is no cause of grief and sorrow; if we expect such a perfect communion, we must wait for that till we enjoy the society of just men made perfect, and are admitted into the everlasting fellowship of the godly in the heavens. This first; but -
[2.] We shall find that there are many that partake with much joy with unprepared persons, as those of Judah with the Israelites in the text. It is said in ver. 21, 'That they kept together with great gladness.' But -
[3.] There is a double communion. (1.) Direct and immediate with Christ; and this they may fully have if they be not wanting to themselves. (2.) There is a spiritual communion with the members which proceeds from the union with the head, and we should not deprive ourselves of our union with Christ and the inward communion of the saints, for the outward intrusion of some few that have no share nor portion in the things administered. But this, as matter of debate, I leave, and come to another point drawn from the second branch of the first part, namely, the practice of the people. Notwithstanding their indisposition it doth not keep them off; but they partake notwithstanding: 'Yet they did eat the passover otherwise than was written.' From hence -
Obs. That many rash upon the ordinances notwithstanding their unpreparedness. Their not being cleansed, I told you before, was a fault, yet they did eat. The reasons are -
1. The remissness or abuse of the censures of the church that do not restrain such persons from coming, but let them alone to continue in their sins, as 1 Cor. v, 'throughout the whole.' They had not cast out the incestuous person, and disabled him for communion.
2. It proceedeth from ourselves, because -
[1.] There is a great deal of ignorance and unbelief in the hearts of most men. They do not know, and will not believe the danger of unworthy receiving; they think it is nothing, and therefore sottishly put themselves upon the ordinance without any fear at all. They hear us thunder out vengeance against such a sin, but their hearts are hard and their ears made fat; they cannot conceive that we speak to them all the while, and therefore securely go on as if they were in a safe case. Infidelity besotteth the heart and casts a veil upon the soul, so that seeing, they do not see, they know the danger, and yet rush upon it; we show them the pike, and yet they run their own bowels upon it. It is said, Heb. iv. 2, 'That the word preached did not profit them, because they did not mix it with faith in the hearing.' And indeed that is the reason why people do so sottishly. Tell them of their own destruction, they do not believe; when we tell them of the danger, while we declare that all ignorant persons, and all persons that do not judge themselves, and uncharitable wretches, are those that come unworthily to the Lord's table. Yet a man would wonder to see how many that lie under the guilt of these sins, do come there, and sit it out as boldly as the best. Truly these men give us the hearing, but they are full of infidelity, they do not mix the word with faith, and stir up the applicative crediting faculty of their souls, so as to say, Surely this will fall upon me if I receive unworthily. Their infidelity will not suffer them to bring their souls and the word together, and therefore they have a kind of confused knowledge of the danger, but they do not think how they cast themselves upon it. Infidelity besotteth them so that they cannot look to their ways and consider what they are doing.
[2.] Custom prevaileth with most rather than conscience; they will receive because they have used to do it. The people are ready to ask us concerning this holy feast, as the Jews did the prophet, in Zech. vii 3, concerning their fast: 'Should I not weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these many years?' So these, Should I not receive now, having received so long? Custom is the main principle that puts them upon an ordinance, and custom usually eateth out the strength of any performance, and dissolves it into a mere formality. 'When ye fasted, ye fasted not to me, saith the Lord.' When people receive they receive not for the Lord, but for custom's sake: 'Ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves, not for the Lord.' No wonder then if many rush upon the ordinances when custom driveth them. Many would be beaten off from coming unprepared, if use had not hardened them in it. Where people come to duty for fashion's sake, no wonder if they be without life mid motion in it. Customary services are cold services. The main reason why people rush so unworthily upon the ordinances, is because they have been at them heretofore, and felt no sensible hurt by the disorderly approach; and therefore why should they not venture again? Those that have but the least experience in the ministry, can say that it is the hardest work of all to fetch the people off from their old customs, especially in matters of religion; and more especially there where they have a command for their warrant, and a precept to justify their practice. Where custom meets with a duty it altereth it; our actions are as they are principled. Receiving is not receiving when it is done for fashion's sake, because we have done so these many years. And indeed profaneness may kill its thousands, but custom its ten thousands in this kind, most unworthy receivers are but customary receivers; and therefore did they come unpreparedly, because they came not for conscience. These are the grounds.
Briefly to apply the point. Is it so that many rush upon the ordinances notwithstanding their unpreparedness? It serveth then -
(1.) To teach us in the ministry how careful we should be to put people in mind of the danger of unworthy receiving; that we may, if possible, snatch them out of the fire, as the apostle speaks; and be like the angels that guarded paradise with their flaming swords, keep men out of that place which will prove their destruction. And would to God I could sufficiently press the point upon your considerations, and possess you of the danger of rushing upon the ordinance in a state of unpreparedness, whilst you are in your unfitness and uncleanness, and live under the power of your reigning sins. O brethren! consider God is somewhat chary over his ordinances; he will not have them unhallowed by profane and rude hands. Uzzah's touch struck him dead in the place. Duties are tender things, and therefore it is not good to be too busy with them. A drachm of poison is enough to make you stone dead; and one poisoned ordinance may kill you. Unpreparedness, indisposedness, poisoneth duty. The sacrifices of the wicked, continuing in their wickedness, are an abomination to the Lord. The want of cleansing of the heart infects the ordinance; and when that is poisoned once, farewell the performer. God will be sanctified in all that come near him, either by obedience from them or vengeance upon them. Nadab and Abihu were struck dead in the place for offering strange fire; and God may strike you dead in the place for bringing strange affections into his presence. I remember what Jonathan said in 1 Sam. iv. 4, 'I did but taste a little honey with the end of my rod, and lo, I must die.' And so it is here; the tasting of a little bread, and the sipping of a cup of wine, may kill thee.
But because men are not easily persuaded of the heinousness of this sin, I shall briefly display it - (1.) In the greatness of the guilt; (2.) In the grievousness of the punishment.
1st, The greatness of the fault. It is no less than blood-guiltiness, even being guilty of the blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The apostle saith just so much, 1 Cor. xi. 27, 'Whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.' O! there are many of us whose hearts rise against these Jews, that were the cause of so innocent a person's death as our Saviour's; we could even pluck out their eyes if they were present; whereas all the while we carry the same malice in our hearts, and at every sacrament do crucify the Lord of life afresh. You would take it ill of a man to unchristian you, and call you a Jew; and yet such you are; for you have also imbrued your hands in the blood of your Saviour. See the difference between a worthy communicant and an unprepared receiver; the one hath all his guilt taken away by partaking, the other hath his increased, and hath a crying sin added to the score, which indeed maketh all the rest full weight; they have killed their Saviour. It was a close one of Peter to the Jews: Acts ii. 23, 'This is he whom ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.' And it must be mine to all unworthy receivers, for they are the very men.
2dly, Look upon the grievousness of the punishment.
[1st.] You venture your temporal life in every unprepared receiving. You know what the apostle saith, 1 Cor. xi. 30, 'For this cause many are sick and weak among you, and many sleep;' that is, are dead. It is no good playing with edge tools and dallying with duty. God's judgment may kill you in the place for your irreverent coming into his presence. The sacrament is to some as the water of jealousy; if the party were unclean it made her thigh rot and her belly swell, Num. v. 18; so, if you come hither before you have cleansed yourself according to the purification of the sanctuary, every drop of wine that you drink will make your heart rot, and prove a curse to you. Therefore, as you tender your life, and a blessing upon all that you have, either be clean or forbear.
[2dly.] Irreverent receivers are often punished with spiritual deadness and stupidity. Oh! it is a fearful judgment to be given over to hardness of heart, and to be infatuated by our performances. The ordinances, when they are not for the better, they prove the worse, and become the savour of death unto death. None so insensible and so hard to work upon as unworthy communicants; partly because natural pride is mightily strengthened with a slight performance of duty, whereas it is abated if it were thoroughly done; and besides, the just judgment of God shuts up such men in unbelief. We know this by experience. The best way to make some men sensible, that are past all other cure, is to deprive them of the ordinances. But -
[3dly.] The grand judgment of all provoketh God eternally to cast you off without repentance. The apostle saith so much, 1 Cor. xi. 29, 'He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself.' You would think this were a harsh word if we ourselves should speak it, therefore you see it is very scripture words. The Lord give you grace to hear, to fear it, to consider thoroughly! The God of heaven give you understanding in all things!
SERMONS ON THE SACRAMENT.
Yet they did eat the passover otherwise than was written. - 2 Chron. xxx. 18-20.
IN the words I have observed three parts - (1.) The condition of the people; (2.) The prayer of Hezekiah; (3.) The success. I began with the first part, and therein took notice -
1. Of the people's indisposition - 'Many had not cleansed themselves;' and from thence observed - That when much care is had about the due celebration of a sacrament, yet even then there are many that are unworthy.
2. From the people's practice. Notwithstanding their indisposition they did eat the Passover - That many rush upon the ordinances notwithstanding their unpreparedness.
3. I shall observe somewhat from the expression, which noteth the fault of their practice - They ate otherwise than it was written.
The point is - That then we offend in our duties when we do otherwise than is written.
Brethren, God's service is written service; the rule of our obedience is enrolled, it is upon record: if we go beyond it, or come not up to the fulness of it, we do not do as is 'written;' then we offend in our duties. I shall show, first, how many ways we do otherwise than is written, and then prove and apply the point.
We do it two ways - either when we do too little or too much, when we come short of the rule, or go beyond it. There is a pharisaical superstition and an irreligious profaneness. True obedience is adequate to the commandment; just measure, no more, nor no less. To do more is will-worship, to do less is laziness. God liketh both tempers just alike; neither pleaseth, for neither doth 'as it is written.'
1. When we do too much. Brethren, the essentials of a sacrament are set down in the institution; there is the rule. If we seek to patch it up with some zealous additions and pieces of our own, we go beyond the rule; we do too much, more than God hath required, and therefore more I am sure than he hath promised to accept. Quis requisivit? that is all the thanks that we shall have for it - 'Who hath required these things at your hands?' Isa. i. 12.
Ay! but you will say, May we do too much in matters of religion? Can God ever have enough of us?
Yes, brethren, there may be too much; if you go beyond what is written, then there is an nimium in religion. But here we must distinguish of the inward part of the duty, which is as the soul to it, and the outward part and presence, which is as the corps and body. The heart of duty is in the heart, it lieth in the right frame of that; and in respect of this, we can never do enough to put the heart in a right posture to meet God in his ordinances. The virgins can never be too long, never be too much in trimming up their lamps to meet the bridegroom. A worthy communicant can never take pains enough to prepare his untuned heart, that he may come with answerable affections and a becoming spirit, that he may embrace his Saviour in the ordinance. Thus all that we can do is little enough to answer God's expectation; all our righteousness cometh far short of it, and is nothing to him, as it were. Thus never enough. But -
2. In the outward part of duty, in corporal service, and in the pomp and solemnity of his worship, there we may do too much, and that which may be superfluous, more than we need to have done. Nature is mad upon its inventions, and therefore loveth to serve God its own way, to have some crotchets of its own in the outward part of his worship; therefore God loveth to bridle men up. In this respect they must look at what is written. It is connatural, saith Aquinas, for all men to be led with sensible things; and therefore in these we usually exceed - Et datur aliquid superfluum cultui Dei, as he proveth, 2a. 2d. Quaest. 932 Art.
In the worship of God, which is chiefly spiritual (John iv. 24), there may easily be too much of sense brought in, since we are so apt to be led by sense; therefore we must have recourse to the rule, to what is written. It is an easy matter to be too pompous in a sacrament, and to sin against the plainness of the ordinance. Duties are like your coats of arms, best when they are plainest, and not overcharged with too many fillings; or like wine, then most generous and sprightly when it is plenum sui et immixtum alieni, pure and uncompounded. God's ordinances look better in their own plain coat, without welt or guard, than in all the trimmings and flourishing gaudiness of our own devices. The sacraments were to feed men's hearts, not to please their eyes or tickle their ears; and plain bread and wine decently distributed by the minister looketh better, and is more seemly, than copes and altars, and golden candlesticks and basins, and all the apish immolations that have been used of late. Prayer is a great deal more comely without the noise of the organs and the pomp of our great churches than with them. Baptism is more like itself without the cross than with it. And so, in all the service of God, you shall find that is best which is written. And the ordinances are most like to themselves when they are divested of all their outward pomp, and brought home to their native colours, to the plainness of the precept. Brethren, we do not come to the sacrament to feed our eyes, but hearts; therefore it is best to look to what is written. So ordinances nourish most when they come nearest to their primitive institution. We may, then, do too much here. A sense-pleasing religion is dangerous; it is too, too much suitable to the bent of natural inclinations; and that is the reason why country people are so much taken with these shows; they do not love the native beauty that is in duties half so well as they do the painting of them: they love outward service intolerably, and dote upon it when it goeth beyond what is written. Brethren, it is a miserable thing when you will place religion in that for which you have no ground nor warrant. If you will find yourselves work, and not take that which is cut for you, you know who must pay you your wages. Mark that question of our Saviour to the pharisees, Mat. xv. 3, 'Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your traditions?' Transgress, parabainein tèn entolèn, that is the phrase; why do ye outpass, outdo the commandment? Ye do not keep to the letter of the statute, but go beyond what is written by your traditions. They did overdo in the outward part. And indeed, hence they had their name of pharisees, as Epiphanius, cited by Spanhemius, testifies; they were called pharisees because of their superabundant will-worship, by which they severed themselves from others. They had their deuterooseis, as he speaketh, their alterings and patchings which they set upon the commandments. They were not contented with what was written, but must have their own devices to set off the ordinance, as they think, the better. You see they are forbidden there, and so should you be. God will give you no thanks nor reward for outgoing the rule. If you will perform acceptable service, you must keep to the commandment, not go beyond what is written.
But you will say, Shall we observe nothing in the sacrament but what is in the institution? What will you say, then, to the love-feasts used by the primitive church? for they were founded upon no express command in holy writ; it was a mere custom of the church, to which all the poor people were invited upon the charges of the rich. And what will you say to ceremonies among us? to that of the gesture, suppose standing, sitting, kneeling, or whatever it be? Since the institution and scripture is silent as to these things, either we must use no gesture at all, which is impossible, or go beyond what is written - do something at the ordinance that is not commanded.
I shall answer briefly.
1. In general, that certainly whatever is made a medium, or modus cultus, a part or a manner of worship, a part of our duties, a way of serving God, without a warrant from the written word of God, is unlawful, and not to be used. Omnis cultus sine verbo Dei, idolola-tria est, saith Mercer, a papist - All worship without footing in the word of God is but superstition and idolatry. Brethren, it is certainly very hazardous to place any religion in that which we have no precept for from scripture. It is not good to mingle our own chaffy conceits and inventions with the ordinances of God, or in our addresses to God to do anything otherwise than it is written. The Lord would have his ordinances speak a pure language: they must be pure, without mixture. If anything be done at the time of worship, it is good to put a difference between it and the duty, and not alike to make conscience of both. If we think the ordinances not perfect when the patch is gone and the ceremony taken away; if we think the purity of religion is gone, as many ignorant people do - they say they have lost religion when the pomp of it is gone - it is a sign we have served God otherwise than was written, and placed equal holiness in our customs as God's commands. But -
2. I answer in particular -
[1.] To the matter of love-feasts. It is true the Christians of the primitive times had their agapas, love-feasts, before the sacrament. Warrant in the word of God there is none for these feasts that I could ever see. For the rise and ground of them, some make it to be in imitation of the heathens, who, whensoever they had a general sacrifice (that is, when more than one did sacrifice at a time), and a general sacrifice they had once a year for the whole village, did meet, meta tas toon karpoon sugkomidas (as Aristotle speaks in the 8th Book of his Ethics, chap. 9), after the gathering in of their first-fruits, offering their sacrifices and feasting one another. Now, because the sacrament came nearest to this sacrifice and was most like it, the Christians would not come behind them; they would have their feasts too; for it is manifest the primitive Christians did come as near the customs of the gentiles as possibly their religion would give them leave. Or some say they were in imitation of the Jews, who did always finish their sacrifices with feasts and banquets, as is manifest out of scripture; and therefore some conceive these love-feasts were after the sacrament; but the former opinion is more probable. Again, some think they did this in imitation of Christ, who instituted the sacrament after a full supper; therefore, to express their love one to another, they would have their feasts too. Whether this or that were the cause or rise of it, it matters not much; certain we are there is no ground in scripture for them.
But then you will reply - It is lawful, then, to do many times more than is written, to observe that in our practice which is not prescribed in the institution.
I answer, therefore, further concerning these love-feasts -
1. It is uncertain whether they were lawful or no at that time of the ordinance. It is true, indeed, there is no express prohibition in the scripture against them, and the apostle seemeth rather to reprove the abuse than the use of them; but yet, if you mark it, there is nothing said to encourage the Corinthians to continue them, but rather to give them over, it being but a thing of their own devising, since it was so much abused; for you shall see the apostle speaks somewhat slightingly of them; he calleth it their 'own supper,' 1 Cor. xi. 21; that is, a supper of their own devising. He would be sure to set it far enough from the ordinance; it should not claim kin of that, and fetch its descent as high as the Lord's supper; it was their supper - 'every one taketh his own supper.' Besides, in ver. 22, that seemeth to condemn the very use of them: 'Have ye not houses to eat and drink in?' Cannot ye feast at other times? Besides, the apostle Jude speaketh very meanly of them too: Jude 12, 'These are spots in your love-feasts.' He doth not say 'in the love-feast»,' as being an approved, received, grounded custom; but en agapais humoon, 'in your love-feasts;' they are not Christ's feasts, but yours; feasts of your own appointment. But besides, if it be not plain out of the word of God, yet certainly much language may be fetched out of the works of God; for you see he blasted this custom of theirs by his providence. As soon as ever it was begun amongst them it was corrupted, and within a little while after, it so stank in the nostrils of men that it was altogether given off. It was abused to riot, and excess, and contempt of the poor in the apostle's time as soon as ever it was set up, and afterward no doubt it grew worse; and therefore the church left it off, God providing by his providence that we should only know the name of it and no more. Therefore we may guess it was not very pleasing to God, because he suffered it to rot so timely.
Again, it was no way, as I conceive, a fitting custom for communicants to come with a full gorge and a clogged stomach to the elements. You know we are most apt to feel the comfort of the creature when we are hungry, and so then also most likely to be sensible of that spiritual nourishment which is signified by the comfort of the creature. Therefore, all these things considered will make us suspect that custom, that it was but a will-worship, an innovation of theirs, and that the thing itself was not warrantable. You know what Abraham said to God: Gen. xviii., 'Far be it from thee to slay the righteous with the wicked.' So say I, Far be it from me to confound a righteous custom with the wicked abuse of it; yet these things will make it uncertain whether that were a lawful custom or no. But -
2. If the primitive Christians did use this custom amongst them, as ignorant people amongst us do their customs, namely, to think the ordinance is no ordinance without them, then they added to God's institution, and did more than was written; they make it a medium cultus, and so it is unwarrantable. I have stayed too long upon this question of the love-feasts.
[2.] To the other part of the objection, concerning ceremonies, I answer in a word. So there be no holiness placed in them, these ceremonies may be used in and about duties. (1.) Such as are necessary and profitable, as a gesture in the sacrament; it is impossible but there must be one. (2.) Such as are grave and serious, without pomp and ostentation, not vain and light, but becoming the ordinance; as lifting up the hands in prayer, covering the eyes, or the like. (3.) Such as have no show and suspicion of evil in them, and not apt to be abused by silly and superstitious men. (4.) For the number, they must be as few as possible, for fear lest they entrench upon Christian liberty, and be burdensome to tender consciences; and these, too, not violently enforced as parts of duty, nor superstitiously embraced as of a like authority with the ordinance. Briefly, all those that will come within the apostle's rule, euschèmonoos, and kata taxin: 1 Cor. xiv. 40, 'Let all these things be done decently and in order.' I should speak more of the nature and use of these, but I am willing to hasten to something that is more practical. Concerning unwarranted ceremonies, there are places in scripture written on purpose. Col. ii. and Gal. v. And of these things more fully, Calvin in his "Institutes," book ii. chap. 7, book iv. chap. 10; Zanchy, and others in divers places. Besides, these ceremonies must be suitable to the end of the ordinance, otherwise it is too much, as Aquinas, cited before. Thus you have this objection answered, and the question stated. And you have seen the first way wherein men do otherwise than is written - when they do too much; when they place too much holiness, or bestow too much care and pomp upon the outward part of God's service; when we dote too much upon a custom, and think the duty no duty without it. As if there were no baptism without the cross, and no communion without kneeling. To go on now -
Secondly, We do otherwise than is written when we do too little, when we come not up to the fulness of the spiritual part of the commandment. Brethren, you will wonder at the expression, yet it is true; a wicked man had rather bring a thousand bullocks, whole rivers of oil, for sacrifice, than one drachm of faith. The one many times is in our power, the other not. They had rather tear their flesh with whips than rend their hearts with repentance. They cannot endure the inward part of the law; therefore, in respect of this, they rash upon ordinances otherwise than is written. Pharisee-like, they look only to the tithing of mint, and neglect ta baruthera tou nomou, the ordering of their ways and humbling of their heart. If the law did only tie the outward man, they could love it, they would do as it is written; but they cannot endure to hear that 'the word of God is quick and powerful, piercing to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,' Heb. iv. 12. They do not love to hear of the spirituality of duty, of taming of spiritual wickedness. They could present their persons to an ordinance, but they do not like that cry of wisdom, 'My son, give me thy heart.' They cannot endure to hear such an invitatory to these holy mysteries as that of the apostle is in Heb. x. 22, 'Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.'
Briefly, if you would know when we do too little in duty, then you were best see what is written concerning duty, - what is required about it (1.) Something about the heart before duty; (2.) Something in duty; (3.) Something after it. I shall refer it to these heads -
1. We do otherwise than is written if we do not something about the heart before duty, and that is preparation. The heart must be fitted to meet God in the ordinance. Hezekiah beggeth for none, ver. 19, 'but those that had prepared their hearts to seek the Lord God.' And certainly God will bless none but those that come with prepared hearts to seek him, prepared to seek the Lord. You know, when a man goeth to seek a thing, he fitteth himself with necessaries to find it, a candle, and spade to dig for it, if need be, and he cometh with longing desires to find it. And thus must we do to prepare our heart to seek the Lord. We must come with faith and repentance, and other qualifications, and we must come with a desire to find him. Faith is to clear our eyes, to make us see the presence of God in the ordinance, and desires will keep up faith to a search, to look after him till we have found him whom our soul loveth, as the spouse speaketh. Therefore, if we would prepare ourselves to seek the Lord, we must furnish our heart with answerable affections, with such a frame of spirit as will find him out. We must come with desires after him, saying, as David, Ps. xciii. 1, 'O God, my God, early will I seek thee; my soul faints for thee, my flesh longeth for thee.' A true communicant cleanseth his stomach beforehand, that he may come with an appetite, that he may relish the fatness and marrow that is here prepared, that Christ's flesh may be meat indeed, and his blood drink indeed, John vi 55. Brethren, thus it is written, and then you eat the passover according as it is written when you thus prepare your hearts, and fit them for the ordinance; that you come with a longing after it, and desire to seek God in it, when your affections are suitable to the mystery. But of this preparation I must speak hereafter. I am as yet but in the doctrinal part.
2. There is also something to be done about the heart in duty, and that is stirring of it up; and therefore, if you would come to the rule, to the commandment, you must not scant God in that neither. Many men make conscience of the work and come to the performance, but they do not do it as it is written; they do not rouse up their spirits, and stir up their hearts while they are receiving, and shake off that drowsy dulness which casts a damp upon their affections. Brethren, it is not the outward presence that maketh a communicant; for a man may receive, and yet not receive, as it is too often; that is, not do what God requireth of him. A duty done without life and efficacy is as a duty not done at all, because it is otherwise than it was written and God hath commanded. Mark that expression, 1 Cor. xi. 20, 'When you come into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.' Dull and dead receivers, they only come into one place; they do not eat the Lord's supper, even when they eat it, because they do not stir up themselves to see the beauty of the Lord in his worship. We come short of the rule if we come not with holy life and activity, with a working, waiting spirit, that will warm our hearts within us, and make them burn under the ordinances. Hark how the church complaineth: Isa. lxiv. 7, 'There is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee.' They were many that prayed there, but they did not stir up themselves in prayer. Many called upon God, but they did not cry to him. The offence of the duty was because it was not performed as it is written, with zeal, care, and ardency of affection. If a mere repetition of words were prayer, if a dead sitting under the word and ordinances were hearing, and if our actual presence at the sacrament were receiving, everybody would do it as it is written, and none would eat the passover otherwise. No, brethren; the word requireth more of you. Your hearts must be actuated and spirits quickened. You must not only have graces, but exercise them. You must awaken your hearts and souls. The apostle would have Timothy, anazoopurein, 2 Tim. i. 6, to stir up the gift that was in him; so must a Christian at the sacrament, anazoopurein, stir up the graces of God's spirit in him, he must blow away the ashes from them, and make them glow and sparkle; he must rouse them up, as you would a little fire in a brand that is ready to go out. Duties are but dead things without this stirring. We are far below what is written if we do not take pains with our hearts, that they may be quickened at the time of performance. See what a qualification James requireth in prayer, chap, v, 16, 'fervent and effectual' it must be; in the original it is but one word, deèsis energoumenè, a prayer animated and actuated with zeal, life, and holy fervency, put up with great affection. As in prayer, so in receiving; a Christian's heart should even sweat with bestirring itself to lay hold upon the Lord. There is an expression, Acts xxvii. 7, 'Instantly serving God day and night.' In the original it is en ekteneia, with the forcible putting to of all their might and strength, with their stretched-out strength. Oh! brethren there can never be too much done in respect of the spiritual part of the commandment. Let us not then lag behind, but aspire to the fulness of the precept, that we may do according as is written.
3. And, last of all, if we would not do too little, there is something to be done after duty; and that is recollecting and running over all the carriage of the heart towards God in the duty, and the gracious intercourse that the soul had with God. Brethren, when we strive to keep to the rule, all will be suspected. Christians will think they have never been vigorous enough in their performances, that all is too little to come near the strictness and spirituality of God's law. Therefore they will call their hearts to an account, call themselves before themselves, that they may be humbled for their failings, and thankful for their supplies of grace. They are afraid they have not kept to the rule, therefore they will beg for pardon of their holiest things, and say, as Nehemiah, chap. xiii. 22, 'Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and save me according to the greatness of thy mercy.' Thus you see, brethren, what is required and what is written; what we must do that we may neither go beyond the commandment nor beneath it; that we must not overlash in the outward part, nor come short of the purity and fervency of the inward.
I shall now propose a few reasons, and they are these -
1. Because God loveth to be the appointer of his own services, and can best prescribe the way of his own worship. Now God's way is a revealed way; he hath written his counsel in his word; therefore, if we do otherwise than is written, we offend, because then we appoint our own service, and so are derogatory to God's wisdom, as if he knew not the best way to be worshipped. The very heathens had some glimmerings of this light, that every deity must appoint his own worship; and therefore all their rights and ceremonies were such as they feigned were revealed unto them by some god or another. Detur enim venia antiquitati, &c., saith Livy - You must give leave to all men to feign the inspiration of their laws by some god or another. But, brethren, to come to divinity, God loveth to appoint his own service, to meet with a double corruption in us - pride and laziness.
[1.] Pride. We would fain be autexousioi, lords of our own actions, and have religion in our own power. And therefore, if men were left alone to themselves, you should see how religion would turn into rites, and all duties into a ceremony; the purity and power of the ordinances would be lost in a pompous sense-pleasing outside. Every man, saith Luther, is born with a pope in his belly. Natural pride would carve out such religion wherein we were most likely to merit.
[2.] But now, again, to meet with our laziness. An heart so disposed likes the outward part of the duty, but careth not for the soul of it; we had rather give the fruit of our bodies for the sin of our souls than be humbled for it: 'Therefore he hath showed thee, O man, what is good, and what he doth require,' Micah vi. 6-8. His service is written service to prevent this corruption. Nay, in the time of the law, when sacrifices and obedience were chiefly corporal, God set a stint to supererogating and the madness of our nature; he descendeth to the very utensils of his house, that men might not serve him after their own devices. God would have but one altar and tabernacle; it had almost stirred up a controversy in Israel to build another, Josh. xxii. 10. If God should trust to our finding, and his service should be measured in our ephah, not weighed in the balance of the sanctuary, what with pride, what with laziness, he would have but a sorry service of it Naturally we are rather for the paint than the power of religion.
2. God's word is the only rule and judge of our actions. Therefore, seeing God will appoint his own service, as we derogate from God in the first reason, as if he were not wise enough to appoint, so we derogate from the appointment in his word, as if that were not sufficient. The apostle, when he sets the Corinthians right in the receiving of the sacrament, he goeth to the word: 1 Cor. xi. 23, 'For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you.' You see he referreth you to the institution. Brethren, God's appointment is written; if you do otherwise than is written, you derogate from his appointment. It is not custom, it is not tradition, but the written word of God. People are much swayed with that, as if that were the rule of obedience; but then they may safely do otherwise than is written. God would have as take nothing upon trust, but go to what is written. Custom otherwise will become master of our faith, and easily entail upon us coldness and formality. If there were not a standard to measure services by, we should see the ordinances quickly lose both power and purity. Their power; for they would be used but for fashion's sake. Their purity; for then the ordinances would not speak a pure language, but like those mongrel children that came of Jewish parents and Ammonitish mothers, Neh. xiii. 24, half in the speech of Ashdod, and half in the Jews' language. There would be a miserable gallimaufrey of God's ordinances and man's devices, a linsey-woolsey religion. Thus without heed hath a cross slipt into baptism, and many fooleries into the Lord's supper. No matter for the ancientness of these things; we must look to what is written. Let others pretend antiquity; our antiquity must be the scripture. It was excellently spoken of him that said, We must not heed what others say who were before us, but what Christ did who was before all. And as sweetly, holy Ignatius, emoi archeia estin Ièsous ho Christos - Jesus Christ is my antiquity. Christ must be our antiquity. Ancientness is no warrant for us. An old custom may be an unwritten one; for there is vetustas erroris, as well as antiquitas veritatis - error may be mouldy, as well as truth be hoary. The cross in baptism I believe is ancient, yet there is no ground for it in the scripture. As our Saviour saith of the matter of divorce: Mat xix.. 8, 'From the beginning it was not so.' And none plead custom for their practice in the ordinance but those that have very little of the power of religion in them.
To apply it now: Is it so that then we offend in our duties when we do otherwise than is written ? It serveth then -
First, To direct us where to go for information how to perform the will of God: to the scriptures; see what is required there. In all duties look to the institution, and measure thy practice by it; walk according to that rule, as the apostle's phrase is, Gal. vi. 26. Oh! brethren, natural light will not teach us how to serve God aright. The wisest men in the service of God became vain in their 'imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened,' Rom. i. 21. Nature teacheth us that there is a God; but how he will be worshipped we know not until we search the scriptures and see what is written concerning it. Therefore in every performance look what is required. And here, to press you to it, let me use these arguments -
1. Nothing is accepted of God but what he hath required. The Lord doth not love to humour us in our pride. You know what he said to the men that came with their oblations: Isa. i. 12, 'Who hath required this at your hands?' Why, the Lord himself for matter, though not for manner. And if he did so to them, that did what he required, though not how he required it, certainly he will much more to you, that do not search the records. Try your obedience by the rule; you may offend in matter as well as in manner, for aught you know; and therefore, how likely is it but that you shall be turned away with a Quis requisivit? - Who hath required it? There is nothing so displeasing to man as to have his service refused, or to be rejected when he thinketh he pleaseth most. Oh! brethren, if you do not do duty according to God's will, the Lord will reject you, scorn your obedience: Isa. lxvi. 3, 'He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man, and he that sacrificeth a lamb as if he cut off a dog's neck.' True it is the Lord did command these things, to kill an ox, to sacrifice a lamb; but they did not look to the intent, look to the manner; and therefore their sacrifice was but murder and mocking to God, as the killing of a man and the offering of a dog, a ridiculous thing, an abominable thing to offer to the Lord. Brethren, it is so here; he that receiveth the sacrament unworthily is guilty of murder, of the greatest murder, of crucifying the Lord of life: the Jews' curse lights upon them, the blood of the Lord Jesus is upon their head; the apostle saith so, 1 Cor. xi 27. The matter is good, the receiving is required; but the receiving unworthily, not in God's manner, that is that maketh it abominable. You do not do it after the Lord's will and in his way; and therefore he will cry, Who hath required it? You shall be as welcome to him as you can expect to be to a loving father whose only son you have killed. Oh! brethren, the Lord will not be served after your way; though you hit right upon the matter of obedience, yet you have not done what is written for the manner, and therefore shall not be accepted. As you would know, then, that the Lord should have respect to your offerings, do you look to the commandment; see what the Lord hath required of you. Reason cannot teach you; our foolish heart is darkened. Custom is but a bad guide; as I have done these many years. You know it is the description of a false fast, Zech. vii. 3. The practice is but a bad rule; the most may err. Go to the word of God, look what is written; and then the Lord will accept the service, when thou strivest to come near the commandment. See what is punctually required, and then diligently set thyself a-work. The Lord will accept weak endeavours, so they be suitable to the command; so you do but endeavour to perform what is written, the Lord will accept it more than all the pomp and outside of those that would supererogate in the outward part; so thou dost not hand-over-head rush upon the ordinance, but weighest thy services in the balance of the sanctuary, lookest to what God requireth; though thou dost not come near it but in thy purposes and desires, the Lord will accept thee. All that the faithful could say for themselves in the prophet was, 'The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee,' Isa. xxvi. 8. And all that Nehemiah could urge for the best Jews was that they did desire to fear God's name, Neh. i. 11. I say, See thou hast prepared to meet the Lord in his own ordinances, and wouldest fain do what is written: remember the death of the Lord Jesus after the due order and right manner, then the Lord will be pleased with thy sacrifice. But if thou comest with unwritten worship, pompous stuff, with a common lazy heart, and not looking to the ends of a sacrament, to the grounds of thy obedience, because thou dost otherwise than is written, the Lord will have no regard to thee and to thy sacrifice. God accepts but what he requireth, and he will not own the requiring of that service which is not agreeable to his word for the manner, though the matter of it be good. Who hath required? As if the Lord should say - Let him that hath required accept. Thus you see, as we tender the pleasing of God by what we do, we should labour to be directed in the nature of the duty and manner of performance. Look to what is written.
2. The next motive is this, it is the only way to settle the conscience. The scripture is a sure rule; and when a man walketh by the rule, he need not fear. What is the reason many are troubled? They are afraid they do not duties after the right manner. Why, brethren, look to the word; see what is required there. If your service hath the truth of the commandment, though it doth not reach the measures of it; if you strive after so much as is required, and have this in your desires to do what is written, you will find the Lord will accept you. And indeed, if they would often view the nature of the duty, it would be better with them.
There are but two things trouble the conscience in matter of performance - scrupling what is lawful, and doubting what is acceptable. Now, if we would go to the rule, the conscience would be settled in both particulars.
[1.] For matter of scruple, the word of institution, if it be consulted with, will clear all. I know what is written there, and I am bound to look upon no other thing as a medium cultus, as a part of worship. I know what to do, what to forbear; the Lord hath showed us his will; and therefore the conscience is every way freed from scrupulous perplexities. The word is a clear, full rule, that satisfieth every man. The commandment is a lamp, and the law is light, Prov. vi. 23; and every Christian taketh it home to direct him in particular, saying as David, Ps. cxix. 105, 'Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.' Brethren, naturally we have a dark, misty heart, and therefore may well scruple the way; but when we take a lantern with us, we may see we are in the path, and so walk on the more boldly: 'So shall I not be ashamed, for I have respect to the commandment,' Ps. cxix. 6. We should not be wavering and so unestablished if we would often look to the rule of obedience; there is enough to remove scruples.
But you will say - The word of institution is not so full, but, though we consult it, there may scruples remain; as to instance in circumstances, and, to specify them, about the gesture in worship, about the time of receiving, &c.; the scripture doth not determine, and therefore we may scruple still.
I answer - Something for clearing of this I have already said in the doctrinal part, and therefore shall add but little now, only for the circumstances specified.
(1.) Touching the gesture, it is of so small concernment that the scripture doth not descend to determine the fittest, whether standing, or sitting, or kneeling. We are left to our liberty, and only stinted by the general rules of charity and conveniency of gestures; so there be no holiness placed in them, and so made parts of worship, any are lawful. The people of God have used many gestures in the service of God never prescribed in the law, and yet cannot be said to do otherwise than was written, because they had not any superstitious conceit of them, to think the service any whit the more acceptable or effectual. Those solemn gestures accompanied in reading the law, Neh. viii. 5, 6, of the people's standing up and bowing their heads, and worshipping with their faces to the ground, were not prescribed in the law; and yet might be well used, though it be nowhere found in the books of Moses why they should be used. Only idolatrous and superstitious gestures, such as do not suit with the nature of the ordinances, are forbidden.
(2) For the times of receiving, the scripture is not punctual in that, how often we should do it; but the apostle's hosakis implieth a pollakis: 1 Cor. xi. 25, 'As often as ye shall eat this bread, and drink this cup,' implieth that it should be very often. So for prayer, 'pray continually,' 1 Thes. ii. 15. The Spirit of God doth not assign special times for these duties, but generally shows that we should do it as often as we can, very often. The Lord doth not tie his servants to such times and hours; it may be their spirits may be unfit then; but they should show their obedience to God by coming every time they may have it. Therefore you see there is no reason for scruple; if we look to the institution, we shall be rightly informed. Well, therefore, now to press this part of the motive. As thou wouldst have thy conscience freed from its scrupulousness, that thou mayest know what is lawful and what is seasonable, that thy soul may not be as a skein of ruffled silk, perplexed and entangled, search the commandment, look to that. When we are clearly informed about our duty, and have a right knowledge of the will of God, we may the more freely set about the performance; otherwise we shall sin in manner, Rom. xiv. 14. This is the first part.
[2.] Doubting what is acceptable. What is the reason the people of God are so dejected, and do so doubt of the acceptance of God? It is because they are not acquainted with the nature of the ordinances. Many receive no comfort by the sacraments, because they do not know the use and benefit of them. They do not look into the scriptures to see what God hath promised to accept. The promise and the commandment are so indissolubly knit together, that whilst we keep to the rule, why should we doubt but that the Lord will be well pleased with our sacrifices: Heb. xi. 4, 'Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous.' Pleiona; it does not signify gratiorem only, but uberiorem, a more beseeming sacrifice: he came nearer the rule, and therefore he had a testimony of his person and performance. Cain did not come to the rule, which was to give the tenth part of the first-fruits, quod offerebat non recte dividebat; and therefore he cannot find such comfort. When Christians strive to keep to the rule, then they obtain a witness.
But you will say - Doth the searching of the commandment settle the conscience? It filleth it with doubting rather; for when we see the strictness of the institution, and how far we come short of it, we are ready to doubt that we do too little, less than God requireth.
I answer briefly - No; the true soul can comfort itself in the sincerity of its desires; for though God accounts nothing little that springeth from an upright heart, yet they think all is too little because they cannot perfect holiness in the fear of God. And indeed the peace of conscience ariseth hence; because -
(1.) They meet God in his own way. Having searched the institution, they know what God requireth; and therefore will not pay the debt of obedience with their own devices; they offer him a pure worship. Though they cannot be perfect in their services, yet they will make a right choice, serve God after his own manner; not make it up in the pomp what is wanting in the power of religion, as many do; but look principally to the inward part, to the truth of religion. Brethren, he is a better debtor, and more to be trusted, that payeth the creditor in true money, than another that overlasheth in counterfeit coin. One diamond is better than a whole rope of Bristol stones. It is somewhat in God's account when we take the right way to please him, when we love pure ordinance, and had rather serve him for conscience' sake than custom. It is a comfort to a poor soul when he doth but go to the rule; and though otherwise, if he would serve God after man's way, he might do better, yet he would rather bring written service. Certainly, when we submit to God's appointment, the simplicity and plainness of his ordinances, it is a comfort; whereas, on the other side, when men serve the Lord after their own fashion, and satisfy their conscience with the outward part of worship, like those that the Lord speaketh of, Isa. xxix. 13, 'Their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men,' they usually feel no comfort, get no benefit by the ordinances, only lull their consciences asleep by them. All that they get by duty is a false peace, not quickening grace; pride in their excellences, rather than humility for their wants and failings.
(2.) There is comfort in it that they do it upon a good ground. They present true service with a true heart. They do what is written because it is written. They do not come to the sacrament as those Jews kept their fast, Zech. vii. 3, because they had done so for these many years; or as Ezekiel's hearers, chap, xxxiii. 31, 'They come and sit before me as my people.' Not for fashion's sake, because the people of God in the country where they live use to do so; but because God hath commanded, instituted such an ordinance, and in his holy word invited them. They do it in obedience to God. But of this more by and by.
(3.) They may comfort themselves because they bend all their strength and power to come up to the fulness of the commandment. Though they cannot receive as they ought, yet they will not allow themselves in any laziness. Therefore, before duty they strive to seek God in the ordinance. In duty, they strive to meet God in the ordinance; after the duty, they bless God for admitting them, and humble themselves for their failings. They account nothing too much, and therefore they know God accepteth their little. They use their best endeavour, and therefore there is nothing that may trouble them when they search the rule; for there they know the Lord will accept their endeavours. And if they offer a better sacrifice than Cain, that is, if they come with a better heart, in a better manner, than worldly men (for they will be sacrifices too), and their desires are to the remembrance of God and a due celebration of the communion, that they know the Lord accepteth. But, on the contrary, without a due knowledge of the nature of obedience, the grounds and ends of it, there can be no such comfort. Therefore, as thou dost tender the settling of thy conscience, as thou wouldst not have it entangled with scruples, divided and distracted with a double mind - a wavering double-minded man, dipsuchos, that is St James's word: James i. 8, 'A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways;' now of the thought that thou doest well, and then again thinking that thou shalt not be accepted, and so banded and whirrited between hopes and fears; seek the word, go to the canon, 'to the law, and to the testimony,' Isa. viii. 20, that thou mayest be directed. Christians are perplexed many times, because they do not ask counsel of the word of God so often as they should. So I have done with the first use.
Use 2. Is it so? It serveth then to press us to see whether we do perform duty aright or no. Do we do it as it is written? Here is a mark to try it by, whether we make the word of God both the rule and the ground of our obedience. Everybody will answer, Yea, to the question. And therefore I must a little amplify and take abroad the trial. And therefore, that you may not deceive yourselves, and think that you do no otherwise than is written, I shall lay down a few marks by which you may discover it whether you make the word the ground and rule of your duties. If you do so, then -
1. You will use the ordinances in faith and obedience. This is a principal rule to try yourselves by. And certainly if men would deal impartially with themselves in it, they might know whether they have had a due recourse to the word or no.
But you will say - What is it to use the ordinances in faith and obedience ?
For answer, you must know, that every ordinance of God hath a word of institution, which word of institution hath two parts - a command, and a promise; as the Lord's supper, the word, prayer, ever you shall find it hath a word of institution: and every word of institution hath a command and a promise. Now we use the ordinances in faith and obedience when we give obedience to the command and credence to the word of promise; when we look to the grounds of an ordinance, and the ends of it; that God hath instituted it, and to what end; what benefit we receive thereby, that we may have the commandment for our rule, and the promise for our comfort, and to encourage us with hopes of good success. I shall handle them a little severally, and then give you the drift of the mark.
[1.] We must do it in obedience to the command; that is, when we set about the duty, because the Lord hath required it of us. So that if it be asked why we do this, and observe that service, as it was said concerning the passover, 'Why do you observe this?' Exod xii. 26, you may give this for a reason - Because God hath commanded us. If you should ask your souls why you do come to the sacrament, your hearts may answer - Because the Lord hath appointed this ordinance for the strengthening of my faith; because it is a part of the homage that I owe to my creator; he hath commanded me thus to remember the Lord's death, 1 Cor. xi. 25.
[2.] We must do it in faith. Look to the promises, that God will make them good unto us, that we shall feel the fruits of the ordinance in our own souls. The acts of faith are three -
(1.) To make us confident that the Lord can make good what he hath promised; that his body shall be meat indeed, and his blood drink indeed, though we see but the plain outward elements. The heart must be constrained to acknowledge God's power to work by the sacraments; and say, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean: Lord, it is thy pleasure to appoint this ordinance, for the sealing of the pardon of my sins, the strengthening of my faith, and for the effectual remembering of the death of Christ to my poor soul; and if thou wilt, thou canst make good all these things unto me.
(2.) It must kindle a desire in our hearts after the accomplishment of the promises, that the Lord would make good to our souls the mercies conveyed by this ordinance. There must be an holy thirst and longing after the benefit of them.
(3.) It must stay the heart, and make it wait the leisure of God until he doth make it good unto us. Though we do not see the Lord working as yet for the sealing of the pardon of our sins, the spiritual nourishing and strengthening of our souls, yet there is a command to keep up our obedience and faith, to keep up our expectation. Just as Peter in the Gospel, when Christ bid him let down the net at such a side of the ship, and thou shalt take some fish, Luke v. 5: the command and the promise is there: 'Master,' saith he, 'I have toiled all night, and caught nothing; yet at thy command I will let down the net.' So, brethren, when you have toiled a great while in expectation of the benefit of the ordinances, and cannot sensibly find any, yet if then at Christ's command – 'howbeit at thy command' - that shall keep up your obedience (and because of Christ's promise that he should catch fish, he would believe still, and desire that the Lord would accomplish his promises); so, because of the Lord's promise annexed to the duty, you doubt not but the Lord will work for you good in his due time; for you are confident he is able, and you have desired that he would. This is to do it in faith and obedience. Thus in any duty, as of hearing of the word; as Isa. lv. 3, there is a word of institution for the hearing of the word and the promise annexed thereunto: 'Hear, and your soul shall live.' The word of command, 'Hear;' the promise, 'And your soul shall live.' Now, we must hear in obedience to that command; and sue out that promise, by being confident God is able, faithful, willing to make it good; by desiring that he would enliven our souls, and, in the conscionable use of the ordinances, wait upon his good pleasure when he will accomplish it.
Examine, therefore - Do you thus use the ordinances in faith and obedience, at Christ's command, and looking to him for the supply of grace that he hath promised to convey by that ordinance? and wilt thou wait for them, and art thou confident the Lord will be as good as his word? It is a sign that thou dost duties as it is written, that thou hast looked into the institution, and hath conformed to it. If thou canst in thy heart answer for thy appearance at this holy table, that it is because the Lord commanded thee hither, in expectation of such mercies as the Lord hath made over to this ordinance, and doth long for and desire the accomplishment of them, it is a sign that thou dost it in faith and obedience.
2 The next mark is, if thou dost make the word the rule and ground of thy obedience, thou wilt be careful of the purity of the ordinances, that nothing may be mixed with them but what is in the word, in the institution. There will be no doting upon old customs, no superstitious hankering after ceremonies, unwritten rites, that have no ground in the word of God, but thou wilt be willing that all should be gone and done away. Certainly those that are so ready to quarrel for some old fond custom, it is a sign they little prize the institution of the ordinances; they do not search that. Ignorant men, that are least versed in the word of God, are most ceremonious. Their very religion is ceremony, and their duty is but a custom. Certainly if they did it for conscience' sake, they would have looked to the command that bindeth the conscience; and then the love of these things would not have crept upon them, and have possessed their souls. What is the reason many are so disquieted now, when some things are taken away which they were formerly accustomed to? Oh! brethren, they do not make the word the ground and rule of their obedience. Their very religion is custom, that which they have received by tradition, not what was delivered to them in the institution; and therefore they never look to the mixture and tampering of human devices with God's prescription. They do not care for pure ordinances.
Therefore the rule to examine by is how thou standest affected to the purity of God's worship. Thou wouldest fain have nothing done but what thou hast some warrant for, nay, thou wouldst have had no word used which may be an occasion of corrupting the worship of God. Priest and altar do offend, because when such terms are used he beginneth to fear a sacrifice, a mass, to answer them. They have gotten a pure lip; as the Lord saith, 'He would turn to the nations a pure language, a pure lip.' And in another place, 'I will take away the names of Baalim out of their mouth, and thou shalt call me no more Baali, but Ishi,' Hosea ii. 16, 17 They would not have any monuments of superstition left, not a paganish or a popish word in and about the ordinances. Though Baali signifieth Lord, yet God will not be called so, because that was their term for their idol. And, saith David, Ps. xvi. 4, 'I will not take the names of their God in my lips.' See that command also of Moses, Deut, xxiii. 13, 'And in all things that I have said unto you, be circumspect, and make no mention of the names of other gods; let it not be heard out of thy mouth.' They are careful that such words shall not be used as have a show of idolatry; they will have the Lord's service expressed the Lord's own way. Unwary speaking hath been cause of much corruption; and therefore they are so careful to have things done according to the word, that they do not love such names and words as custom and superstition hath a long time used about the ordinances. You shall see, Num. xxxii. 38, it is said there that the Israelites obtained 'Nebo and Baal-meon (their names being changed) and Shibmah, and gave other names to the cities which they built.' Brethren, these were idolatrous names; their cities were called after their idols. Baal was an idol, Judges vi. 31; and Nebo was an idol: Isa. xlvi. 1, 'Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth; their idols were upon the beasts.' They change not Shibmah; but Nebo and Baal-meon, such names as were scandalous. So they that are truly careful of coming to the written word, they would have no odd names continued; they would not have the Lord's day nicknamed Sunday. They have a pure lip, and would have no unbeseeming word used in the worship of God. Search by this.
Sermon III
Sermons on the Sacraments
I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet unto my taste. - Cant. ii. 3.
IN this verse two things are observable - (1.) Christ's commendation; (2.) The church's experience.
1. Christ's commendation, in the beginning of the verse, where he is compared to an apple-tree among the trees of the forest. Some trees yield no fruit at all, as cedars, firs, and elms; some only yield fruit for swine, as oaks bear acorns. The apple-tree beareth variety of comfortable fruit for men. To this we see Christ is compared, and not to an ordinary apple-tree, but to the tree of life, which is in the midst of the orchard and paradise of God, Rev. ii. 7. And mark, in the context, how Christ and the church are bestowing honour upon one another. Christ avoucheth the church to be the best of all assemblies; and the church avoucheth Christ to be the best of all Gods. The bridegroom beginneth and saith, ver. 2, 'My love is as a lily among thorns,' and the bride answereth, 'My beloved is as the apple-tree among the trees of the wood.' Quis sicut te! is twice used in scripture of God and of the church, Micah vii. 17, with Deut. xxxiii. 29. The text falleth in with the latter part - the church's eulogy to Christ. Other trees yield little comfort to a poor fainting creature travelling in the wilderness; but Christ is an apple-tree, comfortable for shade, pleasant for fruit.
2. The church's experience - I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet unto my taste. The commendation is built on the church's experience. They that have tasted and felt how sweet Christ is can better speak of him than others: 2 Cor. i. 4, 'That we may comfort others with the comforts wherewith we are comforted of God.' A report of a report is a cold thing. We can best commend Christ to others when we have felt his virtue and tasted his sweetness ourselves. Two things the church experimented in Christ - (1.) Comfortable shadow; (2.) Pleasant fruit.
[1.] A comfortable shadow. In those eastern countries the scorching of the sun was vehement, and the heat of it much annoyed them in travel, therefore so often is there allusion made to a shadow; as Num. xiv. 9, 'Their defence is departed from them;' it is in the margin their shadow; and so the true God: Ps. xci. 1, 'He shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.' And that is the reason why the spouse complaineth, Cant i. 6, 'I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me;' expressing thereby her afflictions, which to us, in these colder countries, seemeth a strange expression. To them rain is always used for a blessing but sunshine often for affliction, they being parched and scorched with excessive heat. And therefore was it that Jonah was so much vexed when he wanted the comfort and shadow of his gourd. We read, Jonah iv. 7, 8, that he was exceedingly glad of the gourd; but when the sun did arise and wither it, and did beat upon his head, he fainted, and wished that he might die. So God, when he promiseth great happiness to his people, saith, Hosea xiv. 8, 'I will be to them a green fir-tree;' meaning a cool and wholesome shadow against the scorching heat of the sun. All this is said to show how comfortable a cool shade was to them in those parts.
[2.] His fruit was pleasant to my taste - Christ hath not only a shadow to hide us, but cordial fruit to cheer and revive us. By fruit are meant those spiritual privileges and benefits which we enjoy by Christ, which are sensibly and satisfactorily pleasing to the soul.
Doct. Those that earnestly seek after a shelter in Christ from the wrath of God shall not only find that shelter, but many comfortable benefits and fruits accruing to them.
Here I shall show - (1.) What it is to sit down under the shadow of Christ with great delight; (2.) What these fruits are, and how comfortable to a spiritual taste.
First, For the first, that I may not strain the metaphor, but take it as it runneth most easily, I shall give you these propositions -
1. A shadow is not prized by men till some heat scorch them. The church is here represented as faint and parched with heat. Our addresses to Christ always begin with a sense of our own want and misery. Ease is sweet to the burdened soul, and none seek rest in Christ to any purpose but those that feel the load of their own sins, Mat. xi. 28. None fly to their city of refuge but those who are sensible of an avenger of blood at their heels, Heb. vi 18. None desire so earnestly to be found in Christ but those who apprehend a search, that wrath maketh inquisition for sinners, Phil. iii. 9. None are so willing and anxious about entering into an ark as those that fear a flood, Heb. xi. 7. It is the thirsty hart that panteth for the water-brooks; the hart that hath been chased or eaten serpents, Ps. xlii. 1. It was the stung Israelite that did in good earnest look to the brazen serpent, John iii. 14. The scorched only prize a shadow. We have but cold and careless respects for Christ till the sense of our misery awaken us. Comfort is a relative word, and implieth distress; so doth also justification, and supposeth accusation, or a sense of condemnation deserved
2. That which scorcheth poor distressed souls is a sense of God's wrath. Observe how fitly God's wrath is set forth by the scorching of the sun - a glorious creature, and very useful, whose influences upon the world are usually very benign and comfortable; yet, to accomplish the purposes of nature, he sometimes ariseth with a burning heat. God's goodness is exceeding great and large; yet this good God hath his wrath, which is set forth to us by the notions of a consuming fire, Heb. xii. 29, and a burning oven, Mal. iv 1. The wrath of the living God is a dreadful thing, which consumeth and drieth up all without recovery, unless we get a shelter from it. It was typed out by the fire wherein the sacrifices were burnt, and the sense of it is a scorching thing indeed, which drinketh up our blood and spirits, Job vi. 4. Now, because this sense may be increased in us either by sharp afflictions, or heightened by Satan's temptations through the permission of God, sometimes the heat and sweltering which the soul feeleth upon these occasions is expressed by the burning of the sun, Cant, i 6; compare also Mat xiii 6, 'When the sun was up they were scorched, because they had no root, but withered away;' and ver 21, 'When tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word.' This may awaken a sense of wrath, when God externally appeareth as an enemy. So heightened by Satan's temptations, which are called fiery darts, Eph vi 16. His fiery darts are not only boiling lusts, but despairing fears, when the conscience is filled with horror and trouble.
3 Scorched souls can find no shelter nor refreshing shadow among the creatures, but only by coming to the spiritual apple-tree, who is the Lord Jesus Christ Alas! the creatures carry no suitableness nor proportion with our grief, no more than a good meal or a nosegay of flowers to the trouble of a condemned man, or a rich shoe can give ease to a gouty foot. If our trouble were outward want, riches would satisfy it, but when the wrath of God scorcheth the conscience, what will riches, or honours, or pleasures do? Ps. xxxix. 11, 'When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, his beauty consumeth as a moth.' Trouble of conscience will not be got off by carnal means. Greatness and beauty and wealth will be no cure or plaster for this fear. Indeed, in a light conviction, we may divert conscience and stupify it by carnal enjoyments, and quench our thirst at the next ditch; but it in but a palliate cure; our wound is skinned over, and breaketh out again in a greater sore. The evil is but put off, not put away; as those, Amos vi 3, that did drink wine in bowls, and did put far away the evil day. When they do not make a sure peace with God, but all their thoughts are to put judgment out of their mind, they may harden their hearts, but they cannot quiet then hearts; for the virtue of this opium will be soon spent, and the trouble will return more ragingly. God can soon blast the shadow of this gourd, as he did Jonah's; or else he may give you over to a stupid conscience; and a lethargy is a very dangerous disease.
4 Christ is a complete and comfortable shadow, the only screen between us and wrath. Observe how fitly Christ's interposing between us and the wrath of God is set forth by the shadow of a tree interposed between us and the heat of the sun. In him alone we find refreshing, ease, and comfort: Mat iii. 17, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' God is appeased in Christ towards us; he is the shadow which we have against the wrath of God, even Jesus, who hath delivered us from wrath to come, 1 Thes. i. 10. He hath drunk hell dry. To redeem us from the curse of the law he was made a curse for us, Gal. iii. 13. He hath borne the wrath of God in his own person that we might have the blessing, the gift of the Spirit. So he is a shadow against the fiery darts of Satan, nothing will guard us, and help us to quench them, but the shield of faith, Eph. vi. 16. This faith in Christ we hold up as a shield against his violent and piercing temptations, and so quench that heat and pain and horror which otherwise these temptations would kindle in our hearts. We answer his bitter accusations by Christ's righteousness. Then, for the troubles and afflictions of the world he is still our shadow, John xvi. 33, 'In the world ye shall have tribulation, but in me ye shall have rest.' A storm rattling upon the tiles doth not much dismay you when you sit warm under the covert and protection of a strong roof. God promiseth his people, Isa. xxv. 4, to be 'a shelter from the storm, and a shadow from the heat;' and Isa. iv. 5, 'The Lord will create upon the assemblies of Mount Sion a cloud and a smoke by day, and a shining of a flaming fire by night.' It is an allusion to the Israelites in the wilderness, he shadowed them by day with a cloud and lighted and heated them with a fiery pillar by night. As we travel to our heavenly rest, we need light and we need shelter, we have both from Christ.
5. Faith is necessary, that we may have the comfort of our shadow, for we make use of Christ by faith. There are three acts of faith - (1) They choose, consent, and own Christ as the only shadow, (2) They earnestly run to it, (3) Compose and quiet their hearts under it. For some make this sitting down as an act of spiritual desire, as Junius, Summe desidero ut sedeam - I earnestly desire that I may sit down. Some as an act of spiritual delight, as our translation, 'I sat down with great delight.' However, both are implied.
[1] Here is a choice and owning of Christ as the only shadow against wrath. They that would find Christ a shadow must use him and employ him to that end, as Ps. xci. 1, 'He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.' The qualification and the promise is the same. What is abiding in the shadow of the Almighty but dwelling in the secret place of the Most High? God is to his people what they take him to be. Dwell in God, and you shall dwell in God. If you will take God to be what he offereth himself to be, and hath promised to be, you will find him actually and indeed to be so when need shall require, and you make use of him to that end. So delight is rewarded with delight Isa. lviii. 13, 14, and courage and strength of heart with strength of heart, Ps xxvii. 14, and Ps. xxxi. 24, for God loveth to make good the undertaking of faith, and will every way answer his people's expectations. If God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation, a screen between you and wrath, use him as such; run to your spiritual apple-tree. Surely Christ can only shelter us from the wrath of God, and faith, which maketh use of Christ to this end, can only give us an interest in this benefit: Ps. ii. 12, 'If his anger be but kindled a little, blessed are they that trust in him.' Deliverance from wrath is the fruit of embracing Christ, or closing in covenant with him; those that betake and apply themselves to him as their only refuge and safety. A carnal man is to seek; in the midst of all his worldly comforts he hath not a true shadow or a true place of retreat from the heat of God's wrath. When God frowneth they know not whither to go. If God let loose conscience or Satan against them, all worldly comforts are soon dried up. Wealth, honour, riches will not stead them in the day of wrath, Prov. xi. 4; much more when he summoneth them into his presence: Rev. vi. 16, 'They shall call to the mountains, and say, Fall on us, and hide us from the wrath of him that sitteth on the throne.' Oh! what would they give then for a shelter!
[2.] This work must not be done sleepily, but in the greatest earnest. The original phrase expresseth a vehemency of desire of this shadow to overshadow them. Such a desire should we have after Christ and his righteousness. Oh! that I might be found in him! And all is nothing to this, that I may gain Christ, Phil, iii. 8.
[3.] This sitting down with great delight noteth the composing and quieting the soul in Christ. Here they have ease and rest when once gotten to sit down under his shadow. So that it is not a bare choice, but such as is accompanied with desire and delight.
6. They meet not only with coolness, but fruit; as an apple under an apple-tree to one that sits under its shadow in a great heat. Christ yieldeth not only a comfortable shadow to believers, but also pleasant fruit. We are not only sheltered from wrath, but we may take and eat the apples of paradise. The mercies of the covenant are not only privative, but positive, Ps. lxxxiv. 11, and Gen. xv. 1. There is shadow on a fir-tree, but fruit on an apple-tree. The returning prodigal desired only to be accepted into the family, to be made an hired servant, to be kept from perishing: but the father maketh a feast, Luke xv. It was as much as our thoughts could reach to, to be delivered from hell and wrath to come; but God will give abundance of grace, and the gift of righteousness by Christ Jesus, Rom. v. 15. We shall not only enjoy his shadow, but taste his fruit.
Secondly, My next inquiry is, what these fruits are? They are the benefits and the privileges which we have by Christ. Mark, here is - (1.) Fruit; (2.) His fruit; (3.) Sweet to our taste.
1. Here is fruit. Christ received of the Father the fulness of power and of the Spirit for the benefit of the redeemed, that he might shower down the streams of grace on all that repair to him for relief and succour. Now what these fruits are -
[1.] In the general, we may tell you, all that is worth the having we have from Jesus Christ; all the blessings of this present life and of the world to come: 1 Cor. iii. 21-23, 'All things are yours, because you are Christ, and Christ is God's.' We lost our right to all by sin, and Christ came to restore all to us, ordinances, providences, heaven, happiness, and death, as the couple between the worlds. All things that concern life natural: Rom. viii. 32, 'If God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?' All things that concern maintenance, protection, food, raiment, safety during our service; all things that concern life spiritual, 2 Peter i. 3; to keep alive grace in the heart, to express it in the conversation. For the other world we have eternal life, 1 Tim. iv. 1. All things here hath a subserviency to that life, Rom. viii. 28.
[2.] More particularly, there are many choice and excellent fruits which believers receive from him.
(1.) The pardon of all our sins: Eph. i. 7, 'In whom we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of sins;' sin, which is such a mischief to us, such a wrong to God. The wrong done to infinite justice was so great that the Son of God must come and shed his blood before there could be a sufficient ransom given to keep up the honour of God's government. We cannot be sufficiently apprehensive of so great a benefit. So Acts xxvi. 18, 'We are turned from the power of Satan to God, that we may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified.' Is not this a sweet fruit, to have a free and full forgiveness of all our sins and daily failings? Isa. lv. 7. What is it that troubled us before we were acquainted with Christ but sin? What is it that made God terrible to us but sin? that clogged our consciences, disabled us from serving him cheerfully, but sin? that rendered us shy of God's presence, but sin? that damped our hearts in all our afflictions, but sin? that stood in the way of all our mercies and hopes, but sin? Surely, if we can get rid of sin, this is a benefit that is not lightly to be parsed over.
(2.) Peace with God: Rom. v. 1, 'Being justified by faith, we have peace with God.' God, that was formerly an enemy, is now a friend; the war between us and heaven ceaseth. Tyre sought peace with Herod, because they could not subsist without him, Acts xii. 20. Certainly 'in him we live, move, and have our being.' He could destroy us every moment He hath sent messengers to tell the world of this peace, Acts x. 36, preaching peace by Jesus Christ. God's messengers come to you with an olive branch in their mouths, proclaiming and offering this peace to all that are willing to enter into it, and cast away the weapons of their defiance.
(3.) Adoption into God's family, John i. 12, and 1 John iii. 1. David could say, 'Seemeth it a light thing to you to be a king's son-in-law?' So may I say, to have the blessed God, whom we had so often offended, to become our reconciled father in Christ; and it will not be an empty title, but justified and filled up with answerable privileges as to us: Mal. i. 6, 'If then I be a father, where is my honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear?' God, that disliketh empty titles on our part, will not put us off with an empty title.
(4.) The heirs of glory: 'For if children, then heirs, co-heirs with Jesus Christ,' Rom. viii. 17. Children shall have a child's portion: 'He hath begotten us to a lively hope, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,' 1 Peter i. 3, 4; and Titus iii. 8, 'Being justified by faith, we are made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.' All God's children have an ample inheritance kept for them; it is secured to them by the promise of the faithful God, and possessed by Christ in their name, and in due time is bestowed on themselves, Rom. vi. 8.
(5.) The Holy Ghost is given, not only to sanctify us at first, but to dwell in our hearts as a constant inhabitant, as in his own temple, 1 Cor. vi. 19, to maintain God's interest in our souls, to conquer the devil, subdue the flesh, and overcome the world; to resist the devil, 1 John iv. 4; to subdue the flesh, Rom. viii. 13; to overcome the world; for, 1 Peter i. 5, 'We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.' The Spirit succoureth us in all our extremities - that is, by the power of his Spirit dwelling in us. By this Spirit we are cleansed more and more from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, sanctified throughout, and fitted more and more for the enjoyment of that eternal happiness we are appointed unto.
(6.) Peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost; for this is a great privilege of Christ's kingdom,' Rom. xii. 17. The Spirit, indeed, is not so necessarily a comforter as a sanctifier; and yet this is part of his work, to shed abroad the love of God in our hearts, Rom. v. 5. To assure us that we are his children, Rom. viii. 16; and to be the earnest and fore-pledge of our everlasting happiness: 2 Cor. v. 5, 'Who hath given us the earnest of his Spirit.'
(7.) Access to God, with assurance of welcome and audience, Ps. 1. 15, and Heb. iv. 15, 16, and 1 John v. 14. This confidence we have, that 'Whatsoever we shall ask in his name, he will do it for us.' Oh! what a mercy is it that we have a father to go to! that our persons and services should be acceptable and pleasing to him for Christ's sake! We find the comfort of it living and dying. These are some of those fruits which grow upon this spiritual apple-tree.
2. His fruits; for a threefold reason -
[1.] Because purchased by him. All these privileges were procured for us by his blood, death, and sufferings. Pardon of sins: Col. i. 14, 'In whom we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of sins.' God would not cancel our debts till he had received this satisfaction. Peace with God: Col. i. 20, 'Having made peace through the blood of his cross.' It stood the Mediator dear that we might enjoy God's peace and favour with life. Adoption into God's family; it is the fruit of his sufferings or being made under the law: Gal. iv. 4, 5, 'Heirs of glory.' We are purchased unto everlasting redemption, Eph. i. 14. The sanctification of the Spirit, Eph. v. 25, 26. Peace of conscience: 'This man our peace,' Micah v. 5. Audience: Heb. x. 19, 'We have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.' So that he purchased all these favours for us.
[2.] These fruits flow from him; for as he purchased them, so he hath the keeping and dispensing of the purchased benefits; for he hath purchased this grace, not into another's hand, but into his own. He doth by the Spirit sanctify and bring back the souls of men unto God. Therefore it is said, John i. 16, 'Of his fulness have we received, and grace for grace.' And whatever the Spirit doth, he doth for his honour and glory, and as his Spirit: John xvi. 14, 'He shall take of mine, and glorify me.'
[3.] It is enjoyed by virtue of an interest in him, as we are members of his mystical body: 1 Cor. i. 30, 'But of him are ye in Christ, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness.' First we are in him, and then he is made to us of God all that we stand in need of. When we are engrafted into Christ we partake of his benefits: 1 John v. 12, 'He that hath the Son hath life,' &c.; John xv. 1, 2, 5, 'I am the vine, ye are the branches.' So that by virtue of our union with him, and interest in him, we receive these fruits.
3. These are sweet unto a believer's taste. Observe there -
[1.] That believers have a taste of the goodness of Christ. They do experimentally find a great deal of comfort and sweetness in him: 1 Peter ii. 3, 'If so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.' Others know Christ by hearsay, they by experience. They know the grace of Christ in truth, Col. i. 6. We use to say, Optima demonstratio est a sensibus - Things talked of do not affect us so much as things tasted and felt. He that hath tasted honey knoweth the sweetness of it more than he that only reads of it. Therefore we ought to get this taste - that is, an inward experience of the truth and goodness of heavenly things; for Christian religion is a thing not only to be understood, or disputed, or talked of, but also tasted. Moral instruction may give a sight, but faith a taste.
[2.] That Christ's fruits are very sweet to their taste, because of the suitableness of the fruit to the prepared appetite. They have an hungry conscience, and so can sooner taste that sweetness. As a man is, so is his appetite. The beasts find sweetness in grass, swine in their swill, more, than an epicure in all his dainties. Among men, every constitution of heart affecteth a suitable diet. In the general, the carnal relish only carnal things. More particularly, some worldly men, like the serpent, feed on the dust of the ground. Some vainglorious men, like the cameleon, live upon the air and breath of popular applause; the sensual, on the husks of brutish pleasure. But a Christians delights are on Christ, the promises of the gospel, and the fruits of the Spirit, 1 Cor. ii. 12. A Christian hath another spirit than the spirit of this world. A sanctified soul can taste the sweetness of spiritual things, word, sacraments, graces, hopes. Yea, the way of obedience is sweet to them: Prov. iii. 17, 'Her ways are pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.' It is wonderfully comfortable, and filleth their hearts in a satisfying manner, when they can have any experience of God's love in Christ, in the word, or meditation, or prayer, or sacraments: 'My soul is filled as with marrow and fatness,' saith David. Ps. lxiii. 6. Besides the attractive goodness of the object, there is inclination in their own souls to it.
Use 1. Here is an invitation to draw us to Christ.
1. As he is a shadow. This notion is like to prevail with none but those who are scorched with God's wrath, or laden with the burden of sin; with them that are either of a troubled or of a tender conscience. They long to sit down under his shadow indeed, and to get a taste of his pleasant fruits; yet I must speak to all, to begin here. The fruits are neither eaten nor the sweetness of them felt till we come under his shadow, and delightfully sit under his righteousness; but I pray you all to consider what need we have of this - (1.) Consider our own deservings: 'Are we not all children of wrath even as others?' Eph. ii. 3. If we are grown insensible, the greater is our misery; and doth it not concern you 'to fly from wrath to come'? Mat. iii. 7. Because as yet we feel not the scorching and broiling heats, should we not make sure of a shelter? If a spark light upon the conscience, if God's anger be kindled but a little, what a condition are you in! (2.) A drooping soul that mourneth under the fears of God's displeasure, how doth he value this? The afflicted and poor of the flock, they will trust in the name of the Lord, Zeph. iii. 12; and should we not value that which is prized by them that are more serious than ourselves? (3.) When you must appear before the bar of God when you are to die, a shelter and a screen between you and wrath will be very welcome, Rev. vi. 16. What would you give then for a sealed pardon, for an interest in Christ's righteousness, for a propitiation or means of atonement between you and an offended God? (4.) The damned in hell, that are lost for ever, who are scorched in eternal flames, and have made trial of that sad condition, what would they give? Luke xvi. 24, 'Have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am horribly tormented in this flame.'
2. With respect to pleasant fruit: Ps. xxxiv. 8, 'Oh! come, taste and see how good the Lord is to those that put their trust in him.' We entertain black thoughts of the ways of God, as if religion were a sour thing, and there were no pleasure and delight for those that submit to it. Augustine and Cyprian were both kept off by a fear that they should never see merry day more; as, indeed, it is hard for pleasant natures wholly to renounce accustomed delights. To confute this prejudice, if you will not believe the spies who have visited the land of promise, and passed it through, and have brought a good report thence, told you how pleasant and sweet the fruits thereof are, come and make trial yourselves. Oh! taste and see. You will find enough in Christ to spoil the gust and relish of all other pleasures. Quam suave mihi subito factum est carere suavitatibus nugarum. As the sun puts out the fire, so doth this greater delight make carnal vanities tasteless to you. Surely all Christ's fruits will be sweet to you. Is it not sweet to hear that voice, 'Be of good cheer, thy sins are pardoned'? Mat. viii. 2; so 'I will be to you a father, and you shall be my children.' The comforts of the Spirit, are they not the sweetest things that ever were felt? Peace, Phil. iv. 7; joy, 1 Peter i. 8; yet these are but part of his wages. If Christ be sweet in the ordinances, what will he be in heaven?
Use 2. Do we ever sit down under his shadow, so as to find his fruit sweet unto our taste? You may try your state, and discern it by your relish of spiritual things. When men find no savour and sweetness in Christ, and can enjoy full contentment and satisfaction without him, it is a dangerous sign of a carnal heart, Rom. viii. 5, and Luke xiii. 16. I am sure it is an humbling consideration. The grossy carnal heart can taste the sweetness of the creature, but not of Christ. To an unmodified heart there is no more taste of Christ than in the white of an egg. The promises are but as dry chips and withered flowers. Christ crucified is no feast to them; they are pleased better with a vain story, or any carnal recreation or sensible enjoyment, or the mirth of vain company. They long not for, nor ever taste, the apples of paradise, or the fruit which groweth upon the tree of life.
But are Christians to be measured by their feelings, tastes, or comforts?
I answer - The taste of the sweetness of Christ's fruits may be considered either with respect to God's dispensation or our duty and disposition of soul.
1. If you consider it as an act of divine dispensation, or an impression of the comforting Spirit, this dependeth upon God's pleasure, who sheddeth abroad his love in Christ in our hearts by the Spirit in what measure he pleaseth. These spiritual suavities or high tides of comfort God letteth out upon special seasons, after deep meditation, earnest and strong desires, sad conflicts with sin and the world, or great struggling by pangs of trouble. As we give children a piece of sugar after a bitter potion, so to him that overcometh, God giveth to eat of the tree of life in the midst of paradise, Rev. ii. 7, and ver. 17 'hidden manna,' &c. This is Christ's feast for conquerors or triumphers. For this we must wait upon God in his sanctuary, leaving him to his own pleasure, and be content till the master of the feast bid us come and sit higher.
2. There is a state of spiritual things which is a necessary duty, when these things please us better than any worldly things whatsoever. To be holy is more contentment than to be rich. To love God more, trust him more, and obey him better, please more than if God should give them all the honours of the world. This taste is known more by esteem, admiration, thankfulness, and solid contentment, than by passionate joys; yet they should be excited on special occasions. They are never so well pleased as when they enjoy most of God, have a sense of his presence. Never so satisfied as when they are most fruitful, as when most powerfully drawn out after God. This taste must be cherished, and still kept up in us. Affectionate stirrings and workings of soul after heavenly things are very sweet, and such -as all Christians should strive for; yet esteem, choice, and thorough willingness and well-pleasedness with Christ are the main things. You must not be dead-hearted; therefore you must take heed of those things which would deaden your taste. What are they?
[1.] Want of faith. Such worthy things could not be entertained with such coldness if we did believe them true: 1 Peter ii. 7, 'To them that believe, Christ is precious;' and if he be precious, we will give him a suitable welcome into the heart; we will entertain him as we do precious things. A carnal wretch may talk of Christ as others do, but to him Christ and his gospel is a common thing, because he hath no sound belief of these things, only a little human credulity. Affection still followeth persuasion, Heb. xi. 13. We look for no great matters, therefore go no higher than a customary devotion or a cold respect.
[2.] We are governed by fancy, sense, and carnal appetite; and the carnal gust will mar the taste of heavenly things. The joys of sense are natural to us, and the joys of faith are strangers to our hearts; and then it is no wonder that the one does easily vanquish and overcome the other. Brutish worldlings rest satisfied with worldly contentments and carnal delights, and the taste of the pleasures, profits, and honours of the world spoil the taste of spiritual comforts! Garlic and manna will never suit the same appetite. The heightening of the world lesseneth our esteem of Christ, 1 John ii. 15. Conscience is stupefied with vain delights. When we come to say, Soul, take thine ease; thou hast goods laid up for many years; then better things are coldly entertained. Spiritual things lose their sweetness when your pleasure is intercepted by the things you enjoy in the world.
[3.] Some sin is regarded in the heart, rolled as a sweet morsel under the tongue. And if sin be grown sweet, spiritual delight languisheth; for something else pleaseth us better; as a sucker draweth away the strength of the tree, or as a leak in a pipe lets out the water, or a wound in the body weakeneth the strength. Yea, till sin grow bitter to us, nothing in Christ will relish with us; for Christ came to take sin away; and till sin be sin indeed, grace will never be grace indeed.
[4.] If you do not prepare your appetite by self-examining, 1 Cor. xi. 28, and confession of sin. Humiliation for our unworthiness, reconciling ourselves to God upon new covenant terms, hearty resolutions for God, a deep sense of our wants, these things breed an appetite und desire of grace; and hungry consciences know how to prize the food. Be sure to do thus, and then you will find a well-pleasedness in Christ; and say, 'His love is better than wine,' Cant i. 2. His loving-kindness is better than life. If the affections be not ravished, there will be at least a solid esteem; at least you will find that 'one day in God's courts is better than a thousand elsewhere,' Ps. lxxxiv. 10. There is a solid complacency in Christ, and a serious joy, that is more durable than sudden transports of soul.
Use 3. Direction to us in our special addresses to God. The practice of the spouse is then in season. Come and sit down under his shadow, and eat of his fruits. I remember Solomon saith, Prov. xxvii. 18, 'Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat of the fruit thereof.' So he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured. When you come to duties, you come to sit under the spiritual apple-tree, to wait upon your master for your dole and portion. We taste the fruits of Christ most in solemn ordinances: Ps. xxxvi. 8, 'They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house;' so Ps. lxv. 4. And they are not sparingly dispensed. The spiritual apple-tree is fully laden, and you may eat and feed abundantly with his blessed allowance, Cant v. 1. Only remember, if you would find God's favour and presence in the mercies, you must use diligence; for we come to partake as well as receive. When we hear or pray loosely, with slackness and remissness of zeal, we lose the comfort of these duties. So in the Lord's supper you must exercise faith, and repentance, and love, and thankfulness to your Redeemer. All the benefits we enjoy are Christ's fruits, his by purchase and right and from him communicated to us. Serious thoughts, and an active lively faith if required, that you may take and give up yourselves to Christ in an humble obedience.