sm- ^^^h' '*^'>#.^^ u:^ ^" * ' Si^'- %. :>' .'■ ^zi^^.^'m^ LIBRARY PRINCETON, N. J. No. Case. No. *SM/,_Sec{Lc^.^. No. Book,^,^^^^^^ (■ THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT ENCOURAGED, AND DIRECTED IN WHAT MANNER HE MAY APPROACH The Holy Supper of the Lord, ACCEPTABLY TO GOD, AND PROFITABLY TO HIMSELF, IN A SERIES OF LECTURES, By the Rev. PETER IMMENS, MINIITSR Ot THE GOSPKL AT MIDDLIBURG, IN THE PROVINCE o/ ZEALAND. Tranflated By JOHN BASSETT, >\'« OF THE MINISTERS OF THE REFORMED DUTCH CHCRCII, IN THE CITT OF ALBANY, .«©< n E W - r 0 R K: PRINTED BY ISAAC COLLINS AKD SON, NO. 189, PEARL-STREET. I80I. THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Lecture I. * ON THE NATURE OF P^AITiL ^ vJiNT an occafion like the prefent, when invited to an attendance on the holy Supper of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, to the end that your approach to that ordinance may contribute to your profit, we propofe in this, and, if the Lord permit, in feveral fucceeding leftures, to addrefs you on the nature and the bkjfcd effeBs which flow from true and faving faith. In the courfe of the difcuffion of thefe, many other ifuths, conneded with them, will be elucidated, we hope in To plain, and yet in fo faith- ful a manner, that on the one hand the natural man, God bleffing our endeavours, frtay be reclaimed from his evil purfuits, and be direfted in thofe paths which lead to happinefs and eternal glory ; and on the other, the child of God, amidfl all his fears, doubts, and difcouragements, may be counfelled and dired- ed, made to increafe in fnth, and wait upon his Fa- ther at the Redeemer's table in the experience of great peace and joy in believing. 4 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. With the eye of faith elevated to the Eternal's throne, we look for affiftance in and wait for his bleffing, upon our undertaking. We propofe, I. To confider the nature of faith, and invefligate wherein its elTential a6ls confift. II. As faith is a necelTary requifite, in approach- ing the table of the Lord, fo we Ihall urge the natu- ral man to the ufe of all thofe means, which, if ac- companied with a bleffing from on high, will tend to make hfm a partaker of that divine principle. III. We fhall point out the growids on which a child of God may be aJGTured of his being in the faith, and the obligation he is under to feek, to cherilli, and preferve this Chriilian grace. That we may fpeak with accuracy on the firfl propofed fubjeft, it mufl be previoufly remarked, 1. That to. believe is not to be of the opinion, or, to be in doubt, whether a thing be fo or not, as the phrafe is daily mifapplied when converfing on na- tural things. It is not uncommon for a perfon to fay, this or that I believe, whenever on the one hand reafons are offered for thus judging, and on the other fome reafon exifts why he ftiould doubt the faft. But this is not believing, it is rather to be confidered as doubting, and in its nature is wholly different from the fubjeft of this le6lure. 2. To believe is not fimply to have a perfuafion or a knowledge of the exiftence of a thing: for a perfon may have this perjuajion, and his mind yield no aflfent, yea, feel an averfion from it. In refpeft to natural objects, it may have place, but not in re^ gard to thofe which are fpiritual. For when things fpiritual are the obje6ls of our faith, it is always ac-r companied both with the full alfent of the judgment^ and the moU cordial approbation of the zuilL LECTURE I. 5 Throughout Scripture, where the term faith, and the phrafe to believe, occur, both thefe ideas are included. And, Therefore, faving faith implies, " A cordial recep- " tion of the teftimony of God, and a total and unre- ♦' ferved furrender of .the foul and all its afFedions, <' to God and Chrift." Hence faith is a term which no man can fully un- derftand, unlefs he hath received and be exercifed by it. In the word of God, two particular phrafes are employed to exprefs this aft. The firfl is recorded Pfalm ii. 12, and fignifies in the original, to take refuge. " Bleffed are all they that put their truft in him." A fimilar expreffion prefents itfeif, Pfalm xxxvi. 8. *' How excellent is thy loving kindnefs, O God, *' therefore the children of men put their trufl under "' the ftiadow of thy wings." The fame word is found in other paflages of Scrip- ture, and always expreffes the ejjential though weaker a61; of faith, to which falvation is attached. The fecond phrafe which fcripture employs, figni- fies to lean, to rejt upon, or to fijfer ouf elves to be borne by another, as a child, who feels itfeif perfectly fecure, in the arms of its mother or nurfe. Agreeably to this we read, Songs viii. 5. " Who is this that com>eth up from the wildernefs, '* leaning upon her beloved ?" See alfo Pfalm Ixxxiv. 12. " O Lord of hofls, "' bleffed is the man that trujlcth in thee." Such and fimilar expreffions reprefent that more advanced degree of faith, which confifls in the exercifs o^'corfdence. In the Nc'.v-Tellament, to believe is fometimes ufed 6 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. to convey to the mind the objcB of faith; thus, Gal. i. 23, the apoftle declares, that " he now preach- " eth the faith, which once he deftroyed." But at other times it imports the aft of the mind which is exercifed with refpeft to that obje6t, John iii. 36. " He that believeth on the Son hath everlafting life ;'* i. e. everlafting life is the portion of that perfon whofe mind is fo exercifed with refpeft to the Son^ as God here demands. Of that faith we now fpeak, which a£l;ually unites the foul to Jefus ; and that we may exprefs ourfelves, on a fubjeft of fuch importance, with the perfpicuity it merits, it will be proper to enquire, I. What precedes faith. II. Wherein the true cjfence of faith confifts. III. Wha.t follows as a confequence of faith. 1. If a perfon favingly believe, there muft pre^- cede, A. Knowledge. This is a requifite fo neceflary, that faith itfelf is thus termed, Ifaiah liii. 11. By his knowledge Ihall my righteous fervant juftify many. Unlefs a truth be known, we cannot affent to it, em- brace it, or be fuitably exercifed with refpe6t to it. There are therefore certain truths propofed as the objedts of knowledge : they are in general the whole teftimony of God, and in particular thofe which have an immediate regard to our eternal falvation. Hence we muft attain to a knowledge of ourfelves, and be- come acquainted with the Great Mediator of the covenant, with the means by which we become interefted in him, and with the obligation we are un- der to become holy in heart, and in all manner of converfation. Now as thefe truths muft be known, in a greater or lefs degree, by every true believer, fo we cannot: LECTURE i. ^ but remark, that every fpecies of knowledge is not fufficient. — A knowledge which is merely fpeculative is not faving. There exifts a vafl; difference between the knowledge which the natural man has of the truths of religion, and that which he poiTefles, whofe foul hath been illuminated by the holy Spirit. The knowledge of the former is fuperficial and external ; it Ik-iras along the furface, but dives not deep, to ob- tain the pith and marrow of truth : that of the latter is penetrating ; it extends not barely to the words^ but to the matter. The natural man. may be enlight- ened as to the head, but divine truths affe6l not his heart. Is he taught that he is miferable, he feels not diftrefs, forrow, nor fhame, at the awful difcovery. — Are the glories of the Mediator brought to his view in the facred oracles, he experiences no defires after him, at leaft not fuch as attrafts him to Chrift. For he hath never yet experimentally known his need of him. But the man who really believes, has his hearfe fo affected with the truths of God, that the fight of fm and mifery makes his foul to feii*' forrow and the keenefl anguifh ; whilfl a view of Chrifl, as the only way of falvation, creates within him holy and ardent defires to have Jefus for his eternal portion. B. The ASSENT of the mind to the truths of reve- lation neceffarily precedes the elfential a61; of faith. — But let it be remarked, that barely to afifent to divine truths, as to the letter, is not all that is required : for fuch an alTent cannot but be given to them by every ingenuous mind, fmce they perfedly accord with right reafon, are in every refpeft worthy of God, in their nature tend to advance the happinefs of man, and againfl; them the infidel, bold in fin, raifes his fubtil but feeble objeftions in vain. If thus all with- in the pale of the reformed church muft yield an S THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. affent to revelation, and the glorious truths which it inculcates, it muft be here obferved, that the affent which the believer gives to them, far tranfcends that which is granted by external profeffors : becaufe h e has felt, and daily more or lefs experiences, the power of the truths of God upon his heart ; he yields a two- fold affent ; his language is, " I believe them, not " only becaufe God hath made them known in his *' word, and becaufe they are ftamped with his autho- *' rity, but becaufe I experience their energy in my " own foul ; and thus it is, that the Spirit, abiding *' in the heart, tejlifies that the Spirit which fpeaks *' in the facred volume is truth." 2. If this knowledge and this affent to divine truths always precede faith, the next enquiry is, " In " v/hat does the ejfential aB of faith confift ?" We anfwer ; in running dind fleeing with all poffible fwift- nefs from one's felf, and in taking refuge beneath the wings of Jefiis, and his all-fufficient atonement. We may then conceive the effential aft of faith to be produced in the following manner : the holy Spi- rit, who alone muff be confidered as the author of it, imparts to the finner a twofold view, both with re- fpe6t to himfelf and to the Lord Chrift ; yes, A. He fees himfelf, by nature, to be miferable, •wretched., undone ; full in his view all his fms appear, accompanied with all their aggravated circumftances : for it is the province of the Holy Ghoft to reprove fin, or rather to flrike the finner dumb, fo that he can bring in nothing in extenuation of his crimes, or in vindication of his condufl, John xvi. 8, This dif- covery of fm and mifery being made, he becomes contrite, affefted at the dreadful profpeft which now prefents itfelf, and is brought low before God. The pride of his heart falls, and fo great is his abafement, LECTURE I. 9 that he adapts to himfe'if the language of Ephraim, Jer. xxxi. 19. " Surely after that I was turned I repented, and '' after I was inftrutl;ed I frhote upon my thigh, I '' was afiiained, yea even confounded, becaufe I did " bear the reproach of iiiy youth." It will not be improper in this place jufl to re- iTuirk, that if the fmner altogether defponds of ob- taining help by any exertion of his own powers, in a condition fo deplorable, it is to the end, that thereby he may be prepared ; B. To hcliold the Lord Jcfus, as the mighty Re- deemer and Saviour, an objecl that to the wounded fpirit, and to the foul that feels itfelf deftitute of all help, is of ail others the moil precious and delight- ful ; for the Spirit difcovers to him, a. That Jefus, in Order to become a Redeemer, received an ordination and appointment to his work from his Father, not in time, but before the com- mencement of all worlds. b. That he is perfeftly qualified to refcue finners from ruin, and become their deliverer, becaufe fuch is his all-fufiiciency, that he can fupply every want. It pleafed the Father, that in hini all Julnefs fliould dzudl, Col. i. 1 ^>. c. That he is alfo vjihing to beflow all that he is, and all that he has, on fouls oppreffed beneath an accumulated load of guilt, and filled with fore dif- trefs at a view of the dread piclure which fin prefents ; for the Scriptures abundantly teftify, that he fuftains the mediatorial natures, names, offices, and flates, not fo much on his own, as on account of fmners who feel the wretchednefs of their cafe. Yes: fuch he invites, fuch he intreats, and fuch he moft prefiing- \y calls to come unto him. J3 io THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Thefe views cannot but produce the highefl efleem for the Lord Jefus, and the moll; ardent defires after him, which are accompanied with a foHcitous look to him for an interefl in his merits; by all which the foul is exercifing faith ; for this twofold difcovery produces a twofold aft. Does one contemplate himfelf to be in condition fo miferable ?. he begins then to reafon thus : " If I continue in my prefent '■' flate, I have nothing to expeft but certain death, " and everlafting dellruftion ; but if I may only be " found in Jefus, then I am fecure of eternal fe- " licity." What next follows ? He runs, he flees from him- felf, he renounces all dependence on his own righ- teoufnefs. He no longer feeks to obtain life by the energy of his owrr flrength, but immediately betakes himfelf to the Lord Jefus, and to his complete righ- teoufnefs, declaring that his foul defires to be found in him, as its only refuge, hiding-place, and Me afylum. To exprefs this aft of faith, the word of God ufes a great variety of phrafes, each of which rcprefents the frame in which the foul is, that makes application to him. 1. Sometimes the term to feck is employed for this purpofe ; Pfalm Ixix. 32. And your heart Ji all live that feel God, In this cafe the foul is confidered as having difcovered itfelf to be lofl, but at the fame time, knowing that there is a way of recovery provided, as earneftly engaged in the ufe of every mean to find it out. 2. Sometimes the Spirit ufes the phrafe to enquire after Chrijl, Ifai. xi. 10. And in that day there Jliall he a root of Jeffe, -which Jh all fl and for an enfi^n of LECTURE I. I, the people ; to it JJiall the Gentiles fee k, i. e. apply for information : and thus expreffes that frame of mind, whereby a perfon concludes that falvation is not in himfelf, but yet believing that his cafe is not altoge- ther hopelefs, enquires with anxious folicitude after that good way which the gofpel reveals, that he may walk therein. 3. Sometimes the expreffion to hearken occurs, Pfalm xlv. 10. Hearken, 0 Daughter, and incline thine car. And then it intimates to us, that the per- foh a6ling faith, duly confiders every propofition which the Gofpel m.akes, and lillens with attention to all that the Eternal fpeaks in his word : yes, he inclines his ear, and like one whom pain and fick- nefs confines to his bed, he is inquifitive to learn from his Phyfician, if any, what profpefts appear, indicating a reftoration from the difeafe under which he labours. 4. Sometimes the perfon is faid to lay hold of Chrifl, Ifai. xxvii. 5. Or Id him lay hold of my fireiigth. As one in danger of being drowned or burnt, will immediately feize the means of prefcrva- tion which are at hand, fo the foul, convinced of its being in the mod imminent danger of everlafting de- flruftion, that he may be refcued, cleaves fall hold of Jefus, the only Saviour of fmners, embraces him, and will not let him go, without receiving the pro- mifed blefling. 5. Sometimes it is fet forth by the terms to be wil- ling, Pfalm ex. 3. Thy people Jli all he willing in the day of thy power; and thus reprefents the foul ad- ing faith, as leaving the fervice of fin, cordially ap- proving the propofals of the Gofpel, and choofing to be faved in the way of his appointment. 6. Again, faith is reprefcntcd by a coining to Chri/l^ i^ THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Ifai. Iv. 3. Come unto mc ; and thus it impHcs, that vvhilfl the Lord jefus on his part niakt s an offer ot hirnfelf, together with all his fulnefs, the foul on its part no fooncr hears it tlian it comes to him, and re- nouncing felf, and all that was its confidence before, feeks life in his naine. 7. It is alfo called, a putting of one's truft in Chrift, Pfal. ii. 12. BkjTed arejiU they that put their irujl ill hivi ; and thus we are taught, that as .the man- flayer, who would efcape from the avenger of blood, flies with all podible ha fie to the city of refuge, lor like one whom an enemy purfues, run.'i to the nearefl place of fafety, fo the foid finding the name of the Lord to be a ftrong tower, runs into it, and is fafe. 8. It is likewiCe ^y\td feeing the Son and looking un- to Jeji'"^, J^^^'^ ^'^- 40- -^^^d this is the will of him that fent me, that every one ih^t fee th the Son, and be- lieveth on him, may have everlafting life. Heb. xii. Looking linto Jefus, the author and finifher of our faith. Thefe expreflions are taken from the hiflori- cal fact which Scripture records, of the brazen fer- pent on which the children of Ifrael, when bitten by the fiery ferpents, might look, although it were with the eye of one who by reafon of his wounds would excite the compalTion of every beholder, and be heal- ed : and thus is emblematical of that weaker aft of faving faith, by which the foul, though ready to pe- riQi, addreifes itfelf to Jefua, in humble confidence that he has mercy and compaflion ftill in flore. g. Again it is denominated chooj?.ng the Lord. Jofliua xxiv. 15, Choofe ye this day, whom ye will ferve : and it may be viewed as that aft of the foul whereby, after the utmoft deliberation, and frequently counting up the cofl, it concludes to come out for LECTURE I. ,3 the Lord, boldly to engage in hisfen'ice, and no longer to halt bctxvcen tzuo opinions. 10. Once more, it receives the appellation of kijf- ing the Son, Pfalm ii. 12. Kifs the Son. As by this kind of falutation in former times, particularly in the countries of the eaft, the fubjed exprelTed his allegi- ance to his fovereign, his fubmiffion to his authority, and full purpofe of heart to obey his mandates, the foul that believes will own Jefus to be its king and Lord, his fervice will be its higheft pleafure, and to obey the precepts of his law and gofpel will always be its predominant defire, its faprerne delight. 11. But again, this aft of faith is efpecially exhi- bited to us, by the phrafe to hunger and thirfl. Matt. V. 6. Bleffed are they which do hunger and thirjl af- ter righteoufnefs. For it exprefTes ih^. ftncerity, the firmneis, the vigour and perfeverance, with which the believer is exercifed, and denotes his determi- nation to contmue in the ufe of all the appointed means, until he may enjoy Chrift, and receive out of his fulnefs, thofe blefTings which alone can prove the fatisfying portion of his foul. 12. Laftly, it is called a receiving Chrifl, Joha i. 12. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the fons of God, even to them that believe on his name. To the end more fully to ex- prefs the holy fatisfadion, love and joy, which is ex- perienced by the foul, on its becoming intercfted in Chrift. All thefe different modes of expreffion which the v/ord of God records, do indeed exhibit the fame ef- fential aft of taith, but at the fame time they point out the diflFerent frames in which a perfon may be, v.-hen in the exercife of it. But if faith be afted ac- pcp.:ab]y to God, it mua be done in fuch a manner T4 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. as Scripture points cut : and therefore we remark, that whenever a perfon betakes himfelf to Jefus as his refuge, • A. He does it sincerely. No manflayer could run with greater fwiftnefs to the city of refuge ; no one bitten by the ferpents in the wildernefs could look with greater cagernefs to the brazen ferpent ; no one ready to famifh with hunger, or nigh to pe- rilhing by the want of water to quench his third, could more Ji?icerely defire to obtain meat and drink, than the foul that runs and flies to Jefus, beholds him by faith, and hungers and thirfts after him. B. He receives Jefus as the ON LY Saviour. He renounces the fervice of fm, the world, and Satan. He confiders the enemies of Jefus to be his own. He knows that Jefus alone is w^orthy of all his love, of all his time, and of all he can do. No more will he divide his heart between God and the world, but looking from and renouncing the latter, he exclaims, / am thine, 0 David ; / am on thy fide, thou fen of Jeffe, 1 Chron. xii. 8. C. He receives Jefus as a whole Savicur, as one xvho is altogether lovely, and therefore makes no re- fervation. He receives him as to his dates of humi- liation and exaltation ; and is willing not only to be exalted, but to be humbled, together with him. He takes him in his three offices; he is difpofed to lie at his feet to be inftrufted by him., as the great prophet, whom God has raifed in Zion. He will have him as his prieft, to be the propitiation for his fins. He is inclined to be governed and ruled by him, as that glorious King whom the Eternal hath fee on his holy hill. In a word, he receives him as to all his bene- fits : he is not only anxious to receive eternal life at his hands, but alio to be fari^lifted by the holy Spirit. Lecture i. r^ D. tie receives Chrifl not for a year, but for years ; not for the duration of his temporal exiftence, but forever. A believer will not return to the old So- dom which he hath left; but both in profpcrity and in adverfity, in light and in darknefs, in joy and in forrow, in life and in death, in the prefent and in the future world, his foul will adhere to Jefus. Ne- ver did the apoflle more clearly exhibit his confi- dence of his final perfeverance, or declare the fenti- ment which obtains in every believer's heart, than in the 8th chapter of the epiftle addrcfTed to the Romans. " Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor princi- '" palities, nor powers, nor things prefent, nor things " to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other crea- " ture, ftiall be able to feparate us from the love of " God, which is in Chrifl Jefus our Lord." Now has a foul thus received the Lord Chrifl by faith ? 3, The following are the confequences which re- fult from the exercife of it. Will it not wholly rely, and altogether depend upon him ? Will it not place the fullefl confidence, both in his power and good- nefs ? Will it not feel a joyful perfuafion and aiTu- rance of its being interefted in him. But of this we (hall fpeak more at large in the fequel. Secondly, We now proceed to confider what means natural men ought to be found in the ufe of, that with the divine bleffing, they may be made partakers of this ineftimable benefit. But as all who are in a natural eflate, are not fitu- ated alike, and their refpetlive circumftances are fo diffimilar, it mufl be previouily fhewn, who thofe are who may profit by the means we are about to men- tion. 1. There are ??icn, whofe ignorance, indifFerence^ 16 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. and infciiribility are fo great, that heaven or he!l, fal- vation or damnation, feidom if ever are the fubjcfts of their meditation— nay, who appear fo like to the irrational part of creation, 'that if addrefled on the fub- jefts of religion, they can fcarcely underftand tl)e im- port of the terms which are employed, rriuch Icfs form fuitable conceptions of the fubjeft matter of fuch in- terefling and important topics. Hence they are fo de- void of feeling, that even were the bottomlefs pit. the re- ceptacle of the damned, to be opened, and their ear^ alTailed by the wOes and the lamentations which thofe unhappy beings utter, they would feem unmoved and unaffefted. Such are indeed the objefts of compaf- fion ; but in vain is it to attempt tO exhibit to them the means by which faith in Chrift may be exercifed. Yet however as they flill live, and a poffibility exifls, that even fuch may be faved, we remark by the way, that duly urges even fuch to ufe every mean which is af- forded, and by which they may attain to a knowledge of the truth as it is in Jefus. We recommend to their notice particularly, a diligent attendance at thofe places of public wovfhip, where the light of the gofpel iliines forth by means of the word preached, and where Jefus makes himfelf known as one who opens the eyes of the blind, and maketh wife to falvation even thofe moR i-norant and infenfible amongft na- tural men, who know not the things of the Spirit of God, and to whom they arc fooli/hmfs becaufe they are only fpiritic / ly isfcernei. i. Cor. ii. 14. 2. There are others, who, though not funk fo low in gloomy ignorance, yet are fo infatuated by the world, fo devoted to the traniitory pleafures of ihis life, and fo fon^l of the company of worldly men, that were we to reprefent the prccioufnefs and he amia- blenefs of Jefus. and fet before them the jjlcajantnefi LECTURE I. 17 FvT the -(joay, and the peaceful nature of the path lead- ing to heaven, or unfold in all their charms the glories of the eternal world, and the pleafures and joys which believers experience at and after this life, it is not like- ly that the ftnallefl impreflions woUld be made ; fot the oh]etlh which they Juk t6 obtain, are things below, in preference to things above ; things vifible rather than thofe not feen — the creature before the Creator, Though thefe are fully convinced, that they have ne- ver experienced a change of heart, or beeii converted to God, yet they put oflF, to a future day, efpecially if they be in the vigor, pride, and bloom of youth, every anxious thought on that fubjeft. 3. Many are fo overwhelmed and perplejied with the diflrafting cares and employments of the world, that their days and nights are wholly fpent in labour- ing and toiling to procure and accumulate riches and wealth for themfelves and children. Men thus fitua- ted cannot be fuppofed to have leifure to ccnfider, much lefs feribufly to propofe to themfelves thefe folemn quefliortS : " What is the prefent j/2^if^ and con- *' dition of my foul," and " what will it then be, when *' I come to die ?" Wc fear, if we urged on perfons bf this defcription the ufe of the means which we are about to prefcribe, it would be produ£live of little or no advantage ; for it feems they are determined to give themfelves Tio trouble about them. 4. Others again, if exhorted to the exercife of faith, and the means be fet before them, will frame an ex- t:ufe of this kind, that the wOrd of God inculcates " That by nature we are inci'.pable of doing any good, " and inclined to all manner of wickednefs ; that faith ♦• is the gift of God ; that it is not of him that willeth, ** nor of him that runneth, but of God that Iheweth *' mercy," If fuch be urged to attend to the things C !•«. THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. which belong to their eveilafting peace, and be pref- fed to feek by faith to obtain an intereft in Chrift ; they are always ready with this reply : " it is impof- " fible to procure it, though all our powers were ex- " erted." Hence careleffhefs and indifferency enfue. But, Sinners, permit us fimply to enquire. — Do you make this declaration from a heart which is filled with dillrefs at contemplating that your inabi- lity conftitutes a principal part of your mifery ? Or do you thus exprefs yourfelves to conceal your ftiame, and blame Deity ? If the honeft truth be told, you cannot but confefs the latter to be the cafe. And therefore to plead this in excufe for not coming to Chrift, is to aft in dire6l oppofition to the admo- nitions of your confcience. The true reafon why you do not embrace the Redeemer, is not fo much becaufe you cannot, as becaufe you will not. For were ye willing, your inability, fo far from being con- fidered as an exculpation, would operate as the ftrongeft motive to urge you to go to God, in the ufe of all the appointed means, by prayer and fup- plication for him to lay on you his omnipotent hand. 5. There are, laftly, others who go a ftep farther, and fay, — We conceive the fault is not chargeable to our wills, we feel our hearts to be inclined to engage in the fervice of God, It is our moft exalted privi- lege. But in truth we cannot. We ufe the means, but we make no progrefs, and remain what we were. Ah friends ! confider but for a moment. You af- fert that you make ufe of the means: but in what manner? for it is not a matter of indifference how they are ufed. Perhaps you have ufed the means re- lying on your own ftrength, or depending wholly on the means, without looking unto Jefus, the author and finifher of faith. You affcrt too, that you arc LECTURE L 19 willing to engage in the fervice of the Eternal, but are imable. But is it a faft, that you are willing ? In one refpe6l it is : For it is agreeably to your will, to be put ultimately in poffeffion of eternal felicity, but the way by which it may be obtained, meets not with your approbation. You are afting the part of a per- fon who is indeed inclined to purchafe a commodity which is expofed for fale, but is not pleafed with the price which is demanded : in confequence of which the purchafe is not completed. There are alfo fome obftacles in your way : you cannot part with your beloved lulls : mountains rife up in fucceflion before you, which you conceive cannot be furmounted; and fo many bands attach you to the world, that you come to no firm determination to leave all and fol- low Chrift. Experience frequently teaches us, that men under conviftiori, even with tears, may confefs that they are willing to ferve God, who, at the fame time, were the fecret receffes of their fouls fcrutinized, would manifeft, that lulls remained to which they flill adhered. They will indeed ferve God, but with equal diligence, and with like ardour and zeal, they are inclined to ferve the world, and hence continue to be what they always were. Is this your cafe ? In faithfulnefs we muft declare, that whatever you may affert to the contrary, your profellions of being wil- ling to accept of Jefus are infincere. God demands the whole heart. And ye who are fenjible that this is your fituation, is it your wifh to be direfted'to the means which per- fons, placed under circumftances like yours, ought to ufe ? We are prepared to point them out, whilft wc lift up our eyes to the hills from whence help only Cometh, that by the humble ufe of them, the Lord would be pleafed to manifeft his grace to your fouls. 20 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. There are some things which you muft practise, and OTHERS againft which you are to watch, and to be careful to avoid. 1. The 7ncans which are to be employed, are tha following. A. Diligently attend on tkofe places tohere in faith- fuhiefs the word is preached. There ye are not only taught the truth, but conftantly excited to feek the things which are conne6led with your everlafting peace. God hath proniifed to blefs the preaching of the word. Language cannot exprefs how much they lofe, who improve not this appointed mean of grace, efpecially when God caufes their hearts to be moved and alarmed at the difcovery of the dreadful nature and efFefts of lin. As frequently as your circum- flances in life will permit, attend on the public mi- niftrations of the word : but be not imprcITed with the idea, that a cpnftant attendance at church is fuf- ficierit, even though you were far more exemplary than others in this refpecl. For even a pra6lice fo laudable, may lay a foundation for fatal fecurity, and produce the habit of indifferency and unconcern. If ye expeft the bleffing to depend on your ufmg this excellent mean, and look not to God in Chrift, who is pleafed to honor it by working wit;h it, your advan- tage will not really be promoted, your ftate will not be improved. Are you inclined to wait on God in the ufe of this inftituted mean, with aftual profit to yourfelves ? Then depart not from the places of your abode, previous to your, having retired to fome fccret place ; though it be but for a few moments, and bow- ed the knee before your God. Should an opportu- nity be wanting even for this, let your hearts be raif- ed to God in fome fuch ejaculations as thefe: " Lord, '[ according to commandment, I am again about 19, LEeTURE I. «t f enter thy houfe of prayer : I have gone thither fo ?' often without deriving any benefit, grant that the ^' prefent may be the happy hour for thee to work : " let fome word reach my heart, which fliall prove " to be the feed of regeneration." Being feated iqi the church, lend a liftening ear to what is fpoken ; and confider it not to be the "word of man, but as it is in truth, the word of God. When the minifter ele- vates his heart and his voice to the throne, and wref^ ties with God for the converfion of finners, unite your petitions with thofe which he puts up, and humbly folicit him for this ineftimable blefling, who hath promifed fo often in his word to difpenfe it, efpecially to thofe who enquire of him, to bellow it. Are divine truths explained and applied ? Treafure them in your hearts, you will frequently have fuch elucidated as are fuitable to your own cafe. Confi- der them not fo much to be applicable to others, as to yourfelf. A conduct of this kind may become infi.rumental of producing genuine contrition, and that humility on which the Scriptures fo abundantly infift. Is divine fervice ended, and have you return- ed to your refpe£live places of abode ? again prefent yourfelves before God, and after this manner addrefs his glorious majefty : " Lord, I have already fo long ^' been lying at the pool of Bethefda, and am equally '-' miferable, let thy Holy Spirit caufe my heart to be •' troubled, that I may feek to be made whole of '' whatfoever I am affli£led. Let this word fenfibly '• affed my heart." Who can tell what a fovereign God may do, if you obferve a condu6l which is fo leafonable in itfelf, and for which you have a divine warrant ? B. Be engaged as viuch as in ycu lies, in fear c king ihe fcriptures, and in the invefiigation of thofe doc- ri^ THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. trines which have an immediate refpeft to your eternal falvation. Let thofe books next to your bible be read molt which treat of the great fubjefts of converfion, regeneration and faith, fubjefts which not only are the beft calculated to bring conviftions to the mind, to awaken the confcience and to give the foul a proper bias ; but with which we muft be experimentally ac- quainted if ever we be faved. God alfo works faith in the heart by means of reading his word ; an in- ftance of this is recorded in the 8th chapter of the A6ts of the Apoftles. When Philip ran, at the command of the Spirit, to get an interview with the Eunuch, he faw the writings of Ifaiah in his hand, and heard him reading his Evangelical predi6tions concerning the fuf- ferings of the Meffias. C. Aflbciate as much as you can without negleft- ing the calling in which God hath placed you, with pious and godly men. In the choice of thofe, how- ever, great care and circumfpcftion is required, for many profefs piety and exhibit a form of godlinefs, who are ftrangers to the power of it ; whofe minds dwell at eafe, and who lead carelefs lives ; who, in- deed, can fpeak with fluency on chriftian principles, but not from experience. To frequent the company of perfons of this defcription may prove very preju- dicial ; it may ferve to confirm you in an opinion which is entertained by the world, and ftrengthen a prejudice which many have imbibed, that all profef- fions of religion are hypocritical and infincere ; or it may have the fatal tendency of inducing a belief, that all that is requifite to conftitute a man pious and godly, is an external profeffion. Therefore, in the choice of companions feek the moft enlightened, tender and experienced chriftians. From fuch you may receive advice and d!rc6lion \vhich will comport with the word LECTURE 1. »3 of God ; but at the fame time remember, that if even in thofe you difcern deficiencies, you ought not to be ftruck with amazement, nor fufFer your minds to be overtaken by prejudice ; refle6i; that all, even the bed of God's children have to ftruggle againft their inward corruptions, and often to wreftle with princi- palities and powers ; pafs their failings by, and con- template rather the graces which they exercife, that thereby an holy jealoufy may be excited. And by the way, we would remark, children o? GOD, how neceffary is it, that in our walk and con- verfation, w^e deport ourfelves with tendernefs, cir- cumfpeflion and faithfulnefs, that we give no occafion of offence to natural men. We are a City fet upon a hill ; the eyes of all are upon us, and if the world can but difcover any thing in our condu6t which comports not with our profeffion, they are confirmed in the prejudices which they have formed againft vital religion ; let us then narrowly watch over all our aftions, that we be not an obftacle in the way of any ; let us come out boldly for God and his caufe, and by exhibiting in our lives the fervice of the Redeemer in all its charms, feek to engage others to enlift under his barmers. And if God in his pro- vidence, bring in our way any of thofe whom we have juft addreffed, let our fpeech favour of faithful- ness, but not of feverity; let us evidence a friendly difpofition towards them, and fatisfy them that our fouls fmcerely pity them, and that we are inclined to promote, as far as we can, their prefent and future bhfs. D. But as every mean, without the blejfing of God. will be fruitlefs, we counfel you to be much exercifed in PRAYER. We are aware that you are ready to ob- jeQ;, ** / cannot pojfibly ufe this 7nean of grace, for an 2+ THE PlOtJS COMMUNICANT. *' unconverted finner cannot pray, and befides, God " hears not finners." This is undoubtedly the faQ ; God does not hear finners when they pray, and are in full purp of e of h( art to abide in fin; but do they cry unto him to be con- verted, and to experience a fpiiritiial change ? With fuch petitions "he is well pleafed;" therefore " Petet " faid to Simon the Sorcerer, pray God, perhaps the *' thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven thee," A6ls 8, 2 2. Caft yourfelves then again and again at the feet of the Lord Jefus, as creatures who are plunged into the utmoft depths of mifery, and who have no flrength to extricate themfelves from a fituation fo wretched. And whilft you deplore your unhappy Hate, intreat him to look upon you with the eye of pity, and beftow the bleffings of his covenant. 2. But are thefe the means which fhould be erii- ployed that you may become partakers of faith ? SufiFer us alfo to obferve that you muft be on your guards and continually watch againft thofe things which may prove an impediment in the way of ob-i taining a benefit, without which the falvation which the gofpel propofes can never be enjoyed. And, A. When God by the preaching of his word, by reading or by any other means, addreffes himfelf in fuch a manner to your confciences, that con virions are wrought on your minds, and diftrefs overwhelm your fouls, Be careful not to extinguifJi that light, not to ftifle thofe convi6lions ; for you know not whe- ther they be the common convi6lions of Confciencc, or whether in this way the Eternal is commencing a work of grace in your hearts ; at any rate every at- tempt to quench them is dangerous. It may produce this dreadful efFed : — That God drive with you no longer, and give you over to a total mfenfibility. LECTURE 1. j^ B. When you feel your hearts in any refpecl awak- ened, to cleave to that which is good, and warned to flee from impious and finful ways ; Cherish thofe emotions, and beware of making the leaft re- fiftance ; it is poflible they may have proceeded from the Holy Spirit. There is caufe of fearing that many an inflance occurs, of perfons having been convi6led of fin, who, contrary to the admonitions of their con- fciences, have devoted themfclves again to the plea- fures of the world, and fought with avidity the com- pany of thofe whofe minds are altogether abforbed by the things of time and fenfe. The effea of fuch a courfe is truly alarming ; all thofe ferious impref- fions may thereby be removed, and the foul be in the greateft danger of becoming hardened in iniquity. Behdes, what condud can be more finful ? They do defpite to the fpirit of grace, and treat his kind and gracious intimations with contempt. Hence he is frequently induced at laft to withdraw himfelf, and leave them to perifh in their fms. How dreadful will be the refledions of fuch in hell ! How awful to re- collea that at fuch a time, under fuch a fermon, or by fuch a providence, God knocked at the doors of their hearts, but that they opened not, but launched out into all the pleafures of the world ; and that now it is too late to repent, the day of mercy being palfed for ever. If, finners, you would avoid thefe bitter refleaions ; be perfuaded, when you experience inward excita- tions to religion, and admonitions to leave the pur- fuits of vice, to go diredly to God in prayer ; and when in his prefence earneftly plead—" That both " may end in the faving converfion of your immortal *• fouls." C. Watch againft, and by no means give way to D 26 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. thofe thoughts and impreffions which tend to dif- courage, and lead the mind to defpondency, and may incHne you to reafon on this wife : — " My convic- " tions have endured fo long, and I have experien- " ced nothing more than conviclions ; my fms are too *' great to be forgiven." To embrace fentiments fo defponding, Satan would perfuade you, with a view of making you altogether difcouraged, and of producing an indifFerency with refpeft to the great interefts of your fouls. But, fmners, fuffer not fuch fuggeflions to find a place in your hearts, for whilfl: there is life there is hope in your end. The fick man had lain at the pool of Bethefda thirty-eight years, and at the expiration of that period Jefus healed him. And, although your fms be of a fcarlet colour and of a crimfon dye, nay, though you had made yourfelves like Satan himfelf, abominable in finning, the mercy and compaffion of God far furpafs your iniquities ; fo that he both will and can forgive them. Never, then, indulge the thought, that now you are loft for ever ; but perfevere in feeking God in Chrift un- til he receive yoa in mercy, and you hear his voice utter the delightful declaration — /, even I, am he that hlotteth out all your Jins for my name s fake. But let us now proceed to the third thing which we propofed for confideration ; which more properly refpeds the children of God who have already expe- rienced grace in their hearts, and in whom faith, as to its firfl; principles, has been wrought. They muft be encouraged and excited to perfeverance in that Faith of which they are partakers. ' Come then. Believer ! who haft gone to Jefus with all thy burdens, but who art ftill filled with fore dif- trefs, becaufe thou art in doubt whether thou haft in reality taken refuge beneath the ftiadow of his LECTURE 1. «7 wings — thou art poor and needy in thine own eyes ; but ftill thou art rich in Chrift. In the prefent le6ture we fhall not enlarge much on the fources from which thine encouragement may be drawn ; as thefe in a fucceeding lefture will be difcuffed at confiderable length. At prefent we can only urge thee calmly and ferioufly to make the interefting enquiry — " What " has been thy former, and what is thy prefent ex- *' perience ?" I demand of thee, 1. Whether thou dareft deny that the light which is enkindled in thy foul, be not eflentially different from that, which perfons yet in a ftate of nature, yea, which even thofe experience, who have a temporary faith ? Are not thine exercifes and affe£lions unlike what they were, when yet thou livedft in fin ? Doll thou not fee the truths of the gofpel in a manner quite the reverfe from that in which thou beheldeft them at that period ? Wouldft thou not exprefs thy gratitude to God, if thou wert to fee in any of thy friends or acquaintance, what thou difcerneft in thy- felf? 2. Wilt thou prefume to deny that the difcovery which thou hafl made of thy loft and deplorable ftate by nature, has filled thee with diftrefs and anguifh ? 3. Haft thou never had fome views of thy need of Chrift, and of his lovelinefs and precioufnefs ? Has he never been precious to thy foul ? 4. Wilt thou dare affert, that thou haft never gone £)ut of thyfelf and fled to Jefus, as thy only refuge ?— Yea, and that thou wouldft not even now fly to him if thou wert able, and mighteft prefume fo much ? Is not thy heart difpofed, and in every refpeft wil- ling to furrender thyfelf altogether to him ? 5. Wilt thou deny, that thine affeftions are pla- ced on different objects from what they once were *^ s8 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Have not fin, the world, and felf-love, become thine enemies ? Is not God — Is not Christ — Are not all who are bom of God, the objecls of thy love and efieer/i ? Now who hath wrought all thefe things in thee ? Are they not the beginnings of faith ? Give then, God, the glory, and be no more faithkfs but believing. But it is not enough to have the firft principles only, but as much as in thee lies it behoves thee to feek to preferve in lively exercife, and to incrcafe in this divine and faving grace. To evince this, we propofe in this place 1. To fhew how necejjary it is for the people of God to feek to keep alive the faith they once have received. 2. That it is their duty to endeavour to grow and increafe in faith. 3. We fhall then point out fome means by the ufe of which they may fucceed in a matter of fuch mag- nitude and importance. In refpeft to the frf particular, it muft be pre- vioufly remarked, that when we affert " That the peo- '•' pie of God mud feek to preferve faith in lively ex- " ercife," we would be rightly underftood. — It is not our intention to infmuate, that it is poffible for them to fall totally and finally from a ftate of grace ; for a lentiment of this nature militates in every point of view againft the word of God, which maintains and inculcates that, The gifts and calling of God are with- out repentance. The love wherewith God loves his people is an Everlasting Love. Jer. 31, 3. In that heart wherein God hath implanted the feed of faith, it will abide forever ; no enemy can loot it out : This appears from thofe examples which fcripture records of faiiits who had fallen into fin, :t.ECTURE I. f9 David "pr^yed, Pfalm 51, that God zucidd net take his holy fpirit from him ; a clear proof that though he had fallen into grofs fins, the fpirit had not. de- parted from him. Peter had denied his Lord, yet it is faid Chrift prayed for him that his faith fail not. Luke 22, 23. And it certainly was done to him, agreeably to the Saviour's petition, /or the Father hear- eth the Son always, confequently the feed of faith rauft abide in the heart. Chrift, indeed, fpeaks, Matt. 13. 21. of a faith which endurethfor a time ; but he can- not beunderftood to refer to true faith, for he imme- diately adds, it hath no root. But though the feed of faith remain in the heart, ftill it may decline, and become weaker in its exercifes, infomuch that the foul may refemble the feafon of winter, when neither leaves, nor bloffoms, r\ox fruit are feen. Yea, faith alfo often lelfens as to its degrees. The foul that at the commencement of the work of grace was ALL engagednefs, all life and all a6livity, fo that it with confidence relied upon the promifes of God, and dared to attempt great things, afterwards feels its zeal and ardor often diminiflied, and its confidence weakened ; it is agitated by doubts, and tolled as by a tempeft, through the prevalence of unbelief; in con- fequence of all which, but little fruit is produced and evidenced in the chriflian's walk. Acrainftall this be- es lievers muft be upon their guard, and feek thus to preferve thatfaith which God hath wrought in them. 1. To this duty, God, in his word, conftantly ex- horts his people, 1. Cor. 16, 13. Stand fa Jl in the faith. Rev. 3. 10. Hold fafl what thou haft, that no man take thy crown. 2. God has connected in the clofeft manner the prefervalion of faith on his part, and the prefervation % go THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. of it by the believer. God preferves the life of grace WITHOUT THE USE OF MEANS, BY AN EXERTION OF HIS ALMIGHTY POWER, but the behcvcr pre- ferves it BY A DILIGENT USE OF MEANS; both of which are as intimately connefted together, and as ne- ceffary as eating and drinking are for preferving the vigor of the body and natural life. This we are taught by Peter, i. Epif. i, 5. Ye are kept by the power of God. But by what means ? Through faith. There- fore the apoftle John obferves 1. Epif. v. 18. He that is begotten of God keepeth himfelf and that wick^ fd one toucheih him not. 3. There is nothing which is more fubje61: to be af- faulted than faith. The enemy falls upon the believer, and engages with the fiercenefs of a fiend, to deflroy him ; hence every child of God fliould watch with pe- culiar care, and be ever on his guard to preferve this principle entire. 4. Faith is thtpiield which the chriftian mufl; ufe in the fpiritual warfare, to enable him to ftand his ground whenever attacked, and therefore it is above all things necelTary that he preferve this Ihield as his chief weapon, without which he cannot conquer, but muft fall before his hateful foes. But, Secondly, It is not enough that believers maintain and preferve faith. It behoves them to en- deavour to GROW and to progress in this grace. To this God's people are continually exhorted. Peter fays, 2 Epif. iii, 18. Incrcafe in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jefus Chrifi. And again, 1 Pet. ii. 2. As new-born babes, defire the fincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. Paul, addrefling the Hebrews, chap. vi. 1, fays, Let us go on to perfeElion, Chriftians muft from children hQCome. young men, and from young men aim at being made fathers in Chrifi, LECTURE I. 81 1 John ii. 13, 14. They mull not always remain BRUISED reeds; it behoves them to afpire at the tallnefs and Jlurdinefs of the cedar and oak. They muft grow up as calves before the Jl all, Matt. iv. 2. According to the promife, Pfalm xcii. 14, Thofe that be planted in the hcufe of the Lord fliall flouriJJi in the courts of our God. They muft be hke eagles, and re- new their fir ength, Ifai. xl. 31, Hke the horfes in Pha- raoh's chariot. Songs i. 9, and the goodly horfe of God's majejly in the day of battle, Zach. x. 3. They muft, giving all diligence, add to their faith virtue ; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance ; and to temperance patience; and to patience godlinefs, brotherly kindnefs ; and to brotherly kindncfs charity. What are we to infer from all thefe paftages, if not that the believer is bound to progrefs in the divine life, and proceed from one degree of faith to another ? Therefore he muft 1. Increafe in knowledge. It is not becoming, that like a babe, and one unfiilful in the word of righ- teoufnefs, he continue in the ufe of milk, or the firfl principles of the oracles of God, Heb. v. 12. It be- hoves him to go on to perfeHion, and endeavour to attain to a more extenfive knowledge of the myfteries and depths which the fcriptures record, to the end that he may have more glorious views of the Wis- dom of God. In a word, he ought efpecially to aim at arriving at a clear, diftinft, and experimental knowledge of the whole plan of falvation ; of the me- diator of the covenant in all his excellencies ; of the Spirit and his operations ; and of the obligations which he is under to the praftice of piety. 2. It is incumbent on the believer to advance in yielding a cordial afj'ent to the truth. This he is faid to do. when by means of an accurate fpirit of difcern- 32 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. ment, he difcovers what is good or evil, true or falje : and difTents from the latter, but approves of theybr- mer ; when experiencing the fwednefs and force of truth on his heart, the Spirit witneffes that the Spirit is truth; and -when, meeting with thofe doctrines which are deep and myfterious, and which he is unable to develope, he ftill embraces and adinires them, becaufe God hath revealed them. 3. The believer mufh progrefs constantly in making Jefus his hiding-place, and in taking refuge beneath the fhadow of his wings ; that is, it behoves him on every occajion which offers,. and under all cir- cumllahces of his life, to fly to his Redeemer with an increafed degrees of cordiality and compofednefs, and with a heart exeicifing a greater degree of confidence in his power and grace, and determined to perfevere in feeking him with more engagednefs than ever, as his only afylum. And this muft be done, not only when he has backjlidden from the ways of the Lord, to the end that he may obtain reconciliation and par- don by his blood ; but when his foul is exercifed by doubts or is greatly cmbarrajjed j or filled with grofs darknefs, andfenfible of its own weaknefs ; that there- by he may obtain counfel, light, Jlrength. 4. A Chriflian muft increafe in the exercife of CONFIDENCE. It is not fufficient that he exercife that faith by which the foul barely takes refuge BENEATH THE SHADOW OF ChRISt's WINGS J which, though genuine, yet is fubjed frequently to BE AGITATED; by which he durft not repofe himfelj upon God, apply the promifes, and is fo eafily inti- midated in feafons of diftrefs. No : If he will attain to peace and joy in believing, and experience increafed confolations, it is neceflfary tfiat he leek fo to increafe in faith, that he attain to an assured faith which LECTURE I. 3 J enables its poireiTor to maintain his ground when af- fauited by temptation, to rely upon the divine pro- mifes, and to triifi his Jalvation and all his concerns into the hands of his God. Now whenever the Chriftian progrefles in either of thefe refpefts, he may be confidered as making ad- vances in the divine life of faith. But to the end that he may thus go on, and ad- vance in the Chriftian race, we muft in the third PLACE, dire6t to the means which every believer ought to purfue. 1. We cannot nrefent to his view, or dire6l to a more effectual mean, in order to his advancement in faith, than the reading, searching, and hear- in g of the word of God. For that fame word which is the SEED of regeneration, is the milk whereby the: Chriftian grows. By means of it the underftanding becomes more enlightened, and confequently the fphere of his knowledge more enlarged. It is the word of God in the hands of the fpirit which excites the dull, the fluggifh, and inaftive heart of the be- liever to love and be charmed with divine truth. " O then, prize the word, read it again and again " when retired to thy clofet, and in fecret with thy " God. It is the New-Tefiament of thy Father, in " which thou wilt find thy name written. Whenever " thou meditateft on the intcrefiing truths whicji ifc " contains, let thy foul delight in them. Attend to " the duties which it inculcates, and often frequent " thofe places where its doftrines are publicly taught. " It is impoffible for the tongue to exprefs the lofs " which thou doft fuftain by reafon of a frequent and " unneccjfary abftinence from the public ordinances " of religion. By not attending to the truths which " our Bibles record, and by departing from the hcar-^ E 34 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. " ing of faith, kannefs is brought on the foul; whilft " a different conduct, and fuch as we here prefcrifae, *' tends to Jlrengthen and confirm that divine princi- " pie which God hath wrought in thy heart. Cleave " then to the word, and let the Scriptures be daily " fearched by thee." 2. In order to a believer's progreffing in faith, to USE THE SACRAMENTS IN A RIGHT AND BE- COMING MANNER, is particularly advantageous. In refpeft to Baptifm, the queftion may be afked, How can i t tend to the advancement of faith ? for *' I have received it but once, and that at a time *' when deflitute of knowledge and confcioufnefs, *' how muft I then improve it to my advantage ? It is true thou haft been but once baptized, and that too in thine infancy : but ftill when thou confi- dereft properly the nature of that facrament, it may contribute to thy profit, efpecially when thou art ena- bled to make the following refleftions, viz. *' That " when I was an infant I was fprinkled with baptif- *' mal water, and thus offered to a Triune God; that " on that folemn occafion, God the Father virtu- *' ally declared that he was willing to make with me *' an everlafting covenant of grace; God the Son, " that he was difpofed to wafh me in his blood ; and " God the Holy Ghost, that agreeably to the di- *' vine conftitution he would dwell in me, and fancli- " fy me to be a member of Chrift. And as my pa- " rents have confented to that covenant in my room, " and I arriving at years of difcretion, have taken " upon myfelf the promifes which they made for me, " am I not under obligations the moft prefling, to ob- " ferve a converfation which Ihall be marked by pie- " ty. and to lead a life v/hich (hall evidence, that my LECTURE I. j5 '' highefl objecl is to advance the glory of God, and " my precious Redeemer's name ?" " Yes, if thou wert in the prefence of the Lord, and before thy God, frequently to enquire — " Have I " alfo received the things which are fignified by bap- " tifm ? Have I been wafhed in Jefus' blood ? and *' can I thereby exercife the anfwer of a good con- *^ fciencc towards God, and as a covenant God alk *' of him all things whereof I have need, to make me *' advance in the divine life ?" Thou wouldfl: expe- rience then, that thy confidence would be more ex- cited, and confequently that thy faith would be more ftrengthened and confirmed. In like manner, the facrament of the Lord's {tip- per, if it be properly ufed, greatly contributes as a mean to increafe faith, and fupport and ftrengthen that life which divine grace hath caufed to fpring up in thee. By a due attendance upon God in this or- dinance, the underflanding becomes more enlightened, and attains to higher degrees in the knowledge of di- vine truths, efpecially of thofe that appertain to the work of falvation. For they are exhibited to the eye of faith, in the facravient, as in a piElure which is drawn to the life. By the Lord's fupper, as a mean excellently adapted to the purpofe, Jlrong defires af- ter the Lord Jefus are raifed and excited. For when the believer contemplates the love of the Redeemer, as there it is fet forth, tranfcending all bounds, he cannot but feel himfelf obligated to m.ake feme re- turns of love, and by faith to fly to his embrace. And may we not add, that the Lord's fupper is ad- mirably adapted to eftablifli the confidence of the child of God ? Certainly : For God puts as it were into the hands of tvcry believing communicant the feals of his love and faithfulnefs ; in virtue of which 36 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. he may be afiTured, that he will make all his promifes yea and avun. 3. There is flill another valuable mean of increafmg in faith, prayer. Than this there is no duty in the difcharge of which faith can be more or better exerci- fed. All that the chriftian brings before his God, all the delires he prefents at a Throne of Grace, are brought and prefented by and in faith. Prayer is the breath offpiritual life ; hy earneft prayer the foul holds^ the mofl intimate communion with God. In the aft of Prayer, it flies and runs from itfelf unto God and Chrift, cajls itfelf into his arms, and confides in him as its covenant God and Mediator. O ! Chriflian, if to pray with earncflnefs and perfeverance be fo bene- ficial, pradife this duty. It is caufe of lamentation that thou art not more engaged when thou appeareft in prayer in the prefence of the Divine Majefty, and that thy heart oftentimes is in a frame remarkable for its dulnefs zindjlupidiiy. If thy faith be weak, this con- fideration ftiould urge thee to the Throne of Grace, and encourage thee to cry with the difciples, Lord in- creafe our faith, Luke 17.5. Art thou oppreffed with unbelief ? Thou haft in fuch cafe fo much the more reafon to exclaim in the language of that father, who cried cut and faid -with tears, Lord, I believe, help mine unbelief, Mark g. 24. In this way thy faith would be far more increafed than if, by diftrufting God and giving way to doubts and fears, thou fhouldft keep at a diftance from him, and negleft a duty which is calculated as a mean to make thee advance far in faith. 4. If thou wouldft increafe in faith, it ftands thee in hand very frequently to prove and try it, not only thereby to become aiilired of its being genuine, but with a vicv/ alfo of dilcovering whether, in any re- LECTURE I. 37 fpcB, and how far thou, haft already advanced therein. This, on the one hand, would ferve to produce a fcnfc of fhame, and caule thee to be abafed to the loweft de- gree, upon difcovering ho;v fmall thy attainments have been, and at the fame time excite in thee an holy ardor to make greater progrefs, and to prefs for- ward in the chriftian courfe ; or if, upon examina- tion, it be found that there exifts any breach or differ- ence between thee and thy God, in fuch cafe thou wouldft be prompted immediately to return to him, which would be attended with the happy effe6l both 0*1 preventing thy confidence from being fhaken, and of keeping thee nearer to thy God. But on the other hand, if, by fuch an inveftigation, it lliall appear that thou haft in any refpeft progrelTed in the life of faith, gratitude would be enkindled in thy foul, and thou wouldft be excited to greater zeal in his fervice, who hath beftowed fuch ineftimable benefits upon thee. O, believe it to be a truth, that one of the great- eft reafons why thine attainments have been fo fmall is, that thou haft fo little concern with refpe61; to the fituation of thine heart, and art fo great a ftranger to its various workings, and to what is pafilng within. Befides, by want of attention to this, thou doft become in a certain degree eftranged from the Lord, and what is truly awful, thy graces, which ought conftantly to be in exercife, lie dormant and inaftive. 5. Associate much with thofe tender Chriftians who live near to the Lord ; thou wilt derive this great advantage from it, that thy love will be enkindled into a flame, and thy foul burn with ardent zeal to en- gage in all good works. We have not language to cxprefs how much mutual and frequent intercourfe jinjong Chriftians, tends to the increafe of knowledge 38 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. and to the advancement of faith. Hath one believer made farther progrefs than another ? In fuch cafe the hands which hang down, and the knees which arefeelle are lifted up, and the foul as it were infpirited of anew, is excited to come out more boldly in the fer- vice of his Creator and Redeemer, God. 6. Be on thy guard, and watch with fingular care againft whatever may hinder thy growth and progrefs in faith. A. Arm thyself againft the aflaults of Satan, and thofe fiery darts which he llioots with a view of making thee to doubt with refpe6t to the reality of thy faith, and even of that religion which thou profeffeft to be divine. This adverfary sometimes will en- deavor to fap thofe effential do6lrines which confli- tute the very foundation on which thy faith is built ; at fuch times, take the f word of tJie Spirit, the word of God, to ward ofF the deadly blow, Eph. 6. 17. and fay with Chrift, Matt. 4. 4. Thus it is wj-itten, for thou art never in greater danger from his affaults than when thou art off thy guard, and layeft down the weapon with which Chrift hath furnifhed thee. At OTHER TIMES, as was hinted, he will feek to make thy foul doubt whether thy faith has ever h&QU fincere^ and then efpecially when it is weakeft and not in a fi- tuation to enter the lifts with him. When thus af- faulted give not away in the leaft to diftruft and to doubts for which thou haft no ground, left, by that mean, Satan gain an advantage over thee, and thy growth in faith be obftru6led ; for as long as thou art employed in laying the foundation, the building can- not rife. If thou art conftantly digging about the root to fee whether the tree has life, the tree is impe- ded in its growth ; the beft evidence of the life of trees is their fprouting into leaves and branches, and bear- LECTURE I. 39 ing fruit. Seek, therefore, by bringing forth much fruit, to evidence to thyfelf when thus tempted, that thou abideji in Chrijl and he in thee. Luke xv. B. Arm thyself, and be upon the watch againft the world ; they often will feek to turn thy hope into ridicule, and deride thy religion, ef- pecially if thou art opprefled with adverfity and overwhelmed with any diftrefs ; their language then will be, " What we enjoy is certain ; we already '"' polTefs that which is good ; we have no hands, *' but all that thou canfl boaft of is future-, thou *' haft it -only in expeftation ; it is ideal and fpecu- " lative. Who can tell whether, after all thy wait- '' ing, the expected bleffing will ever arrive? And *' in the mean time thou art plagued all the day long." No perfon can fully conceive in what danger thou art from the world to have thy idith Jliaken ; even Afaph himfelf, was beginning to doubt and defpond, when he contemplated the profperity of the wicked, and faw the righteous and the godly filled with fore dijlrefs, and borne down beneath the prelTure of fome heavy load. He faid, Pfalm Ixxiii. 13. Verily, I have clean- fed my heart in vain, an^ waJJied my hands in innocency. But believer, be not fatisfied with an external view of the ftate and condition of the children of Godj with Afaph enter into the fanBuary of the Lord, to under- fland the different end of the wicked, and o^ thofe ivho fear the Lord, that thereby thou mayeft learn to defpife and become fuperior to the contempt of the world, and the derifion with which its votaries treat thee. 7. L.-3i^\Y, tnditdiyowY to exercife faith daily. Often look TJinto the Lord Jefus, and feek to obtain faith's views of his fulnefs ; refleft frequently on thy deficien- cies and imperfe6lions, and conflantly flee from thy- felf and run to embrace him, as the fountain from 40 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. which ilTues all the flreams of falvation. Purfuing a courfe of this nature, thou wilt find thy faith to rrow, and thy hope to be confirmed, flrengthened and ellablifhed. Thus we have laid before you the nature of faith, and exhibited the means by which it both may be oh- tained and preftrved by the divine bleffing ; let us now endeavour briefly to improve what has been fpokcn. 1. What is thy fituation, ignorant and uncon- cerned SINNER? Thou art about to approach the TABLE of the Lord, but haft never examined thyfelf, whether thou haft faith or any intereft in Chrift ; thou art unacquainted with the nature of thy mifery ; thou haft no feeling fenfe of being wretched, poor and blind, and naked ; thou art going on care- lefsly, fearlefs and infenfible of the danger which is impending over thy head. Truly, thou art an objed to be pitied, for thou mayeft be hkened to one fleep- ing on the top of a maft when the fhip is toffed by the raging billows, who is- liable every moment to be hurled into the ocean, and loft for ever. 2. And thou, worldly-minded fmner, unto this day thou art deftitute of faving faith ; for both thine eye and thine heart are fo ftrangely fixed on and infatuated with the glittering appearances and vanities of the world, that thou feeft no charms, no comclinefs in Jefus. Although he be exhibited unto thee as the chief of ten thcifand, and altogether lovely, thou de- fireft him not ! On things of time thine afFedions are fupremely placed. Would to God, that thine under- ftanding were but enlightened, on the one hand that thou mighteft behold the folly of having thine heart cleave unto the earth, and on the other, difcern the precioufncfs of glorious Chrift; then wouldft thou entertain fentimcnts with rcfpe6l to the world, vaftly LECTURE I. 41 ^iflPereilt from what thou dolt at prefcnt; theil, not the world, but Chrifl would be the objeft of thy choice, and whom thou vvouldfl delight to fcrve. 3. There arc others who have never time to ENTER UPON AN EXAMINATION WHETHER THEY ARE IN THE FAITH OR &IOT. They are fo deeply immerled m the cares and employments of a temporal nature, and fo anxioufly concerned what they fhall eat, what they fhall drink, and how they fhall come through the world, that whether alone or in company thefe things abforb their mind and engvofs their whole attention. Whoever thou art whofe charafter correfponds with the above defcription, thou art truly to be pitied. To gratify thee, it might be wifned that thou hadfl a larger portion on earth; but canft thou, with all thy labour, toil, anxiety, increafe thy fubftance, if the Eternal blefs not the work of thy hands ? Befides, art thou a6ling a part which is reafonabie, to be for ever concerned for the body, whilft thy foul is in a fituation infiriitely more wretched and deplorable, as long as it is out of Chrift, and without faith ? Thy body will foon crumble into dud and become the prey of worms, but thy foul will exift throughout all eternity. O ! that this confideration might affecl thy heart, and be a mean in the hand of God to awaken thee to be duly concerned for its welfare. 4. There are others again who are convinced that THEY ARE STILL DESTITUTE OF FAITH, who are aware that they have no intereft in Jefus ; who, although at times they may fecretly wilh it were the cafe, yet do nothing but wifh, and suffer ths tvorld and fm to reign over them, and lead them cap- tives at their pleafure, and by thus ading become tnore remote from the way which leads the foul to F 42 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Jaith, to God, to eternal happinefs. W hd^t fitiiaticn can be more dangerous ! What condition more wretched ! Is there an individual of this defcription that now is alking for coanfel and advice in his cafe ? Does he demand an anfwer to that moft important of all qiief- tions ? what fhall I do to become a partaker of faith ? Do this : 1. Endeavour to have this truth deeply impreffed on thy mind, that to live and to die without faith in Chriil will render thee moft wretched, and will accu- mulate upon thee fuch a load of mifery as thou mufl for ever fmk under, feeing thou haft enjoyed the free and the full offers of grace and falvation. How ftialt thou efcape if tJiou neglcBeJl fo great Jalva- ticn ? 2. When thou doft obferve God to work with his Spirit upon the heart of any pe~rfon, take good heed that thai dcfpife it not ; that thou treat it not with contempt. Wert thou to aft fuch a part, thou wouldft ere6l a bulwark againft convi6lion. Rather fay to thyfelf when thou feeft the grace of God abounding in this way to other fmners, " This work muft be wrought '^ in me if I am ever happy ; would to God that I " experienced the fame." 3. Be not at reft, whilft thou haft reafon to con- clude that thou art not a poflTeflTor of true and faving faith. God ufu ally produces this divine principle in the life of the means which he hath appointed ; Be, therefore, diligent in ufmg thofe means, and efpecially obferve a conftant attendance on the preaching of that gofpel which Jefus has promulgated, which is the pov,rer of God unto falvation, and by which the feed of faith is implanted in the foul. 4. If the Spirit of God in any refpcft commences his operations on thy heart, though they be but LECTURE I. 43 common convi6lions and awakenings of thy con- fcience, quench them not ; let them make a due im- preffion ; it is impoffible for thee to tell how very in- jurious it may be to thee to refift them. Is it not from hence that hardnefs of heart, and a total infenfi- bility proceed, than which there is no fituation into which a perfon can come that is more awful or dan- gerous ? But where is the child of God ? We cannot con- clude this le6lure without dropping a few words to thee. Wherefore art thou always {o troubled, difquiet- ed and diftreffed, efpecialiy about that time when the Lord's Supper is to be adminiRered ? Thou art filled \vith fear left thy faith be not genuine, and becaufe thou findeft fo many corruptions yet remaining ; thou art faying, " If I were really a perfon who had faith, " my heart would have been more purified, and I *' fliould have lived more tenderly before God." But let not thy heart be troubled, thou haft great reafon to be encouraged. 1. Has Satan, fin, and the flefti, in thine opinion, gained a viftory ? Grant it. Art thou faying, " y^s, " fo finful am I, and more fo than I am able to de- " fcribe." Grant it. Is not thy Redeemer mighty ? Can power be wanting in thy Jefus to help thee and refcue thee from thefe thine enemies ? 2. Confidet what a free off^er of grace and falva- tion is made unto fmners in the gofpel ; this, cer- tainly,' ftiould remove every fear, and ought to banifh from thy mind every defponding thought ; for, does not that precious word affure thee, that however un- loorthy thou rnayeft be, and however abo^mnable thou mayeft appear in thine own eyes, from the view thou haft gotten of the holy nature of thy God, and of the \ 44 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT-. evil of fin, yet thou art welcome to approach th:- Saviour; yea, by coming to him as the vileft ol the vile, thou doll actually place a crov/m upon hi^ head. There is nothing to hinder thine obtaming falvation from him but thine own u n w i l l i n g n ess, and therefore though Satan may. throw obflacles in thy way, and (ill thee with fear, let him not gain his point; the move violent his allaults are, do thou with a more accelerated motion run to him, and hide thy- felf beneath the fhadow of his wings. 4. Thou art invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, to eat and to drink in his prefence ; let no con- lideration, no difiicuUy whatever, induce thee not to accept of the gracious invitation of thy Lord, or keep thee from his table; for not to approach argues the prevalence of unbelief, and is to difobey thy God, to call contempt upon thy Saviour, and to work in the hands of thine enemies. Befides, by flighting this ordinance and keeping from it, thou wilt iofe flill more of thy peace and joy in believing than thou hafl al- ready, and that which ought to have its due weight is this, that thou knoweft not what blefling, what love- vifit, what refrefliment thy foul might enjoy by com- plying with this thy Saviour's dying command. — Wherefore, then, wilt thou keep thyfelf away ? Caft thyfelf into Jefus' arms, venture thy foul upon him ; he will meet thee in love. It is granted that thy faith is weak; Is not a weak faith a faith which is true and genuine ? It is granted that thou art compelled to cry v/ith tears, Lord! help mine imbelief. Thofe tears are agreeable to Jefus, and that cry is the fweetefl mufic in his ears. Although what we have advanced muft cover thee "Viiih/hame, child or cod, who knoweft with a great- Ci deforce of alTurance than others tliat thou haft faith in m LECTURE I. Ghrift, but at the fame time hafl made b. progrefs in the divine Hfe, infomuch that wheu ruptions arife with their wonted flrength, thy coi fidence is diminifhed and thy fears increafed. Nothing that has been liiid was meant to difcourage thee ; the confideration of the fmall progrefs which thou haft made ought, indeed, to humble thee ; but at the fame time it (hould ferve as a powerful motive to exCite thee with lively faith to go to thy God again. Make, then, all thy complaints known to him ; tell him how great a burden fm is to thee, and how dehrous thou art to be freed from it ; of anew take rtjuge in the wounds of Jefus, and feek reconciliation in his blood, which thou art particularly called upon to do in ap- proaching the table of the Lord. Go to that ordi- nance, having thine heart exercifed by faith, and fully purpofing, through grace to renounce self, the WOR LD, and all that is oppofed to God and godli- riefs, and to live more devoted to the fervice of thy God and Saviour ; then wilt thou be welcomed by the great Mafter of the Feaft, and in thine experience find THE SACRAMENT to be attended with a blefling \o thy foul j which, may God of his infinite mercy grant, through Jefus Ghrift. AMEN. C 47 3 PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Lecture II. ON THE GREAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TEMPORARY AND A TRUE AND SAVING FAITH. XjLAVING in the preceding Lefture treated of the NATURE of faving faith, we conceived it would be highly ferviceable to addrefs you at this time on the great and effential difference which exifls between that faith which aclually unites the foul with Chrift, and thus leads to falvation, and that which we are accuftomed to denominate temporary, which indeed ALMOST Chriflians may exercife, but which, how- ever near a refemblance it may bear to it, yet is as far from it as heaven is from earth, and as different as are life and death, light and darknefs. We were par- ticularly induced to difcufs this fubjeft with a view, on the one hand, to difcover to the prefujnptuous and the fecurejinner before it be for ever too late, the dan- ger to which he is expofed of being deceived, and to be inftrumental in leading him from the devious paths of fm and delufion i»to thofe which terminate in his 48 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. everlalling happincfs ; and alfo, on the other hand. to adminifter comfort, fupport, and grounds of en- couragement to the people of God, who fo frequent- ly are opprefTed by fear, and filled with fore diftrefs, left the faith which they exercife be not true, real and faving. To accomplifti our defign, we ftiall attempt I. To fhew that to afcertain with precifion, whether a perfon be a temporary or true believer, is a work which is moji neccjf'ary, and at the fame time viojl ar- duous. II. We fhall then offer fome obfervations on the term " Temporary Faith," and endeavour to make it appear that it not only differs in name but infaB, from faving faith. III. We Ihall exhibit in a variety of points, where- in the ESSENTIAL DIFFERENCE licS betWCCH the one and the other. IV. On the fuppofition that there may be prefen't PERSONS whofe faith is only temporary, and who, by what may be advanced in the courfe of this Lec- ture, may be led to fee the danger which awaits them, and be alarmed at the dreadful profpect before them, we ftiall offer them fome advice ivhat to do in a situ- ation fo truly deplorable. V. We ftiall clofe the fubjcd with an addrefs unto true believers who are distressed concerning their Jlate and condition, to the end that they may be en- couraged to wait upon God at his table, and a divine blefling accompany their approach to it. To afcertain with precifion whether a perfon be s temporary or a true believer, is a work which at the fame time that it is most necessary, is alfo most arduous. LECTURE ir. 49 1. It Is MOST NECESSARY, for A. It is a point on which greatly depends both life and death, falvation and damnation, everlajling happi- nefs and eternal mif cry ; for a temporary faith, how far fbever it may go, can go no farther than to make a perfon an almost Chriftian, and confequently not a Chriftian indeed; for faith which is temporary does not bring the foul to ^n]oy felbw/Jiip with Chrift, but genuine faith, how weak foever it may be, unites the foul with the Lord Jefus, and thus conftitutes one really a Chriftian, and makes him as an heir, to expe6l on the befl foundation, to be put in poITeflioii of the INHERITANCE which is held in reverfion, ETERNAL LIFE and SALVATION. B. Temporary Faith in many points greatly refem- bles that faith which is true and faving ; v/here- fore, the perfon who has only a faith which is tempo- rary, is with extreme difficulty convinced that he wants that genuine kind which purifies the heart, works hy love, overcomes the world, and is the gift of God. The finner who is openly profane, whole life and converfation is diametrically oppofed to the law of God, may be convinced v/ith much lefs difficulty that he needs convsrfion than the ahnof Chriflian ; for the man bold in fin, cannot refort for (belter to this fource : " That he is externally holy, and that in his " whole deportment the ftritleft attention has been " paid to moral duties." This, however, is the covert beneath which the almoft Chriftian would fcreen himfelf ; and fuch is his prefumption, that if divefted of one fig leaf he will have recourfe to another to hide him not only from his God, but from himfelf If, with precifion and accuracy we would afcertain the true ftate and condition in which we are, % \rery nice, and particular assay muft be made. The G 5© THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. rejiner oF gold finds it not nccelTary to bring leau, TIN and IRON to the touchflone, for thefe metals difcover at firH: fight what their properties are ; but when SILVER and other metals are melted into a mafs, which makes the compofition nearly refemble the pure gold, it is then proper to apply it to the stone, that the quality of the compound may be difcovered, and deception be prevented. In the very fame manner we mufl aft with refpeft to temporary faith, that it be diflinguiflied from true and faving faith, to which it bears the moR flriking hkenefs ; it mufl; be brought to the true touchftone, the word of god, which can never deceive ; it mufl; be examined with the miofl; fcrupulous exa6tnefs to the end, that the refult of our labour may be, to diJlingui/Ji that faith which is true from that which is falfe and delufory. C. An inveftigation of this kind is not only attend- ed with an advantage to the temporary believer, but alfo to him who pofTelTes true faith ; for the former, as long as he enters not on the ferious work of examination, goes on quietly and without concern, in the road which leads to everlafi;ing raiiery ; he becomes more at ease in hn, and his danger of being ruined I OR EVER is daily increafed; and in like manner, if the true believer be not frequent in converjing with his foul and in afcertaining its true fl;ate, he is in dan- ger of continuing long opprejfed by fear that at hep, bis fliith may be bat of the temporary kind, and is thus deprived of the comfort and latisfatlion which otherwife he would enjoy. 2. But is this inveftigation fo necejfary ? It is not lefs d I f F I c u L T, if we be faithful in the work ; for A. In order to an accurate examination of our- fclves, fo as to be able to feparate the g o o d in us from that which is evil, it is neceilary that we calm- LECTURE II. 51 ly and deliberately enter ivithin, look at the heart, and fee how things are there fituated ; for the heart is the fountain from whence all our aftions proceed; hence it is denominated felf-examination and the conjidera- tion of one's way ; Hagg. i. 5. confider your ways; and becaufe this clofe examination of the heart is fo abfolutely neceffary, the work is rendered fo difficult ; for on the one hand the temporary believer does not readily enter upon it, and in cafe he does, he runs through it with all poffible fpeed ; he does not pry into the fecret recejjes of his heart ; his external ac- tions only pafs in review before him ; and on the other hand, though the true believer engages much in felf-examination in fecret before his God, and de- lights to converfe with his foul, yet he frequently meets with fo much oppofition that he makes but lit- tle progre fs. B. The work of felf-examination is difficult ; for the temporary believer only furveying the fuface, comes to a good conclufion with refpeft to his ftate, whilft the real Chriftian, experiencing fo much of the PLAGUES of his heart, or in-dwelling fm, forms an opinion of his condition which is moft unfavourable. The one, deluded by felf-love, forces himfelf to be- lieve that he is truly good, to prevent his foul from being overwhelmed and difquieted within him; the other, afraid left he fhould deceive himfelf, deals with too much feverity in judging of his cafe. C. There is required in felf-examination, in order that we may form a judgment which fhall be accord- ing to truth; that we be aided by the illumi- nating INFLUENCES OF THE HoLY SpiRIT. The temporary believer, deftitute of this faithful guide, will be led too eafily to conclude, that he is a p^'fj<'ffor of that faith, the end of which is the falvation 5* THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. ofthejoul; whilft the real Chriftian, who has indeed experienced his enlightening grace, and thereby at- tained to a knowledge of himfelf, having by fni grieved the Spirit, and thus caufed him to withhold for a feafon that light which is fo refreshing to the foul, is tempted to form an unfavourable determination as to his state and condition, if when unaflifted by that celeRial guide who fearchcs the deep things of God, and whofe immediate preroga- tive it is, to convince of Jin, of righteoujnefs, and judg- ment. He commences, and proceeds in the work of examining whether his heart be right with God, and ■whether of a truth he be in the faith. D. Satan, who is loth to lofe one over whom he hath exercifed any fway, and who is well aware that felf-examination is the mofl certain way of dif- covering the azofiil precipice on which the Jinner and the hypoaritc are Handing, and of exhibiting the dan- ger both are in, of being led captives at his -will, until eternal ruin be brought upon them, exerts all his flrength, and employs every artifice to make them at eaje in their fins, and confequently he is vigi- lant to keep them from engaging in the great work oi fe arching their hearts. He excites them to attend with fo much ardor to worldly purfuits, that all en- quiry and concern refpe£ling their fouls are negle6l- ed. If at any time they retire for a feafon from the bufy fcenes with which they are converfant, he injeQs a thoufand thoughts, which have an immediate tenden- cy both to draw their hearts from God, to keep them from trying what fpirits they are of, than which no one thing is more needful or beneficial. Do they experience compundion, or are they difquieted by an accujing conjcience ? he well knows what erroneous principles to inftil, with a view of keeping them from LECTURE 11. 55 building on Chrift, the only fure foundation. And on the contrary, although the adverfary be aware, that he cannot keep out oj heaven one foul that has true faith ; yet being the fworn enemy of the people of God, he endeavours to make the road leading thither both thorny and dijfficult, and efpecially becaufe much of their comfort depends on frequent and faithful exa- minations of their hearts. He exerts himfelf to the utmoll, to prevent thofe in diftrefs from entering up- on it at all : and if they commence it, he excites fuch a degree of fear, that frequently they progrefs not, and are impeded in the important work. E. It is a thing than which nothing is more ardu- ous, to difcover a temporary believer to himfelf: for he is inceffantly reflefting on his external aftions, as being pre-eminent, and fets the higheft value upon . them, becaufe he is little concerned as to the manner of their being performed, to render them acceptable unto that God, who feeth not as man feeth, and 7x)ho is a fearchcr of the heart, and a trier of the reins of the children of men. It is no uncommon thing for a perfon of this description thus to reafon with himfelf: " I do all thofe things which are performed by thofe " of whom the leaft doubt cannot be entertained but " that they are God's children. With earneftnefs '' and zeal I engage in the fervice of God. I af- " fociate with the pious; and when in their company " make it a point to converfe on the great doQrines " of Chriftianity, and that too with fuch fervor and " engagednefs, that they clafs me among thofe who " have felt the power of them on their hearts. I ne- " ver indulge myfelf in the commiffion of outward ''• afts of i\A, What lack I yd ?" Matt. xix. 20. Now hnce he builds his hopes of falvation on fuch found- jjtions, and never looks into his heart at all, either 54_ THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. to difcover the motives of his a6lions, or whether they be lb performed that God can be pleafed with them; It is a work which is difficult in the extreme to con- vince him of his error, and clive/i him of that pride to which corrupt nature is fo prone. On the other hand, the true behever, although his condud out- wardly may correlpond with his profeffion, and be fuch as the world viewing it with a fcrutinizing eye, muft pronounce to be good; yet becaufe he is aflured by the word, that wearing the external garb of Chriftianity, does not conftitute a perfon a Chriftian indeed, but that it is neceflary that the heart be right with God; he difcovers that his bcfc works, and even the mod holy duties in which he engages, are polluted and defiled to that degree, that he is compelled often to reafon with himfelf on this wife : " Can / pre- '• fume to draw a favourable conclulion with refpeft '•' to 7iiy flate, whofe aftions refemble more the ac- '' tions of one who is influenced by principles of " nature, rather than of grace." And thus it comes to pafs, that the 7iominal Chriftian, by overvalu- ing his performances, cries Peace, Peace, when there is no peace; and the real child of God, by viewing his belt works to be contaminated with fin, is brought to doubt whether his heart be right with God, and hath been purified by faith; a fituation this, which is always accompanied with anxiety and diftrefs. Hence to examine into our flate, and to come to a definite conclufion with refpedl to it, is of ail others a work truly arduous. Our fecond fubje6t of difcuffion was, to make fome obfervations on the term temporary faith, and to de^ monftrate that it is elTentially different from that which is true Rndfaving. What refpeib the name we find on record, Matt. LECTURE II. 55 xiv. 5, compared with verfe 20, 21, where Chrifl fpeaks of it under the idea of seed that was fozun on Jiojiy ground. For a feafon it indeed grew rapidly ; but becaufe it had no depth of earth, it took not root, and thus by the intenfe heat of the fun, withered away. It is called temporary faith, becaufe, agreeably to the idea of Chrift, and the manner in which he applied the parable, it endured but for a time, and withered ftraightway before the fire of perfecution and afflic- tion. But with equal propriety it may be denominated, as many have done, a false or ideal faith. For when Chrill fpeaks of it, Matt. xiii. thofe days were reprefented as approaching, in which men would be called to fufFer for the truth of the gofpel, and then it would be manifeft, when once the flame of perfe- cution was enkindled, whether the Jccd had taken deep root in the heart, or whether it was only fown on flony ground, the corrupt hearfc of the natural man; and confequently would not be able to exift, yea, mufl perifh in times fo perilous. But in thofe feafons, when the gofpel may be pro- feffed, and there be nothing to fear from the. f word of the perfecutor, or the fjieers and malevolence of the in- fidel ; yea, when it is efteemed even an honour boldly to profefs the religion of Jefus ; then that faith which is falfe or imaginary, is not always detefted. For wo- ful experience hath fhewn, that many live, yea, die under a firm perfuafion that all is well, and are ne- ver awakened from their {lumbers, until they are plunged headlong into the gulf of everlafling de- fpair. Now that this falfe or imaginary faith, which in many refpecls has a ftriking analogy to that which is true and (living, not only differs from it in name.- 5^ THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. but in FACT, ourbkircd Lord teaches us in the 13th chapter of Matthew already referred to. For, 1. Pie alTigns a particular reafon why a temporary or falfe faith continued not to grow ; viz. becaufe it was fown on ground which was llony. At firft, fays Chrift, it grew well ; but it was unable to fuftain the heat of the fun, and therefore withered. On the con- trary, true faith, which is compared to feed that is fown on good ground, takes root deeply, and will remain, though the piercing rays of a meridian fun beat upon it. And thus Chrift dire£ls us to the fource whence the difference fprings. The heart of the one hJio7iy, unfeeling, unmoved; no human energy can foften it. Hence the feed that is caft into it falls indeed upon the underftanding ?in6. judgment, but it takes no root in the heart. The heart of the other is compared to ground which is foft, mellow, good, which by con- viftions, by difcoveries which it hath made of its true fituation, and by a true godly forrow, hath be- come tender, and is thus in a fituation not only to receive the feed on its furface, but alfo in fuch a manner that it may Ihoot forth its roots. Were we here to prefent you with two examples of perfons, the one of whom had a heart remarkable for its tendernefs, the other a heart truly hardened, we would refer you to the pious king Jojiah, and the wicked king Zedekiah. When the former heard the book of the law read, his heart became tender, and h". humbled Imnfelf before the Lord. That feed fhot forth its root, 2 Kings xxii. 19. But when the lat- ter heard Baruch read the Hime book of the law, the feed fell on llony ground : for inftead of becoming tender, his heart was hardened againft it, infomuch that he took the book m which the lazo was written, cut LECTURE II. si it into pieces, and burned it in the Jirc. Jeremiah xxxvi. 21, 24. 2. That there is an effential difference between imaginary and faving faith, appears alfo from what Paul teaches us, 1 Cor. ii. 3, where he obferves, that all faith, to whatever height it may attain, even though it go fofar as to induce us to give all our goods to the poor, and our bodies to be burnt, that yet it would profit us nothing, if ihat faith did not work h^ love, and brought forth unto God the real fmits of fan6lification. Hence it is clear, that Paul dillin- guifhes between one fpecies of faith which is dead^ and unaccompanied with the exercife of love; and another fpecies which is livdy and adive in bringing forth fruit. A more particular view of this will be now pre- fented, in proceeding agreeably to the third thing propofed, toJJiew, " in what particularly confifts the " dij^erence between imaginary and faving faith." To do this wit]? as much perfpicuity as polTible, we fhall 1. Make it appear, thdit faving and imaginary faith in many refpefts flrikingly refemble each other; yea, that the latter in fome points of view excels the for- mer : and then 2. Point out its defefls, and wherein lies the vafl difference between it and faving faith. 1. A falfe or imaginary faith has in many refpecls an agreemiCnt with that which is faving. For both have one and the fame foundation on which their fu- perftrufture is erefted : both the one and the other are obtained in a certain manner : both have various acts by which it is exercifed : both produce fruits by which it manifefts itfelf ; and both at times are ac- companied with joy and gladnefs. Let u* examine each in particular. H j8 THE Pious COMMUNICANT. 1 . They have both C7ie ground and one jGundation on which they reft, viz. God and Chrijl, who by the word of the gofpel being faithfully adminiftered, are made known. All the truths which God hath re- vealed in his word, both the true and falfe be- liever embrace as the objeft of his faith. *' Yes," fays a temporary believer, " the word is " not only my foundation on which I build, but alfo " under the preaching of the word, I have experi- " enced the Holy Spirit operating on my foul." For his heart has been impreffed with the force of truth, and thereby felt fome diftrefs and painful anxiety of mind, which if he had not too foon fhaken ofF, might poffibly have brought him into that way the end of which is peace. A true believer has alfo the word of God for the obje61: of his faith, and by its miniftrations has in like manner received the Spirit, who hath opened his underftanding. Infomuch that he views divine truths with a difiFerent eye from whatever he had done be- fore, 2. They agree as to the manner in which the fub- je£l becomes a partaker of either the one or the other. Afk the man who appears to have true faith, but who has it not in reality,^-" In what manner hall " thou attained to it ?" the anfwer in many inftances would be, "It was not only by inJlruBion derived " from the hearing and reading of the word of God, " but I have often experienced ftrong convi6lions : " I have feen that there exi fled an abfolute ne- " ceffity of my being converted : my confcience hath " many times admonifhed and alarmed me ; and the *' refult hath been a thorough change. For formerly ** I was ungodly J but now am become a good member LECTURE II. 5^ " of fociety ; and not only fo, but I ferve God, and " fhew a due refpe6l to all the duties of religion. " Thofe who are pious are my companions. The " company of the men of the world I have forfiiken, " fo that I have efcaped the pollutions of the world." Afk now the true believer in what way he was made a partaker of faith ; it is frequently the cafe that he will be afraid of faying much on this fubjeft, but ftill true faith is always preceded by convictions, and it is no uncommon thing that before the believer durfl: conclude that he poffeffes faith, he is made to experi- ence much diftrefs, much anguifh and much terror. 3. They correfpond with each other in refpe6t to their feveral a^s ; for inftance, 1 , To faith appertains knowledge. The temporary believer will be ready to fay, " I have been taught " the truths which are neceffary to be known in order " to falvation ; 1 know that I am <2 mifcrahlejinner ; " I know that there is a Jefus, and that I mull have *' an intereft in him, if I fhall be for ever happy ; I ''know, in a word, that there is no other way of " coming to him but by faith, and that faith mud *' manifeft itfelf to be genuine, by the fruits which it *' produces." Of all thefe truths there are times when he has a very clear, cxa6t and diftin6l appre- henfion. Where faith is exercifed is there an ajfent of the mind to divine truths ? The temporary believer fays, with my whole heart I aflent to them ; be it far from me to entertain the fm alleft doubt with refpeft to them ; nay, I am ready to enter the lifts with all who prefume to exprefs their oppofition to thfem, and to evidence that I do in reality believe the doc- trines of the bible, I order my walk and converfation after the manner of thofe who have been changed and renewed, agreeably to and by the truths of the gofpeL 6q the pious communicant. Is the elTential acl of faith a taking of refuge unto^ and a reception of Jefus ? Here again the temporary believer, by the light of truth which is enkindled in his foul, may go very far; he believes that he is a fmner, and that he can be juftified before God alone, by Chrift. To what does this lead him ? Is he con- vinced of fm ? Has he obtained a view of the holinefs and juflice of God ? He runs and flies to Chrift ; he receives him for juftification, that he may be able to Hand before God in judgment, and thus quiets his awakened confcience, but afterwards gives himfelf no concern to be conformable to the ;mage of Chrift in fanftification. And in refpe6l to tht Jiducial aft of faith ; the man who is in the exercife of a falfe faith goes far before the afflifted but fmcere Chriftian, for he applies Chrift; and all the promifes to himfelf with the greateft con- fidence, whilft the latter does it with much fear and trembling, and even then dares not to draw a favour- ble conclufion, and is fearful left he be not one of thofe to whom the promifes are made. 4. They agree with each other in their fruits as refpe6ls fan6lification. The temporary believer may have a fight of fin; he may bate and abhor it ; he may avoid and oppofe it, but then it is only with re- fpe6l to thofe fins which are naked to the eye of the world, and which, by indulging himfelf in, would injure or deftroy his reputation, and remove the mafk of religion which he had afl'umed, or thofe fins which would have a tendency to difturb the repofe of his foul, for he is one whofe felf-love operates fo power- fully that he would go the greateft length to maintain the good opinion of men, and to live in the enjoy- ment of peace and tranquillity. Hence he ufes hia utmoft endeavours to prevent his fins from breaking LECTURE II. 61 Qut into open a£ls ; this is all the ftruggle he makes. Again, the temporary believer may, in like manner, progrefs far in a virtuous courfe and appear uncom- monly zealous in the performance of religious duties. Now he feeks the company of thofe who are diftin- guilhed for their piety, and being poffeffed of natural talents, he fpeaks with confidence and in a fatisfaftory manner, not only on ipeculative points, but on the very effentials of religion. Now he appears before the throne, he even excels in prayer, and his expreffions be fo correft, and at the fame time fo folemn and af- fecting, that hearts the moft obdurate cannot but feel emotions of tendernefs and awe. Now with a liberal hand he adminifters to the wants of the poor ; in a word, he may maintain flridlnefs of difcipline in his family ; in his converfation and walk he may be moral, peaceable, and be rendered eminent for fobri- ety ; in his drefs he may be moderate, and even ap- pear in a garb, in neatnefs and elegance not corref- ponding with that fituation in him, in which he is pla- ced in providence, fo that in all that refpe6ls externals, one would fay of him, he lacketh nothing. Examples of this kind are not unfrequent in the word of God. Thefoolijh virgins as well as the wife had their lamps, arofe at the cry, Behold the bride- groom cometh, and /aid Lord, Lord, open unto us. Matt. xxv. There will be thofe at the laft day, who, anxious to obtain the approving fentence of their Judge, will not hefitate to exclaim, Lord ! Lord I have we not prophefied in thy name, and in thy name cajl cut devils, and done many wonderful works ? notwith- flanding mull hear the vindiftive fentence of an infult- ^d Deity, Depart from me. Matt. vii. 23, Paul fpeaks of thofe who had been once enlighten- g^, who had taftcd of the heavenly gift, of the good 62 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. word of God, and of the powers of the world to come, who notwithftanding fell away. The defcription which we meet with, Ifaiah Iviii. 2. is exprefs to the point: They fought God daily and de- lighted to know his ways ; they did righteoufnefs, forfook not the ordinance of their God, and took delight in ap^- preaching unto God. 5. The temporary believer may, equally with the poffeiTor of that faith which is true and faving, expe- rience much joy ; for he views himfelf as interefted in the promifes, and fondly imagines that he hath ap- plied Chrift and all his benefits to his foul -, now his confolations abound ; he goes on his way rejoicing that there is fuch a Saviour provided, and that he has only to believe in him in order to be faved. This joy, however, makes him to be elated with pride ; it promotes not a principle of love to God in his heart, but rather has the fatal tendency of endearing him the more to himfelf. To this extent a falfe or ideal faith may go ; i : could fcarcely be credited, if the word of God had not declared it in moft pointed terms, and if the examples it prefents to us did not ferve as a confirma- tion of every fentiment we have advanced oi\ this head. But we muft now endeavour to fhew that this faith, however fair an appearance it may exhibit, and in ex- ternals feem to tranfcend true faith, yet falls far fhort of it in all thofe points which have been mentioned, and is as widely different from it as light is from darknefs, and as remote from each other as the man- lions of blifs are from the gloomy regions of the damned. a. Saving and temporary faith diflFer in refpeft to |he foundation on which the fubjefts of each build. LECTURE II. 63 The temporary believer may indeed have had con- vi6lions, but they were only common, and not pro- duced by the fpecial influences of the Spirit, for they have left him as they found him ; he has never re- noitnced his own righteoufnefs, much lefs entered into covenant with God in Chrijl. And hence it is that he is feldom heard to fpeak with perfpicuity and precifion with refpe6l to the favirig operations of the Holy Spirit, manifefted in the converfion of finners, and in bringing them out of darknefs into light, and from the power of Satan unto God ; for of a real change of heart he is perfeftly ignorant. Is he alked — " When wert thou converted to God ? — " How didfl thou, who, like others, wert born in fin, *' and a ftranger to God, come by fuch a change ?" He will take advantage of the different ways, accord- ing to which the word declares, God is pleafed to convert men. " With fuch a real change," fays he, *' I am altogether unacquainted" — Or, " I have had " from my earlieft youth a defire fo to live," or, " I *' have been in a greater or lefs degree, convinced *' of the reafonablenefs of fuch a courfe ; I have *' heard and read much of divine truths — I have " prized them, I have admired their harmony, my *' foul hath delighted in them, and alfo I have en- ** deavoured to regulate my life according to them ; '* now certainly nothing more can be required." Does the temporary believer reafon on this wife ? The real child of God is exercifed quite in a differ- ent manner. Although it be true, that God may have called him from his youth, or gradually brought him to the enjoyment of his fellowfhip, yet he will exhibit evidences of grace — he does not refl fatislied with any former experiences ; but will often examine the flate of his foul by the marks which are laid down 64 THE Pious COMMUNICANT. in the word of God ; and although he may not havei it in his power to defignate the time or place of his converlion ; flill he cannot but fay — " If I look " back on my former life, I find that I am now a " different man from what I then was ; then I went " on carelefsly in a courfe of finning ; I followed on •' whitherfoever my lulls carried me, but God now " hath opened to my view my true charaQer ; I fee " more and more that my heart is deceitful and def- *' perately wicked, and on this account I condemn *' my ftate. Once I found myfelf inclined to leave " God and his fervice, but now I experience a cor- " dial and fincere defire to' have God for my God, " and Jefus for my Saviour. Once I was devoted *' to the fervice of the world, and a flave to my lulls ; " but now I efteem it my greateft privilege to ferve " my God, and him alone ; and therefore I cannot " but conclude, that the Eternal hath in mercy laid *' his hand upon me, and efFefted that change, with- *' out which no man can fee the kingdom of God. *' Yes : I will not only render to my God that fei- " vice which he requires in his word, becaufe I am *' bound fo to do, and becaufe otherwife I cannot ex- " pe6l to enjoy falvation, with eternal glory — biit " becaufe I difcover fuch a degree of amiablenefs both " in him, and in the perfon and mediatorial cha- *' racier of the Lord Jefus. On this account it iS, " that I would confider it my greateft happinefs to " be enabled to live for the Lord, even though cter- " nal felicity, or everlafling mifery had no concern ia " the matter. b. Is there fuch an effential difference between the foundations of which the temporary and true be- liever build ? There exifts one equally great with LECTURE II. 6y refpefl; to the manner in which a perfon becomes partaker thereof. Of this the temporary behever can only fay, that he attained to by degrees. " I difcovered/' fays he, " that it was both reafonable and neceffary for me to *' fubmit to the gofpel ; and in order to procure reft " in my confcience, I perfuaded myfelf I really was " in a gracious ftate. But of the pangs of the new " birth, and of godly forro'.v, — thefe are things with *' which I am perfectly unacquainted." On the contrary, if we alk the children of God, in what way they were converted, and how they became partakers of faith, — One will reply, in a mild evangelical manner, *' God drew me with the bands of a man, and with " the cords of love. From the moment I obtained a " knowledge of myfelf, Jefus s.nd his free and fo- " vereign grace were manifefted to me, and inftantly " I furrendered myfelf to God my Saviour, and with " a heart tranfported with the delightful view, I *' fang, " Hail, fovereign love, that firll began " The fcheme to refcue fallen man ; " Hail, matchlefs, free, eternal grace ! " That gave my foul an hiding-place." Another will anfwer, " In a way fo replete with " delight, I was not brought over. I have not " words to exprefs the pangs my foul experienced, '• when it paffed from death unto life. Language " would fail me, were I to attempt a defcription of " the horror and anguifli I felt, of the wretchednefs " I endured, of the humbling views I had of myfelf, '' of the confeffions I made, and of the tears which ** were preffed from mine eyes, when I obtained a I ■66 THE PIOUS C0MMUN1C;.\NT. •' fight and a feeling fenfe of fm. How often have " I been forced to fmite upon my thigh, how often *' hath fhame covered my face, when appearing be- *' fore God, by reafon of mine iniquities. Yea, be- " fore I could come fo far as to dare to apply Jefus *' to myfeif in any refpeft, how fhall I exprefs the " earneft enquiries I made after him. I hungered " and thirfted for his righteoufnefs : he became the *' fupreme objeft of my efteem and love, efpecially " at that time when firft I got a fight of him, and *' heard a delightful voice utter thefe heart-cheering " words, Look unto me. Viewing him as the chief *' of ten thoufands, I fled to his embrace. I cafl '•■ myfeif into his arms. I received him as my Jefus, " as the only name given under heaven, whereby I " can be faved." To all thefe exercifes the temporary believer is an entire flranger. ' He never knew what it was in reali- ty to be afhamed, humbled, and forrowful on ac- count of fin; much lefs what is meant by looking unto Jefus. c. As a temporary faith is fo effentially different from that which is true and faving, with refpeQ to the MANNER in which a perfon becomes a partaker of it : not lefs is the difference alfo with regard to the ACTS in which the one and the other confiR, and by which they are exercifed. The firft a6l of faith is Knowledge. It may frequently happen that the false believer has a confiderable degree of information on divine fub- jc6ls ; but it is neither faving nor experimental. His underftanding may be fomewhat enlightened, but he never fearches the heart to make the important en- quiry, " Is it an experimental knowledge ?" He^ knows that God is holy, and thiitjujlice is an eifential , LECTURE II. 67 attribute of his nature ; that Jin muft be avoided ; that hell is the receptacle which the Eternal has or- dained for the finally impenitent ; and that heaven is the glorious place which Jefus has prepared for his redeemed : But he is not in the leaft alFc6led with the difcovery ; and thus refembles the man who can Hand gazing on pictures which reprefent objefts the mod terrific, without betraying the leafl fear or emo- tion. But when God by the light of his Spirit, makes thofe fame truths known, then is the foul brought as it were to Mount Sinai, where it beholds God feated as a judge ; and is compelled to cry out, " / have " heard of thee with the hearing of the ear ; hut now " mine eye fccth thee, and therefore I hunille niyfelf in " dufi and ajhes," Job xlii. 5, 6. From what princi- ple proceeds this fear? Is it not the knowledge which it hath obtained of the greatnefs and majefty of God ? Becaufe the foul views God as a being who deferves all its love, and all poffible reverence and ado- ration. Its language is, " Who would not fear thee, " 0 King of nations ? for unto thee doth it appertain." With reipe6l to Self-Know ledge in particu- lar, the language of the true believer is, '' I am aware " of being both miferahle, wretched, poor, blind, and *' naked ; not only becaufe God declares it, but be- *' caufe I experience it to be tvue. It hath pleafed " God to enable me to fee myfelf as I really am. I " am not only fenfible that my anions are finful, but " alfo that my heart is the corrupt fountain from " v/hence iflues thofe flreams which pollute and ren- " der my bell performances to be loathed by that " God, whofe nature is perfect holinefs." The temporary believer, on the other hand, be- ' lieves indeed that he is a finner; but at the fame time can plead in favour of his iniquities, Ke urges that 68 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. he is not the worft of tranfgrenbrs ; he conceives that there are others more abandoned than he is; and thinks that in finning his intentions were none of the worft ; that there is no one Hving but commits fin, and many who are infinitely greater finners than he hath ever been. Such were the fentiments of the Pharifee, Luke xviii. ii, who flood and prayed thus with himjclf: God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioiurs, unjujl, adulterers. While the true believer, in the fincei;ity of his heart, with the humble publican, who dared not to lift up his eyes unto heaven, Jlood afar off, and fmote on his breafi, will exclaim, verfe 13, Lord be mcrcful to 7m a Jinner. Do we confider knowledge as it refpeds the Lord Jesus? In this alfo the temporary believer comes very far too fhort. He knows him indeed in his names, offices, natures, and flates. He might be able to defcribe him in all his charafters, and reprefent him to others as truly amiable. Yea ; he can be fill- ed with afionijliment and admiration at the exiflence of fuch a Mediator. But becaufe he hath never attain- ed to a right knowledge of himfelf, his heart hath never earneftly fought him. He does not fee for himfelf any form or comelinefs in Jefus, why he ftiould defire — He does not, in fa6l, believe, that it is abfolutely necefl'ary that he be interefted in him. LIow greatly does the temporary believer refemble the perfon in health, who is told that there is a phy- fician who can make the deaf to hear, the blind to fee, and whofe fkill is fo univerfal, that it extends to all manner of difeafes. He will indeed be aflo- niflied that fuch qualifications meet in one man. He will greatly admire his fkilfulncfs in prn6lice : but that is all. But let this information be given to one LECTURE IT. €^ who labours under fome malady. His foul will be filled with joy, and an ardent defire to fee one fo ce- lebrated in his profeffion will be formed within him. " O \" fays he, " convey me ftraightway to him, that *' I may receive affiftance from him." He cannot be at reft in his mind, until he have an interview with him, and apply to him for relief. Such is the know- ledge of every true believer, that whilft it illuminates the head, it alfo afFefts the heart. His language again is, " I have indeed before now been in fome *•' refpefts fatisfied with Chrift : but it is only fince " God has been pleafed to difcover to me my awful '■' lituation, and my need of him for falvation, that I •' want words to exprefs how precious he is to my " foul in every point of view; in his names, in his " OFFICES, and in his whole person, he is to me *' the chief of ten thoifands. Is he a king ? he is pre- " cious ; for in this exalted chara6ler he will ereft " his throne in my heart, fubdue all my lufts, and *' reign over me as a gracious fovereign. Is he a -' priefi? he is precious ; for as fuch he will reconcile " me to God. Is he a prophet ? he is precious ; for " as the teacher who hath come from God, he will *' make me wife unto falvation. Yes ; he is precious *' to me, both in his fate of humiliation and of exalta- " tion, and in his two natures, the divine and human. " In a word, he is altogether lovely. It is a view of " Jefus in thefe different lights, that at firfl; attra6led " me to him, makes me to love him ftill, and pro- " duces conftant and ftrong defires to hold delightful " intercourfe with him." Again, a temporary behever has fome knowledge of the NATURE OF TRUE FAITH. He kuows that it conhfts in the a£l of habitually flying to and RECEivw.'G of Christ. But this knowledge has 70 ^HE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. never influenced his heart. It has never led him to renounce fin, to make Jefus his refuge, or to accept of him as he is offered in the gofpel. He hath ac- quired it merely by reading the word, or by hearing Jaith fo frequently defcribed by the heralds of Chrift. But the trice believer, although he may be unable to give an accurate definition of the peculiar nature of faith, yet, taught by the Lord, he knows experimen-. tally wherein it confifls. " O !" fays he, " I well *' know what it is to hunger and thirjl, for many " times have I felt the flame of ardent deflre enkin- " died in my heart ! I well know what it is to aban- *' don my righteoufnefs and all falfe refuges, and to ''fly to Chrifl; for fafety. For times without num- " ber have I done it." Once more, the temporarj^ believer has conception of the NATURE of sANCTiFicATioN, and finds from the word of God, that it confifls in the mortifi- cation of the old, and in the vivijication of the new man; that it is begun in converfion, and that whilfl; life continues, the fubjeft of it muft more and more progrefs in holinefs. But his defires to become ho- ly in heart and life are fmall. He is willing perhaps to do jufl fo much as he conceives to be necefl"ary to put him in poffeflion of heaven, and of the beatitude of the redeemed. Does he ftrive againft fm ? It is but external- ly ; but he never defcends to the bottom of his heart, that he may come at the root of evil. Does he per- form duties ? It is only as we remarked, in an exter- nal manner. But of the exercife of communion WITH God, and "of applying to Chrill; to be made to bring forth fruit, of living a life of watchfulnefs, he has not the fmalleft knowledge. On the contrary, the true believer knows that he LECTURE 11. 71 mufl be holy, becaufe God who hath called him is holy. He is fenfible, that in order completely to mortify fin, he mufl begin with the heart ; and that it is a work extremely arduous. Nothing produces in him more forrow and diftrefs, than the refle6lion that fins and corruptions fo much abound : he knows, in a word, that if duties be performed acceptably to God, the heart muft be purified, and therefore he knows experimentally what it is to hold fweet converfe with his God, and to call in the flrength of Jefus to his aid, in the difcharge of every duty. Laftly, The knowledge which the temporary be- liever HAS OF HEAVEN, is vaflly different from that which the true Chriftian experiences. The former views heaven as a place of delight and pleafure, where there will be for ever a perfe61; freedom from punifh- ment. It is on tJds account he wifliss to be admitted into it, and not becaufe he will there be perfeftly holy, and know and enjoy his God, as his everlafting portion. But the latter contemplating the manfions which Jefus has prepared for the children of his love, to be places where perfe6l holinefs reigns, — it is this which induces him to long to be there, to the end that he may ferve his God, and be fully delivered from all that imperfe6lion and impurity which cleaves to him in the prefent flate. The SECOND aB o{ faith is assent. In refpe61: to this alfo the temporary believer widely differs from him whofe faith is true and faving. The former. affents to the truths which God hath revealed, becaufe they are worthy of all acceptation, and harmo- nize in a moft pleafing manner. He even affents to thofe which are mofl experimental, becaufe he is convinced that they are abfolutely neceffary. How- ever, it is a mere afjent ; he is a total ftranger to any 72 0^^^ PIOUS communicant: feeling fenfe of them upon his heart. But the LATTER gives a TWOFOLD ASSENT. He aflents to the doftrines of the bible, becaufe the Eternal has uttered and promulgated them ; and thus feti to his feal that God is true, John iii. 33; and alfo becaufe his foul in its own experience, hath realized them. The phyjician, from his acquaintance with i\it JlruBure of the human body, may give to his patient an ac- curate defcription of the difeafe under which he la- bours ; but the patient judges to his accuracy in the cafe alone from his own experience correfponding with the defcription given. So the true believer ; his lan- guage is, " To all what God hath revealed of him* " felf, of the Lord Jefus, and of the deplorable fitua-. " tion of linners, I fay Amen : For — no linner is fo •' wretched as I am — Of fuch a mediator I ftand in " need." Thus the Spirit witnefeth in the heart, that the Spirit fpeaking in the word is truth. Thirdly — Temporary and faving faith differ with refpeft to the aB, by which the foul betakes itfelf to Chrif as its refuge. The temporary believer profeffes to renounce fn, Satan, and the world ; but he does no more than profcfs. His heart not having been cleanfcd from the love of fin, he retains a fondnefs for it flili, and continues to embrace it in fecret as that in which his foul delighteth : whilft in puJ)lic he appears in the character of one who hn^s yielded hirnfelf up to Chrift. If he has received Chrif, it was not as an whole Saviour; for he applied to him only to take his guilt, and to fecure him from punifh- ment. He will not fubmit that as king, J'fus fliould ever reign in his heart. But the TRUE believer embraces Chrifl: in the moll cordial manner. He receives him in all his offices both for tivic and eternity. He is made wil- LECTURE II. ^ 75 ling to renounce every thing but Chrift. He will not take fin by the hand, nor any longer praftife it as before. So far from it — he is repeatedly calling in terms the mod perfuafive, upon Chrift to reign in and over him. And becaufe he is oftentimes in doubt, and afraid, left he may not have been fmcere, in the a£t of furrendering himfelf to Jefus, he renews and repeats it on every opportunity. d. If temporary and faving faith fo efTentially differ from each other, with refpe6t to the foundation, the manner of obtaining it, and the aBs by which both are exercifed ; not lefs is the difference with regard to the fruits which each refpeclively produce. The temporary believer not only may bring forth fruit, but much fruit ; by which he not only deceives himfelf but others alfo. That he may be efteemed and refpefted as a man of piety, he will put on the mafc of Chriftianity at the very fame time that he denies, and is perfeftly ignorant of the power of it. This external appearance is extremely fair and pleafing ; but he is rottennefs within. His words and his manner be- fpeak the man of humility ; but his heart is fwollen with pride and vanity. He lends the liflening ear, to hear what others fay of him ; and if he be praifed by any, his foul is charmed therewith. He does not hate Jin confidered as fin ; for if his a6lions at any time be oppofite to thofe which are good and pious ; if he commit fin^-he will be quite unconcerned ; provided it can be hidden from the eyes of the World. — If, on the other hand, his a£lions in particular in- flances be religious, and fuch as become the real Chriftian — he is anxious that they be univerfally knotvn ; and like the Pharifees, when they gave alms, — he will feek to place them in the faireft point of light. The true believer on the contrary brings forth K 74 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Jruit which proceeds from a heart purified by divine grace, from ^?z/zJ felf-love — His objefl; in all he does, is not fo much to plcafc men — as to pleafe his God and Saviour — He hates fm, becaufc God detefts it. — Do any of his actions favour of unrighteoufnefs, his foul is difqiueted -within him — His heart in confe- quence of it is filled with forrow, and fhame covers his countenance — Does he at any time violate the law, which demands of us to love our neighbour — Does he perform any aftion which is injurious to a Jellcw-creature, he will not find freedom to ap- proach unto God, until he hath repaired the injury. In refpeft to the duties of religion — It is not uncommon to hear him complain of his many defi- ciencies— Does he advance in holinefs — he is not anx- ious concerning its being /^;zori;?z abroad, — It is enough in his opinion — that God with his omnifcient eye be- holds both the fecrets of his heart — and all his con- du6t. At the lame time aifo that he knows — that the Lord looketh not on the outward appearance, but on the heart. He is defirous, that his light JJiould Jfiine forth before men, that others feeing his good -works, might GLORIFY his father in heaven — His aBions are fmall in his view, v/hen compared with thofe which others have performed ; does he at any time do an a6l of Imidnefs, a charity ; he does not let his left ha7id know what his right doeth, and would always wifli to do good works from a good principle, and with a good end in view. e. Laflly — Temporary and faving faith are elTen- tially different from one another — in rcfpecl to the JOY which is felt by him, who poITelTes only a tem- porary faith, -M\^hy him who is a partaker of that which is true and faving. — The temporary believer, fays Chrifl, receivetii the word with joy. He may be fo taken up with divine truths, and be employ- LECTURE II. 75 ed in the inveftigation of them to fuch an ex- treme, that he appropriates to them that time which ought to be devoted to other purpofes. Yes : He goes fo far as to apply divine truths to himfelf — he makes himfelf happy in this, that he is interefted in the promifes — He works himfelf up to a belief that J&fii'S died for hm — and by all this his foul is made to rejoice and to be exceeding glad. But the true believer, although he may enjoy fo much fatisfaftion in the contemplation of divine truths, that he can fay, By thefe things I live, and in all thefe is the Ufe of my foul ; yet he dares not apply them with joy to his foul, until God himfelf caufes him to fee his interefl in them. He is often diflrefled left all his knowledge of the doftrines of the gofpel be only fpecidative ; or fliould it pleafe the Lord to permit him to fee his interefl in Chrift, and his right to the divine promifes, clear and certain^ the delightful view will caufe him to be fo humble before the Lord, and fo liitle in his own eyes, that with Mary he will with joy exprefs himfelf in the following humble ftrains. Luke i. 38, 48. Behold the handmaid of the Lord ! Be it unto me according to thy word, for he hath regarded the low eflate of his handmiaid. Yes: thejojv which the true believer feels, is accompanied with love to God and Chrift, infomuch that he will often with David ex- claim— Pfalm 18, 1. I love thee, 0 Lord, my frcngth. And the love of the triune God towards the Chrif- tian conjlrains him to make returns, and to evidence its hncerity by an holy walk. 1, Cor. v. 14, 15. For the love of Chri/i conjlraincth us ; hecaife we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead, and that he died for all, that they which live fliould. not henceforth live unto themfelves^ but unto him that died for them and rofe again. 76 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT, See thus. How vajl — how ejjential the difference between a falfe and ideal faith, and that which is true and faving. But to alcertain this with flill greater precillon, we mud add in addition to what has been faid — the following marks, to the end that the pof- feffor of thf former may fee his -awful fiatc depicted ; and the real follower of Chrift may be encouraged to go on his way rejoicing. 1. The temporary believer is averfe from fef- examination. If he be urged to take a view of his heart, and to try it by the undeceiving marks which are found in the written word, that only true touch- llone ; he is afraid to enter upon the folemn bufi- nefs. And why is he afraid ? Only becaufe he i; well affured that he would not be able to Hand the tefl, and that the refult of the trial would be, that at beft he would difcover himfelf to be covered with zuounds, and polluted by putrifyingybre5. He never opens his cafe to any faithful minifter of Chrift, and is fure to conceal it from his pious friends. He never goes to God with a heart exercifed as David's was when he cried: Pfalm cxxxix. Search me^ 0 God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts, and fee if there he any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way tverlajling. He fondly, in a word, hopes that his ftate is good, and he feems determined that it fhould always appear fuch in his view. But on the other hand, the true believer, although when he conOders himfelf as having backllidden, may feel a degree of helitation to enter upon the ex- amination of his heart, and thus may refemble the merchant, who becaufe his books of account are en- tangled, and in a perplexed lituation, is afraid to commence the neceffary work of feeing how his af- fiiirs ftand ; yet i^ habitualJy difpofed to examiiio LECTURE II. 77 into the real Hate of his heart, for he is always Juf~ picious of himfelf, and fearful of being deceived. Hence oftentimes he unbofoms himfelf to his expe- rienced Chriftian friends. — Yes : he goes to God, and not unfrequently pleads that he would try what manner of fpirit he was of. 2. The temporary believer can meet with nothing to which he is more averfc, than to be brought to a difcovery of his real fituation before God ; and therefore when under fermon, or in company with perfons who are truly pious, he hears defcribed the flender foundations on which hypocrites build, and has delineated, their true character; he fays to him- felf, becaufe confcience, the faithful monitor which is wnthin, fuggefis it — " All that has been fpoken was " intended for me — it was Juitahle to my cafe.'* Hence anger is retaiiied in his heart, and fecret ma- lice in his bofom. But on the contrary — the true believer feeks after fuch minifters as defire to be found, faithful, choofes for his companions thofe honefl Chriftians who will deal plainly with him ; and with his heart elevated to the throne, addreffes his Saviour and his God — Let the righteous fviite me, it Jhall be a kindnefs, and let him reprove me, it JJiall be an excellent oil. Pfalni cxli. 4. 3. The temporary behever cannot endure to be re- prehended with refpe£l to his walk and converfa- tion, even though the reproof be in love, and deli- vered in terms the mofl tender and moderate. He will form excufes for any deficiencies which may have been fuggefted to him, and is careful to avoid thofe who, adting like men, dare to be faithful to his foul and to their God. The true behever delights in nothing fo much as tQ have prefcnted full in his view, thofe failings of •jS THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. which he hath not been confcious ; his heart may indeed rife up againft any reprehenfion which may have been given in an imperious and upbraiding manner ; or when others are prefent. But if the reproof be mfccret, if it favour of love and difcretion ; if it proceed from a dehre of benefiting him ; it will be received with gratitude, and he will rejoice in that in faithfulncfs he hath been warned of a conduft which was not conducive to the glory of God — but the rcverfe. 4. The temporary believer views his coop ac- tions through a glafs which is greatly magnified, and his fins through the fmalleft medium. He fets the higheft value on deeds which have the remoteft appearance of goodnefs attached to them, but his fms, though they be in number as the f and on thefea-Jhore^ and have been aggravated /o that they have reached the very clouds, ftill he conceives them to be fmall m comparifon with thofe which others have committed. But the true believer entertains the meaneft opinion with refpeft to his bell performances; he makes no mention of them when engaged in petitioning him who is the hearer of prayer, much lefs does he confider them as a foundation on which he may build ; his lins, though not feen by another, are great, yea moft heinous in his eyes ; often he is heard to fay, *' than '• I am there is not to be found a greater finner." 5. The temporary believer will not readily fuffer himfelf to be convinced, that the foundation on which he has erected his hope of heaven, is one which will not fland ; though it even be fhewn him that many of his aftions are fuch as muft make him to appear be- fore God, yea, in the eyes of the world, as a perfon who is flill in a gracelefs ftate, yet, provided he can point to but one atl of his life which has fome appear- LECTURE II. 79 ance of being of a pious nature, he will lay hold of it, and continue to think h'nni^eii fe cure of Heaven. But the true believer is eafily alarmed ; though on the review of his life he difcovers that he has done much good, yet if he recollecls but one fin, which had and dill continues to have the ma fiery over him, he will be inftantly led to enquire, " Is this confift- ent with grace." Diftrefs enfues. 6. The temporary believer always continues in the f elf -fame fituation ; he knows not what it is iojii in darknefs, and is a ftranger to the enjoyment of true Spiritual light; whether he commit fin, or whether he perform duties, he is alike fatisfied that all is well, and that all will end well. On the contrary, the experiences and the frames of the true believer are many and very unlike ; he has been taught what it is to fee no light, and walk in the light of the Lord. Does God conceal his face from him ? Does he experience deadnefs in his foul ? Does his heart cleave to the dull ? The frame of the believer under fuch circumftances, is diilreffing ; no forrow is then like unto his forrow. But again ; does he en- joy the light of Jehovah's countenance ? Is his foul awakened, quickened ? Then joy and delight reign within. Thus, with as much clearnefs and precifion as pof- fible have we attempted to difcufs a fubjeft, than which no one can be more interefting, no one more important. Let us now in the fourth place proceed, as was propofed, to give fome advice and direelion to thofe unhappy and miferable men, who are likely to be de- luded into hell by an ideal faith; or who, by means of this difcourfe, may have been made to experience diftrefs, and to enquire, men and brethren, ii)hatfJiall we do to befaved ? 8d the pious communicant. Our advice to you is, 1. From what has been faid, learn to what lengths a perfon may go in making a fJiew of his hav- ing grace, and yet not have it in reality ; it may be a mean to lead you to difcover what your prefent fitua- tion is. ■ 2. Confider how awful the condition o{ hy^ocnt\c:\[ profeffors will be, in the fight of an holy God, who delighteth not in the fervice of the lips, but demands the hearts of men ; none are fo abominable as they ; the Lord Jcfus confideied them obnoxious to the woes which he denounced on the Pharifees. Will not the hotteft place in hell be affigned to them -who name the name of Chrift, but who have never felt the power of divine grace upon their hearts, and depart not from iniquity ? For when the greateft fmners are threatened with everlafling deflruQion, is it not declared, that their portion Jliall be in the lake ojjire, with hypocrites. You may deceive yourfelves ; you may blind the eyes of men ; but God cannot be deceived, for he is the fearcher of the hearty and trieth the reins. 3. Never Jhun or negleB thofe means which may be blefled to your convi6lion, but improve them ; at- tend on the miniftrations of thofe faithful fervants of Chrift, whofeek not to daub with untempered mortar ; let not your hearts rife up againft their pious admo- nitions, but rather view them as defigned to point out to you the only way by which a finner can find favour with God. Yes, finners, when ye attend on. thofe means which God hath appointed, let fuch ejaculations as thefe proceed from each of you : " Lord! grant that this may be the happy period " when my heart fhall be deeply impreffed with di- " vine things, when thou wilt fliew me what evil ways '■'■are in me ; when ihoii -n'ilt lead me in the way ever- " lafling:' LECTURE n. 8 1 4. Are any of you awakened, and convinced of the neceflity of experiencing the power of religion on your fouls ? and are made fenfible of your having never as yet felt that power ? Seek to keep alive reli- gious impreffions of this kind, and go with them unto your God ; confefs before him the folly of your pail conduft, and fay, " Lord ! I have lived fufficiently *•' long without having any experimental acquaintance *' with thee ; already too long have I been dealing de- " ceitfully with myfelf, and a£led an unfaithful part " towards thee ; I am afhamed of a condu6i; fo un- " wife ; bring thou me into the right way before it be *' for ever too late ; caufe thou me not only to appear *' to fly" to Chrift, but in reality to embrace him as " my Saviour and Redeemer, God." Who can tell but by dealing in fuch a faithful manner with your- felves, God will look upon you in mercy ! He is a compajfionate and gracious God. The last thing proposed was, to endeavour to ANIMATE and ENCOURAGE the AFFLICTED and DEJECTED CHILD of God, cfpccially with refpeft to their approach to the table of the Lord. Here, perhaps, the foul ihat is overwhelmed with dillrefs, having heard with attention what we have ad- vanced on the fubjeft which we have attempted in the fear of the Lord to difcufs, will be ready to fay, " Is " fuch a fubjed calculated in any manner to raife the ''finking and deprejf'ed fpirit of a child of God; it *' cannot be othcrwife but a topic of this kind mull " produce more diftrefs, and a greater degree of dif- " quietude ; for my daily concern and/c^r is, that I am " no more than a pofTeffor of a temporary faith." We make thee this reply : " If thou haft ftriaiy at- " tended to every thing which we have advanced, *' then ^hou wilt b? compelled to acknowledge that h 82 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. *' the difference between true faith and that which is *' temporary 2iXi^h\{Q, is fo aftonifhingly ^r^^'i^ that thou ,*' mufl be fenfible that thou haft fufficient grounds to " fatisfy thee that thy faith is not ideal, falfe or tem- *' porary, but true, juftifying and faving;" for, 1. Wouldfl thou readily be numbered amongft thofe who have only an appearance of being in the faith ? Can an external profeffion produce content in thy mind ? Canfl thou be at eafe when thy heart is not right before God ? Is it thy higheft fatisfaftion to pleafe men ? or with the fweet fmger of Ifrael, doll thou elevate thine heart and voice in the following ftrains, expreffive of thy gratitude and delight in the Cervice of God ? WhatJJjall I render to my God For all his kindnefs JJjezvn ? Mj/eetJIoall v'tjit thins abode ^ My Jongs addrefs thy throne. Now I am thine, for ever thiuey Norjhall my piirpoje move : Thy hand has loosed my bonds of pain, jind bound me with thy love. Here in thy courts I leave my vow. And thy rich grace record; Wilnejs ye faints who hear me now, Jf I forfah the Lord, 2. Dofl thou not at times enter upon an inveftigation of thine heart, and art thou not willing that thy heart fhould even be fearched by thy God ? 3. Is not Jefus precious to thy foul, in confc- quence of having been taught how greatly thou needed him ? Is not the principle o{ felj-rightccitfnejs rooted out of thine heart, and haft thou not given thyfelf over 'unto God and Chrift ? TPiy faith, then, is not that which is temporary and falfe, but true, faving, and which will endure whilft thou liaftnccdof fiitb. LECTURE II. 83 even until it fhall be changed into fight, and thy HOPE into the full fp.uition of thy Jefus in glory. Yes, thou wilt be ready to fay, " To anfwcr thefe " queftions, and to come to fuch a comfortable con- *' clufion, are things moll difficult." — But O! thou luhofe foul art so dif quieted within thee, fuEFer us to alk thee : 1. Wilt thou not have God for thy God, and the Lord Jefus for thy Redeemer ? Art thou oppofed to receiving him as he offers himfeif to thee ? Wilt thou not have him for thine all and in all? Wilt thou make an exception with refpe6l to any thing whatever? Is not all that is in him altogether lovely and precious in thy view ? 2. Doll thou not wifh to give him thine whole hearty that he may wholly pojfefs it, reign and rule over it ? 3. When thou revieweft thy life, and difcoverefl that thou haft brought forth but little fruit, is thy foul at eafe ? Or is it not filled rather with fore diftrefs at the contemplation of thine ingratitude ? — Would not thine heart rejoice, ii fin were more and more morti- fied, and if the image of God beamed forth with more refulgent brightnefs in thy walk and in thy life ? 4. Doft thou not therefore fly to Jefus, that thou mighteft in and by him be ma.dQ fricitful ? Is it not the language of thy foul — Would to God that Jefus zuere made unto me sanctification as well as wif dom and righteoufnefs. And, 5. Is it not on this account that thou haft To fre- quently longed for the approach of that day when thou flialt again be invited to appear at the table of the Lord, with a view of meeting with thine all-fuffcient and thy precious Redeemer, who under the emblems of bread and loine, is there fet forth crvcifed and flain, S4 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. — and as the Lamb of God, that taketh away the Jins of the world ? — Art thou defirous of meeting with him — and of coming under ntw obligations to ferve and honour him ? Canft thou not exprefs thyfelf in language of this kind ?— " All that Jam and have *' I would humbly hope I have given unto Jefus — And " if I have never at any former period of my life done " it aright, it is the ardent wifh of my foul, that I may '• now have grace to do it. And I have this the evi- '■' DENCE of my fincerity — that as the hart panteth " after the water-brooks, fo my heart panteth after '' God, after holinejs, and after heaven too, becaufe " of its being an holy place, and becaufe all its holy *' inhabitants are condantly engaged in afcriptions of *' praife, equally to the Immaculate Lamb as to " God the Father and God the Holy Ghoft." And indeed ! Are thefe the experiences of thy foul ? Be then no more troubled- — Go forth with boldnefs to the Lord's fupper — Make ufe of this de- lightful facrament for thy confolation, and for ftrengthening the life of faith, which thy Jefus, the author and finifJier of faith, hath caufed to fpring up in thine heart. Call thyfelf again into thy Redeem- er's arms. He will mod certainly receive thee in mer- cy again, and manifeft the riches of his love to thee. The Lord who is able to make all grace to abound — caufe his blefling to be on what we have faid — and make it a mean in his hand to bring conviElion to finners who are unconverted to God, and to encourage his own CHOSEN and redeemed ones. AMEN. C 85 ] PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Lecture III. THE ASSURANCE OF CHRISTIANS, A FRUIT OF SAVING FAITH. jlIaV I N G, in the preceding difcourfes, addrefled you on the nature of faith, and fhewn wherein con- fifts the great difference between that which is true and faving, and that which is falfe and delufory ; we now proceed to confider and inveftigate the fenti- ments, which the word records, on the interefting doftrine of the ajfurance of faith. That we may exprefs ourfelves on a fubje£t of fuch importance, with the precifion and perfpicuity it merits, we muft, I. Shew that aflurance is not the essence of faith, but the fruit of it; and endeavour to make it appear. II. That the Chriftian may attain to the aflurance of faith; and that it is a duty which is pecuharly obligatory upon him to afpire after it : then, III. We fhail point out the nature of aflur- ance, or wherein it a6lually confifts. After which, M 86 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. IV. We fhall endeavour to awaken the children of God, and to press it upon them, to feek to obtain the affurance of their faith ; and, V. Shew whence it is, that there are fo few Chriftians, who are animated on their way, by the affurance, that the end of their faith will be the falva- tion of their fouls. VI. We fhall lay before you the means, in the ufe of which, Chriftians, with the divine bleffmg, may become affured of their faith. VII. We fhall attempt fuch an improvement of the iubjeft, as may contribute to the advantage of unconverted fmners ; and tend to promote the con- folation of true believers of every defcription. I- That assurance is not the essence, but a FRUIT of faith, is a propofition which it is neceffary FIRST of all to attempt to demonftrate, not only that the fentiments of the Remonftrants and Libertines may be exhibited, who, with a view of encouraging perfons in their careleffnefs, form to themfelves no other idea of faith, than a notion that it confifts in being able merely to fay, " Jefus is my Saviour;" but alfo that fouls, who have often experienced much pain and diftrefs, by reafon of having formed impro- per ideas on this fubjeft, may be kept from defpond- ency, and encouraged, whilft travelling through this wildernefs to the manfions which their Jefus hath prepared for them. The arguments by which this do61;rine is fupported, are the following : viz. 1. The word of God no where teaches that affur- ance precedes faith, but in many places teftifies, that it is a confequence which refults from it. — Ephef. iii. 12. In whom we have boldnefs, and accefs with confi- dence, by the faith of him ; fo that faith is the mean, by which this boldnefs, and accefs with confidence, i^ LECTURE III. 87 obtained ; in the fecond epiftle of Paul to Timothy, chap. i. 12. that infpired apoftle fays, I know in whom I have believed: hence it appears that he had first beheved, and that afterwards he was affured of it. It is faid, Rom. i. 17. we muft go from faith to faith, namely, from a weak to a strong faith. John fays, in his firft epiftle, chap. v. 13 ver. Thefc things have I written unto you that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. Here a diftinftion is made be- tween KNOWING and believing. In like manner, the. author of the epiftle to the Hebrews, chap. x. 22. exhorts Chriftians to draw near, with a true heart in the full affurance of faith ; a certain evidence this, that one may have faith, and yet want the afturance of it. 2. It is alfo clear, from the very nature of things; for, to take refuge in Jefus, is the mean, by which the foul attains to a confidence of its intercft in him : now as the means and the end are things, which are perfeftly diftinft from each other, fo the ejfence and the afjurance of faith cannot be viewed as one and the fame. 3. In HO part of our Bibles is it alTerted, that our falvation is immediately conne6ted with afl'u ranee, or abfolutely depends upon it ; but on the contrary, — To hunger and to thirfl after Chrifl's rightecifncfs, — to fy to Chrijl, and to feek refuge beneath the Jliadow of his wings — thefe are reprefented as eflentially ne- ceffary to obtain that inheritance which is incorrupti- ble and undefiled, which fadttk not away, and which is referved in heaven for the people of God. See Pfalms ii. 12. Bleffed are all they that put their trufl in him. — Alfo Pf. Ixix. 32. The hmnble /hall fee this, and be glad ; and your heart Jhall live, that feek God, Now" 88 THE PIOUS COMMUNICAl^. if hunger and thirft be one thing, and to be Jatnjiei another ; if the a6l of taking refuge fuppofes the ab- fence of reji, and \{ Jteking and finding be terms, which exprefs things which are altogether different; then to believe in Chrift, is one point, and to be affur- ed of that faith, another. 4. The EXAMPLES of perfons, who were indeed behevers, and men eminent- for piety ; but who, at certain times of their Hves at leaft, were deftitute of the afTurance of faith, demonflrate the truth of our pofition. Afaph faid, I fuffer thy terrors, I am dif- traced. — David, when engaged in prayer to his God, thus expreffed himfelf, Pf. li. 12. Rejlore unto me, the joy of thy falvation — an evidence, that this man of God, at that particular period, had not the expe- rience of it. 5. When the Spirit of God, in the Word, intro- duces the fubjed of faith, he frequently employs, for the purpofe of fetting forth wherein its effence con- iifts, PHRASES which are peculiarly expreffive indeed of the GENUINE, but at the fame time, of fome of the weaker a6ls of it. Is not believing in Chrifl ex- preffed by our Lord himfelf di?, feeing the Son ? — And this is the will of him that f cut me, that every one which feeth the Son and believcth on him, may have everlafling life, John vi. 40. Are not true believers compared to bruifed reeds and to fnoking flax ? A bruifed reed Jhall he not break, and the fnoking flax Jliall he not quench. — Who are they whom Jcfus gathers in his arms, and carries in his bofom ? It will be replied, Doubtlefs none but true believers. And to what are they likened? To the weak and tender lamb. He/hall feed his flock like a Jluphtrd, he fli all gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bofom ; and fhall gently lead thofe who are with young. LECTURE III. ?9 6. If affurance conftituted the effential aft of faith, in fuch cafe, falfe and temporary believers, on the one hand, might be /aid to have faith ; for none with fo much boldnefs, and apparent confidence as they, dare to draw the favourable conclufion, that they are in a ftate of grace; — and on the other hand, the Jincere Chrijlian, who indeed fears God, but whofe faith is weak, and whofe foul is conftantly in a ftate of alarm, would on the fame principle be confidered as being in a gracelefs Jlate ; to afiert which would be abfurd in the extreme. If affiirance were the effence of faith, would not thofe poor dif- treffed fouls, who feel their weaknefs, and are fenfible of their fmall attainments, be deprived of every fource of confolation ? If affurance were the effence of faith, might not then a perfon be to-day in a ftate of grace, and to-morrow in a ftate quite the reverfe ? — to maintain which would be to fupport a fentiment unqueftionably erroneous : For the word of God declares, that the faints ftiall perfevere, and that thofe who are united to Chrift, JJiall be kept by the po-wer of God through faith unto falvation, i Pet. i. 4. Is it objefted, " that Paul and other Chriftians have '• attained to a high degree of affurance, and that what " is true with refpeft to one fubjcft is true in regard *' to all the followers of Chrift ?" — It is granted that the apoftle was a bold foldier of the divine Captain of our falvation, and that he was frong in the Lord, and in the power of his might : But does it hence ne- ceffarily follow, that there are no weak Chriftians, no tender lambs in the fold of Chrift ? If we confult the writings of the apoftle John, we find him making mention, not only o^ fathers, but o^ young men and little children in Chrift — fee 1 John ii. 12, 13, I write unto you, little children, bccaufe your fns are forgiven 90 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. you for his name's fake. I write unto you, fathers, be^ caifeye have known him that is from the beginning. I •write unto you, young men, becaife ye have overcome the wicked one. The argument that becaufe iPaul was affured of his faith, therefore every true Chriftian muft in like manner be affured, — is about equivalent to an argument of this kind: " Sampfon was aflrong " man ; therefore all men are endued with fimilar " ftrength." Is it further objefted, that in that excellent fyftemc of divine truths, the Heidelberg Catechifm, faith is defcribed as confiding, amongft other things, in an ajjured confidence? — We reply; that no argument can be deduced from this circumftance : For, 1. If we examine with a critical eye the defciiption which is there given of faith, we immediately difcover that the confidence fpoken of as conftituting one of its effential ads, is of that kind, of which every be- liever has fome experience when he betakes himfelf to Chrift, for that fafety and fecurity which is ever to be found beneath the fhadow of his wings. For, in the fame fentence in which the pious authors of that invaluable catechifm exhibit wherein faving faith confifts, they alfo defcribe with their wonted care and precifion, both what precedes faith, and what are the effefts which it produces. Moreover, 2. There exifled a peculiar reafon at the time when that fyftem was written, for defining faith in the manner there expreffed ; for the church of Rome, in addition to her other innumerable errors, denied the heart-cheering doctrine of the affurance of faith. It was in confequence of this, that thofe juftly cele- brated men, Zacharias Urfinus and Cafparus Olevi- anus, in their catechifm above alluded to, and firft publiflaed in the year of our Lord 1563, under LECTURE III. 91 the aufpices of Frederic the third of Germany, fur- named the pious, fet their faces againft this particular error, and taught with boldnefs, that the afTurance of faith is poflible. From all that has been faid, then, it muft be clear, to every one who attentively con- fiders the fubje6i;, that affurance is not an elfential aft of faith : But, II. Agreeably to the order propofed, it muft now be owned, That believers may attain, and ought TO SEEK the affurance of faith. — 1. Believers may attain to an affurance: For, A. The EXAMPLES with which fcripture abounds, of faints who have been affured, eftablifti our pofition in the moft pointed manner. Paul knew in whom he- had believed, 2 Tim. i. 12. David prayed, Pfal. li. 12, Rejlore to me the joys of thy falvation; an evidence that, previous to his having addreffed this petition to his Father, he had tafted of thefe joys. B. If the affurance of faith had not been attainable, it would have been wholly in vain, and in every re- fpeft abfurd, for the Holy Ghoft to exhort and urge Chriftians to labour to arrive at fuch an advanced ftate in grace. But the apoftle Paul fays, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Examine yourf elves whether ye be in the faith; and Peter urges believers to whom he wrote, 2 Pet. i. 10, Give all diligence to viake your calling and elec^ tion fure. Expreflions of a vtry fimilar nature are met with in many other places. C. Are not believers conflantly in the word of God excited in the moll perfuafive terms to the great duty of thankfulnefs ? But for what and in zvhat way is it poffible for them to exprefs their gratitude to God, if it be out of their power ever to attain to a knowledge of their being interefted in Chrift, and in the bletTmgs of the covenant of grice ? 92 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. D. Hath not man a rational fpirit, and can he not come to fome rational conclufion as to his fpiiituai ftate by comparing the may-ks of grace which the fcriptures propofe, with the experiences of his own heart ? And it is in this way a perfon becomes af- fured. God does not fay in his word, " Thou " Thomas, and thou James, art a believer;" — but he there draws the outlines of a believer's charafter, to the end that every perfon who would defire to live in the experience of true comfort may be excited with care to examine into the ftate of his foul. E. If the alTurance of faith be not attainable, then it neceffarily follows that all the confolations, de- lights, and joys of the Chriftian will be altogether taken away. For can any one feel real comfort, or experience true pleafure and fatisfa6lion in his foul, without a well-grounded persuasion that he is a partaker of Chrift, and all his benefits ? 2. Is it then a thing which is poflible, that a Chrif- tian may be affured of his faith ? — we further remark, that it BEHOVES every child of God to ftrive to at- tain to it. J[t is a Jin, that believers do not with greater ardour labour after it. For, A. It argues the prevalence of unbelief, that we give no credit to the teftimony of God in his word, and place no dependence on his promifes. Our Lord, viewing unbelief as a fin aggravated in its nature, often in the days of his flefh reproved the difciples for it, and rebuked them for being Jlow of heart to believe, Luke xxiv. 25. B. To be continually doubting of one's cafe, often proceeds from ignorance in the believer, as ap- pears uniformly in the cafe of the difciples. Is it not then finful for the people of God not to become more acquainted with the important truths of the LECTURE III. 93 gofpel? Ought they not to afcertain with the great- eft precifion what conftitutes faith, and what paffes in the foul with refped to it ? C. Not to be affured of faith is attended with this evil confequence alfo, that the foul is thereby re- tarded in the progress it would otherwife make in the pra6lice of many Christian graces. a. It operates to hinder the believer from exer- ciiing that confidential boldnefs with which he ought to commune with his God in fecret. It keeps him from that familiar converfe with Jehovah as with a father, which is always produ6live of fupreme de- light. In a word, does it not alfo deter him from calling all his care on Jehovah's arm, which is the great fupport of the Chriflian whilft he is palling through this valley of tears ? b. It keeps the child of God from making ad- vances in holinefs. For by means of unbelief he is afraid to apply either the promifes or the Lord Jefus to his foul, feeing he is not confcious of his having any intereft in them. €. It deprives him of the comfort, joy, and de- lights of life ; for his foul by diflruAing becomes, difquieted within him. d. It keeps him, in a word, from afcribing unto God the praife and the glory due to his name for grace already received — a duty which is highly ob- ligatory on all Chriftians ; for how can thofe call upon thtxt fouls, and all that is within them, to blefs the Lord for redeeming love, who are unable to conclude that they have ever received grace ? D. For the Chriftian to be in a ftate of uncer- tainty concerning his cafe, is very injurious. For hence it is, that his love to God and Chrift become^ lukewarm. Hence it is that he dillrufts his N 5+ THE PIOUS. COMMUNICANT. God, and fays, My hope is perijlied, and my Jlrength from the Lord. Hence it is, in a word, that he is not bold to come out for Jefus, in the prefence of the men of the world. A fear of being infmcere, and of having nothing more than the hope of the hypocrite, has clofed the mouth of many a Chriftian. E. For the Chriftian to live without any allured confidence, has the fatal tendency of creating in the minds of men a prejudice againfl true religion. It impreffes them with an idea that the fervice of God is hard, and that to xvalk before the face of the Lord, is to walk in the midft of gloom, and to pafs a life of xvretched uncertainty. And thus the fiucere but unallured Chriftian becomes in fome meafure a hin- drance to his neighbour, in the great things which belong to his everlafting peace. But, III. Let us now endeavour to fhew wherein the ESSENCE or the nature of aifurance confifts. To do this, we muft point out, 1. How many kinds of affurance there are. 2. Wherein it confifts. 3. How and in what way Chriftians ought to con- .du6l themfelves in order to become afTured. 4. That God's Spirit mup^ and a£lually does in all things co-operate in bringing his people to the af- furance of faith. A. There is more than one kind of aflurance. a. There is an objective affurance, which may be defined, " A full perfuafion and reliance with re- *' fpe£t to all that God hath revealed in his word, of *' himfelf, of the Lord Jefus, and of the whole plan " of falvation." This the evangelift John denomi- nates a receiving of the tejlimony of God, whereby wc fet to our fed that God is true. This kind of af- % LECTURE III. 95 furance has principally refpeft to God as its objed, and is nee. (brily included in affarance. But, b. There Js alfo an affurance which refpefts the SUBJECT that believes : For it is one thing to kno\v^ and to believe that there is a God and a Saviour, and another to be perfuaded that he is my God, and MY Saviour. This fubjedive aiTurance is again to be confidered as being of two kinds : 1. The one may be ftyled ordinary. It is pro- duced in the foul on this wife — The believer look- ing into the word of God, difcovers therein what is declared with refpedl; to the heirs of falvation, to wit, that they have Jlcd for refuge to lay hold on the hope fet before them; — that they hunger and thirfl cfer the righteoifnefs of Chrifi ; — that God gives to them a new heart, by taking away the ftony heart out of their Jlefh, and giving them a heart of flefJi ; — that they love God their flrength, and are inclined to follow after ho- linefs, without which no man can fee the Lord. He then examines v/ith the ftri6teft fcrutiny his heart upon all thefe points ; and the refult is, that he finds that all thefe things, in a greater or lefs degree, his foul has experienced — and direftly draws the de- lightful conclufion, " / am an heir of falvation." 2. The other may be called EXT^RAORDiiV ary, and is experienced when God, approving of the faith and love of his people, manifefts his fatisfatlion in them, by making it known to them that he views them as the children of his love, and as fuch delights in them. In order rightly to comprehend the didindion which is to be made between an ordinary and extra- ordinary affurance, attend to the following firnilitude. The child that has been for fome time abfent from its father, no fooner fees his face, than it 96 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. leaves its childifh purfuits and companions, and runs with quickened fteps to meet him. Afk this child why it obferves fuch a conduft, it will reply, — My father whom I fmcerely love is coming. But upon the child drawing near, I fee the father, not paffing it unnoticed by — not treating it with cold indiffe- rence as if it were a ftranger, — but taking it up in his arms, and embracing it in the moll cordial man- ner. What mufl be the natural conclufion which the child now draws ? If it could, when firft it faw its father returning, fay, " I love him," now it can fay with equal confidence, " My father loves me." So that to exercife love, and to be embraced in love, are two diftin6l things. The former a foul may do for years together, and evidence it in the praflice of the duties of Chriflianity : But the latter is only enjoyed by the believer on particular occafions; and, in fome inflances, perhaps not until he comes to his death- bed, does his faithful God permit him to experience a prelibation of the happy flate into which he is about to enter. But, B. In what confifts the ejjence or nature of af- furance ? It confifts in this : That a perfon, behold- ing the conformity that exifts between his own expe- riences and the^ principal marks of grace which are found in the word of God, is enabled thereby to draw this conclufion, '• I am a child of God, and *' confequently an heir of eternal life." Hence to affurance appertain thefe three things : Firfl, infallible marks of grace as exhibited in the word of God ; fecondly, a conformity of the heart with thofe marks; thirdly, a jufl conclufion from thofe premifes. If then a perfon on good grounds would be af- fured of his fellowfliip with God, he muft firfl of all LECTURE III. 57 carefully inveftlgate the marks which are effential to a ftate of grace, which muft be found in believers at all times, and with refpe61; to which the Lord him- felf declares, " That whofoever experiences them " fhall be faved." For example : a. God declares in his word, that all who enjoy fellowfhip with him, muft have received the Spirit, and by his illuminating influence clearly difcovered that by nature they are poor and miferable, and blind and naked ; that they have come ftiort of the glory of God, and that if they remain in fuch a fitu- ation, they muft for ever perifti. Hereby we know that we dwell in him, and he in us, becavfe he hath given us of his Spirit, i John iv. 13. b. God declares in his word, that in order to be faved, we muft have an interejl in Chrift, and in the great atonement which he hath made for Jin : For there is none other name under heav-en given among men whereby we miiji be faved, Afts iv. 12. — Therefore we muft confefs that we have nothing with which we can appear before God, but that all our falvation is alone found in Chrift. c. God declares in his vv^ord, how a foul mufl be exercifed, that has an intereft in Chrift. It muft have an experimental knowledge of him as a Saviour, who is all-fufficient, without whom we can do nothing, and who is altogether lovely, Songs v. 16. From this knowledge muft proceed an esteem, 1 Pet. ii. 7, To you therefore that believe he is pre- cious. From this efteem muft arife a real hunger and thirst, Matt. v. 12, Blcffed are they that hun- ger and thirfl. There muft alfo be a cordial recep- tion of him, John i, 12, As many as received him, t& 98 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. them gave he power to become the Jons of God, even to them that believe on his name. d. God declares in his word, that thofe who have an intereft in Chrift muft forjake thefooliJJi, and go in the way of under/landing, Prov. ix. 6 ; i.e. they muft bid an eternal farewell to their old ways of fin in which they have heretofore walked; wage an ever- lafting war againft iniquity as an enemy moft cruel and dangerous ; choofe the way of holinefs, that nar- row way of God's commands, and with a full pur- pofe of heart determine to walk therein. e. God declares in his word, that all thofe who have pajfedfrom death unto life muft love the brethren^ 1 John iii. 14; i. e. they muft highly efteem, and hold in the bond of afFeftion, all who fear God, of every rank and defcription. For all who have an intereft in Chrift by faith bear the image of God. Now of all thefe things, as infallible marks of crrace, which God himfelf has fettled, we muft have a diftinft knowledge, lior are we to call any of them into queftion, — for the God of truth has uttered them. But, This is not enough. In order to be affured of faith, there muft be, fecondly, a conformity of heart with thofe marks. The manner, however, in which this is effeded, will prefently be fhown, when we point out the ways by which perfons are brought to a determination refpefting their ftate. And having made an examination, thirdly, the ronclufion itfclf follows. In making it, the foul rea- fons thus : " When I examine myfelf by all the ''• marks which God has laid down in his word, I *' muft acknowledge that I know fomething experi- '• mentally vrith rcfpedl to the exercifes of grace. I LECTURE III. 99 ^' may therefore humbly conclude, that I am a child «' of God." But as it fometimes happens, that although a foul dare not deny that it has experienced thefe things, yet it is afraid to conclude that it is in a ftate of grace ; — fo there muft be exifting caufes, which yet keep the foul in this uncertainty with refpe61; to its intereft in Chrift. Is it alked, what thofe caufes are ? We reply, a. It may be occafioned by the fubtil devices of Satan, who conftantly feeks by every mean to per- plex and difquiet the fouls of the people of God. b. It may be occafioned alfo by inattention on the part of believers to themfelves, and to divine truths, not diilinguiihing between the effence and the ef- feds of faith- c. It may further be occafioned by this : The be- liever examining his heart difcovers indeed many things which refemble the operations of the Spirit; but at the fame time he difcerns many fins and cor- ruptions, which he believes cannot be confident with grace. Hence he is afraid to determine any thing favourable with refpe6l to his ftate. d. Laftly, it may be occafioned principally by this, — that the Spirit of God imparts not fufficient light to the foul to enable it to difcover with clear- nefs, that it pofifelTes true grace. C. In what manner does a foul condu6l itfelf, in order that it may, on good grounds, be alfured of faith? We reply, thus: The Chriftian goes alone; he is impreffed with a fenfe of his being in the pre- fence of an omnifcient God; he views the bufinefs in which he is engaged to be of the laft importance, on which depend eternal things; he feeks to have his mind compofed ; he bcfeeches God to impart his loo THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. light to him, and fhed abroad his gracious influence' He then, a. Lays before him all the marks of grace, and ftriftly examines each of them. h. He next makes a confcientious enquiry whe- ther any of thofe marks are applicable to himfeif. And here the Chriftian deals with his heart in the moft free and faithful manner; and addreffing his confcience, he fays, " Come, let us reafon together, *' Before this time thou wall viewed as mine enemy, " when thou broughteft thine accufations againft me; " but I now confider thee as my real friend, while ** thou performeft thine office in faithfulnefs. I wifli " not to deceive myfelf. Declare to me in the pre- " fence of the all-feeing God, what is the real fitua- " tion of my foul. Canfl thou teflify againft me, " that / have never as yet been brought to fee my true " charaBer ? Have I not feen my mifery, pollution, " and guilt ? Does not the dreadful view of thefe " things fill my foul with diftrefs, forrow, and '•' Ihame ? Art not thou a witnefs of my tears, my " wreftlings, my complaints, my earneft cries to " God for grace ? Has not God enabled me to fee " that IN Jesus, yea, in Jesus alone, falvation " with eternal glory are to be found ? Has he not *' become precious to my foul ? Has he not become " the fupreme obje6l of my love ? Have not vcvy de- " fires after him been ftrong and infiitiable — info- " much that the language of my heart has been, I *' muft have Jefus, whatever it coft me ? Did not " thofe defires make me to leave all, and to feek *' him in fecret with many tears ? Yes. When Jefus " permitted me to behold his arms widely extended " to embrace me in love, and to hear his voice ad- " dreffing me in this encouraging language, Come LECTURE III. lot " unto me, thou who art lahmring, iveary^ and heavy " laden, I will give you reji? Did I not call myfelf " into his arms ? Have I not received him as my all " and in all, with full purpofe of heart to leave the *' ways of folly, and to walk in the paths of life ? Is " not my heart united in love to all that fear the " Lord; and that efpecially, becaufe God by his " Spirit dwells and works in them, and becaufe they *' are adorned with the image of God ? Yes. Can I *' not fay, although they be poor and defpifed by the " world, I am the companion of thofe that love pre- « cious Chrift ?" The Chriftian examining himfelf in this manner, and appealing thus to confcience, receives a teftimo- ny according to truth ; and although he may be ac- cufed, in fome particulars, of deficiencies, yet what refpefts the exiftence of faith, confcience pafles a fa- vourable verdift ; and thus the believer has bold- nefs and confidence in the prefence of his Father. c. But becaufe the believer is apt to diftruft him- felf, and is afraid that perhaps all thofe experiences may not be genuine, he next proceeds to compare his own cxercifes with thofe of tried and experienced Chrift tians. He makes particular enquiry of them as to their exercifes. He opens his heart to them, and if he find his exercifes and theirs to agree, he then concludes that it is the fame fpirit which is working in him and in them, feeing both he and they have been led in the fame way. A conduft hke this tends greatly to eftablifh and confirm the people of God, when doubting whether they are united to Chrift, and heirs of his falvation. d. But to become fully affured, there remains one way ftill open which muft alfo be mentioned. The foul that is deeply impreffed with the danger of de- O % 102 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. ceiving itfelf, goes with all its diftrefs and doubts into the prefence of the omnifcient God, and falling down before him, thus exclaims : " Lord, thou art " witnefs of every thing that has ever paffed in my " mind, all my exercifes and all my experiences are " naked to thine eye. If there be any wicked way in *' me, difcover it to me, and lead me in the way ever- *' lajling. And if the work wrought in me be in " truth, declare that it is thy Jlaf, thy bracelet, and " thy ring — and witnefs with my fpirit that I am a " child of God." D. But HOW does the Spirit of God co-ope- rate with us in producing the aifurance of faith ? For although the heart condemn us not, yet the Spirit of God muft witnefs with our fpirits. The Koly Spirit is a6tive with refpeft to all thofe points which conftitute affurance. a. With refpeft to the marks which the Scrip- tures lay down, as evidences of a gracious ftate. — He enables the believer to obtain a clear and diilin6t apprehenlion of them, and caufes him to fee that all thofe things which are confidered as evidences of grace muft be experienced, if ever he Ihall be happy. He points out what it is that truly conftitutes a per- fon a Chriftian, left one ftiould conceive too high or too low an opinion of the attainments of a child of God, and thus either be in danger of defponding, or induced to become carelefs and indifferent. b. With refpeft to the experiences of the HEART, the Spirit is alfo aftive, thus: — He not only produces all the graces in the foul, but excites them, and makes the exercifes of the believer lively when he is about to give him the affurance of faith. He leads the foul to fee its mifery by nature. He creates at that time in the Chriftian a hunger and LECTURE III. 10? thirft after Jefus. He makes him bold to take re- fuge beneath the fhadow of his wings. He inflames him with love to God, — and makes him anxioully defire to evidence that love in a holy walk and con- verfation. c. Upon this the Holy Spirit enables the believer io draw this delightful conckf^on : " I find to be in *' me all that which the word of God fays I mull " experience, and therefore I am a child of God, " and an heir of eternal life." But it muft be here remarked, that this determination with rcfpe6l to one's ftate is not always fo eafily made. Sometimes it is made with great fear and concern. It is as if the Chriftian dared not go fo far as to conclude favourably with refpecl to himfelf. He muft indeed confefs that God has dealt gracioufly with him; but ftill the language of his heart con- ftantly is— O ! what an unhappy, what a wretched creature would I be, if now I have been deceiving myfelf, and continue believing myfelf to be a true Chriftian, to a dying day, and then to find that my hope hath been but the hope of the hypocrite, which God hath faid Jliall perifti. Sometimes the Holy Spirit enables the believer to come to this fweet conclufion with much compo- fure and calmnefs of mind. His affeftions are not greatly elevated, but with a believing heart he con- fides in the word of God ; and comparing his ftate with what is therein recorded, he exclaims, " I dare " not, I cannot, I may not deny it, that the Lord " has fhown mercy to my foul. He has of a truth " quickened me, who once was d^ad in trefpaffes and in ^^ fins. I would be unfaithful to my heavenly Fa- *^ ther, were I to afcribe to the energies of nature all " that my foul has experienced," -404 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Sometimes k pleafes the Holy Spirit, when the believer is brought to make a determination as ta his ftate, to elevate the affedions to a very high de- gree. Hence he experiences uncommon joy and fa- tisfaftion. He is filled with admiration that God would condefcend to look on a creature fo vile, lb unworthy. Now tears, an external mark of the love he bears to Jefus, begin to flow, and now of a new he devotes himfelf to the Lord and to his fer- vice, to be his, and to feek to glorify him for ever. Sometimes alfo the believer is enabled to draw the above conclufion in the experience of the ex- traordinary WITNESSING OF THE SpiRIT, — ■ whereby he is as it were overwhelmed with a fenfe of divine love. Now Jefus takes him in his arms, and embraces him ; — now he gives the Chriftian a Jeal as an evidence of his being a child of God. The Spirit of God calls this, the eating of the hidden 'manna, and the receiving of the white flone, on which is found infcribed that new name which no one knows ; hut he that receiveth it, Rev. ii. 17. And is not this to hefatisfied with ihefatncfs of God's houfe, and to be made to drink of the rivers of his pleafure ? At this time alfo the Spirit imparts to the be- liever fuch a full radiance of knowledge, that he be-, holds with open face the glory of the Lord, and is en- raptured with the bright profpeQ; before him. The perfe6Hons of God difplayed in the work of redemp- tion are now difcovered perfe6lly to harmonize, and with an extacy produced by the delightful view, he fings, " 'Twas Wisdom form'd the vaft defign, '.' To ranfom us when left, <' And Love's unfathomable mine «* Provided all the coll. LECTURE III. 105 ^< Strict Justice, with approving look, "' The holy covenant feal'd ; • ** And Truth and Power undertook " The whole fhould be fulfili'd. f' Truth, wisdom, justice, pow'r and love, " In all their glory ftione, ^« When Jefus left the courts above, " And dy'd to fave his own. *' Truth, wisdom, justice, pow'r and love, " Are equally difplay'd, *' Now Jefus reigns enthron'd above, " Our advocate and head/' (Newton.) Yes, at this time the Spirit draws the curtain, fo that the believer gets a view of heaven itfelf, as the blifsful place in which he is for ever to dwell, and obtains a prelibation of that happinefs which is in re- ferve for him after death. Will not the experience of this make him to cry out — " Are the firft-fruits of " heaven fo refrefhing to my foul ? what will it be ^' when I ftiall enjoy the full harveft of delight f *' when I fhall be fwallowed up in the ocean of di~ *' vine love and all-fufhcicncy ; when I fhall fee "God eye to eye and face to face, and be perfedly *' holy as he is holy ! Now I only walk by faith, *' then 1 fhall know what it is to live by Jight." See thus briefly elucidated the nature of the affurance of faith, and the manner in which it is acquired. IV. We muft now, agreeably to our fourth ge- neral head, endeavour to excite the children of God to f rive after the attainment of affurance. And here it muft be remarked, that our obfervations have not fo much a refpeft to the extraordinary affurance jufl io6 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. defcribed, as to that which is ordinary. To enjoy this is fo deiirable and precious, that one would fcarcely think that any thing to awaken the Chrif- tian on this head were neceflary. But as there are many fincere followers of Chrift who are fitting in darknefs, and fee no light ; whofe fouls are oppreffed by doubt, and are filled with fore diftrefs by reafon of their uncertainty with regard to their intereft in Chrift, it will be ufeful to make the following obfer- vations. 1, Has not every perfon a defire after knowledge^ and a wifh to be informed with refpeft to things which will in any wife contribute to his prefent fe- licity ? If he have fome diftant expeftation of ac- quiring a great eftate by inheritance, what labour will he conceive to be too great in order to afcertain with certainty that his name is in the Teftament ? Do the men of the world thus a6l;^with refpeft to things of a temporal nature ? and is it not of the laft importance to thee, believer, that thou fhouldft feek to obtain that which is fo immediately connc6ted ivith thy fpiritual comfort and advantage ? It is a fact, that having faith in the Lord Jefus, thou wilt arrive at laft in heaven, although thou never attain- eft to the full afl'urance of faith. But if thou goeft on thy way, doubting as to thy ftate, having thy foul cqji down and difquictcd within thee, can the con- templation of thofe blifsful manfions afford thee joy and delight ? or will thy foul long to enter thofe abodes of the juft ? We conceive not. 2. Every man is inclined to live in the enjoyment of contentment and comfoit — And is this, believer, thy defire ? To be affured of faith will promote both : For what can contribute more to make thee content in whatever ftate thou art, or what adminif- LECTURE III. ,07 ter more to thy joys, than the reflexion that on Scripture grounds thou may ft fay, " An all-fufficient " God is my portion, even now whilfl; I am fojourn- " ing in this valley of tears, amidft all the viciffi- " tudes I meet with in life. I can meditate on death " without difmay : For by means of death I ftiall be ** brought into the immediate prefence of my Jefus. *' At death my joys will be fupreme, and therefore " in the profpe6l of it, I can exult in this triumphant " language of the apoftle, 0 death, where is thyjling? " O grave, where is thy viBory ? The Jling of death " is Jin, and the Jlrength of Jin is the law : But thanks " be to God, which giveth us the vi^ory through mir " Lord Jefus Chriji." But to be continually in a ftate of doubt and uncertainty will deprive thee of all comfort, and thy days will be pafTed in the ex- perience of difquietude. 3. Satan, wha is an enemy to thy happinefs, and envies thee the eternal felicity which awaits thee, is conftantly feeking to lead thee from thy God. But, believer, being affured of thy faith, thou wilt quit thyfelf like a man, and be ftrong in repelling his fiery darts. 4. Haft thou a defire of progreffing in holinefs ? AfTurance is the beft mean to obtain that end. For until thou art alTured, thou canft not be grateful to God for grace beftowed upon thee in Chrift. It is true thou mayft thank God for having appointed a Mediator, and revealed a plan of falvation ; but will not thy gratitude be expreffed in far higher ftrains, when thou canft add the term me, and fay, " / thank " thee. Father, who hath made me meet for the inheri- " tance of the faints in light. Col. i. 12. Blejcd be " the God and Father of our Lord Jefus ChriJl, who '' hath ble.JJed me with all Jpiritual hleffings in Chrift;^ io8 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Eph. i. 3. Would it not have the bleffed tSe€t of inflaming thy heart with love to God, if thou wert to contemplate him as having loved thee with an cverlajling love, and according to the multitude of his tender mercies, blotted out all thy tranfgrejfions ? 5. AfTurance will enable thee to ufe the means of grace with more profit and advantage : For now by the prevalence of unbelief, and doubts with refpe6fe to thy cafe, the admonitions and exhortations of the gofpel are often not regarded. Thy cry conftantly is, " Who can .tell whether I may reckon myfelf " among the number of the children of God ? Sure- *' ly then thofe admonitions and exhortations are not " for me." Were it not for thy doubts, thy foul would enjoy higher degrees of confolation, and be more refrefiied in the ufe of the feals of the covenant, efpecially the Lord's Supper; for then thou wouldft confider them as the pledges of thy Father's love to thee. Did not doubts prevail, and were not thy foul tofled to and fro by the tempeft of uncertainty, thou wouldft exhibit a life of ufefulnefs, thou wouldft be active by thine advice and inftru6lion in leading thy fellow men in the ways of religion and true happi- nefs. And hence it is, that thou doft not progrefs in the divine life thyfelf, and art of little ufe or ad- vantage to thy fellow Chriftians. 6. By for ever doubting of thy cafe, thou bringeft an evil report of the way which leads to the celeftial Canaan. When the world fee the people of God vjaUiing mournfully before the Lord of hofls, they are imprelfed with an idea that the fervice of God is a hard fervice, attended with a countenance expreftive of a heart deprefled and filled with forrow. How reafonable then, believer, is it, that thou feek to re- move the prejudices which the world have imbibed LECTURE 111. 109 againft the divine and precious religion of thy Jefus, by a walk which manifefls the fupreme delights which it affords to all its votaries ; and thus allure them to the divine Redeemer. 7. Affurance contributes to the advantage of the Chriflian in every fituation in which he may be placed in the prefent life. A. In Prosperity. When the fecret of God is upon thy tabernacle, and thou wajliejt thy Jieps with butter, by being aflured of thy faith, thou wilt be enabled to view thcfe bleffings as agreeable additions to the better bleffings of the covenant, and to have been difpenfed by a compaffionate God and Father, in and through the merits of the Saviour. This de- lightful retrofpe6l will create fentiments of genuine gratitude in thy heart. Doft thou expe6l, believer, a better portion than this world can afford ? Being affured of thy faith, thou wilt find thy heart more weaned from things of time and fenfe, and difpofed not to look at the things which are feen, hut at the things zohich are not feen ; for the things which are feen are temporal, hut the things which are not feen are eternal, 2 Cor. iv. i8. B. In Adversity. To be affured of faith will aifo make thee patient and fubmiffive when the hand of thy God difpenfes fevere trials, and his pro- vidential acts are fuch as to bring thee into cir- cumllances moft diftreffing. For being firong in faith thou wilt fee that all fublunary things are of uncertain enjoyment, in no wife conftitute thy chief good, and are not to be compared with thofe better and durable treafures which are laid up for thee in heaven. Thefe confiderations will induce thee in the word of times to commit to thy covenant God all thy concerns, and caufe thee thus to reafon with ihyfelf : P no THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. •' My Father knows what is beft for me — It is there- " fore very poflible that it will contribute more to *' my advantage to be kept in the furnace of afflic- " tion, than with others to bafk beneath the bright " beams of profperity. Let him do unto me what *' feemeth good in hisjight !" C. In fudden and unexpefted emergencies to be aflured of thine intereft in Chrifl, will produce an holy ftillnefs in thy foul, and compofed by the thought that thy Jefus reigns, thou wilt be able to adapt to thyfelf the language of David, and with him exultingly to fay, — Though the earth be removed^ though the mountains be carried into the midjl of the fea, though the -waters thereof roar and be troubled, and though the mountains Jliake with the fwelling there- of^ yet will we not fear ; for the Lord is our refuge and flrength, a very prefent help in trouble. D. To be alTured of thine intereft in Chrift will enable thee, Chriftian, to defpife the frowns and to rife fuperior to the reproaches which the men of the world may caft upon thee. For, united to glorious Chrift, when the infidel fneers, and the enemies of the crofs revile, I can triumph in this, that the Eter- nal is my refitge, and underneath me are his everlafling arms, — and that Jefus hath taken me within the bonds of his covenant, adorned my perfon with his fpotlefs robe, and hereafter will elevate me to a feat on his throne. E. When thou attaincft to an affurance of thy faith, then thou doft firft tafte the delights, the fatif- faftion, and fupreme plcafure, which vital religion aOFords. Then firft wilt thou commence rejoicing with joy imfpeakable and full of glory in the Immacu- late Lamb. F. Affured of thy faith, Christian, thou wilt LECTURE III. HI be a ftranger to the fears which the contemplation of DEATH and JUDGMENT would othcrwife excite. Both thefe events, fo terrible to the wicked, and fo much dreaded by the hypocrite, are to thee who view- eft thyfelf reconciled to God by the death of his Son, fources from which iffue ftreams of joy and delight. It cannot be otherwife; for, having an intereft in Chrift, thou beholdeft death difarmed of his fting, and feeft Jesus the future Judge of the world not to be thine enemy, but thy friend, thy furety, thy hufband, who in the prefence of the affembied uni- verfe will own thee as one redeemed by his blood, and fay to thee, Come thou hlejjed of my Father, inhe- rit the kingdom prepared for thee from the foundation. of the world, Matt. xxv. G. If thy faith be vigorous and lively, thou wilt be enabled to bring forth much fruit. It will make thee MEEK and humble in the prefence of thy God, and the language of David when he went in and fat before the Lord, will be the language of thy foul : 0 Lord God, -who arn I, and what is my houfe, that thou hafl brought me hitherto? 2 Sam. vii. 18, With good old Jacob thou wilt alfo exclaim. Lord! I am unworthy of the leafl of all thy mercies and truth, Gen. xxxii. 10. It will excite thee often to medi- tate upon and to feek to comply with the apoftolic exhortation, Col. iii. 1, Seek thofe things which are above, where Chrifl fitteth at the right hand of God. Set your affcBions on things above, not on things on the earth. It will make thee faithful to thy neigh- bour, and awaken a defne in thee to do every thing in thy power to promote his eternal falvation. It will in a word excite thee to prudence and cir- cumspection in thy waUc, left by an oppofite con- 113 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. du6l thou fhouldft lofe thy wonted boldnefs and confidence in approaching thy God. V. Now is there fo much comfort and true pleafure arifmg from a well-grounded affurance ? Whence is it that in our day fo fmall a number of allured Chrifiians are to be met with ? This was the FIFTH fubje6l we propofed to inveftigate. And why is it fo ? Reafons can be affigned for it, both on the part of God, and on the par.t OF THE BELIEVER HIMSELF. 1. On THE PART OF GoD. It plcafcs the Lord to fuffer it to be fo, A. In ORDER TO DISPLAY HIS DIVINE SO- VEREIGNTY IN DISPENSING GRACE. It is his pleafure that one enjoy much light and comfort, and that another be led in a way of darknefs and dif- trefs, without afligning any reafon for his conduft; and in this it becomes his followers to be filent and to adore. B. God will have his people kept low and HUMBLE, and not exalted on account of grace re- ceived. The affurance of faith does not produce pride of heart ; yet it is fometimes feen, that by rea- fon of indwelling fin. and temptations from hell, the aflured Chriftian will form too exalted an opinion of himfelf and of his attainments. Now becaufe God delighteth himfelf in his humble followers, he will permit doubts, and its companion darkness, to arife, in order to keep them humble. C. The Lord fufFers his people fo frequently to want the affurance of faith, on account of the UNGODLY, in order that they may fee that to ob- tain falvation is not fo eafy a thing as they have been induced to believe. That they may be con- vinced, agreeably to the declaration of our Lord, LECTURE III. 113 , that Strait is the gate and narrow is the way -which leadeth unto life. The ungodly man, when he fees believers, who perhaps have been long travelling the celeftial road, difcovering fuch evidences of fear and doubts with refpe6l to their future ftate, there is a probability of his being brought to reafon thus with himfelf: " What mutl be my final doom? If the '' righteous are scarcely faved, -where Jliall I ap- " pear ?" 2. But do there exift on the part of Gt»d fuch wife and holy reafons, that fo few of his dear chil- dren attain to affurance ? We further remark, that caufes may be afligned alfo on the part of be- lievers THEMSELVES, why tliis affurancc which is fo delirable to all Chriilians, is fo feldom enjoyed. A. One caufe is, that they do not devote suf- nCIENT TIME to ACQUIRE THE KNOWLEDGE OF DIVINE TRUTHS, by which they would form to themfelves proper views of the nature of faith and of aifurance, as alfo of other intereiling truths of reli- gion. It is becaufe their knowledge of thefe is con- traded and fuperficial, that they are fo often toffed like the fhip in the midft of the tempeftuous ocean, and experience fo much difquietude in the divine life. B. Many Chriftians feem to c h e r i s h despond- ing SENTIMENTS OF THEMSELVES. They are for ever complaining with refpeft to their flate, as if the effence of Chriftianity con filled therein. Remove any one difficulty with which they are opprelTed, and inftantly many others arife. C. Many live too inattentive to the SECRET. DUTIES OF RELIGION. They engage not enough in holy meditation, and arc too negleSl- fiil of -wrcflling with God alone in prayer. They 114 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. may pray indeed, but it is not with that engagcdnefs and ardour which the nature of the duty requires. They frequently content themfelves with having gone through the exercife, and feel not that dif- trefs which ought to pierce their inmoft fouls ; when Jeeking they do not find. And may not a condu6i: like this caufe Jehovah to withhold from his people the light of his countenance, and induce him to ma- nifefl to them his difpleafure ? D. Many Chriftians live without that cir- cumspection, CARE, AND TENDERNESS IN THEIR converfation with the world, which is fo necelTary. They do not exercife that wifdom and prudence in the midjl of a wicked and perverfe gene^ ration, on which our holy religion fo much infifts. They become too conformable to the world, both in their words and a6lions. They do not come out boldly for God and his caufe. Now whenever per- fons of this defcription come to a fenfe of thefe lins, diftrefs feizes them, and painful anxiety preys upon them. Now their language is, " In what do we dif- " fer from the men of the world ? Are we not too •' much conformed to them ? If we were under the " influences of the Spirit of grace, it could never " have been thus with us. Our cafe is doubtful, — " we had hoped that all was well with us. But now, " alas, we find we had fondly cheiifhed hopes with- *' out any foundation whatever for fo doing." And here, believers, how great caufe have you to be afliamed at a condu6l fo incompatible with the re- ligion you profcfs! What reafon have you to be humbled for having given the world fo much reafon to imbibe prejudices againfl the pure principles of Chriflianity, and for having robbed your own fouls of the confolations and joys of which alTured Chrif- i LECTURE III. 115 tians participate ! Holinefs is the fureft way to ob- tain affurance. If God's children walk tenderly in his prefence, and difplay in all their deportment an affeftion and regard for him, he will obferve a fimi- lar part, and by gracious manifeftations of his com- placency, difplay to their fouls the pleafure he takes in them. And although your want of prudence and circumfpeftion in your lives fhall not keep you ulti- mately out of heaven, yet it is this which makes the road leading thither thorny and irkfome. VI. Do any then enquire, What are the MEANS WHICH CHRISTIANS MUST EMPLOY IN ORDER TO ATTAIN TO AN ASSURANCE W^HICH IS FIRM AND WELL-GROUNDED? This WaS in the SIXTH place, what was propofed to be (hown. 1. Is thine ignorance, believer, one of the caufes of thy living in a ftate of doubt, as to thine intereft in Chrift ? Be vigilant, and endea- vour by EVERY mean to obtain a clear, accurate, and distinct knowledge of di- vine TRUTHS, especially OF THOSE WHICH. RESPECT the nature of faith and affurance. Thou doft perhaps often exercife faith, and thou knoweft it not becaufe of thine ignorance as it regards its na- ture and effential afts. If thou wert aware that faith confifts in one's running and flying to Chrift, and examined thy heart by the word of God, thou couldft not avoid acknowledging, that thou wert a poffeffor of it. 2. Compare not thine exercises with GREAT and more ADVANCED CHRISTIANS, and then think that becaufe thou haft not expe- rienced the fame, that therefore thou haft no grace. No : rather confider, that among the people of God are found bruised reeds as well as the stately ii6 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. CEDARS OF Leuanon. Thofc wliofc feitli is weak, as well as thofe who are strong in the Lord ; and that thofe who are feeble among the flock are as dear to God as thofe whofe attainments have been great. 3. Learn to distinguish between thy STATE AND THY FRAMES. Thy ftatc has always been good, from the moment thou firfl believedfc, but thy frames frequently change. Is thy foul in any refpe6l awakened and infpirited ? Thy frames are aUo lively, and thou feeleft a degree of alTurance. But is thy heart lifelefs, and as it were unanimated ? Then all is doubt and diflruft, and thy mind, which was elevated by hope before, becomes depreffed by fear, and cleaves to the duft. Are thefe tranfitions proper ? V/ould it not contribute more to the glory of God, and to thine own peace, wert thou to reafon thus in every fituation of thy life ? " True, I have '•' been but little exercifed in my mind. This heart " has often experienced much duUnefs, much ftu- *' pidity, much deadnefs with regard tp things hea- '* venly and divine. But is not God always immu- " tably the fame ? Will he not therefore make good " his word, and tiniz Ins hand on the little ones ?" 4. OiTEN EXAMINE THYSELF FAITHFULLY, as in the prefence of the Lord, in regard to the marks of grace which, in the preceding part of this dif- courfe, have been laid down. Alk thyfelf, faying, *' O my foul, wilt thou dare to affert, that I have " not experienced at lead fome of thofe things which " God in his word declares that thofe do experience " who arc his adopted children ?" Bring thy cafe before the Lord in earnell and importunate prayer, and fay, '• Lord, I would not willingly deceive my- LECTURE Iir. 11^ •* felf, and I would be equally indifpofed to defpife ** ihe day offmall things, or cftimate at too low a rate ** the operations of thy Spirit, as if they were effects " which could be produced by the energies of my *' natural powers. I have of a truth been exercifed ** in fuch a way, and experienced things which could " have been wrought in me by no human power. " Surely it is thy work, — O enable me to believe " it \" 5. Unbosom thyself to thofe of thy friends and acquaintance, who by reafon of the improve- ment they have made, through grace, in divine knowledge, can be inftrumental to render thee fup- port and affiflance. It is not intended, by giving thee this advice, to inlinuate that all thy friends, even thofe who are pious, fhould be told the parti- culars of thy cafe. This might work an injury. All are not capable of being bofom friends. Some by their ignorance, imprudence, and dogmatical opi- nions, or by a want of knowing how to feel for the woes of others, and to fympathize with them in dif- trefs, are more adapted to deprefs the mind than ta elevate its hopes. Communicate the fecrets of thy heart to thofe who, having been taught themfelves hy experience and much obfervation, the ways which the Eternal holds with his people, can, and who, having a heart inclined to commiferate thofe in dif- trefs, and at the fame time to glorify their Father in, heaven, will deal in a tender, affeftionate, and faithful manner with thee. 6. Be constant and lively in the exer- cise OF faith; hunger and third more after Chrifl; ; run, haften, fly every day with increafed vi- gour unto him with all thofe burdens, beneath the prefTing weight of which thou art nigh to finking, Q ii8 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Doft thoii fall into fm ? let his blood be again thy refuge. In this way thou wouldft attain to a full perfuafion that thou haft received Jefus, and that thy foul's defire is to the remembrance of his name, to a61: and to live for him. 7. Renev^^ daily before the Lord thy determina- tion, through grace, to be his for ever, and renouncing fin and the world, to cleave to him alone. 8. Above all, endeavour, through grace, to approve thyfelf to thy God, with the tendernefs and affeftion of a child. Be on thy guard againft a walk conformable to this world. Let it be feen, by every aft of thy life, and by thy pious deportment, that thou art not of the world, but belong to that people whofe God is the Lord, It is beeaufe believers do not condu6t themfelves with that tendernefs towards their Father that the fcriptures every where enjoin, that he is pleafed to withhold from them the light of his countenance, and fufFers them to go mourning as without the fun. 9. Gratefully acknowledge the fmalleft degrees of grace which may have been implanted in thy foul. For the fmalleft as well as the greateft have coft the precious Jefus his blood; — both are the almighty work of the Holy Spirit. Not to ac- knowledge all the bleffings which thy Father dif- pcnles to thee, is to refleft difhonour upon him. Adapt then to thyfelf the language which the father ot the fick child mentioned' in the gofpel, addreffed to Jefus — " Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief." 10. Never be fo anxious to obtain the affurance of thy faith, as to increafe daily in holinefs. Let thy foul feek after the joys and confolations of reli- gion, in fuch a way as to evidence that it is fu- premely felicitous to promote the honour of thy co- LECTURE III. ,,9 venant God, and to make fuitable returns, by a holy converfation, for the grace bellowed upon thee. Be aflured, that God will not leave himfelf without a witnefs of his love and faithfulnefs. 11. Laflly, If thy heavenly Father com- municate TO THEE ANY LIGHT, CHERISH IT WITH THE GREATEST CARE; prizc it moft highly ; be thankful for it; be always meek and humble; for frames like thefe are well pleafing to thy God. See thus, what we had to obferve on the great do6lrine of the assurance or faith. — We muft now endeavour in a more particular manner to im- prove the fubjeft, firfl with a view to the conviction of thofe WHO AS yet are in a state of na- ture, and then to the encouragement of those WHO are the chosen and redeemed of the Lord. Is it afked, What advantage can natural men de- rive from what has been faid, fince they know not the things of the Spirit of God? We reply, It may ferve to make them form high and exalted fentiments of the principles of Chriftianity, and create in them at leaft fecret defires to be in a ftate in which they may live comfortably and die happily. It may be at- tended alfo with this advantage, to convince them that they have been at eafe in their fms, and have fondly indulged themfelves with a hope of heaven, while there was not the leaft foundation for it. For if to a child of God thQ affurance of faith be a mat- ter of fuch importance, certainly they have abun- dant reafon to fearch their hearts with the greateft care, efpecially before they appear at the table of the Lord, lejl they eat and drink judgment to themfelves. Come then, infatuated finner, who art paffing through life with fo much "unconcern ! we addrefa 130 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. ourfelves not immediately to thee who art living peifeftly at thy cafe in the commiffion of open and public afts of fin; who art cvy'mg peace, peace, and dofl; not experience any alarm when the terrors of the Lord are founded in thine cars ; — but we dire6l this addrefs particularly to thee who art moral in thy converfation, and deporteft thyfelf externally as re- ligious; TO THEE we fpeak, whom Satan is lulling to fleep, and whom he entices to found a hope on that which is not warranted by the word of God- On what baiis dofl thou evt€t thy hope, that Jefus is thy Saviour, and God thy God and portion ? To this thou muft carefully attend. Who can tell, but it may plcafe the Lord to give thee a feeling fenfe of thine awful fituation before it be eternal- ly too late? Why thinkeft thou that ail is well vith thee ? 1. Is it becaufc thou iiast a clear and ex- tensive KNOWLEDGE OF DIVINE TRUTHS? Bc afTured, that this is no folid foundation for thee to reft upon. Although a perfon be a minifter of the gof- pel, and be able to difplay the greateft ability in ex- hibiting its dodrincs in their connexion, with the greateft perfpicuity and precifion, yet he is not to be cftcemcd a Chriftian merely on this account. For hear the fentiments which Paul addreffcd on this head to the church of Chrift at Corinth : Thcugh I had all knowledge, and had not charity, I am nothing, 1 Cor. xiii. 2. Who is able to afceitain the degree of knowledge at which Judas arrived ? AVas he not an apoflle of the divine Jefus ? Did he not enjoy the advantage of receiving inftru6lion at the mouth of Chrift himfelf? Yet fcripture declares, that he was a fon of perdition. Unlefs the truths which are inculcated in the word bc applied to the heart, we LECTURE III. ,2, canncrt reft our hopes of falvation upon the mere knowledge of them. ■ 2. Or doft thou lay it as thy foundation, that THOU LEADEST A MORAL LIFE, that thoU haft MADE A PROFESSION of the rcHgion of Chrift, or that THE PIOUS are thofe whom thou haft fele6led as thy companions ? All thefe things are very good, and they may be means of bringing thee ultimately to God ; but they are far, very far from being fuffi- cient grounds for thee to reft upon. We "have in the preceding lecture fhown to what lengths a per- fon may go, and ftill be loft for ever. 3. Or doft thou indulge the hope that thou haft received grace, because God in his provi- dence HATH blessed THEE IN TEMPORAL THINGS? To balk beneath the meridian fun of profperity does not render thee more plealing in the eyes of him -who feeth not as man feelh. Neither maintain a belief that thy ftate is gracious, becaufe the Eternal vifiteth thee with afflidions. Some have done this, putting an improper conftrudion on that faying of Paul, Heb. xii. 6, Whom the Lord loveth he chajieneth. O miferable foundations for immortals to reft their eternal concerns upon ! Does not fcripture exprefsly declare, that There is one event to the righteous. and to the wicked ; to him that feareth God, and to him. that feareth him not. Doth God, O fmner, blefs thee with riches, and elevate thee to the feat of ho- nour ? this is all thy portion, and a poor, very poor portion it is ! Or doth the Almighty caufe thee to fpend thy days in bitternefs ? doth he vifit thee with poverty, and bereave thee of thy neareft friends and relatives ? Thou canft not be affured that thefe trials, in thy prefent unconverted ftate, are any thing more than the beginning of cverlajlwg Jorrozvs. 122 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. 4. Or art thou faying to thyfelf, I have been" BORN OF Christian parents, educated in A Christian land, and from my youth up HAVE HAD serious IMPRESSIONS OF RELI- GION; MY PARENTS HAVE OFTEN PRAYED FOR ME ? Are not thefe advantages on which I may reft my hope ? To have had fuch advantages was indeed moft defirable. By being thus fituated in Hfe, thou haft probably been preferved from many fins into which otherwife thou wouldft have fallen. But thy pa- rents poffefled not the power to change thy heart. Grace is not an entailed inheritance. Ishmael was the fon of a pious parent, of Abraham the father of the faithful, and yet we no where read of his conver- fion. Esau was the fon of godly Ifaac, and yet fcripture affures us, that he -was hated. Ham who was accurfed, was the fon of Noah, fo celebrated in the infpired writings for his piety and faithfulnefs in his generation. 5. Or doft thou flatter thyfelf that thy hopes are built on a foundation much more certain ? a foundation which the word of God itfelf propofes, that thou LOVEST THOSE WHO LIVE GODLY IN ChRIST J E s u s ? The apoftle Jolin indeed declares, that Who- Joever is horn of God loveth the brethren. But is it a fa6l that thou haft this love ? Come, let us reafon together on this point : Why doft thou love the Lord's peo- ple? Perhaps thou art pleafed with them on account of fome benefit which thou deriveft from their ac- quaintance, or becaufe thou findeft in them a fimi- larity of natural difpofition, or becaufe they are friendly and difcreet. But is it true that thou loveft them becaufe they are made conformable to the image of Chri/l ? Doft thou efteem them as highly, when in faithfulnefs they warn thee of thy fin and danger. LECTURE in. ,23 as when they do thee a kindnefs, and exprefs them- felves agreeably to thy wiflies ? We may seem to love the followers of Chrift, and profess fentiments of efteem for faithful minifters, and yet be excluded the kingdom. Did not Herod liften with apparent delight to the preaching of John the Baptift ? Did he not profefs to efteem him highly ? — But who is ignorant of what fcripture fo exprefsly declares con- cerning him ; — that he lived without God in the world, and died in his fins ? 6. Or doft thou fay, — I cannot poffibly mifsof hea- ven; FOR I HAVE RECEIVED ASSURANCES THAT MY STATE IS GOOD, cvcu from Chrift's minifters themfelves, when in former periods of ficknefs they have vifiteds me. They must know what is ne- ceflary for a perfon to have, and certainly they would not wittingly deceive. We can eafily conceive, that if Chrift's minifters are not faithful in their vifitations of the fick, that they may prove inftrumental of making perfons to reft on foundations of fand. It is not an eafy thing to attend thofe on their fick bed, who cherifti the hope that all is well, and are fo anxious to have their hearts comforted. They catch at every word of encouragement that is fpoken, and fay, Surely I can apply this to myfelf. But, — finner, — what will it avail thee that minif- ters have alFured thee that thy peace is made with God. They only judge of thy cafe according to thine own reprefentation of it ; and addrefs thee in terms which are encouraging, becaufe of the favoura- ble ftatement;Arhich thou thyfelf haft given them of the exercifes of thy heart, and of the tenor of thy life. They are not fearchers of the heart, nor can they try the reins of the children of men ; and be- ,24 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. lieve it, that thofe who truly fear God neither cam nor WILL ever conclude that their ftate is gracious, merely becaufe a fellow creature fays fo. They go to God himfcif, and cry, Lord, fay thou to my foul , I am thy falvation. n. Or it may be that thou relieft upon former CONVICTIONS, and supposest in confequence^ that thefe have wrought a change in thine heart. But this is delufive hope; for perhaps thou wert before openly wicked and profane, or thou hadft been guilty of fome fm, the atrocity of which has greatly alarmed thy confcience, and hence thou haft been induced to determine upon leading a better life. Befides, it may be that thefe convi6tions have not been lafting ; that they have not been accompanied hy faving converlion, and thou haft become far worfe than before: and hence, inftead of hoping that falvation and eternal glory will ultimately be thy portion, thou haft reafon to fear that thy con- demnation will be the more fevere. Is it then true that thou haft never builded on the Rock Christ? What mifery and wretchednefs awaits thee! Haft thou any right to the Lord's Supper ? Under pre- fcnt circumftances oughteft thou riot to be exhorted jiot to approach the table of the Lord ? Rather go to God in Chrift ; mourn before him thy guilt, and l.he breach which fm hath made between thee and him; and plead, with e^rneftnefs plead, that he whofe work it is, would had, thee in the way everlafi- ing before thou openeft thine eyes in hell, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. But, PEOPLE OF God, ye who have never yet attained to an affurance of your faith, — to your cafe this le6ture is particularly adapted. Seek to be al- furcd that ye are in the faith ; and now, when you LECTURE Iir. 12$ are about preparing to meet your Redeemer at his table, let not your fouls be opprelTed by doubts and fears. We have laid down principles {ele6led from the word of God for felf-examination. Although you find not in yourfelves all the marks of grace, endeavour to fee whether you have experienced the chief of them. Do you diftrull your former exer- cifes, that they have not been genuine and evangeli- cal ? Examine now whether you do not feel fmcere delires after Chrift ; whether you do not purpofe in your heart to live before God in the light of the living, and to renounce the fervice and flavery of fin. Can ye appeal to him who feeth in fecret, and who knowcth all things, and fay, Lord Jcfus, thou art all our dejire, and the full purpofe of our heart is, as thou Ihalt enable us to die unto Jin, and to live unto right- coufnefs ? Then, though ye feel not an affured con- fidence, yet ye are thofe whom Jefus hath loved with an everlajling love; and it is your privilege not only, but your duty, to draw nigh to his table, and with his followers to commemorate his dying love. Will not, O believers ! your Jefus be with you as he hath faid, and give you, with the external figns, the in- ternal feal of his Spirit ? And ye who are assured of your intereft in the precious Redeemer, O how far paffing all de- fcription the happinefs of your ftate ! Ye have not only grace, but ye know that ye have it. And is not this grace for grace? How pleafant to walk in the light, while fo many proceed on their jour- ney furrounded by darknefs ! Praife the triune God, your covenant God, for what he hath of free, fove- reign, and unmerited grace, done for you. Seek, in the ufe of every appointed mean, and in the ftrength of your Jefus, to preferve the aiTurance which he R 126 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. hath given you of your union to him. Do all in your power to become inflrumental of binding up the broken in heart, and of encouraging thy fellow- Chriftians, whofe fouls, as David expreffes it in the forty-fccond pfalm, are difquieted withm them. Go with the confidence of children to the table which your Father in heaven, your Jefus, hath prepared for you. Long for the returns of thofe feafons when it fhall be fpread, and when you fhall fit down thereat, and in the eating of bread and drinking of wine, devote yourfelves to your Saviour God. Long too for the arrival of that glorious day when with Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob you fhall enjoy the fweet repaft which is prepared for all the followers of the Lamb ; when, feated at his table above, your affur- ance will no more be interrupted ; when you enter into yonder blifsful regions, where your Jefus ap- pears exalted at the right hand of his Father. Then it will be your employment throughout eternity, to ferve the Eternal in infinitely more exalted drains — Then hope will be changed into fruition, and faith for ever be loft in fight. AMEN. '7 3 PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Lecture IV. IN WHICH THE REASONS ARE ASSIGNED WHY SO MANY OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD, ON THEIR WAY TO HEAVEN, ATTAIN NOT TO THE ASSURANCE OF FAITH ; AND THE GROUNDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT ARE EXHI- BITED, WITH A VIEW TO AFFORD SUPPORT AND COMFORT TO THEIR DESPONDING SOULS, xi. AV I N G, in the preceding lefture, expreffed our fentiments on the nature of assurance, and URGED it as a duty upon the people of God TO SEEK to attain to it : we conceive it now to be proper, to lay before you fome of the principal rea- fons, WHY fo many true believers, on their way to glory, remain without an assurance of their having a faving intereft in Chrift; in full confi- dence that, the Eternal fmiling upon our feeble at- tempt, our endeavours to remove the despond- ing thoughts which they entertain of themfelves, and to promote their joy and peace in believing, will not be fruitlefs. In the prefent lefture we propofe, I. To Ihew that doubts and fears may be ex- tiS THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. peYienced by thofe who are in a gracious flate, and that it is no uncommon thing for real believers to be exercifed by them. II. To point out the principal fources whence thofe doubts and fears proceed. III. To mention fome of thofe means, in the ufe of which fouls which are in doubt, and filled with diftrefs with refpe6t to their eternal concerns, may be brought to enjoy divine confolation on their journey through this wildernefs to the heavenly Canaan. IV. The ledure will conclude with fome ad- vice and DIRECTIONS as to the manner in which true Chriftians, under fuch diftreffing circumftances, ought to conduft themfelves, that they may ap- proach the table of the Lord acceptably to God and profitably to themfelves. First. That the children of God who are truly in a gracious flate may doubt and be opprefTed BY FEAR, left Chrift be not their Saviour, and they may have never favingly believed in him, and that MANY of them are found in a fituation fo peculiarly diftreffing, is demonftratcd by the following argu- tnents : 1. There are plain declarations in the word of God, which teach us, that the way thai leadeth unto life is narrotv, Matt. vii. 13, 14; that the righteom are scarcely faved, 1 Pet. iv. 18; and that we muft ftvive to enter in. — Then Jaid one unto him, Lord, are there few tliatfhall be faved? and he fa id unto them, Strive to enter in at the flrait gate, for many, I fay unto you, will feck to enter in, and JJiall not be able, Luke xiii. 24. 2. The fame oracles of divine Truth inform us, that in fome believers faith h weak, in others ftrong; LECTURE IV. 29 that among the children of God there are thofe who may be compared to bruifed reeds, and others who are Hkened to the ftately cedars of Lebanon. Hence, whilft fome triumph by faith, others are found who entertain defponding thoughts with refpe6l to their cafe, and go through life doubting of their intereft in Chrift's purchafed falvation. 3. The EXAMPLES which are recorded in fcrip- ture of particular faints who have been in great doubt, and who have been oppreffed with much fear concerning their ftate, clearly fettles the point in queftion. David himfelf prayed, Pfalm li. 12, Re~ Jlore unto me the joy of thy falvation, and uphold int ruith thy free Spirit ; and in Pfalm xxx. 7, he ad- dreffes the Eternal thus : Lord, by thy favour thmt hafl made my mountain to flandfirong: thou didfl hide thy face, and I was troubled. Hear the language of Afaph, Pfalm Ixxvii. 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, / remembered God, and was troubled ; / complained, and my fpirit luas overwhelmed. Will the Lord cajl off for ever ? and will he be favourable no more ? Is his mercy clean gone for ever ? doth his promife fail for evermore ? Hath God forgotten to be gracious ? hath he in anger Jhiit up his tender mercies ? And I faid, this is my INFIRMITY. What reprefentation did Heman make of his cafe? Pfalm Ixxxviii. 14, 15, 16, Lord, why cafeji thou off my foul? why hidejl thou thy face from me ? I am afflitlcd and ready to die from my youth up. While I fiffer thy terrors I am difraclcd ; thy ferce wraih gocth over me ; thy terrors have cut me off. At- tend aifo to the complaint of the church, Pfalm cii. 4, g. My heart is fmitten and withered like grafs, fo that I forget to eat my bread. By reafon of the voice of my groaning, my bones cleave to my fin. I am like a pelican of the zvildernefs ; I am like an cwl of the 130 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. dejert. I watch and am like ajparrow alone upon the hoitfe-top. Mine enemies reproach me all the day, and they that are mad againjl mc are fworn againji me. For I have eaten a/Jies like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping. 4. The experience of believers in all AGES CONFIRMS our affertion. Many of God's children, when firfl brought from a ftate of nature to a Ilate of grace, receive much light and enjoy much peace ; efpecially if God's Spirit hath drawn them to Jefus with the cords of love. But let them travel on the road a little farther; let God withhold the influ- ences of his grace ; let Satan difcover his enmity ; let, in a word, their corruptions, which, in the height of their firll love and zeal, feemed to have been alto- gether fubdued, again manifefl themfelves ; — then their doubts and fears arife ; then they Jit in dark- nejs, and their language is, " I am afcaid that I •' have never been fmcere, and never felt the power *' of religion on my heart." For Chriftians of this defcription have never learnt to walk hy faith. Oihers, from the very commencement of the work of God upon their hearts, live enveloped in great darknefs. — They dare not believe that their convic- tions have been of the right kind. Hence then it is a facl, that doubts, fears, and fentiments of a defponding nature, may have plac2 in God's children; who may here be viewed, either, 1. As thofe who are juft ENTERING upon the Chriflian life, who indeed entertain a hope, that God is working by his Spirit in their hearts, but who con^ llantly are cxercifed by fear, that they have never been the fubjeds of fpecial grace : or, 2. As thofe who have been longer on tiis ■WAY, and have walked beneath the rays emanating lECTURE IV. 131 from Jefus, the fun of righteoufnefs, but who at times are covered with midnight darknefs, and are often alarmed left they (hall ultimately be excluded the kingdom of heaven. The doubts and defpondencies, which believers of this laft description experience, come suddenly upon them. — At the very time they are living in fel- lowlhip with God, and in the exercife of faith and love, it frequently happens that before they are aware, Satan affaults their fouls, inje6ls his fiery darts, and demands — " Thou who calleft thyfelf a believer, *' how doft thou know that thou art fincere in thy " profeffions of religion ? What evidence art thou *' in poffeffion of that thy faith is genuine ?" But it muft here be remarked, that by means of the light which, by the illuminating influence of the Spirit, hath beamed in their minds ; and being accuftom- ed to live by faith, they foon afcertain the fource whence thefe fiery darts come ; and therefore, though for a feafon their diftrefles run high, and their hearts may verge towards defpondency, yet in the end they will fee that all this has been working together for their good, even to ejlabli/li their goings more and more. The truth of this remark was exemplified in the experience of the pfalmift. His anger endurcth hut a moment; in his favour is life. Weeping, faid he, may endure for a night, hut joy cometh in the morning, 3. As thofe who constantly spend their days, STRUGGLING BETWEEN HOPE AND FEAR, are al- ways in bitternefs, and continually complaining, like perfons who labour under a lingering difeafe, sucii believers are confidered in this leclure. To them, in a peculiar manner, we addrefs ourfelves, when, Secondly, We proceed to point out the prin- 132 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. ciPAL SOURCES whencc thofe doubts and fears arife. We have faid, that doubts and fears have place, A. In the minds of young Christians, who are firfl fetting out in the ways of religion, and have never experienced any kind of alTurance whatever. Wherefore do they doubt ? a. Becaufe they are fearful that their convic- tions ARE NOT GENUINE, having ncvcr bccu ac- companied with that great diftrefs of mind which they have feen others to experience. Their lan- guage is, " Some have had their fins fet in order be- *' fore their eyes in all their aggravated circumftances. *' They have beheld the Eternal difplaying all the " terror of majefty ; they have feen Jehovah, as one " who is infinite in holinefs, and who wields in his *' hand the fword of juftice. Hell too with. all its *' horrors has been opened to their view. But thefe *' difcoveries have never been made to us in fuch an '' awful manner, though our fins have been as " GREAT, yea, perhaps far furpaffing theirs, — " though we have fpent much of our time in the ** fervice of the world, have been enemies to God " and his religion, and have gone to the greatefl: *' lengths in the ways of fin. Surely it is impoflible " that we can be converted to God in fo eafy a man- *' ner, when thofe who are externally moral and fober, " arc made to feel diftrefs and agonies nearly refem- " bling the torments of hell." So that it appears, that they will not dare believe their convi6lions or converfion genuine, unlefs the former be as fevere as their fms have be*en enormous. h. Some, becaufe they are unable to ascer- tain precisely the time and place when firfl they met with a change of heart. " Some of )f *^^i^ LECTURE IV, 133 •* our acquaintance," fay they, " can tell the day, the *' hour, the moment, the particular ficknefs, the fer- " mon, when the Lord touched their hearts. But " with thefe we are altogether unacquainted. We " have lived from our youths up, profefTmg the " Chriftian religion, and deporting ourfelves as flrifi: " moralifts ; our education has been pious, and our " companions, men who feared the Lord. But ah ! " unto this day we know of no remarkable change " which has taken place." Now when God by his Spirit works in their hearts, they are afraid to view them as gracious operations, efpecially if that work be carried on in a mild manner, and they are brought over to God and to his fervice, without having their affedions greatly excited. They rather conceive them to be the effefts, either of a pious education, of a mild and placid temper, or of a na- tural averfion to objefts of fenfe. And this unfa- vourable conclufion with refpeft to their ftate is drawn, merely becaufe they cannot fix in their minds on the precife time when they were born again.— — It is granted that fuch perfons cannot with eafe, at all times, determine their true fituation before God ; and that they require the clearefl; marks of grace, when opprefTed with doubts and fears, to evince to themfelves that they are truly in a gracious ftate. c. Again, the doubts and fears of others proceed from this quarter, — That they have never experi- enced an INSTANTANEOUS CHANGE OF HEART, ♦' Under many a fermon," fay they, " our con- *' fciences have been awakened ; — but we have as of- " ten fuppreffed fuch awakening. Time after time, *' God hath knocked at the door of our hearts, but " we have not paid due attention to his prefling S 134 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. " calls. We might indeed have refolved to live in *' a diflPerent manner from what we had done before j " but our refolutions were no fooner made than they " were broken, and were never accompanied with an " a6lual furrender of our fouls to God in Chrift, " until perhaps months and years had elapfed; when " the Eternal at lafl; proved to be too powerful, over- *' came every oppofition, and fubdued our hearts to *' his fervice." Now perfons of this defcription are often greatly in doubt left the work hath not been done in truth. For again their language is, — *' Were we not as *' much convinced, and perhaps more than we are *' at prefent ? And behold ! all thofe conviftions " have departed, and who can tell but thefe may *' alfo ceafe to give us any concern ? Perhaps if we *' only had the fame opportunity offered for finning, " we would again purfue the fame evil courfes which " we once did." d. Many of God's dear children, efpecially when they have been but a fhort time on the way, are dif- treffed and greatly agitated in their minds, left they MAY HAVE COMMITTED THE SIN AGAINST THE Holy Ghost; and thus think that it is impoflible that their fins fliould be forgiven them, and confe- quentiy, though they mourn before the Lord, pray, intreat, and wreftle with him for grace, it will be in vain, becaufe Chrift hath laid, Matt. xii. 13, This Jin Jhall not be forgiven. In addition to all this, the arch-fiend, -who goeth about as a roaring lion, feeling ■whom he may devour, is generally aftive, at fuch times, to perfuade them to mention the caufe of their diftrefs to no perfon whatever, it being a fin too atrocious and too awful to be communicated. Hence it comes to pafs, that thofe who are thus affaulted, LECTURE rV. »35 long remain in a firm belief, that the unpardonable fin lieth at their door; whereas, if they liftened not to the delufive fuggeftions of the adverfary, they might foon, very foon, obtain relief from a burden fo op- preffive. e. Some, by an apprehenfion that they are NOT THE OBJECTS OF God's ELECTING LOVE, are conftantly exercifed by fear that they Ihall never be faved ; they approach near to a ftate of defpond- ency; they become inaftive ; their hands hang down. For, fay they, " As we belong not to the ele6lion " of grace, our ruin is certain. The decrees of God *' are abfolute and irrevocable, and therefore it is in ** vain to make any attempt to counteraft them. f. There are others again, more advanced in years, who fear that they fliall never obtain falvation, b e- CAUSE THEY HAVE WAITED TOO LONG BEFORE Th'eY COMMENCED SEEKING ChRIST, AND HAVE SPENT THE BEST OF THEIR DAYS IN THE SER- VICE OF SIN AND THE WORLD. Thefc arc con- ftantly exclaiming, — " Now it is for ever too late, ** and it is impoffible that God fhould receive us in ')• mercy, who have fo long lived regardlefs of him, of " Chrift, and of things heavenly and divine." Every fuggeflion of this kind may ultimately be traced to Satan, who would keep out of heaven every fon and daughter of Adam. In the feafon of youth, he would perfuade to a belief that it is time enough to engage in religious purfuits. — " What,"^ fays he, " wouldfl thou devote the beft of thy days to a life " which is fo dreadful and fo gloomy as that of reli- " gion ? Surely God intended that thou fhouldft " enjoy at leafl fome of the pleafures of the world. •'' When thou arriveft at a more advanced ftage, then *' is the moft proper feafon for thee to think of death i3« THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. and eternity." In old age, his ufual language is, — . *' Now thou haft finned away the feafon of grace, *' and there is no hope in thine end." Thefe are fome of the principal caufes which pro- duce diftrefs, fears, and doubts in thofe who are en- tering on the ways of religion, and concerning whom, hopes may be entertained, that their convi6lions ei- ther already have, or will end in the faving conver- iion of their fouls. B. But it muft be remarked, that doubts and fear» are not peculiar to the young Chriftian, but the minds of thofe are oppreffed by them, who have been longer on the road; among whom, fome have indeed once walked in much light, but are now overwhelmed in midnight darknefs ; and ethers who have never attained to the smallest DEGREE of affurance. The principal caufes of their diftrefs and fears, will now be mentioned. a. They doubt and fear, because they feel THE POWER OF THEIR CORRUPTIONS IN A high DEGREE, AND FIND BUT LITTLE STRENGTH TO MAKE RESISTANCE AGAINST THEM. " O !" fays one that is in fuch a cafe, *' how is it poffible that an heart like mine, in *' which are to be found fo many corruptions, and *' where fo many impurities obtain, can be an ha- *' bitation tor a holy God ? My foul is conftantly •' drawn off from God, and, before I am aware, it is *' carried away after the world and its finful pur- •' fuits. At one time I am overtaken by paffion, " and am hurried into the grofleft extravagancies ; at " another, a levity of mind diverts my attention from *' things facred and fcrious, and though I have often *' refolved to live near to the Lord, and to purfuc J.ECTURE W. 157 " a-courfe of holinefs, yet I am frequently made the S' vilftim of a heart deceitful above all things, and dcf- *' perately wicked, and yield to the firft emotion of " fin. Surely, if I were really a child of God, or *' poffeffed true grace, fin would be mortified, its <* power would be broken ; for the apoftle, addreff-i- " ing himfelf to the believing Romans, declares, ** Sin JJiall firdve no more dominion over you," Rom. vi. 14. b. Some of God's dear children are alarmed, b e- CAUSj; THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF DIVINE THINGS IS NOT MORE CLEAR, PRECISE, AND EXTEN- SIVE, " It is prefumption," fay they, " for us ever ** to think to come into heaven, having fuch imper- " fe6l ideas on matters of religion." They are alarmed the more on this account, when they com- pare the little improvement which they have made in divine knowledge, with the vaft acquifitions of many whofe attainments are fuch, that whilft they are able to fee with great perfpicuity, the connexion, harmony, and wifdom of the plan, as revealed by God for the recovery of finners, alfo poflefs an abi- lity of fpeaking on thofe fubjeds, fo as to benefit and highly contribute to the advantage of others. c. It is no uncommon thing for Chriftians to be diftrefled, because in their first exercises, WHEN THEY GAVE THEMSELVES AWAY TO GoD AND Christ, they experienced but little JOY and enlargedness of soul, in compa- rison with what many of the redeemed of THE Lord have felt. '' Is it poffible," fay they, " that we have in reality been brought out of " a ftate of nature into a ftate of grace ? that we have " fincerely devoted ourfelves to the Lord ? when, at " the time we fuppofe that change was wrought, and 138 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. *' this folemn furrender made, we were fo unaflFefted, *' and deftitute of the joys and confolations with " which others have been elated, and pecuHarly " favoured ? It cannot be, we have all along been *' indulging the fond hope, that we were in covenant <* with God ; but alas ! our hope has wanted a *« foundation." d. Doubts and fears arife in the minds of others, who (although they are not convinced but that they have once devoted themfelves to God and his fer- vice with fincerity, yet because they do not MAKE THOSE ADVANCES IN THE DIVINE LIFE, WHICH SOME OF THEIR PIOUS ACQUAINTANCE DO.) conceive they muft have deceived themfelves, and judge accordingly, that the 7'oot of the matter is not in them. Their language is, " There is that *' Chriftian friend, and others whom I might name, *' who, though they have been for a much fhorter " period engaged in the ways of religion than I have " been, yet are far more bold and zealous in the " caufe of their Mafter. It is manifefl to every at- " tentive beholder, that their progrefs in religion is *' far greater than that which I have made. As for *' me, inftead of advancing, I am going backward-. *' Had I ever been a fubjeft of true grace, it would *' never have been thus. I would have increafed in *' grace and knowledge of the Lord Jefus Chrifl. *' For the fweet finger of Ifrael declares, Pfalm xcii. " 13, Thnfe that be planted in the houfe of the Lord^ ^'Jhall flour ifli in the courts of our God." €. Others doubt of their being in a ftate of grace, BECAUSE THE TIME ONCE WAS, WHEN THEY ENJOYED AN ASSURANCE OF THEIR INTEREST IN Christ, but now they walk in dark- ness, AND SEE NO LIGHT; AND AT THE SAxME LECTURE IV. 139 TIMK ARE NOT CONSCIOUS THAT ANY ATRO- CIOUS SINS HAVE INTERVENED, WHICH MIGHT HAVE CAUSED A CHANGE SO REMARKABLE. They conclude, that all the hopes they had once fo fondly cheriftied, were without any grounds, and that all their former experiences were but imaginary ones. " For," fay they, " if they had been real, *' God would not have thus withdrawn from us the *' light of his countenance." J. Other Chriftians, when they deliberately fur- vey the dealings of God with iheir fouls, doubt of their being children of God, because, having BEEN CONVERTED IN THEIR. YOUTH, THEY CAN- NOT, LIKE OTHERS, SPEAK OF THEIR EXERCISES WITH RESPECT TO REGENERATION, A CHANGE OF HEART, OR A PASSING FROM DEATH TO LIFE. In the days of their youth, they felt that they loved Jefus ; that they hated fin ; that they ardently defired to depart from it ; and that it was their fupreme delight to hear and meditate upon his word : But having advanced in life, and their cor- ruptions having obtained greater ftrength, thofe fweet emotions have in a manner ceafed, and the afFeftions which were once fo lively, are lulled to fleep. Then again the Eternal awakens them from their iethargy ; their hatred of fin again returns ; again they would flee from it as their moft deadly foe; again their fouls are inflamed with love to the Lord Jefus, and to all that bear his image; and again they go on their way in the experience of much calmnefs and compofednefs. Now whenever peifons of this de- fcription hear other Chriftians converfe on the fub- je6t of the new hirth, and the marvellous change which it produced in them, they begin to be fufpi- cious, and to imagine that all their exercifes were I40 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. nothing more than childilh afFeQions, or the efFefls of a pious education. " For," fay they, " we have *' never undergone fuch a change." g. Many are brought to doubt of their bein§ children of God, by observing on the one HAND, THE PROSPERITY OF T H-E WICKED, AND ON THE OTHER, THAT WHILST THE UNGODLY HAVE NO BANDS IN THEIR DEATH, THEY HAVE TO GROAN UNDER MOST OPPRESSIVE BURDENS AND TRYING AFFLICTIONS. They are reduced to penury ; they meet with various calamities ; fick- nefs and pains are their conftant companions ; they are grieved by the diftreffes which friends near and dear to them experience. — Now when they fee the enemies of true religion wafted gently on the tide of profperity, and themfelves, who have profefled to be on the Lord's fide, perpetually buffeting the florms of adverfity, they immediately draw a conclufion mofl erroneous, and fay with Gideon, Judges vi. 13, " If the Lord be with us, why then is all this be^ '■^fallen us ? If God were our Father, would this *' poverty have overtaken us ? would we have had *' to pafs through fuch fcenes of dillrefs ? Can " thefe things correfpond with a father's love and *' faithfulnefs ? Would he not rather as a father " have provided for us ? It cannot but be, that our " way is hid from the Lord, and our judgment is paff- *' ed over from our God." Such were alfo the fenti- ments of Afaph, before he went into the fanctuary of the Lord : Behold, fays he, thefe are the ungodly that ■prof per in the world ; they increafe in riches. Verily I have cleanfed my heart in vain, and wafhed my hands, in innocency : For all the day long have I been plagued, and chajlcncd every morning, Pfalm Ixxiii. And it is not a matter which fhould allonilh us, that even LECTURE IV. 141 fuch temporal affli£lions ftiould excite fear and doubt in the mind. It is not fo eafy as fome may fuppofe, to be fo accjiiiefcent in the adverfe difpenfations of Providence, as to unite with Job, and exprefs our- felves in the language of refignation to the Divine will, faying. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away ; blejfed be the name of the Lord. h. There are alfo fome of God's people who quef- tion their being in a gracious ftate, because they HAVE TO STRUGGLE AGAINST SO MANY SINFUL AND BLASPHJSMOUS THOUGHTS OF GoD. Are they engaged in public worfhip or in fecret prayer ? their thoughts are often wandering to and fro. On a fudden, fuggellions are made to their minds of a moil dreadful nature, at which they not only muft recoil, but which fills them with terror; and which they dare not mention jto their neareft friends. *' Can fuch thoughts," fay they, " arife in the hearts *' of thofe who are converted to God, and who pof- *' fefs that divine principle which purijies the "heart. It cannot be; and therefore we muft " conclude, that God is not our Father, that Jefus is *' no Saviour of ours, and that his Spirit dwells not " in us." i. Another will exprefs himfelf thus: '' I dare not, *• on any principle whatever, hope, that a good work *' is begun in me; for the life of grace is a " hidden life, which is exercifed when the Chrif- " tian is alone with his God. But this is not my " cafe ; for, in the prefcnce of my fellow men indeed " I appear in the charafler of a child of God. *' When I am in company with the pious, I can " with fluency and fervour converfe on the great " and leading doftrines of giace — I can join with *' them in prayer, — My external deportment is va.ft- T T42 THE nous COMMUNICANT. " \y different from that of the men of the world— *' Their defires and difpofitions comport not with '•' mine : and when waiting upon Goc^in his ordi- " nances, often has my heart been awakened. But, "ah! I never RETIRE alone but both my zeal, "my ANIMATION, and my attention cease and "disappear; I cannot, with any fixednefs of " heart, meditate on God or on divine truths ; my " prayers languifh on my tongue ; all is dulnefs ; " a lifelefsnefs obtains. — And are not thefe the true " chara6teriflics of hypocrites, who like myfelf have " the form, but are deftitute of the power of godli- The foul which believes that it is enriched with the blef- fmgs of the kingdom of God, cannot but break forth into exclamations like thofe we meet with, Pfalm cxvi. and ciii. " What fhall I render to the Lord, for all " his benefits towards me : I will take the cup of " falvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. " Blefs the Lord, O my foul ! and all that is within *• me, blefs his holy name ! Blefs the Lord, O my *' foul ! and forget not all his benefits." — But, if the LECTURE V. 197 praifes of God be upon the tongue of every believer, for bleffings of a fpiritual nature; and if it delight him thus to glorify the Eternal as the beneficent giver of all things refpe£ling the foul, think not that he is unmindful of the temporal bounties which his Father may have bellowed upon him. He beholds his reconciled God dealing them out to him ; he confiders them alfo to be benefits which his Redeemer hath purchafed for him, and therefore to exprefs the gratitude with which his heart is filled, he prefenH his foul and body a living facrijice, holy, and accepL able unto God, d. Faith is the fruitful parent of godly fear. For although it be true, that by faith the Chriflian is admitted to fellowfhip with God, and may hold an intercourfe with him as a reconciled Father, and a covenant God ; yet becaufe he has been taught, that the Eternal is high and lifted up, and dwcllcth in light inaccefjible and full of glory, and that he is holy, righteous, omnifcient ; the King of kings, and Lord of lords, infinitely exalted above all creatures ; he is impreffed with a deep fenfe of the fplendor which furrounds his throne, and of the glory of his majefty, and this makes him circumfpe£l: in his walk; fo that on the one hand, he would do nothing to dif- pleafe him, and on the other hand, is difpofed to do every thing in order to obtain his divine approba- tion. This holy fear of God, leads the Chriflian to adapt to himfelf the language of Job, " De/lruBion "from God was a terror to me, and by reafon of his *' highnefs I could not endure," Job xxxi. 23. — And of Joseph — " How then can I do this great wickcdnefs, *' and fin againfl God," Gen. xxxix. 9. — Thus he ferves the Lord with fear, and rejoices with trembling. e. Faith produces the fruit of love to our J 9? THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. NEIGHBOUR, which makes the believer folicitous to bring others alfo to the enjoyment of fellowlhip with God. " O !" fays the believing foul, " that my friends, *' my acquaintance, who are living without God, *' might yet become partakers of true faith." — This Cncere defire of heart the Chriftian often brings be- fore his God, and prays earneftly for their conver- iion. Yes, the believer difcovers this love to hi& neighbour, by endeavouring to difcharge all the du- ties which he owes to him ; be is merciful, peaceable, friendly, patient and moderate in his carriage towards him. J. Faith in lively exercife produces a heavei^ly ?RAME of mind ; it leads the foul to the contemp- lation of the things which are above. The believer looks upon heaven as his eternal home, views God as his father, and confiders Chrifl to be his covenant head, furety, and glorious high Prieft and King. He furveys the inhabitants of the celeftial world, who have been condu6led thither, by faith in the Lamb of God, as his relations, and the angels as his fellow Jervants ; for faith gathers together in one, all things, both which are in heaven and -which are on earth. The believer, contemplating the glories of the invifible world, difcovers too, the invaluable bleffings that are there referved for him, and the difcovery infpires him with frefti courage under every affliclion, and caufes him to think comparatively little of things be- low. By faith the Chriftian, with Mofes, endureth as feeing him who is invifible, Heb. xi. 27. — By faith, with Abraham, he lookdhfor a city which hath founda- tions, whofe builder and maker is God, Heb. xi. 10. g. Faith caufes the believer to walk humbly WITH HIS GOD ; for having attained to a know- ledge of his finfulnefs and un;vorthinefs of the leafl LECTURE V. 199 mercy, and daily experiencing how far he comes Ihort of the glory of God, he is made to cry out with Job ; *« / ahhor myfdf^ and repent in dujl and ajhes"--' Job. xlii. Hence it is that believers are not only afraid of commending their performances, but are compelled to acknowledge that their beft adions are defiled with fm, if they be not fprinkled with the purifying blood of Chrift ; and whatever good they fee in them-, felves, they afcribe to free grace, faying, " By the " grace of God we are what we are." A. Faith has alfo an influence upon trans- actions IN CIVIL life: it makes the believer keep his eye fl;eadfaftly fixed upon God in all his temporal affairs ; it leads him to enter upon nothing without looking to him for his direction and bleffing. Faith keeps him from murmuring when things go apparently againfl him, and produces thankfulnefs in profperity. Faith enables him in all doubtful mat- ters to choofe the fafeft way ; that is, rather to ab- ftain from what is lawful, than to extend his Chrif- tian liberty too far, and wound his brother. He follows the example of the apoftle, who though for himfelf, he had freedom to eat flefh, yet would ra- ther deny himfelf that privilege, than lay a ftum- bling-block in his brother's way. B. But is faith fo productive of a6ls of piety ? It alfo direfts to a performance of them in a right MANNER, and to a right end. a. In a right manner, according to the prefcrip- tion of the word of God, which always mufl; be the rule of our a6tions. By faith the believer is led firft to attend above all things, to the concerns of the foul, and then to thofe which are necefTary for our temporal comfort ; aod not only fo, but to perform too THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. every thing in its proper feafon ; that is, not to ht fo much employed in the affairs of this life, as to leave but little or no time for thofe of a fpiritual nature. b. And to a right end, to glorify God in all things, agreeably to the exhortation of Paul ; whe-' iher ye eat or drink, or whatfoever ye do, do all to the glory of God, i Cor. x. 31. — -This inclines the believer to look ofF from himfelf, preferves him from an undue concern to pleafe either himfelf or others, and difpofes him to make the approbation of God his chief and conftant aim ; and this principle carries him fo far, that on the one hand, if God may be glo- rified, he will omit no duty, whatever perfecutions may await him on its account ; and on the other hand, no honours or advantages that can be propo- fed, will induce him to do any thing, by which the name of God may be difhonoured. 6. The life of faith manifefts itfelf in the conftant pra6lice of fervent prayer, by which the Chrif- tian cleaves to God, to Chrift, to heaven, as a girdle to the loins of a man. In prayer, the believer ex- preifes not only his ftrong aiFeftion for his God and Redeemer, but his devotednefs to him, and fixed pur- pofe of ferving him. His language is, " Lord ! here " am I waiting thy commands, perfuaded that thou •' wilt never call me to any duty, which thou wilt *' not enable me to perform, nor put me upon any *' trial, which thou wilt not give me ftrength to en- *' dure." Nor is faith more eminently exercifed in any kind of prayer, than in thofe devout ejaculations, and holy afpirations of foul, which he direfts to a throne of grace. The efficacy of fuch prayer is very extraordinary, as has been witneffed by Mofes, Ne- hemiah, Daniel, and others. LECTURE V. 20* 7. Laftly, faith is employed in the contempla- tion of the obje6ls of fenfe in fuch a manner as to lead to thofe which are spiritual and divine. For inftance ; Does the believer caft his eye upon the fun of nature ? his mind is immediately led to mveftigate the glories of the fun of righteoufnefs ; Does he behold the plants and flowers in all their heauty and elegance, ? the eye of faith will trace all thefe to the hand that made them, and the believer will have his foul imprelfed with this important truth, that thus too he ought to grow, and bring forth fruit unto God. Does he view the heavens in all their fplendor ? his mind is inftantaneoufly elevated to the third heaven, the feat of joy and everlafting falvation. In a word, whatever he beholds, whatever he does, raifes his foul to things invifible and fpiritual. See thus what it is to live by faith. We have, in as concife a manner as poffible, deli- neated the whole walk of a Chriftian, to the end that every one who looks upon the beautiful pifture might be enamoured with it. We mull now, in the second place, endeavour TO excite and urge the people of God, to PROCEED in their journey to heaven, walking by faith; for, although this road be fo charming and delightful, and at the fame time fo neceflary to be purfued ; yet there are many of the children of God, that travel it with a flothful and fluggifh ftep. O people of God, what reafon have ye to be afJiamtd ! Ye live, it is true, by faith, for without faith, ye could never enjoy fellowftiip with God, fince that divine principle is the bond which unites you to him. But where is your ardor, your activity, your engagednefs in the exercife of faith ? Dd 202 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Many of you have been, for a number of years, on the way ; but ye have made little progrefs, be- caufe ye are for ever doubting of your flate, and continually faying, " We are afraid it is not yet right *' with us." — Ye will live by fenfe, but not by faith, and therefore ye keep almofl conftantly in the fame con- dition. How improper fuch a condu6l ! ye ought to reft upon the divine teflimony. Have ye ever been en- abled to determine favorably of yourfelves ? it behoves you to hold faft the foundation on which ye have been made to hope, and thuvS oppofe all the fuggef- tions of unbelief. For want of this, your faith is only exercifed in its weakefl a6ls, of defiring, hunger- ing, thirfting, and running after Jefus, whilfl that holy and firm confidence that lays hold of the eternal rock of falvation, and of the promifes, is an exercife of which ye know but little in your own experience. And, though it be true, that a weak faith is fufficient for falvation, yet it is not enough to afFord you that comfort and encouragement ye need upon the way. Seek then to obtain a well-grounded affurance of your ftate. Let not little things alarm and difturb your peace : ye have to do with a faithful God, who will preferve alive the fmalleft fpark of grace, and can cncreafe it into a flame. But there may be fome among you, who, though ye may be confident of your good eftate, yet LIVE NOT by faith, as ye ought to do. Ye are not fufficiently impreffed with a fenfe of your guilt and pollution, of your inability, and unworthinefs ; for, though ye have received grace, yet ye are daily chargeable before God, of innumerable failures in duty ; which however do not fuitably afFeft your minds; and therefore it is that ye do not more earn- ^lliy apply to the blood of Jefus, for pardon. Ye --'^N LECTURE V. 2C.3 do indeed confefs, that without Chrijl ye can do no- thing I but conftantly by faith to look to him for wifdom and flrength in every tranfa6lion, fpiritual and temporal, is a thing with which ye are but little acquainted. When, depending on yourfelves, ye have ventured to engage in bufinefs, or duty, without look- ing for direftion and influence from above, how often have ye been put to ftiame ? whilft, on the other hand, when deeply impreffed with a fenfe of your own infufficiency, ye could only lift your eye to God for help, ye have found his grace fufficient for you, and. his Jlrength made perfect in your weaknefs. — All this is defigned to teach you to look from fecond caufes, and to live by faith. Yet where is that believing and CALM SUBMISSION to the will of God? Every- thing goes well,- when the fun of profperity beams upon you, when you can waJJi your Jleps in butter ; but when the clouds of adverfity gather thick around you, and horrid gloom darkens your way, how are your hearts difpofed to murmur! Does God call you to part with fomething that is dear to you ? you are not, like Abraham, willing to offer up your Ifaac. It may indeed be your wifh to be in fuch a frame ; but, O how hard is it for you to yield a tacit fubmif- lion to the will of God ! In times of fpiritual or temporal diflrefs, in what do you evidence the exercife of confidence? Does God hide his face from you, do all things appear TO GO AGAINST YOU? ye are caft down, unbelief gains flrength, ye are afraid to rely upon the pro- mifes, or to confider God as your father. Does Satan 'befet you with his fiery darts ? ye take not the J/iield of faith, to ward them off; but are difmayed : fear gets hold of you, and ye dare not oppofe him. — However, remember your enemy is ever on the watch. 204 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. and attacks with unrelenting fury, when God's people ^re oflF their guard. When providences are adverfe, and profpe6ls fo dreary, that not a ray of light ap- pears, your minds fink into despondency, inftead of COMMITTING all your concerns into the hands of God. Such conduct difhonours God, and evidences a want of faith in his power^ as being able to bring light out of darknefi. How little aftivity do you manifeft in exercifing thofe Chriftian graces which have been defcribed ! O which of us muft not be compelled, with fhame, to confefs his fmful deficiences ? but to fee them, and to confefs them, is not enough; it becomes us, in the llrength of the Lord, to feek to amend our ways. Be exhorted then, believers, to be more fteadfaft, immovable, and progreffive, in this walk of faith. 1. Ye cannot have a firm alTurance of the since- rity of your faith, if it work not by love; and be not accompanied with endeavours, through grace, to difcharge the duties of true religion ; for if faith urge not the foul to thefe, it more refembles a dead, than a living and true faith. This the apoftle James teaches^ Chap. 2. 17. — Although it be certain, that thofe who have faith can never be deprived of that prin- ciple altogether ; yet, when it is not conftantly in exercife, it is weakened ; as one who has learned any liberal or mechanic art, by difufe, lofes much of hi^ fkill, whilft conftant praftice would yield him daily improvement ; fo it is with the believer : by negli- gence he fufFers a vifible declenfion, whereas, by a conflant and lively exercife of faith on the Lord jefus, he gains much llrength, his evidences are proportionably brightened ; his doubts are removed^, and his fears fubfide. 2. By exercifing faith, the Chriftian advances LECTURE V. 205 IN H0tiNE5Sj for, as faith purifies the heart from the love of lin, fo it makes the foul zealoufly engage in all the duties of religion. — Faith teaches its pof- feffor conftantly to keep in mind his inability, and thus leads him fixedly to keep his eye upon Chrift, Faith is the hand which lays hold of Chrift, and his ftrength. By faith the believer runs after Chrift, and brings the empty veflel of his heart to an all-fufficient God and Saviour, to be filled. Have ye then any defires of becoming more holy ; let faith be much in exercife : it is the beft mean which can be era-' ployed, in order to fatisfy thofe defires. 3. By exercifing faith, we fliall be able, in the name and ftrength of the Lord, to make a noble, manly, and bold stand againft all that oppofe us. By faith we are taught to expeft oppofition ; but by faith too we are enabled to lay our hands upon the promifes, the oath and the faithfulnefs of God, and humbly plead them before him. By faith, we look upon Chrift as the captain of falvation, and ftrength- ened by his power, in the midft of the combat, we may triumphantly exclaim, " In all thefe things, we <^ are more than conquerors, through him that hath ** loved us." 4. Faith enables the Chriftian to go on his way, replete with joy and comfort ; for A. As the believing foul is not eafily ftiaken as to its ftate, fo it can rejoice in having fellowfliip with God, and in all the bleflings which flow from it. — Yes, believers, ye can rejoice in the hope of glory. • B. In PROSPERITY, faith makes the Chriftian truly grateful. He enjoys temporal bleflings, con- fefling his unworthinefs of the leaft favour, in the language of the venerable Patriarch, " I am lefs ♦* than the leaft of all thy mercies." — He is fenfiblc 2o5 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. that, by faith, he has a covenant right to all he pof- fefifes ; for he fees that Chrift, to whom faith unites his foul, hath purchafed all thefe things for his people. C. In A D V E R s I T Y , when diftreffes and afflifclions arife from every quarter, faith enables the foul to commit, with an holy unconcern, its all into the hands of a faithful God, who always careth for his children, and to reft in the promifes of him, who hath faid, " / will never leave thee, nor forfake thee," 5. The walk of faith, not only affords a comfort- able and a pleafant life, but prepares the way for a JOYOUS AND BLESSED DEATH. In the Hvely exer- cife of faith, the foul with pleafure contemplates its dilfolution from the body, as the appointed mean by which it fhall be admitted to immediate communion with its God in heaven, where we fhall fee eye to eye^ and face to face : on a death-bed, the believer may fay with Jacob, " / have waited for thy falvation, *' 0 Lord ;" and with Paul, " I have kept the faith" It is true, God may in that hour withhold the light of his countenance ; but it will only be to put faith to its laft trial ; and, even in that cafe, there ftill remains a waiting upon the Lord ; for the righteous hath hope in his death. 6. This ft able walk of faith is ftrongly recom- mended to you, by a confideration of that calm SERENITY of mind which it affords, on the occur- rence of SUDDEN AND ALARMING EVENTS, rcf- pe6ling either yourfelves, your families, or the land in which you live ; when unconverted fmners fhall fear and tremble, and flee into their iimer chamber ; and when thofe who have but little faith, fhall with Peter, and the reft of the Apoftles, cry out, " Lord *'faveus,we pertJJi." Matt. viii. 25. then fhall ye^ who are accuftoraed to commit yourfelves to God,^ LECTURE V. ^y have boldnefs to fly unto him, as the rock of your falvation, and as your Jlrong habitation, to which ye continually refort. Then ye may coniider yourfelves as fafe in your father's hand, and depending on his faithfulnefs, fay, "/ will tmjl, and not be afraid; ** for the Lord is with me." 7. Such a walk of faith glorifies God; for the believer depends upon him as a gracious and all- fulhcient God. To live by faith, makes us look from every other objeft but Chrift, and to confide in him alone : faith humbles the proud heart, and caufes us to think little of ourfelves. When we are brought to confefs, that for all we have, we are indebted to free grace, faying with Paul, By the grace of God, we are what we are ; then we will not prize our virtues^ nor fet a high value on our beft performances. If a believer does any thing for God, or his caufe, he af- cribes it not to himfelf, but to the grace of God which dwelleth in him ; and as he receives every thing from God, fo, by faith, he is difpofed to render back unto him, all the praife, and all the glory. 8. People of God, ought ye not to be defirous of leading fuch a life of faith, when ye confider that it is THE M E D I U M thvOUgh which EVERY BLESSING comes ? ^Y faith ye have accefs to the throne of grace, where you may commit all your concerns to your father, God; by faith ye receive out of his fulnefSf and grace for grace ; by faith ye have a right to all temporal bleffings, even though ye pofTefs them not, and are poor and defpifed by the world; fpiritual bleffings, eternal fehcity, ye may confider as yours; yes, by faith Jefus dwells in your hearts, and your hearts in heaven, even now, whilll ye fojourn below. 9. Do ye, Chriftians, live here by faith ? ye fhall have the honour after death, of being enrolled 208 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. amongfl; the cloud of witnesses, of whom Paul relates, that they all died in the faith, Heb. xi. 13. When ye fhall no more be numbered with the inhabitants of this world, the fruits of your faith ftiall remain. It fhall then be faid of you, as it was once laid of Abel, Though dead, he yet fpeaks. Thofe who in this life, make the greateft progrefs in the walk of faith, are held in the highell eftimation after death. Is there then fo much glory and happinefs connefted with the life of faith ? Is it your defire thus to live ? and do you afk, " How Ihall we attain to fuch a « life r The third thing propofed was, to lay before you fome of thofe means which enable the Chriftian to advance in the divine life. We ftiall firft give fome general direftions ; and then fliew in what refpeft the Lord's Supper is a MEAN of promoting the life of faith. The GENERAL dire6lions we would offer, are the following : 1. Seek to OBTAIN an assurance of your being in a gracious ftate, grounded upon the word of God. Have ye, by marks drawn from that divine fource, and by examining your hearts by thofe marks, found that ye might venture to believe that ye are the chil- dren of God ? do not, too eafily, give up your hope, nor too readily yield to doubts and fears ; but reafon thus with yourfelves : " If the work hath been " done in truth, God is faithful ; his gifts and calling " are without repentance, and therefore, the work of " grace begun here, muft and will be confummated " in glory." In proportion as this foundation is weak- ened, your comfortable advancement in the divine life of faith will be obftrufted ; and therefore, in the words of Peter, we exhort you, " Give all diligence LECTURE V. 209 *' to make your calling and elediion Jure ; for if ye do " thefe things, yejhall never fall." 2. Be not too much fet upon having your com- fort and JOY derived from a feeling fenfe of di- vine grace, .and of the operations of the Holy Spirit. If it pleafe the Lord to grant you thofe fenfible evi- dences of his love, be thankful ; highly prize, and carefully preferve them ; but if ye have not thefe ex- periences, confider that now ye are not fo much call- ed to feel as to believe ; the former is tranfitory, but the latter remains when feelings ceafe ; the one pro- duces a tender, fteadfaft walk, but the other renders it wavering and unfteady. As long as a perfon has a feeling of the love of God, he conceives that hills and mountains muft fall before him, and fays, " I " fhall never be moved ;" but does he lofe this feel- ing fenfe, the leaft unfavourable circumftance alarms him, and he is ready to give up all for loft. But faith continues though midnight darknefs reft upon us. "^y believing, we keep a faft hold of the word and promifes, and thus temptations of every kind lofe much of their power. 3. Devote a part of every day in searching the Scriptures ; it is neceffary for Chriftians to add con- ftantly to their ftock of knowledge. Faith is ftrong in proportion to one's acquaintance with divine truths ; ignorance is the parent of unbelief. If a perfon be but little verfed in the Scriptures, how liable is he to be forely diftreffed, when he meets with oppolition, from foes internal or external ! whilft he who is eftablifiied in the truth, with eafe furmounts the difficulties which may come in his way. Endeavour, then, to learn from the word, *' What is that good, and perfeB, and acceptable will of E e 210 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. *' God," and make that the rule of your walk and converfation. • 4. Firmly refolve, in the flrength of the Lord, to LIVE circumfpe6lly, and to walk in the path of holiness: nothing deftroys our Chriftian confi- dence like fin : indulgence in it caufeth God to hide his face ; hence arifes a fear to apply the promifes, and we dare not approach the throne of grace. The word of God reprefents faith and holinefs as intimately connefted, infomuch, that thofe who are celebrated for their boldnefs in faith, are commended as having been mod exemplary in holinefs. 5. Go CONSTANTLY BY FAITH TO ChRIST; feek in his blood the pardon of all backllidings ; fen- fible of your own inability, haften to him for flrength; plead the word which he himfelf hath fpoken, " With-' " out me ye can do nothing," and then truft in that arm divine, by which ye can do all things. Thus to be daily and hourly engaged, is the true way of living by faith, and none are thus employed but thofe who have received a believing heart. 6. In every circumflance of your lives, make USE OF THE DIVINE PROMISES. Yecaniiotbe in any fituation, nor be called to any duty, but ye will find fome precious word on which ye may hope for help, fupport or deliverance. Confide in that which a faithful God hath fpoken, and apply to him to fulfil what he hath promifed, faying, with David, Pf. cxix. 49, 50. " Remember the word which thou " haji fpoken to thy fervant ; on which thou hajl cavjed *' him to hope : thy word hath quickened me." 7. Place conftantly in your view thofe heroic be- lievers who have gone before you, and have travelled the fame road, ^y doing this ye may be animated and encouraged. Tlicir faith follow, conjidcring the LECTURE V. 411 ■end of their Converfation, Heb. xiii. 7. It is faid; that in the Grecian races, the portraits of the moft illuftrious heroes, and of the fwiftefl racers, u^ere placed in full view, to the end that others might be excited at leaft to equal them in their refpe6live at- tainments. For the fame purpofe, many eminent examples are exhibited in the word of God. Go then in the footjleps of the flock ; ' and duly confider the force of this apoftolic exhortation : " Seeing then *' we haveyo great a cloud of loitneffes, let us run with *' patience the race fet before us." But, befides thefe general inesins, the Holy Supper of the Lord is particularly defigned ; and when ufed in a right manner, greatly conducive to the believer's ad- vancement in the life of faith: for as baptifm fignifies and feals the ingrafting of a foul into Chrift, fo the Supper of the Lord is intended to ftrengthen believers in the divine life. A child that by its birth receives life, has need of conftant nourifh- ment, that it may acquire ftrength and growth ; and fo does the child of God much need that nourifh- ment, which he may expeft from this holy ordi- nance, fo well adapted to promote bis furtherance in grace, whatever may be his fituation. 1. Art thou faying, " I have but jufc begun the *' walk of faith ; 1 am only a babe ia Chrift ; all that *' I have experienced is but a defire, a looking, a " longing for grace, and an intereft in Chrift," O ! come to the table of the Lord, even in fuch a frame ; there thou mayft fee Jefus in his all-fufficiency, ready to fatisfy all thy defires. As the tender infant eager- ly pants for the breaft, to be nourifhed by it, pant thou after Elschaddai, the all-fufficient God. This word is derived from another, which fignifies a ruLL breaftj to intimate, that in God, there is a 2ia THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. complete, an inexhauftible fulnefs, and a willing- nefs to impart out of that fulnefs. Come then, open thy mouth wide, that it may be filled; earneftly de- lire the fincere milk of the word, that thou mayjl grozo thereby. We are bold to affure thee, that the moft afFeftionate mother is not fo much difpofed to cherifh the infant of her bofom, as the ali-fufficient Jefus is to replenilh, with his grace, the foul that comes to him; and this he feals in the lacrament of the Sup- per: the more hungry, thirfty, empty, thou art, the fitter obje6l thou art for being filled and fatisfied. 2. Art thou afraid to acknowledge that thou haf^ experienced, even the first exercises of FAITH ? Muft thou complain that thou art weak, feeble, and ready to fink beneath thy heavy burden ; that thou hall a fin-fick foul, and a zoounded fpirit ? "With all thefe maladies, it is thy duty to go forward to the table. Is not Jefus the physician who binds up the broken-hearted, who has a medicine fuitable to every difeafe ? Art thou call down becaufe fin Hill cleaves to thee? the blood of Chrift is a foun- tain opened Jot fin, and for uncleannefs. Art thou entangled in the affairs of the world, and unable to extricate thyfelf ? Jefus feals in this facrament, that he has procured for thee his fpirit to f^mftify thee ; and moreover, has promifed to ail his ipcople, flrength according to their day. Lay thy hand, then, upon the promifes ; keep fall hold of them by faith, and remind Jefus of his own words, and he will accom- plifh all that he has declared. There is no wound fo great, but he can heal it ; yes, wert thou even lep- rous from he^^d to foot, fo that thou wert compelled to cry out, unclean, unclean, thy Jefus can effe6l a. cure ; and thou haft not reafon to doubt of his difpo- fition to do both ; for he is the mcrcful high priefl. J.ECTURE V. 2 IS and he folemnly feals this to thee in the facrament of the Supper. 3. Are there any fincerely engaged in the divine life, who, however, for their ftrengthening and efta- bhfhing, are desirous of more comfort and «ATISFACTION, by SENSIBLY TASTING THAT THE Lord is gracious ? In this holy ordinance, bread is offered to ftrengthen, and wine to make glad their hearts. Jefus calls you, faying, " Come eat of *' my bread, and drink of the wine which I have viin- ** gled." Here you may be abundantly fatisfied with the Jatnefs of God's houfe, and drink of the rivers of his pleajure; but keep it always in mind, that this fpirit- ual nourifhment is imparted to you, that in the Ilrength of it, you may travel through the wildernefs of this world, till you in fafety arrive at the mount of God above. Elijah was nourifhed by the food which Divine Providence had prepared for \i\m, forty days, until he came to Horeb; in like manner muft you feek to be ftrengthened, not for one day, but from one communion fabbath to another. •You may perhaps fay, " This would, indeed, be " the cafe, were I to continue in that comfortable " frame in which I found myfelf at the table; but *' it often happens, that I have no fooner left it, than •' I lofe that comfortable and delightful experience *' of the love of God Jhed abroad on my heart, and '' hence my foul is again enveloped in darknefs." This may, indeed, be the cafe with thee ; for God defigns by this to teach thee not to walk by fight, but by faith. Hath God fealed anew his promifes to thy foul ? live then upon them, and confider with thyfelf, that now thou art called to live by faith, and that the sensible enjoyment is referved for thee in heaven. God will give thee to experience 214 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. his love, and impart new courage and flrength, to fight againft thine enemies : thou wilt find that Satan is never more a6live in tempting to fin, or in making his afTauks, than when it has pleafed the Lord to re- frefh thy foul. Under iuch a trial, thou wilt be ready to conclude, that all the benefit of the ordi- nance is loft; but this may be a very falfe conclu- fion. In fuch circumftances, believer, it is thy duty to watch, to flandfirm in the faith, to quit thyfe If like a man, to be firong ; and for thine encouragement, know, that thy God will give thee new pledges of his love, to increafe thy faith, and to eftablilh thy confidence in his faithfulnefs. But before we clofe this lefture, we muft add a few words by way of application. Firft. To you, who are yet in a state of na- ture, flill dead in trefpaffes and in fins, the truths which have been delivered and elucidated, are for figns and for wonders : ye are ftrangers to them, at lead by experience : all that ye can poflibly know of them is fpeculative ; for the natural man receiveth not the things ofthefpirit of God : and becaufe ye are not, as yet, truly acquainted with the firft principles of faith, how can we poflibly exhort you to live by faith? O ! that ye could but once fee the miferable fituatioii in which ye are ! If ye live not by faith on earth, you cannot live eternally. — What do we fay? not live throughout eternity ! You fhall indeed live ; but that life will be infinitely worfe than death; it will be a Ufe offliame and everlafling contempt. O ! that ye were but brought fo far as to be enamoured with that walk of faith which we have been depid- jng ! that ye were made to enquire after the good way.y and to walk in it ! for as long as ye are ftraying ia the ways of fin, and wandering in its deftru6livfi-. LECTURE V. 215 paths, ye have no part in the privileges of the people of God. Hence we have no warrant, no freedom, to invite you to the table of the Lord ; for all that is there tranfafted and enjoyed is only by faith. Lay yourfelves then at the feet of Jefus, plead with him efFe6lually to work faith in your fouls, and to make bare his omnipotent arm, to illuftrate his glory in your falvation. But, S'econdly. Afflided foul, thou whofe faith is weak, dofl thou thus complain, " Much have I heard, as to *' what it is to live by faith ; but inflead of proving *' any encouragement to me, I am in great doubt •' and fear, left to this very day I am deftitute of true *' faith; fo little it is that I know of all what I have " heard. By what marks may I afcertain, whether I *' am a fubjeft of fpiritual life ?" We anfwer, 1 . The EMOTIONS and feeling sense of di- vine things, which thou doft experience, is an evi- dence that THOU HAST life; for one that is dead is deftitute of feeling. Touch him, make incilions in his flefti, he remains motionlefs ; it is juft fo with the dead finner : if he be addreffed in a manner the moft afFeftionate ; if all the curfes with which he is threatened; if all the judgments which are referved for him in the ftores of heaven be fet before him, he is indifferent ftill. Now permit us to aflc thee, " Is " not thy heart eafily moved, and affeded with ten- " dernefs, when thou heareft proclaimed in thine ears, " the wretchednefs of the fmner, the fulnefs of the " Saviour, and the great privileges of thofe that fe'ar *' God ?" And are not thefe certain figns that thou haft life. But we would not prefume to affert, that all who are occafionally made to tremble, becaufe lin lieth at their door, or become imprefied with the re- ality of things of eternity under fermon; or who 2,6 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. appear much afFefted at times, when the love of Chrift is fet forth, as abounding to the chief of fin- ners, have this fpiritual life. No, our fenfibility muft go hand in hand. 2. With a PRACTICE evidential of life. — If our emotions proceed from life in the foul, we will be brought to bow before the Lord, to lay our burdens on the omnipotent arm of Jefus, which is never JJiortened that it cannot fave ; and to feek from him that grace which we need. Haft thou experienced this ? Doft thou not know what it is to wreftle for mercy at the throne of grace ? 3. Art thou not habitually hungering, THIRSTING, RUNNING AND CRYING AFTER Christ? Is there any thing which would more delight thy foul, than to be found in him, and enjoy his grace, even in the fmalleft degree ? Muft thou not anfwer in the affirmative ? and fay, "The Lord is my " witnefs, that it is the defire of my foul to renounce " all things, to caft myfelf upon him, and to evidence *'this by caufing my light to fhine before men ?" Haft thou been thus exercifed ? Then we are bold to alfure thee, agreeably to the word of God, that there is wrought in thee, the principles of true faith, and therefore be exhorted to live the life of faith, and to make progrefs in it. And in the mean time, comfort thyfelf with this hope, that thou who art now living by faith, fhalt hereafter walk by fight. The ftaff of faith ftiall not only conduft to the Jordan of death, but over it, where thou wilt lay it down, and throughout eternity enjoy thofe bleffings for which, by faith, thou haft been long waiting ; even falvation and glory, world "without end. AMEN. I 217 1 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Lecture VI. ON THE PEACE, JOY AND TRIUMPH OF FAITH. jHaVING, in the preceding lefture, treated of the LIFE OF FAITH, and delineated the courfe which the Chriftian purfues, in his journey towards the heavenly Canaan, we purpofe, now, to invite your attention to fome of the blessed effects, which a life fo holy, and a courfe fo pleafing to God, pro- duce. The eflFcfts to which we particularly allude are, the peace, the joy, and the triumph of faith. Our defign, in treating on thefe fubjeds, is, on the one hand, to encourage the children of God, who have commenced travelling the road of faith, to proceed in it with ardour and zeal ; and on the other, to al- lure fuch as are yet in a ftate of nature, to make choice of a courfe, in which they may meet with peace and joy, both in life and death. We fhall reduce what we have to fay on thefe fub- jefts, to the three following heads : 1. We ftiall explain the nature of the peace, Ff 2i8 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. joy, and triumph of the Chriflian, and fliew how they proceed from faith. 2. We fhall enquire, whether thefe fruits of faith are found in all behevers, at all times, with a view to adminifter comfort to the weak and diftreffed Chrillian. . 3. We Ihall then attempt an application fuitable to various cafes and circumftances of men. But before we proceed to confider thefe feveral fubjefts, we would remark, that if it be alked, *' Why we confine ourfelves to the peace, joy, and " trmnph of faith, fince there are many other fruits, " which the life or walk of faith produces ?" we reply, 1. Becaufe, in the leftures which have preceded, we have occafionally mentioned many of the blef- fings which faith brings in its train. 2. Becaufe, in the prefent lefture, which will conclude the interefling fubjeft of faith, we propofe exhibiting that grace in its higheft degrees, as in the lall, we pointed out its loweft exercifes. 3. Becaufe, the peace, joy, and triumph of faith include all the other fruits which refult from it. Having premifed this, agreeably to the first thing which was propofed, we now folicit your at- tention to each of the fruits of faith, above men- tioned. The FIRST in order is peace ; by which we un- derftand, " That gracious work of God in the heart " of a believer, by which, his former enmity being " removed, a mutual friendfliip takes place between *' him and his God ; from which flows a holy com- " pofure of mind, in every viciflitude of lite, as well " as peace with all creatures." LECTURE VI. 219 According to this defcription, we fhall confider what this peace presupposes; then fpeak of the PEACE itself; and laftly, its efFefts. 1. It prefuppofes, that man, by nature, is an en- emy to God; for were there no enmity, there would be no neceflity of making peace : the idea of peace alfo implies, that the enmity which once exilled is removed. Man, at firft, created in the image of God, enjoy- ed fellowship, and held fweet converfe with his Ma- ker, as with his mod intimate friend ; but by the in- tervention of fm, this friendfhip was deftroyed, and man hath become an enemy to God; he lifts up the weapons of rebellion againft him ; ht Jlretcheth out his hand againjl God, and Jlrengtheneth himjelf againjl the Almighty; he runneth upon him, even on his neck, and upon the thick hojfes of his buckler, and faith, de- fart from us, for we defire not the knowledge of thy ways, Job xxxv. 25, 26. And God, on the other hand, who cannot but hate fin, and whofe hohnefs and juftice are difhonoured by it, is become an ene- my to man ; for the fooli/ii Jliall not Jland in his fight ; he hateth all workers of iniquity, Pfalm v. 6. As an enemy to God, man comes into the world, and in this awful ftate he lives; for, fays Paul, Rom. viii. 7. The carnal mind is enmity againfi God^ Yes, and in this awful flate he mull have died, if God himfelf, even from eternity, had not entertained thoughts of peace, and arofe to deliver him from his wretched condition. It was his infinite wisdom that devifed the plan of fetting apart the Son of his love as mediator and furety ; and his unfpeakable GOODNESS and infinite power, that executed re- demption's glorious and aftonifhing plan, when he a6.ually fent him into the world ; for then it was the tie THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. divine Jefus took upon him the human nature, t» fatisfy injured juflice ; to do and to fuflFer all that it required to be done and fufFered. By this mean a way was opened for God to propofe terms of peace to finners ; for, as the evangelic prophet obferves, The chajlifement of our peace loas upon him, Ifai. liii. 5. And the great Apoftle, God is in Chrijl reconciling the world unto himfelf, 2 Cor. v. 19. This peace, thus devifed by God, and purchafed by Chrift, the Eternal offers to every perfon who lives under the light of the gofpel, whenever he puts the word of reconciliation into the mouths of his am- baffadors, and fends them forth to pray the children of men to be reconciled to God, 2 Cor. v. 20. But fuch is the oppofition of finners, that all this would be infufRcient, if the Holy Ghoft did not exert his almighty power on their hearts, to convince them of their enmity ; to make them confefs it with fhame ; to incline them to caft away their weapons of rebel- lion ; to renounce their own righteoufnefs ; to receive the righteoufnefs of Chrift by faith; and thus to I make peace, even peace with God. 2. With refpeGb to the peace itfelf, we remark, a. That the author of it is God, who is there- fore called the God of peace, 2 Thef v. 23. and the bleffmg itfelf is denominated, the peace of God, Phil, iv. 7. for he hath both devifed and ordained it. This peace is afcribed, particularly, to Jesus Christ; who is, on this account, ftyled "77i(? Prince of Peace," Ifai. ix. 5. The Shiloh, or peace-maker, Gen. xlix. 10. He calls this peace, his peace, John xiv. 27. My peace I leave with you ; for he hath purchafed this peace by the blood of the Crofs, Col. i. 20. But it is the Holy Ghost that applies to the foul, the peace which Chrift hath purchafed ; wherefore, peace LECTURE VI. 221 IS enumerated among the fruits of the fpirit, Gal. v. 22. Tht fruit of the fpirit is peace ; and the kingdom cf God is exprefsly faid to confift in righteoufnefs, peace and joy in the Holy Ghoji, Rom. xiv. 39. b. The SEAT in which this peace is found, is the HEART; for it is called, the peace of God, which keep- eth the heart and mind, Phil. iv. 7. We mean the HEART of the believer, who is brought, by faith, within the bonds of the covenant ; who, having laid down the weapons of his rebellion, hath, by faith, taken refuge under the wings of the Prince of Peace, and thus hath become righteous before God. Paul confiders juflification to be the foundation of peace, Rom. v. 1. Therefore being jiflifed by faith, we have peace with God. c. This peace consists in "an internal, fecret, *' and familiar exercife of friendfhip with God." God, on his part, difcovers himfelf to be a recon- ciled God, and manifefts his love, by making fecret communications of grace to his people ; for, the fe^ cret of the Lord is with them that fear him ; by permit- ting them, conftantly, to approach his throne, to enter into the fecret place of his fanftuary, and to hold fweet converfe with him as fpi ritual priefls ; by accepting their prayers, and lending an attentive ear to the voice of their fupplication, and granting them, day by day, the defires of their hearts; and, in a word, by addreffing them in thefe delightful words: Be not difmayed ; I am your God, and by encouraging, animating, and flrengtbening their fouls. -Believers, on their part, exprefs peace and friendfhip towards God, by drawing near to him con- tinually in prayer ; by calling all their cares and bur- dens upon their covenant God; by foliciting coun- fel and direftion in all trying circum (lances ; by in- 222 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. treating a return of his favour, and giving them- felves up to him anew, after having baekflidden ; and by perfevering in pleading his promifes. 3. This peace and friendfhip vi^itb God, produce a variety of bleffed efFefts ; hence proceeds, a. Peace of conscience; for when the foul 15 reconciled to God, and enjoys fuch familiar inter- courfe with him, confcience does not accuje ; but as the deputy of God, proclaims, in the name of God, Peace, that peace which pajfeth all under/landing-^ Phil. iv. 4. and which is the anjwer of a good con- fcience towards God, 1. Pet. iii. 21. And, when- ever this peace of mind is experienced, then nothing can give the believer any difturbance ; but in all cir- cumftances in which he may be placed, he can, with a holy boldnefs, lift up his head. Whea Sax an. brings any accufation againft him, he will be able to fay with Paul, Who JJiall lay any thing to the charge of God's eleH ? It is God that jiflifeth ; who is he that condemneth ? It is Chrifl that died, yea, rather that is rifen again ; who is even at the right hand of God; who alfo maketh inter ceffion for us, Rom. viii. 33' 34- Under a feeling fenfe of indwelling hn, the believer flies to the righteoufnefs of Jefus, to be found in that alone. Does he enjoy tempo- ral profperity ? he finds a double fatisfaftion ; for his mind being at peace with God, he is certain that what he receives, comes from a father's hand, and views it as a pledge of his paternal affeftion ; and be- fides, the gifts of that heavenly parent, communi- cated in providence to him, produce that exquifite delight in the foul which believers always experience, when feeling their obligations to God, they are ena- bled to fpeak in the grateful language of the Pfalmift : ** What Jliall I render to the Lord for all hii benefits LECTURE Vt. 22^ " towards me ? I will take the cup of falvation, and ** call upon the name of the Lord." In adverfity, this peace makes the mind calm and compofed; and is the fheet-anchor on which the believer quietly rides in the midft of the feverell gales. When this peace is interrupted, the believer enjoys no comfort, until he can fay, " Return to thy refl, 0 ! my foul ; for the *' Lord hath dealt hount fully with thee." In a word, this peace is the fortrefs in which the Chriftian is fafe, when assaulted by enemies, or threaten- ed with dangers. b. From peace with God, proceeds not only peace with confcience, but alfo, peace with angels, who are miniflering fervants,fent forth to minifler to them that are heirs of falvation, Heb. ii. 14. Thefe heavenly hofts are conftantly employed in guarding the eleft ; for we read, Pf. xxxiv. 7. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him. As chariots and horfes of fre, they preferved Elifha from falling. into the hands of the king of Aflyria, 2 Kings vi. 17. Yes; they wait to efcort the fouls of believers, at death, from earth to Abraham's bofom ; to that heavenly ftate of glory, in which they ftiall be kept in everlafling fecurity. c. All the FRIENDS of God, as well thofe in heaven as thofe on earth, are at peace with thofe who have peace with God ; they are fllow-citizens of the faints, and of the houfehold of God ; they have one and the fame mediator, who reconciles them to God ; one and the fame fpirit who works in them ; they travel one road ; have one end in view, and fliall at laft enjoy the fame glory. d. They have peace with ail the creation of God. Nothing vvhich the eternal hath formed can injure thcm^- for all things work together for their 2 24 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. good. They view all things as under the care and di- redion of Divine Providence for their benefit, feeing they are Chrift's : the curfe which lay upon the crea- tures on account of fin, is removed; heaven and earth are on their fide ; the very Jiars in their courfes, if necefTary, fight for them ; and they have made a covenant with the Jlones of the field. Judges v. 20. Job v. 23. e. They are at peace even with death. That enemy from which our nature univerfally recoils ; which the unconverted finner, who is flill at enmity with God, mofl dreads, when he beholds him near, and which, even the gracious foul, confidering him as coming to part it from the body, and to give it over as a prey to the devouring grave, muft view as the king of terrors ; the believer beholding himfelf at peace with God, through Jefus Chrift, who has taken away the fling of death, can confider death as a friend, who comes to take him by the hand, to lead him to life eternal ; and hence it is that he can often meditate on his approach, not only with compofurc of mind, but with joy, and even long for his coming, exclaiming with the poet, And does this mud-wall'd cottage fhake ? I long to fee it fall. That I my willing flight may take To him who is my all. Burden'd and groaning then no more, My refcued foul fhall fing, As up the fhining path I foar, " Death, thou haft loft thy fting." • LECTURE VI. 225 O precious and invaluable fruit of faith ! how deii- rable to enjoy peace with God ! The SECOND benefit which we mentioned is j o y : Of this joy of God's people, frequent mention is made in the Sacred Scriptures : it is enumerated among the bleffings that belong to the kingdom of God, which not only confift of righteoufnefs and peace, but alfo of JOY, Rom. xiv. 17. Therefore behevers are often exhorted to the exercife of it : thus the Pfalmift addrefled Ifrael, Pf. xxxiii. 11, Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice ye righteous ; and Jliout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart : and Paul exhorts. Rejoice in the Lord; and again I fay rejoice, Phil, iv. 4. By this joy we are to underftand, " That de- *' lightful tranquillity and contented frame of mind, " which is wrought, by the Holy Ghoft, in the heart *' of a believer, who is at peace with God, which " proceeds from a clear apprehenfion, and fenfible *' enjoyment of the favour of God, and from a be- " lieving view of his intereft in all the covenant *' bleffings purchafed by Chrift, which, in part, he *' already pofleires, or for which he waits in hope ; *' which holy frame manifefts itfelf both in words *' and actions." 1. The AUTHOR of this joy is God ; for it is fpiritual, heavenly, and divine ; which none but the Eternal can produce ; therefore David calls God his exceeding joy, Pfal. xliii. 4. It is numbered among the fruits of the fpirit, Gal. v. 22. The Holy Ghoft produces it, by accompanying the word and ordi- nances with fuch divine influences, as to difcover to believers the excellence of thofe privileges and bleffings which are the matter of their joy ; and by this difcovery to let them fee their intereft iiT thofe • Gg 2 26 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. bleffings : hence arife a fweet calm, and fatisfa6lion of foul. 2. The SEAT of this joy is the heart of a be- liever, who is made righteous before God, enjoys peace with him, and is brought within the bonds of the covenant. Thus, faith the Pfalmift, Pfal. iv. 8. Thou hajl put gladnejs in my heart ; and again, PfaL cv. 3, The hearts of them rejoice that Jeek the Lord.---' In refpeft to outward things, the believer may have much caufe of forrow ; and yet his heart may leap for joy in God; for, when his flejh and his. heart faileth, God is the Jlrength of his heart, and his portion for ever, Pfal. Ixxiii. 26. This joy can be experien- ced only by one who is at peace with God, and is brought into a covenant relation to him ; for, as the wicked have no peace, fo neither are they partakers of this joy : ^if externally they feem to rejoice, yet, " even " in laughter, the heart is forrozvful," becaufe they live without God in the world. 3. The MATTER of this joy is God himfelf, and all the BLESSED and glorious privileges, which arife from communion with him, both in time and in eternity. The wicked may rejoice, when their corn and their wine increafe, when they fare fumptu- cifly every day, and when every worldly thing fucceeds to their wifhes ; but pious fouls rejoice in the Lord, as their chief good, as one who is more to them than a thoufand worlds: they rejoice in their eternal election, that God fhould caft an eye of pity and compalfion on them, whilll he paffed by fo many others ; they admire the way in which God applies that faivation which, from eternity, he had determined' to beftow ; and are loll in admiration, when they behold ALL to reft upon the aftive and pafiive right- eoufnefs of Jefus Chrift. In a word, AtL the blef- LECTURE VI. 327 iings purchafed by Chiift, and promifed in the covenant, are matter of joy to the people of God. They rejoice that God Ihould forgive their fins, which would have ruined them for ever, by gracioufly declaring them righteous in Chrifl ; that he Ihould adopt into his family thofe who, by nature, are among the chief of finners ; and betroth them to his Son, giving them an intereft in all his riches and treafures; and that he fhould bestow upon them, not only all that they need in time, but what is ftill greater, " a '■^ Jar more exceeding and eternal weight of glory," 2 Cor. 4. 17. 4. This joy itfelf is a delightful tranquillity and holy SATISFACTION of foul, which manifefts itfelf, a. In thofe lively affections which arife in the heart, from contemplating God as an all-fufficient and covenant God, who poffeffes all perfeftions, and difplays them, not only in his works of nature, but of grace. Here, with open face, the believer beholds, as in a glafs, the glory of the Lord, and is changed into the fame image from glory to glory, even as by the fpirit of the Lord. There is befides, in this joy, a lively view of the bleflings of the covenant ; and this is the unc- tion of the Holy One, by whichiue know all things, 1 John ii. 20. b. This joy not only manifefls itfelf by a mere contemplation of thefe obje6ls, but it alfo evidences its exiftence, when God, by the internal witnefs of his fpirit in the heart, affures the believer of his saving interest in all thofe bleflings. Is he af- fured that. God is his God ; that he is an obje6l of his everlafting love ; that all his fins are pardoned ; that the all-fufficient Jefus, with all his riches and benefits, are his ? no tongue can exprefs what fa^ J28 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT, tisfa£lion it affords, what delightful emotions it raifes, and what compofure of mind it creates. c. But this joy is ftill farther increafed when God, by gracious returns of love, gives the believer a lively SENSE of his goodnefs ; fo as not only to ena- ble him to fay, " / know in whom I have believed, and *' thai he is able to keep that which I have committed " unto him ;" but when embracing him in the arms of his love, he fays to him, " Son, be of good cheer, *' thyjins are forgiven thee ; I am thy falvation ; fear " not, I am thy God." This voice the believer knows as well as Mary did that of Jefus, when he called ta her by name, Mary ! and fhe anfwered, Rabboni / my mafler. This, indeed, is to eat of the hidden man- na ; this is to be abundantly fatisfed with the fatnefs of God's houfe ; this is to drink of the rivers of his fleafure ; this is to receive the white ftone, in which a new name is written, which no man knoweth but he that receiveth it. And what is this new name, but CHILD of God ? d. This internal affeftion of the mind, which is llyled JOY, is, with great propriety, denominated cheerfulnefs when it difcovers itfelf by words and ACTION s. A. Joy exprefling itfelf by words, celebrates the praifes of God's majefty, and fpeaks of all his wonderful works. This corn makes the young men cheer foil ; and this new wine, the maids, Zach. ix. 17. Joy in the heart makes the tongue to be much em- ployed in declaring and f.iewuig forth the glories of the great Triune. B. Joy in the heart will evidence itfelf by ac- tions. The affeftion of joy experienced by a na- tural man, qualifies him the better for bufmefs ; in like manner, fpiritual joy makes the Chriftian to run and not be weary, to walk and not faint, Ifai. xl. 31. LECTURE VI. 229 Therefore David fays, Pf. cxix. 32, / will run the way of thy commandments -when thou Jlialt enlarge my heart, 5. The PROPERTIES of this joy, according to Peter, are two : it is unfpeakable, and full of glory, 1 Peter, i. 8. a. It is an unspeakable joy ; for one can bet- ter experience it than exprefs it by words : hence it is called the hidden manna; and with equal proprie^ ty, Paul alTerts, that " It paffeth all underfianding." We may likewife exclaim, eye hath not feen, ear hath not heard what it is. Not only is the natural man wholly unacquainted with it; but even the experi- enced Chriftian is unable fully to defcribe it. b. It is alfo a joy eull of glory; not only be-^ caufe it is wrought in the heart by the fpirit of glory, but becaufe, in its very nature it is glorious. A. How far does it transcend all worldly joy, which at befl; is but empty and vain, ex'tends only to objeQs of time, and can never afford fatis- fadlion : yes, in the midfl: of fuch joy the heart is forrowful ; but the joy of the Chriftian, having for its obje6ls things fpiritual and divine, is fubftantial ; it fills the heart with fuch fupreme delight, that with Mary, it can fay, " My foul rejoiceth in God, my Saviour, Luke i. 46. B. It is a glorious joy, becaufe it is firm and STEADFAST ; for Jcfus hath declared, *' Your joy no *' man takethfrom you." It will remain when every thing elfe forfakes us ; fo that the believer can fing in the delightful ftrains of the prophet Habakkak, ^' Although the fig-tree fJiall not bloffom ; neither fnalt ^■^ fruit be in the vines ; the labour of the olive fhall fail, " and the fields fhall yield no meat ; the fiockfiall be cut *' off from the fold, and there fJiall be no herd in the 230 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. *' Jlalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the *' God of my falvation," Hab. iii. 17, 18. Yes, fre- quently, in feafons of the greateft affliction, the behever experiences this joy in the higheft de- gree : though with Job, h^Jit among the ajhes, depriv- ed of every temporal comfort, and deftitute of every thing to cheer the heart ; yet even then he can be glad in the Lord, and rejoice in the hope of that portion which is laid up for him in heaven. In poverty and NAKEDNESS, a fenfe of the goodnefs of God can make him water his bread with tears of joy ; he can rejoice that he has for the lot of his inherit^ ance, the all-fufficient Jefus, who is infinitely of more worth than all that the world can aflpord : yes, in the word of times, this joy can make him, with the Church, exclaim, '' Though the earth be removed ; *' though the mountains be carried into the midjl of th^ *^ fea, there is a fir earn which maketh glad the city of *' our God," Pf. 46. c. It is a glorious joy, becaufe it advances the Chriftian in holiness. The more this joy is ex- perienced, the more meekly, the more humbly, and the more tenderly he walks with God. To the p E AC E and j o y of the believer may be add- ed, a THIRD fruit of faith; the holy triumph of faith, which proceeds from them as the flream from the fountain; to this fruit of faith allufions are often made in the word of God : thus, we read, Ifai. xlv. 25. Li the Lord Jliall all the feed of Ifrael glory. And Paul fays. We fland and rejoice i^i the hope of the glory of God; we glory in tribulation alfo, Rom., v. 2, 3. By this triumph, we underfland, " that lively and *' courageous exercife of an aflured but humble Chrif- " tian, which, from a view of his fellowlhip with LECTURE VI. ajx " the triune God, and intereft in the benefit of the " covenant, either in pofTeflion or profpeft, makes " him to efteem himfelf truly happy, and, compara- " tively, to defpife all inferior things." It therefore excludes all kinds of boajling, and glorying in himfelf; in his own wijdom, Jlrength, and worthinefs ; for, let not the wife man glory in his wif" dam, nor the Jlrong man in his Jlrength, nor the rich man in his riches, but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he knoweth me, faith the Lord, Jer. xix. 24. Hence we find him defcribed as clothed with humili- ty, and, with the father of the faithful, confeffing that he is but difl and aJJies. The only ground, therefore, of the triumph of faith, is a believing view of God in Chrift, as the portion of the foul, and the blefled- nefs thence arifing. This triumph of the believer is a magnanimous exercife of the foul, by which he efteems himfelf to be in a happy and glorious ftate ; for he triumphs 1. In the TRIUNE God; that Jehovah the fa- ther is his father; that he is one horn of God ; that he who was by nature a child of wrath, and Satan's flave, hath been adopted as a child of God ; and that God hath made with him an everlafing covenant. Sure- ly that man cannot but exult and triumph, who hath the God of heaven and earth for his God ; who is enabled to view the Eternal as one who hath loved him from eternity ; who will never ceafe to love, and will permit him to hold fweet fellowfhip with him. Will the favour of a king, who is but a worm of the dufl, infpire courage ? how much more ani- mating to refleft, that finful duft, very worms, may hold intercourfe with the King of heavep I The believer triumphs in Christ and his merits, as his SURETY, as h.\s foimdation and chief corner- 252 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. (lone, upon which he is fo finnly built, that the gates of hell J/i all never prevail againji him; he glories in ail his riches and inexhauftible treafures. " O !" fayS the foul, "I was nothing; but in Chrift I have " all things, and can do all things ; I was poor, but '' he hath made me rich; I was ignorant, but he *' hath been made of God unto me wijdom ; I was guil- " ty, but he hath been made unto me right eoiifnefs ; " I was WEAK, but he hath become my Jlrength ; " and therefore I neither want nor defire any thing « befides him." The believer triumphs in the spirit of glory ivho rells upon him ; who, by faith, uniting his foul to Jefus, puts him in poifeffion of all his bene- fits, dwells in him, refrelhes, feals, affures and com- forts him by his divine influences. As the believer triumphs in God, fo he likewife glories 2. In tribulation, Rom. v. 3. Not in tribu- lation as fuch, as it is a confequence of fin, and produces pain and anxiety ; for in this refpe6l, the Apoftle declares, that no chojlening for theprefentfeem- eth to be joyous, but grievous; but he glories in tribu- lations, as difpenfations of a reconciled God and fa- ther ; as tokens of his love to him ; for, whom the Lord lovethhe chafleneth, and fcourgeth every f on whom he receiveth. And fince he experiences delightful evidences of the loving kindnefs of God in his af- fliftions, he becomes aflured that the fufferings of the prefent time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which fJiall be revealed in him. Yes, he triumphs in tribulations, becaufe they bring him nearer to God, wean him more from the things of time, and make him long more for heaven. It is in feafons of affliQions that he fays with David, " Before I zuas LECTURE VI. 2 35 ** oMiBed I went aflray, lini now have I kept thy word." 3. The true believer triumphs over all his ene- mies ; by faith he can lift up his head, and boldly refifl all their affaults. Does the law, in loud thun- ders, utter its curfes againft his innumerable tranf- greflions ? he can exclaim, in the language of the Apoftle, " There is now therefore no condemnation to *' them that are in Chrijl Jefiis ;' for he is enabled to behold him as that complete Redeemer who hath fulfilled the righteoufnefs of the law, and condemned fin in theflejh : clad in the garments of his falvati on, he greatly rejoices in the Lord. Does conscience ac- cufe him of his numberlefs errors and defeds in du- ty ? he triumphs in this, that he has a furety who can and will put him in pofleflion of complete falvation ; one who is the advocate with the Father, and hath been made a propitiation for all his fins ; whofe blood is of infinite value and perpetual efficacy. Does Satan, the accufer of the brethren, lay any thing to his charge ? Does he feek to diflurb his peace ; to alarm his fears, andfhakehis confidence ; he can triumph, and, addrelT- ing the adverfary, fay, " Get thee behind me, Satan ; the *' Lord rebuke thee, even the Lord who hath chofem. ** Jerufalem ; I am a brand plucked out of thy " hands ; I have nothing more to fear from thee ; my ^* furety, to whom I am united by faith, hath engra^ '" ven me in the palms of his hands ; I know that n^th- '* ingfJiallfeparate me from his love, and that I fliall " be 7nore than a conqueror," In this way the be- liever can rejoice in the falvation of his God, and in his name lift up his banners. Is he defpifed or hated by the world? he glories in being among the num-. ber whom the King of kings delighteth to honour. Does the world endeavour to allure him by it^ charms^ its grandeur, its riches and its pleafures ? Hh f 234 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. he triumphs in the crofs of Chrift, whereby the world is crucified to him, and he to the world. The crofs of Chrift is his crown, — the reproach which Jefus fuf- fcred, his honour; and his wounds, his refuge and hiding-place. 4. The behever triumphs over death, and in the view of an approaching judgment; and be- caufe the bond of union between Chrift, the prince of hfe, and his foul, is fo clofe and intimate, he can on better grounds than Agag could, exclaim, *' Surely " the bitternefs of death is pajt ;" for Chrift, by his death, hath taken away the fting of death, and made it the entrance into eternal glory. The triumphant believer is not afraid of appearing before the bar of God ; for the judge is his friend, his furety, and his advocate ; he has therefore nothing to exped, on that folemn occafion, but the approving fentence of Jefus, his redeemer and Judge. Hence he may defpife all that his enemies can do, and lay afide all his fears, faying, in, the bold language of Paul, " Who ftiall feparate " us from the love of Chrift ?" 5. The believer triumphs in the profpedt of future GLORY : Paul fpeaks oi rejoicing in the hope of glory, Rom. V. 2. and Peter obferves, ''That the end of ''faith is thef^lvation of the foul." This triump'h confifts in that full and joyful confi- dence which the Chriftian hath, that when he ftiall have arrived at the end of his race, fought the good fight, and obtained the viftory, he fhall receive the crown of life. This confidence is founded upon the firft fruits, and foretafti^-Tvhich he has already enjoyed of heaven ; and the happy eff'eft which it produces is. that by it the Chriftian is quickened to have his converfation in heaven, and his life more holy. A, This triumph presupposes, then, that the LECTURE vr. 235 Chriftian has a full and joyful confidence that he is referved for heaven, and heaven foj him ; becaufe he has already been made to partake of its firfl fruits, and to enjoy a prelibation of its bleffednefs. But in what do thefe firfl fruits confift ? a. In a lively apprehension of the glory of the life to come : heaven, in a manner, defcends into the foul, or the believer is led into heaven ; and thus be- holds the Eternal, the Lord Jefus, and the bleffed fpirits who are before the throne, as if prefent with them, which caufes him in extafy to cry out, " Eye ^^ hath not feen, nor ear heard," 1 Cor. ii. g. b. In affeftionate aspirations of foul towards God; in holy COMPLACENCY and ardent defires, and in receiving a gracious return from God, by his EMBRACING the bcHever in the arms of his love; fo that, on the one hand, the believer profefles, " / love *' thee, 0 Lord, my Jlrength ;" God, on the other hand, replies, " / have loved thee with an everlajling love, *' therefore with loving kindnefs have I drawn thee." c. In that JOY unfpeakable, and full of glory, of which we have already fpoken. Now when the believer experiences all thefe, in a lefs or greater degree, he has a foretafte of heaven, as an earneji of his future inheritance. Thefe are the firft fruits which infure the full enjoyment ; for after the firft fruits, the harveft is gathered, in. B. The triumph of faith, as intimated before, con- fifts " in his having a profpe6l of enjoying that fal- " vation in its perfection, of which he has already " had fome foretafte." *' O, faith the believer, is a sight of God here " on earth fo delightful, though it be kit as in a glafs " darkly, or, as it were, jiy the light of the moon and *'ftars.? how ravifhing muft be the view, when I 236 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. " fhall enter into the palace of the king, and there •' behold him face to face, where all darknefs fhall be " for ever excluded ; where there Piall be no nighty *' where the glory of the Lord fhall be the light of ** the holy city!" Is it here fo fweet and comfortable to experience fome fmall difcoveries of the love of God to us, and of our love to him ? what tranf- port fhall pofTefs the foul, when this love fhall be increafed to a flame, and continue for ever to burn without diminution! Is the prefent joy of the Chriflian fo great as to make him look upon all the evils of life as light aflFli6lions ? how tranfporting mull it be in heaven, where there is '■fulncfs of joy in *' the prefcnce of God, and at his right hand, pleafiires *''for evermore ; where everlafting joy fhall he upon •' his head, andforrow and fghing fiiall flee away !" c. The EFFECT produced by faith triumphing is, "That the believer is quickened to maintain a *' heavenly frame, and a holy walk and converfation ;" which manifefts itfeif, a. In a conftant seeking of the things which are ahove, where Chrifi fitteth at the right hand of God, The triumph of faith makes heaven prefent to the believer's view, and leads him, in the midfl of all his worldly concerns, to be much employed in contem- plating the manfions prepared for him in his Father's houfe; " for, where his treafure is, there his heart will *' be alfo." b. In a comparative disesteem of the things which are on earth ; as beneath the attention of the Chriftian ; for he poffelfes riches and blcfTings, which are of fuch a nature, " that they fatisfy the unbound- " cd dcfires of his foul : "' while the men of the world make temporal things their chief good, the fpiritually- Xninded view them as unworthy of an anxious LECTURE VI. 237 thought. Hence it is that in profperity they are not unduly elevated, and that in adverfity, they poffefs that compofed refignation which arifes from the contem- plation of that better, and more durable inheritance, which is refer ved for them in heaven. c. In a lively hope, and earneft longing for the bleffednefs of heaven ; for which, however, the be- liever patiently waits till God's appointed time ; af- fured that he will never for Jake the work of his hands, but perfeH what he has begun, the Chriftian confi- dently expe£ls that he who, by his grace, has brought him into the heavenly road, will condu6l him in it, until he has obtained tht end of his faith, the falvation cf his foul. Thus, we have briefly fhown in what confift the peace, the joy, and the triumph of the Chriftian. Let us now fee how each of thefe flows from faith. — It is by faith that the believer takes hold of the right- eoufnefs of Chrift, by which he is juftified ; and being juftified, as the Apoftle declares, he hath peace with God, A fenfe of reconciliation and peace with God, cannot fail of producing joy ; and joy, when it is unfpeakable and full of glory, rifes to triumph. Hence the Pfalmift connefts joy and triumph to- gether, when he fays, " My foul fJiall make her boafl in *' the Lord : the humble fJiall hear thereof and be glad" Pfal. xxxiv. 2. — Precious, indeed, muft that faith be, which is produ6live of eEPeQs fo heavenly, fo divine ! We now proceed to the second thing propofed, which was, to inquire whether all thefe fruits of faith are found in all believers, at all times. It is certain that the principle whence they pro- ceed, is found in all true believers ; for, however weak faith may be, ftill it unites the foul to Chrift, and 25 8 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. confequently gives it an intereft in his faving benefits. But all believers do not at all times experience them in the degree in which they have been defcribed. God, in his dealings with his people, difplays both his fovereignty and wifdom : one paffes through life in darknefs, and in difcouragement, having only a faith of adherence ; another is permitted to tafte a few- drops out of the cup of confolation, to keep him from fainting by the way : if he difcover any light, it is but faint and tranfient ; whilft others walk in the light of God's countenance, rejoice in his name all the day, and with the eunuch, go on their way with gladnefs. God knows what each of his children needs. Sometimes they are brought into fuch trying circum-^ fiances, that, did they not experience a fweet peace and joy in believing, they would fink beneath their heavy load. Hence we may find many rejoicing ia the midft of tribulation; and hence the martyrs, who have been called to fufFer bonds, imprifonments^ and cruel deaths, have had this affeftion raifed to the highefl degree. Thus varioufly does God difpenfe the meafures of his grace, as his infinite wifdom fees fit, and by this he teaches us, 1. That fuch comfortable experiences are not ahfo-. lutely necejfary for Jalvation. They are, indeed, fweet and delightful to the foul, and flrew the way to heaven with flowers ; but the prefent time is the period in which we are to live by faith, upon the divine word and promifes, which, as an index by the way-fide, points to the road leading to the heavenly Canaan. It is truly pleafant to travel, having the light of the SUN to direft us ; but by the light of the MOON and stars, we may flill make progrefs in our journey. Here we walk by faith, 2 Cor. iii. 7.—^ To walk by fight, is referved for heaven. LECTURE VL 23$ 2. By fuch difpenfations, we are taught that the comfortable experiences of God's love^ are not con- clufive evidences of our being more advanced IN GRACE than others. The reverfe is often true : hence we frequently fee thofe who are but commen- cing the divine life, enjoying thofe manifeftations of divine love, whilft others, who have been long on the way, are deftitute of them. — The pilot that fails amongft rocks and fhoals, in the dark, exercifes more fkill in navigation, than he who, in pleafant weather, at noon-day, fleers the Ihip. It is greater grace to be- lieve, and not to feel ; to truft, and not to fee, than to walk in the light : hence he who experiences the fruits of faith in a high degree, has no caufe of pride, but of great humility and thankfulnefs. 3. It is no evidence, becaufe a perfon enjoys the fruits of faith, as they have been exhibited, that he is, on that account, more precious in the light of God than others ; for God takes pleafure in his people upon no other ground but the righteoufnefs of Chrift, with which they are adorned; and, whether we are in a higher or lower degree fenfible of our intereft in that righteoufnefs, we may be equally acceptable to God. Befides, the promifes are not made to thofe who have a feeling fenfe, but to them who confide in Chrift : for this reafon, weak believ- ers ought not to be difcouraged, or conclude that the work in their heart is not genuine, becaufe they have not thofe confolations which others enjoy. Their hearts ought not to be troubled ; for have they only found their fouls cleaving to the Lord, holding him faft, looking to him, and waiting for their Jefus ? they have, as has been proved at large, true faith, and confequently true grace. We now proceed to the third thing propofed^ 240 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. which was to apply the fubjefl. And in the firft place, we have a word to addrefs to thee, poor and DELUDED WORLDLING ! Isthc ftate of the people of God fo glorious ? Is there in the fervice of God fo much peace and joy, and caufe of triumph ? why art thou not more charmed with that fervice ? that thou haft fuch low and mean conceptions of it, and confidereft a life of piety to be neceffarily connefted with gloom and melancholy, that a perfon upon be- coming a Chriflian, muft bid a final adieu to all plea- fure. — Thy language is, " fuch a forrowful life would " put an end to all my enjoyments." — But thy er- roneous judgment arifes from this circumftance, that thou haft never experienced the fupreme pleafure and fatisfaftion which they receive, who purfue the paths of religion. Didft thou but know what it is to be an enemy to God, and what the dreadful confequences are of being in fuch a ftate; how precious wouldft thou efteem peace with God! how defirous wouldft thou be of reconciliation with him! Nothing but the blindnefs of thy heart, makes thee to pafs on in fecurity in thy fms. Hadft thou ever tafted of the Chriftian's joy in God, in but a fmall degree, thou wouldft have found more real fatisfa6lion in it, than the world ever has aff^orded thee. Yea, didft thou but know what it is to elevate thy head in h o l y triumph above all difficulties, how quickly wouldft thou change the judgment thou haft formed of the fervice of God ! But, becaufe thou haft no fatisfaftion but what may arife, perhaps for a moment, from the gra- tification of fenfe, ihou haft drawn the unwarrantable conclufion, that fenfual gratifications conftitute the happinefs of man, and that the pleafures of religion are imaginary and vain. True it is, thou doft pafs cheerfully through the world; poCfefling a kind of LECTURE VI. 341 ?Eace; but it is not that which Jefus gives, and which pajfeth underjianding. Thy peace arifes from fupine indifference, and a wretched infenfibility ; it is as different from the peace of which we have been fpeaking, as life and death, heaven and hell. And art thou anxious to know wherein the difference lies ? we anfwer, in the following particulars : 1. Thy peace is the creature of the imagination; it is a peace which refts upon no foundation; for thou haft never felt any real forrow of heart be- caufe of thine enmity againft God, and thy aliena- tion from him. Thou haft never taken refuge to Chrift, the Prince of Peace, nor laid down the weapons of thy rebellion. But the children of God never attain to peace with God, without more or lefs of forrow for fin : the enmity in which they lived before converfion, has deeply affefted their hearts ; this has produced fuch difquietude of mind as has caufed them to cry out for pardon, and made them fly to Chrift for reconciliation. 2. Thou art not willing to have thy peace dis- turbed; thou art offended with any one who would difquiet thy repofe ; if confcience is alarmed, thou fayeft with Felix, " Go thy way for this ti7ne ; " when I have a convenient feafon, I will call for thee ;" and thus thou fettleft thyfelf in thy former fecurity. But the man who has really obtained peace with God, is cotwithftanding often diftrelTed, becaufe he diftrufts his own heart, and therefore is willing to be difturbed, and to fee the worft of himfelf: he often fupplicates the throne, " Search me, 0 I God, and *' try me," Pf. cxxxix. 23. 3. Thy peace permits thee to live at ease in thy (ins; thou fayeft within thyfelf, " I ftiall have, **■ peace, though I walk after the iraapnation of my li J42 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. '• heart." But the more peace the child of God en- joys, the more careful he is to live foberly and right- eoufly before God. He is aware that the leaft in- dulgence in fin breaks in upon the friendfhip which fubfills between God and his foul ; and therefore he walks circumfpe6lly, and works out his falvation with fear and trernbling. Now if, upon examining thy heart, thou canft not difcover thefe marks, thou mayfl be afTured that thou art deftitute of peace with God, and a ftranger to the believer's joy and triumph ; thou mayft in- deed rejoice, but it is a joy which is worldly, finful, and of fhort duration ; yea, according to the lan- guage of Solomon, " In fuch laughter the heart is ^' forrowfid ;" for when thy joy is at its height, a few refleftions on death and eternity will fpoil all thy pleafure, and banifh all thy mirth ; but the Chriftian's joy in God continues m the mod diftreffing circum- ftances of life; and even when death itfelf looks him full in the lace, he often experiences it in the highefl degree. Moreover, confider what is the matter of thy triumph; it^s nothing more nor better than the world affords ; thou glorieft in riches and hon- ours, in gifts and attainments ; but to glory in the Lord, to rejoice in tribulations, and to exult in the hope of glory, are things of which thou art wholly ig- norant. O fmner! would to God that thine eyes were opened to fee thyfelf, and that thou wert deeply impreffed with a fenfe of thine awful (late, whilft thou art an enemy to thy God. It is however thy happinefs that even now, whilfl thou art a rebel againft thy righteous fovereign, thou haft offers of peace made unto thee : the God of heaven declares in his word, that he will make peace with thee, if thou art but willing to make peace with him : lay then LECTURE VI. 243 down the weapons of thine oppofition ; bring thy heart, with all its enmity, before God, by prayer and fupplication, that he himfelf would humble it ; feek peace through the blood of Chrifl alone ; that will produce real joy. Believe it, that the joys which the world prefents are vain and tranfitory, but thofe of which the believer taftes, are fubftantial and dura- ble ; yes, even the tears which he llieds in fecret be- fore God, for his fins, are accompanied with more gladnefs than thou haft ever experienced in the en- joyment of all that the world could give. Pray then, with David, " Remember me Lord, with the favour that " thou hearejl unto thy people, that / may rejoice in *' the gladnefs of thy nation ; that I raoy glory -with *' thint inheritance," Pf. cvi. 4, 5. But, fecondly, we have a word to addrefs to God's people, for their encouragement and dire6lion. Here, perhaps, the disheartened and dis- tressed Chriftian maybe alarmed and fay, " When *' I examine myfelf with refpefl; to the loweft degrees " of faith, as hungering, thirlling, defiring and look- *' ing, I dare not but confefs that I have experienced '•' thefe ; but when I am told what fruits are produ- " ced by faith, I am led to fufpe6l its reality ; for " had I true faith, I might expeft, fometimes at " leaft, to experience fome of thofe fruits." But we afk you, 1. Dofl thou not efleem thofe truly blessed, who are permitted to enjoy friendship with God, and to experience joys divine ? Haft thou not often defired that thou mighteft experience the fame ? Whence proceed thofe defires, but from having beea taught of the Lord, how truly precious thofe bleffings are? 244 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. 2. Is there any thing in the world which can give thee any fubftantial joy or satisfaction ? Doft thou not account all things as lofs and dung^ when compared with the comfort of which thy foul par-< takes, in thofe delightful moments, when thou hall communion with thy God ? Wouldft thou hefitate whether thou wouldfl exchange thine hope, fmall as it may be, of having God for thy portion, for all that this earth can afford ? Is not God more precious to thee than a thoufand worlds ? 3. Haft thou ever gloried in thyfelf, and doft thou boaft in the prefence of God, of thy virtues or performances ? Say, is it not rather in the Lord that thou gloriejl ? And doft thou not triumph in the righteoufnefs of the divine Redeemer alone ? Has not the Eternal taught thee to renounce thine own righteoufnefs, thine own wifdom, thine own ftrength ? Does it not cover thee with fhame, when thou glorieft in any thing which thou mayeft have done ? Art thou not compelled to acknowledge, that thou art but fmful dujl and aJJies, a creature unwoi% thy, and abominable in the fight of God ? 4. Art thou not firmly determined to cleave to the Lord, even though he afford thee no comfort ; but caufethee to walk in a dark and gloomy way ? Were the Lord Jefus to put to thee the queftion which he once propofed to his difciples, *' Wilt thou ** aljo go away ?" wouldft thou not with Peter, reply, " Lord, to whom pi all I go but unto thee, thou hajl the '• zoords of eternal life ?" Whatever thy cafe may be, or however the Lord may fee fit to deal with thee, art thou not ready to teftify that thou wouldft rathc"r die at the feet of Jefus, than live in fin, and after the manner of the world ? Now, is not all this an evi- dence that the defires of thy foul have God in Chrift LECTURE VI. 245 for their obje^, and that to thee, his /avo2ir is life, and his loving kindnefs better than life ? 5. Although thou complaineft of never having experienced the fruits of faith in a high degree, wouldft thou dare to affert that thou haft not at all felt its peace, joy and triumph ? Canft thou not re- coUefl the moments when thou could ft diftinguifh whether God was at a diftance, or near to thy foul, with his light and influences ? When in fecret thoii didft WRESTLE with God in prayers, and with tears; when thy foul went out towards him with fuch ar- dent affedions, that all which the world could prof- fer appeared but little in thine &y^^, didft thou not then feel thy heart fweetly fercne ? Did not thofe very tears thou didft fhed, when confeffing thy fins before the Lord, when thy heart burned with affec- tion to God, produce more real joy than ever thou exercifedft with regard to any terreftrial objefts ; yea, did not the joy which the world once afforded, van- ifti and ceafe to be joy to thee ? and when God has called thee to severe trials, under which thou kneweft not how to fupport thyfelf, haft thou not been enabled to tr i u mph in the ftrength of thy Re- deemer God? Has not th?it Jlrength been perfe6led in thy xveaknefs, fo that thou could ft proceed on thy way in the might of Jehovah ? Haft thou never tafted any of the first fruits of heaven, in the exercife of a fupreme, undivided, and fincere love to God, and the Lord Chrift ? Moreover, wouldft thou not delight to imitate the inhabitants of heaven, in a holy walk, and with a mind fet upon ob- jefts above ? Say, haft thou experienced all thefe things ? then, though thou mayeft not feel this peace, joy and triumph, as has been defcribed, yet be aftti- red, the principle of faith ii? in thine heart. It is not 246 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. for thee to prefcribe to the Eternal, what degree of grace he rauft impart to thee ; remember that he is a fovereign ; that his wifdom knows of what things thou haft need ; and that in the time when thou dofl abfolutely require more grace, it will not then be withheld from thee, but a rich fupply be grant- ed. Defpife not the day of fmall things, but be thankful for the leafl favour he beftows upon thee : efteem living by faith to be thy greateft privilege ; cleave to the Lord, and wait upon the God of thy falvation, with a compofed confidence, to the very laft hour of thy life ; * perhaps thy laft moments may be *' the times of refrejiiing from the Lord." O ! how often has it occurred, that the people of God have paffed all their days complaining of darknefs and dif- trefs ; but when they have come to a dying bed, have received from their heavenly P'ather fuch tokens of his love, as have enraptured their whole fouls, and overwhelmed them with joys celeftial and unfpeak- able ! Thus they have been enabled to triumph over death, faying, with David, '' Though I walkthrough •' the valley of the JJiadow of death, I will fear rj) " evil, for thou (Lord) art with me ; thy rod and thy "faff, they comfort me," Pf. xxiii. But there are others of God's children who have once walked in the light, but now complain tha-t they are WALKIN G in darkness; that the com- forter, who once adminiftered confolation to their fouls, is departed from them ; they lament, with Job, " We go forzvard, but he is not there ; and backward, " but we cannot perceive him," Chap, xxiii. 8. What renders fnch a ftate the more infupportable is, that the perfons who are thus fituated, have once experi- enced the delights of being nigh unto God. You muft confider, Chriftian friends, that it is LECTURE VI. 247 no uncommon thing for God to change his mode of dealing with his people : it would be an extraordi- nary circumftance were you always to walk in the light ; the fun is often obfcured by the intervening cloud ; and there are fubftantial reafons, both on God's part and on your own, for his peculiar dealings with you : 1. God will, by fuch dealings, teach you to maintain confidence in an hour of darknefs ; to depend upon his promifes, and to live upon former experiences. We cannot form a full and perfeft idea of what it is to trufl in the Lord, unlefs we are led in ways impenetrably dark. 2. God will, by fuch difpenfations, try your FAITH, your LOVE, your patience and con- stancy. It is an eafy matter to continue in the ways of godlinefs, and to cleave to the Lord, when he is nigh unto us, and, faith's eye behold the fun of righteoufnefs; but it requires faith Jlro7ig in the liord, and in the power of his might, to make the foul cry out with Job, " Though he flay me, yet -will " I trujl in him." Beloved, no one can exprefs with what readinefs the Lord hearkens to thofe bold notes of his moaning dove, in the clefts of the rock, and in the ftcret places oi the flairs. 3. God makes you to feel at times, the horror of great darknefs, that you may know something by experience, of that distress which filled the foul of the bleffed Jefus, who, after having conftant- ly walked in the light of his Father's countenance, en- dured fuch hidings of his face as m.ade him cry out, " My God ! my God ; xohy haf thou forfaken me ?" to the end that you may be excited to love your Redeemer with warmer affection; and alfo, that in this rerpe6t you may become conlonnable to his image. 248 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. 4. The Lord defigns, by thefe dark difpenfations of his providence, to keep you humble, and to pre- vent you from being lifted up in your imaginations, on account of the grace you may have received. The niceft pencil cannot paint the pride of the human heart, efpecially when it conceives that it is in pof- feffion of a jewel of which others are deflitute ; but God will teach us, by his dealings with us, that all we enjoy, flows to us through the channel of free grace. 5. God deligns, by leading his people in fuch dark ways, to TEACH them to prize, in a higher de- gree, and to endeavour more carefully to preserve the gracious experiences of his loving kindnefs, when- ever he may be pleafed to reftore them : we never place fo great a value on a thing, as when having once enjoyed it, we are again deprived of it. But whilft God has on his part fo many wife rea- fons for dealing thus with his people, the greatefl, perhaps, arife from themfelves : are they not brought into fuch dark ways, becaufe they do not make a fu it- able improvement of the grace they have received, by a humble and circumfpe6t walk, and a diligent dif- charge of duty ? Thofe who have once tafted that the Lord is gracious, are laid under many obhga- tions : much having been given them, of them much is required; much prudence, much care to pre- ierve a holy peace of mind ; much weanednefs and abfl;ra£lion from the world. Now, if you have been very deficient in thefe duties, you need not think it ftrange, if God manifefts his difpleafure againft your rcmifsnefs, by leaving you for a feafon enveloped in darknefs. And are you confcious to yourfelves, that you have given him much reafon to deal thus ivith you ? take the following directions : LECTURE Vr. 249 1 . Be not overmuch dejected on account of your failure in duty; but humble yourfelves before God, and fly to the atoning blood of Chrift for pardon. 2. Confess before God, that it is he alone who giveth power to the faint, and to thofe who have no might, increafeth Jlrength ; and that therefore, with" out him ye can do nothing ; and mud faint, if left by him to go without the fun. Profefs to him that ye can find no peace nor fatisfaftion in the creature apart from him, and that ye delire him, and him alone, as the portion of your fouls. 3. Give Y o u R s E Lv E s anew to the Lord in the ex- ercise of a lively faith; caft yourfelves afrefh into the arms of your compaflionate Redeemer, and cov- enant God, and renew your covenant with him. 4. Perfevere in praying after the manner of David, Pf. li. 12, " Rejiore unto me the joy of thy falvation, " and uphold me with thy free fpirit ; 7nake me to hear "joy and gladnefs^ that the hones which thou hafl bro- " ken may rejoice." The Lord is a compaflionate God ; " he will not always chide, neither will he keep his " anger for ever. Though in a little wrath he may hide " his face from you for a moment, yet with everlafcing " loving kindnefs will he have mercy on you." 5. And when the Lord fhall again reveal himfeif to your fouls, follow the example of the fpoufe, who, when fhe had found her beloved, would not let him go. In like manner, cleave to your Jefus, by faith ; ply him with tears and fupplication, and hon- our him by a walk worthy of the grace you may have received : if God ever zigainfpeak peace to your fouls, be careful not to return agai?i to folly. But we have yet a word to you, believers, who ARE established iu the faith, and who experi- ence its peace, its joy and triumph. Kk 250 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. How great is your happinefs ! how glorious your privile^^es ? Ye, not only in common with your fel- low Chriflians, have grace, but ftrong evidences that ye are the fubjefts of it. Ye are not only at peace with God, but ye hold fweet converfe with him, as your bo- fom friend ; ye not only believe, but what is more, jye tajle that the Lord is gracious. Ye have begun already to enjoy heaven, even whilft ye are fojourning on earth* But ftill you are to keep in mind, 1. That to be led in this agreeable manner; to go thus on your way rejoicing, is not your daily BREAD. Thefe exercifes are generally not of long duration. God may fbon change the ways he has been holding with you : his people do not always baflc beneath the rays of the fun of profperity. David and other faints, in their own experience, have been witneffes of the truth we now advajnce. Therefore^ believers, enjoy your good things, now, when no in- tervening cloud intercepts your believing views of your Redeemer ; but, in the day of adverfity, confider that it is no ftrange or unufual thing with God, to diveft his people, at leaft for a feafon, of that peace, of tbofe joys, and triumphs which you have expe- rienced. 2. Endeavour to excite and to keep alive thofe delightful and comfortable frames, by the exercife of an habitual and friendly intercourfe with God, efpe- cially in fecret ; by counfelhng with him ; by con- fiding in him ; and, above all, by conftantly making application to the Lord Jefus. — G, Chriflians, run to this tree of life ; for here only can you pluck thofe heavenly fruits. 3- Con DUCT yourfelves with PRUDENCE ; make a proper ufe of thofe peculiar bleffings with which you arc favoured ; purfuc your journey heaven- LECTURE VI. 251 ward, and evidence to the world, by a tender and holy walk in the fear of the Lord, that ye are indeed travelling thither. Are your privileges great ? your obligations are alfo great. Be then on your guard againft carelefsnefs, lukewarmnefs, and floth : confider that Satan is never more engaged to entangle you in fin, than when ye have much of the divine prefence. Ye are therefore never more loudly called to watch- fulnefs, than at fuch a feafon. — Watch againft the very firft temptations to remifsnefs in the difcharge of duty. Peace and holinefs muft always go hand in hand. 4. Let your tongues frequently celebrate the praifes of your God. Does he give you affurances of his having brought you out of darknefs into his marvellous light ? ftudy to difplay the honour of his name. Have ye the beft reafons to believe that ye are interefted in the inheritance of the faints in light ? give glory to God the Father, -who hath made you meet to be -partakers of this inheritance, and ling with the church, " / will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my foul ^^fhall be joyful in my God ; for he hath clothed me with •' the robe of righteoufnefs," Ifaiah Ixi. 10. and with David, *' / will fing unto the Lord, becmfe he hath dealt bountifully with me," Pfal. xiii. 6. Let the praifes of God be ever on your tongues and in your hearts. 5. Show to the world, that to serve God in Christ, is always productive of real joy. Do you experience the joys of God's falvation inter- nally ? manifeft it in your external conduft ; and thus remove the prejudices which the world conceives againft the divine religion of Chrift, " that it makes *' its votaries pafs their days in gloomy melancholy :" on the contrary, let it appear by your words and ac- tions, *' that no joys are to be compared with thofe 25Z THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. *' which refult from the fervice of God;" that, by thefe means, unhappy infidels may be allured, and conftrained to fay, " we will go with you, for we " have heard that the Lord is with you." 6. Is a joyful glorying in God, in tribulations, and in the hope of glory, a fruit of faith ? evidence that ye are elevated to this exalted flate, by not feek- ing the things which are on earth, and by fetting your afFeflions on thofe which are above : by faith, keep heaven conftantly in your view, till you obtain the end of your faith, the falvation of your fouls. And, Chriftians, is it fo delightful here to have a prelibation of the bleffings of the promifed land ? Are the firfl fruits fo grateful to the foul ? O ! what will be the full fruition ! Can the joy which ye here experience in God, and which is fo frequently inter- rupted, animate you to meet with courage every op- pofition, and afford you fo much comfort? what will be your confolations, when ye fhall poflefs that fulnefs of joy which is in the prefence of God, and drink of thofe pleafures which are at his right hand for evermore, when everlafting joy ihall be upon your head, and all forrow and fighing fhall flee away ! Can you now triumph in the glorious flate to which you are raifed, how poor or defpifed foever you may be in the world ? in what will you not triumph, when ye fhall enter into the palace of the King, and fit with Chrifl upon his throne, having obfained the end of your faith, the falvation of your fouls, AMEN AND AMEN. C 253 3 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Lecture VII. ON THE BACKSLIDINGS AND DECLENSIONS OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD, IN THE EXERCISE OF THE DIVINE LIFE. H AVING, in the preceding lectures, Exhibited the exercifes of believers, and the bleffed fruits which proceed from faith, we conceive it not to be impro- per, but highly expedient, in the prefent declining ftate of religion, to Ihew, " that a real child of God, *^ who once had made great advances in the divine ^' life, and livedinear to God, may fall, and fo much *^ decline in grace, that the luilre with which he once " fhone, and which rendered him an ornament to " his profeffion, may become greatly obfcured, and " difappear." The end which we propofe, in treat* ing on this fubje6l, is, both the recovery of fuch as may have gone back in religion ; the quickening of thofe who are making no progrefs in it, to be oil the watch, left they recede farther from God; and the prefervation of thofe who are truly walking with God, by fetting them on their guard againft the danger of falling into a ftate of declenfion. Li i54 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. In order to treat the fubjefl before us v/ith per- fpicuity, we lliall fhew, I. That believers are liable to decline in the ways of religion ; and that this is a cafe which often OCCURS. II. In what it consists, and how it difcovers itfelf. III. The CAUSES and fteps which lead to it. IV. The MEANS of recovery from this unhappy ftate; and, V. The ufes which each of us ought to make of this fubjeft. Firft, then, we are to fhew, that believers are li- able to DECLINE in religion ; and that this is a cafe which often occurs. 1. The word of God teaches us this in a variety of places : thus, the fpoufe in the Canticles, is re- prefented as fuffering her beloved to knock without admittance, whilfl; fhe indulged herfelf in floth and eafe, faying, " I have put off my coat, how JJiall I put " it on ? I have waJJied my feet, how fhall I defile them ? Cant. v. 3. Whilft the bridegroom tarried, the WISE as well as the foolifh virgins had fallen afleep, Matt. xxv. 5. The church of Ephefus is charged with having lojl her Jirjl love, Rev. ii. 4. The converted Jews in the laft days, are introduced as complaining, " Lord, why hajl thou made us to err '^/)'om thy ways, and hardened our hearts from thy "fear 9" Ifai^ Ixiii. 17. The precious fons of Zion^ comparable to file gold, are efteemed as earthen pitch- ers, Lam. iv. 2. And the Lord, to make his people refleft with Ihame on their backflidings, tells them, Jer. ii. 2, *' I remember thee, the kindnefs of thy " youth, the love of thine efpoufals, when thou *' wenteft after me in the wildernefs/* LECTURE VII. J55 2, It was to guard the people of God agamft de- clenfion in religion, that all thofe pointed exhor- tations and faithful warnings are given by Chrift and his apoftles. How often does the Lord Jefus cry out, Waich / and the apoftles, after his example, did the fame. Paul, writing to the Corinthians, addreffes them thus : " Watch ye, Jiand faji in the "faith, quit you like men ; bejlrong," i Cor. xvi. 13. And again, 2 Cor. vi. 1, "We befeechyou alfo, that ye ** receive not the grace of God in vain." Writing to the Romans,- he exhorts them, not to be conformed to this world ; and to the Hebrews, he adds, ** Looking *' diligently, left any man fail of the grace of God, Heb. xii. 15. Now all thcfe excitations and admonitions would have been to no purpofe, if the people of God might not, through the remains of indwelling -fin, fall into a ftate of declenlion. 3. The EXAMPLES of the moft eminent faints mentioned in fcripture, confirm this truth. Da- vid, a man after God's own heart, not only fell into the fins of murder and adultery, but he remained unafFefted with his guilt, till Nathan-, with a mef- fage from God, pointedly told him, " Thou art the "man" 2 Sam. 12. And Solomon, whom the Lord loved, went fo far aftray, that he oflFered religious worlhip to Aflitoreth, the goddefs of the Zidonians, and Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites, i Kings, xi. 4, 5. The experience of every day gives us but too much reafon to fay to many, as Paul to the Gala- tians, " Ye did run well, who hath hindered you ?'* Of too many, alas ! it may be^faid, as of Demas ; " Demas hath forfaken us, having loved this prefent *' world." The truth of what has been faid above will more fully appear, when we come to the fecond 2^5 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. head, " To fhew more particularly, in what back- CidinfT, or decletjfion in religion, confifts. But, before we proceed to this, it muft be remark- ed, " That as all is not grace that is taken for it, fo all is not to be viewed as backfliding that men may efleem fuch." We affert, 1. That ALL is not grace which is taken for it. It is often found, that perfons, by means of a pious education, or by a faithful reprefcntation of divine truths to their minds, by the common illuminations of the Holy Ghoft, may go fo far as externally to efcape the pollutions of the world ; to afibciate with believ- ers, and apparently have a defire to walk in the way of life. It is indeed hard to tell to what lengths they may go, under the influence of an awakened con- icience ; but though they appear to begin with the Spirit, yet, becaufe their hearts have never been pu- rified from the love of fin, they e7id in the Jlefli. Now, when men of this defcription return to the world, and engage again in its pleafures and amufe- rnents, this is no backfliding ; for they never were partakers of true grace ; all their religious exercifes were but external; their hearts were never changed; their wills were never made fubfervient to God ; and therefore they did not perfevere to the end ; they were branches which did not bear fruit in Chrifl:, the living vine; and hence are taken away. 2. It is alfo a truth, that all that which may be confidered by believers themfelves as backfliding, or declenfion in grace, is not in reality fuch. When perfons, efpecially tbofe who had been greatly under the dominion of fin, and lived much after the courfe of this world, have been, by the power of divine grace, brought home to God, the change is often fo ^reat, that they immediately break afunder a|| t LECTURE VII. 2^^ the bonds of iniquity, and bid a final adieu to fin, to the world, and to all that formerly had been the objefts of their delight, and come out boldly for God and his fervice : fuch perfons the Lord often treats with much tendernefs ; their hearts are, at their firfl converfion, filled with love to God and Chrift ; and they are filled with great delight, from a convi£lion that they are loved by the Eternal, with the aflFeftion of the moft tender parent ; but they have yet a lef- fon to learn, which often proves very painful to them ; that is, " to difcover how much corruption ftill re- " mains within them." Now, when they are led to fee how defperately -wicked and deceitful their hearts are, and when God, to teach them the knowledge of themfelves, is pleafed to withhold the light of his countenance ; when the fummer, with all its charms, is changed into the gloom and drearinefs of winter, and God permits the enemy to rage, and their cor- ruptions, which appeared to be fubdued, again to arife and damp their courage and their zeal ; in fuch a cafe they begin to think they have certainly back- flidden ; but this may be an erroneous conclufion ; the very reverfe may be the truth ; for, to be made to fee ourfelves in our true charafter ; to be humbled before God, and yet to cleave to him ; to be, in a word, in a ftate of darknefs, and ftill to Jlay upon God, is grace in a higher degree than that which is exercifed by one who walks in the light of God's countenance; but believers may not fee this, and therefore are filled with the apprehenfion, that they have gone back in religion ; but, 3. We remark once more, that the backflidings of God's people are to be confidered as taking place in a twofold refpe6t: Firft, they may, unawares, fall into fin, at a time when they have been off their 258 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. guard ; but then they do not continue in this condi- tion : as foon as they fee their danger, they are pre- fently awakened, and return with fhame to the Lord. In this cafe it is not an univerfal falling away from the fpiritual life, but a partial one, in regard to fome of its a6ls : thus it was with King Hezekiah ; his heart xvas. indeed lifted up, but he afterwards humbled himfelf for his pride, 2 Chron. xxxii. 26. This, too, was the cafe with Peter ; he denied his Lord and Mafter ; but Jefus no fooner looked upon him, than he went out and wept bitterly, Luke xxii. and was, after that, far more aftive and zealous in the caufe of Chrift, Or, fecondly, believers may de- cline with refpeft to all the parts of the fpiritual life ; that is, an univerfal weaknefs may obtain ; they may long continue greatly abated in their zeal for the Redeemer's interefts. The firft is, indeed, a falling into fin ; but is not properly what we mean by backfliding ; becaufe the foul which has thus fallen is inftantaneoufly enabled to rife again ; but the latter is that declenfion in religion which we have more immediately in our eye. In what it confifts, was in the second place to be fhewn j and in order to do this, we propofe to make it appear, that the children of God may de- cline, as it refpe6ls their knowledge, the princi- pal ACTS of the fpiritual life, their holinefs, and the TENDERNESS of their walk, both with regard to the mortification of fm, and the pra61ice of piety ; and, laftly, the comfortable and delightful experience of the love of God. 1. We obferve, that a believer may decline, as to his KNOWLEDGE of divinc truths. The Ibul, when it is fiift; vifited by God's grace, makes rapid pro- grefs in knowledge ; a fmall portion of time then LECTURE VII. 259 produces to the believer, higher attainments in know- ledge than other Chriftians, who have been longer on the way, ufually do in months, or even years ; for when firfl the fpirit produces faith in the heart, the believer embraces every opportunity, and improves every mean of acquiring the knowledge of divine things : no difficult)' is too great, no pains are too fevere ; neither worldly bufmefs, nor regard to health, will prevent him from feeking to become more ac- quainted with God and the divine Redeemer: in this he finds fo much comfort, fo much delight, that with Jeremiah he exclaims, '-'0 Lord, thy words were ^* found, and I did eat them ; and thy word was unto " me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart," Jer. xv. 16. Hence proceeds a fincere and cordial love to the truth, as it is in Jefus, as well as a defire to advance in the knowledge of it. But notwithftanding all this, there may be a declenfion in knowledge ; and this is ever the cafe, A. When men become remiss in felf-examina- tion ; when a fmall obftru6lion in their way is fuffi- cient to make them difcontinue the refearch ; when, feeing the difficulty of acquiring this knowledge, they quit the purfuit ; no longer ftrive to go on towards perfe^ion, and inftead of making fuch progrefs thafc they might be teachers, they ftili continue babes thai have need of milk. B. When, through this fluggifh temper, they begin to entertain the idea, that knowledge is not fo NECESSARY as they at firft fuppofed, and speak. flightly of the acquirements of others ; or when, fee- ing that many have improved in fpeculative knov\^- ledge, who have been deftitute of grace, they refolvc to give themfelves no farther trouble in adding to their flock of divine information. e6o THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. 2. Believers may decline, in refpeft to the princi* pal EXERCISES of the fpiritual life ; as will be feen in the following particulars : A. In their communion with God in secret. Believers, at all times, hold an intimate communication with heaven ; they go with boldnefs to the Throne of Grace, and call all their concerns into their Re- deemer's bofom ; they walk with God as with their friend, and cannot bear that any thing ftiould inter- vene to difturb their fpiritual intercourfe, or deprive them of their clofe fellowfhip which they hold with their covenant God ; and when any circumftance oc- curs to fet them at a diftance from him, they are not at reft until it is removed : as two perfons, who live in the habits of the moft intimate and fmcere friendfhip, cannot endure the thought that any cool- nefs fhould take place between them, fo it is infup- portable to believers, when they cannot, with their wonted freedom, approach unto God, and hold fweet fellowfhip with their glorious Mediator ; but having backflidden, it is now otherwife with them: in fecret, they lift up their fluggifti hands, whilft their hearts, lifelefs, and full of wandering thoughts, are but little impreffed, either with a fenfe of the majef- ty of God, or their own neceffities. In fuch a frame of mind, the believer cannot fet himfelf down to me- ditate profitably upon God, or divine things. When he thinks upon the Eternal, his mind is difquieted and filled with fear ; fo that he is ready to fay with Afaph, " / remembered God and was troubled; I *' complained, and my fpirit was overwhelmed." If he fets himfelf about the duty of fecret prayer, he wants animation ; it is with difficulty that he can raife his heart to God, much lefs can he wreftle with him; the Throne of Grace feems hid from him, and the LECTURE VII. 2^1 Lord appears as If he had withdrawn himfelf from his foul ; yet with all this he is not fuitably afFed- ed ; he appears now, no longer anxious to keep up his former intercourfe with heaven ; he is fet at a great diftance from God, and fcarcely longer knows what communion with him is; he goes to him; but it is as to a flranger; his heart is ftraitened, his lips are clofed, he knows not what to utter. Of fuch the Lord may well complain, as of his people of old, " They have forgotten me days without numher." B. The children of God may alfo backflide or de- cline, with refpc6l to the exercise of faith in the Lord Jefus. O ! how much were they taken up with Chrift in the time of their firfl love ; how pre- cious was he then to their fouls ! They counted all things but lofsfor Chrift ; their defires flowed out in- ceffantly towards him, and to him they fled for re- fuge. With what confidence and affeftion did they commit themfelves to his arms, and caft upon him all their burdens ! Without him they felt moft fenfi- bly that they could do nothing ; but that through his ftrength, they could perform all things. It is not now, however, thus with them ; their faith is no more in its wonted lively exercife ; they fee not that precioufnefs in Chrift, and their need of conftant de- pendence upon him, which once they faw ; they be- come proud, and lean upon their own ftrength; they feem to think that Jefus is not now fo neceffary for them as they once fuppofed him to be ; they, indeed engage in working out their own fahatioii, but not as they did before, relying wholly upon this, that it is God that muft work in them, both to will and to do of his good pleafurc ; their faith has become fo weaken- ed, and they themfelves fo much like bruifed reeds, con ftantly .wavering, through unbelief, that they can Mm iGz THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. hardly tell on what footing they fland : and what is Hill more lamentable, they have in a great mcafare loft their fenfibility, and have become dull and heavy. as was the cafe with the fpoufe, who, laying on a bed of floth, refufed admittance to him whom fhe once owned as the beloved of her foul ; they muft there- tore expecl like her, to meet with his difpleafure, and to find that he will withdraw himfelf, and, for the prefent at leaft, retire. C. There may alfo be a declenfion or backfliding, with refpeft to the entertainment given to the Holy Ghost, and his operations. Believers may grieve, and quench the Spirit ; that is to fay, they may conduft themfelves towards him in fuch a man- ner, that if it were poffible for him to experience grief, he would be grieved ; or the Holy Spirit may deport himfelf towards them as a perfon who is grieved, and withhold his comforting influences; but here the qucftion arifes, " When may the chil- *' dren of God be faid to quench the Holy Ghoft ?" They do this, a. When they do not follow where he leads, ATT EN D to his counfcls, and listen to his awaken- ing admonitions. Are the people of God excited to feparate themfelves for fecret prayer, and to engage in the aft of renewing their covenant with God ? all this is of the Spirit. Now, when the line of conduct to which he urges them, is not purfued ; when they feel an averfion to the duties to which he calls them, and are diverted From them by the things of the world; then is the Holy Spirit grieved : or, b. When the Spirit WARNS them OF -SIN, and ad- monishes them to DUTY, faying, ''This is the " zoay, walk ye in it," and they are inattentive to the admonition; or when, by venturi^ig unne- LECTURE VII. ' 463 CESSARiLY into the way of temptation, they "are hurried into fin : thus to demean themfelves towards the Holy Ghofl; is grievous to him, as it is not a6t- ing agreeably to the light which he has given them. c. In a*word, the people of God quench the Holy Ghofl, when his comforting influences do not meet with a fuitable entertainment; when they, v/ho are the fubje6l of them, inflead of being humble and watchful, become proud and careless. The Holy Spirit being thus grieved, withholds his quickening grace, and leaves his peo- ple, in a meafure, to themfelves. His operations, now, are defigned for their reftoration ; by writing bitter things againft them, he would alarm them, and let them fee how evil and bitter a thing it is tofm againjl God ; for when men depart from the Lord, they are feldom recovered without great diflrefs of foul ; as in the cafe of Peter, whofe grievous flill cofl him much forrow and m-'ny tears. D. When the children of God have thus back- flidden from him, there always follows a relaxation and abatement of mutual love. God, on his part, does not, as formerly, manifeft his loving kindnefs to the fouls of his people ; when they draw near to him in prayer, he covers himfelf as with a cloud ; he ftiuts out their prayers ; he is deaf to their cries, and returns no anfwers to their petitions. And fo, on the part of his people themfelves, there is a de- creafe of affection : their hearts were once inflamed with a love to the Lord Jefus, which was fironger than death, and with a jealoufy as cruel as the grave, the coals of -which were coals of Jire, which many waters could not quench ; conftrained by this love, they could do any thing for Chrift, and were willing to -fufFer the utmoft feveritics for his fake : in the exsr- 2fi4 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. cife of this love they gave themfelves unreren'cdly to him ; and, influenced by it, they endeavoured to bring others alfo to the Saviour ; but, by backflid- ing, they have loft their firft love; their dcfircs after Chrift are become faint and few, and they are al- mofl indifferent about communion with him. This coldnefs of affe61ion damps their zeal, flops their mouths, and makes them daftardly in their tnafter's caufe. And, as might be expeded, their Jefus docs not condu6t himfelf, on his part, towards them as he did, previous to their declenfion : he does not difplay the fulnefs of his love to their fouls; though it be true, that ivhoin he once loves, he Icves to the end, yet he withholds from fuch backfliding believers the delightful manifeftations of it. That face in which they once faw fo man)'' charms, Jefus now hides from their fouls ; for they have flighted his love : it vas thus the Lord dealt with the fpoufe, as appears from her complaint. Song v. 4, " My beloved has *' withdrawn himfelf; he put in his hand by the hole " of the door, and my bomels were moved for him." E. The children of God may decline, with re- fpecl to their lively hopes of heaven and eternal falvation. Through the weaknefs of their faith and love, their hopes are fliakcn; their fouls are full of doubts, whether ever they fhall arrive at the haven of everlafting felicity : hence, when they meditate on death and eternity, a dread feizes them, not knowing what may be their portion i?i a future world : they are alfo but little exercifed about heaven ; their faith does not as formerly, reprefent as vifiblc, the things of the invifible world ; for, by not being fet upon having inward fellowHiip with God, the defires which they once had of enjoying God face to face, in glory, }iave more or lefs ccafcd to exift. Thev fcem, in a LECTURE VII. 2^ Vv'ord, both to a6i: and live, as if they were to live here always, and as if heaven had gotten both out of their eye, and out of their heart. 3. But as the redeemed may dedine in knowledge, in the principal afts of the fpiritual life, and in fe- cret fellowfhip with God ; fo there may be a declen- iion in holiness, and in humble walking with God, both as it refpefts the mortification of fin, and the practice of piety and religion. A, With refpefl to the mortification of fin. In the time of the Chriftian's firft love, he is on his guard, and fets a watch over his heart, left he be overtaken by iniquity ; he fets a feal upon his mouth, and keeps the doors of his lips ; and on the leaft appearance of evil, he is fmitten to his inmoft foul, and enjoys no reft till he has found peace again with his heavenly father, through jefus Chrift ; but the Chriftian, who has backllidden, has loft this tendernefs of confcience ; fin fits too eafy upon him ; he is feldom difturbed on account of it. All this is clearly evinced in the life of David : when he was borne down with the heavy prefTure of affli6lion, and lived near to the Lord, his heart fraote him for cut- ting off" the fkirt of Saul's garment ; but afterwards, when he was advanced to the throne, he continu- ed, for months, infenfible of the fins of murder and adultery, of which he had been guilty, 2 Sam. xi. What was once an infupportable burden, he can now eafily fuftain ; and his oppofition to fin is be- come now fo feeble, that Satan, his fubtil foe, finds it no difficult matter to entice him from one fin to another; for, a. In proportion as love to God decreafes, an af- fection to the world fucceeds ; for the mind of man, being an a61ive principle, will always be cm- «65 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. ployed either about good or evil ; if it be not enter- tained with the contemplation of things fpiritual, and within the vail, it will delight itfelf in carnal and vi- fible objefts, in which it never could, nor ever will find fatisfa6lion. b. As grace declines, private duties are neglect- ed : the Chriilian, feduced by company, can, with- out remorfe, pafs whole days and nights converfmg on fubjefts, which, if not fmful in their nature, are, at leaft, not edifying ; infomuch, that natural men, obferving this, are'immediately led to enquire, " In *' what do thefe profeffed Chriftians differ from us ?" c. By giving way to the fmful cufloms and man- ners of worldly men, the Chriilian becomes again too conformed to that world, which he had for ever re- nounced ; he fuffers this deceitful Delilah to draw him fometimes fo far aftray, as to leave but lit- tle ground to think he has any acquaintance with the path of true piety ; and, what is flill more la- mentable, he may indulge himfelf in the works of the flefh, and thus prove a ftumbling-block to the world, difhonour God, grieve the hearts of the pi- ous, and wound his own foul. An inilance of this occurs in the life of David, in the matter of Uriah ; on which occafion, God, by his prophet, told him, ''' By this ^to-d, thou haft given great occajion to the '■^enemies of the Lord to blafphemc" 2 Sam. xii. 14. B. As thofe who backilide, yield to the commif- fion of fin, fo they are rcmifs in the exercise of the graces which adorn the Chriilian, and the prac- tice of thofe duties which the holy religion of Chrift demands ; for, a. They become inattentive to the duties of hear- ing, reading, and fearching the word; through coldnefs of afFc6lion, ihcv fuIFer a fmall nvttcr to LECTURE VII. «6^ divert them from an employment, in which they once took great delight, and on which their fpiritual life, in a great meafure, depended. b. They are remifs in the duty of prayer ; this they once efteemed a great privilege j in this they once found much pleafure ; but now, prayer has be- come a thing of courfe, a mere formal exercife : there is ilili, however, too much light in the foul, and too deep an impreffion of the omnifcience and omni- prefence of God, upon the heart, to fuffer them al- together to quit the practice ; but when they pray, it is more from cuflom, or to quiet confcience, than from any fatisfaftion they find in the duty ; and it is well if they do not fometimes feel a fecret pleafure m being hindered from engaging in it, and rejoice when the work is done. c. They endeavour to avoid the company of the godly ; for, being in this unhappy ftate, tliey are ftrangcrs to themfelves, and, therefore, afraid to converfe with exercifed Chriftians, and avoid open- ing their minds to them on fpiritual fubjefts. d. The feeds of grace, however, remaining in their hearts, they are fometimes brought to fee how low they have fallen, and to be in fome meafure af- fe6led with the fight. But how do they improve the convidion ? inflead of duly reflecling on their pre- fent flate, and following the light afforded them, a view of their wretched condition makes th.cmji?ik into difcouragement. They are difcouraged, in the first place, with refpecl to God. They dare not entertain a hope of being reftored ; the feparation between God and them appears fo great, that they conclude he will never receive them again in mercy ; but, for their unfaithfukefs, will exclude them, in his v/rath^ for 26« THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. ever from his favour. They are difcouraged, like^ wife, on account of the number, and the power of their fpiritual enemies. They think they can never make a fuccefsful {land againft them; but muft one day perifh by their hands, and ultimately yield to them the viftory ; and, laflly, they are dilhearten- ed, on account of t h e m s e l v e s : O, fay they, " We *' are plunged into the unfathomable gulph of mife- *' ry ; the feparation between the Lord and us is fo " great, that we are unable to difcern what method *' to take, or what to do to be reftored to our formei^ *' condition." Hence they become difheartened ; their hands hang down, and they negle6l the means which might tend to their recovery. ^ 4. From all this, it mull follow, as a necelTary confe- quence, that Chriflians may decline, with refpeft to the COMFORTS and joys which they formerly expe- rienced. God, who is a holy being, and cannot en- dure fm in his people, manifefts his difpleafure by withholding from them the light of his countenance, and writing bitter things againjl them : the Lord Je- fus does not give them any tokens of his love ; hence, they muft go on their way in darknefs and in forrow. See, thus, the deplorable condition into which the children of God may be permitted to come ! and in this (late they would ever remain, if the arm of the Almighty were not put forth for their recovery. Let us now proceed to the third thing propofed, which was, to fhew the causes of declenfion in the children of God, and point out the feveral steps which lead to it. Fivft; the causes of declenfion in religion are many ; fome on the part of God, and others on the part of the backflider. LECTURE Vlt. .26^ i. God, in permitting his people to backflide, ACTS according to his absolute fovereignty ; he is tiot accountable for his adions ; all his doings dis- play his majefty and glory : but if we confider, at the fame time, God as infinitely wife, we fhall be fenfible, that he cannot do any thing without reafons, which bear the ftamp of wifdom ; and fuch reafons he doubtlefs has for permitting his people to fall in- to a backfliding flate ; fome of which may be th« following : A. To manifeft his almighty and divine power, in preferving grace alive in the heart, in the midft of fo great a declenfion, and thus to difplay the pre- Vakyce of Chrifl's interceffion, whilft he prays for his people, that thdr faith fail not, Luke xxii. 32. B. Tb exhibit his faithfulness, and the im- mutability of his covenant, hotwithftanding the UNFAITHFULNESS of his pcoplc ; for, bc their de- clenfion ever fo great, with the Lord there is an ap- pointed time, in which he will appear to raife again their fouls that have been bowed down ; to fulfil their dejires, and tofave them. C. To \VARr4 others agaihft falling into fuch a flate; to put them on their guard againft whatever may lead to it ; and to excite them to a tender walk and converfation : but, efpecially, 2. We mufl look for the caufes of declenfion iif BELIEVERS themselves; for God is not a wiU dernefs, or a land of darknefs to Ifrael, Jer. ii. 31. The catufes of their declenfion are in themfelves, and they are fuch as thefe : either, A. Some aggravated sin or sins, into Which they have fallen, and of which they have never repented ; and for which they have never ob'« Na 2 70 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. tained pardon through the blood of Chrift. It is a truth, founded on the experience of ages, that one fin indulged, ufually makes way for another : this was the cafe with David; after his adultery v/ith Bath- fheba, followed the murder of Uriah. B. Becaufe they have not been daily enga- ged IN HOLDING INTERCOURSE WITH God, as a God in covenant ; and in living as it becomes per- fons Handing in fuch a relation to him ; they live too much upon the evidences which they may have received of Gods love. When thefe are not difcern- ed, their fears arife ; their fouls are difquieted; dif- couiagement taking place, remifliiefs, or a negle6l of duty, follows. It is the fault of many, that on their firfl; conviftions, and converfion to God, they do not immediately covenant with him in a more ex- plicit and folemn manner : this would lay a founda- tion for liability in a time of darknefs. They would not be fo foon difheartened, nor fo eafily hurried into fin. A recolledion of their covenant relation to God, would make either the one or the other of thefe appear unworthy of them. C. Becaufe believers have not made fuitable re- turns to the Lord for his ^oodnefs and love ; but have been cool and indifferent towards him, and not fufficiently prized God's manifellation of his pre- fence to their fouls; for when he knocked at the door of their hearts, they opened not immediately to him, faying, " Come in, thou blejjcd of the Lord, " whyjlandejl thou without? our hearts are ready to " give thee a welcome reception." O believers ! re- member it, when the Lord comes to your fouls, he will be regarded and made welcome by you ; he will fuffer no rival ; his prefence muft be fo high in your eftcem, as to eclipfe the beauty, and fink the value I.ECTURE VII. 271 of every earthly objeft ; otherwife, you may expe6t to be taught the worth of his vifits by the with- thawing of them. D. When God has caufed his people to rejoice; if they have not been careful to preserve the blef- fing, by a holy walk and frefh furrender of them- feives to him ; if, when this joy has been interrupt- ed, they have not been diligent in fearching out the caufe, and feeking its reftoration ; or, if they have looked for comfort from fomc other quarter : all thefe are fo many reafons why the Lord may fufFer them to feel that unhappinefs which declenfion in religion alv/ays brings in its train. E. Another caufe of declenfion in religion is, a "YIELDING too mUch tO a SLOTHFUL TEMPER, Of too great an indulgence in indolence and inac- tivity. When religion is alive in the foul, we think it not too much to infringe upon the hours appointeti to reft, and to employ them in religious exercifes, whilft the morning and evening of every day witnefs our fecret intercourfe with our God ; but when we become inaftive, and indulge ourfelves on the lap of eafe ; when the fervice of God becomes a burden, and duty is negle£led ; then leannefs and deadnefs enter into the foul ; our zeal is cooled, and our re- ligion languifties. F. The children of God have fometimes depend- ed too much upon their first exercifes, and upou what the Lord has done for them in former iimes. To look back on former experiences is profitable to Chriftians, when it excites them to walk humbly with God; but when it renders them carelefs, and inakes them think, " Though we are unfaithful, God " is faithful ; and if a work of grace has ever been " begun, in our hearts, of which we have good 272 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. *' evidence, it will be continued;" to make fuch an uf^ of pall experiences is very dangerous ; it leads to fe- curity ; and this fecurity ends in backlliding. As thefe are the caufes of declenfxon in religion ; ib there are certain steps by which a foul is led into fiich a flate ; for fo great a departure from God can- not take place at once, or by the commiflion of one iin ; it muft be brought on by degrees ; hence it is often the cafe, that the Chriflian knows not how he has gone to fuch a length in hackfliding ; his cafe is like that of two bofom friends who have lived toge- ther in the clofeft intimacy ; their affeftion feemed to be fuch as could never fuffer an abatement ; but in a courfe of time, their friendfhip cool$, they know not how; : or he is like a man defcending ipto a val- ley from a lofty hill ; he glides infenfibly down, before he is aware ; but looking back upon the height from which he came, he is furprifed to find himfelf fo foon defcended from fo great an eminence. Let us, then, trace out the ftcps which lead to this ftate of declenfion ; tha^ by this mean, through the divine bleffmg, thofe who have begun to backflide, may be prevented from departing farther from God. 1. Thofe Chriftians who backflide, have not been fufficiently k n g ag e d in heart work ; in watching the motions of the foul, and in obferving daily what en- joyment they have of the divine prefence; hence, they wander from God, and become lefs inclined to converfe with him in fecret ; or, if they do engage in private duties, they can reft in them, though they may be performed with little fpirit or life. 2. Becoming thus carelefs, they begin to satisfy themfelves, with fome of the lefs effential things in^ religion; as with fuch fpeculative truths, as only illu- Hiinate the head; but do not improve the heai;t. LECTURE Vir. 273 \Ve would not be underftood to infinuatc, that the inveftigation of divine truths is a mean to impede our progrefs in religion ; fo far from this, it is to be con- fidered as a mofl happy mean of caufing us to ad- vance in our journey towards heaven j but through the depravity of the human heart, and the fubtilty of our fpiritual enemies, it is poflible, that what, in other circum fiances, might be very profitable, may, b.y being mifufed, prove very hurtful. And this is the cafe, when we devote the greateft part of our time, to making deep refearches into truths, which, though important in themfelves, are not, however, fuch as immediately tend to aflFeft the heart : or, when we do not apply thofe elTential truths, with which we are acquainted, to our own fouls, nor make any enquiry what influence they have upon the mind, nor what improvement we make by them, in virtue, and true piety. 3. After this, they begin to withdraw them- felves from the company of thofe who fear the Lord, cfpecially, from fuch as would deal faithfully with them, and whofe converfation might tend to awaken them. Nor is this to be wondered at ; for when the heart is barren and empty, the mouth muft be Hopped. 4. At length they become fo entangled, and LOST in the world, that they lofe fight of God. One is involved in a multiplicity of bufinefs ; ano- ther is enfnared by riches and profperity ; or by ho- nour and preferment ; he is now expofed to the com- pany of the world, and tempted to conform to its cuftoms and manners. Thus Chriflians are led to indulge themfelves in that which they had once re- counced ; the communication between God and t|i?ir fouls is interrupted ; their boldnefs in the caufe -?.74» THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. of Chrift appears no more ; a holy and jealous God, to manifeft his difpleafure with their conduft, with- holds his divine influences, and permits them to go ftill farther and farther aftray. Nor would they ever return from thofe devious paths, unlefs the mighty hand of God were ftretched out to bring them back into the way of life. We doubt not, but many, on a flri6l examination of their own hearts, muft be obliged to confefs, with fliame, that fuch has been their very cafe. Happy are they who fee this in time, before they fall into a Hate fo awful and alarming ; a fituation which makes ihejine gold becovK dim, and the precious fons of Zion. to be as eartlwif pitchers. It is not enough however, to see the evil, and to liave the causes of it exhibited to our view; but, that thofe, who have departed from the ways of the Lord^ may be reftored, the means of their reClora- tion muft be pointed out, which was the fourth thing propofed to be fKewn. Gome, then, backsliding and un f aithfu l Chriftian, who art compelled to fay, " this is my name, and my true chara6ler.'* Stand ftill for a mo- ment and refleft upon thy ways. — Permit us to afk thee in the name of the Lord, how has it come to pafs that thou art fo ina6live and lifelefs in the fer- vice of God ? Is there now lefs pleafure in it, than when thou didft firft devote thyfelf to him ? Is there more fubftantial comfort to be found, at prefent, in the world, than at the time thou badeft it an eter- nal adieu, and gaveft thyfelf to God ? Or haft thou ever found unrighieoujnefs with him ? What hath he done to thee ? In what hath he wearied thee ? Tejlify agaivft him, Mich. vi. On the contrary, hath he liot been faithful to thee, even then, when he led LECTURE VI I. ^y- thee in the dark and dreary path of afRi£lion ? Didft thou not then receive the tokens of his love and goodnefs ? Hath he ever left or forfaken thee ? Art thou compelled to anfwer and to fay, " He never '♦ was to me a ivildernefs. a land of darkncjs : but " goodnefs, truth, and righteoufnefs have marked all *' his dealings with me : the guilt lies at my own " door. It was my lin, my inattention, my folly, *' which has carried me fo far from my God. And " what advice can now be given me, what direQion " can be afforded, with refped to my reftoration. For " I am fearful that, unlefs I am fpeedily helped, I " fhall continue in my prefent ftate, yea, be found " in a worfe condition, and go to fuch lengths in *' backfliding, that all hopes of recovery, and of be^ " ing received in mercy, mufl be abandoned. We grant that thy cafe is truly deplorable ; but flill there is hope concerning thee : there have been others in the like condition, whom God, as by a fe- cond converfion, hath reflored. Be r>ot, then, difcou- raged, nor give thyfelf over to defpondency : this would render thee unfit to ufe the means we are about to prefcribe to thee. Art thou, then, diftreffed by reafon of thy depar- ture from God ? And is it thy defire to return to him? Certain means are to be used, and certain THINGS are to be guarded againft. 1. Serioufly consider thy miferable situ a- TioM : yiew it in all its aggravated circumflances ; refle6l, how greatly thou haft difhonoured God, bv a condu61;, which evinces that thou didft efteem his fcrvice hard, unfatisfying, and not conducive to thy happinefs ; and the way to heaven, not a narrow, but a broad and eafy one ; — call to mind how much thou haft grieved and offended the people of God, 27^- THE PlOUS COMMUNICANT. which Jefus looks upon as a fin to which not a lit- tle malignity is attached ; what a ftumbling-block; thou haft been to the world, and what occajion thou hajl given to the enemies of the Lord to blajpheme. Confider, how wretched a life thou art leading thy- felf; " Thou haft God for thy father, and thy cove- nant God J but thou haft no freedom of accefs to him ; the avenue to the throne of grace appears to be clofed, and thou feemeft like one caft away. — • Thou haft Jefus for thy friend and hufband ; but there fubfifts fo great a difference between thee and him, that thou art afraid to profefs thy love to him ; he feems to be ftrange to thee ; becaufe thy heart ac- cufes thee of dividing thy love between him and thd world. — Thou haft the holy Spirit to abide in thee, to counfel and direft thee ; but thou doft not expe- rience his comforting influences ; becaufe thou haft: grieved him : and thus, thou liveft as one forfaken; The means of grace profit thee but little. Doft thou meet with difficulties ? thou art full of anxiety, of fear, and diftrefs ; and thou haft not confidence to vajl thy burdens upon the Lord. — Does death ftare thee in the face, and doft thou refleft on the horrors of the grave ? thy foul is difquieted within thee ; be- caufe the foundations of thy hope lie deeply buried beneath the rubbifti of thy corruptions ; thou art afraid to believe that thy latter end will be peace. Confider all thefe things with deliberation, and refled that the longer thou continueft thus, the worfe thy cafe muft be; for the pious emotions, which thou, yet at times, doft experience, will gradually decreafe, and thy religion dwindle into mere formality. 2. Often call to mind the commands and ad- monitions which God has given in his word, to EXCITE thee to return to him. Hear what he fays^ LECTURE VII. 277 Ter. iii« 22, Return ye backjliding children, and I will heal your hackjlidings : See alfo verfe ill, Thou haji played the harlot, -with many lovers ; yet return again unto me faith the Lord. — The Lord Jefus ad- dreffed the Church of Ephefus, which had left her firft love, faying, Remember therefore, from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do thy frfl works. Rev. ii. 4, 5. O, BACKSLIDING Chriftian! the Lord is merci- ful and gracious ; and upon thy coming to him for- lowing, and diftreffed for thy fins, he will forgive thine iniquities ; he will not remember them, nor upbraid thee with them ; but will receive thee again in covenant love. Though thou haft been unfaith- ful, the ETERNAL abideth true to his promifes ; the covenant is unchangeable ; and becaufe it is a covenant of grace, thy God will manifeft to thee that he is gracious. Would Jefus, in no wife caft thee out, when, at the time of your firft converfion by faith, thou fleddeft to him for refuge, neither will he now reje61; thee, when thou comeft to him, as it were by a fecond converfion, with a wounded, bleeding heart.-'— There is no mifery fo great, no difeafe fo defperate, but Jefus the Saviour can remove and heal it. 3. Has thine heart been aff'e61;ed by divine and gracious invitations to return ? — do not reft here ; but fet apart certain times and feafons for fecreC f ASTiNG and PRAYER : we are perfuaded, that ve- ry feldom, if ever, the Lord brings back thofe who have fo far backflidden, but by means of affli6live vifitations ; fuch as fevere ficknefs, and other diftref- fing difpenfations. — This is proper on God's part: his glory and honour make it neceflary that he fhould Oo 278 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. manifefl his hatred of fin; efpecially, in his own children : for although he hath redeemed them from everlafting deftruftion, yet he may write fuch bitter things againfl them, that they may fay, in the lan- criiage of Heman : " We Juffer thy terrors ; we are diJlraBed," Pf. Ixxxviii. 15. — He is indeed a forgiv- ing God ; but ftill he will avenge himfelf for the fmful adions done by his people, infomuch that they are made to tafte the bitter efFe6ls of their ini- quities. Have we not a clear example of this in the life of David, the man after God's own heart ? He had grievoufly finned; the Lord, afterwards, fent Nathan the prophet to afTure him, that he had put away alfo the iniquity of that fin : but, in the very fame breath, he muft hear the awful denunciation, 2 Sam. 12, 10, " The /word Jliall never depart from- thine houfe.'* And, therefore, thou who haft back- flidden, ought not to think it ftrange, if God make thee to feel his fatherly correction ; yet, if by thefe means, thou art brought back to thy former happy ftate, thou haft reafon to be thankful, to adore, and to approve of his wifdom and goodnefs ; for all thefe difpenfations are fo many evidences " that he Jlill carethfor thee." But on thy part, alfo, it is neceffary that ex- traordinary means be ufed. — Set apart, therefore, days of fafting and prayer, exprefsly for the purpofe of pleading with thy God, to bring thee again to near- nefs, and fellowfhip with him; and thus let him fee that thou art in earneft, and that thou truly defireft the divine favour. Doft thou afk, " If I fet apart certain times for «' fafting and prayer ; how fhall I conduft myfelf on ** thofe occafions ?" we reply : A, Cqnfess before God, with fliame and confu- LECTURE VU. 179 fion of face, thy bafe and unworthy conda£l ; in the language of Ezra, exclaim, " 0 my God ! I am ajham- ed, and blu/h to lift up my face to thee, Ezra ix. 6 ; and with David, fay, " Againjl thee, thee only, have IJinned, and done this evil in thy Jight ; that thou mightejl he jujlijied when thou fpeakejl, and be clear when thou judgeji," B. Having confeiTed thy guilt, go to, the throne of grace, in prayer and fupplication ; prefent thyfelf before the Lord, and let him fee thy countenance, defiled and deformed as it may be, and fay, '• Lord, I neither can nor will conceal from thee my fituation ; fmful as I am, I come to look unto thee for reflor- ing grace : I have long enough ftrayed from thee ; I would now rather here die at thy feet, than continue at a diftance from thee, or remain any longer in my fin." C. Does thy confcience accuse thee? — go, like ihefervants of Benhadad, as with fackcloth upon thy loins, and ropes about thy head, and fay to God, " I have heard of thee, 0 thou King of Ifrael, that thou art a merciful King ; and, therefore, I come with a trembling hope to receive thy mercy." And in the words of the Pfalmift, addrefs thy God, faying, " Lord, be rtierciful to me ; and according to the mul- titude of thy tender mercies, blot cut my tranfgreffions : pardon mine iniquities, for they are great." D. Endeavour to exercise faith upon the Lord Jefus ; fly for refuge to his atoning blood ; call thy- felf anew into his arms; and thus give to him the glory dye to his grace, and to the efficacy of his blood, as being fufficient to cleanfe from all fm ; and then fur- render to him thy fmful, thine impure, thy wander- ing heart : he is the great Phyfician ; he can, yea, he will heal all thy fpiritual maladies. i 28o THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. E. Frequently renew thy covenant with God, as if thou hadft never covenanted with him before. If doubts arife in thy mind, whether thou haft ever entered into covenant with the Lord, what can fo readily remove them, as to engage again and again in the folemn work of furrendering thyfelf uncondition- ally and cordially to him, to be his for ever ? F. Yet be not furprifed if the Lord does not im- mediately anfwer thee in peace, and manifeft his lov- ing kindnefs to thy foul ; for haft thou not often fuf- fered him to call to thee, without hearkening to his voice ? haft thou not, unconcerned, let him depart, as if his friendfhip and favour were of no importance ? in infinite wifdom, therefore, he may think fit to cor- re6t thee, by not permitting thee, at the moment when thou calleft, to find him. Yea, it may be that he may fufFer thee to walk in darknefs all thy days, and even in this litua4:ion to enter the eternal world ; but, even fuppofing this fliould be the cafe, ftill con- tinue SEEKING and CLEAVING to the Lord : fure- ly he is worthy to be earneftly fought after, and it is good to wait upon him. If, backsliding Chriftian, thou mayeft not be permitted to enjoy his prefence any more in this life ; yet, after death, thou wilt fee him eye to eye, in a bleffed eternity ; and then, as great as thy prefent darknefs may be, fo great, and infinitely greater will be thy light and joy. G. In addition to all this, daily depart from the evil of thy ways ; pra6tife virtue and holi- ncfs, that thus the ftumbling-block which thou mayeft have laid in the way of any, and any ofiPence which thou mayeft have given, may be removed. But are thefe the means which are to be u s e d by thee, to the end that thou mayeft, with the divine bleffing, be reftored to thy former fituation, and its LECTURE VII. 28j concomitant joys ? we further remark, that there are CERTAIN things, againfl which thou haft need of be- ing on thy guard. 1. Watch with all attention againft those «INS which were the caufe of thy declenlion in reli- gion : hate them with a holy hatred. Do they af- fault thee ? oppofe and wage an eternal war againft them. 2. Watch not only againft a slothful tem- per, which makes the hands to hang down; but fee to it, that the hands and feeble knees be lifted up, and make flraight paths for thy feet. 3. Watch againft negligence in the ufe of means which may tend to awaken and excite thee to aftion. Attend with diligence to all the duties of re- ligion ; fearch the precious word of God ; let the pious be thy companions and bofom friends ; though thou mayeft have feparated thyfelf from their fociety, they will receive thee again in love, upon evidencing on thy part, an inclination to alTociate again with them; for thee, their prayers will afcend to the throne ; and by their counfel and advice, they will feek to bring thee back to thy Redeemer and thy God. 4. Above all, watch againft making finners, who know not, who love not, but oppofe Jefus, thy constant companions ; hold intercourfe with them only when neceflity demands it ; for to walk with fuch, and to go hand in hand with them, might have the fatal tendency of leading thee farther aftray from thy God. ^. Watch againft a dependence upon thine own ftrength: this was the caufe of Peter's fall. At all times acknowledge that thou art infufficient of thyfelf to do any thing acceptable to God ; and that, unlefs the jehovah place, every moment, everlaft- 28 1 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. ing arms beneath thee, thou wilt, like the wandering flieep, ft ray farther from thy fold. Look then con- tinually to thy Jefus, in every fituation ; and make ufe of him as thine only Saviour and Redeemer. Do any now inquire, " in what manner fuch a backfliding Chriftian fliould a6l, with refpe6t to the HOLY SUPPER of the Lord ?" whether he may ven- ture to approach, or whether it be beft for him to ab- ftain ? — we reply ; it is a truth, founded upon ex- perience, that no perfon ever made any advancement in the divine life, but rather declined in religion, by abftaining from this ordinance. But ftill we would not affert, that a perfon in fuch a cafe ought to draw- nigh; for if, O BACKSLIDER, thou art ftill in fuch a ftate of infenfibility, and art wandering farther and farther from thy God, thou art not in a fituation to receive the pledges of his love : but is thy heart in fome meafure affe6led with thy condition ? is it the defire of thy foul to awake from thy ftupor ? then we advife thee, 1. To HUMBLE thy heart before thy Redeemer God, and let a blufh cover thy countenance : becaufe thou haft fo often attended upon that ordinance, when thy foul was fo unconcerned, and when thou wert backfliding from thy God; and becaufe too, notwithftanding thy moft folcmn and facred vows to be faithful to him, thou haft forgotten thine engage- ments and proved unfaithful. 2. Then we advife thee to go forward to make ^ ufe of the Holy Supper of our Lord, not fo much for the fupport and ftrengthening of thy fpirltual life, as for the healing of the wounds and difeafes of thy foul. — There the blood of Jefus is exhibited as hav- » ing healing virtue. There thou wilt fit beneath the Jhadc of the tree of Ufe ; the leaves of which are for LECTURE VII. 283 the healing of nations. — Go with thy wounds to the great and good Samaritan, that he may pour into them the oil of joy, and adminifter to thee the wine of confolation. — Thus to come to the table, will be to approach with profit to thy foul. 3. Cast thyfelf anew upon thy God, firmly refolving in thy Jefus' ftrength to be more faithful to him ; to be more zealous in promoting his bell inter- efts than thou haft hitherto been, and to delight more in keeping his righteous Jlatutes. But perhaps thou wilt reply, " all thofe means " are good, when the foundation ftands ftrong ; but I *' am afraid that I am not within the covenant; that " my faith is but a temporary faith ; and that I am one *' of thofe of whom Paul fpeaks, who having been once " enlightened, and have tajled of the heavenly gift, and " of the good word of God, and the powers of the world " to come ; but have fallen away." — To fuch an one we muft fay, it is, indeed, no wonder that thou art in darknefs and in fear ; for it is not a light matter to forfake God, as thou haft done ; to have been fo un- faithful to him, and to have given fuch caufe for the blafpheming of his holy name ; but ftill, in the midft of all this, there may be feen fome evidences of grace : for although the (pou^Q flept, her heart waked. — We aflc thee, then, 1. When thou calmly lookeft back to the time when thou firft gaveft thyfelf to Jefus, art thou not filled with ftiame, on account of thy conduft fince that period ? and is it not, at the fame time, the defire of thy foul, that it were with thee as in months pafl ; when the candle of the LordfJione upon thee, and when by the light of it, thou didft walk through the dark fhades that furrounded thee ? 2. Doft thou not experience a hatred of fin, an4 284 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. a defire to depart from it ; efpecially from thofe finS which were the procuring caufes of thy declenlion in the life of faith ? doft thou not blufti to refleft on them, and condemn thyfelf for thy folly, in choofing thofe things which tend to deprive thee of the friend- fhip of thy God. 3. When the Lord Jefus, in all his precioufnefs and beauty, is placed before thee, canft thou not pro- fefs that thou haft at leaft fome love for him, and fome defires of foul after him ? 4. Is it not the wifh of thy heart to be recovered from thy declenfion, and to return to the Lord ? would it not produce real joy and fatisfaftion in thy heart, if the Lord were to bring thee back to thy for- mer fituation, though it were even through the fur- nace of affliftion, rather than to continue departing from thy Father and thy Redeemer : is it not the lan- guage of thy foul ; *' Lord, I have gone ajlray like a lojh JJieep;feek thyfervant : for I do not forget thy command^ ments ?" Doft thou experience thefe things ? they are evi- dences that the root of the matter is in thee. — Make ufe, then, of the means which we have faithfully point- ed out to thee, and we truft that thou wilt not ufe them in vain ; but that the Lord will accompany them with his bleffing. Let us now, in the laft place, endeavour to apply this fubje6l to our feveral cafes refpeftively ; but per- haps it may be afked, " Why the backflidings of *' God's people fhould be fo fully held up to view ? " for men in general have no conceptions of thefe *' things, and few of the children of God are in fuch a " ftate as has been defcribed; befides, it proves a " ftumbling-block to the world." We do indeed wifh that the faults of God's people LECTURE Vir. 285 could be concealed ; but the world cannot but often obferve them ; and we apprehend that fuch a repre^ fentation of them as has been given, may tend to con- vince mankind, that the way which leads to life is a narrow way, fince even thofe who are within the bonds of the covenant, when they go aftray, have to experience much diftrefs and anxiety, before they are again reftored ; this muft make them think, " If *• fuch be the cafe of thofe who are fo precious in the " eyes of the Lord, what muft become of us, who are " yet in our fms ?" O, carelefs finner ! be alarmed — If thefe things he done in the green tree, whatjhall be done in the dry ? Will God vifit his people with the rod, when they fin ; muft they tafte the bitter effefts of their tranfgref- fions who have a furety to deliver them from everlaft- ing puniftiment ; who have God for their rock and their portion ; who have Jefus as their king ; and the Spirit abiding in them ? — O, what will be thy wretchednefs, when thou ftialt fuffer the punifhment of everlafting deJlruBionfrom the prefence of the Lord^ and from the glory of his power ? " If the righteous be fcarcely faved, zohere fhall the ungodly and the finner appear ?" Believe it, fin muft be feen and mourned over, ei- ther in the prefent or in a future life : if thou art not diftreffed on account of it in this world, thou wilt feel the wrath of God, the puniftiment due unto it, in the next ; feek then to obtain a knowledge of the dreadful confequences attendant upon the tranfgref- fion of the divine law ; plead with God to work, in thy heart, repentance unto life, that, forfaking thy fin, thou mayeft walk in the ways of wifdom and righte- Gufnefs. pp 286 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. But this fabjeftis peculiarly ufeful to the people; OF God, and, 1. That thofe who have already begun to ftumble and fail, may be admonilhed in due time, to arife and return to the Lord, before they depart ftill farther from him. Are there prefent, in thivS affembly, thofe who have not backflidden as others have done ; yet, if they are not walking fo tenderly and circumfpedtly as formerly, it becomes them alfo to confefs it, taking fhame and confufion of face to themfelves : let others be a warning to you ; fee by what fteps they have fo greatly declined, and how infenfibly one may back- flide from one degree to another, till reftoration is not to be expedled without much forrow and diftrefs j lift up then the hands which hang down ; confefs be- fore God your repeated departures from him, and firmly refolve, through grace, now, when you arc about to approach the table of the Lord, that in future you will be more faithful to your covenant God j give yourfelves over to him anew, that under the influences of his Spirit, ye may ptrfeB Jwlinefs in the fear of ihe Lord. 2. This fubjc6l may be very ufeful to stro2>ig be- lievers, and TO ALL who are going on with cheer- fulnefs in the way of life. Pious fouls \—Be net high-minded. Think not that it is your own wifdom or prudence that has kept you hitherto from falling. If God had not preferved you, ye would long ere now have forfaken him ; for ye have the flime fmful hearts, and the fame enemies as others, feeking to lead you aftray. Therefore we exhort you. Let him that thinketh he flandeth take heed le.Jl he fall. Do ye afk by what means ye may be fliil preferved in this your comfortable ftate ? We counfel you — A. BswARE of the f iKST flep leading to declen- LECTURE VIL 287 fion. The firfl flep is, perhaps, almoft impercepti- ble : but no one can tell hov/ foon the Rrength of indwelling fm, fet in motion by external enemies, may lead you aftray. It often happens, that but a Jittle period elapfes between perfons being hurried into fin, and becoming inclined to negle6l the duties which the holy religion of Jefus prefcribes. B. Always let it be deeply impressed on your minds, that ye have to do with a holy God, who can- not take pleafure in iniquity ; and that, therefore, the: fmalleft.fin, if it be not mourned over, mufl; produce an eftrangement between you and your God. Suffer then no fin to remain in you, unrepented of; but fly daily to the blood of Jefus, and plead for an interefl; in his interceffion. C. Never, without an abfolute neceflity, be found at thofe places where ye may be in danger of being led aftray. Had Peter not been prefent in the hall of the high prieft, he would not fo eafily have fallen into the fin of denying his Mafter. Are ye at any time brought into fuch circumflances ? then, under a deep impreffion of your m.oral impotency, be much in prayer to God for preferving grace. D. Be conftantly in the praftice of holding com- munion with God in fecret. Let fome portion of every day be fpared from worldly bufinefs, for this exercife. There is no better mean to preferve you from fin. E. Forsake not the aJfemUing of yourfdves to- gether^ but endeavour to excite one another to love, and to good works. And do ye meet with any who are beginning to backflide ? pity them, and attend to the exhortation of Paul, — Brethren, if a man be «•' overtaken in a fault, ye -which are fpiritual reform 288 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. '■'- Judi an 07ie, in thefpirit of mceknejs, confideringthy' ^^ felf, lejl thou be alfo tempted" Gal. vi. i. F. Converfe much with your own hearts ; attend flriftly to what proceeds from them ; this will make you circumfpefi:, and immediately enable you to dif- cover when ye begin to flray from God, " Keep iky heart with all diligence ; for cut of it are the iffues cf life" Whilfl you are thus exercifed, the Lord, who is faithful, will manifeft his faithfulnefs to you, and not only prefcrve you from declenfion, but caufe you to go on your way rejoicing, till you arrive at thofe blifsful regions, where all fin, and every temp- tation to it, Ihall for ever ceafe. AMEN. [ 289 ] THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Lecture VIII. ON COVENANTING WITH GOD, PREPARATORY TO AN APPROACH TO THE TABLE OF THE LORD. xjLS the figns and feals of the covenant canbeufed, with profit, only by thofe who are interefled in the covenant itfelf, we conceived that it would be advan- tageous, after having treated fo minutely as we have done, in the preceding leftures on the do6lrine of faith, to invite your attention, now, to the exer- cises OF A SOUL in the aft of covenanting with the Lord ; and to the manner in which the BELIEVER yields his confent to all the terms of the covenant; not only when first he enters with- in its bonds, but afterwards, on every renewal of it. To meditate on a fubjeft fo glorious, divine, and interefting, is at all times profitable ; both to direft and animate the redeemed of the Lord : and, with the divine blefling, to unfold the nature of the cove- nant, to the view of thofe who are yet ftrangers to it, and fweetly to compel them to enter within its bonds. — But, on an occafion like the prefent, when public- 290 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. \y invited to attend on the folemnities of the Holy Sacrament of the Supper, where we look for the pre- fence of Jefus, the niafter of the feaft, and great head of the covenant, to have this fubjeft fet before us, in all its parts, is highly ufeful and neceffary : for by it the God of the covenant is glorified ; and our fouls may enjoy the exquifite delight which fel- iowlhip with God, as our covenant Gt)d, affords. To do juflice to this copious fubjeft, we mull •ftiow, I. That all the eleft of God, as long as they arc not interefled in the covenant of grace, mufl be view- ed as creatures in a ftateof inability and unwi l- LiNGNESs to comply with its terms, and not only perfeftly indifferent with refpeft to God and his covenant, but opposed to both. II. What God the Holy Spirit does on his part, to influence the impotent and unwilling finner, to yield his confent to the covenant. III. In what this consent the covenant con- fifts : after which we fliall, IV. Offer fome dircBions to thofe v^^ho defire to enter into covenant with God, with refpe6l to the bed manner of doing it, fo as to evidence faithful- nefs towards the Lord, and to experience divine con- folations in their fouls : and then, V. Inquire, " when a foul may be faid to en- ter into covenant with God ; and having once en- tered within its bonds, on what occafions the believ- er ought to RENEW the fame. VI. Point out the means which thofe, who have clear evidences that they are within the bonds of the covenant, ought to ufe, in order to preferve their con- fidence, and to rellore it whenever it may in any wife be fhakcn. LECTURE VllL 291 VII. Endeavour, to remove the difficulties which may arife in the minds of God's covenant peo- ple ; to the end that they be encouraged and com- forted. VIII. Show how ncceffary and ufeful this fubjecl is, to prepare the heart for a profitable approach to the Holy Supper of our Lord. IX. Cloje, with an applicatory addrefs, both to SINNERS, and to the people of God. As the feveral matters propofed for difcuffion, are fo copious and important, it cannot be expe6led that we can do juftice to each, if all are difcufled in a fin- gle le6lure. We fhall at prefent, therefore, only in- vite your attention to the three first, and to the TWO LAST, which have been fpecified in the above divifion. — Thofe which remain, will be treated of ia the fucceeding lefture. We proceed then, first, to fhow that all sin- ners, even the elect, are by nature unable and UNWILLING to enter into covenant with God ; yea, perfectly indifferent about the matter, and what is ftill more, opposed to it. 1. They are unable ; for as by nature they arc wholly incapacitated to do any good thing, fo they cannot fubmit to the requifitions of God's covenant; fm and Satan hold them fo fall in their chains and fet- ters, that they may be faid to be captives at their will. Were the covenant propofed to them, and its con- tents prclented in ever fo clear a light, they are not ia a condition to fee its precioufnefs ; for they have not the eyes of their underjlanding enlightened, and confe- quently, the things of the Spirit of God are foolijh- nefs to them. 2. They are not only unable, but unwillin'o^ alfo, to enter into covenant with God : for. 292 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. A. They are fo infatuated by the world, and lb much under the power of corrupt nature, that no-* thing can divert them from their carnal purfuits : no human energies incHne them to purfue a different courfe. B. Befides-, the demands which the covenant makes upon all within its bonds, are diametrically oppofed to their carnal hearts, and require that indulgence in fin and lull be entirely reftrided ; and therefore they fay unto God, depart from us, for we defre not the knowledge of thy ways: and with Ifrael, who profaned the ordinances (^ the Lord, they exclaim, behold ! what a wearinefs is it ! 3. They are perfe6lly unconcerned and in- different about entering into covenant with God : fmners, whilfl: unconverted, come not fo far, in general, as ferioufly and calmly to refleft upon their own flate, their eternal happinefs, falvation, or de{lru6lion. Heaven and hell are obje6ts on which they feldom meditate ; but like thofe that dwell at eafe in Zion, and trnfl in the mountains oj Samaria, they confidcr not what their end will be. Hence it is, tliat neither God, nor the mediator, nor the cove- nant, nor the bleflings which it contains, are in all their thoughts. Thefe are obje6ls in which they feel no intereft. 4. Sinners are wholly opposed to God and his covenant. — The oppofition of the carnal mind to God, to his fervice, and to his children, is fo great, that the tongue cannot exprefs it, nor language the moft copious defcribe it : hence it comes to pafs, that when the word is preached in faithfulnefs, and the way to life reprefented as narrow, and found only by few, their hearts are filled with hatred; and fometimes, to manifeft their enmity, they turn into ridicule, LECTURE VIIL 293 truths the moft heavenly and divine, and make them the objefts of their derihon : if all who are unconvert- ed go not to fuch lengths, yet they evince their oppo- fition to God in this, that they refufe the offers of mercy which are made to them in the gofpel, and enter not within the covenant until, at laft, overcome by the invincible and fweetly attradive influences of the Holy Ghoft, they are compelled to come in. This leads us to the second thing propofed, which was, to fhow what God the Holy Ghost DOES, in order to influence fuch impotent, unwil- ling, unconcerned and rebellious finners, to enter within the bonds of the covenant, by yielding their fm- cere confent to it. The operations performed hy the Holy Spirit, are the following ; 1. God the Holy Ghoft, finding the {inner dead, BREATHES into him the principle of spiri- tual LIFE ; and what the foul is to the body, that the Spirit is to the foul — a fount a in or life. Inconfequence of having this living principle given him, he experiences aSFe6lions and emotions, very different from what he ever before felt, and is exercif- ed altogether in another manner : this vital principle, and the efFefts which it produces, are not immediate- ly afcertained with precifion by the fubjeft of them, " whether they have proceeded from the Spirit of God, or whether they be fparks which a confcience convinced of fin hath enkindled;" but the foul after- wards diftinftly difcovers the work to be of God, by his fucceeding operations : for, 2. The Holy Ghofl; having excited life in the foul, caufes that principle to become active. The foul is awakened into attention ; the finner, like the prodi- gal fon, begins to come to himfelf. If he attend on the Qq 294 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. word preached, he hears with another ear, thofe truths which relate to his eternal happinefs ; to the intereft- ing doftrines of the mifery of man by nature, and to thofe which unfold falvation to be of God in Chrifl: he now liflens with the eager attention of one, who feels that his eternal all depends upon his knowledge of them: we are certain that every child of God. and every awakened fmner will confirm our affertions, and fay, " yes, it is fo ; formerly I " read the word of God ; I went up to the courts of *' the Lord ; but what I read, made little or no im- " prellion on my mind ; and the precious truths " which fell from the lips of Chrill's ambaffadors, " were heard as things in which I felt myfelf not " much interefled : but fmce God hath touched my " heart, thofe very truths are fet forth to my view in " quite another light. They affeft my heart ; they " come with power to my foul ; and it is as if thofe " very minifters, who fo often before preached to me " the gofpel, had received another Spirit." 3. Hath the Holy Ghoft thus awakened the finner to attend to the things which belong to his evcrlajling peace? he next opens to his view the lost, mise- rable, AND WRETCHED ftatc in which he is by na- ture, and whilll uninterefted in Chrift. Now the fmner fees himfelf in his true charafter; in confe- qucnce of which, he that once thought himjelf incrcaf- ecl with goods, now begins to exclaim, " I am wretched, '• and 7nifer able, and poor, and blind, and naked, and am *' in need of all things ,Rev. iii. 17. — Now I fee and " believe, tfcat I have never believed in jefus Chrift; ♦' that / am full 0/ wounds and bruifes, and putrifymg ^' fares; and that without an intcreft in God and " Chrift, I fliall for ever be wretched : and therefore '■•■ I ftand readv to fubfcvibe with lieart and hand, LECTURE VIII. «95 " to all that God hath-declared in his word, concern- " ing finners ; that they are vile, unclean, rebels to *' his government, and enemies both to his law and "gofpel; — Now I am convinced that whatever God " in his word declares, is truth ; I once thought that " I was not fo great a fmner; I once did not feel *' my mifery ; I thought that all was well ; but now " I clearly fee that I erred in judgment, and that my " fins are of a fcarlet colour, and of a crimfon dye; *' that my condition is deplorable : that I am the chief " of finners." And, beloved, this dreadful difcove- ry produces fuch an efFc:6l upon the heart, that the finner is fo diftreffed, difquieted, aihamed, and hum- bled before God, that perhaps, burfting into tears, he exclaims, " / periJJi, what fi all I do to hcfaved ; if I " continue as I am, / am lojlfor ever." 4. At this moment, the Holy Ghoft enables the foul to fee the fulness, the all-sufficiency, and PREciousN ESS which there IS in Jesus; but this is not always feen immediately in the clearefi; manner; for, whilft the finner is fo opprelTed by a fight and feeling fenfe of his mifery ; he cannot difcover that fulnefs which Chrift poffeffes, as it really is ; but yet, even at this time, the Holy Spirit enables him to dif- cover fome manifeflations of the mediatorial glories of the divine Redeemer, to the end that he may not diftruft, or fall into defpair. He is next brought by the fame divine agent, to a difcovery that God hath thoughts of peace towards him ; that there is a covenant of grace; thatit is eftablifhed for finners — for great fin- ners— for the greateft of finners ; and, ;vhat is more, that the Eternal invites him to accept of it : and that the only quellion propofed is, whether he cordially choofes the w*y which God hath exhibited in his 296 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. gofpel ? if fo, that then God, on his part, is wil- ling to receive him in mercy. 5. The fame divine agent, having made thefe glo- rious difcoveries to the linner, excites in his foul an H u N G E R I N G and thirfiing after God, Chrift, and the covenant. This hunger and thirft ufually rifes to fuch a degree, as to make him exclaim, " My foul thirjleth after thee; my flejii longcthfor God ; yea, as the hart panteth after the water-brooks, fo panteth my foul after Jefus, and the living God." — The hunger- ing and thirfting foul hath its defires fo ardent, that it is continually waiting upon God, and wreftling with him in prayer. " I know not whence it is," faith the perfon, thus led by the Spirit, " but it is a " truth ; at all times my heart is going out after " God, and that even in the midft of bufinefs; " though once I knew not what it was to pray, I am *' now enabled to wreftle with God for grace, and •' an intereft in Chrift." But let it not be fuppofed, that whiift the foul experiences all this, it will meet with no oppofition : no ; Satan is vigilant continual^ \y to throw obllacles in the way, and fuggefts that the work is not genuine, and is not from God. jBut even this oppofition works for good, as it drives the foul to fly with fpeedy wing to its God, and in fe- cret to lay before him the caufe of its diftrefs ; and in prayer to cry, " Lord, thou knoweft that I love thee, " and that life lofes all its delights, unlefs I am per- " niitted to enjoy fellowfhip with thee." 6. At this time the Spirit, by his powerful and attraftive energy, bows the will info efFcftual a manner, thatuhe foul not only hungers and thirfts af- ter Chrift ; but it is drawn out in love to him ; it now runs ; it flies to^jefus; it fees fo much worthinefs in liim, that it neither will n6r can be perfuaded to keep LECTURE VIII. 297 any longer without the covenant ; it therefore enters within its bonds, and fays amen to every propofition it msikes. — O, fays the foul, " If to enter into the co- *' venant, be to have the heart difpofed to yield a cor- " dial confent to Chnft's offers, and to approve of " God's teftimony, I will, with Rebecca, aifo fay, I *' will follow the man ; and with queen Eflher, I will " goto the King, and touch hisfceptre, and if I periJJi, " I perifh." 7. The foul being thus inclined to confent to all that the covenant propofes, the Holy Spirit ufually gives it fome assurance that it hath really entered into covenant with God, and that its exercifes are upright and fincere ; and this he does, A. Ordinarily; when he enables the foul to fee, after it has examined into its true fituation, by the marks laid down in the word, that its various exerci- fes are in every refpe8: confonant to thofe marks, and confequently are of the fame kind with thofe which God's covenant people poflefs. B. Extraordinarily; when the Spirit of God addrelTes the foul, faying, " I will not only " caufe thee to fee by the eye of faith ; but I will " permit thee to taste, and to prove from aftual " experience, what it is to have an interefl in fuch a " covenant God; in fo precious a Jefus : and in a " covenant which is fo well ordered andfure. Wilt " thou, by a kind of prelibation, eat of the clufters " of grapes ; the firft fruits of the heavenly Canaan ? *' behold, I give thee the white flone, the hidden man- *' na : full and perfe61; fruition is referved for you in *' heaven ; ye are children of God, and therefore, *' heirs of an eternal inheritance;" — The foul, receiv- ing fach extraordinary aiTurance, inftead of being elated by pride, is humbled, and rejoices ; is filled 298 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. with aftonilhment, and is grateful in a degree which is better experienced than expreffed. 8. The Spirit having thus given affurances to the foul of its intereft in God, and the bleflings of the covenant, proceeds, in the next place, to adorn it; that it may be a pleafing bride for Chrift, he makes it glorious, by caufing it to partake of the di- vine nature ; by implanting in it thofe graces, by which it is made to refemble God, and is perJeB in the comelinejs, which he puts on it, Ezek. xvi. 14; — Hence Jefus can fay to the foul, " thou art my Jijler, my fpoufe, my dove, my undejiled ;" and addrefs it in the words of Solomon, Cant. vi. 5; and iv. 7 — Turn away thine eyes from me ; for they have overcome me. — Thou art all fair, my love, and there is no f pot in thee. 9. Upon this, the Holy Spirit gives the foul a holy BOLDNESS TO KEEP up an intercourfc with God, as a covenant God : it is enabled to fee, " that the fecret of the Lord is with them that fear him; that he manifefbihis love to them, and makes the light of his countenance to fhine upon them ; hence, the foul is encouraged to unbofom itfelf to him ; to con- fefs its various defeftions from him ; to piead his covenant, and to remind him of his promifes : this is that drawing near unto God, which the Pfalmift reprefents as being fo good and delightful. In addi- tion to all this, the foul finds " that the name of the Lord is a Jlrong tower, into which the righteous run, and are fafe." 10. Hath the Spirit carried on the work of grace in the heart to all thefe lengths ? of one thing we may be aifured, he will never forsake the WORK OF HIS HAND; but will conftantly keep his hand upon it, and that in fo afFeftionate, paternal, LECTURE VIII. 299 and endearing a manner, that, although the foul, which hath entered within the bonds of the covenant, may fall into fm, he gives it the beft of afluran- ces that he will never totally and finally depart from it, but, upon fincere confeffion of its guilt, will re- ceive it in mercy again ; fo that if, at any time, it be vijited with the rod, even that fhall work for good, and be attended with this peculiar advantage, the bringing of the foul nearer to its maker. But, 11. Laftly, the Holy Spirit not only leads and guides all who are in covenant with God, in all the viciflitudes of life, but he has alfo undertaken to BRING them over the Jordan of death, and land them on the peaceful fhores of the celeftial Canaan, where all the benefits of the covenant are enjoyed in their higheft perfeftion. See thus, the work of God's Spirit, not only as it refpefts the entrance of the believer into covenant with God, but as it is difplayed, through life, and in the hour when his nature dilToIves. We now come to the third and pr^i^ipal part of our fubje6l ; which was, particularly to Ihew in what confifts THE sinner's consent to the cove- nant.— To do this, we muft, I. Inquire what it fuppofes : II. Show the nature of thisconfent, which the foul yields, and, III. Point out when a foul may be confidered as yielding fuch confent. A. It is SUPPOSED, when we fpeak of the foul's confenting to the covenant, " that God, as the God of the covenant, makes a f r e e and f tr l l o f f e r of grace and falvation unto all sin n" ^r s that live un- der the gofpel, upon the terms ftip'ufafeed in the word : in this view, the whole of the facrcd oracles may bs 300 ' THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. confidered as an invitation, which the God of heaven fends to the finner, foliciting him to enter into a cove« nant engagement with himfeif ; and then the covenant may beft be reprefented by the marriage covenant. — The rainifters of the gofpel are the fpiritual EUazars, who are fent out to feek a bride for Chrifl — they un- fold to the fmner, the covenant in all its parts ; fhew what God requires, demands, and promifes, and open all the treafures and riches of their king : but what is the agency of the Holy Spirit, at this time ? He cauf- es the mercy oflFered in the gofpel, to affect the heart of the finner, whom he is about bringing with- in the bonds of the covenant ; he makes him fee the VALUE of the offered blefling, and the propriety of accepting it ; he makes him defirous alfo of being in- terested in it ; he enables him to comprehend the meaning of the phrafes, "to hunger and thirfl after Chrift, to run and to flee to God in Chrifl, as a mi- ferable fmner, and as one purfued by the avenger of blood :" he, in a word, prefents fully to view, the mercy and compaflion of God, exercifed towards the wretched fins of men : the foul, being now made to obferve all this, ftands ftill, and thus reafons with it- felf : " what grace is here ! will the God of heaven do fo much to evidence his merciful charafter ? will he invite and intreat me to come to him ? yea, does he fwea?- that he hath no plcajure in my death ; but that he would delight in my falvation and eternal happi- nefs ; and (hall I any longer refufe to comply with his precious invitation ? — No, I will no longer de- lay.— The propofal of the Lord meets with my full approbation." The Holy Ghoft having cleared up all the difficulties which were in the way, the foul is now in a fuuvition to vield, and does a6lually yield LECTURE VIII. 301 Its full confent to the covenant. — The pecuUar n a- TURE of which confent muft B. Now be fhown. In doing this, we ftiall firft fliow what it is, and then enlarge on its feveral pro- perties. To yield one's confent to the covenant, may be de- fined : " a rational, humble, believing, and internal " reception or embracing of the covenant in all its " parts, as well its conditions as promifes, by the will " and the heart." Thus to confent to the covenant, "is effentially the fame as what we term to enter into covenant with God ; fo that to enter into covenant, is nothing more than faying amen to the terms which Godpropofesin the covenant, or manifefting an inclination or willingnefs to give ourfelves over to God in Chrift. — But let us now attend to each of the above particulars : we have faid that the foul, in covenanting with God, 1. Yields a rational confent; but, in making the obfervation, let not thofe whofe knowledge of di- vine truths is confined within narrow limits, have their fears alarmed, as if we would infinuate that none can enter into covenant with God, but thofe who have the mofl diftinft and enlarged views of fpiritual things. No : doubtlefs many have been for years within the bonds of the covenant, and now are in glory, who have never been able, with precifion, to point out the cir- cumftances of time and place, in which they covenant- ed with Jehovah ; and the reafons why they could not defignate the one or the other, might have been either their want of knowledge fufficient to convince them that what they experienced at the time was really covenanting with God; or u n belief, by which they dared not prefume to engage in a work fo folemn, or to hold an intercourfe with God fo familiar: — however, R r 302 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT., notwithftanding this, the foul covenanting with God, yields a rational confent ; feeing God deals with it in a: rational manner ; for as foon as it is brought under convictions, it attains to a knowledge of God, of it- felf, and of the ways of God : the underftanding be- ing thus enlightened, the foul judges of fpiritual things very differently from what it formerly did. The judgment now formed is upon the moll folid grounds : it is a judgment proceeding from the deep- eft conviftion of truth ; and in this manner the foul entering into covenant, is perfuaded both of the fitnefs and pleafantnefs of the method, which God has ap- pointed for the falvation of linners ; and is conftrained to fay, " fmce God has fo deeply impreffed divine " truths upon my mind ; I have altogether different *•' views of them from what I once had." 2. The foal, in covenanting with God, not only yields a rational but a voluntary and free confent. We diftinguifti between a free, and voluntary con- fent ; becaufe a perfon may do a thing voluntarily, when, in a certain fenfe, he may be compelled to do it, and would not, were he not under fome neceffity : this may be elucidated by the following inftance : ''■ a perfon has been convi6led of murder; to refcu€ *' himfelf from the hand of juftice, he voluntarily of- *' fers an affignment of his whole eftate, to the perfon " that will aid him in effefting his efcape ;" but this is not a F R E E aft ; for were he in a fituation not fo defpe- rate, and in which he could aft according to his plea- fure, he never would have made this offer : — not mere- ly voluntary, then, is the confent which the foul yields to the covenant, but free : there is no compulfion or force exerclfed upon the will — it is true, when con- fcience is awakened, by a view of the righteoufnefs of God, the curfcs of the law, and the fear of hell, the LECTURE Vill. 505 (inner is conftrained to feek God for grace ; but in all this he afts freely ; for God is the former of the fpirit which is in man ; and becaufe he hath formed it, fo, like clay which is in the hand of the potter, he may mould and incline it at his pleafure. He inclines the unwilling heart to his fervice, and makes it to a6l freely. A. In OPPOSING SIN, the world and Satan; as much devoted as the foul once was to thefe, fo much it now defires to forfake, and bid them a final adieu ; feeling no conftraint, and afting perfectly free in the matter, it expreffes itfelf thus ; " I do not leave " my fmful purfuits becaufe I am forced, but becaufe ** I will ; to me the world has loft its charms ; its *' pleafures and amufements fo far from delighting, *• they difguft ; I am averfe to them." B. As the heart is now inclined, freely, to rehn- quilh the fervice of fin, fo it is made willing to CHOOSE God and Chrift: ; and to engage in his fervice. — The foul can now fay, " I choofe the ways of godlinefs ; not in confequence of any compulfion, or merely becaufe, from my relation to him as a creature, I am facredly obligated fo to do; but be- caufe I feel my heart fweetly inclined to them ; and if there were no eternity, no falvation, nor condem- nation depending, to induce fuch a choice, I fee fo much excellency in God, fo much prccioufnefs in the Lord Jefus, and fo much fatisfaction to be derived from his fervice, that I cannot any longer refrain, but muft, with the Pfalmift, cry out, '• / love tliee, 0 Lord, my Jlrength." 3. The confent which the foul yields to the cove- nant, is a CORDIAL one; by which we mean, A. That it is not only a confent of the mouth, but alfo of the heart. — The God of thv-^. covenant 304 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. makes the demand, faying, " my Jon, give me thine " heart :" the foul immediately replies ; " Lord, here *• it is, I yield it up to thee." B- If the confent which is thus given, be cordi- al, it neceffarily follows, that the whole heart muft unite in it : it is a folemn aft, in which the UNDERSTANDING, the JUDGMENT, the WILL, the AFFECTIONS, together with all the powers of foul, are engaged. a. The understanding; and then the lan- guage of the foul is, " I cannot be fatisfied with a " mere fpeculative contemplation of the God of the '' covenant, of the Mediator, and the Spirit of the '•' covenant, of its demands, and precious benefits ; " for, whenever I turn my eyes upon either of them, " I fee fo much glory and excellency in each, that I " feel myfelf to be delightfully drawn, and altogether " willing to make an unreferved furrender of myfelf *' to God." b. The judgment: — the foul at this time forms a judgment, which peifeftly accords with that which is formed by the Eternal himfelf, viz. — that a perfon is happy or miferable, as he is within or without the bonds of the covenant ; and, therefore, c. The will confents to the terms of the covenant, and approves of it in all its parts : the language of the foul is, " all my defires at once centre in God, as *' the mofl glorious obje6l : I efleem it my greateft " privilege that I may be permitted to declare to '' God, my full approbation of all he has propofed '' in the gofpel." d. The affection's of the foul are all engaged in this folemn tranfaction ; love, hatred, hope, fear, jO}', and forrow, confpire to induce the foul to leave yll its concerns with the Lord. LECTURE VIII. 5C5 e. Yes, fays the perfon covenanting with God, it is my will, that not only my foul be a£live for God, but alfo that my body engage in his fervice; and that all my mtmhers become injlruments of righteouf- nefs unto God, Rom. vi. 13. 4. The foul, in covenanting with God, yields a HUMBLE confent. — It is not to be exprefled how humble, how low, and how contemptible it feels it- felf to be in the fight of God, even whilft it is deal- ing with its Father in heaven with the boldnefs and confidence of a child — at a view of its own unwor- thinefs, its pride falls, and it expreffes itfelf in lan- guage not foreign to this, " O, Lord, WHAT is thy "servant ! but having heard that thou wilt look " upon the poor, and that thou wilt receive in mer- ^' cy the helplefs, and thofe fenfible of their barren- ''• nefs and unfruitfulnefs ; and feeling that in myfelf " I am nothing, and have nothing, I am impelled " to caft myfelf as a poor beggar before thy throne ; " I come to thee, as the humble publican, fcarcely '•' daring to lift up mine eyes towards heaven j I cannot " refrain from adapting to myfelf the language of the " centurion, and faying, Lord, I am not xvortky that " thcuJJiouldJl come under my roof ; and fenfible as I " am of being by nature the vilefl of the vile ; if I " venture to afk a bleffing at thy hands, it will be in " the humble language of the woman of Canaan ; *' Lord, let the crumbs of divine grace be difpenfed to " me, a dog." — Such frames of mind are peculiarly acceptable to God ; they are like the bluflies on the countenance of the bride, which produce the pleaf- ing effeft of rendering her flill more lovely ; where they are found, the foul is humbled in the dud, but Jehovah is exalted, as all and in all. 5. It is a BELIEVING confent. For, to confent 3o6 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. to what God ofFers in his covenant, is to believe. — But the queftion here arifes, In what manner does the foul exercife that faith ; we anfwer thus ; The Holy Spirit has given to it a twofold view, both that it may behold its mifery and wretchednefs ; and look unto the Lord Jefus Chrift as an all-fufficient Savi- our ; the refult of which has been, that the foul is led to the performance of two diflinO; afts ; to aban- don its own righteoufnefs, and at Jefus' invitation, to run and fly to him, in order to receive out of his Julnefs, and grace for grace. — Now, fays the foul, I am ready, becaufe of the teflimony which God hath given of his Son, that in him is life, to accept of his offer, and thns fd to my feal that God is true : — yes, I alfo believe, not only that God is willing to be- come the covenant God of fmners, but that he is willing to be my covenant God ; and therefore, with a believing heart, I fay amen to it. 6. It is a SINCERE and upright confent which the foul yields, in covenanting with God ; we would not infmuate, that now the foul becomes fo perfeft, that no fins nor deficiencies are any more to be found ; to affert any thing of the kind, would be both con- trary to the word, and to the experience of the faints in all ages : but if not abfolutely perfeft, it is truly fmcere ; " the Lord is my witnefs, faith the foul, " that my views and intentions, with refpeft to him, «' are upright ; that in the reftitude of my heart, I " have bidden a final adieu to fin, Satan and the world; *' that I have declared thefe to be my enemies, and ^' number them among thofe things which harafs and «' burden me : — the Lord knoweth my ftruggles, my «' wrefllings, my groans in fecret, by reafon of them; *' and therefore, thou God of the covenant, that heart *' which is yet fo finful, I am not afraid to bring LECTURE VIII. 307 " to the teft of thy word, and of the experien- " ces of thy people, and to the fcrutiny of thine all- *' feeing eye." A. " What refpeds my own conscience, I " know that I have a deceitful heart, and that in ma- " ny things it condemns me of having various and " great fins ; but in this it cannot condemn me, that " I have a6led a deceitful part in covenanting with '•' God." B. " Neither, Lord, am I afraid to (land the tefl *' of thy WORD ; for, when I fee what it requires of " thofe who are invited to enter into covenant with " thee, and examine what has palfed in my own *' foul, I cannot but acknowledge, that I am one of *' thofe, with whom thou art willing to enter into co- ''venant; for, there I read, that thou invitefl the *' poor, the mourners in Zion, the hungry and the " thirlly, and thofe who are fenfible that flrength is " not in themfelves, to preferve the life of their " fouls." C. " And, when 1 hold intercourfe with thy chil- " dren, am told of their experiences, fee their ex- *' ercifes, and read their writings, although I have " never feen their perfons, my heart can perfeftly " unite with them ; what they experience, I experi- '\ ence ; there may, indee<^ be a difference, with ref- " ped to circumflances aiT^ manner ; but with re- " gard to eflential points, I ^nd that God has fulfil- " led his word by Jeremiah ;i" and I -will give them *' one heart, and one way." D. " But, that I may not, after all, deceive my- " felf, I come with my heart as it is, and lay it before " THINE OMNISCIENT EYE; do thcufearcJi and try " me, fee if there be any -wicked way in me, and lead *' me in the way everlajling," Pf. cxxxix. 3o8 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Surely, when the foul thus deals with itfelf, and God fpeaks peace to it, may it not be laid, in the a6l of covenanting, to be fincere and upright ? 7. Again, the confent which the foul yields, in covenanting with God, is internal or secret; none are prefent but God and the believer, on this folemn occafion — in covenant tranfaftions among men, only the parties are incontraft; it is particular- ly the cafe in the marriage covenant : when the bride- groom and the bride bind themfelves to one another, they do not call on a third perfon ; it is exaftly fimi- lar with the foul which enters into a marriage covenant with Cbrift: none mull be prefent ; the fpiritual in- tercourfe is maintained alone between God and it : — To the men of the world it may appear a flrange thing, how fuch a finite creature as man, can hold communion with the infinite God; and even to Chrif- tians themfelves it may at times excite furprife : but the fa6l is, that no child can hold fuch friendly inter- courfe with its father ; no friend can be on fuch terms of intimacy with his friend ; no wife can open her heart with fuch freedom to her hufband, as the foul, in the a6l of covenanting with its God : in what a holy, believing, confident, and yet humble manner, does it engage in the folemn work ; now the foul is wrellHng, pleading, interceding for grace ; nov/ it is humbled to the dull, like a condemned malefactor ; now it pleads the merits of Chrift, the oath and the covenant of God; and now, in faith, it fays amen, I will for ever be the Lord's ; and that with fo much feiioufnefs and folemnity, that were we to overhear the foul on fuch occafions, we could not but be fil- led with holy wonder — yes, were he who is engaged in this facred tranfatlion, to be a perfon, who in the prefence of men, could only exprcG himfelf with a 'LECTURE VIII. 309 (lammering tongue ; yet, when alone with his God, he would be found to excel in the moft pathetic and energetic eloquence. But once more ; 8. Covenanting with God muft be conlidered as an a^ which extends, without exception, to every part of the covenant ; for, if it be the covenant of God ; if Jehovah alone, who makes the various requifitions, and promifes, that the covenant contains, no one may add to, nor take from it. Thofe who enter into covenant with God, muft fuflFer themfelves to be led in the way, and according to the will of God ; they may not cavil at any part of the covenant, but whol- ly yield to the fovereign pleafure of God, and only depend upon him for grace to enable them faithfully to difcharge covenant obligations. There are many finners, who would be willing to come within the bonds of the covenant, if they were allowed to make fuch additions and alterations as their depraved minds would fugged ; but when it is propofed to them to covenant with God on his own terms, their language then is, *' depart from ics, we " dejire not the knowledge of thy ways ;" but thofe on the other hand, who, with fmcerity and uprightnefs of heart, would enter into the folemn contraft, ex- prefs themfelves in this manner ; " we objeft not to " any thing which we find contained in the covenant ; " we are well pleafed with all its parts : the duties *' which we are obliged to perform, are as precious " and dear to us as the promises ; the God of the •' covenant is infinitely wife, and bcfl knows what *' is needful for us ; far be it from us, to prefcribe to " him who knowdh cur down-fitting and iip-rifing, " and whofe all-feeing eye pervades univerfal fpace. ^* --.Lord, we approve of all the demands which S f 310 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. •' thou makefl; upon us ; we lay hold of thy promifes j " we obligate ourfelves to difcharge all the duties *' which thou requireft us to obferve ; not, Lord, be- " caufe we are able of ourfelves to render perfe6t *' obedience ; but becaufe we know we have to do " with thee, a faithful, all-fufficient, and compaflion- *' ate God, who haft promifed to give us grace " and ftrength, to enable us to be faithful : We are " thine, 0 David, we are on thy fide, 0 Jon oj Jejfie ; " we are the Lord's, and Jubf crib e with our hands unto " the Lord," This yielding confent to the covenant, by the be- lieving foul, is, in the word of God, reprefented to us under a variety of names. Sometimes it is called an opening the heart as a door to admit Jefus : Rev. iir. 20, If any man open the door, I will come in to him. And then the phrafe, to covenant with God, implies, " to give the Lord Jefus a cordial admiffion into our fouls, that he may dwell in therri as in a temple." Again, it is denominated, a taking hold of Chrift, Ifai, xxvii. 5, Or let him take hold of my Jlrength ; and then to covenant with God, denotes, to a6l like a perfon in danger of drowning, who, in order to be refcued from his perilous fituation, lays faft hold of the plank which his friend reaches out to him. It is called a kifjing the Son, Pfalm ii. 12, Kifs the Son : and then it implies that the foul, in the aft of entering into covenant with God, acknowledges Je- fus to be its king, fubmits to his authority, and is^ willing to obey his precepts. It is alfo denominated, a worJJiipping of God, Pf. xlv. 11, He is thy Lord, worfliip thou him — and thus intimates to us, that they who covenant with God, LECTURE VIIL 3 . r fall down before the Eternal, as one who is worthy of all love, and all adoration. The Spirit reprefents it, alfo, as a falling upon one's face. Thus did Abraham, at the time that God covenanted with him, Gen. xvii. 17 ; and it Ihows us how cordially he approved of the covenant in all its parts. Or again, the fame Spirit calls it a laughing, Gen. xvii. 17 — where it is faid of the fame venerable patriarch, that he laughed at the pro- mife God had then made to him : it was not the laugh of unbelief, as in the cafe of Sarah, but of fatis- fa6lion and admiration : his laughter fpoke this lan- guage, *' Lord, doft thou make fo many promi fes to me; I embrace them, with gladnefs of heart." Mo- ses expreffes this confent, Deut. xxvi. 17, by an avouching the Lord to be our God, and that we are his people, which, in other words, is to enter into cove- nant with him. It is called a declaration or 2i fubfcription that we will be the Lord's^ Ifai. xliv. 5 ; to evidence not only that it is now our full purpofe of heart to be on the Lord's fide, but that, during life, we will perfevere in the refolution, through grace, and make an irrevo- cable covenant with Jehovah. It is alfo denominated a fwearing ; it is faid of Judah, 2 Chron. xv. 12, 14, That they entered ijito a covenant to feek the Lord God of their father s, with all their heart, and with all their foul, and sw ar e unto the Lord with a loud voice. — This evidences both the lia- bility of the covenant, and the fmcerity of thofe who enter within its bonds. — As God on his fide swears, fo in like manner does the foul, " I have/wonz, and will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments." It is, laflly, called, covenanting itfef. Pfalm 1. 5, Gather my faints together unto mc ; thof that have madx 3i« THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. a covenant with me by facrifice ; a mode of expreflion which is borrowed from a cuflom that obtained among the ancients, who, when they entered upon the folem- nities of making a covenant, made an offering of beafts, and over the fmoke of that offering, joined hands. — It is thus, the foul makes a covenant with God, over the meritorious facrifice of the Lamb of God, The FIFTH thing which we propofed to inveftigate, was; " WHEN MAY a SOUL be CONSIDERED as ENTERING iiito covcnaut with God ;" In reply, we obferve, in general, that this takes place when the Holy Spirit commences his divine Operations in the foul, and the very firfl principles of fpiritual life are implanted ; for, although the foul be convinced of fm, and forely diilrefled on account of it; and although God be viewed as an incenfed, ho- ly, and righteous judge : and if it be gifked, " wilt thou continue in fin, and return again to the world, purfuing its follies, and obferving its manners and cuftoms ?" its reply would be ; " by no means, I • would rather die than aft fuch a part ; I would ra- ther fall down before the Eternal's throne, and feek his grace." — Although the foul, at the time, may not know it, yet it aftually does engage in the fervice of God, and renounces that of fm and the world. — Again, if we vefleft how the foul is exercifed with ref- peel to that God, who hath thus convifted it ; — how it goes to him, pouring forth its petitions, ly- ing as a humble fuppliant before his throne ; confef- fmg its fins ; feeking for grace and mercy ; declaring its fupremc defires to be, that it might live before the Lord, become interefted in his covenant, and be faved in the way which God hath appointed: muft we not fay of that foul, that it hath yielded a full LECTURE VIII. 31^ and cordial confent to the covenant ? Although it may not view this to be as a covenant tranfa6lion ; al- though, by unbelief, it may be opprefTed by doubts, yet the fa£t is, that it approves of the covenant in all its parts, is fatisfied with the gofpel plan, and fays AMEN to every propofition which God makes in the word offalvation. But, if we confider the confent, which the foul yields to the covenant, to be *' a folemn and formal covenanting with God ;" then, there are many of God's children, who have long been travelling the heavenly road ; yes, who have died, and gone to glo- ry ; who, if afked, " whether they have thus cove- nanted with God," would reply — " we have had our hearts often going out after God ; we have panted af- ter hirrj, as the hart panteth ajttr the water-brooks, we have felt our fouls inflamed with love divine ; but we are ftrangers to this formal aft." — The reafon of this may have been, becaufe they knew not in what covenanting with God effentially confifted, or becaufe, being difpirited by unbelief, they dared not to engage in fo folemn a work ; thinking Jehovah to be too great and glorious a being, and themfelves too un- ivorthy. — And yet all the while they a£lually were (landing in a covenant relation to God. But then there are others again, who have been en- abled, in the solemn and formal manner above mentioned, to bind themfelves to the Lord ; thefe, feeing the God of the covenant, the Mediator of the covenant, and the covenant itfeif to be in every ref- pe6l precious ; and that an intereft in it is of the lafi; importance, have been powerfully drawn and fweet- ly inclined to approve of the ofiFers which God in the gofpel has made to them, and have come under obligations the molt folemn, in the ilrength of the 314 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Eternal, to devote their lives to his fervice ; and we; can ealily conceive, that when a foul comes thus far, it may confider itfelf in the enjoyment of an utifpeak- able privilege'; for, when the firft light, which once beamed with peculiar radiance upon the foul, be- comes dim, and darknefs in fome meafure fucceeds, then, for the foul to refle6t that the time was, when it folemnly covenanted with God, may prove a fruitful fource of comfort and fupport ; at leaft, by means of a tranfaftion fo facred, the foul will be kept from con- cluding immediately, that it is rejefted of God ; and will have a foundation on which it may reft; for, in the darkeft hour, it will be enabled to fay, " Lord, *' thou art witnefs of all that hath paffed between thee *' and my foul ; and now I commit myfelf intot <' thy hands." To give fome directions to thofe who are defi- rous of thus entering into covenant with God, will be attended to on fome other occafion ; we ftiall only endeavour to make it appear, in addition to what has been faid, " that the fubjeds we have been difcuffing, are of the laft importance to believers, as being excel- lent means to prepare their minds for a profitable, and comfortable approach to the table of the Lord." No SUBJECTS whatever can be more ufeful ; for only thofe receive faving advantage from the Holy Supper of the Lord, who are truly in covenant with God. It behoves us then to examine ourfelves, and, in the prefence of God, to inquire, " whether we have thus cordially, freely, fmcerely, and with a be- lieving heart, given ourfelves over to God, as our covenant God ; and whether we have now a defire, NOW, when the table of the Lord is about to be fpread before us, and God is again reaching out to us )iis fceptre of mercy, to renew this covenant ? Can we Lecture viii. p^ indeed fay, when we leave our houfes, " Lord, we are willing alfo, to leave our old father's houfe, our fins, Satan, and the world ?" When we go up to the houfe of God, and are about to feat ourfelves around the facred boards " Lord ! fwiftly, with the feet of faith, we would run " unto thee ;" when we reach out the hand to receive the figns, " Lord, with defires moft ardent, we re- ceive thee by the hand of faith ;" when our eyes be- hold the emblems of the love of Jefus, " Lord, thus the eye of faith is fixed upon thee, and upon thy per- fefl: atonement ;" when we cat the bread and drink the wine, " Lord, our fouls d«fire to hold communi- on with Chrift, and to be united to him in the mofl intimate manner." — Now, beloved, if a foul be thus exercifed, is it not evident, that the fubjefl, on which we have been meditating, is calculated to animate and encourage us in our approaches to the table of the Lord? Yes, it is a fubjefl peculiarly neceffary for thofe, who indeed Hand in a covenant relation to God, but who are inaBACKSLiDiNO flate ; and thus are walk- ing in darknefs, and afraid that they have never entered into covenant with God at all ;— for, what will be likely to contribute more to their reftoration, than an immediate return to him whom they have forfaken ? It is true, that God demands, when firft his people come within the bonds of the covenant, that they be faithful ] and they on their part do engage that they will be for him, and not for another ; yet if afterwards they violate their engagement, and difcover an un- faithful conduft, fuch is his faithfulnefs to them, that he will never forfake them ; but will, notwithfland- ing, manifefl: both compaflion and love towards them : — his benevolence, love, and compalTion are difpJay- 3 1 6' THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. ed on this wife ; he addreffes his covenant children, faying, " I know that a man will not foon receive *' again the wife that has played the harlot ; but / ** will receive you though ye have played the harlot " with many lovers. — Return ; I will receive you *' again in the arms of my love." — Now would it not be more wife on your part, inftantly to comply with thefe gracious propofals, than to reafon thus ; " we *' have departed from God, and therefore we could " never have been in covenant with him ; we have no *' grace, no true religion." O BACKSLIDING children, what can afford you greater encouragement ; what can animate you more, than to know that your covenant God is faithful ; that he will have compaflion on you ; — he knows that his covenant people are but men, finful men, naturally prone to depart from him ; he knows that they have many internal and external enemies, who affault them continually, and that of themfelves they are unable to make a Hand againft them ; he knows that they have need of light, life, and flrength; and all these things he promifes to give, upon their return to him ; yes, fays the Eternal, "Behold! thcBLOODof thecove- " nant is ftied for your cleanfing, and in the facrament *• I offer it to you." Well, friends, is there any thing which can afford you greater encouragement, who are keeping back from God, by reafon of doubts and fears, than to hear that there is fuch a glorious fupper pre- pared for the SICK, the wounded, the poor, and the MISERABLE ; at which there is not only meat and drink provided, but alfo medicine for your difea- fes, and a healing balm for your wounds ? Keep not then away from this feaft ; but go forward, and run to meet your Saviour God, and fay, " Lord, " once indeed we entered into covenant with thee ; LECTURE VIII. 517 " but, alas, we have played the harlot, and (Irayed ** from thee ; becaufe we are aflured, from thine own *' word, that thou art full of compaffion, we now *' come to thee, and will again renew former covenant •' engagement with thee, and give ourfelves once *' more to thee." But we cannot clofe this leQure without a brief application of the fubjeft to the different claffes which compofe this affembly. And FIRST we addrefs you, miserable, igno- rant, and CARELESS SINNERS, who are yet with- out the bonds of the covenant. Unto you, we have a commiffion from the God of heaven, that from beginning to end, contains a war- rant to INVITE you to enter into covenant with God : and to induce you the more readily to comply with this propofal, it is made in a variety of ways. Sometimes by invitations the moll preffing; Ifaiah xlv. 22, Look unto vie, and heyefaved ! fome- times by entreaty; 2 Cor. iv. 20, We pray you in X^hrijl' s Jlead, be ye reconciled unto God : fometimes by way of ADVICE ; Rev. iii. 17, I counfel thee to buy of me gold tried in the Jire : fometimes by way of com- plaint ; Pf. Ixxxi. 13, 0, that my people had hearkened to me, and Ifrael had walked in my ways : fometimes in an upbraiding manner; John v. 40, Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life : fome- times with the interpofition of an oath; Eze. xxxiii, 11, As I live, faith the Lord, I have no pleafure in the death of the wicked. — Sometimes this gofpel offer is reprefonted as a compulsion or urging of linners, by motives the mod powerful, to accept of it ; Luke xiv. 23, Compel them to come in. And what are thefe compulfory motives, but thofe fincere declara- tions, which God freely makes to the finner, in his It 3i8 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. word, by which he is brought to fee the folly and danger of trailing in former refuges, and to difcover that fafety and falvation are found alone beneath the ftiadow of Jefus' wings. This day, finners, I appear in your prefence, as an ambaifador of Jehovah; in his name, and by his authority, I make the fame offers of grace and falva- tion to you. I Hand in this houfe, dedicated to the great triune, to invite and to urge you, to fubmit to God in Chrift, as your covenant God : behold the Eternal flands with open arms; his bowels are yearning over you: he cries; How Jliall I give thee up Ephi-aim ? How Jliall I deliver thee Ifrael ? How Jhall I make thee as Admah ? How Jliall I ftt thee as Zeboim? — Mine heart is turned within me; my re- pentings are kindled together, Hofea xi. 8. What ! is it poffible that ye can any longer flight or refufe the kind, the endearing, and gracious invitations of that God, who addreffes you, and fays, " Sinners, " what benefits will you receive from the fervice of " fm and the world ? Look unto me ; in my fervice is " life; and falvation from fin and wrath, is the reward " of grace, which all my fervants do now experience, ♦' and fhall enjoy for ever and ever.'* What is there, then, which prevents an acceptance of fuch offers of mercy ? Every abftacle which you can poflibly raife, is removed out of the way. The invitations are general, to all who live under the gofpel; none are excepted; whofoever will, may come, and take of the water oj life freely. — Or, will ye ob- ject, and fay, 1. Our sins are too great and numerous. This is an objeftion which ought by no means to be raifed; for, in the covenant of grace, God promifes the pardon of all fms; yea, fhould an individual I.ECTURE VIII. 3 '9 be chargeable with all the fins of Adam's race, yet if he be enabled to confefs them, mourn over them, repent of them, and with them to go to Jefus as his furety, God would graciouily forgive, and blot them out. 2. We have lived too long in the ways OF SIN. This objeclion muft ceafe, when it is re- colle6led that God fays, / have Jlretched out my hands all the day, not only in youth, the morning; in MANHOOD, the noon ; but in old age, the EVENING of your lives. Rom. x. 21. 3. We have NOTHING WHICH CAN RENDER us ACCEPTABLE TO GoD. — This, Certainly, Can bc no ferious objeftion, if we refledl that God requires nothing more of us in his word, than an inclination, a willingnefs to receive every bleffmg from the hands of a covenant God. If linners, thounh red with cruiit. and black with filth, look unto God in Chrift, the Scriptures alfure us, that he will receive and embrace them in the arms of his love. Should ye, after all this, perifli, the blame will bc attached to none but yourfelves. Your ruin will be efFeded, not merely on account of the covenant of works having been broken in Adam ; but for not having been willing to come to God ; for having difregarded the offers of mercy, and treated his co- venant with contempt. The devils finned only once; but ye, times and ways without number — ye have finned againft the convidions of your own confciences, againft the compaffions of the Eternal, and againft his gofpel. — O ! how dreadful, beyond expreffion dreadful, is the thought, that after having enjoyed fuch privileges, ye fliouid be loft for ever. Say not. We have been tayght that we cannot GIVE OURSELVES GRACE, AND ARE UNABLE TO $2X9 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. GO TO God. — It is true, finners, ye are unable; but this is not the point of difficulty ; your wills are re- bellious ; fin and the wferld have captivated your fouls; ye will not part with your lufts; and therefore to you the fervice of God is hard, for it is incompa- tible with the fervice of fin, and whoever will ferve God, muft forfake the world. Your pleading inabi- lity, is only to excufe yourfelves, and to call the blame of your being in a gracelefs, and Chriftlefs ftate, upon God ; for let me afk you, " Has a fenfe " of your inability ever brought you fo far as to feek " at the hands of God, in fecret, the Holy Spirit, ef- *' fe6lually to fhed his influences on your hearts ?" Ye may, for a little while, endeavour to comfort your- felves, with thinking that ye want ability to enter into covenant with God, and that on this account ye are excufed ; but remember that ye will not dare to plead this on the day of judgment ; but, confcious of your guilt, and convinced of the holinefs and juftice of God, ye will obferve an awful filence ; and, if ye approve not of the dread fentence of your judge, at leafl, ye mud view it as juft. Sinners, awake, and, viewing yourfelves en- chained by Satan, who has long tyrannized over your fouls, seek to be delivered from the fetters which bind you. Let the terror of the Lord, or the delightful invitations of God in his word, move you to comply with the divine propofal which the gofpel makes; pcrfuade you earneftly to folicit that repent- ance unto life which is not to be repented of; and excite you to return to the Lord, and enter within the bonds of his covenant. But we have flill a word to addrcfs to fuch as are CONVINCED OF SIN, have feen their mifery by na- ture, beheld the fulnefs and prccioufnefs of the cove- LECTURE VIII. 32J nant of grace, and even defire to be interefted in its unfpeakable bleflings. We exhort you — fet not too high a value upon your firft conviftions, and rely not too much upon the emotions of a fpiritual nature, which you may have felt, or may now feel ; for, as we cannot imme- diately, at the commencement of the fpiritual life, with precifion diftinguifh whether thofe conviclions and emotions are the effefts of real life, or whether they be fparks which an awakened confcience may have produced, unlefs they are fucceeded by an a6lual furrender of ourfelves to God and his fervice, fo ye can never attain to reft, until ye are brought to this point. Be not fatisfied with being able to fay, *' We have been under convi6lions, and are iojlill :" for thefe are not the ground on which a fmner ought to reft, even though they may have induced him to forfake his more atrocious crimes, and to become externally moral and ferious. — By convidlions, ye may efcape the pollutions of the world ; but if ye have nothing more, ye may again fall away, Heb. vi. 4, 8. O ! convinced finners, let this text deeply imprefs your hearts, that ye may be prevailed upon to enter truly into covenant with God :-— and although, at times, ye may experience fome defire of salva- tion through Chrift, yet think not this to be all that is neceffary; for, though your defires after sal- vation may be ferious, yet they may not be thofe which our Redeemer has declared fliall be fatisfied. Matt. V. Hence, in concluding favourably with re- fpeft to your ftate and condition, merely from certain emotions and defires after falvation, you ought care- fully to examine, whether thofe defires are fuch as are wrought in the heart by the fpirit of grace. If they be really fuch, you have not been fatisfied 3"' THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. with mere defiling, but have cordially furrendered yourfelves to God in Chrift, and can appeal with confidence to him, to bear witnefs to your fincerity. And, even when ye are fatisfied with refped to your fincerity in this matter, do not immediately conclude, that therefore it is certain that ye have aftually en- tered into covenant with God. It may be fo ; but on the other hand it is poflible that thefe exercifes of your minds may be fuch as arife only from an en- lightened judgment; for, when a perfon obtains a fight of SIN in all its hideous forms; of God and Jefus in their amiablenefs ; of the covenant in all its fulnefs ; and is led to fee that there is no hope fet before him, of arriving at eternal life and glory, but by Chrift, and through the channel of the covenant of grace, will he not wifh to be interefted in this God, defire to call this Jefus his Redeemer, and be inclined to be put in poifeflion of the benefits of this covenant ? . — Therefore examine yourfelves, likewife, on the following point: — "Do all the parts of the covenant meet alike with your approbation ; are the commands of the covenant as pleafing to you as the promises? Such an inveiligation may perhaps alarm you ; but if ye are within the covenant, that alarm will not in- jure you, but tend to excite you to go to the Eter- nal, to lay before him your doubts and fears, and to plead with him to fearch, to try you, and dif- cover to you more and more what your ftate or con- dition is before God, Therefore, convinced finners, meditate much on the God, the Mediator, and all the parts of the cove- nant, and often alk yourfelves before the Lord, *' whether, of a truth, ye do defire to be interefted in the covenant." Perhaps a conduft like this might prove inllrumental in inclining your fouls aflually LECTURE VIII. 3 2 J. to enter within its bonds. In the mean time, proceed in the ways of religion : if the Lord hath begun in your hearts a good work, he will carry it on and perfeft it, both to his glory, and your eternal falva- tion. But, ye CHILDREN OF God, who are conftantly in doubt whether ye have ever covenanted with God, unto you a word of encouragement and fupport muft be addreffed. Wherefore do ye doubt? Do not your fears arife from fome one or other of the following caufes ? 1. From not having just and proper VIEWS OF God? Perhaps your conceptions of duty have been very incorre6t : poffibly your meditations of God's greatnefs, majefly, juftice, holinefs, and glo- ry, have been purfued to an extreme, and your views of his grace and love, of his mercy and compaffion, have been too contracted. Thus to contemplate God, neceffarily will produce fears and doubts, and lead you to exprefs yourfelves in the following lan- guage of unbelief : " Can fuch poor, worthlefs, hell- " deferving creatures ; creatures whofe breath is in '• their nojlrih, and who are formed from the duft, " dare to enter into covenant with fuch an infinite *' and glorious Being ? For us to give the hand to " the Lord of heaven and earth, we conceive would " be the higheft prefumption." — It is becaufe ye reafon thus, that ye remain at fuch a diftance from him, and are afraid to commune with him. But, fearful, doubting souls, fuffer us to remark, that whilft it is highly proper that you form to your- felves the higheft conceptions of the great Eternal, and appear before him deeply imprelTed with a fenfe of his m.ajefty ; whilll it becomes you to be clothed 324 Tift PIOUS COMMUNICANT. with humility, and lowly to efteem yourfelves ; ye ought at the fame time duly to eftimate the love, mercy, and grace of God. It is your duty to make his loving kindnefs the frequent fubjeft of your me- ditation, and conftantly to confider that the compaf- fion of Jehovah is fuch, that it requires nothing more at your hands, than that you come to him as poor, naked, and deftitute of all things, and approach his throne to feek for grace to help in every time of need. — Can God poffibly do more, on his part, to encourage your doubting, fearful hearts, than to make fuch reprefentations of his charafter ? Can ye, after all this, keep at a diftance from him ? Do ye ftill doubt the veracity of his declarations ? This would evidence a difpofition to treat with contempt the love ^f God, and refleft difhonour upon him : and, how- ever you may conceive of it, fuch unbelief is a fin, greatly aggravated in the eye of him who is z. jealous God. And now is it yet the language of your hearts, " It would be our ardent defire to go to God, " and enter into his covenant, if we might prefume *' to do it." We now declare unto you, that there is nothing on God's part to prevent you ; provided ye are fincerely willing, he is difpofed to receive you in mercy. 2. But again, perhaps, you will fay, " There are ♦' ftill other difficulties in the way, which caufe us to *' doubt; WE FORESAW AND WERE AFRAID, B E- " FORE WE MADE A COVENANT WITH GoD, that "we V^TOULD PROVE UNFAITHFUL TO OUR "covenant ENGAGEMENTS, AND DAILY SIN "against the Lord; and the event has '•PROVED that OUR FEARS WERE NOT UN- " FOUNDED. How then can we, who have been fo " unfaithful, again approach him ?" But fearful, LECTURE VIII. 32^ UOUBTiNG SOULS, let not even this prevent you from renewing your covenant engagements with God. We beheve that it is with great reafon ye complain of your unfaithfulnefs ; but remember that God, even your covenant God, at the very time, alfo knew that ye would a6l this untaithful part, and fall into a back- fliding ftate; and yet fuch treatment he will bear from thofe who are within the bonds of the covenant. The covenant which he makes with you is the co- venant OF GRACE ; and therefore he gives you free- dom to return again to him, and feek for reconcilia- tion in the blood of the Mediator. But do ye obje£l, " That if we enter anew into "fuch SOLEMN OBLIGATIONS tO God, WC (hall " again violate them, feeing we have to wreftle with a *' finful and deceitful heart, are expofed to fo many *' temptations from external objeds, and have in our- " felves no flrength, no ability to refill our enemies." O beloved, Jehovah knows it too, that ye will again fall into fm ; but the point in queftion is this, Is fin your burden ; is it your fmcere defire to be freed from it ? If God were to afk you, " What would ye that IJhould *' do unto you" would ye not reply, *' Lord, we defire " nothing more earneflly, than that fm be mortified •' in us ; that we had more ftrength to oppofe Satan •' and the world, and that we might ferve thee with " greater fincerity than ever we have done." 3. Do ye once more objeft, and fay, " We " cannot deny that we have cordially and willingly " devoted ourfelves to God, but flill we are afraid "that WE HAVE NOT BEEN SINCERE IN THIS "transaction; for God has never yet evi- " DENCED it to us by the special witness or: " HIS spirit," In anfwer to this, we obferve, ^t That God is a sovereign, and. in difpenfing U u 326 Tiffe PIOUS COMMUNICANT. grace, a6ls according to his mere good plea- sure. Would ye di6late and prefcribe to the Al- mighty ? Will ye be diffatisfied with Jehovah, becaufe he is not pleafed to make you experience grace in its higheft degrees ? Does not fuch a con- duct diametrically oppofe the requefts which ye pre- fented to the throne, when firft ye came to the Lord ? Ye then fought only the crumbs that fall from your Mailer's table. h. Ye are seeking to obtain assurance in THE WRONG WAY: your language is, "If our *' confent to the covenant had been genuine, God *' would, at fome time or other, have given fpecial " evidences of it." Ye are expe6ling an extraordinary affurance, which would at once unfold to you your intereft in God, as your covenant God : but were ye only to look back to the firft operations of the Spirit upon your fouls, ye would find abundant caufe of gratitude. Would you not feel yourfelves under inviolable obligations to thank the Lord, that he has excited in you an attention to his word ; that he has caufed you to fee your finful and wretched condition, and the fulnefs which there is in Jefus ; that he has. made your hearts to hunger and thirft after Chrift ; and that he has repeatedly inclined you to give your- felves away to Jefus, and to receive him as oflFered in the gofpel ? Now, recalling all thefe things to mind, muft you not, with the Pfalmift, exclaim, " The Lord hath done great things for us, xuhereof we are glad." c. Ye complain, even whilftjy^ enjoy many spi- ritual blessings; becaufe ye do not obtain joft what ye particularly defire, and in the degree and manner that ye fuppofe to be the beft ; on this ac- count your fouls are diffatisfied. The caufe of a conduft fo improper, will be exhibited in the next LECTURE Vlll. 327 le£lure. At prefent we barely remark, that it is duty to be fubmiffive to the divine deahngs with your foiils. Are ye called to walk in darknefs ? the God of the covenant, who is infinite in wifdom, knows what is for your beft advantage ; he leads you in ways dark and gloomy, to keep you humble, and to teach you to live by faith, and to continue to make him your refuge. Leave then all your concerns with your God; prefcribe not to him the way or the manner in which he ought to conduft you ; but rather fay, *' Lord, however dark and difficult the path may be, " in which thou leadeft us, we lament not that we *' have bidden an everlafting adieu to fin, to Satan, " to the world, and have chofen thee for our portion ; *' however it may fare with us in this life, we will, by *' thy grace, reft upon thy promifes." This is living by faith, and thus to live, would make you aftiamed of living without repofing an entire confidence in your Saviour God ; of living without cordially fub- mitting to the providential and gracious difpenfations of thy Redeemer. But, PEOPLE OF God, who are more assured, and whofe grounds of encouragement are ftrong, and walk in the light of the Lord, feek ye to become ftill more eftablifhed ; and, to this end, daily examine yourfelves by the marks of grace, which are recorded in the word of God, and often refledl upon your firft exercifes ; when, hungering and thirfting after Chrift and his righteoufnefs, ye importuned God to beftow upon you his grace, and when the Spirit of the Lord, by his irrcfiftible power, overcame you, and your hearts in anguifh cried, " Lord, although thou art exalted *'far above all principalities and powers, and art in- '' vefted with infinite majefty and glory, yet, becaufc thou condefcendeft to regard worm Jacob, we, poor *32lB THE PIOUS COMMUNrCANT. *' and naked as we are, come unto thee, and in thy *' flrength, lay ourfelves under inviolable obligations *' to walk before thee in the land of the living." But are ye indeed the covenant people of God ? let it be your conftant endeavour to be adorned more iand more with every Chriftian grace, and to be more and more conformed to the image of Chrift, that thus the world may fee that ye belong to that people *whom the Lord has formed for himfelf to fhow forth his praifes. Thofe who have entered into covenant with God, are on the fide of God : they come out boldly for the caufe of God ; they labour for God ; they dare to fpeak in honour of his injured name, and their hearts are conftantly devoted to his fervice. Let then your conduft be more and more like that of thofe who can call Jehovah their covenant God; be not afhamed of him ; cleave to him ; give him daily your hearts : renew your covenant with him; efpecially when feated at the table of the Lord, which ye are foon to approach : then, believers, will God not only here, manifefl to you, that he is your covenant God ; but, what is Hill more, he will put you into the full POSSESSION of falvation and eternal glory, when this fong of praife, in honour of your faithful Re- deemer, will, throughout the never-ending ages of eternity, burfl; from your grateful hearts,— I n h i m ALL THE PROMISES HAVE BEEN YEA AND AMEN, THE END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT ENCOURAGED, AND DIRECTED IN WHAT MANNER HE MAY APPROACH The Holy Supper of the Lord, ACCEPTABLY TO GOD, AND PROFITABLY TO HIMSELF. IN A SERIES OF LECTURES. By the Rev. PETER IMMENS, KINItTSR OT THE GOSPEL AT MIDDLEBURG, IN THK PROVIKCB 0» ZEALAND. Tranflated By JOHN BASSETT, »Nt or THE MINISTERS OF THE REFORMED DUTCH CHtfRCH, IN THC CITT OF ALBANT. Vol. II. N E IV - r 0 R K: PRINTED BY ISAAC COLLINS AND SON. NO. 189, PEARL-STRBET. i8o». s THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Lecture IX. ON COVENANTING WITH GOD. U N a late occafion we addrefled you on the in- terefting fubje£t of the sinner's giving his cordial affent to the demands of God in the covenant. A fubjeO; of fuch vaft importance could not be fully difcuffed in a fingle lefture : we have therefore been compelled to omit feveral points which, in our gen- eral divifion of the fubjeft, were propofed to be illuftrated. To thofe points we now folicit that attention which their magnitude demands. I. How ought thofe to condu61: themfelves who arc engaged in covenanting with God, fo that they may beft evince their (incerity, and obtain for their fouls, divine confolation ? II. What SEASONS are the mofl proper for the foleran work of covenanting with God ? Ought the foul only o,NCE, or muft it frequently engage in it ?— On what particular occafions fhould the co- venant engagements of God's people be renewed ? III. What are the beft means of preferving a Chriflian's confidence of his interefl in the covenaai; 4 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. of recovering it; and when it may be in any meafure loft? IV. In what way can thofe obje6lions be re- moved, which are raifed by the fearful Iambs of Chrift, with refpeft to any fentiment which may have been advanced in the preceding, or which may be declared in this lefture ? V. We fhall endeavour to make it appear, that to covenant with God, is the beft preparation for a pro- fitable approach to the Holy Supper of the Lord; and then, VI. Make fome improvement of the whole. We are to Ihew, first, " In what manner thofe who are engaged in covenanting with God, ought to conduft themfelves fo that they may obtain for their fouls, divine confolation." But previoufly to doing this, wemuft premife the following things, viz. 1. That we would not be underftood to condemn all Chriftians who may not have covenanted with God, precifely in the manner which will prefently be pointed out ; for the ways of God in the falvation of fmners, are free and fovereign ; he brings not his children within the bonds of the covenant, in one and the fame manner ; many pious fouls may be found, who, for want of a competent knowledge of divine truths, are unable thus to covenant with God ; and yet have, perhaps, a thoufand times cordially approved of the covenant, and taken God for their God ; but, at the time, were ignorant that they were aftually covenanting with him. We would therefore have it well underftood, that it is not our obje61; to produce doubts, and excite alarm in the minds of fuch perfons ; but rather to eftablifli and confirm them in this, *' that of a truth the Lord is their God." LECTURE IX. 5 2. That ALMOST CHRISTIANS, and TEMPORA- RY BELIEVERS muft bc on their guard againfl mak- ing an improper ufe of any thing we may advance ; and not fufFer themfelves to indulge a carelefs and fecure temper. Perfons of this defcription are apt, too fuddenly, to conclude, that they have taken Je- hovah for their covenant God. The covenant being reprefented as precious and glorious, their under- ftanding and judgment become in a manner convin- ced ; yes, there may arife a fpecies of defire in the foul, and the language of almoft Chriftians may be, who would not be in covenant with God ? They may fancy that when they made their confeffion before the church, or at fome other important period of their lives, they entered within its bonds; but it is only fan- cy, they have never, in fmcerity, confented with the heart to take the Lord for their God ; they have never approved of the covenant in all its parts ; they are ftrangers to the illuminations of the Spirit, by which alone the foul is drawn to embrace the cove- nant, as propofed by God in his word; and their knowledge of the truth is merely fpeculative, for as yet they have never feen their real lituation before God, nor beheld their chara£ler. 3. That the blind and careless ought not to entertain low and mean conceptions of the experimental truths, which will be exhibited in this lefture ; for we fhall fpeak of things, which the na- tural man underjtandeth not ; and which arefoolijhnefs unto him ; of things which cannot be difcovered in their true colours, but by the enlightening influences of the Holy Ghoft. Having made thefe obfervations, we proceed now to the fubjea under difcuffion, and ftiall attempt to fliew how thofe, whofe hearts are ferioufly difpofed to 6 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. covenant with God, ought to condu6t themfelves, to the end that they may experience real fatisfaftion and comfort. To do this, it will be proper to ftiew, 1. What PREPARATORY flcps ought to betaken. 2. In what confifts the act of covenanting with Cod. 3. What eflPefts it muft produce in the foul, in order that a perfon may be affured of his having aflually engaged in this folemn and important work. With refpeft to the first point, we obferve, tha^ they who covenant with God muft be carefut, 1. That they be not too hasty in the perform- ance of fo ferious a bufmefs ; let it not, however, be underftood that we would infmuate, in the leaft de- gree, that perfons who are convinced of their mifery, and have had a difcovery made to them that the fervice of God is a delightful and reafonable fervice, can too quickly gwe themjelvts over to the Lord. No ; they may do this fmcerely, even from the very firft mo- ment of their being made alive by the Spirit of God ; for the ways of the Lord, in the converfion of fm- ners, are deep, and very different ; fometimes God draws the foul to himfelf with cords of love, in a delightful evangelical manner, fo that it fees fuch worthinefs in God, and is convinced immediately that his ways are ways of plcafantnefs, and all hzs paths arc peace ; the confequence of which is, that it does not hefitate for a moment, but inftantly looks and turns unto the Lord. Now when the Lord leads perfons in this way, they cannot poffibly be too hafty, in furrendering themfelves to the Lord ; by folemnly entering into covenant with him. But when we fpeak of being too hasty, we would be undciUood only to mcan^ that it is improper to en- LECTURE IX. f gage in a tranfa6lion fo folemn and of fuch magni- tude, without much previous deliberation, or, hav-* ing engaged in it, to conclude immediately that we are of a truth brought within the bonds of the covenant. By fuch a conduft we are in danger of being brought into a ftate of fecurity, and of becoming in a degree indifferent and carelefs, with refpe6l to holy walking with God. No, beloved, we muji count the cojl before we covenant with God ; we muft afk ourfelves again and again, is it our fincere defire to be for ever devoted to the fervice of the eternal ? in this way we are likely to be eilablifhed and con-* firmed in this, a point of the lafl; importance, that the work has been done in truth. 2. But as perfons ought not to be too forward, fo neither fhould they delay too much the im* portant tranfaftion of folemnly entering into covenant with God, as if by waiting or poflponing the bufmefs, they would obtain thofe frames of heart which are necefTary in order to their performance of it, in an ac- ceptable manner. This is a miflake into which thofe are frequently led, who juft commence living the life of faith ; it fprings from a felf- righteous prin- ciple.— They who are governed by it, conceive that they have no liberty to approach unto God, until they find themfelves in fuch a frame, and pofFefs fuch a degree of contrition or faith, as they have propofed to themfelves to be necelTary ; as foon as they fhall attain this point, then fay they, " we are prepared to covenant with the Lord :" hence it refults that they continue long without the bonds of the cove- nant, for they have not power to bring themfelves into fuch frames ; and therefore, beloved, when the Spirit may have convinced you of fin and of riahte- oufnefs, give your hand to the Lord ; the difooli- m 8 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. tions of mind which are neceflary for covenanting acceptably to God, Jehovah himfelf muft impart. 3. Thofe who would enter into covenant with God, ought to be CALM, tranquil and compof- ed : diftra6ling cares of the world muft not be al- lowed to draw ofF their minds, nor fhould unbelief be fufFered to alarm or bring their fouls to become the fport of doubts and fears ; on the contrary, it be- hoves them to a6t a rational part when they covenant with God, arid have the heart compofed. We would not fuggeft the idea, that perfons, who are brought into circumftances peculiarly diftrefling, who are filled with the extreme of anguiih, by reafon of ficknefs and the like, or who are in imminent danger, may not caft themfelves upon the Lord, and in fuch feafons of diftrefs, enter into covenant with God. — They may; and though, by reafon of the preffure of exifting circumftances, they may want a tranquil and compofed mind ; yet fuch covenanting may have the feal of divine approbation affixed to it, 4. Thofe who would enter into covenant with God, ought to feek to be prepared for engaging in fo folemn a tranfa6lion, by retiring from the world, and by engaging in meditation and prayer alone ; when God would enter into covenant with Abraham, he brought him forth abroad, Gen. xv. 5. When Ifaac would hold converfe with God, he went into the field. Gen. xxiv. 63. When God had made fuch great cove- nant promifes unto David, as thofe recorded in 2 Sam. vii. 11, 17, it isfaid, that after Nathan left him, " he went in and fat before the Lord" and, yielding a cor- dial confent to the covenant, faid, " Lord what is thy ftrvayit," verfe 20. Infecret, or when alone with God, the believers, with the boldnefs of a child that knows that he is loved by his father, can make all his LECTURE IX. 9 wants known to him, and has freedom to tell him where the wound bleeds, and where his burden preffes moft. But, perhaps, fome may alk, " Is it ufeful and ne- ceffary, when we covenant with God, to fet apart a feafon for fading ? we reply, that in the word of God we meet with many inftances of its having been done by the people of God. When Ifrael would enter in- to covenant with the Lord, after their return from the Babylonifh captivity, they proclaimed a day for fall- ing and prayer ; Ezra viii. 21 ; and, whenever it can be done, it is certainly proper, as it evidences a zeal and engagednefs on our part, as alfo a determination, through grace, to be wholly the Lord's. But, as we do not find the word of God enjoining it, as that which is abfolutely neceffary, we would not declare that the foul cannot covenant with its God without previoufly fetting apart a feafon for falling and pray- er.— There are fome whofe fituation in life is fuch that it would be extremely difficult to obferve fuch days ; — others are fo circumflanced, that they would meet with much oppoCition, if they were found de- voting flated feafons to it — whilfl others, again, hav- ing made but fmall attainments in Chriftian knowledge and experience, might not find themfelves qualified to keep fuch a day as it ought to be kept : — There- fore, it mull be left to the difcretion of each Chriftian, whether it would be bed for him to appoint a fet time for falling and prayer before he begin the great work of covenanting with God : — At the fame time, however, it mull be remarked, that the foul, when it engages in folemnly taking the Lord for its God, cannot but wreftle with him, in prayer, and exprefs its dependance upon him for light and (Irength. Pray- er is a mean the bell calculated to wean the heart ' Vol. II. B to THE PIOUS COMMUNICAJJ'T. from earth, and elevate the afFeflions to heavenly ob- jeds. 5. Thofe that would enter into covenant with God, having in fecret called upon .the name of Jehovah, OUGHT SERIOUSLY TO INVESTIGATE ALL THE PARTS OF THE COVENANT: For it has been already fhewn, that the confent which the foul yields is a ra- tional one ; in order to which, every thing belonging to the covenant ought to be diftinftly known, and fully underftood. When we ipeditate on the feve- ral parts of the covenant, we ought not limply to aim at informing the judgment, but at exciting love in the heart. For inffcance : Do we contemplate the God of THE COVENANT as one pofleffed of glorious perfec- tions, and as one, who, although elevated above prin- cipalities and powers, and adored by feraphim and cherubim, yet is not afhamed to reveal himfelf as wil- ling to become the God of fmners ? Do we contem- plate the Mediator of the covenant in his fulnefs, amiablenefs, and precioufnefs ; and, at the fame time, view the Holy Spirit as that divine being who fweetly influences, and powerfully operates upon the heart ? Do we confider the perfons who are invit- ed, in the gofpel, to come within the bonds of the covenant, as creatures unable to extricate themfelves from their mifery, and fo oppofed to God and his co- venant, that they fpurn the idea of accepting its of- fers ? Do we refle£t on the demands which God makes in the covenant as being fo reafonable, and fo well calculated to meet the fmner's inability, and alfo on the precious promises which the covenant con- tains, the promifes of grace here, and of glory here- after ; and finally, that upon our consenting to- the covenant, with a believing heart, we may be bold to afic of God, agreeably to thofe promifes. LECTURE IX. It all things which we need ? Is it poflible that the foul can refrain from adoring and admiring a God fo holy and gracious ? muft it not glow with ardent affec- tions towards him ? It is not an uncommon cafe for the children of God to commence examining the fe- veral parts of the covenant, under the experience of much barrennefs and deadnefs of foul, and to end the fcrutiny not only much animated, but enabled cor- dially to confent, and fay amen to all its contents. 6. But, as thofe who covenant with God have ob- ftacles frequently thrown into their way, they mufl be on their guard, left the wiles of their fpiritual ene- mies keep them from doling with the Lord as their God. — For this purpofe, A. Let not your fouls be deterred from covenant- ing with God, becaufe it is fuggefted, that h e i s a God of infinite glory and majesty. There is, indeed, great reafon why you ftiould be humbled into the very duft in his prefence, and cry out, " Who " am I, that I fhould be allowed to treat with fuch a *' glorious and holy being ?" But, at the fame time, it muft be remembered, that Satan imprelfes the mind with a fenfeofthe majefty of Deity, not to honour him, but to alarm and terrify you : therefore, when he af- faults you in this way, reply to the tempter thus, " It is a truth, the Eternal is infinitely exalted above " all created intelligences, and feated on a throne of " majefty ; yet, as a covenant God, he manifefts him- " felf as one who abounds with love, grace, and mer- " cy. He has proclaimed his name the Lord, the Lord " God, merciful and gracious, long-fuffenng, abundant " in goodnefs, JJiewing mercy unto thovjands. He has *' told us, that as a father he pitieth them that fear- " him, and, that like the tender mother, who cannot ^' but have corapaffion on her fucking child^ he cannot 12 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. *' but regard the children of his love ; that he will • " not break the bruifed reed nor quench the fmoking " flax, and that he will turn his hand upon the little " ones." Thus to oppofe the arch fiend, will be a mean of removing any fears which may have been raif- ed in your minds, by a view of God, as one glorious in holinefs, and of terrible majefly. B. Be not difcouraged from covenanting with God, becaufe you conceive yourfelves too fmjul, and too UNWORTHY, to engage in a tranfa6lion of fuch a iblemn nature. It is right to appear little in our own eyes, and to be humbled when we come into the prefence of Jehovah; but our fmfulnefs and unworthinefs ought not to keep us from God. There- fore, fay not, " We dare not go unto God ; for our '■'■ fms have reached unto the very heavens, and are in *' number as the fand on the fea-lhore ;" but rather confefs before the Lord your fms, and, venturing into his prefence, let this be the language of your hearts, " Lord, we, who are the moft unworthy of Adam's ** finful race, come to thee, that we may be faved ; " not becaufe we merit that falvation, but becaufe thy " grace is free and fovereign." C. Let not your hearts be prevented from cove- nanting with God, by the various artifices which Satan may ufe for this purpofe. He will not quietly fuffer fouls to be wrefted from his fervice; but will do all in his power to keep them bound in his chains, and prevent them from going fo far as to ihake off his authority. a;id furrender themfelves wholly to God. At one time he will fuggell that your sins are too great; at another, that if you were to enter into covenant with God, you would prove unfaithful to him. But be not difcouraged; thefe are fuggelk- jpns of Satan : his raging thus is an evidence that LECTURE IX. ij • you are no longer his ; and therefore, be bold to devote yourfelves to the Lord, as your God, and portion. D. Say not that, "to hold fuch an inter- " COURSE with the God of heaven and earth, is a *' WORK too great ; fay not, it is a thing impoffible, *' that by fuch a fimple ad as that of yielding our con- " fent to the covenant, we can be admitted within its " bonds." It is granted that if we confider the mat- ter as a tranfaflion of creatures with the great Su- preme, it is a work too great even for the moft ex- alted feraph to engage in ; but if we contemplate the chara£ler of God, it cannot be a work too great; for fuch is his goodnefs, that it will induce him to difplay fuch condefcending grace. And is God thus difpofed to deal with you, what fhould with- hold you from that intercourfe with him to which his word encourages you ? 7. Thofe who enter into covenant with God, mufl do it depending on the divine and gracious INFLUENCES of the Holy Spirit. It is not enough that the underflanding be in fome degree illuminat- ed, and that the judgment be rationally convinced, but the heart muft be enlivened, and rendered adive and zealous for God; it is however the Holy Ghoft alone, who can produce life in the foul, and an en- gagednefs in thefervice of Jehovah. If therefore you would approve yourfelves fmcere and earneft in this work, and rife fuperior to the accufations of your enemies ; take the Spirit with you, covenanting with your God. Thefe things, we conceive, merit the particular at- tention of fuch as would covenant with God, and f^v'ear to be his for ever. But, In what consists the act of cqve- 14 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. NANTiNG ITSELF? Wc bclievc, in reply to this queftion, that more is experienced than it is poflible to exprefs by words; efpecially when the foul is wafted along by the gales of the Spirit, and it is enabled to enter on the work with much light, ani- mation, and engagednefs. Yet, fufFer us to re- mark, that the perfon who, agreeably to the prepara- tion of heart juft defcribed, is about to yield his con- fent to the covenant, will humble himfelf before the Lord, and on this wife, addrefs the Moft High : " Lord, I am now about to make the great choice, " either of ferving thee or the world; I will no longer " halt between two opinions ; already too long have I *' been indifferent, and given my heart away to fin, " Satan, and the world ; I have counted up the coft, ?' and with care examined all the parts of that cove- " nant, which thou haft propofed for my acceptance, ** and now, in thy prefence, I folemnly renounce " all my former purfuits i neither fhall Satan or the *' world any more poffefs my heart, or keep me *'- longer in their chains ; and. Lord, I further profefs " to choofe thee for my God, and cordially to con- *' fent to all that the covenant propofes. Doft thou " require that I deny my f elf, take up my crojs, and *' follow Jefus ? be it fo, I am perfeftly fatisficd ; I '• wiih to be faved in no other way but in that by " which thou mayeft be glorified. Wilt thou then, " O God, who art fo glorious a being, become my '•' God ? Art thou willing to fave a wretch like me ? '• Amen, lo, I am here, I will be for ever thine. " And this I declare, not only with my lips, but ''• with my heart. Unto thee I give myfelf, body, " foul, and all that I am and have, — 1 do it with the " dccpcft humility; for thou art the High and '• Holy One, who inhabiteft eternity, J^nd I ^ poor LECTURE IX. 15 *' unworthy cfeaturc, and worm of the duft. I do "it alfo IN FAITH, with my eye direfted to the " Lord JeCus alone, and to his one facrifice made " upon the crofs ; which is the only ground of my "confidence. Yes, Lord, — I do it, sensible of *' my INABILITY ; I am aware, that if I depended " on myfelf, or upon any ftrength of my own, I " ftiould not continue faithful to thee one moment : *•' but I expe6l, from the promifes of the covenant, *' that all neceffary grace will be imparted : and, " therefore, O Triune God, I take thee for the por- " tion of my foul, — thee. Father, for my Father,— " thee, BLESSED Jesus, for my Redeemer and my " Saviour, for my Prophet, Prieft, and King, to be " taught, conduced, and governed by theej and " thee, God the Holy Ghost, for my Counfellor, " Guide, and Comforter. And all this I do with " full confent of heart, and fmcerity of foul : for unto *' me thou art an obje61: fo glorious and amiable, that " all my afFe£lions centre in thee alone." Lan- guage like this in fome meafure exprefles the exer- cifes of the foul in the aft of covenanting with God. Such are its views, and fo loft is it in admiration, that words cannot fully defcribe them. It is con- ftrained to cry out with David, 2 Sam. vii. 20, /i this the manner of man, 0 Lord God, and "what can David Jay more ? For thou, O Lord God, knoweft thy fervant. Do any now enquire what pofture of body is moft proper, when a perfon is engaged in covenanting with God ? we would reply, on this point pofitive direftions cannot be given. How- ever, we remark that that pofition is moft fuitable, which beft exprelTes our reverence and refpecl for God. On examining the facred Scriptures, we fiad, that the people of God, when in the acl of i6 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. covenanting, have ufed diflFerent poftures. When Ifrael covenanted with God, they Jlood before the Lord, Neh. ix. 2. Abraham fell upon his face, or kneeled, Gen. xvii. 17. Is it done in a (landing pofture ? it intimates our wilHngnefs and readinefs, as fervants, to obey the precepts of the Lord. Is it done kneehng ? it ftievvs our humiHty, as alfo that we are encouraged to touch the fceptre of grace prefented to us. In covenanting with God, the VOICE is fometimes heard. Thus, Ifrael is faid to have ufed a loud voice, 2 Chron. xv. 14. This they did to exprefs their earneftnefs and fincerity. Some- times we fubfcribe with the hand to the Lord, Ifai. xhv. 5 ; by which a6l we declare, that the contraft is irrevocable by us. Sometimes the foul, in cove- nanting, binds itfelf by the folemnity of an oath. Does God, fays the foul, whofe nature is un- changeable, whom I am bound to believe on his mere declaration, to difplay the immutability of his counfel, confirm it with an oath ? Heb. vi. 17, — I too will fwear, that / will keep his righteous flatutes. Hence the a61: of covenanting with God is called a yielding of ourfelves unto tjie Lord, 2 Chron. xxx. 8. As if the Lord, on his part, faid, " I oflFer thee my " hand; lay hold of it with confidence:" — At firft, filled with aflonifhment, and loft in admiration, the foul afks, " Is it poffible that I, who am polluted, *« vile, and finful, in the higheft degree, may join " hands with the Immaculate and infinitely holy " God?" — but immediately it remembers the one fa- ciifice made by Jefus on the crofs; and the Spirit at the fame time uniting the foul to God, by the bonds of faith and love, — it ceafcs to refufe, and yields to the gracious propofal. Is not this what David terms making a covenant with facrifice ? Pfalm 1. 5. lECTURE IX. 17 Now, has any perfon, in this or in a fimiiar man- ner, concluded a covenant tranfa^lion with God ? certain efFefts are neceflarily {jroduced, by which he is enabled to fatisfy himl'elf that he hath really cove- nanted with God. For inftance : after the folemn bufinefs is completed, does not the foul experience more light, and a flronger confidence; a joy un- fpeakable, and an inward fatisfaflion in all the ways of God ? Is it not excited to praife, admire, and adore God, for having condefcended to covenant with fuch a worm Jacob ? Does not fuch a view of God's condefcenfion produce humility of heart, and make the foul appear fo little in its own eyes, that with Abraham it mufl exclaim. Gen. xviii. 27, Who am /, that I, who am but duji and aJJies^ have taken upon me tofpeak unto the Lord ? In a word, when the foul has been engaged in co- venanting with God, will there not be defires excited to have fin mortified, to be more holy, and to live more to the glory of God. What inference muft the foul now deduce from all thefe experiences, but that it hath covenanted with the Lord, not merely in form, but with fincerity of heart, and that God himfelf hath fet his feal of approbation to the folemn work, and engaged to be our God ? But it is fometimes the cafe, that the foul is filled with fears; and wanting confidence, it dares not pro- ceed to fuch a length as to take Jehovah for its co- venant God. It has, indeed, ardent defires after him : it cordially acquiefces in his difpenfations : it can fay, " Lord, I would rather die at the feet of Je- *' fus, than return to the fervice of fin, Satan, or the *' world." — And docs not all this amount to an ac- tual furrender of the foul to God ? Though it can- not, at the time, view it as fuch, yet, when it fliall Vol. II. C li THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. pleafe the Lord to enlighten the underftanding moie, to make the oppofition of the enemy in fome mea- fure to ceafe, and enable it to furvey its former ex- ercifes; its language then will be, " Are thefe the " exercifes of thofe who yield confent to the cove- " nant ? I have not the leafl remaining doubt but I ^' have done it more than once." Then it experi- ences that God is good and gracious; and afcertains the import of the expreffion, / am your God. Thus, Agreeably to the firft thing propofed, we have feen the manner in which a foul ought to condu£l itfelf, when in the aft of covenanting with Jehovah. The SECOND point to be difeufled was, What is the mofl; fuitable time for fuch a tranfaftion ? Ought it to be done but once, or muft the Chriflian fre- quently engage in it ? And if fo, on what particular occafions ought the covenant engagements of God's people to be renewed ? 1. As for the time when the foul fliould enter into this covenant, it has already been remarked, that it neither ought to be done too haftily, nor Ihould it be too long delayed. The time cannot be precifely limited. It can only be obferved, that if, Chriflian, thou art made rightly to know thyfelf ; — if thou doft difcover, that every thing propofed by God in the covenant, is worthy of thy love and acceptance ; — - and if thy foul be inclined by the Spirit of God to taJvC the Lord for thy God : — certainly then it be- comes thee to enter within the bonds of the cove- nant. 2. Do any enquire, Whether a perfon muft once only, or repeatedly engage in covenanting with God ? — I anfwer, It is a fa61:, that, upon having once yielded a cordial alTent to all that the covenant propofes, we muft always continue to be the cove- LECTURE IX. i^ nant people of God ; for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. But flill, in order to our living comfortably, and being animated on the way, we mull not fimply once choofe the Lord for our covenant God, but the folemn a6l mull be repeated. We cannot too frequently renew our engagements to be the Lord's for ever. It often occurs, that the Chrillian doubts of his having actually entered into covenant with God. But nothing can better remove his doubts, and aflfure him of his having done it in truth, than to go im- mediately to the Lord, and fay, " Lord, I am ftill *' wilhng to take thee for my covenant God, and if I " have never before, I will now do ft in the fincerity " of my heart." Again, There are fcafons when, overtaken "by temptations, he falls into fin, becomes unfaithful to his God, and confequently lofes his wonted con- fidence in him. Shall he rife acrain, and be reflored ^ . . . to his former fituation ? let him dire6lly go to the Lord, and again devote himfelf to his fervice. In this way the Eternal is glorified, and the intentions of the enemy defeated. But the conduft of God himfelf will be the beft guide to us in this point. He did not content him-» felf with once making a gracious covenant with the believing patriarchs, but often repeated it. Firft, he covenanted with Adam after his fall, and then with Noah, both before and after the flood. Me frequent- ly made a covenant with Abraham, and afterwards renewed the fame with Ifaac and Jacob, with David and other faints. But why did God fo frequently co- venant with his people, if not to teach them that he was fmcere in the declarations which he had made, .;;nd to reraove from their minds every caufe of un- 2t> THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. belief and fear. Now, has God, who is unchangea^ ble in his nature, and under no neceflity of making a covenant with his people, repeatedly renewed his engagements with them, to manifeft his earneftnefs and faithfulnefs, and to remove all doubts on their part? is it not reafonable that we, who are finful and unfaithful creatures, and inclined to err daily, fliould often renew thofe folemn engagements which we once have entered into with him, and thus evidence to the Lord, that we purpofe, through grace, to cleave to him for ever. 3. On what particular occasions, ought God's people to renew their covenant ? A. Children of God, you cannot do it too FREQUENTLY, though it ftiould bc done daily; yea, though every time you approach unto God in prayer, you fhould fay, " Lord, thou art the objeft " we conllantly feek : thee we choofe for our por- *' tion : in thee all our afifeflions are placed." B. It ought, efpecially, to be done at times WHEN the light OF God's GRACE fhiucs with unufual fplendour upon the foul, — when God ani- mates and enlivens the heart, either in fecret or un- der the miniftrations of his word. Such feafons muft not be unimproved. Then the hand mufl be again given to the Lord : — then you Ihould of anew de- vote yourfelves to his fervice. Thus your fouls would become eflablifhed more and more in the w^ys of Chriftianity, and you learn to live by faith : For if afterwards it Ihould pleafe God to withhold his grace, and caufe you to experience fome degrees of darknefs, you might comfort your hearts, and fay, *' We are no flrangers to God. At fuch a time, or^ " fuch a feafon, we are certain we gave ourfelves to ^' the Lord, and did it uprightly." LECTURE IX. 21 C. The people of God ought to renew their co- venant with him on all folemn occafions, fuch as days fet apart for falling and prayer, and for com- memorating the dying love of Chrift in the facra- ment of the fupper. At fuch fcafons we are efpe- cially called to engage in an examination of the ftate of our hearts, and of our conduft before the Lord. Such an inveftigation will lead us to difco- ver that we have offended him, times and ways with- out number. Now, what can be more to our ad- vantage and comfort, than to return unto God, with confeffion of fin and contrition of heart, and, in his flrength, again pledge ourfelves to be true to him. The Scriptures exprefsly mention that the faints ob- ferved days of falling and prayer, on which they were to covenant with God. D. The people of God are called to ren^w their covenant, when they enter upon arduous and IMPORTANT offices, or are called in providence to change their fituation in life. At fuch feafons they (land in need of much grace, in order that they may continue faithful to their covenant engagements: and therefore, previous to entering upon fuch under- takings, it behoves them folemnly to approach God, and fay, " Lord, we undertake this work, not with " a view to break our covenant engagements with *' thee, nor in any refpe6l to weaken them. And " to evidence this, we humble ourfelves before thee, *' and look to thee as our covenant God, for all " needful grace to enable us faithfully to difcharge the " duties of our ftation." E. Chiiftians muft renew their covenant when they FALL'into any grievous fins; then is the time to fet apart a day for fading arid prayer. When Da- vid had committed thofe grofs fins, mentioned in the 22 THE PIOUS COMMUNICA^IT. fifty-fiifl Pfalm, he was deprived of the joy of God's falvation, and it was never reftored to him till he was brought to confefs them ; to feek the face and favour of God ; and to furrender himfelf again to the Lord. On fuch occafions it is, believers, that you ought, with ftiame and confufion of face, to con- fefs your tranfgreffions, to take refuge in the blood of Chrift, and bind yourfelves afrefh to the Lord. F. The covenant mull be renewed when you are brought into extraordinary difficulties, when afflic- tions opprefs you, or when you are brought to a bed of ficknefs, or to a dying hour. It is then a fit fea- fon to give your hearts to God, to refolve that what- ever may befall you, you will cleave to the Lord, and to take confolation from this, that though your houfe be not Jo with God, yet he hath made with you an everlajling covenant, well ordered in all things and Jure, and which muft be all your Jalvation and all your defire. The THIRD fubjeft which comes under confidera- tion, is, " what are the befl means of preferving a Chriflian's confidence of his intereft in the covenant; and of recovering it, when it may be in any meafure loft." L To PRESERVE the confidence of faith, God's covenant people are to endeavour, through grace, to difcharge the following duties, viz. A. Endeavour to keep conftantly alive the prin- ciple of LOVE to God in Chrift: let your efteem of him, and your holy affeflions be exprefled by a fre- quent declaration of your regard for him ; of your ftrong dcfires after him, and of your fixed purpofe of cleaving to him : there is nothing with which the Lord Jefus is more delighted, than with his people's alfetlion towards him ; hence we find thefe extraor- LECTURE IX. 23 dinary expreflions in the Canticles, '•' thou hajl ra- vifitd, my heart loith one of thine eyes, Songs, iv. q : Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have cvercoync me, Chap. vi. 5 : My defire is towards thee." As love is faid to be the whetftone which fharpens love, fo the Lord Jefus promifes, John xiv. 23, '' If d man love me, my Father will love him, and we will come Unto him, and make our abode with him :" and again. Prov. viii. 17, " / love them that love me." Are there fo many great and precious promifes to thofe who love the Lord ? what can tend more to preferve our friendfhip and intimacy with God, than the exercife of love to him ? — what is it that gives the higheft perfection to conjugal happinefs ? is it not mutual love ? and what unites the foul in the clofeft bands to God, and creates a holy boldnefs in his prefence ? it is love afcending like incenfe towards heaven, and reciprocated by the God of love. But if we would expe6i; that our love ftiould meet with a gracious return, we mull be careful that it be an undivid- ed love, excluding felf-love and the love of the creature ; for God is a jealous God, and will have the whole heart. B. To preferve the confidence of faith, it is farther neceffary, that the people of God become intimate- ly acquainted with him ; '•' acquaint tJiyfdf with God, and he at peace," Job. xxii. 21. We muft meditate much upon the divine pcrfe6lions, efpecially thofe which are difplayed in the covenant of grace ; we mufl acquaint ourfelves with him, by keeping up a conllant intercourfe with him, by the exercife of faith; by earned prayer; by freely confulting with him, and by fpeaking of him to others. In a word, we acquaint ourfelves with God, by converlinp with him in fecret, and by praifmg hi;xi in pfahns, hymns. ^4 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. and fpiritibal Jongs. 'E>y fuch an intercourfe with him, we fhall obtain the chara6ler given to Noah in the fixth of Genefis, " That he walked with God." And then we may expeft that, according to his gracious word, he will reveal his fecrct to us : that when we cajl our burdens upon him, he will fujluin us, and that he will give us the dejires of our hearts. C. In order to maintain a well-grounded confi- dence refpefting our covenant relation to God, we jnufl be CIRCUMSPECT in our condu6i:, as it refpefts our neighbour and ourfelves, as well as God ; for, when we become unwatchful over ourfelves, negle6l our duty towards our neighbour, or indulge in any fin, we may expetl that God will have a co7itroverfy xoith us, and hide his face from us. We fhall then fit in darknefs, and be unable to approach with boldnefs to the throne of grace; and thus we fhall be taught by fad experience, that a God of fpotlefs purity will be ferved in a holy manner, and that it h an evil thing and hitter, to fn againfl him. D. But however watchful we may be, we mufl re- member that we are but men, and finful men, prone to flumble and fall. In order, therefore, that the ground of our confidence may not be removed, we mud fufFer no fin to remain unconfessed and unrepented of. When we fall, we mufl rife and return to God, and feek for pardon through the blood of Chrill, agreeably to the encouragement and exhorta- tion of the Apoftle, ijohnii. i. My little children, thcfc things I write unto you, that ye fin not ; and if any man fin, we have an advocate vnth the Father, Jefus Chrifi the righttous, who is the propitiation for our fins. Though we depart from God, yet if we return unto him with humble confcffion of our fin, and faith in the Media- tor, he will yet rejoice over us to do icsgoodj his kind' LECTURE IX. 35 ntfs Jliall not depart from us, nor JJiall the covenant of his peace be removed. — When a child has committed a fault, if he continues obflinate, and difobedient, he meets the difpleafure of his father ; but if he fubmits to his authority, with fuitable contrition, the compaf- fionate father forgives him, and receives him to his favour ; juft fo our heavenly Father deals with his children. When they tranfgrefs, and continue in- fenfible of the offence, they may expeft his frowns, or his chaftizing rod j but if they return to him with humble confeflion of their fins, his language towards them is, " As a father pitieth his children, fo the Lord *' pitieth them that fear him," Pf. ciii. 13. E. That the people of God may preferve the confidence of faith, nothing is more ufeful than a FREQUENT, a DAILY R E N Ew A L of the Covenant. Of this we have already fpoken at fome length ; but do any inquire whether the covenant mufl in the fame folemn manner be renewed ? we anfwer that it is not neceffary that it be always done with the fame formality ; yet we ought every day, in fecret, to pre- fent ourfelves before God, profefhng ourfelves to be his, declaring our refolution to cleave to him, and fupplicating him, to enable us to be faithful to all our covenant engagements. F. Would we preferve our confidence towards God? we mull be clothed with humility. The confideration of the augufl and awful majefly of God, fhould excite in us the moll profound rever- ence, and a fenfe of oUr meannefs fhould lead us to appear before him with the deepefl abafement and iowlinefs of mind. Whilll nothing is more ofFenfive than pride, nothing is more pleafmg to him than humility. Therefore, it is that he refifeth the proud, lut giveth grace unto the humble, James iv. 6. Vol. 11. D 26 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. 2. But if fo much is neceflary in order to preferve the confidence of the people of God, it follows that, though the covenant be unchangeable in its nature, yet that confidence may in a meafure be loft, and the peace and joy of the believer be interrupted, by reafon of God's hiding his face, and withholding the manifeftations of his love. Is it afked why are God's children deprived of the light of their Father's coun- tenance ? for this we may affign a variety of reafons, arifing partly from God, and partly from believers themfelves. A. God does this, a. To ftiew that he is a sovereign God; that from him cometh every good and perfect gift. The believer's confidence being weakened is not always the confequence of fome particular offence. God faid of Job that Satan moved, him to dcjlroy him without a caufe ; that is, that he was not chargeable with any remarkable fm, which ftiould occafion his extraordi- nary affli6lions. b. To TRY them, and to call them to the more vigorous exercife of grace ; to ftrengthen their faith, and to increafe their holy defires ; to make them ienfible of their own infufficiency, and lead them to cry more fervently to their God. c. To teach them that this world is not the place of their reft ; that here their moft delightful exercifes and experiences are tranfient, and that it is only at God's right hand above that they may expe6l to receive fuhiefs of joy, and pleafiires for evermore. d. To make them p r i z e his grace, and fet a higher value on the bleffings of the covenant. Thcfe arc always rendered far more precious to their fouls, when they enjoy them after having drunken largely of the bitter cup of aftliQion. LECTURE IX. 27 e. To difplay his amazing power and goodness. Does the Eternal not only preferve them in the enjoyment of the fpiritual life, but reftore them again to their former firength, and caufe them af- terwards to triumph over Satan, and thus revive the hearts of the contrite ones. He difplays his un- bounded benevolence and love, and exhibits power which infinitely tranfcends the energies of creatures the moft exalted in the fcale of beings. B. The REASONS of God's dealing thus with his people are not found only on his fide, but alfo on the part of believers; and thefe refpect either the time past or the future. With refpeft to the time past, we obferve that God withholds the light of his countenance; a. When the children of his love have committed great and aggravated fins. The holinefs of his na- ture, in fuch cafe, requires that they fliould be chaflized; be made to feel the rod; ceafe to enjoy, at leaft for a feafon, their wonted intercourfe with him; and thus learn that God cannot have fellow- ftiip with thofe who work iniquity. David expe- rienced this, though a man after God's own heart; he no fooner fell into fin, than, he loft the joys of his falvation, Pf. li. 14. b. When abufing the goodnefs of God, they treat his DIVINE Majesty with little reverence and refpefl;, or when through floth, and inattention, they do not cherifh thofe blclTed experiences which they have had of his grace and love. The fpoufe laid herfelf on the bed of floth, and fufFered the bride- groom to Hand knocking without. However, to her great furprife, fhe foon found that her beloved had withdrawn himfelf. Songs v. 2, 7. i. When they confide in an arm of fiefh. or s8 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT, lean upon their own arm to bring falvation, lay- ing with Peter, Matt. xxvi. 33, Though all men Jhould he offended becauje of thee, yet will I never be offended. d. When spiritual pkide, on account of any gifts or quahfications, arife in his people. Then God nianifefts to them his divine difpleafure, and by- withdrawing his favours, evidences that he rejijieth the froud, 1 Pet. v. 5. e. When they are not fufficiently weaned from the things of this world. It is found frequently to be the cafe at converfion, when God's people are made firft to enjoy communion with him, that they look with a comparative degree of contempt on things below, and have their hearts loofed from them. But afterwards, when their firft ardour has abated, and they have been longer on the way, their former at- tachments, fometimes engrofs too much of their attention, and they difplay too great a conformity to the world. Hence God is difpleafed, and Jefus, the great head of the covenant, will upbraid them, as he did the angel of the church of Ephefus, Rev. ii. 5, faying, " / have fomewhat againji thee, hecaufe thou *' haft left thy firfi love." C. For, the above reafons arifing from the paft mifcondu£l of the people of God, Jehovah hides his face from them ; but there are others which refpe61: the FUTURE, why he deals thus with them. a. That he may try their faith. By means of withholding his fpiritual favours, God difcovers whe- ther, though they do not tajie and fee, yet will believe his teftimony of himfelf, that he is good; and thus prove that they love God for what he is in himfelf, as well as for what he has been unto them. h. That he m ay awaken them to fervency in prayer. LECTURE IX. 2f Chrlflians often become formal and languid in the difcharge of this duty. To animate them, and to make them wreftle with him, he hides his fmihng face from them. This was the effeft which affliflions produced upon He man, Pf. Ixxxviii. i, 0 Lord God of my falvation, I have cried day and night before thee. When the bridegroom, who had long been ftanding and knocking, had at length retired, the rpoufe, made fenfible of her need of his prefcnce, awakes from her flumbers, feeks him in the ftreets, and in the more retired parts of the city. Songs vi. 6, 7, c. That he may teach them true wifdom ; for, by fuch difpenfations, God's children are induced to inveftigate with care and attention his dealings with them. d. That when God fhall afterwards vifit them again with falvation, they may be more careful to preferve his favour. Such was the efFeft it produced on the mind of the fpoufe; when fJie found her be- loved, flie held himfafl, and would not let him go. 3. But when the intimate fellowfhip which once exifted between God and his people, appears for t}ie prefent interrupted, and the light of his coun- tenance is concealed from their view, what is to be done, in order that their former intimacy and confi- dence may be restored ? A. They mull endeavour to find out the cause which has produced the evil, faying with Job, chap. X. 2, Shew me wherefore thou contendefi with me. B. The caufe being difcovered, it becomes them to be ashamed of their fins, to confefs them, and with humility to return to the Lord their God, faying with David, 2 Sam. xxiv. lO; I have finned greatly, I have done very foolifJily. C. They ought to be much in prayer, that God 30 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. would not deal with them as Grangers ; but, as chil- dren of the covenant, icphold them by his free Spirit. — With the Pfalmift they fhould plead, Pf. cxix. 176, / have gone ajlray like a lojl JJieep, feek thy Jcrvant ; for I do not forget thy commandments. D. They ought, under fuch circumftances, to "RENEW, with much ferioufnefs, their former covenant tranra6lions, and again declare before him, that they will he the Lord's. Until this is done, they cannot reafonably expeft a return of the joys and delights which they experienced when the Lord vifited their fouls with the manifeftations of his love. E. They ought, with patience, to wait for the time which God hath fet to be gracious to them, neither neglefting duty, or wiftiing to prefcribe bounds or limits to the Lord. The FOURTH thing propofed was to attempt a removal of fome of the objections and difficulties which might be raifed, in confequence of what has been exhibited in this and in the preceding lefture. 1. It may be aflced by fome " what difference exifts between a merely rational aflent to the covenant, and that which is cordial and saving? for mention has more than once been made of an assent which is fpeculative in its nature, and of one in which the whole heart is engaged. This quellion is indeed a momentous and impor- tant one, and ought to be anlwered with great circum- fpcdion and care, left thofe who are only almost Chriflians may continue at eafe with refpeft to their flate, and confide that all is well with him, when they have not the icaft foundation for their hope, — for every perfon who lives under the difpenfation of grace and falvation, who is not altogether left to himfelf, who is moral in his deportment, and has LECTURE IX. J,, experienced even flight conviftion of fin, but will, when he is told of this covenant, exprefs his appro- bation of it, and fay, " Who would not yield an *' aflent to fuch gracious propofals ? — As for me, I *' will cordially approve of, and fet my feal to them." He may even go fo far as to perfuade himfelf that he has already done it, becaufe of the fpeculative view- he may have taken of it; but though he may have gone thus far, yet he was not fincere, — the work has not been done in truth ; for, as yet, his heart is not divefted of its love of fin, — he has not yet come to a real knowledge of himfelf, — he has never been made to abandon his felf-righteous principles. All this is manifefl from his walk and converfation, which is not heavenly, but earthly, and too much aflimilated to that of natural men: confequently his boafted aflent was only that of the underftanding and fancy. A perfon of this defcription may indeed converfe on the eflential do6lrines of religion; but never feel the influence of them upon his heart. It is however very different with refpeft to thofe who have cordially confented to the covenant and its feveral parts. If, like almost Chriftians, they have fpeculatively furveyed the covenant on all fides, they have likewife the knowledge which is communicated by the Holy Ghoft, which is experi- mental and fanftifying. They have been fweetly drawn to yield their confent, by the force which the doftrines exhibited in the covenant have had upon their fouls. Yes they muft, they will exclaim, «' We " well know how to diftinguifli between that period *• of our lives, when we were fpiritually dead, and *' inaftive for God, and when we became awakened " into a holy engagednefs for his fervice : we well "remember the time when, attending on the public S2 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. •' and private duties of religion, we felt no foft " affedions move, and anxioufly waited for the con- *' clufion of fuch performances, and felt no other- " wife concerned, with refpeft to the covenant, its " duties and promifes, than men in general. But " then, again, we know that there have been feafons " in our lives, when our hearts were fo exercifed, *' animated, and warmed, with love to the God of " the covenant, that we were made perfeftly willing " and ready to live unto him, and to fay with *' our whole fouls. Away, Jin, world, Satan ; we *' renounce for ever your fervice ; we are for God, " and for him only we do cordially, wholly, of our *' own free will, choofe him for our God, guide, and " portion. We are fenfible that in all this we are not ** led away by fanciful or enthufiaflic notions ; for " we feel every day more and more difpofed to live •• to God, and deport ourfelves as thofe who are in " covenant with him." But " Ah !" fays the diftreffed and depreffed foul, " this is the very point which " caufes my diftrefs, and produces my fears. Could " I difcover any thing in my walk and converfation ** correfpondent to that now mentioned, I could then " conclude favourably concerning myfelf : but this " feems not to be the cafe. How fmful is my life ! " what fpots are in my garment! how feldom do I, " in any refpe£l, walk in the ways which Jehovah *' has fet me! and with what numberlefs corruptions *' have I daily to ftruggle! Thefe things fhake my *' confidence; nay feem wholly to deftroy it." To perfons thus exercifed we beg leave to obferve, that you muft not decide, with refpe6l to your ftate, merely from the holinefs of your walk, and pre- eminent excellency of your deportment ; for, then, inftead of coming to a favourable determination, you LECTURE IX. 33 V/ouId find abundant ground of complaining, and of diftrufting your intereft in the covenant. But fuffer ine to afk you, whether the remains of fin in you, your untender carriage before the world, on fome occa- lions, and your deficiencies in duty, are not a caufe of diflrefs to your fouls ? Can you avoid making the declaration before God, that nothing would afford you greater fatisfaftion, and meet more with the ardent defires of your fouls, than to be enabled to live more agreeably to the will of God, — to have fin daily more and more mortified, and to make more fuitable returns for that grace which he has imparted to you ? Such defires evidence, with certainty, your fincerity, and ftiew that you have received the truth in the love of it. But, 2. It may be afked, Whence is it that, though at the time we first made a covenant with the Lord, or when we afterwards renewed it, we were much in the exeicife of faith, — had our hearts deeply affe6t- ed, — and experienced a high degree of light and life; yet we are now overwhelmed with, fuch darknefs, that we dare not believe that we ever did fincerely and cordially come within the bonds of the covenant? But, CHILDREN of God ? for your cncouiagement we remark, that, in order to judge of your fincerity, all your exercifes muft be beheld by the light with which the Holy Spirit is pleafed to irradiate the foul. Now there are times when this light is withheld from you : it naturally refults that midnight gloom and darknefs, confequent upon fin and a carelefs walk towards the God of the covenant, overfpread the foul ; and this may proceed to fuch lengths, that, inftead of contemplating its former experiences, and deriving fupport from them, it cannot meditate upon them ; but doubts and fears arife. Vol. IL E 34 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Do you then inquire, When darknefs obtains to fuch a degree in the foul, whether we may bring former experiences in review, as a ground on which we may reft ? This depends entirely on the efFefts which proceed from fo doing. — If to reft on former experiences, makes us carelefs and unconcerned, with refpe6l to our walk and converfation, and caufes us to become indifferent, and ready to fay. We are fen- fible of what hath pafled between God and our fouls ; that we have devoted ourfelves to his fervice ; and that, though we may have been unfaithful, yet he is faithful ; and, though we may want ardour, zeal, and a6Hvity, in promoting the caufe of Chrift, the cove- nant is unchangeable.-^ — God is indeed faithful; but you muft alfo be true to your folemn engage- ments, and exercife holy love towards him. If you wholly fail in thefe refpecls, you can with no pro- priety build your hope on former experiences. Yet it may fometimes be highly advantageous torefle6l upon what you may have experienced in times paft. A. When former experiences produce humility, and lead you, in fecret, to aik: Jehovah, faying, Lord, did we not, at fuch a period, obligate ourfelves to be thine for ever, — and, in thy prefence, refolve, through grace, never to forfake thy fervice ? and didft thou not, at that time, fay to us, "/ have loved yow with an *' everlajling love ; I have admitted you within the bonds of my covenant ?" When the foul looks back on experiences and occurrences like thefe, — and refle6ls how little agreement there is between former engagements and its prefent condu6l, — between God's manifeftation of love to it, and its return of love to him ; — if then pride falls, and fliame covers the face ; this is both pleafing to God, and beneficial to the Chriftiaii. LECTURE IX. 3S B. Former experiences are ufeful to encourage and bear up your fouls, when the Lord conceals from you the light of his countenance. When you look back, and duly confider how lively your exer- cifes once were ; with what fervour you approached the throne of grace; how unrefervedly you furrend- ered yoarfelves to the Lord Jefus ; and how folemnly you engaged to be followers of him, as the great captain of your falvation ; the natural conclufion that mufl; be drawn from all thefe experiences is, that they fprung not from nature, but from grace : than which reflexion, nothing can more animate the fouls of the diflrefTed and doubting children of the cove- nant. C. Paft experiences are efpecially to be confidered as ufeful, when they ferve to awaken you to walk more tenderly in the prefence of God, even when he may be hiding his face from you ; infomuch that you can fay. Lord, although now we are fenlible that thou art withholding from us thofe joys and thofe divine confolations which once we tailed ; yet flill ftrong are our defires after holinefs, — great are our obligations to thee; and we arc anxious to fulfil them all. 3. But flill there are others who fay, We would not dare affert that, fo far as refpefts us, we have not given ourfelves unto God, and faid amen to every part of the covenant ; but ftill we fear that the work hath not been done in truth ; for God, on his part, has never affured us of it, by giving us to tafce and fee ihat he is good, as he hath done to others of his re- deemed ones. We conceive that, if we had in reality entered into the covenant, Jehovah would, at one time or other, have embraced u>s in love. A. That we may be inflrumcntal in affording you 56 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. encouragement, we would obferve, That you ought not to be alarmed becaufe you have never enjoyed iuch fenfible evidences of a work of grace upon your hearts flom God himfelf : for has not the Lord al- ready beftowed upon you great bleffings ? can it be called by any other name than that of amazing grace, that fo much light hath beamed in your fouls ; that you can difcover that you have cordially given yourfelves to hmi. B. You are too apt to form too great ideas of the MANNER in which Jehovah meets with his people, on the occafion of therr covenanting with him. You are frequently led to believe that God, as it were, comes down from heaven, and with a voice loud like thunder, and penetrating as the lightning, addrelTes you, faying. Your Jins are forgiven you; I am your God. It is true, God may have aded on this wife in certain inftances ; but it is not his ordinary way of difpenfing grace. In like manner, you may have tajied and fcen that the Lord is good ; but, at the time, may not have viewed this to have been the cafe. If you conlider that grace, in its lowed degree, is true and faving; and that the fmalteft experience of holy breathings of defire after Chrill, are evidential of fpiritual life, you may be brought to difcover that thofe degrees of grace, which you may have experi- enced, ought not to be overlooked, or that you oughfe not to dejpije the day offmall things. For inflance : If you were enabled to lie with humility, as a worm, hi the prefence of God, wredlmg for grace, and melted into tears, on account of a fight of your fins in all their aggravated colours, would not thefe tears have a tafle and relilli in them ? or were you, on the other hand, to obtain a view of Jefus, in his precioufnefs, fweetnefs, all-fuificiency, — fo that you LECTURE IX. j7 could not refrain from crying, " Thou art fairer than *' the Jons of men ; grace is poured on thy lips;" or could ftied tears of love : have not thefe tears a tafte, a fweetnefs, which you never before experienced; not even when the world fmiled upon you, and when you drank deeply of the cup of creaturely comforts. Yes, were you to be engaged in wreftling with God, and did Jehovah but afford you the fmallefl drop out of the fountain of divine comforts, which he opens to his people ; were he to reach oat to you the fceptre of his grace ; and though, with a trem- bling hand, you Ihould touch it, and your fouls be flrengthened and animated, would you not then alfo tafte, that is, experience a meeting of God with you ? and, if you have never tafted more than this, nor ever fhall in this life, fear not : your ftate is good. We are told in the Scriptures, that we are not faved becaufe we are affured of grace, but becaufe we have GRACE wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit. Thus we have feen what appertains to the a 61 of covenanting with God, as alfo the diff.culties which arife in the minds of his people, with refpecl to tliat folemn work. On all hands, it muft be agreed that, in order to be well PREPARED for the holy facrament of the Lord's fupper, it is of the laft importance that we cordially accept of God for our God, by the folemn acl of entering into covenant with him ; for what can be more luitable to our charafters as members of his church, than to approach unto the table, gjving our hearts away to him ? — and what is be tter c/JcuIated to awaken the fouls of his children unto renewed zeal, than to engage in tranladions of this ferious nature ? Befides, the fubjett of covenanting with Cod, as a fubjeCl of meditation, is uiUai to v.atural 38 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. men, ferving as a mean to convince them that, as long as they have no inclination to devote them- felves to the Lord, they cannot acceptably enter within his fanfluary, in order to eat of his breads nnd drink of the wine which he hath mingled ; for that perfon who is not interefted in the covenant itfelf, may not take its feals in his polluted hands. But it is time to draw this le£lure to a clofe, by an applicatory addrefs to the different chara6lers which conditute this affembly. And, with refpeft to you who are here ignorant of the covenant, as to its letter, — and whofe lives evi- dence a total INDIFFERENCE to its intcrcfting con- tents, lliame and confufion ought to cover your faces. The part you are ailing is foolilli and abfurd in the extreme. Would you not confider a poor man chargeable with the higheft degree of folly, who, if an eilate were left him by will, were to negleft invef- tigating the contents of that teftament, or Ihould be unconcerned about obtaining poffeflion of the inhe- ritance ? But, finners, your condu£l is infinitely more abfurd : the God of heaven has made a glorious tefta- ment, and offers to prefent you with an inheritance which is incorruptible, undejiled, and which fadeth not away ; but you have never paid the leaft attention to it ; not even fo much as to inquire whether your names are mentioned in it ; whether its offers of mercy are made to you, or in what manner its invaluable blef- fings may be obtained. Unhappy befotted men, who, with minds perfc£lly unconcerned, pafs through life without having God for your portion, and deftitute of an intereft in the covenant ! What ! is it poffible that the repeated invitations of God in his word Ihall make no impreffions upon you, and be nothing more th^n feed which falls by the way fide? LECTURE IX. 3^ But ALL are not chargeable with fuch grofs igno- rance : there are fome whofe knowledge of divine truths is confiderably extenfive, and who therefore imagine that they have entered within the bonds of the cove- nant. To convince fuch that they are perfc6l Grangers to the covenant, is a work truly arduous. — But, finners, let it be deeply impreffed on your minds, that no truths are more clearly recorded in the word, than thefe; that all, by nature, are far from God, as their covenant God; that all come into the world crimfoned with fin, and blackened with filth ; that as fuch polluted creatures they mufl be viewed, whilft they are in the world, and that as fiich too they muft die, unlefs they ex- perience a real change of heart. Without an interell in the covenant, we cannot poffibly be faved. O, ye xvoRLDLiNG, camal PROFESSORS, whocvcr yc be, lay thefe things ferioufiy to heart! God will not be trifled with : he has promulgated his covenant ; he olFers it for your acceptance; in terms the moft friendly he invites you to come within its bonds. Will you dare longer to flight his calls, and refufe to come unto him ? Shall the Eternal propofe his own Son, in his all-fulnefs, for your acceptance, — and will yoii dare to fay, We dejirc not the knozdedge of thy ways ? Unexampled folly ! But, fays the temporary believer, I do not refufe, to attend to the offers of mercy contained within the covenant : all its parts have been the fubjeft of my meditation: I am convinced that it is all my s A L V A T I o N , no whcrc elfe is the way of life pointed out ; and therefore I affent to it : for who would a£t apart fo abfurd, as not to wifli to be faved ? But we entreat you to paufe, whilft v\^e afk you a few queftions of great moment. You fay that you aflfent to the covenant ; but have you ever, in the prefence 40 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. of God, with' a heart approving of his plan of falva-^ tion, confidered as well the.requifitions, as the pro- mifes of the covenant ? and, when thefe were made the fubjccl of your meditation, did you fall down before God, and appeal unto him, and to your own confcience, — that you were then determined to enter into covenant with him, and that you made choice of him, and ot him only, and altogether as your portion, and were bent on renouncing the fervice of Satan and the world ? or have you been convinced of the propriety of fuch an unreferved furrender; but fliil, whiifl with one hand you feemcd to fubfcribe the covenant, with the other laid hold of the world and fin ? To aft thus, indicates that your covenanting with God was not in fmcerity and truth; for, befides the one true God, there were other gods to whom you were devoted. As ambaffadors of Chrifl, we pray you, accept, with the whole heart, all that the cove- r.ant propofes. God is flill inviting you to come and take the Lord for your God; for once more he is about fpreading his table in this wildernefs. Choofe vou, this day, whom you will ferve : a choice muft be made. If the Lord he God, follow hivi ; but if Baal, then follow him ; halt 710 longer between two opinions. A man cannot ferve two mailers. Whoever js not for Chrifl. is againfc him; and he that gathcreth not with him, fcattereth abroad. An eternal adieu you mull bid to the world. But here think not that, when you may thus engage in taking the Lord for your God, that at once the enemies of your falvation will wholly ceafe exerting their energies, to prevent you from chooftng Jehovah for your portion : no ; you may exped to find that then he will difplay all his fury. If you find this to be the cafe, fo far from being deterred from pcrfcvering, you ought rather to LECTURE IX. 41 take encouragement from this circumftance; for to perfevere when the enemy exerts all his malicious rage, will afterwards ferve to convince you of the -iincerity with which you afted in covenanting with God, and that you view the enemies of Jehovah to be in hoftility with yourfelves. Sinners, if, notwithftanding fo many faithful warnings and admonitions as have been given you, you ftill continue to aft a deceitful part with God, fuch will be the dreadful nature of the ruin that awaits you, fuch your deplorable condition, when you fhall appear at the bar of God, that, were an angel to attempt to delineate it, he would fail in the defcrip- tion. You may be bold now to approach the Lord's table ; you may now trifle with God and his word ; but then you will difcover, when it is too late, that God was ferious when he threatened to pour out the vials of his wrath, on the workers of iniquity. O, that you believed this, and were made to lay it to heart in fuch a manner, that now, whilft the day of grace remains, you would duly confider the things that belong to your peace. But, CHILDREN OF GoD, and efpecially you whofe FAITH is weak, and who have your hearts DISQUIETED within you, — let not the word of terror juft uttered in the leafl; alarm your fears. A world lying in fin mufl: have their awful doom mads known to them ; but the dreadful pifture we prefent to them can in no wife afreft you. We have endea- voured already to remove many of the difficulties with which j'our hearts are oppreded, and now again fpeak peace and comf:)rt to your fouls, that you may be animated on the way, and encouraged to go up through the ivildernefs, leaning on your redeemer God. But were we incapable of defcribinf the Vol. II. F 42 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. deplorable fituation of the finally impenitent fmner? did we want words to paint the wrath of God which will foon overtake him? in. like manner language fails us when we attempt a defcription of your happy flate, and of Jehovah's divine and ineffable love, grace and mercy towards you. We can only fay, that fo great is the ardency of his love towards you, that your fecret fighs, your tears, your holy defires after him are peculiarly pleafing to him, yea, there is nothing which delights him more. Are you fenfible that, by your fins, you have flrayed from his fold, and defirous of ariling and going to your Father, faying, Father, we have Jinned againjl heaven and in thy fight, do you look for mercy at his hands ? — fuch is his compaffion that he flands ready to embrace you, with infinitely greater afFeftion than the mofl tender parent does his rebellious but repenting child. Your fins and back- flidings, fo far from operating as an obftacle, fliould ferve as a motive exciting you to return unto him. The covenant into the bonds of which you are brought is the covenant of grace : it could not be thus denominated, if sinners were not admitted within its bonds : befides, Jehovah himfelf declares in his word, faying, Come, now let us reafon together; though your Jilts be as fear let, they JJiall be zvhite as f now ; though they be red like crimfon, thty fiall be as wool, Ifai. i. 18. Let nothing then prevent you from renewing your covenant with God. Say not it is an undertaking too GREAT. In one refpeft it may be thought too great a condefcenfion in him, to deign to look upon fuch finful worms of the dull, as we all are by nature. But this difficulty vanifhes when we confider that God is himfelf infinitely great, and that therefore, if the privilege be too great for you to enjoy, it is not LECTURE IX. 43 too great for a God to grant : the more unworthy you may be, the greater will be the difplay of the riches of his grace, and the greater the caufe to admire and to adore throughout eternity. But do you flill object and fay, True; but we have SUCH sinful hearts that we fear we fliall again prove ourfelves unfaithful. It is a good fign when you are jealous of your hearts, and afraid left you break the engagements you may have entered into with God : but at the fame time remember that God does not require of you to do any thing in your own ftrength. He well knows that, if left to y our- felves, you would be unfaithful in every refpecl. Confider further that ye are within the bonds of a covenant in which every thing is promifed, not only preventing grace, but grace to enable you to perfevere to the end, in ferving God with faithfulnefs and zeal. Plead then the promifes of God, and fay, Lord, on this we wholly depend, that thy faithfulnefs faileth not, and that thou wilt impart unto us as much light, life and ftrength, out of the fidnefs which there is in J-efus, as we ftiall need. But you who are assured of your falvation, and behold with clearnefs your intereft in the cove- nant, thank the Lord for having made your hearts willing to embrace fuch a covenant as this, when na- turally they were oppofed to all its contents. Though this is free grace, yet you, as his covenant people, ought to make fuitable returns to him, and evidence that your hearts overflow with gratitude, by living righteoiifly, foberly, and godly, in this prefent evil world, and by acquiefcing in all the dealings of the Lord with you. You promifed, when you gave yourfelves to him, that you were willing to be faved only in the way which he has devifed. Cavil not at the Lord's 44 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. difpenfation with you, even though he lead you in paths thorny and difficult. Keep near to your God; commune frequently with him as your father and friend, and be true to all the promifes which you have made to him. Jehovah, your redeemer and furety, will be faithful to all the words which have gone out of his mouth. — He will eflablifh you more and more. The work of grace which he hath begun in you, he will complete, and having guided you by . his counfel through time, he will afterwards receive you into glory. AMEN. C 45 J THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Lecture X. ON THE GREAT MEDIATOR OF THE COVENANT. JTIAVING, in the two preceding ledures, treated at confiderable length, the intercfting fubjeft of co- venanting with God ; we conceived that it would tend to encourage and animate the hearts of the af- flifted and dejefted children of God, if we attempted a delineation- of the charafter of the great Medi- ator OF THE covenant, who, in Scripture, is emphatically ftyled the way ; and whom all his people own to be the only way by which they can be reftored to happinefs and God. We fhall, therefore, invite your attention, I. To the FULNESS and all- sufficiency, which, it hath pleafed the Father, Jliould dwell in Chrift, the only Mediator for poor and miferable linners. II. To his perfect willingness to impart life and falvation to the vileft of the vile. III. To fome applicatory observations, tend- 46 THE riCUS COMMUNICANT. ing both to convince the impenitent, and to adml- nifter encouragement to thofe whofe hearts are de- jefted and filled with doubts and fears. What rerpe6ls the first point of difcufTion, viz. That in the great Mediator of the co- venant THERE DWELLS A FULNESS AND ALL- SUFFICIENCY FOR sinners: As it is taken for granted, that thofe truths which are annually taught us in public from the Heidelbergh Catechifm, and ^vhich refpe6l the necefTary qualifications of the Mediator, are well underllood, we proceed, tvnthout any preliminary obfervations, to exhibit precious Chrill in his all-fufficiency. — There dwel- leth in him, 1. A complete fulnefs as God : He is, in all per- feftions and attributes, the equal of God the Father, and God the Holy Ghofl. But efpecially, 2. He is all-fufficient as the great Mediator of the covenant : for, in confequence of his having, from all eternity, taken upon him to complete the great work of falvation ; and becaufe, in time, he hath ac- tually accomplifhed it by his aftive and paffive obe- dience ; the Father hath invefted him with all that fulnefs which was necelfary for the finner's eternal happinefs, to the end that all his ele61; and redeemed ones might, out of that fulnefs, receive grace for grace, John i. i6. Is it aflced. Whence does it appear that the glorious Jefus poffefifes a fulnefs for his people? We anfwer, A. The names which are given him, fet forth in a mod perfpicaous point of light, the all-fuiTiciency of the Mediator. Is he called Jesus ? What does it import, but that he is the Deliverer and Saviour of his people ; who, rcfcuing them from all evil, puts them in poffenTion of all blefTednefs, both in the LECTURE X. ■ 4y world that now is, and in that which is to come. Is he denominated Christ? It imphes that he is the ANOINTED one, who is fet apart and qualified for executing the three great offices of prophet, PRIEST, and king: — offices which are neceflary for him to hold, if happinefs eternal and infinite (hall be the portion of his people. Befides thefe proper names, Jefus, Chrift, he is alfo flyled, The Lord our Right eoufnefs, Jer. xxiii. 6. Wonderful, ' Counfellor, the mighty God, the Everlajling Father, the Prince of Peace, Ifai. ix. 6. B. The METAPHORS which Scripture employs to reprefent him, difplay his mediatorial fulnefs. He is not only denominated an angel, as he is the MESSENGER of the Father, but an angel by way of eminence, one infinitely fuperior to all the angelic hofl. If he be an angel, the name of Jehovah is in him, and he is Jehovah himfelf, Exod. xxiii. 21 ; — the angel of his prefence, Ifai. Ixiii. 9; — the Head, and Lord of angels, whom they all muft wcrfliip and adore, Heb. i. 6. — He is exhibited in the word under the emblems of the Sun, Pfalm Ixxxiv. 12 ; — the Sun of Righteoufnefs, Mal. iv. 2 ; — the Star out 0/" Jacob, Numb. xxiv. 17; — the bright and morni^ig Star, Rev. xxii. 16; — the. day fpring frovi on high, Luke i. 78 : for, He f hall be as the light of the morn- ing when the fun rifdh ; even a morning without clouds, 2 Sam. xxiii. 4. And wherefore is it that fuch metaphors are employed, but to teach us, that what the natural fun is to the inhabitants of the world, Jefus is to his church ? He enlightens, warms, refrefhes, and makes it fruitful. C. To manifefl: the fulnefs and all-fufficiency of the Mediator, he is defcribed as a man, yes, as one fairer than the children of men, into whofe lips grace 48 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. is poured, Pfalm xlv. 2. The fpoufe in the Canti- cles, after having given a very particular defcription of his head, hair, neck, hreajl, Sindfeei, exclaims, He is the chiefejl of ten thousand, and altogether lovely. Songs V. 16. And Ifaiah, with his ufual elegance of expreffion, depi£ls him to be a man m whom the Spirit of the Lord is — The fpirit of wifdom and un- derfanding, the fpirit of counfcl and might, the fpirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord, Ifai. xi. 2. D. The Lord Jefus is the great antitype of all thofe celebrated worthies, who had flourifhed in the world previous to his being manifefted in the flefli. Is he not flyled the fecond Adam, who is the head of the whole family of the eleft ? Is he not like Noah, that true comforter, who brings falvation and comforts his people, with refpeB to the toil and labour of our hands, as the name 'Noah im- ports, Gen. V. 29. He is the real Isaac, who is the fource from whence holy laughter and joy fprings to his people. He is another Moses, yes, a prophet greater than Mofcs, who hath revealed the whole counfel of God: the real David and Solomon, whofe wifdom, fear of God, vaft riches, and tri- umphant viclories over his enemies, are celebrated as unparallelled by any who have preceded or fhall fucceed him. But why is he reprefented as the great antitype of all thefe men, if not to teach us, that he hath done, is doing, and will do more for the ad- vancement of his people's felicity, than any of thofe have done, who have appeared on the flage of the world before him ? E. He was shadowed forth under the Old Tcftament by many things, all of which combine to teach us, that all fulnefs dwells in him. The re- deemers, or Go ELS, who v.'erc to exert them- LECTURE X. 49 felves in favour of their deftitute kindred, to repur- chafe the inheritances of thofe, who by reafon of po- verty had mortgaged them ; and to pay the ranfom for them, if fold into flavery ; — were ftriking em- blems of that true God, that great Redeemer Jefus Chrift, who was to deliver his people from the power of Satan, free them from the dominion of fin, and reftore them to the image of God which they had loft. The HIGH-PRIEST, undcr the Old Tefta- ment, arrayed in his magnificent attire, entering into the facred place, and by offerings making atonement for the fins of the people, was an illuftrious type of Jefus, the High-Priejl over the houfe of God, who by his one offering hath for ever fierfeBed them that are fanBifed, and who, after he was made perfeEl by fuf- ferings, fat down at the right hand of God. Heb. X. 13. F. The great Mediator of the covenant is exhi- bited in the word under the emblem of a Shep- herd, the great Chief, and on/y Shepherd, who feeds his flock with knowledge and underflanding, carries the lambs in his hofom, and gently leads thofe that are with young, Ifai. xl. 11, — who, like Jacob, will lead them on foftly, according as they are able to endure^ Gen. xxxiii. 14. He is the true physician who relieves his people from all their fpiritual maladies by the application of his precious blood. G. Chrift, as Mediator, is likened to the moft GENEROUS and NOBLE amongft birds and animals; — to the generous and towering eagle, who Jlirreth up her nfl, fluttereth over her young, fpreadeth abroad her wings, and takcth and bearcth them on her wings. For the Redeemer is reprefented as promifing that his people ftiall mount up on the wings of an eagle, to fecure them in all dangers, to provide for them in Vol. II. G so THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. , need, and to keep the eye of his love conflantly- upon them. — To the lion; for as the lion of the tribe of Judah, he hath, by his power, overcome Sal- tan and bruifed his head. — To the lamb j for when he was led to the Jlaughtcr, like the patient and meek lamb, he opened not his mouth. H. He is frequently alfo compared to things without life. — To a tree ; hence called The tree of life in the midfl of the fiaradife of God, Rev. ii. 7.— To the CEDAR of Lebanon — To the apple-tree, Songs ii. 3 ; As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood,fo is my beloved among the fons : I fat down tin-- der his JJiadow with great delight.-^— To the vine: / am the vine, John xv. 1. — To the rose and LILY : / am the rofe of Sharon and the lily of the Galley, Songs ii. 1. And why are all thefe metaphors ufed, but that they may ferve as a ladder, by which we: may be elevated to fee the worthinefs, amiable- nefs, and comelinefs, which there is in Jefus* I. Once more: Chrift is compared to weapons of defence. — He is a shield, behind which his peo- ple are fecure againft all the fiery darts of SataUj Pfalm Ixxxiv. 12.— He is a buckler, and the enemies of their falvation fight in vain againft them. —An ENSIGN, to which the Gentiles fJiall feek, Ifai. xi. 10. — A STRONG TOWER, Prov. xviii. 10; The name of the Lord is afirong tower ; the righteous run^ neth into it, and is fafe. — A hiding-place, when the ftorms of Divine vengeance are ready to fall impetu- ous on the finner's guilty head: A manfJiall be as an hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tern- pejl, Ifai. xxxii. 2. K. Again, Chrift is likened in the word to every thing in nature which is deemed necefTary for our €xiftence, — To water, Songs iv. 15. — To f ire, LECTURE X, 5 J Mai. iv. 2. — To BREAD and the manna which de- fcended from heaven, John vi. 33. — To rain and DEW, Pfalm Ixxii. 6. And why is he compared ta thefc, but to convince us, that if water be neceflary to fatisfy our third, fire to enhghten and warm us, bread to nourifh us, manna to preferve hfe, rain to make the earth fruitful, and dew to keep aHve the herbs and plants, parched by the fultry heat of a fummer's fun, — infinitely more neceflary is Jefus, in all thefe refpe6ls, to his people. L. As the all-fufficient Mediator, there are af- cribed to him three great and glorious offices : for, how would it have been poflible for us ever to have formed juft and adequate conceptions of the way of falvation and of the covenant of God, unlefs he, as the great Prophet and teacher fent f row. God, had taught us the fame ? We were blind, yes, dark- nefs itfelf: no light fhone in the underftanding : the things of the Spirit of God were efteemed fooHpinefs. But Jefus, who hath received the tongue of the learned, has clearly unfolded to us the whole coun-. fel of God. He did it previous to his manifeftation in the flefh, and he does it flili, by his word and fpirit. Again, was it poflible for us, guilty and pol- luted creatures, to approach unto God, and enter into covenant with him, if he, as the great Kigh^ Priest, had not opened the way by his blood, and brought in an everlafling righteoufnefs ? Cer- tainly not : for, if he had not entered into the ho- liefl: with his blood; — and if he did not ftill live to intercede, the way of life would be now fliut, and we could never go with boldnefs to the throne of grace, Heb. X. 20. In a word, How would it ever have been poflible for us to have embraced the covenant, 5ind complied with its terms when revealed, feeing 52 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. our inability to help ourfelves is fo great, and feeing we are fo unwilling by nature to be helped, if the Almighty King, by the fceptre of his ftrength, had not brought down our towering imaginations, and made our hearts fubmiflive to his grace ? Yes, would it have been poffible to have continued in a gracious ftate, unlefs he ftill lived as King of Zion, to protefl his fubje6ls from the affaults of the ene- mies of their falvation ? M. Laflly, permit us to remark, that it pleafed the Father that fuch a fulnefs Ihould dwell in the Mediator as is calculated to anfwer all the wants of his people ? For, are they foolish ? — in him there is a fulnefs of Wisdom. Are they guilty? — in him there is a fulnefs of righteousness. Are they POLLUTED by their remaining corruptions ? — in him there is a fulnefs for their sa notification. Are their enemies numerous, or have they to STRUGGLE with many difficulties? — in him there is PERFECT REDEMPTION, 1 Cor. i. go- Are they POOR and needy? — in him are hid all the trea- fures of grace to enrich them. Are they naked ? — he clothes and adorns them with the garments of fal- vation, and the robe of his righteoufnefs. So that in Chrift there is for his redeemed, all falvation, all grace, all light, all life, and all ftrength, which is r*eedfal for them. 3. But it would not be fufficient that there was fuch a fulnefs in Chrift as we have delineated above, if his people were not permitted to partake of it. We therefore remark, that the redeemed of the Lord may receive of his fulnefs, and grace for grace. Our Jefus hath the power and the right of difpcnfmg grace, in that manner and degree which LECTURE X. 53 beft pleafes him, and contributes moft to their hap- pinefs. — He hath the power ; for he is God, and as fuch may difpofe of his people, who are his property, without any to controul him. Is he the Mediator of the covenant ? — he has a perfeft right to deal with them as , he fees fit ; for in the eternal council of peace the Father promifed him, that when he fliall have made his foul an offering of Jin, he Jliould fee his feed, Ifai. liii. lO. Now, it being confidered, that this would be done, God's faithfulnefs made it necef- fary for him to fulfil the promife ; and therefore he faid, Afk of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermojl parts of the earth for thy pojfeffion, Pf. ii. 8. And is this feed given to him ? — it is neceffary that he fliould enrich it by imparting of his fulnefs, and by bellowing upon it all needful bleffings. And for this reafon, fays Chrift, the Father hath given all things into his hands, John iii. 35. Is he exalted and feated as a king on his throne ? — he not only enjoys completely himfelf all the bleffings promifed to him ; but his people alfo muft neceffarily have communications of grace made to them here, and receive too a crown of glory hereafter. Surely fuch a view of the all-fufficiency of Chrift cannot but be a mean to animate and encourage the fearful children of God to fly unto Jefus with all their wants, burdens, and complaints, to obtain from him a rich fupply, fupport, and relief. Say not, •' We have no doubt but the defcription which has " been given of the Saviour's fulnefs is accurately " given : but our diflrefs arifes not from a belief *• that there is a want of ability and fulnefs in Chrift *' to fave, to uphold, and comfort us. It is this that 54 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT- "alarms us: Perhaps he is not willing to bc« *' flow on our fouls any meafure of grace out of his *' fulnefs. On this account we are afraid to come ^ to him." But, fearful fouls, attend, whilft we attempt to de- monflrate, that if the Lord Jefus be mighty to fave, and all-fufEcient, he is alfo willing to enrich with his grace every finner that feels his need of it. To do this was the second thing propofed. That the willingness of Jefus to fave, and to communicate of his fulnefs, may be clearly feen, we ftiall, 1. Shew, from the word, that Chrift invites in the mod afiFe£tionate manner the greateft linners to come to him. 2. Point out that Chrift himfelf has removed all the difficulties which finners can poffibly raife againft coming to him. 3. Exhibit in what manner he deported himfelf hi the days of his flelh, to make his willingnefs ap* pear. 4. Shew, from the concurrent teftimony of Scrip- ture, that the greatest of finners have been faved by him. A. The Lord Jefus, to evidence his willingnefs, INVITES the finner in the moft friendly and per- fuafive manner, to hold fcllowfhip with him. He ftands as with arms widely extended, and elevating his voice, fays, Look unto 7ne, a7id be ye faved, liai. xlv. 2 2. Let him that is athirjl come; and whofoever will, let him take the water of life freely, Rev. xxii. 17. If thou hadfl afked of him, he would have given thee living water, John iv. 10. Open thy mouth wide, end I will fill it, Pf. Ixxxi. 10. Can language better cxprcfs feis compafiion for finners in their deplorable lECtURE X. 55 Utiiation, than he hath done by the mouth of his prophet Hofea ? chap. xi. 8, Mine heart is turned •within 7ne, and my repentings are kindled together ; and by Ezekiel, chap, xxxiii. ii, Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways ; for why will ye die, 0 houfe of Ifrael? The tendernefs and concern which Jefus felt for finners, appears from his ^veeping over them, and crying, Luke xix. 42, If thou hadfl known, even thou, at leaf in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace ! Again, he declares, that he will ga^ ther finners together, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings. Matt, xxiii. 37. And again, Matt. xi. 28, he fays, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you ref. O friendly and endearing invitations! Will you not yet be- lieve, that Jefus is willing to fave ? Yes, methinks we hear you fay, we would readily believe it, were it not that fome difficulties have arifen, which ope- rate as a bar to the exercife of si confidence in Chrift's willingnefs. But B. The difficulties which may have prefented themfelves, Chrift himfelf has removed by this one promife: All that the Father giveth me fJiall corns unto me, and him that cometh unto me I will in no wife cafi out, John vi. 39. This promife reaches every cafe, and makes every obftacle to vanifh. If Chrifl had dated a hundred, a thoufand difFerenC cafes of confcience, — fouls m. diflrefs might have ftiU made objeftions that thofe cafes were not exa6lly in point. But here no objeftion can be raifed. Him, fays Chrift, be he who he may, that cometh to me, I will not caft out. If any fhould obje6l and fay, I am a great finner, I have too long defpifcd the offers of grace, and ftrayed from God, — remember, Jef^s fays, I am come t,o feek and tg fax: that -ivhzch 56 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. is lojl. He does not fay, let it well be remarked, I am come to fave thofe who are found feeking me ; but thofe who are loft and wandering in the mazes of finful ignorance; for it is my province to seek, Luke xix. lo. Have you then any fight or fenfe of the greatnefs of your mifery ? — it is evident that Jefus is feeking you: for, to fhew the fmner the atrocity of his fin, and his dreadful ftate, is ufually the firft ftep he takes. This, Paul confirms, i Tim. i. 15, This is a faithful faying, and -worthy of all ac^ ceptation, that Chrift Jefus came into the world to fave finners, of whom I am chief Now, if the words of Chrift and his apoftle be true, as undoubtedly they are, then you may not hefitate to fay, " Chrift is " willing to fave us : for we are finners, and loft and " ruined finners too." C. The Lord Jefus, to difplay that he is perfeftly willing to fave, manifefted in the days of his flefh, that his compaffion was boundlefs as deity, and that the riches of his love were immenfe toward the guilty and ruined children of men. Are we not told by an infpired prophet, that he hore our griefs and carried our forrows ? Why are we told this, but that it might appear to every attentive enquirer, that if Chrift were the great Phyfician with the difeafes of the body, he alfo healed the maladies of the foul ? Did he ever caft any from his prefence who came to him for relief, or refufe to help the fons and daugh- ters of affliclion and mifery, when they humbly fought his face. The Gentiles, in the eftimation of the Jews, were confidered as dogs, men whom the God of If- rael muft neceffarily difregard, becaufe of their cere- monial impurity, yet even thefe were not only per- mitted to eat of the crumls which fell from his table / but largely to partake of the bleflings of his cove* LECTURE X. 57 nant. It is true that Matthew records, chap. xiii. 58, that Jefus did not many mighty works in Nazareth : — But to what was it to be attributed ? Certainly not to a want of compaffion in Jefus for the inhabi- tants of his own country ; but, as the evangelift ex- prefsly mentions, to their unbelief: for all who came to him, even there, were helped. Did he not aft the part of a tender and faithful phyfician to the pof- felTed of the devil, to thofe who were afTlifled with the leprofy, to the deaf, and the blind ? V/hat bet- ter or more conclulive evidence can we have of Chrift's willingnefs to fave the chief of finners, and deliver them from that mifery into which fin hath brought them, upon their leaving all, and cleaving to him as the only hope of Ifrael, and Saviour of fin- ners of the Gentiles ? D. The Lord Jefus, to difcover to the guilty fons of men, that he is as willing as he is able to fave them, hath caufed to be recorded in his word a variety of instances of his aftually having refcued from eternal deftruftion, iinners whofe tranfgreffions were of a nature aggravated in the higheft degree. Can we form to ourfelves any idea of there ever having been a greater finner than Adam, the parent of human kind ? He not only finned under circum- ftances peculiarly calculated to keep him in the way of duty ; but he finned, knowing at the fame time, that as the head of his pofterity, he would, by his tranfgreflion, bring mifery and wretchednefs on the generations which were to fpring from his loins. But were not grace and falvation bellowed upon Adam ? He had no fooner fallen by his iniquity, than the way of life was revealed to him, and a6iually pro- mifed in thefe words of the Eternal : The feed of the vfoxnTknJJiall bruife the ferpent's head, Gen. iii. 15. Vol. 11, H 5? THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Shall we prefent you with the charafterof Manas- SEH ? Was he not for wickednefs unequalled by all the kings of Ifrael that preceded or fucceeded him? He not only finned himfelf, but he likewife made Ifrael to fm. His iniquities were of fo heinous a na- ture in the fight of God, that on account of them the Lord would not be prevailed upon to have pity on Jerufalem. Hear how Jehovah expreffes him- felf, Jer. XV. 1, 5, 6: Though Mofes and Samuel Jiood hcjore me, yd my mind could not be toward this people. Cajl theyn out of my fight, and Id them go forth : for who fliall have pity on thee, 0 Jerufalem ? or -who Jliall bemoan th'-:e ? or who fliall go ofide to afk how thou doejl ? Thou hafl forfaken me, therefore will I f retch cut my hand againf thee and defray thee : I am weary with repenting. And flill, beloved, to this vile Ma- naifeh, God imparted his grace : for it is written. When he zoas in affliction he befughtthe Lord his God, and humbled himfelf greatly before the God of his fa- thers, and prayed to him : and he was entreated of hijn, and heard his fupplication, 2 Chron. xxxiii. 12, 13. If our attention be turned from the inftances which the Old Teftament produces, to thofe which are found in the New, we will be loft in wonder at the contemplation of divine and redeeming love fet forth in the converfion of the thief on the crofs. He was a thief, perhaps a murderer, and fuffered the pains uf crucifixion for crimes moft atrocious — And yet this mifcreant, whom the laws of his coun- try had adjudged unfit to liv^e, foun 1 mercy : " Jefus faid unto him, Verily, verily, I fay unto thee, to-day ftialt thou be with me in Paradife," Luke xxiii. 43. But why did Jefus (hew him favour ? On the one hand, it was, that he might exhibit at this time the ellicacy of his blood to fave the greatefl finncr ; and, LECTURE X. 59 on the other, that no perfon fliould defpair of find- ing grace, but believe, that whilll: the lamp of life continues to burn, the vileft finner may return — may feek for grace, and look unto him for falvation. Was not Saul of Tarfus, who was afterwards deno- minated Paul, a finner above thoufands of others ? He was a perfecutor of the brethren, a blafphemer of Chrift, one that confented to the death of Ste- phen : and yet this wretch obtained mercy. Hear his own words, i Tim, i. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16: / thank Chrijl Jejus our Lord, who hath enabled me ; for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the mi- nifiry, who was before a blafphemer, and a perfecutor, and injurious. But I obtained mercy, bccaife I did it in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Chrifl Jtfus. This is a faithful faying, and worthy cf all accepta- tion, that Chrifl Jefus came into the loorld to fave fin- ners, of whom / am chief Yes, fo free is the grace of Chrifl, that the very Jews who had polluted their hands with the fhedding of the innocent blood of the Prince of life, and who had crucifed the Lord of glory, were made the monuments of mercy. For when the apoflle Peter, on the day of Pentecoft, charged them with thefe dreadful crimes, many of them were pricked in their hearts, and cried, Men and brethren, what fliall we do? Confiderably more in- ftances of this kind might be educed from the Scrip- tures : but a fufficient number has been mentioned to fhow that the greatefl finner may hope for grace in Chrill. See thus, beloved, — a Jefus in whom all fulnefs dwells — a Jefus who is all-fufEcient — a Jefus who CAN, and alfo will freely grant falvation to all who come to him, and by him go to the Father. 6q the pious communicant. And now, convinced and alarmed linners, who by divine grace have your hearts affe6led with a view of your mifery, and who indeed are fweetly inclined to enter into covenant with God, but are afraid to engage in a tranfaftion fo folemn, fo great, — -come, behold this great Mediator of the covenant. Surely nothing can now keep you from approaching unto God, and from enjoying his favour, if it be your earnefl and fmcere defire to make application to the compalhonate Jefus. Therefore, 1. Be not too much alarmed, nor defpond, by yeafon of a view of the number, the aggravated na- ture of your fms, or your long continuance in them, neither let the justice and holinefs of God, nor your having broken that law, under the curfe of which by nature you are lying, terrify your fouls. A. 1 lay, Be not too excejfivdy cajl. down at the view of the number, the aggravated nature of your fins, or your having fo long continued in them. Let us not be underftood to intimate, that you have no reafon both for forrow and diflrefs : we declare the contrary ; for when fm is difcovered in its awful nature, and its dreadful effects are feen and felt in any degree, you will think you cannot be fufficiently humbled on account of it ; and if God did not fometimes moderate the impreflions which a view of having finned againft his divine majefty produces ; and were he not, at thofe times, to dart a ray of grace divine into your fouls ; — we can readily conceive, that you muft fmk beneath your accumulated load of guilt. But, though this be really fo, ftill you ought not to entertain the fen- timent, that they are unpardonable, or that you can- pot be made the fubje6ls of falvation ; for fuch fen- tiracnts have their origin in hell, where terror and LECTURE X. 61 defpair always reign — They are fuggeftions of the adverfary of your fouls, who, when any are led over to Chrift, in an evangelical, calm, and gentle way, feldom fails to fuggeft to fuch, *' that they have not had as great views of fin as were neceffary, nor have been enough diftreffed, broken and contrite in heart, on account of their having departed from the living God, and violated his holy law." This fame adverfary appears in quite a different form, when God, in order to alarm the fmner's confcience, exhi- bits himfelf in all the terrors of his majefty, and pre- fents to view the holinefs of his nature, and makes himfelf known to be a confuming fire to the workers of iniquity. Then he is bufy to excite alarm ; then, in order to keep Jefus out of fight as long as he pof- fibly can, he is bold, contrary to the plaineft decla- rations of the word, to difcourage, and to induce a belief, that the fins of fuch perfons are too great to be forgiven, and that it is the extreme of prefumption even to think of approaching unto God, of foliciting pardon at his hands, or of fondly cherilhing the hope that he will remove out of his fight tranfgreflions which are of fuch a fcarlet colour, and of fuch a crim- fon dye. O finners, whofe fouls are difquieted with- in you, who are terrified at the fight of the malignity and magnitude of your guilt, — ceafe to fear : behold, there is a great Mediator — He hath made atonement for all fins ; the efficacy of his blood is infinite. Let your fouls, then, take refuge beneath the fhadow of his wings. He will not reje6l you becaufe you come with hearts oppreffed by fears, and with eyes melted into tears, or becaufe you approach him with a trem- bling hand. His fceptre of mercy is extended to you : — touch it ; — and let fentiments like thefe ob- tain: " We will not anv longer refle6l difhonour 62 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. •' upon Jefus by keeping at a diflance from him; *' but will place the crown upon his head, and fub- *' mit to him as one who is mighty to redeem the " chief of finners." B. Let not the holiness and justice of God fill your fouls with terror and difmay in too high a degree : for now it muft be evident to you, from what has been faid, that the flames of divine wrath can be extinguifhed by Jefus, the glorious Mediator of the new covenant, and in virtue of his a6live and paflive obedience. Juftice having fheathed its avenging fword, God can addrefs you, faying, Wrath is not in me : lay hold of my Jlrength : I will make peace with you. And you, in the delightful flrains of the poet, may reciprocate, Should fevenfold dorms of vengeance roll, And fhake this globe from pole to pole, No thunder-bolt fhall daunt my face, While Jefus is my hiding-place. C. Suffer yourfelves not to be the fubje6lofdefpair at the view of the curse of that law which you are fcnfible you have broken, and with the requifitions of which you acknowledge you have not complied; for, behold the Mediator has brought in a complete righteoufnefs, and hath removed the curfe when he was made a curfe for us. 2. DiftreiTed fouls, let this alfo adminifter comfort to you, that it is that God whom the Scriptures declare to be a righteous and a holy God, and an angry Judge, who hath himfelf conflituted this Mediator to be the only way to life and falvation. In the counfels of Eternity, Jehovah fet apart for this work his glorious, only, and beloved Son, In time he revealed him to LECTURE X. 63 his church by promifes, fhadows and types; and, in ihefulnefs of time, he fent him into the world made of a woman, in all things like unto his brethren, fin only ex- cepted. He being in the world, the Father, that divine juftice might be fatisfied, laid upon him the iniquity of us all; and demanded that Jefus, as the furety of the guilty, ftiould fufFer, bleed, die : but at the fame time made it evident to all, that he was well pleafed in him : — for, by a voice from heaven, he declared, " This is my beloved fon, in whom I am well pleafed" Matt 3. 17. i. e. his perfon is the obje6i; of my de- light, and his righteoufnefs is, in every refpeft, fatis- faftory to my righteoufnefs. — Of this we cannot but be convinced, when we confider that God raifed him, and exalted him to a feat at his right hand. Now, afflidled and fearful fouls, are you fenfible of your being finners ? Is it revealed to you in the gofpel, that that God whom you have offended by your fins, hath, from a principle of free and fovereign love, grace and compalTion, appointed a Mediator to re- concile finners to himfelf; offers this perfe6t Saviour to all who feel compunftion and anguifti on account of fm ; and calls from heaven, faying, Behold my fon, the mighty Redeemer; I have found a ranfom ; with his obedience I am fully fatisfied. O, do you approve of him too ; take hold of him ; embrace him by faiih, and you fhall be reconciled to me. Sarely, if diftreffed fouls were duly to contemplate thefe things, nothing could keep them from God ; every obflacle would be removed out of the way, which at-prefcnt deters them from going to hira with boldnefs to feek for grace. But it is time to apply the fubje6l more particu- larly to thofe compofing this auditory, who have convened to-day in this facred temple, profeifudiy 64 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. with the objedl of preparing to meet the Lord at the table which again is foon to be fpread in our pre- ience. No truths can be more useful, none more APPLICABLE to fuch an occafion, than thofe which have been difcufled in this le6lure : for. this facrament is the facrament which the Lord Jefus hath inflituted to keep ahve in the minds of his people the memory of his love, difplayed in his agonizing fufFerings and ignominious and accurfed death on the crofs.—- The bread and wine are defigned to be ftriking emblems of his body which was broken, and of his blood which was fhed for the remiflion of fins, and for the fealing of the everlafting covenant of grace. — « In the Lord's fupper, the eye of faith beholds the great Mediator as that one ftone upon which there Jliall be Jeven eyes, as that chief corner-Hone on which the whole foundation of our falvation refts. At the table, precious Chrift prefents himfelf to his people in all his mediatorial fulnefs, as one whofe body is vieat indeed, and zohofe blood is drink indeed. In a word, at that facred board, he makes an offer of all he has, to the children of his love, and declares that he is willing to enrich with his grace, and glory too, all who come unto him : for, his language to the guefts is, Co7ne eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled, Prov. ix. 5. But here a queflion of the greatell magnitude may be afkcd, Have we a right to approach to that ordi- nance ? We anfwer. That finners who have never been converted Lo God, find but little difficulty on their minds, with refpedl to drawing nigh to the table: fenfelefs of fhame and prefumptuous to an extreme, they will not be deterred by any thing we can addrefs lo them : they LECTURE X. 6i will not be deterred by any thing we can addrefs to them; they fay, God is merciful and gracious ; and contemplate thofe perfedionsof God not as illuftrated in Chrift. But, unconverted fmners, know that it is an eternal truth, that, if God were to difplay his grace in any other way but through the Saviour, both his holinefs and juflice would be fullied. You fay. Cod is gracious ; — but you have never as yet taken refuge beneath the fhadow of Jefus' wings, in and through whom alone he bellows his grace. You are bold to come to his holy table ; but you have never experienced any fincere defires after the Lord Jefus, nor hav^e your hearts been exercifed by faith and love. O that you did but fee how guilty you are before God ; that you have violated his holy law, which is thundering its dreadful curfes againft you. The guilt which you have contra61;ed you cannot remove, even though it were in your power to be attempting it through the endlefs ages of eternity. For, confider what it cod the Son of God himfelf to effecl it as the furety of (inners. He mufl leave the throne of his glory ; he mufl become man ; die the accurfed death of the crofs, before one fmner could be admitted within the bonds of the covenant of grace. How then can you conceive it poffible that you can be admitted into the prefence of God, and enjoy the light of his countenance without an intereft in the divine Re- deemer ? I am aware that there are many of you who, having received a religious education, are convinced that, OUT OF Christ there is no salvation. Such are apt to imagine and flatter themfelves that they have a faving interefl in him ; but I pray you, tell me on what principle you imagine that this is the cafe ? Jefus is indeed a Saviour ; but he faves not Vol. II, I 66 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. ALL men : it is to be feared that the lead, by far the leaft part of Adam's fmful race look to him as their Saviour. If you be interefted in Chrift, you muft be changed in the temper and difpofition of your minds, and fm muft no longer be the obj eft of your love. To live carelefs and to purfue fmful courfes, are in- compatible with the religion of Chrift ; and to live thus is dangerous : for, fooner or later, you will find that you have grofsly miftaken the road which leads direftly to happinefs and God. — If you have never been experimentally taught your mifery, and felt your need of the Mediator; if you have never feen that he is the chief of ten thoufands, and altogether lovely ; if you have never fled to him with ardent qlefires of being found in him, — of this one thing you may be certain, that you are without Chrift in the world, and are lying under the wrath of God ! Others again approach the table becaufe they have been admitted members in full communion with the church, merely out of cuftom, or becaufe religion is in faftiion. Such have no other reafon for eating of the bread and drinking of the wine in the facrament, but becaufe others do the fame. They perhaps do not once think of Chrift, much lefs fly to him as their refuge. O how deplorable and wretched is your iituation, Christless professors. Is it true that thofe were not real Jews, who were fuch only in externals, and refted fatisfied with having received the fign of circumcifion, being ftrangers to the inward circumcifion of the heart ? in like manner, it is true that they are not real Chriftians, who, having done no more than make a profcfFion of their faith before the church, venture to go to the table of the Lord. Such only are confidered by God to be true believ- ers, who, being united to Chrift, are made partakers I LECTURE X. 67 of his anointing, and are acquainted with the religion of the heart. — You may prefume, as you have done often before now, to fit as the people of God fit, and eat of the bread, and drink of the wine; but have you not reafon to fear that, when Chrift, the M after of the feaft, fhall come to furvey the guefts v/ho are feated around his facred board, that he will addrefs you, faying. Friend, how camejl thou in hither, not having on the wedding garment ? An awful, a dread- ful filence, expreflive of your difmay, will then be obferved. — Sinners, take heed to yourfelves ; pre- fume no more to mfh into the prefence of God with your unhallowed heart. God will not be mocked. There are others again whofe i n s e n s i b i l i t y is not fo great ; who have indeed been affected under the means of grace, and have felt fome defires in their hearts after Chrift, when he has been defcribed in the charafler of aSaviour, as one abfolutely necelTary, moft; precious, and altogether lovely ; but who at the fame time view thofe defires which have been thus raifed, and thofe religious impreftions which have been forae- times made upon their minds, as the foundation of their hope ; that they are adually interefted in Chrift, and thus awfully deceive themfelves : for, 1. Their conviftions have not been with refpeft to ALL, but only to some particular fins. They do not believe that, from the crown of their heads to the fole of the foot, they are nothing but wounds and piitri- fying fores ; that every faculty of the foul is depraved, and that they are in the fight of a holy God, both unholy and unclean. — And remember, finntrs, that until your qonviclions lead you both to fee, to feel, and to confefs that you are poor, and 7niftrable, and blind, and naked, they cannot be efteemed to be any thing more than the convictions of natural confcicnce. 68 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. 2. When conviftions are genuine and faving, thty bring us to Chrift: for, mere natural convidlions, as fuch, have never procured falvation for any, but oa the contrary have driven many to defpair. But thofe who enjoy thofe convi6lions which are gracious and faving, have large difcoveries made to them of Jefus Chrift, and they are made fenfible of their need of him. Beholding his lovelinefs and precioufnefs, then ardent defires are created in their hearts after him, and they exclaim, O that Jefus were ours ! — Now, until you have experienced fuch holy breathings of foul after glorious Chrift : in vain do you flatter yourfelves with having an intereft in Chrift ; in vain do you prefume to hope that all is well becaufe you have {imply been convinced that you are conceived and born in fin, and have violated in fome refpe£ls the law of God.— Many fooliftily think that, becaufe they SOMETIMES wifti that Chrift were to them the hope of glory; that this is faith, which purifies the heart, works by love, and favingly unites to Chrift. What madnefs ! what infatuation ! for, if they exa- mine themfelves with that care which the cafe demands, will they not find that they can often fatisfy themfelves without a vital union to him ? What would you think of a perfon who came to your door, to afk for meat and drink, to fatisfy his hunger, and quench his thirft ? Could you entertain a belief that he was in earneft, if he were to be fatis- fied with any gift made to him, which did not tend to appcafe hunger and remove thirft? Certainly nQt; for if his appetite were keen, his hunger and thirft great, he would refufe the offer of the world, for a morfel of bread and a cup of cold water. — Thus it is with many: they fay that they desire Chrift, but tbey ftili can be contented without Chrift, and prefer LECTURE X. 69 {in, the world, and its pleafures, before him. — If fin be cheriflied, Chrift hath never been embraced. If fin and the world rule in the heart, genuine defires after Chrift have never been experienced. — O, deceive not yourfelves. You cannot Jcrve two majlers — Christ and Belial. Is it your wifli to afcertain whether you have a EIGHT before God to fit down at his table, and to eat of the bread, and d^rivik of the wine which the great Mediator of the covenant provides for his guefts ? we haflen to give you every requifite information on this fubjeft. 1. You neither have a right before God, nor can you expect to receive the facrament in a manner acceptably to him, or profitably to yourfelves, pro- vided you have never been ferioi^fly alarmed with refpeft to your awful condition by nature, and con- tinue at eafe in your finful ftate, without manifefting any concern as to your eternal interefts, or ever making fuch enquiries as thefe, — Lord, what will be the end of our courfe, which is fo oppofite to that which thou haft prefcribed in thy word ? Do we not evidence, by the general tenor of our converfation, that we are ftill unconverted, dead in trefpafifes and fins, and wholly under the influence of principles which aftuate the men of the world ; but which the real children of God never follow ? and if left to our- felves, and fuflPered to purfue the fame line of condudl, muft we not for ever perifli ? muft we not ejfpeft that our puniftiment will be beyond defcrip- tion, fince we have fo long lived under the means of grace, and fo uniformly flighted the offers of falva- tion ? If your minds have never been in any wife exercifed on thefe fubjefts, and if they have never Tnade any abiding impreflion on your minds, there 70 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. is reafon to fufpeft all is not right ; yes, that your approach to the table will neither illuflrate the glory of the Mafter of the feaft, nor prove beneficial to your own fouls. 2. Has Jefus, who is the great Mediator of the covenant, and the only way by which we can obtain reconciliation with God, never yet appeared amiable in your view ? Have you never feen him to be the only one all-fufficient to redeem, willing to fave, and mighty to reflore the finner to the favour and friend- fhip of God ? 3. Have thefe views of fin and mifery, and of Jefus and his fulnefs, excited cordial defires in your hearts after him, and habitually difpofed you to run, to fly to Jefus, to be found in him, to hunger and thirft after him, and to look unto him as the true balm of gilead, and the only phyfician who can heal the innumerable difeafes which fin hath brought in its train ? 4. Have you ever experienced, in virtue of the Spirit's divine influences on your hearts, a change in principle and in pradice, which your acquaintance cannot but notice, and which you yourfelves muft acknowledge, faying, — Once we were difpofed to purfue the follies and finful pleafures of this world, and engage in its fervice ; but now the world fades upon our fight; its riches, its honours, its enjoyments, are as nothing, " the verieft atoms of an atom world." Now examine yourfelves as to each of thefe points, as in the prefence of God, and with the greatelt degree of faithfulnefs ; and, if you find that you are ftrangers to thefe exercifes and experiences, can you with any propriety approach the table of the covenanl? Hath Chrift fpread it for fuch as you ? Do you not con- ceive that there is danger of eating and drinking LECTURE X. 7r judgment to youifelves ? O ! that your eyes were opened ! that you beheld the deplorable condition into ivhich (in has placed you ! — Are you infenfible of your mifery ? the greater is your danger : it is with you as with one who has a member of his body mortified : as long as he has no feeling of pain, ef- pecially when the knife is applied to the afflifted parts, the furgeon adjudges the wound to be dange- rous. Do not think that thefe things are fpoken and fo often repeated by the minifters of Chrift, only with a view of creating terror in your minds : they declare nothing but folemn realities. Say not, that you are not fo abandoned and wicked as many of your acquaintance are. Say not, that your hearts are not fo bad as is reprefented, and that therefore you have no reafon to fear the wrath divine. — My friends, believe us, when we declare that it is impof- fible to exprefs by words the greatnefs of your mifery. If you remain unconcerned, and continue to defpife the offers of falvation, do you not aft a part more bafe, more ungrateful, and more ofFenfive to God, than the devils did? They linned once, and grace has never been offered to them; confe- quently they cannot fm againft it : but you have fmned times and ways without number again fl the God and Mediator of the covenant. — O dreadful thought ! another mediator will never be fent to you. Refufing to accept of Chrift, you rejecl; him who alone can fave. Hear what the apoftle Paul addreffes to perfons in your fituation, Heb. xii. 25, IJ they efcapcd not who refufed him thai /pake on earth, much more fJiall not we efcape, if we turn away from him that fpeaketh from heaven. Chap. x. 29, Of how much forer punifunent, fuppofc ye, fJiall he. he thought worthy^ who hath trodden under foot the Son 72 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. of God, and hath counted the blood rf the covenant, xoherezvith he was fanBiJied, an unholy thing, and hath done defpite unto the fpirit of grace ? — And therefore be awakened to a holy concern about your everlafting peace. No longer defpife that grace which is fo freely ofiFered to you. Cleave no more to the chains with which Satan has been holding ycu captive at his will. Suffer yourfelves not to be feduced or deceived any longer by his artful fuggeftions. He is a liar from the beginning. Does he intimate to you that God is merciful; that it would be inconfiftent with the goodnefs of his nature to leave you to perifh eternally ; or would he induce a belief that you have time fufficient yet left, in which you may repent and return to God ? Does he tell you that youth flill blooms on your countenance -, that the world has innumerable charms; or would he prompt you to confider the path which leads to heaven, not to be fo narrow nor fo difficult as you have been made to believe it to be ; or in other words, that you may be favingly interefted in Chrift, and yet purfue the things of time with equal avidity as before you came to him ? — My friends, liflen not to the tempter : he defigns to charm you into the gloomy manfions of devils damned. The word of God direfls to no other way of falvation, but that which we have exhibited at this time. We addrefs you in the language of the apoftle of the Gentiles, Awake thou that Jleepejl, and arife from the dead, and Chrifl fliallgive thee light. There is a wo denounced againft thofe that are at cafe in Zion, and that trufl in the mountains of Samaria. The period is faft haflening when the vials of wrath will be poured out on your devoted heads, unlefs now you ha lien and fly to lay hold of the onl^ LECTURE X. 73 hopefet before you. Would to ,God that thefe things deeply affe6led your hearts, and made that impref- fion which their vaft importance merits. But, CHILDREN OF GoD, wc havc alfo a w^ord to addrefs to you ; efpecially to fuch among you whom doubts opprefs, and fears alarm and diftrefs. What we have jufl been faying, with a view to the convi61ion of finners, perhaps may have been the caufe of fome degree of terror to you. It is one of the mofl difficult parts of the miniflerial office, on the one hand, to bring hypocrites and- the carelefs from the falfe foundations on which they have raifed their hopes, and to lead them to a difcovery of them- felves; and, on the other, not to alarm and over- whelm with greater fear the dear children of God. ^y experience it is found, that they frequently apply to themfelves, what is fpoken to awaken the carelefs and unconcerned. And again, what minifters, who are faithful, introduce into their difcourfes with a view- to animate and to comfort the people of God, fmners are frequently difpofed to apply to themfelves. Hence men are rendered carelefs, or they fall into a fatal defpondency. Come hither, then, didreffed and fearful children of God. 1. Is there any thing of which you are more fen- fible, than that you are finners — great finners, yes, the greateft of finners, and that you merit at the hand of God to be call into hell, and experience everlaRing deftru6i;ion from the prefence of God ^ Do you not often even rcafon thus with yourfclves ? Can there be found any where, any fo vile as we are ? — any who have fuch imful hearts as we have ? And here we fee the mark which diflinguii'hcs the true Chriftian froia the hypocrite : the Utter coa- Voi. II. K 74 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. ceives himfelf to be better than others, and believes that he is not fo bad as confcience, the faithful mo- nitor of man, would fometimes intimate. The for- mer is ready to confefs, that he is the vileft of the vile — He is certain that none is fo polluted and de- filed with fin as he is — He hefitates not to exclaim, / am the chief of /inner s. It is from a view of this awful truth, that whilfl the hypocrite can go on his way apparently rejoicing, the real follower of Chrifl experiences diftrefs and fear. 2. And what are the exercifes of your fouls in confequence of having difcovered your mifery ? Do you not, with a fincere forrow of heart for fin, alfo ieel ardent dcfircs after his grace, and pardon through the perfetl atonement of Jefus Chrifl ? Are you not willing to renounce all your righteoufnefTes — to run to Jefus, to cafl yourfelves at his feet ? Is not Jefus precious to your fouls ? Do you not entertain a higher eft^em for Chrifl than for any thing which this world affords ? Is not Jefus preferred before honour and wealth ? Could you be fatisfied with any thing fliort of Chrifl ? Now what does all this evidence, but that Chrifl is yours ? One who is un- converted cannot be thus exercifed. 3. Is not Jefus, in whom all fulnefs dwells, your all and in all ? Whence have you derived that LIGHT of convi6lion which has irradiated your minds, but from Chrifl, that great Prophet who opens the eyes of blind finners ? Whence is it that you have gotten fuch a fight of his precioufnefs ? Who but himfelf has made the difcovery to you, that he is the chief of ten thoufand, and altogdher lovely ? Is not Jefus alfo all and ia all to you in SANCTiFiCATioN ? Whence is it that you fo LECTURE X. 75 anxloufly defire greater conformity to his image, but becaufe he liveth in you ? 4. You perhaps objeft and fay, *« If Chrift dw^clt *• in us, would fo many evidences of finful corrup- " tions remain ? We cannot conceive how it pofTibly *' can be." But know it, affli6led and fearful faints, grace does not inftantaneoufly and entirely root out the corruptions of the heart. Whilft life remains. two different principles are found in all Chviftians ; a finful principle and a gracious one ; and if this were duly confidered, you could not but readily conclude, that you are in a gracious Rate : for, mufl you not confefs before God and the world, that to fin, is produdlive of grief to your fouls ? and can you not appeal to the Eternal himfelf, and declare, that nothing would afford you more joy, fatisfa6lion, and delight, than to have fin mortified, and grace more lively, and exercifed in a higher degree ? But do you ftill fay, "' Notwithftanding all this, " we dare not prefume to indulge a hope that wz " have grace : for if we were interefled in Chrift, and " might call him ours, would not our doubts vanifh, *' and our fears fubfide ? Would not the Lord Jefus '* embrace us in the arms of his love, and permit us *' at leafh to tafte fome drops of living water out of " himfelf, that fountain which is opened for fin and " undeannefs ?" But, O ye children of Zion, who go on your way oppreffed by fuch fears, and agitated by fuch various doubts, — be not difcouraged, but continue waiting upon the Lord. He is a fovereign in all his gra- cious difpenfations. You are called to live by faith, and not by fight. If darknefs obtain, may not the caufe of it often be found in yourfelves ? For, 1. Do you not reft too much upon your frames ? y6 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. When your hearts are lively, animated, and in thq experience of much joy and confolation, becaufe you have once cordiall)! furrendered yourfelves to Chrift, then you conceive all to be well ; and your language is, Our mountain Jlands Jlrong, we Jhall never he moved. But if, on the other hand, corruptions arife ; • — if the heart be dull and heavy ; — then you are in- clined to believe, that, becaufe it is thus with you, it is impoffible that you fhould be in a (late of grace. To judge of our ftate merely by the frames of our minds, is mod abfurd : for it is an eternal truth, that Jefus alone is the foundation and rock of falvation. Befides, to determine your ftate by the peculiar feelings you may have with refpeft to things hea- venly and divine, the refult will be to-day, that your faith is ftrong ; to-morrow, that your cafe will feem defperate. 2. May not another caufe of your entertaining fuch fears be this ; that you have improper views of the TERMS on which you are to come to the Lord Jefus. You falfely imagine, that you muft bring iomething with you to Chrift. You would wifti to have fuch exercifes as, if put in the balance, would be an equivalent to the grace of God and the love of Chrift. Your language is, " It cannot be, that by " a mere willingnefs to accept of Chrift, by a defire, *' a hungering and thirfting after him, we can have *' God triune for our God and portion. There " muft be a ftrong, ardent love to Chrift, or the " Eternal cannot io delight in us, as to accept of *■' us." In this alfo you are miftaken ; for we no where read in Scripture, that our frames muft equal thi3 love of Jehovah; but we are told almoft in every part of the li\cred volume, that to obtain the conft- LECTURE X. 77 dence of children, God demands nothing more than the BELIEVING, the willing heart. What ! is nothing more than a willing heart re- quired ? Where is the perfon who would not be willing, who would not be glad to be faved ? But fufFer us to afk you, A. Do you not remember the time when you were unwilling ; when you were oppofed to God and his fervice ; when your hearts rofe up againft the grace offered in the gofpel, and that narrow way which our Lord reprefents as leading unto life ; when, if not in fo many words, yet, by your a£lions, you faid to God, Depart from us, for we defire not the knowledge of thy ways. B. Yes, even after God had given you a view of the nature of his fervice, had you not many difficul- ties to furmount before you would declare for God, and Chrift, and depart from your former fmful pur- fuits ? Did you not meet with much oppofition from Satan, and the world ? Did j-ou not often refolve, faying, Now we will lead different lives from what we have formerly done ; henceforward we will live above the world, and ferve Chrift. — But have you not been repeatedly diverted from your purpofe ? Did it not coft you many a ligh, many a tear, and much poignant diftrefs, before God, which proved to be too powerful for you ; and you were made to exclaim, " Lord, thou haft turned us^ and we were *' turned : thou haft been too ftrong for us, and to ^' thee the palm of vi6lory muft be yielded." Have you indeed experienced thefe things? Is it not both moft unreafonable, yes, moft fmful too, to defpfe the day of fmall things ? C. Was not Jcfus, and his plan of grace, not Qnly in your firft cxercifes, fo precious to your fouls, ,S THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. that you immediately bade an eternal adieu to the Tervice of fin, but we afk you whether Chrift and his fcrvice do not now wholly delight you ? Muft you not honeftiy confefs, that ftill you fee that your hearts are deceitful and defperately wicked ; and that you daily need Jefus more and more ? that he be- comes conftantly more precious and amiable in your eyes, — yts, altogether lovely ; in a word, that it is the life of your fouls to be continually defiring and loving him ? Are thefe your exercifes ? What does it prove, but that you have the fame exercifes as are found in thofe concerning whom the fmallell doubts cannot be entertained, but that they are the chofen and redeemed of the Lord ; for, hear what the apoftle Peter writes to the churches, " Ufito you which believe *' he is precious ;" and he that believeth in him ftiall not be afhamed. i Pet. ii. 7. D. Is it not your fixed determination and defire, through grace, to live for that Jefus under whofe banners you have enlifled ? Undoubtedly you muft anfwer in the affirmative, faying, This is indeed our ardent wifii, and nothing can be more reafonable than to follow where he leads ; but to execute what we thus deiire, and to engage in this reafonable fervice, to our fhame it muft be fpoken, is but little regarded. To us Jefus is indeed precious: he has poffeffion of our hearts ; but we are wanting in zeal ; weak and feeble are our endeavours to ad- vance the honour of his name: too eafily are we fcduced by fm, Satan, or the world : hence our con- fidence is fhaken, and doubts fucceed. — We believe your complaints are founded in la6l ; but we do not afk you what your aftual attainments and perfor- mances have been, but what your defires and purpofes are. Would it not afford you the higheft polfible LECTURE X. 75 fatisfaftlon if you were more holy ; and to tecoine fo, do you not often go to the Lord Jcfus, to receive grace and ftrength ? Does it not create real forrow of heart, if, at any time, yon have, by an untender walk, rcfleded dilhonour on his name ? What think you ? Are not thefe fo many evidences that Jefus is the fupreme objeft of your love, and that God, in mercy, has vifited you with his falvation ? No longer then doubt of four intereft in Chrift, and of your having received, out of his fulnefs, his faving grace. Come, meditate frequently on his all- fufficiency. All that is in Chrift is yours, and pur- pofely defigned for your everlafling benefit. Are you IGNORANT? with him is v/isdom, to teach you the way in which you ftiould go. Is the load of your DEBT daily increafing, and docs your guilt accu- mulate by every repeated tranfgreffion ? with this High Prieft there is a fulnefs of righteoufnefs. Do you feel your hearts to be polluted and defiled by fin, and your walk and converfation deficient in tendernefs and humility ? with him is fanfiification for his x^hofen. Are you furrounded by innumerable ene- mies ? he is made of God unto you, complete REDEMPTION. Are you full of wounds and putri- fying fores ? Jefus fuftains the name and charafter of Jehovah Rophe, the Lord that healeth you. Are you dejefted and broken in heart ? behold in Jefus that mercifiil, companionate, and faithful High Prieft, who is the confolation of Ifrael, the light, life, ftrength, and power of his people.' Of this fulnefs which Chrift has for his people, he is always v/ii. ling to impart as they need it. Ye?, he always feels for your woes, and is afflicted in all your afflitlions. O then, let thefe confiderations perfuade you to look continually upon him, Whea So THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. you elevate the eye of faith to this glorious Mediator, be aflured he will call upon you a look of compla- cency and love, and fay, Thou hajl ravished my heart with one of thine eyes. — If you throw yourfelves into his arms, he will receive you in mercy, and fpeak comfortably to your fouls. If you fly to him, he will reach out to you the fceptre of his grace ; for, his prevenient love is divine, eternal, moft affeftionate, and pajjdh knowledge. Behold, once more he gives you an evidence of it by giving you another preffing invitation to approach unto him in the holy ordinance of the Supper. At the head of that table, which is foon to be fpread, he will appear, and, addreffing you, and all his affli6led fons and daughters, he will fay. Behold here the emblem of that blood which flreamed from my pierced fide : by this blood, I will cleanfe you from all iniquity. For you it was fhed. I, even I, am he that blotteth out all your tranfgrejjions, for my name's fake ; I will not re- member your fins : though they be like fcarlet, yet, by that blood, I will make them white as fnow. — And further, to give the fullefl evidence of his love, as that which pafjtth knowledge, when he fees you {landing at a diftance, and afraid to draw near, he will even wait to be gracious, and, like the father of the prodigal, run to meet and embrace you. O communicants! all things then are ready: the Mafter calleth for you. Be encouraged to arife : be no longer faithlefs, hut believing, and, with the confi- dence of children, occupy your feats around the table which your Jcfus fprcads ; both to demon- flrate that no love is like redeeming love, and that none provides fo liberally as he for the wants of his people. LECTURE X. 8i But we cannot clofe this lefture without addref- fing a few words to you, children of God, who have received brighter evidences of your being interefted in this Mediator. 1. Let not your hearts only be exercifed with refpe6i: to God the Father, as the God of the covenant, and with refpeft to the covenant and its feveral parts ; but efpecially let the eye of faith be conftantly fixed on Chrift, and his all-fufficiency, as the Mediator of God's appointment. We are fearful that you are not fufficiently exercifed with refpe6l to thefe ; and hence, perhaps, it is, that you have fo little confidence and Chrifliaa boldnefs, when you approach the Lord's table. You are apt to dwell too much upon your fins, and your in- dwelling corruptions, which unavoidably muft pro- duce fear and painful anxiety. It is good, it is reafonable, to keep our fins conftantly in view : there is abundant caufe of being afhamed and hum- bled, on account of your depravity ; but your meditations on thefe fhould not, as is too often the cafe, keep you from God. When you reflect upon the aggravated nature of your tranfgreflfions, the eye of faith muft be fixed on the great Mediator of the covenant, as one upon whom was laid ail the ini- quities of the whole eleft world. Then a retro- fpeftive view of fin, whilft it humbles your fouls, and makes you appear little in your own eyts, will contribute to your real advantage. By it you will difcover your need of Chrift, and confequently he will become far more precious to you. 2. Let your fouls make a conftant ufe of Chrift for sANCTiFicATiON ; and to this end repeatedly contemplate, and apply to him as one who is all- fufficient, in every refpe^l, to fupply your WiUits, and Vol. II, L 82 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. willing to afford you that relief which you need. Have you a deep fenfe, at times, of your mifery and wretchednefs ? make ufe of him as your phyfician, who heals the difeafes of thofe whom fin has deeply wounded, and rendered truly wretched. Are you tempted to depart from the ways of righteoufnefs ? apply to him as the great fhepherd of the flock, who feeks with care the fheep of his pafture, brings them to his fold, and, with peculiar care, guards and defends them in all the affaults of hell and fin. Are you walking in darknefs ? apply to him as your fun, your teacher, your counfellor, to give you every needful inflruftion ; for he has promifed to counfel his people, and keep his eye upon them for good. Do you need prefervation from the power of youf enemies, when they combine for your deflruftion ? ufe Jefus as your shield, to fecure you from their fiery darts. Are you purfued and hunted by Satan ? Jlee as a bird to your mountain, to Jefus thatjlrong tower, to whom the righteous run, and are fafe. Thus to aft, will tend to advance you in holinefs, and make you to experience comfort unfpeakable and divine, whatever your fituations in life may be. In a more efpecial manner, we exhort you, make Jefus the ohjeft of your meditation, now that you are again about to approach the facred table, where he unfolds to the view of his people, that in him dwel- Icth all the fulnefs of the Godhead bodily. Let your fcllowfiiip be with him; open your hearts to him: he will enrich you with the treafurcs of his grace. Approach with the confidence of children, and with joy. He will not leave you -without a tuitnefs. Do your fins flare you in the face ? let this be your com- fort, that you have an advocate and high prieft with the Father, J^fii'^ Chrijl the righteoics. LECTURE X. 83 May the Lord, who is able to do for us more abundantly than we can alk or think, beftow upon us every needful bleffing, out of that fulnefs which there is in Jefus, to the praife of the glory of his grace, and to our joy and eternal falvation ! AMEN AND AMEN. I 85 3 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. Lecture XI. FAITH'S APPLICATION OF CHRIST, OR THE USE JFHICH THE TRUE BELIEVER MAKES OF THE GREAT MEDIATOR OF THE COFE- "NANT, IN ORDER TO PROMOTE HOLINESS IN HEART AND LIFE, AND TO INCREASE HIS JOYS AND CONSOLATIONS. X HE all-fufficiency and willingnefs of the Lord Jefus to fave to the uttermojl all who come to God hy him, were the delightful themes on which the children of God, who are jufl commencing the divine life, and who, though oppreffed with doubts and fears, arc anxious to enter into covenant with God, were invi- ted to meditate upon in the preceding difcourfe. — The defign of the prefent le6lure is, to unfold to the view of thofe who have folemnly covenanted with God, in what manner to make ufe of the Lord Chrifl;, fo that they may increafe in fpiritual ftrength, advance in grace, and have their confolations to abound. — To accompliCh this objeft, we propofe, L To caution the children of God again ft fome things which prevent their advancenient in holinefs, Vol. II. M 86 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. and are obflacles in the way of their attaining to true comfort. II. To inquire in what a believing ufe of Chrift confifls, with refpeft to its feveral parts. III. To attempt the removal of fome of the diffi- culties which not unfrequently arife in the minds of the people of God, with regard to this fubje6l. IV. To conclude the lefture with an application drawn from the fubjeft, and adapted to the various iituations of thofe who compofe this audience. The FIRST thing propofed was, to offer fome cau- tionary remarks to the confideration of the children of God, with regard to fome points which always impede a growth in grace, and an advancement in holinefs, and in the confolations of the divine life. And agree- ably to this, 1. We recommend it to them that they be on their guard not to contemplate Deity barely in a general point of view; but rather as he has been pleafed to re- veal himfelf in his word as Tri UNE, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, and that too with refpedl to the particular part which each of thofe divine perfons fuf- tains in the work of falvation — We are too apt to make the Father the obje6l of our meditations, inde- pendent of the Son; hence he exhibits himfelf to us in all the terrific forms of a holy and righteous judge, Vnd the foul mu ft lofe its confidence in him, and fear and dread difmay be the natural refult, when it at- tempts to approach into his prefence. — As it is the peculiar work of the Spirit to bring the ele6l, who by nature are in a ftate of abfolute impotency, to em- brace the Lord Jefus, it is, therefore, neceflfary for them to confider God as he has made himfelf known in the fcriptures of truth, and by the Son, through LECTURE XI. 87 the divine influences of the holy fpirit, to approach unto the Father. 2. There is danger arifing to the people of God from another fource : they are liable, at times, to be unmindful of their covenant relation to Jehovah, and in their dealings with him too often confider them- felves not as being his covenant people, and they con- du6t accordingly; or if when they go to God they view themfelves as ftanding in covenant with him, it is a circumftance which frequently occurs, that they conceive that covenant to be in many refpeds, as that which the Eternal made with Adam, and which re- quired much to be done and performed in his own ftrength. — In a word, they fometimes contemplate the covenant, but confider not that Jefus is the foun- dation and prop on which the building refls ; al- though they obligate themfelves to difcharge all thofe duties which God demands of them, yet they mufl not think that by their exertions they can fulfil thofe divine requifitions ; their reliance, not only in part, but altogether, muft be upon that grace which is pro- mifed in the covenant which is derived from the ful- nefs of Chrift, and communicated by the Holy Ghoft. 3. Many of God's children, in dealing with the Mediator, confider him too much, A. In a general point of view. They do not ap- ply to him fufficiently, with refpeft to their particu- lar neceffities and circumftances of foul and body in- to which they have been brought, as if the glorious Redeemer, becaufe he is now exalted to his throne, felt no more concern for his church at large, and no longer was engaged to preferve and ftrengthen the in- dividual members who conflitute his myftical body. To form fuch views of Chrift, reflects on his mediato* 88 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. rial character; the Lord Jefus has ft ill the fame af- feftion for his people in his ftate of glory, as ever he pofTefled in the days of his humiliation, and he per- mits them ftill to come and lay before him their par- ticular wants and neceffities. B. Too many of God's children are impeded in their progrefs by contemplating the Mediator too ab- firadedly, both as God, as Man, or as a Judgi who is tranfcendent in majefty and glory. a. They too frequently confider his Godhead independent of his mediatorial charafter; then they behold him to be glorious in holinefs, infinite in juf^ tice, and dwelling in light inaccejfible. — Such views of Jefus are good and proper, if they produce the happy eflPeds of making the foul more humble, and promo- ting a walk and converfation, tender, reverential, and holy ; but if, on the other hand, they fill the foul with dread, and flavifli fear, and deftroy the Chriftian's boldnefs, fo that he dare not to come into his pre- fence, then the eye of faith, whilft it furveys Jefus in the glories of his divine nature, muft be dire6ied to him as the Saviour of finners. — Thus to look upon the Redeemer, at the fame time that it keeps his peo. pie humble, increafes their confidence and joy. h. The Mediator is fometimes too much viewed ab* ftraftedly aa Man. — It is true, we cannot too frequent- ly contemplate his beauty, nor meditate enough, upon him as one who is t\\& faireji of the children of men, and as one into tvhoje lips grace is poured, pro- vided the heart be drawn out to love him with fu- preme afredion; but Satan, that fubtil advcrfary, tnay improve to his advantage our views of Chrilt, Vv'hen confined merely to his human nature; he may tempt us either to treat him with lefs refpcft or re- verence than is due to the Son of God, or attempt to LECTURE XL «9 flagger our faith by fuggefting that they are in a dan- gerous cafe who truft in man, fince it is declared in Scripture, that curfed is he that maketh man his trujl, — knd efpecially one who was to the Jews a Jlumbling- block, and to the Greeks foolijlinefs. — When fuch temp- tations occur, God's children muft direft the eye of faith to Jefus in his divine chara6ler, and oppofe the enemy of their falvation, faying, " I believe in him *' as one who is not merely a man, but as one who " is God over all, blejfed for ever," c. God's children frequently contemplate the Me- diator too much in his charaQier of J u d g e, and view him only as he is defcribed by the apoftle, Heb. iv. 13, " Neither is there any creature that is not onanifejl *' in his fight; hut all things are naked and open unto *' the eyes of him with whom we have to do. — Then their language is — ''- What will be our fituation when " he fhall come in the clouds; when we (hail be pla- " ced before him, to give an account of all the deeds '' done in the body ?" — To have the eye of faith di- refted to Jefus, elevated on his throne of judgment, is advantageous, when it leads us to walk with a ho- ly circumfpeftion, from an impreffion that we are un- der the eye of him who fees all things. But our views of Chrift, as Judge, muft not be fuch that they terrify our fouls and fill us with horror and difmay. — Hear what Chrift fays, John xii. 47, / came not to judge the world, but to fave the world. This is not only true of his firft coming in the flefh, but alfo of his fecond coming in the clouds, when he will appear to juftify publicly the world of his eleft. d. Many.alfo entertain the following erroneous fen- timent, by reafon of their fmall degree of knowledge, that they indeed have need of the Mediator to juftify them before God, and deliver them from guilt, but 90 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. that being juftified they muft proceed to fanftify themfelves. It is true, the -will of God is our JanBi- Jication, and we muft work out our own Jalvation with fear and trembling : but it is not the will of God that we work it out in our own ftrength ; the Lord Jefus is made unto us of the Father, as well fanctification as juftification. — This effential truth of our holy reli- gion muft always be imprefled moft deeply on the mind, that without Jefus we can do nothing, and that what we do, except it be done in his ftrength, cannot be either pleafmg or acceptable to God. — This will excite us to confider the Redeemer as all and in all, and to keep our eye fteadily fixed on him. Having premifed thefe things, we now proceed to thefecond fubjeft of difcuflion, and, 1. We muft lay down certain principles, and then, 2. We fhall point out what ufe believers muft make of Chrift. A. The PRINCIPLES we lay down are thefe, that if the children of God would proceed in their appli- cation to Chrift, with profit and advantage to them^^ felves, they muft not only, a. Confider Christ as the foundation, as the corner-ftone and rock of falvation, but alfo as the fpring, fountain, and channel, if we may ufe the ex- preflion, in and through which all things are convey- ed to them. He is the great treafury in which all the treafures of grace are depofited. The Father hath given to him to be the heir of all things, that hp might have the complete management of the work of falvation, and that the ele^l, from his fulnefs, might receive every needful good. b. Thofe that would make a right ufe of Chrift Ihould know that they are united to him in the moft intimate manner: for what advantage is it for us to LECTURE XL 91 be aflured that there is fuch a fulnefs in Jefus, if we cannot confider ourfelves as interefted in the fame : therefore God has fo ordered it, that there fhould ex- ift the clofeft union between Chrift and his people; on their fide by faith, and on his fide by the fpirit, by which they have an intereft in and a right to the whole perfon of Chrift, his names, offices, natures, ftates, and all the riches and treafures which he en- joys as Mediator: for all that Chrift poflelTes he pof- fefles not for himfelf, but for his chofen inheritance. While we meet, in the word of God, with fo many expreffions, which, in the moft pointed manner, exhi- bit this union, — Forinftance, Are believers paj-iakers of the divine nature? — He is faid to partake of the human, that they might be one fpirit with him — He h a vine, and they the branches — He is the head, they the members — He the foundation and corner-flone, they the fones which are built upon him, and which form one building — He is the king, they the fubje^i of his kingdom — He the mafer, they the ferv ants — ■ He the bridegroom, they the bride, who are joined to him in the marriage covenant : now as a woman, even though fhe were a poor flave, being united in marri- age with a king, does, in virtue of that relation, ob- tain a right to all that the king has — to his throne, crown, and riches, fo it is with the poor finner; by reafonof this intimate union with the Lord Jefus, he poflefles all his riches, and, on the fame principle, has a right humbly to demand of him every thing which he needs; and this is the fource from whence flows all the confolation and fatisfadion which Chrif- tians enjoy; namely, That the all-fufficient Jefus is their Jefus, and that they are interefted in him. f. To make a profitable ufe of Chrift. the foul 9» THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. mull always keep in mind, that there is nothing it can need but there is in Chrill an all-fufficiency to fupply it, and that there is nothing in Chrift, but that, in confequence of the union between him and them, they have a right unto. For, fays the apoftle, all things are yours for ye arc Chriji's. B. This principle being laid down, then the foul is in a lituationto make ufe of Chrill in every point of view. Let us now in particular fhew, 1* How we are to make ufe of Chrift, in refpeft to tHe evil which oppreffes us. 2. How, in refpeft to our advancement in holinefs and to obtaining all the bleflings of grace, which we need for life, godlinefs, and eternal happinefs. First, We muft make ufe of Chrift, the great Mediator and Redeemer, againft the evil which be- falls and oppreffes us, or which we apprehend will overtake us: againft all this Chrift is 3./Iiield. A. We muft make ufe of him againft the guilt of fm, which often brings the foul into the deepeft diftrefs- When it beholds a holy and righteous God; when it hears the law thundering its curfes againft tranfgreffors; when it feels confcience con- demning it, and Satan raifing his accufations, then, in the prefence of God, under the fenfe of its guilt, it muft often cry out, with David, If thou Lord fJiouldJl mark iniquity, Oh! Lord who Jliould f land ? Pf. cxxx. 3. Enter not into judgment with thyfervant.for in thy fight f tail no man living be jufified, Pf. cxliii. 1 ; and with Job, We cannot anfwer thee one of a thoufand^ Job ix. 3. What do believers do in fuch a cafe ? Thus convinced of guilt, they go to God, in the Me- ' diator, behind whom, as their fhield, they conceal themfelves, and fay> '* Have patience with us and we LECTURE XI. 55 '< will pay thee all: not with any thing which we have " to bring, but in our furety, whom we have received *' by faith. In him thou art well plcafed ; he hath " brought in a complete righteoufnefs; and, as a " righteous judge, thou wilt not demand payment a " fecond time." — Upon this they plead the perfeft of- fering of Chrift, and are emboldened to go into the di- vine prefence, and enquire, " Lord haft thou fet him "forth to be a propitiation by faith in his blood ? Waft *' thou not fully fatisfied when thou didft raife him " from the dead ? Look upon us then in the blood of " thy Son;" and this wreftling and pleading the me- rits of Chrift, and his blood, is fo acceptable, that be- lievers are often of a new addreffed, — " Son, daughter, " be of good cheer^ thy fins art forgiven thee. I, even *' /, am he that blotteth out thy tranfgreJfions,for 7nine " own fake, and will not remember thy fins'' Do the people of God hear the law thundering forth its curfes againft tranfgreffors, and calling aloud for wrath and vengeance; and do they behold their guilt and breach of the law? here Jefus again comes as a fhield and defence. They cannot but acknowledge, yea, they will confefs, that they have finned againft all the precepts of the law, and kept not one of them ; — and not only fo, but they go to the Father again and fay, " Thou haft fent thy Son into the world, that *' he himfelf fhould become a curfe^ and thus fatisfy " the demands of the law : he hath condemned^fin in *' thefefJi, and fulfilled the requifitions of the law ; " and therefore it hath become weak. Let then thy " wrath and vengeance, for which it cries aloud, that " it be infli£led on us, be averted from us." Does Satan, the accufer of the brethren, who pla- ces himfelf on their right hand, as well as he did on Vol, H. N 94 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. the right hand of Joftiua, accufe them as being un- worthy to appear in the prefence of God? now again the foul takes its refuge by faith in Chrift, as one who hath bruifcd the head of Satan, and is Jironger than the flrong man armed. They hide behind him as their lliield, that the darts of the evil one may be warded off. Does he bring their guilt to view ? they in their turn fet before him the blood of Jefus Chrijl, which ekanfes from allfvu. Does CONSCIENCE charge them with conflantly departing from God in thought, word, and deed, even when engaged in mod holy duties ? here again they may make ufe of the blood of Jefus as that which pu- rijies the conjcience from dead works, and as that ato- ning facrifice which taketh away the fms of their holy things. B. A child of God mufl make ufe of Chrift againft the POLLUTION of fin, or indwelling corruptions which remain in him. O ! it is impofTible for lan- guage to exprefs, when one is led by the Holy Spirit, to look within, what an awful difcovery is made; he be- holds his heart to be a fmk of fin : there is no devil from hell more wicked than it : there is no fin fo ag- gravated in its nature but it will there find admiffion, if not preferved by the grace of God : and hence it is that all his a6lions are defiled ; his walk and conver- fation is, in confequence of this, marked with a want of circumfpedion, and perfeverance in the ways of (Todiinefs, as well as of confidence in the law. Hence, when engaged in holy duties, he wants fuitable im- prefFions of the majefty of God, and earneftnefs and zeal in his fervice ; yea, of his very prayers he muft be afhamed and humbled. V^y reafon of fin, every thing he does lofes its fwectnefs ; he will view his beft works as contaminated with evil; and when he weighs LECTURE XL 9^ himfelf in the balance of the fanftuary, he will readi- ly acknowledge that, from the crown of the head to the fole' of the foot he is nothing hut wounds and hruifes and futrifying fores. 0 wretched man, he cries, that Lam, whofliall deliver me from the body of this death ? Bat is this the cafe ? the child of God can derive com- fort from a believing ufe of Chrift. Here the foul dif- covers that Jefus hath not only made fatisfaftion for the guilt of fin, but hath purchafed the Spirit, to break the power of it in his people, and conftantly to enable them to make progrefs in holinefs. — And therefore, at the fame time, that, by reafon of corrup- tions, he goes bowed down, and is diftreffed and humbled, he can go, in faith, to Chrift ; he can lay his corrupt heart and polluted deeds before his feet, and pray, with Hezekiah, 2 Chron. xxx. 18,19. The good Lord pardon me that prep areth my heart to feek God, the Lord God of my fathers, though I he not clean- fed according to the purification of the fanEluary . The foul can further exclaim, blefled Jefus ! thou wert born free from fin that I may be purified from the impurities in which I was born : thou haft purchafed for thy people, the Holy Spirit, to advance them in holinefs. Let that Spirit be difpenfed to me in a high- er degree. Thou knoweft how impotent I am in rny- felf, but with thee there is a fufficiency of ftrength. Let that ftrength go forth from thee to break the power of corruptions in my foul. C. The children of God groan and labour under many burdens, afflictions, and diftrefTes, yea, infinite- ly more than die world imagine. AfFli6lions, either of an external nature, as the hatred, perfecutions, fcof- fings, and railings of the men of the world ; or in- ternal trials, arifing either in themfelves or in their families or relations, are often fo heavy upon them. 96 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. that they muft exclaim, *' Our afflitlions are new ^' every morning." But to all thefe trials the Chrif- tian muft oppofe Chrift, the great Mediator, view- ing him, a. As that perfon who hath taken away the curse from all affliftions, by his fufferings and death ; fo that the trials which believers meet with, will not operate as an evil, and prove prejudicial to them; but as events which will promote their advantage, and tuork together for good to them. b. Yea, the Chriftian in affli6lion muft confideif Chrift as one who underwent himfelf fo many afflic- tions, and was himfelf a man ofjorrows, and acquaint'^ ed with grief; fo that he muft not think it ft range, fee- ing his Head and Lord hath endured fuch trials, that he meets with them too. The fervant is not greater than the mafler ; if the world perf edited hiin, it is not to be wondered at that it oppofes, and often with vio- lence, thofe who are his members; and tongue cannot exprefs, how encouraging and ftrengthening it is for the foul in affli6lion, to fix its eye upon Chrift, and to fay, " Hath Jefus borne fo much, and fhall I, who am ** his difciple, be unwilling to takeup my crofs." c. Yes, the foul muft confider Chrift as a compaf Jionate and merciful high-priefi, who, in the midft of all the affliftions of his people, cafts his eye upon them ; in all their diftrefles is diftrefled, and will be careful that their trials be not greater than they can bear, and that in due feafon they fliall find deliver- ance. d. Yes, as that Jefus, who places himfelf beneath their crofs, to encourage and to comfort them — Who calls to them, faying, " Fear not, for I amivilh ihce; " be not difmayed,for I am thy God ; I will help thee, «' / will flrengthcn thee, I will uphold thee with t/n LECTURE XL 5^ " right hand of my righteoiifnefs," Ifaiah, xli. lo. It is not for nought recorded in facred hiftory, that when the firfl martyr, Stephen, was about to be Ho- ned, he lifted up his eyes andfaw the Lord Jefusfland^ ing at the right hand of God; as one ready to come to his help, and to receive his foul into glory. Afts vii. 56. Thus does Jefus ftand, at the prefent day, at the right hand of the Father, to aflPord divine fup. port to his people in all their affli6lions. D. Befides external affli6lions, the people of God experience internal trials : their fouls are fometimes in the dark, by reafon of divine defertion, and the hidings of the face of God. Hence it is that they are in fear round about, and they mufl complain and fay, Lam. i. 16, Our eyes, our eyes run down with water, hecaufe the comforter thatfJiould relieve our fouls is far from us. How can perfons thus fituated fupport themfelves, and keep their heads above water, but by a believing ufe of Chrift ? By this means they difcover, a. That Chrift is their king, their lord, and their head; with whom, in the moft intimate manner, they are united, hath himfelf drunken the bitter dregs of this cup, when, in the diftrefs of his foul, he cried out, My God, my God, why hafl thou forfaken me? This ferves to fhew them the greatnefs and infinite nature of Jefus' love. — They are led, from the view of this, to fay, " Hath Jefus, our Redeemer, in the chara6lcr *-' of our furety, borne all this diftrefs in his foul that " we may be eternally freed from it ? Has he drunk- en the full cup, and fliall we not tafte the dregs ? This conlideration may ferve as a fupport to the foul in the darkeft hours. b. Again, by a believing application to the Me- diator, they difcover in what manner the Redeemer 98 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. conduced himfelf in the midfl of all his trials : he continued trufting in God. — And hence we can give to the afRi6ted children of God no better advice than by faith to have their fouls firmly direfted to God, to truft in him in darknefs, and with Jefus to fay, my Fa- ther and my God ! c. Then muft believers go to Jefus, and fay, " O *' bleffed Redeemer, was thy diftrefs fo bitter, and *' did it prefs thee down fo low, when thou wert God, " and perfe6lly innocent, and only fufFered as our *' furety ? confider then once how feverely we muft " feel the ftroke, who are fuch finful men, who are " unable to bear the Eternal's frowns and chaftifing "rod; and haft thou not borne affliftions to redeem '* thy people from them? Let therefore, we pray thee, *' this cup pafsfrom us" ^ d. They muft look to the manner in which the fufferings of Jefus terminated, that they may be en- couraged and comforted in their diftrefles : they muft call to mind, that Chrift's diftrefles were brought to an end, and that he hath entered into his glorious kingdom; and that therefore the affliftions of the righteous ftiall not laft forever: they fliall end. Be- lievers then may lift up their heads, and triumph, As furely as he overcame And triumph'd once for you, So furely ye that fear his name Shall triumph in him too. E. The children of God are often called to expe- rience many and fevere afTaults from Satan, the prince of this world: now he feeks to ftagger them, and make them doubtful with refpefl to their ftate : now LECTURE XI. 99 he feeks to hurry them into fin: now he injefts blaf- phemous thoughts, fo that they are fifted as wheat, and forely opprefTed. How can a foul poffibly over- come fuch attacks but by having fellowfhip with the Lord Jefus ? For there is no temptation, however great it may be, but Jefus has experienced it in his own perfon ! When the tempter came to him. Matt. iv. a. He dared to call in queftion his Eternal Son SHIP, ver. 3, Ij thou art the Son of God, com' mand that thefejlones be made bread. Is it then any wonder if he dared to tempt Jefus to doubt of his Sonftiip, that he will tempt the people of God to doubt of their being fons and daughters of God? b. Satan dared to tempt Chrift with refpeft to the PROVIDENCE of God J whcu he faid, cajl thyfelf down, for thou haft the promife, that the angels ftiall bear thee up. ver. 6. Is it then matter of aftonifh- ment, that he fhould endeavour to excite the children of God to diftruft divine Providence ? c. Satan dared to tempt Chrift to idolatry, to fall down and worjhip him, and promifed to make him an ample reward, ver. 8, 9 : is it then to be any longer matter of admiration, that by means of the glittering appear- ances of the world, he fhould feek fo frequently to de- lude and carry away the heart from God, and tempt believers to worlhip the creature inftead of the crea- tor ? How can a foul now oppofe fuch temptations but by refle6ling and reafoning thus, '• Has thepre- " cious Jefus borne all thefe awful and fevere af- " faults of hell ? have the fiery darts, which Satan ** dire'fted againft him, returned into his own bofom, " without injuring the Saviour? has Jefus triumphed " over Satan? certainly then he will not fufFer that '•' his people, who are moft intimately united to him, ter from thxs fountain of falvation : in addition to this we obferve, that it is neceffary for you to have a lively fenfe of your inability and emptinefs : then firfl will you fee how needful it is to have Jefus for all things; and that without him you can do nothing: and fur- ther, fuch a view of yourfelves will ardently prefs you forward to embrace Chrift. — That which often prevents this is, that you lean too much upon your own ftrength. ft is a truth, that the greatcit faint, LECTURE XI. 12^ as well as the one who has progreffed leafl in grace, muft acknowledge, that in themfelves they have no- thing — can do nothing acceptable to God — that they muft wholly look off from felf to jcfus, and to Jefus alone, who muft fave and give them ftrength to do that which is good. They experience, more or lefs, that they have never done any aftion with which God could be pleafed : but, on the contrary, that they are contaminated and defiled by fin ; yea, they are bold to confefs that their very righteoiifnejjes are as jilihy rags. Let us now attempt an improvement of this truly interefting fubjeft. O ! poor, ignorant, blind and carelefs worldlings, whoever you may be ; of all thofe things which we have exhibited, you have no knowledge : for as yet you live v/ithout Chrift; you know not what it is to be united to him by faith, nor what it means to derive ftrength from him. O how great is your unhap- pinefs and mifery : for as it is the height of happinefs, as it is true joy to have fellowfhip with Chrift, and to be a partaker of all his benefits, fo it is mifery in the extreme to be deftitute of thefe, and to have no right to conclude that Jefus is your Saviour: for if you live without Chrift you are without God, with- out the covenant, and without hope in the world ; and your inheritance is everlafting deftrudion : for Chrift is the only name given under heaven, among men, ■whereby we can befaved : he is the only way that leads to happinefs and to God, Or doft thou think, x e m p o r a r v believer, al- mojl Chrijiian, that thy ftate is not fo awful as the ig- norant and fecurc firmer, bccaufe of the profefiion of religion which thou makeft ; or bccaufe that in re- rpe6l to externals thou equallcft, yea, perhaps doft ex- Vol. IL R ' 1x6 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. ceed the people of God ? how falfe is thy foundatiotl on which thou haft been building! — Forwhatevet thou mayeft be, however great thy profeflion, if thou haft not an intereft in Chrift thou art ftill wretched: thou haft never been properly convinced of fin, nor feen that thy beft works before God are polluted. — The Mediator of the covenant hath never, in truth, been precious to thee ; and though thou mayeft have felt feeble wiflies to have an intereft in him, thefe were excited becaufe thou didft feel a defire to be on- ly delivered from the wrath of God, which thou didft behold awaiting thee, and not from a defire to be holy : and this is a clear mark that thou hajl no lot or fart in him. What then wilt thou do at the table of the Lord ? for the end of that ordinance is to con- firm and to feal the fellowfhip of believers with Chrift. All that fulnefs which he is reprefented in the facrament as poflefling, is not for thee : and doft thou, notwithftanding approach? thou wilt not receive any advantage; but wilt eat and d-xink judgment to thyfelf. But, PEOPLE OF God, we muft particularly ad- drefs a word to you to fill you with fliame: you are, it is true, in Chrift: you have an intereft in all his benefits; but whence then comes it to pafs that you, as branches of this vine which affords fap and nourifli- ment fufficient, do not bring forth more fruit ; that ye are fo lifelefs and inaflive ? the fault lies not with Jefus, but with yourfelves; and why do you not bring forth more fruit ? 1. Is it not becaufe your hearts are too much en- amoured of the world, by which the fpirit is grieved, and on account of which his influences are frequent- ly withheld ? The heart of Chriftians is often fo filled with earthly objefts, with care and anxiety, that their thoughts cannot be fet upon heaven* LECTURE XI. ,27 2. You do not make that believing application by- faith to Chrift, to which you are called : it may be that you make a general ufe of him; but you do not apply to him with refpecl to all the individual a6ls of your lives, the difeafes under which you labour, and the particular fins which you have committed, faying, " Great Redeemer! this finful a61; troubles me; here the wound bleeds; this burden opprefles me : O give me grace and flrength to overcome fin, and all the evils which have overtaken me, for thou art able." 3. You undertake to do things, too much depend- ing on thine own flrength ; you are not fufficiently ac- quainted with your impotency, and that without Chrift you can do nothing: and therefore you are put fo frequently to fhame. A view of yourfelves which is the reverfe of this; a feeling fenfe of your being unable to help yourfelves, and an earneft look unto Jefus, would foon lead you to difcover, that in your weaknefs he will perfe6t ftrength. 4. You do not, as you ought, lay open your empty and barren fouls before the fulnefs of Chrift, that he may fill them ; you are not fufficiently anxious to ob- tain his divine influences; you are inclined to live too much without Chrift : and is it then ftrange that he does not beftow upon thee more of his faving be- nefits, and that you bring not forth more fruit ? O come, lift up the hands which hang down, and let the feeble knees be Jlrengthened. — You are now again invi- ted to the table of the covenant; there the fountain of faivation will again be opened to fupply every want : there Chrift is to be feen in all thofe refpefls in which we have exhibited him to you, pi£lured to the life; there is to be beheld in his names, in his glorious oflSces, in both his natures and ftates in which 128 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. he procured and applies falvation.— Approach then to him with confidence ; let not unbehef, or any ill- grounded anxiety keep you back; Jefus offers him- felf and all his fulnefs to you ; open your mouths wide, he will fill them; and though you cannot come with boldnefs, yet come with a diftreffed heart, with a weeping eye and trembling hand. — If you do but de- fne Chrifl you will be an acceptable gueft at his ta- ble; although you muft exclaim, " Lord wc believe ; help our unbelief.' — Yet that voice isfweet, that counte- nance is comely ; and, although it fhould not pleafe him to meet with you, confider it an honour and your higheft privilege that you may continue waiting upon him; go out to meet him; cordially furrender your- felves to him; and, with a believing heart, embrace him as your Lord, your all : then may you be affur- ed that Jefus, who is here made unto you -wifdom, righteoujnejs and Jandijication, fliall be made unto you alfo complete redemption : when, having fubdued all your enemies, he fhall introduce you into that glory which he hath prepared for all that love him. AMEN. '9 3 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT, Lecture XII. ON THE PREPARATION OF THE HEART, WHICH IS NECESSARY, IN ORDER TO A PROFITABLE APPROACH TO THE TABLE OF THE LORD. JMUCH of the profit and blefling to be derived from the ufe of the holy facrament of the Lord's Sup- per, depends on a due preparation for an attendance upon it. With that preparation many pious fouls have but little acquaintance; we therefore conceived it would be of ufe in this ledure to attempt to throw light on a fubjc£l of fuch importance to the Chriftian in every period of the life of faith. Let it, however, be previoufly remarked, that we propofe not to difcufs this point in the mod extenfive man- ner, as much has already been written upon it; nei- ther fhall we enter upon the three principles of felf- examination laid down in the Heidelbergh catechifm, and mentioned alfo in the form of adminiftration of that ordinance; but vre fliall immediately addrefs our- felves to thofe who are partakers of the life of grace in their fouls, with a view to gi\'e them feme direc- 150 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. tions how they muft condufl themfelvcs in preparing for an approach to the table of the Lord ; which will be acceptable to God and profitable to their own fouls. To this end, we fhall, 1. Shew the neceffity there is for believers to pre- pare for commemorating the dying love of Chrifl in the facrament. 2. Point out fome of the obftacles which prevent Chriftians from engaging in fuch preparation, and attempt to remove them out of the way. 3. We fhall endeavour to fhew, in what confifts a due preparation for the Lord's fupper, and give fomc dire£lions concerning it. 4. We fhall attempt to remove the difficulties which might be raifed from any thing which may be advanced in the courfe of this lefture. riRST, We remark that a preparation of heart is NECESSARY, prcvious to coming to the table of the Lord ; and that for the following reafons : 1. Although we may be real Chriftians; although we be, in truth, in covenant with God, and partakers of faith, yet ftill it is certain, whilft we are upon earth we are and we continue finful : although we may have engaged to be for God, and for his fervice, yet an hundred things may intervene to draw off our minds from a fervice and employ fo reafonable and delightful in its nature. — The heart of man is as a weight of lead, which is always inclined naturally to defcend to the earth, and there is a neceffity that it be conftantly drawn upwards to heaven : hence it is no uncommon thing that an eftrangement takes place between God and the foul. Now fhall we hold more intimate communion with God, by means of this feal of the covenant : what is more necelTary, as we have to do with a holy God, than that we ferioufly refle6t LECTURE XII. ,jt and confider in what particulars we hare finned againft Tiim, and alfo how far we have ftrayed from God ; and further, that we confefs our backflidings, left they caufe the Eternal to hide his face from us. 2. Is a preparation of heart neceffary, in order to iiflift us in the difcharge of the principal duties of Chriftianity ? in like manner it is requifite that our hearts be prepared to meet the Eternal in this holy- ordinance; for in the facrament of the fupper, God appears as the God of the covenant, who will hold the moft intimate fellowfhip with his people : here the eye of faith beholds the Lord Jefus offering him- felf with all the riches of his all-fufficiency to his re- deemed : here he exhibits of anew his willingnefs, as the bridegroom, to efpoufe them as his bride, to him- felf, and tobeftow upon them all his treafures. — If then they approach to him in this ordinance, certainly it is reafonable that they, on their fide, be fatisfied ; that they are willing and inclined to give thcmfelves over to the Lord, in the covenant; and how can they be con- vinced that this is the cafe but by a pious and faith- ful examination of their hearts, as in the immediate prefence of God himfelf ? 3. Is it not neceffary to have the heart prepared to approach the fupper, when we confider that the Lord Jefus, the great Mafler of the feaft, is himfelf prefent, to furvey with his omnifcient eye, which tries the hearts and the reins, the guefls who are feated around his board, whether they are arrayed with the true wedding garment, and whether they have approached with fuitable exercifes? Ought not the conviftion that Jefus was prefent, excite in the foul an anxiety, an ardent defire to be in fuch a frame as would be acceptable and pleafmg to him ? 4. To have the heart prepared, is a duty which is 132 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. often enjoined upon us in the word of God. Job xi. 13, If thou prepare thine heart, and Jlr etch out thine hands toward him. — Paul addreffes the Corinthians, faying, 2 Cor. xiii. 5, Examine y ourf elves whether ye be in the faith; prove your own/elves; and this in a particular manner will he have them to do with re- fpefl: to the Lord's Supper; 1 Cor. xi. 28, Let a man examine himfelf, and Jo let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. 5. To have the heart prepared when we wait upon God at the Redeemer's table, is attended with peculiar advantages to the people of God. When believers have been engaged in preparing to meet their God, previous to the adminiflration of the ordinance, they have in their fweet experience generally found that God has been prefent with them in a remarkable manner, manifefling his love, and, as it were, faying, " As ye have been taking me for your covenant God, and in fecret have declared that ye are my people, fo I will betroth you unto me for ever, in righteoufnefs and judgment, in faithfulnefs and in loving kindnefs, and declare that / will be your God ; and as a further teflimony ofthis, I now put the feal into your hands." But if, on the other hand, they at any time have ap- proached without due preparation, and in a carelefs manner, what reafon have they had of complaining of their deadncfs, and of their want of zeal and affec- tion. 6. Preparation for the Lord's Supper has been praftifed among Chriflians in the former ages of the church, and they were peculiarly attentive to this part of duty. — It is true, in the times of the apoflles this was not fo ncccflary ; for it appears that then the zeal and ardour of Chriilians were fo great, and their walk fo tender and ciicumfpccl, that they were always in a 4 LECTURE XII. ,3j fituation to commemorate Jefus* dying love; there- fore the table was every week fpread, and on every returning Sabbath believers ate and drank in remem- brance of him : but no fooner did this zeal begin to cool in the church, than particular feafons for prepa- ration for the ordinance were fet apart; and previous to the adminillration of this facrament, the pradice of delivering fermons applicable to the occalion was firfl introduced. Our SECOND fubje6l was to point out and to at- tempt to remove fome of the obftacles which hinder the people of God in preparing to meet with their Redeemer at the holy fupper. I. There is no greater obftacle in their way, nor any thing hinders the progrefs of believers in making a fuitable preparation than this, that they feek, by every mean, to put off from time to time com- mencing this important bufinefs : " at fome future period," fay they, " we will begin to prepare; it is yet time enough :" although the minifters of the gof- pel, with a view that they might prepare to meet their God, have already for fome weeks given public notice of the time of the adminillration of the ordinance, yet they fay, '* we cannot undertake it nov\r, but in the following week we will certainly begin." — It arrives; they again poftpone it from day to day; they have many avocations ; they cannot think of doing it in the midft of their prefTmg cares; the confequence is, that it often happens that they have not left for pre- paring, perhaps not a fingle day, yes, perhaps not even a fingle hour. Would to God that his people would learn to confider this habitual procraftination as a fecret artifice of Satan; that they would be con- tinually upon their guard againft his temptations, Vol. II. S 134 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. which tend to excite them to put ofF to a future day their preparing for commemorating the love of their dying Lord; and that they would redeem that pre- cious time, which God in his providence is affording them for this purpofe. 2. But when they are hindered providentially by a neceflary attention to their worldly concerns, then Satan, that cruel and artful enemy, brings another obftacle in the way, and endeavours to make the Chriftian believe that it is now too late; and that there is more work to do than can be done in fo ftiort a time. — The language of the tempter is, " If thou wilt now prepare, the work will be altogether in vain : thou oughteft to have improved thy time bet- ter." By this mean the heart is diflurbed, and the time which they ftill would have, pafTes by, and the folemn bufmefs is not entered upon. — The fame ar- tifice he ufes when firfl: the fmner is converted to God : as foon as the fmner begins to think that he niuft change his ways, in order to pleafe God, then fays he, " it is yet time enough; thou art ftill young, and health blooms on thy countenance." — But does the fmner liften to his voice, fo fweetly charming, and does he poftpone to fome more convenient feajon feeking an intereft in Chrift, then the language of Satan is, " Now it is for ever too late; thou haft wait- ed too long;" and thus the poor fmner becomes filled with fore diftrefs, and is afraid to go to God. — The fame artifice he yet employs, efpecially in the matter of preparation for the Lord's table : for as he knows how great the comfort, and how inexprefiible the fa- tisfaftion which arifes from having the heart prepared and exercifed in a fuitable manner, he therefore en- deavours to make believers trifle with their time, and fuffer It to pafs on infenfibly, without a becoming im- LECTURE XII. J 3^ provement of it. — And is their time thus taken up with every thing but that to which they ought moft to attend ? then he fo difturbs their fouls that they are rendered incapable of attempting to do that which otherwife they might have commenced with profit in the ftrength of Jefus : we believe many can atteft the truth of this from their own experience: and is this the cafe with you ? humble yourfelves before the Lord, on account of your being fo deeply immerfed in earthly concerns, that you have fo little time left for God : but ftill let not your confidence be fhaken; improve the few moments you may have left, and if you cannot engage in all the parts of preparation, at- tend to the moft neceffary, and thus difappoint the ad- verfary of your fouls. 3. If we attentively inveftigate the condu6l of the enemies of our falvation, it will be found that they are never more a6live in feeking to draw off the heart from God, and to place obftacles in the way of the Chriftian, than either immediately before or at the adminiftration of the Lord's Supper. The DEVIL, who, as he is always going about feeking to lead by his artifices and temptations be- lievers aftray, evidences alfo his enmity, when they would prepare to come before their God by an ap- proach to the holy fupper. Do the people of God retire in fecret and feparate themfelves from the world, and enter into the prefence of the Lord ? at fuch times he is bufy to difturb their minds, and oftentimes to caufe their thoughts fo to wander and be fcattered, that chey cannot, with any fatisfadion, engage in fe- cret prayer or other becoming exercifes. As the com- munion Sabbath approaches, he feeks to make them dread its arrival, and tempts them to view it as a day of fadnefs inftead of contemplating it as a day of fa- 136 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. tisfa£lion and delight. ^ — They dare not form a judg- ment with refpe6l to their ftate, but are toiTed on the tempeftuous ocean of unbelief, and thus become unfit for every duty. The WORLD fet in motion by Satan, next comes forward, and brings every difficulty in the way to hinder the people of God in preparing to draw nigh to him in the facrament. — Is it not oftentimes found, that about the time when this ordinance is to be ad- miniftered, the one or the other thing arifes, and difturbs the foul; and a variety of circumllances take place, which, at other feafons, never once entered into the believer's thoughts : by this means his mind is diftrafted and led off from God; and thus again he is unfitted to engage in the work of preparation which is fo interefting and important. Againff the v\^orld the children of God muft efpecially be on their guard, as againft a moll artful and defigning enemy. — They ought not to yield to its allurements, but endeavour through grace to refift it : for the more they yield to its feduftions, the worfe it will be for them. Let them then, as much as poffi- ble, lay afide the objects of time, feeing that now they are called to engage in bufmefs of infinitely more im- portance. Yes, SIN, which clwdldh in us, is not inaftive: it often is obferved, that the foul, about the time of communion, falls into this or the other fin; then it is immediately difturbed : then its confidence is gone : then it dares not go to God : then it knows not where to begin, and is defpondent i^ftead of arifing and re- turning to the Lord by confeffion and repentance. Does any perfon alk, " what muft I do, and how atl, when ailaulted by all thefe enemies?" Weadvifc you, LECTURE XII. 13^ a. Not to be alarmed beyond meafure when they thus make oppofltion to you; confider that they al- ways fliew their enmity moll when thou art feeking to deftroy their power. Set thyfelf, Chriftian, in bat- tle array againft them, and by every mean endeavour to overcome them. h. Dofl thou find thyfelf unable to make a com- plete refiftance? look up to God ; call in the flrength of Chrift ; feek to ftrengthen thy heart with grace : acknowledge that thou haft need of fupport from the Lord; and go forward to the combat in the might and power of Jehovah alone. c. And if it fo happen, that the one or the other enemy obtain any advantage over thee, ftill let thy courage be kept up, and be not too foon nor too much dilheartened; but confider with thyfelf that, as upon all thy duties, thou muft write, " I am un- qualified to dif charge any of them aright, in confe- qicence of Jin, which continues to cleave to me ;" in like manner, confcious of thine inability to meet God ac- ceptably at his table; in the ftrength of thy Mafter, prepare to approach the ordinance, with a vi^w of feeking to obtain a fenfe of pardon, and alio ftrength to refift fin, Satan, and the world. 4. Another obftacle which prevents the people of God from a fuitable preparation, is, that many are in the finful pra6lice of keeping away from the table of tKe Lord for the moft trivial reafons. The one has a controverfy with his neighbour; anofher is in diftref- fed external circumftances, which wholly occupy his foul. A third has fo much temporal bufinefs on hand that he can take no time for retiring alone, for the purpofe of engaging in this work. — A fourth has to wreftle with this or with the other corruption which he cannot overcome, and this prevents the ex- fjS THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. ercife of confidence : a fifth feels himfelf not in a be- coming frame ; he is dull and lifelefs ; and on this ac- count is in fear left his heart is not fincere, and doubts of his right to the ordinance. — What is the confe- quence of this ? they each determine not to approach, and thus conceive that there is no immediate need to prepare for it. But we alk you, a. Should fuch things hinder you from difcharging your duty to your Redeemer God ? does it lay with yourfelves to go or to flay from the Lord's table ? hath not the Lord Jefusfaid, do this in remembrance of me ? — And are you then at liberty to negleft this facrament ? would not this be to difobey the dying command of your Jefus ? b. And although it were true that you were kept back by reafon of lawful impediments, ftill, on your fide, you ought to endeavour to be prepared; your fouls ought to experience forrow, becaufe of your being prevented from drawing near : but befides this, it behoves you to be much alone, and renew your obligations to be the Lord's, and with patience wait to fee what God will do. 5. But, fays another, " even though I would pre- pare to approach the table, yet I am fo unfit for the work that I know not where to begin or where to end : when I fet myfelf about it, then I ftand at a lofs how to proceed :" but neither does this difcharge thee from thy duty ; thou haft fufficient opportunity of being inftrif61ted in this matter, and thou art bound to make it thy bufinefs to afcertain what is required of thee. — Or is it true that thou art ignorant, and haft bat little opportunity to exercife thyfelf in this work? we remark, that the Lord does not demand of thee what he requires of others, who have enjoyed greater advantages : but ftill it is thy duty to evidence that LECTURE XII. ' ,55, thou art fincere and in earneft. — Say then, " I will prefent myfelf unto God; I will fall down before him with all my fms; and come before him juft as I am, and declare before him that I delight in him, and that he is my witnefs how ready I am to have the preparation of heart to meet him. — I will look to him for his fpirit and ftrength to influence my foul." In this way thou wouldfl manifeft thy fmcerity; and the Lord, who knows all thy circumftances and frames, would not leave himfelf to be without a wit- nefs. 6. Laftly, another perhaps will fay, " I have in- deed been engaged in preparation, and I conceived I was in a good frame : I was lively and animated, and yet when I came to the table I experienced but little benefit : it was as if every thing was taken from me ; and again I went forward, without preparation, and I enjoyed fuch comfort that I could fay, it was good for me to be there : would it not then be better that I fliould go to the table again, unprepared as I am to approach ? for I fee that my comfort in going for- ward does not depend on my having made great pre- paration." We reply to this queftion, that it is both fmful and extremely abfurd to reafon in this manner: would a fon who has deferved the rod at his father's hand, but, inflead of being chaftifed, receives from him careffes and the moft gentle treatment, abufe the kindnefs of his father, and fay, " Becaufe my father hath been fo gracious and kind, I will go on oppofing his commands, and continue to merit his difpleafure." Ought not his tendernefs rather to produce fhame and confufion of face, and excite a more faithful difcharge of his duty ? and fhouldft thou then fay, that be- caufe God, thy Father, when thou cameft unprepar- ed, hath embraced thee in the moft afFeclionate man- 143 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. ner, " I will, without giving myfelf the trouble of preparing, always go thus to the table ?" To reafon and to acl in this way, befpeaks a want of affeftion, and the bafeft ingratitude. Doft thou then aflc, why is it that the Lord meets in love at times with one who is unprepared, whilft others are left to experience barrennefs and much life- leflfnefs, after having flriven to the utmofl to prepare to meet their God ? Jehovah hath holy reafons for dealing with his people after this fort. a. God deligns. by fuch a conduft, to glorify in the higheft the fovereignty of his grace; for, were he always to meet in friendfhip with his children, when they fuppofed that they had prepared their hearts to meet him, they might be induced to think that the bleffing depended on that circumftance; but now he will Ihew them that whilft they are bound to the means, he himfelf is free to impart his grace to whom and whenever it fliall pleafe him. h. On the contrary, he meets with the foul when it is not prepared with the preparation of the fanftuary, to make it aftiamed of its conduQ by his kindnefs to it. Histendercondud fpeaks this language; "Have I given thee to enjoy fo much of my favour before thou foiighteft me ? what grace hadft thou not reafon to exped, if thou hz»dft evidenced that my favour had been thy greateft defire ?" And therefore let no one confider this method of God's dealing, as an excitement to carelefTnefs : we are always bound to ufe the means, and leave the bleffing for God to beftow, in his own beft time and way. We have thus feen the hindrances which are in the^ way of the people of God, to keep them from pre- LECTURE All. 1^1 paring for the Lord's Supper, and have alfo endea- voured to remove them. Let us now examine our third fubje6l, which was, to give fome direQions with rerpe6l to thofe things with which we ought to employ ourfelves in preparing for the holy facrament of the fupper. It mull be, however, previoufly remarked here, that it is not our intention to raife difficulties in the mind of any perfon; and therefore let none be filled with any apprehenfions that he hath not come aright to the table of the Lord, becaufe he may not have been ex- ercifed juft in thfe fame manner as we are now^ about to point out. — We only intend to exhibit to you the means which ought to be ufed, without afferting that every child of God, in every cafe, is abfolutely bound to them : for poffibly the fituation and circumftances of many will not admit the obfer]|jance and trial of them all. — If we are confcious that our omitting to ufe them proceeds not from negligence and inattention, we may be fatisfied ; for the Lord knowcth the heart. In fpeaking on the fubje£C before us, we fhail at- tend to the five following things : 1. Enquire whether it be ufeful and necefiary to fet apart a particular day for fasting and prayer. 2. Mention fome things which ought to be the fub- jedls of our holy meditation when we engage in pre- paring for the fupper of the Lord. 3. Shew that the principal part of this preparation, confifts in a folemn renewal of the covenant with God. 4. Enquire whether it would be ufeful to keep an account or regifter of our experiences between one communion Sabb;th and another, 5. Shew how wi: or.ght to be adorned in ordef to Vol. IL T 142 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. meeting with the Lord in a becoming manner at his table. First, Do any afli whether it would be ufeful for a Chriftian, before, and on the occasion of the adminiftration of the fupper, to fet apart a particular day for fading and prayer, and for humbling himfelf before the Lord ? we anfwer the queflion in the affirm- ative : but left any ftiould be unnecellarily alarmed at this affertion, we muft obferve, that we are aware that there may exift many difficulties, which may pre- vent the difcharge of this duty. — P'orinftance, it will be faid, " This duty may eafily be attended to by the head of a family ; but, in cafe he is not one that fears the Lord, and any of the inferiors in the fame houfe attempt to engage in it, they would meet with much oppofition : yes, they would be frequently ri- diculed, treated witi|p contempt and fcorn, and be viewed by others as hypocrites." — Under fuch cir- eumftances the obfervance of fuch a day would be rather prejudicial than advantageous. — To thofe who are thus fituated, we remark, that every one muft duly attend to his peculiar fituation, and con- fider the ftation and relation in life in which the Lord hath fet him. If the obfervance of a day of fafting and prayer would not tend to advance the glory of God, it is beft to omit it : but, if we earneftly defire to fet apart fuch a day, and we cannot do it in as public a manner as we would wiffi, without giving off"ence, we ought ftill to do it more privately : for, in foci, the more fecretly it can be done, the better; and the more pleafing it will be to God. We may engage in the bufinefs of our families, and take care of our temporal concerns as ufual; and yet, at the fame time, the heart go out to God in prayer and fup- plication: and, although the world fhould notice that LECTURE XII. ,43 our hearts were afFeded and tender, no matter ; or rather, fo much the better ; for then, without {peak- ing a word, we would be able to convince them of the caufe. — We fee a lively inflance of this in Nehe- miah; when his heart was overwhelmed with forrovx--, and his foul was engaged in praj'er to his God, he did not fay, " I cannot any longer be the king's cup- bearer;" but he continued faithful in the dii'chargeof his diity to his fovereign; and when the king law that his countenance exhibited marks of a diftrelfed mind, he, afked him the reafon: at that very time his heart was engaged in praj^er : fee Neh. ii. We may do the fame. — Let us fet apart a day for ourfeh'cs, and feek to bring and keep our hearts in a praying frame : on fuch occafions let us take lei's food than ufual: if we cannot altogether abftain from our daily work, let us take as much time as poihbly we can to be in fecret with our God, and thus ftiew to him, even though it fhould be but for a few moments, our countenances confefs before him that he is the dehre and the delight of our fouls. — None can tell but thofe who have experienced it, how agreeable it is to be thus exercifed alone with our God: to pafs a day, previous to our commemorating Jefus' dying love, in fafting and prayer, is ufeful; for we evidence, by the obfervance of fuch days, that we defire to be humbled before God, on account of the fins of our lives and of our hearts : but this duty, alas ! is too much ne-" gle6ted. — Yes, by too many it is not even thought of, except only on the occafion of obfcrving thofe days which are publicly appointed by the magi fl rate. — That it is a duty, not only the faints under the Old, but alfo thofe under the New Tcflament have taught us. — The Lord jefus indeed condemned the'impious falls of the Pharilees, but, at the fame time, he gave H+ THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. diieftions as to the manner in which men ought to faft, and thus taught us that it is a duty which is obhgatory upon Chriftians. Matt. vi. 16, 18. — The apoflles, on particular occafions, prayed to God -with fa/ling : and Paul, in his epiflle to the Corinthians, alfo fiiews that it was praclifed by the church. 1 Cor. V. 7. — The primitive Chriflians were much engaged in this work : but finee zeal and earneftnefs in reli- gion have fo much departed from the church, this uletul part of divine fervice is, alas ! awfully ne- glefled. And, can any reafon be afligned, why fafting and prayer fliould not be ufeful on the occafion of the Lord's Supper, fmce, by reafon of fin, there exifts fuch a diflance between God and the foul ? How reafonable is it to confefs ouar departure from the_ Lord, and to humble purMves in the loweft duft before him \ If we obferved more the duties of faft- ing and prayer, we would not only evidence the fmcerity of our profefFion, and our anxious concern for enjoying the favour and prefence of God in our approach to the table, but we conceive that God himfelf would, on his part, make more frequent and more full difcoveries of his gracious prefence £0 the foul. But, notwithftanding we recommend the obfer- vance of thofe duties, we would remark, that we ought to condu6l ourfelves, in the difcharge of them, with circumfpedlion, according as time and opportu- nity permit. Neither mull any perfon think, that becaufe he hath never fct apart fuch a day, he therefore hath not attended the Lord's table with profit and advan- tage. A fentiment of this kind is abfurd in the ex- treme : for we have already aiferted, that fafting and LECTURE XII. 145 prayer are at beft but means, and not fo abfolutely neceffary, that, unlefs we ufe them, we cannot re- ceive the bleffing. Is it now aflced by any perfon who is inchned to engage in thefe duties, and finds that he can perform them in his family or in private, without being inter- rupted, " How he may, with the moft advantage, conduft himfelf on a day of fading and prayer ?" — - we anfwer, that he may bed pafs the day on this wife : It may be begun with focial prayer ; in which the fins, cfpecially thofe of the family, mull be con- feffed, and the foul be led to look for pardon and for- givenefs in the blood of Chrifl : — which fhould be accompanied with renewed refolutions, in the flrength of the Lord, to walk more tenderly before God. In the next place, each member fhould feek to animate and quicken the other by pious converfation, and by finging the praifes of God, in pfalms, and hymns, and Jpiritual Jongs. This being done, let each one retire in fecret : — having entered into his clofet, let his heart be raifed up to God, to feek his afiiflance and divine influences : — then let him enter upon a faithful exa- mination of himfelf: — after fuch examination, it will next be proper to confefs all thofe (ins with which he finds himfelf to be chargeable before the Lord,^ — the hidden fins of the heart, with the innumerable tranf- greflions of his life, the fmall advancement he has made in grace; in a word, all his fins, known and unknown, in all their aggravated circum fiances, mud be laid open before God: — with humility the gra- cious pardon of them mufl; be foui^ht; and with ear- neftncfs, renewed grace, to mortify remaining corrup- tions, mufl; be folicited. Again, on fuch a Iblemtt occafion, a portion of the time fhould be employed \a reading the word of God, or the writings of pious 146 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. and experimental men ; — but above all, a renewal of covenant with God, by a folemn furrender of the foul to him, fliould not be neglefled. Thefc fecret duties having been attended to, let the exercifes of the day terminate with focial prayer. Were we thus to condufl;, we would evidence that God was our chief joy, and his fervice our fu- preme delight. The realbns why perfons are fo op- pofed to obferving fuch days, are, becaufe the work appears too arduous, and they feel in themfclves an unfitnefs to engage in it. But, be affured, if we only were to commence it, in the flrcngth of the Lord, we would not find it fo difficult as we have conceived it to be, but would experience much comfort and joy in its profecution. The fecond thing which we aflerted to be neceffary and ufeful, in preparing for an approach to the table of the Lord, was, holy meditation on fubjetls heavenly and divine. This is a duty, at all times neceifary. We mufl not only engage in it on particular occafions, but it ought to be made the bufmefs of every day. We are of opinion, that if a perfon has but one half an hour to retire in fecret to pray, it would be profitable that the one half of that period be fpent in holy con- templation and felf-converfe : for, coming immediately from our worldly employment, the mind is not fuita- bly prepared to addrefs the throne of grace ; — the thoughts have need to be collcfted, and called in from wandering to the ends of the earth. Is it not, then, reafonable, before we come into the prefence of God, that we confider the folemnities in which we are about to be engaged ;— that we call to mind the majefty of that God, into whofe prefence we are about to enter: — that we refletl on our unworthi- LECTURE XIl. 1^7 nefs I — and enquire, with becoming ferioufnefs, what it is we want of the Lord ? If fuch meditation be neceffary every day, it mufl be efpecially fo, on the occafion of approaching the table of the Lord. But to this, many will objeft, — " We have no *' qualifications to engage in fuch meditation : we *' know not where to begin, nor where to end : and *' were we to undertake it, it would be in a manner *' fo confufed and irregular, that it would not be ac- " ceptable to God ; and we ourfelves would not de- *' rive any benefit from it." But on this we remark, that it may be that you are ill qualified to engage in a work of fo great importance ; but is this a reafon why you fliould wholly neglecl the jduty ? When you were firfl converted to God, were you then qualified to pray, and did you there think it proper to negle£l calling upon your God? Certainly not. Did you not then wreflle with God day after day ? Were you not then frequently en- gaged in pleading for grace, even though you had never learned nor known before what prayer was ? Who taught you then to pray, but God himfelf, by his Spirit ? — Well — That fame God can and will qualify you to difcharge this Chriftian duty alfo. Only feek him for his aid, and apply to the work/ depending on him for fuccour in every part of it. Do you aflc for counfel and direftion, in What manner you may engage and proceed in this b"i5n»efs with profit ? — We anfwer : 1. There are many books written on the fubjeft of the Lord's Supper : take up fome one of them, and fele6l fuch parts from it for perufal, as arc mod ufeful to aflift you in your meditations : read them with attention, again and again. Or you may re- 148 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. ceive afliflance in this work from your fellow Chrif- tians. 2. When you have fixed on a fuitable fubje6t for meditation, immediately reflefl with ferioufnefs and- care upon it; but never attempt it without prayer and fupplication to God for his help, acknowledging, at the fame time, that you are infufficient of yourfelves to difcharge any duty, much lefs one, which in its nature is fo interefting and important. 3. And, do you fay that your thoughts are con- ftantly diverted, now by this, and prefently by a cir- cumftance quite diflFerent; in confequence of which every thing is confufion within ? — or that, when retired alone, you are unqualified for meditating, through fluggifhnefs and ina6livity of body ? To re- medy this evil, it might be proper to purfue your meditations while you walk your chamber; and, to prevent wandering thoughts, it might be profitable to mingle with your meditations, mental prayer to God, converfe with yourfelves, or with a Chriftian friend. And we may venture to affure you, that they who attempt holy meditation, notwithftanding bodily indifpofitions of this kind, would foon difco- ver, that God will not leave hwifelf without a wit?iefs, but give them the ftrength which they need, for the difcharge of a duty of fo much moment. Do you now aflc, " What ought to be the fubje61: ' " of our pious meditations, that our thoughts may " be profitably employed ?" — Here a wide field opens to our view ; and fuch an abundance of matter prefents itfelf, that, in replying to the quellion, many things muft necefifarily be emitted, which it might otherwife be ufeful to men- tion. We will, however, call your attention to the LECTURE XII. ,49 following particulars, as fubjefts proper for medita- tion, previous to an approach to the table of the Lord. 1. Divine and revealed truths in general. 2. Thofe in particular, which refpe61; the Lord's Supper, 3. Thofe which regard ourfelves. Firft, with refpeft to divine and revealed- truths in general. Let the triune God, Father, Son, and Ho- ly Ghofl, as each one of thefe divine perfons is ex- hibited in the plan of grace, become the fubjeft of your ferious and frequent contemplation. 1. Meditate, before your approach to the table, much upon God the Father, who, though he is exalted infinitely above us and all creatures, and is fo full of majefty and glory, that man cannot add any thing to render him more perfe(5t, — yes, who is fo holy and righteous, that in virtue of his holinefs he muft have punifhed the finner with eternal de- ftruclion from his prefence, — yet he hath had from eternity fuch thoughts of love and compaffion to- wards the tranfgreffors of his law, that he hath chofen fome of them, in Chrifl, to be vejjcls of mercy, and given them to his Son, that he„ as furcty, might re- deem them ; — that he hath made known, in time, this eternal purpofe of grace, and revealed himfelf to be a God of falvation, who will glorify all his per- fe£lions in promoting their felicity ; — tliat he hath fent his Son, his only begotten and beloved Son, into the world, the confideralion of which m4.eie Chrifl himfelf to exclaim with aflonifliment, God hath fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son ! John iii. 16. Contemplate this love; it may, as it often docs, produce the happy elFeO: of making your hearts go out in returns of love to him. Vol, n. u I50 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. 2. Attentively confider the Lord Jesus. Be- hold ! how from eternity he undertook to be our furety, and faid ; Deliver them jrom going down into the pit: I have found a ranfom, Job xxxiii. 24; — how for the love he bore to linners, he came into the world, in the form of a fcrvant, and took upon him our flefh and blood ; yes, how he fuflPered and died, that he might redeem his people from everlafting death ! Contemplate him in his mediatorial perfec- tions and beauty — He is altogether lovely ; lovely in his PERSON, in his names, offices, natures, and states; — lovely in all his riches and benefits ;vhich he bellows. When you have duly confidered each of thefe fubjecls, you will find matter fufficient for meditation. 3. Confider God the Holy Ghost. Call to mind, that it is he who applies to each of the ele6l, from time to time, the falvation purchafed by Chrift; that it is he who makes thofe who are dead to arife to life, who brings thofe that are afar off near to God, who unites them to Jefus, and puts them in poflef- fion of all thofe bleffings which he hath purchafed for them. Having thus meditated on the triune God, let your thoughts next run upon the covenant of grace, with its appendages. Confider the parties; the ever bleffed God, and the poorfinner; the Medi- ator in all his glories, in his ability and willingnefs to fave finners; the Spirit, as one who inclines the finner to accept of the covenant. The terms of the covenant, how reafonable ! how fuitable ! how necef- fary ! The promises, how delightful, comfortable, and calculated to fupport the foul! The seals of the covenant, what fure and excellent means to ani- mate, to keep alive the principle of faith ! Confider LECTURE XII. ,^i alfo, with peculiar care, the seal which is exhi- bited in the Lord's Supper, and refleft : 1. What a great and precious privilege it is, that you, who are fo miferable, dead, and derervino they belong to the lower claffes of fociety — yea, are they among the poor and needy — and are their bodies clothed with the meaneft garments, provided they be clean and decent ? let them not, on this account, keep back from the table. God looketh upon the heart. If that be enriched with grace, it is acceptable in his fight. If communicants be but poor in fpirit, God will look with compla- cency upon them, whatever may be their exterior garb. 2. As pious communicants proceed from their homes to the place of public worfhip, let them be careful to maintain a composed, humble, and TRANQUIL frame; and to this end avoid, as much as poffible, all converfation with thofe they meet, efpecially fuch as would lead the mind aftray. Let them ailb be on tlicir guard agaiult permitting their LECTURE Xlir. ',fi eyes to rove abroad. By idle converfation, and an attention to external objeds, we are in great dan- ger of having our hearts drawn off from things hea- venly and divine. As we cannot, at the fame time, contemplate different objefts, it is certain, that if our attention be direfted to things temporal, thofe which are fpiritual will efcape our view ; and Satan, who is an artful foe, improves every opportunity to miflead us. He places himfelf in the midft of us, when wc appear in the prefence of the Lord, and it is a matter of perfect indifference to him by what means he di- verts us from duty. It will therefore be expedient, in the prefent cafe, to keep ourfelves collefted within ourfelves, without paying any further attention to .others than what common courtefy requires. 3. Departing from their houfes, pious communi- cants may very applicably call to mind the words of .David, Pf. xlv. 10, Hearken, 0 daughter, and in- -line thine ear : forget aljo thine oxvn people and thy father s hoife : fo Jhall the king greatly defre thy beauty — And fay, " As we leave our houfes, fo it is the defire of our hearts to leave our fins behind us : as Ifrael left Egypt, and Lot left Sodom without looking back, we would forfake all worldly cares, and employ ourfelves in feeking thofe things which are above." But, THIRDLY, let US enquire how pious commu- nicants fliould deport themfelves during the per- formance of DIVINE fervice. 1. Let them repair in feafon to the hou fc of God, that they may engage in his worfhip from its com- mencement. To the fhame of many be it fpoken, that the finful cuftom obtains, as well on communion fabbaths as on ordinary occafions, of appearing at a late hour in the courts of the Lord ; as if they con- i82 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. ceived, that what precedes the fermon conftitutes no part of divine worfliip. We are aware that fome, whofe families are large, may be prevented ; and in fuch it may be pardonable : but many alfo, from mere cuftom, and with defign, enter not within the houfe of God until the minifter has commenced fpeaking. Such conduft not only deprives the per- fons themfelves of the preceding parts of the fervice, but tends to difturb others, and therefore is highly unbecoming, yea, fmful, and fhould be amended, efpecially on a communion fabbath. 2. Having entered into the houfe of God, and be- ing feated, let pious communicants guard againft Gve- ry fpecies of affectation; fuch as hanging down the head, diftorting the countenance, audible fighs, and the like. This is oflFenfive to others, and is not pleafmg to God. We cannot here refrain from re- marking, with the pious and celebrated Brahel, when fpeaking on this fubjeft, — " Be afhamed," fays he, " of that affeftation, which favours fo much of hy- " pocrify, and is difagreeable both to the pious and *' ungodly." No, beloved, the Lord regards the heart. Every kind of afFeftation proceeds often more from habit than from the affeftions of the heart. But we would not be underftood to fpeak againft a grave and ferious deportment ; nor would we infi- nuate, that, under lively impreiTions of divine truth, it is unbecoming to difcover any fenfible emo- tions. On the contrary, when thefe are fincere and una£Fe£led, they may have the happy tendency of exciting the afFcftions of others. We only fpeak againft that kind of afte£tation with which the world and even the pious themfelves are oft'ended. 3. Pious communicants muft 'engage in all the PARTS of divine fervice; and not conceive, that if LECTURE XIII. jg^ any part does not agree with their particular frames, or is not adapted immediately to their cafes, it is therefore useless to them. No: let them cordially engage in the whole of the fervice : every part of it may be profitable to them, and afford fomething pe- culiarly adapted to their very cafe. When they hear the word of God read, and particularly fuch parts of it as are ufually read on a communion fabbatb, this may be a mean of exciting their love to its divine Author. When they fing his praifes, they may be enabled to make melody in their hearts to the Lord. When the minifler begins to pray for a bleffing, — when he pleads for divine affiftance, — let them fub- join their entreaties that he may be aided in the dif- charge of his duty, and become to them a faithful fleward of the myfleries of God. While he prays for the congregation, let them cordially unite in thofe fupplications, and thus join in the communion of faints ; and then, if the Lord may be pleafed, in an- fwer to thefe prayers, to quicken and animate his miniftering fervants, the fouls of his people may be duly aflFefted and edified. Let them beware of wan- dering thoughts, even though they may be good thoughts; attend to all the truths which are deH- vered; apply them to themfelves, and efpecially, when the marks of grace are laid down, let them examine their hearts by them. By this they may be both encouraged and confirmed. We now proceed to the fourth point, namely, the MANNER in which communicants are to deport themfelves, that they may hear with advantage the FORM of the adminiftration of the Lord's Supper read.* We obfei-ve, in general, that their minds lliould * See^this form In the Appendix. i84 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. be attentive during that exercife. It is improper to be employed in reading portions from the word of God, or any other book, as the praftice of many is ; but they fhould ferioufly refleft on all the parts of that form, as it is laid in order before them, which may prove greatly to their edification. For, in that form of adminiftration, 1. We have the truth eflablifhed, that the facra- ment of the Lord's Supper is a divine inflitution ; that Chrift hath inftituted it in remembrance of him ; that it is not only a duty incumbent on the people of God to wait upon him in that ordinance, but that, upon good grounds, they may expeft to receive a bleffing, feeing they approach on the warrant and command of Chrift himfelf. 2. The form of adminiftration further exhibits three things as requifites in every perfon who ap- proaches the table of the Lord ; and every one ought to afk himfelf, — Can I fay amen to them all ? Have I any knowledge of the number and a g c r a^ VAT ED NATURE of MY SINS? Darc I fay, that God has not fhewed me to myfelf; nor given me a fight of my fins, and the curfe due to me for them ? Have I not confefled them with ftiame ? Have I not, on accpunt of them, often been as a worm before God, and been overwhelmed with a view of my unworthi- nefs ? Have I good ground to believe, that all my SINS are forgiven me for the sake of Christ ? Do I not remember how lovely and pre- cious Jefus was to my foul, when I faw myfelf a condemned creature before God ? Yes; I cannot but declare, that I then left all and followed him ; I made him my refuge and hiding-place ; and by faith caft myfelf on the arms of his everlafting love ; that by him I might become a partaker of his falvation. LECTURE XIII. ,85 I know too, what a defire and puipofe of heart I have had, in the name and ftrength of the Lord, to BE HOLY, to mortify fin, and thus to govern myfelf all the days of my life, that I might fhew true thank- fulnefs to God, and walk uprightly before him ; and becaufe I love God who hath begotten, I alfo love thofe who are begotten of him; and have therefore LAID ASIDE, UNFEIGNEDLY, ALL HATRED AND ENMITY AGAINST MY NEIGHBOUR, and, aS mUCh as poffible, defire to walk in peace with all men. 3. Do we hear fet forth in that excellent form of adminiftration, the fins and offences which deprive perfons of their right of approaching to the table ? this may excite the foul to gratitude, and lead it to fay, " Lord ! by thy grace I have been preferved in a great meafure from thofe grofs fins ; and when I may have offended in any of thofe points, upon a convic- tion of my offences, I confeffed them before thee, fled to the blood of Chrifl for pardon, and through thy grace and Spirit, have had the power of them broken." 4. Does the form obferve, that communicants do not come to the table to declare that they ARE WITHOUT SIN; but on the Contrary, do they teflify THAT THEY SEEK THE PARDON OF SIN OUT OF THEMSELVES IN Jesus Christ, and from his Spirit, flrength to make oppofition to it ? — this may ferve to encourage and comfort thofe who, feeling the power of corruption, would often fland afar off, and be afraid of approaching, — and caufe them to fay, *' Lord ! thou art my witnefs, that I come to this ordinance to experience the virtue of Jefus' blood, which cleanjcth from all fin ; to give my unclean heart to him, that he may purfy me from all filthinefs cf the fcfJi andfpirit. Thou knowcfl i86 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. how much fin is my grief and burden, and how ftrong my defires are, through thy grace, to war againft it." 5. Does the form of adminiftration reprefent the principal obje6l of the Lord's Supper to be, tore- member Christ, and to shew forth his DEATH ? — here we are led ferioufly to contemplate all thofe bitter pains and fufFerings of foul and body, which Jefus, on account of fin, and from the love he bore to fmners, hath endured, that they might be SAVED from THE wrath of God; yea, that he gave himfelf over unto death, to deliver them from everlasting destruction. When the pious communicant contemplates all this with appli- cation to himfelf, it may be a happy mean of pro- ducing in the foul love both ardent and fincere to God and Chrift, and of evidencing this by a dedica- tion of itfelf to him. 6. Is it declared in the form, that in this ordi- nance pious communicants maintain the communion of faints, whilft they eat of the same bread, and drink of the same cup? this may excite in. their hearts a love to all believers, who have an intereft in the fame Jefus, even to thofe who are al- ready before the throne, who, when on earth, had eaten together of the fame bread, and fat down at the fame table, but now have their feats at the mar- riage fupper of the Lamb. 7. Is the form of adminiftration concluded with a prayer and a confession of faith ? — we mull alfo folicit a blefTing at the hand of God, and plead that, in partaking of the facrament, he would be gra- cioufly prefent with us. We Ihould alfo, with our whole hearts, fay amen to thofe articles of faith of which we make profefTion in public ; and thus evidence to onrfelves, that we not only make confef- LECTURE Xlir. ,87 iion -with the mouth, hut believe with the heart unto Jalvation, Thus to ufe this excellent form, will render it of advantage in preparing the people of God for par- taking of the Lord's Supper. Now follows the FIFTH and principal pojnt to be inveftigated, namely, how the people of God ARE to be employed IN DRAWING NEAR TO THE TABLE. Here it mufl be prernifed, that all thofe who ap- proach aright, (for we are now fpeaking to thofe only) mufl confider themfelves as the members of one bo- dy, united with the fame head. This mufl always be kept in mind, that we may deport ourfelves as members worthy of fuch a head. In order to this, feveral things are to be attended to, fome of which refpeft our external deportment, and others our INTERNAL excrcifcs. As to our EXTERNAL deportment, 1. We mufl be careful to avoid disorder in ap- proaching to the table, and not confider it as efTential whether we come firfl or lafl ; for, whether we come firll or lafl to the table, we eat of the fame bread, and drink of the fame wine, and thus may hold com- munion with all the faints of God, even with thofe who are not prefent. 2. Be not too much fet upon having your seat near the minifler, with a view to receive the bread and wine from his own hands ; and in order to this, beware of crouding or pafTing by thofe who are before you. This is fuperftition. It is indeed the praclice of fome; but it is folly. Miniflers can give only the external fign, but the efficacy is from God. If Jefus do but reach out to us the fceptrc of his love, it- will be a matter of pcrfcdl indifFcrcncc whe- Vol. II. B b i88 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. thet we receive the bread and wine immediately froni the miniller, or whether it be diftributed to us by others. 3. Avoid all complimental salutations, as being unfuitable on an occafion fo folemn. There are opportunities fufficient afforded us to pay atten- tion to our Chriflian friends ; fo that the omiffion of it on this folemn occafion cannot be confidered as proceeding from a want of refpeft, but becaufe the heart, at fuch a time, is taken up with things of infinitely higher moment. 4. Beware of fuffering your eyes to wander to and fro to fee who are prefent at the table, and how they condu£l themfelves. This would evidence that the heart was not duly affefted with the folemnity • and the grand adverfary may feize this opportunity to caufe the eye to fall on obje6ls which may lead the foul off from things fpiritual ; and thus, before we are aware, the heart may be engaged in the con- templation of things about which it ought not to be employed. 5. But, when you fit down at the table of the Lord, it will not be improper to let your eyes be fixed upon the bread and wine. Many indeed have the cuftom of clofing their eyes, with this good in- tent, that their minds may not be diverted from the folemn tranfa6lion in which they are engaged : or it may proceed from internal affections : in fuch cafe we have nothing to objeft — yet we are called upon, in the Lord's Supper, not only to hear and to tafte, but alfo to fee how good the Lord is. As our hands muft be opened to receive the figns, the mouth to eat and to drink ; fo let the eyes be opened to be- hold the bread and the wine, as the vifible pledges of the love of Chiift. LECTURE XIII. ,89 6- Thofe who view themfelves as believers, united to Chrift, and to each other, muft pray for their bre- thren in their common Lord, that God would be ^leafed to make them experience his grace ; that at the table they may be abundantly fatisjied with the fatnefs of his houje, and be made to drink of the rivers of his pleafures. When we are enabled thus heartily to engage in prayer, it is not eafy to tell what may be the efhcacy of thefe addrefTes. Thefe things we have thought proper to mention relative to our external deportment : and previous to our palling on to that which appertains to the internal €xercifes of communicants, we would remark, that per- haps it may be afked, " Which is the bed method to be purfued by minifters in difpenfing the ordinance ? — whether to confine themfelves to the ordinary words which are in ufe in diftributing the bread and wine, • or whether to make fuch obfervations as he con- ceives to be moll applicable to animate and encou« rage the hearts of God's people." We reply, that fome of the communicants prefent may enjoy fuch frames, that they do not require an addrefs to be made to them, or any thing to be fpo- ken in order to affifl: their meditations. Such may in filence be exercifing faith and love : God may meet them : the going out of their afFc6lions to him may be anfwered with further manifeflations of his love to them. For perfons of this defcription, it might perhaps be bell not to interrupt their devotion by any difcourfe. But feeing fuch arc by far the fmalleft number in thefe days, when we difcern fo liule of fpirit and life, and when fo many, in (lead of approaching with confidence, ftand afar off, full of diftrefs, afraid to apply to themfelves the falvation propof^d to them for acceptance, and dare not to tak? 190 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. hold of the promifes ; it is ufeful, yea, tieceffary, that the fervants of the Lord Jefus ftiould endeavour to encourage them by obfervations which may tend to excite their confidence. They muft addrefs the weeping Marys who fee not Jefus, though he be prefent with them at the table, faying, Why weep ye ? whomfeekye? and ftiew them that the table is fpread for the forrowful and the fad, and that therefore they are at liberty to draw near. Others are often dead and fpiritlefs : they cannot raife their hearts above. Thefe may, by fome ani- mating obfervations, which God may put in the mouths of his fervants, be quickened, and obtain new life and flrength : and even thofe who may be in fome meafure fuitably, aftually exercifed, may be benefited : it may pleafe the Lord to blefs what may be fpoke.n, in fuch a manner, that their fouls may be flill more quickened. Let us now examine, what ought to be the in- ternal exercifes of each Chriftian in his ap- proach to the table of the Lord. Firfl;, In drawing nigh to the table, he ought to reprefent to himfelf tlie Lord Jefus as addrefling him in particular, and as faying, All things are rea- dy ; come to the zvcdding. Come, eat, 0 friends, and drink abundantly, 0 beloved! Let thy foul delight itfclf in fatncfs. I have prepared my table in thy prefence : Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. And on this invitation, let him go to the table; profeffi ng before the Lord, that it is his defire, that his heart may be as much exercifed in refpe6l to Jefus, as the body is engaged with the fjgns : that he may with the eye of faith behold him as fufpended on the crofs ; that with the hand of faith he may receive him; and with the mouth of LECTURE XIII. ,9, faith, tafte his goodnefs and his love. With fuch profeflions, let him take his feat at the table. If it be aflced, what ought to be the fubje61; of his meditation when feated there ? we anfwer, as has been before remarked, that becaufe communicants are to be at the table but for a ftiort time, let them not aim at doing too many things, but quietly wait upon the God of their falvation. Let them bring the empty vefTel of their hearts to God's all-fufficiency to receive grace for grace. Who can tell but that he may fpeak peace to them, and embrace their fouls in the arms of his love ! But, fince there are no promifes that God will, without means, meet with them, they muft not be in- aftive. Nothing becomes them better, than that they be deeply imprelTed with a fenfe of their unworthi^ nefs, emptinefs, and obnoxioufnefs to condemnation before God; and ready to fay, " We are worms of the earth, fi«ful dull and aflies. May v/e fit down at the table of the Lord ? May we eat of his bread, and drink of his wine ? May we enjoy the privilege of entering within the palace of the King ? Are the riches of his houfe, and the bleffings of his kingdom diftributed to us ? Lord ! we are unworthy of the leafl of all thy mercies and of all thy truth, conferred by thee upon us. Wilt thou deign to look on fuch creatures as we are ? What fhall we thy fervants and handmaidens fay unto thee ? Lord, Lord, we are un~ zuorthy that thou JJiouldJl come under cur roof." Lan- guage cannot defcribe how fweet, how reviving to the foul, and how delightful in the eyes of God, fuch frames are. H^will manifeft his grace to fuch perfons. But this fight of their unworthinefs fliould not fo affect them as to make them lofe their confi- dence, continue in unbelief, keep at a diftance from !92 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. God, and fay, '' We are too unworthy and too fin- ful: our poverty is fo great that we dare not ap- proach." No : becaufe you are fo poor, you have need of a fulnefs to fupply your wants : becaufe you are fo unworthy, you muft give all the glory to Je- fus, for condefcending to regard fuch creatures as you are : becaufe you are fo finful, you muft flee to his fhed blood to be wafhed : becaufe you deferve the curfe, you muft feek a hiding-place in his wounds — you cannot be too miferable to be healed, too poor to be enriched. Let all thefe confiderations, then, excite you the more to apply to his fulnefs, from which all your wants can be fupplied. But when communicants have thus contemplated their fituation by nature before God, let them, on the other hand, look at the table as opening to their view an abyfs of love and grace ; — God in his ever- lafting compaffion, — the triune, bleffed, and all-fuf- ficient God, who ftood in no need of the finner, out of pure, free, and unmerited mercy, condefcending to look upon them. Think, communicants, that you hear God cry- ing, as with a voice from heaven, / have loved you with an everlajling love, and therefore with loving kindnefs have I drawn you, rather than that you, my children, fhould die, and fmk into the bottomlefs pit of deftruftion. I have parted with my Son, the Son of my love, who was my delight from eternity; I have appointed him to be a furety, fent him into the world in thefonn of afervant, and given him up to die the Ihlmeful, painful, and accurfed death of the crofs, to be the procuring caufe of your eternal falvation. Here is a confirmation of my love towards you, that Chrift for you hath died, when you were yet fmners^ Ihavefo loved the world, that I have given mine only LECTURE XIII. j^^ begotten Son, that whofoever believeth on him JJiould not perij/i, but have everla/iing life. All this I offer to you; and, to remove your unbelief, behold the vifible tokens by which I confirm the offer ! Take thefe ligns : fay amen to my gracious propo- fition : in ufing them, embrace my Son ; and then will you attain to life eternal, and derive fatisfa6lion and comfort from me. At the table, communicants may alfo fee the Lord Jesus prefented to their view as hanging on the crofs, who out of pure love for finners gave him- felf up unto death, and ihed his precious blood to redeem them from deftru6tion. Think, beloved, that you hear him faying to you, " My alflifled chil- dren, dejefted and difconfolate as you are, ad- vance. Why do you keep at fuch a diflance from me ? I, your mailer, call you. I have procured for you an everlafting falvation, which I will alfo apply to you. I fland ready to reach out to you the fcep- tre of my love. I will embrace you. I offer to you all my treafures. Come, look unto me : in me, the Lord, are righteoufnefs and Jlrength. Although your wants be many, and your cafe be miferable, I have a fulnefs which is fufficient to fupply your wants, and deliver you from your wretchednefs. My name is the Lord that hath compajjion on you. I am the kind Samaritan who will bind up all your wounds. Only come to me : / will m no wife caji you out. Be- hold the pledges of my love, which I put into your hands : receive them, and call yourfelvcs upon me as your mediator and furety." Upon an invitation fo rich in love, with freedom and confidence receive the figns and fcals. Let not unbelief keep you back; but confider with your- felvcs,— " Has Jcfus given himfelf unto the death for 194 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. finners, and will he reje6l us ? Whilft he dwelt on earth, what multitudes did he relieve that applied to him for fuccour ! and will he call us off, whom he fo gracioufly invites ? If he defigned or delighted in our ruin, he would not have fpread his table in our prefence. We will therefore receive the offered fal- vaiion, and apply it to ourfelves." Yes, communicants, by faith you may alfo behold God the Holy Ghost, the Author of all grace, Handing ready to unite you to the Lord Jefus, to join your trembling hand to his, to engage you in renew- ed fidelity to him, and by thefe tokens of love divine to feai to your fouls the love of God. Oh beloved ! tongue cannot exprefs how fuch contemplations are often the happy means of drawing forth the afFeftions of believers towards their God and their Redeemer. The language of their hearts will be, " Lord ! doft thou make fuch manifeftations of thy love to creatures fo unworthy ? — we would humbly attempt to make fome grateful returns of love towards thee. Doft thou, as the God of the covenant, addrefs thyfelf to us, faying, I will be your God? — we will fubjoin our cordial Amen, and bind our- felves to thee for ever; and in witnefs of this, we take from thy hand the figns and the feals." But many pious fouls perhaps may fay, " It is in- deed comfortable to have the heart thus exercifed : but alas ! it is often far otherwife with us. Though we endeavour to keep thofe thoughts in view, our hearts feel little affe61:ed by them. It does not al- ways pleafe God to imbue us with his Spirit. We often attend upon this ordinance with much lan- guor, and experience but little fweetnefs and com- fort in it." This may indeed be the cafe, and thus the Lord LECTURE Xlir. K^5 fliews that he is free and fovereign in the diflribution of his grace. But fuch lifelefs frames may often pro- ceed from having our expeftations raifed too high ; as if, by attending upon the Lord's Supper, you muft always obtain fome extraordinary manifefla- tions of the love of God ; or, like Paul, be taken up into the third heaven, and be admitted into the imme- diate prefence of God. It is true, in fome few in- flances, the Lord makes fuch difcoveries : this, how- ever, is not his ordinary way of dealing with his peo- ple ; yet, when he is about to bring extraordinary trials upon them, or to lead them into dark and gloomy ways, or when he is about to remove them by death, he often gives them, in this ordinance, a pledge of his love : he comforts and animates their hearts by making them to eat of the hidden manna^ and, by a prelibation, caufes them to tafle of that rich entertainment which is prepared in heaven for them. But as this is not ordinarily to be expe6led, nor pro- mifed in the word of God, we are not to fet our hearts too much upon it, nor too ardently pant after it ; but leave it with the Lord to acl the fovereign's part. In this life we muft vjalk by faith, and not by fight I and to this we are called alfo in the facra- ment. It is faith which muft then be exercifed; and if communicants may only approach in faith, it is to draw nigh in a precious frame. It is beyond expref- fion great, if we arc enabled to lay hold of that which is believed. For, 1. Is it not a great thing, if, when imprelTed with your poverty and periftiing condition, that you are enabled to come with humility before the moft high God? 2. Is it not a great thing, that the Lord Jefus has been made precious to your fouls ? — that you can Vol. II. C c 196 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. lay, He is the fair ejl of the Jons of men, and altogether lovely ? 3. Is it not great grace to have your hearts hun- gering and thirfting after him ; prizing him above all, and renouncing all things for an intereft in him ? 4. Is it not a great thing to be enabled in faith to make ufe of the figns, and to declare, that as we re- ceive the bread and wine prefented to us, fo we wifh alfo to receive the Lord Jefus : as it unites with our bodies, fo we delire to be moft intimately united to him ? And although you receive nothing more, is it not a fource of comfort that you may enjoy thus much ? To this you will no doubt readily aflfent, and yet be ready to fay, " All this is at beft but 2i flying for refuge to Jefus, and we are doubtful whether we have ever come thus far : and if we approach the fa- crament in this ftate of mind, we cannot expe6t to derive much profit from it." But let not this keep you back. That a6i; by which we take refuge in Jefus, is really faith, and as pleafing in the fight of God as an alTured faith. Only go with ardent defires ; fly to Jefus, and fay, *' We would rather perifli at thy feet, than keep at a dif- tance from thee." And thus may you attend upon the ordinance with advantage to your fouls. Let us now enquire, in the sixth and laft place, how a believer, who hath been at the table, ought to be exercifed during the remainder of divine SERVICE, and in returning from the houfe of God. Firft, During the remainder of divine fervice, it is proper, 1. When the minifter, in difmifTmg the table, pro- nounces the blefiing, cordially to concur, and to add, " Now, Lord, I am going from thy facred board : LECTURE XIIL ip, let thy bleffing and thy peace reft upon me. and thy grace abide with me. I cannot, whilft I am in the wildernefs of this world, always fit at thy table ; but ftill my foul cleaves to thee. Let then thy right hand uphold me" 2. We muft pour out our fouls to God, in gra- titude, and lie low in the duft before him. Con- templating the greatnefs of his love, in admitting creatures fo unworthy to a feat at his table, that there we may enjoy fellowlhip with God, with the fpirits of the juft before his throne, and with all the faints on earth, it becomes us, deeply impreffed with a fenfe of our miferable condition by nature, to fay, " Lord 1 what JJiall we render unto thee for all thy benefits ? What returns of gratitude fliall we make to thee ? We will love thee, O Lord, our Jlrength and our Redeemer. From henceforth (hall the love of God in Chrijt conjlrain us to judge, that as one died for all, it becomes us all, being dead, to live, not to our- f elves, but fo him that died for us. From this time forth, we will, in the ftrength of the Lord, make our members injlruments of righteoifiefs to the glory of God. We have fworn, and we will make it good, that we will keep thy righteous Jlatutes." 3. We muft afk ourfelves, — Whether the Lord hath refreflied our fouls, and fatisfied them with his loving kindnefs ? and whether, at his table, we have tafted of the fpiritual meat and drink with which he feeds his people ? We muft, in like man- ner, be determined to go through the wildernefs of this world in the ftrength of this food ; tiiat thus it may be manifeft, that of a truth the ordinance of the Supper adminifters nourifhment to the fouls of his p eople. 4. Haft thou been at the table? return to thy i9« THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. feat, to ATTEND ferioufly to the remaining parts of divine fervice. It is the pra6lice of fome, but very improper, to retire immediately from the table to their own homes, as if now the folemn work was completed, and nothingmore to be done. No: we mull continue until the whole fervice is ended, un- lefs obliged by neceffity to depart. To unite in prayer, — to join in praifes to God, — and with one heart to fay, Blefs the Lord, 0 my foul, and all that is within me blefs his holy name ; who forgivcth ' all thine iniquities, who hcaleth all thy dijeajes, who re- deemeth thy life from definition, and crowneth thee with loving kindnefs and tender mercies, — is moft pro- fitable, and believers know the fatisfaftion their fouls have derived from this fource. But, Secondly, In returning home from public worfhip, 1. We ought to DECLINE entering into con- versation with others, left the heart be drawn off from things fpiritual and divine : but if we be fo cir- cumftanced that it cannot be wholly avoided, we mud beware of fpeaking on worldly fubjects, and confine our difcourfe to thofe about which we have been employed : — or we may tell our experiences to one another, which may have the happy tendency, both to inflame our fouls with love to God, and to excite the fire of mutual emulation. 2. "When we have arrived at our houfes, (if we have an opportunity) we muft fpend fome time in SECRET, to thank the Lord that we have had the privilege of entering his courts, and fitting down at his table, — that we have had another opportunity with many of the faints of God, to renew our co- venant, and openly profefs, that we will fcrve the Lord with one confcnt. This being done, LECTURE XIII. ,99 whilft yet alone we mull; make a frefli funender of ourfelves to him. 3. When we mingle with the family, we mufl be watchful that their promifcuous converfation may not divert our minds from the folemn tranfaftions of the day ; that we do not perplex ourfelves with unnecef- fary bufmefs, or converfe upon unfuitable fubjeds ; but, on the contrary, that we endeavour to encourage each other to cleave to the Lord, and jointly bow be- fore him in prayer and fupplication. What line of condu£l ought to be purfued in the remaining parts of the day and afterwards, will be the fubjeft of another lefture. What has been faid, we confidered to be of great ufe, and of the higheft moment. We mufl; now add a word by way of amplica- tion, with a view to the convi6lion of thofe who are yet in an unconverted fl;ate, and to the encou- ragement of the people of God. 1. We have a word to carelefs fmners, who ftill are in a ftate of nature. Perfons of this defcription, upon hearing what has been advanced, may be ready to fay, " How burdenfome a tafk it is to attend upon fuch an ordinance ! Does it require the obfervance of all that has been prefcribed ? if fo, the fervice of God is a hard fervice : who can bear it ? Certainly fo much is not neceffary, or we are unworthy com- municants; for we have never been thus cxercifed." Unhappy fouls ! do you account this fervice a burden ? this is a certain evidence, that you have never yet experienced the fatisfa6lion which refults from the fervice of God. His people delight in no- thing more than in duty ; and to attend upon ordi- nances, affords them real joy. In the exercifc of faith they long for the return of a f^icramental day, as the 200 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. men of the world do for a marriage day. Nothing dehghts them more than the profpeQ: of approaching the table, and holding there fvveet converfe with their God. But as you have not yet experimentally known how good it is to ferve God, it is no wonder that you are ftrangers to the exercifes of true Chriftians in refped to this .ordinance; and the conclufion which you draw refpefting yourfelves, " that you are unfit for this ordinance," is, no doubt, juft. You have attended on it hitherto only out of cuftom : you have not looked beyond the externals of the ordinance. But you will fay, " To infill upon the perform- ance of fo many duties, is to inculcate a righteouf- nefs by works, which is a principle diametrically oppofed to the religion we profefs ; for that teaches, that man is altogether unable to do any good thing, and that it is God who mujl work all our works in us and for us." Yes, that is true ; God muft work all in us and for us, and we hold, agreeably to the word of God, the doclrine of man's infufficiency. But fince he is a rational creature, God will have him to be in the ufe of means : for if, depending on God to do all for you, you negleft thofe means through which God communicates the blcfiing, it is in vain for you to expe6l it. He enjoins the ufe of means ; and if you do fincerely perfevere in the ufe of them, who knows what blefiing he may be pleafed to bellow upon you ? And with this view it is, that we point to the means, and recommend the ufe of them in a humble dependance upon divine grace. Did you but con- fider the fen'ice of God to be of fuch nnportance as it really is, you would improve the means : the peo- ple of God do prize them, and often find, that whilft LECTURE XIII. 2or they are ufing them, the refreiTiing gales of the divine Spirit cherifhes their faith, their love, and every gra- cious afFeclion. Deluded men! who have fo frequently gone to the Lord's table, and never yet in a right manner ! — lay it to heart, and confider, that if fo much be re- quifite in order to approach acceptably to God, and if he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himfelf, what reafon you have to afk yourfelves, " What is our ftanding, who are fo lifelefs and unconcerned ? who have never retired alone, and bowed the knee before God, or at bell have only repeated a hafty form of prayer, but are ftrangers to the fpirit of prayer; who approach the facrament without confideration, with hearts filled with fm and vanity ; who, being at the table, fufFer our eyes to rove abroad, but never once meditate on God, or on that Jefus, whofe death is fliewn forth in the external figns." If you had fuch views of yourfelves, you would foon fee, that your approaches are only from cuftom or fafliion, — that you have not on the wedding gar- ment. How deplorable is your cafe ! Have you not to expert, that when the king comes in to fee the guefls, he will fay to you, Frieyids, how came ye in hither, not having on the -wedding garment ? Bind them hand and foot, and caji them into outer darknefs, where there is weeping and gnapiing of teeth. t O that the Lord would, on this fide of eternity, imprefs thefe thoughts upon your hearts, and con- vince you of your finful condutl towards him, and caufe you to confefs it with fhame and con- fufion of face. Seek redemption in the blood of Jefus, and beware of approaching again in fo carc- lefs and un-concerned a manner. The time of admi- 202 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. niilering the ordinance again draws nigh — Retire alone, ferioufly contemplate your lituation, and fay; '• We have fo often approached unworthily, O that v/e may be made more fenfible of the folemnity of this ordinance ! We will improve the means, and prepare to meet with God. Who can tell what the Lord may do for us ?" But I have a fpecial word to you, people of God, who are perplexed and diftreffed, particularly about the time when the ordinance is to be admi- niftered. You think that you have no right to ap- proach with confidence. You are faying, " Our fins are too great : the Jalvation exhibited is not for us. We are fearful that we fhall eat and drink judg- ment to ourfeives, and therefore we dare not go forward." To you we would fay, You ought by no means to keep back from the ordinance. You are invited by Jefus. If you but come to him, he gives you this precious promife, / will in no xvifc cajl you out ; and that word, in no wife, removes every impedi- ment out of the way. For, had the Lord Jefus de- fcribed ever fo many cafes, and made only a fingle exception, you would poffibly fay, " We are not of thofe who are invited :" but, blefied be God ! the in- vitation is, Whofocver cometh, how many or how great foever his fms, or how long foever he may have per- fifted in them, I ivill receive him in mercy: I offer to him the blefhngs of the covenant, and I will feal them to his foul in the ufe of the facrament. Will ye fay, " If this be true, then a bold and prefumptuous fmner may approach ; for then no one is excluded ?' It is no unwarrantable boldnefs or prefumption for a fmncr to approach this ordinance, provided he LECTURE XIII. 203 is willing to be faved by Chrifl, in that way which the gofpel points out : but, becaufe he would rather live in fin than be delivered from it, he praftically declares, that he will not accept of Jefus on gofpel terms. But this is not the cafe with thee, afllided foul ! thou wilt not dare to make the affertion ; but, on the contrary, canft thou not call upon God to witnefs, and fay, " Thou, Lord, knoweft what a bur- den my fins are to me, — how much inward pain they give me, — how I have to wreflle againft them. Thou art alfo witnefs to the tears I fhed in fecret on ac- count of them. How often, Lord, am I compelled to cry, 0 wretched man that I am, who Jhall deliver 7116 from the body of this death ? Thou knowefl; how willingly I would be freed from it, — how often I call on Jefus as my king, to deftroy its power in me." Well now, canft thou in fincerity do all this ? I mufl declare to thee, that thou haft no ground to be dif- couraged. Only look unto Jefus ; — fall down at his feet, and declare to him, that thou, though miferable in thyfelf, art willing to be faved by him. Thou art not a greater finner than the prodigal fon, who left his father's houfe, and fpent his fuhjlance in riotous living; and who, when he came to himfelf, refolved and faid, / will arife and go to my father, and ccrftfs my fin before him, and met with a gracious reception. The father had, indeed, reafon to caft him off"; but yet he runs to meet him, and with paternal tendcr- nefs embraces him, receives him again, and admits him to a feat at his table. O afflifled child of God ! the Lord hath fpoken this parable for thy encourage- ment, to manifeft the greatnefs of his love, — to repre- fent to thee, that he will not rejeft the greateft of fmners, and to declare that he calls thee, faying, " Whoever thou art, — though thou mayeft be ever Vol. IL D d 304 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. fo finful, — though thou mayeft have trampled upori my image, abufed my goodnefs, and plunged thyfelf into fenfuaJity ; — if thou wilt but return unto me, as did the prodigal fon, and confefs your fms and un- worthinefs, I will embrace and receive you in mercy. My honour flands pledged to fave the chief of fin- iiers, Fqr this I have Ihed my blood, given myfelf to the death, and, in token of this, I have inftituted this facrament, to which I now invite thee/' Can the Lord Jefus do more to allure thee ? Go then, with confidence, and take thy feat at his table. Yes, but you will fay, '• It is poihble I may de- ceive myfelf, and not come aright : it is fo great an undertaking.* — This objedlion muft fall to the ground : thou can ft not be deceived. If thou art fa- tisfied that indeed it is the defire of thy heart to feek an intereft in Chrift, — if thy foul hateth fin, and thou wilt not indulge in any iniquity, but on the contrary art habitually to bid adieu to fin, — thefe exercifes are fo many evidences of thy fincerity. And canfl thou profefs before the Lord, that thefe are the real exercifes of thy heart ? we may affure thee, that thy fins are fo far from being a reafon of thy abftaining from this ordinance, that they fhould rather prefs thee to attend upon it ; for there Jefus* blood is feC forth, as the great propitiatory facrifice for fin. But doft thou ftill obje6l — " This is too much. How can a wretch as I am, dare to apply to myfelf fuch unfpeakable grace ? How can fo vile a creature venture to fit down at the table to eat of the chil- dren's bread ?" Yes, it is great, beyond expreffion great, for fuch finful worms of the dull to receive fuch mercy ; but it is not too great for God to beftow ; becaufe God is infinite and incomprehenfible in his elfence — He LECTURE XIII. ^ 205 is fo, in like manner, in his love ; and 'can that which fuch a God difplays be any thing lefs than great and inconceivable ? In the view of it we are conftraincd to exclaim, 0 how great is thy goodnefa, which is laid up for them that fear thee ! and, As high as heaven is above the earth, fo great is his goodnefs towards them that fear him. The contemplation of it will, through- out eternity, be matter of aftonifhment and gratitude; but certainly it ought not to leffen thy confidence. But there are others of God's children, who will fay, " We fcarcely know what to do. We dare not venture to approach the ordinance : we feel ourfelvcs fo unprepared for it, and yet dare not h<\Y away ; becaufe, in fuch cafe, we would fin againfl the di- vine command. When xve confidcr the (late of our minds, we find them fo lifelefs and infenfibic, that we are totally devoid of any exercifes of grace. How then can fuch prefume to approach the table of the Lord ?" I reply, that this is indeed caufe of Ihame and la- mentation : but, perplexed Chriftian, paufe a while ; be not too hafly in forming a conclufion againft thy- felf. Doft thou complain to man only ? or is it a fubjeft of lamentation with thee before thy God ? Art thou fatisfied with living thus ? Is it not thy grief, that thy zeal, thy ardour and activity, are {o weak ? Would it not produce real joy in thy heart, if thy foul were exercifcd in a more lively manner ? Canft thou anfwer thefe queflions in the afi^rma- tive, and fay, " Yes, the Lord knoweth how much I have been diftreffcd becaufe of my barrennefs ?" thou mayefl, not flay from the table to which thou art invited : this would be like the fick man that would rcTufc the affiflancc of a phyfician to remove his diforder. Whither wilt thou ^o ? Is tJicrc any 2o6 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. other way of relief? Is it not Jefus alone that can help thee ? Come then, as one that is fick and wounded ; lie at this pool of Bethefda ; wait for the moving of the waters : who knows what God may yet do for thee ? And though thou mayeft not be able to go with fuch a fenfe of thy wants, and of the fulnefs of Chrift, as is defirable, — go, believing and waiting upon the Lord. Or fayefl thou, " I was fomewhat animated and encouraged whilfl; attending on the fervice previous to the adminiflration of the fupper : yet when I arife to go to the table, all this feems to be at an end : my heart is cold, and my confidence is no more." But may not this arife from this fource, that in going forward, the wandering eye diverts the mind from that on which it ought to be employed ; and that Satan, who is ever on the watch, improves the opportunity to diflrafl; the foul ? But when this is the cafe, be not too much troubled: withdraw thine eyes immediately from diverting objefts: turn your atten- tion to the Lord Jefus, and to his blood, reprefented to thee in the ordinance as fufficient to atone for the fms of our holy things ; and plead for ftrength to refill this and every other temptation, which may prevent thee from eating and drinking with advan- tage to thyfelf. Let us all, then, with the confidence of children, go forward. May the Lord meet us in love, and vouchfafe to us that grace, which may be mofl for his glory and our good ; that fo we may experience this ordinance to be the real food by which our fouls increafe in grace ; and that the eating of bread and drinking of wine may redound to his glory and,, praife. A M E N. C 207 3 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT, Lecture XIV. ON THE CONDUCT OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD AFTER A COMMUNION SABBATH. IN the two preceding leftures, we have fpoken at large on the great fubjefts of preparation for an ac- ceptable and profitable approach to the table of the Lord, and of the deportment of the people of God, on a communion fabbath. We fhall, in the prefent lefture, enquire, how they ought to conduft them- felves, after an occafion fo folemn; — or, in other words, what duties a Chriftian muft engage in, that his foul may be benefited by the ordinance. In doing this, we propofe to obferve the following method : 1. To fliew that believers are under the ftrongefl: obligations of expreflTmg their gratitude to God, by a holy walk. 2. To point out the duties which they are under obligation to perform, after having been permitted to occupy their feats at the table of the Lord. 3. To attempt an anfwer to fuch qucflions as weak believers may propofe, relative to certain 2o8 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. points contained in this and in the two preceding le6lures. 4. To make an application of the fubje6l. First. It is neceflary for a child of God, after having attended the Lord's table, to exprefs his GRATITUDE to God. The arguments which fup- port this propofition are the following, viz, 1. All the bleffings which God beftows, even thofe of a temporal nature, demand froni us the ex- crcife of gratitude. They are difpenfed from his bountiful hand, without any merit in us, and they are bleffings which none but God can beflow. Hence it is faid, He-givcth us all things richly to enjoy ^ Do the favours, which God in his providence be- ftows, require of us to be thankful ? moft certainly then, this great, this unfpeakable benefit, which he hath conferred upon us as the God of grace, muft obligate us to make grateful returns. He hath per- mitted us, worms of the duft, to fit down at his ta- ble with himfelf, the God of heaven and earth, that there we might hold moft intimate communion with him; that there we might have put- into our hands the pledges of his everlafting love, for the confirma- tion of our faith ; and that there we might folemnly and publicly renew our covenant with him. 2- Conuder alfo the objeft of the Lord's Supper. It was inftituted to keep in remembrance the death of Chrifl;, and to Jliew it forth until he come. Now how are we to fhew forth the death of Chrift ? — not only by a pious calling it to our minds, whilft we are at the table, but by a conftant, fincere, and faith- ful acknowledgment of the love which he hath ma- nifcfted to finners, by a return of love to him on our part, which is evidenced by words and aftions^ in the whole tenour of our walk and .convcriation. LECTURE XIV. 209 As we have received Chrijl Jefus the Lord, Jo vjc mujl ■alfo walk in him, Col. ii, 6. Hence this ordinance is emphatically ftyled a blejjing or thankfgiving. See 1 Cor. X. 16. 3. The fame thing was reprefented in the an- cient facramen^, of the paffover, in the room of which the Lord's Supper was inflituted. In that or- dinance, the goodnefs of God, manifefled to Ifrael in gracioufly delivering them from the deftroying angel which flew all the firfl-born in the houfes of the Egyptians, muft be remembered and acknowledged, agreeably to the command of Mofes, Exod. xii. 27. Befides, there was. a cup of blefTjjig, which was dif- tributed by the fathers of their families, which cuf- tom the Lor(;J Chrift appears to have alfo adopted, and the whole folemnity was clofed with a fong of praife ; — which hymn Chrift alfo fung with his dif- ciples, after he had adminiftered the Supper to them. All this was with a «view to teach us, -that after the ufe of the facrament, in which fpiritual benefits are brought into remembrance, we are alfo bound to give glory unto God. Hence has arifen the pradice which obtains in our churches,v that as foon as the ordinance is adminiftered, the folemnity is clofed by the minifter, who pronounces the words of the 103d Pfalm, ift to 13th verfe. — Blefs the Lord, 0 my fcul, and all that is within me blefs his holy name ; whofov' giveth nil thine iniquities, who healeth all thy dij'eafes^ who redeemeth thy life from deflruBion, who crowneth thee with loving kindnefs and tender mercies. Hence too has arifen the pradlice of delivering thankfgiving fermons, in which the congregation arc excited to engage in duty, and to the exercife of gratitude. 4. We may alfo add all thofc paifagcs of Scrip- ture, which admonifh us to praife, to exalt, and to 210 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. be thankful to God. As, Pf. cxvi. 12, 13, Whatjhall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me ? I will take the cup of falvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. See again, Pfalm xcv. 1, 2, 0 come, let us fing unto the Lord : let us make a joyful noife to the Rock of our falvation. Let us come before his pre- fence with thankf giving, and make a joyful noife before him with pfalms. Alfo, Pfalm cv. 1, 2, 3, 0 give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people: Jing unto him: fng pfalms ■unto him : talk ye of all his wondrous works : glory ye in his holy name. And many others to the fame purpofe. 5. On a pious and fuitable condu£l after com- munion, depends our deriving real advantage from the ufe of this facrament : for if, immediately after leaving the table, we return to the world, and our walk be irregular, we certainly could not have been nourifhed with this fpiritual meat, any more than our bodies can receive nourifhment from the immoderate ufe of food. By living in a becoming manner after a communion fabbath, we become as it were prepared to make a profitable approach to the next facrament. When we live habitually near to God, it will not be a difficult thing to have our hearts fuitably difpofed for this particular duty. The true reafon why we find fo much preparation neceffary, is, becaufe we are not more faithful unto God. Hence we become eflranged from God, and meet with much difficulty in recovering our filial confidence. Having proved how necelTary it is for communi- cants to conduft themfelves pioufly after a commu- nion fabbath, we proceed, LECTURE XIV. 2m Secondly, To enquire what duties are particu- larly incumbent upon them. Firft, There are duties to be difcharged upon the facramental fabbath itfelf. It is proper for Chrif- tians to attend the public fervice in the after-parts of that day, that with the aflembly of the faints they may exprefs their gratitude to the Lord, praifc his name, and be taught the duties which devolve upon them, in confequence of that renewed inftance of the favour of the Mofl High conferred upon them. Upon leaving the houfe of God, they fliould endea- vour to keep their hearts in a calm and compoled frame, as much as poffible to avoid all kinds of com- pany and converfation which will not tend to edifica- tion, and to retire in fecret, with prayer and thankf- giving. Thus did pious David : when God made to him fuch precious promifes relative to the eftabiifh- ment of his houfe and kingdom, he did not wait long, but as foon as Nathan had withdrawn, before any thing intervened, whiift his heart was fo much affefted and taken up with thofe promifed bleffings, he goes into the prefence of the Lord, and in the fulnefs of his heart he exclaims in thefe words : Who am I, 0 Lord God, and what is my houfe, thai thcu hajl hrcught me hitherto ? — As if he had faid, " Lord, I am filled with aftonifhment ! Thou furroundefl; mc with fo many in fiances of thy goodnefs, that I can- not find words to exprefs my holy fatisfaclion. Wilt thou do fo much to fuch a worm of the duft ? Is this the manner of man, 0 Lord God ? The word that thou hajl fpokcn concerning thy fcrvant, rjlabli/li for ever, and do as thou hajl faid," 2 Sam. vii. 18, 27. • O beloved! thus mufl wc alfo do. L^ke David we muft, in faith and aiTe6lion, commune with God, Vol. IL E e an THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. and with him exprefs our grateful fenfe of his goodnefs. When we are thus alone, we muft proceed to exa- mine how we have been exercifed, both with refpe^l to OURSELVES, and our God. In regard to our- selves, we fhould enquire, what were the frames of our hearts ; whether they went out in ardent and fincere love to God ; whether we drew near with earneft longings of foul after him ; whether we could venture to apply the facred fymbols in faith, and lay our hands upon the promifes ; or whether we ap- proached with fearful, doubting, diflrefTed hearts. In regard to God, whether, in looking upon the guefts feated around his board, he found us fitting clad in the true wedding garment, and addreffed us, faying, Eat, 0 friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly, 0 beloved ; whether he brought us into his banqueting houje, and caiifed his banner over us to be love ; whe- ther he reached out to us his fceptre, fpoke kindly to us, and faid, Be of good cheer; whether, in a word, he gave us to enjoy a foretafte of the marriage flip- per of the Lamb in glory. An inveftigation of this kind might produce thefe happy efFe6ls : On the one hand, if it has been a comfortable feafon to us, it might draw forth our gratitude, caufe us to feel our obligations to a God fo kind and bountiful, and humble us in his fight under a fenfe of our unworthinefs ; — and on the other hand, if we have found ourfelves lifelefs and aull, we might be led to feek after the caufes which have produced fuch a frame of heart. If we difcover them, we will be naturally brought low before the Lord ; but if not, it might lead us to acknowledge the fovereignty of God, in his dealings with us. But our duties are not confined to thofe which are LECTURE XIV. 2.3 to be performed on a facramental fabbath. We there- fore, SECONDLY, obferve, that communicants mud alfo endeavour, through grace, to attend to the fol- lowing things. 1. To PRESERVE a tranquil, even, and tender frame ; which evidences itfelf. — a. In regard to God, in ^ firm purpojc oj heart io cleave to hun, to hold him fad, and to follow him as a wife her hulband, a child its father, a difciple his teacher, a fervant his mailer. This is called in the word of God, to walk bejore the Lord, and to be pcr- feEl, Gen. xvii. 1. This is to walk with God as Noah and Enoch did, Gen. v. 24, and vi. 2. This is to cleave to the Lord, as a girdle to the loins of a man, Jer. xiii. 4. Thus mufl communicants follow the Lord, by obeying his precepts, and by cordially fubmitting to all thofe difpenfations, whether of pro- vidence or of grace, faying, Speak,' Lord, Jor thy jer - vant heareth. . ,b. This calm and fubmiiTive frame, communicants mud fhew forth in the fpiritual conteft; for the Chriftian mufl; again enter the lifi;s, and contend with his enemies, who are always armed for the combat. If the warrior fhall valiantly engage his enemy, he mufl; not be too foon difcouraged and alarmed ; for in fuch cafe he is not in a fituation manfully to re- fifl;, and is in danger of being overcome. So mull the Chrifl;ian, who is a fpiritual foldier, whofe bufi- nefs it is to fight when the trumpet of war is found- ed, go forth with a compofed mind, in the flrength of the Lord God; knowing that the great Captain of his falvation Hands in front, anim \Les and encourages him, faying, Fear not ; / am zoith you. But the Chrift-ian foldier mufl not be fo much at eafe, nor fo confident, as to be inadive when his enemies lie 214 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. upon their arms. No; he muft be conflantly on his guard : for when the enemy is mod ftill, then is the time of the greateft danger. 2. To a pious conduft after communion, it is re- quired, that we be truly and fincerely thankful for the benefits we have experienced. Genuine gratitude confifts in a humble, cordial, and pious acknowledg- ment of the mercies of Jehovah, and the faithfulnefs which he hath manifeiled in Chrift through the Spirit. This gratitude is evidenced by the heart, tongue, and actions. We confefs this with the heart to God, when we recount to him all his deal- ings with us, and praife him for all his wondrous works : for although the Lord well knows what he hath done for us, yet he will have us to know it too, and confefs it. Hence it is, we find in Scripture fo many fongs of praife, which record the works of the Lord. A knowledge of God's goodnefs and faithfulnefs will make us humble and little in our own eyes, and caufe us to fay with Jacob, Gen. xxxii. lo. Lord, I am not worthy of the leajl of all thy mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hajl Jliewed to thy fervant. It will produce a fenfe of Ihame in us, and make us fall down with our faces to the ground, and exclaim, in the language of admiration, with Mephibofheth, 2 Sam. xix. 8, What is thy fervant, that thou JJiouldjl look upon fach a dead dog as I am ? It will lead us to fet up our Ebenezers, and excite us to fay, to his praife. Hitherto the Lord hath helped us. But we muft alfo exprefs our gratitude with our MOUTHS and tongues, — to celebrate the praifes of the Lord, in pf alms, and hymns, and fpiritual fongs, to declare that his name is great, and with the Pfalmift to fay, Ccme, all ye that fear the Lord, and I zvill tell you what he hath done for my foul, Pf. Ixvi. 6. LECTURE XIV. 215 But, in this, we ought not to be too forward in mentioning our own experiences, which might produce the ill efFe6l of cherifhing in us a fecret pride of being efteemed great Chriflians. Commu- nications of this fort ought ordinarily to be made only in the prefence of a few confidential friends : yet, as they may tend to the encouragement of our fellow men, we may make them occafionally when a good opportunity offers, even before the world, with a view of letting them fee how delightful the fervice of the Lord is, and with a defign of creating in their hearts a love to it. But, above all, we mull exprefs our gratitude i n ACTIONS or by deeds; glorifying God by a holy walk, and evidencing that it is our defire to mortify the members which are on earth, that thus it may ap- pear, that we are dead to the world, and rifen with Chrift. His love muft conflrain us, hecaufc we thus jtcdge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all, that they which live /hall not hence- forth live unto themfelves, but unto him that died for them and rofe again. 3. To a becoming conduct after the facrament, appertains a frequent and proper exercife of foul, with refpe6t to the covenant into which we have entered with God ; and that on this wife : a. Contemplate frequently the p r e c i o u s n e s s of the covenant, the figns of which you have been ufing. Confider it as to its greatnefs, extent, and eternity. Call to mind its promifes, and the faithfulnefs of God, who will certainly make them all good. This will ferve as a fupport to your fiiith — This David en- deavoured to do ; fee 2 Sam. xxxii. 5, Although my houfe be not fo with God, neverthelcfs he hath made with Vie an cvcrlafing covenant, zvtuch is well ordered in 2i6 THE PIOUS COMMUNICANT. all things, and Jure. This is all my fahation, and all my dejire, b. Endeavour to keep always alive the recollec- tion of the RELATION in which you Hand to God, as your covenant God. Hath God become your Father in Chrifl ? this reflexion muft lead you thus to reafon : " If I call him my Father, who judgeth without rcjpccl of per Jons, how proper is it, that I pafi the time of my fojourning here in fear ! Yes — Is God my Father ? then I have to do with a God who abounds in pity, and is full of compaflTion ; whofe bowels yearn, and who has declared, that, as a father pitieth his children, fo the Lord pitieth them that fear him. Even when I fall into fin, and backflide, he will not call me wholly away : but as a father he will exercife cornpaffion towards me ftill. Yes, the faithful and unchangeable Jehovah hath faid, The covenant of my peace piall not he removed, Ifai. liv. The confidcration of this relation will not only encourage and ftrengthen the believer in every cir- cumflance of life, but make him circumfpedt and tender in his walk; and when he has fallen into fin, and backflidden, excite him to go again to God, to confefs his fins and backflidings, to feek for pardon of them, and to fay, " Lord, art thou not my Fa^ ther ? Haft thou not looked upon me in mercy ? Even from eternity haft thou not given to me thy Son, and with him all things ? Thou canft not therefore intend to caft me now away on account of my fins ; for thou haft faid, / have engraven thee on the palms of my hands," Ifai. xlix. 16. A The cup of bleffing, with which vi^e bkfs, is the com^ ?nunion of the blood of Chrift. APPENDIX. j^y 'During the communion, there fhall or may be de-*] voutly fung, a pfalm, or fome chapter read, in re- I membrance of the death of Chrift, as the 53d chap. ^ of Ifaiah, the 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, chapters | .of John, or the hke. J C After the Communion, 7 C the Minifter fhall fay, J Beloved in the Lord, fince the Lord hath now fed our fouls at his table, let us therefore jointly praife his holy name with thankfgiving, and every one fay in his heart, thus: Blefs the Lord, O my foul; and all that is 'within me, blefs his holy name. Blefs the Lord, O tny foul, and forget not all his benefits. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities : ivho heaUth all thy difeafes. Who redeemeth thy life from deflruBion, ivho cronvneth thee with loving kindnefs and tender mercies. The Lord is merciful and gracious, floiu to anger and plenteous in mercy. He hath not dealt with us after our fins, nor retvardeth us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, fo great is his mercy towards them that fear him. As far as the eafl is from the ivefl, fo far hath he removed our tranfgreffions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, fo the Lord piticih them that fear him. Who hath not fpared his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, and given us all things with him. Therefore God commendeth therewith his love towards us, in that while we were yet finners, Chrift died for us ; much more then, being now juftificd by his blood, wc fhall he favcd from wrath through him ; for if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son : much more being reconciled, we fliall be favcd by his life. Therefore fhall my mouth and heart fhew forth the praiil- of the Lord from this time forth for 248 APPENDIX. Let every one fay with an attentive heart, /^ Almighty, merciful God and Father, we render thee moft humble and hearty thanks, that thou haft, of thy infinite mercy, given us thine only begotten Son, for a Mediator and a facrifice for our fins, and to be our meat and drink unto life eternal, and that thou giveft us a lively faith, whereby we are made partakers of fuch of thy bene- fits— thou haft alfo been pleafed, that thy beloved Son Jefus Chrift fhould inftitute and ordain his holy Supper for the confirmation of the fame ; grant, we befeech thee, O faithful God and Father, that through the operation of thy holy Spirit, the commemoration of the death of our Lord Jefus Chrift, may tend to the daily increafe of our faith, and faving fellowftiip with him, through Jefus Chrift thy Son, in whofe name we conclude our prayers, faying, Our Father, &c. The end of the Adminiftration of the Lord's Supper. Copp Eisl^t ^ecurfD accoitring to Jiato. TO THE Rev. Dr. JOHN H. LIVINGSTON, s.s.t. p. WITH WHOSE FRIENDSHIP AND AFFECTION I HAVE BEEN HONOURED, NOT ONLY SINCE MY BEING CALLED TO THE OFFICE OF THE SACRED MINISTRY, BUT FROM MY EARLIEST YOUTH; TO THE Rev. JOHN B. JOHNSON, LATE A BELOVED COLLEAGUE, WHOSE FAITHFULNESS, ON ALL OCCASIONS MANIFESTED, HAS MADE AN IMPRESSION ON MY MIND WHICH CAN NEVER BE EFFACED; TO THE Reverend Synods of the Reformed Dutch Churches in North America; AND TO All who love the Lord Jesus Christ, in sin- cerity AND TRUTH : The following TRANSLATION of the Practical Writings of the late Rev. Petrus Immens, is respectfully inscribed, by THE TRANSLATOR. JUary, Ocf. 25, l8oi. RECOMMENDATIONS, Clajfis of Albany, Jan. iZtL, 1 798. WHEREAS the Rev. John Bassett has been a confiderable time en- gaged in the tranflation of a work, called " The Pious Communicant," in a high degree pradical, and calculated to afTord inftruftion and convey comfort to Chriftians of every denomination ; therefore, Refolved, That the faid work merits the attention of all ferious perfons, and is liereby recommended to the churches under our immediate care, and to all who bear the Chriftian name. Extra(5l from the minutes, J. B. JOHNSON, Secretar)'. THE practical work of the Rev. Peter Immens upon the Lord's Supper, is fo well adapted to the inftrudlion and confolation of real Chriftians, that an attempt to render it of general ufe by an Englifh tranflation, deferves the en- couragement of ferious perfons of every denomination. It is hoped, there- fore, that the labour of the Rev. John Bassett for this purpofe, will be cor- dially received and encouraged by the public. JOHN B. SMITH, Pref. of Union College. DIRCK ROMEYN, S. S. Theo. Pfof. Schcneclady, Jan. 1-Jthy 1 798. THE Subfcriber having for many years been acquainted with the book, entitled " The Pious Communicant," written by the learned and pious Mr. Immens, Minifter of the Gofpel at Middleburgh, the chief city of the Pro- vince of Zealand, in Holland, recommends it as a work, which is highly efteemed by all that fear the Lord, and which has, under the divine blefling, proved beneficial to many precious fouls, by exhibiting to their view the grace of God, as abounding to the chief of finners — and by difplaying the all-fuffi- ciency of the Saviour, in the commencement, progrefs, and completion of the Ufe of faith. The fubfcriber expreffes his gratitude to the great King of Zion, for having inclined the heart of his efteemed friend to tranflate, for the ufe of the Churches of Chrift in America, the above excellent performance, — and flatters himfelf, that every friend of religion will encourage the publication thereof. PETRUS VAN VLIERDEN, Minifter of the Gofpel at Sagerties. Albany, Fth. 1/?, 1 798. In SynoJ, Xov. 12, l8or. THE Rev. Mr. Baffctt having informed Synod, that he had completed a tranflation of Immens's Pious Communicant ; the Synod eiprcffed their warmeft approbation of the undertaking ; rejoiced that a work fo juftly celebrated for its mafterly execution, and the vein of piety which pervades it, may now be read in the Englifli Language ; and refolved to patronize its publication. NICHOLAS LANSING, p. t. praefes. P. STRYICER, Clk. p. t. •0" The hli-Jer is nquef.ed to phca ihis haf nt\i to the tUL-page cf Vol. L ,..! i o_ t:M. SS^fi' -'i'