ourselves, that have (both) procured the death of Christ by sin, and sinned against it ! And how should we all be filled with joy, that have such mysteries of mercy opened, and so great salvation freely offered to us! O, hate sin ! O, love this Saviour! See that you come not hither without a desire to be more holy, nor with a purpose to go on in wilful sin. Be not deceived, God is not mocked : but if you heartily repent, and consent to the covenant, come and welcome. We have commission from Christ to tell you that you are welcome. Let no trembling, contrite soul draw back, that is willing to be Christ's upon his covenant terms; but believe that Christ is much more willing to be yours. He was first willing, and therefore died for you, and made the covenant of grace, and sent to invite and importune you to consent, and stayed for you so long, and gave you your repentance, your willingness and desire. Question not then his willingness, if you are willing: it is Satan and unbelief that would have you question it, to the injury both of Christ and you. Come near, observe, believe, and wonder at the riches of his love and grace; for he hath himself invited you to see and taste, that you may wonder. You are sinners, but he inviteth you to receive a renewed, sealed pardon of your sins, and to give you more of his Spirit to overcome them. See here his broken body and his blood, the testimonies of his willingness. Thus hath he sealed the covenant, which pardoneth all your sins, and secureth you of your reconciliation with God, and your adoption, and your right to everlasting blessedness. Deny not your consent, but heartily give up yourselves to Christ; and then doubt not but your scarlet, crimson sins shall be made as white as wool or snow. Object not the number or greatness of them against his grace: there is none too great for him to pardon to penitent believers. Great sins shall bring great glory to his blood and grace. But strive you then for great loathing of your sins, and greater love to such a God, and greater thanks to such a Saviour. Unfeignedly say, I am willing, Lord, to be wholly thine; and then believingly take Christ, and pardon, and life, as given you by his own appointment in the sealed covenant, And remember that he is coming. He is coming with thousands of his mighty angels, to execute judgment on the ungodly; but to be glorified in his saints, and admired in all that do believe. And then we shall have greater things than these. Then shall you see all the promises fulfilled, which now are sealed to you, on which he causeth you to trust. Revive now your love to one another, and forgive those that have wronged you, and delight in the communion of the saints: and then you shall be admitted into the Church triumphant, where, with perfect saints, you shall perfectly rejoice, and love and praise the Lord for Receive now a crucified Christ here repre. sented, and be contented to take up your cross, and follow him: and then you shall reign with a glorified Christ, in the blessed vision and fruition of that God, to whom by Christ you are now reconciled. Let faith and love be working upon these things, while you are at this holy Table. ever. Then shall the Minister use this, or the like Prayer. are 1 Sam. vi. 20. Most holy God, we as stubble Mal. iv. 1. before thee, the consuming fire. How Heb. xii. 29. shall we stand before thy holiness ? For Mal. iii. 2. we are a sinful people, laden with ini- Isa. i. 4. quity, that have gone backward and Eph. ii.5. provoked the Holy One of Israel. Luke xv. 32. Ez. xvi. 6, 8, 9. When we were lost, thy Son did seek Col. i. 13. and save us; when we were dead in Jer. vi. 28. Luke xix. 10. xi. 22. 40. sin, thou madest us alive. Thou sawest Deut. iv. 23. Deut. vi. 5, 6;. us polluted in our blood, and saidst unto us, Live! In that time of love Psal. c. 3, 4. Heb. xii. 25. thou coveredst our nakedness, and Deut. ix. 12; enteredst into a covenant with us, and xxxii, 5. 2 Tim. iii, 2. we became thine own. Thou didst 1 John ii. 15. deliver us from the«power of darkness, Eph. ii. 3. and translate us into the kingdom of Gal . v. 24. Matt. xxii. 37, thy dear Son; and gavest us remission of sin, through his blood. But we are Luke x. 42. Matt. xxv. 30. grievous revolters; we have forgotten Rom. ii. 23. the covenant of the Lord our God. We 1 Cor. x. 31. 1 Thes. iv. 1. were engaged to love thee with all our Luke viii. 18. hearts, and to hate iniquity, and serve Matt. xxiv. 15. Psal. i. 2. thee diligently, and thankfully to set Deut. vi. 6. forth thy praise. But we have departed Phil. iv.6. from thee, and corrupted ourselves by 1 Cor. xi. 27, 28. Isa. lxiv, 7. self-love, and by loving the world, and Col. ii. 7. the things that are in the world; and Acts ii. 42, 45, have fulfilled the desires of the flesh, 1 Cor. xi. 29. 46, 47. which we should have crucified. We Mal. i. 7, 10, 12; ii. 10, 11. have neglected our duty to thee, and to Psal. lxxxv. 8. our neighbour, and the necessary care Gen. iv. 16. of our own salvation. We have been Psal. li. 11. unprofitable servants, and have hid thy Matt. xxii. 12. 2 Chron. xv. 2. F Matt. vii. 23. 1 Heb. viii. 12. Psal. xxxv. 3. v. 6. 14. talents ; and have dishonoured thee, whom in all things we should have pleased and glorified. We have been negligent in hearing and reading thy holy word, and in meditating and conEzek. xviii. 38. ferring of it; in public and private Ezek. xxxiii. 11. prayer and thanksgiving, and in our Hos. xiy. 4. preparation to this holy Sacrament; in the examining of ourselves, and repent ing of our sins; and stirring up our Matt. xxii. 4; hearts' to a believing and thankful John vi. 55; iv. receiving of thy grace, and to love and joyfulness in our communion with thee Eph. iii. 18, 19. and with one another. We have not duly discerned the Lord's body, but John vi. 35, 51. have profaned thy holy name and ordinance, as if the table of the Lord had been contemptible. And when thou hast spoken peace to us, we returned again to folly. We have deserved, O Lord, to be cast out of thy presence, and to be forsaken, as we have forsaken thee, and to hear to our confusion, Depart from me, I know you not, ye workers of iniquity. Thou mayest justly tell us thou hast no pleasure in us, nor wilt receive an offering at our hand. But with thee there is abun 1 Pet. i. 8. Matt. xv. 27. |