little that he faw then, to what he fees now, and what we (if believers) will fee ere long. Peter was lo tranfported on the mount with a fight of Chrift's transfiguration, and Mofes and Elias talking with him, that he was in an extafy of admirati on, and said, Mafter, it is good for us to be here, let us build tabernacles, q. d. Let us dwell fill here, and not go down to yon vain empty world again; here's better company and purer delights. But, O how much more is Peter ravished with wonder now! This was but a Small part of that glory, which Peter and the faints above fee there. O believers, you ought on a communion-day to get up to the mount of meditation, as Mofes did to mount Nebo, and view this promifed land; and, as ye fee it, you ought to long for it, and alfo rejoice in hope of the glory of God, and fay, O shall I ere long jon with that one hundred and forty four thousand that jollow the lamb? Shall I hear a part in that heavenly confort? Shall all tears be wiped from my eyes? Shall my poor dying body be turned into a glorious far? Shal! I be for ever with the Lord, and drink of the rivers of pleafure that run clear as cryftal alongst the banks of eternity, and whofe freams make glad the city of Ged? And fhall not my heart leap for joy at the profpect of it? The night is far spent, the day is at hand, the fun is at the rifing, and, will not a believer rejoice in hope of it. The wife men, when they but faw the ftar that pointed out where Chrift was, yet it is faid, They rejoiced with exceeding great joy, Matth. ii. 10. But O elieving communicant, thou wilt fhortly fee the far of Jacob, namely, Chrift himfelf, who is the bright rning far, thining in his glory; and, will not that caufe far more joy to thee? If the difciples returned from the fepulchre with great joy, when they but got the news that Chrift was rifen from the dead; what joy will it be to thee, to fee him rifen and reign ing in his glory, and thyfelf raifed from the grave to reign eternally with him. Well then, let a communion-day, and the comforts of it, put thee in mind of that happy state, and raise fuitable defires and affections in thee towards it, and make thee long and fay, Lord these joys are too great to enter into me now, O make me fit to enter into them! Lafly, As far as time and strength can allow, the evening of a communion-fabbath fhould be spent in fecret and family duties. I acknowledge our frail bodies may be much fatigued by our long attendance, intentfenefs and abftinence this day: but O if we could fay this evening (and particularly minifters and elders, who had greater work this day upon 'their hands than others) that tho' we may be weary with our work, jet we are not weary of our work; for it is Chrift's work, which is both pleasant and profitable, and carries its own reward in its bofom ! And fince your bodies must be refreshed this night, and you mult entertain fome fellowship with others, there ought to be a more divine and heavenly air upon your converfations at this time than ordinary: let your carriage and difcourfe be fuch as becomes those who have been on the mount this day with God, that others may take notice of you, that you have been with Jelus. When you fee the table covered this night, or fupper fet upon it, you may think or fay, Now I am. come from a communion-table to a common table; from › tafting of the upper-Springs, to fhare of the nether Springs from feeding on manna, to eat the breed ibat: perifheth: how great is the change of my fare! Laid,. let not this table be a fare to me, nor anywife tend to divert my mind either from the sweet table i have been at, or that bleft table aboue. I would be at, We may likewife take occalion to ad-nire the infinite bounty and goodness of God to both our fouls and bodies: O what pains and coft he is at with us! At our common tables we fee his beafts killed to maintain the life of our bodies, and at the communion table we have feen his dear fon flain to preferve the life of our fouls. In the last place, keep a watchful eye upon all your thoughts and words this night; look well to the frames of your fouls., Hath God Jhed abroad his love this day in your hearts? then keep yourfelves in the love of God. Ly down this night with (weet thoughts of Chrift, fervently praying for a rich bleffing upon the day's work, and for his gra. cious prefence on the morrow, that the last day of the feaft may be the greatest and sweetest. SECT. III. Containing Directions to all Communicants in general, concerning their after-converfati on in the world. Rmember, you have been covenanting with God, and taking folemn vows on yourselves at the Lord's table; fee that your converfations be fsuitable hereunto. You have been admitted to great ho nours and special privileges; fee then that ye fhew your thankfulness to God the author of your mer. cies, by the love of your hearts, the praises of yout lips, and exemplarinefs of your lives. But more particularly, obferve these following directions. 1. Study to be true and faithful foldiers to your General, whofe colours you have folemnly sworn to. You have come under a facramental oath to God; fes that you keep it facred and inviolable. The Pfalmift gives it as a mark of a man that will go to heaven, Pfal. xv. that he keeps his oaths and promifes, even tho' it thould be to his hurt and prejudice. How much more the:: fhould a man be careful to keep his oaths and engagements he comes under to God in the facrament, when it is greatly for his good and advantage so to do? O communicant, be faith ful ful to the Captain of your falvation, abide by his ftandard, defert him not in the day of battle, go not over to his enemies camp. Remember what he hath done and fuffered for you, and let the love of Christ constrain you to abide with him. Plutarch tells us of the foldiers of Pompey, that when he could not keep them in the camp by any perfuafion, yet wherr Pompey threw himself on the ground, faying, If ye will go, ye shall trample on your General: it is faid, They were overcome and perfuaded to stay. So your General, Chrift, when in the garden, threw himself on the ground, wrestling in an agony, to fave you from fin, and top your career to hell: O then do not trample on your General, but stop your self-deftroying courfe, and abide with your Saviour. We read, 2 Sam. xx. 12. that David's foldiers, while marching very faft, when they faw the dead body of Amafa in the way (viz. their General wallowing in blood) they ftopt their march and stood still. O communicant, tho' formerly thou hast been marching furiously in the ways of fin, yet when thou feeft the mangled, wounded, pierced and crucified, body of thy Saviour before thee, thou shouldft ftop thy, courle, and proceed no further. Oh, do not tram ple on thy wounded General, do not defpife his bleeding wounds, nor forget his dying love. Keep ftedfaltly your facramental oath, and never act contrary. to it. Beware of plotting against him, or corresponding with traitors. Let it never be heard that any of Chrift's fworn foldiers fhall either defert or betray. their renowned General. If you would be faithful foldiers to Chrift your General, then carefully obey his orders, couragiously adhere to his intereft, valiantly fight for his caufe, manfully refift his enemies, and abide by his ftandard to the very last. Be thou faithful to the death, and thou shalt get the crown of life, Rev. ii. 10. DIREC DIRECTION II. Study to be alive and diligent in a Course of new Obedience, after the Sacrament. You YOU fhould now walk circumfpectly, be more humble and pious towards God, more juft and righteous towards man, and more fober and temperate towards yourfelves. Have a fincere refpect to every commanded duty: keep the Sabbath more exactly, hear more attentively, pray more fervently, meditate more frequently, and fee to watch over your hearts, your words, and your ways more diligently, that fo you may pleafè God, walk worthy of Chrift, walk worthy of the covenant, of the facrament, of the kingdom, of the gospel and grace of God. Let your prefent deportment be anfwerable to your future preferment; and fee that there be fome proportion be twixt your privileges and your duties. It should be with a man after his communion with God in the facrament, as it was with Jacob after his communion with God in Bethel, Gen. xxix, 1. Then Jacob lift up his feet, (as it is in the original) and came into the land of the people of the East. After Jacob had met with God, then he lift up his feet, i. e. he went on his journey with ftrength, with fpirit and chearfulness. So, after we have had fellowfhip with God in the facrament, we fhould, in the ftrength of that meal, lift up our feet, and go on chearfully and refolutely in our journey towards heaven. Nay, we fhould, like Jehothaphat, not only have our hands and feet, but allo our hearts lift up in the ways of the Lord. We should now run his errands molt readily, fing in his ways, and ferve him with alacrity. When God calls us to any duty, we should prelently anfwer the firft intimation of his will; Speak, Lord, for thy fervant heareth. O com |