and solid a foundation, whereupon to build our most holy faith, that if we be but truly penitent, we cannot doubt of God's mercy to us. For here, his only Son, with his own divine mouth, invites all that are so to come to him, promising or engaging his word, that he will refresh them: he will give them peace in their minds, quiet in their consciences, rest to their souls. He will take care that they shall neither travail, nor be heavy laden any longer, with the burden of their sins; for he will refresh them with the sense of God's mercy, in the pardon of all their faults, and, with the assistance of his grace, in the mortifying of all their lusts. Sin shall no longer have dominion over them, because they are not now under the law, but under his grace.'1 Now, these being the words of Christ, of truth itself, we may, and ought to have, a sure trust and confidence in them, so as to be fully persuaded in our minds, that we being in the number of those whom he calls, and having obeyed his call in coming to him, he, according to his word, will ease us of our sins, and give us rest; especially considering that he himself assures us also with his own mouth, that God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, to the end that all that believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' 2 Which words containing the substance of the design of the whole gospel, pronounced by Christ himself, are therefore read in the next place, that we might have occasion to exercise our faith in all of it, and so have no place left for diffidence, or doubting. For seeing the great reason that moved 1 Rom. vi. 14. * John, iii. 16. God to send his Son, was his infinite love to mankind; and the only end why he did it, was, 'that all who believe in him might not perish, but have everlasting life:' what can we desire more, to excite and confirm our faith in him? For he that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things ?' 1 But lest the sense of our former sins should be apt to make us despond, or despair of mercy, that nothing may be wanting to complete and strengthen our faith at this time, there are two other divine sentences read; the one of St. Paul, saying, 'This is a true saying and worthy of all men to be received, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.' And the other of St. John, 'If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins.'3 Whereby we are given to understand and believe, that Christ came into the world on purpose to save such sinners as we are; that he was made a propitiation for our sins, by undergoing all the punishments that were due unto us for them; and that he is now our advocate in heaven, always interceding for us, and ready to apply the merits of his death unto us. At the hearing of which, our faith hath so much ground and matter to work upon, that we may well say with St. Paul, 'Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.'* 1 Rom. viii. 32. 21 Tim. i. 15. 3 1 John, ii. 1. 66 Having thus exercised our faith, and so got above this world, we are now ready to go into the other, and to join with the glorified saints and angels in praising and adoring that God, who hath done so great things for us; which that we may the better do, the minister calls upon us to lift up our hearts,' to lift them up as high as we can, by a quick and lively faith in the most high God, the supreme governor of the whole world. Which being now ready to do, we immediately answer, We lift them up unto the Lord." And our hearts being now all lift up together, and so in right posture to celebrate the high praises of God, the minister invites all to join with him in doing it, so as at the same time to believe that he is our Lord, and our God, saying, "Let us give thanks unto our Lord God." Which the people having consented to and approved of, by saying, "It is meet and right so to do;" he turns himself to the Lord's table, and acknowledgeth to his Divine Majesty there specially present, that "it is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks to him." And then the minister looking upon himself, and the rest of the communicants, as members of the church triumphant, and all apprehending themselves, by faith, as in the midst of that blessed society, we join with them in singing forth the praises of the most high God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, saying, "therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious name, evermore praising thee, and saying, holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory; glory be to thee, O Lord, most high." And certainly, if ever our souls be in heaven, while our bodies are upon earth, it must be in the singing of this heavenly anthem, when our spirits with those of just men made perfect,' yea with the whole company of heaven, in so solemn and seraphic a manner, adore and magnify the eternal God, our Maker and Redeemer. Especially when we celebrate the nativity, the resurrection and ascension of our blessed Lord, his mission of the Holy Ghost, or the most glorious Trinity; for which there are proper prefaces appointed to raise up our hearts as high as possible, in praising God for such transcendent mysteries and mercies as those are. Now, if ever, our minds must needs be duly prepared to receive the blessed body and blood of our dear Lord. And therefore the minister having first acknowledged our unworthiness of so great a mercy, and prayed to God to assist with his own grace to receive it worthily, he then saith the of consecration. prayer And now there is nothing either seen, or said, or done, but what puts us in mind of something or other, whereupon to employ and exercise our faith in the highest manner that we can. When we see the bread and wine set apart for consecration, it reminds us of God's eternal purpose and determinate counsel, to offer up his Son as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. The minister's reading the prayer of consecration, and performing that whole work alone, none of the people speaking a word, or any way assisting him in it, may put us in mind how the whole work of our salvation was accomplished by Christ alone, no mere creature contributing any thing at all to wards it; and therefore we should believe in him as our only mediator and advocate. When we hear those words, Who in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread;' we are then by faith to behold our Lord at his last supper, there instituting this sacrament which we are now to receive, and distributing it to his apostles with his own most blessed hands. When we see the bread broken, we should then call to mind that grief and pain, those bitter agonies and passions which the eternal Son of God suffered for our sins, and in our stead: how he was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities;' how his blessed body was broken, his hands and feet fastened to the cross, with nails drove through them; and all for our sins, even for ours. And so when the minister takes the cup into his hands, or pours out the wine, we are then by faith to behold how fast the blood trickled down from our dear Lord and Saviour's head, when crowned with thorns; from his hands and feet, when nailed to the cross; from his side, when pierced with the spear; and from his whole body, when he was in his agony; and all to wash away our sins; still believing that it was for our sins that all this precious blood was shed; for such and such sins which we know every one ourselves to have been guilty of. When we hear the words of consecration repeated, as they came from our Lord's own mouth, 'This is my body which is given for you, and this is my blood which is shed for you, and for many, for the remission of sins;' we are then steadfastly |