Sacrament Cordials for the Converted

NOW DEARLY BELOVED BRETHREN,

This holy sacrament is appointed as a sealing ordinance between Christ and you. The covenants are made; the terms are agreed to on both sides; God is willing to be yours to all intents and purposes, your refuge, your rest, and your guide. While Christ has it, you shall never want; and what God is to him, that he, in your order, will be to you.

You again, through grace, are willing to be his: his in his own way, and on his own terms; willing to serve him; willing to be betrothed to him, and to be commanded by him, to use his remedies, to follow his counsels, and to acquiesce in him as your blessedness: thus all are agreed; the articles are drawn; the covenants both on God’s part and yours, are ready written; and here you may come to put all past controversy, and mutually to sell and subscribe. O happy and blessed meeting! Christians, do not forget your errand; remember where you are, and what you are come for; and know that you are upon the most solemn transaction that ever passed between the Creator and the creature. It is God’s admirable condescension that he will be united to us, and enter into bonds to us, to bless us and reward us; and because our faith is weak, he hath brought his surety with him, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is a surety on his part, as well as ours, to undertake for his fulfilling his promises. And he hath brought the visible signs and pledges by which all shall be firmly passed and ratified before your eyes. This is the new testament in my blood, written in my blood, ratified in my blood. O, sirs, this is that which God doth here reach forth unto you with his own hand this day! the new testament in Christ’s blood! Christians, prepare your ears, and rouse up your faith, and now believe and hear some of the blessed articles of that covenant which God doth here sign and seal to you. I shall mention only nine, which I advise you to lay next your hearts, while you have a day to live, and you shall find the virtue of these cordials strong and operative in all conditions.

Art. I. Jliat Jic iinll fulfil to you the place of all relations, I will be a father to you, you shall be my sons and daughters. Whatever children may expect from a father, that you may look for from me. I will find you meat, be not thoughtful, I know that you have need of all these things. You shall be clothed out of my wardrobe, and wear my livery: and when you have need of correction, I will remember to do it in mercy? and you shall find, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord your God chasteneth you.

I will be a Husband to you, and will betroth you to me for ever. You shall not need to fear, your Maker is so: I will give you my choice love, I will give you my heart.

I will be a Lord and Sovereign to you: the Lord is your Judge, the Lord is your Lawgiver, the Lord N 2 is your King. Fear not the unrighteousness of men: I will judge your cause, I will defend your rights; you shall not stand or fall at man’s bar; you shall not be cast at their votes: let them curse, I will bless; let them condemn, I will justify. Who shall accuse when I shall acquit? Who shall lay any thing to your charge, when I do discharge you? When you come upon trial for your life, to have your eternal state decided, you shall see your friend, your Father, on the bench; and you shall surely stand in judgment, and be found at the right hand, among the sheep, and hear the King say. Come ye blessed.

I will be a Shepherd to you: fear no evil, for I am with you. You shall not want, for I will feed you. You shall not wander to be lost, for I will restore you. I will cause you to lie down in green pastures, and lead you beside the still waters. If my officers be careless, I will do it myself. As for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord God, I will judge between cattle and cattle: I will feed my flock, saith the Lord God, and cause them to lie down; I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and bind up that which was broken, and strengthen that which is sick. But I will destroy the fat and the strong, and will feed them with judgment.

I will be a Physician to you, I will heal your backslidings, and cure all your diseases; fear not; never did soul miscarry that left itself in my hands, and would but follow my prescription.

Well, this is one of the articles that God here sealeth to, that he will be to you in the phice of all relations. Silence, thou quarrelling unbelief. Methinks I hear thy whispers, that this is too good to be true; that it were presumption in us to count upon all this. What! shall they, that must say to corruption. Thou art my father, be able to say to the incorruptible God, Thou art my Father? Shall they, that must say to the worm, thou art my mother and my sister, be able to say to the angels of light, ye are my fellow-servants, and to the King of glory, thou art ray brother and my kinsman? Shall Majesty espouse himself to misery, and the worms’ meat be married to immortality and life? How can these things be?

Nay, but O heart of unbelief, what art thou that repliest against God? Dost thou, under a sly pretence of humility, argue with thy Maker, and call veracity into doubt? Is not this his word, his promise, his covenant? and is there not his seal? Whv then dost thou doubt, O thou of little faith?

Art. II. That he isoill entitle you to all the divine petfectioiis: “I will be a God to thee.” God gives away himself, and he gives his Son to you: “I will give thee for a covenant of the people.” This is the church’s triumph, “Unto us a Son is given.” And he gives his Spirit to you: “He shall give you another Comforter.” And believers acknowledge the receipt: “We have received the Spirit which is of God.” Thus you see all the persons of the Godhead are made over to you, and so are all the perfections of the Godhead: and so the covenant runs, “I am the Almighty God, or the all-sufficient God; walk before me and be upright.” These are the terms between God and a believer: “Be thou upright before me, and I will be all-sufficient to thee.” The all-sufficiency of God is the comprehension of all his perfections. Truth without power, or power without wisdom — both without goodness, would not be ail-sufficiency. All-sufficiency takes in all that is in God, (if we may speak of God’s most simple essence according to the shallow reach of our present capacity) yea, it comprehends infinitely more than can be said or thought. Why now, this is the covenant of grace which God establishes with you this day, that he will be a God all-sufficient to you.

Christians, rouse up your faith, now appropriate and apply the promises, now believe strongly and steadfastly; and believing will fill you with joy unspeakable and full of glory. I do not wonder if your faith be put to it, in so great and high a mystery, to draw nigh to infinite Majesty, and consideringly and without resistance to siy thou art mine, and all that thou hast” — this is no easy thing. But thou mayest not dare to doubt it. Canst thou question him who is the truth? Can the strength of Israel lie, or in his word deceive thee? But the soul is ready to reply, O! the thing is too high and great for me to presume and believe! and is ready, with Peter astonished, to cry out, “Depart, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” But why doth thy hand tremble, and thy heart fail thee, and thy feet, with Peter’s, when walking on the water, begin to sink? What dost thou halt at? Is it at the truth of the promises?

No, saith he, trembling soul, but sure so much can never belong to me so sinful; I am afraid it is not mine. Why, what saith the promise? Only be upright. What, though thou hast a hundred failings, yet thy heart is upright; the bent of thy heart is mainly for God and holiness; thou makest conscience of all sin, little as well as great, secret as well as open, and dost not deliberately allow thy — self in any. Thou dost, in the settled frame of thy heart, prefer the pleasing of God, and value his favour and fellowship, above all worldly good, therefore thou art upright: these marks are infalHble. What! dost thou object thy failings? Art thou under a covenant of vrorks? Do ye think God now stands upon perfection? The covenant is plain: God contendeth for uprightness, and God hath wrought in thee that condition that he requires of thee. What can be plainer? Wilt thou suffer the devil and unbelief to catch the blessino; out of thv hand, when God tells thee it is thine? W’ilt thou be against thyself, and refuse thine own peace, when God is come to seal thee up to the day of redemption? This is that which the Lord here seals to thee, that he will be a God all-sufficient to thee. O, believe and be thankful, and rejoice in thy own blessedness! O happy, thrice happy souls, to whom the living God thus signeth and sealeth, and assigns over all his infinite perfectionsj as their everlasting possession!

Art. III. That he lii’Il discharge you from all your debts. This is the covenant; “I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Though your sing be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Believest thou this? Come near, beloved Christian, approach believingly, and here thou shalt see the Lord obliterating all thy debts, taking away the hand-writing that is against thee, declaring that he hath received a ransom, and he is satisfied, contented, and paid. O happy man, that shalt leave all thy sins behind thee! Why, this is the very thing the faithful God doth hero seal unto thee. Thy pardon is written in his most sacred blood, which is here shed for the remission of sins; so that thou may est triumph with the Apostle, “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died.”

Art. IV. That he will save you from all your enemies. Not from the combat, but from the conquest: the victory shall be sure, so far as God is engaged. So the covenant runs in its first discovery, that the seed of the woman shall break the serpent’s head, though he should bruise his heel. By the seed of the woman understand not Christ only; but all believers. By the serpent, understand not Satan only; but all his party, the ungodly persecuting world, which are his children; and all our tyrannical lusts, which are his works. By his bruising our heel, understand his molesting and wounding us, but not mortally. By our breaking his head, understand the total and final victory which we shall most certainly obtain over him and his party at last. Christians, what should we fear? Death! the covenant here sealed makes over death as a legacy to you; and bohold it brings the head of your conquered enemy in a chnrger. Death is yours; O blessed and most grateful present! The covenant assures you God will bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The world! be of good cheer, Christ hath overcome the world. Hell! there is no condemnation for them that are in Christ Jesus. Sin! this is indeed to be dreaded, but with a watchful and cautious fear, not with a fainting, discouraging fear. Sin shall not have dominion over you.

Christians, here is support now for your faith-What! do all these holy promises nothing move you, or carry little savour or relish with them? What! shall the Almighty God give it to thee, under his own hand, that thou art a freeman, and thoumakest little account of it? Shall he give thee thy protection, and thou lay it by as a useless paper that signifieth little? O sirs! when your hearts are ready to faint, because of the sons of Anak, that be in the way; when you see the king of terrors levelling at you, and a wicked world armed with rage against you, and full of malice, and the thieves and conspirators in thy bosom watching their opportunity to betray all to them; yet let not this discourage you. These were enough indeed to make a considerin<r man’s heart to melt and die within him: but that covenant of grace yields such ample relief against all! O be ever mindful of the covenant! Remember what hath passed this day between the living God and your souls. Watch, O Christian, and stand fast! acquit thee like a man. The conquest is sure. Who would not fight with courage that hath assurance of the victory? N3

Art. V. Tlmt lie will befriend you in all conditions. He will be a fast friend to you in every change, and turn all things to your good: and, when you are ready to say unbelievingly, with Jacob, “All these things are against me.” “If he brings you into the wilderness, there he will speak comfortably unto you. In the fire and the water he will be with you. He will be a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress; a refuge from the storm, and a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible one is as a storm against the wall.”

Beloved, here the Lord is come to seal all these promises to you. O go home and bless yourselves in the sweet security of your state! God hath promised you, that whatever condition you be in you shall have succour and support from him, and enjoy his presence with you, and see his finger, in all your troubles, sweetly turning all for the best. Go away and live like believers; be not afraid of sufferings, but show that you believe what God hath promised, that afiliction shall not hurt you. The next time any trouble comes upon you, remember what a promise God hath passed upon you this day, and wait on him believingly for the happy issue and event of every trial that shall befal you.

Art. VI. That he mil take ujjon him the care of all your concerns. “You must be careful in nothing. He careth for you: take no thought what ye shall eat or drink, neither be of doubtful mind; but rather seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Come ye to this holy ordinance in any distress or trouble: methinks you should go from it as Hannah, and your countenance be no more sad: “God shall number your hairs, and take care that nothing be lost. He will take care of your names, and bring forth your righteousness as the light. He will take care of your substance, he will give meat to them that fear him, and be ever mindful of his covenant: of your seed, for he will be a God to them, and will entail the blessing on them.” He commands that your widows, and fatherless children should be left on him. He is, by covenant, to look after their concerns: you need not be solicitous; he is tender of you, when he seems most to neglect you; as Moses’ sister, that was secretly watching behind the bush, and wishingly looking on, to see what was done to the child; though, to the finders, it seemed exposed to famine and death in the flags.

Art. VII. That he “will give you, or be himself to you, instead of all comfort, “He will be a sun and a shield, and give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” O! the treasure that is in these words, “I am thy shield and exceeding great reward. I will undertake both for thy protection and provision: when evil assails thee, I will be a shield to thee; when any good is wanting, I will be a supply; thou shalt have children, or I will be better to thee than ten children; thou shalt have riches, or I will be thy store; thou shalt have friends, if best for thee, or else I will be thy comforter in thy solitude, thy counsellor in thy distress; my secrets, my ears, and my doors, shall be ever open to thee. He shall receive a hundred fold in this time: though he have not the things themselves, yet he shall have all these, and more than all in me; I will be house, friend, and fiither to him, all in one.” If you should have a hundred candles burning in the room, and should put out every one, and open the window, and let in the sun, this would be better than the hundred lights that were put out; so here, though thou shouldstbe called on to forsake all, it will be but as letting the cistern run, and opening the fountain.

Art. VI 1 1. That he xmll maintain you all your days in his service. “He will be your guide even unto death.” Christian, whilst thou hast a day to live, God will stand by thee: he “will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your lives, and the Lord will never turn away from you to do you good.” O happy covenant that the Lord sealeth to you!

Art. IX. That “eohen you come of age, he xvill give the kingdom to you. God saith to the believer here, thine is the kingdom; whatever is promised in the covenant is sealed in the sacrament. It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. I appoint unto you a kingdom. Mark the promise pregnant with a kingdom; it is no less than a crown, a kingdom, that is here delivered to you. A certain nobleman went into a far country, to receive to himself a kingdom, and to return: this is the business you are come hither for, to receive to yourselves a kingdom, and so to return. O! methinks, you should forget the ground you go upon as you are going home, to think what you have received here: methinks, you should go forth as Haman from the banquet, joyful and with a glad heart. Sirs, do you know what you are doing? Why, the Lord doth by these signs give you the kingdom, as a man, by delivering to you a turf or a key, gives possession of a house or land. Brethren, have you ever read of the kingdom of joy, of the crown of life, of the robes of righteousness, of the throne of glory? Why all these God here makes over to you. I tell you, Sirs, these are not big words, nor cunningly devised fables; God Almighty is here come to certify you of the reality of his promises: as sure as you now sit on your seats, you shall shortly sit on your thrones: as sure as you are now clothed with flesh, so surely shall you be clothed with glory. Are you sure you are now on earth? So surely shall you be shortly in heaven: the Lord intendeth you but for a very little while in this lower region; you must dwell above: where Christ is, there must you be also; as sure as you now see a crucified Christ, so surely shall you see a glorified Christ. The Lord Jesus doth anticipate his sentence here, and calls to you his guests. Come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom; take the writings, hold the seals, here are the conveyances of the kingdom; the donation is sure and full, unalterable, irrevocable.

Christians, do you believe? If you do, methinks, you should be ravished; methinks, you should be filled with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. But do you stagger at the promise through unbelief? Do you say, O it is too much and too great! Why, how can this be? What! too great for God to make good? Thou darest not think so. But it is too srreat for me to count upon. Why, but man, dost thou not bear upon thee the mark of the Lord Jesus? Whose image and superscription is this? Doth not your very heart prize Christ above all the world? Hast thou not made a deliberate choice of him for thy head and husband? Hast thou not entered into a solemn contract with him, to be his for all times and conditions, and to love, honour, and obey him, before all others, to thy death? And doth not thy heart stand to all its choice? Hast thou not taken him, with his yoke and with his cross? And dost thou not, in thy practice, first seek the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof? And hast thou not chosen the way of the kingdom? Art thou not in love with holiness, and desirest grace more than gold? Dost thou not prefer a holy spiritual life, before all the grandeur of the world, and the pleasures of the flesh? And all this, not only for a fit, or flash, but in the settled frame and disposition of thy heart? Surely thou must wrong God and thyself, if thou deniest it to be thus with thee. Why, these are the marks of the Lord Jesus upon thee, the sure marks. Fear not, these cannot deceive thee; they evidence that thou art born of God, that thou art a son, and so an heir, and therefore may lay claim to the inheritance.

Come, then, beloved Christian, be of good comfort, why shouldest thou doubt? Thou hast the mark of the sheep, and therefore thy portion shall be at the right hand, and thy sentence among the blessed. Well, then, receive this holy sacrament as the pledge of all this. Go home and look over all these blessed promises, and count them thine. Do not read them (as too often heretofore) as if they did not concern thee. Remember what God hath here promised under hand and seal to thee, and let not all be left behind thee, when thou goest hence, but let the remembrance, the sweet fruit of them, abide upon thee whilst thou hast a day to live. Never forget what the Lord hath here spoken to thy soul: make more of the promises than ever in thy life before; bless thyself in them; remember how the Lord delivered thee the promises; how he sealed to thee several articles; how he sprinkled the blood upon the book of the covenant, and gave it thee, and said, this is the new testament in my blood. O! live henceforth a life of joy and faith, as a man that is elevated above the world; do not live at the old dull and slothful rate; carry it as a believer; and, in a word, walk as one that doth indeed take all for truth that the Lord Jesus hath spoken to thee this day. Let that of the Apostle be a close to all — ‘* Having, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness, both of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God!”