part from me." There is, in the covenant of grace, a salve for every sore, a remedy for every malady, comforts suited to every distress and sorrow; but that we may have the benefit of them, it is requisite that we "know every one his own sore, and his own grief," that we may spread it before the Lord, and may apply to ourselves that relief which is proper for it, and "from the fulness which is in Jesus Christ, may receive, and grace for grace," grace for all occasions.

Here it may be of use to take cognizance even of our outward condition, and inquire into the cares and burdens, the crosses and necessities of that; for even against those there is comfort provided in the new covenant, and administered in this ordinance, "Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is." When Christ was inviting his disciples to come and dine with him, he asked them first, "Children have ye any meat." Christ's inquiry into our affairs, directs us to make known before him in particular, the trouble of them. Let every care be cast upon the Lord in this ordinance, lodged in his hands, and left with him; and let our own spirits be eased of it, by the application of that general word of comfort to this particular case, whatever it is, "He careth for you." What is the concern I am most thoughtful about, relating to myself, my family, or friends? Let that way be committed to the Lord, and to his wise and gracious conduct and disposal; and then let my thoughts concerning it be established. What is the complaint I make most feelingly? Is it of a sickly body, disagreeable relations, a declining estate, the removal of those by death that were very dear? Whatever it is, spread it before the Lord, as Hezekiah did Rabshakek's letter, and allow no complaint that is not fit to be spread before him. When God came to renew his covenant with Abraham, and to tell him that he was his shield, and his exceeding great reward, Abraham presently puts in a remonstrance of his grievance: "Behold, to me thou hast given no seed." Hannah did so, when she came up to worship. And we also must bring with us such a particular sense of our afflictions, as will enable us to receive and apply the comforts here offered to us, and no more. Holy David observed how his house was with God, and

that it was not made to grow, when he was taking the comfort of this, that however it were, "God hath made with him an everlasting covenant."

VI. Inquire, what shall I resolve to do?-This question is equivalent to that of Paul, "Lord what wilt thou have me to do?" We come to this ordinance solemnly to engage ourselves against all sin, and to all duty; and therefore it is good to consider what that sin is which we should particularly covenant against, and what that duty to which we should most expressly oblige ourselves. Though the general covenant suffice to bind conscience, yet a particular article will be of use to mind conscience, and to make the general engagement the more effectual. It is good to be particular in our pious resolutions, as well as in our penitent reflections.

For our assistance herein let us inquire,

1. Wherein have we hitherto missed it most?-Where we have found ourselves most assaulted by the subtlety of the tempter, and most exposed by our own weakness, there we should strengthen our defence and double our guard. What is the sin that hath most easily beset me? the well circumstanced sin? that is it which I must more particularly resolve against in the strength of the grace of God. What is the duty I have most neglected, have been most backward to, and most careless in? To that I must most solemnly bind my soul with this bond.

2. Wherein we may have the best opportunity of glorifying God?-What can I do in my place for the service of God's honour, and the interests of his kingdom among men? "The liberal deviseth liberal things," and so the pious deviseth pious things, that he may both engage and excite himself to those liberal pious things, in and by this ordinance. What is the talent I am intrusted with the improvement of? My Lord's goods I am made steward of. What is it that is expected from one in my capacity? What fruit is looked for from me? That is it that I must especially have an eye to in my covenants with God; to that I must bind my soul; for that I must fetch in help from heaven, that, having sworn, I may perform it.

CHAPTER V.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR RENEWING OUR COVENANTS WITH GOD IN OUR PREPARATION FOR THIS ORDINANCE.

It is the wonderful condescension of the God of heaven, that he hath been pleased to deal with man in the way of a covenant, that, on the one hand, we might receive strong consolations from the promises of the covenant, which are very sweet and precious; and, on the other hand, might lie under strong obligations from the conditions of the covenant, which, on this account, have greater cogency in them than mere precept, that we ourselves have occasioned to them, and that we have therein consulted our own interest and advantage.

The ordinance of the Lord's Supper, being a seal of the covenant, and the solemn exchanging of the ratifications of it, it is necessary we make the covenant before we pretend to seal it. In this order, therefore, we must proceed, first give the hand to the Lord, and then enter into the sanctuary; first in secret consent to the covenant, and then solemnly testify that consent: this is like a contract before marriage. They that "ask the way to Zion, with their faces thitherward, must join themselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant." The covenant is mutual, and in vain do we expect the blessings of the covenant, if we be not truly willing to come under the bonds of the covenant. We must enter into covenant with the Lord our God, and into his oath ;" else he doth not "establish us this day for a people unto himself." We are not owned and accepted as God's people, though we "come before him as his people come," and sit before him as his people sit, if we do not in sincerity "avouch the Lord for our God." In our baptism this was done for us, in the Lord's Supper we must do it for ourselves, else we do nothing.

Let us consider then, in what method, and after what manner, we must manage this great transaction.

FIRST, In what method we must renew our covenant with God in Christ, and by what steps we must proceed.

I. We must repent of our sins, by which we have rendered ourselves unworthy to be taken into covenant with God. Those that would be exalted to this honour, must first humble themselves. "God layeth his beam in the waters." The foundations of spiritual joy are laid in the waters of penitential tears, therefore this sealing ordinance sets that before us, which is proper to move our godly sorrow in it we look on him whom we have pierced, and if we do not mourn, and be not in bitterness for him, surely our hearts are as hard as a stone, yea, harder than a piece of the nether millstone." Those that join themselves to the Lord, must go weeping to do it: so they did

"In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the Lord their God They shall ask the way to Zion, with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten." That comfort is likely to last, which takes rise from deep humiliation, and contrition of soul for sin. Those only that go forth weeping, bearing this precious seed, shall come again rejoicing in God as theirs, and bring the sheaves of covenant blessings and comforts with them. Let us therefore begin with this:

1. We have reason to bewail our natural estrangement from this covenant. When we come to be for God, we have reason to be affected with sorrow and shame, that ever we were for any other; that ever there should have been occasion for our reconciliation to God, which supposeth that there hath been a quarrel. Wretch that I am, ever to have been a stranger, an enemy to the God that made me, at war with my Creator, and in league with the rebels against his crown and dignity? O the folly, and wickedness, and misery of my natural estate! My first father an Amorite, and my mother a Hittite, and myself a transgressor from the womb, alienated from the life of God, and cast out in my pollution. Nothing in me lovely, nothing amiable, but a great deal loathsome and abominable, Such as this was my nativity, my original.

2. We have reason to bewail our backwardness to come into this covenant. Well may we be ashamed to think

how long God called, and we refused; how oft he stretched forth his hand before we regarded; how many offers of mercy we slighted, and against how many kind invitations we stood out; how long Christ stood at the door and knocked before we opened to him; and how many frivolous excuses we made to put off this necessary work. What a fool was I to stand in my own light so long? How ungrateful to the God of love, who waited to be gracious? How justly might I have been for ever excluded from this covenant, who so long neglected that great salvation? Wherefore I abhor myself.

3. We have reason to bewail the inconsistency of our hearts and lives to the terms of this covenant, since first we professed our consent to it. In many instances we have dealt foolishly, it is well if we have not dealt falsely in the covenant. In our baptism we were given up to Christ to be his, but we have lived as if we were our own; we then put on the Christian livery, but we have done little of the Christian's work; we were called by Christ's name to take away our reproach, but how little have we been under the conduct and government of the Spirit of Christ? Since we became capable of acting for ourselves, perhaps we have oft renewed our covenant with God, at his table, and upon other occasions; but we have despised the oath, "in breaking the covenant, when lo we had given the hand." Our performances have not answered the engagements we have solemnly laid ourselves under. Did we not say, and say it with the blood of Christ in our hands, that we would be the faithful servants of the God of heaven? We did; and yet instead of serving God, we have served divers lusts and pleasures, we have made ourselves slaves to the flesh, and drudges to the world, and this "hath been our manner from our youth up." Did we not say, we would not transgress, we would not offend any more?" We did, and yet "our transgressions are multiplied, and in many things we offend daily." Did we not say, we would walk more closely with God, more circumspectly in our conversation, we would be better in our closets, better in our families, better in our callings, every way better? We did, and yet we are still vain and careless, and unprofitable; all those good purposes have been to little purpose; this is a