to build them up ; it is not only to convert them, but also to edify them ; it is not only to begin a work of holiness, but also to perfect and carry on a work of holiness ; and therefore the word is not only compared to seed, that begets holiness in men's hearts, but also to wine and milk and strong meat, that helps forward the growth and increase of holiness in men's hearts.^ And so the great end of the Lord's supper is not to work spiritual life where it is not, but to in- crease it where it is ; it is not to change the heart, but more and more to sanctify the heart ; it is not to work holiness, but to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord ; it is not to sow the seed of grace in the soul, but it is to cause that seed to grow and flourish in the soul. The martyrs in the primitive church, when they were to appear before the cruel tyrants, they were wont, as Cyprian shews, to receive the Lord's supper, and thereby they were fired with zeal and fervour, and filled with faith and fortitude, &c. Chrysostom saith, that by the sacrament of the Lord's supper we are so armed against Satan's temptations that he fleeth from us, as if we were so many lions that spit fire. The Lord's supper is a cabinet of spiritual jewels ; and oh, then, how unmanly and unseemly a thing it is to hang this cabinet of jewels, which is more worth than the gold of Ophir, in a swine's snout ! And how that mother can be guiltless of the death of her child, that giveth him poison in a golden cup, with this caution, that she tells him it is poison, I know not ; no more do I know how that minister can be guiltless of the body and blood of our Lord, who dispenses the bread of life to those who are known to be without spiritual life — yea, that are known to be dead in sins and trespasses. And thus you see, by these five arguments, that it is possible for you to attain to greater measures of holiness than any yet you have reached unto ; and so much for the second motive. 2
(3.) Thirdly, To provoke you to labour after higher degrees of holiness, consider ilmt the more holy you are, the more you ivill be the delight of God, and the more dear you will he to God, and the more beloved you ivill be of God, Ps. xvi. 3, 4. For the right understanding of this argument you must carefully distinguish between Grod's love of goodwill, and his love of complacency. Now God's love of goodwill is equal to all his saints, whether they are rich or poor, high or low, bond or free, or whether they have a sea of grace or but a drop of grace. God's love of goodwill runs as much out to the weakest Chris- tian as it does to the strongest, to a babe in grace as to a giant in grace. All saints are equally elected. God never chose one man a vessel of glory more than another; the weakest saint is as much elected as the strongest, Rom. xi. 17. And as all saints are equally elected, so all saints are equally redeemed by Jesus Christ. Christ bled as much for one saint as another, and he sweat as much for one saint as another, and he sighed and groaned as much for one saint as another, and he trode the wine-press of his Father's wrath as much for one saint as another, Isa. liii. 3-12. Christ paid as great a price for his lambs as for his sheep, 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20, for Lazarus in his rags as for David in his royal robes. And as all saints are equally re-
^ It is only the holy soul that can truly say Credo vitain ceternam, et edo vitam (eternnm. — Cyprian, lib. iv. ep. 6. ' In the margin here, ' The end of the 43d Sermon.'— G.
348 THE NECESSITY, EXCELLENCY, RARITY, [HeB. XII. 14.