Thirdly, What we are to do after the Lord's suppei-. Examine what exercise and increase of faith there hath been — Have I acted faith in
4S8 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. LXII.
this duty ? how shall I know it ? If you have in the actin"; of faith been waiting upon God for the blessings of the institution, the effects will show it. The effects are these —
1. It will stir up joy and thankfulness ; you will find it will increase both.' Look, as the eunuch after his baptism, it is said, Acts viii. 89, ' He went on his wvay rejoicing.' As men are pleased when they have a lease of a good bargain sealed to them that yields them a great bene- fit ; so the people of God, when they have renewed pledges of God's love, and a real sen.se of their interest in such inestimable licnefits by Christ as the pardon of their sins, the gift of the Spirit, and hopes of glory, they are excited and stirred up to praise the Lord, and they are ready to cry wuth David, Ps. ciii. 1-3, ' Bless the Lord, 0 my soul ; and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who pardoneth all thy iniquities, and healeth all thy diseases.' When there is somewhat that urges the soul to bless God, it is a sign we have acted faith, and have been per- suaded and encouraged to wait for such special benefits that we are to receive by Christ.
2. It will produce a longing to meet with God another time, that we may be thus kindly refreshed, and have another good meal from God, and be feasted in his house : Ps. Ixiii. 2, ' To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen it in the sanctuary.' Look, as one circle begets another in the water, and a little water cast into the pump when the springs are low brings up more ; so our experience kindles afltection, and makes us long for more : 1 Peter ii. 8, ' If so be that you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.' When you find benefit by one duty, it will be an encouragement to come again. You have tasted that the Lord is gracious, and therefore you come for new quickening and re- freshing.
3. There will be resolution to serve the Lord the more faithfully, and walk with him in all the ways of holiness ; you have been with God, and you go aside and say, Ps. cxvi. 12-14, ' What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me r* I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his })eople ; ' and Ps. Ixxxv. 8, ' I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints ; but let them not turn again to folly.' When it is so, when there is more care of holy walking with God, then certainly there hath been some acting of faith and grace in this duty, and we have met with Jesus in it.
4. For the present the heart should be more warm and serious, and all those things omitted, for a time at least, which rather savour of the flesh than of the spirit, which, though they do not directly belong to the flesh, yet they border on it. And those things will be omitted which do not well agree with the lively sense and fervour of godliness, which should be stirred up in us in an action so important. To leap presently into a vain, worldly fi-ame, and to fall to worldly discourse, shows that we have not been serious in it, and that we have not had such a lively sense of sin, and that we have not been so deeply affected with the wonders of God's redeeming grace as we should have been. Certainly, however it be with us at other times, and whatever liberty
VeR. 28.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 489
we take, yet after the participation of the Lord's supper, men onglit to study much purity and heavenliness of mind, and raisedness of lieart towards God. And the rather I press it, because the devil loves to affront the worshippers of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to tempt them after some solemn duty to some unbecoming practice and behaviour. The devil entered into Judas after the sop : John xiii. 2, ' And supper being ended, the devil having now put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him,' &c. Satan never gets greater advantage on wicked men than after a careless use of such precious ordinances. But now for the people of God there will be a favour abiding upon their hearts a good while afterward.
END OF VOLUME XIV.
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