Let us labour to be acquainted with him now before that day. We shall never have comfort in the day of the Lord Jesus, except we be acquainted with him, and acknowledge him in the miuistiy now, and in the sacra- ments ; for none shall ever be acquainted with him there, that have not been acquainted with him, and known him in this world.
How do we come to be acquainted with Christ ?
To be present where he is present ; and he is present where two or three are met together in his name. He is present now in our meetings, he is present when we hear the word. He is present in the sacrament more especially ; we have his very body and blood. As verily as we take the outward signs, so verily Christ is present to our hearts*; at the same time from heaven, he reacheth us himself with all the benefits of his passion. When the minister reacheth the bread, he reacheth his body. As our out- ward man is refreshed with the elements, so oiu' souls are refreshed with the spiritual presence of Christ. Now he is excellently present in heaven, he is present to our senses in the sacrament, and by his Spirit in the word.
Would you have him then at his appearing come and ovm. you, and say then, ' Come, ye blessed ?' Mat. xxv. 34 ; be acquainted with him now upon all occasions, hear the word, receive the sacrament, and come to the sacra- ment as acknowledging him there.
How is that ?
Why, then, you acknowledge the bread and wine to be seals of him, and of all the blessings by him, when you come prepared, when you come to them as his. Or else you do not acknowledge them. You know them to be such and such things, but you acknowledge them not to be set apart for such a holy use, except you come with prepared hearts.
Whl anybody acknowledge him to go to a great person, when he goes deformed and in rags ? Do you know whither you 'go ? would some say to him. He considers not whither he goes, that comes to the sacrament in his old sins. Come acquainted therefore with Christ, to acknowledge him that shall be your judge at the latter day ; therefore come prepared.
And then, because the sacrament is a means to seal to us all the benefits we have by Christ, and to incorporate us more nearly into Christ, he that comes to the sacrament as he should, must come with joy. Is it not a joyful thing to be united to Christ, and to have further assurance of all the good things by him ? Yes^! it is a matter of great joy. Therefore, when you have repented of your sins, come with joy.
826 COMMENTARY ON
And come with holiness. The things are holy, as our liturgy hath it ; let us give holy things to holy persons. Here is presented holy bread and wine, and here you are to deal with Christ. Therefore come with holy reverence in the whole cai'riage of the business.
And come with faith and assurance, and then you shidl acknowledge Christ in this ordinance, in the sacrament. You shall acknowledge that he deals not complimontally with you, to teed you with empty signs ; but you shall have himself with his signs ; you shall have the Lord himself in the word, and in the sacraments. With the field you shall have the treasure in the field, as the wise merchant had, Mat. xiii. 44. With the word you shall have Christ wrapped in the word. And in the sacrament you shall have Christ and all his benefits. Trust to it, make it yoin' weapon against Satan, he will tempt you to doubt of your interest in Christ. Think with your- selves, Had I grace to receive Christ ? to be incorporate nearer into him ? why should I doubt to renew my covenant ? And though I have fallen by weakness, yet I have a gracious intercessor in heaven that makes my peace continually. Come in faith. Know that God in good earnest here oticrs Christ with all his benefits.
And come with a purpose and resolution to be led by him. You come to renew your covenant. Here is the covenant, when Christ is given to you, and you give yourselves to Christ. Therefore, as I said, if j'ou come with a purpose to live in sin, come not at all. Christ will not live in a heart where there is a pui'pose to sin. Therefore resolve to leave all sin, or else you cannot receive him.
To move you to come, and to come thus, do but consider that it will be your joy in this world, and in the world to come, before Christ, that you have been thus acquainted with him here on earth, acquainted with him in the ministry, acquainted with him in the sacrament, in private prayer, and meditation, in all the blessed means that he hath appointed : and then he will look on you as upon his old friends.
But now he that is a rebel, that goes away, or else comes, not acknow- ledging with whom he hath to deal; him that shall be his judge ere long, the great God of heaven and earth, that shall come in^glory and majesty with thousands of his angels. Then he shall be 'wonderful' indeed, as his name is, Isa. ix. 6 ; and as the apostle saith, 2 Thess. i. 10, where he useth the word, ' he shall be wonderful in his saints.' Then all the world shall wonder at the glory of a poor Christian, when he shall put down the sun, and all the creatures in glory. Consider with whom j'ou have to deal, him that ere long shall be wonderful in his saints. Therefore come pre- pared, come joyfully, come faithfully, come reverently and holily, and you shall find a blessing answerable. This I thought good to touch concerning the occasion of the sacrament. ' Ye are our rejoicing.'