might these things already mentioned be to make us carefull to come to the Sacrament after the due Order with preparation But because our carelesse hearts are not so easily wrought upon try we yet a little further what we may be brought unto by shame or feare of danger for to come to the Sacrament without due preparation is both a shamefull and a dangerous thing Rogo vos fratres diligenter attendite si ad mensam cujusque potâ—ntis hominis nâ—mo presumit cum vestibuâ— conscissis inquinatis accedere â—uâ—nto mâ—â—is c. Aug. De temp Ser. 251. 1 First it is a matter of shame It were a matter of soule shame for a man to come and sit downe at a great mans Table in rags and tatters in his nastinesse and filthinesse and in such a case how would we take and tucke up such an one Art thou not ashamed to come to such a mans Table in so base a fashion What an uncivill fellow art thou in such a garbe to come into such a presence And is it not then a matter of fouler shame to come rudely unpreparedly and unbeseemingly Quid vero annon vides vasa abluta adeo nitida splendida His longe mundiores oportet esse animas his sanctiores splendidiores Quare Quoniam illa propter nos fiunt talia Illa eum qui inest non participant non sentiunt Nos autem participamus sentimus Nunc autem vase quidem sordido uti nolueris sordida autem immunda accedis anima 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Ephes 1. hom 3 unto the Lords Table Consider that 2 Chron. 30. 15. The Priests and the Levites were ashamed and sanctified themselves And why were they ashamed because they had so long deferred their sanctification and preparation and therefore at length for very shame did sanctifie themselves It was a matter of shame then that they had so long put off their sanctification They have cause of shame that sanctifie not themselves in due time for holy duties And if it be a matter of shame to deferre it though done at the last then how much more is it a shame to neglect it altogether and not to doe it at all If a foule cloath should be laid on the Communion Table if the Napkin wherein the bread is laid were not cleane if the Cup Vessels in which the Wine is put were not made handsome and decent men wold cry shame of it and would say that it is an arrant shame that the linnen and vessels be in such a case that it is an arrant shame that these things are not provided and prepared to be in more decent and cleanly order And a shame it were indeed there ought to be an outward decency in these things Our Saviour made no choise of any room at adventure to eat the Passeover in but of a decent handsome furnisht roome Luke 22. 12. He shall shew you a large upper roome furnished there make ready Now then were it a shame that the vessels and linnen should not in their kinde be fitted and decently prepared what a foule shame then not to have our soules and hearts prepared what is a foule cloth or a sullied vessell to a foule and an unprepared soule Oh shame that men will offer to come to Gods Table with sluttish and unprepared spirits should not we much more be prepared than the vessels They containe but the outward elements for our use but we come to receive the body and bloud of Christ Will we have the vessels prepared and can we for shame come with unprepared hearts 2 Secondly it is a matter of great danger to come unprepared to the Table of the Lord that eating of the Passeover of theirs otherwise than it was written 2 Chron. 30. 18. it was a dangerous thing and Hezekiah was faine to make speciall suite for mercy for them And yet that want of theirs was but an omission of some Legall Ceremony How much more dangerous had it beene if for the inward substance of preparation they had done it otherwise than it was written To come to the Sacrament without such preparation is dangerous indeed The dangers are these 1 First that which the Apostle speakes of 1 Cor. 11. 27. Whosoever shall eate this bread and drinke this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. The end of the Sacrament and our comming to it is to shew forth the Lords death But now if we come unpreparedly to it we make our selves guilty of the Lords death We come to the Sacrament to drink the Lords bloud but if we come unpreparedly to it wee come to shed the Lords bloud and so instead of drinkers prove shedders of Qua ratione reus fit indigne assumens perinde nimitum ac si ipse sanguinem Domini effundat Vt n. qui tum pupugerunt Christum non ut biberent effuderunt veruÌ„ ut effunderent sic indigne bibens nihilque inde commodi referens frustra ac temere profudie sangumem Theophil in 1 Cor. 10. Chrys 1 Cor. 11. hom 27. Christs bloud An unworthy receiver is guilty of Christs bloud how so because he doth so as if he shed his bloud he doth so as the shedders of Christs bloud did For looke as they that crucified pierced Christ powred not forth his blod that they might drinke it but onely that they might powre it forth and shed it So he that doth unworthily and unpreparedly drink his bloud receiving thereby no profit nor benefit he hath rashly and in vaine shed his bloud Now do but sit downe and consider how fearfull a thing it is to be guilty of Christs bloud It is a fearefull thing to be guilty of any mans bloud yea to bee guilty of a wicked mans bloud how much more then to be guilty of the bloud of the Sonne of God of the bloud of God Deliver me O Lord from bloud-guiltinesse cryes David Psal 51. It is a very heavie thing to have an hand in mans bloud That same is a sad Text 2 Sam. 3. 28 29. I and my kingdome sayes David are guiltlesse before the Lord for ever from the bloud of Abner the Son of Ner let it rest on the head of Ioab and on all his Fathers house and let there not faile from the House of Ioab one that hath an issue or that is a Leaper or that leaneth on a staffe or that falles on the sword or that lacks bread What an heavie Imprecation was this upon Ioab and that for the bloud of Abner who was none of the best neither And if so heavie a curse upon Ioab for being guilty of Abner's bloud how much more heavie will the curse be upon him that shall be guilty of the bloud of Christ God will require the bloud of a man at the hands of a beast Gen. 9. 5. The Ox that killed a man must be stoned to death and his flesh must not
place but to have him enter at the Sacrament at the Lords Table this is far more fearefull To rise up from the Lords Table with greater greedinesse and more eagernesse after our lusts to rise from the Lords Table with more strength and minde than before to do the divell service is wondrous fearefull And doth thine heart tremble at the thoughts of such going from the Sacrament then let thine heart tremble no lesse at the thoughts of such comming to the Sacrament of comming unpreparedly unto it Loth thou wouldest be to have Satan enter but into thine house be as loth to have him enter into thine heart especially in the use of the Sacrament and as thou wouldest be carefull to prevent Nâ—m Sacramentum sicut accipâ—t ad vitâ—m â—ignus sic ad judicium moâ—â—em propâ—â—â—m indignuâ— Sacramentum â—â— sine re Sacramenti mors est â—umenâ—â— Res vero Sacramenti praeter Sacramentum vita aeâ—â—rna est accipâ—enâ—â— Bern. in caen Dom. Ser. 2. so great a danger so dismall a case so look to it to come in due order duly prepared for the Sacrament 2 Instead of receiving that which might further our salvation we shall receive Iudgement and damnation We come to the Sacrament to further our salvation but comming unpreparedly further our damnation 1 Cor. 11. 29. He that eates and drinkes unworthily eates and drinkes his owne damnation The Paschall Lambe might not be eaten raw Exod. 12. 9. Eate not of it raw To teach that the Sacrament must not be eaten unpreparedly He that receives unpreparedly eates the Sacrament raw because hee comes rawly and eates it rawly and unpreparedly Now to have eaten the Pascall Lambe raw had beene both unwholesome and dangerous He that eates raw flesh never digests it kindly The eating of flesh that hath not been so well prepared as it should that hath bin somewhat too raw hath cost many a man his life As dangerous as eating of raw flesh is to the body so dangerous to the soule is the eating of the Sacrament rawly and unpreparedly It appeares by 2 Sam. 6. 6. That Vzzah put forth his hand to the Arke of God upon a good intention to save the Arke from a fall when the Oxen stumbled or shooke it But his good intention notwithstanding there was an error or a rashnesse in it And for that errour and rashnesse the anger of God was kindled against Vzzah and for that errour and rashnesse God smote him there and there he dyed by the Arke What is the Arke of God to the body and bloud of the Sonne of God And if God punisht him so severely for his errour that he rashly layde hold on the Arke which yet he did out of a sodaine feare of the Arkes comming to some hurt and miscarriage and without diliberation there being no place for deliberation in so sudden a chop if yet God was so severe against him how much more are they in danger to bee smitten for their errour that will rashly put forth their hand to lay hold on the body and bloud of CHRIST Especially not doing it rashly upon any suddaine occasion that puts them upon it but having time and liberty for deliberation yea and doing it against so many faire warnings as they continually have Every one that meddles with the Sacrament unpreparedly meddles with it rashly and he that meddles rashly is in danger of Gods stroake of a worse stroake then Vzzahs was of a stroake upon the soule for he that eates and drinkes unworthily eates and drinkes his owne damnation So strangely doth our unpreparednes pervert Gods Ordinance Ideoque alijs sunt haec munera odor vitae in vitam alijs odor mortis in mortem quia omnino justum est ut tanto pâ—â—ventur beneficio gratiae con emptores nec in â—â—dignis 〈◊〉 gâ—atiae puâ—â—â—â— faciâ—â— maâ—â—â—â—nem 〈◊〉 de â—oen dom and of an Ordinance of life makes it an Ordinance unto death That as they spake in that case 1 Reg. 4 40. Oh thou man of God death is in the pot So it may bee sayd unto an unprepared Communicant ôh thou unworthy receiver Death is in the cup. If thou drinke unpreparedly thou drinkest thine owne death And as God speakes of Ierusalem to the enemies of it Zech. 12. 2. Behold I will make Ierusalem a cup of poyson or a cup of trembling unto all the people round about so may it be sayd of the cup in the Sacrament to an unprepared receiver Inteâ—â—jâ— nefarie necatus veneno per infectum panem sacrum Beneconventi a Bernhardino Monachoâ—e familia fratrunâ— pradicatorum qui ad hoca Florentioâ—â— eâ—at conductus Carion Chronic. lib 5. Behold I will make the cup in the Sacrament a cup of poyson or a cup of trembling to all unprepared Communicants The Emperour Henry the seventh was poisoned in the bread by a Monk and Pope Victor the second was poysond by his Subdeacon in his challice and one of our Bishops of Yorke was poysond at the Sacrament by poyson put in the wine Now if poyson were mingled with the Sacramentall bread or if poyson were put into the cup would not men tremble to eate that bread would not that cup be a cup of trembling would not the very feare and suspicion of poyson make men tremble to drinke of it Assuredly if thou be an unprepared receiver there is poyson in thy bread in thy cup and it will poyson thy soule to death And therefore it should make men as much tremble to come unprepared as Medicus enim non daret venenum salutem medicus dedit sed indigne accipiendo ad perniciem accepit August they would tremble to go away with their soules poysoned If a sonne shall aske bread of any of you that is a Father will hee give him a stone sayes our Saviour Luk. 11. 11. We professe when we come to the Sacrament that wee come to seeke bread and foode for our soules And bread the true living bread that came down from heaven is there to be had but when we come unprepared it so falls out with us that in stead of bread we have a stone given us a stone that will choake us The Divell would have had our Saviour to have turned stones into bread but contrarily men comming unpreparedly turne the bread in the Sacrament into a stone so that not onely no more nourishment by it then by a stone but so much danger by it as by feeding on a stone which is no lesse then death I will sayes David Psal 116. 13. Take the cup of salvation How many in taking the cup in the Sacrament take the cup of damnation Either take it a cup of salvation or take it not at all 3 The third danger is bodily danger Vnprepared receiving brings bodily judgements upon men as sickenesse weakenesse yea and death it selfe 1 Cor. 11. 30. For this cause many are weake and sickely amongst you and many sleepe For what cause For receiving the
neither of these pure Well then who are they now that are defiled ones See the words of the Text to them that are defiled and unbelieving Therefore an unbelieving person is a desiled and an uncleane person Faith purifies the heart Acts 15. 9. and so fits for pure Ordinances but unbeliefe defiles the heart and a defiled heart defiles Gods Ordinance to it selfe And how can that man bee welcome to an Ordinance welcome to a Sacrament that defiles it 2 To come without faith makes our comming an abomination To come without faith is to come out of Christ and to performe the service which a man doth out of CHRIST Now all service performed out of Christ is abominable to GOD. See Lev. 17. 3 4. What man soever there be of the house of Israel that killeth an Oxe and a Lambe c. And brings it not to the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation to offer an offering to the LORD c. bloud shall be imputed to that man he hath shed bloud and that man shall be cut off from among his people And againe vers 6 7. And the Priest shall sprinkle the bloud upon the Altar of the Lord at the doore of the Tabernacle c. And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto divels Sacrifices then not brought to God to the doore of the Tabernacle were as murder and bloudshed were as the service of the Divell And what more abominable before God The doore of the Tabernacle was a Type of Christ Iohn 10. I am the doore And the drift of that Law is to teach that they should performe all their services to GOD in CHRIST and to shew how loathsome to GOD all services are that are not done in him Now he that is in his unbeleefe that wants the grace of faith is not in Christ neither can he doe any thing in Christ And therefore such a mans comming cannot but be an abomination God abhors and abominates that man and his comming that wants faith The end of comming to the Sacrament is to seeke and see Gods face and to have fellowship and communion with him Now if we come without faith God will not let us see his face GOD will turne away and hide his face from us Deu. 32. 19. 20. And when the Lord saw it hee abhorred them because of the provoking c. And he sayd I will hide my face from them But why will God do so He gives his reason for it for they are children in whom is no faith So that when a man hath not faith he shall not see GODS face in the use of his Ordinance for how can a man see an hidden face But that is not all GOD not onely hides his face but he abhorred them He abhorred them because of their provoking him How did they provoke him Not onely by that spoken of in the verses going before but by that also in the verse following because they were children in whom was no faith Such then as have no faith have no communion with GOD and doe provoke God so as he abhors them There can bee no communion with GOD where a man is cut off from God and fellowship with him And where a man is cut off from covenant he is cut off from communion Now where there is no faith there is an excision a cutting a man off from God and covenant with him Rom. 11. 20. Through unbeleife they are cut off And besides it is a provoking sinne An unbeleever lives in a sin that continually provokes God Numb 14. 11. How long will this people provoke mee And how long will it be yer they beleeve me And Psal 78. 21 22. The Lord was wroth so a fire was kindled against Iacob and anger also came up against Israel because they beleeved not in God And what wonder then that a man comming to the Sacrament without faith is abomination to GOD when his unbeleife angers and provokes the Lord. 3 The state of unbeliefe is a state of spirituall death I live by the faith of the Sonne of God Gal. 2. 20. A beleever is a living man an unbeleever a dead one spiritually dead The want of faith in the soule is the death of the Vnde mors in anima quia nō est fides undemors in corpore quia non est ibi anima ergo animae tuae anima fides est August in Ioh tract Placuit ut corporibus defunctorum Eucharistia nō detur Dictum n. est ◠Domino Accipite edite Cadavera aut◠nec accipere posiunt nec edere Concil Carthag 3. can 6. soule as the absence of the soule from the body is the death of the body It was an ancient abuse of the Sacrament to give it to dead bodyes an abuse condemned and cast out by a Councill upon this reason Because CHRIST sayes Take Eate But carcases and dead bodies can neither eate nor drinke It was a good reason to deny it to dead bodyes The very same reason excluds unbeleevers Vnbeleevers are dead unbeleevers can neither eate nor drinke for beleeving is eating drinking Ioh. 6. 53. What should a man doe at the Sacrament that can neither eate nor drinke CHRISTS flesh and bloud An unbeleever can doe neither because he is a dead man because hee wants faith the life and teeth by which Christ is to be eaten 4 Vnbeleife evacuates enervates and de-sorces the Sacrament of its efficacy and vertue or powerfull operation The Sacrament in Gods Institution is an Ordinance that hath a fulnesse of spirituall blessing in it full of efficacy and spirituall power and offers to empty it selfe with a rich and plentifull blessing upon the soule of the receiver But yet provided that hee come to receive it after the due order that hee come prepared with a beleeving heart And Christ sayes to every receiver as he sayd to the Centurion Matth. 8. 13. As thou hast beleived so be it done unto thee and as to the blinde man Matth. 9. 29. According to your faith bee it unto you So in this case as you beleive and according to your faith when you come to the Sacrament so bee it done unto you According to your preparation with faith so shall mine Ordinance worke and be effectuall and empty out it selfe unto you And as every man brings faith so hee carryes away an answerable portion of blessing and spirituall good from the Sacrament But now when a man comes to the Sacrament in unbeliefe voyde of the grace of faith the Sacrament proves but a dead Ordinance utterly ineffectuall utterly empty of any spirituall good That looke as the Apostle speakes of CHRIST to them in case of circumcision and justification by the workes of the Law Gal. 5. 2. Behold I Paul say unto you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing and verse 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you who ever of you are justified by the Law So it may be said of the Sacrament and
All such knowledge is as ignorance 1 Iohn 2. 3 4. Hereby we know that we know him if we keepe his Commandements He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him There be that see many things and yet are blinde Isa 42. 19 20. and that because obedience is wanting And how welcome ignorant and blinde persons be to the Sacrament we saw before And what evidence is there of the truth of faith where obedience is wanting Thou sayest thou hast faith when thou commest to the Sacrament shew me thy faith by thy works by thine obedience As faith is the principall of all true obedience so obedience is the evidence of true faith He that is wanting in obedience must needs be wanting in faith and he that coms to the Sacrament without faith CHAP. 8 comes to no purpose And how will it appeare that that man hath repented and truly turned from his sin who is not yet in the wayes of obedience There is no man repents but he brings forth fruits worthy of repentance The fruits of obedience are the fruits beseeming repentance And how is there love without obedience when love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13. 8. How can the Law bee fulfilled without obedience So needfull is obedience to qualify a man for the Sacrament A mans care must be to eate and drinke worthily He that will doe so must have a care to doe that Col. 1. 10. To walke worthy of the Lord. He that is an unworthy walker can never be a worthy receiver But how may a man walke worthily or what is it to walke worthy of GOD The Apostle teaches us what it is in the same place That yee might walke worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull in every good worke So that to walke obediently is to walke worthily And such a worthy walking fits for a worthy receiving It is that which GOD regards more then all outward performances then the services of his worship It is a common error in many men to thinke that if they performe the outward duties of worship they doe enough and that these alone are highly well pleasing to God though no more be done They thinke so long as they pray heare the Word receive the Sacrament all is wondrous well though they make no conscience of obedience to Gods will otherwise Though they obey not yet because they doe duties of worship that they doe God very acceptable service whereas the truth is that when we give not God obedience all services have poore acceptance Profession of Religion and godlinesse a good thing it is but yet a vaine thing without obedience Excellent speech becomes not a foole Pro. 17. 7. And what though Israel cry my God wee knowe thee what is this to the purpose so long as Israel hath cast off the thing that is good Hos 8. 2 3. Disobedient profession is abominable and a kinde of Athisme denying GOD Tit. 1. 16. And as profession so performances vaine Their sacrifices without obedience as acceptable as a Dogges head or as Swines bloud Isa 66. 3. Hearing without obedience as good as nothing Ezek. 33. 31 32. no more then hearing a song or a Musician GOD is highly well pleased with prayer and yet he that prayes to God and yeelds him not obedience will finde poore speede Prov. 28. 9. He that turnes away his eare from hearing the Law even his prayer shall be abomination Yea the receiving of Sacraments is to as little purpose as all the rest Rom. 2. 25 26. Circumcision profits with obedience Circumcision is made uncircumcision without obedience and uncircumcision with obedience preferred before circumcision without Circumcision profits if thou keepe the Law so receiving the Communion profits and thou shalt finde benefit and good by it if thou be one that walkest in obedience to GOD. But if thou be a breaker of the Law thy circumcision is made uncircumcision So if thou be not obedient to GOD and his Law thy receiving is no better then not receiving It is a good thing to come to the Sacrament but it is a better thing to give God obedience and it is the best of all when first giving GOD obedience wee then come to receive the Sacrament That which Samuel speakes to Saul is true in this case 1 Sam. 15. 22. Behold to obey is better then sacrifice Sacrifice was a solemne service Saul thought sacrifice was a goodly thing and so it was when performed with obedience but he thought if God had sacrifice it was no matter for obedience Therefore Samuel teaches him another lesson that his obedience without a sacrifice had beene better then a sacrifice without obedience And so behold to obey is better then to receive Sacraments There were diverse reasons why obedience was better then sacrifice 1. Because obedience was more spiritual then sacrifice 2. Sacrifice was only at set and solemne times obedience was to be daily hourly 3. Sacrifice wicked men might and did offer Cain sacrificed as well as Abel obedience onely could a good man performe a wicked man obeyed not God 4. Sacrifice was nothing if separated from obedience obedience separated from and performed without sacrifice might be acceptable 5. Obedience qualified and fitted a man for sacrifice and prepared him to be an acceptable sacrificer But sacrifice fitted not a disobedient person unto obedience Therefore to obey was better then to sacrifice Vpon the same grounds to obey is also better then to receive Sacraments It is a more spirituall service then bare receiving it is a continuall and a more daily duty it is duty which many doe not cannot do that yet receive the Sacraments it may be accepted when the Sacrament is not received not the receiving of the Sacrament accepted without it and it is that which qualifies and prepares a receiver for the Sacrament And how needfull it is for a Communicant to bee prepared thus will appeare by these things 1 First when we come to the Sacrament we come to eat the flesh and bloud of Christ wee come to eate Christ It is but a folly to hope to eat Christ when we yeeld not God obedience My flesh is meat indeed and my bloud is drinke indeed Iohn 6. But for whom is it meat and drink For such as when they come to the Sacrament are found such as our Saviour was Iohn 4. 34. My meat is to doe the will of him that sent me Take eat this is my body hee therefore offers his body to be eaten But may any one eate it Is it meate for all sorts to eat No see who they are that eat and drinke Cant. 5. 1. Eat O friends yea drinke abundantly O beloved He cals upon his friends and his beloved and cheeres them up to eat and drink we must then be his friends and his beloved if we will eat and drinke And who then are his friends who are his beloved Such as yeeld him obedience
fulnesse and satisfaction whose teeth would not water after such curious delicates Bring longing hungry enlarged desires and fat and marrow shall be our portion For herein hath spirituall hunger an advantage above bodily Bodily hunger a man may hunger withall and yet his hunger helpes him to no meat nor satisfaction But spirituall hunger doth as having the promise of satisfaction Christ out of his compassions will liberally releeve all hungry Ecce pauper venio ad te divitem miser ad misericordem ne recedam vacâ—us vel contemptus Esuâ—iens incipio te quaereâ—e ne deserar â— te jejunus Famelicus accedo ne â—ecedam impastus Et si antequam comedam suspiro da vel post suspiria ut comedam August lib. medit c. 39. soules that with desire seek after him Excellent is that place Mat. 15. 32. Then Iesus called his Disciples unto him and said I have compassion on the multitude because they continue with me now three dayes and have nothing to eat and I will not send them away fasting lest they faint in the way He that would not out of his compassions send away the multitude with fasting bodies lest they should faint how much more thinke we will he compassionately regard an hungry soule and not send it away fasting from the Sacrament lest it should faint Christs compassions will not suffer him to send away an hungry soule fasting Alas he knowes it would faint if it should come empty and goe away empty if it should come hungry and goe away hungry 3 Thirdly the more strength in our desires the more hunger in our spirits the more aboundant and the more plentifull satisfaction The more our hearts are inlarged in our desires the more Gods hand will be inlarged in his bounty Psal 81. 10. Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it God hath an open hand for all that have an open mouth God hath an hand wide open for such as have their mouthes wide open A mouth wide opened shall be a mouth full filled A wide mouth shall be a full mouth God will inlarge himselfe to all that come to him with inlarged hearts Gods admeasurements of grace and spirituall good are suitable to mens inlargements and dilations of their spirits Three things fit a Vessell to receive a great measure of liquor 1. When it is of large capacity A small Vessell may be filled but yet a small Vessell cannot have so much infused into it as a Vessell that is of larger capacity The larger the bucket is that is let downe into the Well the more water it brings up 2. When it is an open Vessell Though a Vessell be of sufficient capacity yet if the Vessell bee shut and the mouth of it closed up though it be throwne into the Sea where there is water enough yet it fils not 3. When it is wide open Though the mouth of a Vessell be open yet if it be not wide open it doth not fill so readily Take a Bottle or a narrow-mouth'd Glasse and dowse it under the water and yet it may bee pulled up againe with little or no water in it though it bee of great capacity because the narrownesse of the mouth hinders the ready and quick passage of water into it A wide-mouth'd Vessell as a Paile or Bucket is no sooner under water but it is instantly filled because the mouth of the Vessell is wide and broade So when we come to Gods Ordinances to the Sacrament wee should come so as to be filled wee should come to get as liberall largesses as possibly we can The way to doe that is to have our hearts Vessels of competent capacity to have them opened to have them wide opened The way to doe these things is to have our hearts inlarged with hungring and longing desires Such enlarged desires open the mouth open it wide and when our mouthes are opened God will open his hand his filling hand As therefore we desire to have the Lord fill our mouthes when we come to the Lords Table so let us get our mouthes wide open When wee come to the Sacrament why come wee Is it not that wee may eat our fill of Christs body and drink our fill of his bloud Is it not that we may go from the Lords Table as Christ went from Iordan full of the Holy Ghost As we desire to have full mouthes so let us bring opened wide opened mouthes When men come to the Sacrament with hearts enlarged and hungring desires Christ will give such a Commandement to the Sacrament as he did to those servants concerning the water-pots and it shall doe as they did Iohn 2. 7. Iesus said unto them fill the water-pots with water And they filled them up to the brim So in this case will Christ say Loe here be men come with inlarged hearts with earnest and strong desires I see they have opened their mouthes wide fill them with my Spirit with my vertues and efficacies fill them with spirituall strength against their corruptions fill them with power to walke in obedience and upon this command of Christ the Sacrament shall empty it selfe with an aboundant blessing upon their soules yea it shall fill them up to the brim What an happy thing is it to be full brim-full of Christ A mouth wide open will be a meanes to fill the heart full brimme full of Christ That man comes happily to the Sacrament indeed that can say after his being at the Sacrament as they did in that case Psal 126. 2 3. Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad Now wouldest thou be able after a Sacrament to say When I was at the Sacrament then was my mouth filled with laughter my tongue with signging and mine heart with spirituall comfort and joy The Lord hath done great things for me whereof I am glad Wouldest thou after a Sacrament be able thus to say Why then when thou goest to the Sacrament Open thy mouth and open thy mouth wide and GOD will fill thy mouth with laughter and thine heart with spirituall joy It is true that a great many goe from the Sacrament and their mouthes are not filled with laughter but with complaints with sad complaints of the little good they receive at the Sacrament Many come from the Sacrament with empty mouthes empty hearts And what may the reason of it be Is not God as bountifull as he was wont to be Yes surely he is the same God that ever his hand is not shortned but the very reason is that men come with shut mouthes or at lest with their mouthes but narrowly opened and shut mouthes and narrow mouthes must needs be empty mouthes Wee open not therfore God fils not we open not wide therefore God fils not full Is the Sea empty because a stopt Vessell is not filled when throwne into it Is there no water in the River because a narrow mouth'd
though they know no more than the post what good thing it is that is to be received This is a superstitious thirst 3. Thirdly there is a true thirst and a right hunger indeed And this is discerned and distinguished from the other by these things 1 First by the object of it for it is directly carried after Christ fellowship and communion with him and fruition of him and his benefits Psal 42. 1 2. My soule panteth after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appeare before God This neither doe ignorant nor superstitious persons doe Experience proves it for when they are questioned withall what makes them desirous to come to the Sacrament either they can give no reason why they desire to come or else never give any such reason as this Their desires at the best are but after the worke and the performance beyond which they never looke 2 Secondly by the grounds of it for the grounds of true desires 1. Either a sense of the want of Christ a selfe-emptinesse Want of drinke makes men thirst want of meat makes men hunger So true desires come from the sense of a mans owne wants and emptinesse which can only bee supplied and satisfied by Christ 2. Or else from the sense of former sweetnesse and goodnesse of Christ in the use of the Ordinance A man hath formerly received the Sacrament and in the use of it hath found aboundance of sweetnesse in communion with CHRIST hath found pardon sealed faith strengthned hath found his heart inlivened and inlarged hath gotten some power against his lusts some strength unto obedience and having formerly received some good by it this quickens and stirres up his desires and makes them the more vehement after Christ and his Ordinance But with ignorant and superstitious persons it is not so It is neither a sense of present wants nor feeling of former benefit that moves their desires to come 3 Thirdly by the qualities or properties of it They are these 1 First an holy kinde of impatience in the want of the Ordinance A man in bodily hunger and thirst growes impatient in case of delay thinkes every minute seven till hee come where he may have that which will satisfie True desires specially in case of delay thinke long till they be at the Ordinance where Christ is to be had It is not once in a yeere will serve his turne An hungry man eats oft a thirsty man drinkes oft and thinkes long till he comes to his meat and drink It is so here Psa 42. 1 2. My soule thirsteth when shall I come Not so with ignorant formall and superstitious ones Let all be but agreed to stay from the Sacrament and once in a yeere will richly suffice them 2 Secondly nothing quiets the heart nor can still the craving desires of it but injoyment of Christ in his Ordinance When a man is heartily hungry and thirsty nothing satisfies him but meat and drinke Give him what else you will yet still he craves meate and drink So give a man what you will that desires Christ in the Ordinance yet his soule is not quiet and satisfied Give him the Ordinance yet if hee have not Christ in the Ordinance his desires are not at quiet Formality and superstition let them but do the outward worke let them but receive the outward Elements though they receive nothing at all else yet they are well a-payd and their spirits highly well contented They thinke themselves as well as a Sacrament can make them 3 Thirdly great and sweet contentment in the use of the Ordinance What sweet contentment doth an hungry man finde in eating his meat in drinking his drinke Iudg. 15. 19. When hee had drunke his spirit came againe and he revived Prov. 25. 25. As cold waters to a thirsty soule so is good newes from a far Country The Proverbe implies a great deale of contentment that a thirsty man takes in drinking cold waters No such sweet findes formality or superstition in the use of the Sacrament And so much may suffice for this fourth thing 5 The fifth thing to bee done in actuall preparation is To raise up in our selves and to come with a strong expectation of the benefits to bee received in the Sacrament There be excellent and precious things to bee received in the Sacrament As in the institution we have a commandement to eat and drinke Take and eat so we have a promise from Christ of excellent things to be dispensed in this Ordinance Take and eat why what if we take and eat what shall we take and what shall we eat What is it that is to be had in the use of this Ordinance This is my body Drinke ye all of this What shall wee drinke This is my bloud So then Christ in the institution of this Sacrament hath promised that worthy receivers shall eat his body shall drinke his bloud In the Sacrament Christ tenders his body to be eaten and his bloud to be drunke and promises that he will give those things to the faithfull receiver Now then when we come to the Sacrament we should come with an expectation to have these promises made good we should come with a full account to receive these things promised When Peter and Iohn went up to the Temple the Creeple asking an almes of them Acts 3. 4. they fastning their eyes on him said unto him looke on us And the Text sayes hee gave heed unto them expecting to receive something of them And his expectation was not disappointed he received something and a better thing than he expected When we come to the Sacrament we should give good heed to the Sacramentall promises and should have a fixed eye upon them expecting to receive something from them and from the Ordinance And surely such expectation of ours should not be disappointed If we come with expectation God would never send us away without satisfaction in our expectation We never finde any that came to Christ to be healed or holpen in any kinde but they came to him with a strong expectation to receive the benefit they came for If a Leper came he came with expectation of cleansing If a blind man came he came with expectation of his sight If a lame man came he came with expectation of the restitution of his limbs And we never reade in all the Gospell that ever any man that came with an expectation of any good from him that was turned away with his expectation deceived If I have caused the eyes of the widdow to faile sayes Iob Chap. 31. 16. Poore Widowes that were oppressed and wronged by others or that were in want and needed succour they came to Iob and they came to him with expectation that he would assuredly pleasure them Their eyes were to Iob and Iob seeing that they came to him with such an expectation he by no meanes would cause the expecting eyes of the Widow to faile If we would so
with all his benefits Take eate drinke I see then God offers me Christ to be taken His body to be eaten His bloud to be drunke Here then must faith Actuate it selfe and set it selfe on worke striving with all it's might to take Christ to eate and drinke Christ offered Lord Christ as verily as I take and eate and drink these outward Sacramental elements so verily doe I by my faith receive thy selfe into my soule and feede upon thee for spirituall nourishment Christ is offered to us offers to come in and enter into our hearts The Act of faith now then is that Psalm 24. 7. Lift up your heads ô yee gates and be yee lift up yee everlasting doores But why must these gates and doores of their hearts be thus lift up And the King of glory shal come in Christ is come and he makes an offer to come into your hearts open therefore the gates of your hearts lift them up even from off the hookes that faire and full way may be made for his ready entrance when a great man specially a King comes to a mans house he will not only open the small wicket his little doore but he sets open his great gates throwes them wide open to make spatious way for his entrance Now Christ in the Sacrament offers Himselfe to come to us the King of glory offers to come in Here then let thy faith busily bestirre it selfe in widning the passage and opening thine heart to make Christ way now strive might and maine to stretch open thine heart to such a breadth and largenesse as a fit way may be made for the King of glory to enter Doe in receiving Christ at the Sacrament as Zacheus did in receiving him into his house Luk. 19. 5. Zacheus saies Christ Make hast and come downe for to day I must abide at thine house Here Christ offers Himselfe to Zacheus and upon the offer made instantly Zacheus made haste and came downe and received him joyfully Think upon that gratious offer of Christs how Zacheus bestirred himselfe with what haste he leaped down from the Tree with what readinesse and heartinesse he brought CHRIST home with what sweetnesse of affection he claspes about CHRIST when he entertained him into his house Christ makes thy soule the same offer at the Sacrament now let thy faith as busily bestir herselfe as Zacheus did hasten open claspe embrace welcome and receive CHRIST thus offered to thee Secondly In the Sacrament wee have Sacramentall promises This is my body This is my bloud This is my body which is given for you my blood which is shed for you Shed for the remission of sinnes Take Eate Drinke saies our Saviour Well what if we doe so what shall we get by it What shall we be the better for it A great deale the better for this is my body my bloud I promise you in the use of this Ordinance you shall receive my body and my bloud that body which was once crucified and offered for the redemption of the world that bloud which was shed for Recon 〈…〉 n and Remission of sin and you by being made partakers hereof sâ—â—ll receive efficacious vertue of my quickning death So that these are Sacramentall promises So that here is that which may abundantly set faith on worke for the promises are the most proper object for faith to worke upon Well then CHRIST saies This is my body given for you my bloud shed for you shed for the remission of sinnes Let faith now beleeve these promises Lord I beleeve that thy body was given for me thy bloud shed for me thy bloud shed for the remission of my sins Lord I cheerefully and gladly beleeve that I am now made partaker of thy body and bloud and that my sinnes are pardoned in thy bloud Faith must doe here as David doth Psal 60. 6 7. God hath spoken in his holinesse that is hee hath made me a gracious promise that he will bring all the land under mine obedience Here David hath Gods promise marke now what followes I will rejoyce saith he I will divide Sechem I will mete out the valley of Succoth Gilead is mine Manasseh is mine See how hee actuates his faith upon Gods promise so as to rejoyce so as to take possession of Sechem Succoth Gilead and Manasseh So Christ hath spoken in or by his holinesse This is my body which is given for you this is my bloud which is shed for you for the remission of your sins Here be Sacramentall promises Now upon the view of these promises should a man Actuate his faith and say I will rejoyce I will eate Christs flesh I will drinke his bloud Christ is mine His death is mine His Resurrection is mine Remission of sin is mine Pardon and Heaven are mine And thus by this Actuation of faith should a man with Iohn leane on CHRISTS bosome Iohn 13. 23. When he is at the Sacrament so participating of him as to have communion with him in all his benefits Thus leane wee on our beloved Cant. 8. 5. when at the Sacrament Againe This is my bloud shed for you for the remission of sinne Loe here is that bloud offered me to drinke and promised to me in the Sacrament by the shedding wherof remission of sin was purchased yea here is remission of sin not onely offered me and promised me but of fered and promised under seale Now then Actuate thy faith and say Lord I accept Lord I beleeve this sealed pardon of my sin And faith thus Actuated will make good unto us the Sacramentall promises for as it is true in case of prayer Mar. 11. 24. What things soever you desire when yee pray beleeve that ye receive them and yee shall have them so is it as true in case of receiving What things soever ye desire when ye receive doe but Actuate your faith and set that on worke for them beleeve that yee receive them and yee shall have them Thirdly In the Sacrament we have Sacramentall representations There is in the Sacrament a visible remembrance of CHRISTS death and in the breaking of the bread and powring out the wine there is a representation of Christs death and Passion When I see the wine powred out it represents unto me the shedding of Christs bloud here I see Christs bloud shed on the Crosse What is to be done now when I see this bloud in the Sacrament Do but consider that same Exod. 24. 6 8. Moses tooke of the bloud of the Sacrifices and put it in basons and he tooke the bloud that was in the basons and sprinkled it upon the people haply with a bunch of hysope as the manner was to which David alludes Psal 51. Purge me with hysope Now so must it be here The bloud of our burnt offering which was shed for us the Lord hath put in basons in the basons of the Word and Sacraments and out of these basons it must be sprinkled The Sacrament of the Supper is one bason
operative and efficacious as ever what then may the reason bee An hundred to one but the Lord hath made this breach upon thy soule because thou soughtest him not after the due order Call thy selfe to an account was there that prayer humiliation renewing of thy repentance and quickning of thy faith before hand as there should have beene If thou hast made a breach in Gods order it is not strange that God hath made a breach in thy conscience and comfort Certainely it seldome fares thus ill with any man in the use of GODS Ordinances but upon due search it will bee found that there hath beene a neglect of due order And let it teach us in the second place not to rest contented in the Vse 2 bare and formall use of any Ordinance but let it be our great care to seeke God in it after the due Order Doe not satisfie thy selfe and set up thy rest in praying hearing but have a speciall care to doe these duties after the due Order But in more speciall manner bee exhorted to thinke upon this when thou art to receive the Sacrament Men have generally an high conceit of the Sacrament what ever esteeme they have in the mean time of other Ordinances And true it is that it is a very precious Ordinance of God and highly to bee esteemed but yet strange it is to see what little regard men have to come in due Order thereunto In any case men must come and it were the greatest wrong that could be if they shold not come be they adulterers drunkards swearers bee their lives and wayes what they will yet because it is the custome to come at such a time in any case they must come No question but many have the same idle and vaine conceits that some had in Saint Chrysostomes time that if they came at such and such times what Multos video qui Christi corporis sunt participes inconsiderate temere magis ex consuetudine lege quam ex cogitatione et consideratione Si advenerit inquit tempus sanctae quadragesimae qualiscunque fuerit quispiam fit particeps mysteriorum si advenerit dies Epiphaniorū Atqui tempus ad ea accedendi neque Epiphania neque quadragesima facit dignos qui accedunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost ad Eph. hom 3. ever their lives were yet it skill'd not the comming at such times was disposition sufficient for the service But heare how he cries downe that vaine consent I see many sayes he that are partakers of the Body of Christ inconsiderately and rashly more out of custome and law than out of consideration If the time sayes one of holy Lent be come or the day of Epiphany be come what kinde of person soever the man bee hee is made partaker of the mysteries But it is not the time of comming unto them neither Epiphany nor Lent which makes them worthy that come but the sincerity and purity of the soule Alwayes come with that never come without it So that they lookt more at the time they came than to come with sincerity and purity as if the time should impart that holinesse to them which the Sacrament requires and they neglected to bring with them And are not there too many in the world that nourish such secret conceits in their hearts who thinke that so long as they come at such times as law and custome sets all is well enough there needs no more to look after But let men know that at what time soever they come let it be ever so soleme a time or how often soever they come were it monethly or daily yet if they come not after the due Order they shall be so farre from receiving a blessing that they shall receive a breach yea a very curse upon their soules let a man come as oft as he will to the Sacrament yet if he come not after the due Order God will deale with such a communicant as with the wicked man in that case Iob 20. 23. When hee is about to fill his belly God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him and shall raine it upon him whilest hee is eating So here when a man comes to the Sacrament and not after the due Order even whilest he is eating GOD may raine downe his wrath upon him and when hee thinkes to eate Christs flesh and drinke his bloud that which he eats may bee sawced and that which hee drinkes may bee spiced with the bitter wrath of God Such is the case oftentimes of many receivers who will bee comming to the Sacrament without any regard to Gods due Order as it was with the Israelites at their Quailes Psa 78. 29 30 31. So they did eate and were filled for he gave them their owne desire but whilest the meat was yet in their mouths the wrath of GOD came upon them Quailes were dainty food but wrath was ill sawce flesh they must needs have no remedy and they murmure that they have it not flesh they have and wrath they have And the wrath of God came upon thē while their meat was yet in their mouthes Who would have their meate to have had their sawce So many will needs come to the Sacrament by no meanes may they be perswaded to forbeare till better fitted come they must there is no remedy and they have their desire but while the Sacramentall meate is yet in their mouths the wrath of God comes secretly and insensibly upon their soules because they come and doe not seeke God after the due Order That same is an heavie curse Psa 69. 22. Let their Table become a snare before them and that which should have beene for their wellfare let it become a trap It is very heavie when our ordinary Table becomes a snare unto us but to have the Table of the Lord become a snare and the Sacrament which is appointed for our wellfare to become a trap what judgement can be imagined heavier And yet this is the sad condition of such as come not to the Lords Table after the due Order even that holy Table becomes a snare unto them How wondrous jocund and jolly was Haman that he must go with the King to Esthers banquet Esther 5. 9. Then went Haman forth that day joyfull and with a glad heart And he brags of it Vers 12. Yea Est her the Queene did let no man come in with the King unto the banquet she had prepared but my selfe And to morrow I am invited unto her also with the King But little reason had the man to be so cranke for not only at the banquet but at the banquet of wine Esther 7. 7. which was the merriest banquet of all hee meets with the Kings wrath and thereupon with the sentence of death How happy were it it were not the case of many Communicants full brag jolly they be that though they bee most unfit yet they may come and none can keepe them back and to the Sacrament they
be eaten Exod. 21. 28. Doth God take care for Oxen sayes Saint Paul in another case and doth God doe justice and require justice to be done upon Oxen doth he require mans bloud at a beasts hand Then how much more will he do justice upon men that are guilty of Christs bloud and how much more will he require his Sons bloud at the hands of reasonable creatures that by unprepared receiving the Sacrament make themselves guilty of it Iudas his great sinne for which his soule and his memory is everlastingly accursed was the betraying of innocent bloud the betraying of Christs bloud his sin was That he was guilty of the bloud of the Lord. The horrible sin of the Iewes which we professe with so much indignation to abhor and detest it was the shedding of Christs bloud and how remarkable and dreadfull a curse and vengeance hath lyen upon their heads for the space of above fifteene hundred yeeres for that very bloud according to their owne wish His bloud be upon us and upon our children And doth it not then deeply concerne men to take heed how they make themselvs guilty of that bloud Why then in the feare of GOD take heed of comming to the Sacrament unpreparedly If thou commest unpreparedly thou commest unworthily and if thou commest unworthily instead of being a drinker thou wilt be a shedder of Christs bloud Bloud is a crying sin take heed above al things of having bloud cry against thee but especially take heed of having Christs bloud cry out against thee Christs bloud indeed applied by faith speaks better things than the bloud of Abel but if wee make our selves guilty of it as we do if we come unpreparedly and unworthily to the Sacrament it speakes no better things than the bloud of Abel it then speakes Quod si ipse pellere non audes mihi dicas Non permittam ista fiâ—eri Animam prius tradam meam quam dominicum corpus alicui indigno sanguinemque meum potius effundi patiar quam sacratissimum illum sanguinem praeterquam digno concedam Chrys in Mat. hom 64. and cries as Abels bloud for justice and vengeance Woe be to him for whom Christs bloud speakes not but woe a thousand times more to him against whom Christs bloud cries All which considered were enough to make unworthy and unprepared ones to resolve with themselves in the case of receiving the Sacrament as S. Chrysostome did in the case of giving it to unworthy ones I will rather sayes he give my life than I will give the body of Christ to any unworthy one And I will rather suffer mine own bloud to be shed then I will give that most holy bloud to any but him that is worthy So should this consideration worke men to those thoughts Is it so dangerous to receive the Sacrament unpreparedly Shall I thereby make my selfe guilty of Christs bloud Then surely I will rather lose my bloud then by unprepared and unworthy receiving make my selfe guilty of such bloud 2 The second danger is That a man comming unpreparedly to the Sacrament he not onely receives no good but a great deale of hurt to his soule Good he receives none God blasts his Ordinance to such a soule so that it shall not yeeld its fruit and its efficacie unto such an one Isay 1. 13. Bring no more vaine oblations Were not those oblations of Gods owne appointment and by his owne precept Why then are they called vaine oblations because they were to them in the use of them but vain Then a thing may be said to be vaine when there is no profit in it Things are vaine things which are unprofitable things 1 Sam. 12. 21. Vaine things which cannot profit That is a vaine thing that yeelds not a man fruit answerable to his paines and endeavours Levit. 26. 20. And your strength shall be spent in vaine for your Land shall not yeeld her increase neither shall the Trees of the Land yeeld their fruits They should use their strength in tilling and planting the Land and yet all their labour should be vaine because the land should not yeeld her increase nor the trees their fruits So here when a man shall use Ordinances come to the Sacrament and they doe not nor can profit him when a man comes to the Sacrament and it doth not yeeld its increase and its fruit then is the Sacrament vaine to such a man and then the Sacrament yeelds not fruit when men come unprepared unto it for want of preparation was the thing that made their oblations vaine as appeares Isay 1. 16 17 18. For those whom he forbids comming before he bids them come upon their preparation Come now namely when you prepared your selves as is required Verse 16. 17. To come to the Sacrament and not to partake of the benefit and fruit of it is an heavie thing And it is the case of every unworthy and unprepared communicant The same curse is upon him that was upon the Prince of Samaria 2 Kings 7. 2. Behold thou shalt see it with thine eyes but thou shalt not eat thereof They see the plenty that God provides but yet they eat not of that spirituall provision with which God so richly furnishes his Table They are spiritually in this case under those curses Hos 4. 10. They shall eat and not be satisfied Hag. 1. 6. Ye eat but ye have not enough ye drink but ye are not filled There is a Law Deut. 16. 16. That three times in a yeere they must appeare before God in the three solemne Feasts And they shall not sayes the Text appeare before the Lord empty So must it be with us when we appeare before God in this solemne feast at the Sacrament we must not appeare empty before the Lord. He that is voide of that disposition of spirit which God requires he that comes unprepared he appeares empty And what will the danger be of appearing empty Surely as we come so shall we goe God will send us away empty As in another sense God sends away the rich and the full empty Luke 1. 53. so in this sense he sends the empty away empty Yea the Ordinance of the Sacrament which in Gods instituon comes to us as Paul to the Romans Rom. 15. 29. And I am sure that when I come unto you I shall come in the fulnesse of the blessing of the Gospell of Christ shall come empty handed to us and shall prove an empty Sacrament unto us So that upon our receiving it shall be no better with us than with those in that case Isa 29. 8. It shal even be as when an hungry man dreames and behold he eats but he awakes and his soule is empty or as when a thirsty man dreames and behold he drinks but he awakes and behold he is faint and his soule hath appetite So shal it be w th every unprepared Communicant he may eat and drinke the outward elements and may thinke to eat Christs flesh and
Mal. 1. 10. I have no pleasure in you saith the Lord of hosts neither will I accept an offering at your hand Why would he not accept their offering because he had no pleasure in them He was not pleased with their persons therefore not pleased with their offerings he had no pleasure in their persons therefore no pleasure in their performances It is the acceptance of the person that makes the performance acceptable Gen. 4. 4. God had respect to Abel and his offering first to Abel and then to the offering for Abels sake If God had not had respect to Abel he would not have had respect to his offering as in Cains case Vers 5. But unto Cain and his offering he had no respect But because God likes Abel therefore he likes his offering But what is it now that will bring our persons into acceptance that God may take pleasure in us That very thing that brought Abels person into acceptance Heb. 11. 4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain so that the way to bring our persons into acceptance is to bring faith faith is it which makes the person acceptable leave that behinde and our case will be theirs 1 Cor. 10. 3 4 5. They did all eate the same spirituall meat and they did all drinke the same spirituall drinke but with many of them God was not well pleased So we may eat and drink the outward elements in the Sacrament but if we do it not with faith God is not well pleased with us and being not well pleased with us neither will he be well pleased with our service It was speedy acceptance that Daniel had in his prayers Dan. 9. 23. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandement came forth c. And what was the ground of his acceptance and that so speedy for thou art greatly beloved When a mans person is in favour and beloved of God then followes acceptance The way to get acceptance is to get our persons beloved the way to get our persons beloved is to get them into Christ the way to get them into Christ is by faith This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased God is well pleased with no man till he be in Christ no man is beloved but in his beloved Sonne And when once we are in Christ purged and purified by his bloud then our services are performed in righteousnesse and when so performed then accepted Mal. 3. 3 4. He shall purifie the Sonnes of Levi namely Christ by his bloud that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousnesse Then shall the offerings of Iudah and Ierusalem be pleasant unto the Lord. And what is it that will bring us into Christ but the grace of faith As therefore wee would have acceptance at the Sacrament so come in due Order Come with faith 2 Secondly for what end come we to the Sacrament Is it not that we may be partakers of Christs body and bloud The Apostle speakes 1 Cor. 10. 17. Of being partakers of one bread and Vers 21. Of being partakers of the Lords Table Now will this serve our turne and satisfie us to be partakers of the Bread of the Wine of the Table or doe we not aime at an higher matter namely to be partakers of Christ himselfe Heb. 3. 14. We may partake of the bread and the wine we may be partakers of the Table though not a dram of faith in us But that which priviledges us to be partakers of Christ of his body and bloud is faith We come to the Sacrament to be made partakers of Christs body and bloud but this we cannot doe nor may do till we have faith First we cannot doe it for he that will receive Christs body and bloud must have an eye to see Christ and his worth must have a foot to come to Christ must have an hand to receive and lay hold upon him must have a mouth to feed on him without all these there is no partaking of Christ. Now faith is all these It is the eye of the soule Isay 17. 7. At that day shall a man looke to his maker and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy one of Israel Isay 45. 22. Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth It is the foot by which we come to Christ Iohn 6. 35. He that commeth to me shall never hunger and he that beleeveth on me shall never thirst Comming and beleeving are the same faith being that by which we come to Christ It is the hand by which we receive him Iohn 1. 12. To as many as received him that is to as many as beleeved in him Beleeving and receiving the same because by faith we receive Christ It is the mouth by which we feed on him Iohn 6. 53. Except ye eat the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud that is except ye beleeve in Christ Now can a man see without an eye come without a foot receive without a hand feed without a mouth GOD hee lookes that when he offers CHRIST men should receive him and takes it ill when it is not done Take eat this is my Body Christ therefore would have us eat him in the Sacrament God is never better pleased than when he sees men fall hungerly and hartily upon Christ nothing displeases Him more than when the Bread of Life the flesh of Christ shall be set before us and we sit and looke another way and feed not and fall not to When a man makes a feast if he sees his guests fall too and feed hard how highly well it contents him but if hee sees them sit looking about them and not to feed upon those dishes he hath bin Quomodo igitur corpus Christi edent ejus sanguinem bibent cum illud non habeant quo solo haec edi bibi possunt Gualib in 1 Cor. 11. 27. at so much cost and care to provide it troubles and frets him Therefore if a man would please God in the Sacrament he must feed and partake of Christ Now therefore a man must bring faith he cannot feed that hath no mouth he hath no mouth that hath no faith Christ is a treasury of rich commodities there is any thing to be had in him we want Apoc. 3. 18. There is gold to be had tried in the fire there is white raiment there is eye-salve to be had But now how may these be had what is the way to get them There Christ tels us I counsell thee to buy of me gold white raiment eye-salve The way to get them then is to buy them But what is that which will buy them Not money not silver Isay 55. 1. Buy Wine and Milke without money and without price no money of the worldlings no price of the merit-monger will purchase these commodities And yet there is a money wee must trade withall if we will buy them and without which they
coinquinant sanctum porci margaritas confringunt Sic si hom inibus caninos vel porcinos mores habentibus sanctum dederis nec sanctum illos sanctificat sed contra ipsi sanctum coinquinant Chrys hom 17. oper imper and Sacraments are holy and therefore an horrible thing to polute and defile the Sacrament Now every impenitent sinner doth so An impenitent sinner is a filthy person and he befilths every thing he meddles withall He is an uncleane person Now to the uncleane all things are unclean holy things sanctifie not them but they pollute holy things under the Law an uncleane person defiled the Campe Num. 5. 2 3. Put out of the Campe whosoever is defiled that they defile not their Campes He defiled every bed he lay on and every thing hee sate on Levit. 15. 4. He defiled every man he toucht Lev. 15. 7. His very Saddle he rode upon was uncleane Lev. 15. 9. He defiled the Tabernacle of the Lord. Num. 19. 13. He defiled bread potage wine oile c. Hag. 2. 13. Thus an uncleane sinners pitch touches nothing which it defiles not He defiles Word and Sacraments the Lords Tabernacle and his Table Is it any wonder then that comming to the Sacrament he meets with a breach and a curse If any man defile the Temple of the Lord him shall God destroy 1 Cor. 3. 17. Put Table in stead of Temple and it is as true if any man defile the Table of the Lord him shall God destroy He that defiles the Tabernacle of the Lord shall be cut off from Israel Num. 19. 13. And whosoever defiles the Table of the Lord as well as the Tabernacle of the Lord shall God cut off from his people Their sinne was foule and hainous Mal. 2. 12. that said the Table of the Lord was polluted what is their sin then that doe not say the Table of the Lord is polluted but doe pollute and defile it GOD sorely complaines of it that their common Tables in their houses at which they did eat and drinke and take their common repast that they were defiled with drunkennesse and gluttony Isa 28. 8. All Tables are full of vomit and filthinesse so that there is no place cleane An horrible thing to defile a mans owne Table with the vomit filthinesse of drunkennesse what an horrible thing then to pollute Gods Table with such filth And what doth that man better that when he hath defiled himselfe with drunkennesse and with the vomit and filth of it yet before hee hath humbled himselfe with sorrow for it and before he hath utterly forsaken and renounced it doth presume in that filthy case to come to Gods Table How horrible a thing were it to defile the Lords Table with the vomit of drunkennesse now let all that defile themselves with drunkennesse bethinke themselves how they can before God free themselves from it And so all that live in other foule sins let them consider how they can wash their hands from the guilt of this sin Therefore when God sees his Ordinance defiled by them his wrath is kindled and he smites them with a curse Incense from foule hands is an abomination Isa 1. 13 15. not only no sweetnesse in it but a filthy Incensi odor de immundorum manibus reputatus est profaetore iâ—am non gratiam praesumptio meruit Cyp. de caen Dom. stench in it yea such an offensive savour from it as provokes God to wrath If a beast touch the Mountaine it must be stoned or thrust through with a dart Heb. 12. 20. If such severity against a Beast how much more shall it be against a Man that by his base and brutish lusts makes himselfe a Beast and yet will dare not only to touch the Mountaine but to goe up into the Mountaine Any beast that had toucht the mountaine must have died for it though it had beene a clean beast how much more if it had beene an uncleane beast That man that by his base and brutish courses becomes a beast he is not only a beast but an uncleane beast If a sheepe had toucht the mountaine it must have been stoned or thrust through with a dart much more then should a Dog or an Hog if they had toucht the Mountaine O that they would seriously consider this who in the guilt of their sins smoaking and reeking thrust in themselves unto the Table of the Lord and that their hearts would tremble to thinke how dreadfull a thing it is to pollute Gods Ordinance Is it a small thing in your eyes to defile Gods Table Is it nothing with you to pollute holy things It was a smart and piercing speech of Ambrose to Theodosius offering to come in the guilt of that slaughter at Thessalonica Istasne adhue stillantes injustae caedis cruore manus extendes iis sanctissimum Domini corpus prehendes Vel tu pretiosum sanguinem Domini admovebis ori tuo Magdeb. Cent. 4 cap. 6. What wilt thou reach forth those hands of thine yet dropping with the bloud of unjust slaughter and with them lay hold upon the most holy body of the Lord or wilt thou offer to put that precious bloud to thy mouth So may it bee said to many comming to the Sacrament What will you reach forth those hands of yours defiled with bloud with the bloud of oppression These fingers of yours defiled with iniquity Isay 59. 3. and with these hands and fingers touch these holy mysteries with these lips of yours that have spoken lies that daily drivell forth such a deale of obscene filth that with so many foule oathes and bloudy blasphemies have dishonoured God with these mouthes with which you have so often swine-like swilled unto drunkennesse with which you have drunke of the cup of divels with these lips and mouthes will ye offer to drinke the precious bloud of Christ Is it not sin and guilt enough that with your sins you have already defiled your hands fingers lippes mouthes but that now also you will needs come and defile the Lords Table it is more than you can answer that you have thus defiled your selves why will you double your sin and your damnation in defiling also these sacred Mysteries Consider this with trembling-hearts all impenitent persons and you especially that dare impudently croud into the Sacrament when you come piping hot out of your sinnes and provocations 2 Secondly because a man comming in his impenitency hee brings his sinnes along with him and they put God in minde to doe justice upon him There is a prayer for their King Psal 20. 3. The Lord remember all thine offerings and accept thy burnt sacrifice That is a speciall thing we should aime at in all our services that God would remember them that they may come up in remembrance before God Now when a man lies in his sinnes and brings them with him to any holy service they will rise up in remembrance against him at that very instant and so
had the wind in their wings Wings and wind in their wings to note as Iunius observes their readinesse in their obedience Thy will bee done in earth as it is in heaven The Angels in heaven are exceeding ready and speedy in their obedience and therefore mention also is made of their wings It was Lots fault to linger Gen. 19. 16. There be that say they will repent and they will reforme their wayes Obedience makes haste delayes not Where there be delayes where there is lead in the heels or the wings be pluckt or clipt where men put off obedience to the time to come they may justly question the truth of their obedience 3 Thirdly true obedience is free willing unconstrained Psal 110. 3. Thy people shall come willingly Psal 40. 8. Then I said loe I come to doe thy will Obedience is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 9. 7. nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not grudgingly or of necessity not sad nor forced but Col. 3. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Rom. 6. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the soule and the heart His commandements are not grievous 1 Iohn 5. 3. To wicked men the word of the Lord is a burthen Ier. 23. 33. Cords and bonds Psal 2. 3. Yokes and bonds Ier. 5. 5. Now according to all these things frame Articles and Interrogatories and put thy conscience to examination This in briefe may suffice for the triall of the truth of grace Chap. 15. The growth of grace and our wants examined CHAP. 15 THe second thing to be examined followes the growth of our Graces It is a point that concernes a man at all times to looke to the growth of his Grace as that which must evidence the truth of it for where there is no growth of Grace there is no truth of Grace True Grace is growing grace There is a growing in knowledge 2 Pet. 3. 18. A growing in wisedome Luke 2. 40. A growing in faith 2 Thess 1. 3. All true grace growes There bee counterfeit and false graces and this is a maine thing that differences true and counterfeit ones True grace growes counterfeit grace growes not There is a great deale of difference betweene a true Tree and a pictured Tree betweene a true child and the statue or Image of a childe A true childe growes but the Image growes not it is no taller nor bigger at an hundred yeeres end than it was the first day it was made Where there is truth of grace there is life of grace and life will put forth it selfe and cause a growth as we see in living Trees and living men that are not yet come to the fulnesse of their growth they grow because they live And to shew that true grace growes we shall finde in Scripture severall ages of Christianity and religion which are the severall degrees of spirituall growth the severall degrees of the growth of a Christian ye have 1 His conception and the forming of him in the wombe Gal. 4. 19. 2 His birth 1 Peter 1. 23. 1 Peter 2. 2. 3 His childe-hood 1 Cor. 3. 1 2. Heb. 3. 13. 1 Iohn 2. 13. His infancy 4 His well-growne age or youth when he is past the spoone 1 Iohn 2. 13. Young men 5 His full growne age Ephes 4. 13. when he comes to mans estat Heb. 5. 6 His old age Mnason an old Disciple Acts 21. 16. when a man is growne a gray-headed experienced Christian 1 Iohn 2. 13. when men be grown Fathers Such as Psa 92. 12 13 14. All to shew that where there is grace in truth there will be growth And therefore it concernes us at all times to try the growth of our grace But though at all times it concernes us to examine the growth of grace yet in speciall manner doth it concerne us before we come to the Sacrament As the Sacrament of Baptisme is the Sacrament of our new birth so is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the Sacrament of our spirituall nutrition and growth And therefore is this a reason why baptisme is but once but the Supper is often administred and received because a man is born but once but after he is borne he stands in need to be fed often for his nourishment and growth And spirituall growth is a maine end and fruit of this Ordinance What makes the body grow more than the use of food in eating and drinking In the Supper there is provision of spirituall food to make us grow So that in this respect I may allude to that Zech. 9. 17. How great is his goodnes how great is his beauty corn shal make the young Man grow c. Gods goodnesse is great in the Sacrament he gives bread and wine and with them to every faithfull receiver the Body and Bloud of his Sonne that by the bread of his flesh and the wine of his bloud hee may cause Christians to grow So that it concernes us much to examine our growth that we may know what good our former receiving hath done us It is a great helpe to our profit in receiving the Sacrament to examine our selves how we have profited formerly Then may we know whether we have profited when we know whether wee have growne Such and so much as is our growth such and so much is our profit And when we finde that we have profited then may we comfortably still expect the like blessing upon our use of the Ordinance A man must needs go with little cheerefulnesse to the Lords Table when he knowes not whether he shall get any good by going or not That man that knowes not whether ever hee have received any good or no by his former receiving can have little hope of receiving any good by his future receiving But when a man sees he is growne by the use of the Ordinance then he must needs goe full of hope to the Ordinance The way to know a mans growth is examination and that by the signes of growth And they be these 1 First spirituall strength The more growth the more strength in spirituall things In nature strength followes growth Trees in their first beginings are weake will bend and bowe every way but as they grow they grow stronger and grow to that strength that they are fit for Timber and the strongest services When a Man is new borne and a Babe how weake and feeble a creature is he but as he growes up so he is stronger and stronger and is at last fit for man-like services So it is in spirituall growth A man at first is weake Rom. 14. 1. but growth brings strength The man that growes in grace growes so strong that he can wrestle with a spirituall enemy A babe or a childe cannot wrestle with a Man much lesse with a strong Man but a growne Man he can wrestle with a strong Man and haply can make his part good with him foile him and lay him on his backe So a growne Christian can wrestle with Powers and
reached forth to receive Christs body at the Sacrament shold afterwards be stretched forth to oppression and violence that those mouthes and lippes that have drunke Christs bloud at the Sacrament shold be after and specially the same day defiled with the slabbering drivell of oathes filthy obscaene speech and rotten communication The Habassines after the receiving of the Sacrament thinke it not lawfull for them to spâ—t that day till the setting of the sun Brerew enquir cap. 23. 166. It is no better then superstition in them but yet their superstition will rise up in Iudgement against the monstrous profanenesse of many amongst us They that hold it unlawfull to doe so much as spit that day would they out of excesse of drunkennesse spue that day They that will not spit that day would they endure the Divells drivell to fall from their mouthes that day in ungodly oathes and unsavory rotten communication They that will not spit that day would they in that day spit in Gods face as common profane swearers and blasphemers doe But yet some againe there are that have so much reverence to the Sacrament and so much respect to the Ordinance that upon that day they receive they will carry themselves fairly and demurely If they be tempted by their companions to any irregular carriage they can answer Oh fie by no meanes I have beene to day at the Sacrament I may not so much forget my selfe And it is a good answer But yet that day once over the next day or a few daies after let out themselves and take their former sinfull liberties Now here let men a little consider themselves Doth the sacramentall efficacie last and doth the sacramentall covenant binde but for a day If because thou hast beene at the Sacrament to day it be a good argument that thou must not sin and breake out to day why is it not as good an argument for the next day for the next weeke for the next month the next yeer Is the efficacy the bond of the Sacrament stinted to a day Nay if thou returne to thy sins seven yeeres twenty yeeres after thou hast received if in so long a time thou shouldest not or couldest not receive againe yet still the bond is as strong upon thy conscience as if thou hadst received the Sacrament but this present day There is one and the same reason in both Sacraments The Sacrament of Baptisme is but one administred and that in our infancie and yet I know our Baptismall vow and covenant binds to the day of our death though we should live an hundred yeeres yea though wee should fulfill Methusela's daies The same covenant and vow wee make in Baptisme we renew at the Supper and the bond in this as binding and as lasting as in the other Sacrament That is true or should at least be true of both the Sacraments which Paul speakes of the Rocke 1 Cor. 10. 4. They dranke of that spirituall Rocke that followed them or went with them They dranke of the materiall Rocke which is called a spirituall Rocke because it was a type of Christ The Israelites did not onely drinke of the Rocke when they were at it but after they were removed and gone from it they still dranke of it But how could that be yes the Apostle saies The Rocke followed them That is the water that issued out of the Rocke followed them as they journyed and streamed after them in their removes So the Rocke followed them virtually the vertue and benefit of the Rocke followed them and went along with them So is it so should we have a care it should be that the Sacraments should not onely be efficacious when we are present at them and in the act of receiving them but their efficacy and vertue should follow us and streame after us all the while wee are travelling in the wildernesse of this world till we come into Heaven When we come to the Sacrament and doe not shew the efficacy and power of it doe not keepe our covenants and walke the more religiously and fruitfully after it there followes upon it these two evills 1 First God accounts such receiving no service done to him The Sacrament received without following and answerable obedience he reputes and accounts as no service at all to him Looke how God contests with his people Zech. 7. 5. 6 7. Did yee at all fast unto me even to me And when yee did eate and when yee did drinke did yee not eate c Should yee not heare the words c As if hee had said yee have kept many fasts for many yeeres but yee did no service to me in all your fasts for your fasting was no more service to me then when yee did eat and drink for your selves and for your owne pleasure and delight But how so Because with your fasting yee joyned not your obedience to me and my words there followed no obedience in your lives and therefore you fasted not unto me Did yee at all fast to me to me So likewise will God contest with such communicants as doe not expresse the power of the Sacrament and keepe not their sacramentall covenants in following obedience When yee received the Sacrament in the first second third and every moneth in the yeere did ye at all performe any service unto mee unto me And when yee did eat and when yee did drinke did yee not eat for your selves and drinke for your selves Should yee not heare the words which the Lord cries by his Ministers Your eating and drinking at the Sacrament is no more service to me then when yee eat and drinke at your owne ordinary tables for your selves and your owne pleasures so long as after your receiving and eating and drinking at my Table there followes no expression of the power of mine Ordinance no conscience of keeping your covenants in yeelding obedience to my words in your lives Now what comfort can we have in our having received the Sacrament if God accept it not as a service done to him Nay it is so farre from being a service accepted of God as done to him that he accounts it treachery against him It is true here which Hoseah speakes Hos 6. 7. But they like men transgressed the Couenant There have they dealt treacherously against me There that is in the very Covenant they have plaid false with me where they thought they did God great service there they abused him where they thought to please God there they provoked him to anger there they dealt treacherously against me It is in it selfe a service to God to receive the Sacrament and to make a Covenant with him And many thinke they doe God good service herein but they are deceived because like deceitfull false hearted men they transgressed the Covenant There there in the very Covenant they deale treacherously against GOD. And so it is no service but a provocation to the Lord For what can provoke more then treachery And what is it but treachery to transgresse so solemne a Covenant 2 Secondly we horribly pollute and take Gods Name in vaine and make our selves guilty of spirituall perjury before God What thinke we of perjured and forsworne persons What think we wil become of them When we take an oath solemnely at the Lords Table to forsake our sins to walke in obedience in the performance of such holy duties and then afterwards live in those sins still and in the neglect of those duties still Are we not forsworne If we sweare Siquidem vovens non solvens quid nisi peiero Bernard de Precept Disp c. 20. to doe such a thing and doe it not doe we not forsweare And is it a light thing with us to be forsworne and that by the breach of an oath and covenant made solemnely with God Doe but consider how heavily God threatens Zedekiah for breaking his oath and covenant with the King of Babylon Ezek. 17. 12. 21. Reade and well observe the whole place Zedekiah made an oath to Nebucadnezzar and brake it And what followes upon it Vers 15. Shall hee escape that doth such things or shall he breake the Covenant and be delivered Vers 19. As I live surely mine oath that he hath despised and my Covenant that hee hath broken even it will I recompense upon his owne head But how He should die for it in the midst of Babylon Vers 16. and it first cost him the losse of his eyes so soone as he had seene his children slaine before his eyes So smart vengeance hath God for perjury God hath sworne that he will be revenged upon such as are forsworne verse 19. And though men will yet GOD will not bee forsworne Now then will the Lord be so heavily avenged for breach of oath and covenant with a man nay with an heathen man and an Idolater Woe then to that man that breakes covenant with the great God of heaven and earth who will not be mocked who will not bee baffled withall who will be a swift witnesse and a severe Iudge against all such as grossely take his glorious Name in vaine and so foulely pollute his holy Ordinance And thus a man doing the duties required before in and after the Receiving of the Sacrament comes to the Sacrament after the due order And he that walkes after this Rule peace shall be upon him and all the Israel of God FINIS
now that yee have washed your selves by faith in Christs bloud now come come after this order and welcome So that all that came to these sacrifices and services without faith washing themselves in CHRISTS bloud came not in due order So it is in the case of the Sacrament Come without faith and God will say unto you To what purpose is your frequent receiving of the Sacrament To what purpose is the multitude of your Communions Who hath required this at your hands to sit downe at my Table Come no more at the Sacrament yee trouble me I am weary of your Communions and your receiving it is iniquity But let us get faith and wash and sprinkle our selves with Christs bloud and then will God say come now This is to come after the due order Now that you come after the due order come and welcome No man ought to come till he come in due order and no man can come in due order till hee come washed in CHRISTS bloud and there is no being washed in CHRISTS bloud but by faith Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw neare with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and our bodyes washt with pure water We saw before that Gods Ordinance and order must goe together We must come to the Sacrament that is Gods Ordinance but wee must come with faith that is Gods order As it is an heynous sinne to neglect Gods Ordinance so it is no lesse heynous and dangerous to neglect and contemne Gods order and Gods due order is that every Communicant come prepared with faith So that it is no lesse sinne nor danger to come without faith then not to come at all He sinnes dangerously that comes not at all He sinnes as dangerously that comes and yet comes without faith Consider againe that same passage Matth. 22. 4 5. There were some invited to that feast that came not They made light of it what tell you them of CHRIST of the excellencies to be had in CHRIST to be had in the Word or ministery of the Gospel or in the Sacrament They made light of it but was this a light sinne They found it an heavy sinne to them in the end verse 7. Well after this there is a second and a fresh invitation and the wedding was furnished with guests ver 9 10. The feast being furnished the King comes in to see and view his guests and one he spyes that had not a wedding garment The man was come he was not guilty of the contempt of the Ordinance but yet was guilty of the neglect of Gods order In he was come but not after the due order Well but what is his entertainment Friend how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment verse 12. that is how haps it that thou art come in and not after the due order That was a question that silenced him smote him starke dumb But yet that is not all See v. 13. Take him binde him c. and do but compare that with the seventh v. and doe but consider which of the two verses sound sadliest And see that it is no lesse dangerous to neglect Gods order then his Ordinance But wherein was his neglect of the due order Not having a wedding garment that is not having faith or the righteousnesse of faith He that coms to the Sacrament without his wedding garment comes not after the due order and he that comes to the Sacrament without faith comes without his wedding garment Doe but consider foure specialties in that parable that will serve to our purpose 1 When the ghuests were come in the King comes in to see them So doth the Lord with all that come to the Sacrament Take notice of that all ye that come to the Sacrament When you are come together unto the Table of the Lord you have one that comes in to overlooke you and to view you that comes with an examining searching eye Let a man sayes the Apostle examine himselfe and so let him eate c. And there is great reason why a man should so do for when we come to the Lords Table the Lord will come in to see to search to examine his ghuests God is not satisfied that men come to his Ordinance but God will examine and see whether they bee come after the due order If indeed God should not come in to see his ghuests then might they be the more remisse and carelesse but beleeve it hee will come in and see them and looke narrowly on them too and therefore I thinke it neerely concernes men to looke to themselves and to see to it before they come that they come after the due order 2 The whole house was full of ghuests and there was amongest them all but onely one man that wanted a wedding garment In such a crowd and company one would thinke that happily one might have skulked and have lyen hid and not have been spied out and yet that one man was not hid but was found out So if but one man come to the Sacrament and come not after the due order God wil finde him out The crowd and multitude cannot hide him from Gods eye And if one could not bee hid in a multitude how much lesse shall twenty forty or more bee hidden from him 3 That his fault was the want of due order in comming and his want of due order was his want of faith So not a man comes to the Sacrament without faith but God spies him and singles him out with this question friend how camest thou in hither not having the grace of faith 4 That this man not comming after the due order with faith to that feast meets with a breach and a blow verse 13. Such will the case be of all such as come to the Sacrament without faith Is is nothing to be examined by God To be smitten dumbe Is it nothing to bee bound hand and foot and be cast into utter darkenesse If this bee any thing then it is some thing to come to Gods supper without a wedding garment He that comes in without a wedding garment on his backe shall not go out without chaines and fetters on his feete So that all this considered we see how necessary it is that he that will come to the Sacrament in due order must come with faith And that we may yet be further convinced of the necessity of bringing faith with us consider these things following 1 First a mans greatest care should be so to come to the Sacrament that his comming and his performance of the duty should be acceptable As good absent as present without acceptance who cares to come to his neighbours table unlesse he may be welcome Who had not rather bee absent than be lowred upon and to be entertained with sowre and darke cloudy lookes now it is not possible to finde acceptance without faith No mans performance of any service is acceptable till his person be accepted
cannot be had and that coine is faith faith is that alone which buyes those riches of gold white raiment c. faith is it that makes us partakers of Christs benefits Hee that goes to mercate and carries no money in his purse cannot buy commodities that he wants To come to the Sacrament or Christ in the Sacrament and bring no faith with us is to come without a penny in our purses and if we come without money we shall be sent back without commodity So that without faith we cannot be partakers of Christ in the Sacrament Secondly we may not doe it We may not doe it till wee have right to eat of Christs flesh and drinke his bloud and right we have none till we have faith None had right to eat of the flesh of the sin-Offering but the Priests only they might eat it Levit. 2. 26. The Priests onely had right to eat the shewbread Lev. 24. 9. It shall be Aarons and his sons and they shall eat it in the holy place Marke 2. 26. Which is not lawfull to eat but for the Priests It is so here None may eat the flesh of Christ who is our true sin-offering but they that be Priests till we be Priests we have no right to it we must be Priests before we can have this priviledge But what is the way to be made Priests To be washed in Christs bloud as the Priests were consecrated by being washt in water Levit. 8. 6. By washing also are we made Priests Rev. 1 5 6. He hath loved us and washt us in his own bloud and made us Priests But how come wee to bee washt in Christs bloud That is done by faith faith takes Christs bloud and sprinkles and washes the conscience therewith Heb. 10. 22. and being washt by faith in Christs bloud wee are made Priests And therefore wee are said to bee made Priests by faith 1 Pet. 2 4 5. To whom ye comming ye are also an holy Priesthood that is you beleeving are made Priests for to beleeve is to come and to come is to beleeve And so faith making us Priests doth give us right to eat of these holy things and priviledges us to be partakers of Christ Since therefore wee cannot eate and partake of Christ till we have a right and we have no right till Priests and no Priests but by faith therefore no right to partake of Christ till we have faith And therefore if wee would come to the Sacrament after the due Order so as to eate of Christ and be partakers of him we must come with faith It is not after the due Order for any but a Priest to eat the flesh of the sin-offering or the shew-bread It was a case extraordinary that the shew-bread was given to David and the men with him to eat We may not eat Christs flesh and drink his bloud till we have a right to it we have no right to it till we be of Gods family and houshold The Sacrament and Christs flesh and bloud therein is the bread and food which God provides for those of his owne household and not for strangers and foreiners for wee finde mention Ephes 2. 19. of the household of God and they there stand in opposition unto foreiners and strangers And Gal. 6. 10. there is mention of the household of faith When we are of the household of faith we are of the household of God and when we are of Gods household we may eat his household provisions when we are of Gods family we may eat his bread But till we be of his family we have no right to his provisions We had need therefore have faith to make us of the family of faith that so wee may bee of Gods family and may have right to his provisions They that will have right to Christ in the Sacrament they must be first Gods children It is not meet to take the childrens bread and give it unto dogs Mat. 15. It is not a good Order in a family that dogs should eate the the bread that is provided for his children offall and scraps are good enough to feed dogs withall if they get upon the Table and meddle with childrens bread they shall bee set downe again with a whip or a cudgel So here the flesh of Christ is childrens bread and we have no right to it till we be children and children we are made by faith Iohn 1. 12. To as many as beleeved he gave them this priviledge to become the Sons of God Gal. 3. 26. Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus And so by faith being children have a right given us to partake of this bread of life So that to come without faith is not to come after the due Order which is that none eate Christ and be made partakers of him but such as by faith are made the children of God Give not holy things to dogs that is not the due Order that is a disorder Therfore till we have faith God forbids to meddle with the Sacrament and if in this undue Order we wil be medling looke for a check God will say to such in this case as he did to Adam after he had eaten the forbidden fruit Gen. 3. 17. Because thou hast eaten of the Tree of which I commanded thee saying Thou shalt not eate of it cursed is the ground for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eat of it c. So because thou eatest the Sacrament of which God hath commanded thee saying Thou shalt not eate of it till thou bring faith therefore in sorrow shalt thou eate it is small comfort thou shalt have in thine eating 3 Thirdly consider the evils that follow upon comming without faith and in our unbeleefe And they are these 1 First such as come without faith are not welcome to God for such as come to the Lords Table with their persons and consciences defiled cannot be welcome We see Num. 9. 6. that there were certaine men who were defiled by the dead body of a man that they could not keepe the Passeover What if they had in that defilement come to the Passeover They had to themselves defiled the Passeover For holy Ordinances doe not sanctifie defiled persons but defiled persons defile holy Ordinances as appeares by the resolution of that case Hag. 2. 11 12 13. An uncleane person by a dead body touching the bread or wine makes them uncleane It is not safe to defile Gods Ordinances We know what was the voice from heaven to Peter in his vision Acts 10. 15. What God hath cleansed call thou not and so make thou not common A defiled person comming to the Sacrament makes a cleansed thing common Now an unbeleeving person is a person defiled Tit. 1. 15. Vnto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled nothing is pure no not the pure Ordinances of God Every word of God is pure Prov. 30. 6. And so his Sacraments are pure But to a defiled person
judgement of his own fitnesse and an examined heart that upon examination hath found it selfe fit is able to charme all troublesome doubts and can say to them Be stil trouble me not for I have throughly examined my selfe and upon serious and sincere examination I know that I am a fit and a worthy Communicant Doubts they trouble the heart examination prevents doubts and settles the heart and puts things out of doubt When Christ after his resurrection appeared to his Disciples they were terrified and affrighted Luke 24. 37. but see how Christ answers them Vers 38. Why are yee troubled and why do doubts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arise in your hearts They should with all gladnesse have received and imbraced Christ but contrarily they were troubled And whence came the trouble of their spirits Why doe doubts arise in your hearts Mark then that doubts trouble the heart and unfit it for the receiving of Christ They doubted whether hee were Christ or not and were so troubled with these doubts that as yet they received him not But afterwards their doubts are turned into joy V. 41. They rejoyce at the sight and presence of Christ but how came these doubts to be removed and to be changed into joy Christ puts them to the examination and triall of himselfe Vers 39. to put them out of doubt Behold my hands and my feet that it is I my selfe and when he had thus spoken he shewed them his hands and his feet As if he had said I see you are much troubled with doubtings whether I be Christ or not examine and try me view me feele me handle me and you shal find by examination that I am not as you think a spirit And so in probability they examining him w th their eyes and with their hands found him to be no spirit found him to bee Christ and had their doubts removed and joyfully received him for Christ indeed Thus as this examination removed cleered their doubts that troubled them so examination of our selves would prevent the doubtings that are ready to trouble us in receiving the Sacrament If we would behold and see if we would look into our hearts and feele and handle our owne hearts yea search and dive into them by examination how should we prevent our troublesome doubtings and how should we meet with joy comfort instead of doubtings We come to Christ in the Sacrament In one sense in regard of that awfull respect wee should have unto his blessed Majesty we should come to Christ as that woman did Mark 5. 33. The woman fearing and trembling came and fell downe before him but in another sense namely when it rises from an ignorance of our own estate whether we be fit to come to his ordinance or not and from the doubtings of conscience that we are not prepared as we should be thus to come with feare and trembling is not good examination would prevent feare By examination we should finde out the truth of our condition we should finde out whether we be fit or not And upon examination finding our selves fit we should come with an holy boldnesse and confidence of spirit to Christ in his Ordinance As therefore we desire to have our hearts discharged of troubles and doubts when wee are drawing neere to the Lords Table as we would not have conscience pester us with disquieting scruples and unseasonable disputes reasonings whether we may come or no so beforehand bestow some time and paines in a private scrutiny and search of our selves examination wil prevent all these and we shall be able to hush and still them all if wee can say I have examined mine heart I have sincerely tried my selfe and I find upon good examination that I have good leave to come to the Lords Ordinance 2 Secondly it is better a great deale to examine our selves before we come then to be examined by God God wil examine such to the purpose that wil not be at the pains trouble to examine themselves It was a sharp kinde of examination by which Saint Paul should have beene examined Acts 22. 24. The chiefe Captaine commanded that he should be examined by scourging Certainly when men neglect selfe-examination God will himselfe examine them but it will be an examination with scourging Every interrogatory and question that God puts to us shall be as a smarting lash with a scourge yea as a stinging lash with a Scorpion The man that came to the Feast without his wedding garment never examined himselfe before he came whether he had a nuptiall garment to goe in or not God therefore examines him but it is with a scourging question that made his heart smart Friend how carnest thou in hither not having a wedding garment It was a scourging question that drew bloud on his conscience When a man comes to the Sacrament and hath not examined himselfe and God comes to him and sayes as to Eliah 1 Kings 19. 13. What doest thou here Eliah So what doest thou here at my Table How will such a question pinch the conscience what a girding lash will it be to a mans heart Those are lashing interrogatories Isa 1. 12. Who required these things at your hands to tread in my Courts Isay 58. 5. Is it such a fast that I have chosen Psal 50. 16. What hast thou to doe that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth Ier. 7. 9 10. Will yee steale murder and commit adultery c. and come and stand before me in this house These be scourging examinations that fetch bloud at every stroake with such kind of questions and such kind of interrogatories will God examine men that come unself-examined to the Sacrament Now when God shall come to such examinations who may abide the day of his comming and who shall stand when he appeares as Malachi speaks in another case Mal. 3. 2. How terrible a thing will it be to be thus examined were it not good for every one to take a course to prevent so sharpe an examination There is a way to doe it and that is before wee come to the Sacrament let a man examine himselfe for as the Apostle sayes 1 Cor. 11. 31. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged namely of the Lord so if we would examine our selves we should not be examined of the Lord. But if we examine not our selves then shal we be both examined and judged of the Lord. When a man hath examined himself he needs not feare Gods examination nay a man may then be willing to come under Gods examination David puts himself upon Gods examination Psa 139. 23 24. Search me O God and know mine heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there bee any wicked way in me Certainly David never durst have beene so bold as to have put himselfe upon Gods examination if he had not first examined himselfe But having first examined himselfe and thereupon knowing his own conscience throughly well now he
come to the Sacrament with our eyes to Christ and to his promises expecting his making good his promises to us hee would not cause our eyes to faile Thus therefore resolve Christ hath promised to give in the Sacrament his body and his bloud to give the benefits of his death he hath promised to seale pardon to manifest himselfe to give power against lusts c. I will therefore now go to this Ordinance with a particular expectation of such and such a particular blessing as my soule stands in need of And most sure it is that the want of this duty proves very prejudiciall to us How come many from the Sacrament without any benefit or good at all How fals it out so They have as much as they expected as they went expecting nothing so they come away receiving nothing God will not drop downe his blessings upon oscitant and negligent hearts We our selves will not give unto others where wee know there is no such thing expected from us Chap. 18. God to be sought in speciall manner by prayer before the Sacrament CHAP. 18 THere remaines now onely the sixth and last thing to be done in actuall preparation and that is the solemne and serious seeking of God in prayer Indeed prayer is a common preparative duty to all services of God yea to all workes we take in hand Col. 3. 17. And whatsoever ye doe in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus that is calling upon the name of the Lord and seeking first to him by prayer It is layed to their charge as a great sin Isay 30. 2. That walke to go downe into Egypt and have not asked at my mouth No businesse especially businesse of weight and concernement should be undertaken without prayer And what businesse of greater weight what businesse wherein we stand so much in need of God and his helpe as in the worthy receiving of the Sacrament If common and ordinary businesse must not be medled withall without prayer for direction and blessing how much lesse should this great businesse of receiving the Sacrament How needfull a duty this is will thus appeare 1 First this duty neglected it will cast a dampe upon all other our preparations This failing in the last act will marre all that hitherto wee have done neither can a blessing be expected upon all the rest in the want of this We know Solomons Proverbe Prov. 16. 1. The preparations of the heart are in man but the answer of the mouth is from the Lord. The meaning of it is that though a man have studied hard and have well provided and prepared himselfe what to say yet he hath need of Gods help to deliver the thoughts of his mind and that a man cannot bring forth his conceptions without the obstetrication of Gods assistance A Minister when he is to preach spends time in preparation for the work now when he is thus prepared yet he needs the helpe of God for a doore of utterance Is it not therefore exceeding necessary for a Minister though he have ever so well prepared himselfe by study to seeke to God by prayer that utterance may be given unto him that he may open his mouth as S. Paul desires to be prayed for Eph. 6. 19. Though a man by study be well and sufficiently provided yet if a man without prayer to GOD for his assistance should up into the Pulpit might not such an one feare that his mouth might be stopt and God should silence him in the Pulpit Or could he looke at lest that his tongue should so speake as that the preparations of his heart should go to the hearts of others For al a Ministers preparations notwithstanding he stands in need of Gods speciall assistance and therefore it neerely concernes him together with his preparations to seeke to God by prayer for that helpe and assistance of his Iust so it is in the case of the Sacrament The preparations of the heart are in man but yet ability and power to do the work at the Sacrament is from the Lord so that if God helpe not and assist not all preparations come to little And it cannot be expected that God should helpe when he is neglected and not sought to and intreated to helpe We need Gods helpe in all things but specially in holy duties What was the bearing of the Ark on the Priests shoulders to the receiving of the Sacrament One would think there should have needed no such speciall help to that work of bearing the Arke besides the generall concourse of Gods providence And yet it is said 1 Chron. 15. 26. That God helped the Levites that bare the Arke yea it was such speciall helpe that they offered sacrifices upon it And if they needed the helpe of GOD to beare the Arke of the Lord how much more do we need the helpe of God in this solemne action and service of receiving the Sacrament And if such need of helpe is there not then as much need of prayer Will helpe come from God without prayer Will the Lord helpe us if we seeke not for his helpe nothing lesse Nay so farre from helping us that we may rather feare he will curse our performances For upon our preparations before specified to come to the Sacrament without speciall seeking God in prayer what is it better than a trusting in our selves and in our preparations Assuredly God will blast all selfe-confidences and all confidences in our owne preparations Therefore never thinke thy selfe duly prepared till to all the rest thou hast joyned solemne and earnest seeking of God by prayer 2 Secondly it should bee a mans great care both to sanctifie himselfe to the Ordinance and to have the Ordinance sanctified to him Sanctifie your selves sayes Iosiah 2 Chron. 35. 6. to the Levites Now prayer is the way to doe both It sanctifies us to the Ordinance and the Ordinance to us 1 Tim. 4. All things are sanctified by the word and prayer All things both persons to the Ordinances and Ordinances to the persons not only meats and drinkes but Ordinances Sacraments are sanctified to our uses by prayer Where prayer is neglected neither is the person sanctified to the Ordinance nor the Ordinance to the person 3 Thirdly what an happy and a joyfull thing is it when a man comes to the Sacrament and it shall as it were say to a man as Ananias said to Saul Acts 9. 17. Brother Saul the Lord hath sent me unto thee that thou mightst receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost So when the Sacrament shall come with such commission to us how blessed a thing is it The Lord hath sent mee unto thee that thou mayest receive comfort and be filled with the Holy Ghost Now there is a course to be taken that the Sacrament may bee sent with such a Commission But what may that course be Doe as Saul did Vers 11. Ananias goe inquire for Saul c. for behold he prayes Saul was
he had beene the Gardiner and accordingly inquires of him as of the Gardiner Where hee had laid Christ But yet before an answer could be returned her she turned her selfe from him for when Christ speakes to her Vers 16. She turnes her selfe to him Therefore she had turned away from him as thinking it a bootlesse businesse to stand talking with him and inquiring of him about finding of Christ And just when she as hopelesse of finding Christ by him turnes her selfe from him Christ calls her by her name Mary So that a man may often finde Christ when he least hopes for it Therefore though thou hast but little hope to finde Christ at the Sacrament yet turne not from it but come to Christ in his Ordinance even then when thou least hopest for it mayest then heare so gratious a compellation from CHRIST as may make thy soule joyfully eccho backe againe Rabboni Chap. 19. Meditation and exercise of Repentance at the Sacrament CHAP. 19 A Communicant being thus fitted and prepared and being now come to the Lords Table it followes to consider what behaviour is there required of him It is not enough for a man to dresse and trime up himselfe in his handsomer apparell before he comes to a great mans table but there is a great care also to be had of that carriage and behaviour that beseemes such a mans table and person Though a man come handsome and cleanely apparel'd to a great mans Table yet hee may there carry himselfe so rudely unmannerly and uncivilly that hee may give great offence As therefore wee must have a care to get our hearts into an holy and fitting frame before we come so no lesse must our care bee to have them in a convenient frame during the time of the whole action Though a man have bestowed much paines with his heart before his comming yet if there bee not a care of due behaviour in the action all his former paines may bee lost Though the Priests had been carefull to have washed themselves and to put on their Priestly garments yet might they be guilty of irregularities at the Altar in not placing the wood or the parts of the sacrifice in due order Leviticus 1. Therefore as the Apostle speakes in the generall so it may be said in this particular 2 Iohn 8. Looke to your selves that wee loose not those things which wee have wrought c. So looke to your selves when yee have bestowed a great deale of time and paines in preparation that by a loose and carelesse carriage in the duely doing you loose not the things you have done There must bee a care therefore of the duties to be done in the Action Duties convenient There bee some duties in which the whole congregation joyne together in which we must take heed of all loosenesse and evagation of spirit especially exprest in idle gazing about have a care to hold the heart close to all those duties in which all joyne together But I meane not to insist in these There are therefore some speciall and personall duties that every one is particularly by himselfe to performe and those have a speciall care of The duty in generall to be done at the Sacrament 16. The offering up of our selves to God in an holy and spirituall disposition in receiving of the Supper This generall branches it selfe into diverse particulars And they are these 1. First solemne serious and deepe meditation A leading duty to others that follow and that which onely furthers them There must bee an heart enlarged with godly sorrow for sinne there must be compunction and contrition of spirit It is meditation that must fit for it and bring that and lay that to the hâ—â—â—â— which must bruise it Meditation gives a man Meditatio siquidem pascit scientiam scientia compunctionem compunctio devotionem Inter opera August l. 3. de Spir. anima a sight and knowledge of himselfe of his sinnes of the riches of Gods mercies in Christ and such knowledge is it which workes compunction of spirit We are to be taken up in duties of Thankesgiving and to bee more than ordinarily enlarged therein There is no such way to enlarge the heart in that duty as by meditation to heate and warme our hearts So Psalme 104. 33. 34. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will sing praise unto my God whilest I have my being my meditation of him shall bee sweete I will be glad in the Lord. There is nothing so feeds spirituall joy and so maintaines and holds up that holy flame that should be in a mans heart in the duty of thankesgiving as doth meditation That is the Oyle and the Fuell that keepes such fire burning The sweeter our meditation is the more is the heart prepared and enlarged to prayses thankesgiving and joy in the Lord. Therefore a speciall duty to bee done at the Sacrament is to take up our hearts with serious meditation And for the better raising and feeding meditation it is good when we are come to the Lords Table to doe as Solomon wishes us to doe in that case Proverbs 23. 1. When thou sittest to eate with a Ruler consider diligently what is before thee He advises it for a mans better caution if hee be a man given to his appetite that hee may not be desirous of such dainties as are set before him But in this case it is good to consider what is set before us to provoke our appetite and to stirre up in us a longing after those dainties Consider therefore what is set before thee what is done before thee Consider the Sacramentall elements the sacramentall promises and sacramentall actions Here then wee see Bread and Wine set before us and not bare bread and wine but the sacramentall Body and Blood of Christ This is my Body This is my Blood Behold then what a Feast God hath prepared for us such a feast as that Isa 25. 6. A feast of fat things a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined Alas how leane are our soules What hunger-starved spirits have wee But here be fat things full of marrow to feed and fat our leane soules How dead and dull are our hearts but here is wine upon the lees here is wine that goes downe sweetly that will cause the lips of those that are asleepe to speake that will refresh sweetly quicken our spirits Here wee see this Bread broken this Wine powred out Here we see Christ crucified before our eyes now we see him hanging and bleeding upon the crosse wee now see him pressed and crushed under the heavie pressure of his Fathers infinite wrath Now we see him in the Garden in his bloody sweate Now may wee behold him under the bitter conflict with his Fathers Celebrantes coÌ„monemur quasi ungulam findens â—â—minanâ— pecus â—â—vocaâ—e ad fanceâ— minuâ—atim commolere Dominicae institutionis exemplum ut
Sacrament as Lamen 3. 15. Hee hath filled me with bitternesse hee hath made me drunken with wormewood It should bee with us at the Sacrament as with them Zech. 12. 10. They shall looke upon him whom they have pierced And how shall that sight affect them And they shall mourne and bee in bitternesse for him as one that mournes for his only sonne as one that is in bitternesse for his first borne How bitterly will such a man mourne So bitterly shall they mourne when they looke upon Christ whom they have pierced And great reason for is it not a matter of greater sorrow to pierce the only Son of God the first borne the first begotten from the dead then to loose one onely or first begotten sonne So here in the Sacrament we looke upon Christ whom wee have pierced this sight should fill our hearts with bitternesse should make our hearts full of sorrow Not only with an Historicall sorrow or a sorrow of naturall compassion when wee heare or see some sad or sorrowfull event this is nothing but Homini non est necessarium ut ChristuÌ„ in ipsius passione deploret sed magis seipsuÌ„ in Christo Luther with a practicall sorrow with an unfained sorrow of heart that wee by our personall sinnes have had our hands imbrued in the bloud of the Sonne of GOD that our sinnes envenomed those thornes those nayles that pierced him and by their venome made them put him to such bitter anguish Have we hearts conformeable Si vis ipsum cognoscere sicut se fregit ita te frange quia qui dicit se in Christo manere debeâ— sicut ille ambularit ipse ambulare Bern. hom de duob disâ—euntib ad Em. to the Christ wee see in the Sacrament Thou beholdest a broken Christ thou beholdest a bleeding Christ thou beholdest a bleeding Christ behold him therefore with a broken heart with a bleeding heart with a pierced spirit So behold Christ in the Sacrament as the Virgin Mary his Mother beheld him on the Crosse And how was that Woman sayes Christ behold thy Son How did shee behold him Simeon tells her Luk. 2. 35. That a sword shall passe thorow her soule Then did a sword pierce thorow her soule when she beheld him pierced on the Crosse that sight was a sword through the heart of her So when wee see him pierced in the Sacrament it should be as a dagger in our hearts Oh wretch that I am that my sinnes have beene thornes on his head nayles in his hands and feete a speare in his side LORD saies David when he saw the people slaughtred by the Angels sword loe I have sinned and I have done wickedly but these sheepe what have they done 2 Sam. 24. 17. So say Electe puer Dei mei quid tanta amaritudine quid tanta confusione dignum commiseras Prorsus nihil Ego perditus homo totius proditionis tuae causa extiti Ego domine unam acceâ—bam comedi dentes tui obstupuerunt quia quae non rapuisti tunc exvolvebâ—s Bernard Serm. de pass Dom. here lo I have sinned I have done wickedly but this Innocent and Immaculate Lambe what hath he done It is I that have sinned and it is thou Oh LORD that hast smarted It is I that have sinned and it is thou Oh Lord that hast suffered It is I that have put thee to all these sorrowes my oathes my uncleannesses my lusts my covetousnesse my drunkennesse c. These were the Iudasses that betrayed thee these were the Iewes that crucified thee Lord I have eaten the sowre grapes and thy teeth were set on edge LORD I plaid the thiefe and thou restoredst the things thou tookest not Doe this sayes Christ in Remembrance of me Hee would have the Sacrament appointed to renew and refresh the remembrance of his sufferings that in the remembrance of his sufferings wee might remember our owne sinnes the causes of them and bee deepely humbled for them That as the Prophet speakes in that case Lamen 3. 19 20. Remembring mine affliction and my misery the worme-wood and the gall my soule hath them still in remembrance and is humbled in mee So in â—â—is case remembring Christs affliction and his misery the gall and the worm-wood our soule should still have them in remembrance and be deepely humbled in us what a sweete temper were it to bee at the Sacrament with a melting heart Mine eye saith the Prophet affecteth mine heart Lam. 3. 51. how happy that our eye could effect our heart we have Christ crucified for our sinnes in our eye at the Sacrament ô that that which our eye sees could affect our heart with such sorrow for sinne as becomes That our vide quomodo his qui Christi commemorant passionem inter sacra officia quasi per quosdam canales de interioribus fontibus egrediantur torrentes super omnes delicias lachrymis nectarijs anima delectetur Ros matutinus est de caelestibus stillans quasi unctio spiritus mentem deliniens Gemitus illos pietas excitat se sanatam sanctificatam agnoscens fletibus se abluit lachrymis se baptizat Cypr. de caen Dom. eye could affect our heart and our heart could affect our eye that whilest wee behold Christ shedding his bloud for our sinnes we could be affected with such sorrow upon the sight of our eye that our heart could melt out at our eyes and shed teares for those sinnes for which wee see Christ shed his bloud That we could turne the Sacrament of the Supper into a baptisme of teares and could wash and baptise our selves with the teares of Repentance as Saint Cyprian speakes It was layde to the charge of those unkinde husbands Malach. 2. 13. that by their unkindnesses they caused their wives when they should have been cheerefull in Gods service to cover the Altar of the Lord with teares with weeping and with crying out insomuch that he regarded not the offering any more nor received it with good will at their hands But how happy were it with us that wee could so bee affected with our unkindnesse to CHRIST our Husband that we could cover the Lord's Table with our teares with weeping and with crying out how then would the Lord regarde our service the more and receive our receiving with good will at our hands Vere potest conscindere cor meuÌ„ miserum sanguineis lachrimis madefacere quia ecce creator meus pro me sanguineo rore prefunditur nec levi quidem sed decurrente in terram Vae misero cordi quod taâ— tanto â—udore non madescit perfusum Bern. de pass DoÌ„ tract c. 37. Alas alas for the hardnesse of our hearts that we can see our Lord all in his gore bloud for our sins his bloud shedding upon the earth and that our hearts cannot be rent and bleed teares of bloud that this bloud moystens not and softens not our hard hearts Consider yee and call
in which this bloud is put This bloud is held forth in this bason This is my bloud Now when this bloud is held forth to us in this bason wee should sprinkle our selves with this bloud That must be done by Actuating our faith and by the act of faith applying that bloud of Christ unto our selves We finde mention Rom. 3. 25. of faith in Christs bloud there is not onely faith in Christs Name but faith in his bloud Faith when Christs bloud is holden out to us either in the Word or Sacrament puts her hand into this bason or dippes the hyssope into the bloud in the bason and so besprinkles a mans soule therewith Faith applying CHRISTS bloud to a mans selfe doth put her hand into the bason doth dip the hyssop into the bloud in the bason ye doth with Thomas put her hands into the wounds of CHRIST and take bloud thence and besprinkles the soule withall When therfore we see CHRISTS bloud in the Sacrament we are to take it and besprinkle our selves with it that is we are to have faith in his bloud and by faith to apply the merit of Christs death unto our owne soules And this application is the Actuation of faith Nay that is not all faith seeing the wounds and the bloud of Christ not Cruci haeremus sanguinem sugimuâ— intra ipsa Redempturis nostri vulnera sigimus linguam Cyp. de Coen Dom. onely puts her hands into Christs woundss or into the bloud in the bason but faith layes her mouth to these wound and to this bloud and suckes these wounds suckes in this bloud with an holy greedinesse A faith Actuated in the Ordinance is a bloud-sucking faith Prov. 30. 15. The horse-leech hath two daughters which cry Give give Such an eager and holy greedinesse hath faith in sucking in Christs bloud It cannot be satisfied but still cries Give give Lord give me evermore of this bloud give me of this bloud to sprinkle my unrighteous soule Give me of this bloud to staunch the bloudy issues of mine heart Give me of this bloud to heale my leprose spirit Give me of this bloud to helpe subdue and mortifie my lusts Give me of this bloud of Christ crucified to crucifie old Adam and all my rebllious lusts Thus when a man suckes in earnestly the bloud of Christ whom he sees crucified and shedding his bloud in the Sacrament and suckes it in for his severall and speciall necessities then is faith Actuated in the use of the Sacrament And thus also may and must a man Actuate his faith for his comfort In this bason of the Sacrament I see Christs bloud Christs bloud is a reconciling bloud Rom. 3. 25. Col. 1. 20 21. It is justifying bloud Rom. 5. 9. We are justifyed by faith How by faith By faith in his blood Rom. 3. 25. It is a pacifying bloud Col. 1. 20. Ephes 2. 13 14. A pardoning bloud Mat. 26. 28. Eph. 1. 7. It is a sanctifying bloud Heb. 13. 12. A purging bloud from dead workes Heb. 9. 14. A cleansing bloud 1 Ioh. 1. 7. It is a mortifying bloud such a bloud as fetches out the heart bloud of old Adam and delivers from the dominion of sinne The bloud of Christ crucified is crucifying bloud Rom. 6. 2 3 6. Gal. 6. 14. It is a bloud that sets prisoners free Zech. 9. 11. It is a bloud that makes men Kings and Priestes Apoc. 1. 5 6. It is a softning molifying bloud that makes the heart tender it supples a stony heart and Illa invicta vis duarum violentissimarum naturae rerum ignis ferti contemptrix hircino tamen â—sipitur sanguine faedissimo Animalium Plin. makes it a heart of flesh Zech. 12. 10. Goats bloud some say breakes the Adamant which neither Iron nor fire can doe but to bee sure the bloud of this Goat Lev. 16. the bloud of this Lambe breakes the Adamant heart of a man which nothing else can breake It is a quickning bloud that brings life and strength with it Therefore represented by wine in the Sacrament It is life-bloud bloud full of CHAP. 21 spirit that fills the soule with excellent vigour to holy performances Heb. 13. 20 21. Now the God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus c. typified by that Exodus 24. 7 8. Now what a deale of comfort may faith draw from all this Alas my person is unrighteous but LORD thy bloud is Iustifying bloud mine heart is uncleane but thy bloud is sanctifying bloud my lusts are many and mighty but LORD thy bloud is Mortifying bloud Mine heart is wondrous hard but Lord thy bloud is softning bloud mine heart is exceeding dead but Lord thy bloud is quickning bloud In this bloud of thine I beleeve this bloud of thine I thirstily drinke downe this bloud of thine I heartily apply with a comfortable expectation of all these blessed benefits Be of good cheare oh my soule here is pardoning bloud to comfort thee against thy guilt here is sanctifying bloud to comfort thee against the pollutions of thy nature CHAP. 20 here is crucifying bloud to comfort thee against thy lusts here is following bloud to helpe thee against thy hardnesse quickning bloud to helpe thee against thy deadnesse He was wounded for our transgressions Isa 53. 5. And here in the Sacrament we may see his wounds and faith must looke upon them as healing wounds With his stripes are we healed Isa 53. 5. what sweete comfort may faith fetch hence Looke upon the wounds of Christ on the Crosse as on the Cities of refuge whither thy pursued soule by the avenger of bloud may flye for safety and Sanctuary Indeed I am a grievous sinner I have wounded my conscience Feccavi peccatuÌ„ grande turbatur conscientia sed non perturbabitur quoniam vulnerum Domini recordabor NeÌ„pe vulneratus est propter iniquiâ—ates nostâ—â—â— Quid tam ad mortem quod non Christi moâ—te salvâ—tur Bernard â—iâ—p Can. Serm. 61. with my transgressions but behold my Saviour here wounded for my transgressions I have â—â—â—se to be troubled in my conscience for the wounds my transgressions have made therein but yet my conscience needs not sinke in a despondency of spirit whilest I looke at these wounds of Christ Here be wounds for wounds healing wounds for stabbing wounds curing wounds for killing wounds He was wounded for our transgressions what wound so deadly that cannot or may not be healed by his death and wounds what comfort is here for faith in the wounds of Christ crucified whose death is represented in the Sacrament a FoderuÌ„t manus ejus pedes latusque lancea foraverunt per has rimas licet mihi sugere mel de petra oleum de saxo id est gustare videre quoniaÌ„ suavis est dominus At clavis reserans clavis penetrans factus est mihi ut videaÌ„ voluntatem domini Quidni videaÌ„ per foramen clamat câ—edens sit
in Christo muÌ„dum reconcilians sibi patet Arcanum coâ—dis per foramina corporis Patent viscera misericordiae Dei Quidni viscera per vulnera pateant In quo enim clarius quam in vulneribus tuis eluxisset quod tu domine suavis multae misericordiae c. Ego vero sidenter quod ex me mihi deest userpo mihi ex visceribus domini quoniam misericordia affluunt nec desunt foramina per quae affluant Bernard sâ—p Cantic Ser. 61. They pierced my hands and my feete Psal 22. 16. They pierced his side with the speare and there came out water and bloud nay there comes out of those wounds honey and oyle unto faith By these passages may our faith sucke honey and oyle out of the rocke and may taste how good and sweete the Lord is The nayles the speare the wounds all preach unto faith a reconciled God that God is in Christ reconciling the world to Himselfe The Lords bowels are laid open by these CHAP. 21 wounds so as throughout them wee may see the tender bowels of his mercy and so as through them mercy flowes from those bowels unto us Oh my Dove that art in the clefts or holes of the Rocke Cant. 2. 14. Some of the Ancients understood those clefts of the Rock the wounds of Christ in which the Dove the Church hides and shelters her selfe However it may be alluded to and that should be no work of faith at the Sacrament when it sees those clefts of the Rocke opened like a Dove to betake her selfe therunto for shelter and security against all feares and distresses Tuta requies est infirm is peccatoribus in vulneribus salvatoris securus illic habito Patent mihi viscera per vulnera August Mannal Miles aperuit mihi latus Christ lancea ego intâ—ali ibi requiesco securus Aug ibid. that wrath and guilt may put the conscience to Doe any feares of wrath trouble thine heart Doth any Conscience of guilt disquiet thee with the feares of hell Why now in the Sacrament for thy comfort behold the holes in the Rocke where thou mayest be sheltred Dwell now in the rock and be like the Dove that makes her rest in the sides of the holes mouth Ier. 48. Nessell thy soule now at the Sacrament in the clefts of this Rocke See and fully beleeve thy peace to be made with God in Christs bloud and look upon him wounded for thy transgressions with such a faith as may fill thine heart with an holy security against all such feares faith thus Actuated cannot but send thy soule from the Sacrament with much comfort And thus much for the Actuation of faith which is the third thing in that holy disposition requirrd in the receiving of the Sacrament The fourth thing followes which is an exercise of thankesgiving to God for the great worke of our Redemption by the death of Christ And this must rise from an heart affected and enlarged in the use of the Ordinance the heart being warmed and growing hot with the sense of Gods goodnesse a man should breake out and give vent to his heart in magnifying CHAP. 20 the mercy of God for the death of Christ represented in this Ordinance and the fruit thereof is communicated to us therein In the use of our naturall foode there followes a cheerefulnesse of spirit Act. 14. 17. Filling our hearts with foode and gladnesse Now when the heart is cheered and refreshed with the creature it should then let out it selfe in thanksgiving to God Nehem. 9. 25. So they did eate and were filled and became fat and delighted themselves in thy great goodnesse Psalm 22. 26. The meeke shall eate and be satisfied they shall praise the Lord that seeke him So when the heart is cheered with the sense of the sweetnesse of an Ordinance of the Sacrament when the Lord hath filled the heart with spirituall foode and gladnesse when we have beene filled and have delighted our selves in Gods great goodnesse in the Sacrament then let we out our hearts to blesse and praise the LORD See it in David Psal 63. 5. My soule shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse That blessing he looks for in Gods ordinances and what should then follow And my mouth shall praise thee with joyfull lippes When men are excessively filled with Wine they shout and make a noyse and sing and take on The Prophet alludes to it Psalme 78. 65. like a mighty man that Fons vitae replementem meam torrente voluptatis tuae inebria cor meum sobria ebrietaâ—e amoris tui Aug. medit c. 37. shoutes by reason of wine Such excesse and such drunkennesse the Apostle forbids Ephes 5. 18. Be not drunk with wine wherein is excesse But yet there an holy and a sober Inebriation the Apostle allowes and calls for But be filled with the spirit Drinke deepe of that Wine And where is that Wine to be drunke As in other Ordinances so in the Sacrament Here Christ makes merry with his people Eate O friends drink ye drink abundantly ô beloved or be drunken with loves Now when a man hath liberally Cant. 5. 1. drunke of this Wine of the spirit at the Sacrament what should follow That which followes in that CHAP. 21 Text Ephes 5. 19. Speaking to your selves in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. When a Quo interius exteriusque rubricati a sapientibus hujus saeculi judicamur amentes man is made Red with this wine within and without as St. Cyprian speakes then should a man let out his heart in holy Iubilitions and Thankesgivings Haec ebriâ—tas non accendit sed extinguit peccatum c. Cypr. de caen Dom. unto God Doe this in remembrance of mee that is in remembrance of the great worke of your redemption wrought by me and doe it in a thankfull remembrance So remember it as to have your hearts in special manner enlarged in all thankefulnesse unto me for this worke And from this it is that this Sacrament beares the name of the Eucharist as being the Sacrament of Thankesgiving for the work of Redemption in the remembrance whereof it is celebrated Our Saviour gave a patterne of this Matth. 26. 30. When they had sung an Hymne So then they sang an Hymne together An Hymne is a Psalme of praise So the Iewes in the celebration of the Passeover did sing the 113. Psalme with the five following Psalmes which they called the Great Hallelujah which they began to sing after that cup of Wine which they called Poculum Hymni seu laudationis the Cup of praise And thus it should bee with us in receiving the Sacrament At all times upon all occasions wee should sing Hallelujahs to GOD but at the Sacrament wee should sing a Great Hallelujah at all times wee should thankefully blesse GOD for the worke of our Redemption but at the Sacrament we should have our hearts greatly
to Heaven Psalm 15. That he keeps his oaths and his promises though to his owne hurt How much more then should a man be carefull of his oathes and promises which hee makes to GOD in the Sacrament and that for his owne good Therefore after the Sacrament thus thinke and reason the case with thy selfe I have beene at the Sacrament I have there vowed and taken the Sacrament upon it that I will forsake my sinnes I have beene a swearer oathes have beene frequently and familiarly in my mouth I have beene guilty of drunkennesse uncleannesse oppression covetousnesse well now according to my vow at the Sacrament I will watch over my tongue that I sweare no more I will get this bloud out of my mouth and this abomination from between my â—eetâ— I will beware how this leprosie breake out againe Zech. 9. 7. in my lips since the word is gone out of my lips by which I have vowed at the Sacrament against this sinne I will now this day begin to renounce my drunken company and courses I have neglected holy duties in publike and private by my selfe I will this day begin to reade Scripture to pray diligently by my selfe and to doe all those duties of holinesse mine oath at the Sacrament bindes me to If after thou hast beene at the Sacrament Satan or any of his instruments set upon thee in any tentation to any evill or sinne feare thy selfe with thy sacramentall vow Say to Satan I was lately at the Sacrament there thou knowest what a vow I made to GOD therefore I may not doe this evill Wouldest thou have mee be forsworne before GOD Should I that have beene at Gods Table and have eat and drunke with him should I lift up the heele against him I that have taken an oath to the contrary Avoide Satan I may not I will not in any case doe it Thus should a man fence himselfe Legitur de quadam sancta â—â—â—gine quae quoâ—ieâ— tenâ—abatur non nisi baptiâ—mo â—uo repugnabat dicens brevissime Christiana sum Intellexit enim hostis statim virtutem baptismi fidei quae in veritate promittentis pendebat fugâ—t ab ea Lutâ—â—â— against Satans temptations by his having beene at the Sacrament of the Supper as that Virgin did of whom Luther speaks by her having received the Sacrament of Baptisme when she had vowed and covenanted with God against those things to which hee tempted her Satan I am a Christian I have beene baptized there I vowed to the contrary And so she quenched the fiery darts of the Divell with the waters of her baptizme So do when Satan tempts thee after the receiving of the Supper Avoide Satan I have received the Sacrament and therein made a covenant to the contrary It is a great fault in men that they are no more watchfull over their hearts and wayes after the receiving of the Sacrament and no more carefull to expresse the power of the Ordinance in their lives It was a great fault in the Disciples that there was at all a contention amongst them for greatnesse and superiority Luk. 22. 24. But their fault was so much the greater by the circumstance of time wherein the quarrell sprang for it was presently after they had received both the Sacrament of the Passeover and the Lords Supper as appeares by the verses before going Was that a time to be contending to be striving when they were newly risen from the Sacrament contending and striving with God in prayer for a blessing upon his Ordinance freshly received had beene farre more seemely and seasonable wofull is the carriage of many and much to be lamented Many come to the Sacrament and there make their vowes of Renouncing their sins and becomming new men and yet when once the action is over and past how soone are their vowes forgotten how quickly returne they to their old courses againe It may be the same weeke returne unto the same sinnes receive the Sacrament on the Lords day and drink drunk again before the next Lords day nay it may be be drunke the next morrow nay it were to be wished that it were not to true a complaint that they be drunke the selfe same day So for other sins men have not the care nor conscience to forbeare them the same day but sweare the same day they receive and have their oathes in their mouths before the bread and wine are well out of their mouthes Iust as the strumpet Prov. 7. 14 18. I have peace offerings with me this day I have paid my vowes come let us take our fill of love so she stiles her filthy lust untill morning let us solace our selves with loves The selfe same day that she had beene at the sacrifice and the Altar the selfe same day shee playes the Whore and comes from the Altar into the adulterers bed How heynous had her adultery beene at any time but when she had beene at Gods Altar to play the strumpet and the filth in that very day how heynous was her transgression Must she needs sacrifice her selfe to the Divell in her lusts in the same day she had beene sacrificing to God It is an heynous thing that hath beene objected justly against some impure Popish votaries that they have risen from Harlots sides to consecrate the Sacrament And is it not as heynous to rise from the Sacrament to whoredome as to rise from whoredome to the Sacrament Is it not as heynous a thing to rise from the Sacrament to drunkennesse as to rise from drunkennesse to the Sacrament How happy were it that that which was laid to Israels charge might not be charged upoÌ„ too too many Communicants Exod. 32. 6. The people sate downe to eate and drinke and rose up to play How many sit downe to eate and drinke the sacramentall elements and that done rise up to play To what play To play the beasts to play the swine to play the wantons to play the wretches and so make themselves by such receiving twofold more the children of the Divell then they were before That was exceeding heynous and horrible that the Lord complaines of Ezek. 23. 39. for when they had slaine their children to their Idols then they came the same day into my Sanctuary to prophane it What villany was this Play the Idolaters the mercilesse murderers of their owne Children and then come the same day into the Lords Sanctuary what had they to doe to come into Gods Sanctuary upon any day but especially upon the same day And had it not beene every whit as hainous to have come to Gods Sanctuary to the Lords Table Mal. 1. 12. and the same day to have committed Idolatry murther and so also to fall to Adultery Drunkennesse Blasphemy and oathes Is not this in an high degree to pollute Gods name and his Table and to make the fruit thereof contemptible Mal. 1. 12. What is this but to take poyson after Physicke O shame that those hands that have beene
Christ in it then faith suckes and when faith suckes then it fetches honey and oyle out of the Rocke As the Prophet speakes in that case Isa 66. 11. That yee may sucke and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolation so in this There must bee sucking before there can be satisfaction The word and Sacraments are breasts of consolation and these be full of sweet milke but there can be no satisfaction unlesse there be sucking A child may handle the mothers breasts may play with them may kisse them but all this while the child is never the fuller Therefore the child when it would be satisfied it layes its mouth to the breast gets the nipple into the mouth and then suckes and drawes with all the strength and might and so fetches forth the milke out of the mothers breast So must it be in these case Men may come to the Sacrament and gaze upon the elements and eate and drinke them and yet not receive the sweete of the Ordinance but if they would have the milke out of this breast they must fall to sucking and to drawing with all their power and strength Then doe men sucke and draw the breast of the Sacrament when in the use of it they Actuate and set their faith on work Faith Actuated suckes vertue out of he Sacrament suckes from Christ in the Sacrament mortifying vertue to kill lusts healing vertue to cure the pollutions of the heart quickning vertue to enable to duties and actions of spirituall life Look how David speakes of wicked men in that case Psalm 73. 10. Waters of a full cup are wrung out to them So is it to all true beleevers in the Sacrament They have therein full draughts of Christs bloud they have their hearts filled as with the comforts of the Holy Ghost so with the efficacies of Christ they have waters of a full cup. But how come they by these waters of a full cup They are wrung out to them And how are they wrung out to them Faith being set on worke in the Ordinance and working upon the Ordinance that wrings out waters of a full cup that wrings out the juyce the sap and sweete of the Sacrament that wrings and presses out the succulency of it It is just here as it was in the dreame of Pharaohs Butler Gen. 40. 10 11. The clusters of the Vine brought forth ripe grapes and Pharaohs cup was in mine hand and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaohs cup. The Sacrament is as a Vine set before us full of clusters of rippe grapes and these grapes full of Iuyce Christ with all his fulnesse offered to us in this Ordinance Now our care and course should bee to have the liquour and bloud of these grapes powred into the cup of our hearts How may that bee done now As Pharaohs cup came filled Hee tooke the grapes and pressed them and crushed them into Pharaohs cup and so the cup was filled So must wee take these grapes and presse and crush them wee must squeeze forth the liquor of them That we doe when faith is Actuated and is set on worke in the use of the ordinance Actuated faith takes these grapes and presses them and wrings out of the Ordinance that which fills our hearts When therefore we are come to the Sacrament and now are to receive set we all the Powers of our faith on worke Lift up this eye to see Christ reach out this hand to lay hold upon and receive him set this mouth on feeding eating drinking sucking Set the mouth of thy faith to the breast of the Sacrament and Quomodo ergo capiunt qui lac capiunt Iesum Christum inquit Apostolus huÌ„c crucifixâ—â—m Suge quod pro te factus est cresces ad id quod est Aug. in Psa 119. sucke and draw at it with all thy might and draw hardest for that vertue of Christs thy soule stands in most need of David speakes of the marrow of Gods house and Ordinances Psalme 63. 5. He that will have the marrow out of the bone must breake the bone and knock the bone and that will fetch sorth the marrow So must faith worke and bestirre it selfe and take paines at the Ordinance and then the marrow of the Sacrament will bee had So should a man doe at and with the Sacrament as Christs Disciples did when they passed through the corne fields Luk. 6. 1. And his Disciples plucked the eares of the corne and did eate rubbing them in their hands They did not plucke off the eares and so eate the whole eaâ—es but first they rubbed the eares in their hands to fetch out the corne So at the Sacrament set faith on worke to rub the eares and fetch out the corne that is in them for foode A rub'd eare will yeeld corne fit for foode but there is no eating of eares unrub'd without danger Prov. 29. 33. Surely the charming of milke brings forth butter They must charme therefore and charme hard set their faith hard to this worke of charming that will have butter that will have benefit out of the Sacrament There is oyle in olives but before there could be oyle fetcht out of them to anoynt a mans selfe withall they used to treade the olives and so expresse the oyle out of them as appeares Micah 6. 15. Thou shalt treade the olives but shalt not anoynt thee with oyle It is threatned as a Iudgement but yet it implyes that oyle was fetcht forth by the treading stamping bruising and breaking of the olives with their feete The Ordinances of Gods word and Sacraments are olives full of good full of excellent oyle but these olives will not drop oyle upon us they must be stampt and trod if we would have oyle out of them to anoint our selves Faith Actuated and set on worke in and upon these ordinances that treads these olives and helpes us to the oyle of them And how-ever the Prophet in that place threatens it as a judgement that they should tread Olives and not anoynt themselves yet it never so falls out in this case He that Actuates his faith and sets it soundly on work to tread these olives he shall be sure to dippe his foote in oyle and to be comfortably anoynted in the use of the Ordinance It is only the want of faiths taking of paines in industrious treading of the olives that makes us go away dry headed dry hearted and unanoynted from the Sacrament and all other Ordinances Thus must faith worke hard at the Sacrament and eate her bread in the sweate of her browes Quest But how and in what manner is faith to be Actuated and set on worke in the use of the Sacrament Answ In the Sacrament consider three things First Sacramentall offers Secondly Sacramentall promises Thirdly Sacramentall Representations fix the eye of faith upon them all and set faith on worke upon them all 1 First in the Sacrament we have Sacramentall offers Christ Himselfe is offered