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B02840 The unsearchable riches of Christ, and of grace and glory in and thorow [sic] him. Diligently searched into, clearly unfolded, and comfortably holden forth, in fourteen rich gospel sermons preached on several texts, at communions, in Glasgow. / By the late pious & powerful gospel-preacher in that city, Mr. James Durham. Durham, James, 1622-1658. 1685 (1685) Wing D2827; ESTC R171877 237,276 370

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which the Sacrament as a Seal is appended Therefore the cup is called The Cup of the New Testament 3. The seal of the Sacrament it self appended to the word and Covenant 2. We would distinguish betwixt Christs broken Body considered as discernible to our understanding only and the same considered as it is discernible to our very senses or as it is apprehensible when by feeling we may grip it as it were and not only look to it but take hol● of it how this is shal be more Particularly explained and cleared afterward for preventing of mistakes it is in this last sense that we understand discernible here not excluding the former so that Christs broken body in the Sacrament is not only made discernible to the understanding of the right communicant but he is made Communicable and apprehensible and there is an union with him attainable in that Ordinance and what we said before proves this he holds out His Body to be received And He is received in it A● for the Second to wit The Questions to be answered they are these Four 1. In what respect is Christ present and discernible in the Sacrament Secondly to what is he made discernible and Communicable Thirdly how the Sacrament makes him discernible and what way it holds him out as discernible to us Fourthly what may be the reasons why Christ holds out himself His broken Body as discernible to us in the Sacrament First then in what respect is Christ present and discernible in the Sacrament We answer first not simply considered as he is the Son of God nor in respect of any benefi● from him as media●or neither simply as Redeemer But he is holden out as incarnat and so this Sacrament differs from the Jews Passover which held him out as to come while this holds him out as come Secondly it holds him out not only as become man but as suffering as having his Body broken Thirdly He is made discernible in respect of the end for which He suffered and had his Body broken and his Blood shed This is sayeth he my Body which is broken for you This cup is the New Testament in my Blood shed for the remission of the sins of many to wit of all the Elect It holds out Christ Mediator God-man suffering for us Fourthly It holds him out as Communicable and in capacity to be participat of by us Therefore it s called the Communion of His body Chap. 10.16 To tell us that we may be united to him and made to share of him and we are bidden Take and Eat and all to drink of it These last two look to the Covenan● and hold out the Sacrament in reference to it and how our Lord Jesus First by his sufferings was to purchase a People to himself and Secondly that he was to be Communicable to his People therefore the Cup is called the New Covenant in his Blood The Cup and the Covenant go together For though we may consider Christ without the Sacrament yet we cannot so well consider the Sacrament without Christ and the Covenant Secondly To what is Christ made discernible and Communicable We answer First he is not discernible nor present after a corporal manner to the bodily eye though he be really and truely present The bread that he gives is his Body and the Cup his Blood and yet it was Bread and wine which was given and not his Body and Blood corporally Secondly he is not present and Communicable by any local mutation by taking us up to heaven to him or by bringing his Body out of Heaven to us But he is these three wayes present and Communicable First to our Spirituall senses to an enlightned understanding which considers Christs Body broken and his Blood shed Secondly To the Faith of his people he is present in his own ordinance when his spirit goes along and quickens their hearts and their faith is in exercise They are made to apprehend Christs Body and to have an union with him sitting in Glory as really as they partake of the elements with their hand and feed upon them with their mouth and stomach an union as reall as is betwixt the head and the members and betwixt the root and the branches These two the Spirit on Christs side and Faith on our side make up a reall union and therefore though this presence be real yet it 's Spirituall Faith looking and going thorow the elements takes up Christ according to the end appointed and this makes the union even as fai●h will look and go thorow the word and crediting the word takes up Christ in it and makes an union with him so by vertue of this ordinance there is a Spiritual presence of and union with Christ Jesus Thirdly A presence to sense not so much in respect of inward feeling as in respect of the powerful effects of his presence though often inward feeling goes alongst with it and therefore it s called the Communion of his Body and the wine of Heaven And in respect of the mean and way he manifests himself therein to the eye to the touch to the taste and to the ear and there is a colour sensible which is more then is in any other ordinance where there is but the exercise of one sense for the more of the outward senses he makes use of he brings with him a proportionable blessing to the inward senses of the soul Thirdly How doth the Sacrament hold out Christ as discernible to us For answer I shal offer these Four wayes How he may be present to the faith of the Believer in the Sacrament all which wayes he is made discernible 1 In respect of the institution for Christ is here represented by the Minister as giving himself his authority and warrand is here therefore himself is here This though it be common to all Christs ordinances yet it belongs in a peculiar way to this ordinance for in it he is presen● in a special man●er making over himself and his sufferings to us Secondly He is made discernible in the Sacrament in as far as it represents him and though the word hold him out yet the Sacrament doth so more fully clearly and sensibly by such and such signes by bread and bread broken representing his Body broken by Suffering by wine and wine poured out representing his Blood shed and by wine distinct from the bread to shew a most true and reall death In which respect it 's said Do this in remembrance of me and as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye shew forth the Lords Death till he come again Every Sacrament represents Christ but this represents him in his suffering and dieing and in the end of it and makes it over to the worthie communicant Thirdly he is made discernible by this Sacrament in this respect as it 's a seal appended and affixed to the Covenant serving to ratifie and confirm the Promises contained in the Covenant and so the Bread and wine considered
may possibly be under for the time it may be that ye shal never be priviledged with such convictions again nor be brought ●o near Heaven hereafter but more delusion and seduction by Error more Prophanity Security Hypocrisie and Presumpt●on may break in among you And though these be not thought much of now by some a● least but lookt a● as very light things yet the day will come when they will be found to be in●uppo tably Heavy And men will be put rather to wish that this house wherein we now a●e had fallen on them and bruised them or that the Sword had fallen in upon them and slain them then to ly under such a weight Thirdly know that it may bring on eternal Judgement And O! but this will draw deep on the Score of many Professors even the abuse of the Lords Table in partaking of His Table and of the Table of devils I shall Name but a few Sins here that ye would notice and try your selves in as to this First Ye have often Communicat have ye also often Examined your selves can many of you Pitch on such an hour or half hour that ye set a part to try your Souls condition Secondly I would ask what Repen●ance hath there been Right examination makes discovery of Guilt and discovery of Guilt brings out Repentance which hath some pricking and Soul panging with it Thirdly What effect hath followed What engagements have been keeped How have many of us reformed our walk Is not our carriage as it was Passion and Pride as quick and lively as they had wont to be Deadness Security and worldly mindedness as they were before Are we not as little Self denyed As unready to Fo give As Ignorant and having as little knowledge of Gospel mysteries as we were and had many a Year Since But very few can say on good grounds that they have made any Progresse in Mortifi●ation and Holiness and except it be some conviction Some flash of affection Or some faint Resolution to amend things amisse What use hath been made of or what benefit hath been reaped by many and that not of the worst sort by the Communion and therefore in the next place let me say that it were not unbecoming or unsuitable to the Communion to make this night a night of Humiliation before God and of prayer to him to be delivered from Blood Guiltiness There is not a more legible Evidence of our untenderness then our being little pricked at the heart for this sin a word of reflexion from our Neighbour or the apprehension of some great Mans displeasure and Feud hath lyen nearer our hearts then the wronging of the Son of God at this rate hath done for which it were good now to cast an eye To look to him and to mourn as on mourneth for his only Son and to go to Zion weeping as we go asking the way thitherward These are no uncouth nor strange things but such as are Ordinarily prest upon us We are afraid that many have loathed and left the simple way of Godliness to get and look after some Shining and Glistering thing to the Eye and that way will never profit them to take a serious look of your Souls condition and to be in good earnest in the exercise of Repentance as the life o● your Preparation even that ye may come knowing well what ye need and what ye are to Receive if ye come aright The Third and main Use is that seeing there is so great ground to fear Communicating unworthily and that so great Judgements follow upon it it would be as our fear to Communicat unworthily So our uptaking business how we may communicat worthily This is the end of the day and should be our task and work this night even to endeavour to be worthy communicants to morrow Ye will readily ask how is such a Frame to be attained and come by I would for answer desire you seriously to mind what ye have heard on these words Let a man Examine himself and so let him eat Which comprehend the Summe of what is called for from you and we shal now add these Four things that in your preparing your selves to Communicat Rightly and worthily ye would seriously mind 1. A right uptaking of your selves Secondly A Right uptaking of the Ordinance Thirdly A right Acting in reference to both Fourthly A right manner of Acting or a right Frame in your going about the work For the First We say there would be a right uptaking of our Selves that we may know what we are what are our Sins Spiritual wants and necessities that we may have some distinct errand to God This is implyed in these Words Let a man examine himself That he may be well acquainted with himself if there be not some time taken for attaining to a right Consideration of our Selves we cannot come rightly to thi O●dinance or if any word come that suits our condition it will come by guesse as to us and we may come to the Communion and neither know what we need not what we are seeking or would be at For the Second We say there would be a right uptaking of the ordinance it self which when wanting it mar●es us that we know not how to Communicat in the ordinance we would take up the substance of it the end of it and how it effectua●s the end First The Substance of the ordinance is Christ Jesus himself who though he be not bodily yet is he really present in the Sacrament His words are not empty words the Signes are ●o● empty Signes But the Bread is his Body and the wine is his Blood For if there be a presence in the wo●d as he makes it known through his Spirit by the efficacie of it on the Heart then in a more speciall and Solemn manner there is a presence in the Sacrament which also he makes sensible to the Spiritual senses of the Believer Secondly The end and use of the Ordinance for which God hath appointed it would also be rightly taken up and this is large It serves for the man festing of his love in his Death till he come again and this would be a piece of your exercise to descover the love of Christ in it and to put your faith to exercise on that love In which respect Christians have not only their Particular case to look to in the Sacraments But also that their Spirits be taken up with the thoughts of the wonderfully condescending love of Christ who hath given and left behin● him a token and Memoriall of it and especially these ends would be looked to and considered viz. That its given for our instruction for it gives us a Sight o● Christ crucified It shewes us the way of making up our union with him and the necessity of it and the warand given us to make use of him and as it s given for instruction and teaching so for sealing and confi ming the Lord would have us the eby knowing the truth of
is this in our hands This bread in some respect is not bread but Christ This cup is not Wine but the cup of the New Testament in his Blood and by this reflex act the Believer applies and confirmes himself having received the Sacrament whereby his union with Christ is signified and sealed up he applies and sayes within himself now Christ is mine and I am his and he confirmes himself in Christs love to himself and in his interest in him Now sayeth he I have gotten no delusion but the signe and Seal of his blessed Body broken and of his Blood shed for me If unbelief say have ye gotten Christ indeed Yes sayes the Believers faith having received this Pledge of his love I have gotten himself and I should Believe it and this is to act on Christ not only directly which is a thing common to the Sacrament with the word but to act on Christ reflexly and to perswade our selves of our union and Communion with him which is the end of this Ordinance else we take not up Christ as giving a seal Therefore the word is Take eat This is my Body broken for you there is more then a bare signe here and faith acts not only for receiving but for confirming it self that by receiving it hath an union and Communion with him who is holden out in the Sacrament For if it be a seal and exhibit Christ as a seal then faith should receive and act on it as such for attaining the end that a seal should have supposing the condition to preceed Fifthly it consists in an act of spiritual affecting when there is a Holy smacking to speak so and kissing of Christ The soul digesting him for the life of the inner man and thereon delighting rejoycing and exulting in him and so the faith confidence and hope of the Believer are strengthened which makes him that he is not ashamed and upon the back of this ordinarily the Love of God is shed abroad in the heart and though there should be little sensible feeling yet the believer finds himself oblidged to cheer himself in Christ and in the Covenant and in the benefits that he hath thorow his purchase and there is readily some warming of love to Christ and he is confirmed in the faith of the love of Christ to him and it is impossible where these two are but some Holy tickling of affections which flow from the Word and from this Ordinance thus rightly gone about as has been said will follow and if this be not That is if Christ be not thus discerned in the Sacrament 1. God gets not what he calls for Christs death is not rightly minded his Glory and our edification are not promoved Nor 2. Is the end of the Sacrament attained neither 3. Is our comfort furthered For it s not the Ordinance barely or Ordinary Bread and Wine set apart for a Holy use But Jesus Christ discerned and received in the Ordinance that comforts otherwise the ordinance in and by it's self will not promove our comfort and growth The Third Doctrine is that it is though a very common and rife yet a very great sin not to discern the Lords body as he is holden out in this Sacrament discernible The greatness of which may be easily gathered from what we have discoursed concerning the great priviledge of the discernibleness of the Lords body therein from the horridness of the guilt that it involves in even the guilt of the body and Blood of the Lord the greatest and most horrid of all Blood guiltiness and from the dreadful Judgements and Plagues that follow on it temporal or bodily and Spiritual Plagues yea even eternal Damna●ion if Repentance through Grace prevent not But we must because of the shortness of time leave all that might be spoken in the more particular Prosecution of this Doctrine and shall only give you Two or Three Caveats wherewith I shall close to guard against mistakes in reference to what hath been spoken I know it will readily be said If this be discerning of the Lords body and if none other do discern it but such as go about these things it will be hard for any to discern it For answer to this I would have you to consider 1. That there is a more explicit distinct and perfect discerning and a more implicit confused and indistinct discerning of the Lords Body if we speak of perfection in discerning who come up to that but if we speak of an honest sincere way of aiming to discern though it be somewhat indistinct and confused that may be won at yea I would not think them in a good condition that rest satisfied with themselves as being distinct enough in all these things whereof we have spoken yet where there is as I just now said honest aiming at these things though in a confused and indistinct way where faith and love are in some measure acting with a sort of fear joy mixed together when there is a fear to profane the ordinance and yet the soul loves it so well that it cannot endure to want it nor Christ in it There is a discerning of the Lords Body that warrands to draw near 2. Consider that there is a general confusion and a particular confusion to speak so in going about this Ordinance The general confusion is this when persons are so very ignorant and confused that they know not at all what they are doing a Particular confusion is only in some respect that is when a Soul knoweth that Jesus Christ is in the Ordinance and knoweth its own condition to stand in need of him that it hath many Spiritual wants to be supplied and that there is much good and a Supply of all those wants to be had from Christ in this Ordinance but how to come at it thereby it knows not so well nor so distinctly A person that is confused in the generall cannot discern the Lords Body in the Sacrament But one that is confused in a particular may and though● such an one cannot it may be Pitch on a particular promise that suites his need yet he may fix on Christ and on the covenant in general which is one of the main things that Faith acts on and indeed unless himself be acted on by Faith his benefits fail and though a serious Soul cannot get a particular promise to settle on We say it should stick by the Covenant in general as including all particulars 3. Consider the discerning is not to be astricted to the very instant o● receiving but we would look well what is our a●m a● endeavour al●ngst the action and if habitually we b● indeed seriously seeking after and pursuing t●ese thing● we cannot have them all in our thoughts at once tha● is scarce if at all Possible but if the aime and strai● of your Souls exercise run this way and though the● be failing in many things yet this is not a neglectiv● slighting and careless inconsideration In a word see 〈◊〉 there
come ashore all tears shall be wiped from your eyes and sorrow and sighing shall flee away and ye shall meet with that word O warm word Come ye faithful Servants enter into the joy of your Lord ye will not always fight and wrestle neither will ye be alwayes tempted and troubled rest and repose is a coming it 's even at hand then one ray of his Coun●enance will be infinitly more heartsome refreshing and satisfieing then all these things that ye are now called to abandon and part with can possibly amount to Christs first welcome to his Fathers house will eternally banish the remembrance of all the sad things that ye meet with in this world The Fourth and last Observation is that The great mean of securing a Covenanter making him stedfast is Faith exercised on God or adhering to him by Faith by vertue of this Covenant It is not to lay weight on or trust to our own strength but seeing God hath made a promise of thorow-bearing to undertake the duties that we are called to in his strength trusting to his Faithfulness and to his furnishing of us according to the Covenant As when poor sinners are Summoned to appear before God and they have no righteousness of their own they are to step forward trusting to Christs righteousness So when they are called to dutie and they have no strength of their own to enable them to a suitable discharge thereof they are to consider that God is faithfull who hath promised and who will also do it and indeed Believers have found in their comfortable experience that when they have adventured on dutie with a believing look to Gods Covenanted strength they have found it go sweetly surprisingly well with them Thus it is said of those worthies mentioned Heb. 11. That through faith they wrought Righteousness as well as they did all other things thereby This also is it which the Lord inculcateth John 15. abide in me saith He and ye shall bring forth much fruit as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me for without me ye can do nothing Where it is clear that it 's not enough that we be in Christ but that we must abide in him and have continuall dependance on him for the influences of life and strength derived from him Ye then that would be faithfull in Gods Covenant would have it Perpetuall never to be forgotten must especially make use of this mean make Conscience of all other appointed means Watch and pray that ye enter not into Tentation but see that ye neglect not this mean which if ye do the Watchman will watch in vain and your grip or hold will be unsiker if ye make not use of him to make it sure and to keep it so And therefore 1. Mind seriously and constantly what ye are in and of your selves even fickle fectless weak feeble and unconstant creatures not daring to undertake any thing in your own strength 2. Remember what God is and that ye have a worthy able and responsall Cautioner 3. Remember that ye are engaged in a Covenant never to be forgotten forgetting is the first rise of unfaithfulness 4. Remember the Promises that God hath made for your thorow-bearing and let faith be exercised on them Joyn with diligence and watchfulness a suitable exercise of Faith 5. Take a serious look every day when ye go to pray of your resolutions and engagements renew them frequently and seriously in his own strength and be casting the other knot and put the heart distinctly to say this was my bargain and I will through Grace abide by it and then go and pray over it that ye may be made faithful in your thus Covenanting with God that ye may be enabled to pay your vowes and make your honest resolutions Practicable levelling at this as your Scope and designe in all duties I have said such a thing and have not kept my word Lord forgive it for Christs sake I am engaged in this and that and the other duty Lord help me to perform And for your furtherance in humiliation and soft walking before God look on all your sins as aggravated by this unfaithful and treacherous dealing in Gods Covenant and on all duties as those which your Covenant with God binds you to depend on him for strength to be Communicated to you according to the Covenant for going about them suitably and acceptably and within a litle while ye shall get a fair pass to be gone and a full discharge of all that ye were trusted with according to the Covenant And the Lord help you to be faithful so that it may be betwixt God and you in very deed A perpetuall Covenant that shall not be forgotten A SERMON Preached Immediatly before the Communion On Matth. 26. Vers 28.29 For thi● is my Blood of the New Testament wh●● is shed for many for the Remission of sins But I s● unto you I w ll not drink henceforth of this fruit 〈◊〉 the Vine untill that day when I drink it new w● you in my Fathers Kingdom ALthough we had no more to do at our meeting together in this place to day but to Read and he● these same wonderful words If our hearts were in suitable spiritual frame knowing and considering wh● we are about and doing we would be in a Divine Ra●ture and Transport of Admiration at His love a● kindled into a flame of Holy zeal for his glory by then O What sweet and happy words are these from our di●ing Lord Jesus Christ his mouth Eye hath not seen e● hath not heard Neither hath it entered into the heart 〈◊〉 Man to conceive what things the Lord hath prepared f●● them that wait for him And indeed there is a sum o● them in these words they being a Compend of t● Testament and legacy which our Lord hath left to h● friends O Sinners be of good chear there are goo● news and glad tidings of great joy here Here is t● new Covenant and all that is in it and Remission 〈◊〉 sins in Particular as the Legacy Here is Christ whi●● maketh this Covenant Savoury and it is confirmed 〈◊〉 his Death who is the Testator thereof Which makes it sure Here is Heaven and Eternall glory and what would you have more This is saith he my Blood of the New Testament Whi●h is shed for the Remission of the sins of many Which holds forth the Promises and the convey of them the Legacy and how it comes to us I will not saith he Drink of this fruit of the Vine untill I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdome There is Heaven the heartsome up shot of all Remission of sins comes to sinners Covenant wise thorow Christs Blood and by closing with Christ and making Application of this Blood sinners come to get Remission of sins and all the benefits of the Covenant and are brought at last to Drink the new
wine of Heaven and to Drink it new with Christ even to share in his Glory to have one feast and Glory with him And truly if there were no more to be said we may most confidently say that these are wonderful glad tidings which our blessed Lord Jesus hath left to be the great subject of the Doctrine of the Gospel and the Scope of the Sacraments We shall 1. Open up the words a litle 2. We shall draw some Doctrines from them And then 3. Insist in the Application First Then for Explication From the 26. vers is set down the Institution of the Supper of the Lord wherein we have First What Christ did Secondly What he Commands the Disciples and us in them to do Thirdly He Explicats in these words what he hath been doing and Commande to be done This is my Blood saith he of the Ne● Testament c. As if he had said would you kno● what it is that I am doing There was a Covena● made long since betwixt my Father and me co●cerning the elect wherein I condescended an● transacted to take on mans nature and in that natu●● to suffer and satisfie Divine Justice for their sin● this is the Commemoration of my Satisfactio● according to that Covenant and the exhibiting an● giving to you a confirmation of your interest in a● the blessings of that Covenant whereof Remissi●● of sins is one and a main one He needed as wou●● seem to have said no more but that he was goi● to suffer and to suffer for this cause Even to pu●chase Redemption to sinners but he will furth●● shew his Disciples and in them all Believers in hi● That this came not to pass by guess but accordi●● to an old Covenant and Eternall transaction th● past betwixt Jehovah and Him and so adds the S●crament to be a Commemoration and a more f● Confirmation thereof to Believers of all that purchased by it and Promised in it In the 29. ve● He hath two words further one of warning anoth●● of encouragement 1. One of warning I say u● you henceforth I will not drink of the F●uit of t● Vine As if he had said take heed what ye are d●ing make this Communion very welcome and 〈◊〉 it confirm and strengthen you against the tryals th● are coming for I will have no moe Communio● with you after this manner in this World 2. word of encouragement and consolation becau●e they might think and say Alace Lord what will become of us if we shall have no moe Communions with thee Be not saith he to them on the matter discouraged We shall yet have more and more intimat Communion then ever we had here on earth There is a day coming when we shall have a sweet Communion in the Kingdom of Heaven together when we shall drink it new when we shal have the thing signified Even Communion without the intervention of Ordinances in the full Harvest of joy in God in his Kingdon Then vers 30. As if he were going to a Triumph He and they sing a Hymn or Psalm Partly thereby to teach us to be chearfull and partly to shew that singing of Psalmes is not unsuitable for this action To make the former words and what we are to say on them a litle more clear We would in this Sacrament which here the Lord Explicats Consider Three or Four things First Christs Offer Wherein there are Two things viz. The outward and visible signes the Elements and the inward invisible thing signified by them Which is Christs Body Blood In the Offer then in short We have not only the Element or signe but the thing signified and represented by it Even as in the word of the Gospel there are these Two viz So many words made up of Letters and Syllables and the matter Contained in them Secondly Consider the receiving of Christs offer wherein there are Two things 1. The act of receiving the Element by the hand 2. The hearts receiving what is offered in and by the Elements Even as in hearing the word There is the giving or lending of the ear to the voice of words that they may be understandingly heard and there is the receiving what is spoken by Faith in the heart As Christ holds forth both in his offer so the Believer would both wayes receive by the hand the Element should be received and by Faith the thing signified should be received Thirdly Ye would consider this Application of the thing signified in a twofold respect 1. As it holds out the entering of us into the Covenant in order to the receiving of the Pardon of sin when the Sacrament is Considered complexly with the word 2. As it Applyeth Christ and the benefits that come by him for our consolation Christ is to be received in the former respect before he can be received in the Letter we must needs receive Christ in his offer ere we can receive any benefit that comes by him Therefore the word goes along with the Sacrament that we may get a gripe and catch hold of Christ by the Covenant for they that are without the Covenant are without Christ and all saving benefit by him But where Christ is received and Faith closeth with him as he is offered The Soul may warrantably make Application of him Not only for Pardon of sin The Particular benefit here expresly mentioned but for all the other benefits of the Covenant Whereas they who have not faith have nothing and receive nothing but are deeply guilty thorow their not receiving but rather rejecting and despising of Christ and his benefits Fourthly Ye would consider this Sacrament as it seals directly our warrant to receive Christ and his benefi●s or as it seals our Application of Christ and his benefits for it may be usefull for both and is actually so to believers In the First respect we offer to you a good security for your Salvation on condition of your receiving Christ But in the Second Respect the security is sealed simply as baving Gods seal appended to it to all who have received him Thus the tree of life was a seal of the Covenant of life by works to Adam if be stood but it was not a confirmation that he should have life by the Covenant except he fulfilled that which was called for in it So Circumcision was a Seal of the righteousness of Faith to Ishmael and other visible Church Members as well as to Isaac in the First Sense that is that the security was good But to Isaac and Believers It was not only a Seal or a Confirmation that the security was good and sufficient in it self but a Seal of Confirmation that it should be good to them Therefore in coming to partake of the Sacrament We would premit alway our closing with Christ And then we have not only Gods word and Oath but also the Sacrament for his Seal of Confirmation of the Covenant In a word Christ doth offer here to all a Pledge that he will make