wants to minister all comforts vnto vs to fill vs with all aboundance and euerie way to giue vs plentifull satisfaction If we rest on him as Man onely many feares and doubts and suspitions might arise but Christ the Lord puts all out of doubt and giues vs full content and securitie here is sure footing for the grace of Faith to rest vpon Christ the Lord is the Rocke that we must build vpon and the Gates of Hell shall neuer preuaile against vs therefore let vs rest in Christ the Lord and rely vpon him and cast our selues with all bouldnesse and confidence vpon his Almightie protection Vse 4 The fourth Vse Here is matter of comfort and reioycing seeing Christ is the Lord specially of the Faithfull it should teach vs neuer to be discouraged whatsoeuer befall vs we are his Seruants and he is our Lord therefore he will prouide for vs and defend vs and take part with vs and saue vs whatsoeuer case we are in the verie Name of the Lord breakes in vpon our Hearts I know not how with such a louely Maiestie that it ministers comfort and life vnto vs in all our estates in our well-fare when we looke about and see Gods blessings vpon vs and consider that the Lord hath done this for vs it comforts vs that surely it shall stand good because the Lord hath done it in our wants if we can consider that the Lord is our Sheepeheard that is the supply of all our wants in our afflictions when we goe thorough the Fire if the Lord be with vs it shall not burne vs if thorough the Water it shall not drowne vs against our Enemies it is a sufficient Shield If the Lord be our Light and Saluation whom should we feare Psal 27.1 So in our Prayers Luke 23.42 Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome it is such a patheticall voyce that it worketh affection a kind of liuely and comfortable affection in the Hearts of those that haue grace to conceiue rightly of it Vse 5 The last Vse is for terror to the wicked it breakes in vpon them with a dreadfull and terrible Maiestie there is nothing can afright wicked Men or the Diuell himselfe more then the Name of the Lord it is a matter of great terror to them and workes effectually against them it was snibbing enough to Satan Zach. 3.2 when it was said vnto him The Lord reproue thee Satan And in Iude verse 9. when Michael the Archangell stroue with the Diuell about the Body of Moses he durst not blame him with cursed speaking but said The Lord rebuke thee he had his arrant he need haue no more said to him and if it be but pronounced by Men with a faithfull Heart and assured confidence in God it is able to strike terror and astonnishment into the Hearts of vngodly Men Behold the Lord comes to Iudgement c. And in the 1 Thess 4.16 The Lord shall descend from Heauen with a shout c. The day of Iudgement is a matter of terror to the wicked and because it should affright them the more it is denounced against them in the Name of the Lord And alas though wicked Men be neuer so great what are they when the Lord of Heauen and Earth shall set himselfe against them in his fierce wrath and displeasure The thought hereof is suffcient to terrifie and amaze the most obstinate sinner in the World Secondly in that the Sacrament is called by the name of the Lords Table and the Lords Supper hence obserue that the Lords Supper is as it were a Banket or Feast of our Soules wherein the Faithfull are nourished to a Spirituall and Heauenly life We must vnderstand that matters of Saluation are Spirituall which come not within the compasse of our sence but are spiritually to be searched and reached vnto by the Eye of Faith And hence it is that God willing to acquaint vs with them doth set them forth vnto vs vnder the veiles of temporall things and because matters of Saluation are sweet and comfortable and refresh the Heart therefore the Holy Ghost makes choyce of such outward things to veile and to shaddow them by as are most vsuall and fittest for our comfort and refreshing as namely Bankets and Feasts and so Math. 22.2 and forward and Reuel 19.9 and 2.7 c. And according to this ground it is that this Sacrament is set forth vnto vs in the name of a Feast that is to say a Spirituall Feast or Banket for our Soules Prou. 9.1 2 c. it is said of Wisedome that she hath killed her Victuals drawne her Wine and prepared her Table and what is the benefite to be receiued at this Feast Knowledge and vnderstanding as appeares in the 4 and 5 Verses by Wisedome there is meant the Sonne of God the preparing of the Victuals and Table is the tendring vs of the meanes of Saluation which is performed in a particular manner in this Sacrament 1 Cor. 10.26 The Cup of Blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ And the Bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ Now these things cannot be communicated to vs in bodily manner he being in Heauen and we in Earth therefore it must be vnderstood in a spirituall manner as the Body and Blood of Christ which is communicated to vs in this Sacrament being a spirituall Banket for our Soules to nourish them vp to a spirituall and heauenly life Math. 26.28 This is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for remission of sins So that the end for which we are inuited to drinke it is the remission of sinnes drinke Wine it is for the comfort of our Bodyes drinke the Blood of the Lord Iesus at the Lords Table it is infinitely more comfortable to the Soule of a poore Christian that lyes groaning vnder the burthen of his sinnes he is thereby refreshed and reuiued and cheared vp to a spirituall life Iohn 6.54 Whosoeuer eats my Flesh and drinkes my Blood hath eternall life and I will rayse him vp at the last day The benefit that comes to vs by the Flesh Blood of Christ which we eat and drinke after a speciall manner in this Sacrament is not a temporall life but life eternall Iohn 6.63 The Flesh profits nothing the words that I speake to you are Spirit and life That which our Faith takes hold vpon in Christ Iesus by eating and drinking him after a spirituall manner whether in the Sacrament or without it is not to make our Bodyes fat but to cherish vp our Soules that his Spirit may quicken our Spirit and his life may make vs aliue to God Reas 1 The Reasons First Christ came specially for the good of our Soules Math. 11.29 You shall find rest to your Soules It is true indeed our Sauiour hath a care of our Bodyes too but his speciall care is for our Soules he is our
be quickned to examine your selues and search your Hearts and liues and practise your repentance and stirre vp your Faith and to be earnest with God in Prayer and to put forth your best endeuors for your fitting to that heauenly worke After the Sacrament is receiued the same points to be here rehearsed againe that so you may take a view of your selues and of your carriage in that Spirituall Banket that if vpon this re-view you find that you haue truely endeuored to glorifie God in his owne Ordinance your consciences may haue peace and God the prayse and honour If you haue grossely fayled I say grossely in some palpable and notorious euill for who fayles not more or lesse in his best actions you may iudge your selues and repent of your faylings and entreat mercy for that which is past and better grace for the time to come This course shall be as the former and latter Raine for we are all of vs meruailous hard hearted to Spirituall duties we had need be moystened againe and againe before our Hearts can be mollified and fitted for any goodnesse The handling of the points the Sabboth day before is as the former Raine to water and moysten our Hearts and bring them to some soft temper that they may be apt to receiue the impression of the heauenly Seale and open themselues to giue entertainment to our blessed Sauiour The rehearsall after the receiuing is as the latter Raine to water vs again that Christ Iesus being receiued into our Hearts may prosper and thriue and grow in vs to a further encrease of grace and so proceeding and encreasing from one Communion to another we may in time attaine thorough Gods blessing to some good ripenesse for the Lords Haruest The Reasons inducing me to this course are many I will acquaint you with them because they will be good encouragements both to you and me in these proceedings and will also quicken vs and further vs to our preparation The first Reason is the discharge of my dutie God hath made me a Watchman ouer you Ezek. 33.7 and what is the office of a Watchman To heare to admonish to take speciall notice of the state of their People and to instruct them in their duties and admonish them of their dangers nothing concernes your Spirituall state more then the reuerent and worthy receiuing of this Sacrament no dutie more necessarie to be taught no greater danger then the prophanation and abuse of it I therefore being your Watchman must looke into your state in this behalfe and tell you your duties that you may preuent those dangers The Sacraments are a part of Gods sauing Ordinances as well as the Word and the due administration of them is a part of my Ministeriall office as well as the Preaching of the Word and it is my dutie to labour and see that you be worthy Receiuers of the Sacraments as well as profitable Hearers of the Word The Apostles practise 1 Cor. 11.20 to the end is an excellent precedent in this case Many abuses were crept into the Church of Corinth other things he lets alone till he come himselfe Verse 34. but these that were in the Sacrament must speedily be reformed and therefore he presently dispatched his Epistle and sends his mind and charge touching the redresse of them And surely corruptions in such a high part of Gods Worship as is the Lords Supper are dangerous Sores except they be cured with all expedition they will fester and wranckle and quickly corrupt the verie Heart of Religion In conscience therefore of my dutie to God and you for the preuenting of these euils I haue vndertaken this course The second Reason is the care of your Soules They are deere and precious to the Lord that bought them and therefore ought to be deere and precious to all Gods Ministers whom the Holy Ghost hath made Ouerseers of them and that is it which the Apostle seemes to presse Act. 20.28 Take heed to the Flocke ouer whom the Holy Ghost hath made you Ouerseers c. which God hath purchased with his owne Blood I should be loath to be a Minister of Condemnation to any of you the power that the Lord hath giuen vs is for edification not for destruction if I should administer the Sacrament to you in your ignorance or prophanesse or vnpreparednesse I should be a verie vnnaturall Father To giue you Stones when you aske for Bread and a Scorpion when you aske for Fish Bane and Poyson in stead of Comfort and Food for your Soules it should but further your Condemnation In care therefore of your Soules I labour to prepare you Consider what the Apostle saith in the 1 Cor. 11.27.29 He that eats and drinkes vnworthily shall be guiltie of the Body and Blood of the Lord and he eats and drinkes his owne damnation What is it to eat and drinke vnworthily That is without knowledge reuerence conscience faith and repentance without preparation And what is the sinne Guiltie of the Body and Blood of the Lord You draw the guiltinesse of the Blood of the Lord Iesus vpon your Soules as the Iewes did when they said His Blood be vpon vs c. You are as bad as these cruell Murtherers that killed the Lord of Life And what shall be the punishment He eats and drinkes his owne damnation A fearefull yet a iust reward of such a fearefull sinne The manner of the Apostles speech is verie remarkable He eats and drinkes his owne damnation As who should say while he is eating and drinking at the Lords table the Diuell is carrying away his Soule into Hell Deut. 22.4 If we see our Brothers Oxe or his Asse fall by the way we must helpe them vp Hath God such care of Oxen and Asses and not much rather of Mens Soules And shall euerie Brother lift vp his Brothers Beast being fallen on the Ground and shall not euerie Minister much more lift vp his Brothers Soule being fallen downe into Hell My exhortation therefore to you is that you would ioyne with me in the care for your owne Soules To whom should a Mans Soule be most deere but to himselfe Doe not sleepe any longer in your ignorance shake off your carelessenesse and securitie come no more to the Lords Table for fashion and custome but for conscience to glorifie God and to encrease in grace keepe your selues from that fearefull sinne of eating and drinking vnworthily that ye incurre not the fearefull punishment of eternall damnation Heare and learne and practise such good Doctrines and Instructions as the Lord by my Ministry shall afford you and your Soules shall liue The third Reason is the zeale I haue for Gods glorie God is honoured by Men no way more then in their publike meeting and assemblyes for exercises of Religion nor in any of those meetings more then at this heauenly Banket and therefore if we haue any zeale for Gods glorie we must be specially zealous and carefull that God may be
with an eie and respect to his Death on the Crosse his Body broken his Blood shed yet notwithstanding that is not all we are not to stay there but it hath a further reach otherwise those that stood by our Sauiour Christ when he was crucified put the case that one of them had sprinkled his Body with the Blood of Christ should he haue had a Communion then with Christ Certainly no. Therefore our Faith must reach further and not stay in the Body and Blood of Christ but it must reach to the fruit and comfort that comes thereby to sanctification and eternall life For so Christ spake Math. 26.28 This is my Blood which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes Consider of Christ his Death his Body broken his Blood shed we must haue a further reach to discerne the sauing fruits and benefits of his Death as forgiuenesse of sinnes sanctification and eternall life So then we see what is meant by the Body and Blood of Christ The Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ Now the third point to be spoken of is the manner of the performing and accomplishment of those things in the Sacrament or Supper of the Lord. We must vnderstand it to be thus performed that is to say that this Communion with Christ or the Communion that we haue among our selues we must not so vnderstand it as if it were begun or made but so performed as according to the nature of the Sacrament will reach vnto it that is to say it is there confirmed ratified and sealed vp vnto vs the Body and Blood of Christ is communicated vnto vs by the way of Seale of Pledge of Ratification the Sacraments doe not beget Faith in vs but they confirme Faith where it is begotten already Rom. 4.11 After he receiued the signe of Circumcision as the Seale of the righteousnesse of Faith which he had when he was vncircumcised c. The Sacrament that comes and seconds it and ratifies it vnto vs. Then here is the case at our first conuersion when God gaue vs an effectuall calling God drawed vs neere to himselfe and worked Faith in vs and touched our Hearts by his Spirit and so makes this holy Communion betweene Christ and vs and so makes vs one with him and he with vs. Well Faith being thus begotten in vs by the preaching of the Word the Vnion being thus made then God admits vs to his Table to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the point now in hand He admits vs there that so this Communion already made betweene Christ and vs might be further confirmed and ratified The Sacrament doth this not as an efficient cause but as an outward instrumentall cause It is not done by the deed done as the Papists say the deed done is not enough to conferre grace no it is no such matter the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ The meanes that Gods children are conuerted by and effectually called is the Word thereby Faith is wrought in them and a holy Communion made betweene Christ and them after they are admitted to the participation of the Sacrament by which Sacrament as an outward instrumentall cause this Communion being already begun and made is further ratified and confirmed This is the meaning of those words that it is the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ Now we come to the obseruations that here ariseth for our instruction First concerning the Communion betweene Christ and the Faithfull and then the Communion between the Faithfull and themselues The Communion that is betweene Christ and the Faithfull is confirmed vnto vs in the participation of the Lords Supper that is it is an effectuall Bond Pledge and Seale of that holy and blessed Communion that the Faithfull haue with Christ and Christ with them In Math. 26.26 the Text saith there that our Sauiour tooke Bread and gaue it to his Disciples that is Christ communicated himselfe to vs in the Sacrament Now we are to proue that Christ communicated himselfe to vs in the Sacrament He gaue it to his Disciples what freer then the guift And withall he presseth it vpon them and bids them take eat this is my Body What can be spoken more frankly and more freely And therefore being spoken by him that neuer spake any thing that he meant not in his Heart it must needs be a verie franke and free bestowing of himselfe Yet as you will say here is Bread and here is Wine frankly and freely giuen but what is this to Christ his owne Body Yes that Bread in a Sacramentall sence is the Body of Christ he giues the name of the Signe to the thing signified this Bread is his Body whatsoeuer he speakes and performes concerning the one he doth concerning the other He was not so franke free and liberall in giuing Bread as he was in giuing his Body to feed vpon So the like is concerning the Cup in Vers 27.28 First here you see then that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in regard of the first institution is a Bond and Seale of the blessed Communion that we haue with Christ He gaue himselfe to vs. In Iohn 6.51 52. there Christ tels them that He it the liuing Bread which came downe from Heauen if any Man eat of this Bread he shall liue The meaning is that Christ gaue vs his Flesh to eat spiritually In Vers 53. it is said Except ye eat the Flesh of the Sonne of Man and drinke his Blood ye haue no Communion with Christ But that which is most pregnant for our purpose is in Vers 56. where it is said He that eats my Flesh and drinkes my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him What neerer Communion can there be then this that we dwell in him and he in vs Who are they that partake of this He that eats my Flesh and drinkes my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him And is not this his Flesh eaten and his Blood drunken In the participation of the Lords Supper is ratified the sweet Communion that is betweene Christ and vs. I doe not say that that in the sixth of Iohn is vnderstood properly of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper but is mystically applyed to this of eating Christ by Faith and therefore iustly agrees with this of the Lords Supper when we meditate vpon Christs workes in the Sacrament or out of the Sacrament not eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood after a spirituall manner that is in the generall there if we doe this in the vse of the Sacrament we doe it in a particular manner So then it is so in all our spirituall eating of Christ and drinking of his Blood we dwell in him and he in vs then much more in the participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper when our Faith is lift vp to Christ that we feed vpon him more thoroughly and earnestly and therefore much more doth that place take hold of our
is ascribed to the Blood of Christ so our Redemption is ascribed to the Blood of Christ Ephes 1.7 Reuel 5.9 and in the 1 Pet. 1.19 all runs vpon the Blood of Christ Reuel 1.5 We are washed from our sinnes in his Blood 1 Iohn 1.7 The Blood of Christ cleanseth vs from all our sinnes The fetching of vs within the Couenant of Grace is by the Blood of Christ Ephes 2.13 and so indeed is the whole worke of our Redemption ascribed to the Blood of Christ You see then how rich and plentifull the Scripture is in this Argument all tending wholly to this effect to teach vs that the verie matter whereupon the New Testament and the worke of our Redemption is founded and stablished is the Blood of the Lord Iesus I am bold to insist so long vpon the proofe of this point because the Scripture is so plentifull in it Wee will come now to the Reasons Reas 1 The first Reason may be drawn from the nature of a Couenant amongst Men Wherein stands it Not in the making and writing of it but in the sealing of it Here is a Couenant made betweene God and Man that he will forgiue vs our sinnes and that he will sanctifie vs and it is sealed by the Blood of Christ and therefore it is called the Blood of the New Testament It is true indeed that all the Couenants and Promises of God are firme and sure in themselues because God hath made them and they need no Seale yet because God hauing made this Couenant respectiuely that he would haue it sealed and confirmed by the Blood of Christ Iesus Therefore looke whatsoeuer force and benefit it is of to vs it is by vertue of the Blood of Christ And hence it is that whosoeuer can shew this Seale for themselues that they haue part in this Blood of Christ they may challenge that they haue their part in the Couenant and whosoeuer cannot they haue no part in it Reas 2 The second Reason is drawne from the nature of a Testament which must alwayes be confirmed by the death of the Testator and is not of force before the partie be dead the Apostle applyes it so in Hebr. 9.16 17. Reas 3 The third Reason is drawne from the nature of a Sacrifice a burnt Offering a propitiatorie Sacrifice a Sacrifice for sinne No Sacrifice that was to be offered for sinne but it was to be killed and offered in Blood Leuit. 1.7 and therefore Christ comming to be a Sacrifice for the sinnes of the World he must be killed and slaine Reas 4 The fourth Reason it holds by way of proportion betweene the New Testament and the Old The Old Testament was confirmed by Blood and so must the New In the Old Testament the Pascall Lambe must be slaine and killed and so in the New Testament Christ must be killed and slaine Likewise the Sacrifice of the Law must be killed slaine and Blood shed so the Sacrifice of the New Testament Christ must be slaine and shed his Blood Reas 5 The fifth Reason is drawne from the rigour of the Law which did necessarily require it and could not be dispenced withall but whosoeuer sinnes must dye the death and therefore Christ being our Redeemer he must endure that death which we must haue suffered else the Law could neuer haue beene satisfied Reas 6 Againe it stands with the Iustice of God which must haue an absolute and perfect satisfaction It cannot be satisfied with any thing in the World but with the Blood of the Sonne of God Acts 20.28 Take heed therefore vnto your selues and to all the Flocke ouer the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Quer-seers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne Blood Marke now this stands with the Iustice of God God was offended and he must receiue full satisfaction therefore when Christ came to satisfie he could not satisfie but onely by his Blood Nay I say more Christ could not haue satisfied but that it was by the Blood of the Sonne of God that the infinitenesse of the Person satisfying might be answerable to the infinitenesse of the Person offended and that is the chiefe reason of the Doctrine Reas 7 Then another Reason is the haynousnesse of sinne The reward of sinne is death and where is no shedding of Blood there is no remission and therefore whosoeuer comes as a Mediator of the New Testament to procure for vs the remission of our sinnes his Blood must be shed else our sinnes still remaine vnpardoned And so much for the Reasons The Vses Vse 1 First It teacheth vs what it is that the Eye of our Faith should principally respect and looke vpon Christ and the hand of our Faith principally lay hold on when we doe imbrace Christ namely the Blood of Christ the Crosse of Christ the Obedience and Suffering of Christ c. in a word Christ crucified that is the subiect that our Faith must take hold vpon Christ crucified is the obiect of our knowledge 1 Cor. 2.2 I desire to know nothing but Christ and him crucified And the same is the matter of our reioycing Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should reioyce but in the Crosse of Christ The Blood of Christ is the ground and verie foundation of our Faith Rom. 3.25 Through Faith in his Blood c. What is it that the Faith of a beleeuing Man doth most properly embrace but the Blood of Christ The Iewes reuile vs because we beleeue in a crucified God and the Gentiles they deride and mocke vs because we trust to be saued in him that could not saue himselfe but sufrered such a cruell death Well howsoeuer it be saith the Apostle that he is to the Iewes a stumbling blocke and to the Grecians foolishnesse yet vnto vs he is the power of God and the wisedome of God He is the verie power of God without which God cannot ordinarily saue a Man And the verie wisedome of God without which God will not ordinarily saue a Man It is a world of heauenly comforts that a spirituall minded Man may gather vnto himselfe in the meditation and the beholding of the death of Christ when we thinke of Christ crucified and of Christ shedding his Blood there you may see First our sinnes punished to the full Secondly there we may see our sinnes pardoned to the full Thirdly there we may see our sinnes crucified and mortified and subdued by his Blood and by the power of the death of Christ soundly applyed to our Soules and Considences our sinnes begin to dye and to be mortified and to be crucified in vs. Fourthly in Christ crucified we may behold the Flesh crucified Gal. 5.24 we may see our wicked humors to be mortified and to be beaten downe and crucified within vs. Againe when as we thinke vpon Christ crucified why there we doe find indeed the verie crucifying of our selues to the World and the World to vs Gal. 6.14 Before we were caried after the things
Soules Physitian but the worke he came to performe was this not so much to take away the sicknesse of our Bodyes but the sinnes of our Soules It is not to be denied but that our Bodyes also are nourished in this Sacrament and that both directly and corporally by the outward Elements of Bread and Wine for so it must be that the proportion may hold and be the more significant and sensible and also by way of consequence and spiritually as the Body also partaking with the Soule in the forgiuenesse of sinnes and the grace of Saluation but that which is chiefly and principally nourished in this Sacrament is the Soule which receiueth and embraceth Christ by Faith Reas 2 The second Reason The Communion which we haue with Christ is a spirituall Communion 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is ioyned to the Lord is one Spirit Therefore this Sacrament which is a speciall meanes of our Communion with Christ to knit vs vnto him must accordingly be a spirituall Banket Reas 3 Thirdly It is the nature of this Sacrament to be the Seale of the New Testament Luke 22.20 The Couenant or Testament is a spirituall Couenant the Couenant of Iustification and Sanctification Hebr. 10.16 17. Therefore the Seale must be spirituall as the Couenant is Reas 4 Fourthly The Word and Sacraments are in generall of the same nature The Word is a Banket of our Soules and therefore the Sacrament being an appendant vpon the Word must also belong vnto our Soules and be a spirituall Banket too The Word begins and nourisheth our eternall life the Sacraments nourisheth it but not begins it the Word brings vs vnto Christ the Sacraments make vs to grow faster to him the Word workes vpon the Eare and being seconded by the Spirit so quickens and feeds the Heart the Sacrament is seene felt tasted wee eat it and drinke it and receiue it into our Bodyes and so being seconded by the Spirit nourisheth our Soules the Word conueyes Christ into vs more largely this Sacrament more neerely each of them verie powerfully and effectually Reas 5 Fifthly The verie time wherein it was instituted proues as much for it was instituted after Supper when their Bodyes were fed already and therefore it is proper and peculiar to their Soules Reas 6 Lastly The proportion betwixt the Signes and Things signified proues as much for seeing the Signes that is to say the Bread and Wine are apt to nourish the Body therefore the thing signified that is to say the Body and Blood of Christ must needs be intended to the nourishment of the Soule therefore it is plaine that this Sacrament is a spirituall Banket wherein the Faithfull are nourished to a spirituall and heauenly life Vse 1 The Vses First It should teach vs that seeing it is a Feast for our Soules therefore we should vse it as a spirituall Feast And how is that We must bring spirituall Mouthes and spirituall Stomackes and spirituall preparation and spirituall affections We must be wholly spirituall our Mouthes are our Minds or our Soules our Stomacke or Appetite must be hungry and thirst after Grace and Righteousnesse and forgiuenesse of Sinnes and newnesse of Life our Preparation must be humblenesse of Mind and brokennesse of Heart in the sight of our owne wretched estate and Faith and confidence in the promise of sauing Grace for our deliuerance It makes no matter when we come to this Feast whether we haue our best Cloathes on or no he is best well-come that comes with the best Heart and the best Soule for whosoeuer comes not thus prepared wants his Wedding-garment and shall speed as he did He shall be cast into vtter darkenesse Lastly our affections must be spirituall our Mirth and Cheerefulnesse and Ioy must not be any carnall Ioy or corporall Reioycing as at our bodily Feasts but we must reioyce in the Lord reioyce in the Spirit reioyce in God and Christ and his Saluation Vse 2 Secondly If it be a spirituall Feast then we must learne to discerne the Body and Blood of Christ the spirituall Food for our Soules we must lift vp the Eye of Faith and apprehend and take hold vpon Christ being in Heauen though we be vpon Earth Our bodily Eyes cannot see so farre but the Eye of Faith sees into Heauen and beleeues that Christ Iesus sitting at the right Hand of God is here present at the Table after a spirituall manner and so doth giue and communicate himselfe vnto vs The Eye of the Body sees the Bread broken and the Wine poured out the Eye of Faith sees and considers the breaking of Christ Body and the shedding of his Blood for the taking away of our sinnes and this is that which the Apostle presseth 1 Cor. 11.29 about the discerning of the Lords Body as who should say That he that comes without this discerning Eye of Faith he comes to this Table as to an ordinarie Feast discernes the Bread and Wine with his bodily Eyes but not as to a spirituall Feast to discerne Christs Body by the Eye of Faith and so can haue no benefite by it For as appeares in the Doctrine it is the Faithfull onely that are here nourished to a Spirituall life but as for vnbeleeuers they are thereby nourished to eternall death as the Apostle there shewes Vse 3 Thirdly Examine our selues whether we haue carried our selues this day or any time heretofore as at a spirituall Feast Haue we hungred and thirsted after the spirituall refreshing of our Soules Haue our Soules beene fatted with these Iunckets God hath set before vs Haue we had Faith in the Promises of God Haue we had repentance of our Sinnes Haue we prepared our selues in the Inward-Man for the entertainement of Christ and his Spirit into our Hearts Haue we beene refreshed with the comforts of God Haue we delighted in the Saluation that hereby is brought vnto vs Haue we had an inward ioy and cheerefulnesse of Heart that we haue found Christ the Lord and Master of the Feast hath bid vs well-come That we are better encouraged to goe on in godly duties More confirmed in the assurance of the forgiuenesse of sinnes And more thoroughly resolued to leade a new life That we haue well profited in the state of Grace and Saluation If we find these things we plainely shew that we haue made it a spirituall Banket and that thereby our Soules are nourished to a heauenly life If wee find none of these things at least in some measure let vs know that wee haue come like brute Beasts or at least like carnall Men we had better haue kept away if wee haue come onely with bodily and not with spirituall Eyes let vs know wee haue committed a greeuous sinne against God Wee came here to receiue a generall quittance for our sinnes past and wee haue added a greater sinne then euer we committed before Let vs therefore examine our selues and lay vp these things in our Hearts to meditate vpon them that thereby we may be
and vs and we know that he is faithfull and true and will neuer breake his word I but in the participation of the Lords Supper here is a Seale and a Pledge of his loue whereby this Communion is further ratified when we come there then the Faith which before lay hid in vs that begins to shew it selfe by the working of Gods Spirit and so by that meanes we begin to comfort our selues and to be reuiued in our Faith and affiance that we haue in the loue of Christ our blessed Husband which is much more then a Ring to reuiue a Woman in the loue of her Husband because here are the words vsed againe of the renewing of our Communion This is my Body that was broken for thee c. This is my Blood that was shed for thee c. The words are most powerfull and fit to reuiue vs in the loue and affiance that we haue in Christ our Husband this makes all quiet and sure and to conclude though Christ be absent from me yet surely I know he continues one and the same and this comforts me we know we make vse of this in our ordinarie speech if any be married we vsually say God giue you Ioy. It is well oh that there were Hearts in Men to beleeue and see and that they had practice and experience of this to see that at the Lords Table we be hand-fasted vnto Christ then God would giue vs much ioy and comfort Another matter of Instruction is this That when we are at the Lords Table there is a nearer Bond now betweene Christ and vs then there was before here is a neerer Bond at least we are more neerer sealed and tyed to Christ and he to vs then before And why Because it is the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ it is further ratified sealed and confirmed and therefore it is matter of singular comfort to Gods Children in that it pleaseth God to vouchsafe vs so much fauour as to be one with him To be one with a great Man with the Princes of the World we esteeme it a great matter but what is it to haue Communion with Christ the Sonne of God He to be made one with vs and we with him This as it is matter of great comfort so also it is matter of obedience to stirre vs vp to obedience Is it so that we haue beene at the Lords Table to haue our Communion renewed Then we should carie our selues worthy of this mercie Are we made Members of Christ Then take heed that thou dost not take the faculties and powers of thy Soule and Body and abuse them to sinne iniquitie and to vncleanenesse It is the rule of the Apostle We must consider with our selues I haue beene at the Lords Table and made a Member of Christ and therefore now I must looke better to my Tongue that I doe not sweare nor blaspheme nor vse no vaine nor idle speeches that I must now looke better to my Eyes that I doe not suffer them to be light and wanton Eyes and specially to looke better to my Heart to walke with Christ because he is one with me and I one with him Another point of Instruction teacheth vs that Christ is really deliuered vnto vs in the Sacrament but yet notwithstanding spiritually but verily the Bread is the Communion of his Body and the Wine the Communion of his Blood that is to say there is a reall Communion to euerie faithfull and spirituall Receiuer for as the Spirit of God workes Faith in our Hearts so Faith causeth vs to beleeue that Christ hath made our peace with God and that we are incorporate into his Body and made one with him This is the reall exhibiting of Christ in the Sacrament there is no transubstantiation that the Bread is turned into the Body of Christ no the Apostle saith It is a Communion of the Body of Christ A plaine exposition of Christ himselfe where he saith This is my Body that is to say It is a Communion of his Body But if this be such a Communion then say they the Bread must be turned into the Body of Christ I answer neither of these for the Communion is spirituall it cannot be a corporall Communion but a spirituall Communion there is such a Communion as is made here betweene the Diuell and them that worship the Diuell which is not a corporall substance that is nothing else but a testification that they will serue him worship and obey him So our Communion is a ratification that we beleeue in our Hearts that Christ is one with vs and we with him True we are made partakers of Christ wholly of his Death and of his Merits but still in a spirituall manner As for his Body we haue nothing to doe with it that is in Heauen And therefore they that say they eat his Body they are as grosse as those in the sixth of Iohn It is an absurd thing nay it is a horrible thing for any Man to thinke that they should eat the Body and Blood of Christ in the Sacrament Vse 3 The third Vse It is matter of reproose I shall but point at them First It reproues the names that the Popish Church giues vnto this Sacrament they call it the Masse I would faine know of the Papists what is the reason they call it by the name Masse seeing it is called in the Scripture a Communion let them shew vs but one title in all the whole Booke of God that it is called a Masse and we will yeeld to them It is true the Masse though it haue been ancient amongst the Fathers yet it is not ancient in the Scriptures Another matter of reproofe that here ariseth is against the Popish Church that celebrate this Sacrament in one kind they giue the People the Bread but not the Cup The Cup which we blesse saith the Apostle is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ Take this for a rule wheresoeuer the Lords Supper is handled where it is not handled but by the way there they are both vsed sometimes it is done by the Bread onely and sometimes by the Cup but where it is of purpose treated of there you shall find that they are both spoken of Vse 4 The next Vse Is it so 〈◊〉 there is such a Communion betweene Christ and vs Then it teacheth vs this that euerie one of vs should so fit and prepare our selues when we come to the Lords Table euen as if we came to receiue the verie Body and Blood of Christ If Christ should enter into vs bodily then we would make vs as cleane as we could And shall wee not much more when hee comes to enter into vs spiritually And to say with the Centurion Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter vnder my Roofe So euerie one of vs should make all preparation to giue entertainement to such a
Guest It is noted that when the Passeouer was to be eaten and celebrated that they were to looke for a Chamber trimmed a cleane neate Roome so we when we come to the Lords Table must be fitted and prepared by Faith and Repentance and a purpose to lead a new life We find that Ioseph of Aremathea begged the Body of Iesus when he was crucified and he tooke a cleane Linnen cloath and wrapr it in sweet cleane and neat entertainment for the fleshly Body of his crucified vpon the Crosse then much more cause haue we that receiue the Body and Blood of Christ after a spirituall manner What need haue we to purge our selues of all our filthinesse and vncleanenesse and to wrap the Body of Christ in cleane cloathes and to lay him in a new Sepulcher where neuer Man was layd And therefore whosoeuer comes to the Lords Table see that you come fitted and prepared Vse 5 The last vse teacheth vs that we should frequent the Lords Table Is it so that it is the Body of Christ who can euer thinke he hath enough of that You know what the Apostle saith O Lord give vs euermore of this Bread If we did but consider when we come to the Lords Table of this sweet Communion that is ratified between Christ and vs then we would say Euermore let vs come to thy Table and as the Apostle Peter said Not my Feet onely but my Head and my Hands also when he knew the benefit of the washing So if we knew the benefite of the Lords Supper we would not come once a yeere nor once a month but euerie day if we could It is the ignorance of the benefite of it that makes vs come so seldome to it as wee doe The end of the fourth Lecture THE FIFTH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER WEE are now to make digression into the matter of the Lords Supper and so according as we began to pay our monthly tole as it were to our Lord Iesus Christ in remembrance of his death and passion in preparing our selues to a worthy receiuing of the Sacrament of his blessed Body and Blood that so we may be fitted to come with glorie to God and comfort to our owne Soules The third name It is called a Communion as you haue heard out of the 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of Blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ Where the Apostle entends a double Communion One that the Faithfull haue with Christ their Head Another which the Faithfull haue amongst themselues That which we haue with Christ is double Naturall and Spirituall Naturall and that is by his incarnation as he is Man and this Communion is common to all Men but yet the sauing benefite of it reacheth onely to the Faithfull Hebr. 2.14 For as much therefore as the Children were partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himselfe tooke part with them that he might destroy thorough Death him that had the power of Death that is the Diuell The Spirituall Communion is from Christ our Head to vs by grace The Naturall Communion is from vs to Christ The Spirituall Communion is from Christ to vs In the former he is made Bone of our Bone and Flesh of our Flesh In the latter we are made Bone of his Bone and Flesh of his Flesh as in Ephes 5.30 For we are Members of his Body of his his Flesh and of his Bones The second Communion is of the Faithfull amongst themselues and this stands in Faith and Hope and Loue and this proceeds from the first for therefore the Faithfull are knit together amongst themselues as Members because they are first knit to Christ their Head We haue spoken of the first Communion already so farre as it concernes this Sacrament Now we come to the second Communion which the Faithfull haue amongst themselues And that we may proceed vpon a good and sure ground we must first see that this second Communion is here entended by the Apostle as well as the former For howsoeuer the word Communion may be indifferently vnderstood of each as well the Communion which the Faithfull haue amongst themselues as of that which they haue with Christ yet if the Apostle doth not here so intend it wharsoeuer we shall speake of it though happely true and fit for the Argument in hand yet it may iustly be distasted as not seasonable because it is not pertinent to this place but when we plainly see that it is part of the Apostles reach to shew that the Lords Supper is a Communion of the Faithfull amongst themselues wee shall much better relish and digest those Doctrines which shall be raysed from it Now that such is the entendment of the Apostle it appeares thus He saith in Verse 16. The Bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ And so proceeds and saith Verse 17. For we that are many are one Bread and one Body because we all are partakers of one Bread Where you see it is an next to the former by way of reason Now ye know that the reason must be answerable in sence to the proposition that is thereby confirmed Therefore except we will make the Apostle to speake absurdly and without sence to set downe the proposition of one thing and to render the reason of an other It must needs be granted that looke what Communion he speakes of in the reason Verse 17. the same Communion he speakes of in the proposition Verse 16. and so on the contrarie looke what Communion he speakes of in Verse 16. the same he speakes of in the 17 but in Verse 17 he speakes expresly and distinctly of the second Communion as well as of the first for when he saith in the latter part of Verse 17. We are all one Bread there is our Communion with Christ And in the former part We that are many are one Bread and one Body there is the Communion which we haue amongst our selues And marke the latter part containes the cause of the former and is rendred as a reason of it because we are all partakers of one Bread shewing not only that there is such a Communion amongst themselues in and by the vse of the Sacrament but also how it is effected namely because all partake of one Christ that thorough the Communion which euery one hath thereby in the Body and Blood of Christ they haue also a Communion amongst themselues And for further confirmation hereof he giues instance in two cases of like nature one in Verse 18. Israel which is after the Flesh are not they which eat of the Sacrifices partakers of the Altar As who should say It is so with those Israelites that still obserue the carnall Rites as the Apostle else-where calles them that communicate together in their seruice and therefore so doe you in yours The other instance is in
it I will charge you with my Commandement of Loue in a speciall manner He prepared them with an example of Loue before and after giues them a Commandement of Loue to teach them that this Sacrament is a Communion of Loue. 1 Cor. 11.17 c. the Apostle being to redresse such abuses and corruptions in the Church of Corinth as had crept into this Sacrament doth specially tax those that are against this duty of Loue Verse 18. dissentions Ver. 21 22. eating and drinking asunder Verse 33. not tarrying one for another The Apostle in the 1 Cor. 10. had called this Sacrament a Communion now all these practises are directly opposite to a Communion these are breaches and separations and therfore if euer they will celebrate this Sacrament aright according to the will of God and the nature of the Sacrament and for their owne good it must be done with all the offices of Loue that may be In the 1 Cor. 12.13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body c. and haue beene all made to drinke into one Spirit To drinke into one Spirit whether it be meant directly of the Lords Supper as the phrase sounds or the signification of the other Sacrament insinuates for it is so in Baptisme that is a meanes of this Communion therefore also in the Lords Supper Or whether but by consequent for so it is meant at the least yet it proues it that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a Sacrament of Loue and Amitie amongst Gods Children Act. 2.42.46 The Church that was there conuerted continued in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and breaking of Bread and Prayer they continue in the Apostles fellowship as who should say that was a fitting of them to the Lords Supper which is meant by the breaking of Bread noting that they which partake of the Lords Supper there should be a louely Communion amongst them Reas 1 The Reasons First all the Faithfull doe beleeue in one and the same heauenly Father euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath giuen his Sonne for vs on the Crosse and daily giues him to vs in this Sacrament Gal. 3.26 We are all the Sonnes of God by Faith in Christ Iesus and thereby we become one Verse 28. Iew and Gentile Bond and Free Male and Female are all one in Christ Iesus and when we come to the Lords Table there we professe it in a speciall sort that we are the Sonnes of our heauenly Father What neerer naturall bond then to be Children of the same Father What sweeter name of Loue then the name of Father And is it so in Nature how much more in Grace to be spirituall Brethren and Children of our heauenly Father Therefore this is a testification and bond of a most louely Communion which the Faithfull haue amongst themselues This is the Fountaine of our Communion Reas 2 Secondly Wee are all Members of the same Body vnder Christ our Head Ephes 4.15 16. and from him we receiue Life and Grace and Spirit this is a verie neere Communion and verie liuely testified expressed in the vse of this Sacrament where we all eat and drinke together of his Body and Blood as Members incorporate into his Mysticall Body This is the matter of our Communion Reas 3 Thirdly Wee are all partakers of the same Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 We all drinke into one Spirit And this also we professe in this Sacrament Iohn 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing And this is the life of our Communion Reas 4 Fourthly All the Faithfull are of one and the same Religion which euen in false Religions binds Men strongly together How much more in the true Religion And this likewise is here publikely testified in this Sacrament 1 Cor. 10.20 21. This is the Seale of our Communion Reas 5 Fifthly We all partake and sit at one and the same Table and this makes Men grow to a louely fellowship and societie nay the sauage Beasts by eating at one Racke it hath bred peace amongst them and this we doe not onely professe but act and practise in the Lords Supper we all sit at one Table and therefore this must needs nourish a louely fellowship and societie amongst vs. This is the Badge of our Communion Reas 6 Sixthly The actions which we performe at this Table are speaking signes of Loue and vnitie we eate and drinke as it were one to another and pledge one another for howsoeuer euerie one there eats and drinkes for himselfe yet withall still remember that thou doe it with a charitable nourishing and cheering vp of thy Fellow-Guests These are ordinarie actions and yet withall they are speciall tokens of vnitie and friendship And these are the Exercise of our Communion Reas 7 Seuenthly The outward Elements vsed at the Lords Table are framed proportionably hereunto One and the same Bread yet made of many Cornes the same Wine yet made of many Grapes To teach vs that though diuers Persons Sexes Trades States partake in this Sacrament yet all must be of one Heart and Mind and Affection therefore the Apostle saith we are but one Bread though a great many Cornes yet but one Bread which is a plaine testification and bond of Loue and amitie And this is the Patterne of our Communion Reas 8 Lastly Prayer that is a speciall dutie to be performed in the participation of the Lords Supper and this requires and entends loue Math. 6. And this is the Sparkles of the holy Fire of our Communion Now lay all these particulars together and then we shall see that they all conclude it with a generall acclamation that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a publike Testification a comfortable Nurse a mutuall Bond a sure Confirmation of that spirituall Communion which the Faithfull haue amongst themselues First Wee are all Children of the same heauenly Father There is the Fountaine of our Communion Secondly We are all Members of that Body whereof our Lord Iesus is the Head There is the Matter of our Communion Thirdly We ate all partakers of the same Spirit There is the Life of our Communion Fourthly Wee are all of one and the same Religion There is the Seale of our Communion Fifthly We all sit at the same Table There is the Badge of our Communion Sixthly The actions we performe at this Table They are the Exercise of our Communion Seuenthly The outward Elements vsed at the Lords Table They are the Patterne of our Communion Lastly Prayer is the Flame or Sparkles of this holy Fire of our Communion Vse 1 The Vses First this teacheth vs the needfull vse of the Sacrament specially in these times wherein as it is Math. 24. Loue waxeth cold we had need to be stirred vp and seeing this Sacrament is a meanes for that purpose we had need to frequent it But some will say if we haue Loue before what need we then come thither to haue it encreased I answer yes for
I will not stand to make repetition of that which I haue formerly spoken because of the ordinarie repetition that we haue euerie Sabboth of that which was deliuered the Sabboth before and therefore to omit the exposition of the Text which then we did largely insist vpon we are now to proceed to the matter of obseruation We began with one point namely concerning the New Testament shewing that all the hold that euer the Faithfull haue in Christ is onely by the force and power and vertue of the New Testament That was the first obseruation That being finished we are now to proceed as God shall giue strength and assistance to the other obseruations that the Text will afford vs. We see that this Text doth mainly and directly concerne this businesse that we haue in hand and therefore it is needfull that we should insist so much the more vpon it Yet I doe not meane to make any curious search into euerie particular for that would be too tedious onely I will fixe and insist God willing vpon such speciall and needfull points as are most naturall to the Text and materiall to our purpose The second thing the speciall and principall point that here is to be spoken vnto is concerning the Blood of Christ This is the Blood of the New Testament The New Testament we spake of before now we are to speake of the Blood This is my Blood of the New Testament Which may be taken as this Euangelist reports the speech of our Sauiour Christ so in Marke 14.24 This is my Blood of the New Testament Then the entendment is that this Blood is proper and peculiar to this Testament But if we take it as Luke reports it Luke 22.20 and as Paul reports it in the 1 Cor. 11.25 This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood c. then the entendment of it is this namely this Testament is ratified and confirmed by the Blood of Christ as by the speciall Scale thereof and that the fruit and power and benefit of this same New Testament doth wholly rest vpon Christ his Blood answerable therefore to this ground we will draw the Doctrine and obseruation Take it thus namely that seeing our Sauiour saith that this is my Blood of the New Testament obserue this point Doct. That all the power and efficacie of the New Testament and of the worke of our Redemption by Christ is founded and grounded and established vpon the Blood of Christ This is the New Testament in my Blood We will speake first a word or two by explication to vnfold the knot and so proceed to the proofe of it First for explication all the power and efficacie of the New Testament and of the worke of our Redemption by Christ is founded and established vpon the Blood of Christ You see here I ioyne the New Testament and the worke of our Redemption both together The reason is because they are in effect one and the same the verie substance of the New Testament is the verie worke of our Redemption and one and the same Person Christ is the Mediator of them both It is Christ that is the Mediator of the New Testament and it is he that is the Mediator of the worke of our Redemption Secondly I say it is founded and stablished in Christ For this Testament is a Couenant or a Promise Now wee know that all the Promises of God are in Christ Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 All Gods Promises they are made in Christ and are verified in Christ and haue all their force in Christ and so is this Promise of the New Testament Thirdly and lastly I say vpon the Blood of Christ as Christ shedding his owne Blood for it if so be it were the Blood of any or of all the World besides it could doe no good it could not make good this Couenant But when Christ saith This is my Blood of the New Testament here the New Testament is perfectly confirmed and the worke of our Redemption is thoroughly accomplished And so much for the explication of the point Secondly For the proofe of it that all the power and efficacie of the New Testament and the worke of our Redemption is founded and stablished vpon the Blood of Christ Esay 53. from Verse 3 to the 12. there the Prophet sets before vs Christ Iesus as our Mediator as our Redeemer Hee speakes more like an Euangelist then like a Prophet he speakes so plaine But for the most part all the description that he makes concerning Christ is concerning his humiliation and so speakes concerning the benefits that we haue by Christ as comming to vs by his humiliation he was despised reiected of Men he was wounded oppressed afflicted broken and the like and in Verse 5. it is said With his stripes we are healed the healing of vs commeth by the stripes of Christ Iesus all tending to the Blood of Christ And in Verse 12. we are giuen a portion of God to him because he hath not spared to poure out his Soule vnto the death The Holy Ghost sets forth Christ as a Mediator of the New Testament and of our Redemption and these things they concerne his Blood and sheweth the benefit that we haue by him which is by his humiliation by his stripes and he ceased not to poure out his Soule to the Death To speake some-wnat more particularly of the point because it is a verie necessarie point to be spoken of and though euerie one of vs can speake of it yet we haue not a true rellish of it we cannot digest it and therefore I would faine worke the true rellish of it into your Hearts The Scripture doth propound our Sauiour vnto vs as the Mediatour of the New Testament and of the worke of our Redemption in sundry particular tearmes and generally all of them tend to this effect to shew that all the power vertue and efficacie of the New Testament and of our Redemption is founded and stablished vpon the Blood of Christ these sixe particulars especially First Christ in his Suffering or Christ punished for vs. Secondly Christ in his Offering or Christ sacrificed for vs. Thirdly Christ in his Obedience or Christ humbled for vs. Fourthly Christ on the Crosse or Christ crucified for vs. Fifthly Christ and his Death or Christ dying for vs. Sixthly Christ and his Blood or Christ killed and slaine for vs. First Christ in his Suffering or Christ punished for vs which is not onely restrained to his sufferings and afflictions in this life as slanders persecutions hunger and the like but to be extended to the maine and greatest suffering of all namely to the losse of his Life the shedding of his Blood and the pouring out of his Soule Luke 24.46 47. Christ speakes there so of himselfe Thus it behooueth Christ to suffer and to rise againe That repentance and remission of sinnes might be preached in his Name The suffering there spoken of is Christ his dying as appeares by the opposition
of the world after our lusts and corruptions but when once we are truly partakers of Christ crucified then we are crucified to the World and the World to vs and then we scorne the things of the World the great riches and high promotion and the beautifullest things we account them as Dung of the Earth Againe when we consider Christ crucified there we behold how patient we should be in affliction euen to the death there is the picture of our whole life which must be a continuall course of mortification and there is the seasoning of our death looking thoroughly vpon Christ crucified it is that which seasons our death that whensoeuer death commeth and seaseth vpon vs it shall be a sweet passage to a better life Againe when we see Christ crucified we see all euils turned to good they are seasoned to vs in the sufferings of the Lord Iesus and if we haue any comforts we enioy them so farre forth as they are seasoned vnto vs in the Blood of Christ Lastly when we consider Christ crucified there we find all good things purchased for vs Grace and Mercie and Peace and eternall Saluation There is a World yea a Heauen of Treasure and riches gathered for vs and that we are made partakers of by a due view and Faith in the meditation of Christ crucified and therefore whosoeuer would haue any true rellish of Christ he must labour for the rellish of the Blood of Christ Vse 2 The second Vse teacheth vs the difficultie of the worke of our Redemption it was a maruelous difficult and a hard thing which could not be effected but by the Blood of the Sonne of God Oh how deepely had we plunged our selues into a bottomlesse Sea of miserie that nothing could plucke vs out but the Death and Blood of Iesus Christ How fast did the filth of sinne sease vpon vs both in our Bodyes and in our Soules that nothing could wash and cleanse vs from it but the Blood of Christ How desperately were we entangled in the Snares of the Diuell that nothing could loose vs but the Death and Blood of Christ How fearefully had we enthrall'd our selues to Death Hell and Destruction that nothing could deliuer and free vs but the Blood of Christ How infinitely had we exposed our selues to the wrath and vengeance of God that he being a God of compassion and of himselfe most gracious and ready to forgiue sinnes yet he could not be moued to haue pittie and companion vpon vs but onely by the cruell and cursed death of the Lord Iesus The more difficult the worke on his part the greater was his loue to vs and therefore the more thankfulnesse we are to render vnto him Vse 3 The third Vse It teacheth vs the certaintie of the worke of our Redemption and the certaintie of the state of the Children of God It is confirmed by Blood and therefore it shall stand sure and firme for euer If so be that our sinnes can be more powerfull to destroy vs then the Blood of Christ to saue vs then is our Redemption vncertaine If so be that Death and the Diuell which haue beene already ouercome and trampled vnder Foot by Christ if these Principallities and Powers can recouer themselues and get vp in Armes againe and make Warre against Christ and bring him downe from Heauen againe and crucifie him the second time then is our Saluation and Redemption vncertaine But if that be impossible then it is impossible that those that haue part in this Couenant should faile of Saluation and Redemption Vse 4 The fourth Vse It teacheth vs the preciousnesse of the worke of our Redemption you see it hath cost the verie Blood of the Sonne of God himselfe How preciously and highly did the Lord value our Soules who was pleased himselfe that knew the worth of euerie thing to set our Soules at such a high rate as the Blood of Christ How deerely did he esteeme and loue vs when he would come and purchase these poore Soules of ours and pay so high a price for them And how preciously ought we to carrie and behaue our selues and possesse these Vessels of ours in holinesse and honour and giue vp our Soules a liuing Sacrifice to our Lord Iesus 1 Cor. 6.20 You are bought with a price saith the Apostle therefore glorifie God in your Bodyes and in your Soules for they are Gods God hath esteemed so highly of you as to set you at the rate of his own Sonne And Christ hath esteemed so highly of you to buy you so deerely and therefore doe not commit sinne filthinesse and vncleanenesse but giue your selues to holinesse and pietie that God may be glorified and honored by you Vse 5 The fifth Vse It teacheth vs the sufficiencie and perfection of the worke of our Redemption All that euer was and could be done was done of Christ What could he haue done but to be holy all his life and to be subiect to the Death euen to the Death of the Crosse Who can add any thing more perfect to this worke of our Redemption What can any Man adde vnto this worke of our Redemption No no it colt more then so to redeeme our Soules What can we doe any thing of our felues if we doe either it must be some holy doings or some holy sufferings What are our doings to Christ his doing Surely nothing and therefore nothing that we can doe can add any thing Then for our suffering what is the shedding of the Blood of Men to the shedding of the Blood of Christ Infinitely incomparable is the one to the other Therefore seeing our Redemption is accomplished by his Blood it is not the Blood of Man that can add any thing thereunto And therefore you see Christ hath done all in all and so let him be acknowledged our perfect Redeemer Vse 6 The sixth and last Vse It teacheth vs what an vnrecouerable losse they doe sustaine that doe prophane this worke of Redemption that haue had some shew of interest in it yet gaue it ouer and prophaned the Blood of the New Testament and counted it an vnholy thing and fell away from God and that holy profession that they tooke vpon them Alas what shall become of them that fall from God If their sinnes be not forgiuen them then they must needs goe to Hell and be damned Whither shall they fly to haue their sinnes forgiuen And where shall they plead for mercie They must plead it in Christ and in none else In Christ they cannot plead it for they cannot plead the pardon of sinne but in the Blood of Christ Christ dyed but once he suffered and was crucified but once and cannot dye againe and therefore as many of vs as haue taken the professsion of Christ vpon vs looke that we doe not let goe this holy and heauenly profession but let vs labour to sticke fast to Christ to his Death and Blood and then thou mayst be sure that the worke of thy Redemption
doubt and therefore because we should not be thus perplexed and in despaire he giues vs his Spirit to witnesse to our Spirits that he hath in the Blood of Christ smelt a sweet Sauour of rest that our sinnes are pardoned and we reconciled Againe we may know it by peace of Conscience Rom. 5.1 Being instified by Faith we haue peace towards God He giues vs peace of Conscience when he forgiues vs our sinnes all is then pacified our Consciences which before were like the Surges of the Sea tumultuous and raging are then layd into a sweet calme I doe not say that this shall be alwayes so but we shall know it some times or other and find it to be as the pledge of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and howsoeuer by reason of our sinne and weakenesse that may faile for a time in our sence yet the truth of God stands sure for euer Againe we may know it by the dying of sinne in vs for it is effectuall to kill sinne as the shedding of Christs Blood was the death of himselfe so his Blood is the death of our sinne This is one sure token that our sinnes are pardoned when we find this bond of sinne loosed and that we are set at libertie Vse 2 The second Vse teacheth vs the excellencie of the state of Gods Children that the Faithfull are aduanced to they are freed and haue remission of all their sinnes A Man that liues and lyes in his sinne vnpardoned is in a wofull case his sinne is bound that is he stands obliged therein to abide the danger and penaltie of eternall death and condemnation but when he is once forgiuen his sinne is loosed that is he is loosed from his sinne before he was hampered in the Snares of Sathan in continuall subiection to the terrors of Gods wrath fast held in the Fetters of an accusing Consocience linked in the Chaines of eternall death and condemnation But when God releaseth him he deliuers him from all these he quits him of this bond and breakes it in peeces and sets him free from all danger and not onely so but he bestowes a contrarie state of happinesse vpon him as he deliuers him from the power of Sinne and Sathan so he translates him into the glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God as it is said Thus shall it be done to the Man whom the King will honour So shall it be said of him whom the King of kings shall honour whose sinnes are pardoned in the Blood of Christ Vse 3 Thirdly This serues to reproue the Doctrine of Merit which generally is taught in the Popish Church howsoeuer many of them in priuate conference will not confesse it yet in their life and practise they shew as much There is a perfect contradiction betwixt Mans Merit and forgiuenesse of sinnes Mans Merit is a matter of Iustice Remission of sinnes is a matter of Mercie Mans Merit is a matter of Debt Remission of sinnes is a matter of Grace Mans Merit challengeth Saluation of dutie Remission of sinnes puts it wholly vpon Gods bountie all our Merit is Gods Mercie We thorough Grace are interested into the Merits of Christ without which no manner of Merrit doth concerne Mankind no not the name of it I am perswaded that the Children of God can neuer heare mention of Mans Merit but presently they thinke of eternall condemnation They that thinke they can merit I aske them did they euer sinne or no If they say no they lye For no Man liueth and sinneth not If they say they haue sinned Then I answer before euer they can merit any thing this sinne must first be forgiuen and tell me canst thou merit the pardon of this sinne No that must be remitted in the Blood of Christ for so the Papists themselues will coufesse If thou canst not fatisfie for one sinne much less for many and much lesse canst thou merrit newnesse of Life Grace and Saluation Whosoeuer challengeth this to themselues they detract from God and incroach vpon Christs Office and the power of his Blood which onely is meritorious But if these two could stand together yet they debarre themselues of the benefit of Christs Blood by which comes remission of sinnes So that these magnifiers of the Merit of Man while they thinke they goe the high way to Heauen they tread the high way to Hell and euerlasting destruction Vse 4 The last Vse teacheth vs the singular wisedome of God in working by contrarie meanes by destroying Sinne and Sathan by Death We despightfully shed Christs Blood and yet of this Blood the Lord made a soueraigne Plaster to take away our sinnes The shedding of his Blood was the grossest sinne that euer was heard of and yet see his admirable wisedome that by this he tooke away our sinnes Sinne and Sathan thought to haue destroyed Christ by Death by Death he vanquished and ouer-came them both We crucified him by our sinnes by Death he crucified and ouer-came our finnes We shed his Blood by our sinnes God in mercie and Christ in mercie made it to be a Salue for our Sores Our shedding of his Blood by his ouer-ruling Hand ouercame our wickednesse and was a meanes to take away our sinnes and to saue our Soules The end of the eighth Lecture THE NINTH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER THAT you may be fitted and prepared for the worthy receiuing of the Lords Supper the next Saboth day we are now to make digression into the Argument of the Lords Supper Let this course not see me tedious to any nor let it not be vnprofitable to any for if we labour to be prepared and fitted against those dayes we shall receiue that profit and comfort by the Lords Supper that will make vs amends for all our labours We haue entred as you see into a place in Math. 26.28 where the Sacrament is called The Blood of the New Testamens which is shed for many c. I haue shewed you first concerning the New Testament which is the first thing in nature to be handled Secondly haue shewed you concerning the Blood of Christ which is the second thing in nature The third particular is the Remission of sinnes which is the benefit that comes by this New Testament and the Blood of Christ this point was handled last Now remaines the fourth and last particular and that is the Persons that are made partakers of this benefit Remission of sinnes by the Blood of the New Testament This is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for many c. Here is no particular description of the Persons by their Place Qualitie Degree Nation State or any such matter of speciall note but onely in a generallitie by their number Many If we confider it well we shall find that it carries the force and intendment of a double exception The first is of restraint Not all but many The second is of inlargement Not few but many First of the exception of restraint Many
partake of it and consequently that where this shall be administred there must be many Luke he saith It is for you that is wheresoeuer it is administred it must be done with particular applycation to the Parties and they must be Beleeuers such as of whom it may be said It is for you Doct. 3 First Here we are to obserue that the Death of Christ as it is alwayes to be apprehended in it selfe so specially in the partaking of the Lords Supper it is to be apprehended with particular applycation to euerie Receiuer The words of the institution proues this Eat ye drinke ye and doe this in remembrance of me 1 Cor. 11.28 Let a Man examine himselfe and so let him eat of this Bread and drinke of this Cup. Euerie Man that comes to the Lords Table must examine himselfe and so must eat that is with particular applycation after examination when he hath found himselfe fit to lay hold on these Ordinances for his owne The action of the Minister proues the same his taking eating c. and likewise his speech to the Receiuers Take this feed on him in thy Heart with Faith and Thankesgiuing The action of the Receiuer intends as much euerie Man receiues for himselfe he hath Hands of his owne Mouth and Stomacke of his owne Faith is the Hand Mouth and Stomacke whereby he layes hold feeds and digests it Thus euerie Man must haue a particular applycation of it to himselfe when he comes to receiue the Lords Supper Reas 1 The Reason is First because God so decreed it in giuing his Sonne for vs whosoeuer beleeues in him shall not perish that is to say Euerie particular Man Now the Sacrament that comes to seale vp that promise and therefore must be receiued with particular applycation All Men must lay their hold on Christ for themselues and answerably must communicate in the Sacrament Reas 2 It is the nature of all generally that they haue no subsisting but what they haue in the particular and therefore if the Sacrament be to be giuen to all the Faithfull then euerie particular Faithfull is to receiue it with particular applycation Reas 3 It is more plaine in the other Sacrament of Baptisme for that is conferred with particular applycation to the partie baptized I baptize thee And though here be many together there but one notwithstanding it is as well to be administred with particular applycation as that of Baptisme The nature and vse of the Sacraments is alike Reas 4 The last Reason is this The danger that comes to vnworthy Receiuers is by their particular prophanation of this Sacrament because they eat and drinke vnworthily therefore they eat and drinke Iudgement to themselues and therefore by consequent it holds that the benefit that comes to the Faithfull that eat worthily it comes by their particular applycation of it to themselues yea the want of this particular applycation is that which makes them eat Iudgement to themselues 1 Cor. 11. For they are guiltie not because the Lords Body is not there tendred but because they discerne it not by and for themselues Vse 1 The Vse of the Point It should teach vs First that therefore the Sacrament cannot be beneficiall to any but to them that partake of it themselues much lesse as the Papists appropriate Sacraments for the quicke and the dead their impudencie in this kind is horrible that they hold it beneficiall to them that are absent nay to them that are dead and in Purgatorie The naming of these things shall be sufficient refutation of them I aske them Can a dead Man eat and drinke or receiue benefit by eating and drinking No And much lesse by the eating of others And againe when our Sauiour bids them eat it is flat agaist this error the benefit is to them that eat and therefore if the dead can eat they may haue benefit if otherwise they can expect no good in this businesse Vse 2 Another Vse teacheth vs what meditation we must bring with vs to this Sacrament namely we must grow vpon particular tearmes with the Lord Iesus Euerie Man for himselfe I must come and say Lord here am I I haue killed thee crucified thee and slaine thee I haue brought thee to this shamefull death I come for the forgiuenesse of my sinne wash it away with thy most precious Blood It is a heauenly passage that stands between the religious Soule and our Sauiour in this case He offers it particularly we receiue it in particular as if he should say Here thou poore Soule I deliuer this vnto thee for thy comfort to assure thee that I haue dyed for thee that I haue reconciled thee and will increase the grace of Sanctification in thee and will performe my whole Couenant vnto thee And the poore Soule answereth I so receiue it I thanke thee for my owne particular and in particular bind my selfe to yeeld all obedience vnto thee to become a new Creature endeauouring my selfe for the grace of Sanctification that I may walke worthy of this thy great mercie vouchsafed vnto me This is the gracious passage that goes betwixt the Faithfull Soule and our Sauiour or the Spirit of God in this case This is the meditation we must bring with vs. Doct. 4 The last Point is this They must be such as must be Beleeuers Then obserue hence that none ought to communicate in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper but Beleeuers onely Persons so quallified as the Disciples were of whom it may be truly said This is for you In the 1 Cor. 11.28 you know the Apostle saith And so let him eat that is after examination as he finds Faith in his Heart In the 1 Cor. 5.11 Eat not with such c. It is a prohibition that we should not communicate with vngodly Men much lesse then in the Sacrament if we can auoyd them But the prohibition stands for the parties themselues that being such as is there mentioned they should not therefore come to eat with Gods children in the things they haue nothing to doe Obiect But you will say Was not Iudas present and yet he not a Beleeuer Answ I answer If he were present and was of the number of them to whom our Sauiour said Drinke ye all of this though he was not a Beleeuer yet he was a Professor and made as goodly a shew as the best of them as we know Hypocrites are not behind-hand with Gods Children in that point and without question Iudas did this as appeareth by the Text when our Sauiour said One of you shall betray me Iudas as well as the rest answered Is it I So said all the rest of the Disciples amongst which Iudas was one Though all forsake thee yet will not I forsake thee So that he was a professed Beleeuer though not a true Beleeuer we cannot see the Heart If they make profession and we see nothing to the contrarie we are so to esteeme of them Obiect But our Sauiour knew Iudas was
mee the conferrence of both these speeches together ministers this profitable observation namely that the true and right remembrance of our Saviour IESVS CHRIST is our affectionate and religious remembrance of the death of our Saviour Christ Remember me saith Christ verse 25. that is saith Paul the Lords death verse 26. Remember it so that you shew it forth that is religiously and affectionately Zach. 12.10 I will poure upon the house of David and upon the Inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace c. there is a promise of the Spirit to be poured downe on the faithfull under the Gospell and one principall effection of it there mentioned is this that they shall looke on Christ that is they shall remember him and meditate upon him Well what is the principall object in Christ that they shall set their meditations upon his piercing that is his death and sufferings when he was pierced with thornes and nailes and Speare and how shall they be touched with this remembrance of him Surely very religiously and affectionately grieving and lamenting as for their first borne Here then is the right remembrance of Christ that is our affectionate and religious remembrance of the piercing and death of Christ Rev. 13.8 Christ Iesus is the Lambe of God that takes away the sinnes of the world But how doe the faithfull whose names are written in the Lambes booke of life apprehend him Not simply as a Lambe but as a Lambe slaine that is in his death and crucifying that is the true and right apprehending of him Gen. 3.15 The seed of the woman c. when the Lord himselfe first published the Gospell he propounds the seed of the woman to be beleeved in that is CHRIST but with speciall reference to his death for that is the very bruising of the Serpents head CHRIST on his Crosse spoiled principalities and powers Col. 2.14 and the bruising of his heele there spoken of is an intimation of the death and sufferings that the Devill and his Instruments should bring upon CHRIST and yet these very sufferings of Christ shall break and destroy all their power this was Adam and all the faithfull to beleeve of Christ and this is their true and right remembrance of Christ This was shadowed in the sacrifices before the Law as in the Passeover Exod. 12.6 7. they should kill it and strike the blood on the two posts c. what is the meaning of this wee must carry the streames of our meditations on Christ towards his killing and death and blood And so under the Law Heb. 9.22 almost all things are by the Law purged with blood What is the meaning of this That all that beleeve in Chritst are thereby admonished still to have the eye of their mindes setled on the meditation of the blood of Christ if ever they looke to bee purged from their sinnes by Christ they must bee purged by the blood of Christ so the Prophets set forth Christ in this manner Esay 53. from the first to the seventh verse hee that of all the Prophets spake most plainly of him sets him forth principally in regard of his death as he was wounded and broken and oppressed and afficted the Prophet leaves them the best memoriall of Christ and therefore he acquaints them with the death of Christ The Apostles observed the same rule 1 Cor. 17.3 First of all I delivered unto you how that Christ dyed for our sinnes no doubt but hee would teach them Christ so as hee might worke a most affectionate impression and remembrance of Christ in their hearts and how doth he this By teaching them Christs death first of all as the chiefe and maine ground of all the rest And looke how he taught them so hee practised himselfe 1 Cor. 2.2 I esteemed not to know any thing amongst you save Iesus Christ and him crucified for his knowledge he esteemed to know nothing else and so Gal. 6.14 for his rejoycing God forbid that I should rejoyce in any thing but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ and both these are spoken by way of exclusion disclaiming all other knowledge and rejoycing in comparison of that because that is the rise and ground of all the rest To conclude the Word and the Sacraments are purposely fitted to worke this remembrance in us 1 Cor. 1.18 the word is called the preaching of the Crosse that is it the Minister must specially preach and the people learne Gal. 3.1 the Apostle taught Christ and his death to them so plainly as if hee had beene crucified amongst them and so the Sacraments are fitted to this end first Baptisme Rom. 6.3 4. we are baptised into his death and buried with him in baptisme and so the Lords Supper as you see here is to set forth the Lords death c. The reasons First Christ in his death was most pleasing to God and wherein should wee or can wee bee better affected with the remembrance of Christ than in that state wherein hee was most pleasing to his and our heavenly Father God cannot properly be said to be pleased with his Sonne at any one time more than another but we speake it after the manner of men and by way of supposall if ever God could be better pleased with him at one time than at another it was at his death Ephes 5.2 then he was an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour to God I but you will say then God was most angry with him pouring on him his fierce wrath and vengeance from heaven True he was most angry with him in regard of our sinnes which he beheld on him and punished in him but in regard of his owne decree thereby accomplished and Christ his perfect obedience therein yeelded and the absolute satisfaction for our sinnes there made by his precious blood even then God was best pleased with him we feele it through Gods mercy for we are sure it was his death and blood that we are reconciled to God by and that God was pleased with us for and therefore Christ himselfe must needs be most pleasing to him in that estate Secondly therein Christ shewed his greatest love and affection to us and how shall we remember him with our best affections but in that state wherein hee shewed most love and affection towards us Iohn 15.13 Greater love than this can no man shew than to give his life for his friend this love Christ hath shewed us he gave his whole state for us he spared not his precious body his precious blood his precious life his precious soule for us all these are precious yea infinitely precious in themselves yet hee thought nothing too precious to give for us but exposed them all in his death to the wrath of God for our redemption whosoever thou art that canst thus remember Christ thou hast many strong bonds and motives to binde thee fast to thankfulnesse and love and obedience to God in Iesus Christ and that is to remember him
his owne Sonne having taken our sinnes upon him when we consider this right then wee begin to fall out with sinne and to hate it and to defie this cursed brat of the Devill that hath brought the Sonne of God to such a cursed and shamefull death so in our mortification we can never attaine to any true measure of it till we have toyled our selves in the due meditation of Christs death when we see and consider that Christ himselfe hath suffered such things afflictions temptations infirmities death it selfe then we begin to dispence with our owne mindes and are contented to suffer together with him and to mortifie our flesh and to crucifie the old man and with patience to undergoe and endure all the fiery tryalls It is the Apostles rule 1 Pet. 4.1 2. so in the matter of temptation the best helpe and strength wee have is Christ crucified Rev. 12.11 they overcame Satan in the blood of the Lambe When the Tempter comes our faith presently takes hold upon the blood of the Lambe upon the death of Christ we know that by that Satan was overcome and so by that we have comfort against temptation we consider we have crucified Christ by our sins already and therefore we will not harken to him to crucifie him the second time we consider that all the promises of God are sealed up unto us in the blood of Christ and thereby wee stand fast striving and suffering and waiting upon God in faith and patience and so we overcome the enemie in the blood of the Lambe so in our expectance of any good thing to come from God first wee are perswaded that Christ died for us that God spared not his owne Sonne but gave him to death for us and thence we doe comfortably conclude how shall he not with him give us all things also Rom. 8.32 In the matter of our perseverance we still are fearfull and faine we would be comforted how we should persevere Meditate soundly upon the death of Christ and there thou shalt have sound comfort for thy perseverance Rom. 5.9 10. If God reconcile us to himselfe by the death of Christ when we were his enemies much more now being reconciled by his blood we shall bee saved by his life the Lord that hath shewed us so great mercy as to bring us out of the state of sin and damnation when wee were his enemies will surely so uphold us being reconciled unto him that wee shall never finally fall into that cursed state againe Lastly for the matter of our repentance we can never truly repent till we meditate soundly upon the death of Christ Zach. 12.10 They looke upon him whom they have pierced and then they lament and be sory as for their first borne when they see him pierced and consider that they have pierced him then they shall lament In that Sermon of Peter Acts 2. whereby so many were converted unto God though many powerfull and profitable instructions were delivered yet they were never thereby stung till hee tells them in verse 36. This is Iesus whom you have crucified this went as a dagger to their hearts for presently they were pricked in their hearts and cryed out Men and brethren what shall we doe verse 37. here beginnes repentance when they see they have crucified the Lord of life and so it is with us when once the Holy Ghost takes us along into the meditation of Christs death and presseth it soundly upon our hearts that we be they that have crucified the Lord of life then we are astonied and at our wits end and then we repent and forethinke our selves of the evill we have done we can never understand what a broken heart is till we find our owne hearts broken with the meditation of the death of Christ when we consider advisedly with our selves concerning Christs sufferings what an agony he endured in the garden where he sweat water as it were drops of blood and was faine to be comforted by the Angels and when we thinke with our selves that we heare him complaine as though we were present with him My soule is heavie unto the death when wee consider him how his hands and feet and sides were wounded and nailed and pierced upon the Crosse and how tender his pretious body was one goring to him in his sinlesse body being more to him than many thousands to our bodies that are hardned with sinne and when we consider what a fearfull complaint came from him in the anguish of his soule My God my God why hast thou forsaken me how can we chuse if wee have any tendernesse of bowells in us in the world but melt and bee broken in our hearts and spend our spirits in the compassionate meditation of such a wofull spectacle but then if we consider further that all this was endured for us Innocent Lambe hee had done nothing amisse but it was all for us and for our sinnes This should make us more broken hearted at the thought of these things yea if wee had but good nature in us for who is there among us who being condemned to dye if any other should take our death upon him but wee would bee wonderfully moved in the thought of his death how much more then ought we to be compassionately moved at the thought of that cruell and shamefull death which the Sonne of God endured for us I say if we had but good nature in us But consider lastly how that he hath not only endured these things for us but that wee in a despitefull manner have brought all these things upon him and see if we have not just cause to breake our hearts asunder with griefe at the thought of Christs death the Iewes hands were the outward instruments our sinnes the actors they cryed out on earth to Pilate Crucifie him crucifie him but our sinnes cryed our in heaven to God much lowder Crucifie him crucifie him and that was the voice that prevailed and brought him to that shamefull death when the sinfull soule considers this with it selfe I have crucified the Lord of glory I have killed the Lord of life then the heart melts and relents and is gored and pierced with these thoughts as sensibly as our Saviours body was with the nailes and speare and the blood did not more freely gush out of his sides and body than bleeding teares doe gush out of a broken heart and wounded spirit of a poore wretched sinner thus affected with the meditation of the death of CHRIST Lastly this teacheth us what manner of remembrance of Christs death it is wee must labour for it must bee both religious and affectionate the Iewes remember Christs death but not religiously they doe it in scorne and hatred of him Hypocrites remember Christs death and that as a matter of religion as they professe but it is without affection and without truth but thou that desirest to remember Christ rightly and savingly thou must labour and see that thou remember him religiously and affectionately
part questionlesse as hee gave it them so they received it of him and as he bade them eate it and drinke it so they did eate it and drinke it this is cleere in Marke 14.23 concerning the cup he saith They did all drinke of it and the same is to be understood proportionably concerning the bread here then is all matter of action and doing whereunto if ye adde that Christ saith This is my body and this is my blood and so no doubt but they did so beleeve it in their measure and accept of it here still you see is all matter of action both on Christ his part saying and doing blessing breaking and distributing and on the receivers part they tooke it they eate it they drank it and were thankfull to Christ for it this matter of action and use it was that gave it the nature of a Sacrament in it selfe and made it beneficiall to them Agreeable to Christ his example was his command Doe this in remembrance of me Luke 22.19 what is it that here Christ enjoynes his Apostles why surely the whole worke of the celebration of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper that they should doe that which they had seene him doe to the end of the world they and their successors should from time to time observe it as a perpetuall ordinance for so our Apostle expounds the words whereas Christ saith Doe it in remembrance of me the Apostle explaines it and saith Doe this as oft as you doe c. giving us to understand that it was not a matter that onely concerned that present action wherein Christ and his Disciples were employed but that it is an action that concernes both Minister and receiver to doe in every Sacrament to the worlds end marke upon what termes he doth commend that to them still he puts it in a matter of action let this be your use and practice the bread and wine must bee taken blessed broken and distributed eaten and drunken or else it is no Sacrament in it selfe nor any benefit to you so in 1 Cor 10.16 The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ the cup of blessing which wee blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ It is not the bread that is the communion c. but the breaking of the bread and such other actions as do accompany the Sacrament that Christ hath appointed and the Apostle in the seventeenth verse saith For wee that are many are one bread and one body because we all are partakers of one bread still what he saith concerning the Sacrament he speakes it in regard of the use and participation of it so in verse 21. You cannot be partakers of the Lords table and of the table of Devills still he describes the Lords Table by the use and participation of it and so generally throughout all the Scripture and in the eleventh Chapter the Apostle here saith verse 20. When you come together therefore into one place this is not to eate the Lords Supper do you think it is to be made partakers of the Sacrament for one to eat not the other no this is not to eat the Lords supper It is not the Lords Supper except it be eaten and in use as the Lord himselfe hath ordained it Act. 2.42 And they all continued tn the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread there you see the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is still described by a matter of action and of use by breaking of bread Reason 1 The reasons One reason is drawne from the use and nature of the Sacraments of the former Testament they consisted altogether in action and in use for the nature and benefit of them Circumcision what was it why the cutting off the fore-skin of the flesh altogether in action The Passeover must be killed and eaten there had wanted the nature of a Sacrament unlesse there had beene killing and eating neither was there any benefit by it without they fed upon it so it is in ours ours being the same in substance with theirs The Papists which are our adversaries and very hot against us in this doctrine and it is a very materiall difference betweene them and us they grant indeed that in the Sacrament of the former Testament it was so but say they it prooves not that it should be so now in the Sacraments of the new Testament the Sacraments of the former Testament they were but shadowes but ours are the substance and therefore the reason holds not say they We will not now dispute whether ours and theirs are the same though we can prove it as cleere as the Sunne at noone day that they are the same in substance God forbid that any should thinke that wee should bee saved by one meanes and they by another for matter of substance But not to stand upon that Put the case it were so that their Sacraments were shadowes and ours the substance the reason holds much more strongly for if it were so then in the Sacraments that were but shadowes that they consisted altogether in action and use then much more our Sacraments that are in substance those Sacraments that have more action and use about them are commonly most lively and powerfull the more action and use a Sacrament hath the more life and power usually is in the Sacrament to the receiver unlesse therefore wee will make the shadow to have more life and power than the substance the Sacraments of the old Testament must not consist in action more than the Sacraments of the new if they yeeld that the nature of them stood in the action and use of them then ours must doe so much more so then the reason holds very strong that the Sacraments of the former Testament consisted altogether in the use and participation of them and therefore so must ours Reason 2 The second reason is drawne from Baptisme the other Sacrament of the new Testament Baptisme and the Lords Supper a sweet paire of Sacraments that the Lord Christ Iesus hath instituted like two brests for the nourishing of the Church to the worlds end it is so in one of these brests and therefore it is so in the other it is so in Baptisme therefore it is so in the Sacrament of the Lords Surper it is so in Baptisme that consisteth both for the nature and benefit of it in the use of it the water is not Baptisme though it be never so hallowed as the Papists say but the washing of water and the use of it that is Baptisme if so be that there should be water and that water should be consecrated as they call it yet if there be not a receiver or one to be baptised or if there were a party to be baptised and a Minister to baptise yet without he be actually baptised it were no baptisme Well that the Papists grant in the matter of Baptisme but it is not true in the Sacrament of the Lords
onely thus but they carie it about with them when they travell in the streets and other places as a preservative against sicknesse and other evills these and such other like fopperies are used in the Popish Church upon this false ground that being once dedicated to the use of the sacrament as they suppose it must needs alwayes have the same force and power so long as it continues wee may referre it to the judgement of any indifferent understanding man to judge whether hee thinketh they or wee doe come nearest to the meaning and true institution of Christ We are sure that Christ tooke bread and commanded us so to doe to take the bread to blesse it breake it and distribute it but wee are sure that he never commanded it to be caryed about for any such superstitious uses as they doe I doe not doubt but there be many that have occasion to travell into places where these and such like superstitions are used if they have any understanding or any taste of Religion they will grow into a greater hatred and detestation of Popery in seeing that which they doe than wee doe or can doe by the hearing of these things and therefore if any shall come to see any such things labour to be fenced with this preservative let us know the sacrament is excellent in the use of it otherwise it is of no force after the use but to put any superstitious holinesse in it that it is in force afterwards we have no warrant for it from the Word and therefore let us hate it as an abominable superstition Vse 2 The second use it teacheth us resolution how to settle our mindes concerning the truth of God in this case never any benefit to be had by the sacrament of the Lords supper but onely so farre forth as we partake in the use of it according to Gods saving ordinance It is true a man may feed on Christ by faith though his faith be not lift up by such helpes as the sacrament is but if thou wouldst have it to helpe thy faith thou must eate it and drinke it he that lookes to have any benefit by the sacrament must communicate in the use of the sacrament It is not enough for us to stand by and looke on and for others to doe it but we must doe it for our selves It is true indeed that God hath promised a blessing to his owne ordinance but yet with this condition that we use them in their owne kinde and so as he hath appointed and ordained them but if wee apply them not or use them otherwise than God hath appointed he is freed of his promise neither can we expect any blessing from God Vse 3 The third use It ministreth unto us matter of exhortation it teacheth us seeing it is so that the sacrament is only beneficiall in the use of it therefore let us labour to frame our selves to a frequent use of the sacrament of the Lords supper there is no benefit without the use of it by the use of it there is much benefit and singular profit and comfort as the assurance of Gods love and favour assurance of the forgivenesse of our sinnes and reconciliation with God and grace from God to preserve us from sinne that wee fall not finally and many such like helpes there be Therefore seeing without the use of it there is no benefit and by the use of it much benefit let us stirre up our selves to use it frequently And when thou comest to it see thou bring not thy mouth and thy body and hands onely but thy soule thy heart thy faith and thy spirituall man that while the one is imployed in the bodily eating of bread and drinking of wine the other may be imployed in the spirirituall eating of the body and drinking of the blood of Christ bring the whole man to be imployed in this worke and so shalt thou then communicate in the whole benefit of the sacrament Alwayes provided that still we stir up our selves to matter of action in the use of the Sacrament that we stirre up our mindes and scules to an actuall beleeving an actuall discerning and an actuall receiving of Christ and his merits and an actuall applying them to our poore soules then shall we be sure to have the benefit of the Sacrament still know the benefit and nature of the sacrament consisteth in the use of the Sacrament and therefore the more we stirre up our selves to those actions that accompany it the more benefit we shall receive by it And this is that that makes many that come here to the Lords Table and that are made partakers happely of the nature of it yet notwithstanding they faile of the benefit of the Sacrament What is the reason Surely the fault is their owne because God hath appointed it to be a matter of action and doing and they perform not those actions that God hath enjoyned them unto they doe not apply Christ to them by faith they eate and drinke and yet doe not actually discerne the Lords body So much of that first particular that is to be considered namely That the Apostle describing the nature of the Sacrament of the Lords supper hee describes it in regard of the use and benefit of it The second point that we are to consider is this namely that whereas the Apostle here in this speech makes mention of the outward elements in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the bread and the wine hee calls them by their owne proper names eate this bread and drinke this cup that is this wine hee calls them I say by their owne proper names that is by the names of the signe not by the names of the thing signified hee doth not say As often as ye shall eate this body and drinke this blood but As often as ye eate this bread and drinke this cup and this he doth after the blessing and consecration to this sacred use and that appeares by the circumstance of the Text For looke what bread our Saviour spake of in the former words that the Apostle speakes of here seeing he inferres it by way of reason Now that which Christ spake of in the verse going before was bread after it was blessed and consecrated bread in the use of the Sacrament and so the Apostle calls it bread still and so likewise it appears plainly by the whole drift of this part of the chapter where the Apostle speakes of the bread in the use of the Sacrament namely after consecration Doctr. 2 The point of doctrine that hence wee are to observe is this namely That howsoever the creatures of bread and wine used in the Sacrament be consecrated by the institution and blessing of God to a spirituall and sacred use yet they are not thereby changed out of their nature and substance but still for their nature and substance they continue the same creatures as before the same bread and the same wine bread still as it was bread
the proportion betweene the signe and the thing signified requires as much What is signified by the bread and wine the body and blood of Christ and they have an active power and virtue to cherish and nourish our foules to eternall life and therefore the bread and wine must bee such in the Sacrament as hath power also to nourish the body to a temporall life but if onely the shew of bread and wine were there present then there were no power to nourish for it is the substance of the bread that yeelds power by the blessing of God to sustaine life the maintenance of our life ariseth from the substance of our food and therefore it followes that as the outward forme must needs bee there present so the substance of the bread must be there also in the very true being or else it is no true Sacrament Reason 3 The last reason is this our owne judgement our owne eyes or owne taste sense and naturall parts our teeth and stomach finde the bread and wine there and shall they tell us that it is not there when we see feele and taste it Doe wee thinke that God doth so delude us as oft as we receive the sacrament to make us beleeve that there is bread and wine when there is none will God deceive us when we come to doe him service in the use of his owne ordinances Except God delude us which we are sure he cannot nor will not there must be the bread and wine there present And surely it is Gods gracious purpose herein to lead us as it were by the hand from our bodily feeding to our spiritull feeding that while our bodies feed upon the signes and finde and feele the taste and rellish and comfort of the bread and wine our soules may be lifted up by faith to meditate of the thing signified and so to feed upon the body and blood of Christ and finde comfort in them That we may truly say Looke the bread and wine comforts my body thus thus doth the blood of Christ comfort my soule and by faith I am assured of the forgivenesse of my sinnes by the blood of Christ as by sense I feele the benefit of those outward elements Thus the Lord vouchsafeth to lead us on by the hand as it were by that which is done outwardly in this Sacrament to that which is to be done spiritually Vse 1 The first use serves to confute the Papists opinion of Transubstantiation the meaning of it is this that so soone as ever the blessing is pronounced the words of consecration are used which are these This is my body and this is my blood presently say they the substance of the bread and wine is vanished away and in comes the body and blood of Chirst for this they hold that two substances cannot be in one place together and therefore say they if the body and blood of Christ come in then the other substance goes away We need no other place against this dreame of theirs than this in hand that the Apostle calls it by the name of bread after consecration And this should teach us much more to hate and loath that grosse practice of theirs in adoring the Sacrament and indeed it comes from this Transubstantiation Transubstantiation is the mother of adoration because they thinke the body of Christ is there bodily present therefore they adore it horrible Idolatry the Apostle cals it bread and they make it their God and therefore judge you whether we doe not justly challenge the Papists that they worship a breaden god that which the Holy Ghost calls bread that they worship as God and therefore they worship a breaden god this is fearful Idolatry this is a main matter of their religion An Idoll saith the Apostle is nothing in the world and surely this is a great Idoll of theirs and yet it is nothing that is nothing that hath any true being Here is bread but no true God as they fondly imagine this is nothing but a fancie of theirs to thinke that Christ is there bodily present they fondly imagine such a thing to be there that is not and therefore they adore and worship that which is not True it is that Christ is there really present to all saving purposes in the use of the bread and wine to every faithfull receiver and it is the comfort of our soules that he is present by the power of his Spirit to make good unto the faithfull the worke of our Redemption But that he is there bodily present we have no warrant Vse 2 The last use teacheth us how to expound such places of Scripture As where it is said This is my body to expound them sacramentally and in a spirituall sense This is my body in a sacramentall and spirituall sense that is this bread to every beleever that partakes it in a true manner beleeving in me and being raised up by this to a consideration of the breaking of Christ his body for the forgivenesse of their sinnes and so finde the benefit of it to themselves it is made actually and really yet spiritually the body of Christ to everie true beleever if ye will receive it This is Elias saith our Saviour what therefore should the Apostles conclude that therefore Iohn Baptist was Elias that his body was turned into his body no such matter but take it as it is meant this is Elias not that Iohn Baptists was Elias that his body was turned into his body but so he was called because he came in the spirit of Elias to doe that which he did So this is the body of Christ not that the bread is turned into the body of Christ nor the wine into his blood but if you will receive it this is my body and my blood to every faithfull receiver the Spirit of God is at hand to make good unto them the body and blood of Christ and all his merits the same Spirit that was in Christ when he performed the office of our redemption is in and at the Sacrament to make Christ really present yet spiritually to every faithfull receiver by the power merit and virtue of his body and blood for all saving purposes as the nature of the Sacrament requires These things if we could understand them and set our hearts upon them and live by faith wee should rest more solid in them It is want of faith that makes thē dote upon the bodily presence of Christ whereas if they could be perswaded that the Spirit of God doth performe effectually all saving purposes as if Christ were bodily present if they did but consider and beleeve this it would make them renounce the doctrine of Transubstantiation and therfore we that are the people of God and know that as God is a Spirit so he will be worshipped in spirit and in truth we must labour to walke in the spirit and to live by faith we must beleeve that Christ is really present yet spiritually to everie
our owne food but the Lords food it is not our owne supper but the Lords Supper When we come to eate of this bread and to drinke of this cup it is the Lords Supper as if the Apostle should say Look how much difference there is betweene that which is your owne and that which is the Lords so much difference there is between your owne bread and wine which you have at your owne Table and that bread and wine which you have at the Lords Table and looke how much you preferre that which is the Lords before that which is your owne so much you must preferre the bread of the Lords Table before your owne bread yea the bread and the wine in the Sacrament if it be not received with this reverent acceptation that it is the Lords bread and the Lords wine surely they are not the Lords unto us but our owne no more benefit comes to us by them than by our owne bread and wine at our owne table and this is the reach of the Apostle in these two verses there is the first difference this is the Lords and the other is our owne and as we prefer that which is the Lords before our owne so we must preferre the bread of the Lords Table before the bread of our owne table The second difference which the Apostle points at is this in the 22. verse Have you not houses to eate and to drinke in despise you the Church of God and shame them that have not As if he should say the ordinary food which you have why you have it in your owne houses but this food you have it in the Church of God your bread and your wine is home-food but this bread and this wine is Church-food your bread and your wine is for your children servants and family but this bread and this wine is for Gods children for his house and family I hope there is none of you but doe esteeme more highly of the house of God than you doe of your owne houses and therefore by that learne to esteeme of these mysteries the bread and wine in the Church of God above that which you receive at your owne houses The third and the last difference is that which is in this 26.27 and 28. verses where the Apostle calls it this bread and this cup the cup of the Lord it caries an implication I say that there is great difference betweene this bread and other bread betweene this wine and other wine other bread and wine they are but naturall or artificiall things serving only for the worke of nature but this bread and this wine that is in use in the Sacrament of the Lords supper over and besides that naturall and artificiall face that is set upon them over and besides that which they have in nature these have a supernaturall condition imposed upon them frō above whereby they are advanced above any other bread and wine and made serviceable for the worke of Grace So then you see the Apostle having pointed out these three differences it makes the Doctrine very cleare That the bread and wine which is in use in the Sacrament of the Lords supper is far more excellent than any other bread and wine whatsoever To confirme this let us adde to the words of the Scholar the words of the Master Luke 22.19 20. it is said there that our Saviour tooke the Cup and said This Cup is the New Testament in my blood See how fitly Paul the scholar imitates and followes Christ his Master Christ himselfe had said This Cup is the New Testament in my blood Paul calls it This bread and this Cup. This Cup saith Christ is the New Testament in my blood We must take notice that our Saviour was then at supper I not at an ordinary supper but eating the Passeover that supper being ended hee saith This Cup is the New Testament in my blood He tooke the same Cup and being to dedicate it to the use of the Sacrament of the Lords supper saith This Cup is the New Testament in my blood Giving us to understand that the bread and wine which are in use in the Sacrament of the Lords supper they are farre better and of far greater use and excellency than any of our ordinary food yea better then the bread and wine that wee have not onely at our owne feasts but even at any other feasts of the Lord. Therefore well might the Apostle say this bread and this cup advancing it by a note of excellency above all other bread and wine whatsoever Reason 1 The first Reason is in regard of the owner of it namely the Lord Iesus Christ it doth belong unto him it is his bread And that is the thing that the Apostle notes in the 27. verse Whosoever eateth this bread and drinketh the cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of Christ Hee changeth his style and whereas hee calls it This cup here in the 26. verse and so afterwards ver 28. he calls it verse 27. The cup of the Lord giving us to understand that therefore it is this bread because it is the Lords bread therefore it is this cup a cup of excellencie because it is the cup of the Lord Iesus Christ Generally wee doe esteeme things to bee so much the more excellent according to the excellencie of him that ownes thē or that they belong unto Why Christ is far above al excellencies principalities powers and dominions whatsoever we must needs therfore acknowledge that this bread and this wine is farre more excellent then any other in regard of the owner of them It is true indeede that Christ is the owner of all the Creatures they are his because he made them it is very true yea but yet we must take notice here of a further a speciall owing of these creatures whereby they belong to Christ Iesus and that in many respects First besides that they are his creatures as other things are these are Christ his owne by institution because Christ hath instituted them by his owne Word and likewise by his owne fact that they should bee a part of his owne saving Ordinance Secondly they are his owne by representation for as they are a part of his Ordinances so they are a lively picture of Christ Iesus whereby he represents and tenders to the eye of every faithfull beleever all that ever he hath done and suffered for them They are his owne by representation as Caesars picture is his because it carryes his resemblance so this Bread and this Wine is Christs because it hath the picture of Christ and represents unto the faithfull Christ Iesus and the whole worke of our redemption Thirdly they are his owne by communion because the bread and wine in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper are as it were the Lords agents wherby Christ Iesus doth communicate and convey and worke himselfe through the lively operation of the Holy Ghost into the hearts of
every true beleever that doth receive him worthily I Cor. 10.16 The Cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the body of Christ So then you see the bread and the wine in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is Christ his owne by a specialty by way of communion Reason 2 The second reason why they are so excellent is because of the blessing upon them when they are in use in the Sacrament our Savior himselfe hath blessed them with his owne mouth word and fact at his first institution Likewise hee hath commanded the Apostles and Ministers from time to time to blesse them ever in the use of the Sacrament our Saviours blessing them at first doth thereby convey a blessing to all Sacraments of that kinde that ever shall be afterward used according to Gods Ordinance if the first fruits be holy then so is the whole lumpe the first Sacrament being instituted by Christ and the creatures blessed by him he doth thereby convey a blessing necessarily upon those creatures in the right use of the Sacrament to the worlds end and so likewise the commandement that our Saviour gave to the Apostles and Ministers that they should blesse those creatures it implyes a promise that when Ministers pray for a blessing upon them according to Gods Ordinance God will bee present with them to blesse them and therefore they in regard of the blessing are more excellent then any other But do we not blesse other creatures as our ordinary food Yes but this is a speciall blessing after another manner such a blessing as by which they are dedicated to the service of God Marke how the Evangelists the Apostles speake of the blessing of these Marke 14.22 saith that he gave thankes Matthew saith ch 26. v. 26. He blessed them What shall we say doe these differ one from another In the generall both agree though in maner of speech there be some difference It is true the main actiō that our Savior was then imployed in the blessing of the Creatures was invocation and thankesgiving and thence it is said by Marke He gave thanks yet it was not barely a thankesgiving but such a thankesgiving as whereby he procured a blessing upon them that they should be effectual not onely for nourishing purposes as at our owne meales but evē for saving purposes to every faithfull receiver It was such a thankesgiving by which they were dedicated consecrated as outward parts of Gods worship to his owne immediate service and thence it is said by Matthew that Hee blessed them And that wee may know it was more then ordinary the Text shewes Matth. 26.26 27. that he having blessed or given thankes for the Bread he gave thankes also for the Wine pronouncing a severall blessing upon each of them whereas ordinarily our bread and our drinke are both blessed together by one and the same giving of thankes Reason 3 The third reason they are excellent in regard of the use that they are dedicated unto namely to be signes seales pledges of the covenant of grace that bread that wine that do assure us of the favour of God and of the forgivenesse of our sins of the grace of sanctification of our incorporation into Christ Iesus do well deserve to be called this bread and this wine as being of a higher degree and of a better stampe then any other Vse 1 The use teacheth us matter of resolution in our judgements Concerning the bread and the wine in the Lords Supper sometimes we read in Scripture that they are spoken but meanly of and sometimes very highly of sometimes it is onely called bread and sometimes the body of Christ sometimes it is onely called the Cup and sometimes the blood of Christ Here is resolution of judgement arising from this doctrine Wee must distinguish betweene the nature of the thing and the use of the thing and then the matter is very cleare In the nature it is but bread and wine but in the use it is the body and blood of Christ If we would tye our selves to this rule alwayes wisely discerning betwixt the nature of the thing and the use it would stablish us well in the matter of the Sacrament we should be able to answer the exceptions of the Papists concerning transubstantition it is bread in the nature of the thing it selfe yet the body of Christ in the use it is wine yet it is the blood of Christ wine in its nature but yet the blood of Christ in regard of the use of it Vse 2 The second use teacheth us not to marvaile that the unworthy receiver of this Sacrament that he doth himselfe so much wrong as to hazard himselfe to the wrath and judgements of God He that eates and drinkes unworthily eates and drinkes his owne damnation The reason is because it is this bread this cup these matters being so holy sāctified and dedicated to such a sacred holy use whosoever discerns not these things but takes them as they are in their owne nature hee eates and drinkes his owne damnation and is guilty of the body and blood of Christ it is not as to eate bread at home for that being moderatly taken doth not hurt a man though oft-times it doth him little good but he that eates this bread and drinkes this cup and discernes not the bodie and blood of Christ he eates and drinkes his owne damnation and is guilty of the bodie and blood of Christ he is not onely guilty of the spoile of so much bread and wine but of this bread and this wine he is guiltie of the body and blood of Christ Vse 3 The third use is matter of in instruction teaching us first how religiously reverently and preciously we ought to esteeme of these holy and heavenly Mysteries wee must labour to be lifted up in our hearts and thoughts to a higher straine when wee come to partake or but to thinke of this bread above the reach of nature wee must not be earthly and carnally minded to behold the bread and the wine onely with our bodily eyes but spiritually minded to behold them with the eye of faith to be this bread and this wine dedicated to this holy and sacred use Let no man thinke in his heart it is but bread and it is but wine and what gteat matter can you make of it I answere to them as Moses did to those in the 16. of Exodus vers 15. speaking of Manna they seemed to make light of it What is this Moses saith unto them This is the bread that God hath given you to eate that you might live So though this be but bread and wine yet this is the bread and this is the wine that GOD hath given us to eate and to drinke and to feed not our bodies onely as Manna did but even our soules to eternall life 2 Then
you see me do in matter of substance the same you must do as long as the world standeth Christ did so therfore cōmandeth them to do so our Saviors commandement is a yoke of obedience unto us seeing he commanded it we must doe it and therefore it is cleare in regard of Christ his commandement and his practise that it is so to be administred in both kindes in the bread and in the wine both together The Papists that are the maine professed adversaries of God and of his truth in this case they seeke out many shifts to avoid the force of this argument All that they say may bee reduced to these three heads First say they you alleage the example of Christ that holds in regard of the bread but not in regard of the cup. Secondly if it doe hold for the cup yet it is to be administred only to the Clergy and not to the ordinary people Thirdly if to the lay people yet it is a matter arbitrary to us of the Ministery or to the Church we may doe it if we will but there is no necessity in it that we must do it These are their exceptions that they take First it holds say they for the bread but not for the cup if so be we understand the institution of our Saviour rightly it will cleare all these mists For the first exception in particular it holds say they for the bread but not for the cup. No why Christ administred the bread and the cup without any such difference at all without preferring any of them one before the other If the commandement and example of Christ binde to the one why not to the other Christ administred and commanded both and yet they will not have both If our Saviour had made any exception of the cup it had beene another matter but Christ administred it in both kindes as well the wine as the bread and therefore it holds in the one as wel as in the other Secondly for the second exception Put the case it holds for the bread and not for the cup too yet it holds not say they that it should bee administred to the laytie and common people onely to the Ministers and Cleargy men I but our Saviour delivered indifferently to all that were present the verie cup as well as the bread and speakes more of the cup than hee doth of the bread for he saith not eate ye all of this bread though no doubt but that was his meaning but comming to the cup he saith expresly Drinke yee all of this whosoever comes to the Sacrament see he doe that But the Papists take exception against this Drinke ye all of this that is they say only the Disciples Apostles and men of the Clergie that hee meant for they only were then present and therfore it holds for the Clergy and not for the Laytie This is a very silly shift But to answer this first howsoever it be indeed that there was none present but Ministers yet notwithstāding ask thē this question If there had bin any there present that had not bin of the Ministry can any man thinke that our Saviour would have turned away the cup from him and not have given him the wine and so have turned them without It were a gracelesse and senselesse imagination certainly he would have beene as ready to have administred the cup to them as the bread Againe these Apostles howsoever they were of the Ministerie yet they were but receivers then they were not Ministers in that case For example if we have some two or three Ministers at our Communion that are receivers besides him that delivers it though they be Ministers by Calling yet there is no difference in this action betweene thē and other receivers So likewise the Apostles though they were Ministers yet being then to receive the Sacrament not then to administer it but to receive it administred by the hand of our Saviour Christ therefore they differed nothing from ordinary people in that case Thirdly and lastly if so be that it be so that this rule doth not hold for the cup as well as for the bread that it should not be given to the Laytie I would fain know of any Papist in the world what warrant he hath for the bread that the bread should be given to the Laytie Surely nothing from our Saviours institution for they were onely Ministers also to whom hee delivered the bread as well as the cup. Thirdly for the third exception that though it doe extend the cup to the Laytie yet it proves not that the ordinary people must have the cup of necessity Why not of necessity I would faine know is there any necessitie by the institutiō practice and commandement of Christ that the Laytie should have the bread cōmunicated to them then there is as much necessitie for the other for our Saviours practice is the same his commandement is the same as well for the one as for the other The commandement the practice institution of our Saviour is the same and therefore there is the same necessity if it be of necessitie they should have the bread then it is of necessitie they should have the wine too If Paul may be taken to be the Iudge of this controversie betweene them and us and to be the interpreter of our Saviours meaning then he will make the matter cleare on our fide First whereas they say it is true it holds for the bread and not for the cup you see the Apostle joynes them both together in these verses and besides that in the 24. verse When he had given thankes he brake it and said Take eate this is my body and after the same manner in the 25. verse He tooke the Cup saying This Cup is the New Testament of my blood hee made no difference betweene them but after the same manner saith the Text that he did institute take and deliver the one after the same manner hee did the other and so ought we If it hold for the bread then surely after the same manner it holds for the wine Secondly say they it holds not for the Laitie but onely for the Clergie But the Apostle saith here As oft as yee eate this bread and drinke this cup that is spoken to the Church not to the Ministers onely but to all the people And verse 28. Let a man therefore examine himselfe which is a generall rule for all receivers of this Sacrament of what state or calling soever they be Thirdly put the case it be so that the Laitie may have the cup yet say they there is no such necessitie that it must be so But the Apostle gives us a cleare rule for that in the 23. verse where hee saith I have received of the Lord that which I also have delivered unto you That all the rules that the Apostle gives to the Church of Corinth concerning the Sacraments might be understood to be of a commanding power to binde their
table to eate of the same bread no such fewell to maintaine this fire of love in their hearts as the spirituall food they participate of at the Lords Table and therefore if we would have the love of Gods children kindled towards us and ours to them and not goe out then let us use this most effectuall meanes namely the oft communicating and participating in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Reason 6 The last reason is concerning the Word the Word is oft to bee heard therefore the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is oft to be communicated in That the Word is oft to bee heard I thinke none will deny that wee must heare the Word at all times by day and by night in season and out of season the Word and the Sacraments are joyned together in a neare bond and league by Gods ordinance and they are to one and the same purpose and efrect as a writing and a seale and therefore if we must be frequent in the hearing of the Word then also frequent in the participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper that so that which is spoken in the Word may be sealed unto us in the Sacrament that that wee heare in the one we may feele in the other that so we may grow along in the faith of Christ till at length we become perfect men in Christ Vse 1 The first Vse is for matter of reproofe of grosse and grievous negligence in the practice of this duty generally and the negligence seizeth upon the Ministers many times as well as upon the people First we will speake against the negligence of the Ministers and then of the negligence of the people A word or two of the first Many Minisers are negligent in this duty either forsooth because they would spare their owne paines and labour or elfe because they are carelesse of the flocke of Christ committed unto them they have not that regard of them as they should hence it comes to passe that they let the people settle themselves upon the lees of their sins either they tender it not oft unto them but haply once or foure times a yeare or if they doe tender it often yet they suffer the people to absent themselves without any just occasion great is the negligence of many in this case and surely it is a fearfull sinne and a heavie account have many to make for this sinne It is our duty that are Ministers to spread the table before you and to call warne and invite you to come and to seeke this to the utmost of our power and then if you come not oft you shal perish in your sins negligence but we shall deliver our owne soules but if wee be negligent in this and doe not call upon you oft you shall perish in your sins and your blood shall be required at our hands and therefore it stands us upon to looke unto it not onely in regard of our owne soules and our owne good but in regard of you and in love to your soules that wee should tender you the Lords Supper oft-times and call upon you oft to come unto it how many good and holy opportunities have we offeted unto us to remember the death of Christ to confirm and strengthen the faith of them that are weake and to cherish love in the hearts of Gods children and to encrease in them the grace of sanctification by the often use of this Sacrament How many good opportunities are daily omitted and neglected in this land and in this City meerly through the Ministers negligence in this duty many soules there bee that perish because of this negligence in Ministers and therefore it is our duty to bee stirred up and to labour to reforme our selves The Apostle gives us the rule when he saith Thou that teachest another teachest not thou thy selfe But in the second place the negligence of the people is more convenient for this place to be reproved thereby when the Table is spred when God saith to them Come when the Minister saith All is ready and their brethren say Come too when they are thus warned called and invited to come and then they refuse or if they doe come it is very sparingly it is not oft this is a most gracelesse and retchlesse practice If wee were scantled of this great meanes and blessing either by persecutton or by the iniquity of the times or by the prophanenesse of the Magistrate or by the gracelessenesse of the Minister then wee would cry out we cannot have that we would have and that we are wronged and debarred of the saving ordinance of God and that the doore of the kingdome of heaven is shut against us and that wee cannot partake so oft as wee would But now that through Gods mercy wee have the Sacrament oft tendered unto us and that we are called and warned and invited to communicate if wee refuse now to come or if wee come sparingly what is this but to despise the bountifull and rich mercy of God towards us that the Lord offereth us so many heavenly excellencies and comforts with one hand for in this one action is Christ Iesus all his merits offered to us what is this but to despise God that offereth so many blessings of heavenly comfort Christ Iesus and all his merits and we turne our backes upon him and say we wil none of this heavenly Manna And surely without this be reformed it cannot but be recompenced of God with extremity of Iustice in some notorious judgement upon us specially by taking away such rich and precious treasures from such base wretches as we are that so meanly esteeme of them or else that God should cry quittance with us and turne his backe upon us when wee pray as wee have turned our backes upon him when he called and will not heare us As also when we are sicke and when wee lye upon our death beds God will not regard us goe whither we will and at the day of Iudgement he shall say Depart from meye cursed I know you not I offered you such and such meanes of salvation and that oftentimes but you would none of it and therefore I have no salvation for you We know how God dealt with the Iewes when the mysteries of salvation were tendered unto them and they rejected the same he then turned to the Gentiles to them that would bring forth better fruit when those that were bidden to the Feast would not come the Lord said goe into the high wayes and as many as ye find bid them c. A notable example we have in the first of Hester and 3. Abashuerosh the King made a great Feast and he bade his Nobles and the Queene Vashti and in the 12 verse she refused to come to the King and therefore in the 19 verse she is divorced she shall never come more into the Kings presence shall wee thinke that he tendered his temporall glory more then God doth his infinite glory if God
in his death and whosoever we are that have our hearts rightly seasoned with the death of Christ why surely it will worke a conscionable obedience to the will and commandement of God to be sorrowfull for our sins past to deny our selves to mortifie the lusts of the flesh to dye to sinne these be the naturall effects of the death of Christ in the hearts of beleevers these we must bring with us to bee conformable to the whole wil of God as Christ was in his life and specially at his death I am come saith he to doe thy will O God and thus doth the death of Christ frame the hearts of every one of us to true obedience I am content to doe thy will O God this is as it were even the practising of the death of Christ crucified namely in our obedience to God denying our owne selves in mortifying our owne sinfull lusts and affections for wee must know that these meditations must not be dead meditations but such as must be lively and operative to quicken us up to obedience to Gods wil. The last grace is Thankfulnesse to acknowledge all honour and thankes to be due unto God for this great worke of our Redemption by the blood of Iesus Christ this is a chiefe grace that we must chiefly bring with us to the Lords Supper to give God the praise and glory of it and this is our rejoycing in the death of Iesus Christ it is not possible that a man should know Christ Iesus or that a man should love Christ for his death or that he should obey Christ but he must also rejoyce in the death of Christ and how should wee rejoyce in the Lord but by giving him thanks and singing of praise to him for this great benefit every one must bring these graces in some measure or else hee is not fit to come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Now if so bee the Lord should come among us and make an inquirie and rip up every one of us alas how should he finde every one of us to be empty of these graces or else full of imperfections in every one of them well yet though we have failings still let us labour for these graces let us pray to God for these graces and let us never doubt if we do pray and labour for them conscionably but that first God will give us in some measure every one of them secondly if wee come with a true desire God will graciously accept of our desire as if we had possession of the graces themselves but the chiefest matter is this that that which wee have and that which we want of these graces the Lord will supply them all out of the fulnesse of Christ who is full of grace and truth and of whose fulnesse we all receive grace for grace therefore let us seeke for these graces and labour for them and use the meanes and let us put our selves to the mercy and leasure of God and let us not doubt but that the Lord will be mercifull unto us and he will give them us so farre forth as shall suffice for the saving of our soules Another matter of instruction is this this teacheth us what it is that wee must especially looke after when wee come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper that which is specially tendred unto us the death of Christ I shewed you first there must be hungring and thirsting and secondly what graces we must bring with us now what is the chiefe matter that we must ayme at the very death of Iesus Christ to discerne it and here we must inlarge our thoughts to many considerations First and for most we must consider with our selves that Christ dyed for us that he suffered a shamefull and a cruell death then when we have considered of that we must consider that Christs death is a sufficient ransome for mans redemption I but I must goe further and say that I am one of the persons that shed Christs blood thogh it were the Iewes act yet it was my sinne and then further that that blood which I have spilt the same shall bee effectuall through Gods rich mercy for the saving of my soule and then withall I must tye my selfe to obey the death of Iesus Christ and to be made like unto it and conformable thereunto The last Vse It should teach us what is the straine the highest straine the highest pitch that a man should reach at in the receiving of the Sacrament Wee must so discerne the death of Christ in the Sacrament that we may bee made partakers of Christs death First to be swallowed up of it with an holy admiration and a fervent meditation thereupon and secondly to be more and more incorporate into it by a holy kinde of union thirdly and lastly to be saved by it as by the all-sufficient price of our redemption First we must come to meditate and so to partake of it as that we be swallowed up with the meditation of the death of Iesus Christ the death of Iesus Christ is a bottomlesse depth man cannot reach it the Angels cannot reach it and wee cannot comprehend it and therefore the best way is when we have considered all the occurrences of it that we can let us lay our selves wholly into the hands of God to be swallowed up with that holy meditation of the death of Christ and to bee comprehended of that which wee are not able to comprehend Secondly to bee more and more incorporated into it by a holy kind of union every man that is a true beleever that is converted unto God is already incorporated into Christ his death so then when we come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we must partake the death of Christ so as that we may be the more incorporated into it that is to be made more and more one with Christ in his death than ever we were before more crucified and more mortified than ever wee were before there is no way whereby we can have part in Christ but by union and there is no way whereby we can have uniō with Christ but by being incorporate into him by the power of his death and there is no better way to make us more incorporate into the death of Christ than the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is and therefore when we come to this let this be our straine not onely to bee swallowed up with the meditation of the death of Christ but labour to be more and more incorporate into the death of Christ thereby Last of all let us so labour to bee made partakers of it that we may be saved by it as being the all-sufficient price of our Redemption for by the death of Iesus Christ the wrath of God is appeased the Law of God is fulfilled there the Iustice of God is satisfied for there our sinnes are pardoned there our ransome is payd there is all performed whatsoever is necessary for the salvation of mankinde and therefore
of Iesus Christ expressing it lively the bread is a sollide substance so is the body of Christ the bread is the food of our bodies the strengthening of our hearts the staffe of our life in the state of nature here is a lively representation to spirituall minded men that the body of Iesus Christ is the spirituall food of our soules the strength of the hidden man of our hearts it is the staffe of the life of God in the state of grace to every true beleever and so likewise the wine shewes forth the blood of Christ the Wine is a liquid substance so is the blood of Christ but principally the sweetnesse of the smell of the wine the pleasantnesse of the taste of the wine the comfortable cheerfulnesse of the wine whereby it doth glad our hearts this is a most lively expressing unto us of the blood of Christ Iesus this shewes unto a spirituall minded man if this wine be so sweet and pleasant and comfortable oh what a sweet savour hath the blood of Iesus Christ oh what a pleasant relish is there in the blood of Iesus Christ oh what comfort and cheerfulnesse is there in the blood of Iesus Christ to every distressed and beleeving soule that can finde and feele these things within himselfe this they doe single each by it selfe now put both these together as both of them are tendred together to us in the Sacrament then here is a full refreshing set forth unto us that there is a full refreshing to every beleeving soule in the death of the Lord Iesus Christ so much for the signes Secondly concerning the actions in the Sacrament both on our Saviours part and likewise on our our part on our Saviours part he tooke the bread and brake it what is that to say but as if our Saviour should say Doe you see mee breake this bread thus thus is my body broken for you so for the cup when hee tooke the bread and brake it he distributed and gave it among them here is a manifest shewing forth of the extension of the death of Christ that the Lord Iesus Christ is the common Saviour of all them that beleeve He tooke the bread saith the Text and hee gave it unto them and so of the cup. Then againe here is an action on our part as our Saviour bid them to take it so wee doe take it wee take the bread we eate it we take the cup wee drinke it what is this but a shewing forth of the death of the Lord except our hands belye our hearts except we be otherwise then we seeme to be when we take the bread and eate it when wee take the wine and drink it we openly professe that wee are of the number of them that take hold on Iesus Christ and doe apply him particularly to the comfort of our owne soules Thirdly the words of institution in the Sacrament the words what are they why first and formost the Text saith He tooke the bread and brake it and bid them to take and eate here you see first he bids us to take it to shew us hee intended that his body is ours and that his death is a sacrifice to God for us whereby our sins are satisfied for and whereby we are reconciled to God then he saith This is my body he speakes demonstratively and he speakes it by way of an essentiall predication he saith this is my body as if our Saviour should say to every spirituall minded man and woman This Sacrament is as lively a representation of my death as if my body and blood were here crucified and shed before your eyes and so likewise it followes this is my body which is given for you and my blood which is shed for you for the remission of sins here is a full shewing forth of the Lords death here is the Gospell preached at the administration of the Sacrament that the blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sinnes It followes in the last place Doe this in remembrance of me as if our Saviour should say doe this in remembrance of my death for so the Apostle expounds it hee had repeated our Saviours words in the verse going before Doe this in remembrance of me and he comes and expounds it here Doe this in remembrance of my death as if our Saviour should say consider well and advisedly of this Sacrament for this Sacrament is in it selfe a remembrance and a lively memoriall of my death and so you must esteeme of it and so you must make use of it and so to every beleever it shall be made good for all saving purposes Thus you see the doctrine is proved both by the circumstances the substance and the whole frame of the Sacrament that the Sacrament being administred and received according to Gods own ordinance is a fresh and a lively memoriall a sensible representation a through setting forth of the death of the Lord Iesus Christ the reasons of the doctrine are these Reason 1 The first reason is drawne from the nature of the Sacraments the sacraments are as it were glasses wherein we may see and behold the true forme or the true shape or the true likenesse of that which is represented in the glasse a glasse must be both true and cleere it must be true that it may not cast a false shadow upon us not to reflect another manner of shadow than is cast upon it it must bee cleere that the true object that it doth represent may be cleerly and lively represented unto us the sacrament of the Lords Supper is a glasse it must be a true glasse and a cleere glasse what is the object represented by it the principall object of the Lords supper that is resembled unto us in it is the death of Christ then consider the object that is to be seene and beheld in this glasse is the death of Christ the sacrament is a glasse wherein this is to bee beheld a glasse must be true and cleere and therefore the Sacrament of the Lords Supper must cleerly and plainly and lively shew forth the Lords death which is the principall object there to bee considered Againe Sacraments wee know are teaching signes fignes ordained of God that they may bee teachers unto us and teachers you know must speake plainly they must speake teachably they must deliver the matter with a lively voyce so as it may be best knowne discerned and understood and worke instruction in the hearts of those that it is to be learned by the Sacraments are teaching signes the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a teaching signe the lesson that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper teacheth is the death of Iesus Christ and therefore the Sacrament of the Lords Supper must teach the death of Iesus Christ lively and cleerly and so must be a through shewing forth of Christs death Reason 2 A second reason is drawne from the proportion of the word with the Sacrament the word that shewes forth Christ lively
at any time forget us this should and must perswade us to make the death of Iesus Christ our continuall remembrance Reason 2 Secondly God alwayes remembers the death of Christ it is our duty and it is our grace and our happinesse to doe as God doth therefore seeing that God remembers Christs death alwayes oh how ought we to remember Christs death alwayes too It is true God cannot bee said properly to remember any thing because remembrance is of things past nothing is past in respect of God all things are still present before him neither can he be said properly to remember one thing more then another because hee cannot forget any thing But yet to speake according to the manner of man God may be said and God is said to remember things done yea some things more then others because he testifies and shewes by his outward proceedings more respect unto some things then unto other thus may God be said to remember the death of Christ and that more and above all things else because he shewes in his outward proceedings more respect to the death of CHRIST then to any thing else Whatsoever God doth in the administration of the world he doth it respectively to the death of Christ let it be to the preservation and salvation of the faithfull It is respectively to the death of Christ because they have their parts in him and he in them Let it bee to the destruction of the wicked it is respectively to the death of Christ they have no part in Christ whatsoever dangers thou escapest thou escapest them by the power of the death of Iesus Christ whatsoever benefits thou receivest it is by vertue of the death of Christ whatsoever grace God giveth thee he giveth it thee only in the remēbrance of the death of Christ whatsoever sinne God forgiveth thee he forgiveth it thee meerly in the shedding of Christs blood Is the death of Christ so precious that it is worthy alwayes to bee remembred by the Lord himselfe how much more then is it to be remembred by us Reason 3 A third reason we have continuall need and continuall use of the death of Christ and therefore wee must have it alwayes in continuall remembrance we must alwayes have it in a readinesse about us we have continuall need and use of the death of Christ great need as much as our bodies and our lives yea as much as our soules are worth our faith that requires daily to be strengthened why our faith that is stablished in the blood and death of Christ so the Scripture speaketh Through faith in his blood as the blood of Christ or the death of Christ being the very chiefe foundation that the faith of Gods children is rooted in and setled and stablished upon wee must pray continually every body knowes that it is the expresse commandement of the Apostle Pray continually we can never put up any the least pleasing petition to God but the eye of our faith must be fixed upon the death of Christ and therefore we must alwayes remember it wee are tempted daily to sinne no sound resistance of any temptation but in the death of Iesus Christ Rev. 12.10 11. If we ever overcome the accuser it must be by the blood of the Lambe sin must be mortified the death of Christ is the onely sword to mortifie and to slay sinne within us And last of all we sin dayly and therefore we have need of the forgivenesse of our sinnes and reconciliation and peace to be made with God continually no hope of forgivenesse of sinnes and of reconciliation but onely and meerly by the blood of Iesus Christ now ordinary wisedome and reason teacheth us looke what we know wee have continuall use of wheresoever wee goe wee will bee sure to carry that about us be it money or strong waters or the like wee will alwayes have it about us wee have continuall use and great need of the death of Christ even as much as the price of our life and soule is worth therefore let us alwaies have that in our hearts alwaies in a readinesse about us because we have continuall use of it Reason 4 A fourth reason is this the death of Christ Iesus doth alwaies labor for us and worke for us as a man would say and travels for us and that not in any small employment but in the best and the greatest worke that concernes our best good namely in satisfying our debts and in making our peace with God Heb. 12.24 the Apostle saith there that the blood of Christ Iesus that speakes better things then that of Abel the intendment of that Scripture is this wee sinne daily against God the sinnes that we doe commit doe cry out daily to heaven for vengeance to be poured upon us even as the blood of Abel did cry for vengeance to bee poured upon Cain but the blood of Christ Iesus that steps in for us and that speakes better things than the blood of Abel and calls to God for mercy and for forgivenesse and so prevailes against the cry of our sinnes and procures mercy and forgivenesse at the hands of God Heb. 10.19 20 vers there the Apostle calls the blood of Christ the new and the fresh and the living Way Well what is the meaning of it the meaning is this that whereas wee doe sinne and offend God daily the blood of Christ Iesus that daily makes our peace the death of Christ that is as it were day by day fresh and bleeding anew in the sight of God and so makes our peace with God It is true indeed when Christ offered himselfe upon the Crosse that then his blood was actually shed and never else yet it is as true that the blood of Christ bleedeth anew effectually in the sight of God when any sinne is forgiven any soule The death of Christ thus working and travelling for us shal not we remember it continuallie We must never forget those that worke and labour for us and for our good and shall wee not alwaies remember CHRIST IESVS especially in his death whereby hee doth effect our greatest good Reason 5 The last reason is this the thoughts of the death of Christ Iesus are most sutable and agreeable unto us in this present estate that we are in and therefore wee ought to remember it alwaies so long as we are in this estate the thoughts of his resurrection they are alwaies comprehended within the thoughts of his death and the thoughts of Christ his glory that being a matter which we can see here onely a farre off are not so fit for us in this abasement and humiliation and corrupt estate we are now in continually to feed upon but the thoughts of the death of Iesus Christ are most fitting for this present estate In this estate we are daily to bee cast downe before the Lord nothing will humble us so throughly as the thoughts of the death of Iesus Christ still wee must have sinne to be crucified
better inabled and the more quickned to the performance of this duty First I will give you a taste of the meanes whereby wee may attaine to make the death of Christ so familiar to us and then I will shew the benefits that we shall receive hereby if we conscionably travell in this course The means of it are these in few words If we would have the death of Christ familiar unto us we must be sure that we doe never passe it over with a sleight meditation but let it be soundly taken to heart doe not thinke upon it as an ordinary common thing but conceive of it as a matter that doth concerne us and our good most of all let us thinke upon the death of Christ in that which he suffered and endured in his soule and body for our sinnes how hard it went with him in the Garden when hee sweat water and blood when his soule was heavy even unto death and how much more harder it went with him when hee was upon the Crosse when he said My God my God why hast thou forsaken me That he that was in singular favour with God should be made the very marke of Gods wrath to light upon that he who was the worlds Redeemer should bee exposed to the obloquy and reproch of the whole world that he who was the Lord of heaven and earth should be now in the hands of the powers of darknesse wee should yearne in our very bowels and be much troubled in our inmost affections at the thoughts of these things Secondly we must be frequent in the use of the meanes in the hearing of the Word in the receiving of the Sacrament and prayer for by this meanes wee shall make this death of Christ our owne there God tenders unto us the death of Christ let us come thither with hearts desirous ready and willing to receive it and there we shall be sure to have it Let it be our reach in all these duties to have an eye upon the death of Iesus Christ seeking to have that soundly fixed and fastened upon us whatsoever we faile in else still let that above all other sticke most close to us Then againe wee must labour to worke the remembrance of Christs death into our affections this is the right memory of heavenly things when the heart affects them the heart will surely remember that which it doth much affect When I see any thing that causeth deepe affection within me either much sorrow or much joy or the like I will remember that soundly then let us labour to worke the remembrance of the death of Christ into our affections let it still worke love in us because Christ loved us to die for us and let it worke hatred in us against sinne because it was sinne that brought him to his death and let it worke sorrow in us that he should bee so cruelly murthered and put to death for us And let it worke rejoycing in us that wee for our parts by his death are saved and by his stripes are healed Let the death of Christ worke these affections in us and then it shall be our owne never to forget it Lastly let us put our selves to the power and the rule and the directions of it let us suffer our selves to be swayed by the death of Iesus Christ in all our courses let it beare rule with us the counsell that our Saviour gives in the like case Iohn 7.17 If any doe my will the same shall know my doctrine any Christian that labours to be well acquainted with any duty the best way to bee acquainted with it is to labour for the obedience to that duty so if wee would remember Christ his death then let us labour to submit our selves to the power and obedience of it Whatsoever we doe let us examine it whether it be agreeable to the death of Christ if it be not then to say with our selves wee will not doe it though we may gaine all the world by it these are the meanes whereby wee may attaine to the habit of this grace namely to the continuall remembring of the death of Christ Iesus a saving remembrance The other point is the benefits that hereby will arise unto us If wee remember continually the death of Christ in our hearts we shall have many and great blessings The first blessing is this By this means we shall have a Book alwayes ready in our bosome alwaies a book about us to teach us every Christian duty for the death of Iesus Christ is such a Booke that will instruct us in every duty that belongs unto us To give you an instance in two or three Would you learne humility and meeknesse looke into the death of Christ Philip 2.5 6. that shall be sufficient to teach you humility and meeknesse and obedience Would you learne patience the death of Christ is a book to teach you patience Heb. 12.1 2 3. Looke to the author and finisher of your faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the Crosse and despised the shame c. consider him therefore that yee faint not Would you learne love to the brethren Christ his death teacheth you this duty in the highest degree 1 Iohn 3.16 If Christ so loved us that he laid downe his life for us then how ought wee also to lay downe our lives for the brethren Lastly to deny our selves is a speciall lesson that all Christians are to learne this is effectually taught us by the death of Christ 1 Pet. 4.1 2. Christ hath suffered in the flesh that we should not live to our selves but to him and this is a lively teacher if the death of Iesus Christ be soundly layd up in thy heart it will both teach thee the duties to bee performed and also inable thee to performe them A second benefit is this thou shalt have wonderfull peace and unspeakable comfort from God by this meanes Our sinnes they accuse us our consciences they accuse us the devill hee accuseth us daily before the Lord O but if thou have a remembrance of the death of Christ in thy heart there is a Supersedeas for them all that pacifies and appeaseth them all and that is a generall release and acquittance from all that ever they can charge thee withall Thirdly we shall have much spirituall growth and increase by the word and the Sacrament and much spirituall growth if once our hearts be seasoned with the death of Christ What doth the word and the sacrament teach but the death of Christ that is the substance of them all Then if once the death of Christ be grafted in thy heart before Oh with what comfort and chearfulnesse and with what great profit shalt thou heare the word and receive the sacrament When our stomacke hath some liking to our meate and our meate hath some affinitie to our stomacke then there is a quicke digesture Why so if so bee our hearts be seasoned with the death of Christ why then
blood to put it selfe to such examination and tryall to such sifting and ransacking and rippings up and denying of our selves this is tedious but must we refuse to come to the sacrament of the Lords Supper for this tediousnesse No surely the old man must be trodden down under our feet scorned that God may have the honour of his owne ordinance many maysay so for hearing of the Word that it is a tedious thing to heare twice a day so also for prayer it is a tedious thing to pray twice day morning and evening so faith the Devill so saith the old man and the naturall corruption that is within us but must swallow downe all his hardnesse and the old man must be crucified and mortified if ever wee looke to bee saved and to come to heaven we must dispence with and wee must devoure many of those tediousnesses if ever we looke to have any portion in Christ tediousnesse must not fright us from that which God commands but if God command we must obey whatsoever flesh and blood alledge to the contrary Againe another exception is this if we come oft say they we shall degenerate into a kinde of formality and make it a matter of fashion I that comes from the carnality and hypocrisie of thy heart we cannot be conversant in any holy duty but in time we settle upon our lees and grow into a kinde of formality alas if we did consider our selves wee had need to be ript up daily and if we should put our selves daily to this duty we should be freer from this formality than those that use it so seldome Is this it that makes us doe it formally because we doe it oft No surely As in die matter of prayer because wee pray daily doe we therefore pray formally No. For if we doe it conscionably it will make us farre from formality for the frequent use of it brings us into that awe dread and reverence of Gods Majestie that it will make us call our wits together and ransacke every corner of our hearts that so wee may be fitted to come into the presence of God at all times Some other allegations they have but I will not now stand upon them The last Vse is this It teacheth all of us thankfulnesse to God that live here in this Land and in this place where through Gods mercy wee have opportunity and may have accesse to come to this Sacrament at least once a month to feast our selves and to make our selves merry with this spirituall food the body and blood of Christ it is a thing that if we had it not we would give all wee have to enjoy it and therefore having it let us make use of it and reverently esteeme of it and neglect no good opportunity to come to it if we knew the benefit of it wee would desire to receive it not onely once a month but every Sabbath yea every day if it were possible and the reason why we doe frequent it no oftner not thirst after it is because we know not the benefit nor sweetnesse of it Let us not lay any impediment to hinder us from it for none will serve the turne to be justifiable before God but those that God layes upon us I say we having just occasion and opportunity to come to the Lords Table being members of this Congregation without wee can give some good reason to the contrary for it is not enough to say I am not prepared nor I am not in charity these are no sufficient nor just occasions to hinder us were to sin grievously therein against God and against our owne soules The end of the fifteenth Lecture THE SIXTEENTH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER WE are now to proceed through Gods assistance because the next Sabbath is a Communion Sabbath in that very business that we have in hand 1. Cor. 11.26 For as often as you shall eat this bread and drink this cup ye shew forth the Lords death till he come You heard even now the division of this Scripture into two parts the former part shewes an action to bee performed the receiving of the Lords Supper the latter part prescribes a caution that this action is to be performed withall You shew forth the Lords death As oft as you eate this bread and drink this cup ye shew forth the Lords death till he come We have finished the former part that which is contained in the former words of the verse namely the action here to be performed We are now to proceed to handle the latter part namely the caution or the condition that this action is to be performed withall Ye shew the Lords death c. Wherein first we are to consider the caution or the condition it selfe that is the shewing forth of the Lords death Secondly we are to consider the frequenting or the often observing of this caution For though it be not said here you often shew forth the Lord death yet that is necessarily implyed for the word often used in the beginning of the verse is common to the latter part of the verse as well as to the former as if the Apostle should say As oft as you eate of this bread and drinke of this cup so oft you shew forth the Lords death Then here is lastly the continuance of it how long this caution or conditiō is to be observed surely so long as the world stands till Christ come to judgment As oft as you eate this bread and drinke this cup you shew the Lords death c. or shew ye the Lords death till he come First to begin w th the caution or cōdition it selfe you shew forth wherein first consider the matter that is to be remembred it is the Lords death Secondly you must consider the manner how it is to bee remembred by a shewing of it forth by a kinde of lively representing and expressing of it ye shew forth the Lords death till he come this is our remembring of Christ his death for Christ saith in the former verse Doe this in remembrance of me and Paul in this verse shewes how that is by shewing forth the Lords death till he come or by a lively expressing of it First therefore to begin with the matter that is to be remembred or shewed forth and that is the Lords death Wherein first when the Apostle here names death wee are to understand hereby these two things first the act of death in respect of Christ himselfe secondly the benefit of Christ his death in respect of us we must remember the Lords death that is the act of his death in respect of himselfe we must remember and shew forth his sufferings in his soule and in his body his agony his obedience his woundings his nayling to the Crosse his shedding of his blood his giving up the ghost Secondly withall we must understand by the death of Christ the benefit thereof arising unto us the forgivenesse of our sinnes the satisfaction
of our punishment our reconciling unto God the perfect and absolute redemption of our soules and bodies from that miserable and damnable estate that we were in this is the death of Christ and the right remembring of his death remember Christ dying the act of his death remember Christ dying the benefit of his death to us and this is the right remembring of Christ his death which is tendred unto us in the Sacrament of the Lord supper But yet withall when it is said remember his death we must not take it so as if therfore we shold neglect or forget the remembrance either of that which went before his death or of that which came after his death we must remember them also we must remēber that which went before his death as his birth his life his meannesse other parts of his humiliation also we must remember that which followed after his death namely his resurrection his ascension and other parts of his glorification for Christ is given wholly unto us in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and therefore we must receive him wholly for all the passages of our Saviour Christ before his death in his death and after his death they all make up together one and the same worke of our redemption and therefore all these passages must bee wrapt up together in one and the same apprehension of ours Wee must remember the death of Christ especially in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper but yet under the comprehension of the death of Christ wee must meditate upon those things that went before his death and those things that came after his death every thing in their kinde and in their place and order this we are to understand by the death of Christ Next it is faid here the Lords death By the Lord wee are to understand the Lord Iesus Christ who is Lord over all blessed for evermore Christ is the Lord by nature and being as the Father is Lord and the Holy Ghost Lord so also is Christ the Lord by nature and being But yet Christ is intituled to the name Lord by a kinde of excellencie and specialtie in regard of his office of Mediatorship wherby hee is Lord over all but especially Lord over his Church And wee must understand that our Saviour Christ is more usually called Lord at the time of his Death and Resurrection and afterwards then hee was before The Reason of it is this because howsoever our Saviour Christ was Lord alwayes and even in the dayes of his flesh did many wayes shew forth himselfe to be Lord yet notwithstanding at his death and afterwards he did then especially and most certainly prove himselfe to be the Lord and then hee did most manifestly shew and declare himselfe to be the Lord by doing that then which never any could doe but the Lord himselfe What the things are shall bee shewed God willing by and by The Lords death some may say this seemes to be a strange speech Here are but two words and yet they seeme to imply a flat contradiction one to another If hee be the Lord how could hee dye And if he dyed how could he be the Lord Could the Lord dye For answer hereunto wee must consider that our Saviour Christ consisteth of two natures God and Man he is perfectly God and Lord and withall hee is perfectly Man and by reason of the union of these two natures his Godhead and his Manhood in one and the same Person Christ there ariseth a certaine communion of the properties of both these natures whereby that which is proper unto Christ as hee is God is yet affirmed of him even as he is Man and whereby on the other side that which is proper unto Christ as he is man is affirmed of him as hee is God It is a deepe mystery of our faith and yet a necessary point to be knowne for without the knowledge of this wee cannot rightly know Christ I desire to make it plaine Christ I say is perfectly God or Lord and perfectly man and because that these two natures his Godhead and his manhood are so nearly united into one and the same person of the Sonne of God hence it comes to passe that there is a communication of properties that is to say those things that are proper to him as he is God are affirmed of him as hee is man and those things that are proper to him as he is man are affirmed of him as he is God To give an instance of the first those things as are proper to Christ as he is God are affirmed of him as he is man Iohn 3.13 For no man ascended up to heaven but he that hath descended from heaven even the Sonne of man which is in heaven Our Saviour Christ speakes it of himselfe even the Sonne of man that is in heaven when our Saviour Christ spake these words hee was upon the earth and not in heaven as he was man and yet there it is said the Sonne of man that is in heaven as though then hee were in heaven at that instant even as the Sonne of man How can these stand together he being man was on earth and yet in heaven at that instant The doubt is clearly answered thus Consider Christ consisting of two natures God and Man perfectly God and perfectly Man and then you shall finde by reason of this union in one person that well may the properties of the one be affirmed of the other Christ the Sonne of man is also the Son of God and as God so he was then and alwayes in heaven and because God and Man in Christ are but one person therefore Christ the Son of man is said then to be in heaven The Sonne of God was then in heaven Christ the Son of Man is the Sonne of God therefore Christ the Sonne of man was even then in heaven One thing must be observed for the right understanding of this mystery and that is this namely that those properties that belong to God are affirmed of Christ as he is man and so on the contrarie but we must understand it of the person of Christ and not of the natures of Christ that is to say for the person of Christ to speak of Christ in his person it is a true and a necessary rule the property of Christ as he is God is affirmed of him as he is man but in regard of the natures it is contrary that that which is proper to the nature of man is not to be affirmed of the nature of God to say that the Godhead dyes that is blasphemy but to say that the manhood dies that is true If Christ shold have said Ioh. 3.13 my manhood that in heaven that had beene an untrue speech for that was not then in heaven but that he in regard of his Godhead and the union of the two natures was in heaven that is a most true and holy speech The reason why we must put this difference is because