scattered our Saviour would not have them discouraged and therefore he saith Well bee of good comfort when I am gone I will pray to the Father and he shall give you another Comforter and bee shall dwell with you for ever though I be gone from you yet he shall not What Comforter is that why the Spirit of Truth that is in you and dwells in you and is among you and so hee proceedeth and saith I will not leave you comfortlesse that is Orphans or fatherlesse children though you poore soules thinke when I am gone you shall bee like childrē without a father yet be of good comfort I will not leave you comfortlesse I will provide you as good a father as my selfe I will send you the Spirit of truth to comfort you and hee shall doe you as much good as if I were present with you The Apostles and the Disciples of Christ when Christ was present here they had the Word and Sacraments and Christ his bodily presence with them the Churches after our Saviours time they had the same Word and Sacraments and though they had not his bodily presence yet they had the Spirit of Christ who was as willing and ready and as able to do as much for them as ever Christ did and therefore is not the estate of the Church as good now in every respect as before it was so it was then so it is now and so it shall continue to the worlds end Another duty that here we are instructed in is this it should stirre us up the more to thankesgiving that we should give thanks to God that hee hath ordained this comfortable meanes of our salvation stil to continue to the end of the world More generally it teacheth us that we should be thankfull to God for the whole Church living upon the face of the earth that they and we being respited to live in these last daies these perillous times as the Apostle calls them 2 Tim. 2.3 vers and these sinfull dayes as our Saviour foretold when iniquitie shall abound and the love of many shall waxe cold yet the Lord Iesus Christ hath beene pleased to afford us his owne saving ordinances the same helps and means to keepe us in the right way and to build us up to the Kingdome of God to us I say that live in this Iron age of the world that the Apostles had and did enjoy in the Golden age of Christ himselfe It is not the prophanation of this Sacrament by our forefathers nor the abuse of it by our selves It is not the cry of the sinnes of the world for this sixteene hundred yeares it is not any one of these nor all these that have or ever shall or can deprive the Church of God of this grace and mercy surely if it could long ere now bad this gracious light beene extinguished and taken from us but blessed be God that hath and daily doth stop his eares against the cryes of our sinnes and still though our sinnes cry for vengeance yet the Lord is pleased to continue these comfortable and saving ordinances unto us these heavenly helps of our salvation as Isaac said concerning Iacob Iacob have I blessed and he shall be blessed Such is Christ his resolution touching his Church the Church hath beene blessed and she shall be blessed it hath my Word and Sacraments and shall have my Word and Sacraments continued to them to the end of the world no prophane Esau shall ever get it from them Secondly and more particularly it should stir us up that live here in this Land in this City and in this congregation to more thankfulnesse that it hath pleased the Lord to admit us to be members of this Church and so to admit us to participate in this Sacrament we have it and we have free accesse unto it through Gods mercy and we have it duely observed among us and rightly administred unto us without any grosse corruption or any materiall change from our Saviours owne originall institution a blessing and a mercy that many of Gods people in many places of the world would purchase with the losse of all their goods and the hazard of their lives too if so they might procure it but blessed be God we have it and doe injoy it with much peace and with a full hand let us take notice of this great mercy of God to us and let us acknowledge this mercy of God and esteeme of it and that highly and let us give unto GOD the due honour and praise that belongs to him for the same The last duty that here we are instructed unto is this Is it so that God hath appointed this Sacramēt to continue to the end of the world why then every one of us should labour and doe the best we can to the uttermost of our power for the continuance of it and for the continuance of the rest of Gods saving ordinances to the worlds end and not to say onely Let there bee peace in our dayes and let the Gospell flourish in our daies let us have accesse to the sacrament while we live but to labour that the people of God that shall live in time to come to the end of the world may have them and injoy them as well as we But you will say we can but looke to it for our time how can wee doe it for the time to come I answer whilest we live here and while wee have these things let us highly esteeme of them and reverently embrace them and make a conscionable use of them This is one meanes whereby we shall procure men to love them and may procure from the Lord the continuance of these his ordinances to our posterity Secondly let us not onely so doe but labour to countenance these things to plead for them to fight for them and to strive for them to the utmost of our power Thirdly and not onely so but let us call upon others that live among us to come to the house of God and to make use of his saving ordinances Let us not be such graceless wretches as to suffer others to neglect such a gracious salvation as the Lord tenders unto them let us charge them that they charge their posterity to doe the like Fourthly we must yet goe further and walke worthy of them worthie of those saving ordinances of God if we have the light let us walke as children of the light if we have the Gospell let us walke worthy of the Gospell if we have the Word and Sacraments let us shew forth the fruit and power of them Revel 2.5 Repent and doe thy first workes or else I will come against thee and remove thy candlesticke I it is just with God to remove the candlesticke from a place if the people there doe not labour to walke worthy of their light and shew forth the power of it in their lives and conversations yet further we must not onely doe this but also as much as in us lyeth doe
risen c. Here you haue a great many of testimonies together God and Christ and the Angels Dauid and the Prophets Iohn Baptist and the Apostles and the Euangelists all ioyne together acknowledging him to be the Lord that is an absolute Lord it is an vsuall speech in the Apostles writings to call him The Lord Iesus or the Lord Iesus Christ and this title is so proper to him that whē the other Persons are spoken of together with him they oft-times are called by some other titles he by this 1 Cor. 8.6 For there is but one God which is the Father and one Lord Iesus Christ c. The Apostle calles the Father God and Iesus Christ Lord not but that Christ is God also and the Father is Lord but so it pleaseth the Holy Ghost to speake of them for causes best knowne to himselfe and so in the 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6. The same Spirit the same Lord God is the same c. and in Ephes 4.4 5 6. One Spirit one Lord one God and Father of all c. Now that none may thinke this to be a bare title onely it is sometimes giuen him with addition of diuers Royalties such as are peculiar onely to the Lord of Heauen and Earth as The Lord of Life Act. 3.15 The Lord of Power 2 Thes 3.16 The Lord of Glory 1 Cor. 2.8 Secondly He is such an absolute Lord as that he is Lord of Lords Reuel 19.16 and he hath vpon his Garments and vpon his Thigh a name written The King of Kings and Lord of Lords not onely as he being greater then they but also as they being at his command and whatsoeuer power and authoritie they haue they haue it from him Thirdly He is such a Lord as that he is the sole Ruler and Gouernor of the World 1 Cor. 15.27 For he hath put downe all things vnder his Feet Math. 28.18 And Iesus came and spake vnto them saying All power is giuen me in Heauen and Earth Lastly He is such a Lord as that he is specially the Lord and sole Gouernor of his Church and of the Faithfull for that is specially intended in the New Testament for as they are the speciall Iewels of the World so Christ Iesus who is Lord of all the World is by speciall relation the Lord ouer them Ephes 3.14 15. the Apostle in the fourteenth Verse hauing spoken of the Lord Iesus Christ in the fifteenth Verse he saith Of whom is named the whole Family in Heauen and Earth all the Faithfull receiue their denomination from him and therefore they challenge him by particular claime as their Lord 1 Cor. 16.23 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you and euerie one of them too as his Lord So did Dauid Psal 110.1 The Lord said vnto my Lord c. And so did Mary Magdalene Iohn 20.13 They haue taken away my Lord. And in Verse 28 so did Thomas My Lord and my God Nothing more frequent then this So you see the point is plainly proued by Scripture the Reasons are many Reas 1 First He is so in respect of his Being and Nature as he is the Sonne of God in the forme of God equall with God Phil. 2.6 He was God himselfe as the Scripture shewes and therefore he is truly and rightly the Lord of Lords if he had beene but the Sonne of God the reason would hold for if the Sonnes of Earthly Princes are Earthly Lords then the Sonne of God who is Lord of Heauen and Earth must needs be the Heauenly Lord the Lord of all Lords But in that it is said that he was in the forme of God equall with God it takes away all colour of exception and puts the matter out of all doubt that he is an absolute Lord. Reas 2 The second Reason is in respect of his Might whereby God hath manifested his Power Dominion and Maiestie visibly and sensibly to vs in the Person of Christ more then in any of the other Persons for howsoeuer God the Father is Lord and the Holy Ghost is Lord yet in God the Sonne the Lord hath visibly and sensibly manifested his power to vs more then in any of the other Persons and so he hath beene most plainly declared to bee the Lord 1 Cor. 15.47 Reas 3 Thirdly His workes proue him to be a Lord whatsoeuer belongs to a Lord that he hath done and he hath done that which none could doe but the Lord of Lords Who could haue done such Miracles as he did but the Lord onely And what belongs to a Lord to doe but to ouercome his Enemies and tryumph ouer them to rule and raigne ouer all as he will himselfe This the Lord Iesus Christ hath done he hath ouercome Death and destroyed him that had the power of Death that is the Diuell and tryumphed ouer Sinne and Hell and all the powers of Darkenesse vpon the Crosse and made his Enemies his Footstoole therefore he is an absolute Lord. His Resurrection Ascention sitting at the right hand of God his Father his quickning whom he will executing Iudgement by his power his sending downe of the Holy Ghost and returning to Iudgement at the last day to giue sentence on all Flesh All these are so many Cognisances and badges that Christ Iesus is the Lord of all Reas 4 Fourthly He is the Lord by the appointment and assignement of his Father Act. 2.36 God hath made him both Lord and Christ c. which is not to be vnderstood of his Nature but of his Lordly Office the Office of his Mediatorship and hence he hath a large Patent and an absolute authoritie giuen him Math. 28.18 All power is giuen me both in Heauen and Earth and in Iohn 5.22.27 The Father iudgeth no Man but hath committed all Iudgement to the Sonne and hath giuen him power to execute Iudgement in that he is the Sonne of Man And that which agrees most to this in hand is in Phil. 2.9 10 11. Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue euerie name that at the Name of Iesus euerie Knee should bow both of things in Heauen and things in Earth and things vnder the Earth and that euerie tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glorie of God the Father He obtained this Lordship by his Mediatorship and it is such a Lordship as all in Heauen and Earth and vnder the Earth doe acknowledge Reas 1 Now the particular Reasons why he is Lord specially of his Church are these two First because he redeemed them He bought the Church with his owne Blood Act. 20.28 The reason of the name Lord is this when any were taken Prisoners and Captiues he that redeemed and ransomed them was called their Lord and they were his Seruants We were Captiues vnto Sinne and Hell and Damnation and Christ he redeemed and ransomed vs and therefore he is our Lord and we are his Seruants Reas 2 Secondly because the Church is giuen by God
the Father to Christ by a peculiar donation Iohn 6.37 All that the Father giueth me shall come to me And Hebr. 2.13 Behold here am I and the Children which God hath giuen me And hence ariseth many relations betwixt Christ and his Church He is their God and they are his People He is their Head and they are his Members He is their Husband and they are his Spouse He their King and they his Subiects and he their Sauiour and they his Redeemed The Vses are these Vse 1 First this teacheth vs and doth sufficiently proue vnto vs that Christ is not meerely a Man but true and verie God and that not a pettie God as some Arians imagine as who should say He is God indeed but yet subordinate and inferiour to his Father But he is an absolute Lord euen as God the Father is Lord and whosoeuer doth not so acknowledge him shall haue no part in him The Iewes and the Turkes that doe in their kind verie religiously acknowledge and inuocate God the Father doe but deceiue themselues and dishonour God They shall neuer find grace and mercie with God the Father because they acknowledge not the Lord Iesus Christ The greater is Gods goodnesse to vs that hath not onely so reuealed him to vs but also perswaded vs to receiue him It is not a matter of course but the speciall working of the Holy Ghost but of Faith whereby we are thus perswaded 1 Cor. 12.3 No Man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost In word a Man may say as much but he cannot in deed and in truth he cannot come to be perswaded of it and to rest in that perswasion is onely from the Holy Ghost Vse 2 Secondly Is Christ Iesus the Lord specially of his Church Then he is to be reuerenced and worshipped as the Lord of his Church Mal. 1.6 If I be a Lord where is my feare Seeing Christ Iesus is the Lord we must feare him and worship him Psal 45.11 He is thy Lord and reuerence thou him it is spoken of Pharaohs Daughter that Solomon was her Lord and therefore she must worship him If this be true in the shaddow it is much more so in the substance For behold a greater then Solomon is here a greater Lord and therefore more necessarily and more reuerently to be worshipped Euerie one of vs should enlarge our Hearts to the furthest extent of reuerence and worship that possibly we can attaine vnto whensoeuer we doe but heare the name of the Lord Iesus it should strike a reuerence into our Hearts Doe not the Diuels tremble at the sight of the Lord Iesus Did not they worship him in the dayes of his Flesh Marke 5.6 7. How much more then when they behold his glorie And shall not we be stirred vp to worship the Lord Iesus as the Lord when we see the verie Diuels worship him All the Angels worship him Hebr. 1.6 Now we are more bound vnto him in respect of this verie title the Lord then they are He is their Lord as being their Creator Head Gouernour Preseruer but to vs he is more then all this He is the Lord our Redeemer which is the most proper and most beneficiall bond and this he neuer was to them therefore we are to worship him by dutie much more All Creatures worship him Phil. 2.10.11 At the Name of Iesus euerie Knee shall bow both of things in Heauen and things in Earth and things vnder the Earth and euerie tongue shall confesse that Iesus is the Lord c. Then let vs not stand like a dead Center in the midst like Stockes and stones without the sence of the Lordly power and authoritie of Christ Iesus we are to be quickned thereby to worship him when all the Creatures round about vs in Heauen and Earth doe bow and humble themselues with all feare and reuerence and seruice to his Maiestie There is nothing in our Sauiour but if it be beheld with a spirituall Eye it carries a Lord-like Maiestie in it deseruing and requiring the highest A worship Not onely his Transfiguration Miracles Resurrection Ascention and such other workes plainly declaring him to be the Lord but euen in his basest and meanest estate he was discerned and acknowledged to be the Lord. When he was in the Wombe Luke 1.43 44. Elizabeth acknowledged him to be so Whence commeth this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me c. And in the Cratch he was so acknowledged by the Angels and heauenly Souldiers Luke 2.11.13 And after that he was worshipped by the Wisemen as the Lord Math. 2.11 And vpon the Crosse euen then when he was in the greatest abasement when it was the houre and power of Darkenesse he spoyled Principalities and Powers and shewed himselfe to be the Lord and the Theefe hanging with him by the Eye of Faith discerned him to be the Lord and so worshipped him Luke 23.42 Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome Euen then when he was in the Enemies hands when they were taking away his life from him yet then was he the Lord and so shewed himselfe and was so acknowledged and worshipped called vpon Now as he is to be worshipped in all other cases so especially in the vse of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper when we come to be partakers of the Bread and Wine and by them of the Body and Blood of Christ we must be raysed vp to the consideration of his Lordly power and authoritie that thereby we may be stirred vp to worship him and honour him and to bow downe the Knees of our Hearts to him with all humblenesse and submission I say not that we should worship the Sacrament as the Papists nor Christen the Sacrament as some of the Lutherans but in the vse of the Sacrament as being the speciall memoriall of him and of his Death and as we worship him in hearing of the Word and his sauing Ordinances we must haue our Hearts to be lifted vp in the reuerent imbracing of these pledges of his loue and in thankes-giuing for the benefits of his Death and to be cast downe in detestation of our sinnes that hath brought this death vpon him Vse 3 The third Vse Is he the Lord Then we must beleeue in him Iohn 14.1 If ye beleeue in God beleeue in me also as who should say ye beleeue in God I being God beleeue also in me so Christ being Lord as the Father is is therefore to be beleeued in the vse is as naturall and the reason as effectuall here is the proper obiect for the Eye of our Faith to be fastned vpon his Lordly power and authoritie Christ-Man is to be beleeued in in some sort but Christ the Lord that is the true and right and proper obiect here is full hold and as it were a full handfull for the hand of our Faith to seize vpon We lay hold on him as Lord therefore all-sufficient to supply all out
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
stirred vp to a faithfull endeuour and vnfained labour and trauell with our owne Soules to be better fitted for the Lords Table that next time we come we may be better Guests and better well-come Amen The end of the second Lecture THE THIRD LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER YOV may see how it pleaseth God who disposes of all times and seasons according to his owne will as being wholly in his owne Hands that the renewing of this Exercise should fall out vpon this day the next Sabboth being a Communion Sabboth and therefore according to the method before propounded and hitherto obserued we are to breake forth into our digression againe now to spend our time and labour this Sabboths euening to fit our selues against the next Sabboth to the receiuing of the Communion You may remember we shewed that the whole Doctrine of the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord may be reduced vnto these sixe Heads First the names or titles of it Secondly the institution of it Thirdly the nature of it Fourthly the parts of it Fifthly the power of it And lastly the vse of it We haue entred vpon the names and titles of it we haue seene that some are common to the whole action and some are peculiar to the seuerall parts of the action Common to the whole action that it is called the Lords Supper or Lords Table that is the first title the Lords Table that is a borrowed speech by the Table is meant the Meat or the Drinke that is receiued at the Table it is called the Lords Supper and there is as much intended as at the Table eating and drinking but withall there is further included both a specification of the time wherein the Sacrament was instituted in the night at euening Meale or at Supper Secondly withall there is a specification of that speciall action that it was accompanied withall when it was first instituted namely at that Supper where our Sauiour Christ and his Disciples did eat the Paschall Lambe which was a Type and Figure of this Sacrament each of these are ascribed to the Lord the Lords Supper or the Lords Table wherein we shewed first that Christ Iesus is the Lord by a kind of excellency the onely sole Ruler Gouernour and Commander of all Secondly we shewed it is called a Supper a Table whence we gathered this point of Doctrine that the Sacrament is a spirituall Feast or Banket whereby our Soules are nourished to eternall life Now there is also to be handled a third obseruation concerning this first title for where the Lord himselfe doth giue names there is some deepe reach of wisedome and vnderstanding in them Men are but of shallow capacitie they cannot sound the full depth of things and therefore the names that are giuen by Men are but shallow and superficiall they are not much profitable nor much obseruable but the Lord that made and hath ordained all things he sees thoroughly into the verie ground and bottome of all things and therefore the names that are imposed by God himselfe as they are alwayes verie significant to expresse the nature of the things that they are giuen vnto so commonly they are verie pregnant and plentifull for instruction of the Sacrament that we are to speake of It is tearmed or called by God himselfe The Lords Table or The Lord Supper consider it well and you shall find to arise a third obseruation namely that the Sacrament which we call the Communion is by a speciall prerogatiue appropriated to the Lord Iesus Christ his Sacrament his Supper his Table the Lords Supper or the Lords Table In the former obseruation you heard what it is namely that it is called a Supper therefore a Banket In this obseruation now you heare whose it is the Lords Supper or the Lords Banket 1 Cor. 10.21 it is called there by the name of the Lords Table If you aske why it is the Lords The Apostle shewes it cleerely in the sixteenth Verse namely that it is Christs The Cup of Blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Bread which we breake 〈◊〉 it not the Communion of the Body of Christ It is his Cup whose Blood is communicated in it but Christ his Blood is thereby communicated to vs and therefore it is Christs It is his Table of whose Meat we feed vpon but it is Christ his Body that there we feed vpon therefore it is Christ his Table and that by a speciall prerogatiue 1 Cor. 11.20 there it is called by the name of the Lords Supper And the Apostle in the 23 Verse of the same Chapter presently after speaking of the verie same Supper he shewes who is the Lord namely Iesus Christ it is his Supper and by a speciall prerogatiue it is ascribed vnto him Our Sauiour himselfe affirmes as much with his owne Mouth Math. 26.26.28 where the same Sacrament is mentioned in regard of the institution of it Christ saith This is my Body and so the Cup he saith This is my Blood I haue a speciall interest into it I lay clayme to it as my right Christ challengeth it for his owne as if he should step forth and say This is my right and I challenge it as my owne by a speciall prerogatiue For the further opening of this point we will first speake of certaine respectiue considerations whereby this truth is cleared and amplyfied and then of certaine reasons whereby it is more fully confirmed First of certaine respectiue considerations whereby the truth of this obseruation is cleared and amplyfied First in regard of the Suppers of Men Men haue their Suppers but they are common and ordinarie Suppers but this is a heauenly and spirituall Supper the Supper of Iesus Christ Secondly in respect of other Suppers that Christ himselfe made indeed he made many Suppers while he liued here vpon the Earth but yet this is his by a kind of speciall prerogatiue and right not onely as being his last but the greatest Supper of greatest consequence he made both to himselfe and vs that is to say the Supper of the Lord was of greatest consequence to himselfe because presently that night he was to be betrayed and deliuered into the hands of sinners the next day on the morrow to suffer death and so also of greatest consequence to vs because it is most beneficiall to vs and we ought to mind it more then all Suppers besides A third respectiue consideration shall be in regard of those that supped together with him It is the Lords Supper yea but did not others suppe with him Yes the Disciples did And therefore why may it not be called their Supper I answer they were but the Guests he the Master and the prouider of the Supper they the Seruants and he the Lord though they were with him though they did partake of it yet it doth belong to the Lord by a speciall prerogatiue Last of all in respect of the other Persons
of the blessed Trinitie yet still it is his Supper the Supper of the Lord after a speciall prerogatiue But you will say was not the Father and the Holy Ghost present there and powerfull Yes they were in some sence but yet not by prerogatiue but it was Christs Supper onely by a kind of speciall prerogatiue though the Father and the Holy Ghost were there present and powerfull yet notwithstanding they were not incarnate it was Christ alone that was incarnate and tooke our Flesh vpon him and did bodily feed vpon it and therefore not the Supper of the Father or of the Holy Ghost but his by a kind of excellencie Besides in the ordinarie vse of the Sacrament the Father and the Holy Ghost they are present and powerfull to all sauing purposes as well as the Sonne yet still Christ hath the prerogatiue in this case for whatsoeuer the Father doth in this Supper of the Lord we must conceiue he doth it by Christ as his Committee whatsoeuer the Holy Ghost doth in making this Supper comfortable to vs he doth it from Christ as from him being his Deputie so that in effect it is Christ that is all in all it is he to whom this Supper by a speciall prerogatiue doth belong These are the considerations whereby the truth of this obseruation is cleerely amplyfied Now we will come to the Reasons whereby it is more fully proued why is this the Lords Supper by a speciall prerogatiue belonging to our Lord Iesus Christ rather then to any other Person Reas 1 The Reasons are many First because Christ is the Author and Instituter of it therefore it is his Math. 26.26.28 Luke 22.19 where the institution of it was done by Christ himselfe by his owne Person by his owne Hand and by his owne Mouth So also 1 Cor. 11.24 25. it is done by Christ looke where the institution of it is first mentioned wheresoeuer it is repeated still it is attributed to Christ he is the Author and Institutor of this Sacrament We know that if so be a Man be the Author of any thing he may iustly challenge it as his owne so Christ being the Institutor of this Sacrament we may say and that iustly that it is his by a speciall prerogatiue The Lord that made Heauen and Earth cannot make a more right clayme and title to the whole frame of the World then Christ Iesus to the Lords Supper because he made it ordained it and instituted it Reas 2 As our Sauiour is the Institutor of it so he was the Administer of it he administred it he did it with his owne Hand for so it is in all the places before noted where the Institution is mentioned there is the administration of it ascribed to him The Gospell that Paul ministred is called Pauls Gospell 2 Tim. 2.8 so the Baptisme ministred by Iohn is called Iohns Baptisme Math. 21.25 though it came not from him but from Heauen so seeing that this Sacrament was administred first by Christ therefore it may iustly be called his Sacrament The Reason holds good because our Sauiour Christ was not onely the Administer of this Sacrament as Paul was of the Gospell nor onely the first Administer of it as Iohn of the Baptisme but the first Institutor of it too and therefore with a full force and right it fals vpon Christ to be his Beloued it is worth the noting that whereas there are but two Sacraments in the New Testament and each of them are his he carried himselfe diuersly towards them the one he receiued and neuer administred the other he administred and neuer receiued Baptisme he did receiue that is cleere Math. 3.16 Iesus was baptised but he neuer administred it Iohn 4.2 He baptised none But he administred the Supper as all the Euangelists agree vpon it but he receiued it not Indeed and in truth the maine end of the Lords Supper was the remembrance of Christ and therefore it was needlesse that Christ should receiue it Now this must not be thought to be any disparagement either to the one Sacrament or to the other to the one that he did not receiue or to the other that he did not administer it is a sufficient honour to each of them and sufficient warrant for their institution and that both are his that he receiued the one and administred the other Reas 3 The third Reason why it is Christs Supper by a speciall prerogatiue is this Because he is the Pay-master it is he that layes the Cloath and prouides the Meat and the Drinke it is his cost and his charge for so our Sauiour himselfe saith This is my Body this is my Blood c. we know this amongst Men that he that is the Master of the Feast the Feast is his Reason teacheth this this is mine I pay for it So Christ may reason much more the Sacrament is mine I haue payd deerely for it it hath cost me deerely euen the precious Blood of mine owne Heart that I might make you this Feast And therefore great reason it should be his by a speciall prerogatiue Reas 4 The fourth Reason The Fare is his not onely as paying for it but the verie Dyet there that we feed vpon is his it is his Body and his Blood it is the verie Body and Blood of Christ it is he himselfe that is both giuen and receiued in it and therefore he hath a speciall right to it well may it be called his because he feasteth vs with his Body and Blood Reas 5 Lastly It was instituted at the beginning and to be vsed in the ordinarie participation of it in the remembrance of our Lord Christ Iesus so saith the Euangelists Math. 26. speaking of the Bread saith Doe this in remembrance of me Luke 22. and so 1 Cor. 11.24 25. where he applyeth that clause to both kinds that is both to the Bread and to the Wine So then the Holy Ghost being the best expounder of himselfe though Christ speake it but of one yet he entended it of both So then it is said to be done in remembrance of the Lord Iesus Christ He is the speciall Marke that we must ayme at Doe this in remembrance of me therefore he hath a speciall prerogatiue and he may lay speciall claime to it If any Friend should leaue a Booke or a Ring with vs we must take some speciall notice of the right he hath to them in respect of himselfe So seeing it pleaseth Christ to leaue this Sacrament for a chiefe remembrance therefore remember some liuely representation of Christ in this Sacrament that so we may be stirred vp more specially to remember Christ Vse 1 The Vses are many First as it should serue to stirre vs vp to a reuerent estimation and embraceing of this heauenly Sacrament so consequently to a carefull preparation to the receiuing of it We know that all Gods businesses specially Gods worship is to be clone with all feare and trembling Psal 2.11 Serue the Lord in feare and
not all to be partakers of this benefit this precious Treasure Remission of sins is not euerie Mans portion it is not euerie Man that can reach forth his Hand and take it at this owne pleasure but it is restrained to some certaine sort of Men as we may say Though the Lord be exceeding bountifull and free of his sauing Grace that he imparts it to many yet he is not prodigall and lauish of it to expose it to all not euerie one that liues after the Death of Christ shall be saued by his Death nor euerie one that knowes of the shedding of Christ Blood shall haue the benefit of it no nor euerie one that us perswaded that the Blood of Christ is auaileable for the taking away of sinne shall haue remission of sinnes by it nay I add further that not euerie one that comes to partake of this Sacrament which Christ saith Is his Blood of the New Testament shed for many for the Remission of sinnes shall be made partakers of the benefit and comfort of this Sacrament many of these shall all shall not it is restrained to some certaine kind of People and that is to Beleeuers on whom God bestowes the Grace of Faith they and none but they are partakers of this benefit we must not thinke that the Hand of God is shorthed that he cannot saue all Men nor we must not thinke but that the Blood of Christ is in it owne worthinesse and power as sufficient for one as for another for all as for few if Christ had so intended it and God so accepted it but this restraint is chiefely to be ascribed to the Decree and purpose of God who forgiues and saues whom he will and consequently to the Grace of Faith which God freely bestowes on all those that receiue it sauingly these and none but these are the Many here spoken of according to that in the 1 Iohn 12. As many as receiued him to them be gaue power to be the Sons of God euen to them that beleeue in his Name How comes it to passe that some beleeue and some doe not It must be ascribed to the Decree of God Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued The second exception is of inlargement though it be restrained to some yet it is to no small some there is many of them it is spoken and to be vnderstood respectiuely First of the Disciples for howsoeuer they onely were present at this Action and to them onely these words and mysteries were then deliuered and howsoeuer Luke reports Luke 22.19 20. that it is a thing appropriated to them Which is shed for you and howsoeuer it did belong to them by a speciall Prerogatiue as well because they were the first that euer did partake of these Mysteries in that kind as also because they were to be the Publishers and Ministers of this Grace to others yet it is not so restrayned to them but that it is intended and inlarged to many others as who should say Which is shed for you and for many more as well as you Secondly it is to be vnderstood respectiuely of the whole Nation of the Iewes It is true that it is said Saluation is of the Iewes Ioh. 4.22 and Christ himselfe was a Iew borne and he himselfe saith He is not sent but to the lost Sheepe of the House of Israel Math. 15.24 Therefore Himselfe his Saluation Word Sacraments and all his sauing Ordinances were first to be tendred to them as their proper right and yet not so proper to them but that at the second hand they were to be tendred to many more besides them euen to many of all sorts of People in the World according to that in Math. 8.11 Many shall come from the East and west and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of Heauen So then this indefinite number giues intimation of an expresse difference betwixt this New Testament here mentioned and the Old Testament whereto this is opposed that Testament was made with the Iewes onely for howsoeuer some Gentiles were then saued as Iob and others yet that was extraordinarie but this New Testament is made with the Gentiles also so that hereby the Gentiles are saued as ordinarily as the Iewes without any difference So then it is not inlarged to all but confined to some neither is it confined to a few but inlarged to many not to the Disciples onely but to the Iewes and not to the Iewes onely but to the Gentiles and to many of the Gentiles of all Nations This is the reach of this particular Now because this last point is of greatest moment in it selfe and principally intended in the Text we will further insist vpon it by way of obseruation Take it thus Doct. 1 The New Testament or the Couenant of Grace sealed by the Blood of Iesus Christ is not scantled to any one People or State or sort of Men as the former Testament was but is common to many euen to the whole Many of the World to all sorts whatsoeuer that doe receiue it First It was so promised by God Secondly It was so fore-told by the Prophets Thirdly It was performed by our Sauiour Fourthly It was so witnessed by the Apostles First It was so promised by God Gen. 12.3 I will also blesse them that blesse thee and curse them than curse thee and in thee shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed Here God makes a Couenant with Abraham and it was this verie Couenant of Grace as the Apostle shews Gal. 3.8 where he calles it expresly The Gospel for the Couenant of the Law was not then in being till 430 yeeres after as we may see in Verse 17 and this Couenant was then effectually sealed by the Blood of Christ though not actually till Christ came in the Flesh What is the tenor of this Couenant That in him all the Families of the Earth shall be blessed All farre or neere ciuill or barbarous Iew or Gentile But that is spoken to Abraham what is that to Christ Yes for it is not spoken of the person of Abraham but of the Seed of Abraham Gen. 22.18 In thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed And who is that Seed It is Christ saith the Apostle Gal. 3.16 The Apostle Peter Acts 3.25 expounds the Couenant so and applyes it to the Iewes And the Apostle Paul Gal. 3.8 14.16 expounds the verie same Couenant so to and applies it to the Gentiles Now all the Nations of the Earth are either Iewes or Gentiles so that it is not restrained to one Nation but inlarged generally to the whole Many of the World Secondly It was so prophesied Esay 40.5 And the Glorie of the Lord shall be reuealed and all Flesh shall see it together What is the Glorie of the Lord It is the Saluation of God Luke 3.6 All Flesh shall see the Saluation of God And what is this Saluation of God It is Christ
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
Christ hath but one person his manhood hath his subsistence in the person of the Sonne of God so that Christ both God and Man is but one person but the natures that is to say his Godhead and his manhood are still distinct and severall things notwithstanding the union of the person Now on the other side that which is likewise proper to Christ as he is man the same is affirmed of him as he is God As for example Luke 1.35 That which shall be borne of thee shall be called the Son of God That Christ should be borne of the blessed Virgin in respect of his Godhead is blasphemy to imagine but because Christ in respect of his manhood was borne of the blessed Virgin and the same Christ man was also Christ the Son of God therefore by reason of this neare union of the two natures in one and the same person of the Son of God it is truly said that Christ the Son of God was borne of the blessed Virgin Acts 20.28 there it is said that God purchased his Church by his owne blood if a man should speake this of himselfe it might seeme blasphemie but God spake it and therefore it is true it is spoken of Christ for it is he alone that hath purchased it and it is a proper thing to purchase it as he was man but not as he was God for man hath blood God hath none yet notwithstanding by reason of the union of these two natures it is said that God purchased his Church by his blood because the same Christ that is man is also God and therefore truly may it be said God hath purchased it c. So here the Lords death saith the Text that Christ dyed this is a proper thing belonging to him as he was man but as he is Christ the Lord it is not so proper yet it is affirmed to be the Lords death that is by reason of the neare union of these two natures and therefore that which is proper to Christ as he is man is affirmed of him as he is God this is a deepe mystery and yet notwithstanding it may reasonably well bee conceived of us it agrees with the whole current of the Scripture and therefore we must hold it as an undoubted truth the matter being thus cleare concerning the Lords death let us come to the Doctrines that hence arise for our instruction the death of the Lord the doctrine hence to be observed is this Doctr. 1 That howsoever Christ Iesus was shamefully crucified and put to a most ignominious and cruell death upon the Crosse as ever any man could be put unto yet notwithstanding even in that state of his death he was then the Lord and still shewed himselfe to be the Lord even the glorious Lord of heaven and earth The doctrine containes two branches and each of them is to be proved severally The one is that Christ was the Lord in his death and the other is that Christ shewed himselfe to bee Lord in his death This I take to be the reach of the Text that he was the Lord in his death Acts 2.36 Let all the house of Israell now know for a surety that God hath made him both Lord and Christ this Iesus I say whom ye have crucified Marke it he speakes there of Christ in regard of his death This Iesus whom ye have crucified and in that state he calls him Lord God hath made him Lord even this Iesus whom ye have crucified so that Christ was Lord even when hee was crucified See how the Apostle layes these termes together the Lord and Christ and Iesus Some man may say It may be he was the Lord before his death but not in his death or else after his death but the Apostle shewes that he was Lord even in his death so long as hee was Christ and Iesus so long he was Lord but he was Iesus and Christ in his death and therefore he was Lord in his death Acts 3.15 God hath glorified his Sonne Iesus whom ye betrayed and denyed ye have killed the Lord of life whom God hath raised from the dead He speakes there of Christ in the state of his death he calls him the Sonne of God that is to say hee was the Lord when he was betrayed when hee was denyed and when he was killed yet he was the Lord still in all that meane estate When they had him in their bloody clutches yet still he was the Lord when they killed him yet still he was the Lord of life Ye have killed the Lord of life saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.8 Which none of the Princes of this world have knowne for had they knowne him they would not have crucified the Lord of glory Mark the Text saith they have crucified the Lord of glory though they knew him not to bee the Lord of glory yet God knew it that he was the Lord of glory whom they crucified hee called him the Lord of glory even when he was crucified Marke it glory and shame are most directly contrary one to another even as the East is to the West or Heaven to Hell to be crucified is the greatest shame that ever can befall man to be the Lord of glory is the highest and the greatest degree of glory that ever can be conceived of God Christ being crucified was the Lord of glory even in that low and base and meane estate in that shamefull state of his still hee was the Lord the glorious Lord of heaven and earth and so he shewed himselfe to be the Lord of glory which is the next point and the other branch of the observation and now to be proved For proofe of that look into Phil. 2.6 7 8. there the Apostle tells us that Christ whilest he was of no reputation whilest he was in the form of a servant whilest he humbled himselfe to the death of the Crosse all this while he was equall with God hee was the Lord all this while even in all the time of his crucifying In the ninth tenth and eleventh verses there you shall see he shewed himselfe to bee the Lord of glory wherefore the Lord hath given him a name above all names that at the name of Iesus should every knee bow both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and that every tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord unto the glory of God the Father As Christ was the Lord when he was crucified so hee shewed himselfe to bee the Lord when he was crucified for then was that done by Christ in regard of his obedience by which and for which hee did obtaine a name above all names and he did justly deserve to bee acknowledged a Lord of all Lords a glorious Lord that at the name of him should every knee bow and every tongue should confesse that he is the Lordunto the glory of God the Father So that Christ did doe that upon the Crosse whereby hee shewed himselfe
to be Lord. Rom. 1.4 there it is said that Christ was declared mightily to be the Sonne of God He speakes there of our Saviour Christ and calls him the Sonne of God that is to say the Lord. He saith He was declared mightily to be Sonne of God and how I pray you By the spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead Now this you must understand that the power whereby Christ raised himselfe from death was in him whilest he was in the state of death and whilest Christ lay in the grave then was this power in him to raise up himselfe now by this power hee shewed himselfe to be the Sonne of God to bee the Lord and it is a mighty declaration of him to be the Sonne of God and therefore Christ declared himselfe mightily to be the Lord even in the state of his death Luke 23.42 the Thiefe he gives testimony to this truth our Saviour being upon the Crosse he saith O Lord remember mee when thou commest into thy kingdome Those that crucified him did not see nor take notice that hee was the Lord but the poore Thiefe did see him to be the Lord and did know that hee was the Lord and he beleeved in him and called upon him as the Lord wee never reade that ever he did know before that he was the Lord nothing brought him to know Christ to be the Lord but that which he discerned in him upon the Crosse So the Centurion in Matth. 27.44 the Text saith that the Centurion and others that saw those fearfull things that came to passe at the death of Christ Of a truth say they this man was the Sonne of God The Centurion for ought we know did never know nor take notice that this man was the Sonne of God till he came to behold his death but when he came to behold him on the Crosse by the eye of Faith he saw such evident signes of him to be the Lord that hee perswaded himselfe and takes his oath of it and saith Of a truth this man is the Son of God howsoever it is that they killed him yet of a truth this was the Sonne of God In the 51. and 52. verses those fearfull accidents that are mentioned there as the veile renting the Rockes cleaving asunder the graves opening and many of the bodies of the Saints that slept arose what did all this shew but that Christ did clearly manifest himselfe and prove himselfe to bee the Lord even in his death that the dead and insensible creatures were sensible of it the earth the stones and graves discerned it and the bodies of the Saints that were dead discerned it and did acknowledge it in their kinde What a fearfull upbraiding to the Iewes was this that either they did not see Christ to be the Lord or would not see him nor acknowledge him when the very stones and other insensible creatures were sensible of it So then you see the Doctrine is clearly proved by Scripture that Christ Iesus howsoever he was shamefully crucified and put to a most cruell and ignominious death as ever any man could be putunto yet notwithstanding even in that state of his death he was the Lord and shewed himselfe to be the Lord the glorious Lord of heaven and earth The Reasons of the Doctrine are these Reason 1 The first is this Hee was the Lord and shewed himselfe to be the Lord over his Church The first Reason I say is drawne from his Church Christ Iesus in his death was Lord over his Church and so shewed himselfe to be for then indeed by his death he did purchase and redeeme his Church he bought his Church then the faithfull were his owne by actuall redemption You know that those things which a man purchases and buyes at a deare rate and gives for them as much as they are worth they are his owne by a true title If so be that any man do redeem a man out of the gallies he is truly his Lord in the right kind of owning and the other is his servant Christ when he was upon the crosse then did he purchase and buy his Church by his blood and then therein he shewed himselfe in a most right sense to bee the Lord of his Church then were they his owne by actuall redemption and this is that which the Saints did acknowledge Revel 5.9 Oh worthy art thou to take the Booke and to open the seale thereof and why is he worthy more than any other Because thou wast killed and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood and therefore thou hast a true interest into us and thou art surely our Lord and worthy art thou so to bee acknowledged And our Saviour gives some intimation of it in the 18. of Iohn If I were lifted up from the earth saith our Saviour I would draw all men unto me What is meant by lifting up that is to say his crucifying If I were crucified I would draw all men after me The reach of the place is this That Christ by his crucifying and his death drawes all men and gathers all his Church to himselfe he purchases them and makes them his owne by redemption that he may be acknowledged their Lord and they his people and servants and surely as Christ did gather all beleevers from the beginning of the world by the power of his word and death and blessed Spirit so specially in the actuall performance of his suffering then chiefly did he draw all men unto him for then his Lordship after a speciall manner was advanced and the territories of his kingdome were much inlarged and now no longer was it to be bound and to be contained within the borders of Iudea but to have dominion from sea to sea unto the worlds end Oh what a mighty Lord did he shew himselfe to be even in his death Reason 2 Secondly as he was Lord over the Church so he was and so hee shewed himselfe to be even a Lord over his enemies What is the greatest honour of a Lord or whereby doth a man come to be most justly and rightly called Lord but by subduing his enemies under him Psal 110. The Lord said unto my Lord sit at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstoole Here is a true and a right Lord when he can subdue and trample his enemies under his feet Christ being upon the crosse in his death then indeed did he especially vanquish and trample his enemies under his feet Satan and all his instruments Then he tooke them downe to their greatest shame to their irrecoverable losse and utter ruine for ever See how the Apostle speakes of it Coloss 2.15 Hee hath spoyled Principalities and Powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed over them in the Crosse What bee the enemies that our Saviour Christ hath why they are Principalities and Powers he hath vanquished them all the Devill and his Angells not onely as a man would say petty Devills but
Belzebub himselfe Principalities and Powers and if there be any stronger and mightier and greater than the rest Christ hath subdued them all And how hath hee subdued them He hath spoiled them saith the Text he hath subdued them even as a man should take away all that a man hath so Christ he hath spoyled these Principalities and Powers he hath taken away their weapons their forces and power from them yea and their hearts too in some sort they know they shall never overcome Gods children He hath spoiled Principalities and Powers and made shew of them openly It is speech that is drawn from a Conqueror and hath beene in warre and gotten the victory and comming into the Citie hee brings thofe that hee hath taken captives with him and he rides in great jollity up and downe as who should say these are my captives that I have overcome so hath Christ spoiled Principalities and Powers and made shew of them openly and triumphed over them saith the Text he hath gotten himselfe agreat victory Christ did not onely overcome them but hee triumphed over them that is to say he trode them under foot as a base thing never able to rise up againe But where how and when and by what meanes was all this done Why upon the Crosse saith the Text So then Christ shewed himselfe to be a Lord in his death upon the crosse Consider the state of the businesse as then it was consider Satan and all the powers of darknesse they were then in the greatest hope that could bee as they thought when they had once gotten Christ upon the cross the greatest possibility that ever they had against him On the other side Christ was in the most unlikeliest condition to overcome and to deliver us and most likeliest to have beene overcome and to be made a prey unto them Consider againe in the next place the Devill and his instruments were in the height of their malicious pride and power as Christ saith Now is the very houre and power of darknesse and Christ on the otherside he was in the deepest of his insirmitie forsaken of God in his apprehension forsaken of all the world made a prey to his enemies no way to acquit himselfe or to raise up himselfe his soule being heavie euen to the death consider these things I say they being in this faire hope and upon the top of their pride and Christ in the deepest of his misery now that Christ should free himselfe from them all so that not a bone of him was broken nor a haire off his head did perish and not onely so that he should so acquit himselfe from the Devill but should acquit all Gods children and that this hee should doe to the utter breaking of the power of Satan for all those that have true right and interest into the death of Christ oh what a glorious Lord did Christ shew himselfe to bee when hee was upon the Crosse there he did breake the Serpents head Iudges 16.12 13. when the Philistimes had gotten Samson and had him in their power that they could doe with him what they list and had plucked out his eyes and insulted over him in that miserable desolation now were the Princes of the Philistims in their greatest jollity the servant of God at least for that businesse he was the servant of God what doth he in this case He said unto the servant that led him by the hand Lead mee that I may touch the pillars that the house standeth upon and that I may leane to them and after his prayer he bowed himselfe with all his might saith the Text and the house fell upon them all and so they were slaine and he killed more at his death than in all his life So Christ hee was in the hands of Satan and his instruments and they had him upon the crosse they mocked and scoffed at him and did unto him as they would but then he bowed himselfe upon the Crosse and yeelded up the ghost and brought destruction upon them all and those that he slew at the houre of his death were infinitly more than those whom he overthrew all his life time Reason 3 The third Reason is in respect of death it selfe death we know is the commander of every creature that it hath any power over no creature could ever overcome it Christ overcame death by death therfore he was the Lord no creature that is subject to death can rid himselfe from death but Christ hee by death overcame death and therefore he is the Lord of death Act. 2.24 marke what the Text saith He loosed the sorrowes of death because it was unpossible that he should be holden of death There is no creature in the world that is subject to death that can possibly bee rid of death but Christ being subject to death cannot be held of death and therefore he was Lord even in his death Heb. 2.14 Christ through death hath overcome him that had the power of death that is the Devill Hosea 13.14 O death I will bee thy death 1 Cor. 15.54 Oh death where is thy sting Mark the triumphing of Christ upon the crosse by his death that he suffered upon the crosse hee overcame Death none can overcome Death but the Lord of Life Death and Deaths sting that is sin Death and Deaths master that is the Devill Christ hath overcome them all together upon the crosse and triumphed over them through the power of his humiliation Reason 4 The fourth Reason as it was so that Christ was the Lord and Christ shewed himselfe to be the Lord in his death upon the crosse so we will adde one reason to prove the necessity of it that it must be so namely because of his office he must be the head of the Church hee must be our Mediator and Redeemer and that in his very death therefore he must be the Lord. It is true that there be some things that he was to performe as he was man and belonged to him as he was a Redeemer but yet there were some things belonging to him as Redeemer that could not be performed but as he was the Lord of heaven and earth it was part of our Saviours office as hee was Mediator to reveale the will of the Lord unto us who knowes the will of the Lord but the Lord himselfe It was part of our Saviours office to forgive sinnes who can forgive sinnes but God alone It is a part of his office to redeeme us and deliver us out of the power of damnation except he had beene the Lord he could not have done it who can redeeme us but the Lord to deliver himselfe out of that great extremity that he was in was more than the worke of a man but if hee could have rid himselfe as being a man of extraordinary grace and strength to passe thorough such pikes as never any other man could yet he could not have beene our Redeemer by delivering himselfe to deliver us without he
should wee love the glorious Lord of heaven and earth seeing the Lord of heaven and earth hath so loved us as to dye for us Also it teacheth us patience seeing Christ the Lord hath dyed for us therefore we must not thinke much to suffer temptation and affliction yea death it selfe Christ the Lord hath gone through these before and therefore no doubt but he will bring us through the like with joy and with comfort Christ the Lord hath dyed for us this will breed and worke faith and boldnesse in us we may be bold to hazard our soules upon Christ knowing that our salvation is sure and firme it is the Lord that hath wrought it by his death and it is not all the Devills in hell can disanull that salvation which the Lord hath wrought for us Againe it ministers matter of rejoycing that we doe not onely beleeve in Christ crucified but we rejoyce in Christ crucified Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should rejoyce but in the crosse unto me and I unto the world this Crosse I oppose against all my feares afflictions and temptations and persecutions against all that ever can come I am crucified to the world and the world to me because the Lord hath dyed for me Lastly this is a matter of excellent comfort to Gods children for hereby we may discerne the infinite worthinesse of the death of Christ and the infinite preciousnesse of his death Why was the death of Christ so precious why because it was the death of Christ the Lord not the death of Christ as he was man but of Christ the Lord of life and glorie When wee consider that so many thousand shall be saved wee thinke with our selves how shall these bee saved why the infinite blood of the Lord is sufficient for us al this death being the Lords death it must needs be of force and power and vertue and merit to procure mercy and grace and forgivenesse of sinnes to all those that have a true faith and doe earnestly endeavour and desire to be conformable to this death of Christ The end of the sixteenth Lecture THE SEVENTEENTH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER NOw wee are to proceed as God shall inable us in the handling of the 26. verse of the 11. chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians because this afternoones exercise we must spend in the matter of preparation against the next Sabbath for the receiving of the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.26 For as often as ye shall eate this bread and drink this cup ye shew forth the Lords death till hee come We divided this Scripture as you may remember into these two parts first an action to bee performed in the former part of the verse namely the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper set forth here by the name of eating this bread and drinking this cup. Secondly the caution that this action is to bee performed withall that we have in the latter part of the verse ye shew forth the Lords death till he come In this caution in the latter part of the verse we observed the caution it selfe namely to shew forth the Lords death secondly the often using or the often observing of this caution For though that be not here expressed yet it is to be supplyed out of the former part of the verse and is in common understanding to be read thus As often as ye shall eat this bread and drinke this cup so often yee shew forth the Lords death till he come Thirdly and lastly here is the continuance of it how long this is to continue why till the end of the world till the day of Iudgement till the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ ye shew forth the Lords death till he come In the caution first we observed the matter that is to be remembred that is the Lords death then secondly we told you here wee must consider of the manner of the remembring of it how must it be remembred by a shewing forth by a lively and a kinde of sensible expressing of it yee shew forth the Lords death till he come Concerning the matter to bee remembred namely the Lords death there wee shewed you first what is meant by the death of the Lord namely both the act of his death in respect of himselfe and likewise the benefit of his death in respect of us for that also must be remembred in the receiving of the Sacrament Then when as it is said here it is the Lords death I shewed you that howsoever Christ as he was Lord could not dye yet notwithstanding the death that Christ did suffer is rightly called the death of the Lord because Christ being man was also God and Lord yet by reason of the union of both these natures in one and the same person therefore that which is proper to Christ as he is man is rightly affirmed of him as being God and Lord. And thence we drew this observation in that it is here called the Lords death namely that howsoever Christ Iesus was cruelly and shamefully crucified and put to a most cruel and ignominious death upon the Crosse as ever any man could bee put unto yet notwithstanding even in that state of his death he was the Lord and shewed himself to be the glorious Lord of heaven and earth It followes now that we are to goe on Wee have spoken hitherto touching the Lords death as it is considered absolutely in it selfe we are yet further to speake of the Lords death by way of application or by way of reference of it to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for so you see here the Apostle speakes of it respectively unto this Supper As often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shew forth the Lords death till he come where by it is plaine that looke what the Apostle speakes here concerning the Lords death the same is confined expressety to the reference of the Lords death to the Lords Supper we must alwayes remember the death of the Lord Christ Iesus every one of us that looke to have any part or to have any benefit by it must remember it at all times but yet when as we come to communicate in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper then there is required of us a more speciall meditation thereof than generally at other times Again even in the participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we must meditate upon whole Christ Christ borne Christ living Christ dying Christ buried Christ risen againe for Christ was given wholly for us upon the Crosse and Christ is given wholly unto us in the Lords Supper and therfore there we must receive Christ wholly and meditate upon whole Christ I but yet in this case when wee come to receive the Sacrament then wee must more meditate and our hearts and our mindes must more runne upon the death of Christ than upon any thing else that ever Christ did or suffered for us it is the death
dayes that shall be that which is last established there is nothing comes after that these being the last dayes the Word and Sacraments are established in the time of the Gospell being the last change about the passages of the Church that ever shall come they shall never be altered but they shall continue to the end of the world Reason 4 A fourth reason is drawne from the necessity of the Church so long as the Church of God lives here upon earth wee have need of the helpe of this Sacrament to relieve our infirmities and our imperfections and to put us in mind of the death of Christ as the Scripture sheweth us plainly it doth not stand with the goodnesse of the Lord Iesus Christ to suffer his Church to lacke any thing that it standeth in such speciall need of for such a speciall duty therefore surely our Saviour will never suffer his Church to be destitute hereof but it shall continue with the Church for ever It is partly the Apostles reason 1 Cor. 13.9 10. in generall We know but in part we prophesie but in part but when that which is perfect is come then shall that which is imperfect be done away our knowledge now is imperfect all our graces are imperfect indeed if we could attaine to any perfection in this life then happely this sacrament might be taken from us but there is no perfection to be attained unto but so long as here wee live so long we shall continue in need of this helpe and therefore this helpe must be continued unto us so long as we live here In the 12. verse of that chapter Now saith he we behold in a mirrour or through a glasse darkly but then we shall behold face to face It is true indeed when perfection comes wee shall see perfectly we need no glasse but now so long as the Church is upon the face of the earth wee had need to looke upon Christ in a glasse Is not the sacrament a glasse wherein wee may behold Christ seeing then the Church still needeth such a glasse it doth not stand with the wisedome of Christ to suffer it to want any needfull helpe therefore during all the time of this our imperfection that is so long as we live here this Sacrament must continue Reason 5 A fist reason may be drawne from the vnity of the faith of the Church GOD hath but one Church all the faithfull from Christs first comming to his second comming they are but one flocke they have all but one and the same faith and they must all have the same Sacraments to be continued to them the whole reason is fetched from the Apostle in Ephes 4.5 where hee saith There is one Lord one faith one baptisme if the faith must continue one and the same then the Sacraments must continue one and the same one and the same faith must continue to the end of the world therefore one and the same Sacraments must continue to the worlds end Reason 6 The last reason is drawne from the vnchangeablenesse and from the absolute authority of the ordainer which is Iesus Christ himselfe Christ is the Lord of his Church he hath ordained this Sacrament and therefore it must be duely observed to the end of the world man must not alter that which God hath done the servant must not presume to controule that which the Lord and Master hath done and therefore none is to lay hands upon this Sacrament either to take it away to adde to it or to detract from it but duely to observe it as Christ himselfe hath established it and as none must alter that which God hath done so none can establish a better Sacrament then this is nay none can establish the like but Iesus Christ himselfe that which Christ will do in this case he hath done already and he is unchangeable he will not take away this and ordaine another and therfore this Sacrament is a perpetuall Sacrament of Christ to be observed by all the faithfull to the end of the world The uses of the doctrine are these Vse 1 The first use of this doctrine is this this serves for matter of reproofe first for those that doe neglect the use and the conscionable observation of this holy Sacrament a grievous fault among us either we come not at all or wee come very seldome or at least we doe net come with that care and that conscience to observe this commandement without spot and unrebukable to observe this holy ordināce of God with that zeale that devotion that God hath required at our hands Great is the negligence of many Ministers and many people in this case but neither of them shall be excused but if the blinde lead the blinde both shall fall into the ditch if the Minister beare with the negligence of the people if the people will beare with the negligence of the Minister and so this saving ordinance of Christ be not put in practice as it ought surely both shall be in danger of the horrible indignation of the Lord what a horrible indignity is this to God that hee shall be preparing his Table and calling us to this Table and providing a great many sweet dainties for us a matter that concernes us as much as our soules are worth and yet wee to turne our backes upon this Table as who should say we will have none of this how can the Lord take this at our hands In Luke 14.24 the King made a feast and sent forth his servants to call those that were bidden and they began to make excuses one said I have bought a farme and he must goe and see it another had bought five yoake of oxen and hee must goe proove them and another made an excuse that he had maried a wife and therefore he could not come what saith the great King in this case Well goe forth call in the poore those that lye under the hedges for I tell you that never a one of those that were bidden shall taste of my Supper Is it so have I so graciously provided for them and invited them and are they so carelesse in comming Well I will be eaven with thē I tell you that never a one of these shall hereafter taste of this Supper It would be as fearful a found as ever sounded in our eares if God should tell us by a voyce from heaven Well seeing you have neglected this saving ordinance of mine seeing ye have refused to come to this Supper of mine ye shall never be partakers of it in time to come and therefore take heed of this and let every one labour to reforme one and amend this negligence and let us hereafter come with zeale and true devotion come with godly desires and affections truly indeavouring to honour God in the use of his owne saving ordinance in that kinde as he hath institute it Secondly here is matter of reproofe for those that doe any manner of way alter any thing in the
of Hosts Who stands up to maintaine the cause of the common good but every man is for his owne good nay who is it that is sincerely earnest for the saving of his own soule We know that the word of God is scarce in many places in all places it is little set by Christian fellowship is banisht from amongst us the Sacraments much abused publike prayers condemned of some contemned of others and by some turned into meere babling The field of this land hath beene plentifully sowne with the seed of Gods word but where are the fruits Thistles and thornes and weeds great store sinnes and corruptions and oathes without number ignorance prophanenesse oathes blasphemies oppressions deceit and all manner of evill reignes and rules amongst us but good fruits are verie few or none at all every one of you knows this to be too true if you were asked in your consciences you would acknowledge and say as much your selves Then marvell not beloved that the Lord is incenst with anger against this Land marvell not that so many judgments are inflicted on us marvell not that such great floods of waters doe now make havocke of the commodities of the earth the corne and the grasse marvell not at this but rather marvel that the Lord shews not forth his wrath upon us to the utmost and that he that hath most justly drowned our grasse and corn with floods of waters hath not also poured forth the floods of his everlasting wrath and drowned us soules and bodies in hell There is just cause for all this for the Lord hath made choice of this Land as his owne Vineyard as it is in Esay 5. and hath planted it with the best plants and hath digged it c. and looked for grapes that is godly and religious duties but we have brought forth wilde grapes sinnes and rebellions and abominations of all sorts but no pleasing fruits unto God To come nearer this City professeth as well as any City in the world I may safely speake it none professeth a more holy and sound Religion nor would seeme to be more forward in it but where is the life and practice of Religion Is it in our Churches there indeed it should bee but is it there wee tender indeed oft-times our bodies there when our mindes are abroad on the world or here set upon some present vanity Is it then in our houses the hard dealing of masters to their servants the nice education of children in wantonnesse and idlenesse without Gods feare and without any ordinary calling too too common through this whole City and the children of our greatest Citizens rue it daily and our neglect of private catechizing and prayer witnesseth against us that it is not in our houses If it bee not in Gods house nor in our owne houses is it then in our shops and ware-houses indeed there it is most needfull but there it is least used Lying and swearing and deceiving and over-reaching is there more gainfull to us and therefore are the more practised Is it then in the streets no they are very stages of naughtiness and vanity A thousand baites are there to allure our eyes and eares to some evill or other not one to goodnesse religious practices dare not shew their heads in our streets If we looke into the City it is bad if into the Suburbs it is worse if we look into our selves or wives or our children or our dyet specially into our apparell all these testifie against us that we practise nothing lesse than the Religion wee professe I said before no City in the world goes farther in profession than this City I say now No professing Citie in the world is of lesse or worse practice than this is professing Cities said I nay those that never profest Religion Sodome and Gomorrah we may compare with them the pride and fulnesse of bread and idlenesse and abominable filthinesse and uncleannesse of this City cryes out in every corner for fire and brimstone to be poured downe from heaven upon us To come nearer to our selves looke into our owne Parish and Congregation I cannot but grieve and am ashamed that by my weake labours and the labours of so many my good Brethren and assistants so long continued in this place so few are brought to be duly conversant in religious duties One is given to the world another to his pleasure another to drinking another to pettishnesse another envies at his brothers prosperity another is selfe-willed another is a swearer another a prophaner of the Sabbath another thinkes much of an houre or two spent in Gods service on the Lords day all of us professe Religion yet this is our irreligious practice some of you happely make some conscience of the duties of the first Table hearing praying and some other parts of Gods worship but are not so conscionable of the second Table either you neglect your ordinary calling or are unjust in your dealing an exception too common and too just against many great professors On the other side some are carefull of the duties of the second Table they are just in their dealing and will wrong no man wittingly and so thinke that is Religion enough to be saved by Oh my brethren you are deceived on both sides it is true that both these kinde of duties be good but so as they be both practised together 1 John 3.23 This is Gods commandement that we beleeve in his Sonne and love one another where all the duties of the first Table are commanded under the name of faith and the second under the name of love God commands both and we must practise both Thou that art carefull in the duties of Gods worship if thou be not withall carefull in good duties towards thy selfe and men thy faith shall never save thee On the other side thou that art carefull of good duties towards thy selfe and men if thou be not withall carefull of the duties that belong to God thy love shall never save thee Second Vse It serves for tryall it will bring every one of us to the true touchstone whereby we may prove our profession to bee sound and good we all professe Gods holy religion if our hearts and lives be able to speake for us that wee be duely conversant in the practice of holy and religious duties we may boldly conclude that we are true and sound professors but if our practice be naught this our profession is nothing worth to us our Saviour himselfe sets the matter before us in those very termes Matth. 7.24.28 If we heare Gods Word and doe it we build upon a rocke and whatsoever comes we shall surely be saved but if we heare and doe not we build but upon the sand we are foolish builders wee and our building shall fall and our fall shall be great even downe to hell And the like touchstone doth the Apostle bring us to Ephes 4.21 to 24. Many learne Christ but none learne Christ as the truth is in Iesus