cleere to expresse the more darke were yet as darke to them as the things themselves What way should be found to beate in instruction into such dullards Bray a foole in a mortar yet shall not his folly depart from him Prov 27 22. Secondly Simplicitie Question Why the Elements so triviall The latter is the simplicitie of materials in the Sacrament A question may be asked why the Lord should appoint so homely triviall and common Elements As we see water in Baptsme is a common thing bread and wine usuall ordinary creatures nothing in them strange farre off precious or solemne to the sence Why rather chose hee not to describe the price of those graces offered in the Sacraments by some rare and costly objects Answer This indeede sounds best to our superstitious and fantasticall hearts as to Naaman when he heard of Iordans waters by by 2 King 5 11. the better waters of Abana and Pharphar were presented by carnall reason But as God had another purpose to him in the healing of him by waters he meant not to magnifie the one above the other but rather to magnifie his power and grace above them both so heere More distinctly these two maine causes may be assigned for the meannes of the Elements 1. The generalnesse 2. The safetie of them For the first water First For the generality bread and wine are Elements generally to be come by and provided with ease Rare is that country that wants them now it was meet that the most geneall materials be appointed for Sacraments least else the preciousnesse and difficulty of getting them should either hinder the use at least frequently for many congregations are so brutish at this day that they shun oft communions for the matter of charge or else give occasion to the curiosity of men to devise diversities of supplies and so to bring in a confusion But the Elements being so generall that scarce any country is to be found that wants them and if some odde ones should yet the use of rootes serving for their bread is the more pardonable this danger is prevented The 2. and more chiefe is prevention of carnall worship Secondly safenesse that the Ordinance may be preserved more safe and entire from sensualitie and pompe If the Lord had appointed a feast of pompe and state costly junkets rich attires of Priests to usher and serve in some rare costly cates either naturall or artificiall as at this day the Papists boast of their brave Sacraments and rich setting them forth with embroydered attires Exod. 32.3 sumptuous Canopies Pixes Processions and Pageants lo all the glory of spirituall Sacraments would turne into outward pompe and ostentation as we see Ahaz more solicitous of the state of his Altar which he offered upon 2 King 16 10. than the substance of worship and sacrifice No sooner was poore Moses gone out of sight but the Israelites must have a Calfe of gold to looke upon to offer unto to feast and play and dance before it this pleased their Idolatrous humor well And even just so it well pleaseth the carnall humor of Papists to have such places of worship so painted embellished such materials in this worship as might amuze their fleshly eyes and sences eate up their spirit and inner man checke the life and savor of faith and please a lazie and sensuall heart with shewes and shaddowes that they may depart as wise as they came Contrarily the Lord strives to provoke us to serve him spiritually and therfore setteth meane objects before our sence to the end we may know that there is some further object there for us to looke at than the bare Elements That so by how much this feast comes short of mens banquets by so much the more the heart might not rest upon outward receiving but seeke a supply of outward by inward and spirituall dainties not seene and seeke the things that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Even as a father seeing his child proud of fine clothes Col. 3 2. make him a sute of sackin or leather to take downe over-great delight in himself so heere to crack the pride of carnality the Lord clothes his Sacraments meanly and so puls up the heart to himself It s noted Luk. 22.19 Luke 22 19. That after Supper Christ tooke the Cup c. And why Surely that the body being already ful might the lesse look after nourishment remembring a far greater work was in hand Vse 1 The use is to condemne all Popish carnall serving of God for as much as those things which to men are glorious are base to him Heathens shall rise up in judgement against such who by that little glimpse of a God a farre off could say What good doth gold or pompe do in a Church If God be a spirit give him a sound heart a righteous life and then small pompe may serve great sacrificing dishes of plate are not necessary I speak not against comely decencie in the worship of God who is as truly a God of Order as one that loathes carnal bravery Vse 2 Secondly the very basenesse and poverty of the Elements should raise us up to a spirituall view of the use they serve for and cause us to beware that wee cleave not to them They tell us State and Pompe is not in us Wee onely serve to convey your hearts to God wee dare not filch away from God the glory of his intention onely by our proprietie and separation for holy ends and Sacramentall relation wee would raise the soule upward and carrie it within the veile to behold the Treasure of Christ in the fruits of his bloud-shed Therefore even as Peter being hungry yet dwelt not in the Kitchin but in his Chamber was rapt up in such a trance as presented him a sheete full of Gods provision bidding him Arise and eate Act. 10 10.11 so should our soules be farre from dwelling upon the creatures and arise and eate Gods Provision with an heavenly heart by faith Behold the Sheet of God let downe from heaven in which Christs delicates and feast upon the hills Esay 25. is offered to us discerne these a farre off Luk. 17.37 as an Eagle would doe a Carkasse and ceaze upon this prey lie not like a Dorre in the dunghill onely resting in the Elements which alone are beggerly rudiments but the body is Christ Col. 2 17. We use to say and answer Minister and people Lift up your hearts Wee lift them up to the Lord Oh! that as wee have spoken well so there were such an heart in us That as wee see all things in the Sacrament drawing us from a carnall religion and all externall pompe as farre off as our base Trades and businesse of the world so wee might be ashamed to have our spirits taken up in them while heaven is offered to us From the matter of Sacraments Thirdly their forme wee come
Act of taking note 1 Take that it stands in relation to a gift offered in the Sacrament And the gift is Christ and his benefits 2 Things in it Now to take them is to doe these two things First to concurre with the giver in the offer of this nourishment Secondly 1 Concurrence to apply and make it our gaine for the purpose which it serves for The former of these hath two branches according to the nature of the offer made in the Sacrament the former is concurrence of consent the latter of obedience in both stands faith That this may bee conceived marke that the Lord offers this gift either by promise or by charge The former is the ground of the latter and therefore the soule concurres with him in both duely consents to his promise without cavilling obeyes his charge without rebelling takes by both Partly in consent in 6 partice Touching the former first let it appeare how God offers and promises Christ Sacramentall and then it will easily appeare how freely faith consents The promise is conceived thus This is my body that is given for you This is the new Testament and the cup of it in my blood shed for you In this conceive these sixe especialls which in a short view to see will both revive and profit the Reader breefely 1. 1 The excellency of the offer The excellencie of the gift 2. The fulnesse 3. The aptnesse 4. The propriety 5. The graciousnesse 6 The manner of exhibiting and these will shew how faith consents First the Lord saith This is my body and blood that is my nourishment meate indeed drinke indeede not earthly fading mortall but heavenly eternall hee which eates it shall hunger no more he who drinketh it shall thirst no more it s the Lord Iesus from heaven heavenly What saith faith I consent Lord the reason is strong I take thee Secondly the fulnesse 2 The fulnesse of it This my food is no scant and halfe diet it s my flesh and my blood that is my selfe in my Satisfaction and Efficacie and my whole selfe no part excepted the whole Diamond unbroken and with my selfe all that I can afford all my graces to nourish the whole soule in each part for each defect for full encrease not a particular gift to the mind as knowledge or to the heart as patience but all Christ and all his grace for the perfecting of the whole man in his measure What saith faith She consents its royall Oh Lord I yeeld and take it 3. The Aptnesse of it Thirdly the aptnesse The Lord offers thee not meate and drinke which thou art uncapable of as if whole loaves or flagons should be offered thee too heavie and grosse for thy receiving But its apt prepared for thee meat layd unto thee in morsells in a cup a meet draught for thee a body given and broken A cup of the new Testament in my blood What saith faith I consent Lord I doe take it as prepared for mee Fourthly propriety 4. The propciety of it The Lord addeth It s given for you shed for you for you in person and for your wants and uses in especiall So broken and shed as if no other but you were regarded in it yea though given for the sinnes of the world yet specially for you and your nourishment What saith faith She consents Lord I leave not my portion for another to take I take my owne my selfe Fifthly graciousnesse Lord it s a Nourishment given 5. The graciousnesse of it Offered to you what is freer than gift It s not urged extorted by force on your part although if yee went from sea to sea to get it it were cheape on the price but freely and of mine owne accord given when it could not be expected with a most plaine beteaming heart meaning as I speake not to deceive nor defraud What doth faith Lord farre be it from me to warpe from thy meaning I enquire no further I consent and take it Lastly the manner of exhibiting it 6. The manner of exhibition I offer it thee under signes of bread and wine the staffe of life and cheere of the spirits It is no other nourishment than I offred thee in my Promise That offered me as thy pardon peace and strength so doth my Supper The manner of exhibiting is diverse but my offer is one and the nourishment is the same onely heere I offer it in a more familiar and apt manner to releeve thy infidelity let not that which I offer thee for the better in the more effectuall manner proove for the worser and be weaker in efficacy What saith faith She answers Thy way is best I consent I take it in the way thou offerest it Thus wee see how faith concurs with the promise and consents to it Vpon the Promise depends the charge For marke The 2. Act Obedience of faith the Lord addes Take it therefore eate and drinke it Why because it s so qualified for thee and so necessary that thou canst not take it but thou shalt prosper and be happy thou canst not refuse it but thou must needs pine and perish Therefore I who by promise have thus drawne thee doe also by my Authority Command thee I know many thinges as excellent and weighty as they are yet are not esteemed because they are unknowne Therefore I who know them better than thou doe require and charge thee upon thy Allegiance Take eate and drinke this my body and blood that thou mayest prosper and fare well What doth faith She obeyes the command and saith I doe so Lord I take them as thou commandest I concurre with thy command as with thy promise Thus wee see the first worke of faith to concurre with the offer of Christ her nourishment Thus much for that The use of it ere we come to the second is threefold first The Vses 1. of distinction or difference betweene a true Taker of the Sacrament and a false a beleeving one and an unbeleeving It s worth our noting because every foole will be prating and say he hath taken the Sacrament to day Oh its high holiday with him His garments are all white But oh foole what taking is thine Onely of the Elements onely the worke wrought If this will commend thee to God for a true taker it s well else all is lost But oh wretch Thou art a taker indeed but a Theefe thou takest that which is none of thine by sacriledge Thou takest not by concurrence with a promise Thou neither consentest to that nor obeyest the charge thou runnest not with God but out-runnest him preventest him and snatchest his nourishment from him as a dogge which hee hath given onely to children And this I will proove Thou hast neither a consenting eye of faith to see what the Lord gives thee nor yet a consenting heart to be affected with it nor yet a consenting hand to receive it more than sense convinceth thee
not for the fruit Vse all these in their kindes but enjoy these and in so doing ye have the perfection which nothing else can and these doe affoord to the soule But heere yee will say is the difficulty I answer I will point briefely at two or three branches of direction and so conclude Directions for it three The first delight in God Psal 37. The first is this Delight in the Lord for this perfection of soule-content which he offers in his Christ The perfection of love is joy let him have perfect delight of thy heart for his perfect nourishment If David said well Delight in the Lord and he shall give thee thy hearts desire how much more then set thy heart upon him when he hath already done it that hee may doe it more Vse the Ordinances of Word of Prayer yea of this Sacramentall Christ our nourishment as a stirrop to get up into this full safe pure and durable object of delight in the Lord his Christ and Spirit who when all these poore helpes which serve to proppe up a Pilgrims travell as so many baiting-places till he get home shall faile yet shall be the eternall delight of the soule in glory Beginne this complacence and well apaiednesse of heart heere and if it be hard pray to God to give thee a judicious heart to understand the weight and worth of the things and to delight groundedly in those things which are best approved of God to deserve it As if a Iueller assure thee of the value of a pearle he neede say no more And pray also that all thy affections may follow love joy feare to forgoe it sorrow if weakened and all the rest as in a Gentlemans house let the Master welcome a stranger and all the servants will striue to doe the like Beseech him that his Spirit of comfort by faith may not only shew thee the good things he hath given thee 1 Cor. 2 12. 1 Cor. 2 12. but shed a lively sweetnesse and joy in them into thee so that as the Vine said Iudg. 9 11 13. Thou wilt not forsake this thy fatnesse and sweetnesse for any thing Beseech him to purge thy conscience from all creeping defilements of thy selfe world Satan or crosses which might dampe it and so raise up thy soule by them above all this earth which might eclipse it If it be an heaven upon earth now and then to beleeve a promise to savor a Truth to receive a Sacrament to be in good company to resist a lust to revive a grace what should he be who is all these and whereby should the heart be sooner raised up to him than by that which makes all this good cheere the Sacrament of the body and bloud of the Lord Iesus Oh! maintaine no melancholy distrust against this But as Hanna 1 Sam. 1. 1 Sam. 1 1â— when she had heard Eli was quite another and wept no more so be thou Peninna still was a chokepeare and so shall there never cease some thing or other to correct thy content but yet Peninna now was no more thought of Remember if food and gladnesse alway go together as Act. 14.17 Act. 14 17. How shalt thou hold up thy face before the Lord of this feast if thy sad heart poison it Secondly 2 Maintaine communion with him adde thiâ—â—s maintaine this Communion with God daily As the influente of Christ in the Sacrament is a speciall peece of our communion with God so when wee are gone it should make us fond to hold it that wee might bee as it were drunk with the wine of his cellars and the pleasures of his house That so wee may keepe a communion with him daily from Sabbath to Sabbath and be alway breaking bread and receaving as those disciples at Ierusalem who attended the comming of the Holy-Ghost David was so ravisht with that hee felt in the house of God that he saith had I but one thing of God this it should be Psal 27. That I might behold his face in the beauty of his Temple and holinesse and yet he might never come into the Priests Sanctuary much lesse rhe Holy of Holies to see the merciseat and the Arke under it covered with glorious Cherubins which wee may doe daily This is to spend our whole life in Gods House Psal 23. ult Psal 23 6. Not to be never out of it which old Anna her selfe could not but to retaine that savor of immortalitie and hope of eternall life which the communion of Saints in the world and Sacraments doth breed in the soule Oh the smell of these spices in the garden which the North-winde of the Spirit doth afford to our nostriles Cant. 4 16. Cant. 4 16. should so perfume us as all other fellowship should stinke unto us as no douht Peter his nets did and all the world when he was with Christ and Moses and Elias upon the Mount and would have built three Tabernacles Math. 17 4. and said It is good to be there As those brutish ones longed When will the Sabbaths be gone and the new Moones be past meaning those feasts of continuance for weekes so shouldst thou long for them When will they come And with David Psal 84. Psal 84.3 Oh my heart fainteth and my feete long for to goe to thy Temple How rare are such in these dayes in which though our cups and vessels be of silver and gold yet our receivers are wood and stone for the most part and such as savor not this bread of life and food of Angels How should we be afraid lest this Idoll of forme eate up all as those leane Kine in Gen. 41 18. Gen. 41.18.16 20. and lanke eares devoured the fat and full ones Where is hee who so comes to the Sacrament as loth to leave it and to goe into the aire of the world againe I â—â—mmend not the excesse of these old Monkes who forsooke the course of the world for to live alway in holy services But this I say few such there are who doe so much as hold any savor of this communion of Christ Sacramentall a few dayes after Oh! then such as have found this hoord of grace in the Supper keepe it daily also that it may attend ye fortie dayes till the Mount of God Directions for it Therefore let our daily course hold this communion But how may some say I will adde one or two words of direction First in the due exercise and quickning of the graces of the Spirit within us both the life of faith in all estates blessings and crosses in all meanes ordinary and extraordinary in their season as well as the Supper all having their particular use also in all duties of both Tables and the fruits of this faith I meane the graces of hope love to the Saints the partners with us in this communion Psal 16 2. Psal 16 2. and patience humilitie courage thankfulnesse and the rest of
starting holes but set too our seale that he meanes no lesse than his words import for his Sonnes sake that he will be our God and forgive us Now there is weight in the promise alone sufficient to overpeize our infidelity But such is the basenesse of spirit in us being disabled by our fall that neither can our feeblenesse reach it or remember and represent it to us in due sort and much lesse our guilty slavish and treacherous hearts which muse as they use and thinke God like themselves to hate them whom they have hurt can beleeve it Heere the Lord not content with the bare offer and Covenant of grace in Christ rather than he would leave any who is not wilfully an enemy and hating reconciliation unconvinced of his unfeignednesse of meaning to doe as he speakes What the Sacraments doe assure condescends so low as to stoope to our weake forgetfull and base hearts and therefore comes as the author to the Hebrewes speakes cap. 6 17.18 Heb. 6 17 18f to joyne an oath to his Covenant That by two things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation in our taking refuge upon pursuit of our conscience Satan or any enemies Now what is the oath of God in the Ghospell Surely no other save his seales that is his Sacraments which I take to bee no small cause why the Fathers devised the Name of a Sacrament that is an oath This oath or seale call it as you will must be that uttermost security which the Lord can or will reach us forth in his Gospell to take away our distrust and slavery That as among men in the greatest Controversies an oath is beyond all expectation able to decide the doubt so in this matter of Gods open and hearty meaning in his covenant if the soule question it he desires that his oath might put an end to our unbeleefe The Lord to speake with reverence taking a kinde of corporall oath in the Sacrament I take these Sacramentall Elements united to the Crucified flesh of my Sonne to witnesse that as surely as nothing can sever from the one a cleansing feeding cherishing quality to the bodyes of the creatures to whom my word hath so appointed them so nothing shall separate the quickning comforting and refreshing quality of my Sonnes satisfaction that is my love and grace from the soules of them whom I have ordained it unto I swere and vow my Sonne is theirs as truely as the bread they eate and the wine they drinke Let us then collect out of this that hath beene sayd a threefold end of Sacraments 1. To be Glasses 2. Memorialls 3. Pledges and that of best assurance if oath seale be sufficient of the true meaning of God to the Soule in bidding it be reconciled The last of these three is the cheefe Three ends of them yet there is use of the former two Of which seeing partly I have spoken and partly shall speake therefore heere the lesse Touching the first then that Sacraments are as Glasses to the Soule I spake before in that point of the matter of Sacraments 1. To bee sses noting that the Lord chuseth things of most ordinary familiarnesse to helpe the feeblenesse and carnality of our minds And in the like respect the Lord hath given them to this end that they might be looking glasses that as in them each part of the face may bee cleerely discerned so in this mirror of the Sacrament for that of Paul is as proper to the Sacrament as to the promise 2 Cor. 3. ult 2 Cor. 3. vlt. that with open face we behold the Lord we may fullyer discerne the very letters of the covenant which before seemed dim Spectacles we see are of use to cause a weake eye to see clearely by multiplying and inlarging the character or object And the perspective glasse will so extend the object a farre off that a man may perceive a two or three miles distant a little cottage under a darke wood side with all the proportion of it not a doore wall or window of it excepted Even so is it heere The Sacraments are glasses yea perspectives which discover to the dim eye of the soule all that fulnesse of Christ which the only promise could not yeâ— its as a picture at large shewing the soule all the dimensions of mercy of Christ his length depth height and breadth which is as Paul calls it the fulnesse of God That as the Prophet speakes of the writing which should be written in great letters that he that runnes might read it so heere 2. Memorialls Habak 2.2 For the 2. Memorialls of Christ I shall more fully handle afterward when I shew the duty of the Communicants behaviour in the act of receiving Heere this may be sufficient to signifie that as Monuments Marble Pillars with engraven characters serve to bring to the memory the lively impression of things fallen out or done time out of minde so the Sacraments serve to be memorials to our forgetfull mindes to make lively and fresh the memory and impression of the Lord Iesus crucified together with the power of his death and satisfaction So that no injury of time weakenesse of memory or craft of Sathan might ever be able to weare out the print of such a divine gift and favour as much worth as the salvation of mankind See at large in the place quoted 3. Pledges or seales But thirdly and chiefely I adde for pledges and seales of security to the soule doubtfull about the meaning of the COvenant The other two make way in the minde for this but this is the last and finall end of Sacraments in Gods ordination To adde a word or two to that I have said of it the Lord by his Seales seekes the uttermost securitie of the staggering soule in his true and faithfull meaning to save and sustaine it here during the kingdome of grace These Seales he appoints frequently to be offered and received that as the weake soule finds her selfe to stand in need so shee drinking at these brookes might lift up her head Illustration To make my meaning more plaine we see among men for sundry causes it is meet one secure the other of his faithfulnesse If men be suspected for restoring what they borrow wee see they are faine to lay in a pledge with the lender to secure him of his owne When Abraham sent his servant upon a weightie errand far off Gen. 24.24 2 3 he caused his servant to put his hand under his thigh and bound him with oath to deale behind his backe as if he were in his presence So God doe and more if thou faile of ought which lies upon thy trust and fidelity Even so doth the Lord abase himself to us in Sacraments seemes to yeeld to our infidelity as if it were excusable and to make himselfe obnoxious to us who is free and bound to none hee is content to cleere
to be so and blessed him Do thou so and prosper Vse 4 Lastly by all this blessing of the Minister in the Name of the Lord Iesus wee meete with no step of Popish Consecration neither in point of their five blessing words nor yet of inherent holinesse put into the Sacrament thereby Touching the first wee see no warrant for the Masse Priests inchanting the Elements by his whispering the five words over them for lo the Consecration was ended ere any of those five words were pronounced and therefore not those words but Blessing and Prayer to God in the vertue of his first institution and the promise made thereto doe sanctifie the Elements Which words of Prayer and Blessing our Saviour did not as a Sorcerous Priest murmour over the Bread and Wine but openly and clearely uttered them to his Father in the hearing of the Disciples for their edification The dumbe Elements have no eares to heare such a voice but are meere patients in the Sacrament And therefore wee abhorre that Popish turning of the Priest from the people to the signes as a base inchanting ceremony fitter to worke a blind and carnall devotion in a superstitious heart than a sensible reverence and holy confidence of a beleeving soule For the latter observe that our Saviour begges for no inherent holinesse to be put into the Signes save onely a conveying instrumentall holinesse that the Lord would vouchsafe to use them to the ends of a Sacrament that is to make dumbe seely creatures incapable of any reall grace to carrie reall holinesse into the soules and spirits of beleevers onely capable thereof Much lesse then did he either by these or those five as they misreckon Transubstantiate them into his body When God blessed the Sabboth day and hallowed it Did hee infuse holinesse into the day Are dayes garments vessels houses capable of inherent holinesse No it s enough they attend holy things and ought therefore decently to be kept otherwise neither are they holy inherently nor yet actions and things therefore holy because there done but because they are so in their nature and institution I hasten to the latter branch of his thanks Thankes Thankes is the second branch of Christs blessing And so of the Ministes act in the consecration of the Sacrament Wee have to note that thus it was in other blessings Why joyned with Prayer When Salomon dedicated the Temple one branch of it was solemne thanksgiving to God that had ratified his word and promise 1 King 8 24. enabled Solomon to perfect the temple and made good that which he had spoken The ascent of thanks is so great a glorifying of God that cōmonly it becomes a rich descent of blessing And when prayer is offered to God without thanks it s no signe that the soule fastens upon God for the granting of those things which have bin desired But our Saviour here having had a commission from his Father to ordaine the Sacrament takes it for granted that hee was heard by him in this his request for sanctifying thereof to his Church and therefore together with the prayer doth also here annex his thanks for answer Prayers and praises ought ever to attend each other especially for things formerly received that by the experience of former answer from God God our hearts might not be to seeke of confidence and hope for the present and for time to come For sure it is our selfe-love doth so sway us in seeking what wee would still get that the acknowledgement of what we have already enjoyed from God is forgotten Nay rather even while they pray for blessing from God upon any of his Ordinances or otherwise it is our duty even then to give thanks so farre as ws feele our selves to have praid in faith and in the name of Christ for faith in a manner presenteth the thing which we doe warrantably seeke unto us And although I grant such a blessing may actually be denied us yet our thankes shall returne in such a case into our bosomes and shall be accepted of God But in this case of our Lord Iesus and his thankes Causes of his Thankes Three The first cause Ioh. 11 41. the case is altered for hee gave thankes in assurance of being heard and upon promise thereof from his Father without faile and therefore he might with more confidence offer up thankes even with prayer Sometimes it so fareth with his members that even in the act of prayer the Lord intimates their spirit that they have prevailed as we reade that some of the Martyrs had a kind of propheticall spirit given thē so that some things which God had enabled them to aske in full assurance of faith they received an answer from God that they were granted and therefore their prayers commonly brake out into praises and themselves wrote and spake of those blessings as present though there were some yeares still to come ere performed And no doubt such cases fall out still in the experience of such as are neerely acquainted with God and strong in faith that they have answer with Iacob they have prevailed even in their wrestlings and therefore what doubt is there Gen. 32 28. but that then Thanksgiving should be answerable Vse But I will not digresse to other meditations The thanks and blessing of Christ here should be full of comfort to the poore Minister of Christ and all his faithfull people in their blessing of the Sacrament that they come to God for that which is already granted to Christ and that even so assuredly while he praied for it that at the instant hee received it as granted and blessed God for it and withall added his owne blessing to his Fathers and gave his Spirit of blessing to the same Sacrament from his Father and from himselfe so to attend it that it might never be absent from it in the matter of union Sacramentall and further in point of true sanctification of it to all his members to the end of the world who should come in faith and repentance to receive it It s not under a desired blessing onely but a granted one acknowledged and therefore assured Oh! that any should come with a drooping and sad heart doubtful and staggering to that Ordinance upon which at the first institution so great a handsell of grace was bestowed and a promise of so great future blessing granted The second cause A second cause of his Thankes was for that he foresaw even now at his death and departure shortly from the earth that his Father would not suffer the memory of his satisfaction and death to be razed out but eternize it as a lasting monument in his Church Hee foresaw that infinite honour and glory which hee should receive as a perpetuall tribute from his thankefull Church and what praise the Father by him should obtaine at the hands of the faithfull for the continuing of so lively powerfull a memoriall of his death and perfect Sacrifice offered
of thou takest not because thou consentest to no promise Thou hast a traytors heart within thee None of all these sixe cordes of this Sacramentall Promise will draw thee no though the cord were made of many more linkes thou wouldest still be the same an unwilling unbeleeving wretch and still warpe withdraw from God and dissent from his offer Thou hast no power to cleave to consent and obey I may say of thy unbeleefe as of Sauls hypocrisie 1 Sam. 15. 1 Sam. 15.30 Though Samuell did sundry wayes convince him and ferret him out of his hole yet so tainted an hypocrite hee was that he would not bee convinced He was at last as at first he sayd Honor me yet before the people and so went away an hypocrite Such is unbeleefe it s like the Ethiopians colour Ierem. 13. or the Leopards spots if these may bee changed then may unbeleefe not else Oh! the endlesse and bootlesse urging of promises upon unbeleefe behold her face in a glasse and abhorre her and say Into her counsell let not my soule come And as I say of her treachery so I say of her Rebellion Shee will be awed with no charge no more than won by a promise Alas she thinkes as Eve thought being deluded by Satan Gen. 3 5. That God forbad her the tree of good and evill for hatred and of evill will all that ever God had enricht her with could not sway her rebellious heart to conceive a good thought of him still he did it to crosse her So doth unbeleefe deale with Gods charges when he tells us Hee commands for our good and not his owne that it might goe well with us we answere No I cannot thinke so its harsh to my ease and sloth to yeeld True but if it were possible that thy rebells heart could stoope it would after seeme pleasant and thou wouldst not for the world but have obeyed This by the way may serve to point out the contrary natures of faith and unbeleefe Vse 4 Secondly its use of admonition to all that would take the Lord Iesus Sacramentall aright To resist carnall reason which resists faith and holds the soule under the Bondage of sense and flesh Many when they come to the Sacrament in the sight of the promise wonder that any man should take Christ and his Nourishment who yet when they bee baffled with carnall reason are so farre off the hookes that they wonder any should beleeve it Beware of this lewde counsellor if once he and thou have talked he will corrupt the simplicity of the promiser and the nakednesse of faith and fill thee with so many crotchets that as they in Iohn thou wilt cry out How can this thing be Can hee give us of his flesh Iohn 6 3â— What a riddle is this This is an hard saying who can beleeve it Surely no man that hath not chased away carnall reason and closed with the promise I doe not bid thee put off sound reason for then I might bid thee with a Papist beleeve that bread is turned flesh and wine blood I bid thee not bee mad but not distrustfull Be not faithlesse ascribe not more to the Pilot than Paul as that carnall centurion did because hee saw no other than likelinesse of shipwracke An Angell of God saith Paul stood by me too night and secured me Act. 27 1â— I beleeve God therefore I see as little hope as any of you nay lesse but yet the promise of God and his charge that I feare not prevailes more with me than all outward reason Oh! do so in the Sacrament in the Supper as I urged before in Baptisme Looke at the word and charge Except baptized of water and spirit yee are damned cannot enter hee that beleeves and is baptized shall be saved Looke at this and say not shall a man enter the second time into his mothers wombe and bee borne againe But honour the promise as Noa Iohn 3 4. when hee was in the Arke was saved by faith and the waters which swallowed up the world bare up the Arke and saved him Heb. 11 7. 1 Pet. 3 20. God had sayd it and he beleeved So Christ hath sayd it This is my body This is my body Why saith carnall reason I see no more here than at home what consequence is this heere is bread and wine therefore Christ nourishment I eate and drinke and take the onâ— therefore I may take the other What sense is here None at all It must bee faith and Religion not sence must rule here not as Popery saith against common sence and true reason to produce a thing impossible but to confute unbeleefe against false and carnall reason Oh! either cut the Throate of it or it will cut thine Lift up the Arke of thy faith above the rockes and cragges of reason or else it will Split Begge the spirit of the promise and of the command to set thee upon the rocke that is above reason Christ and the Sacrament or else reason will destroy both 2 King 6 18. There are more with thee as Elisha told his man than against thee if the promise and command of Christ be for thee It s an evidence from God and subsists in his faithfulnesse power and mercy grounded upon the death of the Lord Iesus 2 Cor. 6 1. Receive not this grace in vaine as if thy eares were stopped eyes blinded hands held and cheyned by thy fleshly sence Rather let this promise of Christ loosen this chaine Salomon saith A gift in the hand prospers whither so ever it goe Oh! here is a gift in the hand Take and eate This is my body given for you and now given to you let this prosper against all the mutters of carnall Reason and say Oh! be there never such unlikelihood as Caleb said of the Anakims yet they shall be but meate for us Num. 14 7 8. If the Lord love us he will give it us So say thou If God have spoken standby sense and be still I know thou wilt be ready to put thy selfe forth in and against each promise but I will have no eare to heare thee if God speake The charge of God hath power to enable thee as well to command thee it gives what it commands as when the Lord Iesus bade the Palfie man rise he put life and motion into his limbes and joynts and left not the worke to the criple So I say resist sence and corruption by a promise and a charge of Christ and it shall stoope unto them The Lord hath put an infinite power into one against the other Vse 3 And thirdly bee exhorted to cleave nakedly to the word of the promiser consent and obey Esay 1. The words are both used to signifie faith Esay 1 19. for a matter not unlike and saith he yee shall eate the good things of the land So say I heere come with an open hand and a simple heart and a naked faith and thou
due Preparation to the receiving of the Supper of the Lord is handled together with our due behaviour in and after the same An Appendix shewing First how a Christian may finde his Preparation to the Supper sweet and easie Secondly the causes why the Sacrament is so unworthily or fruitlesly received by the worser or better sort with the Remedies By D. R. B. of Divin Minister of the Gospell 1 COR. 11.28 Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. Verse 29. For who so eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation LONDON Printed by Thomas Cotes for Iohn Bellamie dwelling at the three Golden Lyons in Corne-hill 1633. THE SECOND PART OF THE TREATISE OF THE SACRAMENTS CHAP. I. Concerning Sacramentall Triall in generall the Description of of it and the duty it selfe propounded reasoned and urged HAving treated hitherto of the Doctrine of the Sacraments wherein the use of Baptisme was urged it now remaineth that wee come to the exercise of the Supper of the Lord Entrance Whereunto this second Treatise shall serve if God will and wherein somewhat more largely the Doctrine of our Preparation to this Sacrament shall bee propounded The rather seeing it was the chiefe scope of the Booke it selfe and which occasioned at first the former Discourse That so the religious Reader might in one view both understand what a Sacrament is and how to be received Concerning which I purpose to describe what this preparation is and then in speciall to descend to the branches whereof it consists with the use and application thereof and so with some directions and caveats at the end to conclude the Treatise Sacramentall Preparation and Triall is a duty required by God Description of Sacramentall preparation at the hands of all and every that desire to receive worthily by the due exercise whereof a man may discerne whether or no he be qualified to receive and accordingly either proceede to Communicate with comfort or else desist for the present till better prepared I will briefly touch upon the severals of this description Six branches which are these six First what difference there is betweene Preparation and Triall Secondly that Triall is a Divine command Thirdly the Persons who are to try Fourthly what the due exercise of trying is Fiftly the different sorts of religious search and how this Sacramentall search differs from them Sixtly and lastly the end and scope hereof The second and fourth of these I reserve to the last place as most essentiall to the duty Touching the rest in their order I shall first speake a little of them and so of the two other In what respect preparation and triall differ And first let none cavill at my differencing Preparation from Triall I know well that they agree in one and that the former word usually is taken for the whole Triall of a Communicant My meaning by it is to shew what a man who would try himselfe aright is to doe ere he set himselfe about the worke That is Preparation is more generall to bring himselfe within some such compasse as may fit him the better to close with a triall of himselfe Not onely to sequester himselfe from other businesse and objects of the world and his calling that he may do but one thing at once but also to call in and to calme his thoughts and affections so that he may be himselfe and gather up his loose garments and gird the loynes of his soule to do this maine worke well that is with a close reverend and intent purpose of heart Salomon hath a sweete speech Prov. 18.1 For a mans desire he will separate himselfe that is lay aside for the time all other businesse and thoughts of lesse consequence that he may doe the maine thing to be desired Mat. 13 44 in a more due manner And when the Merchant had found the Pearle he is said to withdraw himselfe that is to go apart and to weigh well the worth of that he had found And in the story of Rehoboam the holy Ghost uses this phrase of preparing the heart to seeke God noting that to seeke God either in the worke of Conversion or in any service and ordinance requires a separation of the soule from the usuall affaires of the world which distract the minde from weightier objects As Solomon speakes of the foole so it may be said of most men who yet thinke themselves wise Their eyes are in every corner of the world that is so busied and hurried about a thousand vagaries and fancies abroad that they are no where lesse than where they should cheefly be in the meditation of heavenly things Hence that complaint of most that meditation is so difficult to them others their memories are so fickle because they divide and cut themselves as Martha into many peeces Luke 10. ult who should rather unite themselves closely into one and because they have stuft and fraught their mindes and hearts with so manifold thoughts and have so many irons in fire at once that one hurts another as in the crowding of a multitude at a small wicket at which one by one might enter easily we set its long ere any one can well get through Vse of it A point of singular use 1. Reproofe condemning first that brutish prophanenesse of many who to bewray what hearts they have can hardly bite in their common talke and thoughts of base carnall things when they are to kneele down to prayer in their families but mixe one so with another till they breed irkesomnesse in others and a pollution of holy things to themselves Perhaps all are not so grosse as once one was in his saying Grace before meate who brake off usually in the midst to bid his servant to set his dishes aright but surely the sinne of most men is great in this kinde Except God will take them as he findes them deepe in their businesse and over head eares in other matters he must pardon them for Triall at the Sacrament for indeed they have used thēselves to such a course that either they must defile Gods worship with their own vanities pleasures profits either they must serve God and Mammon at once or not at all they never knew what an empty heart meant unloaden of her usuall thoughts and affections prepared for God serious and withdrawne from it selfe They count it impossible to attaine to it To whom I say As good never a whit as never the better Vse 2 Secondly this instructs us about the nature of Gods worship It s a separation of the whole man for God Instruction and that not in publike onely where our shops and trades and affaires must be cast out but in secret also To have some few wandring thoughts after God to cast in a word by the way of religion to heare a chapter read in the clutter of houshold businesse is no worship for
these is wrought in thee as yet no condition of them no knowledge no feare of the worst no degree of desire endeavour If Gods deare ones who have tasted his grace yet finde themselves so unfit to receive when they have fasted prayed worshipped and walked with God all the weeke long where shalt thou appeare who never wert so in covenant at all Renounce all thy false errors and counterfeit signes colour not with God who will not be mocked pretend not thy good meanings civility keeping of Church paying of debt being in charity giving of almes shedding of teares these amount not to the markes of a calling but say rather Oh Lord by all signes I see I want the faith of the covenant of God and have run into a premunire with justice all my life long and each Sacrament hath seal'd up my judgement God hath long suffered me I dare heape up wrath no longer I will a while cut off my selfe from the communion that the whilst I may get the faith of the covenant Do so and prosper Num. 12.14 Remember Miriam and how she was served when she abused Moses and would have yet abode in the Congregation the Lord forbad her saying If her father had spit in her face should shee not separate her selfe seaven dayes So doe thou and make use of thy separation to humble thy soule And yet doe not abuse the Lords cutting thee off for a time to lowre and quarrell with him saying This tryall hath hurt mee I had beene quiet and well if I had beene let alone and gone to the Sacrament but this searching hath snared me and now I am further off No this is nothing but Sathans delusion who would for ever pull thee from the Sacrament whereas the Lord would hold thee off onely for a time and shut thee up as a Leper for seven dayes â—eriâ— 1â— till the Lord Iesus the high Priest have beheld thee and clensed thee by beleeving This sicknesse is not to death but life endure affliction in thy spirit a while pray God to blesse this triall unto thee Repent with Miriam and thou shalt returne with Miriam and blesse God with Onesimus that thou departedst for a time that thou mightst returne for ever So much for the first sort Vse 2 Secondly this is exhortation to Gods owne people that even they also looke to this worke of trying their estate Exhortation to Gods people Perhaps such will say they have tryed it often and hold it by faith daily and therefore its needelesse so to doe But I answer yet honour this ordinance and renue your comfort by reviving the memory and presence of it The oftner you doe it the easier is the worke and the gaine Yee will object Christ Iesus is the same Heb. 13.8 yesterday to day and for ever True but your unbeleefe is great your inconstancy admits infinite feares wastings doubts and distempers Revive therefore the sence of former mercy and apply it each Sacrament a new Bee not weary of getting daily more sweetnesse in the promise and proove your calling and election more sure to your selves as it is sure in God â— Pet. 1 10. Pray for more insight savour and tast of this worke and injoy the comfort thereof at the Sacrament The lesse rust yee have gathered the lesse filing of your soule may serve Take either the three points of calling before said which are the surest or sometime revive the other markes and fruits of conversion Doe not divide them but try thy selfe by them all together if thou can if not then chuse out some few concluding markes and apply them to thy selfe if it be hard seeke to God to teach thee to search them in thy selfe mourne for any decay of them and humble thy heart for it and give not the Lord over till both thou know that thou hadst them and in measure they appeare to thy selfe presently Recover thy losse Heb. 12.7 quicken that hath wanzed strengthen the feeble knees or hands and so doing blesse God that by the occasion of the Sacrament thou hast seene those graces to abide in thee which thou thoughst thou wantedst For the Lords wayes tend not to destroy but to edify and not to turne thee off from the Sacrament with feare but to send thee thither with stronger consolation and hope So that thou shalt have small cause to repent thee for obeying God For loe in this thy strength thou maist goe to the feast of the hills Esay 25. to the Lords fat things and fined wines the which if the Master of the feast bid thee to neyther have any other nor thy selfe authority to forbid thee Object But heere some will object Put case many a poore soule do stagger and alledge if these be markes of a receiver I am none for I cannot proove my calling by any of these markes But rather call into question both my calling and the fruits both faith and holinesse for alas I feele not my selfe to live by the one and I sinne often against both the law and grace I am held under with lusts and corruptions I answer Answ For grosser breaches of duty the Lord taskes thee to serious humbling and repenting but not giving over thy confidence As for ignorance or infirmities unavoydable they shall not hurt thee If thou can say I have beleeved formerly I tell thee the seede of God in thee is immortall As appeares by thy longing after the Sacrament If then thou suspect the worst by thy selfe for thy omissions declining to ease to world to other evills if thou desire to know the worst by thy selfe to vomit up thy morsells and to recover thy hold upon the promise if the fruite of the Sacrament be so precious to thee that so thou mightst finde thy selfe an invited guest thou wouldst not bee kept from the Table of the Lord for the world then I say There is fire under the ashes rake them off that it may appeare and burne out Claspe about these markes though but but in poore measure and when measure failes cleave to thy uprightnesse and let not Sathan or selfe bereave thy heart of courage and hope to get by the Sacrament but know these must not beate thee from it Objection 2 Yea will some say But when all is sayed that can bee If I want faith it selfe the cheef grace that serves to cover all my unworthinesse I cannot come Now I feare I have it not For why faith overpowres and prevailes in a true beleever above doubting and carries the soule above all feares to the assurance and feeling of mercie and fills the heart with comfort and joy these I want therefore I have no faith Answ I answer Try thy selfe by that I have spoken about faith before and let that stay thy spirit Farr bee it from us to affirme fayth so to consist in the full sayles of perswasion and in the flaming out of comforts that where this measure is lacking the soule is to
generall try his estate by law or Gospel or search out his wants save by knowledge of them Not to insist in the graces that follow whereof faith consisteth partly of a speciall convincement of the understanding and desire of the Sacrament presupposeth a knowledge of some thing amiable to the soule of unknowne objects there is no desire So I might say of the rest knowledge therefore is essentiall to the Sacrament When Paul prayes that the Ephesians might encrease in faith hee begins with the enlightning part of the soule Chap. 1. Verse 17. Ephe. 1.17.18 That yee being enlightned saith he in your mindes may acknowledge him and the hope of his calling c. So that true knowledge is the roote of all true savour of the grace or graces of God If thou knewest the gift of God Iohn 4. Iohn 4.10 thou wouldst have done so or so So if a man knew the Sacrament how would he love it But not to know it includes a necessity of not beleeving or well receiving it The third Thirdly the fearefull penalty threatned in the word against bad receivers is by name annexed to the not discerning of the Lords body 1 Cor. 11.29 Now though I grant there is more in that than meere ignorance yet that is one mother root of not discerning For what is that which causeth popish prophane ones yea hypocrites to come to the Sacrament as to common bread and wine in the shop or cellar save that all colours are alike in the darke and ignorance puts no difference betweene naturall things and spirituall If knowledge then teach to discerne the body of the Lord and to quit the soule of all this threat and vengeance how needefull is it The fourth Fourthly the Lord hath no doubt ordeined and the Church most wisely made use of this second Sacrament of groth that by occasion of it shee might take notice of the thrist of her Children in the doctrine of the foundation and by name of Baptisme and so consequently of such things as they have bin taught in the ministry Alas The Preacher followes not nor can all such to their house as have heard him catechize or preach to demand an account of his labours as were to be desired If then there were not some awe and bridle put upon men by the Church which yet alas few make use of among our Ministers how should the Minister know the plight of his poore people from their baptisme to their grave Though I grant private visitation is needefull but what one of an 100. looke after it of themselves till their deathbed Now the Sacrament is so holy an act of worship that few are so basely vile as not to confesse that there ought to be some more than common scrutiny and search what knowledge they and theirs have gotten Which confession prooves knowledge to be most necessary But as the slothful are curious so the ignorant are cavillers Objection 1 first they object that devotion would do better with the Sacrament than knowledge especially for meane folkes who have their trades to looke after and being unbook-learned cannot comprehend such depths as these And therefore it were better that they did adore them with devotion than search into them Answer I answer still Cursed is all devotion with God which is without knowledge the heart of such is as saplesse barren of good and as full of rottennesse as the most profane mans is in Gods esteeme Good meanings and devotion if it lye in Gods way and be full of eyes not blind and ignorant are most pretious things But without knowledge selfe-deniall and faith to enlighten the soule Iudg. 16.21 devotion is as Sampsons bestirring himselfe when his eyes were put out hee was fit for nothing save to runne the round and grind in the Mill. So doe devout ones they are ever in motion and never the nearer Devotion of this kinde is fittest for Papists who are under a strange language and a worship of mans braine having no footing in the word Ier. 4.12 Eccles 5.1 its best for them that know not what sacrifices they offer but like fooles they know not that they doe evill It s fit for the Masse and for such like trash But for the Sacrament its most unsavory Objection 2 And as for their cavill they are unlearned and have trades to looke to I grant it and therefore wee require not of all the like measure of knowledge so there be a teachable heart willing to learne Answ If these men could from their trades argue as strongly against Ale-houses and drinking it were well Sure it is if the time which they spend there were spent in getting knowledge as meane as they are their trades would not keepe them from it But what basenesse will not men stoope to yea abase themselves to hell in their cavills Esay 2. so they may live still in their profanenesse I doe not allow any who are weary of their trades under pretence of hearing or getting knowledge but I say trades neede not hinder from a diligent attendance upon the meanes if the heart bee good And as for the mysticalnesse of the Sacrament it is so to such as plow not with Gods heifer Iudg. 16. nor submit their carnall reason to the revealing of the Spirit Otherwise God bee thanked there is greater obscurity at this day in matters lesse essentiall than the most weighty So that were it not for the meere sloath and profanenesse of men there neede bee no such conplaint of religious difficulty But the contempt of men to whom Christ is hidden 2 Cor. 4.3 might justly both deprive them of meanes and streighten the spirit in the meanes that so they might complaine for somewhat But to end one would thinke that these men should reason contrarily and say If I bee so seely and the Sacrament so darke what an honour and prayse were it for mee a simple man to have more skill and knowledge in it than others above my ranke Surely in other matters of hardnesse men dispute so onely in these they are content to let all goe beyond them yet God be thanked There want not even among the seeliest Christians many whom God hath made wiser in his matters than their ancients and betters in worldly wisedome 1 Cor. 1.12 Psal 119 99 100. that by these the cavills of the other might be confuted Objection 3 To conclude others alledge For ought they see they who have most knowledge of religion and can talke of it best are as bad in their lives as they who have none Therefore they thinke the matter rests in conscience not in knowledge Answere I answer It is true that they who know and obey not doe lay a great blocke in the way of the ignorant But let them speake Is it their ignorance that makes them better No surely Well then neyther is knowledge in the fault that the other are so bad No man shuns money because the
richest are so covetous nor fine cloathes because under them is hidden many a rotten body So neyther let men mislike knowledg for the sins of them that have it No it s their hypocrisy their profanenes which defiles their knowledge It is just with God to suffer ungodly men to defile each other and them that know to lay offences in the way of the ignorant 2 Tim. 3.13 that both the offending and offended might fall and perish because neyther love the truth True it is That knowledge is not sufficient a man with it may perish but to be sure he must perish without it So much for these cavills And also of the first branch The second followeth What knowledge there is requisite 2. Generall Question what knowledge I answer First the more knowledge a man brings if conscience be thereafter the better too exact knowledge cannot be had And heere I will crave leave of my Reader to digresse a step or two mourne to consider that which according to that little experience I have had in my Ministery of late yeares I cannot but say O that I were a lyer in this A digression and caveat to ungrounded Christians viz. That hundreds of poore people in our countrey there are of whom I am perswaded they are the Lords and shall be saved who yet by all the cost and meanes which the Lord hath for 20. or 30. yeares beene at with them never came to see such sweet light order and direction by the Catechisme that they can give an account of their faith and sound knowledge therein They rest in heere a snatch and there a catch at a good point in their good affections innocent lives and blamelesse carriages But as for discerning of things peisons doctrines that differ holding that which they have spent many a weary step to come by grounding themselves upon the word for their estate and actions and seeing how they have their warrants not from a Preacher whom they love and like but from the strength of truth which cannot lye growing up in knowledge that so their hearts might waxe better and themselves more setled in Christianity Oh these things are as the sound of many waters unto them farre above them Shall I prayse you in this I speake to you of my owne flocke No I prayse you not Especially where there is a manifest defect of that which might bee As for invincible weakenesse and want of reach I am so farre from dismaying such that I doubt not to say The Lord will cloath their uncomely parts with the more honour and supply some want of judgement with much integrity and uprightnesse of heart Alas poore soules 1 Cor. 12.23 if yee wanted this too what should become of yee And because I know not whether I shall ever speake to you any more let my words sinke into you Enjoy your portion in truth and singlenesse of heart as a jewell exceeding all the skill and cunning of hypocrites Vex not your selves too much for the want of that whereby God doth so humble you for who knowes what yee would proove if your knowledge did equall some other graces and affections in yee Exhortation to others But to others this I adde Seeke as much light to guide you in this deceitfull world as possibly yee can Let not all doctrines be alike with yee Prize all but above all those which teach yee your selves and Christ and the well ordering of your conversations Psal 50. ult be wise as Serpents as well as doves in innocency let not the cunning jugling of Sathan and diceplay of men Ephe. 4.14 Eph. 4 14. so gull yee as to picke out heere one truth there another while he hath left you barren so that all is one with you whether yee live under an idle empty fruitlesse ministery or a grounded and fruitfull And the like caution I might give yee in other respects But I forbeare onely let that hope and opinion which God and his people have conceived of you bee upheld in you with honour least the Lord doe crosse you both with a staggering life and a doubtfull death because of your dallyance And so I returne againe to the point and answer Answere that it is one thing to speake of that measure of light which would doe best another of that which is simply requisite Not exquisite but competent knowledg required When I teach that knowledge is necessary I speake not as if every one who fails short of exact and cleare and full knowledge were to bee rejected God forbid for the grounds may be soundly held by many who yet faile in these As for example if I should question with many a Christian in what nature Christ subsists or how a person and a nature differ or how Christs humanity is not a person but a nature perhaps I should gravell them whereas yet they beleeve firmely the Lord Iesus to be flesh and truely God and both made one Christ for the working out their salvation The like may bee sayd of other points which to the skilfull are taken for granted yet to them are not so cleare As how Christ should satisfie and yet not tast of hellish torments in what speciall office the act of satisfying standeth To what part of the Catechisme each article of truth as the Sacrament belongs So I am perswaded many a poore soule conceives not of each mystery in the Sacramentall union although he beleeve Christ to be there present in his word and Spirit to a faithfull soule Therefore of such knowledge this I say The more the better but many who want it may yet be good receivers I know I cast bread to dogges in thus saying but weake ones must not want their due let none abuse that to slightnesse and ease which onely aymes at releefe of the weake But the question is what knowledge is needefull What this competency is Answer 1 I answer the Sacrament being one linke of the whole cheine of godlinesse must necessarily presuppose a competent knowledge both of it selfe and also of those doctrines which it depends upon For example the Supper is one of the Sacraments of the Gospell Necessary therefore it is that a man at least know what the other â—â—crament of Baptisme is upon which it dependeth Answer 2 Secondly both the Sacraments are part of those divine meanes ordayned by God to build up the soule in the power and practise of grace Needefull therefore it is that a Communicant know what the new creature meanes what sanctification is what lets it hath from sinne Sathan and world what priviledges a beleever hath annexed by God to encourage him and what those meanes are which God hath afforded the soule to susteine it from decaying in the spirituall condition Answer 3 Thirdly the new creature and sanctification being impossible to be conceived of aright without the grace and gift of faith and the Spirit of the promise necessary it is for the soule to
needlesnesse of it the precisenesse of it the disrepute of the world Breake through these armies to the well of Bethlem Foster no secret love of the sweetenesse of ignorance it kills as the viper Thinke not that because this sinne deprives you of sence for the time of your danger therefore yee shall avoyd it No the ignorance of the glasse of mercury water among other glasses of rose water and the drinking of it by errour will poyson you and fret out your bowels as well as if wilfully taken In a word as ye love your soules so hate the steps leading to this hell of ignorance Admonition 4 And whereas the Divell would have you thinke its an harmelesse thing a tame beast and the mother of good meaning know its an hideous mungrell a monster of many heads Cry out against it as Crescentius that Cardinall did of the blacke dogge which came into his chamber Beate out the blacke dogge beate him out This ignorance is the true blacke dogge and the Divell himselfe Know that it s as the surfet and Drunkennesse of the soule for as that surfeit sometime makes men mad Woefull fruits of ignorance sometime merry sometime sullen sometimes fearefull sometimes bold and ventrous sometime quiet but ever fooles so does this sometimes it breakes out into sottish stupor of heart sometimes into madnesse and villany sometimes into desperate presumption and scorne of all meanes sometimes into slinesse and subtilty sometimes enmity and malice sometimes superstition and Popery but alway to mischiefe and misery And in a word it makes every Idiot uncapable of the Sacrament eating and drinking his damnation not discerning the Lords body This damnation sleepes not because thou sleepest God shall awaken thee one day with sad confusion Psal 4. Lastly this is exhortation to all Gods people that they bring knowledge with them to the Sacrament Exhortation and try themselves about the competency and savingnesse of it If those whom it concernes forget their duty to us yet that shall not excuse us let every one examine himselfe about his owne knowledge It will be asked how this tryall shall be made Trialls I answere By these rules following or the like First The 1. If our hearts tell us that we have so prized knowledge of Gods will and the Sacrament in speciall that we have sought it as pearles have attended upon the ordinances in season and out have chosen rather to be at cost with God than to forgoe the knowledge of his truths No heate in Summer cold raine windes snow in winter have hindred us but as hee that soweth or reapeth takes his season so have we ordering wisely yea undervaluing other affaires commodities liberties to make a purchase of truth Phil. 3. buying it whatsoever it cost us not selling it whatsoever we may have for it wives farmes Oxen but returning to them with our second affections when God hath had our cheefe courage and strength this is a good signe The 2. Secondly if we goe not to worke by halfes that is to catch up knowledge in what kindes we please scumming off the fat and sweete of the easiest duties or that which will stand with our owne wils or knowledge of some Promises or priviledges But as for knowledge of our selves our natures our sinnes we are backward to them If we rejoyce that there is a word that crosseth us in our belovedst sinnes that smites us under the fift rib most mortally compting it as balme Psal 141.5 esteeming the words of the minister in that kind as sweete as any refuzing no information from God which concernes us not kicking at it but saying The word of the Lord is good it s a good signe Esay 39 8. Thirdly The 3. if as we have sitten at the feete of Christ attentively while we heard so afterwards we ponder the things wee have heard digesting them and chewing the cud of them Luke 2.51 Mat. 13 43. till they become nourishment unto us and till that which is truth in the understanding becomes love in the soule causing the word to dwell plentifully in us Col. 3 16. swaying us as the scepter of Christ to all obedience in our course living by fath bearing our crosses and the like it s a good signe also Fourthly The 4. if we come and goe to and from the meanes of knowledge with appetite savor delight and hunger That is if we come with a view of our speciall errors and ignorances to be freed from them and if when wee have sucked out the sappe of one ordinance we are unwearied and goe to another if by any meanes we may attaine to true knowledge and that we take as well other occasions to enquire advise pray meditate conferre and reade the Scriptures as at the Sacrament and use extraordinary helps aswell as ordinary by others aswell as our selves yea the meanest not disdaining to be disciples even to the Ant the Horse the dumbe creatures Prov. 6.6 so wee might learne it s a good signe Fiftly The 5. if the knowledge we get be sweete and harmonious according to the analogie of faith That is cleere evident convincing orderly and agreeing with other parts of the word unto which as the linkes of a chaine it belongs by coherence so that by knowing some one threat command or promise we conceive of more and be not still in darkenesse and doubtfulnesse about the truths of God it s a good signe Sixtly The 6. if as our knowledge encreaseth so our humility doth also grow withall If it awe us tame us mortifie us and teach us to denie our selves as it did good Iudas who sayd Iohn 14 22. Lord what is the cause why thou shouldst reveale thy selfe to us and not to the world it is a good signe Commonly men either are blockes under the meanes or if they thrive in knowledge the Divell puffes them up in the companies where they become so that they must rule the rost be praysed or else all is marred But true knowledg serves especially to shew us our ignorance and so to abase us more than when we were empty ignorance is ever most bold The 7. Seaventhly if our knowledge be a welspring to runne out to others as well as to teach our selves If our lippes be as a fountaine of life Prov. 15.4 and never stands as a lake putrifying and stinking but alway is dropping as those Olive branches Zach. 4. Zach. 4.3 were into the Candelstickes to maintaine their burning So if we be alway dropping as dew Deut. 31.2 and raine upon others that are dry and barren wives children others it s a good signe The 8. Lastly if we revive the knowledge of the Sacrament in our owne spirits and linne not till that we know of it set our teeth on edge to the Sacrament and whet an appetite in us unto it it is a good signe that we rest not in the lazie
one body at once as selfe and Christ in equall termes to a soule The red earth had never had the breath of life put into it if it had not beene a meere dead patient and at Gods dispose to be as he would have it The flesh of Christ had no subsisting in it selfe save in the Godhead Rom. 11.32 and what is else that of Paul God shutting up all in disobedience that he might have mercy upon all Not of the willer or the runner but God c. Rom. 9.16 The Doctrine of imputation what doth it import saue that righteousnesse stands in counting that as ours which is none of ours What else is that of the Apostle Romanes Chapter 11. verse 6. If of Workes not of Grace Rom. 11.6 else Workes were no Workes If of Grace not of Workes else Grace were no Grace Trie thy selfe then by this Rule Triall by this Dost thou observe this backebyas of corruption in thy soule alway playing her parts and resisting grace Is this spirit of originall sinne as irkesome to thy spirit as the most odious sinnes of swearing or theeft Is it so much the more suspected by how much the more fine spunne and subtill running in the streame of thy best Religion Dost thou feele it in the Worke of the Law of the Gospell of Sanctification still resisting Grace and starting as much from the Word as the Sacrifice from the Knife of the Priest Dost thou wholly set thy selfe against it both selfe on the right hand deceiving thee with thine owne hopes and deserts and on the left scaring thee with feares of unworthinesse Art thou as well afraid of a white Divell as a blacke yea more Dost thou tremble to thinke that selfe should share with God in thy conversion Dost thou chuse rather to bee as base as dung and dogges meate yea when thou hast done all dost thou thinke thy selfe no neerer heaven thereby than if thou wert a Publican Dost thou confesse that there is no bloud no merit no congruity in selfe to purchase any dramme of grace And that it is just with God rather to seeke himselfe glory by abasing all flesh and carnall proppes than to suffer selfe to perke above him or mixe with him Yea canst thou say oh Lord I chuse to lie as the dust under thy footstoole and to be at thy pleasure as a fatherlesse Orphan to doe with mee what thou wilt yea when thou art under the deepest abasement and selfe-desertings and without a subsisting in thy selfe canst thou say Verily gladdly will I bee under this buffeting 2 Cor. 12.9 though it bee as a pricke in the flesh that Gods grace may bee another selfe and a new principle of comfort to stay my selfe upon Yea in this want of carnall stay I wait upon the promise to be my stay If it be thus in any true measure in thee it is a sweet signe The fourth ground I come to the fourth ground of trying faith to wit by the act of it The act of faith And that in two things First in the naked and free consent of the whole soule to the truth of God which is that he will ease the loaden soule comfort the mourning and satisfie them that hunger after righteousnesse Math. 5 4 5 6. The Lord requires that the soule simply relie it selfe upon this bare Word of his because he will performe it without descanting this way or that against it Esay 1.16 Psal 32 1. Secondly in the relying upon the meere and free act of Gods not imputing sinne or imputing righteousnesse to the soule yea a righteousnesse inhering in another and not in thy selfe The Lords act of esteeming and reckoning to the soule the righteousnesse of Christ is as reall an act as if hee had infused a reall habite of it into the soule to dwell personally in it as it dwelt in Christ Triall by this Trie thy selfe then by this rule thus First canst thou say truely that in the beleeving of Gods promise thou didst directly goe from a word to a word without adding or mixing the slime of thy owne conceits to defile the purenesse of it Didst thoâ— with Peter emptied of himselfe obey and say At thy Commandement Lord I will let downe though else I should not Luke Chapter 5 verse 5. Luke 5 5. Canst thou say oh Lord thou bidst a loaden wretch come unto thee to take ease as if there were no more circumstance in it than onely so Lord I have found my soule loden and pinch'd by thy Word therfore I come to thee for ease beleeving that seeing thy selfe art the Author of both words therefore thou who wouldst so really lode me canst as truely ease mee Canst thou say Lord in thy words is neither hooke nor crooke and therefore as I seeke to adde nothing to it so neither doe I detract nor dare I Revelation Chapter 22. verse 18. Rev. 22 18. Ephes 4 21. but take thy truth as it is in Iesus even truth it selfe subject to no exceptions or cavills of flesh I enquire not why thou dost it or why for mee and not for many hundred thousands that lie in their blindnesse still Secrets are for thee but revealed promises are for mee and therefore to thee I leave the one and claspe so much the more closely to the latter by how much the former is more above mee If thou canst find in thy heart thus freely to concurre with free grace saying Luke 1 38. Luke 7 30. Bee it to thy servant as thou hast spoken I dare not despise thy Counsell for my salvation or gainesay and give thee the lye but put my seale to thy word that it is true I say againe Iohn 3 3â— if in any true measure thou canst doe thus it is a sure signe And secondly if the Act of God in heaven justifying a poore wretch by his bare accompting him his righteousnesse when yet corruption abides in him exceedingly yea his perfect righteousnesse can so farre prevaile with thee as to say O Lord thy one witnesse and approbation of mee is to my conscience as a thousand though I neither see thy face nor can heare thy voyce yet O Lord I accompt my selfe as thou esteemest me even thy perfect righteousnesse in the midst of my greatest sinfulnesse and all because thy accompt is a done deede and my faith compts it done in earth because it is done in heaven I say this act of thy faith is a good signe The fifth ground is from the end of thy beleeving The 5 ground The end and that is that God may have the glory of his rich grace in saving a lost soule The last and full end of God in thy pardon and savation is not that thou mightst be happy but that himselfe might be glorified This the Lord so lookes at that all other ends are but second hand ends unto him although reall ends Try thy selfe also in this The tryall of this
it Remember that faith doth set thee as those Lampes under the oyle dropping into thee from the promises of the Sacrament Branch 2 2. Againe try thy faith first in the maine promise If thou finde thou wantest it desist for a time Come not in thy base unbeleefe rather make use of what I have sayd about faith and blesse God that by such an occasion thou maist store thy selfe with it for heereafter and art now convinced of thy want Perhaps thou never hadst knowne it save by such an occasion therefore ply it hard while season lasteth But if thou have got it yet neglect not to consider Gods worke in thy conversion blesse him that thou canst proove by what meane thou camest by it what a promise is what the roote of faith is what the act effects of it are confessing it were hard for thee now to beginne or to bee without it Branch 3 3. Revive it also as oft as thou commest musing of these last trialls or some of them and linne not till thou finde them in thee more or lesse that so the Sacrament may light upon thee as dew upon dry ground and thou mayst count the approach of the Supper joyfull newes above the joy of a feast or banquet Vse 3 Lastly let it be consolation to all poore beleevers Consola The best will soonest complaine Oh! sayth one Heere bee so many Rules that I am confounded to thinke of my selfe or to try my faith by them But I answer Proove but a droppe or dramme of faith unfeigned precious and effectuall and the Lord and thou shall not differ about measure Bee sure thou have any and then know the Supper is an ordinance to make weake ones strong Objections remooved not onely nor cheefely to make strong ones stronger Touching the objections of the weake I have spoken in the Chapter of the tryall of our estate To adde a word more another objection is I cannot finde the promise so powerfull as to overpowre and perswade mee to beleeve with full streame of heart I answer Answ I grant that oft the phrases and similitudes of Scripture imply First by a Concession That faith is a sensible thing and a conviction of heart So it s called Ioh. 16.9 It s called the rayning downe of righteousnesse The receiving of Christ The buying of the pearle The running into the streame Esay 55.6 and the like as drawing neare to God Secondly Solution comming to God Howbeit wee must know the spirituall sense of these phrases imports not alway a reflexe sight and knowledge that we have it and much lesse ought wee to stumble at such phrases as imply the measure of faith as to be carryed with full sayle To rejoyce with joy unspeakeable c. Heb. 1â— 22 Onely let a poore soule beware of resting in any measure till hee have atteyned faith with power and feeling which is a stranger in these dayes But to hasten this I adde Many talke of the over-powring of the heart who know not what it meanes it is not the measure of full assurance but the true drawing of the soule from Idols to the beleeving God Therefore poore soule dismay not thy selfe perhaps thou seest not full light of beleeving nor the whole breadth and length of it as yet nor yet what the Lord meanes to settle upon thee Thou art as one that dreameth yet God was at worke to deliver Israel when they were as they that dreamed Psal 126.1 Exod. 6. â— Long anguish caused them to heare of a Saviour as one that was farre off yet hee was neare Give not the Lord over but even in thy darkest bondage cleave to the meanes seeke the Lord and leave the successe to him be not beaten off from hope by any feare within or without Reade Acts 12. Act. 12 7 8. Peter in his sleepe thought hee saw but a vision of deliuerance yet the Lord was at worke even then He came not at first clearely to consider the matter But what did he Surely he did as he was bidden even in his dreame he arose shooke off his cheynes Verse 8.9 put on cloake and sandales followed the Angell through yron doores and gates and at last when he was past danger the Angell departing hee understood all the businesse So perhaps the Lord will doe by thee When all Angells and proppes are gone and thou left to the bare promise stript of other helpes thou shalt bee as glad to cling to the Lord in it as ever thou were backward to it But in the meane time bee doing as thou art bidden and obey and thou shalt one day see light Receive the Sacrament with weake faith for so God bids thee and more shall be given thee And so I shut up this weighty tryall of Sacramentall faith CHAP. VI. Of the tryall of repentance at the Sacrament Entry upon repentance I Must in the entry upon this point advertise the Reader of some generalls which may make for the better Caveat 1. conceaving of the scope of the whole Chapter First let him remember that which was before sayd That in pressing the tryall of repentance I doe not meane that repentance concurrs to the act of receiving so properly as faith But in a second respect as affording a sweet witnesse to the truth of faith already shaped in the soule as also to honour the purenesse of the ordinance with sutable purenesse of conscience and course The second thing I would have noted is The second That although in this tryall of repentance it is to be supposed that each receiver of the seale must first bee in covenant that is have his heart renewed and in that respect that whole labour might be spared how the substance of repentance may be tryed yet considering that it is not alway with receivers as it ought to be but man still will come without it Therefore as I have done already in the point of faith to shew the true forme and being of it ere I came to handle the renewing of it at the Supper So heere I will doe for the grace of repentance The rather least any should alledge his ignorance what it is or wherein it standeth yet I will be short because I have elsewhere handled it largely viz. in the third part of my Catechisme in the two first Articles The third thing I note is The third That our speciall and mayne enquiry shall be in this tryall about daily exercise and renewed practise of repentance at the Sacrament and not onely as repentance is taken for some penitent affection occasioned but as it is taken for that walking with God which consists in the duties of mortifyed and quickned obedience to God and men and that eyther in an ordinary course of innocency or in the case of some speciall revolt Before I handle the tryall of eyther the substance or the practise hereof Grounds of the point first Scripture I will ground the necessity
it be thus who doubts but a feast of the mountaines a feast of all delicacies a Kings feast offered with so solemne an invitation yea threat of contempt yea to the most unworthy yea with such a welcome at the feast as this Esay 55.2 Eate good things and let your soules delight themselves in fatnesse I say who can deny but here is an object of the best and most earnest desire and longing These things I have thus in a shaddow premised to spare repetition of the substance contained under them least the Reader might conceive me to rush upon the point without some ground of preparation I come now to the point it selfe and the proofe thereof The point it selfe That is this Christ Iesus our nourishment in the Supper must be received with speciall longing and desire For proofe of it take first the Analogie of the Passeover Proofes In that there were sundry ceremonies noting out this desire For first what did that typifie that the Lambe should bee separated from the teate of the damme foure dayes ere it was slaine Exod. 12.6 Surely not onely to teach mortifiednesse of lusts and liberties but especially the desire which the soule should feele in her selfe as we know the poore Lambe made many a mournefull bleate after the damme in that time Verse 12 Againe what signified those first guises of eating the Passeover save desire in a speciall degree I meane their eating with their shoes on and standing Their staves ready in their hands and their hasting to bee gone Doubtlesse it argued earnest desire And therefore Luke 22. verse 15. Luke 22.15 it is sayd expressely of Christ that hee exceedingly longed to eate the Passeover with his Disciples If he so desired it what ought they to doe Also those sowre hearbes or sawce made of them as some write what doe they shew but the sharpening of appetite For the reasons also these few may serve Reason 1 1. The appetite of the soule after Christ our nourishmēt is as requisit for a receiver as the desire after Christ our life is requisite for a convert But we know that hunger after Christ our life is one of the conditions and markes of faith Therefore is this also a marke and condition of a true receiver Especially if we consider that the Sacrament is a fuller and more festivall exhibiting of Christ than the word alone ohn 6.35 Objection Objection How can this be true seeing the soule once satisfied with Christ her life shall never hunger more Answer Answer He speakes of hunger in that kinde not of each renewed actor measure of it He meanes not that any shall ever taste Christ after who hunger not after but that they shall never be so hungry any more as when their sinne stung and schorched them Reason 2. Reason 2 All other Ordinances require it of such as will partake hem with fruit As 1 Pet. 2.2 1 Pet. 2.2 If ye will covet the sincere milke c. Great appetite even as great as an infants after the brest is due to hearing of each Sermon to each fast how much more to each Sacrament Reason 3 Thirdly it is urged the rather for that it is a great signe the other foure graces are wrought also For what better argues the scowring out of those lusts of ignorance infidelitie profanenesse or uncharitablenesse than when the stomack of the soule hath gotten an appetite after the Supper Fourthly and especially how else should the soule declare it selfe to judge aright of the Sacrament to be the Lords feast except it come to it with at least such a preparation as any common feast requireth Reason 4 Not to adde this though not the least reason that the Lord offers Christ our Nourishment to us that wee might exceedingly much fare the better for him How shall we so doe except we hunger after him If any meate truly strengthen refresh and satisfie the body it is that above all which is eaten with best appetite Other meate may prove humorous which is eaten with a fulsome stomack This for Reasons Meanes of attaining it Ere I come to the use methinkes I here some asking How may this grace be attained I answer by sundry steps wrought in the soule by name these first a sensible heart of her daily and hourely wants about which reade Chapter the third of this latter Treatise Secondly Sight of Christ Sacramentall and his fulnesse For where there is no hope of supply there the soule hath no list to feele her needs But the knowledge of Gods feast will worke hope of being satisfied Meditation therefore and pondering hereof with prayer will cause the soule to hunger without horror or despaire other hungers there may be after a thing denied yea impossible But the desire of the faithfull is sweetned and strengthned by the fulnesse of the supply joyned with the promise of him that inviteth and welcometh freely and bountifully Thirdly by the experience of the Saints in their former receivings when they came empty and found that filled such and sent the full empty away So much of this Now the third part of the Chapter remaines Terror viz. the use of the Doctrine And that is manifold Vse 1 First it is terror and that to all such as come to the Sacrament without desire and yet blanke not at it The things that should breed appetite in them to wit Christ and his dainties pardon peace grace and heaven savor no more with them than the white of an egge without salt Ye wofull ones What are ye such impure Swine that these Pearles which God offers you to ravish your dead hearts with you smell of them and trample them under your feete in the dirt Aske such after the supper ended What saw ye there They answer they saw a goodly company of people and a faire cloath a golden Cup and wine powred out but as for Christ or any dramme of good in him to relish their soule they saw no more than the blinde Batt To what end then have Gods Messengers so dispensed him unto you Surely that it might be verified The eares of this people are waxen deafe and their hearts fat seeing they perceive not and hearing they understand not least they should convert and heale them If yet Christ be hidden 2 Cor. 4.4 hee is so to none but those that shall perish whom Satan hath more power over to darken than the Lord to enlighten Oh Lord but to consider how great a part of our Christian Church consists of such would gaster a good man They savor nothing save backe and belly and trade Phil. 3.18 and pleasures and drinke and gold if ye would preach of such things ye were for them But Alas As for desire of the savor of Christ in the Sacrament of nourishment a Dogge savors a chip as much Why Of a thing unknowne there can be no desire Why then come such upon unsavory saplesse and senselesse termes
death I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord. We see the Saints of old could make Songs of the Lambe and his deliverance Moses and Miriam gave not greater prayses for deliverance from Pharao Exod. 15.3 than they could make Songs for Christ But how should we doe so Surely if we would take the like course with our base hearts at the Sacrament which they could do without it we should do as they did They filled their soules to the brimme with the meditation of his benefits So should we doe at the Sacrament The Lord gives us a feast of him in all his dishes wee may chuse which our appetite most longeth after all summed up in the seales of his body and blood Meditate of that love which made him forget glory and become shame a worme of the earth continue with long-suffering and basenesse 30 yeeres upon earth that hee might be called and annointed to suffer and dye Consider his misery reproaches and indignities from the vassalls of Satan his being tempted by the Devill spending dayes and nights in fasting and Prayer willingnesse to be taken by his enemies and to endure his Fathers wrath to the uttermost and crying out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Cull out what parcell thou canst from the cratch to the crosse such as affords the deepest the divinest grounds of meditation able to conquer and ravish the soule and to blow up that sparkle of love and thankes which is kindled in thee Thou canst turne thee no way but matter will offer it selfe to thee to raise affections to the Sacrament 2. Heart raysed thereby Matter being thus raysed set thine heart on worke therewith Let admiration at this love of Christ so set upon thee a traytor a rebell when thou wert not the most unprofitable or unworthy but most trecherous of a thousand others let it cause thee to cry out Iohn 14 22. To Admiration of God and Christ Phil. 2 4.5 Why shouldst thou thus reveale thy selfe to me and passe by so many What should move thee to empty thy selfe to the bottome of all thy excellent contents that thou shouldest obey even to the death of the crosse and that for such a wretch as I. Oh! how my soule is linked to thee How doe I love thee What parts wealth esteeme hopes welfare yea life it selfe should not bee dung to me in respect of thee Whom have I in heaven but thee Psal 73.24.25 or whom in earth to be compared to thee Yea this abundance of thankes to Christ should carry thy heart through him to God the Father Col. 3 17. as Paul Col. 3 27. speakes O Father how couldst thou spye out such a sinner as I out of a thousand to chuse and call me home how couldst thou forgoe thine onely Sonne and suffer him to bee made the of-scouring of the earth Michael 7 â—nd rather than I should perish Oh! who is a God like unto our God forgetting and pardoning the transgressions of the remnâ—nt of thine heritage Oh! my soule magnifieth the Lord and my flesh rejoyceth in God my Saviour Of the Holy Ghost From both the Father and the Sonne let thy thankes proceede to the holy Ghost Oh blessed Spirit who blowest where thou listest what mooved thee to make this Sacrament such a sweete seale of pardon and heaven to such a staggering distrustfull creature as I am Why hast thou assured my soule by these sweete pledges of security that I shall not perish nor for ever be separated from thee My soule shall never forget such a blessed Spirit as hath conveyed his best assurance into my soule so barren and empty thereof before I say thine heart should fasten upon God the Father Sonne and Spirit with all admiration and thankes and from this thankes should issue into thy soule all peace joy complacence and delight in the Lord. All thy thoughts desires affections 2. To complacence delight and joy purposes endevours and abilities should pitch themselves in his founteyne wholly resigne up themselves to be at his command mourning that the fruit should be come to the birth Luke 1 47. Esay 37.5 and no strength to bring forth Yea besides this joy thy soule being thus warmed and inflamed with the bounty of the Lord should shake off deadnesse wearinesse inconstancy and renue her covenant with God for time to come saying thus oh Lord thus hast thou magnified mercy above justice towards me a sinner But what can thy servant do to thee 3. To thankefull expressions Psal 116 9 10. What shall I recompence thee with for all thy love Oh! I will take up the cup of Salvation and prayse thee I will not approach to thee with flockes of Lambes or with rivers of oyle but with an humble meeke and righteous walking with my God! Oh! that there were such an heart in mee of faith love and uprightnesse as to walke in and out with thee in all thy Commandements that it might goe well with me for ever Oh that there were not rather Deut. 5.29 Psal 19. ult such a base heart of sloth ease selfe world and sensuality to withdraw me Oh! Let the thoughts of mine heart 4. Indignation at out basenesse and the covenants of my soule and tongue be ever accepted and ratifyed with thee O Lord my God! Then should I goe 40 dayes to Horeb even from Sacrament to Sacrament in the strength of this thy feast 1 King 19 8. Yea this congregation wherein I stand which is partaker with me of the like mercy should be a witnesse of my faithfulnesse and in the midst of thy courts and Temple should I performe the vowes which I have made yea and that grace which I have found at thy Sacrament should goe with me Psal 116. ult and follow me through my life to season and sanctifie all my course my prayers my worship my marriage my company my blessings my crosses my whole conversation This may serve for a breefe view of Sacramentall Thankesgiving or remembring the death of the Lord Iesus The second duty is perpetuation 2. Duty Perpetuation Luke 22 20.21 Intimated in that clause of our Saviour For so doing ye shew forth the Lords death till he come I will touch it but breefely First know it is not with the Sacrament of the Supper as it was with that dayly Sacrifice which the Iewes offered to God morning and evening That was destroyed when the Temple of Ierusalem was ruined by Titus Vespasian But the Supper of the Lord Iesus typified in part thereby Esay 66.23 The Sacrament eternall in the Church is to last till the worlds end in one part of the Church or other Popery by their cursed Masse and other heretickes by their devices for many hundred yeeres together through Satans enmity interrupted shrewdly the Purity of Christ Sacramentall They brought in a Sacrifice for a Sacrament and defiled this ordinance so farre that they quite defaced it