as these being incident to the makeing and accomplishing of this Testament shew plainly that our Tenor is by a New Testament indeed a strange Testament such as neuer the like was or shall be Reas 3 Thirdly In respect of the renewed estate which we are aduanced vnto Hebr. 9.10 our Sauiours suffering in the Flesh is called The time of reformation as things being out of square and order before but by his appearance and suffering set vpright againe 2 Cor. 5.17 Old things are past away all things are become new new Lawes new Promises new courses new effects all new a new Heart a new Mind a new Spirit a new Life a new Nature a new Creature all new for that reformation spoken of Hebr. 9. is not spoken so much of the outward face of the Church but of the inward Temple of God that is within vs. Reas 4 Fourthly As being the last Testament that which comes after makes the former old where there be many changes of State the last alwayes is the newest there were many changes of the outward Religion before this comes after and puts them all out of date and none shall euer come after this to put this out of request and therefore the estate is called the last dayes Hebr. 1.1 as there being no other euer hereafter to be effected Reas 5 Fifthly Because by this we are sensibly inuested and enter into the estate of Glorie when all shall be renewed in full perfection That which Peter saith of the state of Glorie 2 Pet. 3.13 of a new Heauen and a new Earth is it not affirmed of the state of the New Testament Esay 65.17 Reas 6 Lastly All the hold that we haue in God is by the mediation of Iesus Christ now his mediation consists wholly in making good of the New Testament being therefore called the Mediator of the New Testament Hebr. 9.15 and 12.24 so that we cannot haue any hold in God by Christ but onely by vertue of the New Testament Vse 1 First This should teach euerie one of vs to examine and try our selues what right we haue in the New Testament made and sealed by the Blood of Christ and there we shall see plainly what hold we haue in God It is not the liuing in the dayes of the Gospell that can saue you for euerie Beast do liue in these dayes as well as we but to liue vnder is to be subiect to it and to liue vnder the power and the Lawes of the New Testament So much of this hold as we haue in the New Testament so much hold we haue in God little hold in this and little hold in God great hold in this great hold in God no hold in this no hold in God Ye see what the Testament is Iustification and Sanctification therefore examine your selues concerning both First for Iustification what right haue you in Christ for the forgiuenesse of your sinnes Haue you Faith in his Blood Are ye perswaded that you are fully satisfied for in the death of Christ Or if ye haue not this full perswasion what degrees or what measure haue you thereof Except you haue the truth of this resolution in your Hearts you can challenge no part in this Testament Then for Sanctification tell me you that professe the New Testament how is it betwixt sinne and you Hath sinne dominion ouer you Then you are not vnder Grace but vnder the Law Is the Spirit of God within you Doe you find him to liue and moue in your inward parts Is the Law of God written in your Hearts for that you see is one expresse part of this Couenant you haue it in your Eares and in your Heads and in your Mouthes but that is nothing except you haue it in your Hearts and what is it to haue the Law of God in your Hearts It is to doe the will of God Psal 40.8 I haue desired to doe thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my Heart These things are our Legacie bequeathed in this Testament and therefore it stands vs vpon to know whether we haue receiued them or not There be two speciall markes whereby we may know our selues to bee truly vnder the New Testament Softnesse of Heart and the assistance of the Spirit Softnesse of Heart if we find our Hearts to be mollified melting at the thought of our sinnes relenting at Gods Iudgements compassionate towards the afflictions of Gods Children plyable to Gods will ouercome with the loue of Christ Iesus in suffering for vs this is a sure signe that the promise of the Gospell is fulfilled vpon vs in some measure which is that he will take away our stonie Hearts and giue vnto vs Hearts of Flesh Let euerie one of vs therefore lay our Hands vpon our Hearts and search and answer as in the presence of God whether we find this softnesse in vs or whether there be not as great hardnesse of Heart in vs as there was in the Iewes in the Old Testament surely our vnablenesse and vnthankfulnesse and wilfulnes which do generally reigne amongst vs doe testifie to the World that still our Hearts doe continue in an obstinate hardnesse Secondly for the assistance of the Spirit for the Promise of the Gospell is the Promise of the Spirit and it is proper to the state of the Gospell that looke what the Word telles vs and bids vs or forbids vs that doth the Spirit encline and perswade our Hearts to beleeue and obey doe our Hearts therefore tremble when the Word is preached When we heare the Gospell say Belieue and thou shalt be saued Doe vve find an ouer-ruling power in our Soules raysing vp our minds effectually and causing vs to beleeue Can we say truly that when we heare the Word we find the same Spirit working vpon our Hearts Faith and Obedience which hath enspired those that teacheth vs For this is the right state of the Gospell Psal 18.44 As soone as they heare they shall obey me as the verie same Spirit which speakes vnto vs by the mouth of the Ministers speaking also and preuailing with our Hearts to true obedience Let vs therefore labour especially for these two things Softnesse of Heart and the assistance of the Spirit that thereby we may see we haue our right and true enterest in the New Testament Vse 2 Secondly this shewes the happy estate of those that liue vnder the New Testament if they haue grace so to make vse of vs it is a gracious opportunitie and we are much to blesse God for it that we are born in the daies of the Gospel but where God giues grace to make vse of it accordingly that we liue vnder the gouernment and subiection of the Gospell that is the greatest mercie and blessing that euer can befall vs it is next to Heauen it selfe Consider the happinesse of the New Testament First by the excellent titles of it The former Testament is called the Law this is the Gospell or glad tydings that the Shadow this
prayed for Peter exhorts euen them that crucified Christ to repent and be baptised in his Name for remission of sinnes and then all is well God hath extended his mercie to them and therefore let vs helpe them with our Faith and Prayers to God that they may enioy it And what Man is there that hath any bowels of compassion that doth not yearne euen in himselfe to thinke that such a Nation the peculiar People of God the onely worshippers of God for many hundred yeeres together should be so depriued of the Glorie of God and be separated from him by such a fearefull Apostacie that they doe euen hate the Name of Christ and of the Gospell Consider secondly that the time was when they prayed for vs Cant. 8.8 We haue a little Sister say they and she hath no Teets what shall we doe for her in the day that she shall be spoken for She being in possession of Gods fauour see what moane she makes for vs being then but cast-awayes Therefore we being in possession of Gods fauour and they cast out let vs take vp the same mournfull note in their behalfe and say We haue a little Sister and she hath no Teats her Teats were once full of Milke of Gods Word and comfort but now they are altogether barren and dry what shall we doe for her in the day that she shall be spoken for This is the day wherein she is to be spoken for euen the last dayes of the world Let vs speake to God for her and be carnest in Prayer that God would take away the Veile from their Hearts and open their blind Eyes that they may see the Saluation of Christ and that they may see the Saluation of God and so all Israel may be saued and they and we may become one Flocke and be brought into one Sheepe-fold vnder one Sheepeheard Iesus Christ Consider thirdly that we liue vpon their losse and are raysed vp vpon their spoyle If a Man begge of the King the Goods and Lands of another Mans that is condemned if he haue any grace or good nature in him he will haue care of that Mans Seed and Posteritie to relieue them as much as in him lyes We are built vp by the ruines of the Iewes and therefore what great cause haue we to pittie their Seed and Posteritie and to pray to God that he would call them home againe and make them once againe his owne People Consider fourthly that their calling is the onely signe not yet fulfilled of Christs comming to Iudgment A thing which concernes vs all to groane and to pray for that it may be speedily accomplyshed and consequently that they may be speedily called And we must not pray for them onely but we must labour to prouoke them too How is that By our holinesse of life and vpright conuersation we should shine as Lights vnto them in all good workes that by our good example we might draw them to God and to take hold on Gods sauing Ordinances as well as we And surely if the liues of Christians were such as they might and ought to be who knowes but that they might haue beene wonne long ere this We trade and trafficke with them in many places and they care not to deceiue vs and we care as little to deceiue them They take hold of this and other such great scandals and that is one great cause of the continuance of their hardnesse God intends this our prouocation of them by giuing vs the Gospell For this is that prouocation which the Apostle so much vrgeth Rom. 11. When the Father offers a peece of Bread to his Child if the Child be sullen and refuse it the Father will offer it to a Dogge and the Child seeing that will catch at it he will haue it himselfe rather then the Dogge shall haue it When our Sauiour saith It is not meet to take the Childrens Bread and cast it vnto Dogges Is it not a plaine intimation that sauing Grace is as Bread the Iewes the Children and the Gentiles Dogges God offered this sauing Grace to the Iewes they like sullen Children refused this Bread God giues it to vs being Gentiles and as it were Dogges that the Children or Iewes seeing this might catch at it as being their owne Portion that the Dogges might not haue it from them Vse 5 Fifthly This teacheth vs that there be many that shall be saued But you will say How is it said That there shall be but a few saued Answer There is but few in respect of the whole World haply not one to a thousand yet being considered in themselues they are a great number and indeed infinite as Reuel 7.9 A great multitude that no Man can number of all Nations and Kinreds and People of the World But you will say Is it so rendred that who will may haue it We answer It is tendred that whosoeuer beleeues it shall enioy it but to beleeue is not in a Man 's owne will and power none beleeue but those that God bestows this grace of Faith vpon and therefore that conceit of vniuersall Grace which intends not onely a proffer on Gods part but also power enough on Mans part to apprehend it if he will himselfe is a peeuish dreame Lastly This teacheth vs concerning this Sacrament that we are to be prepared vnto and that our Sauiour speakes of in these verie words that whosoeuer we are be we wise or simple be we bond or free we must come to be partakers of this Sacrament the Seale of this sauing Grace Let vs bring Faith with vs to apprehend it and beleeue it and then come and well-come There is no outward respect of our Nation or Condition whatsoeuer it be that debarres vs from it But be sure that thou hast Faith in the Blood of Christ else thou art none of the many here spoken of thou shalt not obtaine this benefit of the remission of thy sinnes Let vs therefore euerie one examine our selues whether we haue this grace of Faith or no If we haue it we may and must come to this Sacrament to haue it further confirmed within vs yea if our Faith be but weake and that we haue but some beginnings of Faith let vs not be afraid if it be true and from the Heart God will accept it and vs but if vpon due examination we find that we haue no true Faith let vs not flatter our selues and presume to come in hope of any good thereby it shall be so farre from doing vs any good that it shall doe vs a great deale of har me It shall be Iudgement to vs and condemnation The end of the ninth Lecture THE TENTH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER WE are now according to our wonted manner to turne out of the Catechisme and to proceed in the argument of our preparation to the Lords Supper the next Lords day being a Communion day wherein we purpose God willing to meet together at the same
honoured by vs in the performance of this businesse He will be sanctified in all that come neere him Leuit. 10.3 In this action we approach nearest to God euen to become one with Christ Iesus and hereby to be incorporated into his Body as Bone of his Bone and Flesh of this Flesh and therefore we must sanctifie and glorifie God in this exercise aboue all other It grieues me to see the Transgressors in this kind how horribly the Lord is dishonoured amongst Men euen in this most glorious and sanctified Ordinance some comming onely for fashion sake few for consciences not one amongst a great many with that due preparation that may make their seruice herein acceptable to God and Gods holy Sacrament comfortable and profitable to their owne Soules In zeale therefore for the Lord of Hoasts that his great Name and Maiestie may be rightly and truly glorified in the right and true vse of this his sauing Ordinance I desire to fit you to a reuerent and faithfull participation of this holy Sacrament as not knowing wherein either I or you may honor God more and doe him better seruice The fourth Reason is the preciousnesse of the death of the Lord Iesus Christ the greatest and weightiest and most vnualuable businesse that euer was performed since the Worlds Creation He the Lambe vndefiled and without spot a sinlesse Man the Holy One of God his owne glorious Sonne the Liquor that is prest out of such goodly Grapes must needs be a sweet and pleasant Iuice the Blood that issues out of his blessed Body and from his sacred Wounds must needs be most pure and most precious euerie drop of this heauenly Dew is worth a worlds ransome therefore not to be thought or spoken of much lesse to be purposely remembred and solemnely represented in the Sacrament but with all holy preparation and affection and eleuation of Spirit For the deepe impression of the death of Iesus Christ into our Hearts let vs consider rightly these three things which will be as so many spurres vnto vs to stirre vs vp to a more reuerent estimation and embracing of this Sacrament First the bitternesse of his death to him Secondly the sweetnesse of it to vs Thirdly the acceptablenesse of it to God First the bitternesse of it to himselfe It was exceeding bitter to him it cost him many a deepe sigh and groane many teares and strong cryings Hebr. 5.7 A sore Agony in the Garden with a bloody sweat in his Body Luke 22.44 And a deadly heauinesse in his Soule Math. 26.38 A hard conflict with the terrors of Death and the wrath of God vpon him for our sinnes for that grieuous trouble spoken of Math. 26.37 could not arise from any bodily feares or paines but he was then coping and closing with the very terrors of God due to vs but to be endured by him God set him as a Marke before him to shoot at him and to spend vpon him all the Arrowes of his Vengeance which were prepared for all beleeuing sinners from the beginning to the end of the World For many Men haue suffered a bodily death without any such daunting Christ is of a more valorous spirit then so many a sore blow did he receiue both from God and Man Men smot him and buffeted him Math. 26.67 They platted a Crowne of Thornes and put it on his Head and smot him on the Head Math. 27.29 30. And all this and a great deale more came vpon him yet there was none to pitty him Ps 69.20 The Lord from Heauen he smot him and brake him and layd vpon him Esay 53.6.10 as it were stroake vpon stroake till he had reuenged himselfe to the full vpon him He did not spare him though he were his owne Sonne Rom. 8.32 For when Christ was vpon the Crosse then he was reputed the common sinner of the World and so all the Vials of the wrath of God were to be poured out and emptied vpon him Was this Death so bitter to him and shall we be lightly affected toward it Shall we come coldly and vnpreparedly to the memoriall of it Shall we see this bitter Death of his acted as it were in a holy Tragedy before our Eyes and shall not we be much moued and yearne in our Bowels at the sight and thought and memoriall of it Put the case we should be condemned to dye and another Man in loue should take our death vpon him for vs how compassionately would wee bee affected towards him and the death that hee suffers for vs Wee would goe into our Chambers and mourne and waile and melt in our selues at the thought of his suffering for vs and his loue to vs and our wretchednesse that hath brought him to such a death much more should we be stirred vp to a thorough feeling of the sufferings and death of Christ Iesus which we wretched sinners haue brought vpon him For it was more that the Sonne of God should dye then if the whole World should dye The bitternesse of his death was caused by the bitternesse of our sins and therefore the thought of his death should alwayes stirre vs vp to true repentance to a hatred and detestation of our sins and to looke vpon the Lord Iesus with a broken Heart and a mourning Spirit and a wounded Conscience and a sighing Soule whom we haue so grieuously pierced with our sinnes Zach. 12.10 They shall looke vpon him whom they haue pierced they shall mourne for him c. Secondly the sweetnesse of it to vs it is maruailous cordiall and comfortable to vs Gaule and Vineger to him but Milke and Hony to vs his abasing is our exalting his sufferings are our victorie his torments our ease his wounds our cure his crosse our crowne his shame our glorie his death our life he dying in our stead looke how bitter our death was to him so comfortable is his death to vs looke how much he was disparaged by our death so much are we aduantaged by his it was but one death in it selfe but it is double in effect as our death that is being due to vs so it was a bitter death to Christ but as his death that is to say as being endured in his Person for vs so it is to vs most comfortable We were healed by his stripes Esay 53.5 He bore our stripes and thereby are we healed we changed states with our Sauiour and he with vs he receiued our sinnes we receiue his righteousnesse he our miserie we his happinesse he our death we his life a blessed change for vs that in stead of Sinne Death and Hell thereby deserued we should find Righteousnesse and Life and Heauen purchased by the death of Christ Iesus when the Life and Blood of Christ Iesus gusht out of his Body by his wounds then were all the Fountaines of Heauen as it were all the Flood-gates of Gods Mercie set wide open and then was all Grace and Comfort and Life and Saluation showred downe vpon all
and vs and we know that he is faithfull and true and will neuer breake his word I but in the participation of the Lords Supper here is a Seale and a Pledge of his loue whereby this Communion is further ratified when we come there then the Faith which before lay hid in vs that begins to shew it selfe by the working of Gods Spirit and so by that meanes we begin to comfort our selues and to be reuiued in our Faith and affiance that we haue in the loue of Christ our blessed Husband which is much more then a Ring to reuiue a Woman in the loue of her Husband because here are the words vsed againe of the renewing of our Communion This is my Body that was broken for thee c. This is my Blood that was shed for thee c. The words are most powerfull and fit to reuiue vs in the loue and affiance that we haue in Christ our Husband this makes all quiet and sure and to conclude though Christ be absent from me yet surely I know he continues one and the same and this comforts me we know we make vse of this in our ordinarie speech if any be married we vsually say God giue you Ioy. It is well oh that there were Hearts in Men to beleeue and see and that they had practice and experience of this to see that at the Lords Table we be hand-fasted vnto Christ then God would giue vs much ioy and comfort Another matter of Instruction is this That when we are at the Lords Table there is a nearer Bond now betweene Christ and vs then there was before here is a neerer Bond at least we are more neerer sealed and tyed to Christ and he to vs then before And why Because it is the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ it is further ratified sealed and confirmed and therefore it is matter of singular comfort to Gods Children in that it pleaseth God to vouchsafe vs so much fauour as to be one with him To be one with a great Man with the Princes of the World we esteeme it a great matter but what is it to haue Communion with Christ the Sonne of God He to be made one with vs and we with him This as it is matter of great comfort so also it is matter of obedience to stirre vs vp to obedience Is it so that we haue beene at the Lords Table to haue our Communion renewed Then we should carie our selues worthy of this mercie Are we made Members of Christ Then take heed that thou dost not take the faculties and powers of thy Soule and Body and abuse them to sinne iniquitie and to vncleanenesse It is the rule of the Apostle We must consider with our selues I haue beene at the Lords Table and made a Member of Christ and therefore now I must looke better to my Tongue that I doe not sweare nor blaspheme nor vse no vaine nor idle speeches that I must now looke better to my Eyes that I doe not suffer them to be light and wanton Eyes and specially to looke better to my Heart to walke with Christ because he is one with me and I one with him Another point of Instruction teacheth vs that Christ is really deliuered vnto vs in the Sacrament but yet notwithstanding spiritually but verily the Bread is the Communion of his Body and the Wine the Communion of his Blood that is to say there is a reall Communion to euerie faithfull and spirituall Receiuer for as the Spirit of God workes Faith in our Hearts so Faith causeth vs to beleeue that Christ hath made our peace with God and that we are incorporate into his Body and made one with him This is the reall exhibiting of Christ in the Sacrament there is no transubstantiation that the Bread is turned into the Body of Christ no the Apostle saith It is a Communion of the Body of Christ A plaine exposition of Christ himselfe where he saith This is my Body that is to say It is a Communion of his Body But if this be such a Communion then say they the Bread must be turned into the Body of Christ I answer neither of these for the Communion is spirituall it cannot be a corporall Communion but a spirituall Communion there is such a Communion as is made here betweene the Diuell and them that worship the Diuell which is not a corporall substance that is nothing else but a testification that they will serue him worship and obey him So our Communion is a ratification that we beleeue in our Hearts that Christ is one with vs and we with him True we are made partakers of Christ wholly of his Death and of his Merits but still in a spirituall manner As for his Body we haue nothing to doe with it that is in Heauen And therefore they that say they eat his Body they are as grosse as those in the sixth of Iohn It is an absurd thing nay it is a horrible thing for any Man to thinke that they should eat the Body and Blood of Christ in the Sacrament Vse 3 The third Vse It is matter of reproose I shall but point at them First It reproues the names that the Popish Church giues vnto this Sacrament they call it the Masse I would faine know of the Papists what is the reason they call it by the name Masse seeing it is called in the Scripture a Communion let them shew vs but one title in all the whole Booke of God that it is called a Masse and we will yeeld to them It is true the Masse though it haue been ancient amongst the Fathers yet it is not ancient in the Scriptures Another matter of reproofe that here ariseth is against the Popish Church that celebrate this Sacrament in one kind they giue the People the Bread but not the Cup The Cup which we blesse saith the Apostle is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ Take this for a rule wheresoeuer the Lords Supper is handled where it is not handled but by the way there they are both vsed sometimes it is done by the Bread onely and sometimes by the Cup but where it is of purpose treated of there you shall find that they are both spoken of Vse 4 The next Vse Is it so 〈◊〉 there is such a Communion betweene Christ and vs Then it teacheth vs this that euerie one of vs should so fit and prepare our selues when we come to the Lords Table euen as if we came to receiue the verie Body and Blood of Christ If Christ should enter into vs bodily then we would make vs as cleane as we could And shall wee not much more when hee comes to enter into vs spiritually And to say with the Centurion Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter vnder my Roofe So euerie one of vs should make all preparation to giue entertainement to such a
the New Testament as the Blood of Christ in a proper sence is the Blood of his owne Body The Vses of the Point follow Vse 1 First It commends vnto vs the excellencie of the New Testament aboue the Old What a gracious mercie of God is it for vs that are respited to liue in those dayes wherein the Lord hath vouchsafed vnto as all other things so the Sacraments of the New Testament fit for the Couenant of Grace which we professe and imbrace he hath beene pleased to giue vnto vs Christ himselfe in a more fuller manner then to the old People in the former Testament in the time of the Law To them in Promise in Sacrifice in Saddowes To vs in Substance To them a farre off To vs neere he came amongst vs he suffered was conuersant and dwelt amongst vs. Besides this he taught them the Doctrine of Saluation but it was shaddowed in Mysteries in a kind of darke Cloud But we see it in so cleare a Glasse that euerie Man that runs may read it Yet farther God hath giuen vs Christ more fully the Word and Doctrine of Saluation more fully and the Sacraments of the New Testament more liuely senceably teachable spirituall and heauenly then the Sacraments of the Old Testament where they are more liuely representations of Christ and more palpable and pregnant figures of the fruit and benefit purchased by his sufferings when they vnder the former Testament were to spell Christ in the eating of the Paschall Lambe it was a hard matter for them so to doe But when we come to doe this in this Sacrament in the breaking of the Bread and pouring forth of the Wine where the words of Institution are added thereunto as also the Doctrine of Saluation concerning the Death of Christ if we cannot now spell him our blindnesse is horrible This is that glorious Ministerie the Apostle speakes of 2 Cor. 3.7 c. The ministration of the Law was glorious but the ministration of the Spirit is more glorious This is in an other maner he giues two reasons for it The one It is the ministration of righteousnesse The other the ministration of the Spirit The ministration of the Law by reason of Mans corruption was Death The ministration of the Gospell is Life Here is matter of Righteousnesse the free mercie of God in Christ That was of the Letter this of the Spirit Looke what was deliuered to them in the Word and Sacraments it was done outwardly there was not that neere acquaintance of the Word and Spirit as now is It is common to the Gospell to be generally attended by the Spirit of Grace and there it is the ministerie of the Spirit When we are to preach the Word and to administer the Sacraments the Spirit attends vpon these Ordinances to sanctifie to the Heart and Conscience of the Beleeuer those things are tendered vnto him Vse 2 The second Vse teacheth vs that the more mercifully God deales with vs the greater meanes he affords vs the greater our sinne and condemnation and the more vnexcusable are we if we neglect the same Haue we greater light then they had Let vs then walke according to that light He lookes for that he giues to euerie Man where he giues much he lookes for much where he giues a better light to walke by he looks that we should walke by a better light and therefore seeing he hath vouchsafed this vnto vs he requires that our liues and conuersations should be more holy and religious then those that liued in a more obscure light vnder the times of the former Testament Especially we must not contemne and neglect these things He that despised the Law of Moyses dyed without mercie And what shall become of vs if we trample the Blood of the New Testament vnder our Feet If we neglect so great Saluation If those that contemned the Sacraments of the Old Testament were in a damnable case In what a fearefull condition are we if we defile the Blood of this New Testament which we shall doe if we come not with prepared Hearts with resolution to serue God to breake off our sinnes to be raysed vp in consideration of God Promise in Christ and with a full purpose and determination for hereafter to become new Creatures and therefore as we would not bring Damnation vpon vs so let vs be carefull that we are not omissiue herein Vse 3 The third Vse warnes our Ministers to looke to themselues that they defile not themselues with the corruptions of the World If the Priests and Leuites though they bare but the Vessels of the Lord were to be sanctified how much more is this required of vs that carrie such precious treasure the Word the Couenant of Grace the Sacraments the Signes and Seales thereof And likewise for your selues it teacheth you carefully to lay vp those heauenly things in good and honest Hearts that Gods purpose and your faith may meet together and so redound to your euerlasting comfort and Saluation Vse 4 The fourth and last Vse of the Point is this Here is matter of reproofe against many bad vngodly and gracelesse Receiuers First of those that are ignorant of the matter of Saluation this is a Sacrament of the New Testament and that is a state of life and knowledge they that are destitute of this the Sacrament is not them nor such persons must not come vnto it In the second place it reproues superstitious Receiuers that come as the Papists and thinke that for the deed done they shall be iustified and find good will as if the action of it selfe were of effect that it workes Grace whether they haue Faith and Repentance or no. The Sacrament of the Supper is the Sacrament of the New Testament The state of the New Testament requires God to be worshipped in Spirit and Truth not formally but in Faith and Repentance Thirdly it reproues those that come to it vncharitably such must not come till they haue dispensed with their high stomackes and are reconciled to their Brethren This Sacrament is the Sacrament of the New Testament The New Testament is a Couenant of Peace not onely betwixt God and Man but betwixt Man and Man Not onely glorie vnto God on high but peace vpon Earth good will towards Men And such as come vncharitably they are Vsurpers they meddle with that they haue nothing to doe withall Fourthly it reproues those that are vnregenerate they conceit with themselues that howsoeuer they vnderstand not the matter of Saluation though they haue no perswasion of Gods loue yet that the Sacrament may worke this No they are deceiued the Sacrament makes vs not good but confirmes vs in the state of Righteounsnesse in that good which God hath already wrought in vs. The Word and Spirit makes vs new Creatures the Sacraments strengththen vs already made This Sacrament is a Sacrament of the New Testament and therefore belongs to such as haue part in that Couenant of Grace Such as are
by his Ordinance to be receiued by Faith he giues it by his Ordinance wholly and therefore we receiue Christ wholly in his Word And so he is our Iustification and Sanctification Reas 6 Lastly Those that come vnworthily increase their own Iudgment damnation He that comes to the Lords Table without preparation and examination that he may be fitted to come into his presence to this heauenly Feast brings 2 euils vpon himselfe First he makes himselfe more guiltie of sinne And secondly he increaseth the hardnesse of his owne Heart He increaseth the guiltinesse of sinne which makes him further from Iustification And the hardnesse of his Heart which makes him further from Sanctification And therefore he that comes in Faith receiues both acquittance from the guilt of sinne which is his Iustification and strength against his sinne which is his Sanctification Vse 1 The Vses of the Point are these The first Vse teacheth vs that our Iustification Sanctification alwaies goe together these are but one In the acceptation of God there is but one the same Couenant whosoeuer dissunders them dissunders the onely Testament of the Lord Iesus Where Iustification is there is Sanctification If any Man be in Christ he is a new Creature 2 Cor. 5. They that are in Christ haue crucified the Flesh with the Lusts thereof Gal. 5.24 Whersoeuer the Heart is iustified by the free pardon and remission of sin there also is it sanctified to performe all holy obedience That we being deliuered from our Enemies might serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Redemption there goes before the seruice of God And you see that the Prophet ioynes them together in Ps 32. Blessed is the Man whose sinnes are pardoned and in whose Spirit there is no guile Iustification in the first part of the Verse and Sanctification in the latter In the first branch is remission of sinnes Iustification In the second holinesse of life and Sanctification And therefore let no Man flatter himselfe as to thinke he is iustified and hath found mercie vnlesse he find some true degree of Sanctification God hath not forgiuen thy sinne vnlesse thou hast in some sort receiued a Heart and affection to cleaue vnto him vnlesse he hath giuen thee a care and conscience to serue him and again if thou dost find some measure of true Sanctification neuer doubt but that the Lord hath pardoned thy sin and hath receiued thee to mercie Though thy sinnes be great and thou seest not that God hath forgiuen them yet be perswaded Sanctification is a true effect of Iustification If thou findest a true indeauour to feare and serue him in all holy obedience be sure he hath had mercie on thee to forgiue thee Vse 2 The second vse teacheth vs that seeing the whole Couenant is tendered vnto vs in this Sacrament that therefore whensoeuer we come to receiue it we should indeauour our selues to receiue it accordingly We must first labour to discerne herein that it is both our Iustification and Sanctification Secondly we must hunger and thirst after them we must desire to receiue assurance that our sinnes are pardoned increase of Grace and Sanctification And lastly we must labour and we must stirre vp our selues and pray vnto God that we may profit by it that we may receiue the whole Couenant of Grace thus freely tendered vnto vs If we consider the signes they are in the singular wisedome of God fitted to our capacities to performe this dutie There is Bread and Wine both of them fit either for comfort or strength Wine specially for comfort Bread for strength as the Scripture speakes of them What better comfort then the forgiuenesse of sinne when the Soule receiueth assurance that sinne is pardoned The Wine cannot so comfort the Heart naturally But the assurance of Gods loue in Christ that sin is forgiuen doth comfort our Hearts spiritually a great dealemore How sweet is matter of Iustification As Wine refresheth the Heart so the assurance of the pardon of sinne comforts the Soule Here is also Bread which strengthens the Heart what greater strength is there then that when the Heart is strengthened by Grace when we are setled in a stedfast purpose to lead a godly life when he establisheth vs with his free Spirit The Bread doth not so much strengthen our naturall life as the blessing we receiue in this Sacrament the sanctifying Grace of God our spirituall life in the wayes of godlinesse These things we must raise vp our minds vnto we must not thinke that these Elements are idle signes but powerfull to seale many excellent things vnto vs if we haue Hearts to discerne such excellencies as the Lord therein hath treasured vp for vs. Let vs discerne in these Elements matter of our Iustification and Sanctification matters of excellent comfort and strength the true comforts and strength of God against our sinnes and against the temptations of Sathan Here is Wine to comfort our Hearts but God to comfort our Soules much more Here is Bread to strengthen vs but the Bread of God to strengthen vs much more The Grace of Iustification to comfort vs against sinne already committed the Grace of Sanctification to strengthen vs against sinne raging in our mortall Bodyes So then we must consider with our selues these things we must be raysed vp and prepare our selues to be quickned accordingly that we may comfortably receiue the things deliuered in this Sacrament of the Supper the things also shadowed in these Elements Vse 3 Another Vse of the Point is this It teacheth vs that our Iustification and Sanctification are both certainly to be beleeued that is to say we must be perswaded of them that they are certaine things and shall be performed to vs they are not onely certaine in themselues but to vs for thus much the Sacrament intends for seeing it tendreth vnto vs the whole Couenant of Grace seeing it reacheth and giueth vnto vs possession of these things as if God should say Here is Christ take him here is Iustification and Sanctification take them they be thine These things I say being thus tendered vnto vs herein if therefore we bring Paith we shall receiue them we may assuredly be resolued that they shall be made good vnto vs. The want of this assurance makes many woundings in our spirituall life the want of assurance of our Iustification puts vs to many feares and much distrustfulnesse and the want of the assurance of Sanctification or because we beleeue not that God will sanctifie vs which should hold vs against temptations against Sathans malice and the wickednesse of the World and our owne corruptions it makes vs find many faylings in our selues whereas if we would beleeue God vpon his word and vpon his pawne that he giues vs in this Sacrament it would perswade vs sufficiently that these things shall certainely be performed vnto vs the want I say of this assurance causeth many faylings in our state both of Faith and
of obedience and the want of preparation that we may be fitted to this Sacrament that therein we may discerne Christ and hunger after Grace and receiue both the matter of Iustification and Sanctification is one cause why we want this assurance Vse 4 The last Vse of the Point Seeing it is so that the Sacrament is an effectuall pledge of the whole Couenant of Grace then we that are faithfull receiuers are Iustified and Sanctified Let vs therfore goe our way as our Sauiour saith and sinne no more least a worse thing befall vs. Now we are washed by the Grace of Iustification from our sinnes let vs not like the Swine wallow againe in the mire of finne Now we are loosed from the Fetters and Bonds of sinne from the Intanglement Snares of Sathan let vs not intrap our selues againe let vs not like a gracelesse Prisoner to day deliuered vse such courses as may bring vs to the same condemnation to morrow but esteeme our libertie verie deere and precious We are reconciled to God our debts are payd let vs not run in with him againe so much as in vs lyes but let vs resolue pray and indeauour our selues after the things that concerne our peace thus graciously confirmed vnto vs and auoyd all such as may hinder the same And though we get not the vpper hand of our selues at the first yet in time we shall find a senceable increase of Grace in vs Let vs know if we be faithfull and follow after these things God is faithfull and will make them good vnto vs. The Vse is this That seeing God vouchsafeth this mercy that here is giuen vs a finall acquittance of all our debts and sinnes seeing he giues vs his Promise and Grace and puts a pledge into our Hands that he is our God that he will forgiue vs and remember our iniquities no more seeing he hath promised to write his Law in our Hearts and to put his feare in our inward parts let vs go away changed from the filthinesse of Flesh Spirit let vs wait vpon God rest vpon his Promises let vs know he is faithfull and what he hath promised shall be performed if we beleeue his good words let vs beleeue his deeds if when he saith our sins are pardoned then much more when he giues this Bread Wine as a signe and pledge thereof Thus let vs labor to be fitted against the next Lords day let vs meditate on these things that we may come preparedly vnto this holy Table let vs labour to partake of the Couenant of Grace we may say O Lord how often haue we bin at thy Table and yet neuer the better we neuer vnderstood it before we now find this Sacrament to be of the New Testament a Seale of the whole Couenant of Grace of our Iustification our Sanctification a pledge vnto vs that our sins are pardoned that thou wilt put thy Law into our Hearts wilt write it in our inward parts These things heretofore we haue not considered let vs now take them to Heart repent vs of our former faylings so addresse our selues that we may come with our right Wedding Garment vpon vs and so be welcome into thy presence THE ELEVENTH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER BEcause of the Sacrament the next Sabboth God willing to be administred we are therefore to spend this Exercise vpon such matter as may make for our fit preparation thereunto for that is the course which hitherto wee haue obserued and which wee propounded in the beginning So that wee are to goe on where wee left the last day of preparation in the sixe and twentieth of Mathew and the latter part of the eight and twentieth Verse This is my Blood of the New Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes We haue shewen the last day how these words are to be vnderstood with refference to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and therein we obserued as you may remember that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is proper and peculiar to the New Testament as here our Sauiours words are This is my Blood of the New Testament Secondly We shewed you that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is an effectuall Seale and Pledge of the whole Couenant of Grace that is to say both of the matter of our Iustification and likewise of the matter of our Sanctification Now we are to speake in the last place touching the Persons here mentioned so farre as they haue their interest in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper so as the things themselues that are here spoken are intended in a double sence First absolutely to the Death of Christ it selfe Secondly respectiuely to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper So the Persons that are here spoken of are to be considered answerably in both these sences First as they haue their interest and part in the Death of Christ And secondly as they haue their part and Interest in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Wee haue spoken of the Persons in the first sence heretofore as they haue their interest in the Death of Christ We are now to speake of them as they haue interest in the Lords Supper and for to furnish this Text so farre forth as it makes for our present purpose The Persons here spoken of as you see are set forth in generall tearmes Many But Luke in his two and twentieth Chapter and the twentieth Verse reports this saying of our Sauiour as being spoken with particular reference and applycation to the Disciples the Persons onely then present at this businesse This is the New Testament in my Blood shed for you Mathew saith for many Luke for you Both one and the same speech of our Saviour and if wee vnderstand them both aright and expound the one of them by the other we shall find a sweet concurring and agreement betwixt the Euangelists themselues and likewise much profitable matter by this their ioynt testimonie concerning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper The Sacrament it selfe in respect of the institution and vse of it is a publike Ordinance that is common to many The whole Church of God and all the Faithfull from time to time are to take the benefit and to make vse of it to the end of the World and that is one part of Mathew's meaning here when he saith for many But the particular administration of this Sacrament at that time when it was first instituted was peculiar to the Disciples onely as they onely then receiuing it and that is some part of Luke's meaning when he saith for you But yet further also wheresoeuer this Sacrament shall be thus in vse and thus administred it must be done in an Assembly Many must be present at it And that is the other part of Mathew's meaning when he saith for many On the other side those Persons to whom it shall be thus administred must receiue it with particular apply cation It must be for you
againe it teacheth us not to stay there in the admiration of these things as many doe but know that you must goe on and as you esteem reverently of it so likewise earnestly and fervently to desire it Wee know for our parts that the best things wee most of all desire specially in the matter of our dyet the best the finest the whitest the wholsomest bread so for wine the best the quickest the neatest and the richest wine is desired most Oh that wee were as wise for the dyet and welfare of our soules as wee are for the dyet of our bodies This bread is the best bread the finest the whitest and the wholsomest bread that ever man did or can eate this wine is the best the quickest the neatest and the richest wine that ever any man did or can drinke therefore how should wee be stirred up with an earnest and fervent desire after this bread and this wine Mark and minde that of the Apostles in Iohn 6.34 Christ had told them vers 33. that the bread of God is hee which commeth downe froÌ„ heaven and giveth life unto the world then they said unto him Lord evermore give us of this bread That was spoken of Christ absolutely in himselfe but this is spoken of Christ in a sacramentall sense let us therefore follow their example and let the consideration of the excellency of this bread stirre us up to desire it earnesâ—â—y to pray that God would evermore give us this bread and this would make us not come once a moneth but every day if it were possible our little comming to it sheweth our little desire of it But to goe further wee must not onely reverently esteeme of it and earnestly desire it but also labour to be worthy receivers of it Whensoever wee come to the Lords Table let every one of us see we bring a pure soule and a cleane heart purged from the leaven of all maliciousnesse and cleansed from the sinfull humours of our owne nature emptied of the filthy and noysome corruptions of the world and of the old man Let us come with a pure heart and a sanctified soule a cleane vessell to put this holy and sanctified foode into For otherwise if thou come as an unworthy receiver all will bee marred that is to say both the bread and the receiver the unworthy receiver defiles this sanctified bread unto himselfe and this sanctified bread shall condemne the unworthy receiver so both shall be marred But when as there comes a sweet vessell for this sweet food to be put into then these will sweetly agree together As there is a marke of excellency set upon the bread and the cup it is this bread and this cup that is to say sanctified bread and a sanctified cup so there must answerably be a marke of excellency set upon the receiver thou must be this receiver that is to say a sanctified receiver a prepared receiver a worthy receiver And when these things shal thus meet together then there is a sweet meeting then is this bread and this wine well bestowed upon this receiver and then this receiver is well refreshed and well comforted with this bread and this wine Dogs and swine that is to say they that continue in their sinnes and filthinesse they are not to come to bee made partakers of these holy things and pretious pearles of God Lastly wee must not stay here neyther but we must goe one step further As we must reverently esteeme of it and earnestly desire it and worthily receive it So likewise we must in the last place thankfully acknowledge the goodnesse of GOD and magnifie his great love towards us that is pleased to invite and admit such unworthy guests as we are to such pretious bread and wine as this is Blesse GOD the Father in thy heart that hath sent thee this bread and this wine Blesse GOD the Sonne that hath given thee this bread and this cup. Blesse GOD the Holy-Ghost that is alwayes present with the beleeving receiver by the continuall assistance of his power grace to make this bread and this cup through his lively operation to bee the bread of spirituall strength and the wine of spirituall comfort the bread and wine of life and of salvation to every faithfull receiver So much shall serve to have spoken of this third thing It followes As oft as you shall eate this bread and drinke this cup you shew the Lords death till hee come Marke here the Apostle speaking of the administration and participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper couples both these together the bread and the wine the eating of the bread and the drinking of the wine he doth not say As oft as you eate this bread or drinke this cup as if they might bee divided one from the other but as oft as you eate this bread and drinke this cup joyning these inseparably together in the use of the Sacrament Doct. The matter of Doctrine is this namely That the Sacrament of the Lords supper is not to bee administred in any one kinde onely that is to say not in the bread without the wine nor in the wine without the bread but in both kindes in the bread and in the wine both together Marke the doctrine that is raised from hence in that the Apostle joynes both these together Hence observe that the Sacrament of the Lords supper is not to be administred in any one kinde onely c. If the Apostle had left out the bread or the cup it had beene another matter but hee names them both and therby gives us the rule that the Sacrament of the Lords supper is to bee administred in both kindes in the bread and in the wine both together The institution of the Sacrament by our Saviour yeelds us a double proofe of this doctrine each of them very sufficient and each of them very cleare the first is our Saviours practice and the second is our Saviours commandement First concerning our Saviours practice it is said in these places Matth. 26. Marke 14. and Luke 22. that our Saviour tooke the bread and the wine and gave it to his Disciples Our Saviour himselfe he administred it not in one kine only but in both kindes Now the rule is this that our Saviours example in all matters of substance in all his ordinances must be the rule that we must follow this is a matter of substance concerning this saving Ordinance of the Lords supper and therefore his example in this is to be followed that himselfe did administer the Sacrament in both kindes and his example must be our rule therefore we must doe so too The second proofe is from his Commandement for how soever it be that Matthew and Marke mentions it not yet Luke chap. 22. and Paul here mentioneth an expresse coÌ„mandement that Christ gave charge that they should doe this in remembrance of him as he saith of the bread so the same he saith of the wine that is whatsoever
consciences hee commends them as Gods owne ordinances So then that which he received of Christ he delivered unto them That which he delivers unto them is the ordinance of the Lord Iesus Christ vers 23. but hee delivers it to then that the ordinary people should drinke the cup as well as eate the bread vers 26. Therefore this is the very ordinance of Christ himselfe and therefore of absolute necessitie It is worth our observation here that the Euangelists Matthew and Marke did speake nothing of our Sauiours command Doe this in remembrance of me and S. Luke hee speakes it onely concerning the bread But the Apostle Paul a faithfull Interpreter of Christ speakes it not onely of the bread but of the cup too verse 24. Take eate this is my body which is broken for you This doe in remembrance of mee So the very same commandement he doth use concerning the cup vers 25. The same commandement that is for the bread the same he giveth for the cup and therefore the same necesitie that there is for the one to be administred to the Laitie the same there is for the other Reason 1 The Reason First the proportion betweene the signe the thing signified requireth as much What is the thing signified The body and blood of Christ What is the signe Bread and wine Christ gave his body to be crucified his blood to be shed and therefore both these are to be represented in the Sacrament and therefore they must have the wine administred as well as the bread Wee are saved by the blood of Christ as well as by the body of Christ there must be a due proportion betweene the signe and the thing signified Reason 2 Againe it may appeare by the nature of a feast specially of Gods feasts In a feast there must be some drinke as well as bread else it is but a dry feast as wee say if there be no drinke and many a poore and dry feast have the people amongst the Papists who onely have bread at the Lords Table but not a drop of drink with it but the Lord hath beene more mercifull and bountifull to us then so he makes us a feast at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Is it against the nature of a feast to have bread onely and not wine Doth not the necessitie of a feast require that they should have both Then the Sacrament of the Lords supper being the Lords feast must bee furnished with the cup as well as with the bread So in regard of our disposition and of our necessitie every one of us that know how sweet the Lord Iesus Christ is cannot but both hunger and thirst after him Whosoever relisheth the body of Christ will hunger after the body of Christ and whosoever relisheth the blood of Christ will thirst after the blood of Christ And our Saviour doth propound himselfe unto us that hee is not onely bread to satisfie our hunger but water of life also to satisfie our thirst this is Christ in regard of himselfe as hee is our Redeemer and Mediator wee come to the Sacrament there to behold Christ to worship Christ to apprehend him and to receive him as our Mediator and Redeemer and therefore the Sacrament must not onely afford us bread to satisfie our hunger but wine also to satisfie our thirst Vse 1 The Vse First it serves to reprove them in the Popish Church that deprive the ordinary people of the cup. It is a great sinne in them for they make themselves in that case wiser then the Lord Iesus Christ changing his ordinance at their own pleasure They say they must not have the cup for feare of shedding his blood Cursed hypocrites that make themselves more jealous of shedding the blood of Christ than Christ himselfe did Besides that they doe maime the Sacrament and make it imperfect in that they do take away one materiall part of the Sacrament so also they doe exceedingly wrong the people in that they deprive them of the benefit and comfort that they might have by the blood of Christ as much as in them lyeth they deprive and defraud them of it If we being at the Sacrament there should come in a mad man and steale away the cup from us would we not say that he is a sacrilegious theese and spoiles Gods ordinances robs the Church So doe not they maime the Sacrament wrong and rob the people in the church of Rome of that which is their due by Gods ordinance by keeping backe the cup But they have a distinction they have a shift and device that they thinke will salve all The Body say they doth containe the blood too they have the blood in the body for the body containes his blood by way of concomitancie But this is a very sory shift quite contrary to the practice of our Saviour and contrary to the nature of the Sacrament Wee come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to celebrate the memoriall of his body by it selfe and to celebrate the memoriall of Christs shedding of his blood by it selfe And Christ instituted that Sacrament of purpose not onely to remember the death of Christ in the bread but Christ commended himselfe unto us in the Sacrament as his body being severed from his blood and his blood being out of his body so his body to be a sacrifice and his blood to be a sacrifice and so hath appointed severall signes answerable to each of them And this meets directly with this foolish conceit of the papists We receive the body of Christ as a severed thing from his blood for they were then severed the one from the other Againe the next Vse It should put us in minde of the love of God towards us in delivering and bringing us out of the hands of these robbers that have made a prey of the Church of God and doe make a prey of it keeping backe the people from receiving that part of the Sacrament This should teach us also to magnifie the bountifull goodnes of God to us that bidding us to his table he doth not scantle us to a morsell of dry bread but with the bread he gives us wine He reacheth forth the cup to us as if Christ should say Here here thou poore hungry and thirsty soule take wine to thy bread and eate and drinke and be mery and take thy fill upon thy Saviour Iesus Christ and cheare up thy heart in feeding upon whole Christ for thy comfort and life and salvation Ps 22.26 The poore shall eate and be satisfied and their hearts shall live for ever It is spoken generally to all the Saints of God that beleeve in him It is performed made good in this parcicular God gives us to eate to the ful at his table whereby wee may be fully satisfied that our hearts may live for ever Pro. 9. It is the voyce of the Word which saith Come and eate of my meat and drinke of my wine Christ he is the true
table to eate of the same bread no such fewell to maintaine this fire of love in their hearts as the spirituall food they participate of at the Lords Table and therefore if we would have the love of Gods children kindled towards us and ours to them and not goe out then let us use this most effectuall meanes namely the oft communicating and participating in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Reason 6 The last reason is concerning the Word the Word is oft to bee heard therefore the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is oft to be communicated in That the Word is oft to bee heard I thinke none will deny that wee must heare the Word at all times by day and by night in season and out of season the Word and the Sacraments are joyned together in a neare bond and league by Gods ordinance and they are to one and the same purpose and efrect as a writing and a seale and therefore if we must be frequent in the hearing of the Word then also frequent in the participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper that so that which is spoken in the Word may be sealed unto us in the Sacrament that that wee heare in the one we may feele in the other that so we may grow along in the faith of Christ till at length we become perfect men in Christ Vse 1 The first Vse is for matter of reproofe of grosse and grievous negligence in the practice of this duty generally and the negligence seizeth upon the Ministers many times as well as upon the people First we will speake against the negligence of the Ministers and then of the negligence of the people A word or two of the first Many Minisers are negligent in this duty either forsooth because they would spare their owne paines and labour or elfe because they are carelesse of the flocke of Christ committed unto them they have not that regard of them as they should hence it comes to passe that they let the people settle themselves upon the lees of their sins either they tender it not oft unto them but haply once or foure times a yeare or if they doe tender it often yet they suffer the people to absent themselves without any just occasion great is the negligence of many in this case and surely it is a fearfull sinne and a heavie account have many to make for this sinne It is our duty that are Ministers to spread the table before you and to call warne and invite you to come and to seeke this to the utmost of our power and then if you come not oft you shal perish in your sins negligence but we shall deliver our owne soules but if wee be negligent in this and doe not call upon you oft you shall perish in your sins and your blood shall be required at our hands and therefore it stands us upon to looke unto it not onely in regard of our owne soules and our owne good but in regard of you and in love to your soules that wee should tender you the Lords Supper oft-times and call upon you oft to come unto it how many good and holy opportunities have we offeted unto us to remember the death of Christ to confirm and strengthen the faith of them that are weake and to cherish love in the hearts of Gods children and to encrease in them the grace of sanctification by the often use of this Sacrament How many good opportunities are daily omitted and neglected in this land and in this City meerly through the Ministers negligence in this duty many soules there bee that perish because of this negligence in Ministers and therefore it is our duty to bee stirred up and to labour to reforme our selves The Apostle gives us the rule when he saith Thou that teachest another teachest not thou thy selfe But in the second place the negligence of the people is more convenient for this place to be reproved thereby when the Table is spred when God saith to them Come when the Minister saith All is ready and their brethren say Come too when they are thus warned called and invited to come and then they refuse or if they doe come it is very sparingly it is not oft this is a most gracelesse and retchlesse practice If wee were scantled of this great meanes and blessing either by persecutton or by the iniquity of the times or by the prophanenesse of the Magistrate or by the gracelessenesse of the Minister then wee would cry out we cannot have that we would have and that we are wronged and debarred of the saving ordinance of God and that the doore of the kingdome of heaven is shut against us and that wee cannot partake so oft as wee would But now that through Gods mercy wee have the Sacrament oft tendered unto us and that we are called and warned and invited to communicate if wee refuse now to come or if wee come sparingly what is this but to despise the bountifull and rich mercy of God towards us that the Lord offereth us so many heavenly excellencies and comforts with one hand for in this one action is Christ Iesus all his merits offered to us what is this but to despise God that offereth so many blessings of heavenly comfort Christ Iesus and all his merits and we turne our backes upon him and say we wil none of this heavenly Manna And surely without this be reformed it cannot but be recompenced of God with extremity of Iustice in some notorious judgement upon us specially by taking away such rich and precious treasures from such base wretches as we are that so meanly esteeme of them or else that God should cry quittance with us and turne his backe upon us when wee pray as wee have turned our backes upon him when he called and will not heare us As also when we are sicke and when wee lye upon our death beds God will not regard us goe whither we will and at the day of Iudgement he shall say Depart from meye cursed I know you not I offered you such and such meanes of salvation and that oftentimes but you would none of it and therefore I have no salvation for you We know how God dealt with the Iewes when the mysteries of salvation were tendered unto them and they rejected the same he then turned to the Gentiles to them that would bring forth better fruit when those that were bidden to the Feast would not come the Lord said goe into the high wayes and as many as ye find bid them c. A notable example we have in the first of Hester and 3. Abashuerosh the King made a great Feast and he bade his Nobles and the Queene Vashti and in the 12 verse she refused to come to the King and therefore in the 19 verse she is divorced she shall never come more into the Kings presence shall wee thinke that he tendered his temporall glory more then God doth his infinite glory if God
remission of sinnes Remission of sinnes is the benefit there is no remission of sinnes but onely by the blood of Iesus Christ as it is in the 1. of Iohn 11.7 It is the blood of Iesus Christ that clenseth us from all our sinnes On the other side in Hebr. 9.22 Where there is no shedding of blood there is no remission of sinnes then consider of it there is no purchasing of remission of sinnes by Christ but by his blood there is no obtaining of remission of sinnes by us but onely by participating or by communicating in the blood or death of Christ Iesus the death of Christ Iesus is not communicated unto us in the Sacrament except we partake of it and seize upon it by faith in the Sacrament therefore the chiefe and principall matter in the Sacrament is the death of Iesus Christ if so be that in the receiving of the Sacrament we come with our harts sprinkled with the blood of Christ Iesus by the Spirit of God why then we are sure to be made partakers of the whole benefit of the Sacrament remission of sinnes but if wee doe not come with the blood of Christ so sprinkled in our hearts by the Spirit of God we doe not seize upon the death of Christ wee have no benefit in the Sacrament if there be not shedding of blood there is no remission of sinnes Christ himselfe could never have redeemed us from death without his blood had beene shed for us and so we can never have any benefit by his redemption without his blood be sprinkled in our hearts and we take fast hold upon the death of Iesus Christ The Vses of the doctrine are these Vse 1 The first is this this yeelds us matter of reproofe of divers that doe come unto the Lords Table and yet are not sensible of the death of the Lord Iesus Christ they come to the Lords table but they know not what they come about Alas as Salomon saith Eccles. 4.17 Such men doe but offer the sacrifice of fooles they doe not know they doe evill they doe but offer the sacrifice of fooles because they doe not know what they doe that is the meaning of the place that they doe not heare or learne they doe not understand they are not well taught what it is that they must principally meditate upon when they come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Sily men and women that so come to the Lords Table alas they know not that they doe evill they know not that they prophane the Sacrament in that they doe not receive the holy things of the Sacrament that is the death of Christ they know not that they make themselves guilty of the blood of Christ in that they receive not the body and blood of Christ by faith Christ he is tendred unto them but they know not that they doe eate their owne damnation in that they apprehend not the death of Iesus Christ which is the chiefe matter that is there tendred unto them and that the Lord calls them unto they offer the sacrifice of fooles they know not that they doe evill I will give you a comparison If so be that a man should goe into the market to fetch such and such commodities that he stands in need of he makes himselfe ready and goes forth and makes full accompt to bring them home with him but the foolish man never considers the price of these things what they will cost him and so hee takes no money to pay for them when as the price is the chiefest thing to be respected in that he goes about but he never considers that Is not this a ridiculous man is not that man like to come home as foolish and as emptie as he went out It is so with many of our Communicants many here come to the Lords Table for what forsooth to furnish themselves with such and such commodities for to receive the holy Sacrament the body and blood of Christ for to receive remission of sinnes and grace and comfort and such like these they come to receive I but they do not consider the price of these things what is that the death of Christ for these things cost Christ Iesus his most precious blood they doe not bring faith in their hearts whereby to purchase and get these things for themselves therefore such men goe away as foolish and ridiculous and as empty of grace as ever they were before yea they are so much the more damnable because they come thus unfurnished It is with many of us as it was with the Iewes that the Apostle speakes of in the 2. to the Corinthians chap. 3. vers 14 15. Their mindes are hardned for unto this day remaineth the same covering untaken away in the reading of the old Testament which veile in Christ is put away but even unto this day when Moses is read the veile is laid over their hearts They could see the outward things the sacrifices the ceremonies and the letter of the old Testament as the Apostle speakes I but saith the Apostle they could not looke unto the end they could not looke unto the substance of those things that were tendred unto them in this outward shadow that is to say they could not looke upon Christ that is the substance of all no saith the Apostle there is a veile over their hearts and to this day they continue in their hardnesse so I say it is with many among us wee come here unto the Lords Table we can see these outward things well enough the bread and the wine I but yet many of us doe not looke to the end of these things to the substance that is tendred unto us in these holy mysteries namely to the death of Christ wee doe not discerne the Lords body there is a veile over the hearts of many of us a covering of blindness over the harts of many of us therefore though we doe come often this month and the next month yet still wee continue in the hardnesse of our hearts we are never the better till this veile be taken away as the Apostle speakes of the Iewes till this veile be taken away by Christ till Christ Iesus doe take away this veile of blindnesse and shew them his death and present his death unto them and cause them to looke upon him whom they have pierced till such time that this veile be taken away and that he present his death to their hearts by his Spirit they shall never be the better for it they do continue in their hardnesse and they shall continue in their hardnesse for ever Therefore beloved let us not deceive our selves to thinke that wee are more holy and religious receivers than indeed we are let us try our selves when wee come to the Lords Table examine our selves upon this point what apprehension we have of the death of Christ what portion wee have in the death of Christ and accordingly as thou findest some measure of this grace within thee so
vnto us therefore the Sacrament that shewes forth the death of Christ lively to us too that the word shewes forth the death of Christ lively it appeares Gal. 3.1 Oh ye foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not beleeve the truth to whom Christ Iesus was before described in your sight and among you crucified The Galathians they never saw Christ crucified in their lives but yet Paul did preach Christ crucified so plainly and so effectually to the Galathians that he did as it were present Christ crucified before their bodily eyes he did so worke by the operation of Gods spirit in his ministery that they had a more sure and plaine apprehension of the death of Christ within them then many of those that stood by and saw him crucified if it be so in the word it is so in the sacrament if the word do so lively represent him the sacrament doth it much more for the sacrament is a visible word that is to say looke whatsoever the word sounds unto us in our eares that the sacrament presents and exhibits before our eyes the sacrament is a visible word now that which I see to bee done before my face is more lively represented unto mee than that which I heare with my eares therefore if the Word describe the death of Christ lively then doth the Sacrament much more Reason 3 The third Reason is drawne from the end of the institution What was the end of the institution of the Sacrament what purpose had our Saviour when he instituted the Sacrament Even this purpose chiefly that he might leave among his Disciples to the end of the world a pledge a token and pawne as the memoriall of his death that he suffered for us the end that Christ aymes at he will not have frustrate that which Christ doth he will doe it throughly If hee come to set fire upon the earth what is his will but it should burne If Christ ordaine a memoriall of his death it shall be a cleare memoriall this Sacrament was ordained of purpose by him for his remembrance Doe this in remembrance of me saith hee therefore it is a lively representation of his death and except wee will impeach either the power or the goodnesse of Christ Iesus as who should say he could not make a lively representation of his death or else he would not we must needs confesse that this Sacrament is as lively a memoriall of his death as ever could be devised I might adde other reasons as namely concerning the state of the New Testament The state of the new Testament requires that all things should be most cleare and most plaine and especially the death of Christ that that should be most clearly represented unto us Zach. 12.10 I will poure forth my Spirit upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem and I will make them that they shall looke upon me whom they have pierced that is behold me as it were with their bodily eyes Now the meaning is that hee shall deale with them to this effect by his Spirit but yet collaterally it reaches also to the Word and Sacraments for if he doe deale with them so by his inward Spirit then the outward meanes must bee answerable so then the reach of the place is to teach us that in the time of the Gospell Christ Iesus shall be represented before our eyes and this shall bee by the Spirit of God in our hearts but still it must bee understood that the Word and Sacraments must be answerable hereunto and therefore the Word and Sacraments must represent Christ Iesus unto us as clearly as if hee were nailed upon the Crosse before our eyes Vse 1 The Vses of the Doctrine are these The first Vse is this First here is matter of instruction calling upon us for many good duties that the consideration of this doctrine should raise us up to performe Is it so that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is such a lively representation such a fresh memoriall of the death of Iesus Christ then this should teach us that our private and publike preparation before wee come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper I say our publike but especially our private preparation should be such as may bee answerable unto that businesse that we have in hand and seeing when we come to the Lords Table wee come to behold Christ here before us as it were with our bodily eyes in the outward signes and with the eyes of our mindes under and within those veiles therefore every one of us must labour so to be fitted and so prepared before we come hither that we may be worthy and profitable beholders of Christ crucified and worthy receivers of the mysteries and benefits of his precious death Take this for your rule and remember it well and let this bee practised if not in the same kinde yet in the like whensoever wee have a purpose to come to the Lords Table let us still have our hearts meditating upon Christs death all the weeke long but especially over-night and that morning that we are to receive let us labour carefully to endue and informe our selves with the thoughts of the death of Iesus Christ How should that be why reade some good booke of that argument especially reade the Booke of all Bookes I mean the Booke of God if thou canst not reade get another to reade it to thee read the 53. of Esay there we may see how lively he sets before us the death of Christ long before Christ himselfe felt the smart of it and so proceed to reade the story of his death in one of the Euangelists as Matthew Marke Luke or Iohn as all are very pregnant for that purpose and we know that howsoever there bee some men that have set forth this argument very worthily yet all of them come farre short of one line of the Holy Ghost one chapter in the Booke of God being well understood shall doe us more good being seriously meditated upon than all other Books besides I say reade the Chapters of the story of the death of Christ and as thou readest them take them to heart and pause deliberately upon them and consider of them well and pray to God to imprint the same into thy heart by the finger of his Spirit and if thus thou doest from one Communion to another thou shalt finde through Gods blessing that whensoever thou commest to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper thou shalt there see thy Saviour most clearly but if thou be not carefull thus to meditate of Christ before-hand thou shalt be but an unprofitable receiver and beholder of these mysteries I will make the matter somewhat cleare by a comparison If there were a Martyr to suffer for the profession of the Gospell two men having knowne him before goe together to see his death the one of them knows him but a little and hath heard of the cause only in some generall termes but the other hath more neere
acquaintance with him and hath better informed himselfe of him and was by when he was arraigned and heard his arraignment and his inditement and all the passages of the businesse and what was alledged against him by his accusers and what he answered for himselfe and why the sentence of death was passed against him which of these two men shall be most affected with the death of this Martyr Out of question hee that was so lately acquainted with his arraignment and his inditement and with the whole cause of his death the death of that Martyr shall strike much into this mans heart and worke soundly upon him whereas the other man which knew of him but in generall shall bee moved with it but little or nothing at all So it is in this case when wee come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper wee come to behold Iesus Christ executed and put to death to every spirituall receiver in a spirituall manner to reade the story concerning the death of Christ to meditate upon those things conscionably and religiously with a desire to profit by them it is as if so bee a man should have stood by when Christ was arraigned and indited and heard what was spoken against him and what sentence was passed upon him For when the Holy Ghost pennes a story he will pen it throughly and if we lay downe our hearts to be wrought upon by the power of the Word wee shall finde such a powerfull working by it that it shall bee more effectuall to us than it wee had beene there present to have seene the death of Christ So then by reading the story before-hand wee being as it were present with him at his arraignment and inditement thinke with your selves whether this will not be a notable meanes to make the death of Iesus Christ effectual unto us in the Sacrament and if we looke for any benefit by the Sacrament let us come with this preparation before-hand Iohn 13.19 Christ saith I tell you these things before-hand that when ye see these things come to passe ye might beleeve He speakes there partly concerning his death the words that Christ spake concerning his owne death hee puts upon his Disciples before-hand that when it did come to passe they might beleeve this would bee a meanes to cherish faith in them and to make them beleeve it the better so if wee come to the Sacrament reade the Word of God that part of the Word that principally concernes the death of Christ and meditate upon that which Christ hath told us of before-hand that so we might beleeve it and this will bee a notable meanes through Gods blessing to make us that we shall beleeve that the death of Christ is ours and that it is effectuall for our redemption The second Vse for instruction is this Is it so that the Sacrament is such a lively representation of the death of Christ then this teacheth us that the publike cariage of the whole businesse of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper must be framed and fashioned so as it may make most for the lively setting forth of the death of the Lord Iesus Christ and herein are many duties required of us The first duty of all is this the Word is to be preached that so the people may understand and know that which belongs to God and to their owne salvation else it will bee but a blinde Sacrament but especially the Gospell the voice of the Gospell namely the free remission of sins by the blood of Iesus Christ that is to be pressed upon them againe and againe that they may be stirred up in their affections to esteeme and receive it graciously it is a course that God hath used in all Sacraments still to joyne together with the Sacraments the Word preached Before the sacrament of Circumcision was administred the Word was taught so likewise the Passeover as is cleare in Exod. 12.35 It is noted there that when their children should come to aske what was this Passeover Tell them saith God that this is the memoriall of the great deliverance of their fathers many hundred yeares before out of the bondage of Aegypt So likewise Christ saith in the Sacrament of Baptisme Goe teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost Matth 28. He doth not say Goe and baptize and let teaching alone but Goe teach there is the ground and foundation and then he builds upon it the administration of the Sacrament Goe teach and baptize in the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost If teaching be not joyned with the Sacrament it is but a dumbe sacrament if men should come here to the sacrament of the Lords supper and be not taught what it meanes and what belongs to it it should be with them as it was with the Israelites Exod. 16.15 That saw Manna like Coriander seed the Text saith they knew not what it was but when Moses came and said This is the bread that God gave them from heaven now they come to relish it So when we come to this sacrament and see the bread and the wine except we be indued with the knowledge of Christ and we understand Christ and him crucified know the nature of the sacrament wee shall not know what to make of it but if the Word be preached then we beginne to grow to some understanding and some life in the businesse and to relish this Sacrament as the spirituall Manna the heavenly food of our soules Secondly as the word must be preached so likewise confession of Faith ought to made Generally here amongst us wee make confession of our Faith by the tendring of our bodies but indeed the confession of our faith ought to be published before the receiving of the Lords supper this is a right shewing forth of the Lords death Marke it the Apostle saith yee shew forth the Lords death hee speakes not to the Ministers onely but to the people yee shew forth therfore they should make some publike confession that they beleeve in Christ Iesus And this is a matter that tends much to the setting forth of the death of Christ Thirdly Prayers are to be made for therein likewise wee shew the death of Iesus Christ First there must be confession of our sins and wee must search into our hearts and lives narrowly and throughly and the more we search into them the more clearely we shall see Christ his death Together with confession of sinnes wee must use supplication and petition calling earnestly upon God for Christ his sake which thus was crucified for us that hee would forgive us our sinnes in his blood and this will give great light to the setting forth of the death of Christ and then also thankesgiving must be given to the Lord we must thanke and praise God that it hath pleased him so to set his love upon us as to give his Sonne to die for us cursed and miserable sinners as we are
not else that is not the meaning but we must take the words to be spoken with implication of a further extēt of this duty namely that therfore so often as we receive this Sacrament wee must remember and shew forth the Lords death after a speciall manner that thereby we may bee fitted and inabled to remember the Lords death at all other times both by preparation before and by continuall meditation after for thus wee are to conceive of the present businesse the death of Iesus Christ must never be out of the minds of those that doe beleeve in him their hearts must becontinually running upon the thoughts of him and of his death now because all of us are dull of understanding dead and cold in affection weake in memory that either wee doe not understand the death of CHRIST or not affect the death of CHRIST or not remember the death of CHRIST as wee ought therefore the Lord hath appointed the sacrament of the Lords supper as a principall meanes to releeve us in this case In that sacrament the Lord teacheth us the death of Christ that we may understand it in that sacrament the Lord expresseth the death of Christ unto us lively that we may be affected with it in that sacrament likewise the Lord tenders unto us the death of Christ that so wee may the better retaine the memoriall of it and that it may sticke the faster and the closer by us not onely for that present time whilest we are receiving but also for all times afterwards for as it is in our bodily repast we eate and drinke at some one set time or other as namely at dinner or at supper not that our bodies should bee refreshed and comforted then onely for the present whilest wee are eating but because by that strength which then wee receive our bodies might also bee refreshed and comforted afterwards when we are to be imployed in the duties of our calling so likewise in our spirituall repast we sanctifie the sabbath keepe it holy unto the Lord we doe not keepe the sabbath holy because we would bee holy onely upon the sabbath but because that that holinesse which wee attaine unto by meeting God in his owne saving ordinances upō the sabbath day that the same holinesse might season us and strengthē us and continue with us and thrive in our hearts all the weeke following and all our lives following so likewise it is in this particular in the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the death of Christ is remembred and shewed forth very lively and very freshly not that wee should be indued with the thoughts and affections of the death of Christ onely for the present whilest we are receiving but that thereby wee might be brought to make it to be our continuall meditation alwaies after and this as it is implyed in this second clause so often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this cup so often yee shall shew forth the Lords death so it is further and more plainly inforced in the third clause so often as yee eate this bread and drinke this cup so often yee shall shew forth the death of the Lord till he come which injoynes the continuance of it for it is as if the Apostle should say Your remembrance your lively and sensible remembring of the death of Christ in the participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper must not onely serve you for the present time but it must frame and fashion your minds to the habit of this grace that is to say to the continuall remembring of the death of Christ Iesus that you may make it your practice day and night every day and every houre of your life so it is with you saith the Apostle to the Corinths and not with you onely but so it must be with all the faithfull from age to age till Iesus Christ shall come to judgement And this I take to be the right straine of the Apostles speech in this verse so often as yee eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shew forth the Lords death till he come touching the remembrāce of Christs death simply in it selfe yet with raising it from this ground namely from the remembrance of Christs death in the participation of the sacrament the death of Christ is alwaies to be remembred in a lively manner in the participation of the Sacrament that so it may be fresh in our memories at all other times so long as wee live Doct. The doctrine that ariseth is thus much namely that the death of the Lord Iesus Christ ought to be alwaies had in continuall remembrance of all those that professe his name and embrace his religion ye shew forth the Lords death as often as ye doe this marke the words the death of the Lord Iesus Christ must alwaies be had in continuall remembrance by all those that doe professe his name and embrace his Religion for proofe of this doctrine take that first which is in the 12 of Zach. v. 10. where God promiseth to poure out his Spirit upon his people the spirit of grace and of compassion and they shall looke on him whom they have pierced and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his first borne or his onely sonne That Scripture sheweth the ordinary and continuall practice of the faithfull when once they are effectually converted unto God God poures out his spirit of Grace and compassion into their hearts and so converts them And what doe they then Then they doe ever after looke upon him whom they have pierced they have their eyes and their mindes altogether fixed upon Christ pierced upon Christ crucified or upon Christs death And this is no slender remembring or no short remembring of the death of Christ but it is a very affectionate remembrance and it is a lasting remembrance it is an affectionate remembrance as being joyned with sorrow and griefe and much lamentation as there the Text saith And this sorrow it is a lasting sorrow and so this remembrance a lasting remembrance Hee shall mourne as one sorroweth for his first borne A man that hath lost his onely sonne mournes and sorrowes and hee never forgets him so they shall never forget the death of Christ The sense of the death of Christ is so foundly fastned upon them by the Spirit in the act of their conversion that it stickes deepe within them and cleaves close unto them for ever after they make it their continuall meditation The Apostle in 1 Cor. 15.1 2 3. admonisheth the Corinths that they should continue and keepe in memory those things that hee had preacht and delivered unto them and that they had received that is in the first and second verses in the third verse hee shewes what the things are that he delivered unto them the death of Iesus Christ Why then the death of Iesus Christ must be continued in as it must be received so it must be continued in and it must bee kept
mortified and killed within us In this state of humiliation that we are in there is nothing so powerfull and effectuall to kill sinne as the death of Iesus Christ in this state we must be fitted still and prepared to the glory that shall be revealed the thoughts of the death of Iesus Christ continually meditated upon are an excellent preparation for us to glory for if we remember the death of Christ affectionately as we ought wee suffer with him and therefore we shall be sure to raigne with him wee are dead with him and therefore also shall live with him these thoughts being so sutable and agreeable to our present estate therefore the remembrance of Christs death must alwaies bee present with us The uses of the doctrine are these Vse 1 the first use is this here is matter of reproofe this serves then to reprove two sorts of people First it serves to reprove the prophane and carnall gracelesse wretches of the world that will never enter into any serious thoughts of the death of the Lord Iesus Christ if so be that to blaspheme Christs death to blaspheme Christs blood to make mentiō of it in their fearfull oathes damnable protestations if that be to remember Christs death they remember it often enough oftner then they are able to justifie but as for any holy religious reverent devout and saving remembrance of Christs death that they never enter into no they seek all the means they can take all the courses that ever they can to turne such thoughts out of their hearts such thoughts are too sad and too sorrowfull for them they cannot endure them take a man that lies wholy in his sinne hee had as lieve thinke upon hell as upon the death of Iesus Christ soundly and seriously as he ought to doe but let such gracelesse wretches know that for this they shall never bee had in remembrance before the Lord for any mercy because they doe not remember the death of Christ wherein alone mercy is tendered to mankind Secondly it serves to reprove some of our nice and sluggish professors that content themselves now and then with the thoughts of the death of Iesus Christ happily when they come to the Lords Table happily when any affliction or cross or extremity comes upon them when they have any pang or torment of conscience comes unto them for their sinnes then happily they will entertaine the remembrance and the thoughts of Christs death but they cannot endure to make it their continuall taske which is the duty here prest upon us these men must know that God doth not love to be served by spirts and fits whatsoever we doe in the service of God let us doe it soundly and constantly God cannot endure such service as theirs is God requires intire obedience that we should obey him in all our courses and that at all times especially when just occasion of any duty is offered unto us Now then seeing just occasion is daily offered that wee should alwaies bee meditating and our hearts running upon the death of Iesus Christ therefore God requires it at our hands that wee should alwaies remember it this fire should never go out of our hearts it must glow and burne within us night and day It is fit that Gods children should have some set time when they should enter into a serious meditation of the death of Christ and yet not to thinke our selves acquitted if we doe it onely then but that that should prepare us to remember it ever after as we shewed before in our bodily repast A second use of this doctrine is this Vse 2 here is matter of tryall for us whereby wee may know our selves whether we be in the right way or no whether we doe truly professe the faith of Christ as we ought to doe all of us professe Christs religion wee know wee can have no part in Christ except we have part in the death of Christ and we know we can have no part in his death except it be remembred of us and applyed unto us in our continuall meditation therefore let us conclude this that so many of us as professe religion if wee doe not apply the death of Christ to our selves from time to time by due meditation whatsoever wee professe surely wee professe in vaine and this will be a witnesse against us that we are not the true children of God if so be that you would learne how you might come to know whether you have the right remembrance of the death of Iesus Christ within you learne it by these two or three markes see it in the morning when you awake doe you finde your hearts seasoned with good thoughts of the death of Iesus Christ with thoughts concerning forgivenesse and mortification and reconciliation to GOD and likewise if you have these thoughts or the like at night when you goe to bed this is a certaine evidence that your soules are seasoned with the death of Iesus Christ againe when we are in the duties of our calling all the day long we must still have our hearts lifted up and setled upon the death of Christ and our thoughts must be running upon our justification and our sanctification and our conformity to the death of Christ yea in our very mirth we must still preferre Ierusalem when we are in our greatest mirth in our honest recreations for those that are unhonest there is no hope of any spirituall comfort in them but in our honest recreations doe we prefere the death Iesus Christ before all those things that wee for a while doe solace our selves withall especially in the use of the meanes of salvation in the hearing of the Word the receiving of the Sacrament When we come to heare the Word do we finde in our selves a desire to be drawn on to see Christ crucified before our eyes When wee come to the receiving of the Sacrament is it our chiefe practice to remember Christ crucified affectionately and to have our hearts throughly seasoned with the power of his death these bee undoubted signes and assurances unto us that wee have our part in the death of Christ Vse 3 A third use is matter of exhortation for us Ministers teaching us that we should still labour to sprinkle all our speeches private and publike with some matter concerning the death of Christ with some matter concerning Christ crucified it was almost the whole doctrine of the Apostle still to preach Christ crucified but the use doth concerne all both Ministers and people therefore this should stirre up every one of us both Ministers and people that we should labour to make the thoughts and the remembrance of the death of Christ to be ordinary with us to bee familiar with us still make that as familiar with us as ever possibly we can in all our courses let us remember the death of Christ if wee remember that soundly then it shall goe well with us whatsoever befals us that we may bee the
better inabled and the more quickned to the performance of this duty First I will give you a taste of the meanes whereby wee may attaine to make the death of Christ so familiar to us and then I will shew the benefits that we shall receive hereby if we conscionably travell in this course The means of it are these in few words If we would have the death of Christ familiar unto us we must be sure that we doe never passe it over with a sleight meditation but let it be soundly taken to heart doe not thinke upon it as an ordinary common thing but conceive of it as a matter that doth concerne us and our good most of all let us thinke upon the death of Christ in that which he suffered and endured in his soule and body for our sinnes how hard it went with him in the Garden when hee sweat water and blood when his soule was heavy even unto death and how much more harder it went with him when hee was upon the Crosse when he said My God my God why hast thou forsaken me That he that was in singular favour with God should be made the very marke of Gods wrath to light upon that he who was the worlds Redeemer should bee exposed to the obloquy and reproch of the whole world that he who was the Lord of heaven and earth should be now in the hands of the powers of darknesse wee should yearne in our very bowels and be much troubled in our inmost affections at the thoughts of these things Secondly we must be frequent in the use of the meanes in the hearing of the Word in the receiving of the Sacrament and prayer for by this meanes wee shall make this death of Christ our owne there God tenders unto us the death of Christ let us come thither with hearts desirous ready and willing to receive it and there we shall be sure to have it Let it be our reach in all these duties to have an eye upon the death of Iesus Christ seeking to have that soundly fixed and fastened upon us whatsoever we faile in else still let that above all other sticke most close to us Then againe wee must labour to worke the remembrance of Christs death into our affections this is the right memory of heavenly things when the heart affects them the heart will surely remember that which it doth much affect When I see any thing that causeth deepe affection within me either much sorrow or much joy or the like I will remember that soundly then let us labour to worke the remembrance of the death of Christ into our affections let it still worke love in us because Christ loved us to die for us and let it worke hatred in us against sinne because it was sinne that brought him to his death and let it worke sorrow in us that he should bee so cruelly murthered and put to death for us And let it worke rejoycing in us that wee for our parts by his death are saved and by his stripes are healed Let the death of Christ worke these affections in us and then it shall be our owne never to forget it Lastly let us put our selves to the power and the rule and the directions of it let us suffer our selves to be swayed by the death of Iesus Christ in all our courses let it beare rule with us the counsell that our Saviour gives in the like case Iohn 7.17 If any doe my will the same shall know my doctrine any Christian that labours to be well acquainted with any duty the best way to bee acquainted with it is to labour for the obedience to that duty so if wee would remember Christ his death then let us labour to submit our selves to the power and obedience of it Whatsoever we doe let us examine it whether it be agreeable to the death of Christ if it be not then to say with our selves wee will not doe it though we may gaine all the world by it these are the meanes whereby wee may attaine to the habit of this grace namely to the continuall remembring of the death of Christ Iesus a saving remembrance The other point is the benefits that hereby will arise unto us If wee remember continually the death of Christ in our hearts we shall have many and great blessings The first blessing is this By this means we shall have a Book alwayes ready in our bosome alwaies a book about us to teach us every Christian duty for the death of Iesus Christ is such a Booke that will instruct us in every duty that belongs unto us To give you an instance in two or three Would you learne humility and meeknesse looke into the death of Christ Philip 2.5 6. that shall be sufficient to teach you humility and meeknesse and obedience Would you learne patience the death of Christ is a book to teach you patience Heb. 12.1 2 3. Looke to the author and finisher of your faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the Crosse and despised the shame c. consider him therefore that yee faint not Would you learne love to the brethren Christ his death teacheth you this duty in the highest degree 1 Iohn 3.16 If Christ so loved us that he laid downe his life for us then how ought wee also to lay downe our lives for the brethren Lastly to deny our selves is a speciall lesson that all Christians are to learne this is effectually taught us by the death of Christ 1 Pet. 4.1 2. Christ hath suffered in the flesh that we should not live to our selves but to him and this is a lively teacher if the death of Iesus Christ be soundly layd up in thy heart it will both teach thee the duties to bee performed and also inable thee to performe them A second benefit is this thou shalt have wonderfull peace and unspeakable comfort from God by this meanes Our sinnes they accuse us our consciences they accuse us the devill hee accuseth us daily before the Lord O but if thou have a remembrance of the death of Christ in thy heart there is a Supersedeas for them all that pacifies and appeaseth them all and that is a generall release and acquittance from all that ever they can charge thee withall Thirdly we shall have much spirituall growth and increase by the word and the Sacrament and much spirituall growth if once our hearts be seasoned with the death of Christ What doth the word and the sacrament teach but the death of Christ that is the substance of them all Then if once the death of Christ be grafted in thy heart before Oh with what comfort and chearfulnesse and with what great profit shalt thou heare the word and receive the sacrament When our stomacke hath some liking to our meate and our meate hath some affinitie to our stomacke then there is a quicke digesture Why so if so bee our hearts be seasoned with the death of Christ why then
what we can while we live to further Gods ordinances to those that shall live after us leave some good monument behinde us to that effect If God have given us riches let us give something to maintaine Gods ordinances to the end of the world It is an excellent thing when God hath given any man abundance of wealth and hath given him withall a heart to part with some of it for the maintenance of Gods ordinances to the worlds end yea if occasion so require let us seale Gods truth with our blood this is the best monument of all Lastly and so I end all mans power being nothing of himselfe God being all in all wee must therefore pray to God while we live here not onely that he would continue his Word and Sacraments to us but pray that he would continue the same to our posterity after us to many generations yea even to the end of the world if it bee his blessed will In 1 King 8. Salomon when he built the Temple hee did not onely pray for that time but for the time to come Then whensoever hereafter thy people shall be oppressed with the sword or famine or such like and shall pray to thee in this Temple heare thou in heaven and be mercifull unto them So we must labour not onely to pray to God to fence his Church and plant his Vineyard and nourish those plants that are in it already but that he would still continue to make a supply of such plants so long as the Sun and Moone shall endure and this would testifie a true zeale that wee beare to the glory of God We know beloved in regard of our owne businesses if we purchase lands for our selves or our children we desire that it may continue for ever to our childrens children What shall we not be as zealous for Gods glory as wee are carefull for our owne children yes wee ought much more and therefore we should bee stirred up still to labour as much as in us lyeth by prayer and all other good meanes for the continuance of the Word and Sacraments and all the saving ordinances of God not onely unto us but to our posterity to our childrens children to the Church of God even to the end of the world The end of the twentieth Lecture The One AND TWENTIETH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER THE first to the Corinthians Chap. 11. verse 26. the last part of the verse till he come For as often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shew forth the Lords death till he come You may remember how wee divided this Scripture into two parts we shewed that in the former part of the verse there is an action performed in the latter part of the verse there is a caution that it is to be performed withall in the former part of the verse is the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper The caution that it is to be performed withall in the latter part of the verse is the shewing forth of the Lords death till he come Not to trouble you with repeating of many things In this latter part of the verse we observed unto you first the Caution it selfe the shewing forth of the Lords death secondly the frequenting of the Caution that it must bee often done for howsoever this word often is not used in the latter part of the verse yet in all common construction and understanding it is to bee supplyed out of the former part of the verse As often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cup so often shall ye shew forth the Lords death and lastly I came to speake of the continuance of this whole duty the whole that is here spoken of how long must this continue till Christ come that is to say as long as the world stands till Iesus Christ shall come to Iudgement Wee are entred upon this clause already I shewed you that this clause doth offer unto us two things for our consideration the first is the continuance it selfe of this duty how long it shall be to the end of the world that the observation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and the remembring or the shewing forth of the death of Christ must continue among the faithfull and be duly observed by them to the very end of the world that is directly affirmed here as you see I shewed you that there is another thing that is here covertly implyed and yet plaine enough if wee consider and weigh the words aright namely the end or the reach which the performers of this duty ayme at or which wee must ayme at in the performance of this duty namely to fit us and prepare us to the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ unto Iudgement Wee have spoken of the former part already now as GOD shal inable us we are to proceed to the latter part and so to finish up this Scripture at this time Therefore here secondly wee must consider that which is covertly implyed namely the end or the reach that these actions or these duties aime at or that we must aime at in the performance of these duties to fit us and prepare us to the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ unto judgement that the doctrine that hence we are to raise may appeare to be built upon a firme and a sure ground wee must shew these two things First that this particle that here is used till hath the same use in the same sense elsewhere in the Scripture not onely to signifie the continuance of an action till that time but withall to signifie that that continuance is such a preparation to such an action Secondly we must shew that it is so to bee understood here for it is not alwaies in the Scripture so meant therfore there must be some speciall inducement alleaged why it must bee so taken here Concerning the first that this particle is used in the same sense elsewhere I gave you one instance in the opening of the Text in the 1 Cor. 15.25 where it is said that Christ should raigne till he had put all his enemies under his feet For there is the same particle that is used here and it signifies not onely that Christ should raigne till his enemies should be destroyed but by his raigning his enemies should be destroyed Take another instance or two for better confirmation Gal. 4.19 My little children saith the Apostle of whom I travell in birth till Christ bee formed in you there is the very same particle also In those words the Apostle as you may see compares himselfe to a spirituall mother he is alwaies in paine and in travell in the spirit and in the worke of the ministery till such time as Christ should be formed and fashioned in the hearts of these Galathians till that time there that same word till intends these two things First that the paines and the travell of Paul in this spirituall child-birth did indure with in him till
spell perfection yet we are not come to the reading of them There is a third ascent or degree in religion and that is the state of perfection when Iesus Christ at his second comming shall invest us and put us into full possession of all that ever hee hath purchased for us a matter that we are uncapable of here in this world therefore it is respited to be revealed at his second comming and when once we come to be made partakers of that second comming then we come to be ripe and perfect schollers then we begin to throw away our bookes to throw away the Word and the Sacraments we have no further use of them they shall then all cease now wee have our lesson perfect we can see Christ cleerly we can read Christ easily we can understand Christ fully wee are ripe and perfect schollers and that is the state that we are advanced unto when Christ shall come to judgement A resemblance of this threefold estate was given unto us in the very frame of the Tabernacle in the 25 26 and 27. chapters of Exodus In the Tabernacle there were three divisions or roomes there was first the Court then there was the holy and then the holiest of all or the holy of holies The Court that was for the people as well as for the Priests the holy that was for the Priests onely to come to doe the service of the Lord in it and the holiest of all that was for the high Priest onely to come into and that was but once a yeare the first ascent the outward meanes the Word and the Sacraments they are as the Court of the Tabernacle of God there come the Priests and the people there all communicate together many wicked and many ungodly and prophane persons few in deed in truth yet making a shew of religion all that while we are never the neerer to heaven I but when wee come to the second division then we come to the holy and that is when we are effectually called into the state of grace and in this state it is that we performe all Gods service that hee requires as the Priests did in the holy Here we pray here we offer up our selves and our soules and our bodies and all our spirituall sacrifices to God in Christ here wee exercise the power and the life of grace that God indues us withall There is yet a higher division that is the holiest of all and that is heaven Heb. 10. there is our state of perfection if so be that we stay in the Court wee are never the better for the Tabernacle but if so be that we proceed to the second division to goe to the holy then we have true interest in the Tabernacle so if we stay at the Word and the Sacraments we are never the neerer to salvation I but if we have the life of grace in us then we shall be sure to be made partakers of the holiest of all the Kingdome of heaven God might if it had pleased him bestow this perfection upon us without any such degrees without any such risings or ascents but God deales with man according to the reach and capacity of man he deales with his creatures according to the capacity of his creatures and therefore it is the infinite wisedome of God that we being so unable and so uncapable of matters of heaven that the Lord is pleased to raise us up by certaine degrees till at last he hath brought us to be perfect men and women in Iesus Christ let us see and discerne the wisedome of God in it and let us admire it and let us submit our selves to it Every man would desire to come to the holiest of all and then they think all would be safe with them Looke not to it without good cause for before thou commest to the holiest of all thou must come to the holy before thou commest to the holy thou must come to the Porch before thou commest to heaven thou must have the life of grace in thy heart and before thou have the life of grace in thy heart thou must make a conscionable use of the Word and the Sacraments and whosoever thinkes to come to heaven without the conscionable use of these he doth not use the meanes to come thither And therefore let us submit our selves to the wisedome of God in this case and therefore let us try and examine our estate how farre we have proceeded in this state and therefore let us examine our selves whether wee bee them onely that can know our letters or spell or reade Vse 2 A second use that we are to make of this point is this this sheweth us what we are to esteeme of the Word and Sacraments and indeed of the graces that we attaine unto in this life why we are to esteeme of them as good and as comfortable things not as the matter and substance of our salvation but as helps and meanes to salvatiō nor faith nor repentance they are but onely meanes to helpe us to heaven not the Word and the Sacraments as Iohn saith of himselfe Ioh. 3.8 He was not that light but he was sent to beare witnesse of Christ The Word and the Sacraments they are not the salvation that we looke to have but they are tendered to us of God to beare witnesse of that perfection to beare witnesse of Christ and to beare witnesse of heaven and therefore this should serve to reprove those that doe foolishly and vainly presumptuously boast of their outward estate because they live in the visible Church as though they should surely goe to heaven many will conclude if they can come to Church heare the Word and receive the Sacraments that they are in a good estate that is not the matter though it be a meanes to helpe us forward to heaven yet they are not the substance of our salvation Whosoever they are that doe presume upon this meanes doe but shew me any one thing in the Word and the sacraments in the outward meanes of grace whatsoever and I will shew thee a Reprobate that hath had the very same thing that thou hast had and lieth scorching in hell at this day they have heard the Word and received the Sacraments The Pharisee paid tithes and fasted twice a weeke and yet a cursed firebrand of hell and therefore let no man thinke the better of themselves for this without thou canst come to see what benefit thou hast made of those unlesse thou canst come to see that the life of grace is wrought in thy heart by these meanees as for example if so be that a man have clothes heated at the fire for him if they be never so warme and they put upon his body yet it is not the warmnesse of the clothes that he shall live by but the warmnesse of his body so ought we having the Word and the Sacraments and they being powerfull yet they shall not profit us without we have grace in our
religiously and certainly the God of peace will be with you Here is a most serious exhortation as any is in the Booke of God that is for the generall Now for the severall duties of the first and second table and first of the first table in the 1 Thess 5.16 to 21. Rejoyce evermore pray continually In all things give thankes quench not the spirit despise not prophecying Ioy in God prayer thankes cherishing the spirit and good motions embracing the Word that Gods Prophets and Ministers bring unto us these and such like are duties of the first Table which wee must be exercised in And so for the second table Tit. 3.8 this is a true saying and these things I will that thou shouldst affirme that they which have beleeved in God might bee carefull to shew forth good workes as many as beleeve as many as professe the faith of Christ Iesus must be carefull to shew forth all good duties that are profitable to men which specially are those of the second Table if we take a view of all true professors that are approved in Scripture we shall find them all wel experienced in the practice of the duties of both tables it is true they had their failings but yet this was the ordinary bent of all their courses The reasons why we must doe thus there are many reasons The first reason is this because the practice of these duties is the grace of our profession the grace of all morall vertues consists in the actions of vertue and the grace of every trade consists not so much in the knowledge of the trade as in the well managing of that trade our Christian profession is a vertue and a trade a spirituall vertue and a heavenly trade therefore the grace of it stands in our well managing of it by the practice of all religious duties godly cariage in servants the meanest that professe religion and consequently in all doth adorne and beautisie and grace the doctrine of God our Saviour Tit. 2.10 not that wee can adde any grace to religion in it selfe no in it selfe and of it selfe it is most gracious so that it need not nor cannot receive any grace from our doing but that thereby we grace it before men our friends that like us the better for it and our enemies that are put to shame and silence by it yea and oft-times are forced to speake well of our Religion for our practice and we also procure a more reverent estimation of our profession generally in the world When we take this holy profession upon us it graceth us and when we prastice hereby answerable to this holy profession we grace it therefore this wee must doe Secondly this is the life of our faith it can live no longer then it is exercised in good duties as Rachel Gen. 39.1 said to Iacob Give me children or else I dye so likewise saith faith to the soule of a Christian give me children let mee bring forth fruits of piety towards God and charity towards man else I dye and have no life in me The Apostle saith as much Iames 2.26 Faith without works it dead and Revel 3.1 God tells the Church of Sardis That she had a name to live but was dead because her practice was not answerable to her profession vers 2. her faith and religion was readie to die how so I have not found thy workes perfect before God there was a great failing in the practice of Religion when good exercises dye amongst us saith dies amongst us when they decay within us faith decayes it lyes a bleeding but when they are well practised that saith worketh by love that is both to God and man then our faith lives and thrives within us therefore we must practise good duties both to God and men else faith cannot live within us Thirdly it is the end of our calling 1 Thess 4.7 For God hath not called us unto uncleannesse but unto holinesse that is to the practise of holy and religious duties when a man is called of purpose to doe a worke shall hee come and not doe that which he is called to and come for this were a shamefull and a senslesse thing either let him not come when he is called or when he is come let him doe that which hee is called unto The maine matter that Christians are called unto is holinesse therefore if wee doe not practise holy and religious duties wee goe quite beside the marke and to the profession we aime at Fourthly it is one maine condition that is intended on our part when wee are first admitted to the profession of Christianitie it is so required by God 2 Tim. 2.19 The Lord knoweth who are his and let every one that calleth on the name of Christ depart from iniquity And it is so undertaken by us in baptisme that we will renounce the world the flesh and the Devill and become dutifull Children unto God in the practise of all holy duties which he requires This then being our condition in Christianity therefore we must practise it or else we shall never come to heaven Lastly God scornes and hates all Professors of his name that will not obey his will hee utterly renounceth them and their profession to be none of his so he doth here in this world and so he will doe hereafter so hee doth here as wee may see Psal 50.16 But unto the wicked saith God what hast thou to doe to declare mine ordinances that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth Lay this to heart and see if God say not thus to every one of us here present What hast thou to doe to come into my house and to professe my name seeing thou wilt not obey my will but hatest to be reformed And so he will scorne and deny them hereafter Matth. 7.23 Then will I professe to them I never knew you depart from me you that worke iniquity though they professe never so much yet if their practice bee not answerable God will scorne and hate and renounce them here and so he will doe hereafter The Vses are these First this serves for matter of reproofe of divers sorts indeed of all sorts For who is there here among us yea what professor living upon the earth that is not rightly taxed and reproved for the breach of this doctrine what professing man or woman in the world can say My heart is cleane in this kinde Every one is faulty some more some lesse let our owne courses be our owne accusers The whole Land professeth Gods Religion as being a nationall Church but how few be there in the whole land that are daily conversant in the exercises of Religion either they doe not performe them at all or else if they doe them yet they doe not make conscience of them but they doe them overly and for fashion at least they doe not make it their daily and continuall practice but onely now and then when they list themselves Who is zealous for the Lord