and Governour in general for it's object faith as it is an assent to God as the first truth revealing his mind to man or a reliance upon him as promising some thing to men Self-denial and bearing the Cross as they are a total resignation of our selves unto the will of God made known unto us I say all these in this sense are naturally moral But consider these as terminated upon God as Redeemer in Christ either promised or exhibited and as conditions upon which the Salvation of sinful man depends by divine Ordination they are not only naturally but supernaturally moral 9. When the Commandments of God are contracted and reduced to the love of God and our Neighbour we must understand that the love of God or the love we owe to God is not only antecedent and the first in order of nature but also of dignity far higher greater then the love of our Neighbour or which is due unto our Neighbour For we must love God with all our heart soul mind might and so we must love nothing else God is worthy of infinite love and therefore he loves himself infinitely yet he requires not in these words an infinite love from us who are infinite yet we must love him more then any other thing yea far more we must love him with the highest degree of love that possibly we can and should be willing if we could to love him infinitely we may exceed in loving our selves or any other thing in loving God we cannot they that love him most love him far less then he deserves To love God with the whole heart is not only to love God sincerely and truly but to love him so as that his love may take up and fill the whole heart this is to love God as God if the whole heart be wholly taken up with this love then all the powers and faculties of soul and body go along with the heart and are taken up with it Therefore these words all the Soul Mind Strength are added to that of the whole heart to signifie the great measure of this divine love 10. The love of our Neighbour as our selves pre-requireth the love of God for if we do not love God first we can neither love our selves or our Neighbour aright For our love of God must measure and qualifie both the love of our selves and our Neighbours and render it acceptable to God 11. This love of God presupposeth our knowledge of God both as excellent and amiable in himself and as good and loving to us especially in Christ and therefore some acts of faith in Christ must go before this love of God as God and our God Redeemer and Sanctifier And as it presuposeth knowledge and in us Christians faith in Christ already come so it vertually includes all subsequent duties and acts of obedience Sect. 7. Therefore after 1. The general observations premised and 2. This discourse upon the several abridgments of the moral Law I will in the third place manifest that love is the fulfilling of the Law 1. The love of God is against all Atheism Idolatry Apostasie renounceth all confidence in any other thing and will take God alone to be our God who created us preserveth redeemeth sanctifieth us unto everlasting life and will serve him fear him trust in him be loyal and obedient unto him in the highest degree and will give all praise glory honour and power to him as the only supreme Lord. 2. This love will not make any image or likeness of any thing visible or sensible to represent him nor cause any such thing to be made for that end neither will it ascribe any divine power or sanctifying vertue unto any such thing nor make it a sign of Gods special presence nor worship or serve it or serve God by it It will reject all traditions of men and all superstition in Religious Worship and will faithfully observe the institutions of God in Divine Service 3. This love will not swear falsly or vainly to the dishonour of God and Christ our Saviour It will be careful to swear the truth It will not prophane or pollute the name of God in the performance of his service but will worship God and perform all religious duties with humility and reverence so that God in them may be glorified 4. This love will not prophane the times determined and hallowed by God for his more solemn worship and will lay aside at those times not only all sinful but all secular imployments and will apply it in publick and private to the performance of holy and heavenly duties It will observe the first day of the week in acknowledgement of Christs Resurrection and the coming down of the Holy Ghost and by this observation signifie our belief of the abolition of the Law the taking down of the partition wall the uniting of Jew Gentile in one body Christian neither will love so confine it self to one day in seven as not to observe those standing occasional times of humiliation or thanksgiving appointed by Authority both Ecclesiastical and Civil for the publick service and solemn Worship of God 5. If we love God we will love our selves in God and as our selves our Neighbours and that not only our Acquaintance Friends near Relations but Strangers Enemies especially the Children of God and will do as we would be done unto This love will honour obey and submit unto all our Superiors whether in Family or State or Church according to their places and will not dishonour disobey or any ways as such disrespect them 6. This love will not give way to Anger malice envy implacable revenge or any such violent and destructive passion which tends to the endangering of limb or life but it will account the life of our neighbour very precious and will use all means to preserve it and to live in peace concord and safety 7. This love will detest adultery whoredom fornication incest and all uncleanness with all the causes and occasions thereof it will endeavour chastity in body and spirit and use all means to preserve it 8. This love will not by any fraud or force take away or detain the goods of his neighbour out of covetousness or any other iniquity but will be careful to give every one their own and so not only be just but also merciful and liberal when God requires it 9. This love will not bear false witness against his Neighbour though his Enemy nor any way seek to hinder or pervert just judgment but will desire and use their best means to right his Noighbour and to promote justice in all judicial proceeding 10. This love will not covet any thing that is his Neighbours though he want it himself will not envy his prosperity will not rejoyce in the misery of an enemy it will seek the good of every one rejoyce in their happiness look upon every one especially a godly man as his brother This love of God and our neighbour
this Chapter is to reduce the matter of these Commandments into the form of a more explicit vow that so every one that owns his Baptism may know what by vertue thereof he is more particularly bound to perform 1. I believe in one eternal infinite glorious Lord who hath by his Almighty power created Heaven and Earth and all things therein Redeemed mankind by the precious blood of his Eternal Word made flesh sanctifies his Elect people and by a Covenant of grace is become my God in Christ do renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh and all false Gods and Idols and all Profane Irreligious thoughts I deny my self and wholly resign up my self unto him with all the powers and faculties of my soul and body I take him for my supreme Lord Lawgiver Judge Redeemer by Jesus Christ upon whom alone I depend for Salvation and for whom I am ready to bear the Cross and sacrifice my self at any time when called unto it He alone shall be the object of my great Love Fear Service Reverence Confidence Joy Solace and Delight To him alone I will present my Prayers Praises Thanksgiving Glory Honour as only eternally worthy of it and abhorring all Pride I will with greatest humility adore his glorious Majesty and be nothing in my self that I may be all in my God I tremble to think of Apostasie or denying my Saviour to whom I will be faithful to the end as I expect glory and life everlasting from my God by him 2. I will not make any Image or Likeness of any thing in Heaven and Earth or in the Waters under the Earth for to represent his glorious and eternal excellency and God-head but will abandon all false and base conceits and apprehensions of him and look upon him as represented in his mighty and wonderful works and his holy and most blessed word I will not bow down unto any Image or Likeness for to worship it nor perform any service unto it as though it had any Divine excellency or sanctifying power in it or were any sign of Gods special presence without his institution I renounce all Traditions Ceremonies Customs Inventions Practices of men in Religious Worship that are contrary to Gods Word or imposed and enjoyned as necessary parts of Worship I will serve and worship my God with that kind of worship which he hath instituted in the Gospel which shall be the rule according to which I will pray confess give thanks praise hear the word celebrate the Sacraments and perform all other Religious Service unto him in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ and not of Angels Saints or the blessed Virgin And this shall move me much because the Lord my God is a jealous God and will not endure Superstition in Worship the devices of men which pollute and debase his service tend unto and many times end in Idolatry which he will punish not only in the Fathers who begin it give examples to others but also in the Children unto the third and fourth Generation and will shew mercy to such as worship him with a pure Virgin love according to his institution unto a thousand Generations Both the fear and love of my God and the hope of Reward according to his gracious promises shall work much upon me 3. I will not swear vainly or falsly nor call upon my God to be a witness against my soul in affirming or denying any thing which I do not certainly know to be so as it is affirmed or denyed by me or in promising that which I know I have no power to do or no sincere intention to perform for so I should dishonour his glorious name deceive and disappoint my neighbour lose my interest in my God and bring his curse upon me for he will certainly punish and severely revenge all such iniquity I promise that when I take up the name of my God in swearing praying unto him praising of his name and in performing all other his religious service I will do it with humility reverence deliberation due preparation the sincerity of my heart that so I may be innocent before God just towards men and that my service may be accepted of him and effectually conducing to his glory I will abhor all prophane cursing all blasphemous thoughts and words against his Majesty his word and holy Institution 4. Seeing my God requires a set and determinate time to be set apart for religious worship and his more solemn service I will remember and have a special care to observe that holy rest and apply it to the performance of more holy duties converse with my God and prepare my self for that eternal sabbath and full communion with him which he hath promised and prepared to be enjoyned by his people in the place of eternal glory And seeing he hath granted mesix days for my wordly business and secular imployments I will endeavour in that time so to order and dispatch my business that I may not be distracted in his service upon that day which he hath appropriated to himself and in a peculiar manner made his own And I will have a care not only to rest and sanctifie that time in mine own person but I will command such as are under my power and use all means to cause them both to rest and sanctifie it with me And seeing according to the Gospel the first day of the week is honoured blessed hallowed by the Resurrection of my Saviour and the coming down of the Holy Ghost upon both which depends our eternal Salvation I will weekly observe and sanctifie that day in remembrance of the great benefits of Redemption by Christ and of sanctification by the Holy Ghost and of taking down the partition-wall and the shadows of Moses Law the body and substance whereof is Christ. And by the observation of this time I will renounce all Heathenism Mahometism and Judaism and testifie my self a Christian believing in Christ already come This day I will not neglect or profane by idleness or any works and so profanely mispend it to the dishonour of my God and the hindrance of my Salvation As for works of necessity of charity towards man or beast or such as tend to the sanctification of the day I will take liberty to do them according as my God hath allowed neither will I neglect those solemn times of prayer and thanksgiving appointed by Ecclesiastical and Civil Authority for the publick service of God And I shall account the free and quiet enjoyment of these holy times and the Communion of Saints to be a great blessing 5. Next unto my God I must love my Neighbour made in his image and redeemed with the precious blood of Christ and I must love him as my self These are natural Parents civil Powers and Magistrates in the State Ministers in the Church and all such as God hath set over us for our good These I promise to reverence and honour according to their excellency and dignity I will
will seek their temporal and eternal good relieve mine enemies do good for evil and overcome evil with good pray for them that despitefully use me bless them that curse me think none evil and have charitable thoughts till I have evidence of the truth to the contrary I will endeavour to reform such as do amiss and wander out of the right way I will do all the acts and good offices of love and will not do any thing contrary to true love and charity Thus I will love not only my private but my publick Neighbour and I will not deny it to strangers or enemies and out of this love will endeavour to do as I would be done unto and be perfect as my heavenly Father is perfect and follow the example of my dearest Saviour These are the moral Laws of my Saviour which by my Baptism I am bound to observe By them I understand my sins to be many and grievous and my self guilty and liable not only to temporal but eternal punishments even the regenerate Children of God cannot obey them perfectly but have their failings and sometimes grievously fall so that by the works of the law no man living can be justified yet this is my comfort that my Saviour by suffering for these my sins hath made them pardonable and the punishments deserved by them avoidable And he not only dyed for mine offences but rose again for my justification makes intercession in heaven and pleads his blood for all penitent sinners These things I verily believe and according to this belief I rely upon my Savirous propitiation and intercession and renewing daily my supplications before the throne of grace hope to obtain remission of all my sins against this Law and his other commands I acknowledge it a great unspeakable mercy that my God hath made faith and not perfect obedience the condition of life As this Law doth discover my sins so it is a rule of my life and as I will renew my repentance daily and seek remission of sin past so I will daily pray for the sanctifying power of his Spirit to write thâ—se Laws more and more in my heart to strengthen me against all temptations enable me to observe them willingly and with delight beseeching him to accept my poor endeavours and to look upon me as washed in the blood of my Saviour There is another positive and ceremonial Law of my Saviour which I by Baptism am bound to observe together with these morals and that is the Sacrament of the Eucharist which is to be Celebrated by all Christians to the worlds end in remembrance of the Sacrifice sof Christ death Therefore I promise with an humble penitent and believing heart to come unto this heavenly Table when I am invited and called to eat the blessed Bread in remembrance of my Saviours body which was broken and offered for me and drink the blessed Cup in remembrance of his blood whereby the New Covenant is confirmed as being shed for the remission of my sins And as my God by his Ministers giving this Bread and this Cup doth seal and confirm anew his promises unto me to strengthen my faith and hope so I will by receiving these Elements according to the first institution solemnly renew and confirm my engagement for the performance of the conditions of the Covenant and thereby I will testifie my union with the Church my charity to all my thankfulness to Christ and will never forget his unspeakable love to my poor soul manifested in his sacrifice of everlasting vertue and will hope according to the integrity of my heart though my failings be many that he will increase my graces and heavenly comforts upon the receiving of the same Chap. 8. Of Prayer one of Christs Commandments Sect. 1. PRayer is a duty required in the moral Law of God especially as it is understood Evangelically and is to be used both by every Christian both in private and publick and also by the universal Church whilst Militant on Earth until it become triumphant in Heaven when all prayers shall be turned into praises and petitions into thanksgiving It s a part of Gods worship both moral and ritual for neither Word nor Sacraments can be rightly dispensed without it and this is the reason why it takes up so great a part of our Liturgies and Forms of Worship To pray alwaies is one of Christs Commandments and without prayer we can neither observe his Commandments nor persevere in our profession because without prayer we cannot expect grace which is necessary to enable us to do both And because it is continual a necessary and an excellent piece of service I intend to speak of it more particularly and distinctly And for order sake I will 1. Premise some generals 2. Expound the Lords Prayer 3. Reduce the matter of it into a form of Prayer 1. Prayer may be described thus It 's a part of God's Worship wherein we represent our minds unto God As it is a part of God's Worship it 's to be ranked amongst the duties of the first Table and in several respects to be referred to the several commandments of it It looks at God as supreme Lord of infinite and eternal excellency and perfection as all other religious acts do yet it considers in God some particular perfections more then others as shall be shewed hereafter The more particular nature of it is a presentation of our minds to God The matter thereof is something in our minds which we desire and propose to make known to God and the act of it is the representations of these to his glorious Majesty Therefore the School-men make prayer to be an act of the understanding presupposing the heart first affected with those things which are the matter of our prayers which were nothing to purpose without the affection of the heart which may be said to animate and give life unto them yet we must not think that we can inform God who knows our thoughts afar off of any thing which he is ignorant of Therefore the intention of prayer is not only to honour him but to move and affect him with the matter represented This is the nature of prayer largely taken so as to include in one continued Speech Petition Praise Thansgiving Therefore Praise and Thanksgiving are said to be parts of Prayer which in respect of the representation of our minds is said to be a speaking unto God and a conference with him For in all these we address our selves to God approach to his Throne and express our minds unto him and pour our hearts out before him Petition ascends mercies descend praise and thanksgiving are returned unto him again Prayer strictly taken is an humble presentation of our petition unto God as able and willing to effects them This may be made either unto a false God or the true God and to the true God either according to the Law of Nature or the Light of Grace and that either implicitly in the name
this was not the first for Christ had formerly sent them and consined them to the lost sheep of Israel but now he enlargeth their patent and they must go to all Nations And here its observable that when he sent them first to the Jews only he gave them not only authority but the ability of Apostles and when he sends them the second time 20. 21 22. he breaths upon them saying Receive ye the holy ghost and commands them to stay at Jerusalem till the spirit from on high should be poured upon them which should fully enable them for the discharge of their high office for they received were endued with all heavenly wisdom and the knowledge of languages and all other gifts requisite for their place Christ did in this proceed by degrees first he makes them Disciples then Apostles then Messengers fit to be sent unto all Nations and he never required any thing at their hands but according to their ability which he had given them Humane commissions if rightly granted do not make the persons to be commissioned able and rightly qualified but find them such And though men may chuse and advance insufficient and unworthy persons yet Christ never did so but if they be not fit he makes them able before he sends them or puts them in office otherwise he knows power should be given in vain for though they should be very willing yet they shall not be able to do their duty Therefore if God send any man there will be found in him not only authority but ability too Let no man therefore take upon him the charge of a Minister except he find himself qualified for insufficiency in any person is evidence enough that God never intended him for his service in this kind As the mandate presupposing ability as necessary gave authority so it did induce an obligation of the person commanded to do his work Therefore the Apostles receiving a command for to perform the works proper to their place and office were not at liberty but as they had received power so they must exercise it otherwise they cannot be faithful to their trust nor make any good account nor expect a reward nay they will be guilty and liable to punishment This Paul being constituted an Apostle knew full well and doth confess it saying 1 Cor. 9. 16. A necessity is laid upon me and woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel where we may observe 1. An obligation to preach the Gospel and this a necessity from the command 2. Another obligation unto punishment if he discharge not his duty From this commission we may observe many things 1. In respect of Christ. 2. of Ministers 3. Of People to whom they are sent In Christs giving this mandate is manifested his great care of the Church and his tender love to our poor souls ready to perish 1. He redeems us by his precious blood and merits unspeakable mercies for us 2. Least this blood should be shed in vain and these mercies never imparted unto us he givâ—s commission to his Apostles and Messengers furnisheth them with gifts gives them authority and power binds them to dispence the Word administer the Sacraments and use all means which he hath appointed for our conversion confirmation and eternal salvation that we in the end may attain the ultimate benefit of his death and passion and be fully and for ever saved And woe unto them if they be not diligent and faithful for he will be highly offended with them and require their blood at their hands 2. For Ministers let them consider whether they have ability and be rightly qualified before they enter upon the place whether they have authority and be sent and if they take the charge upon them let them remember their duty and the strict obligation that lies upon them If they have not ability Christ never intended to trust them they cannot discharge the place if they have not a clear call and mandate they cannot expect his assistance success or comfort if they neglect their duty woe unto them they shall be called to an account and shall be found more guilty then other men and punished with more grievous punishments and they must know that the Office of a Minister is not a place of ease worldly honour filthy gain much less of tyranny over mens consciences and proudly domineering over Christs flock 3. As for the people they must consider Christs dearest love unto them highly esteem their Ministers in love for the works sake hearken to their Doctrine obey their commands follow their directions And if they despise them they despise Christ who sent them and shall severely be punished Chap. 3. Of Christs command to go to all Nations Sect. 1. THe second proposition is concerning the Mandate the 1. part of the commission and it is to this purpose Christ commanded the Apostles to preach baptize teach all Nations And because this is a copulate compound axiom divisable into several simple axioms therefore according to the four several parts of the work and matter commanded I will deliver them in four distinct propositions which are these 1. Christ commanded the Apostle to go to all Nations 2. Christ commanded them to teach all Nations to whom they went 3. Christ commanded them to baptize all Nations taught 4. Christ commanded them to teach all Nations baptized to observe all things which he had commanded them Before I enter upon these particulars let me inform you 1. That those actions commanded are subordinate one to another the first to the second the second to the third the third to the last For they must go that they may teach or disciple They must teach or disciple that they may baptize they must baptize that they may teach the parties baptized the observation of all Christs commands 2. The general object of these actions is all nations that is the men of all nations the object of their preaching is the number of them in all nations who hear them the object of their Baptism are such as being taught are Disciples the subject or object of teaching are the baptized 3. The whole work charged upon these Apostles and their successours is reducible to the dispensation of Word and Sacraments 4. That in these words we have a clear institution of the ministery and directions for Doctrine Worship and discipline Christian. 5. The end of the ministery is the application of Christs Redemption and of his Redemption applyed remission of sins and eternal life Sect. 2. The Proposition Christ commands his Apostles to go to all Nations Here is not determined the particular time and day when thy should begin the work what Nation or Nations they should first go unto whether they should go severally or joyntly whether they should do the whole work in their own persons or some of it by assistants qualified for that purpose when their work should be finished whether in their own time or much was to be left unto their
Earth are effected was always in the Church to sanctifie the same and prepare it for eternal Glory and when Christ was set at the right hand of God came down upon the Apostles in the likeness of fiery cloven Tongues gave them power to speak in all Languages enlightned them gave them full and perfect knowledge of the Gospel endued them with all gifts and power requisite for the laying of the foundation of the Christian Religion the plantation of the Church in all Nations and did direct them in the dispensation of the Gospel that both by word and writing they might publish and declare it infallibly By this doctrine accompanied with the power of this Spirit and convey'd to the hearts of men both Jews and Gentiles were called converted sanctified and made up the body of the universal Church which is the number of all believers in all Nations a community of Saints Militant first on Earth and then Triumphant in Heaven These are the best society in the world have the greatest priviledges are the Children of God the Members of Christ the Temples of the Holy Ghost the Candidates of Heaven the Heroes of Eternal Glory baptized by one Spirit into one body and by Baptism admitted Subjects of an everlasting Kingdom Those tho' dispersed through several parts of the world and mixed with counterfeit Christians and profane persons are justified regenerated reconciled the adopted Sons of God have a title unto eternal Life the earnest of the Spirit and the first fruits of glory are guarded by Angels beloved of God enemies to Sin Satan and the World tempted often sometimes wounded and foiled yet sin reigns not in them and in the end they attain a full and final victory They suffer Persecution and bear the Cross with patience deny themselves are constant in the Covenant nothing can separate them from the love of God all things work together for their good they increase in heavenly Virtues abound in good works rejoyce in the hope of Glory watch and pray and with sighs and groans wait for the adoption which is the redemption of the body When they depart this world they commend their spirits into their Fathers hands who sends his Angels to receive them they are with Christ and secure of the resurrection unto eternal bliss rest from their labours and their works follow them when the number of these is finished Christ will come down from Heaven in the Glory of the Father with all the holy Angels and shall descend with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and the Trump of God Then all the dead shall rise the living shall be changed and made immortal all shall be summoned appear be judged the righteous shall be justified for ever receive the glorious reward of an everlasting Kingdom be admitted into God's presence behold his glory be filled with eternal joy and made fully and for ever happy such as know not God or obeyed not the Gospel being unbelievers and unrighteous shall be sentenced to everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels shall be cast out of God's presence imprisoned in Hell where the worm never dieth and the fire is never quenched and shall there be tormented in soul and body continually and of their extreme misery there shall be no end These things I believe to be most certainly true and as reveal'd from Heaven confirm'd by many signs and wonders and the rare effects of this Doctrine in the conversion and consolation of many souls This Faith of my heart I profess with my mouth and according to this belief and profession I rely for everlasting life upon God the Father who loved me and the Son who gave himself for me and the Holy Ghost who sanctifies and comforts me Sect. 8. After this enlargement I return again unto the Proposition That Christ commanded the Apostles to teach or disciple all Nations and thence infer some practical conclusions in a few words and so conclude this Chapter 1. If Apostles and so all Ministers of the Gospel who take the charge of souls upon them be subject to Christ's power and bound by this command then it is their duty to teach to teach this Doctrine to teach all this Doctrine they must teach this and none other because it is the only converting saving comforting truth if they teach other it will be either unprofitable or which is worse pernicious though they teach this and yet conceal some part thereof and declare not the whole counsel of God though it may be good so far as they make use of it yet it will be insufficient and never reach the end for which it was revealed from Heaven for it 's the Gospel the whole Gospel that is the power of God unto Salvation yet it must not be taught confusedly but as it was delivered by our Saviour in a certain and exact method so it must in the same manner be dispensed by the Man of God who must not only be perspicuous that his Doctrine may be understood but also methodical that it may be remembred therefore if we will manifest our love to Christ be faithful to our trust pity poor Souls redeemeâ— by the precious blood of Christ make â— good account at the last receive a Crowâ— of Glory when the great Shepherd shalâ— appear and escape that fearful Woe anâ— Judgment which shall fall upon such as a 〈…〉 guilty of the blood of other men let â—â— teach teach this Doctrine and teach 〈…〉 thus and in this manner as Christ's Command requires and directs 2. If this be our duty then the people whom we teach are bound to receive this all this Doctrine and thus as it is taught and if ever they will be converted unto God comforted by the Spirit attain unto eternal life and not be adjudged to eternal Fire for Ignorance or Disobedience to the Gospel let them hear this Doctrine attentively learn the whole counsel of God lay it up in their hearts remember it obey it and make it the joy and delight of their hearts and the subject of their constant Meditations let them reject all other Doctrine which shall not be agreeable to this our Saviour's Creed 3. It 's a matter of perpetual Thanksgiving and it 's our Duty to acknowledge God's wonderful mercy in this respect and give all Glory and Praise unto his Name in that he hath so well provided for our Salvation For he hath not only sent his onely Son from Heaven to redeem us by his precious Blood raised him from the dead and given him all Power in Heaven and Earth but Christ having received this Power gives Commission and Command to the Apostles and their Sucâ—â—â—â—ors to teach all saving Truth hath contracted it in so few words reduced it unto so clear a method endued them with the knowledge of it bound them to teach it to all Nations in their own Language fit it for the meanest capacities raise up a continual supply of faithful Ministers to instruct
will desire endeavour and intend the observation of all these commandments from the heart and soul that in obedience to Jesus Christ who loved us and gave himself for us it will repent and grieve for disobedience and speedily return sincerely to God Redeemer seek for pardon in the name of Christ and pray for the Spirit of sanctification to renew us more and more Sect. 8. In the next place after these natural and supernatural morals follow the ceremonials of the New Testament which are Baptism and the Lords Supper Of Baptism I have spoken at large it remains therefore that I further add something concerning the Eucharist which is a Sacrament of the New Testament as Baptism is and follows it because as that is a Sacrament of our initiation and regeneration so this is of our continuance in Christ and the Church and of our spiritual nourishment and increase In this as in Baptism we may observe 1. The Elements or Signs 2. The Actions 3. The Words In Baptism the sensible Sign and Element was single and only one which was Water but in this Sacrament we have two 1. Bread 2. Wine Both these presupposing life in them who use them are great blessings of God given to continue and preserve the same and were singled out and determined by Christ to be used in this Sacrament to signifie the spiritual food and repast of our souls and by these two in his heavenly discourse concerning the meat that perisheth not but endureth to everlasting life did represent unto his hearers the food of life which came down from Heaven whereby sinful men live for ever Bread did signifie his Flesh and Body which he gave and offered for the life of the world and Wine did signifie his Blood And as Bread must be eaten and Wine must be drank that we may live thereby so by a divine Faith we must eat his Flesh and drink his Blood that we may live for ever In this respect this Sacrament agrees with the Eucharistical Offerings and Sacrificial Feasts wherein the Sacrifice was first slain and offered to God and then part of it given to men to eat and drink before God in his Sanctuary Christs Body was the Sacrifice and was crucified slain and offered upon the Cross and in this Sacrament given and received for our spiritual food The Bread and Wine signifie his Body the breaking of the Bread pouring out the Wine signifie his Death and Sacrifice the eating of this Bread and the drinking of this Wine the participation of those spiritual and heavenly Blessings which he merited by his Sacrifice Death and Passion 2. The Actions are according to some Consecration Distribution Participation Yet may be reduced to two the 1. Of Administration the 2. Of Participation The Administration which in this Commission is proper to the Minister of the Gospel is performed in Consecrating or blessing Breaking and pouring out Distribution The Participation is Taking Eating Drinking 1. The Consecration is by word and prayer thanksgiving and petition 2. The breaking of the Bread pouring out of the Wine do serve not only for the better distribution but also to signifie the Death and Sacrifice of Christ offering himself for our sins 3. The distribution it self puts us in mind of God's giving us the benefit of his passion unto our eternal Salvation for as in death he was given for us so in this Sacrament he is given unto us 4. The taking eating drinking signifies our receiving by Faith first of Christ himself then of all his benefits 5. The words are such as our Saviour used at the first Institution and Administration of this Sacrament in the distribution of the Bread and the Cup. 1. The words used in giving the Bread are Take eat this is my body given broken for you do this in remembrance of me In them we may observe 1. The body of Christ. 2. The offering of this body 3. The giving of it unto Communicants 1. The body of Christ was the Sacrifice or thing to be sacrificed 2. The giving and breaking this for us signifies the offering of this Sacrifice unto God for to expiate the sins of man 3. The commanding of man to take c. signifies God's promise and readiness for to give Christ sacrificed with all his benefits commanding and by command binding man to take This is the mystical hidden matter of this part of the Sacrament In the outward sensible matter is 1. Bread to signifie the body of Christ. 2. This Bread broken to signifie the offering of this body 3. The taking and eating of this Bread to signifie the receiving of Christ sacrificed into our hearts by Faith 4. The manner and end of this receiving which is expressed in the words Do this in remembrance of me In these words we have 1. The Death and Passion of Christ. 2. The Covenant 3. The sealing and confirmation of the Covenant 1. The Death of Christ and the Redemption by this death is expressed in these words My body given broken for you 2. The Covenant which consists of a Promise a Precept The promise is implyed in the words Take eat this is my body the precept expressed in these words Do this in remembrance of me To take and eat is an action of the body to take and eat in remembrance of Christ is an action of the soul The promise offers remission of sin the precept requires Faith and remembrance of Christ's Death the principal object of this Faith 3. The Covenant is sealed and confirmed on Gods part of giving thâ— bread upon condition of remembrance of Christs death or mans part by taking and eating in remembrance of Christ so that the bread blessed broken given taken eaten in remembrance of Christ is a signe and a feal 2. The words used in giving the Cup are This cup is the New Testament in my blood this do as often as ye drink it in remembrance of me Thus Luke and Paul Drink ye all of it for this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for the remission of the sins of many Thus Matthew where we have many things observable and amongst others these 1. The blood of Christ shed 2. The remission of sins 3. The New Testament 4. The Cup. 5. The drinking of it in remembrance of Christ. 1. The Blood of Christ shed and the Body of Christ broken and given are nothing else but the Death of Christ which he suffered upon the Cross for the expiation of our sins whereby Gods justice was satisfied his wrath appeased sin made justly pardonable and man savable This unspotted blood of Christ the great High Priest was of infinite value the great ransome whereby heaven gates were opened and eternal life merited 2. The end of this blood shed and this cruel cursed and ignominous death was the actual remission of the sins of many even of all such as should believe in him The shedding of this purest blood accepted of God made sin