come in the flesh are two viz. 1 Baptisme or washing with water in the Name of Father Son and Holy Ghost whereby we are solemnly admitted into Christs mystical body visible signifying and sealing the souls spiritual washing from the guilt and filth of sin by the blood and Spirit of Christ. 2 The Lords Supper or eating bread and drinking Wine in reâ—embrance of Christs body broken and blood shed according to the Institution whereby oâ—r spirituall nourishment and growth in Christs mystical body is sealed Baptisme answers to Circumcision the Cloud and Sea The Lords Supper to the Paschal Supper Mannah and Water out of the Rock The Sacraments of the New Testament are for number more few for observation more easie for signification more excellent VI. In all Sacraments are two parts and a Sacramental union betwixt them 1. The Two Parts are 1 The outward signe or signes signifying as water and washing with it in Baptism Bread and Wine with the actions belonging thereto in the Lords Supper 2 The inward mysteries signified by those signes as the washing away of our sins by the blood and Spirit of Christ in Baptisme and the nourishing of our souls by the benefits of Christs death in the Lords Supper 2. There is a Sacramental union betwixt the Signes and things signified founded in Chriâ—ts Institution Whence the signe is sometimes said to be the thing signified As This is my body This is my blood This is the New Testament in my blood And theâ— thing signified is called the signe As Christ our Passeover is sâ—crificed This Sacramental union consists in a Sacramental relation which the signes have to the things in signifying sealing and exhibiting them Hence flows another union â—etwixt the worthy Communicant and the Sacrament So that he who truly partakes the signe according to Christs Institution partakes also the thing signified This is to be well obâ—erved as a special ground of comfort in communicating VII Finally The particuâ—ar nature of the Lords Supper may be notably discerned in the causes of it viz Efficient Material Formal and Final 1. The Efficient cause or Author of it is The Lord Iesus in the same night in which he was betrayed All power was given to him as Mediatour therefore to institute what Ordinances he pleased for his Church He first gave Being to the Lords Supper and he also can give a Blessing and vertue to it in the right use In that night he instituted it 1. To shew the abrogation of the Paâ—chal-Supper and the succession of the Lords Supper in the room thereof 2. To imprint more notably a living and lasting character of his death and sufferings upon this Supper 3. To restifie his singular care and love to his Church in that when he knew he was now ready to be betrayed and crucified he would leave this Legacy and Love-Token of his Supper to his Church Now if Christ be the Author of the Lords Supper we should highly esteem it Christianly partake it and walk accordingly knowing that all abuse of the Lords Supper reâ—â—ects and terminates upon the Lord Christ. 2. The Material cause or matter of it is Outward and Inward 1. Outward is 1. Partly the Elements viz. Bread and Wine Complete Provision against hunger and thirst Christ gives his Church full nourishment Bread is expressed Wine is figuratively implyed in the Cup because immediately after Christ said Henceforth I will not drink of the fruit of the Vine c. 2 Partly the Sacramental actions which are either on the Ministers part as Taking Blessing and Giving Thanks Breaking and Giving to the Communicants Or on the Communicants part as Receiving Eating and Drinking 2. The Inward matter are the Mysteries signified by the outward As by the Elements of Bread and Wine Christs Body and blood Christ crucified our spiritual nourishment By the actions Christs separation and Consecration to his Mediatory office Christs brokennesse and sufferings for his Elect Christs free Tender and bestowing himself for spiritual nourishment upon the true Believer And the believers Accepting and applying of Christ thus tendred particularly 3. The Formal cause or Forme of the Lords Supper understand not the outward but the inward Form is that Sacramental union that is betwixt the outward and inward matter betwixt the signes and things signified viz. such a Sacramental relation betwixt them in signifying sealing and exhibiting and this by vertue of Christs institution that he who duly receives the signes receives the things signified as was said before As the law of the land makes such a relation betwixt a twig and a turfe and the lands whence they are taken that he who in due form of law takes liâ—ery and seizin of them is also as fully seized and possessed of the whole Lands or Mannour 4. The Final cause or End of the Lords Supper is manifold viz. 1. The solemn Remembrance of Christ crucified and shewing forth of Christs death to the worlds end 2. The spiritual nourishment of our inward man of our faith and all our graces for strength and growth 3. The Confirmation and individual Application of the New Testament and all the Promiâ—es Comforts Benefits and Priviledges thereof to us 4. The Sealing up unto our heâ—rts the pardon of our sins in Christs blood 5. The Ratification and Augmentation of our Communion with Christ crucified in all the benefits of his death 6. Finally the publike Testification of our true loâ—e to and Communion with the Saints as Christs members and fellow-members with us in him For these ends especially was the Lords Supper instituted by Christ and ought to be celebrated by us Hitherto of those Points of knowledge principally necessary to qualifie a man for worthy communicating whereupon we are to examine our selves Next of the Properties of true sanctified knowledge and of our self-Examination therein II. The Properties of true sanctified knowledge are the second way whereby we may examine and try our Knowledge In the particular points of Knowledge forementioned an Hypocrite may possibly go as far as a true Believer but in these following Properties of sanctified Knowledge the true Believer goes beyond an Hypocrite What are the Properties of sound sanctified Knowledge Answ. Sanctified Knowledge is 1. Experimental 2. Heart-humbling 3. Communicative for others edification 4. Growing 5 Affectionate 6. Spiritualized 7. Pure 8. Obedientiall 1. An Experimental Knowledge whereby a Christian hath a particulal taste savour and relish of the divine things which he knows And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in Knowledge and in all judgement The Greek word rendred judgement properly signifies sense Not a corporal but a spiritual â—ense whereby we have a spiritual and experimental sensiblenesse feeling and taste of the things of God in our own spirits This sense differs from Knowledge thinks Zanchy as the Knowledge of the sense differs from that of the understanding
they be baptized they cannot be admitted to the Lords Supper Not professed Christians for when they come to the Lords Supper they either come worthily or unworthily if worthily then they are true believers already and need no conversion if unworthily then they are so farre from being converted that they eat and drink their own condemnation 4. Not for improving of Grace where Grace is ex opere operato by the bare work done in communicating The Lords Supper is not like Physick or Medicine that works a cure by a natural property therein whether the Patient sleep or wake c. but it is a spiritual Ordinance that through Gods blessing in the right use of it improves and increaseth Grace Rest not therefore in the meer work done but look to the well-doing of it But come to the Lords Supper actually scoping and aiming at these right ends in communicating for which the Lords Supper was indeed instituted viz. 1. For the solemne Remembring of Christ and lively shewing forth of his Death Christ saith in the Institution in reference to the Bread This do in Remembrance of me Paul reciting the Institution annexes this remembrance of Christ not only to the Bread but also to the Cup Take eat this is my body which is broken for you This do in remembrance of me This Cup is the New Testament in my blood This do ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me And he addes in reference to both joyntly For â—s oft as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lords Death till he come This remembrance of Christ and his Death therefore is one eminent and principal End for which the Lords Supper was ordained and is to be celebrated 2. For the spiritual nourishment support and strengthening of the inward man Faith and all saving Graces Hence it 's called The Lords Supper And in this Supper here 's spiritual food The body of Christ broken and his blood shed As also spiritual eating and drinking of this heavenly provision This is an other true End and use of it for repairing the wants weaknesses decayes c. of the inward man the Regenerate part in a Christian 3. For Ratification of the New Testament or New Covenant to us This Cup is the New Testament in my blood That is This wine in the Cup is a Signe and Seal of my blood and death whereby the New Testament is confirmed For A Will or Testament is confirmed and becomes of force by the Testators Death So that this Sacrament being a pledge of Christs Death Ratifies to us the New Testament in Christs Death together with all the Promises Priviledges and Comforts of the New Testament as being all ours 4. For Sealing up to our hearts and helping on our Assurance of the Remission of our sins This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Without shedding of blood is no remission because otherwise Divine justice had no satisfaction And no blood could satisfie Gods justice fully and obtain remission of sins but the blood of Christ God-man Now as Christ hath loved us and washed us from our sins â—n his own blood So he ordained this Love-token his Supper to assure us that as certainly as we aright partake this Sacrament so certainly our sinnes are pardoned and our persons justified through his blood How sweet an use is this of the Lords Supper to every soul that hath experimentally felt the bitternesse of his sins the Wormwood and the Gall 5. For confirmation and increase of our Communion with Christ and him crucified The Cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ The Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the body of Christ The double Question doth elegâ—ntly and vehemently put it out of queâ—tion and beyond all doubt that the Sacramental Bread and Cup are pledges of our Communion with Christs body and blood That is with Christs Death and with all the Benefits Victories Purchases and Priviledges of his Death That they are all ours as truly as this Bread we eat and this Cup we drink are ours This communion of the Saints with Christ crucified is as sweetest Honey out of the Rock as the Tree of life in the Garden of Eden even their spiritual Paradâ—se and Heaven on Earth Who ever truly tasted the sweetnesse of this communion with Christ but must highly prize and earnestly long for this Sacramental Seale of that Communion 6. Finally For testification and improvement of our Communion with Christs Members For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread The Saints have not only communion with Christ as their head joyntly but also with one another as fellow-members mutually loving pittying helping and taking care one of another This reciprocal fellowship of Saints is signified sealed c. in the Lords Supper As many grains of wheat make one bread and many grapes one cup of wine So they being many meÌ„bers yet are but all one mystical body in Christ. And therefore from this spiritual and mystical union and communion among them sealed in this Ordinance they ought to be more and more dear to one another every way careful â—or the spiritual good of one another These are the right Ends uses of the Lords Supper In the Act of communicating still keep thine eye intentively upon them As he that shoots keeps his eie steadily on the mark or as he that runs directs his aims still to the Goal III. In order to these excellent Ends manage the whole Sacramental Action according to Christs Institution Sacraments are not Natural but Instituted worship and therefore wholly depend upon Institution in their Being and are wholly to be regulated by Institution in their use Bread doth not naturally in it self signifie Christs body more then the flesh of Beasts doth Nor wine his blood more then water or the blood of Sacrifices doth But by positive institution bread and wine in the Lords Supper so signifie Chrâ—sts body and blood as no other Elements can because these alone were instituted to that purpose Therefore the institution must be the Rule and Standard for regulating the whole Action of communicating So Christ commandeth Do this That is Do this that I command that I do in this Institution follow ye my Precept my Patterne herein all-a-long Hence Paul intending to reform the grosse abuses and prophanations of the Lords Supper in the Church of Corinth calls them back to the first Institution thereof by Christ from which they had turned aside For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you c. Therefore in thy Giving or Receiving the Lords Supper keep close to the Institution then thou walkest safely 1. The Elements which Christ used were Bread and Wine Iesus took
of it which thou takest in hand Rouse up therefore thy judgement and spiritual senses to eye and discern these things truly that so all thine other Graces may be helped and quickened Knowlede being the inlet guide and enlivener of them all 2. Act Faith In discerning and tasting spiritually Christs body and blood how sweet and precious nourishment they are In assenting to the truth of the New Covenant and all the promises thereof to the truth of Christs death and all the benefits thereof to the certainty of this Sacramental comfort and that to the worthy Communicant The bread and wine are Christs body and blood indeed Sacramentally especially in Applying the Covenant and Promiâ—es Christ his love death and all the fruits of his death particularly to thine own soul as certainly undoubtedly as the outward elements are applied to thy body Say with Thomas â—â—â—ling Christs wounds My Lord and my God With Paul Christ loved me and gave hâ—mself for me Say as certainly as this Bread and this wine are mine so the New Testament and all the Promises thereof are mine pardon of sin mine Christ and his death with all the advantages thereof are mine c. Thus to act faith is to eat and drink indeed to communicate indeed 3. Act Repentance and godly Sorrow When thou seest the bread broken and the wine separated from the bread think how Christs body was wounded and his blod shed and separated from his body and this for thy sins Then look upon Christ by faith whom thou hast pierced and be in bitternesse for him by godly sorrow as one is in bitternesse for his first borne c. Fill thine heart with shame and confusion for those sins and with hatred iudignation and holy revenge against those sins of thine that cost Christ so dear and would have cost thee damnation And resolve for future to abominate thy corruptions as the thorns scourges nails and spear that did murder the Lord of glory 4. Act New Obedience Say to thy self O my soul was Christ thus obedient to the death for thee even to the death of the Crosse Did he count it meat and drink to do the will of him that sent him and to finish his work Did he delight to do yea and to suffer the Will of God in being sacrificed for thee How obedient then shouldst thou be to Christ live not to the world or to sinne or to thy selfe but to Christ willingly do any thing he commands forbear any thing he forbids and bear any thing he inflicts that Christ in all may be glorified 5. Act Love sincerely to Christ and his Members This Sacrament is Christs Love-token to his Church A Memorial of his death for us which was his greatest expression of love to us Behold how his love streamed forth to sinners out of every stripe and wound of head back hands feet and heart Behold how he loved thee wilt not thou love him again warme thy frozen affections at this fire of Christs love and melt them into reciprocal love to Christ. Love him in his Person Offices Ordinances and in his Image in whomsoever it appeares 6. Act Thankfulnesse Christ crucified represented here is highest matter of Thankfulnesse Acknowledge this mercy of mercies esteem it according to its worth and resolve to render again to Christ thy praises service affections sufferings and thy self both soul and body in way of Thankfulnesse Say with David Blesse the Lord O my soul And What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me c. 7. Act Finally a true spiritual Appetite Eagerly hunger and thirst after this bread and drink indeed the flesh and blood of Christ. These will so fully satisfie the soul that it shall never totally hunger or thirst more but shall live for evermore And as the hungry stomach delightfully closeth with corporal food extracting the nutritive juyce out of it so let thine hungring soul contentingly close with Christ drawing all hearty juyce and nourishment from him V. Improve thy corporal Senses discerning the outside of the Lords Supper to help thy spiritual Senses and Graces to discerne the inside of the Lords Supper As windows casements let in the light heat and influence of the Sun into an house so these windows and casements of the outward senses let in the light heat and spiritual influence of Jesus Christ the Sun of righteousnesse into the heart and soul. As in the Word preached Christ enters into the heart by the Sense of Hearing the Organ of Discipline so in the Lords Supper Christ comes into the heart by the senses of Seeing Touching and Tasting Doth Christ make use of thy Senses to condescend to thee do thou improve thy Senses to ascend up unto him Thomas would not believe that Christ was alive till he put his fingers into his wounds after he revived and then he cries out My Lord and my God so thou that doubtest of Christs love to thee and dying for thee cast hither thine eye to the bread broken and wine severed from it To the elements and actions and see the Lords dying for thee reach hither thine hand take and apply this bread broken to thine own self and as it were feel his wounded hands and feet and heart use here thy taste and discern what nourishment Christ is And be no longer faithlesse but believing O fix thy senses stedfastly upon the Supper of the Lord till thou hast fixed thine heart firmly upon the Lord of the Supper Let thy senses be acted towards the bread and wine till thy soul be affected with the bread and water of life VI Remember Iesus Chrâ—st and him crucified throughout the whole action This is Christs command in the Institution that we both eat the Bread and drink the Cup in remembrance of him And Paul explaining this remembrance of Christ interprets it especially in reference to his Death and the shewing of it forth The Lords Supper then was intended for a solemne Memorial of Christ crucified and as it were a Marble-Monument or piller upon Christs Sepulchre that Christ and his death might never be forgotten but that Christ dying might be everliving in his peoples hearts Therefore at the Lords Supper remember Christ remember his love to thee remember his death for thee think often and meditate much upon these things Quest. But how shall I remember Christ crucified at the Lords Supper for greatest advantage and benefit to my soul Answ. Remember Christ crucified three wayes vâ—z 1. Historically remembring the History of Christ and his death 2. Mysteriously remembring the spiritual mystery of Chrâ—st and his death 3. Energetically so remembring both as to imprint them with energy effect and effâ—cacy upon the soul. This will be remembring Christ crucified indeed 1. Historically Remember the History of Christ and of his death as it is recorded in holy Scriptures especially as it is delineated by the four
was a most cruel Persecuter of Christ and his Members as even himselfe testifies but Christ no sooner appears to him in his circuit of persecution and converts him but he wonderfully reformes He straightway preached Christ in the Synagogues that he is the Sonne of God Of a Persecutor he becomes a Preacher of Christ and his Gospel This was a thankful return indeed Thy true thankfulnesse for Christ and his death will make thee render to him the like repentance and reformation 4. The life of faith and new obedience is another thankful returne for Christ and his death Paul apprehending that Christ loved him and gave himself for him lived by faâ—th yea not so much he as Christ lived in him Yea Christ being revealed in him how immediately obedient was he in that extraordinary serâ—ice of preaching Christ among the Gentiles not consulting with flesh and blood and this new obedience is the return that Christ expects from us for giving himself for us That we should neither live nor die to our selves but to the Lord who therefore died rose again and revived for us that he might be Lord both of quick and dead 5. Performance of vows and promises is another thankful returne When David had questioned with himself What shall I renâ—er to the Lord c He answers himself presently I will pay my vows unto the Lord. We all of us have the vows of God upon us according to the tenour of the New Covenant confirmed by Baptisme and the Lords Supper Therein we promised to become Gods People and to walk as Children of our heavenly Fâ—ther as members of Christ as Temples of the Holy Ghost being baptized into their name 6. Finally a willing chearful readiness if we be called thereto to suffer for Christ who so willingly suffered for us Christ spared not his blood for us nor should we spare our blood for him Vpon this account Paul counted not his life dear unto him Yea he was ready not only to be bound but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus These are suitable returnes for the great benefits of Christ and his death Try now whether thou canst and dost render such Praises Affections Reformation Life of Faith and New Obedience Performance of Vows and iâ— need be Sufferings for Christ and for Righteousnesse sake Thus examine thy Thankfulnesse VII A SPIRITVAL APPETITE to this heavenly banquet and to Jesus Christ therein is the next and last Communion qualification touching which we are to examine our selves before communicating By spiritual appetite I understand that spiritual hunger and thirst those holy desires vehement pantings breathings longings of soul after these heavenly dainties and especially after Jesus Christ therein 1. The Necessity of this spiritual Appetite before we come to the Lords Supper is evident For 1. This Sacrament is a blessed feast and spiritual banquet It is called A Supper yea The Lords Supper Christ is the Master of the Feast and Christ is the Matter of the Feast His precious body is here tendered as bread of life and his blood as water of life to satisfie strengthen and enliven for ever every believing soul. Now a Feast and an Appetite are Relatives and so a spiritual Feast and a spâ—ritual Appetite What good doth the best Feast to him that hath no appetite or what advantage is the keenest appetite to him that can come at no food to satisfie it it torments him but so much the more So here And if ever dainties will stirre up dul appetites these rarest provisions will excite spiritual hungrings and thirstings after them What feed upon Christs body blood merits righteousnesse pardons purchases victories and all other benefits of his death who would not long for this Supper 2. No small advantage will redound to us by the sharpnesse and livelinesse of our appetites to this Ordinance Hereby we shall feed upon Christ more heartily Discerne and relish him more sweetly Be satisfied with him more contentedly Be affected with him more joyfully and thankfully and be mightily cheared up and strengthened for all sacred employments Whereas if we come without appetites or with dull weak crazy appetites we shall have small or no delight in this banquet The full soul loatheth an honey-combo but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet 2. The trial of a right spiritual Appetite to the Lords Supper follows Examine it by these insuing properties 1. A good sharp lively Communion-Appetite would be often eating Hunger bites and gnaws the sound stomack if but one meal be miss'd The misse of this ordinance paines and grieves the soul of an hunger-bitten Christian. The Primitive Christians had lively Appetites after this Supper they desired it often yea they had it often Paul once and again intimates a frequency of their communicating And Luke seemes to insinuate that it was their accustomed manner to communicate every Lords day which is the first day of the week And upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread Paul preached unto them Had we such hunger and thirst after Christ as they had we should desire the Lords Supper as often as conveniently it might be had What weak and bad appetites have they that can content themselves with once communicating in the year at Easter yea perhaps with once in five or six yeares 2. Such as have good appetites will be at paines and cost to obtaine food Hunger we say breakes the stone walls will make a man labour early and late with sweat of his brows to get his bread and not grudge to lay out his money for necessary sustenance Hunger made Iacob send his sons into Egypt to buy bread and at last made him willing to lend Benjamin his darling with them Isaiah in his prophecy of Christ saith Ha every one that thirsteth there 's appetite come ye to the waters there 's paines-taking Come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk that is all variety of spiritual Provisions in Christ for to him is this invitation There 's cost Consider now what pains wilt thou be at for this Sacramental Feast wilt thou search and examine thy self aforehand diligently as hath been directed what cost and charge wilt thou be atâ— wilt thou sell all that thou hast to purchase that pearle wilt thou penitentially part with all even thy dearest corruptions thy pride covetousnesse c. that thou mayest â—e a welcome guest at this Table 3. He that hath a good spiritual appetite to this Feast will be glad when Christ by his Ministers invites him thereunto Meal-time is a gladning time to such as have good appetites because then their hunger and thirst shall be satisfied It holds both in the corporal and spiritual appetite David had many a sweet meal in Gods house by Prayer Hearing and other Ordinances therefore how was he affected when opportunities of such refreshing
fellowship with his members The Lords Supper is not onely a Seal of the Saints fellowship with Christ but also of their Communion with one another They are stones of the same building branches of the same vine members of the same body spiritual children of the same father Therefore they should mutually love one another care for one another sympathize with one another in joyes and sorrows help instruct exhort admonish and comfort one another that thus by mutual edification they may help one another on unto salvation Thus the Primitive Christians were of one heart and soul and worshipped the Lord with one accord David professeth himself to be a Companion to all them that fear God and keep his Commandments And that n the Saints the excellent ones on earth was all his Delight Oh how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity c. Now the Lords Supper seals up strengthens and quickens this fellowship of Saints Enlinks their hearts to one another and all to Christ. Let thine affections therefore towards Gods people be incited by this feasting together at the Lords Table Shake off all carnal ungodly Society and make the liveliest Saints thy most intimate contenting companions And upon all occasions improve their fellowship 〈◊〉 the best spiritual adâ—antages 6. Chear up and comfort thy spirit against all thy discouragements temptations corruptions upon consideration of the Cordials applied in the Lords Supper Especially 1. Vpon the pardon of sin in Christs blood seated in this Ordinance This is my blood of the New Testament shed for many for remission of sins Sins unpardoned are the heaviest burthen upon the Conscience Christs blood alone can procure Sins pardon The Lords Supper most peculiarly and particularly seals unto us Christs blood and the vertue thereof beyond all outward Ordinances Hast thou duly received the Lords Supper then thou hast spiritually received the Lords blood for washing away and remission of thy sins As the Red Sea overwhelmed all Israels enemies the Egyptians so the blood of Christ hath overwhelmed and drowned all thy corruptions Sit thou down with Israel and sing praises Comfort O Comfort thy soul in this Salvation What ever be thy miseries this will be a Cordial reviving when thou canst say Yet my sins are pardoned 2. Vpon thine Interest in the New Testament confirmed In the Lords Supper the New Testament in Christs blood is ratified to thee that thou hast part and property in it and in all the Priviledges promises Comforts and Benefits of it Glorious advantages The New Testament is the Churches Great Charter for her happy state in this â—nd the world to come The Promises thereof are most great and precious The benefits and priviledges thereof are such as carnal eye hath not seen ear heard or heart of man conceived And all these are assured to thee as thine in the Lordâ— Supper Consider now why walkest thou dejectedly uncomfortably in respect of sin temptation or tribulation In the New Testament are plentiful Cordials for all thy faintings abundant remedies for all tâ—y maladies thou canst not have that sore but here 's a salve for it Be of good chear therefore in this behalf As truly as the Sacrament and the Blood of Christ is thine so truely the New Testament with all its Promises and Priviledges are thine 7. Finally After the Lords Supper is done long for new refreshments of thy Spirit by renued Sacraments Hath the Lord made bare his face to thee at his Table bidden the welcome filâ—ed thy soul as with marrow and farneâ—s staid thee with flâ—ggons feed the with hidden Mannah bread of life and water of life assur'd thee of thy sins pardon in his blood and â—olac'd thy soul with Communion with him Then let theâ—e tastes of his sweetnesse and pleasantnesse make thee pant after like opportunities Thinke with thy â—elf When will the Lords Supper come When shall I come and appear before the Lord When shall I see his power and glory taste his love and grace as sometimes in the Sacrament Lord evermore give me this bread I think the time long betwixt Sacrament and Sacrament Oh that I might still be feasting my soul with theâ—e heavenly dainties Thus fill thine heart with longing desires after Sacraments till they come so shalt thou make way for more satisfying delights therein when they come But eâ—pecially thirst and cry out for compleat enjoyment of Jesus Christ in heaven face to face which is beyond all Sacraments and all Ordinances For if a little glimpse and taste of Christ in these darksome Ordinances be so sweet how sweet and ravishing will the full Vision and immediate fruition of Christ be in the Highest heavens Say therefore in thine heart Lord Jesus thy word is sweet thy Sacraments sweet and all thine Ordinances are sweet through thy sweetness yet they satisfie not fully Thou art more sweet and soul-â—atisfying then all Therefore I love thâ—ne appearing I long for thy coming Thou hast â—aid Behold I come quickly And mine heart echo's Even so come Lord Jesus Amen FINIS An Alphabetical TABLE Directing to the Principal Matters contained in this BOOK A. ADam how happy he was before the fall and we in him in nine particulars p. 50 to 55. How miserable since the fall both by losse of Goâ—d and Presence of Evil both of Sin and Sorrow p. 55. to 63. Appetite How necessary a spiritual Appetite is before Communicating in two respects p. 191 192. A good spiritual Appetite to the Lords Supper may be tried and discovered by six properties p. 193. to 197 Attributes of God See God B. BAptisme what it is p. 94 95. Brotherly love See Love to Christians C. Christ. The Necessity of getting out of our Natural state into Christ in four particulars p. 63. to 66. The Duties to be performed by them that are in Christ in nine particulars p. 66 67. Priviledges which we enjoy by Christ in seven respects p. 68 69. Points of Knowledge necessary touching Christ viz. That 1. There is but one true Christ. p. 70. 2. Iesus Son of the Virgin Mary is this true Christ shewed three wayes p. 71 72. 2. This Christ is God-man and why p. 73 74. 4. Christ hath taken upon him the Office of Mediatorship and dischargeth it as a Prophet two wayes p. 75 76. As a Priest two wayes p. 79. As a King seven wayes p. 76 77. And all in his state of Humiliation wherein chiefly five degrees p 77 78. And in his state of Exaltation wherein are observable five degrees also p. 78 79.80 5. This Mediatoâ—r Iesus Christ is All-sufficient p. 80 81. 6. Christ save none but those to whom he is actually applyed p. 81. 7. Christ is the Substance of all Sacraments c. p. 81. Love to Christ. See Love Considerations upon which this Book was published In Ep. Ded. Covenant The Substance of the New Covenant p. 5. We may
to signifie and seal up to us this remission of sins in Christ blood Herein Christ seems as it were thus to speak to every worthy Communicant I poured out my blood to procure the Remission of thy sins and I give thee this Sacramental wine this pledge of my Blood to assure thee in particular of the Remission of thy sinnes that as verily as thou drinkest this wine so verily thou hast pardon of thy sinnes through my blood Oh they are happy that have their sinnes pardoned Oh they are double happy that have their sinn's pardon assured to them 3. Hast thou not need to have the fresh memory of Christ and of his death for sinners perpetuated to thee Consider 1. That to forget Christ argues disaffection to him true Lovers cannot forget one another nor can endure to be forgotten one of another Hence the Church desires Christ to set her as a Seal upon his heart and as a Seale upon his arme that we might never be forgotten of him proportionably we should seâ— Christ as a Seale on our heart and as a Seale on our arme that we might never forget him 2. That to forget Christs death for sinners argues great ingratitude For what greater love could Christ ever have manifested unto us then to die for us Greater love then this hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends Yet Christs love greater then mans love for When we were yet without strength while we were yet sinners when we were even enemies Christ died for us Now to bury in oblivion Christs greatest expression of love cannot but be great ingratitude As David quickens his soul not to forget all Gods benefits lest he thereby should be unthankful And Pharohs Butler was unthankful to Ioseph in that He remembred him not but forgatâ— him 3. That the remembrance of Christ and his death is most sweet and profitable to every believing soul. For Christ is he whom the Christian soul loves and loves to remember Christ is the Christians sole Mediatour King Priest and Prophet his Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption His Head Husband elder Brother Life and Hope of glory And Christs death is that whereby our sins are washed away and purged our reconcilement with God is obtained Gods Curse is removed from us all the enemies of our salvation are subdued Our eternall Redemption is wrought and our liberty of entrance into the Holiest of all Heaven it self is procured Oh what variety of Cordials arise out of Christs grave what precious balme distils from Christs bleeding side and what heavenly honey drops out of this everlasting Rock Thou canst not live without Christ and his death hast thou not need then that Christ and his death should still live in thine heart and memory Consequently thou hast great need of the Lords Supper The Lords supper is as a lasting Monument of Christs death a Marble Pillar on Christs grave Christ living erected this Monument and Memoriall of Christ dying In the Institution he saith of the bread Do this in Remembrance of me And of the Cup This do ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me And of them both saith Paul As oft as ye eat this bread and drink of this Cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come So then in the Lords Supper thou hast Jesus Christ as it were evidently crucified before thine eyes Canst thou see this bread broken and the wine distinctly severed from the bread and not call to minde according to the Scripture Christs Agony in the Garden his sufferings in the High-Priests Pallace and his Crosse upon Mount Calvary in all which places he freely shed his blood for thee Canst thou take and eat this bread take and drink this Cup and in so doing not apprehend Christ stooping from heaven to feed thy soul with bread of Life his own body and water of life his own blood Christ bowing his head upon the Crosse to kisse thee Christ opening his side to heale and wash thee and Christ condescending to thy senses as once to Thomas saying Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithlesse but believing 4. Hast thou not great need to maintaine increase and evidence to thy selfe more and more thy spiritual Communion with Jesus Christ and him Crucified Behold 1. This Fellowship Communion with Christ is the Saints spiritual Paradise their Heaven on Earth Therein we enjoy his person and all sweet relations to his person his Death and all the saving fruits priviledges and influences of his death Hereby we are brought into Christs banqueting house held in his Gallerâ—es his Banner over us being love are carried up into the Mount with Christ as it were to behold Christ trasfigured and may say with Peter Master it 's good for us to be here and let us build Tabernacles Oh thrice happy soul that may thus lodge in Christs bosome and Christ dwell in their hearts 2. This dear Communion with Christ may be much obscured and interrupted Sometimes by carnal security creeping upon the Church which causeth Christ to withdraw himself from her Sometimes by a Churches decay in her first love to Christ and his wayes which provokes Christ to remove her Candlestick that is to un-Church her if she repent not And when the Candlestick removes Christ removes for he walks among the golden Candlesticks Sometimes by the grosse falls and sins of Gods own people which causeth the Lord to break their bones as it were and to take away the joy of his salvation as in Davids case 3. When this sweet Communion with Christ is interrupted how grievous painful and intolerable is it to the Church and Members of Christ Then the soul of the Church failed even fainted away then she sought Christ but could not finde him she called him but he gave her no answer then she became love-sick then she was restlesse till she found him whom her soul loved These things considered there 's great need of preserving improving and clearing to thy self more and more thy Communion with Christ. Now therefore to this purpose thou hast great need of the Lords Supper which to thy Soul to thy Faith yea even to thy outward senses signifies seals and instrumentally exhibits this Communion with Christ and his Death The Cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we break is it not the Communion of the body of Christ His Question whether it be so puts it out of question that doubtlesse it is so That as verily as we partake that Bread and Cup so verily we partake and are strengthened in this fellowship with Christ. 5. Finally Hast thou not great need to confirme and increase spiritual union and communion with the Saints and members