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
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