the institution of the Ordinance Thirdly he declares unto them what the meaning of their action was in imitating that which Christ did and remembring what He said Christs actions and speeches are distinctly related in respect of the time and in respect of the things done and said by him at that time The time was the night wherein he was betrayed That the Lord Jesus in the same night wherein he was betrayed v. 23. The things done and said by him relate the two parts of the Ordinance the first concerning the Bread the second concerning the Cup. Concerning the Bread he did three things He took it he gave thanks over it and then brake it v. 23 24. Took bread and when he had given thanks he brake it Concerning the Bread he spake three words First a word of command Take and eat Secondly a word of institution and consecration shewing what was meant by the bread This viz. bread is my Body which is broken for you And thirdly a word of direction instructing them what to do and to what end they should do it Do this in remembrance of me v. 24. Concerning the Cup he relates in like manner that which the Lord did and said That which he did is expressed in these words After the same manner also he took the Cup when he had supped v. 25. That which he spake is in these words saying this Cup is the New Testament in my Blood Here is the word of institution and consecration And This do ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me this is the word of commandement and of direction v. 25. Hitherto the Apostle hath delivered what Christ did and said at the appointment of this ordinance Now in the verse following he delivers unto them doctrinally what the true meaning and intent of their action is in celebrating the Lords supper For saith he as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come As if he had said Christ having thus appointed his last supper to be celebrated by the breaking of bread and partaking of the cup for a remembrance of him and of that which he hath done for us your imitation of him in this ordinance in the nature of it is a shewing forth of his death a testimoniall of your faith in his death till he come again to receive you into life This is the doctrine which is delivered concerning the Ordinance it self as it is to be celebrated in imitation of Christ Followeth the doctrine delivered concerning the way to do this worthily both in respect of every Member by himselfe in particular and in respect of the Body of the Congregation in common The particular Members are taught 1. What the guilt is of unworthy partaking 2. How this guilt is to be avoyded 3. What the punishment of unworthy partaking is with the cause deserving it and the effect following thereupon 4. And how both the punishment and the dangerous effect of it is prevented Concerning the guilt of unworthy partaking the Apostle doth inferre it as a consequence from the foregoing doctrines thus vers 27. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. That is Seeing the Lord hath ordained that the eating of this his bread and the drinking of his cup shall be the memoriall of his body broken and of his blood shed for us therefore if any man doth not partake thereof answerably to this end and as it becommeth those that celebrate the memoriall of his death till his comming he shall be guilty before the Lord of his body and blood as if he were one of those that dealt with him unworthily and put him to death with wicked profane hands The way to avoyd this guilt is to come with a previous examination of ourselves this is taught v. 28. in these words But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. As if he had said But if you will free your selves from this guilt you must come with due preparation of heart unto the action of the Lords supper and this preparation must be a tryall of your state in the presence of God so as to approve your selves in all things to be answerable unto his will in fulfilling the purpose of this ordinance Concerning the punishment due unto the unworthy partakers the Apostle teacheth them that it is the judgement of damnation v. 29. For saith he he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself As if he had said Be carefull thus to examine and approve your selves in the use of this ordinance unto God to answer his will for if you do not so but come unworthily you shall by your eating and drinking procure a judgement of damnation to your selves as a just punishment of your sinne The cause deserving this punishment is their neglect of respect and reverence due to God and his ordinance the Apostle calls it v. 29. the not discerning the Lords body that is the want of care and respect due to the body of the Lord not taking notice of the dignity and worth of it nor discerning Gods purpose in offering it to us but using it as a common thing doth deserve this punishment The effect following upon this cause in them was that many of them were weak and sick and asleep v. 30. For this cause saith he many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep As if he had said And because the punishment of condemnation is due unto you therefore God doth afflict you to shew his displeasure with outward judgements upon you in the flesh The means to prevent these evils are two the first is our duty which may prevent the temporall chastisement the second is Gods dealing with us to prevent the eternall punishment Our duty is to judge our selves whereunto a promise is made that if we perform it we shall not be judged of God v. 31. For if we would judge our selves we should not be judged As if he had said These judgements of God befall unto you because you take not heed to your wayes in his service for if you did judge and condemne your selves by repentance for your faults God would not thus judge you with such chastisements Gods dealing with us to prevent the eternall evill of the deserved punishment is by such chastisements to free us from being condemned with the world v. 32. But when saith he we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world As if he had said However these chastisements are justly inflicted and judgements befalling us for want of care to judge our selves and shew that we deserve damnation yet God doth not inflict them otherwise then as a Father doth to correct us and chastise us in love that we may not be condemned finally with the world Thus he
manner by a speciall blessing he separated from the common to a holy use and then gave it to his Disciples commanding them all to drink of it Thirdly this bread and cup the Lord did distribute being at the table with his Disciples where he spake with them of his death and of the fruits thereof and of his comming again as you may see more at large in Matth. 26. from vers 20. till 36. Mark 14. from v. 18. till 32. Luk. 22. from v. 13. till 39. and in John the whole chapters 13 14 15 16 17. are to be compared with the other three Evangelists and taken in as the matter of his table-discourse 10. Next unto this practise of the Lord the Apostolicall practise which in the Primitive church did herein follow the Lord is considerable that we may observe thereby what is properly imitable in the Lords practise by the Church 11. Let us look upon that which the Apostle Paul delivereth unto the church of Corinth Epist 1. chap. 10 11. I shall open the places briefly and then make some observations upon them In chap. 10. the Apostles scope is to disswade the Corinthians from symbolizing with Idolaters in eating of things sacrificed unto idols The parts of the chapter are two First he forbids a mixt communion with Idolaters in things pertaining to their Idol-worship as such from v. 1. till 23. Secondly he permits unto them a mixt conversation with Idolaters in eating and drinking even of those things which they had offered unto idols with this caution if it were done without offence unto weaker brethren from v. 23. till the end Amongst other arguments used to disswade them from partaking with idolaters in their Idol-worship one is taken from their engagement to celebrate the Lords supper and from the relation which they had to the Lord in it and to one another This is expressed from v. 15. till 22. where first he stirs them up to attention and to a serious consideration of that which he was to say I speak as to wise men saith he judge ye what I say v. 15. Then he declareth unto them three things and by the answer of a doubt doth conclude his dehortation First he sheweth what is meant by the use of the Elements in the Lords supper The cup of blessing saith he which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ and the bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ vers 16. As if he had said What do you mean by blessing the cup and breaking the bread at the Lords supper for what end and purpose is it instituted Is it not to evidence that you have communion with Christ in his body and blood as his spirituall members belonging to him Secondly he sheweth what is meant by their joynt partaking of the Elements We being many saith he are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread v. 17. As if he had said although in our selves we are many and distinct persons yet in reference to Christ we are as of old the shew-bread was to the Lord but one bread and one mysticall body because we all jointly do partake of that one bread which in a mysterie is his body And this is brought in as a reason to confirme the foregoing point For saith he we being many are one bread c. that is The reason why the blessing of the cup and breaking of the bread doth mean and import a communion with Christ in his blood body is cleer from our mutual relation and the conjunction wherein we stand one to another by this action jointly performed which is this That we all by it respecting each other in Christ evidence our selves to be one bread and one body to him So then hereby we plainly attest our communion with him seeing by this action as relating unto him we have communion one with another Thirdly he sheweth what is meant by the eating of Sacrifices v. 18. Behold saith he Israel after the flesh are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar As if he had said consider the custome of the Jews after the flesh in their sacrifices and the ordinance that God gave unto them concerning the eating of holy things Their custome is that such as eat of the Sacrifices have communion with the Altar and partake in the worship by which the sacrifices are offered up unto God and if you look upon Gods ordinance given to the Priests concerning holy things Levit. 22. from v. 10. till 17. you shall see that all strangers are expresly forbidden to partake thereof and that none but such as had a reference to the altar might eat of them the Lord intimating and the custome of the Nation confirming it that the eating of sacrifices is not a common action but a matter of worship importing a communion with the Altar From all which the Apostle doth tacitely insinuate thus much That as the chief thing aimed at in the Lords supper is to evidence our communion with Christ and with one another in reference to him and the cleer purpose of the Jews in eating of sacrifices was to manifest their relation unto the Altar as partakers of the worship and service done at it So the meaning and intent of eating things sacrificed unto Idols must be to have communion with the altar of the Idol and the idolatrous worship performed thereat This inference is not expressed but only intimated till a doubt be proposed and answered The doubt is proposed v. 19. thus What say Lâ—hâ—n saith he that the Idol is any thing or that which is offered â—n sacrifice to Idols is any thing As if he had said I do not intend to intimate unto you by this that an Idol is that which hath a reall being for we know that an Idol is nothing in the world 1 Cor. 8. 4 8. consequently I do not say that the things offered in sacrifice unto Idols are any thing in reference to worship further then the imagination of the Idolater doth fancie them to be which giveth no being to any thing So then in the proposall of the doubt he doth cleerly deny that which it seemeth to suppose and then for a fuller answer unto it he doth shew his cleer meaning concerning the sacrifices of the Gentiles and inferreth from thence as a conclusion that their duty was not to partake thereof His meaning concerning the sacrifices of the Gentiles is v. 20. in these words But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice unto devils Demons and not unto God As if he had said But my meaning is to declare that the purpose of the Gentiles is to worship their Demons which are Devils or imaginary and not the true Gods Whereupon he inferreth his dehortatory conclusion thus And I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils As if he said Because the meaning and purpose of partaking of Sacrifices is
together in the Lord. So then the neerer we come to this practise the more we shall be conformable to the will and answer the intention of Christ in this his Ordinance 16. Hitherto I have considered Christ and the Apostles practise and the end and use of the Ordinance unto which their practise was to be subordinate and answerable but because the Apostle doth referre us in a speciall manner to take notice of Christ himself in this matter let us look a little directly upon Christs whole aim and purpose in the institution of this ordinance and that we may do this the things which in his words and actions do institute and discover his intentions are to be reflected upon First then the words by which he doth consecrate the bread and wine are very considerable This is my Body which is given for you and this Cup is the New Testament in my Blood which is shed for you Luk. 22. 19. 20. by which he sheweth that his purpose was to leave unto his Disciples in the use of bread and wine a representation and a pledge of the benefits which by his body and blood were conferred upon their soules therefore he giveth unto the Bread and Cup the names of that whereof they were memorials representations and pledges that by a holy use thereof in Faith the things remembred and represented thereby might be obtained Secondly the words of Direction instituting the Ordinance for after-times Luk. 22. 19. Do this in remembrance of me which the Apostle doth explain 1 Cor. 11. 6. to be a shewing of the Lords death till he come do manifest that his intention was that they should imitate his practise in his last Supper to keep the memory of his death in their mind till his comming Thirdly there is a word of promise relating to his comming again and to the conjunction of his Disciples with him in his kingdom Mat. 26. 29. I say unto you I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the Vine untill that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers kingdome This promise is mentioned also Mar. 14. 25. and more generally in Luk. 22. 16 19. and more distinctly in vers 29 30. where he promiseth his disciples a Kingdome and a priviledge to eat and drink at his table in his kingdome All which doth cleerly intimate that his intention was by this Ordinance not only to assure them of his comming again but of their society and fellowship with him whereof this Meale was to be an earnest and demonstration So then he did intend that this Feast upon the sacrifice of his Body and Blood should be unto them not only a means to confirm their Faith in his death and in the effects thereof in the New Testament as a thing past but also of their hope of the state of life to come So that this Feast was appointed to demonstrate also our expectation of the Feast which is prepared for those that are to be with the Lambe at his wedding Revel 19. 9. Fourthly and lastly Christs action of serving his Disciples at his last meale with them doth speak much of his intention towards them for he thereby doth not only intend to give them an example of humility that they should serve one another as he expresly doth mention Joh. 13. 12. till 17. Luk. 22. 27. that he did serve them but this service at his last meals doth speak them to be his loving friends and familiars as Joh. 15. 15. he calls them It doth speak them his guests who did sit at meat at his table as he declares it Luk. 22. 27. and consequently it doth manifest unto them and us that his intention was to shew forth unto them and in their persons so entertained by him to give to all his faithfull servants by this Ordinance an assurance of the esteem which he hath of them now and will have of them for ever in his Kingdome For elsewhere viz. Luk. 12. 37. there is an expresse promise made unto all his Faithfull servants assuring them of the like entertainment the words are these Blessed are the servants whom the Lord when he commeth shall find watching and consequently faithfull to him in their charges Verily I say unto you that He shall gird himself and make them sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them This then being promised unto all and performed by the Lord unto his disciples at the last Meale whereof the remembrance is to be kept by all is a cleer demonstration that Christs intention was towards them and is to all his faithfull disciples by the solemnity of the action to give us an assurance of his love esteem of us that he accounts us as his friends familiar guests whom he doth honor 17. From all which this Conclusion as a generall rule is to be gathered in this matter Namely That manner of Administration of the Lords supper is most warrantable which doth best expresse and imitate Christ and his Apostles practise in the use of this Ordinance which doth represent and hold forth most effectually all Christs intentions in it and which is most fit to accomplish most fully the commandement of celebrating the Memoriall both of his death and of our conjunction with him at his comming again And on the other side that manner of Administration is least warrantable which doth not answer and imitate Christ his Apostles practise in the use of this ordinance which doth not represent and hold forth any of Christs intentions in it and which is not at all fitted to accomplish in any competent measure the commandement of celebrating the memoriall both of his Death and of our conjunction with him at his comming again But it is now made apparent by that which hath been hitherto said that a Table-gesture in sitting at meat doth best expresse and imitate Christ and his Apostles practise in the use of this ordinance That it doth represent and hold forth most effectually all Christs intentions in it and that it is most fit to accomplish his commandement of celebrating the memorial of his death and of our conjunction with him at his coming again And on the other side it hath also been made apparent that the gesture of Kneeling or any other behaviour inconsistent with a Table-action at a meal is least answerable and proper to all this Therefore it followeth that the Table-gesture of fitting at meat is that manner of Administration of the Lords supper which is most warrantable and that the gesture of Kneeling is least warrantable in this Administration CHAP. X. The practise of the best Reformed Churches in the Administration of the LORD'S Supper HAving hitherto taken from the Word of GOD the grounds which make good this Conclusion I shall adde for a close of this Discourse a brief Relation of the Practise of the best Reformed Churches to shew how in their Publike meetings this Ordinance is observed by them in imitation remembrance of
to have communion in Worship and it is evident that the Gentiles do worship Demons which are devils or imaginary gods therefore I disswade you from having any â—â—â—munion with them And he giveth the reason why he doth â—â—â—swade them from this v. 21. in these words Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils ye cannot be partakers of the Lords table and of the table of Devils As if he had said I disswade you from this because you cannot stand under two opposite relations and have communion with two opposites at one and the same time The relation which you have unto Christ and their relation to the Devils are opposite therefore you cannot stand under both at once you cannot maintain communion with both at once but if you partake of the cup and table of the one you must abstain from the cup and table of the other 13. Thus having opened the words the observations which I will briefly make upon them are these First we may gather from hence that to symbolize with Idolaters in their acts of worship is a thing unlawfull to Christians We know that the Masse is the greatest idol that ever was in the world and that the act of kneeling was brought in at the Popish communion to worship that Idol we ought not therefore to symbolize with them in that act of worship for it is not lawfull for us to follow the corruption of an Ordinance when we have Christs imitable practise made known to us It is not lawfull to mixe the acts of Gods true worship with the chief act of an Idol-worship such as is Kneeling at the Masse For the meaning and purpose of kneeling is Adoration the object of adoration is the Body and blood of Christ supposed to be in the Elements but if we believe no such reall presence as they have fancied then we make void the object of adoration and consequently the act intended towards it is disanulled also But if any doth incline to kneeling because it hath been a custome hitherto used he may upon the same ground practise all other Popish idolatries and superstitions But if you will say that you think Christ ought to be worshipped there and that you cannot come to his table with too much reverence You must understand that Christ doth not intend to be worshipped there but to be received and that you must not be led by your own thinking but by the manifestation of his will in matters of worship nor can any one gesture be accounted reverence to him more then another otherwise then as he doth appoint it to be in his worship The standing at the first Passeover in Egypt was a reverence The sitting at the table with Christ was in his disciples a reverence to him nay and their suffering of him to wash their feet as their servant was a reverence due to him as their master because it was his will to have it so It is neither circumcision nor uncircumcision but the doing of Gods will that maketh us acceptable unto him Now it is contrary to his will that we should follow another example of worship then that which his Apostles have given us It is contrary to his will that we in his worship should symbolize with Idolaters and that we should seem to collude with them in their act of Idol-worship when we know that the Lord will not be adored but received in his Supper and it is no reverence at all but a very irreverent and unbeseeming behaviour to put forth an act proper to adoration when he doth call us to put forth an act of communion and fellowship The second observation is That the eating of bread and drinking of a cup at the Lords supper is a Table-action This is to be gathered from vers 17. We are partakers of one Bread v. 21. Partakers of the table of the Lord and of the table of Devils These expressions are here used with a reference to the aime of fellowship and communion whence I inferre these conclusions 1. Seeing the act of Communion is to be evidenced chiefly by the partaking of one Bread by many it doth follow that the more that bread and the partaking of it is one the more the act of communion is evidenced Then it followeth also that the partaking of the bread ought to be as much one as the nature of a Meal doth permit and as Christ by his example doth insinuate Now the nature of a Meal doth not only permit but require that such as have fellowship in it should be together as guests to partake jointly of it and Christs example doth cleerly shew that all his Disciples were in fellowship together with him at a table And therefore to partake of one bread and of the Lords table must be understood to be such a table-action as is proper unto guests at a table From whence it will follow that to carry the bread and wine up and down the house to persons sitting in severall pewes as in so many little chambers of that house is not at all sutable to the celebrating of the Lords supper because it doth wholly take away the manifestation of that fellowship which the Lord would have evidenced in it Those that eat their bread apart in severall petty corporations do not shew forth that they are one bread as the Shewbread was which was to be set before the Lord upon the holy table in the Sanctuary Exod. 25. 30. Levit. 24. v. 5. till 10. Which Bread did represent the whole Congregation of Israel united as one unto the Lord in twelve cakes set upon one table which type is now fulfilled in the Gospel by the joynt presentation of the reall members of Christ as one bread at his table to his Father to be a living sacrifice unto him Nor can it be said that those who sit in their pewes at a distance from each other are one Body as men use to be at Meales for at meales none are one body properly but such as eat together at the same table Therefore this custome is not sutable to that which is to be evidenced at the partaking of the Lords table 2. To shew an act of Communion we must partake of the Bread as it is one Now the bread is not one otherwise then as it is upon the same table and blessed with the same Blessing therefore it will follow that the partaking of it as one must be to receive it at the table in a table-action For if a Table is appointed to shew that we are to be at Christs supper as his guests and if it be asked what Christ would have his guests to do the answer must be taken from Luke 22. 30. That he would have them eat and drink with him at table in his Kingdome To eat and drink then at his table is to be his guest and not to have a bit of meat brought from the table If Lazarus the begger lying at the rich mans gate had