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
the Earth did quake the Rocks did rend the Graves were opened the Veil of the Temple was rent in the midst from the top to the bottom to signifie that the great High-Priest having offered himself by the eternal Spirit without spot was entring with his own Blood into the Holy Place of Heaven to obtain eternal Redemption and the expiation of mans sin for ever The very frame of Heaven and Earth seem'd to be shaken in the time of this great suffering men were astonished women wept many beat their breasts the Centurion who had the charge of this execution was convinced that the party executed was the Son of God Our blessed Saviour suffered this death with unparallell'd patience meekness he laid down his life willingly in obedience to his heavenly Father and out of love and a longing desire of sinful mans salvation No man could take it from him till the hour was come and he was willing to part with it because he as a Priest and general head and representative of mankind offered his life unto his heavenly Father as supreme Judge as a ransom for sinful man therefore his death was the greatest Sacrifice and the highest piece of service and obedience that ever was performed and was so highly accepted of God that it made him propitious satisfied his Justice merited his favour to sinful man made his sin pardonable and his salvation possible upon fairest terms whil'st he was by his own blood entring the sacrary of heaven his side is pierced and out of the same issue water and blood His body is taken from the Cross decently interred in a new Sepulchre where never any man was laid before his soul abides for a time separate and under the power of death and his humiliation did continue till the Resurrection and by his burial he hallows the grave to all believers By this Humiliation thus finished the foundation of our eternal salvation is laid and a way prepared and opened for a passage into heavens Kingdom I believe that Jesus Christ who was thus humbled who suffered cruel pains and was delivered to death for our transgressions was raised for our justification and so to communicate the mercies merited by his death converts us and procures the actuall remission of all the sins of such as repent and believe in him and by his life saves such as he had reconciled by his death He that did rise was the very same who died upon the Cross and the same body and soul which were separated by Death were united again by Resurrection as man he was raised as God he raised himself he rose never to die again but to live for evermore The time was the third day according to the predictions and prefigurations of old and the decree of God's eternal wisdom God did not suffer his Holy One to see corruption The manner of this Resurrection was glorious God then shook the Earth sent from Heaven an Angel appearing in great glory who terrified the Guard rouls away the stone which closed up the Sepulchre and made way for Christs Disciples to come freely and see that he was not there The Graves were opened divers of the Saints raised and appear'd in the holy City Death was conquered and divers of his Captives rescued out of his hands This his Resurrection was made manifest by testimony of Angels and of divers others who saw him spake with him and were assured of it he appears unto many and that many times and especially to the eleven Apostles who saw him heard him did eat and drink with him touched him with their hands To these he unfolds the Mysteries of his Kingdom gives them commission to go into all Nations and commands them to stay at Jerusalem till they received the Holy Ghost according to the promise of his Father God by thus raising him did manifest that he had accepted his Sufferings and Death as a full propitiation of the sins of men and by saying Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee made him universal King and Priest fully consecrated for ever He rose as head and representative of mankind especially of his Church and became not only the pattern but the first fruits and cause of our Resurrection so that as in Adam dying all died so in Him rising we shall all be made alive first to newness of life then to eternal glory The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead shall raise us from the death of sin unto newness of life and raise our bodies to immortality forty days he stays on Earth to comfort his Disciples strengthen their Faith make evident his Resurrection and give orders for the administration of his future Kingdom then he ascends from Mount Olivet in a Cloud up into the Heaven of Heavens Men and Angels being witnesses according to a former Vision that one like the Son of man came with the Clouds of Heaven and came unto the ancient of days and that the Angels brought him peace before him He ascended that he might fulfill all things send down the Holy Ghost enjoy full joy in his Fathers presence and pleasures at his right hand for ever make intercession for his Saints prepare eternal blessed mansions for them raise up their thoughts and affections to that heavenly estate he had merited and prepared for them that where he is our hearts might be also and that he might receive a place at his Fathers right hand so it was prophesied of old that when the Son of man was brought before the ancient of days there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People and Nations and Languages should serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroy'd For his Father said unto him Sit at my right hand till I make thy foes thy footstool and gave him a name above all names and set him far above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but in that which is to come He was solemnly invested with a supreme universal power above all men and Angels established in his Kingdom confirmed by Oath in his everlasting Priesthood sent down the holy Ghost the Gospel the rod of his power went out of Zion he reigned in the midst of his enemies and many thousands did willingly submit unto him and his people for number were like drops of dew which fall from the womb of the morning When all things are fulfilled all enemies subdued the number of his Saints finished he will come from Heaven to determine of the final estate of men and Angels and judg both quick and dead And then he will deliver up his Kingdom to the Father that God may be all in all I believe that the Holy Ghost which is One God with the Father and the Son and is the Spirit of the Father and the Son by whom all things in Heaven and
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