these imperfectioÌ„s of ours for Christ was appointed to be an vniuersall Minister for all his elect in the perfection of his petitions thankesgiuing all the blemishes that are in ours shall be hidden and couered Thirdly this is for the reproofe of such prophane persons Vse 3 as come vnchearefully and heauily vnto this Sacrament and if the respect of their gouernour of the lawes and of their owne credite did not moue them they would altogether absent themselues from it these are wretched persons that make no more account of this singular pledge of Gods fauour Hath Christ prayed vnto his Father for a matter of no worth and giuen thanks vnto him for that which is of no estimation But let such vnbeleeuing and sinfull wretches go and as for vs let vs be assured for our comfort that when Christ became asuitor to his Father he was in such fauour with him that he obtained that which was worth the hauing and deserued praise thankesgiuing both from him and from all his people as that which should be a meanes of their euerlasting happinesse Verse 22. Take eate this is my body c. This is the commandement that our Sauiour giueth vnto the communicants to wit that they should take the bread and take his body eate corporally and eate spiritually receiue the signe and the thing signified the one as well as the other for so much doth the promise which is annexed This is my body imply As if he should haue said This bread broken before your eies doth plainly represent vnto you my body that is the whole manhood a part being put for the whole which is giuen for you and shall be broken for you that so you may haue a spiritual communion with me as there is a naturall vnion betwixt you and this bread which I giue vnto you and the like is to be vnderstood of the wine The words thus expounded according to the simple meaning thereof affoord vs this doctrine that Christ Iesus in the Lords Supper Doct. 7 by corporall foode doth giue vs a most sure possession of himselfe Our vnion with Christ by the Sacrament and neare vnion with himselfe The bread and wine are not onely pledges of what shall be bestowed on vs but effectual means to exhibite the things promised vnto vs and therefore Christ vseth these words Luke 22.19 1 Cor. 11.24 Luke 22.20 Take eate this is my body which is giuen for you which is broken for you and so of the wine Drinke ye all of it this is my bloud which is shed for you Now what can be nearer vnto vs then our meate and drinke We haue greater interest in nothing then in our foode for that is made a part of our selues If we eate meate in another mans house after we haue receiued it it is more ours then his that prepared it no one ioint is so neare another nor the soule so neare to the body as our foode is neare vs when once it is digested and turned into nourishment vnto vs which doth plainly represent vnto vs the neare coniunction that is betwixt Christ euery worthy receiuer Hence proceedeth that speech of the Apostle The cup of blessing which we blesse 1 Cor. 10.16 is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ the bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ that is do not these cause vs to haue an effectuall coÌ„munion with him in all his gracious merits Now if question should be made why Christ should make choise of bread to be a signe in this Sacrament rather then of any other more excellent and glorious creature The answer is Answer that he did it for diuerse reasons 1. Why GOD made choise of bread Because it was his will as it is said concerning the Gospel that it pleased him by the foolishnesse of preaching to sone them that beleeue There is besides his pleasure great wisedome in it because it is very fit to represeÌ„t that vnto vs for which it was ordianed it being substantiall foode and therefore called the staffe of mans life on which it doth as it were leane and whereby it is vpholden and besides this is for euery mans stomach and for euery ones state and may euery where be gotten And yet withall we must know that bread cannot fully expresse the efficacy of the spiritualll food Christ Iesus which we are to feed vpon for bread is earthly that food is heauenly bread preserueth the corporall life and that but for a time Christ not onely preserueth but giueth not a naturall but a supernaturall not a temporall but an eternall life Thirdly God made choyce of bread in respect of his owne glory that the weaker the meanes are the stronger his hand might appeare to be If we had bene to receiue gold or gemmes or precious stones our senses would haue bene more wrought on then our hearts and we should haue more regarded the signe then the thing signified the which inconueniences with other of the like kind the Lord by giuing vs bread hath preuented Seeing then that the bread as also the wine in the Lords Supper is of such excellent force and vse as to put vs in mind of Christs death and bloudshedding to testifie his vndoubted true and reall presence to euery faithfull communicant and to refresh and feede the soules of the worthy receiuers vnto eternall life in which regard they doe as farre surmount common bread and wine as the waxe wherewith a pardon or charter or any other euidence is sealed is of more worth then that which is to be sold in the trade mans shop Seeing I say that the bread is of such singular vse this maketh first Vse 1 for the confutation of the Papists which hold that after the words of consecration there remaineth no bread at all but that it is transubstantiated into the very body of Christ Iâ—ndeed we graunt that as the bread so Christ his body is there offered and receiued by euery faithfull communicant but how nor corporally but spiritually not from the Ministres hand but from God hand not by sense but by faith And for the further clearning and confirming of this truth many reasons might be brought but I wil produce but onely some few The first is taken from the expresse words of the holy Ghost in the Scriptures who mentioneth bread after the words of consecration Reasons against transubstantiation saying the bread which we breake 1 Cor. 10.16 and againe He that eateth this bread c. I Corinthians 11.27.28 A second reason is this We receiue the same in substance which the Fathers did in the wildernesse I. Cor 10.1 for the Manna is there called spirituall meate and the rocke is said to be Christ now it is certaine that they did not corporally eate the body and drinke the bloud of Christ because he had not then assumed our nature and our Sauiour denieth the Manna to bee the true bread
you that one of you shall betray me c. that is shall treacherously deliuer me into the hands of the high Priests 2. They make answer where the affection wherewith the eleuen deliuered the same is expressed Verse 19. Then they began to be sorrowfull and to say to him one by one Is it I and another Is it I Sorrowfull they were because their Master had told them that he should be betraied into the hands of sinners that one of theÌ„ should do it euery one was doubtfull distrustfull of himselfe and therefore partly that they might be better acquainted with their owne hearts to the intent that if they were of such an ill disposition they might be helped against it partly that each of them might haue comfort that he was not the man and partly that they might be cleared euery one of theÌ„ before his fellows they aske our Sauiour saying Is it I Iudas indeed proposeth the same question but not with the like affection nor to the like end purpose but onely that he might thereby cloake his vnfaithful and vngodly plots practises against his Maister hauing before this compounded with the high Priests for the betraying of him Next is set downe the reply of our Sauiour vpon this their answer wherin he declareth 1 The grieuousnesse of the treason 2 The miserable estate of the traitor First the grieuousnesse of the treason is set forth Verse 20 in that it was contriued by one of the twelue one whom Christ had chosen to be an Apostle and a principall Embassadour vnto himselfe one that was so familiar with him as that he did sit at his owne table eate of his owne messe yea in his owne dish It is one of the twelue saith Christ that dippeth with me in the platter 2 Secondly the wretched condition of the traitour is declared Verse 2â— Truly the sonne of man goeth c. Where the Lord Christ Iesus preuenteth some obiectioÌ„s that might arise in their hearts for thus they might reason in themselues Do you know of such a treason and who it is that goes about it Why then will you yeeld your selfe into his hands were it not good wisdome to preuent it and to vse meanes to escape No saith our Sauiour that may not be The Sonne of man goeth his way Ver. 21. as it is written of him I cannot I must not auoide it nor decline from it for the Lord hath appointed it yea manifested it in his Word which cannot be verified vnlesse this be fulfilled therefore seeing the Lord in his wisedome hath made this to be my way I will be contented to walke in it Vpon this they might reply againe If the Sonne of man go away as it is written of him then he that doth betray him effecteth no more then that which the Word of God hath foretold of him which may seem to be no fault therfore to deserue no punishmeÌ„t Yes saith Christ Woe to that man by whom the Sonne of man is betraied c. It was preordained indeed but that doth not lessen the fault neither shall it diminish the punishment of him that is the traitour but woe vnto him it had bene good for that man he had neuer bene borne whatsoeuer matters of present contentment he may seeme to enioy And thus much concerning the conference that passed betwixt Christ and his disciples now followeth 2. The maner of the celebration of the Lords Supper Verse 22. And as they did eate to wit the Passeouer Iesus tooke the bread c. In which words together with those that follow two things are to be noted 1. The dealing of our Sauiour with the Elements 2. His speaking to the Communicants 1 Concerning the first it is said of the bread that he 1. tooke it and 2. blessed it and 3. brake it and 4. gaue it He tooke the bread meaning that bread which was prepared by them for the Passeouer and by Gods prouidence for this Sacrament And when he had blessed it that is prayed for a blessing vpon it that it might be effectuall both to his elect Apostles that were present and to all those that should faithfully receiue it to the end of the world and had also praised God for giuing himselfe to be the redeemer and Sauiour of the world and vouchsafing vnto his Church this Sacrament and causing the bread to be of such great force and vse as not onely to represent vnto them his sufferings but also to confirme their faith in him and to exhibite the vertue of his passion vnto them hauing thus blessed it it is said that he brake it which he did in a double respect one was that so it might be more diuisible to euery one a part another was that it might be more significant to expresse Christs sufferings Concerning whom though it be said that a bone of him should not be broken yet that phrase is vsed to declare the passion of the whole manhood that he was broken for our iniquities Isaiah 53.5 When he had broken it it is added that hee gaue it assuring them thereby that he bestowed himselfe vpon them Likwise for the cup it is said Hee tooke it and when he had blessed it that is praied and praised God for it in the same sort as he had done for the bread he gaue it to them v. 24. 2. Now concerning this speech to the Communicants it consisteth partly in a Commandement Promise 1 The commandement is contained in those words Take Ver. 22. eate take the bread and take my body eate the bread and eate my body take and eate the bread corporally and by sense take and eate Christ spiritually and by faith And the like commandement is here imployed elswhere expressed concerning the cup that is Mat. 26 27. the wine in the cuppe drinke ye all of this which they are said here to obey 2. The promise is imployed in these words This is my body this is my blood that is liuely signes to signify and effectual instruments to conuey my selfe and all the benefites of my death and passion vnto you Further coÌ„cerning the wine it is said This is my blood of the new Testament or new couenant as if he should haue said as GOD hath bequeathed vnto you himselfe his graces his blessings and his kingdome so by the shedding of my blood he will confirme this legacy vnto you and that 2. waâ—es First because as others so this Will Testament could be of no force as long as the maker thereof was aliue Hebr. 9.16.17 Therefore by this Sacrament Christ would haue them put in minde of his death Secondly as in other so in Wils it was not sufficient that the party that made it should be dead but it must be proued by authority as it were to be good therefore was this authentical seale of the Sacrament set vnto it So that this Testament was sealed by the blood of Christ concerning the merite efficacie of
of any commandement but driuen vnto it by a secret prouidence of God Secondly they do it not in loue vnto God but in malice against God or men or both as Iudas in a splene conspired against his Maister because he found fault with his hypocriticall dealing Mark 14.6 c. and 10. c. Thirdly they aime not at Gods honour though they accomplish that which tendeth to his honour but they seeke themselues some way or other in that which they doe Which serueth for the iust reproofe terror of those Vse 1 that when they are conuicted of any haynous crime cast off all the fault with this I was predestinated vnto it and vnlesse God had appointed it I could neuer haue done it What of that therfore they hope there is no danger hanging ouer their head for such facts But what then will they say of Iudas did not he do that which God had decreed yet our Sauiour saith woe to him and we may as well say woe vnto thee for whatsoeuer they imagine the necessity of their sinning in respect of Gods decree doth nothing diminish the grieuousnesse of their offence neither shall it at all mitigate the extremity of their punishment This is for our instruction Vse 2 that we should frame our obedience in another manner and for that purpose reason thus with our selues haue I a cōmādement for this which I do is it a duty warranted by the Word which I now performe Some do that which God hath appointed but it is onely by a prouidence not in any conscience how doth my obedience differ from theirs Do I practise good duties because God calleth for them then shall my seruice be acceptable vnto God do I forbeare euill because he forbideth it then do I that which is pleasing vnto him otherwise not In this maner let vs sift our hearts performing euery thing in that manner and to that end which God hath ordained that we may not onely doe that which the Scripture saith for so did Iudas but that which the Scripture warranteth and in that sort as it approueth for so Gods seruants are bound to do It had bene good for that man if he had neuer bene borne It is good for vs that he was borne because we haue benefite thereby but not for him because whatsoeuer matter of contentment he had in his life time turned at length to the increase of his misery and to his perpetuall damnation Whence this point may be gathered Doct. 5 that All the delights and contentments of wicked men in this world No earthly contentment can coūteruaile the punishments in hell cannot counteruaile the miseries that they shall feele in the world to come Iudas had life it selfe which is a thing very delightfull and of which it is truly said though by a lying spirit Skin for skin and all that euer a man hath Iob. 2.4 will he giue for his life He had also great preferment being one of the Apostles and the chiefe office amongst them namely to be their pursebearer which liked him exceeding well because he was a thiefe and stole from them much of that which was giuen yet notwithstanding all this and whatsoeuer else can be named our Sauiour saith it had bene good for him that he had neuer bene borne The like may be said of Saul Ieroboam Ahab and many other kings Who would accoūt it a good bargain to haue their kingdomes with all the honours and delights which they could afford and their victories with all the glory that accompanieth the same vpon this condition that he shall endure the same miseries and torments in hell that they do Certainely no wise man would willingly make such a match for what shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and to lose his owne soule First Reason 1 the best delights and contentments of this life are mixed with many troubles sorrowes and feares but their miseries in the life to come are pure miseries without any mitigation or comfort in their paine and torment Secondly their pleasures heere are few and short and of small continuance but their paines hereafter shall be innumerable and endlesse Thirdly all their delights in this life are but snares and all their good cheere and dainties but poysons and the more men take of them Reuel 18.7 the more grieuous shall their punishment in hell be For instruction Vse 1 that we should not endanger our soules for the enioyment of the pleasures of sinne for a season yet many are so foolish that so they might satisfy their fleshly desires they care not though they doe it with the price of their soules so they may haue their pleasures and commodities and fulfill their beastly lusts they will euen sell themselues vnto destruction as Ahab did not caring what miseries they cast themselues into nor what snares they intangle thēselues in so they may accomplish their brutish and diuellish purposes being therein more silly then the poore bird or fish that once perceiuing the snare or the hooke will not easilie meddle nor aduenture the danger the second time Secondly if it be so Vse 2 that all the cōmodities and delights of this life cannot counteruaile the miseries of damnation then on the other side why should it not hold as true for our comfort that all the losses and sorrowes of this life cannot counteruaile the happinesse of saluation for the Apostle saith Rom 8.18 that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory that shal be shewed vnto vs the one being light momentany the other weighty and eternal Let vs suffer neuer so many disgraces and losses go through neuer so many hard brunts our blessed estate in heauen will answer for all so that as it was said of Iudas it had bene good for him he had neuer bene borne notwithstanding all the delights that he enioyed so may it as truly be said happy we that euer we were borne notwithstanding all the miseries that we haue endured yea though they haue bene as great as theirs of whom mention is made Hebrewes 11. that they were racked and stoned and hewen in sunder c. for they endured all in hope of a beter resurection Verse 35. and so should we if God bring vs vnto the like extremities And thus much of the conference now followeth the institution of the Lords Supper The end of the ninth Sermon THE TENTH SERMON MARKE 14.22.23.24 22 And as they did eate Iesus tooke the bread and when he had giuen thankes he brake it and gaue it to them and said Take eate this is my body 23 Also he tooke the cup and when he had giuen thankes gaue it to them and they all dranke of it 24 And he said vnto them This is my bloud of the new Testament which is shed for many ANd as they did eate Iesus tooke the bread and when he had giuen thankes c. or as the word fignifieth blessed that is prayed
prouision for vs. Vers 23. Also he tooke the Cup c. In that wine is ioyned with the bread Doct. 8 this point may be noted Christ maketh vs a sull meale that Iesus Christ in the Sacrament doth make vs a full meale We haue here not onely bread but wine not onely the body of Christ but his bloud also euen the whole Christ with all his graces offered vnto vs. This is promised in the Prophesie of Isaiah where it is said Isaiah 25.6 In this mountaine shall the Lord of hoasts make vnto all people a feast of fat things euen a feast of mixed wines c. Meaning that he would make for his Church complete prouision whatsoeuer might be for health or strength or delight And the like is proposed in the ninth chapter of the Prouerbs And there is cause why we should thinke this to be so for First he is of sufficient ability so that he can doe it Reasons And Secondly his loue vnto vs his people is such that he is willing ready to doe it Some men whē they make feasts could prouide variety of good cheare but they are loath to go to the charges others are franke and liberall enough but they want ability to giue great intertainment so that they speake that truly which others doe vaine gloriously I am sorry that your cheare is no better But it is otherwise with the Lord as he is bountifull and will not spare cost so is he rich in all aboundance of heauēly treasures and needs not spare cost and therefore seeing Christ hath prayed that al his ghests might haue of the best they shal not faile of any thing that their heart can desire and long for Especially seeing it is for his owne glory A mortal sinfull man euen the king of Persia for the setting forth of his magnificence and greatnesse spared no cost in the feast that he made vnto his Princes Ester 1 much lesse wil the Lord of glory in this banquet which he prouideth for his people feeing that he is incomparably better able and more bountifull and withall seeth and considereth the seuerall needes and necessities of all his children Here then in the first place Vse 1 is confuted the error of Popish Priests that will haue but one kind of food at this table and so cause the people to haue a dry feast without any wine at al thus do they sacrilegiously rob Gods people of that allowance which he hath appointed for them and him of that glory which is due in respect of his large bounty in this behalfe For whereas the Lord instituted the cup as well as the bread and prayed and gaue thanks for the one as wel as for the other bidding thē drinke all of the wine as well as eate of the bread they teach and practise the cleane contrary And that their sacriledge may not seeme so vile as in truth it is Obiect they produce some shewes of reason for this their dealing It is needlesse say they to adde the wine vnto the bread for when we receiue that we feede on the whole Christ and partaking of his body we must needs withall partake of his blood which is contained in the veines See here how shamelesly they controll Christ himselfe Answer for if we receiue the bloud in receiuing his body why did he ordain the cuppe as well as the bread They answer Obiect that Christ gaue it onely to Ministers and so doe they So did he the bread also Answer and therefore by the same reason they may administer neither bread nor wine vnto the Laity and what reason can they alleadge why Ministers may not receiue the bloud in the veines as well as any other But the words of Christ may decide this controuersie when he saith Drinke yee all of this this is my bloud c. which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins And who are those many euen all that should afterwards beleeue in him To those for whom Christ his bloud was shed the cuppe must be administred but his bloud was shed for priuate men as wel as for Ministers and therefore the cuppe must be administred to them as well as vnto the Apostles themselues A second vse of this point is for instruction Vse 2 that seeing there is such plenty and variety of all good things offered vs at this banquet no other feasting or voluptuous liuing should either keepe vs from it or make vs come vnworthily vnto it yet how many are there that do so glut themselues with eating and drinking and surfetting on their carnall delights that they are altogether vnfit for the Lords table Thirdly here is matter of reioycing for Gods poore seruants Vse 3 that though they fare hard at home yet they may haue as good refreshing as any other in the Lords house for Christ Iesus doth there prouide a full meale for them This was Dauids comfort when he was banished from the assemblies of Saints and could not be present at the Sacraments and sacrifices when he could but remember that he had bene at them and also bene a profitable communicant as oft as he could it did much refresh his soule so that it was satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse with the very meditation therof he had receiued such store of grace from Gods ordinances and such a strong apprehension of his fauor that he counted it better then life it selfe And the cōsideration thereof did not onely comfort his soule but helped him also in his bodily necessities in so much that when he was in a barren and dry wildernesse pinched with hunger and pressed with thirst the very remembrance of those things that were past long before did cause him more chearefully to vndergoe all his penury and want If he then tooke such comfort therein in his absence how much more should we being present at the same Verse 24. This is my bloud of the new Testament That is this is a signe and seale of the new Testament which is so called because thereby Iesus Christ doth bequeath vnto his people as all the benefites of 〈◊〉 life so the speciall blessing of all euen eternall life and this is tearmed a new Testament in respect of that which was made the time of the law That was and this is when that was insufficient in some respects the Lord abolished it and established this in stead thereof as being much better then that for though both of them aime at saluation by Christ yet it is in a different manner for 1 Differences betwixt the old and new Couenant That was obscure consisting in rites and ceremonies where by Christ was darkly perfigured but this is more plaine and perpicuous so that Gods mercy and goodnesse towards vs in his Sonne may more clearly and euidently be discerned in this one Sacrament then it could by all their sacrifices Then the bloud of beastes was shed in stead of Christs but now hath he shed his owne bloud
fathers wrath and with Satan death and hell and for our sakes in particular sustained such wofull terrors in his soule and torments in his body that he cried out in the bitternesse of his heart my God my God why hast thou forsaken me and at length shed foorth his most precious blood for the pacifying of his fathers displeasure and the satisfying of his infinite iustice And withall wee should seriously ponder vpon the inconceiuable loue of God the father in giuing his onely and welbeloued sonne to suffer such vnspeakeable tortures for vs who were cursed rebels against him and thence bee drawen to thinke on the hainousnesse and odiousnesse of our sinnes which so farre incensed the Lords wrath and indignation that nothing could quench the flame thereof but onely the precious blood of his deere sonne Secondly when we see the minister distributing the bread and wine we are to consider that as those outward elements are offered vnto vs by man so Christ Iesus with all his benefits is offered vnto vs by the blessed Trinitie Thirdly when we reach foorth our naturall hand to receiue the bread and wine we must withall reach foorth the hand of faith to apprehend and lay hold of Christ Fourthly in eating the bread and drinking the wine we must apply Christ with all his merits particularly vnto our selues and be assured that as that bread and wine are made the nourishment of our bodies so Christ his body and blood are made the nourishment of our soules and as certainly as the bread and wine are made one substance with vs to strengthen our bodies and to refresh our hearts so surely Christ is made one with vs and we with him and than our soules shall bee strengthned and our hearts spiritually reuiued either presently in the very act of receiuing or afterwards in due time when wee shall stand in most neede of comfort And therefore in assurance of faith wee should stirre vp our hearts to expect all the forenamed benefits of remission of sinnes and sanctification of our natures together with the fruition of all necessarie outward blessings and the remoouall of all hurtfull crosses Well were it for vs indeed if wee could looke for these things to be bestowed vpon vs but the greatnes and multitude of our sinnes is such that we iustly feare they will keepe good things from vs. This doubt should not perplexe nor trouble vs See the Sermon on Isa 1. if wee bee truely penitent for all our transgressions for Christ hath paid for many and great sinnes as well as for fewer and lesser Doct. 7 1. Iohn 1.9 Ezek. 36.25 and through him the Lord is ready to pardon all and all manner of iniquities as well the greatest of them as the smallest and if once our sinnes bee done away all the fore named benefites doe of right belong vnto vs. Thus much concerning the meditations that are needefull in the very act of receiuing What is to be done after our receiuing 1 First wee must giue hartie thankes vnto the Lord for this inestimable benefit which we haue receiued in being partakers of the Lords supper What to bee done after our receiuing Secondly wee must carefully marke how wee speed and what successe we finde and if the Lord afford vs present comfort wee must bee much more thankefull and endeauour by all good meanes to nourish and cherish the same and if wee misse of it for that time wee must notwithstanding giue God the glorie of his truth in making good his couenant and euerie part thereof and therefore with confidence and constancie waite and pray for the blessing resoluing with our selues euery one in his owne soule that as sure as God is true and faithfull in his promises wee shall in the fittest season reape fruite and profit by his ordinance which in conscience and obedience vnto him we haue been partakers of In which regard euery particular beleeuer may boldly speake in this or the like manner vnto his owne soule I haue with as great vprightnesse as I could communicated at the Lords table and there receiued the seale of the euerlasting couenant of grace and therefore shall it assuredly bee performed vnto mee and albeit my faith and assurance of Gods fauour bee but weake it shall be strengthned and whatsoeuer Satan or mine owne deluded conscience tell me all mine iniquities are pardoned and couered and I am at this very instant as free from sinne in Gods account Psal 32. as Adam was before his fall and as the Saints and Angels are now in heauen yea as Christ Iesus himselfe is I being a member of his mysticall bodie And so for Sanctification though I be tainted with much ignorance with many errors with bad affections and euill actions yet the Lord according to his couenant will reforme all and giue me a minde to know him and his will and a memory to hold fast what I know hee will giue me a heart to loue him to feare him and to obey his commandements I shall haue Christ his power to strengthen and vphold me his wisdome to instruct and direct me his spirit to work al needful graces in me so that all the powers of hel shal neuer be able to preuaile against mee much lesse shall the affictions of this world be able to separate me frō Christ Iesus I need not feare any euill For all shall worke together for the best vnto mee Rom. 8. neither can I want any thing that is good for God hauing giuen vs his sonne how shall hee not with him giue vs all things Thirdly wee must determine and endeuour to lead a new life bringing foorth the fruits of repentance faith and loue more abundantly then in former times as hauing renewed our couenant with the Lord for that purpose and therefore when wee finde any sinnefull motions stirring within vs wee should reason thus did I not at the Sacrament vowe and couenant with God to striue against all manner of corruptions and did I not receiue the seale of the couenant in assurance that I should haue power and strength against them why then should I yeelde vnto them why should I bee any longer in bondage vnto them nay I will not serue sinne in the lusts thereof but will resist it and by the power of Christ I shall get victorie ouer it Rom. 6.14 for the Lord hath said that sinne shall not haue dominion ouer vs. So also when we finde wants and imperfections in our best seruices as coldnesse in praier distractions in meditating vnfruitfulnesse in hearing deadnesse in singing of Psalmes c. As also impatiencie or fainte-heartednes vnder crosses disgraces persecutions c. Let vs then relieue our selues with these or the like meditations was I not lately at the Lord table where I receiued a pledge of my ingrafting into Christ who is the true vine and is there not in him sufficient Iuice of all good graces to bee deriued to euery branch that is
The Lord will not deceiue them nor shut out those supplications that they make before him but according as they intreat of him where their faith is weake he will strengthen it where their repentance comes short hee will perfect it where their loue is cold hee will increase it and in a word where any good thing is wanting hee will supply it If Hezekiah Note praying for such a great multitude which had beene monstrous Idolaters and had continued long time in their Idolatrie heaping vp one abomination vpon an other and now came to the Sacrament not of their owne accord but by the intreaty and perswasion of Hezekiah and his Princes and being thus come failed much in that preparation which they should haue made if hee I say had such good and gracious hearing from the Lord things standing as hath beene said then how much more may wee expect mercy from him when we intreat for our selues who through Gods wonderfull restraint and gracious prouidence haue not fallen into such notorious euils nor into such greeuous and monstrous offences as they had done especially if wee haue this witnesse vnto our soules that wee come voluntarily and in some degree preparedly vnto the mysteries of saluation and are so farre from looking for intreatie or exhortation thereunto that through Gods grace and goodnesse wee would not bee restrained from it for any worldly gaine And healed the people For the vnderstanding of this wee must know that sinne maketh a wound and that the word and Sacrament are meanes and plaisters as it were to heale the same if they bee rightly applied and blessed vnto the receiuers of them In that they found this good effect vpon the eating of the Passeouer and Hezekiahs praier made for them the doctrine hence to be learned is that The Sacrament worthily receiued Doct. 5 doth heale and cure For whence came their healing in this place The vertue of the Sacrament but from the vertue of the Sacrament blessed vnto them at the earnest request of that holy king Hee telleth vs not the particular euils of which they were healed because we should conceiue that they were in a sort perfectly and thorowly cured of all First of the euils that were in their soules they were pardoned their consciences quieted and their hearts bettered so that they had a greater dislike of their own corruptions and of Satans temptations and more power to withstand them and to ouercome them then formerly they had Then for outward euils if there were any sickenesse or weakenesse or any other crosses or calamities vpon them they had the same either quite remoued or at least sweetned and sanctified vnto them for their profit and comfort For this is the substance of the couenant whereof the Sacrament is a seale made vnto penitent persons Ezek. 36. which hauing beene spoken of before it would be needlesse at large to repeat the same things againe Only in briefe for the vse of this point Vse let vs hence learne to make full account of this healing when the Lord shall please to make vs partakers of the body and blood of his deare sonne For then that seede is cast vpon euery faithfull heart that will spring vp in due season vnto euerlasting life and yeeld vs such fruit as we shal haue great cause to reioice and to magnifie the name of the Lord who hath done such great things for vs. Let vs then looke for much and we shall haue much Open thy mouth wide saith the Lord and I will fill it Therefore when we behold with our naturall eye the bread broken the wine powred forth and offered vnto vs by the hand of the Minister Note let vs lift vp the eye of our faith and looke vpon Christ Iesus who is as it were held forth vnto vs by the hand of the Trinity being broken with many sorrowes terrors in bearing his fathers wrath and vndergoing the punishment due vnto vs for our hainous trangressions and powring forth his precious blood to satisfie the Lords iustice to pacifie his displeasure conceiued against vs and as we with our bodily hand do receiue the outward elements so let vs by the hand of faith lay hold of our Lord Sauiour of al his merits assuring our selues that as the bread wine are made one substance with vs so is Christ Iesus in a spirituall maner made one with vs we with him he being the head we the members he the vine and we the branches c. And further let vs vndoubtedly beleeue that as by bread wine our naturall strength is increased and our weary bodies and languishing spirits refreshed so by those heauenly my steries daily applied our inward man shall bee confirmed and our hearts sooner or later comforted and reuiued And therefore in assurance of faith wee should stirre vp our soules to reioice and praise the Lord giuing vnto him the glorie of his truth in resting vpon him for the performance of all his promises made vnto vs through Christ Iesus and concluding euery one in his owne heart though my knowledge be but small it shall be increased though my memory be weake it shall be confirmed though my affections be out of order they shall be rectified though my stripes be many the number of them shal be diminished and though my graces be but few and feeble they shall be augmented and still further strengthned I shall haue Christs power to inable me to do good and to resist euill his wisedome to direct mee in the right way and to cause me to decline from all by-paths And in a word his good spirit to worke all my workes for me and to perfect all heauenly vertues in me And when after we haue been at the Lords table we find any sinfull motions stirring within vs let vs reason thus Did I not lately receiue the Sacrament for the curing of my soule and did not God grant it vnto me as a seale and pledge that hee would take away my stony heart Ezek. 36. and giue vnto me a fleshy heart Why then should I yeeld vnto my corruptions Nay I will not do so but resist and striue against the same and vrge the Lord with his owne couenant sealed vnto me in the Sacrament So likewise when wee see our manifold imperfections in Gods seruice our want of loue and good affection vnto his seruants our inabilitie to beare crosses and the like let vs repaire vnto the Lord and beseech him that is true and faithfull in all promises that hee will make good his word vnto vs in those particulars giuing vs strength to doe what hee commandeth vs and to beare with profit whatsoeuer hee laieth vpon vs. Which if we can doe so often as wee come vnto the Lords Table wee shall receiue great helpe and comfort against all our sinnes and sorrowes and be much stirred vp to loue and praise the Lord for the continuance and increase of his heauenly graces and
children are for their mothers milke but when once you attaine to such an eager desire of goodnesse then you shall grow from a little measure of strength to a greater and still increase in the inward man as children doe in the outward and finde a progresse in grace as they doe in nature Thirdly as those that are destitute of this spirituall thirst haue no commandement No fitnesse nor promise from God so neither haue they any fitnesse in themselues because they want that principall grace which doth fit men for the entertaining of Gods holy spirit which alone maketh Gods ordinances effectuall to wit humility which proceedeth from a sense of our owne miserie and a sight of Gods mercy now where this is wanting there is no place for Gods graces For God resisteth the proud Iames 4. and giueth grace onely to the humble Let a man bring vnto the word neuer so good a wit capacity and memorie hee shall neuer take profit by hearing till hee get a broken heart and an humbled spirit but God will euer resist and crosse and thwart all his endeauours because if hee should get any benefit by the Gospell hee would haue no minde to ascribe the glorie thereof vnto God to whom it is wholly due Note but to himselfe to whom no part thereof doth belong First Vse 1 for terror vnto such as haue no manner of appetite eagernesse nor earnestnesse for spirituall things but are altogether bent for profit and pleasure credit and promotion c. which carnall desires doe vtterly kill their appetite vnto better things and extinguish or bannish all good motions and affections that doe at any time arise in their hearts These wretched men are in a wofull case for they rush vpon the holy things of God without any commission and therefore without expectation of good from them And howsoeuer they may talke and brag of their profiting by the word yet God that seeth and searcheth their hearts esteemeth of them but as of dogs and swine that prophane his holy things If they would bee partakers of the water of life they must bee thirstie and if they would eate of the bread of life they must bee hungrie otherwise though they be present in the congregation and heare the word preached and see the wine powred out and the bread broken before their eies at the celebration of the Lords Supper yet they can haue no hope that they shall haue one drop of Christ his blood to wash away their sinnes but may rather expect the viols of his indignation to consume their bodies and soules and it is a iust vengeance of God vpon such prophane and irreligious persons that when they come to the Sermons to the Sacrament they get no good but rather much hurt therby and haue their lusts stronger their hearts harder and their minds far more blind and vncapable of any good knowledge euery day then other But what is the reason heereof may some demand Is not the word of God mighty to beate downe the strong holds of the deuill and is not the Sacrament powerfull in operation and able to worke great things Yes they are so and why then haue such no profit by them because they are abusers and prophaners and not meet receiuers of the same because they come not with any preparation or desire of a blessing vpon the meanes but for custome and fashion that they might not seeme to bee so bad as indeed they are nor to set so light by the holy ordinances of God as in truth they doe Secondly for instruction Vse 2 If wee would bee welcome to Christ Iesus when hee inuiteth vs to feast with him then let vs get a good stomacke to feed on such cheere as he offereth vnto vs. Otherwise if wee glut our selues before wee come to his Table and be onely looking on those dainties on which others are feedings it will not bee well taken at our hands but wee shall be as distastefull vnto the feast-maker as his prouision is vnto vs and those things which are vnto others the sauour of life vnto life shall proue vnto vs the sauour of death vnto our eternall destruction if our repentance doe not preuent Gods iudgement If Gods owne children comming carelesly and vnpreparedly cannot escape Gods hand 1. Cor. 11. then what shall become of those vngodly ones who come not onely negligently but altogether prophanely and so defile the sacred ordinances of God for to the vncleane all things are vncleane surely if iudgement begin at Gods house there is nothing remaining for vngodly men but a fearefull expectation of wrath and vengeance to be powred out vpon them in full measure In which regard it standeth vs vpon to looke vnto our hearts before hand and to the intent wee may come with this spirituall appetite the want whereof is so offensiue vnto God and dangerous vnto vs let vs vse all good meanes for the obtaining of it as First Meanes to get a spiritual appetite to purge away that which may annoy our stomacke and kill our appetite and what that is Peter telleth vs when hee saith Wherefore laying aside all maliciousnesse and all guile Allovv no sin 1 Pet. 2.21 and dissimulation and enuy and euill speaking as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word c. As if hee had said so long as you giue place vnto Note and delight in any euill so long as you carry a bitter and enuious mind against your brethren or an hypocriticall and dissembling heart towards God and suffer your euill affections to breake forth into euill speeches so long you can neuer delight in nor bee very desirous of the pure word of God and therefore can not possibly grow in the knowledge and practise of the same And therefore when we finde in our selues dulnesse and deadnesse and vnwillingnesse vnto good duties let vs conclude for a certainty that wee stand in need of Physicke for the purging of our soules for sinne worketh on our hearts as ill humors doe in our stomacks it maketh vs to loath all spirituall food and all meanes of refreshing And this take for an vndoubted truth which though our mouthes will not confesse yet our hearts must needs acknowledge when wee haue no desire to heare the word preached or to receiue the Sacrament when it is to bee administred there is some sinne or other not thorowlie repented of which so cloieth the soule that it cannot delight in those holy exercises and as our hearts are more purged by godly sorrow Matth. 5. so will our hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and the meanes thereof bee still increased in vs. This then is the first rule that wee must obserue for the getting of spirituall appetite viz. to put away the practise of all crosse euils and the allowance of all infirmities great or small A second is that wee must endeuour to know our owne misery what wee are by nature See thy miserie and
Iohn 6.32 which came downe from heauen Thirdly if the bread by the words of cōsecration be transubstātiated it wil follow that wicked cōmunicants may also partake of Christ for Paul saith 1 Cor. 10. that all good and bad did eate the same spirituall meate c. as touching the outward signe and Element and so cannot afterwards perish and be damned for that whosoeuer eateth of Christ his flesh c. Iohn 6.55.56 hath eternall life and he will raise him at the last day for he dwelleth in vs and we in him Now it is certain that there is no cōmunion betwixt the Lord Iesus wicked sinners neither are they in the state of saluation neither shall they be raised vp vnto Glory at the last day and consequently they feede not on him and the Sacramentall signes are not transubstantiated into him A fourth reason is from the end for which the Sacrament was instituted by Christ and is continued in his Church Then his meaning was not according to his humane nature to conuerse with his people one earth after a bodily manner for though he were present with his disciples at the first celebration sensibly in his manhoode yet the purpose of it for afterwards was to continue a memoriall of him when the heauens should containe him Acts 3 21. Luke 22 29. therefore saith he doe this in remembrance of me Which should be superfluous and needlesse if he were continually conuersant with his members euery where in the Masse and in the Lords Supper Fiftly many fowle absurdities do ensue vpon this grosse opinion of transubstantiation for First either one Christ in his bodily presence must be both in heauen and earth Absurdities and in innumerable places there at one instant or else be multiplyed and many Christs many Sauiours and many redeemers must be dispersed throughout all the Churches where the Masse is offred or the Sacrament administred and so when the Lord did first celebrate it there was to be one Christ breaking and distributing and another Christ broken and giuen one Christ to Peter another Christ to Iohn and to euery Apostle one Secondly how can cruelty be here auoided how can men deuoure him and not kill him how should men swallow him vp and yet offer no violence vnto him A glorious body may be in many places at once Obiect and be eaten and not hurt because it is not patible nor mortall But when the Disciples first receiued him Answer he was both mortall for he dyed on the morrow and patible for he was in an agony and torment that night and therefore how commeth it to passe that the nailes should haue force to kill him which onely pierced some part of his body rather then their teeth which chewed him whole But he himselfe saith This is my body Obiect So it is sacramentally and by a Trope Answer but not literally and simply as the words may be misconstrued The like kinde of speech is vsed in other Sacraments Circumcision is called the couenant Gen. 17.13 the Lambe is called the Passeouer Exod. 12.11 the rock Christ 1 Cor. 10.14 And is not the cup sayd as well to be the bloud of the new Testament and yet our Sauiour calleth the consecrated wine the fruit of the vine Matth. 26.29 But Christ saith Iohn 6.53.55 Obiect Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee haue no life in you for my flesh is meate indeede and my bloud is drinke indeed He speaketh not there of the Sacrament Answer but rather of the faithfull embracing of him in his word for the Lords Supper was neuer before nor at that time instituted and as yet the words of consecration had not bene spoken and therefore if this be vnderstood literally without the spirituall meaning thereof it will follow that either Transubstantiation was before the Lords Supper or the Lords Supper before the night in which he was betrayed And in this place he maketh no mention of bread to be turned into his body and the words wrested would rather argue his body to be transubstantiated into bread or flesh then breade to be changed into his body Secondly Vse 2 as this serueth for the confutation of them that hold there is no bread at all in the Lords Supper so it maketh against such as thinke there is nothing but bread to be expected there that we are to receiue onely the outward signe in a bare remembrance of Christ his death and passion and so do they depraue the mysteries of God and extenuate his promises as if when the Lord calleth all his people to this memorable banquet he should deceiue them with empty dishes and with painted meat in stead of better cheere Ester 1 It would haue bene a great disgrace for Ahashuerosh to haue dealt so when he called all his Princes to a banquet and therefore they are iustly to be reproued that esteeme so basely of this holy feast seing God offereth and exhibiteth truly though not corporally his owne Sonne with all his precious merits to euery faithfull receiuer so that euery guest at his table may truly be said to feede on Christ Iesus Thirdly Vse 3 this is for instruction that seeing by this Sacrament we may be so nearely vnited vnto Christ we should come with a large expectation of receiuing good from the same and therefore make preparation for the same accordingly that so we may not come vnworthily lest we receiue iudgements in stead of mercies Fourthly here is another instruction that when we come to this celestiall feast we fall to it and feed of it as Christ biddeth vs Take and eate let vs set our eyes our eares our taste yea and our hearts also aworke with all serious meditation to make vse of those heauenly mysteries and when we see the bread broken let vs boldly conclude Christ was broken for me and therefore I shall escape the breaking which I haue deserued and when the bread is giuen vnto vs let vs resolue Christ with all his benefites is bestowed vpon me and when we eate the bread let vs assure our soules of this Christ is made vnto me the true bread whereby my soule shall be nourished vnto life eternall This is the earing that the Lord requireth and accepteth and thus doing we shall shew that there is mutuall loue and kindnesse betwixt him and vs which is a thing well pleasing vnto him and therefore he exhorteth all his seruants saying Eate O friends drinke and make you merry Cant. 5.1 O welbeloued None but those that are friends can eate of his dainties and all those that are friends will eate of the same therefore if euer we would shew our selues to be Christ his friends if we would enioy the feeling of his loue vnto vs and be assured of our loue towards him let vs refresh our soules at this banquet and not let our Sauiour be at cost in vaine in making so good and so large