wounded hath a double Emphasis either it may signifie that he was pierced through as with a dart or that he was profaned He was used as some common vile thing and Christ might thank us for it He was wounded for our transgressions So that if the question were put to us as was once to Christ Prophesie who is it that smote thee Luk. 22. 64. We might soon answer It was our sins that smote him Our pride made Christ wear a Crown of Thorns as Zipporah said to Moses Exod. 4. 25. A bloody husband art thou to me so may Christ say to his Church A bloody Spouse thou hast been to me thou hast cost me my heart-blood Quest. But how could Christ suffer being God the Godhead is impassible Resp. Christ suffered only in the Humane nature not the Divine Damascen expresseth it by this Simile If one pour water on Iron that is red hot the fire suffers by the water and is extinguished but the Iron doth not suffer So the Humane Nature of Christ might suffer Death but the Divine Nature is not capable of any passion VVhen Christ was in the Humane Nature suffering he was in the Divine Nature triumphing As we wonder at the rising of the Sun of Righteousness in his Incarnation so we may wonder at the going down of this Sun in his Passion Quest. But if Christ suffered only in his Humane Nature how could his suffering satisfie for sin Answ. By reason of the Hypostatical Union the Humane Nature being united to the Divine the Humane Nature did suffer the Divine did satisfie Christs Godhead did give both Majesty and Efficacy to his sufferings Christ was Sacrifice Priest and Altar He was Sacrisice as he was Man Priest as he was God and Man Altar as he was God It is the Property of the Altar to sanctifie the thing offered on it Mat. 23. 19. So the Altar of Christs Divine Nature sanctified the Sacrifice of his Death and made it Meritorious Now concerning Christ's suffering upon the Cross observe two things 1. The Bitterness of it to him He was broken The very thoughts of his Suffering put him into an Agony Luk. 22. 44. Being in an agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as great drops of blood falling to the ground He was as full of sorrow as his heart could hold Mat. 26. 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Christ's Crucifixion was 1. A lingring death It was more for Christ to suffer one hour than for us to have suffered for ever but his death was lengthened out he hung three hours upon the Cross. He dyed many deaths before he could dye one 2. It was a painful Death His Hands and Feet were nailed which parts being full of sinnews and therefore very tender his pain must needs be most acute and sharp and to have the invenoned Arrow of Gods wrath shot to his heart this was the direful Catastrophe and caused that Vociferation and out-cry upon the Cross My God my God why hast thou farsaken me The Justice of God was now inflamed and heightned to its full 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 38. God spared not his Son Nothing must be abated of the debt Christ felt the pains of Hell though not locally yet equivalently In the Sacrament we see this Tragedy acted before us 3. It was a shameful Death Christ was in medio positus he hung between two Thieves Mat. 27. 38. As if he had been the principal Malefactor Well might the Lamp of Heaven withdraw its light and mask it self with darkness as blushing to behold the Sun of Righteousness in an Eclipse It is hard to say which was greater the blood of the Cross or the shame of the Cross 4. It was a cursed Death Deut. 21. 23. This kind of death was so execrable that Constantine made a Law That no Christian should dye upon the Cross. The Lord Jesus underwent this Gal. 3. 13. Being made a Curse for us He who was God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. was under a Curse 2. Consider the Sweetness of it to us Christs Brusing is our Healing Isa. 53. 6. By his stripes we are healed Calvin calls the Crucifixion of Christ Cardo salutis the Hinge on which our Salvation turns And Luther calls it Fons salutis a Gospel-spring opened to refresh Sinners Indeed the Suffering of Christ is a Death-bed Cordial 'T is an Antidote to expell all our fear Doth Sin trouble Christ hath overcome it for us Besides the two Thieves crucified with Christ there were two other invisible Thieves crucified with him Sin and the Devil 4. The fourth Particular in the Institution is Christ's administring the Cup And he took the Cup The taking of the Cup shewed the Redundancy of Merit in Christ and the copiousness of our Redemption Christ was not sparing he gave not only the Bread but the Cup. We may say as the Psalmist With the Lord is plenteous Redemption Psal. 130. 7. If Christ gave the Cup how dare the Papists with-hold it They clip and mutilate the Ordinance They blot out Scripture and may fear that doom Rev. 22. 19. If any man shall take away from the words of the Book of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life Quest What is meant by Christs taking the Cup Answ. The Cup is figurative It is a Metonymy of the Subject the Cup is put for the Wine in it By this Christ signified the shedding of his Blood upon the Cross when his Blood was poured out now the Vine was cut and did bleed now was the Lilly of the Vallies dyed of a purple Colour This was to Christ a Cup of astonishment But to us it is a Cup of salvation When Christ drank this Cup of Blood we may truly say he drank an health to the World It was precious Blood 1 Pet. 1. 19. In this Blood we see Sin fully punished and fully pardoned Well may the Spouse give Christ of her Spiced Wine and the Juice of her Pomgranate Cant. 8. 2. When Christ hath given her a draught of his warm Blood Spiced with his Love and perfumed with the Divine Nature 4. The fourth thing is The Guests invited to this Supper or the Persons to whom Christ distributed the Elements He gave to the Disciples and said Take Eat The Sacrament is Chilarens bread If a man makes a Feast he calls his Friends Christ calls his Disciples if he had any piece better than other he carves it to them Luk. 22. 19. This is my body which is given for you That is for you quatenus Believers Christ gave his Body and Blood to the Disciples chiefly under this Notion as they were Believers As Christ poured out his Prayers so his Blood only for Believers see how near to Christ's Heart all Believers lie Christ's Body was broken on the Cross and his
Blood shed for them Rom. 11 7 The Election hath obtained it Christ passed by others and dyed intentionally for them Impenitent Sinners have no Benefit by Christ's Death unless a short Reprieve Christ is given to the wicked in wrath He is a Rock of Offence 1 Pet. 2 8. Christs Blood is like Chymical Drops of Oyl which recover some Patients but kill other Judas sucked Death from the Tree of Life God can turn Stones into Bread and a Sinner can turn Bread into Stones The Bread of Life into the Sâ—…ne of Stumbling 5. The fifth thing observable in the Text is the benefit of this Supper in these Words For the remission of sins This is a mercy of the first Magnitude the Summum genus the crowning blessing Psalm 103. 3 4. Who forgiveth thy iniquities who crowneth thee with loving-kindness Whosoever hath this Charter granted is enrolled in the book of Life Psal. 32. 1. Blâ—…ssed is he whose transgression is forgiven Under this Word remission of sin by a Synecdoche are comprehended all Heavenly Benedictions Justification Adoption Glory in respect of which benefits we may with Chrysostom call the Lords Supper The Feast of the Cross. This Doctrine of the Sacrament confutes the opinion of Transubstantiation When Christ saith This is my body The Papists affirm that the Bread after the Consecration is turned into the Substance of Christ's Body We hold that Christ's Body is in the Sacrament spiritually but the Papists say that it is there carnally which opinion is both Absurd and Impious 1. Absurd For it is contrary 1. To Scripture The Scripture asserts that Christs Body is locally and numerically in Heaven Act. 3. 21. Whom the Heavens must receive until the times of Restitution of all things If Christ's Body be circumscribed in Heaven then it cannot be materially in the Eucharist 2. It is contrary to reason How is it imaginable that a thing should be changed into another Species yet continue the same That the Bread in the Sacrament should be transmuted and turned into Flesh yet remain Bread still When Moses Rod was turned into a Serpent it could not be at the same time both a Rod and a Serpent That the Bread in the Saâ—…rament should be changed into the body of Christ and yet remain Bread is a perfect contradiction If the Papists say The Bread is vanished This is fitter to be put into their Legend than our Creed for the colour form and rellish of the Bread still remains 2. This Opinion of Transubstantiation is impious as appears in two things 1. It is a Profaning Christ's body for if the Bread in the Sacrament be the real body of Christ then it may be eaten not only by the wicked but by Reptils and Vermin which were to disparage and cast contempt upon Christ and his Ordinance 2. It runs men inevitably upon sin for through this mistake that the bread is Christs very body there follows the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Divine Worship given to the bread which is Idolatry as also the offering up of the bread or Host in the Mass which is a blasphemy against Christs Priestly Office as if his Sacrifice on the Cross were imperfect Therefore I conclude with Peter Martyr That this Doctrine of Transubstantiation is to be abhorred and exploded being minted only in mens phancies but not sprung up in the field of the Holy Scriptures 2. This Doctrine of the Sacrament confutes such as look upon the Lords Supper only as an empty Figure or shadow resembling Christ's Death but having no intrinsick efficacy in it Surely this glorious Ordinance is more than an Effigies or representative of Christ Why is the Lords Supper called The Communion of the body of Christ but because in the right celebration of it we have sweet communion with Christ In this Gospel-Ordinance Christ doth not only shew forth his Beauty but send forth his Vertue The Sacrament is not only a Picture drawn but a Breast drawn it gives us a Tast of Christ as well as a Sight Such as make the Sacrament only a representative of Christ do shoot short of the Mystery and come short of the Comfort Use. 2. It informs us of several things 1. It shews us the necessity of coming to the Lords Supper Hath Jesus Christ been at all this cost to make a Feast then sure there must be Guests It is not left to our choice whether we will come or no but it is a Duty purely indispensable 1 Cor. 11. 28. Let him eat of that Bread Which Words are not only permissive but authorative As if a King should say Let it be Enacted The Neglect of the Sacrament runs men into a Gospel-Premunire It was infinite goodness in Christ to broach that blessed Vessel of his body and let his sacred Blood stream out and for us wilfully to omit such an Ordinance wherein the Trophie of mercy is so richly displayed and our salvation so nearly concerned well may Christ take this as an undervaluing of him and interpret it no better than a bidding him keep his feast to himself He that observed not the Passeover that soul was to be cut off Numb 9. 13. How angry was Christ with those that stayed away from the Supper They thought to put it off with a Complement but Christ knew how to construe their excuse for a refusal Luk. 14. 24. None of those men which were bidden shall taste of my Supper The Rejecting Gospel-mercy is a sin of so deep a die that God can do no less than punish it for a Contempt Some need a Flaming Sword to keep them off from the Lord's Table and others need Christ's Whip of small Cords to drive them to it Perhaps Some will say They are above the Sacrament It were strange to hear a man say he were above his Food The Apostles were not above this Ordinance and doth any one presume to be a Peg higher than the Apostles Let all Enthusiasts consult that Scripture 〈◊〉 Cor. 11. 26. As often as ye eat this bread and drink this Cup. ye shew the Lords death till he come The Lords Death is to be remembred Sacramentally til he come to Judgment 2. See the Misery of Unbelievers though the Lord hath appointed this glorious Ordinance of his Body and Blood they reap no benefit by it They come indeed to the Sacrament either to keep up their Credit or to stop the Mouth of Conscience but they get nothing for their Souls They come empty of Grace and go away empty of Comfort Isa. 29. 8. It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his soul is empty So wicked men fancy they eat of this spritual Banquet but they are in a golden Dream Alas They discern not the Lords body The Manna lay round about Israels Camp and they knew it not Exod. 16. 15. They wist not what it was
this is an answer from God Zach. 10. 12. I will strengthen them in the Lord. If Christian thou hast not God's arm to imbrace thee yet if thou hast his arm to strengthen thee this is the fruit of an Ordinance 2. If God doth not fill thy heart with joy yet if he fills thy eyes with tears this is his meeting thee at his Table When thou lookest upon Christ broken on the Cross and considerest his love and thy ingratitude this makes the dew begin to fall and thy eyes are like the fish-pools in Heshbon full of water This is Gods gracious meeting thee in the Sacrament bless his Name for it It is a sign the Sun of Righteousness hath risen upon us when our frozen hearts melt in tears for sin 3. If thy Comforts are low yet if the actings of thy Faith be high this is Gods manifesting his presence in the Supper The sensible tokens of Gods love are with-held but the soul ventures on Christ's blood it believes that coming to him he will hold out the golden Scepter This glorious acting of faith and the inward quiet that faith breeds is the blessed return of an Ordinance Mic. 7. 19. He will turn again he will have compassion upon us The Churches comforts were darkned but her faith breaks forth as the Sun out of a Cloud He will have compassion on us This acting of faith makes us in a blessed condition Blessed are they which have not seen yet have believed Object 5. But I cannot find any of these things in the Sacrament my heart is dead and locked up and I have no return at all Resp. Wait on God for an answer of the Ordinance God hath promised to satiate the soul Psal. 107. 9. He silleth the hungry soul with goodness If not with gladness yet with goodness the soul must be filled or how can the promise be fulfilled Christian God hath said it therefore wait Wilt not thou believe God unless thou hast a voice from Heaven The Lord hath given thee his promise and is it not as good security to have a Bill under a man's hand as to have it by word of mouth Be content to wait a while mercy will come God's mercies in Scripture are not called speedy mercies but they are Sure mercies Isa. 55. 3. 5. Hath Christ given us his Body Blood Then when we are at this Gospel-Ordinancâ—… let us remember the Lord Jesus there The Sacrament is a Christ-remembring Ordinance 1 Cor. 11. 25. This do in remembrance of me God hath appointed this spiritual festival to preserve the living memory of our dying Saviour A Sacrament-day is a Commemoration-day 1. Remember Christ's Passion Lam. 3. 19. Remembring the wormwood and the gall I may a little alter the words Remembring the Vinegar and the â—…ll If the Manna was to be kept in the Ark that the memory of it should be preserved How should the Death and Suffering of Christ be kept in our minds as a memorial when we are at the Table of the Lord 2. Remember the glorious benefits we receive from the broken Body of Christ. We usually remember those things which are advantageous to us Christ's broken Body is a Screen tâ—… keep off the fire of God's wrath from us Christ's Body being broken the Serpent's head is broken Christ being broken upon the Cross a Box of precious Jewels is broken open Now we have access to God with boldness the Blood of the Cross hath made way to the Throne of Grace Now we are made Sons and Heirs and to be Heir to the Promise is better than to be Heir to the Crown Christ having dyed we are made near a kin to the blessed Trinity we are candidates and expectants of glory The bloody way of the Cross is our Via lact ea our milky way to Heaven Jesus Christ drank Gall that we might drink the hony-streams of Canaan His Cross was stuck full of Nails that our Crovvn might be hung full of Jevvels Well may vve remember Christ in the Blessed Sacrament But it is not the bare remembrance of Christ's Death is enough Some vvho have a natural tenderness of spirit may be affected vvith the History of Christ's Passion but this remembrance of Christ hath little comfort in it Let us remember Christ in the Sacrament aright 1. Let us remember Christ's Death vvith joy Galat. 6. 14. God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we see Christ in the Sacrament crucified before our eyes we may behold him in that posture as he was in upon the Cross stretching out his blessed arms to receive us O what matter of triumph and acclamation is this Though we remember our sins with grief yet we should remember Christs sufferings with joy Let us weep for those sins which shed his Blood yet rejoyce in that blood which washeth away our sins 2. Let us so remember Christ's Death as to conform to his Death Phil. 3. 10. That I may be conformable to his death Then we remember Christ's Death aright when we are dead with him our pride and passion are dead Christ's dying for us makes sin die in us Then we rightly remember Christ's crucifixion when we are crucified with him we are dead to the pleasures and preferments of the World Gal. 6. 14. The world is crucified unto me and I unto the world 6. If Jesus Christ hatâ—…â—…ven us this Soul-festival for the strengthning of grace let us labour to feel some vertue flowing out of this Ordinance to us let not the Sacrament be a dry breast It were strange if a man should receive no nourishment by his food It is a discredit to this Ordinance if we get no encrease of Grace Shall leanness enter into our souls at a feast of fat things Christ gives us his Body and Blood for the augmenting of Faith he expects that we should reap some profit and income and that our weak minute-faith should flourish into a great faith Mâ—…t 15. 28. O woman Great is thy faith It were good to examine whether after our frequent Celebration of this holy Supper we have arrived at a great Faith Quest. Hovv may I knovv Whether I have this great Faith Resp. For the Solution of this I shall laâ—… lovvn six eminent Signs of a great Faith and if vve can shevv any one of them vve have made a good proficiency at the Sacrament 1. A great Faith can trust God vvithout a pavvn it can relie upon Providence in the deficiency of outvvard supplies Hab. 3. 17 18. Although the Figtree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall fail c. yet will I rejoyce in the Lord c. An Unbeliever must have something to feed his senses or he gives up the Ghost When he is at his Wealths end he is at his Wits end Faith doth not question but God vvill provide though it sees not vvhich
Guests 5. The Benefits 1. The Author of the Sacrament Jesus Christ. Jesus took bread To Institute Sacraments belongs of right to Christ and is a Flower of his Crown He only who can give Grace can appoint the Sacraments which are the Seals of Grace Christ being the Founder of the Sacrament gives a Glory and a Luster to it A King making a feast adds the more state and magnificence to it Jesus took bread he whose Name is above every Name God blessed for ever 2. The Time when Christ did institute the Sacrament wherein we may take notice of two Circumstances 1. It was when he had supped Luk. 22. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After Supper Which had this Mystery in it To shew that the Sacrament is chiefly intended as a spiritual Banquet it is not to indulge the Senses but to feast the Graces It was after Supper 2. The other Circumstance of Time is That Christ did appoint the Sacrament a little before his sufferings 1 Cor. 11. 23. The Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread He knew troubles were now coming upon his Disciples it would be no small perplexing to them to see their Lord and Master crucisied and shortly after they must pledg him in a bitter Cup therefore to arm them against such a time and to animate their spirits that very night in which he was betrayed he gives them his Body and Blood in the Sacrament This may give us a good Hint That in all trouble of mind especially approaches of danger it is needful to have recourse to the Lords Supper The Sacrament is both an Antidote against fear and a Restorative to faith The night in which Christ was betrayed he took Bread 3. The Manner of the Institution wherein there are four things observable 1. The Taking of bread 2. The Breaking it 3. The Blessing it 4. The Administring the Cup. 1. The Taking of the Bread Jesus took bread Quest. What is meant by this Phrase He took bread Answ. Christ's taking and separating the bread from common uses did hold forth a double Mystery 1. It signified that God in his Eternal Decree set Christ apart for the work of our Redemption He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Separate from sinners Heb. 7. 26. 2. Christ's setting the Elements apart from common Bread and Wine shewed That he is not for common Persons to feed on They are to be divinely purified who touch these holy things of God they must be outwardly separated from the World and inwardly sanctified by the Spirit Quest. Why did Christ take Bread rather than any other Element Answ. 1. Because it did prefigure Him Christ was typified by the Shew bread 1 King 7. 48. By the Bread which Melchisedeck offered unto Abraham Gen. 14. 18. And by the Cake which the Angel brought to Elias 1 Kings 19. 4. Therefore he took Bread to answer the Type 2. Christ took bread because of the Analogy Bread did neerly resemble him John 6. 48. I am that bread of life There is a threefold resemblance 1. Bread is useful Other comforts are more for delight than use Musick delights the ear colourâ—… the eye but Bread is the staff of Life So is Christ useful There is no subsisting without him John 6. 57. He that eateth me even he shall live by me 2. Bread is satisfying If a man be hungry bring him Flowrs or Pictures they do not satisfie but bread doth satiate So Jesus Christ the bread of the soul satisfies he satisfies the eye with beauty the heart with sweetness the conscience with peace 3. Bread is strengthening Psal. 104. 15. Bread which strengthens mans heart So Christ the bread of the soul transmits strength He strengthens us against temptations he gives strength for doing and suffering Work He is like the Cake the Angel brought to the Prophet 1 Kings 19. 8. He arose and did eat and went in the strength of that meat forty dayes and forty nights unto Horeb the Mount of God 2. The second thing in the Institution is Christs blessing of the bread He blessed it This was the Consecration of the Elements Christ by his Blessing sanctifyed them and made them Symbols of his Body and Blood Christ's consecrating of the Elements points out three things 1. Christ in blessing the Elements opened the nature of the Sacrament to the Apostles He did unriddle this Mystery Christ did advertise them That as sure as they did receive the Elements corporeally so sure they did receive him into their hearts spiritually 2. Christ's blessing the Elements signified his prayer for a Blessing upon the Ordinance He prayed that these Symbols of Bread and Wine might through the Blessing and Operation of the Holy Ghost sanctifie the Elect and seal up all spiritual mercies and priviledges to them 3. Christ's blessing the Elements was his giving thanks So it is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He gave thanks 1. Christ gave thanks that God the Father had in the infinite riches of his Grace given his Son to expiate the Sins of the World And if Christ gave thanks how may we give thanks If he gave thanks who was to shed his blood how may we give thanks who are to drink it 2. Christ gave thanks that God had given these Elements of Bread and Wine not only to be signs but seals of our Redemption As the Seal serves to make over a conveyance of Land so the Sacrament as a spiritual Seal serves to make over Christ and Heaven to such as worthily receive it 3. The third thing in the Institution is the Breaking of the Bread He brake it This did shadow out Christ's Death and Passion with all the Torments of his Body and Soul Isa. 53. 10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him VVhen the Spices are bruised then they send forth a sweet savour So when Christ was bruised on the Cross he did send out a most fragant smell Christ's body crucifying was the breaking open a Box of precious oyntment which did fill Heaven and Earth with its perfume Quest. But why was Christs body broken What was the cause of his suffering Answ. Surely not for any desert of his own Dan. 9. 26. The Mesfiah shall be cut off but not for himself In the Original it is He shall be cut off and there is nothing in him There is no cause in him why he should suffer The high Priest when he went into the Tabernacle offered first for himself Heb. 9. 7. Though he had his Mitre or golden Plate and did wear holy Garments yet he was not pure and innocent he must offer sacrifice for himself as well as for the people But Jesus Christ that great High Priest though he offered a bloody Sacrifice yet not for himself Why then was his blessed body broken Answ. It was for our sins Isa. 53. 6. But he was wounded for our transgressions The Hebrew word for
Sin and make it appear Ghastly is this It crucified our Lord It made Christ Vail his Glory and lose his Blood If a Woman did see that Sword which killed her Husband how hateful would the sight of it be to her Do we count that Sin Light which made Christ's Soul Heavy unto Death Mark 14. 34. Can that be our joy which made the Lord Jesus a man of sorrows Isa. 53. 3. Did he cry out My God why hast thou forsaken me And shall not those Sins be forsaken by us which made Christ himself forsaken O let us look upon Sin with Indignation When a Temptation comes to Sin let us say as David 2 Sam. 23. 17. Is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives So Is not this the Sin that poured out Christ's Blood Let our Hearts be enraged against Sin When the Senators of Rome shewed the people Caesar's bloody Robe they were incensed against those that slew him Sin hath rent the White Robe of Christs Flesh and dyed it of a Crimson Colour let us then seek to be avenged of our Sins Under the Law if an Oxe gored a Man that he dyed the Oxe was to be killed Exod. 21. 28. Sin hath gored and pierced our Saviour let it dye the Death What pitty is it for that to live which would not suffer Christ to live 6. Was Christ's Body broken Let us then from his suffering on the Cross learn this Lesson Not to wonder much if we meet with Troubles in the World Did Christ suffer who knew no Sin And do we think it strange to suffer who know nothing but Sin Did Christ feel the anger of God And is it much for us to feel the anger of Men Was the Head crowned with Thorns And would the Members lie among Roses Must we have our Bracelets and Diamonds when Christ had the Spear and Nails going to his heart Truly such as are guilty may well expect the lash when he who was innocent could not go free 2. The second Use is of Exhortation and it hath several Branches 1. Was Christ's precious body broken for us Let us be affected with the great goodness of Christ Who can tread upon these hot Coals and his Heart not burn Cry out with Ignatius Christ my Love is crucified If a Friend should dye for us would not our Hearts be much affected with his Kindness That the God of Heaven should dye for us how should this stupendious mercy have a melting influence upon us The body of Christ broken is enough to break the most flinty Heart At our Saviour's Passion the very Stones did cleave asunder Mat 27. 51. The Rocks rent He that is not affected with this hath an Heart harder than the Stones If Saul was so affected with Davids Mercy in sparing his Life 1 Sam. 24. 16. How may we be affected vvith Christs kindness vvho to spare our life lost his ovvn Let us pray that as Christ vvas Crucifixus so he might be Cordi-fixus As he vvas fastened to the Cross so that he may be fastened to our Hearts 2. Is Jesus Christ spiritually exhibited to us in the Sacrament Let us then set an high value and Estimate upon him 1. Let us prize Christs body Every crumb of this bread of life is precious John 6. 55. My flesh is meat indeed It is Panis eximius supersubstantialis as Cyprian calls it The Manna was a lively Type and Emblem of Christ's Body Manna was sweet Exod. 16. 31. The taste of it was like wafers made with honey it was a delicious meat therefore it was called Angels Food for its excellency So Christ the Sacramental Manna is sweet to a Believer's Soul Cant. 2. 3. His fruit was sweet to my taste Every thing of Christ is sweet His Name is sweet his Vertues sweet This Manna sweetens the Waters of Marah Nay Christ's Flesh excells Manna 1. Manna was Food but not Physick If an Israclite had been sick Manna could not have cured him but this blessed Manna of Christ's body is not only for food but for medicine Christ hath healing under his wings Mal. 4. 2. He heals the Blind eve the hard Heart Take this mediâ—…ine next your Heart and it will heal you of all your spiritual Distempers 2. Manna was Corruptible It ceased when Israel came to Canaan But this blessed Manna of Christ's Body will never cease The Saints shall feed with infinite delight and Soul satisfaction upon Christ to all Eternity The Joyes of Heaven would cease if this Manna should cease The Manna was put in a golden Pot in the Ark to be preserved there So the blessed Manna of Christ's Body being put in the golden Pot of the Divine Nature is laid up in the Ark of Heaven for the Saints to feast upon for ever Well then may we say of Christ's blessed Body It is meat indeed The Field of Christ's Body being digged upon the Cross we find the Pearl of Salvation there 2. Let us prize Christ's Blood in the Sacrament It is drink indeed John 6. 55. Here is the Nectar and Anibrosia God himself delights to taste of This is both a Balsom and a Perfume That vve may set the higher value upon the blood of Christ I shall shevv you seven rare supernatural Vertues in it 1. It is a reconciling blood Col. 1. 21. You that were sometime alienated and enemies yet now hath he reconciled through death No sooner vvas the Message brought to King David Uriah is dead 2 Sam. 11. 21. but the anger of David vvas removed No sooner vvas the blood of Christ poured out but God's anger vvas pacified Christ's blood is the blood of atonement Nay it is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely a Sacrifice but a Propitiation 1 John 2. 2. Which denoteth a bringing us into Favour with God It is one thing for a traytor to be pardoned and another thing to be brought into Favour Sin rent us off from God Christ's Blood doth soader and â—…cment us to God If we had had as much grace as the Angels it could not have wrought our Reconciliation If we had offered up Millions of Holocausts and Sacrifices if we â—…ad wept Rivers of Tears this could never have appeased an angry Deiâ—…y only Christ's blood doth ingraâ—…iate us into God's Favour and make him look upon us with a smiling Aspect When Christ dyed the Vail of the Temple was rent This was not without a Mystery to shew that â—…hrough Christ's blood the Vail of our Sins is rent which did interpose between God and us 2. Christ's blood is a quickning â—…lood John 6. 54. Whoso drinketh my blood hath eternal life It both â—…egets life and prevents death Lev. 17. 11. The life of a thing is in the â—…lood Sure enough the life of our â—…oul is in the blood of Christ. When we contract deadness of Heart
Devil in the Sop and are no better than Crucifiers of the Lord of Glory As their â—…in is hainous so their punishment will be proportionable 1 Cor. 11. 29. They eat and drink damnation to themselves If one of the Vestal Nuns who had vowed her self to Religion were deflored the Romans caused her to be buried alive Such as have a Sacramental vow upon them yet afterwards deflore the Virginity of their souls byscandalous sins God will bury them alive in the flames of Hell Oh that such a lustre and majesty of holiness did sparkle forth in the lives of Communicants that others may say These have been with Jesus And their Consciences may lie under the power of this conviction that the Sacrament hath a confirming and a transforming vertue in it 4. The fourth Use is of comfort to God's people 1. From Christ's body broken and his blood poured out we may gather this comfort That it was a glorious Sacrifice 1. It was a Sacrifice of infinite merit Had it been only an Angel that suffered or had Chaist been only a meer man as some do blasphemously dream then we might have despaired of salvation but he suffered for us who was God as well as man Therefore the Apostle calls it expresly Sanguis Dei the blood of God Acts 20. 28. It is man that sins it is God that dies This is a soveraign Cordial to Believers Christ having poured out his blood now God's justice is compleatly satisfied God was infinitely more contented with Christ's sufferings upon Mount Calvary than if we had lain in Hell and undergone his wrath for ever The Blood of Christ hath quenched the flame of Divine fury And now what should we fear All our Enemies are either reconciled or subdued God is a reconciled Enemy and sin is a subdued Enemy Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is Christ that dyed Rom. 8. 34. 'T is reported when Satan once appeared to Luther and thought to affright him Luther shewed him that Scripture Gen. 3. 15. I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy head whereupon Satan vanished So when the Devil shall accuse us let us shew him the Cross of Christ. When he brings his Pensil and goes to paint our sins in their colours let us bring the Spunge of Christ's blood and that will wipe them out again All Bonds are cancel'd whatsoever the Law hath charged upon us is discharged The debt-book is crossed with the blood of the Lamb. 2. It was a Sacrifice of eternal extent The benefit of it is perpetuated Hebr. 9. 12. He entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us Therefore Christ is said to be a Priest for ever Hebr. 5. 6. because the vertue and comfort of his Sacrifice abides for ever 2. Christ's Blood being shed Believers may lay claim to all heavenly priviledges Wills are ratified by the death of the Testator Hebr. 9. 17. A Testament is of force after men are dead It is observable in the Text Christ calls his blood The blood of the New Testament Christ made a Will or Testament and gave rich Legacies to the Saints pardon of sin grace and glory the Scriptures are the Rolls wherein these Legacies are registred Christ's blood is the sealing of the Will This blood being shed Christians may put in for a Title to these Legacies Lord pardon my sin Christ hath died for my pardon Give me grace Christ hath purchased it by his Blood The Testator being dead the Will is in force Christian Art thou not filled with joy Art thou not possessed of Heaven yet thou hast this confirmed by Will A Man that hath a Deed sealed making over such Lands and Tenements after the expirement of a few years though at present he hath little to help himself with yet he comforts himself when he looks upon his sealed Deed with hopes of that which is to come So though at present we enjoy not the priviledges of Consolation and Glorification yet we may chear our hearts with this the Deed is sealed the Will and Testament is ratified by the blood-shedding of Christ. 3. Is Christ's Blood shed here is comfort against death A dying Saviour sweetens the pangs of death Is thy Lord Crucified be of good comfort Christ by dying hath overcome death He hath cut the lock of sin where the strength of death lay Christ hath knocked out the teeth of this Lyon He hath pulled the thorn out of death that it cannot prick a Believer's Conscience Hosea 13. 14. O death I will be thy plague Christ hath disarmed death and taken away all its deadly weapons that though it may strike it cannot sting a Believer Christ hath drawn the poyson out of death nay he hath made death friendly This pale Horse carries a Child of God home to his Father's house Faith gives a propriety to Heaven death gives a possession What sweet comfort may we draw from the Crucifixion of our Lord his precious blood makes the pale face of death to be of a ruddy and beautiful complexion Use ult Here is a dark side of the Cloud to all profane persons who live and die in sin they have no part in Christ's blood Their condition will be worse than if Christ had not died Christ who is a Loadstone to draw the Elect to Heaven will be a Mill-stone to sink the wicked deeper in Hell There is a Crew of sinners who slight Christ's blood and swear by it let them know his blood will cry against them They must feel the same wrath which Christ felt upon the Cross and because they cannot bear it at once they must be undergoing it to Eternity So unconceivably torturing will this be that the damned know not how to endure it nor yet how to avoid it Sinners will not believe this till it be too late The Mole is blind all its life yet as Pliny saith it begins to see when it dyes Wicked men while they live are blinded by the god of this world but when they are dying the eye of their Consciences will begin to be opened and they shall see the Wrath of God flaming before their eyes which sight will be but a sad Prologue to an Eternal Tragedy FINIS TO THE READER Christian Reader I Have according to my promise superadded a few lines suiting a Sacramental Discourse The Subject is so excellent and sublime that I cannot speak enough of it nor well enough What can be more sacred than the observing Christ's last Will and Testament Do this in Remembrance of me We are to be so solemnly affected at the Holy Supper as if we were receiving it among the Apostles from Christ's own hands This mysterious Ordinance is to be perpetuated till Christ's coming to judgment 1 Cor. 11. 26. The Supper of the Lord is a 〈◊〉
and are like Wine that hath lost the spi rits Christs blood hath an elevatinâ—… povver it puts vivacity into us mâ—… king us quick and vegete in our mo tion Isa. 40. 31. They shall mouâ—… up with wings as Eagles 3. Christ's blood is a cleansiâ—… blood Heb. 9. 14. How much morâ—… shall the blood of Christ purge your Coâ—… sciences As the Merit of Christ'â—… blood doth pacifie God so the Veâ—… tue of it doth purifie us It is Balnâ—… um coeleste the King of Heaveâ—… Bath It is Lavacrum animae a Lavâ—… to vvash in It vvashethâ—… crimson sinner milk whiteâ—… 1 Joh. 1. 7. The blood 〈◊〉 Jesus cleanseth us from aâ—… our sin The Word of Goâ—… is a Looking-glass to shew us oâ—… spots the blood of Christ is a fouâ—… tain to vvash them avvay Zac. 12. 1â—… But this blood vvill not vvash if iâ—… be mingled vvith any thing Wateâ—… vvill not vvash clean except it bâ—… mingled with Sope or Camphire â—…ut if we go to mingle any thing with Christ's Blood either the Merits of â—…oints or Prayers of Angels it will â—…ot wash Let Christ's Blood be pure â—…nd unmixed and there is no spot but â—…t will wash away It purged out â—…oahs Drunkenness Lots Incest Inâ—…eed there is one spot so black that Christ's Blood doth not wash away â—…nd that is the Sin against the Holy Ghost not but that there is Vertue â—…nough in Christ's Blood to wash it aâ—…ay but he who hath sinned that â—…n will not be washed he contemns Christ's Blood and tramples it under â—…oot Heb. 10. 29. 4. Christ's Blood is a softning â—…lood There is nothing so hard â—…ut may be softned if it lie a steep 〈◊〉 this blood it will soften a stone â—…ater will soften the Earth but it â—…ill not soften a stone but Christ's â—…lood mollifies a Stone it softâ—…s an Heart of stone It turns a Flint into a Spring The Heaâ—… which before was like a piece hewâ—… out of a Rock being steeped Christ's blood becomes soft aâ—… the waters of Repentance flow froâ—… it How was the Jaylor's Heart diâ—… solved and made tender when thâ—… blood of sprinkling was upon it Aâ—… 16. 30. Sirs What must I do to saved His heart was now like meâ—… ing Wax God might set what Sâ—… and Impression he would upon it 5. Christ's blood is a coolinâ—… blood 1. It cools the Heat of Siâ—… The Heart naturally is full of disteâ—… pered Heat it must needs be hoâ—… being set on fire of Hell It burns iâ—… Lust and Passion Christ's blood aâ—… layes this Heat it quencheth the Iâ—… flammations of Sin 2. It cools thâ—… Heat of Conscience In time of deâ—… sertion Conscience burns with thâ—… heat of God's Displeasure noâ—… Christ's blood being sprinkled upoâ—… the Conscience cools and pacifies it And in this sense Christ is compared to a River of water Isa. 32. 2. When the Heart burns and is in an agony Christ's blood is like water to the fire it hath a cooling refrigerating Vertue in it 6. Christ's blood is a comforting blood it is good against fainting Fits Christ's blood is better than Wine Though Wine chears the Heart of a Man that is well yet it will not chear his Heart when he hath a fit of the Stone or when the Pangs of Death are upon him But Christ's blood will chear the Heart at such a time It is best in affliction it cures the trembling at the Heart A Conscience sprinkled with Christ's blood can like the Nightingale sing with a Thorn at its Breast The blood of Christ can make a Prison become a Palace It turned the Martyrs Flames into Beds of Roses Christ's blood gives comfort at the hour of Death As an Holy Man once said on his Death-bed when they brought him a Julip No Julip like the Blood of Christ 7. Christ's blood is an Heaven procuring blood Israel passed through the red Sea to Canaan So through the red sea of Christ's blood we enter into the Heavenly Canaan Heb. 10. 19. Having boldness therefore to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus Our sins did shut Heaven Christ's blood is the key which opens the gate of Paradise for us Hence it is Theodoret calls the Cross 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tree of Salvation Because that blood which trickled down the Cross distills Salvation Well then may we prize the blood of Christ and vvith St. Paul determine to know nothing but Christ crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. Kings Crovvns are only Crosses but the Cross of Christ is the only Crovvn 3. Doth Christ offer his Body and blood to us in the Supper Then with what solemn preparation should we come to so sacred an Ordinance It is not enough to do what God hath appointed but as he hath appointed 1 Sam. 7. 3. Prepare your hearts unto the Lord. The Musitian first puts his Instrument in Tune before he plays The Heart must first be prepared and put in Tune before it goes to meet with God in this solemn Ordinance of the Sacrament Take heed of rashness and irreverence If we come not preparedly we do not drink but spill Christ's blood 1 Cor. 11. 27. 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 saith Theophylact he shall be judged a shedder of Christ's Blood We read of a Wine-cup of fury in Gods hand Jer. 25. 15. He that comes unpreparedly to the Lords-Supper turns the Cup in the Sacrament into a Cup of fury Oh with what reverence and devotion should we address our selves to these holy Mysteries The Saints are called prepared Vessels Rom. 9. 23. If ever these Vessels should be prepared it is when they are to hold the precious Body and Blood of Christ. The sinner that is damned is first prepared Men do not go to Hell without some kind of preparation Rom. 9. 22. Vessels fitted for destruction If those Vessels are prepared which are filled with wrath much more are those to be prepared who are to receive Christ in the Sacrament Let us dress our selves by a Scripture-glasse before we come to the Lords Table And with the Lamb's Wife make our selves ready Quest. How should we be rightly qualified and prepared for the Lords Supper Answ. If we would come with prepared hearts we must come 1. With Self-examining-hearts 1 Cor. 11. 28. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread It is not enough that others think we are fit to come but we must examine our selves The Greek word to Examine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Metaphor taken from the Goldsmith who doth curiously try his Metals So before we come to the Lords Table we are to make a curious and critical trial of our selves by the Word Self-examination being a reflexive Act is difficult 'T is hard for a man to look inward
an Outlandish Plant and of an heavenly extract is hardly come by it costs many a sigh and tear Acts 2. 37. This spiritual Infant is not born without pangs 2. An Hypocritical faith is afraid to come to tryal The Hypocrite had rather have his faith commended than examined He can no more endure a Scripture-trial than counterfeit Metal can endure the Touchstone He is like a man that hath stollen-Goods in his House and is very unwilling to have his House searched So the Hypocrite hath gotten some stollen-Goods which the Devil hath helped him to and he is loth to have his heart searched whereas true faith is willing to come to a trial Psal. 26. 2. Examine me O Lord and prove me try my reins and heart David was not afraid to be tried by a Jury No though God himself were one of the Jury Good Wares are never afraid of the light 3. An Hypocritical faith hath a slight esteem of true Faith The Hypocrite hears others speak in the commendation of faith but he wonders where the vertue of it lies he looks upon faith as a Drugg or some base Commodity that will not off he will part with all the faith he hath for a piece of silver and perhaps it might be dear enough of the price But that man who hath true faith he sets an high value upon it he reckons this grace among his Jewels What incorporates him into Christ but faith What puts him into a state of Sonship but faith Gal. 3. 26. Oh precious faith A Believer would not exchange his shield of faith for a Crown of gold 4. An Hypocritical faith is lame on one hand With one hand it would take Christ but it doth not with the other hand give up it self to Christ. It would take Christ by way of surety but not give up it self to him by way of surrender whereas true faith is impartial it takes Christ as a Saviour and submits to him as a Prince Christ saith With my Body and my Blood I thee endow and faith saith With my soul I thee worship 5. An Hypocritical faith is impure The Hypocrite saith he believes yet goes on in sin He is all Creed but no Commandment He believes yet will take God's Name in vain Jer. 3. 4 5. Wilt not thou cry unto me My Father thou art the guide of my youth behold thou hast done evil things as thou couldst These Impostors would call God their Father yet sinned as fast as they could For one to say he hath faith yet lives in sin is as if a man should say he were in health yet his vitals are perished but a true faith is joined with sanctity 1 Tim. 3. 9. Holding the mystery of faith in a pure Conscience The Jewel of faith is always put in the Cabinet of a good Conscience The Woman that touched Christ by faith felt an healing vertue come from him Though faith doth not wholly remove sin yet it subdues it 6. An Hypocritical faith is a dead faith it tasts no sap or sweetness in Christ. The Hypocrite tasts something in the Vine and Olive he finds contentment in the carnal luscious delights of the World but no sweetness in a promise the Holy Ghost Himself is spiritless to him That is a dead faith which hath no sense or taste But true faith finds much delectation in heavenly things The Word is sweeter than the Honey comb Psal. 19. 10. Christ's Love is better than Wine Cant. 1. 2. Thus we see a difference between the true faith and the spurious How many have thought they have had the live Child of faith by them when it hath proved the dead Child Take heed of presumption but cherish faith Faith applies Christ and makes a spiritual concoction of his Body and Blood This Supper was intended chiefly for Believers Christs Blood to an unbeliever is like Aqua-Vitae in a dead man's mouth it loseth all its vertue 11. We must come to the Lord's-Table with charitable hearts 1 Cor. 5. 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven The leaven of malice will sowre the Ordinance to us Though we must come with bitter tears yet not with bitter spirits The Lords Supper is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Love-feast Christs blood was shed not only to reconcile us to God but one to another Christ's body was broken to make up the breaches among Christians Howsad is it that they who profess they are going to eat Christs flesh in the Sacrament should tear the flesh one of another 1 John 3. 15. Whosoever hateth his brother is a Murderer He who comes to the Lord's-Table in hatred is a Judas to Christ and a Câ—…in to his brother What benefit can he receive at the Sacrament whose heart is invenomed with malice If one drinks down poyson and presently takes a Cordial surely the Cordial will do him no good Such as are poysoned with rancour and malice are not the better for the Sacrament-Cordial he that doth not come in charity to the Sacrament hath nothing of God in him for God is love 1 John 4. 19. He knows nothing of the Gospel savingly for it is a Gospel of peace Eph. 6. 15. He hath none of the wisdom which comes from Heaven for that is gentle and easie to be intreated Jam. 3. 17. Oh that Christians were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Ignatius speaks rooted and cemented together in love Shall Devils unite and Saints divide Did we thus learn Christ Hath not the Lord Jesus loved us to the death What greater reproach can be cast upon such a loving Head than for the Members to sâ—…ite one against another The good Lord put out the fire of contention and kindle the fire of love and amity in all our hearts 12. We must come hither with praying hearts Every Ordinance as well as every Creature is sanctified by prayer Prayer turns the Element into spiritual Aliment When we send the Dove of Prayer to Heaven It brings an Olive-leaf in its mouth We should pray that God would enrich his Ordinance with his presence that he would make the Sacrament effectual to all those holy ends and purposes for which he hath appointed it that it may be the feast of our graces and the funeral of our corruptions that it may be not only a sign to represent but an instrument to convey Christ to us and a Seal to assure us of our heavenly Joynture If we vvould have the fat and sweet of this Ordinance we must send prayer before as an Harbinger to bespeak a blessing Divers are so distracted with worldly cares that they can scarce spare any time for prayer before they come to the Sacrament Do they think the Tree of blessing will drop its fruit into their mouth when they never shaked it by prayer God doth not set his mercies at so low a rate as to cast them away upon those that do not seek them Nor is it enough to pray but it
must be with heat and intenseness of soul. Jacob wrestled in prayer Gen. 32. 24 Cold Prayers like cold Suitors never speed Prayer must be with sighs and groans Rom. 8. 26. It must be in the Holy Ghost Judev. 20. He who will speak to God saith St. Ambrose must speak to him in his own language vvhich he understands that is in the language of his Spirit 13. And lastly we must come to the Lords Table with self denying heâ—…rts When we have prepared our selves in the best manner we can let us take heed of trusting to our preparations Luk. 17 15. When ye shall have done all these things which are commanded you say We are unprofitable servants Use duty but do not idolize it We ought to use duties to fit us for Christ but we must not make a Christ of our duties Duty is the golden path to walk in but not a silver Crutch to lean on Alas what are all our preparations God can spie an hole in our best garments Isa. 64. 6. All our Righteousnesses are as filthy rags When we have prepared our selves as hoping in God's mercy we must deny our selves as deserving his Justice If our holiest services be not sprinkled with Christ's blood they are no better than shining sins and like Uriah's letter they carry in them the matter of our death Use duty but trust to Christ and Free-grace for acceptance Be like Nâ—…s Dove she made use of her wings to fly but trusted to the Ark for safety We see how we are to be qualified in our addresses to the Lord's-Table Thus coming we shall meet with embraces of mercy We shall have not only a representation but a participation of Christ in the Sacrament we shall carry away not only panem but salutem We shall be filled with all the fulness of God 4. Hath Jesus Christ made this Gospel-banquet Is he both the Founder and the Feast Then let poor doubting Christians be encouraged to come to the Lord's-Table Satan would hinder from the Sacrament as Saul did the people from eating honey 1 Sam. 14. 26. But is there any soul that hath been humbled and bruised for sin whose heart secretly pants after Christ but yet stands trembling and dares not approach to these holy Mysteries let me encourage that soul to come Mark 10. 49. Arise he calleth thee Object 1. But I am sinful and unvvorthy and what should I meddle with such holy things Answ. Who did Christ die for but such 1 Tim. 1. 15. He came into the world to save sinners He took our sins upon him as vvell as our nature Isa. 53. 4. He bare our griefs In the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our sicknesses See thy sins saith Luther upon Christ and then they are no more thine but his Our sins should humble us but they must not discourage us from Christ the more diseased we are the rather vve should step into this Pool of Siloam Who doth Christ invite to the Supper but the poor halt maimed Luk. 14. 21. That is such as see themselves unvvorthy and flie to Christ for Sanctuary The Priest was to take a bunch of Hyssop and dip it in blood and sprinkle it upon the Leper Lev. 14. 7. Thou who hast the leprosie of sin upon thee yet if as a Leper thou dost loath thy self Christ's precious blood shall be sprinkled upon thee Object 2. But I have sinned presumptuously against mercy I have contracted guilt after I have been at the Lord's Table and sure Christ's Blood is not for me Resp. It is indeed grievous to abuse mercy It vvas the aggravation of Solomon's sin his heart was turned from the Lord which had appeared unto him twice 1 Kings 11. 9. Presumptuous sins open the mouth of Conscience to accuse and shut the mouth of God's Spirit which should speak Peace yet cast not avvay your Anchor look up to the blood of Christ it can forgive sins against mercy Did not Noah sin against mercy vvho though he had been so miraculously preserved in the Flood yet soon after he came out of the Ark he was drunk Did not David sin against mercy when after God had made him King he stained his soul with lust and his robe with blood Yet both these sins were washed away in that Fountain which is set open for Judah to wash in Zach. 12. 1. Did not the Disciples deal unkindly with Christ in the time of his suffering Peter denied him and all the rest fled from his colours Mat. 26 56. Then all the Disciples forsook him and fled Yet Christ did not take advantage of their weakness nor did he cast them off but sends the joyful news of his Resurrection to them Mat. 27. 7 And of his Ascension John 20. 17 Go to my Brethren and say unto them I ascend to my Father and your Father And lest Peter should think he was none of the number that should be interested in Christ's love therefore Christ dispatcheth away a special Message to Peter to comfort him Mar. 16. 7. Go tell the Disciples and Peter that he goes before you intoGalilee there shall you see him So that where our hearts are sincere and our turnings aside are rather from a defect in our power than our will the Lord Jesus will not take advantage of every failing but will drop his blood upon us which hath a voice in it which speaks better things than the blood of Abel Object 3. But I find such a faintness and feebleness in my soul that I dare not go to the Lords Table Resp. Thou hast the more need to go Drink of this Wine for thy often infirmities 1 Tim. 5. 23 Were it not strange for a man to argue thus My body is weak and declining therefore I will not go to the Physitian he should the rather go Our weakness should send us to Christ his blood is mortal to sin and vital to grace Thou sayest thou hast defects in thy soul if thou hadst none there would be no need of a Mediator nor would Christ have any work to do Oh therefore turn thy disputing into believing be encouraged to come to this Blessed Supper Thou shalt find Christ giving forth his sweet influenences and thy grace shall flourish as an herb Object 4. But I have often come to this Ordinance and find no fruit I am not filled with comfort Answ. God may meet thee in an Ordinance when thou dost not discern it Christ was with Mary yet she did not know it was Christ. Thou thinkest Christ hath not met thee at his Table because he doth not give thee comfort 1. Though he doth not fill thee with comfort he may fill thee with strength We think we have no answer from God in a duty unless he fill us with joy yes God may manifest his presence as well by giving strength as comfort If we have power from Heaven to foyl our corruptions and to walk more closely and evenly with God
frequent Celebration of the Lords Supper where Christ in a special manner is lifted up though we have looked upon this Brazen serpent formerly yet still we have need to look upon him we are not perfectly healed Indeed Israel if they had looked but once on the Brazen Serpent they were perfectly cured but though we have looked several times on Christ in the Sacrament and can say by experience We have fetched vertue from him yet we are not perfectly cured Though the guilt of sin be taken away yet not the presence and in-being Our bloody issue is not quite dried up our wounds bleed afresh our sins break out again I appeal to the best hearts alive how often have they been stung with sin and tentation since they looked last on Christ lifted up in the Sacrament O what need then to come often to this Ordinance Herein the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper differeth from the Sacrament of Baptism which is to be administred but once this often 〈◊〉 Cor. 11. 26 If we consider how strong our corruptions are how weak our Graces how numerous our wanâ—…s it may make us come often to the Lords-Table where we may have an healing sight of Christ. He that wants Gold goes often to the Indies Our Spiritual indigence may renew our addresses to the Lords-Supper for strength and comfort 3. Bran. See in this Mystery the Cabinet of Free-grace opened and God's love sparkling forth Three ways 1. That God hath provided Christ this Brazen Serpent as a remedy for stung lapsed sinners Oh infinite goodness of God that when vve had degenerated from him by Apostacy the Lord should take pity of us and instead of brandishing his flaming svvord should erect a Brazen serpent and make Christ knovvn to us in his healing vertues When the Angels sinned there vvas no Brazen serpent for them God did not send them to the Hospital to be healed but to the Jail to be punished They are reserved in everlasting Chains Jude 6. O rich Free-grace that hath indulged us vvith a remedy and found out a vvay of cure for all our desperate maladies 2. See Gods Free-grace that some should be healed of their sting and not others There are but a fevv healed There is a time vvhen sinners vvill not be healed Jer. 51. 9. We would have healed Babylon but she is not healed and there is a time vvhen sinners cannot be healed Nah. 3. 19. There is no healing of thy bruise Novv Christian vvhen most die of their vvound that the Brazen serpent should be sent to thee to cure thee Oh stupendious Grace that God should lay his left hand upon many of the rich and noble and lay his right hand upon thee that Heaven should fall to thy lot that thou shouldst be one of those few that are saved* cry out in admiration Lord how is it that thou shouldst show thy self to me and not unto the world 3. See God's Free-grace that he cures us upon such cheap terms When we were wounded so deadly God did not put us to charges we were not to bring money to purchase our Cure not rivers of Oyl or drops of blood no only look upon the Brazen Serpent and the Cure is effected Isa. 55 1. Come without money and without price We are not to pay for our Cure Spiritual Blessings are too dear for our purse to reach Christ made a purchase for us in his Blood all he requires is to receive it and be thankful 4. See how justly all wicked men perish God hath provided a brazen Serpent a glorious Saviour that whoever believes in his blood may obtain mercy God beseecheth yea chargeth men to believe if therefore through folly they neglect Christ or obstinacy refuse him how righteous will God be in pronouncing that last and fatal sentence upon them They who perish under the Gospel must needs be double damned Hell's furnace will be heated seven times hoter for them because they put away Salvation from them Act. 13. 46. Pagans perish in the want of a Brazen serpent and Christians in the Contempt Jesus Christ saith Come unto me all ye sinners who are stung with guilt I will heal you I conflicted with my Fathers wrath I was wounded and out of these bleeding wounds comes forth a soveraign medicine to cure you But desperate sinners love their disease better then their remedy They had rather die then look up to Christ for life Psal. 81. 11. Israel would none of me Oh strange delirium the old Serpent after he hath stung men hath bewitched them that they mind not a Cure Who will pity such as willfully cast away themselves how will mercy slight their tears at last and God's justice triumph in their deserved ruin Use 2. Let us look in a right manner upon this Mystical Brazen Serpent Heb. 12. 2. Looking unto Jesus The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the stedfast fixing of the eye upon some lovely beautiful object Faith will be of more use to us than any other grace As an eye though a dim one was of more use to a stung Israelite than any other member Faith discerns the Lords body To encourage Faith Consider 1. Christ was lifted up upon the Cross purposely to cure us Christ had no other end in dying but to heal his blood is a soveraign balm for a sin-sick soul. Such as feel the burden of their sins need not question Christ's willingness to save them when the very design of his death was to cure Psal. 147. 3. He healeth the broken in heart Serpents as Naturalists affirm have a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or great love to their young and will hazard their lives for them So full of love was Christ our Mystical Brazen serpent as to die for us by whose stripes we are healed Isa. 53. 5. 2. Such as do not look up to Christ's merits do necessitate themselves to damnation Mar. 16. 16. He that believeth not shall be damned Had not Israel lift up their eyes to the Brazen serpent they had died for it If thou dost not look up as David did Psal. 25. 15. Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord then thou must look up as Dives did Luk. 16. 23. In hell he lift up his eyes Oh therefore let us fix our eye upon the Brazen serpent looking unto Jesus Let us look up to the sacrifice of Christ's blood and to the cloud of incense which he sends up by his glorious Intercession Object 1. But I fear I have no Faith alive in my Soul whereby I should look up Though Israel were stung yet they were alive but how dead do I find my heart Answ. We must distinguish between a Christian that is liveless and that is without life A sick man is liveless and hath no mind to stir yet he is not without life So Christian thou maist be liveless and thy grace dormunt yet the seed of Faith may be alive in thy heart
Did not David find his heart dull and listless though he was not dead in sin yet he was dead in duty why else did he pray Quicken thou me Psal. 119. 25. But that deadness which is in a Believer he is sensible of which argues life he mourns for it and never leaves till he hath in the use of means recovered that agility and liveliness of soul as once he had Object 2. But if my Faith be alive it is so weak that I fear I shall receive no benefit from the Brazen serpent Answ. If it be a true Faith though weak it will fetch vertue from Christ. Suppose an Israelite had had but one eye and that eye had been sore yet looking on the Brazen serpent he had been presently cured Blear eyed Leah might have been cured though thy Faith be weak it will justifie Say as Cruciger on his death bed Lord I believe but with a weak Faith yet I believe Object 3. But my sins are of that magnitude that I am discouraged from looking up to Christ Answ. Captivate fear and advance Faith Suppose an Israelite had been more stung and bitten than others yet by looking on the Brazen serpent he might have been healed as well as they that had but the least sting Christ's blood believed in cures the greatest stings What cannot the blood of God do it cured Manasses three deadly stings bloodshed Idolatry Sorcery 2 Chron. 32. 2 3. The Brazen serpent can cure the Crimson sinner Isa. 1. 18. I speak not this that any should presume but that no broken-hearted sinner should despair 2. Bran. Let us acknowledg God's wonderful mercy in bestowing the Brazen serpent upon us O bless God cordially for Christ who was lift up upon the Cross and is held forth in the Sacrament for our consolation and salvation How joyful was an Israelite that lay burning with his sting when he saw the Brazen serpent erected We have infinitely more cause to be joyful for Christ whose blood delivers us from â—…rath to come 1 Thes. 1 10. What had become of us if Christ not pityed us and come into the world Had not Christ been lifted up we had been thrown down to hell for ever Let us then bow the knee in all reverence and with the leper that was healed return to give glory to God Luk. 17. 15. Use 3. Comf Let this chear up the hearts of all true Believers You that now look upon Christ lift up upon the Pole shall shortly see him lift up vpon the Throne You that have seen Christ in his Crucifixion shall shortly see him in his Coronation In short you that now behold Christ lifted up for you shall shortly be lifted up to him And there you shall behold the wonders of his love the riches of his glory and shall be for ever solacing your selves in the light of his blessed countenance The Spiritual Vine John 15. 1. I am the True Vine THe Name of Christ is most fragrant and because of the savour of his good Oyntments therefore the Virgins love him Jesus Christ is the beauty of Heaven and the joy of the heart In him all fulness dwells Colos. 1. 19. In this flower is all sweetness If the Gospel be the field Christ is the treasure hid in it The knowledg of Christ is so precious and delectable that though St. Paul knew him before yet he desires to know more of him he would have more light from this Sun Phil. 3. 10. That I may know him as he who hath found a gold Mine desires to dig out still more Gold Jesus Christ in Scripture is set out by several Metaphors 1. He is compared to the Rose of Sharon Cant. 2. 1. the Rose is the Queen of Flowers So sweet is this Rose of the Heavenly Paradise that it makes us a sweet savour to God 2. Christ is compared to a Pearl of Price Mat. 13. 46. other Pearls add no realworth to them that wear them but Christ this illustrious Pearl doth he makes us worthy through his worthiness Ezâ—…k 16. 14. But among all the Metaphors and Allegories in Scripture none doth more lively decipher and set out Christ than the Vine He calls himself here the True Vine The Vine saith Pliny is to be ranked the highest among all the Plants that grow Doct. 1. That Jesus Christ is a Spiritual Vine The Analogies are these 1 The Vine is of it self weak and must be supported and born up So the humane Nature of Christ was of it self weak and was fain to be supported and underpropped with the Divine Nature 2. The Vine grows in the Garden not in the Forest So Christ this blessed Vine grows in the Garden of the Church He is not known among the Heathen they being Forest ground are not the better for this Vine To Israel pertains the Glory for unto them were committed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. 3. The Vine communicates to the Branches Believers are called Branches of the Vine ver 5. Christ shoots up his sap of Grace into these Joh. 1. 16. Of his fulness have we all received Then let not the branches grow proud all comes from the root of the Vine The Saints gifts and graces are derived from Christ. Therefore he calls the Spouses Graces his Graces Cant. 5. 1. I have gathered my myrrh not thy myrrh The Branch hath nothing but what it receives from the Root 4. The Vine hath rare delicious fruit growing on it it bears sweet clusters the promises are the clusters of Grapes growing on Christ the True Vine The Promises are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in him 1 Cor. 1. 20. the Promises are made in Christ and grow upon him as fruit on the Tree 5. There are many things about the Vine useful besides the fruit The Leaves that grow on it saith Pliny have a Physical vertue to allay heats and inflamations the Gumm that distills from it is good against Leprosie So it is with this Spiritual Vine the Lord Jesus he is exceeding useful and full of vertue There is vertue in his Passion Resurrection Intercession he pleads for us as the Advocate for the Client He perfumes our holy things with his Incense Christ's Prayer is the cause why our Prayers are accepted Such various excellency is in this Vine 1. See the different Vertues in Christ to the Godly and the Wicked To the Godly He is a Vine full of Comfort to the Wicked He is not a Vine but a Rock of offence The Godly feed on Him the Wicked stumble at him the Wicked are offended at the meanness of Christ's Person the Spirituality of his Doctrine the Strictness of his Laws but to the Godly he is a Vine yielding most fragrant delicious fruit 2. Bran. See the misery of men living and dying in sin they are not implanted into Christ therefore do not at all partake of his precious fulness The Vine
communicates influence only to its own Branches The wild Olive hath no fruit from the Vine Such as abide in the old stock of nature Branches of the wild Olive have no benefit from Christ. It is cold comfort to the Reprobate part of the world that there is a Vine growing which bears the fruit of Salvation as long as they remain strangers to Christ and hate to be united to him Fire will come out of this Vine to devour them 3. Bran. See the Goodness of God! When we had forfeited the fruit of Paradise â—…e hath given us a better tree then any grew there he hath enriched us with a pleasant Vine When Christ suffered now was this blessed Vine nailed to the Cross now it was cut and did bleed and Salvation comes to us in the blood of this Vine The gleaning Grapes here are better then the World's Vintage This Spiritual Vine 1. Chears the heart Curam metumque juvat dulci lyaeo solvere Horat. Are we sad in the sense of sin and think our selves unworthy to come to the Lords-Table this wine of Christ's blood is a Cordial It is both the Price and Seal of our Pardon 2. It strengthens the Vine hath a strengthning vertue So when our Graces are spiritually consumptive by tasting the fruit of this Vine we renew our strength in the Holy Celebration of the Lord's Supper fresh influence is communicated to us This Spiritual Vine did invigorate the Saints and Martyrs of old and infuse a spirit of Magnanimity into them That I may raise the Saints esteem of Christ and that they may come to the Sacred Supper with more eagerness to drink his Blood I shall show wherein this True Vine surpasseth in glory all other Vine-Trees 1. In the Vine there is something unuseful Though the fruit of the Vine be sweet yet the wood of the Vine is unuseful it is good for nothing Ezek. 15. 3. Shall the wood be taken thereof to do any work or will men take a Pin of it to hang any Vessel upon But it is not so with Christ there is nothing in this Vine but what is useful We have need of Christ's Humane Nature to suffer of his Divine to satisfie we have need of his Offices Influences Priviledges there is nothing in Christ we can be without 2. There are variety of Vine-Trees But there is but one True Vine that brings Redemption to Mankind The Papists would fetch comfort from more besides Christ From the Angels and the Virgin Mary The Angels themselves are beholding to this Vine the Lord Jesus they are by Christ confirmed in their obedience that they cannot fall And as for the Virgin Mary it is not her milk that saves but Christ's blood The Virgin Mary though she was Christ's Mother yet she calls Christ her Saviour Luk. 1. 47. The Virgin Mary is saved not by bearing the Vine but by being ingrafted into the Vine 3. The Vine bears but one sort of fruit 't is all but Grape But the Lord Jesus bears several sorts of fruit 1. This Vine bears the the fruit of Justification Rom. 5. 9. Being justified through his blood In Justification there is remission of sin and imputation of righteousness A Believer triumphs more in the Righteousness of Christ imputed than if he had Adams righteousness in innocency nay then if he had the Angels righteousness for now he hath the Righteousness of God 2 Cor. 5. 21. Without this a sinner is put into a continual Ague of Conscience but by virtue of Justification he arrives at an holy Serenity Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God 2. This Vine bears the fruit of Sanctification 1 Cor. 1. 30. He is made to us Sanctification A man may have pleasant fruit growing in his Orchard and others be never the better for it but holiness in Christ is diffâ—…sive this fruit is for all the Elect they are made holy with Christ's Holiness 3. This Spiritual Vine bears the fruit of Consolation Cant. 2. 3. His fruit was sweet to my tast This is a bunch of Grapes by the way when a Believer hath tasted some of this fruit from Christ he hath had such Transfigurations of soul and been filled with such ravishing delight that he could be ready to say as Paul Whether in the body I cannot tell He hath been put in Heaven before his time 4. A Branch may be cut off andâ—…separated from the Vine But no Branch shall be ever separated from Christ this Heavenly Vine The Arminians tell us A justified person may fall away finally Is not Christ a perfect Vine He is not perfect if a living Branch may be pluck'd off from him Hath not Christ said of his Elect They shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of his hand Joh. 10 28. If any Branch be pluck'd away from Christ it is either because Christ is not able to keep it or because he is willing to lose it He is able surely to keep it for he is strengthen'd with the God-head and he is not willing to loose it for why then would he have shed his blood for it So that no Branch shall be ever separated from the Coelestial Vine You may sooner pluck a Star out of the Sky than a true Believer from Christ. Indeed Hypocrites who look like Branches fall off but they were never really in the Vine They were in Christ by Profession not by Union They were tyed on to the Vine but not ingraâ—…d An Elect Branch can no more perish than the Root 5. The Wine that comes from the true Vine is better than any other 1. Wine from the Grape delightâ—… the Palat and revives the Animal spirits but Christ's blood chears the Conscience 2. One may take too great a quantity of Wine and then it bites as an Addar But it is otherwise with the Wine which Christ gives we cannot have too much of it as a man cannot have too much health Christ's blood is Pardoning and Pacifying and the more we drink of it the better the deeper the sweeter the death of the Soul is not by drinking too much of Christ's blood but by refusing to drink 3. Wine will chear a man when he is living not when he is dead Wine in a dead mans mouth loseth its vertue but Christ's blood hath such a flavour in it it doth so sparkle and is so full of spirits that it will fetch life in them that are dead If they are dead in sin the blood of Christ makes them revive Joh. 6. 54. He that drinks my blood hath eternal life 4. The Wine that comes from the Grape doth but chear mans heart but that Wine which is distilled from Christ the Heavenly Vine chears God's heart The Lord did smell a sweet savour in the Wine of Christ's Blood and was so infinitely pleased and delighted with it that for this he spared all Mankind Use 2. Labour to be real Branches of
thou growest upon Christ's root therefore thy Grace shall flourish into Perseverance Though thou wert but as a bough that hangs half on the Tree thou shouldst never drop off because Christ holds thee It is not thy holding Christ but Christ's holding thee preserves thee He repells the force of Temptation over-pours the rellicks of corruption encreaseth the spark of Grace 1 Pet. 1. 5. Kept by the power of God The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kept as in a Garrison 4. It is comfort in case of the World's hatred Hieroni blessed God that he was counted worthy to be one whom the World hated What though thou art maligned and hated God loves all the Branches of the True Vine nay he loveth them as he loves the Root Joh. 17. 23. That the World may know that thou hast loved Them as thou hast loved Me. It is the same love for kind though not degree 1. God the Father loved Christ ab aeterno from eternity Joh. 17. 34. Thou lovedst me before the Foundation of the World And so he loves Believers Eyhes 1. 4. He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world Our love to God began but late We may remember the time when we had no love in our hearts sparkling towards the Deity but God's love to us bears date from Eternity 2. God's love to Christ is a love of immutability and so it is to Believers The Sun of electing love having risen upon them never sets Death may take away their life but not God's love Isa. 54. 10. The Hills shall be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee The Lord may change his love into a frown but he will never change his love into hatred God can no more hate a Believer then he can Christ for a Believer is part of Christ he is Christ-mystical What a comfort is this God loves the Branches as he loves the root and the fruit of God's love to the Elect-branches appears in two things 1. In pruning of them He prunes them by affliction We are apt to think when God afflicts us he doth not love us an Husbandman loves his Vine never a whit the less because he prunes it Affliction is God's Pruning-Hook he prunes us to make us bring forth the peaceable fruits af Righteousness Hebr. 12. 11. God had rather have the Branches bleed then be barren Joh. 15. 2. Every branch in me that beareth fruit he purgetb it that it may bring forth more fruit All this is Love It is God's love that he will rather lopp and prune the Branches then let them grow wild 2. In Transplanting them into Heaven The Branches of Christ will thrive best when they are transplanted and good reason because then they will grow in a better soil Christ desires to have all his Branches which are scattered up and down in the World to be with him Joh. 17. 24. Father I will that those which thou hast given me be with me The Elect will never be happy till they are transplanted Then they will grow quietly In Heaven there will be no Bramble to tear the Vine-Branches none of the Red Dragon's Race Then all the Branches will be sweetly united in love Then they shall grow in the Sun-shine God's Countenance will be ever shining upon them In this life they partake of Christ's Grace and hereafter they shall partake of his Glory FINIS ERRATA Pag. 2. marg for re read rei p. 9. mâ—…rg for myeris r. mysteriis p. 21. marg r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 111. marg r. mortis Books to be sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Golden Bible on London-Bridg 1. AN Exposition of Temptation on Mat. 4. vers 1. to the end of the eleventh 2. A Commentary on Titus 3. Davids Learning A Comment upon Psal. 32. 4. The Parable of the Sower and of the Seed upon Luk. 8. 4. A Learned Commentary or Exposition on the first Chapter of the second Epistle to the Corinthians by Richard Sibbs D. D. fol. The view of the Holy Scriptures By Hugh Broughton Fol. Christianographia or a Description of the multitude and sundry sorts of Christians in the world not subject to the Pope By Ephr. Pagitt Fol. A Learned Commentary on the fourth Chapter of the second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians to which is added First A conference between Christ and Mary Second the Spiritual Mans Aim Third Emanuel or Miracle of Miracles by Richard Sibbs D D. 40 An Exposition on the five first Chapters of Ezekiel with useful observations thereupon by W. Greenhil 4to The Gospel Covenant or the Covenant of Grace opened Preached in New-England bp Peter Bulkeley 4to Gods Holy Mind touching Matters Moral which himself uttered in Ten Words or Ten Commandments Also an Exposition on the Lords Prayer by Edward Elton B. D. 4to Fiery Jesuite or an Historical Collection of the Rise Increase Doctrines and Deeds of the Jesuites Exposed to view for the sake of London 4to Horologiographia Optica Dialing Universal and Particular Speculative and Practical together with the Description of the Court of Arts by a new Method by Sylvonus Morgan 4to Praxis Medicinae or the Physicians Practice wherein are contained all inward Diseases from the head to the foot by Walter Bruel Regimen Sanitatis Salerni or the School of Salerns Regiment of Health containing Directions and Instructions for the guide and government of Mans Life 4to Heart-treasure or a Treatise tending to fill and furnish the head and heart of every Christian with soul-inriching treasure of truths graces experiences and comforts A Glimpse of Eternity by A. Calcy The Re-building of London encouraged and improved in several Meditations by Sam. Rolles Moses unvailed by William Guild Little Books for little Children with Manuels for Parents by Thomas White Closet-Prayer a Christians Duty by Oliver Heywood Old Man's Memento and Young Man's Monitor by J. Mayuard D. D. FINIS * Nobilitas cujusque rei est sibi secundum â—…sse * Cant. 1. 13. * Cant. 7. 5. * Dapes sa'iares Hor. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cant. 3. 4. * Isa. 28. 13. * Hoss 11. 12. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost * 1 Chron. 15 13. * Sacramentum 〈◊〉 Sacrae 〈◊〉 figura qua sub specie Visibilium spiritualis gratia adumbratur confâ—…rtur * It sensus fovetur fides firmatur * Quia externis ducimur Hisce Symbolis sidem in nobisadauget Deus Gualter 1. * Phil. 2. 9. 2. 3 1. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. * Benedictione Christi panis com munis in sacrum mâ—…usest Gualt * â—…onsecratio vocabulum est solenne significans id quo sit ut haec signa Visibilia quae per se aliena sunt à myâ—…eris religiosis siut Sacramenta corporis sanguinis Christi Chamier de Eucharist * Moris sâ—…mper judaeis fuit â—…tex halmudicis Scriptoribus apparet Ante cibum aut vinum sumptum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉