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
Use. Let us take heed of growing weary of Christ this blessed Manna At first Israel did highly esteem Manna they ran out to gather it Happy was he that could get Manna But this Food from Heaven which at first was so sweet to their Palat within a while was loathed and contemned Our nature is such that we are apt to disesteem the richest blessings when they are common If Pearls and Diamonds were plentiful none would value them If the Sun did shine but once a year how would it be prized but because it shines every day few admire this Lamp of Heaven Take heed of despising Jesus Christ Mat. 22. 5. If God was so angry with Israel for slighting of Christ when he was hid under a Type how angry will he be with those who slight Christ after he hath been visibly revealed Hebr. 10. 29. Of how much sorer punishment shall they be thought worthy who have trod under foot the Son of God Jesus Christ is a super-eminent blessing a magazine and storehouse of all good Things And the love of God was never so much seen as in giving of Christ therefore to slight Christ is to slight the love of God Quest. But who dares slight Christ Resp. It is a slighting of Christ to slight his Gospel and offer of Grace and hath not this been England's Sin have not we formerly nauseated Manna did not we grow curious and wanton and esteem'd the Manna of the Gospel light-bread and was not the Lord provoked with us Did not he send though not Fiery Serpents yet a Fiery Rod among us in this City that hath burnt down our Dwellings Christians I beseech you take heed of this for the future If God indulge you with Manna again beware of surfeiting on the bread of life The loathing of Manna is the next way to the losing of Manna God will take away his Mercies if they are undervalued If you play with the light God will put out the light 2. The Punishment it self which was Fiery Serpents These may be understood 1. Literally they were called Fiery Serpents 1. Because they were of a fiery colour 2. From the effect They were Seraphims Burners For when they did bite the people they did burn with extream heat and thirst The Septuagint translates them Killing Serpents Many of the people died ver 6. 2. These Fiery Serpents may be understood mystically So these Serpents were first a Type of Satan called the old Serpent Rev. 12. 9. He is indeed a Serpent for his subtilty The Hebrew word for Serpent comes of a Verb that signifies to use subtilty Gen. 3. 1. So Satan is a Serpent very subtil in his temptations he hath his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his depths Rev. 2. 24. and his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his devices 2 Cor. 2. 11. The Devil doth with his artificial varnish put a fine gloss upon his Temptations that he may the better draw men to his lure he either hides his malicious designs or colours them 2 These Fiery Serpents were a Type of Sin Doct. 3. Sin is a Fiery Serpent This Serpent is bred in our nature it is within us We would think it sad to have Spiders and Serpents in our bodies as it is said of Maximinus the Emperor his body bred vermin But it is worse to have the Serpent of Sin in our Souls Sin is a Serpent 1. For its Poyson Sin hath invenomed us and that is the reason we swell Why doth one man swell with Pride another with Passion another with Lust he is poysoned If one had achild whom he dearly loved mortally poyson'd how would he grieve for it Our Souls are poysoned yet we grieve not How oft do sinners poyson the Sacramental Cup 2. Sin is a Serpent for the sting of it 'T is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin at first shows its colour in the glass afterwards it bites as a Serpent Prov. 23. 32. Sin is a Serpent with four stings 1. It stings with guilt Rom. 3 19. 2. With horror of Conscience which is Limen inferni Judas and Spira felt this all the racks strappadoes and tortures in the world are but Ludibria risus a sport in comparison of this deadly sting no outward comforts can ease a Conscience stung with sin no more than a Crown of Gold can cure the Head-ach 3. Sin stings with death Rom. 5. 12. and death by Sin Sin is the wild Gourd that Adam gathered and eat and the next news was There is death in the pot 4. Sin without Repentance stings the Soul with damnation This Fiery Serpent brings to the Fiery Furnace I have rcad of the City Amycle in Italy destroy'd by Serpents Such a destroying Serpent is sin Use 1. See the sad condition of wicked men They make light of sin but sin is a Fiery Serpent crept into their bosom When the Serpent hath bitten one saith Pliny the venome and contagion of it spreads all over his body Sin hath invenomed men all over their hearts are full of poyson Rom. 1. 29. Being fill'd with all unrighteousness Their Tongues spit forth the poyson of the Serpent in Oaths and Curses Psal. 58. 2. The poison of Asps is under their Tongue This may serve to humble God's own people though they have the meekness of the Dove yet they have aliquid serpentis something of the evil evil of Serpent in them Though the curse due to sin is taken away yet the venome of this Serpent doth in part remain They have much love of the World much Unbelief much unmortified Passion Among Christ's Disciples there was Pride and Emulation Tho Christians have something of God's Spirit in them yet they have something which is Serpentine This Viper of sin will not be shaked off till death Oh how may this humble the best of God's Saints The Bishop of Alexandria when Egypt was converted to the Faith destroyed all their Idols but one that so looking upon that they might see their folly and abhor themselves for their Idolatry So God suffers not sin to be perfectly abolished in this life he leaves some corruption in the heart Something of the Serpent that his people may loath themselves in the dust What need have Believers to drink Christ's Blood in the Sacrament which is the best antidote against the poyson of the Soul 3. See that which may raise in us abhorring thoughts of sin It is a venemous Fiery Serpent will any man hug a Serpent Oh look not on the sine coat of the Serpent but the sting It stings with the wrath of God Pursue sin with an holy malice Mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8. 13. It is an happy thing when a Christian can say Though the Serpent be not dead yet iâ—… is dying Kill this Serpent or it will kill you 4. If sin be a Fiery Serpent then be sensible of the malignity and virulency of this Serpent feel your selves stung Feel your Hypocrisie
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
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