himself entertained the Traitour the Thief and the Apostate Iudas All are invited to this heavenly banquet and if any one crowd in having not on his wedding garment he does it at his own peril 'T is the Apostle's rule in this case that a man examine himself and so come He that shall censure his brother as unworthy to share in this divine worship to be sure by his want of charity makes himself unfit to be there and uncapable of the blessing charity being as necessary a qualification as repentance and we are out of charity to suppose that any scandalous liver or notorious offender would venture upon these sacred mysteries without having repented him of his sins since he is told aforehand that by coming unworthily he will but eat and drink damnation to himself delivering himself into Satan's power filling up the measure of his sins and hastning his own destruction as it far'd with Iudas AND SAID Here follow the words of consecration for this too as wel as the common food is sanctified by the word and Prayer It was not enough to have broken and given it unless he had also said Take eat God is wont to instruct all our senses as he requires to have them all exercised in holy things The outward Sign is propos'd to the eye the Word to the ear so that what the eagle-sighted Evangelist saith of the Incarnation of Christ may have here a peculiar place That which we have seen That which we have heard and our hands have handled of the word of life declare we unto you and accordingly it follows TAKE Stretching out the hand of Faith lay hold on life embrace salvation offer'd Take for ye have it not by nature in your selves it is the gift of God through Christ who took upon him the Humane nature that he through it might convey to men the power virtue of the Divine nature He took that he might give we take to enjoy Take it not snatch it take it with reverence and such devotion of mind and body as becomes so great a mystery and this indeed has alwayes been the custom of the Church to use an humble posture upon this occasion and receive kneeling EAT Apply to your souls the benefit of my death feed upon me and be transformed into my likeness that ye may be united to me and I may live in you no otherwise then the meat which we dayly eat is turn'd into juice and blood and intimately adhering to us becomes part of us THIS IS MY BODY This i.e. this bread for though they disagree in gender yet who is so unskil'd in Grammar as not to know that the Relative this may agree either with the former Antecedent bread or with the later body or This mystery and Sacrament This action of my breaking and giving of your taking and eating IS MY BODY Is the representation of my death the assurance of salvation to those that believe as we commonly say of a writing in Law This is my estate i.e. this gives me a title to such a house and land and by a sure conveyance makes me right owner of it as if the house and fields and meadows were really included in the parchment Such a manner of speech is frequently us'd in Scripture as where 't is said the rock was Christ which to take properly and strictly as the words sound were absurd there being no more meant by it then this that the rock was the type and emblem of Christ. So here that the bread is Christ's Body is not to be understood in a gross sense as if that the substance of the bread were changed into the very flesh of Christ but that whosoever doth with faith receive these sacred Symbols doth truly and to all intents partake of the benefits which Christ hath purchas'd for us by his death and is closely united to Christ and grows in grace even as our bodily food being taken in does pass into our nature and give nourishment and increase to all the parts of our body WHICH IS BROKEN or Given The present Tense here is put for the future which shortly shall be broken for Christ was yet not crucified but spoke these words before his Passion Or the whole life of Christ having been nothing else but an enduring of hardship it may be understood not onely of the cross and the nails the scourges and the thorns wherewith his sacred Body was rent and torn but also of hunger and cold fasting and watching grief and pains which he underwent all along from the Cradle to the Cross or in a mystical and Sacramental sense which by this breaking giving of the bread is represented shown forth as broken and given for them For the very actions us'd by our Saviour at this Supper have a spiritual meaning and doe allude to some mystery He took bread and so he took to himself a body that he might become bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh and suffer in the flesh the punishment due to us as it is written Burnt offerings and sacrifices thou wouldst not but a body thou hast prepared for me He blessed it i.e. he set it aside from common use in like manner the mass of flesh and blood which he would put on he separated from the defilement of our nature that he might after an extraordinary manner be born of the Blessed Virgin without sin He broke it Iust so was that his body used cut and mangled with cruel whips bruised with blowes and buffets gash'd with a spear pricked with the thorns and bored with nails that we by his stripes might be healed He gave it hanging on the Cross with stretched armes bowed head he seem'd to invite all men to the well of salvation which was open'd in his side for the cleansing of iniquity and the quenching of spiritual thirst laying down his life like the good shepheard for the ransom of souls And his Father gave him so loving the world that he gave his only begotten Son to the death that whosoever believes in him might have everlasting life FOR YOU For your sake upon your account to your benefit for the appeasing God's wrath satisfying his Iustice and obtaining his mercy for the redemption of your souls the purchase of pardon and grace and the assurance of salvation that you by my death may live by my wounds you may be cured and by receiving me thus offered unto you may be received into favour Or in your stead Behold I suffer what you should have suffered I as your Mediator stand betwixt you and God betwixt your sins and his wrath and undergoe the penalty which was due to you my body is torn and mangled and my soul powred out to death not for any thing that I have done amiss for there hath bin no iniquity found in my hand nor guil in my mouth but I am that Lamb of God slain from the beginning of the world I am
Scripture The one was when he came in the flesh in the form of a servant to die for us that he might reign upon the tree as some readings have it in the Psalms The other will be when he shall come in the clouds with power and glory attended with Angels to judge the world at that great and dreadful day when the trumpet shall summon all to appear before the tribunal And when that 's done he shall deliver up the Kingdom to his Father and the time of this his coming and the end of the world he hath left here to be the subject of our prayers and not of our inquiries to exercise devotion not curiosity the uncertainty of the time being an argument to quicken our diligence in preparing for it that we may watch and pray he having told us afore-hand that he will steal upon us as a thief in the night But what need we trouble our selves about the age of the world when our own time is so uncertain that we cannot call the next hour our own and know not how soon the arrest of death may hurry us away to judgement He that dies now in the Lord rests from his labour his good works follow him and if we cannot properly say that the Kingdom of God is come to him we may safely say he is gone to it At the end of the world then is Christ's great coming and the general judgement but at every single death there is a particular doom past when the soul immediately after it's delivery out of the body is dispatched either into the regions of life or lodged in the chambers of death so that in this sense Christ may be said to come too And there is a gracious visit when he comes and knocks at the heart and calls to his beloved by his word When he comes into us to a feast and banquet of love furnished with the consolations of the spirit The sum of this request is that God would declare his power even to the heathen that know not his name and make discoveries of his Majesty by his outward administrations not leaving himself without witness but convince profane spirits that there is a God that rules in the world that he would manage the affairs of the world for his peoples good and for the advancement of the Kingdom of his Son that he would bless the civill societies of men that he would fill Soveraigns with wisdom to go in and out before the people and people with loyalty to their rulers and with love to one another That he would establish the state wherein we live in peace and order preserving us on one hand from the tyranny and oppression of superiours and on the other hand from rebellion and conspiracy of inferiors That he would save the King whom he hath set under himself our supream Head and Governor from all treasons and treacherous designs that he would subdue the people under him cloath his enemies with shame and upon himself let his crown flourish that he would give the King his judgements and make our Magistrates men of courage fearing God and hating covetousness That he would preserve us from all dreadfull calamities the plague pestilence and famine from wars fires inundations from murder and sudden death That he would take a special care of his Church and his chosen ones that he would send labourers into his vineyard that he would endue his Ministers with righteousness that he would illuminate all Bishops and Pastours with true knowledge and understanding of his word that both by their preaching and living they may set it forth and shew it accordingly That he would inlarge the tents of Japhet remember his ancient people the Iewes gather in the remnant of the gentiles send forth his Gospell into the dark corners of the earth and publish the glad tidings of salvation unto all mankind that he would fill up the number of his elect and hasten the glorious appearance of Christ That he would confound the devices of all that have evill will to Zion and turn the hearts of hereticks schismaticks and bloody tyrants That he would assist those that suffer for the testimony of a good conscience with strength from above and send them the comforter That he would destroy the man of sin with the breath of his mouth That he would garrison our hearts with his grace that he would teach us his laws that we may walk in his statutes and keep his commands That he would mortify the desires and lusts of the flesh subdue us to himself and make us a willing people in the day of his power That he would open our hearts for the receiving of his word and rule in them by his spirit That his Kingdom may first enter into us that we may enter into it Lastly that we may have our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospell live in a constant exspectation of our great change that when our Lord comes he may find us doing his will on earth as it is in Heaven And blessed is he whom his Lord when he comes shall find so doing THY WILL BE DONE The nature of God is not made up of a body and soul nor hath he bodily parts as eyes hands feet c. or faculties of mind as understanding memory affections and 't is no less improper to say of God that he knows or wills any thing as that he walks sees c. which are metaphorical expressions taken from men God being pleased in holy writ to condescend to our capacity and speak of himself after the manner of men God is all understanding all will nor is there any thing in God which is not infinite i.e. himself His will then is not a thing really distinct from his understanding or indeed from his essence neither is it a blind power as it is in us that needs the guidance of reason and the light of another faculty to be convey'd into it to represent the object and advise it to choose the good and eschew the evil but is of it self most free most wise most good It self is a law and rule to it self determins it self and is the measure and standard of all goodness righteousness and holiness The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works And his pracepts are more to be desired then gold yea then fine gold sweeter then hony the hony-comb Now there is a twofold will of God that of his decrees and that of his commands Nor do these two cross and oppose the one the other as if God decreed one thing should be and commanded the contrary but they keep a sweet harmony and mutuall correspondence God's word and his providence may seem sometimes to clash and justle one another yet they do keep the same road of righteousness nor does God ever contradict himself or speak one thing and mean another Let God be true and every man a lyar '
the same nature and essence with the Father begotten of his substance before all time God of God Light of Light very God of very God equal to him in all things as to the God-head Christ as the Son of God had no Mother as the Son of the Virgin no Father who became Man that he might in the flesh satisfy for the sins of the flesh yet continued God that he might appeas the anger of an offended God Man that he might suffer death God that he might overcome it God and Man that he might be a perfect Mediator and might reconcile God to Man by atoning wrath and man to God by destroying sin wherefore he took up humane nature put not of the divine But these two natures were united and as it were married in the one Person of Christ. OUR LORD In respect of God Christ is called the Son which shews his essence in respect of us a Lord which shews his dignitie Now he is our Lord both by right of creation because he made us and by right of redemption because he hath bought us with a price and purchased us with his blood to be a peculiar people We are no longer then our own that we should fulfill the lusts of the flesh But we are Christ's the Lord's to doe his Will and keep his Commands The several Steps by which Christ humbled himself and Divine Love moved towards us are his Conception Birth Passion Crucifixion Death Burial and Descent to Hell The infinite is conceiv'd the everlasting is born the Blessed suffers the King of Heaven is nailed to a Cross the immortal dyes the Immense is buried and the King of Glory goes down to Hell What strange contradictions have our sins put the Son of God upon who to procure our Salvation denyed himself and put on the form of a servant Which was conceived of the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary CONCEIVED That is cloathed with flesh formed and fashioned into bodily parts indued with sense motion and a reasonable soul inlivened cherished produced preserved increased and in one word made man Humane nature being taken up and joyn'd to the Divine OF THE HOLY GHOST Not begotten of his substance for then the third Person should be Father too which is contrary to Faith but by the operation of the holy Spirit the power of the Highest overshadowing her the Virgin without the help of man conceived which is a miracle foretold by the Prophets and fulfill'd in our Messias Behold a Virgin shall conceiv and bring forth a Son now the holy Ghost did separate that most pure mass of flesh blood of which the Body of Christ was to be formed from all corruption of our nature and the stain of sin to which all other the Virgin her self not excepted are lyable who are born after the ordinary way of generation Behold saith David a man after God's own heart I was conceived in sin and in iniquity hath my mother brought me forth Moreover 't was necessary that he should be born without sin who came to die for other's sins and the Lamb of God which was to take away the sins of the world should himself be spotless He could not have been our surety had he been himself a debtour nor satisfied justice for us could the law have charged him with any guilt of his own BORN Having taken upon him a true body being in all things made like unto us sin only excepted flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone that he might truely become the Son of Man he observed the lawes and customs of humane nature and after he had continued in the womb the usual time he was at length brought forth into light laid in a manger wrap't in swadling cloaths and attended by the Virgin and bred up passed his child hood in performing obedience to his parents and grew in stature and wisdome OF THE VIRGIN It became God thus to be born not without a miracle Our Faith is full of miracles a Three-One God a God-Man Christ a Virgin-Mother Mary A Virgin she was before her delivery in her delivery and after her delivery for they who are called the brethren of the Lord are after the manner of the Hebrew speech to be understood as Kinsmen She was indeed espoused to Ioseph but she knew no man Her Virginitie dignifies a single life her betrothing justifies the married state It pleased God to choose a woman without the help of man in the business of our salvation for the honour and comfort of that sex that as by the disobedience of the first woman mankind fell so it might be recovered by the birth of the Virgin and Mary might make amends for the miscarriage of Eve MARY For the greater certainty the name of the Royal Maid is expressed she being of the tribe of Iudah of the linage of David the King according to the Prophecies concerning the Messias Yet the Mother of the Lord this Blessed Virgin was very poor to shew that Christ's Kingdom was not of this world and in this were the blind Jewes offended that they looked for outward pomp the glory of an earthly crown little heeding the foretellings of the Prophets wherein Christ is described a man of sorrows to suffer all the punishment due to our sins to wit death and all the miseries of an afflicted life Suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried We pass immediately from his birth to his Passion for indeed his whole life from his cradle to the Cross was nothing else but a continual passion being spent in hunger thirst fasting watching and travelling grief reproach and shame and he was therefore sent into the world that he might die and to this end God prepared him a body that he might lay down his life for His. SUFFERED Having undertook our cause he satisfied divine Iustice by undergoing those penalties which God in his word hath threatned to the transgressors of the law He was by the sentence of an earthly Iudge condemned to death that we might be acquitted before the heavenly Father UNDER PONTIUS PILATE In that time wherein Pontius Pilate was Governour of Iudea being set over that Nation by the Roman Emperour when was fulfilled that Prophecie which foretold the coming of the Messias should be when the Scepter was departed from Iudah that is when the Iews should be subject to a forreign power having lost their own government CRUCIFIED Christ being betraid by Iudas forsaken of his disciples apprehended as a malefactor is brought to the judgement hall and having been spit upon and mocked by the souldiers accused by the Priests with the charge of blasphemy persecuted with the hatred of the people crying Crucifie him Crucifie him scourged with whips crowned with thorns and besprinkled with large showers of his innocent blood is at last by Pilate delivered up to the will malice of his enemies who nailing his blessed hands stretched wide open to the Cross
beam and his holy feet closed together to the upright beam of the Cross exposed him naked to publick shame being hung betwixt two theevs in a place without the city at the Feast of Passeover and when he had given up the ghost with many pains and groans a souldier pierced his side with a launce that that saying might have place they shall look on him whom they have pierced DEAD By the separation of soul and body for his body remain'd upon the Cross and his soul return'd immediately to God as himself told the penitent theef This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise He was not born after an ordinary manner neither dyed he a common death for as much as beside the extream pain he suffered whilest he hung with the weight of his body upon the Cross and the great shame to which he lay open he lay under a curse the Law pronouncing him cursed that hangs upon the tree AND BURIED Taken down from the Cross embalm'd with spices wrapped up in fine linnen and laid in a tomb where none had lay'n before by the care and cost of Ioseph of Arimathea And the malice of his enemies persued him beyond death and attended him to his very grave who that he might not rise again as himself had promised rolled a great stone to the mouth of the tomb and clapping on their own seals set a guard to watch him HE DESCENDED INTO HELL That is he went down into the lower-most parts of the earth and for the space of three dayes remain'd in the grave amongst the dead Or as some expound it he suffered the pains of Hell and the wrath of God due to our sins and underwent the curse of the law and terrours of conscience to which we were lyable Others take the words as they sound of the place that he did coveigh himself into the regions of darkness and discovered to the divels and to the wicked spirits the glory of his presence and routing the powers of Hell leading captivity captive and trampling Satan that old serpent the enemy of mankind under his victorious feet according to the first Prophesie of Christ The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head And in this sense this article is the beginning of Christ's exaltation The other degrees are his Resurrection his Ascension his Sitting at the right hand of God the Father and his Coming to judgement THE THIRD DAY After that he had lain three dayes in the grave as Ionas who ws the type of the Son of Man continued three days in the whale's belly It being observ'd that on the fourth day the body begins to corrupt which was not to happen to Christ David thus speaking concerning him My flesh shall rest in hope because thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Wherefore early in the morning on the third day which was for that reason appointed the Christian Sabbath HE ROSE AGAIN Partly raising himself by his own virtue and divine power as himself saith I lay down my life that I may take it up again I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again Partly being raised by God the Father who when his Iustice was fully satisfied released Christ out of the prison of the grave and to that purpose sent his Angels to roll away the stone death having now no more dominion over him who having finisht the work of our redemption rose again for our justification FROM THE DEAD He return'd to life appeared to his Disciples and others several times shewed the wounds which he had received on the Cross and made Thomas who was hard of belief to feel his side that he might know it was a true body And having for fourty dayes together conversed upon earth and given orders to the Apostles how they should goe into all the world and preach the Gospell and plant churches promising them the assistance of the spirit he took his leave of them in this manner as followeth HE ASCENDED In the sight of his Apostles from the top of mount Olivet where he had bin formerly used to spend much of his time in holy retirements and spiritual exercises he lifted up himself from the ground and so mounting upward through the aire was received by a cloud and to the wonder of them all carried aloft out of sight two Angels telling them as they stood gazing that as they had seen him goe away so he should come again INTO HEAVEN The seat of the blessed where God sits on his Throne attended by millions of Angels far above the sphear of the stars the sky to wit the highest heaven For having dispatched the business for which he came down on earth he return'd to the Father by whom he had bin sent to intercede with him in our behalf and make out to us thence the benefit of all those things which he had done and suffer'd for us here And having conquer'd sin and death and broken the power of Hell what remains but that he should as in triumph ride upon the wings of the wind ascend to Heaven as the prize of his glorious conquest AND SITTETH To note that he hath fully accomplished the work of our Salvation he is said at last to sit down that he may as it were rest from his labours For the servant stands or goes whilest he is employ'd and sits not down till his work be done Now Christ put on the form of a servant and came as he saith of himself to wait not to be waited on That he sits also is a token of that authority which the Father hath given him having delivered unto him all power both in heaven and in earth and put all things under his feet So God sits in Heaven to order all things at his pleasure Again to sit sometimes signifies stay he sits there not to return before the end of the world Lastly by this word is expressed the blessed and glorious condition of the Saints in the life to come who shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of Heaven and therefore to shew the greatness of the dignitie to which Christ according to his humane nature is advanced is added At the right hand of God the Father Almighty The right hand usually expresseth strength and honour power and glory besides to give the right hand is a sign of fellowship and friendship wherefore God calls him the man my fellow Now to speak properly God hath no right hand or left nor any bodily parts but that he may apply himself to our capacities he doth use to speak of himself after the manner of men Becuse earthly Princes are wont to place those at their right hand whom they favour and would shew a particular honour as Solomon entertained his mother The meaning is that God hath raised him to the highest pitch
which we must not expect forgiveness and to a new obedience which is the surest sign and evidence that we are forgiven THIS DOE YE AS OFT AS YE DRINK IT IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME. That is this sacred Rite I thought fit to appoint and leave behind with you as a memorial of me and a monument of my love towards you who took upon me your nature that I might dye for you and shall shortly powr out my soul to death even as you have seen the wine which you now drink powred into the cup that your souls may live being refresh'd with the virtue of my blood as your bodyes are strengthned and your hearts cheared by the use of wine This ordinance after my departure from you shall serve to represent my death and my love which is as strong as death and the benefits thereof wherefore I charge you and all others which shall profess my name that if you expect to enjoy those blessings which my death is intended to procure for mankind and which will certainly befall those that doe truly believe in me they would not fail to testify their Faith in the use of this Sacrament and apply to themselves the Salvation wrought by my death this mystery being appointed as a means of conveying assurance and sealing pardon Do you then in your assemblyes hereafter as you have seen me doe now amongst you And let all Christians with reverence and due preparation attend and partake of these holy mysteryes knowing 't is not an ordinary and slight business but a matter of great concernment both to the honour of my name and to their souls health It being appointed for my remembrance their spiritual growth Nor shall it be enough once as in the other Sacrament of Baptism or some few times as a thing at your own choice to partake of this holy Supper but it is a thing must be often done and you are frequently in this to commemorate my death as oft as ever occasion shall be given that so the memory of me may be continually celebrated in the Church and you may be drawing virtue continually from me grow up from grace to grace from strength to strength And accordingly the primitive Saints communicated every day going about from house to house and breaking bread And how can we call our selves Christians that far unlike them neglect so great Salvation and regard not the Blood of the Covenant but to the disparagement of Christianity intermit the use of this sacred mystery as of late we have done in very many congregations for several years through the fondness of some whose ill temper'd zeal had well neer eaten up the house of God 'T is true Baptism needs not indeed ought not to be reiterated it being the laver of regeneration Now it suffices once to be born But the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ is call'd and is a Supper Now he that sups once hungers and thirsts again We cannot if we have a true spiritual hunger and thirst after the righteousness of Christ but come to his Table and present our selves before him often at least at the three great Festivals of the Church wherein the Birth the Passion Resurrection of Christ the Descent of the Holy Ghost are remembred as the Iews custom was at their three great Feasts to come up to Hierusalem if not every month nay every week that every Lord's day the Lord's Supper also might be administred and we considering our frequent relapses into sin might be often renewing our vows Nay it were to be wished that our lives were so pure and our minds so taken up with heavenly things and our feet our affections I mean were so shod with the preparation of the Gospel that we might with the ancient Christians make it our every day-meal and say that Prayer in this sense Give us this day our dayly Bread FINIS Courteous Reader THis whole Treatise having been taken by several al young pens from the Author's mouth He doth not conceive himself oblig'd to maintain the Orthography every where seeing 't would have been an infinite task to have corrected all over to his own judgement Truth is scarce any language has greater variety or indeed irregularity of pronouncing spelling the same syllables then our English hath which is some reason of the difficulty of it to strangers I shall instance in some words diversly written School and Schole Vertue and Virtue Common and Commune c. the one being the Vulgar the other the Scholastic Orthography Again a different meaning sometimes diversifies the letter though pronounc'd alike as to lie down and to tell a lye foul dirty and a fowl a bird c. But of this He shall have occasion to discourse more largely in his Tables of the English Tongue wherein he hopes to give satisfaction to the Critic and the Scholar At present he thinks it his main concern to be Vnderstood and therefore takes no notice of any faults escaped but such as may disturb the sense and scandalize an Ordinanary Reader and for the rest trusts himself to the candour of the Judicious ERRATA Pag. 8. l. 7. Deity r. duty p. 14. l. 3. affection r. effusion p 21. l. 3. master r. maker p. 39. l. 21. r. as much as p. 44. l. 19. signicant r. significant p. 48. l. 12. del up even p. 69. l. 10. r. their designs p. 71. l. 18. r. our destiny p. 97. l. 14. lift r. lighted p. 106. l. 14. use r. use p. 111. l. 5. meeted r. meted p. 118. l. 3. serety r. serenity p. 130. l. 7. doing r. doings p. 135. l. 18. For r. So that p. 157. l. 10. metonymical r. metaphorical p. 182. l. 11. he that r. that he p. 192. l. 10. soul r. soul p. 233. l. 8. government r. garment p. 439. l. 19. yet not r. not yet a Qui singit sacros auro vel marmore vultus Non facit ille Deos qui rogat ille facit Mart. b Non tam praedari quam precari c 1 Thess. 5. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the precept in Cornelius his practise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 10. 2. d Gen. 18. 25. e Matt. 7. 7. f Ioh. 14. 13 14. g Iam. 4. 3. h Psal. 19. 14. i Psal. 5. 5. k Psal. 10. 17. l Gen. 15. 11. m Iam. 1. 6 7. n Psal. 31. 16. o Isa. 28. 16. p Rom. 10. 11. q Heb. 11. 6. r Heb. 11. 6. s Psal. 112. 10. t Psal. 1. 6. v Iam. 5. 16. u Rev. 8. 3. x Iugiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y 1 Sam. 1. 13. z Rom. 13. 4. a 1 Tim. 11. 1. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Luk. 11. 2 d Thus saith the Lord i.e. 〈…〉 e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. f Rev. 1. 4. g Psal. 148. 5. h Longin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h Deut. 33. 27. i Isa. 49 15. k Ps. 133. l Ps. 44. 4. m Ps. 2◠n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o
thy beams As God has made the poor his receivers so he has appointed thy debtors and trespassers his assigns What they can't pay thee God strikes off of thy account what thou forgivest them is discharg'd out of God's bill against thee Thus our forgiveness like quit-rent or a legal cheat stands for a hundred times it's value and our enemies prove our greatest friends by injuring us to our happiness and turning our shame into the advantage of our glory by procuring us pardon of our sins whilest we forgive THEM THAT TRESPASS AGAINST US 'T is such an argument as the Centurion used and shews as much charity as his did faith Doe but speak the word sayes he and my servant shall be healed For I also am one in a petty authority and have souldiers under me and say to one Goe and he goes to another Come and he comes to a third Doe this and he doth it So we are taught to plead this request Forgive us our sins for we also forgive offences committed against us We have superiours that oppress us and we bear with patience equals that scorn us and we in honour prefer them inferiours that neglect us and we use them kindly we have hard masters severe teachers base friends abusive companions stubborn children spightfull neighbours unfaithfull servants and yet we return not evill for evill but give place to wrath and according to thy command overcome their evill with our good We bless those that curse us pray for those that wrongfully use us doe all the good we can to those who doe us all manner of ill and endeavour as much as in us lyes to keep peace with all men and readily forgive every one that doth us any unkindness and with our Saviour on the cross pray that our heavenly Father will forgive them too and with the first Christian Martyr that God will not lay what they doe to their charge And will not the Father of mercies do so by us and much more will not he forgive with whom there is forgiveness that he may be feared God would want worshippers no body would fear him were he a cruel God and delighted in the death of a sinner and would accept of no other sacrifice for sin but the soul that commits it He is mercifull and gracious long suffering full of loving kindness and plenteous in redemption as he has express'd himself in the vision of Moses That he may forgive us as we forgive others let us learn of him to forgive to be reviled and not revile again to love our enemies to pass by offences to wink at great faults not to be strict in observing what is done amiss For if God should doe so who would be able to stand for who knows how oft he offends to make a candid interpretation of other mens carriage and judge the best of their actions to put up wrongs at least to put them upon God's account as David said of Shimei God hath sent him to curse me this day and to look upon every enemy thou hast as God's scourge and 't will become a dutifull child to submit to his father's correction though administred by a servant's hand For he appoints the hand as well as the rod. God has severall wayes to chastise his children and punishes some with a malicious tongue to blister their good name to some a marriage bed proves their purgatory or an ill neighbour-hood To others men of violence come with a commission from heaven as God's Takers and seize on all the comforts of their lives and remember amongst all these injuries of men God doth no man wrong and he may take what course he please to reduce a rebell subject to his obedience And lastly how malitious so ever the intentions of men may be God means all this vexation for good and would not apply this strong Physic but that he finds it necessary for the health of thy soul. What little reason hast thou to be offended at any man whom God imployes in the drudgery of his chastisements How much reason hast thou to forgive and thank too any one that doth thee such kind injuries which reclaim thee from thy sins and put thee in a capacity of God's pardon And shall he that is at this pains about thee to fetch thee home to thy Father and bring thee to Heaven be thought to doe thee ill offices and not deserve a pardon for his courteous malice What good shrewd turns are these What friends more beneficial then such foes whose mistaken rage meaning to kill cures by breaking an Impostume of pride or lust whose cruelty while it would drive us from earth would but give us an earlier possession of heaven and banish us into bliss But may one say if this reasoning be good to what purpose are lawes whereby mens persons and properties are secured from wrong To what end courts of judicature where injur'd persons may have right done them Besides that war upon this account will be as unlawfull as murder and if men may not be allowed to preserve their rights by laws and where they are over-power'd to maintain them by arms in a short time they would have nothing to loose for one injury will invite another till they have eaten out their patient entertainer To this I answer 't is true the whole tenor of the Gospell is for self-denyall taking up the cross and bearing chearfully all that an injurious world can put upon us that the great character of a Christian is to be a sufferer and that the scope of this very petition is in short that we should deal with others as we will have God deal with us which is freely to forgive all trespasses that are committed against us without any exception for no other pardon can serve our turn from God's hand any one sin unpardon'd will damn us Yet God has for the preservation of the civil societies of men implanted principles of moral honesty in the minds of men and hath prescribed rules of equity in his word and hath set up his Vicegerents Kings and Magistrates under them to keep good order that no person of loose principles that has debauch'd his notions may disturb others to gratify his own lust but may be made give account to him that beareth not the sword in vain And one may in some cases nay must out of charity to the publick prosecute notorious offenders as traitors murtherers thieves c. least by a patient sufferance of their mischiefs we encourage them in their wickedness and become accessary to the guilt of any other villany they shall commit afterwards As for private wrongs as slanders c. ones own ease would be argument enough to put a supersedeas to Law with an ingenuous man who knows no ill by himself it being generally seen that he that 's over eager to prosecute a scandal justifies it To conclude there can be no offence so hainous no miscarriage so
a word which doth usually signify the fork or cross upon which stigmatiz'd and branded slaves were executed And then it may signify the mark of the cross that opprobrious servile and accursed death But is resolv'd by most Interpreters to be a metonymical speech and to stand for some great carnal temptation with which the Apostle was fiercely and frequently set upon And so every man hath some peculiar temptation fitted to his temper which being conquer'd adds to his glory It is the whole duty of man his life being a warfare to be alwayes upon his guard to buckle combate with the tempter Strive to enter in at the straight-gate sayes our Saviour a word borrowed from the Olympic games and prizes and signifies five kinds of exercise leaping running hurling darting and wrestling And the whole New Testament is full of Agonistical expressions though the reward proposed to the conqueror in those strifes were but some fading chaplet of flowers but lusts conquer'd gain a crown of glory which will never wither If temptation were not Grace would loose it's exercise and Glory it's improvement Wherefore in the opposite request we desire not to be deliver'd from the temptation it self but FROM EVILL From the evil of temptation for there is a good use of temptations as God orders them We are lyable exposed continually to temptations But God takes out the sting and the venom of them and whilest the wicked fall under the evil the righteous goe free that what is said of God's preservation in time of Epidemical infections that though thousands fall at thy right hand it shall not come near thee is as true in a spiritual sense Evil here may bear the same meaning with temptation thus From the evil one that is from the tempter that enemy And thus 't is said the whole world lyes in the evil one is at his dispose who is the Prince of the world And so our desires would be that God would not himself tempt us but rather deliver us from the tempter But 't is best to take words in the largest sense from evil i.e. from all manner of evil both bodily ghostly both temporal and eternal both of sin and of punishment And thus it will contain in it a whole Letany that God would deliver us from a hard heart and a seared conscience from a reprobate mind corrupt affections from presumptuous sins and contempt of his word from gross miscarriages and secret wickedness from murder and whoredom and every deadly sin from pride vain glory and hypocrisy from envy malice and all uncharitableness from any thing that may prove an occasion of fall from the pomps and vanities of the world from the evil concupiscences of the flesh and from the suggestions of Satan from the influence of lewd examples and from the inticement of evil company and from the foolish counsel of our own will from all opportunities and conveniences of sinning from fire and sword and pestilence and famine from all those curses which are due to us for our sins from all manner of calamities whether in body or mind goods or good name from sudden or untimely death from maims sickness or deformity from ignorance folly and mistakes from unruly passions and disorder'd thoughts from rapine plunder and oppression from war and civil broyls from having too much or too little from being lifted up in prosperity or cast down in adversity from honour and dishonour from shame reproach from meats and drinks from our business and recreation from our enemies from our friends and from our selves in short from every thing so far forth as it may procure us evil To sum up the meaning of the whole Petition together which we have deliver'd by parts we desire of God that he would not only pardon sins past but would furnish us with strength from above to resist temptations hereafter and having had our sins forgiven we may sin no more nor return again to folly that his justifying grace may be accompanied with sanctifying grace which may keep us blameless that we may become temples of the Holy Ghost and he may dwell in our hearts by faith which may quench the fiery darts of the evil one That he would not leave us to our selves at any time but instruct us with his eye and guide us in the way which he shall choose for us That he would not for our many provocations in judgement harden our hearts deliver us up to a reprobate mind and dishonourable affections or upon our frequent refusals of grace offer'd conclude us under a state of impenitence and give us into the power of Satan to be led captive at his will who is the God of this world who rules in the hearts of unbelievers That he would hedge our way about so that the opportunity of sin may be denyed us and that though it easily beset us yet we may not fall into it That he would keep us from presuming on his mercy or despairing of it that so being carried with the full sails of faith as neither to split at that rock and make shipwrack of a good conscience or sink in this gulf and be swallowed up in sadness we may work out our salvation with fear and trembling That he would not bring us into any distress or difficulty which might be too hard for us but would support us in it and give an issue out of it That he would be our sun and our shield our light and our strength to direct and secure our paths that though we are surrounded with temptations yet he ordering our steps our soul may escape as a bird from the snare of the fowler That he would save us from the destroyer that walks to and fro on the earth seeking whom he may devour shorten the tempter's chain and put a hook in his nostrils that neither the divel nor any wicked man or evil thing may have power to hurt us That he would keep us in his wayes least our foot should at any time dash against a stone of offence That he would refrain our foot from every false way and work suffer no vanity to have dominion over us that we may not grow worse under his judgements or his mercies but that all the dispensations of his providence about us may be so improv'd that his fear and love may constrain us and keep us in the walk of our duty That he would preserve us from sin and the shame and punishment which attends it that he would not let the fierceness of his wrath break out upon us nor shower down those many plagues upon our head which our multiplyed rebellions have deserv'd That he would stretch out his loving kindness renew his compassions and never forget to be gracious but deliver us when we call upon him that we may glorify him That he would save us out of the hands of our spiritual enemies as himself hath promis'd that we may serve
and for the miraculous Restauration of our Dread Soveraign to his Rights and of us to our Libertyes which are wrapped up in his Safety And now that the Dread Father of our Countrey and the Reverend Fathers of the Church are return'd to execute their Offices and to govern us with the sword of Iustice and the sword of the Spirit that we have been sufficiently convinc'd by the twenty years discipline of a Civil War that the grand Interest of the People is Obedience let us seek the Peace of our Ierusalem and our Sion and pray that God would confound the devices of all Rebels Schismaticks whom these late mercyes have not converted and disappoint their expectations The sixth Commandement The fifth directs the offices of Relations the rest shew the general dutyes that we ow to all men in common and they are all set down negatively to forbid all violence injury that being in it's very nature destructive to the constitution of societyes which cannot be preserv'd and manag'd without forbearance of wrongs for Iustice is in the Politick as Health is in the Natural body which keeps every part in its due temper so that none have too much or too little but Injury diseases the civil state and will if effectual remedyes be not applyed in short time bring it to dissolution Now the greatest wrong that can be offer'd to our selves or our neighbour is in the life that being the support of all blessings and comforts if it be not it self one since they are but leased out to us for life and depart with it Nothing survives life and death by making an end of the person puts a period to all his contents and joyes Wherefore the security of life is first provided for and set immediately after the fifth Commandement as the Magistrate's greatest care since were our lives expos'd to the wild passions of men Kings would want subjects and God worshippers and two or three mighty hunters would depopulate the earth To kill a man is made therefore the greatest crime as that which cannot be made amends for whereas for other losses there may be some reparation and as a sign of mortal hatred which can be content with nothing but the destruction and annihilation of the thing hated and is the greatest breach of Charity THOU SHALT NOT KILL or MURDER Thou shalt endeavour by all fair and lawful means to preserve thy own and thy neighbour's life Thou shalt not lay violent hands on thy self nor bring thy self rashly into danger of thy life by tempting providence by surfet or any other sinful or perillous course Thou shalt not neglect thy self nor deny thy body fit sustenance and refreshment and for the preservation and recovery of thy health take the advice of the learned and honour the Physician Thou shalt defend thy self from injurious assaults and make a stout resistance when force is offer'd Thou shalt esteem and set by thy life and not part with it upon mean and paultry terms but act like man and give a fair account how thou quit'st the stage think no sorry affront or idle abuse deserves the hazard of so precious a thing or be so fond of thy reputation as to clear it with thy blood and yet when just and honourable occasions call for thy life such as are â—he testimony to my truth the assistance of thy King and defence of thy countrey thou shalt fairly venture it not spare thy life to death but lay it down for thy brethren nor shalt thou make self preservation an argument for thy cowardise since the fearful as well as the dogs shall be excluded my Kingdom nor shalt thou out of self love basely sneak and withdraw thy self from thy duty nor favour thy self in my service but love me with all thy strength and keep thy body under and practise austerityes of self-denyal so as to mortifie the flesh not to procure thy death Thou shalt in like manner doe all that lyes in thy power to maintain thy neighbour's life and safety Thou shalt not slight him and pass him by in his distress but give him seasonable help Thou shalt not out of passion or thirst of revenge with sword or poyson or any other instrument of death make him away for he bears my image and he that spils man's blood by man shall his blood be spilt Thou shalt not beat nor strike or any other wayes misuse him or doe any thing to grieve him Thou shalt not hate him in thy heart or bear him any grudge nor owe him spite for he that hates his brother is a murderer Thou shalt not vex him with reproachful words nor jeer him with upbraiding language or scornful behaviour to sadden his heart and alter his countenance Thou shalt be harmless in thy carriage and meek and gentle and courteous and civil and obliging Thou shalt not doe or think any body any hurt or so much as wound them with a bitter word Thou shalt not break out into unruly and boisterous passions nor be angry without a cause Thou shalt take wrongs rather then give nor yet be of so stupid and sheepish a patience as to bring a contempt upon thy self which may make thee useless or to let my glory suffer but on this occasion to boyl over with a generous zeal and vindicate my name Thou shalt not be too â—igorous and harsh of a fierce and cruel of a dogged and sullen or of a peevish and froward disposition but be mild even in thy corrections and punishments and pitty the person when thou chastisest the vice Thou shalt not be strict in asserting thy own right and prosecute thy interest to the utmost advantage but yield of thy right and be content to sit down with the loss rather then engage in quarrel and venture the loosing of peace Thou shalt not only refrain injurious actions thy self but shalt do thy best to hinder others too in their violent attempts Thou shalt exercise a just severity upon capital offenders and take heed of licensing or encouraging villany by a fond gentleness Thou shalt for God's glory and thy neighbour's safety venture upon brave hazardous actions and in the confidence of thy honest intentions defie danger yet thou shalt not rashly and presumptuously cast thy self away nor shalt thou upon slight occasion or a private account give or entertain a challenge and in the wicked folly of duelling venter thy death and damnation together but when the Magistrates authority has arm'd thee against a publik enemy whether a forreign Invader or a domestick Rebel upon just and necessary reasons let the goodness of thy cause embolden thee and with Christian courage dispute the Interests of Religion and thy Country and make not power or pay but peace and settlement the end of thy warlike undertakings Lastly thou shalt be very tender of every one's life as of thy own and shalt not doe any thing purposely to prejudice another's life or his comforts and shalt
but to be the stay of the family In Deuteronomie the wife is mention'd first and so by the Septuagint here as the Mistress of the House one that is not to be reckon'd as a part of possession but as the man's partner in all his fortune governesse of his affairs The wife then is not to be desired for her beauty for her portion for her discretion c. The House and Wife are a mans particular choice the House his castle and the Wife of his bosom the delight of his eyes and the joy of his heart 'T is most injurious therefore to covet these The Samaritan here and the Greek make mention of his field and the Syrick of his vineyard too the one for bread and herbage the other for drink i.e. Thou shalt not covet any part of his revenue Mens estates lying generally in houses and lands and in former times in cattle too servants wherefore they are also expressed by name NOR HIS MAN-SERVANT that tills his ground that looks to his cattle that waits upon his person and manages his affairs in whatsoever condition he serve him Thou shalt not desire him for his fidelity for his strength or for his wit or any other good quality thou hearest of him for this would be to disable thy neighbour and take his right hand from him NOR HIS MAID-SERVANT that looks to the house that makes provision that gives her attendance within doors and minds the business of the family under her Mistresses government and direction Thou shalt not cover her for her care or her diligence or her prudence or any other good quality for this would take away his wives right hand and make her cares toilsome much less shalt thou desire her out of lust for this would bring an infamy and reproach upon thy Neighbours house NOR HIS OX which helps him in the tillage of his ground NOR HIS ASS which helps him in carriage of burdens for this would be to lay a load of drudgery upon the servants and disappoint the culture of his field and vineyard The Greek adds nor any of his cattle for they are to maintain his house NOR ANY THING THAT IS THY NEIGHBOUR'S This includes every thing else Moneys Iewels Rayment c. Whatsoever he has be it of great or small concernment whether it be for his profit or his delight Thou shalt not meddle with it in thy thoughts nor hanker after it in thy desires The Summ of all may be this Thou shalt not think it enough to doe thy neighbour no wrong in word or deed but thou shalt love him wish him well in thy heart Thou shalt not covet any thing that is his but shalt regulate thy affections and set bounds to thy thoughts and desires Thou shalt subdue all carnal lusts and evil concupiscences that thou mayst be sanctified throughout both in body soul and spirit and mayst be led by no unruly passions Thou shalt refrain thy appetite and keep it within the rules of right reason the necessityes of nature and the appointments of God's Law so as to be moderate in thy desires and enjoyments of meat and drink of ease and sleep and all lawful pleasures Thou shalt gather in thy affections and bind them up with my fear Thou shalt not hate thy brother nor yet love him with that sondness as to honour him above me Thou shalt not love the world nor the things of the world nor ingross all thy love to thy self Thou shalt take heed of all unchast love and wanton dalliance but thou shalt love thy neighbour with unfaigned Charity and make after whatsoever things are good and of good report Thou shalt not give thy self to immoderate joy or to over much melancholly Thou shalt not rejoyce at any ones misfortunes nor be griev'd at his well-doing or look upon him with an evil eye But thou shalt keep an even and composed spirit equally temper'd to joy and sadness that thou mayst rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep that thou mayst in thy grievances pray and in thy mirth sing Psalms Thou shalt not be too confident nor yet too distrustfull of thy self neither shalt thou place thy trust in man nor too much stand in fear of him seeing his breath is in his nostrils But thou shalt hold so even a balance betwixt thy hopes and fears that thou mayst in Charity endure all things and hope all things and that thou mayst walk with care and circumspection and set thy heart upon thy way Thou shalt not break out into passions upon slight occasion or study revenge but shalt keep in thy anger and when my glory calls for 't imploy it in zeal and sin not Thou shalt cleanse thy heart the fountain of actions denying all ungodly lusts mortifying the desires of the flesh wrestling with temptations and fighting the good fight against thy three grand enemyes the world the flesh and the Divel Thou shalt not nuzzle thy self in carnal security and give thy self to idleness neglecting thy prayers and thy dutyes and opening the door to temptation and fatning thy heart for destruction Thou shalt strive against the first suggestions of thy lust and shalt crush the cokatrice in the egg before vanity have got the dominion over thee Thou shalt withstand the evil one that he may fly from thee that having done all thou mayst stand Thou shalt not entertain ill thoughts with delight nor roll the sweet morsel under thy tongue Thou shalt not give consent to the wicked enticements of thy own flesh but arm thy self with holy resolutions Thou shalt do thy utmost endeavour to root out all evil concupiscence to keep that noisom puddle of original corruption that body of death which thou carryest about with thee from streaming breaking forth into inordinate desires irregular words or actions whereby God is offended or thy neighbour injur'd and lastly thou shalt so bound thy appetite keep it within the limits of that condition wherein providence hath placed thee that thou mayst without envying thy neighbour or desiring any thing that is his quietly rest satisfied with thy own estate and carefully mind the dutyes of thy calling knowing that contentedness with what a man hath is both the great duty of Christian Religion and the greatest felicity of this life That we may inquire into our selves it hath been plain by our actions how full of concupiscence our hearts have been when the Lusts of this Age have been as wild and the practises as loose as the Opinions mens minds have been as free to covet as they have been to think when appetite has been boundless and being goaded by ambition has rambled over all Sacred Civil Rights left nothing untouch'd that belong'd to God or man which the covetousness of wicked hearts could reach at when we have coveted God's House as well as our neighbour's made conscience of nothing that might improve our estates when instead of
have his Maker and his God turn Idolater he bids him that dwelleth on high fall down such a fall too as would be lower then the divel 's own fall for it must be below him it must be to him Fall down and worship me Oh impudent blasphemous absurdity what divel could put such thoughts into Satan's heart such words into 's mouth that God whom all the Gods worship should himself worship For he knew very well whom he had to doe with in this encounter that he was the Son of God having been often cast out by him confessing it here with an If. And whom what wouldst thou have him worship an image an idol stocks and stones why thou canst not perswade any men that have their reason about them to doe so What is 't some Saint or Angel Thou knowst his Angels have charge of him and are bid worship him what then speak Lucifer me Oh diabolical pride oh unsufferable rudeness which a poor creature can hardly have patience to hear that God at whose name the divels tremble should be tempted by the divel to worship that divel that tempts him Me thinks one cannot read this passage without a great horrour and an agony of fear that God should suffer his onely Son God equal to the Father to be tempted by the divel to the foulest of sins Idolatry to the worst of creatures the divel What care and vigilance ought we to have what fear and jealousy How should we watch and fast and prepare our selves for spiritual conflicts and beg strength from above that our hearts may be garrison'd and kept by grace And since Christ himself was thus brought into the clutches of Satan what great reason have we to pray that we may not be led into temptation Now there is a twofold temptation one for tryal whereby God doth keep the graces of his Saints in exercise so God searches the hearts and tryes the raines of the children of men as silver is tryed in a fornace Thus Abraham's faith Iob's patience c. were tryed nay sometimes God leav's his best servants to themselves and lets them catch falls to keep them humble and to let them know that their strength is from him God tempts for tryall the divel onely tempts for sin and sometimes too God imployes the divel in his tryals to heat the fornace which he does with an intention to destroy but God orders for experiment and probation Another is for hurt when we are tempted to sin to presumption or dispair Thus God tempts no man but judicially hardens impenitent sinners that harden themselv's in their evil way and gives them up to their lusts and into the power of the divel Thus we read he harden'd Pharaoh's heart put sometimes a lying spirit into the mouth of the Prophets let Satan tempt David to carnal confidence and the pride of numbring his people and our Saviour after the divel had filled Iudas heart bid him doe what he meant to doe quickly meaning that horrid treason of betraying his Master And of this kind of sinfull temptation is this especially to be understood though it mean also the other kind of tryals BUT DELIVER US FROM EVILL This infers the contrary that since we have so many to lead us into temptation God would rather lead us out and keep us from evil then lead us into it The opposition lyes in the words Lead us not but Deliver us i.e. bring us not into temptation but when we either of our selves fall into it or are by others led into it do thou bring us out and lead us forth rescue us out of the tempter's clutches and set us at liberty for so the word properly denotes deliverance out of an evil we are already in though the preposition will very well bear this sense that God would keep us totally from it as the Church teaches us to pray as well in time of health plenty as mortality and dearth from plague pestilence and famine good Lord deliver us We are kept from evil by preventing or restraining grace we are deliver'd out of it by assisting grace God keeps us from being tempted by the restraints of his grace and providence by alarming conscience by quenching lust by denying opportunities for sin by imploying a man and filling all his time with duty For 't is the idle soul that commonly proves the tempters prey Diligence in one's calling is a good preservative against vain thoughts and checks the approach of temptation shutting the doors windows by which it should enter God delivers us out of temptation by proportioning it to our strength so that we may not faint or grow evil under it which he doth either by lessening the burthen or strengthning the shoulders by supporting and bearing us up in conflict by making our faith victorious with heavenly supplyes of grace by the aid at the charge provision of his spirit and in fine by giving us a joyfull issue out of our temptations as he did with Ioseph by making his brethrens envy an occasion of his advancement with the Israelites by a wonderful delivery from a cruel bondage with Iob making his righteousness break forth as the Sun before his setting after those dismal storms and clouds which had darkned it Thus 't is Gods usual course to heighten the rewards of his tryed servants which have fought a good fight and layes up a crown of glory for them Indeed in every temptation the tempter comes by the worst and 't is to the divel 's disadvantage for if it take 't is true 't is his hellish delight to see souls perish yet however it increases his guilt as being accessary to anothers sin and consequently must needs increase his punishment improve his torments If it meet with repulse it cannot choose but be great torment to this spightful spirit to see that he has been instrumental in raising the happiness and furthering the salvation and heightning the gloryes of the Saints every baffled temptation is a step higher into glory and if I may say it we get up to heaven on Satan's back by trampling him under our feet A Saint goes triumphant with a train of conquer'd lusts and as Samson carried away the gates of Azza breaks the gates the powers of hell to force his passage None in so high a form of glory as those who have most scarrs to shew and who have the buckler of their faith batter'd and shatter'd with temptations We are to fight under Christ's banner and he will be most blessed who shall be found likest his master and have the marks of Christ's wounds imprinted not so much upon their body as the Legend has it of St. Francis I mean by outward sufferings as upon his soul by the violent assaults of temptation St. Paul indeed sayes of himself I wear the marks of our Lord Iesus in my body it may be that which in another place we render a thorn in the flesh
that good shepheard of souls that lay down my life for my sheep Thus broken and given thus delivered for you and to you I seal pardon of sins to your hearts I improve grace supply strength feed your souls to life everlasting Broken or Given as if it were all one for this heavenly Bread was given that it might be broken 't was broken that it might be given Christ could not have suffered for us had he not had a body given him for that purpose nor could that body have done us good or furnisht us with spiritual nourishment had it not bin broken Had not Christ dyed we could not be sure of living As it is with the bread it self which is the Symbol of his Body The corn must be first cut down and threshed and winnowed and grownd and sifted kneaded and baked with a hot oven before it can become bread THIS DOE YE These words either have reference to the actions of the Disciples who took the bread which Christ gave them and eat it and so they belong to all Christians in general to the whole company of believers according as the Church doth in more words deliver it Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee feed on him in thy heart with Faith and thanksgiving And so of the Cup afterward 't is said This doe ye as oft as ye drink it i.e. when ever ye drink it drink it in remembrance of me Or to Christ's own actions who broke it and gave it and thus they imply a special charge to the Officers of the Church the Ministers of the Gospel and Preachers of the Word such as also were these Disciples as if he should have said you are Apostles with whom I leave the care of planting Churches and preaching the Gospel whom I trust for the management of the affairs of my Kingdom and duly administring the Sacraments wherefore I charge and require of you that in celebrating this mystery you follow my example and doe no otherwise then you have seen me do before you that it may remain pure to all succeeding ages according to this first institution And hither St. Paul in this case makes his appeal where he discourses of the Holy Supper That which I received that deliver I unto you how the Lord Iesus c. This or Thus This which I have done or thus as I have done now in your company doe ye and all from hence forward that derive authority from you in your several assemblyes take bread and bless it and break it and give it about to those who rightly prepared come to the holy Table and use these words of consecration which I have done to you The Greek is make this hence it is an ordinary phrase amongst the Popish Priests when they perform Mass to say that they doe make the Body of the Lord thinking possibly that the Doctrine of Transsubstantiation is much advantaged by the word of making which in the Greek is indifferently applyed to all manner of actions and the other which signifies to do would have bin very improper and not fit to be us'd in this place THIS DOE YE The word will also in the Latine and Hebrew carry a sense of sacrificing and then 't would intimate that our Saviour's death was our peace-offering whereby God's wrath conceived against sin was atoned and his Iustice satisfied we being cleansed by the sprinkling of his Blood The Papists therefore call the Mass a Sacrifice without Blood and the holy Table strictly and properly without any Metaphor an Altar 'T is true we doe here represent and commemorate the death of Christ and when we come to partake of these Mysteries we may use the Psalmist's words What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord I will Sacrifice unto thee the Sacrifice of thanksgiving and call upon the Name of the Lord I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people But he having offer'd once a perfect Sacrifice for the taking away of sin and cry'd upon the Cross It is finished and in that he dyed dyes no more 't were absurd to think there needed a repetition of that act which in it self was all-sufficient Christ's Blood being of an infinite value as it immediately follows in the same Psalm Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints A word peculiar to Christ as in the fourth Psalm He hath set apart the holy one for himself and in the 16. Thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption meaning Christ. Besides to what purpose is it to ground an unreasonable doctrine upon the nicety of a word which in ordinary plain meaning signifies but this doe so hereafter as ye now doe or do ye in your companies what ye have seen me now do in mine IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME. For a memorial of me and a monument of my love who have not spar'd my life for your sakes and with a sense of gratitude to keep up the memory of my bitter death which I as your surety upon your account underwent and the benefit whereof you will receive by believing on me by eating my flesh and drinking my Blood and becoming one with me Or for my remembrance appointed by me to be one of my sacred ordinances to be kept up in the practise of the Church till my second coming in the clouds as ye will see me goe away Wherefore in the mean while to leave behind me a remembrance and to bear up your hearts in Faith that what I have suffered hath bin out of love to you and that those who in following ages shall not see me in the flesh yet may have some further assurance then my bare word I have provided this to be a standing ordinance in the Church whereby I may be remembred to the end of the world LIKEWISE ALSO HE TOOK THE CUP Now follows the other part of this Sacrament to wit the consecration of the Cup for it would not be a compleat meal were there not spiritual drink as well as meat the Blood of Christ being as necessary to quench the thirst as his flesh to satisfie the hunger of a believing soul that hungers and thirsts after righteousness But first the Bread and then the Cup. Why because there must be a body broken before there could be blood spilt First bread to strengthen and then wine to refresh the heart Again the Cup last as of great importance for the flesh could have profited nothing without the blood and God is said to have redeem'd his Church with his Blood nor does he onely redeem us with the shedding of his blood but wash us by the sprinkling of it upon our consciences from dead works and preserve his Church spotless till the great day Nay the author to the Hebrews observes