Christs death at whose hands his bloud innocently shed shall be required But others may be abettors of this their fact as both the posterity of the Iewes are unto this day who blaspheme his name and account him justly put to death by their fathers as a malefactor and deceiver for which cause they still feele the vengeance of God upon them according to their fathers curse His Bloud be upon us and our children and also many Christians are who professing the name of Christ yet deny the vertue of his death and suffering But is any Christian so wicked as to allow of that fact of the Iewes in crucifying Christ Yea that there is even all those that use this Sacrament of his body and bloud unworthily they allow it and by so doing are guilty of his death But how can this be so Thus He that profaneth and abuseth this holy Sacrament doth in a speciall manner offer contempt unto the body and bloud of Christ. Forasmuch as the Sacrament is appointed for this very end to bee a signe and visible representation of the death of Christ wherein his sufferings and the benefits of them unto us are in lively characters figured out before us and as by a seale confirmed unto our use and comfort Wherefore when this most solemne and holy commemoration of Christ crucified is celebrated in any other manner than what is agreeable to the dignity and greatnesse of so excellent a person so excellent a blessing as Christ crucified is unto us then however wee may thinke wee honour him by our outward service yet Christ takes himselfe to be dishonoured and his death despised Other waies there are whereby dishonour falls upon Christ as by disobedience to his Gospell despising of his Ministers c. but this is an immediate contempt of him when hee is dis-regarded in that very thing which sets forth his death and sufferings an indignity in this kinde is a villeny that 's offered properly and immediately to his sacred person and precious merits As in a like but much inferior case when the picture seale armes chaire of Estate of any King are violated the disgrace done to them redounds immediately to the contempt of the Kings person and the doer of it is punishable as if hee had attempted violence upon the King himselfe So hee that unworthily useth this Sacrament of Christs death must needs offer contempt to his death it selfe Now no man can in any sort dis-esteeme the death of Christ but he in part consents to the treasonable conspiracies and practices of Iudas and the Iewes in putting him to death as if it were a matter not ill done oâ— not so ill done as it was indeed Yea hee that sleightly passeth over the death of an innocent person making a small matter of it he either makes the innocent to be indeed nocent one that hath iustly deserved to be slaine who being slaine deserves so little regard or at least hee makes himselfe nocent breeding a iust suspicion that hee was or would have been consenting to that mans death You see then that it is no small matter to profane the Sacrament but a very hainous offence which brings us within the guilt of that horrible sinne of murdering the Lord of Life the thought whereof should make us to tremble and to detest both them that did it and our selves too if we be accessary to it This should make us very carefull and wary how wee approach unto the Table of the Lord seeing as the benefit is great if we rightly receive this holy Sacrament so the danger is as great if we receive it unworthily because thereby we become guilty of the death of Christ. I would I might perswade you seriously to thinke of this point much rashnesse and impiety in comming to the Sacrament would be prevented by this meanes if men would duely consider how fearefull a sinne they commit when they come unpreparedly and unreverently thereunto All the difficulty lies in this if they would but beleeve that this were such a fault indeed The Apostle we see is expresse Whosoever eateth unworthily is guilty c. but yet men can hardly assent to this What are they not baptized into the name of Christ are they not Christians professing the Gospell of Christ doe they not receive the Sacrament in honour of Christ and will yee yet iudge them such beasts and miscreants that they are consenting to the death of their Saviour They were not worthy to live an houre if they did beare an ill minde towards him they could wish him accursed whosoever loves not the Lord Iesus for themselves they love him and honour him in their hearts if any Iew or Turke should revile him they will fight and die for his sake yea if any affirme that they hate him they le spit in his face and have him by the eares Here now bee great words one would thinke and men that are thus resolved can wee judge them otherwise than the very friends of Christ Wee judge them not but let us heare what the Scripture saith He that eates c. unworthily is guilty c. Guilty hee is not but by consent consent hee would not unlesse he did despise and hate Christ this hee cannot doe and bee his friend yet this he may doe even then whilst he eats this Bread and drinks this Cup with a good meaning as he imagines in a honourable celebration of the memory of Christs death Wherefore that such men may not deceive themselves with vaine imaginations I will commend unto their observation one conclusion more that ariseth from these words and then I have done T is this Many that professe Christianity thinking that they love and honour Christ may yet hate him as much as the Iewes did that crucified him The point is cleere from the Apostles doctrine whereby we see that men may thinke to honour Christ by receiving the Sacrament of his body and bloud whilest yet at that very time they may so farre dishonour him as to bee accounted enemies and haters of him such as stand guilty before God of shedding the bloud of that his onely Sonne No Christian you may be sure would be so furiously mad to goe to the Sacrament with such an intent therein to professe his malice against Christ and bring upon himselfe the guilt of his bloud but see how bad t is to trust our own good meanings and how easily wee may commit a fault whilst we verily thinke we doe auoide it The heart of man is wicked many times making profession of love when t is full of secret enmity and hatred withall mans heart is so strangely deceitfull that it may sometimes hate where it directly intends to love The truth of this is certaine and of singular use in judging truely of our spirituall estate I will but briefly touch in so much as concernes our present purpose Exod. 20.5 God threatneth to punish Idolaters to the fourth generation Yea but why should God be angry with
wee diligently the quality of the punishment it selfe for the rule holds true very commonly that God punisheth men in the same kinde wherein they offend Whence it will be easie by the punishment to judge of the sinne If a Land be smitten with a famine of bread is it not because plenty hath bred luxury if with a famine of the Word was it not because it was entertained with disobedience and contempt if with poverty t is because riches bred vice if David defile his neighbours wife so shall Absolom deale with his owne concubines if hee murder Vriah so shall Absolom doe to Amnon and seeke to doe the same to his father Is a man vexed with disobedient children t is likely himselfe was so to his owne parents if friends be unfaithfull to thee hast not thou beene so to thine or hast thou not made flesh thine arme and put more trust in them than God Is disgrace fallen upon thee and wast thou not proud before Doe thy gifts of minde or body decay and is it not because thou art high minded unthankefull to God and scornefull of meaner men In short looke unto the punishment and consider it duely we shall commonly finde that in the same or some other kinde neerly proportionable as we have done in sinning so God hath done to us in punishing 3. Observe advisedly the inditements which at such a time thy conscience shall bring-in against thee Conscience is a faithfull Register and what ever drowsinesse may possesse it in times of peace yet so soone â—s its netled and stung with the feare of approaching judgement or the sense of present smart it growes very clamarous and will give us information touching our estate both true enough and loud enough if wee list to heare and observe what it saith If a storm be toward the sea quickly foretokens it by its working and change of colour And in corrupt bodies the least alteration of the weather breeds a distemper in them So doe all outward change whether felt or feared worke strange alterations in the soule that 's tainted with the guilt of any foule transgressions Then be sinnes that were almost forgotten all mustered up together and brought to a fresh remembrance as if done but yesterday and if wee doe attentively marke what Conscience then pleads against us wee shall heare it ring in our eares such voices as these Loe seest thou not iudgement ready now to take hold on thee for such a sinne at such a time committed And thou beest remembred once thou committedst such a secret abomination now see God punisheth thee for it openly So many yeeres agoe such a villany was done by thee now at last God hath met with thee for it Admirable is the worke of Conscience in this regard and very remarkeable in the brethren of Ioseph They had sold their brother and couâ—ened their father and all was husht up for a long time After they goe downe to Egypt they are roughly used there by their unknowne brother imprisoned as Spies no entreaties nor apologies will serve their turne Now their sinne revives and their brother Ioseph comes into their mindes they cannot keepe it in their traiterous and unmercifull usage of their poore brother swels in their consciences and bursts forth at their tongues they cannot take so much time as till they bee all in private but even in Iosephs presence they must out with it Wee have sinned against our brother c. therefore is this trouble come upon us Gen. 42.21 So Iob in his elder yeares when he fell into those great calamities though a holy and good man yet confesseth that he smarted for the sinnes of his youth Thou writest bitter things against mee and makest mee to possesse the sinnes of my youth saith hee Iob 13.26 Sinne may be soone committed but t is not so soone forgotten God remembers it and Conscience registers it and an hundred yeares after the fact done a man may heare on 't againe to his woe and griefe By these three directions well observed wee may speedily attaine the knowledge of our sinne for which at any time Gods punishing hand lies upon us that so knowing where the disease lyeth we may with speedy successe apply the medicine of Repentance and true Reformation And so much of this point I goe forward For this cause many are weake For the abuse of the Sacrament in not discerning the Lords Body God plagued them in their owne bodies with diseases and death Hence the conclusion is That The abuse of spirituall good things causeth losse of bodily and temporall good things This is agreeable to reason and equity That where the greater good is despised there men should bee punished with deprivation of that good which is lesse in worth but more in their esteeme to the end that by the want of this they might learne to have a better regard unto the other They that abuse spirituall good things will much more abuse corporall good things wherefore God at once both prevents their sinne in these by taking them away and also punisheth their sinne in those by such a deprivation of these Besides it is the nature of sinne as it infects the soule so it hurts the body and all externall good things Adams abuse of the forbidden fruit brought destruction upon his soule and death upon his body and a curse upon all â—he world which God had given him as his patrimony and inheritance· No lesse dangerous is the abuse of the commanded fruit that wee so call Iesus Christ the Tree of Life in the Sacrament They that eate it worthily feed therby both soule and body they tâ—at profanely use it bring destruction upon both Godlinesse saâ—th the Apostle hath the promises of this life and that which is to come and therefore on the contrary Vngodlinesse hath the threatnings of both My sonne let thine heart keepe my commandements saith Salomon Prov. 3.1 If he doe it they shall bring him increase of daies prosperity favour in the sight of God and man health to his navell and marrow unto his bones with abundance unto his barnes and winepresses as it followes in the next verses of that Chapter So on the other side where God is disobeyed his Word and Ordinances despised there nothing thrives well neither for body nor name nor goods but sin like a blasting winde makes all to wither and fade away like a leafe This may lesson us two things 1. That if we would have our bodies and lives to be precious in Gods account we learn our selves to make precious account of his service and holy ordinances If wee contemne the sacred Body and Bloud of Christ and make no reckoning of his death it is but just with God to give up our vile and sinnefull bodies to bee as â—ung for the earth that sicknesse should consume us and the grave have dominion over us No marvell if we be left in bodily weaknesses when we labour not to feele the strengthening power and
Law to bring them to the Sacrament One would thinke that mens consciences should herein be a Law unto themselves and that there were no necessity to have a Statute for hungry men to eate or for sicke folke to take physicke But here is the intolerable infidelity and irreligion of our times did not feare of Law and shame of the world prevaile more with many than any benefit which they perceiue is to be gotteÌ„ by frequenting the Sacrament they that now come but seldome would come never they have no appetite to this spirituall bread their taste cannot rellish this Angels food and thence the Table of the Lord is contemptible in their eyes and their very soule loatheth this bread of heaven I confesse indeed that persecution is a sharpe spurre to put men on upon the diligent practice of all religious duties and so it was in the Primitive Church that the bitternesse of afflictions gave a sweeter relish to religion Neverthelesse they must needes be ill nurtured that will doe nothing without beating and very strange it is that men should constantly wait upon the service of God when paine and disgrace terrifie them from it and then fal off to neglect it when honour peace and liberty invite them to it And what my brethren had the bloud of Christ a fresher taste in these first ages after it was newly shed had his sacrificed body a more fragrant smell inviting the Saints like birds of prey to flye from far with maruellous swiftnesse unto this dead but yet all-quickning carkasse Hath it now through tract of time lost that swetnesse wherwith hertofore it cheared both God and Man No t is we have lost our senses our faith our zeale our love Christs bloud like the Manna in the Ark putrifies not but endureth for ever to feed us also in these last ages of the world unto everlasting life That fountain which was opened in his side runs yet afresh hath an everlasting vertue to cleanse us from the leprosie of sinne and to coole the heate of a weary soule inflamed with sin and the fire of Gods wrath only if we can be sensible of our thirst and that our hearts can pant after these waterbrooks running amaine unto them for refreshing when wee are furiously chased by our iniquities following us at the heeles Wherfore my beloved brethren let us be admonished henceforward to make conscience of frequenting the Lords Table so often as by fit opportunity wee may enjoy the benefit therof lest our lazie sloathfulnesse be at last punished for a profane contempt of the precious bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ. This be spoken of the first duety in comming to the Sacrament the next followes touching that which is to bee done about the celebration of it Now this is in general A soleme commemoration of the death of Christ expressed in those words Doe this in remembrance of me and in those Yee shew forth the Lords death till he come Which words doe summarily declare what was the end and intent of Christ in instituting this Sacrament and what is the duty which he requires of euery Christian in the solemnizing thereof namely That therin we should make a perpetuall commemoration of his death and passion unto the end of the world till hee come againe to iudgement Now this remembrance of the death of Christ in the Sacrament is to be taken in a double sense 1. In opposition to the outward Elements and Ceremonies in this Sacrament 2. In relation to those spirituall graces of the soule which are to bee exercised in this commemoration In the former must be shewed upon what our hearts thoughts must be fixed in the holy Sacrament namely not on the Elements and actions of the Sacrament but on Christ and his benefits all the desires of our soules must be towards him and to the remembrance of his Name In the latter it will appeare how in what manner our soules must be fixed on Christ namely not in a bare historicall remembrance of his sufferings but in a powerfull and gracious feeling of the vertue of his death working life and holinesse in our soules Of these two points in order and of the first briefly which is this That our thoughts are not to dwel upon the outward elements and actions of the Sacrament but from them to bee raised up to the meditation of Christs sufferings and the benefits we obtaine thereby Doe this in remembrance of mee saith Christ i. e. of my death and your redemption by it not Do this for it own sake looking no further than what is visible to your eies in the outward solemnity Never was any Ceremony legall Euangelicall appointed for its own worth as if either God were pleased or mans soulâ— edified in grace by such carnall observations For God is a Spirit and will alwayes be worshipped in spirit and truth and mans soule is a Spirit of a pure and immortal substance which cannot bee nourishd and maintained in life and strength by any outward fading thing or action but only by that which is proportionable to its owne celestiall and spiritual quality Now this alone is the grace and favour of God the treasurie and store-house wherof is the person of our ever-blessed Mediator Iesus Christ unto whom the ancient church was directed in all Leviticall observations to whom these Evangelicall Sacraments doe still direct us Wherefore you are againe to be admonished those especially of the younger sort That they do attentively observe what that thing is whereabouts all their meditations are to be employed in this sacred businesse Remember that here Christ crucified is all in al in every element in every action When thou seest the Bread and Wine separated by consecration unto this holy use thinke on Christ ordained and fore-appointed by the Father from everlasting unto the accomplishment of our redemption by his bloud-shedding When thou seest the Bread broken and the Wine powred forth thinke on Christ torne and rent in his precious body with stripes and wounds pained even to the death in his most holy soule full of the wrath of God indignation of the Almighty by whom he was smitten for thy sinnes and plagued for thy transgressions When the Minister offers to thee the bread wine think on Christ given unto thee of God freely and giving himselfe unto thee if thou wilt receive him When thou receivest and eatest these elements think on Christ that living Bread that gives life unto thy soule and by his merits preserves it from eternall death Knit thy heart unto him by the band of an holy faith throw thy selfe into his armes stretched out on the Crosse to embrace thee wash thy soule in his bloud that thou maist bee cleane hide thy selfe in the holes and clefts of this rocke from the stormy tempest of Gods wrath that iâ— mâ—y not touch thee put thine hands and thy fingers in his side and the prâ—nt of the nailes and cry out with that
of the Lord unworthily most shamefully abusing that to profanenes and impiety which God hath appointed for the exercise and increase of holinesse and true devotion Hitherto of the Sinne it selfe how and by whom it is committed In the next place wee must consider of the quality of it T is very hainous and they that commit it are guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. A very hard censure of a fault that seemes not to bee very great What to profane the Sacrament shall it bee counted murder and bloud-guiltinesse an abetting and consenting to the damnable fact of Iudas and the Iewes in crucifying the Lord of Life A very horrible offence But here not much out of the way let us learne one observation that may be of use to rectifie our judgements in this and other the like matters T is this The quality of Sinne is not to be measured by ours but by Gods Iudgement of it As the heavens are above the Earth so are my waies higher than your waies and my thoughts above your thoughts saith God Esay 55.8 T is true in all things and it holds in this also about the nature of siâ—ne God seeth not as man seeth he iudgeth not as man iudgeth T is as naturall to man to extenuate sinne as it is to sinne to make a small fault of a great and no fault of a little one Our love to the pleasure of sinne blindes our iudgement in discerning of its filthy nature Whence issued that notorious depravation of the Law of God by those favourable and flattering interpretations thereof which the Pharisees of old brought in and those of Rome still maintaine yea naturally every one of us allow them in our harts Alas what great harme can there be in 't to be rashly angry when a man 's urgâ—d to it to call our brother foole to looke on a woman with some ill desire and no more to sweare by Ierusalem by the Temple the Altar by ones Head this Hand this Light or such other little oathes these be small matters veniall sinnes and why should we bee so nice as not to thinke that the Pharisees were in the righâ— leaving out such petty matters as not forbidden by the Law True most men would thinke so but our great and onely Doctor Christ Iesus whom wee ought to heare hath taught us another lesson not to iudge any thing a toy and trifle that breakes Gods Law and brings the soule in danger of hell fire See Matth 5. For a man whose calling requires it not to reprove his brother when hee sees him runne into an ill coâ—rse and by loving rebuke to reclaime him woâ—ld be interpreted by most for a courtesie rather than an unkindnesse Why should he meddle and put his friend into melancholy provoke him to anger and dislike of him with many pretences See now what God iudges of this kinde-heartednesse he caâ—ls it hatred of our brother in plaine tearmes Levit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne upon him Saul had a faire excuse one would have thought the people must have a little content in the spoyle of the Amalekites and God must â—ave a sacrifice too if then something of the best bee spared from destruction will Samuel take it so hainously Yea that hee will and God also who by Samuel tells Saul that however he sleight the matter yet this his offence is Rebellion and that as bad as Witchcraft and that his transgrâ—ssion is Iniquity and Idolatry and that which will grieve Saul more than the losse of Gods favour he shall lose his Kingdome for it 1 Sam. 15. It s a small thing to eate an Apple true but t is a great matter to disobey God and if Adam transgresse though but in taking of an Apple he shall dye for it and all his posterity Nothing then is small whereupon depends the sanctity of Gods commandement and our obedience Now here you must remember that there 's a double reason why wee our selves are not equall judges of the nature and quality of sinne 1. Because we are the parties accused and impleaded as guilty of sin and therfore we cannot be equall arbitrators in our owne cause where love of sin and of our selves must needs make us partiall 2. Our judgement is not the rule of righteousnesse but only Gods will and Gods law Hee is Iudge and the only Lâ—â—-giver that must save or destroy acquit or condemne He is the person offended that only can without partiality interpret the quality of the offence Let this then bee a caution to make us looke about us and advise what we have to do when wee deale with sinne We know not what we goe about when we meddle with it it 's like entermedling with State businesses a small matter as a word misplaced a circumstance not observed throwes a man before hee is aware into a Premunire or Treason Power is in the hand of a King and t is hee must interpret how farre hee takes himselfe wronged by the attempt So in sinne when wee meddle with it wee meddle with God our chiefest Soveraigne Lord our allegiance to heaven is streight-waies called in question every offence in this case is Capitall and incurres the punishment of rebellion Wherefore it concernes us so to thinke of sinne as God speakes of it and in this point lesse than in any to leane unto our owne wisedome but to be rul'd by his All our Distinctions Extenuations Qualifications Rejections upon other good Intentions with a thousand such other shifts will vanish away into horror and utter confusion when God shall lay righteousnesse in the ballance and censure our sinnes according to his most impartiall and exact judgement Thus much I thought it not amisse to obserue by the way seeing the Apostle seemes to goe farre in censuring this sinne of unworthy communicating to be no lesse fault than guiltinesse of bloud that wee may not thinke the Spirit of God here speaks by an Hyperbole but that we may learne as here so in other things to bring ouâ— judgements to his and not to qualifie his by our Rhetoricall devices Wee must now proceede to enquire what the Apostle meanes when hee saith that such as eate and drinke unworthily are guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. By the body and bloud of the Lord he meanes the Death of Christ Iesus whose body was crucified and his bloud shed by the Iewes But here the question is how such as profane the Sacrament are guilty of Christs death I answer Guiltinesse of a fault reacheth partly to the Actors partly to the Abettors of it such as give counsell and ayd to the doing or consent to it when t is done Those are the principall these the accessory and in all crimes that are capitall the same punishment is due unto both Now the Iewes were the principall actors and so in the first place guilty of
not limited to this or that time Sinne is deceitfull and our hearts may be hardened by such carelesnesse A godly man is not so priviledged but hee may receive the Sacrament unworthily comming to it in a carelesse and prophane manner And therefore these Graces must ever more be set aworke and fresh meanes still useth for their increase We have done with the sin of Prophanation of the Lords Table in Vnworthy receiving of those holy mysteries mentioned vers 27. We have also shewed what is the meanes whereby that sinne may be avoided which is due examination of a mans selfe spoken of vers 28. Wee must now goe forward unto the punishment of this sinne when men come unto the Sacrament unworthily this is set downe vers 29. in these words For hee that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe not discerning the Lords body These words containe a plaine declaration of that danger whereinto men runne who neglecting duely to examine themselves approach unworthily to the Table of the Lord. They bring themselves in danger of damnation that do so and therfore they had need be very wary circumspect with what minde and how disposed they venture to come unto the Sacrament In the words we have two parts First The sin of unworthy receiving the Sacrament mentioned before verse 27. Here againe repeated with an addition of an interpretation what is meant by eating and drinking unworthily For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily But how is that done the last words of the verse shew it Not discerning the Lords Body Secondly The punishment that 's inflicted upon this sinne which is Damnation or Iudgement in these words Hee eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe Touching the sinne of eating and drinking unworthily we have spoken at large heretofore for the present I shall only adde a word or two concerning that clause which the Apostle addes by way of interpretaton viz· Not discerning the Lords Body The meaning of the phrase is not obscure To discern the Lords Body is to put a right difference between the outward Elements in the Sacrament and common bread and wine This difference is not at all in substance but in the use the one is profane the other sacred being set apart to signifie unto us the benefits of Christs death passion He then that toucheth these outward Elements without any due regard unto their mysticall use as they set forth unto us our Redemption by the Body and Bloud of Christ but useth them as he would doe his ordinary food hee discerneth not the Lords Body because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he separateth not nor putteth any distinction between the holy and profane but useth that which is sacred in a profane manner Of such that doe this there are two sorts 1. One Ignorant that know not the signification and use of these things who come unto the Sacrament upon meere outward respects without all regard to the spirituall use of it They know not poore soules what it is to feed on Christ by Faith how his flesh becomes meat indeed his bloud drinke indeed unto them they have no skill in such mysteries as these Bread and Wine they see upon a Table and some extraordinary solemnity in the distribution thereof and therefore as at a great mans table they behave themselves soberly and mannerly and that 's all the devotion they have or thinke they need to have 2. Another sort are Negligent persons that know well enough the end and use of these things but by reason of security with other worldly and wicked affections they become carelesse and unprofitable partakers of these holy mysteries They stirre not up their hearts unto the exercise of these heavenly graces unto worthy receiving They strive not for more assurance of Faith in laying hold on the promise of grace offered them in Christ their hearts are not touched with greater sorrow for sinne that hath crucified Christ nor more ardent love unto Christ who by his bloud hath washed away their sinnes nor spirituall joy in Christ who hath done so great things for them Their resolutions of obedience unto Christ are not quickned with more vigor and constancy than before But in this and all other graces they are as they were not a whit amended and increased by this so holy meanes as God hath of purpose appointed for the nourishment of grace in the heart and obedience in life Both these sorts are faulty in not discerning the Lords Body the one not doing it at all the other no◠as they should doe it As in the time of the Ceremoniall Law these that observed the Legall Ceremonies either without knowledge of their use or without true devotion in faith and obedience both did profane them so is it still in these ceremonies of the Gospell They doe not discerne Lords Body who either mistake the shadow for the substance ignorantly supposing nothing else is to be looked after but that which is visible in the outward Ceremony or who know whereto these Sacramentall Ceremonies tend but out of negligent profanenesse use them not with that spiritual affection which is agreeable to the institution of God Of the two faults t is hard to say which is greater and which the Apostle most chargeth the Corinthians withal or whether both alike They were a Church but newly converted from Gentilisme out of whom t was hard to take away on a sudden their former ignorance and profanenesse They had been instructed but yet they might in many things be mis-led through blindnesse Neverthelesse profanenesse seemes to have borne the greatest sway amongst them offending not so much because they knew not what was their duety about the Sacrament as for that they cared not to observe it The conclusion that ariseth from these words of the Apostle is this in the generall The worship of God is then profaned when the Ceremony and outward worke thereof is performed but the spirituall inward service neglected Bread and Wine breaking powring out distributing eating and drinking all these things are but sensible representations of spiritiuall good things they are the shadow but the substance is Christ and therefore if the heart dwell only upon these outward Ceremonies and Christ be neglected the Sacrament without all doubt is profaned God hath appointed those things to helpe our infirmity thereby to ascend unto higher matters but not to nourish is in our weaknesse still to gaze on transitory outward things This is a generall rule not for Sacraments alone but in every part whatsoever of Gods most holy worship The service of God during the time of the Law consisted much of carnall ordinances as the Apostle calls the Sacrifices Meates Drinkes divers Washings with such like outward observations in the Iewish Church Heb. 9.10 But yet then in these carnall ordinances there was a spirituall worship required namely that these things were to bee observed with knowledge in fath in zeale to Gods glorie and with reformation of life
comfort of the Sacrament in our soules If we dishonour God in despising his Word and Sacraments and Ministers t is equall that hee should poure contempt upon us and give up our names for a reproach upon earth They only can expect that God should have a tender regard of their lives and health and credit and other good things they enjoy who have themselves a dutifull respect of his glory and doe with all thankfulnesse and good conscience receive and use the favour and meanes of grace he bestowes on them 2. This shewes the cause why many times those that professe true Religion fare worse than others in regard of so many troubles and afflictions as betide them more than others The reason is because as the spirituall good things which God bestoweth on his Church are greater than any other favours which he imparts unto other men so is their abuse of them more highly displeasing unto God than others contempt of more inferiour favours But of this I have spoken largely upon the 29. verse therefore I doe but name it now To proceed Many among you are sicke c. Many The sinne of profaning the Sacrament was not a particular private sinne of some one or few among the Corinthians but it was a publike disorder and a common fault of the greatest part Now accordingly the punishment lights not upon a few here and there one but upon Many as there were many that had sinned But yet touching the community of these judgements upon the Corinthian Church it is to be noted that they were not such iudgements as came indifferently upon the City of Corinth For then they might have replyed that these sicknesses and death came not upon them for their profanation of the Sacrament seeing they lighted as well upon the rest of the Idolatrous Citizens Wherefore as the sinne was peculiar unto the Christians that were in Corinth so also were these punishments in some speciall extraordinary manner inflicted on them whereby it appeared that God singled them out in speciall for their foule profanation of his most holy worship The practicall conclusion hence is That Common sins have common punishments When the Vlcer is spread over the whole body a Plaister is ill applied but unto one part Where God comes to cure hee fits his medicine to the disease and were hee comes to kill his consuming wrath runnes so farre as doth the over-flowing of iniquity in that place wherewith hee hath to deale If hee bee to punish a whole world after hee hath provided for the safety of his Church all the rest perish to the last man If he be to destroy a Sodome wherein there is not one righteous they shall die every mothers sonne of them This may teach us a twofold lesson 1. That if wee will escape from common plagues wee learne to live free from common sinnes Let us not partake with others in their sinnes lest wee also share with them in their punishments Flee out of the middest of Babel and deliver every man his soule be not destroyed in her iniquity saith the Prophet Ieremy Chapt. 51.8 unto the Iewes residing at Babylon in Chaldea Go out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sinnes and that yee receive not of her plagues saith the voice from heaven unto the godly abiding in the mysticall Romish Babylon Let us now follow this admonition and withdraw our selves from amongst all ungodly persons in the world not in place for then we must goe out of the world but in our love and practice of their wicked doings that in nothing wee have fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse How shall wee doe this yee will say The best way we can follow is this Learne to mourne for common sinnes and so thou shalt bee sure to live free from them Put on that holy affection which was in David Let thine eyes runne with rivers of waters because men forsake Gods Law Make not thy selfe sport with other mens â—innes but when thou lookest on them let thine eye breake thy heart with godly sorrow for the Irreligious contempt of Gods Word and Worship the pride the excesse the oppression the swearing the drunkennesse that fills every corner of the Land If there bee any sparke of true love to the Church and State wherein thou livest if any pity of the soules of thy brethren let it grieve thy soule to see men post madly unto destruction and weepe in secret to see the measure of iniquity rising up to the brimme to the hastening of destruction upon Church and State Bee a mourner in Zion and so escape the punishment of the sinners in Zion that when feare and confusion takes hold on them thou maist be marked out to safety and deliverance Other meanes to provide for thy welfare in common calamities there is none at all As for such as will continue to be as bad as the worst and yet hope by finenesse of wit and policy to speed as well as the best let such scornfull men and mockers of Gods counsell reade with attention that excellent place Esa. 28.14 seq Where they may see such their vaine confidence pulled downe to the dust in the example of others that have likewise trusted to it and bin confounded 2. Wee learne hence what to judge of any Christian Church when once corruptions grow common and overspreading all If God begin once to take in hand to punish such a Church will it be thinke you some light touch and easie afflictioâ— Nay Flagellum mundans an over-flowing scourge is then to be expected a scourge that shall go thorough every quarter of the Church to whip out from thence those that have polluted and defiled it by their abomination in every place These Corinthians were but a poor handfull of people newly drawn out of Gentilisme in one no very great City yet see how sharply the Lord deals with them for this one abuse of the Sacrament Many of those that in all were but a few are severely punished for it What then and how sore wil be the judgements of such Churches which have flourished 〈…〉 extent aboundance oâ— peace 〈◊〉 â—ight and liberty of the Gospell so long wherein yet the fruits of Obedience worthy of so unspeakable mercies aâ—e not to be found Iudgement is already begun at the house of God and wee cannot but with bleeding hearts bewaile the wofull desolations come upon some and the utter ruine threatned unto all forraine Churches Oh my beloved brethren let us pray dayly and fervently that the Lord would now say to his destroying Angell It is sufficient Hold now thy hand That he would make warres to cease unto the ends of the earth that hee would give peace to them his people who want it that he will continue peace to us his people that yet enjoy it That the cup of his furious indignation wherof so many nations of the earth have beene made to drinke may not passe over unto us but the dregges thereof if any remaine may rather bee powred out upon the nations that know him not nor call upon his Name but amongst us for ever may his Gospell flourish upon us bee his peace and protection unto the worlds end Amen O Lord for thy Son Christs sake I come to the last words Many weak sick many sleep Here is the punishment in the three degrees of it 1. Weaknesses viz. the first languishing of the body and inclination unto diseases 2. Sicknesses the next degree when diseases had fully seazed on the body 3. Death the last degree and complement of both the former Now of the two first degrees which were the lesser evills the Apostle saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Multi Many were afflicted with them but of the third the greater evill namely Death he alters the word and saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satis multi not a few were dead though not so many as weake and sicke From this diversity in these punishments observe we in the last place That God in punishing man for sin orders his punishments differently according to the quality of the offence and party offending Some sinnes are of deeper dye than others and require more washing to 〈◊〉 them off Some are like unto humors seâ—led in the body which require stronger potions to purge them out others be as some infirmities newly fallen upon the body which are cured by medicines of weaker ingredients As when men have made a bargaine men will haue earnest or so to confirme it so is the Sacrament to confirme the Covenant FINIS a 1 Cor. 11.21 â—2 b 1 Cor. 11.25 c Maldon in Iohn 6. d Aug de merit peccat l 1. c. 24 passiâ— alibi Tert. l. 4. adver Marcion Amb. l 3 Sacr. c â— followed by some in Bohemia Chry. praelect Chron. Russia O dorbard de Relig. Rus. e Exod. 4.8 f Hieron Paulino g Latens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. De Gub. l. 4. Ioâ— 7.17 * 1 Sam. 30.12 * See the book of Canons Sal. de Gub. l. 4. 5. Matth. 1â— 9. Mat. 23.29 c Prov. 29.27 De Gub. l. 8. Heb. 9.10 Ioh 4. * Zanch observat in con fess suam de Relig. Christiana in cap. 16. appor 10. * Ioh 3.17.18.19 2. Thes 2.12 1. Tim. 3.12 * Hos. 5.13 7.11 They call to Egypt they goe to Ashur Lam. 1. ver 1. * Vers. 14. * Vers. 18. * Vers. 20. Men sharpliest punished for those sinnes they have committed with greatest pleasure and security Psal. 119.136 Ezek. 9.4.5.6