ought not to have been arraigned coram non Judice as neither the cleer points of faith The time puls me by the eare and therefore for close as deceivers have the Serpents subtilty so get you the Serpents wisdom and if I were to prescribe prophylacticks or preservatives I would exhort you 1 To hold the head and so to fortifie the vitals from this epidemick infection Col. 2. 19. 2 To pursue practicall doctrine solid meat and let alone these sweet meats the tree of knowledge is fair to look on the tree of life better to feed on 3 Affect not things above the Word a holiness a zeal a knowledge above what is written Eve went some what further then Gods Word gave warrant when she replied neither shall ye touch it so there are many will say This is the holier way this is the better not having any Word for it 4. Avoid the house of infection the Fowlers net From such turn away faith the Scripture if the woman will confer with the Serpent you see what comes on it it 's the itch and pride after novelties that exposes us to temptations FINIS Vines on the Sacrament A TREATISE OF THE Right Institution Administration and Receiving of the SACRAMENT OF THE Lords-Supper Delivered in XX SERMONS at St Laurence-Jury London By the late Reverend and Learned Minister of the Gospel Mr Richard Vines sometime Master of Pembroke-Hall in Cambridge LONDON Printed by A. M. for Thomas Underhill at the Anchor and Bible in Pauls Church-yard near the little North-door 1657. TO THE READER THe Posthumous Works of Learned Writers like fatherless Children are exposed to many wrongs and injuries Yea such hath been the fraud of some Impostors in the Church that they have taken away the live children of famous men and put their dead ones in the room Hence are those spurious and supposititious Books which have wandered up and down with their counterfeit Passes That therefore no suspicious thoughts may possess thee concerning this Treatise which is here published under the Name of that Learned and Eminent man Mr Vines I do upon sure and unquestionable Evidences give my publick Testimony that it is his proper and genuine Work printed by the Copy that was written with his own hand Thy Well-wisher ANTHONY BURGESSE Sutton-Coldfield Sep. 20. 1656. THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. OF the Passeover or Paschal Lamb It 's signification and the Analogy or Resemblance between it and Christ our Passeover CHAP. II. Of Errours and Corruptions in the Church How soon they spring up When they are a ground of Separation and when not That this Ordinance must be sutable to Gods Institutions And the Communicants must be sutable to this Ordinance CHAP. III. That the Lord Jesus is the Author of this Sacrament CHAP. IV. Of the time of this Sacraments Institution and of Judas betraying Christ CHAP. V. Why Christ deferred the instituting of the Supper untill the night in which he was betrayed CHAP. VI. Of the Outwards or Elements of this Ordinance of the Supper CHAP. VII Some Observations upon the precedent Discourses CHAP. VIII Of the Real Presence CHAP. IX Of the inward things signified or represented in this Supper CHAP. X. A fonr-fold Exhortation from the premises CHAP. XI Of Christs Mandate or Charge for the celebration of this Ordinance in Remembrance of him CHAP. XII Of doing this in remembrance of Christ The Properties of this Memorial CHAP. XIII A Lamentation for the neglect of this Ordinance CHAP. XIII How much it concerneth Ministers to Teach and all to Learn the true meaning of this Ordinance CHAP. XIV The great Business that lies upon the Communicant as oft as he eats this Bread and drinks this Cup he shews the Lords Death CHAP. XV. The Lords-Supper is an itterable Ordinance CHAP. XVI Of the Continuance of this and other Gospel-Ordinances in the Church CHAP. XVII Of Worthy and Unworthy Receiving of the Lords-Supper CHAP. XVIII The Uses which are to be made of the two last Theses CHAP. XIX What must be done where Discipline cannot be executed for want of Administrators CHAP. XX. Whether a Godly man lawfully may or ought to stand as a Member of and hold Communion in the Ordinances of God with such a Congregation as is mixt as they call it that is where men visibly scandalous in Life and Conversation are mingled with the Good in the Participation and use of Divine Ordinances Or Whether this Mixture of Heterogeneals do not pollute the Ordinances and the Communion to the Godly so as they are concerned to separate from such Communion CHAP. XXI Whether the Lords Supper be a Converting Ordinance CHAP. XXII Of Worthy and Unworthy Receiving with some Cautions to prevent mis-judging our selves in the Case CHAP. XXIII Of Worthy Receiving c. CHAP. XXIV That a Godly man may receive the Sacrament unworthily CHAP. XXV Of the Graces which are to be exercised and set on work in the Use of this Sacrament CHAP. XXVI Motives to quicken Endeavors to a fit or worthy Participation of this Ordinance CHAP. XXVII False and insufficient Qualifications for the Receiving of this Sacrament CHAP. XXVIII The Fruit and Benefit of worthy Receiving CHAP. XXIX The Sinfulness of Eating and Drinking unworthily CHAP. XXX The Cause of this Sin Viz. Not discerning the Lords Body CHAP. XXXI The Aggravations of the Sin of unworthy Receiving CHAP. XXXII The Danger of this Sinne. CHAP. XXXIII Of Examination in order to this Sacrament The Bookseller to the READER THis Treatise was very fairly writ by the Reverend Authour Mr Richard Vines now with God and perfected for the Press with his own Hand after which a great part of it was lost and carried by a stranger that took it up thirty miles off which yet by a good Providence of God was brought to his own hands again to his great rejoycing and I hope the Churches great benefit which seems to be the design of that unexpected Providence now that it is made publick He omitted to divide it into Chapters and Sections for the pleasure of the Reader which notwithstanding is now done together with the Contents of every Chapter and of most of the Sections which I thought good to certifie lest any expressions therein should seem unsuitable to the Authours own Genius and derogatory to his worth A TREATISE OF THE Right Institution Administration and Receiving of the SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SUPPER CHAPTER I. Of the Passeover or Paschall-Lamb Its signification and the Analogy or Resemblance between it and Christ our Passeover 1 COR. 5. 7 8. For Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us Therefore let us keep the Feast not with old leven c. §. 1. IT is usuall in handling the nature and use of Sacraments to begin with the notion of a Sacrament in generall and then to descend to particular Sacraments which we call Baptism and the Lords Supper in their order But the Field is large and the compasse great and therefore I begin where the Lords Supper
and let us cast out the incestuous Corinthians out of our Society for he is a leven ver 6 7. and let us purge out of our selves malice wickednesse c. For they are leven ver 8. that we may be a holy Congregation and a holy people and so the argument of the Apostle stands thus from the example of the Old Passeover Those for whom Christ the Passeover is sacrificed ought as holy Congregations and holy people to be unleavened with sin and wickednesse and to walk before God in an unleavened sincerity but for us Christ the Passeover is sacrificed therefore let us keep the Feast c. I have explained the words and now we shall consider this Passeover two waies 1. As a Sacrifice or figure of a Sacrifice and so it refers to Christ our Passeover Christ is sacrificed for us 2. As a Sacrament and so it relates to us and shews us our duty upon that Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us keep the Feast The Sacrifice is given for us the Sacrament is given to us From the first Our Passeover is Christ sacrificed for us We have a Doct. Our Passeover is Christ sacrificed for us Passeover but it is Christ sacrificed And here before I shew the Analogy or resemblance between the Passeover and Christ we shall note three or four things §. 3. 1. They in the Old Church of Israel had Christ as well though not so clear as we 1 Cor. 10. 4. The Rock that followed our Fathers in the Wildernesse was Christ the Passeover was Christ the personall Types such as Isaac on the Wood the reall Types as their bloudy Sacrifices were Christ He was then in his swadling clouts swathed up in shadows and types and not naked as now Gal. 3. 1. those Types being anatomized unbowelled are full of Gospel full of Christ the death of Christ pecus prosunt quam fuit saith Bernard de coena Christ is the marrow in the bone the kernell in the shell yesterday and to day and the same for ever the summe and sweet of all Ordinances therefore those that say they were filled with temporall promises but had no spirituall derogate too much from them as that they were Swine filled with husks and speak a wondrous Paradox that those that had so much faith Heb. 11. should have no Christ we give them the right hand of fellowship and they were the elder brother yet we have the double portion §. 4. 2. Mark the form of speech Christ our Passeover that is our Paschall Lamb which is also called the Passeover Exod. â—2 â—1 Kill the Passeover Now the Passeover properly was the Angels passing over the Israelites houses and not the Lamb but we must learn to understand Sacramentall phrases the signe called the thing signified the figure called the thing figured The Rock was Christ Christ our Passeover that is paschal Lamb Circumcision called the Covenant Gen 17. 13. My Covenant shall be in your flesh this will be allowed in every place but one and that is this one This is my body For the Lutheran stands up for a corporall presence under the Signes The Papist for a change of the Bread and Wine into Christs body and bloud No conferences no disputes no condescensions will satisfie them and yet we say very fairly the very body of Christ born of the Virgin that died on the Crosse that sits in heaven is present in this Sacrament but not in the Bread or Wine but to the faithfull Receiver not in the Elements but to the Communicants but all this will not serve turn These two Prepositions Con and Trans have bred more jarres and cost more bloud since they were born and there is neither of them in this cause six hundred years old then can be well imagined §. 4. 3. The Passeover figured Christ and yet the Jews ordinarily saw not Christ in it It is plain in their celebration of the Passeover or their Rituals they take notice of and commemorate their Egyptian slavery and their deliverance and so they were commanded but of Christ not a syllable It entred not into them that a Lamb rosted should figure the Messiah as they had formed him in their thoughts and so they held the Passeover as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looking backward but as a Type looking forward no knowledge except the faithfull had some glimpse of it and this is the great fault of men in all Sacraments they minde not the inwards of a Sacrament nor look for the kernell they did so and we also not discerning the Lords body is not that it which makes us guilty of his body and bloud there is in all Sacraments res terrena res coelestis as Irenaeus Earthly men see the earthly part they eat they drink It feeds not they eat shells the inwards within the bone are marrow Christ Christ set spirituall food before our bodies viz. ayery set corporall before the soul and you illude both saith Parisiensis de Euchar sub finem §. 5. â— The Passeover is Christ sacrificed not Christ a Lamb unspotted but Christ a Lamb rosted with fire and this tels you that the Passeover and our Supper represent Christ crucified Christ dying or dead It is the death of Christ not his Resurrection nor ascension that is here set forth Ye shew the Lords death till he come this is the sight which a sinful soul would see this is the comfortable spectacle to see the price paying the ransome laying down the thing in doing Hence he draws the hope and comfort of Redemption and therefore the bread was broken and the Cup was full of bloud to represent to the life this life giving Death to Christ The Papists have cheated the people of the bloud by a trick of concomitancy telling them that the bread is his body and his body hath bloud in it we have a word of Institution of both severally the life of the representation is the bloud shed the Passeover is a Lamb slain and rosted and the bloud on the doorposâ— and by providence if the Papists will allow all to eat then we have expresly for the Cup a Bibite ex hoc omnes Mat. 26. 27. Drink ye all of it So that it is the Death of Christ here represented and which is one step further it is a Sacrifice Death which works and makes atonement this was it that all the Sacrifices that the Passeover did prefigure a Sacrifice death that should deliver and make expiation This Cup saith Christ is the New Testament in my bloud which is shed for you and many for remission of sins a death and such a kinde of death as in our Sacrament set forth a Sacrifice Death therefore it 's said sacrificed for us §. 7. Now let us come to the Analogy or resemblance between the Passeover and Christ sacrificed wherein I shall The resemblance between the Passeover and Christ sacrificed endeavour to avoid the vanity and curiosity of making similitudes to
Christ John 19. 36. So much for the Passeover as a Sacrifice or as the figure of our Sacrifice and theirs Christ Jesus §. 8. Now we proceed to consider it as a Sacrament not ours but theirs nor yet a figure of our Sacrament in Considered as a Sacrament propriety though often so called in transiâ—â— and much contended for by Papists For what Jew could ever have found out our Supper figured in that Passeover and in what propriety can our Sacrament be the Sacrament of another Christ is the res Sacramenti of theirs and ours there they meet as the inward Circumcision and Regeneration is the thing of their Circumcision and our Baptism but that one Sacrament should be the figure of another is absurd and void of reason As two pictures of one man are both resemblances of that one man but one is not the picture of another and yet because the Passeover hath the common nature of a Sacrament doth set forth the same Christ as our Supper and that the Apostle draws an Argument from it to perswade Gospel-Christians to holiness Therefore we shall consider what significancy there is in it for though the signs be not ours yet the significancy is §. 9. First The Passeover or Paschal Lamb as killed and rosted and the blood sprinkled was a Sacrifice The signification of the Passeover as eaten by the Israelites and feasted upon it was a Sacrament and in after-times both by Jewish Records and by Scripture I conceive it appears 2 Chro. 3â— 11. Ezra 6 20. that the Levites killed the Paschals the Priests sprinkled the bloud on the Altar and then they took the Lamb to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Families or Chambers in Jerusalem and there did eat it so in our Supper there is a Sacrifice slain and offer'd up for atonement and that is Christ his body and bloud and then there is an eating and drinking of this Sacrifice in the Sacrament of bread and wine as in many Sacrifices of the Law there was first an offering up to â—od and then a feasting on the remainder we have a true Sacrifice Christ offer'd up to God for us we have a true Sacrament as that Sacrifice is eaten and drunk by us the oblation belongs to God to propitiate and redeem the communication belongs to us to be refresht and nourisht their eating the Passeover was no Sacrifice but a Sacrament our eating and drinking bread and wine is no Sacrifice but a Sacrament their killing and rosting of the Lamb made it eatable Christ his sacrificing of himself for us renders him fit nourishment to us Had he not been a Sacrifice offer'd up for us what profit had there been in eating and drinking sacramentally and spiritually that body and bloud This consideration is of special remark you feast upon a sacrifice you live you feed upon a sacrifice tolle Sacrificium tolle Sacramentum the mouth eats the Sacrament the eye of faith discerns the sacrifice Christ is the sacrifice the Sacrament no sacrifice but the commemoration and communication of a sacrifice and here the reason must be observed why God did institute their Passeover and our answerable Sacrament to consist in meat and drink eating and drinking and I conceive thus thâ—t it being the most proper way to partake of a sacrifice for how else can it be Therefore we eat and drink in way of participation of our sacrifice Hence the phrase Living upon Heb. 13. 10. the Altar eating of the Altar and thus if we carry our eye to the earthly part in the Supper and to the heavenly part that is to the Sacrament and the sacrifice represented and feed upon the sacrifice represented as well as the Sacrament representing we then discern the Lords body This is the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de hoc plus intra 2. Their Passeover was instituted as an Ordinance for ever for a memorial of their Deliverance in Aegypt and their eduction out of it a commemoration it was and to be observed for ever that is in all succeeding generations whiles their Polity and Religion stood Exod. 12. 14 24 42. and therefore we read in Jewish Writers and there is some foot-step or original of it Exod. 26. 27. What mean you by this service that in every company of Passeover-communicants there was some one that rehearsed and made commemoration Haggadah shet pesuch the history Buxtâ—rf Chal. Lexic of the Passeover and so God that would have the sacrifice of Christ for our sinne that greatest work of his and our deliverance thereby from worse then Aegypt or destroying Angel to be observed and kept in minde by a lasting trophy or monument viz our Supper The Apostle in allusion to their custome useth a word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— Cor. 11. 26. Ye do shew As often as ye eat this bread and drink this Cup ye do shew forth the Lords death till he come or ye do commemorate and with affection and thanksgiving set it forth and as theirs was for ever till Christs first coming so ours is for ever till his second coming so long as their Church continued they were charged with this Ordinance so long as the Gospel-Church continues they are charged with this and therefore neither of the Doctrine of the Gospel nor of the Sacraments shall there be any removal or alteration till Christ come 3. Their Passeover in Aegypt was eaten in their several Families or societies A Lamb for a house except it were too little Exod. 12. 3 4. and in aâ—ter times when this was repeal'd Deut. 16. 6 7. and was confined to the place that God should chuse and so to Jerusalem then though the Lamb might be slain in the holy Court and the bloud sprinkled on the Altar yet they did carry it home to their hired chambers and there did eat in companies not less then ten in a fraternity Joseph de bello lib. 7. cap. 17. nor above twenty but no man alone Solum epulari non licet saith Joseph Christ and his company made one society so though Christ be our Sacrifice once offer'd up upon the cross a sacrifice to God yet doth our Supper bring him home to us into our Churches and into our souls There is an application of him to be made the bloud sprinkled on our doors the Paschal brought home to our own house Take ye Eat ye Drink ye God comes to particulars with us and the application of the sacrifice is the life of the Sacrament we must eat and drink at home in our own souls Christ comes home to us and yet this Supper ought as the Passeover to be eaten in societies I know no reason for one alone there must be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a company for it is a communion one makes not a communion The Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 20. When you come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into a meeting v. 33 34. when you come together tarry one for another hence it hath been anciently
and end of the Lords Supper The Apostle had found great fault with the Corinthians manner of communicating to prevent By what rule men are to examine whether they come worthily to the Lords Supper which he gives one short Rule in these words Let a man examine himself but he sets down no form of this self-examination He doth not answer the question How Yea he delivers the institution of Christ in all points as that Rule to square the Communicant For if a man do rightly calculate he shall finde that here is presented and represented the closest union and communion of the soul with Christ the most spiritual intimacy the most humbling and passionate prospect of a broken Christ the most refreshing water that runs out of that smitten Rock the most real exhibition and affording of this to me and indeed the sweetest and neerest entercourse with our Lord is here set forth as in no other Ordinance for the manner of it and then what doth this bespeak Doth a feast so set forth bespeak a swine Are Superstition Ignorance Prophaneness fit garments to come in to such a Supper Are those Christ-killing-sinnes of ours which caused this breaking of him fit companions for us to bring to the eating of him That is as if we should bring to the Lords Table the bloudy knife that killed him Let a man but use his reason with his faith and ask this broken bread this poured wine what they mean or what they speak and they will tell him enough whereby he may examine himself and this is Chemnitius his Rule for examination Chem. Exam. de preperatione whom a great man of this Nation saith to be the best Scholar of all the Lutherans Sic inquit Montacut origenes Use The result of all that hath been said comes to these two instructions pertaining either to Minister or people or both 1. That this Ordinance of the Supper be suitable to the Exod. 25. 40. Heb. 8. 5. institution of Christ 2. That the Communicant be suitable to the Ordinance and then both things which the Apostle speaks unto here both sorts of abuses or corruptions whether in the Ordinance or of the Communicants are set to rights and all is right §. 18. 1. That the Ordinance be suitable to the institution For see saith he that thou make all things according to This Ordinance must be administred according to Gods institution the pattern shew'd thee in the Mount Moses had no liberty to vary from the matter or form or any particular and have not we an institution and the pattern of this Ordinance set before us not in the Mount but in the upper-room where Christ celebrated the first Supper and gave forth a hoc facite This do as oft as ye do it hoc facite is as much as See that ye make or do all things according to the pattern The Apostles were not now at a Councel-Table with their Lord to give their vote what manner of Sacrament should be appointed but as guests to take and eat at present such cheer as the Master set before them and in after-times to do This Do this in remembrance of me and yet our Lord Christ would have his Ordinances administred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decently Clemens the ancientest of Fathers in his Epistle to these Corinthians hath an excellent saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We ought to do all those things orderly which our Master hath commanded us to do For Christ himself was no friend to slovenliness or loathsome nastiness as one observes Hildersam in John 4. out of that Mark 14. 15. He shall shew you an upper room furnished and prepared but presumption is bold Superstition adventurous as if it was called to councel with God makes no bones of clipping his coyn and therefore this Sacrament hath been filled with many devices and long groaned under their inventions which after long possession plead prescription and come in after-times to be counted parts which at first were but scabs or wens The Apostle did not durst not deliver but what he had received but they that have lesse power than the Apostle dare deliver what they received not and by adding or substracting do plainly finde fault with Gods own model Why should the Papist give into the mouth of his Communicant a whole wafer but that he is afraid to break the bread least some loose crums should fall Why doth he cheat the people wholly of the Cup but upon pretence that a drop of the bloud might be shed or spilt May we not think that they are too nice and more scrupulous than Christ at whose breaking bread there might fall crums and in the Apostles drinking drops from the cup Superstition is foolish that pretends holiness and corrupts Ordinances and had rather make than take a Sacrament We have the Minister in the name and stead of Christ Jesus if this be denied as it is by some I shall at present affirm but this That the reverend and most ancient Father Justin Martyr in his second Apology to the Roman Emperour written about fifty years after the death of John the Apostle sets out as I shall shew you the full manner of their administration of this Sacrament and therein saith the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Minister doth pour forth prayer and gives thanks over the bread and wine which I can give no account of private corners hath been practised in the Christian Churches till this very time and year being 1500 years at least The Minister takes the bread and likewise takes the Cup. He gives thanks or blesseth over the Bread and Cup He breaks the Bread he saith Take ye eat ye drink ye He pronounces This bread is the body of our Lord Jesus Christ This Cup is the New Testament in his bloud You do take you eat you drink This the Minister doth this you do for a remembrance and commemoration of Christ shewing forth his death and this is an Ordinance sutable to the institution §. 19. 2. That the Communicant be sutable to the Ordinance When the Song is truly set and prickt the singer must Of worthy communicating keep time and tune or else all is not right The Papists have the Ordinance unsuitable to the institution and we alas have Communicants unsuitable to the Ordinance That word which follows in this Chapter that dangerous word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unworthily what is it but unsutably we must measure and fashion the Communicant by the Ordinance He must of necessity be a Disciple to such Christ spoke Take ye eat ye c. not as ye are Apostles but as Disciples He must bring with him a Christ receiving or a Christ applying faith for Take Eat without a hand or mouth of the soul he cannot He must come with hunger and thirst for strength and refreshment for he doth come to a Table to eat and drink the staff of bread the cordial cheering wine This strength and nourishment is by
Legacy bestowed is himself and all spiritual benefits with him My body and bloud The heirs are all believers Disciples The Executours for the outward part are those to whom he saith Hoc facite do this execute this my Will The Witnesses are the Evangelists and Saint Paul Here is a perfect sealing then of a Testament which is of force by the death of the Testatour and nothing must be added or taken away for it is a Will sealed and Gal. 3. 15. publisht 2. To leave it as his ultimum vale or last memorial Aug. Epist 118 of precious relish and esteem when men are going then they give memorial gifts unto their friends then they give their pictures Keep this for me Remember me when you see me not When men are dying then they pull their ring off their finger and leave it with their beloved Oh what impression have the verba morientis the word of a dying man As if a man saith Chrysostome should say to children These were your fathers dying words This was his last charge This he spoke and died and there is nothing that is remembred with more awe more affection than the last words the last gift of dying friends 3. To testifie his dearest love to his Church and people that when death was in sight and all the unspeakable sorrows shame and suffering were now ready to invade him when injuries from men were ready to load him and the justice of God upon sinne to be demonstrated on him all these did not make him forget his love His love to his poor people overtop'd all He loved them to the end Joh. 13. 2. and exprest it at the last and when he was in expectation of utmost sorrow he forgets not his love to his 4. To fortifie his Disciples against temptations which were now rushing in upon them when they should presently see their Lord led away as a prisoner to be arraigned and themselves scattered and discouraged Peter denying bloudy enemies insulting then to fortifie their hearts Let not your hearts be troubled Joh. 1◠1. He administers this Sacrament to strengthen the Union and Communion between him and them and to tie them to him so fast that the gates of hell might not prevail against them that their faith might not fail though it fainted as was said to Peter and though they fall yet they might not utterly be cast down as the Psalmist saith They had before eaten the body which they after saw broken and drunk the bloud which they after saw shed The broken body was not theirs that broke it The bloud shed was not theirs that shed it but it was theirs that had before eaten it and drunk it so God underprops his weak servants before the winde blow and seasonably antidotes the hearts before the bitter cup that they may stand fast though for fear they runaway 5. That when we iterate this Sacrament our hearts may be prickt with remembrance of this dismal night Chrysost in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostom that he might exceedingly prick us for a wounded heart is a good preparative to the receiving of a wounded Saviour He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities Isa 53. 5. Let a man survey this night how his blessed Saviour was for him betray'd into the hands of bloudy men This right he was plunged into most dolefull sorrows He was amazed and loaden with grief exceeding sorrowfull in a wofull agony sweating like drops of bloud running down to the ground without any comfort from any man his chief Disciples could not pray with him all fled and ran away from him betray'd by one of his own denied by another sending forth loud cries and tears God smit the Shepherd scatter'd the flock an Angel from heaven strengthening him an Angel that had not the benefit of Redemption by him but not a man for whose Redemption this was Oh the dark eclypse that now seized on this Sunne of righteousness Who can express the anguish and dolour of this night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though he was a very stone saith Chrysostom it would melt him wound him Therefore I exhort you all when you come to this Sacrament bring this night with you bring this night with you in which he was betray'd It is a night of observation to be remembred as was said of the first Passeover in Aegypt Exod. 12. 42. so it may be said of the night of this first Supper read read again or get some body to read to you this History related by Matthew or St Luke and water your meditations with sorrowfull tears not as he that wept when he read the History of Dido in the Poet out o◠an imaginary compassion but as beholding in this glass both your sins and your redemption This do in remembrance of him CHAP. VI. Of the outwards of this Ordinance of the Supper 1 COR. 11. 23 24 25. He took bread and when he had given thanks c. §. 1. IN the Sacrament of Baptism there is but one outward element water in this of the Supper two bread and wine which though they distinctly signifie the one the body the other the bloud of Christ yet because they set forth one nourishment of the body by bread and drink of the soul by the body and bloud of Christ and make but one commemoration of Christ and his death This do in remembrance of me vers 24. Drink it in remembrance of me vers 25. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this Cup ye do shew forth the Lords death vers 26. Therefore as several dishes are but one Supper so these several signs are the parts of one Sacrament To avoid tautology and coincidency I mean to open the parts distinctly and yet to take together element with element rule with rule action with action as fitly yoked together joyntly and so be as soon at the end of the one as of the other which course of handling that word in Luke 22. 20. whom of all the Evangelists Paul doth nearliest agree with and vers 25. of this Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Likewise or After the same manner points me unto and if there be any word in the three Evangelists that write the History of the institution whereof one that is Matthew was present at the action that may serve for the beautifying or clearing of any point as we go along we shall take it also into the contexture of our Discourse The Method and order is to handle 1. The outward Ordinance of this Supper 2. The inward thing signified or represented 3. The mandate or command Do this 4. The end For remembrance of me §. 2. The outward Ordinance is properly called the Sacrament the inward kernel or thing signified is called Res Sacramenti the thing of the Sacrament for the Sacrament is the outward visible sign and therefore it is very absurdly said of Bellarmine and other Lib. ◠de Euch. cap.
can we be debarred If Christ say Do this who can say Do not this I have answered this already The command here is not an outward commandment as I may say but an inward not given to all the world but to Christs Disciples to certain qualified persons as the command of the Passeover was limited to the circumcised and to the clean and this also to a man that examines himself and so let him eat of this bread c. It 's a duty and a priviledge both of all outward Ordinances the inmost §. 5. Vse 3 Christ hath thought it needfull to make provision against our forgetfulness of him while he is absent from us in the flesh The forgetfulness of Christ is the loss of all Religion we are apt to forget his love and his blood Those that live in known habituall sin forget Christ and I make no doubt but the often sight and memory of his death which is here acted and personated or drawn forth to the eye might exceedingly mortifie sin and melt the heart Nothing shews sin more distastfull to God than the death of Christ every pardon cries aloud to him that is pardoned Go and sin no more but he that takes heart to sin because Christ died seems neither to see his own sinne nor death in the death of Christ §. 6 §. 6. How our mindes should be exercised in the time of the celebration of this Supper Vse 4 Here we learn how to exercise our mindes and meditations in the celebration of this Supper viz. in the remembrance of Christ the survey of whom is inriched with excellent fruit of renewing our repentance quickning our faith elevating our affections and the impression made upon us by this lively spectacle of a dying Saviour cannot but work as the bloody Robes of Caesar did upon the people when they were hanged out in sight by Marc. Anthony and therefore it is suitable to the end of this Sacrament to be exercising our memories mindes and affections in the perusall of Christ Jesus I know that some Churches use to sing a Psalm while the action is performing whom I condemn not as a means to keep the heart intent and in spirituall frame or fixedness but should rather chuse a silent meditation and imployment of the minde in the remembrance of Christ for that 's more suitable to the end of this Ordinance and to Christs example and institution who according to the custom of the Jews filled the time of action with commemoration and closed it with a Hymn and if we may give credit to the Jewish Writers and others out of them as Hugo Broughton shews in his Commentaries on Daniel the Psalms of the Hallel or Hymn sung by the Jews was the 113 114 and so onward and it 's very probable that Christ and the Apostles did not herein vary for they sung a Hymn at the close as Matth. 26. 30. which example I need not stand to improve against the Anti-psalmists of this age There are severall pertinent meditations that may fully take up the time of the action with great advantage and benefit to our souls as namely 1. The dreadfulness of Gods justice which with a terrible stroak did smite the great Shepherd for our sins the least dram of it would have sunk us to all eternity 2. The cursed nature of sinne that so exasperates the holy God and makes such a breach between God and the creature as can never be made up but by the broken body of the Lord of Glory 3. What it cost to redeem a soul a mass of gold as big as the whole earth not valuable with one drop of this blood 4. What an infinite love broke forth that God rather than let our souls be lost would send his eternall Son and make him sin for us 5. What a great work it is to reconcile a sinner to his God all names of men and Angels are nothing to it all their sufferings would not pay a penny of this debt which is not dissolved by any blood but of the Lord of Glory 6. That God would not only pardon sin by giving forth a generall pardon as a King pardons rebels but so pardon as might even melt the hardest heart and for ever humble and silence and satisfie it by the love of God and the sufficiency of that Sacrifice whose vertue extends to thousands and lasts alwaies 7. That the gratious Covenant of God made with all that beleeeve in Christ is sealed and ratified with such blood as there needs no doubt of the validity of the Covenant though one man bad as many sins on him as all the world 8. That Gods way of saving man by a Mediatour the death of a Mediatour doth oblige man to be the than krullest creature in the world Angels that sin'd not have need of no Mediatour Angels that sin'd have none man that sin'd and therefore needs one hath one given to him The man Christ Jesus 9. That as God gave Christ for you so he gives him to you that he that was your Sacrifice offered up to God might in this Sacrament be offered unto you as meat and drink as spirituall repast that as we live by Christ so we may live upon him being entertained as confederates to feast with God upon the Sacrifice offered up unto him It is a fruitfull field of Meditation through which ye may walk the time of celebration and then breathe out your Meditations in a Song of praise as the close and musick of this heavenly Feast Concerning which Hymn wherewith the Jews did usually close the coenam apolyticam or dimissory Supper calling it the Hallel from the first word of it Hallelujah you may consult not only the Jewish Writers but our Learned men Cameron Myroth in Matth. 16. 30. Drusius in Matth. 26. â—â— Hugo Broughton in Dan. pag. 46. beside Paulus Burgensis Gerard Harm Fol. 178. col 3. who do also point out to us the 113. 114. Psalms as that Hymn for though some others do rather conceive it a new Hymn composed by our Saviour Grotius in Matth. 26. and the 17 Chapter of St John to be it we finde no reason to go with them in that opinion both because our Saviour did not easily vary from the Rite or Custom received nor could the Disciples have sung with him in consort except we imagine such a praelection of it to them as is used by us now a daies which will not be proved CHAP. XIII How much it concerneth Ministers to Teach and all to Learn the true meaning of this Ordinance 1 COR. 11. 26 27. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew the death of the Lord untill he come Wherefore whosoever doth eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord c. VVHen this Ordinance of the Supper is suitable to the Institution and the Communicant is suitable to the Ordinance then all is right Of the former I have acquitted my self by setting
forth the nature use end of this Sacrament according to our Lords Institution recited by the Evangelists and by St Paul in this place §. 1. Now I am to proceed unto the later which is to render the Communicant suitable to the Ordinance of which our Saviour did not in the Institution directly speak but the Apostle in this place speaks more fully and directly unto than in any other place is found the abuses and distempers of the Corinthians leading him most properly to it and though in Popish Churches the grand errour and abuse lies in the unsutableness of their Mass to the Institution yet in Reformed Churches who endeavour to imitate the pattern in the Mount the common sin lies in the unsutableness of the Communicant to the Ordinance and so the point of worship stands between us and the Papists much alike as it stood between the Samaritans and the Jews of old The Samaritans used a false worship Ye worship ye know not what Joh. 4. 22. The Jews had a true worship but were carnall and for the most part formall worshippers The Feast is prepared drest and ordered according to the Institution of Christ Now the guests are to be surveyed and tried whether they come worthily or unworthily by the test or ticket of the Apostles Doctrine following to the end of the Chapter of which I shall say this in generall 1. That the Apostles Doctrine in this place is properly calculated for the rectifying the abuses and unworthiness of the Corinthians as ye may see at the 33 34 verses but so also most other Scriptures occasionally written are of generall use their latitude is greater than their particular direction 2. That the Apostle spends the most of his Doctrine upon eating and drinking unworthily setting home the sin and danger of it for the occasion viz. the sinne of the Corinthians required it and yet doubtless the point of worthiness should in order of nature be first stated before unworthiness can be understood for how should I know sinne except first I knew a law of duty how a crooked line except I know what is straight and therefore to attent consideration the Apostle will be found to begin there as I shall shew you afterwards 3. That the Apostle in setting home the sinne and danger of eating and drinking unworthily speaks thunder and lightning in very pertinent but yet new and unusuall phrases which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have no brother in any other part of Scripture as guilty of the body and blood of the Lord eating and drinking judgement or damnation c. full of terrour and fit for compunction These of the 26 verse are the words of St Paul who having recited what Christ did and said at the first celebration and institution of this Sacrament goes about to set his Corinthian communicants to right teaching them and us what is the meaning of this Ordinance and what the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or main business of a communicant is that so he may eat and drink worthily viz. To shew forth the Lords death this he collects from the institution this he inculcates upon the communicant as the great business which he is to do that he may be suitable to the Ordinance The words have no difficulty but what may best be opened in every point as it comes to hand The first Point shall be from the connexion or whole words §. 2. Doct. People have need to be taught what the meaning of this Ordinance is and what is the main business of the Communicant The Apostle hath set forth this Sacrament and now teaches them what is the meaning or great business intended in it For as often as c. Outward Ordinances consisting of visible matter as most of the Jewish Ordinances did and our Sacraments do do ordinarily terminate and bound the eye of the ignorant that cannot and of the Christian outwardly that doth not look within the rinde or shell of them The time is not lost that 's bestowed either by us in the anatomy and opening or by you in learning and spelling out the minde and meaning of an Ordinance of God When your children Exod. 12. 26. shall say unto you What mean you by this service ye shall say It is the sacrifice of the Lords Passeover c. And in another instance When your children shall say What mean you by these stones ye shall answer Josh 4. 6. The waters of Jordan were cut off c. This was the veil that covered the eye of the Jews they had Sacrifices Washings manifold Rites but were not able to spell and put together they generally little dreamd of the meaning of them but were as the Apostle cals them Jews outwardly and in the letter for it pleased God in the times of that dispensation to give his people the kernell but inclosed in a hard shell to give them a pillar of fire but in a cloud to hide the light in a dark lanthorne to convey the truth in shadows Now that the obscurity is taken off the Ordinances there remains an ignorance upon our hearts and many of us know as little the meaning of our Sacraments as the Jews did of theirs there is scarce any of our ignorant superstitious prophane persons but they think there is some holiness in this Sacrament and therefore they put on a posture of some reverence for the time but the particular use of it or the spirituall importance they know not and therefore rest in the opus operatum and receive the Sacrament as a medicinall potion naturally working or worship that which should be made use of by faith for the nourishment of the soul §. 3. The Use of this point may be for Instruction of both Minister and people First The Minister is hereby taught That it is not only his duty to give the Sacrament but also to teach the Sacrament he gives the outward Elements he teaches the inward meaning of them he gives the bone and shews the marrow that is in it otherwise you take the Sacrament by rote and he gives you integram nucem as Bernard saith a whose nut to a child that cannot crack it and so partakes in that sin and guilt being dumb which you contract being blinde Our Saviour when he gave the Bread and the Cup said also This is my Body This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood and so taught the meaning St. Paul when he had recited the Institution shews the mind of it As oft as ye eat ye shew the Lords death And you are to be taught what is Gods meaning and what is the meaning of your own actions Gods meaning is to make a representation of Christs death and sufferings by the breaking of the bread and to afford you the communion of his Body and Blood 1 Cor. 10. 16. The meaning of your actions is to make commemoration of Christ and to shew forth his death Gods meaning is to dress out Christ in best manner and fittest for a
sinner Christ broken Christ bleeding and the meaning of your eating and drinking is to feed sorrowfully and sweetly upon Christ so prepared and presented to you for your repast and comfort But now if the same cup taken with such ingredients would be deadly poyson with such a lively Cordiall would you not expect that the Physician should teach you to make it Cordiall so the Lords Supper worthily received is the most soveraign Cordiall But some again may eat and drink damnation to themselves Would you not expect that the Minister if he have either conscience of his duty or respect to your souls should teach you to avoid the danger and obtain the benefit If you do not yet God looks for it at our hands Ezek. 44. 23. And they the Priests shall teach my people the difference between the holy and prophane and cause men to discern between the unclean and clean for else you may eat and drink damnation to us as well as to your selves §. 4. Secondly The people are taught To know the meaning of the Sacrament before they take it That 's a terrible expression ver 29. He eats and drinks damnation to himself not discerning the Lords Body that is not knowing the meaning the nature use and end of the Ordinance which to understand is a good part of preparation and without it there can be no right or true preparation And therefore all you that intend to be Supper-communicants attend The first lesson which you must learn the first question to be answered is What is the true meaning of this Ordinance what is the main business of it for it is supposed in those words Exod. 12. 26. When your children shall say to you What mean you by this service i. Passeover that the father should be able to teach his childe as it is there directed and that the child should as his first lesson be taught what is meant To know what the meaning of this Ordinance is 1. It is a proper and excellent antidote or remedy of such abuses and miscarriages as creep in at the door either of ignorance superstition or prophaneness and the Apostle signifies so much here by applying this corrective to those distempers which then reigned in the Church of Corinth as if he had said Could you come and eat and drink so rudely proudly confusedly irreverently unworthily if ye did consider but what ye ought to do that is exercise communion with Christ keep a commemoration of him shew forth his death 2. This will direct all your preparations to the true end your praiers meditations self-examination will be answerable and suitable to the Ordinance Here is not the eating of a piece of bread nor the drinking of a cup of wine in a publique company of sober men and of my betters which yet is enough to the putting on my better clothes and framing my self to a grave composure but here I am to meet my Lord Christ and to receive him as my Saviour I am to have the Covenant of mercy sealed to me in his blood I am to make a thankfull memoriall of Christ and to profess my embracement and adherence to his death as my only comfort therefore be thou awakened O my faith my godly sorrow my spirituall appetite my thankfulness that I may go out to Christ and he come in to me 3. This takes off all slighting and undervaluing of this Ordinance which appears to an outward and carnall eye No better bread or wine than I can have at home for in this plain case is a rich Jewel this bread is the body this wine is the Blood of the Lord of Glory and therefore I must not value the seal by the worth of the wax which is not worth a penny but by the pardon or the inheritance which passes and is conveyed by it 4. This keeps me from running blindfold into the sin of guiltiness of the Body and Blood of the Lord and so into condemnation for as the same Signet or Seal of a Prince doth to one seal a pardon to another an execution so this very Sacrament is to a Beleever a seal of pardon to another as it were the seal of his condemnation 5. Lastly The preparation so much spoken of and the self-examination required by the Apostle cannot be imagined to referre to the eating of bread and drinking wine but to the inward thing of the Sacrament it necessarily follows that those inward graces that enable us to have communion with Christ and make commemoration of him can never be known or sought except we know the meaning of this Sacrament for it is that which gives the Law and Rule of all our preparations And so I have shown you the reasons why we should labour to understand the language of this Ordinance So much of this generall Point the second Point shall be taken from those words Ye shew the Lords death or shew ye for the word might be construed imparatively but that the particle For would not then so well consist CHAP. XIV The great business that lies upon the Communicant as oft as he eats this Bread and drinks this Cup is to shew the Lords Death Doct. 2 THis Point cleaves into two parts §. 1. First It is the Lords death which in this Sacrament is shewn forth The two standing Sacraments of the Jewish Church Circumcision and the Passeover did both appear in blood The two standing Sacraments of the Gospel do also referre to death We are buried with him by Baptism into death Rom. 6. 4. and in the Supper we shew the Lords death As of all deliverances and benefits vouchsafed to Israel of old God would have the Passeover-deliverance celebrated by a constant memoriall in all generations so of all that Christ doth for us it is his death that must be shewn forth in all generations of the Church till he come again and therefore this Ordinance is speculum crucifixi as Calvin saith and In 1 Cor. 11. the memoriall not so much of Christs life or resurrection De satisfact cap. 1. saith Grotius as of his death This death hath no second in all the world for it was the death of the Sonne of God the death of the Lamb of God 1. Of the Sonne of God the Lord of Glory whose highness and excellency gave price and value to his death Had he not been man he could not have suffered Had he not been the Sonne of God God blessed for ever he could not have satisfied and conquered 2. Of the Lamb of God and therefore his death was a Sacrifice and that 's more than a Martyrdom for though a Martyr may be said to seal with his blood that truth he dies upon yet no blood can seal the Covenant but this of Christ no death can ratifie the Testament but the Testators death Had the death been the death of the Lord a most excellent person and not also the death of a Lamb for Sacrifice to make attonement it had wanted one
of his properties but it was both As it was the death of the Lord of Glory the Sonne of God so it gave us the most illustrious testimony and example of the love of God as ever was or could be and that the Scripture often points unto As it was the death of the Lamb of God so it was a Sacrifice death wherein he was made sinne for us and bore our sinnes in his Body As it was the Joh. 11. 13. Rom. 5. Gal. 2. 20. death both of the Sonne of God and the Lamb of God so it reconciled us sinners unto God and meritoriously redeemed and ransomed us from our bondage to the curse and wrath of God the only ground and foundation of our hope peace and comfort §. 2. Secondly It is the business of the Communicant to shew forth this death of the Lord The Ordinance it self is full of death what other language doth bread broken and the blood severed from the body speak but a dying Christ As the Ordinance so the Communicant doth by eating and drinking in fact declare and annunciate his profession of adherence to and embracement of the death of Christ we solemnly and publiquely avow both to God and men that we stick unto and abide by the death of the Lord for remission of sinne and reconciliation of our persons to God and it is a solemn part of Gods positive worship to shew forth the death of Christ our Lord not by a meer historicall relation but a practicall and publique profession of our faith and acceptance thereof which though at all times we may remember yet God would have a solemn Ordinance in his Gospel-Churches for the commemoration and shewing of it forth which Ordinance is this of the Supper I know men are witty to elude Ordinances and to flatter themselves with private devotions and meditations but when God hath set up an Ordinance on purpose for the publique and solemn shewing of the Lords death let them consider it that are not only careless of the benefit of it but fail of their duty by not presenting themselves at this solemn shewing of the Lords death but how can it be expected that they that shew not the life of Christ by a godly conversation should care to shew forth his death by publique profession or rather how can it be construed that they do it out of conscience of duty and not out of meer superstition expecting that from the Sacrament which the Papist expects from his auricular confession that is to quit the old score that he may more freely begin upon a new But I may not forget that which is very learnedly observed that the Apostle using the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which frequently is used for publishing and preaching Schiud in loc Haggada the Gospel doth allude to the Haggada as it was called by the Jewish custom at the Passeover and that was a set and solemn declaration or annunciation of the Lords passing over the houses sprinkled with blood of their slavery and hard bondage in Aegypt and their deliverance thence teaching us in this our Gospel-Passeover to shew forth our hard bondage under sinne and the Lords justice passing over all the souls sprinkled with this blood and thereby delivering us from our spirituall Aegypt §. 3. Use The Use of this Point is to call upon all Communicants hoc agere to be intent upon and taken up with this employment Shew ye forth the Lords death this must be your actuall exercise at the time of eating and drinking the death of Christ must fill your eyes your ears your lips your thoughts If any of you could see Christ dying the sight would wholly take you up and you come as near to see him dying as an Ordinance can bring you in a representation If any where that Psal 2. 11. takes place here Rejoyce with trembling Tremble for you see the weight of sinne upon the Lord Christ and the severity and wrathfull indignation of God against sinne both those terrours cannot be seen in a clearer glass than the death of the Lord Rejoyce for the love that delivers up Christ is unparallel'd and the death of the Lord is succedaneous a Sacrifice death the Sacrifice bears the sinne and takes it off you there is a nunc dimitiis for all you that take Christ in your arms I would not be thinking of the joys of heaven the second coming of Christ absolutely and abstractly considered but shewing forth his death As in prayer good thoughts if impertinent are distractions and to be whipt for vagrants so here If my heart present to me the anger and terrible wrath of a just and holy God I shew the Lords death If the Law take me by the throat and say Pay that thou owest I shew the Lords death If conscience ask me what I have to shew for pardon of sin and peace with God I shew the Lords death Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It s Christ that died CHAP. XV. The Lords Supper is an iterable Ordinance THe third Point is taken up from the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as often as ye eat this bread c. Doct. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is an iterable Ordinance which is to be repeated Our Saviour gives a hint of this in those words This do for a remembrance of me and the Apostle from him For as often c. The word often is sometimes opposed to seldom and sometimes to once as Heb. 9. 25 26. Nor yet that he should offer himself often as the High priest entreth into the holy place every year For then he must have often suffered since the foundation of the world The Sacrifice of Christ or the offering of him up was but once Heb. 9. 26. The Sacrament of his body and bloud is often as a memorial of that Sacrifice and the comparison used in that place is this As man dies but once so Christ also As in the Sacraments of the Jews the first of them Circumcision was but once nor indeed could be but the Passeover often once every year and Christ was but once circumcised but kept the Passeover often So in the Sacraments of the New Testament Baptism is but once Christ was but once baptized but the Supper often which though Christ celebrated but once yet he gave order for the repetition of it I will not now take up the discussion why Baptism but once the Supper often the Scripture gives us no hint for the repetition of the one but it doth for the other and the old saying is plausible Semel nascimur saepius pascimur we are but once born but we are often nourisht God did more punctually and precisely under the Law prescribe the times of their Sacraments the eighth day for circumcision such a day of such a moneth yearly for the Passeover as he also did the times and place and other circumstances of his worship for the people were more servile then
ancient and later both corrupter and purer not that I or that I wish any else to be absolutely swayed by this Authority for there may be errour in the practice of the Church yea errour universally received as in that of giving this Sacrament to infants upon that ground Jeh 6. â—3 Except ye eat the flesh c. ye have no life in you and yet it was the practice of the Church so to do both in Cyprians and Austin's time but I prove the evidence of Fact by this Argument otherwise not to be proved at all and I do not expect that any should condemn so ancient a practice nor think they do but rather do conceive that the bottom of the business is the disrellish of that Authority by which it is to be done Bucephalus will be ridden by none but Alexander and it was the saying of Cardinall Matheo Langi concerning Luther That the Church of Rome the Mass the Court the lives of Priests and Friers stood in need to be Reformed but that a poor rascall Monk meaning Luther Heilin Geog. in Bavaria should begin all that he deemed intollerable and not to be endured §. 6 §. 6. The evidence of Scripture The second evidence is that of Scripture which is first in dignity but I put it second because it justifies the Fact for the substance thereof and here it is confest that no Turk Jew Infidell is debarred by reason of his Nation for Scythian and Barbarian bond and free are all one We are all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles bond or free 1 Cor. 12. 13. and have been made to drink into one Spirit and therefore the word of the Gospel lies open to all Nations and people without partition wall such as between the Jews and others of old time but the barre lies in point of Religion for if they lie in their Idolatry and Infidelity though they may come to the Word yet not to the Table of the Lord. Who are to be kept from the Sacrament 1. The Jews that serve the Tabernacle and stick to the old Service under the Legall shadows are excepted We have an Altar or rather a Sacrifice Jesus Christ our sin-offering whereof they have no right to eat Heb. 13. 10. that is no right of Communion with us or Christ The place is difficult but easily cleared by Levit. 6. 30. for as the Priests that served at the Altar had no right to eat of the flesh of the sin-offering whose blood was brought into the Sanctuary but burnt it must be without the Camp so the Jews that hold to the Legall service have no right of eating the flesh of Christ whose blood was brought into the Holy place of heaven virtually and his body suffered without the gates of earthly Jerusalem thereby signifying that they were discommended that hold to the Legall service 2. Heathens and Infidels are excluded from this Table because they are extraneous and without so they are called 1 Cor. 5. 12. What have I to do to judge or censure them that are without they are without the gates of the Church not obnoxious to the Government nor allowed the priviledges of it and they that are without the gate cannot be admitted to the Table untill they come in and be members of the family 3. All unbaptized persons are excepted by the order of our Sacraments whereof Baptism is first for insition and implantation into the Body of Christ and the Lords Table for further coalition and growth this order is confirmed by the use or business of the Sacraments the one being of Regeneration and so first the other of Communion and so the second See 1 Cor. 12. 13. By one spirit are we baptized into one Body and have been all made to drink into one spirit first baptized and then made to drink which order the Church of Christ hath held from the beginning as it 's said by Justin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apol. 2. After the new Convert is thus washed we bring him to our meetings where the Eucharist is 4. Those that are under a present incapacity of performing such antecedaneous acts of preparation or which are to be exercised in the act of communicating provided that this incapacity be visible as I may say or manifest unto us as in infants ideots stupid ignorants bruits in the shape of men who though baptized yet are not capable of discerning the Lords Body or of examining themselves who seem to be excepted ver 28. Let a man examine himself and so let him eat and drink And so I know a mad man may have lucid intervals and a poor ignorant soul may be brought to know the letters and spell the first syllables of Christianity against either of which I would not shut the door but if the ignorant cannot be gotten beyond sottishness and stupidity nor got out of his obstinacy in blindness I should be very unwilling to let him runne blinofold down the precipice or leave the door open for him to fall into condemnation not that I envy him a benefit but pity his downfall which I ought to hinder or at least not to help forward and I may say of such an one as the Apostle of the Law Rom. 7. 13. Shall that which is good be made death unto him God forbid Especially considering that the Apostle having said Let a man examine himself and so let him eat doth in the next words come on again ver 29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eats and drinks damnation to himself not discerning the Lords Body As for infants though the Churches of ancient time admitted them after Baptism to partake of the P Martyr in Musculus de caena Lords Supper for some hundreds of years and one or two of our Reforming Divines speak somewhat favourably of it yet the ground they went upon Joh. 6. 53. that otherwise they had not salvation is disclaimed by all both because that Chapter speaks nothing of Sacramentall or Symbolicall eating the flesh of Christ and drinking his blood and also was delivered by Christ a year or two before this Sacrament was born into the world and because there is so much activity and exercise required in a Communicant as viz. to remember the Lords death to shew it forth to discern the Lords body to examine ones self to judge ones self therefore is that ancient practise obsolete and as by tacite consent deserted and in room thereof we admit now not by their years for a man of threescore may be a childe in understanding and a childe in years may be a man but by their discretion and knowledge in the mystery of Christ and if the Parents or Pastors care the blossoming of grace and pregnancy in the childe were answerable to my desires I should as I am for great reasons be foreâ—â—ly admissions of them as namely that the benefit and refreshing of this Ordinance might curb the over-growth of the sins and lusts of youth
cannot be constant in attendance upon God It is but by accident that the weather-cock points towards the sunne namely because the winde and sun are both in one corner If the winde turn it turnes away also 2. Cleanse and purifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words are promiscuously and indifferently used by the Septuagint to interpret the Hebrew words that signify to cleanse and purify and there is in these words an allusion to legall uncleannesses and the purifying of them for as in the law before an unclean person might draw nigh to God he must be purified from his uncleannesse so those that will draw nigh to God or would have God draw nigh to them must cleanse their hands and purify their hearts The Eo lavatum ut sacrificem num laâ—abo ut rem dâ—vinam faciaâ— Plant. in auâ—ul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—lutarch in Mario Heathens had their ceremonious washings and purifyings as preparative to their sacrifices and prayers and this heart-purifying and hand-cleanssing is that purgatory thorow which we must goe if we will draw nigh to God in worship and communion God will be served with clean creatures 3. Hands and hearts The heart is the womb vvhere lust is vvarmed and conceived the shop where the forge anvill bellowes fire are for the forming of lust and making of it ready The hands are put for the executive and instrumentall powers that bring it forth to light and act it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 6. 13. the vveapons of unrighteousnes unto sinne In short the outward and inward man being filthy and unclean must be purified from corruption of heart and life For he that hath clean hands and a pure heart Psal 24. 4. 5. shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousnes from the God of his salvation I shall now come to the matter of the Text which I will handle 1. In the two parts of it distinctly Cleanse your hands purifie your hearts 2. As these two parts are in connexion one with the other cleanse your hands and purify your hearts 3. As they stand both together in reference to our drawing nigh to God and his drawing nigh to us Draw nigh to God and he vvill draw nigh to you Cleanse your hands c. You may easily see that here is very little speculative or notionall matter but practicall and such as will fall most properly into use and into matter of application We have now to deal vvith your hearts and hands and not your brain Here vvill be no fine thin wafers which vvill melt upon your tongue and vanish in a little sweetnes and yet such novelties and running banquets are all for the palate of these queasy times ô Religion how art thou turned into a kinde of Philosophy of opinions in danger to be a mere scepticke or terra incognita an every thing a nothing a thing for a vvanton fancy to play withall a smooth tongue to talk of made up of a brain and a mouth without heart and hands How can it be otherwise when the tree of knowledge is so much preferd before the tree of life From the first part Cleanse your hands ye sinners I observe 1 A corrupt and wicked life argues a man to be a stranger to God and God to him 2 They that will draw nigh to God must clense their hands Doct. 1 A corrupt and wicked life argues a man to be a stranger to God and God him for otherwise a man might draw nigh to God and have unclean hands too which the Text supposes that it cannot be That power which draws a man into acquaintance with God doth proportionably kill sin That power which flows from God in acquaintance with a man kils sin too whether I go out to the Sun or the Sun come in to mee the darknesse is expeld sin hath not dominion over them that are under grace Rom. 6. 14. the knowledge of God sets a man loose from his bondage to the enslaving lusts hee before served yee shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free John 8. 32. draw nigh to God and be unclean if you can That faith which is uniting to Christ is a purifying faith rebellion against the Commandements of God is inconsistent with communion with God you may fast and pray and ask that you may consume upon your lusts Vers 4. like a Cut purse in a Church who comes not thither to seek God but his prey Doct. 2 They that draw nigh to God must clense their hands I will wash mine hands in innocency so will I compasse thine Altar O Lord Psal 26. 6. Where you may observe that thanksgivings and prayses which the Psalmist calls sacrifices of shouting or loud musick Psal 27. 6. and wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lorinus in Psal 26. 6. they used as one saith choros agere circum altare are to be performed with washen hands so in your prayers the Lord requires that you should lift up pure hands 1 Tim. 2. 8. and what a sweet reflection may you make upon your deliverances which are wonderfull when you can say I was upright with God and I kept my self from mine iniquity Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousnes according to the cleannes of my hands in his eye-sight Psal 18. 23 24. If ye fall into straits and be plunged into depths of misery If your face be foule with weeping and on your eye-lids be the shadow of death what a lifting up of the head will it be unto you to be able to say Not for any injustice in my hands Job 16. 17. If the Lord shall deliver this Island from the oppression and injustice under which it hath groaned what a crown and comfort will it be to you that it is delivered by the purenes of your hands Job 22. 30. To conclude If there be a frustration of our counsels and our endevours bring forth nothing but wind You shal find the reason why God makes all void and ineffectuall Isa 59. 6. Their webs shall not become garments neither shall they cover themselves with their works Their works are works of iniquity and the act of violence is in their hands That nothing may be lost let us pick up the particulars that are offered unto us in this point 1 That God invites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great sinners to draw nigh to him and promiseth to draw nigh to them O yee sinners no such strangers to God but they may come into favour intimacy and communion with him Great sinners are oftentimes made great Saints God engraves his image in untoward wood that the churlishnesse of the matter may the more commend the workman hee calls them to him being yet overwhelmed with sin and in their drawing nigh to him they are clensed as Christ sent the Lepers to the Priest but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they were going they were clensed Luke 17. 14. 2 He bids these sinners
it self began and therefore I begin where the Lords Supper it self began and that is at the Passeover at the death whereof and out of the ashes of iâ— this Sacrament of ours like another Phoenix did arise for our Lord at his last Passeover called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his dying Passeover did institute and ordain this which is to live and remain till he come again and which Scaliger and others have observed the very materials of our Sacramental Supper were taken out of the Paschall Supper for that very bread which the Master of the Family used of custome not by any Scripture-command to blesse and give to the fraternity saying Holachma degnania 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the bread of affliction which the Fathers did eat in Egypt and that Cup which he blessed and gave to them to drink called the Cup of the hymn or Cos hallel because the hymn followed after and closed all That bread and that Cup did Christ according to the rite severally blesse and give saying This is my body This Cup is the New Testament in my bloud and so he put a new Superscription or signification upon the old metall and let all blinde and bold Expositors know that if they expound not many phrases and things in the New Testament out of the old Records of Jewish writings or customes they shall but fancy and not expound the Text as may be confirmed saith Scaliger sexcentis argumentis by very many arguments In handling of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper I shall select such practical and preparative doctrine as is necessary for your knowledge that ye may discern the Lords body and not be guilty of it and for your practise that you may examine your selves and not eat and drink unworthily For if I should lanch out into controversies there would be no end There hath been more paper written upon those six syllables but five in English This is my body then would contain a just and large Commentary upon the whole Bible I begin with the Passeover which was the second for Circumcision was the first ordinary standing Sacrament of the Jewish Church beginning at their going forth out of Egypt and continuing till the Death of Christ when the Lords Supper did commence or begin and so displaced it The Passeover signified what should be the Lords Supper what is fulfilled in Christ In the Passeover were represented the Sufferings and Death of Christ by a Lamb slain rosted with fire In the Supper by bread broken and wine poured forth The outward symbols or signs differ But Christ is the same under both As Circumcision theirs baptism ours are different signs and rites but the inward Circumcision and Regeneration both one Theirs were both bloudy Sacraments for the bloud of Christ was to be shed ours unbloudy for the bloud is shed and our English well translates the word Passeover the Greek and Latine keep the word Pascha which gave some occasion to derive it from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to suffer a mistake The word is Pesach from Pasach which is to leap or passe over For when Israel after long servitude in Egypt was on wing to be gone God commanded them in their several Families to kill Seh a Lamb or kid to rost it whole to eat it within doors that night to sprinkle the side and upper door-posts with the bloud not the threshold propter reverentiam significationem Christs bloud must not be trampled on and so doing they should be safe from the destroying Angel that rode circuit that night to kill all Egypts first-born but he past over all the houses of Israel sprinkled with bloud and hence the name Passe-over the Etymon whereof is given by God himself Exod. 12. 27. We have the kernell in this shell the marrow of this bone a Passeover as well as they but ours is Christ our Passeover is Christ saith the Text. § 2. We proceed Our Passeover Christ is or was sacrificed for us Our Passeover Christ was a true Sacrifice but whether their Passeover was a Sacrifice or no it is in question The Papists swallow it greedily hoping thereby to prove our Supper to be both a Sacrifice and a Sacrament as their Passeover they say was but there are others both Lutheran and Calvinist as Gerald. in harmon Rivet on Exod. 12. that do not yield the Passeover a proper Sacrifice though it be so called Exo. 12. 27. It is the Sacrifice of the Lords Passeover for the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Hebrew Zabach are sometimes taken generally for mactare when there is no Sacrifice and they finde in Egypt at the first Passeover no Priest but the head of the Family or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no Altar no offering of the Lamb to God no expiation nor is it necessary that it should be a Sacrifice to type a Sacrifice for the Serpent on the Pole signified Christ crucified and so the Passeover as a Sacrament may figure out a Sacrifice as our Supper is the commemoration of a Sacrifice but not a Sacrifice On the other hand Calvin and others the Jewish Writers and many from them do hold it to be a Sacrifice and a Sacrament for the Scripture cals it Sacrifice and this bloud is shed at first by the Pater-familia's that was a Priest no other being yet consecrated in after times by the Priests or Levites and the bloud brought to the Altar as it wâ—s bloud shed to a religious end a bloud preservative from destroying Angels and therefore a proper Sacrifice What shall we say I 'le promise you not to puzzle you with controversies and disputes for I had rather The difference between a Sacrifice and a Sacrament set meat before you which you may eat then hard bones to gnaw upon The truth is a Sacrifice is something offered up to God by men a Sacrament is offered and given to man by God to be eaten or used in his Name and so that part of the offering which is offered up to God may be called a Sacrifice and that part eaten or used by man a Sacrament the very body and bloud of Christ was a Sacrifice no Sacrament The bread and wine as used are a Sacrament no Sacrifice The Passeover was the figure of a true Deut. 16. 5. Sacrifice Christ and we may call it so because the Scripture doth It follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us keep the Feast What is that Ye shall finde that after the Passeover Lamb was eaten the next day began the Feast Numb 28. 16 17. and the Passeover is called Feast too Exâ—d 12. 15. c. and that continued seven daies kept in great festivity and solemnity but with unleavened bread the Apostle alludes hereunto Our Passeover is sacrificed therefore let us henceforth c. We that have received the sprinkling of bloud and eaten his flesh by faith live all our daies in a holy rejoycing and thanks-giving which is a continuall Feast
vertue of his union with Christ himself and communion therefore he comes to eat the very body and drink the very bloud of Christ He comes as a confederate with God to receive the seal or as a Legator to receive a Legacy bequeath'd by Will viz. Christ and remission of sins in Christ for this Cup is the New Covenant or New Testament sealed with Christs bloud He comes as to a festival commemoration where the founder of the feast is remembred with praise and honour Do it in remembrance of me He looks through and beyond the broken bread and wine poured out to a broken body and the shed bloud of Christ He looks at another taking then taking of bread another eating and drinking than of bread and wine viz. the taking to himself and the spiritual and intimate application of Christs body and bloud For he discerns the Lords body and therefore comes as a consecrated person to consecrated elements to broken bread with a broken heart full of affections as the Ordinance is full of mysteries and here is a Communicant suitable to the Ordinance and so Paul who received of the Lord and delivered unto them the institution of Christ hath set to rights both the Ordinance and the Corinthian Communicant CHAP. III. That the Lord Jesus is the Authour of this Sacrament 1 COR. 11. 23. That the Lord Jesus c. I Shall follow the track of the Apostle who goes before me in the two points I am to entreat upon 1. The Nature and Use of this Sacrament 2. The due Preparation of the Communicant Of these in order and with what brevity I can contenting my self to speak in decimo sexto what might be spoken in folio in hope that your proficiency by Mr Anthony Burgess and Mr Love your former most worthy teachers may excuse me the labour of so large a volume The next words I come unto do plainly point out unto us 1. The Author of the institution The Lord Jesus 2. The Time of it The same night in which he was betrayed Doct. 1. The Authour of this Sacrament The Authour of this institution is the Lord Jesus The consent of all the Evangelists that write the History puts this out of all controversie Christ was personally present both celebrating and instituting this Ordinance He is res Sacramenti the thing of the Sacrament and Author Sacramenti the Authour of the Sacrament the feast-maker and the feast Out of this pierced side as Austin alludes there came forth both bloud and water the two Sacraments of the Church He took the bread he blest he brake it he gave it it may well be called the Lords Supper yea the Lord is the Supper This is my body this is my bloud §. 1. First The Lord Jesus is Authour the Mediatour of the new Covenant the Testator of the new Testament appoints the seal of that Covenant and ratifies that Testament with his bloud He is the Lord to whom is committed the Soveraignty and Government of his Church therefore he makes Officers Laws and Ordinances The Lords day and the Lords Supper are particularly in Scripture called by Rev. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 11. his name The Lords The Lords day ex illius resurrectione festivitatem suam habere coepit took its festivity Epist 119. from his Resurrection as Austin The Lords Supper is the memorial of his death so his death and resurrection a Supper and a day to memorize them As he is Lord so his Laws binde whatsoever they be though Abraham be commanded to kill his sonne for the Laws of God have not their obligation from the quality of the Law but from the authority of the Lord the Law-giver As he is Jesus a Saviour so his Laws are benefits and liberties tending to salvation as the Laws of your City are freedoms and your freedoms laws so you obey them â—s Laws enjoy them as freedoms they are our benefit and our duty His invitation is to a Supper it 's the invitation of a Lord it 's the Supper of a Saviour §. 2. Secondly There must be institution of a Sacrament The elements are cyphers till the institution make them figures Institution is as necessary to a Sacrament as superscription is to money for it is created 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of things that did not appear Sacraments are of that rank of things Quae nihil sunt sine institutione saith Chamier they were bread and wine Chamier de Euchar. l. 7. c. 10 indeed before but they were nothing to that relation which Christ put upon them a seal of a thousand a year is made of a peny-worth of wax What was a piece of brasse to the healing of a mortal sting Nothing till God put an use upon it that all that lookt to it being bitten should be healed §. 3. Thirdly There must be a divine institution to make a Sacrament The Legatee doth not seal the will but the Testatour the Granter seals the Deed not the Grantee the Delinquent seals not the pardon but the Keeper of the seal Sola divina institutio facit Sacramentum Montac origin part 1. pag. 73. saith a learned man Take that away and it ceaseth to be a Sacrament The Supream Power only can coyn money in other its capital All the whole Church together cannot make a Sacrament then it should be the Churches Supper not the Lords and it is theirs to eat but not to make Ejus est signa Synopsis de coena §. 7. gratiae addere cujus est gratiamtribuere He may adde the signs of grace that can give the grace There is a four-fold word requisite to a Sacrament 1. A word of institution which appoints the matter and form 2. A word of Sanctification or blessing to set them apart from common use 3. A word of Promise of some good to the Communicant and so we have here a promise of the Lords body and bloud The promises of Sacraments as is well observed by the Centuriators are vestitae Centurâ—mag ceâ—t 1. promissâ—ones cloathed promises He that believes shall be saved is a naked promise He that eats this bread c. shall have Christ as a cloathed promise 4. A word of Command as we have the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Buckler Prâ—t evidence in Baptism so hoc facite here as a learned man Let the Word be added to the Element and you have a Sacrament Austin §. 4. Fourthly It 's the institution that gives the nature and efficacy to a Sacrament He that mints the money sets the value and price upon it A Sacrament is an outward and visible signe but it is not a natural but a voluntary sign nor yet a bare signe as the picture of Hercules is a signe of Hercules and no more we must not make the Sacraments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 empty names empty figures empty representations that resemble and signifie something and no more as the Sacrament was a crucifix and the Supper painted
be better for them but whether to apply their eye to the very things themselves or to Christ they know not nor matter not but rest in a confused imagination just as they that uâ—e charms Now for redress of this confused notion I commend that of famous Dr Whitaker Quasi De Euchar. pag. 624. in 40. Chriâ—â—â—s in medio sederet c. As if Christ fate amongst â—ou and did the same as in the first Supper so ought â—ve to think of this Sacrament and that is to see Christ to take and bless and say to us This is my body take and eat This is my bloud Drink ye all of it a very effectual consideration according to that good old solemn word used to be spoken to the people at this Table Surjum corda Have your hearts upward to which they answered Habemus ad Dominum Now as to others that have their eyes so near the book that they see the worse I mean such as by curious enquiry and too much niceness how it 's possible that the eating of a piece of bread and drinking of a sup of wine should exhibit and convey to the faith of a believer the very true and real body and bloud of Christ do dispute themselves into a naked figure and sign as a painted supper represents a true I say this That God imitates men in their assurances or conveyances as we read of his oath of his earnest of his seal so that as men in passing of estates and inheritances do make Deeds and seal them and deliver them and then the real estate is not convey'd out by vertue of a bit of wax but by the Donors sealing that wax and fastening it to his Deed and delivering it as his Act and Deed So God or the Lord Jesus Christ makes a Covenant of giving Christ and eternal life to believers and appoints Sacraments to be Seals of that Covenant and delivers this sealed Covenant to a believer and thereby really and truly the Lord Jesus Christ for in hoc sacro speaking of the Supper saith Bernard non solum quaelibet gratia sed Serm. de caena 2. ille in quo est omnis gratia not only some one certain grace is given but he in whom is all grace viz. Christ Jesus the Lord. And yet I must not say that God hath so tied himself or us to the sacramentâ—l Seals as that no man can have Christ or the inheritance without them for that faith which eats and drinks the flesh and bloud of Christ extra Sacramentum Joh. 6. 50 51 53 54. doth save and the Covenant whosoever believes in Christ shall be saved passes the estate effectually to a believer though it be never sealed sacramentally so a Will unsealed and unwritten too will stand good to many purposes The Emperour Valentinian earnestly desired Baptism but before Ambrose could come died He was sayed saith Ambrose voto Baptismi by the desire of Baptism No The desire was good but it was his faith in Christ that saved him Crede manducasti saith Austin Believe and thou hast eaten What then need we care for Sacraments Yea the Covenant passes the Estate the Seal secures and quiets it God need neither adde to his Promise Oath or Seal to binde himself thereby but to settle us CHAP. IV. Of the Time of this Sacraments Institution And of Judas his betraying Christ. SO much of the Authour now to the Time of this The time Institution In the same night wherein he was betrayed The Lord Jesus was betray'd he was betray'd in the night The same night in which he was betrayed he instituted and celebrated this Supper §. 1. First The Lord Jesus was betrayed The same word signifies Gods delivering up his Sonne to death Rom. 8. 32. and Judas his delivering up his Master to the Jews Luk. 22. 4. and the Jews their delivering of him up to Pilate Mat. 27. 18. God is not said to betray his Sonne because according to his purpose and out of his love to man-kinde he delivered him to death for their redemption but both the Jews and Judas are said to have betray'd him they for envy seeking his bloud Matth. 27. 18. He for covetousness seeking money Matth. 26. 15. for it is thought that Judas conceiv'd that Christ would slip out of the mids of them and go away as often he had done and then his Master were safe and he had his money for it 's said Matth. 27. 2. that then Judas which had betray'd him when he saw that Christ was condemned repented himself It 's a good saying that we should not look on pleasure as it comes toward us but as it goes from us Sinne before it be committed seems to the eye of lust full of profit pleasure after commission when the lust is spent Ammon hates Tamar for whom he was sick before But the traitor sticks fastest to Judas he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the betrayer of Christ his Lord and Master and therefore the brand is set upon him Judas Iscariot who betrayed him as on Jeroboam that made Israel to sinne and how did he betray him He brought a band of men to the place where Christ was and marked him out unto them with a kisse Matth. 26. 48. This is he take him and hold him fast This Text refers not to Gods delivering up of Christ nor to the Luk. 22. 48. Jews but to Judas for it 's said In the night that he was betrayed and that was by Judas only §. 2. Obs Judas being an instrument to bring to passe Gods holy councel and purpose plunged himself by his sinne into deep damnation It was Gods purpose and decree that Christ should die and he himself deliver'd him up to death but as God holily and justly doth what Josephs brethren do sinfully so he delivers up the Lord Jesus by wicked hands Luk. 22. 22. The Sonne of man goes viz dies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it was decreed and determin'd But woe to that man by whom he is betrayed it had been good for that man that he had not been born It is according as it is decreed yet woe to that man c. Acts 2. 23. He was deliver'd by the determinate councel and fore-knowledge of God but you have slain him by wicked hands God brings his holy councels purposes and decrees to passe by most wicked instruments The giving up his Sonne to death was the most glorious work of grace and love that ever was but effected by most wicked hands Godly men could not be imployed in such services An Artificer useth a crooked tool to do that which he cannot do by a strait one The secret will of God is no rule of our obedience Nec omnis revelata saith Ainsw not every reveal'd Medull a lib. cap. 1. §. 23. will neither his instance is of Jeroboam to whom it was reveal'd long before that he should have ten Tribes 1 King 11. â—1 which yet peccavit occupando he
the Eucharist or Lords Supper hath been called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The breaking of bread as the phrase Acts 2. 42 Acts 20. 7. have been interpreted So Paul 1 Cor. 10. 16. The bread which we break Is it not the Communion of the body of Christ Thus some love to speak in our dayes calling I wish it be not out of singularity this Sacrament The breaking of bread which as it is by Synecdoche of the part for the whole so it was used by the Hebrews of any common feast or meal when they did eat together and is applied to this Sacrament but at second hand They began all their solemn meals with blessing and breaking of bread and their feasting was called eating of bread Gen. 4â— 25. a form of Casaub Exerc. 16 p. p. 339. Beza in Act. 2. 42. 46. speech new and insolent to Greek and Latine ears who called their feasts by the other element 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or convivia drinkings together 2. Christ at all other meals where he was Master of the meal and blest did also break the bread for he that pray'd the blessing was by the Jews called Giodw in Antiq Jewish in the Passeover ex Drusiâ— Habbotseang the breaker at his meal-meals and at other he blest and brake but in this Paschal Postcaenium or Supper to which you must still have your eye the usual Rite was That he that blest broke the Grot. in Mat. 26. Scult de emend l. 6. p. 536 bread into parts to be distributed to the guests or sitters and the pieces were about the bigness of an Olive Morton in loc Martyr in loc Beza in Act. 2. saith Scaliger He that brake did eat one and the rest were communicated for their bread at this time was not as learned men say great and thick loaves but 42. Steph. Glossa Mat. 26. broad and thin instar placentae like your Cakes here in England If they were thick as ours then may the knife Leviter scindere non obscindere and so be broken 3. The Churches of God do many of them hold this Ceremony of breaking of the bread and it ought to be holden Our Churches saith Paraeus do Par. in loc rightly observe it And in all our Churches saith Chamier we use it And it hath a command Do this Chamier De Euchar. lib. 7. c. 11. Piscat in loc Paraeas iâ— 1 Cor. 11. contro 2 sed non integram saith Piscator And therefore it is not adiaphorous or indifferent And there is a Dissertation in Paraeus fully debating the point in which he doth not say The Sacrament is null without it nor doth Beza say so Epist 2. Nor yet that it is meerly indifferent and left to choice but usefull and requisite he holds it for good ends and significations as I shall shew and he affirms That it continued in the Church and was used for a thousand years afâ—er Christ But the Papists as sacrilegious they steal away the Cup from the people So they use the Bread superstitiously making their Host into pines nummularios little round wafers like our money and put them whole into the mouths of the Communicants For saith the learned Jansenius The Church viz. of Rome doth laudably Harm 895. observe that the Eucharist be toucht only by sacred hands viz. the Priests As for Christ saith he Promore fecit he followed the Custom or Rite at that time 4. This Bread was broken and Wine poured forth Calvin in loc P. Martyr in locum Beza in loc 1. For the more lively representation of the death and grievous sufferings of our Lord for though a bone of him was not broken nor his body properly yet the Apostle cals it broken in regard of those wounds and pains and torments which brought forth a violent death and all this for us As the corn is not grinded or baked nor the bread cut or broken but for us that the breaking of his body might break our hearts and his flowing bloud shed our tears for it is the highest representation of death the bread broken and wine poured forth and is usefully observed to raise up such affections as the sight of a dying Christ may work even in a heart of stone as Chrysostom said before 2. It was broken for distribution sake for in Hebrew speech to break bread to the hungry is to distribute it Lam. 4. 4 and this hath another meaning in it and sets forth the communion and fellowship of the Church all partaking of one Christ and feeding on him and his death unto eternal life 1 Cor. 10. 17. We being many are one bread We are one body and of one holy fellowship and communion For we are all partakers of that one bread for Christ is that common center in whom we meet and by union with him we have communion with one another and thus the signification is lively one bread broken and divided amongst many Communicants who are one is one Christ given wholly to every believer and all believers one in Christ This brotherhood was observed and noted for their mutual love in those times when their profession of Christ distinguisht them from all the Heathens about them and when they were inclosed round by observing and cruel men that envied and hated them to death now that heat is diffused and not so concenter'd by the antiperistasis and so is not so warm we stand in need of persecution to make us love one another §. 9 §. 9. Of the Manner of Christs giving the Bread and the Wine Fourthly The fourth Rite or Action of Christ He gave it to his Disciples which in this place you finde not but in the implication of the word Accipite Take ye but all the three Evangelists Matthew Mark Luke expresly say He gave to the Disciples He gave to them for the word Disciple I leave it a while and only speak of the Action He gave that the Disciples received the bread and wine from Christ into their hands and not put by him into their mouths I make no question as I shall touch afterward Nor do I doubt but they received them from his hand for he blessed and brake and reached them forth to them and so the people may be said to receive them from the hand of the Minister that consecrates either mediately or immediately which may be the true meaning of that speech of Tertullian Nec de aliorum manu De Corona quam praesidenâ—ium sumimus nor we take them saith he from the hands of others but of our Presidents or Ministers but the clear Question will be Whether Christ did with his own hand give to every particular person into his hand the bread and the cup And Whether there were any words spoken particularly to every one in the delivery of them as for instance Take thou Eat thou Drink thou For the first Whether Christ did with his own hand deliver the bread and cup into the hand of every
passion and sufferings the death and bloudshed of our Lord had not been sutable to him in his lowest estate and darkest eclipse if it should have shined in outward lustre It was Tertullians Observation Nihil obdurat c. nothing Lib. de baptisme so hardens the mindes of men as the simplicity of the works and yet the magnificence of the promise that great and glorious things should be found under so plain a dresse as a rich diamond in a plain case to the end that the eye of faith might be more exercised then the eye of the body and that the spiritual and inward part might be looked after and intended Is not this the Carpenters sonne was a great stumbling block and so may the simplicity of the two Sacraments be to us The Temple Utensils and Service were rich and stately Christ was prefigured in golden Types But grace and truth came by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. 17. But we have a better Covenant and better Promises Heb. 8. 6. And if that which is done away was glorious much more that which remains exceeds in glory 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 9 10 11 c. but that was an outward this an inward glory that was in Moses face this in the face of Christ that the carnal Jew might see this the spiritual Christian seeth We saw his glory Joh. 1. 14. or rather there the glory was veiled But we with open face behold the glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 13 18. The glory of their Ordinance was a stumbling block to them for they rested in the cabinet and looked not for the jewels The meannesse of our Ordinances are a stumbling block to us for we look not for the treasure in such earthen vessels God doth great things by poorest meanes Jericho's wals fall at the sound of Rams-horns the fiery sting is healed by a piece of brasse the sight restored to the blinde by the use of spittle and clay The figure in this Sacrament is poor the thing signified heavenly and rich the Seal is mean the inheritance or estate is great but why were the types so rich and our memorials so poor You know Spectacles are for divers sights they had finer Spectacles we better eyes They had lesse spirit stirring in the Ordinances then than we now if their Tree had more shadow we have more fruit §. 2. Secondly Take along with you alwayes the Analogy proportion and similitude between a Sacrament and the thing of a Sacrament between the signe and the thing signified It 's Austin his Rule If Epist 23. alibi a Sacrament should not have similitude and resemblance with that whereof it is a Sacrament it should not be a Sacrament and from this similitude or resemblance it is that the signe is called by the name of the thing signified as the bread Christs body the wine is called Christs bloud The Rock was Christ Circumcision called the Covenant The Lamb called the Passeover and in common speech When we look on a Picture we say This is Casar this is Augustus this is Hercules nothing more ordinary In the Sacrament this similitude is a similitude of proportionality saith Bonaventure consisting of four termes You are most of you Arithmeticians and you have a golden Rule called The Rule of Three because three terms being given the fourth is given and this sets forth to you the Analogy of a Sacrament in four termes As water in Baptisme washes the body so the Spirit by his grace or the bloud of Christ cleanseth the soul As the bread and wine nourish and refresh the body so the body and bloud of Christ nourisheth and refresheth the soul As by the hand we take and with our mouth we eat and drink the bread and wine so by faith we receive the body and bloud of Jesus Christ If you destroy the similitude you destroy the Sacrament as the Papists do by their Transubstantiation for they destroy the Analogy Thus the accidents of Bread and Wine or the Species doe not nourish the Body say we Nor the very Body and Bloud of Christ doth not passe into bodily nourishment say they for it was horrible to imagine it therefore there is no resemblance the similitude is destroyed and so the Sacrament §. 3. Thirdly It is a most true most firm and golden Rule That a Sacrament out of the use appointed Chamier de Luchar l. 7. e. 4. §. 11. l. 8. c. 3 Forbes Hist. Theol p. 550. by God hath not the nature of nor is any more a Sacrament It is not a Sacrament extra usum out of the actual use There must not onely be Bread and Wine but Blessing and Taking and Eating and Drinking or else to us there is no Sacrament The Bread and Wine upon the Table are no Sacrament but the eating and drinking of Bread and Wine As in Baptism the water is no Sacrament but the washing with water is The Papists confesse this of every Sacrament and of Baptism but not of the Lords Supper which for Transubstantiation-sake which troubles the whole Scaene they hold to be a perfect Sacrament by consecration whether it be received by the Communicant yea or no and this is the Doctrine of their Schoolmen and Aquin. part 3. Qu. 80. aliis Scholasticis all others of their confession We appeal to the Text Take Eat This is my body It 's so being taken and eaten and not otherwise The remains of Bread and Wine are no Sacrament it is the use which gives the reason and nature of a Sacrament and when and where the use is not the Sacrament is not It 's true in our vulgar speech we call it the Sacrament as on the Table as the beast might be called a Sacrifice before it was slain being destin'd and appointed thereunto 1 Sam. 13. 9 Whitak deâ—â— acram p 621 624 c. as Whitaker saith but it is no Sacrifice till slain and offer'd nor was the Lamb a Passeover but as it was eaten and rosted so a meer stone is a stone wheresoever it be but not a boundary but in the use and an earnest is money but not an earnest except taken upon agreement Bread and Wine are Elements but not a Sacrament till all the Rites and Actions be observed which God hath appointed viz. in the participation and use 1 Cor. 10. 16 17 18. The Cup of blessing and the bread are the Communion of the body and bloud of Christ being partaken and received not else There is some kinde of Argument urged against this Rule from the reservation of the Bread especially and of the Wine which is read of in Antiquity and that was either private reservation when the Communicant carried home the Bread and kept it in his chest for his private use to eat of privately or else it was by the Ministers to give to lapsed Christians in time of extremity or sicknesse that were debarred of publick participation The first is mentioned Cypr. de
this Ordinance was instituted and is celebrated is for the remembrance of Christ for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a memorial of that great that universal Sacrifice Christ Jesus Memorials of dying friends though plain are precious and of great account with all men being kept amongst their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or esteemed treasures and we may see how little Christ receded from the intent of the Passeover which was a memorial of the Hebrews deliverance in Aegypt Exod. 12. 14. and transferr'd to a greater memorial of himself by whom is wrought a greater and more universal deliverance of the Church The day of the Jews Sabbath was changed to the first day of the week for celebration of the resurrection of Christ and so the creating of a new Heaven and a new earth that day The paschal rite of the Jew was changed from a memorial of their deliverance from Aegypt into a memorial of the death of Christ by which we have a greater deliverance Their Passeover was to be observed by them in their generations for ever Exod. 12. 24. and our Supper is an Ordinance to be observed by the Gospel-churches for ever Their ever was Christs first coming our ever is till he come again It 's twice repeated For remembrance of me both the eating of the bread and drinking of the wine are but one memorial which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or bufinesse of this Ordinance All Churches and Christians could not see the Lord dying for he died but once and therefore they have a glasse or representation of that death which as it is alwayes in the efficacy and effect so it might alwayes live and be fresh in our memory the commemoration of that Sacrifice which never is never needs to be repeated is repeated often in this Sacrament and this Sacrifice of Christ as it was promised and prefigured in old Types and Sacrifices so was it performed ence in truth upon the crosse and is often celebrated in this Sacrament of memory This memorial is solemn this remembrance must be practical CHAP. XII Of doing this in remembrance of Christ The Properties of this Memorial §. 1. IT 's a solemn memorial instituted by Christ himself Great deliverances have solemn commemorations such was the Passeover the feast of Purim the Encaenia or feast of Dedication Great victories have their dayes of Thanksgiving great deliverances benefits Benefactours are honoured with solemn memorials private remembrances which every man may agitate in his own minde are too low expressions of publick and eminent and universal benefits therefore Christ will set up his own monument and ordain a solemn Ordinance for remembrance of himself to be observed by all that have his memory and it is one of the great Sea-marks of the Church of Christ he did not set up anniversaries or festivals for his Nativity Circumcision Ascension c. which the Churches in after times observed but he did set up in grosse this solemn memorial of himself and that is principally of his death His death I say For ye shew the Lords death ver 26. And why Because his death is the expiation of sinne therein was made the Sacrifice of Atonement Redemption Reconciliation was made thereby the Covenant confirmed the love of God to man demonstrated the justice of God for sinne exemplified the foundation of our righteousnesse hope peace and victory laid the fulnesse of merit the mirrour of mercy the admiration of Angels the center of all Christianity and the summe of all Scripture types Prophecies Promises the most admirable of all the works of God that ever were and indeed all that can be said and more then can be said was here to be seen and is here to be remembred Secondly This remembrance of Christ must be lively and practical There is a naked historical theoretical remembrance a review of the Species or Ideas formerly imprinted in the minde So Absolom is remembred in his Pillar and Lot's wife in her pillar of salt meerly historically and there is a practical remembrance which connotes affections fruitfull effect and so in common speech to remember is to requite good or evil and in Scripture phrase God remembers our sins our services when he punishes or rewards Remember me O my God and spare me Nehem. 13. 22. with infinite the like Our remembrance of Christ in this Suppâ—r sets awork all that is within us Our sorrow for sinne as Peters remembrance of his words when the Cock crew Mark 14. 7â— He wept bitterly our faith to believe in and receive him so Psal 20. 7. We will remember that is trust in the Name of our God It sets on work our thanksgiving for so great a benefit ingages resolutions blows up the coals of love fils with admiration What would the sight of Christ bleeding on the cress for us groaning under our sins have wrought on tender heart The same as far as a reflexion can work which is weaker than the direct Species should be the temper of our hearts when we see him and his death personated and acted in this Sacrament here we see him dying paying our ransome Oh the dreadfull example of Gods justice upon sin Oh the sweetest example of Gods mercy to a sinner actually acting their several parts in this spâ—ctacle of Christ represented to our saith as yet hanging on the crosse the Lamb of God is as yet smoking upon the Altar which takes away the sins of the world if you seel not your remembrance of Christ it 's nothing If you exercise onely wit and invention it 's barren but the exercise of affection is the best commemoration He that brings sin hither as bitter herbs shall be sweetly refresht with Christ our Passeover §. 3 §. 3. To whom this Remembrance is made Quest To whom is this remembrance made Ausw 1. We make it unto and within our selves whetting upon our hearts the fruit and benefit we receive from him and the torments and pains he endured for us 2. We make this remembrance to others to all the world by our solemn profession of Christ and his death as that we stand unto for remission of sins and acceptation with God Let the Jew or Infidel laugh at us for trusting to a crucified Saviour and memorizing him in a piece of bread and cup of wine It is our joy and triumph we live and hope to die in and if need be for this profession 3. We make this remembrance to God we set before him the Sacrifice of his own Sonne and put him in minde by him to be mercifull to us we inculcate the death of Christ to God and set before him these monuments we say and pray Lord remember Mede Diatribiâ— Mal. 6. c. 1. v. 11. Forbes Hist Theol. p. 618. Cal. 2. that Sacrifice which we here remember If thou remember our sins we will remember thy Christ pardon us in the name of that Sacrifice which we commemorate and make mention of before thee and this is the
thus God offers the body and bloud of his Sonne which was shed for the remission of sinne and saith Take ye Eat ye Drink ye and that inward act which answers to this outward action whereby we do receive Christ that is exhibited we call faith when Christ is tender'd to us in the Word we believe ex-promisso when offer'd in the Supper we believe ex pignore There we have a promise here a pawn or pledge This faith is the taking hand which goes forth to the offering-hand of God This taking eating drinking are but faith appropriating and applying Christ You say you believe What believe you That God offers Christ to your faith What 's a poor man the richer for believing that one offers him a shilling What 's a condemned man the better for believing that a pardon is offer'd to him This is but a faith of the truth of the offer But doe ye receive Christ offered Do you close in with Christ Do you take him into you Here is the best Covenant sealed with the best blood that ever was You believe this to be a truth but come not in to this Covenant that saith doth but serve to your just condemnation It is the Christ-receiving not the truth acknowledging saith that brings salvation to you If men did but know what saving saith is we should have either more or â—ewer believers more for they would renounce that superficial thing cahed faith and buy gold tried in the fire Fewer for they would not count themselves to believe by that faith which they have A woman may believe a man to be rich and honourable and â—eall in his suit yet that belief doth not make a marriage but actual consent to take him for a husband For saith gives as well as takes it gives a man up to Christ as well as takes Christ to be a Saviour It is not true faith that blows hot and cold out of the same mouth and cries Hosanna to Christ a Saviour but yet I will not have him reigne over me This Sacrament presents Christ to faith thus It presents Christ himself his body and bloud not the benefits of Christ apart and abstract but Christ himself It presents Christ for intimate union with us as the nourishment is to the body It presents him really as the bread and wine is really taken and received It presents him crucified and suffering as if he was now dving and bleeding in whom faith findes reconciliation remission justification and redemption so is it acted and exercised in this Ordinance §. 4. Thirdly The third grace that is freshly revived and set on work in this Sacrament is Repentance and that appears thus Here is represented Goes Justiâ—e against our sinne in bruising his own Sonne with fore and dreadfull breaches made upon him and this Justice is mixt with goodnesse in transferring and laying upon the Sacrifice the delinquencies and sinnes which had they been charged on us had sunk us into the bottome of perdition and who that sees this shall not tremble at the fearfull wrath of God which Angels and men could not stand before Who shall not mourn over Christ whom we have pierced as it 's said of them Zech. 12. 10 Who can love the knife that slew his friend I meane the sinne that our Saviour bore in his body on the Tree This consideration here presented to you if you follow Christ from the Garden to Golgotha should me thinks affect the soul of a believer 1. With tender meltings of godly sorrow for sinne 2. With fresh purpose of amendment of life 1. With godly sorrow for sinne To hear the strong cries and see the streaming bloud of Christ for can there be a greater demonstration either of Gods Justice toward sinne or of his goodnesse to a sinner They say an adamant will be broken by bloud but alas the heart of man hath lost ingenuity or else the bloud of Christ would make us love sinne as bad as the terrours of Mount Sinai yea and to love it lesse and hate it more Fear may break a man but goodnesse melts him The terrours of the Lord may amaze and leave a man as hard still but godly sorrow makes tender and changes the disposition of the soul Revive then the sense of your sinne even pardon'd sins do revive godly sorrow and the more because he tastes goodnesse and grace to him unworthy the sweet of the Passeover is lost for want of bitter herbs 2. With fresh purpose of amendment a needfull grace to be renew'd at this Sacrament we should eat this Passeover with shoes on our feat and slaves in our hand ready to march out of Aegypt We cannot eat the Passeover and stay in Aegypt still God confirmes his Covenant and we must restipulate with God to cast out and execrate the old Leaven Let 's carry wounded sinnes from this Table Bring wonded hearts and carry away wounded sinnes Let 's learne to die to sinne by seeing Christ die for sinne Mutet vitam qui vult accipere vitam saith Austine The Covenant of Grace is sealed Let us seal a Covenant of Obedience By the merit of Christs death we are purchased to be Gods not our own By the power of his Death we are slain dead to sinne But here I must break out to meet with our common purposers and resolvers which if ever in their lives do now when they come toward the Lords Table flatter God and themselves with a new beginning of a new life from this time they are resolved that the ear that hath heard them shall hear them swear no more The eye that hath seen them shall see them drunk no more c. I would these greene cords would hold but we finde this righteousnesse is but a morning dew their Sampson lusts when they awake break all these cords And why Because these purposes arise from a fit of conscience not from a principle of life or love and so they prove but Lucida intervalla they returne to their madnesse againe when the fit takes them I would such men would resolve to be ashamed of these resolutions which so often leave them in the dirt that selfe confusion may carry them out of their owne strength which selfe-resolution doth but arme them with and therefore doth not stand For he that hath the Falling-sicknesse may resolve to fall no more but in vaine untill the disease be purged These are the principall the staple graces to be exercised in this Ordinance there are others which are included in these which I but name As §. 5. Fourthly Spiritual appetite of hunger and thirst after Christ who is here offered as full nourishment for the soul under the form of bread and wine I account gracious desires to be the immediate products of regenerated graces and very comfortable testimonies of life spirituall 1 Peter 2. 2. but it is called vehement desire 2 Cor. 7. 11. in difference from the sluggards desires which are but wishes and which every man pretneds
in a state of salvation without it because it serves for confirmation of one that is already in a saving state and it 's plain that a great parâ— of Christs Office is exercised in preserving and continuing of them in him who are already members of him and therefore is the finishâ—r as well as authour of our faith for we live in him and from him and our grace is maintain'd by emanations from Christ as the light by continual emanations from the Sunne and therefore this Ordinance of Communion of Christ and the exercise of such acts of communion are of prime use and benefit as the branch that shoots from the Tree grows and lives from that root which gave to it the first being by a contrived influx of sap into it And this is the first combination of Gods act and of ours 2. The second combination is The gracious Covenant which God hath made in Christ is sealed to a believer The common nature of a Sacrament is to be a seal of Justification or Righteousnesse with God by faith in Christ Rom. 4. 11. As a seal refers to some Covenant so the Sacrament refers to Gods Covenant with man which is this That God promises to accept into favour and into his propriety all that do believe in and receive Christ and to bestow upon them all the blessings and benefits thereof God gives Christ in way of Covenant He covenants with Christ our Lord that he should give his soul an offering and a Sacrifice for sin and in so doing should see his seed Isa 53. 10. So Arminius in this point is orthodox Of this Covenant the death or bloud of Christ is the Condition which Christ accepted and performed The Covenant of God with us is That all that believe in Christ that died and receive him for their Lord and Saviour shall have remission of sins c. and of this Covenant the bloud of Christ is the ratification as the Testators death ratifies the Will or Testament for it is bloud that doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dedicate the Testament Heb. â— 18. and so in the words of this Chapter This Cup is the New Testament or Covenant in my bloud viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dedicated thereby and this bloud we receive in this Sacrament as the Seal of the gracious Covenant made with us So that if doubts arise concerning the reality of God and surenesse of this Covenant that speaks so much grace and mercy we look upon and take hold of this Seale of bloud and are thereby setled and therein acquiesce Answerable to this act of God the believer accepts of and submits to this Covenant and the Conditions of it viz. to believe and to have God for our God and thereof makes a solemn profession in this Sacrament giving up himself to Christ as Lord and Saviour restipulating and striking hands with him to be his and so bindes himself and doth as it were seal a counterpart to God again and not onely so but comes into a claim of all the riches and legacies of the Will or Covenant because he hath accepted and here declares his acceptance of the Covenant The Seal is indeed properly of that which is Gods part of the Covenant to perform and give and is no more but offer'd untill we subscribe and set our hands to it and then it 's compleat and the benefits may be claimed as the benefit of any conditional promise may be when the condition is performed And least you should stumble at that word I must let you know That the Will accepting and submitting to the conditions is the performance of the conditions required and so the gracious God that might pro imperio require duty and allegiance of his creature condescends to us to enter into a Covenant of Grace with us and vouchsafes us the honour of coming into Covenant with him that so he might settle and maintain a communion and correspondence between himself and his people and there might be a mutual bond of engagement each to other which is solemnly professed as often as we meet with God in this Sacrament because we are so apt to disbelieve and waver about his promises and to halt and decline from our obligations to him And this is the second combination of action according to that which is to be remembred at every sealing day the Sacrament is a sealing day Deut. 26. 17. Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God and to walk in his wayes c. And the Lord hath avouched thee to be his peculiar people as he hath promised thee So much for the first What is here done §. 6 §. 6. What is here Received by the Worthy Communicant 2. I come to the second What is here received and I do not mean to say what every believer doth sensibly receive but what God hath appointed by this Sacrament to convey and what may be received by a believer in the right use of it not alwayes to his own sense but according to the nature of this Ordinance I will not say that which some affirm but it is Apocryphal of the Manna which the Israelites did eat that it had the taste that every man desired But this I may say that as Calvin of himself When I have Instit l. 4. c. 17. §. 7. said all I have said but little the tongue is overcome yea the minde is overwhelmed I say then in one word 1. Christ is here received the body and bloud of Christ into intimate Union as the nourishment of our souls What is more ours than the meat we eat What is more nearly joyn'd to us than that which becomes part of our selves The Scripture by the language it useth hath even overcome our apprehensions A man may eat the fruit that hath no interest in the Tree but here the believing eater grows into the Tree he that drinks drinks the fountain he comes to a closer Union with the conduit-pipe of all grace the flesh of Jesus Christ You know the best meat and drink doth you no good except it be made your own nor is Christ of worth except he be ours he is as if he were not Tolle meum tolle Deum we must be happy by a Christ within us Know you not that Christ is in you except you be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13. â— There was a croud toucht Christ but vertue went out of him to none but one that toucht him by faith So there is a throng about the Table but none receive Chrâ—st but those that by faith take and eat his crucified body If Christ himâ—elf be hâ—re received what spiritual grace is there that is not in him It is somewhat a grosse conceit to ask How Christ in heaven and a believer on earth can be united For man and wife are one flesh though a thousand miles asunder And we know that as the Apostle saith Col. 2. 19. there are bands and joynts whereby the Head and every Member the root and
kils no body yet without it they are a Rout and not an Army FINIS THE TABLE A ABuses in Ordinances no ground for separation 30 Actions in the Lords Supper of Christ 76 Communicants 95 B BRead must be broken and why 88 Benefit of worthy receiving 314 1. Generally 1. It is of higher nature then the Elements of themselves can convey 319 2. Blessings of the Covenant are sealed and graces of the Covenant improved 320 2. Particularly 1. What God conveys 1. Christ and his benefits 322 2. The Covenant sealed 324 2. What believers receive 1 The body and bloud of Christ 326 2. Remission of sin 327 3. Communication of greater proportion of Gospel-spirit 329 C COvetousness cause of Judas Treason 47 Counsel of God fulfilled by wicked instruments 58 Consecration of Elements by what words 81 Cups divers in the Passeover 79 D DIscipline what to be done where it cannot be duly administred 223 Discerning the Lords body what it is 338 Danger of unworthy eating 345 E ELements what they signifie 73 Must be taken severally ib. Were severally blest 77 By what words consecrated 81 Ought to be consecrated only by a Presbyter 83 Changed only in their use 85 Whether given by Christ immediately to all 91 Inward signification of them 117 They work not physically 267 Examination of our selves required to right participation of the Lords Supper 352 Examination 3. 1. Of Men. 356 2. Of Christians ib. 3. Of Communicants 357 Motives to and Directions for it 358 Examination by Elders 370 F FAsting not necessary before the Lords Supper 29 Fitness for the Lords Supper wherein it consists 278 May be set too high or too low 279 G GRaces to be exercised in Communicants 289 1. Knowledge of Nature Vse End of this Ordinance 290 2. Christ-receiving faith 292 3. Repentance 293 4. Spiritual appetite after Christ 296 5. Love to fellow-members 297 6. Thankefulness 298 Grace that is true how differenced from counterfeits 367 Guilty of the body and bloud of Christ what 342 Ground of worthy receiving and of the Churches admission different 343 I JEwish writings and customs needfull to expound the New Testament 2 Institution best rule for Reformation 34 Words of it explained 111 Irreverent carriage reproved 277 Judas intended not Christs death 57 K KNowledge of the Nature Vse and End of this Ordinance required in a Communicant 290 L LOrds-Supper Elements of it taken from Passeover 2 Who capable of worthy receiving 20 Occasional circumstances not obliging 22 Christ the Author of it 48 Why instituted at night 63 After Supper ib. Little before betraid 66 An Ordinance of Fâ—llowship 98 What it exhibits 120 An inner Ordinance only for believers 140 The End of it the remembrance of Christ 141 Occasions of the neglect of it 148 How obstructions may be removed 153 How our mindes should be exercised in it 156 The great work of it to shew Christs death 167 An Ordinance to be repeated 171 Must continue till Christ come 174 A barred Ordinance 182 Who ought to be debarred 191 Not a converting Ordinance by Institution 247 Yet may occasionally convert 250 Love-feasts how abused 30 M MIxt Communion no ground for separation 234 Motives to endeavours after right participation 300 Motives to self-examination 358 N NEcessity of teaching and learning the true meaning of the Lords-Supper 161 P PApists must have faith of miracles 86 Passeover represented Christs death 3 Why so called ib. Whether a Sacrifice 5 Christ our Passeover 6 It looked Backward as a remembrancer 8 Forward as a type 8 How it resembles Christ sacrificed 9 Christ in the Sacrament 13 Preparation for the Lords Supper 274 Q QUalification for worthy receiving false and insufficient 304 Qualifications of remembrance of Christs death 143 R REmembrance of Christs death 143 To whom it is made 145 Rites and gestures spurious in Lords-Supper 101 S SAcrament and Sacrifice how differ 5 Sacrament must resemble the thing signified 104 Consists only in the use 106 Scriptures necessity 40 Separation not grounded on Abuses in Ordinances 30 Mixt Communions 234 Sign taken for thing signified 7 Sins of Judas and Disciples how differ'd 61 Sins scandalous what 212 Sins notorious what 213 Socinian errour 120 T TRansubstantiation its rise 128 Arguments against it 130 V UNworthy receiving a great and dangerous sin 332 The cause of the sin Not discerning c. 337 Aggravations of the sin 341 Danger of it 345 Dangerous to Church and State 348 A godly person may receive Unworthily 285 W WOrthy and unworthy receiving 45 180 263 Worthy receiving not to be measured by success 265 What required to it 283 Benefit of it 314 Who capable of it 20 False qualifications for it 304 FINIS ERRATA PAg. 3. lin 27 r to suffer p 4. l. 18 Gerard. p. 5. l. 2. r. paterfamilias p. 6. l. 3 prius prosunt p. 8. r. § 5 6. p 8. l. 28. r. not only hrist p. 9 l. 7. r. this life-giving death of p. 22. l. 15. r. and bâ—essing p. 33. l. 14 Hebrewish with whom the c. p. 37. l. 24. r. the Lord I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered p 44. l. 31. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 5â— l. 13. r. Author from him therefore l. 22. r. Schoolman saith l. 23. r. were contained p. 58. l. 13. r. saith Ames p. 77. l. 16. r. Post-coenium p. 85. l. 17. r. Marcion l. 18. 1. body l. 20. r. humane l. 22. r. being p. 93. l. 32. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 95. l. 12. r. Thus Every p. 143. l. 14. r. Benefits Benefactors
The Cause of this Sinne viz. Not discerning the Lords Body §. 1. 2. THe cause of this sinne of eating unworthily is not discerning the Lords body ver 2â— The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to make difference between one thing and another Act. 15. 9. Heb. 5. 14. and in this place to discern and put a difference between two and those two things as the common streame runs are common bread and wine and this Bread and Cup of the Lord which are imploy'd to another use and end than promiscuous and common bread at your own tables for this is called the Bread of the Lord the Body of Christ in respect of signification and use I finde no fault with this exposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. saith Justin We receive not this Bread as common bread nor this Cup as common wine which hath no other use than to refresh the body I say I finde no fault but why may not Not discerning the Lords Body signifie thus much Not minding the body of Christ signified by the Bread but looking all upon the shell or sign and not the kernel or inward thing which should be regarded with greatest intention Let me not offend in the terms of this distinction §. 2 §. 2. What it is not to discerne the Lords Body speculatively There is a speculative discerning of the Body of Christ and there is a practical The speculative discerning is the notion or knowledge of the signification of the outward elements That the Bread and Wine do represent Christs Body and Bloud That the Bread broken represents his Body broken c. This is an easie piece of knowledge as easie as to know that a picture or figure do represent such a man and there is no great measure of knowledge to construe all parts or rites of the Sacrament into a true meaning In this sense not to discern the Lords body is directly to inhere and stick in the bread and wine as bread and wine and to take the picture for the man It may be there be some such bruitish ignorants that discorn not the meat from the dish nor the marrow from the bone such as these are are fit to be excluded because where there is no Analogy holden there can be no Sacrament The Analogy I say between the outward Sacrament and inward thing must either be known or it is to us no Sacrament For a similitude resemblance or Analogy must be between two things at least and therefore those that in a blinde and bruitish ignorance know nothing but the outward part do not properly receive a Sacrament but are like the carnal Jews that knew not the meaning of their Sacrifices or of those types of Christ which they had The brazen Serpent was Christ the Rock they drank of was Christ but many of them dream'd not of him in the use of them I do not believe these Corinthians men of such knowledge were such bruits for the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 16. speaks to them as wisemen who knew this saying The Bread we break Is it not the Communion of the body of Christ c. Therefore §. 3 §. 3. What it is not to discerne the Lords Body practically The practical discerning of the Lords body is when the body and bloud of Christ are so minded and intended as to compose the inward man and the outward behaviour of the Communicant into such a posture of spirit and carriage as is suitable to Christs body and bloud there offered and exhibited unto faith and the not discerning the Lords body is when the behaviour is so loose and rude the inward man so discomposed and carnal as that interpretative they may be said not to minde or not to discern the Lords body So we would say of one whose carriage is wanton and loose in the presence of his fathers corpse lying in presence in a coffin or beer you doe not minde you consider not who lies there because if he did another countenance and carriage would beseem him and so the Corinthians are taxed here for such carriage of theirs as proclaim'd they had no serious thoughts no sad and fixed minde upon Christ bleeding and broken for that consideration would have bespoken another frame of spirit and forme of behaviour The result of this explication is The Apostle gives us a two-fold cause of eating and drinking unworthily 1. If we understand not know not the Analogy or resemblance of the bread and wine to the body and bloud of Christ but stick in the rind or shell and feed only on the husks as upon common bread and common wine and resting in that as knowing not the use or end which makes the difference which renders all bruitish ignorant people unworthy receivers And how should I make them know the danger that know not thus fâ—rre of the use of this Ordinance Willingnesse to be taught would help it if they were not more willing to runne blindefold into the pit than proudly unwilling to discover their fillinesse and ignorance and if they be unwilling It 's no cruelty but charity to keep a blinde man from running into a pit 2. If we understand the meaning of the outward elements by rote or notional knowledge but do not seriously and with a fixed intention consider and look wishly upon Christs body and bloud represented offered and to be exhibited to our faith for this will compose our outward behaviour and inward spirit this bespeaks faith repentance affections suitable this composes us unto reverence and serious behaviour Imagine the very Body of the Lord Jesus was presented to your eye broken bruised bleeding for thy sinnes under the stroke of Gods terrible justice and so offer'd unto thee for thy salvation Would not thy soul raise up all affections and muster up all it's forces to receive him to open to him to thirst after him to admire and praise him And doth not God in this Ordinance really hold him forth to thee as such and so to be received The nature of the feast to which we are invited teaches us how to dresse our selves To a funeral we come in mourning to a marriage in a wedding-garment The very minding of the body of Christ teaches men to come worthily that is suitably and the not minding of it with fixed intention is the cause that we come loosly carnally and so unworthily CHAP. XXXI The Aggravations of the Sinne of Vnworthy Receiving §. 1. 3. THe aggravation of unworthy receiving follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall be holden guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord or God will judge and repute him guilty of the body of Christ unworthily received and entreated or guilty of the unworthy handling or of the contempt and violation of Christs body and blood the memorial of whose death is prophaned by your irreverence and this appointed means of your participation of it is undervalued What a high sound is there in these words He shall be guilty of the Body and
Bloud of the Lord and the eclypsis is left open to be filled with some fearfull word guilty of neglect of contempt of profane violation of and injury to this body the body of our Lord. For the right understanding of which phrase §. 2 §. 2. What it is to be guilty of the Body and Bloud of the Lord. 1. The Papists and no lesse the Lutherans doe hence infer That the very Body and Bloud of Christ is eaten and drunk by the mouth of the Communicant which they call Sacramentall eating and the reason is How else is an unworthy Receiver guilty of his Body We of our Confession that hold the Corporeal Presence of Christ under the Bread impossible as well as false do therefore inferre That that Body which is not corporally there cannot be eaten and therefore the guiltinesse of Christs Body is not by the oral eating 2. We expound it thus Whatsoever irreverence slightnesse neglect or contempt is used by any in the celebration of this Ordinance is reputed and adjudged to redound to the very Body and Bloud of Christ As it's Treason against the State to embase their coin to abuse a Picture is dishonour to the person to hang a man in effigie or subvert ones Statue as the Romans used are interpreted to the disgrace of the man whose they are And thus it is here by reason of that near relation and analogy which this Bread and Cup have to Christ himself so the uncircumcised man-childe Gen. 17. 14. is said to have broken my covenant and therefore the Fathers reckon an unworthy receivers sinne to be like that of Judas the Jews the Souldiers that abused and dishonour'd the very Body and Bloud of Christ and this is a peculiar guilt that attends upon the celebration of this Ordinance wherein Christ condescends to come so near us by offering his Body and Bloud to us and this condescention to be neglected and refused Think of this and measure not the sinne by your own apprehension of it but by the account which God makes of it who accounts all them that come unworthily to vilifie the Body the sufferings of his Sonne our Lord and to despise the Seal of that gracious Covenant which we make our selves believe we doe not do The result from hence is §. 3. 1. The sins of wicked Christians against Gospel-Ordinances are of highest nature and incurre greater guilt It 's said of Christians That after illumination and taste fall away they crucifie to themselves again the Sonne of God and put him to open shame Heb. 6. 6. And they that sin wilfully after the knowledge of the truth are said to have trodden under foot the Sonne of God and counted the bloud of the Covenant a common thing and to have done despight to the Spirit of grace Heb. 10. 19 26. A meer Heathen is out of capacity of guiltinesse of these high sinnes He is not guilty of the Body and Bloud of the Lord which was never offer'd to him in this Sacrament No aggravations of sinne are like to the aggravations of the sins of wicked Christians their guilt is not of so high complexion that never knew of Christ either we must be saved or we cannot be so easily damned the weight of sins against Christ is heavier than of those that are meerly against the Law of God We are the earth that drinks in the rain that cometh upon us If we bear briars and thorns we are nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Heb. 6. 7 8. 2. How many do that they think least of and are guilty of that they once imagine not themselves to be guilty of but few of a thousand will own this guiltinesse of the Body and Bloud of Christ and yet as often as they do or have eaten and drunk at this Table unworthily so often they have incurred and renew'd this guilt Do not they say at the last day When saw we thee an hungry or in prison Did the Jews think they pierced their true Messiah There are not many Christians in name and profession such that can be convinced that they hate and despise Christ as much as the very Jews that crucified him which yet may be demonstrate by clear arguments The Jew honour'd the name of the Messiah and expected great things of him and yet hated and rejected him blindfold and so we call Christ Saviour and Lord and besprinkle him with sweet water but his reign and government over us we utterly despise and hate and prefer a sordid lust far before him CHAP. XXXII The Danger of this Sinne. §. 1. 4. THe fourth thing expounded was the danger of this sinne He eats and drinks judgement to himself if he be a godly man that eats and drinks unworthily or haply also damnation if he be an hypocrite for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may respectively extend to both A strange phrase it is to eat and drink judgement but it is allusive and per mimesin as sure as he eats of the Bread and drinks of the Cup unworthily so sure is judgement to follow thereupon or to accompany it for he eats judgement but it is to himself not to others except they be partakers in his sinne which may be divers ways So as we have reason to insert in all our prayers Lord forgive our nostra aliena our other mens sins but without partnership in the sinne we need not fear share in the judgement He eats it to himself and therefore that argument of the Donatist which is rise now a dayes Si corruptis sociaris c. If you be joyned with wicked men how can you be clean If you pray with them hear with them receive the Sacrament with them was answer'd by Austin True saith he if we be joyned but that is not in bodily presence locally but by consent or allowance and so we are no more joyn'd then Christ and the Apostles were joyn'd with Judas at the Passeover or Supper who I believe was not defiled by his presence as neither were those guests that came in to the marriage by the presence of him that had no wedding garment It 's true example may defile by contagion and infection but allowance and consent defiles by accessarinesse unto the sin §. 2 §. 2. The Application How precious an Ordinance is this Supper and yet how dangerous There is life and death set before you It 's on one side a refreshing cloud on the other a flaming fire so by the same water and way were the Israelites saved and the Aegypians attempting the like were drown'd Thus Christ also is a precious stone to believers a stumbling and a crushing stone to unbelievers and the Word is a savour of life and a savour of death Some mens eyes are open'd by it and some are shut The same Ark is to Israel a glory to the Philistims a scourge Here is honey in the same rose to the Bee and poyson to the Spider and it is according as you eat and