remember it with thankfulnesse to God with compassion to Christs sufferings with hatred to thine owne sinne with faith in Christs pretious blood and with a true desire and endeavor to be like to him in his death by thy mortification how wondrously doe men erre touching this duty they will say we remember that Christ dyed for us all so pass it over as a sleight thing some will goe further and meditate upon it once a yeare or upon Good Friday somewhat more than ordinary alas this comes farre short of the right remembrance of Christs death whosoever thou art that lookest to be saved by the death of Christ see thou make it thy daily and continuall meditation and labour to grow acquainted with it every day better than other and take this for the conclusion of all so much as thou dost meditate religiously and affectionately on Christs death so much interest thou hast in Christ and in his salvation The end of the twelfth Lecture THE THIRTEENTH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER IN 1 Cor. 11.26 it followeth For as oft as you shall eate this bread and drinke this cup you shew the Lords death till he come This being the portion of Scripture which through Gods direction we have already entred into for our preparation to the Lords Table and the next Sabbath God will 〈◊〉 we purpose to communicate in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper therefore according to our wonted manner wee are now to consider of some meditations whereby wee may be the better sitted to the holy participation of that saving ordinance of Iesus Christ We have entred as you may remember into these words already and have shewed the drift of them and the dependance of them with that which went before we shewed you the parts of them that this verse consisteth of two parts as first an action performed in the former part of the verse As oft as you shall eate this bread and drinke this cup Secondly a caution or condition that this action is to be performed withall is the latter part of the verse Ye shew the Lords death till he come I will not make my repetition of that which I have spoken before we spake onely of that which concerned the coherence and dependance of this verse with the former that whereas our Saviour saith in the verse going before Doe this in remembrance of mee the Apostle saith here As oft as you doe this you shew forth the Lords death till he come Now then wee are to come to the handling of the parts of the verse and first to beginne with the action in the former part of the verse wherein we are to consider these two things First the parts of the action The eating of this bread and drinking of this cup whereby the Apostle describes the Lords Supper Secondly the frequenting of the action As oft as you shall eate this bread and drink this cup the parts of the action are the eating of the bread and the drinking of th◠cup. To begin with that there be sundry other actions of much use and significancy in and about the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as namely the blessing of the bread the breaking of the bread the distributing of the bread and such like but because that this here the eating of the bread and drinking of the cup because this action is the accomplishment of all the rest for all that is done besides in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the blessing of the bread the breaking and distributing of it tends to this namely that the receiver may profitably eate and drinke and comfortably communicate in these holy mysteries therefore the Apostle makes mention of this action onely as this I say being the accomplishment of the rest even the eating of this bread and drinking of this cup we are here therefore to consider of some particulars and the first particular that here we are to consider of is this that the Apostle being here to describe the Sacrament of the Lords supper he doth describe it and set it forth by a matter of action or a matter of use He describes the Sacrament it selfe by the use of the Sacrament by the eating of the bread and the drinking of the cup. Doctr. The matter that hence wee are to observe is this namely That the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as well in regard of the nature of it in it selfe as also in regard of the benefit of it to us doth wholly and altogether consist in the participation and use of the Sacrament I say both for the nature of it and likewise for the benefit of it for the Apostle speakes here of both he speakes of the nature of this Sacrament as appeares by the rehearsall of the institution in the three verses before going wherein the nature of the Sacrament is fully set forth and likewise he speaketh of the benefit of the Sacrament as appeares by the application of that institution as also by the whole discourse he makes from the sixe and twentieth verse to the end of the Chapter For explication of this doctrine understand that the Sacrament is then said to he in use when it is used administred and received according to Gods owne ordinance then is the Sacrament in use so long as the Sacrament is thus in use so long it is in the nature of a Sacrament and so soone as this use ceaseth so soone ceaseth the nature of the Sacrament in that particular So for the benefit of it the Sacrament being thus used there is much benefit to be received by it but without this use there is no benefit to be had by it at all it is true the benefit of the Sacrament to the faithfull receiver continues with us after the receiving of it and we finde benefit and comfort and sweetnesse by it but because the benefit doth arise wholly and onely from the use of the Sacrament therefore the doctrine stands firme namely That the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as well in regard of the nature of it in it selfe as also in regard of the benefit of it to us doth wholly and altogether consist in the participation and use of the Sacrament the Apostle speaking of the Sacrament both in the nature and use of 〈◊〉 hee speakes of a matter of use So oft as you eate this bread and drink this cup you shew the Lords death till he come It is not onely to have it but to eate it and drinke it For proofe of this point take Christ his example Matth. 26.26 Iesus tooke bread c. there was bread there and there was wine at the feast of the Passeover but the bread and the wine did not make it the Sacrament of the Lords Supper no saith the Text Iesus tooke it blest it brake it and distributed it saying Take eate this is my body So likewise he did the cup. This was matter of action on his part then likewise matter of action on the receivers
faithfull receiver to make them truly to partake of his body and blood and so by his Spirit is made wholly ours The end of the thirteenth Lecture THE FOVRTEENTH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER WEE are now to make our digression into the argument of the Lords Supper for our better and fitter preparation unto the participation of that holy Sacrament the next Sabbath day 1 Cor. 11.26 For as oft as you shall eate this bread and drinke this cup you shew the Lords death till he come You may remember we divided this verse into two parts First here is mentioned an action performed the receiving of the Lords Supper in the former part of the verse As oft as you shall eate this bread and drinke this cup. Secondly here is a caution and condition that it is to be performed withall in the latter part of the verse You shew forth the Lords death till he come Concerning the action wee noted two things First the parts of it and then the frequenting of it the parts of it to eate this bread and drink this cup the frequenting of it So oft as you eate it you shew the Lords death till he come We have begunne with the parts of it already and therein we have shewed how that the Apostle describing the Sacrament of the Lords Supper sets it forth by the use of it not by having of it or by having accesse to it but by having the use of it by eating the bread and drinking the cup. Thence we noted That the Sacrament of the Lords Supper consisteth in matter of action and use Then againe we noted in the second place That whereas the Apostle here speakes of the elements of bread and wine as they are in use in the Sacrament he calls them by their ordinary names the bread by the name of bread and the wine by the name of cup from hence we gathered this doctrine That even after the words of consecration and blessing still the bread and the wine for their nature and substance are the same as they were before still they remaine bread and wine So farre we proceeded Now we are to proceed further Thirdly then we are here to consider that the Apostle here speaking of these elements of bread and wine as they are in use in the Sacrament of the Lords supper he sets them forth by a note of excellency this bread and this cup for by the cup is meant wine as oft as you eate this bread and drinke this cup he sets them forth by a note of excellencie As in all things we must keepe a meane without going too farre or comming too short so specially in matters of religion we must be sure to keepe on the right way without turning either to the right hand or to the left we must take all matters of Religion in that very precise and true straine that the Lord himselfe hath set upon them we are apt enough to erre as well on the one side as on the other as well on the right side as on the left and to erre on either side is alike dangerous So it is in other matters of Religion and so it is in our estimation of these elements of bread and wine that are in use in the Lords Supper some doe erre on the right hand in their estimation of them thinking too highly of them as the Papists doe that the bread is corporally the very body of Christ that the wine is corporally the very blood of Christ on the other side others there be that erre on the left hand in their estimation of them they esteeme too meanly and basely of them as the prophane people of the world they generally esteeme the bread and wine at the Lords Table no better than the bread and wine at their owne table To meet with both these errors and so to keepe our hearts upright in the profession of Gods truth herein the Apostle in this short speech gives us a good caveat and preservative And first that we may not thinke too highly of them and so erre on the right hand as the Papists doe the Apostle still calls them bread and wine shewing that in the nature and substance of them they are the same as they were before next that wee might not erre on the left hand and thinke too meanly and basely of them as the prophane people doe hee extolls them by a note of excellency this bread and this wine though the bread be but bread in it selfe and the wine be but wine in it selfe yet hee speakes with a kind of grace and majesty of speech this bread this cup as singling them out by a note of difference from ordinary bread wine because they are dedicated to a sacred and holy use wherby they are advanced above all other bread and wine whatsoever As oft as you eate this bread and drinke this cup saith the Apostle you shew the Lords death till he come The doctrine hence to be raised is this namely That howsoever it bee that the elements of bread and wine that are used in the Lords Supper are in nature and in substance the same creatures as they were before yet notwithstanding in respect of that same sacred and holy use that they are consecrated and dedicated unto to bee made parts of the Sacrament in this respect they are things of farre greater excellency than all ordinary things of that kinde are this bread is farre more excellent bread in respect of the use of it than any other and this wine is farre more excellent wine in respect of the use of it than any other this is the reach of the Apostle in that he speakes so emphatically this bread and this cup. Marke the doctrine howsoever it be that the elements of bread wine that are used in the Lords Supper are in nature and substance the same creatures as they were before yet notwithstanding in respect of that sacred and holy use that they are consecrated and dedicated unto to be made parts of the Sacrament in this respect they are far more excellent than any other ordinary creatures of that kinde this bread is more excellent than any other bread and this wine dedicated to this use is farre more excellent than any other wine We shall not need to goe for proofe of this doctrine any further than this Chapter This Chapter affordeth us very pregnant proofes of it If we marke the Apostle he points out here three differences betweene our ordinary food that we have at our meales and this extraordinary food that we have at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper The first is in the 20. and 21. verse When you come together therefore into one place this is not to eate the Lords Supper for every man when they should eate taketh his owne supper afore and one is hungry and another is drunken Our ordinary food is our owne food our ordinary supper is our owne supper but this extraordinary food is not
Wisedome there spoken of It is he that calls us to eate and to drinke of his meat and his wine And this is expresly fulfilled in the act of receiving the sacrament of the Lords supper cōsider this with thankful harts consider the fatherly care of God toward us that meets us at it were at every turne He gives us the bread to signifie Christ his body broken for us the wine to signifie the shedding of his blood for us Is any of us distrustfull that Christs body is not enough for us here is his blood too Have we tasted of the bread and of the body of Christ found little or no relish in it thē the Minister comes presently to give us the wine that by the presence of the wine he may quicken us to the better sense of the bread Lastly doe wee finde joy and comfort in the bread blesse God for it But that 's not al seeing we find this comfort in the bread he gives us the wine too that so our joy may be full in every respect to our harts desire This is the bountifull goodnes of Christ Iesus that hath given his body to be crucified upon the Crosse and his blood to be shed for our sins That he hath given us his whole body his body blood that so there may be nothing wanting to give us full contentment and satisfaction that our Lord Iesus Christ is an all-sufficient Saviour and a plenteous Redeemer The end of the fourteenth Lecture THE FIFTEENTH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER THAT wee may be prepared to the worthy participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the next Sabbath day wee are now to meditate upon some argument fitting for that purpose and to proceed in that Text we beganne in namely 1 Cor. 11.26 For as oft as you shall eate this bread and drinke this cup you shew the Lords death till hee come The Text you may remember we divided into two parts First here is an action to be performed in the former part of the verse The receiving of the Lords Supper Secondly here is a caution that this action is to be performed withall and that is in the latter part of the verse yee shew the Lords death till he come Concerning the action in the former part of the verse we noted two things First the parts of the action to eate this bread and drinke this cup. Secondly the frequenting of the action in this clause As oft as you eate this bread and drinke this cup c. It is to be done and it is to be frequented or done often Of the parts of this action we have spoken before wherein we noted first that the nature and benefit of the Sacrament consisteth in the use of the Sacrament because the Apostle describes the Sacrament by the use of it Secondly wee noted that the bread and wine the elements that are used in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper they are called by their owne name after the words of blessing and therefore for substance they are the same creatures as before Thirdly they are as I shewed set forth by a note of excellency this bread and this wine though in regard of their nature they are the same yet in regard of their use they are more excellent than any other Lastly he couples them together As oft as you shall eat this bread and drinke this cup thence wee noted that the Sacrament is not to be administred in one kinde onely but in both in the bread and in the wine and not in the bread without the wine nor in wine without the bread And so much of the parts of this action The other branch follows namely the frequenting or often performance of the action in these words As oft as you shall eate this bread and drinke this cup whereby is given us to understand that as this action of receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is to be performed so it is to be frequented and oft performed we must eate this bread and drinke this cup and that oft-times It may appeare by the circumstances of the Text that this Church of Corinth to whom the Apostle writ this Epistle that they did usually in most of their Church-assemblies and meetings if not in all communicate in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for the Apostle in the 17. and 18. verses tells them of things generally amisse in the Church and in the 20. verse he gives instance in this particular namely in the matter of the Lords Supper Marke the words When yee come together therefore into one place this is not to eate the Lords Supper The words doe sound to this effect that usually when the Corinthians came together in the Church-assemblies they did eat the Lords Supper howsoever they did much misdemeane and miscarie themselves in this holy action that they did not carry themselves so to Gods glory norwith reverence to his ordinance nor with that profit and comfort to themselves and love to their brethren as they ought to doe because they received it disorderly one before another yet notwithstanding for the matter of receiving that was usuall amongst them The Apostle tooke this for a thing granted that when they came together they did eate else the consequence had beene to no purpose but speaking generally of their assemblies Church-meetings he speaks of the eating of the Sacrament as a thing usuall in most of them if not in all and this is the reason why the Apostle falls into the mention of the frequenting of this action As oft as you eate this bread and drinke this cup c. which yet we must take heed that we understand it not onely as a bare mention of a thing done by the Church of Corinth that they did eate and drinke oft as if he should say They did so indeed but whether it were well done or ill done it makes no matter the circumstances of the Text give us better light to see by for our resolution herein and we may therein discerne these three things First that it was not a thing amisse that they did so yea further that it was well done yea thirdly that it is a duty of necessity for them and all the faithfull to communicate in First that it was not a thing amisse among them for if it had certainly the Apostle would have reproved them for it as he did for other abuses especially seeing he tooke upon him to reprove and reforme such abuses as were crept into the matter of the Sacrament they doing this and oft frequenting the participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper if so be that it had beene a thing amisse the Apostle of purpose reproving things amisse he would have reproved this but seeing he reproved it not therefore it was not ill done Secondly the Text makes it cleare that it was well done and it is spoken by way of commendation for the Apostle builds a precept upon this practice of theirs
as at all times so then especially when we come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper let us labour to be so made partakers of the Lords death of that infinite benefit that ariseth by it that wee may be saved by it as by the all-sufficient price of our Redemption The end of the seventeenth Lecture THE EIGHTEENTH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER WEE are still to proceed God willing in the handling of this Text by occasion of the next Sabbath being a Communion day so that now we are to goe on where we left I shewed you that in the latter part of the verse there is contained a caution that the receiving of the Lords Supper is to bee performed withall the shewing forth of the Lords death wherein I noted to you in the caution it selfe these two things first the matter that is to be remembred and secondly the manner of the remembring of it The matter that is to be remembred is the death of the Lord Iesus Christ the maner of the remembring of it how is it to be remeÌ„bred why by a kind of shewing forth by a kinde of lively or sensible expressing of it Wee have spoken of the matter heretofore and even now we made repetition of that which was last spoken concerning this caution namely concerning the death of Iesus Christ Now as God shall inable us we are to handle the manner the manner how this death of the Lord Iesus Christ is remembred in the Sacrament is a shewing forth saith the Text a setting forth or a shewing forth for so the words signifie that is to say a kinde of lively and sensible expressing of the death of Christ is in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper one translation comes a little short of the power of the word in the originall which is worthy to be knowne we read it hence we shew the Lords death the originall word intends two things very materiall to our present purpose for it is a Compound word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the simple verbe it selfe is very significant but the preposition that it is compounded withall addes somewhat more to the significancy of it and makes it more pregnant and more full to the matter wee have in hand First the simple verbe it selfe signifies to shew to publish or to declare not simply but to shew and publish by way of a message or as it were by way of a lively voice In the Sacrament of the Lords Supper there must be certaine speeches and certaine words that are to be used there is a message that is to bee published whensoever the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is rightly administred If you aske what that message is I answer it is the very message of the Gospell the very doctrine of the Gospell free remission of our sinnes by the blood of Christ that is the substance of the Sacrament that is the doctrine of the Gospell and our Saviour himselfe when he did institute the Sacrament as it is in Matth. 26.28 there he saith This is my blood of the New Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes Here is the very preaching of the Gospell published in the administration of the Sacrament free remission of sinnes by the blood of Iesus Christ And surely the very same word that signifies the Gospell in the originall is derived from this simple verbe that here is used giving us some intimation that the message that is to bee published is indeed the message of the Gospell Why then in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Christ must be published by way of message or by way of lively voice But secondly the preposition that it is compounded withall that addes somewhat more what is that It must be done throughly it must be done earnestly for so the word signifies in the Originall as if â—â—e would say there must be a vehement publishing of it a vehement shewing forth It is not onely a shewing that will serve the turne much lesse a slender and a carelesse shewing of the death of Christ but it must be shewed throughly and earnestly as the matter it selfe is a matter of great waight and moment as ever was so likewise the shewing forth must be answerable thereunto It must be shewed most seriously and most affectionately and this the word signifies in the originall Yee shew forth the Lords death by way of a message and that earnestly till he come And whereas some reade it positively by way of approbation You doe shew the Lords death till he come and others doe reade it imparatively by way of command See ye shew the Lords death or You shall shew the Lords death both these in substance tend to one and the same effect And indeed the one of these doth consequently inferre the other For if wee reade it positively Yee doe shew the Lords death then this being a matter that is commended in them by the Apostle it doth imply that it is a duty and must be performed then if we reade it imparatively Ye shall shew or See you shew the Lords death till he come then it is implyed that all the faithfull that will conforme themselves to the ordinance of God they doe performe this they practise this at the receiving of the Sacrament they doe shew forth the Lords death till he come If we reade it positively it intends thus much namely that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a fit occasion or a fit meanes in and whereby we come to shew forth the Lords death If we reade it imparatively ye shall shew forth the Lords death it imposes a duty that whensoever we meet together at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we must be shewing forth of the Lords death there is little difference betweene them and in effect they are the same and because I am loth to vary from our own translatioÌ„ but upon good occasion because our translation comes neerest to the originall because the originall doth naturally sound to this effect you doe shew the Lords death rather than yee shall shew forth the Lords death therefore I will not change our owne translation but take it positively as it is propounded that you doe shew forth the Lords deathtill he come so we will take it that the Sacrament is a fit subject or meanes in and wherby to shew forth the Lords death and this is the principall matter that this Scripture doth ayme at and this doth confirme directly the very point that we made choice of this Scripture for namely to prove that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a memoriall of the death of Christ The Text saith plainly As often as ye eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shew forth the Lords death till hee come or remember or expresse in a lively manner the Lords death Doctr. The Doctrine then that here we are to observe for our instruction is this In that the Apostle saith here Whensoever you receive the Sacrament
not else that is not the meaning but we must take the words to be spoken with implication of a further extēt of this duty namely that therfore so often as we receive this Sacrament wee must remember and shew forth the Lords death after a speciall manner that thereby we may bee fitted and inabled to remember the Lords death at all other times both by preparation before and by continuall meditation after for thus wee are to conceive of the present businesse the death of Iesus Christ must never be out of the minds of those that doe beleeve in him their hearts must becontinually running upon the thoughts of him and of his death now because all of us are dull of understanding dead and cold in affection weake in memory that either wee doe not understand the death of CHRIST or not affect the death of CHRIST or not remember the death of CHRIST as wee ought therefore the Lord hath appointed the sacrament of the Lords supper as a principall meanes to releeve us in this case In that sacrament the Lord teacheth us the death of Christ that we may understand it in that sacrament the Lord expresseth the death of Christ unto us lively that we may be affected with it in that sacrament likewise the Lord tenders unto us the death of Christ that so wee may the better retaine the memoriall of it and that it may sticke the faster and the closer by us not onely for that present time whilest we are receiving but also for all times afterwards for as it is in our bodily repast we eate and drinke at some one set time or other as namely at dinner or at supper not that our bodies should bee refreshed and comforted then onely for the present whilest wee are eating but because by that strength which then wee receive our bodies might also bee refreshed and comforted afterwards when we are to be imployed in the duties of our calling so likewise in our spirituall repast we sanctifie the sabbath keepe it holy unto the Lord we doe not keepe the sabbath holy because we would bee holy onely upon the sabbath but because that that holinesse which wee attaine unto by meeting God in his owne saving ordinances upō the sabbath day that the same holinesse might season us and strengthē us and continue with us and thrive in our hearts all the weeke following and all our lives following so likewise it is in this particular in the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the death of Christ is remembred and shewed forth very lively and very freshly not that wee should be indued with the thoughts and affections of the death of Christ onely for the present whilest we are receiving but that thereby wee might be brought to make it to be our continuall meditation alwaies after and this as it is implyed in this second clause so often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this cup so often yee shall shew forth the Lords death so it is further and more plainly inforced in the third clause so often as yee eate this bread and drinke this cup so often yee shall shew forth the death of the Lord till he come which injoynes the continuance of it for it is as if the Apostle should say Your remembrance your lively and sensible remembring of the death of Christ in the participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper must not onely serve you for the present time but it must frame and fashion your minds to the habit of this grace that is to say to the continuall remembring of the death of Christ Iesus that you may make it your practice day and night every day and every houre of your life so it is with you saith the Apostle to the Corinths and not with you onely but so it must be with all the faithfull from age to age till Iesus Christ shall come to judgement And this I take to be the right straine of the Apostles speech in this verse so often as yee eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shew forth the Lords death till he come touching the remembrāce of Christs death simply in it selfe yet with raising it from this ground namely from the remembrance of Christs death in the participation of the sacrament the death of Christ is alwaies to be remembred in a lively manner in the participation of the Sacrament that so it may be fresh in our memories at all other times so long as wee live Doct. The doctrine that ariseth is thus much namely that the death of the Lord Iesus Christ ought to be alwaies had in continuall remembrance of all those that professe his name and embrace his religion ye shew forth the Lords death as often as ye doe this marke the words the death of the Lord Iesus Christ must alwaies be had in continuall remembrance by all those that doe professe his name and embrace his Religion for proofe of this doctrine take that first which is in the 12 of Zach. v. 10. where God promiseth to poure out his Spirit upon his people the spirit of grace and of compassion and they shall looke on him whom they have pierced and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his first borne or his onely sonne That Scripture sheweth the ordinary and continuall practice of the faithfull when once they are effectually converted unto God God poures out his spirit of Grace and compassion into their hearts and so converts them And what doe they then Then they doe ever after looke upon him whom they have pierced they have their eyes and their mindes altogether fixed upon Christ pierced upon Christ crucified or upon Christs death And this is no slender remembring or no short remembring of the death of Christ but it is a very affectionate remembrance and it is a lasting remembrance it is an affectionate remembrance as being joyned with sorrow and griefe and much lamentation as there the Text saith And this sorrow it is a lasting sorrow and so this remembrance a lasting remembrance Hee shall mourne as one sorroweth for his first borne A man that hath lost his onely sonne mournes and sorrowes and hee never forgets him so they shall never forget the death of Christ The sense of the death of Christ is so foundly fastned upon them by the Spirit in the act of their conversion that it stickes deepe within them and cleaves close unto them for ever after they make it their continuall meditation The Apostle in 1 Cor. 15.1 2 3. admonisheth the Corinths that they should continue and keepe in memory those things that hee had preacht and delivered unto them and that they had received that is in the first and second verses in the third verse hee shewes what the things are that he delivered unto them the death of Iesus Christ Why then the death of Iesus Christ must be continued in as it must be received so it must be continued in and it must bee kept
stirred vp to a faithfull endeuour and vnfained labour and trauell with our owne Soules to be better fitted for the Lords Table that next time we come we may be better Guests and better well-come Amen The end of the second Lecture THE THIRD LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER YOV may see how it pleaseth God who disposes of all times and seasons according to his owne will as being wholly in his owne Hands that the renewing of this Exercise should fall out vpon this day the next Sabboth being a Communion Sabboth and therefore according to the method before propounded and hitherto obserued we are to breake forth into our digression againe now to spend our time and labour this Sabboths euening to fit our selues against the next Sabboth to the receiuing of the Communion You may remember we shewed that the whole Doctrine of the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord may be reduced vnto these sixe Heads First the names or titles of it Secondly the institution of it Thirdly the nature of it Fourthly the parts of it Fifthly the power of it And lastly the vse of it We haue entred vpon the names and titles of it we haue seene that some are common to the whole action and some are peculiar to the seuerall parts of the action Common to the whole action that it is called the Lords Supper or Lords Table that is the first title the Lords Table that is a borrowed speech by the Table is meant the Meat or the Drinke that is receiued at the Table it is called the Lords Supper and there is as much intended as at the Table eating and drinking but withall there is further included both a specification of the time wherein the Sacrament was instituted in the night at euening Meale or at Supper Secondly withall there is a specification of that speciall action that it was accompanied withall when it was first instituted namely at that Supper where our Sauiour Christ and his Disciples did eat the Paschall Lambe which was a Type and Figure of this Sacrament each of these are ascribed to the Lord the Lords Supper or the Lords Table wherein we shewed first that Christ Iesus is the Lord by a kind of excellency the onely sole Ruler Gouernour and Commander of all Secondly we shewed it is called a Supper a Table whence we gathered this point of Doctrine that the Sacrament is a spirituall Feast or Banket whereby our Soules are nourished to eternall life Now there is also to be handled a third obseruation concerning this first title for where the Lord himselfe doth giue names there is some deepe reach of wisedome and vnderstanding in them Men are but of shallow capacitie they cannot sound the full depth of things and therefore the names that are giuen by Men are but shallow and superficiall they are not much profitable nor much obseruable but the Lord that made and hath ordained all things he sees thoroughly into the verie ground and bottome of all things and therefore the names that are imposed by God himselfe as they are alwayes verie significant to expresse the nature of the things that they are giuen vnto so commonly they are verie pregnant and plentifull for instruction of the Sacrament that we are to speake of It is tearmed or called by God himselfe The Lords Table or The Lord Supper consider it well and you shall find to arise a third obseruation namely that the Sacrament which we call the Communion is by a speciall prerogatiue appropriated to the Lord Iesus Christ his Sacrament his Supper his Table the Lords Supper or the Lords Table In the former obseruation you heard what it is namely that it is called a Supper therefore a Banket In this obseruation now you heare whose it is the Lords Supper or the Lords Banket 1 Cor. 10.21 it is called there by the name of the Lords Table If you aske why it is the Lords The Apostle shewes it cleerely in the sixteenth Verse namely that it is Christs The Cup of Blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Bread which we breake 〈◊〉 it not the Communion of the Body of Christ It is his Cup whose Blood is communicated in it but Christ his Blood is thereby communicated to vs and therefore it is Christs It is his Table of whose Meat we feed vpon but it is Christ his Body that there we feed vpon therefore it is Christ his Table and that by a speciall prerogatiue 1 Cor. 11.20 there it is called by the name of the Lords Supper And the Apostle in the 23 Verse of the same Chapter presently after speaking of the verie same Supper he shewes who is the Lord namely Iesus Christ it is his Supper and by a speciall prerogatiue it is ascribed vnto him Our Sauiour himselfe affirmes as much with his owne Mouth Math. 26.26.28 where the same Sacrament is mentioned in regard of the institution of it Christ saith This is my Body and so the Cup he saith This is my Blood I haue a speciall interest into it I lay clayme to it as my right Christ challengeth it for his owne as if he should step forth and say This is my right and I challenge it as my owne by a speciall prerogatiue For the further opening of this point we will first speake of certaine respectiue considerations whereby this truth is cleared and amplyfied and then of certaine reasons whereby it is more fully confirmed First of certaine respectiue considerations whereby the truth of this obseruation is cleared and amplyfied First in regard of the Suppers of Men Men haue their Suppers but they are common and ordinarie Suppers but this is a heauenly and spirituall Supper the Supper of Iesus Christ Secondly in respect of other Suppers that Christ himselfe made indeed he made many Suppers while he liued here vpon the Earth but yet this is his by a kind of speciall prerogatiue and right not onely as being his last but the greatest Supper of greatest consequence he made both to himselfe and vs that is to say the Supper of the Lord was of greatest consequence to himselfe because presently that night he was to be betrayed and deliuered into the hands of sinners the next day on the morrow to suffer death and so also of greatest consequence to vs because it is most beneficiall to vs and we ought to mind it more then all Suppers besides A third respectiue consideration shall be in regard of those that supped together with him It is the Lords Supper yea but did not others suppe with him Yes the Disciples did And therefore why may it not be called their Supper I answer they were but the Guests he the Master and the prouider of the Supper they the Seruants and he the Lord though they were with him though they did partake of it yet it doth belong to the Lord by a speciall prerogatiue Last of all in respect of the other Persons
of our punishment our reconciling unto God the perfect and absolute redemption of our soules and bodies from that miserable and damnable estate that we were in this is the death of Christ and the right remembring of his death remember Christ dying the act of his death remember Christ dying the benefit of his death to us and this is the right remembring of Christ his death which is tendred unto us in the Sacrament of the Lord supper But yet withall when it is said remember his death we must not take it so as if therfore we shold neglect or forget the remembrance either of that which went before his death or of that which came after his death we must remember them also we must remēber that which went before his death as his birth his life his meannesse other parts of his humiliation also we must remember that which followed after his death namely his resurrection his ascension and other parts of his glorification for Christ is given wholly unto us in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and therefore we must receive him wholly for all the passages of our Saviour Christ before his death in his death and after his death they all make up together one and the same worke of our redemption and therefore all these passages must bee wrapt up together in one and the same apprehension of ours Wee must remember the death of Christ especially in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper but yet under the comprehension of the death of Christ wee must meditate upon those things that went before his death and those things that came after his death every thing in their kinde and in their place and order this we are to understand by the death of Christ Next it is faid here the Lords death By the Lord wee are to understand the Lord Iesus Christ who is Lord over all blessed for evermore Christ is the Lord by nature and being as the Father is Lord and the Holy Ghost Lord so also is Christ the Lord by nature and being But yet Christ is intituled to the name Lord by a kinde of excellencie and specialtie in regard of his office of Mediatorship wherby hee is Lord over all but especially Lord over his Church And wee must understand that our Saviour Christ is more usually called Lord at the time of his Death and Resurrection and afterwards then hee was before The Reason of it is this because howsoever our Saviour Christ was Lord alwayes and even in the dayes of his flesh did many wayes shew forth himselfe to be Lord yet notwithstanding at his death and afterwards he did then especially and most certainly prove himselfe to be the Lord and then hee did most manifestly shew and declare himselfe to be the Lord by doing that then which never any could doe but the Lord himselfe What the things are shall bee shewed God willing by and by The Lords death some may say this seemes to be a strange speech Here are but two words and yet they seeme to imply a flat contradiction one to another If hee be the Lord how could hee dye And if he dyed how could he be the Lord Could the Lord dye For answer hereunto wee must consider that our Saviour Christ consisteth of two natures God and Man he is perfectly God and Lord and withall hee is perfectly Man and by reason of the union of these two natures his Godhead and his Manhood in one and the same Person Christ there ariseth a certaine communion of the properties of both these natures whereby that which is proper unto Christ as hee is God is yet affirmed of him even as he is Man and whereby on the other side that which is proper unto Christ as he is man is affirmed of him as hee is God It is a deepe mystery of our faith and yet a necessary point to be knowne for without the knowledge of this wee cannot rightly know Christ I desire to make it plaine Christ I say is perfectly God or Lord and perfectly man and because that these two natures his Godhead and his manhood are so nearly united into one and the same person of the Sonne of God hence it comes to passe that there is a communication of properties that is to say those things that are proper to him as he is God are affirmed of him as hee is man and those things that are proper to him as he is man are affirmed of him as he is God To give an instance of the first those things as are proper to Christ as he is God are affirmed of him as he is man Iohn 3.13 For no man ascended up to heaven but he that hath descended from heaven even the Sonne of man which is in heaven Our Saviour Christ speakes it of himselfe even the Sonne of man that is in heaven when our Saviour Christ spake these words hee was upon the earth and not in heaven as he was man and yet there it is said the Sonne of man that is in heaven as though then hee were in heaven at that instant even as the Sonne of man How can these stand together he being man was on earth and yet in heaven at that instant The doubt is clearly answered thus Consider Christ consisting of two natures God and Man perfectly God and perfectly Man and then you shall finde by reason of this union in one person that well may the properties of the one be affirmed of the other Christ the Sonne of man is also the Son of God and as God so he was then and alwayes in heaven and because God and Man in Christ are but one person therefore Christ the Son of man is said then to be in heaven The Sonne of God was then in heaven Christ the Son of Man is the Sonne of God therefore Christ the Sonne of man was even then in heaven One thing must be observed for the right understanding of this mystery and that is this namely that those properties that belong to God are affirmed of Christ as he is man and so on the contrarie but we must understand it of the person of Christ and not of the natures of Christ that is to say for the person of Christ to speak of Christ in his person it is a true and a necessary rule the property of Christ as he is God is affirmed of him as he is man but in regard of the natures it is contrary that that which is proper to the nature of man is not to be affirmed of the nature of God to say that the Godhead dyes that is blasphemy but to say that the manhood dies that is true If Christ shold have said Ioh. 3.13 my manhood that in heaven that had beene an untrue speech for that was not then in heaven but that he in regard of his Godhead and the union of the two natures was in heaven that is a most true and holy speech The reason why we must put this difference is because
should wee love the glorious Lord of heaven and earth seeing the Lord of heaven and earth hath so loved us as to dye for us Also it teacheth us patience seeing Christ the Lord hath dyed for us therefore we must not thinke much to suffer temptation and affliction yea death it selfe Christ the Lord hath gone through these before and therefore no doubt but he will bring us through the like with joy and with comfort Christ the Lord hath dyed for us this will breed and worke faith and boldnesse in us we may be bold to hazard our soules upon Christ knowing that our salvation is sure and firme it is the Lord that hath wrought it by his death and it is not all the Devills in hell can disanull that salvation which the Lord hath wrought for us Againe it ministers matter of rejoycing that we doe not onely beleeve in Christ crucified but we rejoyce in Christ crucified Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should rejoyce but in the crosse unto me and I unto the world this Crosse I oppose against all my feares afflictions and temptations and persecutions against all that ever can come I am crucified to the world and the world to me because the Lord hath dyed for me Lastly this is a matter of excellent comfort to Gods children for hereby we may discerne the infinite worthinesse of the death of Christ and the infinite preciousnesse of his death Why was the death of Christ so precious why because it was the death of Christ the Lord not the death of Christ as he was man but of Christ the Lord of life and glorie When wee consider that so many thousand shall be saved wee thinke with our selves how shall these bee saved why the infinite blood of the Lord is sufficient for us al this death being the Lords death it must needs be of force and power and vertue and merit to procure mercy and grace and forgivenesse of sinnes to all those that have a true faith and doe earnestly endeavour and desire to be conformable to this death of Christ The end of the sixteenth Lecture THE SEVENTEENTH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER NOw wee are to proceed as God shall inable us in the handling of the 26. verse of the 11. chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians because this afternoones exercise we must spend in the matter of preparation against the next Sabbath for the receiving of the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.26 For as often as ye shall eate this bread and drink this cup ye shew forth the Lords death till hee come We divided this Scripture as you may remember into these two parts first an action to bee performed in the former part of the verse namely the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper set forth here by the name of eating this bread and drinking this cup. Secondly the caution that this action is to bee performed withall that we have in the latter part of the verse ye shew forth the Lords death till he come In this caution in the latter part of the verse we observed the caution it selfe namely to shew forth the Lords death secondly the often using or the often observing of this caution For though that be not here expressed yet it is to be supplyed out of the former part of the verse and is in common understanding to be read thus As often as ye shall eat this bread and drinke this cup so often yee shew forth the Lords death till he come Thirdly and lastly here is the continuance of it how long this is to continue why till the end of the world till the day of Iudgement till the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ ye shew forth the Lords death till he come In the caution first we observed the matter that is to be remembred that is the Lords death then secondly we told you here wee must consider of the manner of the remembring of it how must it be remembred by a shewing forth by a lively and a kinde of sensible expressing of it yee shew forth the Lords death till he come Concerning the matter to bee remembred namely the Lords death there wee shewed you first what is meant by the death of the Lord namely both the act of his death in respect of himselfe and likewise the benefit of his death in respect of us for that also must be remembred in the receiving of the Sacrament Then when as it is said here it is the Lords death I shewed you that howsoever Christ as he was Lord could not dye yet notwithstanding the death that Christ did suffer is rightly called the death of the Lord because Christ being man was also God and Lord yet by reason of the union of both these natures in one and the same person therefore that which is proper to Christ as he is man is rightly affirmed of him as being God and Lord. And thence we drew this observation in that it is here called the Lords death namely that howsoever Christ Iesus was cruelly and shamefully crucified and put to a most cruel and ignominious death upon the Crosse as ever any man could bee put unto yet notwithstanding even in that state of his death he was the Lord and shewed himself to be the glorious Lord of heaven and earth It followes now that we are to goe on Wee have spoken hitherto touching the Lords death as it is considered absolutely in it selfe we are yet further to speake of the Lords death by way of application or by way of reference of it to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for so you see here the Apostle speakes of it respectively unto this Supper As often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shew forth the Lords death till he come where by it is plaine that looke what the Apostle speakes here concerning the Lords death the same is confined expressety to the reference of the Lords death to the Lords Supper we must alwayes remember the death of the Lord Christ Iesus every one of us that looke to have any part or to have any benefit by it must remember it at all times but yet when as we come to communicate in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper then there is required of us a more speciall meditation thereof than generally at other times Again even in the participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we must meditate upon whole Christ Christ borne Christ living Christ dying Christ buried Christ risen againe for Christ was given wholly for us upon the Crosse and Christ is given wholly unto us in the Lords Supper and therfore there we must receive Christ wholly and meditate upon whole Christ I but yet in this case when wee come to receive the Sacrament then wee must more meditate and our hearts and our mindes must more runne upon the death of Christ than upon any thing else that ever Christ did or suffered for us it is the death
remission of sinnes Remission of sinnes is the benefit there is no remission of sinnes but onely by the blood of Iesus Christ as it is in the 1. of Iohn 11.7 It is the blood of Iesus Christ that clenseth us from all our sinnes On the other side in Hebr. 9.22 Where there is no shedding of blood there is no remission of sinnes then consider of it there is no purchasing of remission of sinnes by Christ but by his blood there is no obtaining of remission of sinnes by us but onely by participating or by communicating in the blood or death of Christ Iesus the death of Christ Iesus is not communicated unto us in the Sacrament except we partake of it and seize upon it by faith in the Sacrament therefore the chiefe and principall matter in the Sacrament is the death of Iesus Christ if so be that in the receiving of the Sacrament we come with our harts sprinkled with the blood of Christ Iesus by the Spirit of God why then we are sure to be made partakers of the whole benefit of the Sacrament remission of sinnes but if wee doe not come with the blood of Christ so sprinkled in our hearts by the Spirit of God we doe not seize upon the death of Christ wee have no benefit in the Sacrament if there be not shedding of blood there is no remission of sinnes Christ himselfe could never have redeemed us from death without his blood had beene shed for us and so we can never have any benefit by his redemption without his blood be sprinkled in our hearts and we take fast hold upon the death of Iesus Christ The Vses of the doctrine are these Vse 1 The first is this this yeelds us matter of reproofe of divers that doe come unto the Lords Table and yet are not sensible of the death of the Lord Iesus Christ they come to the Lords table but they know not what they come about Alas as Salomon saith Eccles. 4.17 Such men doe but offer the sacrifice of fooles they doe not know they doe evill they doe but offer the sacrifice of fooles because they doe not know what they doe that is the meaning of the place that they doe not heare or learne they doe not understand they are not well taught what it is that they must principally meditate upon when they come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Sily men and women that so come to the Lords Table alas they know not that they doe evill they know not that they prophane the Sacrament in that they doe not receive the holy things of the Sacrament that is the death of Christ they know not that they make themselves guilty of the blood of Christ in that they receive not the body and blood of Christ by faith Christ he is tendred unto them but they know not that they doe eate their owne damnation in that they apprehend not the death of Iesus Christ which is the chiefe matter that is there tendred unto them and that the Lord calls them unto they offer the sacrifice of fooles they know not that they doe evill I will give you a comparison If so be that a man should goe into the market to fetch such and such commodities that he stands in need of he makes himselfe ready and goes forth and makes full accompt to bring them home with him but the foolish man never considers the price of these things what they will cost him and so hee takes no money to pay for them when as the price is the chiefest thing to be respected in that he goes about but he never considers that Is not this a ridiculous man is not that man like to come home as foolish and as emptie as he went out It is so with many of our Communicants many here come to the Lords Table for what forsooth to furnish themselves with such and such commodities for to receive the holy Sacrament the body and blood of Christ for to receive remission of sinnes and grace and comfort and such like these they come to receive I but they do not consider the price of these things what is that the death of Christ for these things cost Christ Iesus his most precious blood they doe not bring faith in their hearts whereby to purchase and get these things for themselves therefore such men goe away as foolish and ridiculous and as empty of grace as ever they were before yea they are so much the more damnable because they come thus unfurnished It is with many of us as it was with the Iewes that the Apostle speakes of in the 2. to the Corinthians chap. 3. vers 14 15. Their mindes are hardned for unto this day remaineth the same covering untaken away in the reading of the old Testament which veile in Christ is put away but even unto this day when Moses is read the veile is laid over their hearts They could see the outward things the sacrifices the ceremonies and the letter of the old Testament as the Apostle speakes I but saith the Apostle they could not looke unto the end they could not looke unto the substance of those things that were tendred unto them in this outward shadow that is to say they could not looke upon Christ that is the substance of all no saith the Apostle there is a veile over their hearts and to this day they continue in their hardnesse so I say it is with many among us wee come here unto the Lords Table we can see these outward things well enough the bread and the wine I but yet many of us doe not looke to the end of these things to the substance that is tendred unto us in these holy mysteries namely to the death of Christ wee doe not discerne the Lords body there is a veile over the hearts of many of us a covering of blindness over the harts of many of us therefore though we doe come often this month and the next month yet still wee continue in the hardnesse of our hearts we are never the better till this veile be taken away as the Apostle speakes of the Iewes till this veile be taken away by Christ till Christ Iesus doe take away this veile of blindnesse and shew them his death and present his death unto them and cause them to looke upon him whom they have pierced till such time that this veile be taken away and that he present his death to their hearts by his Spirit they shall never be the better for it they do continue in their hardnesse and they shall continue in their hardnesse for ever Therefore beloved let us not deceive our selves to thinke that wee are more holy and religious receivers than indeed we are let us try our selves when wee come to the Lords Table examine our selves upon this point what apprehension we have of the death of Christ what portion wee have in the death of Christ and accordingly as thou findest some measure of this grace within thee so
ye shew forth the Lords death Hence observe that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper being rightly administred and received according to Gods owne ordinance is a fresh and a lively memoriall a sensible representation a through setting forth or a through shewing forth of the death of the Lord Iesus Christ I say if it be rightly received and administred according to Gods owne ordinance for so the Apostle meanes here for having in the 23 24 and 25 verses reformed the Sacrament of the Lords Supper according to our Saviours first institution thence he gives them this Item As often as yee eate this bread and drinke this cup c. as if hee should say that if it be rightly administred and instituted and received according to Gods owne ordinance then it is a lively representation and a right shewing forth of the Lords death Consider the whole frame and institution of this Sacrament made by our Saviour both for matter of circumstance and for matter of substance you shall see that both of them doe confirme this truth First for matter of circumstance there bee three circumstances that may be alledged to this purpose One is the time of this institution the night when he was betrayed another is the action that this institution did insue upon and the third is the cariage of our Saviour immediately before he instituted it First for the time the time when he instituted it when was it the night that hee was betrayed as it is in the 23 verse the Apostle doth not note the time but upon very just occasion Marke it over-night our Saviour instituted the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for the expressing of his death the next day our Saviour suffered that death which was in and by that Sacrament to be expressed How could our Saviour devise to have served himselfe better upon the advantage of the time to make the Sacrament to be a fresh and a lively representation and memoriall of his death than by respiting the institution of the Sacrament so neare as neare might bee to the time of his death the one was done over-night and the other the next day We know that such things as have some neare dependance one upon another in nature looke how more neerly they are performed in time so much the more doth the one give the better help to the remembrance of the other whereas if one be done long before the other they will not meet so readily and freshly in our memories for example the eating of the Passeover which was a type and memoriall of the deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt was of purpose respited to the night before their departure they were to eate the Passeover over-night and the next day to depart that whensoever afterward they were to eate the Passeover it might renew upon them a more fresh memory of their deliverance out of Egypt whereas if they had had the Passeover a yeare or two before and a yeare or two after beene delivered out of Egypt then there would not have beene such a joynt concurrence of them together in their minds the Passeover would not have been such a palpable and present memoriall of their deliverance as it was so likewise Iesus Christ hee instituted the Sacrament of the Lords Supper over-night he suffered his death the next day that whēsoever after we come to receive the sacrament of the Lords Supper the time wherein his death was suffered following so presently upon the institution of the Sacrament the one of these might helpe forward the other that so the Sacrament might bee the more lively remembrance of his death the circumstance of the time of the institution being so neare the time of his death proves unto us that Christ had a full intent to make the Sacrament a fresh memoriall of his death The second is the action that this institution did ensue upon what was that why that was the eating of the Passeover as appeareth in the 14. of Marke 22. And as they did eate Iesus took the bread and when he had given thankes he brake it and gave it to them and said Take eate this is my body c. They were then eating of the Passeover so saith the Text as they were eating Christ tooke the bread and gave it to his Disciples c. The Passeover it selfe was as I have shewed you heretofore a Type and a memoriall of the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt by Moses but principally of their deliverance from sinne and Sathan by the death of Iesus Christ and yet notwithstanding immediately upon the eating of this Passeover did our Saviour Christ institute the sacrament of the Lords Supper as if our Saviour should say unto them well now you have eaten the Passeover this Passeover did not onely signifie your deliverance out of Egypt but principally your deliverance from sin and Sathan by my death for indeed I am that true Lambe of God slaine and eaten and signified in this Passeover but yet howsoever that did signifie my death unto you yet it was but somewhat darkly and obscure you could not be so sensible of my death by that but now I will give you a Sacrament that shall expresse my death and your deliverance most cleerly and that is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper The very straine of the story in Matthew Marke and Luke c. being well considered doth afford us this collection That our Saviour presently after the eating of the Passeover did institute the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as if that were not cleere enough but this should bee most cleere for that purpose Thirdly the cariage of our Saviour immediately before the institution of the Sacrament as it is in the 13. of Iohn 16. to 22. wee shall finde there that our Saviour did teach unto his Disciples many good lessons he taught them humilitie and charity both by example and by doctrine moreover then he did foretell them of his death and told them covertly who should betray him he quoted a place of Scripture for it and all this was done upon the instant of the institution his teaching them humility and charity his foretelling them of his death his putting them in minde of these things and raising them up to the consideration of his sufferings before-hand all these concurre together by way of circumstance to teach that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a manifest shewing forth of the death of Christ the use therof for Christs own humbleness and love which then hee shewed by his practice are matters of speciall note in the death of Christ and our humblenesse and love which then hee taught us both by his doctrine and example are speciall fruits and uses of his death in us Now to the substance of it whether we respect the signes used in the Sacrament or the actions or the words in the Sacrament First concerning the signes the very signes they shew forth the death of the Lord the bread shewes forth the body
and to save us by condemning him Fourthly there is another duty required the words of the institution must necessarily bee rehearsed and this is a matter that gives wonderfull light to the death of the Lord Iesus Christ in the sacrament for when wee heare the minister make rehearsall of the same words of Christ then wee doe esteeme highly of the sacrament as if Christ were personally among us speaking to us with his owne mouth and delivering his body and blood unto us as it were with his owne hands this is a notable meanes to set forth the death of Christ Lastly it is a Christian duty and a needfull duty about the time of the sacrament to shew forth both our thankfulnesse and our cheerfulnesse even by singing of Psalmes It is true indeed there is no Psalme amisse because all were penned by the holy Ghost yet some are more fit and seasonable then others the fittest Psalmes are either teaching Psalmes or psalmes of thanksgiving if wee will have Psalmes of thanksgiving there is specially the 103 Psalme and the 116 full of good meditations to this purpose but if we will have teaching Psalmes teaching us the death of Christ for that is then most seasonable that teacheth us the matter of the death of Christ then take the second Psalme for that teacheth us concerning the death of Christ as it is applyed by the holy Ghost Act. 4.25 and so the 22 Psalm as it is alleaged 27 of Matth. for there are three severall places quoted out of that Psalme singled out applyed expresly unto the death of Christ and therfore they are most seasonable to be used and it is necessary that wee make choice of the most seasonable Psalmes that are fittest for that purpose Vse Another use is matter of reproose of the Popish Church many things in the Popish Church are hereby reproved I will but touch them that they doe directly oppose themselves against this doctrine and the truth and tenure of it directly whereas here the Apostle saith as often as you eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shew forth the Lords death till he come the Popish Church doth flatly crosse this rule divers waies First in their halfe Communions they have the bread but not the cup is this to shew forth the Lords death no it is but to shew forth halfe the Lords death this is horrible wrong to the people and disgrace to the Sacrament and dishonour to God hath God given us a great light to see Christ by and shall men scantle it to halfe a light hath God given us both the bread and the wine to discerne the Lords body and blood by and to shew forth the Lords death by and shall we have the body and not the blood shall wee have but one halfe and bee deprived of the other Againe many times in the Popish Church they have their Masses as they call them without any preaching at all many times and usually it is so with them I cannot say that by this they overthrow that very masse of theirs from being a Sacrament I will not stand upon it but yet I say that practice of theirs is a wicked and a gracelesse practice directly against this doctrine of God you shew forth the Lords death how should it bee shewed forth but by preaching and teaching but they have little or no preaching or teaching amongst them but chiefly the words of institution they are to bee rehearsed oh but say they wee have these words of institution rehearsed and therefore you cannot but say that we have teaching I answer though they have the words of institution yet the Priest mumbles them to himselfe and the people heare him not Secondly if they doe heare him it is in an unknowne tongue they understand him not Thirdly when hee rehearses them hee turnes his face from the people as of purpose to suppresse the right shewing forth of the Lords death and therefore this practice of theirs shewes that they wold not have the people discerne the Lords death in this Sacrament These are fearfull abominations and this lyes heavy upon those people of God that live under Antichrist and therefore wee should with great thankfulnesse injoy and use these blessings that God hath bestowed upon us in the cleere exhibition of the death of Iesus Christ in the Lords Supper I but say the Papists we shew forth the Lords death more then you for wee lift up the Host is this to shew forth the Lords death no this is to shew forth their owne Idoll their owne breaden-God that themselves have made The end of the eighteenth Lecture THE NINETEENTH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER NOw we are to proceed as the occasion requires for our preparation to the Sacrament the next sabbath in the handling of that Scripture which wee have made choise of out of the 1 Cor. 11. and the 26. vers For as often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cup yee shew forth the Lords death till he come We have shewed you the two generall parts of this Scripture an action to bee performed in the former part the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and a caution that this action is to bee performed withall in the latter part of the verse the remembrance or the shewing forth of the Lords death til he come we have handled the first part of the verse wholy we have entred into the second part where we shewed that there is first to bee considered the caution it selfe the shewing forth of the Lords death Secondly the frequenting of this action or the often using of this caution to bee supplyed out of the former part of the verse as often as yee eate of this bread and drinke of this cup for that particle often serves indifferently for the whole verse as well for the former as the latter part as if the Apostle should say as often as yee eate this bread and drinke this cup so often ye shew forth the Lords death till he come Thirdly we shewed you here the continuance of the observation of this caution how long it must be kept why till Christ Iesus come to judgement to the end of the world The caution it selfe the shewing forth of the Lords death of that I have spoken already now therefore wee are God willing as the Lord shall inable us to speake of the second thing namely the frequenting or the often using of this caution the often shewing forth or remembring of the Lords death as often as ye eate this bread and drinke this cup so often ye shew forth the Lords death till he come which words we must not so understand as if so bee that the remembrance or the shewing forth of the Lords death were precisely confined and limited to the use of the sacrament of the Lords supper as if the Apostle should say that then onely the death of Christ is to bee remembred when the Sacrament is to bee received and
when wee come to heare the word and receive the Sacrament there will be a sweet digesting and battening in the inner man Indeede the whole worke of the Spirit it is done meerly in the power of the death of Christ Iesus Gods Spirit doth nothing in the heart of any man or woman for the matter of salvation but it is done all in respect of the death of Iesus Christ Fourthly it will be a notable bridle to thee from sinne an excellent meanes to restraine thee from sin that howsoever thy corruption drawes thee on and Sathan hee tempts thee and the world that allures thee the flesh that provokes thee How shouldest thou stand against all these enemies Oh if thou have the death of Iesus Christ and the remembrance of it soundly in thy heart then all these speakers to thee they shall speake unto thee as to a stone-wall to a deafe man Gal. 6.14 The Apostle faith there God forbid that I should rejoyce in any thing save onely in Christ and him crucified whereby the world is crucified to mee and I unto the world Let the whole world set upon me to tempt me yet it shall not prevaile for the whole world is crucified to me and I unto the whole world by the Crosse of Christ I am as a dead man unto the world A man that hath the death of Christ soundly seated in his heart hee cannot wittingly and willingly sinne against God Indeed this light may be and is sometime darkened in us by the mist of corruption and temptation and then we may be and are oft-times over-taken with sinne but so long as this light is cleare within us sinne shall never bee able to overcome us There is such a strong stay against sinne in the serious thoughts of the death of Christ that so long as that these are within us sinne cannot prevaile against us A fift benefit is this it will furnish us and inable us to the dutie of prayer that we shall come to God at all times humbly and yet chearfully too humbly alwayes acknowledging and bewailing our sinnes and mourning that we are the parties that have crucified the Lord of life and of glory and yet cheerfully as resting upon the merits and death of Iesus Christ for our reconciliation And howsoever it be that we finde many infirmities and imperfections in our prayers and thinke with our selves that therefore God will not heare us yet let us comfort our selues in the remembrance of the death of Christ this being in thy heart and conscience be of good cheare the Lord Iesus Christ hee makes continuall intercession for thee and hee takes thy prayers and puts them up and presents them unto God in thy behalfe in his owne name and so makes thy prayers acceptable before the Lord. The last benefit is this this should be a singular meanes to make us fit and ready to die to worke in us an earnest looking for and hastning of the day of Christ Hee that hath the death of Christ soundly seated in his heart hee is fit and ready to die For first by this practice by the continuall remembrance of the death of Christ we alwayes looke death as it were in the face and being every day and every houre so well acquainted with it we are not afraid of it when it comes Againe hereby by the remembrance and sound meditation of the death of Christ wee dye daily as the Apostle saith our sinnes die in us and our lusts die in us and our affections and rebellions dye in us and so wee are halfe dead already that so when death comes to take hold upon us it hath not so much to doe with us as with other men Take this for a certaine truth that a man of mortification who hath his heart broken for sinne and that hath his lusts and affections and rebellions in some good measure mortified and crucified within him I say death is nothing so tedious and irksome to such a man as it is to another Wee see this by experience in the case betweene Christ and the two theeves that were executed with him Iohn 19. The manner of their death was thus They were to bee crucified and nailed upon the Crosse and then to hang till they dead wee cannot say of any one thing that it should give them their deaths wound but the custome was that when they were crucified they should have their legs broken thereby to make an end of them the Text saith that they came to the theeves and brake their legs but when they came to our Saviour Christ they brake not his for he was dead already he had none of those rebellions none of those resisting lusts within him to strive against the ordinance of God as the other had but he did sweetly yeeld up the ghost in obedience unto God and therefore Death had nothing to doe with him so much as with the other So likewise wee finde it with men of mortification Thirdly by this remembrance of the death of Christ continually we see all the evills and all the harmes of our death taken away in his death and so there is no cause to us to feare it at all Fourthly wee see by this that Christ himselfe who is our Lord and Master and Head hee hath undergone this before us and therefore wee are content in a holy resolution to undergoe that which he hath done shall the members fare better than the Head No surely Fiftly and lastly by the continuall remembrance of the death of Christ we see and behold that it was a full and finall end of all his afflictions and that thereby he entred into glory wee consider from thence as it was with him so it shal be with us when death comes it shall put an end to all trouble and affliction and the consideration of this should quicken us up to desire death to desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ O beloved when a man comes to lye upon his deaths bed he would give all that he had to be fitted for death and to be sure of comfort Oh let us make the death of Christ therefore our continuall meditation and this is that which will yeeld us such a gracious preparation for our death as that nothing in the world shall doe the like besides and therefore let these considerations stirre us up to a reverent and conscionable performance of this duty of the remembrance of the death of Christ Iesus so much good and so many benefits as are to be reaped by it why surely we are utter enemies to our owne good if we doe not travell conscionably in the faithfull practice of this duty let not the difficulty of this duty in it selfe let not the distastfulnesse of it to flesh and blood nor the losse of carnall pleasure and worldly profit nor let not the harsh censure of the gracelesse people of the world nor let not the bent of our naturall life which is utterly against it make it unpleasant
to us let none of these nor all these hinder us from being set upon this duty but let us breake through them all in an holy zeale and set our selves soundly to meditate upon the death of Christ in hope of these heavenly blessings that the meditation of this duty will bring us unto therefore still remember the death of Christ and as ever thou desirest to have a living teacher within thee remember the death of Christ as ever thou lookest to have comfort from God so look that thou remember the death of Christ as ever thou lookest to have spirituall growth and encrease by the Word and Sacraments still looke to the death of Christ as ever thou lookest to have a strong bridle to restraine thee from sinne so still let the death of Christ bee thy continuall meditation as ever thou desirest to come before God cheerfully and with comfort in prayer remember the death of Christ as ever thou desirest to be fitted and prepared to dye remember the death of Iesus Christ as ever thou desirest and lovest any one or all these blessings together remember the death of Christ and that continually let it never goe out of thy minde The end of the nineteenth Lecture THE TVVENTIETH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER WEE purposing God willing the next Sabbath to be partakers of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we are therefore according to our ordinary course to make preparation thereunto by this Sabbaths evening Exercise that so we may come with better grace in our hearts to that heavenly Table 1 Cor. 11.26 For as often as yee shall eate this bread and drink this cup ye shew forth the Lords death till he come Which Scripture containes as you have heard these two parts an action to bee performed in the former part of the verse the receiving of the Sacrament as often as ye eate this bread and drinke this cup. Secondly a caution that this action is to be performed withall in the last part of the verse the remembrance or the shewing forth of the Lords death till he come We have fully finished the former part and through Gods mercy we have proceeded in the handling of the latter part to the last clause of all till he come ye shew forth the Lords death till he come I shewed you that this latter part of the verse containes the caution that the receiving of the Sacrament is to be performed withall it ministers unto us these things to be considered of First the caution it selfe namely the shewing forth of the LORDS death wherein wee shewed you what it was that was to be remembred the death of the Lord Iesus Christ and also the manner of the remembrance of it by a shewing forth or by a setting forth by a lively or a sensible expressing of it Secondly it doth commend unto us the frequenting of this caution that the death of the Lord Iesus Christ must be often remēbred for though that particle often bee onely named in the former part of the verse yet by all common understanding it is also to be understood in the latter part of the verse As often as ye doe receive the Sacrament so often yee remember the Lords death Thirdly and lastly here is the continuance of this caution the continuance of this duty take it so how long is it to continue why till he come so long as the world standeth till Iesus Christ shall come to judgement So then here we are now come to the last clause of all containing the continuance of this duty let this be done til he come till Christ come to judgement in which clause there be two things offered to our consideration the first is the continuance of this duty it selfe and that is directly and expresly affirmed ye shew forth the Lords death till he come That this duty must be continually and must never cease to continue in the Church so long as the world stands The second thing is covertly implyed yet plaine enough too if the words be well weighed and considered and that is the end or the reach that wee must ayme at in the performance of this duty namely the fitting and the preparing of us to the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ unto judgment for so the very same particle till is used in the very same sense In the 1 Cor. 15.25 where it is said that Christ must raigne till hee have put all his enemies under his feet till he have put all his enemies the meaning of it is this First that Christs reigning shall be continuall till the very end of the world Secondly and the end of Christs reigning is this the utter destruction of his enemies and the trampling of them under his feet so it is in this case Doe this duty till he come that is to say this duty must be continued till Christ come to judgement and the end and the reach that we must ayme at in the performance of this duty is that we be fitted and prepared for his comming We cannot understand this clause clearly and fully except we take it with these two explications the first is this that howsoever this duty is imposed by name upon the Corinthians onely yee shew the Lords death till he come yet notwithstanding it is proportionably implied to all the faithfull by succession from time to time to the end of the world for the Apostle knew very well that the Corinthians in themselves in their owne persons should not live till Christ should come to judgement and therefore it was impossible that they should keepe this commandement till he come but the Apostle imposeth upon the Corinthians this duty for their time that they must observe it so long as they live and likewise imposeth the same duty upon the succeeding Churches from age to age to the worlds end that they must observe this duty so too so that is the first explication the second explication is this that howsoever this clause be here expresly referred onely to the latter part of the verse to the caution to the remembrance of Christs death Ye remember Christs death till he come yet it is implyed and intended to belong also unto the former part of the verse to the action it selfe the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper For as that particle of frequenting the word often is used onely in the former part yet it extends it selfe in sense to the latter so this clause of continuing till hee come though it bee named onely in the latter part yet in sense it doth extend it selfe to the former part of the verse so that both the remembrance of the Lords death and also the observation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper both these are to bee continued till Iesus Christ shall come to judgement for so the Apostle here expounding pounding our Saviours meaning in the words going before when he saith Doe this in remembrance of me he addes this rule of continuance doe
hearts It is not the Wine and the Sacraments that shall save us it is not our clothes but our bodies that shall warme us without we have this grace we shall not be the neerer to life Secondly I shewed you that the things themselves they are not the substance of our salvation not our faith nor our repentance but a meanes of our salvation 1 Iohn 3.2 We know that we are the sonnes of God but we know not what we shall be a strange thing we are here already the sonnes of God this we know but we know not what wee shall be as who should say that the state of Gods children in heaven doth so farre exceed all the state of grace here though they know this yet they doe not know that therefore rest not in thy faith as it is in it selfe but rest upon God that promiseth to justifie thee by faith God set his love upon us God adopted us yet that is nothing There is a sweet proportion between the life of grace here and the state of glory hereafter and to say the truth they doe agree in this the substance of the truth is one and the same so farre forth as we are capable of them here in this world but yet in circumstance they differ but in substance they are the same first the persons they are the same they that are made partakers of the state of grace here shall be sure to be made partakers of the state of glory hereafter all that are partakers of heaven shall be made partakers of grace here also the objects and things the same God the same Christ the same blessed things that we doe enjoy And lastly the right is the same all the right that we have to grace in this life all the glory that wee shall have in the world to come is through the mediation of the Lord Iesus Christ Christ Iesus yesterday and to day and the same for ever Christ Iesus in the state of grace and in the state of glory but yet there is difference betweene them they differ in circumstance of grace grace is managed here upon earth and glory in heaven againe there is difference in the time matters of grace they are managed onely for a time for the present dispensation of this life matters of glory they last for ever againe they differ in the manner because matters of glory are apprehended here by faith and then they shall be apprehended by sight and appearance we beleeve now onely we then shall see that which now we doe beleeve Lastly there is difference in the measure and in the degree grace I must needs say it is some beginning of glory but it comes farre short of glory it is nothing to glory now wee are in part then we shall be perfect then we shall know as we are knowne now we see but darkly saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 14. but then we shall see face to face great difference in regard of the degree and measure here wee have them onely in part there we shall have them in full here wee have them onely in a darke glasse as a man would say but there we shall have them in a cleare glass That speech there of the Queene of Sheba 1 King 10.7 may very fitly be compared to this the Queene of Sheba had heard of the wisedome of Salomon she made a journey and came to see it and when she had seene it shee gave this report Well I have heard a great report of thee but I have not heard the halfe of that which now I see there was a great deale more that shee beheld or that she heard of And so likewise may wee say concerning the state of grace and the state of glory We know a great many things that God hath treasured up in heaven for those that doe beleeve in him as glory happinesse and blessednesse when we come there we shall utterly disclaime all those kindes of knowledge I wee shall behold a thousand times more than ever we knew of these things before Vse 2 Another use of the point is this This should teach us that the fruits of the Sacrament howsoever the Sacrament it selfe and the outward means doth not last for ever yet the fruit of them lasteth for ever we shall have the fruit and benefit of the conscionable receiving of the sacrament whē we shall come to judgment they shal vanish the prophesying shall cease but love shall never cease that which is imperfect shall bee done away but that which is perfect that shall stand for ever the Word and the Sacraments they shall cease in regard of their being but in regard of the benefit and fruit that we receive by them that shall never cease 1 Pet. 1.24 This is the word that we doe preach unto you there the Apostle shewes plainly that howsoever we perish and all things else perish yet the benefit of the Word and the comfort that we receive by the Word it shall not perish but it shall last for ever it is an immortall seed Mary hath chosen the better part that shall never be taken from her holinesse in Iesus Christ shall bee taken from her the preaching of Iesus Christ shall bee taken from her but the benefit of the preaching of Iesus Christ shall never bee taken from her it shall last for ever to all eternity if shee get life wrought in her heart by the powerfull preaching of the Word that shall never dye Vse 3 The last Vse this serves for instruction it should stirre us up that seeing it is so that these outward meanes of holinesse and inward graces they be serviceable meanes of the fitting of us against the day of Christ therefore every one of us should labour to performe these duties so as to make this our reach making this our ayme that wee may bee fitted to the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ and because that the day of our death is partly a beginning of the Lords comming to us in particular therefore let us labour still so to pray as that wee should dye presently still so to heare the Word and receive the Sacraments as though thou shouldest dye presently when we come to heare the Word do not think of the Word as it is the word of a mortall man but as Christ saith heare it as the word that shall judge thee at the last Iohn 6. and therefore heare it and hearken unto it and consider of it reverently as thou oughtest to doe as thou shouldest be judged by it as the last day and so likewise in the receiving of the sacrament Oh if we would consider with our selves when we come to lye upon our death-bed we shall have need of comfort if we had never so much comfort and grace at the day of death and at the day of judgement wee shall have need of all there is no comfort to bee had but by our faith and repentance and gracious courses that we have walked in in the time of our
hath by Couenant from God Hence it is that God hath allwayes manifested his good will to Man by way of Couenant thus he dealt with Adam before his fall Gen. 2.17 and so after his fall 3.17 and so to Noah after the Flood Gen. 9.9 and to Abraham Gen. 17.2 so to the Israelites Exod. 19.5 so it is now to vs that liue vnder the Gospell the matter of Saluation stands by vertue of a new Couenant which being sealed by the actuall Blood-shedding of our Sauiour Christ is most properly a Testament and so our state vnder the Gospell is the state of a new Testament in Hebr. 1.1 2 3. there it is plainly affirmed that it is so At sundry times and in diuers manners God spake in the old time to our Fathers by the Prophets in these last dayes he hath spoken vnto vs by his Sonne who hath by himselfe purged our sinnes The Apostle compares the state of the Faithfull that liued in former times to ours that liue vnder the Gospell At sundry times God appeared c. at the beginning to Adam after to Abraham c. and in diuers manners to some by Angels to some by Visions to some by Shadows by Moses and the Prophets but to vs by his owne Sonne he hath manifested his Couenant to vs by his Sonne who hath by himselfe purged our sinnes as who should say He had sent a new Couenant-maker to vs and he had made a new and another Couenant with vs and what is that Remission of sinnes Galat. 4.22 c. there it is figured that it should be so Abraham had two Sonnes Isaack and Ismael by which two other things are meant saith the Apostle the two Testaments the former is signified by Agar and what is her condition Slauish and in bondage Ishmael what is he Slauish and in bondage too and borne after the Flesh Here is the former Testament a slauish Testament that tyed Men to great bondage specially in the Ceremonies her Children were the Children after the Flesh that is as many as did not spiritually embrace it that did not spell the Couenant of Grace vnder the Couenant of Workes it was to them meerely a carnall Couenant and they carnall Children The latter Testament is signified by Ierusalem Verse 26. and what is her condition Aboue and free What are her Children As Isaack And what is their condition Not after the Flesh but after the Promise Therefore we saith the Apostle that is to say we that liue vnder the Gospell or New Testament are after the manner of Isaack Children of the Promise Verse 28. as if he should say we are deliuered by Christ from that slauerie of Ceremonies and from that carnall seruice which was a Veile to them they did not see that which was hidden vnder it we are free from their bondage we hold by the Promise not after the Flesh In Ieremie 31.31 c. it is promised it shall be so Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new Couenant with the House of Iudah and of Israel c. where it is expresly called a new Couenant and with whom it is made with the House of Iudah and of Israel that is to say with the Church vnder the Gospell for they are the true Israel the right Iewes that are Iewes within as the Apostle speakes and there is set downe the substance of the Couenant and the parts of it Sanctification and Iustification Sanctification by putting his Law in their Hearts Verse 32 33. Iustification by forgiuenesse of sinnes Verse 34. And that we may know certainely that these dayes there spoken of are the dayes of the Gospell after Christs death the Apostle himselfe so expounds it and applyes it Hebr. 8.8 and 10.16 17. and in Luke 22.20 there it is performed and made good This is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for you For you That is to say As many as liuing vnder the New Testament doe embrace it the originall Text is verie significant The New Testament emplyes a direct reference to that which was spoken in Ieremie 31. as if our Sauiour should haue pointed it out with his Finger and said thus You haue heard that God promised it by Ieremie that he would make a new Testament with his People beleeue it this is that verie Testament which there was promised Rom. 6.14 Ye are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace there is the experience of it that it doth and shall hold so for euer for what is the Old Testament but the Law and what is Grace but the New Testament We that now liue are not vnder the Old Testament but vnder the New for that which is there spoken to the Romanes is entended generally to all Christians that is to all true beleeuers that not onely acknowledge but embrace and practise Christ crucified in true mortification they are dead to the Law and to Sinne and are freed from that bondage and altogether vnder Grace and vnder the New Testament Reas 1 First It is a New Testament in respect of the Old either we must hold by the Old Testament or the New the Old if it were still of force it could not saue vs Gal. 3.21 For if there had beene giuen a Law which could haue giuen life surely righteousnesse should haue beene by the Law where ye see the Apostle saith plainely the Law cannot giue life and Rom. 8.3 it is impossible that the Law should iustifie vs but this Old Testament euen by the death of Christ and he by the abrogating of the Old hath established a New for that was some part of our Sauiours meaning that when he said vpon the Crosse It is finished the Old Testament is ceased and the New is established and surely if our Sauiour had not conferred the New Testament he taking away the Old had left vs without any hold in God at all Reas 2 Secondly It is New in respect of the strangenesse of it for strange things are new things vsually when the Prophets fore-tell the New Testament they prefixe this note of attention Behold as being about the reports of miraculous matters that God will doe great wonders and strange things and surely it is the mysterie of all mysteries and there be many wonders in this one worke that a Virgine should conceiue that the Sonne of God should become the Sonne of Man that God should giue his owne begotten Sonne for vs poore sinfull wretches and his vtter Enemies that God being a righteous Iudge should giue his Sonne to saue vs notorious sinners that one Man should be saued by another Mans righteousnesse that many thousands should be iustified by one Mans obedience that the Gentiles should be called that the Spirit should attend vpon the Word to open the Heart to beleeue it and obey it that so plentifull a measure of the Spirit should be poured forth vpon all Flesh young Men Maids and so forward All these and many others as strange things
beginning of the Booke it is written of me c. He taketh away the first that he may establish the second The bodily comming of our Sauiour in the Flesh was the establishment of the New Testament Christ being bodily present in the Flesh at this Table in the Flesh because his Flesh was that onely which he was bodily present in and the Table being spread for a memoriall that he was come and suffered in the Flesh is therefore proper onely to the New Testament 1 Cor. 11.20 It is there called The Lords Supper Why is it so called but because it was instituted at the last Supper which the Lord in the dayes of his Flesh made and which he did appoint as a witnesse of his Will and Testament for euer Now what is the state of the New Testament but the state of sauing Grace which the Lord Iesus hath brought vnto vs from Heauen when he came amongst vs liued amongst vs dyned amongst vs and supped amongst vs But that state of sauing Grace which he preached and published with with his owne Mouth in the time of his Life But that state of sauing Grace which he sealed and confirmed with his owne Blood at his Death But that state of sauing Grace which he as it were in the twy-light betwixt the day of his Life and the houre of his Death did ratifie and confirme by this Sacrament of the Supper This state of sauing Grace is the New Testament and therefore the Lords Supper is the Sacrament of the New Testament 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of Blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ Here you see the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is the Communion of the Body Blood of Christ In the Sacraments of the Old Testament his Blood was shadowed In the New Testament it is really communicated In the Sacraments of the former Testament Christ was in some measure really communicated in his Body Blood to the Faithfull but darkely weakely and sparingly But here he is communicated vnto them clearely powerfully and bountifully In a word Christ his Body and Blood was communicated to the Faithfull vnder the former Testament in the Sacrament to be broken to be shed But here in the New Testament his Body as being already broken and his Blood as already shed This belongs to the New Testament and therefore this is the Sacrament of the New Testament In Luke 22.19 Doe this in remembrance of me speaking of this Sacrament Now remembrance is properly of the things that are past Christ hath ordained this as a remembrance of his doings already past the matter of our Saluation as of a matter already fulfilled This is the voyce of the Gospell of the New Testament Christ is already come as the voyce of the Law was Christ is to come That I say is the voyce of the New Testament And therefore the Sacrament of the Supper is a Sacrament of the New Testament 1 Cor. 11.26 As oft as you eat of this Bread and drinke of this Cup you shew forth the Lords Death till he come He saith not you foreshew that was for the Sacraments of the Old Testament but you doe shew that is you declare publish and expresse the Death of Christ You celebrate shew forth and sensibly act his Death the thing before acted vpon the Crosse The Reasons of the point are these Reas 1 First Christ himselfe is the Mediator of the New Testament Hebr. 9.5 and 12.24 that is Christ is the maker good of the Couenant of Grace betwixt God and Man for to be the mediator of the Testament is to make good a Testament Christ did this by his Blood by his Intercession and Redemption there is the Office of our Sauiour here is his taske here is the businesse he is to be imployed in He was not carelesse in going about his owne businesse He was not a medler in other Mens matters He would not make Lawes for others but for his owne He would not set his Seale to another Mans Testament but to his owne This Testament is his he made it good he ratified it with his owne Blood The Sacrament was his because he instituted it this being presumed vpon that he would not meddle with other Mens matters make Lawes for others or set his Seale to other Mens Bonds and so forth The Sacrament being ordained by him to be a Seale thereof is therefore the Sacrament of the New Testament Reas 2 Secondly The word whereunto this is annexed is the New Testament The Gospel what is that The Couenant of sauing Grace and that is Hebr. 10.16 17. I will put my Lawes into their Hearts and in their Minds will I write them Their sinnes and iniquities will I remember no more The word whereunto this Sacrament is annexed is the Couenant of Grace such as the word is such is the Sacrament But the word is the New Testament therefore the Sacrament of the Lords Supper must be of the New Testament onely Reas 3 Thirdly The whole Couenant of Grace is the ministration of the New Testament onely 2 Cor. 3.6 God hath made vs able Ministers of the New Testament Such as the ministration is such must be the holy things they administer The ministration is of the New Testament therefore the holy things administred the Word and Sacraments are of the New Testament Aaron and his Sonns were Ministers of the holy things of the Law Christ and his Apostles are Ministers of the Gospell and of the Couenant of Grace Aaron and his Sonnes must not meddle with the Sacraments of the Gospell Christ and his Apostles must not meddle with the Sacraments and Sacrifices of the Old Testament They must keepe themselues to their owne Such as the ministration is such are the things administred Our whole ministration is of the New Testament and therefore the holy things administred as the Sacraments are proper to the New Testament onely Reas 4 Fourthly The things themselues that are sealed by this Sacrament are pledges of the New Testament The Body and Blood of Christ are pledges of the New Testament they are proper to that and therfore the Sacraments where by it is signed sealed and represented and set forth vnto vs must be of the New Testament For the Blood is Christs This is my Blood c. The Testament is Christs he made it good The Sacrament is Christs he ordained and instituted it and he doth in this speech annex it to his Blood inseparably and withall to the Testament inseparably and so consequently he annexes the Sacrament inseparably to the New Testament And surely when our Sauiour saith This is my Blood of the New Testament he speakes it as in a proper sence of the Blood in his Body so in a Sacramentall sence of his Blood in the Sacrament he giues vs to vnderstand that the Sacrament in a sacramentall sence is the Blood of
mortified and killed within us In this state of humiliation that we are in there is nothing so powerfull and effectuall to kill sinne as the death of Iesus Christ in this state we must be fitted still and prepared to the glory that shall be revealed the thoughts of the death of Iesus Christ continually meditated upon are an excellent preparation for us to glory for if we remember the death of Christ affectionately as we ought wee suffer with him and therefore we shall be sure to raigne with him wee are dead with him and therefore also shall live with him these thoughts being so sutable and agreeable to our present estate therefore the remembrance of Christs death must alwaies bee present with us The uses of the doctrine are these Vse 1 the first use is this here is matter of reproofe this serves then to reprove two sorts of people First it serves to reprove the prophane and carnall gracelesse wretches of the world that will never enter into any serious thoughts of the death of the Lord Iesus Christ if so be that to blaspheme Christs death to blaspheme Christs blood to make mentiō of it in their fearfull oathes damnable protestations if that be to remember Christs death they remember it often enough oftner then they are able to justifie but as for any holy religious reverent devout and saving remembrance of Christs death that they never enter into no they seek all the means they can take all the courses that ever they can to turne such thoughts out of their hearts such thoughts are too sad and too sorrowfull for them they cannot endure them take a man that lies wholy in his sinne hee had as lieve thinke upon hell as upon the death of Iesus Christ soundly and seriously as he ought to doe but let such gracelesse wretches know that for this they shall never bee had in remembrance before the Lord for any mercy because they doe not remember the death of Christ wherein alone mercy is tendered to mankind Secondly it serves to reprove some of our nice and sluggish professors that content themselves now and then with the thoughts of the death of Iesus Christ happily when they come to the Lords Table happily when any affliction or cross or extremity comes upon them when they have any pang or torment of conscience comes unto them for their sinnes then happily they will entertaine the remembrance and the thoughts of Christs death but they cannot endure to make it their continuall taske which is the duty here prest upon us these men must know that God doth not love to be served by spirts and fits whatsoever we doe in the service of God let us doe it soundly and constantly God cannot endure such service as theirs is God requires intire obedience that we should obey him in all our courses and that at all times especially when just occasion of any duty is offered unto us Now then seeing just occasion is daily offered that wee should alwaies bee meditating and our hearts running upon the death of Iesus Christ therefore God requires it at our hands that wee should alwaies remember it this fire should never go out of our hearts it must glow and burne within us night and day It is fit that Gods children should have some set time when they should enter into a serious meditation of the death of Christ and yet not to thinke our selves acquitted if we doe it onely then but that that should prepare us to remember it ever after as we shewed before in our bodily repast A second use of this doctrine is this Vse 2 here is matter of tryall for us whereby wee may know our selves whether we be in the right way or no whether we doe truly professe the faith of Christ as we ought to doe all of us professe Christs religion wee know wee can have no part in Christ except we have part in the death of Christ and we know we can have no part in his death except it be remembred of us and applyed unto us in our continuall meditation therefore let us conclude this that so many of us as professe religion if wee doe not apply the death of Christ to our selves from time to time by due meditation whatsoever wee professe surely wee professe in vaine and this will be a witnesse against us that we are not the true children of God if so be that you would learne how you might come to know whether you have the right remembrance of the death of Iesus Christ within you learne it by these two or three markes see it in the morning when you awake doe you finde your hearts seasoned with good thoughts of the death of Iesus Christ with thoughts concerning forgivenesse and mortification and reconciliation to GOD and likewise if you have these thoughts or the like at night when you goe to bed this is a certaine evidence that your soules are seasoned with the death of Iesus Christ againe when we are in the duties of our calling all the day long we must still have our hearts lifted up and setled upon the death of Christ and our thoughts must be running upon our justification and our sanctification and our conformity to the death of Christ yea in our very mirth we must still preferre Ierusalem when we are in our greatest mirth in our honest recreations for those that are unhonest there is no hope of any spirituall comfort in them but in our honest recreations doe we prefere the death Iesus Christ before all those things that wee for a while doe solace our selves withall especially in the use of the meanes of salvation in the hearing of the Word the receiving of the Sacrament When we come to heare the Word do we finde in our selves a desire to be drawn on to see Christ crucified before our eyes When wee come to the receiving of the Sacrament is it our chiefe practice to remember Christ crucified affectionately and to have our hearts throughly seasoned with the power of his death these bee undoubted signes and assurances unto us that wee have our part in the death of Christ Vse 3 A third use is matter of exhortation for us Ministers teaching us that we should still labour to sprinkle all our speeches private and publike with some matter concerning the death of Christ with some matter concerning Christ crucified it was almost the whole doctrine of the Apostle still to preach Christ crucified but the use doth concerne all both Ministers and people therefore this should stirre up every one of us both Ministers and people that we should labour to make the thoughts and the remembrance of the death of Christ to be ordinary with us to bee familiar with us still make that as familiar with us as ever possibly we can in all our courses let us remember the death of Christ if wee remember that soundly then it shall goe well with us whatsoever befals us that we may bee the
life and in the time of our death therefore let us looke to these things still let us labour to perform them in our daily conversation that so wee may be fitted for Christs particular comming to us or else his generall comming to the whole world You have heard of the foolish Virgins get it in time have it alwayes burning and then we shall be sure specially make use of the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper this should teach us in the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we should so addresse our selves and so cary our selves every way and so goe away with such hearts and having such meditations in them as that we may be fitted every way for the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ Oh that our hearts were so fitted oh how reverently would we cary our selves in the practice of it with what conscience would we performe it to glorifie God and to please God with what singlenesse of heart We know that when Christ shall come to judgement there shall bee no hiding of any thing out every thing shall bee naked before him and there will bee no smoothering up of any thing He that hath best profited by receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper whosoever he bee that is thereby best fitted to the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ to judgment he desires it more earnestly waits for it more diligently rejoyces in it more cheerfully and hastens to it more willingly and more comfortably Oh when a man hath beene at the Lords Table and there hath found and felt the sweet communion of Gods blessed Spirit in his hart assuring him by his spirit within him assuring him that his sinnes are forgiven him assuring him that now he is fully and perfectly reconciled to God when he can enjoy this communion with Iesus Christ then he may goe home to his closet and say Oh now Lord Iesus come quickly now thy servant is in some poore measure ready and fitted Oh there is a worthy and a profitable and a ready Communicant This profit is to be found in this sacrament by the conscionable using of it here God tenders it and it is to be found of us and therefore let us not deprive our selves of such a gracious and precious blessing that here is if we will submit our selves to the gracious ordinance of God wee may bee made partakers of it the time will come that thou whosoever thou art that art negligent in comming to it or unprofitable in the participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the time will come when thou commest to lye upon thy death-bed especially when thou commest to judgment then thou wilt rue this folly of thine with unspeakable woe and misery I then you shall cry out and shame your owne soules and your owne bodies because you have not beene profitable participators in this Sacrament and profitably performed it to the comfort of your owne soules The end of the one and twentieth Lecture The Two AND TWENTIETH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER WEE are still to continue in the Argument of the Lords Supper for our preparation against the next Sabbath day when we purpose God willing to be made partakers of this Sacrament Wee have gone over many names and titles that are given to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper which very fitly and lively expresse the nature of it some of which names common to the whole action some to the severall parts of it we have already reckoned up five names or titles that are all common to the whole action as namely the Lords Supper the Table of the Lord the Communion of the body and blood of Christ the New Testament in his blood and the memoriall of Christs death I might adde to these some other names that are common also to the whole action as namely the Eucharist the Christian Passeover a Love-feast and such like for such names and titles are applyed to this Sacrament by many of the Ancients and approved by some later Divines and that not unaptly nor without some probable warrant out of Gods word But yet because I doe not finde in the Scripture that any of these names or titles are expresly and directly affirmed of this Sacrament I will passe them by and now proceed to the second sort of names that are more proper to the severall parts of this Sacrament For whereas the Sacrament of the Lords Supper consists of two parts the bread and the cup the Scripture by the Figure Synecdoche putting a part for the whole doth sometime comprehēd this whole Sacrament under the name of bread and sometime under the name of the cup I will give you an instance in both And first to begin with the bread looke into Act. 2.42 and there you shall finde this Sacrament called the breaking of bread and that is the Scripture that God willing we will treat upon for this argument Acts 2.42 And they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers All the contents of this verse doe in some sort concerne the matter of the Lords Supper for not onely the breaking of bread but the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and prayers are matters of necessary use in and for the right receiving of this Sacrament and therefore let us take this verse wholly as it lyes before us This verse and the next immediately going before set forth the gracious and happy successe of that excellent Sermon that Peter made after the sending downe of the visible gifts of the Holy Ghost on him and the rest of the Apostles The sending downe of the gifts of the Holy Ghost is shewed in the 1.2 and 3. verses the power and effect of them is shewed partly in all the Apostles all being filled with the Holy Ghost verse 4. to 13. specially in Peter who made a pithy piercing and powerfull Sermon on that occasion verse 14. to 40. The successe of which Sermon is partly touched verse 37. where it is said that they that heard it were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe and it is more enlarged in many particulars from the 43. verse to the end of the Chapter But the summe of all is briefly comprised in this verse and the next going before in the verse before it is shewed how the Church was thereby encreased in this verse it is shewed how that they being encreased were afterward employed their encrease is there called their adding to the Church for though Church be not exprest in the originall yet it is to be understood as in the 47. verse and the Lord added to the Church c. their encrease is their adding to the Church here is their encrease And this is set forth partly by their number partly by the meanes of their adding Their number three thousand soules a plentifull harvest of so little seed three thousand soules at