am crucified with Christ Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Phil. 3.10 That I might know him and the power of his refurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto him Heb. 2.14,15 That Christ through death might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage 2 Cor. 5.15 Christ died for all that they which live should not live unto themselves but unto him who died for them and rose again For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him Ephes 5.25,26,27 Husbands love your wives even as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and clense it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Now all these being the ends scope fruits effects of our Saviours death most lively represented to shewed forth remembred by and applied to us in the Lords Supper to accomplish them all in us it must needs be a most effectual lively powerfull Grace-begetting Soul-inlivening regenerating sanctifying Sin-destroying Soul-saving Ordinance as well as the word preached and that by divine institution 12ly It is most evident both by Scripture and experience that the seeing beholding of things with our eyes doth more immediately deeply powerfully affect and work upon our Spirits Souls affections than what we are informed of at second hand only by others relations because the species of what we see are more operative impressive on our minds and memories than any thing we hear This the two known Adages evince * Horace Segnius irritant animos dimissa per aures quam quae sunt oculis subdita fidelibus †Plautis Tinculentus Plus valet ocularis testis unus quam aurieti decem * Cicero ad Torquatum Acerbius est videri quam audiri Which the Scripture thus seconds Lam. 3.51 Mine eye affecteth my soul Job 42.5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eyes seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dusi and ashes Isay 6.5 Wo is me for I am undon because I am a man of unclean lips for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hosts Lu. 2.29,30 Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Zech. 12.10 And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son c. Luke 23.48 All the people that came together to that sight beholding the things that were done smote their brests and returned Lu. 19.41 He beheld the City and wept over it 1 Kings 10.45 And when the Queen of Sheba had seen all Solomons wisdom she had no more spirit in her c. 1 Kings 18. 39. When all the people saw it they fell on their faces and said The Lord he is God the Lord he is God Psal 48.5 They saw it and so they marvelled they were troubled and hasted away Psa 97.4 The Sea saw it and fled Jordan was driven back Psa 40.3 Many shall see it and fear and shall trust in the Lord. Gen. 3.5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth c. and it repented the Lord that he had made man and it grieved him at the heart Exod. 3.7 And the Lord said I have surely seen the affliction of my people Lam. 1.9.12 O Lord behold my affliction Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow Lam. 2. 20. Behold O Lord and consider to whom thou hast done thus Isa 63.15 Look down from heaven and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory where is thy zeal and thy strength the sounding of thy bowels of thy mercies toward us These with sundry other Texts evince that the eyes sight and beholding of things seen do more deeply passionately affect move work upon the hearts souls and affections of men and on God himself than the ears or what they barely hear For the certaintie assurance belief of what we see with our eies above that we only hear of with our ears it is sufficiently evidenced by that of Job 42.3 Of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon 1 Kings 10.6,7 It was a true relation that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom Howbeit I believed not the words UNTIL I CAME AND MINE EYES HAD SEEN and behold the half was not told me thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard 1 John 1.1,2 That which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life declare we unto you for the life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness 2 Pet. 1.16 We have not followed cunningly devised â—…bles when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eye-witnesses of his glory Acts 10.40,41 Him God raised up the third day and shewed openly not unto all the people but unto witnesses chosen before of God even to us who did eat drink with him after he rose from the dead John 20.8 And he saw and believed And v. 25. 29. The other Disciples said unto Thomas we have seen the Lord but he said unto them Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails c. I will not beleive which when he had seen and thereupon believed Jesus said unto him Thomas because thou hast seen thou hast believed blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed compared with Gen. 45.12 Behold you eyes see and the eyes of my brother Benjamin that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you and Lu. 1.1,2,4 John 4.42 Psa 48.8 Psa 35.21,22 1 Cor. 15.5,6,7,8 If then what we see and behold with our eyes doth more powerfully affect impress operate upon the soul mind affections and be sooner yea more certainly assuredly believed than that we only hear with our ears it necessarily followes that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper t Mat. 26.26,27 Lu. 22.19 1 Cor. 11.23 to 29. Gal. 3.1 representing visibly to our eyes sight in and by the Elements the body bloud death passion of our Saviour by his divine Institution and at the self-same time inculcating them into our ears by the words of consecration and other ordinances accompanying it as darts or appurtenances of this service presenting them to u Psal 34.8 1. John 1.1 our tast feeling too by the
grace is o 2 Cor. 5.14,15,19,20,21 c. 7.1 Rom. 5.5.6,7,8,10,21 John 3.16 c. 6.44 c. 10.11.15 c. 15.13 Gal. 2.20 c. 3.1 Eph. 5.2.25,26 c. 1.6,7 c. 2.4 to 20. 1 Pet. 1.3.8.18,19 Rom. 14.7,8,9 1 John 1.1.2,7 c. 2.2 c. 3.16 c. 4.9,10,11 Rev. 1.5 â—… 5.9,10 1 Tim. 1.15 Isay 53.4 to 12. Acts 2.22 to 40. set forth and recorded in sacred Writ as the most powerfull attractive perswasive overcoming constraining Argument motive consideration of all other to work true conversion in mens hearts to turn them from all their sinful courses unto God to allure attract unite espouse marry their souls for ever unto Christ to inflame ravish theÌ„ with his surpassing love Now it must be granted by all that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a part of this Gospel of Christ which is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth since instituted recorded commanded by Christ in the Gospel being likewise both an audible visible sensible Gospel as the Fathers with others usually stile it Moreover it most lively powerfully flexanimously graphically represents holds forth yea preacheth to our eyes ears taste and by them unto our minds hearts souls spirits the câ—ucifixion death passion of our Saviour and his transcendent love in dying for our sins the most powerful attractive perswasive overcoming conuraining argument motive considera ion of all others in the Gospel to work true conversion in mens hearts to p Acts 26.17,18 turn them from theÌ„ power of Sin Satan unto God to allure attract q Hos 2.19,20,23 espouse unite receivers souls for ever unto Christ to inflame ravish them with his transcendent love and cause them r 2 Cor. 5.15 from hence forth no longer to live unto themselvs but unto him which died for them and rose again Therefore all must of necessity grant it to be the power of God unto Salvation a most effectual Å¿ Eodem modo justificant verbum Dei et Sacramenta ae que enim tribuitur Justificatio verbo Sacramentis Ames Bellarm Enervat Tom. 3. l. 1. c. 3. p. 36. justifying a Soul-converting Faith-engendring Faih-increasing Ordinance as well as the Gospel preached yea a powerfull means of working that belief and saving faith in the souls of those who in obedience to Christs command constantly resort unto it which is required in worthie Communicants to make both it and the Gospel too the power of God to their Salvation even as the Gospel read heard preached begets that faith or belief which God requires to make it saving und converting Rom. 10.14,15,17 In Brief There is not any means of or motive to faith or conversion in the Gospel preached which is not included in the Lords Supper and pressed with the selfsame yea greater force and advantage upon mens Souls in this Sacrament both by the prayers confessions meditations exhortations that accompanie it by the very breaking of the bread powring out of the wine with other Sacramental actions then they are or can be in any Sermon t Bellarm. Enervat Tom. 3. c. 1. p. 9. Non debent hic inter se comparari verbum et Sacramentum ut realiter à verbo distinctum sed verbum nudum verbum Sacramento vestitum Hoc autem majus et efficacius dici potest quoad nos quia plenius pluribus sensibus test atur et magis accommodatur ad animos nostros efficiendos So Dr. Ames in answer to Bellarmines Objection Nihil fingi potest majus aut efficacius verbo Dei Therefore orr Opposites must either grant the Lords Supper a Soul-converting Faith-begetting Ordinance as well as preaching or disclaim preaching to be such and cast that aside too as unconverting as they have most impiously done this Sacrament for sundry years in too many places 11ly The principal end of instituting the Lords Supper * 1 Cor. 11.25,26 was to shew forth the power efficacie principal ends fruits effects of our Saviours death till he come not only in bare representation but by practical efficacious operations and applieations for the spiritual benefit conversion consolation of the receivers souls Now what are the ends fruits effects of our Saviours death therein held forth is evident by these Gospel Texts Isay 53.5 1 Cor. 15.3 1 Pet. 2.24 He was wounded for our transgressions he was btuised for our iniquities he died for our sins the chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes are we healed Who his own self bare sins in his own bodie on the tree that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness Luke 1.74 75. That we being delivered from the hands of our Enemies should serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the daies of our life 1 Thes 5.9,10,11 For God hath not appointed us unto wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him wherefore comfort your selves together and edifie one another Rom. 4.25 c. 5.8,9,10 Who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification But God commendeth his love unto us that whiles we were yet sinners Christ died for us much more then being now justified by his bloud we shall be saved from wrath by him For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Rom. 6.1 to 11. Shall we continue in sin that Grace may abound God forbid How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death Therfore we are buried with him in baptism that like as Christ was raised up from the dead even so we also should walk in newness of life For if we have been planted together in the likness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the bodie of sinne might be destroied that henceforth we should not serve-sin Now if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him c. Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof c. Rom. 11.7,8,9 For none of us liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself For whether we live we live unto the Lord or whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords For TO THIS END Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of quick and dead Gal. 2.19.20 I am dead to the Law that I might live unto God I
Augustine saith That he was stirred up to come to Christ by reading a Heathen book written by Cicero called Hortensius Thus he saith That heathen Book changed my mind and turned my prayer O Lord unto thee Among OTHER CAUSES THE SACRAMENTS SERVE SPECIALLY TO DIRECT AND TO AID OUR FAITH For they are as i Aug. cont Faustum l. 19. c. 16. Saint Augustine called them VISIBLE WORDS and Seals and Testimonies of the Gospel k Defence of the Apology part 2. c. 7. divis 1. p. 150. For the word of God is the substance and life of all Sacraments and without the same all Sacraments whatsoever are no Sacraments c. All which abundantly evidence the Sacraments to be Grace-begetting Faith-quickning Soul-converting Life-conveying Ordinances having promises and the word annexed to them as well as preaching and that this is the express Doctrine of the Church of England though now contradicted by a Generation of Novellers upon meer whimsies Crochets of their own out of Self-interest and respects What other Protestant Divines have asserted to the same effect you may read at large in My Suspension Suspended p. 28. to 35. and in Mr. Morrice his laborious Diatribe p. 29. c. The Lords Supper therefore being a Sacrament must thereupon consequently be a Soul-converting Grace-producing Regenerating Ordinance instituted for this verie end as well as the word preached and have promises of Grace annexed to it as all these resolve 3ly All the Objectors and l See Jewels Defence of the Apology c. 10. divis 1. p. 205 c. others unanimouslie assert That the Lords Supper is a Seal of the New Testament and Covenant of Grace the tenor whereof is thus expressed both in the Old and New Testament Jer. 31.31,32 c. 32.38,39,40 Ezech. 11.19,20 c. 36.25 to 31. Heb. 8.6 to 13. c. 10.16,17 After those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their minds and in their hearts will I write them Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all our Idols will I cleanse you A new heart also will I give you and a New spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stonie heart out of your flesh and give you an heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my Judgements and do them and I will be your God and ye shall be my people And I will give you one heart and one way that you may fear me for ever for the good of you and your children after you And I will make an everlasting Covenant with you that I will not turn away my face from doing you good but I will put my fear into your hearts and ye shall not depart from me And I will rejoyce over you to do you good And I will also save you from all your uncleanness c. Then shall you remember your own wayes and your doings that were not good and you shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations and you shall all know me from the greatest unto the least for I will forgive your Iniquities and will remember your sins no more If then the Lords Supper be a Seal annexed to all these Covenants and Promises of Grace all in the Future Tense made to such who were unregenerate void of Grace and the spirit of God having old stonie hearts and wanting new as I have formerly touched it must needs be a regenerating Grace-conveying Soul-converting Ordinance by divine institution by effecting and putting them into actual execution at this Sacrament and these Promises must be all annexed to it as Writings Covenants are to their Seals as well as their Seals to them Hence Dr. Ames thus taxeth Bellarmin Tom. 3. c. 1. q. 3. De Promissione Sacramentorum Male disjungit quae sunt conjungenda promissionem de efficacia Sacramenti et promissionem praecedentem à Sacramento obsignandam Nam promissio illa pertinet ad institutionem ut causa efficiens Sacramenti obsignatio ipsa est efficacia promissa Promissionem etiam obsignandam sua natura antecedere Sacramentum ex eo liquet quod foedus antecedit cujus Sacramentum ita et signum ut inde foederis nomen sortiatur Gen. 17. The Objectors therefore must either renounce the Lords Supper to be the Seal of these promises and Covenants as they positively define it or abjure this objection that there are no promises of Conversion or begetting saving Grace and Regeneration made unto it as there are to the preaching of the word 4ly Our Lord Jesus Christ in the very institution of his Supper m Mat. 26.26,27 Mar. 14 22,23 Lu. 22.19,20 1 Cor. 10.16,17.21 c. 11.23 to 30. Took bread blessed brake and gave it to his Disciples saying Take eat this is my bodie which is given for you this do in remembrance of me After which he took the Cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it for this is my bloud of THE NEW TESAMENT or Covenant as one Or◠This Cup IS THE NEW TESTAMENT IN MY BLOUD thereupon twice stiled The BLOUD OF THE COVENANT and of the EVERLASTING COVENANT Heb. 10.29 c. 13.20 as another Evangelist records it WHICH IS SHED FOR YOU and FOR MANY FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS this do ye as oft as ye drink it INREMEMBRANCE OF ME. For as oft as ye eat this bread and drink this Cup YE DO SHEW or shew ye THE LORDS DEATH TIL HE COME From which words of institution compared with Hebr. 13.20 Now the God of Peace which brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great shepherd of the sheep BY THE BLOUD OF THE EVERLASTING COVENANT represented communicated and spiritually received applied by everie worthie Communicant in and by the Lords Supper MAKE YOV PERFECT in every good work TO DO HIS WILL WORKING IN YOU THAT WHICH IS WELL-PLEASING IN HIS SIGHT THROUGH JESVS CHRIST It is most apparent that the Lords Supper was specially instituted blessed by Christ himself not only to commemorate and represent but also really effectually to communicate and convey to all worthie receivers all the benefits of his death bloud merits to make them perfect in everie good work to do his will to work in them that is well pleasing in Gods sight through Jesus Christ and that the New Testament or Covenant is thereby ratified applied made effectual to and upon their Souls in the remission of sins and all its forementioned branches 5ly The Scriptures resolve That n Rom. 5.9 we are justified by the bloud of Christ That o Eph. 1.5 we have redemption through his bloud That p Eph. 2.13,14 those who were afar off are made nigh by his bloud c. That q Col. 1.20 he hath made peace and reconciliation between his Father and us by the bloud of his Cross