the Father to Christ by a peculiar donation Iohn 6.37 All that the Father giueth me shall come to me And Hebr. 2.13 Behold here am I and the Children which God hath giuen me And hence ariseth many relations betwixt Christ and his Church He is their God and they are his People He is their Head and they are his Members He is their Husband and they are his Spouse He their King and they his Subiects and he their Sauiour and they his Redeemed The Vses are these Vse 1 First this teacheth vs and doth sufficiently proue vnto vs that Christ is not meerely a Man but true and verie God and that not a pettie God as some Arians imagine as who should say He is God indeed but yet subordinate and inferiour to his Father But he is an absolute Lord euen as God the Father is Lord and whosoeuer doth not so acknowledge him shall haue no part in him The Iewes and the Turkes that doe in their kind verie religiously acknowledge and inuocate God the Father doe but deceiue themselues and dishonour God They shall neuer find grace and mercie with God the Father because they acknowledge not the Lord Iesus Christ The greater is Gods goodnesse to vs that hath not onely so reuealed him to vs but also perswaded vs to receiue him It is not a matter of course but the speciall working of the Holy Ghost but of Faith whereby we are thus perswaded 1 Cor. 12.3 No Man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost In word a Man may say as much but he cannot in deed and in truth he cannot come to be perswaded of it and to rest in that perswasion is onely from the Holy Ghost Vse 2 Secondly Is Christ Iesus the Lord specially of his Church Then he is to be reuerenced and worshipped as the Lord of his Church Mal. 1.6 If I be a Lord where is my feare Seeing Christ Iesus is the Lord we must feare him and worship him Psal 45.11 He is thy Lord and reuerence thou him it is spoken of Pharaohs Daughter that Solomon was her Lord and therefore she must worship him If this be true in the shaddow it is much more so in the substance For behold a greater then Solomon is here a greater Lord and therefore more necessarily and more reuerently to be worshipped Euerie one of vs should enlarge our Hearts to the furthest extent of reuerence and worship that possibly we can attaine vnto whensoeuer we doe but heare the name of the Lord Iesus it should strike a reuerence into our Hearts Doe not the Diuels tremble at the sight of the Lord Iesus Did not they worship him in the dayes of his Flesh Marke 5.6 7. How much more then when they behold his glorie And shall not we be stirred vp to worship the Lord Iesus as the Lord when we see the verie Diuels worship him All the Angels worship him Hebr. 1.6 Now we are more bound vnto him in respect of this verie title the Lord then they are He is their Lord as being their Creator Head Gouernour Preseruer but to vs he is more then all this He is the Lord our Redeemer which is the most proper and most beneficiall bond and this he neuer was to them therefore we are to worship him by dutie much more All Creatures worship him Phil. 2.10.11 At the Name of Iesus euerie Knee shall bow both of things in Heauen and things in Earth and things vnder the Earth and euerie tongue shall confesse that Iesus is the Lord c. Then let vs not stand like a dead Center in the midst like Stockes and stones without the sence of the Lordly power and authoritie of Christ Iesus we are to be quickned thereby to worship him when all the Creatures round about vs in Heauen and Earth doe bow and humble themselues with all feare and reuerence and seruice to his Maiestie There is nothing in our Sauiour but if it be beheld with a spirituall Eye it carries a Lord-like Maiestie in it deseruing and requiring the highest A worship Not onely his Transfiguration Miracles Resurrection Ascention and such other workes plainly declaring him to be the Lord but euen in his basest and meanest estate he was discerned and acknowledged to be the Lord. When he was in the Wombe Luke 1.43 44. Elizabeth acknowledged him to be so Whence commeth this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me c. And in the Cratch he was so acknowledged by the Angels and heauenly Souldiers Luke 2.11.13 And after that he was worshipped by the Wisemen as the Lord Math. 2.11 And vpon the Crosse euen then when he was in the greatest abasement when it was the houre and power of Darkenesse he spoyled Principalities and Powers and shewed himselfe to be the Lord and the Theefe hanging with him by the Eye of Faith discerned him to be the Lord and so worshipped him Luke 23.42 Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome Euen then when he was in the Enemies hands when they were taking away his life from him yet then was he the Lord and so shewed himselfe and was so acknowledged and worshipped called vpon Now as he is to be worshipped in all other cases so especially in the vse of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper when we come to be partakers of the Bread and Wine and by them of the Body and Blood of Christ we must be raysed vp to the consideration of his Lordly power and authoritie that thereby we may be stirred vp to worship him and honour him and to bow downe the Knees of our Hearts to him with all humblenesse and submission I say not that we should worship the Sacrament as the Papists nor Christen the Sacrament as some of the Lutherans but in the vse of the Sacrament as being the speciall memoriall of him and of his Death and as we worship him in hearing of the Word and his sauing Ordinances we must haue our Hearts to be lifted vp in the reuerent imbracing of these pledges of his loue and in thankes-giuing for the benefits of his Death and to be cast downe in detestation of our sinnes that hath brought this death vpon him Vse 3 The third Vse Is he the Lord Then we must beleeue in him Iohn 14.1 If ye beleeue in God beleeue in me also as who should say ye beleeue in God I being God beleeue also in me so Christ being Lord as the Father is is therefore to be beleeued in the vse is as naturall and the reason as effectuall here is the proper obiect for the Eye of our Faith to be fastned vpon his Lordly power and authoritie Christ-Man is to be beleeued in in some sort but Christ the Lord that is the true and right and proper obiect here is full hold and as it were a full handfull for the hand of our Faith to seize vpon We lay hold on him as Lord therefore all-sufficient to supply all out
it I will charge you with my Commandement of Loue in a speciall manner He prepared them with an example of Loue before and after giues them a Commandement of Loue to teach them that this Sacrament is a Communion of Loue. 1 Cor. 11.17 c. the Apostle being to redresse such abuses and corruptions in the Church of Corinth as had crept into this Sacrament doth specially tax those that are against this duty of Loue Verse 18. dissentions Ver. 21 22. eating and drinking asunder Verse 33. not tarrying one for another The Apostle in the 1 Cor. 10. had called this Sacrament a Communion now all these practises are directly opposite to a Communion these are breaches and separations and therfore if euer they will celebrate this Sacrament aright according to the will of God and the nature of the Sacrament and for their owne good it must be done with all the offices of Loue that may be In the 1 Cor. 12.13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body c. and haue beene all made to drinke into one Spirit To drinke into one Spirit whether it be meant directly of the Lords Supper as the phrase sounds or the signification of the other Sacrament insinuates for it is so in Baptisme that is a meanes of this Communion therefore also in the Lords Supper Or whether but by consequent for so it is meant at the least yet it proues it that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a Sacrament of Loue and Amitie amongst Gods Children Act. 2.42.46 The Church that was there conuerted continued in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and breaking of Bread and Prayer they continue in the Apostles fellowship as who should say that was a fitting of them to the Lords Supper which is meant by the breaking of Bread noting that they which partake of the Lords Supper there should be a louely Communion amongst them Reas 1 The Reasons First all the Faithfull doe beleeue in one and the same heauenly Father euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath giuen his Sonne for vs on the Crosse and daily giues him to vs in this Sacrament Gal. 3.26 We are all the Sonnes of God by Faith in Christ Iesus and thereby we become one Verse 28. Iew and Gentile Bond and Free Male and Female are all one in Christ Iesus and when we come to the Lords Table there we professe it in a speciall sort that we are the Sonnes of our heauenly Father What neerer naturall bond then to be Children of the same Father What sweeter name of Loue then the name of Father And is it so in Nature how much more in Grace to be spirituall Brethren and Children of our heauenly Father Therefore this is a testification and bond of a most louely Communion which the Faithfull haue amongst themselues This is the Fountaine of our Communion Reas 2 Secondly Wee are all Members of the same Body vnder Christ our Head Ephes 4.15 16. and from him we receiue Life and Grace and Spirit this is a verie neere Communion and verie liuely testified expressed in the vse of this Sacrament where we all eat and drinke together of his Body and Blood as Members incorporate into his Mysticall Body This is the matter of our Communion Reas 3 Thirdly Wee are all partakers of the same Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 We all drinke into one Spirit And this also we professe in this Sacrament Iohn 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing And this is the life of our Communion Reas 4 Fourthly All the Faithfull are of one and the same Religion which euen in false Religions binds Men strongly together How much more in the true Religion And this likewise is here publikely testified in this Sacrament 1 Cor. 10.20 21. This is the Seale of our Communion Reas 5 Fifthly We all partake and sit at one and the same Table and this makes Men grow to a louely fellowship and societie nay the sauage Beasts by eating at one Racke it hath bred peace amongst them and this we doe not onely professe but act and practise in the Lords Supper we all sit at one Table and therefore this must needs nourish a louely fellowship and societie amongst vs. This is the Badge of our Communion Reas 6 Sixthly The actions which we performe at this Table are speaking signes of Loue and vnitie we eate and drinke as it were one to another and pledge one another for howsoeuer euerie one there eats and drinkes for himselfe yet withall still remember that thou doe it with a charitable nourishing and cheering vp of thy Fellow-Guests These are ordinarie actions and yet withall they are speciall tokens of vnitie and friendship And these are the Exercise of our Communion Reas 7 Seuenthly The outward Elements vsed at the Lords Table are framed proportionably hereunto One and the same Bread yet made of many Cornes the same Wine yet made of many Grapes To teach vs that though diuers Persons Sexes Trades States partake in this Sacrament yet all must be of one Heart and Mind and Affection therefore the Apostle saith we are but one Bread though a great many Cornes yet but one Bread which is a plaine testification and bond of Loue and amitie And this is the Patterne of our Communion Reas 8 Lastly Prayer that is a speciall dutie to be performed in the participation of the Lords Supper and this requires and entends loue Math. 6. And this is the Sparkles of the holy Fire of our Communion Now lay all these particulars together and then we shall see that they all conclude it with a generall acclamation that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a publike Testification a comfortable Nurse a mutuall Bond a sure Confirmation of that spirituall Communion which the Faithfull haue amongst themselues First Wee are all Children of the same heauenly Father There is the Fountaine of our Communion Secondly We are all Members of that Body whereof our Lord Iesus is the Head There is the Matter of our Communion Thirdly We ate all partakers of the same Spirit There is the Life of our Communion Fourthly Wee are all of one and the same Religion There is the Seale of our Communion Fifthly We all sit at the same Table There is the Badge of our Communion Sixthly The actions we performe at this Table They are the Exercise of our Communion Seuenthly The outward Elements vsed at the Lords Table They are the Patterne of our Communion Lastly Prayer is the Flame or Sparkles of this holy Fire of our Communion Vse 1 The Vses First this teacheth vs the needfull vse of the Sacrament specially in these times wherein as it is Math. 24. Loue waxeth cold we had need to be stirred vp and seeing this Sacrament is a meanes for that purpose we had need to frequent it But some will say if we haue Loue before what need we then come thither to haue it encreased I answer yes for
saith vers 7. They being come together to breake bread the first day of the weeke Paul preached unto them The first day of the weeke what is that that is the Sabbath day the Lords day What is the breaking of bread what is meant by that why the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper The Disciples being come together that is to say after their usuall manner the first day of the weeke to breake bread Paul preached unto them The manner of speech declares that it was their practice their usual and ordinary practice at their comming together in their Christian assemblies to communicate in breaking of bread And it appeares to be so also by other circumstances there mentioned as namely the company many Disciples verse 4.5 being then in a strange place at Troas and in their journey travelling by the way If they did it abroad when they were travelling then much more would they doe it when they were at home and at rest and therefore these circumstances of the Text make it cleare that it was an usuall practice of the Church so to doe Act. 2.42 there it is said of them that were converted that they continued together in the Apopostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers by breaking of bread we are to understand the participation in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper They continued in breaking bread Marke what the Text saith they continued in it not once or twice but they continued in it they made it their daily and continuall practice And see with what holy exercises it is ranged withall They continued together in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship breaking of bread and prayers as who should say it was as usuall and familiar with them to receive the Sacrament as to heare the word and to meet together in prayer and the ranging of this duty amongst other holy exercises seemes to give some secret intimation of a reason why they made this their ordinary and usuall practice because when these duties are performed together they are marvellous helpfull one to another one seconds and backs another they continued in the Apostles doctrine in fellowship love-meetings breaking of bread and prayer If we should looke into the state of the Church in succeeding ages we shall finde by stories that still the nearer the Church lived to the time of the Apostles the more frequent and more usuall was their practice in the receiving of this Sacrament often in so much that in some places it was every Sabbath in others at least every moneth the doctrine then is cleare both by the Commandement of Christ and also by the practice of the Church Reason 1 The first Reason is this The death of Christ is to be remembred often now the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a cleare looking glasse to behold hold the death of Iesus Christ and the memoriall thereof most brightly and plainly and therefore that is oft to be received That the death of Christ is oft to be remembred I hope no Christian will deny the death of Christ a matter so weighty in it selfe the greatest businesse that ever was acted since the world stood the death of Christ being a matter of so great consequence to Mankinde that every man and woman so farre forth is saved or damned as they have their portion or have not their portion in the death of Christ the death of Christ being so comfortable to the faithfull that it is the very life of all the good that they have here or shall have hereafter and can we ever remember this oft enough and can we omit any occasion of the remembring of Christ his death without sin and without much dishonour to God much wrong and indignity to Christ and damage to our owne soules sturely we cannot I but some me wil say I can remember the death of Christ though not by receiving the Sacrament I can remember it in the word for there Christ is crucified before me and in my prayers and in all my good and holy meditations and in other things as well as in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper It is true thou maist and it is true thou must yet notwithstanding wee must conceive that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is instituted of purpose for this meere end to remember the death of Christ and therefore if thou canst meditate profitably upon the death of Christ in other exercises then much more thou maist doe it in this yea we may be bold to expect a better blessing from God upon our remembrance of Christs death by the receiving of this Sacrament than by the hearing of the word and other good exercises because this Sacrament is ordained instituted meerly as it were of purpose for that end God will most blesse his own ordinances to the same end whereunto he hath so nearly fitted and appointed them Besides that in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper there is a most sensible occasion offered unto us to remember the death of Christ the death of Christ is as it were acted before our eyes by the breaking of the bread and the pouring out of the wine wherby we may fitly and must of necessity bee stirred up to remember with our selves how freely the Lord Iesus Christ gave his body to be crucified and his blood to be shed for the taking away of our sinnes If therefore the death of Chris must be remembred then the Sacrament wherein wee behold the death of Christ as in a glasse must needs be oft received and participated in Reason 2 Secondly it is for the confirmation of our faith our faith we know had need to be confirmed everie day the Sacrament is a notable meanes to confirme cur faith That we had need to be confirmed in our faith every day is certaine for we know this by experience that in the strongest of us our faith is weake and in the greatest of us our faith is small and while we are here it is still but upon the growing hand we know our weake and crasie bodies because they are weake must have a continuall supply of bodily food so our weake soules because we are weake in faith and apt to unbeleefe and distrust through our owne corruption of heart and Satans remptations our soules I say being so weake in faith therfore the strength of it must be continually relieved and supported by a continuall supply of spirituall food which is ministred unto us especially in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper so much more in it than in the word by how much more the assurance is given to the truth of an evidence by the seale than by the writing without the seale a writing without a seale shewes that such a thing is done but if the seale be set unto it then it confirmes it unto us the more God tells us in his word that wee are reconciled to him in the blood of Christ it is true we beleeve this and this begets and
had beene God there must bee infinite knowledge in the Redeemer that he may take notice of all the Saints of God from the beginning of the world to the end thereof this cannot be in any but in God onely Againe there must be infinite mercy in the Redeemer to forgive sinnes there must bee infinite wisedome in him to make all the redeemed wise to God and to their owne salvation in the Redeemer there must be infinite grace effectuall to call all those that shall be saved also there must be in him infinite power to save our soules to save any one soule is a matter of infinite power and therefore much more to save so many thousand soules as are from time to time called and converted unto the Lord. Lastly there must be infinite dignity infinite worthinesse and merit in that blood that must redeeme all those that God will save this cannot be but by the blood of the Lord that God which hath purchased us with his owne blood None of all these infinities can bee found in any but in God onely therefore the REDEEMER must bee LORD The use first that shewes us that God doth oft times worke by quite contraries in the matter of salvation as who should say he sets one contrary against another and brings the greatest good out of the greatest evill Christ is the Lord in his very death in his most cruell and shamefull death he was much magnified when hee was most debased the Lord of life and glory when he was killed and crucified thus it was with Christ and so it is in the members of Christ it was so in him that we may expect this in our selves and so wee finde it by experience how God workes with many of his children are they not ofttimes most glorious in their greatest abasement most comfortable in their greatest afflictions and are we not then oft times most neare to God when we thinke our selves farre from God are we not most spiritually and heavenly minded even in the most hellish temptations of Satan that we are exercised withall those that are in the state of grace know this to be true this is not sensible to the naturall man nor yet to the spirituall man many times for the present yet afterwards hee sees it and can say Surely the Lord is with me and I was not aware Looke but into an example of Paul in the like temptation 2 Cor. 12.9 10. the Apostle prayeth against the temptations of Satan the answer of God to him is this My grace is sufficient for thee my power is perfect in thy weaknesse and thereupon the Apostle sers his rest and saith When I am weak then I am strong Here you see that in matters of salvation God oft-times worketh by contraries shewing himselfe a strong God in a weake man a strange thing that God shold perfect his strength in mans weaknesse a man would think he should perfect his strength in our strength but he doth it in our weaknesse My strength saith hee is perfect in thy weaknesse So in the case of Stephen in the matter of persecution Acts 6. the last verse when he was there before the Councell they that sate in Councell looking upon him they beheld his face as the face of an Angel they admired him in that state of his basenesse as a glorious Angell It is not unseasonable for God so to worke by contraries for it magnifies the great and almightie power and wisedome of God that can worke by contraries and it magnifies the great mercy and goodnesse of God that he will doe so for us that when we are weakest then we are strongest that God commandeth light to shine unto us out of darknesse and makes our greatest misery a meere step to our greatest glory Vse 2 In the next place it teachethus how vaine the hope of wicked men is that take part against Christ and his members howsoever they may persecute us and bring us to death yet by our persecutions and by our death they themselves oft-times receive the greatest foiles Psalm 2.1 Why did the Heathen rage and the people murmur in vaine their hope is but vaine the Lord from Heaven laughes them to scorne saith the Prophet they get nothing by it when they have done all they can but derision and therefore let not wicked men boast of whatsoever hope they have to doe hurt to Gods children for their hope is but vaine neither yet let Gods children be cast downe with it but comfort themselves in this that the wicked when they are in their greatest hopes they are nearest to their fall and destruction Vse 3 Thirdly this should encourage us against the insultation of the Iewes they mocke us because we beleeve in a crucified Saviour O say they you doe beleeve in a crucified God this is a goodly Religion If we did beleeve in Christ onely as a crucified man then they might laugh at us this were starke foolishnesse but wee beleeving in Christ as God the Lord crucified therefore they have no cause to scoffe at us and at our faith It is the Lords death saith the Text therefore this is the onely saving wisedome of God to beleeve in Christ crucified or in our crucified Lord and we are so farre from being ashamed of it as that it is our greatest comfort and wee rejoyce in it even in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ Vse 4 Lastly the last Vse is matter of exhortation to stirre us up that we should looke to our selves in the meditation of Christ his death alwayes to think upon Christ the Lord of glory whensoever thou dost enter into meditation of the death of Christ either at the Sacrament or not at the Sacrament yet still let thy eye of faith be fixed upon Christ the Lord to meditate of Christ his death is to meditate upon the Lords death It is true indeed that wee cannot apprehend Christ dying for us but onely as man as God he could not dye yet it is not sufficient to beleeve in Christ crucified as man for whosoever beleeves in Christ as a crucified man if he stay there and if his faith goe not one step further to say I beleeve in the Lord crucified he is in a most miserable and damnable case When once we come to rellish the Lord in the death of Christ then is his death most sweet and comfortable unto us this will make a great many of living springs of waters to rise up in our hearts when we meditate upon the death of the Lord Christ that we can say the Lord hath died for me this will worke reverence and devotion in us and therefore we must highly esteeme of it not as the death of a man but as the death of the Lord the Lord dyed for mee Oh how thankfull ought I to be to the Lord for this great kindnesse what am I poore sinfull wretch that Christ the Lord should dye for mee this will teach us to love the Lord Oh how
Soules Physitian but the worke he came to performe was this not so much to take away the sicknesse of our Bodyes but the sinnes of our Soules It is not to be denied but that our Bodyes also are nourished in this Sacrament and that both directly and corporally by the outward Elements of Bread and Wine for so it must be that the proportion may hold and be the more significant and sensible and also by way of consequence and spiritually as the Body also partaking with the Soule in the forgiuenesse of sinnes and the grace of Saluation but that which is chiefly and principally nourished in this Sacrament is the Soule which receiueth and embraceth Christ by Faith Reas 2 The second Reason The Communion which we haue with Christ is a spirituall Communion 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is ioyned to the Lord is one Spirit Therefore this Sacrament which is a speciall meanes of our Communion with Christ to knit vs vnto him must accordingly be a spirituall Banket Reas 3 Thirdly It is the nature of this Sacrament to be the Seale of the New Testament Luke 22.20 The Couenant or Testament is a spirituall Couenant the Couenant of Iustification and Sanctification Hebr. 10.16 17. Therefore the Seale must be spirituall as the Couenant is Reas 4 Fourthly The Word and Sacraments are in generall of the same nature The Word is a Banket of our Soules and therefore the Sacrament being an appendant vpon the Word must also belong vnto our Soules and be a spirituall Banket too The Word begins and nourisheth our eternall life the Sacraments nourisheth it but not begins it the Word brings vs vnto Christ the Sacraments make vs to grow faster to him the Word workes vpon the Eare and being seconded by the Spirit so quickens and feeds the Heart the Sacrament is seene felt tasted wee eat it and drinke it and receiue it into our Bodyes and so being seconded by the Spirit nourisheth our Soules the Word conueyes Christ into vs more largely this Sacrament more neerely each of them verie powerfully and effectually Reas 5 Fifthly The verie time wherein it was instituted proues as much for it was instituted after Supper when their Bodyes were fed already and therefore it is proper and peculiar to their Soules Reas 6 Lastly The proportion betwixt the Signes and Things signified proues as much for seeing the Signes that is to say the Bread and Wine are apt to nourish the Body therefore the thing signified that is to say the Body and Blood of Christ must needs be intended to the nourishment of the Soule therefore it is plaine that this Sacrament is a spirituall Banket wherein the Faithfull are nourished to a spirituall and heauenly life Vse 1 The Vses First It should teach vs that seeing it is a Feast for our Soules therefore we should vse it as a spirituall Feast And how is that We must bring spirituall Mouthes and spirituall Stomackes and spirituall preparation and spirituall affections We must be wholly spirituall our Mouthes are our Minds or our Soules our Stomacke or Appetite must be hungry and thirst after Grace and Righteousnesse and forgiuenesse of Sinnes and newnesse of Life our Preparation must be humblenesse of Mind and brokennesse of Heart in the sight of our owne wretched estate and Faith and confidence in the promise of sauing Grace for our deliuerance It makes no matter when we come to this Feast whether we haue our best Cloathes on or no he is best well-come that comes with the best Heart and the best Soule for whosoeuer comes not thus prepared wants his Wedding-garment and shall speed as he did He shall be cast into vtter darkenesse Lastly our affections must be spirituall our Mirth and Cheerefulnesse and Ioy must not be any carnall Ioy or corporall Reioycing as at our bodily Feasts but we must reioyce in the Lord reioyce in the Spirit reioyce in God and Christ and his Saluation Vse 2 Secondly If it be a spirituall Feast then we must learne to discerne the Body and Blood of Christ the spirituall Food for our Soules we must lift vp the Eye of Faith and apprehend and take hold vpon Christ being in Heauen though we be vpon Earth Our bodily Eyes cannot see so farre but the Eye of Faith sees into Heauen and beleeues that Christ Iesus sitting at the right Hand of God is here present at the Table after a spirituall manner and so doth giue and communicate himselfe vnto vs The Eye of the Body sees the Bread broken and the Wine poured out the Eye of Faith sees and considers the breaking of Christ Body and the shedding of his Blood for the taking away of our sinnes and this is that which the Apostle presseth 1 Cor. 11.29 about the discerning of the Lords Body as who should say That he that comes without this discerning Eye of Faith he comes to this Table as to an ordinarie Feast discernes the Bread and Wine with his bodily Eyes but not as to a spirituall Feast to discerne Christs Body by the Eye of Faith and so can haue no benefite by it For as appeares in the Doctrine it is the Faithfull onely that are here nourished to a Spirituall life but as for vnbeleeuers they are thereby nourished to eternall death as the Apostle there shewes Vse 3 Thirdly Examine our selues whether we haue carried our selues this day or any time heretofore as at a spirituall Feast Haue we hungred and thirsted after the spirituall refreshing of our Soules Haue our Soules beene fatted with these Iunckets God hath set before vs Haue we had Faith in the Promises of God Haue we had repentance of our Sinnes Haue we prepared our selues in the Inward-Man for the entertainement of Christ and his Spirit into our Hearts Haue we beene refreshed with the comforts of God Haue we delighted in the Saluation that hereby is brought vnto vs Haue we had an inward ioy and cheerefulnesse of Heart that we haue found Christ the Lord and Master of the Feast hath bid vs well-come That we are better encouraged to goe on in godly duties More confirmed in the assurance of the forgiuenesse of sinnes And more thoroughly resolued to leade a new life That we haue well profited in the state of Grace and Saluation If we find these things we plainely shew that we haue made it a spirituall Banket and that thereby our Soules are nourished to a heauenly life If wee find none of these things at least in some measure let vs know that wee haue come like brute Beasts or at least like carnall Men we had better haue kept away if wee haue come onely with bodily and not with spirituall Eyes let vs know wee haue committed a greeuous sinne against God Wee came here to receiue a generall quittance for our sinnes past and wee haue added a greater sinne then euer we committed before Let vs therefore examine our selues and lay vp these things in our Hearts to meditate vpon them that thereby we may be
as these being incident to the makeing and accomplishing of this Testament shew plainly that our Tenor is by a New Testament indeed a strange Testament such as neuer the like was or shall be Reas 3 Thirdly In respect of the renewed estate which we are aduanced vnto Hebr. 9.10 our Sauiours suffering in the Flesh is called The time of reformation as things being out of square and order before but by his appearance and suffering set vpright againe 2 Cor. 5.17 Old things are past away all things are become new new Lawes new Promises new courses new effects all new a new Heart a new Mind a new Spirit a new Life a new Nature a new Creature all new for that reformation spoken of Hebr. 9. is not spoken so much of the outward face of the Church but of the inward Temple of God that is within vs. Reas 4 Fourthly As being the last Testament that which comes after makes the former old where there be many changes of State the last alwayes is the newest there were many changes of the outward Religion before this comes after and puts them all out of date and none shall euer come after this to put this out of request and therefore the estate is called the last dayes Hebr. 1.1 as there being no other euer hereafter to be effected Reas 5 Fifthly Because by this we are sensibly inuested and enter into the estate of Glorie when all shall be renewed in full perfection That which Peter saith of the state of Glorie 2 Pet. 3.13 of a new Heauen and a new Earth is it not affirmed of the state of the New Testament Esay 65.17 Reas 6 Lastly All the hold that we haue in God is by the mediation of Iesus Christ now his mediation consists wholly in making good of the New Testament being therefore called the Mediator of the New Testament Hebr. 9.15 and 12.24 so that we cannot haue any hold in God by Christ but onely by vertue of the New Testament Vse 1 First This should teach euerie one of vs to examine and try our selues what right we haue in the New Testament made and sealed by the Blood of Christ and there we shall see plainly what hold we haue in God It is not the liuing in the dayes of the Gospell that can saue you for euerie Beast do liue in these dayes as well as we but to liue vnder is to be subiect to it and to liue vnder the power and the Lawes of the New Testament So much of this hold as we haue in the New Testament so much hold we haue in God little hold in this and little hold in God great hold in this great hold in God no hold in this no hold in God Ye see what the Testament is Iustification and Sanctification therefore examine your selues concerning both First for Iustification what right haue you in Christ for the forgiuenesse of your sinnes Haue you Faith in his Blood Are ye perswaded that you are fully satisfied for in the death of Christ Or if ye haue not this full perswasion what degrees or what measure haue you thereof Except you haue the truth of this resolution in your Hearts you can challenge no part in this Testament Then for Sanctification tell me you that professe the New Testament how is it betwixt sinne and you Hath sinne dominion ouer you Then you are not vnder Grace but vnder the Law Is the Spirit of God within you Doe you find him to liue and moue in your inward parts Is the Law of God written in your Hearts for that you see is one expresse part of this Couenant you haue it in your Eares and in your Heads and in your Mouthes but that is nothing except you haue it in your Hearts and what is it to haue the Law of God in your Hearts It is to doe the will of God Psal 40.8 I haue desired to doe thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my Heart These things are our Legacie bequeathed in this Testament and therefore it stands vs vpon to know whether we haue receiued them or not There be two speciall markes whereby we may know our selues to bee truly vnder the New Testament Softnesse of Heart and the assistance of the Spirit Softnesse of Heart if we find our Hearts to be mollified melting at the thought of our sinnes relenting at Gods Iudgements compassionate towards the afflictions of Gods Children plyable to Gods will ouercome with the loue of Christ Iesus in suffering for vs this is a sure signe that the promise of the Gospell is fulfilled vpon vs in some measure which is that he will take away our stonie Hearts and giue vnto vs Hearts of Flesh Let euerie one of vs therefore lay our Hands vpon our Hearts and search and answer as in the presence of God whether we find this softnesse in vs or whether there be not as great hardnesse of Heart in vs as there was in the Iewes in the Old Testament surely our vnablenesse and vnthankfulnesse and wilfulnes which do generally reigne amongst vs doe testifie to the World that still our Hearts doe continue in an obstinate hardnesse Secondly for the assistance of the Spirit for the Promise of the Gospell is the Promise of the Spirit and it is proper to the state of the Gospell that looke what the Word telles vs and bids vs or forbids vs that doth the Spirit encline and perswade our Hearts to beleeue and obey doe our Hearts therefore tremble when the Word is preached When we heare the Gospell say Belieue and thou shalt be saued Doe vve find an ouer-ruling power in our Soules raysing vp our minds effectually and causing vs to beleeue Can we say truly that when we heare the Word we find the same Spirit working vpon our Hearts Faith and Obedience which hath enspired those that teacheth vs For this is the right state of the Gospell Psal 18.44 As soone as they heare they shall obey me as the verie same Spirit which speakes vnto vs by the mouth of the Ministers speaking also and preuailing with our Hearts to true obedience Let vs therefore labour especially for these two things Softnesse of Heart and the assistance of the Spirit that thereby we may see we haue our right and true enterest in the New Testament Vse 2 Secondly this shewes the happy estate of those that liue vnder the New Testament if they haue grace so to make vse of vs it is a gracious opportunitie and we are much to blesse God for it that we are born in the daies of the Gospel but where God giues grace to make vse of it accordingly that we liue vnder the gouernment and subiection of the Gospell that is the greatest mercie and blessing that euer can befall vs it is next to Heauen it selfe Consider the happinesse of the New Testament First by the excellent titles of it The former Testament is called the Law this is the Gospell or glad tydings that the Shadow this
prayed for Peter exhorts euen them that crucified Christ to repent and be baptised in his Name for remission of sinnes and then all is well God hath extended his mercie to them and therefore let vs helpe them with our Faith and Prayers to God that they may enioy it And what Man is there that hath any bowels of compassion that doth not yearne euen in himselfe to thinke that such a Nation the peculiar People of God the onely worshippers of God for many hundred yeeres together should be so depriued of the Glorie of God and be separated from him by such a fearefull Apostacie that they doe euen hate the Name of Christ and of the Gospell Consider secondly that the time was when they prayed for vs Cant. 8.8 We haue a little Sister say they and she hath no Teets what shall we doe for her in the day that she shall be spoken for She being in possession of Gods fauour see what moane she makes for vs being then but cast-awayes Therefore we being in possession of Gods fauour and they cast out let vs take vp the same mournfull note in their behalfe and say We haue a little Sister and she hath no Teats her Teats were once full of Milke of Gods Word and comfort but now they are altogether barren and dry what shall we doe for her in the day that she shall be spoken for This is the day wherein she is to be spoken for euen the last dayes of the world Let vs speake to God for her and be carnest in Prayer that God would take away the Veile from their Hearts and open their blind Eyes that they may see the Saluation of Christ and that they may see the Saluation of God and so all Israel may be saued and they and we may become one Flocke and be brought into one Sheepe-fold vnder one Sheepeheard Iesus Christ Consider thirdly that we liue vpon their losse and are raysed vp vpon their spoyle If a Man begge of the King the Goods and Lands of another Mans that is condemned if he haue any grace or good nature in him he will haue care of that Mans Seed and Posteritie to relieue them as much as in him lyes We are built vp by the ruines of the Iewes and therefore what great cause haue we to pittie their Seed and Posteritie and to pray to God that he would call them home againe and make them once againe his owne People Consider fourthly that their calling is the onely signe not yet fulfilled of Christs comming to Iudgment A thing which concernes vs all to groane and to pray for that it may be speedily accomplyshed and consequently that they may be speedily called And we must not pray for them onely but we must labour to prouoke them too How is that By our holinesse of life and vpright conuersation we should shine as Lights vnto them in all good workes that by our good example we might draw them to God and to take hold on Gods sauing Ordinances as well as we And surely if the liues of Christians were such as they might and ought to be who knowes but that they might haue beene wonne long ere this We trade and trafficke with them in many places and they care not to deceiue vs and we care as little to deceiue them They take hold of this and other such great scandals and that is one great cause of the continuance of their hardnesse God intends this our prouocation of them by giuing vs the Gospell For this is that prouocation which the Apostle so much vrgeth Rom. 11. When the Father offers a peece of Bread to his Child if the Child be sullen and refuse it the Father will offer it to a Dogge and the Child seeing that will catch at it he will haue it himselfe rather then the Dogge shall haue it When our Sauiour saith It is not meet to take the Childrens Bread and cast it vnto Dogges Is it not a plaine intimation that sauing Grace is as Bread the Iewes the Children and the Gentiles Dogges God offered this sauing Grace to the Iewes they like sullen Children refused this Bread God giues it to vs being Gentiles and as it were Dogges that the Children or Iewes seeing this might catch at it as being their owne Portion that the Dogges might not haue it from them Vse 5 Fifthly This teacheth vs that there be many that shall be saued But you will say How is it said That there shall be but a few saued Answer There is but few in respect of the whole World haply not one to a thousand yet being considered in themselues they are a great number and indeed infinite as Reuel 7.9 A great multitude that no Man can number of all Nations and Kinreds and People of the World But you will say Is it so rendred that who will may haue it We answer It is tendred that whosoeuer beleeues it shall enioy it but to beleeue is not in a Man 's owne will and power none beleeue but those that God bestows this grace of Faith vpon and therefore that conceit of vniuersall Grace which intends not onely a proffer on Gods part but also power enough on Mans part to apprehend it if he will himselfe is a peeuish dreame Lastly This teacheth vs concerning this Sacrament that we are to be prepared vnto and that our Sauiour speakes of in these verie words that whosoeuer we are be we wise or simple be we bond or free we must come to be partakers of this Sacrament the Seale of this sauing Grace Let vs bring Faith with vs to apprehend it and beleeue it and then come and well-come There is no outward respect of our Nation or Condition whatsoeuer it be that debarres vs from it But be sure that thou hast Faith in the Blood of Christ else thou art none of the many here spoken of thou shalt not obtaine this benefit of the remission of thy sinnes Let vs therefore euerie one examine our selues whether we haue this grace of Faith or no If we haue it we may and must come to this Sacrament to haue it further confirmed within vs yea if our Faith be but weake and that we haue but some beginnings of Faith let vs not be afraid if it be true and from the Heart God will accept it and vs but if vpon due examination we find that we haue no true Faith let vs not flatter our selues and presume to come in hope of any good thereby it shall be so farre from doing vs any good that it shall doe vs a great deale of har me It shall be Iudgement to vs and condemnation The end of the ninth Lecture THE TENTH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER WE are now according to our wonted manner to turne out of the Catechisme and to proceed in the argument of our preparation to the Lords Supper the next Lords day being a Communion day wherein we purpose God willing to meet together at the same
by his Ordinance to be receiued by Faith he giues it by his Ordinance wholly and therefore we receiue Christ wholly in his Word And so he is our Iustification and Sanctification Reas 6 Lastly Those that come vnworthily increase their own Iudgment damnation He that comes to the Lords Table without preparation and examination that he may be fitted to come into his presence to this heauenly Feast brings 2 euils vpon himselfe First he makes himselfe more guiltie of sinne And secondly he increaseth the hardnesse of his owne Heart He increaseth the guiltinesse of sinne which makes him further from Iustification And the hardnesse of his Heart which makes him further from Sanctification And therefore he that comes in Faith receiues both acquittance from the guilt of sinne which is his Iustification and strength against his sinne which is his Sanctification Vse 1 The Vses of the Point are these The first Vse teacheth vs that our Iustification Sanctification alwaies goe together these are but one In the acceptation of God there is but one the same Couenant whosoeuer dissunders them dissunders the onely Testament of the Lord Iesus Where Iustification is there is Sanctification If any Man be in Christ he is a new Creature 2 Cor. 5. They that are in Christ haue crucified the Flesh with the Lusts thereof Gal. 5.24 Whersoeuer the Heart is iustified by the free pardon and remission of sin there also is it sanctified to performe all holy obedience That we being deliuered from our Enemies might serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Redemption there goes before the seruice of God And you see that the Prophet ioynes them together in Ps 32. Blessed is the Man whose sinnes are pardoned and in whose Spirit there is no guile Iustification in the first part of the Verse and Sanctification in the latter In the first branch is remission of sinnes Iustification In the second holinesse of life and Sanctification And therefore let no Man flatter himselfe as to thinke he is iustified and hath found mercie vnlesse he find some true degree of Sanctification God hath not forgiuen thy sinne vnlesse thou hast in some sort receiued a Heart and affection to cleaue vnto him vnlesse he hath giuen thee a care and conscience to serue him and again if thou dost find some measure of true Sanctification neuer doubt but that the Lord hath pardoned thy sin and hath receiued thee to mercie Though thy sinnes be great and thou seest not that God hath forgiuen them yet be perswaded Sanctification is a true effect of Iustification If thou findest a true indeauour to feare and serue him in all holy obedience be sure he hath had mercie on thee to forgiue thee Vse 2 The second vse teacheth vs that seeing the whole Couenant is tendered vnto vs in this Sacrament that therefore whensoeuer we come to receiue it we should indeauour our selues to receiue it accordingly We must first labour to discerne herein that it is both our Iustification and Sanctification Secondly we must hunger and thirst after them we must desire to receiue assurance that our sinnes are pardoned increase of Grace and Sanctification And lastly we must labour and we must stirre vp our selues and pray vnto God that we may profit by it that we may receiue the whole Couenant of Grace thus freely tendered vnto vs If we consider the signes they are in the singular wisedome of God fitted to our capacities to performe this dutie There is Bread and Wine both of them fit either for comfort or strength Wine specially for comfort Bread for strength as the Scripture speakes of them What better comfort then the forgiuenesse of sinne when the Soule receiueth assurance that sinne is pardoned The Wine cannot so comfort the Heart naturally But the assurance of Gods loue in Christ that sin is forgiuen doth comfort our Hearts spiritually a great dealemore How sweet is matter of Iustification As Wine refresheth the Heart so the assurance of the pardon of sinne comforts the Soule Here is also Bread which strengthens the Heart what greater strength is there then that when the Heart is strengthened by Grace when we are setled in a stedfast purpose to lead a godly life when he establisheth vs with his free Spirit The Bread doth not so much strengthen our naturall life as the blessing we receiue in this Sacrament the sanctifying Grace of God our spirituall life in the wayes of godlinesse These things we must raise vp our minds vnto we must not thinke that these Elements are idle signes but powerfull to seale many excellent things vnto vs if we haue Hearts to discerne such excellencies as the Lord therein hath treasured vp for vs. Let vs discerne in these Elements matter of our Iustification and Sanctification matters of excellent comfort and strength the true comforts and strength of God against our sinnes and against the temptations of Sathan Here is Wine to comfort our Hearts but God to comfort our Soules much more Here is Bread to strengthen vs but the Bread of God to strengthen vs much more The Grace of Iustification to comfort vs against sinne already committed the Grace of Sanctification to strengthen vs against sinne raging in our mortall Bodyes So then we must consider with our selues these things we must be raysed vp and prepare our selues to be quickned accordingly that we may comfortably receiue the things deliuered in this Sacrament of the Supper the things also shadowed in these Elements Vse 3 Another Vse of the Point is this It teacheth vs that our Iustification and Sanctification are both certainly to be beleeued that is to say we must be perswaded of them that they are certaine things and shall be performed to vs they are not onely certaine in themselues but to vs for thus much the Sacrament intends for seeing it tendreth vnto vs the whole Couenant of Grace seeing it reacheth and giueth vnto vs possession of these things as if God should say Here is Christ take him here is Iustification and Sanctification take them they be thine These things I say being thus tendered vnto vs herein if therefore we bring Paith we shall receiue them we may assuredly be resolued that they shall be made good vnto vs. The want of this assurance makes many woundings in our spirituall life the want of assurance of our Iustification puts vs to many feares and much distrustfulnesse and the want of the assurance of Sanctification or because we beleeue not that God will sanctifie vs which should hold vs against temptations against Sathans malice and the wickednesse of the World and our owne corruptions it makes vs find many faylings in our selues whereas if we would beleeue God vpon his word and vpon his pawne that he giues vs in this Sacrament it would perswade vs sufficiently that these things shall certainely be performed vnto vs the want I say of this assurance causeth many faylings in our state both of Faith and
a Diuel Iohn 6. Iohn 13. why then did he administer the Sacrament vnto him amongst the rest Answ I answer Our Sauiour knew this not as he was a Minister but as he was God and that was not belonging to the Office of his Ministerie but in regard of the power of his Godhead so that it must not be drawne into the Office of his Ministerie because he knew he was a Reprobate yet he deliuered it vnto him We cannot know certainly that any Man is a Reprobate we are to cast him out if he so carrie himselfe till such time he reformes himselfe But our Sauiour as being a Minister knew him not to be reprobate and therefore was not to repell him The Reasons of the Point are these Reas 1 None haue part in Christ but Beleeuers and therefore none must haue part in this Sacrament but Beleeuers None haue right to the signes but they that haue right to the thing signified They that beleeue shall not perish And therefore none ought to communicate but Beleeuers Reas 2 Secondly It is so in the other Sacrament it is to be administred to them that professe Faith Marke 16.16 Acts 8.39 Philip said vnto the Eunuch If thou beleeuest thou mayst be baptized At the least a profession of Faith is required Reas 3 It holds likewise by proportion to the Sacrament of the former Testament in roome whereof this succeeded No Stranger but such as would become formable to the Congregation of the Israelites to partake in it Reas 4 Likewise It holds by proportion to the outward signes None can partake of the outward signes vnlesse they haue Hands and Mouthes and Stomackes to take feed and digest them And so no benefit in the spirituall Grace without the Hand of Faith the Mouth of Faith and the Stomacke of Faith the Hand of Faith to lay hold of it the Mouth of Faith to feed on it and the Stomacke of Faith to digest it No benefit without this and therefore none ought to partake of it but such as haue it Vse 1 The vse is matter of instruction to the Ministers of God that they be choyce and warie in admitting the People to the Lords Table They must haue some good probabilitie that they be found Christians they must deale with them in publike and priuate to see if they be fit and they must labour to make them fit Vse 2 But specially it concernes the People and therefore it teacheth them in the second place to examine themselues whether they be fit to come or no whether they haue on this Wedding Garment or no. Haue you Faith Are you Beleeuers Doth the Spirit of God witnesse so much within you Doe you find the fruits of Faith in holinesse of life conuersation Then come and welcome If otherwise you find not this more or lesse assuredly you haue no part nor portion in this busines Many scorne to be examined specially the elder sort they are loath to haue their infirmities their weakenesse insufficiencie and ignorance to be knowne Proud Hearts they had rather goe to Hell then to haue their infirmities discouered But all in particular must examine themselues and because they that are not of the Ministerie cannot so search themselues as we can therefore they must come vnto vs and if we vpon tryall say vnto them Now you are fit then they may come with cheerefulnesse Gods Messenger vpon the conference had with them hath bid them come and therefore they may come with much more cheerfulnesse and certainly shall find much more profit But what measure of Faith is required will some say Surely this I will speake no measure of Faith that Man can attaine will serue in Gods Iustice but any measure shall serue in the acceptance of Gods Mercie If true Faith though neuer so little and weake be of good cheere it shall saue thee Let it proceed from a good cause and yeeld good fruit within thee and then as I said though weake and small yet it is accepted of God in Christ It was the case of these Disciples at the same time Were they Men of great Faith No of small Faith for the most part were ignorant at the least doubting of the Resurrection of Christ without which all Faith is in vaine at the least they were not so thoroughly perswaded as they ought to be and yet well welcome in those beginnings and rudiments of Christian Faith He administred the Sacrament vnto them And therefore let vs looke our Faith be true and let vs desire and groane after more and then though it be mixed with many doubtings and failings yet the Lord will accept it and in mercie will couer our infirmities in the obedience of Christ and so we shall find the fruit of sauing Faith in the vse of this Sacrament He shall make it good vnto vs for all sauing purposes * ⎠* The end of the eleuenth Lecture THE TWELFTH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER WEE are now to divert and turne aside into the Argument of the Lords Supper specially against this season of the yeare above all other wherin not only those which are sincere in Religion but even those that are counterfeit in Religion pretend a kinde of conscience to come to receive the Lords Supper The fist head that we reduced all those things which wee purposed to propound concerning the doctrine of the Lords Supper were the names and titles that are given to it wee have shewed foure of them namely the Lords Table the Lords Supper the Communion the New Testament now we are to proceed to a fifth name or title that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is stiled withall that is the memoriall or remembrance of Christs death though the Sacrament be not expressely and in so many termes so called in any one place of Scripture yet it is very necessarily and directly gathered both from the words of our Saviour himselfe as also from the words of the Apostle Paul from the words of our Saviour Luke 22.19 Doe this in remembrance of me but much more plainly out of the Apostles words 1 Cor. 11.26 You shew forth the Lords death till he come the eating of this bread and the drinking of this cup is the shewing or setting forth of the Lords death till hee come And these are the words that wee purpose 1 Cor. 11.26 God willing to insist upon for our proceeding in this businesse 1 Cor. 11.26 For as often as you shall eate this bread and drinke this cup you shew the Lords death till he come You know that names are justly given unto things according to the nature of the things named what is the nature of this Sacrament the Apostle shewes here that to eate this bread and to drinke this cup is to shew forth the death of Christ by way of remembrance till hee come therefore this is a fit and proper name to this Sacrament the memoriall or remembrance of Christs death Now because as you see
the proportion betweene the signe and the thing signified requires as much What is signified by the bread and wine the body and blood of Christ and they have an active power and virtue to cherish and nourish our foules to eternall life and therefore the bread and wine must bee such in the Sacrament as hath power also to nourish the body to a temporall life but if onely the shew of bread and wine were there present then there were no power to nourish for it is the substance of the bread that yeelds power by the blessing of God to sustaine life the maintenance of our life ariseth from the substance of our food and therefore it followes that as the outward forme must needs bee there present so the substance of the bread must be there also in the very true being or else it is no true Sacrament Reason 3 The last reason is this our owne judgement our owne eyes or owne taste sense and naturall parts our teeth and stomach finde the bread and wine there and shall they tell us that it is not there when we see feele and taste it Doe wee thinke that God doth so delude us as oft as we receive the sacrament to make us beleeve that there is bread and wine when there is none will God deceive us when we come to doe him service in the use of his owne ordinances Except God delude us which we are sure he cannot nor will not there must be the bread and wine there present And surely it is Gods gracious purpose herein to lead us as it were by the hand from our bodily feeding to our spiritull feeding that while our bodies feed upon the signes and finde and feele the taste and rellish and comfort of the bread and wine our soules may be lifted up by faith to meditate of the thing signified and so to feed upon the body and blood of Christ and finde comfort in them That we may truly say Looke the bread and wine comforts my body thus thus doth the blood of Christ comfort my soule and by faith I am assured of the forgivenesse of my sinnes by the blood of Christ as by sense I feele the benefit of those outward elements Thus the Lord vouchsafeth to lead us on by the hand as it were by that which is done outwardly in this Sacrament to that which is to be done spiritually Vse 1 The first use serves to confute the Papists opinion of Transubstantiation the meaning of it is this that so soone as ever the blessing is pronounced the words of consecration are used which are these This is my body and this is my blood presently say they the substance of the bread and wine is vanished away and in comes the body and blood of Chirst for this they hold that two substances cannot be in one place together and therefore say they if the body and blood of Christ come in then the other substance goes away We need no other place against this dreame of theirs than this in hand that the Apostle calls it by the name of bread after consecration And this should teach us much more to hate and loath that grosse practice of theirs in adoring the Sacrament and indeed it comes from this Transubstantiation Transubstantiation is the mother of adoration because they thinke the body of Christ is there bodily present therefore they adore it horrible Idolatry the Apostle cals it bread and they make it their God and therefore judge you whether we doe not justly challenge the Papists that they worship a breaden god that which the Holy Ghost calls bread that they worship as God and therefore they worship a breaden god this is fearful Idolatry this is a main matter of their religion An Idoll saith the Apostle is nothing in the world and surely this is a great Idoll of theirs and yet it is nothing that is nothing that hath any true being Here is bread but no true God as they fondly imagine this is nothing but a fancie of theirs to thinke that Christ is there bodily present they fondly imagine such a thing to be there that is not and therefore they adore and worship that which is not True it is that Christ is there really present to all saving purposes in the use of the bread and wine to every faithfull receiver and it is the comfort of our soules that he is present by the power of his Spirit to make good unto the faithfull the worke of our Redemption But that he is there bodily present we have no warrant Vse 2 The last use teacheth us how to expound such places of Scripture As where it is said This is my body to expound them sacramentally and in a spirituall sense This is my body in a sacramentall and spirituall sense that is this bread to every beleever that partakes it in a true manner beleeving in me and being raised up by this to a consideration of the breaking of Christ his body for the forgivenesse of their sinnes and so finde the benefit of it to themselves it is made actually and really yet spiritually the body of Christ to everie true beleever if ye will receive it This is Elias saith our Saviour what therefore should the Apostles conclude that therefore Iohn Baptist was Elias that his body was turned into his body no such matter but take it as it is meant this is Elias not that Iohn Baptists was Elias that his body was turned into his body but so he was called because he came in the spirit of Elias to doe that which he did So this is the body of Christ not that the bread is turned into the body of Christ nor the wine into his blood but if you will receive it this is my body and my blood to every faithfull receiver the Spirit of God is at hand to make good unto them the body and blood of Christ and all his merits the same Spirit that was in Christ when he performed the office of our redemption is in and at the Sacrament to make Christ really present yet spiritually to every faithfull receiver by the power merit and virtue of his body and blood for all saving purposes as the nature of the Sacrament requires These things if we could understand them and set our hearts upon them and live by faith wee should rest more solid in them It is want of faith that makes thē dote upon the bodily presence of Christ whereas if they could be perswaded that the Spirit of God doth performe effectually all saving purposes as if Christ were bodily present if they did but consider and beleeve this it would make them renounce the doctrine of Transubstantiation and therfore we that are the people of God and know that as God is a Spirit so he will be worshipped in spirit and in truth we must labour to walke in the spirit and to live by faith we must beleeve that Christ is really present yet spiritually to everie
come and so expect a blessing from God but if thou have a veile before thee and thou canst not see and behold the death of Christ that is to say Christ Iesus crucified for the taking away of thy sinnes surely thou art not in case to come to the Table of the Lord. Vse 2 The second Vse of this Doctrine is matter of instruction and it serves to instruct us in many good Christian duties Is it so that the very substance and the chiefest matter of the Lords Supper is the death of Christ Iesus then this should teach us in the first place that wee should hunger and thirst long after this Sacramēt we must hunger thirst after grace we must hunger thirst after righteousnesse the death of Iesus Christ is our grace and our righteousnesse and the same also is the substance of this Sacrament therefore wee must hunger and thirst after this Sacrament Oh beloved that wee could but consider with our selves the worth of the death of Iesus Christ which was as great a matter as the whole world besides or if we could but consider the necessity of the death of Christ that without the sense and feeling of it in our hearts it is impossible that any man can be saved or if we could but consider the power of the death of Christ what a force it hath to beat downe the power of sinne hell and death and if we could consider the sweetnesse of Christ crucified the crucifying of Christ is the very life of a man that is truly regenerate and converted to God if wee could but consider the benefit of Christ Iesus crucified all grace and all glory belongs unto us by the death of Christ lastly if we could but consider the glory of Christ crucified Christ was most glorious upon the Crosse when he was in the height of his obedience and so God beheld him and then indeed did he procure most glory to us as it was his glory so it is our chiefest glory I rejoyce in nothing but in Christ crucified saith the Apostle If wee could soundly taste of these things the worthinesse of Christ crucified the necessity of Christ crucified the power of Christ crucified the sweetnesse of Christ crucified the benefit of Christ crucified the glory of Christ crucified we would hunger againe and againe after the Sacrament of the Lords Supper after the death of Christ therein tendred unto us it should whet us on to a spirituall appetite to this heavenly banquet This teacheth us in the second place what bee the graces that every one of us must be furnished withall when we doe come to the Lords Table What be the speciall graces why all graces that are any way respective to the death of Christ it is the death of Christ that there we come to celebrate now because every grace is in some sort or other respective to the death of Christ therefore every one of us shold come furnished in some measure or other with every grace but yet there be some graces that be more proper and nearer respective to the death of Christ than others are and these we must all be furnished withall when we come to the Sacrament they be so necessary that if we come not with them it is damnable for us to come at all There bee many I will but touch these five Knowledge Faith Love Obedience Thankfulnesse The first grace is knowledge we must bee indued with knowledge the knowledge of God generally and likewise of all other matters that be necessary to salvation but more specially the knowledge of Christ Iesus crucified we must know the story of his crucifying the benefit and power of his crucifying but yet more particularly we must know Christ Iesus crucified in reference to the Lords Supper there is the particular knowledge required of us the presence of Christ in that Sacrament the power of Christ in that Sacrament the benefits of Christ in that Sacrament these bee the things that wee must be well acquainted withall except we know these things wecome in a miserable case I shewed you that the death of Christ must bee meditated upon in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper here is the eye whereby wee doe discerne Christ crucified in these holy mysteries even the knowledge of Christ crucified in reference to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and therefore as ever thou lookest to have any benefit by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper whosoever thou art see that thou be experienced and well seene and well grounded in the knowledge of Christ crucified be not to seeke of this when thou doest come see that thou have this knowledge before thou commest hee that hath his money to seeke when he should pay for his meat is like to fast so if we have not this knowledge before we come to the Lords Supper if we be not well experienced in this grace we are like to fast we are like to him that hath his weapons to seeke when hee should goe to fight he is like to be beaten Secondly we must bring Faith with us that is the second grace faith to apprehend the death of Christ to apprehend Iesus Christ crucified and this is as it were the hand whereby we doe apply and lay hold upon Iesus Christ for it is but in vaine for us to know Christ crucified except we doe apply him to our selves the eie of knowledge cannot save us without we doe apply him with the hand of faith by faith we doe as it were lay hold upon Christ in the Sacrament and lay his death upon our sores as a plaister to cure them and as a cordiall to our soules to comfort them Thirdly there must be Love in us love to God love to Christ and love to our brethren for Gods cause for the death of Iesus Christ being first wel knowne and understood then secondly well beleeved and applyed by faith worketh in us a kind of sensible feeling of the love of God towards us in Christ Iesus and thereby kindles in us a love to God himselfe and to Christ and then consequently to our brethren if God hath so loved us we must also love him and if Christ have so loved us as to give himselfe for us how ought we to love Christ and to love one another for his sake This is the heart as a man would say whereby we do give entertainment unto Iesus Christ crucified whereby we doe embrace him within us and surely whosoever can come to this that our hearts be seasoned with a love to God and to Christ and to our brethren for his sake out of question the Lord Iesus Christ dwells in us and lives in us and we dwell and live in him The fourth grace is Obedience even obedience to the whole will of God here comes in the whole duty of a Christian as well repentance as new obedience This is a grace specially respective to the death of Iesus Christ Iesus Christ he was perfectly obedient
acquaintance with him and hath better informed himselfe of him and was by when he was arraigned and heard his arraignment and his inditement and all the passages of the businesse and what was alledged against him by his accusers and what he answered for himselfe and why the sentence of death was passed against him which of these two men shall be most affected with the death of this Martyr Out of question hee that was so lately acquainted with his arraignment and his inditement and with the whole cause of his death the death of that Martyr shall strike much into this mans heart and worke soundly upon him whereas the other man which knew of him but in generall shall bee moved with it but little or nothing at all So it is in this case when wee come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper wee come to behold Iesus Christ executed and put to death to every spirituall receiver in a spirituall manner to reade the story concerning the death of Christ to meditate upon those things conscionably and religiously with a desire to profit by them it is as if so bee a man should have stood by when Christ was arraigned and indited and heard what was spoken against him and what sentence was passed upon him For when the Holy Ghost pennes a story he will pen it throughly and if we lay downe our hearts to be wrought upon by the power of the Word wee shall finde such a powerfull working by it that it shall bee more effectuall to us than it wee had beene there present to have seene the death of Christ So then by reading the story before-hand wee being as it were present with him at his arraignment and inditement thinke with your selves whether this will not be a notable meanes to make the death of Iesus Christ effectual unto us in the Sacrament and if we looke for any benefit by the Sacrament let us come with this preparation before-hand Iohn 13.19 Christ saith I tell you these things before-hand that when ye see these things come to passe ye might beleeve He speakes there partly concerning his death the words that Christ spake concerning his owne death hee puts upon his Disciples before-hand that when it did come to passe they might beleeve this would bee a meanes to cherish faith in them and to make them beleeve it the better so if wee come to the Sacrament reade the Word of God that part of the Word that principally concernes the death of Christ and meditate upon that which Christ hath told us of before-hand that so we might beleeve it and this will bee a notable meanes through Gods blessing to make us that we shall beleeve that the death of Christ is ours and that it is effectuall for our redemption The second Vse for instruction is this Is it so that the Sacrament is such a lively representation of the death of Christ then this teacheth us that the publike cariage of the whole businesse of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper must be framed and fashioned so as it may make most for the lively setting forth of the death of the Lord Iesus Christ and herein are many duties required of us The first duty of all is this the Word is to be preached that so the people may understand and know that which belongs to God and to their owne salvation else it will bee but a blinde Sacrament but especially the Gospell the voice of the Gospell namely the free remission of sins by the blood of Iesus Christ that is to be pressed upon them againe and againe that they may be stirred up in their affections to esteeme and receive it graciously it is a course that God hath used in all Sacraments still to joyne together with the Sacraments the Word preached Before the sacrament of Circumcision was administred the Word was taught so likewise the Passeover as is cleare in Exod. 12.35 It is noted there that when their children should come to aske what was this Passeover Tell them saith God that this is the memoriall of the great deliverance of their fathers many hundred yeares before out of the bondage of Aegypt So likewise Christ saith in the Sacrament of Baptisme Goe teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost Matth 28. He doth not say Goe and baptize and let teaching alone but Goe teach there is the ground and foundation and then he builds upon it the administration of the Sacrament Goe teach and baptize in the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost If teaching be not joyned with the Sacrament it is but a dumbe sacrament if men should come here to the sacrament of the Lords supper and be not taught what it meanes and what belongs to it it should be with them as it was with the Israelites Exod. 16.15 That saw Manna like Coriander seed the Text saith they knew not what it was but when Moses came and said This is the bread that God gave them from heaven now they come to relish it So when we come to this sacrament and see the bread and the wine except we be indued with the knowledge of Christ and we understand Christ and him crucified know the nature of the sacrament wee shall not know what to make of it but if the Word be preached then we beginne to grow to some understanding and some life in the businesse and to relish this Sacrament as the spirituall Manna the heavenly food of our soules Secondly as the word must be preached so likewise confession of Faith ought to made Generally here amongst us wee make confession of our Faith by the tendring of our bodies but indeed the confession of our faith ought to be published before the receiving of the Lords supper this is a right shewing forth of the Lords death Marke it the Apostle saith yee shew forth the Lords death hee speakes not to the Ministers onely but to the people yee shew forth therfore they should make some publike confession that they beleeve in Christ Iesus And this is a matter that tends much to the setting forth of the death of Christ Thirdly Prayers are to be made for therein likewise wee shew the death of Iesus Christ First there must be confession of our sins and wee must search into our hearts and lives narrowly and throughly and the more we search into them the more clearely we shall see Christ his death Together with confession of sinnes wee must use supplication and petition calling earnestly upon God for Christ his sake which thus was crucified for us that hee would forgive us our sinnes in his blood and this will give great light to the setting forth of the death of Christ and then also thankesgiving must be given to the Lord we must thanke and praise God that it hath pleased him so to set his love upon us as to give his Sonne to die for us cursed and miserable sinners as we are
in memorie Marke the words of the Apostle there whereby you are saved saith hee if you continue and keepe in memory those things except yee have beleeved in vaine As if the Apostle should say they that are saved by the death of Christ they continue in the death of Christ they keepe the death of Christ alwaies in memory otherwise they beleeve in vaine they professe faith but it is but a shew of faith without this there is no true saving faith in them at all In 2 Tim. 2.8 The Apostle chargeth Timothy Remember saith hee What should hee remember that Christ Iesus made of the seede of David was raised againe from the dead according to the Scripture The Apostle covertly and joyntly under the name of Iesus Christ his Resurrection presseth upon Timothy the remembrance of the death of Christ Remember saith hee Christ crucified The Apostle had exhorted Timothy before that hee should suffer affliction like a valiant souldier that hee should looke to his ministery and fulfill that with a good conscience but whatsoever hee did or whatsoever hee suffered still hee must remember Christs death and his rising againe from the dead And see what a preparative the Apostle gives to Timothy in the Verse going before Consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding in all things By that preparative that hee gives to Timothie in the seventh verse he would raise him up to a more serious remembring of the death of Christ in the eight verse as that being the weightiest duty of all other the Apostle Paul gives himselfe for example in this case both in his preaching and likewise in his practice see it in his preaching 1 Cor. 2.2 I esteeme to know nothing save Christ Iesus and him crucified as if the Apostles heart and minde where wholy possessed and wholy swallowed up with the thoughts of Christ crucified or with the thoughts of the death of Iesus Christ that his tongue could runne upon nothing so readily as upon that and so likewise in his practice In the 2 Cor. 4.10 Every where saith the Apostle we beare about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Iesus Christ The Apostles remēbrance of the death of CHRIST was not such as ours commonly is a bare contemplation of him a bare thinking of his death but it was such as ours should bee a practicall feeling of it a practicall remembring of it certaine sensible effects in his body by affliction or by persecution still minding him of the death of Christ Wee beare about in our bodies saith hee the dying of the Lord Iesus and this was not onely for a time but it was continually so with them so saith the Text Every where doe we beare about in us the dying of the Lord Iesus The word in the originall signifies altogether that is to say at all times and in all places in all places wheresoever we come still wee beare about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Iesus Christ Every day and houre that goes over our heads still we beare about us the dying of our Lord Iesus that shall suffice concerning the proofe of this out of Scripture Now let us come to handle some Reasons of it the Reasons of it are these Reason 1 The first Reason is this why must the death of Christ be had alwayes in continuall remembrance of those that professe his name and embrace his Religion Why Christ himselfe hee alwayes remembers us ever did ever doth and ever will and therefore shall not wee alwayes remember him In Exod. 28.12 there you shall finde how that the two Onyx stones wherein were written the names of the Children of Israel they were to be put upon the shoulders of Aarons Ephod the Text saith in remembrance of the Children of Israel because that Aaron did beare the names of the Children of Israel alwayes in remembrance before the Lord. That was a type and a shadow here is the substance Christ Iesus is our Aaron the true High-Priest there spoken of that hath all the names of the faithfull written alwayes in his memory and carries them alwayes as it were upon his shoulder still presenting all his chosen before the Lord Hee alwayes remembring us remembring us in his whole life remembring us specially at his death for then he paid dearest for us now that being gone away frō us in regard of his bodily presence yet still hee remembers us and makes continuall intercession for us before the Lord Shall our vile persons being so gracelesse alwayes bee remembred by the Lord Iesus Christ and shall not the Lord Iesus Christ and his precious death bee alwayes and continually remembred by all of us Hearken what the Spouse saith in Cantic 2.6 compared with Cant. 1.12 in Cantic 2.6 the Spouse there speaking of Christ her welbeloved saith that his left hand is under my head and his right hand doth direct me Cantic 1.12 My beloved is as a bundle of mirr he unto me he shall lye betweene my breasts This Spouse is every beleeving soule every true beleeving soule When once we doe enter into a due consideration how dearly we are beloved of our Husband Christ that hee layes his left hand under our heads and embraceth us with his right hand that he still remembers us and nourisheth and cherisheth us then doe we presently fall into a holy resolution that surely wee will be kinde to him seeing he is so kinde to us and he being so kinde to us as alwaies to cherish us and remember us therefore we will remember him he shal rest and lie betweene our breasts we will alwayes make his death our continuall meditation and remembrance If an ordinary man should die for us that we by his death might escape and bee acquitted from death would not our hearts in common and naturall kindnesse evermore be running upon this mans death Surely it would Why then seeing the Lord IESVS CHIST hath interposed himselfe in our stead and dyed for us and by his death hath acquitted us from that death which wee should have suffered why should not our hearts and mindes bee alwayes running upon him and upon his death Some may say May I not remember Christ aright though I remember not his death I answer thou canst not remember Christ except thou remember his death for hee hath purchased his Church by his death and look what interest thou hast in him or he in thee it is onely by the death of Christ and therefore thou canst not remember him savingly without thou remember his death and have it graven within thy heart Can a woman forget her Child that she hath travelled for and endured so much paine for Can the Lord Iesus Christ forget us that hath endured so much paine for us farre greater then the travell of a woman No it is impossible Christ Iesus cannot forget us at any time therefore seeing Christ Iesus ever did remember us and ever doth and ever will and it is impossible that hee should
religiously and certainly the God of peace will be with you Here is a most serious exhortation as any is in the Booke of God that is for the generall Now for the severall duties of the first and second table and first of the first table in the 1 Thess 5.16 to 21. Rejoyce evermore pray continually In all things give thankes quench not the spirit despise not prophecying Ioy in God prayer thankes cherishing the spirit and good motions embracing the Word that Gods Prophets and Ministers bring unto us these and such like are duties of the first Table which wee must be exercised in And so for the second table Tit. 3.8 this is a true saying and these things I will that thou shouldst affirme that they which have beleeved in God might bee carefull to shew forth good workes as many as beleeve as many as professe the faith of Christ Iesus must be carefull to shew forth all good duties that are profitable to men which specially are those of the second Table if we take a view of all true professors that are approved in Scripture we shall find them all wel experienced in the practice of the duties of both tables it is true they had their failings but yet this was the ordinary bent of all their courses The reasons why we must doe thus there are many reasons The first reason is this because the practice of these duties is the grace of our profession the grace of all morall vertues consists in the actions of vertue and the grace of every trade consists not so much in the knowledge of the trade as in the well managing of that trade our Christian profession is a vertue and a trade a spirituall vertue and a heavenly trade therefore the grace of it stands in our well managing of it by the practice of all religious duties godly cariage in servants the meanest that professe religion and consequently in all doth adorne and beautisie and grace the doctrine of God our Saviour Tit. 2.10 not that wee can adde any grace to religion in it selfe no in it selfe and of it selfe it is most gracious so that it need not nor cannot receive any grace from our doing but that thereby we grace it before men our friends that like us the better for it and our enemies that are put to shame and silence by it yea and oft-times are forced to speake well of our Religion for our practice and we also procure a more reverent estimation of our profession generally in the world When we take this holy profession upon us it graceth us and when we prastice hereby answerable to this holy profession we grace it therefore this wee must doe Secondly this is the life of our faith it can live no longer then it is exercised in good duties as Rachel Gen. 39.1 said to Iacob Give me children or else I dye so likewise saith faith to the soule of a Christian give me children let mee bring forth fruits of piety towards God and charity towards man else I dye and have no life in me The Apostle saith as much Iames 2.26 Faith without works it dead and Revel 3.1 God tells the Church of Sardis That she had a name to live but was dead because her practice was not answerable to her profession vers 2. her faith and religion was readie to die how so I have not found thy workes perfect before God there was a great failing in the practice of Religion when good exercises dye amongst us saith dies amongst us when they decay within us faith decayes it lyes a bleeding but when they are well practised that saith worketh by love that is both to God and man then our faith lives and thrives within us therefore we must practise good duties both to God and men else faith cannot live within us Thirdly it is the end of our calling 1 Thess 4.7 For God hath not called us unto uncleannesse but unto holinesse that is to the practise of holy and religious duties when a man is called of purpose to doe a worke shall hee come and not doe that which he is called to and come for this were a shamefull and a senslesse thing either let him not come when he is called or when he is come let him doe that which hee is called unto The maine matter that Christians are called unto is holinesse therefore if wee doe not practise holy and religious duties wee goe quite beside the marke and to the profession we aime at Fourthly it is one maine condition that is intended on our part when wee are first admitted to the profession of Christianitie it is so required by God 2 Tim. 2.19 The Lord knoweth who are his and let every one that calleth on the name of Christ depart from iniquity And it is so undertaken by us in baptisme that we will renounce the world the flesh and the Devill and become dutifull Children unto God in the practise of all holy duties which he requires This then being our condition in Christianity therefore we must practise it or else we shall never come to heaven Lastly God scornes and hates all Professors of his name that will not obey his will hee utterly renounceth them and their profession to be none of his so he doth here in this world and so he will doe hereafter so hee doth here as wee may see Psal 50.16 But unto the wicked saith God what hast thou to doe to declare mine ordinances that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth Lay this to heart and see if God say not thus to every one of us here present What hast thou to doe to come into my house and to professe my name seeing thou wilt not obey my will but hatest to be reformed And so he will scorne and deny them hereafter Matth. 7.23 Then will I professe to them I never knew you depart from me you that worke iniquity though they professe never so much yet if their practice bee not answerable God will scorne and hate and renounce them here and so he will doe hereafter The Vses are these First this serves for matter of reproofe of divers sorts indeed of all sorts For who is there here among us yea what professor living upon the earth that is not rightly taxed and reproved for the breach of this doctrine what professing man or woman in the world can say My heart is cleane in this kinde Every one is faulty some more some lesse let our owne courses be our owne accusers The whole Land professeth Gods Religion as being a nationall Church but how few be there in the whole land that are daily conversant in the exercises of Religion either they doe not performe them at all or else if they doe them yet they doe not make conscience of them but they doe them overly and for fashion at least they doe not make it their daily and continuall practice but onely now and then when they list themselves Who is zealous for the Lord
of Hosts Who stands up to maintaine the cause of the common good but every man is for his owne good nay who is it that is sincerely earnest for the saving of his own soule We know that the word of God is scarce in many places in all places it is little set by Christian fellowship is banisht from amongst us the Sacraments much abused publike prayers condemned of some contemned of others and by some turned into meere babling The field of this land hath beene plentifully sowne with the seed of Gods word but where are the fruits Thistles and thornes and weeds great store sinnes and corruptions and oathes without number ignorance prophanenesse oathes blasphemies oppressions deceit and all manner of evill reignes and rules amongst us but good fruits are verie few or none at all every one of you knows this to be too true if you were asked in your consciences you would acknowledge and say as much your selves Then marvell not beloved that the Lord is incenst with anger against this Land marvell not that so many judgments are inflicted on us marvell not that such great floods of waters doe now make havocke of the commodities of the earth the corne and the grasse marvell not at this but rather marvel that the Lord shews not forth his wrath upon us to the utmost and that he that hath most justly drowned our grasse and corn with floods of waters hath not also poured forth the floods of his everlasting wrath and drowned us soules and bodies in hell There is just cause for all this for the Lord hath made choice of this Land as his owne Vineyard as it is in Esay 5. and hath planted it with the best plants and hath digged it c. and looked for grapes that is godly and religious duties but we have brought forth wilde grapes sinnes and rebellions and abominations of all sorts but no pleasing fruits unto God To come nearer this City professeth as well as any City in the world I may safely speake it none professeth a more holy and sound Religion nor would seeme to be more forward in it but where is the life and practice of Religion Is it in our Churches there indeed it should bee but is it there wee tender indeed oft-times our bodies there when our mindes are abroad on the world or here set upon some present vanity Is it then in our houses the hard dealing of masters to their servants the nice education of children in wantonnesse and idlenesse without Gods feare and without any ordinary calling too too common through this whole City and the children of our greatest Citizens rue it daily and our neglect of private catechizing and prayer witnesseth against us that it is not in our houses If it bee not in Gods house nor in our owne houses is it then in our shops and ware-houses indeed there it is most needfull but there it is least used Lying and swearing and deceiving and over-reaching is there more gainfull to us and therefore are the more practised Is it then in the streets no they are very stages of naughtiness and vanity A thousand baites are there to allure our eyes and eares to some evill or other not one to goodnesse religious practices dare not shew their heads in our streets If we looke into the City it is bad if into the Suburbs it is worse if we look into our selves or wives or our children or our dyet specially into our apparell all these testifie against us that we practise nothing lesse than the Religion wee professe I said before no City in the world goes farther in profession than this City I say now No professing Citie in the world is of lesse or worse practice than this is professing Cities said I nay those that never profest Religion Sodome and Gomorrah we may compare with them the pride and fulnesse of bread and idlenesse and abominable filthinesse and uncleannesse of this City cryes out in every corner for fire and brimstone to be poured downe from heaven upon us To come nearer to our selves looke into our owne Parish and Congregation I cannot but grieve and am ashamed that by my weake labours and the labours of so many my good Brethren and assistants so long continued in this place so few are brought to be duly conversant in religious duties One is given to the world another to his pleasure another to drinking another to pettishnesse another envies at his brothers prosperity another is selfe-willed another is a swearer another a prophaner of the Sabbath another thinkes much of an houre or two spent in Gods service on the Lords day all of us professe Religion yet this is our irreligious practice some of you happely make some conscience of the duties of the first Table hearing praying and some other parts of Gods worship but are not so conscionable of the second Table either you neglect your ordinary calling or are unjust in your dealing an exception too common and too just against many great professors On the other side some are carefull of the duties of the second Table they are just in their dealing and will wrong no man wittingly and so thinke that is Religion enough to be saved by Oh my brethren you are deceived on both sides it is true that both these kinde of duties be good but so as they be both practised together 1 John 3.23 This is Gods commandement that we beleeve in his Sonne and love one another where all the duties of the first Table are commanded under the name of faith and the second under the name of love God commands both and we must practise both Thou that art carefull in the duties of Gods worship if thou be not withall carefull in good duties towards thy selfe and men thy faith shall never save thee On the other side thou that art carefull of good duties towards thy selfe and men if thou be not withall carefull of the duties that belong to God thy love shall never save thee Second Vse It serves for tryall it will bring every one of us to the true touchstone whereby we may prove our profession to bee sound and good we all professe Gods holy religion if our hearts and lives be able to speake for us that wee be duely conversant in the practice of holy and religious duties we may boldly conclude that we are true and sound professors but if our practice be naught this our profession is nothing worth to us our Saviour himselfe sets the matter before us in those very termes Matth. 7.24.28 If we heare Gods Word and doe it we build upon a rocke and whatsoever comes we shall surely be saved but if we heare and doe not we build but upon the sand we are foolish builders wee and our building shall fall and our fall shall be great even downe to hell And the like touchstone doth the Apostle bring us to Ephes 4.21 to 24. Many learne Christ but none learne Christ as the truth is in Iesus
strengthens our faith but having the seale of it which is the Sacrament here is a more sensible fastning of this truth upon us this strengthens our faith much more we doe pray to God to increase our faith doe wee thinke that God will encrease it without meanes that is preemption but wee pray to God to blesse the meanes unto us that it may be powerfull to encrease it but doe we pray to God to blesse the meanes without our frequent use of the meanes that also is presumption too we must make use of the meanes that God hath appointed tor the encrease of our faith now the Sacrament of the Lords Supper being such a speciall meanes whereby the faith of Gods children is strengthned therefore a speciall care they must have to frequent the same often Reason 3 The third reason is somewhat agreeable unto this our assurance that our sinnes arc pardoned and forgiven unto us is a sweet and precious thing many of Gods children would give all they have in the world to enjoy that grace and that comfort the more oft they have it the more comfort they have the seldomer they have it the more uncomfortable their life is wee know that there is no meanes whereby wee have this assurance of the forgivenesse of our sinnes more sensibly fastned upon us than by the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for therein is Christ delivered as it were unto us and his merits even by actuall possession the Lord puts the signe into our hands and the things signified into our hearts if we doe beleeve and come as worthy receivers and therefore how oft ought we to be in the participation of this blessed Sacrament when as we receive such a benefit by it as the assrance of the pardon and forgivenesse of our ssinnes if we have the assurance of our pardon to day we are so fickle that it may be to morrow wee doubt of it againe Now we are assured of it anon we sinne and then our conscience is troubled and doubts arise and so we thinke with our selves Oh I had thought I had beene reconciled to God and my sinnes had beene pardoned but it was but an imagination it is gone away like a dreame this we know we are subject unto and therefore how ought we to fence our hearts and to keepe the life of God afoot in our hearts for the assurance of the pardon of our sinnes is the very life of God in our hearts and therefore to be carefull of the frequent use of the meanes by which this assurance may be confirmed unto us and that is by the participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for that is the speciall means by which this is most sensibly fastened upon us I have heard that it was the worldly wisedome of a Treasurer in this land in Queen Elizabeths time that he would never be a fortnight or a month at the most without his Quietus est that whatsoever changes and alterations might come yet he might be in that respect in some good security See how wise men can be for the matters of the world how foolish they are for the matters of heavē every mā that wil address himselfe to come into Gods presence at his table and prepare himselfe by faith and repentance he may have this Quietus est and receive an actuall acquittance from God and God shall tell him by his Spirit that his sinnes are pardoned and forgiven and he reconciled to him in Christ wee have this opportunity offered unto us once a moneth and yet such is our dulnesse and backwardnesse in matters of salvation that we are most of us carelesse of this if we were so carefull for our soules as he was for his body wee would come every moneth to receive our acquittance because changes and alterations may come wee may dye before the next day come or tentations may assault us and such like and therefore let us labour to have our Quietus est from God alwayes in a readinesse Reason 4 The fourth reason is this our covenant with God is daily to bee renewed and therefore the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is daily to be received and frequented and participated in because that is a speciall meanes and occasion and bond of our renewing our covenant with God it is true we do or at least we ought alwayes renew our covenant with God in our daily prayers repentance of our sinnes and faith in Christ specially every Sabbath day we should doe this and we should consecrate our selves wholly to his service but most particularly when we come to the Lords Table ordinary people commonly doe make some kinde of preparation according to their manner when they come to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and in the truth of the thing the most especiall renewing of our covenant is then when we come to partake of the Sacrament Now because our covenant is daily to be renewed this Sacrament being a bond of the renewing of it therefore this must oft be frequented That this is a speciall meanes and bond of our renewing of our covenant with God is cleare because that therein wee receive a pawne and pledge of the mutuall covenant and promise made on both sides a pledge from God whereby he bindes himselfe to be our God to forgive us our sinnes to give us his Spirit to justifie and sanctifie us and that he will save us and we by the receiving of it doe by this binde our selves anew to be his people and to beleeve in the promises of grace and salvation made in Christ and to subject our selves to the power work of sanctification we to betake our selves wholly to his obediēce thus I say is the covenant of Gods childrē renewed with God especially in the matter of receiving the Sacrament therefore it being our duty daily to renew our covenant with God therefore we ought to have access to it to receive the sacrament oft because in it our covenant is spccially renewed Reason 5 The fift Reason is our love towards our brethren the mutuall love betweene the children of God that must alwayes bee kindled their love must be like to that fire mentioned in Levit. 6.13 that must never goe out of the hearts one of another Fire we know will goe out if it be not kindled and supplȳed with fewell so the fire of love in the hearts of Gods children is ready to bee quenched many occasions of worldly matters and other businesses there are that breed such differences that it makes love many times cold and turns it into contention yea even in Gods children and therefore we must use the meanes whereby it may be kindled and kept still alive but there is no better meanes to kindle it and keepe it alive than the participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper there is no such bellowes to blow up the fire of love in their hearts as this when they come to the Lords