those Noble those excellent and those Beneficial purposes which have been hitherto mention'd 1. To draw down this speculation now to our Christian Practice First this consideration should raise in us a Thirst and longing desire after this Sacrament and should encourage us all to go often to it with zeal with alacrity and with an holy contention who shall go fastest Lord How backward are many to do their souls Right How deaf are they when we invite them to an unanimous Celebration of this Mystery How many excuses have they at hand to palliate their sinful negligence How do they mutter and complain if the Law threaten them with stripes for their disobedience And how do they think themselves no less than Persecuted if the Magistrate finds it necessary to constrain them do their Duty when perswasions will not work upon them I beseech you to consider seriously and indifferently whither do these Counsels these admonitions these importunities and Christian Methods tend but to charitable and kind purposes by any good means if it be possible to make you truly Happy to bring you very neer unto God and to make you receive the Symbols and Pledges of his Everlasting Love Will men call it persecution when God himself threatneth them with his Judgements and visits them with a Rod that he may make them mindful of their Duty and that he may bless and save them in the end Why this is the reason of our corrections at the hands of Men when we begin to be exorbitant and intractable and I know no other ends of all our Discipline and Laws but this that we may all be good Christans in this World and glorious Saints in another and if men will be so Rash and unjust as to call this Persecution I hope they will not grudge to be persecuted into Heaven But say they would you have us eat and drink our own damnation No the Lord forbid it but we would have you sincerely Repent that you may be saved Would you have us come before we are prepared No but we would have you both prepare your selves and come What God hath joyned together you must not put asunder much less must you plead the neglect of One duty in contempt and defiance of both Would you have us neglect the business of our particular Callings No if they be lawful ones nor yet neglect the more weighty concernments of your general calling but whatever regard you have to your Purses chiefly and principally to regard the interest of your immortal Souls Would you have us to come on a sudden No not so suddenly as to be surpriz'd or with your iniquities and with the Love of sin about you but to give all diligence to be fit to come the next opportunity lest God in vengeance for your sin should not suffer you to live till another These and the like are the Charitable considerations for which we earnestly press you to use this Ordinance and they are a proper subject for your impartial meditations But indeed there would be little need of these Argumentations but that it is the Divels great work and he useth his utmost wiles above all things to keep men from the Sacrament lest they should receive there the Seals of Gods everlasting Grace and Goodness and not come into the same Condemnation with Himself and with the damned Association in Hell Hence it is that he suggesteth to some that it is an Useless Ordinance or not of such moment as to be Necessary to others that they shall have Time enough and will be fitter for it Hereafter to others that it is Impossible to celebrate it Rightly to others that it is a Formidable and Dangerous Mystery and to others that when they have done what they are required little Profit comes by it unless it be the Saving of their Money But were not the Ignorance of men so Great and their Prejudices so Strong as that they do not see or observe the Meaning of this Rite these Fancies for so I call them would Presently Vanish For one design of it is to Engage us to be Really and Sincerely Good and another end of it is to Assure us that as long as we are so we have a good Title to the Felicities which are above so that let men be conscious to themselves that they have Honest and Good Hearts towards God and towards Men and they may be so far from looking upon this as a Dreadful discouraging or empty Mystery that they ought to look upon it as upon the most Comfortable Ordinance of Jesus Christ Because it is intended to be a Sacrifical Feast that by means thereof we may participate of the Great oblation made once for all upon the Cross that is of the Vertue and effects of that oblation and may receive a sure Pledge at the hands of God that thereby we are in a blessed state of Salvation 2. In an humble and modest confidence of this secondly every Devout and upright-hearted Communicant may go away with an easie and chearful mind and with this comfortable perswasion that he stands fair in the Eye of God and that his condition is safe if he be but careful to persevere unto the end in well-doing I do not love to blow Men up with Air nay I think it a great miscarriage and sin in some Teachers of our days that they are given very much to puff up their Disciples with a huge conceit of themselves and of their State and make poor ignorant nay ill people to believe that they are the precious Vessels of Election and the greatest Saints when they have little but their profession and some Cant that bespeaks them Christians It is not for any of us to Canonize those who stand yet upon the earth especially if their feet be foul and their ways crooked Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall first into the Mire and at last into Tophet It is not for any man to presume so as to put it out of all question and doubt but yet every Good Man hath reason to Hope so as not to be perplext and distracted in his mind touching the certainty of Gods dearest affections to him And of all others the humble and honest-hearted Communicant hath the greatest reason to hope that he shall one day see the goodness of God in the Land of the living because that part of the New Covenant which containeth Gods promises is confirmed at this Sacrament to every Holy Soul 'T is true indeed the Covenant of Grace was confirmed by the Death of Christ upon the Cross and therefore his Blood is called the blood of the Covenant that is of the New Covenant which was Sealed and ratified to us by Christs Blood as the old Covenant was confirmed ratified and sealed to the Jews by the Blood of Beasts But then it is to be considered that the Covenant was confirmed upon the Cross to all indefinitely not to me or to thee in particular for no
man finds himself named in Gods promise but to all Believers in general Now as it was necessary that the Divine Grace should be first purchased for all at large and then some means used for the conveyance of this purchase to every individual Believer so is it necessary that besides the confirmation and sealing of the promises by Christs Death to all in general there should be another obsignation to the Soul of every person in particular that gives up himself to him that died for him because otherwise every ones mind would fluctuate in endless doubtings and uncertainties Now we say that this obsignation is transacted at this Covenant-Feast And how so Why here every particular Communicant that is duly prepared receives the Seal when he receives the Elements which are the Tokens and Pledges upon the Divine favour In that I am admitted to participate here of the Sacrifice of the Cross it is an evident sign and strong argument to me that that Sacrifice shall be imputed to me shall be available and effectual for me as the Sacrifice was imputed to the Jews was available and effectual for the Jews and was declared to be so when they were admitted to partake of the Peace-offerings and to feast upon them as we do here upon Bread and Wine CHAP. VI. Of the blessings we receive by a due use of this Ordinance First we Mystically participate of Christs Body and Blood What that Mystical participation is Secondly that we receive the Pardon of Sin Proved from the correspondency of this Feast to the Ancient Sacrifical Banquets in general And from its Analogy to those Feasts which were used after Sin-offerings in particular and from the words of Christ at the Institution HAving thus discoursed of the Nature and Ends of this Sacrament I proceed next according to the usual method to discourse of the Blessings which it brings us by our due Reception of it 1. And first it is the joynt Confession of all the Christian Churches in the world for I do not reckon upon the Blasphemous Socinians that we do hereby receive the Body and Blood of our Redeemer This I mention in the first place and must take the greater care and pains to clear because the proof hereof will strongly and evidently prove the conveyance of divers other blessings hereafter to be mentioned in their order Now we are said to partake of Christs Body and Blood in a twofold sense that is after a Mystical and after a real manner 1. In a Mystical sense we do partake here of our Saviours Body as it was Broken and of his Blood as it was shed for us upon the Cross that is our Feasting together at the Holy Table is by interpretation a feeding upon our Crucified Jesus in the account of God and construction of the Gospel We are reputed and esteemed to partake of that Sacrifice which he offered up and so are entitled to all those mercies which that Sacrifice was offered up for For the opening of this matter we must remember how Mankind were wont of old to participate of those things which they had first offered up in Sacrifice as the Jews for instance were wont to participate of their Peace-offerings and of the Paschal Lamb. Now this Feast being Analogous and answerable to those according to the Vulgar course and the Ordinary manner of Feasting Christians must have fed upon Their Sacrifice that is upon Christs own Natural Flesh as Jews and Gentiles were wont to seed upon their Oblations But considering that this would have been an * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cyril Alexand in Catena Thomae in Luc. 22. vide e◠ad Calofyr Item Theophylact in Marc 14. Inhumane way of feasting and considering that one and the same Body could not have served 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas in illud quicunque dixerit verbum c. for all Christians in all Ages and considering too that the feeding upon Christs very Flesh was not necessary in it self but that the ends and purposes of this Feast might be very well answer'd by our feeding upon something else in the Place of Christ therefore at the institution of this Ordinance he appointed us the use of Bread and Wine instead of giving us his very Body and Blood which he gave to God as a Sacrifice for us These Creatures are the Symbols and Representations of his Body and Blood they are substituted in the place and room of them and the manducation of the one and the drinking of the other is to all intents as valid and effectual to us as if we did actually partake of those things which they do represent and in lieu of which they are appointed This I take to be part of the meaning of our Saviours words this is my Body and this is my Blood As if he had said this Bread is instead of my Flesh and this Wine is in the Room of my blood This is a Natural and an easie interpretation 't is fair and rational and full of sense and 't would serve to silence a great many controversies among Christians were it but admitted would they put in but this one word instead and understand our Saviour to mean this is instead of that in the place and room of it Nor do I see any reason in the World against this interpretation For all men know that the Jews were wont to speak after a concise manner meaning something which they did not fully express of which there are a thousand instances and examples in Holy Writ and why may we not allow that our Saviour spake now as other Jews did nay as he himself did at other times after a short concise manner saying of the Bread this is my Body but intending thus much This is instead of my Body The Analogy of this Feast to other Sacrifical Banquets doth plainly and infallibly argue that our Saviours words are thus to be interpreted because we feed here upon Bread instead of eating the very Flesh of our Sacrifice And I am confirmed in this opinion by an observation that Bishop Taylor of the real presence Sect. 4. in fine And Dr. Hammond in his Annot on Matth. 26. 26. hath been made by two learned Doctors of our Church who have noted that the Lamb for the Paschal Supper being drest and set upon the Table the Jews were wont to call it the Body of the Passeover and the Body of the Paschal Lamb. If this be so it is reasonable to believe that our Saviour alluded to a Jewish Phrase that was ready at hand when he said this is my Body or this is in the room of me the true Passeover When he took the Bread into his Holy hands and told his Disciples that that was his Body he gave them to understand that they were not to expect to eat of his very Natural Flesh as they were wont to eat of the Flesh of a Lamb but instead of that they were to eat Bread which should be as
though no such thing hath been allowed hitherto at any Sacrifical Solemnity Which shews that our whole Sacrifice is fully imputed to every worthy Communicant for his forgiveness Dr. Patricks Menfa Myst cap. 4. 5. 3. and as a Learned Man hath well observed that we are fully justified by Christ from all those things which we could not be justified from by the Law of Moses 3. Thus the Analogy of this Sacrifical Banquet doth prove that every worthy partaker thereof hath the strongest and most substantial reasons to hope in God firmly and to depend upon Gods goodness and promise for his Pardon But thirdly the words of our Saviour himself do seem to argue this beyond all manner of controversie though the Socinians endeavour to Evade the force of them For speaking of the Cup he said expresly Drink ye all of it for this is my Blood of the new Covenant which is shed for many for the Remission of Sins Though it be granted what the Socinians object that those words for the Remission of Sins do immediately relate to the shedding of Christs Blood which was spoken of just before yet they endeavour in vain to Lud. Wolzogenius in Loc. conclude thence that they have no reference to the drinking of the Cup. Nor have they reason enough to affirm that Remission of sins is the fruit of Christs Passion only but not the effect of our drinking because he said not drink ye all for the Remission of Sins but drink ye of the Wine that represents my Blood which is shed for the Remission of sins For since our forgiveness is the certain immediate and necessary consequence of his sufferings it will undeniably follow that it we participate of his Blood as I have shew'd we do we must be supposed to partake also of that which is the inseparable effect of his Blood shedding That which brings the cause must also bring the effect which is the Natural result of it The same action which makes us partakers of the Sacrifice it self must likewise make us partakers of the fruit and Benefit of the Sacrifice So that it matters not how our Saviour exprest the thing as long as he exprest it enough Since he first tells us that his Blood was for our Remission and then bids us to Drink of that Blood and then assures us that our drinking thus of Wine is in effect the drinking of his very Blood we have all the reason in the World to believe that by our thus drinking we obtain Remission and that our Lord commanded us to drink in Order thereunto The truth is Pardon of sin is the Blessed fruit both of Christs dying and of our receiving Of the former as the meritorious Cause that purchased pardon for all in general Of the latter as the ordinary instrument that conveys the pardon to every Holy Soul in particular The shedding of Christs Blood did procure and ratifie Gods promise of Grace to all Mankind and the receiving of this Wine which is the Symbol of that Blood is the Seal of that promise to all worthy Communicants when Christ was slain upon the Cross he obtained this favour of God that all Men were then put into a salvable condition into a Capacity of forgiveness into a way whereby they might be pardoned actually and fully if they would not be wanting to themselves perfect Peace and reconciliation was then merited and it was merited for all that should accept of it whether Jews or Gentiles bond or free for he tasted Death for every Man Heb. 2. 9. He died for all that were dead 2 Cor. 5. 14. Thus far the Scripture speaketh in general terms but it saith nothing of Me or of Thee as to our particular Persons We find not our names there much less can we find our Names in the book of Eternity All that we can do is to judge of our selves by examining our state by fair probabilities and rational Collection And to strengthen our hopes and to establish every mans humble confidence this Ordinance was appointed that as offen as we eat this Bread and drink this Cup of the Lord after a worthy manner we may be comfortably and reasonably well perswaded that our sins and transgressions are done away For that pardon is by this Ordinance applyed to every one in particular which before was bought for all universally and any man that is but satisfied of the truth of his Faith and of the sincerity of his Repentance may go away from the Holy Table well satisfied to that he now stands fair in the eye and favour of God and so shall stand still if he doth but hold up his goings in Gods ways so that his footsteps do not slide back into Sin and Perdition I hope that by this time I have fully proved and illustrated this matter But yet before I let it go I would note this one thing that our Saviour spake expresly of the Remission of our sins when he spake of the administration of the Cup. Neither of the three Evangelists who have recorded the History of the institution of this Mystery nor St. Paul who hath repeated it takes any notice of that expression when our Lord spake of the distribution of the Bread Indeed it is not to be doubted but our Saviours Body was broken for our forgiveness nor do I doubt but his meaning was so when he said this is my body which is given for you that is for your Atonement and Pardon but that particular expression touching the Remission of Sin was used by him for ought we know only in reference to the Drinking of the Wine Hence I infer that for the Peace of a Mans Conscience and for the satisfaction of his mind that he is in an hopeful state of Salvation it is necessary for him to receive the Sacrament in both kinds Seeing forgiveness of sin is the effect of the whole Ordinance seeing our Saviour seems to have a particular and special regard to our drinking of the Cup and seeing he gives us this reason for it because it is the Sacrament of his blood that is for our Remission I say seeing that the thing standeth thus I cannot see what substantial and solid grounds men can have to be confident of their Pardon if they participate not of the Wine as well as of the Bread If the thing were not prejudicial to the Peace of mens Souls yet it would be impossible to Vindicate the Church of Rome from the guilt of Impiety Sacriledge and Innovation for Denying the Cup to all the Lay-People of her Communion For the Holy Jesus himself administred both the Bread and the Wine to his Disciples and as He had done he commanded them to do also nay as if he then fore-saw and was minded to prevent that abuse which hath lately crept into the Roman Church he Positively commanded his Disciples when he reached out the Cup to them that they should All drink of it and his Reason was this because his Bloud of
To give you the sense and words of a Bp. Taylor grand Exempl p. 483. learned and good man If we consider how this Sacrament is intended to unite the Spirits and affections of the World and that it is defusive and powerful to this purpose for we are one Body saith St. Paul because we are partakers of one Bread possibly we may have reason to say that the Wars of Kingdoms the Animosities of Families the infinite multitude of Law Suits the personal hatreds and the Universal want of Charity which hath made the world miserable and wicked may in a great degree be attributed to the neglect of this great symbol and instrument of Charity It is upon these accounts that our wise and watchful Governours have taken a very Christian and strict care that this Sacrament may be universally received by all who are capable to receive it presuming that if any Remedies can do us good in a Case so sad and desperate the Bread of Heaven by the blessing of God will do it And to promote as much as lieth in me so noble a design I am resolved by Gods assistance to discourse largely by degrees upon this whole Subject in the plainest and most Didactical manner I can and to endeavour to lead teachable persons into a clear Understanding and full Knowledge of this Mystery For as well the neglect as the abuse of This Sacrament doth greatly proceed from several mistakes and errors which deceived people entertain about it the removal whereof is very necessary though it will cost a great deal of labour and Consideration Divers of our Enthusiasts are perswaded that Christ instituted this Ordinance only for the Apostles and for Believers in the Apostles days which vile conceit renders the use of this Solemnity altogether needless now Those Blasphemous Hereticks the Socinians though they allow it to be a Sacred rite that is at sometimes and in some measure necessary by vertue of Christs Command yet they deny it to contain any thing that is mysterious or a Opus nostrum est nibil prorsus miri in se continens aut prae se ferens Socin de cana Domini admirable or to be effectual towards the increase of Faith or pardon of Sin or other benefits which we ascribe unto it or to be any ways Instrumental for the conveying of Christ Body no not after a * Dico in sumptione illa panis vini quae fit in caena Dom in nihil praeter panem ipsum vinum sive à credentibus sive a non credentibus accipi nec corporaliter nec Spiritualiter id ibid. Spitual sort but they look on it only as a thankful commemoration of Christs Love Now this conceit serves both to make men slack to receive and to make their minds very flat and their hearts very cold or very little affected at the receiving of this Sacrament As these ascribe too little so others there are who ascribe too much to this Sacrament being confidently perswaded that the very Natural body of Christ in which he ascended into Heaven is actually communicated unto all however they be inwardly qualified or disposed Now this opinion is as mischievous as it is senseless for it takes men off from preparing themselves after a due manner upon a groundless presumption that they shall receive our Saviours body whether they repent heartily or no. Many among us look upon receiving to be not so much their Duty as their priviledge taking it for granted that they are the precious Vessels of Election chosen by God from all eternity and absolutely ordained to Eternal Life and imagining too that this solemnity is only a kind Treat on Gods part at which they are admitted to eat as men that are supping with a Friend Now this fancy serves not to humble or mortifie their Spirits but to fill their Souls with uncharitableness with conceitedness and Pride when they do approach and to make them rude an Irreverent at the time of Receiving Some again think that if they be but unprepared that is if they live in a course of Sin their case is well enough yet if they do not come to the Sacrament at least they believe that they may be saved without coming and be saved with the greater certainty and ease And this principle emboldens men to live in a continual breach of Christs Law and opens a gap to all Wickedness and immorality I have also known divers who have thought that the work of preparation is not theirs unless as Patients but a work which belongs only unto God to do for them And this Principle infus'd into them by Ignorant or ill men encourages many to be idle and to Sleep waiting for the good hour when God shall touch them from Heaven and presuming that when he sees his own time he will stir them and fit them for himself by an immediate and irresistible power There are some too who though they be convinced that their own endeavours are necessary as workers together with God yet look upon the thing it self to be impracticable supposing that when they have done all they can they cannot be prepared sufficiently and so as to be worthy Communicants And besides many well meaning people are afraid to come to the Lords Table being scared away either through a sad remembrance of some Crimes past or through a great mistrust of themselves for the time to come or through false notions of that Preparation which is necessary in order to the Sacrament and of those Obligations and Tyes which it lays upon us and generally I have found that mistakes concerning the Covenant of Grace have with-held persons who otherwise have been well-dispos'd from the use of this most Solemn and weighty ordinance Seeing then that Errors about this matter are so various and of such evil and deadly consequence it followeth that 't is greatly for the interest not of particular persons only but of the Church in general that people be rightly and fully instructed in all points relating to this Sacrament for were we all so rightly informed and so unanimous as to meet together like friends and Christians at the Altar of God we should be the most happy Nation under the Sun For the compassing of these ends I cannot think of a more profitable way then to discourse fully and purposely 1. Of the Nature of this Christian Banquet 2. Of the ends whereunto it was instituted 3. Of the Benefits we receive thereby 4. Of the necessity that is upon us all to participate of it 5. Of the Preparation necessary in order to a due participation 6. Of that deportment which is requisite at the time of Receiving 7. Of that care which is to be used afterward and this method I hope will take in the whole Compass of those things that are fit to be spoken of upon this Subject CHAP. I. Of the Nature of this Sacrament That it is a sacrifical Feast Sacrifical Feasts used both by Heathens and
olim fuisse nunc quoque esse omnium fere gentium consuetudinem ut partim sacris quibusdam ceremoniis libationibus atque victimis partem symposiis adhibitis faedera atque contractus quibus ineantur stabiliantur atque confirmentur Stuck Antiq. convivial lib. 1. cap. 30. I proceed now to shew in the third place that this Evangelical Feast is a solemnity of the like Nature For tho we should suppose that nothing to this purpose was said at the institution of it yet the very Analogy and Resemblance that is between this and other Sacrifical Banquets doth sufficiently argue that this Solemnity was intended to be a Federal rite between the Church and Christ This is the very principle upon which the Apostle argues 1 Cor. 10. where going about to shew how unlawful it is for Christians to eat of things offered to Idols he layeth down this Proposition that by a due use of this Blessed Sacrament we Communicate of Christs Body and Blood and are Foederally united to him so that as the Loaf we eat of is one even so are we one Body with Christ our Head by being partakers of that one Loaf This is the meaning and substance of the 16. and 17. verses And to make this the more evident he draws a Parallel and shews the Analogy between this and other Sacrifical Banquets Behold Israel after the flesh ver 18. are not they which eat of the Sacrifices partakers of the Altar i. e. are they not in Foederal Communion with God whose Altar it is Why even so they who sacrifice to Devils are in Foederal Communion with Devils are joyned to Devils have Fellowship with Devils and therefore it is not lawful for us to eat of those Sacrifices because it is not possible for us to Communicate with Devils and with Christ too This is a plain and pregnant proof that this Evangelical Mystery is as other Mysteries of the like Nature anciently were a visible Rite of Covenanting But besides the Analogy of this sacrifical Feast our Saviours words at the institution do sufficiently shew it to be a Foederal Ceremony For speaking of the Cup or of the Wine in the Cup he said This is my Blood of the New Covenant for so it should be rendred instead of New Testament as if he had said this is the Representation of that blood of mine which is the Seal of that new Covenant that is now between us or as St. Luke relates it This Cup is the new Covenant in my Blood that is the sealing unto you the New Covenant As Circumcision is called the Covenant of Circumcision Act. 7. 8. because it was the Token and Seal whereby the Covenant between God and Abraham was ratified so is the Cup in this Holy Sacrament called the New Covenant because it is the Sign and Pledge whereby the New Covenant of Grace is sealed between God and all faithful Communicants Formerly it was a Custome in some parts Grot. in Matth. 26. 27. Alex. ab Alexand. lib 5. c. 3. de Medis Lydis Carmanis Scythis Armeniis Hyrcanis c. of the World for men to enter into Covenants by drinking of Blood as the Learned Grotius and others have rightly observed But because this was an inhumane way people that were more civilized were wont to enter into Pacts and Covenants by drinking of Wine instead of Blood Now since our Saviour said that the Wine in his hands which was instead of his Blood and a Symbol of it was the Cup of the new Covenant we may easily discern that he did intend this as a Foederal Solemnity as an Obsiguation of those promises and Engagements which are on the Churches part and on his part also The Socinians therefore do abuse the World with a very great Error in teaching that there is no manner of Obsignation at the Lords Supper For the thing is evident and clear that this is a Covenant-Ordinance and then it must follow as I shall shew in the next Chapter that here we do stipulate to God that we will live up to Christs Religion according to our Power and that God doth also stipulate to us that upon our so doing he will perform all those promises of Grace and mercy which he hath made to the Church in his only begotten To this that hath been said it may add a little strength if we observe that our blessed Saviour himself exprest the making of Covenants under the the notion of Eating and Drinking So he represents Hypocrites pleading for themselves Luke 13. 26. We have eaten and drunk in thy presence Meaning that some may profess to be in Covenant with him and to hold Occasional Communion with his Church too but yet that all their fair shews and pretences shall not serve their turn in that day when the workers of iniquity shall be cast everlastingly from his presence Thus also when he saith Apocal. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me his meaning is that he will enter into the strictest League and ingage in an unviolable Contract of Love and Friendship with every obedient heart For those vulgar expressions are no other then Condescentions to vulgar Capacities Because such actions were reputed by all Mankind to be Symbols of Peace and arguments of good will therefore our Saviour chose to express his divine Philanthropy after that manner and when Divines do accomodate such expressions to the business of the Holy Sacrament they go upon this ground because this religious eating and drinking is a feasting with God now as it was in the days of old in a Foederal or Covenant way I have been the longer and the more particular upon this point that I might make every thing intelligible as I go along and withal might open the sense of some places of Scripture which otherwise cannot be so rightly understood Now from these premises there are two things which I shall conclude by way of application 6. First that men ought to come to the Blessed Sacrament upon great Consideration and with all imaginable Sincerity We had need be serious when we have to do with God and never more than when we intend to approach before Gods Altar lest by going to it after a rash and inconsiderate manner we take a large step towards our own destruction Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God and be more ready to hear or obey than to give the Sacrifice of Fools for they consider not that they do evil saith the Royal Preacher Eccles 5. 1. For the Sacrifice of the wicked is abomination how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind Saith the same Solomon Pro. 21. 27. 'T is enough to strike the heart even of an Infidel through with trembling and horrour to consider that people professing so much sanctity and zeal should dare to be such audacious Hypocrites as
the Holy Sacrament is there if men flinch from their Duty and willfully draw back the Crime is of such a high nature that Gods Soul will have no pleasure in such Apostates Heb 10. 38. The very Heathens accounted the violation of Contracts especially such Contracts as had been made at the Altars of their Gods to be one of the most Execrable Villanies in the World Nay they looked upon those Covenants which were made only by Bread and Salt to have been very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Origen cont Cels lib. 2. pag. 74. Sacred tyes and obligations For which reason Celsus the Pagan argued against the Credibility of that story concerning the treachery of Judas For said he when one man eateth with another they scorn to betray one another and therefore he thought it impossible for any man to be false to his God when he communicates with him at the same Table Now in this Celsus was guilty of a manifest untruth as Origen rightly answer'd for many such perfidious fellows there have been who have betrayed those of whose Bread they have eaten Origen instanced in Lycambas who was upbraided by Parius for violating the Covenant he had made by the Rite of eating Bread and Salt But yet it is true that mankind in general have ever Hated such treachery and despised all such as were guilty and faithless after that manner and Judas his Sin was very great and monstrous beyond expression and comparison And yet there have been more Judases in the world then One Many Traitours have eaten and drank at Gods Table nay have been admired too for their Treachery have been Canoniz'd for it by such as themselves have been numbred by their fellow Traitours among the Blessed in the Saints everlasting rest However the sin is Abominable and when men receive the blessed Sacrament they are deeply obliged to be steady and true to their promises and to their Contracts which they make with the Divine Majesty St Paul calls mens Apostatizing from the duty the treading under foot the Son of God and the counting the blood of the Covenant an unholy or a profane and common thing Heb. 10. 29. Which expressions are Emphatically applicable to the sin I now speak of the sin of Unfaithfulness after we have participated of Christ after we have drank of his blood this is indeed to despise the Son of God as one of no value and to trample upon his blood as an unprofitable as a contemptible as a vile thing and of what sore punishments shall not such be thought worthy It was an old custome among some people to make Covenants by giving and taking a little quantity of Wool which they had shorn Quibus foederibus qui contrairet turpissimo facinore in expiabili scelere tenebatur Alex. ab Alexand ubi supra from the top of a Lambs Head and they who violated such Covenants were held guilty of the foulest Crime and inexpiable wickedness If Covenants between man and man made by such frivolous and inconsiderable tokens were reputed sacred by the very Pagans how Sacred ought we Christians to count such Contracts as we make with the Divine being by eating the Flesh and drinking the Blood of the very Lamb of God I conclude this consideration with those words of Solomon Eccles. 5. 4 5. When thou vowest a Vow unto God defer not to pay it for he hath no pleasure in fools pay that which thou hast vowed Better is it that thou shouldest not vow than that thou shouldest vow and not pay CHAP. IV. A third end of this Sacrament is to engage us to observe the Laws of that Religion to which it doth belong Proved from the Notion of the new Covenant From the design of Mysteries in general From its Analogy to Mystical Banquets in particular both among Heathens and Jews especially the Paschal-Supper The sense of the Church touching this matter TO proceed now to another end of this Sacrament It being already demonstrated that this Mystery was instituted as a Foederal or Covenant Rite to be used under the Gospel it necessarily followeth that a Third End of it is to engage all such as use it to the strict observation of that Religion which is establisht by the Gospel This will evidently appear if we consider well these three things 1. If we consider only the Nature and Notion of the Evangelical Covenant to which this Mystery doth belong 2. If we consider besides the design an Importance of all Mystical Rites in general 3. If we consider also the Analogy which this Rite beareth to the ancicient Mystical Banquets in particular 1. As to the First of these the Nature and Notion of a Covenant is this that it is a Pact Contract or agreement containing certain Conditions and Promises for the performance whereof each party bindeth himself and undertaketh to the other And the Evangelical Covenant is a Pact of this nature For as it containeth promises which it lyeth on Gods part to make good as that he will pardon our sins in this world and take such care of our Souls and Bodies that we shall be everlastingly happy in the next World so it contains certain conditions and terms which it lyes on Our part to perform in order thereunto as that we will believe on his Son whom he sent into the World to be our Propitiation that we will sincerely repent of all the miscarriages we have committed and that we will make it our care and business to lead a Life of Vertue and Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Seeing then that this is the Covenant that is between God and us now seeing that this Mystery was appointed pursuant to this Covenant and seeing that at the due Celebration of it the Covenant is Ratified and confirmed it must undeniably follow whatever the Socinians and others affirm to the contrary that by this Sacred Rite God himself is supposed to Seal his part of the Covenant unto us and moreover that we are supposed to Seal Our part of the Covenant unto him I mean we are understood hereby visibly to profess engage and stipulate that we do and will stedfastly believe heartily repent and by the help of Gods Grace unfeignedly resolve to lead our lives so as the Laws of Christ's Religion do require us If it be a Foederal rite as I have sufficiently proved this must be the design and meaning of it in short 2. But besides this we are to observe in the second place that all those Mystical Rites which ever were used in the World by any Sect or Society of men were always designed to engage people to be obedient and True to that Religion to which those Rites did appertain This I note not as if any Religion in the World could compare with the Christian Institution nor as if any Mystical Rites in the World ever were of that importance and dignity as ours are but only to shew what the general sense of Mankind hath
there is a Substantial but an Accidental So Philo saith of Cajus Caesar when he changed the Temple of God at Jerusalem into a Temple bearing his own Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo. lib. de legatione noted by Eusebius Eccles Hist 2. cap. 6. mutation an alternation of the state Condition and Quality of the man or the thing but not of the Substance or Nature for the Convert is a man still but something more that is a Servant of Christ and the Minister is a Christian man still but something more that is an Ambassadour of the Gospel and the Fabrick is an House still but something more that is the House of God In like manner when St. Chrysostome and the rest of the Ancients 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Prodit Judae Tom. 5. p. 559. say that upon repeating the words of Institution the things which lye before us on the Holy Table are Changed the meaning clearly is not that their Nature or Substance is Destroyed but that the Condition of them is altered so that they are Bread and Wine still but something more that is they are now become Sacraments the vehicles of Grace the means and Instruments whereby the Spiritual Body and Bloud of Christ are conveyed and communicated to us Upon this account when we go to the Holy Communion we should think we go as indeed we do to an Ordinance of the greatest Consideration and Consequence we should value it highly for that Divine stamp which the Holy Jesus hath set upon it we should prize it according to the Purport and Ends for which it was first instituted and we should regard not so much the things themselves which we eat and drink as the Institution of the thing together with the Power and Blessing of God which doth attend it Men that do not look into the Inside of this heavenly Mystery but judge according to Appearance are apt to entertain mean and low thoughts of it because they see none but a weak and Sinful man that Ministreth and nothing but the Common Creatures of Bread and Wine that are distributed But when we present our selves before the Lords Table we should Lift up our Hearts and Raise our Thoughts above those things which are obvious to the Sense we should bear in our Hence that very Ancient Admonition extant in S. Cyprian de Orat. Dom. and in divers Ancient Liturgies Sursum corda Lift up your hearts minds the Truth the Goodness and the Power of God and consider that it is the Usual method of his Providence to bring the Greatest Ends about by the use of such means as to our thinking are the most Unlikely and incompetent for those purposes Thus it was as to his choice of Persons in the beginning of Christianity he employed such men for the great work of the Ministry as in the esteem of the world were of the least and Meanest consideration One a Publican another a Tent-maker many that were Fishermen few that were Learned none that were Noble or that bore a great Figure in the world and yet by these weak these contemptible Instruments I mean weak in themselves and Contemptible in the account of others by these instruments were Philosophers Princes Kingdomes and infinite numbers of Jews and Idolaters Captivated and brought in obedience to the Faith of the Son of God we have this Treasure of the Gospel in Earthen vessels that the Excellency of the Power may be of God and not of Us saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 4. 7. Thus it hath been Gods method too as to his choice of things He hath been wont to use the most Ordinary the most Contemptible means to effect his purposes of Grace and Mercy that he might shew the greatness of his own Power and convince the world that nothing is so mean but that it shall be serviceable and effective of Noble ends as long as it is the hand of an Almighty Agent What was Circumcision that it should be the Seal of Abrahams Righteousness and a sure Token of Gods Covenant with him and his whole Issue what was the noise of a few Rams-horns that it should tumble down the walls of Jericho or a Cake of barly bread that it should be seen to overturn the Tents of the Midianites or a Brasen Serpent that the sight of it should cure the wounds of the Israelites or a little lump of Figs that it should presently heal Hezekiah what was a manger that it should be the Cradle of the Lord of Glory or a Cross that it should be the Altar for the great Propitiatory Sacrifice to be offered up upon it what was St. Peters Shadow that it should restore the sick and cast Unclean Spirits out of their Holds and Possessions nay what is a little Water that it should Cleanse and Sanctifie all our souls and make Baptized persons the Vessels of Election And yet S. Paul calls it the Washing of Regeneration Tit. 3. 5. And the operations of Christs Spirit are so effectual by Baptisme that to every Faithful man it becomes the instrument of Salvation And why should it be thought a thing incredible that God should bless the use of the Bread and Wine or make it productive of those Spiritual Benefits which have been afore-mentioned Our Faith ought not to stumble at this we should not look upon the Elements but upon the Institution not take an estimate of this Ordinance by the Creatures we receive but by the Divine Benediction that cometh down upon them For when Christ Blessed the Bread and the Cup and commanded the use of them he intended that this Mystery should ever be successful and effectual to every Soul that should be rightly Disposed 'T is S. Chrysostoms observation S. Chrys ubi Supr that when God blessed his Creatures in the beginning and commanded them to be Fruitful and Multiply that word though it was given so long ago yet 't is powerfull still and will be powerful to the worlds end and by Virtue thereof the least grain of mustard seed groweth up to a great plant In like manner that Blessing wherewith the Son of God blessed the bread and Wine at the Institution of this Solemnity ceaseth not now but is as effectual as ever so that they are still the Instruments of Our growth in Grace as they were to the Disciples in the beginning not indeed by any Natural Causality that is in them but by the good Pleasure and Blessing of God and by the Operation of the Holy Ghost For the workings of the Spirit though they be Mysterious and Secret yet are they certain and True and at this Heavenly Solemnity the work of the Spirit is done So that we must draw our minds off from the things which are below which are before us which we see and taste of and Fix our thoughts upon the Spiritual Body and Bloud of Christ which are as it were wrapped up in them and as the Ancients were wont to admonish we