is thoroughly accomplished and so hast part in that Couenant It is called the Blood of the euerlasting Couenant Hebr. 13.20 and whosoeuer they be that haue a true part in this they cannot fall away to them it is the Blood of an euerlasting Couenant But as for others that in their owne apprehension imbrace Christ and make great shewes and tast some rellish of the Blood of Christ if they fall away there is no more Sacrifice for them no more Sacrifice for sinne but the Blood of Christ and he cannot dye againe What then shall be their portion nothing but a fearefull expectation of vengeance and deuouring Fire that shall set vpon them for their vtter mine and destruction As this is a comfortable Meditation the worke of out Redemption by the Blood of Christ so let vs know that if we shall abuse it and prophane it and forsake the sweet communion and fellowship that we haue in Christ in the participation of this Couenant then there is no hope of mercie for we haue brought our selues into a forlorne case wilfully casting away this grace of our Redemption The end of the seuenth Lecture THE EIGHTH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER BY occasion of the time that the next Lords Day wee purpose God willing to come to the Lords Table wee are now to make digression into the Argument of the Lords Supper I shewed you that one of the titles giuen to the Lords Supper is the New Testament as it is set downe by Mathew Marke Luke and Paul and because Mathew is most plentifull in setting downe the words of our Sauiour we made choyce of his words to speake of Math. 26.28 For this is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes And we propounded these three particulars to insist vpon The first whereof is this that it is called here the New Testament and there we shewed that all the hold we haue in God as many of vs as liue vnder the state of the Gospell we hold it by force and vertue of a New Testament as the old being abolished The next point was the Blood of Christ the Seale whereby the Testament is confirmed The third followes to be handled and that is the benefit that followes of this Testament and by the Blood of Christ and that is remission of sinnes for so it followes Which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes as that being the reach and end of both both of the New Testament and of the Blood of Christ God is pure holy iust and righteous pure and therefore free from sinne holy and therefore hating sinne iust and therefore condemning sinne righteous and therefore a punisher of sinne Man is full of sinne and therefore vncleane and therefore hatefull to God and therefore damnable and punishable by the rule of Gods Iustice in so much that there is no hope nor possibilitie that euer any Couenant of Loue and Peace should be established betwixt God and Man except first sinne be remoued and therefore our Sauiour Christ interposing himselfe a Mediator betwixt God and Man to make such a Couenant must take such a course as whereby sinne might be taken out of the way and sinne cannot be taken away vnlesse it be remitted on Gods part and God will not nor in Iustice cannot remit it without shedding of Blood for where there is no shedding of Blood there is no remission Hence it is that Christ our Mediator comming to make this Couenant sheds his Blood for the remission of our sinnes And this is the right straine and meaning of these words My Blood which is shed for many far the remission of sinnes In handling these words First we will consider of the phrase or manner of speech here vsed Remission of sinnes Secondly we will remoue some exceptions or doubts And thirdly we will proceed to the obseruation First touching the phrase or matter of speech Remission of sinnes that is forgiuenesse of sinnes There are sundry phrases in Scripture that signifie forgiuenesse to couer to forget not to impute to blot out to wash away sinne but none either more vsual or significant then this to remit that is to let goe or passe by or to loose sinne It doth most pithily vnfold both the nature of sin and of forgiuenesse Sinne hath a double respect First to God himselfe Secondly to his Law I grant that there is but little difference in the thing it selfe for that which is done against God is done against his Law and that which is done against Gods Law is done against God himselfe But yet for Doctrine sake we distinguish them so in our consideration First sinne hath respect to God himselfe for if there were no Lawes made to forbid and punish misdemenours done against the Kings person yet if a Subiect do ought against him he is an offendor and iustly punishable euen because the one is a Subiect and the other a King so if God had made no Lawes at all against sinne yet if we do any thing against God we are sinners and iustly lyable to Gods wrath and sentence of his displeasure euen because he is God Sinne is a wrong to God for he being our Creator and we his workemanship if we should doe him his right we should giue him all our whole seruice then when we sinne we faile of that and so we wrong God Now when God forgiues vs our sinnes he remits or puts vp our wrongs so sinne is a dishonour to God he being perfectly holy and hauing made vs holy too By holinesse we glorifie God Ps 50.23 He that offereth prayse glorifieth me By sinne we dishonour him as being that which is vtterly vnbeseeming both our selues and our Maker when he forgiues sinne he remits and passeth by this dishonour Sinne is an opposition and enmitie against God hee being goodnesse it selfe Ps 51.4 Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned When he forgiues sinne he remits or lets goe this enmitie not laying it to heart nor taking notice of it Secondly sinne hath respect to Gods Law whereto it also carries direct opposition for sinne is the transgression of the Law Gods Law is a binder it layes a strait chaine or bond of perfect obedience vpon euerie Man whereby we are necessarily tied to do all that Gods Law commands and to auoid all that it forbids whensoeuer we faile either in omitting the good or committing the euill we stand bound in the bonds of the Law not performed when God forgiues vs our sinnes he remits these bonds for the time past looseth vs from them for so the Apostle restraines it to the time past Rom. 3.25 To declare his righteousnesse by the forgiuenesse of sinnes that are passed It layes a second bond on vs by consequence and that it that when we haue sinned we are in bondage to sinne He that commits sinne is the seruant of sinne Iohn 8.34 And how comes this to passe Meerely by the
carrie the businesse wholly and plainly before vs whereas there be foure witnesses of this Truth it is needfull and profitable for vs to compare all these testimonies together for by this meanes if there be any seeming difference betwixt them they shall be accorded and so the Scripture shall bee iustified from contradiction Secondly so that which is defectiue in the one shall be supplyed in the other Thirdly so shall we be more fully perswaded of the truth hereof being confirmed out of the mouth of many witnesses and so we shall vnderstand the whole mind of God touching this businesse And because the Euangelist Mathew is more copious then any of the other his testimonie shall be the rule that we will compare reduce the rest vnto Math. 26.28 This is my Blood of the New Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes This that is this Cup or this Wine or this Sacrament as we heard the meaning was before and herein they all agree Is my Blood which if it be grossely and carnally to be vnderstood as the Capernaits did vnderstand it Iohn 6.51 and as the Papists doe in this verie case it is impossible in euerie Mans vnderstanding that Christ should giue them his Blood whilest he was aliue but if it were possible yet the speech is fearfull and the action sauage both on his part and theirs that he should poure out the Blood of his owne Body into the Cup and they should drinke of it If they had so taken his meaning trembling and horror would haue beene vpon them euen to death that they should drinke Mans Blood yea the naturall Blood of their louing Master and the Sonne of God this had beene a sauage thing But vnderstand it as he meant it spiritually and sacramentally then it is full of comfort This is my Blood that is the Signe and Seale and Pledge of my Blood as if he should haue said to them If ye drinke of this Wine and withall lift vp your Hearts and haue Faith in my Blood the Wine shall be thorough Gods ordinance and the liuely operation of the Holy Ghost as effectuall to you to all sauing purposes as if my owne Blood were as naturally or certainly in you as in my selfe The New Testament which is spoken in opposition to the former Testament There was a Testament before but that is old this is new and there was Blood before but that was of Beasts and Birds this is of himselfe My Blood of the New Testament Here is some seeming difference betwixt them Mathew and Marke agree This is my Blood of the New Testament Luke and Paul differ from them Luke 22.20 1 Cor. 11.25 This is the New Testament in my Blood This is onely in the manner of the speech not in the meaning the ioynt entendment of them all is to shew that this Blood is proper and peculiar to the New Testament in respect of the full exhibition of it whereby it is ordained ratified and confirmed and wherein the whole force and power of the New Testament consists as the former Testament was by the Blood of Buls and Goats so this is by the Blood of Christ and this we may see Hebr. 9.10 c. This is the Blood of the Testament which God hath appointed to you And hereto answers the speech of Mathew and Marke This is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for you and in Verse 18. the Apostle saith The Old Testament was not ordained without Blood and so also the New Testament is not ordained without Blood So we see that though the witnesses differ in words yet their meaning is one and the same which is shed It was not then actually shed yet it was effectuall then and alwayes from the beginning It was the Blood of the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the World Times breake no square with God for there is no difference of times with him at all This is added purposely to shew that it is not simply the Blood of Christ that saues vs but his Blood shed And that when we come to the Lords Table we come not to celebrate his Incarnation so much whereby he tooke our Blood on him but his Death whereby he shed his Blood for vs and for many It is not for all the World in generall as some foolishly immagine but it is restrayned to some nor yet it is not limited to the Disciples onely nor yet to the Iewes onely as the former Testament was but to many If you will know who this many is looke into the first of Iohn To as many as receiued him To as many as beleeue in his Name euen to the whole many of the World that receiue Christ and beleeue in his Name Of all Nations some The Euangelist Luke and Paul add one thing further Which is shed for you Which is not meant of the Disciples onely but for the whole Church for the benefit of all the Faithfull And it giues vs further to vnderstand that whosoeuer comes to the Lords Table must receiue particularly for himselfe as if Christ were there present and should say vnto them This is for you and for you Lastly For the remission of sinnes there is the benefit of it I but will some say haue we no other benefit by it Haue we not our Regeneration and our Iustification c. by the shedding of Christs Blood Yes surely but that is set downe for all the rest I but haue I not remission of sinnes by his Body as well as by his Blood Yes surely but it is rather said so of his Blood because of the Sacrifices of the Law which were a Type of Christs Sacrifice and were offered by Blood Secondly howsoeuer his Body is auaileable to remission of sinnes yet it is so farre forth as it is crucified and his Blood shed and thus we are to conceiue of these things Now we come to the points of Doctrine and Instruction that arise from hence The first thing that our Sauiour speakes of is the New Testament that is the ground of all Doct. 1 The point we obserue from hence is this The state of all the Faithfull that haue liued or doe liue or shall liue from the death of Christ to the Worlds end doth stand and hold by a new Testament or Couenant betwixt God and them Testament and Couenant are not all one amongst Men but in matters of Grace and Saluation betwixt God and Man they are all one Gods Couenant is his Testament and his Testament is his Couenant Circumcision though it were a bare Couenant not ratified by the death of the Testator and therefore properly no Testament yet it is called a Testament Act. 7.8 All the interest that euer any Man had in the free grace and saluation of God they had it meerely by force and vertue of a Couenant For Man hauing nothing but what he receiues from God he can haue no assurance to nor any good by any thing but what he
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
is ascribed to the Blood of Christ so our Redemption is ascribed to the Blood of Christ Ephes 1.7 Reuel 5.9 and in the 1 Pet. 1.19 all runs vpon the Blood of Christ Reuel 1.5 We are washed from our sinnes in his Blood 1 Iohn 1.7 The Blood of Christ cleanseth vs from all our sinnes The fetching of vs within the Couenant of Grace is by the Blood of Christ Ephes 2.13 and so indeed is the whole worke of our Redemption ascribed to the Blood of Christ You see then how rich and plentifull the Scripture is in this Argument all tending wholly to this effect to teach vs that the verie matter whereupon the New Testament and the worke of our Redemption is founded and stablished is the Blood of the Lord Iesus I am bold to insist so long vpon the proofe of this point because the Scripture is so plentifull in it Wee will come now to the Reasons Reas 1 The first Reason may be drawn from the nature of a Couenant amongst Men Wherein stands it Not in the making and writing of it but in the sealing of it Here is a Couenant made betweene God and Man that he will forgiue vs our sinnes and that he will sanctifie vs and it is sealed by the Blood of Christ and therefore it is called the Blood of the New Testament It is true indeed that all the Couenants and Promises of God are firme and sure in themselues because God hath made them and they need no Seale yet because God hauing made this Couenant respectiuely that he would haue it sealed and confirmed by the Blood of Christ Iesus Therefore looke whatsoeuer force and benefit it is of to vs it is by vertue of the Blood of Christ And hence it is that whosoeuer can shew this Seale for themselues that they haue part in this Blood of Christ they may challenge that they haue their part in the Couenant and whosoeuer cannot they haue no part in it Reas 2 The second Reason is drawne from the nature of a Testament which must alwayes be confirmed by the death of the Testator and is not of force before the partie be dead the Apostle applyes it so in Hebr. 9.16 17. Reas 3 The third Reason is drawne from the nature of a Sacrifice a burnt Offering a propitiatorie Sacrifice a Sacrifice for sinne No Sacrifice that was to be offered for sinne but it was to be killed and offered in Blood Leuit. 1.7 and therefore Christ comming to be a Sacrifice for the sinnes of the World he must be killed and slaine Reas 4 The fourth Reason it holds by way of proportion betweene the New Testament and the Old The Old Testament was confirmed by Blood and so must the New In the Old Testament the Pascall Lambe must be slaine and killed and so in the New Testament Christ must be killed and slaine Likewise the Sacrifice of the Law must be killed slaine and Blood shed so the Sacrifice of the New Testament Christ must be slaine and shed his Blood Reas 5 The fifth Reason is drawne from the rigour of the Law which did necessarily require it and could not be dispenced withall but whosoeuer sinnes must dye the death and therefore Christ being our Redeemer he must endure that death which we must haue suffered else the Law could neuer haue beene satisfied Reas 6 Againe it stands with the Iustice of God which must haue an absolute and perfect satisfaction It cannot be satisfied with any thing in the World but with the Blood of the Sonne of God Acts 20.28 Take heed therefore vnto your selues and to all the Flocke ouer the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Quer-seers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne Blood Marke now this stands with the Iustice of God God was offended and he must receiue full satisfaction therefore when Christ came to satisfie he could not satisfie but onely by his Blood Nay I say more Christ could not haue satisfied but that it was by the Blood of the Sonne of God that the infinitenesse of the Person satisfying might be answerable to the infinitenesse of the Person offended and that is the chiefe reason of the Doctrine Reas 7 Then another Reason is the haynousnesse of sinne The reward of sinne is death and where is no shedding of Blood there is no remission and therefore whosoeuer comes as a Mediator of the New Testament to procure for vs the remission of our sinnes his Blood must be shed else our sinnes still remaine vnpardoned And so much for the Reasons The Vses Vse 1 First It teacheth vs what it is that the Eye of our Faith should principally respect and looke vpon Christ and the hand of our Faith principally lay hold on when we doe imbrace Christ namely the Blood of Christ the Crosse of Christ the Obedience and Suffering of Christ c. in a word Christ crucified that is the subiect that our Faith must take hold vpon Christ crucified is the obiect of our knowledge 1 Cor. 2.2 I desire to know nothing but Christ and him crucified And the same is the matter of our reioycing Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should reioyce but in the Crosse of Christ The Blood of Christ is the ground and verie foundation of our Faith Rom. 3.25 Through Faith in his Blood c. What is it that the Faith of a beleeuing Man doth most properly embrace but the Blood of Christ The Iewes reuile vs because we beleeue in a crucified God and the Gentiles they deride and mocke vs because we trust to be saued in him that could not saue himselfe but sufrered such a cruell death Well howsoeuer it be saith the Apostle that he is to the Iewes a stumbling blocke and to the Grecians foolishnesse yet vnto vs he is the power of God and the wisedome of God He is the verie power of God without which God cannot ordinarily saue a Man And the verie wisedome of God without which God will not ordinarily saue a Man It is a world of heauenly comforts that a spirituall minded Man may gather vnto himselfe in the meditation and the beholding of the death of Christ when we thinke of Christ crucified and of Christ shedding his Blood there you may see First our sinnes punished to the full Secondly there we may see our sinnes pardoned to the full Thirdly there we may see our sinnes crucified and mortified and subdued by his Blood and by the power of the death of Christ soundly applyed to our Soules and Considences our sinnes begin to dye and to be mortified and to be crucified in vs. Fourthly in Christ crucified we may behold the Flesh crucified Gal. 5.24 we may see our wicked humors to be mortified and to be beaten downe and crucified within vs. Againe when as we thinke vpon Christ crucified why there we doe find indeed the verie crucifying of our selues to the World and the World to vs Gal. 6.14 Before we were caried after the things
rigour of the Law punishing sinne past by a subiection to sin afterward when God forgiues vs our sinnes he remits and looseth these bonds also There is a third bond and that is the heauiest of all the eternall curse of God vpon transgresssors wrapping them in chaines of eternall darkenesse and damnation Deut. 27.26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them When God forgiues vs our sinnes he remits and looseth vs of these bonds too in Christ he sets vs free from them Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the Law when he was made a curse for vs. To shut vp this point our sinnes are vsually called our debts Math. 6. and Gods forgiuing is the remitting or releasing of these debts wherein the Lord as he is rich in mercie shewes himselfe an exceeding mercifull Creditor he remits not onely the forfeiture and penaltie which is the curse but euen the whole bond the principall debt of obedience it selfe for the time past for that which we did owe vnto God and haue not payd him Thus much light we haue receiued touching this sweet and heauenly Doctrine of forgiuenesse of sinnes by the occasion and benefit of this phrase Remission that is loosing our sinnes Secondly A doubt or two is to be remoued touching the matter it selfe Remission of sinnes First is this the onely benefit of Christ Blood shed Is this the whole substance of the New Testament I answer no it is not the Testament containes two branches Iustification and Sanctification the remission of sinnes and the renewing of the Heart so the words are Ierem. 31.31 c. which is die place where this Couenant is originally mentioned and so Christs Blood is shed for the confirmation of both but onely this named by a figuratiue speech in other cases of like nature yea in this verie case in other places of Scripture Ierem. 32.38 c. I will giue them one Heart an done way that they may feare me for euer c. He speakes that of our Sanctification but vnder that branch is vnderstood and meant the whole Couenant Remission of sinnes too though it be not exprest So in Rom. 11.27 which the Apostle quotes out of Esay 27.9 there is mention made of the Couenant and he names but one branch of it without the other Remission of sinnes and not Sanctification but both are to be vnderstood and being both but one Couenant one may well stand for both The New Testament and Christ his Blood shed is as well effectuall for the one as for the other Secondly here seemes to be some contradiction in the words to shed Blood for sinne entends satisfaction and remission of sinne entends free pardon How is that said to be remitted that is fully satisfied for And how is that fully satisfied for that is freely remitted I answer they are so farre from contradiction that they must necessarily goe together For where there is no shedding of Blood there is no remission which is as much to say where there is no satisfaction there is no forgiuenesse God is exactly iust and exactly mercifull and he cannot shew exact Iustice but he must shew exact Mercie Gods exact Iustice requires that sinnes be fully satisfied for his exact Mercie requires that they be freely forgiuen so in respect of Iustice they are fully satisfied for but in respect of Mercie they are freely forgiuen Againe consider Christ and our selues in respect of Christ our sinnes are not freely forgiuen but satisfied for in respect of vs they are not satisfied for but freely forgiuen It is full satisfaction in him but free forgiuenesse to vs. These points being cleered let vs come in the third place to the Doctrine and that is this in that it is here said Blood shed for the remission of sinnes Obserue that the whole and entire benefit of all Christs doings and sufferings for vs is chiefely and indeed wholly and really conferred vpon vs in the remission of our sinnes Ephes 1.7 By whom we haue redemption thorough his Blood euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes By whom who is that there spoken of It is Iesus Christ of whom in the former Verses the Apostle saith That all the good we haue from God is bestowed vpon vs in him And what hath he done for vs Redeemed vs By whom we haue redemption And how hath he wrought our redemption Thorough his Blood And wherein doth it consist In forgiuenesse of sinnes By whom we haue redemption thorough his Blood euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes So that when our sinnes are forgiuen then we are made partakers of the whole worke of Redemption and of the whole benefit of Christs doings and sufferings Act. 2.38 Amend your liues And be baptized euerie one of you in the Name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes Why all that are truly baptized into Christ are partakers of him and all his merits and henefits That is true but yet the Apostle bids them to repent and be baptized in the Name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes Giuing vs to vnderstand thereby that when we haue obtained that we haue obtained all the rest together with it Acts 10.43 To him giue all the Prophets witnesse that thorough his Name whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall receiue remission of sinnes It is not the Apostles reach to shew that the faithfull shall haue nothing else but remission of sinnes thorough his Name but contrarily that they shall haue the whole benefit of all things that belongs to Saluation If once we haue remission of sinnes then we shall haue newnesse of life the pledge of the Spirit all that belongs to Glorie and Saluation Rom. 3.15 Whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in hit Blood to declare hit righteousuesse by the forgiuenesse of sinnes c. The summe of the Apostles speech is this God declares his righteousnes in sauing those that haue Faith in the Blood of Christ whom he hath set forth to be a reconciliation betwixt him and vs euen by the forgiuenesse of their sinnes 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world vnto himselfe How Not imputing their sinnes vnto them Rom. 11.27 And this is my Covenant to them when I shall take away their sinnes Specifying the circumstance of the time it proues the point verie directly that then the Couenant is made when sinne is taken away then is all made sure betwixt God vs. Ps 32.1 2. The Prophet describes a blessed Man and sets him forth by both the parts of this Couenant Iustification and Sanctification The Apostle Rom. 4.7 8. quoting that very place and handling the same Argument names but Iustification and placeth blessednesse in that as that being in a manner all in all to our Saluation If once we get remission of sinnes we haue right to all the rest of the Couenant Reas 1 The first Reason is drawne from the nature of sinne Our sinnes are our debts whereby we become
of obedience and the want of preparation that we may be fitted to this Sacrament that therein we may discerne Christ and hunger after Grace and receiue both the matter of Iustification and Sanctification is one cause why we want this assurance Vse 4 The last Vse of the Point Seeing it is so that the Sacrament is an effectuall pledge of the whole Couenant of Grace then we that are faithfull receiuers are Iustified and Sanctified Let vs therfore goe our way as our Sauiour saith and sinne no more least a worse thing befall vs. Now we are washed by the Grace of Iustification from our sinnes let vs not like the Swine wallow againe in the mire of finne Now we are loosed from the Fetters and Bonds of sinne from the Intanglement Snares of Sathan let vs not intrap our selues againe let vs not like a gracelesse Prisoner to day deliuered vse such courses as may bring vs to the same condemnation to morrow but esteeme our libertie verie deere and precious We are reconciled to God our debts are payd let vs not run in with him againe so much as in vs lyes but let vs resolue pray and indeauour our selues after the things that concerne our peace thus graciously confirmed vnto vs and auoyd all such as may hinder the same And though we get not the vpper hand of our selues at the first yet in time we shall find a senceable increase of Grace in vs Let vs know if we be faithfull and follow after these things God is faithfull and will make them good vnto vs. The Vse is this That seeing God vouchsafeth this mercy that here is giuen vs a finall acquittance of all our debts and sinnes seeing he giues vs his Promise and Grace and puts a pledge into our Hands that he is our God that he will forgiue vs and remember our iniquities no more seeing he hath promised to write his Law in our Hearts and to put his feare in our inward parts let vs go away changed from the filthinesse of Flesh Spirit let vs wait vpon God rest vpon his Promises let vs know he is faithfull and what he hath promised shall be performed if we beleeue his good words let vs beleeue his deeds if when he saith our sins are pardoned then much more when he giues this Bread Wine as a signe and pledge thereof Thus let vs labor to be fitted against the next Lords day let vs meditate on these things that we may come preparedly vnto this holy Table let vs labour to partake of the Couenant of Grace we may say O Lord how often haue we bin at thy Table and yet neuer the better we neuer vnderstood it before we now find this Sacrament to be of the New Testament a Seale of the whole Couenant of Grace of our Iustification our Sanctification a pledge vnto vs that our sins are pardoned that thou wilt put thy Law into our Hearts wilt write it in our inward parts These things heretofore we haue not considered let vs now take them to Heart repent vs of our former faylings so addresse our selues that we may come with our right Wedding Garment vpon vs and so be welcome into thy presence THE ELEVENTH LECTVRE VPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER BEcause of the Sacrament the next Sabboth God willing to be administred we are therefore to spend this Exercise vpon such matter as may make for our fit preparation thereunto for that is the course which hitherto wee haue obserued and which wee propounded in the beginning So that wee are to goe on where wee left the last day of preparation in the sixe and twentieth of Mathew and the latter part of the eight and twentieth Verse This is my Blood of the New Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes We haue shewen the last day how these words are to be vnderstood with refference to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and therein we obserued as you may remember that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is proper and peculiar to the New Testament as here our Sauiours words are This is my Blood of the New Testament Secondly We shewed you that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is an effectuall Seale and Pledge of the whole Couenant of Grace that is to say both of the matter of our Iustification and likewise of the matter of our Sanctification Now we are to speake in the last place touching the Persons here mentioned so farre as they haue their interest in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper so as the things themselues that are here spoken are intended in a double sence First absolutely to the Death of Christ it selfe Secondly respectiuely to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper So the Persons that are here spoken of are to be considered answerably in both these sences First as they haue their interest and part in the Death of Christ And secondly as they haue their part and Interest in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Wee haue spoken of the Persons in the first sence heretofore as they haue their interest in the Death of Christ We are now to speake of them as they haue interest in the Lords Supper and for to furnish this Text so farre forth as it makes for our present purpose The Persons here spoken of as you see are set forth in generall tearmes Many But Luke in his two and twentieth Chapter and the twentieth Verse reports this saying of our Sauiour as being spoken with particular reference and applycation to the Disciples the Persons onely then present at this businesse This is the New Testament in my Blood shed for you Mathew saith for many Luke for you Both one and the same speech of our Saviour and if wee vnderstand them both aright and expound the one of them by the other we shall find a sweet concurring and agreement betwixt the Euangelists themselues and likewise much profitable matter by this their ioynt testimonie concerning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper The Sacrament it selfe in respect of the institution and vse of it is a publike Ordinance that is common to many The whole Church of God and all the Faithfull from time to time are to take the benefit and to make vse of it to the end of the World and that is one part of Mathew's meaning here when he saith for many But the particular administration of this Sacrament at that time when it was first instituted was peculiar to the Disciples onely as they onely then receiuing it and that is some part of Luke's meaning when he saith for you But yet further also wheresoeuer this Sacrament shall be thus in vse and thus administred it must be done in an Assembly Many must be present at it And that is the other part of Mathew's meaning when he saith for many On the other side those Persons to whom it shall be thus administred must receiue it with particular apply cation It must be for you
of the Lord that we must take speciall notice of in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Doctr. The Doctrine then and the observation that here arifeth for our instruction is this namely The principall object the chiefe matter that is to be considered and meditated upon in the participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is the Lords death or the death of the Lord Christ Iesus In the 22. of Luke at the 19. verse our Saviour being instituting and administring the Sacrament of the Lords Supper takes the bread and breaks it and gives it to his Disciples saying This is my body which is given for you doe this in remembrance of me it is not enough for us when we come to the Sacrament to meditate upon Christ his body as being the body of a living man but This is my body which is given for you doe this in remembrance of me we must meditate upon the body of Christ as it is given for us as it was broken for us as it was crucified for us as it was put to death for us and this is the right remembrance of the death of Christ in the sacrament of the Lords Supper and likewise concerning the other part namely the cup and the wine it followes in the twentieth verse This cup is the New Testament or this is my blood in the New Testament which is shed for you this is my blood which is shed for you When we come to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we come to receive the blood of Christ spiritually sacramentally we doe not receive the blood of Christ there as being a living thing within Christ we doe not receive the blood of Christ as it is contained within the vessell and veines of his body but we receive the blood of Christ that is shed for us that he poured out for us for the remission of our sins that is the right object that the hand of the faith of every true beleever doth seize and lay hold upon in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper not the body but the body broken for us the body given for us not the blood but the blood shed and poured out for us not simply Christ but Christ dying for us it is that which is the principall matter of the Sacrament 1 Cor. 10.16 The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ The Apostle likewise speakes there of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper What is it that the Lord doth communicate unto us in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper on his part the body and blood of Christ that is to say the death of Christ What is it that we doe communicate in that we receive from God on our parts the very same thing that God gives unto us the body and blood of Christ that is to say the death of Christ Why then it is the body and blood of Christ that is communicated unto us which cannot be communicated unto us without it bee broken shed that is it I say which we receive in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and that is the thing that is chiefly therein to bee respected 1 Cor. 11.29 Hee that eates and drinkes unworthily eates and drinkes his owne damnation All of us are unworthy receivers of this Sacrament who is worthy of such great things as these are we bring with us many failings and imperfections to the Lords table the best of us all let us prepare our selves as well as we can yet for these failings of ours we are to be humbled before the Lord and to strive against them but though we have these failings yet if so be we discerne the Lords body that is to say if our faith doth rightly seize upon the death of Christ in the Sacrament here is the principall matter that is to be looked unto I say if we rightly apprehend the death of Christ in the Sacrament then the principall is whole our failings and our imperfections the Lord will graciously passe by them and he will pardon them in mercy and though we be unworthy in respect of our selves yet the Lord will accept us as worthy in Christ Iesus I but on the other side if we do not discerne the Lords body if when we come to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper our hearts and our faith doe not rightly lay hold upon the death of Christ why then wee faile in the very principall of the businesse and though wee should bring other graces with us as knowledge of God sorrow for sin and the like yet all these shall not helpe us but still we are unworthy receivers so we are in our selves and so wee shall bee still reputed of God we shall be so farre from having any benefit that on the contrary it shall turn to our judgement and condemnation because we discerned not the Lords body that is to say because we doe faile in the principall matter that is tendred unto us namely the death of Christ Those places shall suffice for the confirmation of this point out of Scripture now to confirme it further by reason the Reasons of this Doctrine are many Reason 1 The first Reason is drawne from the comparison of the state of the former Testament with the state of the new Testament all the sacrifices of the Law and the Sacraments of the former Testament they did all tend chiefly and pricipally to this end that therein and thereby the beleevers might be led on to enter into a more serious consideration of the death of Christ Iesus for so the Lord intended them and ordained those sacrifices and Sacraments for that purpose and for that very end and there is no question but so the faithfull did make use of them from time to time never any beleever under the state of the former Testament that brought his beasts his Bulls and his Goats to be sacrificed for sin that rested in them as if they were Sacrifices powerfull and effectuall to take away sinne no saith the Apostle in the 10 to the Hebrewes it is impossible that the blood of beasts should take away sinne and that the faithfull knew well enough but yet they submitted themselves to those ordinances because they were Gods laws but still the principall matter that they aymed at in all their sacrifices was the death of Christ the death of the Messias that was to be slaine for the sinnes of the whole world for the perfect purging away of sinne And so in the Sacrament of the Passeover there was never any true beleever that did eate of the paschall Lambe but still he had an eye to the true Lamb of God that was slain from the beginning of the world that as that Paschall Lambe was a memoriall of the deliverance of the children of Israell out of Aegypt and from the hands of Pharaoh so the true Lambe of GOD namely the Sonne of God
hee should come and deliver us from hell death and damnation now if so be that it were so in the Sacrifices and Sacraments of the Old Testament it must needs be so in the Sacraments of the New Testament too if it were so with them that lived before the death of Christ that had but the shadow in respect of us how much more must it be so with us that live in the cleare light Christ having already suffered in the flesh I grant we have no sacrifices propitiatory for sinne as they had Christ Iesus himselfe the onely true propitiation for our sinnes being once sacrificed on the Crosse there is no further place or use for any other propitiatory sacrifices whatsoever but yet seeing our Sacraments are as much to us as both sacrifices and sacraments were to the Iewes still the reason holds that if the sacrifices and sacraments of the Law tended chiefly to the meditation of the death of Christ Iesus the Messias as that being the chiefe object that they were therein to lay hold upon then certainly the principall and chiefe matter in the Sacraments of the new Testament and so particularly of the Lords Supper must be the death of Christ Iesus Reason 2 A second Reason is drawne from a comparison of the Word with the Sacrament it is so in the Word therefore it is so in the Sacrament it is so in the Word that Christ Iesus is the very substance of the Word the chiefe contents of the Gospell and therefore the Gospell is called the preaching of the Crosse of Christ that is to say the preaching of the death of Christ or the preaching of Christ crucified 1 Cor. 1.18.23 We preach Christ crucified unto the Iewes even a stumbling block and unto the Grecians foolishnesse And the Apostle in 1 Cor. 2.2 saith I esteemed not to know any thing among you save Iesus Christ and him crucified or as we may expound it according to the originall I esteemed nothing worthy to be knowne save Iesus Christ and him crucified What nothing else worthy to be knowne is not the rejecting of the Iewes a matter worthy to be knowne is not the calling of the Gentiles a matter worthy to bee known is not the resurrection of the dead a matter worthy to be known Yes all these are worthy to be known but nothing worthy to be known in comparison of Iesus Christ him crucified there is the chiefe matter there is the substance of the Gospell now if so be that it be so in regard of the Gospel then it is so in the Sacraments too for the Word the Sacramēts as they must go together so they tend to one the same thing that which the Word tels us the Sacrament seales unto us If it be so therfore in the Word it is so in the Sacrament and this we must know as the letter of the word being only written or read can never profit us to salvation without we have the sense and the spirit of the word which is Iesus Christ crucified so the bread the wine in the sacrament profiteth nothing to salvation without Christ be seized upon and apprehended in our hearts all the other is but a shadow without this we have not the substance if we have not Christ crucified Reason 3 The third is drawne from the comparison of this Sacrament with the other Sacrament in the new Testament namely Baptisme the chiefe contents the chiefe substance of Baptisme what is it It is the death of Christ Rom. 6.3 Know ye not that all we which have been baptized into Iesus Christ have beene baptized into his death What are wee baptized into into the death of Christ there is the substance of our Baptisme what is it that we are washed by by the death of Christ or the blood of Christ Our Saviour saith in the 16. of Marke and the 16. verse He that shall beleeve and be baptized shall be saved but he that will not beleeve shall be damned he that doth receive the Sacrament and in or by the Sacrament doth apprehend Iesus Christ crucified and doth therein beleeve to bee washed and cleansed from his sin hee shall be saved saith our Saviour there is the outward element in Baptisme as water there is an outward action as sprinkling but the outward element and action is nothing without Iesus Christ doe wash us with his owne blood So it is in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the substance of it is the death of Christ Iesus the bread and the wine are the elements and they doe no more good of themselves than the water doth in Baptisme But the death of Christ being discerned in and by this holy mystery thus it comes to be a saving ordinance of God The reason stands thus The death of Christ being the substance of Baptisme it must also be the substance of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for Baptisme we know enters us into that estate which the Lords Supper confirmes us in and the Lords Supper confirmes us further in that holy estate which Baptisme enters us into now we must not enter into one estate and bee confirmed in another Therefore the substance of each Sacrament must be one and the same and so consequently the death of Christ being the substance of the one it must also be the substance of the other Reason 4 A fourth reason is drawne from the nature of this Sacrament it is the Testament of Christ and a Testament cannot be of force without the death of the Testator That the Sacrament is the Testament of Christ it is our Saviours owne speech in the 26. of Matth. verse 28. For this is my blood of the new Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes there is the Sacrament called by the name of the new Testament it is not properly the new Testament it selfe but it is not called because it is a signe and a seale of the new Testament now likewise that the Testament is not of force but by the death of the Testator that the Apostle Paul confirmes in the 9. to the Hebrewes the 14 15 16 and 17 verses by the example of mens Testaments and applyes it to the Testament of Christ Iesus saith he The Testament of man is not of force till he be dead Lay all this together and marke it well Christ Iesus himselfe is the Testator the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is his Testament the Testament cannot bee of force without the death of the Testator and so you see the whole force of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper consists in the death of Christ Iesus and therefore that is the chiefe matter in the Sacrament Reason 5 The last reason is drawn from the benefit thereby confirmed unto us What is the chiefe benefit Remission of sinnes and under that is comprised all the good that we doe receive by Christ Matth. 26.28 For this is my blood of the new Testament that is shed for many for the