Wine therefore are not bare signifying Signes but such as vvherewith Christ doth indeede exhibite and giue to euery worthy Receiâ—er not onely his diuine vertue and efficacie but also his very Body and Bloud as verely as hee gaue to his Disciples the Holy Ghost by the signe of his sacred Breath or Health to the diseased by the word of his Mouth or touch of his hand or garment And the apprehension by faith is more forcible then the exquisitest comprehension of Sense or Reason To conclude this point this holy Sacrament is that Blessed Bread vvhich being eaten opened the Eyes of the Emauites that they knew Christ. This is that Lordly Cup by vvhich wee are all made to drinke into one Spirit This is that Rocke flowing with hony that reuiueth the fainting spirits of euery true Ionathan that tastes it vvith the mouth of Faith This is that Barly Loafe vvhich tumbling from aboue strikes downe the Tents of the Midianites of infernall darkenesse Elias Angelicall Cake and Water preserued him fortie dayes in Horeb and Manna Angels foode fed the Israelites forty yeeres in the Wildernesse but this is that True Bread of life and heauenly Manna which if vvee shall duely eate will nourish our Soules for euer vnto life eternall How should then our Soules make vnto Christ that request from a spirituall desire which the Capernaites did from a carnall motion Lord euermore giue vs this Bread The fift end of the Lords Supper 5 To be an assured pledge vnto vs of our Resurrection The Resurrection of a Christian is two-folde first the spirituall Resurrection of our Soules in this life from the death of Sinne called the first Resurrection because that by the Trumpet-voyce of Christ in the preaching of the Gospell we are raysed from the death of sinne to the life of grace Blessed and holy is he saith Saint Iohn who hath part in the first Resurrection for on such the second death hath no power The Lords Supper is both a meane and a pledge vnto vs of this spiâ—rituall and first Resurrection Hee that eateth mee euen hee shall liue by mee And then are we fit Guests to sit at the Table with Christ when like Lazarus wee are raysed from the death of sinne to newnesse of life The truth of this first resurrection vvill appeare by the motion vvherewith they are internally moued for if when thou art moued to the duties of Religion and practise of Pietie thy heart answereth vvith Samuell Here I am Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth And vvith Dauid O God my heart is ready And vvith Paul Lord what wilt thou haue mee to doe Then surely thou art raysed from the death of sinne and hast thy part in the first Resurrection but if thou remainest ignorant of the true grounds of Religion and findest in thy selfe a kinde of secret loathing of the exercises thereof and must be drawne as it were against thy will to doe the workes of Pietie c. then surely thou hast but a name that thou liuest but thou art dead as Christ tolde the Angell of the Church of Sardis and thy Soule is but as salt to keepe thy body from stincking Secondly the corporall Resurrection of our bodies at the last day which is called the second resurrection which freeth vs from the first death Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day For this Sacrament signifieth and sealeth vnto vs that Christ died and rose againe for vs and that his flesh quickneth and nourisheth vs vnto eternall life and that therefore our bodies shall surely be raised to eternall life at the last day For seeing our head is risen all the members of the body shall likewise surely rise againe For how can those bodies which being the weapons of Righteousnesse Rom. 16 13. Temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 and Members of Christ. haue bin fedde and nourished vvith the body and blood of the Lord of life but be raised vp againe at the last day And this is the cause that the bodies of the Saints being dead are so reuerently buried and laid to sleepe in the Lord. And their buriall places are termed the beddes and dormitories of the Saints The reprobates shall arise at the last day But by the Almighty power of Christ as he is Iudge bringing them as malefactors out of the goale to receiue their sentence and deserued execution but the Elect shall arise by vertue of Christs resurrectiâ—n and of the Communion which they haue with him as with their head And his resurrection is the cause and assurance of ours The Resurrection of Christ is a Christians particuler faith the Resurrection of the dead is the childe of Gods chiefest confidence Therefore Christians in the Primitiue Church were wont to salute one another in the morning with these phrases The Lord is risen and the other would answere True The Lord is risen indeede The sixt end of the Lords Supper 6 To seale vnto vs the assurance of euerlasting life Oh what more wished or loued then life Or what doe all men more either feare or abhorre then death Yet is this first death nothing if it be compared with the second death neither is this life any thing worth in comparison of the life to come If therefore thou desirest to be assured of eternall life prepare thy selfe to be a worthy receiuer of this blessed Sacrament For our Sauiour assureth vs That if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread that I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world Hee therefore who duely eateth of this holy Sacrament may truely say not onely Credo vitam aeternam I beleeue the life euerlasting but also Edo vitam aeternam I eate life euerlasting And indeed this is the true tree of life which GOD hath planted in the middest of the Paradise of the Church And whereof hee hath promised to giue euery one that ouercommeth to eate And this tree of life by infinite degrees excelleth the tree of life that grew in the Paradise of Eden for that had his roote in the earth this from heauen that gaue but life to the body this to the soule that did but preserue the life of the liuing this restoreth life to the dead The leaues of this tree healeth the Nation of beleeuers and it yeelds euery moneth a new manner of fruit which nourisheth them to life euerlasting Oh blessed are they who often eate of this Sacrament at lest once euery moneth taste anew of this renewing fruit which Christ hath prepared for vs at his Table to heale our infirmities and to confirme our beleefe of life euerlasting The seauenth end of the Lords Supper 7 To binde all Christians as it were by an
Sabbath vvhich wee call the Lords day and which he himselfe ordained according to Christs commandement in the same Churches of Galatia and Corinth kept himselfe in other Churches but he speakes of the Iewish daies and times and yeeres and the keeping of the Sabbath on the seauenth day from the Creation which he tearmeth shadowes of things to come abolished now by Christ the body and in the Law are called sabbaths but distinguished from the morall Sabbaths 2 That of Paul to the Colossians let no man therfore condemne you in meate or drinke or in respect of an Holy-day or of the new moone or of the Sabbath dayes But here the Apostle meaneth the Iewish ceremoniall Sabbaths not the Christian Lords day as before 3 That of the same Apostle to the Romanes This man esteemeth one day aboue another day and another counteth euery day alike c. But Saint Paul makes no such account For the question there is not betweene Iew Gentiles but betweene the stronger and weaker Christian The stronger esteemed one day aboue another as appeares in that there vvas a day both commanded and receiued in the Church euery where knowne and honoured by the name of the Lords day And therefore Paul saith here that hee that obserued this day obserued it vnto the Lord. The obseruation whereof because of the change of the Iewish seuenth day some weake Christians as many now a dayes thought not so necessary so that if men because the Iewish day is abrogated will not honour and keepe holy the Lords day but count it like other dayes it is an argument saith the Apostle of their weaknesse whose infirmitie must be borne till they haue time to be further instructed and perswaded Other obiections are friuolous and not worth the answering The true manner of keeping holy the Lords day NOW the sanctifying of the Sabbath consists in two things First In resting from all seruile and common businesse pertaining to our naturall life Secondly In consecrating that rest wholy to the seruice of God and the vse of those holy meanes which belong to our spirituall life For the first 1 The seruile and common workes from which wee are to cease are generally all ciuill workes from the least to the greatest More particularly First from all the workes of our calling though it were reaping in the time of haruest Secondly from carrying burthens as Carryers doe or riding abroad for profit or for pleasure GOD hath commanded that the beasts should rest on the Sabbath day because all occasion of trauailing or labouring vvith them should be cut off from man GOD giues them that day a rest and he that without necessitie depriues them of their rest on the Lords day the groanes of the poore tyred beasts shall in the day of the Lord rise vp in Iudgement against him Likewise such as spend the greatest part of this day in trimming painting and pampering of themselues like Iezabels doing the Diuels worke vpon Gods day Thirdly from keeping of Fayres â—r Markets which for the most part God punisheth with pestilence fire and strange flouds Fourthly from studying any books or science but the holy Scriptures Diuinity For our studie must be to bee rauished in spirit vpon the Lords day In a word Thou must on that day cease in thy calling to doe thy worke that the Lord by his calling may doe his worke in thee For whatsoeuer is gotten by common working on this day shall neuer be blessed of the Lord but it will prooue like Achans golde which being got contrary to the Lords commandement brought the fire of Gods curse vpon all the rest which hee had lawfully gotten And if Christ scourged them out as theeues who bought and sold in his Temple which was but a ceremony shortly to be abrogated is it to bee thought that hee will euer suffer those to escape vnpunished who contrary to his commandement buy and sell on the Sabbath day which is his perpetuall law Christ calleth such sacrilegious Theeues and as well may they steale the Communion Câ—p from the Lords Table as steale from GOD the chiefest part of the Lords day to consume it in their owne lasts Such shall one day finde the Iudgements of God heauier then the opinions of men Fiftly from all recreations and sports which at other times are lawfull for if lawfull workes be forbidden on this day much more lawfull sports which do more steale away our affections from the contemplation of heauenly things then any bodily worke or labour Neither can there bee vnto a man that delighteth in the Lord any greater delâ—ght or recreation then the sanctifying of the Lords day For can there be any greater ioy for a person condemned then to come to his Prince his house to haue his pardon sealed For one that is deadly sicke to come to a Phisitian that can cure him Or for a Prodigall childe that fed on the huskes of Swine to bee admitted to eate the bread of life at his Fathers Table Or for him who feares for sinne the tydings of death to come to heare from God the assurance of eternall life If thou wilt allow thy selfe or thy seruant recreation allow it in the sixe daies which are thine not on the Lords day which is neither thine nor theirs No bodily receation therefore is to bee vsed on this day but so farre as it may helpe the soule to doe more cheerefully the seruice of the Lord. Sixtly from grosse feeding liberall drinking of wine or strong drinke which may make vs either drowsiâ— or vnapt to serue GOD with our hearts and mindes Seuenthly from all talking about wordly things which hindreth the sanctifying of the Sabbath more then working seeing one may worke alone but cannot talke but with others He that keepes the Sabbath onely by resting from his ordinary worke keepes it but as a beast But rest on this day is so farre commanded to Christians as it is an helpe to sanctification and labour so farre forbidden as it is an impediment to the outward and inward worship of GOD. If then those recreations which are lawfull at other times are on the Sabbath not allowed much more those that are altogether at all times vnlawfull Who without mourning can endure to see how in most places Christians keepe the Lords day as if they celebrated a feast rather to Bacchus then to the honour of the Lord Iesus the Sauiour and Redeemer of the world For hauing serued God but an houre in outward shew they spend the rest of the Lords day in sitting downe to eate and drinke and rising vp to play First balasting their bellies with eating and drinking and then feeding their lusts with playing and dancing Against which prophanation all holy Diuines both old and new haue in their times most bitterly inueighed Insomuch that August affirmeth that it was better to plough
prison of vtter darkenesse S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be forsaken of all thy Disciples C. That I might reconcile thee vnto God of whom thou wast forsaken for thy sinnes S. Lord wherfore wouldest thou stand to be apprehended alone C. To shew thee that my loue of thy saluation was more then the loue of all my Disciples S. Lord wherefore was the young man caught by the Souldiers and onstript of his linnen who came out of his bed hearing the stir at thy apprehension and leading to the high Priest C. To shew their outrage in apprehending me and my power in preseruing out of their outragious hands all my Disciples who otherwise had been worse handled by them then was that young man S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be bound C. That I might lose the cordes of thine iniquities S. Lord why wast thou denied of Peter C. That I might confesse thee before my Father and thou mightest learne that there is no trust in man and that Saluation proceedes of my meere mercy S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou bring Peter to repentance by the crowing of a cocke C. That none should despise the meanes which God hath appointed for their conuersion though they seeme neuer so meane S. Lord wherefore diddest thou at the Cock-crowing turne and looke vpon Peter C. Because thou mightest know that without the helpe of my grace no meanes can turne a sinner vnto God when he is once falne from him S. Lord wherefore wast thou couered with a purple roabe C. That thou mightest perceiue that it was I that did away thy Scarlet sinnes S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be crowned with thornes C. That by wearing thorns the first fruits of the curse it might appeare that it is I which takes away the sinnes and curse of the world and crownes thee vvith the crowne of life and glory S. Lord why was a Reede put into thine hand C. That it might appeare that I came not to breake the brused Reede S. Lord wherefore wast thou mocked of the Iewes C. That thou mightest insult ouer Diuels who otherwise would haue mocked thee as the Philistims did Sampson S. Lord wherfore wouldest thou haue thy blessed face defiled with spittle C. That I might clense thy face from the shame of sinne S. Wherfore Lord were thine eyes hood-winkt with a vaile C. That thy spiritual blindnesse being remoued thou mightest behold the face of my Father in heauen S. Lord wherefore did they bâ—ffet thee with fists and beat thee with staues C. That thou mightest be freed from the stroakes and tearings of infernall fiends S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be reuiled C. That God might speake peace vnto thee by his word and spirit S. Lord wherefore was thy face disfigured with blowes and bloud C. That thy face might shine glorious as the Angels in heauen S. Lord wherefore wouldst thou be so cruelly scourged C. That thou mightest be freed from the sting of conscience and whips of euerlasting torments S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be arraigned at Pilats barre C. That thou mightest at the last day be acquited before my iudgement seat S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be falsly accused C. That thou shouldest not he iustly condemned S. Lord wherefore wast thou turned ouer to be condemned by a strâ—nge Iudge C. That thou being redeemed from the captiuity of a hellish Tyrant mightest bee restored to God whose owne thou arâ— by right S. Wherefore O Christ didst thou acknowledge that Pilate had power ouer thee from aboue C. That Antichrist vnder pretence of being my Vicar should not exalt himselfe aboue all Principalities and Powers S. Lord why wouldest thou suffer thy passion vnder Pontius Pilate being a Romane President to Caesar of Rome C. To shew that the Caesarian and â—ontifician policie of Rome should chiefely persecute my Church and crucifie me in my members S. But why O Lord wouldest thou be condemned C. That the law being condemned in me thou mightest not be condemned by it S. But why wast thou condemned seeing nothing could be proâ—ed against thee C. That thou mightest know that it was not for my fault but for thine that I suffered S. Lord wherefore wast thou led to suffer out of the City C. That I might bring thee to rest in the heauenly Citie S. Lord why did the Iewes compell Simon of Cyrene comming out of the field to carrie thy Crosse. C. To shew the weakâ—nesse whereunto the burthen of thy sinnes brought me and what must be euery Christans case which goeth out of the field of this world toward the heauenly Ierusalem S. Lord why wast thou vnstripped of thy garments C. That thou mightest see how I forsooke all to redeeme thee S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be lift vp vpon a Crosse C. That I might lift thee vp with me to heauen S. Lord wherefore diddest thou hang vpon a cursed tree C. That I might satisfie for the sin committed in eating the forbidden fruit of a tree S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou hang betweene two theeues C. That thou my deare soule mightest haue place in the midst of heauenly Angels S. Lord wherefore were thy hands and feete nayled to the Crosse C. To enlarge thy hands to doe the workes of righteousnesse and to set thy feete at libertie to walke in the wayes of peace S. Lord wherefore did they crucifie thee in Golgotha the place of dead mens souls C. To assure thee that my death is life vnto the dead S. Lord why did 〈◊〉 the Souldiers diuide thy seamelesse coate C. To shew that my church is one vvithout rent of Schisme S. Lord wherefore didst thou taste vinegar and gall C. That thou mightest eate the bread of Angels and drinke the water of life S. Lord why saidst thou vpon the Crosse It is finished C. That thou mightest know that by my death the Law was fulfilled and thy redemption effected S. Lord why didst thou cry out vpon the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me C. Least thou being forsaken of God shouldest haue beene driuen to cry in the paines of hell Woe and alas for euermore S. Lord wherefore was there such a 〈◊〉 darknesse when thou didst suffer and cry out â—n the Crosse C. That thou mightest see an Image of those Hellish pâ—inâ—â— which I 〈…〉 deliuer thee from 〈◊〉 lesse paines of Hell and euerlasting chaines of darknesse S. Lord why wouldest thou haue thin◠〈…〉 bread C. That I might embrace thee more louingly my sweet soule S. Loâ—d how 〈◊〉 thâ— theefe that neuer wrought good before obtaine Paradise vpon so short repentance C. That thou maist see the power of my death to forgiue them that repent that no sinner needs despaire S. Lord why did not the other
Saint Paul together with seauen of the chiefe Euangelists of the Church Sopater Aristarchus Secundus Gayus Timotheus Tichicus and Trophimus and all the Christians that were there kept the holy Sabbath on the first day of the weeke in praying preaching and receiuing the Lords Supper And as it is a thing to be noted that Luke saith not that the Disciples were sent for to heare Paul preach but the Disciples being come together to breake bread vpon the first day of the weeke that is to be partakers of the holy Communion at what time the Lords death vvas by the preaching of the word shewed 1 Cor. 11.26 Paul preached vnto them c. And that none kept these meetings but Christians who onely are called Disciples Act. 11.26 But at Philippi vvhere as yet there were no Disciples Paul is said to goe on their Sabbath day to the place where the Iewes and their Proselites were wont to pray and there preached vnto them Acts 16.12.13 so that it is as cleare as the Sun that it vvas the Christians vsuall manner to passe ouer the Iewish seauenth day and to keepe the Sabbath and their holy meetings on the first day of the vveeke And why doth S. Iohn call this the Lords day but because it was a day knowne to be generally kept holy to the honour of the Lord Iesus who rose from death to life vpon that day throughout all the Churches which the Apostles planted Which Saint Iohn calleth the Lords day the rather to stirre vp Christians to a thankefull remembrance of their Redemption by Christ his Resurrection from the dead And vvith the day the blessing of the Sabbath is likewise translated to the Lords day because that all the sanctification belonging to this new world is in CHRIST and from him conuayed to Christians And because there cannot come a greater authoritie then that of Christ and his Apostles nor the like cause as the new creation of the vvorld therefore the Sabbath can neuer be altered from this day to any other vvhilest this vvorld lasteth Adde hereunto how the Scripture noteth that in the first planting setling of the Church nothing was done but by the speciall order and direction of the Apostles 1 Cor. 11.34 1 Cor. 14.36.37 Tit. 1.5 Acts 15.6.24 and the Apostles did nothing but what they had vvarrant for from Christ 1 Cor. 11.23 To sanctifie then the Sabboth on the seauenth day is not a ceremoniall Law abrogated but the morall and perpetuall Law of God perfected So that the same perpetuall Commaundement which bound the Iewes to keepe the Sabbath on that seauenth day to celebrate the worlds creation bindes Christians to solemnize the Sabbath on this seauenth day in memoriall of the worlds Redemption for the fourth Commandement being a Morall Law requireth a seauenth day to be kept holy for euer And the Moralitie of this as of the rest of the Commandements is more religiously to be kept of vs vnder the Gospel then of the Iewes vnder the Law by how much we in Baptisme haue made a more speciall Couenant vvith God to keepe his Commandements and God hath couenanted vvith vs to free vs from the Curse and to assist vs vvith his spirit to keepe his Lawes And that this Commandement of the Sabbath as vvell as the other nine is Morall and perpetuall may plainely appeare by these reasons Tenne Reasons demonstrating the commandement of the Sabbath to be Morall 1 BEcause all the reasons of this Commandement are morall and perpetuall And God hath bound vs to the obedience of this Commandement with more forcible reasons then to any of the rest First because he did fore-see that irreligious men vvould eyther more carelesly neglect or more boldly breake this Commandement then any other Secondly because that in the practise of this Commandement the keeping of all the other consisteth vvhich makes GOD so often complaine that all his worship is neglected or ouer-throwne when the Sabbath is eyther neglected or transgressed It vvould make a man amazed saith Mr. Caluin to consider how eft and vvith what zeale protestation God requireth all that will be his people to sanctifie the seauenth day Yea how the God of mercy mercilesly punisheth the breach of this Commandement with cruell death as though it were the summe of his vvhole honour and seruice And it is certaine that hee who makes no conscience to breake the Sabbath will not to serue his turne make any conscience to breake any of the other Commandements so hee may doe it without discredit of his reputation or danger of mans law Therefore God placed this Commandement in the middest of the two Tables because the keeping of it is the best helpe to the keeping of all the rest The conscionable keeping of the Sabbath is the Mother of all Religion and good discipline in the Church Take away the Sabbath and let euery man serue God when hee listeth and vvhat vvill shortly become of Religion and that peace and order which God will haue to be kept in his Church The Sabbath day is Gods Market day for the weekes prouision wherein hee vvill haue vs to come vnto him and buy of him without siluer or money the Bread of Angels and Water of life the Wine of the Sacraments and Milke of the Word to feede our Soules tryed Gold to enrich our Faith precious eye-salue to heale our spirituall blindenesse and the white rayment of Christs righteousnesse to couer our filthy nakednesse Hee is not farre from true Pietie who makes conscience to keepe the Sabbath day but he who can dispense with his conscience to breake the Sabbath for his owne profit or pleasure his heart neuer yet felt what eyther the feare of God or true Religion meaneth For of this Commandement may that speech of S. Iames be verified he that faileth in one is guiltie of all Seeing therefore that GOD hath fenced this Commandement vvith so many morall reasons it is euident that the Commandement it selfe is morall 2 Because it vvas commanded of GOD to Adam in his Innocencie vvhilest holding his happinesse not by Faith in Christs Merits but by Obedience to Gods Law hee needed no Ceremonie shadowing the Redemption of Christ. A Sabbath therefore of a seauenth day cannot be simply a Ceremonie but an essentiall part of Gods worship enioyned vnto man vvhen there vvas but one condition of all men And if it was necessary for our first Parents to haue a Sabbath day to serue GOD in their perfection much more neede their Posteritie to keepe the Sabbath in the state of their corruption And seeing God himselfe kept this day holy how can that man be holy that doth wilfully prophane it 3 Because it is one of the commandements which God spake with his owne mouth and twice vvrote with his owne Fingers in Tables of stone to signifie their authoritie and perpetuitie All that God wrote were morall and perpetuall commandements and
to doe the duties of his calling This is specially to be obserued of Ministers and Iudges Sixtly A religious Fast which a man voluntarily vndertakes to make his body and soule the fitter to pray more feruently vnto GOD vpon some extraordinarie occasion And of this fast onely wee are to treate The Religious Fast is of two sorts eyther priuate or publike 1 Of a priuate Fast. THat vvee may rightly performe a priuate Fast foure things are to be obserued first the Author secondly the Time and Occasion thirdly the Manner fourthly the Ends of priuate Fasting 1 Of the Author The first that ordained Fasting was God himselfe in Paradise and it was the first Law that God made in commanding Adam to abstaine from eating the forbidden fruit GOD would not pronounce nor write his Law without Fasting and in his Law commands all his people to Fast. So doth our Sauiour Christ teach all his Disciples vnder the New Testament likewise By religious Fasting a man comes neerest the life of Angels and to do Gods will on earth as it is done in heauen Yea Nature seemeth to teach man this duty in giuing him a little mouth and a narrower throaete for Nature is content with a little Grace with lesse Neyther doth Nature and Grace agree in any one act better then in this exercise of religious Fasting for it strengtheneth the memory and cleareth the minde illuminateth the vnderstanding and bridleth the affections mortifieth the flesh and preserueth chastitie preuenteth sicknesse and continueth health it deliuereth from euils and procureth all kinde of blessings By breaking this Fast the Serpent ouer-threw the first Adam so that hee lost Paradise But by keeping a Fast the second Adam vanquished the Serpent and restored vs into Heauen Fasting was she who couered Noâ—h safe in the Arke whom Intemperance vncouered and left starke naked in the Vineyard By fasting Lot quenched the flame of Sodome whom drunkennesse scorched with the fire of Incest Religious Fasting and talking vvith GOD made Moses face to shine before men when Idolatrous eating and drinking caused the Israelites to appeare abhominable in the sight of GOD. It rapt Elias in an Angelicall Coach to Heauen when voluptuous Ahab was sent in a bloudy Chariot to Hell It made Herod beleeue that Iohn Baptist should liue after death by a blessed resurrection when after an intemperate life hee could promise nothing to himselfe but eternall death and destruction O diuine Ordinance of a diuine Author 2 Of the Time The holy Scripture appoints no time vnder the new Testament to fast but leaues it vnto Christians owne free choyse Rom. 14.3 1 Cor. 7.5 to fast as occasions shall be offered vnto them Mat. 9.15 As when a man becomes an humble and earnest suiter vnto God for the pardon of some grosse sinne committed or for the preuention of some sinne whereunto a man feeles himselfe by Sathan sollicited or to obtaine some speciall blessing which hee wants or to auert some Iudgement which a man feares or is already fallen vpon himselfe or others or lastly to subdue his flesh vnto his spirit that hee may more cheerefully poure forth his Soule vnto God by prayer Vpon these occasions a man may fast a day or longer as his occasion requires and the constiâ—uâ—ion of his body and other needfull affayres will permit 3 Of the manner of a priuate Fast. The true manner of performing a priuate Fast consists partly in outward partly in inward actions The outward Actions are to abstaine for the time that wee fast First from all worldly businesse and labour making our fasting day as it were a Sabbath day Leuit. 23.28 for worldly businesse will distract our mindes from holy deuotion Secondly from all manner of foode yea from bread and water so farre as health will permit 1 That so we may acknowledge our owne indignitie as being vnworthy both of life all the meanes for the maintenance thereof 2. That by afflicting the body the soule which followeth the constitution thereof may be the more humbled 3. That so wee may take a godly reuenge vpon our selues for abusing our libertie in the vse of Gods Creatures 4. That by the hunger of our bodies through want of these earthly things our Soules may learne to hunger more eagerly after spirituall and heauenly foode 5. To put vs in minde that as vvee abstaine from foode which is lawfull so wee should much more abstaine from Sinne which is altogether vnlawfull Thirdly from good and costly Apparell that as the abuse of these puffes vs vp with pride so the laying aside their lawfull vse may witnesse our humilitie And to this end in auncient times they vsed especially in publike Fasts to put on Sacke-cloath or other course apparell The equitie hereof stil remaineth especially in publike Fasts at what time to come into the Assembly vvith starched bands crisped haire braue apparell and decked with â—lowers or perfumes argueth a Soule that is neyther humbled before GOD nor euer knew the true vse of so holy an exercise Fourthly from the full measure of ordinary sleepe That thou maist that vvay also humble the body and that thy soule may watch and pray to be prepared for the comming of Christ. And if thou vvilt breake thy-sleepe earely and late for worldly gaine how much more shouldest thou doe it for the seruice of God And if Ahab in imitation of the godly did in his fast lie in Sacke-cloath to breake his sleepe by night what shall wee thinke of those vvho on a fasting day will yeeld themselues to sleepe in the open Church Fiftly and lastly from all outward pleasures of our senses So that as it was not the throate onely that sinned so must not the throate onely be punished and therefore vve must endeuour to make our eyes as at all times so especially on that day to fast from beholding vanities our eares from hearing mirth or Musicke but such as may moue to mourne our nostrils from pleasant smels our tongues from lying dissembling and slandering yea the vse of the Marriage bed must be omitted in a religious reuerence of the diuine Maiestie That so nothing may hinder our true humiliation but that all may be signes that vve are vnfainedly humbled Thus much of the outward manner 2 The inward manner of Fasting consists in two things 1. Repentance 2. Prayer Repentance hath two parts 1. Penitencie for sinnes past 2. Amendement of life in time to come This penitency consists in 3. things First an inward insight of sinne and sense of miserie Secondly a bewailing of thy vile estate Thirdlie an humble and particuler confession of all thy knowne sinnes 1 Of the inward insight of sinne and sense of miserie This sense and insight will be effected in thee First by considering thy sinnes especially thy grosse sinnes according to the circumstances of the time when place where
which was the Lord. Some receiue the spirituall grace without the outward signe as the Saint-Theefe on the Crosse and innumerable of the faithfull who dying desire it but cannot receiue it through some externall impediments but the worthy Receiuers to their comfort receiue both in the Lords Supper Christ chose Bread and Wine rather then any other Elements to be the outward signes in this blessed Sacrament first because they are easiest for all sorts to attaine vnto secondly to teach vs that as mans temporall life is chiefely nourished by bread and cherished by wine so are our soules by his body and bloud sustained and quickned vnto eternall life Hee appointed Wine vvith the Bread to be the outward signe in this Sacrament to teach vs first that as the perfect nourishment of mans Body consists both of meate and drinke so Christ is vnto our soules not in part but in perfection both saluation and nourishment secondly that by seeing the Sacramentall Wine apart from the Bread wee should remember how all his precious bloud was spild out of his blessed body for the remission of our sinnes The outward Signes the Pastor giues in the Church and thou dost eate vvith the mouth of thy body the spirituall grace Christ reacheth from Heauen and thou must eate it with the mouth of thy Faith 3 Of the Ends for which this holy Sacrament was ordained The excellent and admirable Ends or fruits for vvhich this blessed Sacrament vvas ordayned are seauen Of the first end of the Lords Supper 1 To keepe Christians in a continuall remembrance of that propitiatory sacrifice which Christ once for all offered by his death vpon the crosse to reconcile vs vnto GOD. Doe this saith Christ in remembrance of me And saith the Apostle As oft as yee shall eat this bread and drinke this cup yee doe shew the Lords death till hee come And he saith that by this Sacrament and the preaching of the word Iesus Christ was so euidently set forth before the eies of the Galathians as if he had beene crucified among them For the whole action representeth Christs death the breaking of the bread blessed the crucifying of his blessed body and the pouring forth of the sanctified wine the shedding of his holy bloud Christ was once in himselfe really offered but as oft as this Sacrament is celebrated so oft is hee spiritually offered by the faithful Hence the Lords Supper is called a propitiatorie sacrifice not preperly and really but figuratiuely because it is a memoriall of that propitiatory Sacrifice which Christ offered vpon the Crosse. And to distinguish it from that reall sacrifice the Fathers call it the vnbloudy Sacrifice It is also called the Eucharist because that the Church in this action offereth vnto God the sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing for her redemption effected by the true and onely expiatory sacrifice of Christ vpon the Crosse. If the sight of Moabs King sacrificing on his walles his owne sonne to moue his gods to rescue his life 2 King 3.27 mooued the assayling Kings to such pitty that they ceast their assault and raised their siege how should the spirituall sight of God the Father sacrificing on the Crosse his onely begotten sonne to saue thy soule mooue thee to loue God thy Redeemer and to leaue sinne that could not in iustice be expiated by any meaner ransome Of the second end of the Lords Supper 2 To confirme our faith for God by this Sacrament doth signifie and seale vnto vs from heauen that according to the promise and new couenant which he hath made in Christ he will truely receiue into his grace and mercy all penitent beleeuers who duely receiue this holy Sacrament and that for the merits of the death and passion of Christ hee will as verily forgiue them all their sinnes as they are made partakers of this Sacrament In this respect the holy Sacrament is called the seale of the new Couenant and remission of sins In our greatest doubts wee may therefore receiuing this Sacrament vndoubtedly say with Sampsons mother If the Lord would kill vs hee would not haue receiued a burnt offering and a meat-offering at our hands neither would he haue shewed all these things nor would at this time haue told vs such things as these Of the 3. ende of the Lords Supper 3 To bee a pledge and symbole of the most neere effectuall communion which Christians haue with Christ. The cuppe 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 that is a most effectuall signe and pledge of our Communion with Christ. This vnion is called abiding in vs ioyning to the Lord dwelling in our hearts and set forth in the holy Scriptures by diuers Similies First of the Vine and branches Secondly of the head and body Thirdly of the foundation and building Fourthly of one Loafe confected of many graines Fiftly of the matrimoniall vnion twixt man and wife and such like And it is threefold betwixt Christ and Christians The first is naturall betwixt our humane nature and Christs diuine nature in the person of the vvord The second is mysticall betwixt our persons absent from the Lord and the person of Christ God and Man into one mysticall body The third is celestiall betwixt our persons present with the Lord and the person of Christ in a body glorified these three coniunctions depend each vpon other For had not our nature beene first hypostatically vnited to the nature of GOD in the second person wee could neuer haue been vnited to Christ in a mysticall body And if wee be not in this life though absent vnited to Christ by a mysticall vnion wee shall neuer haue communion of glory with him in his heauenly presence The mysticall communion chiefly heere meant is wrought betwixt Christ and vs by the Spirit of Christ apprehending vs and by our faith stirred vp by the same spirit apprehending Christ againe Both which Saint Paul doth most liuely expresse I follow after If that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Iesus How can hee fall away that holdeth and is so firmely holden This vnion he shall best vnderstand in his minde who doth most feele it in his heart But of all other times this vnion is best felt and most confirmed when wee doe duely receiue the Lords Supper For then we shall sensibly feele our hearts knit vnto Christ and the desires of our soules drawn by faith and the holy Ghost as by the cordes of loue neerer and neerer to his holinesse From this Communion with Christ there followeth to the faithfull many vnspeakeable benefits As first Christ tooke by imputation al their sinnes and guiltinesse vpon him to satisfie Gods iustice for them and he freely giues by imputation vnto vs all his righteousnesse in this life and all his
right vnto eternall life when this is ended And counteth all the good or ill that is done vnto vs as done vnto his owne person Secondly their floweth from Christs nature into our nature vnited to him the liuely spirit and breath of grace which renueth vs to a spirituall life and so sanctifieth our mindes wils and affections that wee dayly growe more and more conformable to the Image of Christ. Thirdly hee bestoweth vpon them all sauing graces necessary to attaine eternall life as the sense of Gods loue the assurance of our election with regeneration iustification and grace to doe good workes till we come to liue with him in his heauenly kingdome This should teach all true Christians to keepe themselues as the vndefiled members of Christs holy body and to beware of all vncleanenesse and filthynesse knowing that they liue in Christ or rather that Christ liueth in them From this vnion with Christ sealed vnto vs by the Lords Supper Saint Paul draweth arguments to withdraw the Corinthians from the pollution both of Idolatry 1 Cor. 10.16 and Adultery 1 Cor. 16.15.16 c. Lastly from the former Communion twixt Christ and Christians there flowes an other communion twixt Christians among themselues Which is also liuely represented by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in that the whole Church being many doe all communicate of one bread in that holy action We being many are one bread and one body for wee are all partakers of that one bread that as the bread which we eate in the Sacrament is but one though it be confected of many graines so all the faithfull though they be many yet are they but one mysticall body vnder one head which is Christ. Our Sauiour praied 5. times in that prayer which hee made after his last Supper that his Disciples might bee one to teach vs at once how much this vnity pleaseth him This vnion betwixt the faithfull is so ample that no distance of place can part it so strong that death cannot dissolue it so durable that time cannot weare it out so effectual that it breeds a feruent loue betwixt those who neuer saw one anothers face And this coniunction of Soules is termed the Communion of Saints which Christs effecteth by 7. speciall meanes First by gouerning them all by one and the same holy Spirit Secondly by enduing them all with one and the same faith Thirdly by shedding abroad his owne loue into all their hearts Fiftly by regenerating them all by one and the same Baptisme Sixtly by nourishing them all with one and the same spirituall foode Seauenthly by being one quickning Head of that one Body of his Church vvhich hee reconciled to GOD in the body of his flesh Hence it vvas that the multitude of Beleeuers in the Primitiue Church 〈◊〉 of one heart and of one soule in truth affection and compassion And this should teach Christ 〈◊〉 to loue one another seeing they are all members of the same holy and mysticall body vvhereof Christ is Heâ—d And therefore they should haue all a Christian Sympathie and fellow-feeling to reioyce one in anothers ioy to condole one in anothers griefe to beare vvith one anothers infirmitie and mutually to relieue one anothers wants Of the fourth end of the Lords Supper 4 To feede the Soules of the faithfull in the assured hope of life euerlasting for this Sacrament is a Signe and pledge vnto as many as shall receiue the same according to Christs Institution that hee vvill according to his promise by the vertue of his crucified body and bloud as verily feede our soules to lie eternall as our bodies are by Bread and Wine nourished to this temporall life And to this end Christ in the action of the Sacrament really giueth his very body and bloud to euery faithfull Receiuer Therefore the Sacrament is called the Communion of the Body and Bloud of the Lord. And communication is not of things absent but present neyther were it the Lords Supper if the Lords Body and Bloud vvere not there Christ is verily present in the Sacrament by a double vnion vvhereof the first is spirituall twixt Christ and the worthy Receiuer the second is Sacramentall twixt the body and bloud of Christ and the outward Signes in the Sacrament The former is wrought by meanes that the same holy Spirit dwelling in Christ and in the Faithfull incorporateth the Faithfull as Members vnto Christ their Head and so makes them one vvith Christ and pertakers of all the Graces Life Holinesse and eternall Glory vvhich is in him as sure and as verily as they heare the wordes of the promise and are partakers of the outward Signes of the holy Sacrament Hence it is that the vvill of Christ is a true Christians vvill and the Christians life is Christ vvho liueth in him Gal. 2.20 If you looke to the things that are vnited this Vnion is essentiall If to the Truth of this Vnion it is reall If to the manner how it is wrought it is spirituall It is not our Faith that makes the Body and Bloud of Christ to be present but the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him and vs. Our Faith doth but receiue and apply vnto our Soules those heauenly graces which are offered in the Sacrament The other being the Sacramentall Vnion is not a Phisicall or locall but a spirituall coniunction of the earthly Signes vvhich are Bread and Wine vvith the heauenly Graces which are the Body and Bloud of Christ in the act of receiuing as if by a mutuall relation they vvere but one and the same thing Hence it is that in the same instant of time that the worthy Receiuer eateth vvith his mouth the Bread and Wine of the Lord hee eateth also vvith the mouth of his Faith the very Body and Bloud of Christ. Not that Christ is brought downe from Heauen to the Sacrament but that the holy Spirit by the Sacrament lifts vp his minde vnto Christ not by any locall mutation but by a deuout affection so that in the holy contemplation of Faith hee is at that present with Christ and Christ with him And thus beleeuing and meditating how Christ his Body vvas crucified and his precious Bloud shed for the remission of his sinnes and the reconciliation of his Soule vnto GOD his Soule is hereby more effectually fed in the assurance of eternall Life then Bread and Wine can nourish his body to this temporall life There must be therefore of necessitie in the sacrament both the outward signes to be visibly seene with the eyes of the body and the Body and Bloud of Christ to be spiritually discerned with the Eye of Faith But the forme how the Holy Ghost makes the Body of Christ being absent from vs in place to be present vvith vs by our vnion S. Paul tearmes A great Mysterie such as our vnderstanding cannot worthily comprehend The Sacramentall Bread and