of thy selfe so be stript and empty of all good and grace in thy selfe feele in thy soule an utter absence of life of sence motion and power towards the inner man of grace Lie before the Lords Sacrament as a forlorne wretch Say thus If thy baptisme Lord be for my regeneration what am I without it A dead dogge a very lumpe and masse of sinne and curse utterly void of the least dramme of life savoring nothing but earth vanity lusts world pleasures a very slave to these and a very carcasse of all goodnesse and being of God Oh Lord strip me starke naked plucke off my mufflers shame me drive me out of my selfe as one poore miserable blind and naked This is the first worke of faith to put off the soules ragges and to void all conceit of life hope or grace in it selfe and to set it before the Lord as Adams red earth lay before him when he was to breathe the life of Creation into it Now the Lord is creating thee anew by his Sacrament Remember Creation is of nothing Baptisme never made new creature where it finds any thing of ones own Baptisme should then not create but rather draw somewhat out of our owne principles to make us somewhat to which we bring matter of our owne Oh! people come to the Sacrament full of their owne devotions and looke that God should make them new creatures of their owne stuffe this were to patch and soden our old not to create a new man in us Apply our selves to the Word Secondly being thus nothing in our selves apply wee our selves by the word to the worke of the Spirit of union Sacramentall bare poore empty water which hath in it selfe no Sacramentall substance yet by the vnion of the Spirit of Baptisme incloseth the Lord Iesus to regeneration in it If thou canst say water is not a more beggerly Element in the Sacrament without Christ than thy soule is emptie unsubsisting without regeneration Looke to the Lord by thy faith and pull hard at him for the Spirit of Baptisme to renew a life a spirit and being of pardon and holinesse in thee If while the word lasts and the Spirit of Baptisme endures even to the worlds end Christ and water shall never be sundred from the Sacrament Beleeve thou as firmely that Christ as water shall never be severed from thy poore soule that lies humbly before him destitute of all life in thy selfe and lost for ever except Christ be thy life and succour I say the Lord Iesus shall never be wanting to such a soule in the point of regeneration Plead then thy cause strongly with the Lord behold here is Christ in water What letteth why thou maist not be baptised Actâ— 8 16. as Philip said of the Eunuch Shall water ever lose her cleansing Were it not madnesse to thinke so And shall Iesus Christ then lose his power to cleanse the soule Hath hee not annexed his cleansing to waters cleansing Is it possible that all the divels in hell can dissolve the Sacramentall Vnion of Christ and water Oh Lord why is this Vnion and for what serves it Is it good for any thing save as it is Sacramentall Was it Christ before Is it Christ after No sure but during the Sacrament onely And why so Surely to teach me all this Vnion is for me Christ water serves for my soules washing He delights not to be one with a base Element for it selfe but that in and with a creature of a cleansing quality he might flow into my soule with his renewing Spirit Oh Lord I beleeve thy word Lord let thy Spirit convey thee with water into my soule Be it Oh Lord as thou hast said Separate not thy Spirit from thy Sacrament but give it the power of begetting mee to the life of faith and a new creature 3 Abhorre carnal reason Ioh. 3.9 Thirdly look off from all thy carnall reason and the sillinesse of the creature Say not with Nicodemus How shall this be Consult not with flesh and bloud cavill not 1 Ioh. 5 8. Mat. 3 ult aske no further signe thou hast three in heaven and three in earth bearing witnesse to Gods truth Water is one of these it is the instrument of the Spirit though it be on earth yet that is from heaven call not for a voyce from heaven the second time it s enough that in the Baptisme of Christ it as manifest Hold close to the Word and Promise Go teach and Baptize and lo Mat. 28 ult I am with you till the end Let all conceits of Reason vanish in the truth of God and when corruption hath done all it can yet roll thy selfe upon the promise and by the Perspective glasse thereof thou shalt see that grace in the Sacrament which else is invisible to flesh and covered under the ashes of unbeleefe Let all be quâ—sht with this My soule God hath said it I see nothing but water but there is Christ with water to regeneration Lastly cloze with the Spirit and meete it at the Sacrament 4 Close with the Spirit of the Sacrament If thou meete it not there it s because thou bringest not faith with thee for that is there for ever inseparably Grone in thy spirit unto the Spirit of Christ that thee may susteine thy bottomelesse heart in her desire after the grace of the Sacrament Say thus Oh blessed Spirit of Baptisme remember thou wert given by the Lord Iesus at his ascension for thy Church Ioh. 7.56.57 Now Christ is glorified Ioh 7 56 57 now let thy Spirit be given to bring the life of the Sacrament into mee Once when the world was a Chaos the Spirit of creation fostred and brooded the waters and brought forth order and matter for each part of the world Oh now come downe with thy fire and warme this water make it effectuall for the scattering of my darkenesse errour rebellion corruption Gen. 1 2. and the purging of old Adam the mortifying and consuming of my concupiscence and lusts And then travell againe with mee in this thy ordinance till Christ and the new creature be formed in mee Make mee thy off-spring Gal 4 19 and generation breede the thoughts affections and disposition of the new birth in me Oh make this fountaine â—nd laver blessed and fruitfull to be the seede of Christ in me Once thou didst so worke with Iordan that the washing of a Leper 1 King 5 12 caused his flesh to returne as the flesh of a child Take away my leprosie also Ioh. 5 3.4 and make me as a little child Once thy Angell so stirred the Poole that who so stept in next was healed of what disease soever he was sicke Oh stirre this poole also make it an healing water put into it the vertue of him that with a word spoken could cure all maladies Heale mine Lord by this poole if an Angell could heale a lame legge a blinde eye a deafe eare thy Spirit
s the Word of God 1 Pet. 1. ult which must doe it 1 Pet 1 22 as Iam. 1.16 Of his free will hee begat us by the Word of truth Iam 1 16 Trie thy selfe then by the usuall acts of the word of Regeneration and so thou maist gather that this Spirit belongs to thee This is no place for mee to digresse I will cull out onely two or three things which may serve for this use Deceive not thy selfe and God will not deceive the Didst thou ever then feele in thy selfe that this immortall seed cast into thy eare did so descend into thy heart as to worke any immortall hope in thee 2 Tim. 1 11. The Gospell reveales immortality and glory to the soule Did it ever bring to light any such thing to thee Did it ever conceive in thee a sensible distaste of all hopes below and raise thy affections above Did it ever cause the things of the earth long life health successe welth money pleasure to be despised in comparison of the hope which is set before thee Camest thou ever from the word another man in thy aime appetite savor and love than thou wentst Did thy heart ever burne within thee there And when thou camest with earthly base thoughts did the Lord so dash them by heavenly doctrine and the hope of Christ that thou returnedst to thy house with a distaste of thy selfe for them Wert thou ever so touched and taken with the promise of the word that thou wert loath to forgo it for any delight In particular try thy self thus Instances of the words working 1. Hath the word of the Law cast a destroying seede of death into thee taken a way that life of old Adam jollity in sin Hath it defaced thy old Image discovered thee to thy selfe to be an Alien from the Life of God and common-wealth of Israel the son of an Hittite and Amorite as odious as one of thirtie old would be to thee who never was baptized Secondly hath the Gospell cast a better seed of hope in Christ by the Covenant of reconciliation into thee In thy hearing of this glad tidings hath the Lord bored an eare in thee by which this seede might conceive and kindle in thy heart Hath it wrought the preparation of heart in thee by brokennesse tendernesse humilitie unweariednesse of paines selfe de-deniall c. Hath it setled and digested in thee as a thing of such beauty as in comparison of which all the glory of the earth is drosse Hath it abode in thee and brought an undecaying sweetnesse into thee Hast thou felt in thy wombe the paines of true life and the new birth viz. How corruption of nature selfe and infidelity have rebelled against the work both of the Law and Gospell Gen. 25 22. Hast thou with Rebecca in this combat gone to God with thy complaint of the infinite lets that have held thee from beleâ—ving And hath the Lord by his Promise and perswasions fastened thy anchor of soule upon his bottome of free grace and truth renouncing thy owne hopes feares performances So that now thou hast him close bound to thee in his word from ever forsaking thee Then I say to thee thou art he whom the word hath breed Christ in and formed life in thee by faith What wanteth then Oh! thy heart is fickle and too weake to buy and sell upon the bare word without wavering yea thou hast much adoe to get victory over thy uncertain heart Well no wonder Thou seest nothing and to resist sence is a great worke yet be faithfull with God and give not over his promise and by due cleaving to the bare truth of the Lord begge further light and rest not in thy measure much lesse yeeld to any love of sinne to darken and defile thee And so doing I assure thee that to thee and to none but such the seale of baptisme belongs thou shalt find the Lord will by his Spirit convince thee deeplier the Spirit of Baptisme shall bring forth Gods pledges shew thee them Ioh. 16 9.10 convey into thy faint heart strength confidence and courage of faith and set thee above thy distempers as if they had never annoied thee If I say hee have purposed such a decree of grace unto thee he will effect it in time else know that howsoever yet thy service is blessed and thy faith hath brâ—â—d the life of regeneration in thee Branch 1 Forthly let this be exhortation to urge us to apply our selves to Baptisme for the sealing work of the Spirit therin To young Novices And first I direct my speech to yong novices under the means Slight not off the first incklings of this sealing Spirit The 1. layes heates of the holy Ghost and fire doe usually breake forth in youth Consider it s not a dayes worke nor a thing easie to settle the Spirit of sealing upon thy soule there be many steps to it Oh! looke to it yee young beginners One cause why old Christians walke so heavily is because they never heeded or hatched the first motions of the Spirit in their beginnings If then the Spirit of God doe call and stirre in thee by early affections love zeale enquiry answer Speake Lord for thy servant heares put him not off by ease or bondage 1 Sam. 3 9. If such a thought come as this What a dramme of Grace and Life of Christ is worth or what vow thou madest in Baptisme and how retchlesse thou hast beene to keepe it dally not with such items shake not off either pangs of terrour by lusts of youth or pangs of hope and love with ease and sloth for so the Spirit of sealing is fore-stalled and the faire forwardnesse thereto will hardly be recovered Put in thy foote presently upon the Angells stirring the poole Ioh. 5 4. if thou have an heart none shall prevent thee heere as there If these seeds were not choked and these buds cropt they would proove the assuring sealing Spirit of grace in due time Through contempt of it the Lord leaves youth to that hideousnesse and ripenesse in sinne yea a spirit of desperate debauchednesse in drinking oathes Rev. 22.11 and villany as would not bee beleeved of such youth Branch 2 Secondly I speake to all other apply your selves to the Sacrament of Baptisme for this last evidence and seale of the Spirit To elder oneâ— to let yee know that yee are the Lords Lin not till the Lord hath seal'd yee for his owne set his marke upon you not to be blotted out Looke up at each Sacrament each Baptizing ye see to the Lord that which in the former point I speake as hee hath applied the grace of Baptisme by the promise unto you so now hee would apply is Seale of assurance unto you by his Baptisme Let not such a mercie be there to be had and you not aware of it Thinke it not too good to receive if God will grant it What is
shalt eate this meat and drinke this drinke indeede never to decay True apprehension of the Promise first will cause it Say then thus Lord thou saydst seeke my face in the supper thou saydst come take eate What meanest thou but this that I should concurre with thee and bee of like mind consenting to thee that thou dealest plainely and speakest as thou meanest without hooke or crooke Oh Lord what should let me I am convinced that if thou hadst not meant well thy selfe and Christ might have spared infinite labour Therefore I consent Thou sayst take as freely as I offer be to mee as I am to thee play not the traytor 2 Cor. 6 11 12. Be enlarged to mee for I am enlarged Oh Lord so I am I beleeve I dare not distrust and descant and play the slave with thee but see cause why thy word should bee esteemed as pure true faithfull as thy selfe is I am the cause of my owne sorrow could I be to thee as thou to my soule my people as thy people my thoughts affections as thine Oh how happy I will strive for it So for obedience say as Peter Luke 5 5. At thy command I will let downe I will take thy Sacrament Alas what villany were it to thinke thou shouldst seeke thy good in it and not mine should not I creepe and crouch for it rather than urge thee to command mee Nay should not I feare that if I disobey thee in thy charge thou wilt threaten mee with condemnation for not discerning thy meaning Oh! I obey with all gladnesse Give power to doe as thou bidst and I will doe what thou wilt And to end this point deny thy selfe and come in the sence of thy utter perishing to the Lord for this grace of the Supper Come to the Lord with that speech which the Israelites were bid to come to the feast of the Lord Deut. 26. verse 5. A perishing Syrian was my Father So come with a soule in love with his dainties and like to sterve for want of them The drowning man hath the most Taking hand of all the most catching fastening hand of all 2 or 3 of his fingers will take more hold than an whole hand of one that is well enough bee it never such a paulsey-hand trembling and shaking yet if a taking hand it is the hand which Christ calls to his body and blood The latter work of faith 2 Branch Application of faith is the application of the grace offered unto thy soule for the gaine thereof When thou hast beleeved the promise once doe as hee who hath bought and payde for his bargaine incorporate thy selfe into the benefit of it and apply it to thy selfe Take the Lord Iesus thy nourishment so as he may in truth really nourish and doe thee good in all thy whole soule in all the powers of it in thy whole body and all the members and in all thy whole course of each part and service thereof See it bee well with thee in all that thou prosper in all and blesse God for faith when thou feelest her carrying from this body and blood of Christ Layd out by a similitude in 4. Branches into every faculty and member of thee Faith in relation to Christ in the supper may bee compared to the Nourishing soule and her naturall faculties in man and that in foure particulars 1 Faith Sacramentall resembles the stomacke in the body The stomack we know so takes the nourishment 1. By the stomacke as that it unites it to it selfe and alters it in the property that it may become her owne and beginne to loose it owne forme that it may put on a new Till the stomacke have thus held closed and digested the meate lo it may bee voyded up againe This is the first worke Faith takes the Lord Iesus and closes with him puts him into the stomacke of the soule digests him there unites him to it selfe suffers him not to depart away from her as he came but holds him makes him hers and alters him in some degree for her owne Nourishment When the hand takes Bread flesh drinke to put it in the mouth lo its true meate in it selfe but not the bodies as yet but if the stomacke have once layd it in close lo it ceases to be bread and flesh and beginnes to bee the stomackes and to undergoe a due change that it may afterwards bee the bodies food The Ivy doth not so close with the tree or the Misle to the Appletree for her owne end altering the juyce for her owne use as faith Sacramentall alters Christs body blood makes it another turnes it into matter prepared for her selfe Faith truely saith by vertue of the ordinance and Spirit of the same loe This body is mine my meate I lay claime to it this blood is mine All the grace of the Sacrament is mine I clare not leave it behind mee for it s given for mee as meate for the body And as the stomacke closes with meat as her owne so doth faith with the Lord Iesus for why By as due right this nourishment is hers Secondly faith is like the naturall Appetite in the body 2 By Naturall Appetire wee know such is the Nature of that facultie in the healthy and stirring that there is alway a passage from the stomack to the veynes and so the appetite is cleare the stomacke kept cleane and fit for continuall Attraction of new nourishment So is faith in the soule it holds the soule in such perpetuall holy motion and passage of old nourishment that it is alway healthy and empty and open to receive in new Perpetuall expence of nourishment prepares her appetite to new refreshing The soule that is desirous of meat by starts and fitts is clogged and makes not away with the former but when the use of nature hath conveyed one meale away and spent the strength of one lo the veines grow very attractive and pinch the stomacke to covet more and to bee in perpetuall appetite Faith is the stirring work-man or hous-wife in the soule never surfited with humors or clogged so with distempers but that shee retaines some sweete appetite after new refreshing Otherwise Christ yesterday to day and for ever would grow fulsome and wearisome with her but by this meanes the appetite is in continuall health and temper ever sending forth supply for new dueties occasions of the heat and life and therfore ever capable of new nourishment with delight Hence it is that though the meat bee not much which shee takes yet she thrives merveilously and a little in an haile stomack goes a great way how much more then when hunger makes her feed fully Thirdly faith is like the great carrying veine in the body 3 By the carrying veyne from the liver the fountaine of blood and nourishment and to the smal veins in the extremities of the members For as the one derives the blood into each part by a proprietie of nature
that which he hath built and undoe his owne worke Psal 119.94 As David saith I am thine Lord save me I meane not that beleeving one promise should save us a labour in beleeving the rest But become a good pledge of performing the rest 2 Cor. 1.20 As all the promises of God in Christ are yea and Amen so all speciall ones are yea and Amen in the generall He that hath given his Sonne Rom. 8.32 how shall he not with him give us all things Vse of the second ground The use of which briefely is to instruct and convince us of that horrible treason to Gods Alsufficient promise which every one is guilty of who will not cleave to God in his first and maine promise of mercy and redemption Alas what man is there who oft descries not to find God good to him in the Sacrament there to fill him with good things seale vp his pardon purge out his corruption and the like But because hee seekes not to know God in his Covenant how should his Seale doe him good What is a Seale save a relation to a former bargaine If thou never strakest hand with God for his Christ thy righteousnesse how camest thou in for his wisedome sanctification and redemption They belong not unto thee either thou must have all Christ to set thee out of feare or thou hast never a whit of his benefits And to apply this to the present point how shouldst thou come to God by speciall faith in the Sacrament when thou wantest him in the chiefe faith of the first promise Oh! then cuttest off thy selfe thou knowest not from what liberties and mercies when as thou art carelesse to be made sure of the maine Thou shouldst dispute thus The time will come when I shall crouch to God for strength to beare the Crosse to be afflicted in all my afflictions to die willingly c. But then why doe not I the whilest make sure in the maine with the Lord that he might finish his owne worke and save me because I am his Doubtlesse if I dally with this or goe upon false grounds deceiving my selfe the Lord will be guiltlesse in not regarding mee because the time was when hee cried out to my soule Beleeve robbe mee not of my glory distrust mee not in my offer But because thou wert deafe to my cry Prov. 1.24 so its just that I stoppe mine eares at thine goe therefore and seeke releefe of thy idols of ease selfe-love and the world which thou preferredst before mee It is with thee as it was with Israel Iudges Chapter 1. verse 21. Iudg. 1.21 The Lord had given them one promise for all to drive out the Cannanites now because they beleeved not the maine therefore here one Cananitish city there another prevailed and became goades and prickes to them And so hence it is that neither promise of Sacrament or of other Ordinances doe prevaile to purge out their lusts but they remaine as thornes unto them because they never tooke paines to joyne issue with God in the truth of his Covenant to pardon them and make them his beloved Thus much for the second ground teaching that the triall of ones speciall faith rests in the triall of the maine The third ground issues from this second Ground 3. viz. That the triall of our first beleeving may and must make the other easie and familiar It s our great sinne if it bee otherwise For why The Lord gives us assurance of the one in the other yea teaches us to argue from one to another without wavering so far as our weakenesse will permit Excellent is that of Paul Rom. 5.10 Rom. 5.10 If when we were enemies we were reconciled by his death how much more being friends shall wee be saved by his life Marke his manner of speech How much more If God made that easie to us which seem'd impossible how much more easie is that which is under a direct promise if God had cast us quite off being enemies we had the mends In out owne hands and could not complaine But having his word to make good our owne desires wee have the Lord tied to us and at a kinde of advantage be it spoken with reverence so that wee cannot be defeated Great is the oddes betweene being an enemy formerly and being now reconciled He that will release a stranger from prison and pay an hundred pound for him will in reason lend a friend twentie shillings Such an argument is this heere Vse of the third ground The use of the point is first to condemne the practise of all such as having found the Lord above their expectation in the promise of reconciliation 1. Conviction yet dare not trust him for some shreds in comparison of blessings of lesser nature as to overcome their passions revenge worldlinesse c. Oh! Thou art like Ahaz and his subjects Esay 7.12 who would not tempt God in asking a signe when as yet they beleeved not without it The Prophet tels them Verse 13. Is it not enough that yee weary men but ye must weary my God also Thou tyrest the Lord when he seeth that none of his wayes will prevaile against thy infidelity But still thou art ever out and in with him as Ioabs sword that could not hold in his scabbard and putst him to crie out Oh! Ephraim Hos 6.4 oh Iudah What shall I doe or how shall I intreate thee Is the worke of faith as farre off now as when thou first beleevedst Oh! weake if not froward wretch how long shall I suffer thee As they in the wildernesse whom no miracles no providence could perswade but were as farre to seeke at the end of fortie yeares as the first day Oh! the Lord loves when his Schollers are apt to learne especially this lesson of faith by many warnings and when our experience teacheth us to buy and sell upon his word 1 King 20.23 But to seeme to trust God with the foiling the enemies of the hils and yet to distrust him with those in the vallies to pretend that they doubt him not for heaven but distrust him for earthly blessings surely it either justly calls thy first beleeving into suspicion or else argues a carelesse heart not able to improve thy Talent of reconciliation to warrant thy faith for a poore supply of this life Vse 2 Secondly it should very much presse upon those in speciall who are to receive the Supper in which the Lord offers the encrease of first graces received in Baptisme to trie their Sacramentall faith with all readinesse of minde Is it easier to doe by many degrees than to beleeve the promise of mercy at first And doth the Lord with farre greater ease as I may say beteame to the soule growing in faith than breeding of it Why then doe they who beleeve come to this triall with so much adoe and bury the Talent of God unthankefully in the earth As those
object of faith The second object which is the promise which containeth 2. things either the good things offred in the promise or the hearty meaning and purpose of him that freely markes the promise The good thing offred in the promise pardon peace a purged conscience life of grace support in grace the earnest penny of the Spirit and the like serve to draw the affections which carry the soule unto God and to dash out of countenance all false objects of gaine ease pleasure lusts to draw the soule to God in desire esteeme of mercy and in hungring mourning and endeavouring after Christ Secondly the manner of offring these good things being free full faithfull entire and simple exceeding desirous the soule should embrace them Rom. 5. ut supr sorry it should reject them urging it to beleeve serves to put it out of question that the Lord meanes as hee speakes else needed he not to have prevented us at all but seeing even when we were enemies neither deserving nor desiring any favour yet the Lord out of the meere graciousnesse of his heart would needs bestow it upon us Triall by this therefore he would have us conclude he will not repent him of his freedome if wee come in to lay claime and plead this promise Try thy faith then by the promise thus first whence came those dispositions of heart in thee I meane those teares of thine those desires prayers fastings and diligent searching after grace Came they from selfe-love or from an heart of basenesse bringing thy money and cost to God to buy mercy If so thou hast little to boast of but if the good things of the promise wrought them in thee if thou can say that faith and the preparations to faith proceeded from the promise The good things offered therein drew thee to God as with cords If thou canst say that thy good affections could never purchase faith rather that promise which bred faith bred also those affections in thy soule because thou sawest God willing to save thee and pardon thee therefore thou mournest after him prayest unto him Ionas 3.9 and as Nineve couldst not give him over the rising of the Sunne caused this dawning of heart in thee and these making towards grace it is a good signe Secondly try thy selfe thus If the freedome fulnesse and strength of the promiser have truly wrought upon thee then thy base conceits of the Majesty of God are vanish'd I meane thy enmity and hatefull spirit is gone And whereas thou once couldst not thinke a good thought of him but all thy thoughts framed him rather to be angry envious cruell unbeteaming now thou stoppest and as one better setled beginst to say oh my poore soule who couldst never get out of thy slavery and slightnesse thinke of the promise a little better What wilt thou say if by all this offering urging expostulating charging to be reconciled upon paine of hell the Lord meanes thee well Perhaps he may If while he seekes to save thee thou devize how to get out from him will it not be bitter at last Thus weake hope breakes the ice and sets the soule forward Then the Spirit of grace createth in thee both thoughts and affections of such strange goodnesse bounty long-suffering free grace and compassion that thy heart breakes into wondring at him and saying Who is a God like to our God Mica 7. ult 1 Sam. 24 19. forgiving and passing by the sinnes of his people Who could finde his enemie at the vantage and not destroy him Therefore my soule is even carried into the streame of his grace and perswaded to beleeve I see the good will and meaning of his heart shining in his promise and whereas it was wont to be a barren sound and emptie noise for me to heare a promise now I see it as a vessell standing full and running over yea a streame to carry me in with holy confidence saying If the strength of Israel can lie if free grace if faithfulnesse it selfe can shrinke backe and deny it selfe I am content to perish Thirdly trie it thus If a promise have beene thy Object then thou confessest that the power it selfe to beleeve is in a promise as well as the motives to beleeve The promise is the instrument of the Spirit to perswade And as when the Lord made a promise to the Iewes that if they did come to the Temple to worship hee would keepe their dwellings and goods safe the whil'st Lo this promise had in it such a power as held off all Robbers and enemies from attempting any pillage they durst not they could not so much more in the promise to a loaden heart there is alway the strength of God to effect that which he promiseth and such a soule neede not stand out strangerlike and say here is a sweet promise if I could beleeve But here is a promise strong and able to cause mee to beleeve it If in any measure these trialls be in thee they are all good signes Triall 3. By the roote of it Thirdly trie thy faith by the roote of it which root is selfe-deniall All other graces seeme to have some inherencie and being of their own in the soule onely faith is rooted in the overthrow of a mans selfe This selfe is nothing else save the spirit of old Adam resisting the Spirit of grace and as we see in defenced cities some of their Bulwarkes are out-workes and retrenchments others are maine sorts neere the walls wherein their chiefe strength consisteth So here selfe hath her out-workes selfe-wealth selfe-ease credit and esteeme learning parts experience These are more easily cast downe because Christ and they are of two severall kindes Others are forts of greater consequence in which the heart more trusts as carnall reason and the wisedome of the flesh which Paul in 2 Cor. 10.5 2 Cor. 10.5 calls high thoughts and strong imaginations of flesh setting themselves up against the obedience of faith so also Religious duties and performances whether will-worships of Papists or duties required as Iewish righteousnesse by the Law and all the devotions of carnall Protestants To these I may adde the secret counterminings of the heart mixing it selfe with the preparation to faith and so destroying the worke of God as selfe-mournings desires and use of meanes Now of all these the Scripture tels us That if any will beleeve hee must denie himselfe and be content to be stript of those or else grace will not dwell in him Trust not in thy owne wisedome but trust in the Lord Prov. 3.5 Prov. 3 5. So Paul That I may be found not having my owne righteousnesse of the Law Phil. 3.9 but of faith See how Paul opposes them All the frame of Creation Redemption yea of the whole Word of God prooves it Esay 42 6. God will not give his glory to another He that boasteth must boast of the Lord. Two suites of apparrell may as well agree with
all good signes of faith revived for the Supper Steppe 5 Fiftly try thy selfe by the testimony of a good conscience That will appeare by this It dares not equivocate and dally with God by serving him very studiously in one part of thy christian course but forsaking him in many but say thou with Paul Act. 23.1 I have exercized my selfe in all good conscience continually Try thy selfe then by this rule Triall by it thus Canst thou say as oft as thou art going to the Sacrament Oh Lord I make a shew of very solemne preparing my selfe and trying my faith when I goe to thy table But if it were onely my practise now at this time and at no other I should goe and come from thee with a sad heart No Lord I blesse thy name Gal. 2.20 I doe live by faith dayly I can say with Paul The life I live is by faith in the Sonne of God I appeale to thee who knowest that if I goe to heare the word I mixe it with faith if I pray I looke to my Advocate if I have a Crosse I live in faith in Christ for strength Heb. 4 2. selfedeniall and patience to support me if I prosper I beleeve all is pure to the pure and given me in mercy and in this faith thus trained and set on worke I humbly come to the Sacrament looking that as in other parts of life and of worship the Lord hath beene with me so he will not leave mee to my selfe in this 1 Sam. 7 12. Tell me canst thou say thus in truth be it never so poorely It is a sweete signe of a revived faith Steppe 6 Sixtly try thy selfe by thy Sacramentall experience The Sacrament being one meane of a Christians food and growth it becomes every one having communicated not by and by to vomit up his morsells but to digest the bread of life till hee finde it his owne blood of his veines flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone By this meanes every ordinance dwelling in the soule will adde nourishment to it and better it dayly which could not be if it bee forgoten as fast as it is enjoyed Triall by it Let thy tryall from hence be this Dost thou dayly quicken up thy selfe at each Sacrament in the memory and experience of former fruit received especially when thou hast found it sweetest unto thee at any season when thou hast felt thy selfe most emptied in thee faith most cleere and sensible thy soule freest from earth and sensuality and so of the rest hast thou kept this experience by thee as a childe holds a sweete thing in the palate as loth to forgoe it Dost thou by this tryall goe to the Sacrament afterward with more hope and expectation of the like Or if thou have found the contrary that thou hast had but a dead Sacrament of it what dost thou Poast it over and forget it hoping it will be better or dost thou record it often and use it as a spurre of greater care and serious dealing with God next time being afrayd to tempt him and yet loath to forsake him although hee should hold thee off still 2 Cor. 12 8. If thou canst thus revive thy faith by thy experience it is a good signe Steppe 7 Seventhly Gods people so oft as they draw neere to him in duties dare not rush upon him but first humble themselves in dust and ashes as most base wormes and corruption Genes 18.27 Then they pray for assistance in the ordinance meditate and conferre about the right doing Tryall and the fruit of it Try thy selfe then by this When thou goest to the Supper dost thou swell in the conceit of thy former strong faith Dost thou rush upon God without prayer or meditation Or rather dost thou jogg◠the arme of the Spirit as the clapper shakes the corne into the milstone that it may let fall the benefits of Christ out of the Sacrament into thy soule That thou maist come to receive with better savour and strength than thine owne Dost thou begge with the Apostles Lord revive my faith Luke 17.5 Lord make make it a sweet exceeding day Lord let not the meeting of profane blind receivers defile me Let the fellowship of thine Angels and my brethren refresh mee give me that I come for Lord and deceive me not Darest thou not through ease and sloath neglect the sanctifying of one ordinance by another Dost thou engrave the promise thus in thy heart and blow up the poore sparkle within thee It is a good signe Steppe 8 Lastly try they selfe thus Dost thou hold and close with this faith of thine thus revived till thou appeare before the Lord in the ordinance Sufferest thou not Sathan to come betweene thee and home the cup and the lip to rob thee of thy wedding garment but dost thou claspe it unto thee that it may not fall off till it have possessed thee with the gaine thou camest for Dost thou lay in too day now for the bread of the day And each Sacrament doest thou say Heb. 13.8 Christ Iesus yesterday to day and the same for ever It s a signe of faith quickned in thee So come and prosper So much for the latter tryall I conclude the Chapter with some use Conclusion And because the whole is one use of tryall which is the scope the shorter use shall serve I will not trouble the Reader with former uses as to mourne for the woefull faith of ordinary receivers or reproofe of Gods owne for counting this tryall tedious which God hath made a sweet yoake to his I will partly warne partly exhort partly comfort the good receavers and so end Vse 1 First then I warne them that they slight not this duty Admonitiō rest not in former faith thinking the Lord tyed to their girdles Tempt him not to alter his course by your sloth but hold on still this tryall of faith Remember it s the cheefe Sacramentall grace of all the rest All other without this are fruitlesse or counterfeit This must give both being and lustre to all Bring this and feare not The Divell will fight against this as the King of all If he can wrest this away he cares for no more because upon this hinge the doore turnes I meane the joy of well or sorrow of ill receiving hangs upon it Vse 2 Secondly be exhorted to bring this faith Dare not venture without it Exhortatiō Faith in the Supper answers the act of sprinkling the posts of the Israelites doores when they first ate the Passeover Exod. 12.21.22 Branch 1 Tell me Durst any Iew not sprinkle his owne doore with blood Durst he not as well omit the Sacrament Did hee not feare the destroying Angell in case of neglecting it Was not the promise of passing them over when all Egypts first borne were slaine in the doing of it Therefore as thou wouldest shunne danger of greater nature looke to
nor heare any voyce from heaven wee behold the boldnesse and presumption of Hypocrites who after their receiving are as merry as the best and this troubles a poore soule when hee finds staggering in stead thereof But discourage not thy selfe better is some feare where there is a treasure to lose than all mirth when thy heart is emptie Onely let this bee thy practise Lot thou upon the truth of God to beare downe all thy doubts and distempers as fast as Distrust and Satan ply thee with them Faith lots upon the promise 2 Chro. 20.9 Examples of this act of faith Dispute for God as Iehosaphat did for victory Didst not thou say O Lord that when our enemies assaulted us on every side if wee looked toward thy Temple thou wouldst heare from heaven and deliver Marke very little appeared for him all rather was against him but hee shooke all off with this casting himselfe and lotting upon the word of promise Sayd I not to my Lord deceave mee not saith that Shunamite to Elisha 2 King 4.16.28 1 King 1.17 shee had lotted upon his word so that when the child was dead shee was cheerefull and went to the Prophet to pleade the promise When Adonija was got to be king poore Bathsheba and Nathan agree to goe to David and encounter him thus Did not my Lord the King say alway in our hearing Salomon shall reigne how then is it that Adonija reignes Can these stand together So shouldst thou say Lord is not thy flesh meate indeede and thy blood drinke indeede Saydst not thou that hee that eateth the one and drinketh the other hath eternall life in him Ioh. 6.52 Hast not thou promised that thy Sacrament shall chase away my feares my distrust my old lusts of covetousnesse and uncharitablenesse impatience and the like Whence is it then that still they dare assault mee The Lord tells thee this is to try whether thou wilt rest in the worke wrought or rely by faith upon the word that it may be a done deede as it was a spoken word Give not the Lord over then cast not away the confidence but lot upon the word and say I beleeve it must bee so Lord because thou hast sayd it and if any should come and tell me methinkes you are better since the last Sacrament I should not thinke it strange but answere you say the truth indeede I beleeve I am so for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it therefore if I should be but as I was before I should make the Lord a Lyer and doe unspeakeable wrong to him by my unbeleefe Thus much for the first duty The second duty follweth 2. Duty survey of our receiving in 3 Acts. 1. In case of disapointment That a Christian after his receiceiving must survey the worke and the fruite of it how hee hath gayned by his receiving or what he hath lost and accordingly apply himselfe And that in these three passages following First if he find himselfe joynted of that fruit which hee looked for that God hath not assisted him in his attempt if hee feele that still his heart is dead and darke and the spirit hardened from reeiving such grace as God offers then is he not to shake off all at 6 and 7 but to looke well about him He is to consider that such a watch word from God is not for nought the Lord is not wanting usually to his ordinance altogether If in steede of a melting and broken heart more cheerefull by the promise more penitent and more watchfull upon the Sacrament he feeles the contrary evils to appeare sullennes loosenes deadnes unmercifulnes then hath he need to consult and give sentence And whereas hypocrites and time-serves looke at nothing save how they may dispatch the worke and then make account that God is tyed to their girdles although still their corruption fester and ranker in them so much the more the people of God are impatient of such shuffling and confusion And they conclude there is a pad in the straw still What to doe in that ease there is some excommunicate thing hidden in their tent which they would not cast out And therefore howsoever conscience was content that they should take some paines to prepare themselves yet the cheefe worke was neglected and therefore either their person is stil unaccepted of God being in his uncleannesse or else some beloved lust lyeth glowing at the heart unseene or else unpurged out Thus was it with those Israelites Deut. 5 29. and Ioshua the last Deut. 5 29. Iosh ult Iudg. 20.22.23 and Iudges the 20. all who thought well of themselves vowed themselves to the Lord prepared themselves very strongly to fight in a good cause against villanous trespassers But God was not with them but slew 42000. of them even by those men of Gibea worse thâ—n themselves The reason was that although the cause was good yet they were unfit to handle it at that time their conscience being crazed with Idolls But when they saw the root of the malady they durst no longer kicke against the prickes but fell sadly to search out their sinne by fasting and prayer to breake their hearts before the Lord to weepe repent and renue covenant And upon this the Lord altered his course also and at the third on set gave them the victory Even so must it be with these They must not give the Lord over in this Sacramentall discovery they must blesse him unfeignedly that hath rather by frowning upon them and by turning a day of feasting into a day of sorrow shewed them their corrupt condition than to leave them still hardned in their sinne Oh! If thou belong to the Lord thou canst not endure so bitter a countenance of his to be cast upon thee but recover his favour by a thorough purging out that venom which defiled thee yea if ordinary meanes will not serve extraordinary shall of the practice whereof I have spoken in the chapter of repentance and the triall thereof The 2 Act in ease of want of feeling Secondly if thou finde it to be otherwise upon due survey of thy receiving to wit that thou hast beene faithfull to God and thine owne soule in the worke so that thy conscience doth not accuse thee nor the Lord frowne upon thee And yet for all that thou still wantest that feeling and savour of the Sacrament which thou desirest to walke with Then thou art to apply thy selfe otherwise What to doe in this That is thou art to conceive that as yet thou art not fitted to receive such measure of grace nor to use it well but rather wouldst bee puffed up with it and not be able to honour God with it The Lord therefore goes about to try thy desire how long it will last and how long it will thirst after the grace of the Sacrament and against the next time grow more earnest by this thy forbearing The Lord would empty thee more of thy selfe
have beene planted together with him into the likenesse of his death we shall also be to the likenesse of his resurrection And note this further that as the holy Ghost expresses the meriting causes diversly now by one then by another part of his mediation so sometime he applyes that his merit to one frâ—it sometime to another yet so that by one merit we understand all and by one effect of it all the rest Take a Text 1 Pet. 3.21 1 Pet. 3 21. The like figure whereunto baptisme now saveth us not the washing of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience in the resurrection of Iesus Christ Marke the resurrection of Christ being the compleatnesse of his satisfaction and the declaring of it is made here the meriting cause of the grace of Baptisme But by it all the satisfaction is meant And the effect of this Baptisme is called The answer of a good conscience which is the peace and security of it properly issuing from pardon of sinne and guilt yet in and by this all are meant both justification and sanctification The selfe same phrase is used Heb. 10.22 Heb. 10 22. Having your hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and your bodyes washed with pure water that is with peace For this blood Hebrewes 12. cryeth better things than that of Abel The phrase of sprinkling compares Baptisme to the Israelites sprinkling their doore posts with the blood of the Lambe If they had not done it Exod. 12 22. they had beene in danger of slaying by the Angel But having done it Heb. 10.24 their heart was at quiet and peace through the promise So baptisme is a better sprinkling of a better blood upon a better object to a farre better peace even peace of conscience as being passed from death to life By all these places not unmeet to be conferred together we see that whole Christ crucified Christ in water Christ in our Regeneration Christ in our union and by it all his benefits are the extent of the grace of baptisme And that the Minister standing in Gods stead applying water to the Baptised doth by it apply the power of the Lord Iesus by the Spirit accompanying the same to create a new birth of Grace and life in the soule The which worke of the Spirit I shall more revive in the first use of this point Vse 1 This use is exhortation to all that bring or behold children brought and offred to the Lord in his Sacrament of Baptisme to lay in by faith for the Spirit of Christ in the water whereby the Lord would vouchsafe to thy child and renew to thy selfe if ever truly converted the Lord Iesus for regeneration and the new creature To this end doe two things First 2. Things 1. Behold the truth of the word Behold the truth of this offer of the Lord Iesus in the water by the helpe of the word and not so onely but what the word of Regeneration can worke of it selfe in the soule and therefore much more can further it by the Sacrament Secondly by and through this Word apply the merit and power of the Sacrament to thy soule in particular For the former know although a Sacrament be above a word yet it is so by a word and with it and not else Behold not a Sacrament without a word for then thou seest a meare empty vanishing Element Behold it in word and thou sest no lesse than Christ in the water true regeneration offred thee Take all those Texts I cited before looke up to God by prayer to see the truth of them Ephe. 4 22. as they are in Iesus to rivet every of them in speciall into thy spirit that so thou maist feele a bottome to thy faith out of a word Labour to see what makes this word so powerfull even the truth of a promiser the merit of a satisfyer who died shed his blood was buried and rose againe by the power of God that he might fill a promise with efficacy and perswade thy heart that seeing all that he suffered was for thee to make himselfe thine in remission of sinnes and renewing of the holy Ghost therefore the promise that offers this to thee in the Sacrament is sound and effectuall Reade and ponder that place I named Ephe. 5.26 Ephe. 5.26 Washing of water by the word And so be resolved if the word of a true God tell thee That he will wash thy soule by Christ in the Sacrament it shall be so it cannot be otherwise and if he have said Christ in the water water is spirituall birth regeneration renewing purging burying in the grave with Christ rising up with Christ then so it is This word will give a bottome to thy feete to stand upon while thou reachest out with thine hand to take Christ so that thou shalt not stagger Consider that the same word which hath held Christ and water in so strong an union can also hold thee upon sure ground Alas mens going to worke without a word marres the power of Baptisme and causeth the soule to be present with any object more than with Christ in the water It goes with the Spirit Further bee assured this word of Christ in his promise of the Sacrament never goes alone The truth of it alway is annexed to the Spirit of Christ in the water All the word is full of this tells us the Spirit is that which assists the Sacrament The Spirit quickneth 1 Ioh. 5.6 water profits nothing alone It is the Spirit which must joyne with the word with water and unto Christ to both in the soule or else the things of the Sacrament are as farre off as heaven and earth But the Spirit of Christ crucified water and blood meeting with the Sacrament fetches out all the power of Christ into the soule and makes the promise of blessing effectuall Hence it is that nothing is so common in Scripture as the Spirits concurring with Baptisme Matthew 3. Matth. 3.11 Hee shall baptise with the holy Ghost and fire Tit. 3.5 Water of Regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Tit 3 5. As it attended Christs baptisme so it must ours if it bee efficacious else not These two things being forelaid bring forth thy faith in the word Spirit of the Sacrament both for thy child and thy self These two things brin faith for begetting or reviving of Christ to regeneration And as the hand puts on the apparell upon the body yea as thou beholdest the Minister to dip thy child in water so concurre with him by faith and behold God the Father putting the Lord Iesus upon thy soule and the soule of thy childe for pardon peace joy confidence security grace and holinesse and fasten upon the Word and draw thereby the Spirit of Baptisme to helpe and satisfie thy soule with Christ in all these As thou wouldest put on a garment upon thy naked body How this 1 By the stripping
can heale worse diseases the disease of my nature the distempers of pride envie worldlinesse selfelove impatience 2 King 2 14. infidelitie and what not As Elisha having the cloake of his Master with the promise of his Spirit smote the waters and caused them to goe this way and that till he went o-over dry so doe thou cry Where is the Lord God of Baptisme The Lord Iesus in the water the Spirit of regeneration Oh! let the Arke carrie mee safe and free from the gulfe of wrath and destruction 2 Kin. 2 21. First O holy Lord let thy Spirit cast his salt into these waters which my sinne hath made barren and accursed even as all other creatures and sanctifie them by union and put a blessing upon them implanting the root of the Lord Iesus into my soule by dipping me into them that so as verily as I behold my childs face and my owne flesh cleansed from spots by outward water so surely we may find our soules and spots thereof to be washed by the bloud of Christ this true laver of the new Birth unto remission of sinnes and eternall life Thus much of this point I now come to the third and last The 3. general The end of it The third generall in the Description is the end whereto Baptisme serveth And that is the sealing up of all the grace mentioned before to be the soules owne in assured perswasion and possession I say not that this is the end which all baptized ones attaine unto nay not all who yet by the word and faith doe attaine some comfortable fruit of Baptisme But this I say is the end which God intends in the Sacrament To seale up the soule to an assured feeling and reall partaking of those holy things of Christ which are here offered I meane not that this sealing of Baptisme is inherent in it To seale our regeneration so as if the Spirit of regeneration were but an attendant to Baptisme no in no wise but this where the Lord meanes to bestow upon a beleeving soule which though it relies upon his Word and Promise yet finds many doubts and feares this grace of knowing it selfe to beleeve to be regenerated to be elect to be heire to heaven which reflexion is the worke of the holy Ghost there the Lord useth the Sacrament of Baptisme to be the instrument of this assurance and to make up the evidence of the word full and effectuall For even as the seale annexed to an evidence makes it past question as I said before so doth this Seale added to the word perfect the evidence of it and therefore we may truly say carries in it the last best and uttermost evidence which the Lord hath to bestow upon the soule to put her out of question To repeat things spoken already is not my purpose By looking at the Covenant onely apply the generall to particular The seale of Baptisme lookes at the extent of the Covenant Thou knowest what it is to have the Lord to be thy God in Christ I spake even now at large of the grace of Baptisme The selfe same is the extent of the Covenant it reacheth not one inch shorter than that I spake there Now marke as large as that is so large is this Seale of Baptisme and the Lord keeper of the great Seale is the Spirit of Christ he it is who brings it forth to the soule that needs it and hungers after it by the taste of the graciousnesse and sweetnesse of God in the Covenant And he aâ—kes the soule and saith Poore soule have not I oft convinced thee by my promise of my faithfull meaning Have I not said I will never faile or deceive thee Yes Lord but I am sold under carnall sence and infidelity Well but what saist thou if I bring forth the markes the wounds the water and bloud of the Lord Iesus side sprinkle them upon thee when Tamar knew not how to convince Iuda lo she sends him the cloke staffe Gen. 38 25. and signet asking him Whose they were and when he saw them he was convinced This course was better than words it had a reall relation in it So here the Spirit brings out the very instuments of assurance and laies water upon thy flesh to secure thee Christ in his life and death is thine and shall not this be a reall relation above the naked word unto thee Yes surely if together with the outward presenting of the things he also clap the Seale upon thy soule and leave a print upon thy soft heart which may assure thee he hath been there to fetch out thy slavish feare and infidelitie Ephe. 1 13. Reade Ephe. 1 13. where this Spirit is called the sealer of the Promise it s called the earnest of our Inheritance and purchased possession Reade also Ephes 4.30 where it is called the Sealer of our redemption Ephe. 4.30 By which phrases all the whole grace of Christ is meant viz. That the Spirit in Baptisme seales our Vocation our Iustification Adoption Sanctification and the rest one as well as the other Vse 1 Now for use Branch 1 If this be true what cause of mourning is there for us in these times that the grace and sealing power of the Spirit in Baptisme is so unknowne to the body of Congregations in this Church How few behold Baptisme with such an eye Oh! how do the most turne it into a ceremony Some of the richer sort making it a ceremony of Pompe and sensualitie the poorer of common passage and forme which when it s over the Pageant is done The better sort acknowledge but an initiating ordinance serving to make men visible Christians But as for grace especially this exceeding grace of the sealing Spirit of Adoption and assurance what one of an hundred sees it Oh lamentable We reade that when certaine disciples of Iohns baptisme at Ephesus Act. 19 2. were asked by Paul If they had received the holy Ghost since they beleeved They answered They knew not so much as whether there was an holy Ghost or no. So may I say of our people Alas they are so farre from the Seale of Baptisme that they know not whether there be any such thing or not They know not that God hath any Ordinance of so high nature or no as this to convey assurance into a man of his regeneration And how can such chuse but live a sad drooping course Branch 2 Nay to this I may adde that it is the case of thousands of Christians whom we should highly offend if we questioned them who scarse see neede of such a sealing Ordinance They praise God they have beleeved their salvation and since that they have been rid of all feares and doubts and walke on and on without ayle or annoiance Indeede they found some adoe with themselves ere they could attaine faith But when they once got it they got all at once and since feele small doubts or oppositions to
this I taxe the Distrust of such as profit not by the connexion of this to the othet Who so then have truely tasted of the Grace of Baptisme and have lyen in the wombe thereof Let them come in and humbly yet confidently plead for the succor of this second For the Lord who hath no superfluous nourishment for Bastards yet wants no necessary releefe for sonnes and daughters The Lord is not as that worke-man who having built the bouse leaves it at Randon to whose will to mend it may droppe downe to the ground for him it s none of his But the Lords buildings are all his owne and hee compts it no lesse perteining to himselfe to keepe it in Reparations than first of free grace to make it an Habitation of his owne by his Spirit 1 Pet. 2 2 Yea the new borne Babe whimpering for the breast pleads not more effectually with the tender mothers heart to give it than that Soule which is really bredd the Lords hath liberty to cry Psal 119 97. Abba father susteine mee preserve mee I am thine Lord save me mainteine thy lot and portion in me as by al holy Ordinances of support so by this thy Sacrament as most peculiar to that end Lord of thee I am 1 Cor. 1.30 Blood Flesh Bone all I am I am from thee mainteine the Creation of thy hands by all meanes against all enemies in all spirituall welfare and prosperity meet for thy glory and the good of thine so farre as all thy Promises and Priviledges belonging to the members of thy Body can effect it Remember it will be as great a dishonor for thee to leave the workmanship of thy hands as if thou hadst begun to build and given over thy worke at the first Secondly I say it consists of Iesus-Bread and Wine 2 Branch The coÌ„pound Sacramentall union hath beene toucht already Heere I adde that the Lord Iesus who unites himselfe to his Word of Promise to his Beleeving ones bidding them Eate good things and dâ—light themselves in fatnesse Thereby Esay 55.2 putting into his Word the spirit of nourishment refreshing and support to the Soule doth also unite himselfe to Bread and Wine both Vnions are Spirituall both Verball and Sacramentall yet Sacramentall including the Verball is above it to convey Spirituall refreshing more fully more immediately more lively into the Soule than by the former alone As if hee should say Oh! poore Soule I am content to unite my power and fulnesse of strenght and comfort not onely to my Word and Promises but even to my Creatures also and yet thinke it no abasement neither for thy good I know thou hast as great need of a signe of my good will and love to uphold thee as ever thou hadst of my Creating power to forme mine Image at the first in thee If there were use of both Word and Water to become a seed of Regeneration to create thee there is as great use of the same word and Bread and Wine to cherish thee Ephe. 5 29. No man ever hated but preserved his owne flesh To shew then how deare thou art to me even as the wife to the husband loe nothing shall ever part thee and me which I can doe for thee I that was with the former to breed thee will bee with the latter to feed and nourish thee no necessary aid shall be wanting Psal 84 1â— for all ends meet as well to keepe thee fat and wel-liking in goodnes as to make thee good I who created thee of nothing Esay 57 1â— yea of worse then nothing to bee mine Image will not faile of good to make thee better therefore acknowledge my love and faithfulnes in both Vse The Vse may bee to convince all such as have a sinister and unequall conceit of the worth of Sacraments Against two sorts as if the necessity and Sacramentall union of one were not as essentiall and thankworthy as the other Papists first although they magnifie both Sacraments too farre yet debase the Sacrament of the new birth under the other which they call of the Altar Here they put all their confidence and lay all their treasure Christ shall not onely bee united Sacramentally to it but even Transubstantiated into it it s their Pandora to which they have brought all their base additions to adorne and set it foorth whereas the union with both these is one and the same for their severall use and if not equall then none at all Contrary to whom is another conceite of such as thinke there is lesse use of this union than the other seeing the Church may farre worse want the Sacrament of ingrafting than the other To which I answer that although in some respect it s not to bee denyed that the Sacrament of a Christian being hath in it selfe a preheminence above the other of well-being yet in the wisedome of the ordeyner and for the continualnesse of use which the Supper hath to repaire the daily wanzings and decayes of the soule it s most certaine there ought to be made no comparison betweene their necessiâ—y no unequalnesse to bee imagined But as the child being asked whether it love father or mother best is taught to say I love them both best I love neither better than other so ought a Christian to say of these Whereas the administration of God in the old Church is alledged That their circumcision was long without a Passeover I answer What God can doe by one when he denies another is not here debated but rather what esteeme he requires of both so long as both equally may be enjoyed Nay further we know God bare with his Church for the long intermission both of Circumcision and Passeover after the ordeyning of both how much more shall hee not tollerate onely but supply aboundantly the necessary want of the one if persecution compell it But otherwise in the liberty of both who should dare to dreame of an inequality The materials of it Now I come to the materialls and first of the Elements to wit bread and wine whereof because I have spoken somewhat before therefore here I will content my selfe onely to treate a little of these foure particulars Foure things First the sensiblenesse Secondly the aptnesse Thirdly the simplicity Fourthly the fulnesse of these two Elements The first sensiblenesse Touching the first seeing the Lord would have these Elements so plaine and sensible resemblers of heavenly nourishment how sensibly should our soules bee lifted up by them to the things resembled Vse It comes to my minde what Moyses Deut. 8.2.3 c. tells the Israelits that the Lord had so palpably discovered himselfe to them in the Wildernesse that for shame they could not but know beleeve and obey him The Lord saith he hath revealed himselfe to all your sences yee have heard his terrible voyce in the mount yee have seene the rocke gush forth water a Table spread in the Wildernesse all other
wonders you have felt him on your feete your shooes not waxing old worne him upon your backes your apparrell not tearing and shall the Lord be still a stranger So I may say heere you grope him Act. 17 27 touch and tast and see him in Sacramentall bread and doe yee remaine distrustfull Objection But they seeme not to have any such power in them Answer They are I confesse as the craggy hill which Ionathan and his Armorbearer went up upon all foure when they were to goe fight against the Philistims We know what Ionathan said to his servant Bee of good courage 1 Sam. 14 1â— if God give us a signe that our journey is from him we shall prevaile So I say this hill is craggy and there is small likelinesse of overcomming if we looke to carnall reason But seeing these Elements or rather the Lord in them say to us Come up be wee of good cheere beleeve and goe up the Lord is with us and hath given us a signe that we shall prevaile as unlikely things as these may seeme to resemble and convey Christ our nourishment unto us Secondly as touching the aptnesse of Bread and wine to exhibit the nourishment of our Lord Iesus 2. Aptnesse wee may consider how like to himselfe the Lord Iesus is both in his word and seales rather ayming graciously at the most easie peculiar way to let in Christ than dealing in some darke course little to the purpose for our good He knew it was no easy thing for flesh and blood to be subdued to the Sacrament of Christ our nourishment therefore he offers him most aptly and fitly unto us that like might carry us to like As he saith 1 Cor. 14.19 I had rather speake one word in the Church to understanding and edifying than 1000. in a strange language So 1 Cor 14 19 the Lord had rather give us one or two signes of our spirituall refreshing with propriety and facility than a 1000. with darkenesse And why because hee knowes they are mysteries which he offereth both in word and Sacraments If then he should speake to us in strange phrases a farre off or offer us Sacraments of things intricate and obscure how should wee conceive him when a darke thing is opened by a darker 1 Cor. 14 8. If the Trumpet give an uncertaine sound who shall prepare to the battell Sacraments are Gods legacies If then wise men would not leave legacies unapt to their children as Bookes to an Idiot or shop and tooles to a Student but wife and apt gifts according to the use of such as are to enjoy them how much more the Lord Vse The use is to confute Popish preaching and Sacraments in point of their obscurity Alas farre are they from Crucifying Christ plainely before the people by manifest ripping up of the mystery of godlinesse â— Tim. 3 ult Christ incarnate crucified and ascended to be the life and support of his Church Rather they maintaine this principle That ignorance is the mother of devotion and wrap Christ againe in his swathe bands of darkenesse that no man may conceive him yea when they have so handled the matter that the people are carryed furthest from Christ both in doctrine and seales then are they quietest and their hearts most at peace A signe that Sathan the God of this world dwelles among them and keepes all locked up in peace 2 Cor. 4 4. mindes consciences and affections so that the light of Christ might not enter but rather all profanenesse Idolatry might beare sway As for the aptnesse of nourishing Elements what shew is there left in their Sacrament of their Altar either in the matter which they have taken in part from the people or in their administration which stands in Heathenish obscurities and rites of no significancy or in their scope which is to give God a sacrifice not to take from him any nourishment Therefore let us abhorre them and both blesse God that hee hath not quite suffered us to be drowned in their darkenesse beseech him to purge us more and more in these ordinances and especially grow more capable by them for if these Glasses will not helpe us we are not dimme but blinde I proceede to the third the simplicity of them 3. simplicity We see by what homely naked Elements the Lord Iesus resembles this spirituall nourishment not by costly bread spiced and delicate nor by compound and costly drinkes such as some nations Turkish and others use at this day such as might better sute with the palate than ought else nor yet with costly state of Celebration but homely bread and common wine yea and that when the bellies of the Disciples had beene filled To the hungry and thirsty meate and drinke is welcome for it selfe But our Saviour offring these to full stomacks would have them to know that other things were by him intended The use is to confute all Popish bravery in the administration of this Sacrament their apish ceremonies and trickes used to set forth Gods materialls as if hee were too simple for them Oh! They must have so many pompors Rites of Altars Adoration Circumgestation as if Gods naked Elements were base things Nay their cursed transubstantiation as it offends in other higher respects especially in turning a base creature into the similitude of God and so destroyes all Sacramentall relation so also against this in speciall that it destroyes the plaine homelinesse of Gods invention thinking that except bread and wine turne flesh and blood their goodly Idoll is disparaged An abuse properly to be taxed in this place for in the other Sacrament they maintaine no such Transelementation of common water into the water or blood of Christ Vse 2 Secondly it should teach all true receivers of this Sacrament to take order against a carnall heart in their comming to or taking of this Sacrrment Let our hearts be to all carnall receiving as the stomacks of the Disciples now were to bread and wine whereof they were filled Come to the Lord as one weary of thy sensuall appetites and objects Bring not the thoughts of thy trade money belly pleasures thither Its an holy thing of the highest nature which the Lord offers thee If thou shouldst behold all precious outward objects of gold and silvet and Iewels to melt and run downe the streets how base they would be Thinke here when thou commest to this Sacrament and seest the Lord Iesus offered under such bare poore creatures that God sets him above all outward glorie of the earth and would shew thee his glorious grace in the true lustre thereof so that no base thing should eclipse it Bee then or strive to be as Christ would have thee wholly spirituall Col. 3 1. and set thy affections upon thy treasure where Christ sits looke not upon the outside behold not the ragges and cloathes of Christ risen Luk. 24.5 but heare the Angell saying Behold he is risen he is not here
framing the uniforme truth of God to the text in hand and the text and use of it to the occasion of their people That so Gods Spirit might not seeme streightned for ease carelesnesse and forme seeme to eate up all power and spirit in men causing people to misapply truthes so deluding themselves Vse 3 Thirdly what a sweete ground of instruction is this to all to magnify Christ Sacramentall in the wisedome of his stewardship To ascribe his due honour to him in seeing and serving the wants and turnes of not congregations but particular beleevers What member is there of a great noble mans house whose eye is not set upon the steward of the house from him they have their meate their physicke their cloathes their lodgings their wages each one his portion therefore of all others he is the cheefe object of honour if faithfull Oh! couldst thou see the most curious wisedome of the Lord Iesus thy steward in the dispensing of Sacramentall graces neyther superfluously nor niggardly neither the apparell of the growne to the young nor Physicke in stead of foode nor strong meate in stead of milke nor any of these out of season when the soule is past them and starven but these fully justly wisely tenderly and all in season yea to all so that the number of his people wearies not his dispensation Oh! how would it ravish thee It s the ignorance of the stewards excellency which makes him so little set by Men make use of him for every thing and honour him for nothing and indeede rather cozen themselves of him than him of his due None of his graces serve onely for a dumbe shew but for use Consider what a steward thou hast who cuts out himselfe for thee beeing made of the Father to this end It s hee who is the dispenser of the manifold graces of God yea so doth he parcell them out to thee that he was pleased himselfe to partake them Hee would be baptized himselfe would eate and drinke the Supper himselfe that he might sanctifie his Minister to distribute his people to receive this nourishment that he might by his owne holy dividing eating and drinking cover all the defects of his Church in both and encourage them to come unto him even in their weakest preparations Alas not himselfe was the better for these but in all his Churches welfare he is refeshed as in his owne and when hee can make us accepted in himselfe and wel-pleasing he hath his desire Vse 4 Fourthly this should informe us of the excellency of the Sacrament and how it addes a blessing to the promise For the promise makes the Proposition of a Christians comfort All that thirst hunger beleeve may come and be eased refreshed But the Sacrament is the Assumption and addes But thou art that party To thee I offer these good things take thou eate drinke thou thou poore soule fearefull to apply the promise I speake to thee it s thy portion although thou wilt not acknowledge it I know thee to be such an one I come now to thy doore and lay this refreshing unto thee take it it s thine Many poore soules cavill against the promise and say If I were named as the party to whom the Lord Iesus belonged I durst but alas how dare I how many step in before me Indeede to the Church these things belong in generall but in so great a numbeâ— of men how easily is such a poore wretch as I trod downe No no the Sacrament is the hand of Christ thy steward seeing thee singling out thee looking downe for such as are broken empty base and fatherlesse that he may bee strong with all such And now in speciall to thee he saith Thou art this thirsty beleeving soule apply the promise to thy selfe Iohn Thomas such a man or woman for in a manner the Sacrament supplies the defect of the word both in personall and peculiar application It tells thee thy name is written in heaven it gives thee a ticket in speciall from God to secure thee to be his and as it offers whole Christ to the Communion of Saints so it severalls out thee and tells thee that thou art not forgotten among the rest but to thee the Lord Iesus broken belongs Thou seest not the parcell of bread and wine more personally offred to thy hand than Christ to thy soule So that as by vertue of generall Christ thou deniest thy selfe and prayest Our Father give us this day our daily bread forgive us leade not us into tentation that is compst thy selfe to serve onely for the use of the body so by vertue of Christ cut out and divided to thee thou sayst I beleeve in God I beleeve in Christ I beleeve in the holy Ghost I beleeve my selfe to bee the Lords and fasten so upon Christ not as every beleevers but mine owne in speciall to pardon to save me as if I were the onely person And not onely thus but after this Assumption comes in a Conclusion Therefore Christs benefits are thine all his graces his enablements for doing for suffering supply of thy ignorance releefe of thy forgetfulnesse wandrings earthlinesse coldnesse c. I say Christ is peculiarly thine with all his nourishment to eternall life Learne to make this use of the Sacrament Vse 5 Fiftly its instruction to the people to ground their hearts duly in the esteeme of the Minister of God Hee is in this dispensation of Christ both in word and Sacrament the true arbiter or middle man to convey from God to them the Lord Iesus in all his good things and the returner backe againe from them to the Lord the Calves of their lips their renued thankes affections covenant and obedience Surely they should behold him as an object of singular love and esteeme for his workes sake How oft should they muse with themselves Oh singular favour that the Lord should treate with us by entercourse of his Minister allow him in his stead to divide Christ to us in Word and Sacrament to reach us out our peculiar portions as our steward wisely and tenderly to speake to my heart aptly pertinently and then to apply it by the Sacrament more specially to separate the precious from the vile to bring a personall promise home to thee a peculiar supply of thy wants Oh! how should the feete of such be beautifull The truth is I grant the unfaithfulnesse of some is the cause which holds them from due honour when people see nothing in them tending to this mediation no tendernesse to their soules no love but seeking their owne ends polluting the ordinances both by admitting the worst dismaying the best discouraging the weake and defiling themselves Oh! how should this procure them honour But doubtlesse if as Shepheards they would take the weake sheepe on their shoulders and be all in all for Christ dividing him in word and supper aright what esteeme would follow them how should the best honour them and the vilest not dare to open
of thou takest not because thou consentest to no promise Thou hast a traytors heart within thee None of all these sixe cordes of this Sacramentall Promise will draw thee no though the cord were made of many more linkes thou wouldest still be the same an unwilling unbeleeving wretch and still warpe withdraw from God and dissent from his offer Thou hast no power to cleave to consent and obey I may say of thy unbeleefe as of Sauls hypocrisie 1 Sam. 15. 1 Sam. 15.30 Though Samuell did sundry wayes convince him and ferret him out of his hole yet so tainted an hypocrite hee was that he would not bee convinced He was at last as at first he sayd Honor me yet before the people and so went away an hypocrite Such is unbeleefe it s like the Ethiopians colour Ierem. 13. or the Leopards spots if these may bee changed then may unbeleefe not else Oh! the endlesse and bootlesse urging of promises upon unbeleefe behold her face in a glasse and abhorre her and say Into her counsell let not my soule come And as I say of her treachery so I say of her Rebellion Shee will be awed with no charge no more than won by a promise Alas she thinkes as Eve thought being deluded by Satan Gen. 3 5. That God forbad her the tree of good and evill for hatred and of evill will all that ever God had enricht her with could not sway her rebellious heart to conceive a good thought of him still he did it to crosse her So doth unbeleefe deale with Gods charges when he tells us Hee commands for our good and not his owne that it might goe well with us we answere No I cannot thinke so its harsh to my ease and sloth to yeeld True but if it were possible that thy rebells heart could stoope it would after seeme pleasant and thou wouldst not for the world but have obeyed This by the way may serve to point out the contrary natures of faith and unbeleefe Vse 4 Secondly its use of admonition to all that would take the Lord Iesus Sacramentall aright To resist carnall reason which resists faith and holds the soule under the Bondage of sense and flesh Many when they come to the Sacrament in the sight of the promise wonder that any man should take Christ and his Nourishment who yet when they bee baffled with carnall reason are so farre off the hookes that they wonder any should beleeve it Beware of this lewde counsellor if once he and thou have talked he will corrupt the simplicity of the promiser and the nakednesse of faith and fill thee with so many crotchets that as they in Iohn thou wilt cry out How can this thing be Can hee give us of his flesh Iohn 6 3â— What a riddle is this This is an hard saying who can beleeve it Surely no man that hath not chased away carnall reason and closed with the promise I doe not bid thee put off sound reason for then I might bid thee with a Papist beleeve that bread is turned flesh and wine blood I bid thee not bee mad but not distrustfull Be not faithlesse ascribe not more to the Pilot than Paul as that carnall centurion did because hee saw no other than likelinesse of shipwracke An Angell of God saith Paul stood by me too night and secured me Act. 27 1â— I beleeve God therefore I see as little hope as any of you nay lesse but yet the promise of God and his charge that I feare not prevailes more with me than all outward reason Oh! do so in the Sacrament in the Supper as I urged before in Baptisme Looke at the word and charge Except baptized of water and spirit yee are damned cannot enter hee that beleeves and is baptized shall be saved Looke at this and say not shall a man enter the second time into his mothers wombe and bee borne againe But honour the promise as Noa Iohn 3 4. when hee was in the Arke was saved by faith and the waters which swallowed up the world bare up the Arke and saved him Heb. 11 7. 1 Pet. 3 20. God had sayd it and he beleeved So Christ hath sayd it This is my body This is my body Why saith carnall reason I see no more here than at home what consequence is this heere is bread and wine therefore Christ nourishment I eate and drinke and take the onâ— therefore I may take the other What sense is here None at all It must bee faith and Religion not sence must rule here not as Popery saith against common sence and true reason to produce a thing impossible but to confute unbeleefe against false and carnall reason Oh! either cut the Throate of it or it will cut thine Lift up the Arke of thy faith above the rockes and cragges of reason or else it will Split Begge the spirit of the promise and of the command to set thee upon the rocke that is above reason Christ and the Sacrament or else reason will destroy both 2 King 6 18. There are more with thee as Elisha told his man than against thee if the promise and command of Christ be for thee It s an evidence from God and subsists in his faithfulnesse power and mercy grounded upon the death of the Lord Iesus 2 Cor. 6 1. Receive not this grace in vaine as if thy eares were stopped eyes blinded hands held and cheyned by thy fleshly sence Rather let this promise of Christ loosen this chaine Salomon saith A gift in the hand prospers whither so ever it goe Oh! here is a gift in the hand Take and eate This is my body given for you and now given to you let this prosper against all the mutters of carnall Reason and say Oh! be there never such unlikelihood as Caleb said of the Anakims yet they shall be but meate for us Num. 14 7 8. If the Lord love us he will give it us So say thou If God have spoken standby sense and be still I know thou wilt be ready to put thy selfe forth in and against each promise but I will have no eare to heare thee if God speake The charge of God hath power to enable thee as well to command thee it gives what it commands as when the Lord Iesus bade the Palfie man rise he put life and motion into his limbes and joynts and left not the worke to the criple So I say resist sence and corruption by a promise and a charge of Christ and it shall stoope unto them The Lord hath put an infinite power into one against the other Vse 3 And thirdly bee exhorted to cleave nakedly to the word of the promiser consent and obey Esay 1. The words are both used to signifie faith Esay 1 19. for a matter not unlike and saith he yee shall eate the good things of the land So say I heere come with an open hand and a simple heart and a naked faith and thou
which I gave a touch before in the point of fruitfulnesse Secondly walking with God daily as being under his eye awfully purely Gen. 5.22 and soberly approving our selves to him in the way of our life making his Word our delight in both the promises commands and threats of it and so holding the Lord in our sight as loth to forgoe him Thirdly Ascending in our thoughts from our owne welfare in private and forcing our awcke hearts to the service of our time as David Act. 13.36 Acts 13 36. as well as looking that it goe well with our selves of which selfe-love our spirit is full stuffed except this grace scoure it out Remember we that the gaine wee get by Christ in his Assemblies should presse upon us the bewailing of the losse thereof Zeph 3.18 Zeph. 3.18 the beseeching God to establish the Lord Iesus and to set up his King upon his Zion in the power of his Ordinances to demolish the Throane of Satan and Antichrist that the Scepter of Christ may prevaile every where against Popery Atheisme Ignorance Blinde devotion profanenesse and forme of godlinesse Lastly in an heavenly heart as Phil. 3 18. Phil. 3.18 knocking us off from below moderating our liberties for us enlarging us to desire his glorious presence to have communion with him as he is concluding that if these treaties with him at distance as in the Supper be so sweete then much more to eate and drinke it in his kingdome Luke 22 16. Luke 22.16 Oh! if our treasure be there let our hearts be so also and send we them before us in token wee looke to remove thither as our abiding place Phil. 2 1 2. 2 Cor. 5.1 Phil 2 1 2. 2 Cor. 5.1 Thus doing wee shall use the Supper for the end which it was given for to supply the absence of the Lord Iesus from us Luke 22 35 16 17. Luke 22.16 till wee may enjoy it Thirdly let that good we have got out of the Sacrament The third imparting our selves to others so plentifully abide in us that wee impart it to others The nature of these graces is such not to feede on them alone When those Leapers 1 King 7 12. 1 King 7 12. had filled themselves in the Aramites tents with store of all things their hearts smote them for staying there so long and they resolved to hasten and tell the King and people of it that were sterven in the citie So shouldst thou The Sacrament is called a communion in this respect as well as the former Poore birds if they light upon scattered corne call their fellowes to the heape When Sampson had found honey Iude 14 9. though hee kept the riddle yet he imparted his honey to his Father and Mother The benefits of Christ are not of a secret and private but diffusive nature Let us bee ashamed to consider that other things in the world are so perfected by communion that neither Trades Artes Customes and fashions nor any other thing have cause to complaine but the matters of Christ are now at the barest and lowest Why save that those that should excell in them conceale their skill and experience The Communion day should be our exceeding day and as in feasts so in this we should send or carrie portions and acquaint others wisely and seasonably with our lot and receive from them like intelligence And thus much for the second generall head viz. The grace of the Supper I conclude with the last And that is the particular end of the Sacrament viz. The sealing unto a beleeving soule The third generall The end of it an assurance of that grace which it exhibiteth I have spoke before of this sealing power I will adde but a little for the applying of the genâ—rall to this particular Desiring the wise Reader to looke backe and make use of what I have spoken of this sealing worke in generall and to apply it here in speciall to the sealing of the growth as already I have spoken in Baptisme of the sealing of our Birth or Regeneration A needfull digression to shew the order of the Spirits working And that my Reader may retaine the ordinary view of the two sealing workes this briefely let mee say first that the Spirit of Grace is given by God to attend each Ordinance both the Word of Promise and the Seale of Promise and that to this end to worke perswasion in the soule and to cause it to beleeve the things that are given her of God Then secondly note The object of this perswasion by the Promise is double and therefore the object of perswasion by the Seale is double First perswasion of the soule that shee is truly the Lords truly called regenerated and borne of God That is to say reconciled to him and renewed in him Secondly perswasion that shee growes in the grace of the new birth and shall grow as a lively member of her head till she receive the fulnesse of that part That God is the Author of both perswasions appeares by the two maine heads of unbeleefe which formerly I noted to reside in the soule First that shee dare not beleeve at all that the promise of mercy reacheth to her Secondly that she dare not beleeve that she shall ever reach to any further degree of sanctification than she presently feeles Both these the Lord in his double perswasion confutes The third thing is the Spirit therefore applies it selfe to both these yet not alway in one and the same measure of perswading but according to the neede or proportion of each part By the Promise of the Word sometimes it workes more sometimes lesse perswasion as seemes best to himselfe and so by the Seale of the Sacrament hee doth likewise worke weaker or stronger assurance For though there be a perswading power in an high degree in both yet the Spirit is no servant to his Ordinances but his Ordinances to him they shall perswade more or lesse according as that power of Christ which the Spirit dispenceth is more or lesse conveied into the soule by his perswasion He is never separated from promise or Seale according to the measure of his working by both But that is as he listeth for he bloweth where and how farre hee pleaseth Fourthly note the chiefe and maine perswasion of the Spirit in the Word is the Spirit of the sealing Promise and the chiefe work of the Spirit of perswasion in the Sacrament is the Spirit of the sealing Sacrament And therefore as the Seale with the Promise is above a promise alone So the Spirit of the Seale with the Sacrament is above the Sacrament alone and consequently the sealing power of the Sacrament is above the Sealing power of a Promise the Sacrament being ordinarily the instrument of working the soule to the highest assurance which it can enjoy in this world whether of the truth of her regeneration which Baptisme or the growth therein which the Supper sealeth and perswadeth Sealing
thing viz. 1. How the soule hath carried it selfe in respect of former Sacraments received how it hath lived and thriven in grace by them 2 How it hath fayled therein and broken the covenant there renued in speciall 3. What repentance it feeles for that speciall sin what faith it hath in the promise of the Sacrament what fitnesse to joyne with the Church in communion of the body by love What desire after former fruit and growth by experience thereof 4. This triall at the Sacrament is a speciall Reviving stirring up and quickning of all these graces for the use of the Sacrament that thereby through mercy the soule may goe and receive with the lesse feare and more faith to speed of her desire The summe and scope of all is thus much Vse 1 1. To teach Gods people how to make use of all the former Trialls for the helping them forward to this Vse 2 Then secondly to shew how a Christian should accommodate himself to every duty wifely orderly without error and confusion which is no small grace Vse 3 3. To confute the blindnesse of such as see no distinct grace contein'd in this triall for the Sacrament and therefore thinke that if they can be devout catch up a booke and reade put on a demure habit and violently keepe off themselves from usuall riots and profanenesse of life or simper with a few good words that they carry good hearts to God meaning no man any hurt they thinke this to be that which will passe for their tryall at the Sacrament To whom I say Prov. 19 2. Without knowledge the heart is naught If they who have practized the 4. Tryalls abovesayd yet must not confound them with this but revive this triall at and for the Sacrament what shall be sayd to such blind and ignorant tryers as these without rule or reason Lastly it should informe every good communicant in the nature of this true tryall not to desist and give it over by wearinesse sloth or difficulty till in some measure he finde how he is qualified for the Sacrament seeing till then hee doth but mistake the whole scope of the Ordinance and mocke his owne soule The fourth branch of the description is Generall The issue of it The issue of this triall viz. That accordingly a man may either proceed to the Sacrament or desist for the present And this the nature it selfe of triall requires and otherwise it were needelesse to try except it were for the issue Which is plaine by the end which the Lord hath in trialls of another kind Why is the Lord sayd to try his people with false teachers and lying Prophets Deut. 13 3. Is it not no know whether wee will cleave to the truth or beleeve lyes Is it not that the faith of the elect might bee discerned from the rottennesse of hypocrites Why doth the Lord try us with streights and crosses Doth hee not intend to try whether wee will bee content with our portion or murmure and use indirect shifts So the Lord tryed Gedeons souldies who were meet for warre Iudges 7.5 who not Men also in their trialls as at Assyses what intend they save either to acquite or condemne My scope is to shew that Sacramentall triall hath also her issue either to encourage a man to receive with comfort or to desist for the time till beter provided with caution and warinesse The Vse 1 Which point is of great use 1. To instruct all Christian examinants in their triall to bee carefull of themselves and not to suffer themselves to bee deceived by error or selfe-love For why Instruction The issue is great either the comfort of well receiving and danger of loosing a great blessing if we come not Or else the perill of incurring of a great mischiefe and judgement if they presume to come We say the end of a thing is last in execution but first in intention If this were so in the purpose of such as try themselves how wisely jealously and religiously would they goe to worke If they knew and considered that the scope of triall is either to come or to forbeare and that our desisting it selfe if it bee ordinary is a mocking of God what colour soever we pretend how close and wise would it make them in going betweene both extremities either of rushing to the Sacrament without triall or desisting upon unsufficient triall How would it cause them both to tremble at contempt and refuzall and yet also at neglect of due triall ere they come Which is indeed to make a vertue of a necessity The Vse 2 Secondly this condemnes the formall and fulsome practise of common Protestants Reproofe who if they pull'd out of the vile profanenesse of such as abhorre all triall doe presently thinke that God is so beholding to them for their trying themselves that let their tryall bee what it will hee owes them welcome to the Sacrament for it Alas poore wretch Triall is appointed for an issue not for a fashion and formality to stoppe the mouth of God and conscience That triall which hath no issue can have no due substance of matter or manner in it but rather is a confuzed doing of somewhat without rule with opinion of something in the deed it selfe to commend a man to God No. As well the tryer of himselfe may see cause of not comming as the not trier ought not to come Triall hath still a respect to the issue and must be used to avoyd sin and punishment not to encrease both The Vse 3 Lastly let it be Admonit admonition to others who upon triall doe finde themselves unfit for the Sacrament Of which sort there may be two Braunch 1 Some such as although Gods people yet having fallen into some such sinne as hath deepely defiled and hardened them cannot find either their faith so lively or their repentance so sensible as that they dare to come In such a case I say if upon advise with wiser than themselves they find it so to require their duty is to consider that the Sacrament may prove so far from helping thē that it might rather encrease their guilt by boldnesse Therfore it shal be their wisedome to consider That the Lord hath other Ordinances to use than the Sacrament As that serves to nourish the faithfull so there bee others that serve to humble and cast downe the loose and presumptuous Let them therefore inquire after them as Counsell of the Minister of God able to helpe them Penitentiall Search and Triall of themselves about the occasion of their fall Fasting and Prayer with conference if they feele Sathan hath deeply bewitcht them and hardned them These Ordinances are appointed to cast out sinne if it be yet unseene and unrepented of Mark 9.29 and to expell such Devills as neither the Sacrament nor any other Ordinance can especially the publique Ministery being the setter of them on worke and the first convincer of the conscience It s a
doth at last cast her selfe upon the promise resigning up her selfe to it so farre as to beleeve it to be her owne portion 3. Why Thirdly the Lord calls the soule from misery to mercie to the end that it might enter into a covenant of holinesse and become a Saint by calling Rom 1 7. called to sanctification and the image of him that called it That as the soule lives by grace so grace might live in the soule And this hee doth by the voyce of the Spirit of Regeneration and Baptisme The which by the immortall seede of the word sheddeth the love of God into the soule to the end his seede may beget the image of God in it By which meanes the whole bent and frame of it is changed subdued and turned from sinne to God so that now Gods Spirit is that unto and in it which old Adam before was according to the capacity of the soule This Power the Spirit of Grace workes in the beleever because it is that Spirit of Christ which cannot be divided in her parts of Reconciling and renuing but carries the soule into Christ for both More plainly and breefely this Spirit writeth the purpose of the covenant in the soule to wit Iere. 31.33 that it may have the law engraven in it it may be cleansed as with pure water and may be caused as by an inward new Principle to walke in the Obedience of all Commandements of Law and Gospell as compting them an easie yoake and perfect freedome These three are wrought according to the measure of mercy in every calling one and are not so much the markes as the parts of effectuall calling and who so is thus called is also in covenant with God and by vertue thereof hath true right to the Sacrament of the supper for the growing up in the grace of the covenant Howbeit because it is hard for a Camell to goe through a needles eye 2. Triall of estate by markes of calling and every poore soule can not receive all this whole frame all at once to try it selfe thereby I will helpe it a little by taking it so into peeces that each severall triall may enter in at the narrow dore the more easily Let then the soule that would try it selfe about her calling proceede in this or the like manner First hath God called thee Try it by his Preventing grace canst thou say 1 Make Preventing Grace That when thou thoughst of nothing lesse than grace yet God was found of one that sought him not Did the Lord so mightily over rule and so order thy occasions of education company acquaintance calling ministry placing employments that in all thou sawest God spreading his net for thee that thou mightest not run thy course but bee taken in it and bee brought homewards Did the Lord by this way of Providence make thee of a dead unsavory peece of flesh to beginne to hearken after and savour the things of God It s a good signe Secondly canst thou say That the Lord suffered thee not to content thy selfe with vanishing devotions and groundlesse hopes or wishes of good But by his word wrought thy heart to see into thy corrupt heart and course Did the Lord discover thee to thy selfe either in thy particular lusts or generall bad course or in thy Originall poyson of heart Did he knocke thee off from all thy colours shifts and excuses Convince thee of sinne and curses and cause thee to stinke in thy owne nosethrils It s a good signe especially when the 10. Commandement did it Thirdly did the Lord keepe thee from extremities in this case Either from revolting backe to thy old lusts as one weary of Gods yoake before the time or rushing into desperation or falling into a presumptuous loosenesse and peace of heart in this thy dangerous condition I say did the Lord hold thee downe under his hand of the Spirit of bondage till thy ranke jolly and lusty heart were kill'd and tamed in thee It is a good signe Fourthly when thou wast in thine owne sence as one hanging betweene heaven and earth at an utter losse joylesse in any earthly thing and yet voyd of spirituall did the Lord yet in secret put some poore hope of not utter perishing into thee and whisper thus Yet what if the Lord will turne away his fierce wrath And didst thou feele thy selfe by this meanes stayd till better newes came It is a good signe In the 2 place I aske hath God called thee Try it by his Assisting grace 2. Marke Assisting grace thus Did not the Lord leave thee thus but ply thy heart with the word and nourish thy feeble hope with more and more light in his Promise Canst thou say this light was no Moone light darke and doubtfull but as the light of the morning dawning and encreasing in thy soule It s a good signe Mat. 24.27 Secondly did this light vanish and fleet away into flashy pangs of joy without any abiding or did it draw thee to behold something in God able to bottome thy hope as the Law was to unsettle thy rotten peace Did it cause thy spirit within thee to goe aside and hide this pearle digest it the worth the weight of it Mat. 13 44. To ponder the truth and warrant of the promise thou that mightest see how able it was to beare thee So that thou wouldst not in so weighty a thing as this leave all at sixe or seaven and trust rather than try It s a good signe Thirdly when thy Affections were up in armes to pursue this grace with a broken hungry heart and desire felt'st thou the resistance of thy selfe and selfelove to breed in thy soule even the paines of conception or quickning in thee Did this cause thee to discerne selfe in the worke selfe pride selfe unworthinesse selfe feares selfe hope carnall reason cavills objections Felt'st thou Satan heere to plye faster with buffetings and temptations than presently the word it selfe could stay thee Did this conflict of selfe against the light of the word so affect thee as the strugling of the twinnes in her wombe affected Rebecca when she went to God for counsell Didst thou enquire still for counsell and by degrees labour to see the heavenly rest and ease of a promise the wofull restlesse pudder of selfe within thee Did this still make thy soule more to loath selfe and dive into the freedome and fulnesse of Christ in the promise It s a good signe Fourthly when thou couldst not feele such an overuling power in the word as thou desirest but rather selfe and doubting over ruled the word canst thou say that in this suspence and darkenesse of thine thou yet strovest to hold to the naked truth of God To his faithfull covenant in which he cannot lye Sawest thou enough in that to satisfie thee although thou wantedst a bucket to draw up this water out of the wells of Salvation And did this sustaine thee in the others
one body at once as selfe and Christ in equall termes to a soule The red earth had never had the breath of life put into it if it had not beene a meere dead patient and at Gods dispose to be as he would have it The flesh of Christ had no subsisting in it selfe save in the Godhead Rom. 11.32 and what is else that of Paul God shutting up all in disobedience that he might have mercy upon all Not of the willer or the runner but God c. Rom. 9.16 The Doctrine of imputation what doth it import saue that righteousnesse stands in counting that as ours which is none of ours What else is that of the Apostle Romanes Chapter 11. verse 6. If of Workes not of Grace Rom. 11.6 else Workes were no Workes If of Grace not of Workes else Grace were no Grace Trie thy selfe then by this Rule Triall by this Dost thou observe this backebyas of corruption in thy soule alway playing her parts and resisting grace Is this spirit of originall sinne as irkesome to thy spirit as the most odious sinnes of swearing or theeft Is it so much the more suspected by how much the more fine spunne and subtill running in the streame of thy best Religion Dost thou feele it in the Worke of the Law of the Gospell of Sanctification still resisting Grace and starting as much from the Word as the Sacrifice from the Knife of the Priest Dost thou wholly set thy selfe against it both selfe on the right hand deceiving thee with thine owne hopes and deserts and on the left scaring thee with feares of unworthinesse Art thou as well afraid of a white Divell as a blacke yea more Dost thou tremble to thinke that selfe should share with God in thy conversion Dost thou chuse rather to bee as base as dung and dogges meate yea when thou hast done all dost thou thinke thy selfe no neerer heaven thereby than if thou wert a Publican Dost thou confesse that there is no bloud no merit no congruity in selfe to purchase any dramme of grace And that it is just with God rather to seeke himselfe glory by abasing all flesh and carnall proppes than to suffer selfe to perke above him or mixe with him Yea canst thou say oh Lord I chuse to lie as the dust under thy footstoole and to be at thy pleasure as a fatherlesse Orphan to doe with mee what thou wilt yea when thou art under the deepest abasement and selfe-desertings and without a subsisting in thy selfe canst thou say Verily gladdly will I bee under this buffeting 2 Cor. 12.9 though it bee as a pricke in the flesh that Gods grace may bee another selfe and a new principle of comfort to stay my selfe upon Yea in this want of carnall stay I wait upon the promise to be my stay If it be thus in any true measure in thee it is a sweet signe The fourth ground I come to the fourth ground of trying faith to wit by the act of it The act of faith And that in two things First in the naked and free consent of the whole soule to the truth of God which is that he will ease the loaden soule comfort the mourning and satisfie them that hunger after righteousnesse Math. 5 4 5 6. The Lord requires that the soule simply relie it selfe upon this bare Word of his because he will performe it without descanting this way or that against it Esay 1.16 Psal 32 1. Secondly in the relying upon the meere and free act of Gods not imputing sinne or imputing righteousnesse to the soule yea a righteousnesse inhering in another and not in thy selfe The Lords act of esteeming and reckoning to the soule the righteousnesse of Christ is as reall an act as if hee had infused a reall habite of it into the soule to dwell personally in it as it dwelt in Christ Triall by this Trie thy selfe then by this rule thus First canst thou say truely that in the beleeving of Gods promise thou didst directly goe from a word to a word without adding or mixing the slime of thy owne conceits to defile the purenesse of it Didst thoâ— with Peter emptied of himselfe obey and say At thy Commandement Lord I will let downe though else I should not Luke Chapter 5 verse 5. Luke 5 5. Canst thou say oh Lord thou bidst a loaden wretch come unto thee to take ease as if there were no more circumstance in it than onely so Lord I have found my soule loden and pinch'd by thy Word therfore I come to thee for ease beleeving that seeing thy selfe art the Author of both words therefore thou who wouldst so really lode me canst as truely ease mee Canst thou say Lord in thy words is neither hooke nor crooke and therefore as I seeke to adde nothing to it so neither doe I detract nor dare I Revelation Chapter 22. verse 18. Rev. 22 18. Ephes 4 21. but take thy truth as it is in Iesus even truth it selfe subject to no exceptions or cavills of flesh I enquire not why thou dost it or why for mee and not for many hundred thousands that lie in their blindnesse still Secrets are for thee but revealed promises are for mee and therefore to thee I leave the one and claspe so much the more closely to the latter by how much the former is more above mee If thou canst find in thy heart thus freely to concurre with free grace saying Luke 1 38. Luke 7 30. Bee it to thy servant as thou hast spoken I dare not despise thy Counsell for my salvation or gainesay and give thee the lye but put my seale to thy word that it is true I say againe Iohn 3 3â— if in any true measure thou canst doe thus it is a sure signe And secondly if the Act of God in heaven justifying a poore wretch by his bare accompting him his righteousnesse when yet corruption abides in him exceedingly yea his perfect righteousnesse can so farre prevaile with thee as to say O Lord thy one witnesse and approbation of mee is to my conscience as a thousand though I neither see thy face nor can heare thy voyce yet O Lord I accompt my selfe as thou esteemest me even thy perfect righteousnesse in the midst of my greatest sinfulnesse and all because thy accompt is a done deede and my faith compts it done in earth because it is done in heaven I say this act of thy faith is a good signe The fifth ground is from the end of thy beleeving The 5 ground The end and that is that God may have the glory of his rich grace in saving a lost soule The last and full end of God in thy pardon and savation is not that thou mightst be happy but that himselfe might be glorified This the Lord so lookes at that all other ends are but second hand ends unto him although reall ends Try thy selfe also in this The tryall of this
we are willing to get it at the best sure it is we love to get nothing at the worst which may bee come by at the best Now then the Sacraments exhibite Christ as I may say at his best And as Pharaoh's daughter is invited to come behold Salomon when he was clothed with all those costly ornaments and glory where with his mother made him glad on his crowninng day so doe the Sacraments offer Christ a greater obiect than Salomon even in his best Grace in the richest and royallest robe of his righteousnesse in the best of his Peace ioy and contentation which God can bestow him in Whose heart should not then esteeme him at this best of his with best iudgment and affection Not by foolish or Popish comparison of one ordinance with another But by considering that each ordinance with another is better than another alone and so the Sacrament with a word is above the word alone because it containes the word and hath more besides in it even Christ at his best in the fulnesse length depth and all treasures of breeding and nourishing grace not onely in himselfe but made over to my soule by the Father grace for grace to mee my Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption Alas deere friends What were the knowledge of this Lord Iesus as he is only the second person in Trinity and the eternall Word of the Father If the depth of that mystery contained in Heb. 1 3. To wit that Christ is the brightnes of the Fathers glory and the ingraven forme of his person were fully understood by a man as who doubts but such knowledge were excellent yet alas it falls short of that excellent knowledge which Paul speakes of Phil. 3 Of Christ Iesus my Lord who hath given himselfe for me loved me by which the world is crucified to me and I to it this onely is that to which all other is dung and drosse Nay further put case I knew him as the true Mediator in all three offices and namely the true onely Priest and satisfier for the sinnes of the world Were this that excellent knowledge of all other except he were crucified also in the eye and to the spirituall gaine of my soule as my Lord and God and as my satisfaction and the treader of the wine-presse of the fierce wrath of God Esay 63.1 that the anger of God might be pacified to me No verily Nay lastly put case this knowledge of Iesus Christ my satisfier could possibly bee severed from the knowledge of him my Sanctifier also and that Christ my birth could bee divided from Christ my Nourishment my support health growth and fruitfulnesse could this knowledge be counted the most excellent Were it not a rending rather of one peece of Christs garment from another yea a pulling of one especiall part of him from my soule and breaking of so precious a Diamond in peices What excellent things then must those be which present the Lord Iesus in all these three the beauty of his person the benefit of his satisfaction and the grace of his Sanctification and that to mee with seazin and delivery That offer him as I sayd at his best This doe the Sacraments and therefore of how great esteeme should they be in the Church of Christ I confesse if I presented Christ to thy view good Reader in those darke Sacraments of the Old Testament or no otherwise than Iohn Baptist could I should bring thee a burgaine at the worst hand For although Christ were in them also yet with such poore convincement that I may safely say The body of receivers who beheld the covenant of the Law as a covenant of workes and Righteousnesse thereby did receive the Sacraments as a curse rather than a blessing upon themselves and bred worse blood in themselves thereby than before they had For why They renouncing the right covenant of righteousnesse whereof they were seales as it is sayd that Abraham received circumcision as a seale of it and mistaking the law as if it required a possible obedience from them to merit life what did they but curse themselves and say Cursed be he who thinkes he can abide in all things written in the booke of the Law to doe them And not being able to doe them but deluding themselves and taking the Sacrament upon it what did they in effect but seale up that curse to themselves and their seede But lo in the Sacraments of the Ghospell is offered thee a better ministration of the spirit of the Lord Iesus in the seales of that righteousnesse which comes by faith and therefore a curse is turned into a blessing For as the covenant is which thou commest in so is the seale which thou receivest both are blessed and thou comming in faith unto them receivest from God blessing under seale so that hee hath blessed thee and thou shalt bee blessed And is not this the Lord Iesus at his best Moreover if I presented thee onely Iewish Sacraments what great thing should I offer thee Surely Christ in a darke corner circumcision in a private family the Passeover in an houshold by it selfe But lo I present Christ unto thee not with a veile before his face which is obscure but in a Mirror with open face transforming thee from glory to glory I say a Christ Sacramentall not offered by a Priest to God in a Masse and in a corner of the Church with a boy to mumble an answere but in the open view of his Church and assemblies of his Saints Looke not heere for Popish Anabaptisticall Brownisticall or Scismaticall Sacraments huddled up by a false Church in their houses barnes or corners though I taxe not corners where the Church is present as the Martyres were in woods but in the midst of his people where Christ the Lord of Sacraments is present with his owne met in his name even in the beauty of his holinesse So that as he suffered not in a corner of heaven or earth but upon an hill before his Church and refused not the world to bee witnesses and was lift up as the Serpent in the wildernes in the publike view of his people so that thou professest to bee a dove of his flocke and one of the youth of his wombe Psal 110. Mayst fly to his loover and windowes and come into his Temple with frequency as the dew falls upon the grasse saying How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of hosts My flesh longeth and my feete desire to see and stand in the courts of thine house Even in the chambers of my Mother and in the Garden of thy spices even there give me thy love There let thy Northwind of Prayer and blessing blow thy savour into my nostrills that after thine ointments powred out there the Daughters my followthe And is not this Christ at the best But to proceed a little in this argument for I have locked my selfe out of the hall therefore must stand a while in my porch rather
spirit whereby the Lord offered up himselfe was so is the power of the same spirit to the soule begetting and renewing it Eternall also so that the never dying power of baptisme keepes the branch of the vine thus one put in to abide for ever ingrafted and planted into the person of Emanuell so that himselfe the stocke shall as soone wither as the soule which by faith is in him shall perish No more baptisings shall neede than one because Christ ever liveth in the soule and recovereth her by his unrestrained influence from all her swouning decayes and wanzings to her former integrity no more Barkes are required after shipwracke save this one Now if Christ himselfe in person not the poore Minister with all his acts onely be the true Baptist can it be otherwise but Baptisme must needes be the Lord Iesus at the best Lastly to adde one word also of the Supper The sinfull tongue and hands I say not of a wicked Masse Priest but even the best consecrater of the Sacrament that lives cannot blesse sufficiently But the Lord Iesus our steward he is the Administer of it completely he is the true consecrater yea the foode and feeder of the Soules of his owne with his pretious body and blood unto eternity None whom the Father hath given him to be his living ones can decay pine or wither under his hand while he lives to make them Provision He told his Desciples he would eate and drinke no more of the fruite of the Vine till hee dranke it in the kingdome meaning till he spiritually without mouth or hands did present himselfe with his Church Sacâ—amentally there to feede them But in that sence he promised to drinke it with them to the worlds end He it is then who as the Master of the feast and the feast also welcometh provideth for and encourageth his guests to eate good things and to delight in fatnesse He it is who not onely in the Ministers person still consecrateth but by his might and strength derives all his blood spirit marrow and nourishment into the bones and veines of his poore members by his union with the elements whereby he saveth and sustayneth all his true borne ones that cry after his brest and succour he cannot suffer them to lacke And as himselfe in divers phrases expresseth he feedes them in his Pastures leades them to the waters he cherisheth them as his spouse nourisheth them as his branches and by him as the doore they goe in and out finding pasture For he hath made himselfe one with bread and wine that man not living by bread onely but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God may in and by these Elements draw a secret foyson and increase to the soule and be therein susteined with faith and the fruits as after in the Treatise God willing I shall more fully declare He whose flesh once eaten is immortall yet offers himselfe often for the releefe of daily defects And is not this the Lord Iesus at his best in this Sacrament also Endlesse it were to recite all which might convince thee of this excellency of Christ Sacramentall Who would not confesse that friend to shew his love at the best who should most draw neare to him in his greatest troubles And is not Christ Sacramentall for the nonce To what end then doth he offer thee his blood and bid thâ—e drinke it save to conforme thee to a sweete meekenesse of spirit in suffering and to a fellowship in all his Afflictions with confidence of overcomming in his strength Againe if a man should promise to doe thee a kindnesse wouldst thou not interpret his kindnesse at the best if it lay in such a kind as should supply thy peculiar want What kindnesse is counted of like that which is most seâ—sonable That which releeves not some defect may be thought superfluous Even so is Christ Sacramentall a releefe of each soules personall peculiar diseases wants decayes distempers Like to the man of Baalshalisha 2 King 4.42 who brought loaves of Corne and presents to the Prophet when there was a necessity of famine and a multitude to bee fed But I end in a word Wherein can it more cleerely appeare that the Lord Iesus is offered thee in the Sacrament at his best than in his blessed fulnesse If thou shouldest visite thy friends house tell mee when shouldst thou most thinke thou camest at the best than in the middest of a feast So I say heere The Sacrament is the Kings feast at the marriage of his Sonne The feast of the hills the feast of God and heaven a full feast of all refined wines fat and delicate things If Gods ordinarie be so good is not his feast of Christ Christ at his best Wherein thy soule may fill it selfe for the present and for afterwards with choice Deinties as the Aramites campe and the fulnesse thereof filled the leapers But now what is the upshot of all Oh! sad mourning That we are at our worst when Christ is best Oh mourne that after 70. yeeres liberty of the word and Sacraments in the Church yet by the sinne of man such mysteries as these should lye by disesteemed because unacknowledged True it is as once it was a deepe conceit with the Iew that his Messia must neede be some speciall person But when the true Messia indeed came they knew not what to make of him he was a strange wonder unto them So now it deepely dwells in most men that in the Sacrament some mysticall thing lyes hidden but when they come to it they receive they know not what The cause is their carnality and sensualnesse which is offended at the spiritualnesse of them which makes them alleadge oh they are darke matters and for great Divines not for such as they to meddle withall And thus in time corrupt ease breeding error that errour growes to proove religion and as at first men thought them difficult so at length it s their best devotion to rest in blind and superstitious reverence of a thing unknowne As those Athenians who set up an Altar to the unknowable God blind devotion being the meere falling short of faith If this disease had infected popery onely it had beene well â—uâ— this Popish leaven of carnall Sacraments which sowred the first reformation with a consubstantiate Christ hath tainted us with as dangerous an error even to rest in a carnall devotion and the opus operatum of a devout blinde receiving counting it the top of religion Alas poore soules To what purpose doe we so crake and boast of our Sacraments of the Gospel that they are above those of the old Testament in al respects as indeede thy are when as its cleare by good experience that setting aside some places enlightned by the word our Sacraments to the body of our people are as dimme and dumbe representers of a Christ already crucified as to the Iew they were darke pretendings of the Messiah to come Oh! How woefull
the doctrine use of Sacraments effectually in the Church A thing very much neglected for the most part The which needfulnesse may appeare by this that it serves to prevent a threefold inconvenience The first is woefull ignorance Three causes of teaching the doctrine First Ignorance Scarse any one point of Doctrine there is in all Religion in which people are blinder than in the true nature and use of the Sacraments They thinke that because Sacraments are given as glasses to behold Christ in therefore they are cleare enough of themselves But as the clearest Crystall glasse can shew no face while it is locked up in a cofer or the backside onely looked upon So till the Sacraments are brought forth and opened their light is smoothred Parables were used by our Saviour to cleere doctrine Meth. 13.44 howbeit they were riddles to the Disciples themselves till expounded And sure its a question whether the want of Instruction about the Sacraments make the people so ignorant of them or their ignorance causeth the Ministers labours so unprofitable by the confirmed custome thereof in the people Secondly to prevent superstition in some Pope-holy persons Secondly Superstition who are so leavened with superstition that they thinke the Sacraments are holy things even by the work wrought without any relation to the Covenant not knowing them to be the New Testament of Châ—ist in his blood Luke 22 19. Also they thinke that the Easter Sacrament is holier than others That its too presumptuous for them to come to them often because they are so holy Such matters must bee seldome used least they waxe common and many such Popish dreggs abide in their hearts Thirdly and especially to prevent unpreparednesse 3. Vnpreparednesse Generally our nature is awck to this worke even the better sort need a helpe and manuduction to it and as for others though well disposed yet for lacke of helpe in this kinde they do necessitate unto themselves a great rashnesse unreverence unfitnesse to this duty growing to a custome in doubtfull and unfruitfull receiving Of the use hereof more in the second Treatise in the point of knowledge Sacramentall Circumst 4 The fourth Circumstance is their Number Number There were never more than two in the Church of the old Testament neither hath the New any further liberty So many and no more the Lord hath bequeathed to his Church Onely 2. Sacraments And those two are not Sacraments of some speciall graces but of whole Christ our wisedome 1 Cor. 1.30 righteousnes sanctification and redemption in one word of the grace of God either for the sealing of the reall being of it and the begetting of it in us or the nourishing of it One Christ is still the body of the Sacraments God hath not clogged his Church with multitude of Sacraments least hee should divert his people too much by outward objects from holy things Scarse one of many is fit to profit by Sacraments but to cleave to the barke of them leaving the substance Here therefore that is verified God neither is wanting in necessaries nor exceeds in superfluities So much and no more as may serve for our good he hath thought good to bestow choosing rather to supply number by power efficacy and extension than to clogge us with too many It was that which the Lord shunned even while that world of Ceremonies lasted much more now in these dayes wherein he calles for spirituall worship Why so few hee yeelds two for releefe of our infidelity but no more for prevention of our curiosity wil-worship and sensuality Against Popish Sacraments It came not from the Lord to ordaine one Sacrament for the Clergie as Orders a second for the Lâ—â—y alone as Marriage a third for Catechised ones as Confirmation a fourth for sicke ones as Vnction a fift for lapsed ones as Penance these are no Scripture but tradition Sacraments and by like reason if once we transgresse Gods bounds wee might devise one Sacrament for the King and his Nobles a second for learned ones a third for ancient ones a fourth for yonger ones for strong or for weake c. But the Lord hath allowed in these two all Christ eyther to breed grace in the soule or to nourish it He hath not given us Sacraments of humility of patience of selfe deniall of mercy and the like but in Baptisme and the Supper he hath ordained one Christ to breed faith and to nourish it to beget sanctification patience love and to confirme them to seale up the covenant of Grace in both to all sorts Prince people rich poore old young learned idiots weake and strong so that as few as there are yet the Lord inlarging them to so manifold supplies and uses we have more cause to blesse him for not oppressing us with a burden than to accuse him for defectivenesse towards us To teach us seeeing wee have so few The Vse to emproove them well and cleave fast to the fruit and the power thereof and by faith to draw out the strength thereof in both those regards for which God gave them But to praise God especially for ridding of us from that Popish yoke of Sacraments before named as most repugnant to Gods ends and to Christian liberty yea as bringing in a yoke upon the necke of the Church most intollerable to beare Many things breed distraction few things cause more union If a man have but one or two children his love is more united If a citie have but one or two Bulwarkes they will apply them throughly So let us Circumst 5 The fifth Circumstance concernes the publiquenesse Publiknesse of Sacraments Sacraments are Legacies of Christ to his Church and Pledges of Communion of Saints therefore to be the acts of an Assembly lawfully met As Paul speakes of the censures Sacraments must be publique When yee are therefore met together 1 Cor. 5.4 1 Cor. 5.4 with my Spirit Let such a one be given to Satan even so he speakes of the Sacrament 1 Cor. 11.20 1 Cor. 11.20 When ye are therfore come together c. Noting the solemne publiquenesse of them when they may be so enjoyed Christ hath appointed them as markes of Communion therfore the Church Acts 2. 4. Acts 2 and 4. is said To abide together in mutuall fellowship of breaking bread and prayer So that each member must fetch his or her speciall portion of Christs Sacraments from the communion of Saints Therefore let us abhor Popish Masse-Priests who with their boyes or Clerkes offer up three or foure private Masses in three or foure corners of the Church at once as we deny them the name of this Sacrament so wee say like Sacrament like Celebration both are abhominable Vse 2 Also let this keepe us in humility and love both towards our selves and the Church For not we hold the roote but the roote us If the eye be bold and say I neede not the
was as weake in the grace thereof Act. 2. end and the sealing power of it The Gospel hath more fulnesse of seede and begets more unto God than the Law could doe and therefore Baptisme is a farre fuller Sacrament to confirme the soule in her new birth than the other was So for nourishment The Gospel exceeds by many degrees the ministery of the Law in Point of her building up and nourishing the soule in the grace of the new birth the Gospel hath filled the brests of the Church with farre more milke and stored her with farre more provision than the old Testament could doe For thereby the Spirit is powred our upon all flesh Ioel 2.28 Esa 44 3. Looke what difference there was betweene them and us for the fulnesse of bodily food that in a sort may bee said for spirituall fulnesse How many Creatures for kind or for Circumstance as in case of blood or strangled might not they touth the Hog the Conie the Hare and many other both beast and foule tame and wilde which to us are cleane and sanctified How much more doth the Lord afford us fuller feede of the Sacrament of the Supper than their passeover Even as a feast exceeds an ordinary Therefore Paul calls theirs a ministry of the letter ours of the Spirit not because they had not the Spirit but in comparison of the fulnesse and power of ours The new more effectuall Now for us our Sacraments are farre more effectual The very change of the old into new argued the excellenter efficacy of them As the traine of a Prince personally riding in progresse is richer than an Herald or Harbinger The Sabbath wee know was changed at the resurrection to honour it So the Sacraments at his annointing to his office and at his passion to magnifie them How should they so doe if their Trayne were not greater I meane if the spirit of Christ and his sealing perswading setling comforting pacifying power were not greater Also except that blessed traine of his Graces more glorious and plentifull as humility heavenly-mindednesse patience hope love zeale ability to walke with God more closely to discharge our callings more fruitfully to suffer more willingly to live by faith more setledly and the like gifts of Christ Sacramentall attended them Hence is that of Austin so common Our Sacraments saith he are in efficacie greater than theirs in profite more gainefull in performance more easie and in number fewer Beside ours in their understanding are most sublime in observation most pure and in signification most excellent They lived in the Porch of Sacraments we in the Parlour Let us take heede least as they in their age when no Nation under heaven enjoyed any Sacraments save themselves were so puffed up by their priviledge that they disdained all as Dogges in respect of themselves cleaving onely to the barke of these Ordinances without any seeking after the Spirit and power of them and so opened a way to Gods wrath to bring into their steed the Gentiles who alwayes thirsted after them so let us feare least wee stand so much upon our dignitie above theirs that in the meane time there shall be found even among us baptized ones and communicants far more blinde prophane carelesse than the Iewe was yea and some of us who goe for better be found as formall barren as far from the Covenant as estranged from forgivenesse and as destitute of the life and sealing power of Baptisme and the Supper as they of their Circumcision and Passeover If it be so our dignitie shall so lift us up to heaven that it shall throw us downe to hell and I will not only say the Lord will not be pleased with us as with them 1 Cor. 10.5 1 Cor. 10 5. but as it is Heb. 2.2.3 Heb. 2.2.3 by how much more powerfull grace is put into his Sacraments and by how much more eminent waies and ordinances hee hath honoured us by so much the more shall our condemnation for our unbeleeefe be more fearefull than theirs who had so dimme a Covenant and so weake Seales in comparison of us Rather let us labour to enjoy the priviledge of our priviledge above them in carrying about us that evidence of faith and that peace of conscience and that joy of soule which our Sacraments seale up to us that wee may be as much better than they as our Sacraments excell theirs in efficacy and then that kingdome of Christ within us as well as that without us shall be a kingdome not of words onely and signes but of power also And so much of the former generall of this Chapter Agreement and difference of the 2. new Sacraments Touching the latter how farre Baptisme and the Supper doe differ or agree briefely understand that as they agree in Circumstances concerning Sacraments in generall so also in the definition of a Sacrament wherein as specialls contained under one Kind they communicate They are both ancient and within three yeares one as ancient as the other they are both alike publique as being equall legacies of the Church militant they have both one founder although the one by mediate Commission as Baptisme by Iohn the Baptist by extraordinary calling the other immediatly by Christ himselfe they both agree in the Name Necessity of a Sacrament Againe whatsoever is true of the definition of a Sacrament is equally true of both these as in the next Chapter shall more fully appeare For why In both the Lord conveyes spirituall grace by visible resemblances set apart by himselfe and furnisht with power to that end But in a word that I would say of their mutuall agreement Their Agreement is this First they both agree in the offer and representation of whole Christ joyntly and undividedly to the soule Touching the first 1 In the joynt offer of Christ Know that when we call the Sacrament of Baptisme the Sacrament of entry and ingrafting of us into the body of Christ and of begetting us to Christ yet wee divide not Christ imputed from Christ inherent wee must not thinke Baptisme gives us an estate in Christ for justification onely for it estates us in Christ wholly both for wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption though justification makes us truly the Lords yet because the Sacrament conferres whole Christ therefore it conferres him as God offers and the soule needs him that is both for justification and sanctification Christ our pardon and Christ our life for without both equally ours all Christ is not ours A speciall point to be noted for the better understanding of the act of faith in applying Imputation and Sanctification both at once to the soule of which point I treat elsewhere So againe the Sacrament of the Supper conveyes Christ to the soule wholy and undividedly Practicall Catechisme not onely for the encrease of our Sanctification but our Iustification also Part 3. Article 2. For although Iustification as it is a benefit of Christ
them up shufflingly in the bagge of their devotion being unable to give a reason why themselves were baptized when they were infants or why being elder they receive the Supper Vse 2 Secondly to confute the practise of all those who Popishly ascribe to the Supper the conferring of Grace of all sorts and when they receive they thinke that although they never reaped the fruit of their baptisme before neither had faith yet one Sacrament may supply all wants which is to destroy the distinct end of each Sacrament and to plucke up good Land-markes confounding the agreement and disagreement of both for as all Christ is in both so yet for two severall purposes A Divines life we know is to study and Preach he doth both these wholly himselfe wholly is required to doe either howbeit the things he doth are divided acts he preacheth not while he is in his Study nor studieth while hee is Preaching Let us abhorre such profanesse and know all Christ is in both the Sacraments yet orderly and so that who so hath not enjoyed him in the first to beleeve cannot enjoy him in the second to grow Vse 3 Thirdly to teach us how to apply the benefit of these two Sacraments according to our speciall temptations The former thus If Satan tempt us concerning the truth of our Conversion to God telling us wee are in the state of enemies cut off from God aliants and excommunicates from him and Christ whither shall wee recourse To the Supper and our oft receiving No in no wise for Satan can speake Divinitie when hee list and tell us that the Supper is no Sacrament of Regeneration But in this case flie to thy calling and to the seale of it Baptisme if indeede thou canst proove thy calling by the worke of the Law and Gospell else thy seale is to a blanke and presse thy Adversary with the weapon of thy Baptisme sealing it up to thy conscience 1 Pet. 3.21 1 Pet. 3 21. which shall quench the fierie dart of his temptation and scare him from thee better than all Popish Holy water Againe doth the Divell tempt thee to beleeve thou art an hypocrite because thou hast a dead heart thou growest not in Grace thou art sunke from thy first love fallen to the world pleasures vanities lusts of thy uncleanenesse waxen unprofitable and revolted from God What shall now helpe thee That thou art baptized No hold that close also that thou maist pleade the other rightly But in this case flie especially to the Supper and alledge thus I am sunke too farre into a formall course and the custome of the world but yet Lord to thee I appeale that in truth I have coveted thy Sacrament of Restorative and Nourishment I haue come with hunger to it for the repairing of my losses and decaies and departed in good hope and comfort of recovering life and vigor againe and therefore in despite of Satan I will hold to the end of this Sacrament which is to seale up comfort to the afflicted and strength to the weake and recovery to the decaied and raising to the fallen therefore from hence I will fetch it by vertue of the promise Vse 4 Lastly it teacheth us the excellency of the Sacraments because they have such a gift in them as to represent all Christ at once to the soule Christ wholy and in each part of his merit and efficacie It were an odde and strange Picture which could describe the same man living dying dead raised up and ascending to heaven and all in one person That which no Art of man can doe the Lord can doe by the Sacrament that is above all Images or Crucifixes and can tender to the soule in on view all these the Lord Iesus dead risen ascended the Grace imputed of reconciliation the Grace inherent of holinesse all the particular graces of the Spirit the promises of God made all Yea and Amen in Christ for this life and for a better for all conditions and times and occasions are offred at once in each Sacrament the one to give us right and title to Christ when we wanted him the other to rivet us more into him to enlarge us in faith and the fruits till wee shall neede no more Sacraments or Ordinances And therefore let us much esteeme and honour Sacraments as most divine comprehensions of all Christ and channels of his Fulnesse from whom as our Head We receive grace for grace Iohn 1.17 Iohn 1 17. And this for the second Chapter CHAP. III. Of the substance of a Sacrament in generall The Description of it propounded and examined Substance of it HAving spoken of the Circumstances the agreement and disagreement of Sacraments Next wee come to the substance and nature of a Sacrament Which will be understood the better by the description and particular handling the parts thereof Description of a Sacrament in generall A Sacrament then is an Ordinance of God wherein by some materialls duly appropriated and united and by some acts duly administred the Lord signes and seales up to the soules of the Elect the truth of his Covenant and receives a reciprocall seale from them of their covenant with himselfe For the clearing hereof I would have the Reader conceave that in this place I take the word Sacrament in the greatest latitude not onely for the substance of it in it selfe but also as it is administred and performed in a solemne manner betweene God and his Church So that hereby two things arise to be considered Two Generals First Substance Secondly Administration In the Substance foure things 1. The Substance of a Sacrament in all her constituting câ—uses 2. The due administration and performing thereof in the Ordinance Touching the first we are to consider these foure causes 1. The efficient and supreme cause of a Sacrament 2. The mâ—â—erials of it 3. The true formall cause 4. The finall Where first the generall end Sealing Secondly The branches two First Gods sealing of the truth of his Covenant to us Secondly returning backe againe our owne covenant sealed to him In the latter member also viz. The Administration wee consider the acts of Ministers and people and the spirituall dispensation of God in these externals attending thereon for the ends mentioned Of the first of these in the first place 1. The Author of the Sacraments all and each Old and New is one unchangeable Eternall and onely Wise and Gracious God And no wonder for first First the Author God Proofes of it In his bosome of eternity lay hidden that purpose of entring Covenant with man fallen from the grace of Creation Reason 1 It was free to him to relinquish him finally in that revolt of his in that he did not it was free mercy doubly greater than the love of Creation If the devise then of a gracious Covenant with man was onely in the power of the Creator who shall be supposed to be the Author of seales to this Covenant save the same
God Reason 2 Secondly If the Lord onely found out his Sonne to be the foundation of this Covenant meant him sent him made him enabled him to ratifie it by the bloud of the Covenant accepted all this offers it seconds and assists it by his owne Spirit to make it effectuall Who can doubt that he onely is the Author of these Seales whereby this effectualnesse is convei'd Reason 3 Thirdly If he onely be the Author of blessing the word of promise to breede faith in the Covenant which is the lesser Who but hee shall breed the assurance of faith and the reflexion thereof upon the soule that it may know it selfe to beleeve Now how is this done ordinarily save by the seales If hee then be the Author of the lesser efficacie who but hee is the Author of the greater by the sealing Ordinance Reason 4 Fourthly If no externall blessing accompanying the Covenant for so the Lord was wont to perswade obedience Deut. 7. and Chap. 32. Deut. 7 32. Hos 2. Ezek. 33 c. can come from any other Author save the Lord as the blessings of raine dew plenty health long life successe Deut. 5.29 Deut. 5 29. and the like who shall dare usurpe the authority of Seales and Sacraments which are the most eminent annexes to the Covenant of all other Reason 5 Fifthly If the Lord Iesus himselfe was the onely stablisher of the Testament and Covenant by his death and bloud for without death no Legacy is of valour then who but himselfe shall make Sacraments which are in effect nothing else save the power of his life and death Reason 6 Sixthly If the Lord onely can authorise divers signes for the Sacraments as supr Chap. 2. if he onely can abrogate old ones if he one day shall abolish all old and new their nature and use as past use who but himselfe shall frame Sacraments It resting in one and the same power to make Lawes and to abolish them I conclude then that God alone is the Author of a Sacrament Conclus As indeed the Scripture doth witnesse The Lord only Gen. 17. Gen. 17. appointed Circumcision The same Lord Exod. 12. Exod. 12. ordained his Passeover the Lord extraordinarily gave commission from heaven to Iohn to appoint Baptisme Luke 3 1 2 3. Luke 22 18. and the Lord Iesus with his owne sacred presence and hands ordained the Supper before his death Seeing after his Resurrection he could not being partly an act of humiliation and so all Sacraments were given by the Lord in their severall kindes for their severall uses as in the next points shall appeare And to say the truth if it be once granted that the Lord is not the sole ordainer of Sacraments what a wide doore must of necessitie be set open for both usurping Ordainers and counterfeit Sacraments Where should the period be or why should not hundreths as well as three or five be admitted to the heape Vse 1 For use therefore hereof this teacheth us to abhorre all Sacraments which have not God and Christ for their ordainer If they cannot shew their pedigree in the Lords Genealogy Nehem. 7 63. nor be bookt in his Records nor have his stampe set upon them Math. 22 21. we say of them as our Saviour of the Penny Give unto Caesar that which is his So give to the Pope his Vnction throw him backe his Sacramentall Orders and Penance wee abhorre whatsoever savors not of God as copper coine Yea and we loath whatsoever of Gods first ordaining they by their abuse have corrupted namely as corrupted and seeing God and Christ never gave us a Sacrifice for a Sacrament wee abhorre to meddle with it as a Sacrifice propitiatory for the quicke and the dead and for their Baptisme we loath it also as administred by them as an horrrible defiling of Gods Ordinance professing to depart from their Sacraments both for their new inventions and for their adulteratings of the old and bidde them take them as their owne for now they have used them thus they are no longer Gods As for their distinction of Apostolicall and Divine we take what they grant if they be not Divine although an Angell from heaven did ordaine them wee should abhorre them How much more when their Pope or their Clergy or the body of their defiled Church For were their Church a chaste Spouse shee durst as well forsweare her husband as cast off subjection in embracing his Sacraments and usurping power to appoint other which is so farre beside her commission that she may as safely devise a new Covenant Scripture and Doctrine as doe it Vse 2 Secondly this teacheth us to esteeme so much the better of Gods Coyne as wee scorne the base stuffe of Popery Gods stampe upon the Sacrament should make it honourable and precious in our eyes If some civill ordinance hath honour in it because God hath put it upon it if marriage be so solemne if the Crowne of an earthly King be so sacred how holy is his Sacrament He who profanes it by sacrilegious adding detracting or profaning either by superstition or unprepared use shall finde God will not hold him guiltesse for taking his Name in vaine Wee delight when wee have any curious thing of a choise workeman to say It is a Picture of such a ones drawing It is a Musicall Lesson of such a ones setting a Watch of such a ones making How should Gods Master-peeces than affect us Not to over-prize them to keepe them in Pixes and under Canopies of gold but to preserve them in their spirituall integrity Vse 3 Thirdly it should teach us to behold them not in their outside but as they are in Gods ordination not the outside of a man which we see but the soule which is not seene is the man so not the outward thing but Gods Ordinance in it is the Sacrament Of which more in due place Vse 4 But Fourthly and especially seeing God is the Author of Sacraments let us be â—uled by him in the right manner of receiving them Looke what Iosia 2 King 21 23. 2 King 21 23. said to the people Keepe the Passeover to the Lord your God according to all that is in the Booke of the Covenant so heere I say Receive to the Lord be ruled by him in Preparation in action and the fruite of both It s onely in him that ordaines to order also and prescribe the due manner of using them Take we this item with us before wee come to the Doctrine of right receiving that it may set a spurre in our sides to quicken us to due preparation and using of them for he who gave them to his Church will most severely punish all ignoraâ—â— rash unbeleeving unrepentant uncharitable indifferent commers to his Sacraments and every such one stands to Gods Tribunal as we shall heare in due place Vse 5 Lastly let this point teach us to whom to goe for the spirituall life of faith
and the grace of love for the great worke of receiving-Its in him the first principle of life who made them to bestow them Renounce thy selfe thy own sence wil-worship devotion religion It s no moralitie to receive well no act of ours It s a most spirituall act about an object of divine excellencie the relation of a Sacrament the end of it the manner of partaking it require a new bottome and the casting out of our owne till God have stript us of our selves flesh and bloud shall never feele any subsisting of Sacraments they will vanish Onely a word of promise and a seale of the Spirit added to it by and from a God of boundlesse mercie can breede faith to become as reall an evidence and convincing the soule that there is Christ Pardon and Grace to be gotten as ever Pharisee felt false bottome in his owne work wrought carnall and outward devotion and farre greater And this note The Lord is not so to be counted the ordainer of Sacraments as if he had put all his power over unto them to conferre grace to all sorts No no he holds the bridle still in his owne hand if he blesse they shall be blessed if not accursed and all to teach us to seeke him for the grace of his Ordinance to abhorre our selves to pray for the Spirit of the Promise to make the seale effectuall else all is empty and bottomlesse The second thing is the matter of a Sacrament In the which point two branches offer themselves to be considered Secondly Matter Two things First Necessitie First The necessitie of it Secondly The simplicitie Touching the former Elements must be sensible I meane no absolute necessitie but such as the sutablenesse to providence to the impotencie of our nature requireth Such is the wofull blindnesse and dulnesse of our understanding and unbeleefe of our hearts to conceive or apply to our selves the Mystery of Christ that except the Lord should suffer men to vanish wholly in this their wretchednesse hee must of necessitie steppe out of his spirituall â—â—â—rse and temper himselfe to our infirmity declaring spirituall things by carnall And hee doth by this meanes condescend to us First Our weakenesse requires it least we should be offended with the hard things of his kingdome but might even see touch taste them and by speaking to all these sences at once hee might convey the savor and faith of them and in them familiarly to us He doth catch us as it were by this wise crafte which though it bewray much dulnesse in us yet no lesse deepe wisedome and love in God And this course hee hath taken in all times past with his Church for when any promise charge threat or act of his hath passed to corrupt man hee hath beene faine to second it with some signe and outward warrant to the sence to confirme them in the truth of it who were Actors or beholders thereof When the Lord sent Moses as a Saviour to Israel and to Pharaoh Exod. 32. and 4.3 Iudg. 7 38. Esay 38 21. Ier. 13.9 and 24 2 24. 25 15. Ezek. 12.3 c. how did the Lord both ratifie his calling and threats by miraculous signes So Gideon and Hezekiah so the Prophets in their errands as those Stories of the rod becomming a Serpent the drie and wet Fleece the rottten Girdle the Pot with the scumme and flesh sodden together doe witnesse Not to speake of those many Shaddowes and Types of holy things in the Worship of God there being scarce any one materiall thing in the whole Mystery of Christ which had not some one perhaps more spirituall resemblances Yea wee see in the new Testament how the Holy Ghost doth parallell many passages of History to spirituall Mysteries as Hagar and Sina to resimble legall bondage Gal. 4 24. Ierusalem to typifie the opposite libertie the water that supported Noa's Arke to expresse Christ and Baptisme which although I speake not to equall Types and Figures to Sacraments which are of a farre higher nature yet generally they serve to shew what the infirmity of our dull nature doth call for at the hands of God to vouchsafe these Sacraments Vnto which another respect may bee added to wit Secondly For prevention of Idolatry prevention of will-worship As the Lord gave the Iewes an earthly tabernacle and a materiall instruments of worship warranted by his owne Will to restraine the carnall part from devising Idoll-inventions to serve him by So Sacraments serve in a sort to curbe our base hearts from the like errors For if even these be not sufficient to stop our folly in this kinde which will know no God or worship further than we see him then what would wee have devised to our selves if God had not allowed us these Let the many additions of Popish Sacraments and Sacramentalls Images Idols and the Crucifixe c. be evident proofe hereof Vse 1 Teaching us to circumscribe our curious and fickle hearts within Gods bounds and secondly to magnifie his provision in this kinde for the releefe of our dull and slow hearts yea as Manoahs Angell ascended in the smoake of the sacrifice Iudg. 13.20 so let us incorporate and indoctrinate our feeble mindes and soules into the evidence of these divine proppes of the Sacraments As our Saviour said to Thomas Iohn 20.17 Put thy hand into my sides and the print of the nailes he being content that his exalted estate should admit such scars to convince him so in this Sacrament he shewes us his markes bidding us to be not more formall and hardned but faithfull The more wayes the Lord seekes to encounter the dul conceit and the stupor of our understandings yea the blunt edge of our affections in holy mysteries the more naturally and familiarly he deales that he might surprise our earthlinesse sensualitie and heavinesse of spirit slow to beleeve these heavenly things I say let us be the more teachable and pliable to his discipline Let the impression of his Ordinance pierce more deepely into us and work a more through conquest of our hearts to the obedience of him A pen of a Diamond hath tenfold that force to engrave a Figure in glasse or mettall than some ordinary toole So when the Lord seekes to send instruction into us many wayes at once by all the sences eyes tast touch as well as by the worke of the bare word oh let us beware least our resistance of Spirit and hardnes of heart discourage him quite from any further dealing and tearting with us Iohn 3.12 If when I teach you carnall things saith our Saviour for so it was his course to teach nothing save by Similitudes Parables and sometimes reall objects as by setting a little child before them and washing and wiping their feete himselfe in that lesson of Humiliation and Selfe-deniall Ye understand not Mat. 13 2. Iohn 13 4. how shall ye conceive heavenly Meaning if those things which were used as the more
Scriptures and Fathers expressing Sacramentall union As when our Saviour saith This is my body and Paul The bread we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ from which and like places they presently cry out Loe yee the bread is his body So when the Fathers especially those who were the greatest orators doe hyperbolize in the prayse of the Sacrament calling it the bread of life and an ineffable union and that after consecration the bread by the omnipotency of the Word is made flesh c. they abuse the scope of the Fathers which to themselves was good because although they meant no other but to magnifie Sacramentall union yet the excesse of their speech occasions the errour of corporall union to prevaile Let us loath their Idolatry and superstition Vse 4 Fourthly it should teach Gods people never to cease magnifying the love of God who hath refused no course neglected no meane which possibly might make for the communicating of himselfe to lost man both in union fellowship and seeing his word through our infidelity could not sufficiently satisfie your scrupulous and doubtfull mindes touching the realnesse of his faithfull meaning towards us hath not onely stooped to be in our flesh as a man but to tye himselfe to base creatures that so he might familiarize with our soules more nearely and make us one with himselfe so that the meate drink we receive is not made our substance of flesh more really than the Lord Iesus is made the substance of our spirituall nourishment Oh! I say how should his love shewed upon so hard conditions not onely ravish us but also prevaile with us for those ends which it serves for how should our soules study for union with him influence from him to become like him How should wee strive to attaine the perfection of that happinesse which Adam lost recover it in a farre fuller and nearer union with Christ and by him with the Lord Oh! this is the scope which all unions and especially this Sacramentall have to unrivet us from base unions and fellowships with things below that so we might settle our hearts upon him whom to know and beleeve to be our God reconciled is happinesse and to be united to his natures in one mysticall being of holinesse is above all earthly fading comforts Oh! hath the Lord joyned himselfe to the creatures that we not resting in them might by them be carryed to him in whom true rest and peace is to be had How should we despise to be one with money with pleasure with mans acceptance with other carnall objects and say since I came to see the excellent union of the soule with God in Christ I see nothing below but seemes base to me and such as I am loth to unite and give over my selfe to it to be servant to it to be possessed by it or to possesse it I will use all other things and enjoy the Lord. None of his good things can be made mine without union therefore as I seeke them and the increase of them in the Sacrament so I will especially seeke union and make much of the Sacrament for the purchasing of it Vse 5 Fiftly and especially how doth this point presse the necessity of faith upon us in the use of that Sacrament Onely faith is able to discerne the Lords body in this Sacramentall union and as by the former point to make us partakers of the divine nature so by this to strengthen the soule in the increase of communion by the Sacrament Let it be double exhortation then to all beleevers both to discerne to apply the Lord Iesus sacramentall 1. To discerne it For the first Turne wee all our cavilling and carnall reasoning which is endlesse for carnality comprehends not mysteries into a quietnesse and stillnesse of beleeving forsake the swift rolling torrent of never satisfied sence and embrace the softly and still streame of Siloam cut all knots in two by the ordinance thereby determine all endlesse reasonings of Popish curiosity spend that time in admiring this mystery and in longing to be partaker of that which is by it resembled I meane union of thy soule with Christ If this be so mystical how excellent is that to enjoy by faith Oh! Till union be made nothing is thine Behold not with a carnall eye say not with those Iewes Ioh. 8.22 how will he give us his flesh will he kill himselfe If reason may prevaile the Sacrament setting aside a little blinde devotion will discover no more Christ to the soule than bread and wine in a Cellar It s the power of God uniting Christ regeneration and nourishment to the soule not a few qualities of Christ but whole Christ to the whole man And the Sacraments obey him herein representing whatsoever he hath united to them No divell no instrument of his no Pope can sever these two each from other The Sacrament they may quite destroy but this union they cannot take from the Sacrament The spirit of the ordinance it is which makes it abide so irrepealable Do not then sever those things by unbeleefe which the Ordinance hath put so close together wander not descant not goe not into heaven nor downe to hell with a papist to consult and aske Rom. 10.15.16 How should this be But know the word is neare thee in thy eare yea hand eye taste the vertue of the ordinance makes whole Christ as neare the Elements as the quality of clensing feeding are neare them Destroy the one destroy the other If the one be naturall the other is spirituall and from an higher union if it be against sense to divide the one its sacriledge to sever the other True it is the things thus united are farre distant in place but yet the power of the eternall ordinance can easily unite them And shall not the gift of faith unite the soule to the Lord Iesus by these Elements as well as the ordinance for ever unites the Lord Iesus and the Elements Beware then least we sever what God hath united It is not the farrenesse off of a thing in place which can hinder union The Lord Iesus his body in the grave lost not union with the divinity by the distance of the soule in paradise because the relation was indissoluble the vertue of Christ crucified is united to the soule if it beleeve although his body keepe his place in heaven Faith in this kind is not unlike to the hand of the Marriner in sounding the depth of the sea His hand cannot touch or fadome it but by vertue of the line and plummet which he lets downe and holds in his hand he feeles the bottome and gages the depth be it never so remote So the hand of faith holding the cord and plummet of the word and promise feeles a bottome of Truth and unites it selfe to Christ For the second 2. To apply it from this discerning power goe to the applying get this
starting holes but set too our seale that he meanes no lesse than his words import for his Sonnes sake that he will be our God and forgive us Now there is weight in the promise alone sufficient to overpeize our infidelity But such is the basenesse of spirit in us being disabled by our fall that neither can our feeblenesse reach it or remember and represent it to us in due sort and much lesse our guilty slavish and treacherous hearts which muse as they use and thinke God like themselves to hate them whom they have hurt can beleeve it Heere the Lord not content with the bare offer and Covenant of grace in Christ rather than he would leave any who is not wilfully an enemy and hating reconciliation unconvinced of his unfeignednesse of meaning to doe as he speakes What the Sacraments doe assure condescends so low as to stoope to our weake forgetfull and base hearts and therefore comes as the author to the Hebrewes speakes cap. 6 17.18 Heb. 6 17 18f to joyne an oath to his Covenant That by two things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation in our taking refuge upon pursuit of our conscience Satan or any enemies Now what is the oath of God in the Ghospell Surely no other save his seales that is his Sacraments which I take to bee no small cause why the Fathers devised the Name of a Sacrament that is an oath This oath or seale call it as you will must be that uttermost security which the Lord can or will reach us forth in his Gospell to take away our distrust and slavery That as among men in the greatest Controversies an oath is beyond all expectation able to decide the doubt so in this matter of Gods open and hearty meaning in his covenant if the soule question it he desires that his oath might put an end to our unbeleefe The Lord to speake with reverence taking a kinde of corporall oath in the Sacrament I take these Sacramentall Elements united to the Crucified flesh of my Sonne to witnesse that as surely as nothing can sever from the one a cleansing feeding cherishing quality to the bodyes of the creatures to whom my word hath so appointed them so nothing shall separate the quickning comforting and refreshing quality of my Sonnes satisfaction that is my love and grace from the soules of them whom I have ordained it unto I swere and vow my Sonne is theirs as truely as the bread they eate and the wine they drinke Let us then collect out of this that hath beene sayd a threefold end of Sacraments 1. To be Glasses 2. Memorialls 3. Pledges and that of best assurance if oath seale be sufficient of the true meaning of God to the Soule in bidding it be reconciled The last of these three is the cheefe Three ends of them yet there is use of the former two Of which seeing partly I have spoken and partly shall speake therefore heere the lesse Touching the first then that Sacraments are as Glasses to the Soule I spake before in that point of the matter of Sacraments 1. To bee sses noting that the Lord chuseth things of most ordinary familiarnesse to helpe the feeblenesse and carnality of our minds And in the like respect the Lord hath given them to this end that they might be looking glasses that as in them each part of the face may bee cleerely discerned so in this mirror of the Sacrament for that of Paul is as proper to the Sacrament as to the promise 2 Cor. 3. ult 2 Cor. 3. vlt. that with open face we behold the Lord we may fullyer discerne the very letters of the covenant which before seemed dim Spectacles we see are of use to cause a weake eye to see clearely by multiplying and inlarging the character or object And the perspective glasse will so extend the object a farre off that a man may perceive a two or three miles distant a little cottage under a darke wood side with all the proportion of it not a doore wall or window of it excepted Even so is it heere The Sacraments are glasses yea perspectives which discover to the dim eye of the soule all that fulnesse of Christ which the only promise could not yeâ— its as a picture at large shewing the soule all the dimensions of mercy of Christ his length depth height and breadth which is as Paul calls it the fulnesse of God That as the Prophet speakes of the writing which should be written in great letters that he that runnes might read it so heere 2. Memorialls Habak 2.2 For the 2. Memorialls of Christ I shall more fully handle afterward when I shew the duty of the Communicants behaviour in the act of receiving Heere this may be sufficient to signifie that as Monuments Marble Pillars with engraven characters serve to bring to the memory the lively impression of things fallen out or done time out of minde so the Sacraments serve to be memorials to our forgetfull mindes to make lively and fresh the memory and impression of the Lord Iesus crucified together with the power of his death and satisfaction So that no injury of time weakenesse of memory or craft of Sathan might ever be able to weare out the print of such a divine gift and favour as much worth as the salvation of mankind See at large in the place quoted 3. Pledges or seales But thirdly and chiefely I adde for pledges and seales of security to the soule doubtfull about the meaning of the COvenant The other two make way in the minde for this but this is the last and finall end of Sacraments in Gods ordination To adde a word or two to that I have said of it the Lord by his Seales seekes the uttermost securitie of the staggering soule in his true and faithfull meaning to save and sustaine it here during the kingdome of grace These Seales he appoints frequently to be offered and received that as the weake soule finds her selfe to stand in need so shee drinking at these brookes might lift up her head Illustration To make my meaning more plaine we see among men for sundry causes it is meet one secure the other of his faithfulnesse If men be suspected for restoring what they borrow wee see they are faine to lay in a pledge with the lender to secure him of his owne When Abraham sent his servant upon a weightie errand far off Gen. 24.24 2 3 he caused his servant to put his hand under his thigh and bound him with oath to deale behind his backe as if he were in his presence So God doe and more if thou faile of ought which lies upon thy trust and fidelity Even so doth the Lord abase himself to us in Sacraments seemes to yeeld to our infidelity as if it were excusable and to make himselfe obnoxious to us who is free and bound to none hee is content to cleere
there is by vertue of which the generall equity and provision of the Land and the securitie of every men thou maiest buy and sell upon it that thine is thine owne Gods security best And is not there a greater and stronger spirit to secure thee in the matter of thy salvation offered in the Sacrament Is there not here the Spirit and seale of the Lord Iesus to secure thee Will not this Spirit deliver thee into as firme a Tenor and Possession of Christ thy pardon and life as the other of a peece of land Shall a clod of a field and the ringle of a doore the seazin and delivery of a house and land thereby leave thee better satisfied for the temporall right than the Spirit of the Death and Resurrection of the Lord Iesus for thy spirituall Looke to thy selfe and beware Weakenesse of unbeleefe the Lord will pardon But if thou despise his mercifull releefs of this weakenesse and turne it to wilfulnesse beware least thy wilfull falling proove not a falling sicknesse and thy weakenesse become not such a disease in thee as the Lord will have no regard to cure thee of but leave thee to thy contempt to thine heart of infidelity that cannot beleeve Rather be exhorted to seeke the Lord in his gracious way of assurance bewaile thy impotencie and say Oh! Lord except thou adde thy Spirit to thy Seale as well as thy Seale to the Covenant my cursed spirit is as prone to breake all bands in sunder as any mans With thee Lord weake meanes of beleeving shall be strong without thee the strongest are weake how much more then canst thou made the strongest to become strong I deny my selfe I set my boate upon thy streame to be carried by thee Lord sanctifie thy Sacraments to become unto my soule the utmost assurances of thy Grace and carry me so into this assurance as that being rid of my feares I may ever blesse thee for the fruit of thy Sacraments Thus much for the first end Touching the second to adde a little to that I said formerly I call this â—n occasionall or subordinate end of the Sacrament Secondary end The secure God of our Covenant viz. That we might renew our Covenant with God Wonder not that the ends of the same Ordinance differ in weight for as in Sacramentall graces faith and love we say all are essential to a good receiver yet not equally necessary to the act of receiving so here both these ends are intended more or lesse although Gods sealing of Covenant to us be chiefe Briefely then the Lord expects that the soule being made partaker of his Christ in the feast of the hills as Esay 25. Esay 25 12. I meane with the fat things and refined wines of his Supper and feeling his love sealed to her there in reconciliation and renewed holinesse do occasion her selfe thereby even while the benefit is fresh to revive her love reassure the Lord of her fuller purpose of heart to cleave to him And how Surely in better living by faith better affections zeale fruitfulnesse courage better mortification of lusts and deniall of self better and closer watching of the heart Act. 11.23 and walking with him in uprightnes as our God alsufficient For why If there be mercy with him that he may be feared much more is there renewed mercy with him that he may be doubly and renewedly feared Psal 130.4 And how can we without hypocrisie long for the Sacrament ere it come upon pretence that our spirituall darke dead hearts will be revived and our appallings in grace cured and new strength added and yet having our turne served leave God to himself to go seek the fruit of our being satisfied with the pleasures apples and flagons of his House How doe many complaine between whiles of their damping coldnes and desertion what should then such do 1 Chron. 4 9 Iudg. 1 8. but with that holy Iabez or Othniel vow professe to the Lord that if he wil make the Sacrament a day of feasting joy send us from him welraised up then wil we be the Lords not suffer his oath Sacrament of sealing to passe away from us without a restipulation and reciprocation of double affection duty and thankes But returne him the strength of his cost in his owne service Vse 1 The use herof is first to taxe the most for their extreame base requitall of God for the grace they pretend to reape at and by the Sacrament Surely either they deceive them selves with a shaddow for substance or they faile God marvellously in this end of his Either they make no vowes at the Sacrament or breake them as fast Oh! the formalitie of most Professers in their receiving As appeares by this that in stead of making this Ordinance an hint and opportunitie to provoke themselves to a closer and narrower survey of their hearts and wayes Lo they turne this grace into commons and into a bare frequency of oft and monethly receiving which I doe not dislike in it selfe but alas grow to an habited falling-sicknesse and numbe Palsie of practise and walking uprightly no sooner hath the raine fallen upon their rockie and stony spirits but the next puffe of wind hath dried it up and so they live in a most mortall and wofull contempt of the end of Sacraments whereas they are ordained for the speciall advancing of the soule to God and the furthering of the bent and streame of the conversation to him Lo they are never more dead hearted dull secure saples than after their Receivings Oh wofull Surely beware least ye be of that sort of whom Iob speakes That they shall never enjoy the flouds of honey and butter Iob 20.17 never come to that welfare and encrease of God which he bestowes upon his carefull servants who keepe touch with him and come to him as well for Gods glory as their owne good Except thou keepe those things close together which God hath united his Seale to thee for comfort and thy oath and vow to him for better service thy Sacraments are liker to proove thy bane than thy gaine Vse 2 Secondly let it be speciall exhortation to all Gods people to unite both these ends in one as they desire comfort froÌ„ either Let no Sacrament passe thee by thy good will but the sad remembrance of thy dead barren and formall Religion may so sting thee that with all thy might and endeavour thou strive to obtaine of the Lord a more lively resolved and bent heart to returne to thy Christian course with closenesse and keeping of Covenant Borrow from the present experience of mercy in the Sacrament an hearty purpose to shake off the usuall enchantments of Satan and the errour of the wicked 2 Pet. 3. ult which have pluckt thee from thy stedfastnesse formerly beseech the Lord to ratifie thy covenant which thou hast so oft broken and pray him that by this if by any occasion
thine heart may be pull'dup to Davids practise Psal 116.10 who finding himselfe in a sad time delivered from the anguish of his spirit resolved to pay his vowes for it in the mids of Gods House and said What shall I give to the Lord If he could take up the Cup of salvation and praise the Lord how much more shouldest thou take the Cup of salvation which the Lord purposely puts into thine hand Yea thou should say Psal 119 57. Oh Lord my portion I have determined to keepe thy Law Yea and I have sworne and by thy strength I will keepe my oath even to obey thy Commandements Surely if men can breake into so many vowes and promises by occasion of a sicknesse or streight that if God set them at large they will so and so requite him which yet proove broken vowes for the most part then what vowes should received sealed mercies produce from us except we be base hirelings and hypocrites where the Lord himselfe is before hand with us in the grace of the Sacrament yea while the smoke yet goeth up how should wee ascend in it as Manoas Angell to heaven Iudg. 13.20 Surely those Papists who abuse Gods Sacraments to cursed ends as to combine themselves in hellish plots and cruelties and to adjure each other to secrecie which is as farre from the end of a Sacrament as if one borrowing his neighbours horse to fetch his rent should abuse him to take a purse yet even their wickednesse shall not be much worse than theirs who vow better obedience and take the Sacrament upon it and shall yet forfeit so solemne a band and returne to their vomit But for this last branch and for this Chapter thus much CHAP. IIII. Of Sacramentall Acts and the use thereof and of the celebration and sollemnitie of the Sacraments Why Acts requisite HAving spoken enough of a Sacrament as touching the constitution thereof it remaines that wee finish the Description by adding somewhat touching the actuall celebration of Sacraments For it is impossible that the excellencie of their nature of which we have treated should reach to us without a communication and imparting them to us The Lord himselfe who ordained Sacraments is the holder out of them also to the soule Now seeing the Sacraments containe partly things spirituall partly carnall the former whereof are to be carried and conveyed by the mediation of the latter it followeth that the externall Elements must be conveyed by externall and sensible agents to sensible objects by sensible Rites and administrations The Lord himselfe the Agent is a Spirit and treateth not with us immediately either by word or presence Needs must he therefore set forth a deputed Instrument to be for him and that is his Minister Againe the soules of the faithfull are invisible therefore cannot immediately be touched therefore their bodily and personall presence is required that so the conveyer and they to whom the things are conveyed may meete and consent together And as formerly I said that the things offered by God to the Church are spirituall under outward Elements so the offering thereof to the Communicants is spirituall and by the Spirit of Christ yet this spirituall offering is made by outward Acts and Administrations which I call holy Rites appointed by God himselfe and passing betweene the Minister and people that so the gifts also offered may therein passe and be conveyed First then a little of the Persons and then of the Acts requisite to celebration of Sacraments that the Lord and the soule may meete each other The Persons are two we see the Minister and people 1. Persons which are two 1 Minister The Minister then is such a sacred person as is lawfully from God by men appointed as a Sequester betweene God and the Congregation serving to this end to be betweene God and the people for the conveying mutually of good things betweene each other and by name the good things of Christ Sacramentall In whom we must consider both his calling and person he sustaines Touching his calling he ought to be a man truely separated from men and this life to God and holy use In whom 1 Calling Heb. 5.4 hee must be called by God as was Aaron and lawfully warranted by men as the voices of God to the Congregation that he is meet for such use Hee must be of competent understanding Ephe. 3 2 4. and skill in all the Mysteries of Christ and godlinesse He must be of competent gifts to teach 1 Tim. 3 2. utter and expresse the same to the people For how shall hee exhibite those Seales as from God which he neither understands in the ground thereof to wit the Covenant of grace nor yet the Doctrine and Nature of the Seales hee offers How fearefull a derogation is it to the Sacrament in which all things should be Symbolicall when he that is in Gods stead to the people shall neither know the nature of the Covenant to be able to preach it nor of a Seale either to teach or deliver it What a confusion is it for the Minister so unqualified to occupie the roome of God himselfe As if the Lord sealed a Covenant to his people and a Seale which he knew not the meaning of The like I may say of the life of the Minister Seeing the Lord is holy 1 Tim. 3 2. Heb. 7 25. and offers holy things and such an high Priest it behooves us to have as is holy blamelesse and separate from sinners How necessary is it that the Minister be also in this symbolicall That by the grace of his person the Lord may seeme to draw his people to an holy carriage in the Sacrament saying Be yee holy who beare the vessels of the Lord. Esay 52 11. What a Trumpet of prophanenesse is it to the people and a meane to abhorre the Sacrifices of the Lord when even that sacred person which offers the holy things of God is himselfe profane Hag. 2 12. What an opinion might it breed in the ignorant seeing such a sight that God is like themselves in putting no difference betweene the holy and profane Psal 50 21. But if our duty and worke be done any way it skills not how as if all were alike in Gods account 2. Person The second thing in the Minister thus duly called is the Person he sustaines That is laid downe in the old and new Testament Exod. 29 9. Exod. 4 16. 2 Corâ— 5 20. clearely In the old when the Lord bounded Moses and Aarons office he saith that Aaron should be or serve for all uses betweene God and the people in point of worship and spirituall respects And Paul 2 Cor. 5.20 saith Wee are Embassadors for God as if by us God and Christ besought you c. Note then there is a double relation in the Minister as in all so especially in Sacramentals one wherby he conveyes to the people from God his gifts and
graces and Ordinances Another whereby he returnes from the people of God praises duties and acknowledgements Vse 1 The use whereof to the Minister is that he tremble to take upon him such a Person and service except well and truely warranted thereto by calling from God and the Church as one well qualified Mat. 6.23 If the eye be darke which should be the light of the body how great is that darkenesse If to dishonor the Profession of God be so horrible 1 Sam. 2 12. what is it as Hophni and Phinees did to make loathsome the very sacrifices themselves by a notorious debauchednesse of manners and life Will not God loathe such agents for him whose pure Angels are uncleane in his sight Iob 4 18. Oh! ye profane Idols Epicures malicious and hereticall avant from the presence of this holy God of Sacraments pollute not for so ye do as far as in you lieth the Sacramentalnesse and symbolicalnesse of the things of God by your unsutablenesse If Heathen Poets cry out against ye and bid ye get ye a farre off what shall the Lord doe who will be sanctified in all that come neere him Levit. 10 3. Remember Nadab and Abihu But a Question Question is what shall we doe in case of such an unavoyable Minister Is not the Sacrament a nullity so administred and is it not a thing unlawfull so to communicate I answer Answer That it were a thing much to be desired for our greater joy and comfort that hee who deales betwixt God and them in this kinde were a man without blemish and offence meet and apt Howbeit if all courses being used its unavoydable but we must fall upon others I affirme though the Ordinance be hereby much eclipsed in her beauty which the grace of the receiver ought to supply yet it is not thereby disanulled The pollutions of Ministry and Baptisme disanull not the Sacrament The grace of our Lord Iesus not being pinned to the sleeve of an unworthy man no more than a Sacraments consecration rests upon the present intention of the Priest whose mind may then intend some other thing but the grace and truth of the ordayner Objection If any object the Ministers person is as essentiall to the Sacrament as either the signes or the words of institution now if they be wanting the Sacrament is destroied I answer Answer The instance holds not For in these as there is more immediatenesse of being matter and forme being more essentiall than the instrument So also the error is generally curable it being as easie to appoint true Elements as well as counterfeit and to utter the true words of institution as well as false But not so in the Minister It being simply a thing impossible So to order it in any Church that all Ministers should be teaching and inoffensive And be it admitted that such error growes by the wilfull sinne of such as might avoid it yet its unreasonable the body of the Church suffering rather such an error with griefe than causing it by their act to cast such an aspersion vpon the Sacrament for the sinne of such men as it s not in our power to reforme In such a case wee are bound to behold such a Minister as in the place of him whom the Church if shee might intendes to be qualified and to looke up above him to God to preserve the honour and fruit of the Sacrament pure and inviolable If further it be objected How can that which is uncleane affoord cleanenesse to others I answer It s too great an ascribing to any Minister to set him in Gods roome or in Christs to conveigh cleannesse to the soule it s the Lord not a man who walkes in the midds of his people to cleanse them and our Saviour prayes Ier. 31 33. Iohn 17 17. Sanctifie them in thy truth thy word is truth He saith not Sanctifie them in the Minister Rather I would allude thus as a woodden pipe may affoord most pure water running through it so also the Lord can and may affoord to his people the purenesse of Christ and good of the Sacrament through a woodden as a golden pipe If lastly it be demanded But what if he cannot teach the Doctrine of the Covenant Is it not then unlawfull for us to receive the Seales from him I answer It is not lawfull for him to offer them But it s not our duty to reject the Sacrament for his cause Rather seeke instruction where it is to be had and then come and receive communicate not with his sinne nor be led by the blind least both fall into the ditch The acts of the Minister Now touching the Ministers acts in celebration consider that in them the Lord offers his Chrrist with all his good things to his Church The Lord Iesus baptised with the holy Ghost and with fire Mat. 3 11. then when Iohn baptized with water Mat. 3.11 And this he doth while the Minister cleaves to the words of institution as God hath prescribed For when the Minister corrupts the forme the Sacrament is corrupted if he deface the words of instruction by any other of his owne the Sacrament begins to be his not the Lords Addition to the words of institution defiles but detraction from the words of instution destroyes the Sacrament Vse Teaching the Minister to beware of any boldnesse in this kinde least with the Papists hee spoile the Ordinance of a Sacrament And as concerning the acts themselves know this that by them the Lord conveyes to his people Iesus Christ They are and all his benefits It s he who by those acts doth impart the grace of the Sacrament as the Ministers imparts the Elements And those acts are 1. To teach the people the true nature and use of the Sacraments 2. To separate the Elements from common use to divine 3. To qualifie them by his sprinkling of the one and breaking and powring out the other which is the accommodation of them 4. To sanctifie them by the Word and prayer to become the channels and exhibiters of that which they resemble 5. To apply them duly to the parties who are the due objects thereof and that in speciall 6. To pray for blessings upon the administration of them 7. To be the mouth of the people to God as he hath beene the deputed instrument of God to convey to the people his grace even so to returne the peoples unfeined thankes to him againe for his faithfulnesse Now touching particulars the next two Chapters will better declare them in each Sacrament Here I onely speake generally of Sacramentall Agents Vse The use is That the Minister loooke carefully to himself not onely to the purenesse of his spirit but even of his outward man also Not to intermeddle with such sacred things with prophane mouth hands members not to approach to the Lord with light vaine irreverend behaviour but solemne and holy such as well becomes the holinesse of the things conveyed and
their whole life Vse The use is to convince the most parents of their profanenesse or neglect in this kind who as they never came it may be themselves within the covenant of God by an actuall faith so are as farre from seeking it for the infant but rest in the bare name of being borne in the Church and under baptisme as if that would beare downe all for time to come Matth. 3 6. meane time senslesse of their owne misery and their deriving of it to the child resolved to suffer it to lye in it owne perdition for ought in them lyeth They please themselves in the feature of it or in some circumstances of other content a sonne an heire to the wealth looke at pompe or cheere feasting and mirth who rather should houle and weepe for themselves Iam. 4 9. and theirs and after they have sought their owne ends at last bring it forth rather to a Church-complement as they basely account and for an Eclesiasticall ceremonie of water than a spirituall Baptisme of regeneration and so afterwards spending the time in mirth and jollity but suffering the child both elder and younger to run riot and become worse the child of Sathan than ever before and to weare the livery of God in despight rather than service to him Oh! how fearefull an account have these to make And although I deny not their child is baptized visibly and their sinne cannot barre the Lords covenant of grace if he please to call it yet what woefull accessaries are they to the woe of it How much better is it to be childelesse and barren than to be fruitfull under such a curse And it were to be wished that even such parents as scorne to be thought profane or onely civill and carnall Protestants were not guilty of this neglect As one said of Herods killing his sonne with the infants Better to be Herods swine than sonne So of these The second person in this worke is the assembly The second person Assembly Her duty Hers is the legacy of Baptisme her part is as the Church of Christ to bring it forth duely when it shall duely be demanded Also to present themselves there in publique with reverence both at word and Sacrament to recognize the former grace of Baptisme offered themselves that they may be stablished therein or else by remembring their owne breach of vowes to be abased by the occasion to present the infant to God by the Minister to looke up to heaven for it by humble confession Prayer and thankes and so to conferre the marke and seale of the Sacrament upon it Vse Which point serves to correct and rebuke the common errors and abuses generally prevailing in Congregations against this duty few abiding the Sacrament but rending Gods seale from his covenant sacrilegiously others staying rather to gaze and gape and to heare and see bables than for any holy end and after the name given posting out with as much unreverence as they were present with small humiliation love or communion and so as if it concerned not them leaving the action to them whom it imports and by their example teaching others to dâ—e the like for them and bringing in a profanation of the ordâ—â—ance The third person Minister his duty The third person is the Minister deputed by God and the Church to stand betweene them as sequester of blessings and duty from God of blessing whose baptisme hee offers and whole person in his acts hee resembles from the people of duty and service in their name bringing forth the Sacrament to publique use Before both hee must behave himselfe with gravity and holinesse separating the Element and touching the laver with the blood of the lambe 1 Tim. 3.15 and 4 12. Exod. 40.9 that it may be sacred blessing the fountaine by prayer and praise of his lips beseeching the Lord to assist to sanctifie and to baptise the party with the Holy Ghost and fire Matt. 3.11 Matth. 28.27 and so by the words of the institution In the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost receiving the child and dipping it in water to pronounce it openly to be a reall member of the Church of Christ A great worke and yet there is a greater even to be an able Minister of the covenant â— Cor. 3.6 and to understand the doctrine and use of baptisme competently to teach it sensibly to the people that he may not as a dumbe Idoll bring forth a thing to the people which himselfe knowes not I have spoken of the use before onely this I adde That although any of these three persons faile of the Sacramentall duenesse service I doe not inferre a nullity of the Sacrament so long as the institution is preserved but a necessity of sinne in such offendors for whose cause it might bee just with God to punish the children howbeit by vertue of his Covenant and election Rom. 11 28. he is and will be the God of his owne and the sin of man shall not infringe the mercy of God in due time from calling to himselfe and converting even the children of such sinfull ones freely to himselfe in the Ministry of his Gospell Touching that I have said of Sacramentall dipping Digression to dipping to explaine my selfe a little about it I would not be understood as if scismatically I would instill a distaste of the Church into any weake minds by the act of sprinkling water onely But this under correction I say That it ought to be the Churches part to cleave to the Institution especially it being not left arbitrary by our Church to the descretion of the Minister but required to dip or dive the infant more or lesse except in case of weakenesse for which allowance in the Church we have cause to be thankefull and sutably to consider that he betrayes the Church whose officer hee is to a disordered errour if hee cleave not to the institution Dipping the meetest act To dippe the infant in water And this I so averre as thinking it exceeding materiall to the ordinance and no slight thing yea which both Antiquity though with some addition of a three fold dipping for the preserving of the doctrine of the impugned Trinity entire constantly and without exception of Countries hot or cold witnesseth unto and especially the constant word of the holy Ghost first and last approveth as a learned Critique upon Matthew Chap. 3. Verse 11. hath noted that the Greeke tongue wants not words to expresse any other act as well as dipping 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Causaub if the institution could beare it And sure it is if the Lord meant not as hee saith that the infant should bee dived to the bottome yet hee much lesse meant hee should bee sprinkled onely upon the surface But rather betweene both extreames hee should bee baptized which word signifieth the true act of the Minister to dip or dop the body or some part of it into
hand Wilt thou not say what a shame were it for me to give over him now in the pursuit of his grace when he hath formerly layd a pledge in my bosome of his gracious meaning to forgive and save me Were it not just I should be left to perish with my baptisme of water barred from the true seale of Gods covenant Oh! be vigilant and studious to redeeme the opportunity of grace and to follow all meanes for the obteyning of grace Kill all base enimity and treachery which suggest the Lord to be thy foe say thus Iudg. 13.23 Surely if hee had meant to destroy mee he would never have done any such kindnesse for mee but this preventing freely assures mee of his blessing upon my attending the meanes to get vocation and faith Oh! be not faithlesse but faithful Suffer no base ease self-pride security infidelity to clog thee and hold thee in chaines Iohn 20 27. Doe thy worke the better and neglect no helpe seeing thou hast thy pay before hand But to conclude if the false and hollow are so culpable what shall be said of such as abuse the livery of Christ to debauch themselves in all kind of profanenes pride drunkenesse riot uncleannesse swearing abuse of the Lords day and that lawlesly How much better were it they had never seene the sun than by their contempt of this long suffring of God to heape up wrath to themselves against the day of vengeance besides the unspeakable scandale they give to Atheists From the personall acts I come to the second Generall The 2. Generall grace of it 2 Fold viz. the Grace of the Sacrament of Baptisme which I illustrate by a Diversity viz. that it serves also for Admission into the visible body of the Church This then is the common favour of Baptisme viz. matriculation and outward incorporating into the number of worshippers of God 1 Common and into visible Communion This is as the porch into the house The Lords scope in Baptisme is an inward grace but this generall priviledge is to all equall viz. A badge of an outward member distinction from the common rout of the world Rom. 4 11. out of the pale of the Church The Lord appointed Circumcision as a seale of the righteousnes of faith cheeflly yet as an overplus he allowed it to bee the Differencer of all other Nations from the Iewes Gen. 17 12 13 It was as a fence and wall of separation from them in all their converse So is Baptisme now a marke or badge of externall Communion whereby the Lord settles a right upon the person to his ordinances that it may comfortably use them as his owne priviledge and waite for the inward prerogative of Saints by them And yet this as much as men boast of it is but a shell in respect of the other There is an outward implanting of the wilde Olive into the sweet Olive that it may bee exempt out of the state of Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel But there is a better use of it Heb. 12 25. to bring us to mount Zion Heb. 12.25 to the soules of just men to the Assemblies of Saints The first is not to bee slighted the latter to be rested in and honoured Gen. 17 15. Therefore hee who rejected Circumcision was to bee cut off from his people voluntary cutting off was punished with necessary Vse 1 The use whereof is first to teach us to pitty the estate of so vaste a portion of the world as the Lord hath left in their blindnesse of minde and savadgnesse of spirit and cut them off from the Church of God wholly Oh! the fearefulnesse of sin which should lye so heavy upon the Lords heart as to leave so many Millions for thousands of yeares and thousand thousand generations destitute of God Act â—7 30. Ephe 3 5. Word Covenant and hope ordinary I meane giving them up to be a kingdome of Sathan for the Prince of this world to rule at his pleasure Not to speake of the Iewes whom God hath left to the obstinacy of their rebellion contempt of Christ and his covenant and seales How should wee mourne for them and pray for their conversion and the fulnesse of the Gentiles Vse 2 Secondly what terrour should it strike into the spirits of such as yet never saw their naturall condition What doth baptisme teach but this our woefull Apostasie from God by sinne our estrangement from his life Ephe. 4.13 and our excommunication from his people It is not our outward baptisme which can releeve us Onely it shewes how deepely our nature is sunke and revolted from God and how gracious the Lord is in this his Sacrament to give us by it an unconditionall free title to mercy and forgivenesse whereas he hath debarred still an huge part of the world from Christendome Vse 3 Thirdly it should encourage all fearefull hearts that doubt whether the Lord meane as he saith in his covenant and offer to be reconciled to God to beleeve that he is ingenuous and faithfull therein seeing that by Baptisme he hath taken away that objection wiped away the shame of Egypt and the reproach of uncircumcised ones granting a second priviledge to them and a title to heare pray worship beleeve that by this he might plucke them not onely from Infidels but much more from that infidelity and Atheisme which estranges them from God and might make them true free-denizons of his kingdome in grace and glory by regeneration Vse 4 Fourthly its woefull conviction to all such as still disguise themselves under this priviledge of visible members and wiping off this oyle of consecration still abide most uncouth monsters and savages in the bosome of the Church under Gods cognizance living in all base courses open profaning of Gods name and Sabboths blaspheming that God into whom they are baptized degenerated both from the habit of Christians and men and drowned in the gulfe of all excesse of impiety intemperance unrighteousnesse and whatsoever even Heathens are described by Rom. 1. Eph. 4. Oh! Rom. 1. Ephe. 4. how do they cause Pagans to abhorre the hearesay of baptisme and Christ as some Indians beholding the Spanyards in the east parts cryed out If these were Christians they would still keepe their God to themselves and an heathen Physitian spake somewhat like If these be Christians my soule bee with the Philosophers Surely their foreskin is still upon them Ier. 9 25. yea they have drawne it up againe as ashamed of their Baptisme But the cheefe thing here considerable The speciall grace of it is Christ our nevv birth is the true grace of the Sacrament of Baptisme which point is one of the most materiall both for knowledge and use of all the rest Conceive then the Lord Iesus being wholly given of God in each Sacrament though for divers ends this former Sacrament offers him wholly in point of our new birth or the new creature Christ in all
freer than gift to an unworthy one Lord I have long sate waiting for it both by promise and Sacrament At length when I little thinke let thy Chariots come to my doore as Iosephs to Iacob Gen. 45 28. Luke 2 29. that I may say It s enough Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace I would not be to seeke of this againe for the world Say as Peter Wash not feete but all parts throughly drench mee in this laver Ioh. 13 9. urge the Lord Oh! though I am the unworthiest of thousands to enjoy it yet it is as easie for thee to set thy Seale upon mee as for mee to print soft wax to put on Iesus Christ upon mee Rom. 13 ult as for mee to put on my cloathes Let not my soule be sad and doubtfull all my dayes for that which its so easie for thee to give Let mee have that Seale Lord and it shal be above all securities of land and lease clothe me with this Robe and all other shreeds shall be base unto me Remember how long I have waitd for thy salvation Lord Gen. 49 18. as one that longeth for newes from a farre country Oh! they shall be welcome And for my part I confesse except thou helpe in the worke and apply thy Seale all my hearings all thy Ordinances Word Sacrament Promises shaâ—l leave me as they found me not one of the benefits of Christ can relish my heart nor goe into my spirit except thou draw it in to me Oh! how wofull shall it be Ioh. 6.44 to see all my labour as water spilt upon the ground Branch 3 Thirdly I adde this one item and caveat to all relapsed ones who are sunke from their first comfort hope in the promise To relapsed ones Give not the Lord over for all that Be not sullen and discontent with him nor thy selfe Mourne and spare not that thou shouldst no more watch to such a trust as the Lord hath put into thee That either thou shouldest be weary of clinging to the promise That Christ should not be to thee yesterday Heb. 13.8 too day and the same for ever That either by feare of holding out or presumption of thy owne or ease or worldlinesse or especially that body of death thou shouldst give way to new contents the divels painted bables and the fashion of this base declining formall hollow world But be not hereby discouraged and desperate with thy selfe Shall a man fall and not arise Looke backe to this Arke and ship of Baptisme Ier. 8 4. whence thou art fallen No new baptisme shall neede the old if ever thou wert baptised truly shall serve lay then hold of that and be comforted I knew an holy woman who never found her selfe ecclipsed and damped in her comfort but shee found comfort by her Baptisme but she was in indeede a very sweete patterne of humilitie and of acquaintance with God in all his Ordinances If thou consider well Baptisme is thy second boorde after shipwracke doe but lay hold upon one broken peice of this ship and say Lord I have beene thine save mee Psal 119 94. I have felt thee sweet in the Promise and Seale though now it be otherwise through a dead heart doe but crawle in the waters and touch a brim of this ship and lo the Pilot will receive thee in againe not to make a trade and falling sicknesse of often revolting but to make thee more wary and fearefull never to provoke the Lord in like matter through his grace sustaining thee Vse 5 Lastly if God have revived thy spirit by this Seale of Baptisme walke before him in the strength of it Seale backe to him the fruit of it in a most faithfull close and wary course Consider the sealing Spirit hath many blessed properties learne hold nourish them in thy heart and course Give testimony to God and his cause honour and Religion seale him this fruit of thy service who hath not neglected thee in such a favour Disdaine not any weaker ones who have not attained thy strength cannot saile upon the maine but are faine with their poore weake faith to goe by the shore pitty and helpe such with the Spirit of compassion for his sake who sealed thee when he ought thee no such mercy Apply thy selfe to the marks of this seale looke upon each letter of this stampe and let it teach thee thy duty The fruits of the sealing of Baptisme The sealing Spirit is a spirit of singular peace of conscience and joy in the lively hope of salvation liberty with God fulnesse of faith and perswasion confidence in prayer purenesse of heart and life and so of the rest Dost thou walke thus Approove thy selfe in some truth herein Touching the first 1 Pet. 3 21. S. Peter tels thee baptisme is the answer of a good that is an excusing conscience What is that If it be demanded whether it be broken humbled beleeving pardoned It answers yea Lord thou knowest it Hast thou peace therby Dost thou walke with it daily Rom. 5.1 and nourish it If so this peace will be as Armour to thee Ephes 6.15 Paul Eph. 6.15 calles it the shooes of peace for as by them our tender feete walke safely upon the flints and rockes and gravell which else would cut and wound us so by peace we have safety in troubles count them all joy Iam. 1.2 and are not unsetled by them in our course If so then also this peace will rule our hearts and minds Wee will be kept in awe by it that rather than we would lose and forfeit that Phil. 4 7. we would lose any jewell so deare it is and so hard to recover Oh! if so then wee shall not be moved in all the tumults of this hurrying world the malice of Tyrants the declining of Hypocrites the great jollitie of Timeservers the scuffling for honours and great things but this peace shall calme us Againe if this peace of heart by justification be in us it will present us with an holy complacence in our estate a sweet content in God above any other object as one that hath found a Pearle hath a fuller contentment than in the corne cattell and trifles formerly possessed this comprehends all and drownes them And the heart of such a man is at ease he carrieth more about him than they who have large possessions So there is not onely a quietnesse from former warre but an excellent reflexion of welfare such as was in Adam ere he sinned and in this better that he desires not to change it for any other And lastly to this present sweetnesse and joy there is also afforded to such a soule an undecaying taste of the glory to come a lively hope and waiting for it as one who hath an earnest in hand of a full summe waiteth for that summe to be wholly paid at the day appointed So is it here The peace which worketh sweetnesse of spirit
That Lord Iesus whom here thou seest in his spirituall grace farre better than any carnall bravery can expresse a naked simple Christ present to the naked plaine and honest eye of faith I say him thou shalt one day behold at his second comming confounding all the pompe of the world so that not a stone shall bee left upon a stone Say with Paul If I were to know Christ upon earth Matth. 24 3. 2 Cor. 5 16. yet would I not in the flesh Fourthly the fulnesse Fourthly for the fulnesse of these Elements For wee see that our Lord Iesus would separate and sanctify both as well as one to typify full nourishment Bread is the staffe of life wine the cherisher of the Spirit Both make full nourishment and therefore well succeede the Passeover which was wholly to be eaten or burnt Exod. 12. Vse To teach us to abhorre that cursed Popish stelth and sacriledge in taking the Cup from the people pretending that the other of bread conteines it For what is that to us that God can exhibite the power of both in one We looke in the Supper not what his unlimited but his revealed power is hee will so worke by power as he is pleased and willeth to worke not otherwise Therefore in reversing the signe they doe quite disanull the Sacrament Other uses shall be added when we come to their proper places to treate of the second generall Christ nourishment and how wee ought to come in the sence and triall of our wants to the Supper Of the acts of the Supper Now I come to the outward acts of the Supper Ere I speake of them in speciall this I adde to the former that all acts and rites of this Sacrament are then duly performed not onely when persons are duely qualified to give and receive but also when the Institution is punctually followed because that is our Canon to goe by in this kinde which neither Minister nor people must transgresse eyther by excesse or defect For if once any liberty be allowed men to chop or change herein certainly there is not greater varietie in dressing our bodily diet each stomack affecting her owne way as there would poove diversity of fashions in giving and receiving the Sacrament Therefore one ancient institution must overrule all persons times administrations And looke what I sayd before about the choyce of Elements and such like things the same I say of the administration of that Sacrament that all must fetch their warrant from hence I doe not meane that each circumstance of action which our Saviour or the Disciples performed is necessarily included in the Institution No there may be sundry personall acts done in this or any other service of God which when they are done become worship and yet are arbitrary to doe or not as the persons are disposed onely plaine and unavoydable respects of defilements and true scandall are to be avoyded But by Institution I meane those essentialls of matter and perpetuall rites about it which our Saviour himselfe and his Disciples performed These I affirme are indispensable both one and other It being as sinfull to offend in the due forme of Baptizing as in changing the Element and so as unlawfull to alter the words of Institution in giving the Supper as in changing the Elements or in taking away their number And hence it is that Paul 1 Cor. 11.20 1 Cor. 11 20. being to correct the foule abuse crept into their Supper by Love feasts calls them to the Institution wherein seeing no such thing could be seene therefore he pares it off as superfluous In like sort the Church of Christ hath abhorred all such additions of trash and humane invention as crept in in their ages as Creame Salt Oyle added to water detraction of the Cup in the Supper disanulling of the union and turning the materiall of a Sacrament into the forme so that there should not bee a difference in the thing signifying and signified and so at this day we renounce the errors of the Greeke Church mixing water with wine and their old abuse of fire in Baptisme to marke the face of the infant and infinite others of the like sort some of which defile others disanull the Institution both infringe it Yea so solemnely ought the Institution to be performed that by vertue of it other vices and errors of persons not so avoydable are to be tolerated and excused from annulling the ordinance though they are foule eye sores The use whereof is first to prepare way to speake of the severall Acts following in this our discourse with better savour to teach us to observe them thâ— more strictly and to profit by the use thereof Secondly to make conscience as neere as possibly wee may of the punctuall institution of Christ abhorring all other as the way to superstition and confusion and beleeving that all the grace and blessing belonging to the Sacrament next to the ordeyner himselfe depends instrumentally upon the sacred and inviolable institution of the Lord Iesus Now to the particular acts and first of the Minister then of the people to repeate nothing before said of his qualification Note That the Minister being in Gods stead betweene him and the people is to act those all and onely acts which the Lord Iesus himselfe did at the Celebration of the Supper not as if he shared with Christ in the power of eyther ordeyning or sanctifying the Elements of himselfe since all which he doth is both in the name of and for the use of his Master for whom hee is onely to make way in the hearts of the people But as a Minister he is for and in place of Christ himselfe Christ being in him or the Father himselfe in Christ rather the doer of all as the Prophet of his Church And the acts he is to discharge are foure Taking blessing Breaking or Powring out and Distributing of the signes of both kinds 1. Taking First touching the taking of the bread and wine it conteineth these two things First the culling out or chusing Secondly the setling of them unchangably to their service For the former The Lord Iesus Luk. 22 1â— Luk. 22.19.20 tooke bread and likewise the cup that is out of his wisedome he chose out from among all other creatures these two bread and winee to decipher the spirituall nourishment of his body and blood so that by this choise they have the prerogative to doe that which no other creature besides may 2. things 1. Separation from common use Now in such as choise there must be a separation of Elements from their dishonour to honour From basenesse and vilenesse to glorious use for what comparison is there betweene earth and heaven the common creature in daily use taken from the Bakers basket or the cellar and the heavenly body and blood of the Lord What shall then reconcile these Surely the divine power of Christ hee must take off the common and base
Bookes Bells Candles Reliques Creame Oyle Salt Spittle and stuffe not of Christs but their owne separation So much of the former branch Vse of latter branch Touching the latter let it be a comfort to all Gods people to consider the perpetuitie of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ the nourishment of his Church So long as Christ Iesus shall have a Church till he drinke this Passeover in his heavenly kingdome with them hee will see these holy signes separated by himselfe to holy use to abide therein for hee hath setled them upon it for ever What persecutions what confusions of Popery what malice of enemies could ever prevaile these 1600. yeares to robbe the Church hereof As Iachin and Boaz abode while the Temple stood 1 King 7 21. so these two Pillars of Gods Sacraments shall never cease till the ordeyner of them shull come to judgement They may be eclipsed the light purity of administration defiled and for a time sundry corruptions of men may bee permitted by Gods providence to pester the Church but none of all these changings of the Sacrament into a Masse-sacrifice none of their pollutions and superstitions brought in and obtruded upon the Church shall prevaile That setled separation of our Lord Iesus shall give life to the Sacrament and as the Church her selfe Micah 7.8 Micha 7 8. saith to those Babylonians Rejoyce not over me O mine enemy for whâ—n I am fallen I shall risâ— Then shall she who upbrayded mee see it and tremble and be trodden downe as the mire of the streets So may the Sacrament of Christ triumph over all popish enemies who set up a signe of contradiction against her Masse and Altars and other defilements Rejoyce not over mee for I shall see thy ruine the life of Christs ordinance shall give mee a rising and recovery and I shall say Where is now your mouth that scorned the Sacrament where is your God of bread become Oh! one day the Lord Iesus shall consume your trash with the breath of his mouth Revel 11 and then his owne Sacrament and all his holy ordinances shall be set up in their purity when all humane scurfe shall breathe his last and say Thou hast overcome Oh Lord thy truth and ordinance have prevailed Vse 3 Lastly seeing the Minister hath deputed power from Christ thus to separate the Elements from common to divine use It should teach him to begin with this act and as may be obteyned to take the materialls himselfe at the entrance of separation and thus to separate them by vertue of the ordinance not to leave it to his Sexton or Clerke to fetch from the Taverne as he list and powre out at his pleasure Better is an overplus than a defect in this behalfe And for the first act thus much The second act of the Minister about the materialls 2. Act of the Minister blessing is blessing them for so our Saviour Luk. 22.19 Luk. 22 19. is said to doe ere he brake them Still I must put in this that the Minister of himselfe can doe nothing oftentimes he is farre from being blessed himselfe but the obedience to the institution doth it Now by blessing is meant sanctifying What it is Sanctifying the word being taken from the ordinary manner of the Iewes in their feasts and meales whose graces were called blessings because the first word of them was 1 Cor. 10 10. Blessed be God who causeth bread to grow out of the earth and who giveth wine out of the grape c. From hence our Saviour is said to blesse bread and wine though in another forme and to an higher end yet in generall as in the use of the creatures And the truth is whosoever they be that dare come neare the Table of the Lord and the blessing of the Minister being privy of ordinary using the creatures without blessing are fit to bee quite excluded from this Sacrament Remember the phrase of this blessing issued from that Now besides this blessing although it properly denote Thankes yet it includes prayer also First by Prayer Both make up the blessing of the Sacrament Our manner at this day is to say Wee give thankes not as if we did nothing else or as if prayer were inferior to it but so the use of speech hath prevailed First then our Saviour prayed and secondly praysed and gave thankes to his Father and in both stood this second act of blessing He was in this his act subject as mediator to his Father and so acknowledged no lesse viz. That looke what hee did hee did deputedly from him as the cheefe Agent in the sanctifying of the Sacrament And even so is the Minister much more to doe in his stead not to arrogate to himselfe Popishly this power but to abase himselfe to the lowest earth as a worme creeping out of her hole when he lifts up his heart in this kind to the Lord in the behalfe of the Church for a blessing upon the Sacrament It s farre from him or his intention to make or not to make the Sacrament it depends upon an higher power For in this case without question the greater is blessed of the lesser to wit instrumentally For the former of these two viz. our Saviours prayer it s not to be wondred at that its a part of this blessing For why Why It was put up to his Father to the end that he would give his solemne consent to it and by his word establish it to bee a Sacrament Even our blessing the creatures is by applying the strength of the Word Matth. 4.4 for man lives not by bread but by each word of God So that our Saviour here craveth a word from his Father 1 King 8.22 for the blessing of this Ordinance Salomon when he consecrated the Temple what did hee Applyed a word by Prayer unto it Thou O Lord art so great that the Heaven of Heavens cannot conteine thee yet thou hast sayd I will dwell in this house and make it a place of my residence Oh! be it so Vers 27. Matth. 12.42 Now although a greater than Salomon be heere yet lo as being now deputed by his Father to this great worke he beggeth from him to set his Fiat to this his act of Institution As if he should say Father it s not of my selfe as man but from thee and thy command I thy righteous servant have separated these Elements Esay 42.1 Oh Father then as the cheefe ordayner shew that I have done nothing rashly and without thee in this attempt Conteines 4. things But more fully to speake of this Prayer of Christ it conteines these foure things in it First as I said The Lord Iesus having abrogated one Sacrament and substituted another craves a consent from his Father by prayer as if he had said If thou oh Father say the word these Elements shall be Sacramentall they shall be united to my Deity and
to be so and blessed him Do thou so and prosper Vse 4 Lastly by all this blessing of the Minister in the Name of the Lord Iesus wee meete with no step of Popish Consecration neither in point of their five blessing words nor yet of inherent holinesse put into the Sacrament thereby Touching the first wee see no warrant for the Masse Priests inchanting the Elements by his whispering the five words over them for lo the Consecration was ended ere any of those five words were pronounced and therefore not those words but Blessing and Prayer to God in the vertue of his first institution and the promise made thereto doe sanctifie the Elements Which words of Prayer and Blessing our Saviour did not as a Sorcerous Priest murmour over the Bread and Wine but openly and clearely uttered them to his Father in the hearing of the Disciples for their edification The dumbe Elements have no eares to heare such a voice but are meere patients in the Sacrament And therefore wee abhorre that Popish turning of the Priest from the people to the signes as a base inchanting ceremony fitter to worke a blind and carnall devotion in a superstitious heart than a sensible reverence and holy confidence of a beleeving soule For the latter observe that our Saviour begges for no inherent holinesse to be put into the Signes save onely a conveying instrumentall holinesse that the Lord would vouchsafe to use them to the ends of a Sacrament that is to make dumbe seely creatures incapable of any reall grace to carrie reall holinesse into the soules and spirits of beleevers onely capable thereof Much lesse then did he either by these or those five as they misreckon Transubstantiate them into his body When God blessed the Sabboth day and hallowed it Did hee infuse holinesse into the day Are dayes garments vessels houses capable of inherent holinesse No it s enough they attend holy things and ought therefore decently to be kept otherwise neither are they holy inherently nor yet actions and things therefore holy because there done but because they are so in their nature and institution I hasten to the latter branch of his thanks Thankes Thankes is the second branch of Christs blessing And so of the Ministes act in the consecration of the Sacrament Wee have to note that thus it was in other blessings Why joyned with Prayer When Salomon dedicated the Temple one branch of it was solemne thanksgiving to God that had ratified his word and promise 1 King 8 24. enabled Solomon to perfect the temple and made good that which he had spoken The ascent of thanks is so great a glorifying of God that cōmonly it becomes a rich descent of blessing And when prayer is offered to God without thanks it s no signe that the soule fastens upon God for the granting of those things which have bin desired But our Saviour here having had a commission from his Father to ordaine the Sacrament takes it for granted that hee was heard by him in this his request for sanctifying thereof to his Church and therefore together with the prayer doth also here annex his thanks for answer Prayers and praises ought ever to attend each other especially for things formerly received that by the experience of former answer from God God our hearts might not be to seeke of confidence and hope for the present and for time to come For sure it is our selfe-love doth so sway us in seeking what wee would still get that the acknowledgement of what we have already enjoyed from God is forgotten Nay rather even while they pray for blessing from God upon any of his Ordinances or otherwise it is our duty even then to give thanks so farre as ws feele our selves to have praid in faith and in the name of Christ for faith in a manner presenteth the thing which we doe warrantably seeke unto us And although I grant such a blessing may actually be denied us yet our thankes shall returne in such a case into our bosomes and shall be accepted of God But in this case of our Lord Iesus and his thankes Causes of his Thankes Three The first cause Ioh. 11 41. the case is altered for hee gave thankes in assurance of being heard and upon promise thereof from his Father without faile and therefore he might with more confidence offer up thankes even with prayer Sometimes it so fareth with his members that even in the act of prayer the Lord intimates their spirit that they have prevailed as we reade that some of the Martyrs had a kind of propheticall spirit given thē so that some things which God had enabled them to aske in full assurance of faith they received an answer from God that they were granted and therefore their prayers commonly brake out into praises and themselves wrote and spake of those blessings as present though there were some yeares still to come ere performed And no doubt such cases fall out still in the experience of such as are neerely acquainted with God and strong in faith that they have answer with Iacob they have prevailed even in their wrestlings and therefore what doubt is there Gen. 32 28. but that then Thanksgiving should be answerable Vse But I will not digresse to other meditations The thanks and blessing of Christ here should be full of comfort to the poore Minister of Christ and all his faithfull people in their blessing of the Sacrament that they come to God for that which is already granted to Christ and that even so assuredly while he praied for it that at the instant hee received it as granted and blessed God for it and withall added his owne blessing to his Fathers and gave his Spirit of blessing to the same Sacrament from his Father and from himselfe so to attend it that it might never be absent from it in the matter of union Sacramentall and further in point of true sanctification of it to all his members to the end of the world who should come in faith and repentance to receive it It s not under a desired blessing onely but a granted one acknowledged and therefore assured Oh! that any should come with a drooping and sad heart doubtful and staggering to that Ordinance upon which at the first institution so great a handsell of grace was bestowed and a promise of so great future blessing granted The second cause A second cause of his Thankes was for that he foresaw even now at his death and departure shortly from the earth that his Father would not suffer the memory of his satisfaction and death to be razed out but eternize it as a lasting monument in his Church Hee foresaw that infinite honour and glory which hee should receive as a perpetuall tribute from his thankefull Church and what praise the Father by him should obtaine at the hands of the faithfull for the continuing of so lively powerfull a memoriall of his death and perfect Sacrifice offered
Iesus his nourishment to thy soule in renewed grace Spirit of prayer of uprightnesse watchfulnesse bearing the Crosse well issues from thy renewing of faith in his reconciliation and forgivenesse If thou have lost thy peace by an ill conscience beware thou come not first to the Sacrament to fetch strength to returne to thy former course of walking with God till first thy pardon and peace be renewed that were to soder not to mend thy breach yea it were to dawbe with untempered morter Christ is first broken as a satisfier of wrath and then as a nourisher of a poore emptie soule Touching the second Learne to apply the Lord Iesus broken in the Sacrament for thee in a confident manner 2 Act. If hee have beene really thine broken for thy renewed pardon yea the oftner the better lay thy soule in the clift of this Rocke Exod. 33 32. get thy selfe into his wounds and lie in his sides and thence shalt thou draw nourishment to sustaine thee whence thou drewest strengh to make thy peace This broken Christ his bloud his powring out containes both thy peace and thy grace and by an inseparable union of the Spirit is given for both Lesse than the bloud of Christ dead upon the Crosse could not save thee and lesse than it can not restore any grace of his Spirit decaied in thee as the Spirit of prayer watching sobernesse heavenlinesse of heart But if the Sacrament have revived the one feare not the other will follow There is a knot of unions in Sacramentall broken Christ get one and get both faith will teach thee how to get both and doth sweetly claspe with Christ for welfare in both Touching the substance of which I speake lesse here because I shall handle it in the second generall head of the grace offered in this Sacrament Vse Onely this one thing I adde here that the broken body and bloud powred out of Christ is offered thee in this Supper to nourish thy faith in Christ crucified afflicted wounded for thee that hereby thou mightst draw strength from his Passion to suffer and overcome in him or for him whatsoever the Lord shall thinke good to lay upon thee whatsoever then thy Crosse be especially if bitter wearisome unusuall darke and tedious to be borne come to the fountaine of patience and victory the Lord Iesus broken for thee Hee hath overcome the chiefe dint of all crosses in taking the fire wrath and sting of sinne out of thy conscience and this is one maine helpe to settle a restlesse heart under deepe affliction that Christ broken hath taken away guilt and brought pardon and peace And secondly having so done hee hath overcome the force of the Crosse and hath brought patience selfe-deniall calmenesse humblenesse under the same into thee so that in him thou shalt be upholden endure and beare thy yoke not murmour not thinke long not use shifts but by the promise sealed by the Sacrament beleeve the Lord will in due season give thee beauty for ashes Esay 61 3. and the sweet fruit of righteousnesse and patience more sweet than the trouble was grievous These the Sacrament doth confirme and settle the soule in daily if Christ broken bee wisely applied and put on by faith To conclude all I say if the Lord Iesus Sacramentall be a broken Christ for all uses Vse 6 Sixthly how cursed is the condition of all such receivers as are yet to seeke of him in any benefit of his Sacrifice and Crosse Oh! how fearefull is the Sacrament to all such as never understood the Doctrine of Christ broken How shall they be the better for the Supper Oh! what terror should it worke in such consciences as can not by experience speake one word to their soule of the benefit of Christ in either Surely if the Lord Iesus broken were never given them no other benefit of his Adoption or Sanctification either in grace and glory can be theirs And by consequent that fulnesse of Christ which here is exhibited to the faithfull to save and refresh them becomes by their unbeleefe as unfruitfull to their soules as if Christ had never dyed nor Sacrament ever beene offered them For they are still the same neither good day mends them nor bad payres them for any pardon or grace that ever Christ broken could yet helpe them withall But for the third Act thus much Now the fourth and last ministeriall act of the Supper The fourth Act. The distributing is the distribution of it to the people with a charging them to receive it as from God For its expresly added that our Saviour having taken blessed and broken the Elements did give them himselfe to his Disciples He called them not about him and suffered them to serve themselves of them but dealt out both Bread and Cup to each of them and susteyning a double person both of the divider and of the thing divided charged them each and all to receive and apply them as the offer of God And to say truth to what end served the former acts save for this last Touching the severall distribution of Christ I doe not thinke that he did severally give it to the person of each disciple immediately but that reaching out the severall morsells he gave personally to them who were nearest and so by them he conveyed it to the remotest sitter till all were served And this he did not onely in the bread but in the Cup also as Saint Luke doth particularly mention and so the other 1 Cor. 11.21 Luk. 22.20 and Paul 1 Cor. 11. expresseth Now in this last act I consider two things Two things heere First personall Secondly peculiar application of the Sacrament For the former he would intimate thus much 1. For personall application that the Minister in his reaching out the Elements to each receiver is the hand of the Father applying the Christ of the whole Church to such a man and such a woman in person And as each communicant susteines a double person eyther of membership as hee is belonging to the whole body or of person as he is to answer for himsefe to God so in the former respect he communicates no other Christ than the Christ and head of the body and so calls God our Father and Christ our Christ seeing he hath no right to any Christ save in the Communion of Saints By vertue of which he approves himselfe to be a true member of the body clayming no right to Christ otherwise than the Christ of his whole militant Church But in the second respect as each person or beleeving receiver stands in his owne place and receaves speciall grace for himselfe so hee calls God my Father and Christ my Christ and therefore comes not to receive any implicite Christ Iohn 10.28 or as the Church receives him but comes to receive him for himselfe in person for his owne pardon assurance peace support and so his owne as no mans else Each Christian hath
Christ in a community because a branch cut off from the stocke is but dead Iohn 15 6. and the Legacy of Christ Sacramentall is not given to a member but to the body that so it may aptly and fitly be derived out into portions As of many graines one loafe is framed 1 Cor. 10.17 and whole Christ is given to the whole body so also of this loafe the Lord cuts out heere one morsell there another for each members severall use which perhaps is not anothers The arme in the body hath no nourishment save in the body that it might learne to abide in the body Rom. 11.18 and to neede it as a fellow feeling member Howbeit the nourishment of the arme in speciall is not the footes nor the thighes but it owne 2. Peculiar Secondly in this distribution of the Sacrament our Lord Iesus aymes at peculiarnesse and teacheth us that when the Minister reaches out the Elements to this person and to that hee doth not onely present a common Christ to become my Christ he doth not onely make him my Lord and my God and lay him in my lap for my reconciliation and life but also hee doth make him mine peculiarly for the granting of such graces and supplying such wants as I in particular finde in my selfe without which it should not availe me that he supplyes the wants of others And thus Christ Sacramentall is no common Christ though a Christ of Community but a peculiar and speciall Christ cut out divided and proportioned for each soules necessity as many lines are equally drawne from one center to each part of the orbe and wheele thereof To make this point cleare consider the ground of it The ground of it The Lord Iesus who is the Demensum or portion of the Church is also his owne steward to divide and deale out himselfe as the dole of the Church and of each of his houshold Salomon Prov. 27.23 Prov. 27.23 saith to all Masters of families Looke diligently to the state of thy flockes and heards Provide hay and stover for them that thou maiest thereby have sustenance for thy children and maydens Doth the Lord take care for cattle or for the bodies of men and their families 1 Cor. 9.9 How much more then is he carefull for his owne sonnes and daughters that they lacke not If he be worse than an Infidell 1 Tim. 5.8 who provides not for his family what should the Lord bee if hee should neglect those of his houshould Nay further reade Luke 12.42 Luke 12.42 speaking of his Ministers he saith Who is a wise and faithfull steward whom the Lord may set over his house that he may give them their due portion in season The answer is that Christ is he all Ministers are under-officers but hee is above Moyses Peter Paul he is faithfull as a sonne 2 Cor. 6.1 Heb. 3.5 6. not a servant who then but hee should doe it who is all in all in the house of God the great King as David in Sauls 1 Sam. 22.14 1 Sam. 22.14 It is hee who provideth for the weake and sicke ones for the strong and haile for infants for growne ones if it be required of each steward that he be faithfull how much more of him Heb. 3.2.5 1 Cor. 4.2 Heb. 3.2.5 1 Cor 4.2 Hee can doe what he will as his Fathers steward officers are as they are must doe as they can but he as he list Well may be be trusted for faithfulnesse in all the house or Church of God having stored up in himselfe all gifts and treasures and being the wisedome of the Father to divide them to all and each as he needs it knowing them by name and their needs and knowing what how much and when will best fit them and wanting no tendernes to attend his wisedome Farre be it from him to give some all some never a whit for he is just or to give some the portion of others for he is wise or to give to the strongest and oversee the fatherlesse and weake for he is tender and in all three faithfull even Gods right hand to deale as God himselfe would doe if present As it was he who first did take off our yoake and lay meate before us so it is he who maintaines us at his cost gives us our daily bread in word and Sacrament till we neede it no more Hose 11.12 Hos 11.12 Yea he himselfe is our foode and ordinary which no steward can be as in the next generall shall appeare Vse For the use hereof first its confutation of Popery who as I oft have noted make Christ the worst to speake with reverence and most base unfaithfull and foolish steward in the world to pull away the Cup from his people and to defraud them of that full nourishment which both his Father allowes them and himselfe was broken and shedde his blood to become And whereas they cavill thus that Christ gave onely to Ministers to no lay men and so they doe But as for the people by whom there is perill of spilling they doe it not for honour of the Sacrament Yee hypocrites who streine at gnats and swallow Camells how can he bee secured that the wine will not be spilt in a Ministers drinking it Or who taught yee that the Church serves for the Elements and not they rather for the Church Cares Christ for dropps of wine more than the soules of his people Is it more with him that wine spill or the soule perish Againe where learne yee to expound the words of Christ Eate yee drinke yee all exclusively Doth hee not say I am with you to the worlds end Doe the Apostles live for ever Saith he Doe this as oft as yee doe it till I come Tell me I pray by the same reason why may any save the Minister take the bread is there any proviso for them No no he spake heere as elsewheere in the persons of Ministers to all beleevers as in Ioh. 17. he expresseth I pray not for these onely but for all that beleeve Secondly this point teaches the Minister of Christ to looke to himselfe that he usurpe not Christs roome in this Act nor come to divide that Lord Iesus Sacramentall whom he cares not to divide and reach out in doctrine to the people If Christ had so done what had his giving of the Elements beene but a dumbe Pageant whereas if it were the care of Gods stewards to consider that looke what they doe at the Sacrament they doe onely in relation to their Ministry how wise studious and faithfull would they bee in that other cutting of the word and giving it duly to the people by speciall observing applying and dealing out to each hearer his portion How would they studie the people in themselves Learne to put a difference betweene the portion of novices and strong ones of ignorant and skilfull of happy and cheerefull spirits of the fallen or standing
the Lord Iesus that so it might never faile nor wanze away any more Then surely it behooves that the Lord Iesus be as well the keeper of this life and the nourishment thereof as hee was the first the breeder thereof Answere 4 Fourthly the Father to this end must really convey into the person of Christ all such power and vertue as may enable him to be the life and nourishment of his members and therefore he must fill him with himselfe bodily and make him the treasury of all graces wisedome righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1.30 sanctification and redemption all good things necessary for the making of such as are not his to become his and such as are his to be more his or his in a more full and assured manner to prosper grow and thrive in him unto perfection Answere 5 Fiftly he must also qualifie the Lord Iesus with the gift of conveying this holy nature of his and this blessed nourishment of his unto his people and this he doth not onely by the union of flesh with God but especially by the death and satisfaction of Christ by which as by a wide dore he opened the treasure of life and nourishment which was in him and merited that the life of grace in forgivenesse and holinesse might be theirs and that himselfe in his flesh and blood broken and powred out might bee a most effectuall seede of life and foode of life to support them Answere 6 Sixtly to this end hee hath the authority to send forth the word of reconciliation and of nourishment unto his people and as by the power of vocation to call them from death to life that all who heare the voyce of God might live so also to create in their soules by that word of his Esay 57.17 the gift of faith to pull them to himselfe to unite them to himselfe and to convey his owne spirituall life by this union of faith unto them causing his blessed Spirit to concurre so with the word as to settle it upon them and having so done to give them this priviledge that they shall as truely bee maintained at his cost Iohn 17.11 be kept in his name be upheld in grace prosper in it be defended against all enemies within or without which might impeach this their welfare growth fruitfulnesse and perseverance as ever he bred life in them at the first Answere 7 Seventhly and lastly they receive by this priviledge as true right to claime plead for and expect the Lord Iesus to be their nourishment as the poore dumbe creature by the instinct of nature being brought forth runnes to the Damme for milke Or as the Infant comming forth of that wombe which gave it life cryes for the brest of the same mother and pleades to be nourished by her By these steps it may be conceived in generall how the Lord Iesus is made of the Father the true foode of his members The second question viz. How Christ is so in the Supper But as yet here is nothing of Christ our Sacramentall nourishmen Vnderstand therefore the Sacrament to stand in relation to the word of promise wherein Christ is made the poore soules owne to feede her As I noted in Baptisme so heere againe observe Christ in promise and Christ in the Supper differ not save in the manner and degree of exhibiting him out nourishment Looke then what the Spirit of the promise workes for the soule that it much more worketh by the Sacrament First persents the promises Take some instances First it presents the soule of every one truely bred with those choise promises of Christ her nourishment searching them out of each corner Tells her Esay 25. Esay 25.7 That the Lord makes her a feast upon the mountaines of fat things of wines refined and pure and the dishes of the feast are Christ in his graces plucking away the veile of darkenesse remooving death and feare bringing joy and peace Esay 55.1 Esay 55.2 he offers him in all kinds of things usefull and nourishing wine honey oyle bids her eate good things and delight her selfe in fatnesse In Pro. 7. Prov. 7.1 he invites her to his feast and provision of all choice dainties not for necessity onely but for fulnesse for delicacy for variety and delight for safety for durablenesse In Psal 23. Psal 23.3 hee leades her as a shepheard into his pastures streames folds guards her against dangers and death annoints her head with balme Cant. 4.13 and fills full her cup. In the Canticles he makes himselfe her husband to marry himselfe to her and bestow all at once upon her his garments smell of mirrhe Cinnamon and Cassia In Psal 84. Psal 84.11 he denies her nothing that is good for her either for light or defence in those Parables he makes her a feast Luk. 15.23 brings out the Calfe In Iohn 6. Iohn 6.55 tells her his flesh is not onely life but meate indeede and his blood drinke indeede And plainely saith They that live in him shall abide in him and out of their belly shall spring up waters of life they that eate him shall not dye but live for ever In Revel 3. Revel 3.18 he offers himselfe to her in all respects Attire for nakednesse Gold for poverty eye-salve for blindnesse himselfe a supply of all necessities How much more then doth hee leade her to this great Sacramentall promise mentioned in the Text This is my body given for you this is the Cup of the New Testament in my blood 2. Brings the fulnesse of Christ into the promise Againe the Spirit of the promise brings the Lord Iesus and all his fulnesse of nourishment into that promise the spirit of nature doth not so prepare the nourishment of the infant and seale it in the brest for more easie fastning than the Spirit doth settle all the fulnesse of Christ in a promise so that it offers it selfe to the hungry soule Besides 3. Puts the truth of the promiser into it it put the faithfulnesse of the promiser into the promise all the tendernesse and compassion of Christ to the wants of the Church and the truth of his meaning not to faile her in any good thing he can helpe her with Furthermore it strips her of all her owne strength 3. Strips the soule of her selfe tells her that although shee be borne of God yet except hee cleave to her as a feeder as a father a nurse a supply she cannot subsist shee will goe to worke else with her owne tooles and compasse her selfe with her owne sparkles Esa 50. ult and deceive her selfe with her owne trash shee cannot doe any duty get out of any temptation beare any trouble of her selfe without Christ shee can doe nothing Moreover hee sheweth her 4. Leads her to the sufficiency of Christ all her sufficiency is from Christ The worke and life of grace requires his daily hourely acting power in her to set it on
worke or else all shee hath in her is in vaine the principle of life shee hath will not worke will not helpe except it be jogged by the Spirit that gave it as the hand that stirres the saw to quicken the operations of life no meanes no diet can nourish without this 5. Takes measure of all her wants in speciall And so I might bee endlesse For this spirit doth by a promise offer the Lord Iesus to the soule as one that knowes all her wants takes measure of her defects as one should doe of a body for apparell to make it fit and sutable So doth Christ provide all nourishment apt nourishment for every part against each corruption temptation affliction for every duty for marriage for liberty for company for Sabbaths hearing and ordinances yea to draw to an end the Spirit by the promise doth stirre up first sight of Christ her nourishment 6. Workes application of the promise secondly affections after him thirdly an hand to reach him take him put him on apply him faith to digest and draw from him whatsoever he offers her freely cheerefully confidently sensibly Faith carries her into the streame of his welfare the floods as Iob speakes of his butter and honey and venturing upon his word takes him as he offers himselfe and not by a base and trecherous heart putting him off with his store and plenty as if it were too good for her to receive Conclusion Now then to end this point if the Spirit can thus worke the heart to imbrace Christ by a promise how much more by the Sacrament of the Supper in which I may truely say the Lord Iesus is brought forth in his likenesse eminently even in the instruments and immediate manner of nourishing all Christ whole in respect of his obedience and death pardon and holinesse as a diamond not to be broken and yet broken also upon the Crosse divided into portions as the meete morsells of each poore receiver that needs his flesh and blood True bread to be her staffe of life and wine to be the cherisher of her spirits Oh! the bringing forth of these flagons in so sensible a manner to affect all her soule and to overthrow infidelity must needs be a more effectuall instrument of the Spirit to perswade her that Christ is all in all unto her for her support in grace and holinesse than eyther the word alone or any other ordinance The Lord having in speciall set the Supper apart neyther to bee a breeder at all of grace as the word preached is nor to be a nourisher in an ordinary manner as other publique or private meanes in each of which Christ conveyes himselfe his communion to the soule but an ordinance onely tending to nourish serving for the nonce and to no other purpose and therefore having no other scope must needes be most effectuall for the end it serves for Each thing is most prevalent in her owne predominancy and Element If then the spirit so can worke by the promise alone how much more by the Sacrament which represents that which it offers under the shaddow of the signes and tells the soule Ioh. 20 27. Behold the print of the nayles behold my side behold my selfe heere is my body heere is my blood given for thee shed for thee Verse 28. Be not unfaithfull bue faithfull Sooner shall bread and wine cease to nourish thy body than my flesh and blood to nourish thy soule to eternall life The conclusion is the Spirit doth more eminently convince the soule by the Supper of her nourishment by Christ than it can by the Word alone for as much as the Sacrament with the Word is above the Word The third and last question remaines 3. Quest Wherein Sacramentall Christ for our nourishment stands Answer twofold The first The object expressed many wayes wherein Sacramentall nourishment consists The meaning of which question is double The first concernes the parts of it The second the degrees of it The first lookes at the object how many wayes Christ is the nourishment of his The second rather lookes at the influence it selfe of what kinde or measure it is Touching the first As I sayd before of Baptisme that it affords to the soule Christ to be her seede in all respects of true being and regeneration so now I say the Supper offers him to the soule in each of those particulars for welbeing I have oft thought of two Texts which will expresse the difference That of Paul Ephe. 1.3 Ephe. 1.3 Blessed be God who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things by Christ doth note unto us the grace of Baptisme as all the Chapter following prooves in which the distinct essence of those blessings consists There is another in 2 Pet. Chap. 1 Vers 3. 2 Pet 1.3 His divine power ministring to us all things for life and godlinesse hee meanes not the being of those things but daily supply and increase influence from the Spirit of Christ to uphold the soule in them which hath them and this denotes the grace of the Supper Now if wee marke wee shall see the Scriptures speake of this nourishing grace of Christ sundry wayes Psal 84. Psal 84.11 Psal 37.4 He shall deny them no good thing Delight in the Lord he shall give thee thy hearts desire Doe but think what it is which of all other thou wouldst have finde out thy want and the Lord shall be thy supply noting that how infinite so ever the needs and decayes of the soule are God hath supply enough in Christ for them This is most generall Sometime the holy Ghost shortly knits up particulars as in the same Psalme The Lord shall afford light and defence to his By light including all such good things as wee call positive graces as pardon peace ability to duties c. By defence all privative grace as prevention of evill strength against enemies assaults of Sathan world flesh streights and crosses Sometimes hee is more large â— Cor. 1.30 saying that Christ is made to us wisedome to make us more and more understanding in the truths of God and direction to live accordingly righteousnesse to know our selves justified by better and surer evidence Sanctification to grow holier more mortified daily abler to walke with God in the course of our conversation Redemption to uphold us in all our troubles with more humblenesse patience faith and experience and to helpe us against all enemies till we be fully delivered from all Especially by applying it to the graces of Baptisme But as I take it the most convenient way to expresse the extent of this Grace will be to apply the Supper to all and each branch of the grace of Baptisme Breefely then marke Doth Baptisme give us an estate in Iustification Adoption Reconciliation Redemption Then the Supper confirms nourishes them Objection Heere by the way a doubt may be soone made and is as soone answered
bitternesse Verse 23. save onely that lust hath chained up your senses and hearts that ye feele nothing amisse and ye doe but abide under this chaine Iohn 3 ult till the day of wrath and vengeance Oh that ere that wofull houre sweepe you to hell the Lord would awake you either by his Word or Workes to see in what a wofull condition ye stand Seeing the Church doth not excommunicate you oh that you would cut off your selves as Alians from this Communion Oh that your flesh might be destroyed and your jollity subdued that if possible your soules might escape in the day of the Lord 1 Cor. 5.6 Vse 2 Secondly let this be reproofe to such as goe for religious and perhaps may be so for wee cannot tell Reproofe but leave it to God and themselves to try to whom after all this long while of Sacraments the doctrine and mysterie of the Supper is both unknowne and untasted What juster complaint can wee take up among many than this that Christ the nourishment of his people is so little knowne Looke to it if the Gospell and the pearle hidden in it be yet hidden from you 2 Cor. 4 4. the God of the world hath blinded you with the ease and forme of an emptie profession that the glory of Christ should be still eclipsed from you Beware least there be not in you still a common heart a of the world which causes these spirituall things to be so harsh and unsavory With examination The first and that in five But to such as desire to be affected with their ignorance in this kind I say but this Examine and trie your selves about this weightie matter I meane the knowledge and use of Christ in the Supper and let this make amends for your ordinary egresse and regresse to this Ordinance without searching your selves I know right well Sacraments were never so common so monethly so ordinary and here and there Sermons or some kinde of preparative are made before them but who is he almost that knowes what Christ offers to be unto his truly bred ones the youth of his wombe in his Supper To whom are those flouds of Hony and Butter knowne Iob 20.17 which are in Christ for the soule that is starven and needs him Oh if Christ in the promises of nourishment were your delight your neede would make you seeke out and search after the seale annexed to the Promise that by it your bare faith naked and barren soules of the power of Christ to purge and sanctifie you might be doubly refreshed Tell me in particular Did it ever enter into you that the Lord Iesus serves to feede as well as to breede all his To nourish his in those graces of the Spirit which Baptisme hath begot in thee Doe ye know the way unto him by the Supper as to the Church by the path for making your Iustification Adoption Reconciliation more evident to your soules Doe ye lot upon it that there if any where even at the feast of Gods mountaines the broken peace of your consciences the joy of your soules the confidence contentation and liberty thereof to goe in and out with God is to be revived Why make ye then no more use hereof Why doe Sacraments then as clouds passe over your heads leaving so few of these drops upon them Oh! if you knew the gift of God truly that here is the fountaine for you to drinke at Ioh. 4.10 to quicken and enlarge the graces of the Spirit faith love courage thankes uprightnesse mercy patience and fitnesse for the Crosse all which you so infinitely want how could it be but that honest and good hearts would presse in for a childs portion as oft as God offers it Who shall beate ye off from this house of Gods provision if ye were privy to those bare walles at home from whence yee come If it could but sinke into you indeede that there is no want no disease no sinne temptation let enemy Crosse but the Lord Iesus hath there a supply for Physicke ease strength redresse Oh! a man might as soone rate a Begger from some great house of almes as discourage you from the Supper If there the Lord Iesus emptie his treasures of wisedone and direction for the order of your tongues marriages families companies buyings and sellings and so to make your whole round of conversation sweet reformed Oh! how is it possible that yee who complaine so much of your wants in all these should not come to Christ here as those sterven Leapers fell upon the full tents of the Aramites here catching up meat for hunger 2 King 7.8 drinke for thirst apparrell for nakednesse gold and pearles against povertie both for the present and for time to come But alas yee know it not Secondly trial in foure particulars Againe if ye shall say yee hope yee have got these in the Sacrament I answer I know some doe but seeing I speake to the body of Christians who doe not it cannot hurt any to try that also I may truly say All such as find Christ such nourishment to them may be knowne by their fruits Oh! they are healthy and prospering they discredit not Gods diet are not meager evill favoured surfited with ill humors pride ease the world revenge hypocrisie This Physicke and Diet of Christ broken and crucified hath given corruption her deadly bane more or lesse in point of reigning and deluding and defiling them they loathe to decline from Gods truth and the power of it the wayes of starters and revolters and time-servers are as vile to them as drunkennesse or uncleannesse They hold their own towars God in some poore sort and this pulse of God as it s counted although indeede restorative flesh and bloud of Christ is made flesh of their flesh and runs in their veines and ministers vigour spirit and life unto them to keepe them in Christs body in the midst of all the pollutions and declensions and coolings and cursed examples of this world Secondly this Supper of the Lord Iesus battens and makes them thrive in grace makes their grace more more savory better qualified enlarged in measure more humble meeke patient and heavenly than when they first beleeved This grace of the Sacrament heales them of an hide-bound heart dead and stale weary and ready to stand still in grace Every Sacrament addes a little of Iesus Christ his tallnesse thicknesse depth and makes them increase in favour with God in credit with his Church to reach further than formerly they did and to be enlarged in holy abilities for God and his Service loathing to stand still as much as to bee quite dead Thirdly they shall find it by their setlednes of spirit and holy purpose of heart to keepe the commandements Psal 119.57 and to cleave to the Lord as Barnabas saith Act. 13.27 Act. 13.27 They shall wax more rooted grounded both in truths especially the maine and in the
close with him for it And remember for as much as the Lord hath onely appointed thiâ— grace of faith to be that spiritually to thy soule which the mouth stomacke and veines are bodily to corporall nourishment Therefore rest not in any other instrument of application whatsoever either in thy bodily and carnally touch or in the carnall conceit of thy minde thinking thou commest with a devout minde or with that faith in the Sacrament which the Church doe come with infolded in a mysticall darkenesse of devotion for what soever is brought hither in stead of faith shall be thy bane one day and is abhominable to God Let it be thy appetite thy stomacke thy veines thy soule to draw to unite to distribute to assimilate and to convey Christ into all parts of thy life Lin not till his substance be thine If thou hadst a sundry friend to furnish thee with sundry boones thy want would send thee to them all To the Lawyer for direction in thy suites and troubles to the Physitian for thy diseases to the rich to borrow monies and perhaps for necessitie to a Divine in trouble of minde Count the Lord Iesus all If a poore man be asked why he makes such a trade of it to frequent such an house He will say It s a full house it s not deere to trouble it often To be sure here to this store and wel-spring the ofter thou come to the Supper I meane the welcomer If his fulnesse can make thee emptie know all thy emptinesse cannot robbe him of fulnesse Beleeve that thy neede can not amount higher than his fulnesse and so long thy pipes are sure to be filled But come in faith and bring a free heart and an emptie bucket and be to him as he is to thee Come to hm to cloathe nakednesse to pay debts to rid thee of chaines and let there be no fulnesse in him whereof thou feelest not neede and then as the Sacrament is appointed to thee for speciall growth in godlinesse so shall the Lord Iesus become unto thee and thou shalt not be the first servant that shall bring in a false report of Christ for an hard master to thee as hypocrites doe And this be said of this maine point chiefely aimed at in the first part of this Treatise to shew the use of Christ our nourishment One point still remaines Namely The second act Sacramentall of the people Eate Drinke The meaning of it Enjoying the chiefe things of Christ in his feast Psal 128.2 the second act of the people to eate and drinke Christ Which I distinguish from the other for just cause When these two acts are divided in the Text I expound them for one thing Take that is beleeve and eate that is beleeve but when I finde them joyned especially in so solemne a text as the Institution of the Supper is I avoid repetition and doe conceive two things to be meant by Taking as I have said Beleeving By Eating enjoying the benefite or delighting the soule in the fruit thereof according to those Texts Of the fruit of thy labour thou shalt eate Psal 128,2 1.19 Esay 1 19. Thou shalt eate the good things of the Land In which places Eating is not taken as in Ioh. Excepte ye eat the flesh of the Sonne of man Ioh. 6 51.53 ye have no life in you where eating is taking for beleeving but as here for enjoying So then the eating of Christ Sacramentall is That spirituall enjoying of the Lord Iesus and all his good things which we have received to beare our selves as well apaid ones at his feast and such as are filled and satisfied with himselfe desire no better condition count our portion to be fallen into a good ground and so reflecting upon our soules what we have found at his Table rejoyce therein as in spoiles and he have our selves as those who have beene keeping holiday in his house and feasting in the Mount not of Sinai or Horeb as Moses did but the Gospell Esay 25 8. Esay 25.8 and therefore we having that we came for be as we would be and possesse our soules with exceeding complacencie and contentment and enlarge them to the Lord with joy and thanks rejoycing in him as Mary saith our Saviour and God all-sufficient The grounds foure For why Is there not good cause or neede we be ashamed or plucke in our heads as if confounded No the feast wee have beene at and the dishes thereof are things of perfect sweetnesse and contentment and that in respect of these foure perfections first Safenesse secondly Purenesse thirdly Fulnesse and fourthly Durablenesse In all these the dainties of Christ exceede all other and he in them all other objects The world hath her delights and feastings 1 The safetie thereof both wicked and indifferent liberties but neither safe both dangerous Theeves delight to steale money and stolen waters are pleasant True in the taste but as the Prophets Booke Bitter in the belly Knowest thou not that there will be bitternesse in the latter end 2 Sam. 2 26. 2 Sam 2 26. When prison feares gibbetcome then all the hony is turned into the gall of Aspes as Iob 20 14. Iob 20 14. Wickednesse is dangerous in the issue witnesse Gehazi's booty Achans Garment and Gold the Fooles ease in his plentie the Harlots taking her fill in pleasure in her husbands absence but her steps are not as her lippes these drop honey but they goe downe with her guests to hell Nay even of the indifferentest liberties I may say there is no safetie in them for there is a surfeit in them either to body or soule Wine is an mocker and strong drinke is a deceiver there is a hooke and a snare underneath in the issue they bite as a Serpent Too much honey is not safe it surfeits and kills even as feasts of great plenty breed diseases and make worke for the Physitian The unsafenesse of the best thing makes it imperfectly contenting But the feast of Gods corne and oyle and milke as it costs nothing Esay 55 1. Esay 55 1. So a man may feede on them without feare as in Verse 2. Eate good things and spare not curbe not nor put a knife to thy appetite the more the better no surfeit is in them Let thy soule delight and satiate it selfe in this fatnesse there is no hurt in it Not safe onely in respect of Gods leave and warrant as Salomon saith Drinke of thine owne wells thou art truly intitled to them in him whom all things are thine by But thou shalt never heare of them after for any danger they can doe thee Reade Ephes 5.18 Ephes 5 18. In all other things is excesse Secondly these Dainties Sacramentall are pure and meere 2 Their Purenesse uncompounded and without the mixture of carnall delights Sweet is that of Salomon The Lord gives the righteous a portion and no sorrow with it Hee meanes there is no checke
not for the fruit Vse all these in their kindes but enjoy these and in so doing ye have the perfection which nothing else can and these doe affoord to the soule But heere yee will say is the difficulty I answer I will point briefely at two or three branches of direction and so conclude Directions for it three The first delight in God Psal 37. The first is this Delight in the Lord for this perfection of soule-content which he offers in his Christ The perfection of love is joy let him have perfect delight of thy heart for his perfect nourishment If David said well Delight in the Lord and he shall give thee thy hearts desire how much more then set thy heart upon him when he hath already done it that hee may doe it more Vse the Ordinances of Word of Prayer yea of this Sacramentall Christ our nourishment as a stirrop to get up into this full safe pure and durable object of delight in the Lord his Christ and Spirit who when all these poore helpes which serve to proppe up a Pilgrims travell as so many baiting-places till he get home shall faile yet shall be the eternall delight of the soule in glory Beginne this complacence and well apaiednesse of heart heere and if it be hard pray to God to give thee a judicious heart to understand the weight and worth of the things and to delight groundedly in those things which are best approved of God to deserve it As if a Iueller assure thee of the value of a pearle he neede say no more And pray also that all thy affections may follow love joy feare to forgoe it sorrow if weakened and all the rest as in a Gentlemans house let the Master welcome a stranger and all the servants will striue to doe the like Beseech him that his Spirit of comfort by faith may not only shew thee the good things he hath given thee 1 Cor. 2 12. 1 Cor. 2 12. but shed a lively sweetnesse and joy in them into thee so that as the Vine said Iudg. 9 11 13. Thou wilt not forsake this thy fatnesse and sweetnesse for any thing Beseech him to purge thy conscience from all creeping defilements of thy selfe world Satan or crosses which might dampe it and so raise up thy soule by them above all this earth which might eclipse it If it be an heaven upon earth now and then to beleeve a promise to savor a Truth to receive a Sacrament to be in good company to resist a lust to revive a grace what should he be who is all these and whereby should the heart be sooner raised up to him than by that which makes all this good cheere the Sacrament of the body and bloud of the Lord Iesus Oh! maintaine no melancholy distrust against this But as Hanna 1 Sam. 1. 1 Sam. 1 1â— when she had heard Eli was quite another and wept no more so be thou Peninna still was a chokepeare and so shall there never cease some thing or other to correct thy content but yet Peninna now was no more thought of Remember if food and gladnesse alway go together as Act. 14.17 Act. 14 17. How shalt thou hold up thy face before the Lord of this feast if thy sad heart poison it Secondly 2 Maintaine communion with him adde thiâ—â—s maintaine this Communion with God daily As the influente of Christ in the Sacrament is a speciall peece of our communion with God so when wee are gone it should make us fond to hold it that wee might bee as it were drunk with the wine of his cellars and the pleasures of his house That so wee may keepe a communion with him daily from Sabbath to Sabbath and be alway breaking bread and receaving as those disciples at Ierusalem who attended the comming of the Holy-Ghost David was so ravisht with that hee felt in the house of God that he saith had I but one thing of God this it should be Psal 27. That I might behold his face in the beauty of his Temple and holinesse and yet he might never come into the Priests Sanctuary much lesse rhe Holy of Holies to see the merciseat and the Arke under it covered with glorious Cherubins which wee may doe daily This is to spend our whole life in Gods House Psal 23. ult Psal 23 6. Not to be never out of it which old Anna her selfe could not but to retaine that savor of immortalitie and hope of eternall life which the communion of Saints in the world and Sacraments doth breed in the soule Oh the smell of these spices in the garden which the North-winde of the Spirit doth afford to our nostriles Cant. 4 16. Cant. 4 16. should so perfume us as all other fellowship should stinke unto us as no douht Peter his nets did and all the world when he was with Christ and Moses and Elias upon the Mount and would have built three Tabernacles Math. 17 4. and said It is good to be there As those brutish ones longed When will the Sabbaths be gone and the new Moones be past meaning those feasts of continuance for weekes so shouldst thou long for them When will they come And with David Psal 84. Psal 84.3 Oh my heart fainteth and my feete long for to goe to thy Temple How rare are such in these dayes in which though our cups and vessels be of silver and gold yet our receivers are wood and stone for the most part and such as savor not this bread of life and food of Angels How should we be afraid lest this Idoll of forme eate up all as those leane Kine in Gen. 41 18. Gen. 41.18.16 20. and lanke eares devoured the fat and full ones Where is hee who so comes to the Sacrament as loth to leave it and to goe into the aire of the world againe I â—â—mmend not the excesse of these old Monkes who forsooke the course of the world for to live alway in holy services But this I say few such there are who doe so much as hold any savor of this communion of Christ Sacramentall a few dayes after Oh! then such as have found this hoord of grace in the Supper keepe it daily also that it may attend ye fortie dayes till the Mount of God Directions for it Therefore let our daily course hold this communion But how may some say I will adde one or two words of direction First in the due exercise and quickning of the graces of the Spirit within us both the life of faith in all estates blessings and crosses in all meanes ordinary and extraordinary in their season as well as the Supper all having their particular use also in all duties of both Tables and the fruits of this faith I meane the graces of hope love to the Saints the partners with us in this communion Psal 16 2. Psal 16 2. and patience humilitie courage thankfulnesse and the rest of
is the highest perswasion and Sacramentall sealing the highest sealing We doe not limit God to his Sacraments but ordinarily we say he limits himselfe in this kinde Lastly I adde the most apt way to get the perswasion of the Spirit in an higher measure is to hold close to the lower measure As in the promise the best way to get the perswasion of the Spirit of promise is to cleave to the bare naked word and truth of the Promiser for himselfe So the next way to compasse the best measure of sealing perswasion in the Sacraments is to come unto them with faith in the perswasion of a promise for marke the Spirit in multiplying perswasion doth never lose the former measures but holds them still as grounds unmoveable He that can now swimme without bladders yet retaines the skill he got first by them and he that makes true Latin of his experience and art yet forgets not his Rule by which he first attained it still the power of the bladders abides in the man who swimmes alone and still the power of the Rule is in him who of himselfe doth suddenly speake true Latine Even so the promise still abides in the seale of the Sacrament and the perswasion of the sealing Spirit although it be above a promise yet it is not without it but holds the relation close Even as the seale and delivery and seasin of a purchase is above a Covenant yet never without it but alway relating to it and adding a superiour strength which it had not before of perswasion and assurance Vse Terror in two Branche◠Now I finish with the Vses First if the Sacrament of the Supper hath this end to seale the assured growth of the soule in grace let it be terrour for two sorts 1. Papists who pervert the end of the Sacrament to base hellish ends of their owne of which before Secondly profane ones who come in their sinnes who turne the Table of God into the table of divels yea turne the seale of the grace of Christ into a Seale of Gods Curse into gall poyson and the water of triall of the Adulteresse The Sacrament is not given thee to beget thy soule to God but to nourish it being begotten When then thou commest to the Supper bearing the Lord in hand that thou art the Lords Lo thou callest for vengeance if thou be an unregenerate one still Thou saist in effect Lord let this Bread and Wine be my bane if I belong not to thy Covenant As shee that durst drinke the water of jealozie knowing her selfe defiled implied her craving the rotting of her wombe So I say to all such If they come not hither for the right end of God they cannot chuse but come for the wrong either for the better or for the worse A seale it must needes be no man can hinder it yea to a covenant if not to the Lords then to such a covenant as they belong too that is a league with hell Esay 28. a league with their lusts adultery pride c. As if the Lord should say Bee thou yet more filthy still by rebuke of my Sacrament more proud more profane Adde drunkennesse to thirst Fulfill thy measure It s not my Sacrament which causes thee to bee so but thy uncleane dungill which dare offer it selfe to the pure beames thereof As Ieremie Lam. 3. Lam. 3.65 So doth this ordinance cry in Gods eares Lord seale them to an hard heart which is thy curse to an hard hart which cannot repent mourne beleeve because they have abused all thy calles in the word all thy patience and meanes and dare come hither in their sin send them hence with thy blacke marke upon them for the scaring of others Nay the Spirit of this seale cryes after yee ere yee bee gone out of the presence of God saying how durst thou sit here to catch the food of my People with a dogs impudencie with that heart which thou bringest with thee frō the alehouse or thy harlot or oathes Goe thy wayes never fruit grow more upon thee No raine no dew fall upon thy hard heart That which was a snare to Iudas Iohn 13 26 even the Table and soppe of Christ be a snare to thee to fall and rise no more If thou wouldst avoyd this let this Doctrine of the seale pull thee to the knowledge of the Covenant Vse 2 Secondly let it be an use of mourning to us that we have so few to whom the end of this Sacrament pertaines Sure if it be the Sacrament of any it s theirs whose hearts want sealing of faith in the Promise question the perseverance of their faith their comfort hope peace Doubt that these decay so fast as they shall hardly recover them and feare that Gods measures of health growth setlednesse and fruitfulnesse is too good for them But alas where are these now a-dayes Hath not the streame of this age carried them into another extreame rather of formall presumption and securitie What shall then this Sacrament doe if there be so few whom it concernes Shall it returne in vaine to him that sent it No it belongs to those few for all are not alike whom the Lord loveth and will seale to the day of the full assurance and redemption The Spirit of sealing shall not be quite streightned for all the sinne of others Mica 2 7. Vse 3 Therefore thirdly let it be admonition to all such that they slight not this end of the Sacrament Admonition upon two grounds so that it should not effect that end which it serves for To which purpose remember these two items First that this holy seale annexed to the legacies of Christs last Will and Testament doth beare date from the first Institution and was purposely then ordained by Christ because he knew the next day following it was to be in his full vertue immediatly upon the Testators death as wee reade Heb. 9 16. Heb. 9.16 Ioh. 8.56 If then those rejoyced in this sealing day a farre off ere it come and saw it as Abraham and others by faith then what excuse shalt thou pretend who seest not this power and end of the Sacrament being after the death of the Lord Iesus and being offered under the Signes of his death thou mighst not doubt of the effect of it Secondly the Supper hath the preeminence in this kinde Grounds not onely above other Ordinances of growth but even the Word it selfe wherein although there be a power also of Sealing yet not under such Evidences of the Lord Iesus crucified nor under so great an authoritie and commission to Seale Vse 4 Lastly therefore let the Lords end in the Sacrament be thine even every poore soules portion which groanes in spirit for further perswasion of her growth and increase in pardon holinesse and glory Put not off any measures or the Seales thereof which the Lord offers thee Let there be no effect of any Ordinance which thou shouldst count strange
that requires a separation There is more required also but without this nothing can be done The hand which will compasse Gods Altar must be cleane also But first it must be empty if it be filled with nutshels and trash it can hold nothing else If we cannot so much as heare a serious story or indite a letter without privacy if we can do no choise worke well except we be solitary and serious do we thinke it easy to worship God in a Fayre a Marquet an Alehouse a Bargaine while we be working or playing or prating or dreaming No all our courage all our strength is too little a broken humble beleeving heart is little enough for it Therefore at least an empty a swept and voyded heart is necessary Vse 3 Thirdly it must admonish us of a duty meete for us if we will be fit for Sacramentall Triall Admonition we must ere we set to it abhorre that giddinesse lightnesse and fraughtnesse of our soules which the most thinke is no sinne as our bane and the destroyer of Preparation for the Sacrament We must know that as the gold weights will not try gold till they stand still so neither can the soule try her selfe till she be well stayed and poysed When we will powre any precious liquor into a vessell or glasse especially if it have a narrow necke we will set it in a steddy posture for feare of spilling No man can see any thing in roared waters As the Lord Iesus speakes of agreeing with our adversary that we must lay downe our sacrifice by the Altar the whilst Math. 5.25 1 Pet. 2.2 and do that chiefly and as Peter bids those who will covet the milke of the word that they purge out of their stomacks all superfluity so especially doe it in this Triall at the Sacrament It s manifest by mens cavils against this duty viz. that they have callings to attend and businesse to looke after and they cannot prepare themselves that I say they account it as a veniall offence to be thus cloyed with other cares but if it defile and destroy Tryall of thy selfe how can it be small Thou wilt say thy thoughts and affections are neither murtherous uncleane oppressing defrauding lying revenging profane intemperate What then Is there no other disease mortall save the plague Let it therefore be as odious unto thee to carrie a light a gadding unsavory heart about thee so full of other bables that Gods liquor must needes runne over I say to be out of frame alway to entertaine the best things Let it be unto thee as odious as very profanenesse it selfe And before thou venter upon triall clense thy selfe of this fulsome glut and doe not enterline or write Gods letters upon a blotted but cleane paper even as thou wouldest wipe thy Table-booke ere thou writest the Sermon And whatsoever vanity hath pressed thy heart or dares presume to come before God serve it with the same sawce that Abner is said to serve Asahel that wilde Roe whom when he perceived to perke sawcily in his presence and dare him to his face he watch'd him so closely 2 Sam. 2 19. that he smote him with the hinder end of his Speare and laid him on the earth Let thy care be so to smite thy giddy heart that it may no more annoy thee or interrupt thy spirit being well occupied Vse 4 Lastly when thou commest to this triall summon thy selfe and all the out-workes and ranging thoughts of thy soule Exhortation all thy powers and members to come in to forsake other objects for the time and close seriously and sadly with the Lord in this worke of Sacramentall triall As thou wouldst faine have thy heart close at thy tryall for the Sacrament nay at thy great tryall of death so keepe it cleane empty unsnared in thy whole course Remember when thy heart would lash out there is a Sacrament and a triall before it If my thoughts then be past call I shall have an ill worke of it or else rush to the Sacrament with a surfeit upon it Surely looke how thy heart is watcht unto in thy course so shalt thou finde it at a speciall season and so shalt thou blesse God for the Sacrament aâ—d say Else Lord I should have strayed endlessely but this Ordinance hath kept me at a bay from wandring not onely from thy Commandements but even from a sober and serious attending to it selfe in lawfull liberties So much for the first Touching the second point viz The persons whom this triall concernes it hath two branches First how many Secondly Who must try For the former it may soone bee answered All must try and examine Persons 1. How many against the Sacrament The charge is generall admitting no exception As it was to the Iewes for the Passeover that all who eate it must be liable to the rules of observing it Exod. 12. so must it be in the Supper none can bee exempt from Tryall None exempt who will have a part in the Sacrament Briefly not to stay the Reader long He that hath not a soule to save to thrive to prosper in grace or to be happy or to desire it He that neither cares for the losse of heaven or woe of hell See Exod. 12.43 he that abhorres the name of a child and so the allowance of his fathers house and the portion of an heire he that chooseth rather to be without among dogges and swine hee that hath cut off himselfe and is become an Heathen and Publicane a scorner and pastgrace let him exempt himselfe else the Lord exempts none at all Pearles indeed must not bee cast before swine else it is not the difference of any outward respect that can discharge from this duty All need the benefit of it all are in danger to incurre the losse by neglecting it all therefore are equally obliged to it The people cannot exempt themselves under colour of inability or not being booke learned they must not put it off to the Minister as more sufficient for it The Minister may not exempt himselfe from it as if he lesse needed it than the people Schollers are not free because their calling is to study or reade the Scriptures for they may be farre from the triall of themselves Such as have learned the doctrine of the Sacrament soundly must not wash their hands of it because of their knowledge The wife must not thinke her selfe to be tryed in her husbands carefull tryall as if she were but his shadow and hath him to answere for her much lesse the husband may quit himselfe upon hers The rich must not plead liberty by his great businesse nor the poore for lacke of leasure from his handy labour nor the aged because of their infirmities growing upon them not the more experienced because they have oft done it nor the novice because he is greene and new to begin not the travellor because in a journey not servants because they are
absence Did the absence of that thou wouldst have make thee so restlesse after further measure that yet thou didst quietly submit to be the whilest as God would have thee To be very glad and boast of thy nothing that the glory of grace and the name God might bee magnified That God might have his ends in meere grace to such a base emptie one than thou thy owne ends in being filled to the brimme This is a speciall good signe Fiftly didst thou continue striving thus till the Lord drowned thy selfe and thy Distempers both on right hand and left in the truth of the promise And dost thou labour thus to hold it according to it as the truth is in Iesus Without hookes or crookes resisting the dayly recourse of slavishnesse ease selfelove puâ—ling up worldlinesse Eph. 4.22 or any lust which might defile the sweetnesse of Christ and waken thy faith in him Are these markes in thee true and soundly wrought Then are they good though weake Thirdly art thou called Try it by the perfecting and fulfilling grace of God Canst thou then say That the worke of saith is finisht in thee with Power and perswasion Canst thou say if thou have beene deceived in beleeving God hath deceived thee If thou perish by beleeving thou art content Canst thou buy and sell upon Gods Word And doth the Spirit of the Promise deliver thee into it Dost thou finde that sealing of heart thereby which fills thee with peace and joy through beleeving Then is thy sparke growne to a flame and the Lord hath brought forth thy judgement to victory Lesse measure than this may yet be a true signe but this is a fuller signe Secondly is the love of God in thy soule as coales in thy bosome 2 Cor. 5 14. Doth it constraine and hemme in thy heart to love him againe To thinke no duties too hard no measure too much Doth it worke life in graces in Meanes using and workes of piety and charity to God and man Or is it a love comming from a dead faith Iâ—â—â— 2 20. which will suffer thee to bee proud and selfe-loving unmercifull carelesse barren in fruits worldly coveteous Thy faith is vaine and thy love rotten But canst thou say The love of God is a fire in thy bones to purge thy drosse to kindle thy heart to all love thankes uprightnesse humblenesse innocencie and fruitfulnesse It s a good signe Thirdly hath God declared his righteousnesse unto thee from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 both of kind and measure Trie it then For the former thus God hath given all his a double Portion standing in a coppy hold and a free hold the one by grace imputed which the soule takes up by the Court Roll of the Promise holding upon another The other by a grace inherent which it takes by the livery and seasin of the sanctifying Spirit Try then Canst thou say thy faith hath both a hand to take the one and the other To take both righteousnesse from faith of justification to faith of sanctification Darest thou not sever those things which God hath joyned It s a good signe of a faith pretious for kinde if by the same faith thou canst receive both kinds of righteousnesse though by a severall conveiance Fourthly try the measures of it If God Righteousnesse be from faith lo faith it proceedes from one step and degree to another gettes to it selfe more Promises more evidences yea stronger and greater Canst thou say it is so with thee dost thou grow from faith of salvation to faith of government Is thy cheefe religion thy living by faith Is thy faith thy bottome for law obedience and not thy Morality the bottome of thy faith Is Christ reveald to thee from faith in his Priesthood to faith in his Prophecy and Kingdome to guide thee and rule thee Doth the peace of thy King so awe thee that rather than thou woldst forgoe it thou wouldst for go all And doth the Law of the same Spirit of Christ which hath freed thee from hell act all thy whole man the powers and members of it so that in some measure not thou livest but the LORD Iesus in thee to doe all thy workes for thee It s a sweet signe Fiftly Try thy selfe in the Bent and streame of thy Spirit Though thy errors and defects are many yet if still thy spirit bee upright thy Course taking it generally is sound thy frailties are covered the Lord lookes not upon thee and thy sinnes but upon his grace in thee Feare not it s a good signe And thus might I be large But I content my selfe with a draught in steed of many Now because this first tryall of calling Triall 3. Fruites of calling and of a good estate toward God is more large and full than some weake ones can reach At least they may be dismaid by the weightinesse thereof Besides these I will yet adde a second sort of markes that is some severall fruits of grace as the soule may discover them more easily in it selfe to flow evidently from faith of Gods elect of this sort are these following in which I observe no method but name them as they offer themselves let every man take notice of himselfe by his owne earmarke Mark 1 First if wee abuze no truth of God to wantonnesse and security it s a signe wee bee those children for whom Gods Bread is prepared For example these are holy Truths of God and blessed encouragments The Righteous fall 7 times a day The Lord sees no iniquity in Iacob Pro. 24.16 Numb Whom God pardons one sinne to hee will pardon all No beleever can fall totally from God GOD loves his when hee afflicts them for their sinne In many things wee sin all No man heere can bee perfect but our perfection is the sight of Imperfection GOD compts our endeauours and wills for performances Faith is not the excellencie of apprehending and feeling the good of the object but our cleaving to a word All things even sinne turnes to the good of Gods elect None come to Christ save such as are drawne by God Our comfort stands not in our repenting but beleeving especially and the like Now the triall is If these bee snares to us causing vs to fall to sloth and soosnesse it s a signe we are dogs but if they worke kindly to provoke us to jealozy and more awe it s a signe of children For example the sins of Gods people God turnes to their good Rom. 8.28 and hee loves them when yet hee afflicts them for sin Oh then how much more gracious will hee bee to such as walk with him Those that truely beleeve are elected Oh! how then wil my soule strive for Faith that I may proove my election Not be desperate because if I be elect I shal beleeve In a word when such Truthes are used for encouragment to the tender not occasions to presume it s a good signe Mark 2 Secondly if wee find the
generall try his estate by law or Gospel or search out his wants save by knowledge of them Not to insist in the graces that follow whereof faith consisteth partly of a speciall convincement of the understanding and desire of the Sacrament presupposeth a knowledge of some thing amiable to the soule of unknowne objects there is no desire So I might say of the rest knowledge therefore is essentiall to the Sacrament When Paul prayes that the Ephesians might encrease in faith hee begins with the enlightning part of the soule Chap. 1. Verse 17. Ephe. 1.17.18 That yee being enlightned saith he in your mindes may acknowledge him and the hope of his calling c. So that true knowledge is the roote of all true savour of the grace or graces of God If thou knewest the gift of God Iohn 4. Iohn 4.10 thou wouldst have done so or so So if a man knew the Sacrament how would he love it But not to know it includes a necessity of not beleeving or well receiving it The third Thirdly the fearefull penalty threatned in the word against bad receivers is by name annexed to the not discerning of the Lords body 1 Cor. 11.29 Now though I grant there is more in that than meere ignorance yet that is one mother root of not discerning For what is that which causeth popish prophane ones yea hypocrites to come to the Sacrament as to common bread and wine in the shop or cellar save that all colours are alike in the darke and ignorance puts no difference betweene naturall things and spirituall If knowledge then teach to discerne the body of the Lord and to quit the soule of all this threat and vengeance how needefull is it The fourth Fourthly the Lord hath no doubt ordeined and the Church most wisely made use of this second Sacrament of groth that by occasion of it shee might take notice of the thrist of her Children in the doctrine of the foundation and by name of Baptisme and so consequently of such things as they have bin taught in the ministry Alas The Preacher followes not nor can all such to their house as have heard him catechize or preach to demand an account of his labours as were to be desired If then there were not some awe and bridle put upon men by the Church which yet alas few make use of among our Ministers how should the Minister know the plight of his poore people from their baptisme to their grave Though I grant private visitation is needefull but what one of an 100. looke after it of themselves till their deathbed Now the Sacrament is so holy an act of worship that few are so basely vile as not to confesse that there ought to be some more than common scrutiny and search what knowledge they and theirs have gotten Which confession prooves knowledge to be most necessary But as the slothful are curious so the ignorant are cavillers Objection 1 first they object that devotion would do better with the Sacrament than knowledge especially for meane folkes who have their trades to looke after and being unbook-learned cannot comprehend such depths as these And therefore it were better that they did adore them with devotion than search into them Answer I answer still Cursed is all devotion with God which is without knowledge the heart of such is as saplesse barren of good and as full of rottennesse as the most profane mans is in Gods esteeme Good meanings and devotion if it lye in Gods way and be full of eyes not blind and ignorant are most pretious things But without knowledge selfe-deniall and faith to enlighten the soule Iudg. 16.21 devotion is as Sampsons bestirring himselfe when his eyes were put out hee was fit for nothing save to runne the round and grind in the Mill. So doe devout ones they are ever in motion and never the nearer Devotion of this kinde is fittest for Papists who are under a strange language and a worship of mans braine having no footing in the word Ier. 4.12 Eccles 5.1 its best for them that know not what sacrifices they offer but like fooles they know not that they doe evill It s fit for the Masse and for such like trash But for the Sacrament its most unsavory Objection 2 And as for their cavill they are unlearned and have trades to looke to I grant it and therefore wee require not of all the like measure of knowledge so there be a teachable heart willing to learne Answ If these men could from their trades argue as strongly against Ale-houses and drinking it were well Sure it is if the time which they spend there were spent in getting knowledge as meane as they are their trades would not keepe them from it But what basenesse will not men stoope to yea abase themselves to hell in their cavills Esay 2. so they may live still in their profanenesse I doe not allow any who are weary of their trades under pretence of hearing or getting knowledge but I say trades neede not hinder from a diligent attendance upon the meanes if the heart bee good And as for the mysticalnesse of the Sacrament it is so to such as plow not with Gods heifer Iudg. 16. nor submit their carnall reason to the revealing of the Spirit Otherwise God bee thanked there is greater obscurity at this day in matters lesse essentiall than the most weighty So that were it not for the meere sloath and profanenesse of men there neede bee no such conplaint of religious difficulty But the contempt of men to whom Christ is hidden 2 Cor. 4.3 might justly both deprive them of meanes and streighten the spirit in the meanes that so they might complaine for somewhat But to end one would thinke that these men should reason contrarily and say If I bee so seely and the Sacrament so darke what an honour and prayse were it for mee a simple man to have more skill and knowledge in it than others above my ranke Surely in other matters of hardnesse men dispute so onely in these they are content to let all goe beyond them yet God be thanked There want not even among the seeliest Christians many whom God hath made wiser in his matters than their ancients and betters in worldly wisedome 1 Cor. 1.12 Psal 119 99 100. that by these the cavills of the other might be confuted Objection 3 To conclude others alledge For ought they see they who have most knowledge of religion and can talke of it best are as bad in their lives as they who have none Therefore they thinke the matter rests in conscience not in knowledge Answere I answer It is true that they who know and obey not doe lay a great blocke in the way of the ignorant But let them speake Is it their ignorance that makes them better No surely Well then neyther is knowledge in the fault that the other are so bad No man shuns money because the
richest are so covetous nor fine cloathes because under them is hidden many a rotten body So neyther let men mislike knowledg for the sins of them that have it No it s their hypocrisy their profanenes which defiles their knowledge It is just with God to suffer ungodly men to defile each other and them that know to lay offences in the way of the ignorant 2 Tim. 3.13 that both the offending and offended might fall and perish because neyther love the truth True it is That knowledge is not sufficient a man with it may perish but to be sure he must perish without it So much for these cavills And also of the first branch The second followeth What knowledge there is requisite 2. Generall Question what knowledge I answer First the more knowledge a man brings if conscience be thereafter the better too exact knowledge cannot be had And heere I will crave leave of my Reader to digresse a step or two mourne to consider that which according to that little experience I have had in my Ministery of late yeares I cannot but say O that I were a lyer in this A digression and caveat to ungrounded Christians viz. That hundreds of poore people in our countrey there are of whom I am perswaded they are the Lords and shall be saved who yet by all the cost and meanes which the Lord hath for 20. or 30. yeares beene at with them never came to see such sweet light order and direction by the Catechisme that they can give an account of their faith and sound knowledge therein They rest in heere a snatch and there a catch at a good point in their good affections innocent lives and blamelesse carriages But as for discerning of things peisons doctrines that differ holding that which they have spent many a weary step to come by grounding themselves upon the word for their estate and actions and seeing how they have their warrants not from a Preacher whom they love and like but from the strength of truth which cannot lye growing up in knowledge that so their hearts might waxe better and themselves more setled in Christianity Oh these things are as the sound of many waters unto them farre above them Shall I prayse you in this I speake to you of my owne flocke No I prayse you not Especially where there is a manifest defect of that which might bee As for invincible weakenesse and want of reach I am so farre from dismaying such that I doubt not to say The Lord will cloath their uncomely parts with the more honour and supply some want of judgement with much integrity and uprightnesse of heart Alas poore soules 1 Cor. 12.23 if yee wanted this too what should become of yee And because I know not whether I shall ever speake to you any more let my words sinke into you Enjoy your portion in truth and singlenesse of heart as a jewell exceeding all the skill and cunning of hypocrites Vex not your selves too much for the want of that whereby God doth so humble you for who knowes what yee would proove if your knowledge did equall some other graces and affections in yee Exhortation to others But to others this I adde Seeke as much light to guide you in this deceitfull world as possibly yee can Let not all doctrines be alike with yee Prize all but above all those which teach yee your selves and Christ and the well ordering of your conversations Psal 50. ult be wise as Serpents as well as doves in innocency let not the cunning jugling of Sathan and diceplay of men Ephe. 4.14 Eph. 4 14. so gull yee as to picke out heere one truth there another while he hath left you barren so that all is one with you whether yee live under an idle empty fruitlesse ministery or a grounded and fruitfull And the like caution I might give yee in other respects But I forbeare onely let that hope and opinion which God and his people have conceived of you bee upheld in you with honour least the Lord doe crosse you both with a staggering life and a doubtfull death because of your dallyance And so I returne againe to the point and answer Answere that it is one thing to speake of that measure of light which would doe best another of that which is simply requisite Not exquisite but competent knowledg required When I teach that knowledge is necessary I speake not as if every one who fails short of exact and cleare and full knowledge were to bee rejected God forbid for the grounds may be soundly held by many who yet faile in these As for example if I should question with many a Christian in what nature Christ subsists or how a person and a nature differ or how Christs humanity is not a person but a nature perhaps I should gravell them whereas yet they beleeve firmely the Lord Iesus to be flesh and truely God and both made one Christ for the working out their salvation The like may bee sayd of other points which to the skilfull are taken for granted yet to them are not so cleare As how Christ should satisfie and yet not tast of hellish torments in what speciall office the act of satisfying standeth To what part of the Catechisme each article of truth as the Sacrament belongs So I am perswaded many a poore soule conceives not of each mystery in the Sacramentall union although he beleeve Christ to be there present in his word and Spirit to a faithfull soule Therefore of such knowledge this I say The more the better but many who want it may yet be good receivers I know I cast bread to dogges in thus saying but weake ones must not want their due let none abuse that to slightnesse and ease which onely aymes at releefe of the weake But the question is what knowledge is needefull What this competency is Answer 1 I answer the Sacrament being one linke of the whole cheine of godlinesse must necessarily presuppose a competent knowledge both of it selfe and also of those doctrines which it depends upon For example the Supper is one of the Sacraments of the Gospell Necessary therefore it is that a man at least know what the other â—â—crament of Baptisme is upon which it dependeth Answer 2 Secondly both the Sacraments are part of those divine meanes ordayned by God to build up the soule in the power and practise of grace Needefull therefore it is that a Communicant know what the new creature meanes what sanctification is what lets it hath from sinne Sathan and world what priviledges a beleever hath annexed by God to encourage him and what those meanes are which God hath afforded the soule to susteine it from decaying in the spirituall condition Answer 3 Thirdly the new creature and sanctification being impossible to be conceived of aright without the grace and gift of faith and the Spirit of the promise necessary it is for the soule to
Hast thou sought the name of God as cheefe to bee shrined and set up in the most inner man and secret of thy soule above all thine owne ends Hath the wisedome of his way of saving his elect entred into thy soule with admiration Hath it more affected thy poore humbled soule that God one day shall bee admired in thee and them that beleeve 2 Thess 1.1 because they obey'd the promise when they heard it than that thou thy selfe shalt bee admirable and glorious for so thou shalt bee in that glory of his Are all thy springs in him All thy thoughts on him thy delights love and affections in his most rich wise and glorious grace in Christ Is thy Spirit wholly drunke up in his wisedome 1 King 10 5. Rom. 9 1. as the Queene of Sheba's in Salomons Couldst thou chuze rather to bee cut off from God if possible which yet is not rather than to robbe him of his glory And is it thy cheefe crowne to know thy glory and thy life to be hid with him in Christ Col. 3 2.3 I confesse this is to flesh and carnall reason a riddle therefore it is the Lord who hath revealed it for a speciall good marke unto thee of sound faith By the properties of faith Lastly among many other Properties of faith in the Scriptures as that if is unfeigned saving c. These two are most usuall First It s called effectuall 1 Effectuall Secondly Pretious Try thy selfe then about these First by the efficacy of thy faith 1 Thess 1 3. Faith is called effectuall for this cause That it overcomes the world It beares downe before it those distempers which assaulted the soule under temptations and doubtings Not that the soule is quite free but as farre as it beleeves so farre it drownes her distempers as in a Sea of forgetfulnesse What distempers faith overcomes These are of many sorts Sometime the soule was held under slavish bondage against the freedome of mercy so that all promises seemed to be lost upon her Sometime shee was pufft up with vaine presumptuous hopes of a welfare without bottome Sometimes againe carnall sence prevailed bearing downe the promise with the unlikelihood and contrariety to appearance sometime quarrelling with her selfe about the election of God and casting the blame of unprofitablenesse and unbeleefe upon her not being chozen otherwise objecting her corruption and body of death and the members thereof unmortified often carried to rebellion and fretting against God feeling her selfe defeated of her hope Againe sometimes alleadging the greatnesse continuance of her sinnes her adding of spirituall sinnes against the Gospell to morrall against the law besides often oppressed with the sence of an hard heart not able to mourne or repent oftentimes concluding against her selfe because many beleeved long since she began to bee humbled or because not humbled sufficiently or fallen from some steppes of tendernesse and humblenesse formerly atteyned or because she began no sooner with a thousand of the like distempers some from melancholy others from ignorance or rashnesse Now then try thy selfe hath God wholesomely held thee under these buffetings to shew the endlessenesse and the restlesnesse of them to the end thou mightest by the power of the promise here loose one there another Hast thou beaten them downe as children with boughs beate downe waspes or hornets flying in their faces Hast thou found the promise to allay thy horrors 1 Iohn 4.18 and perfect love in God to banish these feares and enemies so that as those accusers of the woman Iohn 8. Iohn 8 9. one after another they vanish and yeeeld to the truth Dost thou feele thy Temptations to Atheisme to deny the Scriptures to destroy thy selfe to cast off hearing and use of meanes and to fall off as Peters Cheines when the Angell smote him on the side And dost thou with Hanna shake off sadnesse by the voyce of Eli the promise 1 Sam. 1.18 Dost thou grow wiser teachabler more hopefull than before It is a good signe For thus Abraham looked at the promise Num. 14.9 Iudg. 13 21. nor at Saras wombe nor the slaying of Isaac So Caleb so others Secondly is thy faith a precious faith 2 Petiousnesse in 4. 2 Pet. 1.2 Then it is more unto thee than all other thy graces as a Iewell is above any other wealth Faith having setled that upon thee which no other grace could dost thou keepe it as preciously as such a Iewel deserveth Dost thou accompt of other graces as they borrow light from this It is well But especially try it by this precious things will goe a great way How farre hath thy faith gone with thee hath it waited upon thee in thy course and shall it so doe till it leave thee at heaven gates Hast thou lived by it as upon thy stocke in blessings crosses duties liberties Pretious things will beare the triall as gold and the like Hast thou beene much busied in trying thy faith willing to heare the worst aswell as the best and to take nothing upon trust Precious things are of singular operation as the spirits of wine c. Hath faith brought such sweetnesse into thee as makes the sweete of lust bitter Hath it purged thy conscience from strong lusts hath it derived the power of Christ thy King into thee to sway thine heart canst thou say thou carriest Christ as coales in thy bosome By these effects and properties and such other examine the truth and stampe of thy faith and if they appeare in thee come to the next point of Sacramentall tryall with comfort Thus much for the first triall of faith in the first promise Second tryall of faith by reviving it I come to the second triall of reviving thy faith at the Sacrament Now this faith differs not from the former in substance but thus it is a turning from the generall promise to the particular promise of an ordinance as the Supper For the better direction of the reader I will lay downe this dutie by severall steps distinctly first propounding the ground then adding the triall Steppe 1 For the first of these I sayd before that each ordinance of God is a severall channell to convey the Lords goodnesse in Christ to the soule Although there be sundry ordinances and sundry manners of conveyance yet one hinders not another but each hath his speciall grace under the cheefe which is the Preaching of the word for the supply of severall wants in the soule The benefits of Christ are dispersed diversely in the ordinances but still Christ is one in all Tryall by it Try thy selfe then thus by the first rule Dost thou revive thy faith by turning the eye of thy minde carefully upon the ordinance of the Sacrament as the hand of God to settle the gift of Christ thy food and refreshing upon thee Dost thou behold this ordinance so oft as it is offered as a renued gift of God to thy soule
it Remember that faith doth set thee as those Lampes under the oyle dropping into thee from the promises of the Sacrament Branch 2 2. Againe try thy faith first in the maine promise If thou finde thou wantest it desist for a time Come not in thy base unbeleefe rather make use of what I have sayd about faith and blesse God that by such an occasion thou maist store thy selfe with it for heereafter and art now convinced of thy want Perhaps thou never hadst knowne it save by such an occasion therefore ply it hard while season lasteth But if thou have got it yet neglect not to consider Gods worke in thy conversion blesse him that thou canst proove by what meane thou camest by it what a promise is what the roote of faith is what the act effects of it are confessing it were hard for thee now to beginne or to bee without it Branch 3 3. Revive it also as oft as thou commest musing of these last trialls or some of them and linne not till thou finde them in thee more or lesse that so the Sacrament may light upon thee as dew upon dry ground and thou mayst count the approach of the Supper joyfull newes above the joy of a feast or banquet Vse 3 Lastly let it be consolation to all poore beleevers Consola The best will soonest complaine Oh! sayth one Heere bee so many Rules that I am confounded to thinke of my selfe or to try my faith by them But I answer Proove but a droppe or dramme of faith unfeigned precious and effectuall and the Lord and thou shall not differ about measure Bee sure thou have any and then know the Supper is an ordinance to make weake ones strong Objections remooved not onely nor cheefely to make strong ones stronger Touching the objections of the weake I have spoken in the Chapter of the tryall of our estate To adde a word more another objection is I cannot finde the promise so powerfull as to overpowre and perswade mee to beleeve with full streame of heart I answer Answ I grant that oft the phrases and similitudes of Scripture imply First by a Concession That faith is a sensible thing and a conviction of heart So it s called Ioh. 16.9 It s called the rayning downe of righteousnesse The receiving of Christ The buying of the pearle The running into the streame Esay 55.6 and the like as drawing neare to God Secondly Solution comming to God Howbeit wee must know the spirituall sense of these phrases imports not alway a reflexe sight and knowledge that we have it and much lesse ought wee to stumble at such phrases as imply the measure of faith as to be carryed with full sayle To rejoyce with joy unspeakeable c. Heb. 1â— 22 Onely let a poore soule beware of resting in any measure till hee have atteyned faith with power and feeling which is a stranger in these dayes But to hasten this I adde Many talke of the over-powring of the heart who know not what it meanes it is not the measure of full assurance but the true drawing of the soule from Idols to the beleeving God Therefore poore soule dismay not thy selfe perhaps thou seest not full light of beleeving nor the whole breadth and length of it as yet nor yet what the Lord meanes to settle upon thee Thou art as one that dreameth yet God was at worke to deliver Israel when they were as they that dreamed Psal 126.1 Exod. 6. â— Long anguish caused them to heare of a Saviour as one that was farre off yet hee was neare Give not the Lord over but even in thy darkest bondage cleave to the meanes seeke the Lord and leave the successe to him be not beaten off from hope by any feare within or without Reade Acts 12. Act. 12 7 8. Peter in his sleepe thought hee saw but a vision of deliuerance yet the Lord was at worke even then He came not at first clearely to consider the matter But what did he Surely he did as he was bidden even in his dreame he arose shooke off his cheynes Verse 8.9 put on cloake and sandales followed the Angell through yron doores and gates and at last when he was past danger the Angell departing hee understood all the businesse So perhaps the Lord will doe by thee When all Angells and proppes are gone and thou left to the bare promise stript of other helpes thou shalt bee as glad to cling to the Lord in it as ever thou were backward to it But in the meane time bee doing as thou art bidden and obey and thou shalt one day see light Receive the Sacrament with weake faith for so God bids thee and more shall be given thee And so I shut up this weighty tryall of Sacramentall faith CHAP. VI. Of the tryall of repentance at the Sacrament Entry upon repentance I Must in the entry upon this point advertise the Reader of some generalls which may make for the better Caveat 1. conceaving of the scope of the whole Chapter First let him remember that which was before sayd That in pressing the tryall of repentance I doe not meane that repentance concurrs to the act of receiving so properly as faith But in a second respect as affording a sweet witnesse to the truth of faith already shaped in the soule as also to honour the purenesse of the ordinance with sutable purenesse of conscience and course The second thing I would have noted is The second That although in this tryall of repentance it is to be supposed that each receiver of the seale must first bee in covenant that is have his heart renewed and in that respect that whole labour might be spared how the substance of repentance may be tryed yet considering that it is not alway with receivers as it ought to be but man still will come without it Therefore as I have done already in the point of faith to shew the true forme and being of it ere I came to handle the renewing of it at the Supper So heere I will doe for the grace of repentance The rather least any should alledge his ignorance what it is or wherein it standeth yet I will be short because I have elsewhere handled it largely viz. in the third part of my Catechisme in the two first Articles The third thing I note is The third That our speciall and mayne enquiry shall be in this tryall about daily exercise and renewed practise of repentance at the Sacrament and not onely as repentance is taken for some penitent affection occasioned but as it is taken for that walking with God which consists in the duties of mortifyed and quickned obedience to God and men and that eyther in an ordinary course of innocency or in the case of some speciall revolt Before I handle the tryall of eyther the substance or the practise hereof Grounds of the point first Scripture I will ground the necessity
of this tryall both in Scripture and reasons For the former whereof First the Analogy of the old Passeover will proove it wherein sundry charges were given which typifie repentance and that in each part of it As wee know the sorrow and yrking of heart and mourning bitterly for sinne committed was urged under the ceremony of sowre hearbes Exod. 12.8 not onely to shew what it cost the Lord Iesus ere he could satisfy But to shew what they are who come to this Sacrament even such as peirced him by their sinnes Zach. 12.10 and therefore ought to come in bitternesse to the signes of his body and blood and eate this sweete meate with sowre sawce So also the Lord required a separation from the filthinesse of the heathen when they came to eate the Pascall Lambe Ezra 6.21 Ezra 6.21 yea from all legall pollution Numb 9.6 Num. 9.6 which as it concerned the Iewes alway in any offering or worship so especially at the Passeover And the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.7 1 Cor. 5.7 urgeth one other solemne ceremony of casting out leaven He that kept in his house any leaven at that time more or lesse was to be cut off Now least wee should thinke this to have lost his force under the Gospel he saith Purge out therefore all sowre leaven meaning their Communion with that incestuous man which sowred their holy assemblyes that yee may be a cleane lumpe even as yee are unleavened And why For Christ is our Passeover sacrificed for us therefore let us eate him with sincerity and repentance And the weaning and abstinence of the poore Lambe from the damme foure dayes before Exod. 12. â— typified no lesse than separation of such as worship God thus from the love of their sweet lusts and liberties that they might bee free for the Lord And when the Apostle urges the Corinthians to examine themselves 1 Cor. 11.28 what entends hee save that having defiled themselves by their love feasts they would search and cast out that sinne ere they came to the Sacrament Secondly from Reasons Now for Reasons First every ordinance requires repentance least the ordinance be defiled 1 Tit. 1.15 To the pure all things not onely meates are pure But to the impure all things both blessings crosses and ordinances are defiled The sinne of man can put no defilement into the things themselves but it makes them so to the sinners that use them It is a rule concerning both Minister people Esay 52.11 Psal 26 6. Prov. 28 9. 1 Tim. 2 8. Be ye holy that beare the vessells of the Lord. And I will compasse the Altar with washen hands And the prayers of them that turne their eares from the Word are abominable S. Paul requires us to lift up pure hands 1 Pet. 2 1. without wrath and doubting And S. Peter bids them that would heare to grow thereby to clense all superfluities away Epist 1. Cap. 2.1.2 Reason 2 Secondly no man can comfort his owne heart that hee hath saving faith except he have repentance Act. 3.26 Act. 15.15 But true repentance argues faith because it onely purifies the heart True faith workes by love 1 Tim. 1 5. and the end of the commandement is love from whence from a pure heart and whence is that from faith unfaigned Levit. 10 3. See Gal. 5.6 Act 24.16 2 Cor. 5.17 Reason 3 Thirdly the Lord will be honoured in all that draw neare to him None can honour the Lord in their worship save the holy and repentant Those that presume otherwise the Lord will be honoured in their destruction Reason 4 Lastly holinesse affords sweete confidence to the soule that it shall be welcome to God None shall ever see his glory without it Heb. 12 14. 1 Pet. 1 16. therefore none should behold him in his beauty of holinesse or in his ordinances without it Bee yee holy because I am holy These few may serve Tryalls of repentance But I hasten to the triall of it And first very breefely of the substance of it wrought in the soule 1 By the substance Tit. 3.5 This may bee tryed by the roote of it No repentance can subsist without an inward principle That is the spirit of renovation wrought by the word and Baptisme putting into the soule a seede of God and the image of God as farre as in these suburbes of heaven I meane in the militant Church may be obteyned Now for the opening of this to the Reader let him in a few points conceave and try himselfe about it First in the mother and nurse of it In sundry particulers 1. The mother of it That is faith shedding the love of God Rom. 5.5 into the soule being of it selfe destitute of all such list ability life or savour The Lord in reconciliation by faith becomes our sanctification God having freed us from our old yoake will put upon us a new most willingly which eases our heavy hearts and pacifies the conscience sets the minde in frame and shewes us Christ in his true and lively colours not a Christ of loosenesse but as the truth is in Iesus Ephe. 3 18. 2 Cor. 5.9 That having the roote of his love set in our hearts we may conteine his sweetnesse and it may let us on worke yea constreine us to doe the like to him Oh! How should this try us What is our repentance Is it a cutting off some shreds of evill or a pang of goâ—d devotion now and then in tempest thunder and lightning in our passion of feare or when God pleases us Or is it an inward workeman at the roote of our hearts and doth it engraft and inoculate us into his stocke Pro. 6 27. Doth it as a corner stone hold in and encompasse us that wee can more forbid fire in our bosome to burne us than the love of God to compell us to love him and turne our heart to him It is a good signe Secondly try it in tne materiall of repentance 2. By the matter Act. 26.18 It s a conversion or turning home to God from our Idols a setting of our face backward from evill and our backes forward to goodnesse and that in a contrariety As if a foole going on pilgrimage to Rome and her Idols should there be smitten and turned home with Naaman to the true worship of the living God This tryall will search also for the repentance of most is no such turne Men have rectified thoughts sometime of a good course and their sinnes yrke them and tyre them and cause them to ease themseâ—ves by complaints and turne aside from them in their accusing moode But it is with them as it is with Sea-men who can hold their course as well when they coast about as when the winde is on their backes So doe these their lusts keepe still in their spirit though they keepe them out of sight as David did Absolon 2 Sam. 14.24 forbidding him his presence
the woefull course which hee hath runne Deut. 29.19 Rom 2 3 4. adding drunkennesse to thirst and heaping up wrath against the day of wrath that hee is as one who hath run out above his ability to pay and therefore his booke of accounts is yrkesome to cast over it is death to him to thinke of it Thus it was with Cain each hundred of yeeres that hee lived the debt of his murther was so encreased by other sinnes and the penalties thereof that at last it became inextricable But repentance in the true children of God causes the view of sinne and the chaine thereof to bee presented with some hope of forgivenesse because although perhaps the conscience is amazed yet it s not privie to that trechery which the wicked were carried by in sinning Psal 51 4. Mark 14 72. And therefore their sinne is sayd to bee ever before them they are sayd to come to themselves Peter is sayd to weigh his sinne ere hee went out which argues that the weight of it oppressed him not Thi reviving of the mind from the horrour and oppression of it is a great mercy in the midst of such misery Iona was infolded as in a labyrinth of Sea Ionah 2 6. Whale and conscience yet in this gulfe hee was not swallowed up but conceaved in his mind a possiblenesse for God to bring order out of his confuzion So that the first occasions of revolt the circumstances attending the degrees following and the danger incurred rather serve to magnifie mercy in keeping the soule from utter Apostacy from the living God than to beate off the soule from hope The 4. Branch The fourth and one of the many is the recovering of a sensible and broken heart after long hardnesse by the deceitfulnesse and sweete baites of sinne Heb. 3 12. A most sweete fruit of the spirit of election For it was not possible for the hard heart of Saul or Iudas to relent upon the checke of conscience there was no droppe of the seede of repentance in them It would seeme impossible that Peter and David after so long a lying in so hideous sinnes Mark 14 72. 1 Sam. 12 3 4. should at the first conviction of Nathan relent and breaking through all the barres of his sinne say I have sinned It was not in the words speaking 1 Sam. 15 24. Mat. 27 3 4 for Saul and Iudas spake the same but in the broken heart which uttered them But the cause was That grace and mercy which lay at the roote Oh! that they should after such mercy once felt and vowes so oft renued so basely handle the Lord and hazard as much as in them lay their title to heaven and sell their birthright And yet should the Lord renue a second charter or rather the first a second time Oh! it pierces them to the quicke This chases away the cloudes of dedolence and impenitency and cleeres the coast againe The fifth is The 5. Branch That yet they doe not so easily shake off their feares the Lord so orders it that either by his word or workes they feele his wrath for their revolt so seazing upon their conscience that it doth worke out and purge their corruption through mercy so that they vomit up their sweete morsells And as one under the Phisition his hand lying in an hot bath sweates out the venome of his disease so is it with a penitent soule Gpd mixes gall and wormewood for them to drinke Hee causes them to possesse the sinnes of their youth with sorrow though long since committed Lam. 3 19. Psal 6 5. hee payes them for old and new at once makes their bed a bath of teares till hee have caused all that sinne which they dranke in with such greedinesse to returne backe with as much loathsomnes Then being under this racke hee makes them feele in their owne spirits how their sinne lyes upon his shoulders and by their owne pinching hee makes them confesse Now I see what my pride ill company stollen liberties come to and must cost ere I be rid of them As I like such sawce so let me returne to the meate againe I thought I had but dallied I cast arrowes and darts into the flesh of the Lord Iesus in sport But now they gugg mee Now I see ihe Lord will not beare all I must beare somewhat and if I provoke him it must bee to the confusion of my face As I troubled and greeved the Spirit of God so the Lord troubles mine this day Iosh 7 25 The shame the ill report the sorrow and sting outward and inward which I sustaine sinne is no trifle The 6. Branch Sixtly the Lord now in season proceeds to offer himselfe in a promise to this revolting penitent And that in two kinds First That their revolt hath not extinguisht mercy Esay 57.17 18. Ier. 3 1 2. See Esay 57 17. I will heale their covetuousnesse Ier. 3 1 2. If a mans wife play the harlot wilt thou returne to her Wilt thou not write her a Bill of divorcement Yet returne to me and I will receive thee after all thy whoredomes And againe I will heale all their backeslidings c. So Ier. 3.12 Rev. 2 5. 3.19 Revelations chap. 3 verse 19. Bee zealous and amend Yea the spirit of grace in that fulnesse of Satisfaction by Christ doth fixe and settle such promises upon the soule so that it heares them not as the sound of many waters but dwells upon and digests them as concerning her So that they leave not a wanzing conceit as in presumptuous hypocrites who sinne that grace may abound But they so fasten upon the promise as a reall comfort to cure them of their falling sicknesse Rom 6 1. Secondly the Lord reveales the promise to them as the due order of their recovery For whereas the ungodly doe returne to their trade See Iona 3 21. â—1 upon the suppozall that their doggish vomit shall serve the turne Lo the Lord alway comes betweene the revolting and repenting of his owne with a savory application of the promise Teaching them that if there were no more but their mourning to make up their repentance Alas It would vanish and come to nought Therefore hee will have them lay hold upon the promise of free grace which may quiet and clense their conscience Psal 51.10.12 and restore them to that former influence which they had from grace And although their pipes are still set in the welhead yet because they are stopped the Lord by faith cleeres the passage of grace for them that they may partake that strength and encouragement from their head which may cause their repentance to bee sound and put new hope of holding out into them Lastly by this meanes They keepe themselves well while they are so The 7. branch and dare not by that experience they have gotten of smarty sinne adventure upon it any more They abhorre to tempt
their emptinesse bee filled Try then doth the want of a meeke humble patient soft heart pinch thee and give thee no rest If a man should have said to Rachel when shee so longed for children Be quiet Gen. 30.1 for thou hast a loving husband dearer to thee than tenne Sonnes would shee not have beene more fierce So when thy soule is pinched within thee for some odious lust which thy hard heart will not be ridde of and then the divill comes in with his contents and tells thee what gifts what opinion thou hast in the Church how God blesses thee with wealth c. How doth it affect thee Is it as a dagger to thy heart canst thou say Nay ridde me out of this my wofull chaine and I will be cheerefull but else the more I have the more is against mee that one so blessed by God should carrie an heart about him so hardned with pride and ease or the sensualitie of the flesh Nothing can still an hungry appetite but meate or a thirsty but drinke If then this pinching of thy soule bee wrought in thee which counts every bable drosse till thou get that which thou wantest it is well Triall 3 Thirdly hungring appetite after Christs nourishment will cause eager hearkning after foode Naomi going out of her dwelling for famine being in Moab yet could not be quiet with that diet Ruth 1.6 Pro. 18.2 but still listened till at the last she heard the Lord had visited his people with bread So is it here if thou be throughly pinched all thy whole thoughts inquiries will be after this bread of life Thou wilt be scarce an houre together in this pinching want but thy prayers will be earnest with God to satisfie thee with Christs fulnesse Thou wilt give him no rest nor thy eyeliddes any sleepe till the Lord have spoken peace to thee and rid thee out of thy thraldome Triall 4 Fourthly when thou hast it thou wilt feede savorily upon it as an hungry man kept long from his meate The Lord Iesus Sacramentall will relish with thee above all the world if once thou have got him Try then With what savor dost thou sit at Gods Table Is it to thee above the Courts of Princes Canst thou there lay hold upon the promise and feede savorily of that portion which the Lord deales out according to thy neede Dost thou say I see Lord the tables of great Epicures serve to stuffe the belly with meates and wines Ephes 5.18 But hee that would fill his spirit with thy favour and be satisfied with thine image and get Communion with thy Spirit Psal 23.6 let him come to thy house and feast Oh! I doe not grudge them their portion but in secret I blesse thee that mine owne is fallen into so good a ground Oh! let me live thus in thy Cellars and drinke of thy flagons Cant. 2.3.4.5 and I shall never envie them their corne and wine but enjoy mine owne portion with sweet savour and full contentment and spend all my life in thy Temple Psal 27.4 One thing I have desired of the Lord and will not cease that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all my dayes to behold his beauty Triall 5 Fifthly thou wilt beteame this thy portion to others without grudging as having felt what it is to bee starven and pincht with neede Hee that hath beene at deaths doore through hunger if hee ever become able hee will be very bountifull to hungry ones So will they who finde this fulnesse of Christ to satisfie them wish it afford and by all meanes openly or privily convey it to others Nay they will use meanes to bring them to feele this pinching want that so they may helpe thâ—m with that sweete satisfaction which themselves have gotten When those poore Lepers that brake into the campe of Aram 2 King 7.9 had beyond hope filled themselves they began to checke themselves that they had not done well in that they had so long concealed So doth every soule which hath met with the treasure of Christ in the Sacrament hee thinkes thus Lord this is a blessing not belonging to one or two but to the whole body of the Church Oh that I could tell how to impart that little which I have got to as many as neede it Especially to such as are neare mee husband wife children kindred and neare neighbours I can but wonder how a thing of such excellency as this is should so little moove mee to improove it Try then thy selfe by this Whether when God hath satisfied thee in his house thou hoardest all up to thy selfe never dreaming of anothers wants or whether with Sampson Iudg. 14.9 having found honey in the dead Lyon the Lord Iesus thou goest away feeding thy selfe and giving to father and mother yea and more than hee would telling them the true meaning of thy Riddle Triall 6 Sixtly if being richly bested thy supply causeth thee to covet more and more afterward If it be a nourishment and a fountaine of water flowing out of thy belly to eternall life not easily forgotten and layd aside Triall 7 Lastly if having absteyned more than ordinarily from this feast thou finde thy appetite to grow the more strong by the meanes than if thou receavedst often Strong stomacks are knowne by this that when their ordinary houre is past yet they wax more hungry Whereas the weake stomacke decayeth thereby We say many bad meales make the last a glutton If this be a true signe doubtlesse there bee many of us who might have a merveilous stomacke Try then is the Lord more fulsome or more sweet by absence Is the deferring of thy desire the very fainting of the soule Psal 84.3 4. doth thy intermission renew thy love thy longing thy joy thy fondnesse thy fainting of heart afâ—er the Sacrament It is well These few to an honest heart may helpe more forward Vse 6 The last use is comfort to all weake desirers who are ready to thrust themselves from the Supper for want of measure Comfort I have small joy to comfort eyther false desirers or revolters to their old carnall desires I send such to the use of admonition and upon search to cease venturing to profane the ordinance till their glut be vomited up But I know also many a poore soule whose desire is constant yet cannot be satisfied For say they it would have long agoe broken out into beleeving But I wanze still in a bare desire Is it even so doe yee account true desire so bate a thing No The Lord shall not breake thy bruised Reede nor quench thy smoaking flax till judgement doe breake out into victory Be it knowne desire is no bare thing but pretious and fruitfull and shall end in fulnesse Therefore bee not dismayed come to the Supper bee sure it is no surfet but a faint desire and the Master of the guests when he spies thee will picke out the best deinty of
Elements hee gathers that God the Father hath given the Lord Iesus to the Church and thereby comforts himselfe in the free gift of God Secondly The second when hee sees him to blesse and breake the Elements he remembers that himselfe peirced and brake his body and sides by his sinne and provoked the justice of the Father against him which causes him to eate this Lambe and to mixe sweete meate with the hearbes of mourning and contrition Thirdly The third when hee heares the Minister offer the Elements to himselfe in particular he heares in him the voyce of the Father exhorting him to apply the Lord Iesus to himselfe for his peculiar strengthening against Sathan the world and corruption Fourthly beholding himselfe to thrust forth his hand to take The fourth eate and drinke the Elements he rejoyceth to thinke that God hath united them to Christ inseparably that by the power of the ordinance the one might carry the other into the soule and the soule might fasten with faith and hunger upon both as the true Nourishment of grace peace joy unto eternall life so that no enemy shall be ever able to frustrate the fruit of this Sacrament The fifth Also when hee sees the Church partake with him in these mysteries hee perceives an inward tender love and communion quickned in his heart and drawing him to rejoyce in his owne welfare as a member in and under the welfare of the Church through which as the body each member receaves her owne speciall influence from the head Yea the Psalmes and Almes of the Congregation sung The sixth and given from a cheerefull and charitable heart both to God his poore brethren doth provoke him to doe likewise to sing with a grace in his heart to the Lord and to distribute with a loving spirit to the necessities of the Saints All which being pertinent relations to the Acts administred doe further and ripen the soule in the grace of the Sacrament so that it shall not neede to repent her of her labour but with the end of the Sacrament reape also the fruite and carry away the blessing and returning God the Glory And thus much of the behaviour of the communicant at the Sacrament Which if it were wel weighed what difference should we soone see a maine difference between the basenesse of man the Provision of God Conclusion Alas this would banish all earthly wearisome sensuall wandring carriage of communicants who either for lacke of sound knowlege or else want of savour of heart are faint to fiâ—l up the time of long Sacraments with most tedious thoughts and affections and so defile themselves in an yrkesome receiving of that whereto they made so solemne a preparation Whereas wee know that as it is a greater commendation to a subject to demeane himselfe duly in the presence of his sovereigne than onely to spend thoughts before hand how he may doe it so it is no small comfort to a poore soule that hath painefully prepared it selfe when also it can converse with God in the ordinance so as it may lay no offence in the Lords and her owne way from a plentifull dispensing of mercy upon her selfe while the season of dispensing lasteth And thus much for this chapter CHAP. X. Touching the due carriage of a receiver after the Sacrament ended The third and last generall carriage after TO conclude the whole treatise let mee also adde a word or two concerning this last but not least duty of a communicant after the Supper A peece of worke very little regarded by the most But let us know that as some part of the Sacrament was entred upon in preparation so some part of it is to be done after the publike action ended I confesse it is counted a ridiculous thing by the moste to be so precise as never to have done but to goe from Church to chamber and there finish the worke But to such as make conscience of other ordinances in private this will bee more welcome and no paines will bee thought too great for the attaining of so great commodity Breefely then the Supper being ended 1. In speciall duties a Christian receiver should in private set himselfe in the presence of God and performe these two duties The first of faith The other due survey of his receiving Touching the first 1. Faith A Christian must close up the whole action with the Amen and so be it of faith lotting upon the word of God that it shall be to him in the fruite of his travell Esay 53. end according to that which God hath caused him to looke for It comes in my mind what is recorded Acts 12. of the Church assembled together in Maries house They had beene earnest to God for Peter Act. 12.15 in their prayers It pleased God to heare them and breake chaines and prisons by them And to send Peter miraculously among them as they desired Now when the Damosell came in and told them it was Peter they told her she was mad It was an Angell Whence came this that they should so hardly beleeve that which they had so earnestly prayed for Surely because faith is such a stranger to our spirit even when it is at the best that it seemes to bee a grace above us Carnall reason feare and distrust are alway upon the latch ready to breake in when we have beene most spiritually occupied how much more then ordinarily and to buzze into our eares thus Thus now thou hast beene busied and as thou thinkest thou hast discerned that which few have done at the Sacrament But what if all this thy labour should bee lost What if God should doe neither good nor evill What if for all this thou shalt be no better than if absent Oh! Heere then let thy faith still be as attentive to guard thy soule as Satan is with his fiery darts to dismay thee be able to quench them by faith thinke it no strange thing that unbeleefe hath never done assaulting thee but ply thy selfe with this sheild and Armour till thou have frayed away Satan from thee and recovered thy former part in the promise Say thus Lord was thy word strong at my going to the Sacrament and is it weake at my returne Dost not thou alway speake the same thing Is there any shaddow of turning in thee Shall I in the generall say with Martha oh 11.22.39 I know thou canst doe all things but when it comes to the push then start backe and say Hee stinketh Farre bee it from mee Lord thus to bee at a sudden losse as if thy promise were no bottome sufficient to cleave to This is the first thing which the Lord lookes for that thy faith should be as reall as the promise and that thereby thy heart should bee fenced from the feares and distempers of carnall sence and distrust which else will breake in upon thy wanzing heart and weaken thy confidence Alas wee see nothing
that can finde them or admonish such as are decayed or scare such from the Sscrament as never had them But I hasten to that which more nearely concernes Sacramentall repentance which is the practise of repentance 2. By the practise of it In two thing 1. Ordinary course Concerning which I will devide my selfe into these two maine heads First The practise of it in an usuall course of Christianity Secondly in our revolts And my method shall bee this First to lay downe the will of God about them both and in what particulars they stand Secondly in the use of the doctrine to presse the tryall of them at the Sacrament with a revived affection For the former then the usuall practise of repentance may bee thus divided eyther to the first understanding part secondly the willing or affecting part thirdly the acting part in the life The Iudiciall part stands in the inquiry and search of those speciall errors abuses and corruptions of heart tongue or life which have passed us from Sacrament to Sacrament or before Eyther in the understanding Lam. 3.40 beginning as hee Genesis 44. Verse 12. at the eldest and ending at the yongest Both spirituall as hardnesse deadnesse and defilednesse of heart of the tongue rash idle uncharitable false vaine offensive or superfluous words morrall of the heart and life hollownesse earthlinesse unprofitablenesse selfe-love pride rancor and bitternesse of stomacke passions of rage As search base feares hopes joyes sorrowes unrighteous unmercifull censorious deedes and passages or the like These although like Saul and Gehazi's booty they lye hidden must be watched as they utter themselves and breake out notice being taken and a Register of them kept by us that they may ever be before us when wee come to the Lord. And if the conscience play booty in concealing or excusing them the soule must goe to the candle of the Lord which searches the bowels of man and begge light to discerne Prov. 20.27 and strength to convince it selfe of them and the curse due to them till the soule bee even caused to stoppe her owne mouth and give up her weapons of defence standing as mute and guilty before God of them Concerning which worke of search because I spake of it in generall in the first Chapter of this Treatise I remit the Reader to that place Heere onely this It were good for us to make use both of our best friends and worst enemies if we would know our selves and not wholly be our owne judges Helpes to search Our friends perhaps see us better than we our selves spy out our secret haunts loose liberties declining in our zeale and falling to our pleasures loving them and such base companions as become us not for our pleasures sake more than Gods secret company or his servants So also our enemies sometimes might tell us our secret corruptions As hee once who fought with his enemy searcht out that impostume which his friends could not Yea Gods crosses as great enemies as wee thinke them if wee would hearken to their voyce would tell our hearts presently what the sinne is which God aymes at perhaps unfruitfull deadnesse under blessed meanes of grace dallying with the ordinances neglect of our family earthlinesse and walking loosely with God And although wee should not neede to seeke out to spy thefaults of others for lacke of our owne yet it were a good way to search our owne in the glasse of the sinnes of these times the desperate formalnesse of men and abhorring of any more religion than will runne in the streame of our ease and wills Idolatry contempt of the best examples To end if some of us would but aske our consciences for what sinnes wee are faint on the sudden to forsake and turne backe upon the Sacrament for feare of shame when yet perhaps we came into Church with purpose to receive it were not amisse And so much for this judiciall part Our Soule part The next is the soule part or the affecting And heere in the first place is required a broken mourning heart for sinne being thus searched out 1. Brokennes and that with uprightnesse and tendernesse as Zachary describeth it Zach. 12 10.11 They shall see him whom they have peirced and mourne as one mourneth for his sonne and heire yea they shall be in bitternes note the phrase that is godly sorrow shall soke and sape them they shall be in the power of it so that it shall over-rule them they shall not easily shake it off yea it shall be exceeding sorrow as that of Hadrimmon for the sadde losse of Iosia and further it shall be fervent and sincere both signified by the secrecy of it husband apart wife apart and family apart as we say He mournes truly that mournes without witnesse Such a sorrow such teares hearty and unfaigned not in a mood comming from a full heart impotent and powring it selfe out before God plentifully because it hath greeved the Spirit of so good a God so patient and longsuffering I say such a one is the true badge of repentance which issues from faith Wherein eyther teares are abundant as at Bochim or Mizpeh when the people drew buckets before the Lord Iudge 2.4 or else in the want thereof the heart sheds teares of blood 1 Sam. 7 6. and the soule sighes under a burden which shee cannot well utter This sorrow usually beares the name of repentance as being a maine companion inseparable from it and that true eating of sowre hearbes required of him that ate the Passeover which hearbes grow no where save in the garden of grace Onely the love of that God whom the soule hath dishonored even in the middest of mercy and when she peirced the Lord of life then was that Lord willingly peirced to death by her that shee might live Act. 2.37 I say this love onely can melt a heart of stone and breake it in peeces so that it cannot but repent whereas before by the hardnesse of heart Rom. 2.4 despising the patience of God it could not repent True search of heart will worke true brokennesse and cause the belly to tremble Habac. 3.16 and rottennesse to enter into the bones that it may finde peace in the day of trouble Yea as the Lord turned the captivity of Iob Iob 42.10 when he prayed for his friends So in this through mourning of heart tne Lord turnes the captivity of the soule and converts it to himselfe No terrours of conscience can soften an hard heart but rather they will harden it and bind it up to greater hardnesse As we see an hammer may breake a bell to gobbets fit to be melted but the fire onely can melt them that so they may be moulded a new So the love of God can onely effect this mourning after God and broken heart a most welcome sacrifice to God till which the soule cannot beteame the Lord herselfe to be offered up unto him Rom.
12.2 Rom. 12 2. Secondly the heart thus broken breakes out into confession 2. Confession and as Hosea saith takes words unto herselfe to expresse her sorrow Hos 14.2 for confession is the true vent of godly sorrow This confession is an uttering and powring of the heart out to God when once sorrow hath filled it to the brimme and therefore in all those texts almost where we have examples of sorrow confession followes immediatly Confession without this open full and affected heart is as saplesse and barren a thing and as unsavory a formality as can bee Onely this broken heart will breake out into open and ingenuous confession which else keepes the impostume within her selfe and hides it Thus David sweetely Psal 32 Psal 32.5 6. saith While I hid my sinne and nourisht an hard heart my bones were consumed and the fire burnt within mee But when my heart thawed then I acknowledged my sinne that is powred out my soule in confession and thou forgavest me the iniquity of my sinne This confession is sampled by the matter which is searched out and according to the sorrow which the heart conceiveth and by both becomes a most humble plaine tender and hearty expressing of sinne to the Lord not onely in the substance but the circumstances of aggravation It s no mincer or lesner of it but to the uttermost enlarges it against her selfe according to eyther the greatnesse the extension and effects the hainousnesse of it by the person committing it the person against whom the heart wherewith the time when place where and all to make up an ingenuous confession against it selfe Oh! that one under such meanes of mercy even in coole blood with the heart of a Traytor should with so high an hand with such spirituall wickednesse offend the Lord say it be by uncleanenesse by living in a course of unprofitable hearing hypocrisy formality vaine glory pride earthlinesse especially unbeleefe or as the case requires yea that I should sinne against such mercies and longsuffering of God leading me to repentance and that to the horrible scandall of Religion and hardning of many in the like sinnes Oh woefull wretch how shall I looke thee in the face Thus confession turnes up the bottome of the heart with shame and detestation yea treading it selfe under Gods feete as unworthy to breathe in his ayre or looke up to heaven and makes it selfe vile and odious comparing it selfe in her filthinesse with the pure eyes of God See the confessions of the holy men in Scripture Dan 9.8 Ezra 10.1 Ezra 9.6 Psal 51.3 Iob 42.2 1 Tim. 1 10. Ezra David Iob Paul and others confounded in themselves for their sinnes Thirdly the soule having thus arraigned and indited her selfe before God doth receive sentence against her selfe pronouncing her selfe by her guilt Thirdly sentencing herselfe to lye justly under the vengeance of God for her sinne and doth justify God in all his sayings that hee may be righteous whatsoever become of her Yâ—a shee brings her selfe even to the suburbes of hell as she deserves Psal 51.4 2 Sam. 24.17 looking at Gods glory above her owne redresse This exceeds any repentance of an hypocrite whose terrors and confessions are but to vomit up the morsells which loade the heart for the present but after are welcome This I say is the third step So to condemne her selfe as to applaud and justifie Gods sentence If hee say shee is a Traytor shee grants it if hee say she is cut off and accursed shee confesseth it righteous in all the Lords accusings and judgings shee prevents him and judges her selfe saying True Lord thy judgments are just If thou should'st make all my dayes miserable it were but just if all at once wrath should seaze upon body name minde conscience goods wife and children all were just yea whatsoever is not hell is mercy hell it selfe being but just and under this confuzion and heape of guilt and wrath shee lies as one held downe with it as one that lies under the ruine of some peece of building fallen upon and oppressing of his body As wee see oddes betweene a face made white with colours and appalled with a disease betweene a vizard and a countenance consumed and worne with lying bedred which though no man speakes utters it owne weakenesse And this spirituall subjection of a penitent heart lying under her sinne and shame the holy Ghost much expresses true repentance by saying of Ephraim Ier. 31.18 I was as an heifer that knew no yoake but after I was corrected I turned yea I smote upon my thigh yea I was ashamed and confounded because I bare the reproach of my youth This holds the pearking proud heart of man under the hand of God wholesomly and sometimes the anguish and confusion of the soule workes upon the body so David and Iob tells us Psal 32.4 Iob 33.20.21 Psal 6.6.7 that the wrath of God turned his moysture into the drought of Summer That his flesh was as a bottle in the smoake that it was consumed loathed deynty meate and was brought to the grave By which we must not conceive pangs of despaire but the wounds of the conscience under the guilt of sinne as sinne and wrath as wrath so much the more bitter by how much more susteyned by God in the hope of pardon for all true Repentance yea each seede of it presupposes some seede of true faith in pardon The fourth and last in this kind is Indignation and holy revenge of a mans selfe as his owne greatest enemy for his sinne The fourth Indignation Which followes upon the other because the soule that loves God hates whatsoever resists his righteousnesse and as it doth hath sinne in others so especially in her selfe because it knowes it selfe best which zeale and anger against sinne doth not onely stand in a meare pang of passion and distaste but even in a revenge of it selfe upon both it selfe and sinne and all instruments thereof in token of utter detestation And why because it meanes no more to meddle with it for if it did it could not attaine to this degree First it conceaves a true enmity against the sin simply as sinne and opposite to the Image of God be it greater or smaller and the deeplyer as it dishonours God most deepely This is a worke of the Spirit putting a contrary Principle into a man to hate that which he loved and love that which he hated a thing which to flesh is impossible for no man ever hated his owne flesh As it was with David that nothing could cause him to hate Absolon neither the murther of Amnon nor deflouring of his Concubines nor treason against his owne person so it is with a naturall man nothing can set oddes betweene him and his lusts the amity with them is so rooted When therefore true enmity is set betweene sinne and the soule that it can say Lord I hate it yea as my rankest enemy it s a