thee in the Lord Yet because I am an humble Seruant to Christ both in my desires and affections aswell as I am the shaddow and Echo of my Author in this my translation Therefore I trust in the goodnesse of God and hope in the integritie of mine owne heart that I shall rather right thee then any way wrong him in presuming poorly to gleane after his rich haruest by aduenturing to propose and give thee a word or two of spirituall aduice and directions of mine owne vpon the receiuing of this blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper before I commend this Divine Pourtrait thereof to thee thee to it and you both vnto God When therefore thou resoluest Iam. 4.8 to draw neere vnto God that God may draw neer vnto thee by receiving and partaking of this his blessed Sacrament Thou must in the innocency of thy heart and the purity of thy soule 1 Pet. 5.6 first humble thy selfe vnder the mighty hand of God that hee may exalt thee Iam. 4.10 And cast thy selfe downe before him that hee may lift thee vp 1 Cor. 15.34 Thou must awake to live righteously and resolue to sinne no more but henceforth to become a new man and a new Christian Gal. 3.24 for they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof Thou must set thy affections on things which are above and not on things which are on the Earth Phil. 3.20 Anâ— thy conuersation must bee iâ— heaven from whence thoâ— must expect thy Sauiour eveâ— the Lord Iesus Christ Gal. 5.25 Foâ— if thou live in the spirit thoâ— must also walke in the spirit Psal 4.4 Thou must tremble but nâ—… sinne and thou must examinâ— thy selfe vpon thy bed Psal 68 1â— Foâ— God will try thee as siluer iâ— tryed Thou must not deceive thy selfe Galat. 6.7 for God wilâ— not bee mocked Thou musâ— not be hot in thy sinnes anâ— cold and frozen in thy devotion and piety towardâ— God neither must thou seeme now to bee that in thy humility and zeale which thou art not Because Hypocrisie towards God proves treacherie towards our owne soules But runne thou a Contrary Course with thy heart and soule at thy receiving of this great act of thy Saluation this blessed Sacrament for bee thou the death of thy sinnes and then God will assuredly be the life of thy Soule As for those who either vnworthily receiue or carelesly deferre or wilfully contemne the receiving of this blessed Sacrament they doe assuredly spin out the webbe of their owne damnation and so being dead in the Lethargie of their owne securitie and prophanesse they hood-wincked ride post to Hell Consider and remember with thy selfe Ioel. 1.15 That the day of the Lord is at hand 2 Pet. 3.10 And that death and destruction comes from the Lord as a Thiefe in the night That death the grimme Pursivant and Sergeant of the Lord dâ—th neither spare nor pardon any sexe or age but with his fatall Dart and Mace without respect or difference aresteth as well the King as the begger the Priest as the people and the young as the old Wee must not therefore put farre from vs the evill day Amos. 6.3,4,5 nor stretch our selues on our beds of Ivorie nor sing to the sound of the Violl wherby the Prophet meanes all excesse of riot and vnderstandeth all degree of obscene pleasures and beastly voluptuousnesse For if we love God we must honour him and if we will honour him wee must loue him Amos 6.3,4,5 And not wearie him with our sinnes nor presse him downe with their burthen as a Cart is with Sheafes Consider wee againe That as there is but one way forvs to come into the world so that there are a thousand waies to go out of it That we are subiect to as many diseases as sinnes yea and that diseases doe as frequently and as insensibly steale into our bodyes as sinnes doe into our soules That wee are never neerer death then when we think our selues farthest from it and that when we suppose our selues to be strongest in Nature wee commonly are then weakest in Grace As also that a theeuish Impostume a poore Apoplexie a Cut-throat Squinancy or a fierce and furious visitation of the Pestilence doth many times in a moment of time violently snatch vs away from the world and the world from vs yea and which is more to be admired though no lesse to bee pittied That some times in the very twinckling of an Eye we are choaked with a Fly a Kernell of an apple a crumm of bread or a small Fish bone Or else have our braynes dashd out with a fall either from a Horse or a staire O therfore how seriously ought we to ponder in our hearts and how maturely and religiously to consider in our soules how extreame dangerous it is for vs to procrastinate and deferre and consequently how infinitely necessary expedieÌ„t it is for vs frequently to receiue this blessed SacrameÌ„t of the Lords Supper Consider wee further Iam 4.14 That wee cannot tell what shall betyde vs to morrow for that our life is but a Vapour that appeareth for a smal time and then vanisheth away 1 Pet. 1.24 That all flesh is grasse and all the glory of man is as the flower of grasse and that the grasse withereth the flower thereof falleth away Heb. 13.14 That we haue no abiding Citie heere but must therefore seeke one to come which is aboue That as the tree falleth it lyes That there is no sorrowing for our sins in the grave and that after our death there is no place nor hope left vs for a second repentance Heb. 10 31 And that it is a feare full thing to fall into the hands of the living God Armed in this manner with a lively faith towards God and with periect love and Charity towards our neighbour and having freed and cleared those sinfull spots of our hearts and reformed and cleansed those foule affections and imperfections of our soules by our vnfeigned godly repentance and sorow And having now assumed and taken vp a firme resolution ever hereafter Eph. 5.10 to approve and doe that which is pleasing to the Lord And contracted a solemne Covenant betweene God and our souls Eph. 5.11 never any more to have any fellowship with the workes of darkenesse but reprove them and not henceforth to dare to looke back with affection on our forepast deerest and darling sinnes but with infinite hatred detestation of them Then I say let vs follow the aduice of the Apostle Heb. 4.16 Let vs goe vp boldly to the Throne of Grace that wee may receive mercy Let vs goe boldly to this table to this pretious banket of the Lords blessed Supper and eat that sacred bread of his body and drinke that heavenly wine of his blood in a strong Confidence and CoÌ„memoration That Christ dyed for vs on the Altar of
the Crosse and for the free reconciliation and full satisfaction and redemption of our sinnes And having thus filled our hearts with sacred Ioy and replenished our soules with spirituall and heavenly gladnesse by receining of this most blessed Sacrament we must then have an infinite watchfull eye over our hearts and place a most strong and religious guard over our soules that wee doe not hencefoorth once presume to hearken to sin or so much as give way or dare to consent to looke or listen after the treacherous lures and temptations of the world the flesh or the devill and so to fall backe into a spirituall relapse of sinne which is ten thousand times worse and infinitly more dangerous and pernitious then that of any Corporall disease whatsoever For it is a wofull yea a wretched misery which leaues vs no hope of better fortunes nor place for worse 2 Pet. 2.22 If with the Dogge wee returne to our owne vomit and with the Sow that wee againe wallow in the filthie mire of our former beastly sinnes and transgressions For then our end will bee farre worse then our beginning Hos 4.7 Then God will change our glory into shame And then wee shall make our selues guilty of the body and blood of Christ which without his all saving grace and mercy is the high way to endlesse perdition and the true way to eternall damnation No No farre be such vngodly and rebellious thoughts from our hearts and such vnspirituall treason against God from our soules And let vs who are the seed of Abraham by nature and the Sonnes of God by Grace Hos 10.12 still breake vp the fallow ground of our hearts with a holy repentance and sorrow for our sinnes and with a constant and inuiolable resolution never to sinne more and as therefore we have received Christ Jesus by faith Collos 2.6 So let vs walke in him Thes 1.11 and walke worthy of him who now calles vs to his Kingdome of glory and which is more who in a spirituall Contract Hos 2.19 hath vnited and maried vs to himselfe in righteousnesse In which regard and consideration because wee are so highly beloued of God and so infinitly honored with the name of Christians wherein wee ought more to insult and triumph then in all things else which are vnder Christ Let vs I say forsake the stincking garlicke and vnions of Egypt I meane our old beastly sinnes and transgressions and for ever hencefoorth smell to the sweet Roses and Lilies of Heaven the delectable love and promises of our Saviour Christ Iesus vnto vs which are so sweetly watred with his pretious blood and so odoriferously perfumed not with fragarant odors or costly spices of Arabia but with the rich myrrh of Gods sacred mercy and with the sweet and pretious frankincense of his divine fauour and loving countenande towards vs. Psal 134.2 Let vs I say lift vp our hands to his holy Sanctuary prayse the Lord Ier. 31.3 for that he loves vs with an everlasting love and that by the blessed death and passion of his Sonne Christ Psal 68.20 hee is become our God and the God that saveth vs The which If we religiously constantly performe Ier. 31.12 Then our soules shall bee as a watred Garden and wee shall know no more sorrow Then wee shall be as the Hos 14.6 Dew vnto Israel and God will make vs grow as Lilies will fasten our roots as the trees of Lebanon Then 2 Cor. 3.18 wee shall see God face to face in his Kingdome of glory and there both live and raigne with him eternally 1 Tim 4.8 And then hee will crowne vs with a Crowne of righteousnesse which hee hath reserued and layd vp for his elect Children and Seruants Of which blessed number I beseech thee O God who art our Creator and Reedeemer for thy promise sake for thy Sions sake and for thy Sonne Christ Iesus his sake to make vs Amen Thy Christian Friend IOHN REYNOLDS THE DIVINE POVRTRAIT OR A TRVE AND liuely Representation of the blessed Sacrament of the LORDS SVPPER With our due Preparation how to receiue it worthily Vpon these words of our Saviour This is my Bodie c. THe Sacrament of the * Eucharist Lords Supper because of its excellencie hath bin and is worthily tearmed a Mysterie for this Sacrament collecteth and gathereth together all that the new Testament hath of most admirable and most excellent and discovereth vnto vs the Treasures of Wisedome and Intelligence which are hidden in Iesus Christ And truely that which men and Angels themselues have most to admire in this new Testament are especially two things The one is the meanes whereby Saluation hath beene purchased and procured to poore sinners The other the meanes wherby this Saluation being first merited procured and given to them by Iesus Christ is afterwards applyed and administred to them In the first is seene the height and depth the length and bredth of Gods mercy in sending here below on Earth his onely Sonne in the forme of sinfull flesh and for exposing him to the shamefull death of the Crosse for sinfull Creatures and conioyntly therewith is likewise seene the infinit vertue of Christs blood to redeeme and expiate the sinnes of the world and to obtaine eternall life and glory for those who were dangerously ingulphed and almost lost in the death and misery thereof In the second is remarked and seene that by the means of faith repentance wretched sinners are so vnited to the Sonne of God as if they were composed of that body whereof hee is the head and they the members and by this Communion are made Partakers of all the graces and benefits which Iesus Christ hath deserued and purchased for them Now this blessed Sacrament of the Lords holy Supper which is as visible as his Sacred written Gospell and Divine Testament produceth and exposeth to vs thâ—se two efficable points and considerations One way the bread broken and wine filled out presenteth to our eyes the first To wit the body of Iesus Christ broken and his blood shed and spilt on the Crosse for the remission of mens sinnes And on the other part mans action in taking and eating this bread and drinking this wine denoteth and sheweth vs the interiour action of the soule who being hungry and thirsty hath iustly her recourse to this body and blood offered vp to God on the Crosse and there findes her peace and societie vniting her selfe by faith vnto Iesus Christ the Head spring and fountaine of righteousnesse and life Wherefore one way to contemplate the wonders of God towards vs and the other our duties towards him that hereby wee may partake worthily of this blessed Sacrament It is needlesse for vs to extend the eyes of our vnderstandings any farther then to this very same Sacrament which in it selfe will furnish vs with all things needfull and requisite for the pertinent disposition of
the blood of God according as the Apostle sayth in the Actes Actes 20.28 That God hath purchased the Church by his blood And behold my brethren to what a degree of glory of the Gospell caries you in the New Testament above his faithfull Seruants of the old wherefore here revoke to your mind and memory these passages of Pauls Epistle to the Galathians Gal. 4.4,5 God sent foorth his Sonne made of a Woman and made vnder the Law And writing to the Romanes againe likewise said Rom. 8.3 God sending his owne Sonne in the Similitude of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh And before were passe to the Meditation of the ensuing words I pray obserue heere againe with mee in these This is my Body the cleare refutation of all which Superstition and humane Inuentions propose of the intercession and meditation of Saints and of their suffering for the expiation of the â—emporall paine of our sinnes which pretended sufferings and satisfactions are partly the treasure whereof the Bishop of Rome drawes his Indulgences and Pardons which makes that the Saints are a peece and part of our Sacrifice But Iesus Christ hath designed it and the price of our deliverance in these words This is my Body for hee said not This is a part of my Body and part of the bodyes of Saints who shall suffer for you If our Aduersaries consider that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper presenteth and exposeth to our eyes our Price and Ransome as some of the Ancients for that cause and reason tearme the Sacrament our Price and if they likewise consider that this Sacrament proposeth not to vs the bodies of men but the body of Christ they shall find that there is no other price for our Ransome and Redemption but this body And although these people which say That this Sacrament of the Lords Supper is the Abridgement of the mysteries of the Gospell doe they accuse it of Imperfection not to have proposed or given it all our Price and Ransome And those who daily make and create the body of Christ and who pretend daily to offer him wherefore doe they not content themselues But heer let them vnderstand and hearken to the thundring words of the Apostle writing to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1.13 Is Christ divided hath Paul beene crucified for you I affirme that the Bread of this holy Supper sheweth vs also a Communion of the faithfull with Iesus Christ for as the same Apostle writes againe to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 10.17 Wee who are many are one Bread and one Body But it is a Communion with Iesus Christ To receive and not To give To receive I say of Iesus Christ the expiation and remission of our sinnes and not to give or conferre it to other mens merits A Communion to bee freed bought and vivified or quickned by him and not to free buy and vivifie with him The second Obiect of our Meditation is the Oblation of this body in these words Which is broken This is my Blood which is shed In the words This is my body you have seene Christ Iesus made capable to be this Sacrifice but in these latter words you see him actually to be a Sacrifice and here is given you to meditate and contemplate first the Immolation and then the Oblation of the Sacrifice The Sacrifice is a soveraigne honour given and yeelded to God which consists in an extreame vnmaking and dissolution of the Creature which dissolution and vnmaking is not nor cannot be extreame except by the destroying of the thing which is offered wherefore all things heretofore which were offered vp in Sacrifice to God were first to be destroyed For it is one thing to bee offered simply and another thing to be offered vp in Sacrifice As for example The Sacrificators the Levites and the first borne of Israel were offered vp to God But how not offered vp in Sacrifice because they still remained living All things then offered in Sacrifice ought firs to be destroyed if they were liquid or wet things without life they were to bee shed If solide things without life they were to be burnt Or if living things they were to bee killed and for witnesse and Testimony of a true death there must needs bee an effusion of the Beasts blood because blood being the seat of the Beasts life the separation of blood from the flesh shewed and figured the separation of life from the body and consequently an entire death And in the expiatory and propitiatory Sacrifices this was the more requisite and needfull for that these Sacrifices were satisfactions for typicall and carnall sinne But the absolute satisfaction and expiation for sinne must consist in the death and destruction of the thing offered because the Apostle peremptorily and truely tels vs Rom. 6.33 That the wages of Sinne is death from whence you first see wherefore it was that of necessity Christ must die For the wages of Sinne being death it must needs follow that he who placed himselfe an Vndertaker for Sinners must vndergoe the punishment ordained for Sinne Secondly from hence you likewise see wherefore it was that the blood of Christ was shed in his death and separated from his body to wit thereby to expresse and shew the truth of the death and expiation of Sinne as the Apostle to the Hebrewes proves by legall figures that Iesus Christ must die and shed his blood in Sacrifice because saith hee Heb. 9.22 That according to the Law all things are purged and purified by blood and without the effusion of blood there is no remission So Iesus Christ by shedding his blood hath accomplished the figures of the Law and given vs this Consolation that the Ransome and expiation of our sinnes is entire and perfect And hence as it were in passing you learne two things I. That it is impossible that there is any propitiatory Sacrifice without blood and consequently impossible that the Masse wherein there is neither death nor effusion of blood be a propitiatory Sacrifice for sinnes as our Aduersaries call it II In the Lords Supper It was needfull that the body and blood of Iesus Christ was represented to vs distinctly and severally for that there were two signes to wit The Bread broken and the Wine filld out which was the Reason why Iesus Christ did not only say This is my Body broken but also takes the Cup and said This is my blood which is shed Because without effusion of blood there could be no remission of sinne From whence it followes That the taking and cutting away of the Cup in the Lords Supper which shewes the blood of Christ to bee separated from his body takes away from the mysterie of that sacred Supper it 's plenitude power perfection depriving it of the signe of the Condition requisite for the expiation of sinnes to wit the effusion of blood But this is told you but cursorily and as it were in passing Now the
Heere heere O my God it is where my soule hungring and thirsting after thy favour finds wherewithall to freed refresh her selfe This body crucified is my true restoritie and this blood spilt and shed on the crosse is the liquor wherwith my soule fills her selfe with vnspeakeable joy And heere it is where thy goodnesse is so great so infinite to all mankind that thou invitest all those who are hungrie and thirsty Iesus Christ himselfe saying Happie are those who hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall bee satisfied O then let my soule which hungreth thirsteth after righteousnes to wit that righteousnesse wherewith thou absolvest and iustifiest Sinners obtaine the fulnesse and refreshing of eternall life and salvation Then depart and flie hence from mee all my doubts and diffidences I will confirme and seale it that God is true in beleeving in his Sonne For shal I offer him this iniury to doubt that he is good enough to pardon my sinnes and mercifull enough to haue compassion of my miseries If I behold or looke vp to his Iustice I am sure that is appeased and satisfied because Christ is hee who dyed for mee and I cannot doubt that this death shall bee obiected or approoved against me because Iesus Christ became pledge defender of all those who with repentant and contrite hearts had recourse to him To whō therefore shall I run or flie but to him and why shall I not repent me to haue offended thee in that thou art so gracious mercifull towards vs and that I see sinne is so execrable that onely thine owne Son must of necessitie die to expiate it And if my repentance bee defectiue and my faith infirme and weake I will represent and shew thee that which thou thy selfe hast sayd That thou wilt not breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax I will say as he did in the Gospell I beleeue therefore O Lord helpe my vnbeliefe It is not for my repentance and faith to giue but to receiue saluation the which is already purchased and deserved by thy Son Christ Iesus Wee refuse not a rich gift either from a poore person or a trembling hand therfore O Lord I reioyce and comfort my selfe in this that I am displeased with mine owne sins and transgressions and am truly sorrowfull and infinitly repentant that I can repent them no more O good God were I free exempt of sin I thē needed not this Sacramēt which thou givest mee for that it is a remedy against sin that thou dost continually invite vs to think and meditate with our selues how odious sin is and ought to bee to vs because of the filthie lusts and pernicious inclinations which reside dwel in our members for in heaven where we shall sinne no more this remedy is needlesse Be mercifull therefore vnto mee O God because of thy loving kindnes and according to the infinitnesse of thy compassion deface and doe away my transgressions for I know that my sinnes are ever before me O God create in mee a pure heart and reviue and renew in me thy holy spirit Cleanse wash me O Lord in the blood of thy blessed Sonne feed my soule which seekes her nourishment and life in him and if I am vnworthy of thy favours yet refuse not some crummes of mercy to him who humbly presents himselfe to thy Table Denie not O Lord the effect of thy mercy to him who laments and weepes vnder the heavy burthen of his owne sinnes and misery and who is religiously and constantly resolued for ever to celebrate thy infinite mercy and compassions A Prayer of Thanksgiuing after our receiving of the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper O Eternall God Illuminate more and more the eyes of my vnderstanding that I may conceive and comprehend what is the height depth length bredth of thy love towards vs in Iesus Christ what depth when thou hast drawen vs from the bottome of death by the death of thy Son what height when thou hast raysed and elevated vs for him and with him to Heaven what length but the lasting eternitie from age to age of all felicity which thou hast prepared for vs what bredth but as farre as the East is distant from the West so farre thou hast banished separated our sinnes from vs and that as many promises and blessings as thou hast pronounced vnto vs they are so many yea and Amens in Iesus Christ O God who causest mee to behold this thy so wonderfull a goodnes and who right now cōmest from shewing it to the eyes of my soule in the receiving of this blessed Sacrament Giue me grace O Lord to meditate and contemplate theron till I am ravished in a spirituall extasie yea vntill I am transformed into the Image of this thine owne love and that I become all love towards thee that I live no longer to my selfe but that thy Christ may live in mee through the love of thy divine goodnes beauty and that I may embrace and retaine no other desires but for thee and for the Kingdome of Heaven which thou hast transferd and given mee by thy blessed Son Christ Iesus O let me behold Sinne no more but with horror and detestation because it is contrary to thy essence and beeing as also to the worke of my redemption which thy blessed Sacrament hath now proffered and presented vnto mee I see O God that thy Son is dead for Sinne and therfore shall I live who am the vildest of all Sinners That thy Christ hath beene crucified to destroy Sin and therefore shall I give it strength and vigour to live and raigne in mee O then my mercifull God let mee no longer live to or for the things of this world but that I may crucifie my flesh with all the sinfull lusts thereof and that the holy Sacrament which I came now from receiving may bee the example and pourtrait of my duety and my continuall lesson tending and working to the true mortification of sinne in mee and that it may be brused and broken and left without strength or life as was the blessed body of my Saviour Iesus Christ who died on the Crosse for mee and that also conformably to his resurrection I may hencefoorth live a spirituall and heavenly life still seeking those things which are above and not those which are below on earth And indeed O Lord by this thy holy Sacrament I see that I am vnited incorporated to thy Son Christ and that I am thereby made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and beeing thus adioyned with him must I not also be conioyned with him in the same functions and affections Shall I dishonour the body of Iesus Christ by my sinnes and filthinesse and shall I take away his members to make them the members of the world or of Sathan O how carefull ought I to be of my actions and duety sith in this vnion I reape this consolation that the obedience of Christ is imputed to mee as if I my selfe had satisfied his iustice to wit That I am now made one and the selfe same body with Christ who hath fully payed and satisfied for mee How deare ought this Communion to bee vnto mee whereby my Soule enioyeth peace and assurance seeing the full remission of my sins and my absolute and free deliverance from Gods heauy curse and fierce wrath and indignation whereby I see that Iesus Christ esteemeth and chearisheth mee as his owne body aswell to preserue mee from all evils as to bestow on me all good things which are necessary for me according as the Apostle sayes on this same subiect That no man ever hated his owne flesh but doth nourish and cherish it as God doth his Church So then let Sathan practise all his power and exercise all his malice against mee I notwithstanding cannot but be more then a Conqueror over all things in this body of Iesus Christ and that if this his Communion oblige and tye mee to crosses and afflictions for here on earth I must thus beare the death and passion of our Lord Iesus yet it doth assure mee both of victory and triumph for the Spirit of God which conducts quickneth this mysticall body of Christ in vs is infinitly greater then that of the world the communion which I have with the Crosse of my Saviour is my direct true way to glory O my God who makest me to relish these delights of thy loue and who in this maner feedest replenishest my soule at thy holy table Giue me grace that hēceforth I may no more trust the delights and pleasures of sin Let my desires delights be to obey and do thy will and that all the whole course progress of my life may bee a sanctified preparation to this great wedding banket of the Lambe wherunto we are invited called wher thy holy sacred sight wil be vnto vs a fulnes of all ioy thy right hand an vnspeakable delight pleasure for evermore Let me then O Lord at this very instant clothe my selfe with the wedding garment of thy sanctification therewith to bee present at this Feast whereof this of the Sacrament wherunto thou hast now invited mee is an earnest pledge and that separating my selfe from the people of this world whose only portiō is in this present life I may say with the royal Prophet Dauid As for me O Lord I shall see thy face in righteousnes and I shall be filled with thy image and resemblance when I shall awake FINIS