A PLAIN and SHORT DISCOURSE Concerning the NATURE OF THE Lord's Supper AND THE END of Celebrating it To which is added A PARAPHRASE of all those Places in the New Testament wherein the Lord's Supper is mentioned By JOHN JEFFERY D. D. Arch-Deacon of Norwich LONDON Printed for W. Rogers at the Sun against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet 1699. A PLAIN and SHORT DISCOURSE Concerning the Nature of the Lord's Supper IT has with great wisdom been always judged fit That men should be admitted into the Fellowship of that Religion they profess by some solemn Rite of Initiation and that men should be frequently reminded how their Religion obliges them to live by repeated Ceremonies of Commemoration So it was in all the false Religions that were invented by men and so it has been in the true Religions that were established by God Thus men were admitted into the Fellowship of the Jewish Religion by Circumcision and were reminded of the Obligations of their Religion by the three yearly Festivals We Christians are admitted into the Fellowship of our Religion by Baptism and we are reminded of the Obligations of it by the Lord's Supper There is but one Baptism as there is but one Admission We are Baptized but once because we are admitted into the Number of the Disciples of Christ but once To pretend to receive those into the Church of God who are in it already is absurd and therefore we are but once Initiated But as 't is necessary that they who profess the true Religion should live according to it So because men are apt to forget and neglect their Religion therefore it is requisite they should be often put in mind of the Obligations they are under from their Religion and that they be often persuaded to live as they are obliged For this great and wise Purposé the Lord's Supper is appointed viz. For a Solemn Remembrance of the setting up the Religion by the Son of God our Saviour at his Death That by such a sensible Commemoration we may be prevailed with to live as Christians I shall First Manifest this to be the Design of our Blessed Lord in appointing his Supper And Secondly Draw some Instructions from thence concerning the Celebrating of the Lord's Supper First I shall manifest this to be the Design of our Blessed Saviour in appointing his Supper by it to remind his Disciples of the Obligations they are under from his Religion and to persuade them to live according to those Obligations The Design of our Saviour in this Institution will best be understood by the words he used when he first appointed it and the meaning of those words must be gathered from the use of them in the Holy Scripture And what I have to say to this purpose I shall comprehend in the following Particulars 1. The Jewish Religion when it was set up was called the Covenant and since with respect to the Christian Religion the First and Old Covenant The Christian Religion also is called the Covenant and by way of distinction from the Jewish Religion 't is called the Second and New Covenant That the Jewish Religion was called the Covenant see Exod. 24.8 and the word which we there translate Covenant is in the Translation of the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same which is the Title of the Two Volumes of the Scriptures the Jewish and Christian and when used in those Scriptures is translated by Covenant or Testament As the Jewish Religion considered absolutely in it self is called the Covenant Heb. 8.6.9 10. and Heb. 9.16 17. Heb. 8.7 v. 8. so compared unto the Christian Religion is called the First and Old Covenant or Testament and the Christian Religion is called the Second and New Covenant or Testament If the first Covenant had been faultless then should no place have been sought for the second For finding fault he saith Behold the days come saith the Lord when I will make a New Covenant c. and Jerem. 31.31 34. In that he saith a New Covenant he hath made the first old c. Thus as the Jewish Religion is called the First and Old Covenant or Testament so the Christian Religion is called the Second and New Covenant or Testament And this Title is given to the Books in which the Doctrine of the Christian Religion is contained The New Testament or Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to distinguish it from the Jewish Religion and the Books in which the Doctrine of that Religion is contained which is called the Old Testament or Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a Law Vid. Grot. ad Tit. N.T. and a Covenant and a Testament or Last Will. A Law has the nature of a Covenant and a Covenant has the Nature of a Law as Aristotle observes And so we sometimes speak calling the Jewish Religion the Old Law and the Christian Religion the New Law And as a Covenant lays upon men such an Obligation as a Law does so when the Covenant is between Superiors and Inferiors and especially when it is between God and men it comes nearer to the nature of a Law A last Will or Testament has also the nature of a Covenant and a Law for it obliges those who are concerned according to its Tenor and they who would receive any Benefit from such a Will or Testament must perform the Conditions required in it And as both these Religions were established by Blood and the Christian Religion was established by the Death of Christ so the New Covenant has the similitudes of a Will or Testament Heb. 9.16 For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator whose Will and Testament it is 2. The Jewish Religion or the Old and First Covenant or Testament was set up by Sacrifice and the Blood of the Sacrifice is called the Blood of the Covenant The Christian Religion or New and Second Covenant or Testament was also set up by Sacrifice i. e. the Death of Christ and his Blood is called the Blood of the Covenant and distinctly The Blood of the New Covenant or Testament The Jewish Religion the Old and First Covenant or Testament was set up by Sacrifice therefore God says concerning the Jews Psal 50.5 Gather my Saints together unto me those that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice And how that was done we may see Exod. 24.3 Moses the Mediator of that Covenant between God and the Jews came and told the People all the Words of the Lord and all the Judgments and all the People answered with one voice and said Exod. 24.7 All the words which the Lord hath said will we do The words of this Covenant Moses wrote in a Book and offered Sacrifice and took the Book of the Covenant and Read in the Audience of the People v. 6. and they said All that the Lord hath said will we do and be obedient And as Moses
Loaf tho made of many Grains of Wheat And this Communion of Fellowship we Christians have one with another in the Lord's Supper Where we all drink of the same Cup and eat of the same Bread 21. But 't is no more lawful to Joyn in the Religious Feasts of Christians and in the Idolatrous Feasts of Pagans than 't is to Worship the True God and False Gods The Wine drank in the Lord's Supper is the Cup of the Lord the Wine drank in the Idolatrous Feasts is the Cup of Devils or False Gods The Table at which we celebrate the Lord's Supper may be call'd the Lord's Table the Table at which they celebrate the Idol-Feasts may be call'd the Table of Devils But as we must not worship Devils and God so neither may we drink the Cup of the Lord and the Cup of Devils We may not be partakers of the Table of the Lord and the Table of Devils Therefore Christians must not Paganize must not be partakers in the Idolatrous Feasts of Pagans the Lord's Supper being the Christians Religious Feast and we must not Worship the True God and False Gods V. 1 Cor. 11.17 34. IN this Chapter the Apostle reproves the Corinthians for their Misrepresentation and Prophanation of the Lord's Supper which were introduced to the great Scandal and Danger of Christianity by the vicious Disorders they were guilty of at those Entertainments which were made before the Celebration of the Lord's Supper among them as the Paschal Entertainment was before the Celebration of it by Christ and his Apostles 17. AS to what I hear is done by you at the Celebration of the Lord's Supper saith St. Paul I cannot either Justify or Excuse it because by your disorderly Behaviour 〈◊〉 so Solemn an Occasion you are Guilty of intolerable Wickedness and Prophaneness and are not upon the whole the better for the Religious Duty but the worse for your gross Immoralities 18. I am informed and have too much Reason to believe the Information that in your Assemblies there are unfriendly and scandalous Animosities among You. The Judaizing Christians entertain those who are of their own Perswasion with an unchristian Partiality neglecting those who being Gentile Converts differ from them Acts 15. and Acts 18 1 11. and not only Violate Charity at their Feasts of Charity but also Indulge Themselves to an Excess which is Inexcusable at all Times and Intolerable at this 19. Diversity of Opinions in Matters of Religion there will be among the Professors of it But by their Good and Religious Behaviour on such Occasions those who are Truly Religious will be distinguished from Others 20. Those who are not Truly Religious will by their unchristian and vicious Behaviour expose Themselves and their Religion And when They in that Vicious Manner partake of the Lord's Supper they Provoke God's Wrath against them for Prophaning his Institution 21. At the previous Entertainment They allow in Themselves malicious Animosity and shameful Excess This is inexcusably Prophane and Irreligious 22. That eating and drinking which is for the Use and Necessity of Nature should be in your Private Houses and according to the Measures of Sobriety But not to have so much distinguishing Regard for the Lord's Supper as not to Abstain from gross Immoralities when you are about to Celebrate the Lord's Supper This is a very high Contempt of Religion and of the Son of God our Saviour 23. THAT which I have Taught you concerning the Celebration of the Lord's Supper I was Taught by Jesus Christ himself the Author of our Religion and of our Salvation And that is this The Lord Jesus Christ in the Eve of that Day on which he Dy'd Celebrated the Jewish Passover with his Disciples and closed that Solemnity eating Bread and drinking Wine with Thanksgiving unto God for the deliverance Commemorated thereby according to the custom and usage of the Jews Luke 22.15 18. 24. After this he took Bread again and holding it in his Hand he gave Thanks unto God in a form of words suitable to the Nature of this Institution and the Design of his Death at which the new State of Religion under the Messiah called the Kingdom of God and the New Testament or Covenant was set up By which the great Propitiation for Sin was made and the Salvation of Men was effected and having broken the Bread he gave it to his Disciples and said Take and eat this This Action is the Memorial of my Death which I Suffer for you and for mankind Do this therefore in Remembrance of Me. 25. Also after the Passover was ended he took a Cup of Wine and holding it in his Hand he gave Thanks again unto God in a form of words suitable to the Nature of the Institution and the Design of his Death And gave the Cup to his Disciples saying This Action is the Memorial of my Death at which the Blood of the New Testament or Covenant Ex. 24.8 is shed and the State of Religion under the Messiah is set up And the great Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World is made Drink this therefore in Remembrance of Me. 26. THUS says the Apostle as often as Christians eat this Bread and drink this Wine of the Lord's Supper in obedience to the command of our blessed Lord they do a solemn Action in Remembrance of him and his Death until he come again at the last Day Acts 1.11 27. Therefore whosoever shall perform this sacred Action and celebrate the Memorial of Christ and his Death so unworthily as not to distinguish it from the Paschal Supper or even from a sober Feast are liable to the Judgments of God as if in a Sort they were Guilty of the Death of his Son 28. Let every one then Approve himself to Go◠by a truly Religious performance of this solemn Duty 29. For he that performs it so unworthily as by his Immoralities of Malice and Intemperance at the very time to Prophane it will unavoidably bring the Judgments of God upon himself for so doing not distinguishing the Lord's Supper from all other eating and drinking by a religious and devout Celebration of it 30. And indeed 't is for the Prophanation of the Lord's Supper that some of You are Sick and others Dead The sickness and death among you are the Judgments of God upon you for this wickedness 31. But if ye would reform these Miscarriages God would withhold those Judgments 32. For God sends these Judgments upon you in order to your Amendment That you may not at last be eternally damned for your Impenitency 33 34. Wherefore Brethren my Exhortation to you is That at your Entertainments before the Lord's Supper ye receive one another with Charity and Christian Friendship And that every one be sure to eat and drink with exact Temperance And as for other Matters I will give you Advice when I see you FINIS BOOKS Printed for William Rogers at the Sun against St. Dunstan 's Church in Fleetstreet ARchbishop Tillotsons's Sermons of the Stedfastness in Religion of Family-Religion of Education of Children and the Advantage of an early Piety Twelves Price 1 s. 6 d. Persuasive to Frequent Communion in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper Octavo Price Stitched 3 d. Discourse against Transubstantiation Octavo Price 3 d. 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had sprinkled half of the Blood upon the Altar of God so he took the other half of the Blood and sprinkled it on the People and said these remarkable words v. 8. Behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words Thus God made the First and Old Covenant with the Jews by Sacrifice thus he set up the Jewish Religion The Christian Religion or the Second and New Covenant or Testament was also set up by the Sacrifice of the Death of Christ and for this reason his Blood is called the Blood of the New Testament Matth. 26.28 Exod. 24.8 Matth. 26.28 Mark 14.24 Luk. 22.20 1 Cor. 11.25 1 Pet. 1.2 or Covenant to distinguish it from the Blood of the Old and First Covenant or Testament So it is called after the example of Moses and with allusion to that Expression of his Behold the Blood of the Covenant The Night before our Saviour dy'd He spake of his Blood as the Blood of the New Testament And with small variation of words to the same sense He says the New Testament in my Blood With relation to this there is mention of Sanctification and sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ And of those who live contrary to the Religion of Christ 't is said Of how much sorer punishment Heb. 10.29 suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was Sanctified an unholy thing By the Blood of the Covenant we are consecrated and made holy unto God and if we Sin wilfully contrary to that consecration we act as those who account the Blood of that Covenant an unholy thing By this Blood of the Covenant we are obliged to be holy and by the Death of Christ whose Blood that is the Christian Religion was set up or the New Covenant established And the word sometimes signifies a Testament or Will Where a Testament is Heb. 9.16 17 18. there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator For a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all while the Testator liveth Whereupon neither the first Testament was dedicated without blood c. where the Apostle recounts the history of setting up the Jewish Religion by Sacrifice as it is Exod. 24. 3. The Jewish Religion or the First and Old Covenant or Testament was founded upon the Israelites deliverance out of Egypt as is manifest from the Preamble to the Decalogue which is the words of the Covenant And the Christian Religion or Second and New Covenant or Testament was founded in the Deliverance or Salvation of Mankind by Jesus Christ The Jewish Religion or the First and Old Covenant or Testament was founded upon the Israelites Temporal Deliverance out of Egypt and as Moses was the Deliverer of that People so he was the Mediator of that Covenant This therefore God made the Preamble to his Law of the Ten Commandments God spake all these words saying Exod. 20.1 2. I am the Lord thy God or Jehovah thy God Jehovah being the Name by which God had peculiarly made himself known to the Jews God spake unto Moses Exod. 6.2 3. Gen. 17.1 35.11 48.3 and said unto him I am the Lord I am Jehovah And I appeared unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the Name of God Almighty El-Shaddai I am the Almighty God I am El-Shaddai That was the Name whereby God made himself known unto ' Abraham Isaac and Jacob But by my Name Jehovah was I not known to them Jehovah was the Name God used at the Delivery of the Jews out of Egypt and is the Importance of that I AM That I AM. Thus therefore God prefaced the Decalogue I am the Lord or Jehovah thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Thou shalt have no other Gods before me c. Thus God mentions the Deliverance of that People out of Egypt as the Foundation of the Covenant he made with them They were the People whom he had redeemed from their Enemies and with them He made this Covenant The Ten Commandments are called the Words of the Covenant and therefore the Preface to the Ten Commandments is the Foundation of that Covenant Exod. 34.28 Deut. 9.9 11 15. Josh 4.7 Judg. 20.27 and 1 Sam. 4.3.1 Chron. 17.1 Jer. 3.16 and Heb. 9.4 Exod. 24.3 Deut. 5.1 c. 5. Exod. 19.5 c. Dr. Lightfoot V. 1. p. 711. Sect. 24. Exod. 19.9 16 19. He wrote upon the Tables the Words of the Covenant the Ten Commandments And for this Reason the Tables are called the Tables of the Covenant And these Tables were put in the Holy Chest or Ark which is also called the Ark of the Covenant Moses does indeed speak of more than the Ten Commandments even all the Words of the Lord and all the Judgments but the Decalogue was a principal part as we have seen And Moses puts all together and instances in the Decalogue Moses called all Israel and said unto them Hear O Israel the Statutes and Judgments which I speak in your ears this day that ye may learn them and keep and do them The Lord our God made a Covenant with us in Horeb i. e. at Mount Sinai which is the same Hill for one side of it was called Horeb and the other side was called Sinai The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers but with us even with us who are all of us here alive this day The Lord talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire I stood between the Lord and you at that time and was Mediator to shew you the word of the Lord for ye were afraid by reason of the fire and went not up into the Mount saying I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage Thou shalt have no other Gods c. The Sabbaths were a sign that the Jews did belong unto God Exod. 31.13 Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you And in the Fourth Commandment the reason of the Sabbath is given viz. their Deliverance out of Egypt Deut. 5.15 Remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence with a mighty hand and with a stretched-out arm therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath-day Thus the Jewish Religion was set up and the Old and First Covenant established among the Jews with a special reference to their Deliverance out of Egypt which was a Temporal Salvation The Christian Religion or the Second and New Covenant or Testament was established upon the Spiritual Deliverance or Salvation of Mankind
this Memorial when they resolve to live Wickedly and contrary to that Religion and so tread under foot the Son of God and count the Blood of the Covenant His Blood wherewith they were Sanctified an unholy thing They are guilty of the Body and Blood of our Lord and Eat and Drink Judgment to themselves not discerning the Lord's Body not distinguishing the Death of Christ in that Remembrance as they ought to do The Lord's Supper if it be celebrated aright is it self a Preparation to a Religious Life and a Refolution for a Religious Life is the summary Preparation for that Supper Nor can we with a sincere Joy and Thankfulness remember the setting up our Religion by the Death of Christ unless we love our Religion and resolve to live Religiously 3. The Life consequent to this Commemoration must be agreeable to that Religion the setting up of which we commemorate The Jews did not remember what God had done for them and what Religion he had set up among them meerly for the Remembrance sake but they remembred the setting up their Religion That they might be persuaded by such Remembrance to live according to their Religion They did therefore remember what God had done for them and what God would do for the Religious to this end that they might be persuaded to live according to his Religion set up among them And so we Christians Remember the setting up our Religion by the Death of Christ not meerly and ultimately for remembrance sake but that by such remembrance we might be persuaded to live Religiously And for this same end we remember what the Son of God has done for us and what he will do for the Religious that by such Remembrance we may be persuaded to live Religiously according to his Institution A Religious Life according to the Gospel of the Son of God is necessary to our Eternal Happiness und the Memorial of the Lord's Supper is in order to that Religious Life If after the Lord's Supper we do live Religiously through the influence of the Remembrance there Celebrated we then receive the Lord's Supper to good and great purpose but if we do not so live Religiously after it the Lord's Supper is in vain to us Let us not therefore if we be Wicked deceive our selves by a false and preposterous Notion of things There is not any Ritual Preparation for the Lord's Supper by the Devotions of a Week before that can qualify impenitent Sinners to receive they know not what Benefit thereby and they know not how The Lord's Supper is to a wise and serious Christian an Obligation to a Religious Life and that Religious Life must be according to the Gospel in which we see what that Religion was which Christ set up at his Death which we Remember in his Supper To Conclude When we are about to Celebrate the Lord's Supper which is called the Communion or Fellowship of his Body and Blood we must consider how St. Paul exhorts us to approve our selves to God when we Eat this Bread and Drink this Cup. For the Lord's Supper is not like our own Meals in which we Eat and Drink for natural Necessity or Pleasure but it is a Religious Performance in which we remember the Death of our Saviour and the Obligations to our Religion And as the Privilege of those is very great who by Repentance and Faith and Obedience are true Disciples of Christ and as they rightly Commemorate his Death in Wâ—ole Life the Life of Christ is manifest so their Condemnation is just who notwithstanding that the so often Remember the Death of Christ 〈◊〉 which and by which the Religion which they Profess was set up yet do not live as his Distiples bus as his Enemies They sin against the Death of Christ and unless they truly and effectually Repent and Amend his Blood will be upon them to their eternal Destruction Nor are they sure to escape the Judgments of God even in this World who so highly provoke him by their presumptuous Wickedness Consider therefore well with your selves what the Temper of your Hearts and the Course of your Lives are Whether you be such as God does Approve or such as God does Condemn Renew your Repentance exercise your Faith amend what is amiss in your Lives love God above all things and love your Neighbour as you love your selves Live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World and let the Remembrance of the Death of Christ prevail with you so to live Give also unfeigned Thanks and Praise unto God for sending his Son into the World to save Mankind from Sin and who to this end lived subject to the Afflictions of this mortal State and suffered the painful and cursed Death of the Cross for us when we had deserved the worst we could suffer by our Sins which Sins we are obliged by the Blood of our Saviour and by the hopes of Pardon to forsake And to the end that the Consideration of the Love of Christ in Living and Dying for us might never be forgotten but might eflectually prevail upon us to live as his Redeemed He has appointed this his Supper to be often Celebrated in Remembrance of him and his Death For this purpose when we are Assembled at the proper time and place let us call to mind what the Son of God has done and suffered for us and let us give Glory to God for this inestimable Mercy and let us Devote our selves Souls and Bodies unto Him which is our reasonable Service MOST great and glorious God the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ by whose name we are called We do not present our selves before thee with any confidence in our own righteousness but humbly confess our sins and implore the forgiveness of them We are wretched dust and ashes less than the least of all thy mercies and have deserved the severest of thy judgments But thou hast assured us by thy Son our Saviour that thou wilt pardon the sins of those who repent and live religiously and thou hast obliged us by this blessed hope so to do We depend upon thy promise in Christ and assure our selves of thy grace to enable and dispose us to live as he lived and we cannot but approve those sacred obligations which the death of thy Son has laid upon us Grant that the remembrance thereof which we celebrate in his Supper may for ever abide upon our Souls and constrain us to live unto him who died for us that we may at last live for ever with him and give glory unto thee who hast redeemed us by his blood Amen THE Bread which we break is the Memorial of the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ its being given for men as the Propitiation for Sin we take and eat this in Remembrance of Him The Wine which we drink is the Memorial of the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for men for the Remission of Sins we drink this in
Remembrance of Him As often as we eat this Bread and drink this Wine we do shew forth the Lord's Death by which we are obliged to Repent and live Religiously i. e. Soberly Righteously and Godly and by which the Religious are assured of the Pardon of their Sins and of Eternal Happiness Amen A PARAPHRASE upon all the Places of the New Testament in which the Lord's Supper is mentioned viz. Matth. 26.26 30. And Mark 14.22 26. And Luke 22.19 20. And 1 Cor. 10.15 16 17 21. And 1 Cor. 11.17 f. As for John 6. In that Discourse the Lord's Supper was not 〈…〉 was it till a considerable time after that Discoâ—… 〈◊〉 Institued At the time of that Discourse there was no such thing as the Lord's Supper to be spoken 〈◊〉 If the Agreeableness of the Phrases used in that discourse John 6. with the Phrases used in The Institution of the Lord's Supper prove that discourse John 6. to be a description of the Lord's Supper then may the like agreeableness of Phrases used Isa 25.6 and at the Institution of the Lord's Supper prove that of the Prophet to be a Prediction concerning the Lord's Supper But in truth there is no such agreeableness of the Phrases used John 6. and those used at the Institution of the Lord's Supper At the Institution of the Lord's Supper our Saviour said of the Bread This is my Body and John 6. our Saviour called his Body Bread as in the Lord's Supper he called Bread his Body John 6.5 14. Our Saviour fed the People with a miraculous multiplication of Loaves and v. 26. he complained that they followed him v. 22 25. not for Instruction but for the Loaves And as his custom was John 4.7 10 13 14 and v. 8 31 32 33 34. taking a Similitude from the occasion v. 27. calls his Doctrine Bread and exhorts them to mind that Doctrine His Hearers not regarding his manner of Speech gave a further occasion to him to enlarge upon it and to explain it When they spake of that Manna the Bread from Heaven which their Forefathers eat v. 31. Our Saviour therefore calls himself the Bread that came down from Heaven v. 32 33. and their Conference proceeds in that form of speech v. 34 35 41 42 47 52. though eating that Bread was nothing but believing that Doctrine v. 28 29 36 40. And because the People said v. 52. How can this man give us his flesh to eat he adds v. 53 58. under the same similitude the necessity of believing in him as their Saviour And because they objected that it was impossible to do what he said was necessary viz. using still the first similitude of eating his flesh he cells them v. 〈…〉 That they mistook him for he meant only 〈◊〉 spiritual sense viz. To receive him as the promiseâ— Messiah In Matth. 26. he calls Bread 〈◊〉 Body and John 6. he calls his Body Bread If the Bread is his Body because he called it so then with as good reason his Body was Bread because he called it Bread Is the Bread in the Lord's Supper Chrsst's Body And when we eat That Bread Do we eat his Body Then is Christ's Body Bread 〈◊〉 And 't was Bread which lived in Judea and taught out Religion and wrought Miracles 'T was Bread that Died and Rose again and Ascended into Heaven as it came down from thence Joh. 〈◊〉 31. But both are absurd Suppositions and both are only Forms of Speech In Joh. 6. there is not one Word concerning the Lord's Supper And the other Places of the New Testament are all in which the Lord's Supper is spoken of I. Matth. 26.26 30. V. 26. AS Christ was born in the Jewish Nation so he lived according to the Jewish Religion and with his Disciples who were also Jews kept their Passover The Institution whereof you may read Ex. 12. And it was at the time of the Passover that Christ dy'd As Christ and his Disciples were eating the Passover together Jesus took Bread according to their Custom He being the Chief of the Company and brake it in pieces and gave it to the Disciples using these words as he delivered it Take and Eat And to distinguish this Bread which he gave his Disciples at the Passover-Supper from that Morsel of Bread which was usually eaten by the 〈◊〉 at the Passover with a particular Thanksgiving Christ added This is my Body i. e. This Bread which I now give you is not any Part of the Passovers as the 〈◊〉 being Jews might be apt to imagineâ— says Christ This is an Appointment of my own v. 27. Also he took a Cup full of Wine aâ— it was Customary for the Jews to do at the Passover giving Thanks unto God at the drinking of it and Christ gave Thanks unto God and gave the Cup to his Disciples and bid them every one drink of it And v. 28. To distinguish this his Cup of Blessing from that which was used by the Jews at their Passover and which they also call'd the Cup of Blessing or Thanksgiving Christ added This is my Blood of the New Testament i. e. Whereas the Blood of that Sacrifice which was offered when the Old Testáment or Covenant i. e. the Jewish Religion was set up Ex. 24.8 was called by Moses the Blood of that Covenant or Testament Christ called his Blood the Blood of the New Testament or Covenant and this Blood was to be shed at his Death when the Christian Religion was to be set up And this Wine which was intended as a Memorial of his Death is called his Blood as the Sign bears the Name of the Thing signified Christ adds that this Blood of his was to be shed not for Jews only as the Blood of the Old Covenant or Testament was but for the Gentiles also for all Nations and therefore for many All Men under this Dispensation were to be received into the Number of the People of God being obliged to repentance and amendment of Life and upon those terms assured of Remission of Sins and eternal Happiness v. 30. And when they had sung an Hymn according to the Custom of the Passover they departed II. Mark 14. 〈◊〉 26. v. 22. AS Christ and his Disciples were eating the Passover v. 12 28. He took Bread and gave Thanks to God or Blessed him and brake the Bread and gave it to his Disciples â—…sing these Words at the giving of it this is my Body i. e. The Bread which I give you to eat is not any Part of the Passover but is an Appointment of mine v. 23. Christ also took a Cup of Wine and after he had given Thanks unto God he gave the Cup to his Disciples and they all drank of it 24. But when he delivered the Cup to them he told them what he meant by it saying unto them This is my Blood of the New Testament i. e. The Old Testament or Covenant was established or the Jewish Religion was set up by the Blood of the
Sacrifice Ex. 24. and the setting up that Religion was remembred by the Jews at the Passover But the New Covenant or Testament was established by the Blood of Christ and he calls the Wine in the Lord's Supper his Blood of the New Testament because the drinking that Wine was to be a Memorial of his Death at which the Christian Religion was set up or the New Testament or Covenant established And that Blood of the New Testament was shed for many for Gentiles as well as Jews 〈◊〉 i. e. For Men of all Nations who were admitted into that Covenant or who did profess that Religion 25. He added according to the manner of speaking which Christ frequently us'd taking a similitude from the occasion I will not celebrate this Feast any more while I live thus eating Bread and drinking Wine as we have done at the Passover and as I appoint you to do in the Lord's Supper But there is a better Joy in the other World than that of Feasts of which nevertheless festival Joys are a Figure and Resemblance and this Joy you shall Partake of with me in the Kingdom of Heaven So Rev. 19.9 the Happiness of Heaven is called the Supper of the Lamb And Luke 16.22 He that was admitted into the Happiness of Heaven is said to lye in Abraham's Bosom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Posture was at a Feast And Luke 14.15 One 〈◊〉 Blessed is he that shall eat Bread in the Kingdom of Heaven There are two Passages in St. Luke one concerning the Passover Luke 22.15 〈◊〉 The other concerning the Lord's Supper Luke 22.19 20. III. Luke 22.15 18. 15. CHRIST said unto his Disciples I have a great Desire to eat this Passover with you before I die 16. For I shall eat this Passover but this once more with you for ever But the Heavenly Joys which are signified by a Religious Feast you shall partake with me and in my Religion which will be set up at my Death The Passover shall cease and the Lord's Supper shall be in use v. 17. Then taking a Cup of Wine as the Custom was among the Jews at their Passover which Christ now kept with his Disciples and giving Thanks as their Custom also was He delivered it to the Company to drink 18. And added That this was the last Time He should keep the Passover with them that this was the last Cup of Blessing that they should drink together as the Passover And that after this there would be no other Religious Feast but the Lord's Supper In these Verses St. Luke reports what our Saviour did and said at the Passover Luke 22.19.20 Here he reports the Institution and Celebration of the Lord's Supper 19. Jesus after this took Bread and gave Thanks unto God and brake the Bread and gave it unto the Disciples and said unto them This is my Body This is neither the Body of the Passover nor any Part of it but this is a peculiar Appointment of my own and has Relation to those Sufferings which I am to Undergo for You when by my Death I shall make a Propitiation for Sin Obliging You to Repent and live Religiously and assuring those who do so Repent and so Live of the Pardon of their Sins and of 〈◊〉 Happiness according to the Tenor of the New Covenant or Testament i. e. According to that Religion which I shall set up at my Death Therefore you shall hereafter do this in remembrance of me 20. Also after the Passover Supper was ended Christ took a Cup of Wine and said This Cup is not the Cup of Blessing belonging to the Jewish Passover and so to the Old Testament or Covenant or Jewish Religion But it is the New Testament or Covenant or Christian Religion that this Cup belongs to And my Blood which is very suddenly to be shed at my Death which is nigh is the Blood of this Covenant or Testament By my Blood the New Testament or Covenant is Established and at my Death shall my Religion be set up And my Death is for You for your Advantage as the Propitiation of Sin and Confirmation of the New Covenant Thus St. Luke reports what Christ did and said at the Lord's Supper IV. 1 Cor. 10.15 16 17 21. IN this Chapter St. Paul dissuades from Paganizing The chief Particular in which some Christians did Paganize was in their eating Things offered unto Idols For whereas the Gentiles did make a Feast upon the Remains of their Sacrifices some Christians did joyn with them in those Feasts Ch. 8. throughout and those Feasts were Idolatrous This St. Paul dissuades them from in this Chapter by the Consideration of those Judgments which God was like to send upon Christians who were his People now for their Idolatry As He had sent Judgements upon the Jews of Old for their Idolatry and other Sins notwithstanding they were as much his Peculiar People then as Christians are now Verse 1 14. St. Paul further dissuades Christians from this by the Consideration of the Opposielon that there is between Christianity and Paganism as much as between the True God and False Gods And this He urges v. 15 f. where He also states the Case of Eating what was offered unto Idols 25 f. viz. That when they went to buy Meat in the Shambles they were not obliged to ask the Question whether that Flesh had been Sacrificed to Idols But only they were not to Joyn in Idol Feasts nor so to Use any Flesh that had been Sacrificed to Idols as to seem unto others to eat it as a Thing offered to Idols according to the Idolatry of the Pagans And Verses 15 16 17 21. The Apostle shows this Opposition by comparing the Lord's Supper and the Idol-Feasts supposing that every Religious Feast is a Communion or Fellowship with that God be it the True God or any False God to whom that Feast is dedicated and who is honoured by it Therefore V. 15. Says He I speak to those who are able to Judge of what I say And I leave it to you to Judge for your Selves 16. The Cup of Blessing or that Wine which we Christians drink with Thanksgiving to God in the Lord's Supper as it is a Memorial of his Death so it is a Communion of his Blood By it we have Communion with Christ considered as dying the Propitiation for Sin and the Confirmation of the New Covenant or Testament or of that Religion which was set up at his Death and according to which Religion we are bound to live The Bread also which we break and eat in the Lord's Supper being a Figure and Memorial of his Death when his Body was broken is a Communion of the Body of Christ or a Communion with Him considered as dying for Us. 17. And the same Lord's Supper is a Communion of Christians one with another as well as a Communion with Christ For we Christians being many Persons are One as belonging to Christ and so called his Body even as the Bread we eat is one
by Jesus Christ And the Son of God was the Saviour of Men and the Mediator of the New Covenant The Christian Religion was set up at and by his Death and he was the Author of that Religion He is the Mediator of the New Testament Heb. 9.15 that by means of Death for the Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the First Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal Inheritance Christ saves us from Sin Matt. 1.21 and this he does by his Death which is the great Propitiation and as such an Obligation to Repentance and an assurance of Pardon Luke 24.47 So Repentance and Remission of Sins are preached in his Name The Sacrifice of Propitation did of old imply a Profession of Repentance and an Assurance of Pardon And the Sacrifice of the Death of Christ does most indispensably bind us to repent and most strongly assure us of Forgiveness Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace And Matt. 26.28 My blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the Remission of Sins Thus was the Christian Religion set up or the New Covenant established by the Death of Christ our Saviour and is sounded in that Salvation which he wrought out for us 4. The Jewish Feasts were a Commemoration of the setting up the Jewish Religion or Old and First Covenant or Testament and the Lord's Supper is a Commemoration of the setting up the Christian Religion or the New and second Covenant or Testament The Jewish Feasts were a Commemoration of the setting up of the Jewish Religion and were designed to remind them of the Obligations of their Religion and to persuade them to live according to those Obligations Those Feasts were Three viz. That of the Passaver that of Pentecost and that of Tabernacles The Feast of the Passover was kept in Memory of the Ifraelites Deliverance out of Egypt Exod. 12. In which the Covenant God made with them or the Religion that God established among them was founded The Feast of Pentecost was kept in Memory of the Delivering of the Law at Mount Sinai Exod. 19. 1 11. where God made his Covenant with the Jews or set up the Jewish Religion The Feast of Tabernacles was kept in Memory of the Jews dwelling in Tents in the Wilderness Levit. 23.42 43. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days that your generations may know that I made the children of Isreal to dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt But there was more in this Feast than meerly this Remembrance of their Fathers dwelling in Tabernacles in the Wilderness for God had declared He would dwell among them and had ordered a Tabernacle to be Built for that purpose But when the Jews broke his Covenant by their Worshipping the Golden Calf God put a stop to the Building his Tabernacle till Moses had interceeded with God for their Pardon and having obtained it and a second Copy of the Law in Tables of Stone Moses came down from the Mount with the glad Tidings That God would dwell among them and that they should proceed in Building his Tabernacle So they pitched the Tent and went on with the work and kept that day viz. the Tenth day of the Seventh Month the First day of the Feast of Tabernacles as the day of Expiation and the rest of the Festival with exceeding Joy in remembrance that God would dwell among them Thus the Passover did commemorate their Deliverance out of Egypt D. L. V. 1. p. 477 and 964 c. Lev. 23.34 c. D. L. V. 1. p. 715. Sect. 30. Pentecost the Delivering of the Law Tabernacles the Dwelling of God among them And all together the setting up of the Jewish Religion and their Obligations to live according to that Religion The Lord's Supper is a like Commemoration of the setting up the Christian Religion the Second or New Covenant which was hy the Death of Christ Our Blessed Saviour appointed this Supper the Night before he Died and commanded his Disciples to celebrate it in Remembrance of him who was the Author of their Salvation and of their Religion He said This do in Remembrance of me Luke 22.19 1 Cor. 11.24 v. 25 26. And in another place This do in Remembrance of me Drink it in Remembrance of me And as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew forth the Lord's death till he come The Body of Christ was to suffer upon the Cross his Blood was to be poured out i. e. He was to Die This Death of Christ was the Expiation of Sins and at the Death of Christ the Christian Religion was set up By the Death of Christ the New Covenant was established So that as the Lord's Supper is a Commemoration of the Death of Christ and as that had reference to the New Covenant in his Blood or the Religion that he set up so the Lord's Supper is a Remembrance of the setting up the Christian Religion at and by the Death of Christ And as we are by Baptism initiated and admitted into the Fellowship of the Religion of Christ so by the Lord's Supper we are reminded of the setting up this Religion and of the Obligations this Religion lays upon us This is manifest from the words of our Blessed Saviour when he first Celebrated and Instituted his Supper This Religious Feast of Bread and Wine is a Remembrance of the setting up the Christian Religion by and at the Death of Christ And the Body of Christ was wounded the Blood of Christ was spilt at his Death His Blood was the Blood of the New Covenant or that by which the Christian Religion was established as the Blood of the Sacrifice was the Blood of the Old Covenant by which the Jewish Religion was set up The Bread in the Lord's Supper Body i. e. Death viz. of Christ. V. Rom. 7.4 and 1 Cor. 11.27 is the Sign or Remembrance of Christ's Body broken The Wine in the Lord's Supper is the Sign or Remembrance of Christ's Blood poured out i. e. They are together the Remembrance of his Death at and by which the New Covenant was established or the Christian Religion was set up And as the great Events and the Festival Solemnities of the Jews were Types of Christ so the Three Festivals did concentre in him The Jews Deliverance out of Egypt was a Type of our Salvation by Christ and as this Deliverance was commemorated by the Passover so Christ Died at that Feast And as the Delivering of the Law and seting up the Jewish Religion and establishing the Old Covenant was Typical of Christianity so at the Feast of Pentecost by which the Jews commemorated the establishment of that Covenant the Holy Ghost came upon the Apostles Acts 2. and by that the Christian Religion was compleated and confirmed And as the Feast
of Tabernacles was a Memorial of God's dwelling among the Religious Jews so if Christ was Born at that time God did dwell John 1.14 Is 7.14 or Tabernacle in our Flesh and Christ was Immanuel or God with us What these Three Festivals were unto the Jews viz. Memorials of God's setting up his True Religion among them with the Obligations and Advantages thereof The same the Lord's Supper is to us Christians viz. a Memorial of God's setting up his True Religion among us by the Death of his Son together with the Obligations and Advantages thereof Thus we see the true meaning of the Lord's Supper the Doctrine of which as contained in the Holy Scripture is briefly this 1. The Jewish Religion when it was set up was called the Covenant and since with respect to the Christian Religion the First and Old Covenant The Christian Religion is also called the Covenant and by way of distinction from the Jewish Religion the Second and New Covenant 2. The Jewish Religion or the Old and First Covenant or Testament was set up by Sacrifice and the Blood of the Sacrifice is called the Blood of the Covenant So also the Christian Religion or New and Second Covenant or Testament was set up by Sacrifice i. e. the Death of Christ and his Blood is called the Blood of the Covenant and distinctly The Blood of the New Covenant or Testament 3. The Jewish Religion or the First and Old Covenant or Testament was founded upon the Israelites Deliverance out of Egypt as is manifest from the Preamble to the Decalogue or Ten Commandments which is the words of the Covenant And the Christian Religion or Second and New Covenant or Testament is founded in the Deliverance and Salvation of Mankind by Jesus Christ 4. The Jewish Feasts were a Commemoration of the setting up the Jewish Religion or Old and First Covenant or Testament and the Lord's Supper is a Commemoration of the setting up the Christian Religion or the New and Second Covenant or Testament The Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ Gal. 3.24 The Jewish Religion was a preparative for the Christian and in these things there is a similitude between what was done at the setting up the Jewish Religion and for the Commemoration of it and what was done at the setting up of the Christian Religion and the provision for the Commemoration of it Also the Words and Phrases used concerning both the Religions are alike and we shall understand what is meant by those phrases which are used concerning the setting up of the Christian Religion at and by the Death of Christ if we consider what is meant by the like Phrases used concerning the seting up the Jewish Religion and the Commemoration thereof The Design of both Commemorations was to persuade those who profess the True Religion to live according to that Religion which they profess Thus have I manifested what the design of our Blessed Saviour was in appointing the Lord's Supper To remind his Disciples of the setting up his Religion on by his Death and to remind them of the Obligations they are under therefrom and the Advantages they are capable of thereby II. I shall make some Inferences from hence by way of Instruction concerning our Celebrating the Lord's Supper viz. Concerning the Preparation necessary thereunto 2. The Exercises of Devotion thereat And 3. The Life which must be consequent thereupon and which we are influenced unto thereby 1. We may from hence learn what Preparation is necessary to the Celebrating the Lord's Supper viz. Such a Resolution of living according to this Religion as will be effectual for if the Design of the Lord's Supper be a Remembring the setting up the Religion of Christ by his Death then we who solemuly remember this in obedience to his Command must do it with a Resolution to live according to this Religion the setting up of which we Remember When the Jews were to receive the Law at Mount Sinai where the Old and First Covenant or Testament was established where the Jewish Religion was set up Exod. 19.10 v. 14 c. the People were to Prepare themselves that day And Moses received a command to Sanctisy the People and he did it That Preparation was Ritual but the words in which their consent was required shew that the Preparation was Spiritual viz. Exod. 24.3 7. A Preparation to declare with truth that they would live according to the Religion God set up among them And as their Festival Memorials centred in this viz. A Remembrance of the Religion God had set up among them so the Spiritual Preparation for the Festival was their steady and effectual Resolutions to live according to that Religion the setting up of which they solemnly Remembred And so it is with us we are then prepared acceptably to Remember the setting up the Christian Religion by the Death of Christ when we are unchangeably and effectually resolved to live according to that Religion And as the Lord's Supper is that Memorial so our Preparation for the Lord's Supper is no other than a Preparation of Mind to live according to that Religion the setting up of which the Lord's Supper is a Memorial of The Jews did distinctly Remember their Deliverance out of Egypt and God's dwelling among them first in the Tabernacle and then in the Temple They did also remember the giving of the Law establishing the Covenant and setting up their Religion and all the Joy and Thankfulness for the Benefits of being God's People pointed to this Their living according to his Religion And so we Christians may well Remember the Salvation by Christ and the Inhabitation of God by the Holy Ghost and the setting up our Holy Religion But all our Joy and Thankfulness must centre in our living according to our Religion Nor can there be any other preparation for the Thanksgiving at the Lord's Supper for that Eucharistical Devotion but a full Preparation of Mind to live according to that Religion the setting up of which by the Son of God at his death we do commemorate 2. Our Devotions at the Lord's Supper must be of the same nature we must consider well what the Religion we Profess is Who the Author of it viz. The Son of God Incarnate And what the Establishment of it viz. The Death of him And as there are peculiar Considerations of every one of these so we must affect our Hearts with those Considerations that they may prevail with us then to resolve as the Jews did at the setting up their Religion All that the Lord hath said we will do and be obedient Thus to remember Christ at his death is considerable and they who do thus Celebrate the Lord's Supper are in no danger of eating and drinking unworthily But those who solemnly remember the Death of their Saviour and the setting up his Religion thereby without any true and lasting Intention to live as that Religion obliges them They who pretend to celebrate