THE HOLY Eucharist OR THE MYSTERY OF THE LORDS SUPPER Briefly Explained By THOMAS WATSON Minister of the Gospel The second Impression newly Enlarged Dedit nobis Christus carnem suam in cibum sanguinem in potum animam in pretium aquam lateris in lavacrum Bernard 1 Cor. 10. 21. Ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's-Table and the Table of Devils LONDON Printed by A. Maxwel for Thomas Parkhurst at the Golden Bible on London-Bridge next the Gate To the Honourable Vertuous and my ever Honoured Friend Mrs. DOROTHY WOLSTENHOLM Madam BEsides the Cognizance I have had of you when it was my happiness to live among some of your Noble Relations your friendly deportment and the favourable Aspect which you have been pleased to cast upon me hath very much rendred me your Debtor And I knew not what other way to express my self grateful than by presenting yoâ—… with some of that Treasure which through the help of the Spirit I have digged out of the Sacred Mines of Scripture The Tractate which I here dedicate to you is small but the Subject treated on is of eminent and singular worth Pearls may lie in a little room and a soveraign Electuary may be given upon a Knive's point The Supper of the Lord is a matter of weighty importance as having in it the very pith and quintessence of the Gospel Madam Admire distinguishing Grace which hath made you Noble not only in blood but in spiritual Endowments How deeply are you obliged to God who hath given you an insight into the Mystery of Life which will abide with you when the Flower of Beauty shall fade and the Feathers of Honour must lie in the dust Madam let Jesus Christ be ever in your thoughts you are never out of his Let that dear Saviour lie as a bundle of Myrrh between your Breasts delight much in the Galleries where the King of Glory is held Let those hours be counted golden when you are at Free grace's Table and Christ sups with you and you with him I have no more at present to add only desire your Candid Interpretation kind reception of these few impolished lines So entreating the Lord to enrich you with all spiritual and eternal Blessings I take leave and rest Madam Yours to serve you Thomas Watson TO THE Reader Christian Reader VVHEN I Contemplate the Holiness and Solemnity of the blessed Sacrament I cannot but have some awe upon my Spirit and think my self bound to hold this Mystery in the highest Veneration The Elements of Bread and Wine are in themselves common but under these Symbolical Representations lie hid Divine Excellencies Behold here the best of dainties God is in this Cheer Here is the Apple of the Tree of Life Here is The House of Wine where the Banner of Free grace is gloriously displayed In the Sacrament we see Christ broken before us and his broken body is the only comfort for a broken Heart While we sit at this Tabâ—â— Christ's precious Spikenard of merit and grace sends forth its smell The Sacrament is both an healing and a sealing Ordinance Here our Saviour leads his people up the Mount of Transfiguration gives them a Glimpse of Paradise How welcome should this Jubilee of the Soul be wherein Christ appears in the oriency of his beauty and draws the golden 〈◊〉 of his love to the center of a Believer's Heart Oh what Flames of Devotion should burn in our Breasts How agil and nimble should we be mounting up as on Wings of Cherubims when we are to meet the Prince of Glory who brings the Olive-branch of Peace in his mouth and whose kisses leave a print of Heaven upon the Soul The scope of this ensuing Discourse is to raise an high value and appretiation of the Sacrament to Excite Holy Ardours of Soul in such as intend to partake of it Think not That it is enough to be outwardly devout at Gods Table drawing near to him with the lip when the Heart is far from him What is this but with Ephraim to compass God with Lyes They who put off God with bare shews he will put them off with bare signs They who give God only the skin of Duty shall carry away only the shell of Comfort Spirituality is the life of Worship If we come to the Sacrament in due order* we shall see him whom our souls love The Lord will give us a fore-crop here and reserve the after-crop of Glory for the Kingdom of Heaven That this may be effected shall be the earnest prayer of him who is Yours in the Work of the Gospel Thomas Watson THE MYSTERY of the Lords Supper MATT. 26. 26 27 28. And as they were eating Jesus took bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to his Disciples and said Take eat this is my body And he took the Cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the Remission of sins IN these words we have the Institution of the Lords Supper The Greeks call the Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Mystery There is in it a Mystery of Wonder and a mystery of Mercy The celebration of the Lords Supper saith St. Chrysostom is the Commemoration of the greatest Blessing that ever the World enjoyed A Sacrament is a Visible Sermon And herein the Sacrament excels the Word Preached The Word is a Trumpet to proclaim Christ the Sacrament is a Glass to represent him Quest. But why was the Sacrament of the Lords Supper appointed is not the Word sufficient to bring us to Heaven Answ. The Word is for the Ingrafting The Sacrament for the Confirming of Faith The Word brings us to Christ The Sacrament builds us up in him The Word is the Font where we are baptized with the Holy Ghost The Sacrament is the Table where we are fed and cherished The Lord condescends to our wâ—…akness Were we made up all of Spirit there were no need of Bread and Wine but we are compounded creatures therefore God to help our Faith doth not only give us an audible Word but a visible Sign I may here allude to that of our Saviour Joh. 4. 48. Except ye see signs ye will not believe Christ sets his Body and Blood before us in the Elements here are Signs else we will not believe Things taken in by the Eye do more work upon us than things taken in by the Ear. A Solemn Spectacle of Mortality doth more affect us than an Oration So when we see Christ broken in the Bread and as it were Crucified before us this doth more affect our Hearts than the bare Preaching of the Cross. So I come to the Text As they were eating Jesus took bread c. Where I shall open these five particulars in reference to the Sacrament 1. The Author 2. The Time 3. The Manner 4. The
must be with heat and intenseness of soul. Jacob wrestled in prayer Gen. 32. 24 Cold Prayers like cold Suitors never speed Prayer must be with sighs and groans Rom. 8. 26. It must be in the Holy Ghost Judev. 20. He who will speak to God saith St. Ambrose must speak to him in his own language vvhich he understands that is in the language of his Spirit 13. And lastly we must come to the Lords Table with self denying heâ—…rts When we have prepared our selves in the best manner we can let us take heed of trusting to our preparations Luk. 17 15. When ye shall have done all these things which are commanded you say We are unprofitable servants Use duty but do not idolize it We ought to use duties to fit us for Christ but we must not make a Christ of our duties Duty is the golden path to walk in but not a silver Crutch to lean on Alas what are all our preparations God can spie an hole in our best garments Isa. 64. 6. All our Righteousnesses are as filthy rags When we have prepared our selves as hoping in God's mercy we must deny our selves as deserving his Justice If our holiest services be not sprinkled with Christ's blood they are no better than shining sins and like Uriah's letter they carry in them the matter of our death Use duty but trust to Christ and Free-grace for acceptance Be like Nâ—…s Dove she made use of her wings to fly but trusted to the Ark for safety We see how we are to be qualified in our addresses to the Lord's-Table Thus coming we shall meet with embraces of mercy We shall have not only a representation but a participation of Christ in the Sacrament we shall carry away not only panem but salutem We shall be filled with all the fulness of God 4. Hath Jesus Christ made this Gospel-banquet Is he both the Founder and the Feast Then let poor doubting Christians be encouraged to come to the Lord's-Table Satan would hinder from the Sacrament as Saul did the people from eating honey 1 Sam. 14. 26. But is there any soul that hath been humbled and bruised for sin whose heart secretly pants after Christ but yet stands trembling and dares not approach to these holy Mysteries let me encourage that soul to come Mark 10. 49. Arise he calleth thee Object 1. But I am sinful and unvvorthy and what should I meddle with such holy things Answ. Who did Christ die for but such 1 Tim. 1. 15. He came into the world to save sinners He took our sins upon him as vvell as our nature Isa. 53. 4. He bare our griefs In the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our sicknesses See thy sins saith Luther upon Christ and then they are no more thine but his Our sins should humble us but they must not discourage us from Christ the more diseased we are the rather vve should step into this Pool of Siloam Who doth Christ invite to the Supper but the poor halt maimed Luk. 14. 21. That is such as see themselves unvvorthy and flie to Christ for Sanctuary The Priest was to take a bunch of Hyssop and dip it in blood and sprinkle it upon the Leper Lev. 14. 7. Thou who hast the leprosie of sin upon thee yet if as a Leper thou dost loath thy self Christ's precious blood shall be sprinkled upon thee Object 2. But I have sinned presumptuously against mercy I have contracted guilt after I have been at the Lord's Table and sure Christ's Blood is not for me Resp. It is indeed grievous to abuse mercy It vvas the aggravation of Solomon's sin his heart was turned from the Lord which had appeared unto him twice 1 Kings 11. 9. Presumptuous sins open the mouth of Conscience to accuse and shut the mouth of God's Spirit which should speak Peace yet cast not avvay your Anchor look up to the blood of Christ it can forgive sins against mercy Did not Noah sin against mercy vvho though he had been so miraculously preserved in the Flood yet soon after he came out of the Ark he was drunk Did not David sin against mercy when after God had made him King he stained his soul with lust and his robe with blood Yet both these sins were washed away in that Fountain which is set open for Judah to wash in Zach. 12. 1. Did not the Disciples deal unkindly with Christ in the time of his suffering Peter denied him and all the rest fled from his colours Mat. 26 56. Then all the Disciples forsook him and fled Yet Christ did not take advantage of their weakness nor did he cast them off but sends the joyful news of his Resurrection to them Mat. 27. 7 And of his Ascension John 20. 17 Go to my Brethren and say unto them I ascend to my Father and your Father And lest Peter should think he was none of the number that should be interested in Christ's love therefore Christ dispatcheth away a special Message to Peter to comfort him Mar. 16. 7. Go tell the Disciples and Peter that he goes before you intoGalilee there shall you see him So that where our hearts are sincere and our turnings aside are rather from a defect in our power than our will the Lord Jesus will not take advantage of every failing but will drop his blood upon us which hath a voice in it which speaks better things than the blood of Abel Object 3. But I find such a faintness and feebleness in my soul that I dare not go to the Lords Table Resp. Thou hast the more need to go Drink of this Wine for thy often infirmities 1 Tim. 5. 23 Were it not strange for a man to argue thus My body is weak and declining therefore I will not go to the Physitian he should the rather go Our weakness should send us to Christ his blood is mortal to sin and vital to grace Thou sayest thou hast defects in thy soul if thou hadst none there would be no need of a Mediator nor would Christ have any work to do Oh therefore turn thy disputing into believing be encouraged to come to this Blessed Supper Thou shalt find Christ giving forth his sweet influenences and thy grace shall flourish as an herb Object 4. But I have often come to this Ordinance and find no fruit I am not filled with comfort Answ. God may meet thee in an Ordinance when thou dost not discern it Christ was with Mary yet she did not know it was Christ. Thou thinkest Christ hath not met thee at his Table because he doth not give thee comfort 1. Though he doth not fill thee with comfort he may fill thee with strength We think we have no answer from God in a duty unless he fill us with joy yes God may manifest his presence as well by giving strength as comfort If we have power from Heaven to foyl our corruptions and to walk more closely and evenly with God
Blood shed for them Rom. 11 7 The Election hath obtained it Christ passed by others and dyed intentionally for them Impenitent Sinners have no Benefit by Christ's Death unless a short Reprieve Christ is given to the wicked in wrath He is a Rock of Offence 1 Pet. 2 8. Christs Blood is like Chymical Drops of Oyl which recover some Patients but kill other Judas sucked Death from the Tree of Life God can turn Stones into Bread and a Sinner can turn Bread into Stones The Bread of Life into the Sâ—…ne of Stumbling 5. The fifth thing observable in the Text is the benefit of this Supper in these Words For the remission of sins This is a mercy of the first Magnitude the Summum genus the crowning blessing Psalm 103. 3 4. Who forgiveth thy iniquities who crowneth thee with loving-kindness Whosoever hath this Charter granted is enrolled in the book of Life Psal. 32. 1. Blâ—…ssed is he whose transgression is forgiven Under this Word remission of sin by a Synecdoche are comprehended all Heavenly Benedictions Justification Adoption Glory in respect of which benefits we may with Chrysostom call the Lords Supper The Feast of the Cross. This Doctrine of the Sacrament confutes the opinion of Transubstantiation When Christ saith This is my body The Papists affirm that the Bread after the Consecration is turned into the Substance of Christ's Body We hold that Christ's Body is in the Sacrament spiritually but the Papists say that it is there carnally which opinion is both Absurd and Impious 1. Absurd For it is contrary 1. To Scripture The Scripture asserts that Christs Body is locally and numerically in Heaven Act. 3. 21. Whom the Heavens must receive until the times of Restitution of all things If Christ's Body be circumscribed in Heaven then it cannot be materially in the Eucharist 2. It is contrary to reason How is it imaginable that a thing should be changed into another Species yet continue the same That the Bread in the Sacrament should be transmuted and turned into Flesh yet remain Bread still When Moses Rod was turned into a Serpent it could not be at the same time both a Rod and a Serpent That the Bread in the Saâ—…rament should be changed into the body of Christ and yet remain Bread is a perfect contradiction If the Papists say The Bread is vanished This is fitter to be put into their Legend than our Creed for the colour form and rellish of the Bread still remains 2. This Opinion of Transubstantiation is impious as appears in two things 1. It is a Profaning Christ's body for if the Bread in the Sacrament be the real body of Christ then it may be eaten not only by the wicked but by Reptils and Vermin which were to disparage and cast contempt upon Christ and his Ordinance 2. It runs men inevitably upon sin for through this mistake that the bread is Christs very body there follows the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Divine Worship given to the bread which is Idolatry as also the offering up of the bread or Host in the Mass which is a blasphemy against Christs Priestly Office as if his Sacrifice on the Cross were imperfect Therefore I conclude with Peter Martyr That this Doctrine of Transubstantiation is to be abhorred and exploded being minted only in mens phancies but not sprung up in the field of the Holy Scriptures 2. This Doctrine of the Sacrament confutes such as look upon the Lords Supper only as an empty Figure or shadow resembling Christ's Death but having no intrinsick efficacy in it Surely this glorious Ordinance is more than an Effigies or representative of Christ Why is the Lords Supper called The Communion of the body of Christ but because in the right celebration of it we have sweet communion with Christ In this Gospel-Ordinance Christ doth not only shew forth his Beauty but send forth his Vertue The Sacrament is not only a Picture drawn but a Breast drawn it gives us a Tast of Christ as well as a Sight Such as make the Sacrament only a representative of Christ do shoot short of the Mystery and come short of the Comfort Use. 2. It informs us of several things 1. It shews us the necessity of coming to the Lords Supper Hath Jesus Christ been at all this cost to make a Feast then sure there must be Guests It is not left to our choice whether we will come or no but it is a Duty purely indispensable 1 Cor. 11. 28. Let him eat of that Bread Which Words are not only permissive but authorative As if a King should say Let it be Enacted The Neglect of the Sacrament runs men into a Gospel-Premunire It was infinite goodness in Christ to broach that blessed Vessel of his body and let his sacred Blood stream out and for us wilfully to omit such an Ordinance wherein the Trophie of mercy is so richly displayed and our salvation so nearly concerned well may Christ take this as an undervaluing of him and interpret it no better than a bidding him keep his feast to himself He that observed not the Passeover that soul was to be cut off Numb 9. 13. How angry was Christ with those that stayed away from the Supper They thought to put it off with a Complement but Christ knew how to construe their excuse for a refusal Luk. 14. 24. None of those men which were bidden shall taste of my Supper The Rejecting Gospel-mercy is a sin of so deep a die that God can do no less than punish it for a Contempt Some need a Flaming Sword to keep them off from the Lord's Table and others need Christ's Whip of small Cords to drive them to it Perhaps Some will say They are above the Sacrament It were strange to hear a man say he were above his Food The Apostles were not above this Ordinance and doth any one presume to be a Peg higher than the Apostles Let all Enthusiasts consult that Scripture 〈◊〉 Cor. 11. 26. As often as ye eat this bread and drink this Cup. ye shew the Lords death till he come The Lords Death is to be remembred Sacramentally til he come to Judgment 2. See the Misery of Unbelievers though the Lord hath appointed this glorious Ordinance of his Body and Blood they reap no benefit by it They come indeed to the Sacrament either to keep up their Credit or to stop the Mouth of Conscience but they get nothing for their Souls They come empty of Grace and go away empty of Comfort Isa. 29. 8. It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his soul is empty So wicked men fancy they eat of this spritual Banquet but they are in a golden Dream Alas They discern not the Lords body The Manna lay round about Israels Camp and they knew it not Exod. 16. 15. They wist not what it was
this is an answer from God Zach. 10. 12. I will strengthen them in the Lord. If Christian thou hast not God's arm to imbrace thee yet if thou hast his arm to strengthen thee this is the fruit of an Ordinance 2. If God doth not fill thy heart with joy yet if he fills thy eyes with tears this is his meeting thee at his Table When thou lookest upon Christ broken on the Cross and considerest his love and thy ingratitude this makes the dew begin to fall and thy eyes are like the fish-pools in Heshbon full of water This is Gods gracious meeting thee in the Sacrament bless his Name for it It is a sign the Sun of Righteousness hath risen upon us when our frozen hearts melt in tears for sin 3. If thy Comforts are low yet if the actings of thy Faith be high this is Gods manifesting his presence in the Supper The sensible tokens of Gods love are with-held but the soul ventures on Christ's blood it believes that coming to him he will hold out the golden Scepter This glorious acting of faith and the inward quiet that faith breeds is the blessed return of an Ordinance Mic. 7. 19. He will turn again he will have compassion upon us The Churches comforts were darkned but her faith breaks forth as the Sun out of a Cloud He will have compassion on us This acting of faith makes us in a blessed condition Blessed are they which have not seen yet have believed Object 5. But I cannot find any of these things in the Sacrament my heart is dead and locked up and I have no return at all Resp. Wait on God for an answer of the Ordinance God hath promised to satiate the soul Psal. 107. 9. He silleth the hungry soul with goodness If not with gladness yet with goodness the soul must be filled or how can the promise be fulfilled Christian God hath said it therefore wait Wilt not thou believe God unless thou hast a voice from Heaven The Lord hath given thee his promise and is it not as good security to have a Bill under a man's hand as to have it by word of mouth Be content to wait a while mercy will come God's mercies in Scripture are not called speedy mercies but they are Sure mercies Isa. 55. 3. 5. Hath Christ given us his Body Blood Then when we are at this Gospel-Ordinancâ—… let us remember the Lord Jesus there The Sacrament is a Christ-remembring Ordinance 1 Cor. 11. 25. This do in remembrance of me God hath appointed this spiritual festival to preserve the living memory of our dying Saviour A Sacrament-day is a Commemoration-day 1. Remember Christ's Passion Lam. 3. 19. Remembring the wormwood and the gall I may a little alter the words Remembring the Vinegar and the â—…ll If the Manna was to be kept in the Ark that the memory of it should be preserved How should the Death and Suffering of Christ be kept in our minds as a memorial when we are at the Table of the Lord 2. Remember the glorious benefits we receive from the broken Body of Christ. We usually remember those things which are advantageous to us Christ's broken Body is a Screen tâ—… keep off the fire of God's wrath from us Christ's Body being broken the Serpent's head is broken Christ being broken upon the Cross a Box of precious Jewels is broken open Now we have access to God with boldness the Blood of the Cross hath made way to the Throne of Grace Now we are made Sons and Heirs and to be Heir to the Promise is better than to be Heir to the Crown Christ having dyed we are made near a kin to the blessed Trinity we are candidates and expectants of glory The bloody way of the Cross is our Via lact ea our milky way to Heaven Jesus Christ drank Gall that we might drink the hony-streams of Canaan His Cross was stuck full of Nails that our Crovvn might be hung full of Jevvels Well may vve remember Christ in the Blessed Sacrament But it is not the bare remembrance of Christ's Death is enough Some vvho have a natural tenderness of spirit may be affected vvith the History of Christ's Passion but this remembrance of Christ hath little comfort in it Let us remember Christ in the Sacrament aright 1. Let us remember Christ's Death vvith joy Galat. 6. 14. God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we see Christ in the Sacrament crucified before our eyes we may behold him in that posture as he was in upon the Cross stretching out his blessed arms to receive us O what matter of triumph and acclamation is this Though we remember our sins with grief yet we should remember Christs sufferings with joy Let us weep for those sins which shed his Blood yet rejoyce in that blood which washeth away our sins 2. Let us so remember Christ's Death as to conform to his Death Phil. 3. 10. That I may be conformable to his death Then we remember Christ's Death aright when we are dead with him our pride and passion are dead Christ's dying for us makes sin die in us Then we rightly remember Christ's crucifixion when we are crucified with him we are dead to the pleasures and preferments of the World Gal. 6. 14. The world is crucified unto me and I unto the world 6. If Jesus Christ hatâ—…â—…ven us this Soul-festival for the strengthning of grace let us labour to feel some vertue flowing out of this Ordinance to us let not the Sacrament be a dry breast It were strange if a man should receive no nourishment by his food It is a discredit to this Ordinance if we get no encrease of Grace Shall leanness enter into our souls at a feast of fat things Christ gives us his Body and Blood for the augmenting of Faith he expects that we should reap some profit and income and that our weak minute-faith should flourish into a great faith Mâ—…t 15. 28. O woman Great is thy faith It were good to examine whether after our frequent Celebration of this holy Supper we have arrived at a great Faith Quest. Hovv may I knovv Whether I have this great Faith Resp. For the Solution of this I shall laâ—… lovvn six eminent Signs of a great Faith and if vve can shevv any one of them vve have made a good proficiency at the Sacrament 1. A great Faith can trust God vvithout a pavvn it can relie upon Providence in the deficiency of outvvard supplies Hab. 3. 17 18. Although the Figtree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall fail c. yet will I rejoyce in the Lord c. An Unbeliever must have something to feed his senses or he gives up the Ghost When he is at his Wealths end he is at his Wits end Faith doth not question but God vvill provide though it sees not vvhich
vvay provisions should come in Faith doth not fear Famine God hath set his Seal to it Verily thou shalt be fed Psal. 37. 3. Faith puts the Bond in suit Lord saith Faith Wilt thou feed the Birds of the Air and wilt not thou feed me Shall I want when my Father keeps the Purse A good Christian with the Rod of Faith smites the Rock in Heaven and some honey and oyl comes out for the recruiting his present necessities 2. A great Faith is a wonder-working Faith It can do those things which exceed the power of Nature A great Faith can open heaven it can overcome the world it can master a complexion-sin it can prefer the glory of God before Secular interest it can rejoyce in affliction it can bridle the intemperancy of passion it can shine forth in the hemisphere of its relations it can do duties in a more refined sublimated manner mixing Love with Duty which mellows it and makes it taste more pleasant It can antedate Glory and make things at the greatest distance to unite Thus the Spring-head of Faith riseth higher than Nature A man by the power of Nature can no more do this than Iron can of it self swim or the Earth ascend 3. A great faith is firm and stedfast weak faith is frequently shaken with fears and doubts A great Faith is like an Oak that spreads its roots deep and is not easily blown down Col. 2. 7. A great Faith is like the Anchor or Cable of a Ship that holds it steddy in the midst of storms A Christian who is steeled with this heroick Faith is setled in the Mysteries of Religion The Spirit of God hath so firmly printed heavenly truths upon his heart that you may as vvell remove the Sun out of the Firmament as remove him from those holy Principles he hath sucked in Behold here a Pillar in the Temple of God 4. A great Faith can trust in an angry God it believes Gods love through a frown A vigorous Faith though it be repulsed and beaten back yet it will come on again and press upon God with an holy obstinacy The Woman of Canaan was three times repulsed by Christ yet she would take no denial from him she turns discouragements into arguments and made a fresh onset upon Christ till at last by the power of Faith she overcame him O Woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee as thou wilt Mat. 15. 28. The Key of her Faith unlocked Christ's bowels and now she may have what she will from him When once she had gotten his heart she might have his treasure too 5. A great Faith can swim against Tyde it can go câ—…oss to sense and reason Corrupt reason saith as Peter Master Pity thy self Faith saith It is better to suffer than sin Reason consults safety Faith will hazard safety to preserve Sanctity A Believer can sail to Heaven though the Tyde of Reason and the Wind of Temptation be against him Abraham in the case of sacrificing his Son did not call Reason to the Councel-board When God said Offer up thy son Isaac it was enough to pose not only fleshly wisdom but even Faith too for here the commands of God did seem to interfere In one command the Lord said Thou shalt not murder and behold here a quite contrary command Offer up thy son So that Abraham in obeying one command seemed to disobey another Besides Isaac was a son of the Promise the Messiah was to come of Isaac's line and if he be cut off where shall the World have a Mediator Here was enough to amuse and puzzle this holy Patriarch yet Abraham's Faith unties all these knots and the bloody knife is made ready Abraham believed that when God called for it it was not Murther but Sacrifice and that the Lord having made a promise of Christ's springing out of Isaac's loyns rather than the promise should fall to the ground God could raise up seed out of Isaac's ashes Here was a Gyant-faith which God himself did set a Trophy of honour upon Gen. 22. 16. By myself have Isworn saith the Lord for because thou hast done this thing and hast not with-held thy Son thine only Son That in blessing I will bless thee c. 6. A great Faith can bear great delayes Though God doth not give a present answer to prayer Faith believes it shall have an answer in due time A weak faith is soon out of breath and if it hath not the mercy presently it begins to faint whereas he who hath a strong puissant faith doth not make haste A great Faith is content to stay God's leisure Faith will trade with God for time Lord saith Faith If I have not the mercy I want instantly I will trust longer I know my money is in good hands an answer of peace will come Perhaps the mercy is not yet ripe or perhaps I am not ripe for the mercy Lord do as it seems good in thine eyes Faith knows that the most tedious Voyages have the richest returns and the longer mercy is in expectation the sweeter it will be in fruition Behold here a glorious faith if we have such a faith as this to shew it is a blessed fruit of our Sacramental converse with God But I would not discourage Infant-believers If your grace be not risen to the bigness and proportion of a great Faith yet if it be of the proper kind it shall find acceptance God who bids us receive him who is weak in faith will not himself refuse him If your Faith be not grown to a Cedar yet if it be a bruised Reed it is too good to be broken Mat. 12. 20. A weak Faith can lay hold on a strong Christ. A Palsie hand may tye the Knot in Marriage Only let not Christians rest in lower measures of grace but aspire after higher degrees The stronger our Faith the firmer our Union with Christ and the more sweet influence we draw from him This is that which honours the blessed Sacrament when we can shew the encrease of grace and being strong in faith bring glory to God 7. Hath Jesus Christ provided such a blessed Banquet for us He doth not Nurse us abroad but feeds us with his own breast nay blood let us then study to answer this great love of Christ. 'T is true we can never parallel his love yet let us shew our selves thankful We can do nothing satisfactory but we may do something gratulatory Christ gave himself a sin-offering for us let us give our selves a thank-offering to him If a man redeem another out of Debt will not he be grateful How deeply do we stand obliged to Christ who hath redeemed us from Hell And let us shew our thankfulness four ways 1. By Courage Christ hath set us a Copy he did not fear men but endured the Cross and despised the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or foret ast of that Marriage-Supper of the Lamb Rev. 19. 9. which made Damascen pray Lord let me receive this Supper as an Earnest of my future Heaven But into what a degenerate age are we fallen when the most weighty tremendous Points of Religion are called in question To such a Climax of impudency are some risen as to vilifie Ordinances oppugn Christ's Divinity deride the in-habitation of God's Spirit and deny praying by the Spirit These are they who would cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before them Isa. 30. 11. They would turn all Religion into a Romance and leaven the World with Atheism I wish they have not sinned the sin unto death If once the Truths of God iose their authority in Peoples hearts then is a fatal stop put to all solid Practical Piety God grant that the more others decry the Sanctity of the Gospel the more we may reverence it They have made void thy Law therefore I love thy Commandments Psal. 119. 126. Such as have experienced the sweetness of Truth in their own Souls know how to estimate it I should be glad if this short ensuing Discourse might render the Lord Jesus more precious and eligible in our eyes and add one cubit to our faith O happy Ordinance of the Supper that causeth such endearments of love between Christ and the Soul and begins those sacred Nuptials which shall be for ever solemnized in the Kingdom of God But I avoâ—…d Prolixness hoping for a blessing from on high upon these endeavours I rest Yours affectionately in the service of the Gospel Thomas Watson Feb. 19. 1668. The Fiery Serpents Numb 21 6 7 8 9. And the Lord sent Fiery Serpents among the People and they bit the people and much people of Israel dyed Therefore the people came to Moses and said We have sinned for we have spoken against the Lord and against thee pray unto the Lord that he take away the Serpents from us And Moses prayed for the People And the Lord said unto Moses Make thee a Fiery Serpent and set it upon a Pole and it shall come to pass that every one that is bitten when he looketh upon it shall live And Moses made a Serpent of Brass and put it upon a Pole and it came to pass that if a Serpent had bitten any man when he beheld the Serpent of Brass hâ—… lived IN this Portion of Holy Scripture there are two things considerable The people of Israels being stung and the manner of their Cure 1. Their being stung with the Fiery Serpents where observe 1. The occasion of God's sending these Fiery Serpents There were two Sins provoked the Lord to inflict this Punishment 1. Their Murmuring ver 5. The People spake against God and against Moses Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the Wilderness for there is no bread neither is there any water Speaking against God and his Prophets go together They spake against God and against Moses The Chaldee reads it They murmured before the Lord. Murmuring is a speaking against God and it proceeds from distrust Psal. 106. 24. They believed not his Word but murmured So in the Text There is no bread or water they thought they should die in the Wilderness and then they spake against God Murmuring is the daughter of Unbelief And observe the Time when they murmured it was immediately after an eminent and glorious deliverance ver 3. The Lord harkned to Israel and delivered up the Canaanites and they utterly destroid them and their Cities And behold the requital they make God for this signal mercy They murmur against him What to find fault with God! and just after a Deliverance the Lord being highly provoked sent Fiery Serpents among them and much people of Israel dyed ver 6. Oh how suitable to their Sin was this Punishment Israel did burn in heat of Passion and God made their Flesh burn with extream heat Their Speeches were venemous and they were punished with venemous Serpents Hence observe Doctrine 1. Of all Sins God can least bear the sin of Ingratitude To be delivered yet murmur God presently sent Fiery Serpents to avenge his quarrel Israel did not only forget God's Mercies Psal. 106. 13. but abuse them To be ungrateful for mercy is like Absalom who assoon as David kissed him and took him into favour plotted Treason against him 2 Sam. 15. 10. Like the Athenians who in lieu of the good Service Aristides had done them banished him out of their City Like the Mule who kicks the Damm after she hath given it milk Ingratitude saith Cicero hath nothing of evil wanting in it It is a sin that leaves a People without excuse if God let loose his Judgments and send Fiery Serpents they have nothing to say Ezra 9. 10. And now O our God what shall we say after this after what ver 9. Mercy hath been extended to us in the sight of the Kings of Persia yet we have forsaken thy Commandments What shall we say after this Use. Let our Ingratitude be deeply laid to heart This puts an accent upon sin and makes it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of measure sinful How many are the worse for mercy They make a dart of God's Mercies and shoot at him he gives them Wit and they serve the Devil with it he gives them an Estate and they feast their Lusts with it Are these worthy to be Guests at the Lords-Table who lift up the heel against him Will God welcome such into his presence as know not how to use kindness Oh that this sin may fill our faces with blushing Take we heed for the future of following this bad example in the Text. Let us turn all our Murmurings into Hosanâ—…ahs Let us praise God for his Mercies and serve God with his Mercies 2. The second cause of God's sending the Fiery Serpents was Their slighting of Manna ver 5. Our soul loatheth this light bread The Septuagint renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this empty bread It is spoken in contempt Israel counted Manna vile in respect of other meat Manna is called Angels Food but they call it in disdain light bread This Manna was miraculous it came from Heaven in an extraordinary way and mystical It was a type and figure of the Lord Jesus who is called the bread of Life Joh. 6. 98. and the Hidden Manna Rev. 2. 17. The contempt therefore of Manna was a contempt of Christ for this God sent Fiery Serpents Doct 2. The slighting and despising the Lord Jesus is a God-provoking sin This was Israels Crime the despising of Manna which was not only corporal food but a Type of Christ their spiritual food this greatly incensed the Lord and made him send Fiery Serpents among them Thus when we despise Christ and prefer our lusts before him as Israel did Leeks and Onyons before Manna then come the Fiery Serpents