in being and well-being He that made the world is still upholding all things by the word of his power 2. Governing and disposing all Creatures and all their actions even the least and smallest of them all The LORD hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens and his Kingdome ruleth over all Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father but the very hairs of your head are all numbred 3. Oâ—dering and directing all creatures and al their actions to his own glory and his peoples good Ioseph said to his brethren God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance So now it was not you that sent me hither but God Ye thought evil against me but God mean't it unto good c. So didst thou lead thy people to make thy self a glorious name For of him and through him and to him are all things As for Gods special Creation of man and Providence over man in his fourefold state viz. of 1. Creation 2. Corruption 3. Restitution and 4. Perfection They will come farther to be considered in the next branch the knowledge of our selves Hitherto of the first branch of knowledge requisite in some competent sort before communicating viz. The Knowledge of God 2. Knowledge of our selves Knowledge of our selves is the next point of Knowledge necessary to a worthy Communicant Christians eyes and apprehensions should be like the windowes of the Temple widest inward narrowest outward far more dispoâ—ed to look home then abroad better acquainted with themselves then with others And not like Plutarch's Lamiae or Witches that put on their eyes when they went abroad but put up their eyes in boxes when they came home The necessity of this Self-Knowledge hath before been evidenced The particulars of Self-Knowledge follow We are principally to know our selves 1. What we were in Adam before the fall 2. What we are in Adam since the fall 3. What we should and may be in Iesus Christ the second Adam I. What were we in Adam before the fall Answ. Before the fall Adam was the happiest creature under the Sun enjoying many surpassing Priviledges And all mankind being then in his loyns enjoyed in him the same happinesse and Priviledges viz. 1. A reasonable and immortall soul personally joyned with a suitable body both of them fearfully and wonderfully made yea curiously wrought according to divine Consultation of the blessed Trinity Adams soul was so rationall that he knew the nature of all the creatures which God brought before him and named them accordingly And so immortal that it cannot die a natural death as many Scriptures intimate But the souls of all other sublunary creatures besides man are irrationall and die with their bodies 2. A most pleasant Habitation God planted a Garden Eastward in Eden and there he put the man A garden is the glory of the fields A garden of Gods planting the glory of all gardens Herein grew every tree pleasant to the sight and good for food And a Quadripartite or four-streamed river to water the garden Oh what a garden of delights what an earthly Paradise Here man was placed to dresse this Garden Man must not be idle no not in Paradise 3. Liberall Provision Man was allowed freely to eat of every herb and of the fruit of every tree in the Garden except only the tree of Knowledge of good and evil His food therefore was most various and delicious 4. Vniversal dominion over the creatures Let them have dominion over the fish of the Sea and over the fowle of the air and over the cattell and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth This dominion was not supreme but subordinate to Gods dominion Adam was Monarch of the earth God the sole Monarch of all the world Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him the Son of man that thou visitest him Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands thou hast put all things under his feet So that all sublunary creatures were to do homage unto Adam 5 Conjugal society with his wife created out of Adams side while he was asleep She was thus taken out of man that she might be a meet help for man and become affectionately dear to man as bone of hâ—s bone and flesh of his flesh Man is naturally a sociable creature and loves society And Marriage-society is the sweetest of all natural societies 6. Innocency God made man upright As man came at first out of Gods hands he was spotlesse undefiled and wholly without sin Hence that state is stiled The state of innocency Except Christ never man on earth was perfectly without sin as Adam was in his first Creation The holiest Saints in this life have sinne in them though sin reigne not over them We were without sinne in the earthly Paradise and shall be without sin in the heavenly Paradise How happy is a sin-less state 7. The image of God God created man in his own image in the image of God created he him There was not only an utter absence of all sinfulnesse but also a presence of all due righteousnesse in him in which regard he was perfectly conformable to the will of God This image of God in man seems principally to consist in 1. Knowledge 2. Rigâ—teousnesse and 3. True holinesse or as the Greek phrase is Holinesse of truth This image of God in Adam made him ful of divine beauty whereby he was all glorious within surpassing all sublunary creatures 8. A Covenant-state with God In all times and states of the Church God hath pleased to deal with his people by way of Covenant Adam before the fall being perfect and without sin had perfect ability given him to keep that Covenant with God in which he was naturally enstated The Covenant into which Adam was admitted with God was the Covenant of Works the substance whereof is the Morall Law or Ten Commandements The Morall Law was perfectly written in Adams heart for the substance of it so that he was fully able to know and keep it for even since the fall the Gentiles which have not the written Law do by nature the things contained in the Law which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts Much more was the Law written in Adams heart before the fall This Covenant of Works the substance whereof is contained in the Morall Law required personal perfect and perpetual obedience under the severest penalties Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Vnto this Covenant of Works with Adam seem to be annexed two Sacraments viz. The Tree of Life assuring him of life upon his keeping Covenant and eating of that
thou art earnest with God more and more for assurance of pardon for purity of heart and stablishment in the wayes of grace for time to come it 's a good signe thy sins are pardoned God told David by Nathan The Lord hath put away thy sin thou shalt not die Vpon this David prays so pathetically Purge me with Hysope and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter then Snow Make me to hear joy and gladnesse Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit 5. Finally it 's a signe thy sins are pardoned if thy heart and soul and all within thee be singularly inlarged to blesse and praise God for his pardons So it was with David Blesse the LORD O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the LORD O my soul and forget not all his benefits Who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases If thine heart feel his pardons thy mouth will sing his praises 5. Lastly they are parties to the New Covenant that have Gods fear so implanted in the heart as not to depart from him And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turne away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from me Apostates and Back-sliders were never truly in Covenant with God All in Covenant with God persevere for God will not forsake them and they shall not forsake him his fear in them shall be their Preservative Now then if the Lords fear in thee keep thee from falling away thou art in Covenant with God Thus thou mayest from the substance and nature of the New Covenant discover wâ—ether thou beest a Party to the New Covenant having true inward interest therein and consequently having true inward Right to the New Covenant-Seale the Lords Supper in respect of God himselfe Now if this be thy case thou hast a childes portion in the Lords Supper and mayst lay claim to it and all the benefits of it beyond any carnal man in the world Thou shalt be no usurper in â—hat regard come and well-come Thus examine What right thou hast to the Lords Supper What need we have of the Lords Supper As we should examine our Right to it that we be not usurpers so we should search what need we have of it that we be not despisers of the Lords Supper The full soul loatheth an Honey-combe Sense of want excites desire and enlivens the appetite after what we want And Hunger we say will break stone-walls Now Christians have need urgent pressing need of the Lords Supper in many reâ—pects Examine thou whether thou hast not great need of it in all these respects 1. Hast thou not great need often to nourish strengthen and comfort thine inward man with all the graces and spiritual abilities thereof Consider 1. Thy whole new man when at perfectest is but imperfect We see now but through a glasse darkly we know but in part and so we love but in part obey but in part c. Paul himself durst not challenge perfection to himself in this life saying Not as though I had already attained or were already perfect but I follow after that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ Iesus 2. Consequently thy new man all thy gracious endowments are but weak when at strongest for every thing that 's imperfect is comparatively weak 3. Thy inward man is assaulted with many temptations adversaries and difficulties tending to enfeeble and discourage it especially with the reliques of the flesh The flesh lusteth against the Spirit Paul saith in the Person of the Regenerate I finde a law that when I would do good evil is present with me For I delight in the Law of God after the inward man But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and bringing me into Captivity to the law of sin Hast thou not need now to nourish thine imperfect graces that they may grow up to perfection thy weake graces that they may be strong thine assaulted graces that they may not faile Behold now what need thou hast of the Lords Supper to these ends For what nourishing ordinance is this Sacrament for all these purposes For it 's stiled The Lords Supper It 's A Supper therefore suitable to nourish the inward man The Lords Supper therefore sufficient to nourish it effectually As the body and all its strength decays without due corporal food so the soul and its graces without due spiritual food Here is meat indeed Christs body and drink indeed Christ blood and both tendred most familiarly in this Ordinance and most effectually When the Lord Christ prepares a Supper for his members he provides like himself They that truly eat with Christ eat of Christ in this Supper shall never die never totally hunger or mortally thirst more 2. Hast thou not need to have the pardon of thy sins often testified to thee and to have thy faith apprehension and assurance thereof conâ—irmed to thee There are many things may daily make thee question and doubt whether thy sins be pardoned or at least may darken and dimme thine evidence of pardon As 1. Multitudes of sinfull infirmities that still hang upon thee invincibly makes thee fear sin is not pardoned Hence for clearing the assurance of pardon daily we are taught daily to pray Forgive us our debts 2. Lapses into grosser sins obscure the evidence of our pardon David by his fall lost in great measure the joy of Gods salvation which he prayes to have restored 3 Sharp trials and severe afflictions are wont to revive sin unto the conscience and to bring in scruples about the pardon of them Iob himself in the great storms of his afflictions somewhat dazeled in his sence of pardon complains How many are mine iniquities sins make mee to know my transgression my sin wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemy Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me possess the iniquities of my youth Thou numberest my steps dost thou not watch over my sin my transgression is sealed up in a bag and thou sowest up mine iniquities Thus here 's great need to have thy senâ—e and apprehension of thy sins pardon assured to thee Consequently thou hast great need of the Lords Supper which notably tends to relieve thee in this case This is saith Christ in the Inâ—â—itution my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for Remission of sins That is this wine in this Ordinance is a Signe Seal and Conveyance of my blood ratifying the New Testament which blood is shed for many viz. for all the Elect for all Christs sheep for remission of sins Christs blood then was shed meritoriously to procure our sins remission and the Lords Supper is appointed
Lords Supper 〈◊〉 How can we diâ—cern our need of the Lords Supper 3. How can we judge of our â—iâ—ness for the Lords Supper Ignorance of our selves will render us ignorant in all these things 3. Of Iesus Christ. For 1. Jesus Christ is the Author of this Ordinance that at first gave Being to it and still gives Benefit by it 2. Jesus Christ is the Matter the inward Matter and Marrow of the Lords Supper to be fed upon Take eat this is my body which is broken for you This Cup is the New Testament in my blood 3. Jesus Christ and the solemn remembrance of his death is one eminent end of the Lords Supper As often as ye eat this bread and drink this Cup ye shew forth the Lords death till he come Consequently without a competent knowledge of Jesus Christ it 's altogether impossible to communicate worthily 4. Of the New Covenant or New Testament For this is one of Christs great Seals and solemn tokens of his New Testament This Cup is the New Testament in my blood So that when we renew tâ—e Lords Supper we renew the Lords Covenant And how can we renew that Covenant whereof we are grosly ignorant 5. Of the Lords Supper it self For should we intrude upon this Ordinance and not competently understand what is the nature oâ— Sacraments in general and of this in particular we should but give God a blinde and a lame service and offer the sacrifice of fools These are the principal points more peculiarly necessary to be known in some competent sort before communicating and these are the reasons why they are so necessary to be known Next consider what ought to be known of them severally in order I. Knowledge of God These things especiâ—lly ought to be known touching God in some competent maner before a man come to the Table of the Lord viz. 1. That God is or That there is a God He that cometh to God must believe that he is 2. That God is one or that there is only one true God and no more The LORD our God the LORD is One. We know that there is none other God but one But to us there is but one God He onely is the living and true God 3. That this one God subsisterh in three distinct Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost There are three that beare Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Go teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost The Father is â—f none neither begotten nor proceeding The Son is begotten of the Father eternally Hence called The onely begotten of the Father And The onely begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father The Hoâ—y Ghost eternally proceedeth from the Father and the Son But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father Theâ—e three are Co-essentiaâ— Co-equal and Co-eternal This deep mystery cannot be fully comprehended by our understandings must be truely apprehended by our faith It may darkly be reâ—embled by the light of Sun Moon and Stars united in the Arre Oâ— by the light of three diâ—tinct Torches united in one flame Or by one of your Bibleleases in three folds The first fold is not the second nor the second the third nor the third either of the other and yet all those three folds are that one leaf Thus the Father is not the Son the Son is not the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost neither the Father nor the Son and yet all these three are that one most Holy God 4. That this one God is a most pure invisible Spirit God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth The King invisible Whom no man hath seen nor can see 5. That this one God Father Son and Holy Ghost hath made himself gloriously known Partly by his essential Attributes or Properties Partly by his Works I. Gods essential Attributes or Properties are the high perfections of his Essence which are all one both with his Essence and with one another yet are revealed to us and apprehended by us as many and different because our weak understandings cannot comprehend this one infinite Act in one Act God is 1. Most absolutely simple No way compounded in himself or with any other thing God is a Spirit The highest Spirit The most spiritual Spirit The Spirit of spirits therefore absolutely uncompounded without body parts or passions Ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake to you out of Horeb c. A Spirit hath not flesh and bones And Paul proving to the Heathens that himself and Barnabas were no gods as they imagined said Sirs Why do ye these things we also are men of like passions with you 2. All-sufficient The LORD appeared to Abraham and said unto him I am God All-sufficient or God Almighty The Hebrew word according to its several derivations may signifie either of these 3. Immutable or Vnchangeable I am the Lord I change not Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights with whom is no variableness neither shaddow of turning 4. Infinite without and beyond all bounds and limits His understanding is infinite Now Gods understanding is God himself Gods essence is infinite and boundlesse in all respects imaginable Whereupon God is Immense or unmeasurabâ—e Because he cannot be determined or described by any Dimensions of Height Depth Length or Breadth and because he cannot be limited confined or circumscribed with any place Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not a God afar off Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the LORD But will God indeed dwell on the Earth Beholdâ— the Heaven and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain theâ— how much less this House that I have builded Omni-present or present in all places Gods essence filling all places yet not comprehended in any place is consequently in all places Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence If I asscend up into heaven thou art there if I make my bed in hell behold thou art there If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the utmost parts of the Sea even there shall thine hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me c. Incomprehensible Because God is boundless in respect of all created knowledge and understanding No man nor Angel can fully understand or comprehend him Great is the LORD And of his greatnesse ther is no search Canst thou by searchinâ— finde out God Canst thou finde out the Aâ—â—mighty unto Perfection It is as high as Heavâ—â— what canst thou do Deeper then Hell 〈◊〉 canst thou know The measure thereof
Resurrection from the dead out of the grave the third day He both revived and rose again As a second Adam and Head of his Church for our Iustification Spiritual raising of our souls out of sin and Corporal raising of our bodies out of the grave at the last day declaring hereby his infinite God-head His Lordship over quick and dead His full satisfaction of Gods justice for us and his absolute victory oâ—er sinne death and the devil 3. In his Ascension up into heaven fourty days aâ—ter his Resurrection as our Head and Fore-runner Thereby to lead Captivity Captive most triumphantly To receive and give gifts for men To cause our hearts and Affections spiritually to ascend after him To prepare a place for us that where he is we might be also 4. In his Session or sitting down at Gods right hand as God-man our Mediatour in highest Majesty and Glory farre above all Angels Having compleat dominion not only over his Church but over all things in the whole world for the good of his Church Pouring his Spirit upon his people continually making intercession for them 5. Finally In his coming again at the last day to judge the whole world in righteousnesse In his Humiliation at his first coming he was judged and condemned by sinners unjustly In his Exaltation at his second coming he shall judge both men and Angels justly And he shall come in His own and his Fathers glory descending from heaven with a shout and the voice of the Arch-Angel and the Trumpet of God attended most gloriously with the triumphant train of innumerable Saints and Angels to render to every one according to his works Thus we are to know that Christ diâ—charged his office of Mediatourship as Prophet Priest and King both in his state of Humiliation and Exaltation V. That this Mediatour Jesus Christ is an absolutely All-sufficient Mediatour There can be nothing required for sinners salvation which is not compleatly to be had in Christ. Is it Redemption He hath obtained eternal Redemption for his Elect. And by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Is it reconciliation to God When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Is it Justification He is made unto us righteousness He is The LORD our Righteousnesse He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the Righteousnesse of God in hâ—m for he is the Righteousnesse of God viz. which God hath devised and will accept So that Christ hath more righteousnesse than we have unrighteousnesse more pardons than we have debts more justification than we have condemnation Is it Holinesse He is full of grace and truth that out of his fulnesse we might receive and grace for grace Is it any thing He hath all fulnesse in hâ—mself that we may be compleat in him And he is able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to moke intercession for them VI. That though Jesus Chriâ—t be such an All-sufficient Mediatour and Saâ—iour yet he will saâ—e none at all but them onely to whom he is actually applied He that hath the Son hath life but he that hath not the Son hath not lâ—fe He justifies sinners but onely thoâ—e sinners that beleeve in him He gives soul-rest to wearied souls but onely to thoâ—e wearied and heavy-laden â—ouls that come unto him He gâ—ves Priviledge to become the sons of God But this Priviledge he onely gives to them that receâ—ve him c. Our union to Christ is the foundâ—tion of all our Communion with Christ. No Vnion no Communion VII Finally we are to know touching Christ that he is the subâ—tance of all the Sacraments both of Old and New Testament The Centre of the Covenant of grace and of all the Promises And the very marrow of all the Scriptures They that know not Christ aright know nothing of the Holy Scriptures to purpose for they principally testifie of him They are as the â—tarres that lead to Christ They are as the Sun-beams that discover this Sunne of Righteousnesse They are the secret swadling-clothes of the childe Jesus These things we should know touching Christ before we come to the Lords Supper 4. Knowledge of the New Covenant Knowledge of the New Covenant is the fourth point of knowledge requisite to a worthy Communicant before receiving of the Lords Supper In the Institution of the Lords Supper it is said of the Cup This is my blood of the New Testament That is this Wine in the Cup is a Signe and Seal of my blood by which the New Testament is ratified So that by the Lords Supper the New Testament or New Covenant is confirmed to us and in receiving the Lords Supper we renew Coâ—enant with God This we cannot do judiciously unleâ—s we competently understand the nature of the New Covenant Now for the opening of the New Covenant in some measure Consider these following Propositions which may afford some true taste of the nature of the New Covenant 1. The New Covenant is not the same Covenant which God made with Adam in Innocency but far different from it and that in divers particulars For 1. The Covenant with Adam was a Covenant of amity or friendship made by God with him as by a Creator with his creature But the new Covenant is a Covenant of reconciliation made by God as a Redeemer with the sinner 2. The Covenant with Adam was upon tearms of personal perfect and perpetual Obedience to the Moral Law written in his heart the curse and death being threatned to the least transgression thereof But the New Covenant is upon tearms of Faith and new obedience as the fruit thereof and testification of our thankfulness The Spirit of Grace being promised to work that faith and obedience whereunto eternal lifâ— is promised c. 3. The Covenant with Adam was with a person perfectly able to fulfil the Covenant in his own peâ—son alone The New Covenant is with persons unable of themselves to do any thing acceptably before God without divine Grace assisting and therefore performing Covenant onely in Jesus Christ their Surety 4. The Covenant with Adam was wâ—â—hout a Mediator Adam in his innocency nâ—eding no Mediator of Redemption or Reconciliation But the New Covenant is with a Medâ—ator Jesus Christ most necâ—ssary unto sinners for their salvation II. The New Covenant is the same in substance and essential constitution but far different in circumstance and manner of administration from the Old Covenant By Old Covenant I understand The Covenant of promise That is to say all the Covenants and Promises touching Christ from the first promise of The seed of the woman immediately after the fall till Christs
incarnation which were made first to Adam and renewed after to Abram Moses David and Israel These are called The Covenants of promise because they were made in Christ as then only promised not actually performed and Covenants not Covenant because though but one Covenant yet severall times renewed that with considerable enlargements from time to time Now this New Covenant is the same for substance with that Old Covenant called The Covenant of promise For 1. They are both of them the Covenant of â—race not of Nature 2. They are both of them the Covenant of Reconciliation with corrupted mankind not of amity and friendship with incorrupted mankind 3. Jesus Christ was the Mediatour of them both though with some difference Typically he was Mediatour of the Old Testament or Covenant but Truly of the New 4. The termes or conditions of them both were the same viz. faith in Jesus Christ the Mediatour not works 5. The benefits and spirituall advantages of both were the same in the blood of Christ. viz. Pardon of sinne Sanctification of our natures Enjoyment of gracious interest in and Communion with God Eternal happinesse at last with Christ in heaven as the tenour of them clearly evidenceth Herein the Old and New Couenant do notably agree But they differ only in some Circumstances and the manner of Administration For 1. The Old Covenant was dark and obscure All the spiritual mysteries therein being clouded in types and shadowes A typicall Priesthood typical Sacrifices typical Altar and Tabernacle typical blood typical Mediatour typical Sacraments typical Canaan all typical Hence in the promulgation of this Old Covenant in Sinai the Jews came unto blacknesse and darknesse But the new Covenant is bright and clear being administred without all types and shadowes Christ the body being comn already in open spiritual glory The Mosaical veile is done away in Christ And we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord. 2. The Old Covenant was carnal and earthly in the administration of it They came to the Mount that mâ—ght be touched and to the sound of a Trumpet and the voice of words And it brought them to an earthly Canaan and an earthly Ierusalem But the New Covenant is dispenced spiritually bringing us to the spiritual Canaan To Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem That we may worship God the God of Spirits in Spirit and Truth 3. The Old Covenant was more imperfect according to the imperfect state of the Church in those times which the Apostle compares to A child in his non-age and minority And so it was revealed more and more clearly by degrees as the Church grew riper and riper till Christs coming But the New Covenant is perfect and full never more to be enlarged or encreased till the end of the world it being revealed in Christ fulfilled and comne in the flesh already 4 The Old Covenant was terrible in the manner of its dispensation making not only the People tremble but even Moses himselfe exceedingly to fear and quake But the New Covenant is dispensed with all inviting amiableness and alluring sweetness every thing herein being sweet pleasant and delectable nothing at all terrible As appears in that admirable passage to the Hebrews And if it be said God the judge of all there mentioned is terrible I answer No God the judge of all is not terrible to them that come into Covenant with him for he is a Iudge absolvâ—ng them only a Iudge condemning His and all their enemies and that is most comfortable 5. That Old Covenant was limited and restrained to the people of the Jews onely and to those that became Jewish Proselytes Gentiles were all Strangers to the Covenant of Promise But the New Covenant is unlimited universally extended both to Jews and Gentiles â—f all sorts Thus the Old and New Covenant especially differ III. The New Covenant gloriously assures them that embrace it That God will write his law in their mindes and heart That he will be to them a God and they shall be to him a people That they all shall know him from the least to the greatest And that he will be merciful to their unrighteousness and remember their sins and iniquities no more This is the chief tenor and substance of the New Covenant Glorious Priviledges Here consider and admire them viz. 1. Gods Inscription of his Law Not in Tables of stone as of old but in the fleshy living Tables of his peoples mindes and hearts That writing was without this within That was broken this shall not be broken Hereby they shall be kept from back-sliding 2. Gods new relation to his people and theirs to him covenanted and promised He will be to them a God not onely a Portion a Protection a Friend a Redeemer a Savior a Comforter a Father an Hushand c. but beyond all these A God and beyond God there can be nothing This is the excellentest blâ—ssing that can be promised and the highest promise that can be made If God will be a God to his People consequently he will be All to his people And they shall be to him a People not only their thoughts words and actions his nor only their minds or wils or affections his nor only their senâ—es or members or bodies his c. But they whole they whatsoever they are can do or endure for him must be wholly his This is the greatest duty and the highest obligation that can be upon any people But this is the comfort God here undertakes for both sides for both Parties to the Covenant for Himself that he will be theirs for his people that they shall be his So that thâ—â—e shall be no failing on either side 3. Gods universâ—◠〈◊〉 â—ore perfect illumination of his people with the knowledge of himself They shall not be so dull of understanding as the Jewes of old nor divine knowledge be so restrained to one sort of people but more generally to all sorts of people and more compleatly in all degrees of knowledge The Knowledge of the Lord shall fill the earth as the waters cover the Sea 4. Gods merciful and eternal Act of oblivion past upon their sins and iniquities There shall not be as of old under the Old Covenant a yearly and daily remembrance of their sins by their yearly and daily sacrifices repeated which in effect was a re-iteration or continuation of their arreignment indictment and condemnation for their sins But an utter blotting out of their iniquities by the blood of Christ once offered for ever so that they shall never be remembred more to their condemnation IV. The New Covenant-Priviledges can actually be claimed by none but those that are effectually made Partakers of the New Covenant-Grace None can say That God is their God in Covenant and he will remember their sins no more till they
can truly say The Lord hath written his law in their hearts and made them know him For carnal unregenerate men who seek not for a saving interest in Christ the second â—â—am according to the tenour of the New 〈◊〉 they do evidently content the◠〈◊〉 with their lapsed condition in the first Adam and so remaine still under the forfeit penalty and curse of the first Covenant of Works broken by Adams fall These things are principally to be known touching the New covenant by worthy Communicants that they may have a true notion or apprehension of that Covenant which is seaâ—ed unto them by tâ—e Lords Supper 5. Knowledge of the Lords Supper it self Finally the fifth and last point of Knowledge especially necessary to qualifie a person for worthy communicating is The knowledge of the true nature of Sacraments and particularly of the Lords Supper it self For How can that be duly managed which is not truly understood To this end we are to know 1. That the Lord hath been wont to deal with his Church and people by way of Sacraments in all times and ages As 1. With Adam and his posterity in a sort For it is supposed by the learned that when God cloathed Adam and Eve with skins he taught them also to sacrifice the bodys of those beasts with whose skins they were cloathed and this is the more probable because the Scripture declaring Abels Religion makes mention only of his Sacrificing the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof These Sacrifices were types of Christ yea pledges tokens and as it were Sacraments confirming the first promise of the seed of the woman Jesus Christ. 2. With Abram when God stablished his Covenant with him and his seed he annexed Circumcision as a Token or Sacrament of the Covenant 3. With Israel when God by the hand of Moses brought them out of Egypt destroying Egypts first-born that they might let Israel go he appointed the Sacrament of the Passeover as a pledge of the preservation of all Israels first-born from Gods wrath 4. When God brought them through the wildernesse in an extraordinary sort Israel also had four extraordinary Sacraments signifying to them spiritual Mysteries in Christ viz. 1 Baptizing in the cloud that both sheltred them from the heat and guided them in their way 2 Baptizing in the Sea which saved them when the Egyptians were drowned 3 Mannah that spiritual meat 4 Water out of the Rock that spiritual drink These four Sacraments were extraordinary and continued but a while viz. during Israels abode in the wildernesse The other lasted till Christs coming in the flesh 5. With the people of God under the New Testament the Lord dealeth also by way of Sacraments ordaining Baptisme and the Lords Supper as standing Sacraments till the end of the world But why doth the Lord thus deal with his people by way of Sacraments in all ages Answ. This comes to passe 1. From Gods familiar love and condescension to his people delighting most plainly and easily to make known spirituals unto them 2. From the abstrusenesse and mysteriousnesse of Christ and the things of Christ which are sublime high heavenly worthy of the quickest inâ—pection of Angels themselves and therefore so far above humane â—pprehension in their heavenly â—uâ—â—re that God represents them in earthly resemblances 3. From the dulnesse of our understandings in conceiving aright of the great Mysteries of Christ therefore God â—â—oops to us â—etting them forth in sensible and visible Elements He descends to our Carnalnesse that we may aâ—cend to his Spiritualnesse He helps our outward senses that they may help our inward graces II. Sacraments are part not of Gods naturall but of his instituted worship Gods Naturall worshâ—p is that which is required in the first Commandment and which the light of Nature dictates to be due unto him Instituted worship is that which is contained in the second Commandment which light of natâ—re cannot particularly lead us unto but onely some posâ—tive divine Institution Now Sacraments are not of Gods Natural but onely of his Instituted worship No light of nature can intimate to us that under the Old Testament God would be worshipped with Ciâ—â—umcision and the Passeover and under the New Testament with Baptisme and the Lords Supper had not God by expresse and positive Inâ—â—itution appointed both Whatsoever Sacraments are they are wholly by Institution We have no other particular ground or foundation for them at all Therefore in the administration of the Lords Supper and of every Sacrament both Ministers and People respectively must cleave close to the Institution The neerer we come up thereto the more acceptable we are to the Lord. As Paul both in planting Sacraments at first and reforming Sacrament-abuses afterwards precisely followed the Lords Institution III. All the Sacraments that ever were instituted since Adam's fall to this day were Tokens Pledges or Seals of the Covenant of grace As Circumcision was a Token of this Covenant a Seal of the righteousnesse of faith c. For since the fall God never set on foot any other Covenant but the Covenant of Grace The Old and New Covenant are both the Covenant of Grace When therefore we come to the Lords Supper we come to renew Covenant with God and to have his gratious New Testament sealed to us IV. Every Sacrament both ordinary and extraordinary of Old or New Testament represents principally Jesus Chrst and him as crucified Adam's sacrifices types of Christ the true sacrifice Circumcision a pledge of our heart-Circumcision through Christs blood The Passeover a token and type of Christ our Passeover sacrificed for us The extraordinary Sacraments Signes of Christ and his sufferings By Baptisme we are said to be baptized into Christ and into his death And by the Lords Supper we so oft as we eat and drink it are said to shew forth the Lords death until he come So that Christ and his death Christ as crucified is the golden thread that runs along through every Sacrament and is the substance and mystery of all Sacraments When therefore we come to the Lords Supper we come to partake a Seal and solemn Memorial of Christ crucified and of all the benefits of his death V. Sacraments are of severall sorts viz. 1. Sacraments of the Old Testament signifying Christ crucified to come afterwards and these were either ordinary or extraordinary Ordinary Sacraments of the Old Testament were chiefly two 1 Circumcision the initiating Sacrament denoting the cutting off of the corruption of the heart by Christ and his grace 2 The Passeover the consummating Sacrament signifying spiritual nourishment by Christ and preâ—ervation from Gods wrath through him Extraordinary Sacraments of the Old Testament were four 1 The Cloud 2. The Sea 3 Mannah from Heaven 4 Water out of the Rock All these were Sacraments of the Old Testament 2. Sacraments of the New Testament signifying Chriâ—t crucified already
to Faith That is as Faith grows more and more capacious and quick-sighted so Gods righteousness is more and more discovered to it The Apostle commends his Thessalonians and thanks God for this That their Faith groweth exceedingly And faith so growes as that it perseveres It 's fails not It draws not back to perdition but believes to the saving of the soul. It makes faithfull to the death and so the believer receives the crown of life If thy faith grow and persevere that 's true Faith indeed False Faith is like the picture of a man on a wall that growes not and like a blazing-star it continues but for a time III. REPENTANCE is another Grace that fits us for worthy communicating Examine thy self therefore whether thou hast true Repentance or no before thou communicatest To this end consider 1. The Necessity of it 2. The Nature of it 3. The Notes of it 1. The Necessity of Repentance to fit for worthy communicating appears divers wayes For 1. No duty can be performed acceptably to God by impenitent sinners Vnto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled Hence the Lord so abhorred all the Jewes Religious performances because their hands were full of blood But withal added Wash ye make ye clean put away the evill of your doings cease to do evill learn to do well here 's Repentance Come and let us reason together though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow c. here 's Acceptance Vpon this consideration David saith I will wash mine hands in innocency so will I compasse thine Altar O LORD 2. Purging of leaven out of their Houses and cleansing themselves from all Ceremonial defilements was a necessary Preparative of the Jewes under the Law before they did eat the Passeover So proportionably the purging of the old leaven of sin out of our hearts by Repentance is as necessary a Preparative of Christians under the Gospel before they eat the Lords Supper Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us Therefore let us keep the Feast not with old leaven neither with the leaven of malice and wickednesse but with the unleavened bread of Sincerity and Truth All this time of the Gospel is as a continued Feast and Christian Passeover and this whole time is to be managed holily and sincerely much more the duties of Religion And some observe that the sowr herbs wherewith the Passeover was to be eaten under the Law did not onely point out the bitternesse of Christs suffering our true Passeover but also the bitternesse of our sorrow mortification and repentance for our sins the cause of Christs sufferings 3. When we come to the Lords Supper which is the token of the New Covenant or New Testament we come to renew Covenant with God in Jesus Christ and to set to our Seal Therefore it 's convenient and necessary we renew our Repentance for all our unfaithfulnesses and failings against our Covenant with God from time to time Thus of the necessity of Repentance before Communicating 2. The nature of Repentance may be set forth in this brief Description of it Repentance is a grace of God whereby a sinner after true sense of sin and godly sorrow for sin is changed and converted in heart and life from sin to God In this description note I. The general nature of Repentance wherein it agrees with all saving graces It is a Grace of God So the Scripture intimates Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life If God per adventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth II. The special difference of repentance from all other saving graces whereby a sinner after true sense of sin and godly sorrow for sin is changed and converted in heart and life from sin to God Wherein consider the Preparatives to Repentance and the Substance of Repentance 1. The Preparatives to Repentance that as Harbingers and Inlets to it make way for it into the soul are two viz. 1 Conviction or true sense of sin To open their eyes and turn them from darknesse to light There can be no repentance and conversion from sin till first there be a true sense of sin and thorough conviction Partly of the sinfulnesse of sin how grieâ—ous and odious it is Then shall ye remember your own evil wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations Partly of the miâ—chievousness and dangerouâ—nesse of sin how harmeful it is unto the sinner Thus God foretels his people falling to Idols that they should be convinced of the mischief of those wayes which should move them to return again to God Then shall she say I will go and return to my first Husband for then it was better with me then now Thus the Prodigal had a true sense of his misery whereunto his sin had brought him that he was perishing with hunger and then resolves penitentially to return to his Father And convincing the world of sin is one of the first works of the Spirit 2 Contrition or godly sorrow for sin follows upon conviction and is another Harbinger to Repentance as Iohn Baptist was the Harbinger of Christ For Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death Godly sorrow then in propriety of speaking is not repentance but works repentance makes way for it as the needle for the thread This is called Renting the heart Both this conviction and contrition may be observed in Peters hearers the Jewes They were convinced of the sinfulnesse of their sin in betraying and murthering of Christ and they were contrite pricked in their hearts stabbed as it were to the very soul with grief for it These the Preparatories to Repentance 2. The Substance of Repentance hath in it three things viz. The Act the subject and the Terms 1 The formal Act of repentance it 's a changing and converting Hence so often set forth by turning in Scripture Turn thou me and I shall be turned After that I was turned I repented Except ye be converted and become as little children To turn them from darknesse to light This is the Act of Repentance wherein it consists 2 The Subject changed and converted is both the sinners Heart and Life First his heart then his life First his person then his practice and Conversation Wâ—â—h ye make you clean There 's thâ— change of their persons Put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil There 's the change of their practices So Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed There 's the change of the life And make you a new heart and a new spirit There 's the change of the heart
Bread And he took the Cup c. of which Cup he said I will drink no more of the fruit of the Vine untill The Lords Supper therefore must not be dispensed with any other Elements then Bread and Wine What sort of Bread or Wine is not prescribed particularly but left to liberty Papists deal sacrilegiously who deny the Cup to the people giving them only Bread 2. The Mysteries signified c. by these Elements according to Christs Institution are Christs Body and Blood immediately His Death and all the benefits thereof mediately These and no other Mysteries we are to understand by the Elements We may not devise other significations then those Christ instituted 3. The Actions instituted On Christ and his Ministers part dispensing the Lords Supper were Taking Blessing Breaking and Giving the Bread Taking Giving thanks and Giving the Cup. On the Communicants part Receiving the Lords Supper were Receiving Eating the Bread and Drinking the Wine These Sacramental Actions are to be used and no other these alone being instituted The Form or Manner of Christs Taking Blessing Tanksgiving Breaking and Giving the Elements c. is not particularly described Doubtlesse they were all most suitable and congruous to the Ordinance in hand Christ doing all things most exactly and properly And such should ours be most proper pertinent agreeable to the Nature of the Lords Supper Nor Breaking of Bread nor any other Action may be omitted or changed Nor may we super-adde new actions besides theâ—e as Sacramental and Significative for that were to usurp upon Christs Authority of instituting therefore to adde as some do The Pourâ—ng out of the Wine for the signification of the pouring out of Christs blood is not only needlesse but also unlawful Needlesse in that Chriâ—ts shedding his blood for us and the actual separating of his blood from his body is signified sufficiently according to the institution otherwise viz. Partly in the Breaking of the Bread noting the breaking and wounding of his body which could not be without shedding of his blood Partly in the actual and distinct separation of the Wine from the Bread both in Institution Distribution Vnlawful for when did Christ institute this Action of Pouring out the Wine Or where doth he require it at our hands 4. Finally the Circumstantials attending upon the institution of the Lords Supper which were not meerly accidental and occasional They also are fit to be used by us but not witâ— opinion of the like intrinsecal necessity as the essentials and integrals of the Lordâ— Supper are to be uâ—ed As 1. Tâ—e uâ—e of a Table is convenient to â—et the elements decently and â—isibâ—y upon and of vessels to put the elements in And the Apostle makes mention of The Lords Table And of the Cup of the Lord. 2. The â—itting of all the Communicants at or as neer as conâ—eniently they can round about the Lords Tabâ—e that they may not onâ—y hear the words of the Institution recited and expâ—â—ined c. but may also see the elements and actions that their eyes may more deeply affect their hearts with the mysteries in hand Such sitting being more agreable to the example of Chriâ—â— and his Apostles in tâ—e first insâ—itution who sate or sate leaning than the gesture of kneeling And being the gesture generally received and used in all the Reformed Churches and directed to be used in the Churches of England Scotland and Ireland 3. The closing up of the whole action with some suitable Psalme is agreeable to the Primitive paterne Thus Christ and his Apostles shut up the Lords Supper in the first Institution thereof And when they had sung an Hymne or Psalme they went out into the Mount of Olives To sing Psalmes therefore in the Act of administration of the elements is clearly unsuitable to the iâ—itable Practice of Christ and his Apostles at the Institution and also evidently repugnant to those General Rules for Christian worship That all things be don decently in order and to edification This singing Psalmes in the action being un-decent and disorderly whilest one part of the Congregation is receiving another part is singing which makes a grosse confusion in the Church and in the Religious exercises And also unedifying yea against edification whilest the Communicants thoughts are hereby distracted and drawn away from fruitful pondering and meditating upon the many mysteries of the Lords Supper and their graces are disturbed and hindred from their free and lively actings towards Christ crucified the benefits of his death his love therein to us our reciprocal duties to him c. enough to employ the quickest thoughts and graces throughout the whole action But as for those Circumstantials about the Lords Supper that were meerly accidentall and occasional occasioned by the Paschal Supper or otherwiâ—e extrinsecally in respect of the Lords Supper As The time in the evening not in the morning The place in a private chamber an upper room not in the place of publick worship The quality of the Bread unleavened not leavened The number sexe and office of the Communicants They being but twelve and all these men no women being amongst them and all these Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel there being no private Christians amongst them These being meerly accidental to the Lords Supper and being occasioned by something besides the Lords Supper they do not tie us to the observation of them Thus manage the whole action of the Lords Supper according to Christs Institution IV. Act and exercising lively in Communicating all those Sacramental qualifications and graces fore-mentioned viz. Knowledge Faith Repentance New Obedâ—ence Love to Christ and to Christians Thankfulnesse and a Spiritual Appetite It 's not enough to have these and bring them with us to the Lords Supper but we must use and improve them discreetly and carefully at the Lords Supper You have seen how necessary they are for a worthy Communicant Stir them up therefore and awaken them in your selves in Communicating He that 's to wrastle or run a race must not only have strength and skill but use them if he mean to prevaile He that 's cold must not only have fire raked up under the ashes but must blow it up if he means to be warm so he that means to communicate worthily must not content himself with the habit of Grace but put forth the Acts of Grace Gods children may receive unworthily by not using of Grace as wicked men receive unworthily by not having of Grace Act and use therefore every Grace pertinently and properly according to their several natures respectively 1. Act Knowledge so as to have a right apprehension Of that God with whom thou hast to do in this Ordinance Of thy selfe that dost Communicate what thy spiritual state is Of Christ and his death the chief mystery of this Supper Of the New Covenant and the tenour of it which is sealed in this Sacrament And of this Sacrament it selfe and the nature