adventure to the Lords Table 1 Cor. 5.8 otherwise I shall come unworthily to mine own damnation 1 Cor. 11.29 Q. What forme was that bread of A. S. Scripture is silent of that Q. What learnest thou hence A. The vanity of Papists Prelats and Lutherans who use thin wafers printed with a crucifix V. 24 And when he had given thanks c. Q. What is meant by those words A. Christ would not breake that bread untill He first thankt his heavenly Father for it Luk. 22.19 and blessed it Mat. 26.26 Q. What learnest thou hence A. 1. As Christ was both ready and willing to lay downe His life for me Joh. 10.18 and thankt His Father who made Him redemption unto me 1 Cor. 1.30 So should I be ready willing and thanke the Lord if he will count me worthy to suffer shame which is worse then death for His sake Act. 5.41 2. In every thing especially for giving Christ to sive me Act. 4.12 to give thanks 1 Thes 5.10 He brake it Q. What is meant by breaking of that bread A. It s breaking was partly necessary that one bread might be divided amongst many partly mysterious to signifie that Christ was broken for all the elect Esay 53.4.5 Ioh. 19. the whole Chapter Q. Did Christ suffer in his soule A. Yes as is evident Mat. 27.46 Luk. 22.44 Q. Did Christ suffer in his Godhead A. As Christ is God He is All sufficient Gen. 17.1 His Godhead therefore could not suffer Q. Seeing that Christ was made like unto us in all things sin excepted Heb. 2.17 compared with Heb. 4.15 How could He satisfie Gods infinitly wronged justice if His Godhead did not suffer A. The excellency of the party who suffered even Iesus Christ God-man in one person the great Mediator betwixt God and the elect being infinite gave infinite satisfaction to his Fathers infinite justice For although His Godhead neither did nor could suffer Yet Jesus was crucified Act. 1.36 The Prince of life was killed Act. 3.15 Christ dyed for us Rom. 14.9 The Lord of glory was crucified 1 Cor. 2.8 The Father spared not His owne Son but delivered Him up for us all Rom. 8.32 And the Son of God gave himselfe for us Gal. 2.20 Such an infinite person therefore suffering Gods infinite justice is satisfied to the full as the father Himselfe acknowledgeth Matth. 17.5 Q. What doth this teach thee A. 1. If I receive this Supper faithfully I get the great Mediator who was broken for me and so I cannot be damned Rom. 8.1 Ioh. 6.54 Yea I am made one of the sons of God Ioh. 1.12 2. Seeing that Christ was broken for my sins I must break off my sins by repentance before I dare communicate because God is of purer eyes then to behold evill and cannot looke on iniquity Hab. 1.13 And said Take Q. To whom said Christ this A. Unto all who were present even to His twelve Apostles for none other might be present at the Passeover with him Exod. 12.3 Q. No woman was there must they now bee excluded A. God forbid women are elected 2 Ioh. v. 1. ult Q. Did Judas communicate at the Supper A. He ate of the Pascall lamb which was the type of Christ and was Christ in signification The difference is in this under the Law they received Christ to come under the Gospell we receive Christ come already Q. How did they take it A. With their hands otherwise it could not have been a perfect communion which in this Supper was first between Christ the head and the faithfull His members And secondly between the faithfull communicants amongst themselves Q. What table gesture did they use at this Supper A. Christ and they all did sit Mat. 26.20 Mark 14.18 Luk. 22.14 Ioh. 13.4.12 Q. Some say they leaned and sat not A. If so one hand had been uselesse And if so yet it was the table gesture of that Countrey Q. May not we kneel now when we communicate A. No otherwise we violate the Institution and break Christs command Doe this c. Q. What hurt can we have by kneeling A. 1. This Supper is a banquet of love our Lord calls the faithfull His friends not servants Ioh. 15.15 servants invited kneele not at their Masters tables much lesse friends 2. Kneelers in receiving defraud themsolves of their grace here and of their glory hereafter which are promised in the word sitting Mat. 8.11 19.28 Luke 13.29 22.30 Ephes 2.6 Rev. 3.21 Q. The more humbly we receive is it not so much the better for us A. 1. Will-worship in our worshipping of God is alwayes rejected of God Esay 1.12 Col. 2. ult 2. Kneelers in the act of receiving violate the Institution for Christ and his Apostles did sit as is manifest Mat. 26.20 Mark 14.18 Luk. 22.14 Ioh. 13.4.12 3. Kneelers transgresse Christs command He commands us thus Doe this in remembrance of me Now this command must bee extended unto every particular of the Institution otherwise we have no rule whereby we can convince Heretiques Papists Prelats Lutherans in matters concerning this Sacrament Q. What doth all this teach thee A. 1. The foolishnesse of Priests in the Romish and Lutheran Churches who put the bread into the receivers mouthes by which their mutuall communion is frustrated 2. I see and sorrow at the blindnesse of those will-worshipping kneelers Rev. ult 18. Take Q. What are we to take here A. Heavens excellencie the earths only good even the Lord Jesus Christ himselfe and all his heavenly graces which are all here not only freely offered but also fully given to all worthy receivers for as truly and really as I get that bread and that wine to be one flesh with me so likewise as really and as truly I get Christs body by faith as his owne words prove This is my body to bee one spirit with mee 1 Cor. 6 17. Q. But Christs humane body is in heaven How then can I get him A. By faith for Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith Ephes 3.17 Q. But my bodily eyes see nothing in that Supper but bread and wine only How then can I get Christ A. Thou seest these thou hearest Christs words affirming of that bread This is my body and of that wine This is my bloud which of those two beleevest thou Christ or thy senses beleeve on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou getst him Ioh. 6.47 compared with v. 54. Q. Can I be infallibly sure that if I have saving faith to beleeve Christs words This is my body This is my bloud that I shall get Christ himselfe in this Supper A. Thou may and must be infallibly sure of it for Jesus is the truth Joh. 14.6 He cannot lie Tit. 1.2 He cannot deny himselfe 2 Tim. 2.13 Heaven and earth shall passe away but His words shall not passe away Mat. 24.35 Mark 13.31 Luk. 21.33 Q. But I finde in my selfe a body of death of corruption of doubtings how then dare I either take that bread
that which maketh them guilty A. 1. It is some speciall either contempt or light esteem offered or done to the person offices ordinances actions sufferings of our Saviour or too some one of them 2. On to sin against that greatest worke of our redemption and so to partake with the murderers of Christ Q. How is that proved A. To be guilty of bloud is in some sense or other to be a murderer to be guilty therefore of Christs bloud is to be a murderer of Christ Q. How can I be a murderer of Christ he being in heaven and I on earth A. By continuing in known sins with delight thou crucifiest the Son of God afresh and puttest him to open shame Heb. 6.6 10.29 Ob. Those two Scriptures strike at such who fall from faith to infidelity A. It is true and yet when faith purifieth not thy heart it is no saving faith Act. 1â— 9 And when faith produceth not good works it is a dead faith Iam. 2. ult If then thou continuest in known sins with delight thou art a murderer of Christ and thy doome is denounced Mat. 7.22,23 Luk. 13 26.27 Q. What learnest thou hence A. 1. Seeing Abels bloud was so heavy on Cain who murdered him Gen. 4.19 O how intolerable will Christs bloud be upon the soules of such who murder Christ by their sins delighted in and unrepented Rev. 6.15,16,17 2. I may not continue even in the least knowne sin lest I fall from faiths practice and so from faiths profession Seeing that sin is the transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3.4 and that bringeth the curse Gal. 3.10 Q. How doth that contempt or light esteem make receivers guilty A. By eating this bread and drinking this cup of the Lord unworthily Q. How doe receivers eat and drinke unworthily A. In generall it is to communicate wanting our wedding garment Christ Mat. 22.11 for we must be cloathed with Christ Rom. 13. ult otherwaies we may not come to this marriage Mat. 22.2 compared with v. 13. Q. How can I put on Christ A. Doe as Jacob did bring the two kids Gen. 27.9 That is have faith by which Christ lives in us and we live in Him Eph. 3.17 Gal. 2.20 and observance which demonstrates our faith to be sound Jam. 2.18 Q. What are the more speciall means which render unworthy receivers to be guilty A. Ignorance in not knowing the Vertue Worth Use and Ends of this Sacrament Q. Wherein consists its Vertue A. If thou communicate having on thy wedding garment all thy feares occasioned by sense of thy sin will be quite removed 1. If thou complainest thus Alas how shall I get Christ to be my wedding garment Christ answereth Take eat this is my body This is my bloud drinke it by faith and live for ever Joh. 6.47 compared with v. 51. 2. My sinnes multiply daily A. The Lords mercies are new every morning Lam. 3.23 God is the father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 Rich in mercy Eph. 2.4 3. I am dead in trespasses and sins A. Beleeve and thou shalt live Joh. 11.25 But I cannot get repentance for my sins A. Repentance that is sound is Gods work 2 Tim. 2.25 Seek knock and aske for it and God will worke it Mat. 7.7 8. Jam. 1.5 Mat. 9.13 2. This Sacrament being rightly received will resolve all thy doubts 1. Will the Lord save such a lost sinner as I am A. Christ came to seek and to save that that is lost Luk 19.10 1 Tim. 1.15 Ps 50.15 Mat. 11.28 Ioh. 6.37 3. It will cure all thy diseases Ps 103.3 and salves all thy sin-sores Esay 53.5 4. In this Supper thou getst Christ himself who is all and in all Col. 3.11 Q. Wherein stands the worth of this Sacrament A. By worthy receiving we get Christ as his owne words doe witnesse And in getting Christ we get the Father and the Holy Ghost for these three are one 1 Ioh. 5.7 Q. Wherein consists the use of this Sacrament A. That bread and that wine are taken from their common use which is to strengthen and glad mans heart Ps 104.15 To signifie seal and really to give unto all faithfull receivers Christs body and bloud to bee meat indeed and drinke indeed to their soules Ioh. 6.55 And so Christ dwelleth in us and we in him v. 56. Q. What hurt will it bring though we bee ignorant of this Sacraments foure ends A. Great every way both to the Pastor and people 2 Thess 1.7,8,9 For 1. Ministers must be diligent to know the state of their flocks and to looke well to their herds Prov. 27.23 They must not be blinde but seeing nor ignorant but must know nor dumbe but must speak nor sleeping but must watch nor greedy of another mans goods but contented with the Lords allowance nor drunken but sober Esa 56.10 c. Nor daubers with untemperate morter promising peace where there is no peace Ezek. 13.10 They must warne the wicked to forsake his way otherwise the bloud of the wicked will be required at the Ministers hand Ezek. 33.8 They must feed the flock of God 1 Pet. 5.2 And watch for their soules for which they must give an account Heb. ult 17. 2. The people likewise perish for lacke of knowledge Hos 4.6 when they are not taught to know this Sacraments foure ends 1. To imitate the institution in remembrance of Christ 2. To shew Christs death till he come 3. That this Sacrament unites true receivers unto Christ 4. And that it seals the covenant of Grace to all worthy receivers Rom. 4.11 Q. What doth those things teach thee A. 1. The fearfull condition of ignorant communicants for they are murderers of Christ 2. And the terrible state of those Ministers who take no care to catechise their flock Mat. 15.14 Q. We have heard that a light esteem or contempt of Christ The want of our wedding garment and ignorance of the vertue worth use and of the ends of this Sacrament maketh unworthy receivers to be murderers both of themselves and of Christ Now what other sinnes doe worke the same effects 4. A. Want of faith Heb. 11.6 when receivers beleeve not fully that Christ giveth himselfe effectually to all faithfull communicants in this Supper nor that themselves can by faith get Christ in it and yet dare receive the signes that bread and that wine by which they sinne dangerously Rom. 14. ult 5. Superstition beleeving Papist and Lutheran-like that they eat in this Supper the humane body of Christ with their bodily mouth and yet we can only eat him with our soules mouth faith for to beleeve in Christ and to eat his flesh is one Iob. 6.47 compared with v. 51. 6. Sensuality when cloyed with worldly cares with the deceitfulnesse of riches and pleasures of this life Luk. 8.14 They hunger not for Christ Such shall never be filled Mat. 5.6 7. Carnall security when receivers neither expect good in worthy receiving nor evill by unworthy Such are like Laodicea Rev.