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
and so the right of our Redemption might belong unto him 3. That in our nature which had offended he might fulfill all righteousnesse both in his actiâ—e and passive obedience suffering and interceding for us 4. That he might be a merciful and compassionate Hâ—gh Priest for us in things pertaining unto God Haâ—ing an experimental fellow-feeling of our temptations and infirmities 5. That as Christ became the Son of man by Nature â—o we in him might become the Sons of God by Adoption and Grace 6. That he being our Mediatour and Advocate in our flesh we may come boldly to the Throne of grace for obtaining mercy and findâ—ng grace to help in time of need 3. Why was it necessary Christ our Mediatour should be God Answ. It was necessary our Mediatour should be God as well as man 1. That his Godhead might uphold his manhood from being swallowed up with Gods infinite wrath and the fruits thereof for our sins which wrath no meer creatures no not Angels could undergo and not be utterly overwhelmed 2. That his obedience Active and Passive his Intercession and other acts of his Mediatorship might be filled with such excellency worth and efficacy as to be every way satisfactory and well-pleasing to God and sufficient for the salvation of all his Elect. IV. That Jesus Christ God-man hath taken upon him the office of a Mediator betwixt God and man in order to the salvation of his Elect. There is one God and one Mediator betwixt God and man the man Christ Iesus Consider here 1. How 2. In what state Christ executes his Mediatorship 1. How doth Christ discharge and execute this his office of Mediatorship Answ. Christ executes his office of Mediatorship chiefly three ways Viz. 1. As a Prophet 2. Priest and 3. King And these are the three branches or parts of Mediatorship 1. Christ is the Prophet which Moses foretold the Jews God should raiâ—e up like unto him and charged them to hear him in all things under penalty of destruction As a Prophet he in all ages makes known to his Church his Fathers Will for his Elects salvation Hence he is stiled Counsellor The Shepheard and Bishop of our souls He is made unto us wisdom And he is fully acquainted with all his Fathers counsels and bosom secrets therefore able to discover to us the whole counsel of God The onely begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Christ reveals Gods Will to his Church 1. Outwardly in his Word and Ordinances wherein the summe of all divine mysteries necessary to salvation are contained compleatly This is the light without us even the Word of Christ. 2. Inwardly by his Spirit opening and illuminating our dark mindes that we may spiritually and savingly understand the counsels of God in his Word This is the Anointing from Chrâ—st which teacheth all things 2. Christ is our Priest Our great High Priest A Priest of a far more perfect order then Aarons even A Priest for over after the order of Meâ—chizedech Christ as our Priest 1. Made satisfaction for us purging our sins by his own blood once for all when he was on earth In which act himself was both Sacrifice Altar and Priest Sacrifice as Man Altar as God Priest as God-man 2. Makes continual intercession for us in heaven appearing there as our Advocate with the Father 3. Christ is our King Our King of Righteousness Our King of Peace Yet have I set my King upon my Holy Hill of Sion Châ—ist acts and executes his Kingly Authority and Power 1. By calâ—ing his Elect effectually 2. By goâ—erning them visibâ—y and inâ—isibly 3. By recompencing their obedience with gracious rewards their failings with just fatherly chasâ—isements 4. By supporting them under all their trials afflictions and persecutions 5 By over powring and ordering all even the worst and most unlikely occurrents for his own glory and his peoples good 6. By restraining subduing and crushing all his and his peoples enemies 7. And finally by judging and justly rewarding all men and Angels at the great day Thus Christ executed his Mediatory Office as a Prophet Priest and King for us 2. In what state or condition did Christ thus execute this his Office Answer Christ executed his Medâ—atory office in a double condition 1. Partly in a state of ignominious Humiliation 2. Partly in a state of glorious Exaltation Christs Humiliation he being the eternal Son of God was exceeding deep and ignominious that principally in these five degrees 1. In his Conception in that he was in fullnesse of time made of a woman conceived by the Holy Ghost in the wombe of a Virgin of low estate and degree He that comprehends heaven and earth is comprehended in the narrow wombe of a Virgin Who can sufficiently admire his disvesting himselfe of such Majestie and investing himselfe with such meannesse 2. In his Birth in that he who is eternall before all time should be borne in time He who brought forth the whoâ—e worâ—d should be broughâ— sorth in the world And that so meany But at home but abroad not in a Palace but in a common Inne not in the best room in the Inne but in a Stable there being no room for him in the Inne There he was borne wrapped in swadling-cloaths and laid in a manger O wonderfull abâ—sement 3. In his whole life In that he was made under the Law to do and endure it Coorsely entertained and used in the worâ—d impudently tempted by Satan and continually subject to humane sin-lesse infirmities and in some fort below us therein 4. In his death in that he who was Truth was betrayed by Iudas and falsely accused by the Jews He who was Safety was forsaken by his Disciples denied by Peter He who was Love was hated and rejected of the world He who was Righteousnesse was condemned by Pilate and abused by the souldiers He who was Holiness and the Son of Gods love wrastled under Gods wrath And he who was Life died shamefully painfully and curâ—edly on the Cross as the Evangelists abundantly testifie 5. Finally In his Burial In that he who was the Resurrection should be buried and remain in the state of the dead three days as a bond man under the grave 2. Christs Exaltation after this his Humiliation was great and gâ—orious And that especially in fiâ—e other degrees also 1. In his Revâ—ving in the grave He who was dead and bâ—ried quickned himself in the grave by his God-head loosing the bands of death when he was fastest bound by them His Reviving in order of nature must go before his Rising and he rose alive not dead Conâ—equently his Reviving the first degree of his Exaltation began in the grave wherein was the last and lowest degree of his Humiliatâ—on 2. In his
iniquity There 's no unrighteousness in him â—hou art of purer eyes then to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity That is not vvith the least approbation God is light and in him is no darkness at â—â—l 12. Most Powerful Strong Omnipotent He can do beyond all that we are able to ask or think He can do everything that argues or implies power The LORD appeared to Abraham and said unto him I am the Almighty God Then Job answered the Lord and said I know that thou canst do every thing With God all things are possible 13. All-ruling God hath absolute Authority Dominion and Power to dispose of all creatures as he pleaseth for their present or perpetual estate without any their check or controle His Kingdom rulleth over all His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion and his Kingdom is from generaâ—ion to generation And all the inhabitants of the earth are â—eputed as nothing and he doth according to his Will in the army of Heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or say unto him What dost tâ—ou To the onely wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Poâ—er now and ever Amen And in respect of all these former essential Perfections of God whether Incommunicable or Communicable God is most Perfect Excellent Blessed and Glorious 14. Most perfect God is so perfect that in him thâ—re is no want defect or need of any thing He is perfect in all his former essential Attributâ—s Be ye thâ—refore perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect God that made the world and all things therein seeing he is Lord of Heaven and Earth dwelleth not in Temples made with hands neither is worshippâ—d with mens hands as though he needed any thing seeing he giâ—eth to all life and breath and all thiâ—gs 15. Most Excellent God absolutely surpasseth all Beings in his Being and all their Perfections and in that respect is the most excellent Hence High-excellency is ascribed to him The LORD hath sworn by the High-excellency of Jacob that is by Himself for God swears by himself O LORD our Lord how excâ—llent is thy name in all the earth In the greatnesse of thine excellency thou hast ovâ—rthrown them that rose up against thee Touching the Almighty we cannot finde â—im out He is excellent in Power and in â—udgement and in plenty of Iustâ—ce 16. Most blessed God is the most blessed Being hath infinitâ— happinesse in himself is fully satisfied in hiâ— own blessedness yea he is his own happinesse depending on â—one other Hence those expressions Blessed art thou O LORD teach me thy staâ—iâ—â—es Worshipped and served the creature more then the Creator who is blessed for ever Amen According to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God Hence the Father is by way of Excellency called The Blessed Art thou the Christ the Son of the blessed And Christ is stiled in like manner The blessed and onely Potentate Of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Yea God is so blessed that all blessedness in the creatures is originally from him they being only so far happy indeed as they enjoy God to be their God their supreme happiness Happy is the people that are in such a case yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord. That 's the true happiness indeed 17. Finally God is most glorious Infinite in his Highnesse Majesty Greatnesse Splendor Beauty and Renown Herein none may compare with him Thine is the Kingdome and the Power and the Glory for ever Hereupon God is stiled The King of Glory The glorious LORD and the God of Glory To this effect his Name and his essential Attributes are declared to be glorious Blessed be thy glorious name which is exalted above all blessing and praise Who is like unto thee O LORD amongst the gods Who is like thee glorious in Holinesse To the Praise of the glory of his Grace From the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his Power These are Gods essential attributes revealed in Scripture whereby he hath made himselfe known And without a competent knowledge of these we cannot truly know God as we ought before we come to the Lords Supper The next way whereby God makes himself known to us is by his works or Acts. II. Gods works or Acts are either 1. Before all time as his Decree Or 2. In time as the execution of his Decree 1. The works of God before all time are his Decrees Gods Decrees may be considered 1. More generally in reference to all creatures 2. More specially in reference to the intellectual creatures only viz. Angels and Men. 1 Gods decrees more generally considered are Gods purposes in himself according to the Counsel of his own Will whereby he hath fore-ordained whatsoever comes to passe for the praise of his glory Gods Decrees are his purpose in himâ—elfe according to the Counsel of his own Will That the purpose of God according to Election might stand According to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the Counsel of his own Will According to this purpose God hath fore ordained for the praise of his Glory whatsoever comes to passe For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate That we should be to the praise of his glory For of him and through him and to him are all things 2. Gods Decrees more specially considered are Gods purpose according to the Counsel of his own Will whereby he hath fore-ordained for the praise of his glory whatsoever comes to passe touching Angels and Men. I call it Purpose because Scripture stiles it The purpose of God according to Election Who worketh all things according to the Counsel of his own Will According to this purpose God hath fore-ordained for the praise of his glory whatsoever comes to passe touching Angels and Men. And this especially in respect of their eternal state For some he hath predestinated to the Adoption of children electing and choâ—sing them in Christ as vessels of mercy Others he hath in his eternal Counsel passed by and rejected as vessels of wrath That is stiled in Scripture sometimes Predestination sometimes Election This is termed by learned men sometimes Preterition or passing-by sometimes Reprobation Of both the Scripture saith What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had a fore prepared unto glory Though this be spoken only of men yet elsewhere the Scripture mentions the Elect Angels therfore there are rejected
his caâ—â—all condition in the first Adam not having accepted Christ lyes under the Covenant of works requiring personal perfect and perpetual obedience under pain of death and the curse And since the Fall no man can keep this Covenant by reason of the infirmity of the flesh nor avoid the curse for not keeping it For Christ alone redeems us from the curse becoming a curse for us Hence every carnal Christlesse man is a cursed man 3. There 's no possibility of escaping damnation or obtaining salvation but onely by Jesus Christ and spiritual interest in him There is not salvation in any other For there is no other name under heaven given whereby we may be saved Hence it is â—aid Except ye be converted and become as little children ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of God And except a man be born again of water and the holy Ghost he cannot enter into thâ— Kingdome of God He that believes not shall be damned Yea He that believes not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God 4. Our natural condition without Christ is most miâ—erable but our supernatural condition in Christ will be most happy For By nature we are utterly lost and in the way of perishing for ever but in Christ we that were lost are found By nature we are dark and blinde in spiritualâ— but of Christ we buy eye-salve that we may see and by him we are called out of darkness into his marvellous light By nature we are dead in sins and trespasses and câ—nnot acceptably act or move at all in spiritual courses but when we come to Christ we shall be quickned and inabled to do all things By nature we are enemies yea enmity against God and against all goodnesse but in Christ we shall be reconciled to God and made freinds by the blood of his Crosse. By nature we are old and corrupt but in Christ Old things shall passe away and we shall become new Creatures By nature we are unregenerate but by Christ we shall be born again By nature we are full of spots and deformities but in Christ we shall be washed and purified at last from every spot and wrinkle through his blood and by his grace become full of beauty Finally by nature we are not a people having not obtained mercy but when we shall come to Christ we shall become the People of the living God and shall obtain in him the Mercy of mercies Now therefore unlesse we resolve to die in this natural misery and to despise all this supernatural felicity it is most necessary that we hasten unto Jesus Christ and the acceptance of him The Duties which we are to perform being once brought unto Christ are many and of high importane Generally we are to walk in newnesse of life this comprehends all Particularly we are to walk 1 In repentance from all dead works not onely bewailing but hating and forsaking them 2. In Self-denyal We must deny our selves In all our Self-sinfulnesse In all our Self-righteousnesse In all our Self-wisdom In all our Self-will In all our Self-love Our self-sinfulnesse is abominable our self-righteousnesse is as filthy rags and rottennesse our self-wisdome is but folly our self-will is but a crooked Rule our self-love is but self-hatred and all the carnal worldly objects of self-love but losse and dung in comparison of Jesus Christ. 3. In faâ—th towards God and Jesus Christ. This is a fundamental duty And by faith we must live drawing all vital supplies from Christ depending upon Gods all-sufficiency and his never-failing promiâ—es 4. In all Christian obedience and in all manner of good works They that believe in God should be carefull to maintain good works and to be alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord. For they are His workmanship created in Iesus Christ unto good works which God hath before ordained that they should walk in them 5. In all piety to God righteousnesse towards men and sobriety towards our selves For the Gospel of Gods grace teacheth us that denying all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godlily in this present world 6. In all good conscience and inoffensivenesse towards both God and men Thus the Apostle Paul lived and so should we 7. In all Purity and Holinesse Without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. As he therefore that hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation 8. In all exactnesse strictnesse accuratenesse of conversation Walk circumspectly Greec accurately exactly c. We must walk closely with God looking narrowly to our thoughts words and works 9. In a word we must constantly walk on unto Perfection labouring to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Iesus Christ. As he that swims if he presse not forward the stream carries him backward so in Christianity if we presse not on to perfection the stream of corruption and temptation will drive us back again Therefore Forgetting what is behind let us reach forth to those things which are before and presse towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus These and many like duties we are to perform if we be in Christ. 'T is no small pittance of grace that will serve turn for such performances 3. The Priviledges which we shall enjoy in Christ are generally such as carnal Eye hath not seen ear heard nor the heart of carnal man hath conceived More particularly these that follow especially viz. 1. Adoption into the family of God as his sons and daughters in Jesus Christ. So that now we are of Gods houshold and partake of the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba father And we are not onely sons but heirs of God coheirs with Christ. Behold what manner of love the father hath manifested to us that we should he called the sons of God This is a grand fundamental Priviledge 2. Sanctification of our natures by the Spirit of Christ renewing our whole man after Gods image with all kindes of Grace and mortifying more and more all the reliques of sin in us 3. Justification of our persons freely of Gods meer grace through Christs obedience and death imputed to us by faith whereby all our sins are pardoned and our persons accepted as righteous before God O thrice blessed are they that are thus pardoned and justified 4. Sweet Communion with God Father Son and Holy Ghost This fellowship is the Saints heaven-on-earth Such walk with God converse with God have their conversation in heaven They dwell in God and God in them Sup with Christ and Christ with them 5. All the promises of this and the world to come The promises of God are
come in the flesh are two viz. 1 Baptisme or washing with water in the Name of Father Son and Holy Ghost whereby we are solemnly admitted into Christs mystical body visible signifying and sealing the souls spiritual washing from the guilt and filth of sin by the blood and Spirit of Christ. 2 The Lords Supper or eating bread and drinking Wine in reâ—embrance of Christs body broken and blood shed according to the Institution whereby oâ—r spirituall nourishment and growth in Christs mystical body is sealed Baptisme answers to Circumcision the Cloud and Sea The Lords Supper to the Paschal Supper Mannah and Water out of the Rock The Sacraments of the New Testament are for number more few for observation more easie for signification more excellent VI. In all Sacraments are two parts and a Sacramental union betwixt them 1. The Two Parts are 1 The outward signe or signes signifying as water and washing with it in Baptism Bread and Wine with the actions belonging thereto in the Lords Supper 2 The inward mysteries signified by those signes as the washing away of our sins by the blood and Spirit of Christ in Baptisme and the nourishing of our souls by the benefits of Christs death in the Lords Supper 2. There is a Sacramental union betwixt the Signes and things signified founded in Chriâ—ts Institution Whence the signe is sometimes said to be the thing signified As This is my body This is my blood This is the New Testament in my blood And theâ— thing signified is called the signe As Christ our Passeover is sâ—crificed This Sacramental union consists in a Sacramental relation which the signes have to the things in signifying sealing and exhibiting them Hence flows another union â—etwixt the worthy Communicant and the Sacrament So that he who truly partakes the signe according to Christs Institution partakes also the thing signified This is to be well obâ—erved as a special ground of comfort in communicating VII Finally The particuâ—ar nature of the Lords Supper may be notably discerned in the causes of it viz Efficient Material Formal and Final 1. The Efficient cause or Author of it is The Lord Iesus in the same night in which he was betrayed All power was given to him as Mediatour therefore to institute what Ordinances he pleased for his Church He first gave Being to the Lords Supper and he also can give a Blessing and vertue to it in the right use In that night he instituted it 1. To shew the abrogation of the Paâ—chal-Supper and the succession of the Lords Supper in the room thereof 2. To imprint more notably a living and lasting character of his death and sufferings upon this Supper 3. To restifie his singular care and love to his Church in that when he knew he was now ready to be betrayed and crucified he would leave this Legacy and Love-Token of his Supper to his Church Now if Christ be the Author of the Lords Supper we should highly esteem it Christianly partake it and walk accordingly knowing that all abuse of the Lords Supper reâ—â—ects and terminates upon the Lord Christ. 2. The Material cause or matter of it is Outward and Inward 1. Outward is 1. Partly the Elements viz. Bread and Wine Complete Provision against hunger and thirst Christ gives his Church full nourishment Bread is expressed Wine is figuratively implyed in the Cup because immediately after Christ said Henceforth I will not drink of the fruit of the Vine c. 2 Partly the Sacramental actions which are either on the Ministers part as Taking Blessing and Giving Thanks Breaking and Giving to the Communicants Or on the Communicants part as Receiving Eating and Drinking 2. The Inward matter are the Mysteries signified by the outward As by the Elements of Bread and Wine Christs Body and blood Christ crucified our spiritual nourishment By the actions Christs separation and Consecration to his Mediatory office Christs brokennesse and sufferings for his Elect Christs free Tender and bestowing himself for spiritual nourishment upon the true Believer And the believers Accepting and applying of Christ thus tendred particularly 3. The Formal cause or Forme of the Lords Supper understand not the outward but the inward Form is that Sacramental union that is betwixt the outward and inward matter betwixt the signes and things signified viz. such a Sacramental relation betwixt them in signifying sealing and exhibiting and this by vertue of Christs institution that he who duly receives the signes receives the things signified as was said before As the law of the land makes such a relation betwixt a twig and a turfe and the lands whence they are taken that he who in due form of law takes liâ—ery and seizin of them is also as fully seized and possessed of the whole Lands or Mannour 4. The Final cause or End of the Lords Supper is manifold viz. 1. The solemn Remembrance of Christ crucified and shewing forth of Christs death to the worlds end 2. The spiritual nourishment of our inward man of our faith and all our graces for strength and growth 3. The Confirmation and individual Application of the New Testament and all the Promiâ—es Comforts Benefits and Priviledges thereof to us 4. The Sealing up unto our heâ—rts the pardon of our sins in Christs blood 5. The Ratification and Augmentation of our Communion with Christ crucified in all the benefits of his death 6. Finally the publike Testification of our true loâ—e to and Communion with the Saints as Christs members and fellow-members with us in him For these ends especially was the Lords Supper instituted by Christ and ought to be celebrated by us Hitherto of those Points of knowledge principally necessary to qualifie a man for worthy communicating whereupon we are to examine our selves Next of the Properties of true sanctified knowledge and of our self-Examination therein II. The Properties of true sanctified knowledge are the second way whereby we may examine and try our Knowledge In the particular points of Knowledge forementioned an Hypocrite may possibly go as far as a true Believer but in these following Properties of sanctified Knowledge the true Believer goes beyond an Hypocrite What are the Properties of sound sanctified Knowledge Answ. Sanctified Knowledge is 1. Experimental 2. Heart-humbling 3. Communicative for others edification 4. Growing 5 Affectionate 6. Spiritualized 7. Pure 8. Obedientiall 1. An Experimental Knowledge whereby a Christian hath a particulal taste savour and relish of the divine things which he knows And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in Knowledge and in all judgement The Greek word rendred judgement properly signifies sense Not a corporal but a spiritual â—ense whereby we have a spiritual and experimental sensiblenesse feeling and taste of the things of God in our own spirits This sense differs from Knowledge thinks Zanchy as the Knowledge of the sense differs from that of the understanding
are principally these three viz. 1. A benevolent affection or Good-will to Christ. 2. A fervent desire and longing after Christ. 3. A contented Acquiescence or Delight in Christ. 1. A Benevolent affection or Good-will to Christ is a first degree of love to Christ. Christs excellency and loveliness aright apprehended makes us have high and precious thoughts of him and bear great good-will to him to his Glory to his Truth to his cause to his Ordinances to his church c. to have them adâ—anced promoted and exalted every where Yea makes us content to be abased that Christ alone may be exalted to be disgraced that Christ alone may be honoured to be eclipsed that Christ alone may shine to be as nothing that Christ alone may be all Thus Iohn Baptist testified his love and respect to Christ when the Jews came to Iohn and seemed to be troubled that Christ should be so followed Rabbi he that was wâ—th thee beyond Jordan to whom thou bearest witness behold the same baptizeth and all men come to him Hereupon Iohn answered to this effect That Christs Authority was from Heaven That himself was not the Christ but his Harbinger sent before him That Christ was the Bridegroom and Iohn but the Bridegrooms friend rejoycing greatly at the Bridegrooms voice That Christ must increase himself must decrease That Christ coming from above from heaven is above all himself being of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth Thus Nicodemus though a stranger to the mystery of Regeneration yet having some seeds thereof sown in his heart expresses his benevolent affection to Christ in that he came to Iesus by nâ—ght acknowledging him to be a Teacher come from God because of his Miracles Thus Paul shewed his good will to Christ counting all his Pharisaical excellencies and perfections losse yea and all things but dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ and for the winning of Christ. 2. A â—ervent desire and longing after Christ is a second degree of true love to Christ. Love pants after enjoyment of the object beloved so loâ—e to Christ breaths after union to him and more fâ—ll communion with him This is called love of union as the former love of benevolence or well-willing Thus the Church of the Jews loâ—ing Christ longs for his incarnation and the sweet kisses of his Gospel-Doctrine and dispensation Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth for thy love is better then wine And again Oh that thou wert as my Brother that sucked the breasts of my Mother that is O that thou wert my naturall Brother revealed in humane nature And because her love to Christ was impatient of delay and thirsting after full enjoyment of him in Heaven she cries to him Make haste my beloved and be thou like to a Roe on to â— young Hart upon the Mountain of spices Make all haste upon the heavenly Mountains to come and fetch me home to thy self thâ—t I may ever be with the Lord. And it is the periphraâ—is of Christs lovers that they love his appearing they love and long for his coming to judgement The spirit and the Bride say come Christ â—aith Surely I come quickly Every true Christian answers in the desires of his soul Amen Even so come Lord Iesus 3. A Contented Complacency and satisfied delight in Christ enjoyed is the third and highest degree of love to him And as the enjoyment of Christ is more or lesse perfect proportionably the complacency or resting satisfied in him is more or lesse compleat There is true delight in Christ enjoyed in Heaven When the Church after a desertion found Christ again how was she contented and satisfied with him she saith I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and would not let him go until I had brought him into my Mothers house into the chamber of him that conceived me I charge you O ye Daughters of Jerusalem by the Roes by the hindes of the field that ye stir not up nor awake my love till he please Having regained Christ she holds him fast in the arms of her affections she brings him into the Chambers of more intimate Communion she forbids all disturbance to her enjoyment of him All which expresse her Complacency and sweet contentment in him her restless desires were now stilled and satisfied And after another desertion finding Christ she thus declares her acquiescence in him found I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine As if she had said Now that I have found Christ whom my soul loves I have enough my heart is filled brim full with him I desire no more Hast thou now such A Good-will to Christ Such a fervent restless desire after him that thou mayst enjoy him and such an Acquiescence complacency and satisfying delight in the enjoyment of him how can it be other then sincere love to him 3. Finally the properties of true love to Christ are the best way whereby you may examine your love unto him True love to Christ is 1. Obediential 2. Transcendent 3. Breathing after more evidence and assurance of Christs love 4. Accepting Christs rebukes 5. Sincere And 6. constant 1. Obedential True love to Christ makes obedient to Christs commands in his word yea to all his commands Christ saith If ye love me keep my Commandments And again He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me And farther If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandments and abide in his love Ye are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you What Child can truly love his Father what Servant his Master c. but he will be obedient to him What Christian can truly love Christ but he will chearfully and universally obey Christ The love of Christ constrains us saith the Apostle Both Christs love to us and our love to Christ compel us with a sweet force that we obey him and cannot chuse but obey him Dost thou thus obey Christ and keep all his Commandments then thou truly lovest him But contrariwise they who are not obedient and subject to Christ are farre from loving Christ indeed Christ counts them his enemies that would not have him to raign over them And saith He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings 2. Transcendent True love to Christ transcendeth and surpasseth all other love The love of Father Mother Wife Son Daughter Brother Sister yea and of a mans own life also must give place to this love of Christ. Christ must be loved above them all yea all they must be hated in comparison of Christ. Christ himself saith He that loveth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more then me is not worthy of me And he that taketh not his crosse and followeth after me is not worthy of me
was Such a death as all things considered never was endured wherein malice of men rage of all the powers of darkness the wrath of God sins of all the Elect did meet in him at once And think what we worthless sinners gain by this Death of Christ What pardons Reconciliation Peace with God c. And all these confirmed to us in the Lords Supper that lasting Monument of Christ crucified Oh what manifold cause of thankfulness is here 2. The outward matter of the Lords Supper viz. the Elements of Bread and Wine together with the actions of taking blessing breaking giving eating and drinking them affords also much cause of thankfulness that Christ would thus condescend to our weakness as to represent such heavenly mysteries to us by such homely elements and actions He deals herein with us as once with doubting Thomas makes us as it were thrust our finger into the print of his nails that we may believe helps our inward graces by our outward senses 3. The ends of the Lords Supper are such that they notably challenge manifold thankfulness from us whensoever we partake the Lords Supper These ends are The solemn remembrance of Christs Death never to be forgotten The nourishing of the inward man of faith and all our graces The confirmation and application of the New Testament with all the Promises thereof to us The Ratification of the pardon of our sins in Christs blood And the sealing up unto us that sweet priviledge of Communion with Christ and with one another Not one of these but deserves much thankfulnesse How great thankfulness then is due for all of them together in the Lords Supper 2. The Tryal of our thankfulness which is thus necessary for worthy communicating comes next to be considered and we may try the truth of our thankfulness by the three eminent Acts or degrees of thankfulness viz. 1. Notice-taking or acknowledgement of blessings received 2. Estimation of mercies received and acknowledged 3. Retribution or rendering again for mercies received acknowledged and esteemed 1. Notice-taking or acknowledgement of benefits received is a first degree or Act of thankfulness Till a man take notice of a benefit and whence it comes he can neither esteem it nor render again for it as he ought Thus when David would express his thankfulness to God for enabling him and his people to offer so willingly and liberally towards the building of the Temple He takes notice of the benefit and whence it came even all from God alone Our God we thank thee and prayse thy glorious name But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee And in the Hebrew phrase Giving of thanks is most usually expressed by Confessing to the Lord. For confessing and acknowledging what good we receive and whence we have it is a prime point of thankfulness Contrariwise it 's a point of deep ingratitude not to observe and acknowledge the benefits and whence they come Israel is blamed for this She did not know that I gave her corn and new wine and oil and multiplied her silver and gold Such like Swine eat up and devoure the Acorns or mast but never look up to the Oak whence they fall Dost thou now duly take notice of that mercy of mercies Jesus Christ and his Death how mysteriously the saving of sinners by him is contrived in Gods eternal Counsel and revealed in the Scriptures How Chriâ—t his death and all his benefits originally flow from Gods meer grace and the good pleasure of his will Dost thou duly observe and acknowledge the mercy of the Lords Supper tendering and applying Christ and his death and how it was from Christs tender love and care of his Church that he instituted it This is some degree of gratitude But alas how many come to the Lords Supper who do not considerately take notice of this Mystery of saving sinners by Christ which is the sum of all the Bible c. 2. Estimation of Benefits received and acknowledged is a second Act or Degree of thankfulness The Virgin Mary thankfully magnifying the Lord for that extraordinary mercy to her Her Conception of Christ by the Holy Ghoâ—t She notably estimates and amplifies the Mercy by the Mâ—jesty of the Giver the meanness of the Receiver and the Greatness of the Gift My soul doth magnifie the Lord For he hath regarded the low estate of his hand-maid for he that is mighty hath done to me great things God had done great things for Mary in that Christ according to the flesh was conceived in her womb but he hath done greater for thee in that Christ according to the Spirit is conceived in thy soul. She was happy in bearing Christ much happier in believing in Christ. She was happy in being Christs natural Mother Happier in being Christs spiritual member Now as true thankfulness esteems and values mercies turns them over and over views them on every side c. so unthankfulnesse debases viâ—ifies discommends twits fleights the mercies as Israel the Mannah Our soul loatheth this light-light Bread as the Hebrew phrase is Art thou now qualified with thankfulness for the Lords Supper where then is thy due estimation of 1. Christ 2. His Death 3. His Supper All theâ—e are thankfully to be esteemed according to their respective worth by thankful Communicants 1. Dost thou esteem Christ the Matter of the Lords Supper according to his worth Paul so esteemed him that he desired to Know nothing but Christ. That he counted all things losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ yea all things dung that he might win Christ. The Church so esteemed Christ as to count him The chief among ten thousand How dost thou estimate Christ Dost thou amplifie and commend Christ to thy self by such consideration as may raise up greatest estimation of him As 1. The greatnesse of the Giver the all-sufficient self-â—ufficient God Having all happinesse fulneâ—s and perfection in himself and no way needing any of his creatures Yet he gave Christ for us 2. The eminency of the Gift or Benefit Christ is The Gift of God That is The Gift of Gifts No other Gift being comparable to him And therefore they are said to have Received no mercy that are not partakers of this mercy of mercies He is the Son of God the only begotten Son of God the brightnesse of his Fathers glory the expresse character of his person The Son of his Love Holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners and higher then the Heavens c. Who can truly know Christ and not highly esteem Christ 3. The indignity of them for whose sakes Christ was given He was intentionally indeed given for his elect sheep and for his Church But these all undone by the fall of the first Adam