a seale for as a seale set to a Deed of gift confirmeth all things therein promised So when I receiue this Sacrament it sealeth vp in my heart an assurance of all Gods promises therefore God is sayd to haue sealed vs Ephes 1.13 14. and to haue giuen vs the earnest of his spirit Now the promises which are sealed vnto vs and which faith layeth hold on this Sacrament respect 1. our Redemption 2. Reconciliation 3. Sanctification 4. Preseruation 1. Those that concerne my Redemption are these such like T it 2.14 Heb. 4.14.15 1 Ioh 3.8 that Christ died for me that he hath redeemed me from sinne and Sathan from hell from the wrath and curse of God Gal 3.13 Mat. 1.21 that hee hath saued me from all my sinnes that they are all forgiuen for his sake Gal. 4.5 and I am released of the punishment due vnto them Rom. 8.3 4 that hee hath kept the Law for me Mat. 3.15 and fulfilled all righteousnesse in my behalfe Rom. 3.24.25 Mat. 17.5 Rom. 4.21 that his righteousnesse is imputed vnto me and that God accepteth it as mine owne c. 2. Those that concerne my Reconciliation are these and such like that Christ hath reconciled me to God his Father Rom. 5.10.11 by whom I haue receiued the attonement that he hath purchased the fauour Ephe. 1.14 and good will of God towardes me that God is my Father and I am his child Gal. 4.6.7 that he loues me in Christ Ier. 31.3 and will loue me vnto the end that he is well pleased with mee in his sonne Christ Ioh. 15.8.9 10. c. that he is well pleased with my prayers 1 Ioh 5.14 to accept them and with all my workes Mat. 18.20 and exercises to giue me a blessing in them c. 3. Those which concerne our Sanctification are these and such like Ephes 1.17 18.19 that I shall receiue the spirit of Christ whereby I shall be endued not onely with knowledge faith repentance the gift of prayer 2 Cor. 12.9 and all other graces necessarie for mee but also that I shall bee sanctified throughout 1 The. 5.23 both in spirit soule and bodie and this will appeare when my minde shall abound with all good motions Rom. 8.29 and heauenly meditations Ephes 4.23 24. when my heart shall be filled with all righteousnesse in Christ Phil. 1.11 with all good desires holy affections when my will shall be subiect Luk. 22.42 and obedient to the will of God 2 Cor. 10.5 when my words shall be the words of God able to edifie Ephe. 4.29 and minister grace to the hearers when my workes shall be such 1 Tim. 2.10 as becommeth them that professe the feare of God when I shall be a vessell vnto honour sanctified 2 Tim. 2.21 and meete for my masters vse and when I shall serue God in loue and good workes that the name of our Lord Iesus may be glorified in me 2 Thes 1.11.12 and I in him 4. Those which concerne my Preseruation are these such like that I am an heire of saluation Heb. 1.14 sealed vp vnto the day of Redemption Rom. 8.17 Ephes 4.30 so that the Lord will deliuer me from euery euill worke 2 Tim. 4.18 and preserue me vnto his kingdome which is kept for me and I for it 1 Pet. 1.3.4.5 Hee hath promised to send his Angels to attend Heb. 1.14 and waite vpon me day and night Psal 34.7 to defend and keepe mee from all dangers Psal 91.11.12 c. and to minister and bring to my hand all things necessary for me c. 3. This Sacrament must be applyed as a Communion for as it is called a supper and a seale so a Communion by reason of that Communion and fellowship the Communicant hath with Christ and his fellow members 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of blessing which we blesse is it not a Communion The application is true and sound first when I feele that I am in the presence of God Isa 44.10 and that my soule hath communion and fellowship with God the Father Zoph 3 17 and with his sonne Iesus Christ Ioh 14.16 23. Ioh 17.20 as verily as my bodie hath communion with bread and wine 2. When that I feele I haue fellowship and communion with all the Saints of God Ephes 3.7 that I am vnseparablie knit ioyned to all my neighbours 1 Cor. 10.17 1 Ioh 1.7 1 Cor. 12.13.25 Rom. 12.10 Ephes 4 16. Act. 4.32 and brethren by loue doe liue in the practise of loue like a liuely and feeling member of the bodie Vse 1 Vse 1. This confutes the Papists that hold it sufficient to looke and gaze on this Sacrament in the Pixe to worship it but not to apply it the Laitie are debarred from it that it might not profit them Vse 2. Must this Sacrament bee particularly applyed this sheweth that many receiuing it receiue little profit by it for want of application some receiue in 1. ignorance 2. others vnprepared 3. other some for fashion 4. others because the season serueth 5. others for satisfaction of their taste 6. others to feede their bodies few for the right end and vse Vse 3. Disburden thy selfe of all worldly thoughts and vaine cogitations and let thy soule be as emptie of them as the poore mans cofer is of gold and Iewels hereby a way is paved to walke in heauenly meditations and freedome purchased to thinke seriously vpon this Sacrament The fourth and last dutie touching our good behauiour in the action of receiuing the Sacrament is that we must receiue it with ioy and delight In the Scripture it is called a feast Reu. 19.7 a banquet it is compared to the Marriage feast of the Kings son Mat. 22.2 As the guests that are called to such feasts doe much reioyce so must we when we come to this heauenly feast like the Children of Israell that obserued the feast of vnleauened bread seuen dayes with great gladnesse 2 Chro. 30.21.22 c. Our ioy in this banquet should exceed all other reioycings in naturall or temporall feasts should stoope vnto it In this is a kingdome righteousnesse peace Rom. 14.17 and ioy in the holy Ghost in those nothing but bodily sustenance This ioy will encrease as our assurance of Gods mercy towards vs encreaseth The holy Ghost who is our earnest penie Ephe. 1.13.14 is giuen vnto vs to assure vs of the fulfilling of Gods promises so that hauing receiued him and feeling him stirred vp in vs more and more by this Sacrament 2 Cor. 1.12 we reioyce vnder the hope of the glorie of God 2 Co. 5.5.6 yea as the Apostle sayth we haue cause to reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 A good shew of ioy and gladnesse did many of the Iewes then giue
the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word may bee established c. This is the friendlâ— course which we must take witâ— an offensiue neighbour And he chance to be absent that wâ— cannot reproue him to his facâ— yet wee must not publish hâ— shame behinde his backe He that vttereth infamie is a foolâ— The secret faults of our neighbours we are to conceale Pro. 10.18 and couer if they be committed oâ— infirmitie 1 Pet. 4.8 for Loue couereth 〈◊〉 multitude of faults The fift marke of our reconciliation with our brethren is a compassionate and a fellow feeling ioy or miserie A truly reconciled neighbour is a Samaritan Luk. 10.33 grieuing at the trouble of his brother he will set to his shoulders and lift him vp yea euery way he offereth himselfe willing and readie to helpe and â—elieue him to the vttermost of his power and abilitie In this respect Paul gaue great commendations of the Macedoniâ—ns That to their power yea 2. Cor. 8.1.2.3 and â—eyond their power they were wilâ—ing of themselues to relieue one â—nother in their pouertie and â—aiserie And according to this rule â—nd example the same Aâ—ostle exhorted the Romanes to â—eioyce with them that reioyce Rom. 12.15 and 〈◊〉 weepe with them that weepe And the Phillippians Phil. 2.4 Not to â—oke euery man on his own things â—ut euery one also on the things of â—thers Obiection But must we in all â—ccasions be so affected as our â—eighbours Ob. Sol No Sol. the drunkard doth reioyce in his drinking It is sport to a foole to do wickedly Pro. 10.23 and folly is ioy to him that is destitute of vnderstanding Pro. 15.21 let them reioice alone let vs rather weepe Againe Many will weepe when they are crossed in their tasts 2 Sam. 13.2 as Amnon is sicke for his sister Thamar and Ahab for Naboth his Vincyard 1. Kin. 21.4 Here we are not to weepe with them but for them Vse Is it so that we must prepare our selues before we come to the Lords Supper by examining our selues first touching our sinnes secondly Our Reconciliation with God thirdly Our Reconciliation with our brethren Then in this poynt as in a glasse we may see howe many sorts of people fayle in their preparation and commit a fearefull sinne and profit little or nothing at all by this hoâ—y ordinance of God First all such as remaine in the obduracy and hardnesse of their hearts and neuer enter into Examination of themselues for their sinnes These are they who neuer take the glasse of Gods law into their hands to see and behold their owne filâ—hinesse Glasses they will â—ake into their hands to see and â—ehold their owne beautie â—ride vanitie of apparell c. But not to see their ignorance â—runkennesse infidelitie pride of minde swearing contempt of God and his ordinances fornication c. they neuer â—ring themselues to the Barre of Gods Iudgement arraignâ—ng accusing iudging and condemning themselues for their sinnes but rather like the proud Pharisie they iustifie and excuse themselues they are no such great offenders as men take them for they hope they are prepared c. Well the Lord sayth to all these Psal 50. What doe you with mine ordinances and hate to be reformed casting my Lawes behinde your backes I will wound your hairie pate and the scalpe of all those that sleepe in sinne and so God in the seueritie of Iustice sharpens his wrath against them that the edge of it might bee keene in the day of wrath Therefore let all such neuer dare to come to this Table in their pollutions Will a man entertaine a filthie Leprous guest or shall he haue a kinde welcome to his Table â—hat comes in a besmeared and dirtie apparell No surely No more will God suffer polluted and filthy persons to eate of his Table and though they come and sit downe as many sinfull men doe yet they are not welcome guests and as the saying is He had rather haue their roome then their companie Secondly there are another sort that faile in their Preparation namely such as are more ciuill and peraduenture breake not out into such outrage of sinning as the former doth yet are secure and labour not to know whether they be in the state of grace or reconciled vnto God or no they examine not their faith and Repentance by the signes of faith and Repentance they can be content with the bare names of Faith and Repentance though they haue no true signes of faith and repentance though they bee neither seasoned with the spirit of Grace nor weaponed with spirituall strength to fight against the aduersaries of the soule nor fruitfull in faith bringing forth aboundantly the fruits thereof though they be neuer touched with inward griefe nor reformed in their wayes these are like the church of Sardi Reu. 3.1 they would haue a name that they liue whereas they are dead But let them bee warned neuer to aduenture to eate of this Sacrament till they be better prepared be that in deed which they appeare to be God delights not in such seruants that presume to walke in their Masters apparell he will not be mocked with such deceitfull formes The third sort that fayle in their PreparatioÌ„ are those that say they loue God and yet hate their neighbors or if they loue them it is not apparant but their loue is vnder a shadow If at any time wrong bee offered them it cannot be borne nor brooked they cannot forgiue and forget corrupt nature hath so lessoned them Veterem ferendo Iniuriam inuitas nouam that by putting vp one wrong they thinke they open a sluce for the entrance of many more nay they hold it a signe of a poore and a cowardly spirit It is courage and manlinesse say they to reuenge iniuries and wrongs Is it manlinesse Nay it is foolishnesse Eccles 7.9 Anger sayth Salomon that is desire of Reuenge resteth in the bosome of fooles Nay it is brutishnesse anger a dogge and he will flie in your face touch an Asse he will wince and kicke and fling 1. So doe these foole-hardie and Beast-wittie-fellowes Nay it argues rottennesse at the core as when a man cannot endure to be touched it is a signe he is not sound so not to endure a crosse word without thoughts of reuenge is a signe of an vnsound and corrupt minde 2. Others there be that neuer will make amends or restitution to their neighbour but seeke for more and like Pharoahs seuen leane kine would deuour as much as they could lay their hands on 3. Others in stead of doing one good turne for another inuent what mischiefe they can against their neighbours they render euill for good and seeke to harme them of whom they haue receiued good 4. Others when they should prepare couers and cures for the offences of their neighbours as fast as they breed them being offences through infirmity lay
dangerous and fearefull for it argueth plainly that they haue sicke and leane soules though healthfull and fat bodies their faith and feeling is almost if not altogether dead and except they get some good helpe in some seasonable time they will vtterly perish 2. Here is a cooler to the itch of ambition to the thirst of couetousnesse Isa 55.2 Why lay you out your money and not for bread and your labour without being satisfied Our soule can finde no more rest in any earthly thing then Noahs Doue out of the Arke therefore as she returned to the Arke so must thou returne to God that made thee for himselfe The circular world cannot fill the triangular heart no more then a Circle can fill a triangle still there will be some emptie corners Nothing can fill the heart but that fulnesse which is in Iesus And therefore pursue thy desires these earthly things as earnestly as thou wilt and get of them what thou canst and delight thy selfe in thy fooles Paradise promising this and that contentment in the end thy thirst will be greater then it was in the beginning thy bread will proue grauell thy honie gall thy wine vineger thy fish Serpents Ipsa etiam vota post vsum fastidio sunt quae mereri optauimus vbi meruerimus abdicamus All earthly things are sweeter in the ambition then in the fruition After the vse we euen loath the things that wee haue often desired and those things that we haue desired to obtaine when wee haue obtained we reiect Vse 3 3. Take notice of the great lets and many impediments of this spirituall thirst and longing desire 1. The first is Ignorance men know not therefore they affect not Christ in this Sacrament If thou hadst knowne the gift of God Ioh 4.10 thou wouldest haue asked and he would haue giuen thee waters of life Because men cānot discerne with the eye of sense this spirituall water they neuer affect nor thirst after it whence it comes to passe that they stand as it were with Tantalus of whom the Poet speakes vp to the chin in water yet die for water they sit as it were in the midst of a richly furnished Table and yet pine away for want of cheare If we want them it is because we do not hunger and thirst after them for onely he that hungreth and thirsteth is called to them and Christ will only giue to him that hungreth and thirsteth to eate drinke of them 2. The second impediment is hardnesse of heart this is worse then the former for that cannot affect because it knoweth not this will not tho it know It is an hard matter to get a drop of water out of a flint and as hard a matter to soften it though riuers of waters be powred on it So it is with many a man the hardnesse of his heart is so inuincible that it cannot relent neither will one drop of the dewes of Heauen peirce it further then the outside like the heate of the Sunne that getteth not further into the tree then the outside 3. The third is securitie ioyned with extreme neglect men are carelesse of the benefits that may be reaped in this Sacrament and so cast it off like a begger that might grow to some better estate yet castes vp all care foldeth his hands together putteth them into his bosome and lets the squares goe as they will Vse 4 4 Vse Let vs thirst after Christ in this Sacrament exhibited to beleeuers Psal 42.1 as the heart panteth after the water brookes so let our soules pant after him Aristot de Historia animalium lib. 6. cap. 9. Lucretius lib. 6. Oppianus lib 2. de Venatione The Philosophers obserue of the Hart that being pursued by dogs in hunting by reason of heat and losse of breath he hasteneth to the Riuers or wearied in fight with a Serpent or stung or wounded by him while the Serpent resteth on the ground he seeketh to some colde fountaine whereby the infection of the venome receiued may bee abated Euen so such as are wounded and strucken of the old serpent must haue recourse vnto Christ not onely to behold him with the eye of faith but also to take him and taste him by the hand stomacke of faith that they may be headed For he is the fountaine and head-spring of all grace it is he that sendeth life sense motion and direction into all his members resembled in that holy oyntment which ran downe from Aarons head and beard Psal 133.2 euen to the skirts of his garment He is that blessed bread in this sacrament which being worthily eaten openeth the eyes of the receiuer Hee is that Rocke flowing with Honey 1 Sam. 14.27 that reuiueth the fainting spirits of euery true Ionathan that tastes it with the mouth of faith He is the true Bread of life and heauenly Manna which if we shall duely eate will nourish our soules for euer vnto life eternall How should then our soules make vnto Christ that request from a spirituall desire which the Capernaites did from a carnall motion Ioh 6.34 Lord euermore giue vs this bread The speciall meanes to come by this hunger and thirst is a consideration of mans miserie and Gods mercie the way to discerne this hunger and thirst is by the signes thereof 1. By a sense of paine in the stomacke 2. By a want and emptinesse 3. By an eager desire of a supply Thus much of the duties touching our good behauiour before we receiue The second sort of duties in our good behauiour at the time of receiuing follow in order They are foure 1. We are to receiue this Sacrament as an instrument appointed of God to conuay Christ and his benefits vnto vs if we beleeue 2. Wee must receiue it with feare and reuerence seeing it is Gods ordinance yet not to adore and worship it seeing it is not God but his ordinance 3. We must make a particular application thereof to our selues 4. We must receiue it with ioy and delight FIrst we must receiue this Sacrament being prepared and presenting our selues therunto not onely as a signe to signifie Christ and his benefits but also as a voluntarie Instrument 1 Thes 2.13 appoynted of God for the conuaying of sauing grace into our hearts I call it a voluntarie Instrument because it is the will and appoyntment of God to vse it as a certaine outward meanes of grace It is an Instrument because when wee vse it aright according to Gods institution then God answerable by it conferreth grace vnto vs. It may be sayd to be an Instrument to conferre Grace two wayes 1. By the signification thereof 2. By the confirmation First By the signification thereof for God testifieth his good will and pleasure partly by the word of promise partly by the Sacrament The signes representing to the eyes that which the word to the cares being also types and certaine Images of the very same things
vs in bestowing vpon vs a singular and a rare banquet He hath not dealt so with euery Nation Psa 147.20 So should we shew mercie vnto our poore brethren in bestowing some reliefe vpon them according to our abilitie 1 Cor. 16. 1 Rom. 15.25 Qui copiosiores sunt volūt pro arbitrio quisque suo quod visum est contribuunt quod ita colligitur apud praepositum deponitur c. Iustin Martyr Apolog 2. This was practised in the Primitiue Churches Collections and Loue-feastes were made for the reliefe of the poore Saints those of the richer sort finding themselues willing to giue something did contribute as they thought fit and that which was giuen and collected publiquely the Ouerseers did so dispose of that poore widdowes fatherlesse children and all sicke lame impotent persons found helpe And as in publique so also in priuate it behoueth vs to yeeld them some reliefe and to send vnto them of our superfluity as in Nehemiahs time vpon the Sabboth Nehe. 8.10 after the hearing of the Word c. the people did eate and sent part vnto them for whom none was prouided Vse 1 Vse 1. This doctrine may shew vs that most men though by name they be called Christians yet walke vnworthie of this high and honourable calling whereunto they are called they goe on in sinne without Repentance and do what they can to disgrace the Lord and Author of their profession giuing iust cause of offences both to God and the world vnlesse they reforme their liues and labour to be purged from all filthinesse of the flesh 2 Cor. 7.1 and spirit their end will be fearefull It will be the eternall destruction of their bodies and soules Of these prophane Esaues and fleshly Libertines S. Paul maketh mention saying Phil. 3.18.19 There be many that walke he spake passionately with teares who are the enemies of Iesus Christ whose end is destruction Our Sauiour Christ sayth Mat. 18.7 Woe vnto the world because of offences yea woe be to that man by whom the offence commeth Doest thou heare this thou that liest in ignorance that giuest thy selfe to drunkennesse to contempt of the Word and Sacraments c. then lay it to thy heart thy end if thou continue in this course is damnation and that which thou most delightest in shal be thy sorrow and thy glorie shall be turned into shame It had bin as good for thee to haue had a Milstone long agoe tyed about thy neck and thy selfe throwne into the bottome of the Sea then to haue liued to the offence of GOD and scandalized his Church It is too much that thou thy selfe should bee euill spoken of but the holy Gospel with the profession of it and the whole companie of religious and godly people by thy meanes to be blasphemed is most horrible and cannot bee without the curse of God Oh therefore I beseech and entreat you in the feare of God Sic viuite vt nemo de vobis male loqui absque mendacio possit Hierot Epist ad Caelum de Institut Matrisfam when wicked men are giuen to speak euill of you make them eate their words and so liue that none may speake euill of you but that all the world may see they lie Remember God hath called you not to vncleannesse 1 Thes 4.7 but vnto holinesse euery thing in his Calling sauoureth of holinesse 2 Tim. 1.9 the Calling is holy 1 Pet. 1.15 the Caller is holy the meanes and instrument is holy Ioh 17.17 the immediate worker which is the Spirit is the fountaine of all holinesse Oh then walke worthie of this calling Vse 2 Vse 2. This may shew vs if we trie our selues by the former signes whether we walke worthie of our Calling and liue according to our profession the badge and cognisance whereof we haue alreadie receiued If we resist sin and Sathan and suffer neither of them to raigne in nor ouer vs if we take heed that we be not spotted of this present euill world if we loue our brethren and the members of Christ and with chearfulnes helpe them in their present exigents then we haue receiued grace by vertue of this heauenly Manna and walke in our Callings to Gods glorie and the edifying of his Church But on the other side if we neither resist Sathan nor sinne but giue them house-roome inhabitation if we cannot in any sense commiserate and helpe the necessities of our brethren then we haue but the name of the Calling of Christianitie Christians indeed wee are not and deseruedly may grieous imputations be cast vpon vs. Vse 3 Vse 3. Seeing after the receipt of the Sacrament the workes of mercie are to bee remembred and the wants of the poore relieued iustly may they bee blamed that depart the Congregation giue nothing to the poore whose bowels sound like Shaulmes for want of foode and whose faces gather blacknesse through famine We haue those that receiue the Sacrament and yet so miserable and so voyd of the bowels of compassion that they can suffer the pitifull child halfe starued and hanging vpon their mothers breast to crie out ready to giue vp the ghost Where is bread and where is drinke And the hearts of the parents to fall asunder like drops of water because they haue not to giue vnto them I would wish these to remember the Parable of the rich Glutton and poore Lazarus Lak 16. and the manner of the last Iudgement Mat. 25. where the wicked are reproued not for murder or whoredome though they shall be damned for these but for vnmercifulnesse being fed themselues they would not giue any foode to the needie There is no loue of God in such 1 Ioh 3.17 Some are so eager in scraping for their heires that the poore can get nothing but that surely is best laid vp which is layd vp in Christs almes boxe which is the poore mans hand for he and his shall finde the benefite of it afterwards Some in matter of Almes 1 Sam. 25.10.11 haue Nabals answere they haue families of their owne should they take and giue to others Some stand vpon their termes they will giue but with to wicked men Yes to them in great and extreame necessitie some indeed to spare their purses will pretend either that the persons be wicked or that they know them not to bee good But mans nature is to be pitied euen in an euill man he which giues to a sinner not because he is a sinner Non peccatorem sed iustumpauperens nutrit quia millo non culpam sed naturam diligit c. Grego mag but because he is a man relieueth not a sinfull but a righteous poore man because hee respects not his fault but his nature Mercy vseth not to iudge of deserts but to helpe necessitie Some would giue but they plead their owne pouertie What thou wantest in purse bestow in prayers to God for them