the new testament wherin we are washed with water in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost to signifie that we are receiued to grace by the vertue of Christs death that by bloud wee are clensed from our sinnes and are regenerate by his spirit and therin are bound to testifie a newnesse of life after our new birth This baptisine conteineth three things The signe water the ceremonie the sprinkling of the water and the things themselues viz. the sprinkling of Christs blood and the imputation of his righteousnes This other of the Supper of the Lord representeth likewise Christ crucified and assureth vs that by his death we are freelie saued from the malediction of the lawe assuring our selues that as our mouthes receiue the bread and wine so our soules receyue Christ and his righteousnes These Sacraments are as conduits to conueigh Gods graces vnto vs the one is to purge our soules from sinne the other is to feede vs after we be purged The first is a bath made of Christ his owne blood to wash and bathe our wounds therein thesecond is amost comfortable and rich garment to couer our soules after they bee washed In the first Christ hath substituted in his place his spouse the Church to pronounce in his name remission of sinnes In the second he hath left himselfe and his owne flesh and blood sacramentally to be a precious food to cherish her withall I purpose onely at this time to shewe you the comfort and edification that we receiue by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper For my text doth leade me thereunto In the night that he was betrayed Heere is set downe the verie Institution of this Sacrament with circumstances thereunto belonging The Lord Iesus There is the author of it In the night There is the time He tooke bread There is the signe He gaue thanks That is the first action in the sacrament Hee brake it There is the ceremonie Hee gaue it There is the vse of it Saying Take eate this is my body There is the fruit of it Do it in remembrance of mee There is the charge of it When Christ died the law ended and the Gospel reuiued after his death circumcision was abolished and the Pascal lamb no more vsed for that the law and ceremonies thereof were now to haue an end In steed wherof he instituted these two sacraments Baptisme for circumcision and for the Pascall lambe his last Supper so called for that it was instituted in the night that hee was betrayed Much neede not bee spoken concerning the Author of this institution onely wee are here called vppon for a most dutifull reuerence in the celebration thereof since it is heere noted by the Apostle to proceed immediatly from Christ If it had pleased God to haue vsed the ministery of an angel or of maÌ„â—in the deliuering forth of this sacrament we had notwithstanding beene pressed to a carefull obseruation thereof But to the end he might stamp in this holy mysterie a greater impression of excellencie in regard of the singular comfort lapt vp in the same therefore hee hath conueyed it vnto vs imediatly from himselfe It ought therefore to be more highly reckoned euen for his sake that was the authour of it For if the woord spoken by Angells was Heb. 2. 2. stedfast and euery transgression receiued a iust recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation which first was preached by the Lord himselfe and was afterwardes confirmed by them that heard him The people of Israel did not omit to obserue the Passeouer throughout their generations because Moses the seruaunt of God had so commanded them Much more carefull ought we to be in the retaining of this Sacrament since not Moses but Christ himselfe hath coÌ„manded vs to obserue the same for euer throughout our generations For this man is counted more worthy of glorie than Moses inasmuch as he is more excellent then the Angells being the brightnes of the glorie and the ingraued forme of Heb. 1. 3. his person as we reade in the author to the Hebrewes In the night that he was betrayd at his betraying he ordained this sacrament comfort was reuealed vnto vs when christ was discoÌ„forted When he was in greatest heauines he prepared for vs a solemne feast euen a more sumptuous banquet then that of Ahaâ—uerus for whoso eateth of this bread shall liue for euer A better and more nourishing meate is here presented vnto vs than Sampson found in the dead lion Iudas and the scribes were this night deuising how to betray Christ how to destroy him that should haue saued them But Christ was deuising how to finish the worke of our redemption and to fulfill his fathers will Iudas was deuising how to take away his masters life but Christ was deuising how to giue them life who were dead in the life of grace Iudas as he was wont to carry the bagge so Ioh. 12. 6. he thought to mend the bagge as Gehezi thought to inrich himselfe with Naamans 2. Kin. 5. 22. gold He sold Christ in that night for mony but Christ bought vs with a deerer price than sâ—luer or gold for it cost him his heart bloud all this amplifieth the greatnesse of the loue wherewith he loued vs. In the night when he was betrayed It was a bitter night an heauy night vnto Christ as the history of his Passion declareth a night of sorrow and anguish a night of perplexity and feare a night wherein all the sorowes of death gate hold vpon him What a night was it to see his owne disciples forsake him how grieuously was he troubled in Gethsemaneh himselfe testified â—is exceeding sorow when he said my soule â—s heauy vnto the death Looke the twenty sixt of Mathew twise he repeateth his passionate prayer O lette this cuppe passe from me What a terror was it vnto him to see his owne Disciple Iudas come and betray him with a kisse a great multitude following him with swords and staues to take him And when they had takeÌ„ him what iniury did they not vnto him how was he mocked spitted at and beaten with fists Such a bitter night was it vnto Christ but it was to vs a night more comfortable than the day of our birth a night brighter than the brightest day â—a night more comfortable vnto vs then that night of deliuerance was to Exod. 12. the Israelites when they went out of Aegypt from Pharaoh and from the Aegyptians for in this night was the mystery of our redemption begun He tooke breade Now we are come to the institution As there is no substance with out his shadow so there is no Sacrament without his signe And the signe in this Sacrament is the bread and wine God in these familiar matters shrowdetâ— instruction of greater mysterie We are best acquainted with the vse oâ— bread and we well know what strength our bodies receiue by it the same and more is
Christs body should be offered and his bloud powred out for our sinnes Giuen for vs. Here is all merite excluded the meere loue of God caused Christ to die for vs. So God loued the word that he gaue his only begotten Son that so many as beleeued on him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Hauing now the participation of his bodie and bloud we may sing with S. Paul now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus God spared not his only sonne but gaue him for vs al to death and again who shall condemne it is Christ who is dead or rather who is â—isen for vs. This should make vs loue God and this should stirre vs vp to be thankfull vnto him for so inestimable a benefit And God doth call vpon vs for this thankfulnes in the following words Doe it in remembrance of me O it is a thing especially to be remembred this benefit of our redemption O it ought to be printed vpon our nailes and vpon our tables and vpon our beds that we might neuer forget it Let vs remember Christ his death for it is our life it saues vs from death euen eternal death Dauid could say of Ierusalem If I forget Psa 137. 5. thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget her cunning yea lette my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if I preferre not Ierusalem to my cheefest ioy So let vs say the same of Christ if we forget thee O our redeemer let our right hand forget her cunning yea lette our tongues cleaue to the roofe of our mouthes if wee preferre not thy death to our cheefest ioye Remember thy creator saith the Preacher Eccle. 12 1 so I say remember also thy Redeemer Thou oughtest sooner to forget thy selfe as Messalah did his name theÌ„ to forget him that died for thee Consider this you that forget God you that dwell in sinful Ierico leaue your sinnes they procured Christs death Christ hath died for vs that henceforth we should learne to die to sinne and walke in newnesse of life knowing that our olde man is crucified with him to thend the body of sinne should be destroyed You then remember him as yee ought when you lay all the storie of his Passion before you as if you looâ—ed vppon him nowe crucified and hanging on the crosse induring all the torments and paines of hell both in body and soule for our sakes consider of all the tortures and bitter pangs of his innocent passion which Nazianzene compriseth in three words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Buffets and blowes mockes and mowes railings and reuilings whips and scourges prickes and thornes hammers and nailes cordes and ropes crosse and gibbet thirst and vinegar reede and speare these were the instruments of our redemption Al this and more then can be vttered did he sustain patiently for our sakes in his most blessed body Which though they be now past in him ought not lightly to passe from vs but euer to be fresh in memorie as Dauid saide I will neuer forget these iustifications of thine so let vs say we will neuer forget these torments of thine The christian soules of men should liue Act. 7 55 and die in the meditation of Christs life and death like Stephan in the contemplating of his glory If the Philosophers call contemplation the greatest and chefest felicitie certainelie then in this contemplation consists the greatest felicity The forgetfulnes of this benefite driues vs blindfolded into al sin for wheÌ„ we forget Christ we straightwaies forget our selues too and so this proud flesh of ours wil not suffer vs to crucifie our crooked affections What flesh can be proud that beholdeth our Sauiour so poore and contemptible vpon the crosse or what soule hauing any spark of grace like the maimed faith of Agrippa caÌ„ nowe giue himselfe ouer vnto sinne considering the seueritie of Gods iustice vppon his owne naturall and only begotten Sonne for our sinnes which otherwise could not be cleered but by so deere a price euen the hart bloud of so glorious a person But of this inough although inough can neuer be spoken and it ought rather to bee mused vpon in our harts than amplified in words Here may wise men studie and wonder like the disciples gazing after Iesus ascending or like Elisha when his maister was taken from him I will end with the woordes of this shorte charge in this place Do it in remembraunce of Christ Remember Christ hath redeemed you Christ hath reconciled you his bloud hath purged you his faith doth iustifie you his appearing will glorifie you to him with the father and the holy spirite bee glory for euer Amen Christ Combating with Satan Then was Iesus ledde aside by the spirit into the Wildernesse to be tempted of the diuell And when hee had fasted forty dayes and fortye nights he was at the last an hungry Then came to him the Tempter and sayd if thou be the Sonne of God command these stones to be made bread c. Math. 4. 1. This Historye is recorded for our learning and for our exhortation for our learning to the end we should know that Christ by this his faste hunger temptation and victory ouer Satan did all this for our sakes and therein worketh our good and safetie The faithfull in Christ must know that they shall neuer be left in temptation nor ouercome in affliction because our head Christ Iesus hath in his owne person ouercome al these things for vs according to that sweete testimony of himselfe in the 16. of Iohn Be of good cheere I haue ouercome the world We are exhorted after this example of Christ to indure hunger temptation and any necessitie or crosse of affliction soeuer that God shal lay vpon vs when and so ofteÌ„ as it shall please God to exercise vs with any such triall arming our selues with patience and much constancie and we shall vndoubtedly be deliuered at Gods hands al in good time God wil comfort vs when we are most pinched as in this place hee comforted his sonne after his long fast by causing the Angels to minister vnto him In the time of trouble and heauines when wee combat with the diuel and our owne flesh comfort seemes for a time to be hid like fire that is raked vp in the ashes vntil the bellowes of Gods prouidence blowe vpon it and then it shewes it selfe vpon a sodaine like the sunne out of a cloude when the storme is past God requireth that we stay his leysure and at length though his helpe and succor seeme as farre from vs as Lazarus in Abrahams Luc. 16 22. bosome yet it wil come at last to do vs most good as the Sunne that was rising is risen and as the sheaues fell afore Ruth in the gleaning time If when wee bee no sooner downe God presently raiseth vs vp Ruth 2 16. why here can bee no triall of patience but God is woont to leaue vs for a time to the
Lord. I haue also with holden the raine from â—oâ— when there were yet three moneths to the haruest and yet you haue not retourned vnto me I haue smitten your fieldes with blasting and mildew your great gardens and vineyards I haue sent the pestilence amoÌ„g you to deuoure you and still concludeth euery plague with this bitter complaint and yet you haue not returned vnto me sayth the Lord. There are none of the aforesayd plagues â—ut haue bin inflicted vpon vs yet we shew no reformation It is not long since God strooke vs with the rod of pestilence being a generall plague that did spreade it selfe ouer all the land and almost ouer euery particular congregation and yet that did not humble vs. What heart can think of the sorrows of that time without compunction or what eye can looke back to the ruines of those times without compassion Was any sorrow since that time like the sorrowes then when the fattest and welthiest of vs were compelled to seeke our bread with sighes and to giue our pleasant things for mâ—ate to refresh our soules What a time of sorrow and perplexity was it to see all our friends and neighbours to stand a farre off disdaining to approach nere vs how the destroyer did besâ—â—rre himselfe in taking away the strong man the graues do yet witnes that shrowd so many corpses They who this day carried the dead bâ— dies to their graues were themselues on tâ— morrow carried by others into their grauâ— The parents mourned for the death of thâ— children and the children mourned as fâ— for the death of their parents This was the time of our visitation who now regardeth it it is al now forgottâ— like a wonder that dureth but nine daies â— that time the Lorde tooke from vs oâ— markets and faires the greatest stay of â— common wealth and not for a Sabboathâ— weekes but for many weekes many Sabbâ—oths euen a Iubile of Sabbaoths During the time of that humiliation euâ— one seemed to turne vnto the Lord and tâ— Lord turned from his fierce wrath and so tâ— plague ceased But all that is now gone from vs likâ— dreame and we haue since returned like tâ— dog to the vomite and like the filthie sow our old wallowiug in the mire And therfore a second plague hath ouâ— taken vs this plague of famine being indeeâ— so great as the like hath not bin seene in tâ— memory of any man now liuing or of our â— ther 's afore vs. This is a time wherein that proclamatioâ— â—â—ereof we reade in Ioel might wel be pubâ—shed in our streetes Heare O elders hearken O ye ancients â—hether any such thing hath bin in your Ioel 1. 2. â—ies or in the daies of your fathers tell your â—hildren these things and let your children â—â— their children and their children againe â—nother generation And we must yet looke for the coÌ„tinuance â—f this plague for till we leaue our sins God â—ill not leaue off to punish vs. I do not see any meane of reconcilement â—r pacification of this great wrath but euen nightie and strong crying vnto the Lord â—nd a generall forsaking of sinne We must â—â—ke a couenant of our selues that we will no â—ore transgres as the people did in the time â—f Iosuah When Niniueh was but threatned it speeâ—ly Ionah 3. repented the King himselfe and all the â—eople beleeued God and proclaimed a â—ast and put on sackcloth from the greatest â—â— the least of them and they cried mightily â—nto the Lord and turned from the euil way â—nd from the wickednesse that was in their â—ands and as they repented God repented â—f the euill that he determined to do vnto â—hem and he did it not Let vs humble our selues like these Niâ—uites by turning to the Lord with fastinâ— weeping and mourning for the Lord is gâ—â—cious slow to anger and of great kindnesâ— and such a one as is sory for our afflictions If we thus vnfeinedlie turne vnto the loâ—â— he will yet be iealous ouer vs to spare vs aâ— to remoue these iudgements He will yet open the windowes of heâ—uen and insteed of curses powre vpon â— twise so many blessings as he doubled to â—â— his goods insteed of scarcitie wee shall â—â— haue plentie for the mouth of the Lord haâ— spoken it I will yet send you corne and wine an oyle and you shall be satisfied the pasturâ— shall yet be greene and the fields shal reioyâ— for the haruest I will giue you the raine of righteousneâ— Ioel 2. 23. I will cause to come downe for you the firâ— and the later raine and the barnes shal be fâ— of wheat and I wil render vnto you the yeaâ— that the cankerworme hath eaten and thâ— yeares that the caterpiller hath deuoured anâ— we shall yet reioyce before the Lord eueâ— man vnder his owne vine and vnder hiâ— owâ—e figge tree Sic paucis lachrimis gaudia magna dabit foâ— a few short teares he will giue infinite ioyes such ioyes as neither eie hath seene nor eare â—ath heard nor hath it entered into the heart of man what God hath prepared for them that loue him For the accomplishing of which ioyes and finishing of these dayes of sinne O thou whom my soule loueth make haste like the Roe vpon the mountaines Amen FINIS Christ his last Supper The Lord Iesus in the same night that hee was betrayed tooke bread and when hee had giuen thankes hee brake it and gaue it to his Disciples saying Take eate this is my bodie which is giuen for you doe this as oft as you do it in remembrance of me 1. Cor. 11. 23. ALL the volume of Gods booke dooth most plentifully lay out the vnspeakable loue of God towards vs in creating vs in holines protecting vs in security froÌ„ millions of daungers which else would swallow vs vppe in gouerning vs with the scepter of his word in sanctifying vs with his comfortable spirit in illuminating vs with his knowledge but most of all for sauing vs when we had lost our selues being now redeemed not with siluer and gold but with the death of his beloued sonne Christ Iesus who humbled himselfe to the death of the Crosse and susteined all contumely shame reproch yea the very paines of hell for our sakes al for vs. All being infallible testimonies of the superabounding loue of God in giuing vs his Sonne to die for vs that so many as beleeued on him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And this loue of God is made manifest vnto vs by twoo speciall pledges or tokensâ— that is by the two sacraments that of Baptisine and this of the Supper of the Lorde Reue. 13. 8 both like Iohn Baptist doe poynt at Christ the lambe of God the slaine lambe from the beginning whom they that know not abide in wrath Both declare and shew forth Iesus Christ crucified and that wee haue remission of our sinnes in his bloud onely Baptisine is that holy institution of Christ in