Devil in the Sop and are no better than Crucifiers of the Lord of Glory As their â—…in is hainous so their punishment will be proportionable 1 Cor. 11. 29. They eat and drink damnation to themselves If one of the Vestal Nuns who had vowed her self to Religion were deflored the Romans caused her to be buried alive Such as have a Sacramental vow upon them yet afterwards deflore the Virginity of their souls byscandalous sins God will bury them alive in the flames of Hell Oh that such a lustre and majesty of holiness did sparkle forth in the lives of Communicants that others may say These have been with Jesus And their Consciences may lie under the power of this conviction that the Sacrament hath a confirming and a transforming vertue in it 4. The fourth Use is of comfort to God's people 1. From Christ's body broken and his blood poured out we may gather this comfort That it was a glorious Sacrifice 1. It was a Sacrifice of infinite merit Had it been only an Angel that suffered or had Chaist been only a meer man as some do blasphemously dream then we might have despaired of salvation but he suffered for us who was God as well as man Therefore the Apostle calls it expresly Sanguis Dei the blood of God Acts 20. 28. It is man that sins it is God that dies This is a soveraign Cordial to Believers Christ having poured out his blood now God's justice is compleatly satisfied God was infinitely more contented with Christ's sufferings upon Mount Calvary than if we had lain in Hell and undergone his wrath for ever The Blood of Christ hath quenched the flame of Divine fury And now what should we fear All our Enemies are either reconciled or subdued God is a reconciled Enemy and sin is a subdued Enemy Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is Christ that dyed Rom. 8. 34. 'T is reported when Satan once appeared to Luther and thought to affright him Luther shewed him that Scripture Gen. 3. 15. I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy head whereupon Satan vanished So when the Devil shall accuse us let us shew him the Cross of Christ. When he brings his Pensil and goes to paint our sins in their colours let us bring the Spunge of Christ's blood and that will wipe them out again All Bonds are cancel'd whatsoever the Law hath charged upon us is discharged The debt-book is crossed with the blood of the Lamb. 2. It was a Sacrifice of eternal extent The benefit of it is perpetuated Hebr. 9. 12. He entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us Therefore Christ is said to be a Priest for ever Hebr. 5. 6. because the vertue and comfort of his Sacrifice abides for ever 2. Christ's Blood being shed Believers may lay claim to all heavenly priviledges Wills are ratified by the death of the Testator Hebr. 9. 17. A Testament is of force after men are dead It is observable in the Text Christ calls his blood The blood of the New Testament Christ made a Will or Testament and gave rich Legacies to the Saints pardon of sin grace and glory the Scriptures are the Rolls wherein these Legacies are registred Christ's blood is the sealing of the Will This blood being shed Christians may put in for a Title to these Legacies Lord pardon my sin Christ hath died for my pardon Give me grace Christ hath purchased it by his Blood The Testator being dead the Will is in force Christian Art thou not filled with joy Art thou not possessed of Heaven yet thou hast this confirmed by Will A Man that hath a Deed sealed making over such Lands and Tenements after the expirement of a few years though at present he hath little to help himself with yet he comforts himself when he looks upon his sealed Deed with hopes of that which is to come So though at present we enjoy not the priviledges of Consolation and Glorification yet we may chear our hearts with this the Deed is sealed the Will and Testament is ratified by the blood-shedding of Christ. 3. Is Christ's Blood shed here is comfort against death A dying Saviour sweetens the pangs of death Is thy Lord Crucified be of good comfort Christ by dying hath overcome death He hath cut the lock of sin where the strength of death lay Christ hath knocked out the teeth of this Lyon He hath pulled the thorn out of death that it cannot prick a Believer's Conscience Hosea 13. 14. O death I will be thy plague Christ hath disarmed death and taken away all its deadly weapons that though it may strike it cannot sting a Believer Christ hath drawn the poyson out of death nay he hath made death friendly This pale Horse carries a Child of God home to his Father's house Faith gives a propriety to Heaven death gives a possession What sweet comfort may we draw from the Crucifixion of our Lord his precious blood makes the pale face of death to be of a ruddy and beautiful complexion Use ult Here is a dark side of the Cloud to all profane persons who live and die in sin they have no part in Christ's blood Their condition will be worse than if Christ had not died Christ who is a Loadstone to draw the Elect to Heaven will be a Mill-stone to sink the wicked deeper in Hell There is a Crew of sinners who slight Christ's blood and swear by it let them know his blood will cry against them They must feel the same wrath which Christ felt upon the Cross and because they cannot bear it at once they must be undergoing it to Eternity So unconceivably torturing will this be that the damned know not how to endure it nor yet how to avoid it Sinners will not believe this till it be too late The Mole is blind all its life yet as Pliny saith it begins to see when it dyes Wicked men while they live are blinded by the god of this world but when they are dying the eye of their Consciences will begin to be opened and they shall see the Wrath of God flaming before their eyes which sight will be but a sad Prologue to an Eternal Tragedy FINIS TO THE READER Christian Reader I Have according to my promise superadded a few lines suiting a Sacramental Discourse The Subject is so excellent and sublime that I cannot speak enough of it nor well enough What can be more sacred than the observing Christ's last Will and Testament Do this in Remembrance of me We are to be so solemnly affected at the Holy Supper as if we were receiving it among the Apostles from Christ's own hands This mysterious Ordinance is to be perpetuated till Christ's coming to judgment 1 Cor. 11. 26. The Supper of the Lord is a 〈◊〉
Sin and make it appear Ghastly is this It crucified our Lord It made Christ Vail his Glory and lose his Blood If a Woman did see that Sword which killed her Husband how hateful would the sight of it be to her Do we count that Sin Light which made Christ's Soul Heavy unto Death Mark 14. 34. Can that be our joy which made the Lord Jesus a man of sorrows Isa. 53. 3. Did he cry out My God why hast thou forsaken me And shall not those Sins be forsaken by us which made Christ himself forsaken O let us look upon Sin with Indignation When a Temptation comes to Sin let us say as David 2 Sam. 23. 17. Is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives So Is not this the Sin that poured out Christ's Blood Let our Hearts be enraged against Sin When the Senators of Rome shewed the people Caesar's bloody Robe they were incensed against those that slew him Sin hath rent the White Robe of Christs Flesh and dyed it of a Crimson Colour let us then seek to be avenged of our Sins Under the Law if an Oxe gored a Man that he dyed the Oxe was to be killed Exod. 21. 28. Sin hath gored and pierced our Saviour let it dye the Death What pitty is it for that to live which would not suffer Christ to live 6. Was Christ's Body broken Let us then from his suffering on the Cross learn this Lesson Not to wonder much if we meet with Troubles in the World Did Christ suffer who knew no Sin And do we think it strange to suffer who know nothing but Sin Did Christ feel the anger of God And is it much for us to feel the anger of Men Was the Head crowned with Thorns And would the Members lie among Roses Must we have our Bracelets and Diamonds when Christ had the Spear and Nails going to his heart Truly such as are guilty may well expect the lash when he who was innocent could not go free 2. The second Use is of Exhortation and it hath several Branches 1. Was Christ's precious body broken for us Let us be affected with the great goodness of Christ Who can tread upon these hot Coals and his Heart not burn Cry out with Ignatius Christ my Love is crucified If a Friend should dye for us would not our Hearts be much affected with his Kindness That the God of Heaven should dye for us how should this stupendious mercy have a melting influence upon us The body of Christ broken is enough to break the most flinty Heart At our Saviour's Passion the very Stones did cleave asunder Mat 27. 51. The Rocks rent He that is not affected with this hath an Heart harder than the Stones If Saul was so affected with Davids Mercy in sparing his Life 1 Sam. 24. 16. How may we be affected vvith Christs kindness vvho to spare our life lost his ovvn Let us pray that as Christ vvas Crucifixus so he might be Cordi-fixus As he vvas fastened to the Cross so that he may be fastened to our Hearts 2. Is Jesus Christ spiritually exhibited to us in the Sacrament Let us then set an high value and Estimate upon him 1. Let us prize Christs body Every crumb of this bread of life is precious John 6. 55. My flesh is meat indeed It is Panis eximius supersubstantialis as Cyprian calls it The Manna was a lively Type and Emblem of Christ's Body Manna was sweet Exod. 16. 31. The taste of it was like wafers made with honey it was a delicious meat therefore it was called Angels Food for its excellency So Christ the Sacramental Manna is sweet to a Believer's Soul Cant. 2. 3. His fruit was sweet to my taste Every thing of Christ is sweet His Name is sweet his Vertues sweet This Manna sweetens the Waters of Marah Nay Christ's Flesh excells Manna 1. Manna was Food but not Physick If an Israclite had been sick Manna could not have cured him but this blessed Manna of Christ's body is not only for food but for medicine Christ hath healing under his wings Mal. 4. 2. He heals the Blind eve the hard Heart Take this mediâ—…ine next your Heart and it will heal you of all your spiritual Distempers 2. Manna was Corruptible It ceased when Israel came to Canaan But this blessed Manna of Christ's Body will never cease The Saints shall feed with infinite delight and Soul satisfaction upon Christ to all Eternity The Joyes of Heaven would cease if this Manna should cease The Manna was put in a golden Pot in the Ark to be preserved there So the blessed Manna of Christ's Body being put in the golden Pot of the Divine Nature is laid up in the Ark of Heaven for the Saints to feast upon for ever Well then may we say of Christ's blessed Body It is meat indeed The Field of Christ's Body being digged upon the Cross we find the Pearl of Salvation there 2. Let us prize Christ's Blood in the Sacrament It is drink indeed John 6. 55. Here is the Nectar and Anibrosia God himself delights to taste of This is both a Balsom and a Perfume That vve may set the higher value upon the blood of Christ I shall shevv you seven rare supernatural Vertues in it 1. It is a reconciling blood Col. 1. 21. You that were sometime alienated and enemies yet now hath he reconciled through death No sooner vvas the Message brought to King David Uriah is dead 2 Sam. 11. 21. but the anger of David vvas removed No sooner vvas the blood of Christ poured out but God's anger vvas pacified Christ's blood is the blood of atonement Nay it is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely a Sacrifice but a Propitiation 1 John 2. 2. Which denoteth a bringing us into Favour with God It is one thing for a traytor to be pardoned and another thing to be brought into Favour Sin rent us off from God Christ's Blood doth soader and â—…cment us to God If we had had as much grace as the Angels it could not have wrought our Reconciliation If we had offered up Millions of Holocausts and Sacrifices if we â—…ad wept Rivers of Tears this could never have appeased an angry Deiâ—…y only Christ's blood doth ingraâ—…iate us into God's Favour and make him look upon us with a smiling Aspect When Christ dyed the Vail of the Temple was rent This was not without a Mystery to shew that â—…hrough Christ's blood the Vail of our Sins is rent which did interpose between God and us 2. Christ's blood is a quickning â—…lood John 6. 54. Whoso drinketh my blood hath eternal life It both â—…egets life and prevents death Lev. 17. 11. The life of a thing is in the â—…lood Sure enough the life of our â—…oul is in the blood of Christ. When we contract deadness of Heart
and are like Wine that hath lost the spi rits Christs blood hath an elevatinâ—… povver it puts vivacity into us mâ—… king us quick and vegete in our mo tion Isa. 40. 31. They shall mouâ—… up with wings as Eagles 3. Christ's blood is a cleansiâ—… blood Heb. 9. 14. How much morâ—… shall the blood of Christ purge your Coâ—… sciences As the Merit of Christ'â—… blood doth pacifie God so the Veâ—… tue of it doth purifie us It is Balnâ—… um coeleste the King of Heaveâ—… Bath It is Lavacrum animae a Lavâ—… to vvash in It vvashethâ—… crimson sinner milk whiteâ—… 1 Joh. 1. 7. The blood 〈◊〉 Jesus cleanseth us from aâ—… our sin The Word of Goâ—… is a Looking-glass to shew us oâ—… spots the blood of Christ is a fouâ—… tain to vvash them avvay Zac. 12. 1â—… But this blood vvill not vvash if iâ—… be mingled vvith any thing Wateâ—… vvill not vvash clean except it bâ—… mingled with Sope or Camphire â—…ut if we go to mingle any thing with Christ's Blood either the Merits of â—…oints or Prayers of Angels it will â—…ot wash Let Christ's Blood be pure â—…nd unmixed and there is no spot but â—…t will wash away It purged out â—…oahs Drunkenness Lots Incest Inâ—…eed there is one spot so black that Christ's Blood doth not wash away â—…nd that is the Sin against the Holy Ghost not but that there is Vertue â—…nough in Christ's Blood to wash it aâ—…ay but he who hath sinned that â—…n will not be washed he contemns Christ's Blood and tramples it under â—…oot Heb. 10. 29. 4. Christ's Blood is a softning â—…lood There is nothing so hard â—…ut may be softned if it lie a steep 〈◊〉 this blood it will soften a stone â—…ater will soften the Earth but it â—…ill not soften a stone but Christ's â—…lood mollifies a Stone it softâ—…s an Heart of stone It turns a Flint into a Spring The Heaâ—… which before was like a piece hewâ—… out of a Rock being steeped Christ's blood becomes soft aâ—… the waters of Repentance flow froâ—… it How was the Jaylor's Heart diâ—… solved and made tender when thâ—… blood of sprinkling was upon it Aâ—… 16. 30. Sirs What must I do to saved His heart was now like meâ—… ing Wax God might set what Sâ—… and Impression he would upon it 5. Christ's blood is a coolinâ—… blood 1. It cools the Heat of Siâ—… The Heart naturally is full of disteâ—… pered Heat it must needs be hoâ—… being set on fire of Hell It burns iâ—… Lust and Passion Christ's blood aâ—… layes this Heat it quencheth the Iâ—… flammations of Sin 2. It cools thâ—… Heat of Conscience In time of deâ—… sertion Conscience burns with thâ—… heat of God's Displeasure noâ—… Christ's blood being sprinkled upoâ—… the Conscience cools and pacifies it And in this sense Christ is compared to a River of water Isa. 32. 2. When the Heart burns and is in an agony Christ's blood is like water to the fire it hath a cooling refrigerating Vertue in it 6. Christ's blood is a comforting blood it is good against fainting Fits Christ's blood is better than Wine Though Wine chears the Heart of a Man that is well yet it will not chear his Heart when he hath a fit of the Stone or when the Pangs of Death are upon him But Christ's blood will chear the Heart at such a time It is best in affliction it cures the trembling at the Heart A Conscience sprinkled with Christ's blood can like the Nightingale sing with a Thorn at its Breast The blood of Christ can make a Prison become a Palace It turned the Martyrs Flames into Beds of Roses Christ's blood gives comfort at the hour of Death As an Holy Man once said on his Death-bed when they brought him a Julip No Julip like the Blood of Christ 7. Christ's blood is an Heaven procuring blood Israel passed through the red Sea to Canaan So through the red sea of Christ's blood we enter into the Heavenly Canaan Heb. 10. 19. Having boldness therefore to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus Our sins did shut Heaven Christ's blood is the key which opens the gate of Paradise for us Hence it is Theodoret calls the Cross 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tree of Salvation Because that blood which trickled down the Cross distills Salvation Well then may we prize the blood of Christ and vvith St. Paul determine to know nothing but Christ crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. Kings Crovvns are only Crosses but the Cross of Christ is the only Crovvn 3. Doth Christ offer his Body and blood to us in the Supper Then with what solemn preparation should we come to so sacred an Ordinance It is not enough to do what God hath appointed but as he hath appointed 1 Sam. 7. 3. Prepare your hearts unto the Lord. The Musitian first puts his Instrument in Tune before he plays The Heart must first be prepared and put in Tune before it goes to meet with God in this solemn Ordinance of the Sacrament Take heed of rashness and irreverence If we come not preparedly we do not drink but spill Christ's blood 1 Cor. 11. 27. Whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord That is saith Theophylact he shall be judged a shedder of Christ's Blood We read of a Wine-cup of fury in Gods hand Jer. 25. 15. He that comes unpreparedly to the Lords-Supper turns the Cup in the Sacrament into a Cup of fury Oh with what reverence and devotion should we address our selves to these holy Mysteries The Saints are called prepared Vessels Rom. 9. 23. If ever these Vessels should be prepared it is when they are to hold the precious Body and Blood of Christ. The sinner that is damned is first prepared Men do not go to Hell without some kind of preparation Rom. 9. 22. Vessels fitted for destruction If those Vessels are prepared which are filled with wrath much more are those to be prepared who are to receive Christ in the Sacrament Let us dress our selves by a Scripture-glasse before we come to the Lords Table And with the Lamb's Wife make our selves ready Quest. How should we be rightly qualified and prepared for the Lords Supper Answ. If we would come with prepared hearts we must come 1. With Self-examining-hearts 1 Cor. 11. 28. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread It is not enough that others think we are fit to come but we must examine our selves The Greek word to Examine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Metaphor taken from the Goldsmith who doth curiously try his Metals So before we come to the Lords Table we are to make a curious and critical trial of our selves by the Word Self-examination being a reflexive Act is difficult 'T is hard for a man to look inward
in Christ. 6. We must come with sincere hearts The Tribes of Israel being straitned in time wanted some legal Purifications yet because their hearts vvere sincere and they came vvith desire to meet vvith God in the Passeover therefore the Lord healed the people 2 Chron. 30. 19. Bad aims vvill spoil good actions An Archer may miss the mark as well by looking asquint as by shooting short What is our design in coming to the Sacrament Is it that we may have more victory over our corruptions and be more confirmed in holiness Then God will be good to us and heal us Sincerity like true Gold shall have some grains allowed for its lightness 7. We must come with hearts fired with love to Christ. The Spouse vvas in a burning fit of love Cant. 2. 6. I am sick of Love Let us give Christ the Wine of our love to drink and vveep that vve can love him no more Would vve have Christs exhilarating presence in the Supper let us meet him vvith strong indearments of affection Basil compares Love to a svveet Oyntment Christ delights to smell this perfume The Disciple that did love most Christ put him in his bosom 8. We must come vvith humble hearts We see Christ humbling himself to the death and vvill an humble Christ ever be received into a proud heart A sight of God's glory and a sight of sin may humble us Was Christ humble vvho vvas all Purity And are vve proud vvho are all Leprosie O let us come vvith a sense of our ovvn vileness Hovv humble should he be vvho is to receive an Alms of Free-grace Jesus Christ is a Lilly of the Vallies not of the Mountains Humility vvas never a loser The emptier the Vessel is and the lovver it is let dovvn into the Well the more vvater it dravvs up So the more the Soul is emptied of it self and the lovver it is let dovvn by humility the more it fetcheth out of the Well of Salvation God vvill come into an humble â—…eart to revive it Isa. 57. 15. That is none of Christ's Temple vvhich is not built vvith a lovv Roof 9. We must come vvith Heavenly hearts The mystery of the Sacrament is Heavenly vvhat should an Earth vvorm do here He is not like to feed on Christs body and blood vvho vvith the Serpent eats dust The Sacrament is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Communion 1 Cor. 10. 16. What communion can an Earthly man have vvith Christ First there must be Conformity before Communion He that is earthly is no more conformed in likeness to Christ than a clod of dust is like a Star An earthly man makes the World his god then let not him think to receive another God in the Sacrament Oh let us be in the Heavenly Altitudes and by the vving of grace ascend 10. We must come vvith Believing hearts Christ gave the Sacrament to the Apostles principally as they vvere Believers Such as comâ—… faithless go avvay fruitless Nor is it enough to have the habit of faith but vve must exsert and put forth the vigorous actings of faith in this Ordinance 1. Let us exercise the eye of faith Faith hath an Eagle's eye it pierceth into things far remote from sense Faith takes a Prospect of Heaven it discerns him who is invisible Heb. 11. 27. It beholds a beauty and fulness in Christ it sees this beauty shining through the latice of an Ordinance Faith vievvs Christs love streaming in his blood Look upon Christ vvith believing eyes and you shall one day see him vvith glorisied eyes 2. Exercise the mouth of Faith Here is the bread broken What use is there of bread but to feed on Feed upon the bread of God Adam dyed vve live by eating In the Sacrament vvhole Christ is dished-out to us the Divine and Humane nature all kind of vertue comes from Him Mortifying mollifying comforting Oh then feed on him This grace of Faith is the great grace to be set on vvork at the Sacrament Quest. But doth the vertue lie simply in Faith Answ. Not in faith considered purely as a grace but as it hath respect to the Object The vertue is not in faith but in Christ. A Ring vvhich hath a precious stone in it vvhich vvill staunch blood vve say the Ring stauncheth blood but the vertue doth not lie barely in the Ring but in the stone in the Ring So Faith is the Ring Christ is the precious stone all that faith doth is to bring home Christs merits to the soul and so it justifies the vertue is not in faith but in Christ. Quest. But Why should faith carry away more from Christ in the Sacrament than any other grace Answ. 1. Because Faith is the most receptive grace it is the receiving of gold enricheth So faith receiving of Christ's merits and silling the Soul with all the fulness of God it must needs be an enriching grace In the Body there are Veins that suck the Nourishment which comes into the stomack and turn it into blood and spirits Faith is such a sucking vein that draws vertue from Christ therefore is called a precious faith 2 Pet. 1. 1. 2. Faith hath more of Christ's benefits annexed to it because it is the most humble grace If Repentance should fetch Justification from Christ a man would be ready to say This was for my tears but Faith is humble it is an empty hand and What merit can be in that Doth a poor man reaching out his hand merit an Alms So that because faith is humble and gives all the glory to Christ and Free-grace hence it is God hath put so much honour upon it This shall be the grace to which Christ and all his merits belong Therefore above all graces set faith a work in the Sacrament Faith fetcheth in all provisions This is the golden Bucket that draws water out of the Well of life But there is a Bastard-faith in the World Pliny tells of a Cyprianstone which is in colour and splendor like the Diamond but it is not of the right kind it will break with the Hammer So there is a false faith which sparkles and makes a shew in the eye of the World but it is not genuine it will break with the Hammer of persecution Therefore to prevent mistakes that we may not be deceived and think we believe when we presume I shall give you six differences between a sincere faith which is the flower of the Spirit and an hypocritical faith which is the fruit of fancy 1. An Hypocritical faith is easily come by It is like the seed in the Parable which sprung up suddenly Mar. 4. 5. A false faith shoots up without any convictions and soul-humblings As Isaac said Gen. 27. 20. How camest thou by thy Venison so soon So how comes this man by his faith so soon Sure it is of an heterogeneal nature and will quickly wither away But true faith being
an Outlandish Plant and of an heavenly extract is hardly come by it costs many a sigh and tear Acts 2. 37. This spiritual Infant is not born without pangs 2. An Hypocritical faith is afraid to come to tryal The Hypocrite had rather have his faith commended than examined He can no more endure a Scripture-trial than counterfeit Metal can endure the Touchstone He is like a man that hath stollen-Goods in his House and is very unwilling to have his House searched So the Hypocrite hath gotten some stollen-Goods which the Devil hath helped him to and he is loth to have his heart searched whereas true faith is willing to come to a trial Psal. 26. 2. Examine me O Lord and prove me try my reins and heart David was not afraid to be tried by a Jury No though God himself were one of the Jury Good Wares are never afraid of the light 3. An Hypocritical faith hath a slight esteem of true Faith The Hypocrite hears others speak in the commendation of faith but he wonders where the vertue of it lies he looks upon faith as a Drugg or some base Commodity that will not off he will part with all the faith he hath for a piece of silver and perhaps it might be dear enough of the price But that man who hath true faith he sets an high value upon it he reckons this grace among his Jewels What incorporates him into Christ but faith What puts him into a state of Sonship but faith Gal. 3. 26. Oh precious faith A Believer would not exchange his shield of faith for a Crown of gold 4. An Hypocritical faith is lame on one hand With one hand it would take Christ but it doth not with the other hand give up it self to Christ. It would take Christ by way of surety but not give up it self to him by way of surrender whereas true faith is impartial it takes Christ as a Saviour and submits to him as a Prince Christ saith With my Body and my Blood I thee endow and faith saith With my soul I thee worship 5. An Hypocritical faith is impure The Hypocrite saith he believes yet goes on in sin He is all Creed but no Commandment He believes yet will take God's Name in vain Jer. 3. 4 5. Wilt not thou cry unto me My Father thou art the guide of my youth behold thou hast done evil things as thou couldst These Impostors would call God their Father yet sinned as fast as they could For one to say he hath faith yet lives in sin is as if a man should say he were in health yet his vitals are perished but a true faith is joined with sanctity 1 Tim. 3. 9. Holding the mystery of faith in a pure Conscience The Jewel of faith is always put in the Cabinet of a good Conscience The Woman that touched Christ by faith felt an healing vertue come from him Though faith doth not wholly remove sin yet it subdues it 6. An Hypocritical faith is a dead faith it tasts no sap or sweetness in Christ. The Hypocrite tasts something in the Vine and Olive he finds contentment in the carnal luscious delights of the World but no sweetness in a promise the Holy Ghost Himself is spiritless to him That is a dead faith which hath no sense or taste But true faith finds much delectation in heavenly things The Word is sweeter than the Honey comb Psal. 19. 10. Christ's Love is better than Wine Cant. 1. 2. Thus we see a difference between the true faith and the spurious How many have thought they have had the live Child of faith by them when it hath proved the dead Child Take heed of presumption but cherish faith Faith applies Christ and makes a spiritual concoction of his Body and Blood This Supper was intended chiefly for Believers Christs Blood to an unbeliever is like Aqua-Vitae in a dead man's mouth it loseth all its vertue 11. We must come to the Lord's-Table with charitable hearts 1 Cor. 5. 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven The leaven of malice will sowre the Ordinance to us Though we must come with bitter tears yet not with bitter spirits The Lords Supper is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Love-feast Christs blood was shed not only to reconcile us to God but one to another Christ's body was broken to make up the breaches among Christians Howsad is it that they who profess they are going to eat Christs flesh in the Sacrament should tear the flesh one of another 1 John 3. 15. Whosoever hateth his brother is a Murderer He who comes to the Lord's-Table in hatred is a Judas to Christ and a Câ—…in to his brother What benefit can he receive at the Sacrament whose heart is invenomed with malice If one drinks down poyson and presently takes a Cordial surely the Cordial will do him no good Such as are poysoned with rancour and malice are not the better for the Sacrament-Cordial he that doth not come in charity to the Sacrament hath nothing of God in him for God is love 1 John 4. 19. He knows nothing of the Gospel savingly for it is a Gospel of peace Eph. 6. 15. He hath none of the wisdom which comes from Heaven for that is gentle and easie to be intreated Jam. 3. 17. Oh that Christians were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Ignatius speaks rooted and cemented together in love Shall Devils unite and Saints divide Did we thus learn Christ Hath not the Lord Jesus loved us to the death What greater reproach can be cast upon such a loving Head than for the Members to sâ—…ite one against another The good Lord put out the fire of contention and kindle the fire of love and amity in all our hearts 12. We must come hither with praying hearts Every Ordinance as well as every Creature is sanctified by prayer Prayer turns the Element into spiritual Aliment When we send the Dove of Prayer to Heaven It brings an Olive-leaf in its mouth We should pray that God would enrich his Ordinance with his presence that he would make the Sacrament effectual to all those holy ends and purposes for which he hath appointed it that it may be the feast of our graces and the funeral of our corruptions that it may be not only a sign to represent but an instrument to convey Christ to us and a Seal to assure us of our heavenly Joynture If we vvould have the fat and sweet of this Ordinance we must send prayer before as an Harbinger to bespeak a blessing Divers are so distracted with worldly cares that they can scarce spare any time for prayer before they come to the Sacrament Do they think the Tree of blessing will drop its fruit into their mouth when they never shaked it by prayer God doth not set his mercies at so low a rate as to cast them away upon those that do not seek them Nor is it enough to pray but it
shame Let us be steeled with courage being ready to suffer for Christ which is as Chrysostom speaks to be baptized with a Baptism of blood Did Christ bear the wrath of God for us and shall not we bear the wrath of men for him It is our glory to suffer in Christs quarrel 1 Pet. 4. 14 The Spirit of God and of glory resteth upon you Let us pray for furnace-grace Be like those three Children Dan. 3. 17. Be it known to thee O King that we will not serve thy gods They would rather burn than bow Oh that such a spirit as was in Cyprian might survive in us who when the Proconsul would have tempted him from his Religion and said to him Consule tibi Consult for thy safety saith Cyprian In so just a cause there needs no consultation When the sentence for his death was read he replyed Deo gratias Thanks be to God We know not how soon an hour of Temptation may come Oh remember Christ's Body was broken his blood poured out we have no such blood to shed for him as he shed for us 2. Let us shew our thankfulness to Christ by fruitfulness Let us bring forth the sweet fruits of patience heavenly-mindedness and good works This is to live unto him who dyed for us 2 Cor. 5. 15. If we would rejoyce the heart of Christ and make him not repent of his sufferings let us be fertil in obedience The wise men did not only worship Christ but presented unto him gifts Gold and Frankincense Mat. 2. 11. Let us present Christ with the best fruits of our Garden let us give him our love that flovver of delight The Saints are not only compared to Stars for their knowledg but Spice-trees for their fertilness Christ delighted in the breasts of his Spouse because they vvere like Clusters of Grapes Cant. 7. 7. The blood of Christ received in a spiritual manner is like the water of jealousie which had a vertue both to kill and make fruitful Christs blood kills sin and makes the heart fructifie in grace 3. Let us shew our thankfulness to Christ by Zeal Hovv zealous vvas Christ for our Redemption Zeal turns a Saint into a Seraphim A true Christian hath a double Baptism of vvater and fire he is baptized vvith the fire of zeal Be zealous for Christs Name and Worship Zeal is encreased by opposition it cuts its vvay through the Rocks Zeal loves Truth most when it is disgraced and hated Psal. 119 126 127. They have made void thy Law therefore I love thy Commandments above Gold Hovv little thankfulness do they shevv to Christ vvho have no zeal for his Honour and Interest They are like Ephraim Hos. 7. 8. Ephraim is a Cake not turned Baked on one side and Dough on the other Christ doth most abominate a luke vvarm temper Revel 3. 15. He is even sick of such Professors They who vvrite of the scituation of England say that it is seated betvveen the torrid and frigid Zone the Climate is neither very hot nor cold I vvish this vvere not the temper of the people and that our hearts vvere not too like the Climate vve live in The Lord cause the fire of holy zeal to be alvvays burning upon the Altar of our hearts 4. Let us shevv our thankfulness by universal subjection to Christ. This is to make the Lord's-Supper in a spiritual sense a feast of Dedication vvhen vve renevv our Vovvs and give up our selves to God's service Psal. 116. 16. Truly I am thy servant I am thy servant Lord all I have is thine My head shall be thine to study for thee my hands shall be thine to vvork for thee my heart shall be thine to adore thee my tongue shall be thine to praise thee 8. If Jesus Christ hath provided so holy an Ordinance as the Sacrament let us vvalk suitably to it Have vve received Christ into our hearts let us shevv him forth by our heaven lineâ—… 1. Let us shevv forth Christ by our heavenly vvords Let us speak the Language of Canaan When the Holy Ghost came upon the Apostles they spake vvith other tongues Acts 2. 4. While vve speak the vvords of grace and soberness our lips smell as a perfume and drop as honey 2. Let us shevv forth Christ by our heavenly affections Let our sighs and breathings after God go up as a cloud of incense Col. 3. 2. Set your affections on things above We should do by our affections as the Husbandmen do by their Corn if the Corn lie lovv in a damp Room it is in danger to corrupt therefore they carry it up into their highest Room that it may keep the better So our affections if set upon the Earth are apt to corrupt and be unsavoury therefore wâ—… should carry them up on high above the World that they may be preserved pure breathe after fuller discoveries of God desire to attain unto the resurrection of the dead Phil. 3. 11. The higher our affections are raised towards Heaven the sweeter joy we feel The higher the Lark flies the sweeter it sings 3. Let us shew forth Christ by our Heavenly Conversation Philip. 3. 20. Hypocrites may in a pang of Conscience have some good affections stirred but they are as flushings of heat in the face which go and come But the constant tenor of our life must be holy We must shine forth in a kind of Angelical sanctity As it is with a piece of Coyn it hath not only the King's Image within the Ring but his superscription without So it is not enough to have the Image of Christ in the heart but there must be the superscription without something of Christ must be written in the life The scandalous lives of many Communicants are a reproach to the Sacrament and tempt others to Atheism How odious is it that those hands which have received the Sacred Elements should take Bribes That those eyes which have been fill'd with tears at the Lords-Table should afterwards be filled with Envy That those teeth which have eaten Holy Bread should grind the faces of the Poor That those lips which have touched the Sacramental Cup should salute an Harlot That that mouth which hath drunk Consecrated Wine should be full of Oaths That they who seem to deisie Christ in the Eucharist should vilifie him in his Members In a word That such who pretend to eat Christ's Body and drink his Blood at Church should eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence in their own houses Prov. 4. 17. These are like the Italians I have read of who at the Sacrament are so devout as if they believed God to be in the bread but in their lives are so profane as if they believed not God to be in Heaven Such as these are apt to make the World think that the Gospel is but a fancy or religious Cheat. What shall I say of them They do with Judas receive the
communicates influence only to its own Branches The wild Olive hath no fruit from the Vine Such as abide in the old stock of nature Branches of the wild Olive have no benefit from Christ. It is cold comfort to the Reprobate part of the world that there is a Vine growing which bears the fruit of Salvation as long as they remain strangers to Christ and hate to be united to him Fire will come out of this Vine to devour them 3. Bran. See the Goodness of God! When we had forfeited the fruit of Paradise â—…e hath given us a better tree then any grew there he hath enriched us with a pleasant Vine When Christ suffered now was this blessed Vine nailed to the Cross now it was cut and did bleed and Salvation comes to us in the blood of this Vine The gleaning Grapes here are better then the World's Vintage This Spiritual Vine 1. Chears the heart Curam metumque juvat dulci lyaeo solvere Horat. Are we sad in the sense of sin and think our selves unworthy to come to the Lords-Table this wine of Christ's blood is a Cordial It is both the Price and Seal of our Pardon 2. It strengthens the Vine hath a strengthning vertue So when our Graces are spiritually consumptive by tasting the fruit of this Vine we renew our strength in the Holy Celebration of the Lord's Supper fresh influence is communicated to us This Spiritual Vine did invigorate the Saints and Martyrs of old and infuse a spirit of Magnanimity into them That I may raise the Saints esteem of Christ and that they may come to the Sacred Supper with more eagerness to drink his Blood I shall show wherein this True Vine surpasseth in glory all other Vine-Trees 1. In the Vine there is something unuseful Though the fruit of the Vine be sweet yet the wood of the Vine is unuseful it is good for nothing Ezek. 15. 3. Shall the wood be taken thereof to do any work or will men take a Pin of it to hang any Vessel upon But it is not so with Christ there is nothing in this Vine but what is useful We have need of Christ's Humane Nature to suffer of his Divine to satisfie we have need of his Offices Influences Priviledges there is nothing in Christ we can be without 2. There are variety of Vine-Trees But there is but one True Vine that brings Redemption to Mankind The Papists would fetch comfort from more besides Christ From the Angels and the Virgin Mary The Angels themselves are beholding to this Vine the Lord Jesus they are by Christ confirmed in their obedience that they cannot fall And as for the Virgin Mary it is not her milk that saves but Christ's blood The Virgin Mary though she was Christ's Mother yet she calls Christ her Saviour Luk. 1. 47. The Virgin Mary is saved not by bearing the Vine but by being ingrafted into the Vine 3. The Vine bears but one sort of fruit 't is all but Grape But the Lord Jesus bears several sorts of fruit 1. This Vine bears the the fruit of Justification Rom. 5. 9. Being justified through his blood In Justification there is remission of sin and imputation of righteousness A Believer triumphs more in the Righteousness of Christ imputed than if he had Adams righteousness in innocency nay then if he had the Angels righteousness for now he hath the Righteousness of God 2 Cor. 5. 21. Without this a sinner is put into a continual Ague of Conscience but by virtue of Justification he arrives at an holy Serenity Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God 2. This Vine bears the fruit of Sanctification 1 Cor. 1. 30. He is made to us Sanctification A man may have pleasant fruit growing in his Orchard and others be never the better for it but holiness in Christ is diffâ—…sive this fruit is for all the Elect they are made holy with Christ's Holiness 3. This Spiritual Vine bears the fruit of Consolation Cant. 2. 3. His fruit was sweet to my tast This is a bunch of Grapes by the way when a Believer hath tasted some of this fruit from Christ he hath had such Transfigurations of soul and been filled with such ravishing delight that he could be ready to say as Paul Whether in the body I cannot tell He hath been put in Heaven before his time 4. A Branch may be cut off andâ—…separated from the Vine But no Branch shall be ever separated from Christ this Heavenly Vine The Arminians tell us A justified person may fall away finally Is not Christ a perfect Vine He is not perfect if a living Branch may be pluck'd off from him Hath not Christ said of his Elect They shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of his hand Joh. 10 28. If any Branch be pluck'd away from Christ it is either because Christ is not able to keep it or because he is willing to lose it He is able surely to keep it for he is strengthen'd with the God-head and he is not willing to loose it for why then would he have shed his blood for it So that no Branch shall be ever separated from the Coelestial Vine You may sooner pluck a Star out of the Sky than a true Believer from Christ. Indeed Hypocrites who look like Branches fall off but they were never really in the Vine They were in Christ by Profession not by Union They were tyed on to the Vine but not ingraâ—…d An Elect Branch can no more perish than the Root 5. The Wine that comes from the true Vine is better than any other 1. Wine from the Grape delightâ—… the Palat and revives the Animal spirits but Christ's blood chears the Conscience 2. One may take too great a quantity of Wine and then it bites as an Addar But it is otherwise with the Wine which Christ gives we cannot have too much of it as a man cannot have too much health Christ's blood is Pardoning and Pacifying and the more we drink of it the better the deeper the sweeter the death of the Soul is not by drinking too much of Christ's blood but by refusing to drink 3. Wine will chear a man when he is living not when he is dead Wine in a dead mans mouth loseth its vertue but Christ's blood hath such a flavour in it it doth so sparkle and is so full of spirits that it will fetch life in them that are dead If they are dead in sin the blood of Christ makes them revive Joh. 6. 54. He that drinks my blood hath eternal life 4. The Wine that comes from the Grape doth but chear mans heart but that Wine which is distilled from Christ the Heavenly Vine chears God's heart The Lord did smell a sweet savour in the Wine of Christ's Blood and was so infinitely pleased and delighted with it that for this he spared all Mankind Use 2. Labour to be real Branches of