CHAPTER I. Of the Passeover or Paschall-Lamb; Its signification, and the Analogy or Resemblance between it and Christ our Passeover.

§. 1 IT is usuall in handling the nature and Use of Sacraments to begin with the notion of a Sacrament in generall, and then to de­scend to particular Sacraments, which we call Baptism and the Lords Supper in their order, But [Page 2] the Field is large and the compasse great, and there­fore I begin where the Lords Supper it self began, and therefore I begin where the Lords Supper it self be­gan, and that is at the Passeover, at the death where­of, and out of the ashes of it, this Sacrament of ours like another Phoenix did arise, for our Lord at his last Passeover called [...] his dying Passeover, did institute and ordain this, which is to live and re­main till he come again, and which Scaliger and o­thers have Observed, the very materials of our Sa­cramental Supper were taken out of the Paschall Sup­per, for that very bread which the Master of the Fa­mily Used of custome (not by any Scripture-com­mand) to blesse and give to the fraternity, saying, Holachma degnania, [...], This is the bread of affliction which the Fathers did eat in Egypt, and that Cup which he blessed and gave to them to drink cal­led the Cup of the hymn, or Cos hallel, becaUse the hymn followed after and closed all; That bread, and that Cup, did Christ according to the rite severally blesse and give, saying, This is my body, This Cup is the New Testament in my bloud, and so he put a new Superscription or signification upon the old metall, and let all blinde and bold Expositors know, that if they expound not many phrases and things in the New Testament out of the old Records of Jewish writings or customes, they shall but fancy and not ex­pound the Text as may be confirmed, saith Scaliger sexcentis argumentis by very many arguments.

In handling of the Sacrament of the Lords Sup­per I shall select such practical and preparative do­ctrine as is necessary for your knowledge that ye may discern the Lords body, and not be guilty of it, [Page 3] and for your practise that you may examine your selves, and not eat and drink unworthily: For if I should lanch out into controversies, there would be no end; There hath been more paper written upon those six syllables, but five in English, This is my body, then would contain a just and large Commentary up­on the whole Bible.

I begin with the Passeover which was the second (for Circumcision was the first) ordinary standing Sacrament of the Jewish Church, beginning at their going forth out of Egypt, and continuing till the Death of Christ, when the Lords Supper did com­mence or begin, and so displaced it; The Passeover, signified what should be the Lords Supper, what is fulfilled in Christ; In the Passeover, were represented the Sufferings and Death of Christ by a Lamb slain rosted with fire; In the Supper, by bread broken, and wine poured forth. The outward symbols or signs dif­fer; But Christ is the same under both; As Circum­cision theirs, baptism ours, are different signs and rites, but the inward Circumcision and Regenera­tion both one; Theirs were both bloudy Sacraments, for the bloud of Christ was to be shed, ours unblou­dy, for the bloud is shed, and our English well tran­slates the word Passeover, the Greek and Latine keep the word Pascha, which gave some occasion to de­rive it from the Greek [...] to suffer a mistake; The word is Pesach, from Pasach, which is to leap or passe over: For when Israel after long servitude in Egypt was on wing to be gone, God commanded them in their several Families to kill Seh a Lamb or kid, to rost it whole, to eat it within doors that night, to sprinkle the side and upper door-posts with the bloud, not [Page 4] the threshold propter reverentiam & significationem, Christs bloud must not be trampled on, and so doing they should be safe from the destroying Angel that rode circuit that night to kill all Egypts first-born, but he past over all the hoUses of Israel sprinkled with bloud, and hence the name Passe-over the Etymon whereof is given by God himself, Exod. 12. 27. We have the kernell in this shell, the marrow of this bone, a Passeover as well as they, but ours is Christ, our Passeover is Christ, saith the Text.

§ 2 We proceed, Our Passeover Christ is or was sacri­ficed for us; Our Passeover Christ was a true Sacri­fice, but whether their Passeover was a Sacrifice or no, it is in Question: The Papists swallow it greedily, ho­ping thereby to prove our Supper to be both a Sa­crifice and a Sacrament as their Passeover (they say) was, but there are others both Lutheran and Calvi­nist, as Gerald. in harmon. Rivet on Exod. 12. that do not yield the Passeover a proper Sacrifice, though it be so called Exo. 12. 27. It is the Sacrifice of the Lords Passeover, for the Greek word [...], and the Hebrew Zabach are sometimes taken generally for mactare, when there is no Sacrifice, and they finde in Egypt at the first Passeover no Priest but the head of the Fami­ly, or [...], no Altar, no offering of the Lamb to God, no expiation, nor is it necessary that it should be a Sacrifice to type a Sacrifice, for the Serpent on the Pole signified Christ crucified, and so the Passe­over as a Sacrament may figure out a Sacrifice, as our Supper is the commemoration of a Sacrifice, but not a Sacrifice; On the other hand Calvin and others, the Jewish Writers and many from them do hold it to be a Sacrifice and a Sacrament, for the Scripture [Page 5] cals it Sacrifice, and this bloud is shed at first by the Pater-familia's that was a Priest (no other being yet consecrated) in after times by the Priests or Levites, and the bloud brought to the Altar, as it was bloud shed to a religious end, a bloud preservative from destroying Angels, and therefore a proper Sacrifice: What shall we say? The difference between a Sa­crifice and a Sacrament. I'le promise you not to puzzle you with controversies and disputes, for I had rather set meat before you which you may eat, then hard bones to gnaw upon; The truth is, a Sacrifice is some­thing offered up to God by men, a Sacrament is of­fered and given to man by God to be eaten or Used in his Name, and so that part of the offering which is offered up to God may be called a Sacrifice, and that part eaten or Used by man a Sacrament, the very body and bloud of Christ was a Sacrifice, no Sacra­ment: The bread and wine as Used are a Sacrament no Sacrifice, The Passeover was the figure of a true Deut. 16. 5. Sacrifice, Christ and we may call it so, becaUse the Scripture doth: It follows [...] Let us keep the Feast, What is that? Ye shall finde that after the Passeover Lamb was eaten the next day began the Feast, Numb. 28. 16, 17. and the Passeover is called Feast, too, Exod. 12. 15. &c. and that continued se­ven daies, kept in great festivity and solemnity, but with unleavened bread, the Apostle alludes hereun­to, Our Passeover is sacrificed, therefore let us hence­forth, &c. We that have received the sprinkling of bloud, and eaten his flesh by faith, live all our daies in a holy rejoycing and thanks▪giving, which is a continuall Feast, and let us cast out the incestuous Corinthians out of our Society, for he is a leven, ver. 6, 7. and let us purge out of our selves, malice, wic­kednesse, [Page 6] &c. For they are leven, ver. 8. that we may be a holy Congregation, and a holy people, and so the argument of the Apostle stands thus, from the example of the Old Passeover, Those for whom Christ the Passeover is sacrificed ought as holy Con­gregations and holy people to be unleavened with sin and wickednesse, and to walk before God in an un­leavened sincerity, but for us Christ the Passeover is sacrificed, therefore let us keep the Feast, &c.

I have explained the words, and now we shall con­sider this Passeover two waies.

1. As a Sacrifice or figure of a Sacrifice, and so it refers to Christ our Passeover, Christ is sacrificed for us.

2. As a Sacrament, and so it relates to us, and shews us our duty upon that Sacrifice, [...] Let us keep the Feast, The Sacrifice is given for us, the Sacrament is given to us: From the first,

Doct. Our Passeo­ver is Christ sacrificed for us. Our Passeover is Christ sacrificed for us, We have a Passeover, but it is Christ sacrificed: And here before I shew the Analogy or resemblance between the Passeover and Christ, we shall note three or four things.

§. 3 1. They in the Old Church of Israel had Christ as well (though not so clear) as we, 1 Cor. 10. 4. The Rock that followed our Fathers in the Wildernesse was Christ, the Passeover was Christ, the personall Types such as Isaac on the Wood, the reall Types as their bloudy Sacrifices were Christ; He was then in his swadling clouts swathed up in shadows and types, and not naked; as now Gal. 3. 1. those Types being anatomized, unbowelled are full of Gospel, full of Christ, the death of Christ pecus prosunt quam [Page 7] fuit, saith Bernard de coena; Christ is the marrow in the bone, the kernell in the shell, yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever, the summe and sweet of all Ordinances, therefore those that say they were filled with temporall promises, but had no spiritu­all, derogate too much from them as that they were Swine filled with husks, and speak a wondrous Pa­radox; that those that had so much faith, Heb. 11. should have no Christ, we give them the right hand of fellowship, and they were the elder brother, yet we have the double portion.

§. 4 2. Mark the form of speech, Christ our Passeover, that is, our Paschall Lamb, which is also called the Passeover, Exod. 12. 31. Kill the Passeover, Now the Passeover properly was the Angels passing over the Israelites hoUses, and not the Lamb, but we must learn to understand Sacramentall phrases, the signe cal­led the thing signified, the figure called the thing fi­gured, The Rock was Christ; Christ our Passeover, that is, paschal Lamb, Circumcision called the Cove­nant, Gen 17. 13. My Covenant shall be in your flesh, this will be allowed in every place but one, and that is this one, This is my body, For the Lutheran stands up for a corporall presence under the Signes, The Pa­pist for a change of the Bread and Wine into Christs body and bloud; No conferences, no disputes, no condescensions will satisfie them, and yet we say ve­ry fairly, the very body of Christ born of the Vir­gin, that died on the Crosse, that sits in heaven, is present in this Sacrament, but not in the Bread or Wine, but to the faithfull Receiver, not in the Ele­ments but to the Communicants, but all this will not serve turn; These two Prepositions Con and [Page 8] Trans have bred more jarres, and cost more bloud since they were born (and there is neither of them in this caUse six hundred years old) then can be well i­magined.

§. 4 3. The Passeover figured Christ, and yet the Jews ordinarily saw not Christ in it; It is plain in their ce­lebration of the Passeover, or their Rituals, they take notice of, and commemorate their Egyptian slavery, and their deliverance, and so they were commanded, but of Christ not a syllable; It entred not into them that a Lamb rosted should figure the Messiah, as they had formed him in their thoughts, and so they held the Passeover as a [...] looking back­ward, but as a Type looking forward, no know­ledge except the faithfull had some glimpse of it, and this is the great fault of men in all Sacraments, they minde not the inwards of a Sacrament, nor look for the kernell, they did so, and we also, not discerning the Lords body, is not that it which makes us guilty of his body and bloud, there is in all Sa­craments res terrena & res coelestis, as Irenaeus. Earth­ly men see the earthly part, they eat, they drink, It feeds not, they eat shells, the inwards within the bone are marrow, Christ; Christ set spirituall food before our bodies, viz. ayery, set corporall before the soul, and you illude both, saith Parisiensis, de Eu­char. sub finem.

§. 5 4. The Passeover is Christ sacrificed, not Christ a Lamb unspotted, but Christ a Lamb rosted with fire, and this tels you that the Passeover and our Supper represent Christ crucified, Christ dying or dead; It is the death of Christ, not his Resurrecti­on, nor ascension, that is here set forth, Ye shew the [Page 9] Lords death till he come, this is the sight which a sinful soul would see, this is the comfortable spectacle, to see the price paying, the ransome laying down, the thing in doing; Hence he draws the hope and com­fort of Redemption, and therefore the bread was broken, and the Cup was full of bloud to represent to the life this life giving Death to Christ; The Papists have cheated the people of the bloud by a trick of concomitancy, telling them that the bread is his body, and his body hath bloud in it, we have a word of Institution of both severally, the life of the representation is the bloud shed, the Passeover is a Lamb slain and rosted, and the bloud on the door­post, and by providence, if the Papists will allow all to eat, then we have expresly for the Cup a Bi­bite ex hoc omnes, Mat. 26. 27. Drink ye all of it; So that it is the Death of Christ here represented, and which is one step further, it is a Sacrifice Death, which works and makes atonement, this was it that all the Sacrifices, that the Passeover did prefigure, a Sacrifice death, that should deliver and make expia­tion; This Cup (saith Christ) is the New Testament in my bloud, which is shed for you and many for remis­sion of sins, a death, and such a kinde of death as in our Sacrament set forth a Sacrifice Death, therefore it's said sacrificed for us.

§. 7 Now let us come to the Analogy or resemblance be­tween the Passeover and Christ sacrificed, wherein I shall The resem­blance between the Passeover and Christ sa­crificed. endeavour to avoid the vanity and curiosity of ma­king similitudes to run of all four, which is incident to men in handling Types, Parables, and similitudes which like a string over-stretched makes a jar and dis­harmony, and shews more fondnes, then soundness.

[Page 10]1. The Paschal must be a male-Lamb without ble­mish, the son of a year taken from the Sheep or Goats, Exo. 12. 5. and this resembles Christ himself and his perfection, there were many blemishes which the superstitious or curious Jews Observed to the number of fifty or seventy, any blemish disabled it, Christ was without all blemish, nothing was except­ed from other men, or his likenesse to them but sin, in all Points tempted like as weare, yet without sin; Heb. 4. 15. He was of masculine perfection, at the perfection of his age, about 33 or 34 years, of Lamb-like humili­ty and meeknesse; which are noted in him as exem­plary graces; He was figured out in the Lamb of the daily Sacrifice, in the Lamb of the Passeover, in A­brahams Ram in stead of Isaac, in the Scape-goat, Lev. 16. 21. and pointed out by John Baptist under this Name, Behold the Lamb of God▪; It's implied, Heb. 9. 28. he shall appear the second time, [...], that in his first coming he was not without, but we must distinguish of sin, ours imputed to him, and so he was made sin for us, so as to bear it in his body, which at his second coming he shall not bear nor be loden with as he was before, and therefore is said to come without sinne both his and ours.

2. This Paschall-Lamb was to be separated from the flock, and set apart for Sacrifice on the tenth day of the moneth, but not killed till the 14. day in the Evening, or according to that vexed phrase between the two Evenings, that is, in the afternoon, when the Sun declined before Sunset, and about the same time of day our Saviour (the true Passeover) was slain, but in a further meaning it shews that Christ [Page 11] was set apart and fore-designed of God to be our Pass­over long before, not in his decree, but his promise, and the predictions of the Prophets which have been since the world began, Luk. 1. 70. but now in the end of the world hath he appear'd to put away sinne by the Sacrifice of himself, Heb. 9. 26. He suffer'd between the two Evenings of the world, which was in his de­clination, when he came that was our Evening, and the latter is to come, the dayes of his appearance are called often the last daies, and though that have ano­ther meaning, shewing the unalterableness of the Go­spel-Ordinances, contrary to those of the Law, yet we may affirm, that it was past the noon of the world, when he came, and the time shall not be so long after unto Sun-set, as before.

3. This paschal Lamb must be killed, the bloud taken into a basin, sprinkled with hysop, shall be on every door, the flesh rosted with fire not eaten raw or boyl'd in water, the head, the legs, the inwards, Exod. 12. 7, 8, 9, 22. and this may set forth unto us the unutterable sufferings of Christ, both in his soul and body, which the Scripture sets out to the life with such an emphasis of words, I mean especially those of his soul, scorched with the sense of Gods extream wrath, which are exprest by words extraordinary, [...], Sweating like drops of bloud, with expression of strong cries and tears; Oh man thou understandest not the sufferings of this Passeo­ver rosted with fire forbidden to be boyl'd in scalding water, for that expresses not the sufferings in extremi­ty, and what is all this for? Even to make Christ more pleasant meat to thee, which if thou feed up­on, and with a bunch of hysop sprinkle this bloud, [Page 12] applying it by faith, eating this rosted flesh, and drinking this bloud poured forth, it will feast thy soul, and secure thee from the wrath of God, which is the next.

4. The destroying Angel seeing this blood on the door posts, passes over the hoUse, goes and kils the Aegyptians first-born, and executes Gods last plague upon them, in the mean time the Israelites were safe within the protection of blood, Exod. 12. 12, 13. and here is the safety of those Israelites; Believers that have applied by faith the blood of Jesus Christ, when God shall let loose his last and final plagues up­on the world, they shall be safe; Hell, and wrath, and condemnation shall not touch them, When I see the blood (saith he) I'le pass over you, Exod. 12. 13, 23. nothing else will save you; God looks at nothing but the blood of Christ upon you; Happy they, that before God ride his circuit of destruction, to make a cry in all Aegypt, are gotten under the Sanctuary of blood, for then the plague shall not be upon you, when I smite the Land of Aegypt, Exod. 12. 13.

5. After the Israelites had been secured from the stroke of that dismall night, then presently they march away, are hired by the Aegyptians to be gone, the four hundred and thirty years were out, and God being punctual in his times, finishes their captivity that hour, and begins to fulfill his promises that he had made to them of bringing them to their promised Land, Exod. 12. 31, 32, 33, &c. 41, 42. and here we see, that when a soul hath long lien in the base bond­age under sinne and the devil, and comes to take hold of Christ, and is sprinkled with his blood, and en­ters Covenant with God in Christ, then is he set free [Page 13] from his bondage, and then he goes out of Aegypt, and then all the promises begin to open upon him, and he sets upon his heavenly journey, and no Pharaoh can hinder him any longer; All the sweet promises of peace, and comfort, and hope, begin to be made good to him, for they are all Yea and Amen in Christ; the Devil, and all his power and instruments cannot hold him, the blood is upon him, from that hour he is a free-man, to own no Lord but God, and yet still he hath a Wilderness to go thorow, but he is miracu­lously carried as Israel was thorow it; but this must not be expected, that they should eat the Passeover and stay in Aegypt still, they must go out of their bondage, that are sprinkled with this blood by the blood of thy Covenant, I have sent out thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water, saith he in a like case, Zech. 9. 11. and haply this Type is yet to be fulfilled in the Gospel Churches, whom the Lord will deli­ver out of the hands of their oppressing tyrants, Pope or Turk, not by the Sword but Ordinances of his Covenant, and then if they shall pursue a people un­der blood, as Pharaoh did, there will be a red Sea to swallow them horse and man. And so much for the Passeover, as referring to Christ our Sacrifice, for that it doth so, is plain by this. That which is said of the Paschal Lamb, Exod. 12. 46. is expresly ap­plied to, and fulfilled in Christ, John 19. 36. So much for the Passeover as a Sacrifice, or as the figure of our Sacrifice and theirs, Christ Jesus.

§. 8 Now we proceed to consider it as a Sacrament, not ours, but theirs, nor yet a figure of our Sacrament in Considered as a Sacrament. propriety, though often so called in transitu, and much contended for by Papists, For what Jew could ever [Page 14] have found out our Supper figured in that Passeover? and in what propriety can our Sacrament be the Sa­crament of another? Christ is the res Sacramenti of theirs and ours, there they meet, as the inward Cir­cumcision and Regeneration is the thing of their Cir­cumcision and our Baptism, but that one Sacrament should be the figure of another, is absurd and void of Reason; As two pictures of one man, are both resem­blances of that one man, but one is not the picture of another, and yet becaUse the Passeover hath the com­mon nature of a Sacrament, doth set forth the same Christ as our Supper, and that the Apostle draws an Argument from it, to perswade Gospel-Christians to holiness: Therefore we shall consider what signi­ficancy there is in it, for though the signs be not ours, yet the significancy is

§. 9 First, The Passeover or Paschal Lamb, as killed and rosted, and the blood sprinkled was a Sacrifice, The significa­tion of the Passeover. as eaten by the Israelites and feasted upon, it was a Sacrament, and in after-times, both by Jewish Re­cords, and by Scripture, I conceive it appears, 2 Chro. 35. 11. Ezra 6 20. that the Levites killed the Pas­chals, the Priests sprinkled the bloud on the Altar, and then they took the Lamb to their [...], or Fa­milies, or Chambers in Jerusalem, and there did eat it; so in our Supper there is a Sacrifice slain, and of­fer'd up for atonement, and that is Christ his body and bloud, and then there is an eating and drinking of this Sacrifice in the Sacrament of bread and wine, as in many Sacrifices of the Law, there was first an of­fering up to God, and then a feasting on the remain­der; we have a true Sacrifice, Christ offer'd up to God for us; we have a true Sacrament, as that Sa­crifice [Page 15] is eaten and drunk by us; the oblation belongs to God to propitiate and redeem; the communicati­on belongs to us, to be refresht and nourisht; their eating the Passeover was no Sacrifice, but a Sacra­ment; our eating and drinking bread and wine is no Sacrifice but a Sacrament; their killing and rosting of the Lamb made it eatable; Christ his sacrificing of himself for us, renders him fit nourishment to us; Had he not been a Sacrifice offer'd up for us, what profit had there been in eating and drinking sacra­mentally and spiritually that body and bloud? This consideration is of special remark, you feast upon a sacrifice, you live, you feed upon a sacrifice tolle Sacri­ficium. tolle Sacramentum, the mouth eats the Sacra­ment, the eye of faith discerns the sacrifice, Christ is the sacrifice, the Sacrament no sacrifice, but the commemoration and communication of a sacrifice; and here the Reason must be Observed, why God did institute their Passeover, and our answerable Sacra­ment to consist in meat and drink, eating and drink­ing, and I conceive thus, that it being the most pro­per way to partake of a sacrifice, for how else can it be? Therefore we eat and drink in way of participa­tion of our sacrifice; Hence the phrase, Living upon Heb. 13. 10. the Altar, eating of the Altar; and thus if we carry our eye to the earthly part in the Supper, and to the heavenly part, that is to the Sacrament, and the sa­crifice represented, and feed upon the sacrifice repre­sented, as well as the Sacrament representing, we then discern the Lords body. This is the first [...], de hoc plus intra.

2. Their Passeover was instituted as an Ordinance for ever, for a memorial of their Deliverance in Ae­gypt, [Page 16] and their eduction out of it, a commemoration it was, and to be Observed for ever, that is, in all suc­ceeding generations, whiles their Polity and Religi­on stood, Exod. 12. 14, 24, 42. and therefore we read in Jewish Writers, and there is some foot-step or ori­ginal of it, Exod. 26. 27. What mean you by this ser­vice, that in every company of Passeover-commu­nicants, there was some one that rehearsed and made commemoration, Haggadah shet pesuch, the history Buxtorf. Chal. Lexic. of the Passeover, and so God that would have the sacrifice of Christ for our sinne, that greatest work of his, and our deliverance thereby from worse then Aegypt, or destroying Angel, to be Observed and kept in minde by a lasting trophy or monument, viz▪ our Supper: The Apostle in allusion to their custome, Useth a word [...] 1 Cor. 11. 26. Ye do shew, As often as ye eat this bread and drink this Cup, ye do shew forth the Lords death till he come, or ye do commemo­rate and with affection and thanksgiving set it forth, and as theirs was for ever, till Christs first coming, so ours is for ever, till his second coming; so long as their Church continued they were charged with this Ordinance; so long as the Gospel-Church conti­nues, they are charged with this, and therefore nei­ther of the Doctrine of the Gospel, nor of the Sa­craments shall there be any removal or alteration till Christ come.

3. Their Passeover in Aegypt was eaten in their se­veral Families or societies, A Lamb for a hoUse, ex­cept it were too little, Exod. 12. 3, 4. and in after times when this was repeal'd, Deut. 16. 6, 7. and was confi­ned to the place that God should chUse, and so to Jerusalem, then though the Lamb might be slain in [Page 17] the holy Court, and the bloud sprinkled on the Al­tar, yet they did carry it home to their hired cham­bers, and there did eat in companies, not less then ten in a fraternity, Joseph de bello lib. 7. cap. 17. nor above twenty, but no man alone, Solum epulari non licet, saith Joseph, Christ and his company made one socie­ty; so though Christ be our Sacrifice, once offer'd up upon the cross a sacrifice to God, yet doth our Supper bring him home to us into our Churches, and into our souls. There is an application of him to be made, the bloud sprinkled on our doors, the Paschal brought home to our own hoUse; Take ye, Eat ye, Drink ye; God comes to particulars with us, and the application of the sacrifice is the life of the Sacra­ment; we must eat and drink at home, in our own souls; Christ comes home to us, and yet this Sup­per ought as the Passeover to be eaten in societies, I know no Reason for one alone, there must be a [...], a company, for it is a communion, one makes not a communion; The Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 20. When you come [...] into a meeting, v. 33, 34. when you come together, tarry one for another; hence it hath been an­ciently called [...], a meeting, a Congregation. It's Gods Ordinance (saith a learned man) that the Lords Hildersam Joh. 4 p. 122. Supper be administred in publick Assemblies; How can there be a Communicant without a Communion, sed de hoc infra, not that the wals of a Church do make it a com­munion▪ but a meeting of believers?

4. Their Passeover was eaten with unlevened bread and sowre or bitter herbs, Exod. 12. 8. There are ma­ny circumstances and ceremonies found in the Jewish Authors about the searching out of all leven, yea with candles at noon-day, and an execration of all le­ven, [Page 18] if any should remain unfound, and the bitter herbs were in constant Use, the unlevened bread re­membred them, what haste they went out of Aegypt in, Exod. 12. 34. and the bitter herbs, what affliction and bondage they had suffer'd, and further they saw not; The Apostle interprets leven, malice and wic­kedness; unlevened bread, sincerity and truth, 1 Cor. 5. 8. and so it teaches us, how Christ is to be recei­ved by us, and what manner of persons they must be that apply and receive Jesus Christ; They must re­member their bondage under sinne, not with delight but bitterness, and feel the sowr taste of their former wayes, as sinners contrite and broken; bitter herbs are good sauce for the paschal Lamb; sinne felt sets an edge on the stomack as vinegar; Christ relishes well to such a soul; When thou comest to eat his Sup­per, bring thy own sauce with thee, bitter herbs, and refresh on thy self the memory of thy old wayes and former lusts; that's the sauce, the bread is unleaven­ed bread; you cannot eat the Lamb and leaven toge­gether; a secure hypocrite, a filthy swine not purged from sinne, to think to have Christ and his sinne too, to be pardon'd and not purged, to be saved and not sanctified; Away, and never think to eat this Lamb with leaven'd bread; come with bitter herbs thou maist, contrition for sinne, but come not with and in thy sins, for that's eating with leaven'd bread; therefore search it out, and let thy sinnes be searcht out as with a candle, and let them be execrable to thee, that God may see thy hatred of them, and thy loathing of thy self for them.

5. Their Passeover in Aegypt, was to be eaten with loyns girded in procinctu, shoes on feet, and staff in [Page 19] hand, and ye shall eat in haste, Exod. 12. 11. and therefore standing as ready to be instantly on their march to leave the Land of Aegypt, and go to seek their promised countrey, which signifies to us, that we must receive Christ and his bloud with intention and purpose to leave the dominions of Pharaoh, the Kingdom, service and bondage of sinne, and the De­vil, and from that hour to set forward towards our heavenly countrey; This is that hard Doctrine of the Gospel; This makes men neglect, refUse Jesus Christ, becaUse they cannot part with sinne, they will not resolve to quit their former course, as he that went away sorrowfull, for he had great possessions: So we would fain be saved, but go away sorrowfull, for we have powerfull, pleasing and profitable lusts. And as it may allude to our Supper; Let it teach us to come to the Table of the Lord with staves in our hand, and our loyns girded up, as men resolving to march, and begin a new and holy life, Henceforth not to serve sin, Rom. 6. 6. But of this I spake before.

6. In their Passeover they must rost and eat a whole Lamb, and nothing of it must remain till the morn­ing: If any did remain it must be burnt with fire, Exod. 11. 9, 10. the flesh must be eaten, not a bone broken, Numb. 9. 12. This shews, that Christ is all meat, there is no offal in him, there is variety of nou­rishment for all our Uses, righteousness, and peace, and comfort, and contentment to fill our capacities, relieve temptations, pardon and purge away our sins, but we must not divide, but take him whole, his me­rit and Spirit, his salvation and Soveraignty; Christ our Way, our Truth, our Life; What an unhappy Doctrine is that of the Papists, that takes the bloud [Page 20] from us, and will not let the people drink? It is as if they should not allow our Passeover to be a whole Lamb, and as unhappy they, that do not only rent his coat, but break his bones by depraving the fun­damentals of Gospel-Doctrine, and tearing the Creed, Article from Article, and nothing left, un­till the morning, tels us, That in the morning-light of the Gospel, all those shadows should be abolisht and disclaimed, or as Rivet saith, That Sacraments are not Sacraments, but in their Use, and while they are Used, as the bread and wine after the Use are no Sacraments, as a mear stone is a boundary in it's place, remove it, and it is lapis not limes.

7. No uncircumcised person might eat the Passeo­ver, nor no unclean person that was under an unclean­ness, Exod. 12. 44, 48. Numb. 9. 7. where the instance is of some unclean by the dead, but it extendeth to other uncleanness, leprous or menstruous, &c. Joseph. de bello lib. 7. cap. 17. and yet there was provision made for the unclean, that they might keep the Passe­over in the second moneth, as they did in Hezekiah his Passeover, 2 Chron. 30. 13. but for the uncircum­cised there was no provision, and this sets forth to us two sorts of men that are uncapable of worthy com­ing to the Lords Supper.

1. The uncircumcised that are strangers and for­einers Two sorts un­capable of the Lords Supper. to the Church, and not initiated by the first Sacrament of Baptism, no person of what condition soever that is unbaptized can come to the Supper, for he is not entred and admitted into Church-fellow­ship or Communion by the first Sacrament: He is not one of the hoUse, or of the fraternity, where the Lamb is eaten, and out of the hoUse the Passeover [Page 21] must not be carried; they that are out of the Church have no right to the priviledges of the Church, as they that are no freemen have not the priviledge of the City. It was never known in the old Church, that an uncircumcised person, nor in the Gospel-Church that an unbaptized, did partake of either of the Sup­pers, theirs or ours, for both of them are second Sa­craments, not firsts, the way to the Table hath ever been by the Font or Laver of washing. Of this more hereafter.

2. The domesticks that are of the hoUse, that are Almost one and twenty hundred thou­sand all pure. Joseph. cap. 17. lib. 7. de bello Judaic. circumcised Israelites, yet if they be at the time of the Passeover unclean, they may not eat it, was a case came into Question thus, some were unclean, put the case to Moses, he respited the decision till he had asked of the Lord, and the Lord adjudged it, that he should be put off to the Passeover of the second moneth; and this tels us by way of allusion, that a member of the Church baptized, yea a true believer may be unfit at some particular time to come to the Lords Table, and may eat and drink unworthily; Were not the Corinthians such men, and in such a case, 1 Cor. 11? Were they not punisht for their unworthy coming, and yet doubtless some of them godly, and all professed Christians? But of this more also.

§ 10 8. There were in the first Passeover in Aegypt, Used and commanded by express word, certain rituals or occasionals, which as Jewish Writers and practice shews, were omitted and not Used in after-times. As 1. The eating in dispersed hoUses, afterward in Jerusalem only. 2. The taking up the Lamb four dayes before, which we reade not of afterward. 3. The [Page 22] striking of the door-posts with the bloud. 4. The not going out of the hoUse that night, which in after­times Christ and his Disciples did. 5. The eating it in travelling posture in procinctu, with staves, &c. which we finde our Saviour, and reade that the Jews did in another posture of discumbency, a lying on beds, &c. These or some of these were occasional at the first, and the occasion ceasing, custom had ruled it otherwise without offence; for in our Supper the Lord celebra­ted and instituted it at night, in or at the end of the pas­chal and common supper. 2. In unlevened bread. 3. Late at night. 4. In a gesture of discumbency, a leaning or lying posture, Joh. 3. 13. 5. In a chamber of a private hoUse. 6. Without presence of any wo­man. 7. Consecrating, a blessing the bread and See Evang. for so Used in Passeover. the Cup severally and apart. 8. Singing the hymne at the close of all, as was usual, &c. And these, or many of these were occasional circumstances by Reason of the custom & Rite of the paschal Supper, or the particular exigency at that time; And what then? Do they oblige to a hairs breadth all after-ages? Do they that impose any one of these themselves hold to all of them? Shall we be supercilious and superstiti­ous in Observing all occasional or local customs? Why do we not appear in sackcloth at our Fasts? Where is that osculum pacis? As the Apostle said about the 1 Cor. 11. 16. length of hair, so I say, If any man seem to be con­tentious, we have no such custome, nor the Churches of God. If Christ had celebrated the Supper with his loyns girt, and staff in hand, had we been bound to it, and yet we must not raffle this thred too far, and under colour of an occasionall circumstance, change or mutilate the real substance, as the Papist that takes [Page 23] away the Cup which Christ blest, and breaks not the Bread, as he did, and of a Sacrament makes a Sacrifice; the Matter and Form, the intended Ana­logy between the Sign, and the Thing signified, will guide us in our distinguishing Substance from Acci­dents.

I here make an end, though in this Point, and in this Lamb, which was served in with Legs and Purtenance, I might finde out other lesser Resem­blances, which I shall not; but having shown you, what fresh Marrow lies in the old Bones of this Passeover-Sacrifice, will hereafter set forth our Lords Supper before you.

CHAP. II. Of Errours and Corruptions in the Church; How soon they sprung up; When they are a ground of Sepa­ration, and when not. That this Ordinance must be suitable to Gods Institution: And the Communi­cants must be suitable to this Or­dinance.

THis Epistle is directed to the Church of God in 1 Cor. 1 2. Grotius in ini­tio hujus Epi­stolae. Heylin Geog. pag. 388. 1 Cor. 1. 5, 7. Corinth, which was sometime a slately City of Greece, much renown'd in ancient Authours, but now is a place of small note, being together with other Cities mentioned in the New Testament, swallowed up by that great Leviathan of the Land, the Turkish Empire. In this City was a famous Christian Church [Page 25] of the highest degree of elevation for parts and gifts, and spiritual endowments, but their beauty was blem­isht with as great blots, schisms, 1 Cor. 1. 11. Denial of the Resurrection of the dead by some of them, 1 Cor. 15. 12. and in this Chapter with a grand abUse of that high and precious Ordinance the Supper of the Lord with ordinary and unwashen hands, polluting it with their own intemperance and drunkenness, not brought from their own homes, or from the Tavern to the Table, but Used at the very Table it self, which that you may understand, you may take notice, that it was an ancient custom, [...], saith Zona­ras in Concil. 6. in Trullo. in the Primitive times, that the rich and wealthier sort of Christians did by a common purse or contributions, furnish out solemn feasts in the very meeting places, or Churches, and there sit down promiscuously the rich and poor, which feasts were called [...], Feasts of Love, or Brotherly-charity, to testifie the intimate affection of Christians among themselves. The Scripture speaks of them, Jude vers. 12. 2 Pet. 2. 13. and the ancient Fathers make often mention of them; The occasion of them might be this; It's plain, that the Heathens at their Sacrifice had their festival entertainments, [...], in their Idols Temple, that the Jews in their Eucharistical Sacrifices feasted before the Lord, God as it were entertaining them to eat and drink with him, and that Christ and his Apostles feasted together at the Paschal Supper before the celebrati­on of the Lords Supper, and so by imitation very obvious, the Christians had taken up a custome of feasting at their religious meetings, at which enter­tainments no Heathens were present, and thereupon [Page 26] they suspected and scandalized the Christians for these feasts, de pabulo crudae & post convivium me­sto Tertul. Apol. c. 7 &c. 39. that they eat and drunk the flesh and bloud of a childe, and that after they had filled themselves with wine and good cheer, they fell to incestuous and pro­miscuous lusts, but the ancient Fathers wipe off these aspersions, &c.

§. 2 The abUse of these feasts the Apostle reproves from the 17. verse of this Chapter, for they fomented their schismes and parties, even at these feasts, one party and their faction sorting themselves together in one corner, another at another, as their humour led them, and so the common love was broken by pri­vate divisions; then followed another abUse, the poor that could send in nothing, had nothing, but were set light by, and suffered to starve, while they were filling themselves, and which was worst of all, they were intemperate at their feasts, eating and drinking excessively, one is hungry, another is drunken, vers. 21. The word may signifie had drank liberally; as it's said of Joseph and his brethren, Gen 43. ult. and as the word is Used, John 2. 10. The Summe is, there was

§. 3 1. Siding and sorting themselves into parties with their messes and dishes of good cheer, each faction by themselves, vers. 18. which is contrary to the na­ture or name of [...], Feasts of Love. One party went to it be­fore another came, v. 21. & 33.

2. Here was a slighting and laying aside the poor Christians that could send in nothing, contrary to the nature of a religious communion, ver. 28, 22.

3. Here was intemperance and excess, ver. 21. con­trary to Christian sobriety.

4. These feasts were made in the Assembly or [Page 27] meeting-place (as we say the Church) as appears ver. 22. Have ye not hoUses? And

§. 4 5. With these juncats and feasts they joyn'd the ce­lebration Beza. in Act. 2. in illis convivis. Grot. in Mat. 26. 25. Casaub. Exere. 16. of the Lords-Supper, Mensis suis pascebant, saith Austin. Epist. 118. and therefore the Apostle tels them, they defaced it, vers. 21. This is not to eat the Lords-Supper, for quod non ritè fit, fieri non dicitur; and he doth therefore set forth the Lords institution of the Supper, vers. 23. that they might see the bare and naked nature of it, one thing is doubtfull, Whe­ther the Lords-Supper was celebrated at the begin­ning or end of these feasts? And the doubt riseth, BecaUse in this Chapter, as is conceived by learned Diodat Estius. Cajetan. in loc. Gerard. in har. p. 461. men, the feast went before; as in Christs last Sup­per, the paschal Lamb was first eaten, and the Cup was taken after Supper, vers. 25. and the unworthy coming to it, mentioned v. 29. and the punishment of this Church for their unworthiness, vers. 30 ar­gues, That their feasting first had unfitted them for the participation of this Ordinance, and yet Chryso­stom and Donaras saith, [...], After the parti­cipation of the Lords Supper the feast was; and that Ʋbi supra. is true, for after-times, for the reproof of the Apo­stle haply had removed the feast unto the last place for good Reasons▪ but the feasts were not quite remo­ved out of the Churches of Greece and Africk, where Tertul. Apol. c. 39. we finde them continuing: Insomuch as the Synod of Laodicea which was about three hundred years af­ter Christ, and before the Nicene Councel, made a Canon, cap. 22. [...], &c. That it is not fit the Agapae should be in Churches or publick places of worship, and so these ancient Feasts grew out by little and little, and now no remainders of them in all Chri­stendom.

I have been the longer upon this, becaUse I think otherwise you would not clearly understand the fore­going verses, that touch upon the abUse, nor the caUse and Reason of the Corinthians coming unworthily to the Lords-Table, and so I have set up a light in the entry, by which you may finde the way into the bet­ter understanding of all that follows in this Chapter, wherein he sets the Lords Supper to rights, which was drowned in a feast; Then he orders the address of the Communicants, which through the afore­said misdemeanours had come to it unworthily, and then exhorts them to make it a Communion and not a Division, as they had done, Tarry one for ano­ther, vers. 33. and to prevent the intemperance of publick Feasts, he bids them, if they must eat be­fore they come to the Lords Supper, Let them eat at home, vers. ult. and so clearly abrogates, not the Feasts, but the order of them, as fore-going the Lords Supper; and here we shall stand a little and make Observation.

§. 5 The Apostle interdicts not all eating or drinking be­fore the Lords Supper, but this feasting, and the abu­ses Obs. growing thence, he doth forbid. Those words, A man may eat before he come to the Lords Table. vers ult. If any man hunger, let him eat at home, that they come not together unto condemnation, teach us, That this Feasting was before the Sacrament, and that a man may eat at home, if occasion be, before he come to the publick Assembly. To put a necessi­ty upon Fasting, is to put Superstition into it; for our Saviour at first celebrated it after Supper, by ne­cessity of the Law of the Passeover, but bindes us not by his example to eat first, nor by any rule to fast before it, therefore it is of free Observation and Use, [Page 29] yet the custom of coming fasting had spread over the Aug. Epist. 118 Per universum orbem mos isto servatur. Chrys. in 1 Cor. 11. 26. universal Church in Austins time, Per universum orbem, mosiste servatur; Chrysostem speaks too high­ly of it, [...], that thou mayest be worthy to receive, for setting it aside as any piece of spiritual preparation, and I know not why it may not stand, Omnes jejuni celebramus, saith that Light of France. Chamier. de Euch. lib. 6 cap 1. §. 13. All the French Churches celebrate the Supper fasting; I hold to the Rule, If any man hunger, &c. either of these is best which puts the body in best tune, to serve (as I may say) the soul in a holy duty.

§. 6 Obs. 2 How soon abUse crept into this Ordinance of the Supper. It was not above twenty or thirty year from the nativity or birth of this Ordinance when this Epi­stle was written, it was nothing so long from the birth or foundation of this Church to this time. The Apostle had sown good corn in this field by his Doctrine. I have delivered unto you the naked insti­tution of Christ, and now it stands in need of weed­ing. The Devil was not asleep in the very Apostles Errour and corruption sprung up in the Church betime. times. He raised up Simon Magus, and after him a fry of Gnosticks, or knowing people, so they would be called, but falsly, saith Irenaeus, to corrupt the Doctrine; and it was betimes that the Devil set his foot in this most excellent Ordinance, and from first to last there have been scarce any times wherein some soil hath not cleaved to this Sacrament, every Age adding or declaring somewhat, till it became a mon­ster, unlike it self in the Romish Masse, which is a Masse of Idolatry and abomination, a very abomina­tion of desolation to this Ordinance, the stamp of Christs institution being so defaced, that he that minted it cannot own his own coyn; for being an [Page 30] outward Ordinance, consisting of outward elements and actions, the fancy of men thinks, this and that dressing would do better, and so by putting on more ornaments, as they call them, they quite spoil the feature of the childe; and if men would be tamper­ing while the Apostles lived, what would they do after? If I should say, that the unhappiest and old­est weeds have grown in this Garden, I should not speak far wide; I may say of it, as Solomon saith of man, Eccles. 7. 29. Loc, this have I found, that God hath made man right, but they have sought out many inventions.

§. 7 Obs. 3 The Apostle doth not command those that were pure from these abUses to separate from their Communi­on with the rest, whom he reproves for their sinne of Of separation, when sinful, and when law­full. coming unworthily. We know not who, or how ma­ny were free, but it may seem the poorest were the purest, as commonly they are; but he that reproves schism doth not command separation; He assayes the cure another way,

1. By setting the Ordinance right according to Christs Institution.

2. By rectifying the Communicants from their unworthy coming, and so gives both a purgation, disallowing their schism, not allowing any separa­tion.

If Babylon become ahabitation of Devils, then come out of her my people, Rev. 18. 2, 4. Yea flee out and de­liver your souls, Jer. 51. 6.

If Christ must be coupled with Belial, the Temple of God with Idols, as it is when Christians partici­pate in Heathenish Sacrifices and Idolatries, then, Come out from among them, and be ye separate, [Page 31] 1 Cor. 6. 16, 17. You have an old and famous exam­ple in them that left all to go to Jerusalem when Jere­boam set up his Calves, and cast out the Priests of the Lord, 2 Chron. 11. 14, 16. For if Bethel turn Betha­ven, the hoUse of God become the hoUse of iniquity, then, Come out of Gilgal, Goe not up to Bethaven Hos. 4. 15.

If any that's called a brother, a Professour of the Christian Religion, be a Fornicatour, or Idolater, or covetous, have no free familiarity with him, with such an one, no not to eat, 1 Cor. 5. 11. Turn away from them, 2 Tim. 3. 5.

If they bring corrupt Doctrine, hoUse them not, sa­lute them not, Epist. a. John 10. for that makes you par­taker in their sinne, vers. 11. If their works be un­fruitfull works of darkness, be not partakers with them, have no fellowship with their workes, Ephes. 5. 7, 11.

These separations are duty, and unto duty, but for a Corinthian to separate from Gods Church and Gods Ordinance, becaUse some come unworthily to the Lords Table is no duty, becaUse there is no com­mand, it is no duty, and therefore we read not this word, Come forth, in any of those Epistles written to the seven Churches, Revel. 2. & 3. against which Christ saith, He hath such and such things; they that lived in the impurer, are not called forth into the purer Churches, but there are promises made to them that keep themselves pure, and duties enjoyned them to­ward the impure part, for we may not make these Churches and Babylon all one, nor make every disease the plague: Shall the sons of God, the Angels, for­sake the Lords presence, becaUse Satan comes also [Page 32] amongst them? Job 1. 6. Must Shem and Japhet leap out of Noahs Ark, becaUse there is a Cham there; Would not our Saviour rather have sent for John Ba­ptist to have baptized him, rather than himself have come from Nazareth to Bethabara, which some com­pute Hildersam in Joh. 4. Lect. 26 p. 122. fourteen Dutch miles, that's of ours fifty six? If that generation of vipers that came also to Johns Ba­ptism, had either polluted the water, or the Ordi­nance unto Christ? Matth. 3. 7, 14. But of this more afterwards.

§. 8 Obs. 4 The abUses reproved were such as depraved the Ordi­nance, and the corruptions such as put themselves forth in the Communicants at the very time of their participation. The Lords Supper, was so intermedled with their festival cheer, as the difference between the Lords body, and their own repast was not truly made. They discerned not the Lords body. Their corruptions which at all times are blame-worthy, as divisions, intemperance, slighting the poor brethren, do now appear most odious and unsuitable, I note hereupon, That sinne never doth us more hurt than in frustrating and disabling the Use and fruit of Ordinances. This is not, saith he, to eat the Lords Supper, vers. 20. You come together not for the better, but for the worse, vers. 17. We are the worse, when we bring such sins as carnalize the heart, and disapten us for spiritual fruition and enjoyment; An outward reverence, as it is an argument of a serious spirit; so it is becoming the Ordinances of the Go­spel; The meeting of the Church is the greatest meet­ing in the world, the irreverent Use of the Lords Sup­per, call'd for a sudden Reformation, Other things, saith the Apostle, will I set in order when I come, vers. ult. but this cannot stay, it's a matter of importance, [Page 33] that the reverence of this Ordinance be preserv'd, bring not hither then the behaviour of a Tavern, or of your meeting at the Hall of your Company, though grave, but the deportment of Christians that come to the best and greatest Table in the world: It's true, I could worship Christ though lying in a manger, but I should not put him in a manger, if I had a better room for him in my Inne; Let all things be done decent­ly, or beautifully, 1 Cor. 14. ult.

§. 9 The words are, For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you; A good recommendation of his Doctrine, a good preparative to make way for Cameron. Myrothec. in loc. Horac. lib. 2. Satyr. 8. Aeneid. l. 2. their acceptance of it, I received it from the Lord. The expression is Hebrewish, with whom; the Teach­er is said to give, Prov. 9. 9. The Scholar to receive, and the Latine owns both the words in that sense, That which I have learned, I also have delivered; This very Doctrine he had taught them by word of mouth, but now upon occasion of their swerving from it, he repeats and writes them a copy of it for perpetual memory. Beza is in this place a Hypercri­tick from the word [...] not [...], and will have it thus, Ut à Domino profectum, I received it upon re­port, as from the Lord: It weakens not the credit of the Doctrine, whether the Apostle had it by immedi­ate revelation, as most say, or by report of eye-wit­nesses, or both; He did receive it from the Lord, and from the Lord he hands it to the Church, and there­in, as Estius saith, he is a fourth Evangelist, for John Estius in loc, recites not the institution of the Supper, though he speak upon the borders of it, and so Paul makes the fourth relator.

The Observations hence are,

§. 10 [Page 34]1. The best way to redress and remedy abUses and cor­ruptions crept into this Ordinance, is to reduce it to the Justum regulum adjubet Martyr. Institutio Chri­sti certa regula. Calvin. Lords Institution. This the Apostle here doth, ha­ving opened the nature of the disease, he applies this medicine, For I have received of the Lord, &c. Our Saviour had Used this way upon the Question of Di­vorce, which was grown very abusive, and stood in need of regulation; he tries it by the standard of the first institution, yea though the authority and anti­quity of Moses was pleaded, But, saith Christ, from the beginning it was not so, Mat. 19. 8. Though errour be old, yet truth is first. All corruptions of Ordinan­ces are deviations from their institution, and there­fore the false copy must be corrected by the true ori­ginal, The institution of Christ is the certain Rule; He instituted it for a Communion, therefore O Corin­thians, your divisions and contempt of the poor is unsuitable. He instituted it as a Sacrament of his bo­dy and blood for spiritual repast, therefore your in­temperance and common Use of it at your feasts, is not agreeable to the nature and Use of it, as the standard discovers false weights and measures, and a straight rule, a crooked line, so the institution of our Lord, corruptions. The Popish-masse would not be found in the masse, if it were tried by this Rule; but we must distinguish between Christs institution of this Sacrament, and his celebration of it, though at the same time. The institution shews the nature and Use of it, and abides as a perpetual Rule, He took bread, he blest, he broke, he gave, &c. His celebration of it was by Reason of the Passeover attended by very many occasional circumstances, after Supper, in a private room, in such a gesture, to such a number, in [Page 35] unlevened bread, &c. It's no corruption to vary in these occasional circumstances, except we must al­wayes keep Passeovers too. I show'd you before out of Jewish Writers, That the Passeover of after-times, even that of Christ varied in such particulars from the first Passeover in Egypt, without corruption, and so this Supper in all ages hath varied from the first ce­lebration in such occasionals. He, saith Naz anzen, Naz. Nat. 40. celebrated the Supper, [...], in an upper room, we in our hoUses of prayer; he af­ter, we before Supper; he before his death, we after his Resurrection, and so accordingly all Divines. It is universalis notio, saith Chamier, an universal notion Chamier. de Euchar. l. 8. c. 7. that the circumstances of an individual action be di­stinguisht from those that pertain to the Law thereof, and these may be of good Use for instruction, not of necessary Use for imitation; I say with learned Hooker, Hooker Eccles. Polit. l. 5. p. 366 To do throughout every like circumstance with Christ were to erre more from the purpose he aimed at, then we now do by not following them with so nice strictness; What is superstition but to make that necessary which is indifferent, and that a part of wor­ship which is an accident to it? So Constantine the Emperour defer'd his Baptism, and almost mist it, becaUse he would have been baptized in Jordan, as Christ was. Hold the institution, but be not super­stitious without a command, or hoc facite, in the circumstances that fall out at the time of cele­bration.

§. 11 Obs. 3 This Ordi­nance we re­ceive from the Lord. That the Apostle received from the Lord what he de­livered to the Church. This high and honourable Or­dinance, the Passeover of the Christian Church, we can receive from no higher hand, than the Lord, we [Page 36] may receive from no lower; our faith can be resolved into no lower authority than the Lord. I believe and receive this, and Use it, and expect the fruit, not be­caUse Paul delivers it to me, but becaUse he receives it from the Lord, and so the Apostle leads our faith to the original, the first authority, and higher we need not, we cannot go: It was the dignity of an Apostle to be a receiver from the Lord, or else he could not have had the authority of a deliverer to the Church. See the difference between Christ and Paul in this matter of delivery to the Church, in Matth. 5. 21, 31, 33. Ye have heard it hath been said of old thus and thus, But I say to you; He speaks like the Lord, But I say; when Paul comes to speak, Then, I have received from the Lord, he speaks as an Embassadour, or a servant; No other authority ought to take place in the Church, but of Christ only.

§. 12 The Apostles were of high authority in the Church of Christ, first Apostles, saith the Text, 1 Cor. 12. 28. yet they were but receivers, there was a higher authority which they advance, I have recei­ved from the Lord; See the scale or ladder of faith; we receive our Doctrine from the Scriptures, the Scriptures from the Apostles and others that were in­spired; they from Christ, and Christ as Mediatour sayes, He hath received his mission from God; and here alone our faith stands, and is quietly setled, so in the Commonwealth, you receive a warrant from the Constable, a meaner man then you, he from the Justice, he from the Councel, they from the supream power.

And what need or Reason was there that he should avouch his receiving the Doctrine of this Sacrament [Page 37] from the Lord? Was it for that he wrote to the Co­rinthians, a proud and stomackfull people that had his person in some contempt in comparison of their preachers, who by their tinkling eloquence led them by the ears into captivity, and were partners with, or patrons of them in these abUses? Therefore he brings the name of the Lord to bear down their naughty sto­macks, and the Lords institution to whip these corru­ptions out of the Temple: Or

Rather was it for a closer Reason; He that believes to receive a soul-benefit from an outward Ordinance of eating and drinking bread and wine, had need to see good ground for his believing, for they are incom­mensurate and improper to the soul; the body may more easily be fed with air, than the soul with bread and wine; Therefore he appeals to the Lord, for the benefit is from the authour, the vertue and fruit from the institution; He that by a piece of brass heal'd a mortal sting, can by bread (as I may say) feed the hungry soul; He put clay in my eyes (saith the blinde man) He sent me to the pool of Siloam, and I washt, and do see, Joh. 9. 15.

§. 13 Obs. 3 That the Apostle delivered to the Church what he had received from the Lord also delivered unto you, ( Et omnibus Ecc esiis meo ministerio fundatis) and all Morton in loc. P. Martyr. Churches founded by my Ministry; He did receive and deliver, but not institute this Ordinance; He that will institute a Sacrament makes himself a God, saith Peter Martyr, Had he not received he had want­ed authority? Had he not delivered, he had wanted faithfulness and honesty, as a messenger that keeps the God alwayes had officers in his Church. Ring sent to a friend? God hath ever had in his Church such as should be receivers and deliverers, an [Page 38] office of men, taken from among men, and ordained for men in things pertaining to God, as it's defined, Heb. 5. 1. but all are not receivers, as Paul, by imme­diate hand from the Lord; Moses receives the Law, and the pattern in the Mount; he was a receiver and deliverer, the Priests in their generations did receive and deliver, but they were bound to the Law, and to the Testimony: So in the Christian Churches the Apostles receive the Word and Sacraments from the Law, they see the pattern in the Mount, then there are others in their generations that receive and deliver too, but they are bound to the Law and Testimony. Hear the Apostle 2 Tim. 2. 2. The things that thou hast heard of me, commit thou to faithfull men, who shall be able to teach others also: So that here is Paul that re­ceived from the Lord, Timothy from Paul, other faith­full men from Timothy, and others from those faith­full men; There is no government of any Com­monwealth on earth, but they have their Offi­cers to receive Lawes and Commands from the highest, and to convey and deliver them to the people.

§. 14 The Apostle received from the Lord two things, His Commission and his Errand; His Commission to be an Apostle, Rom. 1. 5. From Christ we have re­ceived our Apostleship, and this he may show to the people, as he doth to these Corinthians, 1 Cor. 9. 1. Am I not an Apostle? &c. but he doth not deliver this to them; His errand, and that is the Doctrine of the Gospel, and this he doth both receive and de­liver, I have delivered unto you; so an Embassadour hath a Commission, and that he may show, but de­livers not; and he hath an errand, and that he receives [Page 39] from his Lord, and delivers to them to whom he is sent. There were Prophets in Jeremiah's time that would be deliverers, but they neither received Com­mission, Jer. 14. 14. I sent them not; nor errand, Jer. 23. 16. Their vision was of their own heart; The one of these being wanting made a false prophet. I fear we have many moe deliverers then receivers from the Lord, either they want one of these legs, or both, and yet (which is the wonder they run) having recei­ved neither Commission nor Errand from the Lord.

§. 15 He delivers that to the Church, all that, only that, which first he had recived from the Lord; the arrow flees with strength, that is shot out of such a Bow; He was a faithfull Embassadour or Steward, we have all that, and nothing but that which comes from the Lord; a good depositary that fails not of his trust, the losse of a little of Gods truth, is as the losse of a Diamond out of a Ring: Christ speaks of the least iota's or tittles of the Law, as precious things, and permanent. It was the admirable wit of Homer, to make (in his Poems) Embassadours to speak in the same words, as they received their errand by the same spirit, and the same inspiration that he received this Doctrine from the Lord, he also delivered it to the Church. How pure doth this Ordinance of the Supper come to our hands? What credit ought it to be of with us? You know the Heathens, and so Ma­homet that impostor, that set up or devised the hea­thenish Theology or Worship, they feigned a con­versation with some god or goddess, a spirit, that their votes might be received of the people with awe and credit; for the conscience of man stoops to none but God, from whom we are assured by the A­postle [Page 40] that we have this Ordinance, That I received, I also delivered to you.

§. 16 Obs. 4 That what the Apostle had formerly delivered to the Corinthians by lively voice, now he writes upon the occa­sion of abUses grown in, How easily do corruptions steal Estius in loc. in? How soon do we forget the Law of Ordinances and institutions of Christ? It could not be many years since he had delivered the manner of this Ordinance, What necessity there is of having the Scri­pture written. and now he repeats it in writing: What necessity is there of having the Scripture written? That it may continue and passe pure from generation to generati­on. Men finde it very requisite that their Laws be written and upon record; what inconveniences would follow, if not? While the Church of God consisted of few persons or families, as in Noah and Abraham's time, there was the word of God, but not Scripture. It was handed down from father to sonne by traditi­on, and the frequent appearances of God to them, supplied defects; but afterward God began the ex­ample, and wrote the Decalogue in Tables of stone, the ancientest writing this day in all the world, then Moses also wrote the Scripture, and he is the ancientest writer in the world; if all the Greek Law givers or Poets be compared with him, they are but ( heri aut nudius tertius saith Cunaeus and Josephus) as of yesterday, hundreds of years before the Trojan war, yet not so many, as Theoph. ad Autolycum. affirms, The Jews had the Old Which was in Jephaes dayes 900. or 1000. Testament written, though they were so frequently visited by extraordinary Prophets; and the Jewish Masoreth had so industriously mended and numbred all the letters in every word of the Old Testament, that they knew the number, and could as easily misse one as you can misse a pearl off your chain, and here­of [Page 41] we have the benefit, Codicem portat Judaeus unde credat Christianus, The Jew saith Austin, though Aug. in sa. 56 himself an unbeliever is our Library-keeper, and carries the book after us out of which we get our faith: for how often doth our Lord and his Apostles cite those Records; Nor would the Lord let the New Testament be unwritten, which in the wide world, over which the Gospel spreads, would have been mangled and transfigured into a thousand shapes. Re­member sometimes in your prayers to give God thanks for the Gospel written, the Jews never forget the Law in theirs. And yet again, I note it, that ma­ny parts of the New Testament were written on acci­dental occasions, as ill manners occasion good Laws; so Paul writes this Epistle, and this part that I preach upon: So the Epistle to the Galatians, an occasion of false teachers that mingled Moses and Christ, Law and Gospel; and all Writers give this occasion for that lofty and sublime piece, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was, &c. becaUse the hellish Gno­sticks did even then begin to adulterate the simplicity of the Gospel, and to bring Christ unto a lower rank, and therefore he Uses their very words [...] and [...] Grot. in Proleg. ad Johan. which they had in Plato and Pythagoras his School, and applies them to Christ Jesus; we get this excel­lent piece of Scripture which intreats upon the prepa­ration of the Communicant above any, above all other, and we get it by the abUses and corruptions reigning then in Corinth, upon occasion of their sin, the whole Church hath gained a Rule for ever, I had almost said, as it's said in another respect, foelix culpa, happy were these corruptions.

The safest, simplest, certainest Rule by which a Commu­nicant §. 17. Obs. 5. [Page 42] may examine himself, whether he come worthily to this Table, is to do it by the nature, Use and end of the Lords Supper. The Apostle had found great fault with the Corinthians manner of communicating, to prevent By what rule men are to ex­amine whe­ther they come worthily to the Lords Supper. which he gives one short Rule in these words, Let a man examine himself; but he sets down no form of this self-examination; He doth not answer the Question, How? Yea, he delivers the institution of Christ in all points, as that Rule to square the Communicant; For if a man do rightly calculate, he shall finde that here is presented and represented the closest union and communion of the soul with Christ, the most spiri­tual intimacy, the most humbling and passionate pro­spect of a broken Christ, the most refreshing water that runs out of that smitten Rock, the most real ex­hibition and affording of this to me; and indeed the sweetest and neerest entercourse with our Lord, is here set forth, as in no other Ordinance, for the man­ner of it, and then what doth this bespeak? Doth a feast so set forth bespeak a swine? Are Superstition, Ignorance, Prophaneness, fit garments to come in to such a Supper? Are those Christ-killing-sinnes of ours, which caUsed this breaking of him, fit compa­nions for us to bring to the eating of him? That is, as if we should bring to the Lords Table the bloudy knife that killed him; Let a man but Use his Reason with his faith, and ask this broken bread, this pour­ed wine, what they mean, or what they speak, and they will tell him enough, whereby he may examine himself, and this is Chemnitius his Rule for examina­tion, Chem. Exam. de preparatione. whom a great man of this Nation saith, to be the best Scholar of all the Lutherans (Sic inquit Mon­tacut. origenes.)

Uſe. [Page 43]The result of all that hath been said, comes to these two instructions, pertaining either to Minister, or people, or both.

1. That this Ordinance of the Supper be suitable to the Exod. 25. 40. Heb. 8. 5. institution of Christ.

2. That the Communicant be suitable to the Ordinance, and then both things which the Apostle speaks unto here, both sorts of abUses or corruptions, whether in the Ordi­nance, or of the Communicants, are set to rights, and all is right.

§. 18 1. That the Ordinance be suitable to the institution; For see (saith he) that thou make all things according to This Ordi­nance must be administred according to Gods institu­tion. the pattern shew'd thee in the Mount; Moses had no li­berty to vary from the matter or form, or any particu­lar; and have not we an institution, and the pattern of this Ordinance set before us, not in the Mount, but in the upper▪ room, where Christ celebrated the first Supper, and gave forth a hoc facite, This do as oft as ye do it, hoc facite, is as much as, See that ye make or do all things according to the pattern; The Apostles were not now at a Councel-Table with their Lord, to give their vote what manner of Sacrament should be appointed, but as guests to take and eat at present such cheer as the Master set before them, and in after-times to do This, Do this in remembrance of me, and yet our Lord Christ would have his Ordi­nances administred [...] decently. Clemens the an­cientest of Fathers in his Epistle to these Corinthians, hath an excellent saying, [...], We ought to do all those things orderly which our Master hath commanded us to do; For Christ himself was no friend to slovenliness, or loathsome nastiness (as one ob­serves) Hildersam in John 4. out of that Mark 14. 15. He shall shew you an [Page 44] upper room furnished and prepared; but presumption is bold, Superstition adventurous, as if it was called to councel with God, makes no bones of clipping his coyn; and therefore this Sacrament hath been filled with many devices, and long groaned under their in­ventions, which after long possession plead prescripti­on, and come in after-times to be counted parts, which at first were but scabs or wens. The Apostle did not, durst not deliver but what he had received; but they that have lesse power than the Apostle, dare deliver what they received not, and by adding or substracting, do plainly finde fault with Gods own model: Why should the Papist give into the mouth of his Commu­nicant a whole wafer, but that he is afraid to break the bread least some loose crums should fall? Why doth he cheat the people wholly of the Cup, but up­on pretence that a drop of the bloud might be shed or spilt? May we not think that they are too nice, and more scrupulous than Christ, at whose breaking bread there might fall crums, and in the Apostles drinking, drops from the cup? Superstition is foolish, that pre­tends holiness, and corrupts Ordinances, and had ra­ther make than take a Sacrament; We have the Mi­nister in the name and stead of Christ Jesus; if this be denied (as it is by some) I shall at present affirm but this, That the reverend and most ancient Father Ju­stin Martyr in his second Apology to the Roman Em­perour, written about fifty years after the death of John the Apostle, sets out (as I shall shew you) the full manner of their administration of this Sacrament, and therein saith, the [...], or Minister, doth pour forth prayer, and gives thanks over the bread and wine, which (I can give no account of private corners) [Page 45] hath been practised in the Christian Churches, till this very time and year, being 1500 years at least. The Minister takes the bread, and likewise takes the Cup. He gives thanks or blesseth over the Bread and Cup He breaks the Bread, he saith, Take ye, eat ye, drink ye. He pronounces, This bread is the bo­dy of our Lord Jesus Christ. This Cup is the New Testa­ment in his bloud. You do take, you eat, you drink. This the Minister doth; this you do for a remembrance and commemoration of Christ, shewing forth his death; and this is an Ordinance sutable to the institution.

§. 19 2. That the Communicant be sutable to the Ordinance. When the Song is truly set and prickt, the singer must Of worthy communica­ting. keep time and tune, or else all is not right; The Pa­pists have the Ordinance unsuitable to the institution, and we alas have Communicants unsuitable to the Ordinance. That word which follows in this Cha­pter, that dangerous word [...], unworthily; what is it but unsutably, we must measure, and fashion the Communicant by the Ordinance: He must of neces­sity be a Disciple, to such Christ spoke, Take ye, eat ye, &c. not as ye are Apostles, but as Disciples; He must bring with him a Christ receiving, or a Christ applying faith, for Take, Eat, without a hand or mouth of the soul he cannot; He must come with hunger and thirst for strength and refreshment, for he doth come to a Table to eat and drink the staff of bread the cordial cheering wine; This strength and nourishment is by vertue of his union with Christ himself, and communion, therefore he comes to eat the very body, and drink the very bloud of Christ; He comes as a confederate with God, to receive the seal, or as a Legator to receive a Legacy bequeath'd [Page 46] by Will, viz. Christ and remission of sins in Christ, for this Cup is the New Covenant, or New Testa­ment sealed with Christs bloud; He comes as to a festival commemoration, where the founder of the feast is remembred with praise and honour, Do it in remembrance of me; He looks through and beyond the broken bread and wine poured out, to a broken body and the shed bloud of Christ; He looks at another taking, then taking of bread; another eating and drinking than of bread and wine, viz. the taking to himself, and the spiritual and intimate application of Christs body and bloud, For he discerns the Lords bo­dy, and therefore comes as a consecrated person to consecrated elements, to broken bread with a broken heart, full of affections, as the Ordinance is full of mysteries, and here is a Communicant suitable to the Ordinance, and so Paul, who received of the Lord, and delivered unto them the institution of Christ, hath set to rights both the Ordinance, and the Corinthian Com­municant.

CHAP. III. That the Lord Jesus is the Authour of this Sacrament.

I Shall follow the track of the Apostle, who goes before me in the two points I am to entreat upon.

1. The Nature and Use of this Sacrament.

2. The due Preparation of the Communicant.

Of these in order, and with what brevity I can, contenting my self to speak in decimo sexto, what might be spoken in folio, in hope that your proficiency by M ^r Anthony Burgess and M ^r Love. your former most worthy teachers, may excUse me the labour of so large a volume.

The next words I come unto, do plainly point out unto us.

1. The Author of the institution, The Lord Jesus.

2. The Time of it, The same night in which he was betrayed.

Doct. 1 The Authour of this Sacra­ment. The Authour of this institution is the Lord Jesus. The consent of all the Evangelists that write the History, [Page 48] puts this out of all controversie; Christ was personal­ly present both celebrating and instituting this Ordi­nance; He is res Sacramenti, the thing of the Sacra­ment, and Author Sacramenti, the Authour of the Sacrament, the feast-maker, and the feast; Out of this pierced side (as Austin alludes) there came forth both bloud and water, the two Sacraments of the Church; He took the bread, he blest, he brake it, he gave it, it may well be called the Lords Supper, yea the Lord is the Supper, This is my body, this is my bloud.

§. 1 First, The Lord Jesus is Authour, the Mediatour of the new Covenant, the Testator of the new Testa­ment, appoints the seal of that Covenant, and ratifies that Testament with his bloud; He is the Lord to whom is committed the Soveraignty and Govern­ment of his Church, therefore he makes Officers, Laws and Ordinances. The Lords day, and the Lords Supper are particularly in Scripture called by Rev. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 11. his name, The Lords; The Lords day ex illius resur­rectione festivitatem suam habere coepit, took its festivity Epist. 119. from his Resurrection, as Austin; The Lords Supper is the memorial of his death, so his death and resurre­ction, a Supper, and a day to memorize them.

As he is Lord, so his Laws binde whatsoever they be, though Abraham be commanded to kill his sonne, for the Laws of God have not their obligation from the quality of the Law, but from the authority of the Lord the Law-giver: As he is Jesus a Savi­our, so his Laws are benefits and liberties tending to salvation; as the Laws of your City are freedoms, and your freedoms laws, so you obey them [...]s Laws, enjoy them as freedoms, they are our benefit and our duty; His invitation is to a Supper, it's the invitation of a Lord, it's the Supper of a Saviour.

§. 2 [Page 49]Secondly, There must be institution of a Sacrament. The elements are cyphers, till the institution make them figures. Institution is as necessary to a Sacra­ment, as superscription is to money, for it is created [...], of things that did not appear, Sacra­ments are of that rank of things, Quae nihil sunt sine institutione, saith Chamier, they were bread and wine Chamier. de Euchar. l. 7. c. 10 indeed before, but they were nothing to that relation which Christ put upon them; a seal of a thousand a year is made of a peny-worth of wax; What was a piece of brasse to the healing of a mortal sting? No­thing, till God put an Use upon it, that all that lookt to it being bitten should be healed.

§. 3 Thirdly, There must be a divine institution to make a Sacrament. The Legatee doth not seal the will, but the Testatour, the Granter seals the Deed, not the Grantee; the Delinquent seals not the pardon, but the Keeper of the seal, Sola divina institutio facit Sa­cramentum, Montac. origin. part. 1. pag. 73. saith a learned man; Take that away, and it ceaseth to be a Sacrament; The Supream Power only can coyn money, in other its c [...]pit [...]l. All the whole Church together cannot make a Sacrament, then it should be the Churches Supper, not the Lords, and it is theirs to eat, but not to make, Ejus est signa Synopsis de coena §. 7. gratiae addere, cujus est gratiamtribuere, He may adde the signs of grace, that can give the grace. There is a four-fold word requisite to a Sacrament,

1. A word of institution, which appoints the mat­ter and form.

2. A word of Sanctification or blessing, to set them apart from common Use.

3. A word of Promise of some good to the Com­municant, and so we have here a promise of the [Page 50] Lords body and bloud; The promises of Sacraments, (as is well Observed by the Centuriators) are vestitae Centur. mag. ce [...]t. 1. promissiones, cloathed promises: He that believes shall be saved, is a naked promise: He that eats this bread, &c. shall have Christ as a cloathed promise.

4. A word of Command, as we have the [...] Buckler. Pr [...]t. evidence. in Baptism, so hoc facite here, as a learned man. Let the Word be added to the Element, and you have a Sacrament. Austin.

§. 4 Fourthly, It's the institution that gives the nature and efficacy to a Sacrament. He that mints the money, sets the value and price upon it. A Sacrament is an out­ward and visible signe, but it is not a natural, but a voluntary sign, nor yet a bare signe as the picture of Hercules is a signe of Hercules, and no more; we must not make the Sacraments, [...], empty names, empty figures, empty representations, that resemble and signifie something, and no more; as the Sacra­ment was a crucifix, and the Supper painted resem­blances of meat and drink, this is a hungry feast; he must have his stomack in his eye, that is fed with it, but the Sacraments are signacula, symbola, seals and pledges, or instruments offering, exhibiting and ma­king present to our faith the very benefits which they signifie, the very body and bloud of Christ is not only represented, but presente to a believer, and brought home to his soul, yet they are not natural instruments Montac. orig. part. 1. p. 67. in which the inward grace is contained, as in a vessel, as the Romish Praesentialists and Schoolmen dream, like plaisters which have in themselves a virtue or power to heal a wound, or a medicine to expell poison, but they are moral and voluntary means or instruments serving to the purpose ex destinatione by appointment, [Page 51] as the brazen Serpent to heal the sting. Bernard hath writ upon it, As (saith he) in vestitures, and posses­sions, Bernard▪ de c [...] ­ [...]a. and assurances, do pass by the staff and ring, Annulus non valet qnicquam, haereditas est quam quae­rebam, The ring avails little, I seek the inheritance that is confirmed and convey'd by it; so we say, the Lands, Inheritance, &c. do passe by the great Seal, for so I come to have and hold, and they are mine by it; Thus the Sacrament is a seal of confir­mation and conveyance of the inward grace to the hand or faith of a believing soul; And as really as the estate doth passe by the Seal into your right and possession, not by any inward work or power of the Seal in it self, but by the Use it's of, in sealing and con­veying; so really is Christ, and all his tReasure passed over unto you that receive him by faith, not in respect of any worthiness or vertue in the very outward Sa­crament, but in and by the Use it's of, by Christs ap­pointment to seal, confirm and convey; that excellent place speaks my minde fully, 1 Cor. 10. 16. The Cup of blessing which we bless, Is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ? The Bread which we break, Is it not the Communion of the body of Christ? He saith not barely representation, as a signe, but communion or participation as a conveying seal; I declare this to you, becaUse some believe too much, and think the outward Sacrament works (I know not how) like a plaister by some vertue contained in them, that is ope­re operato, as they barbarously speak; and others be­lieve-too little, as if they were meer and empty signs and resemblances of Christs body and bloud; as if a woman should receive a ring meerly, becaUse the pi­cture of her beloved is engraven on it, and not as a [Page 52] ring of espousals, really sealing and confirming the contract, and assuring himself hers; sed de hoc infra.

§. 5 The Use which may be hence inferr'd is two­fold.

Use 1 The Lord Jesus is authour, therefore this Supper is not ours that are Ministers, but it is the Lords. Alexan­der Ales. pars 4. quaest. 49. memb. 1. Hales hath an excellent Rule, which I shall make Use of hereafter, it's this, Sacerdos est dispensator non Dominus Sacramentorum Ecclesiae, non dat suum, sed reddit alienum, quod de jure negari non potest, The Mi­nister is the Dispenser or Steward, not the Lord of the Sacraments of the Church. He gives not that which is his, but restores that which is anothers, which de jure cannot be denied to him to whom it's Homil. 83. in Mat. due, and therefore Chrysostom speaks to his fellow Mi­nisters, and cals them [...], Distribu­ters, Dispensers, as you are of the poors bread in the Church, which some Benefactour formerly appoint­ed to be bestowed on them by his Will, and of his Gift, to whom the Lord gives it; We cannot deny, if they be within the Sphere of our office, and to whom the Lord denies we cannot give. A man comes to an Executour, Sir, I come to you for a certain Le­gacy given me by my Fathers will, whereof you are Executour, the gift bequeathed is not yours, and you are but the hand, whereby the Donour was pleased to hand it unto me: True, saith the Executour, there is such a Legacy bequeath'd, but if you look the Will, you shall finde it given with some limitations and pro­viso's: See the words, ver. 28. of this Chapter, [...], and so, there is an And so; But let a man examine him­self, and so let him eat, and so let him drink: It is con­fest [Page 53] on all hands, The Conditions being performed, the claim is good; but if it can be said, You are not a Disciple, and to such only this Legacy was bequeath­ed by Christ, or the Church hath set on you the brand of a Heathen or a Publican, though you was a Disciple, and you have for the present by your sinne forfeited the right you had, untill by your repentance you return again, why then all will say, that an Exe­cutour or Administratour may not act directly contra­ry to the Will, for he is not the Testatour to do what he will, but he is Administratour to Observe, and not to violate the Will.

§. 6 Use 2 The Lord Jesus is authour from him, therefore let the benefit and efficacy of this Ordinance be expected; for it hath & veritatem, & virtutem, both esse and operari, being and working from the authour; As money hath the stamp and the value from the supream power; and here is the difference between natural and moral instruments (we take the word instrument largely pro medio for a mean) that if the Sacraments were natural means or instruments, in which (as the Schoolman doth) the very vertue, or the grace and benefit by them convey'd were contrived, then were the vertue and benefit to be expected from them­selves, and no otherwise from the authour, than as authour of the instrument; as the Candle gives light whether the maker of it be present or no, and the plaister heals by a quality in it self, but a moral instru­ment not so, being empty of any vertue to such an effect, except the authour do work by it, or ( ad prae­sentiamejus) at the presence of it; as the Serpent of brasse on the Pole, the Clay and Spittle on the eye, the Lambs bloud on door-posts, had in themselves [Page 54] no power to their several effects, but as they were ap­pointed and Used by God or Christ. It is very hard to believe that there is a true and real exhibition of Christs body and bloud to my faith, as there is of the bread and wine to the mouth of the receiver; sottish and superstitious people, that Use charms or inchanted means for diseases, &c. never ask themselves, How these things work, by any natural vertue in them, or by the devil the authour of them; And so here, there are thousands that have a reverend esteem of these mysteries, yea and a superstitious conceit, thinking that there is some good in them, and ima­gining at least that they shall be better for them, but whether to apply their eye to the very things themselves, or to Christ they know not, nor matter not, but rest in a confUsed imagination, just as they that Use charms. Now for redress of this confUsed notion, I commend that of famous D ^r Whitaker, Qua­si De Euchar. pag. 624. in 40. Christos in medio sederet, &c. As if Christ fate a­mongst you, and did the same as in the first Supper, so ought we to think of this Sacrament, and that is to see Christ, to take, and bless, and say to us, This is my body, take and eat; This is my bloud, Drink ye all of it, a very effectual consideration, according to that good old solemn word, Used to be spoken to the people at this Table, Surjum corda, Have your hearts up­ward, to which they answered, Habemus ad Domi­num.

Now as to others that have their eyes so near the book that they see the worse, I mean such as by cu­rious enquiry, and too much niceness, how it's possi­ble that the eating of a piece of bread, and drinking of a sup of wine, should exhibit and convey to the [Page 55] faith of a believer, the very true and real body and bloud of Christ, do dispute themselves into a naked figure and sign, as a painted supper represents a true. I say this, That God imitates men in their assurances or conveyances, as we read of his oath, of his earnest, of his seal; so that as men in passing of estates and in­heritances, do make Deeds, and seal them, and deli­ver them, and then the real estate is not convey'd out by vertue of a bit of wax, but by the Donors sealing that wax, and fastening it to his Deed, and delivering it as his Act and Deed: So God, or the Lord Jesus Christ makes a Covenant of giving Christ and eter­nal life to believers, and appoints Sacraments to be Seals of that Covenant, and delivers this sealed Co­venant to a believer, and thereby really and truly the Lord Jesus Christ; for in hoc sacro, speaking of the Supper, saith Bernard, non solum quaelibet gratia. sed Serm. de caena. 2. ille in quo est, omnis gratia, not only some one certain grace is given, but he in whom is all grace viz. Christ Jesus the Lord. And yet I must not say, that God hath so tied himself, or us, to the sacramental Seals, as that no man can have Christ, or the inheritance without them, for that faith which eats and drinks the flesh and bloud of Christ extra Sacramentum, Joh. 6. 50, 51, 53, 54. doth save, and the Covenant ( who­soever believes in Christ shall be saved) passes the estate effectually to a believer, though it be never sealed sa­cramentally, so a Will unsealed and unwritten too, will stand good to many purposes. The Emperour Valentinian earnestly desired Baptism, but before Ambrose could come died; He was sayed, saith Am­brose, voto Baptismi, by the desire of Baptism: No, The desire was good, but it was his faith in Christ [Page 56] that saved him. Crede & manducasti, saith Austin, Be­lieve and thou hast eaten; What then need we care for Sacraments? Yea, the Covenant passes the Estate, the Seal secures and quiets it; God need neither adde to his Promise, Oath or Seal, to binde himself there­by, but to settle us.

CHAP. IV. Of the Time of this Sacraments In­stitution; And of Judas his be­traying Christ.

SO much of the Authour, now to the Time of this The time. Institution, In the same night wherein he was betray­ed; The Lord Jesus was betray'd, he was betray'd in the night, The same night in which he was betrayed, he instituted and celebrated this Supper.

§. 1 First, The Lord Jesus was betrayed. The same word signifies Gods delivering up his Sonne to death, Rom. 8. 32. and Judas his delivering up his Master to the Jews, Luk. 22. 4. and the Jews their delivering of him up to Pilate, Mat. 27. 18. God is not said to betray his Sonne, becaUse according to his purpose, and out of his love to man-kinde, he delivered him to death for their redemption, but both the Jews and Judas are said to have betray'd him, they for envy [Page 57] seeking his bloud, Matth. 27. 18. He for covetousness seeking money, Matth. 26. 15. for it is thought that Judas conceiv'd that Christ would slip out of the mids of them, and go away, as often he had done, and then his Master were safe, and he had his money, for it's said, Matth. 27. 2. that then Judas which had betray'd him, when he saw that Christ was condem­ned, repented himself. It's a good saying, that we should not look on pleasure, as it comes toward us, but as it goes from us. Sinne before it be committed seems to the eye of lust full of profit, pleasure, after commission when the lust is spent, Ammon hates Ta­mar for whom he was sick before.

But the traitor sticks fastest to Judas; he is [...] the betrayer of Christ his Lord and Master, and therefore the brand is set upon him, Judas Iscariot who betrayed him, as on Jeroboam, that made Israel to sinne, and how did he betray him? He brought a band of men to the place where Christ was, and marked him out unto them with a kisse, Matth. 26. 48. This is he, take him, and hold him fast. This Text re­fers not to Gods delivering up of Christ, nor to the Luk. 22. 48. Jews, but to Judas; for it's said, In the night that he was betrayed, and that was by Judas only.

§. 2 Judas being an instrument to bring to passe Gods holy councel and purpose, plunged himself by his sinne into Obs. deep damnation. It was Gods purpose and decree that Christ should die, and he himself deliver'd him up to death, but as God holily and justly doth what Jo­sephs brethren do sinfully, so he delivers up the Lord Jesus by wicked hands, Luk. 22. 22. The Sonne of man goes, viz dies, [...], as it was decreed and determin'd, But woe to that man by whom he is betrayed, [Page 58] it had been good for that man that he had not been born. It is according as it is decreed, yet woe to that man, &c. Acts 2. 23. He was deliver'd by the determinate councel and fore-knowledge of God, but you have slain him by wicked hands; God brings his holy councels, purpo­ses and decrees to passe by most wicked instruments; The giving up his Sonne to death was the most glori­ous work of grace and love that ever was, but effe­cted by most wicked hands. Godly men could not be imployed in such services. An Artificer Useth a crooked tool to do that which he cannot do by a strait one; The secret will of God is no rule of our obedi­ence, Nec omnis revelata, saith Ainsw. not every re­veal'd Medull a lib. cap. 1. §. 23. will neither his instance is of Jeroboam to whom it was reveal'd long before that he should have ten Tribes, 1 King. 11. [...]1. which yet peccavit occupan­do, he sinn'd in assuming, 2 Chron. 3. 5, 6, 7. The re­vealing of an event, which God hath determined, or those actions, whereby that event shall be brought to passe, gives no warrant, for else Hazael, being told 2 King. 8. 12. before, and Judas too, what they should both do, might have been pleaded for justification; After a wonderfull manner, saith Austin, that is against Gods will, which is not besides it. It's against the will of his command, which is our rule, which is not beside the will of his purpose, and yet may be our sin, God is just and gracious in delivering up his Sonne to death, but Judas and the Jews sin horribly in it, there is Rom. 12. 2. That good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God, which the godly are to hold unto, but for the Act. 2. 23. [...], Gods determinate councell Pharaoh and Judas, and Herod, and Pilate, the worst names in the whole world, may be the instruments and damned [Page 59] midwives to bring it to the birth; for (as M ^r Bright­man saith in another case) a fair and perfect childe born doth not make any thing the better, the adul­tery in which it was begotten: so the being the work of Gods purpose, nothing warrants the act of any man, or of Judas that betray'd Christ. I must not en­large upon these.

§. 3 Obs. 2 The Lord Jesus was betrayed in the night. Judas marches as Captain of the band of men, and Officers of the Chief-Priests and Pharisees, unto the Garden with Lanterns, Torches, Weapons, Joh. 18. 3. They are cunning to do their work in the night without no­tice, and noise, & tumult; He that about an hour or two ago had been at Passeover with Christ, now betrayes him; He had sold him afore, and now delivers him.

§. 4 Observe here the pattern of a wicked heart made worse by spiritual Ordinances. Whether Judas was present at, and participant of the Lords Supper, that is, whether he received both Sacraments, the Passeo­ver and the Lords Supper, we may haply hereafter consider, but at the Passover he was at that Passover, which Christ saith, he had heartily desired to eat with them, Luk. 22. 15. and with the holiest socie­ty in the world, but he was a Serpent in Paradise all the while.

§. 5 His Character is this: 1. He was purse-bearer and receiver of the contributions that came in, and stew­ard to lay out upon occasion, and becaUse he inverted the publick stock to his private Use, he is called a thief, John [...]2. 6.

2. His Covetousness in time began to flie at great gain; for though he retained to such a Master, and was both a Teacher and Preacher of heavenly Do­ctrine, [Page 60] yet he thrives from a thief to a traitour, and exposed to sale the most precious jewel, Jesus Christ, Luke 22. 3.

3. Of this sinne he went breeding, and came full Matth. 26. 16. of it to the Passeover; This he had premeditated, and with this he was prepossest, and with no better preparation comes to the Sacrament, to which he came not to repent of his sinne, but to cover it: So some men Use Religion, and his successe was accord­ing, for what he was conceived with before, now is quicken'd, After the sop Satan entered into him, Joh. 13. 27.

4. He goes from the Sacrament full of Satan, and within few hours sels that bloud which should have been sprinkled on his door-posts.

§ 6 This is a fearfull example to all that after such a president dare venture upon a Sacrament, to which they come with purpose to go on in those sinnes they bring to it, as he did, whether covetousness, as his was, or luxury, drunkenness, loosness of life, fraud, rapine, ungodly callings, unjust Use of their callings, &c. they think to receive Christ in the Sacrament, and Satan receives them; for you must know, That as Christ is presented in the Sacrament, so Satan is present at it, to enter in after the morsel, being first by the morsel sealed to be his. Sins of purpose and resolution, are the key that opens the door for his en­trance, do not look at Judas his particular sinne of selling his Master, that was not yet, but look at his purpose and resolution to commit the sinne, for that was now even at the Sacrament, that was it that set open the door to the Devil, and such a purpose to continue in your sinnes, will do the like office for [Page 61] Satan in you, as in him, that is, hold the door open. The Devil had put it into Judas heart, Joh. 13. 2. and after the Supper he enter'd into him, vers. 27.

It's true, the best of us bring sinne and corruption in us, and with us to the Lords Table, it's well if it be sour herbs to this Passeover, but it must not be un­leavened bread, sweet sinnes; we may come with sour sinnes, but not with sweet. The Apostles (as Luke relates, Chap. 22. 24.) had some ambition and desire of greatness in them, which even now began to peep up, and our Saviour checks it, and they also freshly come from the Lords Table shewed infirmity, they could not pray with him, they all ranne away from him, after denied him: What alas, so soon af­ter the Sacrament? We learn this excellent lesson, to bewail our corruptions that bubble up in us, even while we are at the Table, and those in us which still appear in us, when we are newly gone from it.

But there is great difference between their sins and Judasses, they thought of some preferment under Christ, and he made a preferment of him; He like a false souldier forsook his colours, and fled to the o­ther side; They were routed and ranne away with in­tent to return again, for [...]: His was an old fire that had long lien in him, and been fed by him: Theirs were some sparklings that sparkled, and soon went out: His was premeditated and pur­posed sin, theirs upon the sudden temptation; They were imperfectly good, he was perfectly evil, as was said of Simon Magus, Act. 8 2 [...]. Thou art in the gall of bitternesse, not, there is some gall of bitternesse in thee.

I have said this, and laid open Judas to affright men, not from the Supper, but unto preparation or self-ex­amination, And so let him come, saith the Text. I will wash mine hands in innocency, and so will I compasse thine Altar, Psal. [...]6. 6. For when or where do ye read such an expression, as vers. 29. He that eats and drinks un­worthily, eats damnation, drinks damnation to himself: It puts me in minde of a comparison of Chrysostoms in his Sermon de proditione Judae. As corporal food, finding [...], a stomack possest with ferment, vitious humours, doth more hurt than good, and incReases the disease, not of it's own nature, but by fault of the stomack: So this Sacrament received by wicked men, aggravates their condemnation, not of it self, but through their unrepented sins.

Obs. 3 The same night in which he was betrayed, the Lord Je­sus did both institute and celebrate this Sacrament. The concurrent testimony of the Evangelists, and of Paul in this Text, asserts it as the first Passeover in Aegypt, was eaten in the night, so was this Supper, and as that was kept in after-times as a memorial of the destroy­ing Angel, his passing over the hoUses of Israel, untill the death of Christ: So this is kept as a memorial of the deliverance of the Church from eternal destructi­on by the death of Christ, untill his second coming.

CHAP. V. Why Christ deferr'd the instituting of this Supper, untill the night in which he was betrayed.

THat Christ could have ordained this Supper be­fore this time there is no doubt, but why he de­ferr'd it to this night in which he was betrayed, [...], Chrysost. in loc. saith Chrysostom, was not without some Reason; and the Lord himself intimates as much, Luke 22. 15. With desire I have desired to eat this Passeover with you, before I suffer: Which Reasons are divers, and may be ordered to two heads:

1. Why he instituted it at the close of the Supper, for after Supper he took the Cup, v. 24.

2. Why he instituted and celebrated it a few hours (if hours) before he was betrayed.

§. 1 First, Being ordained at or at the end of the Passe­over and Supper annexed, which some call coena justa Grotius. or apolytica, the dimissory Supper it must of necessity be at night, for the Passeover was eaten at the begin­ning or fore-part of the night, therefore Christ was necessitate legis adactus, saith Peter Martyr, moved by In locum. necessity of the Law to do it in the night, and after Supper, as substituting it in the place and room of the [Page 64] Passeover (as Paraeus) which he first fulfilled, and then abrogated it, and he abrogated it as one that did not impugn it, for it was an Ordinance of God, and therefore he did not tear it down, as some old hang­ings off the wall, but he did fulfill it by Observing it, and decently laid it in the grave by placing in its room the memorial of an infinitely greater, and more large­ly extending mercy, than the deliverance from Ae­gypt was: So that when he whom that rosted and slain Lamb did type out, was as the true Passeover slain and sacrificed, then it was time the body being present to draw a curtain over the picture, and in stead of that commemoration Used at the Passeover, when they broke the bread, and distributed it, saying, This is the bread of affliction, which our Fathers suffered in Aegypt, to put a new memorial upon it, This is my bo­dy broken for you; This is my bloud shed for you, and as that continued in the Church till the body came which that shadow represented; so shall this continue in the Church, till the person come alive, which is here represented dying, and then an end of this too

2. At the end of the paschal Supper, to shew that Jansen. Harm. p. 105. in this Sacrament there is no bodily repast intended, for they had already supped, but a spiritual refection of the soul. The rosted Lamb might afford the guests a belly-full; so the Religion, and Ordinances, and Promises in the Law were more outward and bodily, but this Sacrament of the Gospel is an after Supper modicum, full of spiritual signification, but not so stuffie for outward matter, that we may prepare, not (as Austin saith) our months, but our faith, and ex­pect to satisfie not the hunger and thirst of the body, [Page 65] as they might, but the hunger and thirst of the soul, which in this little model may finde enough and over­measure: The Temple-service among the Jews was an Heb. 9. 1, 10. Rom. 2. penult. outward Religion, and as their Ordinances were out­ward, so they generally were Jews outwardly; we wonder that they so little saw and tasted the marrow and kernel of them, and stuck in the rinde feeding on the crust of most Ordinances, as if a man should think the cloth would heal the sore, and not the plaister spread upon it; but if we take estimate of them by our selves, we shall finde that most of us should have been as they in that case, for God having ordained for us outward Sacraments, for number few, for Observati­on easie, for signification excellent, as Austin speaks, Epist. 118. we are for the general, but outward in them, & though we be clearlier taught what is within them, yet we are in the Use of them, but outwardly reverent as they, and do not spiritually and inwardly enjoy the kernell of them, which the Apostle took notice of, when he said, Not discerning the Lords body, and so they are seals indeed, but rather seals of a Letter, which shut it up, than seals of a Deed or Covenant conveying the E­state to us.

3. Though it be not a Reason why this Ordinance was appointed after the Passeover-Supper, yet I may Observe it to you in this place, that hence it is called The Lords Supper, from the Author it's called the Lords, and from the Time it's called a Supper, being celebra­ted in the night, and at the close of Supper. Some la­ter Maldonat. in Mat. 26. 26. Estius in 1 Cor. 11. 20. Jesuites do tax the novelty of the name, and affirm, Nullus in Scripturâ locus, &c. No place of Scripture cals it so; for the term in this Chapter refers, say they, to the [...], or Feasts of Love, Used with it, [Page 66] they may say as well, that Lords Table (1 Cor. 10. 21.) refers to them too, which we believe not; it is a spi­ritual feast, that which Matthew cals a dinner, Matth. 22. 4. is called by Luke a Supper, Luk. 14. 16. but we call it the Lords Supper, though it be received in the morning, or any other time of day, with reference to the time of the first institution, as the Passeover in after-times was called the Passeover, not becaUse there was any destroying Angel past over their hoUses every year, but in respect of the first Passeover in Aegypt, and in memory of that, wherein there was a passing over the Israelites hoUses, and a destroying of the Aegyptians first-born. I could name to you many other names, that this Sacrament bears in Scri­pture and ancient Authours, farre more ancient then their Missa, which is but once found in Ambrose, and in none before him, or the Sacrament of the Altar, as they call it, but I insist not now on names. He that will may see them in Casaub. Ex­ercit. 16.

§. 2 Secondly, Why the Lord Jesus ordained it a very little before he was betrayed.

1. He now seals his will, which men Use to do Paraeus in loc. when they are in sight of death. This is the New Te­stament (saith he) in my bloud; when men make their Wils, they bequeath their body to the earth. Christ bequeaths his body and bloud to us; He be­stows his body natural on his body mystical, the Church; The Testatour is Christ, Heb. 9. 16. The Legacy bestowed is himself, and all spiritual bene­fits with him, My body and bloud; The heirs are, all believers, Disciples; The Executours for the out­ward part are those to whom he saith, Hoc facite, [Page 67] do this, execute this my Will; The Witnesses are the Evangelists, and Saint Paul; Here is a perfect sealing then of a Testament, which is of force by the death of the Testatour, and nothing must be added or taken away, for it is a Will sealed and Gal. 3. 15. publisht.

2. To leave it as his ultimum vale, or last me­morial Aug. Epist. 118 of precious relish and esteem; when men are going, then they give memorial gifts unto their friends, then they give their pictures, Keep this for me, Remember me, when you see me not; When men are dying, then they pull their ring off their finger, and leave it with their beloved; Oh what impression have the verba morientis, the word of a dying man! As if a man, saith Chrysostome, should say to children, These were your fathers dy­ing words, This was his last charge, This he spoke and died, and there is nothing that is remembred with more awe, more affection than the last words, the last gift of dying friends.

3. To testifie his dearest love to his Church and people, that when death was in sight, and all the un­speakable sorrows, shame and suffering, were now ready to invade him, when injuries from men were ready to load him, and the justice of God upon sinne to be demonstrated on him, all these did not make him forget his love; His love to his poor people over­top'd all; He loved them to the end, Joh. 13. 2. and exprest it at the last, and when he was in expectation of utmost sorrow, he forgets not his love to his.

4. To fortifie his Disciples against temptations, which were now rushing in upon them, when they should presently see their Lord led away as a prisoner [Page 68] to be arraigned, and themselves scattered and dis­couraged. Peter denying, bloudy enemies insult­ing, then to fortifie their hearts, Let not your hearts be troubled, Joh. 1 [...]. 1. He administers this Sacrament to strengthen the Union and Communion between him and them, and to tie them to him so fast, that the gates of hell might not prevail against them, that their faith might not fail, though it fainted, as was said to Peter, and though they fall, yet they might not utterly be cast down, as the Psalmist saith; They had before eaten the body, which they after saw bro­ken, and drunk the bloud which they after saw shed; The broken body was not theirs that broke it; The bloud shed was not theirs that shed it, but it was theirs that had before eaten it, and drunk it; so God under­props his weak servants before the winde blow, and seasonably antidotes the hearts before the bitter cup, that they may stand fast, though for fear they runaway.

5. That when we iterate this Sacrament our hearts may be prickt with remembrance of this dismal night, Chrysost in loc. [...], saith Chrysostom, that he might exceedingly prick us; for a wounded heart is a good preparative to the receiving of a wounded Saviour, He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, Isa. 53. 5. Let a man survey this night how his blessed Saviour was for him be­tray'd into the hands of bloudy men; This right he was plunged into most dolefull sorrows; He was a­mazed and loaden with grief, exceeding sorrowfull, in a wofull agony, sweating like drops of bloud, running down to the ground without any comfort from any man; his chief Disciples could not pray with him, all fled and ran away from him, betray'd [Page 69] by one of his own, denied by another, sending forth loud cries and tears; God smit the Shepherd, scatter'd the flock, an Angel from heaven strengthening him, an Angel that had not the benefit of Redemption by him, but not a man for whose Redemption this was: Oh the dark eclypse that now seized on this Sunne of righteousness! Who can express the anguish and do­lour of this night, [...], though he was a very stone, saith Chrysostom, it would melt him, wound him? Therefore I exhort you all, when you come to this Sacrament, bring this night with you, bring this night with you in which he was betray'd: It is a night of Observation to be remembred, as was said of the first Passeover in Aegypt, Exod. 12. 42. so it may be said of the night of this first Supper, read, read a­gain, or get some body to read to you, this History related by Matthew or S ^t Luke, and water your medi­tations with sorrowfull tears, not as he that wept when he read the History of Dido in the Poet, out of an ima­ginary compassion, but as beholding in this glass both your sins, and your redemption. This do in remembrance of him.

CHAP. VI. Of the outwards of this Ordinance of the Supper.

§. 1 IN the Sacrament of Baptism there is but one out­ward element, water; in this of the Supper two, bread and wine, which though they distinctly signi­fie, the one the body, the other the bloud of Christ, yet becaUse they set forth one nourishment of the bo­dy by bread and drink, of the soul by the body and bloud of Christ, and make but one commemoration of Christ and his death. This do in remembrance of me, vers. 24. Drink it in remembrance of me, vers. 25. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this Cup, ye do shew forth the Lords death, vers. 26. Therefore as se­veral dishes are but one Supper, so these several signs are the parts of one Sacrament.

To avoid tautology and coincidency, I mean to open the parts distinctly, and yet to take together element with element, rule with rule, action with action, as fitly yoked together joyntly, and so be as [Page 71] soon at the end of the one, as of the other, which course of handling that word in Luke 22. 20. whom of all the Evangelists Paul doth nearliest agree with, and vers. 25. of this Chapter [...], Likewise, or, After the same manner, points me unto, and if there be any word in the three Evangelists that write the History of the institution (whereof one that is Mat­thew was present at the action) that may serve for the beautifying or clearing of any point, as we go along, we shall take it also into the contexture of our Dis­course.

• 1. The outward Ordinance of this Supper.
• 2. The inward thing signified or represented.
• 3. The mandate or command, Do this.
• 4. The end, For remembrance of me.

§. 2 The outward Ordinance is properly called the Sa­crament; the inward kernel or thing signified, is cal­led Res Sacramenti, the thing of the Sacrament; for the Sacrament is the outward visible sign; and there­fore it is very absurdly said of Bellarmine, and other Lib. [...]. de Euch. cap. 24. Papists, who have lest nothing but accidents, and shadow of bread and wine, that Jesus Christ in the Eucharist is the figure and remembrance of himself, as if one should say, that the King is the picture, or image of himself; for as D ^r Whitaker Observes, The De Sacram. pag. 616. body and bloud of Christ is no Sacrament, but the thing it self whereof the Sacrament is taken; As the contract is no ring, but that whereof the ring is a pledge; The Covenant is no Seal, but that whereof the Seal is, though in vulgar speech, when we take the Sacra­ment, and the thing of the Sacrament in complexion, we Use to say, that the Sacrament consists of two [Page 72] parts, Terrena and coelesti, as Irenaeus saith, an earth­ly Iren. l. 4. c. 34. Whitak. de Sacram. 626. and a heavenly, an outward and an inward, a visible and an invisible, Ut duae naturae in Christo.

The Sacrament of the Lords Supper, or the out­ward Ordinance consists.

1. Of materials or elements, bread and wine.

2. Of rituals or actions about those elements, and they are,

1. The Rites Used by Christ, or some other in his name, He took bread, he blessed, &c.

2. The Actions of the Communicants, They take and eat, they take and drink; And so ye have a Sacra­ment consisting of several elements, and sundry out­ward rites and actions, all concurring to the essence or integrity of this Sacrament.

CHAP. VII. Some Observations upon the precedent Discourses.

§. 1 NOte here the simplicity of this high and excellent Ordinance, the feast is drest out in plainness and simplicity, answerable to the simplicity of the Gospel, as the Apostle cals it, 2 Cor. 11. 2. Here is no out­ward pomp or ostentation, no stateliness to take the eye, for as gaudy attire becomes not mourning, so this Sacrament setting forth the passion and sufferings, the death and bloudshed of our Lord had not been sutable to him in his lowest estate and darkest eclipse, if it should have shined in outward lustre. It was Tertullians Observation, Nihil obdurat, &c. nothing Lib. de baptisme so hardens the mindes of men, as the simplicity of the works, and yet the magnificence of the promise, that great and glorious things should be found under so plain a dresse, as a rich diamond in a plain case, to the end that the eye of faith might be more exercised then the eye of the body, and that the spiritual and inward part might be looked after and intended, Is not this the Carpenters sonne? was a great stumbling block: and so may the simplicity of the two Sacraments be to us. The Temple, Utensils and Service were rich and stately; Christ was prefigured in golden Types, [Page 104] But grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, Joh. 1. 17. But we have a better Covenant, and better Promises, Heb. 8. 6. And if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remains exceeds in glory, 2 Cor. 3. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, &c. but that was an outward, this an inward glory; that was in Moses face, this in the face of Christ; that the carnal Jew might see, this the spiri­tual Christian seeth; We saw his glory, Joh. 1. 14. or rather there the glory was veiled, But we with open face behold the glory of the Lord, 1 Cor. 3. 13, 18. The glo­ry of their Ordinance was a stumbling block to them, for they rested in the cabinet, and looked not for the jewels; The meannesse of our Ordinances are a stumb­ling block to us, for we look not for the tReasure in such earthen vessels. God doth great things by poorest meanes, Jericho's wals fall at the sound of Rams­horns, the fiery sting is healed by a piece of brasse, the sight restored to the blinde by the Use of spittle and clay; The figure in this Sacrament is poor, the thing signified heavenly and rich; the Seal is mean, the inheritance or estate is great, but why were the types so rich, and our memorials so poor? You know Spectacles are for divers sights, they had finer Spe­ctacles, we better eyes; They had lesse spirit stirring in the Ordinances then, than we now; if their Tree had more shadow, we have more fruit.

§. 2 Secondly, Take along with you alwayes the Ana­logy, proportion and similitude between a Sacra­ment, and the thing of a Sacrament, between the signe and the thing signified. It's Austin his Rule, If Epist. 23. & al [...]bi. a Sacrament should not have similitude and resem­blance with that whereof it is a Sacrament, it should not be a Sacrament; and from this similitude or re­semblance [Page 105] it is that the signe is called by the name of the thing signified, as the bread, Christs bo­dy, the wine is called Christs bloud; The Rock was Christ, Circumcision called the Covenant; The Lamb called the Passeover; and in common speech, When we look on a Picture, we say, This is Casar, this is Augustus, this is Hercules; nothing more ordinary. In the Sacrament this si­militude is a similitude of proportionality (saith Bonaventure) consisting of four termes: You are most of you Arithmeticians, and you have a golden Rule, called, The Rule of Three, becaUse three terms being given, the fourth is given▪ and this sets forth to you the Analogy of a Sacrament in four termes; As water in Baptisme washes the body, so the Spirit by his grace, or the bloud of Christ cleanseth the soul; As the bread and wine nourish and refresh the body, so the body and bloud of Christ nourisheth and refresheth the soul: As by the hand we take, and with our mouth we eat and drink the bread and wine, so by faith we receive the body and bloud of Jesus Christ; If you destroy the similitude, you destroy the Sacra­ment, as the Papists do by their Transubstantia­tion, for they destroy the Analogy: Thus the accidents of Bread and Wine, or the Species, doe not nourish the Body (say we;) Nor the very Body and Bloud of Christ doth not passe into bodily nourishment (say they) (for it was horrible to imagine it) therefore there is no re­semblance, the similitude is destroyed, and so the Sacrament.

§. 3 [Page 106]Thirdly, It is a most true, most firm and gold­en Rule, That a Sacrament out of the Use appoin­ted Chami [...]r. de Luchar. l. 7. c. 4. §. 11. & l. 8. c. 3 Forbes. Hist. Theol p. 550. by God, hath not the nature of, nor is any more a Sacrament. It is not a Sacrament extra usum, out of the actual Use. There must not one­ly be Bread and Wine, but Blessing, and Taking, and Eating, and Drinking, or else to us there is no Sacrament; The Bread and Wine upon the Table are no Sacrament, but the eating and drinking of Bread and Wine; As in Baptism, the water is no Sacrament, but the washing with water is. The Pa­pists confesse this of every Sacrament, and of Ba­ptism, but not of the Lords Supper, which for Tran­substantiation-sake, which troubles the whole Scaene, they hold to be a perfect Sacrament by consecration, whether it be received by the Communicant, yea or no, and this is the Doctrine of their Schoolmen, and Aquin. part. 3. Qu. 80. & aliis Scholasticis. all others of their confession; We appeal to the Text, Take, Eat, This is my body; It's so, being taken and eaten, and not otherwise, The remains of Bread and Wine are no Sacrament, it is the Use which gives the Reason and nature of a Sacrament, and when and where the Use is not, the Sacrament is not. It's true in our vulgar speech we call it the Sacrament, as on the Table; as the beast might be called a Sacrifice be­fore it was slain, being destin'd and appointed there­unto 1 Sam. 13. 9 Whitak. de [...] a­cram. p 621, 624, &c. (as Whitaker saith) but it is no Sacrifice till slain and offer'd; nor was the Lamb a Passeover, but as it was eaten and rosted; so a meer stone, is a stone, wheresoever it be, but not a boundary, but in the Use; and an earnest is money, but not an earnest, ex­cept taken upon agreement; Bread and Wine are [Page 107] Elements, but not a Sacrament, till all the Rites and Actions be Observed, which God hath appointed, viz. in the participation and Use, 1 Cor. 10. 16, 17, 18. The Cup of blessing and the bread, are the Communi­on of the body and bloud of Christ, being partaken and received, not else.

There is some kinde of Argument urged against this Rule from the reservation of the Bread espe­cially, and of the Wine, which is read of in Anti­quity, and that was either private reservation, when the Communicant carried home the Bread, and kept it in his chest for his private Use to eat of privately, or else it was by the Ministers to give to lapsed Christi­ans in time of extremity or sicknesse that were debar­red of publick participation: The first is mentioned Cypr. de lapsis. by ancient Authours, and by some commended, as Ambrose de obitu. Satyr. Nazian. Epitaph pro sor. This is excUsed by Jewell against Harding; As in time Forbes Hist. Theol. p. 553. Col. 1. of persecution, when Christians might be deprived of the publick Ordinance, and by others on other grounds. Burgess of knealing.

The other hath one onely example in true An­tiquity, and that is Serapions case, EUseb. Histor. lib. 6. cap. 34. and is excUsed by Chemnitius, as if Chem. de coena. Examen. p. 93. it was to oppose the Novatian opinion, of not re­storing the lapsed, though penitent unto the Com­munion of the Sacrament; Of both these, I see no clear warrant in the Institution of Christ, and there­fore say with Cyprian, Non quod aliquis ante nos, &c. We are not to look what any hath done before us, but what he did and commanded that was before all, even Jesus Christ.

§. 4 [Page 108]Fourthly, It is the peoples right to receive the Cup as well as the Bread, Drink ye all of it, Matth. 26. 27. Moulin Buckler p. 529. They all drank of it, Mark 14. 23. As often as ye eat this bread, and drink of this Cup, saith Paul, 1 Cor. 11. 26. Nothing more plain, and yet whether it be the ambition of the Priests, that would exalt them­selves above the people, or whether it be the fruit of Transubstantiation, or both, this Cup is taken from the people in the Romane Churches, but it was not ta­ken away by publick Decree, till the Council of Con­stance, Anno 1416. since which time there was great petitioning to the Council of Trent, for the Cup, but Chem. Exam. de coena. p. 134, 135. Concil. Trid. Sess. 6. they referr'd it to the Pope, in whose hands it lies, and it seems will lie, till God put another cup into his hand to drink. And so you see that that Council of Con­stance that burnt John Husse and Jerome did let out the bloud of good Christians, and shut up the bloud of Christ from them. I conclude, Let us follow that which is simplest and purest according to Christs In­stitution, and neither superstitiously reserve, nor im­piously mutilate the holy Ordinance.

CHAP. VIII. Of the Real Presence.

NOw I draw on to the Anatomy of the viscera, the entrails and inwards of this Ordinance un­der the outside, whereof if you take off the cover, you shall finde such cheer as never was in any other feast, This is my body (saith Christ) which is broken for you (saith Paul) Which is given for you (saith Mat. 26 26, 27 28 Mark 14. 22, 24. Luk. 22. 20. Luke) This Cup is the New Testament in my bloud (saith Paul) Which is shed for you (saith Luke;) Or as Matthew and Mark, This is my bloud of the New Testament, which is shed for many, for re­mission of sinnes, saith Matthew, which is shed for many, saith Mark, which is shed for you, saith Luke. And all these together are my Text at this time.

§. 1 In this Sacrament, Mirificè lusit Satan, saith an excellent Authour, Satan hath play'd his pranks, and Chamier. de Euchar. l. 6 c. 1. §. 1. tried conclusions upon Divines, how he could infa­tuate aad make them mad, such cart-loads of perple­xities, alterations, absurdities, and wilde fancies have they been possest with in the agitation of this point, and discussion of these very words, which as a Re­verend D. Rainolds Medit. Divine saith truly, are clear and easie to a spi­ritual ear or minde, it is the carnal fancy that perplexes all, and corrupts the Text, which had been clear, if [Page 110] the water had not been muddied with dirty hands: so Nicodemus understands Christ carnally in matter of Joh. 3. Regeneration, and talks of entring again into our mothers womb: So the Disciples of Capernaum un­derstand that excellent Doctrine of Christ, John 6. about eating his flesh, and drinking his bloud; of the very Cannibal eating of mans flesh and bloud: The very antidote he gave them would serve here, John 6. 63. The words that I speak, they are spirit, and they are life, that is, their spiritual meaning is lively, and if we could agree on this, then we should give our Hooker. l. 5. p. 359. selves more to meditate with silence what we have by this Sacrament, and lesse dispute the manner how, for this heavenly food is given for satisfying empty souls, and not exercising our curious and subtil wits; for it often comes to passe, that curious sifting and dispu­ting Hooker. Eccles. Pol. l. 5. p. 364. too boldly chils all warmth of our zeal, and brings soundnesse of belief into great haz­zard.

§. 2 The words have been and are interpreted in divers senses, the most notable I have Observed to be five, I Hooker speak­ing of Anci­ents, lib. 5. pag. 362. say the most notable for there are more.

1. That Christ is present in this Sacrament by his efficacy and power, to realize and exhibit vertue to, and by the Ordinance, Nec ullo modo se absentat di­vina Majestas a Ministeriis. Cyprian. de Caena, and other Ancients.

2. That Christ his very body is present with, or in or under the outward elements, as the Consubstantia­tists, or Lutheran saith.

3. That Christ is really present, but modum nescimus, we know not the manner how, and in this dark some of our learned men spoke of late, to what intent they best knew.

[Page 111]4. That there is a real turning of the substance of Bread and Wine into the very substance of Christs Body and Bloud. Thus the Papists or Transubstan­tiatists.

5. That the Bread and Wine are sacramental­ly Christs Body and Bloud, or the memorials thereof, symbolically representing and exhibit­ing to the faithfull Christians, himself, and so say We.

§. 3 And yet all parties in their difference professe them­selves clear, and that they follow the true, naked and literal sense in their judgement. Chemnitius that lear­ned Examen de Eucbar. p. 65. Col. 1. Luther an professes, That he imbraceth that sense which holds the true and substantial presence of Christ in the Supper, which the words in their proper, and genuine, and usual signification hold forth. The Papist professes, That he hath the very plain letter of the words, and the sense literal; So farre as Lapide, I know not whether with more confidence or impudence saith, That if God ask him at the day of Judgement, why he held so, he will confidently say, Tu docuisti, Thou hast taught me. We are as clear, Vide Lee in Annot. in loc. that we follow the true proper literal sense, and that saith a learned man, Upon my soul, there is no such D. Jo. Burgesse, Kneeling at Sacram [...]nt. p. 113. turning of the Bread into Christs Body, as the Papist affirms.

CHAP. IX. Of the Inward thing signified or re­presented in this Supper.

CHAP. X. A four-fold Exhortation from the premises.

FRom what hath been said upon this point, I would possess you with four things.

§. 1 I. That you hold fast and stick to the true sense and right meaning of these words, This is my Body. This is the Blood of the New Testament, which hath been so perplexed and depraved by superstition, and the vanity of humane inventions, especially since the rise of the Schoolmen, whose itch of Disputa­tion hath bred such a scab, that there hath been left no soundness in the place, which hath been tortured with such Convulsions, Distortions and Absurdities, that the sense, which to a chast and simple ear is easie and smooth, hath been raveld into knots in­extricable; and this Text of all other hath suffered in­finite injuries, and been made the stage of impudent fooleries, which have brought and buried out of sight the true meaning of them, and made our Sa­viour that Used to speak vulgarly and easily, to delude the senses, amUse the Reason, nonplus the faith of so­ber [Page 123] Beleevers. And though it be truly said, The sense of Scripture is the Scripture, and that the right understanding of these words, carries you in a right line, to the nature, Use and benefit of this Or inance, yet let me say this more to you as English men, That the true meaning of them hath been conveyed to you by the blood of your own Martyrs, who in Q Mary her daies, were most of them put to the test upon the point of Reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament, and bare witness against it, and I do beleeve that if Po­pery do ever make another attempt upon you, it will play upon you with his battery at this place.

CHAP. XI. Of Christs mandate or charge for the celebration of this Ordinance in re­membrance of Him.

§. 1 SO much be spoken upon the outward part or Sa­crament of the Lords Supper, the Elements and Rites: He took bread, and giving thanks he brake it, and gave it: Likewise also the cup after Supper. And so much also touching the Kernell and Marrow of the Feast; This is my Body broken for you: This Cup is the New Testament in my blood. And now having past through our thorny and perplexed way, encombred with adversaries, through whom we must fight our way, we are come into a fairer and clearer road, as into a champain, not so much infested with enemies and Disputes: For whether it be that a practicall con­science be easilier satisfied than a subtill wit, or that the devil doth most labour to corrupt our intellectu­als, that so as once he may corrupt our worship and our morals, or whatsoever the Reason be, there are [Page 136] more wranglings and Disputes raised about specula­tive and theoreticall Points, than about matters of practice or morall obedience.

These words contain our Saviour his mandate or charge for the celebration of this Ordinance, toge­ther with the end whereunto it serves: This do in re­membrance of me: This do as oft as ye drink it in re­membrance of me. This do ye, there is the charge: for remembrance of me, there is the end. None of the Evangelists have these words but Luke only, out of whom either our Apostle takes the words, or at least symbolizeth with him, making them or rendring them as part of Christs own words spoken by him­self at the first Institution and Celebration of his Supper; and which you may Observe, the two Ele­ments Bread and Wine taken and received, though they have distinct significations, Christs Body bro­ken and his Blood shed, yet they meet as two lines in this one point, The remembrance of Christ. This do in remembrance of me, is spoken of eating the bread, ver. 24. This drink in remembrance of me, is spoken of the cup, ver. 25. The Use of both the signes makes up but one memoriall of Christ, once dying, once sacri­ficed up to God for us; and I shall take up the words in this one Point,

§. 2 Doct. The Lord Christ hath left it in charge and command­ment, that his Church or people should celebrate this Sup­per for a remembrance of him. Or if you will read the words thus, [...], for my memoriall, or for my commemoration. What impression hath the dying charge or commandment of a Testator upon his chil­dren or executors? Christ builds a monument for himself before he die, plain and simple to the eye, [Page 137] but a lasting monument that must continue till he come again, ver. 26. One of the seven wonders of the Heathen world was Mausolaeum, a Monument or Tomb. The goodliest monument which distin­guishes and beautifies the Christian Church, is this of Christs own erecting, his Memoriall. The second Temple built after the captivity of Babylon, was farre inferiour in outward magnificence and splen­dour to the first, built by Solomon: and the Jews ob­serve five things to be wanting in the second, which were in the first, as the Ark, &c. yet God promi­seth, Hag. 2. 9. The glory of this latter hoUse shall be greater then the former, becaUse Christ the desire of all Nations should come, and fill it with glory, ver. 7. And shall not the presence of Christs Body and Blood in this Sacrament excell in glory, all the typicall glory of Sacrifices and Sacraments of the Law? They were but shadows of him that should come, this the memoriall of him that died and is alive. The particulars comprehended under this Point are these:

§. 3 First, There is a command and charge in the words, Do this, it is more then a Warrant which gives authority, it's a Command that requires duty: It is more than a Command, it is a Charge of a dy­ing Testatour or Saviour, laying an injunction upon his Church to do this. For both Sacraments of the Gospel we have the word of command: The Baptizate, Go and Disciple all Nations, baptizing them, is the word for Baptism: Hoc facite, This do ye in remembrance of me, is the word for the Supper. There must be in a Sacrament, First, An outward Element. Secondly, A word of promise. Thirdly, A [Page 138] word of command to Use it to that end, as none but Whitak. de Sacr. Qu. 6. de numero. the supream power hath authority to stamp or coyn legitimate, and currant money, so none but God can institute and make a Sacrament. The Sacraments are parts of Gods instituted worship, standing by positive appointment of God, The eating and drinking of bread and wine in their natural being or Use, are no more me­morials, symbols and pledges of Christs body and bloud, than the form of a Serpent in brasse of heal­ing those that were bitten with fiery Serpents; no man can authoritatively institute a Sacrament, or prescribe to God any part of his worship, I have received of the Lord, saith the Apostle, that which I delivered al­so unto you, and the Reason is good; He onely can make a Sacrament, who can make good the promise or grace thereby represented and exhibited.

§. 4 Secondly, The charge is to Do this, that is, to ce­lebrate this Supper: Chist limits and confines us to Jans. Harm in Mat 26. this, as God did Moses: See thou do all things ac­cording to the patern shown thee in the Mount; If we vary from the patern there lies a quis requisivit against us, Who hath-required this at your hands? So God checks our inventions and superstition in creating will-worship, by adding or detracting, as we may not coyn, so neither wash, or clip, or embase that which is stamped by the Lord, [...], referrs to that which went before, Eat this blessed and bro­ken Bread, the next words explain it, Do this as oft as ye drink it, principally it relates to the actions of Gerard. Harm. cap. 171. Communicants, Do this, that is, Eat ye, Drink ye, and consequently to the actions of the Dispenser or Minister, Do this, that is, Blesse ye, Break ye, which are antecedent to eating and drinking, and so all the [Page 139] external rites or actions of this Sacrament may come under the command, Do this, but we may not stretch the [...] to accessories and circumstances appen­dant, not to the upper room, nor to the night after Supper, nor to the gesture of discubiture; for nei­ther the injunction of the Passeover did in after times extend to all the circumstances Used at the first Passe­over in Aegypt, as the Hebrews note. The Papist seems to espie here some glimpse of proof of the real Sacrifice of Christ in his Masse, from the word here Used Facite, which in Latine sometimes signifies to sacrifice or offer, and so it doth with an ablative case, which is not here, but the thred is too fine to hold, for if the word signifie so somewhere, it is not con­sequent that therefore here; where the word [...], Do this, plainly limits it to the actions of the Communi­cants, as I have said. The Ordinances of God are most powerfull and proper, when they are themselves pure, plain, naked of all humane disguizes or embel­lishments, and therefore I bespeak all Communi­cants, Ministers and people, not to study how to add more glory or gracefulnesse to this Ordinance, as they suppose, but to rest in, and submit to that which we finde in Christs example, or first original, and suf­fer your selves to be limited to do this, Do this in re­membrance of me.

CHAP. XII. Of doing this in remembrance of Christ; The Properties of this Memorial.

§. 1 IT's a solemn memorial instituted by Christ himself, Great deliverances have solemn commemorations, such was the Passeover, the feast of Purim, the En­caenia or feast of Dedication; Great victories, have their dayes of Thanksgiving; great deliverances, benefits. Benefactours are honoured with solemn memorials; private remembrances which every man may agitate in his own minde are too low expressions of publick, and eminent, and universal benefits, therefore Christ will set up his own monument, and ordain a solemn Ordinance for remembrance of him­self, to be Observed by all that have his memory, and it is one of the great Sea-marks of the Church of Christ, he did not set up anniversaries or festivals for his Nativity, Circumcision, Ascension, &c. which the Churches in after times Observed, but he did set [Page 144] up in grosse this solemn memorial of himself, and that is principally of his death; His death I say, For ye shew the Lords death, ver. 26. And why? BecaUse his death is the expiation of sinne, therein was made the Sacrifice of Atonement; Redemption, Reconci­liation was made thereby, the Covenant confirmed, the love of God to man demonstrated, the justice of God for sinne exemplified, the foundation of our righteousnesse, hope, peace and victory laid, the ful­nesse of merit, the mirrour of mercy, the admirati­on of Angels, the center of all Christianity, and the summe of all Scripture types, Prophecies, Promises, the most admirable of all the works of God that ever were; and indeed all that can be said, and more then can be said was here to be seen, and is here to be re­membred.

Secondly, This remembrance of Christ must be lively and practical; There is a naked, historical, theoretical remembrance, a review of the Species or Ideas formerly imprinted in the minde; So Absolom is remembred in his Pillar, and Lot's wife in her pillar of salt, meerly historically; and there is a practical remembrance, which connotes affections fruitfull effect, and so in common speech to remember is to requite good or evil, and in Scripture phrase, God remembers our sins, our services, when he punishes or rewards, Remember me, O my God, and spare me, Nehem. 13. 22. with infinite the like. Our re­membrance of Christ in this Supper sets awork all that is within us; Our sorrow for sinne, as Peters re­membrance of his words, when the Cock crew, Mark 14. 72. He wept bitterly; our faith to believe in, and receive him, so Psal. 20. 7. We will remember, that [Page 145] is, trust in the Name of our God. It sets on work our thanksgiving, for so great a benefit ingages resolutions, blows up the coals of love, fils with admiration. What would the sight of Christ bleeding on the cress for us, groaning under our sins, have wrought on tender heart? The same, as far as a reflexion can work (which is weaker than the direct Species) should be the temper of our hearts, when we see him and his death persona­ted, and acted in this Sacrament, here we see him dying, paying our ransome▪ Oh the dreadfull example of Gods justice upon sin! Oh the sweetest example of Gods mercy to a sinner, actually acting their several parts in this spectacle of Christ represented to our saith, as yet hanging on the crosse, the Lamb of God is as yet smoking upon the Altar, which takes away the sins of the world, if you seel not your remem­brance of Christ, it's nothing; If you exercise onely wit and invention, it's barren, but the exercise of af­fection is the best commemoration; He that brings sin hither as bitter herbs, shall be sweetly refresht with Christ our Passeover

CHAP. XIII. A Lamentation for the neglect of this Ordinance.

NOw to the Use of this point, The Lord hath left it in charge, that his Church do celebrate this Ordinance in remembrance of him. And

§. 1 First, We may bewail that great eclipse which hath befallen this Ordinance here with us of later years, the like to which hath not been seen in Eng­land since it became Protestant, the remembrance and memorial of Christ hath been even forgotten, and the Ordinance of Communion been render'd as the apple of contention and division, a matter of quarrel rather than of Use, the losse that is gained by this intermission or neglect, or disUse or it is very great, for we lose an inestimable benefit by it, the solemn remembrance of Christ with the comforts thence resulting, we lose a duty by it; for Christ said, Do this, and is it not a great losse to lose so sig­nal a note of the Church of Christ, so great a bene­fit, and the visible mischief hath been very great, for hereby separation hath been mightily advanced, the people like sheep wanting fodder at their own crib, have scatter'd themselves to other cribs and pastures, [Page 148] where they might finde sustenance, and several com­munions have been taken up on the same Reason that water being carn'd or stopt from this old channel, findes out or makes other water-courses, and leaves the other channel dry, and the generality of the peo­ple by their too easie patience under so great a famine have given too sad an argument, how easily they would part with all Religion, that have so carelesly suffer'd the losse of so great a part thereof, as this Or­dinance is.

I know that we shall like Josephs brethren be ready to transfer the fault on others, no man will own it, and yet haply we are all guilty, it but in this, that the Apostle said▪ to the Corinthians in another case, 1 Cor. 5. 2. And ye are puffed up, and have not ra­ther mourned; For had not pride and envy, discon­tent and security prevailed over us, we might have mourned and lamented after, or over this losse or eclypse, and thereby have manifested not only a good disposition of heart in feeling the want of Ordinan­ces, but a very good sign that God would restore it, and a good part of preparation in our selves to the due and orderly receiving of it; the childe is either very fullen or sick that cries not for his bread.

CHAP. XIII. How much it concerneth Ministers to Teach, and all to Learn the true meaning of this Ordinance.

VVHen this Ordinance of the Supper is suitable to the Institution, and the Communicant is suitable to the Ordinance, then all is right. Of the former I have acquitted my self, by setting forth the nature, Use, end of this Sacrament, according to our Lords Institution, recited by the Evangelists, and by S ^t Paul in this place.

§. 1 Now I am to proceed unto the later, which is to render the Communicant suitable to the Ordinance, of which our Saviour did not in the Institution di­rectly [Page 160] speak, but the Apostle in this place speaks more fully and directly unto, than in any other place is found, the abUses and distempers of the Corinthians leading him most properly to it; and though in Po­pish Churches the grand errour and abUse lies in the unsutableness of their Mass to the Institution, yet in Reformed Churches, who endeavour to imitate the pattern in the Mount, the common sin lies in the un­sutableness of the Communicant to the Ordinance; and so the point of worship stands between us; and the Papists, much alike as it stood between the Sa­maritans and the Jews of old, The Samaritans Used a false worship, Ye worship ye know not what, Joh. 4. 22. The Jews had a true worship, but were carnall, and for the most part formall worshippers. The Feast is prepared, drest, and ordered according to the Institution of Christ: Now the guests are to be surveyed and tried, whether they come worthily or unworthily, by the test or ticket of the Apostles Do­ctrine following to the end of the Chapter; of which I shall say this in generall.

1. That the Apostles Doctrine in this place is properly calculated for the rectifying the abUses and unworthiness of the Corinthians, as ye may see at the 33, 34, verses, but so also most other Scriptures oc­casionally written, are of generall Use, their latitude is greater than their particular direction.

2. That the Apostle spends the most of his Do­ctrine upon eating and drinking unworthily, setting home the sin and danger of it, for, the occasion, viz. the sinne of the Corinthians, required it; and yet doubtless the point of worthiness, should in order of nature be first stated, before unworthiness can [Page 161] be understood, for how should I know sinne, except first I knew a law of duty; how a crooked line, ex­cept I know what is straight: and therefore to attent consideration, the Apostle will be found to begin there, as I shall shew you afterwards.

3. That the Apostle in setting home the sinne and danger of eating and drinking unworthily, speaks thunder and lightning in very pertinent, but yet new and unusuall phrases, which are [...], have no brother in any other part of Scripture, as guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, eating and drinking judge­ment or damnation, &c. full of terrour, and fit for compunction. These of the 26 verse are the words of S ^t Paul, who having recited what Christ did and said at the first celebration and institution of this Sacrament, goes about to set his Corinthian commu­nicants to right, teaching them and us, what is the meaning of this Ordinance, and what the [...], or main business of a communicant is, that so he may eat and drink worthily, viz. To shew forth the Lords death; this he collects from the institution, this he inculcates upon the communicant, as the great busi­ness which he is to do, that he may be suitable to the Ordinance.

The words have no difficulty, but what may best be opened in every point as it comes to hand: The first Point shall be from the connexion or whole words:

§. 2 Doct. People have need to be taught what the meaning of this Ordinance is, and what is the main business of the Communicant▪ The Apostle hath set forth this Sa­crament, and now teaches them what is the meaning or great business intended in it. For as often as, &c. [Page 162] Outward Ordinances consisting of visible matter, as most of the Jewish Ordinances did, and our Sacra­ments do, do ordinarily terminate and bound the eye of the ignorant, that cannot, and of the Christian outwardly, that doth not look within the rinde or shell of them: The time is not lost that's bestowed either by us in the anatomy and opening, or by you in learning and spelling out the minde and meaning of an Ordinance of God. When your children, Exod. 12. 26. shall say unto you, What mean you by this service? ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lords Passeover, &c. And in another instance, When your children shall say, What mean you by these stones? ye shall answer, Josh. 4. 6. The waters of Jordan were cut off, &c. This was the veil that covered the eye of the Jews, they had Sacrifices, Washings, manifold Rites, but were not able to spell and put together, they generally little dreamd of the meaning of them, but were as the A­postle cals them, Jews outwardly and in the letter; for it pleased God in the times of that dispensation, to give his people the kernell, but inclosed in a hard shell; to give them a pillar of fire, but in a cloud; to hide the light in a dark lanthorne, to convey the truth in shadows. Now that the Obscurity is taken off the Ordinances, there remains an ignorance upon our hearts, and many of us know as little the meaning of our Sacraments, as the Jews did of theirs; there is scarce any of our ignorant, superstitious, prophane persons, but they think there is some holiness in this Sacrament, and therefore they put on a posture of some reverence for the time, but the particular Use of it, or the spirituall importance they know not, and therefore rest in the opus operatum, and receive [Page 163] the Sacrament as a medicinall potion naturally work­ing, or worship that which should be made Use of by faith, for the nourishment of the soul.

§. 3 The Use of this point may be for Instruction of both Minister and people.

First, The Minister is hereby taught, That it is not only his duty to give the Sacrament, but also to teach the Sacrament; he gives the outward Elements, he teaches the inward meaning of them; he gives the bone, and shews the marrow that is in it; otherwise you take the Sacrament by rote, and he gives you in­tegram nucem, as Bernard saith, a whose nut, to a child that cannot crack it, and so partakes in that sin and guilt being dumb, which you contract being blinde. Our Saviour when he gave the Bread and the Cup, said also, This is my Body, This Cup is the New Testa­ment in my Blood, and so taught the meaning. S ^t. Paul when he had recited the Institution, shews the mind of it, As oft as ye eat, ye shew the Lords death. And you are to be taught what is Gods meaning, and what is the meaning of your own actions; Gods meaning is to make a representation of Christs death and sufferings, by the breaking of the bread, and to afford you the communion of his Body and Blood, 1 Cor. 10. 16. The meaning of your actions is to make commemoration of Christ, and to shew forth his death: Gods meaning is to dress out Christ in best manner and fittest for a sinner, Christ broken, Christ bleeding; and the meaning of your eating and drinking, is to feed sorrowfully and sweetly upon Christ, so prepared and presented to you, for your repast and comfort. But now, if the same cup taken with such ingredients, would be deadly poy­son, [Page 164] with such a lively Cordiall, would you not ex­pect that the Physician should teach you to make it Cordiall, so the Lords Supper worthily received, is the most soveraign Cordiall: But some again may eat and drink damnation to themselves, Would you not expect that the Minister, if he have either con­science of his duty, or respect to your souls, should teach you to avoid the danger and obtain the benefit? If you do not, yet God looks for it at our hands, Ezek. 44. 23. And they (the Priests) shall teach my peo­ple the difference between the holy and prophane, and caUse men to discern between the unclean and clean; for else you may eat and drink damnation to us, as well as to your selves.

§. 4 Secondly, The people are taught, To know the meaning of the Sacrament, before they take it: That's a terrible expression, ver. 29. He eats and drinks damnation to himself not discerning the Lords Body, that is, not knowing the meaning, the nature, Use and end of the Ordinance, which to understand is a good part of preparation, and without it, there can be no right or true preparation. And therefore all you that intend to be Supper-communicants, at­tend: The first lesson which you must learn, the first Question to be answered is, What is the true meaning of this Ordinance? what is the main bu­siness of it? for it is supposed in those words, Exod. 12. 26. When your children shall say to you, What mean you by this service, (i. Passeover,) that the father should be able to teach his childe, as it is there di­rected, and that the child should, as his first lesson be taught what is meant, To know what the mean­ing of this Ordinance is.

[Page 165]1. It is a proper and excellent antidote or remedy of such abUses and miscarriages as creep in at the door, either of ignorance, superstition, or prophane­ness; and the Apostle signifies so much here, by ap­plying this corrective to those distempers which then reigned in the Church of Corinth, as if he had said, Could you come and eat and drink so rudely, proud­ly, confUsedly, irreverently, unworthily, if ye did consider but what ye ought to do? that is, exercise communion with Christ, keep a commemoration of him, shew forth his death.

2. This will direct all your preparations to the true end, your praiers, meditations, self-examinati­on, will be answerable and suitable to the Ordinance. Here is not the eating of a piece of bread, nor the drinking of a cup of wine in a publique company of sober men and of my betters (which yet is enough to the putting on my better clothes, and framing my self to a grave composure) but here I am to meet my Lord Christ, and to receive him as my Saviour, I am to have the Covenant of mercy sealed to me in his blood; I am to make a thankfull memoriall of Christ, and to profess my embracement and adhe­rence to his death, as my only comfort; therefore be thou awakened, O my faith, my godly sorrow, my spirituall appetite, my thankfulness, that I may go out to Christ, and he come in to me.

3. This takes off all slighting and undervaluing of this Ordinance, which appears to an outward and carnall eye, No better bread or wine than I can have at home, for in this plain case is a rich Jewel, this bread is the body, this wine is the Blood of the Lord of Glory; and therefore I must not value the seal by [Page 166] the worth of the wax, which is not worth a penny, but by the pardon, or the inheritance, which passes, and is conveyed by it.

4. This keeps me from running blindfold into the sin of guiltiness of the Body and Blood of the Lord, and so into condemnation, for as the same Signet or Seal of a Prince, doth to one seal a pardon, to another an execution; so this very Sacrament is to a Beleever a seal of pardon, to another, as it were, the seal of his condemnation.

5. Lastly, The preparation so much spoken of, and the self-examination required by the Apostle, cannot be imagined to referre to the eating of bread and drinking wine, but to the inward thing of the Sacra­ment: it necessarily follows that those inward graces that enable us to have communion with Christ, and make commemoration of him, can never be known or sought, except we know the meaning of this Sa­crament, for it is that which gives the Law and Rule of all our preparations. And so I have shown you the Reasons why we should labour to understand the lan­guage of this Ordinance.

So much of this generall Point, the second Point shall be taken from those words, Ye shew the Lords death, or shew ye, for the word might be construed imparatively, but that the particle [ For] would not then so well consist.

CHAP. XIV. The great business that lies upon the Communicant, as oft as he eats this Bread and drinks this Cup, is to shew the Lords Death.

Doct. 2 THis Point cleaves into two parts,

§. 1 First, It is the Lords death which in this Sa­crament is shewn forth: The two standing Sacra­ments of the Jewish Church, Circumcision and the Passeover, did both appear in blood. The two stand­ing Sacraments of the Gospel, do also referre to death, We are buried with him by Baptism, into death, Rom. 6. 4. and in the Supper, we shew the Lords death. As of all deliverances and benefits vouchsafed to Israel of old, God would have the Passeover-delive­rance celebrated by a constant memoriall in all gene­rations; so of all that Christ doth for us, it is his death that must be shewn forth in all generations of the Church, till he come again: and therefore this Ordinance is speculum crucifixi, as Calvin saith; and In 1 Cor. 11. the memoriall, not so much of Christs life or resur­rection, De satisfact. cap. 1. saith Grotius, as of his death. This death hath no second in all the world, for it was the death of the Sonne of God, the death of the Lamb of God.

[Page 168]1. Of the Sonne of God, the Lord of Glory, whose highness and excellency gave price and value to his death. Had he not been man he could not have suffered: Had he not been the Sonne of God, God blessed for ever, he could not have satisfied and conquered.

2. Of the Lamb of God, and therefore his death was a Sacrifice, and that's more than a Martyrdom; for though a Martyr may be said to seal with his blood that truth he dies upon, yet no blood can seal the Covenant but this of Christ, no death can ratifie the Testament but the Testators death: Had the death been the death of the Lord, a most ex­cellent person, and not also the death of a Lamb for Sacrifice, to make attonement, it had wanted one of his properties, but it was both. As it was the death of the Lord of Glory, the Sonne of God, so it gave us the most illustrious testimony and ex­ample of the love of God, as ever was or could be, and that the Scripture often points unto. As it was the death of the Lamb of God, so it was a Sacrifice death, wherein he was made sinne for us, and bore our sinnes in his Body. As it was the Joh. 11. 13. Rom. 5. Gal. 2. 20. death both of the Sonne of God, and the Lamb of God, so it reconciled us sinners unto God, and me­ritoriously redeemed and ransomed us from our bondage to the curse and wrath of God, the only ground and foundation of our hope, peace and comfort.

§. 2 Secondly, It is the business of the Communicant to shew forth this death of the Lord: The Ordi­nance it self is full of death, what other language doth bread broken, and the blood severed from the [Page 169] body, speak but a dying Christ: As the Ordinance, so the Communicant doth by eating and drinking, in fact declare and annunciate his profession of ad­herence to, and embracement of the death of Christ, we solemnly and publiquely avow, both to God and men, that we stick unto, and abide by the death of the Lord, for remission of sinne, and reconcili­ation of our persons to God; and it is a solemn part of Gods positive worship, to shew forth the death of Christ our Lord, not by a meer historicall relation, but a practicall and publique profession of our faith, and acceptance thereof, which though at all times we may remember, yet God would have a solemn Ordinance in his Gospel-Churches, for the commemoration and shewing of it forth, which Ordinance is this of the Supper. I know men are witty to elude Ordinances, and to flatter themselves with private devotions and meditations, but when God hath set up an Ordinance on purpose, for the publique and solemn shewing of the Lords death; let them consider it, that are not only careless of the benefit of it, but fail of their duty, by not present­ing themselves at this solemn shewing of the Lords death: but how can it be expected that they that shew not the life of Christ by a godly conversation, should care to shew forth his death by publique pro­fession; or rather, how can it be construed that they do it out of conscience of duty, and not out of meer superstition, expecting that from the Sacrament, which the Papist expects from his auricular confessi­on, that is, to quit the old score, that he may more freely begin upon a new.

But I may not forget that which is very learnedly [Page 170] Observed, that the Apostle using the word [...], which frequently is Used for publishing and preach­ing Schiud. in loc▪ Haggada. the Gospel, doth allude to the Haggada, as it was called by the Jewish custom at the Passeover, and that was a set and solemn declaration or annun­ciation of the Lords passing over the hoUses sprinkled with blood, of their slavery and hard bondage in Ae­gypt, and their deliverance thence, teaching us, in this our Gospel-Passeover, to shew forth our hard bondage under sinne, and the Lords justice pas­sing over all the souls sprinkled with this blood, and thereby delivering us from our spirituall Ae­gypt.

§. 3 Uſe. The Use of this Point is to call upon all Com­municants, hoc agere, to be intent upon, and taken up with this employment, Shew ye forth the Lords death, this must be your actuall exercise at the time of eating and drinking, the death of Christ must fill your eyes, your ears, your lips, your thoughts: If any of you could see Christ dying, the sight would wholly take you up; and you come as near to see him dying; as an Ordinance can bring you, in a re­presentation: If any where, that Psal. 2. 11. takes place here, Rejoyce with trembling, Tremble, for you see the weight of sinne upon the Lord Christ, and the severity and wrathfull indignation of God against sinne, both those terrours cannot be seen in a clear­er glass, than the death of the Lord: Rejoyce for the love that delivers up Christ is unparallel'd, and the death of the Lord is succedaneous, a Sacrifice death, the Sacrifice bears the sinne, and takes it off you; there is a nunc dimitiis for all you that take Christ in your arms, I would not be thinking of [Page 171] the joys of heaven, the second coming of Christ, absolutely and abstractly considered, but shewing forth his death: As in prayer, good thoughts, if impertinent, are distractions, and to be whipt for vagrants, so here, If my heart present to me the anger and terrible wrath of a just and holy God, I shew the Lords death; If the Law take me by the throat, and say, Pay that thou owest, I shew the Lords death; If conscience ask me what I have to shew for pardon of sin, and peace with God, I shew the Lords death. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect, Its Christ that died.

CHAP. XV. The Lords Supper is an iterable Ordinance.

THe third Point is taken up from the words [...], For as often as ye eat this bread, &c.

Doct. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is an iterable Ordinance, which is to be repeated: Our Saviour gives a hint of this in those words, This do for a remembrance of me, and the Apostle from him, For as often, &c. The word often, is sometimes opposed to seldom, and sometimes to once, as Heb. 9. 25, 26. Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the High priest entreth into the holy place every year: For then he must have often suffered since the foundation of the world.

The Sacrifice of Christ, or the offering of him up, was but once, Heb. 9. 26. The Sacrament of his bo­dy and bloud is often as a memorial of that Sacrifice, and the comparison Used in that place, is this; As man dies but once, so Christ also: As in the Sacra­ments of the Jews, the first of them Circumcision, was but once, nor indeed could be, but the Passeover often, once every year; and Christ was but once cir­cumcised, but kept the Passeover often: So in the Sacraments of the New Testament, Baptism is but once, Christ was but once baptized, but the Supper often, which though Christ celebrated but once, yet he gave order for the repetition of it, I will not now take up the discussion, why Baptism▪ but once, the Supper often, the Scripture gives us no hint for the repetition of the one, but it doth for the other, and the old saying is plausible, Semel nascimur, saepius pascimur, we are but once born, but we are often nou­risht. God did more punctually and precisely under the Law prescribe the times of their Sacraments, the eighth day for circumcision, such a day of such a moneth yearly for the Passeover, as he also did the times and place, and other circumstances of his wor­ship, for the people were more servile then, and the worship more outward, but under the Gospel cir­cumstances are at more liberty, and spiritualnesse more call'd for, and therefore in this Sacrament for instance, we have nothing, for how often, but we have, for how worthily, as a learned man Observes, and therefore under correction it was not so right, Muscul. de coena. Lib 4. distinct. 13. Qu. 5. that when as Durand saith, The primitive devotion of communicating every day, was grown so cool, that it came to be commanded on the three great fe­stivals, [Page 173] whereof Easter was by Innocent the first made Anno 1200. of the Quorum: (I might instance nearer home) en­joyning all to it at that time; For of this Chrysostom had complained long before that at those times the people either of custome, or by Law crouded in [...], who as well, [...], O the custome, saith he, O the partiality of men. The truth is, I finde, that in times of persecution threat­ning Christians either to arm themselves, or in fear of being scatter'd and dispers'd, took every occasion to celebrate the Supper, and Justin Martyr signifies, that their solemn meetings on the Lords dayes were accompanied with this feast, and that the Question, how often is propounded in Austine and Chrysostom, and Austin perswades and exhorts every Lords-day, Austin. Eccles. Dogm. cap. 53. Chrysost. hom. 13. heb. Gerard. Harm. cap. 171. if the heart be prepared, and Chrysostom saith, that a pure conscience may come as often as it will, but for a wicked man [...], once is too often; and to conclude, if the necessity of our infirmities, the great benefit, the honour of this memorial may be heard to speak, we shall come to this Rule, That frequency beget not a customary formality or fastidious satiety, as Manna did, nor seldomnesse beget forgetfulnesse, or su­perstitiousnesse extraordinarinesse, and under this cau­tion I leave the determination of the times unto the Church.

CHAP. XVI. Of the Continuance of this and o­ther Gospel-Ordinances in the Church.

THe fourth point ariseth from the last words, Un­till he come, and it is this, This Ordinance, and so all Gospel-ordinances are to continue in force in the Churches, untill Christ come, and this point cleaves into two parts.

§. 1 First, The Lord Christ will come again, he is cal­led [...], Heb. 10. 37. He that shall come, he shall appear the second time, Heb. 9. 28. as in the old Church of Israel, there was a glorious Temple, then a captivity that followed; after the captivity a second Temple, and then Christ came; So in Go­spel-Churches, there was first a glorious Virgin pri­mitive Church, then followed a captivity under An­tichrist, and that captivity shall be followed with a second Temple, a Reformed Church, and then Christ shall come again; but as the Church of God waited neer four thousand years from the first pro­mise of Christ made to Adam, to his first coming, so shall the Church of the Gospel wait many years [Page 175] from that promise of Christs second coming, Act. 1. 11. untill it be; The first Christians did not imagine so long Revolution of time, untill Christs second coming, as we have seen sixteen hundred, and how many yet are to runne out we know not; The Apo­stle checks it in the Thessalonians, 2 Thess. 2. 2. who began to think that the day of Christ was at hand, and the Christians in Justins time, who were most of them of the millenary opinion ( [...], saith he) did not think it should be so long ere the thousand years should commence; and in Tertullians time, they Used in their publick prayers to pray pro mora finis, for delay of the end in respect of Anti­christs tyranny, but the Jews are the example of the efficacy of errour, that have overshot already that which is Christs first coming by above sixteen hun­dred years; and are yet gazing; we rest in this, there is a fulnesse of time for Christs first, and so for his second coming, and then he will come, our hope, our comfort, our salvation, do all lie upon it, and there­fore we look for it.

Secondly, This Ordinance of the Supper is to continue till Christ come; the meaning is not, That men shall not deface and dishonour it in some places, but that it shall continue in force, though not in Use: God will not alter or discharge it, and the like, for there is the like Reason may be said of other standing Ordinances of worship. The Jewish Passeover was an Ordinance for ever, but that ever had an end when Christ came; and the Ordinances of that Church, though they might be defaced and destroy­ed for a time, yet were in force till Christs first com­ing, and so the Gospel-Sacraments, Worship, Or­dinances, [Page 176] and (may it please you) Ministry shall be in force, and God grant in Use, for the time of their Ever, and that is Christs second coming. The legal Sa­crifices and Ordinances were (as the Apostle ex­pounds Heb. 12. 27. the Prophet) to be shaken down and removed by the bringing in of a better Covenant, and other Ordinances by Christ Jesus, but the Ordinances of the Gospel cannot be shaken, are never to be remo­ved by any other Ordinance, or any new Church, but onely to cease and expire with the worlds end. The Scripture closes and shuts it self up with this, Come Lord Jesus, Rev. 22. 20.

§. 3 The Use of this Point may be,

1. To confirm us in the Use and esteem of the Or­dinances of Christ, which have no other period then the world, wiser we cannot be than he that thought them necessary, but we may be prouder than we should by thinking our selves in a state of perfection and not infirmity, which Christ hath provided for, by his Or­dinances; of the Sacrament he saith, Till I come; Of the Gospel-Ministry, he saith, I am with you to the worlds end; The devil is foolishly subtil now adayes under a pretence of immediate spirit, crying down Or­dinances, and the Gospel-spirit must put down Go­spel-Ordinances, what Christ set up, the Spirit must demolish, and it is a Spirit indeed, but a perverse one, as you may see by the same argument cast in another mould; The water only refreshes and quenches thirst, therefore cut off all the cocks and pipes, you know my meaning.

§. 4 2. This point may stop the mouth of those dege­nerate Apostates, the shame of Christianity, that mock at the common principles and fundamentals of our [Page 177] faith, saying, Where is the promise of his coming? 2 Pet. 3. 4. They are Infidels in their faith, that they may be Epicures in life; We have not waited half so long for his second coming, as the old believers did for his first; God hath somewhat to do in the world, besides the saving of us; Time is not so long, if it be measured by his span, as by ours, a thousand years are as one day, and then what shall we say to the real Presentialists? who will have Christ to come into every Sacrament, and yet it's said, Till he come, as if he were not personally there, at present? The Scri­pture sayes nothing of Christs corporal invisible pre­sence on earth, takes notice of a first coming and a se­cond, but no more; and yet lastly, What shall we say to those that are called Seekers, and to the Sans-Ordinance men, and the Supra ordinance men, that will be without and are above Ordinances? I say no more then this, Christ is not yet come the second time, and as it was his first coming that set them up: So it is his second only that shall take them down; Let not pride infatuate you, for as it is a miserable case when the best plea or excUse for a man is to say, he was drunk, he was mad; so it is but a sorry ex­cUse for blasphemy, to say, It is his conscience; let the Ordinances of Christ have his own date, viz. till he come.

§. 5 Doct. 5 The fifth point might be taken up from those words, This Bread and this Cup, where we finde it called Bread still after Consecration in confu­tation of Popish Transubstantiation, and both Bread and Cup allowed to the Communicants; a shame to Popish Sacriledge, that hath robb'd the Sacra­ment of one of them; but enough was said of [Page 178] both these before, when I handled the words of In­stitution.

CHAP. XVII. Of worthy and unworthy Receiving of the Lords Supper.

THis verse hath a mark in it's fore-head (the word [...], Wherefore) whereby at first sight it looks like an inference or collection from that which went before, where the Apostle having laid down the In­stitution of this Sacrament in the Use thereof, gathers from thence, That whosoever eats this bread, &c. un­worthily, he shall be guilty of the body and bloud of Christ.

§. 1 The sinne of receiving unworthily is largely insi­sted on in the following part of this Chapter, where the aggravation of this sinne is shown by the special guilt that attends it, and that is a guiltinesse of the Lords body, by the particular caUse of this guilti­nesse, [Page 179] Not discerning the Lords body, by the judge­ment that follows upon it, damnation or punishment, by the way of prevention of the sinne, the guilt and judgement, and that is self-examination, and self­judging, self-examination for the prevention of the sin, self-judging for prevention of the punishment in­flicted by God.

So that for a particular sinne properly incident to the abUse or miscarriage of men in this Ordinance, there is very much said to shew the nature and danger of it, becaUse the distempers reigning amongst the Corinthians, did herein shew themselves, which the Apostle studies to discover and to heal, and we by so ill an occasion gain such a piece of Doctrine as is not so fully delivered on this subject in any other place of Scripture, for the better guidance and steerage to stand off from those rocks which the Corinthians fell foul upon.

§. 2 I must first explain the words [ Worthily and un­worthily] He that knows one, knows both; as he that knows a right line, knows a crooked; The right in­terpretation of them is the hinge on which hangs the true understanding of all that is to be said hereafter, and yet they have been cloudily and confUsedly sen­sed by many that expound by fancy, and at random, becaUse they do not first set down the right rule of ex­position, and so are themselves, and leave also their hearers in a mist.

We Use to denominate the Communicant worthy or unworthy, not at all intending any merit or merito­rious condignity, for such a worthinesse is the great­est unworthinesse, but a meetnesse and congruity of the action to the rule of the action, and therefore the [Page 180] Apostle applies worthinesse or unworthinesse to the man­ner of communicating, He that eateth and drinketh unworthily. In all Ordinances, either preaching, prayer, Sacraments, the eye of God is much upon the manner, how they are performed, which I might make my first point, but that I will not shoot my ar­row at so great a compasse.

Worthiness is relative, and refers to the rule of the action, which here is the institution, the Nature, Use and End of this Sacrament: for to eat and drink worthily, is to do it answerably and suitably to the Ordinance, when the Communicant hath, and so exercises such graces, qualifications and deportment, inward and outward, as this Sacrament doth require, bespeak and call for; And the contrary is unworthi­nesse, when the manner of communicating, or the Communicant is not suitable or answerable to the Ordinance, either becaUse he hath not, or exerciseth not the qualifications, that the Sacrament requires in a worthy receiver, or brings a contrary disposition to it, and this interpretation is easie, natural and con­vincing; for the Apostle layes down the institution first, and then infers what receiving unworthily is, as a strait Rule discovers a crooked line by the in­compliance of it to the Rule; and thus the Scripture, which advances not the merit, but the meetnesse of actions and persons, Useth to speak, as Ephes. 4. 1. Walk ( [...],) worthily of your calling, Phil. 1. 2 [...]. ( [...] ▪ As becomes the Gospel, Rom. 16. 2. Worthy of Saints, or as it becomes worthy of the Lord, Col. 1. 10. that is, as becomes people that are the Lords, Worthy of God, 1 Thess. 2. 1 [...]. in all which places it is required, that we walk or live an­swerable [Page 181] to such condition, calling or relation, or engagement, and so to eat and drink worthily, is as 'tis meet and answerable, as becomes such an Ordi­nance.

And if any should object, as well they may, Why the Apostle doth not first tell us, what it is, or how we may receive worthily, for the abUse is not known but by the right Use, the privation by the habit, the deviation by the rule, the crooked line by the straight.

I answer, the Apostle insists upon the unworthy receiving, becaUse that was the case before him, but he did not forget himself, as if he had not shown what it is to receive worthily; for though he name not the word, but as implied in the word unworthily, yet he had enough declared the thing by his laying down the Institution of this Sacrament, which is the rule of worthinesse. It being nothing else but the answerablenesse of the Communicant to the Ordi­nance, which every man that once knows the Ordi­nance must also know, if he apply the rule and his a­ction together, and so I am confident you have the meaning of worthily and unworthily.

§. 3 After the explication of the words. Let us form the point of Doctrine.

Doct. This Bread and this Cup of the Lord may be recei­ved worthily, and they may be received unworthily. I mean de facto unworthily. If any doubt of the col­lection of this point the very expression [...], Who­soever shall eat and drink unworthily, implies the one, and plainly expresses the other part of the point. The Communicant may come and eat suitably to the Or­dinance or Institution, and then he receives worthi­ly, [Page 182] and he may come and eat unsuitably to the exi­gence of the Ordinance, and then he receives unwor­thily: So that the point is an undoubted truth, ex­cept any can demonstrate, that no Communicant can eat and drink worthily, and then to what purpose is the Institution, but to bring damnation or judgement on all that partake of it, but I wave the proof. The point is clear in its own light; onely let me acquaint you, that my intention is to weave all I have to say into this one main point. For herein I will shew the qualifications of a worthy, and the defaults of an un­worthy Communicant, then the special guilt that ag­gravates the sinne of unworthy receiving, He shall be guilty of the body, &c. then the particular caUse of unworthinesse assigned, and that is not discerning the Lords body; Then the fearfull danger of this sinne, whereby a man is said to eat and drink judgement to himself, then the way of prevention of this sinne, that we fall not into it, Let a man examine himself. Then the prevention of the judgement in case we fall into the sinne, If we would judge our selves, &c.

CHAP. XVIII. The Ʋses which are to be made of the two last Theses.

§. 1 THat the truth lies between these two. I say, be­tween a forcible Entry, or violent Intrusion un­to this Ordinance, and an unjust invasion of the Communicants right; For both the Ordinance it self, and right of the Communicant are hedged in; As in all Corporations, whosoever will, may not intrude into the freedom, nor yet the rights belong­ing to that freedom be taken away, but in an orderly way. That which God hath made common, we may not inclose or make several, viz. the Gospel or preaching thereof, and that which God hath made several, we may not make common, that is, this Sa­crament; As he cannot allow this Table to any that are not of the hoUse, so neither can we turn out of the hoUse such as have right to come to this Table: Some are displeased that they should not have the same right to the Word, and to the Table; No, for as thou art a sinfull man, thou hast a right, and duty to hear the Gospel, though an Heathen, but not to this Sacrament, till thou be a Christian, and duly qualified professour of Christ: Are you not pleas'd [Page 218] that God gives you a nearer and more inward admit­tance unto Communion and fellowship with Christ, than to Jews and Infidels, and such as are called Christians, but little better than they? Would you not have him make more of his children, than of common servants? While you would raise up a right unto wicked men to Gods inner Ordinance, you do but depresse and lay low the difference and favour, which he vouchsafes to his Covenant people; A King may send a Proclamation of pardon to rebels, while the Sword is in their hand, but he seals it not to them, or invites them to his Table, till they sub­mit and accept conditions.

§. 2 No private grudge, or distance, or animosity of any man in authority can warrant the dispossession of any just right of a Communicant to this Ordinance. I have told you already, We are not Lords of the Sacrament, but Stewards; the Table is the Lords Table, not ours; No servant can upon any private grudge against his fellow-servant forbid him the hoUse or table provided by the Master; No private Citizen can forbid the priviledge and rights of free­dom to his fellow-citizen; This is but the exercising of private revenge by the way of Gods publick Or­dinance, and to prostitute the same to our envy and malice; The King said to his servants, binde him hand and foot, that hath not the wedding-garment, and take him away, Matth. 27. 13. The King said it, Let all the Lords servants take heed of casting out any, but upon the Lords warrant, and upon his command. I should tremble that my self, or any else should make my Office serve my private spleen, neither can any man lose his right upon my suppositi­on [Page 219] or suspicion of scandalous sin, but clear and convi­ctive evidence.

And what I say of private grudge, I would be understood to say of private differences in opinion, speculative or practick, provided they be such as godly men do ordinarily dissent in; or (as the Apo­stle saith) Such things wherein the Kingdom of God consists not, Rom. 14. 17. For vers. 3. Let not him that eateth despise him that eats not. Let not him that eateth not, judge him that eats, and the Reason is gi­ven, vers. 4. He is another mans servant, to his own Master he stands or fals. Such discord need break no musick, we may as soon make all faces alike; as all judgements, and we should not be so proud as to think all are Blackmores besides us. For God hath received him (saith the Apostle, Rom. 14. 3. therefore let us receive him, and let him receive at the Lords board, and yet I would have no man think, that I dare speak in favour of, or invite heresie to the Lords Table; For as there is a great difference between our daily sinnes, and those we call scandalous, or flagrant, and atroci­ous, so there is also between many errours of judgement, and pernicious heresies; And if we compare such heresies with scandalous sinnes of moral life, you shall finde, that heresie is more in­fectious and pestilential, though the other may be as mortal; So the Plague is more to be avoided than the Dropsie: Heresie overthrows the faith of other men more easily, than drunkennesse doth their morals by the example; By scandalous sinnes we open others mouths to blaspheme, by heresie we our selves blaspheme, 1 Tim. 1. 20. And you finde [Page 220] that it is said of heresies, as it is of Adultery, Murder, They that doe such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God, Gal. 5. 19. And if there be any thing higher, it's said, They bring upon them­selves swift destruction, 2 Pet. 2. 2. and therefore they are as farre removed from this Table, as any other.

§. 4 And what I have said of private grudge, or private differences in judgement; I say, lastly, of private respects or partiality, which neither shuts nor opens the door well; and if I were to allow or disallow Communicants, I would not admit my near relations, Wife, Children, Servants, Kindred, Friends, but upon the same termes I would admit my enemy, his relations, his Wife, Chil­dren; and if I should disallow any of them upon the same terms, I would forbid mine own, else were I a Jam. 2. 4. respecter of persons, and a judge of evil thoughts; Nor would I stretch out my hand to a Parliament­man, and withdraw it from a Scavenger on the same termes; Nor should a godly man, Flagranti in crimine, under the scandall of drunkennesse, or adultery, finde any more welcome than another man under the same sinne, untill repentance made some difference; For still I goe upon the same Rule or principle; The Table is not ours; We make not the Feast; We are not Lords and Ma­sters of the Ordinance, but Stewards, Servitours, Dispensers, that must act ad voluntatem Domini.

§. 5 The third Use of this Point, may be to satisfie our querulous and complaining dispositions, when we see many who are but Jewes outwardly, and they are no Jews; Many that have a forme, but not the power of godlinesse: Many that walke [Page 221] disorderly, as the Apostle saith, 2 Thess. 3. 11. Ma­ny that desire to make a fair shew, and do [...], set a good face on it, Galat. 6. 12. but are rotten at the core, &c. They complaine, Why are they suffer'd? Why are not they cast out▪ Why do they remain spots in our feasts, as Jude saith, &c? And it cannot be denied, we plead not for hypocrites, we are not Advocates and Pa­trons of foolish Virgins, they come unworthily, though they come, and that is bad enough, but why do they come at all? The Answer is, That violence must not be offer'd to that Rule, Order and way, which God hath set down for the pro­hibiting of any visible member from his right. It's fit that thieves and robbers, and cheaters were either reformed or purged out of the Common­wealth, but yet it must be in the course of Law, or else the remedy would be a mischief; That in the mouth of two or three Witnesses▪ (saith Christ, Matth. 18. 16.) every word may be establisht. It is not a thing to be done at randome, as I have shewed; Every sore leg is not presently to be cut off, there may be as sore a one under a silk stoc­king: The Church sinnes, if she neglect her duty; but I must tell you, That you must do your duty first. Have you (in private offences) gone first to your offensive brother, and told him of his fault in private, and then if he be not gain'd, have you born witnesse against him? And hath he been con­vinced of his sinne by due conviction? Or doth he stand out against conviction and admonition? And is he Obstinate, and doth persist in his sinne? One may murder a Felon, he should haply die, [Page 222] but he dies innocently, if he die by a private hand; A man that deserves to be cast out, may be cast out injuriously, viz. a non judice. I con­fesse the Argument is plausible, That the Church, the livelier and purer it is, the better it is, So the Corn-field is best that hath no weeds; The Corn that's clean drest from chaffe and cockle is the pu­rest, but it's rare to finde such a field, or to finde such a floor in the Garner, so it is, but not in the barn-floor. I like holinesse which is of Gods ma­king, not that which is of mans making. The Novatians, or Cathari, the Donatists also pretend­ed both to a holinesse above all the Churches of God in the world, but there is (as Calvin ob­served, none of them left in the world to be seen, whereas the true Churches of Christ continue, and I hope shall continue, though they be like Israel going forth of Aegypt, that had a mixt multitude among them, as the Scripture speaks.

CHAP. XIX. What must be done where Discipline cannot be executed for want of Administrators.

§. 1 HAving said, That the Lords Supper is a barred Ordinance, and yet that the just rights of the Communicant ought not to be invaded. I shall now proceed before I go further; Two or three Questions of moment and importance; The Answer to which will both clear the former Doctrine more fully, and also anticipate such Objections, as may be raised up against it.

Quest. 1. The first Question is this, What is to be done in such case, wherein the former Doctrine is im­practicable, by Reason that the Church or particular society, whereof thou art a member, be not in capacity to exercise such Discipline, for want of such due Ad­ministratours as may bring to execution the aforesaid order of Debarment from, or Admittance to the Lords Table?

Before I answer this great Question, I must tell you that I have caUse to fear least it be said of me, as Cicero said of Cato, His opinion of, and affection to the Commonwealth is excellent good, but he is offensive, [Page 224] Quia loquitur tanquam in Repub. Platonis, non tan­quam in faece Romuli, becaUse he speaks as if he were in Plato his Commonwealth, not as in the dregs of Romulus: So you may say, that I speak as if I was in the Primitive Church, and not in the dregs of cor­ruption, which profanenesse and superstition have brought in upon us; but notwithstanding the Clock that goes false must be reduced by the Sunne-dial, and not that by the Clock that erres; We may justly complain of, and bewail the evil genius of the times and men, that if they can hear novelties every Lords­day from some ambulatory Preachers, and they also can vapour up and down with two or three Sermons calculated to serve any Meridian, do not either look for, or prize a setled condition of Ministry and Sa­craments in the Church, but rather cry, So would we have it, Let every man do that which is right in his own eyes; and we little think that so many breach­es and distractions are amongst us, becaUse we seek not the Lord after the due order. It was an old com­plaint, that the coming in of the world into the Church was the decay of Christianity, while Em­perours were Heathen, and persecutions of the very name Christian, were frequent, the Discipline was vigorous, when men came in to Christianity with no other resolution, than to suffer for it, and made ac­count to save nothing by it, but their souls, the Dis­cipline was able to keep them in compasse, but when Christian Emperours came in, and set the broad gates open to the world, then they throng'd into Christianity for fashion, interest, preferment, as all do now upon custom, example, education, and hence is the decay and corruption of Discipline, Atheists, [Page 225] Epicures, Libertines, every one under form and co­lour of Religion, providing immunity and impunity for their own lusts, which having said, and thereby pointed with my finger to the sore, which I cannot heal, I shall answer to the Question.

§. 2 1. The strait is great, where there is not a just and orderly power to separate or sever the precious from the vile, to deny their bread to children, or to cast the childrens bread to dogs, and there will be found a great deal of self-denial necessary in this case; The affirmative command of giving the Lords bread to his children; and the negative command of not ca­sting pearls before swine, are both to be Observed, and the only expedient that I know is, that both Mi­nister and people do the duty of their place, without usurpation of further power, than they have by Gods warrant, and then all will be as well, not as it might, but as it can, as it was in Hezekiah his Passeover in the second moneth, 2 Chron. 30. Many in the Congrega­tion were not sanctified, vers. 17. Many came out of the Tribes of Israel, which had not cleansed themselves, they did eat the Passeover otherwise than it was writ­ten, vers. 18. Here you see it was not so well as it ought, but it was as well as it could at that time, and therefore Hezekiah pray'd, The good Lord pardon every one that prepares his heart to seek God, though he be not according to the purification of the Sanctua­ry, and the Lord healed the people, vers. 20. And therefore to speak more particularly to the point; I cannot counsel, but bewail the intermission of the Lords Supper in such Churches where there are a number of worthy Communicants, at least visibly, though there be no power of juridical exclusion of [Page 226] the unworthy. The Helvetian or Switzerland Churches claim to be Churches, and have the notes of Word and Sacraments, though this order of Di­scipline be not setled among them, and I am not he that shall blot out their name: There is an expresse command, Do this, and a very great obligation; There is an excellent benefit of this Ordinance, which if it stirre up the thirst of Gods people to de­sire, or rather claim it at the Ministers hand, I see no ground for the refusal: I know the Sacraments of ordinary Use were intermitted in the wildernesse, wholly or mostly, and they were recompensed with extraordinary, 1 Cor. 10. but that arose on another occasion than this I speak of; for alas, How many Churches in England, or if you will, good Christi­ans in them, shall everlastingly be deprived of this high Ordinance, and the benefit of it, shall lie un­der the temptation of separation, shall lose this mark of a Church, and shall in effect be equally debarred of this Communion with Christ, as wicked men are, and that also not for any default of theirs, but for their unhappiness of being planted in a Vineyard that wants a wall or hedge?

§. 3 2. A particular Church having administration of the Word and Sacraments, is not bound alwayes to want a hedge, pale or door unto the Supper of the Lord, in case the Civil Power is not pleased to inter­meddle or interpose in these affairs, but are (as I con­ceive) bound to Use all warrantable means to pre­serve their society from infection and scandal, and the Ordinance from undue invasion, by giving up them­selves to such inspection, as God hath entrusted it with, and themselves have chosen, and by associa­ting [Page 227] themselves with other Churches of God, that the unity may be preserved of the body of Christ, for the Arch is firm by the mutual support of the stones, and their joyning to the top-stone; For the Church is a body or society with which God hath deposited his Ordinances, and given it power to meet and assemble themselves together for perform­ance of them, and it were a wonder that they should not have a power of exercising them in a right manner.

I do not arrogate unto the Church any the least power of outward force or coercion, for that belongs to him that bears the Sword, who if he do not give effect to the censures of the Church, yet they have their effect by the consent of the Church it self, Ex Disciplina confederata, as they say, which is that by which he that consents to be of that body is subject to the Laws and Rules of it, and is cut off, if he prove a rotten member. To give light to this point, How stood the Discipline of Synagogues, from which I am apt to think our Christian Churches took much of their pattern? They had a power to discommon their own members, and it seems to me that their [...], or agreement among themselves was that which gave effect to their censures, Joh 9. 22. And what is the government of Colledges, Corporations and petty Courts in Countrey-villages, where the by-Laws and amerciaments and penalties are by agreement, north warting the municipal Laws of the Commonwealth: He that will enjoy the priviledges and freedoms of such a body, must be subject to the Rules and Laws of that society; and so the Christi­an Churches under Heathen Emperours could do no [Page 228] more but disfranchize their own members from the priviledges of the Church, of which body they had by their own consent come in to be members, and so submitted themselves to them. The Emperours gave not this power to the Church, but God who gave them his great Charter to be a City and Corpo­ration of his own, did eo ipso, give them this power, without which they might be a Cyclops den, or chaos, but not a regular Society; And upon this ground (as I conceive) the Apostle reproves the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 6. & 1 Cor. 5. for not doing those things to prevent scandal, which they were impowred and en­abled to have done as a Church of Christians: And if any man had been of such stomack or disposition in those times, as not to have cared a straw for those Church-censures, so long as the Civil power toucht him not in purse, body, liberty, it was enough to proclaim him fitter for to be a Heathen than a Chri­stian; For it's admirable to consider, as it is most evi­dent, That a Church censure, a Suspension from the Communion of the Church wrought more sor­row, and trouble, and heart-breaking, than the fire and faggot of the persecution: In conclusion and up­on the whole matter, as he said of the Romans, they must redire ad casas, return to their poor shepherd cottages again: So I say, that in case of this necessi­ty, when the Civil power contributes not assistance or furtherance to the Church, she must consider the case of the primitive Churches, and what intrinse­cally belongs to her to do, as a corporation or body of Gods making, with no other power of self preser­vation from scandals of members, but purging them out, nor from injuries of forreiners, but suffering.

§. 4 [Page 229]3. Every particular member of the Church ought to withdraw or refrain from such conversation with a scandalous brother, as may either give occasion of scandal to others, or infection to himself. The Apostle allows civil commerce or entercourse with Heathens and Infidels, if we live among them, and the bonds of natural and civil relations or duties must not be violated on pretence of Christianity, but an arbitrary, familiar and intimate society or fellowship with them that live or act scandalously, doth but soil our selves, harden them, offend sober Christians. It's a caution much inculcate in Scripture, Withdraw from every brother that walks disorderly, 2 Thess. 3. 6. Have no company with them, that they may be asha­med, vers. 14. Turn away from such wicked formalists as have no power of godlinesse, and under the form of it are so wicked, 2 Tim. 3. 5. With a brother that's scandalous, no not to eat, 1 Cor. 5. 9, 12, Them that caUse divisions and scandals mark, and avoid them, Rom. 16. 17. These, and the like expressions some Learned men draw into consequence, to prove that which we know rather the name of, than the nature of the thing, Excommunication: Others understood Grot. do Imp. p. 231. by them Nullum actum privato majorem, no act great­er than private avoidance of company, which is that I now speak of; For in the primitive times, when the Heathens Observed of Christians, how they lo­ved each other, and when the Christians, had in Use certain remarkable testifications of this love, by their feasts of love, and holy kisse, &c. It was a mark or note of reproof and shame to be shunned and avoid­ed by the brethren, for scandalous sinne, and it was medicinal to him that was so avoided, and in that re­gard [Page 230] a duty in conscience and charity to be perform­ed; and I would that all distances created amongst brethren by passion and envy were reduced to this, then we should finde, that though we had not power to separate an offendor from the Church, yet the separating of our selves from him, would work much good, and be in some measure an Excommunicati­on; For it is certain, that a great part of the effect thereof lies in the non Communion or withdraw­ment of the people from him that's scandalous; and as certain, that if we flatter and encourage the sinnes of men by our samiliarity and fellowship, Excom­munication it self would be but a lost Ordinance, and of no effect; For it is my opinion, That if Excom­munication, greater and lesser, as they are called was in full proportion reduced into practice, yet except the people that are members of the Church did make conscience of imparting their fellowship to such as were cut off, it would be little better then a wooden dagger, and rather serve to create passion and fury than humility and shame in them.

§ 5 4. The Ministers duty is by Doctrine to declare the sinne and danger of undue intrusion to the Table of the Lord, which is a ministerial pro­hibition of the unworthy, a comminatory seclusion, though not juridical, a power of the Keyes; And this is openly denied by none who speak out of con­science, and not unReasonable lusts; The Apostle in this Chapter takes this course in terrible expressions, pronouncing and denouncing judgement to the un­worthy, other holy and famous Worthies of the Church in their generations, do rather thunder than speak, Better that a milstone was hang'd about his [Page 231] neck, and he cast into the sea, than that a man with an impure conscience take and eat this morsel, saith Cyprian, or the Authour De Caena, and so Chryso­stome pours out himself in his Homilies and Sermons on this point with great sharpnesse, and accounts this which is done with the voice a seclusion or keeping of men back ( Hom. 13. ad Hebraeos) and so it is and Pag. 467. Homil. 83. in Mat. Hom. 86. ad pop. Antioch. Tract. 62. in Jo. Amb. ad Heb. 10. may justly be called, for it is a ministerial prohibition of the unworthy; Chrysostom compares this sinne with theirs that slew Christ; Austin, sinne of Judas; Ambrose, with the sinne of the Jews; Basil makes the Question, Lib. 2. de Bapt. cap. 3. Whether it be [...] without danger to come not purged from filthinesse of flesh and spirit; and answers it by the unclean persons coming to holy things, making that uncleannesse [...], typically to denote moral un­cleannesse, which I rather note for his sake that slights this Argument. And therefore let all Mini­sters be stirred up to Use this prohibition the more, and the rather when other is wanting, in discharge of his duty to God and mens souls, which though it be not better liked than the practical seclusion, yet men are more patient under it, I hope out of conviction of conscience, and not becaUse they may, notwith­standing this, lie still in the croud without that par­ticular mark, which the actual seclusion sets upon them.

§ 6 5. The Minister that dispenses the Sacrament by giving it into the hand of the Communicant, may in this case with more Reason suspend his own act, and withdraw his hand from one that he sees and knows to be a scandalous person, as he might do in cafe a Hookers Pref▪ Turk, Jew or excommunicate person should intrude [Page 232] unto the Table of the Lord, in which case, viz. of Excommunication. Calvin saith, He would die rather than reach forth his hand to give the Sacra­ment to such an one. It's true, you will reply, This may be done in the case of such as are debarred by the Church, but not in the case of a scandalous sin­ner, not yet so judged? For answer to which Obje­ction, I say, That indeed there are men of great re­nown for learning and holinesse, that hold, If a M. Ball. Trial, p. 205. Minister know a man unworthy he must yet receive him, becaUse he cannot manifest it to the Church. If a mans unworthinesse be notorious. and yet not so judg­ed by them that have authority, he must administer the Sacramental Signs to him, not as one worthy or unworthy, but as one as yet undivided from them. And the truth is, the Minister alone, singly as a Mi­nister, hath not by warrant of the Word, the power of Excommunication or Suspension in his hand, as Grotius de im­perio, p. 230. is generally holden; nor will I dispute; but this with holding of his hand from actual giving of the outward Signs, is no act of censure, no Suspension of the person, no casting of him out, but as those that allow it say, An Act of liberty, as a Physicians not giving drink to an hydropick person, or the with­holding his own Sword from a furious man, for the time of his rage, and (as saith the Authors last ci­ted) a Minister may do this by the same right where­by he doth by Doctrine declare such a mans incapacity, or whereby a private Christian withdraws his fellow­ship or society; Nor otherwise can Chrysostom charge to Ministers to hinder the unworthy, which he pres­ses in his 83. Homil. on Matthew, on pain of being guilty of their bloud, be understood; for it must be [Page 233] meant of such scandalous sinners known to them, but not so judged by the Church, they being kept from accesse, or sight of the holy mysteries in his time by the censure of the Church; and I as little doubt of the judgement of many learned men, or of the inten­tion of the Church of England in the Rule given to the Minister before the Communion in the case of some emergent scandal at the present time; nor do I conceive that any learned man would deny this liberty to a Minister, to withhold his hand from some man­killer, drunkard, perjured, &c. that hath been con­victed before the Civil Authority, though no censure of the Church be against or upon him: Nor is that charge given to Timothy very far from proving it, Lay hands suddenly on no man, Be not partakers of other mens sins, 1 Tim. 5. 22. If the Rule of Analogy or proportion may be here allowed, and I believe, that had not the profit of the Courts more swaid then point of conscience, this Suspension of act had not been a crime; For the Schoolmen generally allow the Dhrand. part. 4. Dist. 9 Quaest. 5. aliique. Minister to deny the Sacrament to any that is in mor­tal sin, if it be but notorious by evidence of fact. And so much for this point, which I have spoken the more unto, becaUse it is a Question that may often come to hand, even in our times, and the places in which we live, and only with this intention, that I would have the Sacraments on their wheels, and yet so that their male administration bring not epidemick judgements upon us, as the receiving unworthily did on the Church of Corinth.

CHAP. XX. Whether a Godly man lawfully may, or ought to stand as a Member of, and hold Communion in the Ordinances of God with such a Congregation as is mixt (as they call it) that is, where men visibly Scandalous in Life and Conversa­tion are mingled with the Good in the Participation and Ʋse of Di­vine Ordinances? Or, VVhether this Mixture of Heterogeneals do not pollute the Ordinances, and the Communion to the Godly, so as they are concerned to Separate from such Communion▪.

§. 1 BEfore I make particular Answer to this Question, I must tell you, That all serious and weighty Christians have caUse to lament the levity and incon­stancy [Page 235] of people of our times, and the spirit of Se­paration which so easily puts them upon wing to pra­ctice and plead for separation, as they did for Divorce upon every caUse, Matth. 19. 3. There are many make but a humour of it, being ignorant of the greatnesse of the sinne of renting asunder the Unity and Union of the body of Christ, which Chrysostom aggravates Homil. 11. in Ephes. and recites a saying of a holy man before his time, (he means Cyprian) [...], which might seem a very bold speech, and that is, That the bloud of Martyrdom cannot wash off this stain, which many account an ornament, not a sinne. Among other principles of Separation, this which I have now to speak unto, that we must excommunicate our selves from Gods Ordinances (if men of wicked life be not excommunicate) for fear of pollution by them, is Donatistical, and urged by Parmenian the Vide cap. 21. Epist. ad Par­menianum & alibi. Donatist, and answer'd by Austin many hundred years ago, and now retrimed and revived, being cal­led a new truth, as we commonly call a new fashion, that which lately come up, though about fourty year ago, or in our memory, it was a fashion laid aside and rejected. And the truth is, That the Reason of this Separation seems plausible to easie capacities, such as the Apostle cals Rom. 16. 17. [...], the simple, becaUse it pretends to set up holinesse, both of Ordi­nances and people, but if it be weighed by the stand­ard of Scripture, will be found too light, and the two sorts of complainers directly opposite to one another, will be found erroneous, both them that complain of any hedge at all about the Sacrament, and they that complain and therefore separate, becaUse the hedge is not so sufficient as may keep off every undue intruder.

Let us then by Scripture Rule lay down the An­swer to this Question, and that orderly, and in certain Theses.

§. 2 First, I shall grant, That the very notion and na­ture of the Church denotes a separation; God sepa­rates his Church from Infidels, and them that are ex­traneous and strangers to the Covenant; He separates them to be his inheritance, his peculiar tReasure above Levit. 20 24. 1 King. 8. 53. other people, and they also do and ought to separate themselves from communion with Devils in idola­trous service and worship, Nehem. 9. 2. Come out from among them, and be ye separate, 2 Cor. 6. 17. This is not necessary to be a locall Separation for present. There was a mixt multitude of uncircumcised peo­ple, No just Proselytes (as M ^r Selden saith) with Is­raels De Synedriis cap. 2. in the wildernesse after their separation from Ae­gypt, but this separation is moral or foederal, God cals them, propounds the terms of his Covenant, they pro­fessedly submit and accept, Exod. 19. 5, 8. and now they are separate, set apart, sanctified by dedica­tion unto God and his service, and are called no more Heathens, Infidels, but Saints, Gods people, belie­vers, Christians, or the like.

§. 3 Secondly, All that are thus separated by their pro­fessed submission unto, and acceptance of the Co­venant are not true members of Christ, or of his bo­dy. All the people, when God did but generally propound a Covenant to them, professed with open voice their yeeldance, and the Lord acquiesced in it, Exod. 19. 5, 8, 9. and the same people when they heard the particular Laws of that Covenant, profest again they would do them, Exod. 24. 3. and so it became, as we say, Done and done on both sides, and yet he [Page 237] that should affirm all these, though newly baptized to be truly regenerate, were very wide of the truth; for there are many reputative members that are in the visible Society and fellowship of the Church and it's Ordinances, that are but Jews outwardly, and they are, saith the Apostle, no Jews, and yet they are cir­cumcised and eat the Passeover, and communicate in Ordinances, and (if we will not be captious in words) are true members of the visible Society, yet no mem­bers of Christs mystical Body, nor yet can they be dis­possest by us of their right unto Ordinances; for we have no judgement of their spiritual and inward Estates, nor any Command, nor any Rule to dispossesse them, nor any example of God himself, who lets the corn and chaff lie together in area, and separates them locally in horreo, as Austin speaks; and this body howsoever consisting of members he­terogeneall, yet being taken together in grosse or in the lump, hath very sublime and honourable compella­tion, both in the Old Testament, A holy Nation, a Exod. 19. 5, 6, &c. Kingdom of Priests, Gods special tReasure; and in the New, The Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Hea­ven, Mat. 25. 1. for so the Gospel net, that contains both good and bad, is called; and so the whole knot of wise and foolish Virgins, and yet it's plain, that in this Kingdom there are children that are to be cast out, and scandalous persons for Doctrine, and them that work iniquity for Practice that are to be gathered out at last, Mat. 13. 41.

§. 4 Thirdly, Whereupon we grant, That it's rare and hard to finde a visible Church in any Age or time that was without corruption or mixture of good and bad in it; They that talk of purity of Churches, may [Page 238] more easily finde in the world a body that hath never a frecken or spot, than a Church without corruption, and yet both a body and a Church be beautifull for all that. The Scripture gives us a perfect delineation of the Church, as it ought to be in Rules of faith and holinesse, but yet shews us plainly, that it being Gods pleasure, that the Net should gather both good and bad, and the servants inviting to the marriage did bring in both good and bad; it must needs be conse­quent, that many of those that are called are not cho­sen, That all that are of Israel, are not Israel. Had not this mixture served more to Gods glory, even the glory of his inwardly discriminating grace, it is like­ly it had not been: So that as they say of the He­brew, Greek, Latine, these Languages may be pure in books, but hardly to be found purely spoken by any Nation now in the world, so are the rules of faith and life pure and perfect in the Word, and yet not so perfectly Observed by the visible Church. And if a man suppose that a number or Colony of really holy per­sons might be pickt out of the Churches, and em­body themselves into a Church, Are they sure this would be answerable to their fancy? Did not the Donatists dream so of themselves? And what may one think of their children in time? Doth not the purest seed we sow come up with straw and chaff? If they hold Communion with the visible Church, Is it not all one? If they do not, Is it not worse and more clearly without warrant?

§. 5 The Church may be corrupted many wayes in Doctrine, Ordinances, Worship, and this I account the worst, becaUse it is the corruption of the best, as the corruption of bloud that runnes thorow all the [Page 239] body, the poisoning of Springs and Rivers that run thorow a Nation, is worse than a sore finger in the body, or a ground of thistles in the Nation, and there are degrees of this corruption, the Doctrine in some remote points, hay and stubble upon the foundation, the Worship in some rituals or rites of mens inventi­on or custom. How many Scripture Churches do ye finde thus corrupted, and yet no Separation of Christ from the Jewish Church, nor any command­ed to the godly of Corinth, in the Provinces of Gala­tia, or those of Asia in the Revelation? I must in such case avoid the corruption, hold the Communi­on, Hear them in Moses chair, and yet beware of their leaven; but if corruptions invade the fundamen­tals, the foundation of Doctrine is destroyed, the worship is become idolatrous, the leprosie is gotten into the wals and substance of the hoUse, and which is above all, If the Church impose such Laws of their Communion, as there is necessity of doing or approving things unlawfull, or I am ruin'd and un­done, then must I either break with God or men, and in that case, Come out of Babylon: The Church­es of Protestants so separated from them of Rome; it was a necessary and just Separation, the Lawes of their Communion were ruinous to the soul, if we hold it; to the body and life, if we held it not.

§ 6 In summe then, and in conclusion of this part about Doctrine or Worship, which is but upon the bie to the Question. If a corrupt Church, as Israel was, have their Ordinances according to the patern in the Mount; If it may be said, as Peter to Christ, John 6. 68. when some Disciples separated them­selves, Thou hast the words of eternal life; If as [Page 240] Christ said in matter of Worship, John 4. Salvation is of the Jews, than, as he said, Whether shall we go? Why do we separate? And yet I would not be mistaken by the simplest man, as if I accounted it separation, if a Christian hear a Sermon, or receive the Sacrament in another Congregation; For he that takes a meal at another Table doth not thereby sepa­rate from his own hoUse; or if a Christian at liberty to dispose his dwelling, shall remove and sit down under more fruitfull Ordinances; I account not this secession a Separation, no more than if being sickly, and having not health in the City, he remove his seat into the Countrey for purer air, becaUse in so doing he removes from the City, but renounces not his freedom therein, nor disclaims in like proportion the Communion of the Church.

CHAP. XXI. Whether the Lords Supper be a con­verting Ordinance?

Quest. 3 §. 1 THe third Question is, Whether the Sacrament of the Lords Supper be a converting Ordinance? There is a conversion of a regenerate man, from some Luk. 22. 32. fall or sinne, as in that saying, When thou art convert­ed strengthen thy brethren, and so a man that's god­ly may be often converted, that is, raised up from la­pses and backslidings. Of this the Question is not; for this is but as the blowing in of the candle, when the flame is gone out, by exciting or wakening the fire that yet glows in the weeck of the candle, which may be done by this Sacrament; But the Question is, Whether God doth offer or exhibit the first grace, for conversion of an unbeliever or unregenerate man; for as Davenant rightly saith, The first faith must be given to an unbeliever, as the first light is that which comes into meer darkness.

This Question is but an upstart among us, which hath risen on occasion of seclusion of some from this Sacrament, and indeed quite overthrows it, if the Sacrament be a converting Ordinance; for upon this ground we may invite the most wicked to the [Page 248] Table, as well as to the Word, namely for conversi­on; and it were a great sin to prohibit any from the appointed means of their conversion.

§. 2 For answer to the Question, I premise,

That, it is the Doctrine of Whitaker, that as the Word is the mean and instrument of grace, so is the Sacrament, in general, the one is applied to the ear, the other to the eye; This is the differ­ence, The Word begins and works grace in the heart ( For faith comes by hearing) but the Sacrament is objected to the eye, and doth not begin the work of grace, but nourishes and incReases it, for faith is not begotten by the Sacraments, but only augment­ed. Thus he. The Doctrine of physical operation is exploded by all the orthodox, Sacraments do not work grace, as a plaister cures a sore, that's a blinde conceit of ignorant souls, but God by them, or in their Use imparts grace, as he did healing by the bra­zen Serpent. Now God by Baptism solemnly repre­sents and seals to his people their planting into Christ, We are planted by Baptisme into the likenesse of his death, Rom. 6. 3, 4, 5. And by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, 1 Cor. 12. 13. and therefore Baptism is called, the Sacrament of our implanting, ingraffing, incorporating into Christ, and so is a Sacrament of initiation, Ye are all children of God by faith in Christ; For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ, Gal. 3. 2 [...]. God was pleased to have his Covenant sealed by Ba­ptism, as to the first grace of that Covenant, as by Circumcision also under the Law, and so we are so­lemnly listed and admitted to be his, and called by his name; But then as to the grace of education of [Page 249] his children up unto maturity and ripenesse by con­firming them, and strengthning and causing them to grow, &c. He hath ordained another Sacrament, which is called the second, becaUse it presupposes the first, as Passeover did Circumcision, and that is the Lords Supper, of which learned Hooker saith, The grace Eccles. pol. l. 5. pag. 536. which we have by it doth not begin, but continue grace or life, no man therefore receives this Sacrament be­fore Baptism, becaUse no dead thing is capable of nou­rishment; That which groweth must of necessity first live: And to this purpose all our learned Divines have given their suffrage; And the Papists, though Concil. Trid. Sess. 13. c. 2. & 7. Can. 5. & 11. Bellarm. de Euch. c. 17. l. 4. Catech-sub fin. Confes. cap. de Sac. c. 29. they differ from us in denying remission of sinnes in this Sacrament, in favour to their Sacrament of pen­nance, yet they hold it to be an Ordinance of nutri­tion, and so do all their Schoolmen; and so doth the Church of England, The strengthning and refreshing of our souls, &c. I need not number Authours or Churches. It is so plain a case, that I wonder they that have stood up in defence of it as a converting Ordinance, have not taken notice of it; There is an Army to a man against them, and the ancient Chri­stian Churches are so clear in it, that they admitted no convert from the Heathen to either Baptism or Supper, till they had testified their faith and repent­ance, nor were they called fideles, till they were ba­ptized and admitted to the Supper, whatsoever knowledge, faith or repentance so ever they showed before.

Let me first clear the state of the Question, and then give you the Reasons.

For the first.

First, I do not deny that a man having some know­ledge [Page 250] of the Gospel, and visibly professing it (for I do not think that any doth imagine that the very pop­ping of the elements into a meer Heathens mouth may convert him) may be truly and really converted at the Sacrament, for who shall lock up the hands of the Spirit, so as the Laver of Regeneration, and the renewing of the holy Ghost? Tit. 3. 5. The work of the Lord, and a mans eating and drinking may not be together; Or do we think that this time and conver­sion are incompossible? No, I think not so: Nor do I Question or doubt that the Word of God adjoyned to the Sacrament, it being accompanied with the Gospel-promises, and the lively painting forth of Christ may not work coversion, for why the word out of a Pulpit, and the word at a Table, or in any other place, should not have this same effect, I see not; You will say, This is the cloathed Use of the Sa­crament, the administration being accompanied with the Word, and so still it is the Word that converts. But what will you say to the naked Use and applicati­on of the signes, that is, the act of distribution, Ta­king, Eating, Drinking, Do these convert or confer the first grace? I answer, I am not curious in deli­vering the very nick of time of mans conversion, I affirm not, that so it is, nor deny that so it may be, The winde blows when and where it listeth. This yet is not the Question; "But whether there be found any declared intention, any institution and appointment of God, that this Ordinance shall convert souls, or hath made it apt for that purpose, so as we may look for such efficacy from it by vertue of Gods instituti­on thereof to this end? For it is a meerly positive Ordinance, and the effect or efficiency must be expe­cted [Page 251] in vertue of the appointment and institution, and I cannot assent, that the institution of the Supper pro­miseth this effect.

Greg. de Valentia, and others of the Schoolmen, De efficacia Euch punct. distinguish between the primary, and per se effects of the Lords Supper, and these that are per accidens, not of institution, among which he instances the conferring of the first grace, and so Vasquez saith, that he doth not hold, That this Sacrament conveys Vasquez. Tom. 3. Disp. 205. the first grace by vertue of institution or appointment to that end, and yet cites Bonaventure, that the first grace may be given here secundum misericordiam of Gods meer mercy, not secundum institutionem ac­cording to the institution of the Ordinance; And this I say in answer to the Question. But doth it fol­low hence, that therefore all may come, be invited, or admitted, becaUse we say that which God can do, not what he hath promised or declared that he will? Prater intentional or accidental effects give no ground to seek them at such a caUse as is not ordained to work them, though haply some have been con­verted at that time. Must a man that seeks a King­dom be sent to seek his fathers Asses, becaUse Saul heard such news at such a time? Must we run a man thorow with a sword to save his life, becaUse one did so once, and let out a secret impostume? BecaUse some Minister hath been converted at his Ordina­tion, Is therefore the laying on of hands instituted for that purpose? BecaUse a man hath been converted at his marriage, where the Sermon and benediction have wrought on him: Is therefore marriage a conver­ting Ordinance? I might adde a great deal more for illustration of this point, if I Questioned your appre­hension.

Secondly, There is difference to be made between the qualifications of a man to his admittance to this Sacrament, and the qualifications of him unto the inward grace, benefit, or effect of it: If one be a baptized person, a knowing professour of the Go­spel, against whom there lies no barre of notorious ignorance or scandal, though it appear not that he is truly regenerate and sincere in grace, yet he hath ad­mittance, he claims upon such a right, as the Church cannot justly disallow, no more than an Israelite circumcised and clean could be debarred the Passeo­ver; but as to the effect and benefit of the Supper to his soul, there is required more than so, even true faith in Christ, and regeneration, that he may exer­cise such graces as the benefits are promised unto, and come to the Seals of the Covenant with the conditi­on of the Covenant; The wise Virgins cannot for­bid the foolish from waiting with them, for they have lamps as well as they, but the Lord shuts the door against them from entring in with him, for their oyl was out. Glory not in this, that the Church ad­mits you to the Table, but labour for the grace to feed upon the dainties set upon it, many have the liberty to Use it, that have not the benefit or ef­fect of that Use; many have a hundred times tasted bread and wine, that never once tasted the body and bloud of Christ.

CHAP. XXII. Of Worthy and Ʋnworthy Recei­ving; With some Cautions to prevent mis-judging our selves in the Case.

§. 1 THe Point formerly propounded is, That this Sa­crament may be received worthily, and it may al­so be received unworthily, I mean de facto, worthily and unworthily referre to the manner of communi­cating; The Apostle expresses but the one of them, being led thereunto by the occasion at present, but having precisely laid down the institution of the Sup­per, which regulates the manner of receiving, he said enough to make us know what it is to receive un­worthily, and consequently (for the right line is judge of the crooked) what to receive unworthily; and therefore after he had laid forth the institution, he brings in this 27 ^th verse with [...], Wherefore, or so that, as concluding the manner of receiving from the very nature, Use and end of the Ordinance.

I know worthily and unworthily are opposites, and sometimes competent to the same person at the [Page 263] same time, or in the Use of the same element, either the bread or the Cup. Upon which last words you may ask me, May a man receive the bread worthily, and the Cup unworthily? And I answer, That the reading of this Text dis-junctively, Whosoever shall Estius in loc. eat this bread, and drink this Cup of the Lord un­worthily, which some of the Papists contend for in favour of their dry Masse, hath occasioned the start­ing of that Question, which yet I will not contend about in this place, but leave it to such resolution as may be given by the sequell of our discourse, for I naturally abhorre the crumbling of Scripture into crums, when it is delivered to us, as the bread in this Ordinance is, not by crums, when it is delivered to us, as the bread in this Ordinance is, not by crums, but by the piece. Three things I would have you bear in minde.

1. That these words referre to the manner of com­municating, and consequently to the act, or actual receiving of the Sacrament; and therefore the Text saith, He that eats and drinks unworthily, these ad­verbial expressions denote the mode or manner of the act, and cannot be applied to any man out of the ve­ry act.

2. That yet they connote some aptitude, or inap­titude, some fitnesse or unfitnesse of the person from whence this manner of the action doth proceed, as acts referre to some habit or disposition, whence they arise, and so we call a worthy or unworthy Com­municant, one that hath or wants such qualifica­tions, or such frame of spirit as is apt to bring forth sutable actions, and these qualifications deno­minate the person antecedaneous to the act, as we call a valiant man, before we fight; a worthy Com­municant, though not in the act; we need no place [Page 264] of Scripture to name a Communicant worthy or unworthy, for if it denominate the act worthily, unworthily, then Logick and Reason will suppose an aptitude or disposition of the person whence this act comes.

3. That howsoever in our English Use, and so in the Latine, we mean by worthinesse and unworthi­nesse of some person or action, an extraordinary per­fection or excellency, or an extraordinary poornesse and basenesse, yet here the words must be interpreted relatively, that is, in relation to the Ordinance, and so they import no more then fitly, condecently, an­swerably, becomingly, or contrarily. If the man­ner of eating or drinking be answerable to, and be­coming of the Ordinance, being such as the exigence and nature thereof doth demand or bespeak of us, then we receive it worthily; for as you cannot tell, whether a man act a part well, unlesse you know what part it is, the [...] or decorum whereof must be ob­served; and as a picture may be very curious and lively, and yet very false, if it answer not the proto­type; so that eating or drinking, which is according to the Ordinance or demands thereof is worthily, and that which is not answerable is unworthily; and thus the word is to be interpreted, when we reade of walk­ing-worthy of God, worthy of the Gospel, or as it be­cometh Saints, &c. So that to receive this Sacrament in that holy manner, and to that end with such spirit and affection, as the institution or nature of the Ordi­nance, is to receive worthily, Certa norma est ipsa in­stitutio, Exam de prae­pa. ad Euchar. saith Chemnitius.

I have recommended to you the sense and meaning of the words, and before I go further will infer from [Page 265] them two or three Corollaries, or Cautions requisite to stand in the front of my following Discourse for prevention of mistake of my words.

I would not measure or judge of my eating and Caution 1. drinking worthily or unworthily, by the successe I finde afterwards, but by the manner of my receiving; for these words referre not to the successe or after fruit, but the manner of the present act, as I have shown you. This Rule prevents a great deal of per­plexity and trouble, which Christians create in themselves to their discouragement, falsly conclu­ding that they have not, haply never have received worthily, becaUse they finde not the after-fruit an­swerable to their expectations, they finde not such elevations of spirit, sensible joyes, powerfull con­Quest over their particular lusts and corruptions, not that vigour and incRease of some particular graces, which they in their expectation, have (as it were) li­mited God to bestow upon them by the Use of this Ordinance: I do not take off a Christian from wait­ing on God in the Use of this Ordinance, for those be­nefits and graces which it's properly ordained to im­part: but I deny the conclusion thence inferr'd, therefore I have not received worthily, for it is the spiritual manner of the performance of the act, must be Judge of that, and not the sensible fruit and bene­fit actually enjoyed, for thou mayest, as I may say, wrestle with God, as Jacob did, and yet go away halting, that was no sign of prevailing, yet the Text tels us, by his strength he had power with God, he prevailed; Oh but he went lame away, True, but he wept and made supplication to him, Hos. 12. [...], [...]. The Apostle Paul doth not finde fault with his prayer, be­caUse [Page 266] it prevail'd not at first for removal of the thorn, nor with God neither, but he had his eye open'd to see the Use of that thorn, like a corrosive to eat away the proud flesh growing, and that contented him, the stay of the thorn was answer to his prayer, when he saw the Use of it, and was supported under it, 2 Cor. 12. 8. We look for Gods answer to us in our prayer, or in his Ordinance, as that man that lookt for the Sunne rising towards the East, whereas he that looked West-ward for it on the top of the high Tower or Steeple, saw it first: To see and to have the Use of a sinne or corruption, is a better answer of an Ordinance many times, than to be quit of it; For (as Austin saies) Proud hearts have need of sinnes as proud sores of eating plaisters; And therefore to an­swer this point nearer home, and nearer the case it self. The Apostles that were near Christ at this first Sacrament, within few hours after it betray'd their weaknesse, they fled from him, they hid themselves, and the strongest of them took the greatest fall; Shall we say they communicated unworthily, becaUse the successe was so bad? No, for we must not measure altogether by that Rule, but by the manner of recei­ving; if such graces and affections be then set on work, as the Ordinance doth bespeak; It's well ob­served, that the recording of the sinnes of holy men in Scripture, is as profitable and Usefull to the Church, as the record of their graces or heroical acts; For as we look upon their graces, we are asha­med of our selves, and instructed to imitation, as we look on their sinnes and failings, we are not discou­raged unto desperation, and the Scripture it self di­rects us to some such like Use, Jam. 5. 17. Elias was a [Page 267] man subject to like passions as we are, viz. to like afflictions, and to like fruit trees. It's Gods part of the Covenant to finish our faith and support our gra­ces, to revive our spirits, and subdue our corruptions. It's our part to believe and walk humbly with God, not only in our conversation, but the Use of his or­dinances; Let us minde our own part, and take com­fort in the acting of grace at least, if we have not the desired benefit and fruit of Ordinances to comfort us; For were I to chUse, I had rather exercise grace in my communion with God, than enjoy a sensible ra­pture; I speak it to improve a Christian in his graci­ous actings, though I know withall that at last the fruit will fall into his bosom; for he that goes out weeping, and bears precious seed, shall doubtlesse come again with joy, and bring his sheaves, Psalm 126. 6. And again, Hosea 6. 2. After two dayes he will revive us, in the third (as Christ was raised) he will raise us up, then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord; in the mean time before this fruit be ripe, the very running of the sap is a certain signe the Tree lives. And so I have given you a measure or rule of judging, whether you receive wor­thily.

Secondly, Think not that the Sacrament conveyes or contributes any thing to you as a medicinal potion or plaister; Doth the Physick work, and so the plai­ster, by an inherent or inward vertue in it self, not by any vertue in the Phyfician or Chyrurgeon? So ig­norant and superstitious people look on the Sacra­ment, they think it saves them, and does them good, they know not how, and so regard the matter more than the manner of receiving, they mistake Gods [Page 268] manner of working by Sacraments, and therefore regard not their own manner of receiving them, and are so fond, as if they could eat and drink away their sinnes, and had by very receiving this bread and wine quit all old scores, and were fresh to begin upon a new account, as the Papist thinks of his auricular confession.

§. 2 It is a very excellent and profitable knowledge to understand how God conveys grace by the Sacra­ment; I speak not of understanding subtilties, but the plain and open Use of the Ordinance. Now I cannot possibly conceive, how the elementals of bread and wine, can or do any otherwise convey to or afford me any spiritual grace, but as instruments and means by Gods meer positive appointment and ordination, representing, testifying, sealing to me not only Gods reality of promise or Covenant in of­fering Christ, but my interest and propriety in Christ, and the benefits that flow from Union and Communion with Christ; and therefore that revi­ving, refreshing incRease of grace, power of morti­fication of lusts, Come no otherwise to me by the Use of this Ordinance, than as it seals Christ to me, and by sealing Christ or the Covenant to me doth confirm faith, revive the heart, elevate the affecti­ons, strengthen resolutions, fortifie against lusts and temptations; for it is a sure Rule, The nearer appli­cations of Christ to the soul and his benefits in way of taste or assurance, the more quickning grace of all sorts, follows thereupon; As the nearer approach of the Sunne in the Spring, cheers up and revives all things that live, but things stark dead are as dead then, as in deep of winter. Let me convey this to [Page 269] you by a familiar similitude; A man hath an Estate, the Wool, the Wine, the Corn that grows out of that Estate clothes him, refreshes him, feeds him, but the Seal that confirms and assures this Estate to him, doth no otherwise cloath, or refresh, or feed him, than as it confirms that estate to him, out of which all these do rise: And by this you may plainly under­stand how grace is conveyed by this Sacrament, which doth seal up to you, and assure you of Christ, and the Covenant of promises in Christ, out of which all these graces grow and flow: Do ye understand this? Then it follows,

1. That for any man to imagine that the very eat­ing and drinking this bread and this Cup should cure and heal his soul, is as fond as to think the very seal or wax of a Deed should either seed or clothe him, for in that case it's not a seal, but a piece of wax, how infinitely do our common people undervalue this Sa­crament, that make but a piece of holy bread of it, which is an exhibition of the body of Christ, as they that value a seal by the worth of the wax, and not by the Estate thereby confirmed.

2. That it's absolutely necessary to bring to this Sa­crament, that grace which is necessary to the receiving of Christ himself, Quid paras dentem? What does the providing of teeth to eat (saith Austin) What avail is all outward preparation? The thing that is exhibited to us is Christ his body broken, his bloud shed, Christ dying, Christ a Sacrifice offer'd up to God is here commemorated, and is here offer'd, and that inward grace which is necessary to receive and close with Christ, must be brought with you; That grace is found by and from the word, and that grace [Page 270] must be Used here, and exercised. The Covenant requires it, and the Seal is the Seal of the Covenant; You cannot take the Seal and leave the Covenant, you cannot enter Covenant without faith and Repen­tance, you do but expect that the Seal should seal a lie to you, if you expect remission of sinnes to be sealed without your faith in Christ. It's impossible that the Word and Sacrament should be opposite, as that the Covenant and Seal thereof should disagree. As therefore if one would know what a Seal con­veys or confirms, let him reade the Deed, and the Conditions of it, and there it is learn'd, So if you would know what the Sacrament seals to you, hear what the Word saith, Mercy and Grace to a believer in Christ, and to no other, which he that will re­ceive from this fountain, must bring his vessel with him, for qui fide vacuus, foras manducat non intus Chem. Exam. &c. dente non mente, August.

Thirdly, Be not frighted with the sound of this Corollary 3. Word worthily, or worthy Communicant, but la­bour to understand the least and lowest manner of receiving worthily; for we wrong our comforts, when we make that which is the measure of growth to be the measure of truth of grace, and judge of the life of the tree, not by the bud, but by ripe fruit, and here consider,

§. 3 1. That words of high sound, in vulgar and com­mon acceptation, when they come to be undertaken in a Gospel-sense and notion, do shrink into a meer contemptiblenesse with worldly wise men; For as the Gospel Useth some Greek words in a sense un­known to eloquent profane Authours, so it hath a notion of Blessednesse, Perfection, Glory, Wor­thinesse, [Page 271] which relishes not the palate, nor bears any show in the world. If Aristotle describe blessed­nesse, what a deal of humane perfection and accom­plishments of fortune doth he croud into it, for which he is derided by other Sects? But if Christ describe blessednesse in the Gospel, what do you hear of, but poverty of Spirit, purity of heart, meeknesse, mourn­ing, suffering for righteousnesse sake, wherein there is no more shew of blessednesse to a worldly man, than there was in Christ of Majesty to Herod and his men of warre? So perfection in Gospel-phrase is a disclaiming thereof, and sence of our imperfection, Phil. 3. 12. And the Spirit of glory rests upon you that suffer, 1 Pet. 4. 14. And your worthinesse is rather the sense of your unworthinesse: Thus the Gospel construes these high sounding words, and the Reason is, becaUse the Gospel placing our righteousnesse and our happinesse in the having of Christ, and taking every man utterly off his own bottom, doth thereby come to a new reckoning, that is not Used in the whole world, and accounts them full that are most empty, rich that are poor, blessed, that are in their own sense, or outward condition, miserable, pos­sessing all things, that have nothing; and so in this point in hand, according to Luther's paradoxal ex­pression, which our Whitaker approves, is Est optime dispositus, qui est pessime dispositus, He is most worthy that is most unworthy, viz. that is sensible of his un­worthinesse.

2. If this worthinesse of a Communicant should Whitak. de Sacram. p. 658. be imagin'd to signifie any meritorious or proud con­gruities of our vertues, works, righteousnesse, it would be the greatest unworthinesse that could be; [Page 272] What should such proud creatures come to a Sacra­ment or memorial of Christs death, for that being no sinne with them to be expiated by that death? Thou sayest, I am rich, I stand in need of nothing; go anoint thy eyes that thou mayest see, Revel. 5. This Pool of Siloam is for such as have infirmities. Nor doth the Gospel require perfect faith, or perfect re­pentance or grace, for that's against the nature of this Sacrament, which is to last no longer than our im­perfections and infirmities last, that is, untill Christ come. So as there is no better Argument of our im­perfection, than the command of growing in grace, so neither is any a fit patient for this medicine, but the weak and impotent, the doubting and complain­ing soul. The Gospel knows not the name of attain­ers, nor the thing. Not that I have attained, or were already perfect, Phil. 3. 12. This meat and drink is for growing children, which as the old Physician ( Hippocrates saith) must be often-nourisht. How long might a man examine himself before he finde this temper in himself, that he wants nothing? there can be no wonder that such a one is above Ordinan­ces, especially this, which though it be one of the highest Ordinances of the Church, yet is accommo­dated to the Use of the lowest believer; The Apo­stles communicated in it before the Spirit was sent down solemnly upon them, they were but ig­norant and raw, when Christ said, Take, Eat, Drink ye all of it.

3. If thou hast the seminals of grace mixt with a masse of corruptions (as gold at first is mixed with much earth) there may be worthinesse, despise not small things; Natural generation, begins in a small [Page 273] thing, a little drop, and so Regeneration. If there be sense of sin, if thirst after Christ, there is something, Thou art discouraged with thy daily lapses, why drink of this wine for thy often infirmities; Thou art over­born with strong lusts, come, and eat, and drink to nourish thy weak graces, keep them alive to fight, though they do not conquer and triumph. Thou canst not say, thou hast faith, but canst thou feel thy want of it, and mourn for it? This smoak comes from some invisible spark: Thou art not (thou sayest) in Covenant, and the Seal belongs not to thee; But art thou willing to be in it, and come into the bond of the Lord? Is it the longing of thy soul to be ingaged in­to the ways of God, and disenthrall'd from the sweet bondage of sin? In a word, Let thy sins and corruptions be strong and violent, thy wants many, thy weaknesse great: Let them be as thou sayest, as thou fearest, yet if there be a groaning sense, a longing desire of reme­dy, affections piercing of, and breathing after Christ; If there be a seed of God in thy heart, which is kept alive in the midst of so much corruption, by no lesse a miracle than if a spark be kept alive in the sea, then surely there is a Gospel-meetnesse in thee to be parta­ker of this Supper; Here is Christ cook'd ready to thy weakest and lowest faith in obvious materials of meat and drink: Let not the pride of any worthinesse bring thee, nor the sense of unworthinesse keep thee back.

CHAP. XXIII. Of Worthy Receiving, &c.

§. 1 I Now proceed to handle this point, That this Bread may be eaten, and this Cup of the Lord may be drunk worthily. It is the highest grace that the eternal God should admit sinfull dust and ashes to be his confederates, that from his Altar he should furnish a Table for them, and feed them with that flesh and bloud which is offer'd up unto himself a Sa­crifice Ephes. 5. 1. for a sweet smelling savour, that he should ac­count them to eat and drink worthily, who account not themselves worthy to eat and drink; Merit and worthinesse have both their due place; merit belongs to the Sacrifice, Christ Jesus, worthinesse to the Communicant who eats and drinks in such manner as becomes the nature, and is answerable to the Use and end of this Ordinance.

I shall come up to the manner of receiving worthi­ly, by certain orderly steps: As

CHAP. XXIV. That a Godly man may receive the Sacrament unworthily.

HAving shown you the qualifications of a worthy Communicant before-hand, and that the actual exercise of grace is requisite at present for receiving worthily, I make this Observation.

§. 1 That a man who is in a state of grace, and so god­ly, may yet receive the Lords Supper unworthily, and without effect, not for want of habitual fitnesse or qua­lification, but for want of the actual exercise of grace at present, or becaUse of some distempers which over­take and surprise him in the act of communicating. This Point it may be at first sight looks strangely, but upon consideration will be found too true; For if we look back to the Passeover, we finde, that an Is­raelite circumcised, and so qualified to eat the Passe­over, yea a true Israelite might be unclean at the pre­sent time, and so uncapable of keeping it; And we have at home in this Text, an example and a proof of this Point. These Corinthians are looked upon as, and supposed to be (and no doubt some of them were) [Page 286] godly and regenerate persons, who yet contracted epidemical judgements upon them, Many sick, weak, &c. and that for a sinne they little thought of, their undue and unfit coming to the Lords Table; they are distinguisht from the world, vers. 32, Of whom its said, [...], vers. 30. For this caUse you are judged of the Lord, and chastened; and hence the word [...], is contended to import only temporal judgement in this place. I confesse this Point is controverted and disputed, and more abroad than at home amongst us. Vasquez seems to me to hold, That it is enough that a man be in a state of grace, and that every godly man receives worthily, or else should sinne mortally; But it is no new Doctrine with us, That a regenerate man may sinne mortally (as they speak) or commit a sinne meritorious of condemnation; We must not lessen regenerate mens sinnes, which in divers respects are the greater, becaUse the person is regenerate; Even they that are babes in Christ, may be-carnal, and walk as men, 1 Cor. 3. 3. And therefore Cajetan on the other side requires actual Devotion, as necessary to the fruit of this Sacrament; and his Argument is, Be­caUse the Sacrament works according to the manner of its signification; And therefore as meat and drink to the end they may nourish, do require that we coo­perate by some act of life, to receive and digest them; so there is necessary some act of inward grace to meet with and receive this spiritual food, that it may nou­rish and refresh us; and I hold the Argument good and firm; Nor do I finde any priviledge of a regene­rate man, that he cannot commit this sinne: He may be under a spiritual Apoplexy or stupidity, as [Page 287] David for a time seems to have been: He may be overgrown with a crust, a coldnesse, a security, and so unfit by disease, though not by death. Chryso­stome saw this truth, when he speaks of some that may not eat, becaUse not initiated, [...], and others, though they be members, yet are [...], unclean. It's true, It is proper to the godly to receive worthily, but it's proper, Soli sed non semper, only they do so, but not they alwayes, and therefore I turn my speech to you, and desire that you be not render'd secure and negligent by this false principle, that a regenerate man cannot receive the Sacrament unworthily, for this is the ready way to fall into that sinne which you ima­gine your selves free from, by taking you off from that self-examination, that trimming of your Lamps, that purging out of the old Leaven, that blow­ing up of your Graces into act, which is so requi­site unto your meeting with your Lord in this Or­dinance.

I know that for the most part those do charge them­selves with this sinne of receiving unworthily, that have least caUse; The worthiest Communicants are to their own eye the worst; They never acted their graces lively at the Sacrament; They never felt the present delights and fatnesse of this Ordinance; They have been alwayes incumbred with doubts, with fears and distempers, and have often gone away with more anguish of spirit than they came, and a world of such complaints there are; and I confesse it is not ordinary that gracious persons do stand in good opinion with themselves, but yet Jacobs going away halting from God, was not an argument that [Page 288] he had not prevail'd; Sick people may be nourisht and strengthen'd with that meat which they cannot taste or relish in their mouth; Grace is more apt to see sinne than it self; for the eye doth not see it self, and the more it grows in light, the more tender in sense: In spirituals it is true: But I shall speak a Para­dox, Those diseases we feel and are sick of, seldome prove mortal, that is, when the affections melt with sorrow, and not the conscience amazed with horrour, though I would not nourish complaints against my self, yet I had rather have the sense of Paul, Rom. 7. wherein he complains of himself, than his confi­dence, when he said, I verily thought I ought to do, &c. and I think a proud confidence both a great­er caUse and signe of unworthy receiving, than humble fear and sense of imperfection, for even this is a grace to be exercised at the Lords Table.

CHAP. XXV. Of the Graces which are to be exer­cised and set on work in the Use of this Sacrament.

§. 1 THe Graces which are to be exercised and set on work in the Use of this Sacrament, are pointed at, and taught us by the Ordinance it self: For when the Apostle bids every man to examine himself, he should leave us in a wildernesse and wide world, for he tels us not of what, but that the Ordinance it self is the Rule of this examination, and doth bespeak those graces which make us fit to come unto it. This is the way that Chemnitius goes, whereby to finde what those graces are which inable us to receive the benefit and effect here to be expected: And to me it seems an excellent way, For hereby the Communi­cant (as I have often said) is made suitable to the Or­dinance, and the examination is kept within its bounds: So that if any should quarrel, and say, You require such things of us, as you have no war­rant for; You lay burdens of your own invention, we appeal to the Ordinance it self, and require nor more, nor lesse than may be deduced from it, and de­monstrate; [Page 288] [...] [Page 289] [...] [Page 290] We know that in all Sacraments there is Analogy or proportion, and so in this, the elements broken bread, and wine pouned forth, or the body and bloud of Christ, the actions of Taking, Eating and Drinking the outward elements, doe denote the acts of a Communicants soul, receiving and feeding upon Christ, and such acts there must be to answer unto the outward actions. So as if you tell me of any sensible object, it's easie to shew what sense it belongs unto, for if it be light or colour, it belongs to the eye, if it be any sound, it belongs to the ear, &c. So this Sacrament being survey'd and studi­ed, it is not hard to finde what graces are to be set on work accordingly: And this Rule, that I may not guesse at randome, I shall follow in the ensu­ing Discourse.

First, It's necessary that the Communicant have knowledge of the Nature, Use, and End of this Sa­crament, and that is demonstrate thus: Here are out­ward elements and actions, which do signifie some other thing, as namely, the body and bloud of Christ, as himself expounds it, offer'd by God un­to, and to be received by the Communicant, and therefore there must be knowledge to discern and un­derstand this mystery that's hidden under a visible out-side, to wit, the Sacrifice of Christs body, which is represented, and the confirmation of the Gospel-Covenant by his bloud; for without this knowledge a man comes blinde-fold, eats and drinks as a bruit, takes the dish for the meat, and is no otherwise refresht than a thirsty man would be by eat­ing and sucking a sign-post, which doth but signifie that there is wine within. It was a childes Question, [Page 291] Exod. 12. 26. What mean you by this service? And I would our ignorant people would so play the childe, for they do but eat the shell, and gnaw the bone of the outward service, becaUse they know not the meaning of it; So the carnall Jew knew not the meaning of the Rites and Types then Used, nor saw both Law and Gospel in their Sacrifices, both which they were full of; I confesse the knowledge of this Sacrament draws with it the knowledge of our lost estate, (as Passeover is not understood without Egypt) in sinne and misery; For where Christ appears blou­dy, there sinne must needs appear deadly, and those fundamentals and grounds of Christianity, which are but the A. B. C. of Religion, must be knowne, but it is not the knowledge of a Scholar, but the knowledge of a Christian, which we plead for, so much as may serve to look into the entrails of this Sa­crament, and may lead on the affections to value, prize, thirst after Jesus Christ, whom if we see not, we cannot desire or love, Visus est prima amor is linea, fight is the first line of love, nor can we believe in him, untill we see, John 6. 40. Whosoever see the Sonne, and believes in him, shall have everlasting life. I should not charge a poor Christian with any great rate of knowledge, for the quality is more to be re­garded than the quantity; If he know both sinne and Christ by taste, as well as by sight, if he have a di­stinguishing and favoury knowledge of the things of the Spirit, and there be, as it is in embers, a great heat, though but little light, then is it good, though not great. I know that Questions demodo in all points of Divinity are hard to answer. It's well if we can answer a Question aere. I may know what sinne is, [Page 292] and yet not tell how it enters, and comes at first into my soul. The Apostles took Christ at this time for their Saviour and Lord, the true Messiah, but how he should execute all the parts of his Office, they did not clearly understand, and yet did at and drink with him at his Table.

§. 3 Secondly, This is not all, but it is first, as light was at the Creation, the first creature, but all the world was not made when light was; He is not wholly fitted that hath knowledge, there must be a Christ-receiving, or a Christ-taking faith, and this is shown thus, God offers the body and bloud of his Sonne, which was shed for the remission of sinne, and saith, Take ye, Eat ye, Drink ye, and that in­ward act, which answers to this outward action, whereby we do receive Christ that is exhibited we call faith; when Christ is tender'd to us in the Word, we believe ex-promisso; when offer'd in the Supper, we believe ex pignore; There we have a promise, here a pawn or pledge: This faith is the taking hand, which goes forth to the offering-hand of God. This taking, eating, drinking, are but faith appropriating and applying Christ: You say, you believe, What believe you? That God offers Christ to your faith; What's a poor man the richer for believing that one offers him a shilling? What's a condemned man the better for believing that a pardon is offer'd to him? This is but a faith of the truth of the offer; But doe ye receive Christ offered? Do you close in with▪ Christ? Do you take him into you? Here is the best Covenant, sealed with the best blood that ever was; You believe this to be a truth, but come not in to this Covenant, that saith doth but serve to your just con­demnation; [Page 293] It is the Christ-receiving, not the truth acknowledging saith that brings salvation to you. If men did but know what saving saith is, we should have either more or fewer believers, more, for they would renounce that superficial thing cahed faith, and buy gold tried in the fire; Fewer, for they would not count themselves to believe by that faith which they have; A woman may believe a man to be rich and honourable, and reall in his suit, yet that belief doth not make a marriage, but actual consent to take him for a husband; For saith gives as well as takes, it gives a man up to Christ, as well as takes Christ to be a Saviour. It is not true faith that blows hot and cold out of the same mouth, and cries Hosanna to Christ a Saviour, but yet I will not have him reigne over me: This Sacrament presents Christ to faith thus, It presents Christ himself, his body and bloud, not the benefits of Christ apart and abstract, but Christ himself. It presents Christ for intimate union with us, as the nourishment is to the bo­dy: It presents him really, as the bread and wine is really taken and received: It presents him crucified and suffering, as if he was now dving and bleed­ing, in whom faith findes reconciliation, remission, justification and redemption, so is it acted and exerci­sed in this Ordinance.

§. 4 Thirdly, The third grace that is freshly revived, and set on work in this Sacrament is Repentance, and that appears thus, Here is represented, Goes Justice against our sinne, in bruising his own Sonne, with fore and dreadfull breaches made upon him, and this Justice is mixt with goodnesse in transferring and laying upon the Sacrifice the delinquencies and [Page 294] sinnes, which had they been charged on us, had sunk us into the bottome of perdition, and who that sees this shall not tremble at the fearfull wrath of God, which Angels and men could not stand before? Who shall not mourn over Christ, whom we have pierced, as it's said of them, Zech. 12. 10? Who can love the knife that slew his friend? I meane the sinne that our Saviour bore in his body on the Tree: This consideration here pre­sented to you, if you follow Christ from the Gar­den to Golgotha, should me thinks affect the soul of a believer.

1. With tender meltings of godly sorrow for sinne.

2. With fresh purpose of amendment of life.

1. With godly sorrow for sinne; To hear the strong cries, and see the streaming bloud of Christ; for can there be a greater demonstration, either of Gods Justice toward sinne, or of his goodnesse to a sinner? They say an adamant will be broken by bloud, but alas the heart of man hath lost inge­nuity, or else the bloud of Christ would make us love sinne as bad as the terrours of Mount Sinai, yea and to love it lesse, and hate it more; Fear may break a man, but goodnesse melts him; The terrours of the Lord may amaze and leave a man as hard still, but godly sorrow makes tender, and chan­ges the disposition of the soul, Revive then the sense of your sinne, even pardon'd sins do revive godly sor­row, and the more, becaUse he tastes goodnesse and grace to him unworthy; the sweet of the Passeover is lost for want of bitter herbs.

[Page 295]2. With fresh purpose of amendment, a need­full grace to be renew'd at this Sacrament; we should eat this Passeover with shoes on our feat, and slaves in our hand, ready to march out of Aegypt; We cannot eat the Passeover and stay in Aegypt still; God confirmes his Covenant, and we must restipulate with God to cast out and execrate the old Leaven: Let's carry wounded sinnes from this Table; Bring wonded hearts, and carry away wounded sinnes: Let's learne to die to sinne, by seeing Christ die for sinne, Mutet vitam qui vult accipere vitam, saith Au­stine, The Covenant of Grace is sealed. Let us seal a Covenant of Obedience; By the merit of Christs death we are purchased to be Gods, not our own; By the power of his Death we are slain, dead to sinne: But here I must break out to meet with our common purposers and resolv­ers, which (if ever in their lives) do now, when they come toward the Lords Table, flatter God and themselves with a new beginning of a new life, from this time they are resolved, that the ear that hath heard them, shall hear them swear no more; The eye that hath seen them, shall see them drunk no more, &c. I would these greene cords would hold, but we finde this righteous­nesse is but a morning dew, their Sampson lusts, when they awake break all these cords, And why? BecaUse these purposes arise from a fit of conscience, not from a principle of life or love, and so they prove but Lucida intervalla, they re­turne to their madnesse againe, when the fit takes them. I would such men would resolve to be [Page 296] ashamed of these resolutions, which so often leave them in the dirt, that selfe confusion may carry them out of their owne strength, which selfe-resolution doth but arme them with, and therefore doth not stand; For he that hath the Falling-sicknesse may resolve to fall no more; but in vaine, untill the disease be pur­ged.

These are the principall, the staple graces to be exercised in this Ordinance, there are o­thers which are included in these, which I but name: As

§. 5 Fourthly, Spiritual appetite of hunger and thirst after Christ, who is here offered, as full nourishment for the soul, under the form of bread and wine. I account gracious desires to be the immediate pro­ducts of regenerated graces, and very comfortable testimonies of life spirituall, 1 Peter 2. 2. but it is called vehement desire, 2 Cor. 7. 11. in differ­ence from the sluggards desires, which are but wishes, and which every man pretneds unto, though it be plaine they are but of Balaam's tem­per, who desired to die the death of the righte­ous, but loved the wages of unrighteousnesse; God helps his people much by giving them good desires, both for that they make prayer warme, and give great comfort in the midst of sad com­plaints, yea they bring us to the Word, and to the Sacrament, where the want which occasions the desire may be supplied; Keep them alive, and they will keep you alive; Sharpen and whet them as men doe indifferent stomacks with vine­gar; Sense of sinne, and desire of grace are ex­cellent [Page 297] preparatives to this Supper.

§. 6 Fifthly, Love to fellow-members of the body of Christ, For we are all partakers of that one bread, 1 Cor. 10. 17. If we eat together all of one loaf, let us love them with whom we have this fellow­ship and Communion. The Love-fea [...]s of the Primitive Church are read of, but alas they are lost; I mean not the feasts, but the Love, and in stead thereof, In joelix lolium, unhappy feuds, quarrels, divisions, rents abound, as if we were not children of one Table. Corinth is come into England, I hear that when you come together in the Church, there are divisions among you, 1 Cor. 11. 18. Ours are wider divisions, we doe not come together in the Church, one Table is pro­phane to another, and yet the Apostle faith, If I have all Faith, If I suffer death, without Chari­ty, I am nothing, it profits me nothing, 1 Cor. 13. 2, 3. It's almost Popery to speake of Cha­rity; By this shall all men know that ye are my Di­sciples, if ye love one another, saith Christ: And this was the old marke, but truely it's almost worne out; Oh let us revive it at this Sacra­ment; where God seales the pardon of our Ta­lents, Let's learne to forgive the pence of our brethren. Of all sinnes, the Apostle interprets the Leaven to be purged out, of malice, 1 Cor. 5. 8. Purge out malice; For Love is the cement of this Fellowship and Communion of mem­bers, which are supposed to have one life, be­caUse nourisht with the same nourishment, that is Christ.

§. 7 [Page 298]Sixthly, The last grace I will speak of, which is here to be exercised, or call it rather a duty, if you please, It's Thankfulnesse, without which the memorial or remembrance of Christs death is but a dry and fruitlesse commemoration. Humility makes thankfull; The Samaritane Leper return'd to give thanks; He was more remote from expecta­tion of cure, and therefore the more thankfull; The sense of our own unworthinesse, and of the great disproportion between Christ and us, may raise up our thanksgiving to a higher flame. The low­est hearts rise highest in gratitude, pride and merit are unthankfull.

And so I have showne you those graces, which being exercised, doe fit us to receive worthily, and set the heart in tune to this Ordinance. The Lord satisfie you with the fatnesse of his hoUse, and make you drink of the river of his pleasures, Psal. 36. 8.

CHAP. XXVI. Motives to quicken Endeavours to a fit or worthy Participation of this Ordinance.

§. 1 Uſe. THat which remains of this Point, is, that I excite and awaken all endeavours to a fit or worthy participation of this Ordinance. The modus orandi, or manner how the Sacrament works, or contributes to spiritual grace, is not of vulgar disquisition. I signified to you last day, that Questions de modo in all parts of Divinity, are usually difficult to unty. All confesse that Sacraments work by institution of God, as the brazen Serpent healed the fiery sting, but that is yet too short; For doth Gods institution elevate the nature of the Sacrament to produce the effect? Then is that effect plainly miraculous, and the faith of miracles should be required; Or doth the institu­tion of God appoint the signification and Obsignation of the Sacrament in such and such an Use of it? This indeed is according to rule of Schools and of our Divines, Modus operandi sequitur modum significan­di, and then it's plain, that there must be somewhat in the Communicant, both to understand their signi­fication, [Page 300] and to receive the Obsignation and sealing by the Use of them, for otherwise they are but [...], empty names, as an Hebrew word to an English ear, and hence it is that, I say, the capacity must be excited and awakened for the fit participation of this Sacra­ment, or else it's nothing to us but bread and wine, and the spiritual benefit is lost.

That you may have alwayes at hand (as a fyle to sharpen your endeavours.) some brief Motives and Reasons to awaken you; I shall briefly recite and offer to you these few.

CHAP. XXVII. False and insufficient Qualificati­ons for the Receiving of this Sa­crament.

§. 1 A Fair carriage of outward life, or a good com­plexion of moral vertues is not a sacramental disposition; but rather shew a plethorick constitution, a self-fulnesse, a self-righteousnesse, which are the greatest Obstructions against Christ that can be: I confesse grace often dwels in a worse hoUse, and in rougher natures and constitutions; but all the starres do not make day. The metal of these vertues is very good, but they want a superscription upon them; there may be nothing of Christ, and he that comes worthily to this Sacrament must have somewhat of Christ in him; or must be in some necessity of him, that he may eat with sour herbs; A man may come with lesse sinne unworthily, I say lesse, than a wor­thy Communicant; For it's not the number or qua­lity of sinne, but the sense of, and repentance for it, that is here considerable; A bottle stopt with gold receives not so much as an empty shell; it's Christ that must be in your eye and thirst, or else your fire is strange fire.

II. A man may be humiliatus, not humilis, humb­led not humble; The Angels that sinn'd were tum­bled down into a lower place without any abatement of their God-opposing pride, man-opposing malice: If God pound thee in a mortar by crosses, pains, mi­series, dreadfull horrours of conscience, yet pride lives, an argument whereof is, thou wilt not adven­ture thy soul on free-grace without something to re­commend thee to it, and he that hath nothing else will have his misery to be his worthinesse, and the murmurings which a broken estate, and broken bo­dy and spirit do belch forth, what are they but fumes and smoke of pride: Cut a Bee in pieces, yet she puts forth her sting; There are many long for humbling breaches, smarting sorrows, and it may be their inten­tion is good, but the bottom is merit and pride most commonly, they would make their humiliations their Christ: Alas, if God should charge but one sin in his full weight on thee, it would break thee as a great stone an egge-shell. Did it not so in Angels? Who would be a Pharaoh, Cain, or Judas? Is not broken iron, broken ice hard still as ever? But true humility is a Leveller, there are (2 Cor. 10. 5.) two things [...], Every high thing, and that is ta­ken away, and [...], every device, and that is brought into captivity, not only to the salvation, but to the obedience of Christ; The metal must be melt­ed as well as broken, and it's enough melted, when it will runne into the mold, and take the impression: Is the will conquer'd and changed to receive Gods Image, Submit to Christ his righteousnesse, and to his Soveraignty, to receive the promises, and take up the yoke of crosses and commandments? Art thou [Page 306] humbled for sinne and hatest it, humbled under thy own righteousnesse, and castest it out? Art thou wil­ling to take Christ a Saviour and a Lord, to have him, and be his, not on terms of thine own▪ but terms of the Covenant? Draw nigh to God, this is not strange fire, for it hath melted thee, and not only tormented thee.

III. Thou findest in thy self a faith, whereby thou assentest to the goodnesse and veracity of God, the truth and all-sufficiency of Christ, the whole tenour of the Covenant, and Doctrine of the Gospel. I say with James Chap. 2. 19. Thou believest that God is one, [...] thou doest well, [...], so believe the devils; They have so great knowledge and con­viction, that they believe more than we do, becaUse they know more, but this faith hath no seat in the will, or at least draws it not to election of the good things believed to be; A man may be called an or­thodox believer, by vertue of this faith, and it is sides recta, not vera, a right faith not a true, sana, but not salvifica, sound faith, but not saving, if thou bring this faith only, thou shalt receive only the outward signe, for it is a seeing eye, but not a receiving hand, and many shallow effects it may have by vertue of the general mercies and promises of God, but the Sacra­ment saith, Take, Eat, and therefore there is besides this a Christ-receiving or a Christ-accepting faith, for not to those that believed by meer conviction, John 2. 23. did Christ impart himself, but to as many as received him, Joh. 1. 12. Weaknesse of faith in our times is properly said of this manner of believing. It's the receiving hand that shakes with the palsie; Few complain of weaknesse of faith historical, nor [Page 307] of the hardnesse of it, becaUse it's not encountred with discouragements, sins, temptations, as saving faith is, becaUse the whole adventure of the soul lies upon it, and God knows when we come to shoot the gulf, and to renounce all false hopes, or true fears, and cast our selves on Christ, we do it with great difficulty, for without Gods attraction it's impossi­ble; and this is the faith which we must be exercised in, and which is confirmed by this Sacrament, and a rare faith it is, even in the believing world; For it gives up man to Christ, as well as receives Christ; And the dis-interessing of self-love, and the interessing of Christ into preheminence and government is very rare and infrequent; For I count that no receiving of Christ, which divides him, and takes so much as self-love would serve it self upon, but brings not every thought into captivity to the obedience of him.

IV. If thou finde in thy affections any appearances or seeming impressions of grace, be not over-credu­lous till the bottom be searched, for there lies abun­dance of self-love, and self-interest, even when there is a good countenance and fore-side; as in the zeal of Jehu, which carried in the fore-head of it, The Lord of hosts, but there was a byas within that wheeled to­wards his own interest, I shall name but four, and that briefly.

§ 2 1. The love of God which is a reflex of his first love to us; As the Sun-beams which come from the wall are the reflex of the beams that first smite upon it, and there may be a love of God upon terms of his beneficence, providence, patience, general good­nesse to mankinde without any love of Christ in sin­cerity, [Page 308] which is upon special and distinguishing grounds, for that love of God which is over-topt by self-love, is not accounted love of God, but rather a lust of serving our selves upon him, which is the last resort of the love of most men to God, but it may be distinguisht thus, If it arise from the sense of that distinguishing love of God to thy soul, whereby he hath drawn thee to Christ out of the pit of common perdition, and that without any worthinesse in thee, or contributions of thine to that inestimable grace, yea notwithstanding that contrariety and opposition to him, wherein thou wast above many others inga­ged, the very thought whereof doth ever inflame the heart unto a mans dying day: If it be a love to God for his holinesse and his sanctification of thee to bear his Image, and to be like him: If it be a love of complacency and friendship, to delight thy self in God, and to affect Union and Communion with him: If it produce a willingnesse to confederate with him, and to be in league, against all interests of the flesh and world: I love my master, I will not go out free, or be at my own freedom.

2. The second affection is desire of grace, and of spiritual things. I conceive there may be a carnal desire of things spiritual, and carnal prayers for spiri­tual gifts, namely to consume them upon our lusts of pride and vain-glory, which is the desire of Simon Magus; a desire to die the death of the righteous, which was the wish of Balaam, a desire of forgive­nesse of sinne to be freed from condemnation by meer self love, a desire of heaven too, to open unto us, for happinesse not holinesse or communion with God, a desire comfort to anguish of conscience, and that [Page 309] rather for ease, than for grace, a desire of grace it self, as a necessary bridge unto, or signe of salvation; Give us of your oyl (say they) for our lamps are out; Many fallacies may be in our desires, and yet I account them, when they are refined from drosse, to be most comfortable signes of spiritual life, for Christ makes thirsting after rightcousnesse the character of a blessed man, Matth. 5. and the Apostle makes them a fruit of repentance, 2 Cor. 7. 11. and a signe of regencration, 1 Pet. 2. 2. if they arise from a taste of the graciousnesse of God, and carry on to the sincere Word for growth in grace, and be spent in endeavours of obedience, and exercise of communi­on with God, equally longing to be Christs, as to have Christ: He that shall deny to a poor soul the comfort of such desires puts out the spark that smokes in the wick of the candle, when the flame is gone out before.

3. The third affection is fear, the fear of the ter­rours of the Lord, and those punishments which ac­cording to his threats wait upon sinne. Estius pro­pounds the case, Whether a man under servile fear may come to the Lords Supper? And answers, No, but with distinction, the fear of wrath may be Used as a bridle to curb the insolency and luxuriency of the flesh, by saying hell and damnation close to it, and so the regenerate, whose flesh is impetuous, may make Use of this fear to restrain the propension of it, but then if this fear be meerly of punishment, so that were it not for that, he would with all his heart give himself over to commit iniquity with greedinesse, then it's plain, that the willingnesse to sinne lives, and this horrour of conscience nothing at all changes the inclination of the will, no more than the whip or [Page 310] chain doth the nature of a Fox or Wolf, and the case is no other than that of a childe that will colly him­self with the cole that's black and dead, but dare not touch the fire▪ cole which burnes his fingers, and there is no comfort in such restraints from sinne, nor have such feares any sparke of grace in them.

4. The fourth affection is sorrow for sinne, which may be worldly and carnal, and no other than Pha­roah his, Take away this plague; or the pangs of a whore that returns to folly; But there is a sorrow according to God, which works repentance unto sal­vation, and brings forth those seven fruits, 2 Cor. 7. 11. which change the frame of the heart, a happy mother of so many good children: These are the pangs of a godly soul, and it is one of the first steps unto, or parts of the Resurrection of a Christian from his fals, and is caUsed not meerly by wrath, but as Peters weeping was by the looks of Christ; The re­proofs, the frowns, the offence of a gracious God, thaws the heart into melting tears, and would do so, though there were no hell; As a meek childe needs no other hoUse of correction than his fathers looks. I am loath to be of that opinion which banishes godly sorrow out of Religion; For if I were so happy as to want new matter and occasion for it, yet sometimes to review old forgiven sins, and the rather, becaUse for­given with fresh bleeding heart, doth excellently keep down swelling of pride, and gives a fresh and new relish to Christ Jesus, so the overflowing stoods do en­rich the adjacent grounds, and make them fresh and greene. And so much concerning these affe­ctions.

[Page 311]V. The fifth Consideration is of purposes of a­mendment, which we named before, among the pre­paratives to this Sacrament, which there are few but have at one time or other, and men do exceedingly befool and flatter themselves in them; For we have known that upon conviction of conscience and shame, for many years together by fits and moods, and for the skinning over some gallings of conscience, men flie to purposes of repentance, and put them on, and binde themselves by vows or other bonds, to doe no more, and yet experience tels us, that Sampson did not easilier break the cords that bound him than these men do break their purposes, and cancell all bonds and re­solutions, and so a sick mans purposes are very often no other than the vows of a Mariner in a storm at sea, who for the time will be or do any thing, but when the danger is blown over, they are as they were. You ask, What such are to do? And the answer is ready, Resolution without mortification is to little purpose, the lust must be mortified that carries the sway and dominion; For as the purposes of a man in his lucid intervals, or of one that hath the Falling sicknesse to fall no more, is to little purpose, without some appli­cation to the disease that still lies within, and will re­turn and break all dams that are made by the streame of it; so are resolutions upon conviction of consci­ence without effectual exercise of mortification by setting upon that root and lust which between whiles doth but sleep, and will awaken again. Let the pati­ent see and search his sinne, and apply the corzy of the Law, and Use those sharp medicines which eat out a rotten core, and follow that sharp work of mortifica­tion, or else all is to little purpose.

[Page 312]VI. The last thing I mention'd was thankfulnesse, a grace proper to the Eucharist, which signifies thank­fulnesse, and is the denomination of this Sacrament, wherein thanksgiving is so eminently required and ex­ercised, and it rises either from the general ground, or from the special; The general is Gods Philan­thropy, which shews it self in a sic dilexit, by giving Christ a Saviour to us, and not to the Angels that sinn'd, and is worthy to fill our hearts and mouths with admiration to all eternity; But the special ground is Gods incorporation of us particularly into Christ by giving that differencing grace, which di­stinguishes not from Devils, but from reprobates and hypocrites, and all that are called, but not chosen, which is a mark of special favour▪ Thanksgiving for this shall be the work of heaven, where we shall bet­ter understand and look upon our former misery, as a fyle to set off and illustrate our glorious redemption, and to this tune ought our hearts to be set here, For in this rejoyce not, that the devils fall before you, but that your names are written in heaven; and we have caUse while we are in this lower orb to be thankfull, for the least mustar-seed of faith and grace, whose work is to set a byas upon the will, to chUse God, and set up his interest above all interests of self or world, and he keeps this spark alive in worst times by no lesse a mi­racle than a spark of fire in the sea, and that he inables this little grace to fight and combate (and that is in Scripture to conquer) against the powerfull fears and oppressions of the world, and the powerfull allure­ments of lust, and ease, and pleasures of sinne, which is a Sunshine that usually puts out our fire more easily than cold and nipping frosts, which rather make it [Page 313] hotter, and this is the meaning of that phrase, He will not quench, &c. till he send forth judgement unto vi­ctory; The smoak ends in victory.

CHAP. XXVIII. The fruit and benefit of Worthy Re­ceiving.

§. 1 1. THere is a great benefit of this Sacrament to them that communicate therein preparedly; though all be not agreed, what the benefit is, as may be seen by the Doctrine of the Papists, the Socinians, the Orthodox, yet that there is a benefit, few will deny; and if it be denied, the sensible experience of many godly Christians doth attest it, to which expe­rience the Apostle sometimes appeals, saying, Gal. 3. [...]. This onely would I learn of you; and for others that will not own their experiences, or have them not, Reason may convince them, That as God made no Uselesse creature, so he ordains no fruitlesse insti­tutions, that this Ordinance being instituted for the Use of his select people and confederates, and that at such a time as our Lord Christ had the very powers of darknesse to encounter with, therefore it is an Ordi­nance of some moment, which began at the death, and stands in force until the second coming of Christ, and if nothing else could be said, this is enough. That the guilt and danger of receiving unworthily being so dreadfull, there must in Reason be some proportion [Page 315] of benefit and fruit to the receiving worthily, which Reason may convince any rational man, that there is not only a good, but that good is of very great pro­portion and degree, and that ye shall not come for fruit to a barren fig-tree.

I have Reason to demonstrate both these points:

• 1. That there is a benefit.
• 2. What that is.

Reason (I say) to shew that there is a benefit.

CHAP. XXIX. The Sinfulness of Eating and Drink­ing Ʋnworthily.

§. 1 I Have said, concerning eating this Bread and drink­ing of this Cup of the Lord worthily. Now I come to the other branch, The eating and drinking unworthily; What that is hath been sufficiently open­ed already. The Antithesis or opposition between worthily and unworthily is such, as if you know the one, you know both, as he that knows what a right line is, knows what is a crooked or oblique; Worthi­ly to eat is in such manner as is answerable and suitable to the nature, end, and Use of the Ordinance, and un­worthily to eat is contrary, that is without a sacra­mental or Supper-disposition, and otherwise then is fit, that these holy mysteries be handled and intreat­ed, as I have before proved.

The Point I shall take up is this,

§. 2 To eat the bread and drink the Cup of the Lord un­worthily, is a sinne of an high Nature, and of conse­quence dangerous. It is a fearfull sinne, and attended with fearfull effect. It is of a high nature, as appears by that peculiar guilt which is contracted, he shall [Page 333] be guilty of the Body and Bloud of the Lord, it is of fearfull consequence, He eats and drinks judgement to himself. Thou seest, saith Chrysostom, [...], In loc. what a terrible word the Apostle speaks, speaks, nay thunders, so as may awake the secure soul into a trembling. The example of Nadab and Abihu, their being made Sacrifices themselves, was enough to give warning to all after them against offering of strange fire, and was the occasion of that excel­lent Rule which God gave at that time to be ob­served in all our near approaches to him, I will be san­ctified of all that come nigh me, Lev. 10. 3.

There are four things to be open'd:

1. The sin it self, viz. Eating and drinking un­worthily.

2. The caUse of the sinne, Not discerning the Lords body.

3. The aggravation of the sinne by the object and peculiar nature of it, viz. A guiltinesse of the body and bloud of Christ.

4. The danger that attends or follows upon it, He eats and drinks judgement to himself.

§. 3 1. The sinne is Eating and drinking unworthily, and it is a peculiar sinne or transgression of the Law of this Ordinance; One may do what the Law requires, and yet sinne grievously, if the manner of doing be vi­cious and corrupt; Men may be content, if the mat­ter by their Law required be done, whether with a good will or an evil, but God is not so, who values the disposition of heart, when the thing in command sometimes is not done; so he hearkned to Hezekiah his prayer for them that prepared their heart to seek God, though not legally purified, 2 Chron. 31. 19. and [Page 334] is highly displeas'd when the command, Do this, is Observed, but it is done unworthily, and therefore they say, he is pleased with benè, not meerly with bonum. The Ordinance it self is the Index or Touch­stone of unworthinesse: Here is Christ offer'd and presented to thee, and thou hast no faith; Christ bro­ken, bleeding for sinne, and thou hast no repentance; Christ for spiritual nourishment, and thou hast no appetite. The Covenant is sealed, and thou art no confederate, strengthening and refreshing grace con­vey'd, and thou art a dead man; Communion of Christs body and bloud, and thou art no member in Union with him: How unsatiable art thou to the Ordinance, and therefore eatest and drinkest un­worthily.

§. 4 This word [ unworthily] may he taken two wayes, Privative and Contrary; Taken privatively, it is as much as not worthily, not suitably to the Nature and Use of the Ordinance; Taken contrarily, it is as much as wickedly, so we say, a man deals unworthily that is basely, unjustly, injuriously.

In the first sense,

He that hath no spiritual grace, and therefore can­not exercise it, or he that hath some, but doth not exercise it, may come unworthily, for the words, Take ye, eat ye, do denote, and so require the exercise and acting of our graces, such as have no grace can exercise none, as a dead body without life cannot ex­ercise an act of life, it cannot take and eat. Hear what the Schoolman saith, Statum gratiae, &c. that a state of holinesse and grace is necessary to the worthy re­ceiving of this Sacrament; And I believe the ancient Fathers were of this sense by the order of Baptism, [Page 335] the Sacrament of Regeneration going before the Sup­per an Ordinance of corroboration, and this Rule speaks plainly, no man unregenerate receives this Sa­crament worthily. It's a Doctrine of hard digestion, but hard wedges cleave hard knots, make that the point of your examination.

§. 5 Such as have some grace, and do not exercise it, but are either stupid or presumptuous, they have a wed­ding▪ garment, but do not put it on; Pride and pre­sumption of grace betrayes many a man to fin, and to come to this Table unworthily; These Corinthians were most blown up of any, and they are punisht for eating and drinking unworthily; Let no Christian be secure, as if he could not come unworthily, and so neglect the trimming of his Lamps. The best swim­mers are soonest drown'd; I would not crush the least spark of grace, I mean by having grace, that spark in the flax, and by exercise the very smoak of that spark, Christ would not let them be drown'd, whom he cals [...], o ye of little faith, he exercised his faith that Matth. 8. 26. said, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.

In the second sense taken contrary, unworthily is

He that comes to this Table with a conscience im­brued in guilt without remorse, or lives in practice and custom of foul sins and lusts, we have such as come out of the adulterous bed, newly stept off the ale­bench; their hands are full of bribes and extortions, their mouths belch out lying, swearing and revenge, they come to the Sacrament in superstition to be shri­ven, to sin again, not in repentance to be forgiven, to go away and sin no more, their prosanenesse dreams of a cure, not of a conQuest, they are willing to leave their sins upon Christs back, only while they go and [Page 336] fetch more; There is a wretched crew of such Com­municants, that make conscience of the Sacrament, and make no conscience of those sins they live in. Ju­das came impudently, and in the purpose of horrible sinne, Parta timeat qui paria audet, saith Novarine, Let them fear the like, that dare do the like; God was not pleased with them, that did eat the same spiritual meat, and drink the same spiritual drink, the Reason is given, they were idolaters, and committers of fornica­tion, and other enormous sinnes, 1 Cor. 10. And who, you will say, can come without sinne? I say, there are remaining sinnes in the regenerate, but not reserved sinnes: If you hold the course and custom of those sinnes, which your conscience cannot but tell you of, you do but adde the sinne of receiving unworthily to the rest of your sinnes, and blow up the fire of Gods wrath the hotter against you; why then (you say) bet­ter stay away then come, to load our selves with more guilt? If you will not come, becaUse you will not repent, and cast off your sinnes, you proclaim your just condemnation, in preferring your sinnes before Christ Jesus. If ye come without true repentance, you eat and drink your own damnation, nothing can lead you out of this labyrinth, but repentance and conversion: Therefore as the Prophet said to some that desired the day of the Lord, To what end is it for you? It's darkness and not light; so shall I say to ma­ny that are forward to rush into the Lords Table with­out fear. To what end is it for you? The bread and wine ye eat and drink is but your own condemnation: Unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to Amos 5 18. take my Covenant in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instru­ction, and art not reformed, Psal. 50. 16, 17?

CHAP. XXX. The CaUse of this Sinne, viz. Not discerning the Lords Body.

§. 1 2. THe caUse of this sinne of eating unworthily is, not discerning the Lords body, ver. 29. The word [...] signifies to make difference between one thing and another; Act. 15. 9. Heb. 5. 14. and in this place to discern and put a difference between two, and those two things, as the common streame runs, are common bread and wine, and this Bread and Cup of the Lord, which are imploy'd to another Use and end than pro­miscuous and common bread at your own tables, for this is called the Bread of the Lord, the Body of Christ in respect of signification and Use, I finde no fault with this exposition, [...], &c. saith Ju­stin, We receive not this Bread as common bread, nor this Cup as common wine, which hath no other Use than to refresh the body, I say, I finde no fault, but why may not, Not discerning the Lords Body signi­fie thus much? Not minding the body of Christ sig­nified by the Bread, but looking all upon the shell or sign, and not the kernel or inward thing, which should be regarded with greatest intention: Let me not of­fend in the terms of this distinction.

CHAP. XXXI. The Aggravations of the Sinne of Ʋnworthy Receiving.

§. 1 3. THe aggravation of unworthy receiving fol­lows, [...], He shall be holden guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord, or God will judge and repute him guilty of the body of Christ unwor­thily received and entreated, or guilty of the unwor­thy handling, or of the contempt and violation of Christs body and blood, the memorial of whose death is prophaned by your irreverence, and this ap­pointed means of your participation of it is underva­lued; What a high sound is there in these words, He shall be guilty of the Body and Bloud of the Lord? and the eclypsis is left open to be filled with some fearfull word, guilty of neglect, of contempt, of profane violation of, and injury to this body, the bo­dy [Page 342] of our Lord. For the right understanding of which phrase,

CHAP. XXXII. The Danger of this Sinne.

§. 1 4. THe fourth thing expounded was the danger of this sinne, He eats and drinks judgement to himself; if he be a godly man that eats and drinks un­worthily, or haply also damnation, if he be an hy­pocrite, for the word [...], may respectively extend to both. A strange phrase it is to eat and drink judge­ment, but it is allusive, and per mimesin, as sure as he eats of the Bread and drinks of the Cup unworthily, so sure is judgement to follow thereupon, or to ac­company it, for he eats judgement, but it is to him­self, not to others, except they be partakers in his sinne, which may be divers ways; So as we have rea­son to insert in all our prayers, Lord forgive our nostra aliena, our other mens sins, but without partnership in the sinne we need not fear share in the judgement, He eats it to himself; and therefore that argument of the Donatist, which is rise now a dayes, Si corruptis so­ciaris, &c. If you be joyned with wicked men, how can you be clean? If you pray with them, hear with them, receive the Sacrament with them, was answer'd by Austin, True, saith he, if we be joyned, but that is not in bodily presence locally, but by consent or al­lowance, [Page 346] and so we are no more joyn'd then Christ and the Apostles were joyn'd with Judas at the Passe­over or Supper, who I believe was not defiled by his presence, as neither were those guests that came in to the marriage by the presence of him that had no wed­ding garment; It's true, example may defile by con­tagion and infection, but allowance and consent de­files by accessarinesse unto the sin.

CHAP. XXXIII. Of Examination in order to this Sa­crament.

§. 1 HAving shown you, That to a man that eats and drinks worthily, this Ordinance is (as I may say) a Tree of Life, but to the unworthy a Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, drawing upon them a heavy guilt and condemnation. Now I come to that expedient which the holy Ghost affords us, both for the obtainment of the Benefit, and for the avoidance of the Judgement, and that is in these words, But let a man examine himself. In which words we ob­serve two things,

• First, That Admission and Accesse unto the Lords Table is given with a proviso, in these words, [...].
• Secondly, That God affords the Use of the Lords [Page 352] Table to a professed Christian upon fore going self-examination.

The first of these [ And so] I have been all this while in handling, though not in terms, yet in ef­fect, and have taught you, That no man may come hand over head, at all adventures, for that the Sacra­ment is not a Common without hedge or barre, but a Several, inclosed, as appears by this short word [ And so] The celebration of this Ordinance requires some previous preparation, and bespeaks some due and competent qualifications of the Communicant there­in. This medicine that it may have its effect and fruit, requires a preparative; One duty prepares un­to another, Ile wash my hands in innocency (saith the Psalmist) and so will I compasse thine Altar: The unclean under the Law had their Purifications before they drew near to God in his holy Ordinances, for, saith God, I will be sanctified in all that draw nigh to me. I hope you are not onely convinced of this, but well satisfied in it, by what I have delivered to you, and therefore I will not draw the Saw, and say over againe what is already setled.