IN these words, we have the Institution of the Lords Supper. The Greeks call the Sacra­ment [...], a Mystery: There is in it, a Mystery of Wonder, [Page 2]and a mystery of Mercy. The cele­bration of the Lords Supper (saith St. Chrysostom) is the Commemora­tion of the greatest Blessing that ever the World enjoyed. A Sacrament is a Visible Sermon Sacra­mentum [...] Sacrae [...] figura, qua sub specie Visibilium, spiritualis gratia & adumbra­tur & con­f [...]rtur.. And herein the Sacrament excels the Word Preach­ed. The Word is a Trumpet to proclaim Christ, the Sacrament is a Glass to represent him.

Quest. But why was the Sacra­ment of the Lords Supper appointed? is not the Word, sufficient to bring us to Heaven?

Answ. The Word, is for the In­grafting; The Sacrament, for the Con­firming of Faith. The Word brings us to Christ; The Sacrament builds us up in him. The Word is the Font, where we are baptized with the Ho­ly Ghost; The Sacrament is the Table, where we are fed, and cherished. The Lord condescends to our w [...]ak­ness: Were we made up all of Spirit, there were no need of Bread and [Page 3]Wine; but we are compounded crea­tures, therefore God to help our Faith, doth not only give us an audi­ble Word, but a visible Sign It sensus fovetur, & fides firma­tur.. I may here allude to that of our Savi­our, Joh. 4. 48. Except ye see signs, ye will not believe. Christ sets his Body and Blood before us in the Ele­ments: here are Signs, else we will not believe Quia ex­ternis du­cimur. Hisce Sym­bolis sidem in nobisad­auget Deus. Gualter..

Things taken in by the Eye, do more work upon us, than things ta­ken in by the Ear. A Solemn Specta­cle of Mortality, doth more affect us than an Oration. So, when we see Christ broken in the Bread, and as it were Crucified before us, this doth more affect our Hearts, than the bare Preaching of the Cross.

So I come to the Text: As they were eating, Jesus took bread, &c.

[Page 4]Where I shall open these five par­ticulars, in reference to the Sacra­ment.

• 1. The Author.
• 2. The Time.
• 3. The Manner.
• 4. The Guests.
• 5. The Benefits.

1. The Author of the Sacra­ment, Jesus Christ. [Jesus took (1.) bread] To Institute Sacraments, belongs of right to Christ, and is a Flower of his Crown. He only who can give Grace, can appoint the Sa­craments, which are the Seals of Grace. Christ being the Founder of the Sacrament, gives a Glory, and a Luster to it. A King making a feast, adds the more state and magnificence to it. Jesus took bread: he, whose Name is above every NamePhil. 2. 9.; God blessed for ever.

2. The Time when Christ did institute the Sacrament; wherein we (2.) [Page 5]may take notice of two Circumstan­ces. 1. It was when he had sup­ped, Luk. 22. 20. [ [...], After Supper.] Which had this My­stery in it, To shew that the Sacra­ment is chiefly intended as a spiritual Banquet; it is not to indulge the Senses, but to feast the Graces. It was, after Supper.

2. The other Circumstance of Time, is, That Christ did appoint the Sacrament a little before his suffer­ings, 1 Cor. 11. 23. The Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betray­ed, took bread. He knew troubles were now coming upon his Disciples; it would be no small perplexing to them, to see their Lord and Master crucisied; and shortly after they must pledg him in a bitter Cup; therefore, to arm them against such a time, and to animate their spirits, that very night in which he was betrayed, he gives them his Body and Blood, in the Sacrament.

[Page 6]This may give us a good Hint, That in all trouble of mind, especial­ly approaches of danger, it is need­ful to have recourse to the Lords Supper. The Sacrament is both an An­tidote against fear, and a Restorative to faith. The night in which Christ was betrayed, he took Bread.

3. The Manner of the Institu­tion; wherein there are four things 3 observable:

• 1. The Taking of bread.
• 2. The Breaking it.
• 3. The Blessing it.
• 4. The Administring the Cup.

1. The Taking of the Bread. 1. Jesus took bread [...]..

Quest. What is meant by this Phrase, He took bread.

Answ. Christ's taking and sepa­rating the bread from common uses, did hold forth a double Mystery.

[Page 7]1. It signified that God in his Eternal Decree, set Christ apart for the work of our Redemption. He was [...], Separate from sin­ners. Heb. 7. 26.

2. Christ's setting the Elements apart from common Bread and Wine, shewed, That he is not for common Persons to feed on. They are to be divinely, purified who touch these holy things of God; they must be outwardly separated from the World, and inwardly sanctified by the Spirit.

Quest. Why did Christ take Bread, rather than any other Element?

Answ. 1. Because it did pre­figure Him. Christ was typified by the Shew bread, 1 King. 7. 48. By the Bread which Melchisedeck offer­ed unto Abraham, Gen. 14. 18. And by the Cake which the Angel brought to Elias, 1 Kings 19. 4. Therefore he took Bread, to answer the Type.

[Page 8]2. Christ took bread because of the Analogy; Bread did neerly re­semble him, John 6. 48. I am that bread of life. There is a threefold resemblance. 1. Bread is useful. Other comforts are more for delight than use. Musick delights the ear, colour [...] the eye, but Bread is the staff of Life. So is Christ useful. There is no subsisting without him, John 6. 57. He that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

2. Bread is satisfying. If a man be hungry, bring him Flowrs or Pictures, they do not satisfie, but bread doth satiate. So Jesus Christ the bread of the soul, satisfies; he satisfies the eye with beauty, the heart with sweetness, the conscience with peace.

3. Bread is strengthening. Psal. 104. 15. Bread which strengthens mans heart. So Christ, the bread of the soul, transmits strength. He strengthens us against temptations, [Page]he gives strength for doing and suf­fering Work. He is like the Cake, the Angel brought to the Prophet, 1 Kings 19. 8. He arose and did eat, and went in the strength of that meat forty dayes, and forty nights, unto Ho­reb the Mount of God.

2. The second thing in the Insti­tution, 2. is, Christs blessing of the bread. He blessed it Bene­dictione Christi, pa­nis com munis in sacrum m [...]usest Gualt.. This was the Consecration of the Elements. Christ by his Blessing, sanctifyed them and made them Symbols of his Body and Blood [...]onsecra­tio, vocabulum est solenne, significans id quo sit, ut haec signa Visibilia, quae per se aliena sunt à my [...]eris religiosis, siut Sacramenta corporis & sanguinis Christi. Chamier de Eu­charist..

Christ's consecrating of the Ele­ments, points out three things:

1. Christ in blessing the Ele­ments, opened the nature of the Sa­crament to the Apostles. He did unriddle this Mystery. Christ did advertise them, That as sure as they [Page 10]did receive the Elements corporeal­ly, so sure they did receive him into their hearts spiritually.

2. Christ's blessing the Elements, signified his prayer for a Blessing up­on the Ordinance. He prayed that these Symbols of Bread and Wine, might through the Blessing and Ope­ration of the Holy Ghost, sanctifie the Elect, and seal up all spiritual mercies, and priviledges to them.

3. Christ's blessing the Elements, was his giving thanksMoris s [...]mper ju­daeis fuit, [...]tex hal­mudicis Scriptoribus apparet, Ante cibum, aut vinum sumptum, [...]. Josephus. Grotius.. So it is in the Greek, [...], He gave thanks [...] idem valet quod [...] Drusius. Beza. Ca­meron..

1. Christ gave thanks, that God the Father had in the infinite riches of his Grace given his Son to expiate the Sins of the World. And if Christ gave thanks, how may we give thanks? If he gave thanks who was [Page 11]to shed his blood, how may we give thanks who are to drink it?

2. Christ gave thanks, that God had given these Elements of Bread and Wine, not only to be signs, but seals of our Redemption. As the Seal serves to make over a convey­ance of Land; so the Sacrament, as a spiritual Seal, serves to make over Christ and Heaven, to such as wor­thily receive it.

3. The third thing in the Insti­tution, 3. is, the Breaking of the Bread. He brake it [...].. This did shadow out Christ's Death and Passion, with all the Torments of his Body and Soul. Isa. 53. 10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him. VVhen the Spices are bruised, then they send forth a sweet savour. So when Christ was bruised on the Cross, he did send out a most fragant smell. Christ's body cruci­fying, was the breaking open a Box of precious oyntment, which did fill Heaven and Earth with its perfume.

[Page 12] Quest. But why was Christs bo­dy broken? What was the cause of his suffering?

Answ. Surely not for any desert of his own. Dan. 9. 26. The Mes­fiah shall be cut off, but not for himself. In the Original it is, He shall be cut off, and there is nothing in him [...]. There is no cause in him, why he should suffer. The high Priest when he went into the Tabernacle, offered first, for himself, Heb. 9. 7. Though he had his Mitre or golden Plate, and did wear holy Garments; yet he was not pure and innocent; he must offer sacrifice for himself, as well as for the people. But Jesus Christ that great High Priest, though he of­fered a bloody Sacrifice, yet not for himself.

Why then was his blessed body broken? Answ. It was for our sinsDoleo, Do­mine, non tua vulne­ra sed mea. Amb.. Isa. 53. 6. But he was wounded for our transgressions. The Hebrew word for wounded [...], hath a double Em­phasis; [Page 13]either it may signifie that he was pierced through as with a dartPerfo­ratus.; or that he was profanedProfa­natus.. He was used as some common vile thing; and Christ might thank us for it, He was wounded for our transgressionsAlius peccat, ali­us plecti­tur. Luth.. So that, if the question were put to us, as was once to Christ, Prophesie, who is it that smote thee? Luk. 22. 64. We might soon answer, It was our sins that smote him [...]. Cy­till.. Our pride made Christ wear a Crown of Thorns; as Zip­porah said to Moses, Exod. 4. 25. A bloody husband art thou to me: so may Christ say to his Church, A bloody Spouse thou hast been to me; thou hast cost me my heart-blood.

Quest. But how could Christ suf­fer, being God? the Godhead is im­passible?

Resp. Christ suffered only in the Humane nature, not the Divine. Da­mascen expresseth it by this Simile; If [Page 14]one pour water on Iron that is red hot, the fire suffers by the water, and is extinguished, but the Iron doth not suffer. So the Humane Nature of Christ might suffer Death, but the Divine Nature is not capable of any passion. VVhen Christ was in the Humane Nature suffering, he was in the Divine Nature triumphing. As we wonder at the rising of the Sun of Righteousness in his Incarnation, so we may wonder at the going down of this Sun in his Passion.

Quest. But if Christ suffered only in his Humane Nature, how could his suffering satisfie for sin?

Answ. By reason of the Hyposta­tical Union, the Humane Nature be­ing united to the Divine; the Hu­mane Nature did suffer, the Divine did satisfie. Christs Godhead did give both Majesty and Efficacy to his sufferings. Christ was Sacrifice, Priest, and Altar. He was Sacrisice, as he was Man; Priest, as he was God and [Page 15]Man; Altar, as he was God. It is the Property of the Altar to sanctifie the thing offered on it, Mat. 23. 19. So the Altar of Christs Divine Nature sanctified the Sacrifice of his Death, and made it Meritorious.

Now concerning Christ's suffer­ing upon the Cross, observe two things.

1. The Bitterness of it to him, 1. He was broken. The very thoughts of his Suffering put him into an A­gony. Luk. 22. 44. Being in an ago­ny, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as great drops of blood fal­ling to the ground. He was as full of sorrow as his heart could hold. Mat. 26. 38. [...], My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death.

Christ's Crucifixion was, 1. A lin­gring death. It was more for Christ to suffer one hour, than for us to have suffered for ever; but his death was lengthened out, he hung three hours upon the Cross. He dyed many [Page 16]deaths, before he could dye oneMorsque minus poe­ [...]ae, quam mora mor­tis habet..

2. It was a painful Death. His Hands and Feet were nailed, which parts being full of sinnews, and there­fore very tender, his pain must needs be most acute and sharp; and to have the invenoned Arrow of Gods wrath shot to his heart, this was the dire­ful Catastrophe, and caused that Vo­ciferation and out-cry upon the Cross, My God, my God, why hast thou farsaken me? The Justice of God was now inflamed and heightned to its full [...]. Rom. 8. 38. God spa­red not his Son. Nothing must be abated of the debt. Christ felt the pains of Hell, though not locally, yet equivalently. In the Sacrament we see this Tragedy acted before us.

3. It was a shameful Death. Christ was in medio positus; he hung be­tween two Thieves, Mat. 27. 38. As if he had been the principal Male­factor. Well might the Lamp of Heaven withdraw its light, and mask [Page 17]it self with darkness, as blushing to behold the Sun of Righteousness in an Eclipse. It is hard to say, which was greater, the blood of the Cross, or the shame of the CrossHeb. 12. 2..

4. It was a cursed Death, Deut. 21. 23. This kind of death was so execrable, that Constantine made a Law, That no Christian should dye upon the Cross. The Lord Jesus underwent this. Gal. 3. 13. Being made a Curse for us. He who was God blessed for ever, Rom. 9. 5. was under a Curse.

2. Consider the Sweetness of it 2. to usNon citius fuit, quam pro­fuit.. Christs Brusing, is our Heal­ing. Isa. 53. 6. By his stripes we are healed. Calvin calls the Cruci­fixion of Christ, Cardo salutis, the Hinge on which our Salvation turns: And Luther calls it Fons salutis, a Gospel-spring opened to refresh Sin­ners. Indeed, the Suffering of Christ is a Death-bed Cordial, 'Tis an An­tidote to expell all our fear. Doth [Page 18]Sin trouble? Christ hath overcome it for us. Besides the two Thieves crucified with Christ, there were two other invisible Thieves crucified with him, Sin and the Devil.

4. The fourth Particular in the 4. Institution, is Christ's administring the Cup: And he took the Cup [...].. The taking of the Cup, shewed the Redundancy of Merit in Christ, and the copiousness of our Redemption. Christ was not sparing; he gave not only the Bread, but the Cup. We may say as the Psalmist, With the Lord is plenteous Redemption, Psal. 130. 7.

If Christ gave the Cup, how dare the Papists with-hold it Si quis dixerit ex Dei praecepto, vel ne­cessitate salutis om nes & singulos Chri [...]i fideels utramque spe cicm sanctissimi Eu­charistiae Sacramenti sumere debere, Ana­thema sit. Concil. Trident. Sess. Vice­simå primâ, Canon.? They clip and muti­late the Ordinance. They blot out Scripture; and may fear that doom, Rev. 22. 19. If any man shall take away from the words of the Book of this Prophesie, God shall take [Page 19] away his part out of the Book of Life.

Quest What is meant by Christs taking the Cup?

Answ. The Cup is figurative: It is a Metonymy of the Subject, the Cup is put for the Wine in it. By this, Christ signified the shedding of his Blood upon the Cross; when his Blood was poured out, now the Vine was cut, and did bleed; now was the Lilly of the Vallies dyed of a purple Colour Stolam coccineam dederunt ei, quam­vis ipse vestem cor­poris, sanguinaria essusione multo no­bilius purpuravit. Bern.. This was to Christ a Cup of astonish­mentEzek. 23. 33.: But to us it is a Cup of salvation. When Christ drank this Cup of Blood, we may truly say, he drank an health to the World. It was preci­ous Blood, 1 Pet. 1. 19. In this Blood we see Sin fully punished, and fully pardoned. Well may the Spouse give Christ of her Spiced Wine, and the Juice of her Pomgranate, Cant. 8. 2. When Christ hath given her a draught of his warm Blood, Spiced [Page 20]with his Love, and perfumed with the Divine Nature.

4. The fourth thing, is, The Guests 4. invited to this Supper, or the Persons to whom Christ distributed the Ele­ments: He gave to the Disciples [...], and said, Take, Eat. The Sacrament is Chilarens bread. If a man makes a Feast, he calls his Friends. Christ calls his Disciples; if he had any piece better than other, he carves it to them.

Luk. 22. 19. This is my body which is given for you. That is, for you quatenus Believers. Christ gave his Body and Blood to the Disciples, chiefly under this No­tion, as they were Believers: As Christ poured out his PrayersJoh. 17. 9., so his Blood only for Believers; see how near to Christ's Heart, all Believers lie! Christ's Body was broken on the Cross, and his Blood shed for them. Rom. 11, 7, The Election hath obtained it. Christ [Page 21]passed by others, and dyed intentio­nally for them. Impenitent Sinners have no Benefit by Christ's Death, unless a short Reprieve. Christ is given to the wicked in wrath. He is a Rock of Offence [...] Idem., 1 Pet. 2, 8. Christs Blood, is like Chymical Drops of Oyl, which recover some Pa­tients, but kill other. Judas suck­ed Death from the Tree of Life [...], hos curat illis nocet.: God can turn Stones into Bread; and a Sinner can turn Bread into Stones: The Bread of Life, into the S [...]ne of Stumbling.

5. The fifth thing observable in 5. the Text, is the benefit of this Sup­per, in these Words, For the remission of sins [...].. This is a mercy of the first Magnitude; the Summum ge­nus, the crowning blessing: Psalm 103. 3, 4. Who forgiveth thy iniqui­ties, who crowneth thee with loving­kindness: Whosoever hath this Charter granted, is enrolled in the [Page 22]book of Life: Psal. 32. 1. Bl [...]ssed is he whose transgression is forgiven. Under this Word remission of sin, by a Synecdoche, are comprehended all Heavenly Benedictions, Justification, Adoption, Glory; in respect of which benefits, we may with Chrysostom [...]., call the Lords Supper, The Feast of the Cross.

This Doctrine of the Sacrament confutes the opinion of Transubstan­tiation Non Transub­stantiatio intellig [...] ­tur, vel transfusio sed signi & rei con junctio [...], & Sacra­mentalis: Beza.. Use 1. Confut. Bran. 1. When Christ saith, This is my body; The Papists affirm that the Bread after the Consecration is turned into the Substance of Christ's Body. We hold, that Christ's Body is in the Sacrament spiritually; but the Papists say, that it is there carnal­ly; which opinion is both Absurd, and Impious.

1. Absurd; For it is contrary, 1. To Scripture: The Scripture asserts that Christs Body is locally, and nu­merically in Heaven, Act. 3. 21. Whom the Heavens must receive, until [Page 23] the times of Restitution of all things. If Christ's Body be circumscribed in Heaven, then it cannot be material­ly in the Eucharist.

2. It is contrary to reason: How is it imaginable that a thing should be changed into another Species, yet continue the same? That the Bread in the Sacrament should be transmu­ted and turned into Flesh, yet remain Bread still? When Moses Rod was turned into a Serpent, it could not be at the same time both a Rod, and a Serpent: That the Bread in the Sa­ [...]rament should be changed into the body of Christ, and yet remain Bread is a perfect contradiction: If the Pa­pists say, The Bread is vanished: This is fitter to be put into their Legend, than our Creed; for the colour, form, and rellish of the Bread still remains.

2. This Opinion of Transubstan­tiation 2. is impious; as appears in two things: 1. It is a Profaning Christ's body; for if the Bread in the Sacra­ment [Page 24]be the real body of Christ, then it may be eaten, not only by the wicked, but by Reptils and Vermin, which were to disparage and cast contempt upon Christ and his Ordi­nance.

2. It runs men inevitably upon sin; for through this mistake, that the bread is Christs very body, there follows the [...], or Divine Wor­ship given to the bread, which is Ido­latry; as also the offering up of the bread, or Host in the Mass, which is a blasphemy against Christs Priestly OfficeHeb. 10. 14., as if his Sacrifice on the Cross were imperfect.

Therefore I conclude with Peter Martyr, That this Doctrine of Tran­substantiation is to be abhorred and exploded, being minted only in mens phancies, but not sprung up in the field of the Holy Scriptures.

2. This Doctrine of the Sacra­ment, confutes such as look upon the Bran. Lords Supper only as an empty Fi­gure [Page 25]or shadow, resembling Christ's Death, but having no intrinsick effi­cacy in it. Surely, this glorious Or­dinance is more than an Effigies, or representative of Christ: Why is the Lords Supper called The Commu­nion of the body of Christ1 Cor. 10. 16., but be­cause in the right celebration of it, we have sweet communion with Christ? In this Gospel-Ordinance, Christ doth not only shew forth his Beauty, but send forth his Vertue. The Sacrament is not only a Picture drawn, but a Breast drawn; it gives us, a Tast of Christ as well as a Sight1 Pet. 2 3. Such as make the Sacrament only a representative of Christ, do shoot short of the Mystery, and come short of the Comfort.

Use. 2. It informs us of several Use 2. Infor. things. 1. It shews us the necessity of coming to the Lords Supper. Hath Jesus Christ been at all this cost to make a Feast? then sure there must be GuestsLuk. 2. 19.. It is not left to our choice [Page 26]whether we will come or no, but it is a Duty purely indispensable: 1 Cor. 11. 28. [...]. Let him eat of that Bread: Which Words are not only permis­sive, but authorative: As if a King should say, Let it be Enacted. The Neglect of the Sacrament runs men into a Gospel-Premunire. It was infinite goodness in Christ, to broach that blessed Vessel of his body, and let his sacred Blood stream out; and for us wilfully to omit such an Ordi­nance, wherein the Trophie of mer­cy is so richly displayed, and our sal­vation so nearly concerned, well may Christ take this as an undervaluing of him, and interpret it no better than a bidding him keep his feast to himself. He that observed not the Passeover, that soul was to be cut off, Numb. 9. 13. How angry was Christ with those that stayed away from the Supper! They thought to put it off with a Complement; but Christ knew how to construe their excuse for a refusal: [Page 27] Luk. 14. 24. None of those men which were bidden, shall taste of my Supper. The Rejecting Gospel-mercy is a sin of so deep a die, that God can do no less than punish it for a Contempt. Some need a Flaming Sword to keep them off from the Lord's Table; and others need Christ's Whip of small Cords to drive them to it.

Perhaps, Some will say, They are above the Sacrament: It were strange to hear a man say he were above his Food! The Apostles were not above this Ordinance, and doth any one presume to be a Peg higher than the Apostles? Let all Enthusiasts consult that Scripture, [...] Cor. 11. 26. As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this Cup. ye shew the Lords death till he come. The Lords Death is to be remembred Sa­cramentally, til he come to Judgment.

2. See the Misery of Unbelie­vers; 2. though the Lord hath ap­pointed this glorious Ordinance of his Body and Blood, they reap no [Page 28]benefit by it. They come indeed to the Sacrament, either to keep up their Credit, or to stop the Mouth of Conscience, but they get nothing for their Souls. They come empty of Grace, and go away empty of Com­fort: Isa. 29. 8. It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and be­hold he eateth, but he awaketh, and his soul is empty. So, wicked men fancy they eat of this spritual Banquet, but they are in a golden Dream Impiis [...]ibil rest at praeter ina­ [...] specta­culum. Davenant.: Alas, They discern not the Lords body: The Manna lay round about Israels Camp, and they knew it not: Exod. 16. 15. They wist not what it was [...];: So, carnal persons see the external Elements, but Christ is not known to them in his saving Vertues: There is honey in this spiritual Rock, which they never taste: They feed upon the bread, but not Christ in the bread Edunt pan [...]m Do­mini, non panem Do [...]um.. Isaac eat the Kid, when he thought it had been Venison, Gen. 27. 25. Unbelievers go away with the [Page 29]shadow of the Sacrament; they have the Rind and the Husk, not the Mar­row: They eat the Kid, not the Ve­nison.

Bran. 3.3. See in this Text, as in a Glass, infinite Love display'd. 1. Behold the love of God the Father, in giving Christ to be broken for us; that God should lay such a Jewel to pawn is the Wonderment of Angels: John 3. 16. God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son. It is a pat­tern of Love without a Parallel; it was a far greater expression of Love in God to give his Son to dye for us, than if he had voluntarily acquitted us of the Debt, without any satis­faction at all. If a Subject be disloyal to his Soveraign, it argues more love in the King, to give his own Son to dye for that Subject, than to forgive him the wrong freely.

2. Behold, the amazing Love of Christ, His body was broken [...], illus­tre amoris Christi mnemosy­num. Burg.: The Cross, saith St. Austin, was a Pulpit, [Page 30]in which Christ preached his Love to the World. Let us see an holy Cli­max or Gradation of the Love of Christ!

1. It was wonderful Love, that 1. Christ who never had the Viper of sin, fastened on him, should be repu­ted a sinner: That he who hated sin, should be made sin 2 Cor. 5. 21.: That he who is numbred among the Persons of the Trinity, should be numbred among transgressours, Isa. 53. 12.

2 That Christ should suffer peath 2. Dilexisti me Dami­ne magis quam te ipsum.: Lord (saith Bernard) thou hast loved me more than thy self; for thou didst lay down thy life for me. The Emperour Trajan rent off a piece of his own Robe, to bind up one of his Souldiers Wounds: Christ rent off his own Flesh for us Nay, that Christ should dye as the greatest sinner†, having the weight of all mens sins laid upon him; here was Love Luther. usque ad stuporem dulcis! It sets all the Angels in Heaven a wondring.

[Page 31]3. That Christ should dye free­ly: John 10. 17. I lay down my 3. Life Non fuit [...]x [...]ecessi­tate, sed ex volunta­te. Hier.: There was no Law to enjoin him, no Force to compel him. It is called the Offering of the Body of Jesus, Heb. 10. 10. What could fasten him to the Cross, but the Gol­den Link of Love? 4.

4. That Christ should dye for such as we are: What are we? Not only Vanity, but Enmity: When we were fighting, he was dying; when we had the Weapons in our hands, then had he the Spear in his Sides, Rom. 5. 8.

5. That Christ dyed [...]or us, when he could not expect to be at all bet­tered 5. by us: We were reduced to penury; we were in such a conditi­on, that we could neither Merit Christ's Love, nor R [...]quite it; for Christ to dye for us when we were at such a low Ebb, was the very Quint­essence of Love. One Man will ex­tend kindness to another, so long as [Page 32]he is able to requite him; but if he be fallen to decay, then love begins to slacken and cool: But when we were ingulphed in misery, and were fallen to decay, we had lost our Beauty, stained our Blood spent our Portion, then Christ dyed for us; O amazing love, which may swallow up all our thoughts!

6. That Christ should not repent of his sufferings: Isa. 53, 11. He 6. shall see of the travel of his soul, and shall be satisfied. It is a Metaphor that alludes to a Mother, who though she hath had hard Labour, yet doth not repent [...]it, when she sees a Child brought forth; so, though Christ had hard Travel upon the Cross, yet he doth not repent of it, but thinks all his Sweat and Blood well bestow­ed, because he sees the Man-child of redemption is brought forth into the World Hoc uno laboris sui praemio affatim saturat [...]r, nunc qui­ [...]scit, nunc deliciis affluit. Forc [...]ius [...]: He shall be satisfied; the Hebrew Word [...] signifies such a satiating, as a man hath at some sweet repast or banquet

[Page 33]7. That Christ should rather dye for us, than the Angels that fell. 7. They were creatures of a more noble Extract, and in all probability might have brought greater Revenues of glory to God; yet that Christ should pass by those Golden Vessels, and make us Clods of Earth, into Stars of Glory; O the Hyperbole of Christ's Love!

8. Yet another Step of Christ's 8. Love (for like the waters of the Sanctuary, it riseth higher)! That Christ's Love should not cease at the hour of Death. We write in our Letters, Your Friend till Death: But Christ wrote in another Style, Your Friend after Death! Christ dyed once, [...] loves ever. He is now testify [...] his Affection to us; he is making the Mansions ready for us, John 14. 2. He is interceding for us, Heb. 9. 27. He appears in the Court, as the Advocate, for the Cly­ent. When he hath done dying, yet [Page 34]he hath not done loving; what a stupendious love was here? Foderunt latus Christi intimafu roris lancea, quod jam dudum amo­ris lanceasuitvul­neratum. Bern. de pass. Dom. Who can meditate upon this, and not be in an Extasie? Well may the Apostle call it; A love that passeth knowledg [...]. Eph. 3. 19. When you see Christ broken in the Sacra­ment think of this Love.

4. See then, what dear and intire Bran. 4. affections we should bear to Christ, who gives us his body and blood in the Eucharist: If, he had had any thing to part with of more worth, he would have bestowed it upon us [...]. Cyr.. O let Christ lie nearest our Hearts. Let him be our Tree of Life, and let us desire no other Fruit [...]et him be our Morning Star, [...]nd let us rejoice in no other Light.

As Christs Beauty, so his Bounty should make him loved by us; he hath given us his Blood, as the Price; and his Spirit as the Witness of our [Page 35]Pardon. In the Sacrament Christ bestows all good things: He both imputes his Righteousness, and im­parts his Loving-kindness. He gives a Fore-taste of that Supper which shall be celebrated in the Paradise of God. To sum up all: In the blessed Supper, Christ gives himself to Be­lievers; and what can he give more? Dear Saviour, how should thy Name be as Oyntment poured forth! The Persians worship the Sun for their God, let us worship the Sun of Righteousness. Though Judas sold Christ for Thirty Pieces, let us rather part with all, than this Pearl. Christ is that Golden Pipe, through which, the Golden Oyl of Salvation is transmitted to us.

5. Was Christ's Body broken? then we may behold Sin odious in the Bran. 5. Red Glass of Christ's Sufferings. It is true, Sin is to be abominated, as it turn'd Adam out of Paradise, and threw the Angels down to Hell. Sin [Page 36]is the Peace-breaker; it is like an Incendiary in the Family, that sets Husband and Wife at variance; it makes God fall out with us. Sin is the Womb of our Sorrows, and the Grave of our Comforts. But that which may most of all disfigure the Face of Sin, and make it appear Ghastly, is this, It crucified our Lord: It made Christ Vail his Glo­ry, and lose his Blood. If a Wo­man did see that Sword which killed her Husband, how hateful would the sight of it be to her? Do we count that Sin Light, which made Christ's Soul Heavy unto Death? Mark 14. 34. Can that be our joy, which made the Lord Jesus a man of sorrows? Isa. 53. 3. Did he cry out, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? And shall not those Sins be forsaken by us, which made Christ himself for­saken? O let us look upon Sin with Indignation. When a Temptation comes to Sin, let us say as David, [Page 37]2 Sam. 23. 17. Is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? So, Is not this the Sin that poured out Christ's Blood? Let our Hearts be enraged against Sin. When the Senators of Rome shewed the people Caesar's bloody Robe, they were incensed against those that slew him. Sin hath rent the White Robe of Christs Flesh, and dyed it of a Crimson Colour: let us then seek to be avenged of our Sins. Under the Law, if an Oxe gored a Man that he dyed, the Oxe was to be killed, Exod. 21. 28. Sin hath gored and pierced our Saviour, let it dye the Death. What pitty is it, for that to live, which would not suffer Christ to live?

6. Was Christ's Body broken? Let us then from his suffering on the Bran. 6. Cross, learn this Lesson, Not to won­der much, if we meet with Troubles in the World. Did Christ suffer, who knew no Sin? And do we think [Page 38]it strange to suffer, who know no­thing but Sin? Did Christ feel the anger of God? And is it much for us to feel the anger of Men? Was the Head crowned with Thorns? And would the Members lie among Ro­sesNon de cet mem­brum deli­catum esse sub capite crucifixo Bern.? Must we have our Bracelets and Diamonds, when Christ had the Spear and Nails going to his heart? Truly such as are guilty, may well ex­pect the lash, when he who was in­nocent, could not go free.

2. The second Use is of Exhor­tation, and it hath several Branches. Use. 2. Exhcrt.

1. Was Christ's precious body bro­ken Bran. 1. for us? Let us be affected with the great goodness of Christ; Who can tread upon these hot Coals, and his Heart not burn? Cry out with Ig­natius, Christ my Love is crucified. If a Friend should dye for us, would not our Hearts be much affected with his Kindness? That the God of Heaven should dye for us, how should this stupendious mercy have a [Page 39]melting influence upon us! The bo­dy of Christ broken, is enough to break the most flinty Heart. At our Saviour's Passion, the very Stones did cleave asunder: Mat 27. 51. The Rocks rent. He that is not affected with this, hath an Heart harder than the Stonesquaenam te genuit sola sub [...]upe leaen [...] Ca tul.. If Saul was so affected with Davids Mercy in sparing his Life, 1 Sam. 24. 16. How may we be affected vvith Christs kindness, vvho to spare our life, lost his ovvn! Let us pray, that as Christ vvas Cruci­fixus, so he might be Cordi-fixus: As he vvas fastened to the Cross, so that he may be fastened to our Hearts.

2. Is Jesus Christ spiritually ex­hibited Bran. 2. to us in the Sacrament? Let us then set an high value and Estimate upon him.

1. Let us prize Christs body. E­very crumb of this bread of life is precious, John 6. 55. My flesh is meat indeed. It is Panis eximius & super­substantialis, as Cyprian calls it. The [Page 40] Manna Chamier lib. 11. Sect. 15. was a lively Type and Em­blem of Christ's Body [...]. Cyril.: Manna was sweet. Exod. 16. 31. The taste of it was like wafers made with honey, it was a delicious meat; therefore it was called Angels Food, for its excel­lencyBorrheus.: So Christ the Sacramental Manna, is sweet to a Believer's Soul. Cant. 2. 3. His fruit was sweet to my taste. Every thing of Christ is sweetHaud a­nimae sua­vior cibus. Lactant.. His Name is sweet his Ver­tues sweet. This Manna sweetens the Waters of Marah.

Nay, Christ's Flesh excells Manna. 1. Manna was Food, but not Phy­sick. If an Israclite had been sick, Manna could not have cured him; but this blessed Manna of Christ's body, is not only for food, but for medi­cineCorpus Christi, aegris me­dicina. Bern.. Christ hath healing under his wings, Mal. 4. 2. He heals the Blind eve, the hard Heart. Take this me­di [...]ine next your Heart, and it will heal you of all your spiritual Di­stempers.

[Page 41]2. Manna was Corruptible: It ceased when Israel came to Canaan: But this blessed Manna of Christ's Body will never cease. The Saints shall feed with infinite delight, and Soul satisfaction, upon Christ to all Eternity. The Joyes of Heaven would cease, if this Manna should cease. The Manna was put in a gol­den Pot in the Ark, to be preserved there: So the blessed Manna of Christ's Body being put in the gold­en Pot of the Divine Nature, is laid up in the Ark of Heaven, for the Saints to feast upon for ever. Well then may we say of Christ's blessed Body, It is meat indeed. The FieldEosso a­gro corpo­r s Christi, margarita salutis in­v [...]itur. of Christ's Body being digged upon the Cross, we find the Pearl of Sal­vation there.

2. Let us prize Christ's Blood in the Sacrament. It is drink indeedEgo bo­trus carnis Pro salute tua portatus sum ad Torcular Crucis, inde eliqua­tum est mustum tuae redemptionis. Bern. de Caen. Dom., [Page 42] John 6. 55. Here is the Nectar and Anibrosia God himself delights to taste of. This is both a Balsom and a Perfume. That vve may set the higher value upon the blood of Christ, I shall shevv you seven rare supernatural Vertues in it.

1. It is a reconciling blood: Col. 1. 21. 1. [...]. Chrysost. You that were sometime ali­enated, and enemies, yet now hath he reconciled through death. No sooner vvas the Message brought to King David, Uriah is dead, 2 Sam. 11. 21. but the anger of David vvas remo­ved. No sooner vvas the blood of Christ poured out, but God's anger vvas pacified. Christ's blood is the blood of atonement. Nay, it is not only [...], but [...], not onely a Sacrifice, but a Propitiation, 1 John 2. 2. Which denoteth a bring­ing us into Favour with God. It is one thing for a traytor to be pardon­ed, and another thing to be brought into Favour. Sin rent us off from [Page 43]God, Christ's Blood doth soader and [...]cment us to God. If we had had as much grace as the Angels, it could not have wrought our Reconciliati­on. If we had offered up Millions of Holocausts and Sacrifices, if we [...]ad wept Rivers of Tears, this could never have appeased an angry Dei­ [...]y; only Christ's blood doth ingra­ [...]iate us into God's Favour, and make him look upon us with a smiling As­pect. When Christ dyed, the Vail of the Temple was rent: This was not without a Mystery, to shew that [...]hrough Christ's blood, the Vail of our Sins is rent, which did interpose between God and us.

2. Christ's blood is a quickning 2. [...]lood. John 6. 54. Whoso drinketh my blood, hath eternal life. It both [...]egets life, and prevents death. Lev. 17. 11. The life of a thing is in the [...]lood. Sure enough, the life of our [...]oul is in the blood of Christ. When we contract deadness of Heart, and [Page 44]are like Wine that hath lost the spi rits, Christs blood hath an elevatin [...] povver, it puts vivacity into us, m [...] king us quick and vegete in our mo tion. Isa. 40. 31. They shall mou [...] up with wings as Eagles.

3. Christ's blood is a cleansi [...] 3. blood. Heb. 9. 14. How much mor [...] shall the blood of Christ purge your Co [...] sciences! As the Merit of Christ' [...] blood doth pacifie God, so the Ve [...] tue of it doth purifie us. It is Baln [...] um coeleste, the King of Heave [...] Bath. It is Lavacrum animae; a Lav [...] to vvash in. It vvasheth [...] crimson sinner milk white [...] [...] Theodoret. 1 Joh. 1. 7. The blood [...] Jesus cleanseth us from a [...] our sin. The Word of Go [...] is a Looking-glass to shew us o [...] spots, & the blood of Christ is a fou [...] tain to vvash them avvay, Zac. 12. 1 [...]

But this blood vvill not vvash, if i [...] be mingled vvith any thing. Wate [...] vvill not vvash clean, except it b [...] [Page 45]mingled with Sope or Camphire; [...]ut if we go to mingle any thing with Christ's Blood, either the Merits of [...]oints, or Prayers of Angels, it will [...]ot wash. Let Christ's Blood be pure [...]nd unmixed, and there is no spot but [...]t will wash away. It purged out [...]oahs Drunkenness, Lots Incest. In­ [...]eed there is one spot so black, that Christ's Blood doth not wash away, [...]nd that is the Sin against the Holy Ghost; not but that there is Vertue [...]nough in Christ's Blood to wash it a­ [...]ay; but he who hath sinned that [...]n, will not be washed; he contemns Christ's Blood and tramples it under [...]oot. Heb. 10. 29.

4. Christ's Blood is a softning 4. [...]lood. There is nothing so hard, [...]ut may be softned, if it lie a steep [...] this blood; it will soften a stone. [...]ater will soften the Earth, but it [...]ill not soften a stone; but Christ's [...]lood mollifies a Stone, it soft­ [...]s an Heart of stone. It turns a [Page 46]Flint into a Spring. The Hea [...] which before was like a piece hew [...] out of a Rock, being steeped Christ's blood, becomes soft, a [...] the waters of Repentance flow fro [...] it. How was the Jaylor's Heart di [...] solved, and made tender, when th [...] blood of sprinkling was upon it! A [...] 16. 30. Sirs, What must I do to saved? His heart was now like me [...] ing Wax, God might set, what S [...] and Impression he would upon it.

5. Christ's blood, is a coolin [...] 5. blood 1. It cools the Heat of Si [...] The Heart naturally is full of diste [...] pered Heat; it must needs be ho [...] being set on fire of Hell. It burns i [...] Lust and Passion; Christ's blood a [...] layes this Heat, it quencheth the I [...] flammations of Sin. 2. It cools th [...] Heat of Conscience. In time of de [...] sertion, Conscience burns with th [...] heat of God's Displeasure; no [...] Christ's blood being sprinkled upo [...] the Conscience, cools and pacifies it [Page 47]And in this sense Christ is compared to a River of water, Isa. 32. 2. When the Heart burns, and is in an agony, Christ's blood, is, like water to the fire, it hath a cooling refrigerating Vertue in it.

6. Christ's blood, is a comforting 6. blood; it is good against fainting Fits. Christ's blood, is, better than Wine: Though Wine chears the Heart of a Man that is well, yet it will not chear his Heart when he hath a fit of the Stone, or when the Pangs of Death are upon him: But Christ's blood will chear the Heart at such a time. It is best in affliction, it cures the trembling at the Heart. A Con­science sprinkled with Christ's blood, can, like the Nightingale, sing with a Thorn at its Breast. The blood of Christ can make a Prison become a Palace. It turned the Martyrs Flames into Beds of Roses Feriun­tur Mar­tyres gaudent; mortuntur & ecce triumphant; quare? quia sanguine crucis perfusi mortem metuunt sed sperant.. Christ's blood [Page 48]gives comfort at the hour of Death: As an Holy Man once said on his Death-bed, when they brought him a Julip; No Julip like the Blood of Christ!

7. Christ's blood is an Heaven procuring blood 7. Per latus Christi no­bis patescit in Caelum i [...]troitus. Bern.. Israel passed through the red Sea to Canaan: So through the red sea of Christ's blood, we enter into the Heavenly Canaan: Heb. 10. 19. Having boldness there­fore to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. Our sins did shut Heaven, Christ's blood is the key which opens the gate of Paradise for usMorimur per lignum sc [...]entiae, o­rimur per lignum Crucis.. Hence it is Theodoret, calls the Cross, [...], the Tree of Salvation. Because that blood which trickled down the Cross, distills Salvation. Well then may we prize the blood of Christ, and vvith St. Paul, determine to know nothing but Christ crucified, 1 Cor. 2. 2. Kings Crovvns are on­ly Crosses, but the Cross of Christ is the only Crovvn.

[Page 49]3. Doth Christ offer his Body 3. Bran. and blood to us in the Supper? Then with what solemn preparation should we come to so sacred an Ordinance! It is not enough to do what God hath appointed, but as he hath ap­pointed, 1 Sam. 7. 3. Prepare your hearts unto the Lord. The Musiti­an first puts his Instrument in Tune, before he plays. The Heart must first be prepared, and put in Tune, be­fore it goes to meet with God in this solemn Ordinance of the Sacrament. Take heed of rashness and irreve­rence. If we come not preparedly, we do not drink, but spill Christ's blood, 1 Cor. 11. 27. Whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body, and blood of the Lord; That is, saith Theophylact, he shall be judged a shedder of Christ's Blood. We read of a Wine-cup of fury in Gods hand, Jer. 25. 15. He that comes unpreparedly to the [Page 50]Lords-Supper, turns the Cup in the Sacrament into a Cup of fury Calicem sangninis mutat in calieemfu­roris▪ No­varinus..

Oh with what reverence and de­votion should we address our selves to these holy Mysteries! The Saints are called prepared Vessels, Rom. 9. 23. If ever these Vessels should be prepared, it is when they are to hold the precious Body and Blood of Christ. The sinner that is damned, is first prepared. Men do not go to Hell without some kind of prepara­tion, Rom. 9. 22. Vessels fitted for destruction. If those Vessels are prepa­red which are filled with wrath, much more are those to be prepared, who are to receive Christ in the Sacra­ment. Let us dress our selves by a Scripture-glasse, before we come to the Lords Table [...]. The­ophylact.: And, with the Lamb's Wife, make our selves ready.Rev. 19. 7

Quest. How should we be rightly qualified, and prepared for the Lords Supper?

[Page 51] Answ. If we would come with pre­pared hearts, we must come,

1. With Self-examining-hearts. 1 Cor. 11. 28. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that Bread. 1. It is not enough that others think we are fit to come, but we must examine our selves. The Greek word, to Ex­amine, [...], is a Metaphor taken from the Goldsmith, who doth curi­ously try his Metals. So before we come to the Lords Table, we are to make a curious and critical trial of our selves by the Word.

Self-examination being a reflexive Act, is difficultMalu­mus viti­um excu­sare, quàm excutere. Senec.. 'Tis hard for a man to look inward, and see the face of his own Soul. The eye can see every thing, but it self.

But this probatory work is neces­sary: Because,

1. If we do not examine our selves, we are at a losse about our Spiritual estate; we know not whe­ther [Page 52]we are interested in the Cove­nant, or whether we have a right to the Seal.

2. God will examine us. It was a sad question the Master of the Feast asked, Mat. 22. 12. Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a Wedding-garment? So it will be ter­rible, when God shall say to a man, How camest thou in hither to my Table with a proud, vain, unbelie­ving heart? What hast thou to do here in thy sins? Thou pollutest my holy things. What need therefore is there to make an heart-search be­fore we come to the Lords-Supper? We should examine our sins, that they may be mortified; our wants, that they may be supplied; our gra­ces, that they may be strengthened.

2. We must come with seri­ous hearts. Our spirits are feathery 2. and light; like a Vessel without Bal­last, which flotes upon the water, but doth not sail. We flote in holy du­ties, [Page 53]and are full of vain excursions, even when we are to deal with God and are engaged in matters of life and death. That which may consolidate our hearts, and make them fix with seriousness, is, To consider, God's eye is now especially upon us, when we approach to his Table. The King came in to see the GnestsMat. 22. 11.. God knows every Communicant, and if he sees any levity and indecency of spirit in us, unworthy of his presence, he will be highly incensed, and send us away with the guilt of Christ's blood, in­stead of the comfort of it.

3. We must come with intelli­gent 3. hearts. There ought to be a competent measure of knowledg, that we may discern the Lords body: As we are to pray with understand­ing, 1 Cor. 14. 15. So ought we to Communicate at the Lords Table with understanding. If knowledg be wanting, it cannot be a reasonable serviceRom. 12. 1.. They that know not the [Page 54]mystery, feel not the comfort. We must know God the Father in his Attributes, God the Son in his Offi­ces, God the Holy Ghost in his Gra­ces. Some say, they have good hearts, yet want knowledg: We may as well call that a good eye, which wants sight.

4. We must come to the Sacra­ment 4. with longing hearts: Say as Christ, With desire I have desired to eat of this PasseoverLuk. 22 [...]. 5 [...].. If God pre­pares a Feast, we must get a Stomack. Why hath the Lord frowned upon his people of late, but to punish their surfeit, and provoke their appetite? As David longed for the water of the Well of Bethlehem, 2 Sam. 23. 15. So should we long for Christ in the Sacrament. Desires are the Sails of the Soul, which are spread to receive the gale of an Heavenly Blessing. For the exciting holy desires and long­ings, consider:

[Page 55]1. The magnificence and royalty of this Supper: It is [...], an Heavenly Banquet. Isa. 25. 6. In this Mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wine on the leesHae su [...] suaves delitiae, hic bibun­tur flumina [...]ellis, liquoris balsami Caelestis. Ber. de Caen.. Here the juice of that Grape which comes from the true Vine. Under these Elements of Bread and Wine, Christ and all his benefits are exhibi­ted to us. The Sacrament is, omni­um aromatum [...], a repository and storehouse of Coelestial Blessings. Behold here life and peace, and salva­tion set before us! All the Dulcia fer­cula, the sweet delicacies of Heaven, are served in at this Feast.

2. To provoke Appetite, con­sider what need we have of this spi­ritual repast. The Angel perswaded Elias to take a little of the Cake, and Cruse of water, that he might not faint in his Journey, 1 King. 19. 7. Arise and eat, because the Journey [Page 56] is too great for thee. So truly we have a great Journey from Earth to Heaven, therefore had need recruit our selves by the way: How many sins have we to subdue? how many duties to perform? how many wants to supply? how many graces to strengthen? how many adversaries to conflict with? so that we need a bait by the way; by feeding upon the body and blood of the Lord, We re­new our strength as the Eagle.

3. Consider Christ's readiness to dispense Divine blessings in this Ordinance. Jesus Christ is not a sealing Fountain, but a flowing Foun­tain. 'Tis but crying, and he gives the Breast. 'Tis but thirsting, and he opens the Conduit. Rev. 22. 17. Let him that is athirst, come; and whosoever will, let him take the wa­ter of life freely. As the clouds have a natural propenseness to drop down their moisture upon the Earth: So hath Christ to give forth of his [Page 57]gracious vertues and influences to the soul.

4. There is no danger of excess at this Supper. Other Feasts do often cause Surfeit, it is not so here. The more we take of the bread of life, the more healthful we are, and the more we come to our spiritual complexion. Fulness here, doth not encrease humours, but comforts; in spiritual things there is no ex­tream. Though a drop of Christ's blood be sweet, yet the more the better; the deeper the sweeter, Cant. 5. 2. Drink abundantly O beloved. In the Original it is, Be ye inebriated [...] Praeelara ebrietas quae sobrietatem ment [...] o­peratur. Ambr. de Sacram. with my love.

5. We know not how long this Feast may last: While the Manna is to be had, let us bring our Omer: God will not always be spreading the Cloth. If people lose their stomacks, he will call to the Enemy to take a­way.

[Page 58]6. Feeding upon Christ Sacra­mentally, will be a good preparative to Sufferings. The bread of life will help us to feed upon the bread of af­fliction. The Cup of Blessing, will enable us to drink of the Cup of persecution. Christ's blood is a wine that hath a flavour in it, and is full of Spirits. Therefore Cyprian tells us, When the Primitive Christians were to appear before the cruel Tyrants, they were wont to receive the Sacra­ment, and then they arose up from the Lords Table, as Lyons breathing forth the fire of heavenly courage Tanquam Leones ig­nem spi­rantes.. Let these considerations be as sawce to sharpen our appetite to the Lords Table. God loves to see us feed hun­grily upon the bread of life.

5. If we would come prepared to this Ordinance, we must come with penitent hearts5. Cur, O anima, te non trans­figit gladi­us doloris. Austin.. The Passe­over was to be eaten with bitter herbs. We must bring our Myrrhe of Repentance; which, though it be [Page 59]bitter to us, it is sweet to Christ: Zac. 12. 10. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and mourn over him. A broken Christ is to be received into a broken heart. We that have sinned with Peter, should weep with Peter. Our eyes should be broached with tears, and our hearts steeped in the brinish wa­ters of Repentance. Say, Lord Je­sus, though I cannot bring sweet Spi­ces, and perfume thy body as Mary did, yet I will wash thy feet with my tears. The more bitterness we taste in sin, the more sweetness we shall taste in Christ.

6. We must come with sincere hearts. The Tribes of Israel being straitned in time, wanted some legal Purifications; yet because their hearts vvere sincere, and they came vvith desire to meet vvith God in the Passeover, therefore the Lord healed the people, 2 Chron. 30. 19. Bad aims vvill spoil good actions. An [Page 60]Archer may miss the mark, as well by looking asquint, as by shooting short. What is our design in coming to the Sacrament Finis no­ [...]ilitat o­pus.? Is it, that we may have more victory over our cor­ruptions, and be more confirmed in holiness? Then God will be good to us, and heal us. Sincerity, like true Gold, shall have some grains allowed for its lightness.

7. We must come with hearts 7. fired with love to Christ. The Spouse vvas in a burning fit of love, Cant. 2. 6. I am sick of Love. Let us give Christ the Wine of our love to drink, and vveep that vve can love him no more. Would vve have Christs exhilarating presence in the Supper? let us meet him vvith strong indear­ments of affection. Basil compares Love to a svveet Oyntment: Christ delights to smell this perfume. The Disciple that did love most, Christ put him in his bosom.

[Page 61]8. We must come vvith humble hearts. We see Christ humbling himself to the death; and vvill an humble Christ ever be recei­ved into a proud heart [...]. Chrysostom.? A sight of God's glory, and a sight of sin, may humble us. Was Christ humble, vvho vvas all Purity? And are vve proud, vvho are all Leprosie?. O let us come vvith a sense of our ovvn vileness. Hovv humble should he be, vvho is to receive an Alms of Free-grace? Je­sus Christ is a Lilly of the Vallies Cant. 2. 1., not of the Mountains. Humility vvas never a loser. The emptier the Vessel is, and the lovver it is let dovvn into the Well, the more vvater it dravvs up: So the more the Soul is emptied of it self, and the lovver it is let dovvn by humility, the more it fetcheth out of the Well of Salvati­on. God vvill come into an humble [...]eart to revive it, Isa. 57. 15. That is none of Christ's Temple, vvhich [Page 62]is not built vvith a lovv Roof.

9. We must come vvith Heaven­ly 9. hearts. The mystery of the Sacra­ment is Heavenly, vvhat should an Earth vvorm do here? He is not like to feed on Christs body and blood, vvho, vvith the Serpent, eats dust. The Sacrament is called [...], a Commu­nion, 1 Cor. 10. 16. What commu­nion can an Earthly man have vvith Christ? First there must be Confor­mity before Communion: He that is earthly, is no more conformed in likeness to Christ, than a clod of dust is like a Star. An earthly man makes the World his god, then let not him think to receive another God in the Sacrament: Oh let us be in the Hea­venly Altitudes, and by the vving of grace ascend!

10. We must come vvith Belie­ving 10. hearts. Christ gave the Sacra­ment to the Apostles, principally as they vvere Believers. Such as com [...] faithless, go avvay fruitless. Nor is [Page 63]it enough to have the habit of faith, but vve must exsert, and put forth the vigorous actings of faith in this Or­dinance Habitus sine exer­citio, simi­lis est taci­turnae ly­ra. Claud..

1. Let us exercise the eye of faith. Faith hath an Eagle's eye, it pierceth into things far re­mote from sense [...]. Chry­sostom.. Faith takes a Prospect of Heaven, it discerns him who is invisi­ble, Heb. 11. 27. It beholds a beauty and fulness in Christ; it sees this beauty shining through the latice of an Ordinance. Faith vievvs Christs love streaming in his blood. Look upon Christ vvith believing eyes, and you shall one day see him vvith glorisied eyes.

2. Exercise the mouth of Faith Quid par as den­tem, & ventrem? Crede, & mand uca­sti. Aug.. Here is the bread broken. What use is there of bread but to feed on? Feed upon the bread of God. Adam dyed, [Page 64]vve live by eating. In the Sacra­ment vvhole Christ is dished-out to us, the Divine and Humane nature; all kind of vertue comes from Him: Mortifying, mollifying, comforting. Oh then feed on him. This grace of Faith, is the great grace to be set on vvork at the Sacrament.

Quest. But doth the vertue lie simply in Faith?

Answ. Not in faith considered purely as a grace, but as it hath re­spect to the Object. The vertue is not in faith, but in Christ. A Ring vvhich hath a precious stone in it vvhich vvill staunch blood; vve say, the Ring stauncheth blood, but the vertue doth not lie barely in the Ring, but in the stone in the Ring. So, Faith is the Ring, Christ is the preci­ous stone; all that faith doth, is to bring home Christs merits to the soul, and so it justifies; the vertue is not in faith, but in Christ.

[Page 65] Quest. But, Why should faith carry away more from Christ in the Sacra­ment, than any other grace?

Answ. 1. Because, Faith is the most receptive grace; it is the receiving of gold enricheth: So faith receiving of Christ's merits, and silling the Soul with all the fulness of God, it must needs be an enriching grace. In the Body, there are Veins that suck the Nou­rishment which comes into the sto­mack, and turn it into blood and spirits. Faith is such a sucking vein, that draws vertue from Christ, there­fore is called a precious faith, 2 Pet. 1. 1.

2. Faith hath more of Christ's benefits annexed to it, because it is the most humble grace. If Re­pentance should fetch Justification from Christ, a man would be ready to say, This was for my tears; but Faith is humble, it is an empty hand, and What merit can be in that? Doth a poor man reaching out his hand, [Page 66]merit an Alms? So that, because faith is humble, and gives all the glo­ry to Christ and Free-grace, hence it is God hath put so much honour upon it; This shall be the grace to which Christ and all his merits be­long.

Therefore above all graces, set faith a work in the Sacra­mentPer sidem Christi sanguinem sugimus, & inter redemptoris nostri vuln [...]ra lin­guam figimus. Cypr.. Faith fetcheth in all provisions. This is the golden Bucket that draws water out of the Well of life. But there is a Bastard-faith in the World. Pliny tells of a Cyprian ­stone, which is in colour and splendor like the Diamond, but it is not of the right kind; it will break with the Hammer: So, there is a false faith which sparkles and makes a shew in the eye of the World, but it is not genuine, it will break with the Ham­mer of persecution. Therefore to prevent mistakes, that we may not be deceived, and think we believe when [Page 67]we presume; I shall give you six dif­ferences between a sincere faith, which is the flower of the Spirit; and an hypocritical faith, which is the fruit of fancy.

1. An Hypocritical faith is easi­ly come by. It is like the seed in the Parable, which sprung up suddenly [...]., Mar. 4. 5. A false faith shoots up without any convictions, and soul­humblings: As Isaac said, Gen. 27. 20. How camest thou by thy Venison so soon? So, how comes this man by his faith so soon? Sure it is of an hete­rogeneal nature, and will quickly wither awaySol [...]nt praecocia s [...]bitoflac­cescere.: But true faith being an Outlandish Plant, and of an hea­venly extract, is hardly come by; it costs many a sigh and tear, Acts 2. 37. This spiritual Infant is not born without pangs.

2. An Hypocritical faith is afraid to come to tryal. The Hypocrite had rather have his faith commended, than examined. He can no more [Page 68]endure a Scripture-trial, than coun­terfeit Metal can endure the Touch­stone. He is like a man that hath stollen-Goods in his House, and is very unwilling to have his House searched: So the Hypocrite hath gotten some stollen-Goods which the Devil hath helped him to, and he is loth to have his heart searched; whereas true faith is willing to come to a trial, Psal. 26. 2. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me, try my reins and heart. David was not afraid to be tried by a Jury; No, though God himself were one of the Jury. Good Wares are never afraid of the light.

3. An Hypocritical faith hath a slight esteem of true Faith. The Hypocrite hears others speak in the commendation of faith, but he won­ders where the vertue of it lies; he looks upon faith as a Drugg, or some base Commodity that will not off; he will part with all the faith he hath, [Page 69]for a piece of silver; and perhaps it might be dear enough of the price: But that man who hath true faith, he sets an high value upon it; he reck­ons this grace among his JewelsPlus sul­get fides, quam au­rum. Aug.. What incorporates him into Christ, but faith? What puts him into a state of Sonship, but faith? Gal. 3. 26. Oh precious faith! A Believer would not exchange his shield of faith, for a Crown of gold.

4. An Hypocritical faith is lame on one handSublata quacun­que parte integran [...]e, Tollitur totum.. With one hand it would take Christ, but it doth not with the other hand give up it self to Christ. It would take Christ by way of surety, but not give up it self to him by way of surrender; whereas true faith is impartial, it takes Christ as a Saviour, and submits to him as a Prince. Christ saith; With my Body, and my Blood I thee endow; and faith saith, With my soul I thee wor­ship.

5. An Hypocritical faith is im­pure. [Page 70]The Hypocrite saith, he be­lieves, yet goes on in sin. He is all Creed, but no Commandment. He believes, yet will take God's Name in vain. Jer. 3. 4, 5. Wilt not thou cry unto me, My Father, thou art the guide of my youth! behold thou hast done evil things as thou couldst. These Impostors would call God their Fa­ther, yet sinned as fast as they could. For one to say he hath faith, yet lives in sin, is as if a man should say he were in health, yet his vitals are perished; but a true faith is joined with sancti­ty, 1 Tim. 3. 9. Holding the myste­ry of faith in a pure Conscience. The Jewel of faith is always put in the Cabinet of a good Conscience. The Woman that touched Christ by faith, felt an healing vertue come from him: Though faith doth not wholly remove sin, yet it subdues it.

6. An Hypocritical faith is a dead faith; it tasts no sap, or sweet­ness [Page 71]in Christ. The Hypocrite tasts something in the Vine and Olive, he finds contentment in the carnal lus­cious delights of the World, but no sweetness in a promise; the Holy Ghost Himself is spiritless to him. That is a dead faith, which hath no sense or taste: But true faith finds much delectation in heavenly things. The Word is sweeter than the Ho­ney comb, Psal. 19. 10. Christ's Love is better than Wine, Cant. 1. 2. Thus we see a difference between the true faith and the spurious. How many have thought they have had the live Child of faith by them, when it hath proved the dead Child. Take heed of presumption, but cherish faith: Faith applies Christ, and makes a spiritual con­coctionAccedis ad Chri­stum non carne sed corde; edis Chri [...]um non de [...]te, sed fide. Aug. of his Body and Blood. This Supper was in­tended chiefly for BelieversLuk. 22. 19.. Christs Blood to an unbelie­ver, is like Aqua-Vitae in a [Page 72]dead man's mouth, it loseth all its vertue.

11. We must come to the Lord's-Table 11. with charitable hearts. 1 Cor. 5. 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven. The leaven of malice will sowre the Ordinance to us. Though we must come with bitter tears, yet not with bitter spirits. The Lords Supper is [...], a Love­feast [...], &c. Ignati­us ad Trall.. Christs blood was shed, not only to reconcile us to God, but one to ano­ther. Christ's body was bro­ken, to make up the breaches among Christians. Howsad is it; that they who profess they are going to eat Christs flesh in the Sacrament, should tear the flesh one of another! 1 John 3. 15. Whosoever hateth his brother, is a Murderer. He who comes to the Lord's-Table in hatred, is a Judas to Christ, and a C [...]in to his brother. What benefit can he receive at the Sacrament, whose heart is invenomed [Page 73]with malice? If one drinks down poyson, and presently takes a Cordi­al, surely the Cordial will do him no good. Such as are poysoned with rancour and malice, are not the better for the Sacrament-Cordial; he that doth not come in charity to the Sa­crament, hath nothing of God in him; for, God is love, 1 John 4. 19. He knows nothing of the Gospel sa­vingly, for it is a Gospel of peace, Eph. 6. 15. He hath none of the wisdom which comes from Heaven, for that is gentle, and easie to be intreated, Jam. 3. 17. Oh that Christians were [...], (as Ignatius speaks) rooted and cemented together in love. Shall Devils unite, and Saints divide? Did we thus learn Christ? Hath not the Lord Jesus loved us to the death? What greater reproach can be cast upon such a loving Head, than for the Members to s [...]ite one against another? The good Lord put out the fire of contention, and kindle [Page 74]the fire of love and amity in all our hearts.

12. We must come hither with 12. praying hearts. Every Ordinance, as well as every Creature, is sanctified by prayer 1 Tim. 4. 5. Prayer turns the Ele­ment into spiritual Aliment Oratio mutat ele­mentum in alimen­tum.. When we send the Dove of Prayer to Hea­ven, It brings an Olive-leaf in its mouth. We should pray that God would enrich his Ordinance with his presence; that he would make the Sacrament effectual to all those holy ends and purposes for which he hath appointed it; that it may be the feast of our graces, and the funeral of our corruptions; that it may be not on­ly a sign to represent, but an instru­ment to convey Christ to us, and a Seal to assure us of our heavenly Joynture. If we vvould have the fat and sweet of this Ordinance, we must send prayer before, as an Harbinger, to bespeak a blessing.

[Page 75]Divers are so distracted with worldly cares, that they can scarce spare any time for prayer, before they come to the Sacrament. Do they think the Tree of blessing will drop its fruit into their mouth, when they never shaked it by prayer? God doth not set his mercies at so low a rate, as to cast them away upon those that do not seek them Ezek. 36. 37..

Nor is it enough to pray, but it must be with heat and intenseness of soul. Jacob wrestled in prayer, Gen. 32. 24, Cold Prayers, like cold Suitors, ne­ver speed. Prayer must be with sighs and groans Deus sus­p [...]ria au­dit., Rom. 8. 26. It must be in the Holy Ghost, Judev. 20. He who will speak to God, saith St. Ambrose, must speak to him in his own language vvhich he understands, that is, in the language of his Spirit.

13. And lastly, we must come to the Lords Table with self denying 13. he [...]rts. When we have prepared our [Page 76]selves in the best manner we can, let us take heed of trusting to our pre­parations. Luk. 17 15. When ye shall have done all these things which are commanded you, say, We are unpro­fitable servants. Use duty, but do not idolize it. We ought to use duties, to fit us for Christ; but we must not make a Christ of our du­ties. Duty is the golden path to walk in, but not a silver Crutch to lean on. Alas, what are all our pre­parations? God can spie an hole in our best garments Vae homini sieum tru­tina discu­tias, &c. Aug.. Isa. 64. 6. All our Righteousnesses are as filthy rags. When we have prepared our selves as hoping in God's mercy, we must deny our selves as deserving his Ju­stice. If our holiest services be not sprinkled with Christ's blood, they are no better than shining sins, and like Uriah's letter, they carry in them the matter of our death. Use duty, but trust to Christ and Free-grace for acceptance. Be like N [...]s [Page 77]Dove; she made use of her wings to fly, but trusted to the Ark for safety.

We see how we are to be qualified in our addresses to the Lord's-Table. Thus coming, we shall meet with em­braces of mercy. We shall have not only a representation, but a participa­tion of Christ in the Sacrament; we shall carry away not only panem, but salutem; We shall be filled with all the fulness of GodEph. 3. 19.

4. Hath Jesus Christ made this Gos­pel-banquet? Is he both the Founder Bran. 4. and the Feast? Then let poor doubt­ing Christians be encouraged to come to the Lord's-Table. Satan would hin­der from the Sacrament, as Saul did the people from eating honey, 1 Sam. 14. 26. But is there any soul that hath been humbled and bruised for sin, whose heart secretly pants after Christ, but yet stands trembling, and dares not approach to these holy Mysteries? let me encourage that soul to come: Mark. 10. 49. Arise, he calleth thee.

[Page 78] Object. 1. But I am sinful and un­vvorthy, and what should I meddle with such holy things?

Answ. Who did Christ die for but such? 1 Tim. 1. 15. He came in­to the world to save sinners. He took our sins upon him, as vvell as our na­ture. Isa. 53. 4. He bare our griefs. In the Hebrew it is, [...] our sick­nesses. See thy sins (saith Luther) upon ChristAspice peccata tua bumeris Christi im­posita; tum dices, pec­cata mea, non sunt mea, sed aliena. Luth, and then they are no more thine, but his. Our sins should humble us, but they must not discourage us from Christ; the more diseased we are, the rather vve should step into this Pool of Siloam. Who doth Christ invite to the Supper, but the poor, halt, maimed? Luk. 14. 21. That is, such as see themselves un­vvorthy, and flie to Christ for Sanctu­ary. The Priest was to take a bunch of Hyssop, and dip it in blood, and sprinkle it upon the Leper, Lev. 14. 7. Thou who hast the leprosie of [Page 79]sin upon thee, yet if, as a Leper thou dost loath thy self, Christ's precious blood shall be sprinkled upon thee.

Object. 2. But I have sinned pre­sumptuously against mercy? I have contracted guilt after I have been at the Lord's Table, and sure Christ's Blood is not for me?

Resp. It is indeed grievous to a­buse mercy: It vvas the aggravation of Solomon's sin; his heart was turn­ed from the Lord, which had appeared unto him twice, 1 Kings 11. 9. Pre­sumptuous sins open the mouth of Conscience to accuse, and shut the mouth of God's Spirit, which should speak Peace: yet cast not avvay your Anchor, look up to the blood of Christ; it can forgive sins against mercy. Did not Noah sin against mercy? vvho, though he had been so miraculously preserved in the Flood, yet soon after he came out of the Ark, he was drunk. Did not David sin against mercy, when after [Page 80]God had made him King, he stained his soul with lust, and his robe with blood? Yet both these sins were wash­ed away in that Fountain which is set open for Judah to wash in, Zach. 12. 1. Did not the Disciples deal un­kindly with Christ in the time of his suffering? Peter denied him, and all the rest fled from his colours: Mat. 26, 56. Then all the Disciples for­sook him, and fled: Yet Christ did not take advantage of their weak­ness, nor did he cast them off, but sends the joyful news of his Resur­rection to them, Mat. 27. 7: And of his Ascension, John. 20. 17; Go to my Brethren, and say unto them, I ascend to my Father, and your Father. And lest Peter should think, he was none of the number that should be interested in Christ's love, therefore Christ dispatcheth away a special Message to Peter to comfort him: Mar. 16. 7. Go tell the Disciples and Peter, that he goes before you intoGalilee [Page 81] there shall you see him. So that where our hearts are sincere, and our turn­ings aside are rather from a defect in our power, than our will, the Lord Jesus will not take advantage of eve­ry failing, but will drop his blood up­on us, which hath a voice in it, which speaks better things than the blood of AbelHe. 12. 24..

Object. 3. But I find such a faint­ness and feebleness in my soul, that I dare not go to the Lords Ta­ble?

Resp. Thou hast the more need to go: Drink of this Wine for thy often infirmities, 1 Tim. 5. 23 Were it not strange for a man to argue thus, My body is weak and declining, therefore I will not go to the Physi­tian; he should the rather go. Our weakness should send us to Christ; his blood is mortal to sin, and vital to grace. Thou sayest, thou hast defects in thy soul; if thou hadst none, there would be no need of a Mediator, nor [Page 82]would Christ have any work to do: Oh therefore turn thy disputing into believing, be encouraged to come to this Blessed Supper; Thou shalt find Christ giving forth his sweet influen­ences, and thy grace shall flourish as an herb.

Object. 4. But I have often come to this Ordinance, and find no fruit? I am not filled with comfort?

Answ. God may meet thee in an Ordinance, when thou dost not dis­cern it. Christ was with Mary, yet she did not know it was Christ. Thou thinkest Christ hath not met thee at his Table, because he doth not give thee comfort.

1. Though he doth not fill thee with comfort, he may fill thee with strength. We think we have no an­swer from God in a duty, unless he fill us with joy; yes, God may mani­fest his presence, as well by giving strength as comfort. If we. have power from Heaven to foyl our cor­ruptions, [Page 83]and to walk more closely and evenly with God, this is an an­swer from God. Zach. 10. 12. I will strengthen them in the Lord. If Christian, thou hast not God's arm to imbrace thee, yet if thou hast his arm to strengthen thee, this is the fruit of an Ordinance.

2. If God doth not fill thy heart with joy, yet if he fills thy eyes with tears, this is his meeting thee at his Table. When thou lookest upon Christ broken on the Cross, and considerest his love, and thy ingrati­tude, this makes the dew begin to fall, and thy eyes are like the fish-pools in HeshbonCant: 4. 7., full of water: This is Gods gracious meeting thee in the Sacrament; bless his Name for it. It is a sign the Sun of Righteousness hath risen upon us, when our frozen hearts melt in tears for sin.

3. If thy Comforts are low, yet if the actings of thy Faith be high, this is Gods manifesting his presence [Page 84]in the Supper. The sensible tokens of Gods love are with-held, but the soul ventures on Christ's blood; it believes that coming to him, he will hold out the golden ScepterJoh. 6. 37.. This glorious acting of faith, and the in­ward quiet that faith breeds, is the blessed return of an Ordinance, Mic. 7. 19. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us. The Chur­ches comforts were darkned, but her faith breaks forth as the Sun out of a Cloud. He will have compassion on us. This acting of faith makes us in a blessed condition; Blessed are they which have not seen, yet have be­lievedJoh. 20. 24..

Object. 5. But I cannot find any of these things in the Sacrament; my heart is dead and locked up, and I have no return at all.

Resp. Wait on God for an an­swer of the Ordinance. God hath promised to satiate the soulPromissa Deicadunt in debitum. Psal. 107. 9. He silleth the hungry soul [Page 85] with goodness. If not with glad­ness, yet with goodness; the soul must be filled, or how can the promise be fulfilled? Christian! God hath said it, therefore wait. Wilt not thou be­lieve God, unless thou hast a voice from Heaven? The Lord hath given thee his promise; and is it not as good security to have a Bill under a man's hand, as to have it by word of mouth? Be content to wait a while; mercy will come. God's mercies in Scripture, are not called speedy mercies, but they are Sure mercies, Isa. 55. 3.

5. Hath Christ given us his Body 5. Bran. Blood? Then when we are at this Gospel-Ordinanc [...], let us remember the Lord Jesus there. The Sacrament is a Christ-remembring Ordinance. 1 Cor. 11. 25. This do in remembrance of me [...]. In mei com­m [...]morati­onem red­dit Am­brosius.. God hath appointed this spiritual festival, to preserve the li­ving memory of our dying Saviour. A Sacrament-day is a Commemorati­on-day.

[Page 86]1. Remember Christ's PassionMemori­ [...]m passio­nis meae, a­ [...]imis ve­stris reco­lit [...]. Estius in loc.. Lam. 3. 19. Remembring the worm­wood and the gall. I may a little al­ter the words. Remembring the Vine­gar and the [...]ll. If the Manna was to be kept in the Ark, that the me­mory of it should be preserved: How should the Death and Suffering of Christ be kept in our minds, as a me­morial, when we are at the Table of the Lord?

2. Remember the glorious bene­fits we receive from the broken Body of Christ. We usually re­member those things which are ad­vantageous to us. Christ's broken Body is a Screen t [...] keep off the fire of God's wrath from us; Christ's Bo­dy being broken, the Serpent's head is broken. Christ being broken up­on the Cross, a Box of precious Jew­els is broken open: Now we have access to God with boldness; the Blood of the Cross hath made way to the Throne of Grace: Now we [Page 87]are made Sons and Heirs; and to be Heir to the Promise, is better than to be Heir to the Crown. Christ having dyed, we are made near a kin to the blessed Trinity; we are can­didates and expectants of glory. The bloody way of the Cross, is our Via lact ea, our milky way to Heaven. Je­sus Christ drank Gall, that we might drink the hony-streams of Canaan. His Cross was stuck full of Nails, that our Crovvn might be hung full of Jevvels. Well may vve remem­ber Christ in the Blessed Sacra­ment!

But it is not the bare remembrance of Christ's Death is enough. Some vvho have a natural tenderness of spi­rit, may be affected vvith the History of Christ's Passion; but this remem­brance of Christ hath little comfort in it. Let us remember Christ in the Sacrament aright.

1. Let us remember Christ's Death vvith joy. Galat. 6. 14. God [Page 88] forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we see Christ in the Sacrament cruci­fied before our eyes, we may behold him in that posture as he was in upon the Cross, stretching out his blessed arms to receive us. O what matter of triumph and acclamation is this! Though we remember our sins with grief, yet we should remember Christs sufferings with joy. Let us weep for those sins which shed his Blood, yet rejoyce in that blood which washeth away our sins.

2. Let us so remember Christ's Death, as to conform to his Death. Phil. 3. 10. That I may be confor­mable to his death. Then we remem­ber Christ's Death aright, when we are dead with him; our pride and passion are dead. Christ's dying for us, makes sin die in us: Then we rightly remember Christ's cruci­fixion, when we are crucified with him; we are dead to the pleasures [Page 89]and preferments of the World. Gal. 6. 14. The world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

6. If Jesus Christ hat [...] [...]ven us this Soul-festival for the strength­ning Bran. 6. of grace; let us labour to feel some vertue flowing out of this Or­dinance to us; let not the Sacrament be a dry breast. It were strange if a man should receive no nourishment by his food. It is a discredit to this Ordinance, if we get no encrease of Grace. Shall leanness enter into our souls, at a feast of fat things? Christ gives us his Body and Blood, for the augmenting of Faith; he expects that we should reap some profit and income; and that our weak minute-faith, should flourish in­to a great faith. M [...]t. 15. 28. O woman, Great is thy faith! It were good to examine, whether after our frequent Celebration of this holy Supper, we have arrived at a great Faith.

[Page 90] Quest. Hovv may I knovv, Whe­ther I have this great Faith?

Resp. For the Solution of this, I shall la [...] lovvn six eminent Signs of a great Faith; and if vve can shevv any one of them, vve have made a good proficiency at the Sacrament.

1. A great Faith can trust God 1. Sign. vvithout a pavvn; it can relie upon Providence in the deficiency of out­vvard supplies, Hab. 3. 17, 18. Al­though the Figtree shall not blossome, neither shall fruit be in the Vines, the labour of the Olive shall fail, &c. yet will I rejoyce in the Lord, &c. An Unbeliever must have something to feed his senses, or he gives up the Ghost. When he is at his Wealths end, he is at his Wits end. Faith doth not question but God vvill provide, though it sees not vvhich vvay provi­sions should come in. Faith doth not fear FamineFides fa­ [...]um non formidat.. God hath set his Seal to it, Verily thou shalt be fed, Psal. 37. 3. Faith puts the Bond in [Page 91]suit. Lord, saith Faith, Wilt thou feed the Birds of the Air, and wilt not thou feed me? Shall I want, when my Father keeps the Purse? A good Christian with the Rod of Faith, smites the Rock in Heaven; and some honey and oyl, comes out for the recruiting his present neces­sities.

2. Sign.2. A great Faith is a wonder­working Faith. It can do those things which exceed the power of Nature. A great Faith can open heaven, it can overcome the world1 Joh. 5. 4.; it can master a complexion-sin2 Sam. 22. 24.; it can prefer the glory of God before Secular interestRom. 9. 1.; it can rejoyce in affliction1 Thes. 1. 6.; it can bridle the intem­perancy of passion; it can shine forth in the hemisphere of its relations; it can do duties in a more refined sublimated manner, mixing Love with Duty, which mellows it, and makes it taste more pleasant. It can antedate GloryFides at­tingit in­accessa, prospicit novissima., and make things [Page 92]at the greatest distance to unite. Thus the Spring-head of Faith ri­seth higher than Nature. A man by the power of Nature can no more do this, than Iron can of it self swim, or the Earth ascend.

3. A great faith is firm and stedfast; weak faith is frequently shaken with 3. Sign. fears and doubts. A great Faith is like an Oak, that spreads its roots deep, and is not easily blown down. Col. 2. 7. A great Faith is like the An­chor, or Cable of a Ship, that holds it steddy in the midst of storms [...]. Chrysost.. A Christian who is steeled with this heroick Faith, is setled in the Myste­ries of Religion. The Spirit of God hath so firmly printed heavenly truths upon his heart, that you may as vvell remove the Sun out of the Firmament, as remove him from those holy Principles he hath sucked in. Be­hold here, a Pillar in the Temple of GodRev. 3. 12.

[Page 93]4. A great Faith can trust in an 4. Sign. angry God; it believes Gods love through a frownIon. 2. 4.. A vigorous Faith, though it be repulsed and beaten back, yet it will come on a­gain [...]., and press upon God with an holy obstinacy. The Woman of Canaan was three times repulsed by Christ, yet she would take no denial from him; she turns discouragements into arguments, and made a fresh on­set upon Christ, till at last by the power of Faith she overcame him. O Woman, great is thy Faith, be it unto thee as thou wilt, Mat. 15. 28. The Key of her Faith unlocked Christ's bowels, and now she may have what she will from him. When once she had gotten his heart, she might have his treasure too.

5. A great Faith can swim a­gainst Tyde; it can go c [...]oss to sense 5. Sign. and reason. Corrupt reason saith as Peter, Master, Pity thy self. Faith saith, It is better to suffer, than sin. [Page 94]Reason consults safety; Faith will ha­zard safety, to preserve Sanctity. A Believer can sail to Heaven, though the Tyde of Reason, and the Wind of Temptation be against him [...]. Chrysostom..

Abraham in the case of sacrificing his Son, did not call Reason to the Councel-board: When God said, Offer up thy son Isaac, it was enough to pose not only fleshly wisdom, but even Faith too; for here, the com­mands of God did seem to interfere. In one command, the Lord said, Thou shalt not murder; and behold here a quite contrary command, Offer up thy son. So that Abraham in obeying one command, seemed to disobey another.

Besides Isaac was a son of the Promise; the Messiah was to come of Isaac's lineHebr. 11. 18.; and if he be cut [Page 95]off, where shall the World have a Mediator? Here was enough to a­muse, and puzzle this holy Patriarch; yet Abraham's Faith unties all these knots, and the bloody knife is made ready.

Abraham believed that when God called for it, it was not Murther, but Sacrifice; and that the Lord having made a promise of Christ's springing out of Isaac's loyns, rather than the promise should fall to the ground, God could raise up seed out of Isaac's ashes. Here was a Gyant-faith, which God himself did set a Trophy of honour upon. Gen. 22. 16. By myself have Isworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not with-held thy Son [...]., thine only Son, That in blessing I will bless thee, &c.

6. A great Faith can bear great 6. Sign. delayes. Though God doth not give a present answer to prayer, Faith believes it shall have an answer in [Page 96]due time. A weak faith is soon out of breath, and if it hath not the mercy presently, it begins to faint; whereas he who hath a strong puis­sant faith, doth not make haste Isa. 28. 16.. A great Faith is content to stay God's leisure. Faith will trade with God for time. Lord, saith Faith, If I have not the mercy I want instantly, I will trust longer; I know my mo­ney is in good hands; an answer of peace will come. Perhaps the mercy is not yet ripe, or perhaps I am not ripe for the mercy. Lord, do as it seems good in thine eyes. Faith knows that the most tedious Voyages have the richest returns; and the longer mercy is in expectati­on, the sweeter it will be in fru­itionQuo lon­gius defer tur, [...] sua­vius laeta­tur..

Behold here a glorious faith; if we have such a faith as this to shew, it is a blessed fruit of our Sacramental con­verse with God.

[Page 97]But I would not discourage Infant-believers. If your grace be not risen Caution to the bigness and proportion of a great Faith, yet if it be of the proper kind, it shall find acceptance. God who bids us receive him who is weak in faith Rom. 14. 10, will not himself refuse him. If your Faith be not grown to a Cedar, yet if it be a bruised Reed, it is too good to be broken, Mat. 12. 20. A weak Faith can lay hold on a strong Christ. A Palsie hand may tye the Knot in Marriage.

Only, let not Christians rest in lower measures of grace, but aspire af­ter higher degrees. The stronger our Faith, the firmer our Union with Christ, and the more sweet influence we draw from him.

This is that which honours the bles­sed Sacrament, when we can shew the encrease of grace; and being strong in faith, bring glory to GodRom. 4. 17.

7. Hath Jesus Christ provided such a blessed Banquet for us? He doth not Bran. 7. [Page 98]Nurse us abroad, but feeds us with his own breast, nay blood; let us then study to answer this great love of Christ. 'Tis true, we can never pa­rallel his love; yet let us shew our selves thankful. We can do nothing satisfactory, but we may do something gratulatory. Christ gave himself a sin­offering [...] for us, let us give our selves a thank-offering to him [...].. If a man redeem another out of Debt, will not he be grateful? How deeply do we stand obliged to Christ, who hath re­deemed us from HellCum ei donavero quicquid sum, quicquid possum, nonne est tanquam scintilla ad ad solem, gutta ad sluvium, granum ad acervum? Non hab [...] nis [...] minuta duo, Corpus & Animam, &c. Bern. flor.!

And let us shew our thankfulness four ways.

1. By Courage. Christ hath set us a Copy; he did not fear men, but endured the Cross, and despised the shame. Let us be steeled with courage, being ready to suffer for Christ, which [Page 99]is (as Chrysostom speaks) to be baptized with a Baptism of blood. Did Christ bear the wrath of God for us, and shall not we bear the wrath of men for him? It is our glory to suffer in Christs quarrel. 1 Pet. 4. 14 The Spirit of God, and of glory resteth upon you [...]. Chrysostom.. Let us pray for furnace­grace: Be like those three Children, Dan. 3. 17. Be it known to thee, O King, that we will not serve thy gods. They would rather burn, than bow. Oh that such a spirit as was in Cyprian, might survive in us! who, when the Proconsul would have tempted him from his Religion; and said to him, Consule tibi, Consult for thy safety: saith Cyprian, In so just a cause there needs no consultation. When the sentence for his death was read, he replyed, Deo gratias, Thanks be to God Serm. Aug. de Cyp [...].. We know not how soon an hour of Temptation may come; Oh remember Christ's Body was broken, [Page 100]his blood poured out; we have no such blood to shed for him, as he shed for us.

2. Let us shew our thankful­ness to Christ by fruitful­nessLignum aridum factus er at in Ada­mo, sed per gratiam Christi pomifera ar­bor pullulâs [...]i. Ambros. de Sacra­mento.. Let us bring forth the sweet fruits of patience, hea­venly-mindedness, and good works. This is to live unto him who dyed for us, 2 Cor. 5. 15. If we would rejoyce the heart of Christ, and make him not repent of his sufferings, let us be fertil in obedience. The wise men did not only worship Christ, but presented unto him gifts, Gold and Frankincense, Mat. 2. 11. Let us present Christ with the best fruits of our Garden, let us give him our love, that flovver of delight. The Saints are not only compared to Stars for their knowledg, but Spice-trees for their fertilness Christ delighted in the breasts of his Spouse, because they vvere like Clusters of Grapes, Cant. 7. 7. The blood of Christ re­ceived [Page 101]in a spiritual manner, is like the water of jealousie, which had a ver­tue both to kill and make fruitfulNumb. 5. 27, 28.. Christs blood kills sin, and makes the heart fructifie in grace.

3. Let us shew our thankfulness to Christ by Zeal. Hovv zealous vvas Christ for our Redemption! Zeal turns a Saint into a Seraphim. A true Christian hath a double Baptism, of vvater, and fire: he is baptized vvith the fire of zealZelus est gradus in­tensus pu­rae affecti­onis.. Be zealous for Christs Name and Worship. Zeal is encreased by opposition; it cuts its vvay through the Rocks. Zeal loves Truth most, when it is disgraced and hated. Psal. 119, 126, 127. They have made void thy Law, therefore I love thy Commandments above Gold.

Hovv little thankfulness do they shevv to Christ, vvho have no zeal for his Honour and Interest! They are like Ephraim, Hos. 7. 8. Ephraim is a Cake not turned. Baked on one side, and Dough on the other. Christ doth [Page 102]most abominate a luke vvarm temper: Revel. 3. 15. He is even sick of such Professors. They who vvrite of the scituation of England, say, that it is seated betvveen the torrid and frigid Zone, the Climate is neither very hot nor cold. I vvish, this vvere not the temper of the people, and that our hearts vvere not too like the Climate vve live in. The Lord cause the fire of holy zeal to be alvvays burning upon the Altar of our hearts.

4. Let us shevv our thankfulness by universal subjection to Christ. This is to make the Lord's-Supper in a spi­ritual sense, a feast of Dedication [...]. Suidas., vvhen vve renevv our Vovvs, and give up our selves to God's service. Psal. 116. 16. Truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant: Lord, all I have is thine. My head shall be thine to study for thee; my hands shall be thine to vvork for thee; my heart shall be thine to adore thee; my tongue shall be thine to praise thee.

[Page 103]8. If Jesus Christ hath provided so Bran. 8. holy an Ordinance as the Sacrament, let us vvalk suitably to it. Have vve received Christ into our hearts? let us shevv him forth by our heaven line [...].

1. Let us shevv forth Christ by our heavenly vvords. Let us speak the Language of Canaan. When the Holy Ghost came upon the Apostles, they spake vvith other tongues, Acts 2. 4. While vve speak the vvords of grace and soberness, our lips smell as a per­fume, and drop as honey.

2. Let us shevv forth Christ by our heavenly affections. Let our sighs and breathings after God, go up as a cloud of incense. Col. 3. 2. Set your affecti­ons on things above. We should do by our affections, as the Husbandmen do by their Corn; if the Corn lie lovv in a damp Room, it is in danger to corrupt; therefore they carry it up into their highest Room, that it may keep the better. So our affections, if set upon the Earth, are apt to corrupt, [Page 104]and be unsavoury; therefore w [...] should carry them up on high above the World, that they may be preser­ved pure; breathe after fuller disco­veries of God; desire to attain unto the resurrection of the dead, Phil. 3. 11. The higher our affections are raised towards Heaven, the sweeter joy we feel. The higher the Lark flies, the sweeter it sings.

3. Let us shew forth Christ by our Heavenly Conversation: Philip. 3. 20. Hypocrites may in a pang of Conscience have some good affections stirred, but they are as flushings of heat in the face, which go and come. But the con­stant tenor of our life must be ho­ly. We must shine forth in a kind of Angelical sanctity. As it is with a piece of Coyn, it hath not only the King's Image within the Ring, but his superscription without: So it is not enough to have the Image of Christ in the [Page 105]heart, but there must be the super­scription without, something of Christ must be written in the life.

The scandalous lives of many Communicants are a reproach to the Sacrament, and tempt others to Atheism. How odious is it, that those hands which have re­ceived the Sacred Elements, should take Bribes! That those eyes, which have been fill'd with tears at the Lords-Table, should afterwards be filled with Envy! That those teeth, which have eaten Holy Bread, should grind the faces of the Poor! That those lips, which have touched the Sacramental Cup, should salute an Harlot Sunt lo­tis mani bus, sed illotis ope­ribus. Ber.! That that mouth which hath drunk Consecrated Wine, should be full of Oaths! That they who seem to deisie Christ in the Eucharist, should vilifie him in his Members! In a word, That such who pretend to eat Christ's Body, and drink his Blood at [Page 106]Church, should eat the bread of wick­edness, and drink the wine of violence in their own houses! Prov. 4. 17. These are like the Italians I have read of, who at the Sacrament are so devout, as if they believed God to be in the bread; but in their lives are so pro­fane, as if they believed not God to be in Heaven. Such as these are apt to make the World think that the Gos­pel is but a fancy, or religious Cheat. What shall I say of them? They do with Judas, receive the Devil in the Sop, and are no better than CrucifiersConcul­cant Da­minum, & sanguinem dulcissim [...] vi [...]is du­cunt pol­lutum. Bern. of the Lord of Glory. As their [...]in is hainous, so their punishment will be proportionable, 1 Cor. 11. 29. They eat and drink damnation to themselves. If one of the Vestal Nuns who had vo­wed her self to Religion were deflo­red, the Romans caused her to be bu­ried alive Plutarch.. Such as have a Sacra­mental vow upon them, yet after­wards deflore the Virginity of their souls byscandalous sins, God will bury them alive in the flames of Hell.

[Page 107]Oh that such a lustre and majesty of holiness did sparkle forth in the lives of Communicants, that others may say, These have been with Jesus! And their Consciences may lie under the power of this conviction, that the Sacrament hath a confirming and a transforming vertue in it!

4. The fourth Use is of comfort to God's people. Use 4. Conso­lation.

1. From Christ's body broken, and his blood poured out, we may gather this comfort, That it was a glorious Sacrifice.

1. It was a Sacrifice of infinite me­rit. Had it been only an Angel that suffered; or had Chaist been only a meer man, (as some do blasphemously dream Poterit h [...]c opinio Hebioni convenire qui nudum homi­n [...]m &c. Tertul.) then we might have despaired of salvation; but he suffered for us who was God as well as man Non fuit [...], sed [...].. Therefore the Apostle calls it expresly, San­guis Dei, the blood of God, Acts 20. 28. It is man that sins, it is [Page 108]God that dies. This is a soveraign Cordial to Believers. Christ having poured out his blood, now God's justice is compleatly satisfied. God was infinitely more contented with Christ's sufferings upon Mount Cal­vary, than if we had lain in Hell, and undergone his wrath for ever. The Blood of Christ hath quenched the flame of Divine fury: And now what should we fear? All our Enemies are either reconciled, or subdued; God is a reconciled Enemy, and sin is a subdued Ene­my. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? It is Christ that dyed, Rom. 8. 34. 'Tis re­ported when Satan once appeared to Luther, and thought to affright him, Luther shewed him that Scrip­ture, Gen. 3. 15. I will put en­mity between thee and the Woman, and between thy seed and her Seed, it shall bruise thy head; whereupon Satan vanished. So when the De­vil [Page 109]shall accuse us, let us shew him the Cross of Christ. When he brings his Pensil, and goes to paint our sins in their colours, let us bring the Spunge of Christ's blood, and that will wipe them out again. All Bonds are cancel'd; whatsoever the Law hath charged upon us, is discharged. The debt-book is crossed with the blood of the Lamb.

2. It was a Sacrifice of eternal ex­tent. The benefit of it is perpetu­ated. Hebr. 9. 12. He entred in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us In [...] Chri­sti [...] ifici [...]m ad [...] [...], [...] mansu­ [...] [...]luisse. Esti­us. Therefore Christ is said to be a Priest for ever, Hebr. 5. 6. because the vertue and com­fort of his Sacrifice abides for ever.

2. Christ's Blood being shed, 2. Believers may lay claim to all hea­venly priviledges; Wills are ratified by the death of the Testator. Hebr. 9. 17. A Testament is of force after [Page 110] men are dead. It is observable in the Text; Christ calls his blood, The blood of the New TestamentSanguis quo foedus solenniter sancitur. Grotins.. Christ made a Will or Testa­ment, and gave rich Legacies to the Saints, pardon of sin, grace, and glory, the Scrip­tures are the Rolls wherein these Legacies, are registred, Christ's blood is the sealing of the Will. This blood being shed, Christians may put in for a Title to these Legacies. Lord, pardon my sin, Christ hath died for my pardon. Give me grace, Christ hath pur­chased it by his Blood. The Testator being dead, the Will is in force. Christian, Art thou not filled with joy? Art thou not possessed of Heaven? yet thou hast this confirmed by Will. A Man that hath a Deed sealed, making over such Lands and Tenements after the expirement of a few years, though at present he hath little to help himself with, yet he comforts himself when he looks upon his sealed Deed, with hopes of that which is to come. So, though at present we enjoy not the priviledges of Consolation, and Glorification, yet we may chear our hearts with this, the Deed is sealed, the Will and Testament is ratified by the blood-shedding of Christ.

3. Is Christ's Blood shed? here is com­fort against death. A dying Saviour swee­tens the pangs of death3. Mors obiit [...]orte [...]risti.. Is thy Lord [Page 111]Crucified? be of good comfort, Christ by dying hath overcome death. He hath cut the lock of sin, where the strength of death lay. Christ hath knocked out the teeth of this Lyon: He hath pulled the thorn out of death, that it cannot prick a Believer's Conscience. Hosea 13. 14. O death, I will be thy plague. Christ hath disarmed death and taken away all its deadly weapons, that though it may strike, it cannot sting a Belie­ver. Christ hath drawn the poyson out of death, nay, he hath made death friendlyMertis aculeum retud it Christus, & [...]im infregit; jam­que fit peccati abol [...] ­tio, & ad vitam me­liorem transitio. Ri­vet. in Gen. c. 2. Exercit. 21.. This pale Horse car­ries a Child of God home to his Father's house. Faith gives a pro­priety to Heaven, death gives a possession: What sweet com­fort may we draw from the Cru­cifixion of our Lord! his preci­ous blood makes the pale face of death to be of a ruddy and beautiful com­plexion.

Use ult. Here is a dark side of the Cloud Use 5. Terror. to all profane persons who live and die in sin, they have no part in Christ's blood. Their condition will be worse, than if Christ had not died: Christ who is a Loadstone to draw the Elect to Heaven, will be a Mill­stone [Page 112]to sink the wicked deeper in Hell. There is a Crew of sinners who slight Christ's blood, and swear by it; let them know his blood will cry against them. They must feel the same wrath which Christ felt upon the Cross; and because they cannot bear it at once, they must be undergoing it to Eternity2 Thes. 1. 9.. So unconceivably torturing will this be, that the damned know not how to endure it, nor yet how to avoid it.

Sinners will not believe this till it be too late. The Mole is blind all its life, yet, as Pliny saith, it begins to see when it dyesOculos iucipit a­perire mo­riendo quos clausos ha­buit vi­vendo.. Wicked men while they live, are blinded by the god of this world2 Cor. 4. 4.; but when they are dying, the eye of their Consciences will be­gin to be opened, and they shall see the Wrath of God flaming before their eyes, which sight will be but a sad Prologue to an Eternal Tragedy.