THe Prophets are Com­ments upon the Law in the Old Testament, and the Epistles upon the Gospels in the New. My Text is part of the Epistles, and it Comments upon that command of our [Page 2]Saviour to his Disciples, Doe this in Re­membrance of me. Which is a part of the Gospell of the Institution of the Holy Communion. For that command is re­peated in the 25. Verse of this Chapter, and then followes my Text immediately, as a Comment upon that Command, a Glosse upon that Evangelicall Law; For as oft as ye eate this Bread, and drinke this Cup, ye doe shew the Lords Death till he come.

And if you observe it well, my Text as a cleere and full Comment, explaines all the doubts and difficulties of that Text in the Gospell, Doe this in remembrance of me.

For first, there's no time exprest when this is to be done, or celebrated; so the doubt is, First concerning the frequency of Celebrating, whether once, or more then once? This doubt the Comment cleeres in the first words of my Text, As oft; so it is to be done againe, and againe, and that of­ten.

A second doubt is concerning the du­ration of this blessed Sacrament: How [Page 3]long? whether temporary or perpetuall? this the Comment likewise cleeres in the last words of my Text, Till he come; so it is to continue in the Church till our Savi­ours second comming.

Againe, it is not cleere in the Gospell, whither these words are to be referr'd, Do this, for they are mentioned onely in Saint Luke 22 S. Luke. 19., and they are mentioned af­ter the Institution, and Consecration of the Bread onely, and not of the Cup: so the doubt here is, Whether they referre to the Bread alone, or to both Bread and Cup? but the Comment here directs you to referre them to both, For as oft as ye eate this Bread, and drinke this Cup too, saith the Text, ye doe, indicatively, or doe ye, im­peratively, that is, doe both, and doe this in both.

Besides, we doe not understand out of the Gospel, the latitude of this Command, Doe this, what it comprehends within it, whether the action of the Receiver onely, or of the Minister onely, or both: that is, Totam Sacramentalem acti­onem, [Page 4]the whole Sacramentall action; here's another doubt.

And here againe we must have recourse to the Comment in my Text for directi­on, and that expounds it of both. First, Doe this, that is, eate this Bread, and drinke this Cup, here's the action of the receiver in ex­presse termes.

But that's not all, for what our blessed Saviour did by way of Preparation, be­fore his Disciples Communicated (I meane not for all Circumstances, but for Essen­tials) as taking and blessing the Bread, and the Cup, and the like; that must the Ministers of Christ in all ages also doe, by vertue of this Command, Doe this. And this is cleere also in the Comment of my Text, though not expressely as the action of the Receiver, yet by evident conse­quence, and that from the Emphasis of the Greeke Articles before the Bread and Cup, [...], This Bread, and this Cup, for without the action of the Mini­ster, in taking, and blessing the elements; the Receivers may indeed eate, and drinke [Page 5]common bread and wine, but they cannot bee so well assured, that they eate and drinke this Sacramentall Bread and Wine, so call'd here by way of Eminence, and speci­all reference.

Yet farther, my Text doth cleerely ex­pound the end of that command of our Saviour, Doe this in remembrance of me. First, in remembrance, that is, nor a bare and na­ked remembrance lockt up onely within the closet of our owne memories, but such a remembrance, as is withall a Re­membrancer of it, to, and with others, a Commemoration, whereby in a joynt Communion together, wee proclaime, and shew forth our Saviours Love. As oft as ye eate this Bread, and drinke this Cup, ye doe, or shall shew forth, saith my Text.

Lastly, in remembrance of me, saith the Com­mand in the Gospell; of me, that is not so much of my Incarnation, life, miracles, doctrine, resurrection, ascension, as espe­cially and expressely of my death, and Pas­sion, ye doe shew the Lords Death, saith the Comment in my Text.

I have done with the For, in the begin­ning of my Text, which connects it with the verse precedent, whereof it is a com­ment, and a confirmation, as you see.

To draw neerer to the Text it selfe, wherein you may observe these two ge­nerall parts, Our service to God in the use of this blessed Sacrament, in the former part, As oft as yee eate this Bread and drinke this Cup: And the meaning of this service, or the Res Sacramenti, the thing signifyed by it, in the latter part, Ye doe shew the Lords Death till he come. 12. Exod 26.27.

In the 12. of Exodus God enjoynes the people of Israel, that when their children should aske them concerning the Passe­over, What meane you by this Service? that they should say, It is the Sacrifice of the Lords Passeover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians and delivered our houses.

In the like manner Saint Paul, having receiv'd it of the Lord, delivers unto us the meaning of this Service of the Evangeli­call Passeover, It is the Memoriall of our Savi­ours [Page 7]Sacrifice offered upon the Crosse once for all, which we celebrate in remem­brance of him, to shew forth his bitter death and Passion.

But to proceed, in the first generall part, which is the Service we are to performe to God, in the use of this blessed Sacrament, you have these three particulars contai­ned. 1. The parts of this Sacrament. 2. The Sacramentall actions. 3. The circumstances of those actions.

1 1. The parts of this Sacrament, and they are two: Res terrena, et Res Coelestis, as Iren. lib. 4. aduersus hae­res. cap. 34. Ire­naeus cals them, the Earthy, and the Heaven­ly part. The earthy part is here exprest, bread and wine; the heavenly part is the body and blood of Christ, here imported in the Articles [...], This Bread, and This Cup, which hath an Emphaticall reference to the verses immediately precedent, where it is said of the bread and cup after our Sa­viours blessing them, that This is my Body which is broken for you, and this Cup is the New Testament in my Blood. This Bread, and This [Page 8] Cup that do Sacramentally exhibite the Bo­dy, and Blood of our Saviour, are here spe­cially design'd.

2. Ye have The Sacramentall actions, and they are in like manner two; Eating, and Drinking; answerable to the parts of the Sacrament, eating this Bread, and drinking this Cup.

• First, wee must Eate: It is not enough to purpose or desire to be Guests at this hea­venly Table; neither may wee be pre­sent onely as spectators and beholders, to see, and to gaze, but we must tast and eat.
• Secondly, wee must Drinke the Cup too as well as Eat the Bread, these two are joyn'd together by Christ in the Instituti­on, and they may not be sever'd by Man without manifest impiety.

3. The Circumstances of the actions (which make the third particular in this first generall) they are likewise two.

The first is of Time: Baptisme is to bee received once onely; but this blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper often, both [Page 9]out of a gratefull obedience to our Sa­viour, and out of a carefull regard of our owne spirituall advantage by it. As oft as yee eate this Bread, and drinke this Cup. It is not barely [...], when, but [...], how oft so­ever, which implyes a frequency.

The second circumstance is of the Persons Communicating, Ye. First, Ye in the plurall number: for this Holy Sacrament is a Com­munion, & may not be received by one alone.

Ye againe, that are Members of the Church, Ye are to eat of this Bread, and drinke of this Cup. For he that is not entred into the my­sticall body of the Church by Baptisme, is no fit subject as yet to partake of these high, and holy mysteries.

And these are the severals in the first ge­nerall part of the Text, to wit, the Service of the Communion.

In the second generall part, which is the Meaning of this service, ye have three particu­lars likewise, each of them sutable to the three particulars in the former part of the Text; wherein you have the speciall mea­ning of each part of the service declared.

• [Page 10]First, ye have the meaning of the Sacramen­tall bread and cup, to wit, the death of Christ.
• Secondly, ye have the meaning of our eating this Bread, and drinking this Cup, name­ly, the shewing forth of Christs death.
• Thirdly, ye have the meaning of our often eating this Bread, and drinking this Cup: to wit, the perpetuation of our Saviours memory, so long as he is corporally absent from us here on Earth, even till he come againe in his glorious presence to judge the quicke and the dead. As oft as yee eat this Bread, and drinke this Cup, yee doe shew the Lords Death till be come.

Here's a large field of matter, I can but gather here and there an eare of corne as I passe along, without making any long stay upon any particular.

I begin first with the Parts of this Holy Sacrament (which is the first particular un­der the first generall;) and first with the Earthy part, or outward Elements, which are Bread, and Wine.

The outward senses of Man are the win­dowes [Page 11]or gates of the soule, nothing enters into the soule but by them; wee understand nothing, we know nothing, whilst wee are here in the body, but the eare, or the eye, or some one, or more of the senses present it first to the soule, and the more senses there are that present a matter to the soule, the soule understands it the more cleerely, and be­leeves it the more strongly, even as the ope­ning of many windows lets in the more light into the house.

God knowes our mould in this, and con­siders it graciously, and accordingly he vouchsafes not onely to instruct and per­swade us by the Eare, in the hearing of his word, but by the Eye, Taste, Touch, in the outward elements of this Sacrament, which we may see, handle and taste, for our further instructi­on, and confirmation.

If any man therefore, presuming upon I know not what spirituall Revelations, and Seraphicall raptures, shall neglect the hearing of Gods Word for his instruction; or if any o­ther, resting in the bare hearing of the Eare, shall neglect this blessed Sacrament, wherein [Page 12]God farther manifests himself to the faith­full Soule, by the doore of the rest of the sen­ses; if there be any such presuming spirits, they very much forget themselves that they are yet in the body; Yea, they forget God too, and his gracious condescent herein to our corporeall weaknesse, who best knows where­of wee are made, and how best to consider it.

That there is an earthy and sensible part in the Sacrament therefore ye see great rea­son for it; But what is the reason of the choice of Bread and Wine to be the sen­sible part in this Sacrament? Was not the killing of the Paschall Lamb, and the striking of the blood therof upon the lintell and side­posts of the doore, a more sensible and cleere Resemblance of the shedding of the blood of the immaculate Lambe of God? Why then was the Passeover abrogated, and Bread and Wine in the place thereof substituted, as the sensible part of this Sacrament?

To omit many other most proper Ana­logies, and aptitudes in the Elements of Bread and Wine, serving for this purpose; I will [Page 13]only give you an account of this change thus in briefe.

The Old Testament (you know) is abro­gated (I meane in regard of the manner of Administration of it, by the Leviticall and Ceremoniall Law) and the New is now in force, the Testator himselfe having confir­med it by his owne precious Death, and Blood-shedding; Hence, the shedding of the blood of the Paschall Lambe is justly ceas'd. For after so soveraigne an expiation by the Blood of Christ himselfe, no shedding of blood is now necessary, Heb. 9. & 10. ch. as the Apostle ar­gues in the Epistle to the Hebrewes: and hence this Sacrament of the New Testament in the breaking of the Bread, and powring forth of the Wine most fitly succeeds in the place thereof, as being the most apt and vive expression of blood already shed, with­out new blood-shedding.

Besides, though our heavenly Father knowes, that even under the New Testa­ment, we have need of these outward and sensible things, and that for the strengthen­ing of our Faith, whilst we are here in the [Page 14] body, and therefore (as ye read but now) God in his infinite Wisedome and Goodnesse to us, hath instituted Sacraments for us in the New Testament, as well as in the Old, which consist of an outward and sensible, as well as an heavenly and spirituall part.

Yet there is a very observable difference of degrees, at least, betwixt the Sacraments and Services of the Old and New Testament, even in this regard: Those of the Law and Old Testament, were more sensible and earthy, but these of the Gospel and New Testament, more pure and spirituall; the Law being as it were the body to the Gospel, and the Gospel being the spirit and life of the Law.

Thus the Passeover which was a more crasse and corporeall Sacrament is ceas'd also together with the Law, and in stead there­of, a Sacrament more sutable to the Gospel is instituted in Bread and Wine, which of all sensible substances here below, are the most pure, and so the fittest to set out the spirituall service of the Gospel.

The consideration whereof should teach [Page 15]us that live under the Gospel, not to rest our selves in any bodily, or outward obser­vations, as if they were the onely or prin­cipall duty of the Gospel, but to use them as helpes onely, the better to enable us for the due performing of our spirituall services, which is the perfection the Gospel cals us to, and without which all other performances like a hungry, and barren soyle will yeeld but little solid fruite, or comfort to our soules.

And so I passe from the more sensible and earthy part of this Sacrament; to the spiritu­all, and heavenly part, to wit, the Body and Blood of Christ, which is imported in the Emphasis of the Articles here, This Bread, and This Cup.

Where, before we come to the Emphasis, and what it imports, give me leave to ob­serve, First, that the Apostle here cals the Sacramentall Elements, Bread and Wine, and that after the words of Institution, and Consecration. So, they retaine their nature, and substance still and remaine Bread and Wine, even after this great advancement.

And here you may see upon what a san­dy foundation the Church of Rome hath built that most dangerous and destructive doctrine of Transubstantiation; Saint Paul calls the Elements Bread and Wine, after consecration; the Church of Rome saith, they cease then to be Bread and Wine, their very substance is converted into the sub­stance of the naturall Body, and Blood of Christ, by a new way of their owne fan­cying, which Biell a prime Doctor of theirs confesses, is not to be found in the Ca­non of the Bible, Biel Lect. 40. in Can. Missae. for which they have su­tably invented a new Name of Transub­stantiation.

And I call it a destructive Doctrine, and that most justly, and in many Re­gards.

For first, it destroyes the nature of the Elements of Bread, and Wine, by a totall Conversion of them into the substance of Christs Body, and Blood.

Secondly, it destroyes the nature, and properties of Christs Body, by ascribing Infi­nitenesse, and Omnipresence not onely to the [Page 17] Person of Christ, but to his naturall Bo­dy, which was borne of the Blessed Vir­gin.

Thirdly, it destroyes the Peace of Christendome, or at least it hath a great share in it, as being boldly, and rashly de­fin'd by the Church of Rome, and pre­sumptuously impos'd as an Article of Faith, to be beleev'd upon Necessity of Salva­tion.

Fourthly, it is notoriously knowne, the denyall of it hath destroy'd the Lives of many of Gods faithfull Servants, both here, and in other parts of the Christian world.

Fifthly, and Lastly, to adde no more, it's destructive of Piety and Devotion in di­verting the Soule from devout and usefull Meditations, and drawing it aside to subtleties of wit, and empty speculations. To this purpose Master Hooker Eccles. Poli [...]. lib. 5. sect. 67. excel­lently observes, that the Discourses of the Romanists concerning Transubstantiation are hungry and unpleasant, full of tedious and irkesome labour, heartlesse, and with­out [Page 18] Fruite; whereas the Discourses of An­cient, and Later Writers, concerning the Mysticall presence of Christ, the use, effi­cacy, and benefit of the Sacrament, are heavenly and devout; their words sweete as the Honeycombe, their tongues melodi­ously-tun'd Instruments, and their senten­ces meere Consolation, and ioy.

II The second thing which I will observe from this part, is, that Saint Paul doth not call the Consecrated Elements, bare Bread and Wine, and no more, but Bread, and Wine, with an Emphasis. This Bread, and this Cup, of which it was said before in the words of Christ, This is my Body which is broken for you, and this Cup is the New Testament in my Blood.

How the Bread and Wine in this Sacra­ment are the Body and Blood of Christ, is a great Mystery to unfold.

Master Calvin in his fourth Booke of In­stitutions, Calv. lib. 4. In­stit. cap. 17. sect 7. Cap. [...]vij. calls it sublime my­sterium, cui nec mens plane cogitando, nec lin­gua explicando par esse potest. A Mystery [Page 19]so sublime, that the minde of Man is not a­ble to comprehend it, much lesse the tongue to unfold it. Quod ergo mens nostra non comprehendit, concipiat fides. (so hee goes on excellently in the same Chap­ter, Sect. 10.) What therefore our Rea­son cannot comprehend, let Faith con­ceive. Christ hath said it, this is my Body, let us therefore beleeve the Truth of the thing.

But hee hath not said the manner how, let us not therefore search into that which is not written. For mine owne part (saith the same Authour Lib. 4. Instit. c. 17. sect 19. Caeterum his absurditatibus sublatis, quic­quid, ad expri­mendam veram substantialem­que Corporis ac sauguinis Do­mini communi­cationem, quae sub sacris Coe­nae symbolis fi­delibus exhibē ­tur, facere potest libenter recipio: atque ita ut non imaginatione duntaxat, aut ment is intelli­gentia percipere sed ut re ipsa frui in alimen­tum vitae aeter­nae intelligantur) his absurditatibus sublatis, set aside the absur­dities which boldly and falsely define the manner of the presence of Christs bo­dy and blood in the Lords Supper, (Hee meanes Consubstantiation and Transub­stantiation) whatsoever may be said to ex­presse the Communication of the true, and substantiall Body, and Blood of the Lord, which are exhibited to the Faithfull, un­der the holy Symboles of the Supper, J willingly admit; and that in such sort that this participa­tion [Page 20]may be understood, not in Imagination one­ly, and Apprehension of the minde, but a Reall Fruition to nourish the body and soule to eter­nall Life. Thus, that Reverend Author, and much more to the same purpose in that place.

With the same wisedome and sobriety the Church of England speakes of this great Mystery, shee does not (as the Church of Rome unjustly charges us) exclude Christ out of the Sacrament, and make it a bare signe, and Figure of his body and blood; shee indeed denyes their Carnall and Corporeall presence of Christ in the Sa­crament, and acknowledges onely an hea­venly, and spirituall presence, without any farther defining of the manner in particu­lar.

But for the Truth of the thing it selfe shee beleeves, and acknowledges expresse­ly, That to such as rightly, worthily, and with Faith receive the same, the Bread which we breake, is a partaking of the body of Christ, and likewise the Cup of bles­sing, is a partaking of the Blood of Christ, [Page 21]in the Art. 28. relig. 28. Article of Religion, and more fully in the Doctr. of the Sacraments. Catechisme, The body and blood of Christ, are verily and indeed taken of the Faithfull in the Lords Sup­per.

I goe on to the Sacramentall actions, which are likewise two, answerable to the parts of this Sacrament, to wit, Ea­ting of this Bread, and Drinking of this Cup.

First, we must Eate this Bread.

There is a fourefold benefit which wee receive by our bodily Eating; Nourishment, Society, Delight, and Physicke; You know there is a Meale for Nourishment, a Feast for Society, a Banquet for Delight, and a Medicine for Physicke. This fourefold be­nefit wee receive to our soules in a farre more eminent manner, by this Sacramen­tall Eating; and for this fourefold benefits sake, we must taste and eate this Sacrament, and we shall find it (if we prepare our selves aright before we eate it) to be through the Grace of Christ;

First, Coelestis Refectio, an Heavenly Repast, to nourish us up to eternall Life.

Secondly, Sacrum Convivium, a holy Feast, to mainetaine the mysticall so­ciety betwixt Christ, and his members, and to be a bond of Love and Ʋnity amongst Christians.

Thirdly, Spirituale Epulum Cal. lib. 4. In­stit. c. 17. sect. 1. a spiri­tuall Banquet, for inward and unspeakeable Delight.

Fourthly and lastly, to be Medicina ani­mae (as Medicina e­nim spiritualis est, quae cum re­verentia degu­stata purificat sibi devotum. Ambr. tom. 5. Oper. in Epist. ad Cor. cap. 11. Saint Ambrose calls it, i. e. to them that are rightly prepared, and through the grace of Christ,) Soveraigne Physicke for the Soule.

Secondly, wee must Drinke the Sacra­mentall Cup, as well as Eate the Bread: For as oft as ye eate this Bread, and drinke this Cup too, saith the Text. They are joyned together in the Text, and they may not be severed in our Practice. And that for these three reasons.

First, propter Perfectionem Repraesentati­onis, that in this Sacrament, there may be [Page 17]a perfect resemblance and representation of Christs Passion on the Crosse, for there the Blood was severed from the Body, and therefore here to keepe the resemblance perfect, the Wine which resembles the Blood, must bee taken severally from the Bread, which resembles the Body.

Secondly, propter Perfectionem Refecti­onis, That the Lords Supper may bee per­fect Nourishment to us. For as in bo­dily sustenance, Meate doth not nourish well without Drinke, a Meale cannot be perfect without Meate and Drinke: So is it likewise in this spirituall Refection, wee must Eate, and Drinke too, else no perfect nourishment to the Soule. Ʋtrum­que enim est de perfectione hujus Sacramenti, For both Eating, and Drinking too are required to the perfection of this Sacra­ment. So much Aquinas Aquin. Com. in 1 Cor. 11.26 himselfe, a prime Schooleman amongst the Papists, acknowledges in his Comment on my Text, and hee gives these two forenamed rea­sons, for his acknowledgement: So that by his owne confession, the Church of Rome, [Page 24]however she may be more indulgent to her Clergy, yet shee is very scanty to the People, and halfes out to them but an imperfect Sa­crament.

Thirdly, I will adde a third and maine reason for this Sacramentall Action, and that is propter perfectionem Obedientiae, that our Obedience may be perfect; for you see we have Christs Command for both drinking the Cup, as well as eating the Bread not onely his Practice, as in administring it after Supper, but we have his practice and command too, for sub utraque specie, for the Communion in both Kindes, which makes this obligatory to us, though not the o­ther (according to that excellent rule of Saint Cyprian S. Cypr. lib. 2 ep. 3.) quae Christus fecit, & docuit sunt perpetuae observationis, what Christ both did, and also taught, or commanded must be perpetually observed in the Church.

The boldnesse therefore of the Councell of Constance was very great in declaring the administring of the Communion in both Kindes, to the People, to be no more ob­ligatory to us, then the administring of it [Page 25]after Supper, but their presumption is much more intolerable in establishing the Romish halfe communion, with a non ob­stante in terminis, to the Institution of Christ, as you may read in the 13. Session of that Councell Tom. 7. con­cil. edit. per Bin..

I have done with the Sacramentall acti­ons. The third and last particular in the first generall concernes the circumstances of these actions.

And the first circumstance is of Time, As oft. Semel nascimur, saepius vero alimur, we are borne but once into the world, and so we receive Baptisme but once, which is the Sa­crament of our New-birth, But we stand in need of often Nourishment, and therefore wee are often to receive the Lords Supper, which is the Sacrament of our spirituall Nourishment, and growth in Christ.

Accordingly, if wee looke into Church story, wee shall finde that the first, and best ages of the Church, and as many of the after ages as desired to conforme to those first and best, were all of them for frequent Communions.

In the times of the Apostles, Acts 20.7. we read of a Communion once every weeke, upon the first Day of the weeke, which is the Lords Day.

In the times next to the Apostles, Saint Cyprian Eucheristiam quotidie ad ci­bumsalutis ac­cipimu [...]. S. Cyp. de Orat. Domi­nica. tells us of an every-dayes Com­munion. Every day the Christians lookt for Death, in those times of violent per­secution, and therfore every day they would be provided of this Viaticum.

In Saint Augustines time, which was 400 yeares after Christ, some Churches com­municated every day, some onely upon the Saturday, and the Lords day; others onely upon the Lords day, as we read in his 118. Epistle.

After that, Devotion decaying, the Com­munion was administred generally one­ly thrice in the yeare, at the three great Feasts, of Easter, Whitsontide, and Christ, mas; and of later yeares under Pope Inno­cent the Third, in the Lateran Councell, pro­pter iniquitatis abundantiam, refrigescente cha­ritate multorum, so Aquin. Sum. par. 3. q. 80. Art. 10. ad quintum. Aquinas himselfe ren­ders the reason of it, By reason of the [Page 21]abounding of Iniquity, the Charity and De­votion of many waxing cold in the Roman Church, the people were upon this, bound onely to receive once in the yeare, to wit, at Easter.

But the Liturgy of the Church of England, to reforme us neerer to the Piety of the Ancient Church of Christ, though it sets not downe a generall Rule, to bind eve­ry particular Person, to Communicate more then Thrice in the yeare, which was done no doubt upon most prudent Considerations, Because the variety of Cases, in regard of the different understan­dings, and imployments of particular per­sons, in regard of the different Capaci­ousnesse, and Receipt of Places and Pari­shes, and divers other Circumstances con­siderable, make the prescribing of a cer­taine Rule for Particulars in this kinde, fit­test for private advice and resolution upon due preparation of every Communicant: Yet in the Rubricke after the Commu­nion, a Communion is enjoyned every Sunday at the least, in Cathedrall, and Colle­giate [Page 28]Churches, except they have a reason­able cause to the contrary. And in the first Exhortation before the Communion, all the People are most pathetically moved and exhorted to frequent receiving.

And I would to God there were no need of such an Exhortation, but alas, it's too usuall for many to make excuses for absenting themselves from the Lords Ta­ble, [...] Luke 14. as the unworthy guests in the Gospell did; I will briefly shew the vanity of these Excuses, and so passe over this cir­cumstance.

And I will go no farther for Evidence against them, than to the Grounds alrea­dy laid. You have read that this Bles­sed Sacrament is Heavenly Food, for our Nourishment. A Holy Feast, to maine­taine Love, and Ʋnity, amongst Chri­stians. A Spirituall Banquet, for De­light and Soveraigne Physicke for the Soule.

First, then an unworthy guest pleades multiplicity of worldly businesse, and there­fore hee cannot come so frequently to the [Page 29]Sacrament; But hee should consider that this Sacrament is Heavenly Meate for his Nourishment, and as Meate hin­ders not our Businesse, so neither must our Businesse hinder our Meate in the seasons of it, whether for Soule or Bo­dy.

A Second is not in charity with his Neigh­bour, and therefore hee holds himselfe excus'd, which is Excusatio accusatione dig­na, as Salvian speakes in a like Case, an ag­gravation, no excuse, thus to cover one sinne with another. This man considers not, that the Communion is a Holy Feast instituted by our Blessed Saviour to maine­taine Love and Amity amongst Christi­ans.

A Third alledges he findes no rellish in this Manna, and this discourages him. But Oh! taste and see how gracious the Lord is, prepare thy Taste aright before thou commest, and thou shalt find this blessed Sacrament to be an Heavenly Banquet for Delight, such Delight as is most glorious, and unspeakeable; in comparison where­of [Page 20]all that is called Delight here below, is but meere anity and vexation of spirit Hanc Dei gratiam reco­lens, qui de Sa­cro caline bibit, amplius sitit, & ad Deum vi­vum erigens de­siderium, ita singulari fame ille uno appeti­tu teneturut deinceps fellea peccatorum horreat pocula, & omnis sapor delectamento­rum carnalium fit ei quasiran­cidum radens­que palatum acutae mordaci­ta tis acetum. S. Cypr. de Coe­na Domini. sect. 17..

A Fourth and last pretends his manifold sins, the sense whereof deterres him from often approaches to this Holy Table.

But if he account sinne a disease indeed, and desire unfeignedly to be cured, why does he neglect the Remedy? which is, by Faith and Repentance to prepare himselfe for this blessed Sacrament. The whole have no need of the Physitian, but the sicke, saith our blessed Saviour Mat. 9.12.. This man considers not the vertue of this Sacrament, in such as are so prepared; That through the Grace of Christ, it is with these preparations a soveraigne Physicke against all Diseases of the Soule.

The second circumstance is of the Persons, Yee. First, Yee, in the plurall number, for this Holy Sacrament is a Communion, and therefore may not bee received by one alone, as the name it selfe imports. A Communion, that is, a Common union of Ministers and People together. Thus much Cassander, one that liv'd, and dy'd in [Page 31]the Communion of the Roman Church, acknowledges, That it cannot be proper­ly call'd a Communion unlesse there be a Plurality of Communicants. Communio pro­prie ditinon p [...] ­test, tisiplures participent &c. Cassā Consultat. de solitarii [...] mi­ssis.

The private Masses therefore in the Roman Church where the Priest Commu­nicates without the People, are rather ex­communications of the People, then Commu­nions, as Goulartius wittily calls them in his Notes upon Saint Cyprians Tract, on the Lords Prayer. Vid. Calvin. lib. 4 Instit. c. 18 § 7. Aditus missis privatis est pa­tefactus, quae Excomunicatio­nem quandam magis reservent quam cōmuni­tatemillam à Domino institu­tam &c. Concil. Trident. Ses. 22. cap. 6.

I am not ignorāt that the Councel of Trent Vid. Calvin. lib. 4 Instit. c. 18 § 7. Aditus missis privatis est pa­tefactus, quae Excomunicatio­nem quandam magis reservent quam cōmuni­tatemillam à Domino institu­tam &c. Concil. Trident. Ses. 22. cap. 6. wishes that the people would cōmunic ate alwayes with the Priest, and acknowledges it to be the more profitable for the peoples soules, but this blanches the matter only, but mends it not, the private Masse is a bit­ter Almond still for all the blanching, so long as the people are not injoyn'd to Commu­nicate with the Priest. Nay, so long as the Priest is by that Church allowd, nay in­joyn'd to celebrate, though without distri­bution to the people.

Ye again, that are Members of the Church by Baptisme. Ye, and Ye onely must eate this Bread, and drinke this Cup. For the Grace which we have by the Holy Eucha­rist doth not begin, but continue life. No man therefore receaveth this Sacrament be­fore Baptisme, because no dead thing is capable of nourishment. That which grow­eth must first live, saith Reverend Hooker in his fift Booke of Ecclesiasticall 5 Lib Ecc le. polit §. 67. init. Policie. Besides wee must first bee receav'd as mem­bers into Christs Family, before we may be admitted to his Table. The Childrens bread must not be given to strangers.

But I hasten to the second Generall, and main part of my Text, which is the Mean­ing of this service of the Holy Communion, in the last words. Yee doe shew forth the Lords death till hee come. The principall verbe which beares the waight of this part of the Text is [...]. Our Translation renders it most fitly, Ye shew forth, which expresseth the latitude of the word, and the meaning of the Sacrament more fully, then [Page 33] Annuntiate in the Latine, which properly is but a verball declaration.

Now in this Sacrament Christs death is shewne forth three wayes especially.

1 First, by way of Representation, and Resemblance; so signes, and figures of things doe shew forth the things that are represen­ted, and resembled by them.

2 Secondly, by way of Evidence, and Con­firmation; so the Testators seale set to a Te­stament, and his delivery of it as his deed, doth shew it to bee his Will and Testa­ment.

3 Thirdly, and lastly, by way of Comme­moration, or memoriall; so a feast appointed in remembrance of a Benefactor doth shew forth his benefits to us. Therefore Beza translates the verbe here, Commemo­ratis, yee Commemorate Christs death. Now as oft as wee cate this Bread, and drinke this Cup, wee doe all these wayes [Page 34]shew forth the Lord's death both in the end, and meaning of the service, and wee ought to doe it in obedience, and duty, for so the verbe here used may be taken either Jndicatively, Ye do, or Imperatively, Doe yee; or Ye ought to doe, and so I shall follow it.

First, Then we doe shew forth Christ's death in the Sacrament by way of represen­tation, and resemblance, and that not naked without attendance, but solemnly accom­pany'd with the causes and effects of it: Christ, and Christ Crucified is here evidently set forth before our eyes. Neque tamen diffitemur quin ita nobis mon­straturillic Christi immola­tio ut crucis spectaculum pe­ne ob oculos sta­tuatur, qualiter in oculis Gala­torum Christum suisse crucisix­um dicit Aposte. dum illis propo­sitacrucis predi­catio suerat Calvin l. 4. Jn­llit. c. 18 § 11

For first, The Ministers setting apart the Bread and Wine upon the Holy Table, and Consecrating them, represents God the Fathers unspeakeable Love to mankind in setting apart, and sending his only begot­ten Son into the World to dye for us, here's the prime cause of his death.

Againe, the breaking of the Bread, that resembles the brusing of our Saviours body, & the Agonies of his soule for our iniquities, [Page 35]and the powring forth of the Wine, and the distribution of the Bread; and Wine severally and apart, doth most aptly resemble the shedding of his most precious bloud, and the severing of it from his Body on the Crosse, wherein consisted the very Pas­sion.

And lastly the Effects, and Operations of Bread and VVine, upon the Bodies of men they doe most Lively resemble the Effects and Operations of the death of Christ, upon the Soule.

To the sound and healthfull body, Bread satisfies Hunger, and strengthens life, And Wine makes glad the heart of man, saith the Psalmist. Psa. 104.15 But on the con­trary to a foule, or feverish body, wine is turned into poyfon, and there is nothing surfets the body more suddenly, nor more dangerously then bread, according to the Aphorisme, Hippo. Aphor. l. 7. Aphor. 62 Si quis febricitanti cibum de­derit; quem sano exhibet, valenti Robur, aegrotanti morbus fit. In like manner the [Page 36] death of Christ applyed to the faithfull, and devout soule, satisfies his spirituall hunger, strengthens the life of grace in him, fills him with joy unspeakable, and most glo­rious. It is to him the savour of life unto life; but to the unbeleever, and impenitent, that wilfully perishes, It becomes the sa­vour of death unto death. 2 Cor. 2.16 vid. S. Cypr de. coena Domini §. 7.

Let our soules goe along here and me­ditate of these, and the like Analogies in the time of receaving, Hoc age, doe this. And this is the first sence of shewing forth Christs death in the Sacrament.

In this Sacrament wee doe not onely make a bare shew of Christs death by way of representation and resemblance, but we shew it forth also by way of evidence, and confirmation. For this Sacramentall Cup is the New Testament in Christs Bloud, And all the promises in the Gospell which are the Legacies of the New Testament, and Benefits of Christs death, are in the right use of this Sacrament conveyed, and assur'd to us.

In this Sacrament Christ sets his Scale to his Testament, and delivers it particu­larly into every worthy Communicants hand, and every such Communicant re­ceaves it to his soules comfort from God, as his deed and gift, and hereof hee may assure himselfe as verily as hee receaves the outward Elements of Bread, and VVine, to his bodily nourishment.

And though a fraile, and mortall man be the Minister, and Jnstrument to con­vey this assurance to you, yet what he doth herein, he doth it in the Name of Christ, by Commission from Christ, and in Christ's stead; So that it is Christ's Act and deed, and the Assurance is Authentically, and Origi­nally from Him, who is Jnvisibilis Sacerdos the Invisible High Priest. John 4 v. [...], 2 In the 4 of Saint Iohn, wee read that Christ Baptized more then Iohn, though Iesus himselfe Baptized not (saith the Text) but only His Disciples. If therefore Baptisme be our Saviours Act, In, and by the Ministery of His Disciples, which He never admini­stred by Himselfe, how much more is [Page 38]this Blessed Sacrament His Act and Deed, by the hands of his Ministers, which He Jnsti­tuted, Consecrated, and Administred Him­selfe in His own person; And as much Com­fort, and Assurance may Yee reape from it now by the hands of Christs Ministers; as if Ye should receive it from Christ's owne Blessed hands, as the Disciples did.

Onely (as yee desire to enjoy the Com­fort of it) be carefull to observe Theophy­lact's Counsell, which he gives upon this very Ground, in his Comment on my Text, Eo affectu debetis esse imbuti, Yee ought to be so well disposed when yee come to receive the Eucharist, as yee your-selves thinke yee should, and could have beene, if with the Disciples yee had enjoy'd the happy presence of our Saviour at his last Supper, and had taken this Blessed Sacrament at the first Institution of it from our Savi­ours owne hands; Yee ought to aspire after it now that yee may bee affected with the same heavenly Devotion, and humble Reverence, with the same fervent Charity, and hearty thankefulnes toward [Page 39]our blessed Saviour, considering it is the same Holy Supper, and no other, and the very same Death which wee now shew forth, and unto the worlds end as then, at the first Institution, and Ordination of it.

3 Thirdly and lastly, we doe in this Sa­crament shew forth Christs Death by way of Memoriall, and Commemoration: Do this in remembrance of Mee, saith our Saviour, 22. S. Luk. 19. And for this end mainly was this Sacra­ment instituted by our blessed Saviour, And from this main end of it, this Sacrament is, and hath been in all Ages of the Church, called by the name of the Eucharist; as be­ing a sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving to God in Remembrance of our Saviours Death and Passion. And accordingly our Church exhorts, and practices in the ser­vice of the Communion. The last Ex­hortation before the Communi­on, and the first Prayer after the Communion. Above all things we must here give humble and heartie Thanks to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for the Redemption of the World, by the Death and Passion of our Saviour Christ, [Page 40]both God and Man, who did humble him­selfe to the Death upon the Crosse for us mise­rable sinners. And to the end wee should al­ways remember the exceeding great Love of our Master, and only Saviour thus dying for us; he hath instituted, and ordain'd these holy Mysteries. To Him therefore, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, Let us give as we are most bounden continuall Thanks.

And that this our Thansgiving may be acceptable to God, let us first conform our­selves to our blessed Saviour in his Death and Passions, let us die to sin, and live to Christ; Consider we therefore the worke we have in hand, and the end of our com­ming as often as wee come to Celebrate the Holy Eucharist. We come here to Com­memorate the Death and Passion of our Sa­viour for our sins, and it would ill be­seem us then to solemnize the Funerals of our Lord and Master, not having on our mourning Garments, without suitable sor­row, and suffering in our owne souls. Should we suffer sin to live in us, which [Page 41]cost our Saviour his Life, and make that our Delight which caused his Death, and that at the very time when wee come to the Holy Table of the Lord, to shew forth his Death with a thankfull Commemorati­on: what else is this but to stand laughing under our Saviour's Crosse, as it were, to make ourselves merry with his Agonies, and to triumph prophanely in his bitter sufferings? with the wicked Souldiers, it is to crucifie him afresh, and to put him a­gain to an open shame; In stead of an ho­nourable and gratefull shewing forth of his death, This were to make ourselves guiltie of his death, Guiltie of the bodie and blood of our Lord, as the Apostle speaks.

Wherefore, that wee may shew forth the Lord's Death as wee ought; Let us first set up the Crosse of Christ in our owne hearts, Let us fasten ourselves to it, and conforme ourselves there to the suffe­rings of our Head; Let us willingly suf­fer shame and ignominie, in the due ac­knowledgment of our sins, Let us suffer [Page 42] pain in a true sorrrw, and Compunction of soule for them; Let the Remembrance of them be as Thorns in our Temples, and as a Spear at our very hearts. Let us so subdue, and chasten our Flesh, and Revenge our selves upon Our selves (as the Scripture 2 Cor. 7.11. speaks) by severe and strict Mortification, that the Old Man may languish, and die daily in us. And let us so Compose and set­tle our Desires, and Affections, even as men that are hanging upon the Crosse with our Blessed Saviour, and ready to depart this World, Let us make our peace with God and all the World. Let us wean our selves from the Earth which wee are lea­ving, and set our Affections on Heaven, and the things above, whither wee are going; Let us no longer make provision for the Flesh to fulfill it in the Lusts thereof 13. Rom. 14,. But let us put on the Lord Iesus Christ, and thus shew forth the Lords Death till hee come, And at his Comming wee shall by his Infinite Mercie Live and Raigne with Him for ever in the Kingdome of his Glorie.

Thus you have the Orthodox interpreta­tion of these words, the true and onely way of shewing forth Christ's Death in this Sacrament according to the Doctrine of the Church of England, and of approv'd Antiquitie.

But the Church of Rome not content with this way doth in the Councell of Trent, Concil. Trid. Sess. 22. Can. 3. denounce an Anathema against all those that will acknowledge no other sacrifice in the Eucharist, then by way of Remembrance and Commemoration of that one onely true and proper Sacrifice of Christ's Bodie and Bloud offer'd upon the the Altar of his Crosse once for all. And therfore if you wil believe her, she wil tel you of a more excellent way of shewing forth Christ's Death in the Sacrament, to wit, by way of Iteration, or a new and daily Oblation, of the very Same naturall Bodie and Blood which was offer'd unto Death upon the Crosse, onely with this Difference in the Manner of the Offering, That Christ's Bodie upon the Crosse was of­fer'd [Page 44]after a bloodie, but here upon their Altars after an unbloody Manner. And from this Fountaine of Corrupt Doctrine, there flow divers streames of very dangerous Errours; I'le instance but in two for our present purpose.

First, upon this Ground they define this Sacrisice in the Eucharist, to be a true, proper, and propitiatorie Sacrifice, to be every way equall with the Sacrifice of Christ upon the Crosse, and their Altars to be as true and proper Altars; which doubt­lesse is a very high derogation from Christ and his Sacrifice, let them mince and ex­cuse it the best they can.

Secondly, From hence they teach most perilously, that the same Adoration which is due to Christ, is due to this Sacrament. And certainly, to give that Adoration which is due to Christ to any of the Crea­tures, can amount to no lesse then Idolatry; Neither will Bellarmine's evasion, which hee uses, Lib. 4 de Eu­char. cap 29. §. Sed haec mera calumnia est, &c. acquit the Papists of Idolatrie [Page 45]herein, though hee pleads not Guiltie, be­cause they hold not the Consecrated Bread and Wine to be any longer Bread and Wine, but to be transubstantiated into the very naturall bodie and blood of Christ; so he pleads, they worship not the bread but Christ alone. But a false perswasion (as we have proved this to be in the former part of the Sermon) hath not the power either to nullifie a sin, or to alter the species of it, either to make a sin no sin, or to be any other then it is in the kind of it. The most charitable Construction that can be made in this Case is, That perhaps to Men so perswaded, as some of the Romanists are, their Adoration of the Sacrament, is not in them wilfull Idolatrie, yet in it self Idola­trie still for all their perswasion. However for our selves, that by the infinite blessing of God to us are better taught and perswa­ded, for us I say not to renounce and detest this Abomination of the Popish Adoration of the Sacrament would be most wilfull Idolatrie, without the least cloak for our sin.

For mine owne part, therefore, as be­comes a true Protestant of the Reformed Church of England, I doe here solemnly protest against all Popish Errours, and in speciall against the manifold and dangerous errours in the Doctrine and Practice of the Popish Masse, against their pretended Obla­tion of the very naturall bodie and bloud of Christ, against their Propitiatorie sacrifice in that intended Oblation, and theirs (or any other sort of men their) true & proper Al­tars, and against their Idolatrous Adoration of the Sacrament, and acknowledge onely one true and proper Sacrifice and Altar, that is, the Sacrifice of Christ himself offer'd up­pon the Altar of the Crosse once for all.

And give me leave here also solemnly to professe my Opinion concerning the Lord's day, and the sanctification of it.

I hold that according to God's holy will and pleasure the Lord's day ought to be celebrated both in Publike and in Pri­vate, in the Church and out of the Church, [Page 47]in the Forenoon and in the Afternoon, by hearing the Word of God read and taught by Publike Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments, by holy Meditations, Pri­vate Prayer, Reading and calling to Mind what we have read or heard, by work's of Charitie to our Neighbour and the like.

And I hold it to be our Dutie in speci­all that are God's Ministers to teach, exhort, and incourage the People by all means, to such a sanctification of the Lord's day. And for mine owne part, I heartily honour a conscientious man, who hath a Carefull Re­gard to yield Obedience to all Gods Com­mandements (as far as humane frailtie will permit) I honour such a man the more, the more strict hee is in a Religious Ob­servation of the Lord's day.

And further I hold that this great Holyday which we Christians now celebrate upon the first day of the Week though the Scrip­ture, and so the Proper name of it be the Lord's Day, yet in regard of the due sancti­fication [Page 48]of it, in that it ought no lesse to be kept holy for the Exercise of the works of Pietie and Charitie in it, then the Iewish Sabbath; in this regard by way of Allusion, it is, and may be fitly call'd a Sabbath, and the Christian Sabbath.

And now to come to the End of my Comming hither at this time. The Right Honourable, the Lords Spirituall and Tem­porall in the high and Honourable Court of Parliament now assembled, by an Order bearing date the twelfth of March last, have injoyn'd mee to make a Sermon in this Place, upon this day, and in my Ser­mon to make a confession of my errour in Licensing and approving of two Books made by Doctor Pocklington, the one cal­led Altare Christianum, the other Sunday no Sabbath, which Books, by their Lordships Censure, are justly commanded to bee burn'd.

And here that I may give the fuller satisfa­ction, I have receiv'd from my Lord Bishop [Page 49]of Lincolne, a Copy of some mayn erroneous and offensive passages in the said two Books, and the places pointed out in the Margin; upon most whereof, their Lordships proceeded in their just Censure and Con­demnation of those Books, and all which I am by order from their Lordships here to disapprove, as I willingly doe all these pas­sages following.