Josephs Party-Colored Coat, Part 35 – Part 37
This Cup is the New Testament in my blood.
This Cup, that is the wine in this Cup. Wee cannot scarce stirre a pace in Scripture, without meeting with a figure, even in these Testamentary Expressions of our Saviour: Why then doe the Papists make such newes, yea wonders at Figures, then which nothing is more common? Is the New Testament in my blood; that is, the wine therein contained signeth unto you the New Covenant of Grace, which is ratified and confirmed in my blood; that is by my death. For indeed it is the death of the Testator that giveth life to the Testament, and the will though sealed, is not sealed in effect, till the Maker of the same be dead.
But why is it called the New Testament; seeing it is an old one, and the same which was made to Adam, (the seed of the Woman shall breake the Serpents head) often reiterated and confirmed to Abraham, David, and others.
Indeed it was old in the Promise, new in the Performance; old quoad substantiam & materiam faederis, new quoad modum clarioris manifestationis. It is said of those, that live within a mile or two of Olympus, that they are under a constant & continued shade, which the height of the Mountaine casteth upon them: So the Jews and al the Church of God before Christs comming, lived in constant umbrages, and shadows, of Types, Figures, Ceremonies, and Representations; al which were taken away, when our Saviour, the Sun of Righteousnes did appear. Therefore it is said in My Blood as in opposition to the blood of Kids, Calves, Goats sacrificed in the Temple. Other parts of the verse are expounded in the former.
VERSE 26. For as often as yee eate of this Bread, and drinke this Cup, yee doe shew the Lords body till hee come.
VNderUnder as Often, is Often included; whence we gather, Wee must frequently celebrate the Lords Supper. In the *Eusebius, lib. 1. Demonst. Evan. cap. 10.Primitive Church it was done every day; and fit it was the Aqua Vitae bottle should ever be at their nostrils, who were sounding every moment, and they needed constant cordials, who ever and anon had the Qualmes of temptation in the time of Persecution. This frquencie soone abated, when peace came into the Church, which makes Saint Ambrose reprove the negligence of the Easterne Churches,*Lib. 5. de Sacramentis, cap. 4. who received it but once a yeare: At this day our Mother-Church of England seeing her childrens backwardnesse herein, by canon compelleth them to receive, at the least thrice a yeare; such is the necessity to force them by Law to come to a Feast, and to make a statute for hungry men to eate, and sicke folke to take Physicke. But heare the Arguments of some to the contrary; that it is to be but seldome received.
The Passeover was celebrated but once a yeare,Object. 1. in whose place (for Sacraments never dye without heirs) the Lords Supper succeeds.
The Passeover by God was stinted to bee used no oftner,Answ. 1. in the Lords Supper we are left to our own liberty. Finding therefore our continuall sinning, and therefore need thereof to strengthen us in our grace; we may, yea must oftner use it, especially seeing all services of God under the Gospel ought to bee more plentifull and abundant, than under the Law.
Things done often,Object. 2. are seldome done solemnely. Manna if rayned every day, is not dainty; the frequent doing of it will make men perfunctory, and negligent therein.
Necessary duties are not to be left undone,Answ. 2 for the Inconveniences, which per accidens, through humane corruption may follow thereon: Then Sermons should be as seldome as Apolloes smiles, semel in anno; and prayers should not be presented to God every day, lest the commonnesse of the duty should bring it into contempt; Rather Ministers are to instruct their people to come with reverence; notwithstanding their frequent repayring thereunto.
But long preparation is requisite to thisObject. 3. Action; and therefore this Sacrament cannot often be received.Answ. 3. After the first Grand Preparation, whereby faith and repentance wee are first estated in Gods favour, other preparations are not so difficult in doing, or tedious in time, as being but the reiterating of the same againe. The good Huswife which scoureth her Plate once a weeke, hath lesse worke than she that doth it but once in Twelve-monethmonth. Often preparing makes the worke easie, and fits men the sooner for the Sacrament, though I am not altogether of Saint *Loco prius citato.Ambrose his opinion, that Qui non meretur quotidie accipere, non meretur post annum accipere.
Quest.Whether is it of absolute necessity, that a man on his Death-bed should receive the Sacrament.
Answ.Hee is as weake in Iudgement, as the dying man in body, who conceives it so. It is not the bare Absence, but the neglect and contempt of the Sacrament, which is dangerous. Besides, that surely is not by God, made absolutely necessary to salvation, which in some cases is impossible to bee had. As in sudden death; when the sicke man is gone, before the Priest can come: In infectious diseases, when the Priest cannot bring Christs blood without the hazarding of his owne; not to speake of the Inconveniencie of giving it to those, who goe out of the world for pain to bring others into it.
Yea of such persons, who desire the Sacrament, I find three sorts. Some doe it out of meere fancy, who desire it because they desire it: (like Davids longing for the water of the Well of Bethlem) can give no account of their humour therein. A second sort out of superstition. A third out of a true faith, and feeling of their infirmity. Now Charity thinketh no ill, hopeth all things. VVe Ministers beleeve all, to be of the later sort, and will not think much of our paines to tender our service unto them when sent for: But be it betwixt God and their consciences, let them take heed how they abuse Gods Ambassadours, and cause us to come on foolish occasions, to feed their owne fancies.
You doe shew forth the Lords body.
The Sacrament solemnly celebrated, Doctdoth represent, and set forth the death and Passion of Christ. This is the meaning of Saint Paul, Galat. 3.1. O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth; before whose eyes Iesus Christ hath beene evidently set forth, crucified among you: That is, Christ was so powerfully and pathetically preached unto them in the word, his Death so done to the life in the solemne, decent, and expressive Administration of the Sacrament, that the tragedy of Christs death nigh Ierusalem was re-acted before them.
Vse.Say not then in thine heart, how shall I get to Ierusalem, to see the place of Christs suffering? see Faith can remove Mountaines, Mount Calvary is brought home to thee, and though there be foreign, a great Gulfe, or distance of ground, betwixt England and Palestine; yet if thou beest a faithfull Receiver, behold Christ Sacramentally crucified on the Communion-Table; say not in thine heart, how shall I remember Christs Passion, it was Time out of mind, 1600. yeares ago? Christ here teacheth thee the art of Memory, what so long was past is now made present at the instant of thy worthy receiving: stay Pilgrims, stay (would your voyages to the Holy Land had beene as farre from superstition, as hitherto from successe) go not you thither, but bring Palestine hither, by bringing pure hearts with you, when you come to receive the Sacrament, for there, The Lords body is shewed forth, as on the Crosse.
Till I come.
Observ.God till the Worlds end, when hee commeth to judgement, will have a Church on Earth, wherin Pastors shall administer, and people receive the Sacrament. Witnesse his promise before his death, Mat. 16.18. And the Gates of hell shall not prevaile against it; and another after his Resurrection, Mat. 28.29. And loe, I am with you, alway unto the end of the World, with you in your selves and successour, persons and posterity: Indeed the Church may want things of Luster, never of Essence: It may want a glorious being, never a being, Deus non decrit in necessarijs: The Church is like the sunne, which may be clouded and eclipsed, yet stil remaineth, Psal. 89.37. A faithfull witnesse. Besides, Churches may fall away, but the Church cannot; the setting of the Gospel in one place, will bee the rising of it in another: This is meant Rev. 2.5. I will remove thy Candlesticke out of his place, not I will quench, or put out thy Candle, but I will remove it, so that it shal still remaine in one place or other, Till I come. And then Sacraments shall be celebrated no more, but types shall give place to the truth, and shadowes shall yeeld to the substance: Then all the weeke shall be one constant Sabbath, and yet therein no Sermons preached, nor prayers made, but all our Lyturgie shall be praising of God. And now what remaineth, but that we cry from our hearts with the Saints; Come Lord Iesus come quickly.