The Worthy Receiving of the Lords Supper, Chapter 3 – Chapter 4
CHAP. III.
Of Knowledge.
GOd would hauehave vsus offer vp to him reaſonable ſeruice as an acceptable ſacrifice, Rom. 12.1. And not like ſhéep each follow other without knowledge and conſideration what we doe. Knowledge is the beginning of all grace, Prou. 19. 2. Acts 26.18. 1 Tim. 2.4. And Ignorance is highly diſpleaſing vntounto God. In this Sacrament knowledge is required, that we may examine our ſelues, 1 Cor. 11.28.
The Rule of examination is partly the Law of God, by which we are to examine our ſelues, our repentance, and obedience; and partly the Goſpell, by which we muſt examine our faith.
Theſe two, as being the rules of our triall, muſt therefore firſt be knowne.
We muſt then know (what the Law will tell vsus) that howſoeuer we were made at the firſt, in our firſt parents, Adam and Eue, in righteouſneſſe and holineſſe, according to Gods image, yet now we are all of vsus by our firſt birth corrupt children, ouer-ſpred with the leproſie and leauen of ſinne, vnapt to conceiue or doe any thing truly good; prone and readie to doe all euill; and that accordingly we dayly bring forth and multiply the bitter fruits of Sinne by our actuall trangreſſions, not doing what good we ſhould doe, and doing the euill we ſhould not doe: and that therefore in this regard, we are all naturally as the ſlaues of Satan, who rules in our hearts by Sinne; ſo the children of death, and heires of damnation. The iuſt reward of our ſinne being the wrath and curſe of God, and death of body and ſoule euerlaſtingly.
Yet we muſt further know (what the Goſpell reueales, namely) that Gods will is not (ſuch is his louelove) that we all ſhould periſh, (as we moſt iuſtly deſerue) but that we ſhould be ſaued, and come vntounto the knowledge of the truth, 1. Tim. 2.4. That is, that all, of all ſorts beléeuing the Goſpell, ſhould be ſaued: the tenour and ſubſtance of the Goſpell being compriſed in theſe words, Iohn 3.16. God ſo loued the world, that he gaue his onelyonly begotten Sonne, that whoſoeuer beleeueth in him, ſhould not periſh, but hauehave life euerlaſting. For the confirmation of which promiſe to vsus, wee muſt further know, that God hath annexed and added ſeales, which we call Sacraments, whereof it is fit alſo, we ſhould hauehave ſome generall knowledge.
Sacraments therefore are outward and viſible ſignes and ſeales of ſome inward inuiſible grace. Or, they are holy ſignes ordained of God, whereby the couenant of grace betweene God and the partie receiuing theſe ſignes, is ſolemnely ſealed, confirmed, and ratified.
This couenant of grace is that, whereby God on his part, Firſt, promiſeth to be our God, that is, all in all vntounto vsus, Gen. 17.7. and that we ſhall not periſh, as we had deſerued, but hauehave euerlaſting life, through and by Chriſt Ieſus, which none of vsus deſerues. But withall (as in couenants) he, ſecondly, requireth on our part, faith, Ioh. 3.16. with repentance and newneſſe of life, according to the tenour of the Goſpell, Repent and beleeue, Mat. 3.2. Mark. 1.15. This being the couenant faire drawne, and largely written in the word of God, God, thirdly, annexeth his Seale hereunto, to ratifie what he hath promiſed, and to confirme and ſtrengthen our faith in his promiſe; as alſo he enioyneth vntounto vsus the vſe of the Sacraments, whereby we for our parts, firſt, ſhewing our ſelues needfull of his mercies, both promiſe to to performe what he requires: that is, to repent and beléeue: and alſo, by taking the Sacrament, binde our ſelues in ſeruice God, that we will, forſaking all others, and renouncing the deuill, the world, and the fleſh (Gods and our maine enemies) beléeue his promiſes, depend on his mercies, and ſerue him conſtantly to our liues end, in all holy obedience.
This is, firſt, done in Baptiſme, by which wee hauehave our admiſſion into the true Church of God ſealed vntounto vsus, and where firſt this couenant is confirmed and ſealed on both parts, Gods and ours.
This ſame couenant is renued in the Lords Supper, ſo often as we partake of it: for God thereby nouriſheth and preſerueth vsus in the true Church after our admiſſion into it by Baptiſme, confirms and ſeales vntounto vsus the ſame promiſe of the Goſpell, and requires like conditions of faith and repentance from vsus. And that we may better know the nature of this Sacrament, we muſt conſider that (each Sacrament being a ſigne) each thing, action, and circumſtance is appointed, to ſignifie and bring to our mind ſome other ſpirituall thing or action.
As therefore in Baptiſme the water ſignifieth the bloud and ſpirit of Chriſt, whereby our ſinnes are waſhed and purged; ſo in the Lords Supper;
1 The Bread and the Wine are now ſet apart from the common vſe of féeding our bodies, to repreſent and ſignifie vntounto vsus the body and blood of our Sauiour Chriſt.
Secondly, The Miniſter, ſetting theſe apart to this vſe, and conſecrating them; ſignifies, how God the Father, in his eternall Decree, hath ſet apart Chriſt our Sauiour, for the worke of our redemption, and conſecrated Him therevnto. Thirdly, The breaking of the Bread, and powring out of the Wine, ſignifie the death of our Sauiour, whereby his Body was broken, and a ſeparation made, for a while, of the ſoule from the body, and the ſheading of His precious blood; by which he ſatisfied Gods wrath for beleeuers, and paid our debt, which was death.
When the Miniſter offers and giues the Bread and Wine, we muſt conceiue, that God, to vsus that beleeue, doth offer and giuegive (as hee promiſed in his Word) Chriſt his Sonne, with all the benefits of his death and Paſſion, which are forgiueneſſe of ſinne, reconciliation with God, and life eternall.
Our receiuing of theſe from his hands, and feeding on them, ſignifie our Faith, which is as the hand, mouth, and ſtomacke of our ſoules, whereby wee receiue Chriſt, and all theſe benefits now offered vntounto vsus; and feed on him ſpiritually, to life eternall: all which beeing done with others, put vsus in mind of charity.
Now, all theſe we muſt well know & vnderſtand, before we come to the Lords Table.
CHAP. 4.
Of Faith.
BVt moreouer, it will not auaile vsus onelyonly to know theſe things, but wee muſt alſo bring Faith with vsus, and beleeue the promiſe of the Goſpell: the neceſſity whereof appeares from that which hath beene ſaid. The promiſe is made onelyonly to them that beleeue, Ioh. 3.16. Now this Sacrament is a ſeale of that promiſe, and of the Couenant of Grace: and therefore can ſeale vntounto vsus no more, nor no otherwiſe than is promiſed. Thee is nothing promiſed in the Word, to the vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuers, and therefore there is nothing ſealed to them in this Sacrament. Such then receiuing this Sacrament, receiue onelyonly a Seale ſet to a blancke, or piece of white paper, wherein there is nothing written or promiſed: and ſuch men receiue the Sacrament to their hurt, and not to their good, becauſe they prophane the holy ordinance of God.