The Worthy Receiving of the Lords Supper, Question and answer
Some few Queſtions to the ſame purpoſe, with their Anſwers, grounded on Rom. 4.11. where it is ſaid, Abraham receiued the ſigne of Circumciſion, a ſeale of the righteouſneſſe of Faith, &c.
Queſtion. 1.
WHat are Sacraments?
Anſw. Signes and ſeales of the righteouſneſſe of faith.
Queſt. 2. What is the righteouſneſſe of faith?
Anſw. It is the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt Ieſus, which he wrought by his obedience actiue and paſſiue, which is promiſed in the Goſpell, and laid hold on, and receiued by faith, by which we become righteous. Ioh. 3.16. Rom. 10.9, 10, 11. & Rom. 24.22, 23, 4.
Qu. 3. Is this righteouſneſse ſignified and ſealed vntounto vsus in the Lords Supper?
Anſ. It is in as much as Chriſt and all the benefits of his death, as pardon of ſinne; or vnion with him, and communion one with another, as alſo our communicating in all theſe benefits, are thereby ſignified and ſealed to beleeuers, and to them onelyonly.
Queſt. 4. How is this Sacrament a Signe?
Anſ. In as much as it and all the elements and actions vſed in it, are ordained of God, to ſignifie and repreſent vntounto the faithfull, what God hath done and doth for vsus in Chriſt.
Queſt. 5. What is required of each Communicant in this regard?
Anſ. It is required that at, and neere about the time of communicating, he, comming prepared by faith and repentance, and hauing a right knowledge of the meaning and myſteries of each thing and action, doe accordingly make vſe thereof, by a further holy meditation.
Queſt. 6. What meditation is afforded from the bare elements of Bread and Wine?
Anſw. Theſe being appointed as ſignes to ſignifie the body and bloud of Chriſt, we ſo conceiuing of them, muſt hence further be put in minde; Firſt, of the nature of this Sacrament that it is not to beginne grace in vsus, but for our ſpirituall nouriſhment & growth in grace, as alſo comfort, as Bread and Wine doe not giuegive life where it is not (as not to a dead man, or to an image) but where it is, though in a languiſhing manner. Secondly, when we ſee both Bread and Wine, we muſt conſider that Chriſt is to vsus perfect nouriſhment, and a perfect Sauiour, both a perfect Prophet, Prieſt and King. Thirdly, we muſt hence thinke of the neceſſity of Chriſt ſignified by Bread and Wine, being as neceſſary, in regard of our ſpirituall life, as bread and drinke are to our naturall life.
Qu. 7. What are you to meditate on, when you ſee the Miniſter, by Conſecration and by Prayer, ſet apart theſe Elements from their common vſe, to an holy vſe?
Anſ. This, ſignifying that God the Father in his eternall decree did ſet apart, and ſeale Chriſt Ieſus his Sonne in due time to finiſh the work of our redemption, calls on me to conſider his infinite louelove to mankind, and to mee in particular, in not ſparing his onelyonly Sonne for my ſake, and muſt alſo teach me to louelove him againe.
Qu. 8. What muſt you meditate on, when you ſee the Bread broken, and the Wine powred out?
Anſ. Seeing hereby is ſignified the painefull and bloudy death of Chriſt for me, this muſt teach me to conſider, firſt, the infinite louelove of Chriſt, who would thus die for me, to redeeme me from death; ſecondly, the cauſe hereof, not his, but mine owne ſinnes, which therefore I am not to account light of; thirdly, what duty I hence owe to him, how that I ought to louelove him againe, and not refuſe to ſuffer any thing for him according to his Will.
Qu. 9. What meditation is affoorded from the Miniſters comming towards vsus, his offering and giuing thoſe Elements to each of vsus in particular?
A. This (ſignifying that God doth offer and giuegive in particular to eueryevery one of vsus Chriſt, and all the benefits of his death, which hee offered to all generally in the Word preached) giues vsus to conſider, that God would hauehave vsus eueryevery one to be particularly aſſured of his louelove and good will in Chriſt Ieſus, (neither out of any conceit of our vnworthineſſe, excluding our ſelues from his mercy, nor for want of ſpeciall application, loſing the benefits of Chriſt) and in the conſideration of this mercy, from the heart, to acknowledge with the Centurion, ſaying, Lord, I am not worthy thou ſhouldeſt come vnderunder my roofe.
Q. 10. When thou takeſt and applyeſt to thy ſelfe this bread and wine, what muſt this put thee in minde of?
A. It, ſignifying my faith, which is as the hand, mouth, and ſtomacke of my ſoule, muſt put me in mind, that as God will hauehave eueryevery man hauehave faith for himſelfe (without which Chriſt profiteth no man of age:) ſo, to renue the act of my faith, and at this time to ſtirre vp my ſelfe to take hold on Chriſt, and to leane and reſt my ſelfe on my Beloued, aſſuring my ſelfe by this my renued act of faith, that Chriſt and all his benefits are as certainly mine, as that the bread is now truely receiued into my hand, and is become mine.
Q. 11. When thou eateſt and drinkeſt Bread and Wine, which turne into the ſubſtance of our bodies, what muſt here be thought on?
Anſ. This ſignifying not onelyonly and ſimply our faith (Iohn 6.35) by which we daily feed vponupon Chriſt in the Word ſpiritually, Ioh. 6.53, 54, 55, 63. but our Vnion by faith, and neerer coniunction with Chriſt, muſt accordingly put vsus in minde, and alſo aſſure vsus of our vnion with him; and that as truly as the Bread and Wine we eat and drinke, are turned into our ſubſtance, to repaire ſtrength decayed, ſo aſſuredly are we changed, aſſimilated and made conformable vntounto Chriſt (Rom. 8.29. Phil. 3.10.) and incorporated into him, and ſo fed, refreſhed, and inwardly ſtrengthened by his Body and Bloud.
Qu. 12. But are Sacraments alſo ſeales, and particularly this of the Lords Supper?
Anſ. They are, and that both on Gods behalfe, to aſſure the beleeuer that Gods promiſes, and all theſe benefits of Chriſt do moſt certainly belong vntounto him; and on our part, whereby we, by taking and receiuing theſe ſignes, bind our ſelues a new to keepe our couenant with God, and to performe all thoſe promiſes of ours (as of new obedience and mortification) which wee by our ſureties made to him in Baptiſme.
FINIS.
End of the text · Robert Jenison, The Worthy Receiving of the Lords Supper (1624)