Twenty-Three Sermons, Lecture 1
THE FIRST LECTVRE VPONUPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER, Being an Introduction to the following Lectures.
THus thorough Gods aſſiſtance, we hauehave made our entrance into the worke that we intended; it remaines now that we ſhould goe on forward, in the way that we hauehave thus chalked out before vsus; but I am called away by God to another buſineſſe; I ſay by God, for the time calles me away; and you know that times and ſeaſons are at Gods diſpoſing; and a iuſt occaſion calles me away; now all iuſt occaſions you kno… … Gods occaſions. In Luke 22.7, 8. the day of … …auened Bread came, and Peter and Iohn muſt lay, aſide all other buſineſſes and be gone to prepare for eating the Paſſeouer; that is the buſineſſe which for that preſent diſpenſation and time Chriſt himſelfe and all his Diſciples muſt apply themſelues vntounto. All of vsus know that the time of our Chriſtian Paſſeouer is now at hand, the time wherein by our account Chriſt our Paſſeouer was ſacrificed for vsus; a time when all that are of any vnderſtanding or diſcretion in Religion, doe vſually receiue the Sacrament of the true Paſſeouer, the Lords Supper; the occaſion or buſineſſe is of that conſequence, that whoſoeuer hath any hand in it, muſt ſee that he be well fitted and prepared vntounto it. Being therefore thus called away by God and the time, and the iuſtneſſe of the occaſion, let vsus follow the example of Chriſt and his Diſciples, All make ready for the Paſſeouer, Let me and you and all of vsus lay aſide our other buſineſſe, for this preſent diſpenſation, and apply our ſelues wholly to this, how we may be prepared, to the Religious, profitable, and comfortable participation of this bleſſed Paſſeouer.
It may ſeeme ſome-what diſorderly and out of ſeaſon, that ſeeing the Doctrine of the Lords Supper is one part of the Catechiſme, I ſhould ſo abruptly and ſuddainly fall into it, before I meet with it in the due place. True, it is out of ſeaſon in regard of the Method of the Catechiſme, but in regard of our ſelues and our preſent neceſſitie and the inſtant opportunitie, it is moſt ſeaſonable, and in the verie naturall place; he … …euer out of his way that followes God, and ſee … God hath by his prouidence caſt in this oportunitie vponupon vsus, we muſt ſerue his prouidence, and follow that for the right way wherein he leads vsus and goes before vsus. Neither doe I purpoſe onelyonly to enter vponupon this Argument now, and ſo let it reſt, but as we hauehave our monthly Communions, ſo (if God enable me) I meane to make my digreſſions and proceedings into this Argument accordingly; that ſo I may confine the knowledge of the Lords Supper to the vſe of the Lords Supper (for when ſhould we know what belongs to the Lords Supper?) that our knowledge and our practiſe may quote and ſecond one another; our knowledge may direct our practiſe, and our practiſe may exerciſe and confirme our knowledge, by continuall ſenſible and liuely practiſe: My courſe God willing ſhall be this, euerie next Sabboth, before the Communion Sabboth, I will treat of ſome points or other touching the Lords Supper, as they ſhall offer themſelues in their due order; ſome preparation muſt needs be made, the weeke dayes cannot conueniently be ſpared, becauſe of worldly affaries; that which is made the morning wherein you are to receiue, is good, but not ſufficient, there is required ſome time of reſpite for Meditation, betwixt your hearing and receiuing, therefore it is fitteſt to begin the Sabboth day before, that you may hauehave ſome ſeaſoning, ſome profitable matter to feed vponupon all the weeke long, whereby if you hauehave any grace in your Hearts, you may be put in continuall remembrance what a great worke you are to vndertake the Sabboth following; and ſo be quickned to examine your ſelues, and ſearch your Hearts and liues, and practiſe your repentance, and ſtirre vp your Faith, and to be earneſt with God in Prayer, and to put forth your beſt endeuors for your fitting to that heauenly worke. After the Sacrament is receiued, the ſame points to be here rehearſed againe, that ſo you may take a view of your ſelues, and of your carriage in that Spirituall Banket; that if vponupon this re-view you find, that you hauehave truely endeuored to glorifie God in his owne Ordinance, your conſciences may hauehave peace, and God the prayſe and honour; If you hauehave groſſely fayled, I ſay groſſely in ſome palpable and notorious euill (for who fayles not more or leſſe in his beſt actions?) you may iudge your ſelues and repent of your faylings, and entreat mercy for that which is paſt, and better grace for the time to come. This courſe ſhall be as the former and latter Raine, for we are all of vsus meruailous hard hearted to Spirituall duties, we had need be moyſtened againe and againe, before our Hearts can be mollified and fitted for any goodneſſe: The handling of the points the Sabboth day before, is as the former Raine to water and moyſten our Hearts, and bring them to ſome ſoft temper that they may be apt to receiue the impreſſion of the heauenly Seale, and open themſelues to giuegive entertainment to our bleſſed Sauiour: The rehearſall after the receiuing, is as the latter Raine to water vsus again, that Chriſt Ieſus being receiued into our Hearts, may proſper and thriue, and grow in vsus to a further encreaſe of grace; and ſo proceeding and encreaſing from one Communion to another, we may in time attaine thorough Gods bleſſing, to ſome good ripeneſſe for the Lords Harueſt.
The Reaſons inducing me to this courſe are many, I will acquaint you with them, becauſe they will be good encouragements both to you and me in theſe proceedings, and will alſo quicken vsus and further vsus to our preparation.
The firſt Reaſon is the diſcharge of my dutie; God hath made me a Watchman ouer you, Ezek. 33.7. and what is the office of a Watchman? To heare & to admoniſh; to take ſpeciall notice of the ſtate of their People, and to inſtruct them in their duties, and admoniſh them of their dangers; nothing concernes your Spirituall ſtate more, then the reuerent and worthy receiuing of this Sacrament, no dutie more neceſſarie to be taught; no greater danger then the prophanation and abuſe of it; I therefore being your Watchman muſt looke into your ſtate in this behalfe, and tell you your duties, that you may preuent thoſe dangers. The Sacraments are a part of Gods ſauing Ordinances as well as the Word, and the due adminiſtration of them, is a part of my Miniſteriall office, as well as the Preaching of the Word; and it is my dutie to labour and ſee, that you be worthy Receiuers of the Sacraments, as well as profitable Hearers of the Word; The Apoſtles practiſe, 1 Cor. 11.20. to the end, is an excellent precedent in this caſe: Many abuſes were crept into the Church of Corinth, other things he lets alone till he come himſelfe, Verſe 34. but theſe that were in the Sacrament muſt ſpeedily be reformed, and therefore he preſently diſpatched his Epiſtle, and ſends his mind and charge touching the redreſſe of them. And ſurely corruptions in ſuch a high part of Gods Worſhip as is the Lords Supper, are dangerous Sores, except they be cured with all expedition, they will feſter and wranckle, and quickly corrupt the verie Heart of Religion. In conſcience therefore of my dutie to God and you, for the preuenting of theſe euils, I hauehave vndertaken this courſe.
The ſecond Reaſon is the care of your Soules; They are deere and precious to the Lord that bought them, and therefore ought to be deere and precious to all Gods Miniſters whom the Holy Ghoſt hath made Ouerſeers of them, and that is it which the Apoſtle ſeemes to preſſe, Act. 20.28. Take heed to the Flocke ouer whom the Holy Ghoſt hath made you Ouerſeers, &c. which God hath purchaſed with his owne Blood. I ſhould be loath to be a Miniſter of Condemnation to any of you, the power that the Lord hath giuen vsus is for edification, not for deſtruction; if I ſhould adminiſter the Sacrament to you in your ignorance, or prophaneſſe, or vnpreparedneſſe; I ſhould be a verie vnnaturall Father, To giuegive you Stones when you aske for Bread, and a Scorpion when you aske for Fiſh: Bane and Poyſon in ſtead of Comfort and Food for your Soules, it ſhould but further your Condemnation. In care therefore of your Soules, I labour to prepare you. Conſider what the Apoſtle ſaith in the 1 Cor. 11.27.29. He that eats and drinkes vnworthily, ſhall be guiltie of the Body and Blood of the Lord: and he eats and drinkes his owne damnation. What is it to eat and drinke vnworthily? That is, without knowledge, reuerence, conſcience, faith, and repentance, without preparation: And what is the ſinne? Guiltie of the Body and Blood of the Lord: You draw the guiltineſſe of the Blood of the Lord Ieſus vponupon your Soules, as the Iewes did when they ſaid, His Blood be vponupon vsus, &c. You are as bad as theſe cruell Murtherers that killed the Lord of Life: And what ſhall be the puniſhment? He eats and drinkes his owne damnation: A fearefull, yet a iuſt reward of ſuch a fearefull ſinne. The manner of the Apoſtles ſpeech is verie remarkable, He eats and drinkes his owne damnation: As who ſhould ſay, while he is eating and drinking at the Lords table, the Diuell is carrying away his Soule into Hell. Deut. 22.4. If we ſee our Brothers Oxe or his Aſſe fall by the way, we muſt helpe them vp: Hath God ſuch care of Oxen and Aſſes, and not much rather of Mens Soules? And ſhall euerie Brother lift vp his Brothers Beaſt being fallen on the Ground, and ſhall not euerie Miniſter much more lift vp his Brothers Soule being fallen downe into Hell? My exhortation therefore to you is, that you would ioyne with me, in the care for your owne Soules: To whom ſhould a Mans Soule be moſt deere, but to himſelfe? Doe not ſleepe any longer in your ignorance; ſhake off your careleſſeneſſe and ſecuritie; come no more to the Lords Table for faſhion and cuſtome, but for conſcience to glorifie God, and to encreaſe in grace; keepe your ſelues from that fearefull ſinne of eating and drinking vnworthily, that ye incurre not the fearefull puniſhment of eternall damnation. Heare and learne and practiſe ſuch good Doctrines and Inſtructions as the Lord by my Miniſtry ſhall afford you; and your Soules ſhall liue.
The third Reaſon is the zeale I hauehave for Gods glorie; God is honoured by Men no way more, then in their publike meeting and aſſemblyes for exerciſes of Religion, nor in any of thoſe meetings more, then at this heauenly Banket; and therefore if we hauehave any zeale for Gods glorie, we muſt be ſpecially zealous and carefull that God may be honoured by vsus, in the performance of this buſineſſe: He will be ſanctified in all that come neere him, Leuit. 10.3. In this action we approach neareſt to God, euen to become one with Chriſt Ieſus, and hereby to be incorporated into his Body, as Bone of his Bone, and Fleſh of this Fleſh, and therefore we muſt ſanctifie and glorifie God in this exerciſe aboue all other. It grieues me to ſee the Tranſgreſſors in this kind, how horribly the Lord is diſhonoured amongſt Men, euen in this moſt glorious and ſanctified Ordinance; ſome comming onelyonly for faſhion ſake, few for conſciences, not one amongſt a great many, with that due preparation, that may make their ſeruice herein acceptable to God, and Gods holy Sacrament comfortable and profitable to their owne Soules: In zeale therefore for the Lord of Hoaſts, that his great Name and Maieſtie may be rightly and truly glorified, in the right and true vſe of this his ſauing Ordinance, I deſire to fit you to a reuerent and faithfull participation of this holy Sacrament, as not knowing wherein either I, or you, may honor God more, and doe him better ſeruice.
The fourth Reaſon is the preciouſneſſe of the death of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, the greateſt, and weightieſt, and moſt vnualuable buſineſſe, that euer was performed ſince the Worlds Creation; He, the Lambe vndefiled and without ſpot, a ſinleſſe Man, the Holy One of God, his owne glorious Sonne; the Liquor that is preſt out of ſuch goodly Grapes muſt needs be a ſweet and pleaſant Iuice; the Blood that iſſues out of his bleſſed Body, and from his ſacred Wounds, muſt needs be moſt pure and moſt precious; euerie drop of this heauenly Dew, is worth a worlds ranſome; therefore not to be thought or ſpoken of, much leſſe to be purpoſely remembred, and ſolemnely repreſented, in the Sacrament, but with all holy preparation, and affection, and eleuation of Spirit. For the deepe impreſſion of the death of Ieſus Chriſt into our Hearts, let vsus conſider rightly theſe three things, which will be as ſo many ſpurres vntounto vsus, to ſtirre vsus vp, to a more reuerent eſtimation and embracing of this Sacrament. Firſt, the bitterneſſe of his death to him: Secondly, the ſweetneſſe of it to vsus: Thirdly, the acceptableneſſe of it to God. Firſt, the bitterneſſe of it to himſelfe: It was exceeding bitter to him, it coſt him many a deepe ſigh and groane, many teares and ſtrong cryings, Hebr. 5.7. A ſore Agony in the Garden, with a bloody ſweat in his Body, Luke 22.44. And a deadly heauineſſe in his Soule, Math. 26.38. A hard conflict with the terrors of Death, and the wrath of God vponupon him, for our ſinnes: for that grieuous trouble ſpoken of Math. 26.37. could not ariſe from any bodily feares or paines, but he was then coping and cloſing with the very terrors of God, due to vsus, but to be endured by him: God ſet him as a Marke before him, to ſhoot at him, and to ſpend vponupon him all the Arrowes of his Vengeance, which were prepared for all beleeuing ſinners from the beginning to the end of the World. For many Men hauehave ſuffered a bodily death without any ſuch daunting. Chriſt is of a more valorous ſpirit then ſo, many a ſore blow did he receiue both from God and Man; Men ſmot him and buffeted him, Math. 26.67. They platted a Crowne of Thornes and put it on his Head, and ſmot him on the Head, Math. 27.29, 30. And all this and a great deale more came vponupon him, & yet there was none to pitty him, Pſ. 69.20. The Lord from Heauen he ſmot him, and brake him, and layd vponupon him, Eſay 53.6.10. as it were ſtroake vponupon ſtroake, till he had reuenged himſelfe to the full vponupon him. He did not ſpare him though he were his owne Sonne, Rom. 8.32. For when Chriſt was vponupon the Croſſe, then he was reputed the common ſinner of the World, and ſo all the Vials of the wrath of God were to be poured out and emptied vponupon him. Was this Death ſo bitter to him, and ſhall we be lightly affected toward it? Shall we come coldly and vnpreparedly to the memoriall of it? Shall we ſee this bitter Death of his acted as it were in a holy Tragedy before our Eyes, and ſhall not we be much moued and yearne in our Bowels at the ſight, and thought, and memoriall of it? Put the caſe we ſhould be condemned to dye, and another Man in louelove ſhould take our death vponupon him for vsus, how compaſſionately would wee bee affected towards him, and the death that hee ſuffers for vsus? Wee would goe into our Chambers, and mourne, and waile, and melt in our ſelues at the thought of his ſuffering for vsus, and his louelove to vsus, and our wretchedneſſe that hath brought him, to ſuch a death: much more ſhould we be ſtirred vp, to a thorough feeling of the ſufferings and death of Chriſt Ieſus, which we wretched ſinners hauehave brought vponupon him: For it was more that the Sonne of God ſhould dye, then if the whole World ſhould dye: The bitterneſſe of his death was cauſed by the bitterneſſe of our ſins; and therefore the thought of his death ſhould alwayes ſtirre vsus vp to true repentance, to a hatred and deteſtation of our ſins, and to looke vponupon the Lord Ieſus, with a broken Heart, and a mourning Spirit, and a wounded Conſcience, and a ſighing Soule, whom we hauehave ſo grieuouſly pierced with our ſinnes, Zach. 12.10. They ſhall looke vponupon him whom they hauehave pierced, they ſhall mourne for him, &c. Secondly, the ſweetneſſe of it to vsus, it is maruailous cordiall and comfortable to vsus, Gaule and Vineger to him, but Milke and Hony to vsus; his abaſing is our exalting; his ſufferings are our victorie; his torments our eaſe; his wounds our cure; his croſſe our crowne; his ſhame our glorie; his death our life; he dying in our ſtead; looke how bitter our death was to him, ſo comfortable is his death to vsus; looke how much he was diſparaged by our death, ſo much are we aduantaged by his; it was but one death in it ſelfe, but it is double in effect; as our death, that is, being due to vsus, ſo it was a bitter death to Chriſt; but as his death, that is to ſay, as being endured in his Perſon for vsus, ſo it is to vsus moſt comfortable; We were healed by his ſtripes, Eſay 53.5. He bore our ſtripes, and thereby are we healed; we changed ſtates with our Sauiour, and he with vsus; he receiued our ſinnes, we receiue his righteouſneſſe; he our miſerie, we his happineſſe; he our death, we his life; a bleſſed change for vsus, that in ſtead of Sinne, Death and Hell thereby deſerued, we ſhould find Righteouſneſſe, and Life, and Heauen purchaſed by the death of Chriſt Ieſus; when the Life, and Blood of Chriſt Ieſus guſht out of his Body, by his wounds, then were all the Fountaines of Heauen as it were, all the Flood-gates of Gods MercieMercy ſet wide open, and then was all Grace, and Comfort, and Life, and Saluation ſhowred downe vponupon all beleeuers, Math. 26.28. This is my Blood ſhed for you for the remiſsion of ſinnes; it was the ſhedding of his Blood, it is the remiſſion of our ſinnes; the ſmart was his, the ſweetneſſe is ours; he is wounded, we are cured; he is puniſhed, we are acquitted; he dyes for vsus, and by his death we are made aliue. Thirdly and laſtly, the acceptableneſſe to God, it was infinitely pleaſing to God his Father, there is God, and Chriſt, and Man; Chriſt enduring the bitterneſſe of death; Man redeemed and deliuered by it; God himſelfe therewithall infinitely pleaſed: Man had ſinned, and thereby enthralled himſelfe to Death, and Hell, and Damnation, and except he be redeemed, he periſheth without recouerie: God was offended, and his wrath did burne like fire, againſt Mankind for their ſinnes, and except he be pacified, they are all damned without merciemercy: Chriſt Ieſus came and tooke our Nature vponupon him, and dyed for our ſinnes, and by the bitterneſſe hath redeemed vsus, and pacified God: His offering himſelfe for vsus, was a Sacrifice of a ſweet ſmelling ſauour to God. Epheſ. 5.2. Alwayes the beloued Sonne of God, but then beſt-beloued, if we may eſteeme according to our apprehenſion, when he was performing the higheſt and vtmoſt act of his filiall obedience, Obedient to the death, euen to the death of the Croſſe, Phil. 2.8. When is a Child beſt-beloued of his Father, but when he is moſt obedient? The Lord was alwayes well-pleaſed in him, Math. 3.17. but then moſt of all, if we may iudge by the effects, when he was vponupon the Croſſe, for then and thereby was the Lord well-pleaſed thorough him with all the Faithfull, Col. 1.20. the Lord then ſmelling a ſauour of reſt, whereby, as in the dayes of Noah, Gen. 8.21. he was pacified towards the World. Spices are ſweeteſt when they are broken and pounded, and ſo was Chriſt, when his Body was broken and pounded vponupon the Croſſe: And as when Mary brake the Boxe of Oyntment, the whole Houſe was filled with the fauour of it, Iohn 12.3. So when Chriſt, who was full of good Oyntments, Cant. 1.2. had his Body broken on the Croſſe, Heauen and Earth were filled with the ſweet ſauour thereof, and many reaſons may be alleaged why it ſhould be ſo well pleaſing to God. Firſt, it was Gods pleaſure and ordinance, that Chriſt ſhould dye for vsus, and he ordained it, in the heighth of his louelove to vsus: God ſo loued the world, &c. And he cannot chuſe but be infinitely pleaſed, with his owne worke, ſpecially the worke of his greateſt louelove. Secondly, he delights not in the death of a ſinner, but rather that they ſhould be conuerted and liue; therefore this being the Life and Saluation of ſinfull beleeuers, it muſt needs be delightfull and pleaſing to God. Thirdly, it was as it were Gods owne Blood, Act. 20.28. For howſoeuer God is not as Man, made of Fleſh and Blood, yet the Perſon of Chriſt, who was our Mediator, being God and Man, the Blood that came from him as he was Man, by reaſon of the perſonall Vnion of both Natures in that his owne Perſon, may iuſtly be ſaid to be the Blood of God; and how can it chuſe but the Blood of God, ſhould be infinitely pleaſing to God? Laſtly, it muſt make amends for all the ſinnes of all Beleeuers: now all our ſinnes, euen the beſt of them, are maruailous filthy, and loathſome before the Lord, our verie righteouſneſſe is as a filthy Clout before the pure Eyes of Gods Iuſtice; and therefore, there being ſo many Beleeuers to be ſaued, and euerie Beleeuer hauing ſo many ſinnes, and euerie ſinne being ſo loathſome and odious before the Lord, it muſt needs be a verie ſweet Sacrifice, that muſt take away all that filthineſſe; and that obedience muſt needs be infinitely pleaſing to God, which makes perfect ſatisfaction and recompence, for our infinite ſinnes. Now if it be ſo ſweet and infinitely pleaſing to God, ſhall we neglect it? Or come like Stockes and Stones vntounto it, without feeling and without life, without a liuely and a ſenſible apprehenſion of the infinite excellencie, of this ſweet ſmelling Sacrifice? Let vsus ſtirre vp our ſelues, to eſteeme reuerently of it, as it well deſerues, and to take delight in it, as God delights in it, and accordingly let vsus be fitted to the celebration and memoriall of it, in this Sacrament. In my vnfained affection therefore to the Lord, and our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, and to his precious Death and Blood-ſhedding, ſo bitter to himſelfe, ſo comfortable to vsus, ſo pleaſing to God, that the honour thereof may be rightly and worthily aduanced in our Hearts, as at all times, ſo eſpecially in the liuely commemoration of it in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, I hauehave vndertaken this taske of preparation, earneſtly deſiring, that the precious death of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, may be preciouſly and graciouſly entertained, anſwerable in ſome meaſure to the excellent worthineſſe of that great Myſterie. Let vsus therefore labour to make ſome vſe of theſe things: Let vsus conſider, firſt that it is one of the greateſt parts of our Chriſtian dutie, to be well inſtructed and furniſhed for this Sacrament: Secondly, what daunger it is to our Soules if we come vnprepared, for then we eat and drinke our owne damnation: when we are eating and drinking, the Diuell is blind-folding of vsus, and carrying our Soules to Hell. Thirdly, let vsus looke withall to Gods glorie; Is God moſt glorified by this? Then let vsus be beſt prepared to it. Laſtly, let vsus conſider the preciouſneſſe of the death of Chriſt, the greateſt worke that euer was performed ſince the World began, that Chriſt the Sonne of God ſhould ſhed his Blood for the ſinne of Man. It ought therefore to be prepared vntounto with much eleuation, and with much affection of mind: And when we hauehave it before our Eyes, and come to ſhew forth the Lords death, we muſt bring with vsus all preparation, reuerence, faith, and eleuation that we can by Prayer, or any good endeuour attaine vntounto; and we muſt further conſider the bitterneſſe of the death of Chriſt, and muſt come as if then we were to be crucified with him, euerie one of vsus that looke for a part in his death for the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, the bitterneſſe of his death muſt goe to our Hearts; we muſt looke vntounto him whom we hauehave pierced by our ſinnes, with mourning Eyes, and drouping Hearts; and then we muſt conſider, how comfortable this his death is to vsus, it is the greateſt bleſſing that euer can befall vsus in this World, Life, Remiſſion of Sinnes, Saluation, and what not? It is all in all. Laſtly, conſider how infinitely pleaſing it is to God, and know that if it be ſo pleaſing to him, if we prophane it, he will be infinitely diſpleaſed with vsus. Let theſe things therefore ſtirre vsus vp to a reuerent partaking of this holy Myſtery. Thus you hauehave ſome ſeaſoning before hand, ſee how you can profit by it in the weeke; you hauehave ſome-what now to put you in mind, what you are to doe the next Sabboth; let euerie one thinke within himſelfe, and make it his whole weekes Meditation, I muſt goe to the Lords Supper the next Sabboth, therefore I muſt repent and call to God for merciemercy, and ſtedfaſtly purpoſe to leade a new life hereafter: If I come vnworthily, it is as much as my Soule is worth. Theſe things I would hauehave you to learne, and practiſe, and the Lord giuegive you vnderſtanding in them.
The end of the firſt Lecture.