Twenty-Three Sermons, Lecture 12
THE TWELFTH LECTVRE VPONUPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER.
WEE are now to divert and turne aſide into the Argument of the Lords Supper, ſpecially againſt this ſeaſon of the yeare above all other, wherin not only thoſe which are ſincere in Religion, but even thoſe that are counterfeit in Religion, pretend a kinde of conſcience to come to receive the Lords Supper: The fiſt head that we reduced all thoſe things which wee purpoſed to propound concerning the doctrine of the Lords Supper, were the names and titles that are given to it, wee have ſhewed foure of them, namely, the Lords Table, the Lords Supper, the Communion, the New Teſtament: now we are to proceed to a fifth name or title that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is ſtiled withall; that is, the memoriall or remembrance of Chriſts death: though the Sacrament be not expreſſely and in ſo many termes ſo called in any one place of Scripture; yet it is very neceſſarily and directly gathered both from the words of our Saviour himſelfe, as alſo from the words of the Apoſtle Paul: from the words of our Saviour, Luke 22.19. Doe this in remembrance of me: but much more plainly out of the Apoſtles words, 1 Cor. 11.26. You ſhew forth the Lords death till he come: the eating of this bread and the drinking of this cup is the ſhewing or ſetting forth of the Lords death till hee come: And theſe are the words that wee purpoſe,1 Cor. 11.26. God willing, to inſiſt upon for our proceeding in this buſineſſe, 1 Cor. 11.26. For as often as you ſhall eate this bread, and drinke this cup, you ſhew the Lords death till he come. You know that names are juſtly given unto things, according to the nature of the things named: what is the nature of this Sacrament? the Apoſtle ſhewes here, that to eate this bread and to drinke this cup, is to ſhew forth the death of Chriſt by way of remembrance till hee come: therefore this is a fit and proper name to this Sacrament, the memoriall or remembrance of Chriſts death. Now becauſe as you ſee this Text ſpends it ſelfe wholly in this very argument, therefore we will take it whole before us: and firſt we will ſhew the conſiſtance of the body of the Text in it ſelfe: Secondly, the meaning of the words; and thirdly, the parts of the Text, and ſo proceed to the doctrines.
Firſt, conſiſtance of the whole body of the Text ſtandeth thus: Theſe Corinthians to whom the Apoſtle writes this Epiſtle, were newly converted to the faith of Chriſt by Pauls miniſtery, and they made profeſſion of this their faith by the uſe of Gods ſaving ordinances, particularly by the uſe of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper: Satan according to his wonted malice when he ſaw hee could not utterly deprive them, nor keepe them from the uſe of this notable meanes of grace, hee labours cunningly to infect and ſtaine it, with ſundry corruptions, thereby to defile them in the uſe of this Sacrament, and ſo to make it unprofitable to them: and ſurely in a ſhort time hee prevailed greatly on their weakneſſe herein, and brought in much diſorder and abuſe amongſt them; yea ſuch groſſe abuſes, that they poyſoned their holy aſſemblies, verſe 17. they came together not for profit, but for hurt, whereas this Sacrament was ordained for their profit and good, by this means it turned to their hurt; ſuch groſſe abuſes they were as brought downe Gods ſenſible Iudgments upon them, verſe 30. for this cauſe many are weake and ſicke amongst you, and many ſleepe: ſuch as in a manner nullified the Sacrament to them, verſ. 20. this is not to eate the Lords Supper, you doe ſo corrupt and ſtaine it, that in effect you doe not eate it: one ſpeciall corruption amongſt them was this, verſe 21. that they taryed not one for another, that ſo they might communicate together, but did prevent one another, they came to the Lords Table as to a ſcambling Feaſt, firſt come, firſt ſerved, a horrible abuſe in the holy and religious feaſt of the Lords Supper. The Apoſtle ſo ſoone as he heard of theſe abuſes, in zeale for Gods glory, in conſcience of his owne duty, and in a holy jealouſie for the pure uſe of the Lords Ordinances, and in a fatherly care which hee had over theſe Corinthians, whom he had lately begotten to the faith, preſently takes a courſe to reforme and redreſſe theſe abuſes: and as the nature of all right and true reformations doth require, that when things are out of ſquare, they are to be refined and renewed, according to the firſt originall: ſo the Apoſtle being to redreſſe the abuſes of the Lords Supper amongſt them, he brings them backe to the firſt inſtitution, to the firſt Lords Supper that ever was, and by that patterne frames his reformation: and there he rehearſeth the inſtitution, verſe 23. This bread is my body, &c. and this cup is my blood, &c. there is the repetition of the inſtitution: the application for reformation is in the 26. verſe, For as often as you eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup, you ſhew forth the Lords death till he come. The ſumme of all, ſo farre as it concernes our preſent purpoſe is briefly this; as if the Apoſtle ſhould have ſaid to theſe Corinthians; O you Corinthians, you are much to blame that you ſuffer your ſelves to be ſo ſtained with ſo many corruptions in the Lords Supper, by name this is one, that you tarie not one for another to communicate together, but one prevents another, the rich eate before the poore come, as if we had more care of our bellies, than of Gods Religion and Chriſts ſufferings, this is a groſſe abuſe, it was not ſo in the beginning: In the firſt ſupper that Chriſt inſtituted, then all the Diſciples were preſent, and did lovingly communicate together, and therefore if ever you looke to celebrate the Lords Supper with comfort and benefit to your owne ſoules, you muſt doe as they did, reforme this errour, and tarie one for another: Conſider more particularly what a ſpeciall Item the Lord Ieſus gave them then, Doe this in remembrance of me, verſe 23, 24. whereby hee enjoynes all that come to the Lords ſupper, that their hearts and mindes be taken up, and wholly ſet upon the conſideration of the death of the Lord Ieſus, and all their paſſages in and about the Sacrament muſt ſhew forth and carie a relliſh of it; you muſt not minde your meat and drink, and hunger and thirſt, as this abuſe proves you doe; No, no, your mindes muſt bee wholly bent on Chriſts death, and ſurely if you be ſpiritually affected, and minde that ſoundly as you ought, you will have little minde of your bellies, but you will minde the body and blood of Chriſt, and ſhew forth his death till hee come, therefore reforme your ſelves, and purge out this corruption: This is the conſiſtance and dependance of the Text.
The ſecond thing is the meaning of the words themſelves, For as often as you ſhall eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup, you ſhew the Lords death till he come: There is no great difficulty in the words, yet for plaineſſe ſake wee will goe over them with ſome familiar and eaſie expoſition: whereby alſo we ſhal make way to our obſervations. Theſe words in the 26 verſe are Pauls owne words, and not Chriſts; the words before verſe 26. and 25. are Chriſts owne words, but theſe are Pauls; in the former verſe it is ſaid, Doe this in remembrance of me; as Chriſt himſelfe ſpeaking it: but here it is ſaid, You ſhew the Lords death, as Paul ſpeaking this concerning Chriſt: neither is this any wrong to our Saviour, that Pauls words ſhould be ſorted and joyned with his; becauſe they both proceeded from the ſame Spirit, which was in Chriſt, as alſo in Paul, though not in the ſame meaſure; yet in ſuch a meaſure even in Paul alſo, as that he was infallibly guided and freed from errour thereby in all his writings that are extant among us: Pauls ſpeech is here added to Chriſts ſpeech, not as any new or diverſe thing, but firſt, to confirme it, and give teſtimony to the truth of it; ſecondly, to expound it, and make it plaine for their underſtanding; thirdly, to apply it to them, and conſequently to all the faithfull, as being ſo meant by our Saviour himſelfe, and not to his Diſciples onelyonly, and ſo he performes the office of a faithfull Miniſter of Ieſus Chriſt, which is to confirme his words as a witneſſe, to expound them as an interpreter, and to apply it to them as a meſſenger ſent to them for that purpoſe. It is ſaid here in the firſt place, as often as you eate, which containes an intimation, that they did often communicate, and withall an admonition that it is a neceſſary duty to communicate often; it is ſpoken of here as a matter commendable in them, and therefore imitable in us: for he would never have enjoyned a ſecond duty upon it, but that hee did approve the firſt: They muſt not thinke it enough that they have done it once, and that ſhall ſerve for all, nor to ſay they will doe it hereafter, though they omit it now, but as often as they doe the one they muſt doe the other; as often as they doe receive, they muſt thinke upon the Lords death. But ſome will ſay, What are we never to remember Chriſts death, but then when we communicate? Yes, this is not ſpoken by negation, as if we ſhould never remember him but then; but by affirmation, that we muſt ſpecially remember it then above all other times, as that Sacrament being inſtituted and ſanctified ſpecially for that purpoſe: next it is ſaid, So oft as yee ſhall eate, &c. ye ſhall ſhew; where you ſee the Holy Ghoſt preſſeth it upon every one for his owne particular, ſhewing thereby that it is not enough that the Miniſter ſhew forth the Lords death for all them that bee there preſent, but every one is to ſhew it forth for himſelfe: Further it is ſaid, Shall eate this bread, &c. you ſee here hee ſpeakes of the Sacrament, and he deſcribes it by the uſe or the actuall participation of it; thereby ſhewing, that the benefit of this Sacrament doth not conſiſt in the ſeeing, or the having of it, but in the uſe and communicating in it. And note here further, that the Apoſtle calls it bread even after the words of conſecration; it is bread ſtill, and yet it is the body of Chriſt; in regard of the uſe it is altered, and is the body of Chriſt, but in regard of the nature of the creature it is bread ſtill. Conſider yet further, that he nameth not onelyonly the eating of the bread, but the drinking of the cup together with it; he ſaith not, Or drinke this cup, but, And drinke this cup: whereby we may ſee that they who ſeparate the cup from the bread in the uſe of this Sacrament, as the Papiſts doe, they doe wickedly put aſunder that which God hath joyned together: and this being ſpoken directly to the people, doth extend the words of our Saviour, when he ſaid, Drinke ye all of this, as well to the people as to the Miniſters: next it is ſaid, You ſhew forth the Lords death, that is to ſay, you ſet it forth after a ſpeciall and eminent manner; you ſhew it forth by your practice, for all they that truly receive the Lords Supper, doe as it were act the death of Chriſt, as a holy Tragedy, upon a holy and ſpirituall ſtage; the word may either be expounded affirmatively, you doe ſhew forth, or imparatively, as enjoyning them that they muſt ſhew forth; both tend to the ſame effect, that this Sacrament is the very ſhewing forth of the Lords death: the word in the originall entends a ſhewing forth in the higheſt degree, with much ſeriouſneſſe and earneſtneſſe, as preſcribing a zealous and affectionate ſetting forth of Chriſts death in the uſe of this Sacrament. It is ſaid further, the Lords death, which we muſt not underſtand as if it were meant barely of his dying, or of his crucifying, but his death, together with the benefit and fruit of his death: and whereas hee calls it here the Lords death, it may ſeeme ſome contradiction: For if Chriſt ſuffer death, how ſhould he be Lord, or if Chriſt be Lord, how ſhould he dye? but if wee conſider it well, we ſhall finde that it is a ſweet medley that the Apoſtle here makes, when hee ſaith it is the Lords death: Chriſt dyed as being man, but Chriſt even in his death ſhewed himſelfe to bee the Lord that had the power over death. And becauſe he that dyed was the Lord, thence it comes that his death is beneficiall unto us. As it is ſaid, Acts 20.28. God hath purchaſed his Church with his owne blood: as his blood being therefore effectuall for the purchaſing of the Church, becauſe it was the blood of him who being man is God alſo. Laſtly, it is here ſaid, till he come, that is to ſay, in bodily preſence to judge the world: Therefore he is now abſent in body even from the Sacrament: if he were bodily preſent at the Sacrament, as the Papiſts ſay, then what need a memoriall of him till his comming? Hereby we ſee alſo that ſo long as we are here we need the helpes of Sacraments to ſtrengthen our faith, and God hath provided that we ſhall have them ſo long as we need them, even till the end of the world; but when he comes then we ſhall have no further uſe of them; and therefore then they ſhall ceaſe: all things are for us and for our good, ſo long as we need them we ſhall have them; but the things that are the Sacraments, Gods ſaving ordinances, ſhall utterly ceaſe to bee, when wee ſhall have no further uſe of them. So much for the meaning.
The third point is the parts of the Text: firſt, an action to be performed, in the former part of the verſe: ſecondly, a caution or condition, in the latter part: Firſt, an action to be performed, the receiving of the Lords Supper; wherein the Apoſtle offers to our conſideration theſe things: Firſt, the parts of the action; ſecondly, the frequenting of the action; the parts, eate and drinke; things diverſe in themſelves, yet both together making up one and the ſame action of receiving; as in our ordinary ſuppers wee eate and drinke, and each differs from other, our eating is not our drinking, nor our drinking is not our eating: yet in the generall both make but one action, the taking of our ſupper: Secondly, the frequenting of this action, often, as this action is to bee performed and done, ſo the doing of it is to be frequented, as often, &c. we muſt not make an annuall thing of it, to be performed once a yeare, a prophane thing amongſt Chriſtians, but there muſt be an often frequenting of it. In the latter part of the verſe is a caution or condition that we muſt performe in receiving, wherein principally is to be obſerved, firſt, the caution it ſelfe; ſhew forth the death of Chriſt: ſecondly, the frequenting of it, which is to be borrowed from the firſt part of the verſe, as often as you eate, ſhew forth the Lords death, &c. for this is a particle common to the whole verſe, and ſerue each part alike, as who ſhould ſay, As often as you eate this bread, and drinke this cup, ſo often you ſhall ſhew forth the Lords death. Laſtly, here is the continuance of this caution or condition, till he come. How long is it to continue? even ſo long as the world ſtands, till the Lord come to judgement. Whoſoever thou art, thou muſt ſhew forth the Lords death in receiving this Sacrament till his comming, that is for the parts of the verſe.
Now we come to the Doctrines: For as often as you ſhall eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup, you ſhew forth the Lords death till he come: Where you ſee that this ſpeech of Paul is inferred by way of reaſon, from the words of our Saviour, verſe 25. Doe this as often as: do it in remembrance of mee: the conferrence of both theſe ſpeeches together miniſters this profitable obſervation; namely, that the true and right remembrance of our Saviour IESVS CHRIST is our affectionate and religious remembrance of the death of our Saviour Chriſt: Remember me, ſaith Chriſt, verſe 25. that is, ſaith Paul, the Lords death, verſe 26. Remember it ſo, that you ſhew it forth, that is, religiouſly and affectionately. Zach. 12.10. I will poure upon the houſe of David, and upon the Inhabitants of Ieruſalem, the ſpirit of grace, &c. there is a promiſe of the Spirit to be poured downe on the faithfull under the Goſpell; and one principall effection of it there mentioned is this, that they ſhall looke on Chriſt, that is, they ſhall remember him, and meditate upon him. Well, what is the principall object in Chriſt, that they ſhall ſet their meditations upon? his piercing, that is, his death and ſufferings, when he was pierced with thornes, and nailes, and Speare: and how ſhall they be touched with this remembrance of him? Surely very religiouſly and affectionately, grieving and lamenting as for their firſt borne. Here then is the right remembrance of Chriſt, that is our affectionate and religious remembrance of the piercing and death of Chriſt: Rev. 13.8. Chriſt Ieſus is the Lambe of God that takes away the ſinnes of the world. But how doe the faithfull whoſe names are written in the Lambes booke of life apprehend him? Not ſimply as a Lambe, but as a Lambe ſlaine, that is, in his death and crucifying, that is the true and right apprehending of him. Gen. 3.15. The ſeed of the woman, &c. when the Lord himſelfe firſt publiſhed the Goſpell, he propounds the ſeed of the woman to be beleeved in, that is, CHRIST, but with ſpeciall reference to his death, for that is the very bruiſing of the Serpents head: CHRIST on his Croſſe ſpoiled principalities and powers, Col. 2.14. and the bruiſing of his heele there ſpoken of, is an intimation of the death and ſufferings that the Devill and his Inſtruments ſhould bring upon CHRIST; and yet theſe very ſufferings of Chriſt ſhall break and deſtroy all their power: this was Adam and all the faithfull to beleeve of Chriſt, and this is their true and right remembrance of Chriſt. This was ſhadowed in the ſacrifices before the Law, as in the Paſſeover, Exod. 12.6, 7. they ſhould kill it, and ſtrike the blood on the two poſts, &c. what is the meaning of this? wee muſt carry the ſtreames of our meditations on Chriſt towards his killing and death and blood: And ſo under the Law, Heb. 9.22. almoſt all things are by the Law purged with blood: What is the meaning of this? That all that beleeve in Chritſt, are thereby admoniſhed ſtill to have the eye of their mindes ſetled on the meditation of the blood of Chriſt; if ever they looke to bee purged from their ſinnes by Chriſt, they muſt bee purged by the blood of Chriſt: ſo the Prophets ſet forth Chriſt in this manner, Eſay 53. from the firſt to the ſeventh verſe, hee that of all the Prophets ſpake moſt plainly of him, ſets him forth principally in regard of his death, as he was wounded, and broken, and oppreſſed, and afficted; the Prophet leaves them the beſt memoriall of Chriſt, and therefore he acquaints them with the death of Chriſt. The Apoſtles obſerved the ſame rule, 1 Cor. 17.3. Firſt of all I delivered unto you how that Chriſt dyed for our ſinnes, no doubt but hee would teach them Chriſt ſo as hee might worke a moſt affectionate impreſſion and remembrance of Chriſt in their hearts; and how doth he this? By teaching them Chriſts death firſt of all, as the chiefe and maine ground of all the reſt. And looke how he taught them, ſo hee practiſed himſelfe, 1 Cor. 2.2. I eſteemed not to know any thing amongst you, ſave Ieſus Chriſt, and him crucified: for his knowledge he eſteemed to know nothing elſe; and ſo Gal. 6.14. for his rejoycing, God forbid that I ſhould rejoyce in any thing but in the croſſe of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt; and both theſe are ſpoken by way of excluſion, diſclaiming all other knowledge and rejoycing in compariſon of that, becauſe that is the riſe and ground of all the reſt. To conclude, the Word and the Sacraments are purpoſely fitted to worke this remembrance in us. 1 Cor. 1.18. the word is called the preaching of the Croſſe, that is it the Miniſter muſt ſpecially preach, and the people learne. Gal. 3.1. the Apoſtle taught Chriſt and his death to them ſo plainly, as if hee had beene crucified amongſt them; and ſo the Sacraments are fitted to this end, firſt, Baptiſme, Rom. 6.3, 4. we are baptiſed into his death, and buried with him in baptiſme, and ſo the Lords Supper as you ſee here is to ſet forth the Lords death, &c.
The reaſons: Firſt, Chriſt in his death was moſt pleaſing to God; and wherein ſhould wee, or can wee bee better affected with the remembrance of Chriſt, than in that ſtate wherein hee was moſt pleaſing to his and our heavenly Father; God cannot properly be ſaid to be pleaſed with his Sonne at any one time more than another, but we ſpeake it after the manner of men, and by way of ſuppoſall, if ever God could be better pleaſed with him at one time than at another, it was at his death, Epheſ. 5.2. then he was an offering and a ſacrifice of a ſweet ſmelling ſavour to God. I but you will ſay, then God was moſt angry with him, pouring on him his fierce wrath and vengeance from heaven? True, he was moſt angry with him in regard of our ſinnes which he beheld on him, and puniſhed in him, but in regard of his owne decree thereby accompliſhed, and Chriſt his perfect obedience therein yeelded; and the abſolute ſatisfaction for our ſinnes there made by his precious blood, even then God was beſt pleaſed with him, we feele it through Gods mercy, for we are ſure it was his death and blood that we are reconciled to God by, and that God was pleaſed with us for, and therefore Chriſt himſelfe muſt needs be moſt pleaſing to him in that eſtate.
Secondly, therein Chriſt ſhewed his greateſt love and affection to us, and how ſhall we remember him with our beſt affections, but in that ſtate wherein hee ſhewed moſt love and affection towards us? Iohn 15.13. Greater love than this can no man ſhew, than to give his life for his friend: this love Chriſt hath ſhewed us, he gave his whole ſtate for us; he ſpared not his precious body, his precious blood, his precious life, his precious ſoule for us, all theſe are precious, yea infinitely precious in themſelves; yet hee thought nothing too precious to give for us, but expoſed them all in his death to the wrath of God for our redemption; whoſoever thou art that canſt thus remember Chriſt, thou haſt many ſtrong bonds and motives to binde thee faſt to thankfulneſſe, and love, and obedience to God in Ieſus Chriſt, and that is to remember him as thou ſhouldeſt remember him, he that can once ſpeake by experience in his owne heart, as the Apoſtle doth, Gal. 1.20. that Chriſt hath loved mee, and gave himſelfe for me, will empty himſelfe alſo, and ſay as the Apoſtle did, I live, and yet not I now, but Chriſt Ieſus lives within me; his love to us in dying for us, ſtirres up our love to him in dying with him, and as the nature of true love is, to tranſanimate or transforme the lover into the thing loved, ſo we are turned as it were into Chriſt, we live not, but he lives in us; and ſurely we can never be perſwaded to give over our ſelves thorowly to God ſervice, till wee be brought unto it by the thorow meditation and remembrance of Chriſts death.
Thirdly, therein Chriſt hath beene moſt beneficiall to us, and wherein is he moſt worthy of our remembrance, but in that whereby we have moſt benefit by him, and that is his blood or his death? We have reconciliation by his blood, Rom. 3.23. Redemption by his blood, Heb. 9.12. and forgiveneſſe of ſinnes by his blood, 1 Iohn 1.7. all good things temporall and eternall are purchaſed to us by the merit of his death, and contrary all evill things are thereby turned away: Why doe wee remember Chriſt? Not becauſe of any good that he receives from us, but becauſe of the good that we receive from him; now his death is that whereby we receive greateſt good from him, yea in ſome ſort all the benefit that ever we enjoy by him, his Incarnation, Reſurrection, Aſcenſion, are ſo farre forth beneficiall unto us, as they have reference to his Death, and therefore except we remember Chriſt in his death, howſoever we remember him otherwiſe, it is no true remembrance of him at all.
Laſtly, therein he ſhewed himſelfe moſt powerfull and victorious over his and our enemies: Heb. 2.14. He hath deſtroyed through death him that had the power over death, that is, the Devill. 2 Col. 14, 15. He hath nailed our ſinnes upon the Croſſe, and there hath ſpoiled principalities and powers, how can we remember him better, than in ſtate wherein he gave the utter overthrow and deadly ſtroke to all our enemies? he told them that it was then their very houre and power of darkneſſe, and it is true to doe what they could, but not what they would, for that was but as it were a mocke to them, for indeed it was their very houre to be deſtroyed, and his very houre to triumph over them, as our Saviour himſelfe ſpeaking of his death, ſhewes plainly, Iohn 12.31. Now is the judgement of this world; now ſhall the Prince of this world be caſt out: If there were a Champion that ſhould undertake a combat for us, and overcome our enemies, wee would not conſider ſo much other circumſtances of his perſon or ſtate, but ſpecially his cariage and behaviour in managing our combat, and his act of overcomming. Chriſt our Champion hath overcome all our enemies in his death upon the Croſſe, and therefore that is the fitteſt object for our hearts to be ſet upon in the remembrance of Chriſt.
The Vſes: The firſt uſe ſerves for reproofe of thoſe that are ſo nice and dainty, that they cannot endure to meditate on Chriſts death; the matter of his reſurrection, and aſcenſion, and glorification, are pleaſing unto them, but the matter of his death that is harſh and diſtaſtfull: all of us could be content to goe with Chriſt to Mount Tabor where he was transfigured, that we might ſee his glory; but we are loth to goe with him to mount Calvery where hee was crucified, to taſte of his ſufferings: the Iewes bewrayed this humour in the corrupt nature of man, when they ſaid, Let him come downe from the Croſſe, and we will beleeve in him: If Chriſt could be ſeparated from his croſſe and ſufferings, and from his death generally all would be forward enough to take hold upon; but let us know, that except we have our part in Chriſt crucified, we ſhall never have our part in Chriſt glorified; the croſſe of Chriſt was his way to glorie, and our due meditation and participation on his Croſſe, is the onelyonly way for us to come to the participation of his glory. But ſome will ſay, to thinke upon Chriſt crucified, and ſlaine, and murdered, and tormented, theſe be bloody thoughts, how ſhould we digeſt them? I anſwer; Firſt, it is needfull for us that we ſhould bee poſſeſſed with ſuch bloody thoughts, that thereby we may bee brought to ſee and take notice of the uglineſſe and fearfulneſſe of our ſinne: but ſecondly, wee doe not dwell in the groſſe and carnall meditation of his wounds and blood-ſhedding, as the Papiſts doe; but we are ſpiritually minded in the meditatiō of his death and therein we behold Gods decree, in giving his Son for our redemptiō, & his wrath againſt ſinne, and his mercy to us in the forgiveneſſe of our ſins, and this is it that makes our meditations and thoughts of Chriſts death to be moſt comfortable and heavenly thoughts.
Secondly, this teacheth us that wee ſhould labour to bee skilfull and well practiſed in the meditation of Chriſts death, and to have our eye continually upon Chriſt crucified: That which our Saviour ſaid to Thomas, Iohn 20.27. Put thy finger here, and ſee my hands, and put it forth, and put it into my ſides, though it were ſpoke there of his materiall wounds, yet every one of us muſt take it ſpiritually to be ſpoken to our ſelves: wee muſt put our fingers & our hands into the holes of his ſides, we muſt dive deep by our meditatiōs into the ſecret myſteries of his death, that therby we may become his true beleeving Diſciples: the death of Ieſus Chriſt is of all other things moſt ſerviceable, and profitable, and comfortable to us even in reſpect of all the parts of Religion: Wouldeſt thou behold the love of God towards thee, and know how dearly hee loves thee? See it in the death of Chriſt; God hath given his Sonne not onelyonly to become man for us, but even to dye for us, and to endure the greateſt extremities for us that ever could be thought upon; here is a cleere glaſſe wherein we may behold the height, and the depth, and the length, and the bredth of Gods love towards us: touching the forgiveneſſe of our ſinnes, every one would faine bee perſwaded of it; but we can never attaine to any ſound perſwaſion thereof, till wee ſearch and ſee thorowly into the death of Chriſt. Gods wrath againſt ſin is infinite, and it paſſeth all our apprehenſion to conceive how hee being ſo juſt and righteous can poſſibly forgive a ſinner, till by our thorow acquaintance with the death of Chriſt, we finde therein infinite matter of ſatisfaction to Gods infinite juſtice: ſo in our hatred to ſinne, we can never loath ſinne as we ſhould doe, but by looking into the death of Chriſt, where we ſee that it was ſo loathſome and ſo odious to God, that it did kindle Gods infinite wrath even againſt his owne Sonne, having taken our ſinnes upon him: when we conſider this right, then wee begin to fall out with ſinne, and to hate it, and to defie this curſed brat of the Devill, that hath brought the Sonne of God to ſuch a curſed and ſhamefull death: ſo in our mortification, we can never attaine to any true meaſure of it, till we have toyled our ſelves in the due meditation of Chriſts death; when we ſee and conſider that Chriſt himſelfe hath ſuffered ſuch things, afflictions, temptations, infirmities, death it ſelfe, then we begin to diſpence with our owne mindes, and are contented to ſuffer together with him, and to mortifie our fleſh, and to crucifie the old man, and with patience to undergoe and endure all the fiery tryalls. It is the Apoſtles rule, 1 Pet. 4.1, 2. ſo in the matter of temptation, the beſt helpe and ſtrength wee have is Chriſt crucified: Rev. 12.11. they overcame Satan in the blood of the Lambe. When the Tempter comes, our faith preſently takes hold upon the blood of the Lambe, upon the death of Chriſt; we know that by that Satan was overcome, and ſo by that we have comfort againſt temptation; we conſider we have crucified Chriſt by our ſins already, and therefore we will not harken to him to crucifie him the ſecond time; we conſider that all the promiſes of God are ſealed up unto us in the blood of Chriſt, and thereby wee ſtand faſt ſtriving, and ſuffering, and waiting upon God in faith and patience, and ſo we overcome the enemie in the blood of the Lambe: ſo in our expectance of any good thing to come from God, firſt, wee are perſwaded that Chriſt died for us, that God ſpared not his owne Sonne, but gave him to death for us, and thence we doe comfortably conclude, how ſhall he not with him give us all things alſo? Rom. 8.32. In the matter of our perſeverance we ſtill are fearfull, and faine we would be comforted how we ſhould perſevere: Meditate ſoundly upon the death of Chriſt, and there thou ſhalt have ſound comfort for thy perſeverance. Rom. 5.9, 10. If God reconcile us to himſelfe by the death of Chriſt when we were his enemies, much more now being reconciled by his blood we ſhall bee ſaved by his life: the Lord that hath ſhewed us ſo great mercy as to bring us out of the ſtate of ſin and damnation when wee were his enemies, will ſurely ſo uphold us being reconciled unto him, that wee ſhall never finally fall into that curſed ſtate againe. Laſtly, for the matter of our repentance, we can never truly repent till we meditate ſoundly upon the death of Chriſt. Zach. 12.10. They looke upon him whom they have pierced, and then they lament and be ſory as for their firſt borne; when they ſee him pierced, and conſider that they have pierced him, then they ſhall lament. In that Sermon of Peter, Acts 2. whereby ſo many were converted unto God; though many powerfull and profitable inſtructions were delivered, yet they were never thereby ſtung till hee tells them in verſe 36. This is Ieſus, whom you have crucified; this went as a dagger to their hearts, for preſently they were pricked in their hearts, and cryed out Men and brethren, what ſhall we doe? verſe 37. here beginnes repentance, when they ſee they have crucified the Lord of life, and ſo it is with us, when once the Holy Ghoſt takes us along into the meditation of Chriſts death, and preſſeth it ſoundly upon our hearts, that we be they that have crucified the Lord of life, then we are aſtonied and at our wits end, and then we repent and forethinke our ſelves of the evill we have done: we can never underſtand what a broken heart is, till we find our owne hearts broken with the meditation of the death of Chriſt; when we conſider adviſedly with our ſelves concerning Chriſts ſufferings, what an agony he endured in the garden where he ſweat water as it were drops of blood, and was faine to be comforted by the Angels, and when we thinke with our ſelves that we heare him complaine as though we were preſent with him; My ſoule is heavie unto the death; when wee conſider him how his hands, and feet, and ſides were wounded, and nailed, and pierced upon the Croſſe, and how tender his pretious body was; one goring to him in his ſinleſſe body being more to him than many thouſands to our bodies that are hardned with ſinne; and when we conſider what a fearfull complaint came from him in the anguiſh of his ſoule, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? how can we chuſe if wee have any tenderneſſe of bowells in us in the world, but melt and bee broken in our hearts, and ſpend our ſpirits, in the compaſſionate meditation of ſuch a wofull ſpectacle: but then if we conſider further that all this was endured for us; Innocent Lambe, hee had done nothing amiſſe, but it was all for us and for our ſinnes: This ſhould make us more broken hearted at the thought of theſe things; yea if wee had but good nature in us; for who is there among us, who being condemned to dye, if any other ſhould take our death upon him, but wee would bee wonderfully moved in the thought of his death; how much more then ought we to be compaſſionately moved at the thought of that cruell and ſhamefull death which the Sonne of God endured for us; I ſay if we had but good nature in us: But conſider laſtly how that he hath not only endured theſe things for us, but that wee in a deſpitefull manner have brought all theſe things upon him, and ſee if we have not juſt cauſe to breake our hearts aſunder with griefe at the thought of Chriſts death; the Iewes hands were the outward inſtruments, our ſinnes the actors, they cryed out on earth to Pilate, Crucifie him, crucifie him, but our ſinnes cryed our in heaven to God much lowder, Crucifie him, crucifie him, and that was the voice that prevailed and brought him to that ſhamefull death; when the ſinfull ſoule conſiders this with it ſelfe, I have crucified the Lord of glory, I have killed the Lord of life, then the heart melts and relents, and is gored and pierced with theſe thoughts as ſenſibly as our Saviours body was with the nailes and ſpeare; and the blood did not more freely guſh out of his ſides and body, than bleeding teares doe guſh out of a broken heart and wounded ſpirit of a poore wretched ſinner, thus affected with the meditation of the death of CHRIST.
Laſtly, this teacheth us what manner of remembrance of Chriſts death it is wee muſt labour for, it muſt bee both religious and affectionate; the Iewes remember Chriſts death, but not religiouſly, they doe it in ſcorne and hatred of him; Hypocrites remember Chriſts death, and that as a matter of religion as they profeſſe, but it is without affection, and without truth; but thou that deſireſt to remember Chriſt rightly and ſavingly, thou muſt labour and ſee that thou remember him religiouſly and affectionately; remember it with thankfulneſſe to God, with compaſſion to Chriſts ſufferings, with hatred to thine owne ſinne, with faith in Chriſts pretious blood, and with a true deſire and endeavor to be like to him in his death by thy mortification; how wondrouſly doe men erre, touching this duty, they will ſay we remember that Chriſt dyed for us all, & ſo paſs it over as a ſleight thing: ſome will goe further, and meditate upon it once a yeare, or upon Good Friday ſomewhat more than ordinary; alas this comes farre ſhort of the right remembrance of Chriſts death; whoſoever thou art that lookeſt to be ſaved by the death of Chriſt, ſee thou make it thy daily and continuall meditation, and labour to grow acquainted with it every day better than other, and take this for the concluſion of all, ſo much as thou doſt meditate religiouſly and affectionately on Chriſts death, ſo much intereſt thou haſt in Chriſt, and in his ſalvation.
The end of the twelfth Lecture.