Twenty-Three Sermons, Lecture 18
THE EIGHTEENTH LECTVRE VPONUPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER.
WEE are ſtill to proceed, God willing, in the handling of this Text, by occaſion of the next Sabbath being a Communion day; ſo that now we are to goe on where we left. I ſhewed you that in the latter part of the verſe there is contained a caution, that the receiving of the Lords Supper is to bee performed withall, the ſhewing forth of the Lords death: wherein I noted to you in the caution it ſelfe theſe two things; firſt, the matter that is to be remembred; and ſecondly, the manner of the remembring of it. The matter that is to be remembred, is the death of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: the maner of the remembring of it: how is it to be remēbred? why, by a kind of ſhewing forth, by a kinde of lively or ſenſible expreſſing of it. Wee have ſpoken of the matter heretofore, and even duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page now we made repetition of that which was laſt ſpoken concerning this caution, namely, concerning the death of Ieſus Chriſt. Now as God ſhall inable us, we are to handle the manner: the manner how this death of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt is remembred in the Sacrament, is a ſhewing forth, ſaith the Text, a ſetting forth, or a ſhewing forth, for ſo the words ſignifie, that is to ſay, a kinde of lively and ſenſible expreſſing of the death of Chriſt, is in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, one tranſlation comes a little ſhort of the power of the word in the originall, which is worthy to be knowne; we read it hence we ſhew the Lords death, the originall word intends two things very materiall to our preſent purpoſe, for it is a Compound word foreign, and the ſimple verbe it ſelfe is very ſignificant, but the prepoſition that it is compounded withall, addes ſomewhat more to the ſignificancy of it, and makes it more pregnant, and more full to the matter wee have in hand. Firſt, the ſimple verbe it ſelfe ſignifies to ſhew, to publiſh, or to declare, not ſimply, but to ſhew and publiſh by way of a meſſage, or as it were by way of a lively voice. In the Sacrament of the Lords Supper there muſt be certaine ſpeeches, and certaine words that are to be uſed, there is a meſſage that is to bee publiſhed whenſoever the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is rightly adminiſtred. If you aske what that meſſage is: I anſwer, it is the very meſſage of the Goſpell, the very doctrine of the Goſpell, free remiſſion of our ſinnes by the blood of Chriſt; that is the ſubſtance of the Sacrament, that is the doctrine of the Goſpell: and our Saviour himſelfe when he did inſtitute the Sacrament, as it is in Matth. 26.28. there he ſaith, This is my blood of the New Teſtament that is ſhed for many for the remiſsion of ſinnes: Here is the very preaching of the Goſpell, publiſhed in the adminiſtration of the Sacrament, free remiſſion of ſinnes by the blood of Ieſus Chriſt. And ſurely the very ſame word that ſignifies the Goſpell in the originall, is derived from this ſimple verbe that here is uſed; giving us ſome intimation, that the meſſage that is to bee publiſhed is indeed the meſſage of the Goſpell. Why then in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Chriſt muſt be publiſhed by way of meſſage, or by way of lively voice: But ſecondly, the prepoſition that it is compounded withall, that addes ſomewhat more: what is that? It muſt be done throughly, it muſt be done earneſtly, for ſo the word ſignifies in the Originall: as if …e would ſay, there muſt be a vehement publiſhing of it, a vehement ſhewing forth: It is not onelyonly a ſhewing that will ſerve the turne, much leſſe a ſlender and a careleſſe ſhewing of the death of Chriſt; but it muſt be ſhewed throughly and earneſtly: as the matter it ſelfe is a matter of great waight and moment as ever was, ſo likewiſe the ſhewing forth muſt be anſwerable thereunto: It muſt be ſhewed moſt ſeriouſly and moſt affectionately; and this the word ſignifies in the originall. Yee ſhew forth the Lords death by way of a meſſage, and that earneſtly, till he come. And whereas ſome reade it poſitively by way of approbation, You doe ſhew the Lords death till he come; and others doe reade it imparatively by way of command, See ye ſhew the Lords death; or, You ſhall ſhew the Lords death; both theſe in ſubſtance tend to one and the ſame effect. And indeed the one of theſe doth conſequently inferre the other: For if wee reade it poſitively, Yee doe ſhew the Lords death, then this being a matter that is commended in them by the Apoſtle; it doth imply that it is a duty, and muſt be performed: then if we reade it imparatively, (Ye ſhall ſhew) or, (See you ſhew the Lords death till he come,) then it is implyed that all the faithfull that will conforme themſelves to the ordinance of God, they doe performe this, they practiſe this at the receiving of the Sacrament, they doe ſhew forth the Lords death till he come. If we reade it poſitively, it intends thus much, namely, that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a fit occaſion, or a fit meanes, in and whereby we come to ſhew forth the Lords death: If we reade it imparatively, ye ſhall ſhew forth the Lords death, it impoſes a duty, (that whenſoever we meet together at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, we muſt be ſhewing forth of the Lords death;) there is little difference betweene them, and in effect they are the ſame: and becauſe I am loth to vary from our own tranſlatiō, but upon good occaſion, & becauſe our tranſlation comes neereſt to the originall, becauſe the originall doth naturally ſound to this effect, you doe ſhew the Lords death, rather than yee ſhall ſhew forth the Lords death, therefore I will not change our owne tranſlation, but take it poſitively as it is propounded, that you doe ſhew forth the Lords deathtill he come: ſo we will take it, that the Sacrament is a fit ſubject or meanes in and wherby to ſhew forth the Lords death: and this is the principall matter that this Scripture doth ayme at, and this doth confirme directly the very point that we made choice of this Scripture for, namely, to prove that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a memoriall of the death of Chriſt: The Text ſaith plainly, As often as ye eate this bread, and drinke this cup, ye ſhew forth the Lords death till hee come; or remember, or expreſſe in a lively manner the Lords death.
Doctr. The Doctrine then that here we are to obſerve for our inſtruction, is this, In that the Apoſtle ſaith here, Whenſoever you receive the Sacrament, ye ſhew forth the Lords death: Hence obſerve, that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper being rightly adminiſtred and received according to Gods owne ordinance, is a freſh and a lively memoriall, a ſenſible repreſentation, a through ſetting forth, or a through ſhewing forth of the death of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: I ſay if it be rightly received and adminiſtred according to Gods owne ordinance, for ſo the Apoſtle meanes here: for having in the 23, 24, and 25 verſes reformed the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, according to our Saviours firſt inſtitution, thence he gives them this Item, As often as yee eate this bread, and drinke this cup, &c. as if hee ſhould ſay, that if it be rightly adminiſtred, and inſtituted, and received according to Gods owne ordinance, then it is a lively repreſentation, and a right ſhewing forth of the Lords death. Conſider the whole frame and inſtitution of this Sacrament made by our Saviour both for matter of circumſtance, and for matter of ſubſtance: you ſhall ſee that both of them doe confirme this truth.
Firſt, for matter of circumſtance: there bee three circumſtances that may be alledged to this purpoſe. One, is the time of this inſtitution, the night when he was betrayed: another, is the action that this inſtitution did inſue upon: and the third is the cariage of our Saviour immediately before he inſtituted it.
Firſt for the time: the time when he inſtituted it, when was it? the night that hee was betrayed; as it is in the 23 verſe: the Apoſtle doth not note the time, but upon very juſt occaſion. Marke it, over-night our Saviour inſtituted the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, for the expreſſing of his death; the next day our Saviour ſuffered that death which was in and by that Sacrament to be expreſſed. How could our Saviour deviſe to have ſerved himſelfe better upon the advantage of the time, to make the Sacrament to be a freſh and a lively repreſentation and memoriall of his death, than by reſpiting the inſtitution of the Sacrament ſo neare as neare might bee to the time of his death: the one was done over-night, and the other the next day.
We know that ſuch things as have ſome neare dependance one upon another in nature, looke how more neerly they are performed in time, ſo much the more doth the one give the better help to the remembrance of the other; whereas if one be done long before the other, they will not meet ſo readily and freſhly in our memories: for example, the eating of the Paſſeover, which was a type and memoriall of the deliverance of the Iſraelites out of Egypt, was of purpoſe reſpited to the night before their departure (they were to eate the Paſſeover over-night, and the next day to depart) that whenſoever afterward they were to eate the Paſſeover, it might renew upon them a more freſh memory of their deliverance out of Egypt; whereas if they had had the Paſſeover a yeare or two before, and a yeare or two after beene delivered out of Egypt, then there would not have beene ſuch a joynt concurrence of them together in their minds, the Paſſeover would not have been ſuch a palpable and preſent memoriall of their deliverance as it was: ſo likewiſe Ieſus Chriſt hee inſtituted the Sacrament of the Lords Supper overnight, he ſuffered his death the next day, that whē ſoever after, we come to receive the ſacrament of the Lords Supper, the time wherein his death was ſuffered following ſo preſently upon the inſtitution of the Sacrament, the one of theſe might helpe forward the other, that ſo the Sacrament might bee the more lively remembrance of his death, the circumſtance of the time of the inſtitution being ſo neare the time of his death, proves unto us that Chriſt had a full intent to make the Sacrament a freſh memoriall of his death.
The ſecond is the action that this inſtitution did enſue upon, what was that? why that was the eating of the Paſſeover, as appeareth in the 14. of Marke 22. And as they did eate, Ieſus took the bread, and when he had given thankes, he brake it, and gave it to them, and ſaid, Take, eate: this is my body, &c. They were then eating of the Paſſeover, ſo ſaith the Text, as they were eating, Chriſt tooke the bread and gave it to his Diſciples, &c. The Paſſeover it ſelfe was as I have ſhewed you heretofore, a Type and a memoriall of the deliverance of Iſrael out of Egypt by Moſes, but principally of their deliverance from ſinne and Sathan by the death of Ieſus Chriſt, and yet notwithſtanding immediately upon the eating of this Paſſeover did our Saviour Chriſt inſtitute the ſacrament of the Lords Supper, as if our Saviour ſhould ſay unto them, well; now you have eaten the Paſſeover; this Paſſeover did not onelyonly ſignifie your deliverance out of Egypt, but principally your deliverance from ſin and Sathan by my death; for indeed I am that true Lambe of God, ſlaine and eaten, and ſignified in this Paſſeover; but yet howſoever that did ſignifie my death unto you, yet it was but ſomewhat darkly and obſcure, you could not be ſo ſenſible of my death by that; but now I will give you a Sacrament that ſhall expreſſe my death, and your deliverance moſt cleerly, and that is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. The very ſtraine of the ſtory in Matthew, Marke, and Luke, &c. being well conſidered, doth afford us this collection, That our Saviour preſently after the eating of the Paſſeover, did inſtitute the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, as if that were not cleere enough, but this ſhould bee moſt cleere for that purpoſe.
Thirdly, the cariage of our Saviour immediately before the inſtitution of the Sacrament, as it is in the 13. of Iohn 16. to 22. wee ſhall finde there that our Saviour did teach unto his Diſciples many good leſſons, he taught them humilitie, and charity, both by example, and by doctrine: moreover, then he did foretell them of his death, and told them covertly who ſhould betray him: he quoted a place of Scripture for it: and all this was done upon the inſtant of the inſtitution; his teaching them humility and charity, his foretelling them of his death, his putting them in minde of theſe things, and raiſing them up to the conſideration of his ſufferings before-hand; all theſe concurre together by way of circumſtance, to teach that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a manifeſt ſhewing forth of the death of Chriſt, & the uſe therof: for Chriſts own humbleneſs and love which then hee ſhewed by his practice, are matters of ſpeciall note in the death of Chriſt: and our humbleneſſe and love, which then hee taught us, both by his doctrine and example, are ſpeciall fruits and uſes of his death in us. Now to the ſubſtance of it, whether we reſpect: the ſignes uſed in the Sacrament, or the actions, or the words in the Sacrament.
Firſt, concerning the ſignes; the very ſignes they ſhew forth the death of the Lord; the bread ſhewes forth the body of Ieſus Chriſt, expreſſing it lively, the bread is a ſollide ſubſtance, ſo is the body of Chriſt; the bread is the food of our bodies, the ſtrengthening of our hearts, the ſtaffe of our life in the ſtate of nature; here is a lively repreſentation to ſpirituall minded men, that the body of Ieſus Chriſt is the ſpirituall food of our ſoules, the ſtrength of the hidden man of our hearts, it is the ſtaffe of the life of God in the ſtate of grace to every true beleever; and ſo likewiſe the wine ſhewes forth the blood of Chriſt, the Wine is a liquid ſubſtance, ſo is the blood of Chriſt, but principally the ſweetneſſe of the ſmell of the wine, the pleaſantneſſe of the taſte of the wine, the comfortable cheerfulneſſe of the wine, whereby it doth glad our hearts, this is a moſt lively expreſſing unto us of the blood of Chriſt Ieſus, this ſhewes unto a ſpirituall minded man, if this wine be ſo ſweet and pleaſant, and comfortable, oh what a ſweet ſavour hath the blood of Ieſus Chriſt, oh what a pleaſant reliſh is there in the blood of Ieſus Chriſt, oh, what comfort and cheerfulneſſe is there in the blood of Ieſus Chriſt to every diſtreſſed and beleeving ſoule, that can finde and feele theſe things within himſelfe; this they doe ſingle, each by it ſelfe: now put both theſe together (as both of them are tendred together to us in the Sacrament) then here is a full refreſhing ſet forth unto us: that there is a full refreſhing to every beleeving ſoule in the death of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: ſo much for the ſignes.
Secondly, concerning the actions in the Sacrament, both on our Saviours part, and likewiſe on our our part: on our Saviours part, he tooke the bread and brake it; what is that to ſay, but as if our Saviour ſhould ſay, Doe you ſee mee breake this bread, thus, thus is my body broken for you; ſo for the cup: when hee tooke the bread and brake it, he diſtributed and gave it among them; here is a manifeſt ſhewing forth of the extenſion of the death of Chriſt, that the Lord Ieſus Chriſt is the common Saviour of all them that beleeve. He tooke the bread ſaith the Text, and hee gave it unto them; and ſo of the cup. Then againe here is an action on our part, as our Saviour bid them to take it, ſo wee doe take it, wee take the bread, we eate it; we take the cup, wee drinke it; what is this but a ſhewing forth of the death of the Lord, except our hands belye our hearts, except we be otherwiſe then we ſeeme to be, when we take the bread and eate it, when wee take the wine and drink it, we openly profeſſe that wee are of the number of them that take hold on Ieſus Chriſt, and doe apply him particularly to the comfort of our owne ſoules.
Thirdly, the words of inſtitution in the Sacrament; the words, what are they? why firſt and formoſt the Text ſaith, He tooke the bread and brake it, and bid them to take and eate; here you ſee firſt he bids us to take it, to ſhew us hee intended that his body is ours, and that his death is a ſacrifice to God for us, whereby our ſins are ſatisfied for, and whereby we are reconciled to God; then he ſaith, This is my body: he ſpeakes demonſtratively, and he ſpeakes it by way of an eſſentiall predication; he ſaith, this is my body; as if our Saviour ſhould ſay to every ſpirituall minded man and woman, This Sacrament is as lively a repreſentation of my death, as if my body and blood were here crucified and ſhed before your eyes: and ſo likewiſe it followes, this is my body which is given for you, and my blood which is ſhed for you for the remiſsion of ſins: here is a full ſhewing forth of the Lords death, here is the Goſpell preached at the adminiſtration of the Sacrament, that the blood of Ieſus Chriſt cleanſeth us from all our ſinnes. It followes in the laſt place, Doe this in remembrance of me; as if our Saviour ſhould ſay, doe this in remembrance of my death, for ſo the Apoſtle expounds it, hee had repeated our Saviours words in the verſe going before, Doe this in remembrance of me; and he comes and expounds it here, Doe this in remembrance of my death; as if our Saviour ſhould ſay, conſider well, and adviſedly of this Sacrament, for this Sacrament is in it ſelfe a remembrance, and a lively memoriall of my death, and ſo you muſt eſteeme of it, and ſo you muſt make uſe of it, and ſo to every beleever it ſhall be made good for all ſaving purpoſes.
Thus you ſee the doctrine is proved, both by the circumſtances, & the ſubſtance, and the whole frame of the Sacrament, that the Sacrament being adminiſtred and received according to Gods own ordinance, is a freſh and a lively memoriall, a ſenſible repreſentation, a through ſetting forth of the death of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: the reaſons of the doctrine are theſe:
Reaſon. 1 The firſt reaſon is drawne from the nature of the Sacraments, the ſacraments are as it were glaſſes wherein we may ſee and behold the true forme, or the true ſhape, or the true likeneſſe of that which is repreſented in the glaſſe; a glaſſe muſt be both true and cleere, it muſt be true that it may not caſt a falſe ſhadow upon us: not to reflect another manner of ſhadow than is caſt upon it, it muſt bee cleere, that the true object that it doth repreſent, may be cleerly and lively repreſented unto us: the ſacrament of the Lords Supper is a glaſſe, it muſt be a true glaſſe, and a cleere glaſſe, what is the object repreſented by it, the principall object of the Lords ſupper that is reſembled unto us in it, is the death of Chriſt; then conſider, the object that is to be ſeene and beheld in this glaſſe, is the death of Chriſt: the ſacrament is a glaſſe wherein this is to bee beheld, a glaſſe muſt be true and cleere, and therefore the Sacrament of the Lords Supper muſt cleerly and plainly, and lively ſhew forth the Lords death, which is the principall object there to bee conſidered.
Againe, Sacraments wee know, are teaching ſignes; fignes ordained of God that they may bee teachers unto us: and teachers you know muſt ſpeake plainly, they muſt ſpeake teachably, they muſt deliver the matter with a lively voyce, ſo as it may be beſt knowne, diſcerned, and underſtood, and worke inſtruction in the hearts of thoſe that it is to be learned by; the Sacraments are teaching ſignes, the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a teaching ſigne, the leſſon that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper teacheth, is the death of Ieſus Chriſt, and therefore the Sacrament of the Lords Supper muſt teach the death of Ieſus Chriſt lively, and cleerly, and ſo muſt be a through ſhewing forth of Chriſts death.
Reaſon. 2 A ſecond reaſon is drawne from the proportion of the word with the Sacrament, the word that ſhewes forth Chriſt lively vntounto us, therefore the Sacrament that ſhewes forth the death of Chriſt lively to us too: that the word ſhewes forth the death of Chriſt lively, it appeares, Gal. 3.1. Oh ye fooliſh Galathians, who hath bewitched you, that ye ſhould not beleeve the truth? to whom Chriſt Ieſus was before deſcribed in your ſight, and among you crucified. The Galathians they never ſaw Chriſt crucified in their lives, but yet Paul did preach Chriſt crucified ſo plainly, and ſo effectually to the Galathians, that he did as it were preſent Chriſt crucified before their bodily eyes, he did ſo worke by the operation of Gods ſpirit in his miniſtery, that they had a more ſure and plaine apprehenſion of the death of Chriſt within them, then many of thoſe that ſtood by and ſaw him crucified: if it be ſo in the word, it is ſo in the ſacrament: if the word do ſo lively repreſent him, the ſacrament doth it much more, for the ſacrament is a viſible word, that is to ſay, looke whatſoever the word ſounds unto us in our eares, that the ſacrament preſents and exhibits before our eyes; the ſacrament is a viſible word, now that which I ſee to bee done before my face, is more lively repreſented unto mee, than that which I heare with my eares, therefore if the Word deſcribe the death of Chriſt lively, then doth the Sacrament much more.
Reaſon. 3 The third Reaſon is drawne from the end of the inſtitution. What was the end of the inſtitution of the Sacrament? what purpoſe had our Saviour when he inſtituted the Sacrament? Even this purpoſe chiefly, that he might leave among his Diſciples to the end of the world, a pledge, a token, and pawne, as the memoriall of his death that he ſuffered for us: the end that Chriſt aymes at he will not have fruſtrate: that which Chriſt doth, he will doe it throughly. If hee come to ſet fire upon the earth, what is his will but it ſhould burne? If Chriſt ordaine a memoriall of his death, it ſhall be a cleare memoriall; this Sacrament was ordained of purpoſe by him for his remembrance; Doe this in remembrance of me, ſaith hee; therefore it is a lively repreſentation of his death: and except wee will impeach either the power, or the goodneſſe of Chriſt Ieſus, as who ſhould ſay, he could not make a lively repreſentation of his death, or elſe he would not, we muſt needs confeſſe that this Sacrament is as lively a memoriall of his death as ever could be deviſed. I might adde other reaſons, as namely, concerning the ſtate of the New Teſtament. The ſtate of the new Teſtament requires that all things ſhould be moſt cleare, and moſt plaine, and eſpecially the death of Chriſt, that that ſhould be moſt clearly repreſented unto us. Zach. 12.10 I will poure forth my Spirit upon the inhabitants of Ieruſalem, and I will make them that they ſhall looke upon me whom they have pierced: that is, behold me as it were with their bodily eyes. Now the meaning is, that hee ſhall deale with them to this effect by his Spirit: but yet collaterally it reaches alſo to the Word and Sacraments: for if he doe deale with them ſo by his inward Spirit, then the outward meanes muſt bee anſwerable: ſo then, the reach of the place is to teach us that in the time of the Goſpell Chriſt Ieſus ſhall be repreſented before our eyes, and this ſhall bee by the Spirit of God in our hearts; but ſtill it muſt bee underſtood that the Word and Sacraments muſt be anſwerable hereunto, and therefore the Word and Sacraments muſt repreſent Chriſt Ieſus unto us, as clearly as if hee were nailed upon the Croſſe before our eyes.
Vſe 1 The Vſes of the Doctrine are theſe: The firſt Vſe is this; Firſt, here is matter of inſtruction, calling upon us for many good duties, that the conſideration of this doctrine ſhould raiſe us up to performe. Is it ſo, that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is ſuch a lively repreſentation, ſuch a freſh memoriall of the death of Ieſus Chriſt? then this ſhould teach us, that our private and publike preparation before wee come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; I ſay our publike, but eſpecially our private preparation, ſhould be ſuch as may bee anſwerable unto that buſineſſe that we have in hand: and ſeeing when we come to the Lords Table wee come to behold Chriſt here before us, as it were with our bodily eyes, in the outward ſignes, and with the eyes of our mindes, under and within thoſe veiles: therefore every one of us muſt labour ſo to be fitted, and ſo prepared before we come hither, that we may be worthy and profitable beholders of Chriſt crucified, and worthy receivers of the myſteries and benefits of his precious death: Take this for your rule, and remember it well, and let this bee practiſed, if not in the ſame kinde, yet in the like; whenſoever wee have a purpoſe to come to the Lords Table, let us ſtill have our hearts meditating upon Chriſts death all the weeke long, but eſpecially over-night, and that morning that we are to receive, let us labour carefully to endue, and informe our ſelves with the thoughts of the death of Ieſus Chriſt. How ſhould that be? why reade ſome good booke of that argument, eſpecially reade the Booke of all Bookes, I mean the Booke of God: if thou canſt not reade, get another to reade it to thee: read the 53. of Eſay, there we may ſee how lively he ſets before us the death of Chriſt, long before Chriſt himſelfe felt the ſmart of it: and ſo proceed to reade the ſtory of his death in one of the Euangeliſts, as Matthew, Marke, Luke, or Iohn, as all are very pregnant for that purpoſe: and we know, that howſoever there bee ſome men that have ſet forth this argument very worthily, yet all of them come farre ſhort of one line of the Holy Ghoſt: one chapter in the Booke of God being well underſtood, ſhall doe us more good, being ſeriouſly meditated upon, than all other Books beſides. I ſay, reade the Chapters of the ſtory of the death of Chriſt, and as thou readeſt them, take them to heart, and pauſe deliberately upon them, and conſider of them well, and pray to God to imprint the ſame into thy heart by the finger of his Spirit; and if thus thou doeſt from one Communion to another, thou ſhalt finde through Gods bleſſing, that whenſoever thou commeſt to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, thou ſhalt there ſee thy Saviour moſt clearly: but if thou be not carefull thus to meditate of Chriſt before-hand, thou ſhalt be but an unprofitable receiver, and beholder of theſe myſteries. I will make the matter ſomewhat cleare by a compariſon. If there were a Martyr to ſuffer for the profeſſion of the Goſpell, two men (having knowne him before) goe together to ſee his death; the one of them knows him but a little, and hath heard of the cauſe only in ſome generall termes, but the other hath more neere acquaintance with him, and hath better informed himſelfe of him, and was by when he was arraigned, and heard his arraignment, and his inditement, and all the paſſages of the buſineſſe, and what was alledged againſt him by his accuſers, and what he anſwered for himſelfe, and why the ſentence of death was paſſed againſt him: which of theſe two men ſhall be moſt affected with the death of this Martyr? Out of queſtion hee that was ſo lately acquainted with his arraignment, and his inditement, and with the whole cauſe of his death; the death of that Martyr ſhall ſtrike much into this mans heart, and worke ſoundly upon him; whereas the other man which knew of him but in generall, ſhall bee moved with it but little or nothing at all: So it is in this caſe; when wee come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, wee come to behold Ieſus Chriſt executed and put to death to every ſpirituall receiver, in a ſpirituall manner; to reade the ſtory concerning the death of Chriſt, & to meditate upon thoſe things conſcionably and religiouſly, with a deſire to profit by them; it is as if ſo bee a man ſhould have ſtood by when Chriſt was arraigned and indited, and heard what was ſpoken againſt him, and what ſentence was paſſed upon him. For when the Holy Ghoſt pennes a ſtory he will pen it throughly, and if we lay downe our hearts to be wrought upon by the power of the Word, wee ſhall finde ſuch a powerfull working by it, that it ſhall bee more effectuall to us than it wee had beene there preſent to have ſeene the death of Chriſt. So then by reading the ſtory before-hand, wee being as it were preſent with him at his arraignment and inditement, thinke with your ſelves whether this will not be a notable meanes to make the death of Ieſus Chriſt effectual unto us in the Sacrament, and if we looke for any benefit by the Sacrament, let us come with this preparation before-hand. Iohn 13.19. Chriſt ſaith, I tell you theſe things before-hand, that when ye ſee theſe things come to paſſe ye might beleeve. He ſpeakes there partly concerning his death: the words that Chriſt ſpake concerning his owne death, hee puts upon his Diſciples before-hand, that when it did come to paſſe they might beleeve; this would bee a meanes to cheriſh faith in them, and to make them beleeve it the better: ſo if wee come to the Sacrament, reade the Word of God, that part of the Word that principally concernes the death of Chriſt, and meditate upon that which Chriſt hath told us of before-hand, that ſo we might beleeve it, and this will bee a notable meanes through Gods bleſſing to make us that we ſhall beleeve that the death of Chriſt is ours, and that it is effectuall for our redemption.
The ſecond Vſe for inſtruction, is this: Is it ſo, that the Sacrament is ſuch a lively repreſentation of the death of Chriſt, then this teacheth us, that the publike cariage of the whole buſineſſe of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper muſt be framed and faſhioned ſo as it may make moſt for the lively ſetting forth of the death of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: and herein are many duties required of us. The firſt duty of all is this: the Word is to be preached, that ſo the people may underſtand and know that which belongs to God, and to their owne ſalvation, elſe it will bee but a blinde Sacrament: but eſpecially the Goſpell; the voice of the Goſpell, namely, the free remiſſion of ſins by the blood of Ieſus Chriſt, that is to be preſſed upon them againe and againe, that they may be ſtirred up in their affections to eſteeme and receive it graciouſly: it is a courſe that God hath uſed in all Sacraments, ſtill to joyne together with the Sacraments the Word preached: Before the ſacrament of Circumciſion was adminiſtred, the Word was taught: ſo likewiſe the Paſſeover, as is cleare in Exod. 12.35. It is noted there, that when their children ſhould come to aske what was this Paſſeover; Tell them, ſaith God, that this is the memoriall of the great deliverance of their fathers many hundred yeares before out of the bondage of Aegypt. So likewiſe Chriſt ſaith in the Sacrament of Baptiſme, Goe teach all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghoſt, Matth 28. He doth not ſay, Goe and baptize, and let teaching alone; but, Goe teach; there is the ground and foundation; and then he builds upon it the adminiſtration of the Sacrament, Goe teach, and baptize in the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghoſt. If teaching be not joyned with the Sacrament, it is but a dumbe ſacrament: if men ſhould come here to the ſacrament of the Lords ſupper, and be not taught what it meanes, and what belongs to it: it ſhould be with them as it was with the Iſraelites, Exod. 16.15. That ſaw Manna like Coriander ſeed; the Text ſaith, they knew not what it was, but when Moſes came and ſaid, This is the bread that God gave them from heaven: now they come to reliſh it. So when we come to this ſacrament, and ſee the bread and the wine, except we be indued with the knowledge of Chriſt, and we underſtand Chriſt and him crucified, & know the nature of the ſacrament, wee ſhall not know what to make of it: but if the Word be preached, then we beginne to grow to ſome underſtanding, and ſome life in the buſineſſe: and to reliſh this Sacrament as the ſpirituall Manna, the heavenly food of our ſoules.
Secondly, as the word muſt be preached, ſo likewiſe confeſſion of Faith ought to made. Generally here amongſt us, wee make confeſſion of our Faith by the tendring of our bodies, but indeed the confeſſion of our faith ought to be publiſhed before the receiving of the Lords ſupper; this is a right ſhewing forth of the Lords death. Marke it, the Apoſtle ſaith, yee ſhew forth the Lords death, hee ſpeakes not to the Miniſters onelyonly, but to the people, yee ſhew forth: therfore they ſhould make ſome publike confeſſion that they beleeve in Chriſt Ieſus. And this is a matter that tends much to the ſetting forth of the death of Chriſt.
Thirdly, Prayers are to be made: for therein likewiſe wee ſhew the death of Ieſus Chriſt. Firſt, there muſt be confeſſion of our ſins, and wee muſt ſearch into our hearts, and lives, narrowly, and throughly; and the more we ſearch into them, the more clearely we ſhall ſee Chriſt his death.
Together with confeſsion of ſinnes, wee muſt uſe ſupplication and petition, calling earneſtly upon God, for Chriſt his ſake, which thus was crucified for us, that hee would forgive us our ſinnes in his blood: and this will give great light to the ſetting forth of the death of Chriſt, and then alſo thankeſgiving muſt be given to the Lord, we muſt thanke and praiſe God that it hath pleaſed him ſo to ſet his love upon us, as to give his Sonne to die for us curſed and miſerable ſinners as we are, and to ſave us by condemning him. Fourthly, there is another duty required, the words of the inſtitution muſt neceſſarily bee rehearſed, and this is a matter that gives wonderfull light to the death of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt in the ſacrament, for when wee heare the miniſter make rehearſall of the ſame words of Chriſt, then wee doe eſteeme highly of the ſacrament, as if Chriſt were perſonally among us, ſpeaking to us with his owne mouth, and delivering his body and blood unto us, as it were with his owne hands; this is a notable meanes to ſet forth the death of Chriſt. Laſtly, it is a Chriſtian duty and a needfull duty about the time of the ſacrament, to ſhew forth both our thankfulneſſe and our cheerfulneſſe, even by ſinging of Pſalmes.
It is true indeed, there is no Pſalme amiſſe, becauſe all were penned by the holy Ghoſt, yet ſome are more fit and ſeaſonable then others; the fitteſt Pſalmes are either teaching Pſalmes, or pſalmes of thankſgiving: if wee will have Pſalmes of thankſgiving, there is ſpecially the 103 Pſalme, and the 116, full of good meditations to this purpoſe; but if we will have teaching Pſalmes, teaching us the death of Chriſt, for that is then moſt ſeaſonable, that teacheth us the matter of the death of Chriſt, then take the ſecond Pſalme, for that teacheth us concerning the death of Chriſt, as it is applyed by the holy Ghoſt, Act. 4.25. and ſo the 22 Pſalm, as it is alleaged 27 of Matth. for there are three ſeverall places quoted out of that Pſalme, ſingled out, applyed expreſly unto the death of Chriſt; and therfore they are moſt ſeaſonable to be uſed, and it is neceſſary that wee make choice of the moſt ſeaſonable Pſalmes that are fitteſt for that purpoſe.
Vſe. Another uſe is matter of reprooſe of the Popiſh Church; many things in the Popiſh Church are hereby reproved. I will but touch them, that they doe directly oppoſe themſelves againſt this doctrine and the truth, and tenure of it directly; whereas here the Apoſtle ſaith, as often as you eate this bread, and drinke this cup, ye ſhew forth the Lords death till he come; the Popiſh Church doth flatly croſſe this rule, divers waies:
Firſt, in their halfe Communions, they have the bread, but not the cup, is this to ſhew forth the Lords death? no, it is but to ſhew forth halfe the Lords death, this is horrible wrong to the people, and diſgrace to the Sacrament, and diſhonour to God; hath God given us a great light to ſee Chriſt by, and ſhall men ſcantle it to halfe a light? hath God given us both the bread and the wine to diſcerne the Lords body and blood by, and to ſhew forth the Lords death by; and ſhall we have the body, and not the blood? ſhall wee have but one halfe, and bee deprived of the other? Againe, many times in the Popiſh Church they have their Maſſes as they call them, without any preaching at all, many times, and uſually it is ſo with them. I cannot ſay that by this they overthrow that very maſſe of theirs from being a Sacrament; I will not ſtand upon it, but yet I ſay that practice of theirs is a wicked and a graceleſſe practice, directly againſt this doctrine of God, you ſhew forth the Lords death, how ſhould it bee ſhewed forth but by preaching and teaching? but they have little or no preaching or teaching amongſt them; but chiefly the words of inſtitution they are to bee rehearſed: oh, but ſay they, wee have theſe words of inſtitution rehearſed, and therefore you cannot but ſay, that we have teaching. I anſwer, though they have the words of inſtitution, yet the Prieſt mumbles them to himſelfe, and the people heare him not. Secondly, if they doe heare him, it is in an unknowne tongue, they underſtand him not. Thirdly, when hee rehearſes them, hee turnes his face from the people, as of purpoſe to ſuppreſſe the right ſhewing forth of the Lords death; and therefore this practice of theirs ſhewes that they wold not have the people diſcerne the Lords death in this Sacrament; Theſe are fearfull abominations, and this lyes heavy upon thoſe people of God that live under Antichriſt: and therefore wee ſhould with great thankfulneſſe injoy and uſe theſe bleſſings that God hath beſtowed upon us, in the cleere exhibition of the death of Ieſus Chriſt in the Lords Supper. I but ſay the Papiſts we ſhew forth the Lords death more then you, for wee lift up the Hoſt: is this to ſhew forth the Lords death? no, this is to ſhew forth their owne Idoll, their owne breaden-God that themſelves have made.
The end of the eighteenth Lecture.