Twenty-Three Sermons, Lecture 19
THE NINETEENTH LECTVRE VPONUPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER.
NOw we are to proceed as the occaſion requires for our preparation to the Sacrament the next ſabbath, in the handling of that Scripture which wee have made choiſe of out of the 1 Cor. 11. and the 26. verſ. For as often as ye ſhall eate this bread, and drinke this cup, yee ſhew forth the Lords death till he come. We have ſhewed you the two generall parts of this Scripture an action to bee performed in the former part, the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, and a caution that this action is to bee performed withall in the latter part of the verſe, the remembrance, or the ſhewing forth of the Lords death til he come; we have handled the firſt part of the verſe wholy, we have entred into the ſecond part, where we ſhewed, that there is firſt to bee conſidered the caution it ſelfe, the ſhewing forth of the Lords death. Secondly, the frequenting of this action, or the often uſing of this caution to bee ſupplyed out of the former part of the verſe, as often as yee eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup: for that particle often, ſerves indifferently for the whole verſe, as well for the former as the latter part, as if the Apoſtle ſhould ſay, as often as yee eate this bread and drinke this cup, ſo often ye ſhew forth the Lords death till he come. Thirdly, we ſhewed you here the continuance of the obſervation of this caution, how long it muſt be kept, why till Chriſt Ieſus come to judgement, to the end of the world. The caution it ſelfe, the ſhewing forth of the Lords death, of that I have ſpoken already; now therefore wee are God willing, as the Lord ſhall inable us, to ſpeake of the ſecond thing, namely the frequenting, or the often uſing of this caution, the often ſhewing forth or remembring of the Lords death, as often as ye eate this bread and drinke this cup, ſo often ye ſhew forth the Lords death till he come: which words we muſt not ſo underſtand, as if ſo bee that the remembrance or the ſhewing forth of the Lords death were preciſely confined and limited to the uſe of the ſacrament of the Lords ſupper; as if the Apoſtle ſhould ſay, that then onelyonly the death of Chriſt is to bee remembred when the Sacrament is to bee received and not elſe, that is not the meaning, but we muſt take the words to be ſpoken with implication of a further extēt of this duty, namely, that therfore ſo often as we receive this Sacrament, wee muſt remember and ſhew forth the Lords death after a ſpeciall manner, that thereby we may bee fitted and inabled to remember the Lords death, at all other times both by preparation before, and by continuall meditation after: for thus wee are to conceive of the preſent buſineſſe, the death of Ieſus Chriſt muſt never be out of the minds of thoſe that doe beleeve in him, their hearts muſt becontinually running upon the thoughts of him and of his death; now becauſe all of us are dull of underſtanding, dead and cold in affection, weake in memory, that either wee doe not underſtand the death of CHRIST, or not affect the death of CHRIST, or not remember the death of CHRIST as wee ought, therefore the Lord hath appointed the ſacrament of the Lords ſupper, as a principall meanes to releeve us in this caſe. In that ſacrament the Lord teacheth us the death of Chriſt, that we may underſtand it; in that ſacrament the Lord expreſſeth the death of Chriſt unto us lively that we may be affected with it; in that ſacrament likewiſe the Lord tenders unto us the death of Chriſt, that ſo wee may the better retaine the memoriall of it, and that it may ſticke the faſter and the cloſer by us, not onelyonly for that preſent time whileſt we are receiving, but alſo for all times afterwards, for as it is in our bodily repaſt, we eate and drinke at ſome one ſet time or other, as namely, at dinner, or at ſupper, not that our bodies ſhould bee refreſhed and comforted then onelyonly for the preſent whileſt wee are eating, but becauſe by that ſtrength which then wee receive our bodies might alſo bee refreſhed and comforted afterwards when we are to be imployed in the duties of our calling, ſo likewiſe in our ſpirituall repaſt, we ſanctifie the ſabbath & keepe it holy unto the Lord, we doe not keepe the ſabbath holy, becauſe we would bee holy onelyonly upon the ſabbath, but becauſe that that holineſſe which wee attaine unto by meeting God in his owne ſaving ordinances upō the ſabbath day, that the ſame holineſſe might ſeaſon us and ſtrengthē us, and continue with us, and thrive in our hearts all the weeke following, and all our lives following; ſo likewiſe it is in this particular in the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, the death of Chriſt is remembred and ſhewed forth very lively and very freſhly, not that wee ſhould be indued with the thoughts and affections of the death of Chriſt onelyonly for the preſent whileſt we are receiving, but that thereby wee might be brought to make it to be our continuall meditation alwaies after; and this as it is implyed in this ſecond clauſe, ſo often as yee ſhall eate this bread, and drinke this cup, ſo often yee ſhall ſhew forth the Lords death: ſo it is further and more plainly inforced in the third clauſe, ſo often as yee eate this bread, and drinke this cup, ſo often yee ſhall ſhew forth the death of the Lord till he come, which injoynes the continuance of it; for it is as if the Apoſtle ſhould ſay, Your remembrance, your lively and ſenſible remembring of the death of Chriſt in the participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, muſt not onelyonly ſerve you for the preſent time, but it muſt frame and faſhion your minds to the habit of this grace, that is to ſay, to the continuall remembring of the death of Chriſt Ieſus, that you may make it your practice day and night, every day and every houre of your life; ſo it is with you ſaith the Apoſtle to the Corinths, and not with you onelyonly, but ſo it muſt be with all the faithfull, from age to age, till Ieſus Chriſt ſhall come to judgement. And this I take to be the right ſtraine of the Apoſtles ſpeech in this verſe, (ſo often as yee eate this bread, and drinke this cup, ye ſhew forth the Lords death till he come) touching the remembrāce of Chriſts death ſimply in it ſelfe, yet with raiſing it from this ground, namely, from the remembrance of Chriſts death in the participation of the ſacrament, the death of Chriſt is alwaies to be remembred in a lively manner in the participation of the Sacrament, that ſo it may be freſh in our memories at all other times ſo long as wee live.
Doct. The doctrine that ariſeth is thus much, namely, that the death of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt ought to be alwaies had in continuall remembrance of all thoſe that profeſſe his name, and embrace his religion, ye ſhew forth the Lords death as often as ye doe this; marke the words, the death of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt muſt alwaies be had in continuall remembrance by all thoſe that doe profeſſe his name, and embrace his Religion; for proofe of this doctrine, take that firſt which is in the 12 of Zach. v. 10. where God promiſeth to poure out his Spirit upon his people, the ſpirit of grace and of compaſsion, and they ſhall looke on him, whom they have pierced, and they ſhall mourne for him as one mourneth for his firſt borne, or his onelyonly ſonne.
That Scripture ſheweth the ordinary and continuall practice of the faithfull, when once they are effectually converted unto God. God poures out his ſpirit of Grace and compaſſion into their hearts, and ſo converts them. And what doe they then? Then they doe ever after looke upon him, whom they have pierced, they have their eyes, and their mindes altogether fixed upon Chriſt pierced, upon Chriſt crucified, or upon Chriſts death. And this is no ſlender remembring, or no ſhort remembring of the death of Chriſt, but it is a very affectionate remembrance, and it is a laſting remembrance, it is an affectionate remembrance, as being joyned with ſorrow and griefe, and much lamentation, as there the Text ſaith: And this ſorrow it is a laſting ſorrow, and ſo this remembrance a laſting remembrance; Hee ſhall mourne, as one ſorroweth for his firſt borne: A man that hath loſt his onelyonly ſonne, mournes and ſorrowes, and hee never forgets him; ſo they ſhall never forget the death of Chriſt. The ſenſe of the death of Chriſt is ſo foundly faſtned upon them by the Spirit in the act of their converſion, that it ſtickes deepe within them, and cleaves cloſe unto them; for ever after they make it their continuall meditation. The Apoſtle in 1 Cor. 15.1, 2, 3. admoniſheth the Corinths that they ſhould continue and keepe in memory thoſe things that hee had preacht and delivered unto them, and that they had received, that is in the firſt and ſecond verſes: in the third verſe hee ſhewes what the things are that he delivered unto them, the death of Ieſus Chriſt. Why then, the death of Ieſus Chriſt muſt be continued in, as it muſt be received, ſo it muſt be continued in, and it muſt bee kept in memorie. Marke the words of the Apoſtle there, whereby you are ſaved (ſaith hee) if you continue and keepe in memory thoſe things, except yee have beleeved in vaine. As if the Apoſtle ſhould ſay, they that are ſaved by the death of Chriſt, they continue in the death of Chriſt, they keepe the death of Chriſt alwaies in memory, otherwiſe they beleeve in vaine, they profeſſe faith, but it is but a ſhew of faith, without this there is no true ſaving faith in them at all.
In 2 Tim. 2.8. The Apoſtle chargeth Timothy Remember (ſaith hee;) What ſhould hee remember? that Chriſt Ieſus made of the ſeede of David, was raiſed againe from the dead, according to the Scripture. The Apoſtle covertly and joyntly under the name of Ieſus Chriſt his Reſurrection, preſſeth upon Timothy the remembrance of the death of Chriſt, Remember (ſaith hee) Chriſt crucified. The Apoſtle had exhorted Timothy before, that hee ſhould ſuffer affliction like a valiant ſouldier, that hee ſhould looke to his miniſtery, and fulfill that with a good conſcience: but whatſoever hee did, or whatſoever hee ſuffered, ſtill hee muſt remember Chriſts death, and his riſing againe from the dead. And ſee what a preparative the Apoſtle gives to Timothy in the Verſe going before, Conſider, what I ſay, and the Lord give thee underſtanding in all things. By that preparative that hee gives to Timothie in the ſeventh verſe, he would raiſe him up to a more ſerious remembring of the death of Chriſt in the eight verſe, as that being the weightieſt duty of all other, the Apoſtle Paul gives himſelfe for example in this caſe, both in his preaching, and likewiſe in his practice; ſee it in his preaching, 1 Cor. 2.2. I eſteeme to know nothing ſave Chriſt Ieſus, and him crucified: as if the Apoſtles heart and minde where wholy poſſeſſed, and wholy ſwallowed up with the thoughts of Chriſt crucified, or with the thoughts of the death of Ieſus Chriſt, that his tongue could runne upon nothing ſo readily as upon that; and ſo likewiſe in his practice: In the 2 Cor. 4.10. Every where (ſaith the Apoſtle) we beare about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. The Apoſtles remē brance of the death of CHRIST was not ſuch as ours commonly is, a bare contemplation of him, a bare thinking of his death, but it was ſuch as ours ſhould bee, a practicall feeling of it, a practicall remembring of it, certaine ſenſible effects in his body by affliction, or by perſecution, ſtill minding him of the death of Chriſt; Wee beare about in our bodies (ſaith hee) the dying of the Lord Ieſus; and this was not onelyonly for a time, but it was continually ſo with them, ſo ſaith the Text, Every where doe we beare about in us the dying of the Lord Ieſus. The word in the originall ſignifies altogether, that is to ſay, at all times, and in all places; in all places whereſoever we come, ſtill wee beare about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: Every day and houre that goes over our heads, ſtill we beare about us the dying of our Lord Ieſus: that ſhall ſuffice concerning the proofe of this out of Scripture. Now let us come to handle ſome Reaſons of it; the Reaſons of it are theſe.
Reaſon. 1 The firſt Reaſon is this: why muſt the death of Chriſt be had alwayes in continuall remembrance of thoſe that profeſſe his name, and embrace his Religion? Why, Chriſt himſelfe hee alwayes remembers us, ever did, ever doth, and ever will: and therefore ſhall not wee alwayes remember him? In Exod. 28.12. there you ſhall finde, how that the two Onyx ſtones, wherein were written the names of the Children of Iſrael, they were to be put upon the ſhoulders of Aarons Ephod, the Text ſaith, in remembrance of the Children of Iſrael, becauſe that Aaron did beare the names of the Children of Iſrael alwayes in remembrance before the Lord. That was a type and a ſhadow; here is the ſubſtance. Chriſt Ieſus is our Aaron, the true High-Prieſt there ſpoken of, that hath all the names of the faithfull written alwayes in his memory, and carries them alwayes as it were upon his ſhoulder, ſtill preſenting all his choſen before the Lord: Hee alwayes remembring us, remembring us in his whole life, remembring us ſpecially at his death, for then he paid deareſt for us, & now that being gone away frō us in regard of his bodily preſence, yet ſtill hee remembers us, and makes continuall interceſſion for us before the Lord: Shall our vile perſons being ſo graceleſſe, alwayes bee remembred by the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and ſhall not the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and his precious death bee alwayes and continually remembred by all of us? Hearken what the Spouſe ſaith in Cantic. 2.6. compared with Cant. 1.12. in Cantic. 2.6. the Spouſe there, ſpeaking of Chriſt her welbeloved, ſaith, that his left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth direct me. Cantic. 1.12. My beloved is as a bundle of mirr he unto me, he ſhall lye betweene my breaſts. This Spouſe is every beleeving ſoule, every true beleeving ſoule.
When once we doe enter into a due conſideration how dearly we are beloved of our Huſband Chriſt, that hee layes his left hand under our heads, and embraceth us with his right hand; that he ſtill remembers us, and nouriſheth, and cheriſheth us, then doe we preſently fall into a holy reſolution, that ſurely wee will be kinde to him, ſeeing he is ſo kinde to us; and he being ſo kinde to us, as alwaies to cheriſh us, and remember us, therefore we will remember him, he ſhal reſt and lie betweene our breaſts, we will alwayes make his death our continuall meditation and remembrance. If an ordinary man ſhould die for us, that we by his death might eſcape, and bee acquitted from death, would not our hearts in common and naturall kindneſſe evermore be running upon this mans death? Surely it would: Why then, ſeeing the Lord IESVS CHIST hath interpoſed himſelfe in our ſtead, and dyed for us, and by his death hath acquitted us from that death which wee ſhould have ſuffered; why ſhould not our hearts and mindes bee alwayes running upon him, and upon his death? Some may ſay, May I not remember Chriſt aright though I remember not his death. I anſwer, thou canſt not remember Chriſt, except thou remember his death, for hee hath purchaſed his Church by his death, and look what intereſt thou haſt in him, or he in thee, it is onelyonly by the death of Chriſt, and therefore thou canſt not remember him ſavingly, without thou remember his death, and have it graven within thy heart. Can a woman forget her Child that ſhe hath travelled for, and endured ſo much paine for? Can the Lord Ieſus Chriſt forget us, that hath endured ſo much paine for us, farre greater then the travell of a woman? No, it is impoſſible; Chriſt Ieſus cannot forget us at any time; therefore ſeeing Chriſt Ieſus ever did remember us, and ever doth, and ever will, and it is impoſſible that hee ſhould at any time forget us; this ſhould, and muſt perſwade us to make the death of Ieſus Chriſt our continuall remembrance.
Reaſon. 2 Secondly, God alwayes remembers the death of Chriſt; it is our duty, and it is our grace, and our happineſſe to doe as God doth, therefore ſeeing that God remembers Chriſts death alwayes, oh, how ought we to remember Chriſts death alwayes too? It is true, God cannot bee ſaid properly to remember any thing, becauſe remembrance is of things paſt, nothing is paſt in reſpect of God, all things are ſtill preſent before, him; neither can he be ſaid properly to remember one thing more then another, becauſe hee cannot forget any thing. But yet to ſpeake according to the manner of man, God may be ſaid, and God is ſaid to remember things done, yea, ſome things more then others; becauſe he teſtifies and ſhewes by his outward proceedings more reſpect unto ſome things, then unto other; thus may God be ſaid to remember the death of Chriſt, and that more, and above all things elſe, becauſe he ſhewes in his outward proceedings more reſpect to the death of CHRIST, then to any thing elſe. Whatſoever God doth in the adminiſtration of the world, he doth it reſpectively to the death of Chriſt; let it be to the preſervation and ſalvation of the faithfull: It is reſpectively to the death of Chriſt, becauſe they have their parts in him, and he in them. Let it bee to the deſtruction of the wicked, it is reſpectively to the death of Chriſt, they have no part in Chriſt: whatſoever dangers thou eſcapeſt, thou eſcapeſt them by the power of the death of Ieſus Chriſt: whatſoever benefits thou receiveſt, it is by vertue of the death of Chriſt: whatſoever grace God giveth thee, he giveth it thee only in the remēbrance of the death of Chriſt: whatſoever ſinne God forgiveth thee, he forgiveth it thee meerly in the ſhedding of Chriſts blood. Is the death of Chriſt ſo precious, that it is worthy alwayes to bee remembred by the Lord himſelfe, how much more then is it to be remembred by us?
Reaſon. 3 A third reaſon; we have continuall need, and continuall uſe of the death of Chriſt, and therefore wee muſt have it alwayes in continuall remembrance, we muſt alwayes have it in a readineſſe about us; we have continuall need and uſe of the death of Chriſt, great need, as much as our bodies, and our lives, yea, as much as our ſoules are worth; our faith that requires daily to be ſtrengthened: why, our faith that is ſtabliſhed in the blood and death of Chriſt, ſo the Scripture ſpeaketh, Through faith in his blood; as the blood of Chriſt, or the death of Chriſt, being the very chiefe foundation that the faith of Gods children is rooted in, and ſetled, and ſtabliſhed upon: wee muſt pray continually; every body knowes that it is the expreſſe commandement of the Apoſtle, Pray continually; we can never put up any the leaſt pleaſing petition to God, but the eye of our faith muſt be fixed upon the death of Chriſt, and therefore we muſt alwayes remember it; wee are tempted daily to ſinne, no ſound reſiſtance of any temptation but in the death of Ieſus Chriſt: Rev. 12.10, 11. If we ever overcome the accuſer, it muſt be by the blood of the Lambe; ſin muſt be mortified, the death of Chriſt is the onelyonly ſword to mortifie and to ſlay ſinne within us. And laſt of all, we ſin dayly and therefore we have need of the forgiveneſſe of our ſinnes, and reconciliation, and peace to be made with God continually; no hope of forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, and of reconciliation, but onelyonly and meerly by the blood of Ieſus Chriſt; now ordinary wiſedome and reaſon teacheth us, looke what we know wee have continuall uſe of, whereſoever wee goe, wee will bee ſure to carry that about us, be it money, or ſtrong waters, or the like, wee will alwayes have it about us: wee have continuall uſe and great need of the death of Chriſt, even as much as the price of our life and ſoule is worth, therefore let us alwaies have that in our hearts, alwaies in a readineſſe about us, becauſe we have continuall uſe of it.
Reaſon. 4 A fourth reaſon is this, the death of Chriſt Ieſus doth alwaies labor for us, and worke for us, as a man would ſay, and travels for us, and that not in any ſmall employment, but in the beſt and the greateſt worke that concernes our beſt good, namely, in ſatisfying our debts, and in making our peace with God. Heb. 12.24. the Apoſtle ſaith there, that the blood of Chriſt Ieſus that ſpeakes better things, then that of Abel; the intendment of that Scripture is this, wee ſinne daily againſt God, the ſinnes that we doe commit, doe cry out daily to heaven for vengeance to be poured upon us, even as the blood of Abel did cry for vengeance to bee poured upon Cain, but the blood of Chriſt Ieſus that ſteps in for us, and that ſpeakes better things than the blood of Abel, and calls to God for mercy and for forgiveneſſe, and ſo prevailes againſt the cry of our ſinnes, and procures mercy and forgiveneſſe at the hands of God. Heb. 10.19, 20, verſ. there the Apoſtle calls the blood of Chriſt the new, and the freſh, and the living Way. Well, what is the meaning of it? the meaning is this, that whereas wee doe ſinne and offend God daily, the blood of Chriſt Ieſus that daily makes our peace; the death of Chriſt, that is as it were day by day freſh and bleeding anew in the ſight of God, and ſo makes our peace with God. It is true indeed when Chriſt offered himſelfe upon the Croſſe, that then his blood was actually ſhed and never elſe, yet it is as true that the blood of Chriſt bleedeth anew effectually in the ſight of God, when any ſinne is forgiven any ſoule. The death of Chriſt thus working and travelling for us, ſhal not we remember it continuallie? We muſt never forget thoſe that worke and labour for us, and for our good, and ſhall wee not alwaies remember CHRIST IESVS, eſpecially in his death, whereby hee doth effect our greateſt good.
Reaſon. 5 The laſt reaſon is this, the thoughts of the death of Chriſt Ieſus are moſt ſutable and agreeable unto us in this preſent eſtate that we are in, and therefore wee ought to remember it alwaies, ſo long as we are in this eſtate; the thoughts of his reſurrection they are alwaies comprehended within the thoughts of his death, and the thoughts of Chriſt his glory (that being a matter which we can ſee here onelyonly a farre off) are not ſo fit for us in this abaſement and humiliation, and corrupt eſtate we are now in, continually to feed upon; but the thoughts of the death of Ieſus Chriſt are moſt fitting for this preſent eſtate. In this eſtate we are daily to bee caſt downe before the Lord, nothing will humble us ſo throughly as the thoughts of the death of Ieſus Chriſt; ſtill wee muſt have ſinne to be crucified, mortified and killed within us: In this ſtate of humiliation that we are in, there is nothing ſo powerfull and effectuall to kill ſinne as the death of Ieſus Chriſt; in this ſtate we muſt be fitted ſtill and prepared to the glory that ſhall be revealed; the thoughts of the death of Ieſus Chriſt continually meditated upon, are an excellent preparation for us to glory; for if we remember the death of Chriſt affectionately as we ought, wee ſuffer with him, and therefore we ſhall be ſure to raigne with him; wee are dead with him, and therefore alſo ſhall live with him: theſe thoughts being ſo ſutable and agreeable to our preſent eſtate, therefore the remembrance of Chriſts death muſt alwaies bee preſent with us.
The uſes of the doctrine are theſe, Vſe. 1 the firſt uſe is this; here is matter of reproofe: this ſerves then to reprove two ſorts of people; Firſt, it ſerves to reprove the prophane and carnall graceleſſe wretches of the world, that will never enter into any ſerious thoughts of the death of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt; if ſo be that to blaſpheme Chriſts death, & to blaſpheme Chriſts blood, to make mentiō of it in their fearfull oathes, & damnable proteſtations, if that be to remember Chriſts death, they remember it often enough, oftner then they are able to juſtifie: but as for any holy, religious, reverent, devout, and ſaving remembrance of Chriſts death, that they never enter into: no, they ſeek all the means they can, & take all the courſes that ever they can to turne ſuch thoughts out of their hearts, ſuch thoughts are too ſad and too ſorrowfull for them, they cannot endure them: take a man that lies wholy in his ſinne, hee had as lieve thinke upon hell, as upon the death of Ieſus Chriſt ſoundly and ſeriouſly as he ought to doe: but let ſuch graceleſſe wretches know, that for this they ſhall never bee had in remembrance before the Lord for any mercy, becauſe they doe not remember the death of Chriſt, wherein alone mercy is tendered to mankind.
Secondly, it ſerves to reprove ſome of our nice and ſluggiſh profeſſors, that content themſelves now and then with the thoughts of the death of Ieſus Chriſt; happily when they come to the Lords Table, happily when any affliction or croſs or extremity comes upon them, when they have any pang, or torment of conſcience comes unto them for their ſinnes, then happily they will entertaine the remembrance and the thoughts of Chriſts death, but they cannot endure to make it their continuall taske, which is the duty here preſt upon us: theſe men muſt know that God doth not love to be ſerved by ſpirts and fits, whatſoever we doe in the ſervice of God, let us doe it ſoundly and conſtantly; God cannot endure ſuch ſervice as theirs is, God requires intire obedience, that we ſhould obey him in all our courſes, and that at all times, eſpecially when juſt occaſion of any duty is offered unto us. Now then ſeeing juſt occaſion is daily offered, that wee ſhould alwaies bee meditating, and our hearts running upon the death of Ieſus Chriſt, therefore God requires it at our hands, that wee ſhould alwaies remember it, this fire ſhould never go out of our hearts, it muſt glow and burne within us night and day: It is fit that Gods children ſhould have ſome ſet time when they ſhould enter into a ſerious meditation of the death of Chriſt, and yet not to thinke our ſelves acquitted, if we doe it onelyonly then: but that that ſhould prepare us to remember it ever after, as we ſhewed before in our bodily repaſt.
A ſecond uſe of this doctrine is this; Vſe. 2 here is matter of tryall for us, whereby wee may know our ſelves whether we be in the right way, or no; whether we doe truly profeſſe the faith of Chriſt as we ought to doe: all of us profeſſe Chriſts religion, wee know wee can have no part in Chriſt except we have part in the death of Chriſt; and we know we can have no part in his death, except it be remembred of us, and applyed unto us in our continuall meditation, therefore let us conclude this, that ſo many of us as profeſſe religion, if wee doe not apply the death of Chriſt to our ſelves from time to time by due meditation; whatſoever wee profeſſe, ſurely wee profeſſe in vaine, and this will be a witneſſe againſt us, that we are not the true children of God: if ſo be that you would learne how you might come to know whether you have the right remembrance of the death of Ieſus Chriſt within you, learne it by theſe two or three markes, ſee it: in the morning when you awake, doe you finde your hearts ſeaſoned with good thoughts of the death of Ieſus Chriſt, with thoughts concerning forgiveneſſe and mortification and reconciliation to GOD: and likewiſe if you have theſe thoughts or the like at night when you goe to bed, this is a certaine evidence that your ſoules are ſeaſoned with the death of Ieſus Chriſt; againe, when we are in the duties of our calling, all the day long we muſt ſtill have our hearts lifted up and ſetled upon the death of Chriſt; and our thoughts muſt be running upon our juſtification, and our ſanctification, and our conformity to the death of Chriſt; yea in our very mirth, we muſt ſtill preferre Ieruſalem; when we are in our greateſt mirth, in our honeſt recreations (for thoſe that are unhoneſt there is no hope of any ſpirituall comfort in them) but in our honeſt recreations; doe we prefere the death Ieſus Chriſt before all thoſe things that wee for a while doe ſolace our ſelves withall, eſpecially in the uſe of the meanes of ſalvation, in the hearing of the Word, & the receiving of the Sacrament? When we come to heare the Word, do we finde in our ſelves a deſire to be drawn on to ſee Chriſt crucified before our eyes? When wee come to the receiving of the Sacrament, is it our chiefe practice to remember Chriſt crucified affectionately, and to have our hearts throughly ſeaſoned with the power of his death? theſe bee undoubted ſignes and aſſurances unto us that wee have our part in the death of Chriſt.
Vſe. 3 A third uſe is matter of exhortation for us Miniſters, teaching us that we ſhould ſtill labour to ſprinkle all our ſpeeches private and publike, with ſome matter concerning the death of Chriſt, with ſome matter concerning Chriſt crucified, it was almoſt the whole doctrine of the Apoſtle, ſtill to preach Chriſt crucified, but the uſe doth concerne all both Miniſters and people, therefore this ſhould ſtirre up every one of us both Miniſters and people, that we ſhould labour to make the thoughts and the remembrance of the death of Chriſt, to be ordinary with us, to bee familiar with us, ſtill make that as familiar with us as ever poſſibly we can: in all our courſes let us remember the death of Chriſt; if wee remember that ſoundly, then it ſhall goe well with us, whatſoever befals us: that we may bee the better inabled, and the more quickned to the performance of this duty; Firſt, I will give you a taſte of the meanes whereby wee may attaine to make the death of Chriſt ſo familiar to us; and then I will ſhew the benefits that we ſhall receive hereby, if we conſcionably travell in this courſe. The means of it are theſe in few words: If we would have the death of Chriſt familiar unto us, we muſt be ſure that we doe never paſſe it over with a ſleight meditation, but let it be ſoundly taken to heart; doe not thinke upon it as an ordinary common thing: but conceive of it as a matter that doth concerne us, and our good moſt of all: let us thinke upon the death of Chriſt in that which he ſuffered and endured in his ſoule and body for our ſinnes, how hard it went with him in the Garden when hee ſweat water and blood, when his ſoule was heavy even unto death: and how much more harder it went with him when hee was upon the Croſſe, when he ſaid, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? That he that was in ſingular favour with God, ſhould be made the very marke of Gods wrath to light upon; that he who was the worlds Redeemer, ſhould bee expoſed to the obloquy and reproch of the whole world; that he who was the Lord of heaven and earth, ſhould be now in the hands of the powers of darkneſſe, wee ſhould yearne in our very bowels, and be much troubled in our inmoſt affections at the thoughts of theſe things.
Secondly, we muſt be frequent in the uſe of the meanes, in the hearing of the Word, in the receiving of the Sacrament, and prayer, for by this meanes, wee ſhall make this death of Chriſt our owne; there God tenders unto us the death of Chriſt, let us come thither with hearts deſirous, ready and willing to receive it, and there we ſhall be ſure to have it. Let it be our reach in all theſe duties to have an eye upon the death of Ieſus Chriſt, ſeeking to have that ſoundly fixed and faſtened upon us, whatſoever we faile in elſe, ſtill let that above all other ſticke moſt cloſe to us. Then againe wee muſt labour to worke the remembrance of Chriſts death into our affections, this is the right memory of heavenly things; when the heart affects them, the heart will ſurely remember that which it doth much affect: When I ſee any thing that cauſeth deepe affection within me, either much ſorrow, or much joy, or the like; I will remember that ſoundly, then let us labour to worke the remembrance of the death of Chriſt into our affections; let it ſtill worke love in us becauſe Chriſt loved us to die for us, and let it worke hatred in us againſt ſinne, becauſe it was ſinne that brought him to his death; and let it worke ſorrow in us, that he ſhould bee ſo cruelly murthered and put to death for us.
And let it worke rejoycing in us, that wee for our parts by his death are ſaved, and by his ſtripes are healed: Let the death of Chriſt worke theſe affections in us, and then it ſhall be our owne, never to forget it.
Laſtly, let us put our ſelves to the power, and the rule, and the directions of it, let us ſuffer our ſelves to be ſwayed by the death of Ieſus Chriſt, in all our courſes, let it beare rule with us, the counſell that our Saviour gives in the like caſe, Iohn 7.17. If any doe my will, the ſame ſhall know my doctrine; any Chriſtian that labours to be well acquainted with any duty, the beſt way to bee acquainted with it, is to labour for the obedience to that duty; ſo if wee would remember Chriſt his death, then let us labour to ſubmit our ſelves to the power and obedience of it.
Whatſoever we doe, let us examine it, whether it be agreeable to the death of Chriſt, if it be not, then to ſay with our ſelves, wee will not doe it though we may gaine all the world by it: theſe are the meanes whereby wee may attaine to the habit of this grace, namely, to the continuall remembring of the death of Chriſt Ieſus, a ſaving remembrance.
The other point is the benefits that hereby will ariſe unto us. If wee remember continually the death of Chriſt in our hearts, we ſhall have many and great bleſſings. The firſt bleſſing is this, By this means we ſhall have a Book alwayes ready in our boſome, alwaies a book about us to teach us every Chriſtian duty; for the death of Ieſus Chriſt is ſuch a Booke that will inſtruct us in every duty that belongs unto us. To give you an inſtance in two or three: Would you learne humility and meekneſſe? looke into the death of Chriſt; Philip. 2.5, 6. that ſhall be ſufficient to teach you humility, and meekneſſe, and obedience. Would you learne patience? the death of Chriſt is a book to teach you patience: Heb. 12.1, 2, 3. Looke to the author and finiſher of your faith, who for the joy that was ſet before him, endured the Croſſe, and deſpiſed the ſhame, &c. conſider him therefore that yee faint not. Would you learne love to the brethren? Chriſt his death teacheth you this duty in the higheſt degree: 1 Iohn 3.16. If Chriſt ſo loved us, that he laid downe his life for us, then how ought wee alſo to lay downe our lives for the brethren. Laſtly, to deny our ſelves is a ſpeciall leſſon that all Chriſtians are to learne; this is effectually taught us by the death of Chriſt: 1 Pet. 4.1, 2. Chriſt hath ſuffered in the fleſh, that we ſhould not live to our ſelves but to him; and this is a lively teacher: if the death of Ieſus Chriſt be ſoundly layd up in thy heart, it will both teach thee the duties to bee performed, and alſo inable thee to performe them.
A ſecond benefit is this, thou ſhalt have wonderfull peace, and unſpeakable comfort from God by this meanes. Our ſinnes they accuſe us, our conſciences they accuſe us, the devill hee accuſeth us daily before the Lord; O but if thou have a remembrance of the death of Chriſt in thy heart, there is a Superſedeas for them all; that pacifies and appeaſeth them all, and that is a generall releaſe and acquittance from all that ever they can charge thee withall.
Thirdly, we ſhall have much ſpirituall growth and increaſe by the word and the Sacrament, and much ſpirituall growth if once our hearts be ſeaſoned with the death of Chriſt. What doth the word and the ſacrament teach, but the death of Chriſt? that is the ſubſtance of them all. Then if once the death of Chriſt be grafted in thy heart before, Oh, with what comfort and chearfulneſſe, and with what great profit ſhalt thou heare the word, and receive the ſacrament? When our ſtomacke hath ſome liking to our meate, and our meate hath ſome affinitie to our ſtomacke, then there is a quicke digeſture. Why ſo if ſo bee our hearts be ſeaſoned with the death of Chriſt, why then when wee come to heare the word and receive the Sacrament, there will be a ſweet digeſting, and battening in the inner man. Indeede the whole worke of the Spirit it is done meerly in the power of the death of Chriſt Ieſus. Gods Spirit doth nothing in the heart of any man or woman for the matter of ſalvation, but it is done all in reſpect of the death of Ieſus Chriſt.
Fourthly, it will be a notable bridle to thee from ſinne, an excellent meanes to reſtraine thee from ſin; that howſoever thy corruption drawes thee on, and Sathan hee tempts thee, and the world that allures thee, the fleſh that provokes thee; How ſhouldeſt thou ſtand againſt all theſe enemies? Oh, if thou have the death of Ieſus Chriſt, and the remembrance of it ſoundly in thy heart, then all theſe ſpeakers to thee, they ſhall ſpeake unto thee as to a ſtone-wall, to a deafe man. Gal. 6.14. The Apoſtle faith there, God forbid that I ſhould rejoyce in any thing ſave onelyonly in Chriſt, and him crucified, whereby the world is crucified to mee, and I unto the world. Let the whole world ſet upon me to tempt me, yet it ſhall not prevaile: for the whole world is crucified to me, and I unto the whole world, by the Croſſe of Chriſt; I am as a dead man unto the world. A man that hath the death of Chriſt ſoundly ſeated in his heart, hee cannot wittingly and willingly ſinne againſt God. Indeed, this light may be, and is ſometime darkened in us by the miſt of corruption and temptation, and then we may be, and are oft-times over-taken with ſinne: but ſo long as this light is cleare within us, ſinne ſhall never bee able to overcome us. There is ſuch a ſtrong ſtay againſt ſinne, in the ſerious thoughts of the death of Chriſt, that ſo long as that theſe are within us, ſinne cannot prevaile againſt us.
A fift benefit is this, it will furniſh us, and inable us to the dutie of prayer, that we ſhall come to God at all times humbly, and yet chearfully too; humbly, alwayes acknowledging and bewailing our ſinnes, and mourning that we are the parties that have crucified the Lord of life and of glory: and yet cheerfully, as reſting upon the merits and death of Ieſus Chriſt for our reconciliation. And howſoever it be that we finde many infirmities and imperfections in our prayers, and thinke with our ſelves that therefore God will not heare us, yet let us comfort our ſelues in the remembrance of the death of Chriſt: this being in thy heart and conſcience, be of good cheare, the Lord Ieſus Chriſt hee makes continuall interceſſion for thee, and hee takes thy prayers and puts them up, and preſents them unto God in thy behalfe in his owne name, and ſo makes thy prayers acceptable before the Lord.
The laſt benefit is this: this ſhould be a ſingular meanes to make us fit and ready to die; to worke in us an earneſt looking for and haſtning of the day of Chriſt. Hee that hath the death of Chriſt ſoundly ſeated in his heart, hee is fit and ready to die. For firſt, by this practice, by the continuall remembrance of the death of Chriſt, we alwayes looke death as it were in the face, and being every day and every houre ſo well acquainted with it, we are not afraid of it when it comes. Againe, hereby, by the remembrance and ſound meditation of the death of Chriſt, wee dye daily, as the Apoſtle ſaith, our ſinnes die in us, and our luſts die in us, and our affections and rebellions dye in us; and ſo wee are halfe dead already, that ſo when death comes to take hold upon us, it hath not ſo much to doe with us, as with other men. Take this for a certaine truth, that a man of mortification, who hath his heart broken for ſinne, and that hath his luſts, and affections, and rebellions in ſome good meaſure mortified and crucified within him: I ſay, death is nothing ſo tedious and irkſome to ſuch a man, as it is to another. Wee ſee this by experience in the caſe betweene Chriſt and the two theeves that were executed with him, Iohn 19. The manner of their death was thus; They were to bee crucified and nailed upon the Croſſe, and then to hang till they dead: wee cannot ſay of any one thing, that it ſhould give them their deaths wound; but the cuſtome was, that when they were crucified they ſhould have their legs broken, thereby to make an end of them: the Text ſaith, that they came to the theeves, and brake their legs; but when they came to our Saviour Chriſt they brake not his, for he was dead already; he had none of thoſe rebellions, none of thoſe reſiſting luſts within him to ſtrive againſt the ordinance of God as the other had, but he did ſweetly yeeld up the ghoſt in obedience unto God, and therefore Death had nothing to doe with him ſo much as with the other. So likewiſe wee finde it with men of mortification.
Thirdly, by this remembrance of the death of Chriſt continually, we ſee all the evills and all the harmes of our death taken away in his death, and ſo there is no cauſe to us to feare it at all.
Fourthly, wee ſee by this that Chriſt himſelfe who is our Lord, and Maſter, and Head, hee hath undergone this before us, and therefore wee are content in a holy reſolution to undergoe that which he hath done: ſhall the members fare better than the Head? No ſurely.
Fiftly and laſtly, by the continuall remembrance of the death of Chriſt, we ſee and behold that it was a full and finall end of all his afflictions, and that thereby he entred into glory: wee conſider from thence, as it was with him ſo it ſhal be with us; when death comes it ſhall put an end to all trouble and affliction; and the conſideration of this ſhould quicken us up to deſire death, to deſire to be diſſolved and to be with Chriſt. O beloved, when a man comes to lye upon his deaths bed he would give all that he had to be fitted for death, and to be ſure of comfort. Oh let us make the death of Chriſt therefore our continuall meditation: and this is that which will yeeld us ſuch a gracious preparation for our death, as that nothing in the world ſhall doe the like beſides; and therefore let theſe conſiderations ſtirre us up to a reverent and conſcionable performance of this duty of the remembrance of the death of Chriſt Ieſus; ſo much good, and ſo many benefits as are to be reaped by it, why ſurely we are utter enemies to our owne good, if we doe not travell conſcionably in the faithfull practice of this duty; let not the difficulty of this duty in it ſelfe, let not the diſtaſtfulneſſe of it to fleſh and blood, nor the loſſe of carnall pleaſure and worldly profit, nor let not the harſh cenſure of the graceleſſe people of the world, nor let not the bent of our naturall life which is utterly againſt it, make it unpleaſant to us, let none of theſe, nor all theſe hinder us from being ſet upon this duty, but let us breake through them all in an holy zeale, and ſet our ſelves ſoundly to meditate upon the death of Chriſt, in hope of theſe heavenly bleſſings, that the meditation of this duty will bring us unto, therefore ſtill remember the death of Chriſt, and as ever thou deſireſt to have a living teacher within thee, remember the death of Chriſt; as ever thou lookeſt to have comfort from God, ſo look that thou remember the death of Chriſt; as ever thou lookeſt to have ſpirituall growth and encreaſe by the Word and Sacraments, ſtill looke to the death of Chriſt; as ever thou lookeſt to have a ſtrong bridle to reſtraine thee from ſinne, ſo ſtill let the death of Chriſt bee thy continuall meditation; as ever thou deſireſt to come before God cheerfully and with comfort in prayer, remember the death of Chriſt; as ever thou deſireſt to be fitted and prepared to dye, remember the death of Ieſus Chriſt; as ever thou deſireſt and loveſt any one or all theſe bleſſings together, remember the death of Chriſt, and that continually, let it never goe out of thy minde.
The end of the nineteenth Lecture.