Twenty-Three Sermons, Lecture 21
The One AND TWENTIETH LECTVRE VPONUPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER.
THE firſt to the Corinthians, Chap. 11. verſe 26. the laſt part of the verſe, till he come: For as often as yee ſhall eate this bread, and drinke this cup, ye ſhew forth the Lords death till he come. You may remember how wee divided this Scripture into two parts: we ſhewed that in the former part of the verſe there is an action performed; in the latter part of the verſe there is a caution that it is to be performed withall: in the former part of the verſe is the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper: The caution that it is to be performed withall, in the latter part of the verſe, is the ſhewing forth of the Lords death till he come. Not to trouble you with repeating of many things: In this latter part of the verſe we obſerved unto you, firſt the Caution it ſelfe, the ſhewing forth of the Lords death: ſecondly, the frequenting of the Caution, that it muſt bee often done; for howſoever this word often is not uſed in the latter part of the verſe, yet in all common conſtruction and underſtanding, it is to bee ſupplyed out of the former part of the verſe, As often as ye ſhall eate this bread, and drinke this cup, ſo often ſhall ye ſhew forth the Lords death: and laſtly, I came to ſpeake of the continuance of this whole duty, the whole that is here ſpoken of, how long muſt this continue; till Chriſt come, that is to ſay, as long as the world ſtands, till Ieſus Chriſt ſhall come to Iudgement. Wee are entred upon this clauſe already: I ſhewed you that this clauſe doth offer unto us two things for our conſideration; the firſt is the continuance it ſelfe of this duty, how long it ſhall be, to the end of the world; that the obſervation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, and the remembring or the ſhewing forth of the death of Chriſt muſt continue among the faithfull, and be duly obſerved by them, to the very end of the world; that is directly affirmed here as you ſee. I ſhewed you that there is another thing that is here covertly implyed, and yet plaine enough, if wee conſider and weigh the words aright, namely, the end or the reach which the performers of this duty ayme at, or which wee muſt ayme at in the performance of this duty, namely, to fit us and prepare us to the comming of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt unto Iudgement. Wee have ſpoken of the former part already; now as GOD ſhal inable us we are to proceed to the latter part, and ſo to finiſh up this Scripture at this time. Therefore here ſecondly, wee muſt conſider that which is covertly implyed, namely, the end or the reach that theſe actions or theſe duties aime at, or that we muſt aime at in the performance of theſe duties, to fit us and prepare us to the comming of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt unto judgement: that the doctrine that hence we are to raiſe may appeare to be built upon a firme and a ſure ground, wee muſt ſhew theſe two things:
Firſt, that this particle that here is uſed, till, hath the ſame uſe in the ſame ſenſe elſewhere in the Scripture, not onelyonly to ſignifie the continuance of an action till that time, but withall to ſignifie that that continuance is ſuch a preparation. to ſuch an action.
Secondly, we muſt ſhew that it is ſo to bee underſtood here; for it is not alwaies in the Scripture ſo meant, therfore there muſt be ſome ſpeciall inducement alleaged why it muſt bee ſo taken here.
Concerning the firſt, that this particle is uſed in the ſame ſenſe, elſewhere, I gave you one inſtance in the opening of the Text, in the 1 Cor. 15.25. where it is ſaid, that Chriſt ſhould raigne till he had put all his enemies under his feet. For there is the ſame particle that is uſed here, and it ſignifies not onelyonly that Chriſt ſhould raigne till his enemies ſhould be deſtroyed, but by his raigning, his enemies ſhould be deſtroyed. Take another inſtance or two for better confirmation, Gal. 4.19. My little children, ſaith the Apoſtle, of whom I travell in birth till Chriſt bee formed in you: there is the very ſame particle alſo: In thoſe words, the Apoſtle as you may ſee compares himſelfe to a ſpirituall mother, he is alwaies in paine and in travell in the ſpirit, and in the worke of the miniſtery, till ſuch time as Chriſt ſhould be formed and faſhioned in the hearts of theſe Galathians, till that time, there that ſame word (till) intends theſe two things; Firſt, that the paines and the travell of Paul in this ſpirituall child-birth did indure with in him till ſuch time as Chriſt was formed and faſhioned in the hearts of the Galathians: and moreover that thoſe very paines and trauel of the Apoſtle in that very ſpirituall child-birth, were a meanes wherby Chriſt was ſo formed and framed in them, for ſo the compariſon doth neceſſarily inforce from a naturall mother, we know a naturall mother hath continuall paines and throes ever and anon till the child bee ripe to the birth, and brought forth into the world, it continues with her all that time. I, and beſides, thoſe paines and thoſe throes of hers are a meanes whereby the childe is ſo made ripe to the birth & brought forth into the world, and ſo it was with Paul in his ſpirituall child-birth, the paines that hee did beare in this his child-birth, it is to be underſtood that they did continue with him till that worke was effected; and moreover, that they were a meanes whereby it was effected; Another inſtance Phil. 1.6. I am confident that the Lord that hath begun this good worke will performe it till the day of the Lord: there is the ſame particle in the very ſame ſenſe; the Apoſtles meaning is this, that he is perſwaded, that as God had given them the light of his Goſpel, and wrought faith in them, ſo he would give them the light of his Goſpell, hee would ſtill teach them and keepe them in the faith, till the day of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. And moreover, that by this teaching and keeping of them in the faith, hee would make them fit and ready for the day of the Lord; ſo much for the firſt point, namely, that this particle which here is ſpoken of, till, is ſo uſed in this ſame ſenſe, that we doe now ſpeake of it, elſewhere in Scripture.
Secondly, we are to ſhew what inducement is there to proue that it is ſo uſed here; why the circumſtance of the text affords it clearly, theſe words that I have here, you fee they are added as a reaſon of the words that went before, for ſo the inference is, for as often as ye ſhall eate this bread and drinke this cup, ye ſhew forth the Lords death till he come. The words that went immediately before are the words of our Saviour, Doe this in remembrance of me: the Apoſtle gives the expoſition of theſe words, by way of a reaſon, for as often as ye ſhal eate this bread and drink this cup, ye ſhew forth the Lords death til he come; and ſo the expoſition of the Apoſtle makes our Saviours words, and our Saviours meaning to bee cleare, as if our Saviour ſhould ſay, Doe this in remembrance of me till I come, or againſt I come, as who ſhould ſay, ſee that yee doe duely obſerve this ſame Sacrament of the Lords Supper till I come; ſee that yee doe duely and affectionatly meditate upon my death till I come, that when I doe come then ye may bee fitted and ready for my comming; ye may be prepared by theſe meanes to give me the better entertainment, and I ſeeing your faithfulneſſe and your conſtancy, and readineſſe in obſerving my ordinances and my directions ſo duely, I may then when I doe come, give you a comfortable portion, Doe this in remembrance of me, till I come, or againſt I come, that ſo you may bee fitted and prepared for my comming. This is the very ſtraine and reach or the Text; we are to underſtand one thing further, and that is this, that howſoever this is here intended particularly of theſe two duties of the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lord, and of the meditation of Chriſts death, yet notwithſtanding by way of proportion, and by way of conſequence, the ſame is alſo to bee affirmed concerning all duties in religion whatſoever, all other outward meanes; yea all other meanes of grace, whether outward or inward: for they all muſt joyne together in one and the ſame finall end: This being the finall end of theſe two duties, to prepare us to the day of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, except wee will make a diſproportion in religious duties; as if ſome of them ſhould tend to one end, and ſome to another; we muſt conſequently underſtand that all the duties of religion they tend to this end, to fit us and prepare us to the comming of Ieſus Chriſt unto judgement. The grounds being thus laid, the doctrine ariſeth plaine, Doe this till I come, the Sacrament of the Lords Supper duely obſerved, and the effectuall meditation of Chriſts death, and conſequently all other duties and exerciſes of religion, and all other meanes of grace both inward and outward, they are ſo many ſerviceable meanes and inſtruments and helps unto the faithfull, whereby they are fitted and prepared for the comming of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt unto judgement.
Where I named the receiving of the Lords Supper and the effectuall meditation of Chriſts death, that is cleare in this text, concerning all other duties, other Scriptures doe ſerve to make that cleare, and give plentifull witneſſe of it. Matth. 25. from the firſt to the thirteenth, there is the parable of the ten Virgins, five were wiſe, and five were fooliſh; they went all out to meet their Bridegroome, five had oile, and five had none; the Bridegroome comes, they were all awake, as they were aſleepe before: the wiſe they had their oile, they went in with the Bridegroome; the fooliſh they had none, and they were kept out: in a word, the meaning of the parable is this; Thoſe Virgins are the viſible Church here upon earth, the wiſe Virgins they are true beleevers, the fooliſh Virgins they are hypocrites: their Lamps that they have all of them, is the outward profeſſion that they make of religion in the uſe of the outward meanes, the Word and Sacraments, theſe bee the Lamps, theſe bee common both to the fooliſh and to the wiſe; the oyle they have in their Lamps is the inward graces of Gods Spirit in their hearts, faith and repentance, and ſuch like; and theſe onelyonly the wiſe Virgins had, the fooliſh have none at all: all theſe Virgins they goe forth to meet the Bridegroome, as in the firſt verſe: the Bridegroome is the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, the comming of the Bridegroome, is his cōming to judgment, and ſo their meeting of the Bridegroome, it is their fitting, and their preparing of themſelves for the comming of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt unto judgement: well then you ſee all theſe Virgins, the whole viſible Church, the fooliſh as well as the wiſe, the wiſe onelyonly in truth, the fooliſh in ſhew, they as well as the other make uſe of their lamps; of their cōmunion in the Word & the ſacramēts: to what end? to fit thē to Chriſt his comming, for that is their pretence; the wiſe they make uſe not onelyonly of their lamps, but alſo of their oyle too, that is, of their inward graces: to what end, to fit them to meet the Lord Ieſus, that when the Bridegroome doth come they may bee ready to enter in with him; the caſe you ſee is very cleare, all the duties of religion that wee doe performe either outward duties, or inward graces, they bee as ſo many ſerviceable helps unto us, whereby wee are fitted and prepared for the day of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: our Saviour in the 13. verſe of that Chapter by occaſion of the excluding and ſhutting out of the fooliſh Virgins, becauſe they had no oyle in their lamps, no grace in their hearts, he therefore gives us an exhortation, Wath therefore, why watch? becauſe yee know not when the Sonne of man ſhall come. As if our Saviour ſhould ſay; Certainly the Sonne of man ſhall come to judgement; if he doe come and finde you unready, you ſhall bee in a moſt wofull and miſerable caſe: watch therefore, ſee that yee have your lamps ready in your hands, eſpecially ſee that you have oyle burning in your lamps, that ſo when the Sonne of man ſhall come, yee may bee ready to give him gracious entertainment; and ſo our Saviour confirmes it by that exhortation that hee gives them, watch, &c. that all theſe meanes and exerciſes of Religion, what are they? why they be ſerviceable helps to fit us to the comming of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt unto judgment, Luk. 12.35, 36. Let your loynes be girt about you, and your lights burning: and ye as men that doe wait for the comming of their Maſter, that when he commeth, and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. In the girding of our loynes, in the burning of our lights, in our watching, in all the duties of religion both outward and inward, that we performe, we muſt cary our ſelves as men that wait the comming of our Maſter from the wedding, as men that expect the comming of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt to judgement; that whenſoever he doth come and knocke, when our Lord and Maſter ſhall come and knocke, what may we doe? we may open to him, that is, we may be ready to give him gracious entertainment, and that immediatly, without any lett or hinderance, without any delay, as being fitted and prepared thereunto by theſe duties and exerciſes before hand. Luk. 21.36. Watch therefore and pray continually, that ye may bee counted worthy to eſcape all theſe things, and that ye may ſtand before the Sonne of man. What good ſhall our watching doe us, what good ſhall our prayers doe us, what good ſhall all our religious exerciſes doe us that we doe performe here in this life? what good ſaith our Saviour? why, they ſhall doe thee this good, that they ſhall make thee to eſcape the terrors of the day of judgement, and ſhall make thee to ſtand with joy and with comfort, when the Lord ſhall come to judge the world: Watch and pray continually, that ye may eſcape and ſtand before the Sonne of man. Titus 2.11, 12, 13, verſes, The grace of God that bringeth ſalvation to all men hath appeared, teaching us that we ſhould deny ungodlineſſe and worldly luſts, and that we ſhould live ſoberly, and righteouſly, and godly in this preſent evill world, looking for the bleſſed hope and appearing of the glory of the mighty God, and of our Saviour Ieſus Chriſt. The ſaving grace of God that there the Apoſtle ſpeakes of, teacheth us two things, as the Apoſtle ſhewes. It teacheth us firſt, the good duties that we are to performe, to deny ungodlineſſe, and unrighteouſneſſe, and our ſelves, and to live godly and ſoberly in this preſent world; and it teacheth us a ſecond thing, what it is that our eyes and hearts are to be fixed upon in theſe duties, even the appearing of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, looking for that bleſſed hope, ſtill have your eyes upon that, looking for the appearance of the mighty God, and of our Saviour Ieſus Chriſt. The Apoſtle Peter he goeth one ſtep further, for whereas the Apoſtle Paul he had ſaid there, looking for the bleſſed hope, ſo manage all your buſineſſes that ye may have a gracious eye to the comming of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. The Apoſtle Peter hee goeth one ſtep further, in 2 Pet. 3.11, 12. Seeing that all theſe things muſt bee, what manner of perſons ought we to be in all holineſs & godly converſation, looking for and haſtning unto the comming of the day of the Lord in the performance of the duties of holines & righteouſnes: we muſt not only have our eyes fixed upō the comming of the day of the Lord, but haſten to it, that is to ſay, we muſt ſo cary our ſelves in the managing of theſe duties, that in every good duty that we doe, ſtill we may bee fitted and better prepared for the comming of the day of God, and nearer to it than we were before, looking for, and haſtning unto the comming of the day of God. You ſee theſe places prove the doctrine directly, for all religious duties: now for theſe two in particular, I will give you a proofe for each, and ſo come to the Reaſons.
Firſt, concerning the performance of the dutie of receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, that is a ſerviceable meanes, and a good duty to fit us to the day of Ieſus Chriſt; our Saviour would give us to underſtand ſo much in Matth. 26.29. Henceforth I will drinke no more of this Vine, till I drinke it new with you in my Fathers kingdome: our Saviour uſed that ſpeech immediately after the Paſſeover; and after that hee had inſtituted the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, immediately, he makes a kinde of a ſweet alluſion betweene the drinking of the wine in the Sacrament, and the drinking of wine in the kingdome of heaven. Now you muſt conſider, that by drinking of the wine in the Kingdome of heaven, wee are not to underſtand that we ſhall drinke wine there, but that there we ſhall have a Communion with Chriſt in his heavenly kingdome, which hee by way of alluſion calleth the drinking of the wine new in his heavenly kingdome: thereby our Saviour giveth us to underſtand that the conſcionable and the religious receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, the conſcionable, and religious, and ſpirituall drinking of the wine in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, is a ſpeciall meanes whereby we are furthered, and fitted, and prepared to drinke new wine with Chriſt in the kingdome of heaven, that is to ſay, to the participation of that glory that Chriſt ſhall make us partakers of in heaven: for the other, that the death of Chriſt effectually remembred doth ſo too: looke Heb. 9.28. So Chriſt was once offered to take away the ſinnes of many, and the ſecond time hee ſhall appeare without ſinne to ſalvation: The Apoſtle there makes a kinde of compariſon betweene Chriſt and us in two things, his death is compared to ours, and likewiſe his judgement to ours; we dye, and we come to judgement; Chriſt Ieſus he dyeth, and he ſhall come to judgement too; he to judge, we to be judged; and we muſt make uſe of our death for our judgement, and we muſt make uſe of the death of Chriſt with reference to his judgement: not to meditate upon it as once ſuffered for us all, as who ſhould ſay there to ſtay, but ſo to meditate upon it, as that we ſhould have a piercing eye to looke upon him for his ſecond comming, wherein he ſhall appeare to ſalvation.
The reaſons of the doctrine are theſe: marke the doctrine: the receiving of the ſacrament of the Lords ſupper, the effectuall meditating of Chriſts death, and conſequently all other exerciſes of Religion, all other meanes of grace, both inward and outward, they are ſerviceable helps and meanes whereby the faithfull are fitted and prepared to the comming of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt to judgement.
Reaſon. 1 The firſt Reaſon is this; the viſible and the militant Church here upon earth is as it were a nurſery for the kingdome of heaven; and this is one chiefe reaſon why the Scripture doth ſo oftentimes call the viſible Church the kingdome of heaven: in the 13 of Matthew divers times the viſible Church is called the kingdome of heaven, becauſe that in the viſible Church Gods little ones they are hatched up in the time of their infancy, in the time of their nonage to that inheritance in the kingdome of heaven, which God hath appointed us to be heyres unto in and with Ieſus Chriſt: the Church is the nurſery of the kingdome of heaven: why now conſider all that is done by the parents, or by nurſes, in nurſing and in bringing up their children, al that is done by thē it is not done ſo much unto them in regard of the maintenance of their childhood, I ſay, not for their childhood it ſelfe, but it is done to us in this reſpect, that thereby we might be fitted to riper yeares, to our better ſtrength, to our manly age, that ſo we may be able for ſuch employments and offices in the Church or Common-wealth as wee ſhall be called unto: this is their reach and ayme, that we may come to be men, and beare office in Church and Common-wealth: So it is likewiſe in this caſe, the viſible Church it is the nurſery for the kingdome of heaven; here Gods little children they are nurſed and brought up, here we ſuck the milke of the Word, here we are waſhed and clenſed with the water of Baptiſme, here we feed upon bread and wine in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, and ſo upon the body and blood of Ieſus Chriſt; here we grow in grace, here we are ingraffed into Ieſus Chriſt, here we beleeve, here we love, here we hope, here we watch, here we pray, here we lead a godly life, here we endure temptation, here we ſuffer fatherly chaſtiſements and afflictions that our heavenly Father layeth upon us; all this is done not ſo much for the maintenance of our preſent ſpirituall eſtate, but principally and ſpecially that by all theſe meanes wee may be forwarded and fitted; for what? for the obtaining and enjoying of a better life in a better world, for the comming of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt to judgment; which is the reach and the end of all this. Eph. 4.11, 12. God hath givē gifts, ſome to be Apoſtles, ſome Prophets, ſome Euangeliſts, ſome Paſtors, and ſome Teachers; what to do? for the gathering together of the Saints, for the worke of the Miniſtery; till when? till we all meet together in a perfect man, the fulneſſe of the age of Ieſus Chriſt. God beſtowes upon his Church Miniſters, God beſtowes gifts upon his Miniſters, and he puts it into the hearts of his children, that they ſhould make uſe of his Miniſtery, and of theſe good gifts that he hath beſtowed upon them; to what end? to hatch them up to heaven, till wee all meet together in a perfect man: howſoever ſome doe expound it concerning this preſent life, yet becauſe there is mention made of the ſtate of perfection, which cannot be attained in this life; and becauſe it is there ſaid, till wee all meet together, which cannot be fulfilled but at the day of judgement, therefore, I take the circumſtances of the text to be plaine, that it is to be extended to that day; ſo then you ſee, the Church being the nurſery for the Kingdome of heaven, all that is done in the Church, the Word and the ſacraments, and all good duties are ſo many helps and meanes to further, and to fit us to Gods Kindgdome.
Reaſon. 2 A ſecond reaſon is this, the ſecond coming of Chriſt, and the ſtate that then we ſhall bee raiſed up unto, that is the finall end, and the finall accompliſhment of all the good that is done in this life, and the good things that wee doe in this life they are as ſo many meanes tending to that end: now we doe know in every courſe, that the middle actions doe alwaies make an introduction to the laſt end; and therefore the ſecond comming of Chriſt, being the perfection and end of all precedent actions in religion, the Word and the Sacraments, and all the good duties that wee performe, are ſerviceable helps and meanes and inſtruments for the bringing in of that laſt action which is the principall of all the reſt: receiving the end of your faith, ſaith the Apoſtle, even the ſalvation of your ſoules; 1 Pet. 1.9. The ſalvation of our ſoules, there is the end, that is the upſhot of our faith, and conſequently of all our good duties: Now when is this ſalvation beſtowed upon us, never before the ſecond comming of Chriſt. Heb. 9.28. He ſhall appeare the ſecond time, ſaith the Apoſtle, unto ſalvation. Hee hath ſatisfied for our ſinnes, and ſo hath made way for our ſalvation already, but the beſtowing of it upon us is reſerved and reſpited till his ſecond comming.
In the way that we goe in any journey every ſtep and every foot that wee goe, maketh us ſo much neerer to our journeyes end, if wee goe on in the right way. Is not Religion the way? is not the end eternall life? Our Saviour makes it ſo, Matth. 7.14. Strive to enter in at the narrow gate, &c. he maketh religion the way, and eternall life the end of this way and journey. Now then if every ſtep and foot bring us neerer to the end of our journey, then every good duty that is done in religion brings us neerer to eternall life. In a mariage; before the mariage is performed, are there not ſuings, is there not wooings, is there not a contract, a trimming and a decking up of the Bride? Why, to what end is all this? why it is all for the mariage day, that ſhe may bee a pleaſing ſpouſe to her husband, and that ſhee may be fitted every way for the wedding. Is not the comming of Ieſus Chriſt our mariage day, when the mariage ſhall be fully accompliſhed betweene him and all the faithfull, when we ſhall be perfectly handfaſted to Chriſt for ever? it is ſo called in the Rev. 19.7. and there it is ſaid, This is the day of the mariage, and the Bride hath trimmed up her ſelfe, that is, as who ſhould ſay, all that ever Gods children doe in the life of grace, while they are here, it is as the trimming and the fitting up of themſelves againſt the wedding day that ſhall bee accompliſhed at the comming of Ieſus Chriſt to judgement. The husband man he ſowes his ſeed; what, for the ſeeds ſake? no, for the harveſts ſake: Is not the laſt comming of Chriſt our harveſt? & is not this life the ſeed time? Gal. 6. chap. and the 8, verſ. the Apoſtle makes it cleere, He that ſowes to the fleſh, ſhall of the fleſh reape corruption: but he that ſowes to the ſpirit, ſhall of the ſpirit reape life everlaſting. Certainly the good duties that we doe in matters of Religion, they be as ſo many ſeedes of eternall life. What is the end and reach of all? that we may have a full and comfortable harveſt at the day of judgement.
Reaſon. 3 Another reaſon is this, that is more particularly concerning the Sacrament, the proportion betweene the Sacraments of the former Teſtament, and the ſacraments of the new Teſtament; the Sacraments of the former teſtament, they tended all to fit the receiver of them to Chriſt his firſt comming, ſo did the Paſſeover, and all other Sacraments fit them to Chriſt his firſt comming: therefore the Sacraments of the new Teſtament muſt be ſo many fittings and preparings of us to the ſecond comming of Chriſt; the rule holds ſtrong becauſe Chriſt is the ſubſtance of all Sacraments both in the old and in the new Teſtament, and his comming in ſome ſort puts an end to all Sacraments, and all Sacraments are to fit us to his cōming, the former Sacraments muſt fit us to his firſt comming, therfore the Sacramēts of the new teſtament they muſt fit us to Chriſts laſt cōming.
Reaſon. 4 The laſt reaſon is in particular concerning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, why it caries in it a lively repreſentation & reſemblance, of that ſame bleſſed eſtate that we ſhall attaine unto at Chriſts comming; here wee have a Table, and wee eate and drinke at this Table: doe we not ſo there? Our Saviour expreſſeth it ſo in the 22. of, Luke, You that have continued with me and endured temptation, I will take you up, and you ſhall eate and drinke at my Table in my Kingdome. Here we have a table, here we eate and drinke, our happieſt eſtate there is to have a Table to eate and to drinke in a ſpirituall manner. Againe, this Sacrament is called the Supper of the Lord, ſo is that too. Rev. 19.9. There we ſhall enjoy Gods preſence, the preſence of Chriſt, the preſence of his Spirit. Doth not every beleeving receiver ſpiritually enjoy the ſame at the Lords Table? There we ſhall have the Angells ſtand about us: doe not the Angells ſtand about us here in the receiving of this Sacrament? wee are ſure there to have the Saints to accompany us: ſo likewiſe we have here. Lay all theſe together, and ſee if heaven bee not here tendered to us upon earth, a reſemblance in the Sacrament to our ſtate at the ſecond comming of Chriſt.
The uſes of the doctrine are theſe: Vſe. 1 the firſt uſe is this, this commends unto us in the firſt place, the infinite goodneſſe, and the infinite wiſedome of God toward his children, that hee doth traine us up as it were by little and little, by certaine ſteps, and by certaine degrees to the full poſſeſſiō of that heavenly Kingdome, which ſhall bee beſtowed upon us at Chriſts ſecond comming. This is the wonderfull wiſedome and the infinite goodneſſe of God: wee know that the ſecond comming of Chriſt it is a wonderful and glorious thing; we know that the knowledge, and the glory and joy, and happineſſe, and fruition of God, that when we ſhall bee made partakers of in that happy eſtate, they are high points, matters of a very high ſtraine, infinitely beyond the reach of a mortall man in this ſtate of corruption; yet behold it is the infinite goodneſſe of God, that hee will have us to be made partakers of theſe things; and it is the infinite wiſedome of God to condeſcend to our capacitie, to our dull and ſhallow underſtanding; that whereas we could not receive all theſe things as they are in themſelves all at once, he guides us, and leades us as it were by the hand by a little and a little, here a line, and there a line, here a little and there a little; here a precept and there a precept, carying us by certaine degrees from lower things to higher things, from ſmaller things to greater; from things more knowne, to things more unknowne, from nothing to a little, from a little to much, and from much in the end to perfection; this is the great and the wonderfull wiſedome of God towards us; underſtand there be three ſpeciall aſcents as a man would ſay, or three ſpeciall degrees in the ſtate of religion, whereby wee doe aſpire to our perfection in Religion; the firſt aſcent, or the firſt degree is the outward meanes of grace, the Word and the Sacraments. The ſecond aſcent or degree is the life of grace wrought in our hearts by this meanes. The third and the laſt aſcent and degree is the perfection of glory that wee attaine unto at Chriſts comming; theſe bee the three aſcents whereby we attaine perfection in Chriſt.
The firſt ſtep and aſcent is this, the outward meanes of grace, wee have the Word and the Sacraments, wee receive the Word and the Sacraments, wee conforme our ſelves to theſe outward duties: theſe be ſome degrees of perfection; yet they be but a very low degree, ſo low that many come to this degree, and yet never come to heaven, and yet they are very materiall, and ſo materiall, as that none ordinarily can come to heaven without theſe, this is the beginning of our Religion, this is as it were our A. B. C. as a man would ſay, and when we come to know theſe, we come to know a little, and to ſmatter a little about the matter of our perfection: theſe bee the firſt degree.
The ſecond aſcent is the life of grace which is wrought in the hearts of Gods children by theſe outward meanes effectuated, and ſeconded by the Spirit of God within us; our new birth, faith, repentance, new obedience and humiliation, and ſuch like; this is the life of grace wrought within us, theſe now bee ſomewhat a neerer degree to perfection, theſe be the next ſteps to it, now wee begin to ſeize upon Chriſt, to ſeize upon heaven, and to ſeize upon perfection: when wee have theſe graces, then we begin to have a feeling of Ieſus Chriſt in our ſoules, this is as it were to ſpell perfection, and to ſpell Chriſt, and to ſpell heaven, for now wee doe not onelyonly know the letters as we did in our A. B. C. but now we know how to put the letters and the ſyllables together, and how to make it up: in theſe very things, that wee doe beleeve here, that we hope here, that we love here, that we performe and obey God in here, in theſe very things we doe as it were ſpell Chriſt, and ſpell heaven, and ſpell perfection; yet we are not come to the reading of them.
There is a third aſcent or degree in religion, and that is the ſtate of perfection, when Ieſus Chriſt at his ſecond comming ſhall inveſt us, and put us into full poſſeſſion of all that ever hee hath purchaſed for us, a matter that we are uncapable of here in this world, therefore it is reſpited to be revealed at his ſecond comming; and when once we come to be made partakers of that ſecond comming, then we come to be ripe and perfect ſchollers, then we begin to throw away our bookes, to throw away the Word and the Sacraments, we have no further uſe of them, they ſhall then all ceaſe; now wee have our leſſon perfect, we can ſee Chriſt cleerly, we can read Chriſt eaſily, we can underſtand Chriſt fully, wee are ripe and perfect ſchollers; and that is the ſtate that we are advanced unto when Chriſt ſhall come to judgement. A reſemblance of this threefold eſtate was given unto us in the very frame of the Tabernacle, in the 25, 26, and 27. chapters of Exodus.
In the Tabernacle there were three diviſions or roomes; there was firſt the Court, then there was the holy, and then the holieſt of all, or the holy of holies: The Court that was for the people, as well as for the Prieſts; the holy, that was for the Prieſts onelyonly to come to doe the ſervice of the Lord in it; and the holieſt of all, that was for the high Prieſt onelyonly to come into, and that was but once a yeare; the firſt aſcent, the outward meanes, the Word and the Sacraments, they are as the Court of the Tabernacle of God, there come the Prieſts, and the people, there all communicate together, many wicked and many ungodly and prophane perſons, few in deed & in truth, yet making a ſhew of religion; all that while we are never the neerer to heaven; I, but when wee come to the ſecond diviſion, then we come to the holy; and that is when we are effectually called into the ſtate of grace: and in this ſtate it is, that we performe all Gods ſervice that hee requires; as the Prieſts did in the holy: Here we pray, here we offer up our ſelves and our ſoules and our bodies, and all our ſpirituall ſacrifices to God in Chriſt: here wee exerciſe the power and the life of grace that God indues us withall. There is yet a higher diviſion, that is the holieſt of all: and that is heaven, Heb. 10. there is our ſtate of perfection, if ſo be that we ſtay in the Court, wee are never the better for the Tabernacle: but if ſo be that we proceed to the ſecond diviſion to goe to the holy, then we have true intereſt in the Tabernacle; ſo if we ſtay at the Word and the Sacraments, we are never the neerer to ſalvation. I, but if we have the life of grace in us, then we ſhall be ſure to be made partakers of the holieſt of all, the Kingdome of heaven. God might, if it had pleaſed him, beſtow this perfection upon us without any ſuch degrees, without any ſuch riſings or aſcents; but God deales with man according to the reach and capacity of man, he deales with his creatures, according to the capacity of his creatures, and therefore it is the infinite wiſedome of God, that we being ſo unable and ſo uncapable of matters of heaven, that the Lord is pleaſed to raiſe us up by certaine degrees, till at laſt he hath brought us to be perfect men and women in Ieſus Chriſt: let us ſee and diſcerne the wiſedome of God in it, and let us admire it, and let us ſubmit our ſelves to it. Every man would deſire to come to the holieſt of all, and then they think all would be ſafe with them. Looke not to it without good cauſe, for before thou commeſt to the holieſt of all, thou muſt come to the holy; before thou commeſt to the holy, thou muſt come to the Porch; before thou commeſt to heaven thou muſt have the life of grace in thy heart, and before thou have the life of grace in thy heart, thou muſt make a conſcionable uſe of the Word and the Sacraments, and whoſoever thinkes to come to heaven without the conſcionable uſe of theſe, he doth not uſe the meanes to come thither: And therefore let us ſubmit our ſelves to the wiſedome of God in this caſe; and therefore let us try and examine our eſtate, how farre we have proceeded in this ſtate; and therefore let us examine our ſelves whether wee bee them onelyonly that can know our letters, or ſpell, or reade.
Vſe. 2 A ſecond uſe that we are to make of this point is this, this ſheweth us what we are to eſteeme of the Word and Sacraments, and indeed of the graces that we attaine unto in this life: why, we are to eſteeme of them as good, and as comfortable things, not as the matter and ſubſtance of our ſalvation, but as helps and meanes to ſalvatiō, nor faith, nor repentance, they are but onelyonly meanes to helpe us to heaven; not the Word and the Sacraments, as Iohn ſaith of himſelfe, Ioh. 3.8. He was not that light, but he was ſent to beare witneſſe of Chriſt. The Word and the Sacraments they are not the ſalvation that we looke to have, but they are tendered to us of God, to beare witneſſe of that perfection, to beare witneſſe of Chriſt, and to beare witneſſe of heaven: and therefore this ſhould ſerve to reprove thoſe that doe fooliſhly and vainly & preſumptuouſly boaſt of their outward eſtate, becauſe they live in the viſible Church, as though they ſhould ſurely goe to heaven; many will conclude, if they can come to Church, heare the Word, and receive the Sacraments that they are in a good eſtate; that is not the matter though it be a meanes to helpe us forward to heaven, yet they are not the ſubſtance of our ſalvation.
Whoſoever they are that doe preſume upon this meanes, doe but ſhew me any one thing in the Word and the ſacraments in the outward meanes of grace whatſoever, and I will ſhew thee a Reprobate that hath had the very ſame thing that thou haſt had, and lieth ſcorching in hell at this day: they have heard the Word, and received the Sacraments. The Phariſee paid tithes and faſted twice a weeke, and yet a curſed firebrand of hell, and therefore let no man thinke the better of themſelves for this, without thou canſt come to ſee what benefit thou haſt made of thoſe, unleſſe thou canſt come to ſee that the life of grace is wrought in thy heart by theſe meanees: as for example, if ſo be that a man have clothes heated at the fire for him, if they be never ſo warme, and they put upon his body, yet it is not the warmneſſe of the clothes that he ſhall live by, but the warmneſſe of his body; ſo ought we having the Word and the Sacraments, and they being powerfull, yet they ſhall not profit us without we have grace in our hearts. It is not the Wine and the Sacraments that ſhall ſave us; it is not our clothes but our bodies that ſhall warme us, without we have this grace we ſhall not be the neerer to life.
Secondly, I ſhewed you that the things themſelves they are not the ſubſtance of our ſalvation, not our faith, nor our repentance, but a meanes of our ſalvation. 1 Iohn 3.2. We know that we are the ſonnes of God, but we know not what we ſhall be; a ſtrange thing, we are here already the ſonnes of God, this we know, but we know not what wee ſhall be; as who ſhould ſay, that the ſtate of Gods children in heaven doth ſo farre exceed all the ſtate of grace here, though they know this, yet they doe not know that: therefore reſt not in thy faith as it is in it ſelfe, but reſt upon God, that promiſeth to juſtifie thee by faith; God ſet his love upon us, God adopted us, yet that is nothing. There is a ſweet proportion between the life of grace here, and the ſtate of glory hereafter; and to ſay the truth they doe agree in this, the ſubſtance of the truth is one and the ſame, ſo farre forth as we are capable of them, here in this world; but yet in circumſtance they differ, but in ſubſtance they are the ſame: firſt, the perſons they are the ſame, they that are made partakers of the ſtate of grace here, ſhall be ſure to be made partakers of the ſtate of glory hereafter; all that are partakers of heaven, ſhall be made partakers of grace here alſo, the objects, and things, the ſame God, the ſame Chriſt, the ſame bleſſed things that we doe enjoy.
And laſtly, the right is the ſame; all the right that we have to grace in this life, all the glory that wee ſhall have in the world to come, is through the mediation of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, Chriſt Ieſus yeſterday and to day, and the ſame for ever; Chriſt Ieſus in the ſtate of grace, and in the ſtate of glory; but yet there is difference betweene them, they differ in circumſtance of grace; grace is managed here upon earth, and glory in heaven: againe, there is difference in the time, matters of grace they are managed onelyonly for a time, for the preſent diſpenſation of this life; matters of glory they laſt for ever: againe, they differ in the manner, becauſe matters of glory are apprehended here by faith, and then they ſhall be apprehended by ſight and appearance; we beleeve now onelyonly, we then ſhall ſee that which now we doe beleeve. Laſtly, there is difference in the meaſure, and in the degree; grace, I muſt needs ſay, it is ſome beginning of glory, but it comes farre ſhort of glory, it is nothing to glory; now wee are in part, then we ſhall be perfect; then we ſhall know as we are knowne; now we ſee but darkly, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 14. but then we ſhall ſee face to face: great difference in regard of the degree and meaſure, here wee have them onelyonly in part, there we ſhall have them in full; here wee have them onelyonly in a darke glaſſe, as a man would ſay, but there we ſhall have them in a cleare glaſs: That ſpeech there of the Queene of Sheba, 1 King. 10.7. may very fitly be compared to this: the Queene of Sheba had heard of the wiſedome of Salomon, ſhe made a journey, and came to ſee it, and when ſhe had ſeene it, ſhee gave this report, Well, I have heard a great report of thee, but I have not heard the halfe of that which now I ſee: there was a great deale more that ſhee beheld, or that ſhe heard of: And ſo likewiſe may wee ſay concerning the ſtate of grace and the ſtate of glory, We know a great many things that God hath treaſured up in heaven for thoſe that doe beleeve in him, as glory, happineſſe, and bleſſedneſſe: when we come there we ſhall utterly diſclaime all thoſe kindes of knowledge; I, wee ſhall behold a thouſand times more than ever we knew of theſe things before.
Vſe. 2 Another uſe of the point is this: This ſhould teach us that the fruits of the Sacrament, howſoever the Sacrament it ſelfe, and the outward means doth not laſt for ever, yet the fruit of them laſteth for ever: we ſhall have the fruit and benefit of the conſcionable receiving of the ſacrament, whē we ſhall come to judgment, they ſhal vaniſh, the propheſying ſhall ceaſe, but love ſhall never ceaſe; that which is imperfect ſhall bee done away, but that which is perfect that ſhall ſtand for ever: the Word and the Sacraments they ſhall ceaſe in regard of their being, but in regard of the benefit and fruit that we receive by them, that ſhall never ceaſe.
1 Pet. 1.24. This is the word that we doe preach unto you; there the Apoſtle ſhewes plainly, that howſoever we periſh, and all things elſe periſh, yet the benefit of the Word, and the comfort that we receive by the Word, it ſhall not periſh, but it ſhall laſt for ever; it is an immortall ſeed; Mary hath choſen the better part, that ſhall never be taken from her; holineſſe in Ieſus Chriſt ſhall bee taken from her, the preaching of Ieſus Chriſt ſhall bee taken from her, but the benefit of the preaching of Ieſus Chriſt ſhall never bee taken from her, it ſhall laſt for ever to all eternity; if ſhee get life wrought in her heart by the powerfull preaching of the Word, that ſhall never dye.
Vſe. 3 The laſt Vſe: this ſerves for inſtruction: it ſhould ſtirre us up, that ſeeing it is ſo that theſe outward meanes of holineſſe, and inward graces, they be ſerviceable meanes of the fitting of us againſt the day of Chriſt, therefore every one of us ſhould labour to performe theſe duties, ſo as to make this our reach, making this our ayme, that wee may bee fitted to the comming of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: and becauſe that the day of our death is partly a beginning of the Lords comming to us in particular, therefore let us labour ſtill ſo to pray, as that wee ſhould dye preſently, ſtill ſo to heare the Word and receive the Sacraments, as though thou ſhouldeſt dye preſently: when we come to heare the Word, do not think of the Word as it is the word of a mortall man, but as Chriſt ſaith, heare it as the word that ſhall judge thee at the laſt, Iohn 6. and therefore heare it, and hearken unto it, and conſider of it reverently as thou oughteſt to doe, as thou ſhouldeſt be judged by it as the laſt day: and ſo likewiſe in the receiving of the ſacrament. Oh if we would conſider with our ſelves, when we come to lye upon our death-bed we ſhall have need of comfort, if we had never ſo much comfort and grace at the day of death, and at the day of judgement, wee ſhall have need of all; there is no comfort to bee had but by our faith and repentance, and gracious courſes that we have walked in in the time of our life, and in the time of our death: therefore let us looke to theſe things, ſtill let us labour to perform them in our daily converſation, that ſo wee may be fitted for Chriſts particular comming to us, or elſe his generall comming to the whole world. You have heard of the fooliſh Virgins: get it in time, have it alwayes burning, and then we ſhall be ſure: ſpecially make uſe of the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper: this ſhould teach us in the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; we ſhould ſo addreſſe our ſelves, and ſo cary our ſelves every way, and ſo goe away with ſuch hearts, and having ſuch meditations in them, as that we may be fitted every way for the comming of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: Oh that our hearts were ſo fitted, oh how reverently would we cary our ſelves in the practice of it; with what conſcience would we performe it, to glorifie God, and to pleaſe God, with what ſingleneſſe of heart? We know that when Chriſt ſhall come to judgement there ſhall bee no hiding of any thing, out every thing ſhall bee naked before him, and there will bee no ſmoothering up of any thing. He that hath beſt profited by receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, whoſoever he bee that is thereby beſt fitted to the comming of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt to judgment, he deſires it more earneſtly, waits for it more diligently, rejoyces in it more cheerfully, and haſtens to it more willingly and more comfortably. Oh when a man hath beene at the Lords Table, and there hath found and felt the ſweet communion of Gods bleſſed Spirit in his hart, aſſuring him by his ſpirit within him, aſſuring him that his ſinnes are forgiven him, aſſuring him that now he is fully and perfectly reconciled to God: when he can enjoy this communion with Ieſus Chriſt, then he may goe home to his cloſet and ſay, Oh now Lord Ieſus come quickly, now thy ſervant is in ſome poore meaſure ready and fitted. Oh there is a worthy, and a profitable, and a ready Communicant. This profit is to be found in this ſacrament by the conſcionable uſing of it; here God tenders it, and it is to be found of us, and therefore let us not deprive our ſelves of ſuch a gracious and precious bleſſing that here is: if we will ſubmit our ſelves to the gracious ordinance of God, wee may bee made partakers of it: the time will come that thou whoſoever thou art that art negligent in comming to it, or unprofitable in the participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, the time will come when thou commeſt to lye upon thy deathbed, eſpecially when thou commeſt to judgment, then thou wilt rue this folly of thine with unſpeakable woe and miſery: I, then you ſhall cry out, and ſhame your owne ſoules and your owne bodies, becauſe you have not beene profitable participators in this Sacrament, and profitably performed it, to the comfort of your owne ſoules.
The end of the one and twentieth Lecture.