Twenty-Three Sermons, Lecture 6
THE SIXTH LECTVRE VPONUPON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER.
THAT which we are now to ſpeake of, is by way of digreſſion into the Argument of the Lords Supper, to prepare vsus againſt the next Lords day, wherein we purpoſe if God giuegive vsus life and grace, to meet at the Lords Table: Some profitable meditations therefore we are to receiue, to prepare and ſeaſon vsus before wee come. The firſt of thoſe Heads whereunto wee did reduce this Doctrine of the Lords Supper, were the names and titles that were giuen to it: and ſome of them we ſhewed were more common to the whole action; and ſome more proper to the parts of it: We began with thoſe which were more common to the whole action, wherein we are to proceed. Firſt, It is called, The Lords Table: Secondly, The Lords Supper: Thirdly, The Communion: Now followes the fourth title which is giuen to it, and that is, The New Teſtament: For ſo it is called by our Sauiour himſelfe in the firſt inſtitution of it, as it is reported by three ſeuerall Euangeliſts, Math. 26.28. This is my Blood of the New Teſtament. Marke 14.24. There is the ſame words. Luke 22.20. This Cup is that New Teſtament in my Blood. And the teſtimonie of theſe three Euangeliſts, is ſeconded with the after-witneſſe of the Apoſtle Paul, 1 Cor. 11.25. This Cup is the New Teſtament in my Blood. All concurre together verie plainly, calling this Sacrament, The New Teſtament. Mathew and Marke ſpeake plaine enough that he ſpake it of the Cup; for ſo the courſe of the Text directly entends, Math. 26.27. Marke 14.23. Alſo he tooke the Cup, &c. that is plaine enough. But Luke and Paul ſpeake more pregnantly and expreſly, that he ſaid, This Cup is the New Teſtament in my Blood: they name the Cup. If we will rightly apprehend and apply this truth, we muſt receiue it with theſe cautions: Firſt, whereas it is ſpoken of the Cup, it is to be vnderſtood of the Wine in the Cup: Secondly, whereas it is affirmed onelyonly of the Wine, that that is the New Teſtament, it is to be vnderſtood of the Bread alſo: Thirdly, wee muſt not ſet it on the Racke, and ſtretch it further then the nature of a Sacrament will beare it. Firſt, howſoeuer it be ſaid the Cup by name, yet it is to be vnderſtood of the Wine in the Cup, by an ordinarie figuratiue ſpeech whereby the thing contained is ſignified by the name of the thing containing: I will giuegive you an inſtance of the verie ſame nature, time, and place, Luke 12.17, 18. And he tooke the Cup, and gaue thankes, and ſaid, Take this and diuide it among you. Our Sauiour ſitting at the Paſſeouer with his Diſciples, giues them the Cup, and bids them diuide it amongſt them: What, the materiall Cup? No, but the Wine in the Cup. It is the fruit of the Vine, the Wine they were to drinke of, as Verſe 18. I will not drinke of the fruit of the Vine, &c. And ſurely it holds by proportion to the Bread in the Sacrament: For of the Bread it is ſaid, This is my Body, Math. 26.26. And therefore that which he ſaith of, This is my Blood, muſt needs be the Wine. Secondly, howſoeuer it is ſpoken of the Cup onelyonly by name, yet it is entended proportionally of the Bread, and ſo of the whole Sacrament: For both kinds make but one Sacrament; and therefore the Bread being as ſubſtantiall a part of the Sacrament as the Wine, looke whatſoeuer is aſcribed, or whatſoeuer benefit ariſeth by the Wine, the ſame alſo is to be acknowledged in the Bread; and whoſoeuer ſhall make the Cup the New Teſtament, and not the Bread, doth thereby as much as in him lyes, diſſunder the Body of Chriſt from his Blood, and ſo diſanull this whole Teſtament. Thirdly, the ſpeech is not to be ſet on the Racke, and ſtretched further then the nature of a Sacrament will beare, This Cup is the New Teſtament, &c. Not that it is ſo in it ſelfe, it is not meant that that is the ſubſtance of the Teſtament it ſelfe, but onelyonly Sacramentally according to the entendment of ſpeeches in the like kind in all other Sacraments, that is, This is the Pledge and Seale of the New Teſtament. That we may carrie the buſineſſe wholly and plainly before vsus, whereas there be foure witneſſes of this Truth, it is needfull and profitable for vsus to compare all theſe teſtimonies together; for by this meanes if there be any ſeeming difference betwixt them, they ſhall be accorded, and ſo the Scripture ſhall bee iuſtified from contradiction. Secondly, ſo that which is defectiue in the one, ſhall be ſupplyed in the other. Thirdly, ſo ſhall we be more fully perſwaded of the truth hereof, being confirmed out of the mouth of many witneſſes, and ſo we ſhall vnderſtand the whole mind of God touching this buſineſſe. And becauſe the Euangeliſt Mathew is more copious then any of the other, his teſtimonie ſhall be the rule that we will compare & reduce the reſt vntounto, Math. 26.28. This is my Blood of the New Teſtament, that is ſhed for many for the remiſsion of ſinnes. This, that is this Cup, or this Wine, or this Sacrament (as we heard the meaning was before) and herein they all agree, Is my Blood, which if it be groſſely and carnally to be vnderſtood, as the Capernaits did vnderſtand it, Iohn 6.51. and as the Papiſts doe in this verie caſe, it is impoſſible in euerie Mans vnderſtanding, that Chriſt ſhould giuegive them his Blood whileſt he was aliue: but if it were poſſible, yet the ſpeech is fearfull, and the action ſauage both on his part and theirs, that he ſhould poure out the Blood of his owne Body into the Cup, and they ſhould drinke of it: If they had ſo taken his meaning, trembling and horror would hauehave beene vponupon them, euen to death, that they ſhould drinke Mans Blood, yea, the naturall Blood of their louing Maſter, and the Sonne of God: this had beene a ſauage thing. But vnderſtand it as he meant it, ſpiritually and ſacramentally, then it is full of comfort, This is my Blood, that is, the Signe, and Seale, and Pledge of my Blood: as if he ſhould hauehave ſaid to them, If ye drinke of this Wine, and withall lift vp your Hearts, and hauehave Faith in my Blood, the Wine ſhall be (thorough Gods ordinance, and the liuely operation of the Holy Ghoſt) as effectuall to you to all ſauing purpoſes, as if my owne Blood were as naturally or certainly in you as in my ſelfe, The New Teſtament, which is ſpoken in oppoſition to the former Teſtament. There was a Teſtament before, but that is old, this is new: and there was Blood before, but that was of Beaſts and Birds, this is of himſelfe: My Blood of the New Teſtament. Here is ſome ſeeming difference betwixt them, Mathew and Marke agree, This is my Blood of the New Teſtament; Luke and Paul differ from them, Luke 22.20. 1 Cor. 11.25. This is the New Teſtament in my Blood; This is onelyonly in the manner of the ſpeech, not in the meaning; the ioynt entendment of them all, is to ſhew that this Blood is proper and peculiar to the New Teſtament, in reſpect of the full exhibition of it, whereby it is ordained, ratified, and confirmed, and wherein the whole force and power of the New Teſtament conſiſts; as the former Teſtament was by the Blood of Buls and Goats, ſo this is by the Blood of Chriſt: and this we may ſee Hebr. 9.10, &c. This is the Blood of the Teſtament which God hath appointed to you. And hereto anſwers the ſpeech of Mathew and Marke, This is my Blood of the New Teſtament which is ſhed for you; and in Verſe 18. the Apoſtle ſaith, The Old Teſtament was not ordained without Blood; and ſo alſo the New Teſtament is not ordained without Blood: So we ſee that though the witneſſes differ in words, yet their meaning is one and the ſame, which is ſhed. It was not then actually ſhed, yet it was effectuall then and alwayes from the beginning: It was the Blood of the Lambe ſlaine from the beginning of the World. Times breake no ſquare with God, for there is no difference of times with him at all. This is added purpoſely to ſhew, that it is not ſimply the Blood of Chriſt that ſaues vsus, but his Blood ſhed: And that when we come to the Lords Table, we come not to celebrate his Incarnation ſo much, whereby he tooke our Blood on him; but his Death, whereby he ſhed his Blood for vsus, and for many: It is not for all the World in generall, as ſome fooliſhly immagine; but it is reſtrayned to ſome: nor yet it is not limited to the Diſciples onelyonly, nor yet to the Iewes onelyonly, as the former Teſtament was; but to many. If you will know who this many is, looke into the firſt of Iohn, To as many as receiued him, To as many as beleeue in his Name, euen to the whole many of the World that receiue Chriſt, and beleeue in his Name; Of all Nations ſome. The Euangeliſt Luke and Paul add one thing further, Which is ſhed for you: Which is not meant of the Diſciples onelyonly, but for the whole Church; for the benefit of all the Faithfull: And it giues vsus further to vnderſtand, that whoſoeuer comes to the Lords Table, muſt receiue particularly for himſelfe, as if Chriſt were there preſent, and ſhould ſay vntounto them, This is for you, and for you. Laſtly, For the remiſſion of ſinnes: there is the benefit of it. I but (will ſome ſay) hauehave we no other benefit by it? HaueHave we not our Regeneration and our Iuſtification, &c. by the ſhedding of Chriſts Blood? Yes ſurely, but that is ſet downe for all the reſt. I but hauehave I not remiſſion of ſinnes by his Body as well as by his Blood? Yes ſurely, but it is rather ſaid ſo of his Blood, becauſe of the Sacrifices of the Law, which were a Type of Chriſts Sacrifice, and were offered by Blood. Secondly, howſoeuer his Body is auaileable to remiſſion of ſinnes, yet it is ſo farre forth, as it is crucified, and his Blood ſhed: and thus we are to conceiue of theſe things. Now we come to the points of Doctrine and Inſtruction that ariſe from hence. The firſt thing that our Sauiour ſpeakes of is the New Teſtament, that is the ground of all.
Doct. 1 The point we obſerue from hence is this: The ſtate of all the Faithfull, that hauehave liued, or doe liue, or ſhall liue, from the death of Chriſt to the Worlds end, doth ſtand and hold by a new Teſtament or Couenant betwixt God and them: Teſtament and Couenant are not all one amongſt Men, but in matters of Grace and Saluation betwixt God and Man, they are all one: Gods Couenant is his Teſtament, and his Teſtament is his Couenant. Circumciſion, though it were a bare Couenant, not ratified by the death of the Teſtator, and therefore properly no Teſtament, yet it is called a Teſtament, Act. 7.8. All the intereſt that euer any Man had in the free grace and ſaluation of God, they had it meerely by force and vertue of a Couenant: For Man hauing nothing but what he receiues from God, he can hauehave no aſſurance to, nor any good by any thing, but what he hath by Couenant from God: Hence it is that God hath allwayes manifeſted his good will to Man by way of Couenant: thus he dealt with Adam before his fall Gen. 2.17. and ſo after his fall, 3.17. and ſo to Noah after the Flood, Gen. 9.9. and to Abraham, Gen. 17.2. & ſo to the Iſraelites, Exod. 19.5. & ſo it is now to vsus that liue vnderunder the Goſpell, the matter of Saluation ſtands by vertue of a new Couenant, which being ſealed by the actuall Blood-ſhedding of our Sauiour Chriſt, is moſt properly a Teſtament: and ſo our ſtate vnderunder the Goſpell is the ſtate of a new Teſtament: in Hebr. 1.1, 2, 3. there it is plainly affirmed that it is ſo, At ſundry times, and in diuers manners God ſpake in the old time, to our Fathers by the Prophets, in theſe laſt dayes he hath ſpoken vntounto vsus by his Sonne, who hath by himſelfe purged our ſinnes. The Apoſtle compares the ſtate of the Faithfull that liued in former times, to ours that liue vnderunder the Goſpell: At ſundry times God appeared, &c. at the beginning to Adam, after to Abraham, &c. and in diuers manners, to ſome by Angels, to ſome by Viſions, to ſome by Shadows, by Moſes and the Prophets: but to vsus by his owne Sonne, he hath manifeſted his Couenant to vsus by his Sonne, who hath by himſelfe purged our ſinnes, as who ſhould ſay, He had ſent a new Couenant-maker to vsus, and he had made a new and another Couenant with vsus, and what is that? Remiſſion of ſinnes, Galat. 4.22, &c. there it is figured that it ſhould be ſo: Abraham had two Sonnes, Iſaack and Iſmael, by which two other things are meant, ſaith the Apoſtle, the two Teſtaments, the former is ſignified by Agar, and what is her condition? Slauiſh and in bondage. Iſhmael, what is he? Slauiſh and in bondage too, and borne after the Fleſh. Here is the former Teſtament, a ſlauiſh Teſtament that tyed Men to great bondage, ſpecially in the Ceremonies, her Children were the Children after the Fleſh, that is, as many as did not ſpiritually embrace it, that did not ſpell the Couenant of Grace vnderunder the Couenant of Workes, it was to them meerely a carnall Couenant, and they carnall Children. The latter Teſtament is ſignified by Ieruſalem, Verſe 26. and what is her condition? Aboue and free. What are her Children? As Iſaack. And what is their condition? Not after the Fleſh, but after the Promiſe. Therefore we, ſaith the Apoſtle, that is to ſay, we that liue vnderunder the Goſpell or New Teſtament, are after the manner of Iſaack, Children of the Promiſe, Verſe 28. as if he ſhould ſay, we are deliuered by Chriſt, from that ſlauerie of Ceremonies, and from that carnall ſeruice, which was a Veile to them, they did not ſee that which was hidden vnderunder it, we are free from their bondage, we hold by the Promiſe, not after the Fleſh. In Ieremie 31.31, &c. it is promiſed, it ſhall be ſo, Behold, the dayes come, ſaith the Lord, that I will make a new Couenant with the Houſe of Iudah and of Iſrael, &c. where it is expreſly called a new Couenant, and with whom it is made, with the Houſe of Iudah and of Iſrael, that is to ſay, with the Church vnderunder the Goſpell, for they are the true Iſrael, the right Iewes, that are Iewes within, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, and there is ſet downe the ſubſtance of the Couenant, and the parts of it, Sanctification and Iuſtification, Sanctification, by putting his Law in their Hearts, Verſe 32, 33. Iuſtification, by forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, Verſe 34. And that we may know certainely, that theſe dayes there ſpoken of, are the dayes of the Goſpell after Chriſts death, the Apoſtle himſelfe ſo expounds it, and applyes it, Hebr. 8.8. and 10.16, 17. and in Luke 22.20. there it is performed and made good, This is my Blood of the New Teſtament which is ſhed for you: For you? That is to ſay, As many as liuing vnderunder the New Teſtament doe embrace it: the originall Text is verie ſignificant. The New Teſtament emplyes a direct reference to that which was ſpoken in Ieremie 31. as if our Sauiour ſhould hauehave pointed it out with his Finger and ſaid thus, You hauehave heard that God promiſed it by Ieremie that he would make a new Teſtament with his People, beleeue it, this is that verie Teſtament which there was promiſed: Rom. 6.14. Ye are not vnderunder the Law, but vnderunder Grace; there is the experience of it, that it doth and ſhall hold ſo for euer: for what is the Old Teſtament but the Law? and what is Grace but the New Teſtament? We that now liue are not vnderunder the Old Teſtament, but vnderunder the New: for that which is there ſpoken to the Romanes is entended generally to all Chriſtians, that is, to all true beleeuers, that not onelyonly acknowledge, but embrace and practiſe Chriſt crucified in true mortification; they are dead to the Law, and to Sinne, and are freed from that bondage, and altogether vnderunder Grace, and vnderunder the New Teſtament.
Reaſ. 1 Firſt, It is a New Teſtament in reſpect of the Old: either we muſt hold by the Old Teſtament or the New: the Old if it were ſtill of force, it could not ſaue vsus, Gal. 3.21. For if there had beene giuen a Law which could hauehave giuen life, ſurely righteouſneſſe ſhould hauehave beene by the Law: where ye ſee the Apoſtle ſaith plainely the Law cannot giuegive life: and Rom. 8.3. it is impoſſible that the Law ſhould iuſtifie vsus; but this Old Teſtament euen by the death of Chriſt, and he by the abrogating of the Old, hath eſtabliſhed a New, for that was ſome part of our Sauiours meaning, that when he ſaid vponupon the Croſſe, It is finiſhed, the Old Teſtament is ceaſed, and the New is eſtabliſhed; and ſurely if our Sauiour had not conferred the New Teſtament, he taking away the Old, had left vsus without any hold in God at all.
Reaſ. 2 Secondly, It is New in reſpect of the ſtrangeneſſe of it; for ſtrange things are new things: vſually when the Prophets fore-tell the New Teſtament, they prefixe this note of attention, Behold, as being about the reports of miraculous matters, that God will doe great wonders and ſtrange things and ſurely it is the myſterie of all myſteries, and there be many wonders in this one worke, that a Virgine ſhould conceiue, that the Sonne of God ſhould become the Sonne of Man, that God ſhould giuegive his owne begotten Sonne for vsus poore ſinfull wretches, and his vtter Enemies; that God being a righteous Iudge, ſhould giuegive his Sonne to ſaue vsus notorious ſinners; that one Man ſhould be ſaued by another Mans righteouſneſſe; that many thouſands ſhould be iuſtified by one Mans obedience; that the Gentiles ſhould be called; that the Spirit ſhould attend vponupon the Word to open the Heart to beleeue it and obey it; that ſo plentifull a meaſure of the Spirit ſhould be poured forth vponupon all Fleſh, young Men & Maids, and ſo forward: All theſe, and many others as ſtrange things as theſe being incident to the makeing and accompliſhing of this Teſtament, ſhew plainly that our Tenor is by a New Teſtament indeed, a ſtrange Teſtament, ſuch as neuer the like was, or ſhall be.
Reaſ. 3 Thirdly, In reſpect of the renewed eſtate which we are aduanced vntounto, Hebr. 9.10. our Sauiours ſuffering in the Fleſh, is called, The time of reformation, as things being out of ſquare and order before, but by his appearance and ſuffering ſet vpright againe, 2 Cor. 5.17. Old things are paſt away, all things are become new: new Lawes, new Promiſes, new courſes, new effects, all new; a new Heart, a new Mind, a new Spirit, a new Life, a new Nature, a new Creature, all new; for that reformation ſpoken of, Hebr. 9. is not ſpoken ſo much of the outward face of the Church, but of the inward Temple of God that is within vsus.
Reaſ. 4 Fourthly, As being the laſt Teſtament; that which comes after makes the former old; where there be many changes of State, the laſt alwayes is the neweſt: there were many changes of the outward Religion before, this comes after and puts them all out of date, and none ſhall euer come after this, to put this out of requeſt: and therefore the eſtate is called the laſt dayes, Hebr. 1.1. as there being no other euer hereafter to be effected.
Reaſ. 5 Fifthly, Becauſe by this we are ſenſibly inueſted and enter into the eſtate of Glorie, when all ſhall be renewed in full perfection. That which Peter ſaith of the ſtate of Glorie, 2 Pet. 3.13. of a new Heauen, and a new Earth, is it not affirmed of the ſtate of the New Teſtament? Eſay 65.17.
Reaſ. 6 Laſtly, All the hold that we hauehave in God, is by the mediation of Ieſus Chriſt: now his mediation conſiſts wholly in making good of the New Teſtament, being therefore called the Mediator of the New Teſtament, Hebr. 9.15. and 12.24. ſo that we cannot hauehave any hold in God by Chriſt, but onelyonly by vertue of the New Teſtament.
Vſe 1 Firſt, This ſhould teach euerie one of vsus to examine and try our ſelues what right we hauehave in the New Teſtament, made and ſealed by the Blood of Chriſt, and there we ſhall ſee plainly what hold we hauehave in God: It is not the liuing in the dayes of the Goſpell that can ſaue you, for euerie Beaſt do liue in theſe dayes as well as we: but to liue vnderunder, is to be ſubiect to it, and to liue vnderunder the power, and the Lawes of the New Teſtament: So much of this hold as we hauehave in the New Teſtament, ſo much hold we hauehave in God; little hold in this, and little hold in God; great hold in this, great hold in God; no hold in this, no hold in God. Ye ſee what the Teſtament is, Iuſtification and Sanctification, therefore examine your ſelues concerning both: Firſt, for Iuſtification, what right hauehave you in Chriſt, for the forgiueneſſe of your ſinnes? HaueHave you Faith in his Blood? Are ye perſwaded that you are fully ſatisfied for, in the death of Chriſt? Or if ye hauehave not this full perſwaſion, what degrees or what meaſure hauehave you thereof? Except you hauehave the truth of this reſolution in your Hearts, you can challenge no part in this Teſtament. Then for Sanctification, tell me, you that profeſſe the New Teſtament, how is it betwixt ſinne and you? Hath ſinne dominion ouer you? Then you are not vnderunder Grace, but vnderunder the Law. Is the Spirit of God within you? Doe you find him to liue and moue in your inward parts? Is the Law of God written in your Hearts? for that you ſee is one expreſſe part of this Couenant: you hauehave it in your Eares, and in your Heads, and in your Mouthes, but that is nothing except you hauehave it in your Hearts; and what is it to hauehave the Law of God in your Hearts? It is to doe the will of God, Pſal. 40.8. I hauehave deſired to doe thy will O my God, yea thy Law is within my Heart. Theſe things are our Legacie bequeathed in this Teſtament, and therefore it ſtands vsus vponupon to know whether we hauehave receiued them or not. There be two ſpeciall markes whereby we may know our ſelues to bee truly vnderunder the New Teſtament: Softneſſe of Heart, and the aſſiſtance of the Spirit. Softneſſe of Heart, if we find our Hearts to be mollified, melting at the thought of our ſinnes, relenting at Gods Iudgements, compaſſionate towards the afflictions of Gods Children, plyable to Gods will, ouercome with the louelove of Chriſt Ieſus in ſuffering for vsus: this is a ſure ſigne that the promiſe of the Goſpell is fulfilled vponupon vsus in ſome meaſure, which is, that he will take away our ſtonie Hearts, and giuegive vntounto vsus Hearts of Fleſh. Let euerie one of vsus therefore lay our Hands vponupon our Hearts, and ſearch, and anſwer as in the preſence of God, whether we find this ſoftneſſe in vsus, or whether there be not as great hardneſſe of Heart in vsus, as there was in the Iewes in the Old Teſtament: ſurely our vnableneſſe, and vnthankfulneſſe, and wilfulnes, which do generally reigne amongſt vsus, doe teſtifie to the World that ſtill our Hearts doe continue in an obſtinate hardneſſe. Secondly, for the aſſiſtance of the Spirit, for the Promiſe of the Goſpell is the Promiſe of the Spirit, and it is proper to the ſtate of the Goſpell, that looke what the Word telles vsus, and bids vsus, or forbids vsus, that doth the Spirit encline and perſwade our Hearts to beleeue and obey: doe our Hearts therefore tremble when the Word is preached? When we heare the Goſpell ſay, Belieue and thou ſhalt be ſaued? Doe vve find an ouer-ruling power in our Soules, rayſing vp our minds effectually, and cauſing vsus to beleeue? Can we ſay truly, that when we heare the Word, we find the ſame Spirit working vponupon our Hearts, Faith and Obedience, which hath enſpired thoſe that teacheth vsus? For this is the right ſtate of the Goſpell, Pſal. 18.44. As ſoone as they heare, they ſhall obey me, as the verie ſame Spirit which ſpeakes vntounto vsus by the mouth of the Miniſters, ſpeaking alſo and preuailing with our Hearts to true obedience: Let vsus therefore labour, eſpecially for theſe two things, Softneſſe of Heart, and the aſſiſtance of the Spirit, that thereby we may ſee we hauehave our right and true entereſt in the New Teſtament.
Vſe 2 Secondly, this ſhewes the happy eſtate of thoſe that liue vnderunder the New Teſtament, if they hauehave grace ſo to make vſe of vsus, it is a gracious opportunitie, and we are much to bleſſe God for it, that we are born in the daies of the Goſpel; but where God giues grace to make vſe of it accordingly, that we liue vnderunder the gouernment and ſubiection of the Goſpell, that is the greateſt merciemercy and bleſſing that euer can befall vsus, it is next to Heauen it ſelfe. Conſider the happineſſe of the New Teſtament: Firſt, by the excellent titles of it: The former Teſtament is called the Law, this is the Goſpell, or glad tydings; that the Shadow, this the Subſtance; that the Couenant of Workes, this the Couenant of Grace or Faith; that the Letter, this the Spirit; that after the Fleſh, this after the Promiſe; that the Miniſter of Death and Condemnation, this the Miniſtration of Life: The Apoſtle, Hebr. 12.18, &c. ſets forth the excellencie of this eſtate, by comparing it with that of the Law, and amplyfies it, by that hard condition that we are deliuered from, and the bleſſed condition that we are aduanced vntounto, ſuch as if there be any ſence of Grace, or care of our owne good, it ſhould rayſe vsus vp to much cauſe of reioycing. Secondly, ſee it by the longing and the deſire after it of others, many Kings and Prophets hauehave deſired to ſee the things that wee ſee, and heare the things that we heare, and hauehave not ſeene them, nor heard them. O what a bleſſed turne hauehave we therefore that enioy ſuch comfortable things, that ſuch great and holy Men deſired, and yet could not enioy them. Abraham ſaw theſe dayes, but it was afarre off, and yet he reioyced at it: We ſee them with our Eyes, and heare theſe things with our Eares, and ſee them with our Eyes they are not farre from vsus, they are in our Mouths, and in our Hearts, how ſhould we reioyce in Gods rich merciemercy to vsus, and in our rich Portion we hauehave in him? But you will ſay, had not they vnderunder the former Teſtament the ſame meanes of Saluation which we hauehave? Yes ſurely, the ſame in ſubſtance, Ieſus Chriſt, yeſterday, and the ſame for euer. None were euer ſaued but by Faith in Chriſt Ieſus: But becauſe he was manifeſted to them, darkely, and ſparingly, and carnally, to vsus cleerely, and aboundantly, and ſpiritually; therefore is our eſtate ſo much extoll'd aboue theirs. But is the onelyonly manner of deliuerie ſufficient to make it a New Teſtament? Yes, as Iohn 13.34. the Commandement is called a new Commandement, though for the ſubſtance of it, it hath beene from the firſt beginning, yet becauſe it is preſſed by our Sauiour after a new manner, that is to ſay, that we ſhould ſo louelove one another, as he hath loued vsus; therefore it is called a new Commandement. Thirdly, by the ſpeciall louelove that Chriſt therein hath ſhewed vntounto vsus, that he ſhould remember vsus poore wretched ſinners, in his will, long before we were borne, to beſtow a Legacie, ſuch a large and rich Legacie vponupon vsus, that the Lord Ieſus hanging vponupon the Croſſe pouring out his owne Blood, ſuffering the verie pangs of Death, wraſtling with the verie wrath of God, and terrors of Hell, and aſſaulted with all the infernall Furies and Powers of Darkneſſe, ſhould euen then in the infiniteneſſe of his Diuine power and goodneſſe, entend to offer himſelfe for thee, and me, and euerie beleeuer, pleading for vsus in particular by the power of his death, that we might hauehave our part in it, and in all the benefits thereof. Fourthly, by the certaintie of it, it is by Will, and therefore it is ſure and vnchangeable; not by the Will of Man, though that be a ſtong Conueyance, and cannot be altered, but by the Will of the Sonne of God himſelfe; who, or what can put vsus by this Legacie, if once we be rightly inſtated into it? Neuer feare it, it ſhall neuer be taken from vsus, Corruption and infirmitie may ſay vntounto vsus, that we are cut off, and the Diuell will face vsus, that we hauehave no right of Grace, nor Heauen. Tell them that they are Lyers, Falſifiers of the Will and laſt Teſtament of Chriſt Ieſus. Fifthly, by the abſoluteneſſe and compleat perfection of Chriſts Will and Teſtament, there are all things concurring in it that are acceſſarie to the right nature of a Will: here is Firſt, the Teſtator, Chriſt Ieſus: Secondly, the Legators are the Faithfull▪ Thirdly, the Legacies are Iuſtification, Sanctification, and Glorification: Fourthly, the Euidences, or Inſtruments, or the Will written, the Scriptures: Fifthly, the Seale, the Sacraments: Sixthly, the Witneſſes, the Prophets, and Euangeliſts, and Apoſtles: Seuenthly, the Executor, Gods Spirit, whoſe office it is to performe the beheſts of Chriſt Ieſus: If you aske for an Ouer-ſeer, it is God the Father, who by his almightie Prouidence doth eſpecially ouer-ſee theſe buſineſſes: The date of it was from the beginning of the World: the continuance of it is for euer: and therefore it is called the Blood of the euerlaſting Couenant, Hebr. 13.20. the Court where it is to be proued, is the Court of euerie beleeuers Conſcience here, and the Court of Heauen hereafter, and that before a moſt righteous Iudge, God himſelfe, euen the bleſſed Trinitie, who will ſurely ſee that euerie one of vsus ſhall hauehave our Legacie which is bequeathed vntounto vsus: a happy Teſtator, and happy Legators, and Legacies, and therefore happy we whoſoeuer hauehave our portion in this happy Teſtament. Laſtly, by the ratification of it, which is, by his owne precious Blood, that which is more worth then all the World, that is the price thou art purchaſed by, that is the Offering thou art conſecrated by, that is the Merit thou art iuſtified by, that is the Grace thou are ſanctified by, and that is the Power thou art ſaued by. What aſſurance may we hauehave of the free and full forgiueneſſe of our ſinnes, when wee ſee they are all waſhed away by the Blood of Ieſus Chriſt? With what bouldneſſe may we come vntounto the Throne of Grace, ſince we hauehave entrance vntounto God thorough Chriſts Blood? With what courage may we fight againſt all our corruptions and rebellions within, againſt all the oppoſitions of the World without, againſt all the aſſaults and temptations of Satan both within vsus, and without vsus? We ſhall be ſure to ouer-come them all in the Blood of the Lambe. Let it be all our care to make our ſelues ſure, that we hauehave our part in this New Teſtament, thus ſealed with the precious Blood of Ieſus Chriſt, and then our caſe is moſt happy, neuer any thing ſhall ſeparate betwixt God and vsus.
The end of the ſixth Lecture.