A Preparation to the Receiving of the Lords Supper, Chapter 8 – Chapter 10
CHAP. VIII. Of the end and vſe of this Sacrament, in reſpect of the Communicant.
HItherto of the parts of this Sacrament.
The maine and moſt generall Ends and vſes follow,
Which are two.
The
1. Reſpecting our ſelues eſpecially.
2. Others alſo.
That which reſpecteth our ſelues, is, That wee receiue this Sacrament, to ſolemnize thereby a ſpeciall memoriall of Chriſt, and of our Redemption by him. This doe (ſaith our Sauiour) in remembrance of me.
One End then, why this Sacrament is to bee vſed, and the vſe to bee continued in the Church of Chriſt, is, That in and by the due receiuing thereof, wee might the more feelingly and effectually remember, what our Sauiour hath done and ſuffered for vsus.
When our ſpeciall friends, vponupon their departure from vsus, doe beſtow vponupon vsus any token of remembrance, they do it not onelyonly for that ſpeciall good that comes to vsus, by the ordinary vſe of the thing it ſelfe; but alſo that thereby, ſo often as wee looke vponupon the ſame, or vſe it, we ſhould moreouer make this vſe of it, to call to minde thereby, the many loues and fauours they hauehave ſhewed vntounto vsus. And this is written in our nature, that when any occaſion is but offered vntounto vsus, of remembring a deare friend departed from vsus, to be more then ordinarily affected therewith. Hence ſuperſtitious perſons, ſo heartily (vponupon any occaſion of remembrance) pray the Lord to hauehave mercy on their ſoules that are departed this life, whom they louelove and hauehave been bound vntounto: but when they behold any ſpeciall memoriall and token of their louelove, then they are often (for the time) tranſported & rauiſhed with extraordinary affection, which they will ſhew euen to the token of remembrance it ſelf, doing a kinde of honour vntounto it. Seeing therefore, this Sacrament, that is not only left vntounto vsus, by the greateſt friend that euer we had, but left of purpoſe to bee a ſpeciall remembrance and pledge, of the greateſt louelove that euer was ſhewed to mortall creatures, and which hath the very effects and fruits of louelove written vponupon it, yea ingrauen in it; yea, in ſome ſort contained in it; Is it not incredible, that any that louelove & beleeue in Ieſus Chriſt, ſhould lightly regard & vnworthily abuſe this Sacrament?
But heere by the way, wee may obſerue how ſtrangely forgetfull, euen the faithfull are, of the vnſpeakeable louelove of Chriſt, that they ſhould ſtand in need of ſuch a Remembrance: For vntounto them is this Sacrament giuen, as a helpe therevnto. Is it poſſible that a man ſhould be forgetfull of ſuch a Maſter, as hath with a great price redeemed him frō the Gallies? Yea, who for to redeeme him, hath made himſelfe a ſlaue; yea, who was content to purchaſe his ſeruants freedome, with his owne death? Is it poſſible, ſuch a ſeruant ſhould need any ſpeciall remembrance? would not one thinke he ſhould rather need ſom means to make him forget his louelove. Yet this is the ſtrange diſpoſition of all Chriſtians, euen of the beſt: that though our condition was a thouſand times more miſerable, then the condition of a Turkes Gally-ſlaue can bee: Though chriſt Ieſus hath done ten thouſand times more for our freedome therefrom, then is poſſible for any one man to doe for another: though whatſoeuer wee enioy, we hauehave it from his mercy and louelove: our ſoules, bodies, ſenſes, wit, beautie, wealth, life; ſo as all our ſenſes are ſo compaſſed about, with memorialls of his louelove, that wee can ſee, heare, feele, nor taſte any thing; but it may put vsus in minde of his louelove; yea, of his death and paſſion, by which the free vſe of theſe things hauehave beene purchaſed vntounto vsus; yet for all this, you ſee we ſtand in need of a more ſpecial remembrance: Yea, and yet (ſinfull wretches that we are) we are ready to abuſe theſe Remembrances; And (which exceedeth wonder) wee are prone, in the midſt of them, moſt of all to forget Chriſt and his louelove towards vsus, and then, and therein readieſt to diſhonour him.
Wee may hence further note.
That Chriſt our Sauiour, takes it moſt kindly when we remember and thinke vponupon him, & that which hee hath done for vsus.
The inſtitution of this Sacrament, to this end ſhewes hee much affects and deſires it. And the more he affects, and delights in our remembrance of him; the more vnkindly and offenſiuely hee will take our forgetfulneſſe of him.
Hence alſo it appeares, that then we ſpecially eat the fleſh of chriſt, & drink his bloud, when with a beleeuing heart & mind, we effectually remember, & in our remembrance, we ſeriouſly meditate of, & in our meditation are religiouſly affected, and in our affections throughly inflamed with the louelove of Chriſt, grounded vponupon that which Chriſt hath done for vsus, and which is repreſented and ſealed vntounto vsus in this Sacrament.
CHAP. IX. Of the End and vſe of this Sacrament in reſpect of others.
THE end that reſpecteth others, is; The ſhewing forth of his death till he come, that is,
By eating this bread, and drinking this wine, Chriſtians are to teſtifie and profeſſe; and after a ſort to preach to others, euen vntounto the worlds end, the myſtery of the Goſpell; the ſum, ſubſtance, and accompliſhment whereof, is in the death of Chriſt, and the fruites that flow therefrom, all which are repreſented in this Sacrament.
Therefore in our due receiuing of this Sacrament, we doe (as it were) lead men by the hand, into the Garden of Gethſemane, and there ſhew them Chriſt in extreame horror, ſweating bloud, Iudas traiterouſly kiſſing him, the Souldiers binding him and leading him to iudgement. We lead him to Caiphas Hall, and Pilates Throne; & there ſhew them Chriſt, moſt vniuſtly cōdemned, moſt contumeliouſly buffetted and ſpet vponupon, ſcourged & crowned with thorns, ſcorned and derided. We lead them to Mount Caluerie, & there ſhew them him nailed on the Croſſe, drinking vinegar mingled with gall, pierced with a ſpeare, forſaken of his Father, in the horror thereof crying out moſt bitterly, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me. And all this for our ſake, that thereby he might free vsus from the curſe of the Law, and purchaſe for vsus euerlaſting life.
Can we in this myſtery, ſee & behold all this? ſhall wee (aftet a ſort) heereby point it out vntounto others, and ſhall wee therewith be nothing affected in our own ſoules, but come vntounto the receiuing thereof, as ſo many ſenſeleſſe blockes.
By this it appeares, how forcible the doctrine of the Sacrament is, to terrifie all Chriſtians from the profanation thereof, and conſequently to the fitting and preparing of them to the worthy receiuing thereof.
Where (to conclude) note that the Apoſtle in al the former points, hath propounded nothing vntounto the Church of Corinth, but what they could not be ignorant of before; which practiſe of the Apoſtle teacheth vsus, of what neceſſitie continuall teaching is in the Church of Chriſt, when Miniſters muſt be faine, not onelyonly to inſtruct the people of God in thoſe points of doctrine that they are ignorant of: but often alſo call to their minde & conſideration, thoſe points which they know already well enough, vponupon ſuch particular occaſions as they are to make ſpeciall vſe of them. And verily, though men could ſay all the Scriptures by heart, though they could vnderſtand eueryevery hard and difficult place thereof; though they knew al the grounds and principles of the Chriſtian Faith; though they were able to anſwere all oppoſitions againſt any diuine truth: yet for all this, there would be vſe both of reading the Word, & preaching alſo in the Church of God.
For let our knowledge bee neuer ſo great, yet if wee bee not often put in mind of it: if we be not taught how in ſuch and ſuch particular caſes to apply it; if by the power of Chriſts Ordinance, it be not beaten out of our head, into our heart, it will bee as a dead letter vntounto vsus, yea, and moſt out of our head, when wee ſhould moſt vſe it. For ſo was the particular knowledge of this Sacrament in this Church of Corinth. And ſo will the knowledge of this, or of any truth elſe bee, if it bee not reuiued and quickned in vsus, by daily teaching & inſtruction.
CHAP. X. What it is to bee guilty of the body and bloud of Christ.
HItherto of the Doctrine of this Sacrament.
The conſequent of the Doctrine followeth.
Whoſoeuer therefore (ſaith the Apoſtle) ſhall eat this Bread, and drinke the Cup of the Lord vnworthily, ſhall be guilty of the body & bloud of Chriſt.
We hauehave in the conſideration of eueryevery particular point of Doctrine cōcerning this Sacramēt, inferred generally; that it muſt needs bee a fearefull ſin, to profane and abuſe the ſame, and not to receiue it in that manner that we ought to doe. But the Apoſtle heere from inferreth in ſpeciall, a monſtrous dangerous ſinne indeed.
For the better vnderſtanding therefore of the Apoſtles conſequent, and for our further helpe in this preparation,
Let vsus conſider
Firſt
The ſin it ſelfe. and,
The means by which we are guilty of the ſinne.
Secondly, the ground vponupon which ſuch perſons are guilty.
The ſinne is, A guiltines of the Body and Bloud of Chriſt. To be guilty of his body and bloud, is to offer ſome ſpeciall diſgrace and indignitie, vntounto the Perſon and ſufferings of Chriſt, and (in a ſpeciall manner) to ſinne againſt the great worke of our Redemption; Yea, in ſome ſort, to commit a ſin of the very ſame nature & quality which they did, who had their hands in crucifying Chriſt. For to be guilty of bloud, is in ſome ſenſe or other, to be a murtherer and ſhedder of bloud; and therefore to bee guilty of Chriſts bloud, is (in ſome degree or other) to hauehave our hands in his death: And by conſequent to be partners with Iudas in betraying him; with the wicked Iewes, in crying, crucifie him; wth Annas, Caiphas & Pilate, in condemning him, with the cruell Souldiers, in whipping and ſcourging him, ſpetting in his face, crowning him with thornes, and nailing him on the Croſſe, &c. The worſt amongſt Chriſtians abhorre theſe perſons, euen for theſe ſinnes committed againſt the Perſon of Chriſt. Let vsus therefore learne, to abhorre that practiſe, which will pull vponupon our heads the guilt of the ſame ſinne. To bee guiltie of any bloud, (though of wicked and ſinfull bloud) hath bin a burthen, that hath made the ſtouteſt heart to ake and grone vnderunder it. But who is able, (when his conſcience ſhall once be awaked) to beare the guilt of innocent bloud? And if the bloud of innocent Abel, did lie ſo heauy vponupon Cain, Gen. 4.13. How heauy ſhall the bloud of the innocent Lambe of God, lie vponupon them that are guilty thereof? Wee may remember how heauy it was vponupon Iudas, Mat. 27.25. and we may ſee at this day, how heauy it lies vponupon the heads of the whole Nation of the Iewes, according to their owne curſed wiſh. Mat. 27.25. This ſinne therefore, being a bloudy ſin, and by conſequent in it ſelfe, a moſt vnſupportable ſinne; can we be too carefull to auoid it? It is not our ignorance, or good meaning, that in this caſe will iuſtifie vsus. Many of the Iewes, did in their ignorance crucifie Chriſt, Luke 23.34. Acts 3.17. This Church of Corinth alſo (no doubt) had a good meaning in receiuing this Sacrament; yet, by not receiuing it in that manner that they ought, they were deepely guiltie of this foule ſinne.