The Light of Faith, Part 2 · Section 9
§. IX. The ſecond part of Gods worſhip: viz. the receiuing of the Sacrament of Chriſts Body and Bloud.
THis holy ordinance ofOf receiuing the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. Chriſt, inſtituted in memory of his death and paſſion for our ſinnes, doth preſent the grace and mercy of God the Father, and of our Lord Ieſus, to the …aſt and ſight of the beleeuer: of which we may ſay, Oh come, taſt and ſee how gracoius the Lord is. Neare is our approach to the Lord of glory, when we ſee, handle, taſte him, when we are made one with him, when he liues in vsus. Who is ſufficient or meet for theſe things? Yet who would not his part and lot ſhould be in this buſineſſe? if thy queſtion be, what letteth me to bee part ker of the Lords Table? I anſwere, Thou, and all other Chriſtians baptiſed, that are come to yeeres of diſcretion, may, and muſt oft, (euen as oft as the laudable cuſtome of the Church in which they liue, requireth) communicate at this heauenly banquet and feaſt of fat things. To all ſuch our Sauiour ſaith, Take, Eate, &c. And nothing hindreth but thou ma…ſt with comfort draw nigh to this ordinance, if thou follow the rules giuen, to make thee a worthy Communicant.
They concerne thy preparation, and vſe thereof.
1 For preparation, foure things are to be looked vntounto byThe preparation. him that would come and receiue to his comfort.
1 His knowledge of the doctrine of ſaluation by Chriſt.
Of the nature and vſe of this Sacrament, that his heart be not through ignorance, poyſoned with ſuperſtition, or contempt, 1 Cor. 11. 23. Sacraments are ſeales of the righteouſneſſe of faith, Rom 4. 11. It is then of abſolute neceſſity to bee knowne, what this righteouſneſſe of faith is: it is the way of making ſinners righteous before God, by the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt the Son of God, imputed to vsus of God, and receiued by beleeuing of vsus; euen the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, who being become man, wrought our redemption by his bloud, and was made ſinne, that wee might be made the righteouſneſſe of God in him. And thus we ſhould be iuſtified, not by the workes of righteouſneſſe which we hauehave done.
Vnleſſe this be knowne and beleeued, in vaine ſhall we come to this ordinance, where the ſeale is annexed to this, and no other Couenant.
On the other ſide, the nature and vſe of this Sacrament muſt be knowne. viz. that it is giuen on Gods part as a ſigne, memoriall, ſeale, and meanes, to conuey Chriſt and all the benefits of his death, obedience and bloud ſhedding, to the beleeuer: and that it is on our parts, a ſolemne renewing of our Couenant with God, and of our intire aſſociation to the fellowſhip of the Saints.
2 The practiſe of the duty of examination: a reuiew of heart and waies, to finde out our ſins, and to iudge our ſelues for them, that we may come with true humiliation, and may ſeeke particularly the ſupport of Gods ordinances vnderunder our particular ſinnes, both the aſſurance of his louelove in forgiuing them, and the increaſe of ſtrength againſt them, 1 Cor. 11. 28. 31.
3 The forgiuing of others that hauehave treſpaſſed vsus; in all things, for any matter of reuenge, malice, or ſecret grudge; a leauen that ſwels the heart, and ſowres the ſacrifice, and maketh it diſtaſtfull to the Almighty, 1 Cor. 5. 7. 8. And here wee are bound to ſeeke reconciliation, and offer agreement, Mat. 5. 23. 24. 25. 26.
4 His hunger and thirſt after the mercy of God, and the grace of Chriſt there offered to be exhibited, and aſſured to vsus. Eſa. 55. 1. 3. Mat. 5. 6.
2 For the vſe of this Sacrament: Vſe. In the time of receiuing, we are not onelyonly to take, to eate, and to drinke the bread and wine, Mat. 26. 26. but alſo,
1 By faith to eate and drinke Chriſts body and bloud, tendred verily and indeed in the words of promiſe, This is my Body which Ioh. 6. 35.is broken for you, and this is my bloud of the New Teſtament, which is ſhed for you: vntounto which promiſe thou lifteſt vp the hand, and openeſt the mouth of thy ſoule, namely, a liuely faith, and thus feedeſt on his Body and Bloud ſuffering on the Croſſe for thy ſinnes. Thy faith muſt diſcerne the Lords body, that thou become not guilty of the Body and Bloud of the Lord: eſteeme not of that bread, and that Cup, as of ordinary bread and wine, but as Sacramentall: ſo that thou beleeue the preſence of Chriſt, and that God doth as effectually giuegive Chriſt to the ſoule of the beleeuer, as the Miniſter giueth Bread and Wine to his body, and exalting thy faith, thou muſt beleeue he is giuen to thee alſo: neither doth God delude thee, 1 Cor. 11. 29.
2 By feeling remembrance of thy particular ſins which by examination were found moſt burdenſome and preuailing, to …ate this true Paſchall Lambe with the ſowre hearbs of godly ſorrow, Exod. 12. 8.
3 By the effectuall remembrance of the death of the Lord Ieſus, which ought to be ſhewed foorth by this action, till his comming again, with thankſgiuing recording his grieuous ſufferings for vsus; the breaking of the bread, and powring out of the wine doeth repreſent this, Luc. 22. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 26.
4 By louelove to Gods people and hearty communion with them, as being one bread, and one body; for they all are partakers of one bread, and hauehave all drunke into one ſpirit, 1 Cor. 10. 16. 17. & 12. 12. 13.
And after Communicating, we muſt manifeſt the vertue is in Chriſts body and bloud to nouriſh and cheare vsus to life eternall.
1 By keeping the feaſt in the vnleauened bread of ſincerity & truth, auoyding all our daies, all malice, wickedneſſe and hypocriſie and ſociety of ſcandalous brethren, as leauen that ſwells and ſowres all our actions and vertues before God and men. 1 Cor. 5. 8.
2 By fleeing Idolatry, the ſociety of Idolaters and Idolatrous ſeruice. 1 Cor. 10. 14, 16, 17.