A Worthy Communicant, Treatise · Chapter 20
Chap. 20. Faith to bee Actuated and exerciſed in the Sacrament; An exerciſe of Thankeſgiving, Love, and Mercy.
CHAP. 20 3 THe third thing in which the ſpirituall and holy diſpoſition in receiving the Sacrament ſtands is an exerciſe of faith. Now muſt a Communicant ſpeake to his faith as Deborah doth to her ſelfe, Iudg. 5. 12. Awake, Awake, Deborah, Awake, Awake, utter a Song. So Awake, Awake oh my faith, Awake, Awake, and now beſtirre, and rouſe up to do the ſpeciall, and maine worke of the Sacrament in the receiving of Chriſt now offered, and tendered in his Ordinance. The great, and chiefe work of the Sacrament comes now to be done in the Actuating of faith ſo, as to fetch forth the fat, and marrow of the Ordinance. For the better conceiving, and practiſing of this point we muſt know theſe foure things.
Firſt, That CHRIST is an allſufficient fulneſſe for the thorow ſupply of all the wants, and neceſſities of our ſoules whatſoever they may be, Col. 1. 19. It pleaſed the Father that in him all fulneſſe ſhould dwell. Firſt then, there is a fulneſſe in him. Secondly, All fulneſſe is in him. Looke whatſoever it is that is required to bee in a Mediator, it is all fully in him, it hath it all to the full. Thirdly, He ſaies not ſimply that this fulneſſe is in him, but that this fulneſſe dwells in him. A Veſſell may bee full, and a Treaſury may be full, but theſe may be emptied againe, and ſo an emptineſſe may follow that fulneſſe. But this fulneſſe dwells in him, it is an Inhabitant, reſident, permanent fulneſſe, ſo as he is, and ever ſhall bee full. There is in him a fulneſſe of merit for our juſtification, and a fulneſſe of ſpirit, and habituall graces, and ſo a fulneſſe of efficacies, vertues, as mortifying, ſanctifying, quickning vertues. And thus he is full of all kindes of Graces, Apoc. 3. 1. He hath the ſeven ſpirits of God. And Eſa. 11. 2, 3. with which that ſuites, Prov. 8. 12, 13, 14. And therefore not onelyonly Treaſures, but All the treaſures of wiſedome, and knowledge are hid in him, Col. 2. 3. And all theſe Graces he hath in the higheſt, and fulleſt degree. Therefore the Apoſtle ſaies not, Col. 2. 3. In whom is knowledge and wiſedome, but the treaſures of knowledge, treaſures of wiſedome. Some peeces of ſilver and gold are not treaſures, but the treaſures are vaſt heapes.
Secondly, That Chriſt is thus filled, and enriched for the behoofe of his Church, and members, that he may conveigh and communicate unto them of his fulneſſe for the ſupply of their wants. There is in CHRIST not only a fulneſſe of abundance, in regard of which he is ſufficiently full in himſelfe, but alſo a fulneſſe of redundance, by which he overflowes, and fills all his Saints. His fulneſſe is not onelyonly a full fulneſſe, but a filling fulneſſe, Iohn 1. 14, 16. Full of Grace, and Truth, and of his fulneſſe have we all received and grace for grace, Epheſ. 1. 23. Which is the fulneſſe of him that fills all in all. There is ſuch an abundance powred out upon him, as that he is not onelyonly full, but he hath received a good meaſure running over, ſo as to fill all the empty ſoules, and all the empty hearts of his people. For look what CHRIST received, he received for us, Pſal. 68. 18. Thou haſt aſcended on high, thou haſt received gifts for men; That is, gifts to give unto men, as the Apoſtle expounds it, Epheſ. 4. 8. When he aſcended upon high, he gave gifts unto men. So that he received to give, he was filled to fill. He is the well head, the fountaine which is not onelyonly full it ſelfe, but ſprings, and flowes over to the filling of ſtreames. He received a fulneſſe, that we might receive of his fulneſſe, and that hee might derive of his fulnes to us.
Thirdly, that Chriſt derives, and conveighes of this fulneſſe and goodneſſe of his unto us by his owne holy Ordinances which he hath ſanctified as the channells of conveyance. By the Word, and Sacraments doth he communicate of this his fulneſſe unto us, Luke 5. 17. As CHRIST was teaching, the power of God was preſent to heale them. When the Miniſter of the Word is on foot, then is Gods power preſent, and ready to exert, and put forth it ſelfe for ſpirituall good, Acts 9. 17. The Lord hath ſent me, that thou mighteſt be filled with the HOLY GHOST. CHRIST could not of his owne fulneſſe immediately have filled Saul with the HOLY GHOST, but CHRIST ſends Ananias to him that he might be fil… with the HOLY GHOST. But … muſt Ananias doe it? By the Acts 22. 14, 15, 16.…iſtery of the Word, and Sacrament. He preaches to him, and he baptiſes him, and ſo by theſe Ordinances is the HOLY GHOST conveighed unto him. We finde mention made, Zech. 4. 12. of two Olive branches, which thorow two golden pipes emptied the golden oyle out of themſelves. Thoſe two Olive branches emptied golden oyle out of themſelves into the golden Candelſticke, but yet they did it thorow the two golden pipes. So it is in this caſe; All golden oyle it is in CHRIST, Hee is the Branch, as Zechary calls him, Zech. 4. 3. He is the olive Branch, and the olive tree from whom comes all the golden oyle of grace, and ſpirituall comfort, and he it is that empties it out of himſelfe into our hearts. But yet he doth empty it into our hearts by his Ordinances, they be the golden pipes by which this golden oyle is conveighed. CHRIST doth not ordinarily empty the oyle into our hearts immediately, but firſt into the golden pipes of his Ordinances, his Word, and Sacrament, and ſo thorow them into our hearts. The graces and comforts of the HOLY GHOST are oft in Scripture compared to oyle, and the powring forth of thoſe graces to Anoynting. To this purpoſe is that ſpeech of David, Pſal. 92. 10. I ſhall bee anoynted with freſh oyle, or greene oyle, that is, thou ſhalt adde freſh meaſures, and new encreaſes of the graces of thy ſpirit. So that after the firſt gift of the ſpirit, in the firſt worke of grace, GOD often annoynts his people with freſh oyle, and that hee doth in the Word and Sacrament. He annoynts them in the miniſtery of the Word, Eſa. 61. 1, 3. The Lord hath annoynted me to preach good tydings, to give the oyle of joy for mourning. God anoynts his Miniſters, that they may annoynt his people. By preaching the Goſpell God anoynts his people with the oyle of gladneſſe. So he anoynts us in the uſe of the Sacrament of the Supper, there in ſpeciall manner he annoynts with freſh oyle. God deales at this ſpirituall feaſt as the Iewes uſed to doe in their feaſts, they uſed in token of welcome to anoynt their gueſts, Luke 7. 46. Our Saviour tells Simon the Phariſee, Minc head with oyle thou didſt not annoynt, that is, thou haſt not bid mee welcome, nor cheered me. God at the Sacrament annoynts the heads of his people. That looke as Mary did with CHRIST, Iohn 12. 2, 3. There they made him a Supper—Then tooke Mary a pound of oyntment of ſpikenard, and annoynted the feete of IESUS; Then. When? Namely when at the Supper they made him. So deales the LORD with his people at the Sacrament. There hee makes them a Supper, it is the Lords Supper, then takes the LORD precious oyntment, and annoynts their heads with freſh oyle, there they have freſh unctions, and freſh delibutions, there he gives them freſh, and new comforts, freſh ſupplies, and new meaſures of grace, then, and there hee annoyntes them at the Sacrament, yea the Sacrament is the very Alabaſter box of precious oyntment, and out of this box God powers it on their heades as ſhe on Chriſts head as hee ſate at meate, Matth. 27. 7. So that a man may truly ſpeake of the Lords Table, as David of his owne, Pſalm. 23. 5. Thou preparedſt a Table before mee, thou annoynteſt mine head with oyle. When God prepares this Table for his, and they prepare themſelves aright and in due order for this Table, and come as they ought to doe, God doth at this Table feaſt them, and annoynt their heads with oyle, cheeres them, and bids them heartily welcome.
4. Fourthly, That the way to make this ordinance thus effectuall to us is the Actuating, and ſetting our faith on worke upon the ordinance, and Chriſt in the ordinance. Chriſt is full, Chriſt communicates of his fulneſſe, Chriſt communicates of his fulneſſe by his ordinance, but yet if now at the ordinance our faith lye ſtill, and ſtirre not, if our faith be idle, or a ſleepe, here is nothing done, nothing gotten at the ordinance, but the Sacrament proves a dry empty huske unto us, there is neither oyle, nor annointing to be had. Therefore now the maine worke of all at the Sacrament is to awaken, and Actuate our faith, and to ſet it on worke upon Chriſt in his ordinance, and ſo draw forth the efficacy of Chriſt, and his ordinance. The power of God is preſent in his ordinance to heale, and to helpe, but now withall the power of our faith muſt alſo be preſent to ſet this power of God on worke, to make the ordinance an healing, a working ordinance. If Gods power be preſent, and our faith be abſent, or as good as abſent, Gods power will not work, for then will his power work, when our faith workes. A conduit is full of water, now a man that would fill his veſſel, muſt bring it to the conduit, muſt bring it to the cocke, and ſet it there, but yet that is not enough, if that be all, and he doe no more, he may goe home againe with an empty veſſell: Therfore the man that would fill his veſſell when he hath brought it to the conduit, and ſet it under the cocke, he alſo turnes the cocke, and then the water runnes forth, and fills the veſſell. So here, Chriſt is the conduit of all grace, and ſpirituall good, hee that would bee filled muſt come to him. His ordinances the word, and Sacrament they are the cockes of this conduit, ſo that a man that would be filled, muſt not only goe to Chriſt, but to Chriſt in theſe ordinances muſt bring his veſſell to theſe cockes. And thats not enough, but when he is come to them, he muſt turne them; faith Actuated, and working upon the ordinance that turnes the cocke, and then the efficacies, and vertues of Chriſt flow forth, then theſe waters powre forth abundantly. See that ſpeech, Iſa. 12. 3. Therefore with joy ſhall yee draw waters out of the wells of ſalvation. Chriſt he is indeed a well full of water: But now as the woman of Samaria ſaid to our Saviour, Iohn 4. 11. Sir, thou haſt nothing to draw with, and the well is deepe, from whence then haſt thou that living water? So in this caſe, Chriſt is indeed the well of ſalvation, but yet this Well is deepe, and how can a man fetch up thoſe waters thence, if hee have nothing to draw with? God therfore of his goodneſſe hath provided us buckets to fetch up theſe waters out of this well, and they are his ordinances. But now though there be a well ſtored with abundance of water, and though alſo there be buckets to fetch up theſe waters, yet if a man doe not let downe, and draw up theſe buckets he cannot draw waters out of the Well. Now the ſetting faith on worke in uſe at the ordinances, and the Actuating of it therein, that is the letting downe, and drawing up theſe buckets, that is the turning of the wheele which drawes up the buckets with water. Chriſt is the Well of ſalvation, the ordinances are the buckets, faith Actuated, and ſet on worke in the uſe of the ordinances, is the drawing of waters up out of the well of ſalvation.
See how David ſpeakes, Pſal. 105. 41. Hee opened the Rocke, and the waters guſhed out, they ranne in the dry places like a River. Waters guſhed out of the Rocke: but when? when the Rocke was opened. So Gods Ordinances, and Chriſt in thoſe Ordinances have abundance of waters in them, ſuch abundance as guſhes out to the refreſhing of dry ſoules, but yet firſt theſe Rockes muſt bee broken up, theſe Rockes muſt bee opened. But how muſt theſe Rockes come to be opened? As the Rocke in Horeb was opened, Exodus 17. 6. Behold I will ſtand before thee there upon the Rocke in Horeb, and thou ſhalt ſmite the Rocke, and there ſhall come water out of it, that the people may drinke. GOD ſtood upon the Rocke, but Moſes muſt ſmite the Rocke, and then comes water out of it, that the people may drinke. God is preſent in his Ordinances, and his power is preſent at them, The power of God was preſent to heale them, Luk. 5. 17. but yet before water will come out that wee may drinke, we muſt firſt ſmite the Rock, and when it is ſmitten then ſhall wee have it opened, and waters guſhing out. Now what is this ſmiting of the Rocke? It is nothing elſe but the Actuating of our faith, and ſetting it on work in the uſe of the Ordinance, faith Actuated & ſet on work ſmites the Rocke, breakes up,, and opens the Rocke. So that in an Ordinance, and at the Sacrament that ſhould bee a mans wiſedome which was Moſes his errour, Numb. 20. 11. with his Rod he ſmote the Rocke twice, and the water came out abundantly. Smite the Rocke twice, againe, and againe, Actuate wee our faith, and then the water ſhall come out abundantly.
Gods Ordinances, or CHRIST in them, is not onelyonly a Rocke from whence waters come forth, but they are Rockes from whence Oyle, and Honey iſſue forth. That a communicant may ſay of the Sacrament as Iob ſpeakes in that caſe, Iob 29. 6. The Rocke powred mee out rivers of Oyle. And this Rocke powers out Honey. But how and when? Doth it powre forth rivers of Oyle, and Honey to all commers? No ſuch matter. How many neither finde Oyle, nor Honey thereat? But how come men to have honey, and oyle at this Rock? when men doe as Moſes ſpeakes of Iſrael Deut. 32. 13. He made him to ſucke Honey out of the Rocke, and oyle out of the flinty Rocke. God gave Iſrael honey, and oyle out of the Rocke, but how? Did he make the Rocke drop it into their mouthes, whileſt they ſtood gazing, and looking upon it? No. He made him to ſucke it. If hee had beene ſo idle as not to have taken the paines to have ſuckt it, hee might have lickt his lippes long enough after it, ere he had had it, ere he had taſted, much leſſe have beene filled with it. So thus men come to have oyle, and honey out of the Sacrament, and CHRIST in the Sacrament when they ſucke: when Faith is Actuated, and ſet on worke in the uſe of the Ordinance, and applyes Chriſt in it, then faith ſuckes, and when faith ſuckes, then it fetches honey, and oyle out of the Rocke. As the Prophet ſpeakes in that caſe, Iſa. 66. 11. That yee may ſucke and be ſatisfied with the breaſts of her conſolation, ſo in this. There muſt bee ſucking before there can be ſatisfaction. The word, and Sacraments, are breaſts of conſolation, and theſe be full of ſweet milke, but there can be no ſatisfaction unleſſe there be ſucking. A child may handle the mothers breaſts, may play with them, may kiſſe them, but all this while the child is never the fuller; Therefore the child when it would be ſatisfied, it layes its mouth to the breaſt, gets the nipple into the mouth, and then ſuckes, and drawes with all the ſtrength, and might and ſo fetches forth the milke out of the mothers breaſt. So muſt it be in theſe caſe. Men may come to the Sacrament, and gaze upon the elements, and eate, and drinke them, and yet not receive the ſweete of the Ordinance, but if they would have the milke out of this breaſt, they muſt fall to ſucking, and to drawing with all their power, and ſtrength. Then doe men ſucke, and draw the breaſt of the Sacrament, when in the uſe of it they Actuate, and ſet their faith on work. Faith Actuated ſuckes vertue out of he Sacrament, ſuckes from Chriſt in the Sacrament mortifying vertue to kill luſts, healing vertue to cure the pollutions of the heart, quickning vertue to enable to duties, and actions of ſpirituall life.
Look how David ſpeakes of wicked men in that caſe, Pſalm. 73. 10. Waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. So is it to all true beleevers in the Sacrament. They have therein full draughts of Chriſts bloud, they have their hearts filled as with the comforts of the Holy Ghoſt, ſo with the efficacies of Chriſt, they have waters of a full cup. But how come they by theſe waters of a full cup? They are wrung out to them. And how are they wrung out to them? Faith being ſet on worke in the Ordinance, and working upon the Ordinance, that wrings out waters of a full cup, that wrings out the juyce, the ſap, and ſweete of the Sacrament, that wrings and preſſes out the ſucculency of it. It is juſt here as it was in the dreame of Pharaohs Butler, Gen. 40. 10, 11. The cluſters of the Vine brought forth ripe grapes, and Pharaohs cup was in mine hand, and I took the grapes, and preſſed them into Pharaohs cup. The Sacrament is as a Vine ſet before us, full of cluſters of rippe grapes, and theſe grapes full of Iuyce, Chriſt with all his fulneſſe offered to us in this Ordinance. Now our care, and courſe ſhould bee to have the liquour, and bloud of theſe grapes powred into the cup of our hearts. How may that bee done now? As Pharaohs cup came filled. Hee tooke the grapes and preſſed them, and cruſhed them into Pharaohs cup, and ſo the cup was filled. So muſt wee take theſe grapes, and preſſe, and cruſh them, wee muſt ſqueeze forth the liquor of them. That we doe when faith is Actuated, and is ſet on worke in the uſe of the ordinance. Actuated faith takes theſe grapes, and preſſes them, and wrings out of the Ordinance that which fills our hearts.
When therefore we are come to the Sacrament, and now are to receive, ſet we all the Powers of our faith on worke. Lift up this eye to ſee Chriſt, reach out this hand to lay hold upon, and receive him, ſet this mouth on feeding, eating, drinking, ſucking. Set the mouth of thy faith to the breaſt of the Sacrament, and Quomodo ergo capiunt, qui lac capiunt? Ieſum Chriſtum, inquit Apoſtolus, & hūc crucifix…m. Suge quod pro te factus eſt, & creſces ad id quod eſt Aug. in Pſa 119.ſucke, and draw at it with all thy might, and draw hardeſt, for that vertue of Chriſts thy ſoule ſtands in moſt need of. David ſpeakes of the marrow of Gods houſe, and Ordinances, Pſalme 63. 5. He that will have the marrow out of the bone, muſt breake the bone, and knock the bone, and that will fetch ſorth the marrow. So muſt faith worke, and beſtirre it ſelfe, and take paines at the Ordinance, and then the marrow of the Sacrament will bee had. So ſhould a man doe at, and with the Sacrament, as Chriſts Diſciples did when they paſſed through the corne fields, Luk. 6. 1. And his Diſciples plucked the eares of the corne, and did eate, rubbing them in their hands. They did not plucke off the eares, and ſo eate the whole ea…es, but firſt they rubbed the eares in their hands to fetch out the corne. So at the Sacrament ſet faith on worke, to rub the eares, and fetch out the corne that is in them for foode. A rub'd eare will yeeld corne fit for foode, but there is no eating of eares unrub'd without danger, Prov. 29. 33. Surely the charming of milke brings forth butter. They muſt charme therefore, and charme hard, ſet their faith hard to this worke of charming, that will have butter, that will have benefit out of the Sacrament. There is oyle in olives, but before there could be oyle fetcht out of them to anoynt a mans ſelfe withall, they uſed to treade the olives, and ſo expreſſe the oyle out of them, as appeares, Micah 6. 15. Thou ſhalt treade the olives, but ſhalt not anoynt thee with oyle. It is threatned as a Iudgement, but yet it implyes that oyle was fetcht forth by the treading, ſtamping, bruiſing, and breaking of the olives with their feete. The Ordinances of Gods word and Sacraments are olives, full of good, full of excellent oyle, but theſe olives will not drop oyle upon us, they muſt be ſtampt and trod, if we would have oyle out of them to anoint our ſelves. Faith Actuated, and ſet on worke in, and upon theſe ordinances, that treads theſe olives, and helpes us to the oyle of them. And how-ever the Prophet in that place threatens it as a judgement that they ſhould tread Olives, and not anoynt themſelves, yet it never ſo falls out in this caſe. He that Actuates his faith, and ſets it ſoundly on work to tread theſe olives, he ſhall be ſure to dippe his foote in oyle, and to be comfortably anoynted in the uſe of the Ordinance. It is only the want of faiths taking of paines in induſtrious treading of the olives, that makes us go away dry headed, dry hearted, and unanoynted from the Sacrament and all other Ordinances. Thus muſt faith worke hard at the Sacrament, and eate her bread in the ſweate of her browes.
Queſt. But how, and in what manner is faith to be Actuated, and ſet on worke in the uſe of the Sacrament?
Anſw. In the Sacrament conſider three things. Firſt, Sacramentall offers. Secondly, Sacramentall promiſes. Thirdly, Sacramentall Repreſentations: fix the eye of faith upon them all, and ſet faith on worke upon them all.
1 Firſt, in the Sacrament we have Sacramentall offers, Chriſt Himſelfe is offered with all his benefits. Take, eate, drinke. I ſee then God offers me Chriſt to be taken, His body to be eaten, His bloud to be drunke. Here then muſt faith Actuate it ſelfe, and ſet it ſelfe on worke, ſtriving with all it's might to take Chriſt, to eate, and drinke Chriſt offered. Lord Chriſt, as verily as I take, and eate, and drink theſe outward Sacramental elements, ſo verily doe I by my faith receive thy ſelfe into my ſoule, and feede upon thee for ſpirituall nouriſhment. Chriſt is offered to us, offers to come in, and enter into our hearts. The Act of faith now then is that, Pſalm. 24. 7. Lift up your heads, ô yee gates, and be yee lift up yee everlaſting doores. But why muſt theſe gates, and doores of their hearts be thus lift up? And the King of glory ſhal come in, Chriſt is come, and he makes an offer to come into your hearts, open therefore the gates of your hearts, lift them up, even from off the hookes, that faire, and full way may be made for his ready entrance: when a great man, ſpecially a King comes to a mans houſe, he will not only open the ſmall wicket, his little doore, but he ſets open his great gates, throwes them wide open to make ſpatious way for his entrance. Now Chriſt in the Sacrament offers Himſelfe to come to us, the King of glory offers to come in. Here then let thy faith buſily beſtirre it ſelfe in widning the paſſage, and opening thine heart to make Chriſt way, now ſtrive might and maine to ſtretch open thine heart to ſuch a breadth, and largeneſſe as a fit way may be made for the King of glory to enter. Doe in receiving Chriſt at the Sacrament, as Zacheus did in receiving him into his houſe, Luk. 19. 5. Zacheus, ſaies Chriſt, Make hast, and come downe, for to day I muſt abide at thine houſe. Here Chriſt offers Himſelfe to Zacheus, and upon the offer made, inſtantly Zacheus made haſte, and came downe, and received him joyfully. Think upon that gratious offer of Chriſts how Zacheus beſtirred himſelfe, with what haſte he leaped down from the Tree, with what readineſſe, and heartineſſe he brought CHRIST home, with what ſweetneſſe of affection he claſpes about CHRIST when he entertained him into his houſe. Chriſt makes thy ſoule the ſame offer at the Sacrament, now let thy faith as buſily beſtir herſelfe as Zacheus did, haſten, open, claſpe, embrace, welcome, and receive CHRIST thus offered to thee.
Secondly, In the Sacrament wee have Sacramentall promiſes. This is my body. This is my bloud. This is my body which is given for you, my blood which is ſhed for you. Shed for the remiſsion of ſinnes. Take, Eate, Drinke, ſaies our Saviour. Well what if we doe ſo, what ſhall we get by it? What ſhall we be the better for it? A great deale the better, for this is my body, my bloud; I promiſe you in the uſe of this Ordinance you ſhall receive my body, and my bloud, that body which was once crucified and offered for the redemption of the world: that bloud which was ſhed for Recon…n, and Remiſſion of ſin, and you by being made partakers hereof ſ…ll receive efficacious vertue of my quickning death. So that theſe are Sacramentall promiſes. So that here is that which may abundantly ſet faith on worke, for the promiſes are the moſt proper object for faith to worke upon. Well then, CHRIST ſaies, This is my body given for you, my bloud ſhed for you, ſhed for the remiſsion of ſinnes. Let faith now beleeve theſe promiſes, Lord I beleeve that thy body was given for me, thy bloud ſhed for me, thy bloud ſhed for the remiſſion of my ſins, Lord I cheerefully and gladly beleeve that I am now made partaker of thy body, and bloud, and that my ſinnes are pardoned in thy bloud. Faith muſt doe here, as David doth, Pſal. 60. 6, 7. God hath ſpoken in his holineſſe, that is, hee hath made me a gracious promiſe that he will bring all the land under mine obedience. Here David hath Gods promiſe, marke now what followes: I will rejoyce, ſaith he, I will divide Sechem, I will mete out the valley of Succoth, Gilead is mine, Manaſſeh is mine. See how hee actuates his faith upon Gods promiſe ſo as to rejoyce, ſo as to take poſſeſſion of Sechem, Succoth, Gilead, and Manaſſeh. So Chriſt hath ſpoken in, or by his holineſſe, This is my body which is given for you, this is my bloud which is ſhed for you, for the remiſsion of your ſins. Here be Sacramentall promiſes. Now upon the view of theſe promiſes ſhould a man Actuate his faith, and ſay, I will rejoyce, I will eate Christs fleſh, I will drinke his bloud. Chriſt is mine, His death is mine, His Reſurrection is mine, Remiſſion of ſin is mine, Pardon, and Heaven are mine. And thus by this Actuation of faith ſhould a man with Iohn, leane on CHRISTS boſome, Iohn 13. 23. When he is at the Sacrament, ſo participating of him, as to have communion with him in all his benefits Thus leane wee on our beloved, Cant. 8. 5. when at the Sacrament. Againe; This is my bloud ſhed for you, for the remiſsion of ſinne. Loe here is that bloud offered me to drinke, and promiſed to me in the Sacrament, by the ſhedding wherof, remiſſion of ſin was purchaſed, yea here is remiſſion of ſin, not onelyonly offered me, and promiſed me, but of fered, and promiſed under ſeale. Now then Actuate thy faith, and ſay, Lord I accept, Lord I beleeve this ſealed pardon of my ſin. And faith thus Actuated, will make good unto us the Sacramentall promiſes; for as it is true in caſe of prayer, Mar. 11. 24. What things ſoever you deſire when yee pray, beleeve that ye receive them, and yee ſhall have them, ſo is it as true in caſe of receiving. What things ſoever ye deſire when ye receive, doe but Actuate your faith, and ſet that on worke for them, beleeve that yee receive them, and yee ſhall have them.
Thirdly, In the Sacrament we have Sacramentall repreſentations. There is in the Sacrament a viſible remembrance of CHRISTS death, and in the breaking of the bread, and powring out the wine, there is a repreſentation of Chriſts death, and Paſſion. When I ſee the wine powred out, it repreſents unto me the ſhedding of Chriſts bloud, here I ſee Chriſts bloud ſhed on the Croſſe. What is to be done now when I ſee this bloud in the Sacrament? Do but conſider that ſame, Exod. 24. 6, 8. Moſes tooke of the bloud of the Sacrifices, and put it in baſons, and he tooke the bloud, that was in the baſons, and ſprinkled it upon the people, haply with a bunch of hyſope, as the manner was, to which David alludes, Pſal. 51. Purge me with hyſope. Now ſo muſt it be here: The bloud of our burnt offering which was ſhed for us, the Lord hath put in baſons, in the baſons of the Word, and Sacraments, and out of theſe baſons it muſt be ſprinkled. The Sacrament of the Supper is one baſon in which this bloud is put. This bloud is held forth in this baſon, This is my bloud. Now when this bloud is held forth to us in this baſon, wee ſhould ſprinkle our ſelves with this bloud. That muſt be done by Actuating our faith, and by the act of faith applying that bloud of Chriſt unto our ſelves. We finde mention, Rom. 3. 25. of faith in Chriſts bloud, there is not onelyonly faith in Chriſts Name, but faith in his bloud. Faith when Chriſts bloud is holden out to us either in the Word, or Sacrament, puts her hand into this baſon, or dippes the hyſſope into the bloud in the baſon, and ſo beſprinkles a mans ſoule therewith. Faith applying CHRISTS bloud to a mans ſelfe, doth put her hand into the baſon, doth dip the hyſſop into the bloud in the baſon, ye doth with Thomas put her hands into the wounds of CHRIST, and take bloud thence, and beſprinkles the ſoule withall. When therfore we ſee CHRISTS bloud in the Sacrament, we are to take it, and beſprinkle our ſelves with it, that is, we are to have faith in his bloud, and by faith to apply the merit of Chriſts death unto our owne ſoules. And this application is the Actuation of faith.
Nay that is not all, faith ſeeing the wounds, and the bloud of Chriſt, not Cruci haeremus, ſanguinem ſugimu…, & intra ipſa Redempturis noſtri vulnera ſigimus linguam. Cyp. de Coen Dom.onelyonly puts her hands into Chriſts woundss, or into the bloud in the baſon, but faith layes her mouth to theſe wound, and to this bloud, and ſuckes theſe wounds, ſuckes in this bloud with an holy greedineſſe. A faith Actuated in the Ordinance is a bloudſucking faith, Prov. 30. 15. The horſeleech hath two daughters which cry, Give, give. Such an eager, and holy greedineſſe hath faith in ſucking in Chriſts bloud. It cannot be ſatisfied, but ſtill cries, Give, give. Lord give me evermore of this bloud, give me of this bloud to ſprinkle my unrighteous ſoule, Give me of this bloud to ſtaunch the bloudy iſſues of mine heart, Give me of this bloud to heale my leproſe ſpirit, Give me of this bloud to helpe ſubdue and mortifie my luſts, Give me of this bloud of Chriſt crucified, to crucifie old Adam, and all my rebllious luſts. Thus when a man ſuckes in earneſtly the bloud of Chriſt, whom he ſees crucified, and ſhedding his bloud in the Sacrament, and ſuckes it in for his ſeverall and ſpeciall neceſſities, then is faith Actuated in the uſe of the Sacrament.
And thus alſo may and muſt a man Actuate his faith for his comfort. In this baſon of the Sacrament I ſee Chriſts bloud. Chriſts bloud is a reconciling bloud, Rom. 3. 25. Col. 1. 20, 21. It is juſtifying bloud, Rom. 5. 9. We are juſtifyed by faith. How by faith? By faith in his blood, Rom. 3. 25. It is a pacifying bloud, Col. 1. 20. Epheſ. 2. 13, 14. A pardoning bloud, Mat. 26. 28. Eph. 1. 7.
It is a ſanctifying bloud, Heb. 13. 12. A purging bloud from dead workes, Heb. 9. 14. A cleanſing bloud, 1 Ioh. 1. 7.
It is a mortifying bloud, ſuch a bloud as fetches out the heart bloud of old Adam, and delivers from the dominion of ſinne. The bloud of Chriſt crucified, is crucifying bloud, Rom. 6. 2, 3, 6. Gal. 6. 14. It is a bloud that ſets priſoners free, Zech. 9. 11. It is a bloud that makes men Kings, and Prieſtes, Apoc. 1. 5, 6. It is a ſoftning, molifying bloud that makes the heart tender, it ſupples a ſtony heart, and Illa invicta vis, & duarum violentiſſimarum naturae rerum (ignis, & ferti) contemptrix hircino tamen …ſipitur ſanguine, faediſſimo Animalium. Plin.makes it a heart of fleſh, Zech. 12. 10. Goats bloud ſome ſay breakes the Adamant, which neither Iron nor fire can doe: but to bee ſure the bloud of this Goat, Lev. 16. the bloud of this Lambe breakes the Adamant heart of a man, which nothing elſe can breake.
It is a quickning bloud that brings life, and ſtrength with it. Therefore repreſented by wine in the Sacrament. It is life-bloud, bloud full of CHAP. 21 ſpirit, that fills the ſoule with excellent vigour to holy performances, Heb. 13. 20, 21. Now the God of peace, that brought againe from the dead our Lord Ieſus, &c. typified by that, Exodus 24. 7, 8. Now what a deale of comfort may faith draw from all this. Alas my perſon is unrighteous, but LORD thy bloud is Iuſtifying bloud, mine heart is uncleane but thy bloud is ſanctifying bloud, my luſts are many and mighty, but LORD thy bloud is Mortifying bloud. Mine heart is wondrous hard, but Lord thy bloud is ſoftning bloud, mine heart is exceeding dead, but Lord thy bloud is quickning bloud. In this bloud of thine I beleeve, this bloud of thine I thirſtily drinke downe, this bloud of thine I heartily apply, with a comfortable expectation of all theſe bleſſed benefits. Be of good cheare, oh my ſoule, here is pardoning bloud; to comfort thee againſt thy guilt; here is ſanctifying bloud to comfort thee againſt the pollutions of thy nature, CHAP. 20 here is crucifying bloud to comfort thee againſt thy luſts, here is following bloud to helpe thee againſt thy hardneſſe, quickning bloud to helpe thee againſt thy deadneſſe.
He was wounded for our tranſgreſsions, Iſa. 53. 5. And here in the Sacrament we may ſee his wounds, and faith muſt looke upon them as healing wounds. With his ſtripes are we healed, Iſa. 53. 5. what ſweete comfort may faith fetch hence? Looke upon the wounds of Chriſt on the Croſſe, as on the Cities of refuge, whither thy purſued ſoule by the avenger of bloud may flye for ſafety, and Sanctuary. Indeed I am a grievous ſinner, I have wounded my conſcience Feccavi peccatū grande, turbatur conſcientia, ſed non perturbabitur, quoniam vulnerum Domini recordabor. Nē pe vulneratus eſt propter iniqui…ates noſt…. Quid tam ad mortem, quod non Chriſti mo…te ſalv…tur? Bernard. …i…p. Can. Serm. 61.with my tranſgreſsions, but behold my Saviour here wounded for my tranſgreſsions. I have …ſe to be troubled in my conſcience for the wounds my tranſgreſſions have made therein, but yet my conſcience needs not ſinke in a deſpondency of ſpirit, whileſt I looke at theſe wounds of Chriſt; Here be wounds for wounds, healing wounds for ſtabbing wounds, curing wounds for killing wounds. He was wounded for our tranſgreſsions: what wound ſo deadly that cannot, or may not be healed by his death, and wounds? what comfort is here for faith in the wounds of Chriſt crucified, whoſe death is repreſented in the Sacrament? aFoderūt manus ejus & pedes, latuſ que lancea foraverunt. & per has rimas licet mihi ſugere mel de petra, & oleum de ſaxo, id eſt, guſtare, & videre, quoniā ſuavis eſt dominus—At clavis reſerans, clavis penetrans factus eſt mihi, ut videā voluntatem domini. Quidni videā per foramen! clamat c…edens ſit in Chriſto mū dum reconcilians ſibi, patet Arcanum co…dis per foramina corporis? Patent viſcera miſericordiae Dei—Quidni viſcera per vulnera pateant? In quo enim clarius quam in vulneribus tuis eluxiſſet, quod tu domine ſuavis, & multae miſericordiae, &c. Ego vero ſidenter quod ex me mihi deeſt uſerpo mihi ex viſceribus domini quoniam miſericordia affluunt, nec deſunt foramina per quae affluant. Bernard. ſ…p. Cantic. Ser. 61.They pierced my hands and my feete, Pſal. 22. 16. They pierced his ſide with the ſpeare, and there came out water and bloud, nay there comes out of thoſe wounds honey, and oyle unto faith. By theſe paſſages may our faith ſucke honey, and oyle out of the rocke, and may taſte how good, and ſweete the Lord is. The nayles, the ſpeare, the wounds all preach unto faith a reconciled God, that God is in Chriſt reconciling the world to Himſelfe. The Lords bowels are laid open by theſe CHAP. 21 wounds, ſo as throughout them wee may ſee the tender bowels of his mercy, and ſo as through them mercy flowes from thoſe bowels unto us.
Oh my Dove that art in the clefts, or holes of the Rocke, Cant. 2. 14. Some of the Ancients underſtood thoſe clefts of the Rock the wounds of Chriſt in which the Dove, the Church hides, and ſhelters her ſelfe. However, it may be alluded to, and that, ſhould be no work of faith at the Sacrament, when it ſees thoſe clefts of the Rocke opened, like a Dove to betake her ſelfe therunto for ſhelter, and ſecurity againſt all feares and diſtreſſes Tuta requies eſt infirm is peccatoribus in vulneribus ſalvatoris, ſecurus illic habito Patent mihi viſcera per vulnera. Auguſt. Mannal. Miles aperuit mihi latus Chriſt lancea, & ego int…ali, & ibi requieſco ſecurus. Aug ibid.that wrath, and guilt may put the conſcience to. Doe any feares of wrath trouble thine heart? Doth any Conſcience of guilt diſquiet thee with the feares of hell? Why now in the Sacrament for thy comfort behold the holes in the Rocke where thou mayeſt be ſheltred. Dwell now in the rock, and be like the Dove that makes her rest in the ſides of the holes mouth, Ier. 48. Neſſell thy ſoule now at the Sacrament in the clefts of this Rocke. See, and fully beleeve thy peace to be made with God in Chriſts bloud, and look upon him wounded for thy tranſgreſſions, with ſuch a faith, as may fill thine heart with an holy ſecurity againſt all ſuch feares, faith thus Actuated cannot but ſend thy ſoule from the Sacrament with much comfort. And thus much for the Actuation of faith, which is the third thing in that holy diſpoſition requirrd in the receiving of the Sacrament.
The fourth thing followes, which is an exerciſe of thankeſgiving to God, for the great worke of our Redemption by the death of Chriſt. And this muſt riſe from an heart affected, and enlarged in the uſe of the Ordinance, the heart being warmed, and growing hot with the ſenſe of Gods goodneſſe, a man ſhould breake out and give vent to his heart in magnifying CHAP. 20 the mercy of God for the death of Chriſt repreſented in this Ordinance, and the fruit thereof is communicated to us therein. In the uſe of our naturall foode there followes a cheerefulneſſe of ſpirit, Act. 14. 17. Filling our hearts with foode and gladneſſe. Now when the heart is cheered, and refreſhed with the creature, it ſhould then let out it ſelfe in thankſgiving to God, Nehem. 9. 25. So they did eate, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themſelves in thy great goodneſſe, Pſalm. 22. 26. The meeke ſhall eate and be ſatisfied, they ſhall praiſe the Lord that ſeeke him. So when the heart is cheered with the ſenſe of the ſweetneſſe of an Ordinance of the Sacrament, when the Lord hath filled the heart with ſpirituall foode, and gladneſſe, when we have beene filled, and have delighted our ſelves in Gods great goodneſſe in the Sacrament, then let we out our hearts to bleſſe, and praiſe the LORD. See it in David. Pſal. 63. 5. My ſoule ſhall be ſatisfied as with marrow, and fatneſſe. That bleſſing he looks for in Gods ordinances: and what ſhould then follow? And my mouth ſhall praiſe thee with joyfull lippes. When, men are exceſſively filled with Wine, they ſhout and make a noyſe, and ſing, and take on. The Prophet alludes to it, Pſalme 78. 65. like a mighty man that Fons vitae, replementem meam torrente voluptatis tuae, & inebria cor meum ſobria ebrieta…e amoris tui. Aug. medit. c. 37.ſhoutes by reaſon of wine. Such exceſſe, and ſuch drunkenneſſe the Apoſtle forbids, Epheſ. 5. 18. Be not drunk with wine, wherein is exceſſe. But yet there an holy, and a ſober Inebriation the Apoſtle allowes, and calls for. But be filled with the ſpirit. Drinke deepe of that Wine. And where is that Wine to be drunke? As in other Ordinances, ſo in the Sacrament. Here Chriſt makes merry with his people, Eate O friends, drink ye, drink abundantly ô beloved, or be drunken with loves, Now when a man hath liberally Cant. 5. 1.drunke of this Wine of the ſpirit at the Sacrament, what ſhould follow? That which followes in that CHAP. 21 Text, Epheſ. 5. 19. Speaking to your ſelves in Pſalmes, and Hymnes, and ſpirituall ſongs, ſinging, and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. When a Quo interius exteriuſ que rubricati a ſapientibus hujus ſaeculi judicamur amentes.man is made Red with this wine within, and without, as St. Cyprian ſpeakes, then ſhould a man let out his heart in holy Iubilitions, and Thankeſgivings Haec ebri…tas non accendit, ſed extinguit peccatum, &c. Cypr. de caen. Dom.unto God. Doe this in remembrance of mee, that is, in remembrance of the great worke of your redemption wrought by me, and doe it in a thankfull remembrance. So remember it as to have your hearts in ſpecial manner enlarged in all thankefulneſſe unto me for this worke. And from this it is that this Sacrament beares the name of the Euchariſt, as being the Sacrament of Thankeſgiving for the work of Redemption in the remembrance whereof it is celebrated. Our Saviour gave a patterne of this, Matth. 26. 30. When they had ſung an Hymne. So then they ſang an Hymne together. An Hymne is a Pſalme of praiſe. So the Iewes in the celebration of the Paſſeover did ſing the 113. Pſalme with the five following Pſalmes, which they called the Great Hallelujah, which they began to ſing after that cup of Wine which they called Poculum Hymni, ſeu laudationis, the Cup of praiſe. And thus it ſhould bee with us in receiving the Sacrament. At all times, upon all occaſions wee ſhould ſing Hallelujahs to GOD, but at the Sacrament wee ſhould ſing a Great Hallelujah, at all times wee ſhould thankefully bleſſe GOD for the worke of our Redemption, but at the Sacrament we ſhould have our hearts greatly enlarged in more ſpeciall manner to bleſſe God for Chriſts Death, and the ſweet comforts received in the uſe of the Sacrament.
Fifthly, and laſtly, this holy Sacramentall diſpoſition ſtands in an exerciſe of love and mercy. In an exerciſe of love, when wee looke upon our fellow members communicating with us, we ſhould cleave to them in CHAP. 20 one ſpirit, as unto members of the ſame body. 1 Cor. 10. 17. For we being many are one bread, and one body, for wee are all partakers of that one bread. So that in partaking of that one bread, we are one bread, and one body. Many cornes goe to the making of one loafe, but yet they will not be knod into one loafe, unleſſe by the mixture of ſome moyſture they bee wrought, and faſtned together. Love exacted & ſtirred up is that moyſture that unites us many ſeverall graines into one bread. So 1 Cor. 12. 13. We drinke into one ſpirit, that is, into one ſoule.
In an exerciſe alſo of mercy, and compaſſion to the poore members of Indigne manducant qui corpus & ſanguinem Chriſti in Sacramēto manducunt & bibunt, membra autem ejus Evangelio non agnoſcunt. Aug. cont. lit. Tetil. l. 2. c. 55.Chriſt, ſhewing mercy to them in contributing to their neceſſities. And here ſpecially at the Sacrament ſhold that ground work with us, 2 Cor. 8. 9. And thus we ſee what the concomitant duties are, and ſuch as accompany the Action.