Body of Divinity, Book 8 · Chapter 10

Body of Divinity · Book 8 · Chapter 10

p. 700CHAP. X. Of the Masse.

THe Papists call the Lords Supper by this name, which implies horrible Idolatry. The Fathers using of the word was the occasion of that dangerous errour, if we would keep out the errour we must likewise keep outSee Book of Martyrs, vol. 3. pag. 1. about the word Mass, and Mayerus in Philol. Sacr. and Drus. ad difficiliora loea Deut. 42. Vide Casaub. Exercit. 6. Sect. 58. & Martynii Etymol. in voce missa. & Picherelli Dissertat. de missa. cap. 1. Maldonat. apud Mat. de miss. l. 1. c. 1. Sect. 2. It was called missa a Masse or sending (say the Papists) because an offering is sent to God by the Priest, or from sending of gifts to the Deacons for the publick use, rather from the dismissing of the people, either of the Catechumeni and Poenitentes before the Sacrament, or after that was done, of the whole people and Congregation in these words, Ite, missa est. The phrase missam facere (used in some of the Fathers) doth not signifie to say the Popish Masse, but to dismisse some out of the Assembly. Ad missam venio, quod nomen tantum non adoratur à Papistis, à nobis non lubenter usurpatur, cum quia non à Scriptura, ne quidem à prima antiquitate, tum quia nihil habeat, quo pars ulla aut efficacia Sacramenti deli…cetur: ac ne apud Papistas quidem Sacramento proprium sit. Missam Latinum nomen Latina Etymologia dictum à mittendo nemo dubitat, origo nominis est à dimittendo populo; quod …is fiebat, primùm enim dimittebantur Catechumeni, & quibuscunque non liceret interesse sacris mysteriis: postea iterum universus populus omnibus perfectis. Chamier. de Sac. l. 5. c. 2. the name.

The very name of Masse is against private Masse, and quite overthrows it. For missa is as much as missio, or dimissio, à dimittendis Catechumenis antequam Sacrificium inchoaretur. It signifies as much as dimission or sending away of such out of the Church, as were not prepared and fit to receive, before the Sacrament began to be celebrated. Probabilissima est Bellarmino eorum sententia qui missam dici volunt p. 701à missione seu dimissione populi. D. Prid. de missae Sacrificio. Rhenanus in Tertul. l. 4. advers. Marcion.

Picherellus and Sadeel think it is a Latine word, which signifies as much as missio, so remissa is used for remission both by Tertullian and Cyprian.

Chemnitius in parte secunda Exam. derives it from the Chaldaical signification of the word missa, for the sufficiency of the Papists is from the Masse. Una & potissima quaestura regni Pontificii est cauponatio & nundinatio privatarum missarum. Chemnit. ubi supra, Vide Drus. in Deut. 6. 16. Some dispute hard to derive the word Masse from an Hebrew root, either Gnasah to do, and sometimes to sacrifice, or from Misbeach an Altar▪ others fetch it from Mas a Tribute. But the learned Papists, as Bellarmine and others, do wholly reject this, for this reason, if it had been an Hebrew word, the Apostles and Grecians afterward would have retained it, as they have done Amen, Hallelujah, and Hosanna, but they did not.

D^r Taylor saith, The word is neither Hebrew, Greek nor Latine, nor taken from any other language of any Nation, but raked out of the bottomlesse pit without all signification, unlesse it agree with our English word (Masse) that is, an heap, a lump, a chaos of blasphemies and abominations.

The Masse is like a beggars cloak patcht up with many pieces, whereof some were put in an one time, some at another: one Pope puts in one patch, another another: and it was not fully patcht up as now it is, till twelve hundred years after Christ. Acts and Monum. p. 1274.

Christ hath ordained the holy Communion in remembrance of himself. Men do neither retain any remembrance of Christ nor yet Communion, but have changed all the whole matter into a gay shew, and almost a stage-play. Paul saith, That Christ hath once entred into the holy place, and hath with one only Sacrifice, and with one oblation made perfect all things: Men say, that they can sacrifice Christ himself again every day in very deed, and that in infinite places. B. Iewel on 1 Pet. 4. 11.

For the thing it self.

It is a work in which the Priest in whispering over those five words, Hoc est enim See M. Cartw. Rejoyn. p. 288, 289, 290, 291, 292, 293, 294, 295, 296.Corpus meum, makes Christ of the Bread (as the Papists suppose) and offers him to the Father, as a Sacrifice for the expiating of the sins of the living and the dead. First, As soon as he hath rehearsed the words of consecration, and by the uttering of them made his Maker, as they conceive, he presently bowing his knees adores the host consecrated by him, and likewise the Cup. After he hath worshipped it he riseth up, and turning from the people with great reverence, lifts up the Host with both his hands over his head, and shews it to the peoples view, that they may worship it as Christ himself, and in the like manner after also the Cup. While the Sacrament is elevated a little Bell rings, by which as by a signe given, the people with great veneration worships the Sacrament as Christ himself.

We acknowledge that in the Sacrament there is a solemn praising of God whichDown. Diatrib. de Antichristo, lib 5. c. 3. Genebrardus celeberrimus. ille Ebraicarum literarum apud Parifienses Doctor primam missam ab Apostolo Jacobo ipso die Pentecostes cantatam asserit. Amama Antibarb. Bibl. Patres Eucharistiam Sacrificii nomine appellarunt, Primò, Quia Eucharistia est gratiarum actio quae Sacrificium est Deo gratissimum. Secundò, Quoniam qui ad Eucharistiam rèctè accedunt se tot…s Deo in Sacrificium offerunt. Tertiò, Quia memoriam illius summi & divinissimi Sacrificii recolit, quod Christus in cruce fecit. Whitak. ad Sanderi. Demonst. resp. In such sort as the ancient Fathers did call this action a Sacrifice by a Metonymy, because it is a remembrance of the only Sacrifice of Christs death, and by a Synecdoche, because the Sacrifice of praise is offered to God for the redemption of the world in the celebration of this action, in this sort we do not deny the term of Sacrifice. Fulk on Mat. 26. 6.Matt 26:6 sometimes is called a Sacrifice, as likewise that the believers did offer up charitable alms which sometimes is called a Sacrifice, as likewise that there is a representation and commemoration of Christ who was our Sacrifice: But to hold that here by the Priest is offered up again the body and bloud of Christ though after an unbloudy manner, is a falshood, and many that swear by the Masse know not the horrible impiety of it. They hold that the offering up of this to God is efficacious for the quick and dead, and those in Purgatory.

The Fathers oft term the Lords Supper a Sacrifice, partly in regard of the spiritual p. 704Sacrifice therein offered; and partly because it is a lively representation and commemoration of Christs Sacrifice once offered on the Crosse; and partly also because it succeedeth in the room of the Passeover, and those other Sacrifices that in the Old Testament were offered. But that they ever dreamed of any other Sacrifice distinct from the Sacrament, no Papist shall ever be able to prove. M. Gatak. of Transub. p. 113.

In Sacrificiis offerimus, in Sacramentis accipimus. Beza.

A Sacrifice and a Sacrament cannot stand together, for by a Sacrifice something is offered to God, but by a Sacrament something is received from God. Therefore the Paschal Lamb was not a Sacrifice, as the offering up of Bullocks and Lambs, but only a Sacrament and sign of our redemption by Christ, Heb. 7. 10. there needs no other expiatory oblation, Why should I offer then to expiate sin when it is expiated already?

The Papists say, It is a Sacrifice properly so called. The whole essence of a SacrificeSi quis dixerit non offerri verum & proprium sacrificium, aut non esse propitiatorium, Anathema fit. Concil. Trident. Sess. 33. Can. 1. & 3. depends upon the institution of Christ, say Suarez and Salmeron, if any Sacrifice had been instituted, it must have appeared by some word or act of Christ, neither of which can be found, 1 Cor. 11. after the words, Do this. Paul, ver. 25. immediately expounds what was meant by doing, expressing the acts of doing, As often as you shall eat, which was spoken generally to all the faithful in Corinth, not to the sacrificing Priests. They prove it from Virgils Calf,

Cum faciam vitulâ pro frugibus ipse venito.

Neque enim Patres Eucharistiam cum sacrificium appellant, reale ac verum proprieque sic dictum sacrificium propitiatorium intelligunt, sed ob alias causas victimam, sacrificium oblationem, appellant. Vede…. exercit. in Ignat. Epist. ad Smyrnenfes, c. 4. Ibi etiam septem causas assignat, ob quas Eucharistiae sacrificium vocatur à Patribus.See Iansen Concord. c. 13. p. 904. & Rhemists on Luke 22. 20.

Object. Almost all things are by the Law purged with bloud: and withoutVide Cameron. Myroth. ad Heb. 9 16.Heb 9:16 shedding of bloud is no remission, Heb. 9. 22. But in the Sacrifice of the Masse there is no effusion of bloud, therefore there is no remission made for sins, and by consequent it is not a propitiatory Sacrifice.

1. Nothing therein is properly sacrified, not the Bread and Wine, for they are transubstantiated (say they) before the Sacrifice; not Christs body, for no living thing can properly be sacrificed unlesse it be slain, but Christ being once dead dieth no more.

2. The Papists say, it is an external Sacrament, yet Christ there appears to no sense, but is concealed under the accidents of Bread and Wine.D. Featley. Si occisio sit de ratione sacrificii, illud quod appellant incruenentum sacrificium, nihil aliud erit quam repraesentatio veri & realis sacrificii; ac proinde haud reale sacrificium. Nam si saepè offerat seipsum Christus, oportet cum saepè pati, cum …blatio Christi à passione ejus fi…c. morte distincta, fit figmentum sibi ipsi contradictorium. Episc. Daven. Determ. Quaest. 13. Hoc & postrema sua …voce, & inter ultimos Spiritus edita Christus significavit, quum dixit, Consummatum est. Sol…mus extremas morientium voces pro oraculo observare. Christus moriens testatur uno suo sacrificio perfectum esse & impletum quicquid in salutem nostram er…t. Calvin. Instit. lib. 4. cap. 18.

3. They say it is Sacrificium incruentum, an unbloudy Sacrifice, yet Christs bloud is there truly and really shed and drunk by the Communicants with the mouth.

4. It is a perfect and allsufficient Sacrifice, yet they repeat it daily.

Propitiatory is either that which pacifieth the wrath of God, and pleaseth him by its own vertue and efficacy, which is only the Sacrifice of Christ in his own self, or else by Gods gracious acceptance and indulgence, Rom. 12. 1. Heb. 13. 16. Phil. 4. 18. Heb. 9. & 10. the Apostle from the iteration of Sacrifices doth conclude the insufficiency of them, for if Christ be offered again and again, he is an imperfect Sacrifice, and we need something else. The Apostle also in those Chapters doth often inculcate the once offering and once oblation, by Christ offering up of himself once, we are free from the guilt of our sins, Heb. 3. 9. The entrance of Christ into the heavens is compared with the old High-priests entrance into the holiest of holies, and therefore as none but the High priest might go in there, so none could offer this Sacrifice but Christ himself, and withall it implieth that to the perfection of Christs Sacrifice is required his continual appearing in heaven for us.

p. 703Malachy 1. 11. useth the word offering, which was properly a part of the serviceL… Foy fondee sur l…s sainctes Escritures. P…r Daille 3 partie. Vide plura ibid. Cum in Scriptura sacra preces & elecmosyne, & aerumnae piorum, & quaelibet sanctae actiones sacrificia appellentur, facilè patimur sacram coenam vocari sacrificium: Nec imus inficias quin hoc sensu sit sacrificium. Quo sensu veteres eam vocaverint sacrificium, hinc liquet, quod passim sacram coenam vocant Eucharistiam & Sacrificium Eucharisticum, id est actionis gratiarum, seu sacrificium landis, ut habetur in C…none Missae. Molinaei Hyperaspist. lib. 2. c. 5. used in the Church in his time to signifie the Gospel-service which succeeds in the New Testament, and to expresse it more particularly, he cals it a pure offering, no longer carnal and grosse, but wholly spiritual.

Irenaeus by the pure offering in Mal. 1. 11. understandeth the Eucharist now in use, and many of the Ancients suppose it resembled in that action of Melchisedech, Gen. 14. 18. And they call it the Christians Sacrifice succeeding in the room of the Jewish Sacrifices; the Sacrifice, I say, of the Eucharist, not their Sacrifice of the Masse. M. Gatak. of Transub.

The pure prayers and worship of God that should be in all Churches under the Gospel, as Tertullian, Eusebius, Ierom and Augustine expound it. M. Sh…p. Reply to M. Ball. Vide Grot. in loc.

There was a Controversie of late years fomented by some through Popish compliances, That the Lords Supper might be stiled a Sacrifice, the Table an Altar, M. T Goodwins Christ the universal Peacemaker. p…r. 2. Sect. 2.which produced in the discussion of it (as all controversies do in the issue some further truth) the discovery of this true decision of it: That it was not a Sacrifice, but a feast after and upon Christs sacrificing of himself. Participatio Sacrificii, as Tertullian cals it, a sacrificial fe…st commemorating and confirming all those ends for which the only true and proper Sacrifice of Christ was offered up.

Private massing, or the alone communicating of the Priest, is not according

1. To the institution of Christ, saying in the plural to them, Drink ye all Tolle traditiones incertas, & Apocryphas, actum erit de missis solitariis & angularibus: de sacris ignotis, precibus exoticis & ignoratis, corporali praesentia, manducatione orali in Eucharistia: & illa monstrorum hydra, puncto nimirum cum omnibus dimensionibus, Transubstantiatione. Montac. Antidiat. Certissimum est sacram coenam non nisi in Communi aliquo fidelium & communicantium coetu ess… usurpandum: quò spectant varia nomina quibus designatur tum in Scripturis, tum in Patribus. Appell. tur euim Synaxis, Coena Domini, Communicatio. Vide 1 Cor. 10. 17. & 11. 18, 20, 22. Hinc jure merito improbatae nobis missae privatae & absque Communicantibus, quae sunt in usu apud Pontificios Quaest. aliquot Theol Decisio Authore Maresio, q. 3.1 Cor 10:171 Cor 11:181 Cor 11:201 Cor 11:22of this.

2. To the practice of the Apostles, Act. 2. 46.

The Councel of Trent saith, We commend the Priests communicating alone, which is as good as conferring or covenanting alone.

The Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 28. requires that every man first examine himself, and then eat, and he testifies vers. 23. That what he delivered he received also of the Lord. And so we know that the Lord himself gave unto all which were present with him, and suffered none only to be by and look on.

2. It is against the nature of the Sacrament, for it is a spiritual Feast.

3. It is against the name of the Sacrament, for it is commonly called a Communion, which name seems to be fetched from 1 Cor. 10. 16, 17. but what Communion is there when one alone receiveth and not them which are present with him.

4. Against the Canon of the Masse, the Priest ever speaks in the Plurall number.

The words of our Saviour, Take, Eat, this is my Body, Mat. 26. 26. were spokenD. Featleys Stricturae in Lyndomastigem, p. 43. to all future Communicants, as well as to the Apostles then present, for they contain in them an institution of a Sacrament to be celebrated in all Christian Churches, till the end of the world, as the Apostle teacheth us from 1 Cor. 11. from vers. 23. to 28. especially at the 26. vers. as often as ye eat this Bread and drink See D. Willet on Exo. 29. 24▪ controvers.Exod 29:24this Cup. ye shew the Lords death till he come. This the Apostles in their persons could not fulfill, for they lived not till Christs second coming: they must of necessity therefore be extended to all that in succeeding ages should be present at the Lords Supper, who are as much bound by this precept of Christ to communicate with the Priest, or dispenser of the Sacrament, as the Apostles were to communicate with Christ himself, when he first in his own person administred it; otherwise if the precepts, Tak…, Fat. Do this in remembrance of me▪ appertained to the p. 704Apostles only, What warrant hath any Priest now to consecrate the elements or administer the Sacrament? Nay, what command have any faithfull at all to receive the Communion?

The Sacrifice of the Masse being idolatrous, it is not lawful to be present at it.See D▪ Halls no peace with Rome, p. 658. In Ecclesia Romana communi proverbio dicitur, Campana bene pulsata dimidium missae esse peractum. Domitius Calderinus ne missam quidem volebat audire, & quum ab amicis eò duceretur, dixisse fertur, camus ad communem errorem. Lodov. Viv. de veritate fidei Christianae, l. 2 c 7. Nobilissimus Cunradus à Rechenberg, superstitionum osor, & missatici sacrificii non obscurus hostis, qui aliquando visitatoribus, ut missam celebraret, hortantibus, respondit: Si vere Christus est in hostia, indignus sum qui illum intuear, indignior qui Patri offeram. Si non est in hostia, vae mihi, si panem pro Deo populo adorandum propono. Scultet A…nal. Decas 1. p. 76. 1 Cor. 10. 20. In their Masse-book they call the Crosse it self, our only hope.

Those Texts are against going to Masse, Psal. 26. 4. 1 Cor. 10. 7, 14. 2 Cor. 6. 14, 16, 17. 1 Ioh 5. 21.

Many will say, They keep their hearts to God though they be present at a Masse. This is as if a man should catch his wife in the act of adultery, and she apologize, that the other had her body, but he her heart, 1 Cor. 6. 27. Rom. 11. 4. Gods people have their knees for God as well as their hearts, 1 Kings 19. Origen said, he could not bend the knees of his body to God, and the knees of his heart to Satan. See B. Daven. Determ. 7. Revel. 7. 3. They have a mark in the fore-head, because they must not be ashamed of their profession, that mark is obvious to all the world. Our Saviour by this policy might have over-reacht the devil himself, who required only externall bowing, keeping his heart still unto God, Matth. 4. 10.

In some case a man may be present at Masse and not sin: As

1. When he is there by violent comp…lsion, this is not his sinne but theirs.

2. If in travel a man be in a fit place to see and observe their folly, so as he shews no reverence at all or approbation by bending his knee, uncovering his head, or otherwise.Aderant sed non …dorarunt. Pet. Mart. D. Featleys Vertumnus Romanus, p. 18. Vide Grot. in Lu…. 4. 27. See Down. Sum of Div. on the 1. Com.

King Edward the 6^th would not suffer the Lady Mary to have Masse in her house. Foxes vol. 2. p. 653.

The bowing of Naaman spoken of in 2 King. 5. 8. was genuflexio obsequii, not imitativa, a bowing to the King, not to the Idol.

2. Elisha's words do not necessarily import an approbation or permission of that which was propounded, but a meer form of valediction, as if he had said in our language, Adieu or Farewell, or there may be an Enallage temporis very usual in the Hebrew, and have relation to the time past.

Of private Receiving of the Lords Supper.

The Passeover was to be eaten in such a Family, Exod. 12. 46. to signifie that the Church was then but a handful or houshold, in respect of the fulnesse of the Gentiles which were to follow: but the Lords Supper was not to be eaten in a private separated Family, but the Church was to come together, and toM. Reynolds Meditat. on the Lords Supper. stay one for another, 1 Cor. 11. 33. that in the confluence of the people and publicknesse of the action the increase and multitude of the Church might be expressed.

1 Cor. 11. 22. Paul opposeth the Congregation wherein the Lords Supper should be taken, unto a private house, where men satisfie their hunger.

It is noted of a Christian Jew, desperately sick of the Palsie, that he wasCartw. Rest of the 2^d Reply against B. Whit. gift, p. 116, 119 He quotes there also P. Mart. on Rom. 6. Beza in his Questions of the Sac. 151.Rom 6 with his bed carried to the place of Baptism.

The purest and best reformed Churches this day, in Savoy, Germany, France, and divers others, administer the Sacraments only in the ordinary meetings.

In my judgement (saith Master Cartwright) it is unmeet to administer either of the Sacraments in private houses, and it is lesse tolerable in the holy Supper, which hath a special mark and representation of brotherly Communion, more then Baptism.

p. 705The Necessity of the Eucharist.

The administring of the Communion to Infants is a Rite as ancient as Cyprians Augustinus de peccat. merit. & remis l. …. c 24. & 26. defendit, infantes non posse vitam ac salutem aeternam consequi, nisi Eucharistiam participent, putans aequè obligari istis verbis Joh. 6. 35. ac istis, nisi quis natus fuerit. Augustini & Innocentii primi sententia sexcentos circiter annos viguit in Eccle…, Eucharistiam etiam infantibus esse necessariam. Nunc apu… omnes qui Christianum nomen profitentur is mos obsolevit, q…i ob…in…erat tempore Cyprian…, Augustini & Innocentii primi Romani Episcopi, ut Euchar…icum panem in…nctum …berent infantibus, ut ex eorum scriptis apparet. Rivet. Instruct. Praepar. ad coenam Dom. c. 6.John 6:35time, and a Rite that did continue in the Church above 600 years.

Innocentius the first and Augustine concluded a necessity of childrens receiving this Sacrament from Iohn 6. 53. it may well conclude for those which are of years, and capable of that mystery, for though it speaketh rather of a spiritual eating and drinking, yet because the sacramental is a sign and pledge of that, and whosoever doth indeed spiritually eat the flesh of Christ, and drink his bloud, cannot choose but also be willing and forward to do it sacramentally when opportunity is offered, and there is no impediment to hinder.

Christ requireth in all persons about to communicate three principal acts of reason, one is before, and two are at the time of receiving; The first is 1 Cor. 11. Let B. Morton of the Masse, lib. 1. cap. 2. Sect. 11.… man examine himself; The second, to discern the Lords body; The third is, to remember the Lords death untill his coming again. All which three being acts of judgement cannot agree unto Infants, being persons void of judgement.Si quis dixerit parvulis antequam ad ann…s discretionis pervenerint necessariam esse Eucharistiae Communionem, Anathema fit. Concil. Trident▪ Sess. 3. Canon. 4.

The Ends for which God hath instituted the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.

They are four:

First, The remembrance of the death of Christ, Luke 22. 19. This do in remembrance of me.

1. Christs person, Phil. 3. 8, 9. we can have no interest in his benefits till we be united to him, Cant. 5. 10. to the end.

2. His actions and sufferings, 1 Cor. 11. 24, 26.

3. The benefits that flow from these all that Christ did and suffered was not only satisfactory but meritorious, Luke 22 20.

4. With what affection Christ instituted this Sacrament, his bowels were then full of compassion to his people, it was the last solemn act of his life.

Secondly, It is a strengthening Ordinance, the Lord hath appointed it onelyonly for those that are new-born, the elements there are our greatest matter of nourishment.

Thirdly, It is a sealing Ordinance, The New Testament in my bloud.

Fourthly, An Ordinance of the Communion of Saints whereby that should be renewed, all are one bread and one body, Iohn 6. 54. 1 Cor. 10. 16, 17.

The Lords Supper is

1. A badge of a Christians profession.

2. A seal of the Covenant of grace.

3. A map of heaven.

4. A means and pledge of our Communion with Christ, 1 Cor. 10. 16.

The Supper promotes this Communion:

1. Because it is a visible profession of our union with Christ.

2. A lively resemblance of it, meat and drink are converted into our substance, made a part of us, there are significant rites invested with a promise, and the assurance of a blessing.

3. It is a pledge and seal, Christ is there conveyed over to a believers use, This is my Body, a pledge whereby whole Christ with all his merits, and all that he is, is made over to a believer.

4. A means of exhibiting Christ to the soul. The Sacraments are Instrumenta p. 706quadantenus moralia, they are accompanied with the power and vertue of the holy Ghost.

We must therefore receive the Sacrament:

To confirm our faith, Communion with Christ, and all saving graces in us, to keep in **It must be a remembrance, 1. Of Faith, 1. In reference to remission of sins, Mat. 26. 22. 2. To sanctification, there is bread to strengthen the heart, and wine to make it chearful, Isa. 25. 6. 2 Of Love, Cant. 1. 4. His love appeared in all his doings, sufferings. 3 Of Desire, Psal. 6. 8. 4. Of Mourning, Ps. 42. 4. We should consider we had a hand in Christs death. 5 Of Thankfulnes, 1 Cor. 10. 16. it is called the Cup of blessing, and by the Ancients the Eucharist. 6. Of Resolution to abhor those sins that formerly provoked God, Hos. 14. 3.Matt 26:22Matt 26:2Isa 25:6Isa 25:2Song 1:4Ps 6:8Ps 6:4Ps 42:41 Cor 10:16Hos 14:3remembrance the Lords death untill he come again, and to testifie our love one towards another.

1. Our Faith. God is able and willing to save us:

1. Able to save to the utmost, look upon him 1. In his Natures, God-man, Man that he might suffer, God that he might satisfie. 2. In his Offices, he is a Prophet, Priest and King, Mat. 8. 2.

2. Willing, he died to save humble and penitent sinners, Rom. 8. 34. & Rom. 4. ult. if he spared not his life for us, he will spare nothing else. There is merit and grace enough in him (what ever my sins are or have been) for pardon of them and salvation.

2. Communion with Christ and all saving graces in us. Gods end in instituting of Ordinances is that we might meet him there, and have Communion with him, Exod 20. 24. it should be our end in frequenting Ordinances. Gods eye is specially on our end in all religious duties, Matth. 11. 7, 8. Hos. 7. 14. Zech. 7. 5.

1. He pondereth the heart.

2. He judgeth of our actions by the end.

3. The answer will be sutable to our end. The Sacrament is the nearest and visiblest Communion with Christ on earth. We come to God by Christ in prayer, as our Intercessour, in the Word as our Teacher, in the Supper as the Master of the Feast, Rom. 6. 11.

3. To keep in remembrance the Lords death until he come again, 1 Cor. 11. 26. that is,

1. The Doctrine of it; the bread represents his body, the wine his bloud, we shew our belief of this Doctrine.

2. The Necessity of his death, we hereby testifie to God our consciences, fellow-Christians, the world, our need of Christ, as bread is necessary for our bodies.

3. The Sufficiency of Christs death, no two creatures are more universally sufficient for all sorts of men then bread and wine, therefore God made choice of them for this purpose.

4. The Application of Christs death; it is the receiving of bread and wine into our stomacks that nourisheth us, when the conscience beginneth to be oppressed with the hainousnesse of sinne, and the fear of Gods vengeance, we should consider Christ bare the curse for our sins upon his body, that we might be delivered from them, and made perfect satisfaction to his Fathers justice, that we might be received into favour, Rom. 8. 34, 35.

4. To testifie our love one toward another, that I shall speak of afterward.

Of du… Preparation for the Sacrament.

We must labour to perform all holy duties in a right manner. God requires preparation to every service, to the Sabbath, Sacrament.

Some say the scope of the first Commandment is, that Iehovah alone must be our God whom we must worship; of the second, that he must be worshipt alone with his own worship; of the third, that he must be worshipt after his own manner.

God is more delighted with Adverbs then Nouns. None might approach to thePs…. 26. 6. I will wash my hands in innoc…. y, and so will I compasse thine Al…r. 1 Cor. 11. 28 The bread must be eaten and the Cup drunk so.1 Cor 11:28 holy things of God having his uncleannesse upon him. Nadab and Abihu through carelesnesse, or hast brought common kitchin fire, whereas it should have been heavenly fire, therefore God punisht them.

God makes admirable promises to prayer, yet if we perform it not in that manner which God requires, he abhors it, Psal. 109. 8. The word is the power of God to convert and strengthen us, 2 Cor. 2. 16. The Sacrament is a seal of the Covenant, yet if it be received unworthily it is a seal to a blank. Iudas took the Passeover p. 707at least, and the devil entred into him. See 1 Cor. 11. 18, 20. so the great duty of fasting if not rightly performed is unacceptable, Isa. 14. 12. See 2 Chro. 25. 2. and prayer Prov. 15. 8.

Reasons. 1. Because the Lord requires and orders the manner as well as theBonum ex causa integra, malum ex quolibet defectu. matter, our obedience must have Gospel-perfection, sincerity and integrity. In the Passeover the Lamb must be perfect, of the first year, the man and the Lamb prepared, and it offered in the appointed time. See Exod. 12. 9. 2 Chron. 30. 18, 19.Exod. 12. 3, 6. Joh. 19. 14. 31. & 11. 55.Exod 12:3Exod 12:6John 19:14John 19:31John 11:55 There were four dayes preparation for the Passeover, the Lords Supper both succeeds and exceeds it.

The Ark was to be carried on the Priests shoulders, 1 Chron. 15. 13. God made a breach on them because they sought him not after the due order.

2. The manner of performing the duty is the most spiritual part of it, Non tantum considerandum est id quod agimus, sed etiam quibus **That which is good per se groweth evil per accidens, if it be not duly circumstantionatum. Cajet. in Thom. 1. 2. Quaest. 9. An alms, though good in it self, ye… groweth to be evil, if it be faulty in the circumstances of due time, measure, manner, and of fit persons upon whom it is bestowed.circumstantiis.

This shews the true cause why our attending upon God proves so unprofitable and uncomfortable to us, because we rest in the work done.

Secondly, We should labour to perform the Ordinances aright, and that we may do so

1. The person must be accepted, God had regard to Abel and his offering. Cains The second Covenant begins with acceptation of persons and then of services. There must be an acceptation of the person in reference to his service as well as state. The service must 1. Flow from a regenerate nature and act, John 3. 6. 2. Must be agreeable to a rule prescribed. 3. The matter of it must be good: to give alms is good, but they must be of our own, Ephes. 4. 28. 4. The means must be good, it was ill done of Iacob to get the blessing by a lie. 5. The ground of undertaking it must be good, Jer. 23. 21.John 3:6John 3:2Eph 4:28Eph 4:4Jer 23:21Sacrifice for the matter was as good as Abels, the person is onelyonly accepted in Christ, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased, in him with us.

2. Ever bring God the best thou hast, in thy approaches to God bring the best devotion, affection, Cursed is the deceiver that hath a whole one, and brings a blemished one, Mal. be troubled thou canst bring no better.

3. Come in faith, rest upon the promise of Christ that thy services shall be accepted, mingle faith with hearing, prayer.

4. Bring an humble Spirit. Let thy soul be rightly possest with the majesty and holinesse of that God to whom the duty is tendred, Revel. 4. 3. The Lord is to be lookt on as a King in his Glory, in his Throne, we have a principle of envy in us, whom we envy we undervalue.

5. Bring a right estimation of the excellency and ends **The holy ends of service are mainly three, 1. To please God, Col. 1. 5. 2. To glorifie him, Joh. 17. 4. 3. To enjoy Communion with him, Heb. 10. 22.Col 1:5Col 1:2John 17:4John 17:3Heb 10:22of the Ordinance, Isa. 2. 3. Hear and thy soul shall live: Take heed how you hear, with what measure you mete it shall be measured to you again, according to your diligence in the duty will God measure out his blessing.

6. There must be a serious meditation before-hand of the spiritual manner of performing the duty, Heb. 12. 28. Do not utter indigested prayers, a Minister should speak as the Oracles of God.

7. One should labour to stir up the graces sutable to the duty, and keep down the sins opposite thereto, 1 Pet. 2. 1, 2. Iam. 1. 18, 19.

It is the duty of Christians in a special manner to examine themselves, that they may come prepared to the Lords Supper.One should be equally prepared for the Lords Supper as for death. Sacramentum & articulus mortis aequiparantur, say the Casuists.

1 Cor. 11. 20. to the end, the Apostle proves the necessity of preparation, both from the nature of the Ordinance, or the institution of it, the benefit that we reap by coming prepared, and the mischief that befals those that come unworthily, and the scandal given to others. Our hearts are deceitful, Ier. 17. 9. sinne is deceitful. Satan is full of stratagems. The holy Ghost often warns us, Be not deceived, Let no man deceive you, James 1. 26. Of all deceit self-deceit is the worst.

p. 708Vers. 28. Examine himself] foreign is borrowed from civil affairs. For amongDownam. in loc. the Athenians before any were admitted to any office or place of Magistracy, theyTry how thou standest in the grace of God. Calvin. Judge thy life exactly. Theod. Bring all things to the rule Morton. Hoc dicit quia per schismata prostrata …ra… Ecclesiae disciplina. Ne credite, inquit, etiamsi Ecclesiae judicia essent, impune vos laturos contemptum mysteriorum. Grot. Examination is necessary, 1. That we may know our estate. 2 Our interest in Christ, Job 8. 20. We must try whether we have spiritual life before we look after spiritual nourishment.Job 8:20 were examined whether they were fit or no.

And so let him, &c.] Do it in Christs manner, and to his end, Eccl. 5. 1. 1 Sam. 16. 5. 2 Chron. 35. 6.

The Church of Christ in all ages have required solemn preparation for the Sacrament, as the Liturgies and Directories of Reformed Churches shew.

In the Primitive Church there was rather an excesse then defect. Zanchy observes that it was the occasion of instituting of Lent, because of their coming to the Sacrament at Easter.

The ancient Fathers and primitive Christians the night before they received sate up and prayed, which they called their vigiliae.

Reasons. First, Because of God the Lord and Master of the Feast, Iob 13. 11. Prov. 23. 1.

Observe five things in that Parable, Matth. 22.

1. The King comes to see his guests, God observes what hearts we come with into his presence.

2. He makes diligent enquiry, takes notice of every one personally, there was but one without the wedding garment, and he could not lie hid.

3. Mark his impartiality, as soon as he espies him, he saith, Friend, how ca…est thou in hither?

4. How inexcusable those are that abuse the Ordinance: when he was charged that had not the wedding garment, he was silent.

5. The rigour and indispensablenesse of the sentence, v. 13.

Secondly, Because of the Feast it self, being heavenly and for the soul. At this Ordinance we have the highest and most solemn intercourse with God that we have in any Ordinance, we renew not the Covenant in prayer and reading the Word.

Thirdly, Christs practice before his institution doth teach as much, in that he washed his Disciples feet, Iohn 13.

Fourthly, Our hearts are naturally prophane and wicked and indisposed to thisIsa. 1. 16. Jer. 17. 9. No man can come so worthily as he ought, nor so fit as he ought, 2 Chron. 30. 18, 19, 20, 21. The benefit of the Sacrament is pro ratione fidei communicantium. Origen.Isa 1:16Jer 17:92 Chr 30:182 Chr 30:192 Chr 30:202 Chr 30:21 duty, if we were so perfectly holy as we should be, we should be ever ready for holy performances, but our hearts gather soil exceedingly. Purge out the old leaven before you come to eat Christ our Passeover that was sacrificed for us, 1 Cor. 5. 7. What he meaneth by the old leaven he telleth you in the next verse, it is the leaven of malice especially that we must be carefull to purge out. According to our preparation will our profit be, if one come fitly it is a means of a great deal of good, Communion with God, sealing the Covenant, the Lord and we are made friends under seal, partaking the body and bloud of Christ. It is like our evidences in the time of trial, when our Land is questioned 2 Chron. 30. 3. our hope in the Resurrection lies in this, Iohn 6. 54. it seals our initiation and exhibits our growth in Christ. A Sermon will confirm but one particular grace, as patience or the like, but the Sacrament confirms the body of graces, and a man receives an influence of grace into his whole soul.

The Apostle in the Conclusion of the 1 Cor. 11. appoints this as a great remedy to prevent the judgement of God for their abuses about the Sacrament, to judge our selves,

1. Self-abasing will follow self-judging.

2. Justifying God, Rom. 3. 4.

3. Sin will be bitter to such an one.

4. He will not judge others, Rom. 14. 3, 4.

A childe of God may receive unworthily:

1. By coming carelesly and negligently to the Sacrament.

p. 7092. By coming in the guilt of any one sin unrepented of.

Fifthly, Because of the danger of coming unprepared, Matth. 22. the DevilQui…quid … … ad …. will enter into …s as into Iudas, Luk. 22. 3. compar'd with Iohn 13. 27. If we receive not Christ we receive Satan. Cyprian saith of the Lords Supper, P…tro remedium, Iudae venenum, 1 Cor. 11. 17. 27, 29, 36.Corruptio op…imi p…ssim… m…rs … malis, vita bonis▪ Aq…n.

The staying away will not prevent the danger, Matth. 22. those that would not come to the Supper when invited, were destroyed as well as those that came without the wedding garment. Not to come is to starve our souls, to come unworthily is to poison them.

One is said to be guilty of the bloud of Christ, 1 Cor. 11. 27. that is, a murtherer of Christ, divers wayes.

1. Christ is really present, though not corporally and locally, he looks upon the…eus erit corporis & s…nguinis Christi violati. Jerom. injury done to the Elements as done to himself, if one wrong insignia majestatis, the Kings coin, or the like, it is treason.

2. The same bent and disposition of heart that carries a man to prophane thePar fecit quasi Christum trucidaret. Heb. 6. 6, 10, …9. Grotius. Dici…r teneri reus corporis Domini, qui illud est aspernatus, ut Apo…olus ipse explicat, versu 29. Beza. Be…ay Christ as Iudas. Theodoret.Heb 6:6Heb 6:10Heb 6:9 Elements, would carry him to crucifie Christ: Christ is sacramentally united to the bread and wine.

3. In the Sacrament Christ is set forth as crucified, Gal. 3. 1. Isa. 53. 6. our sins crucified him; he whose heart is not affected with such an object allows the deed of the Jews, is an accessary post factum▪

4. There is a great resemblance between Iudas his act and yours.

1. He was a Disciple, so thou a Christian.

2. He did betray Christ for a small matter, Zech. 11. 10, 11. so thou preferrest a base lust before him.

3. He betrayed him with a kisse, thou at the Sacrament.

5. Thou wouldst make Christ die in vain, Christs death is useful for satisfaction and sanctification; satisfaction of Gods wrath and sanctification of our hearts, weGuilty of murthering him as the Jews. Aquinas. Iudas betrayed, and the Jews murthered Christs body when he was abased, we abuse it now he is glorified. 2. They did it ignorantly, we wilfully. This sinne of unworthy receiving is Peccatum contra remedium universale, contra medicinam unicam, contra consolationem & vitam animarum. trample his bloud under our feet as unholy, that is, common.

Vers. 29. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation, Id est, edendo ac bibendo damnationem in se a… …ersit Quod per se salutare est in v…nenum ip…i vertitur. Grot. Mat. 3. 8. Mat. 10. 11. & 22. 8. Ephes. 4. 1.Matt 3:8Matt 10:11Matt 22:8Eph 4:1or judgement to himself. Damnation if he be a reprobate and impenitent hypocrite, judgement though he be regenerate and a true beleever. M. Hilders.

God punisheth this sin in his children with inward and outward chastisements. The Lord abhors the like offence in the Sacrifices, Mal. 1. 7.

This worthy receiving is not a legal worthinesse, Secundum absolutam dignitatem, wherein one can plead that the thing he doth deserves the thing he would have, but an Evangelical worthinesse, Secundum divinam acceptationem The original of all our worthinesse is the change of the Covenant, Exod. 12. 43. Every man by nature is under the Covenant of works, he that was uncircumcised mightIndignè, id est, aliter quam dignum est tanta mysteria tractari. Beza. Certain Dona…ists (saith Optatus, lib. 2.) casting the holy Sacrament to dogs, were themselves devoured as dogs. A Bachelour of Arts being Popishly affected at the time of the Communion took the consecrated bread, and forbearing to eat it, conveyed and kept it closely for a time; and afterwards threw it over the wall of the Colledge, but a short time after, not enduring the torment of his guilty conscience, he threw himself headlong over the battlements of the Chappel, and some few hours after ended his life. B. Morton l. 5. of the Masse, c. 3. Sect. 6. He saith there he saw it, it was one Sir Booth of S^t Iohn Colledge in Cambridge. Cyprian Serm. 5. de lapsis, hath two Stories of some that came to the Sacrament, and did latenter accipere, secretly receive, to one the Minister gave the bread, he took it, but it stuck in his throat, Gladium sibi samens non cibum The other took it, but when he came to eat it, he had ashes in his hand, Alius qui & ipse maculatus, sacrificio a sac…rdote celebrato, partem cum caeteris ausus est latenter accipere, sanctum Domini edere, & contrectare non potuit, cinerem ferre se apertis manibus invenit. not partake of the Jewish Passeover. Circumcision notes two things, 1. A change of the Covenant. 2. Sanctification of a mans nature, Col. 2. 11. He that was uncircumcised was out …of Abrahams Covenant and unregenerate. This change of the Covenant comes by the change of your Head, your union with Christ, Gal. 3. ult. Corpus Christi non edunt qui de corpore Christi non sunt.

p. 710We must seriously examine our state, whether we be in the state of grace, 2 Cor. 12. 5. The children of God mistrust their own searching, and desire God to search them, Psal. 139. lat. end. Thou must be a new creature cut off from the old stock, and ingraffed into a new, thou must close with Christ and accept of him, and then vertue will come from him, Gal. 2. 20. Bread and Wine are turned into the substance.

When the Sacrament is received without due and diligent preparation, it is received unworthily, vers. 28. The Apostle prescribes this remedy against unworthy receiving; we should diligently prepare for every religious duty. We should be much in examination, the strongest acts of grace are reflex acts, this is a Gospel command, therefore carries with it a Gospel-promise, it is a duty at all times. Our examination is a setting our selves in the presence of God, and passing sentence on our wayes, as God would have us.

There is a twofold preparation required,

1. Habitual, standing in the having of all such dispositions and graces as qualifie a man for the work of receiving, knowledge, faith and repentance, love, obedience, this is at our first conversion, Ephes. 2. 10. & 6. 14.

2. Actual, which stands in the exciting and awakening of those graces and dispositions, and renewing of them when one is to receive. Both these must be in him that will receive in due order.

Actual preparation consists

1. In the solemn sequestration of a mans self.

2. In examination of our sins and graces.

3. In being humbled for our sins, and in renewing and quickning the former graces.

4. In raising and stirring up in our selves strong desires after Christ.

5. In stirring up in our selves a strong expectation of the benefit of the Sacrament.

6. In seeking God in special, and more then ordinary manner by prayer.

1. A solemn sequestration of the soul from all other avocations whatsoever. There must be some sitting of a mans self for the duty, from the time that a man hath notice of the Sacrament to be administred. But at the day before, a man should at the least toward the end of the day separate himself from all other thoughts and occasions, and minde wholly the work of preparation to the Sacrament.

This sequestration of a mans self stands in two things,

1. In setting aside all lawfull thoughts, occasions and businesses of ourGen. 22. 4, 5. Num. 9. 10, 13 Psal. 103. 1.Gen 22:4Gen 22:5Num 9:10Num 9:13Ps 103:1 callings.

2. In summoning, calling and collecting together all the powers and faculties of the soul to attend upon the businesse now in hand.

Examination of our sins and graces, of the multitude and hainousnesse of our sins, of the truth of our graces, the growth of them, and our wants.

I shall lay down the rules of examination, and the things to be examined:

1. The Rules whereby we are to examine our selves are the Law and Gospel.See in M. Dod on the Sacrament a Catalogue of the sins against every Commandment, and D. Wilkins his Discourse concerning the gift of prayer, ch. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, & 13.

1. For finding out the number of our sins.

2. The uses of them for finding out the measure of them.

The things to be examined, are our sins and graces.

I. Of the Rules.

The Law.

The Summe of the Law is set down in the ten Commandments, and they are divided into two Tables.

The Commandments of the first Table are the four first, and they teach us our duty which we owe unto God immediately. The Commandments of the second Table are the six last, and they teach us our duty which we owe unto our Neighbour.

Our duty to God is to love him with all our hearts, with all our strength, with all our might, with all our thoughts. Our duty to our Neighbour is to love p. 711him as our selves both in soul and body, goods, good name, person, chastity.

The first Commandment is, Thou shalt have no other gods but me, or, before me.

The general duty of it is to make God my God, by yeelding unto him all such respect as appertaineth to him in regard of his being our Creator, and the first fountain of all being. This is a total and general subjection of the whole man unto him.

Duties required herein, are

1. Of Dependance, whereby we make God the chief and principal object ofThe soul and all the powers of it must be given to God, and that with preheminence, above all other things, and in all fulnnesse of perfection. So far as he may be their object, God is not to be hated all the powers of our whole man, so far as they are capable of him.

2. Of Conformity, whereby we order all our powers toward other things in that manner and measure that he doth require, and so become subject to that authority, power and command that he hath over us as a Creator.

1. Duties of Dependance.

We must set all the powers of the soul principally upon him.

1. The Understanding,

1. To know him as he hath revealed himself in his Word and Works.

2. Faith to believe him, that is, to think things true, because he saith them.

3. Humility, acknowledge him to be the first and best Essence, rightly discern the infinite distance and difference between him and us, and confesse his unspeakable excellencies above us, and our most vile basenesse in comparison of him.

2. The will, willing his glory above all things, and then choosing his favour and grace.

3. The imagination or thinking power, to be thinking of God more plentifully, largely, constantly, then of all other things.

4. Memory, perpetually to remember him, and to set him at my right hand, as David saith.

5. The affections of Love, Fear, Joy, Confidence, must be set upon him with all their strength.

We should also speak more abundantly of God and his Excellencies, then of all things else besides.

2. Duties of Conformity.

All the powers of man are to be set on other things according to his direction and appointment.

1. The Understanding,

1. To know his will.

2. To believe his promises and threats.

3. To make use of the things we know.

4. To esteem of heavenly things above earthly.

2. Conscience, or a knowing with God, in which 1. The acts it is to perform. 2. The rule which it must follow in performing those acts.

The acts it is to perform are twofold:

1. In regard of our estate to acquit and condemn.

2. In regard of our actions.

I. Before the doing, if need be to admonish me to them.

2. If sinful, to restrain me from them.

3. If indifferent, to leave them to our wils.

II. After the doing.

1. To comfort in them if commanded.

2. To check for them if forbidden. The Rule which it must follow in performing these acts is the revealed will of God.

III. In the manner of doing.

1. Sincerely in checking for one sin as well as another.

2. Tenderly, for a little thing.

3. Effectually, so as not to suffer corruption to gain-say▪

4. Peaceably, to drive to God not from him.

p. 7123. The will to be flexible to Gods will.

1. Obedience, a full purpose to do all that God requires, and leave all that he forbiddeth for his sake.

2. For good things received, thankfulnesse, for evil, patience.

4. The thinking power, Memory, Speech, Senses and Affections to be exercised more abundantly on heavenly things then earthly.

The general Duty of the second Commandment is to perform such solemn worship to God as he requires in his Word, to worship him in spirit and truth. Divine Service must be according to Gods command:

1. For Matter of it, in regard

1. Of the Person worshipped, the living God alone, conceived of in the pure apprehension of the minde, without any sensible representation.

2. The parts or kindes of worship, that they be by him appointed, which are

1. Ordinary, such as are to be done constantly, and in a setled course, which are three-fold,

1. Publick.

2. Private.

3. Indifferent.

1. Publick

1. Preaching of the Word.

2. The administration of the Sacraments, Baptism and the Lords Supper.

2. Private

1. Conference.

2. Meditation.

3. Indifferent

1. Prayer.

2. Reading the Scriptures or other good ….

3. Catechizing.

4. Singing of Psalms.

2. Extraordinary, such services as are t… be …ne now and then upon special occasions.

1. Fasting.

2. Fea…ing.

3. Vows.

2. The Manner of the performance of Divine Service is three-fold,

1. A due preparation before.

2. A right carriage in them, doing them

1. Truly and sincerely upon the right Motives, Causes, Gods Commandment and Will, and our own Duty and need, and for the right ends, viz. the pleasing of God, and procuring of Grace and increase of vertue in our souls.

2. Reverently, with a special apprehension of Gods presence and greatnesse.

3. Faithfully, with a believing of Gods truth therein, and promising to our selves the blessing he hath promised.

4. Devoutly, that is, with a diligent attention of the minde to the words and matter, and whole work in hand.

3. A right making Use thereof after.

The third Commandment enjoyns the common worship of God, that is, the right carriage of our selves to his honour in all our common affairs, so far forth as we have any thing to do with him therein. The general duty of it is to live holily. To sanctifie God,

1. Inwardly, by seeing him in his works,

1. Of chastisement, to be patient, penitent.

2. Of Mercy, to be thankful and obedient.

p. 7132. Outwardly,

1. In word, by the lawful use of an Oath, by a reverent mention of Gods Titles and Attributes upon any occasion, by good conference, and making confession of his truth.

2. In our Deeds and Actions,

1. In General, to aim at his glory in all our works, and live to him and not to our selves.

2. More Particularly, in two things,

1. In suffering Persecution cheerfully for Righteousnesse sake.

2. By a sanctified use of Gods creatures, of any thing whatsoever we do, whereto four things are required,

1. Knowledge out of the word of God concerning the lawfulness of our doing such things.

2. Craving Gods blessing in the use of Meat, Drink, Marriage.

3. Returning Thanks to God for his goodnesse.

4. Moderation in the use of them.

The fourth Commandment appoints the consecrating of a special time, viz. every seventh day after six of labour to holy and religious exercises. The full Summe of it, is, After thou hast bestowed six dayes in ordinary and common businesses, thou shalt bestow the seventh day in exercises of piety and religion. The things commanded in this precept are two

1. Preparation to the Sabbath, in the word Remember, which is done two wayes,

1. All the week long by diligence, fore-sight, moderation in the labours of our calling.

2. On the sixth day towards the end of it by a seasonable breaking off our labours, and making all things ready for the Sabbath.

2. Celebration of the Sabbath, not only observing and keeping it our selves, but preserving it, and looking that our Inferiours and others under us at the least outwardly keep it.

We must

1. Rest from thoughts, words and deeds that concern worldly things, but only for necessity and mercy.

2. Sanctifie it by bestowing it in the exercises of Religion, which for the manner are to be done cheerfully, consecrating the Sabbath unto the Lord as a delight.

The fifth Commandment enjoyns the performance of all such duties as appertain to men in regard of their place, that we shew due respect to our Superiours, Equals and Inferiours. Our Duty to our Governours is to honour and reverence their persons willingly, to obey all their lawful commandments, to bear their reproofs and chastisements submissively, patiently, and fruitfully. The particular Duty of Children to their Parents, besides these common duties, is 1. To love them very much, to maintain them if need be in sicknesse and age, and to be guided by them in marriage. The particular Duty of Servants is to be trusty and painfull in the busisinesse committed to them by their Governours, as well in their absence as presence. The particular Duty of Subjects to their Kings and inferiour Magistrates, is to defend their persons against all violence offered to them by any according to their places, and to render them willingly all due services and paiments. The Duty of People to their Teachers and spiritual Pastors, is to submit to their Ministery, and to reward them with plentiful maintenance. The Duty of the younger to their betters in age, is to behave themselves toward them reverently, and to take their good advice. p. 714Our Duty towards our betters in gifts, is to take notice of their gifts and to respect them accordingly. The common duty of all Governours towards those that are under them, is to rule them wisely, mildly, and equally, taking care by their authority to plant true Religion among them. The particular Duty of Parents toward their children, is to give them fit instruction and correction, to help them to some honest Calling, to dispose of them fitly in marriage, and to lay up for them according to their meanes. The particular Duty of Masters toward their servants, is to use them justly and mildly for work, diet, reward and chastisement. The Duties of man and wife each towards other, are these Both must love each other above all other persons; he must cherish her as his own body, and she must be an helper to him, and yeeld to him as her Head. The particular Duty of Kings and other Magistrates, is to make fit Lawes, and to see them duly executed for the maintaining of peace, honesty and godlinesse. The Duty of Ministers toward their people, is to guide them in the right way by life and doctrine, to oversee their carriage, and to administer the Sacraments duly to them. The Duty of the ancienter toward their younger, is to further them in goodnesse, by grave carriage and good counsel. Their Duty that have better gifts then others, is to use the same readily and humbly for the help of such as want them. The Duty of Equals is

1. To think better of their Equals then themselves, and to esteem of them above themselves.

2. In giving honour to go one before another.

3. To be glad and well-satisfied at the raising and advancement of their equals to places above themselves.

The sixth Commandment enjoyns all due care of our own and neighbours safety, Temporal and Spiritual. For our own temporal safety we must shun all distempered passions and needlesse perils, using food, rest, and other means of health and strength, cheerfully and moderately. For our spiritual safety, we must carefully …lee all sins, and the occasions of them, and use all means of getting grace and salvation. For our neighbours natural safety, we must keep wrath, malice and hatred out of our hearts, heartily loving all men, even our enemies. We must also pity and help the distressed, shew kindnesse and meeknesse to all, even those that hurt us, not revenging our selves, nor hurting or grieving any by evil deeds or speeches. For our neighbours spiritual safety, we must exhort, comfort and admonish one another with all meeknesse, and must pray one for another. The seventh Commandment requires all care to preserve our own and our neighbours chastity. To preserve our own chastity we must abhorre all impure desires, behaviours, speeches and deeds with all occasions provoking thereto, and must use temperance and sobriety with fasting and praying at fit times, and diligence in our calling. We must preserve our neighbours chastity by modesty and shame-fac'dnesse in attire, words, countenance and gesture. The eighth Commandment requires a right carriage of our selves in regard of our own and our neighbours goods. In respect of our own goods, we must get them justly, and keep them thriftily from evil and idle expences, use them liberally for good purposes, and not set our hearts upon them. p. 715For our neighbours goods, we must neither take nor keep any thing from any man (whose own it is) by force, fraud or unequal bargains, we must seek the profit of our neighbours as our own profit. 2. We must do to them as we would have them do to us, and not corrupt justice and equity by partiality and self-love. The ninth Commandment requires all due care of maintaining our own and our neighbours good name and credit:

1. Our own by lowlinesse and esteeming meanly of our selves, accounting others better then our selves, by being true, sparing and holy in our speeches, innocent and humble in our carriage, slying ill company and all appearances of wickednesse, and abounding in good works.

2. Our neighbours by judging and speaking the best of them, their words and deeds, praising their vertues and defending their innocency.

The tenth Commandment requires that we be fully contented with our own condition, and keep out all inclinations and motions after the things that pertain to others. II. The Gospel. The Law holds forth the holinesse and purity of God, the Gospel holds forth the grace and favour of God, Rom. 2. 4. There are two great ends of the Gospel and the Ministery of it:

1. Union with Christ, 2 Cor. 11. 2.

2. Reconciliation with God, 2 Cor. 5. 20. The Angels sang (when Christ was born) on earth peace, and good-will toward men.

The Gospel hath two parts, as some say.

1. All are cursed and damnable sinners. This must be believed so firmly, as that we assent to the particular, comprehended under the general, bringing it home to my self, and saying to my self, I am a cursed and damnable sinner.

2. Jesus Christ is a perfect and all-sufficient Saviour, he can and will save all penitent sinners, and me also among the rest upon my turning to him. He hath sealed this to me in Baptism, which is the Baptism of repentance for remission of sins, which doth assure me, that upon repentance shall by the bloud of Christ attain full remission of all my sins, this is … believe the Gospel.

We have gone asiray like lost sheep, but he hath laid upon him the iniquities of us all. Rom. 3. 23, 24. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ. The terms of the Gospel are three:

1. To choose Christ as he is there offered, Iohn 6. 40.

2. To receive the Gospel with readinesse, Act. 17. 17. Mat. 13. 44.

3. That we should give up all for Christ, and to him. Rom. 12. 1.

It requires three things especially of us:Episc. Daven. de justitia actuali.

1. True Repentance for sins committed.

2. True Faith in the Mediator, which expiates sins.

3. A sincere desire to obey God which hath pardoned us our sins.

Impenitency, unbelief and disobedience then are sins against the Gospel. Sins against the Gospel are greater then sins against the Law, Heb. 2. 3. because committed against greater light and greater love, the love of the Father in sending of Christ, of Christ in coming, of the Spirit in manifesting, therefore the curses and punishment of the Gospel are grievous, Mat. 3. 10. Mark 16. 16. He that loveth Luk. 13. 3, 5. John 3. 36.Luke 13:3Luke 13:5John 3:36not the Lord Iesus, let him be Anathema Maranatha. Psal. 2. 12. Christ is the best friend and worst enemy. His wrath is

1. The wrath of a Mediator and Deliverer, who then shall speak a good word for you? Psal. 50. 22.

2. He is able to execute his wrath, he hath all power in his hand as well as all love in his heart.

Two sorts of sins ripen men for wrath:

1. Sinning against Ordinances, Ezek. 10. 2. Amos 8. 1.

p. 7162. Sinning against the Gospel, Matth. 3. 10.

Having laid down the rule, viz. the Law and Gospel for the finding out the number of our sins, I shall now shew the uses of them for finding out the measure of them. First, For the Law, we must not be content to rip up our sins by the Law, but aggravate them.

1. By the greatnesse of the Commander, the great God of all the world that gave the Law with thunder and lightening is offended. He is glorious in his Essence, Subsistence, working sinne provokes the eyes of his glory, Isa 3. 8.

2. By the latitude and extent of every Commandment, Psal. 119. 96. it bindes the conscience and commands the heart, forbids all sins at all times, together with their causes, occasions, provocations, signs.

3. Consider the filthinesse and sinfulnesse of sinne**Rom. 7. 13. It comes from the Devil, it is called his work, and wicked men are termed the children of Belial, See John 6. 44.Rom 7:13John 6:44, it is called filthinesse it self, and is worse then hell, for that is of Gods ordaining. Persons and things are termed evil from it, evil Angels, men, times.

4. Consider the price of the bloud of Christ, and the greatnesse of his punishment, sin was such a hainous and notorious thing that nothing else could satisfie God, all the Angels in heaven could not expiate one sin.

5. Aggravate sinne by the person sinning, from the evil circumstances and unprofitable ends, by the effects, giving scandal, 2 Sam. 12. 14. by the manner of committing it, wilfully and with a high hand▪

Secondly, We should labour especially to mourn for Gospel-sins.

1. Because the sins of the Gospel carry the greatest guilt.

1. They are against the second Covenant, the Heathens perish under the guilt and curse of the first Covenant, the second Covenant was never offered to the Devils, when they fell from God they had never a second offer of mercy.

2. They are against the bloud of the Son of God, Heb. 6. 6. & 10. 29. To sinne against God in his Son, is a greater sin then to sin against the Law, the Law is subservient to Christ in the Gospel.

2. No man lies under such fierce wrath, 2 Cor. 2. 15, 16. no condemnation is confirmed by an oath but theirs, Heb. 3. 11, 12.

3. That which should have been for your welfare becomes your snare, Acts 26. 18. Heb. 6. 10. Isa. 28. 13. The Gospel is like Paracelsian Physick, if it do not cure it will kill.

4. None do lose such high services, Matth. 7. 22, 23. they do not the work of the Gospel with a Gospel-spirit, and out of a Gospel▪principle.

5. Satan will insult and triumph over none so much as Gospel-sinners, Matth. 12. 43, 44.

6. The worm of conscience will not feed so fiercely on any, Mar. 9 43. when he compares his former hopes with his present irrecoverable condition, because no sinners had those helps, nor were raised to those hopes.

Ponder on your own sins what they are and what they have deserved. Look onWe should be especially humbled for original corruption, Psal. 51. 5. Jam. 1. 14. All humiliation ariseth out of a sense of our own vilenesse and Gods displeasure; the Law discovers that as well as actual sinne. Consider, 1 The greatnesse of the sinne, Ratione quidditatis & formalitatis, ratione causalitatis, it is the cause of all actual sins, Ratione virtualitatis & potentialitatis, ratione eminentiae, it is the first of that kinde. 2. Think of David and Paul how they were troubled with it, we have as great cause to be humbled as they. 3. Think of the holinesse of God, he is essentially holy as we are naturally sinful. 4. Take some time to view thy self in the glasse of the Law, Rom. …. 20. that is a copy of Gods holinesse, go from Commandment to Commandment.Ps 51:5Jas 1:14 original corruption, the foul sea of all wickednesse, which is called a body of sinne, Rom. 6. 6. A Law in our members, Rom. 7. 23. Consider that thou hast a naughty nature, whereby thou art averse from God and goodnesse, and extreamly prone to all sin, Psal. 51. 5. Isa. 48. 8. all men in every part are under the guilt and power of it, Rom. 3. 16, 23. 2. Humble thy self; Labour to be base for this, though thou hast not committed such foul sins as others, yet if God should leave thee to thy self and thine own evil heart thou wouldst soon be as bad as the worst. p. 7173. Call to minde likewise the grosse actual sins thou hast committed before or since thy calling: Wast not thou given to all manner of pollution before the Lord gave thee knowledge of him, and since thy calling? 4. Consider thy continual daily slips and infirmities, thy sins of omission and commission; how apt thou art to be angry, impatient, thy carnalnesse in good duties, and distraction in the performance of them, thy forgetfulnesse of God, and thy later end. 5. Consider also whether there be not some unknown secret fault that thou hast not yet repented of, and pray to God to discover it to thee. Lastly, Call to minde what sins thou hast committed since the last Sacrament, and bewail them. Meditate also on the sufferings of Christ for these grosse sins and dailyThe end of the Sacrament is to keep in memory the great things Christ hath suffered for us. 1 Cor. 11 24. See Exod. 12. 17, 26.1 Cor 11:24Exod 12:17Exod 12:26 iniquities. His great abasement, Psal. 22. 6, 7, 14. to 19. v. Isa. 53. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. to the 11. v. He was born like a beggar, lived like a beggar, the Devil tempted him, he was falsly accused, betrayed by one of his Disciples, denied by another, forsaken by the rest. He was amazed with fear, and incompassed with sorrow, Mark 14. 34. Two of the most tormentful passions, was in an agony, and did sweat drops of cloddy bloud in such abundance as it fell to the ground, was condemned, mocked, spit upon, whipped with rods after the manner of the Romans **Licet plagarum numerum in Christi flagellatione excesserint ministri, quem Hebraei ex lege servabant, ut ob id non Hebraeorum more, sed Romanorum flagellatum Christum plerique dixerint; quod tamen columnae fuerit alligatus, etiam Hebraeorum morem consuetudinemque redolet, quod miror posse in dubium revocari. Novar. Sched. Sac prophan. l. 1. c. 21., crowned with thorns, laden with the Crosse, nailed on it, stretched and retched in all his joynts.Not barely to go over the history of his passion, but to get our hearts affected with his sufferings, Lam. 1. 12. Zech. 12. 10. We must not leave meditating on Christs love till he be Totus fixus in corde qui totus fixus fuit in cruce. Bern. There is 1. An historical remembrance of Christ, when we look upon the death of Christ as of an innocent person, and not on Gods design in it, Luk. 23. 28. 2. Doctrinal or dogmatical, this only rests in generals. 3. Applicative, Phil. 3. 8, 10. not only look on Christ crucified, but finde our selves crucified with him. The historical remembrance is an act of fancy, the doctrinal of reason, this of faith. 1. We should remember what Christ endured we deserved, Isa. 53. 5. 2. There is no sinne light that was so heavy on Christ, Matth. 27. 46. he mourned for our sins, and shall not we our selves mourn, and throw away those sins that stabbed him to the heart? Certè patientem Christum nemo luget veriùs, quàm qui ea, ob quae passus est Christus, odisse incipit. Drexel. Aetern. prod. c. 2. Sect. 23. 3. It is a great matter to recover a lost sinner. 4, We should love our own souls, and the souls of others, since Christ manifested such love to our souls. 5. We should not crosse the ends of Christs suffering: 1. He died to redeem you from this present evil world. 2. To destroy the works of Satan. We should live to him.Lam 1:12Zech 12:10Luke 23:28Luke 23:2Phil 3:8Phil 3:10Isa 53:5Isa 53:2Matt 27:46 He suffered much in his body, but his chief sufferings were in his soul, Isa. 53. 10, 11, 12. He took our soul as well as body, and came to redeem it, that being the chief part, Quicquid induit Christus, obtulit. He suffered

1. As a publick person, as the second Adam, Rom. 5. 14.

2. For our sakes and benefit, Isa. 53. he is said six times to bear our iniquities.

3. Not only for our good, but in our room, Heb. 7. 22. not onelyonly nostro bono, but nostro loco, 1 Tim. 2. 6. Mat. 20. 28. for otherwise he should have suffered no more then other men; the Martyrs suffered for the good of the Church, Col. 1. 24. 2 Tim. 2. 10.

4. He took upon him the burden of our sins by way of imputation, 1 Pet. 2. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 21.

Smite on your brests, and say, For my worldlinesse, anger, all these evils befell my Saviour: Lord, for thy mercy sake in Christ pardon and heal me, Shall I pollute my body with uncleannesse, when Christ suffered so bitter things? Shall I ever be angry again? O Lord by thy grace I will not: Let me have thy power to kill these sins. See the strictnesse of divine justice, and the dreadfulnesse of Gods wrath, God spared not his own Sonne, and when his Fathers wrath lighted on his soul, he was much troubled, and the great evil of sinne, it caused Christs humane nature to be …raid, Matth. 26. 38. The desert of sinne is seen in Christs suffering,

p. 7181. In respect of the person who suffered for it, Gods only Son who never provoked him. Iohn 3. 16. Rom. 8. 31.

2. In respect of the penalties he underwent for sinne, it made him to cry, sweat and pour out strong supplications, Isa. 53. 10.

The Law shewed the filthinesse and evil of sinne by the many Sacrifices and aspersions of bloud which it required, but they were of beasts and their bloud; but the Gospel shews the demerit of sinne more fully, and how odious it is to God, since Christ must die to expiate it, and also the abundant love both of the Father in delivering his own Sonne to death for the salvation of sinners, Iohn 3. 16. 1 Iohn 4. 9, 10. Rom. 8 32. and of Christ in taking upon him our nature, and in exposing himself to so much misery here on earth, and at last to an accursed death for us, Phil. 2. 7, 8. We are to remember Christ in the Sacrament:

1. Because the Lord will have in the Sacrament of the New Testament, the great end of the Passeover to be accomplisht, Exod. 12. 14.

2. That we may answer the goodnesse of Christ to us, he hath us alwayes actually in remembrance, Exod. 28. 21, 29.

3. Because if we have any benefit by this Sacram nt God must remember Christ for us.

4. Upon our actual and affectionate remembrance of Christ depends all our benefit by this Sacrament.

We have dispatched the examination of our sins, in the next place our graces are to be examined. The graces that must be tried **… are some particular cases, wherein it is not safe for some particular persons at that time, … in … to p…t them to try themselves by signs. But for the general it is necessary, and the duty of all people to …ok to signs, and to try themselves by them. M. Hooker on Rom. 8. 10.Rom 8:10and examined, are our Knowledge, Faith, Re…, Love, and hungring after Christ, the truth, growth or wants of them, … examined. The truth of them. 1. Knowledge. The words, examine, shew forth, discern and judge, all betokenA two-sold knowledge is required of every receiver, 1. A di…cernning of the body and bloud of Christ, he must be able in some competent measure to understand the Doctrine, Nature, Use and End of a Sacrament, by whom it was instituted, and why and for what end, 1 Cor. 11. 29. they were to instruct their children what this and that action signified in the Passeover. 2. Of himself, implied in the duty commanded of examining our selves.1 Cor 11:29 knowledge. We must get Knowledge:

1. Of the Law of God.

2. Of the Doctrine of Redemption by Jesus Christ.

3. Of the Nature, Necessity and Use of the Lords Supper.

We must know our estate by nature and by grace:

1. Because otherwise we cannot be thankful to God for his benefits as we ought.

2. In the Sacrament Christ is offered, and the Covenant sealed. By nature we are dead in sin and bondslaves of Satan, by grace we come to be children of God, and heirs of salvation.

We must know what the elements and actions in the Sacrament signifie. That the bread signifies the body of Christ, and the wine his bloud, that the breaking of bread betokens the crucifying of Christ, that the giving of the bread and wine notes the action of God the Father offering Christ to all and bestowing him effectually upon every worthy receiver, the receiving of the bread and wine signifies our receiving and feeding upon Christ by faith. 2. Faith is required in those that come worthily to the Supper of the Lord. There must be an active and lively faith in the Sacrament to take Christ by an a of confidence, and give up our selves by an act of resignation. p. 719The great spiritual graces of the Gospel are Faith and Love:

1. Faith is the great command of the Gospel, Believe in the Lord Iesus.

2. It is the great promise of the Gospel, Ephes. 2. 8.

3. It is the great condition on which all the promises hang, Isa. 79. Heb. 11. 6.

Faith empties the soul more of it self then all other graces, it gives all the glory to God, Rom. 4. 20. and often besides in that Chapter. It is the eye of the soul whereby we discern Christ, Heb. 11. 1. 2 Cor. 4. …lt. it is the stomack of the soul. Christ describes believing by hungring and thirsting, it is the foot of the soul whereby we approach unto Christ, Heb. 10. 22. He that comes unto me shall never hunger, and he that beleeves in me shall never thirst. It is our hand to imbrace the promises, Heb. 11. 30. therefore believing is often called eating and drinking, Iohn 6. He that eats my flesh and drinks my bloud hath eternal life. Gal. 2. 30. Faith makes Christ precious, 1 Pet. 2. 7. and the soul also to Christ, 2 Pet. 1. 2. Faith is an assent to all truths revealed, yet the special act of justifying faith is our closing with Christ, our rolling our selves on him. It is a cleaving to the whole word of God, and an obediential resting upon Christ alone for salvation. This is the only grace that jus…ifieth, Whom he hath set forth for our propitiation through faith in his bloud. No grace brings so much comfort to the soul, The just shall live by his faith. Reasons why we must bring faith to the Sacrament:Edere Christum est credere in Christum. Qu…d paras dentem & ventrem? Crede tantùm & manducasti. August. 1. It is the Table of the Lord, therefore none must be admitted, but those which are of his family, Gal. 6. 16. Christ hath instituted it that he might give himself by it, he gives himself only to his members, true believers. 2. It is a seal of the Covenant of grace, therefore belongs to none but such as are in Covenant, none are in Covenant with God and Christ but believers, 1 Iohn 3. 24. 3. Because the Sacrament was instituted for the confirming and further strengthening of our faith, it begets not faith but presupposeth it, Rom. 10. 14,He that comes without faith, receives Sacramentum, not …em Sacramenti. Iesus Christus, isque crucifixus, debet esse proprium sidei nostrae objectum. Rivetus Instruct. Praepar. ad Coenam Domini, cap 10. 17. & 4. 11. 4. The word profits not without faith in them that hear it, Heb. 4. 2. the samePrayer profits not without faith, Rom. 10, 13, 14. Mark 11. 24. Luk. 18 lat. end. Mark 9. 23.Rom 10:13Rom 10:14Mark 11:24Luke 18Mark 9:23 thing is held forth in both. Christ is held forth in the Word sounding to the ear, and offered in the Sacrament by the promise, there he is visible to the eye of faith, Iohn 3. 14, 15. and is offered for spiritual nourishment. Faith is the hand and mouth of the soul, whereby we receive and feed on Christ, Iohn 1. 12. Iohn 6. 19. In bodily feeding there is, 1. Sense of want, so in spiritual of the want of Christ. 2. Apprehension of the sutablenesse of the food to ones condition, soFaith only makes up the union between Christ and us, John 6. 56. The people of God have a four-fold glorious sight in this life, John 14. 20. 2 Cor. 5. 19. 1. They see God in Christ. 2. They see Christ in God. 3. They see Christ in themselves. 4. They see themselves in Christ. See Rom. 8. 9, 10.John 6:56John 14:202 Cor 5:192 Cor 5:1Rom 8:9Rom 8:10 here. 3. Appetite, earnest desire in the soul after Christ. 4. Taking of food, so the soul of Christ. 5. Eating. 6. Digesting. 7. Distribution of the nourishment. 5. No benefit is to be expected from any Ordinance but by faith, Christ himself profits not unbelievers, Tit. 1. 15. we cannot receive the Sacrament to our comfort without it. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Of all Texts in the Scripture there is none so full for the trial of this grace as this, here are three several words to presse this duty. Interpreters generally say, the meaning is, whether you have faith or not, but this is a higher expression, Acts 8. 33. Rom. 8. 8, 9. We say of a very malicious man, such a one is in malice; and of one that is drunk, such a one is in drink. 1 Pet. 1. 7. The trial of Faith is precious,

1. By this trial we attain to a certainty.

2. By this it attains purity: God tries it by affliction, men by examination, by both it is refined.

3. The trial of gold is but for a little time, By faith you lay hold on eternal life; the purer the faith, the surer the hold.

4. By trying it hath a higher esteem, Revel. 3. 18. The trial of gold makes it the p. 720more precious in your esteem, and the trial of Faith makes it more precious in Gods esteem.

Marks of Faith. First, Know whence we had Faith, God gives it, and whether we have receivedCommon people say, they have believed as long as they can remember, and they thank God they never doubted. While men are in their natural condition they think it is nothing to believe in Christ, though they walk contrary to him, but when sinne is fully discovered, and one sees the severity of Gods justice, it is then hard to believe. it in the ordinary way by which God▪ works it, the Word, Iam. 1. 18. Faith comes by hearing, and it is increased by the same means by which it is begotten, Dost thou highly prize the Word? Hath it wrought Faith in thee? Secondly, Try by what steps and degrees faith hath been wrought in thee.

1. Such see their misery by sinne, and their inability to help themselves, Acts 2. 37.

2. God reveals to such the excellency of Christ. He is held forth to us as every way able to do us good, Isa. 55. 1. hereby one is brought to deny himself and his duties, and to have recourse to him, and rest on him for comfort.

Thirdly, From the effects, where Faith is it will shew it self.

1. It purifieth the heart, he is clean in heart and life, 2 Cor. 7. 1. Acts 26. 9. & 18.

2. Overcomes our spiritual enemies, the world, This is the victory whereby we overcome the world, viz our Faith, John 5. 4. Satan, 1 Iohn 2. 18. & 5. 18. Gal. 5. 6.

3. It works by love, Ephes. 1. 15.

Fourthly, True faith is ever growing, a true faith may be weak, but all livingRom. 1. 17. 2 Thess. 1. 3.Rom 1:172 Thess 1:3 things grow though one do not perceive it. Do you trust God now the better for the many experiences you have of him? Art thou sensible of thy doubting and unbelief? Motives to perswade men to believe: Consider,

1. Who offers Christ, God, how will he take it if he be refused?Consider 1. Thy natural estate is a state of death & damnation, John 3. 18. Gal. 3. 23. 2. So long as thou abidest out of Christ thou abidest in death, John 3. 36. 1 Joh. 3. 14. All sins de merito, are damnable, they deserve death, but not de facto, no sinne necessarily brings death but unbelief, because it keeps a man off from Christ the fountain of life, John 6. 5, 7. 3. Thou canst not be the fountain of thine own life. 4. Life is to be had in no other but Christ, John 5. 40. 5. There is no way of having life from him, but by union with him, 1 John 5. 12. the first thing that grace puts forth in the soul, is an instinct after union. Faith is an instinct put in by the teaching of the Father after union with Christ.John 3:18Gal 3:23Gal 3:2John 3:361 John 3:14John 6:5John 6:7John 6:3John 5:40John 5:51 John 5:12

2. The gift, the greatnesse of the good offered in the Gospel, Heb. 2. 2, 3. 1 Tim. 1. 13.

3. The excellencies of faith, but that I have shewed before.

4. The hainousnesse of infidelity, 1 Iohn 5. 10. a sin both against the Law and Gospel. The first Commandment commands us to believe what ever God shall reveal, it is the condemnation, with a witnesse, Iohn 3. 2. it exposeth us to the temptations of Satan, Heb. 3. 12. 2. To the fearful judgements of God, Iohn 3. ul…. to his displeasure, Prov. 15. 8. Heb. 11. 7. to eternal wrath, Iohn 3. 17. Mark 16. 16. 3. It makes all the Ordinances of God ineffectual, the Word, Heb. 3. 2. afflictions, the Sacrament, 1 Cor. 11. 29.

5. The willingnesse of God to receive a poor sinner.

1. God alone provided the medicine that should cure us, Rom. 3. 24.

2. He wrote it in the Gospel, this is a true saying.

3. Propounds Christ, hath set him forth.

4. Invites sinners, Matth. 11. 1 Cor. 5. 20. He commands you to believe, 1 Ioh. 3. 23. threatens if you refuse, Iohn 3. ult.

6. Christ consented to all this, he voluntarily came into the world to save sinners,The sole way to get this supernatural grace is with hearty …amenting of its absence and weakness to beg it of him who is able to work it in the heart, and to feed and nourish it by a continual meditation of his greatness and great works which he hath formerly wrought for our confirmation. he hath paid the ransome, hath promised that those which come to him he will in no wise cast away.

Means to get and improve or strengthen faith:

1. To get it.

p. 7211. Labour to see your selves in a lost condition.

2. Know that there is no way in the world to save you but by Christ.

3. Bewail your condition to God, tell him that you are a lost creature, and say, Lord, help me to believe.

4. Plead the promises, there are promises of grace as well as to grace; say, Lord, thou hast said thou wilt be merciful, and why not to me?

5. Wait upon God in the use of the means, hearing and the like, Rom. 10. Acts 10. 44.

2. To improve and strengthen it.

You that have faith, labour to improve it, 2 Thess. 1. 3, 4.

I shall premise four Cautions:

1. There is a common, dead faith, an ungrounded presumption gotten by the devil and mens false hearts, which is rather to be destroyed then increased. When men put all their confidence in Christ, and yet can live in all kinde of ungodlinesse, whereas true faith is wrought by the Spirit of God, and brings forth a holy life.

2. Among true believers there are several sizes as it were of faith, some are strong and some weak in the faith.

3. The weakest faith, if true, will certainly save the soul, the weakest believer is united to Christ, adopted, reconciled, justified, hath the Spirit, all promises belong to him, and shall partake of glory.

4. There is none of Gods servants in this world do attain so much faith as they might, the Apostles Luke 17. 5. make this their joynt Petition, Lord increase our faith.

1. It increaseth in the use of it, To him that hath shall be given. Spiritual things increase by exercise.

2. Diligently attend on all the Ordinances, and treasure up experiences.

3. Study thy self daily, see what a wretched, worthlesse creature thou art, what a dead barren heart thou hast, real self-abhorring makes a man to hang on Christ.

4. The more thou knowest Christ, the more thou wilt believe in him, Psal. 9. 9. study to know Christs person, Offices, the tenour and indulgence of the Covenant of Grace.

5. Labour to get some evidence of the work of faith in thee, that thou art in a league of love with Christ: if the wayes of Christ be sutable to thy Spirit, and the bent of thy heart be against all sins, and especially thy bosome sinne, it is a good sign.

6. Remove all impediments.

II. Repentance.

It is taken sometimes largely, and so it comprehends all the three parts of Conversion, Contrition, Faith and new Obedience.

2. Strictly for contrition alone, Act. 13. 24.Poenitentia est dolor de peccato cum adjunct… proposito melioris vitae. Luth. in loc. commun. de poenitentia. All the Sermons of the Prophets and Apostles run on this, Christ commanded his Disciples to preach it. It is one of the two parts of the Gospel, the summe of the Gospel is Faith & Repentance.

In General, it is a turning from sinne to God: Or thus,

It is a supernatural work of Gods Spirit, whereby the humbled converted sinner doth turn from all sinne with grief and detestation of it, because thereby God is offended, and to the wayes of God, loving and embracing them, and resolving to walk in them for the time to come.

1. The efficient cause or authour of repentance is Gods Spirit, Acts 1. 51. & 11. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 18. it is a supernatural work, such a work as never is nor can be wrought in any but by the almighty work of Gods Spirit in a way above corrupt nature, Ier. 31. 18, 19. A man can do something toward legal duties, but one hath no principle for evangelical duties, but something against them.

2. The Subject in whom this grace of repentance is found (say some) is an humbled and converted sinner, 1. Humbled, that is, legally sensible of the misery it is brought to by sinne. 2. Converted, that is, by God, one whose inward man is changed, Ezek. 25. 26. Repentance seems rather to precede conversion, Act. 3. 19. though full Repentance be Conversion.

3. The general nature of it, a turning with the terms from which and to which, p. 722an aversion from sin, and a conversion to God, Ioel 2. 12. Ezek. 16▪ lat. end.

4. The manner of it, with detestation of sinne with delight in Gods will andIt is Praeterita peccata plangere, & plangenda non committere. Aug. wayes, Hos. 14. 8▪ Surely, shall one say, in the Lord I shall finde righteousnesse and peace. It is a mourn…ng for sinne as sinne, as it is offensivum Dei, aversivum à Deo, as it is an act of disobedience, an act of unkindnesse.

There are several kindes of Repentance:It's secunda ta bula post naufragium▪ medicina est spiritualis animi vitiorum, say others. See M^r Calamy on Act. 17. 30. and Cameron on Mark 1. 15.Acts 17:30Mark 1:15

1. Antecedent, which goes before Remission and Justification, Acts 2. 38. & 3. 19. & 8. 22.

2. Consequent, Repentance, melting of the heart toward God after assurance of pardon, Luke 7. 47. 1 Tim▪ 1. 12, 13, 14. Ezek. 16. ult.

Initial Repentance when one is converted, Act. 8. 22.

2. Continual, Rom. 7. 24. Iohn 13. 10.

3. Personal or Ecclesiastical.

Some say the parts o… Repentance are to eschew evil and do good, Psal. 34. 15. Isa. 1▪ 15, 16. & 55. 7. Amos 5. 15. Rom. 12. 9.

In sinne there is an aversion from God, and a conversion to the creature.

2. In repentance there must be an aversion from the pleasures of sinne, and a returning to Communion with God. The vertue and grace of Christ is not onelyonly to mortifie but vivifie, Rom. 6. 11. Sinne must be mortified before the image of God can be superinduced into the soul, Col. 1. 13. In renouncing of sinne four affections are to be exercised, true humiliation is begun in fear, continued in shame, carried on in sorrow, and ends in indignation.

1. Fear ariseth from application of the curse to the provocation, we compare the sins we have committed with the threatnings of the Word, Iob 22. 23. Heb. 12. 28. Shame ariseth from comparing filthinesse, Psal. 73. 22. Ezra 9. 6. Rom. 6. 21. Sorrow ariseth from thoughts of Gods goodnesse and our own unkindenesse, Zach. 12. 10. Ezek. 36. 31. Luke 7. 47. Indignation (the highest act of hatred) ariseth from the unsutablenesse of it to our interest in Christ, Isa. 30. 22. Hos. 14. 8. Rom. 6. 2. Fear looks on sinne as damning, shame looks on it as defiling, sorrow looks on it as offensive to God, indignation looks on it as misbecoming our profession.

In turning to the Lord:

1. There is a serious and solemn consideration of our state and danger out of Christ, Psal. 22. 27. & 119. 59. Hab. 1. 5.

2. A firm resolution, Luk. 15. 18. Psal. 32. 5. & 119. 106.

3. A mutual exercise of holy affections, desire, hope and delight, Psalm. 119. 49.

4. A consecration or resignation of our selves to God, Rom. 12. 1. 2 Cor. 5. 16.

5. A constant care of making good our ingagement, Prov. 23. 26. Hos. 5. 4.

D^r Twisse against Corvinus saith, there are three parts of Repentance, The Confession of the mouth, Contrition of the heart, and Amendment of life.

M. Calamy on Acts 17. 3. p. 37. saith, it consists in five things:

1. There must be a true and right sense of sinne, as to Gospel-faith there must be a true sight of Christ, Iohn 6. 36. so to Gospel-repentance there must be a right sense of sin.

2. Sorrow for sin, a spirit of mourning goes along with Gospel-repentance, Zec. 12. 10. Ezek. 7. 16. Hos. 11. 12. a sorrow according to God, 2 Cor. 7. 10.Our sorrow for sin should be our▪ chiefest sorrow, because sin is the greatest evil; and it is so in respect of the intellectual part, and in respect of the displicency of the will, wherein the strength of repentance lieth.

3. A self-judging, Psal. 51. 4. condemning his acts, and judging himself worthy of all the curses of the Law.

4. A turning from sin to the Lord, Hos. 14. 8. Dan. 4. 27.

5. It must be grounded upon the apprehension and hope of mercy, Isa. 55. 7. Poenitentia non est sola contritio, sed sides, Luther. Therefore the Lutherans commonly make faith a part of repentance, it is the foundation of it, Non pars sed principium. P. Martyr.

One saith, True repentance consists in four things:

1. In a humble lamenting and bewailing of our sins, our sinful nature and wicked lives, whereby we are subject to Gods wrath and eternal death, even a giving our selves so to consider and feel the cursed effects of sinne, in that it angers God, p. 723and enforceth his justice to punish us, till it makes our hearts to ake and be troubled, perplexed and disquieted, 1 Sam. 7. 6. Psal. 38. 18. Ioel 2. 12. Iam. 4. 9. so David and Peter wept for their sins.

2. A confessing the same to God particularly, Prov. 28. 13. Psal. 32. 3, 5. judging our selves worthy to be destroyed therefore, and to perish eternally. David saith, I will confesse mine iniquity, and be sorry for my sin: And Iohn, If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins.

3. An earnest crying to God for pardon of sinne, and for power against it in theAccording to the multitude of thy mercies blot out all my offences, and create in me a new heart and a right spirit. Lord do away the sinne of thy servant, Petit. 5. name of Christ. David, Psal. 51. saith, Sprinkle me with hysop, that is, forgive me for his bloud sake whom that hysop represented. We must take words, and beseech the Lord to receive us graciously.

4. A hearty and sincere purpose to reform our heart and life, to cast away all our transgressions, to resist and forbear the practice of sinne in all things, and to exercise our selves in all righteousnesse, i. e. A firm purpose to leave all the evil that I know condemned, and to do all the good that I know required, a fixed resolution of heart so to do in consideration of Gods goodnesse and grace that hath sent Christ to save the penitent.

The Antinomians say, The Saints of God once justified and in Christ, need not repentance, they cry down this as an un▪Gospel-like practice, and dislike mourning for sinne, they would have nothing but faith in Christ, and rejoycing in him.

To be troubled for sinne (they say) is a dishonour to the grace of God and satisfaction of Christ, our repentance and humiliation indeed cannot satisfie God, Christ hath done that, laid down a price answerable to the debt, but the Lord hath inseparably annexed repentance and remission. Act. 2. 38. & 3. 19. & 8. 22. and he requires not only an initial repentance in reference to a mans state, but a daily repentance in reference to the acts of sinne, he must daily wash his feet. See Gal. 5. 31. The sinne against the holy Ghost is therefore unpardonable, because the Lord will not give repentance, Heb. 6.

Repentance is Evangelical, and a Duty in regenerate persons:

First, Because it is a fruit of the holy Ghost, Act. 11. 18.It is not only among the precepts but promises and priviledges of the Gospel, Act. 9. 18. Da pr…s poenitentiam postea indulgentiam. Fulgentius. They are therfore Ministers of the Gospel not legal preachers which preach repentance.Acts 9:18

Secondly, Because none but regenerate persons can perform it, to bewail sinne, and aggravate it, justifying God, condemning themselves, and laying hold on Christ.

Thirdly, The Gospel enjoyns it, and threatens the neglect of it. Some places joyn Repentance and pardon together, Act. 5. 31. Luke 24. 47. Some it and faith, Mar. 1. 15. Act. 20. 21.

Fourthly, Christ, Iohn Baptist and all the Apostles preacht repentance, Mat. 3. 2. & 4. 17. Mark 6. 12.

Fifthly, Because it may and doth work most kindely in and with faith, when they look upon Christ whom they have pierced, and consider that they have crucified him.

Sixthly, Because it conforms us to God and Christ, in hating and subduing sinne in us, it breedeth in us a loathing of sinne, and gives us a victory over it. What the Pump is to the Ship, Repentance is to the soul, it keeps it clean.

Seventhly, Because we have still flesh in us to be awed, as well as the Spirit in us to be cherished.There is one act of faith to be done once for all, to lay hold on Christ, and be united to him, and justified by him, yet I must live by it, and do every duty by it, so for repentance.

Object. Justification is but one indivisible act of grace pardoning all sins past, present and to come.

There is a two-fold forgivenesse:

1. In foro poli, in the Court of God, so all sins past, present and to come are actually pardoned at the first act of believing and repenting.

2. In foro soli, in the Court of Conscience, so they are not pardoned, we shall have no comfort or assurance of their pardon till we actually repent of them.

Repentance is a part of the exercise of our whole Christian conversation, and a work to be ordinarily practised, though there be one great and universal repentance for the change of our state. In Revel. 2. & 3. chap. among the duties God requires p. 724of the seven Churches which were all converted, of four of them he requires the exercise of repentance, Revel. 2. 5. & 3. 13, 19.

But there are some special seasons wherein God in a more special manner cals his people to repent, when he would have the practice of it more full and extraordinary, 2 Cor. 7. 11. when we should more strictly examine our selves, and our sorrow should be much inlarged, 1 Sam. 7. 6. Iudg. 2.

There are five special times for renewing of Repentance:

First, The time when Gods hand is upon us in any special correction.

1. God expects and requires it then, Isa. 22. the first 15 verses. Zeph. 2. begin.Isa. 27. 9. Jer. 2 19. Heb. 12. 11Isa 27:9Jer 2:19Heb 12:11

2. The servants of God have ordinarily practised it then, Ieremiah, Iob, David, Lam. 3. 39, 40.

3. God hath severely threatned them when they have not repented at such times, 2 Chron. 28▪ 22. Ier. 5. 3. Amos 4. The reason is, because the Lord hath appointed this exercise of repentance as the only means to remove the rod, or turn it to a blessing.

Secondly, Another special time when God would have his servants to renew their repentance, is upon their fall, when they have committed any grosse sin, as David after defiling Urijahs wife, Psal. 51. and when he had fallen into the sin of numbring the people, 2 Sam. 24. So Ezra 9. when the people had married with strange wives, they wept exceedingly. So when the Church of Corinth had wrapt themselves in the guilt of the incestuous persons sin, 2 Cor. 7. Peter when he had denied his Master. Our sorrow doth not make God amends, or pacifie his wrath when it is kindled; it is only a condition of the Covenant of Grace; the exercise of repentance, it satisfieth not God but the Church, it is a help to our own souls whereby our sins are subdued.

Thirdly, When the Lord cals any of his people to any special service that he would have them do for him and the Church, then they ought to renew their repentance: When God called his people to renew their Covenant, there was a special humiliation before, Ezra 8. 21. Isa. 6. When Ioshua was called to build theBefore the Supper and the offering of a childe in Baptism, then Christs death is represented. Rom. 6. 4. Gal. 3. 1.Rom 6:4Gal 3:1 Temple, and be an high-Priest to God, Zech. 3. When they were to come to the Sacrament they were to examine themselves thorowly and judge themselves, so Exod. 19. 14. Else our unworthinesse may stand as a bar that we shall not comfortably go on in the work of the Lord, Gen. 35. begin.

Fourthly, When we look to receive any special mercy, when we either need or expect by vertue of a promise, that God will do some great thing for us, as Isaac when he lookt for his Fathers servant to return with a wife. Dan. 9. The whole Chapter is the humblest exercise of repentance that we reade of, the occasion was, he expected that the Lord would now break the Babylonian yoke. Moses called the people to deep humiliation and repentance when they were to possesse the Land of Canaan.

Fifthly, The time of death, when we expect our change, then is a special time for the exercise of the duty of repentance, that is a fitter time to finish then begin repentanceaaOn a mans death-bed the day of repentance is past: for repentance being the renewing of a holy life, the living the life of grace, it is a contradiction to say, that a man can live a holy life upon his death-bed. D. Taylors Rule of holy living, chap. 4. Sect. 4. That place Ezek. 33. 14. is it which is so often mistaken for that common saying, At what time soever a sinner repents him of his sins from the bottom of his heart, I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance, saith the Lord. Let not that be made a colour to countenance a death-bed penitent. D. Taylor on Jer. 13. 16. Serm. 2. One may repent on his death-bed as well as the thief on the Crosse, but it is dangerous to put off repentance till then, it will be harder to come in. Its a rare sight (saith one) to finde a young man godly, and an old man penitent. We acknowledge that as God cals some at the first hour, so may some be called at the last hour of the day, yea inter pontem & fontem. D. Iackson indeed hath an opinion, that a man may proceed so farre in sin in this life that the door of repentance may be th…t upon him, none of our Divines deny the possibility of any mans Salvation while he lives in this world. D. Twiss ag. Hord. p. 45.Ezek 33:14Jer 13:16, then we should specially look to our hearts and examine our wayes. It was the commendation of the Church of Thyatira, that their last works were best; and it is the last time that we shall have to do with repentance; we carry love and joy to Heaven, and most of the Graces except Faith and Hope, there shall be no use of them; when we go hence we go to the greatest Communion with God that the creature is capable of. Esther the night or two before she went to lie with Ahashuerus, was most carefull to have her body perfumed and oiled.

p. 725Motives to provoke us to the practice of Repentance, two especially, which areThere is a Gospel-command to repent Mat 9. 13. Act. 17. 30. 2. The very space of repentance is a mercy and given you that you may repent, Revel. 2. 21. 3. It is the natural fruit of a regenerate heart, Ezek. 11. 19. 4. It is repentance to salvation, 1 Cor. 7. 10.Matt 9:13Acts 17:30Acts 17:2Rev 2:21Rev 2:3Ezek 11:19Ezek 11:41 Cor 7:10 the great Motives to any duty.

1. The necessity of it: 2. The Utility of it.

I. The Necessity of it.

Repentance is necessary to remission,

1. Necessitate praecepti, Ezek. 18. 30.

2. Necessitate medii, one must condemn his sinne, and loath himself, and prize a pardon afore he obtain it, Ezek. 20. 43. Luke 7. 47.

The Schoolmen demand, why repentance should not make God satisfaction, because it hath God for its object as well as sin, 2 Cor. 7. 10. The offence takes it measure from the object, the good duty from the subject, therfore Christ only could make satisfaction.

It is necessary, because every man must appear before the judgement seat of Christ, and receive an everlasting doom, and our plea must then be either that we have not sinned, or else that we have repented, Except ye repent ye shall all perish, while one remains impenitent, his person and services are abominable in the sight of God, Isa. 1. & Isa. 66. liable to all the curses written in the book of God. The Jews have a Proverb (saith Drusius) Uno die ante mortem poenitentiam agas, Repent one day before death, that is, every day, because thou maist die tomorrow.

There is an absolute necessity of Repentance for a fruitful and worthy receiving of the Sacrament.

First, Without this there can be no true desire to come to this Supper; Faith is the hand, Repentance the stomack; by a sight of sin we see our want and need of Christ.

Secondly, Without it there can be no fitnesse to receive Christ. We must eat this Passeover with bitter herbs.

Thirdly, All should labour to have assurance of the pardon of their sins, This Cup is the New Testament in my bloud for the remission of sins, without repentance there is no remission, Act. 5. 31.

Fourthly, Because sinne is of a soiling nature, and doth de…ile Gods Ordinance to a mans soul, and if we come in sinne, we cannot profit by the Lords Ordinance.

II. The Utility of it. The Necessity of it should work on our fear, the Utility of it on our love, the two great passions of the soul.

First, It is infinitely pleasing to Almighty God, Luke 15. per totum. the intentThere is more joy in heaven for one sinner that repents then for ninty nine that need no repentance, as if he had aimed at the Antinomians. of three Parables there is to shew what content it is to God to see a sinner to turn from his evil wayes, him that had lost his Groat, his Sheep, and the Prodigal Sonne.

Secondly, The benefit of it is unspeakable to thine own soul.

1. It will remove all evil:

1. Spiritual, all the guilt of sinne, and the defilement of it, 1 Iohn 1. lat. end. Isa. 1. 16, 17, 18. no more prejudice lies against thee then if thou hadst never sinned against him. Mary Magdalen was infamous for her uncleannesse, yet Christ first appeared to her after he rose from the dead, all the curses due to sin are laid on Christ.

2. Outward Evil, When I speak concerning a Nation, if they repent I will repent of all the evil I thought to do. See Ioel 2.

2. B…ing all Good, it brings Gods favour, that flows on the soul, God hath promised grace and means of grace to such, Ier. 3. 13, 14, 15. Prov. 1. 23. temporal blessing, Iob 22. Everlasting life is their portion, it is called Repentance unto life, Act. 11. 18. Unto Salvation, 2 Cor. …1. 10. it is a means conducing to that end.

Means of Repentance:

1. Diligently study to know how miserable your state is without it, reade over thy doings that have not been good every day. See the evil and danger of sin, Acts 2. 21. & 3. 17, 18. & 26. 18. Ier. 31. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 25.

2. Repentance is the gift of God**Act. 5. 31. & 11. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 12.Acts 5:31Acts 11:182 Tim 2:12, he granted also repentance to the Gentiles, beg earnestly at Gods hand that he would make sin bitter to thee, and cause thee to hate it, Zech. 12. they mourned apart, then God poured on the house of David the Spirit of supplication, Ier. 3. 18. Turn me Lord, and I shall be turned.

p. 7263. Attend upon the Ministery of the Word, the preaching of the Word is called the word of Repentance, the preaching of the Law, Gods word is a hammer to break the hard heart, especially the preaching of the Gospel, the discovery of Christ, They shall look on him whom they have pierced. Rom. 2. The goodnesse of God should leade thee to repentance.

4. Faith in the bloud of Christ; when thou seest thy self lost and undone, venture thy self upon the free grace of God revealed in the Gospel, faith in Christ will purifie the heart, Acts 15. that is, instrumentally, the holy Ghost is the principal agent, You have received the Spirit by the preaching of faith.

Three things are required in Repentance:

1. The sight of sin by the Law.

2. Hearty and continual sorrow for sin by considering the filthinesse and desert of it, Gods judgements due for sin, his mercies bestowed on us, Christs suffering for our sins, our own unthankfulnesse notwithstanding Gods benefits.

3. Amendment, an utter and well-advised forsaking of all sin in affection, and of grosse sin in life and conversation.

Renewing of Repentance, lies

1. In renewing a mans humiliation and godly sorrow.

2. In renewing his obligation to duty.

The consideration of our Saviours death for our sins should be unto us a most powerful motive to repentance. Two things are necessary in the point of repentance, for sins past to confesse and lament them before God, humbly craving pardon, and for the time to come to reform and amend our lives, casting away all our transgressions, and applying our selves to all holinesse and righteousnesse.

Now to the performance of this duty the death of Christ must needs be to him that considers of it, the most effectual argument and mighty motive in the world. Do we not here see that the sins we have lived in are most loathsome to God, for had he not hated them with infinite hatred, would he have inflicted such horrible punishments upon our Saviour his only Son by them? Do we not see that they are most dangerous to our selves, exposing us to the suffering of intollerable evils, unlesse by vertue of Christs death we be freed from them, which can never be but upon our Repentance. God hath in the death of Christ discovered such infinite abomination of sin, and withall such infinite grace to the sinner, that this should prevail with us. Paul saith, All we which are baptized into Christ are baptized into his death, and we are buried with him by baptism into his death, and we are crucified together with him, that the body of sinne may be abolished. We must be made partakers of the death of Christ, if ever we will be made partakers of his resurrection; we must be made conformable to his death, if ever we will live and reign with him.

Marks to know whether our repentance be right:

1. If it be speedy and without delay, Satan alwayes saith, it is either too soonWhosoever hath truly repented is, 1. Low in his own eyes, so Paul. 2. Fears sin ever after, Eccl. 9. 2. 3. Is pitiful to others in their fals, Gal. 6. 1. 4. There will be a growth in the contrary with grace, Jer. 4. 14. Dan. 4. 27. Mat. 3. 9.Eccl 9:2Eccl 9:3Gal 6:1Gal 6:4Jer 4:14Dan 4:27Matt 3:9 to repent, as in youth; or too late as in old-age.

2. Constant, not cast it aside, because we repented at our first conversion.

3. Voluntary, and so a filiall not a forced repentance, voluntary repentance speaks love to God, forced love to our selves.

4. It must be deep and thorow repentance sutable to our sins: the greatest sinners if gracious, have the greatest sorrow, and their joy is the more full after, Psa. 22. 4. 2 Sam. 14. 14.

III. Love.

This is a special grace of the Gospel, it is a longing desire for the good of our brethren, or a willing that good to one which is proper to him.

There is a double Union:

First, Mystical with Christ the Head by faith, and with one another by love.

Secondly, Moral, an agreement in judgement and affection, Ioh. 17. 11. See 21, 22, 23. v. Act. 4. 32.

Christ was,

1. Incarnate for this end, that his people might be one, Ephes. 1. 10.

2. This is often inculcated in Christs Sermons, Iohn 15. 17. He came from heaven p. 727on purpose to propound to us a patern of charity, Ephes. 5. 2. Unity is the beauty, strength and safety of the Church, Act. 1. 14. See Isa. 11. 6.

3. Christ died for this end, Isa. 2 15, 16.

4. Christ aimed at this in his Ascention and pouring out of his Spirit, Ephes. 4. 5.

5. It is the end of Christs Ordinances in the Church, of Baptism, 1 Cor. 12. 13. and of the Lords Supper, 1 Cor. 10. 17.

Every one is bound to love four things, saith Augustine.

First, God who is the chiefest good, and therefore deserves the chiefest love.

Secondly, Himself, God gives no commandment for one to love himself, because he commands one to love God as the chiefest good, and so to love him as to enjoy him, which one cannot do without love of himself.

Thirdly, To love man as man, 1 Thess. 3. 12.

Fourthly, To love all the **1 Thess. 4. 10 1 John 3. 14.1 Thess 4:101 John 3:14Saints, the brotherhood, 1 Pet. 3. 17. those which love Saints as Saints, or because Saints, must needs love them all, Ephes. 1. 15. Col. 1. 4. Philem. 5. Our love must be,

1. Sincere or without hypocrisie, Rom. 12. 9. it is so when we cleave to what ever is good in him, and abhor what is evil in him.

2. Fervent, 1 Pet. 1. 22.

3. Constant, a friend loveth at all times.

We must also love our enemies, Matth. 5. 44, 45.

It is reported of Iohn, that in his old-age being unable by weaknesse to speakMandatum novum dicitur, quia excellentissimum, & quod nunquam antiquari debet. Rivet. long unto the Congregation, he would stand up, and …n stead of a long Sermon ingeminate this precept, Diligite filioli, diligite, Little children love, love one another. The subject of his Epistle is love, 1 Iohn 3. 18. He is called the beloved Disciple, because he was so full of it himself.

Christ cals it the new Commandment, because excellent, or because solemnlyRom. 13. 10. See 1 John 4. 20. & 3 17. Mat. 7. 12.Rom 13:101 John 4:201 John 3:17Matt 7:12 renewed by him, Iohn 13. 34. These are my Commandments that you love one another, This is the great grace which distinguisheth the children of light from the children of darknesse, Iohn 13. 35. He that loves not is not of God.

There are high Elogies of it, 1 Cor. 17.

We must love our neighbour as our selves, Iam. 2. 8. We must neither wish nor do them any more hurt then we would wish or do to our selves.

2. We should really promote his good as our own, 1 Cor. 10 24. We are, 1. To pray for them, Heb. 13. 3. 2. Counsel them, Heb. 3. 13. 3. Relieve them in their wants, Mat. 25. lat. end.

The Sacrament is a Seal of our Communion, that we are all one bread and one body.

It is evident that Christ upon his death instituted that Supper; As, to be a sealNon est aliud peccatum aequè buic Sacramento adversum, atque discordia. Contrarium est enim & nomini, & rei hujus Sacramenti, nomen est communio, res unitas cordium. Luther. de praeparatione cordis pro susciptenda sacra Eucharistia. Ex convi…andi ritu in locis sacris foreign Christianorum traxerunt originem: quarum non apud Apostolos solos, sed patrum etiam cruditissimos crebra sit mentio. Coena nostra de nomine rationem sui ostendit▪ Vocatur foreign, id quod dilectio penes Graecos est. Tertul. Apolog. Dilher. Elect lib. 1. cap. 12. Cùm ex charitate diligatur proximus propter Deum, quanto aliquis magis diligat Deum, tanto etiam magis ad proximum dilectionem ostendit, nulla inimicitia impediente. Sicut si aliquis multum diligeret aliquem hominem, amore ipsius, silios ejus amaret, etiam inimicos sibi. Aquin. 2a, 2ae. Q. 25. Art. 8. of that Covenant of grace between God and us, ratified thereb…; So also to be a communion, the highest outward pledge, ratification and testimony of love and amity among his members themselves. M. Thomas Goodwins, Christ the universal Peace-maker. part. 2. Sect. 2.

Yet the great wall of separation between the Papists and us, is the Sacrament of the Altar, and those that are called Lutherans and Calvinists the Lords Supper.

And this is a grace pressed with the like necessity toward man, that saith is toward God.

The Christians in the Primitive Church did kisse each other at the Sacrament; this was called Osculum pacis, the kisse of peace in sign of love. D. Clerk.

Some keep themselves from the Sacrament, because they are not in charity.

These men shew manifest contempt to Christ and his blessed Ordinance, that rather then they will forsake their malice they will want it.

p. 7282. Such professe they will live still in malice, and have no desire to be reconciled, for if they had they need not refuse to receive, 2 Cor. 8. 12.

The Love-feasts were appointed to signifie their mutual love one to another, they were immediately before the receiving of the Sacrament, 1 Cor. 11. 21. S^t Chrysostome makes the love-feasts to be after the taking of the Eucharist. They were used to have a great Feast, to which all the poor people were invited on the charges of the rich. This they did partly in imitation of our Saviour, who institutedFuller. the Sacrament after a full Supper, and partly in expression of their perfect love towards all men.

These Agapae, or Love feasts of the ancient Christians, were so called of their end and purpose, or effect. Albeit they had divine Toleration, yet they had not divine Institution and Introduction. For it is not shewed out of holy Writ, or consent of Antiquity, that they were commanded by Christ or his Apostles warrant. We may well say they had: for without check or controlment of their use, without alteration for their being, they were in the Apostles times, and thereMountag. Def. of tithes ag. M. Selden, c. 2. is mention of them in Scripture; only they are taxed that did abuse them, and made themselves unworthy of such holy meetings. S^t Paul is commonly understood of these Feasts, 1 Cor. 11. 18. which were concomitant unto the holy Sacrament then, but S^t Iude in expresse words doth name them, vers. 12. Maculae in Agapis vestris. Both prove but a practice abused, and reformed again by S^t Paul, not an Ordination from God or the Apostles. These Love-feasts were general meetings of the whole Church, at least representative of as many as did communicate, unlesse some great occasion did with hold them.

IV. Hungring after Christ, and desire of Gods favour.

We must come poor and hungry to the Lords Table, Psal. 132. 15. Luke 14. 13. Revel. 3. 17, 18. The promises are made to the hungry. Isa. 55. 1. & 45. 19. Prov. 21. 21. Luke 1. 50. Mat. 5. 3. Ier. 31. 25. Iohn 6. 44. Heb. 7. 25.

Luthers paradox is, None come worthy, but those that come unworthy, that is,Lutherus quadam concione ait Eum ad coenam Domini optimè dispositum venire, qui pessimè fuerit dispositus, eum dignè manducare, qui indignitatem suam agnoverit. in their own sense and feeling.

Hunger and thirst imply,

1. A want of those things which should support our bodily life.

2. An afflicting sense of the want.

3. An eager desire of the supply of it.

So we must apprehend:

1. Our own emptinesse, our lost condition.

2. We must be sensible of the wrath of God due to us for our sins.

3. We must earnestly desire Gods favour, to be reconciled to him.

Hunger and thirst are both expressed, Iohn 6. 44. to shew the thorownesse of the apprehension and supply.

Reasons.

1. These only can relish Christ, he is sweet to hungry souls, Matth. 11. 28. Those that are affected with the sense of their sins can best taste of Gods mercy.

2. These only suit with Christ, Follow me for I am lowly and meek.

3. This will awake desires, the hunger-bitten beggar will be importunate with God.

4. This will make you welcome to God, He fils the hungry with good things. Open thy mouth wide and he will fill it, Isa. 44. 3. Psal. 145. 15. compared with the 19.

We must desire Gods favour heartily and continually, because

1. It is necessary, for it were better for one not to be, then to be out of Gods favour.

2. Because it is excellent, for Gods favour and the light of his countenance is better then life it self.

That we may stir up this desire in us, we must consider

1. Our need of Christ his fulnesse and perfection.

2. The necessity and excellency of the Sacrament.

3. The benefits we have therein, and the helps thereby to quicken and confirm our faith.

p. 729Having dispatched the consideration of the truth of certain graces we are to examine before we come to the Lords Table; I shall in the next place speak of the growth or wants of our graces.

I. Of the growth of our Graces.

As we ought to examine our selves of the truth of our graces when we go to the Lords Supper, so likewise of their growth and strength: true grace will grow.

The Lords Supper is a sealing and strengthening Ordinance, therefore presupposeth2 Tim. 2. 1.2 Tim 2:1 life, we should then know the degree and strength of our graces.

Grace is a supernatural and peculiar quality wrought in the people of God byGrace is an instinct put into the soul after union with Christ, and with God by him. his Spirit, whereby they are inabled to please God in all things.

1. A quality in us, sometimes it signifieth grace in God, Being justified freely by his grace.

2. Supernatural, inableth us to do things above nature.

3. Peculiar, to distinguish it from common graces in reprobates which are supernatural, as the grace of God working miracles.The Familists say, Grace is Christ himself working in us, that there are no habits of grace, we do not believe and repent, but Christ in us, there is a seed in a man, 1 John 3. 9. Grace is called the new-creature, the inward man, the Spirit and grace are distinguished, Gal. 5. 22. 2 Pet. 3, 18. This duty suits with our present state, we are in a state of progresse and edifying, 1 Thess. 4. 1. Prov. 4. 181 John 3:9Gal 5:222 Pet 3:181 Thess 4:1Prov 4:18

4. Wrought in us by the Spirit, it is not in us by nature or education, it is the grace of God, he is the God of all grace.

5. To please God in all things, we must have respect to all his Commandments.

The Scripture speaks much of abounding and growing in grace, Psal. 92. 12. 1 Cor. 15. 58.

The word abounding is taken from rivers, the other from all sorts of vitals or plants. The Apostle cals upon the Corinthians to be strong, and upon Timothy to be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus, and upon the Ephesians, to be strong in Christ, and in the power of his might. Paul prayes for the Ephesians, that according to the riches of his grace the Lord would strengthen them by his Spirit with all might in the inward man. Bodily strength is a natural gift common to man with beast, yet many brag of it, spiritual strength is far more excellent. See Heb. 10. 29. Ephes. 4. 15.

There is alwayes a furthermore in Christianity, 1 Thess. 4. 1. Ubi incipis nolle fieri melior, ibi etiam de sinis esse bonus. Bern. Epist. 91.

Reasons why Christians should strive to grow in grace.

First, God commands it, Phil. 1. 12. Ephes. 3. 19. Colos. 2. 19. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Heb. 6. 1.

Secondly, God commends it, O woman great is thy faith. Stephen was full of the holy Ghost, Acts 9. 36.

Thirdly, The Saints of God have practised it, 1. Prayed for the increase of grace, Phil. 3. 11. 2. Laboured for the increase of it.

Fourthly, From the similitudes to which a childe of God is compared in Scripture, to trees, Psal. 1. 2. & 91. 12. Isa. 61. 3. Hos. 14. 5. Plants grow till they die, whence they are called vegetables.

Fifthly, From the nature of grace, where there is truth of grace it will grow, Matth. 13. 8. because it puts a man into Christ, whosoever is in him must needs be fruitful, Iohn 15. 5. if the body of Christ did not grow as well as the head it would be a monstrous body, Col. 2. 19. Ephes. 2. 10.

Sixthly, According to the measure of your grace shall be the degree of your glory, 2 Pet. 1. 10. He that soweth liberally shall reap liberally.

Motives to get strength and grow in grace:

1. We need more strength, Revel. 3. 9. Grace is the elevation of the soul.

2. It is more honourable to have a great measure of grace, Revel. 2. 19. Christ checks his Disciples for their little faith.

3. If we grow not in grace we decrease, Heb. 6. 1. compared with v. 4. All Christians (saith Ierome) are like the Angels in Iacobs ladder, they all ascended or descended, Qui dixit sufficit deficit. 1 John 3. 3.

4. Fruitfull Christians are in a happy condition, Heb. 6. 7. God is much honoured by them, Iohn 15. 5, 8. Phil. 1. 11. he will delight to dwell with them, at p. 730the day of judgement they shall receive publick approbation and remuneration, Matth. 25. 23.

Marks of the growth of grace:

1. It is a proportionable growth, a growth in all the parts, our faith is sutable to our knowledge, our love to our faith, and practice to both.

2. Constant, at least in our desires and endeavours.

3. It will grow against all hinderances.

The infallible Signs of growth in grace, are these

1. When we grow more spiritual:

1. In our aims, when we have pure intentions in every action.

2. In our duties, when the minde is more enlightened to minde spiritual duties, and to resist spiritual temptations, when we oppose thoughts and lusts, not only morally but spiritually evil, and when we relish the more spiritual part of the Word, 1 Cor. 10. 6.

3. In our motives, when we resist sin, not because it will damn us, but because it is against Gods law, purity, and defiles us.

2. When we grow more solid and judicious, 1 Cor. 13. 11. Phil. 1. 9. Growth is not to be measured by the intensnesse and vigour of the affections, that is more in young Christians.

3. When we grow more humble, by long experience reflexive light is increased, one is more able to look into conscience, and see his own defects, Prov. 30. 2.

The lowest degree of growth in grace may be discerned by two Marks:

1. By longing for food, 1 Pet. 2. 2.

2. By being humbled for want of growth, Mark 9. 24. It is a good degree of our growth in grace to see how much we want.

There is difference between growth in gifts and graces, 1 Cor. 1. 5, 7. Many in these dayes grow in gifts: gifts are for others, and but for this life: growth in gifts often puffeth up, but growth in grace humbleth.

A Christian may grow either quoad amplitudinem scientiae, or efficaciam scientiae, the enlargement of his knowledge may be both in respect of the matter, he may know more things then he did, as also in the manner, more clearly, evidently and firmly then he did, or else in the efficacy of his knowledge, he knoweth them more practically.

2. Means of our spiritual Growth:

1. General, the Word, 1 Pet. 2. 2. it is compared to rain, Deut. 32. 2. and such things as will further growth, Isa. 55. 5, 11. milk; Children never grow so much in so short a time, as when they are sed with milk, sincere milk, not mixed with errour, 2 Cor. 2. ult.

2. Particular Helps:

1. We should labour to live under the means of growth and prize them, Zech. 4. 12. the **There are four helps to grow in grace by coming to the Sacrament. 1. Be sure you bring truth of grace with you. God will spie you out if you want the wedding garment. 2. Act your graces, your faith, repentance, love to God, thankfulnesse. 3. Look upon Christ sacramentally, …ye him in the elements, see him there crucified before thee, that thoumaist receive out of his fulnesse. 4. Urge God with that promise, Hos. 4. 5. pray him to let the dew of his grace fall on thy heart.Hos 4:5Sacrament is a strengthening Ordinance.

2. We should overcome our lusts, Iam. 1. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 2, 3. The good ground hears the Word with a good and honest heart.

3. We should be daily questioning our selves how we do grow, 1 Cor. 12. ult. Heb. 6. 1.

4. Be often in the use and exercise of that grace wherein we desire to grow, 1 Tim. 4. 14, 15. the right hand and foot are stronger, because they are more used, improve thy knowledge by teaching others, and zeal when the name of God is dishonoured, and faith by depending on God in all occurrences, by applying the promises, exercise repentance, 2 Cor. 7. 7. humility, God gives grace to the humble, self-denial, love, that sets obedience on work, 2 Cor. 5.

5. Constant prayer for Gods blessing on the Word, and all other means, Iude v. 20. The Disciples said, Lord, increase our faith, Luk. 17. 5. Praying Christians will certainly be growing Christians.

Strength of grace is discovered by two things:

1. When duties are easie, Rom. 15. 20.

2. When crosses are light, Bonds and afflictions abide me where ever I come, saith Paul, yet none of these move me.

p. 731Strength is an ability of working powerfully, we must have it from Christ, Isa. 45. 24. Col. 1. ult.

All graces shew their vertue and efficacy two wayes:

1. When they strongly and lively produce their own acts, as a strong assent, and most firm and fixed acknowledgement of any truth shews a strong faith.

2. By a laborious and earnest resisting their contrary, as a strong casting away, and loathing, and abhorring doubting conceits, shews faith also to be strong.

Christ by his Spirit,

1. Increaseth graces in us, faith, love, humility, self denial.

2. Acts the graces received, Cant. 4. 16. Rom. 7. 18.

3. Brings to our mindes the truths of God and former works of God, Heb. 12. 5.

4. Renews our comforts, and freshly imprints the love of God upon the soul, Rom. 5. 5. 1 Iohn 2 6. Obedience flows from love, so he strengthens us.

We should labour to grow,

First, In knowledge, Hos. 6. 3. Grace increaseth by the knowledge of God, Isa. 11. 18. 2 Pet. 1. 2. & 2 Pet. 3. 10. our fairest portion in heaven is the satisfaction of our understanding in the knowledge of God, Psal. 17. 15 Knowledge is the great promise of the New Covenant, Ier. 31. 34. We should grow in the knowledge of the truths of Christian Religion, of God, Christ, the Sacraments, Justification, Sanctification, and labour to get a powerful, practical, experimental knowledge of these truths, know the power of Christs death and resurrection, Phil. 3. 10. Knowledge is the first and chief part of Gods Image, Col. 3. 10. See Chap. 1. 10. Growth in knowledge is rather to be reckoned by the degrees of knowledge then by the objects and matters known, Prov. 4. 18. I know God and Christ more practically, savingly, the Covenant more distinctly, Heb. 6. 14. We must not from an expectation of new light be hindered from being establisht in the present principles.

Secondly, In faith, Matth. 9. 24. Luk. 17. 5. Rom. 1. 17. because faith of all graces is most defective (things in Religion are so rare and excellent) and most assaulted by Satan, and growth in all other graces depends on the increase of faith. See Luke 17. 5. We should labour to grow in the assurance of faith, Heb. 6. 14. in the exercise of it, Heb, 10. 38. Gal. 2 20.

1. The people of God here must live a life of holinesse, as our faith is so is our conversation

2. Must bear Christs Crosse, as our faith is so will our carriage be under the Crosse, Iohn 11. 14.

3. They should be full of peace and joy, this will be according to our faith.

Lastly, We should search and finde out what our wants are that we would fain have supplied there, what we stand in need of, we partake of the body and bloud of Christ for the supply and augmentation of those graces we stand in need of, Luke 18. 40. The Sacrament is a Grace-increasing Ordinance, consider what graces therefore are most defective in you, and come to Christ for a supply of them.Aquinas part. 3 Qu. 80. Art. 8. resolves this Question. Utrum cibus vel potus praeassumptus impediat sumptionem hu jus Sacramenti?

Quest. Whether the Communicants ought to come fasting?

It is superstitious to think it irreverent receiving if a man have eaten any thing before, Christ instituted it after Supper.

The Papists take it in the morning and fasting, it cannot then be called the Lords Supper, since it is rather a breakfast.

II. Directions for our carriage in the Duty.

By faith we come to see that the Sacraments are the Lords Ordinances, and that those things which he promiseth in the Covenant of Grace, and sealeth in the Sacrament, are farre better then all profits and pleasures in this world. By it we come to be stirred up to desire and long after these benefits, and so to covet them, that nothing in this world will satisfie us without them.

We should exercise faith at the Lords Table, view the arguments the Ordinance it self affords.

p. 7321. Here is Christ crucified before thine eyes, and he clearly offers it to thy soulHere is a real though a spiritual presence of Christ. in particular, he applies it to thee, This is my body which was broken for thee, and my bloud which was shed for thee. Run over the sad story of Christs agony, and say, This was done by my Lord for my poor soul.

2. The Lord cals thee hither on purpose, because thou art weak. He will cherish weak beginnings, Mat. 12. 20.

For our affections we must behave our selves with joy, comfort and reverence.Sacramental, 1. Love, Cant. 1. 4. call to minde the highest act of Christs love in dying for us when enemies. 2. Sorrow in considering how our sins wound Christ. Hope, long for sweet communion with Christ in heaven, the Supper doth not only sea… comfort but glory. There is a union of mysteries.Song 1:4 See 2 Chron. 30. 21. & Mat. 26. 30.

Thy heart should be cheerful in God and thankful, praise him. Thankfulnesse and joy are the effects of faith; the Ordinances are often compared to feasts and banquets, because of the spiritual delight and rejoycing which the soul ought to take in them. Hence the very Sacrament is called foreign and foreign, because of the giving thanks unto God for his mercies. The outward duty is comfortable, Circumcision was a bloudy rite, yet this is nothing to the inward sweetnesse, Iohn 4. 32. In one of the Evangelists it is said, Christ blest the bread, in another it is said, Christ gave thanks, Christ when he instituted this Sacrament gave thanks to God the Father that he was pleased to send him into the world to die for poor souls.

Fear is proper to the duty of the Supper, because of those excellent mysteries. Chrysostom cals this Table, Horribilis mystica mensa, Psal. 68. 35. mixt affections do best in a mixt state in the whole worship of God, Psal. 2. 11. Hos. 3. 7.

For our thoughts:

We must meditate,

1. On the outward signs, and what they signifie.

2. On the dainties prepared.

3. The love of him that prepared them.

4. On our communion with Christ, his Graces and faithful people.

The effect of these affections and thoughts will be stirring up the heart to thanksgiving.

When we taste the wine we should consider its properties, Psal. 104. 15. Iudg. 9. 13. so there is satisfaction to God and comfort to the creature in the bloud of Christ, wine ingenders new spirits, warms and refines them, the bloud of Christ infuseth a new vigour into the soul.

Our Communion with Christ in the Supper is not only with his gifts and graces,The Elements specially represent his humane nature, but the Sacrament gives us a right to his whole person, Act. 20. 28. Look on him as a compleat Saviour, Isa. 44. 24. Col. … 9 and come with your whole hearts to whole Christ, Act. 8. 47. Jam. …. 9. There is a desertion in point of sanctification as well as consolation, when God leaves us in the duties we perform Vide Ames de consc. l. 4. c. 28. Post Scrmonem celebrandae S. C…nae locus, pr… ser…im dum servebat primus ille Christianorum zelus, singulis heb lomadis, interdum etiam diebus communicantium: nec enim unquam explicabantur sacramenta super mensam Dominicam, quin multi ad eam accederent. Mo…nayus de sacra Eucharistia l. 1 c. 4. Nunquam in Primitiva Ecclesia Eucharistiae Sacramentum celebrabatur▪ qum omnes qut adessent eidem communicarent. Si qui, nollet communicare eo die quo conventus fidelium agebatur, quod propri… conscientia non… um satis examinata & probata cum à communione prohiberet, aut quod sibi od…i aut simultatis adversus fratrem conscius esset, si aliara quamcunque causam non communicandi haberet, non solebat cum aliis ad Synaxim convenire, Simpl. Verin. Epist. de libro postumo Grot. p. 108.Acts 20:28Isa 44:24Acts 8:47 but with his Person, whole Christ. There are two Elements to signifie this, Bread his Body, and Wine his Bloud. Our Communion is with his whole Person, with Christ invested with all kinde of Offices to do us good, and furnished with rich graces and comforts, 1 Iohn 5. 16. We partake of his wisdom as a Prophet, righteousnesse as a Priest, grace and glory as a King.

What must be done after the Sacrament?

We must endeavour to finde an increase of faith, love, and all saving graces in us, abounding more and more in well-doing.

We should speak of the sweetnesse of Christ to others, Psal. 34. 8.

Some Disciples have gone from this Supper triumphing, and trampling upon Satan as Lions breathing fire (saith Chrysostome) terrible to the Devils themselves.

If we finde not the fruit of this Ordinance presently, either it may come from want of preparation, or from trusting in our own preparation, 2 Chron. 26. 15, 16. or want of thankfulnesse for our preparation, 1 Chron. 29. 14. or from want of stirring up the graces we have received in that duty, Isa. 57. 8. 2 Tim. 1. 6. Or, Because we were not humbled for former neglects, Psal. 32. 4, 5.

God may deny us the present sense of our benefit:

1. To train us up to live by faith, 2 Cor. 5. 7.

2. To try our graces.

3. That we may more diligently search into our own souls, Psal. 77. 6.

How oft ought the Sacrament to be received?

Amongst the Papists the people communicate only once a year, viz. at Easter, which superstitious custom many of our ignorant people follow.

p. 733Calvin 4. Institut. 43. & 46. roundly professeth, that it behoveth that the Eucharist be celebrated at least once a week.

The Christians in some parts of the Primitive **In Primitiva Ecclesiae Apostolicae vicina, flagrame persecutionum incendio fingulis diebus Christiani communicabant. Gerh. loc. commun de sacra …oena c. 24. Tempus communicandi esse debet frequentissimum & plane quotidianum. Baptismus autem non iteratur, quia generationi quae unica est respondet. Eucharistia vrò saepius iteranda est; quia cibo & alimontae (cujus frequens usus reperitur) respondet. Maldonati Summula Quaest. 24. Artic. 1. Constat ipsos Apostolos & Christianos quotidiè communicasse, Act. 2. quotidiè communicabant sicut orabant p…ulò post ubi crevit Christianorum negligentia coeptum est solis diebus Dominicis communicare. Id. ibid. Art. 2.Acts 2Church took the Sacrament every day, because they did look to die every day. Now in many places it is administred every monethmonth.

Object. The Passeover unto which the Lords Supper succeedeth was celebrated once a year, and therefore once only for this Sacrament is sufficient.

Answ. God ordained that the Passeover should be celebrated but once only in the year, and on a certain monethmonth and day, the Jews had many other visible signs to represent Christ and his benefits, they had Sacrifices every day, and legal washings, but he hath appointed that this Feast of the Lords Supper should be often solemnized, and that we should come often unto it, 1 Cor. 11. 25, 26. That the frequent celebration of the Sacrament is a duty, is inferred from this Text by Peter Martyr, Calvin, Musculus, Aretius, Hyperius, Toss…nus, Pareus, Piscator, Dickson and M^r Pemble. See Iohnsons Christian Plea, Chap. 14.

In the time of the Apostles the purest age of the Church, they solemnized it every Lords day, Acts 20. 7. yea it was their daily exercise, as often almost as they had any publick meeting for the service of God, Acts 2. 42. And this custom long continued in the Primitive Church after the Apostles times, not only in the dayes of Iustin Martyr and Tertullian, but also of Chrysostom and Augastine, as appeareth by their writings: untill by mans corruption and Satans malice, the commonnesse of the action exposed it to contempt.Cur vetus Ecclesia credidit omnem sidelem omni die communicare debere, quod ultra decimum saeculum videmus durasse, bodierna autem ac Romana putat sufficere, si semel in anno communicatum fuerit? Quta nimirum illa nullum usum, nec ullum fructum Sacramentorum constituit in videnda & audienda eorum actione, sed totum posuit in participatione vera corporis & sanguinis, haec ver… contrarium sumit. Simplicii Verini Epist. de libro Postumo Grotii.

We should come often to the Sacrament, there is no exception, but want of occasion or some just impediment.

There was in old time a custom, there should be a Communion every LordsParker of the Crosle, part. 1. chap. 3. day, every one not receiving without lawful excuse, being excommunicated, which Charls the Great in some sort renewed, and which Bucer advised K. Edward in this Land to restore again.

Whether if an Ordinance, and namely the Sacrament of the Lords Supper (though there seems to be the like reason in other Ordinances) cannot be so administred, but that by some which partake of it, it will notoriously be prophaned, that be a sufficient reason for the non-administration of it? Or, Whether for want of order and government to keep off such as are notoriously unworthy, the administration of the Sacrament may and ought to be suspended?

Again, Whether a Minister may lawfully and with a good conscience continue there in the exercise of his Ministery (having a Pastoral charge) where he hath not power to administer the Sacrament of the Lords Supper?

There is a Treatise lately published by one Master Ieanes, entituled, The want of Church-Government no warrant for a total omission of the Lords Supper.

He saith there Pag. 18. Next unto God and Christs glory, the good of the Saints was the main end of this Sacrament: it was principally intended for the godly, for their use, comfort and edification, and therefore they are not to be deprived, p. 734although it is much against their wils; accidentally prejudicial unto wilfull and presumptuous intruders.

Pag, 35. That which gives a right in foro Dei, is faith, but in foro Ecclesiastico, profession of the faith. Now where Church-Government is not setled, there are many who are Beleevers and Professours of the Faith, Ergò, Many that have right unto the Lords Supper. And we may argue from the right to the administration.

Pag. 48, 49. Some think that the supposed sinne of giving the Lords Supper untoGillesp. in his Aarons Rod Bloss. Book 3. c. 8. p. 437, 438 M. Bowles de Pastore Evangelico, l. 4. c. 5. Burrh. in his Gospel-worsh. p. 264, 265. unworthy persons, is easily avoided, if the Minister give not the Sacramental Elements to each Communicant out of his own hand; but the Communicants divide the Elements among themselves.

There is not in either the Evangelists, or the 1 Cor. 11. any the least mention of our Saviours distributing the Sacramental Elements particularly and severally out of his own hand to each Communicant: Nay, the contrary rather is probable, because he speaks unto these whom he gave the Supper unto, onelyonly joyntly and in general, Take, Eat, Drink.

Pag. 51. Only such Dogs and Swine are to be denied the Lords Supper who are such juridically. For though (saith M. Ball) in course of life they may be Dogs, yet in publick esteem they are not to be reputed Dogs, nor used as Dogs till the Church have so pronounced of them.

Page. 61. Breaches of the Command and Rule of Christ in the administration of the Lords Supper are of two sorts, Material or Personal.

1. Material, when the worship it self is corrupted, as in the Popish Masse, where there is but one Element.

2. Personal, when the worship it self is in every respect pure, but the Persons communicating▪ wa…ing in requisite qualifications; the former are chargeable upon the Minister administring the Lords Supper, not the later, so he prevent them so far as in him lieth.

Pag. 67. He quotes this passage out of M. Ball, In coming to Gods Ordinance we have Communion with Christ principally who hath called us thither, is there present by his grace and spirit to blesse his Ordinance; and with the faithful, who are there met together at Gods Commandment, in the Name and by the Authority of Jesus Christ: with the wicked we have no Communion, unlesse it be External and by Accident, because they are not, or cannot be cast out. Internal and Essential Communion we have with Christ and the faithfull only; External, with the wicked. Our Communion with Christ and his faithful people is not free and voluntary, but necessary, enjoyned by God, not left to our will or pleasure. Our Communion with the wicked in the Ordinances is unwilling on our part, suffered not affected, if we knew how to hinder it lawfully.

Whether it be meet upon one and the same day to have a solemn Fast, together with the celebration of the Lords Supper?

No, since the nature of them is so different one from the other. The one is a Fast, the other a Feast. The one is a sign of solemn testification of sorrow, the other of joy, Iud. 20. 26. Esth. 4. 16. compared with Mat. 26. 26, 29. Luk. 22. 17, 20. 1 Cor. 5. 6, 7, 8.

They were wont in the Primitive Churches to have Love-feasts with the Lords Supper, as may appear 1 Cor. 11. 20, 34. & Iude v. 12. Tertul. Apol. c. 39.

Of the Gesture at the Sacrament.

Some have written Books for aaB. Buckeridge. M. Paibody.kneeling at the Sacrament, others against bbSir William Temple.it.

Calvinc speaking of the reverence of kneeling, saith it is lawful if it be directed not to the sign▪ but to Christ himself in heaven, which was the resolute profession of our English Church in the use of this gesture.^• Institut. l. 4. Sect 37. D. Burgess saith, the gesture of kneeling in the act of receiving was never any instituted Ceremony of the Church of Rome, nor is it at this day. Bellar. l. 2. de missa, c. 14, 15. saith, it was only for the conveniency of putting the Hoast into the mouth of the receiver, and not for adoration of the Eucharist.

p. 735Some much urge our Saviour Christs example, and a Table-gesture for sitting.

Christs example hath not the force of a Commandment: For

1. It is not certainly expressed what gesture he used in the act of receiving.

2. It hath not the force of a Commandment in any other part of his service, as preaching, praying, therefore neither in this.

3. It hath not the force of a Commandment in other circumstances of this action, therefore neither in this.

4. It is apparent that the gesture was taken up occasionally, therefore the example of Christ therein doth not tie us.

We receive not the Sacrament with our meals, as Christ and the Apostles at firstVide Dilher. Elect… 2. c. 4. M. Down of sitting or kneeling at the Communion. Respond…o nos Dei gratia melius ac sanctius in Christi schola fuisse institutos, quàm ut putemus aliquam esse religionem Eucharistiam de geniculis sumere. Ita sumunt vicini in Anglia fratres; neque nos, si quando cum iis communicamus, eodem ritu samere …get; totaque res apud nos ita libera censetur, ut quanquam stantes sacro …pulo vescamur ipsi. pro fratribus tamen & habeamus & colamus etiam qui vel sedentes, vel ingeniculati Eucharistiam accip…cut. Itaque si nihil à nobis aliud Latini post…lassent, quam ut Sacramentum de geniculis simpliciter sumeremus; fateor nullam nobis ab …is discedendi futuram fuisse causam satis idoneam; quando quod postularent, id hujusmodi est quod à nobis integra atque illaef… conscientia fieri posset. Dal…aei Apologia pro Eccles. Reform. cap. 12. did, therefore we are not tied to the gesture of meals.

It was the manner of those times and long before at meals to lie on their beds, leaning on their elbows, and supporting themselves with pillows, so the Evangelists words signifie.