The Lords Supper, Section 15
V. 27. Wherefore whoſoever ſhall eat this bread, and drinke this cup of the Lord unworthily; ſhall be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord.
Q. What is moſt remarkable in this verſe?
A. Three things eſpecially.
1. What that ſinne is, which maketh unworthy receivers guilty of Chriſts body and bloud.
2. How that unworthineſſe maketh them guilty.
3. And the ground or cauſe of that guiltineſſe.
Q. What ſinne is that which maketh them guilty?
A. 1. It is ſome ſpeciall, either contempt, or light eſteem offered or done to the perſon, offices, ordinances, actions, ſufferings of our Saviour, or too ſome one of them.
2. On to ſin againſt that greateſt worke of our redemption; and ſo to partake with the murderers of Chriſt.
Q. How is that proved?
A. To be guilty of bloud, is in ſome ſenſe or other to be a murderer: to be guilty therefore of Chriſts bloud, is to be a murderer of Chriſt.
Q. How can I be a murderer of Chriſt, he being in heaven, and I on earth?
A. By continuing in known ſins with delight thou crucifieſt the Son of God afreſh, and putteſt him to open ſhame, Heb. 6.6. & 10.29.
Ob. Thoſe two Scriptures ſtrike at ſuch who fall from faith, to infidelity.
A. It is true: and yet, when faith purifiethnot thy heart, it is no ſaving faith, Act. 1….9. And when faith produceth not good works, it is a dead faith, Iam. 2. ult.
If then thou continueſt in known ſins with delight, thou art a murderer of Chriſt, and thy doome is denounced, Mat. 7.22,23. Luk. 13 26.27.
Q. What learneſt thou hence?
A. 1. Seeing Abels bloud was ſo heavy on Cain who murdered him, Gen. 4.19. O how intolerable will Chriſts bloud be upon the ſoules of ſuch, who murder Chriſt by their ſins delighted in, and unrepented! Rev. 6.15,16,17.
2. I may not continue even in the leaſt knowne ſin, leſt I fall from faiths practice, and ſo from faiths profeſſion: Seeing that ſin is the tranſgreſſion of the Law, 1 Joh. 3.4. and that bringeth the curſe, Gal. 3.10.
Q. How doth that contempt or light eſteem, make receivers guilty?
A. By eating this bread, and drinking this cup of the Lord unworthily.
Q. How doe receivers eat and drinke unworthily?
A. In generall, it is to communicate wanting our wedding garment, Chriſt, Mat. 22.11.for we muſt be cloathed with Chriſt, Rom. 13. ult. otherwaies we may not come to this marriage, Mat. 22.2. compared with v. 13.
Q. How can I put on Chriſt?
A. Doe as Jacob did, bring the two kids, Gen. 27.9. That is, have faith (by which Chriſt lives in us, and we live in Him, Eph. 3.17. Gal. 2.20.) and obſervance which demonſtrates our faith to be ſound, Jam. 2.18.
Q. What are the more ſpeciall means which render unworthy receivers to be guilty?
A. Ignorance; in not knowing the Vertue, Worth, Uſe, and Ends of this Sacrament.
Q. Wherein conſiſts its Vertue?
A. If thou communicate (having on thy wedding garment) all thy feares (occaſioned by ſenſe of thy ſin) will be quite removed.
1. If thou complaineſt thus; Alas! how ſhall I get Chriſt to be my wedding garment?
Chriſt anſwereth: Take, eat, this is my body; This is my bloud, drinke it by faith, and live for ever, Joh. 6.47. compared with v. 51.
2. My ſinnes multiply daily.
A. The Lords mercies are new everymorning, Lam. 3.23. God is the father of mercies, 2 Cor. 1.3. Rich in mercy, Eph. 2.4.
3. I am dead in treſpaſſes and ſins.
A. Beleeve, and thou ſhalt live, Joh. 11.25.
But I cannot get repentance for my ſins.
A. Repentance that is ſound, is Gods work, 2 Tim. 2.25. Seek, knock, and aske for it, and God will worke it, Mat. 7.7 8. Jam. 1.5. Mat. 9.13.
2. This Sacrament being rightly received, will reſolve all thy doubts.
1. Will the Lord ſave ſuch a loſt ſinner as I am?
A. Chriſt came to ſeek, and to ſave that that is loſt, Luk 19.10. 1 Tim. 1.15. Pſ. 50.15. Mat. 11.28. Ioh. 6.37.
3. It will cure all thy diſeaſes, Pſ. 103.3. and ſalves all thy ſin-ſores, Eſay 53.5.
4. In this Supper thou getſt Chriſt himſelf, who is all, and in all, Col. 3.11.
Q. Wherein ſtands the worth of this Sacrament?
A. By worthy receiving, we get Chriſt, as his owne words doe witneſſe: And in getting Chriſt, we get the Father, and the Holy Ghoſt: for theſe three are one, 1 Ioh. 5.7
Q. Wherein conſiſts the uſe of this Sacrament?
A. That bread, and that wine, are taken from their common uſe (which is to ſtrengthen, and glad mans heart, Pſ. 104.15.) To ſignifie, ſeal, and really to give unto all faithfull receivers Chriſts body and bloud to bee meat indeed, and drinke indeed to their ſoules, Ioh. 6.55. And ſo Chriſt dwelleth in us, and we in him, v. 56.
Q. What hurt will it bring, though we bee ignorant of this Sacraments foure ends?
A. Great every way, both to the Paſtor and people, 2 Theſſ. 1.7,8,9. For,
1. Miniſters muſt be diligent to know the ſtate of their flocks, and to looke well to their herds, Prov. 27.23.
They muſt not be blinde, but ſeeing; nor ignorant, but muſt know; nor dumbe, but muſt ſpeak; nor ſleeping, but muſt watch; nor greedy of another mans goods, but contented with the Lords allowance; nor drunken, but ſober, Eſa. 56.10. &c.
Nor daubers with untemperate morter, promiſing peace where there is no peace, Ezek. 13.10. They muſt warne the wicked to forſake his way, otherwiſe the bloud of duplicate page duplicate page the wicked will be required at the Miniſters hand, Ezek. 33.8.
They muſt feed the flock of God, 1 Pet. 5.2. And watch for their ſoules, for which they muſt give an account, Heb. ult. 17.
2. The people likewiſe periſh for lacke of knowledge, Hoſ. 4.6. when they are not taught to know this Sacraments foure ends.
1. To imitate the inſtitution, in remembrance of Chriſt.
2. To ſhew Chriſts death till he come.
3. That this Sacrament unites true receivers unto Chriſt.
4. And that it ſeals the covenant of Grace to all worthy receivers, Rom. 4.11.
Q. What doth thoſe things teach thee?
A. 1. The fearfull condition of ignorant communicants; for they are murderers of Chriſt.
2. And the terrible ſtate of thoſe Miniſters who take no care to catechiſe their flock, Mat. 15.14.
Q. We have heard that a light eſteem or contempt of Chriſt: The want of our wedding garment; and ignorance of the vertue, worth, uſe, and of the ends of this Sacrament, maketh unworthy receivers to be murderers both of themſelves, andof Chriſt. Now what other ſinnes doe worke the ſame effects?
4. A. Want of faith, Heb. 11.6. when receivers beleeve not fully that Chriſt giveth himſelfe effectually to all faithfull communicants in this Supper: nor that themſelves can by faith get Chriſt in it; and yet dare receive the ſignes, that bread, and that wine; by which they ſinne dangerouſly, Rom. 14. ult.
5. Superſtition, beleeving Papiſt, and Lutheran-like, that they eat in this Supper the humane body of Chriſt, with their bodily mouth: and yet, we can only eat him with our ſoules mouth, faith: for, to beleeve in Chriſt, and to eat his fleſh, is one, Iob. 6.47. compared with v. 51.
6. Senſuality; when cloyed with worldly cares, with the deceitfulneſſe of riches, and pleaſures of this life, Luk. 8.14. They hunger not for Chriſt. Such ſhall never be filled, Mat. 5.6.
7. Carnall ſecurity; when receivers neither expect good in worthy receiving; nor evill, by unworthy: Such are like Laodicea, Rev. 3.15.16.
8. Preſumption: fooliſhly beleeving th… they ſhall ſpeed as well as the beſt, thought they lacke preparation, and ſanctification; yea, and their wedding garment: let ſuch read and tremble, Mat. 22.11,12,13.
9. Want of true love: which brancheth it ſelfe in two ſeverall particulars.
1. When men raſhly ſuſpect other mens intentions, or actions without ſufficient warrant. This is deſcribed Eſay 65.5. Stand by thy ſelfe; come not neare unto me, for I at holier then thou. This is prohibited Mat. 7.1. Iudge not that ye be not judged. Threatned v. 2. with damnation, Luk. 3.37.
Such raſh judgers are hypocrites, Mat. 7.5
2. Who will not forgive men their treſpaſſes; and ſo, the Lord will not forgive their treſpaſſes, Mat. 6.15. Theſe are implacable unmercifull, Rom. 1.31. Such ſhall have judgement without mercy, Iam. 2.13.
10. Temporiſing: receiving for faſhions ſake▪ Such are hypocrites, 2 Tim. 3.5. Thoſe likewiſe who come to this Supper more for fear of the Magiſtrate, then for fear of the Lord. This is helliſh feare, even the ſpirit of bondage, Rom. 8.15.
11. Inconſideration: when receivers thoughts are eſtranged from the action; and …re intent upon the world, ſin, luſt, and ſuch like. Such cannot pleaſe God, Rom. 8.8.
12. Prophaneneſſe: ſcorning the action, in not beleeving Chriſts truth: This is my body; This is my bloud: or ſcornfully refuſing to receive, though Chriſt commands, To take, eat, drinke, do this.
13. Damnable injuſtice, in adding, altering, or ſubſtracting any neceſſary thing of the inſtitution. All plagues are denounced againſt ſuch, Rev. 22.18 19.
Whoſoever is guilty of all, or of any of theſe horrible ſins, are murderers of Chriſt.
Q. What is the ground, or cauſe that makes unworthy receivers guilty of Chriſts body and bloud?
A. 1. They contemne Chriſts authority, and are therefore accurſed, Eſa. 45.9.
2. They deſpiſe Chriſt himſelfe, who gives himſelfe freely, and fully to all faithfull receivers.
3. They deſpiſe his merits, Heb. 9.14.15.
4. They deſpiſe Chriſts three offices.
His Propheticall office, Luk. 10.16.
His Prieſtly office, Heb. 10.28,29.
And they deſpiſe his Kingly office; for they will not have Chriſt to raigne over them, Luk. 19 14.27.
5. They deſpiſe Chriſts moſt meritorious worke of mans redemption, Rom. 5.8,9,10,11.
6. They contemne Chriſts love, who loved us, and waſhed us from our ſins in his own blond, Rev. 1.5. Heb. 10.28,29.
7. And they deſpiſe the whole Covenant of Grace, whereof this is a ſeale, Rom. 4.11.
Q. Many received who were ignorant of theſe things; and yet they live and proſper: How comes that?
A. The times of that ignorance God wincked at; but now commands all men every where to repent, Act. 17.30.
Q. What learneſt thou hence?
A. 1. To ſeek, knock, and aske without ceaſing, that I may be cloathed with Chriſt my wedding garment; that I be not one who murders Chriſt.
2. I muſt zealouſly and inceſſantly beg in the name and merits of Chriſt, that the Lord will cleanſe my ſoule, and make it clean from all theſe, and all other ſins, as is covenanted, Ezek. 36.25.