A Christians Walk and Work on Earth, Chapter 10
Of the Lord-Supper. CHAP. X.
1. IN the general, Firſt the Lords Supper is the Lords laſt Legacy, he left his Diſciples (reſerving his beſt Wine till the laſt) before his ſhameful and painful death.
Secondly, 'Tis an ineſtimable evidence of his favour to all his Redeemed. David could not expreſs his favour to Mephiboſheth in a better way, then to make him Eat and Drink with him at his Table. 2 Sam 9. 5, 7. and 'twas an high favour to Chimham alſo; to be admitted to Davids Table, 2 Sam. 19. 33, 35, 38. yet an higher favour and honor hath all the Saints. Luke 22. 30. The King is at their Table, Cant. 1. 12. And they at his in both Kingdoms of grace and glory. Rev. 3. 20.
Thirdly, 'tis the feaſt of fat things promiſed. Iſa. 25. 6. full of marrow, and of Wine on the lees well refined; this is a great (Royal and magnificent feaſt, Mat. 22. 4.) foreign (of foreign, Saginare, to cram) his crammed fowls, his fatted Oxen are killed (or [foreign] are Sacrificed) as if a bleſſing had been craved by Sacrifice upon the feaſt, on Gods part all things are ready, all the defect is on our part, the Father hath prepared the fatted Calf for his penitent Prodigals, Luke 15. 20, 23. Chriſt (himſelf) is the feaſt or fatted Calf to feed and feaſt upon: a feaſt above that of Belſhazzars, Dan. 5. 1. To a thouſand of his Lords. This is to all people (both to Jews and Gentiles) without reſpect of perſons, Act. 10. 34, 35. and Raggs are as welcom here as Robes, yea above that of Ahaſuerus. Eſt. 1. 3, 5. & 2. 18. and that of Solomon, 2 Chron. 7. 8. both which laſted only ſome few days, but this feaſt laſts till time ſhall be no more.
Fourthly, 'Tis a full feaſt, as it not only hath [Humidum & Siccum] both that which is moiſt and that which is dry, which is all that is required to a full Meal. It hath both the foreign Bread and Wine that comprehends all: a double Element in this Sacrament, though but ſingle in the other.
Fifthly, 'Tis ſuch a feaſt as is both Dinner and Supper, yea the beſt of the kind, a wedding-Dinner, as Matthew calls it, Mat. 22. 4. and 'tis a wedding Supper, as Luke calls it, Luk. 14. 16. to ſhew that the Saints do Dine and Sup with Chriſt, they Eat and are ſatisfyed continually with the fatneſs of his Table. Pſal. 65. 4. 'Tis a thouſand pities God ſhould ſay I have prepared my Dinner or my Supper ('tis both (his) and of (his) preparing) and that when it is prepared of God, it ſhould be ſleighted of man. Some by keeping from it that ſhould come, and others by coming to it that ſhould not, for want of the wedding, garment, the word wooes and beſeechs us; this Sacrament makes up the match, and marries the Redeemed with the Redeemer: neglect it not, Num. 9. 13.
2. More particularly, three things are required of you herein. 1. Preparation before. 2. True participation in. And, (3.) Right improvement after. Firſt of the firſt, to wit, due preparation. Firſt, in the General, Man before the Fall had no need of preparation, 'twas only his changing of employments, and a bare going out of ſecular work, into ſpiritual and religious: but fall'n man cannot do ſo, he muſt prepare his heart firſt, and then change his employment; fall'n man is as Joſeph in his priſon ſtate, Gen. 41. 14. who puts off his priſon-garments, and changed them for better, and then came in to Pharaoh; accordingly and much more, you muſt put on your beſt graces, when you are to come in unto the Lord in this ſolemn and ſacred Ordinance, in which are the higheſt myſteries of the Chriſtian Religion. 1. As it is a ſtanding evidence of tranſcendent affection, both of the Father in giving the Son to us, and of the Son in giving himſelf to us. 2. As it is a lively repreſentation of your bleſſed and bleeding Redeemers ſuffering upon the Croſs, far beyond all Popiſh Crucifixes, it being of Chriſts own inſtitution. 3. As it is the neareſt Communion we have with God upon Earth, a ſitting down at the Kings own table (which earthly Monarchs practice not) as his Favorites and familiar Friends. And, 4. as it is a [Prelibamen] or foretaſte of that eternal banquet you ſhall hereafter eat off in your Fathers houſe, and therefore you may not ruſh into this Ordinance (above all others), but prepare for it, as you would do for death itſelf: Caſuiſts ſay, Sacramentum & Articulus mortis aquiparantur, you ſhould be as ſerious in your coming to the Lords table, as in your going (at the point of death into another world), in both you appear before the great God.
3. Your preparation for this ſolemn Ordinance is held out in that Scripture-expreſſion, (the purification of the ſanctuary), 2 Chron. 30. 18, 19. which conſiſted of three parts: 1. Waſhing with water. 2. Changing their Garments. and 3. Purging out all leaven out of their Houſes to prepare for the paſſeover. If the Jews were thus zealous in the ſhadow and Ceremony, how much more ought Chriſtians to be in the truth and ſubſtance. Firſt of the firſt, waſhing with water, every Jew had his water Pots beſide him for his daily waſhing, Joh. 2. 6, for his Purification. God will be Sanctifyed of all thoſe that draw nigh to him. Levit. 10. 2, 3. and therefore God requires this Purification of all the People, Exod. 19. 10. this outward waſhing was a time of inward cleanſing. Iſoe. 1. 16. which is principally required. Heb. 10. 22. grace purifies the heart, Act. 15. 9. and they muſt be pure in heart that would ſee God. Mat. 5. 8. without holineſs no man can ſee the Lord. Heb. 12. 14. much leſs come nigh him, for iniquity is a wall of Separation, Iſa 59. 2. As in thoſe Levitical purifications they were to waſh off. 1. All defilements. 2. The deepeſt ſtains. 3. From off all the parts from head to foot. 4. And this often as in the Leper, yea, 5. Their very Garments ſpotted with the fleſh, Jude 23. the reſemblance is, (1.) That you be waſhed from the blood of your Nativity, Ezek. 16. 4. the Spirit of Sanctification muſt be applyed to every ſowle faculty of the Soul, and Member of the body; Eſpecially to the Conſcience, Heb. 9. 14. (2.) The pains you muſt take in mortifying your Earthly members, Col. 3. 5. which are as the ſpots of a Leopard, Jer. 13. 23. which will not waſh out without much rubbing and ſcouring, and many nights froſting out of doors. You muſt be contented to endure much hardſhip, 2 Tim. 2. 3. and many tribulations, Act. 14. 22. 2 Tim. 3. 12. many bats and blows, ſo the ſtain of Sin may be fetched out which will not be done eaſily, but ſticks as cloſe as fleſh to the bone. (3.) Your whole frame (being all out of frame) muſt be waſhed, and throughout Sanctifyed. 2 Theſ. 5. 23. You muſt cry with Peter, waſh (Lord) not my feet only, but alſo my hands and my head, Joh. 13. 9. (4.) And this you muſt do often: 'tis not the work of a day, week, monethmonth, or year, but 'tis the daily work of your whole life, renew your Repentance daily, that you run not your life out in Hypocriſy, and die like a fool at laſt, Zach. 13. 1. 2 Cor. 7. 1.
4. The ſecond part of the Jewiſh purification was change of Raiment, Gen. 35. 2. Though the Ceremonial Law was not then Written, yet it was practiced by the Patriarks all along before Moſes, as Sacrificing, &c. Alas filthy clouts and rags of Sin are upon you, even the appearel of death, till Chriſt give you change of Raiment, Zech. 3. 3, 4. 'Till Chriſt cover you with embroidered work, Ezek. 16. 10. and make you comly with his Robe of Righteouſneſs. V. 14. hereby you are acquitted from the curſe of the Law, and alſo accepted into Gods favour. This is the Goodly raiment wherein Jacob got the bleſſing. Gen. 27. 15. the Garment of your Elder Brother Jeſus Chriſt, you muſt put on the Lord Jeſus, Rom. 13. 14. Unleſs you bring this Benjamin with you, there is no ſeeing the face of the Lord of the land, neither will there be any Corn for you, as Gen. 44. 23. you cannot expect to Eat the fleſh, unleſs you be clothed with the Fleece of the Lamb of God; the skin of a cruicifyed Chriſt, muſt be your Coat to cover your nakedneſs, as God clothed the firſt Parents with the skins of the Sacrifices, Gen. 3. 21. You muſt have the Livery of this bleſſed Lord and Honourable Maſter, which the followers of the Lamb are diſtinguiſhed by from the World, both the imputed and imparted Righteouſneſs, Rev. 19. 8. which you can (of your ſelf) neither purchaſe nor put on: You may not come to the Lords feaſt or ſupper without this Wedding Garment, Chriſt will come in to ſee his Gueſts. If you appear there in the tatterd raggs of the wretched old-Adam, you will have nothing to ſay for your ſelf, but be as the muzzled beaſt [So foreign ſignifies] mute before him, Mat. 22. 11, 13. If you have not this garment on your back at your comming in to the Supper. You may have fetters upon your feet at your going out from thence; from the Table you may paſs to the tormentors as he did: If your converſation be unlike your high calling and Company.
5. The third part of the Jewiſh purification was the purging out of Leaven. Exod. 12. 18, 19. as the Jew was not to eat the paſſeover, until he had purged all Leaven out of his Houſe, ſo nor we the Lords Supper till we have put away every known Sin, 1 Cor. 5. 7. you can never expect the comfort of that Ordinance, while you hide any of that old Leaven in any corner of your heart. There is (indeed) the Leaven of a corrupt Faith, of corrupt manners, and of corrupt nature: This laſt (which is as the fretting-leproſy, Levit. 14. 44, 45.) you cannot chide out of doors as Sarah did Hagar, but 'twill be a ruful inmate within you (making you cry O wretched Man or Woman, that I am. Rom. 7. 24.) So long as the walls of your Houſe of clay ſtandeth, and until the Stones and Timber be thrown down, it cannot be purged out; but the Leaven of corrupt Doctrin (which ſoures the whole Lump, or truth of the Goſpel) and that of a corrupt Communication, and Converſation (which ſoures both our ſelves and others with us) both theſe ſhould you (both) find out and caſt out, (Pſal. 34. 13, 14.) If not with as much Ceremony, yet with as much ſeriouſneſs as the Jews did their Leaven: The firſt Jewiſh Ceremony that carries reſemblance, was, the Jew began to purge within, and to baniſh all Leaven found within his own Houſe; It teachs you to mind within-doors-work, 'tis not enough to purge your mouth and your hands, but eſpecially your inſide, your heart and not ſo much other mens as your own, Jer. 4. 14. your own Houſe and heart; the ſecond was, not ſo much as the leaſt morſel or crum of Leaven muſt be ſpared, which ſhows you, that you muſt account the leaſt Sin, both hateful to God and hurtful to man, ſo it may not be indulged. The third Ceremony was, the Jew Searching the Houſe with a Candle and finding but a mite or crum thereof, in any corner by ſweeping (even) that little he carries out with great Solemnity: learn you hence, that a little poiſon is poiſon, ſweep every cranny of your Soul, your Conſcience, 2 Tim. 1. 3. your affections. 1 Tim. 1. 5. your ſenſes. Pſal. 1. 19. 37. your ſpeeches. Pſal. 39. 1. that your whole Houſe may be poſſeſſed in holineſs and honour. 1 Theſ. 4. 4. a little Leaven mars all. 1 Cor. 5. 6.
6. The ſecond general is the true participation after a due preparation: yet this you may know for your comfort, that your God will not ſtand exactly or Rigorouſly upon every circumſtance required in this purification of the Sanctuary, provided you prepare your heart with all your might, as David. 1 Chron. 29. Ver. 1, 2. this is plainly taught you for your Encouragement, in 2 Chron. 30. 18, 19. that where the heart is prepared to ſeek, and meet God according to our beſt endeavours, he will not inſiſt upon the exact purification of the Sanctuary, (which conſiſted on thoſe three parts aforeſaid) but will paſs by and pardon all our other weakneſſes and imperfections at the Prayer of his Vine-dreſſers, Luke 13. 7, 8. 2 Tim. 1. 16. God will yield ſomething to their Prayers, even when he might come forth in ſeverity againſt a perſon or people; happy are they then that have Praying vine-dreſſors ſet over them, ſaying with Samuel, God forbid I ſhould Sin againſt the Lord ſo, as not to pray for you. 1 Sam. 12. 23. and the good Lord pardon every one that is not ſo exactly prepared: in ſuch a caſe God accepts of the will for the deed. 2 Cor. 8. 12. and looks more at the willingneſs of the offerer, then at the worthineſs of the offering; and you muſt put a difference betwixt, being unworthy and eating unworthily: all believers are (in themſelves) unworthy of Chriſt and Salvation, yet being in Chriſt they are accounted worthy. Luke 21. 36. & Rev. 3. 4.
7. Thus you, (1.) Being in Chriſt (for you muſt be bred before you be fed, and be begotten, born and live before you be nouriſhed, Mark. 5. 43. no ſtranger (to Chriſt) no uncircumciſed (in heart) muſt eat thereof. Exod. 12. 43, 48. Rom. 2. 29.) and (2.) Having prepared a large upper Room (a raiſed and an enlarged heart, Mark. 14. 15. Luke 22. 12. then (3.) Open the gates and the everlaſting doors of your Soul, that the King of glory may come in, Pſal. 23. 7, 9. yet withal ſay, (4.) with the Centurion, Lord I am not worthy that thou ſhould come under my roof, Mat. 8. 8. nor am I worthy that I ſhould come to thy Table: and with Mephiboſheth (who was loved for Jonathan ſake as you for Jeſusſake) wilt thou look (Lord) on ſuch a dead Dog as I am, ſo, as to let me eat bread at thy Table? 2 Sam. 9. 7, 8. O that you may trim your ſelf as he did to welcom hom ehis Lord the King. 2 Sam. 19. 24, 25, 28. In this trembling frame muſt you draw near to the Lords Table, not approaching with a common Spirit, but well knowing that no other Ordinance is urged with that ſtrength and Severity as this is, 1 Cor. 11. 29, 30. and no duty doth ſtrike ſuch a terrour upon the Conſciences of Men as this doth, inſomuch that even evil perſons do think they muſt be good at that time, and have then good words, good works and good Prayers, &c.
8. There be three things eſpecially required of you in your participation of this Ordinance. Firſt ſelf-examination, there ought to be a ſearch as well as a Sacrament. 1 Cor. 11. 28. (1.) Examine your ſtate as Lapidiſts do their Stones, that you put not an everlaſting cheat upon your own Soul; thinking your ſelf one of Gods Jewels when indeed you are but a Baſtard Diamond. (2.) Examine your wants, as coming to your Soul market, what Sin you have to Subdue, and what grace to ſtrengthen; none goes to market, but they do enquire what their Family-wants be. (3.) Examin your ſins, ſearch for them as the woman did for the loſt groat; ſhe ſought and ſwept, ſwept and ſought (with a Candle in her hand) till ſhe found it, Luke 15. 8. you muſt take Davids Lantorn and Candle. Pſal. 119. 105. and ſearch till you find all your Sins, ſaying to your own Soul (as Samuel to Jeſſe, are theſe all the Sons that thou haſt. 1 Sam. 16. 12.) are theſe all thy Sins, if any one do not yet appear, ſit not down till that be fetched, eſpecially if it be a Mordecai Sin, that will not bow to Chriſt, or a Dalilah Sin, that hinders your Soul moſt from a Reſignation to Chriſt, (4.) Examin your graces as knowledg, Faith Repentance, Love, Zeal, Obedience, all thoſe ſhould be ready to wait on their Lord, their founder and their finiſher, bring forth your bravery to entertain Chriſt.
9. The ſecond thing required in the Ordinance, is ſelf-excitation, you muſt ſtir up your ſelf, as Deborah did; calling up her own Soul ſaying, awake awake, Deborah, awake awake, Judg. 5. 12. open there all the Springs of your Soul for Chriſt, as Chriſt opened all the veines of his heart for you. (1.) Open all your deſires and affections for him; come to this Ordinance, as Behemoth to Jordan, with a mighty and an all exhauſting thirſt upon you. Job 40. 23. bring ſtrong affections and a luſty appetite to this Supper, where 'tis a vertue Sublime to to be an holy glutton, and to drink hearty draughts of the blood of Chriſt, that you may go away from the Supper as Chriſt did from his Baptiſm; filled with the Holy Ghoſt, Mat. 3. 16. you muſt conſider what is before you as Prov. 23. 1. but in that duty 'tis not your work to reſtrain, but to provoke appetite, and the rather, becauſe Chriſt ſo exceedingly thirſted after your Salvation, Luke 12. 50. though he knew it would prove ſo coſtly to him; Chriſt ſaith, with deſire I have deſired to Eat this Supper with you, Luke. 22. 15. that had no need (for himſelf) of either you or it, how much more ſhould you ſay, with deſire I have deſired to Eat this Supper with Chriſt, who is at all the charges, pain, and pains himſelf and all for your Eternal profit.
10. Secondly, excite and quicken up all your faculties, as the affections (thoſe hand maids of the Soul) give attendance to meet Chriſt (the miſtical David) juſt as the Virgins of Iſrael met literal David in their Singings and dancing. 1 Sam. 18. 6, 7, 8. every one Singing their part appointed them accordingly [hope] is ſent out to wait for this King of glory, and if he come not [deſire is ſent out to fetch him, [Love, Delight, and Joy] receives and entertains him, all theſe Virgins go out to meet this bleſſed bridegroom, Mat. 25. 1. having firſt ſwept the Houſe clear, and caſt all the filth away into the brook Kidron. 2 Chron. 30. 14. Math. 13. 14. Jam. 1. 21. and brought forth their beſt bravery, (Arras hangings, Perſian Carpets, rich ſtools, all their Plate and Jewels) to wit, all the graces of the Spirit (far ſurpaſſing Aarons rich garments that were for glory and beauty) all to prepare a large upper-Room for entertaining the King of glory: even ſo all the faculties of the Soul muſt be ſtirred up, to Improve their Intereſt in ſuch a bleſſed gueſt, as (1.) your underſtanding muſt look round about him, and behold him altogether lovely from this Sycamore-Tree, as Zacheus. Luke 19. 3, 4. Cant. 5. 16. (2.) Your will muſt offer up both Sword and Keyes, &c. As the Major doth to his Prince at his entertainment. (3.) Your memory muſt be ready to Regiſter every act of love to your Soul, remembring his loves more then Wine, Cant. 1. 4. In a word Chriſt muſt be led into every Room of your heart: and Laſtly all your graces muſt be excited, and made ready to receive [each] their Alms from Chriſts fulneſs, as ſaving knowledg, juſtifying Faith, ſincere Repentance, ſervent love, &c. All come to touch him for healing vertue, well knowing that Chriſt comes with a Royal heart into the Soul to give abundantly and like himſelf, no mean gift can come from ſo noble an hand and heart, and that all this may be done you muſt uſe the third thing required, to wit, ſtrong Invocation; coming as a Prince to him Job. 21. 37. and begging his grace (in all) with your whole heart. Pſal. 119. 58.
11. The third general is your Improvement after all. When Faith and all your other graces (together with your affections and the faculties, of your Soul) have plaid their part in the Mount, and brought you even to a Transfiguration, as was done both to Moſes and to the Meſſias, Exod. 34. 29. & Luke 9. 29. then. (1.) You muſt tremble to loſe that luſter and glory that God hath put upon you by your converſing with him: If he hath made you one of his Jewels by communicating his preſence to you, Mal. 3. 17. then ſhine as a Jewel in all your Relations, that all which ſee you may acknowledg you to be a ſeed, the Lord hath been bleſſing, Iſa. 61. 9. (2.) Be thankful to your Lord for this ineſtimable benefit, Pſal. 116. 12. be of a rendring diſpoſition, and that in your life as well as with your lip. If Davids condeſcenſion to ſuch a dead Dog (as Mephiboſheth accounted himſelf) was ſo admired by him. 2 Sam. 9. 7, 8. how much more by you that in rigour of Juſtice might be fed with Wormwood, and have the waters of gall to drink, Jer. 9. 15. yet the Lord gives you the fleſh of his own Son to be meat indeed to you, and his blood to be your drink indeed. Joh. 6. 55. that might ſay I will not feed you at all, Zech. 11. 9. (3.) Let it be an everlaſting obligement on you, to keep far from every evil matter, Exod. 23. 7. The Oath of God (no leſs is a Sacrament) is upon you, lay Gods charge upon all your corruptions, Cant. 2. 7. you are Vas Signatum, ſhall you Sin, Neh. 6. 12. your all is for the Prince, Ezek. 44. 3. do ſingular things for Chriſt, that doth ſingular things for you, Mat. 5. 47.