A little cabinet richly stored with all sorts of heavenly varieties, and soul-reviving influences.: Wherein there is a remedy for every malady, viz. milk for babes, and meat for strong men, and the ready way for both to obtain and retain assurance of salvation: being an abridgement of the sum and substance of the true Christian religion; wherein the cause of our salvation, the way, the guide, the rule, the evidence, the seals, &c. and the connection of these points together, and dependancy of them one upon another: this I have endeavoured to do orderly, exactly, methodically, with much plainness and clearness. / By Robert Purnell.

Of the Lords Supper, or breaking of bread: ano∣ther standing Ordinance of the Gospel.

• 1. OF the Lords Supper, what it is.
• 2. Wherein Baptism doth differ from it.
• 3. Preparations to the Lords table required.
• 4. The actions of the Administrator of this Or∣dinance.
• 5. The actions of the receiver, and duty in re∣ceiving.
• 6. Who they are that may partake of this Ordi∣nance.
• 7. The ends and uses of the Lords Supper.
• 8. The duties to be performed after receiving.

First, of the Lords Supper, what it is.

IT is a sealing or confirming Ordinance of the Gospel, wherein by the outward elements of bread and wine, sanctified by the word and prayer, and ex∣hibited by the Minister, and rightly received by the communicant, assurance is given to those that are in∣grafted into Christ, of their continuance in him, and relation to him, receiving nourishment by him unto eternal life: or it is a second confirming Ordinance of the New Testament, wherein God, by the signs of bread and wine, signifieth, sealeth and offereth to every faithful receiver, the body and blood of Christ for his spiritual nourishment and growth in Christ; and so confirmeth him in the Covenant of grace.

The matter of the Lords Supper is partly out∣ward, as bread and wine, and partly inward, as the body and blood of Christ: those outward elements signifying Christ, and him crucified, with all the be∣nefits of his death, passion, even whole Christ, with all the fruits of his mediation, Mat. 26. 26, 27. 1 Cor. 11. 24, 25.

Wherein doth Baptism differ from the Lords Supper, seeing they are both confirming Or∣dinances.

IN regard of the thing signified, Baptism, as hath been said, is a seal of our entrance into the Church of God: the Supper of the Lord is a seal of our con∣tinuance in the same; the one of our new birth, the other of our spiritual growth; the former is ordain∣ed to this end, that being out of Christ by nature, we being born again, might now be ingrafted into his body, Tit. 3. 5. Joh. 3. 5. the latter, that being in Christ by grace, we might continue and encrease in him, 1 Cor. 10. 16. and 11. 23. 1 Pet. 3. 21.

The Supper of the Lord is to be received as often as he shall give occasion: Baptism but once, for there is but one entrance into Christ, but many degrees of growth up in him.

Of the Preparation to the Lords table.

THere ought to be a careful preparation before the action, and great heed in the whole action, and a joyfull and thankful close and shutting up of it; all which ought to be performed as well by the mi∣nister as the people.

1. Let there be a due search and tryal of our own souls, whether we can find in our selves the things which God doth require in worthy communicants, viz. 1. by examining our wisdom and knowledge, both of Gods will in general, and of the nature and use of this holy ordinance in particular; whether we can give a reason of the representation of Christ in the bread and wine, and see our need of it, and what we may benefit by it: So also we should examine our Faith, 2 Cor. 13. 5. 1 Tim. 1. 15. and repentance, Heb. 10. 22. James 4. 8. and see whether this to us be attended with the love of God, Zach. 12. 10. and of our Brethren, 1 Cor. 16. 4. and a fervent praying for a blessing upon this ordinance of God, Mat. 26. 26.

In thy preparation look much upon thy unwor∣thiness, as first the wickedness of thy nature, ready to all evil, and backward to all that is good. Second∣ly, consider thy blindness of mind, sleepiness of me∣mory, hard heart, and stubborn will, unholy affe∣ctions.

Consider if thou wast cursed in the womb, born a child of wrath, what art thou now having lived so long in Sin, but the child of hell far more then thou

wast before, Psal. 58. 3. Job 20. 11. If for one sin a••l the curses of the Law do lie upon thee: as Gal. 3. 10. James 2. 10. What is due to thee for all thy sins? if single sins deserve death, what do thy double and treble sins deserve? consider thy rebellious backsliding sins against knowledge, conscience, covenants, pur∣poses, promises, protestations; do not all these deserve double and deeper damnation? not knowing of God, he will not have mercy upon thee, Isa. 27. 11. not repenting thou shalt perish, Luke 13. 3. not fearing him, he will make thy plagues wonderful, not believing in him thou shalt be damned, John 3. 18. not lo∣ving him thou art and shalt be cursed, 1 Cor. 16. 22. not being zealous he will spew thee out of his mouth, Rev. 3. 16. not being meek thou art an abominati∣on to the Lord, Prov. 3. 32. not being mercifull, thou shalt have judgement without mercy, not eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God, thou hast no life in thee, John 6. 53. And eat his flesh and drink his blood thou canst not, unless thou dost examine thy self, and by Faith discern the Lords body.

Of the actions of the administrator of this blessed Ordinance.

FIrst the minister is to take the bread and wine, and to separate it from ordinary bread and wine, which doth signifie Gods separating Christ from other men to be our alone mediator; and that he was by the father set a part to that office, and so separated from sinners, Exod. 12. 5. Heb. 7. 26.

Then he comes to bless and consecrate the bread and wine, by the word and prayer, which doth signi∣fie Gods sanctifying and furnishing him with all gifts needful for a mediator.

Then he cometh to break the bread and pour out the wine, which doth signifie the passion of Christ, with all the torments which he endured for our sins, viz. to accomplish our salvation: see what he endured, consider that he that was equal with God, should come in the form of a Servant; that he that the hea∣ven of heavens could not contain, should be cradled in a manger, that the Judge of all flesh should be con∣demned; that the Lord of life should be put to death; that he that was his fathers joy should cry out, my God, my God why hast thou forsaken me? that that head that was crowned with honour should be crowned with thorns; that those eyes that were as a flame of fire should be closed up by the darkness of death; that that tongue that spake as never man spake, should be ac∣cused of blasphemie; that those hands that swayed the Scepter, and feet that were as fine brass, should be nailed to the cross, and himself hanged on a tree between two thieves, and then they pierced his side with a spear, his precious blood shed, and his righte∣ous soul poured forth unto Death, Isa. 53. 5, 10, 12. Heb. 9. 14. Surely as the bread nourisheth not if it remain whole and unbroken, so there is no life for us in Christ, but in as much as he died for us.

Then the Minister gives the bread and wine to the receivers, which doth signifie that God gave Christ, and Christ gave himself to us, and in this is Christ Jesus with all his merits offered to all sorts of receivers, and that God hath given him unto the faithful re∣ceivers

to feed their souls unto eternal life, John 3. 14, 15. & 6. 50, 51.

Of the actions of the receiver, or duty in reciev∣ing.

FIrst he is to take the bread and wine presented to him, which doth signifie the recieving of Christ into our souls, with all his benefits, by Faith, and that they and only they have benefit by Christ, which thus apply Christ to themselves by a true and live∣ly Faith: John 1. 12. To as many as did receive him, to-them he gave power to become the Sons of God.

Secondly, the communicants are to eat the bread and drink the wine, receiving them into their bodies, and digesting them, 1 Cor. 11. 26. Which doth sig∣nifie our uniting to Christ and enjoying of him, and so with delight apply him and his mercies to all the necessities of our Souls, Spiritually feeding upon him, and growing up by him; and as God doth bless these elements to preserve and strengthen the body of the receiver, so Christ apprehended and received by faith doth nourish our Souls, and preserve both body and soul unto eternall life, John 6. 50, 51. 1 Cor. 10. 3, 11, 19, 17.

As the bread passeth through many alterations be∣fore it is fit to be eaten, as cutting down, threshing, grinding, and the parching heat in baking, so the blessed body of Christ was pittifully bruised and rent with drops of blood, scourges, nayles, thorns, and with a spear, before it could be a fit sacrifice for sin; and as bread feeds the body, so doth Christ the soul; and as bread drives away natural hunger, so doth Christ

spiritual hunger; and as bread is given to the hungry and poor, so Christ effectually to the broken in heart, and to the contrite Spirit, and to the hungry soul: if any ask what it is to receive Christ, then I answer, to accept of him to be thy Priest, and Jesus, to save thee by his blood; and to be thy Prophet, and Christ, to teach thee by his word: and to be thy Prince and Lord, to reign in and over thee by his Spirit, making thee to learn and live by his Laws; now if thou hast thus re∣ceived Christ, thou wilt part with any thing in the world rather then him, and so it will make thee to take heed of that which may cause Christ to depart from thee.

• 1. By committing any of thy old sins, 2 Pet. 1. 9.
• 2. By neglecting any of his Services, 2 Pet. 1. 10.
• 3. By not loving all his commandments; John 15. 14.
• 4. By not waiting for his second coming in power and great glory.

Who they are that may partake of this Ordi∣nance.

ALL who are of years and sound judgement to discern the Lords body, and to examine them∣selves, and are received by consent into the body of the Church of Christ, these are to repair to this ordi∣nance, for none partake of it worthily, but those who profess the true Faith, and have duly examined and prepared themselves, Isa. 66. 23. 1 Cor. 11. 27, 28. whereby all not of age and sound judgements are debarred of this ordinance, and may not be admitted

by the Church to the Supper of the Lord, but such only as have these things in them, which God re∣quireth at their hands, the other is to be kept back by the Discipline of the Church, and those also of the Church that are under admonition or suspension, till the Church receive full satisfa∣ction.

The ends and uses of the Lords Supper.

HAving spoken to the matter and form of the Lords Supper, it now fals in order to speak of the ends and uses thereof.

1. To receive Christ more firmly, and to be knit faster unto him.

2. To renew our Covenant with God.

3. To shew forth his death, 1 Cor. 11. 26. or to call to mind and renew the mercy and vertue of Christs death, 1 Cor. 11. 24.

4. To encrease our Faith, begotten by the word preached: and to confirm unto us our nourish∣ment therein by the means of Christs death.

5. To encrease our love to Christ, and his body the Church.

6. To quicken our hearts to all holy duties.

7. To encrease our joy in the Holy Ghost, our peace of conscience, our hope of eternal life, and all other graces of God in us.

8. To stir us up with greater boldness to profess Christ and his Ordinances, then heretofore we have done.

9. To make a difference between our selves and

the enemies of Christ, who casting the converting Ordinances behind their backs, they are debarred of the confirming Ordinances of Baptism and the Lords Supper.

Of our duty after receiving.

VVE should endeavour to obtain, and retain a greater measure of Faith in Christ, love to God and all his servants, power to subdue sin, and practice obedience with all other sanctifying and saving graces, 1 Cor. 10. 16, 17. and 11. 21. Col. 2. 6, 7. 2 Pet. 3. 18. For a true receiver shall feel in himself an increase of Faith, and sanctificati∣on, and a greater measure of dying unto sin, a fur∣ther strengthning of the new man, and so a greater care to live in newness of life, and to walk the more comfortably and steddily in the wayes of God, for strength to perform any duty, to exercise any grace, to subdue any lust, to resist any temptation, to bare any affliction, is derived only from Christ, and many times conveyed to the soul in this pipe of conveyance, to wit the Lords Supper.