The Fountain of Life Opened

First, What it is to remember the Lord Jesus in the Sacrament. Secondly, What aptitude there is in that Ordinance, so to bring him to our remembrance. ⟨p. 269⟩Thirdly, How the care and Love of Christ is discovered, by leaving such a memorial of himself within us.

First, What it is to remember the Lord Jesus in the Sacrament?

Remembrance properly,¹ is the return of the mind to an object, about which it hath been formerly conversant. And it may so return to a thing it hath conversed with before, two ways; speculatively, and transiently; or affectingly, and permanently. A speculative remembrance, is only to call to mind the history of such a person, and his sufferings. That Christ was once put to death in the flesh. An affectionate remembrance is when we so call Christ and his death to our minds, as to feel the powerful impressions thereof upon our hearts. Thus, Matth. 26.75. Peter remembered the words of the Lord, and went out, and wept bitterly. His very heart was melted with that remembrance; his bowels were pained, he could not hold, but went out, and wept abundantly. Thus Joseph when he saw his brother Benjamin, whose sight refreshed the memory of former days, and endearments, was greatly affected, Gen. 43.29, 30. And he lift up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mothers Son; and said, is this your younger brother of whom ye spake to me? and he said God be gracious unto thee my Son. And Joseph made haste, for his bowels did yearn upon his brother, and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his Chamber and wept there. Such a remembrance of Christ, is that which is here intended. This is indeed a gracious remembrance of Christ, the former hath nothing of grace in it. The time shall come, when Judas that betrayed him; and the Jews, that pierced him, shall historically remember what was done,