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A14105
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A matter of moment: or, A case of waight As great as euer was any, to be pleaded and examined in the hall of the heart and conscience of euery Christian at all times, before the receiuing of the Lords Supper. Touching that waightie charge of the Apostle Paul, in the I. Cor. II.28. Let euery man examine himselfe, and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. Set forth dialogue wise.
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Tye, William.
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1608
(1608)
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STC 24414; ESTC S101785
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23,867
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76
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Lordes Supper worthily who doth not know what is required to the worthy eating drinking of the Lordes Supper when our Sauiour said vnto the Saduces Matt. 22. Yee doe erre not knowing the Scriptures Did he not say plainely that the want of knowledge was the cause of their erring being deceiued and dealing awry When the Prophet Dauid said Psal 119. Thy word is a Lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my pathes did hée not clearely teach that the knowledge of the word of God must direct our actions and procéedings and that without the same knowledge we walke in darkenes wee know not what we doe nor whether we goe I thinke this is so plaine that it néedes no further disputing Ob. Why must a plaine simple man that can neuer a letter vppon the booke come furnished with this knowledge before hee can eate and drinke the Lords Supper what if such a one should come to you and say The scriptures are too busie for my head I know how to earne my liuing with the sweat of my browes honestly truely I trust I know as the rest of my neighbours know I hope they meane well they meane no hurt at their comming to the Lordes Table nor no more doe I or such like speeches would not this be sufficient for him Answ I knowe no difference the scriptures make in this respect betwéene the learned and vnlearned betwéene the simplest and the wisest of all neither yet any dispensation the one hath more then the other but this I know Ignorance is no excuse that ignorance is no excuse for any by these our Sauiours owne wordes Luke 12. But that seruant that knew not his Maisters will and yet did commit thinges worthy of stripes shall bee beaten with fewe stripes This I know that none can pleade ignorance for the Lord God speaketh generally vnto all by his seruant Moses Deut 3◠The word which I cōmand thee this day is not hid from thee neither is far of It is not in heauen that thou needest to say Who shall ascend for vs into heauē to fetch it vnto vs and to declare it vnto vs that wee may doe it neither is it beyond the sea that thou needest to say who shall go ouer the sea to bring it and to declare it vnto vs that we may doe it but this word is very neare thee euen in thy mouth and in thine heart to do it This I know Iosu 1. that all sortes of people ought to know the Scriptures This I knowe The Scriptures are easie to the simplest obseruing three things that the Scriptures are easie vnto the plaine and most simple people that are obseruing but thrée conditions The first if by zealous prayer they shall call for the illumination of Gods spirit The second if they shall bestowe the like endeuour care and studie to know them that they doe and can vpō cunning fetches for their worldly profit whereof if a booke should be framed twise as large as the Bible it would soone be knowne euen of the simplest yea though he could neuer a letter on the booke as you say yet he would haue it at one hand or other and it would busie his head neuer a whit The third if they shall desire and labour to know the scriptures to the end to kéepe the will of the Lord reuealed in them they are King Dauids words The Law of the Lord giueth wisedome vnto the simple Psal 19. Pro. 14. Wise Solomon saith A scorner seeketh wisedome and findeth it not but knowledge is easie to him that will vnderstand And when Dauid would perswade the Lorde to teach him to knowe his will hee drawes the Lord as it were with this reason because he will kéepe his will when he knowes it Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes I will keepe it vnto the end O giue me vnderstanding I will keepe thy law yea I will keepe it with my whole heart And to conclud this I knowe that the simplest and plainest man that is would bee ashamed to bee found vnskilfull and to be taken tardy in the profession that hee hath taken vppon him If his knowledge faile in the trade he was neuer bounde apprentice vnto if his knowledge faile in the Art of Logick Rhetorick or in the misterie of Astronomie or such like why in this he is not to bee blamed but if his knowledge faile in the points of Christianity whereunto he was bound apprentice in Baptisme which hee tooke vpon him to professe at the time of his Baptisme and wherin he hath serued so long apprētiship I thinke in this hee is worthy to be blamed I trow in this the simplest of vs all would take great shame to be found vnlearned and vnskilful If any intending to receiue the Lords Supper should come to mée with such answer as you say I know how to earne my liuing with the sweate of my browes c as indéede I thinke too to many hold it for the answere of a sound Christian surely I should bee driuen against my will to reply vppon him againe with these words If this bee all the knowledge that you haue and looke for then a bruit beast is for knowledge as good a Christian as you then a bruit beast may for his knowledge I speake it with reuerence bee admitted to the Communion as wel as you for a bruit beast knowes how to get his liuing with the sweat and labour of his body as well as you and no more doe you looke for Further I would reply againe from the Apostle Paul You would pretend a zeale and deuotion Rom. 10 but the zeale and deuotion of any whatsoeuer either to God or godlines is nothing worth if it bee not according vnto knowledge Zeale without knowledge is condemned If any man intend to goe to any place hee must keepe the way that leadeth vnto it if any man haue a zeale and deuotion to God and doe seeke God from the heart of necessitie hee must keepe the way that leadeth vnto him and that way is his word It is better sayth Saint Augustine to halt in the way then to runne swiftly out of the way If wee will bee deuout and religious let vs take it for truth which Lactantius saith That is true religion zeale deuotion which is ioyned with the word of God And therefore so many as come vnto the Supper of the Lord without the knowledge of this word to instruct and tell them what is here to bee done and how they ought to deale therein vndoubtedly they doe fare as they doe who are blindfolded and haue their eyes closed vp A man would wonder A most fitte similitude to meete in the high-way Tenne Twentie Thirty or Fortie people blindfolded grabling to some long iournies end Surely he would thinke them starke mad euer to take such a iourney in hand in that order and hee would iudge that they would
A MATTER of moment OR A Case of Waight As great as euer was any to be pleaded and examined in the Hall of the heart and Conscience of euery Christian at all times before the receiuing of the Lords Supper Touching that waightie charge of the Apostle Paul in the 1. Cor. 11.28 Let euery man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. Set forth Dialogue wise AT LONDON Printed by Robert Raworth for Henry Bell and are to be sold at his shop on Holborne-hill neere the signe of the Crosse-keyes 1608. ⧠To the most high and mighty Prince Henry Prince of Great Britaine Sonne and Heire Apparant to our Soueraigne Lord the King MOst gratious and happy Prince not long sithence a certaine Religious Gentleman asked me two questions touching those weightie wordes of the Apostle Paul in the 1. Corin. 11. Let euery man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread drinke of this cup. The first was whether euery Christian be bound of necessitie to examine themselues before they doe receiue the Lords Supper or not The second was wherein that examination of euery ones selfe dooth consist or what the points bee which euery Christian by this examination must find in himselfe before hee can receiue ahe Lords Supper Two questions deseruing a very carefull answer because they are as great and as needfull as euer any can be in these daies The former toucheth the carelesse Atheist who is wont to presume to the Lordes holy Supper not caring what hee doeth The latter concernes the blinde ignorant sort which are wont thither to flocke it is a wonder to see not knowing what they doe By both which this great Sacrament is euery where fearfully abused and the breaches of Sion and the ruines of Ierusalem thereby become most lamentable For this cause at that time with my best endeuour I answered the questions in our priuate conference together with all such doubts and obiections as did arise from and were occasioned by that our speech Sithence I handled the same abroad by publike preaching as occasion was offered which heard I vnderstood that many were delighted in the diuine method Many much reioyced at the plaine and easie order affirming that they had red sundry godly writings of the same argument heard diuers learnedly entreating of those words of the Apostle but that the way to the performance of this duty of examination was neuer tracted so plain so readie so easie Lastly therefore not knowing what hurt the hiding vp of this simple Talent may do againe what gaine and profite the occupying of the same abroad by Sea land through Gods blessing might bring vnto his Church I thought best for that end to put pen to paper and humbly to dedicate the same to you most noble Prince especially for two causes The first and chiefest is after your most noble Father our most gratious Soueraigne King Iames whom God long preserue you are our next gladsome hope to gouerne these Realmes and Kingdomes with wholesome Lawes and chiefly with sincere loue vnto Gods true Religion whereof this little booke containes a part wherein I hope your gratious clemencie will not onely take well in worth my good will and meaning but also will put thereto the signet of your princely licence and allowance vnder which this little Talent Quod sentio quam sit exiguum may passe be traded and vsed the rather because it is the marchandise of heauens kingdome The other cause is as my grandfather Doctor Tye was Tutor to Prince Edward afterward King Edward the sixt so likewise though I neither desire nor deserue the like place yet am I glad most noble Prince to shew any token of mine vnfained hartie dutie loue vnto your Grace whereby so farre as I may be bold I might bid you hearty welcome into these your Fathers Dominions wherein in my daily praiers I humbly craue of almightie God in all happie peace to establish his excellent Maiestie and his royall Progenie euen to the worlds end Your HIGHNESSE in all humblenesse of duty to be commanded William Tye. ⧠A Dialogue touching Examination before the receiuing of the Lords Supper Lately had betweene A christian Gentlemā making obiection A Minister making answer Obiection SIr I haue had a purpose to conferre with you in a matter of waight touching the Lords holy Supper if I might finde you at leysure Answer And I good Sir in a matter so waightie would gladly heare you I pray you say on Obiect That worthy Apostle Saint Paul in his Epistle written to the Corinthians the eleuenth chapter hath these wordes Let euery man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe Touching that Examination of euerie ones selfe I would craue your resolution in two points Ans My best endeuour is ready what be those two points Obiect First I would be resolued whether euerie one bee of necessitie bound to examine themselues before they doe eate of the bread and drinke of the cup in the Lords Supper And if it be so Secondly I would know wherein that examination of ones selfe doth consist or for what euerie one must examine themselues For an infinite number through infidelitie doubting of the former doe altogether neglect this examination of themselues and many againe willing to performe it know not how to enter into the latter namely wherein or for what they shuld examin thēselues An. Euerie one is bound of necessitie to examine himselfe before he doe receiue the Lords Supper To your first question I answer affirmatiuely namely that euerie one is bound of necessitie to examine himselfe before he doe eate of the bread and drinke of the cuppe in the Lords Supper and I hope none so wicked to deny it Obiect For my part I doe neither denie it nor doubt of it but yet I would bee better resolued by some reasons that it is so Ans If reasons you would haue in so plaine a case then marke them well I will proue it vnto you by Reasons and those of force The first Reason The first may bee drawne from the authoritie of the Apostle in this manner Paul speaking by the spirit of God commanded euerie one to examine himselfe before he doe receiue the Lords Supper Therefore euery one is bound of necessitie to doe it And if there were none other Reason this only would be of sufficient force to proue it But heare a second The second Reason thus Euerie one is bound by necessitie to know before hand whether he shall eate and drinke the Lordes Supper worthily that is as becommeth such a supper to bee eaten and drunke not peruerting the right and pure vse thereof But none can know that except they examine themselues Therefore it is cléere that euery one is bound of necessity to examine himselfe before hee doe eate and drinke the Lords Supper The third Reason A