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A13854 Directions for a godly life especially for communicating at the Lord's table. Intended first for private vse; now publish'd for the good of those who desire the safty [sic] of their owne soules, and shall bee pleased to make vse thereof. By H. Tozer Mr of Arts, and fellow of Exceter Colledge in Oxford. Tozer, Henry, 1602-1650. 1628 (1628) STC 24161; ESTC S122218 43,206 213

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be borne but once but we dayly stand in need of food and strengthening therefore we often receiue the Supper of the Lord that our soules may be nourished vnto life everlasting Chap. II. What the Lord's Supper is That wee may rightly vnderstand the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper we must know 2. things 1 what it is 2 what belongs to the due receiving of it For the first the Lord's Supper is a Sacrament consisting of Bread and Wine lawfully consecrated distributed instituted by Christ himselfe for a cōtinual remēbrance of the Death Passion of Christ the benefits which we receiue thereby This institutiō was at Christ's last Supper after hee had eaten the Passeouer with his Disciples so that it is called a Supper in respect of the time of the institution and the Lord's Supper in respect of the Author the Lord Christ as also in respect of the end thereof which is partly to set forth the Lord's Death and the spirituall foode therein receiued namely the body blood of Christ himselfe In this Sacrament wee must consider 2 things 1. the parts 2. the end The parts are 2. first the outword Signes Secondly the thing signified The signes are either representing namely the elements themselues or applying signes which are the actions about those elements The elements are 2. Bread Wine not Bread only but both according to Christ's institution and that asunder not the Bread dipt in the Wine as some will haue it because Christ's blood was shed out of his body for our sinnes and wee are to receiue these signes as representing Christ not whole but wounded and peirced Now Christ chose those elements before any other because they best serue to set forth Christ's Body and Blood for as Bread by diverse breakings pressings comes to be perfect yea the chiefest food of our bodies still giving a good relish when other things doe not and is also more common to all thā any other So the body of Christ by many torments was made the chiefe nourishment of our souls remaining alwayes most sweet and pleasaunt and common to all that can receiue him by faith and as Wine doth cherish and comfort vs satisfie our thirst purge away many corrupt humours maketh vs bold and adventrous so the blood of Christ reviues and gladd's our drooping soules satisfieth our spirituall thirst purgeth vs from all our sinnes and maketh vs couragious against all feare of our enimie the Divell againe as bread is made of many graines into one loafe and wine of many grapes into one cuppe so wee partaking thereof and of Christ by faith are made one with him as our head and also one among our selues as members of his body thus of the elements The Actions in this sacramēt are of 2. sorts 1. of the Minister 2 of the Communicants The actions of the Minister are these 1 Setting apart 2 blessing of the Elements whereby is signified that Christ Iesus was set apart and sanctified for vs as it is Ioh. 17.19.3 breaking and powring out 4. distributing to the Communicants whereby is signified that Christ's Body was crucified his blood shed that the benefits thereof are offered vnto vs if we haue faith to receiue thē as it is Ioh. 3.15 He was lifted vp that whosoever beleeueth in him should haue life everlasting The actiōs of the Cōmunicāts are 2. 1. Taking 2. Eating drinking By which is signified that they which receiue benefit by Christ must receiue him by faith applying his merits to their owne soules as Ioh. 1.12 As many as received him to them he gaue power to become the Sons of God euen to them which beleeue on his name Thus of the signes the thing signified is the Body Blood of Christ with the benefits which wee receiue thereby namely the strengthening refreshing of our soules in the remission of our sins this wee receiue not of the Minister for he giues only the signes but of God himselfe apprehending the same by our faith for Christ is not signified in these signes as in a picture but exhibited vnto vs being himselfe present in the Sacrament though not corporally to the Bread Wine yet spiritually to our faith for though his Body bee in Heaven and must there remayne vntill the last day as it is Act. 3.2 yet we may feed on him spiritually by fayth by applying his death and passion vnto our sinfull souls so that there is one vnion betweene Christ and the Elements which is Symbolicall and an other betweene Christ and vs which is spirituall and reall The ends of this Sacrament are twofold 1 in respect of others 2 in respect of our selues In respect of others to testifie vnto them that faith which we professe that so they seeing our readines herein may haue their harts also stirred vp to such good duties In respect of our selues it concernes either what we haue received frō or what wee are to returne to God In the first respect it serueth First for remēbrance namely of the death of Christ for as often as we receiue this wee shew the Lords death till he come 1. Cor. 11.26 Secondly for confirmation vnto vs and that both of our vnion among our selues as 1. Cor. 10.17 for we being many are one Bread and one Body for we all partake of one Bread as also of our Communion with Christ for as the Bread and Wine are turned into the substance of our bodies so wee by faith are vnited vnto Christ made flesh of his flesh for his flesh is meate indeed his bloud is drink indeed Ioh. 6.55 for this cause it is called the Communion In the second respect concerning that which wee are to returne vnto God it serues to testifie our thankfulnes to God for his mercy in giuing vs his Son and in him all things and assuring vs thereof by this Seale which wee cannot but doe when we consider the torments that he endured for our sinnes which were indeed the very nayles and speares that pierced him and for this cause it is called the Eucharist because in it wee offer vp our thankes vnto God and so also it may be called a Sacrifice not that wee doe therein offer vp Christ vnto God for Christ himselfe at once finished this offering of his Body on the Crosse but because we offer vp our thankfull hearts vnto God for his mercy in Christ so that it is a sacrifice not of Christ but of our thankfulnesse CHAP. III. The Necessity of receiuing the Lords Supper THat wee may receiue this Sacrament as we ought we must consider 2 things 1 the Necessity 2 the right manner of receiuing the same As for the first wee must know that it is not a thing indifferent for vs to receiue or not to receiue at our pleasure but that wee ought to doe it though not euery Sabboth after the custome obserued in the Primitiue Church yet without faile as often as occasion is
this shall bee enough for the breach of charity if it bee in the audience or a whisperer vvho to speake the trueth is a meere incendiary that will ever bee adding fuell to the fire of contention Whence Saint Iames calls the tongue a fire a world of iniquity that setteth on fire the whole course of Nature I am 3.6 And Solomon saith that without wood the fire is quenched and without a talebearer strife ceaseth Prov. 26.20 The second rule whereby we may keepe peace with others is concerning other mens actions vvhich is that we so take them though sometimes wrongfull that we be not easily provoked thereby for a hasty and furious discontent vpon some small occasion doth often breake out to the breach of charity vvhereas a seasonable deliberation vvould mitigate the matter and so cover all in silence And therefore Saint Paul tells vs that Charity suffereth long and is not easily provoked 1. Cor. 13.4.5 If wee can but make true vse of these 2 rules vve may easily for our parts liue at peace with others Secōdly we must endeavour that others also by our carriage may doe the like with vs to which purpose we must take away first a common fault amongst vs which is a maine cause of strife and enmity 2 the occasion thereof The fault it selfe is rayling scandalous and reproachfull speaking which is so frequent that few or none if we looke narrowly into our words but are conscious vnto themselues hereof but so haynous in it selfe that Saint Paul ranketh it with robbery and extortion 1. Cor. 6.10 saying that neither theeues nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God and so pernitious also vnto the sweet society of men that it is that breath which often blowes the coales of contention so farre that they cannot bee quenched againe without blood and daily experience teacheth vs that there is no such common cause of strife and debate as scandalous termes which are so often heard amongst vs so that if we can but avoyd these wee shall take away the very ground vpon which our wrongfull actions are builded and therefore Saint Iames beseeching vs by the name of brethren exhorteth vs not to speake evill one of another I am 4.11 and Saint Peters advise is that wee lay aside all evill speakings and as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word 1. Pet. 2.1 Now that our speach of others may be such as it ought to bee let vs follow the advise of Solomon whose counsell is that it bee friendly Prov. 18.24 A man that hath friends ought to shew himselfe friendly not vttering any thing that may tend to their disgrace least by such discourtesies hee loose their good liking but rather endeavour by faire and courteous speeches to knit their hearts faster vnto him Neither yet can we easily avoyd this fault vnlesse in the second place wee take away the occasion of it vvhich is a tickling desire that most men are affected vvith to heare the faults of other men though perhaps lesse than their owne laid open and spoken against vvhich quickly begetteth a suspition of their vvorth and herevpon vvee too too readily build some calumnious report or other If it shall therefore happen at any time that vvee heare the slips and errours of another let vs not bee delighted therein but rather seeke to cover them for hee that covereth a fault seeketh loue Prov. 17.9 and not hee vvhich desireth to haue them laide open This is that vvhich vvee ought to doe both for the restoring and preserving of charity vvherein vvee must necessarily examine our selues before vvee come to partake with others at the Lords Table If vpon examination wee finde any thing wanting either that wee are not in charity with others or others with vs let vs according to these rules seeke by all meanes to make good what is wanting and so come CHAP. X. Of Premeditation and Prayer THus of the first thing to be performed in our preparation namely Examination of our owne fitnes to receiue The second is the Premeditation of the benefits which wee are to receiue which we must not omit that we may the better be stirred vp to seeke God and to cōmunicate at his Table with joy and gladnesse for there is nothing which makes vs more cold and backward in such duties than this that wee haue not sufficiently tasted how good the Lord is to those which seeke him the consideration whereof is alone able to moue any man to a longing desire after him Wherefore hauing searched into our own estate by a serious examination least wee should yet fall backe to a lukewarme carelesnesse of what we are to doe to which the Diuell will bee ever ready to tempt vs and so become the more vnfit to cōmunicate at the Lords Table either to Gods glory or our owne comfort let vs ever quicken our devotion vvith a seasonable premeditation before vvee come of the benefits vvhich vvee are to receiue by comming All which are cōprehended in this one word life vvhich vve receiue in the Lords Supper by receiuing Christ vvho is Life it selfe Iohn 14.6 Now the life of a Christian is either the life of Grace here or Glory hereafter The life of Grace vvhich we obtaine in this Supper consists of 2 things 1. A happy freedome from a twofold euill first of sin from vvhich vvee are freed by the Death of Christ vvhose blood if we relie on him will make our sinnes though as red as scarlet to become as white as vvooll 2l of Punishment from vvhich Christ hath redeemed vs by the shedding of his blood so that there is no condēnation to thē which are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.1 vvhence vvee may boldly say who is hee that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risē againe who is even at the right hand of God making intercession for vs vers 34. The second thing is a comfortable enjoyment of a threefold good 1 An inseparable vnion both vvith Christ our head from whom nothing shall bee able to separate vs Rom 8.38 as also with our brethren fellow-members in loue and charity which Dauid accounted a good and ioyfull thing Psal 133.1.2 A blessed strengthening of our faith whereof this Sacrament is a sure seale as before whence it shall come to passe that wee shall bee able to resist the temptations of the Divell who striveth by all meanes to make shipwracke of our faith and vs and reply with David Psal 16.9 I haue set God alwayes before mee for he is on my right hand therefore shall I not fall this is that which will make our hearts glad and our flesh to rest in hope as it is ver 10. which bringeth in a third good and that not the least that God vouchsafeth to his people in this world namely Peace of Conscience This is that which wee are most carefully to seeke after and which in the latter end will bee more worth vnto vs than