deserue and shall one day draw downe vpon their owne heads that despise the substance and make light account of the bloud of the couenant Christ and his righteousnesse who is heere crucified afresh and offered in this Sacrament vnto euery true beleeuer Vse 3 Thirdly seeing this is so great a sinne to receiue vnworthily wee learne heere that it is not inough to repent and to be greiued for grosse and grieuous sins such as the world cryes out of but we must bee humbled for our secret sinnes infirmities wants Our carelesnesse in prayer hearing of the word receiuing of the Sacrament yea wee must be humbled for our vnworthy comming to the Lords Table for reâ—eiuing this Sacrament carelessâ—y vnreuerently and vnworthiâ—y And hence it is that Dauid â—rayes that the Lord would parâ—on his secret sinnes Psal 19.12 and Peter â—ils Simon Magus to repent Act. 8.22 and â— pray that the thoughts of his â—eart might be pardoned The â—ord hath threatned a curse to â—â—em that doe his worke negliâ—â—ntly saying Ier. 47.10 Cursed bee hee that â—th the work of the Lord negligent 〈◊〉 And yet notwithstanding that we haue all of vs had our failings there in where is the man that is humbled aright and saith Alas what haue I done and seekes to to stay Gods wrath and to appease his anger before the decree come forth Ier. 8.6 and the Lord begins to punish for this sin Vse 4 And last of al seeing weakenesse sicknesse yea and death iâ— selfe with other sharp corrections are all inflicted for sinne and as for other open and grieuous impieties so for this sin oâ— vnworthie receiuing of this Sacrament Learne we then wheâ— the Lord sends sicknes in body diseases weakenesse and want oâ— health or other temporal iudgements in our bodies goods oâ— names amongst other causeâ— let vs impute them to bee seâ— of God for sinne especially foâ— this common sin of ours the vnworthy receiuing of this Sacrament of the Lords Supper But alas though the Lord send abroad his iudgements sicknes diseases weakenesse in mens bodyes c Who thinkes of sin as the cause of all especially of this sinne of vnworthy receiuing of this Sacrament little do men thinke that that is is cause of all well the Apostle concludeth thus For this â—ause many are weake amongst you â—nd sick c Note And experience â—eacheth that the Lord vsuall doth â—ot send more sicknes at any one â—ime all the yeare after then at â—his time of the yeare when most â—houlde or doe receiue this Saâ—rament of the body and bloud â—f Christ Thus much concerning the first â—â—rt of men that may communicate vnworthily euen the godly man himselfe for want of this godly examination and preparation therevnto as also for his punishment But now howsoeuer the Lord in mercy doth thus deale with his seruants and for this sin of theirs correcteth them here that they may not perish hereafter It is not so with the wicked their vnworthy receiuing is punished after another manner They eate and drinke their owne damnation Thaâ— is amongst all other their sinnes this their vnworthy receiuing is not the least but the Lord doth and will impute the same vnto them 2 Sorts of vnworthy receiuers are the wicked properly so called and this doth helpe to filâ— vp the measure of their iniquities and hasteneth their condemnation And now being to speake oâ— the wicked and their punishment we will labour to discouer the person of the vnworthy receiuer and then to speake of his punishment Now for the more certaine discouery of the person of the vnworthy Communicant Vnworthy receiuers discouered by being compared with the worthy and who it is that may most properly be so called and who it is that doth thus abuse Gods holy ordinance and eate and drinke vnto his own eternall condemnation â— take it to be needfull first to â—hew who they bee that receiue Worthily So shall wee come the â—etter to discerne who they bee â—hat receiue vnworthily For reaâ—on it selfe doth teach vs that it â— the readiest manner of teachâ—ng one to know which is the â—rong way by instructing him â—â—st which is the right way for that is but one whereas other by-wayes are many For whosoeuer is not a worthy receiuer must needs be an vnworthy one whether he come too short or goe too farre Who receiue worthily Now such onely receiue this Sacrament worthily who both see and acknowledge their own vnworthinesse Wherein there is first of all Knowledge required 1 Such as haue a competent measure of knowledge which is the ground of all other grace And that is to be considered two wayes First more generally in the knowledge of the principall poynts of Christian religion Seuen things to be knowne of euery worthy receiuer Secondly more particularly in the Knowledge of this Sacrament Touching the first of these seuen particulars must be known of euery worthy receiuer First that the Lord hath reuealed in his Worde what wee ought both to know and acknowledg concerning his VVill that all thinges therein contained are true VVhich whosoeuer knoweth not cannot bee in the estate of grace much lesse can bee a worthy receiuer of this Sacrament Secondly touching God himselfe the worthy receiuer must know that there is but one God who is of a spiritual nature most wise iust mighty and mercifull who hath ordained all thinges created al things and gouerneth all things according to his owne will And that this God hath reuealed himselfe in three persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost and that these three are but one God Thirdly concerning man the worthy receiuer must know that God in the beginning created man in a most happy estate perfect in soule and body after his owne Image who by his owne disobedience lost his own happines procured Gods curse and made both himselfe and posterity subiect vnto all misery Fourthly for our selues wee must acknowledge our selues to bee corrupted seede of corrupt Parents conceiued and borne in Sinne and brought forth in iniquitie whereby we deserue Gods curse and euerlasting condemnation Fiftly concerning our remedy the worthy receiuer must know that neither himselfe nor any Creature in Heauen or Earth could free him from that cursed estate but that God the Father of his meere loue and tender compassion without any desert of man did send his owne Sonne to take our nature vpon him and in the same to worke our redemption and to reconcile vs vnto God Sixtly the worthy receiuer must know that forasmuch as his redemptioÌ„ is wrought by Christ wee must haue some meanes to make that ours which is Christs and that is onely Faith for it is Faith that apprehends and applies Christ and his obedience and makes the same ours as wee had wrought it our selues And last of all the worthy receiuer must know that this faith â—s not in our selues but it is the â—ree gift of God wrought by the Spirit of
vs If our bowels and intrals should be in danger to rot within vs Note for receiuing this Sacrament vnworthily would it no◠make vs looke about vs And what shall we no way regard◠what the Lorde hath heer◠threatened that Hee that eatet◠and drinketh vnworthily eateth an◠drinketh his owne damnation Th◠were a pittifull folly The Lor◠open our eyes at the last to see our misery heerein and giue vs hearts truely to be humbled for our sinne Hitherto of the persons and their punishment we come now to the last circumstance and that is the ground and cause of the punishment Not discerning the Lords body In these wordes the Apostle comes to lay downe the cause of the aforesaide punishment why men doe by their vnworthy receiuing eate and drinke iudgement vnto themselues That is hale downe some iudgment or other vpon themselues temporal here or eternall hereafter the reason is Because they discerne not the Lords body The meaning is they put no difference betweene these Sacramental elements and other common Bread and Wine They doe not consider that the Bread and Wine now sanctified and set apart for such an holy vse differs from common Bread and Wine as signifying and representing vnto vs the body and bloud of Christ and are as signes and seales to confirme vnto vs all those precious promises that God hath made vnto vs in his Sonne Quest Heere then it will bee first asked what it is to Discerne the Lords body Answ I answere the originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heere vsed signifieth to seuer something and to set it apart from the common vse and accompt and to esteeme of it more highly and honourably then we doe of other things and accordingly to vse it And so the same worde is vsed else-where Haue compassion on some sinners Iude. 22. and put a difference That is put a difference between such as truly repent and such as be impenitent So againe 1. Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to differ So then What it is to discerne the Lords body to discerne of the Lordes body in this place is to distinguish that bread that is vsed in this Sacrament as a most precious and blessed signe and seale of the body of Christ from all other Creatures and therefore to vse it with all reuerence and due respect as a thing set apart of God by his owne appoyntment and institution to be a signe and seale of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ and of all those benefites which wee haue and receiue by him and therfore that wee come not vnto it as wee come vnto our common meate and drinke but as to a holy mystery and signe of a blessed benefite Doct. 6 And now in that the Apostle makes this the grounde of that curse or punishment that wicked men doe draw downe vppon their owne heads euen their own condemnation They discerne not the Lords body It is the property of an vnworthy receiuer to put no difference betweene bread and wine in this Sacrament and common bread and wine that is put no difference between those elements thus sanctified and set a part for such an holy vse from their ordinary foode We learne That It is the propertie of an vnworthy receiuer and of such a one as doth eate and drinke vnto his owne Damnation to put no difference between Bread and Wine in this Sacrament and common bread and common wine but eate and deuoure the Bread and Wine neuer looking after or regarding to feede on Christ who is therein exhibited to euery true beleeuer Now what is this else but to contemne Christ and his merits and the vndeserued loue of God the father himself who hath prepared such a bountifull feast for vs when we will not see nor regard that foode by the which we should liue for euer So that againe here commeth to be considered the grieuousnes of that sinne of vnworthy receiuing the Apostle cals it a not discerning of the Lords body and here by doth not lessen the fault but rather teacheth vs that this light esteeme and slight regard that most men haue of this so holy and sacred an ordinaunce howsoeuer men make light account of it and the grace that is therein offered Yet it is such a Sinne as grieuously offendes the Maiestie of God and pulleth downe vpon men his fearefull wrath If the King should passe by vs and wee knowe him not how coulde wee doe him that reuerence wee ought inasmuch as wee could nor discerne him nor know his person Euen thus fareth it with men in this Sacrament albeeit the Lorde bee nigh vnto his seruants that come in a holy manner there-vnto in Faith Repentance and true Obedience And that such feede vpon Christ to their endles comfort Yet it is not so with the wicked the reason is they Discerne not the Lords body They cannot see nor perceiue any difference at all betwixt this bread and their ordinary foode they want the eye of faith to discerne Christ who is spiritually discerned And hence is it that they in stead of reaping comfort and benefit by this his ordinance doe rather dishonour God contemne Christ and his merits and draw downe vppon their owne heads swifte damnation Vse 1 Now then if all those that bee not able to Discerne of the Lords body Receiue vnworthily and eate and drinke their owne damnation this shewes in what a lamentable and fearefull estate many thousands in the world be at this day For aske them what they receiue in this Sacrament they make you a maruellous silly and ignorant answer They receiue their Maker A bit of bread and a little wine and the like By which ignorant and prophane speeches of theirs they shew that they discerne not the Lords body But eate and drinke vnto their owne perdition Vse 2 Secondly let this serue for our instruction that as we desire to receiue this Sacrament worthily and so as wee may finde true peace comfort vnto out soules let vs labour to be rightly instructed in the doctrine of it that so wee may bee able to Discerne the Lords body And to apprehend what rich treasures are offered vnto euery true beleeue◠herein euen Christ with all his merits and not a peece of Bread as many fondly imagine And that these elements being set a part by God himselfe and sanctified vnto vs by the worde and prayer are now become vnto vs signes and seales of the body and bloud of Christ and of those benefits that come vnto vs by his passion and so bee able to put a difference betweene them and common bread and common wine First because they are set apart by God to a speciall vse not so much to feede the body as to Nourish and refresh the soule Secondly because being now sanctified they serue to be Sacraments signes and seales of heauenly things and spirituall mysteries euen of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ and all those
Christ pronounceth such to be blessed that doe â—ut hunger and thirst after righâ—eousnesse and hath said Mat. 12.20 that he â—il not breake the bruised reede nor â—uench the smoaking flaxe Fourthly that the Lord doth â—ore regard the truth of grace ytâ—aboureth after perfection then â—he measure of it as that gift that was so highly commended by our Sauiour in the poore widdow And last of all that this Sacrament of Christs Supper was instituted and ordained for the weake not for the strong for the poore not for the rich for the sicke and broken harted and not for the whole Now then what an absurditie were it for a man to refuse to eat because hee were hungry and to refuse to drinke because he were thirsty Doe not then discourage thy self more then there is cause but come O come vnto this heauenly banket feast of thy soule where thou hast a promise that by the conscionable and holy vse of this ordinance thou shalt haue thy faith strengthened thy repentance increased and all other graces of God confirmed in thee to thy endlesse comfort Obiect 5 Some againe obiect that the Iewes receiued the passeouer but once in the yeare In the fourthâ—eenth day of the first moneth at euen is the Lords Passeouer Exo. 12.18 Leuit. 22.5 And the passeouer wee knowe was but a â—ype of this Sacrament I answer we now compare the â—haddowe and the substance together in that particuler whereâ—â— they are not to bee comâ—ared For touching this Sacrament of the Lords Supper it is â—is will that it should bee admiâ—istred and receiued often for so â—ith our Sauiour So oft as ye shall â—te of this bread c And as for â—is Annuall communicating is â—ow hatcht in time of popery in â—e infancy of the Church and â—y no meanes to bee immitated â—f vs that liue now in the Sun-shine of the Gospell But to leaue these obiections we come now to make some further vse of the poynt Vse 2 Seeing then wee see the necessitie of this duty For instruction that it is not left as a thing arbitrary to come or not to come but it is rather a flat precept imposed vpon all To come and eate of this breade and drinke of this cup. Let this serue for our instruction that wee learne to make more conscience of this duty of comming to this Sacrament If the Lord should require as our hands a thing that were hard and heauie wee ought with all chearefulnesse to vndergoe it and willingly to submit out selues vnto it in regard of his commaundement How be it this the Lord requireth at our hands is not hard but easie not an intollerable burthen but thaâ— which may delight the Soule of christian And therefore were shame not to do it It was well â—aid of Naamans Seruant to his Maister Master if the prophet had â—id thee do some great thing 2. Reg. 5.12 oughtest â—ou not to haue done it how much â—ore when he saith wash be clean â—f Christ should haue imposed â—ppon vs greater things then â—hese ought we not to doe them â—ow much more when he saith â—ake and eate How wil we drinke cup of Martyrdome for Christ â—at will not drink the cup of â—luation with Christ Vse 3 And last of all this may serue â—r matter of singular consolatioÌ„â—to the godly that make conâ—ience of this duty For consolation that hunger â—d thirst after this spirituall â—nquet more then their apâ—ointed foode such may surely exspect a blessing Whatsoeuer thy wants are the Lord will couer them all Do thou take the Lords offer when hee calles thee to his Table and come with a certaine exspectation of good successe and see if the Lord doe not open the windowes of heauen vpon thee and raine vpon thee aboundantly the showers of his grace and refresh thy hungry Soule with good things And therfore in Gods name leâ— this bee an incouragement vnto vs Iam. 4. to Draw neare vnto God seeing he will draw neare vnto vs. And although we cannot prepare ouâ— selues as we would Yet when we labour after holinesse and Sanctification of life let vs come and not bee discouraged the Lord will be mercifull vnto vs â— Cro. 30.19 though we are not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuâ—ry And thus much for the first â—enerall circumstance of the Text the duty Eate Drinke wee â—ome now to the qualification â—f the person â—â— And so let him Eate c. 2. Cir. The qualification of the person that must communicate The qualification of the â—erson is imployed in this word 〈◊〉 Which hath reference to the â—â—rmer part of the verse examiâ—â—tion it selfe The doctrine is â—eare Doct. 2 That after a man hath examiâ—â—d himselfe as before It is not sufficient to come but to come prepared and finds â—â—mselfe in some measure fitted 〈◊〉 Knowledg faith Repentance â—d Loue then he may come yea â—s he alone that hath warrant â— come and none other and is â—e required to participate of â—s holy ordinance It is not sufficient that a man come to the Lords Table but that he Sâ— come that is in an holy manner vnto such an holy ordinance Mat. 22.11 At the Marriage banquet iâ— the Gospell maâ— were biddeâ— to the feast and many came buâ— that was not all If there bee buâ— one in the company that come without the wedding garment bâ— is discouered and it was not hâ— beeing present at the feast thâ— would serue his turne but in a much as hee was not perparâ— and fitted thereunto hee is thâ— sentenced Mat. 26 to be bounde hand 〈◊〉 foote and to be cast into vtter darâ—nesse Iudas receiued this Sacrâ—ment as well as Peter from 〈◊〉 blessed hand of Christ yet bâ—cause he was not prepared thâ— vnto it proued his bane 〈◊〉 gaue Sathan the more aduanâ—age euen for the abuse of so hoâ—y an ordinance to enter into Iudas Mat 25. The foolish Virgins seemed â—o exspect the Brid-gromes comming but in asmuch as their Oyle was spent and their Lampes gone â—ut they were taken vnprepaâ—ed and so for euer shut out of â—he Marriage chamber and the Bride-gromes presence These â—nd the like examples whereof â—he Scriptures are full they all â—erue as a cloud of witnesses to â—onfirme vnto vs the vndoubted â—ruth of this doctrine that it is â—ot sufficient that a man come vnto â—his Sacrament of Christs Supâ—er and so ioyne with the rest of Gods people in receiuing of the â—â—me but he must So come that is â—â—ted and prepared by a godly â—xamination as before The reasons follow Reason 1 First it is Gods commaundement as to come so to come worthyly and prepâ—red without which preparation better neuer come For we shall but offer thâ— Sacrifice of fooles Which is abhomination vnto the Lord. Ecle 4. And aâ— our hearing praying receiuing c When we come vnto them for custom sake and fashion sake not
singular benefits that come vnto vs by the same And thus much for the Apostles Reason in this 29. verse To inforce his former duty of preparation ⸪ Let vs pray The Fift Sermon 1. Cor. 11.30.31.32 For this cause many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe For if we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged But when we are iudged wee are chastened of the Lord because wee should not bee condemned with the world OVr holy and blessed Apostle Saint Paul hauing in the former part of this chapter The Coherence â—et downe the true and holy manner of ministring and receiuing the Supper of the Lord as â— direction for all good Minister and people to follow Doth iâ— the seuenth and twentith verse threaten the vnworthy receiuers that they are guiltie of no lessâ— then high treason against thâ— blood of Christ for prophaning and vnworthy receiuing of thâ— same And verse 28. He layes dowâ— a generall rule to be obserued oâ— all that will come worthily anâ— prepared as they ought Let euerâ— one therefore examine himselfe anâ— so let him eate verse 28. c. First his knowledge whether it be sound anâ— sanctified 2. His faith whether iâ— be firme or not 3. His Repentance whether hee haue a dislikâ— of sinne past a resolute purpoâ—â— and indeuour to auoyd sinne foâ— the time to come resoluing to obey God in all things 4. whether he come in loue and charitie to man All which are absolute necessary in euery true communicant that desires to receiue this Sacrament worthily Verse 29. The better to awake al carelesse and vnreuerent receiuers of this holy Sacrament The Apostle comes to shew them the danger of the want of this preparation viz. That such doe not onely loose their labour or the benefit which otherwise they might receiue by the vse of this Sacrament but such doe indeede prouoke Gods heauie wrath and displeasure against them hereby hasten and procure their owne iudgement Because they discerne not the Lords body That is they put no difference betweene the Bread and Wine thus consecrated and set apart for such a holy vse and ordinary Bread and ordinary Wine Now in this 30. verse the words of this text the Apostle comest oâ— proue that which hee had seâ— downe before viz. that the vnworthy receiuer of the Lordâ— Supper drawes downe Godâ— heauy wrath and vengeance by this meanes vpon him and this hee doth by bringing in the Church and people of God in Corinth to witnesse this truth who for this very sin of vnworthy receiuing of this Sacrament were many of them stricken some with one disease and some with another saying For this cause many are sicke and weake c. q.d. You your selues oh Corinthians finde this to bee true that the vnworthy receiuer of this Sacrament eateth and drinketh his owne iudgement Seeing that for this sinne of yours the iudgment of God is vpon you in punishing many of you with faintnesse sicknesse yea and with death also All which iudgements of God now resting vpon you are so many witnesses of Gods displeasure against you for this sinne This is the some of this verse Doct. 1 Wherein wee are to obserue how our Apostle applyeth particularly that which he had so generally propounded touching the abuse of this Sacrament It is the ministers duty to make particular application of their Doctrines Teaching That it is the duty of euery faithfull minister of Iesus Christ to make particular applications of those Doctrines the which they deliuer not to sooth the people in their sinnes but plainly to set them before them and to shew them the iudgments of God that are vpon them for the same And thus doth Nathan make a particular application of the parable of the sheepe saying to Dauid 2. Sam 12.7 I. Reg. 21. Exo. 9.13 Act. 14.25 Mar. 6.18 Ioh. 4.9 Thou art the man Thus doeth Elias reproue Ahab Moses Pharao Paul Felix and Iohn Baptist Herod c. yea thus doth Christ him self deale with the woman of Samaria who did but dally with Christ vntil he came to lay to her charge her particular sin that she was a wicked woman no better then a whore or harlot and then she was tamed and began to listen vnto Christs doctrine And there is great reason that the Ministers of God should deale thus truely and faithfully with mens soules For Reason 1 First it is Gods commaundement that his ministers shoulde deale so plainely Eze. 33. and faithfully with the soules of men to lay open their sins and to acquaint them with the iudgment to com And heere-hence it is that the Lord doth giue vnto his seruants in the Ministery such names and titles which serue to put them in mind of their duety heerein Eze. 3.1 Eze. 34.1 1. Sam. 9.9 2. Pet. 1. â—3 as Watch-men Shepheards Seers Remembrancers c. Reason 2 Secondly because we know that conviction is the ready way to Conuersion And the iudgement of man must first of all bee convicted to see its error before he can come to leaue and forsake the same Now then inasmuch as this is it where-vnto all the labours of Gods seruants in the Ministerie doeth tende to bring men to see their sins and to repent for the same this can they not more better effect then by the particular application of their Doctrins bringing downe the same and applying it vnto the consciences of the hearers Vse 1 for reprofe And surely this doth serue to shewe why so many that labour in the Lords vineyard amongst vs are so vnprofitable and do so little good in their Ministerie the reason is plaine they deliuer generall Doctrines without their Vses they make not a true and particular application of the same vnto the Consciences oâ— their hearers and so it wants the life of all Application and fals to the ground Men hauing noâ— their portion out of the same deuided amongst them Vse 2 Secondly for instruction to Ministers this may serue to admonish all Ministers of the Worde that as they desire to see some fruite of their labour the conuersion of their hearers and those the Lord hath committed vnto their charge So to behold Pauls practice here to deale faithfully with mens soules to rip vp mens consciences to smite home to presse them with their sinnes and to say with Nathan Thou art the man For indeede such is the deceiptfulnesse of mans nature that vnlesse men be plainely and faithfully dealt withall wee may see that selfe-loue wil make men put off the most wholesome instructions vnto others as if they did no whit concern themselues This is a good lesson for such and such a man I would they had heard it Whereas indeede it concerneth none more then themselues Paul preuents this amongst this people of Corinth and tels them That many amongst them were weak c. Oh that this duty were duly regarded of all in the ministery it could not be