of GOD and regard to your owne soules and the life that is to come apply your selves chiefly above all things to read and heare GODS Word Marke diligently therein what his will is you shall doe and withall endevour apply your selves to follow the same Blessed is he that readeth Revel 1.3 and they that heare the words of this Prophecie and keepe those things which are written therein 3. Hearing the Word preached EArly in the morning Jesus came into the Temple Ioh. 8.2 and all the people came unto him and he sate downe and taught them In the day time Jesus was teaching in the Temple Luk. 21.37 and at night he went out and aboad in the Mount that is called the Mount of Olives 38. And all the people came early in the morning to him in the Temple to heare him Acts 13.44 The next Sabbath day came almost the whole City of Antiochia together to heare the word of God preached by Paul and Bâ—rnabas Acts 8.5 Then came Philip into the City of Samaria preached Christ unto them 6. And the people gave heed unto those things which Philip spake with one accord Acts 17.11 The Jewes of Berea were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the Word with all readinesse of minde and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Wickliff That the hearing of the Word and Law of GOD is commmanded to the people it is evident both by the old and new Law Take opportunity to heare preaching and to prove Grashop by the Scriptures that which is taught The first Bayne and principall meanes to uphold a Christian life in godlinesse is the Word of GOD read preached and heard as the Lord prescribeth Where there is a good order of teaching Idem with diligence skill love and plainnesse we must be attentive and reverent in hearing As drinke is pleasant to them that be dry Hom. de leg Scriptur and meat to them that be hungry so is the reading hearing searching and studying of the holy Scriptures to them that bee desirous to know God or themselves and to doe his will Bayne The ordinarie preaching of the Word is a singular meanes provided for the perfecting of GODS elect and for their growing in a Christian life 4. Sacraments Eccles Ang. CHrist hath ordained in his Church two Sacraments onely as generally necessary to Salvation that is to say Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. Cosler A Sacrament is an outward and visible signe of a divine invisible grace instituted by Christ by vertue whereof the receiver obtaineth grace and sanctification In Sacraments Bellar. both the matter and words must bee instituted by GOD and are not alterable by man either by addition or diminution They are therefore called Sacraments August because one thing is seene in them and another thing understood That which is seene hath a bodily kinde forme and shew but that which is understood hath spirituall fruit Wee must not consider Idem what they be but what they signifie It is a dangerous matter Idem to take the signe in stead of the thing that is signified The holy Eucharist or Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of our Lord. Mat. 26. AS they were eating Jesus tooke bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to his disciples and said Take eat this is my body Ibidem And he tooke the cup and gave thankes and gave it to them saying Drinke yee all of it Ibid. For this is my Blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins In stead of the Flesh Beda and Blood of the Lambe Christ hath ordained the Sacrament of his Body and Bloud in the figure of bread and wine Neither doe wee receive them as common bread Iust Mart. nor as common drinke The bread which is of the earth Iren. receiving the invocation of God is not now common bread but the Eucharist consisting of two things earthly and heavenly Christ taking bread Tertul. and distributing it to his disciples made it his body saying this is my Body that is to say this is a figure of my body It is evident Bertram that the bread and wine are figuratively the body and bloud of Christ By the commandement and Isidor authority of Christ we call it the Body and Bloud of Christ because that though it bee made of the fruits of the earth it is yet notwithstanding sanctified and so become a Sacrament GODS Spirit working invisibly therein Bertram That body wherein Christ suffered was his proper and true body having no mysticall or figurative matter in it But this latter is a mysticall body shewing one thing outwardly in figure and inwardly representing another thing through the understanding and apprehension of faith Eccle. Angl. The body of Christ is given taken and eaten in the Supper onely after an heavenly manner And the meane whereby the body of Christ is received in the Supper is Faith To beleeve in Christ Aug. is the eating of the Bread of Life prepare not your mouths prepare your hearts This is to eat that living bread to beleeve in Christ Clem. Alex. that is to say with love to cleave fast unto him This is to drinke the bloud of Jesus Idem to be made partaker of his immortality This is therefore Aug. to eat that meat and drinke that drinke To dwell in Christ and to have Christ dwelling in us A remembrance of the death and passion of our Saviour Christ. 1 Cor. 11. THe LORD JESUS the same night in which he was betrayed tooke bread Ibid. And when hee had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my body which is broken for you this doe in remembrance of me Ibid. After the same manner also hee tooke the cup when hee had supped saying This cup is the new Testament in my bloud this doe as oft as yee drinke it in remembrance of me 1 Cor. 11. For as often as yee eat this bread and drink this cup yee doe shew the Lords death till he come The Sacrament of the Lords Supper was ordained for the continuall remembrance of the sacrifice of the death of Christ Eccles Ang. and the benefits which we receive thereby This bread and this cup Bertram which is called the body and blood of CHRIST doe lively represent or set out the remembrance of the Lords passion or dâ—ath even as himselfe hath said in the Gospell Luke 22. Do this in remembrance of me which the Apostle Paul expoundeth saying 1 Cor. 11. As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye shew the Lords death till hee come Our Lord gave unto his disciples Walfrid Strab. the SacrameÌ„t of his body and Bloud in the substance of bread and wine
and therin taught them to celebrate the memory of his most blessed Passion Ammon Having taken the bread then afterwards the cup of wine and testified it to bee his Body and Bloud he commanded them to eat and drinke thereof forasmuch as it was the memoriall of his future passion and death Worthy Receivers 1 Cor. 11. BUt let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat of that Bread and drinke of that Cup. Ibid. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe not discerning the LORDS body They which are of a cleane conscience upright in heart Chrysost moral and of an unreprovable life may alwaies come to this Table but they which are not so may not once approach unto it S. Augustine thus speaketh Alcinnus I like well of your humility that you presume not to approach to the Body and Bloud of Christ But it were better you would depart from your iniquities and being made cleane by repentance would take the Body and Bloud of Christ Hee is a worthy receiver Cyprian that remembring the benefit of Christ his passion lifteth up his heart unto the living God with his heart unto the living God with comfort abhorreth all bitter drinks of sinne and all savour of carnall pleasures is to him as sharp and soure vineger And the sinner being converted receiving the holy mysteries of the Lords Supper giveth thankes unto GOD and boweth down his head knowing that his sinnes be forgiven and that he is made cleane and perfect and his soule which GOD hath sanctified he rendreth to God againe as a faithfull pledge and glorieth with S. Paul saying Now is it not I that live but it is Christ that liveth in me Cyprian The worthy eating is our dwelling in him and our drinking is as it were our incorporating in him being subject to him in obedience joyned to him in our wils and united in our affections Foure things most requisite Eccle. Angl. to make us meet partakers of the holy mysteries To repent us truly for our sinnes past To have a lively and stedfast faith in Christ our Saviour To amend our lives and be in charity with all men To give most humble and hearty thankes to GOD the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost for the redemption of the world by the death and passion of our Saviour Christ Vnworthy Receivers Eccl. Ang. THe wicked and such as be void of a lively faith although they doe carnally and visibly presse with their teeth as S. Augustine saith the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ yet in no wise are they partakers of Christ but rather to their condemnation doe eat and drink the signe or Sacrament of so great a thing Aug. Outwardly they have the Sacrament of Christs body but the thing it selfe inwardly in their hearts they have not And therefore they eat and drink their owne judgement Idem Neither Heretike nor such as professe a true faith in their mouths and in their living shew the contrary are to bee accompted among the members of Christ Therefore it may not be said that any of them doe eat the body of Christ As corporall meat Chrysost finding the belly possessed with evill humours doth more offend and hurt and helpe nothing at all So also this spirituall food finding a man polluted with sinne will rather destroy him not by its owne nature but by the Receivers corruption For he that hath yet a will to sinne August I account him rather more burthened by receiving the Eucharist than cleansed Therefore albeit a man doe moderate sinne purposing not to sinne hereafter yet let him make satisfaction by teares and prayers when hee intendeth to communicate trusting in the mercy of God who upon godly confession of his iniquity useth to pardon Then let him approach unto the Eucharist safely and without feare Transubstantiation Eccl. Ang. TRansubstantiation or the change of the substance of bread and wine in the Supper of the Lord cannot be proved by holy writ but it is repugnant to the plaine words of Scripture overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament and hath given occasion to many superstitions The mysticall signes Theodoret. after consecration depart not from their owne nature for they abide still in their former substance figure and forme and may bee seene and touched as before Touching the substance of the creatures Bertram they abide the same after consecration as they were before Before the bread be sanctified wee call it bread Chrysost but when GODS grace hath sanctified it by meanes of the Priest it is delivered from the name of bread and is reputed worthy the name of the LORDS body although the nature of bread remaine still Hee honoured the visible Theodoret. signes with the name of his body and bloud not changing the nature but adding grace to nature Idem For he would have the partakers of the divine mysteries not to respect the nature of those things which are seene but to beleeve the change which is done by grace Scot. We cannot be brought to determine transubstantiation either by any plaine place of Scripture or sentence of Ancient father Cyril For like as when hee was conversant here in earth as man yet then he filled heaven and did not leave the company of Angels Even so being now in heaven with his flesh yet he filleth the earth and is in them that love him by the power of his divinity Although Christ be corporally in heaven Gre. Valen. Ies yet he is received of the faithfull communicants in this Sacrament truly both spiritually by the mouth of the mind through a most neere conjunction of Christ with the soule of the Receiver by faith And also sacramentally with the bodily mouth receiving not Christ according to his locall presence but bread and wine as seales and signes of the promise of redemption in his body and blood According to his body Greg. Naz. hee is within the limitation of place according to his Spirit and Godhead he is without the limitation of any place To be received in both kinds Eccl. Ang. THe cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the lay people for both the parts of the Lords Sacrament by Christs ordinance and commandement ought to be administred to all Christian men alike Vasques Ies Each kind in this Sacrament as it is a part of the Sacrament hath a divers signification by it selfe And each kind in this Sacrament doth worke its owne effect by it selfe Durand The bread signifieth the body and not the bloud and the wine signifieth the bloud and not the body Alex. Hales Whole Christ is not contained under each kind by way of Sacrament but the flesh onely under the forme of bread and the bloud under the forme of wine In the Primitive Church Durand all present at the Communion did participate of the
no more helpe by fasting no more calling to penance no more exhibition of Almes Epiphan It is as the corne that swelleth not after it is reaped neither can bee spoiled with the wind The garners are sealed up the time is past Idem the combat is finished the lists are voided and the garlands are given Aug. Let us therefore bee at one with the word of God while we are in this life for when we are gone out of this world there shall bee no more compunction or satisfaction there remaineth no more but the Judge the Gaolour and the Prison When wee were enemies Rom. 5.10 we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son Heb. 9.26 Once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himselfe Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Bellar. Wee confesse that Christ hath truly yea most fully satisfied God the Father for us and for the whole world Aug. JESUS CHRIST taking upon him the punishment but not the fault hath therby blotted out both the fault and the punishment Let us hold fast the profession of our faith Heb. 10. without wavering for hee is faithfull that promised The rule of Catholike faith is certain known Bellar. There is nothing more knowne Idem nothing more certain than the holy Scriptures which are contained in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles They are Catholikes Aug. which be of sound Faith and good life Idem Hereticks doe violate faith by beleeving false things of God Tertul. Whatsoever favoureth against the truth is an heresie be it never so ancienta custome Aug. And schismatiks though they beleeve the same things with us yet doe fly from brotherly Charitie by their wicked divisions Idem Wherefore neither doth the Heretick belong to the Catholike Church because hee loveth not God Nor the Schismatike Idem because he loveth not his neighbour Pure Religion Ja. 1.27 and undefiled before GOD and the Father is this To visit the fatherlesse and the widowes in their affliction and to keepe himselfe unspotted from the world If true charity Casarius and humility be wanting we ought not to presume and trust to the habit only of Religion Let us search Lam. 3.40 and try our waies and turne againe unto the Lord. 25. The Lord is good to them that wait for him to the soule that seeketh him 30. For hee doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of Men. 1 PET. 2.17 Feare God Honor the King The contents are these viz. THe Sinners conversion Pa. 1 His godly desire 4 His comming unto God 7 His Repentance 10 His Confession 15 His Absolution 19 His amendment of life 23 His assurance of Salvation 30 Gods mercy 34 Death 40 The last Iudgement 44 4. Helps to the amendment of life 1. Prayer 51 2. Reading the Scriptures 55 3. Hearing the Word preached 59 4. Sacraments 62 The holy Eucharist or Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of our Lord. 64 A remembrance of the death and passion of our Saviour Christ 68 Worthy Receivers 70 Vnworthy Receivers 74 Transubstantiation 76 To be received in both kinds 80 The Prayer before receiving the Communion 83 The Prayer after receiving the Communion 85 A Prayer before reading the holy Scriptures 87 A Prayer for faith 88 For Repentance 89 A short and effectuall Prayer 90 The generall Confession 91 A Prayer for the Morning 93 A Prayer for all times 95 A Prayer before going to bed 96 A Psalme of contrition and confession 98 A Psalme for remission 100 A Psalme for mercy and direction 102 A Psalme of confidence in Gods mercie 104 A Psalme of praise 106 THE SINNERS Conversion O Israel Hos 14.1 returne unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Returne unto mee Malac. 3.7 and I will returne unto you saith the Lord of Hosts Our conversion will alwaies finde him prepared August Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God Iam. 4.10 that hee may exalt you in due time Lyra in Eph. Humility is the foundation of the spirituall building Iam. 4.8 Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you Greg. Naz. O the readinesse of Gods gratious love O the easinesse of his exorable reconcilement Perkins A man beginning to bee converted is at that instant the childe of God Idem Inward motions and inclinations of Gods Spirit are the materiall beginning of a Sinners conversion Phil. 3.13 For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Luke 15. The prodigall son when he came to himselfe said I will arise and goe to my father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee And am no more worthy to be called thy sonne Ibidem make me as one of thy hired servants And he arose Ibidem and came to his father But when he was yet a great way off his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him Though a man come to the height of vice Chrysost and yet be willing to returne into the way of vertue God receiveth and embraceth him willingly None ought therefore to despaire of pardon Greg. if about the end of their life they turne to repentance And although our conversion be good in our last sicknesse yet is that better Idem which is performed long before our death that wee may with more security passe out of this world Hieron God grant the sinner may be as soone turned to repentance as the Lord is ready to change his determined judgement Ezech. 33. Turne yee turne ye from your evill waies for why will ye dye O house of Israel Lam. 15. Turne thou us unto thee O Lord and wee shall bee turned His godly desire Psal 42. AS the Hart panteth after the water brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God 84. My soule longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord My heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God The more earnestly God is desired of us Gregor the more sweetly is hee delighted in us Our desires doe sound more powerfully in the secretest eares of God Idem than our words Hee that searcheth the heart Rom. 8. knoweth what is the mind of the spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God God hath annexed a promise of blessednesse Perkins and life everlasting to the desire of grace Blessed are they which doe hunger Mat 5. and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled August The whole life of a good Christian is an holy will and desire