roughnesse or harshnesse of behauiour Seuenthly Lightnesse Immodestie Boasting 6 COMMANDEMENT Thou shalt not kill The Sinnes heere forbidden are First all manner of hurt or Exod. 21. 24. Num. 25. 7. violence done to the person of our neighbour Secondly Anger Hatred Mat. 5. 2â— 1 Ios 3. 15. Gal. â— 2â— Rom 1. 29. Phil. 2. 14. 16. 13. 5. 2 Cor. 12. 24. Mat. 5. 22. Rom. 1. 30. Gal. 5. 15. Rom 1â— 14. Euill-will Ranckor desire of Reuenge Thirdly Waywardnesse Inhumanity Wrathfull lookes Fourthly Raysing Ill words Insulting Prouocations to anger Fiftly Treachery Crueltie The Duties commanded are First Humanitie and an vnfaigned loue of our Neighbour Secondly Beneuolence or well-wishing to his person from a compassionate heart Thirdly Meekenesse and long suffering patiently bearing and willingly forgiuing iniuries Fourthly Affabilitie Gentlenesse and all kind of Courteous behauiour 7 COMMANDEMEMT Thou shalt not commit Adulterie The Sins forbidden are First all Lustings and Longings Mat. 5. 28. in the heart after the carnall company of our Neighbour Secondly Immodesty the 1 Pet. 2. 14. Prou. 7. 13. Esay 3. wanton Eye the Whorish forehead Mincing gate Garish attyre 3 Loue-songs filthy and bawdy Col. 3. 8. Ephe. 4. 29 talking 4 All manner of vncleanenesse Rom. 1. 32. whether it be with a single person or with a marryed person and how else soeuer The Duties commanded are 1 Chastity of Body mind Ores easta legas ieiunes otia vites Si seruare voles corpora casta Deo whether it bee in the state of Virginitie Marriage or Widdowhood 2 Modesty adorning our thoughts wordes deeds gesture countenance attyre gate conuersation 3 Moderation and Temperance in meate drinke sleepe c. 8. COMMANDEMENT Thou shalt not Steale Sinnes forbidden are 1 The inward greedinesse of the heart longing after wealth howsoeuer to be gotten Auarice coueting other mens riches 2 All Fraude guile deceit Leuit. 19. 11. Amos 8. 5 6. Deut. 25. 1 Thess 4. 6. trickes quirkes all impostures in bargaines and contracts and selling of counterfeit wares 3 Vsury and Extortion or Mich. 3. Ex. 22. Pro. 22. Ezech. 18. Oppression 4 Theft Robbery Sacriledge Couzning of the Country or Thom. 2. 2. q. 66. Iob 24. 9. Common-weale c. 5 Idlenesse Ezech. 16. 6 Nigardise and Profusion The Duties commanded are 1 Iustitia commutatiua Iust Prou. 5. 16. Rom. 12. 13. and vpright dealing in getting in buying and selling 2 Care to saue our Neighbour from Dammage Diligence in doing the workes of our Calling 3 Liberalitie Hebr. 13. 1 Tim. 6. 17. 4 Frugalitie 9. COMMANDEMENT Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Sinnes forbidden are Exod. 233. Psal 101. Iob 29. Leuit. 19. 15. 1 All manner of Lying and false testimonies 2 Pratling habling scurrilitie 1 Cor. 6. 1â— 1 Cor. 5. 11. slaundering defaming and backbiting 3 Sinister suspition rash and Mat. 15. 19. 1 Cor. 13. 4. wrongful iudging of our neighbour Duties commanded are 1 Sincere and plaine meaning and speaking Psal 15. â— 2 Taciturnitie graue speach and a Moderate vse of the 1 Pet. 3. â—â— Ios â— 14. tongue 3 Bearing of a Good Opinion of our Neighbour and iudging all things to the best 10. COMMANDEMENT Thou shalt not couet The former Commandements doe forbid the Thoughts and desires of the heart as well as the outward Act and Practise For God is a Spirit and therefore must bee worshipped in the Spirit But the former Commaundements did condemne setled thought to do mischiefe But this condemneth euen the very first inclination and motion to sinne though a man doe ne-neuer consent but snubb it in the Rom. 7. 7. beginning The neglect of doing what we are commanded is a Sin of Omission The doing of that which we are forbidden is a Sin of Commission If therefore wee shall examine the face of our Soules by this Looking-glasse of Gods law we shall find it strangely deformed with spots and staynes nay much defaced with byles vlcers and wounds which cannot chuse but worke in our hearts a great griefe sorrow especially if wee consider first the party against whom euery sinne which the Law chargeth vs withall is either immediatly or mediatly committed And secondly if we shall duly consider what punishment wee make our selues lyable vnto by euery sin whether it bee of Commission or omission First the party dishonoured and offended by our sinnes is the most mightie God who made our bodies and soules to the end that wee with them might not dishonour him by breaking his law but doe him all seruice and honour In him wee must consider these three things specially first his Wisdome and Knowledge secondly his Iustice thirdly his Power 1 His Wisedome is such that no thing no action or cogitation that passeth from vs is hidden from it Thou spiest out all my wayes saith Iob. And Dauid saith Thou knowest all my Psal 139. 2. thoughts long before they doe arise 2 His Iustice is so strickt and seuere that without full satisfaction it will not suffer one Sin to scape vnpunished The wicked Angels sinned but once and yet for that one sinne hee hath reserued them in euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse to Iude ver 6. the iudgement of the great day 3 His Power is infinite The King by his power may for Treason or other crimes cause a mans body to bee tortured tormented and destroyed but God can cast body and soule into hell fire and all the Kings on earth and Angels in heauen are not able to fetch them backe againe In the very act of thy sinne he is of power to destroy both thy body and soule in a moment and to snatch thee away so that there shall be none to deliuer thee Psal 50. last Then in the second place doe but consider what punishment we are to expect for euery sin that is eternall death and destruction of body and soule in hell fire The wages of Sin is Rom. 6. last death a thousand sinns a thousand deaths And surely mee thinkes wee cannot chuse but haue sorrow Sorrow of Attrition at the least if not sorrow of Contrition Sorrow of attrition is when we grieue for feare of punishment Sorrow of Contrition is when we grieue for sinne as it is sin that is as it is a dishonoring of God the latter is the better sorrow of the two And yet the sorrow of Attrition is not to bee discommended or refused because it is a meanes to bring vs to the true godly sorrow or sorrow of Contrition Whereby we do sorrow for nothing so much as for that by our sinnes wee haue lost the fauor of God and comfort of his Spirit And this godly sorrow will worke in vs repentance not to bee 2 Cor. 7. 10. repented of Some men in this case of repentance are much mistaken For generally the world imagineth that Repentance is no thing else but a godly sorrow for sin and a turning or
A CHRISTIANS PREPARATION TO THE WORTHY Receiuing of the Blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper Nunquam satis dicitur quod nunquam satis discitur LONDON Printed by Augustine Mathewes for Tho. Thorp 1622. TO THE RIGHT High and Illustrious Lady the Lady FRAVNCIS Dutchesse of Leonox Countesse of Richmond c. Most excellent Lady THe speciall grace your Grace did mee when not long since you were pleased to Discourse of the Blessed Sacrament hath emboldened mee hauing euer sithence studied how to shew my selfe thankefull to inuite your Ladiship to the reading of this my Discourse A Christians preparation to the worthy Receiuing of the Lords Supper which I most humbly present in hope of good acceptance at least of pardon as comming from Your Graces most deuoted daily Beadsman Theoph. Landauensis To the Reader CHristian Reader when this small Tractate was first written by the Reuerend Authour it was intended onely for the priuate vse of a Noble Friend of his and not for publique Cognizance But the Copie thereof being communicated to certaine High and Honourable Personages They were very earnest with Him to haue it committed to the Presse His Medestie holding it vnworthy any Estimation at all was very loath to venture it to the common Destiny of Bookes Censure Which when I being one whom he vouchsafeth to descend so low as to call Friend did vnderstand I made bold to entreat the perusing of it and afterwards hauing by incessant importunitie expugned His too much bashfulnesse I extorted from him at the last a Permission to publish it For howbeit I knew that diuers Learned and Godly Diuines had written vpon the same Subiect that eating too much Manna hath made the world sicke of a Surfeit yet I was perswaded that some of the Meaner sort of people might reape some ghostly comfort and Instruction by This as well as Others of highest Ranke had done before And further considering with my selfe his Maiesties late gracious wise and godly Directions to the Clergie touching Catechising I thought that this small Treatise agreeing and consenting with those Directions and treating of one Branch of the Catechisme might prooue not altogether vn-vsefull to any Much I will not say in Commendation of it but thus much I may and thou also wilt if neither Ignorance doe blind nor Preiudice hood-winke the eye of thy Iudgement boldly and truly affirme That it sauoreth not either of the Superstition of the One or Bastard and phantasticke Noueltie of the Other Abberration in Religion but speaketh the same Old and Orthodox Doctrin though not in the same Syllables that is comprised in the Articles the Homilies and Catechisme of the Church of England And those are our Rule to direct all our Instructions by in this kinde Thus wishing thee as much ghostly Benefit by it as the Authour did to that Religious and Noble Personage whose Pious desire did first set him on work to Compose it I rest Thine and the Authors Friend in Christ Iesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Life to All. For to some it is Death and Destruction For He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh â—r 11. 29. his owne damnation 'T is very strange that so Contrary effects as Life and Death should spring out of one and the selfe same Cause Doth a Fountaine send out at Iames 3. 11. one place bitter water and sweet saith St. Iames That may not be granted And yet the same Sacrament of Christ his blessed Body and Blood Mors est malis vita Bonis as Aquinas In Hymno speaketh It is Death to the wicked vnworthy and Life to the godly and worthy Receiuer But Certainely these two Contrary effects doe not Naturally proceed from the Sacrament it selfe but the One viz. Death is caused by It no otherwise then accidentally and improperly For the Sacrament it selfe was ordayned by Christ to be an Instrument of spirituall Life and no cause of Death or Damnation at all But wee haue a common saying in the Schooles That Omnis causa agit secundum dispositionem Subiecti Euery cause doth worke according as the Subiect which it is to worke vpon is fitted and disposed Therefore Experience sheweth that one and the same Heate of the same Sunne doth Harden the Clay and melt or mollifie the Waxe The same meat doth nourish and strengthen an heathfull and sound body which if it be eaten by persons of sicke and corrupted stomachs doth but increase their Disease and degenerate into the malignant humour of the sicknesse it selfe So howsoeuer the Sacrament of the Lords body doth augment grace in the prepared heart of a poenitent Receiuer yet the impenitent and obstinate sinner by partaking of that holy mysterie becomes more sicke in Soule and more crazed in Conscience then before That happeneth to him in Soule which is reported to haue befalne Sabellicus lib. 8. Henry the Emperour in his body Cui in hostiâ consecratâ venenum attulit interitum Who was poysoned by receiuing the consecrated Hoast The Arke of the Couenant receiued into the house of Obed Edom for the space of three moneths brought great benefits and much happinesse with it For the Lord blesseâ— Obed. Edom and all his household 2 Sam. 6. 10. Yet for all that the Philistims had the same Arke amongst them for a much longer time and they were so far from reaping any benefite or benediction by it that the Lord powred his curses and plagues vpon them for deteining it The reason of which different effects was the Difference and Dissimilitude of the Lodging or Roome into which the Arke was receiued Obed-Edom entertained it with all humble reuerence and pious deuotion of a sanctified heart The Philistims receiued it so indeuoutly and vnreuerently that they forbare not to place it by their Idol Dagon So this 1 Sam. 5. 2. heauenly Sacrament becommeth Death to the bad and Life to the good by reason of the diuers Disposition and different preparation of those persons which are partakers of it Some like Obed-Edom prepare their Soules before hand to receiue it with Faith Penitence Humilitie and Reuerence Others like the Philistims make no such reckoning of it but receiue it hand ouer head into an impenitent an vnsanctified an vnprepared heart an heart wedded to wickednesse and doe place it among their deare and darling sinnes which they doat vpon adore no lesse then if they were their Idols That therefore we may knowe How to receiue this food of our soules in such maner as it may bring Life and Grace and Saluation to vs the Apostle setteth vs downe the way in his first Epistle to the Corinths the 11. Chapter at the 28. verse Let a man therefore examine himselfe c. Which words of the blessed Apostle containe a Double charge First that wee trie before wee eate and secondly that wee eate after triall Before wee doe Communicate the Apostle requires Triall of our selues and then after Triall and Examination hee
with the other but both remaine distinct in the same Sacrament yet though they be in themselues distinct they are so inseperably conioyned together by Sacramentall and mysticall vnion that hee that doth receiue the one rightly doth also necessarily receiue the other And as by vertue of the Personall vnion of the two natures in Christ it commeth to passe that there is a Communication of properties by reason whereof that which properly belongs to one Nature is attributed to the other as God is said to bee Borne and to dye and the Son of Man is said to bee in Heauen when he was on Earth God is Iohn 3. 13. by reason hereof said to bee Man and Man to be God and that really and truly So by vertue of the Sacramentall vnion that is betwixt the hallowed Bread and the Body of Christ in the Sacrament the Bread is truly called the Body of Christ and the Body of Christ the Bread The Fruite of this Sacrament is the participation of the Body and Blood of Christ There is no one sentence of holy Scripture which saith that wee cannot by this Sacrament bee made partakers of Christ his Body and Blood except they be first materially conteined in the consecrated Elements of Bread and Wine or the Bread and Wine be substantially changed the one into the Body the other into the Blood of Christ This is my body This is my Blood are words of Promise we doe beleeue that God is faithfull and true of his word and doth performe what hee doth promise Albeit we doe not vnderstand the manner how nor dare prescribe vnto him the manner which way he shall make it his Body to vs either by Transubstantiating or Consubstantiating it or else we will not beleeue him Still remember that it is a Sacrament of Faith and Faith hath relation to a word of promise The word of promise is this is my Body This word I beleeue to be true because God spake it who cannot possibly lye This promise I know certainely that God will performe in making it his Body to mee because God is faithfull in performing his promise I confesse I doe not know which way or after what manner hee will or doth performe it because he hath not shewed me If I knew the manner how God did make it his Body then the Sacrament were to me as matter rather of Reason and Knowledge then a Mysterie of Faith and beliefe I beleeue that Christ was conceiued in the wombe of Mary a pure Virgin which neuer knew Man but if you aske me the manner how I confesse I know not and if I knew the manner how then that Article of Christes Conception were to mee rather a matter of Knowledge then an Article of Faith Moreouer seeing these wordes This is my Body are words of Promise and seeing that both Protestants and Lutherans and Papistes doe all agree that by the Sacrament Christ doth really and truely performe in vs his promise what doth it profit vs to know whether he doth it by Consubstantiation or Transubstantiation or some other way best knowne to himselfe which is a thing which can no wayes either further vs or hinder vs howsoeuer it stand Therefore I aduise you to follow the counsell of a most iudicious and excellent Deuine Master Hooker who willeth Eccl. Polit. Lib. 5. you to take that wherein all sides both Protestants and Papistes and Lutherans doe agree and consent and then consider by it selfe what cause there is why the rest in question should not rather be reiected as superfluous then vrged as necessary It is on all sides confest First that the Sacrament is a True and Reall participation of Christ who thereby imparteth not onely Totum sui but Totum se Himselfe wholly euen his whole entire person as a Mysticall head vnto euery Soule that receiueth him and that euery such Receiuer doth incorporate or vnite himselfe to Christ as a Mysticall member of him yea and as a fellow member of all true Christian Soules liuing on earth or triumphing in heauen Secondly it is also agreed on That to whom the Person of Christ is thus communicated to them he giueth by the same Sacrament his holy Spirit to sanctifie them as it sanctifieth him which is their head Thirdly it is likewise confest that what Merit Force Vertue or Efficacie there is in the Sanctified Body and Blood of Christ we doe freely fully and wholly receiue it by this Sacrament Fourthly all sides say that the effect thereof in vs is a real Transmutation of our Soules from sinne to righteousnesse from Death and corruption to Immortalitie and Life Fiftly all sides confesse that because the Sacrament I meane the Bread and Wine being of it selfe but a corruptible and Earthly Creature must needs be thought an vnlikely instrument to worke so admirable effects in Man wee therefore are to rest our selues vpon Gods Omnipotencie vpon the strength of his glorious and vnresistable power who is able and will bring to passe that the Bread and the Cuppe which he giueth vs shal be really and truly that thing which he promiseth This is agreed on all sides and tbis is as much as is necessary to be knowne and beleeued touching our receiuing of Christ in the Sacrament to the comfort of our Soules The second thing to be considered in Faith is Application Therefore euery Communicant must not onely know but apply that in particular to himselfe which hee beleeueth in generall as that Christes Body was crucified for him and his Bloud shed for him Saint Paul teacheth it by his owne example I liue saith hee Galat. 2. 20. by the faith of the Sonne of God who hath loued mee and hath giuen himselfe for me And this Application cannot bee better performed then in Eating this Bread and drinking this Cup for so often as we eate this Bread and drinke this Cup we 1. Cor. 11. 26. doe Commemorate the Lordes Death Euery Communion is as it were a new Crucifixion of Christ Christ was crucified at Hierusalem but Saint Paul tels the Galatians that hee was crucified among them Not that Gal. 3. 1. hee suffered death in Galatia but because of the Communion which is a Commemoration and Representation of the Death and Passion of Christ Therefore when I kneele at the Lords Table to the ende that I more effectually apply Christ to mine owne Soule I am to set my selfe as it were at the very foot of Christ his crosse and to consider Him hanging there enduring the vnknown wrath and curse of God and shedding his most precious blood for me and for my sinnes That I was the cause why Hee was wounded rent torne and most shamefully vsed That my sinnes murdered the glorious and innocent Sonne of God that he suffered nothing for his owne sake but all for mine that he sustained his Fathers wrath to turne that wrath away from me and to make God and mee friends that hee was content to be made a
The Body desireth Sleepe in excesse This must bee punished with watching or if wee bee not able to watch all night yet as Christ saith to Peter Wee Mat. 26. 40. must force our selues to watch one houre with Christ and that houre is to be spent in holy Meditations in Prayer and Deuotion to God 2. The Flesh desireth to enioy a beautifull person This must bee punished by making a Couenant with our eyes not to thinke vpon Iob 37. 1. a woman 3 Worldly Sinnes are Couetousnesse Ambition Thirst after the outward commodities of the World And these must be punished by the Purse First by making restitution of whatsoeuer wee haue gotten contrarie to the law of God Secondly by being bountifull in deeds of Piety to the Priests of God and the Ministers of the Gospell Thirdly in being liberall in deeds of mercy to the poore members of Christ Now because euery one is not of Iudgment to know the right Quantum of all these ingredients to repentance how much hee must take of each therefore hee is to resort to some vnderstanding Priest who is to prescribe how much or how little will serue the turne for so the people did in the Old Testament and Saint Paul takes vpon him to doe it in the New for hee prescribes a Sufficit to the incestuous Corinthian 2 Cor. 2. 6. But here we are to take heed of a Common error which possesseth the most men of these times For many are perswaded that Repentance may bee performed in a moment of time But they are grossely deceiued for all these seuen forenamed duties cannot bee done in a moment but require some good space of time Therefore God saith Dedi illi tempus ad poenitendum I gaue her a space and time to repent in And as Apoc. 2. 21. there must bee a space to exercise the grace of Repentance in so there must bee a certaine place assigned to it for euery place is not fit for this exercise And therefore the Prophet Zachary would haue vs to separate Zacharâ— our selues from company when we goe about to set our selues in the state of Repentance And Saint Peter did put it in practise in his owne person for he went out from company first and then wept bitterly Math. 26. â—â— And hee deliuereth the same in doctrine The Lord would haue no man to perish but 2. Peter 3. â— would haue men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to separate themselues to repentance I haue staied the longer vpon this point because as there is no saluation without Repentance so there can be no profitable accesse to the Lords Table without it But the Law is not onely a Looking-glasse but also our Schoolemaster to bring Galat. 3. 24. vs to Christ to the Gospell Therefore I proceed now to the Second matter concerning which wee are to make our Examination and that is Faith and it consisteth of two things Knowledge and Application Touching Knowledge euery Knowledge Communicant is bound to know three generall poynts of Christian Religion These as also the Summe of all which Christians are bound to beleeue are contained in the Creed which consisteth of three generall parts The first part whereof concerneth God the Father the second God the Sonne the third God the Holy Ghost The Maine part of the Creed Of Christ is that which concerneth Iesus Christ Wherein I am taught to beleeue with my heart That Iesus Christ is very God begotten of the Father from all eternitie before all worlds and the same Christ is True Man borne of Mary the Virgine This God-man and Man God is my Lord who when I was vtterly perished and damned redeemed mee from Death and from the power of Sathan not with Golde or Siluer but with his owne holy and precious Blood and by his vndeserued Death Passion that I might be His owne and might liue in his Kingdome and serue Him without seruile feare in perpetuall holinesse righteousnes of life euen as he rose from the dead and now liueth and raigneth for euer I beleeue that there is no Saluation but by him onely no fruition of God but through him He purchased Saluation and Redemption not for me onely but for the 1 Iohn 2. 2. whole world But the Benefit of Redemption Of the Sacrament is an vniuersall benefit and belongeth to all Mankinde yet all mankind are not partakers of it None doe ordinarily pertake of it but such as haue it passed vnto them vnder Seale The Seales which God vseth to apply vnto mee in particular that which Christ wrought for all the world in generall are the Two Sacraments Baptisme and the Communion of Christes Body and Blood And heere comes in the necessitie of Faith concerning the Sacraments for they are both of them Sacramenta Fiâ—â—i Sacraments of Faith so called by the Fathers because the Mysteries in them contained are not to be iudged by our Senses nor discussed by Reason but to bee apprehended and receiued by Faith onely In Both the Sacraments there bee two things to be considered there is an earthly Thing which we see and feele with our outward Senses and there is an heauenly and spirituall thing or grace which wee cannot see but by Faith Both these parts are inseparably vnited and cannot be separated one from another He that is rightly fitted for the receiuing of the Sacrament doth receiue both these parts together namely the earthly with the heauenly and the heauenly with the earthly which are so inseparably conioyned by God in a Sacramental vnion that he that goeth about to separate them must needs run himselfe vpon a curse But as wee are not to diuide and disioyne one part from an other so wee must take heed that we doe not confound them one with another but keepe them distinct As for example We know that in the Person of our Sauiour Christ there are two seuerall Natures viz. the God-head and the Man-hood The Nature of Man is not the Nature of God nor is the Nature of God the Nature of Man The one is not turned into the other neither are they blended and mingled one Nature with the other but both remaine distinct in the same person yet are they so indissolubly vnited by personall vnion that Death was not able to sunder or separate them For howsoeuer at the death of Christ his Soule was separated from his Body and his Bodie sundered from his Soule yet euen when hee lay in the graue both the parts of his Humane Nature Body and Soule were as neerely vnited to his Godhead as they were at his Birth or are now in heauen So to restraine my speech to the Communion There are two distinct and seuerall things in the Sacrament an Earthly as Bread and Wine and an Heauenly sc the Body and Blood of Christ The Body of Christ is not turned into the Bread neither is Bread turned into the body of Christ Nor is the one blended or mingled
any other in all the Court of Persia no not vpon King Cyrus himselfe How much then dear Christians are you indebted to your King and Spouse seeing that he hath not only purposed to redeeme ransome you with his owne dearest blood but hath powred it foorth indeed euen vnto the last drop hauing for your sake suffered so much shame so many sorrowes so many torments to free ransome you from a most cruell thraldome not of the Persian but of Sathan restored you to the free possession and iust right of a Celestiall kingdom Can you then look vpon any can you find in your hearts to bestow one thought vpon any in the whole court of this world saue onely vpon your crucified Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ Cast all your thoughts all your looks all your loue vpon him Videte palpate gustate videte behold him feele him tast and consider him recognize his loue to you and returne him loue againe for if any man loue not the Lord Iesus let him be Anathema Maran-atha 1. Cor. 16. 22. Now this our Loue cannot better be expressed then by a ioyful acknowledgement of those wonderfull benefits which wee receiue from Christ when we do worthily Commnicate and a dutifull obedience to his commandements Iohn 14. ver 15. 21. 24. The later hereof is in part touched before therefore I will in a word or two touch vpon the former which is the spiritual and corporal ioy wherwith we should bee filled at the time of our Receiuing For the time of Receiuing is not a time of moody and melancholy passion but a time of mirth and ioy in the Lord. It is Sacrum conuiuium At a banket A Holy Banquet men ought to bee very merry Our dutie then it is to Reioyce only we are to take heed that we do not reioice in sin which is against the Lord but Reioyce in the Lord. Reioyce in the Lord Philip. 4. 4. alwaies and againe I say Reioyce The Holy ghost by the Apostle doth not only permit and giue leaue to vs to make merry and reioyce but doth also exhort vs vnto it And not only to reioyce but to reioyce againe He would haue our hearts rauished with a double ioy One for the Soule and another for the Body but both in the Lord. So that not only our Soules should be ioyfull in the Lord reioyce in his saluation but also our very Bones should say Lord who is like vnto thee So that the bones which Psal 51. 8. God hath broken may reioyce Psal 35. 9. 10. And certainly we haue great reason to reioyce in God for his goodnesse to vs. For at the Communion by the hands of his Minister he doth passe vnto you vnder Seale his owne body and bloud nay his Whole-selfe and whatsoeuer benefit he wrought for mans saluation as the Remission and pardon of all your sinnes the Redemption and deliuerance of all your soules and bodies from eternall punishment in Hell Perfect Friendship and Reconciliation with God and an vndoubted right and title to the kingdom of Heauen with all the ioyes and blessednesse thereof 1 You would reioyce and be glad at the heart if being indebted but a matter of twenty or an hundred thousand pounds and not knowing which way to pay it or any farthing of it you could find one so kind and bountifull as would pay it all for you and not aske one farthing backe but only your true Loue and hearty Thankfulnesse Beloued wee are all in debt Our sinnes are Debts to God Math. 18. 24. and they are of so high a nature that all the thousands and millions in the world are not able to satisfie God for one of them and euery one of vs are in for millions of thousands Christ comes and brings a Quietus est discharging vs freely of euery one of those debts and passeth it vnder seale in the Sacrament and haue we not farre greater cause to reioyce for this then for the other For his blood is the 1 Cor. 11. 25. bloud of Remission of sinnes 2. If any of you had offended the Law in any heinous manner and for that being legally adiudged to death had the Halter about his neck vpon the Gallowes being ready to be turned off the Ladder would it not glad his heart to see one come from the King with his Pardon vnder Seale procured by the Prince to acquit him from death Verily all of vs besides the actual breaches of Gods Law committed by our selues were non prius nati quà m damnati as Saint Bernard saith No sooner borne then condemned vnder the Sentence of death The halter was about our necks and we ready to bee turned off the Ladder there was but a puffe of ayre a small blast of breath in our nostrils betwixt vs and Hell-fire betwixt our temporary life and endles tormenting death The Minister comes to vs at the Sacrament with a Pardon from the King of Heauen procured by the death of the Prince of our Saluation Iesus Christ sealed with his precious bloud and haue not we iuster cause thinke you to reioyce for our deliuerance from Hell then the Malefactor hath for his deliuerance from Tyburne 3 If our Soueraigne Lord the King were iustly fallen into hatred and enmity against any of vs and should bend himselfe and the strength of all his Subiects to bee reuenged on Him for his rebellions what a pitifull taking would that party be in how glad would he be of any that would procure and could assure him of the Kings fauour and perfect reconciliation vnto him And were not all of vs by Nature Filij irae Ephes 2. 3. and by daily multiplication of rebellions against God professed enemies to God and God enemy to vs Our Sauiour by his death wrought our Peace and attonement our perfect reconciliation with God When we were enemies wee were reconciled Rom. 5. 10. to God by the death of his Sonne And to assure our soules of this our peace and reconciliation with God Christ by his Minister in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood doth passe it vnder Seale to euery particular worthy Communicant 4. If being not borne to any foot of land his Maiestie should bestow vpon any of you a whole Shire to be yours for euer I know that person would thinke himselfe an happie man But behold the King of Heauen doeth assure euery worthy Communicant not of a Shire but of a most spacious ample and glorious Kingdome to bee possessed and enioyed not for the Euer of Time in this life but for the Euer and Euer of eternitie And haue wee not good cause to bee merry and ioyfull then God is True and faithfull of his word and promise and wee knowe that Hee by the Sacrament doth make euery true penitent Beleeuer as sure of his eternall Kingdome as any Prince if hee suruiue can bee sure to inherite his Fathers Crowne For by it wee are all made Heires of God and Ioynt-heires with Rom. 8. 17. Heb. 1. 2. Iesus Christ who is the Heire of all the world So that as I said wee haue all iust cause of mirth and ioy and would to God we could all bee so truely merry and ioyfull as wee should bee both in Body and in Soule that not onely our Soules may bee ioyfull in the Lord and reioyce in his saluation Psal 35. 9. 10. but that all our Bones may say Lord who is like vnto thee Let vs therefore whensoeuer we receiue this Sacrament bee merry a Gods Name Let vs leape reioyce and exult for our Redemption and Saluation wrought by Christ but let vs not reioyce in Surfetting and Drunkennesse nor in Chambering and wantonnesse nor in painted Pride haughtinesse For this is not to reioyce in the Lord but against the Lord this is not to bee merry in Gods Name but in the Deuils name And for all these benefites whereby both our Bodies and Soules may thus iustly be rauished with Ioy the Lord our God exacteth no great matter at our hands but that which wee may pay without any Trouble or Dammage to our selues and that is as I sayd before our Loue to God for his owne sake Loue to our Neighbours for Gods sake wee are to wish euery of them all good and to performe it vnto them to the vttermost of our power helping them in their necessities and forgiuing them the wrongs they haue done vs Euen as God for Christ his sake forgaue vs. For they are all flesh of Christ Ephes 5. his flesh and bone of Christ his bone and whatsoeuer wee doe to any of these because they are the mysticall members of Iesus Christ whether it bee good or bad Math. 25. 45. Christ accounts as done to himselfe FINIS