or meanes whereby Christ wrought this expiation and so satisfied for our sinnes and 2 the Proprieties of that Expiation What be the causes by which Christ wrought this expiation These be of two sorts either Prime or arising from the prime causes What is the prime cause The obedience of Christ in that he humbled himselfe and was subiect to the Law to the end that he might satisfie for vs who had broken the Law According to that Rom. 5. v. 19. As by the disobedience of one man to wit of Adam many were made sinners so by the obedience of one to wit of Christ many shall be made righteous What is the other cause arising and springing from this prime cause It is twofold The Passion and the Death of Christ. Of what sort is the Passion of Christ It is of two sorts Externall and Internall What is the Externall Passion It is both that anguish which Christ endured in his most Sanctified body and also that ignominy and shame which hee sustained for our sakes Which was the Internall Passion That wonderfull sadnesse and heauinesse which Christ felt in his soule for our sinne Of which it is said Math. 26. v. 38. My soule is heauy euen vnto the death where by death hee vnderstandeth not only corporall death but eternall as if he had said my soule is as heauy and sorrowfull as their soules are which must for euer be damned How many were the torments of Christ in soule Two Which is the former The former was in the Garden before he was apprehended and led to publike iudgement for there began he to be affraid of himselfe lest God should leaue and forsake him whom he then beheld as one who was grieuously offended by the sins of Mankinde and consequently who was extremely angry with him that had taken and translated vpon himselfe the sinnes of the whole world Whereby doe you know the greatnesse of these torments and sufferings in the soule of Christ By two tokens First in that Christ there needed Angels to comfort him and to hold him vp lest being too much affraid by that horrible sight of the angry and wrathfull God he should haue fainted See Luk. 22. v. 13. and hence it was that he vttered that speach My soule is heauy vnto death euen to eternall death What is the other token of those most grieuous torments in the soule of Christ His bloody sweat for this was a manifest signe that all the naturall forces in Christ were much weakened and as it were bound from doing their office by reason of that great torment and terrour so that nature could not keepe the blood any more in the veines but was faine being congealed and clotted to cast it out as it were and driue it to the exteriour parts of which great violence and terrour the like example can no where be read in any Historie Which is the other suffering or torment of Christ in soule The latter was that which a little before his death hee felt vpon the Crosse when he stroue against that temptation of his perpetuall separation and abiection from the face of God whereupon hee sent forth that dolefull cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken me where by a Metonymy he calleth that fearefull temptation wherewith those are wont to be troubled whom God hath cast from his sight and quite forsaken desertion or forsaking For requisite it was that Christ should endure such a temptation that hee might deliuer vs from eternall damnation I haue seene the Passion of Christ now tell me his death The death of Christ is the separation of his Soule from his Body whereby he satisfied for and purged our sinnes and deliuered vs from eternall death And so much the very shedding of blood and water out of Christs side did manifest of which Iohn speaketh Iohn 19. v. 34. One of the souldiers saith he pearced his side and presently issued out blood and water by the blood Christ signified that our sinnes were ransomed and satisfied for by the water that we are washed from the filth of our sinnes It followeth now in order that you instruct me as touching the proprieties and benefits of Christs Passion tell me therefore what is the first proprietie of Christs Passion This it is that it was altogether necessary in regard that mankinde could no way else be freed from eternall death but by the death of the Sonne of God And that for this reason because the most high God is most iust and therefore neuer remitteth sinnes without satisfaction sithence that by nature he hateth sinnes and can in no wise endure them for he that is iustice most eminently cannot away with iniustice euen as the fire cannot abide water As it is said Psal. 5. Thou art not a God that willeth wickednesse Againe plaine places of the Scripture doe testifie the same Rom. 8. v. 3. That which was impossible to the Law that hath God done by sending his Sonne i. e. that which by no other meanes could haue beene performed was done by the death of the Sonne of God Heb. 2. v. 14. Therefore because the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also in like manner was made partaker of them that hee might abolish by death him that had the power of death that is the Deuill and in the verse following and might set at libertie those which through the feare of death were subiect vnto bondage all their life long that is that he might redeeme those which otherwise should haue perished eternally vnlesse Christ had wrought their Redemption And truly if there had beene any other way to haue satisfied for sinne then that might haue beene performed either by our selues or by some other creature But we could not haue done this for our selues 1. Because whatsoeuer good we doe we doe already owe it vnto God and that which wee owe vnto God is not the price of Redemption or satisfaction but it is due debt 2. Because wee adde somewhat to the score of our debts euery day and therefore wee can neuer bee able to satisfie and pay them And that wee doe daily adde sinne vnto sinne See Iohn 15. vers 15 16. Psal. 130. v. 3. Math. 6. v. 12. Math. 18. v. 25. Thirdly Because sinne is a hurt and iniurie to God and so an infinite euill and therefore also deserueth either eternall punishment or one equall thereunto out of which if it had beene laid vpon vs we could neuer haue beene able to haue freed ourselues No other creature could satisfie for vs for example Not the Angels first Because man and no other creature may be punished for that sinne man had committed the Iustice of God requiring that it should be so as it is said Ezech. 18. v. 30. That soule that hath sinned euen that shall die Secondly Because no creature no not the Angels are able to escape and free themselues out of eternall punishment Whereupon it followeth that it was
as Eagles soaring vp to heauen by hauing carefull meditations on heauenly and inuisible things arising from the due consideration of the things themselues offered vnto vs that is the outward elements of bread and wine as also from a regardfull contemplation of euery action in that holy ministration First therefore when wee see the bread and wine set before vs on the Lords Table we know that they are appointed for the nourishing strengthening of our bodies but here wee must not stay Our hearts heereby are to be led to meditate on the body and bloud of Christ which is appointed to be our soules nourishment to feed vs to eternall life for so he professeth of himselfe Ioh. 6.55 My flesh is meat indeed my blood is drink indeed Secondly when wee see the breaking of the bread and powring out of the wine our hearts are to bee led to the meditation on the cruell death of the Crosse which Christ suffered for the remission of our sinnes when his most blessed body was broken and his most precious blood shed for the redemption of mankind Againe when wee see that the bread which is broken and giuen vnto vs by the Minister is all of the same loafe or at the least of the same graine and the wine whereof wee drinke that it commeth from the same grapes and receiued by vs in the same cup wee are hereby to bee led to the meditation on that communion which we haue with al Gods Saints which are partakers of those holy mysteries and to the consideration of that vnion which wee haue or should haue among our selues as members of one mysticall body whereof C. Iesus is the head Lastly when we eate that holied bread and drinke that consecrated wine wee know that they turne to nutriment for our bodies and so consequently that they grow into one substance hereby are wee led to a further meditation on our incorporation into Christ Iesus to be made one with him and hee with vs so that hereby we may assure our hearts of our reconciliation with God and of all the benefits of Christs death and passion for seeing Christ is become ours how shal not God with Christ giue vs all things And these are those holy Meditations whereupon we must bestow the best of our thoughts in that so sacred a businesse now as touching the triall of our soules after the receiuing of those holy mysteries note but this After that the Lord hath fed our soules so graciously at his owne table we must take heed we proue not vnthankfull to the louing kindnesse of the Lord. And therefore it is required of vs and that not for a day or a weeke or some small time but euen for euer continually to retaine a thankfull remembrance of those blessings whereof we are made partakers in Christ Iesus as also neuer to let slip out of our mind that interchangeable promise which hath past betwixt God and vs. The Lord promising to be our God and wee promising henceforth to become Gods faithfull obedient seruants to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the remainder of our life Whence the ordinarie custome in these dayes may worthily bee reprehended for howsoeuer men for a day or a short space seeme to haue a Christian sense of that holy duty whereto they haue bound themselues by their promise yet notwithstanding within a while they returne with the dogge to the vomit and with the Sow to wallowing in the mire Wherefore to good purpose it is that we propose to our hearts a triall of our selues euen after our receiuing for though a man by the sight of the soyle may gather by some gesse what fruit wil come vp yet when he sees the fruit the matter is farre more sure And therefore because those Accidents Antecedent as repentance from dead workes faith in Christ and louâ— toward men may sometime deceiue vs it is good to put the matter out of all doubt to trie our selues afterward if we can heare the Word more ioyfully if wee trauell for the righteousnesse of faith more soundly make the score of our sins lesse then they were before And these indeed are comfortable fruits of the truth of our holinesse FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or Recapitulation of the chiefe Points handled in this Treatise CHristian Religion is the seruing of God in Christ. The actions thereof are 3 most eminently 1. Meditation of Gods VVord which testifies of Christ. 2. Pâ—ayer vnto God through Christ. 3. The vse of the Sacraments instituted by Christ. Of the two first elsewhere here onely of the third Page 1. seqq That wee may vse the Sacraments aright wee haue need of Preparation which in this Booke is both largely deciphered and concisely proposed Preparation largely deciphered consists in 2. things Knovvledge and Devotion Our knowledge is either generall in points of Religion or particular about a Sacrament Our generall knowledge is either primarie and independant or secondarie and deriued The primary and independant consists of a double doctrine â— Of God according to the Essence which is one persons which are there Pag. 4. II. Of Gods VVord or the Scripture of which see the definition pa. II. The diuision which is threefold p. II. The properties which are 3 I. It deriues its authoritie from God alone pa. 16.2 It is perfect and sufficient to saluation p. 20. 3. In the Articles of Faith and matters necessary to saluation it is easie and perspicuous pa. 23 The secondarie and deriued knowledge consists of two parts I. Of the End it selfe Saluation considered in respect of the life to come perfect or this present life inchoate p. 29. II. Of the Meanes to come by that End and that 's a double knowledge I. Of thy Miserie II. Of the Remedie for thy miserie Thy misery is throughly knowne by the consideration of 4. things I. That which went before miserie the Image of God II. The Efficient cause of thy misery Adamâ— fall III. The parts thereof to wit Sinne Originall and Actuall and the punishment for sin Temporall and Eternall IV. The Exemplary cause or glasse representing thy miserie which is the rigour of the Lavv. pag. 32. seqq The remedie for thy miserie is twofold Prime and Independant which is Predestination to lise pag. 40. Or secondary and dependant diuided into 3. heads Redemption Iustification Sanctification Redemption here is I. defined II. it is further opened both by the Efficient cause thereof and by the obiect thereof The efficient cause of our Redemption is Christ in him consider I. his Person and so 1. the Parts thereof the humane and diuine natures 2. the Vnion of those two natures II. his Office of which 1. in generall as it is called a Mediatourship 2. in speciall and so it is Propheticall Sacerdotall and Regall p. 41. seqq The obiect of Redemption is the Church which is largely taken pag. 71. strictly and properly Of it are considered the head the members the
as when one friend giues vnto another some excellent booke or a piece of Gold to be a signe vnto him of his friendly remembrance Lastly some Signes are Confirmatiue whereby some benefit or other promised vnto vs by any man is made certaine vnto vs. As the seale hanging at the Kings Letters Patents doth not onely signifie and put the party in remembrance of some benefit but it doth especially certifie him as namely by which he to whom the letters are granted is certainely assured to obtaine that benefit or good thing which is promised him in the Letters A Sacrament then is a Seale or Signe assuring vs the forgiuenesse of sinnes promised in the Letter Pattens of the Gospell In which short and plaine description the whole nature of Sacraments doth consist neither is it here any whit needfull that the godly heart should bee troubled or molested with any subtilties either of Papists or of Vbiquitaries I conceiue what a Sacrament in generall is I would haue you to shew me what the Supper of the Lord is It is a Sacrament of the New Testament or it is a holy signe ordained by Christ in the new Testament that by bread broken and eaten wee may be admonished and certified that the body of Christ was broken vpon the Crosse and giuen for vs and by wine powred out and drunke wee may bee remembred assured that the blood of Christ was shed for vs for the remission of sinnes How many things are we to consider in the Lords Supper Three things as in euery other relation first the two termes of the relation the Relate and the Correlate secondly the foundation and ground of this relation thirdly the end or finall cause of this relation What is the Relate in the Lords Supper and what is it called It is called the signe or the thing which puts vs in mind and giues vs assurance of some other matter How many kind of signes be there in the Lords Supper The Relatum or signe in the Lords Supper is twofold Substantiall and Accidentall Which is the Substantiall It is true bread and true wine Which is the Accidentall It is the breaking of the bread and the taking of it likewise the powring out of the wine and the taking of it What is the Correlate in the Lords Supper It is called the thing signified or that thing whereof wee are put in mind and assured in the Lords Supper The ancient Church called the Relatum the earthly matter as is bread and wine for both of them spring from the earth and the thing signified it called the heauenly matter whereupon it rightly and religiously taught that the Supper of the Lord did consist in two things a terrene or earthly and a celestiall or heauenly matter and therefore that it behooued those which came vnto the Lords Supper to thinke that there they should receiue two things to wit an earthly thing after an earthly fashion that is bread and wine with the mouth of the body and an heauenly thing after an heauenly manner that is the Body and Blood of Christ by a true faith What bee the things signified in the Lords Supper The thing signified is of two sorts substantiall or accidentall What is the substantiall Euen whole Christ our Mediator according to both natures diuine humane but especially according to his body and bloud inasmuch as in his body as the subiect of his pasiō he suffered for our sinnes and by his blood shed he purged our sins And this it is which Christ saith This is my body which is giuen for you that is in the Supper of the Lord you are pu◠in remembrance and assured of my body as it hung vpon the crosse and also of my bloud which was she◠likewise for you vpon the crosse What is the accidentall Euen all those benefits which do accrew vnto vs by the passion and death of Christ as the forgiuenes of sins regeneration sanctification in fine life euerlasting as Christ saith My blood which is shed for you for the remission of sinnes I haue heard of both the termes in the Lords Supper to wit the Relate and the Correlate now I would bee instructed about the foundation ground of that holy admonition and certification as you calld it The fundamētall or efficient cause of the Lords upper is partly in respect of the thing it selfe or the Sacrament partly in respect of vs which doe vse the sacrament What is the foundation in respect of the Sacrament it selfe It is twofold the institution of Christ and the agreement or correspondencie betwixt the signe and the thing signified What are to be considered in the institution of Christ Two things First the Historie of the institution of the LORDS Supper set downe by the Euangelists secondly the especiall wordes of the institution which are This Bread is my Bodie which is giuen for you This Cup is the new Testament in my Blood How are those words to bee vnderstood They are to bee construed according to the nature of signes or sacraments which are not transubstantiations of things but as wee haue a little before noted significations and seales of things These words therefore are not substantially to be vnderstood as if the Bread were the substance of the Bodie of Christ for by that reason bread should haue been crucified for vs bread should haue been giuen to die for vs and so the Cup likewise should haue been shed for vs vpon the Crosse the Cup should haue issued out of Christs side Neither are they to be vnderstood consubstantially as if the body of Christ were included in the bread and the bloud of Christ included in the wine for Christ saith not in this bread is my body or in this wine is contained my blood neither would our Sauior teach his Disciples where his body or his blood was for they saw that well enough in that Christ was sitting with them at the Table But those words are to be vnderstood in a commemoratiue or certificatiue signification as if Christ had said the bread doth for a certaintie signifie vnto you and giues you notice of my body which is deliuered vnto death for you and the wine doth most certainely notifie and assure you of my bloud which is shed for you for the remission of sinnes Christs speech then is altogether the like as if when a Prince hath granted to any one a faire Mannor and he giue withal vnto the Graunt his letters with his Broad seale and deliuering the man these his letters with the seale hee should say Loe there 's your Mannor Now he giues not the land substantially into his hands by consequēt it wil follow that that speech of the Prince must not be vnderstood substantially as if those letters the sealewere the very substāce of the demain or because the demaine were inclosed in the seale but it is a significatiue certificatiue kind of speaking
waies is the saluation of man considered Two manner of waies either as it is perfect and complete or as it is but begun and imperfect or either in respect of the life to come or of this present life What is perfect eternall saluation It consisteth in 3. things First In most absolute perfection of bodie and soule Secondly In that vnvtterable ioy wherewith we shall triumph before God the holy Angels and godly men Thirdly In that most euident Maiesty glory and honour wherein we shall triumph ouer death Sathan sinne and sinfull men And this is that which Peter saith 2. Pet. 1. v. 4. We shall be made partakers saith he of the diuine nature of diuine perfection ioy and glory And Phil. 3. v. 21. Christ shall transforme our base body that it may be like the glorious body of Christ. Esay 64. v. 4. 1. Cor. 2. v. 9. The things which eye hath not seene nor the eare heard nor euer entred into the heart of man to conceiue are those which God hath prepared for them that loue him What is imperfect saluation or that which is begun only It is a taste of eternall saluation or that comfort and ioy of conscience which we haue in this life arising from the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and from that confidence we haue towards God whom we certainly know to be reconciled vnto vs by Christ Iesus so that no calamitie whatsoeuer can be able to separate vs from his loue no not death it selfe or that anxitie and horror which vsually we feele at the houre of death Of this the Apostle speaketh Rom. 5. v. 1. Therefore being iustified by faith we haue peace i. e. a ioyfull and merry conscience in the very midst of calamitie and death Rom. 8. v. 35. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall oppression shall anguish c. I see now what the end is I may expect to reape from this heauenly doctrine which how much the more it is desirable so much the more I long to know the meanes by which I may be conducted to this end The meanes whereby thou mayst come to this most desired end are two First the knowledge of thy misery Secondly thy redemption out of that misery The former part of this heauenly science touching the diseases of the Soule How may I come by the right knowledge of my misery or of the sores of my soule If thou shalt weigh well with thy selfe these foure things 1. That which went before thy misery 2. The efficient cause of thy misery 3. The parts of it 4. The exemplary cause or glasse wherein thou hast represented vnto thee thy misery What is that which went before the misery of mankinde That happy and blessed estate wherein man was inuested by God before his fall or the image of God which was in man What is the image of God in man or rather what was it It was nothing else but that absolute and perfect estate before the fall consisting in the perfection of the vnderstanding and the will of man and further in the maiesty of man whereby hee farre excelled all other of the creatures or that I may speake yet more plainly the Image of God in man was either prime and principall or secondary and depending of the former The prime Image was both in his minde and in his body In his body there was perfect health and safety In his minde there was vnderstanding without errour will without staine of sinne That other image which depended or arose from this was that maiestie and alacritie was in man springing from the perfection of his body and soule touching which the Scripture speaketh Gen. 1. v. 26 Let vs make man according to our image and according to our likenesse Ephes. 4. v. 24. Paul cals true righteousnesse and holinesse the Image of God Hitherto must be referred the whole doctrine touching the state of Man before the fall and touching his liuing in Paradise anent which you may reade Gen. 1. v. 27 28 29. and all the second Chapter of that Booke What is the cause of mans miserie The fall of our first Parents or the defection of Adam and Eue from God in their first estate of innocency which was by the eating of the forbidden fruit What haue we to doe with the fall of Adam and Eue seeing then wee had no being at all Adam and Eue did represent all mankind and therefore they had giuen them felicitie and the Image of God for all mankinde wherefore in regard they by their offence lost that which they had receiued for all mankinde they lost it not in themselues alone but in all their posteritie Euen as if a King should giue any one some Priuiledges for himselfe and his postâ—ritie and he that had these Priuiledges granted should be attainted of Treason against the King then surely he himselfe should loose all those priuiledges which hee had gotten of the king and his posteritie should get no benefit of them neither And was this so great a matter to bite an Apple and to eate of it The eating of the Apple was a most grieuous offence not in regard of the Apple it selfe the losse thereof was but small for there were Apples good store in Paradise but because that eating flowed and issued as it were from the fountaine of most horrible sinnes to wit from pride man thereby affecting the seate and Maiestie of God and so became guiltie of high treason against Gods Maiestie as God mockingly casts man in the teeth Gen. 3. Behold Adam is made like vnto one of vs that is he is made as it were one of the persons in the Sacred Trinitie Another sinne is vnbeleefe in that our first Parents did not beleeue Gods words to be true when he said in what day soeuer ye shall eaâ—â— of it ye shall die the death But contrariwise in that they readily beleeued the diuell who spake vnto them by the Serpent as by his instrument and told them that they should not die at all and so they gaue more credit to him then vnto God The third sinne is contemptuousnesse and disobedience for we ought to obey God in all his commands euen in those which wee thinke are but of little reckoning The fourth sinne is vnthankefulnesse for man was created after the likenesse and Image of God and therefore it was his duty to obey Gods Commandements in token of his thankfulnesse for the benefit The fift and most grieuous sinne was that apparant reuolt and falling from God to the diuell namely when man went about to attaine to be like vnto God by the Counsell and helpe of the diuell and so conspired as it were with the diuell against God I haue also heard of the cause of miserie or of the diseases of the soule tell me now further what be the parts of our misery They be two Sinne and the punishment for sinne for in these two things our misery
which must be thus vnderstood interpreted these letters of minâ— this seale do import and assure thee of the certaine hauing and possessing of that Manor farme or demain Wherfore we conclude that the body bloud of Christ according to the substaÌ„ce therof is neither in the bread nor in the place where the Supper of the Lord is administred but in truth in heauen as it is vsually said he ascended into the heauens from whence he shal only come at the last Iudgement but that the bread wine do giue vs notice assuraÌ„ce that the very body which now is in heauen was giuen for vs on the crosse and that the bloud of Christ was shed for vs which must be obserued against the Papists Vbiquitaries who seeke after the body and bloud of Christ in that very place where is the bread and wine What is the other foundation in respect of the Sacrament It is the agreement or meet analogie betwixt the signe the thing signified or it is that fiâ—nes wherby the bread may signifie certain vs of C. body giuen for vs the wine may notifie and assure vs of the bloud of C. shed for vs. Wherin consists that fitnes which true bread hath to signifie the body of Christ It consists in 3 things 1 that like as the bread is broken so the body of C. was broken torne vpoÌ„ the crosse for vs as Paul saith This bread it is the communion of the body of Christ. 2 That like as bread hath the force of nourishing so the body of Christ giuen for vs vnto death hath power to refresh our coÌ„sciences foâ—lorne almost spent pin'd away by reason of sin 3. Like as bread doth not only nourish but it doth also strengthen our body so the body of Christ in like manner deliuered vnto death for vs hath power continually to cherish and sustaine our drooping miserable consciences Wherein consists the correspondencie that Wine hath vnto the Blood of Christ In three things also first euen as the wine is poured out into the cup and poured also out of the cup so the bloud of Christ sprung out of his body and was shed vpon the crosse Secondly euen as wine hath the power of reuiuing and quickning or of heating and moystening of our body and of increasing vitall and animall spirits so the bloud of Christ or the merit of the bloud of Christ hath the power of quickning our benummed drie consciences by reason of sinne Thirdly euen as wine maketh glad the heart of man and hath great vertue in it to cheare vp the mind so the merit of Christ or the bloud of Christ worketh an vnspeakable ioy in our soules whereof Dauid speaketh Psalm 51. Restore vnto me my ioy againe I haue heard what the foundation of the Lords Supper is in respect of the Sacrament it selfe or the things themselues now tell mee what is their ground and foundation which do vse it or the foundation in respect of vs It is true Faith whereby wee doe so looke vpon these signes as they signifie remember and assure vs of the body of Christ of the bloud of Christ and so consequently of his whole merit and so likewise of certaine remission following vpon that merit For in the Supper of the Lord remission of Sinnes is not granted vnto vs neither hath the Bread or the Wine any power to purifie from sins as the Papists peruresly do imagine But our Faith is confirmed and strengthned by these signes in the remission of sinnes which was granted and giuen vnto vs before that we approached the Supper Wherein consists that Faith which we must bring to the Lords Suppur thereby to bee confirmed and strengthned It consists in two things First in a sure trust and confidence whereby we beleeue for certaintie that Christs body was giuen and his bloud shedde for vs that is for that person that commeth to be partaker of the Lords Supper Secondly it consisteth in application whereby we appropriate vnto our selues Christs passion steadfastly beleeuing that wee as Christs members are so made one with Christ our head that as he suffered for our sinnes euen so the pardon for all those sinnes for his passion sake we should as certainely bee perswaded of as if we our selues had been crucified and there haue giuen our owne proper bodies and shedde our owne hearts bloud I haue heard as concerning the foundation and ground of the Lords Supper it remaineth that I learne somewhat of the end or the finall cause for which the Lords Supper was instituted and for which it becommeth mee to communicate at the Lords Table The end or finall cause is first in respect of Christ then in respect of our selues In respect of Christ the ende is the commemoration of that his most bitter Passion which he endured for vs both in his soule and in his body A commemoration I say that is a gratulatorie remembrance to the ende that for that so great a benefit and vnutterable loue towards vs we should in the publike assembly and congregation in the very face of the Church yeeld together with that remembrance most hearty thankes As Christ saith Doe this in remembrance of me in an Eucharisticall or thankefull wise Whereupon this Sacrament is also called the Eucharist for this principall vse of the Lords Supper In respect of our selues the vse of the Lords Supper is either Primary or Secondarie What is the Primarie vse of it in respect of our selues It is two â—old First the confirming and establishing of our faith as touching the forgiuenesse of our sinnes for Christs body giuen vnto death for vs and for his blood shed vpon the Crosse likewise for vs. The other vse is the nourishing strengthening reuiuing and chearing of our consciences which were by the burthen of sinne oppressed dried vp and disconsolate Which is the secondary vse arising from the former It is threefold first the consecration of our selues that euen as Christ offered himselfe once vpon the Altar of the Crosse for vs so we should in this publike action of the Church offer vp our selues and our whole life euen all that are ours vnto God and his sonne Secondly the publike confession of our faith to wit that by these external symboles and tokens as by a militarie marke and signet wee may testifie vnto what company we belong and to what religion wee adioyne our selues Thirdly the obligation of our selues that wee should also by this publike action in the sight of the Church bind our selues to loue our neighbour and to do the works of charitie especially to them that are partakers with vs in the same beliefe and religion And hereupon it was that the Ancients called this Supper of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a loue-feast and that they were alwaies wont which came vnto the Supper to giue some almes vnto the poore that so they might testiâ—ie how that by the vse of the
fourthly fully purposing to conforme our selues according to Gods holy Lawes and Commandements Which sorrow of heart for by-past sinne and good purpose of mind to preuent sinne hereafter if wee shall find in vs then may wee perswade our selues of true and vnfained Repentance Touching our Faith in this manner Sin was that by which man became miserable and because he brake the commandements of God and lightly regarded the behests of the most High therefore was he not onely turned out of his most blissefull and happy estate but stood guiltie of eternall death and condemnation both of body and soule for sinne When man sinfull man stood in this dolefull case destitute of all help and succour either from himselfe or other creature liuing in the world it pleased God of his owne loue and free mercy graciously to behold wretched man and to send him a Sauiour euen Iesus Christ the righteous promising remission of sins libertie from the snare of the diuell and in stead of condemnation euerlasting life to all those which with a true faith and stedfast beliefe lay hold on Christs merits applying the promises of God in Christ to their owne soules in particular This when wee shall haue diligently weighed in our mindes then let vs turne to our hearts and see whether wee feele our consciences assured by the Spirit of God that the punishment of our sinne is fully in Christ discharged and that whatsoeuer â—ee hath done for man appertaineth not onely vnto others but euen to vs also And thus if wee shall perceiue our hearts affected wee may perswade our selues of a true and liuely faith Touching Charitie on this wise As charitie is the fruit and effect of a true and liuely faith so that it is impossible we should haue a sound faith but wee must bee fruitfull in good workes and deeds of charitie for as the light can in no wise bee separated from the sunne nor heate from the fire so neither can these two inseparable vertues be disioyned but if faith be the root good workes and charitable deeds will be the fruit insomuch that hereby may wee more then probably iudge of the purenesse and sinceritie of our faith So likewise many be those fruits and effects of true charitie and Christian loue which if by our search wee shall find in vs wee may certainely assure our hearts of the possesion of that rich gemme and precious vertue Charitie They be set downe by Gods own Spirit the Pen-man is the Apostle Paul 1. Cor. 13.4 5 c. Loue suffereth long is bountiful loue enuieth not loue doth not boast it selfe it is not pussed vp it disdaineth not it seeketh not her owne things it is not prouoked to anger it thinketh not euill c. This place when wee haue read distinctly and discreetly let vs enter into a serious cogitation and examine our selues first whether wee bee reconciled vnto such as wee haue offended and heartily forgiue such as haue offended vs and secondly bee readâ—e withall to doe them all the good wee can And this affection if wee shall find in our selues vpon our suruey and examination wee may perswade our selues of true and sound Charitie III. The forme of our Scrutinie is after a iudiciall manner of proceeding First wee must examine our selues and take a catalogue of our sins the diuell himselfe hath in store against vs by which wee haue offended Gods iustice Secondly then according to the ten words of the Law we may frame ten seuerall actions and inditements as for instance because I would gladly speake to the capacity of my weakest Brethren muster vp before thee all thy Atheistical conceits or at least so many as thou canst remember and then indite thy selfe for the first commandement looke and see whether thou hast not set vp an image or an idoll in thine heart and so indite thy selfe for the second commandement Call to mind thirdly whether thou hast not by swearing and blaspheming taken Gods Name in vaine remember fourthly whether thou hast not often profaned Gods holy Sabbath fithly whether thou hast not beene disobedient and refractory to Parents and Gouernours sixthly whether thou hast not harboured in thy breast murthering malice and enuie seuenthly whether thou hast not set open thine eyes to vncleannesse and vanitie eightthly whether thou hast not iniured thy neighbour in his goods ninthly whether thou hast not wronged him in his good name nay whether tenthly thou hast not giuen the reines loose to all concupiscence and so for the breach of euery commandement frame a seuerall inditement and plead guiltie This maist thou do by thy selfe yet if thou art weake and desirest helpe thou shalt find the inditement drawne at large for thee in The Practice of Pietie Pag. 565 566. seqq of the eighth Edition For further helpe see Maister Theologus schooling Asunetus in Dents Plaine Mans Path-way to Heauen Pag. 322. seqq of the fifteenth Impression Thirdly then adde thereto so many seuerall sentences of condemnation and so foorthwith fourthly pronounce a perpetuall confusion due to vs with a shame for that which is past with a griefe for that which is present and with a feare of that may come hereafter And when wee can thus bring our selues into the worst taking that can be Tunc optime habet saith Bucer qui pessime habet For hauing thus pronounced this shame of face dew vnto vs God will cease from his sentence of anger nay hee will say This man hath condemned himselfe I need not to condemne seeing hee hath straightly examined himselfe I remit all I will examine him no further hee is free let him come and so let him eat of my Bread and drinke of my Cup. Then being constrained to conclude wee are vnworthy wee must in the next place goe out of our selues and faint after the righteousnesse can make vs worthy which cannot bee effected but by Faith which commeth by the blessing of the Gospel whereby we being conscious of our owne vnworthinesse doe seeke wisedome out of our selues and sue for obedience in the Sonne of God Christ Iesus our Lord. These are those duties which we must thinke vpon before we come to the Lords holy Table now for our behauiour there obserue thus much The duties which are required of vs in the celebration of the holy Communion are of two kinds either Generall or common to this and other times or Peculiar and proper to this seruice I. The generall and common duties are to ioyne with the Congregation in confessing of sinnes in singing of Psalmes and Hymnes in hearing with reuerence and deuotion Gods holy Word preached in praying and the like Secondly touching the proper duties more peculiarly belonging to this seruice and our behauiour in the receiuing of those holy mysteries as the Church hath retained it there is a commandement giuen that wee lift vp our hearts to the Lord. And we must indeed bee