in couenants he secondly requireth on our part faith Ioh. 3.16 with repentance and newnesse of life according to the tenour of the Gospell Repent and beleeue Mat. 3.2 Mark 1.15 This being the couenant faire drawne and largely written in the word of God God thirdly annexeth his Seale hereunto to ratifie what he hath promised and to confirme and strengthen our faith in his promise as also he enioyneth vnto vs the vse of the Sacraments whereby we for our parts first shewing our selues needfull of his mercies both promise to to performe what he requires that is to repent and beléeue and also by taking the Sacrament binde our selues in seruice God that we will forsaking all others and renouncing the deuill the world and the flesh Gods and our maine enemies beléeue his promises depend on his mercies and serue him constantly to our liues end in all holy obedience This is first done in Baptisme by which wee haue our admission into the true Church of God sealed vnto vs and where first this couenant is confirmed and sealed on both parts Gods and ours This same couenant is renued in the Lords Supper so often as we partake of it for God thereby nourisheth and preserueth vs in the true Church after our admission into it by Baptisme confirms and seales vnto vs the same promise of the Gospell and requires like conditions of faith and repentance from vs. And that we may better know the nature of this Sacrament we must consider that each Sacrament being a signe each thing action and circumstance is appointed to signifie and bring to our mind some other spirituall thing or action As therefore in Baptisme the water signifieth the bloud and spirit of Christ whereby our sinnes are washed and purged so in the Lords Supper 1 The Bread and the Wine are now set apart from the common vse of féeding our bodies to represent and signifie vnto vs the body and blood of our Sauiour Christ Secondly The Minister setting these apart to this vse and consecrating them signifies how God the Father in his eternall Decree hath set apart Christ our Sauiour for the worke of our redemption and consecrated Him therevnto Thirdly The breaking of the Bread and powring out of the Wine signifie the death of our Sauiour whereby his Body was broken and a separation made for a while of the soule from the body and the sheading of His precious blood by which he satisfied Gods wrath for beleeuers and paid our debt which was death When the Minister offers and giues the Bread and Wine we must conceiue that God to vs that beleeue doth offer and giue as hee promised in his Word Christ his Sonne with all the benefits of his death and Passion which are forgiuenesse of sinne reconciliation with God and life eternall Our receiuing of these from his hands and feeding on them signifie our Faith which is as the hand mouth and stomacke of our soules whereby wee receiue Christ and all these benefits now offered vnto vs and feed on him spiritually to life eternall all which beeing done with others put vs in mind of charity Now all these we must well know vnderstand before we come to the Lords Table CHAP. 4. Of Faith BVt moreouer it will not auaile vs onely to know these things but wee must also bring Faith with vs and beleeue the promise of the Gospell the necessity whereof appeares from that which hath beene said The promise is made onely to them that beleeue Ioh. 3.16 Now this Sacrament is a seale of that promise and of the Couenant of Grace and therefore can seale vnto vs no more nor no otherwise than is promised Thee is nothing promised in the Word to the vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuers and therefore there is nothing sealed to them in this Sacrament Such then receiuing this Sacrament receiue onely a Seale set to a blancke or piece of white paper wherein there is nothing written or promised and such men receiue the Sacrament to their hurt and not to their good because they prophane the holy ordinance of God CHAP. 5. Of Repentance GOD besides our faith doth also looke for our repentance and newnesse of life For in this Sacrament we professe our selues to forsake our sinnes and lusts and the Deuill and to become new men and that wee will hereafter walke with God in new obedience all our seruice and sacrifices else will not be accepted of God the Lord reiecteth all outward seruice and ceremonies though they were ordained by himselfe when they are not accompanied with the conuersion of the heart and innocency of life See Esa 1.13 14 15 16. 66.3 Therefore the Lord biddeth when wee appeare before him saying Esa 1.16 17. Wash you make you cleane take away the euill of your wayes cease to do euill learne to doe well c And Dauid saith Psal 26.6 I will wash mine hands in innocencie so I will compasse thine Altar This is especially necessary in this Sacrament wherein we shew forth the Lords death till he come 1 Cor. 11.26 which we can doe no better then by dying vnto sinne our selues which is called mortification which belongs to the first part of repentance and must bee seconded with viuification or newnesse of life which belongs to the second part of repentance The dueties then heere to be performed are First diligently and seriously to examine our owne consciences and to find out our sinnes both originall and actuall against both Law and Gospell that so we may returne to God by repentance Psal 119.59 Lam. 3.39 40. Without this sight of sinne wee cannot repent as seeing nothing that hath turned vs from God and repenting wee shall not be accepted without this turning first into our own hearts Deut. 30.1 2. 1 King 8.47 especially we must labour to find out our speciall sinnes vnto which we are most of all inclined and which most of all wound our consciences to this end we are carefully First to obserue the checks of conscience Secondly to obserue our thoughts on what especially they runne most Thirdly to make vse of some faithfull friend who may faithfully tell vs wherein they obserue vs to offend seeing wee our selues are naturally blinded with selfe-loue to this end obserue what sinnes GODS Word preached or read condemnes yea obserue because malice is quick-sighted what thine enemies obserue in thee and do cast in thy teeth But aboue all fourthly looke thy selfe and thy face in the Glasse of Gods Law and bring thy selfe to the Ballance and Touch-stone of Gods Word both Law and Gospell examine thy selfe by each Article of thy Créede and by each Commandement apart according to the true meaning of each Commandement which binds the inward man and thine affections as well as thy words and workes and so thou maist find thy sinne to this end make vse of that direction which is set downe in Master Perkins Booke of Repentance and in the Booke called the True Watch first Part and also the second
Sacrament which thou hast so often receiued will be a witnesse against thée and helpe to seale thy damnation After all is performed each must examine himselfe what comfort what ioy what encrease of grace he hath reaped by this Sacrament If we féele none then must we either accuse our selues for want of sufficient preparation before and then fly to God for pardon c. Or if we haue in some measure endeuoured to examine and prepare our selues then must we not be dismayed but trust in the mercy of our good and gracious God for acceptation of our endeuours Sée 2. Chron. 30.18 19. and depend on him for a blessing séeing God hath not tyed his grace to the very time of receiuing Light may be sowne for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart as it is Psal 97.11 and yet the haruest of that comfort not reaped till afterwaad So the sickman féeleth not for the present the strength and nourishment of the meate he hath taken and yet is nourished the Word preached euen by our Sauiour doth not alwayes take effect for the present see Act. 11.16 Ioh. 12.16 And in Baptisme we receiue not the comfortable assurance there made and sealed vnto vs till afterwards If we haue felt any comfort or God more graciously present with vs in this Sacrament Then First let vs be more specially thankfull to him for it not by our words but by our déeds by our liues and holy conuersation according to our purposes and promises here made and renued and therefore First pray with Dauid after he and his people had offered willingly for the building of the Temple Keepe this O Lord for euer in the purpose and in the thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare their hearts vnto thee 1. Chron. 29.18 And then hauing fed on this heauenly food shew forth the goodnesse and strength of this thy food receiued by yéelding a plentifull fléece in new obedience like the Shéepe which shewes not by her bleating but by her fléece how much how well how heartily she hath eaten Otherwise this were both for the shame of our Master Christ at whose table wee are so often and bountifully fed if still like Pharaohes seuen leane kine wee remaine leane and ill fauoured Genes 41.19 20 21. And also doth argue some spirituall disease in vs which like a consumption hinders our growth and increase or that indéede for all the séeming comfort wee found wee haue not truely receiued Christ and haue him not abiding in vs for hee hath sayd Iohn 15.5 I am the Vine ye are the Branches hee that abideth in mee and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit If wee haue feltt any comfort then let vs hence bee moued the oftner to frequent this Table As good men oftner frequent those tables where their friends consort Lastly in case of temptation doubting and vnbeléefe flie hither for thy comfort and for the conssimation and strengthning of thy faith remember what thou hast once and often receiued namely signes and seales of the couenant of grace as certaine tokens of Gods loue in Christ and particular assurances thereof therefore 〈◊〉 Satan off to Christ shew him Gods generall promise Iohn 3.16 Sealed vnto thee in particular both in Baptisme and in the Eucharist and let that be thy securitie and comfort FINIS Some few Questions to the same purpose with their Answers grounded on Rom. 4.11 where it is said Abraham receiued the signe of Circumcision a seale of the righteousnesse of Faith c. Question 1. WHat are Sacraments Answ Signes and seales of the righteousnesse of faith Quest 2. What is the righteousnesse of faith Answ It is the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus which he wrought by his obedience actiue and passiue which is promised in the Gospell and laid hold on and receiued by faith by which we become righteous Ioh. 3.16 Rom. 10.9 10 11. Rom. 24.22 23 4. Qu. 3. Is this righteousnesse signified and sealed vnto vs in the Lords Supper Ans It is in as much as Christ and all the benefits of his death as pardon of sinne or vnion with him and communion one with another as also our communicating in all these benefits are thereby signified and sealed to beleeuers and to them onely Quest 4. How is this Sacrament a Signe Ans In as much as it and all the elements and actions vsed in it are ordained of God to signifie and represent vnto the faithfull what God hath done and doth for vs in Christ Quest 5. What is required of each Communicant in this regard Ans It is required that at and neere about the time of communicating he comming prepared by faith and repentance and hauing a right knowledge of the meaning and mysteries of each thing and action doe accordingly make vse thereof by a further holy meditation Quest 6. What meditation is afforded from the bare elements of Bread and Wine Answ These being appointed as signes to signifie the body and bloud of Christ we so conceiuing of them must hence further be put in minde First of the nature of this Sacrament that it is not to beginne grace in vs but for our spirituall nourishment growth in grace as also comfort as Bread and Wine doe not giue life where it is not as not to a dead man or to an image but where it is though in a languishing manner Secondly when we see both Bread and Wine we must consider that Christ is to vs perfect nourishment and a perfect Sauiour both a perfect Prophet Priest and King Thirdly we must hence thinke of the necessity of Christ signified by Bread and Wine being as necessary in regard of our spirituall life as bread and drinke are to our naturall life Qu. 7. What are you to meditate on when you see the Minister by Consecration and by Prayer set apart these Elements from their common vse to an holy vse Ans This signifying that God the Father in his eternall decree did set apart and seale Christ Iesus his Sonne in due time to finish the work of our redemption calls on me to consider his infinite loue to mankind and to mee in particular in not sparing his onely Sonne for my sake and must also teach me to loue him againe Qu. 8. What must you meditate on when you see the Bread broken and the Wine powred out Ans Seeing hereby is signified the painefull and bloudy death of Christ for me this must teach me to consider first the infinite loue of Christ who would thus die for me to redeeme me from death secondly the cause hereof not his but mine owne sinnes which therefore I am not to account light of thirdly what duty I hence owe to him how that I ought to loue him againe and not refuse to suffer any thing for him according to his Will Qu. 9. What meditation is affoorded from the Ministers comming towards vs his offering and giuing those Elements to each of vs in particular A. This signifying that God doth offer and giue in particular to euery one of vs Christ and all the benefits of his death which hee offered to all generally in the Word preached giues vs to consider that God would haue vs euery one to be particularly assured of his loue and good will in Christ Iesus neither out of any conceit of our vnworthinesse excluding our selues from his mercy nor for want of speciall application losing the benefits of Christ and in the consideration of this mercy from the heart to acknowledge with the Centurion saying Lord I am not worthy thou shouldest come vnder my roofe Q. 10. When thou takest and applyest to thy selfe this bread and wine what must this put thee in minde of A. It signifying my faith which is as the hand mouth and stomacke of my soule must put me in mind that as God will haue euery man haue faith for himselfe without which Christ profiteth no man of age so to renue the act of my faith and at this time to stirre vp my selfe to take hold on Christ and to leane and rest my selfe on my Beloued assuring my selfe by this my renued act of faith that Christ and all his benefits are as certainly mine as that the bread is now truely receiued into my hand and is become mine Q. 11. When thou eatest and drinkest Bread and Wine which turne into the substance of our bodies what must here be thought on Ans This signifying not onely and simply our faith Iohn 6.35 by which we daily feed vpon Christ in the Word spiritually Ioh. 6.53 54 55 63. but our Vnion by faith and neerer coniunction with Christ must accordingly put vs in minde and also assure vs of our vnion with him and that as truly as the Bread and Wine we eat and drinke are turned into our substance to repaire strength decayed so assuredly are we changed assimilated and made conformable vnto Christ Rom. 8.29 Phil. 3.10 and incorporated into him and so fed refreshed and inwardly strengthened by his Body and Bloud Qu. 12. But are Sacraments also seales and particularly this of the Lords Supper Ans They are and that both on Gods behalfe to assure the beleeuer that Gods promises and all these benefits of Christ do most certainly belong vnto him and on our part whereby we by taking and receiuing these signes bind our selues a new to keepe our couenant with God and to performe all those promises of ours as of new obedience and mortification which wee by our sureties made to him in Baptisme FINIS
DIRECTIONS FOR THE WORTHY Receiuing of the Lords SVPPER With some few Questions to the same purpose By ROBERT IENISON Batchelor in Diuinity and Minister of Gods Word at New-Castle vpon Tine 1 Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate c. LONDON Printed for Iohn Harrigat and are to be sold at the Holy Lambe in Pater-noster Row 1624. TO MY CHRISTIAN Hearers of the Parishes of S. Nicholas and All-Saints in New-Castle vpon Tine especially to the yonger and ruder sort of them R. I. wisheth a competent measure of the Spirit of Wisedome and vnderstanding of the Spirit of Knowledge and of the feare of the Lord. WHat I now in heart and euer in my hearty and dayly Prayers vnfaynedly wish on your behalfe right deare beloued Brethren I am not as you know neither shall I euer God assisting be awanting to further by my dayly and best endeuours for you whether it bee by my Preaching or by my Pen though this latter finds enough to doe to prepare matter for your eares not eyes To which end as also for the publike good of many others I haue not beene vnwilling at the requests of some that these few directions following which nigh seuen yeeres since were at the earnest intreaty of a neere friend summed vp in haste should after they had also sounded in your eares see the light and passe euen rudely as at first when there was no purpose of publishing them they were written without any alteration vnder the publike censure of the world hoping yea earnestly desiring men would bring rather humble and hungring hearts than curious and catching heads to the reading of them that so they may indeed truely profite by them As I shall vnderstand these ruder older and hastier Meditations are accepted of I shall bee encouraged to greater further and fresher paines in publishing soone after what I hope will not bee vnprofitable to the Church of GOD whose Seruant I doe professe my selfe as also Yours in the Lord Robert Ienison From my House in New-Castle vpon Tine Ian. 12. 1623. To the Christian and carefull READER THou soule-sicke Christian solace gather hence Who art exil'd in sense from Cana'ns Land Lo heer 's a Briefe of that true Euidence Which God hath pen'd with his most holy Hand And lest some doubt possesse thy silly Soule That seale-lesse Blancks those Copies proue to bee Take comfort for th' inspir'd and sacred Roule Of Gods great Booke is sealed vnto thee With Graces rich inclos'd both more and lesse If thou to practise This thy selfe addresse Ad eundem Pacis Sacramenta licet signacula fiant Non nisi sint sacrâ mente recepta simul C. F. A BRIEFE DIRECTION FOR THE WORTHY RECEIVING OF THE Lords Supper CHAP. I. Three sorts of dueties are to be performed of euery worthy Communicant and three things especially are to be looked vnto THere must be an antecedent disposition in the receiuer and a performance of such duties as may prepare him There must bee a right behauiour in the performance of this holy action There are duties to be performed after CHAP. II. Of such graces as are needfull in euery worthy Communicant THis Sacrament being a most holy ordinance of God belongs not of right indifferently to all but to such onely as God doth accept and account as worthy in his Sonne Iesus Christ We are all of vs in our selues and by our corrupt nature altogether vnworthy to partake of any mercy and especially of that grace which is both offered and sealed vnto vs in the Sacrament Yet God in his Sonne Christ our Sauiour is ready to accept vs if we come clothed with the wedding garment of his righteousnesse putting it on vs by faith Faith then of necessitie is required in euery worthy Communicant Now true Faith as it is grounded vpon sound and sauing Knowledge so it is and must be accompanied with true Repentance and with the fruits thereof especially Charitie These foure graces then are necessary in euery worthy Communicant 1 Knowledge 2 Faith 3 Repentance 4 Charitie Neither must we onely haue them but we must know so much which knowledge is got by examination CHAP. III. Of Knowledge GOd would haue vs offer vp to him reasonable seruice as an acceptable sacrifice Rom. 12.1 And not like shéep each follow other without knowledge and consideration what we doe Knowledge is the beginning of all grace Prou. 19. 2. Acts 26.18 1 Tim. 2.4 And Ignorance is highly displeasing vnto God In this Sacrament knowledge is required that we may examine our selues 1 Cor. 11.28 The Rule of examination is partly the Law of God by which we are to examine our selues our repentance and obedience and partly the Gospell by which we must examine our faith These two as being the rules of our triall must therefore first be knowne We must then know what the Law will tell vs that howsoeuer we were made at the first in our first parents Adam and Eue in righteousnesse and holinesse according to Gods image yet now we are all of vs by our first birth corrupt children ouer-spred with the leprosie and leauen of sinne vnapt to conceiue or doe any thing truly good prone and readie to doe all euill and that accordingly we dayly bring forth and multiply the bitter fruits of Sinne by our actuall trangressions not doing what good we should doe and doing the euill we should not doe and that therefore in this regard we are all naturally as the slaues of Satan who rules in our hearts by Sinne so the children of death and heires of damnation The iust reward of our sinne being the wrath and curse of God and death of body and soule euerlastingly Yet we must further know what the Gospell reueales namely that Gods will is not such is his loue that we all should perish as we most iustly deserue but that we should be saued and come vnto the knowledge of the truth 1. Tim. 2.4 That is that all of all sorts beléeuing the Gospell should be saued the tenour and substance of the Gospell being comprised in these words Iohn 3.16 God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting For the confirmation of which promise to vs wee must further know that God hath annexed and added seales which we call Sacraments whereof it is fit also we should haue some generall knowledge Sacraments therefore are outward and visible signes and seales of some inward inuisible grace Or they are holy signes ordained of God whereby the couenant of grace betweene God and the partie receiuing these signes is solemnely sealed confirmed and ratified This couenant of grace is that whereby God on his part First promiseth to be our God that is all in all vnto vs Gen. 17.7 and that we shall not perish as we had deserued but haue euerlasting life through and by Christ Iesus which none of vs deserues But withall as