DIRECTIONS FOR A GODLY LIFE Especially for Communicating at the Lord's Table Intended first for private vse now publish'd for the good of those who desire the safty of their owne soules and shall bee pleased to make vse thereof BY H. TOZER Mr of Arts and Fellow of Exceter Colledge in Oxford Psal 69.33 Seke yee after God and your soule 〈◊〉 liue OXFORD Printed by WILLIAM TVRNER Printer to the famous Vniversity 1628. TO THE HONOVRABLE Gentleman Mr LORENZO CARY Sonne to the R. Honourable Vicount Faulkland Lord Deputy of Ireland WORTHY SIR SINCE the time that it first pleased your honourable Father to commend you vnto the religious government of this Colledge wherein you now liue your carriage hath beene so sweete louely that it hath wonne I dare say the heart of each member thereof to a readinesse of respecting this your goodnesse as in word so in deede according to their severall places and dignities Neither could I suffer my selfe standing in a more neare relation than any of the rest vnto you to come short in the performance of this office Wherefore I here offer vnto your religious meditation this ensuing treatise collected and composed first for private vse but now published not to gaine the applause of any from which my owne vnworthinesse sufficiently checkes mee but chiefely for these two respects first to testifie that loue which I both owe vnto you and am ready to make good Secondly and more principally to invite you to a due consideration of those holy duties therein contayned that by a seasonable knowledge of the same your actions may bee the more carefully ordered and God's name in the faithfull practise thereof more fully glorified The subiect is a matter not of humane learning but of God's service and thereof a parte without exception the greatest the due receiving of the holy Communion A duty I confesse better knowne then well considered and more often thought on then sincerely practis'd if it were not so bad actions would not bee so commonly priviledg'd by the greatnesse of the Agents as now they are but they to whom God hath giuen most honour here would ever thinke it their greatest glory to honour him most again by their faithfull service vnto him And good reason why they should if they remember that to whom God hath given most of them hee requireth most againe yea such who haue the precedency of others in place and dignity may do well to consider that in making a conscience of matters of Religion and leading their liues according to the rules thereof they doe not onely provide well for the salvation of their owne soules but giue a good occasion to others also while they happily provoke them to the practise of the same duties by their good examples which are ever held as liuely precepts and serue for a secret reproofe to an ingenuous inferiour when hee shall see himselfe defectiue in that wherein his betters haue gone before him Let the Honourable Mighty thus remember how farre they shall honour God by a religious life and then they cannot but acknowledge that it is their glorious fredome to bee his humble Servants Others if they please may take notice of this perswasion and perhaps they would if I were not vnworthy to advise them but now I speake to you alone whom I well knowe willing as freely to make vse of others helpe so truely to accept of this from mee Your owne happinesse you must confesse with thanks to God that by his providence you liue in that Society whose Religion is as firme as vndefiled where you cannot say you want the rule either of louing precepts or exanple according vnto which you haue already ioyned with the rest in a religious communicating at the Lords Table My desire is to perswade you to a constant perseverance in what you haue so well begunne that so devoting your tender yeares with those which follow vnto the service of th' Almighty you may againe from him receiue and fully enioy his dayly blessing which doth ever attend on those that truely seeke him Some meditations which perhaps may serue for your direction I here present vnto your view in which I freely acknowledge almost nothing mine to prevent the censure of a curious Reader but onely the labour of composing this I now commend to you and you vnto the blessed providence of the most Highest resting ever Yours truely in the Lord HENRY TOZER DIRECTIONS FOR THE DVE RECEIVING OF THE HOly Communion CHAP. I. What a Sacrament is and how many there bee A Sacrament is an outward visible signe of an inward and invisible grace ordayned by God whereby hee doth seale vnto vs his covenant of grace made in the blood of Christ and wee againe testifie our faith and piety towards him so that it is both a signe in respect of the thing signified a seale in respect of the covenant thereby sealed vnto vs. The word sacrament doth properly signifie an oath wherby Souldiers bound themselues vnto their Generall whence it is taken to signifie that obligation whereby wee tye our selues to the blessed and sweete service of Iesus Christ for hereby wee as Christ's Souldiers first binde our selues by promise of obedience to fight vnder the Lords banner against the world the flesh and the divell Secondly we put on the cognisaunce and Armes the Colours and marke of Christ by professing our faith in him that so it may appeare vnto the world to whom wee doe belong Now Sacraments are of two forts First of the Old Testament which were 2. first Circumcision secondly the Passeouer The first was ordained for a signe of entrance into the Covenant the second for an assurance of confirmation of and continuance in the same both which are now abolished and in stead of them wee now haue the Sacraments of the New Testament which are likewise 2. first Baptisme answerable to Circumcision secondly the Lord's Supper to the Passeover both signified by that water blood which issued out of the side of Christ when it was peirced by the souldiers on the Crosse Of these the first is called the Sacrament of our Nativity or entrance because by it wee are assured that wee are receiued into the Covenant of Grace and so are regenerate belong to the flock of Christ the second is called the Sacrament of our growth perseverance whereby wee growe vp in Christ are assured that we shall be still kept in this estate So that both are necessary the one to assure vs of our entrance into the other of our continuance in the estate of Grace for although that Grace once conferr'd cannot bee lost yet our assurance doth often want strengthening by reasō of our manifold tēptations against which we are cōforted by the remembrance of Christ's death and passion which doth also teach vs why the Sacrament of Baptisme is receiued but once the Lord's Supper often because our birth is signified by our Baptisme we can
wherein wee are to endeauour by all meanes to continue as S. Paul taught the disciples Act. 14.22 and beware that wee fall not from our stedfastnesse but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ as it is 2. Pet. 3.18 whereof wee cannot but bee carefull if wee consider our weakenes for we are euer subject to Apostasie and our faith is exceeding weake as we may plainly see by our coldnesse in prayer and other good duties by our feare of death by our loue of this world for the strengthening of which Christ hath left vnto vs this Sacrament as a speciall meanes conducing thereunto for the Covenant which our faith taketh hold of as it is contained in the Word of GOD so it is sealed vnto vs by this Sacrament and therefore Christ calls the cupp the cupp of the New Testament because it seales vnto vs the Covenant of God in the New Testament accomplished in the shedding of Christ's blood Now if a King should in pitty and compassion send a pardon vnder his Seale vnto a poore distressed prisoner would wee not judge that prisoner vnworthy of the benefitt thereof if hee should either wilfully refuse it or carelesly neglect it questionlesse wee would yet such is our case before God who as King of Kings hath sealed vnto vs by this Sacrament a full remission of all our sinnes if wee therefore shall either wilfully contemne or at our pleasure receiue this pledge of his loue what can wee expect at GOD's hands but a just remoueall of this his fauour from vs Surely if wee joyne the consideration of our owne weakenesse which so much needeth help with the meditation of God's mercy who so freely giueth it wee cannot but acknowledge our owne misery if wee neglect it wherefore as we feare him and tender the good of our owne Soules let vs bee carefull in the due performaunce of this so weighty a businesse But some are wont to frame these excuses for their absence 1. The often receiuing of this Sacrament may breede a disesteeme thereof and therefore it is safer sometimes to abstaine To which I answere that in matters temporall as pleasures and such like the often vse may breed cōtempt or at least neglect as it often doth but in spirituall things it rather breeds a greater desire because the more we feele and know the goodnesse of them the more we seeke after them yet if it so come to passe that by often receiuing we beginne to vndervalue the worth of it wee must consider that this neglect ariseth not frō the often vse of the thing but from our corrupt nature for this Exercise is God's owne ordinance alwayes attended with his blessing if rightly receiued appointed as a meanes to stirre vp and encrease our zeale and devotion and therefore it is not likely that it should hinder it Let not this therefore keepe vs from the LORDS Table but let vs rather come that it may bee a meanes to encrease our piety 2. Some will say I am not prepared and therefore dare not come but this indeede is no excuse for wee must knowe that wee ought to bee alwayes prepared our whole life should bee a continuall preparation as to all other good duties so especially to this being euer ready when the Lord shall call as our Sauiour admonisheth vs Matt. 24.44 3. Others will vrge I am to take a journey or to bee imployed in such or such a businesse and therefore I cannot come Well if this journey or the like must of necessity bee performed thy excuse is the safer but if it may bee any way avoyded as oftentimes it may assure thy selfe this is to preferre thy owne pleasure before that which God commaunds a day will certaynely come wherein wee must giue an account for the neglect of the least of God's ordinaunces and then it will bee said of such Pretences Who required these things at thy hands 4. Some are wont to vrge I am not in charity by reason of some wrong which hath beene offered to mee and therefore I ought not to come This indeede is an excuse too common but wee must knowe that if wee bee not in charity it is our owne fault for wee ought to bee in charity and still to preserue it and certaynely a miserable thing it is that wee should preferre to feede on our owne malice rather than to eate of the Lord's Supper this is to hurt our selues more than wee neede euen to wrong our selues because others haue wronged vs wee should rather seeke all meanes of reconciliation that so wee may remoue those impediments of Piety and Religion and come the more freely to the LORD's Table 5. Some thus pleade for their absence I am afrayde to approach vnto the LORDS Table by reason of my manifolde infirmities which are in mee and therefore I had rather sometimes to refrayne lest I come vnworthily which is a very fearefull thing It is so indeed but wee must consider that our staying away is no comfort vnto vs in this case but rather a meanes to make vs worse and to pull downe Gods judgments vppon vs wee should rather remember the goodnes of God that inviteth vs promising to refresh those that are heavy loaden with their sinnes Matt. 11.28 not putting vs off for our infirmities for if thero be a willing minde hee accepteth vs according to that which wee haue and not according to that which we haue not 2. Cor. 8.12 though we want that perfection which others haue yet if we haue a true desire to bee refreshed by the merites of Christ and haue a sincere heart before God hee will accept vs according to this Whensoeuer therefore the Diuell shall tempt thee to draw thee away by the consideratiō of thy own infirmity cheere vp thy selfe with the comfort of the blinde man in the Gospel Mar. 10.49 be of good cōfort behold he calleth thee say vnto thy selfe Christ Iesus hath invited me hath promised to accept mee if my heart bee sincere humble and willing why then should the consideration of my infirmities keepe mee from it 6. Others thus reply I desire to receiue but I am conscious vnto my selfe of some crying sinnes which I haue committed before God for which I haue not yet sufficiently repented how then can I partake of this holy banquet in the presēce of God Is it so art thou poore yet wilt thou refuse gold whē it is offred vnto thee who will thē pitty thee for thy poverty art thou desperately sick wilt thou not seek vnto the Physitian for meanes of recovery who will thē bemoane thee for thy disease Behold Christ Iesus is the Physitian of thy soule as well able to heale it of all it's diseases as hee did the bodies of those which came vnto him of their infirmities forsake not then this heavenly Physitian but labour by a serious repentance to discharge thy conscience of those thy sins and then come speedily vnto
people are perished for lacke of knowledge hence it comes to passe that many receiue this Sacrament without any benefit vnto themselues because they are not able to discerne of it aright Wee should therefore all our life long carefully exercise our selues in the word of God that so when we shall come to examine our selues concerning our Knowledge wee may the more easily and with the greater comfort trie our fitnes in this respect whether we haue attayned to a competent measure of knowledge in the groundes of religion or not Which that wee may the better doe wee are to make triall of a twofold Knowledge which wee ought to haue the one concerning God the other concerning man Concerning God we are to know that there is but one only wise and true God subsisting in three Persons the Father begetting the Sonne the Sonne begotten of the Father and the Holy Ghost proceeding from both which is a mistery farre exceeding our vnderstanding yet so sarre are wee to know and beleeue it as GOD hath revealed it in his word and therefore first are we to Examine our selues concerning this knowledge Concerning man we are to knowe that he was first created in vprightnes according to the Image of God Gen. 1.27 but afterwards fell through disobedience and was againe recovered by the meritorious death of Christ Iesus This we are to examine according to the 2 parts of the Word of God the Law and the Gospell In the first wee shall playnly see what wee are in our selues even wretched and miserable sinners corrupt children of disobedient parents that wee haue justly deserved death as a due reward for our manifold sinnes both originall and actuall being carnall sold vnder sinne by nature the children of wrath Ephes 2.3 In the second wee shall vnderstand what wee are in Christ and what that covenant is which God hath made vnto man in him for the pardoning of their sinnes which returne vnto him by repentance apply the same vnto themselues by faith So that here we are to knowe 2 things 1 the meanes of our redemption and reconciliation the Death of Christ whom God in loue sent into the world to redeeme them that were vnder the lawe that wee might receiue the adoption of Sonnes Gal. 4.5 so hath delivered vs frō the power of darkenes Col. 1.13 2. The meanes whereby we may apply this vnto our selues namely faith which is a gift of GOD begotten and increased by hearing the word and receiving the Sacrament Let vs therefore seriously examine our selues whether wee haue learned out of the Word of GOD our first innocency which wee had by creation our misery which wee fell into by transgression and the happinesse which wee haue obtained againe by our sweete and blessed redemption for in those things ought every one to bee instructed which approcheth vnto the Lords Table Besides this Knowledge of GOD and Man wee are further to haue a particular Knowledge of the Sacrament it selfe where wee are to trye whether wee doe rightly discerne the Elements from the Lords Body and the true vse of them wherein wee must consider that the Bread and Wine in themselues ordinary beeing ordained of Christ are now become holy and whereas CHRIST blessed this Sacrament at the first institution wee are to knowe that it is a blessed Sacrament because whatsoeuer hee blesseth is blessed and that it will bee a meanes of great blessing vnto vs if rightly receiued and whereas Christ gaue the same after Supper wee must further knowe that it was not ordayned to satisfie our bodily hunger for if any man thus hunger Saint Paul tells him that hee must eate at home 1 Corinth 11.34 but it was giuen for the refreshing of our wearied Soules by the commemoration of Christ's Death for vs and of our communion with him but of this particular Knowledge of the Sacrament more in the beginning of the first chapter In this as in the former wee must diligently trye and examine our selues for except wee knowe all these things wee are not to partake at the Lord's Table because without it whatsoever wee doe is but blinde devotion Chap VII The Examination of our repentance THus of our information in matters which wee ought to knowe As for our reconciliation wee are to examine our selues in those things which concerne either God or our Neighbours because wee haue and doe often offend both Those which concerne God are principally 2. 1 Repentance whereby wee testifie our harty sorrow for offending him with a desire of amendment 2 Faith whereby wee take hold on his mercy for the pardon and forgiuenesse of them First wee are to try whether wee haue attained to a competent measure of Repentance And indeede if wee truely looke into our selues and consider that wee must one day giue an account for every idle word wee shal finde matter enough for Repentance if our hearts bee not hardned in sinne Now that it is necessary to examine our selues herein appeares from this because without it wee haue noe ground at all for any comfort in CHRIST IESVS for hee which is stuft with his sinnes is noe more fit to receiue Christ than a glutted stomake it's meate and againe vnto them that are defiled there is nothing pure Tit. 1.15 that is if through vnbelief they remaine in their pollutions but vnto the pure all things are pure and if wee cleanse our hands and purifie our hearts and so draw nigh vnto God hee will draw nigh vnto vs. Iam. 4.8 as many as walke according to this rule peace bee vpon them Gal. 6. 16. Let vs then search and trye our waies and turne vnto the Lord. Lament 3.40 and put on Davids resolution before wee come to the Lord's Table I will wash my hands in innocencie O Lord and soe will I goe to thy Altar Psalme 26.6 In this examination of our Repentance wee must haue respect both vnto the time past and to come In respect of the time past wee are to performe 3. dueties 1 Carefully search our hearts to finde out our owne corruptions that knowing them wee may the better avoyd them which is most necessary to bee done that in the first place because it is impossible that he should seeke to goe into the right way which doth not first see his errour and thus much wee must knowe that hee that will not set his sinnes before him here to his conversion shall haue them set before him hereafter to his confusion if wee will needs cover and hide sinnes let vs in loue and charity cover the sinnes of others for Loue covereth a multitude of sinne 1. Pet. 4.8 that is layeth them not open before men to their disgrace who haue committed them as many doe who delight to heare other mens faults ript vp to the quicke but cannot endure to heare of their owne wee should not so much exclayme against other mens sinnes but rather bee humbled for our owne and lay them fully open before