THE HEAVENLY BANQVET OR THE DOCTRINE of the Lords Supper set forth in seuen Sermons With two Prayers before and after the receiuing And a Iustification of Kneeling in the act of Receiuing By Iohn Denison Doctor of Diuinity The Second Impression Iohn 6.54 Whosoeuer eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood hath eternall Life LONDON Printed by E. A. for Robert Allot and are to bee sold within the Turning-Stile in Holborne 1631. The doctrine of the Sacrament is here set forth in three especiall heads 1. By the time of Institution which was Jn the night that Christ was betrayed 2. By the causes of constitution and they are foure Namely 1. The Efficient cause or Author The Lord Iesus Vers 23. 2. The materiall which is twofold 1. Outward visible Namely 1. Bread and Wine Vers 23.25 2. Inward and inuisible to wit 2. The Body and Blood of Christ Vers 24.25 3. The formal cause consisting of the Actions 1. Of the minister and they are fiue 1. The taking 2. The blessing 3. The breaking 4. The giuing 5. The shewing the vse of the elements Vers 24.26 2. Of the people and they are two 1. The taking of the Sacrament 2. The eating and drinking of it Vers 24.26 With the spirituall application 4. The finall cause which is set forth First in generall Doe this in remembrance of me Vers 24.25 Secondly in particular You shew the Lords death till he come Vers 26. 3. By the care that is to bee had for the due celebration which is to be considered two wayes 1. First in the danger of vnworthy receiuing Vers 27.29 set forth 1. By the greatnes of the sinne He is guilty of the body and blood of Christ 2. By a dreadfull consequent Hee eateth and drinketh his owne damnation 2. In the meanes to preuent the danger Let euery one examine himselfe Vers 28. Place this before Folio 1. TO THE RIGHT Honourable GEORGE Marquis of Buckingham Viscount Villiers Baron of Waddon Master of his Maiesties Horse and one of the Gentlemen of his Highnesse Royall Bed-chamber Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter and of his most Honourable Priuy Councell Right Honourable IT is like that in the divulging and dedicating of these Papers I shall meete with a double censure One in that I doe so suddainely follow two such worthy Lights Episc Roffens Cestrens as haue lately gone before me in this subiect Another in that J presume to present the same to One so eminent But for answer to the former First the principall of my taske is matter positiue and the controuersie about Kneeling is handled but breuiter and obiter yet I hope sufficiently to giue satisfaction to a peaceable spirit And that which may seeme my preiudice I esteeme my aduantage For had I gone before them my lot might haue beene like the Day-starre which is obscured by the succeeding Sunne whereas a small Starre shines in the Euening Againe that J may continue my Metaphor Hee that made the two greater Lights made also the Stars Gen. 1.16 and the Starres haue their influences yea Iob 38.31 the Starres fought against Sisera Iudg. 5.20 Had I no other Apologie I hold it fit to shew my conformitie and therein my dutie to the Church and the blessed nursing Father thereof For as I would not bee like violent Euripus P. Mela. lib. 2. which is ready to tosse ouer all that comes into it so would I not be like the Riuer Arar Caesar Caâ—â— de bel Gal. lib. 1. whose current is so slow that a quicke eye cannot discerne which way it runnes Neither is my presumption in this my Dedication altogether without excuse For as the ancient interest I once had in the fauour of that worthy Knight your Lordships Father my much-honoured Friend some-what imboldens mee So the interest that the Church hath in your Honour and the neede shee hath of your assistance for procuring her peace and vnity doeth very much excite and encourage me in this my enterprise If a Reuerend Bishop Episcop Cestren who hath in some sort power coactiue did lately craue it at your Lordships hands much more may J who haue onely meanes perswasiue Persuadere quis aliquid potest inuito Pacian Epist ad Sympron Biblio patr For who can perswade him that will not be perswaded saith Pacianus The GOD of Heauen who hath made you gracious with a King of admirable endowments multiply his blessings vpon your Honour that you may increase in grace and fauour with God and man Your Honours humbly deuoted IOHN DENISON To the Reader Christian Reader THese amongst other papers which haue layne long by me I had long since destinated to priuatenesse and silence But such hath bene the importunity of friends that I haue at last beene ouer-ruled for publishing of them If in this discoutse vpon the Sacrament thou finde that which may helpe to build thee vp in Christ which is indeed my hope and desire imbrace it and make vse of it And when thou commest to the matter of kneeling at the Communion take heed I seriously intreat thee of rashnesse wilfulnesse partiall and personall respect of men contrary minded For hence it is that some cannot indure euen to looke vpon those things which may draw them from error and direct them in the way of Truth This thou wilt account wilfulnesse and obstinacy in the Papist And I am sure it is against the Apostles precept Try all things hold that which is good I call the searcher of all hearts to witnes that in the handling of these things I haue dealt faithfully and with a good conscience which wishing thee also to doe in reading of them I commend thee to God and to the word of his grace who is able to build further and to giue thee an inheritance with all those that are sanctified A briefe and necessary Table containing the effect of the whole Booke following 1. THE time of Institution and the Efficient cause page 1 2. The Externall matter of the Sacrament page 43 3. The Inuisible matter of the Sacrament page 77 4. The Forme of the Sacrament page 109 5. The finall Cause or End of the Sacrament page 149 6. The danger of vnworthy receiuing of the Sacrament page 197 7. The meanes to auoyde the danger of vnworthy Communicating page 237 8. A Iustification of the gesture of Kneeling in the act of receiuing the Sacrament page 293 The seuerall Texts of the Sermons following 1. Corinth 12.23 29. Vers 23. I haue receiued of the Lord that which I also haue deliuered vnto you to wit that the Lord Iesus in the night that he was betrayed tooke Bread 24. And when hee had giuen thankes hee brake it and said Take eate this is my Body which is broken for you this doe yee in remembrance of mee 25. After the same manner also he tooke the Cup when he had supped saying This Cup is the new Testament in my Blood
this doe as oft as yee drinke it in remembrance of me 26. For as often as yee shall eate this Bread and drinke this Cup yee shew the Lords death till he come 27. Wherefore whosoeuer shall eate this Bread and drinke this Cup of the Lord vnworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. 28. Let euery man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this Bread and drinke of this Cup. 29. For he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation because he discerneth not the Lords Body THE FIRST Sermon The time of Institution and the Efficient cause 1. COR. 11. ver 23. For I haue receiued of the Lord c. AS St. 1. Cor. 10.3 Paul in the former Chapter doth compare the Sacrament of Baptisme to the red Sea So doth Chrysostome compare the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Chrys in Psa 113. and that very fitly For as the red Sea was alijs sepulchrum alijs vehiculum to the one a sepulcher to swallow them to the other a Chariot to carry them safely from the face and fury of their enemies so the blessed Sacrament is the bread of life and as a sanctuary of comfort to a sanctified heart but to the wicked and profane it is the bane of their soules and a gulfe of eternall perdition Now what more lamentable then that Gods holy ordinance prouided for the blisse should turne to the bane of his people Yet what more ordinary And thus the Apostle findes that the Sacrament was to the Corinthians who by their vnworthy receiuing depriued themselues of spirituall comfort drew down vpon them temporall iudgements The abuses of which people he labors to reforme and to that end sets downe the diuine frame of that heauenly structure drawne by the hand of Christ himselfe and that necessarily For as he that will either direct his own worke or correct anothers exactly must propound vnto himselfe a perfect patterne so the blessed Apostle doth take a perfect patterne and platforme of our Sauiour Christ as Moses did his patterne of the Arke and Tabernacle from almighty God Exod. 25.9 He comes like Pythagoras scholler with his ipsi dixit His Office is for searching for prophaners and abusers of the blessed Sacrament therefore he comes with the ayde of authority and brings his warrant with him saying I haue receiued from the Lord that which I haue deliuered vnto you It fares with men in their errors as with those that are sicke or asleepe the one cannot abide to be touched the other to be awaked Reproofe hardly findes acceptance except it be backed with authority and he that will reforme abuses must build vpō a sure ground What better warrant then from the Lord What sounder direction then the example of Iesus Christ What greater authority then from the King of Kings Now with these the Apostle is furnished and for the ground of reformation hee layes downe our Sauiours Institution In prosecuting whereof hee shewes himselfe to haue beene brought vp at the feet of Gamaliel and a worthy proficient in the Schoole of Christ so exactly and diuinely doth he handle this sacred mystery The time of Institution The first consideration that occurs in this discourse is the circumstance of Time when Christ did institute the Sacrament And that is in the night that he was betraied It oft-times come to passe that in humane discourses wise men do let fall fruitlesse and impertinent obseruations but behold there was neuer word spoken nor worke wrought by Christ which the sacred pen-men his Secretaries haue recorded but the same is worthy to be written with the pen of a Diamond and to be had in euerlasting remembrance For as the Word of God is excellent Psal 12.6 like gold seuen times refined so is it in all the parts thereof of singular vse according to that in the fifteenth to the Romans Rom. 15.4 Whatsoeuer was written aforetime was written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope so surely the due consideration of this circumstance of time will minister vnto vs much matter of instruction comfort Chrysostome demands Vt supra modum compungeret Chrys in 1. Cor. hom 27. Why doth the Apostle call to minde that time that night that treason and answers That the consideration thereof might thorowly pierce our hearts That was a dolefull night to the Aegyptians Exo. 12.19 20. wherein the first borne of euery family dyed But oh how dolefull was this night Col. 1.15 Ioh. 1.14 Col. 1.13 wherein the first-borne of euery creature the onely begotten Sonne of God and the Sonne of his loue was betrayed When the Lord of glory whose life was more worth thē the liues of a thousand Aegyptians as the people spake of Dauid yea more worthy then the liues of the whole world was despightly apprehended 2. Sam. 18.3 When the women of Ierusalem saw our Sauiour led to his Passion they were moued with compassion Luk. 23.27 wept for him And can we thinke vpō the sorrows of that night without compassion towards him and compunction in our owne hearts for our sinnes which were the especial traitors that deliuered him into the hands of his enemies Iobs desolate estate wrung from him a vehement malediction vpon the night of his birth Iob 3.6 7. Let darkenesse possesse that night yea desolate be that night and no ioy be in it Certainely my brethren such a one was this night it was a darke a desolate a dolefull night not admitting the mixture of any ioy when the Shepheard was smitten and the sheepe were scattered Psal 6.6 Dauids night was dolefull wen he caused his bed to swim watered his couch with his teares most dolefull was this night to Iesus Christ when he offered vp prayers Heb. 5.7 and teares and strong cryes in the garden of Gethsemane Who then considering and calling to mind the dolors of this night except he be metamorphosed into a stone Qui nisi planè lapis Chry. in 1. Cor. hom 27. and his heart become harder then the nether milstone can bee voyde of compunction for his owne sins and compassion to his Sauiour But leauing the prosecution of this meditation to a fitter place here it will be materiall to consider why Christ Iesus did this night institute the blessed Sacrament And there may diuers waighty reasons be rendred for it First Cyprian expla ad Caecilium it was necessary that it shuld be instituted after the celebration of the Passeouer that the Passeouer being a legall Sacrament might be abolished Finem legalibus ceremonijs impositurus c. Idem de caena domini Luk. 22.15 before this Euāgelicall Sacrament was instituted Except Christ should haue put a new piece of cloth into an old garment This made our Sauiour say I haue earnestly desired to eate this Passeouer vvith you before I suffer The words
world may witnesse with vs how slanderous the Papists are who charge vs to hold that there is nothing in our Sacrament but a bare piece of bread Rhem. Ann. in Jo. 6.58 say that our wine is but common wine For we doe confidently beleeue and constantly teach that the Sacrament doth as well consist of the body and bloud of Christ as it doth of bread and wine and that the one is receiued by the worthy Communicant as well as the other And albeit the substance of bread wine doe remaine in the Sacrament yet are they not esteemed of vs as common bread wine but being sanctified and set apart to a sacred vse are holy Though a Charter granted from the King in respect of the outward matter be onely inke and waxe and parchment yet in regard of that which is contained in it and conueyed by it we doe not call it a bare piece of parchment but by a more fit and worthy name we stile it The Kings Charter So albeit the Sacrament in regard of the outward elements is but bread and wine yet in regard of the inward grace conueyed and confirmed to vs by it we call it as there is iust cause the blessed Sacrament yea speaking sacramentally wee call it the body and bloud of Christ And if we differ from the Romanists concerning the manner of Christs presence let them not blame vs whilest they differ amongst themselues as touching that point And their contending for Transubstantiation might find somewhat the more fauour if they could shew what further benefit is receiued by the carnall eating of Christ then is by the spirituall seeing that many who thronged touched kissed him receiued no good thereby Againe 3. here the loue of Christ is manifested in that he findes nothing too deare for his Church no not himselfe who as he gaue himselfe to death for vs in his passion so hath he also giuen himselfe to vs in the Sacrament he dranke the bitter cup in the garden and tasted â—he gall and vineger vpon the Crosse but behold hee hath prepared a better cup for vs to taste of If God did shew kindnesse to Dauid in preparing a corporall table for him Psa 23.5 how much loue hath Christ shewed in preparing this spirituall table for vs Chrysost ad Pop. Antioch hom 60. Chrysostome saith notably Christ is not like a Mother which puts forth his child to nurse sed proprio sanguine nos pascit but feeds vs with his owne precious bloud Therefore I may say in admiration of this mercy with Bernard Vnde hâ—c Bernard do Caâ—a domi piâ—â—ime Iesu Whence is it O most holy Ioâ—teâ— that thou shouldest affâ—rd vs this fauour to giue vs thine owne body and bloud for the nourishment of our soules 1. Cor. 16.22 Surely of thy aboundant loue If therefore any one loue not the Lord Iesus Aâ—athema maranatha Let him be accuâ—sed Againe seeing we doe truely receiue Christ in the Sacrament hence our vnion with him is strengthened As he by our incarnation was made flesh of our flesh Heb. 2.6 and bone of our bones so by the blessed Sacrament we are made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones Euery sonne of Adam hath his portion in that naturall vnion but onely the Sonnes of God are partakers of this spirituall T is true that we are vnited to Christ by the preaching of the Word but the especiall confirmation of that vnion is by participation of the Sacrament For thereby Christ is so made ours that he dwells in vs. That we may be ingrafted into Christ we must haue Faith through the Gospell but that like good Cions we may abide in him Ioh. 15.5 and bring forth much fruit the Sacrament is very necessary St. Paul calls this our vnion with Christ a great mystery Eph. 5.32 and I may call it a gracious mystery For hereby wee haue satisfied the iustice of God in Christ our head hereby we receiue the influence of grace from Christ as the body receiues sense and motion from the head Cyril in Iob 13. ca. 10. Nos vitam habemus ab hac Vite wee haue life from this vine as Cyril saith Hereby we haue an interest in all comforts both corporall and spirituall 1. Cor. 3.22 VVhether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they be things present or things to come euen all are ours because we are Christs Yea this our present vnion with Christ in the Kingdome of Grace yeelds full assurance of our future vnion with him in the Kingdome of glory according to his heauenly petitions in the seuenteenth of Iohn where he first prayes that all the faithfull may be one with him and the Father Io. 17.21 and presently after Father Vers 24. â— I will that they which thou hast giuen me bee with me where I am that they may behold my glory So that now by the Sacrament wee behold Christ as in a myrror but hereafter we shall see him face to face now hee feedes our soules with his body and bloud but then shall hee beautifie both soule and body with endlesse glory Againe seeing that Christ Iesus is offred in the blessed Sacrament to be the food of our soules those are iustly reproued who being graciously inuited refuse to come to so blessed a banquet VVisedome Pro. 9.1 saith Salomon hath builded her a house she hath killed her fatlings mingled her wine and prepared her table behold her dainty and diligent preparation Yet cannot the same preuaile with many Mat. 22.5 but as they in the Gospell being bid to the marriage made light of it absented and excused themselues one by his Farme another by his Oxen and another by his marriage so doe many esteeme too meanely of this heauely Feast and haue their seuerall excuses one wants leasure another wants cloehes another wants charity and I may say they all want grace Hast thou leasure to fill thy body euery day and wantest thou leasure to feede thy soule Our Sauiour giues thee better counsell Labour not for the meat that perisheth Ioh. 6.27 but for the meate that indureth to eternall life It is not the outward apparell but the inward ornaments that must make thee gracious in the sight of God Here is the best garment if thou wilt put it on Ro. 13.14 euen the Lord Iesus Art thou not in charity wilt thou by cherishing a froward spirit depriue thy selfe of this sweet comfort who doe not pitty the folly of little childâ—n that for curst stomacke refuse their meate but how much more are those to be pittied whose vncharitable disposition depriues them of the Food of their soules in the meane time how canst thou who art vncharitable pray Ad â—aâ— Aâ—t hâ—ntâ—â— in epist ad Ephâ—s ho. 3. For as Chrysostome saith Non es commuâ—ione dignus ergo nec oraâ—ione If thou bee not fit to
Antiquity hath beene yea in some sort grounded vpon the Scripture And what need any one contend for seuen Sacraments when as two are very sufficient for the Church of God There is a notable correspondence betweene our naturall and our spirituall life As to the one there is required our birth nourishment so to the other wee haue Baptisme the Sacrament of our new birth and the Supper of the Lord the Sacrament of our nourishment And as food and raiment are sufficient for the preseruation of the body so Baptisme which is our clothing by putting on the Lord Iesus 1. Tim. 6.8 Gâ—l 3.17 1. Cor. 10. and the Eucharist which is our food by the spirituall eating of Christ are sufficient for the soule Againe here we shall doe well to take notice whence the Blessed Sacraments haue their vertue namely from the Author of them the Lord Iesus And consequently they are not to be refused from the hand of an euill Minister As the Word is mighty and powerfull through God by whom-soeuer it is preached 2. Cor. 10.4 so the Sacraments may be effectuall to the faithfull from what lawfull Minister soeuer it be receiued It is very obseruable that our Sauiour did not baptize in his owne person to manifest Iohn 4.2 that the vertue of the Sacrament doth not depend vpon the Minister but the Author And what is Paul or what is Apollos but the Ministers of Christ the one may plant 1. Cor. 3.5.6 the other may water but it is God which giues the increase The Separatists our new Donatists forth of their Pharisaicall pride doe abandon our societies as profane and reiect our Sacraments as polluted by the hands of an vnworthy Minister but let euery humble Christian be as farre from their opinion as they are from a charitable vnion If it bee the true treasure of the Word though it be offered in earthen vessels despise it not and if Christ the great Physician prescribe a cordiall though it be giuen by a leprous hand refuse it not Againe for as much as the Lord Iesus is the Author of the blessed Sacrament it behooueth vs to esteeme of it very reuerently Behold here is a princely table where the Angels are attendants Chrysost and the King of Kings is the Master of the feast As Iacob said of Bethel How fearefull is this place So may I say How honorable is this Sacrament therefore as Chrysostome exhorts Adora communica humble thy selfe Chrysost ad pop Antioch bom 61. and bow the knees both of body and soule to reuerence this rich gift from the hand of Iesus Christ St. Paul saith of the Ministers of the Gospell 1. Thess 5. Haue them in singular reuerence for their works sake So may I say of the Sacraments Haue them in singular reuerence for their Authors sake If the legall Sacraments deliuered by Moses the seruant of God beeing profaned could procure the wrath of God how much more shall the Euangelicall being the institution of the Sonne of GOD if they be abused or despised So saith the Apostle If they that despised Moses Law Heb. 10.28 died without mercy vnder two or three witnesses of how much sorer punishment shall he be worthy that treadeth vnder foote the Sonne of God and contemneth the bloud of the Testament If St. Paul by direction and commission from Christ had instituted the Sacraments they should haue beene esteemed honourable but how much more when Christ himselfe is the immediate Author of them It made much for the excellency of the Tabernacle Exo. 31.3 in that Almighty God would haue it to bee the worke of choise men Bezaliel and Aholiab whom he furnished and filled with excellent knowledge And doth not this make much for the honor of the blessed Sacrament that it is the institution of Christ Colos 2.3 in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Exod. 16. Manna was of it selfe an excellent and dainty foode but so much the more excellent in that it came from God and not by the ordinary course of nature and so is the blessed Sacrament in that it comes from Christ Rom. 9.5 who is GOD blessed for euermore Wee must not esteeme this as a constitution of the Church which yet is to be reuerenced as the precept of an indulgent mother to her deare children but as a diuine and heauenly ordinance comming as a rich gift from the Father of lights Iam. 1.17 If the Institutions of great Princes doe in time obtaine great honour and estimation and are celebrated with great solemnity as diuers orders of knighthood the like how much more honorable should this blessed ordinance of Christ the King of Kings be accounted When the King of Persia held out the golden Scepter happy was hee that might come to touch the top of it So when Christ hath instituted and doth inuite vs to his Sacraments euery one should count it his great happinesse to be partaker of so great fauour and should come to them with alacrity It cannot but greeue a Christian heart to see how the Sacrament of Baptisme is generally disesteemed and Christ the author thereof is thereby much dishonoured It is vsuall in most Congregations when Baptisme is administred for people to flocke away vnreuerently as though that Sacrament nothing concerned them But they should knowe that as they owe their duty of their prayers to the infant their silent suffrages for th'incorporating of it into the society of the Saints â— so themselues may take occasion to reuiue the remembrance of theiâ— owne Couenant in Baptisme and are bound to honour the ordinance of Christ with their presence Lastly seeing Christ is the authoâ— of this Sacrament it is our duty to receiue it reuerently and to vse it religiously This Sacrament came from heauen as St. Ambrose saith and therfore it requires a heauenly mind in the Receiuer If we be inuited to a great mans table we are carefull to carry our selues with all due reuerence and respect not suffering a word to slippe or an action to passe vs which may procure disgrace to our selucs or distaste to that great man behold then we being inuited by the Lord Iesus to his Table let vs both in respect of his ordinance and presence banish out of our hearts all such wicked and wandring cogitations as may either prouoke our Sauiour or preiudice our selues Happy and thrice happy is he that esteemes of the Sacrament highly comes to it cheerefully and receiues it reuerently For hee that is thus feasted by Christ in the kingdome of Grace shall one day sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of glory THE SECOND Sermon The Externall Matter of the Sacrament 1. COR. 11.24 And when hee had giuen thankes hee brake it c. THE second cause in the constitution of the Sacrament is the matter and the due consideration thereof is very materiall The matter of the Sacrament
communicate with the Church thou art not fit to supplicace the Lord. Num. 9.7 We reade in the booke of Numbers that it troubled cerâ—aine men to be disabled for celebrating the Passâ—ouer and so should it grieue a good Christian heart to be any way hindred from receiuing the Communion If our spirituall wants were as sensible as our corporall we could not chuse but hunger thirst after the Sacrament but as bad humors in the body doe kill the appetite though the meate be dainty so our inward corruptions doe make flatte our affection to this food though it be heauenly It is dangerous for a healthfull man to forsake his food and for a sicke man to refuse his physike Behold the Sacrament is both food and physike to the soule it is foode to the strong physike to the weake what assurance can there be of the spirituall life and health to him that refuseth it But alas for pitty how many are there who neglect this blessed meanes of life and health so doe sin against their owne soules Remember the doome of those excusers in the Gospell I say vnto you Luk. 14.24 that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my Supper Againe seeing that Iesus Christ is the especiall matter of this Sacrament those are very worthy of reproofe who profane and abuse it The more sacred and precious the ordinance the more odious and pernicious is the abuse and prophanation thereof Procul ô procul este profani The Papists doe charge vs with dishonouring of the Sacrament but if any Profâ—ssor of the Gospel can be shewed to haue so profaned it as diuers Papists yea some among the Popes haue done let him beare the exâ—remest degree of reproach that can be cast vpon him What more ordinary with them then to make it a bond of secresie for shedding of bloud and a mystery of iniquity to confirme them in their cruell and trecherous designes so was I argâ— confirmed who made assault vpon the Prince of Orange as appeareth in the printed discourse touching that businesse So were diuers confirmed and câ—mbined in that late horrid and hellish Gunpowder treason as appeareth by diuers voluntary confessions depositions What greater dishonor could be offered to our Sauiour or what viler profanation to the Sacrament then to abuse such a sacred ordinance to sauage and barbarous designes Yea some of them haue not stucke to make that a meanes for poysoning the body which Christ ordained for the preseruation of the soule As Platina writes of Henry the Emperour Platina in vita Clâ—mens 5. And who doubts but his Holinesss had a finger in it that he was poysoned by a Monke in receiuing the Eucharist Yea that which would make a man almost amazed to consider and tremble to write Cardinall Benno reports of Pope Gregâ—ry the seuenth called Hildebrand he might be wâ—ll called a brand of hell that hee dâ—manding of the Eucharist resolution of diuers questions as the Gentiles were wont to doe of their Idoles and receiuing no answer cast the Eucharist into the fire Oh horrible profanenesse of a vile wretch Les vies des Papes Rom. worthy as the hiâ—torian saith himselfe to haue beene â—ast into the fire Others there are who albeit they come not to that height of impudency and impiety yet doe they offend in comming to the Sacrament carelesly and receiuing it vnworthily Men that celebrate the Sacrament as those did their sacrifices in the first of Esay Esa 1.15 hauing their hands full of bloud and their hearts full of malice As those sacrifices were an abomination to the Lord so are these Sacraments Our Sauiour said It is not fit to put new wine into old vessels and I may say It is not fit to put holy wine into lothsome vessels How many alas are there who profane and pollute these mysteries by bringing with them profane soules Tit. 1.15 For to them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing nothing is pure their hearts are like filthy caskes which marre all that is put into them Wee know the fearefull estate of him who came without a wedding garment Mat 22. when he was questioned Friend how camest thou in hither hee was striken speechlesse and hauing no word of defence being bound hand and foot was cast into vtter darknesse And this should terrifie all those who come to the Sacrament without these ornaments of grace which should make them gracious in the sight of Christ Ge. 41.14 and fit to be entertained at his table When Ioseph came before Pharaoh as we read in Genesis he changed his garments and haued himselfe so it is our duty when we come into so great a presence to be partakers of such a holy ordinance Iob 9.31 to put off the clothes of our corruptions which defile vs and to shaue off the locks of vanities which disgrace vs. I may say therefore to euery approching Communicant in Saint Iames his words Iam. 4 8. Cleanse your hands you sinners and purge your hearts you double minded and then draw neere to the Lord. And your hearts must answâ—re with Dauid Psa 29.6 I will wash my hands in innocency and so will I come to thine Altar O Lord. Againe seeing Christ Iesus is truly offred and exhibited in the Sacrament the consideration thereof should stirre vs vp with an earnest desire to be partakers of it It is saâ—d in the Psalme Psa 78.25 They did eate the bread of Angels which was a great prerogatiue Cypr. de Coena Domini and Cyprian calls this Panem Angelorum the bread of Angels I may here make a fit exposition of Samsons riddle Out of the eateâ— came meate Iudg. 14.14 and out of the strong came sweetnesse For out of the dead Lyoâ— of the Tribe of Iuda there comes to vs in the blessed Sacrament mosâ— sweet vnspeakeable comfort Here is sanguis pretiosior balsamo Bern. de Coena Domini that bloud which for the cure and comfort of the soule is more precious theâ— Balme This is called by the ancient Fathers our Viaticum and fitly for as the Israelites in their passage to Canaan had Manna Sap. 16. which yeelded omne delectamentum all delightfull tastes So whilst wee passe this our pilgrimage wee haue the blesâ—ed Sacrament which yeelds most heauenly delectation Here is that King in the Gospell which inuites his guests saying Behold I haue prepared my dinner Mat. 22.4 my oxen and my fatlings are killed and all things are ready For here is whatsoeuer good the soule of man can desire Here the Spirit and the Spouse doe cast to euery man to come and take of the waters of life freely Reu. 22.17 Other meates and drinkes may suspend they cannot quench hunger and thirst but he that comes to Christ feeds vpon him Ioh. 6.35 shall neuer hunger or thirst any more Therefore my brethren I must say to you as the Angell
to mee a sinner And if our hearts cannot in the meditation of these things be touched with remorse the earth which trembled the rockes which rented the graues which opened shall one day rise vp in iudgement against vs. Againe the meditations of these things may bee a notable meanes to stirre vs vp to thankefull obedience Christ hath shewed the greatest loue that may bee in dying for vs. For greater loue can no man shew then to lay downe his life for his friends Ioh. 15.13 Yet I may say with Bernard Bern. de passi Dom. Etiam tu Domine maiorem habuisti O blessed Lord thou hast had greater for thou hast layd downe thy life for thine enemies Therefore should euery one that lookes for an interest in this extraordinary fauor say with the Kingly Prophet My soule praise thou the Lord Psal 103.1 and all that is within me praise his holy name Let all that is within me and without mee magnifie him for his mercies let all that I haue and am be deuoted to his seruice As Christ hath thought nothing too deare for vs no not his bloud his life as hee hath thought no paines too great not his bloudy agony his torments on the Crosse so let vs thinke all the cost wee can expend and all the paines we can take exceedingly too little to bee employed in his seruice Againe here is matter of much comfort Let no man think it strange that these contrarie streames of ioy and sorrow should arise both out of one fountaine For wee must come to the Sacraments Mat. 28.8 as the Maries came from the Sepulchre with feare and much ioy As wee must sorrow that our sinnes were the cause of Christs death so must wee reioyce that Christs death is the meanes to eternall life Hence we obtain victorie ouer Satan 1. Cor. 15.57 Heb. 2.14.15 Heb. 9.17 death and hell Hence wee haue tendred to God full satisfaction for our sinnes Hence wee haue an interest in the legacy of eternall life and for pledge of this legacie wee haue the blessed Sacrament Here is soueraigne plaister for euerie penitent heart Esa 53.5 Hee was wounded for our iniquities hee was smitten for our transgressions the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and by his stripes we are healed As Saint Paul saith 2. Cor. 8.9 Christ was poore that wee might be rich So I may say He was humbled that wee might be exalted hee was disgraced that wee might be honoured he was wounded that we might be healed he was condemned that we might be acquited he ware a crown of thornes that wee might haue a Crowne of glory hee complained that he was forsaken that we might be assured our God will neuer forsake vs he was numbred among the wicked that wee might enioy the society of Saints Angels for euer Therefore my brethren let this bee the solace of your soules and the ioy of your hearts against all the afflictions of this life the terrors of death and the torments of hell THE SIXT Sermon The danger of vnworthy receiuing of the Sacrament 1. COR. 11. v. 27 28 29. Wherefore whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily shall be guilty of the Body and bloud of the Lord c. WHen I first began to handle this Scripture I shewed that it containes three principall points 1. The time of Instirution 2. The Causes of constitution 3. The care that is to be had for the due celebration of the Sacrament The two former I haue handled and now the third remaines to bee considered in these words VVherefore whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily shall be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord c. Wherein the Apostle sheweth 2. things 1. The danger of vnworthy receiuing 2. The meanes to preuent this danger The danger is great in a twofold respect First he that receiues the Sacrament vnworthily sinnes hainously against our Sauiour for he is guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. Secondly hee sins fearefully against his owne soule for hee eateth and drinketh his owne damnation Now to auoyd this Scylla and Charybdis of iniury to Christ and misery to our owne soules this is the meanes Let a man examine himselfe The Prophet Dauid in the fifteenth Psalme propounds this question Lord Psa 55.1 who shall dwell in thy Tabernacles who shall rest vpon thy holy mountaine Hauing handled the doctrine of the Sacrament this question is very necessary Lord who shall be admitted to thy Table who shall be partakers of thy blessed body bloud Aug. in Ioh. tract 62. For as St. Austin saith We must as well consider who may receiue as what is to be receiued As the Oracle from heauen answers to the Prophets demand Hee that walketh vprightly and worketh righteousnesse c. So the Apostle here doth satisfie my question shewing that he only who receiues it worthily For he that receiues it vnworthily shall be guiltie of the bodie and bloud of Christ From whence I obserue that the Sacrament is no banquet for wicked and vnworthy receiuers As a stranger to the Common-wealth of Israel might not eat the holy things in the time of the Law Leui. 22.10 so a stranger from the life of God may not taste of the holy Sacrament in the time of the Gospell The Lord was strict concerning them who were to appeare before him at Mount Sinai as wee read in the ninteenth of Exodus Exo. 19.13 in so much that if a beast did touch the mountaine hee must be stoned to death And shall not those who dare approach into Christs presence and come to his Table with beastly affections be lyable to his iudgements Yes surely 1. Reg. 5.51 As Salomon said of Adoniah If he shew himselfe a worthy man there shall not a haire of him fall to the earth but if wickednesse be found in him though he take hold of the hornes of the Altar he shall die So he that comes worthily to the blessed Sacrament shall bee free from danger nay hee shall finde much comfort but if he come wickedly and vnworthily his soule shall surely smart for it Mar. 14.15 The Chamber was trimmed wherein the Passeouer was celebrated and the Supper instituted and so should the chamber of euery Christian soule be cleansed from profanenesse and adorned with grace that is to receiue Christ Iesus in the Sacrament Ioh. 14.2.4 The Disciples feete were washed before they did partake of the Supper doth not that call for a cleansing of our hearts before we communicate It is very remarkeable that when Christ did institute the Eucharist hee admitted onely the eleuen Disciples For I confidently hold that wicked Iudas was sent away packing with a Quod facis fac citò what thou dost Ioh. 13.27 Hilar. de Tri. lib. 8. doe quickly Neither are there wanting amongst the Fathers and Schoolemen
bee spilt then offer the bloud of Christ to a profane receiuer Againe 2. Seeing the vnworthy receiuing is so dangerous the same may stand vp like the Angell with the flaming sword Gen. 3.24 to keepe Adam from eating of the tree of life It may cause euery one to tremble who offers to come to the Table of the Lord with vnwasht hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodor. Illoâ—a Consci Cyprian I meane with a foule conscience Those that come with hearts full of profanenes heads full of vngodly imaginations and hands defiled with wicked actions how vnworthy are they to be admitted to this blessed Banquet As Iehu said to Iehoram 2. Reg. 9. What hast thou to doe with peace so I may say What haue these to do with the SacrameÌ„t Indeed the Sacrament is a robe to couer the penitent sinner but not a cloake to a wicked profaner of it to such a one it is like the forbidden fruit of Paradise Genes 3. the bane of the eater and like a faire bait swallowed with a deadly hooke the death of the receiuer Who being guilty would drinke of that cursed water Num. 5.22 which made the thigh to rot and belly to swell And who being guilty of grosse sinnes will dare without repentance to take that Sacrament which shall make him guilty of the body and bloud of Christ and become an occasion of his condemnation Who doth not condemne and condole the Iewes for that fearefull execration His bloud be vpon vs and our children Behold hee that receiues vnworthily the bloud of Christ is vpon him to his vtter destruction It is a pittifull thing when that curse befalls any Psal 69.22 Let their Table bee made a snare But that this holy Table should be made a snare to a Christian soule 't is very lamentable Reu. 1.7 It is said in the first of the Reuelation That euery eye shall see him euen them that haue pierced him Not onely Iudas that betrayed him Pilate that condemned him and the Souldiers that crucified him must appeare before him and come to their arraignment but also euery one who by vnworthy receiuing hath made himselfe guilty of the body and bloud of Christ must receiue his fearefull doome Mat. 26.24 Our Sauiour said of Iudas It had beene good for him if hee had neuer beene borne and I may say of such It had beene better for them that they had neuer beene partakers of the holy Sacrament for alas they haue eaten and drunken their owne damnation better had it beene for such to haue eaten some venemous thing or to haue drunke some deadly poyson for that had onely beene the death of the body but they by eating and drinking the Sacrament vnworthily haue damned and destroyed both soule body for euer Lastly this danger may admonish euery Christian to endeuour with all care and diligence to come worthily to the Sacrament Aug. ep 118. For as Manna was to euery mans taste according to his will so is the Sacrament to euery one according to his worthinesse Alas it will not bee enough to say to our Sauiour with them in the Gospell Luk. 13.26 VVe haue eaten drunke in thy company wee haue beene admitted to thy Table But wee must see that we come thither as we should For as the body abounding with euill humors the corporall food doth rather hurt then nourish it Chrys de prodit Iudae So the soule being fraught with vices this heauenly food doth rather kill then comfort it People will bee vnwilling that men should see them come to the Lords Table with foule hands and should they not be more carefull that God do not see them come with foule hearts A man would be loth to let a spake of fire all into a chest that hath rich costly clothes in it so should euery one bee loth that any sparke of corruption should enter into his heart when he is to receiue the body bloud of Christ The Communicants Ambr. de fac li. 5. cap. 3. as St. Ambrose saith must be familia candidata For as none vncircumcised was admitted to the Passeouer Exo. 12.44 so none of vncircumcised hearts should be partakers of the Lords Supper Augustin Hee must be of the body of Christ that eates the body of Christ Adam in his state of integrity had free liberty to take taste of all the trees of the Garden one onely excepted but after his transgression hee was iustly restrained So doth the Lord Iesus admit vs to his Table if we come worthily otherwise wee are no welcome guests vnto him Therefore as it was said to Moses Exod. 3.5 Put off the shooes for the place where thou standest is holy ground So let vs put off the shooes of our corruptions and then we may with comfort approach vnto the Table of the Lord. But here it may be iustly questioned Can any one be worthy of the Sacrament it being of such excellencie as hath beene shewed For answere whereunto we must consider that there is a two-fold worthinesse the one in act the other in acceptation The worthinesse in Act requires a proportionable correspondence betweene the Sacrament and the Communicant But this worthinesse I hope no man is so ignorant to hold so impudent to plead For as Origen saith euery one must say with the Centurion in this case Lord Origen hom 8 in diuers Mat 8.8 I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe And we doe truely acknowledge that wee are not worthy to gather vp the crums vnder the Lords Table In the CoÌ„munion booke The worthinesse in acceptation is when God in mercy without desert on our behalfe doth count vs worthy as it is in the 21. of Luke Luk. 21.35 Pray that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things And this must be our worthinesse when vvee come to the Table of the Lord. Now this gracious acceptation of Almighty GOD though it doe not challenge an absolute worthinesse yet doth it require a certaine fitnesse which in some degree we call a worthinesse And so also the word imports For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some-times signifieth meet or fit Rom. 16.2 1. Cor. 16.4 Col. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as meate is though it be dâ—gnum in the vulgar Latin 2. Thes 1.3 Bellar. de Euchar l 4 c. 18 as we fitly translate it in diuers places Yea the Rhemists though they make themselues slaues to the vulgar Latine yet in the second Epistle to the Thessalonians they haue so translated it Now what it is that makes a man fit or vnfit is duly to be considered Bellarmine labours to proue that no man is fit for the Sacrament but he onely who is free from the trouble or touch of conscience for any mortall sinne So that hee will haue onely those that are whole to come to the
Sacramēt But both the Scriptures and ancient Fathers doe shew that they whose cōsciences are troubled and those that find weakenesse in themselues are fit Communicants The Disciples had their fraileties there was presumption in Peter and emulation in the rest If we stay till we be without sin we must neuer come to the Sacrament Christ came not to call the righteous Mat. 9.13 but sinners to repentance Hee is no Physician for the whole but for the sicke Mat. 9.12 It is not infirmity that makes a man vnworthy if he labour and striue against it For Christ will not breake the bruised reed Mat. 12.20 nor quench the smoking flaxe He comes best who comes most humbly being conscious of his infirmities and is therefore troubled for them like the man that came to Christ with teares Mar. 9 24. and said I beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeliefe Those that refraine the Sacrament because they feele weakenesse in themselues are like those that will not come to the fire till they be hot nor to the Physician till they bee whole Dominicus Soto saith well Ex Attrito fit Contritus Dom. Soto in sent li. 4. dist 12. quaest 1. Art 11. It many times comes to passe that by the receiuing of this Sacrament a sinfull man becomes a sound Penitent bewayling his sinnes not with a slauish feare but in loue and reuerence to the Maiestie of God And therefore hee doth worthily condemne the custome of the Spaniards who deny the Sacrament to those that are condemned to death The places are almost infinite in the ancient Fathers where this Sacrament is called and compared to Physicke to cure and comfort the sicke soule And fitly For when should Melchisedeck King of Salem bring forth bread and wine Gen 14.18 to relieue Abraham and his Armie but when they are weake and wearied in the battaile And when should our King of Peace afford vs this spirituall food so fitly as when our soules doe hunger and thirst after righteousnesse To conclude this point my Brethren it is to be considered that there are diuers degrees of vnworthinesse Euen smaller distractions a disestimation of the Sarament want of faith and feare of reuerence deuotion may hinder the fruitfull receiuing of the Sacrament But especially take heed of open profanenes irreligion Atheisme such sins must needs draw downe the iudgements of God vpon the head of the Receiuer As Iosephs seruant said to his brethren New transl Gen. 44.5 Is not this the cup whereby my Master makes tryall whether you be true men So I may say Is not this wretched condition of life an euident proofe of such mens vnworthines and an assured testimony that they are guilty of the body bloud of Christ and consequently eate and drinke damnation to themselues But if you be free from these grosse sins and your hearts sincere and vpright though not vtterly voyd of infirmities know this beloued that Christ is as ready to admit you to his Table 2. Kin. 10.15 as Iehu was to take Iehonadab into his Chariot THE SEVENTH Sermon The meanes to auoid the danger of vnworthy Communicating 1. COR. 11. ver 28. Let a man therefore examine himselfe WHEN our blessed Sauiour told his Disciples Verily Math. 26.21 22. I say vnto you that one of you shall betray mee they were exceeding sorrowfull and began euery one of them to say Is it I Master So me thinkes my brethren when you heare that those who eate and drinke vnworthily doe like Traytors become guilty of the body and bloud of Christ euery one should bee exceeding carefull and enquire Is it I am I one of those that are guilty of this heynous sinne When the Apostle Peter rowzed vp the Consciences of those happy Conuerts taxed them roundly for their sinne and layed the iudgements of God to their hearts like the axe to the roote of the trees they found themselues wrapped in their sins like Ionas with the weeds Ionas 2.5 2. Reg. 6.14 and inuironed with Gods iudgements like Dothan compassed with the Syrians Army and being pricked in their hearts they cryed out Men and brethren Acts 2.37 what shall wee doe Beloued the dangers mentioned before cannot but touch the quicke for what greater danger then to be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord and to eate and drinke damnation to ones selfe And should not this cause euery one to vse all care and diligence to auoyd those dangers and to enquire with those Conuerts What shall we doe What course shall we take that we may escape the iudgements of God Now to a man thus affected the Apostles resolution is at hand Let a man examine himselfe This examination is like the two Disciples that our Sauiour sent to prepare a roome for the celebration of the Passeouer Mar. 14.13 For it is the meanes that hee hath ordained for preparing the heart that it may be trimmed furnished with Grace for the comfortable receiuing of the Sacrament This examination and preparation is necessary at all times and in euery act of Gods worship and seruice The children of Israel when they were to appeare before God vpon mount Sinai were appointed three dayes for their sanctification Exo. 19.10 11. And when they did celebrate the Passeouer they were allowed foure dayes for their preparation Now if so large a time were alotted for these legall seruices Exo. 12.3 6. we may well conclude that a due preparation is necessary for the receiuing of this Euangelicall Sacrament For the better prosecution of this point we will consider these three circumstances 1. The persons who 2. The manner how 3. The matter whereof this examination consists 1 Whom a man must examine You shall finde many very forward busie in prying into others pursuing them with their examinations and taxing them with their censures who in the meane time doe vtterly neglect themselues they can espy the least mote in anothers eye the least spot in his garment the least defect in his life but the greatest corruptions in their own hearts the extremest deformities of their owne liues they cannot behold These men are like Lamia in the Poet who put on her eyes when shee went abroad but layd them aside when shee came home and like a foolish man that runnes to quench another mans house whilst his owne flames about his eares All the Mariners are vpon the iacke of Ionas Ionas 1.8 and examine him strictly of his person his profession his country his religion and what not but neuer a one of them examines himselfe So that if the Prophet Ieremy had beene there he might haue said of them as he spake of the Iewes I harkened and heard but no man said Ier. 8.6 Rom. 14.4 What haue I◠done But who art thou that iudgest another mans seruant seeing hee standeth or falleth to his Master Though the Lord hath commanded thee to examine thy selfe yet hath hee not made
beene the Author of Reconciliation betweene God and man so he may be an effectuall reconciler of man to man that it may be said of him as it is of Iacob Gen. 32.28 Because thou hast had power with God thou shalt also preuaile with men Againe such is the excellency of this vertue that it graces seasons all others And as all Iosephs brethren were welcome for Beniamins sake so all Christian duties are accepted for Charities sake Otherwise if a man gaue all his goods to the poore 1. Cor. 13.14 and his body to the fire yet if he haue not loue it profiteth him nothing Againe whereas other vertues haue their period in this life Chrysostome saith Charitas inchoatur in mundo perficitur in coelo Charity is begunne on eâ—rth but perfected in heauen Whereas others euen the great cardinall vertues Faith and Hope 1. Cor. 13.13 doe vanish this excellent vertue of Loue remaines and vnites vs to God to Christ to the Saints and Angels for euer Yea such is the excellency of Loue that God himselfe is called Loue. Though he be iustice power wisedome truth whatsoeuer else is good yet it pleaseth him to be stiled especially by this Name as Saint Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 3.8 God is Loue. In a word as the fire from heauen gaue approbation to the ancient Sacrifices so this feruor charitatis this fire of Loue kindled in our hearts by the Spirit of God makes the Sacrament acceptable to God and comfortable to our owne soules And contrarily as God regarded not the sacrifice that was offered with broyles and teares of discontent Mal. 2.13 so will he not looke vpon that Sacrament which is receiued with an vncharitable heart or hand Hee that receiues the Sacrament in this kinde August serm ad infant de sacram as S. Austin saith receiues not the mysterie for himselfe but a testimony against himselfe Yet behold men dare yea doe come to the Sacrament with hearts full of rancour malice enuy bitternesse alas what comfort can such haue by comming Hierom writes Hieron li. 3. super epist ad Gal. that when St. Iohn was grown so old that he was faine to be led betwixt two and when through feeblenesse he was able to say no more yet would he still ingeminate this exhortation Filioli diligite alterutrum My little children loue one another And so say I my brethren that you may be worthy partakers of the blessed Sacrament Loue one another Lo beloued these are the Anchors you must cast forth these are the Interrogatories whereof you must examine your selues If vpon diligent examination you find in your selues a competent knowledge of those matters and mysteries afore mentioned a stedfast Faith in Christ Iesus serious repentance for your sins and vnfained loue to your brethren then need you not to feare the danger of vnworthy receiuing then need you not dread the strict examination of Almighty God Yea then may you offer your selues to his examination and say as it is in the Psalme Psal 26.2 Examine me O Lord and proue mee try my reines and my heart Then may you come to the Sacrament with cheerefulnesse and receiue it with comfort then shall the Sacrament be a meanes to build you vp in sauing grace in this life that you may be partakers of eternall glory in the life to come A Prayer before the receiuing of the Sacrament O Eternall GOD most gracious and louing Father in Iesus Christ I thy vnworthy seruant doe here humble my selfe and present my prayers before the throne of grace confessing from the ground and bottome of my heart that I am a miserable and wretched sinner If I stood guilty of Adams transgression onely the same were enough to condemne mee but behold my owne personall sinnes are exceeding many and grieuous they are great and heynous that I haue committed against thee in thought word and deed I haue neglected many blessed opportunities whereby I might haue glorified thy name and gained much comfort to mine owne soule and I haue committed many iniquities the least whereof were sufficient to plunge mee in the gulph of despaire Yea I haue deserued by my manifold sinnes to be depriued of all the fauours and comforts that I haue receiued from thy gracious hands to taste in a deepe measure of thy heauy indignation in this present life and to be subiect to eternall condemnation in the life to come But this is my comfort Lord that thou art a gracious and a mercifull God to them that are truly penitent and lay hold vpon thy Sonne Christ Iesus with a liuely faith In regard whereof I am bold to come vnto thee in his Name beseeching thee for his sake to haue mercy and compassion vpon me to pardon and forgiue me all my sinnes to clense me with his bloud and clothe mee with his righteousnes Strengthen good Lord my weake and feeble faith mortifie the corruptions of my vile nature giue me true and vnfained repentance for all my transgressions assist me with thy blessed Spirit agaiast Satans dangerous assaults and the Worlds vaine allurements Yea sanctifie me I beseech thee with that blessed Spirit of thine in soule and body and spirit that I may sanctifie thy Name in holinesse and righteousnes all the dayes of my life And forasmuch as thou hast ordained the holy Sacrament to be an especiall meanes of working these other graces in the hearts liues of thy seruants I humbly beseech thee for Christ his sake that thou wilt vouchsafe both now and at all times to blesse this thy holy ordinance to me and to prepare me for the worthy receiuing of it Lord open my vnderstanding that I may by the eye of faith behold thy deare Sonne and my blessed Sauiour the author and matter of this blessed banquet that my Soule may be imployed in the diligent meditation of these sacred mysteries that by partaking thereof I may find those sweet comforts wherewith my heart may be abundantly refreshed Lord make me able in this holy Sacrament to bâ—hold the death and Passion of my Sauiour and in his death and Passion his wonderfull loue and compassion and that the consideration thereof may kindle in my heart those excellent graces of loue and zeale to thy glory and may stirre me vp to compassion and loue to my brethren Make roome in my heart for the entertaining of Christ and grant me grace to receiue him into the house of my soule like the Centurion humbly and yet like the Publican cheerefully and ioyfully That by this heauenly foode I may haue thy mercies in Christ sealed vp vnto me that so I may be preserued to the glory of thy sauing grace through Iesus Christ my Lord and onely Sauiour Amen Amen Thanksgiuing after the receiuing of the Sacrament I Humbly thanke thee most gracious God and louing Father for all thy blessings benefits bestowed vpon me who am not worthy the least of all thy mercies
desolate lest with the foolish Virgins by our slothfull delay Mat. 25.11 the dore of mercy be shut vp against vs. It is good counsell of St. Augustines Aug de verb. Apost ho. 42. Emamus occasionem let vs purchase opportunity of doing good but especially when it is offered let vs not neglect it When we see the wounded man lying in distresse Luk. 10.33 then is there opportunity offered with the good Samaritan to open the bowels of compassion Luk. 16.20 When Lazarus lyes at our dores hungry full of sores then is there a time to shew mercy When the Spirit of God knockes at the dores of our hearts Reu. 3.20 by the hammer of the Word or the sound of any good motion 2. Cor. 6.3 then is it our part to take the accepted time and to lay hold on the day of saluation Thus doing we shall be like the tree planted by the riuers of waters that brings forth her fruits in due season Psal 1.3 so shall we be blessed Gal. 6.9 and shall reape in due season if we faint not The Efficient cause or Author of the Sacrament That question of the Prophet Isaiah is very materiall in all the parts of Gods worship Esay 1.12 Who required this at your hands And if in all the parts of Gods worship then more especially in the blessed Sacraments which haue their eminency aboue other of Gods ordinances Therefore the Apostle both for the better reformation of the Corinthians information of the Church of God for future times shewes here that the Lord Iesus is the Author of this Sacrament that so all posterity might esteem reuerently of it and be afraid to profane it as being a diuine ordinance When almighty God retained the gouernment of his Church immediatly in his own hands himselfe was the immediate Author of the legall Sacraments He prescribed to Abraham the Sacrament of Circumcision described the same in respect of the matter the manner the time the sex the persons as we read in the seuenteenth of Genesis He likewise gaue direction to Moses Aaron Gen. 17.10 14. concerning the Passeouer with all the Ceremonies and circumstances as they are largely descrbed in the 12. of Exodus Exo. 12.50 Though the Lord honored Moses in making him his Ambassadour yet he retained to himselfe the absolute authority of instituting the Sactament Moses was faithfull as a seruant in the Lords house yet neither inacted he any Law or instituted any Sacrament but onely published the one Exo. 25.9 and gaue direction for the other and in all he did still he had his patterne and warrant from GOD. When the Sonne of God was incarnate swayed the scepter in the time of grace he likewise did ordain and institute two Euangelicall Sacraments to seale vp thereby the ancient Couenant of Grace As there is a pregnant testimony of the institution of Baptisme in the eighty and twentieth of Mathew Mat. 28.18 19. Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14.22 Luk. 22.19 so doe three of the Euangelists make very plaine mention of Christs institution of the Eucharist and the Apostle heere reuiues the memory thereof Neither did Christ ordaine the Sacraments onely as he was man Greg. Valen Tom. 4 disp 3 quaest 5. p. 1. Bell. de sacra in Gen. lib. 1. cap. 23. as Gregory of Valentia would haue it but as hee was God man as diuers Schoolemen doe confesse Yea Bellarmine doth seeme some-what to qualifie that opinion of his fellow Iesuite saying that the humanity of Christ is the instrument as it was hypostatically vnited to the diuinity And surely to affirme that Christ onely as man though by Commission from God did institute the Sacraments were some derogation to the dignity thereof Ambr. de Sacra 〈◊〉 4. c. 4. St. Ambrose saith well The Sacraments came from heaue◠That is they had a diuine institution Now there are diuers reasons why it should be so First the Sacraments are an especiall part of Gods worship they are military badges whereby we publiquely professe our selues to be the souldiers seruants of Iesus Christ whilst we serue in his Campe and vnder his colours Acknowledging that no other shall prescribe to vs any Sacraments but onely Christ by whom alone we looke for eternall saluation Therefore St. Paul disclaimes that honour which some of the Corinthians forth of their factious affections were wont to cast vpon their sequestred Teachers saying 1. Cor. 1.13 Were you baptized into the name of Paul And surely it were odious ambition and presumptuous arrogancy if any man should assume vnto himselfe this dignity which is peculiar to the Sonne of God 2. To him it belongs to institute the Sacramēts who is the author of Grace and can thereby make them effectuall to the receiuer And that is onely Christ GOD and man and not any other who is meerely man The Sacraments indeed are like to a seale as a seale giues force to the writing so the Sacraments doe confirme to vs the Couenant of grace but yet they doe this onely as they are ingrauen with the death and printed with the hand of Christ Num 21. If Moses or any other Israelite had of his owne head without diuine warrāt set vp a brazen serpent it had neuer beene effectuall to cure the stinging of the fiery Serpents And had any mortall man beene the author of the Sacraments they had neuer bin powerfull to cure comfort the distressed soule If the woman with the bloudy issue Mat. 9.20 had touched the hemmes of ten thousand others garmēts besides our Sauiors she had not bin healed and if tenne thousand Sacraments were ordained by any other but by Christ they haue small power to heale the maladies of our soules Luke 8.46 The woman touched the hemme of Christs garment but the vertue came from Christ that cured her disease so we doe receiue the outward elements at the hand of the Minister but the vertue power therof proceeds from Christ to cure the bloudy issue of our sinnes The Sacraments are as conduit pipes to conuey grace into the Cesterns of our hearts but Christ himselfe is the fountaine Ioh. 1.16 Of whose fulnesse wee receiue grace for grace Had the anoynting of the blind mans eyes with clay and spittle Ioh. 9.6 beene the prescription of any other it had beene alikely meanes to depriue a man of his sight but being Christs direction it was effectuall to giue sight to him that was borne blind As in humane actions the instrument hath his vertue actiuity from the principall agent so haue these sacred ordinances their vertue and efficacy from Christ the author of the Sacraments From him proceeds the influence of Grace We powre on water in Baptisme but he baptized with the holy Ghost Mat. 3.11 and with fire In the Lords Supper we deliuer the elements but he it is that giues vertue to the Sacrament As
he did sanctifie himselfe Ioh. 17.19 so I may say hee doth sanctifie the Sacraments for the Churches sake that she thereby might be sanctified 3. The Sacraments are seales of the Couenant therefore they cannot without odious forgery be fixed or annexed thereunto by any but by Christ Is it Treason to put a priuate mans seale of a Princes Letters PateÌ„ts And shall it not be found high treason against the most Highest to put the seale of a Sacrament to the Charter of Gods holy word Is there a Sub poena gone forth against them that adde to the Word Reu. 22.18 and shall it not seize vpoÌ„ them that presume to adde to the Sacraments Yes verily whosoeuer shall presume to adde or ordaine any other Sacraments God will surely adde to him his plagues Gal. 1.8 Therefore as St Paul doth pronounce Anathema to him though he were an Angel from heauen that shall preach any other Gospell then what he hath preached so I may boldly say If any man shall obtrude vpon the Church of Christ any Sacraments that he hath not ordained he is worthy to be accursed 4. It was necessary that Christ himselfe should immediatly institute the Sacraments to preuent schisme For had they bin left to the institution of men one would haue held of Paul another of Apollos another of Cephas 1. Cor. 1.12 Therefore the Apostle to reduce the Corinthians to peace to draw all their affections as it were Sun-beams to one center asks them Is Christ diuided Verse 13. Were you baptized into the name of Paul Intimating that it was Gods speciall prouidence the Sacraments should be founded vpon Christ that so schisme might haue no shelter by them amongst the Corinthians If the administration of the Sacrament by some men was made an occasion of schisme much more in all likelihood would the institution haue bin the meanes of a greater rent Therefore our Sauiour who had his garment without seam his life without scandall and all his courses without contention so that his voyce was not heard in the street Mat. 12.19 was carefull that by reseruing to himselfe the institution of the Sacraments he might keepe out schisme and faction the inward bane and Gangrene of his Church 5. This is a part of Christs royall prerogatiue Eph. 5.25 as he is the head of the Church and is to prouide all spirituall comforts for the good of his body Psal 2.6 He is that wise and soueraigne Lawgiuer therfore he prescribes to his seruants and subiects that homage and subiection he requires at their haÌ„ds Heb. 5.9 Yea he is the author of eternall saluation and giues it vnder his great Seale And these reasons are implyed in these two titles the Lord Iesus He is the Lord and so forth of his supreme power and authority may enioyne his Church to embrace his ordinances As he is called The Lord of the Sabbath Mâ—r. 2.28 so may we call him the Lord of the Sacraments as he forth of his authority changed the Sabbath in regard of the day so did he the Sacraments in respect of the elements Againe as he is the Lord so is he Iesus the Sauiour and Redeemer of his Church and therfore forth of his mercy and compassion he giues the Sacraments as pledges of our redemption Thus both forth of his eminent soueraignty exceeding mercy he becomes the author of these sacred ordinances If any but Christ can say Mat. 28.29 All power is giuen mee in heauen and in earth let him boldly and freely ordaine Sacraments If he shall attempt the one not being able to affirme the other he shall be found an incrocher vpon Christs prerogatiue Yea this case is so cleare that both Bellarmine Bellar. de sacro in gen lâ—b 1 ca. 23. Greg. de Valen Tom. 4. disp 3. qu. 5. punâ— 2. and Gregory of Valentia doe confesse That the opinion of certaine Schoolemen can no longer be defended who hold that diuers of the Sacraments were not ordained by Christ Thus the Sacrament being an especiall part of Gods worship and seruice a singular instrument of Grace a seale of eternall saluation an Antidote against schisme and a principall part of Christs prerogatiue to whom should the institution thereof belong but onely vnto Christ Confirmation Pennance Matrimony Orders Extreme vnction Haec quaestio definitione dissoluitur Lactan. Institut 5. 18. In regard whereof the Church of Rome is hereby iustly taxed as an incrocher vpon Christs prerogatiue by adding and obtruding vpon the Church of God fiue Sacraments of her owne inuention If we had an exact definition of a Sacrament the same would lash this Romish presumption and I see not how wee can better define it then by these causes here concurring to the constitution thereof So that a Sacrament is a visible signe of inuisible grace instituted of GGD to shew and apply vnto vs the vertue of Christs death anâ— Passion Catech. Trid. Bell. Greg. de Valen. vbi supra alij Pontificij For if wee thus explane the end and adde to the old definition the Author or efficient cause which the learned of all sorts do generally hold to be essentiall in a Sacrament theâ— will it send packing the other fiue â—ome of which diuers learned Paâ—ists doe truely acknowledge not to â—aue been instituted by Christ nor â—o be applyed to that end which is â—equired in a Sacrament And inâ—eed this point Gregory of Valentia â—oth closely intimate Gre. Valen. disp 3. desac qu. 5. p. 1. whilst he calls Baptisme and the Eucharist Reuera â—acramenta True Sacraments inâ—eed For what can those words of â—is import but that the other Sacraments are not so Verè propriè sacramenta â—oncil Trid. sess 7. Can. 1. though the Counâ—ell of Trent strikes him with Anaâ—hema who denies that any of these â—iue is truely and properly a Sacrament The Papists would faine gaine â—ome aide for their error from the â—uffrages of the ancient Fathers but â—n vaine For albeit they sometimes vse the word SacrameÌ„t in their wriâ—ings more generally improperly as Hierome saith coÌ„cerning the Reâ—elation Tot sunt SacrameÌ„ta quot verba Hieron prol gaâ—eat that it containes as many Sacraments as words Yet when they â—peake exactly of the Sacraments they acknowledge onely two namely Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord whilst they say that The Sacraments of the Church did flow forth of Christs side Aug. in Psal 40. Chrysost in Ioh hâ—m 48. alij Bellar. de Sacra in gen lib 2. c. 27. when it being pearced with a Speare there came forth water and bloud water representing Baptisme and bloud signifying the Eucharist In answere hereunto Bellarmin hath a silly euasion namely that the issuing of water and bloud foorth oâ— the side of Christ may haue more expositions For we stand not vpon the exact exposition of that place but onely shew what the iudgement oâ—
was the custome of compassionaâ—e Maâ—rons to prouide comfortable drinkâ—s for them who went to execution to châ—are vp their hearts against the tâ—â—râ—r aâ—d trouble of death In which respeâ—t wine is excelâ—ent to setforth the sweet ioy of heart and peace of conâ—cience that we haue by our blessâ—d Sauiour For beeing iustified by Faith wee haue peace with God Rom. 5.1 through our Lord Iesus Christ Yea we haue peace within our selues Ro. 14.17 for the Kingdome of God is not meat nor drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost A fourth property of wine is in the vse of medicine to mundifie and cleanse a wound and Plutarch calls it a most sweete and powerfull medicine Medicamentum validissimum suauissimum Plut. sympos lib. 3. q. 1. We reade in the tenth of Luke that the Samaritane powred wine and oyle into the wounds of him that lay by the way side the one vt morderet the other vt foueret the one like the corrasiue to eat out the dead flesh and to cleanse the wound the other to supple and heale it Ambro. de Poeâ—it lib. 1. cap. 10. as Ambrose saith And in this respect wine doth notably represent the bloud of Christ which cleanseth and cureth the wounds of our soules and indeed he is that good Samaritan that powres in the mundifying wine and mollifying oyle of his merits to heale the broken-hearted Luk. 4.18 Thus we see what the outward Elements are and the wisedome of God in the fit choise of them Forasmuch then as the Sacrament must haue in it necessarily the Elements of bread and wine and seeing their significancy is to excellent the Church of Rome is hereby iustly taxed which by the doctrine of Transubstantiation doth annihilate the signes Eucharistia duabus rebus constat terrena coelesti Jren. lib. 4. cap. 14. and consequently doth ouerthrow the Sacrament For the Sacrament must consist of two things the one earthly the other heauenly They may seeme to haue taken a poâ—â—icke course for the aduancement of the Eucharist by this supposed change of the substance but if the 〈◊〉 â—he duly considered they haue 〈◊〉 most improuidently for they â—â—â—e thereby ouerthrowne it The â—â—hemists doe vehemently challenge vs that we haue taken away the blessed Sacrament altogether Rhem. Annot in Ioh. 6. 1. Cor. 11 but that iniurious imputation falls vpon themselues for they indeede haue altogether saken it away by taking away the signes for where there are no signes there is no Sacrament If it be answered the accidents remaine as namely the colour the tastâ— the â—â—shion it will not sâ—â—â—ice For 〈◊〉 â—he Sacrament is set forth our â—pirituaâ—l nourishment by a aâ—â—gâ— of â—he corporall Now â—he body is â—ot nourished by accidents but by corporall subâ—tances Curaeus de sensib lib. 2. cap. 8. as both Phyâ—â—cianâ— and Philosophers doe truely â—â—ach And therefore to set forth truely our nâ—urishment by Christ it is requâ—site that the signes be corporall and substantiall Againe as they dâ—e by consequence ouâ—rthrow the Sacrament so doe they directly abrogate a part thereof by denying the cup to the people And seeing the wine is so comfortably significant in setting forth the quenching of our spirituall thirst the cleansing curing chearing and refreshing of our sinfull soules by the bloud of Christ how can it without great iniury bee denyed to the people Yea it is odious sacriledge to depriue the Church of a principall part of the Sacrament and that which a man would hardly indure in his ordinary repast The bloud of Christ is the speciall price of our redemption 1. Pet. 1.18 For we were redeemed with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe without spot Heb. 12.24 So that whereas our sins doe cry for vengeance 1. Ioh. 1.7 the bloud of Christ speaketh to God for remissionâ— yea it cleanseth vs from all our sinnes For asmuch therefore as the wine in the Sacrament is a liuely signe and seale of these benefites it is grosse iniury and impiety in the Church of Rome to deny it to the people to whom the benefits doe belong And what else is this but to endeuour the damming vp of the Fountaine which Christ Iesus hath set open to the house of Dauid Zac. 13.1 and the Inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for vncleannesse But heerein they deale with Christ and his Church Bellarm. de verb. Dei lib. 4. cap. 1. regulam fidei non totalem sed partialem as they doe in other matters for they account the Scriptures not a perfect but a partiall rule of Faith and patch it vp with their traditions Yea they make Christ but halfe a Sauiour whilst they make others ioynt-purchasers with him ascribe to him the satisfaction for the fault but leaue to others to satisfie for the punishment No maruell therefore that these men doe square the Sacrament after the same proportion and bring in halfe a Sacrament for halfe a Sauiour If the people should deale with the Priests in their offerings after this maner it would either coole their deuotion or worke a reformation Our blessed Sauiour doubtlesse as he had respect to the demonstration of his passion and the shedding of his bloud by the whips speare nailes and crowne of thornes so had he a purpose by these outward elements Iausen Comor c. 131. Ludolp de vita Christi par 2. c. 56. to set foorth our full redemption perfect nourishment we haue by him which cannot be shewed but by eating and drinking And this diuers learned Papists yea the Romane Breuiary set forth by Pius Quintus doe obserue Christ himselfe saith of the Cup as it is here in the Text This Cup is the new Testament in my bloud Gelas de CoÌ„secrat distin 2. Who then without iniury can alter or abrogate any part of this Testament Yea the deuiding of one the same mysterie is not done without a greeuous sacriledge saith a Bishop of Rome This practice of the Church of Rome doth oppose it selfe to the institution of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 26.27 Mar. 14.23 Luk. 22.20 and crosseth the generall practice of Antiquity Three of the Euangelists haue carefully recorded the vse of the cup and St. Paul here hath duly related the same that in the mouth of many witnesses this doctrine might be established and the Churches right might remaine vpon record against this Romish sacriledge Yea lest the historicall narration might seeme insufficient to inforce it wee haue Christs precept to his disciples who did represent the laytie to vrge it For as in the sixe and twentieth of St. Mathew Christs commands Mat. 26.27 Drinke yee all of this so in the foureteenth of St. Mar. 14.23 Mark it is said They all dranke of it And Caietans reason vpon that place is good Caietan in Mat. 26. Drinke ye all of this because it is shed for all For it
is very reaâ—onable that all who haue an interest in the bloud of Christ should be partakers of the wine which reprâ—sents his bloud I may say therefore with Cyprian to Cecilius If it be not lawfull to vs late the least Commandâ—ment of Almighty God how much lesse one so great and weighty Mâ—reouer as â—ur Sauiours institution doth teach prescribe the vse of the Cup to the generall practicâ— of succeâ—ding agâ—s doth approue iâ— which how euident it is may appeare by Bellarmines shallow arguments and wâ—ak proofes of the contrary Bellarm. de Eueha lib. 4. cap. 24. Andraâ— Ortho expli li. 7 Andradius a principall stickleâ— at the Councell of Trent and a vehement dâ—fender thereof iustly reprooues the opinion of those who held that the Cup was anciently taken away from the laytie and restored by Leo. And Cardinall Cusanus can go no â—urther for the head of this streame As appears in his Epistle to the BohemiaÌ„s â—hen the Councell of Lateran which was twelue hundred yeeres after Christ So that they who are wont â—o bragge of antiquity and challenge â—s for nouelty are herein manifestly â—ound to be meere nouilists shake â—ands with the Maniches Leo quadra Ser. 4. who abstained from the vse of the Cup. The Romanists doe pretend reasons for this their sacriledge but such as are no lesse absurd then their practice is impious Andradius saith they had learned by long experience Andrad vbi supra that the vse of the Cup could not bee retained without maruailous danger In which speech he not onely taxeth our Sauiour Christ of inconsideration who could not foresee but the Church also of extreme ignorance or negligence that in twelue hundred yeeres could not obserue or would not auoyde such dangers But what are those dangers I pray you Gerson will tell you lest mens beards should be wet and lest the wine should be sowre if an ouer plus were consecrated Rhem Ann. in Iohn 6.58 The Rhemists say Because the Communicants being many so much wine could not at once be conueniently consecrated and there might be danger of sheading Which Reasons with some others of the like stampe comming foorth of the forge of drowsie braines were it not a serious and sacred matter doe rather deserue laughter then answere The Apostles constitutions ranne with this tenor Acts 15.28 It hath semed good to the holy Ghost and to vs but behold the pride of these men who practise what seemes good vnto themselues onely without direction of the holy Ghost and contrary to the institution of the Lord Iesus Whatsoeuer reason therefore flesh and bloud may haue for taking away of the Cup I may well say in this case of a matter of certaintie what Bellarmine saith of a matter of probability that is the vse of vnleauened bread Neque enim dubitari potest quin illud sit melius Bellar. de sacra Euchar. li. 4. cap. 7. faciendum quod Christus fecit It is not to be doubted but that is best and fittest to be practised which Christ himselfe hath done And if the Church of Rome will persist in this sacriledge 1. Cor. 10.16 let her take heed lest for taking away the Cup of blessing she draw vpon her the curse of God taste of the wine of his wrath as the Lord himselfe threatneth Reue. 16.19 Againe here the Papists are iustly taxed for some alterations and additions in the matter of the Sacrament as namely in vsing and vrging vnleauened bread in the mixing of water with the wine and dipping the bread in the wine 1. They vrge very nicely the vse of vnleauened bread Rhem. An. in 1. Cor. 11.23 yea the Rhemists vehemently charge vs that we neither follow Christ nor St. Paul in doing the contrary Indeede if either the Euangelists or the Apostle had said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Rhemists had said somewhat to the purpose but it being otherwise the Text yeelds them not the least colour for their conceit For the Pâ—sseouer must be celebrated wâ—th vnleauened bread All that caâ— bee said is grounded occasionally because the Passeouer being now celebrated it is like our Sauiour tooke such bread as the time and place did afford him Not because the Sacrament did necessarily require it but because the celebration of the Passeouer did presently yeeld it Now it is not fit that an accidentall ceremony should bring in a perpetuall necessity Anseâ—m saith Multis Catholicis ratiâ—nali uâ— videtur quod agunt non est contra fidem Catholicam Epist Wiâ—eram Ep. Do. Soto in 4 sent â—isâ—â—â— 9. qu. 〈…〉 Ier. 2.13 Yea this me thinkes might stop the Rhemists mouthes in that the learned amongst them doe hold it indifferent For though Scotus account the Grecians schismatikes for vsing leauened bread yet doth Dominicus Sotâ— and others apologize for them Yea the Councell of Horâ—nce definitiuely allowes their practice 2. They vrge exceedingly the mixing water with wine wherein I may say with the Prophet Ieremy These people haue committed two euils one by taking away the cuppe from the people the other by adding water to the wine in the Priests cuppe Yet could I easily passe ouer this in silence Rhem. Anno. in 1. Cor. 11.23 were it not for the Rhemists vâ—hâ—mency who vrge it as a matter of necessity and affirme that we in neglect thereof doe contemne Christ and his Church impudently and damnably for Christ say they and the Apostles and all the Churches in the world haue euer mixed their wine with water But this stone of impudency rebounds vpon themselues For as there is no mention of this mixture in the word of God So a great Popish Antiquary affirmes Po. Virgil de inuent lib. 5. cap. 9. Primus autem vino miscuit Do. Soto in 4 sâ—nt dist 9. qu. 1. Art 6 â—qâ—inas in 1. Cor. 11. Lect. 6. probabile est c. that Alexander the seuenth Bishop of Rome did first of all when hee consecrated mixe water with the nine Dominiâ— Soto as likewise diuers others saith It is not a matter of necessity and onely probable that Christ to allay the hâ—at of the wine in those hot climats did mixe it with water Is it not strange that they should hold that damnable in our pactice the contrary whereof is onely probable and occasionall in their iudgements The taking away of the cup. and yet not tremble to practise that which is directly contrary to the institution of Christ and the constant practice of so many succeeding ages Neither is it to be neglected that this their mixture hath brought them into many perplexed disputes as namely whether the water be incorporated with the wine and transubstantiated or whether it remaine intire and serue onely for signification and the like A third nicety is the Priests dipping of the bread in the wine which indeed is folly from a false ground namely from the soppe giuen
mor. Man 1. 31. Hence it is that diuers men may concurre in one and the same action yet in respect of their seuerall ends and tendments that may bee lawfull and lawdable in one which is culpable in another as St. Augustine doth demonstrate in the Passion of our Sauiour in which Almighty God the Iewes and Iudas had their seuerall hands but God intending it in loue to redeeme the world In re vna quam feceruÌ„t causa noÌ„ vna est oh quam fecerunt Aug. VinceÌ„ epist 28. Iudas forth of a couetous humor to fill his purse and the Iewes out of their malice to bee reuenged that which was gracious in our mercifull God was odious both in perfidious Iudas and the malicious Iewes This obseruation yeelds a checke to the inconsiderate Christian whose hand is in the action before the eye to the end 1. Tim. 3.1 He that desires the office of the Ministery desires a worthy worke But if hee vndertake that function onely to support his estate and being possessed with a dumbe spirit 1. Cor. â— 10 betake himselfe to rest there is a fearefull woe belongs to him Magistracie is a place very honorable Rom. 13.1 Psa 82.6 but if it be sought after onely to heap vp riches or to hunt after honor and not doe good by the execution of iustice the end is extremely peruerted Did not the Pharises through those hypocriticall ends they propounded to themselues lose the glory of those worthy duties of fasting prayer Mat. 6.2 16. and almes And are not the Papists workes extremely stained with the end and intention of merit And surely it may iustly be feared that many lose the sweet comfort of the blessed Sacrament whilst they come to it for fashion feare custome company or other by-respects As the Master of the feast propounds that to his guests Mat. 22.12 Friend how camest thou in hither So will Christ Iesus one day question euery Communicant Friend wherefore camest thou in hither Then happy shall that Christian be who can answere forth of a sincere heart Lord I came to be put in remembrance of thee and to see a liuely demonstration of thy death and Passion that so my faith might be strengthened sinne weakened and the graces of Gods holy Spirit confirmed and augmented in me Now the end of receiuing the Sacrament is set forth by the Apostle First in generall Doe this in remembrance of me Secondly in particular As oft as you eate this bread und drinke this cup you shew the Lords death till he come Here a question meetes vs in the first words namely what our Sauiour meanes when he saith Doe this Rhâ—m Annot in Luke 22. â— 19. The Rhemists say that in these words the holy Sacrament of orders is instituted because power and commission to doe the principall act of priesthood is giuen to the Apostles that is to offer vp the body of Christ in sacrifice But is this the principall act of Priesthood to offer the body of Christ in sacrifice Behod how they doe deiect the office of a Minister making it inferior to diuers mechanicall trades For whereas there is scarce a trade so meane but a man must haue much time to learne it he is very simple who in a few dayes cannot attaine to this Art of sacrificing For the greatest difficulty is the turning and winding of the body and the acting of diuers ridiculous and antike gâ—stures No maruaile though it grew into a prouerbe amongst them He is good enough to make a Priest Iob. 33.23 Elihu in Iob makes another matter of the office of a Minister when he saith Scarce one of a thousand is found to be a fit Messenger from the Lord of Hosts 2. Cor. 1.16 St. Paul held it to be of a higher nature and requiring excellency of gifts when he demanded Ad haec quis idoneus VVho it sufficient for these thing But what doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie Sacrifice this This is such an interpretation as neuer was heard of The learnedest amongst the Papists doe truely confesse Greg. Valentom 4. dist 6 qu. 8. pun 5. that these words haue relation only to the precedent actions in the Institution but in those there is no one sillable of sacrificing Yea Bellarmine himselfe expounds the words thus Doe this Bella. de Eucha 4. 16. Et li. 1. cap. 19. that is Take consecrate and deliuer it to others as you see me doe And indeed it is remarkable that in the new Testament our Sauiour and his Secretaries haue continually distinguished the Ministers of the Gospell from the Legall Ministers both in name and office appropryating to them in the Law the title of Priests and the office of sacrificing but neuer ascribing either that name or seruice to the Ministers of the Gospell The words therefore import thus much Celebrate this Sacrament according to the president I haue left you to that end namely Psa 111.4 in remembrance of mee The Lord hath made his wonderfull workes to be had in remembrance saith the Psalmist Surely all the workes of the Lord are worthy of remembrance but some aboue others are worthy to be remembred and admired Amongst others our happy deliuerance by the death and Passion of our blessed Sauiour is both admirable comfortable But it may be said as Salomon speakes of deliuering a besieged Citie Eccle. 9.15 There was found in it a poore and wise man who deliuered the Citie by his wisedome but no man remembred the poore man Aug. contra Acadâ—m li. 2. cap. 9. The memory oft-times becomes insida custos cogitationum a bad recorder of diuine fauours And whereas it should be like the Arke that held the holy things it is rathâ—â— like the Sine which lets goe the flowre and retaines the branne Holy and heauenly matters are let slippe when carnall and earthly are remembred Therefore the Lord Iesus for the helpe of our bad and brittle memories hath commanded vnto vs the celebration of the blessed Sacrament saying Doe this in remembrance of me So that this Sacrament must be celebrated in remembrance of Christ like the pillar that Ioshua erected Iosh 4 9. in memoriall of that wonderfull passage ouer Iordan And like the Omer of Manna that the Lord appointed to be kept in remembrance of the miraculous feeding of the Israelites in the wildernesse Exo. 16.32 This being the end of the Institution namely the remembrance of Christ we haue need to search our hearts and cause no doubt to bewaile our wants who neither without nor with this memoriall doe so fruitfully and effectually remember our Sauiour as we should Exo. 13.3 The children of Israel had a charge that they should remember the day of their deliuerance out of Egypt and the maruailous prouidence of God Exo. 12.1.13 in protecting them from the stroke of the Angel yea for the better remembrance of those mercies they had the Passeouer
yet is it said in the seuenty eight Psalme that they remembred not his hand Psa 78.42 nor the day that he deliuered them from the enemy and who doth not condemne their ingratefull forgetfulnesse of so great benefits But if we cause our cogitations to retire vpon our selues and consider the vnspeakable mercy of Christ in deliuering vs from eternall condemnation aad his gracious goodnesse in ordaining this memoriall of our deliuerance I doubt not but we shall find greater cause to tax our selues for our vnkind forgetfulnesse whilst it may be said of vs as the holy Historian saith of Pharaohs Butler Gen. 40.23 yet did not the chiefe Butler remember Ioseph but forgat him When our Sauiour told Peter that he would deny him Mat. 26. Peter promised confidently that he would not but afterwards hauing through humane frailty done it when the Cocke did crow he remembring the words of Iesus went foorth and wept bitterly Behold my brethren haue not we as iust cause to mourn for our shamefull forgetfulnesse who notwithstanding these remembrances doe neglect these great mercies which we should locke and lay vp in our hearts like rich Iewels and keepe them safe as soueraigne preseruatiues If a King hauing ransomed a captiue should giue him a peece of plate and wish him when he drinks therein to thinke vpon the fauours hee had done him how vnworthy were that captiue of this fauour if hee should forget him Loe here our King of Peace hath deliuered vs from a miserable captiuity and hath giuen vs the Cup of saluation requiring vs when we drinke thereof to thinke vpon him Oh how vnworthy are we of this great mercy if we will not remember him We may well say in the Psalmists words Psa 137.5 6. If I forget thee O my Sauiour let my right hand forget her cunning Yea if I doe not remember thee in thankfulnesse let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth Iustin li. 5. The Athenians enacted Legem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a law of obliuion but here Christ hath ordained Legem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a law of remembrance We should oft times haue Christ in remembrance but especially when we come to the Sacrament hee should be the matter of our meditation Lâ—k 22.42 Lord remember mee when thou commest into thy Kingdome saith the penitent malefactor and Christs answere is This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise So let vs carefully and fruitfully remember Christ when we come to the blessed Sacrament and then we may be assured he will remember vs now he is in his Kingdome But how shall we remember him fruitfully Not by oathes and blasphemies not by execrations and cursings not to cherish presumption in our selues for thus onely doe some remember Christ Some alas haue the name of Christ very sildom in their mouthes but when they sweare by him some sildome haue him in their minds but when they do vainely presume vpon him But miserable wretched men they are who thus doe turne the grace of God into wickednesse Which take boldnesse to sin Rom. 6.1 because grace hath abounded and so make a poyson of a Mithrydat But let vs so remember Christ that the remembrance of him may be a preseruatiue against sinne by considering how deare it cost him to redeeme vs and if wee haue fallen through frailty that it may be a restoratiue by remembring that hee is a gracious Aduocate 1. Ioh. 2.1 and the propitiation for a penitent sinner Let vs remember the basenesse of his birth to humble vs the painefulnesse of his life to make vs diligent in his seruice and the bitternesse of his death to confirme our patience Let vs depend vpon him both in health sicknes in life and death In health let vs remember him as a mercifull Redeemer in sicknesse let vs thinke vpon him as a gracious Comforter In health let vs say with the Spouse in the Canticles Can. 1.7 Shew me thou whom my soule loueth where thou feedest for why should I be as one that turneth aside to the flocks of thy companions In sickenesse let vs with Bartimeus cry vnto him Mar. 10.48 Iesus thou Sonne of Dauid haue mercy on mee And in the houre of death let vs with blessed Steuen commend our soules into his hands saying Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Act. 5 9 Loe this is a fruitfull this is a blessed remembrance of Christ And so much for the end in generall now to the end in particular verse 26. For as oft as you eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe you shew the Lords death till he comes These words as oft are here twice vsed and there may be diuers reasons for the same First to put a difference betweene the Passeouer and the Supper The Passeouer was celebrated but once a yeere and at one certaine time of the yeere but the Supper of the Lord may be administred many times and at any time of the yeere And herein also this Sacrament differs from Baptisme which is only once administred and not iterated and reason for as it is sufficient that we be once borne into the World but necessary that wee be often fedde so is it sufficient that wee doe once receiue Baptisme the Sacrament of our new birth but very expedient that wee oft receiue the Eucharist the food and nourishment of our soules Secondly as these words may serue to distinguish betweene this and the other Sacraments so may they also very aptly carry with them an intimation of receiuing often First in that the Apostle saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how oft soeuer which implyes an itteration Again the word being before vsed and here againe repeated cannot but import an often receiuing of the Sacrament But here it may bee questioned how oft a man is to receiue the Sacrament Chrys in Tim. hom 5. For answere whereunto I might say with Chrysostome The Apostle hath not limited this Sacrament with any obseruation of time But for further resolution we will consider First the practice of Antiquity Secondly Hier. ad Lucin Ambr. de sacr li 5. c. 4. Chrys in 1. Cor hom 28. Aug quaest dogm q. 53. the rules of Direction grounded on reason We read that in the Primitiue Church both the East and Westerne Congregations vsed to celebrate and receiue it euery day afterwards euery Lords Day to the which practice S. Austin or whosoâ—uer was Author of the Dogmaticall questions doth exhort Afterwards it came to once a moneth but deuotion waxing euery day colder then other P. Lumb sen 4. dist 12. it was decreed that euery one should receiue it thrice a yeâ—re which was somewhat tolerable But Rome who brags of hâ—r renowned neuer-failing Faith doth in this particular shew a glimpse of her Apostasie and giues euident demonstration of her want of zeale deuotion For the Councell of Trent is faine to come
Tract 27. And Saint Austin saith that the Sacrament gaue courage to Saint Laurence to vndergoe martyrdome Againe the Sacrament is a notable meanes ro demolish and raze the foundation of sinne by reason of a perswasiue and operatiue property A perswasiue for it will suggest this meditation to a Christian heart Shall my Sauiour dye for my sinnes and shall not I dye vnto sinne Shall I cherish those sinnes that were the death of my Sauiour An operatiue for Christ Iesus being receiued into the soule will be as a good corrosiue to eate out the dead flesh of our corruptions Therefore Cyprian calls the Sacrament Medicamentum ad sanadas infirmitates Cypr. de Caen. Dem. Physicke for our infirmities Againe it is a powerfull meanes to cherish and increase the graces of Gods holy Spirit in vs for it is as a conduit pipe which being set to the fountaine of Grace Christ Iesus conueyes grace from that holy Fountaine into the Cisternes of our soules Yea like a soueraigne medicine that is beneficiall to all the parts it serues to strengthen our Faith reuiue our Hope renue our Repentance kindle our Charity confirme our Patience guide our Temperance that we may be ready to euery goodworke In a word Immortalitatis alimonia Cyprian it is the fruit of Immortality It is vnto vs an assured pledge of eternall life for our Sauiour saith He that eateth my flesh Ioh. 6.63 and drinketh my bloud hath euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day Thus as Elias 1. Reg. 19.8 in the strength of the foode ministred to him by the Angel went on till hee came to Mount Horeb so the seruants of God goe on in the strength of the Sacrament till they come to the Mount of Immortality and then the Sacraments shall cease as Manna did when the Israelites were furnished with the fruits of Canaan Then shall they eate of the hidden Manna Reue 2.17 Reu. 22.1 Reue. 1.7 drinke of the Crystall fountaine and taste of the Tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God This doctrine is of singular vse both for Confutation Reprehension and Instruction First here are in these words expressing the end of the Sacrament diuers pregnant arguments against the doctrine of the carnall presence What needs there be a remembrance of Christ What needs a memoriall of his death if he were corporally locally present in the Sacrament St. Augustine saith truly Aug in Psa 37. Men vse to haue a memoriall of those things onely that are absent And that which Lactantius hath is much to this purpose A mans picture is needefull when hee is absent Lactan. Inst lib. 2. cap. 2. but to haue it when he is present it is very superfluous Therefore our Sauiour did not institute the Sacrament till he was departing out of the World And in that the Sacrament must be celebrated in remembrance of Christ till he come Iohn 17.11 Luk. 24.51 Act. 3.21 doth it not manifestly argue his absence which the Scriptures also doe abundantly teach Againe how iniurious are those to Christ who vnder-valew these his intolerable torments making them effectual to satisfy for the fault but not for the punishment For the Papists hold that Christ hath left some satisfaction to be made by vs in our life Bella. de Poâ—n lib. 4. cap. 2. and some likewise after our death But what cannot all these reproches stripes raylings nayles thornes speare gall vineger sweating of bloud offring vp prayers teares cannot all these be sufficient to procure an absolute discharge CaÌ„pian Râ—t 8 Could one drop of his bloud haue redeemed the whole world and will not all these torments serue to make a perfect satisfaction to God for the sinnes of the Elect Yes surely For as Chrysostome saith Ipse punitus soluit peccatum poenam Chrys ad Colos hom 7. Hee being punished hath deliuered vs both from the sinne and punishment Let the Romanists therefore say what they will I will say with the blessed Apostle to the Romans seeing Christ hath suffered all these things Rom. 9.33 VVho shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Heauen will not Hell cannot Mat. 3.17 O God thou hast proclaimed from Heauen that thou art well pleased with Christ let his Passion be my satisfaction his Death my Redemption so wilt thou be well pleased with me albeit I am not able to yeeld any personall satisfaction 2. This doctrine reprooues the peruerters of the Sacrament as the vsing of it like the water of Ielosie for the purging of those who were charged with some crime to whom when the Sacrament was administred Corpus Dom. nostri Iesu Christi sit tâ—bi ad probationâ—m these words were spoken Let the body of our Lord Iesus Christ bee a tryall of thine innocency or guiltinesse Supposing that hereupon the iudgements of God must needs seaze immediatly vpon the guilty Likewise the celebrating of it Tilman de miracul Euchar ca. 1. to free houses from the haunting of spirits ad diuers other absurd and ridiculous ends as against tempests and sickenesse for preseruation of Cattell trees corne grasse and the like All which what are they else but a meere profaning and preuerting of the vse and end of the Sacrament So that a man may in this case very aptly vse S. Austins words Aug. in Ioh. tract 25. Vix quaeritur Iesus propter Iesum Christ Iesus is not sought in the Sacrament for his owne sake 3. Here is matter of instruction For by this holy Table Christ both saues and teaches Chrys in Mat. hom 83. Peâ— sacratissimaÌ„ mensam istam saluat docet Seeing that the Eucharist is a memoriall of our Sauiours death whatsoeuer vses the meditations of his death may yeeld the same also may the celebration of the Sacrament I will mention two or three First as in the Sacrament we see the death of Christ so in the death of Christ we must take a view of our sinnes and be stirred vp to remorse and serious sorrow for the same For had not our sinnes made way to it neither could Iudas haue betrayed him the high Priests accused him the people scoft him the Souldiers scourg'd him Pilate condemned him nor the Iewes haue crucified him Our sinnes were the thornes the whips the speares the nayles that pierced and wounded the soule of our Sauiour And iustly therefore should our soules be pierced with sorrow for the same Shall Christ smart for thy sinnes shall not thy heart smart and smite thee for them Luk. 23.48 When the people that came to behold the Passion of Christ saw what was done at his death they smote their brests in signe of sorrow So euery Christian when he sees the Sacrament a memoriall of Christs death and Passion should with the penitent Publican smite his brest with the hand of compunction and say Luk. 18.13 O God be mercifull
Gen. 6.14 so must he set a watch ouer all his sences externall and internall to keepe out sinne When Almighty God dispersed and bounded the waters as we read in the first of Genesis it was that the earth might be furnished with hearbes trees and plants yeelding their seuerall fruites So in this act of repentance sinne is banished that the soule of man might bee planted with the trees of grace and filled with the fruites of righteousnesse Phil. 1.11 So that here comes in the last linke of this chaine namely The cleauing vnto God in newnesse of life For therefore we put off the old man Ephe. 4.22.24 that we may put on the new We forsake Egypt to goe to Canaan Wee flye forth of Sodom Gen. 19.17 that we may haste to the mountaines We endeuor to be vndefiled in the way that we may walke in the Law of the Lord Psal 119.1 and where there is no reformation there repentance is idle and fruitlesse Vbie meÌ„datio nulla ibi poenitentia vana Tertul. de Poenitent Hier. in Esa lib. 16. But contrarily where repentance is sound and serious it changes a Moabite into an Israelite and an Aethiopian into a Christian It yeelds a vniuersall constant change Repentance is like to a ladder so many rounds as wee descend in vice so many we must ascend in vertue As we haue beene rebels to God and giuen our members weapons of vnrighteousnesse to fight for sinne Rom. 6.83 so must we become loyall subiects and giue them vp as weapons of righteousnesse tâ— God Wee must haue respect to all the Commandements of God Psal 119.6 And when wee haue taken footing and entred into the paths of holinesse we must be constant not looking backe with Lots wife to Sodom For it were better that wee had neuer knowne the way of righteousnesse 2. Pet. 2.21 then to turne from the holy commandement Wee must therefore labour to grow in grace 1. Pet. 3. vlt. and to goe from strength to strength Psal 84.7 till wee appears before God in Sion Loe thus must we looke to the Anchor of Repentance if we will escape the danger of condemnation Wee must in some good measure haue all the linkes of this chaine if we will be worthy Communicants As St. Augustine saith Aug de tem serm 1. Matet vitam qui vult accâ—â—ere vitam He muâ—t change his life that will receiue Christ Iesus to eternall life The fourth Anchor or Interrogatory is Charity 4. Charity This is a vertue seasonable and necessary at all times but especially it must be our companion when wee come to the blessed Sacrament a Sacrament of vnity as the very elements doe shew hauing many graines vnited in one loafe and many grapes in one cup. That which our Sauiour saith of Sacrifices may very well sort with this Sacrament Mat. 5.23 4. When thou commest to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift For how can the Eucharist be a Sacrament of comfort that is celebrated in discord The Lords Table must be like Gedeons Altar Iehoua Shalom Iud. 6. â—â— August The God of Peace For It is a Sacrament of Pietie the Ensigne of vnity and a bond of Charity This vertue hath many considerable circumstances some of which wee will briefly obserue in the Obiect the Manner the Motiues The obiect of our loue is that coccus bis tinctus Greg. Pastor par 2. cap. 3. our skarlet with a double dye That is our loue to God and man yea so to man that like a goodly Cedar of Libanus shee sttetch forth her branches farre and neere Vsque ad inimâ—cos Aug. de tempo 1. that is both to friends and enemies as our blessed Sauiour stretched out his armes on the Crosse to both malefactors As Almighty God causeth his raine to fall his Sunne to shine vpon the grounds of the wicked as well as the godly Mat. 5.44 so must our charity extend it selfe not onely to friends but also to enemies The loue to our enemies is a hard taske but behold we haue for our inducement many notable patterns and presidents of Gods worthy seruants As Dauid Psa 35.13 S Paul 1. Tim. 2 2. S. Stephen Acts 7.60 who as Chrysostome well obserueth haue so loued their enemies that hardly shall a man be able to match their charity in his loue to his friends Concerning the manner of his loue it must be such as S. Iohn speaks of 1. Ioh. 3.18 My little children let vs not loue in word neither in tongue but in deede and in truth The seat of this loue must not bee the tongue but the heart the ground of it sincerity not hypocrisie Courteous speeches and faire promises were wont to bee Court holy-water but this Gangrene hath dispersed it selfe too generally ouer the Land Beloued such as we would haue the loue of our God be vnto vs such must our loue be to our brethren sincere hearty fruitfull wishing and doing good to them in their bodies soules and outward estate Now the motiues to the practice and performance of this duty are many I will mention a few First this loue Charity is our Sauiours badge whereby his seruants are knowne from others Ioh. 13.35 such were those good Christians who continued daily together with one accord in the Temple Acts 2.46 Yea this makes men not onely Disciples Angelos reddit Chrys in 2. Cor. hoÌ„ 39. but euen Angels as Chrysostome saith Again Charity is a notable marke of our vnion with Christ when for his sake we loue those that beare his image 1. Ioh. 4.16 For hee that dwelleth in Loue dwelleth in God and God in him Thus loue makes roome in the heart for Christ to dwell there so that the soule of man becomes euen heauen and the habitation of God Bernard in Cant ser 27. 2. Cor. 13.11 This therefore is the summe of St. Pauls farewell to the Corinthians Finally my brethren be of one minde liue in peace the God of peace shall be with you Againe if we consider the loue of God in sending his Sonne the loue of Christ in offering vp himselfe in sacrifice for vs the same may be a singular spurre to Charity For God commendeth his loue towards vs Rom. 5.8 10. 1. Iohn 4.9 11. in that when we were sinners and enemies Christ dyed for vs. If therefore God so loued vs should not we loue one another Yea should not wee loue our enemies When S. Paul makes that earnest suit to the Corinthians for peace and vnity the gâ—â—und of it is this 1. Cor. 1.10 I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Iesus Christ As if he should say Though you would cast off all respect of my selfe yet let me intreate you for Christs sake that as he hath