third reason is set downe by the Apostle himselfe in that 1. Cor. 11 and it is drawne from the indignitie or heynousnesse of offence in the vnworthy eating and drinking the Lords supper in this manner That party that eateth and drinketh the Lords supper vnworthily that is otherwise then it becommeth such a supper to be eaten and drunk peruerting the right and pure vse thereof that party is guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord euen as if he should vilely contemne the same and trample it vnder his féete Therefore it behoueth euery one and euerie one is bound of necessitie to examine himselfe afore hand how he is fitted to eate and drink the Lords supper A fourth reason is drawne from the fearefull punishment and woe The fourth Reason which most assuredly they doe pull vpon themselues who doe eate and drinke the Lords supper vnworthily in this manner whosoeuer eateth and drinketh the Lordes supper vnworthily that partie eateth and drinketh his owne damnation as our first parents in paradise did eate their owne death by eating the forbidden fruit Therefore vpon paine of damnation euerie one is bound of necessitie to examine himselfe how hee is prepared to eate and drink the same If you would haue a fift reason it holdeth very strongly frō the lesser to the greater thus The fift Reason If in their earthly affaires and busines men doe thinke themselues bound of necessity before hand to examine and make inquirie as well into the affaires of themselues what and of what condition they be as into their owne selues how they may finde themselues able fit and méete to accomplish the same lest they should take them in hand vnwisely in vaine or with their losse and hurt then who will not much more thinke themselues bound of necessitie to make the same examination and inquiry in spirituall affaires but especially in this so heauenly businesse the eating and drinking of the Lords Supper wherein we cannot offend without the high displeasure dishonour of our God Wherein we cannot offend without the deserued daunger of eternal condemnation and wherin if we consider the meate drinke it selfe with other common meates and drinkes there may no comparison stand betwéen thē in any respect at all Iohn 6.55 My flesh is meat indeed my bloud is drink indeed saith our Sauiour Christ For other meates and drinkes are earthly corporall but this is heauenly and spirituall Other meate and drinke whether wée eate and drinke or not we shal surely die but this meate and drinke hée only doth die which doth not receiue and he doth liue for euer which doth receiue it Other meate and drinke doth asswage hunger and thirst but this meate and drinke I meane still being spiritually and by Faith truely receiued doth more and more sharpen the same bréeding in vs an insatiable desire and longing after them Other meate and drinke are conuerted into the substance of the eatet and drinker but this Not the elements of bread and wine abiding still the same without corruptiō doth cōuert the true religious eaters drinkers thereof into it selfe making thē of humane diuine of carnal spiritual of vngodly minded to leade a life beséeming God Iohn 6.56 For he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood saith our Sauiour hee dwelleth in mee as a member incorporated into the body and braunch into the vine And I in him namely by my spirit whereby he doth liue Other meate and drinke before they be receiued are first to bee examined tried and proued lest by any euill condition in them they hurt vs. But before we presume to participate of this meate and drinke in the Lords supper we must first examine try and proue our selues lest we dishonour them and become hurtfull to our selues through our owne fault Obiect I would to God your reasons were knowne not vnto mee alone here by priuate conference but vnto the whol world also by publike writing For I think they are of force not onely to wrest from the most vntoward and crooked spirit that is a free confession that it is so but also to force out of the hart of flint a floud of teares to bewaile euery former neglect thereof and further to driue it euer heereafter diligently and carefully to put the same in practise and neuer in any case to omit this godly wise and carefull examination of ones selfe before the receiuing of the Lords Supper But good Sir from your present speech nowe mee thinkes doe arise two doubtes more wherein I pray you satisfie mee in a word An. I pray you say on Obiect Is then the examination of others by the Minister before the receiuing of the Lords Supper forbidden or needelesse Ans It is more then plaine by the holy scriptures that examination by the Minister of those committed to his charge where néede shall be Gen. 18. Iosh 24. Ministers fathers and housholders ought to examine their parishioners children seruants by the father of his children by the Master of his seruants is not onely not forbidden but straightly commanded and highly commended howsoeuer alas it bee too carelesly put in practise of such as one day wil tremble and quake to come to their answere for it And so much the more commended if it be done with that care and conscience that it ought namely not for auricular confession and then all is well as the Papists dreame or for custome and shew but for to proue how they knowe their dutie therein to teach them if they know it not yea and not euen then to thrust it into their mouthes when they are to receiue the Supper but in such due season as they may be sure to bee perfect in it Vnto the which examination as euery Minister father and master is bound so likewise is euery parishioner childe seruant reuerendly willingly to submit themselues therevnto before they come vnto the Lordes Table But yet notwithstanding this examination by an other cannot secure neither is any safe warrant for any man for one man may deceiue an other the examined may deceiue the examiner in most points but no man can deceiue the iudgment of his own cōscience Though the former examinatiō of one man by another be néedfull necessary cōmanded commended though one be examined by an other a thousand times yet the examination of ones self is in no wise to be omitted but carefully to bee held fast because it is most certain cannot deceiue and therfore the Apostle saith rather Let a man examine himself in an other place 2. Cor. 13. Examin your selues know ye not your own selues Ob. You haue fully satisfied me herein also But this one question more Is it not required that one do examine and inquire into those with whom he is to communicate that he do find them worthily prepared before hee can safely communicate with them An. Hereto I answer you Some
A MATTER of moment OR A Case of Waight As great as euer was any to be pleaded and examined in the Hall of the heart and Conscience of euery Christian at all times before the receiuing of the Lords Supper Touching that waightie charge of the Apostle Paul in the 1. Cor. 11.28 Let euery man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. Set forth Dialogue wise AT LONDON Printed by Robert Raworth for Henry Bell and are to be sold at his shop on Holborne-hill neere the signe of the Crosse-keyes 1608. ⧠To the most high and mighty Prince Henry Prince of Great Britaine Sonne and Heire Apparant to our Soueraigne Lord the King MOst gratious and happy Prince not long sithence a certaine Religious Gentleman asked me two questions touching those weightie wordes of the Apostle Paul in the 1. Corin. 11. Let euery man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread drinke of this cup. The first was whether euery Christian be bound of necessitie to examine themselues before they doe receiue the Lords Supper or not The second was wherein that examination of euery ones selfe dooth consist or what the points bee which euery Christian by this examination must find in himselfe before hee can receiue ahe Lords Supper Two questions deseruing a very carefull answer because they are as great and as needfull as euer any can be in these daies The former toucheth the carelesse Atheist who is wont to presume to the Lordes holy Supper not caring what hee doeth The latter concernes the blinde ignorant sort which are wont thither to flocke it is a wonder to see not knowing what they doe By both which this great Sacrament is euery where fearfully abused and the breaches of Sion and the ruines of Ierusalem thereby become most lamentable For this cause at that time with my best endeuour I answered the questions in our priuate conference together with all such doubts and obiections as did arise from and were occasioned by that our speech Sithence I handled the same abroad by publike preaching as occasion was offered which heard I vnderstood that many were delighted in the diuine method Many much reioyced at the plaine and easie order affirming that they had red sundry godly writings of the same argument heard diuers learnedly entreating of those words of the Apostle but that the way to the performance of this duty of examination was neuer tracted so plain so readie so easie Lastly therefore not knowing what hurt the hiding vp of this simple Talent may do againe what gaine and profite the occupying of the same abroad by Sea land through Gods blessing might bring vnto his Church I thought best for that end to put pen to paper and humbly to dedicate the same to you most noble Prince especially for two causes The first and chiefest is after your most noble Father our most gratious Soueraigne King Iames whom God long preserue you are our next gladsome hope to gouerne these Realmes and Kingdomes with wholesome Lawes and chiefly with sincere loue vnto Gods true Religion whereof this little booke containes a part wherein I hope your gratious clemencie will not onely take well in worth my good will and meaning but also will put thereto the signet of your princely licence and allowance vnder which this little Talent Quod sentio quam sit exiguum may passe be traded and vsed the rather because it is the marchandise of heauens kingdome The other cause is as my grandfather Doctor Tye was Tutor to Prince Edward afterward King Edward the sixt so likewise though I neither desire nor deserue the like place yet am I glad most noble Prince to shew any token of mine vnfained hartie dutie loue vnto your Grace whereby so farre as I may be bold I might bid you hearty welcome into these your Fathers Dominions wherein in my daily praiers I humbly craue of almightie God in all happie peace to establish his excellent Maiestie and his royall Progenie euen to the worlds end Your HIGHNESSE in all humblenesse of duty to be commanded William Tye. ⧠A Dialogue touching Examination before the receiuing of the Lords Supper Lately had betweene A christian Gentlemā making obiection A Minister making answer Obiection SIr I haue had a purpose to conferre with you in a matter of waight touching the Lords holy Supper if I might finde you at leysure Answer And I good Sir in a matter so waightie would gladly heare you I pray you say on Obiect That worthy Apostle Saint Paul in his Epistle written to the Corinthians the eleuenth chapter hath these wordes Let euery man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe Touching that Examination of euerie ones selfe I would craue your resolution in two points Ans My best endeuour is ready what be those two points Obiect First I would be resolued whether euerie one bee of necessitie bound to examine themselues before they doe eate of the bread and drinke of the cup in the Lords Supper And if it be so Secondly I would know wherein that examination of ones selfe doth consist or for what euerie one must examine themselues For an infinite number through infidelitie doubting of the former doe altogether neglect this examination of themselues and many againe willing to performe it know not how to enter into the latter namely wherein or for what they shuld examin thēselues An. Euerie one is bound of necessitie to examine himselfe before he doe receiue the Lords Supper To your first question I answer affirmatiuely namely that euerie one is bound of necessitie to examine himselfe before he doe eate of the bread and drinke of the cuppe in the Lords Supper and I hope none so wicked to deny it Obiect For my part I doe neither denie it nor doubt of it but yet I would bee better resolued by some reasons that it is so Ans If reasons you would haue in so plaine a case then marke them well I will proue it vnto you by Reasons and those of force The first Reason The first may bee drawne from the authoritie of the Apostle in this manner Paul speaking by the spirit of God commanded euerie one to examine himselfe before he doe receiue the Lords Supper Therefore euery one is bound of necessitie to doe it And if there were none other Reason this only would be of sufficient force to proue it But heare a second The second Reason thus Euerie one is bound by necessitie to know before hand whether he shall eate and drinke the Lordes Supper worthily that is as becommeth such a supper to bee eaten and drunke not peruerting the right and pure vse thereof But none can know that except they examine themselues Therefore it is cléere that euery one is bound of necessity to examine himselfe before hee doe eate and drinke the Lords Supper The third Reason A
are too busie examiners and searchers into others that some with the Anabaptisticall sect are too busie searchers into others in the meane while altogether neglecting themselues And some againe with these Anabaptists imitating those proud spirits of the olde Cathari and after them of the Donatists doe falsly flatter themselues with a perswasion of absolute and perfect holinesse in this life and as I cannot tell what spirits made wholly of the ayre doe contemne the company and fellowship of all men in whom there doth appeare at any time any manner of humane want or imperfection in this life And further if where the Gospell is preached there appeare not forthwith fruits of life answerable to the same doe by and by cry out that there is no Church and therefore they can haue no communitie nor fellowship especially at the Lords Supper whom the Apostle did séeme also to respect when he said Let euery one therefore examine not those with whom he is to communicate but himselfe and themselues In the meane while it is not my meaning to please any carelesse Athiests of these times who so soone as they shall heare that none can heere in this world liue perfectly and that GOD doth not impute vnto his faithfull children all their weake infirmities doe straight way here vpon imagine that they may securely wallowe in all kinde of malice mischiefe and wickednesse Neyther is it my meaning to giue liberty of prophaning the Lordes Supper vnto any by their carelesse and sensuall presuming to the same For it is to be wished that euery one who is manifestly knowne to bee an impenitent Adulterer or Adulteresse a forsworne person or a common swearer a Drunkard an vncharitable contender a carelesse hearer or a scorner of the Word and ministry therof that such like I say And so they are if they be complained of what soeuer they be should by the censure and discipline of the Church appointed bee excommunitated banished from the Church of Christ and cast out of the kingdome and by that meanes excluded from the Lordes Supper vntill they should shewe againe manifest tokers of repentance Or if at any time perhapes through any let occation the same excommunication cannot readily be had And this also is freely permitted Cannon 26. that then euery Minister to whome it may properly belong hauing manifest knowledge thereof might bee of Chrisostomes minde who sayd he would rather spend his owne body then impart the Sacramentall signes of Christs body vnto such persones knowing that they who doe willingly and wittinglie admit them haue their handes as deepe in prophaning of Gods couenant as the impenitent parties thēselues becaus◠they doe admit and alowe them for Gods friendes who are Gods enimies and would make God such a one as hath entred a couenant and is in league with Infidels and Hipocrites But to come neerer to your demaund if any such impenitent sinners so manifestly knowne bee at any time allowed and suffered at the Lords table the blame then must and doth rest vpon those who haue such authoritie to repell and keepe them backe As for any other priuate person of the congregation it cannot hurt him to communicate with such neither ought their presence to let him if by examination of himselfe hee find himselfe fitte and worthylie prepared thereunto For euerie priuate person in this case shall render accompt vnto his Lord master not for others but for himselfe And the Apostle sayeth not Let euery man examine those with whome they are to communicate but let euery man examine himselfe Neither doth hee say whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke this cuppe of the Lord with others that be vnworthy shall be guilty of the body bloud of the Lord But whosoeuer shal eate drink vnworthyly himselfe shal be guilty c. So that the thing which stands vpō euery ones saluation or condemnation in this busines is himselfe thēselues euery one I say narrowly and with godly wisedome to examine and to lift into himselfe Wherein so many as haue béene carelesse heretofore I counsell them in the feare of God to looke vnto it hereafter or else to stand without answer and excuse at the day of iudgement when they would bee full glad to carrie a cléere conscience therein Obiect Well then seeing it cannot bee shifted but that euerie one is bound of necessitie to examine himselfe before hee presume to eate and drinke the Lords Supper and seeing it is his own selfe that doth so nearely touch and concerne euery man and seeing further that you doe so straightly aduise euery man euer hereafter to haue a zealous care therof as of his own saluation To the end this may bee first diligently performed of euery one I pray you next now declare wherin this examinatiō of ones selfe doth consist and what it is that euery one must examine himselfe for And secondly to the end it may be the better and more willingly performed of euery one I pray you secondly declare it with as easie order and as briefly as may be And the rather because I haue heard some vntoward and vnwilling spirits who thinke that any colour will serue them for a iust blamelesse excuse I haue heard them giue out I say that they knew not where to begin any such examination of themselues how to goe forwards in it and that it is too tedious for their braine to whom by your good meanes I hope this priuat conference shall publikely bee made knowne Ans I thinke your meaning is to haue it set downe in a few generall heads vnder which all other particular duties may be comprehended Obiect That is my meaning indeede Examinatiō of ones selfe consisteth in three things in generall Ans The examination then of ones selfe doth consist briefly in thrée thinges that is to say in knowledge in faith in a full purpose to liue and practise according to that knowledge and faith or if you will haue it plainer thus Before a man doe eate and drinke the Lords Supper he must examine himselfe first whether he haue such knowledge as he ought to haue Secondly whether hee haue faith to beléeue that hee knoweth Thirdly whether he come with a resolute purpose to liue according vnto that his knowledge and faith For whosoeuer shall finde in himselfe these thrée hee may assure himselfe that hee dooth worthily eate and drinke the Lordes Supper because they doe comprehend all other particular duties required thereunto Obiect The first thing for which euery one must examine himselfe before he do eate and drinke the Lords Supper you say is knowledge Ans Knowledge is necessarily the first in this examination I put knowledge indéede in the first place and I thinke verie necessarily For how is it possible for any man to take any thing in hand and doe it aright except he doe thorowly know what belongeth vnto the same Now is it possible that he should eate and drinke the
seales to strengthen and confirme this my faith in that his mercy promised and offered in his sonne namely his word and two Sacraments Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. The seauenth degree of knowledge In the seauenth place by examination I must find my selfe to know before I presume to come vnto the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper that in a Sacrament two things are to be considered The first is a visible and outward signe the second an inuisible and inward grace signified thereby And in the sacrament of baptisme the visible and outward signe to be water sprinckled vpon the bodie of the partie baptized to the washing away of the filthines of the bodie The inuisible or inward grace signified thereby to bee the bloud of Christ sprinkled vpon the soule by faith wrought by the holy Ghost whereby the spirituall filthines of the soule is washed away and forgiuen the righteousnes of Christ imputed vnto the partie the olde man of sinne mortified and slaine the new man of righteousnes raised vp and reuiued answerable vnto the death and resurrection of Christ by which Sacrament the Lord first of all doth admit vs into his Church and family Also in the Sacrament of the Lords supper the visible and outward signes therein to bee First bread broken and eaten secondly wine distributed and drunke the inuisible and inward Grace signified thereby to be First the Body of Christ broken and crucified Secondly the bloud of Christ shed for to pacifie Gods wrath and to satisfie his iustice for my sinnes Againe that thereby is signified a full satisfaction of Gods iustice and a perfect saluation purchased without any thing wanting because not onely bread is broken signifying his body crucifyed but also wine is distributed signifying his bloud shed Thirdly that thereby is signified the violence of Christes death his soule being drawne and seperated from his bodie because there is seene breaking and diuision of bread Fourthly That thereby is signified our Vnion vniting and growing into one bodie and nature with Christ receiuing him by faith euen as surely and as certainely as the bread and wine which wee eate and drinke in the Lordes Supper are vnited and grow into one bodie nature with vs. And that therefore séeing so by faith we become the true members of Christ Bone of his bone and fleshe of his fleshe and doe growe into one bodie with him euen as Eue being formed and taking of the substance of the bodie of Adam her husband became as it were parte of him nay one fleshe with him That therefore I say it must needes follow of necessitie Christ his Members must needs liue by his spirit that wee must take life from and bee gouerned by one and the selfe same spirit of Christ as all the members of one body take life from Iohn 6. Iohn 15. and are gouerned by one and the same soule Wherupon if followeth necessarily againe the so many as haue not a godly care in their liues conuersatiōs to expresse the fruits graces of the holy spirit but do stil delight slauishly to serue Satan sinne so many do in vaine flatter themselues that they are the members of Christ and that they haue receiued Christ in his holy supper his death and passion to the forgiuenesse of their sinnes Because Christ cannot bee drawne from his spirit neither receiued without his spirit but he that eateth his body and drinketh his bloud truly by faith must needs eate and drinke his spirit also and so consequently expresse the fruits of the same spirit in a regenerate life Secondly because I say who so doe eate the bodie and drinke the bloud of Christ crucified and shed vpon the crosse truely by faith to the forgiuenes of their sinnes they are members vnited vnto Christ they are grafted into Christ they dwel in Christ and Christ in them And they that are grafted into Christ must néeds take part of and liue by the spirit and life which is in Christ euen as the branches which are grafted into the wine do participate and liue of the sap and life of the vine In the fift and last place by examination of my selfe I must find my selfe to know that whereas we doe feede not of sundry kindes of bread and drinke not of sundrie cuppes but al of vs of one bread and one cup in regard of the institution and Sacrament hereby is taught and signified our vnity and communitie one with another also that we ought to be of one bodie that we ought mutually to loue one another as members of one bodie and as those which are fed and nourished by one bodie by one meate by one drinke Here in this Sacrament all are one and one is all All come to one and one is made of all For in an other respect we see of many graines of corne is made one bread of many grapes is made one wine whereby is signified further that an especiall end and drift of this Sacrament is of the multitude of the faithfull as of many members to make one bodie and to knit them togither in one mutuall relation and loue It is reported by Salust a noble humane Historiographer that they which conspired with Catiline against Rome dranke all of them aforehand mans bloud whereby they would all make as it were a Consanguinity and affinitie among themselues whereby they would all bind themselues to will one thing all to meane and doe one thing and not any one to open the conspiracie or to disagree one from another in any sort therein they iumped ioyned together euen vnto the death Now can the drinking of a mortall mans bloud so inuented by mans malice in a wicked practise of a multitude of men make one man of many men make one body one mind one will one consent one heart and bring all to an vnity And shall not the drinking of the bloud of Christ by faith nay the eating of his fleshe also found out by the endles wisedōe goodnes of God for mans redemption make all one First with Christ secondly one with another make all one body make one mind one will one consent one heart and bring all to an vnity in Christian loue mutuall affection and brotherly charitie one with another which is the sūme and whole scope of all christian Philosophie and wisedome Surely light cannot agree with darkenesse nor the spirit of God with the spirit of Belial No more can diuision and discord agrée with vnitie This Sacrament is a Sacrament of vnity therefore it cannot abide neither admit a clouen heart diuided from his brother And thus as by the Sacrament of Baptisme our God doth admit vs into his house and family not as seruants but as children So likewise by this Sacrament of the Lordes Supper as a prouident Father doth hee féede and nourish vs in the same with the liuing breade of his deare sonne vnto a true and blessed immortalitie And this is the
knowledge briefly for which euery one must examine themselues before they presume to the Lords supper Obiect But you said in the beginning of our speech that this examination doth consist in three thinges In the first place you haue well and necessarily placed knowledge I pray you therefore proceede vnto the second Ans Faith is the second thing for which we must examine our selues before wee come to the Lords Supper I said that the second thing for which euery one must examine themselues before they do eate and drinke the Lords supper is faith And surely faith comes as necessarily in the second place as knowledge came in the first For as there can bee no faith without knowledge so again to bare knowledge can be to no purpose without faith that is except one do beléeue that hee knoweth in Gods word Obiect Explaine it I pray you a little more plainely what faith doe you meane Answ I meane not an Historical faith which is but only a bare knowledge of the historie of those things which are contained in Gods booke Faith Historicall assenting also vnto the truth of them which faith the very diuels haue and would gladly haue it vtterly extinct and put out Iames 2. I meane not a Temporarie faith which steps a step higher that is which doth not only know and giue assent vnto the truth of Gods word Faith temporarie but doth also profes the same yea and ioy thereinto yet it is but for a small time as saith our Sauiour and not because it hath any hartie and liuely feeling of Grace offered in the word neither but for other by causes as vaine glory Mat. 17. 1. Cor. 13. worldly profit and such like I meane not a miraculous faith Faith by Miracles whereby through diuine reuelation a man may be surely perswaded that through diuine power hee can remoue mountaines or worke other miracles Faith iustifying and a true difinition thereof But I meane that sweet Iustifying faith which doth not onely know giue consent and profes But which is further a grounded and resolued assurance of Gods frée promise of Grace in Iesus Christ which being sealed in my heart by the holy Ghost through the meanes of the Gospell works of necessitie my regeneration conuersion from the old Adam vnto a new creature from the workes of darkenes vnto the works of light righteous obediēce Obiect Your meaning is now plaine Before one presumeth to bee partaker of the Lordes Supper hee must examine himselfe First for Knowledge Secondly for a Iustifying faith But by your leaue good sir a word If this Iustifying faith doth alwaies shew forth the fruits of regeneration conuersion and righteous obedience in that partie whomesoeuer it doth posses what needs then any further examination I meane what needes a man examine himselfe for a third point namely whether hee findeth in himselfe a resolute purpose to practise according to that his knowledge faith in the rest of his life Ans I answere you thus Too too many do blindly hypocritically imagine that the outward profession of their beliefe namely the Apostles créed wtout all respect had vnto life maners is a true iustifying sauing faith which indéed is but a dead carkas of faith as a dead man wanting both life spirit is no true man but a dead carkas of a man now therfore least any man examining himselfe for faith should deceiue himself with such a faith againe because euery one should haue vnto himselfe and also shewe vnto others a sure marke and euidence of a iustifying faith without all deceipt I haue added hereunto this third poynt of examination Namely that euery one should examine themselues also whether they come vnto the Lordes Supper in sinceritie and singlenes of heart all hypocrisie laid aside with a resolute purpose in the rest of their liues to practise and liue according to the same their knowledge and faith that is with a resolute purpose to abhorre and flie sin and to embrace godlinesse throughout their whole life For to this end the Apostle Iames Iames 2. reasoning very diuinely seemeth to make a double iustification of man the one from God the other from man him selfe God apparantly sées knowes as all things else visible inuisable spiritual earthly so the iustifying faith of uery man how it is seated in his heart without any helpes markes or tokens for it selfe and in it selfe without all other respects iustifying the man But to man this faith being purely spirituall cannot without his faithfull markes and fruites be séene and knowne with flat resolute assurance no not to him that hath it Therefore as God doth iustifie a man by his faith so a man must iustifie himselfe by his workes that is his faithfull actions and workes must resolue him and proue vnto him that he is possessed of a true iustifying faith allowed and approued of God least otherwise he be deceiued with a shadow visard of faith Iames 2. The wordes of the Apostle are plaine first hee saith shew mee thy faith by thy works I wil shew thee my faith by my workes Secondly was not Abraham our father iustified by workes That is knowne by his workes before men to haue a iustifiing faith before God when he offered Isaac his sonne vpon the Altar Thirdly ye sée that a man is iustified by workes and not by faith onely namely of man By which places of the Apostle it is clearer then the noone day that his iustifying faith cannot be known vnto man but by his workes That I say his resolute purpose to leade a godly and a Christian life indéed the due execution of the same must shew and make it euident both vnto himselfe and vnto others that his soule is possessed of a iustifying faith before God that in this his examination of himselfe he is not deceiued so consequently that he eateth and drinketh the Lords supper worthily vnto Gods glory and his owne euerlasting comfort Obiect This also nowe is very plaine This third point of examination is doubtlesse as necessarie as the other two and comes me thinks in a comely and diuine order I haue but one demand more good sir for a full conclusion Ans Say on I pray you Obiect I do heare your selfe and other preachers of the word daily teaching and I beleeue assuredly that you teach truly that a true iustifying faith doth alwayes bring foorth the fruits of regeneration newnesse of life and righteous obedience and doth alwayes declare it selfe outwardly by workes in the partie whom it doth possesse I know also that that notable instrument of Gods glory the Apostle Paul in his Epistles obserueth the like order and teacheth the very same who after that he hath first of all soundly layd downe the doctrine of faith and strongly proued that by only faith in the merits of Christ a man is iustified and saued Then next of all he commeth
repentance for they that bee whole neede not the Physition but the sick I humbly therefore beseech thee O Lord by thy holy spirit to worke that in my heart which I cannot worke in my selfe of my selfe though I can try for my belly meat from meate and for my pursse coyne from coyne yet can I not proue and try my conscience so full of blindnes and selfe-loue am I yet this tryall is required and must be had of true Communicantes I beseech thee therfore giue me grace that afore I presume to come to the participation thereof I may examine my selfe by calling my sinnes to mind searching out my waies and confessing my sinnes I may by harty repentance returne vnto thee my Lord least otherwise by concealing my sinnes with Iudas the traitor I eate but the bread of the Lord against the Lord. Power into mee a true and liuely faith that I neuer mistrust thy word annexed to thy Sacraments which promiseth vnto mankind the remission of sinnes for to eate and drinke with the mouth only is to no purpose But faith must come thereunto and apprehend the word with the promises annexed for they are the grounds and principles of this Sacrament O Lord strengthen my faith and helpe me so to vse thy holy Sacraments that my weaknesse may be helped true loue and charity increased my sinfull life amended my soule comforted through Christ my Sauiour to whome with the father and the holy spirit bee ascribed all honour power and glory for euer Amen A thanksgiuing after the receiuing of the holy Communion especially to be vsed in thy Chamber priuatly AS thou hast O Lord giuen me the pledges of thy loue euen thy holy Sacraments and as thou hast giuen me faith effectually to receiue them so good Lord giue me thy blessed spirit grace to be hartily thankfull least I be like the nine vnthankful leapers which our Sauiour clensed But rather let me follow the wise counsell of Iesus the sonne of Sirach Aboue al things giue thanks to him that made thée and hath replenished thée with his goods and what are these goods euen all that I haue or may haue either tēporall or eternal either wtin me or wtout me aboue or beneath me all is the Lords of his mercy I haue them for this blessed meate which thou hast in thy great mercy left to thy Church and to me as one of thy members doth truely witnes that my body sprinkled with the vertue of thy quickning flesh as it were with celestiall dew shall rise againe vnto immortality and euerlasting glory O most pretious and heauenly treasures more to be desired then all the faire gold and pearles in the world Let me neuer doubt of the forgiunes of my sinnes which thou assurest me of by thy body and bloud in thy holy couenant concluded in thy last supper by the breaking of bread and giuing forth the cup to thy chosen disciples and by them to as many as are incorporated into thy Church So that no tribulation nor anguish nor persecution neither hunger nor nakednes neither perils nor sworde neither death nor life may seperate me from my heade whereupon beeing made fast by this holy sacrament receiued I as a liuing member do depende And I beseech thee O Lord at my resurrection from death appoint me a place at thy heauenly table where I may tast the new wine in the kingdome of thy father abiding with thine elect Angels and blessed Saints for euermore Amen FINIS
curious art and cunning diuision For your demaund therefore this knowledge doubtlesse I cannot sée where it can begin with that profit and order that it ought else The degrees of knowledge before the receiuing of the Lords Supper then at mans creation for the first degrée thereof And therefore before I doe presume to come vnto the Lordes supper I must find my selfe to know particularly in order to this effect The first degree The first that in my first Parents Adam and Eue the Lord God created mee and all mankinde in soule according to his owne image and likenesse Gen. 1 in righteousnesse and true holinesse in body without fault or blemish in a word both in soule and body a most glorious creature furnished with all heauenlie and glorious prerogatiues able of my selfe to doe the will of my God without any kinde of contradiction Mans first estate glorious or check which might come from any imperfection either of soule or body which was my first estate The second degree of knowledge The second That because good reason it was I should acknowledg a Lord aboue my selfe euen my almightie and mercifull Creator therfore the same my Lord God gaue me an easie commaundement to kéep and obey Gen. 2 namely that I should not eate of the fruit of one onely Tree in Paradice the tree of the knowledge of good and euill vpon paine if I did eate to dye the death The third The third degree of knoledge that the consideration neither of the infinite goodnesse and mercie of my maker neither of my most perfect and free estate neither of the easines of the commandement nor yet the punishment threatned for the breach of it could make me bolde me fast by God and to the obedience of his coÌ„mandements But wretch that I was I must needs forsake my maker and subiect my selfe vnto the obedience of the Diuel my destroyer and so accordinge to his damnable wil and word I must eate of the forbidden fruite Gen. 3 of the Tree of knowledge of good euil Wherby indéed I came to the knowledg of the good lost the euill found for so the Diuell iugâ—ingly meant which I least thought â—f wherby I lost al former good gloâ—y perfection and freedome both of â—ody and soule and found all manâ—er of euill ignominy imperfectioÌ„ â—hraldome both of body and soule whereby I made my selfe vnable in euerie part euer afterward also to kéepe the commandement of my God or to steppe any righteous steppe at all whereby in a word I did cast my selfe downe headlong from the top of all happines into the depth of all misery in this life and into the infernal gulfe of endlesse torment damnation in the world to come Mans second estate wretched which was my second estate and of al mankind Obiect Before you go any further I pray you suffer me one word It seemes to me that this knowledge of mans first and second estate makes little to the worthy receiuing of the Lordes Supper because it belongs not vnto the same Ans I doe not say that these my two former estates are any part of the Lords Supper or that they belong either to the benefit or vse of the Supper it selfe but that the knowledge of them must bring mee by order vnto the knowledge of the benefite and vse of the Lords Supper For before I can truely know and confesse any benefit and restoring in Christ I must first knowe and confesse that I was in miserie before I doe flie vnto Christ for succour I will first knowe some reason why and that I haue néede of succour and what driues me vnto Christ Now the Law Rom. 3. which layes before me my miserie sinne vnrighteousnes and eternal damnation because I cannot now through my fall and disobedience kéepe it It is saith the Apostle a Schoolemaister or Vsher Gal. 3. which sendes mee vnto Christ for righteousnes and saluation in him And therefore these two former estates are as it were the Alphabet A B C or first entraÌ„ce where I must first begin in the schoole of God and which I must first knowe out of his word before I can come either orderly or profitably vnto any riper knowledge of that good benefit which is offered me in Christ so coÌ„sequently in his holy supper Obiect I doe now see your course and order right well it is right plaine and profitable I pray you go on vnto the fourth point Auns The fourth point of knowledge which by examination of my selfe I must find my selfe to knowe before I come vnto the Lords Supper The fourth degree of knowledge is to this effect Namely that the Lord God on the one side because hee would and must haue his iustice satisfied for my sinne and the sinne of all mankind which iustice requireth that as true and very man had sinned against God so of necessitie true and very man must satisfie his iustice with death and tormentes both of body and soule for that sinne according to the sentence of his iust word Gâ—n 2. Mans third last estate restored by Christ And of the other side because hee would in this his iustice become mercifull vnto man too hath in his rich wisdome caused his only sonne being very God to take my nature vpon him and to become also very man who in the same his humane nature might satisfie GODS iustice for my sinne by death and tormentes due vnto mee for the same and by vertue and power of his God-head might be able to sustaine and beare in his flesh the wrath and punishment might bee able to deliuer me also from the same and might repaire in mee and restore vnto mee againe that righteousnesse life and blessednesse which I had lost by my fall and disobedience which his mercie the Lord first set a broach in Paradice after that hee published the same by his Patriarkes and Prophets Thirdly he shadowed it out by sacrifices and ceremonies of the Lawe and lastly fully accomplished it by the same his owne only sonne The fift poynte of knowledge The fift degree of knowledge which by examination of my selfe I must finde in my selfe beefore I come to the Lordes Supper is that as GOD doth thus offer and reach out his hande of mercie vnto mee Ephe. 2 so likewise I must haue another hand to take it it is my parte to apprehend As God hath a hand to giue so we must haue a hand to take to take and lay hold vpon the same with the hande of faith as the onely instrumentall cause of my saluation least it bee alledged against mee I would Math. 23 but you would not Sixtly and to come neerer the matter before I come vnto the Lordes Supper by examination of my selfe I must finde my selfe to knowe The sixt degree of knowledge that the Lorde God hath ordayned and instituted helpes and