thee in the Lord Yet because I am an humble Seruant to Christ both in my desires and affections aswell as I am the shaddow and Echo of my Author in this my translation Therefore I trust in the goodnesse of God and hope in the integritie of mine owne heart that I shall rather right thee then any way wrong him in presuming poorly to gleane after his rich haruest by aduenturing to propose and give thee a word or two of spirituall aduice and directions of mine owne vpon the receiuing of this blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper before I commend this Divine Pourtrait thereof to thee thee to it and you both vnto God When therefore thou resoluest Iam. 4.8 to draw neere vnto God that God may draw neer vnto thee by receiving and partaking of this his blessed Sacrament Thou must in the innocency of thy heart and the purity of thy soule 1 Pet. 5.6 first humble thy selfe vnder the mighty hand of God that hee may exalt thee Iam. 4.10 And cast thy selfe downe before him that hee may lift thee vp 1 Cor. 15.34 Thou must awake to live righteously and resolue to sinne no more but henceforth to become a new man and a new Christian Gal. 3.24 for they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof Thou must set thy affections on things which are above and not on things which are on the Earth Phil. 3.20 Anâ— thy conuersation must bee iâ— heaven from whence thoâ— must expect thy Sauiour eveâ— the Lord Iesus Christ Gal. 5.25 Foâ— if thou live in the spirit thoâ— must also walke in the spirit Psal 4.4 Thou must tremble but nâ—… sinne and thou must examinâ— thy selfe vpon thy bed Psal 68 1â— Foâ— God will try thee as siluer iâ— tryed Thou must not deceive thy selfe Galat. 6.7 for God wilâ— not bee mocked Thou musâ— not be hot in thy sinnes anâ— cold and frozen in thy devotion and piety towardâ— God neither must thou seeme now to bee that in thy humility and zeale which thou art not Because Hypocrisie towards God proves treacherie towards our owne soules But runne thou a Contrary Course with thy heart and soule at thy receiving of this great act of thy Saluation this blessed Sacrament for bee thou the death of thy sinnes and then God will assuredly be the life of thy Soule As for those who either vnworthily receiue or carelesly deferre or wilfully contemne the receiving of this blessed Sacrament they doe assuredly spin out the webbe of their owne damnation and so being dead in the Lethargie of their owne securitie and prophanesse they hood-wincked ride post to Hell Consider and remember with thy selfe Ioel. 1.15 That the day of the Lord is at hand 2 Pet. 3.10 And that death and destruction comes from the Lord as a Thiefe in the night That death the grimme Pursivant and Sergeant of the Lord dâ—th neither spare nor pardon any sexe or age but with his fatall Dart and Mace without respect or difference aresteth as well the King as the begger the Priest as the people and the young as the old Wee must not therefore put farre from vs the evill day Amos. 6.3,4,5 nor stretch our selues on our beds of Ivorie nor sing to the sound of the Violl wherby the Prophet meanes all excesse of riot and vnderstandeth all degree of obscene pleasures and beastly voluptuousnesse For if we love God we must honour him and if we will honour him wee must loue him Amos 6.3,4,5 And not wearie him with our sinnes nor presse him downe with their burthen as a Cart is with Sheafes Consider wee againe That as there is but one way forvs to come into the world so that there are a thousand waies to go out of it That we are subiect to as many diseases as sinnes yea and that diseases doe as frequently and as insensibly steale into our bodyes as sinnes doe into our soules That wee are never neerer death then when we think our selues farthest from it and that when we suppose our selues to be strongest in Nature wee commonly are then weakest in Grace As also that a theeuish Impostume a poore Apoplexie a Cut-throat Squinancy or a fierce and furious visitation of the Pestilence doth many times in a moment of time violently snatch vs away from the world and the world from vs yea and which is more to be admired though no lesse to bee pittied That some times in the very twinckling of an Eye we are choaked with a Fly a Kernell of an apple a crumm of bread or a small Fish bone Or else have our braynes dashd out with a fall either from a Horse or a staire O therfore how seriously ought we to ponder in our hearts and how maturely and religiously to consider in our soules how extreame dangerous it is for vs to procrastinate and deferre and consequently how infinitely necessary expedieÌ„t it is for vs frequently to receiue this blessed SacrameÌ„t of the Lords Supper Consider wee further Iam 4.14 That wee cannot tell what shall betyde vs to morrow for that our life is but a Vapour that appeareth for a smal time and then vanisheth away 1 Pet. 1.24 That all flesh is grasse and all the glory of man is as the flower of grasse and that the grasse withereth the flower thereof falleth away Heb. 13.14 That we haue no abiding Citie heere but must therefore seeke one to come which is aboue That as the tree falleth it lyes That there is no sorrowing for our sins in the grave and that after our death there is no place nor hope left vs for a second repentance Heb. 10 31 And that it is a feare full thing to fall into the hands of the living God Armed in this manner with a lively faith towards God and with periect love and Charity towards our neighbour and having freed and cleared those sinfull spots of our hearts and reformed and cleansed those foule affections and imperfections of our soules by our vnfeigned godly repentance and sorow And having now assumed and taken vp a firme resolution ever hereafter Eph. 5.10 to approve and doe that which is pleasing to the Lord And contracted a solemne Covenant betweene God and our souls Eph. 5.11 never any more to have any fellowship with the workes of darkenesse but reprove them and not henceforth to dare to looke back with affection on our forepast deerest and darling sinnes but with infinite hatred detestation of them Then I say let vs follow the aduice of the Apostle Heb. 4.16 Let vs goe vp boldly to the Throne of Grace that wee may receive mercy Let vs goe boldly to this table to this pretious banket of the Lords blessed Supper and eat that sacred bread of his body and drinke that heavenly wine of his blood in a strong Confidence and CoÌ„memoration That Christ dyed for vs on the Altar of
on earth in his Sacrament gives vs the first tastes and relishes because the peace and ioy of conscience and the refreshing and replenishing of the soule in God is a true beginning and a shining ray of the delights and felicities of heaven wherfore faithfull Christian reioyce thou at these beginnings in hope of that happy heavenly accoÌ„plishment which is promised thee and through the eyes of thy faith behold cheerefully and ioyfully the tree of eternall life which is in the Paradice of God and the hidden Manna the bread of Angels which thy Lord and Saviour prepares for thee and behold the fulnesse and satiety which is prepared for thee in the sacred and glorious face of God whereof David in the times of the thickest and obscurest shaddowes said Psal 16.11 In thy presence O Lord is fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore And againe in another place Psal 65.4 O how blessed is hee whom thou choosest and causest to come vnto thee he shall dwell in thy courts and shall bee satisfied with the pleasures of thine house and of thine holy Temple and likewise in another Psal 36.8 They shall bee satisfied with the fatnesse of thine house and thou shalt give them drinke out of the River of thy pleasures Contemne therefore O Christian all earthly pleasures in Comparison of those heavenly delights which passe all vnderstanding because by this blessed Sacrament thou art inuited and called to the wedding banquet of the Lambe where thou halt sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob and where thou shalt be satisfied and ravished with God And these my beloâ—ed brethren are the meditations and functions which God requires of vs condignely and worthily to receiue the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper and to entertaine vs religiously piously in the expectaÌ„ce of his comming as this Sacrament was purposly instituted to declare and foretell vs his death and the inestimable benefits which issue and proceed thereof vnto vs vntill he come Let vs therefore examine and prooue our selues if wee are of this holy dispositioÌ„ for feare lest eating this Bread or drinking this Wine vnworthily wee thereby make our selues guiltie of the Lords body and blood and consequently eat and drinke our owne damnation And if wee find not this holy sanctified disposition in our hearts let vs then effectually endeavor to produce enkindle it in vs by the often reading and meditating of the sacred Bible the divine Oracles and written Word of God as also by frequent incessant Prayer For this Word of God I say is the Looking glasse wherin opeÌ„ly beholding the glorie of the Lord face to face 1. Cor. 3.18 wee are transformed and changed into the same Image from glory to glory as saith the Apostle I say likewise by Prayer because the Lord most benignly and graciously conferres and giues wisdome to all those who seeke it of him and hath promised his holy spirit to all those who with humble contrit hearts demand it of him And let vs possesse and retain this consolation amidst the defects and imperfections which we feele in our hearts that if we are discontented or sorrowfull if we are afflicted heavie laden that yet notwithstanding Christ wil not reiect vs because he saith Come vnto me all yee that are heavie laden Or if we hunger thirst after righteousnesse for this hunger and thirst is a desire of Gods grace proceeding from a liuely and sensible feeling of our sinnes he promiseth to replenish and satisfie vs. May it therefore please thee O our blessed Lord and Saviour to call vs to this sacred Banquet to send vs thy holy Spirit and giue decent and religious dispositions and because hee now knockes at the doore of our hearts by his holy Word giue vs grace that we may open it vnto him in the obedience of our faith to the end Revel 3. that hee may sup with vs and we with him and that he himselfe may be both our Hoast and our Banquet Amen A Prayer to prepare our selues before we receiue the holy Supper of the Lord. O God how shall I present my selfe before thee being a wretched creature defiled polluted with sin If the Angels who haue never sinned overvaile and cover their faces wheÌ„ they appeare before thy holinesse how much greater ought my astonishment and confusion bee who am guiltie of so many foule faults transgressions and likewise my griefe and sorrow sith thy wrath reveales it self from heaven against sin and that on every side we see the effects therof Nature is afflicted and troubled and our bodies are already possessed of diseases and death and therfore what greater punishment may our soules attend and expect and if in this life thy wrath and indignation be thus manifested what will it be when we shal appeare before thy Tribunal and that thou pronounce a sharp and heavie sentence against vs but O Lord in this feareful amazement here ariseth vp to vs newes of grace and matter of comfort and consolation Thou hast had compassion of mankind thou hast sent thine only Son here below to reconcile and expiate our sinnes the earth had nothing for the saluation of man the Angels who have no part of righteousnesse or of life but for themselues could not resist thine anger but in stooping and sincking downe vnder the burthen therof But O Lord thou hast opened thine owne bosome from wheÌ„ce alone could come saluation and from it thou hast sent thine only Sonne to cloth himselfe with our nature and to suffer therein the punishment due to our sinnes and fully to satisfie thy Iustice for all our transgressions so that we haue redemptioÌ„ by his blood to wit remission of sins according to the riches and treasure of thy mercy and we heare this thy Son to pronounce these sweet pleasing words in his Gospel Come to me all ye that are oppressed and heauy laden and I will refresh and comfort you Overloaden then as I am with the heavie burthen of my sinnes I come to discharge disburthen them on thy crosse because he hath borne our sinnes in his body on the wood therof And wherfore should not I fully beleeue it sith this soveraigne loue immense goodnes was worthy of thee and that not onely by thy Testament but also by this Sacrament of thy blessed Supper thou givest mee this redemption and placest it as it were before mine eyes For wherfore serveth this great Sacrament but to represent to my soule by faith this great sacrifice of Christs body which he hath given presented thee on the Crosse So because I see my ransome and redemption have I not therefore iust cause O my God to reioyce and comfort my self in thee that ransome I say which thine owne selfe hast freely given me A divine ransom of a most inestimable price and value because it is the body of thine only begotten Son true God together with thee
prayer which done they rendered thankes to God for that he had brought and established them in a Countrey which abounded with all prosperity and plenty of Bread and Wine in Comparison of the misery and dearth wherin their Fathers had lived in Egypt As in very deed all beleeued and held That the vnleauened Bread which God had appointed and instituted for Easter was a true simbole and figure of the bread of misery and affliction which the Israelites had eaten during their captivitie in Egypt Now Christ Iesus who would not permit or suffer that Iewish Ceremonies should any longer remaine in the Christian Churches insteed of the Passeouer or Feast of Easter placed and instituted his blessed Supper as hee had formerly appointed and introduced Baptisme insteed of Circumcision leaving in all Christian Churches none but these two figures and Sacraments in place and steed of all that great multitude which were formerly vnder the old Law And according as the seruice of the new Testament was spirituall It was also conuenient and fitting those few Ceremonies which Christ instituted were likewise simple and easie as depending and having relation to the Nature and Condition of the Evangelical Law and seruice which is wholly spirituall and heavenly whereunto these Ceremonies were tyed and conioyned In which regard Iesus Christ in his Supper tooke no figure of any formerly prepared meat procured with cost or care or which could not be hourly provided and had as was the Paschall Lambe but tooke simplie Bread and Wine as in the same sort and manner that in the Sacrament of Baptisme insteed of the painefull and grievous Circumcision hee instituted the easie and simple aspersion of water Now for that Iesus Christ hath substituted his blessed Supper insteed of the feast of Easter It followes of necessitie that there must bee some resemblance and conformitie of the Lords Supper to the Feast of Easter and of the actions of Christians in receiving the same to the actions of the Iewes in eating of their Paschall Lambe But as this great Feast and Passeover of the Iewes was a Sacrament and religious mysterie so notwithstanding it was yet more to feed the mind then the body wherefore wee must obserue and remember that besides yea above the eating of the mouth there was the eating of the mind which was a holy and religious meditation whereby their soules should be refreshed and comforted according to the quality and Condition of the Churches of their time That which they did eat with their Corporall mouthes was a Lambe some bitter hearbes and vnleavened bread And that which their minds and heart ought to meditate on was the grace and favour which God had bestowed on them in delivering them from the miserable seruitude and slavery wherin their Fore-fathers had lived in Egypt and for bringing them to enioy the fruits and fatnesse of the Land of Canaan So that at the same time which their bodyes did eate their soules likewise had their spiritall meate and food and tasted how good and gratious God was to them by giving them their deliverance In the same manner Iesus Christ instituting his Blessed Supper at Easter proposed to Christians a double forme of eating the one of the mouth which was that of Bread and the other of the Soule which was the meditation of the great goodnesse and mercy of God whereby Iesus Christ having beene crucified to death for vs hath victoriously and gloriously delivered vs from all our miseries Now let vs here remark obserue the excellēt sympathy conformitie wherevnto the Israelites were called at their Passeover or Feast of Easter to the meditation wherin our Saviour Christ called Christians in his blessed Supper to relish the goodnesse of God The Iewes in their Passeover considered that by the blood of a Lambe their Forefathers were delivered from the destroying and persecuting Sword of the Angell the slayen and immolated Lambe being the Ransome of the first borne And in the fraction or breaking and eating of the Bread of the Eucharist wee Christians doe consider That the body and blood of Iesus Christ as of an immaculate Lambe without spot or blemish hath beene offered vp to God in Sacrifice and that by this Ransome wee are delivered delivered from the destroying Sword of the Angell to wit from all the power and malice of Sathan As the Apostle tels the Corinthians 1 Cor. 5.7 that Christ our Paschall Lambe hath beene sacrificed vp for vs. As then the Iewes considering the Lambe meditated and celebrated the goodnesse of God for giving deliverance to their Forefathers by the Ransome of a Lambe So wee Christians should feast our minds and refresh our hearts with the meditation of Gods singular goodnesse towards vs which is infinitly greater and more admirable in that hee hath delivered vp his owne yea his onely Sonne to death for the Ransome of wee poore and wretched Sinners wherein appeares a dilection and loue which surpasseth all vnderstanding and wherein faithfull Seruants of the Lord you may apparantly see the excellency of your aduantage and benefits above those of the ancient Testament That which they meditated in their Passeover was a temporall deliverance That which you meditate in the Lords Supper is a deliverance both spirituall and eternall That which they considered for a Ransome and deliverance from the Angels Sword of persecution and pestilence was a simple terrestriall and carnall Lambe But that which you meditate on for your Ransome in this sacred Supper is the proper body of Gods onely Sonne crucified and slayen for your Sinnes The Ioy and refreshing which the Israelites conceived in their hearts and minds by their meditation was their delight and contentment to have beene delivered from Pharoah and to bee brought into the promised Land of Canaan But what is this in Comparison of the Ioy and refreshing which our soules conceiue to see and contemplate the vnspeakable goodnesse of God whereby you are delivered from eternall death and conducted and brought into a spirituall and heavenly Canaan O therefore if those of the Church of Rome would consider how great how excellent how inexpressable this feeding and refreshing of our soules is by this meditation They would not then say that wee returne empty from this blessed Sacrament It is then the Church of Christ which hath the true eating and true refreshing and sacietie thereof and there onely it is where true peace and felicity is to be found And therfore it is that the word of God teacheth vs concerning the ancient Israelites That what content soever they receiued by their Passeover there yet remayned in their memories a degree of slavery and seruitude Rom. 1.15 whereof they were still afraid and the Reason of it was that the curse of the Law still echoed and resounded aloud in their eares and that the promises of remission and pardon for their sinnes were still concealed and obscured from them and the death of Christ crucified for the