Eiusdem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad Lectores Quaeritis a Domino qualis conuiua probâ—tur En vobis qualem finxerit iste liber Lotus cas etlaetus edas gâ—atusque recedas Scilicet hos mores caelica mensa petit Ad Lectorem Christi Christi-colis conuluià lauta parantur Hic recte vt comedant pagina quaeque docet Georgius Taylerus Errata Page 7. line 21. read him Page 18. line 21 read destroy Page 19. line 1â— read by Page 24. line 3. read to a. line 7. read Fifh P. 91. l. 21. read fift p. 136. 5. read commended 1. Cor. 11. 28. Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eat of this bread and drinke of this drinke CHAP. 1. THe holy Apostle Saint Paul hauing reprehended the Corinthians for sundry misdemeanors amongst them one whereof was their disorderly receiuing of the Lords Supper he doth in these words prescribe a remedy for the same For correction is not ynough without direction and reprehension is defectiue without instruction A kinde Chiruigian will not onely discouer the wouÌ„d but apply the salue A faithfull friend will not onely shew his friend his fault or errour but he will also giue his best aduise vnto him that he might see to correct and preuent it for the time to come The office of a true teacher is as well to teach the truth as to confute and refell falshoods as he must reprooue and condemne euill manners so should he also be carefull to shew what is good how the euill may be preuented amended We count him a bad Guide that onely tels the Trauellers of their wandring and not of their way and we iudge it the duty of a Maister-Mariner to shew his folowers in the Arte of Nauigation not onely syrts sands rocks and the danger of them but also the course to escape them so a good Minister ought not only to shewe his people their sinnes and the daunger of them but also the means to mend the way to performe their dueties as GOD requireth This Paul hath done The Doctrines followe THat it is our duetie to search and Doct 1 to prooue our selues before wee come to the Lords Table I wil here shew first the reasons why we should make this triall secondly by what we ought to make it thirdly wherof it must be made fourthly how it ought to be done The reasons that should mooue vs to make this triall are many First it is the expresse coÌ„mandment of God Let a man examine him-selfe Now the will of GOD must bee the rule of our workes What God biddeth that must we bend our selues to do And in his seruice wantes no solace For as Paul saith 1. Cor. 7. 19. Circumcision is nothing nor vncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of Gods commandements And the Scripture further saith Reuel 22. 14. Blessed are they that doe his commandments that their right may be in the tree of life may enter in through the gates into the Citie Now one of his Commandements is that we doe examine our selues before we come to the Lords Table Secondly another argument may be borowed from the verse next before going and next ensuing and may be thus framed If he that shall receiue this sacrament vnworthily be guiltie of the body and blood of Christ shall eate and drink his owne damnation then it behooueth euery man to search and examine how he stands and in what manner he commeth this will all men graunt But he that receiueth this sacrament vnworthily is guiltie of the body and blood of Christ a haynous sinne and eates drinkes his owne damnation a fearefull punishment Therefore it behoueth all men to trye their standing and to examine in what plight they come Thirdly a wise man will not come to the banquet of an earthly Prince without some competent preparation why then should any man presume to present himselfe in the presence of God and his Angels and to come to the banquet of the great Prince of all the worlde there to eate the flesh and drink the blood of his onely Sonne without due preparation and fitting of himselfe which cannot be without this search and examination Fourthly as preparatiues are necessarie before phisicke for the body so this examination prepares a way by Gods blessing for ouâ— right receiuing of those sacred elements as the phisicke of our souls For by it we shal knowe our estates discerne our harts by it we shall knowe how to discerne the Lords body and we shall perceiue the loue of God in Christ vnto vs who ordained this Sacrament for the confirmation of our faith the most entire affection of Christ vnto vs in that he gaue him-selfe to a shamefull and cursed death to redeeme vs being in bondage to sinne and Sathan as the Israelites were to the Egiptians and to Pharoah their King Fiftly this examination will occasion in vs both thankfulnes greater heede and watchfulnes Thankfulnes I say for after examination if a man perceiue his estate to be good that he commeth fitted and furnished in some competent measure he is stirred vp to magnifye the Lord who hath vouchsafed them this grace If on the contrarye he finde himselfe wretched or vnfit he hath occasion to praise the Lord that gaue him grace to search and see his condition and that hee hath winked as it were at his wickednes and vnpreparednes and hath not dealt with him as he hath deserued And will it not also be an occasion of greater heed and vigilancy for the time to come For euen as a man viewing and considering well by day how dangerous a Bridge ouer some very deep water he had safely passed in the darke wil be strucken with amazement and wil be made more carefull thence-forward of his way so when a man after examination of himselfe shall perceiue what infinite danger by reason of his sins he hath escaped through the mercie of the Lord he shal be prouoked to admire the goodnes of God and to become more circumspect in the time to come Sixtly we are bound to search and examine our selues at other times in truth we ought to doe it daily for we sinne daily and Sathan siftes and shakes vs daily and with the Sun we doe still either ascend or descend and with the salt waters continually either ebbe or flowe Now if we ought to proue our selues at other times how much more at this when we are to conuerse and deale not with mortall man but with God and that more neerely and in a moste speciall and weightie businesse Men should make the weightines of their affaires the rule of their care and labour Lastly a man will not build an house but he will examine and search his ground to see whether it be firme or false sound or sandy There is no good husband but will suruey his grounds search their nature a faithful Shepheard will duely obserue and search his sheep an
not for any present future or foreseene merit of ours If we conquer our selues or offer vp any sacrifice acceptable vnto God we must giue the praise to Christ who hath made vs Kings Priests vnto his Father He is the Altar that sanctifieth all Reâ— 1. 6. our sacrifices he with the vaile of his most precious blood doth couer al their imperfections And by his death he hath changed the nature of our death so by the vertue of his death he doth conquer sin within vs the cause of death vnto vs. Thirdly we must knowe that those that are in this state of grace redeemed by Christ and sanctified by the Holy Ghost shal so continue without finall or totall falling away till they atteine to the full fruition of the state of glory For the guifts of God are giuen without repentance Christes Ro. 11. 29. sheepe shal neuer perish for he giueth them euerlasting life Satan may batter vs but he cannot beat vs downe Peccatem in est non praeest sin is in the regenerate but Io. 20. 28. not ouer them Viuit non vincit it liues but subdues not Remanetâ— non regnat it remaines but rules not Bellat non debellat it warres but winneth not For God vpholds Psalme 37. 17. 24. and defends them by his grace his loue is * Ieri 31. 3. â—2 40 constant his couenant euerlasting The Sun shineth alwaies though it be not alwaies seene so the light of Gods loue Iohn 13. 1 continueth constantly to all his children though they do not alwaies discerne it The graces of a man regenerated may be couered as a Rocke may be with water in a mightie tide and yet remaine as touching their habit or nature aswel as the Rocke dooth remaine a rocke A knife may scrape the adamant but not cut it and Sathan may vexe him but he cannot vanquish cut but not kill because the Lord of Heb. 13. 5. life will not forsake him CHAP. 7. THe third part of knowledge which becommeth euery coÌ„municant concerneth the sacrament it selfe And heere it is requisite for euery such person to know 1. What a Sacrament is 2. what this Sacrament is why it was ordained otherwise he shal take in hand he knoweth not what and come like an vnbidden guest to a banquet before he be inuited And yet it is to be feared that many do comming and know not well about what nor why like that confused concurse of people at Ephesus who for the greater part knew not wherefore they were come together Act. 19 32. But to the point in hand a sacrameÌ„t is a visible signe of Gods inuisible sauing grace or a corporall a visible outward signe seale instituted from aboue to represent and ratifie Gods grace vnto vs in Iesus Christ There be two * Sacrament is â—n a sacraÌ„do dicitur quia per sacramenta deo quasiceÌ„secramur Sacraments of the new TestameÌ„t Baptisme the Supper of the Lord. It is called a Supper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 caena first in respect of the time when it was first instituted which was the night before Christ was crucified secondly because it is a sacred feast or banquet for the soule Now in olde time their feasts were vsually at night The Greeke Latine words aboue named signifie not onely a bare supper but also a solemne feast or night-banquet Furthermore it is called the Lords supper First because it was instituted by the Lord. Secondly because it was ordained for to be a memoriall of our Lords death Thirdly it may be also because it was wont to be celebrated on the Lords day Act. 20. 7. Now the Supper of the Lord is a Sacrament whereby God doth signifie vnto and assure euery one that commeth aright prepared vnto it that as he receaueth eateth and drinketh the bread and wine so surely he shall be made partaker of the body and blood of Christ yea of whole Christ with all his merrits for his preseruation spirituall sustentation and foode vnto eternall life The Author and principall efficient cause of this Sacrament is the Lord â—esus the high priest and the king of his church The ministrant Efficients are onely the Ministers of the word lawfully called to whome the Keies of the Church are committed The matter of this Sacrament whereof it doth consist is two-fold one earthly outward and visible the other is heauenly inward and spirituall That is commonly called the signe and this the thing signified By the signe we are to vnderstand both the element or corporal substance seene with the eyes also the actions or rites vsed according to the deuine institutioÌ„ The Elementary signes in this sacrament are two Bread and Wine which two make but one sacrament for they do declare but one action of Christ to wit our whole spirituall nourishment and we know that in one feast there may diuers dishes varietie of drinks be vsed One man hath two parts one body many members one tree sundry braÌ„ches moreouer that is not onely said to be one which is simple indiuisible or continued but that also which is perfect Now this sacrament is one as touching perfectioÌ„ in as much as by those two signes our perfect foode or reliefe is signified and sealed to vs. Moe signes need not because these are sufficient to shew perfect refection and again if one were wanting the sacrament of perfect nourishment were maimed defaced It is an hungry dinner where there is no meat and a dry feast where there is no drinke The Actions vsed in the lawfull administration of the Lords supper are of two sorts some are of the Minister some of the Receiuer and all significant and liuely The action of the Minister is fourefold the first is his taking of the bread and wine into his owne hands The second is his blessing of them The third is the breaking of the bread and powring out of the wine The fourth is destributing of them The action of the Receiuer is two-fold The first is his taking of the bread and wine of the Minister the second is the eating of the bread and drinking of the wine thus much for the signe The thing signified is that which is meant by the signe and it is two-fold the former answering to the corporall and elementary signes the latter answering to the foresaid actions Of the first sort are the body and blood of Christ signified by the bread and wine Neither must we exclude his whole person for neither the deuinitie without the humanitie nor the humanitie without the deuinitie can performe the worke of mediation But because he suffered only in his humane nature therfore it is only expresly resembled though whole Christ and all his merrits must be vnderstood and not excluded For the merrit and efficacy of his death floweth from his deity from the dignitie of his person as from their proper fountaine And the scriptures by the death
in vs if we do not diligently and throughly try our estates and examine our selues Thus we see how we ought to examine our selues As Christ saith Take heed how ye heare so I say take heede how ye examine There is Luke 8. 18 an ill manner of hearing and an ill manner of examining he that will examine and try himselfe aright must not onely try by the right touch-stone but in the right fashion It wil not be here amisse to declare also the end why we must prooue our selues The end is two-folde principall inferiour The principall end is the glory of God which ought aboue all things to be sought for of all men in all their actions therfore Paul saith 1. Cor. 10. 31 Whether ye eat or drinke or whatsoeuer ye do do all to the glory of God The inferiour end is two-folde First that we might know our selues and the case we are in that so we might prepare our selues for the receiuing of the Lords supper SecoÌ„dly that we might confirme the good assurance or perswasioÌ„ that we haue of our good estate before God For true new obedience vnto the commaundments of God doth plainely demonstrate that the obeier is the childe of God the member of Christ within the kingdome of grace and an heir apparent of the kingdome of glory But obedience performed to this one commaÌ„dment of examination in the right manner which I haue before declared is true and new obedience is in him onely that is carefull to obserue all other commaundements which he knoweth to be Gods Therefore he that obeieth this one precept as he ought to do may assure himselfe that his state is good before God in this world and shal be glorious with God in the world to come And so much for the fourth generall point for the doctrine it selfe The vses thereof come now to be deliuered CHAP. 16. FIrst we are taught to take heed that we do not come to the Lords table without serious sound examination of our selues How can we know that we goe prepared if we do not proue ourselues And how can we know the depth of our hearts vnles we souÌ„d them to the bottome A man shall receiue very litle heat from the fire if he stay not at it but passe hastily by the hearth So we shall but ill discern vnderstand our hearts if we do but glance at them as by the way and search them onely superficially and not narrowly Who can know the nature and course of the sunne without serious search and study Euen so no man can rightly know the nature and course of his soule and the disposition and motions of his hart except he do very diligently seriously laboriously search examine them For mans heart is a mine of wickednes and a gulfe of deceit It is full of secret corners and winding staires and wil apeare often more glorious then indeede it is All is not currant mony which hath the Kings picture vpoÌ„ it neither are our hearts alwaies good mettall when they seeme good therefore if we will not be deceiued let vs search them truely and touch them throughly and neuer cease prouing them till we may with good warrant approoue them For as winde and fire gather strength in proceeding so the further we proceede in the diligent performance of this duery we shall be made more able to goe through-stitch with it And as naturall bodies the nearer they come to their places do moue so much the more swiftly so shall we in the course of this examination to our great comfort and commodity And thus by our carefull constant tryall of our selues we shal manifest our obedience vnto God we shall declare the care we haue of our owne welfare and welldoing and the more eager we shall make our selues vpon this duety and procure such an appetite affection to it as that we shall be more swift and nimble in performing of it and not easily driuen from it till we haue finished it in some honest and laudable manner Secondly as we must in examining our selues beware of the coÌ„mon custome of many which slubber ouer this and all other christian dueties or else passe by it without any regard therof at al so also we must take heed of the wily stratagems pleasant inchantments of Sathan and our owne Flesh which are false hearted and full fraught with fraud and subtilty Lastly we must beware that we do not conceiue of this sacrament and of those other things whereof we must examine our selues according to the sentence determination of the Romish Sinagogue which is the chaire of pestilence the throne of Antichrist Beware of the leauen of the Pharises take heede of her partie-coloured linsi-wolsi doctrines and because the Light oâ— word of the Pro. 20. â—7 Lord is the breath of man searcheth the bowels of the belly is a discerner Heb. 4. 12 of the thoughts intents of the heart and therefore the fittest touchstone Occultum nil esse sinit latebraâ—e per ovâ—nes intrat obstrusâ—â— explorat quâ—squeâ—â—eâ—ssus to try our selues withal it is meet that we should acquaint our selues with it The more we are ignorant in Gods word the more vnfit we are and vnable to performe this duety For it is the only true rule of our examination And as the Marigolde or Dazie doth open and shut with the day-light so should our examination begin and end with and in the word The loue of ignorance is the life of ignorance and the life of ignorance is the death of the ignorant for the wages of euery sinne is death yea an â—uer-liuing and an euerlasting death For Eze. 18. 31 Rom 6. 23 Is 66. 34 this death is life and that life is death a life of horrour and an horrible death a death of terror a terrible life Now what wise man would indanger his soule expose both soule and body to such infinite such inextricable misery by taking delight in ignorance in Gods word Men are carefull to shun small and momentary dangers were it any wisedome then to thrust themselues vpon this that is so great as it can neither be described with pen nor vttered with tongue no nor yet conceiued of the minde Many men bend their thoughts vpoÌ„ the search of naturall things and many spend much time in labouring to know the states and fashions of countries and kingdomes and to haue vnderstanding in liberall illiberall sordid yea and impious arts sciences and shall not we study to vnderstand the sacred scriptures which are the Oracles of God and his Law-booke by which we may see and sift our selues and learne to direct our feete to gouerne our very thoughts and to prepare dispose our selues for euery good worke whatsoeuer whether it concerne God immediately or our neighbour or our selues in speciall Those which affect the knowledge of things naturall and politique or ciuill
in which regard flesh is likest to flesh but the strength or vertue to releiue and nourish which is greater in bread the staffe of life then in the flesh of any creature whatsoeuer By Cup the Apostle vnderstandeth the wine in the cup. Now Christ instituted wine to bee the signe of his blood for the resemblance that is between the properties and effects of wine and his blood For First as wine is a most sweete liquor comming out of the vine so the blood of Christ is a most delicate drinke for the soule hee is the Vine from whence it came Iohn 15. 1. and the Grape ouâ— of which it was squized Secondly as wine slaketh the thirst of the body so the merite of Christs blood quencheth the thirst of the soule Thirdly as wine maketh the Psal 104. 15. heart merrie so the blood of Christ receiued by faith doth coÌ„fort the soule and maketh the heart ioyfull Fourthly as wine warmeth the body and driueth away cold so the blood of Christ expelleth the coldnesse of charitie and heateth our hearts with zeale and loue Fiftly as Wine causeth the countenance to shine remooueth palenesse so the merite of Christes blood taketh away the palenesse of the soule and makes it looke fresh and faire as a rose It layeth the stormie windes of the conscience and makes vs seeme comely and amiable in Gods sight Whatsoeuer a man seeth through red glasse will appeare red â—o whatsoeuer God beholdeth through CHRISTES blood seemes louely faire and beautifull Sixtly as wine makes a man cheerfull stirring and actiue so the blood of Christ receiued by faith stirreth vp the soule and makes it cheerefull quicke and nimble about good workes Seuenthly as wine procureth speach and causeth the heart to breake out into Songs so the blood of Christ makes vs â—loquent and musicall in the confession and commemoration of his benefits conferred freely to vs. Lastly as wine stirreth vp the spirits and maketh men bold and hardie so the blood of Christ applyed by faith to the heart will make men stout valorours and constant and fill them with spirituall fortitude and magnanimitie By this Bread and this Cuppe the Apostle meaneth sacramentall bread and wine that bread and wine which is appointed and set apart to be the sacrament the signe and seale of the body and blood of Christ and to bee receiued of the Church in memoriall of his bloody death for the redemption of the Church This shall suffice for the explication of these words The Doctrines which remaine to bee collected from them and to bee propounded are especially two CHAP. 20. FIrst I conclude out of these wordes of PAVL that they Doct. 6 which eate the bread ought also to drinke of the cup in the Supper of the Lord bee they what they may be Ministers or others men or women of what state place or countrey soeuer without exception of any prouided alwayes that they bee baptized and do prepare prooue and approoue themselues as hath beene heretofore deliuered The Apostle expresly saith let him eat of this bread and drinke of this cuppe Hee will haue them to drinke as well as to eate Secondly the Greeke word which in the beginning of the verse is traÌ„slated Man is commune to both Sexes signifying women as well as men Thirdly the Apostles writeth to all Christians in Corinth and reprooueth the vnworthy receiuing of many and prescribeth a remedie to them all But the greater number were of the Laity or people and not ministers it was not a church consisting wholly of Pastors or Praelates and Ministers Therefore not onely Ministers but others also whether men or women may receiue the wine as wel as the bread and the bread as wel as the wine Yea when they doe receiue the one they must receiue the other not one onely but both For so they are commanded Christ saith Take eate Mat. 26. 27 drinke yee all of it And according to his commandement They All Mar. 14. 23. dranke of it Fourthly Christ instituted an entire Sacrament consisting of two signes kindes or parts to wit bread and wine and according to Christs Institution our Apostle prescribeth the receiuing therof vnder both kinds But it is horrible rebellion to repeale impugne the ordinances of Christ no small sin not to follow so great an Apostle in that wherein he followeth his Lord but to disobey his prescript and precept giuen vnto vs by Gods speciall inspiratioÌ„ Fiftly the new Testament remission of sins and the commemoration of Christes death doth belong not onely to Ministers but to Laye men and women also why then should they not be partakers of the cup or the wine in the cup seeing it is a signe and pledge of the newe Luk. 22. 20 Matth. 26. 28. Testament of his blood which was shed for the remission of the sinnes of many and doth notably resemble the effusion thereof vpon the Crosse Sixtly it was the * Communicating vnder both kindes was in the Church 1300. years The Cuppe was first by publike decree taken from the people in the counsell of Constance 1484 custome of the ancient Church to minister and receiue both the elements Chrysostome saith Non est apud nos vt in lege veteri vbi aliae partes ex b Hom. 8. â—ri Cor. 11. victimis dabantur Sacerdotibus aliae vero cedebant offereÌ„tibus sed nobis Omnibus idem Christi corpus proponitur atque idem poculum Vnto vs All is proposed the same body of Christ and the same Cuppe Ignatius saith to the Philadelphians One bread is broken to All 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one cup was distributed to All. Gelasius saith that the Diuision of one and the same mysterie cannot be made sine grandi sacrilegio without great sacriledge Licet Christus suis dâ—scipâ—lis administ rauer it sub â—traquâ— panis â—inâ— specie c. And the Councill of Constance though it tooke the Cup away coÌ„fesseth plainely that the Communion vnder one kind was neither instituted by Christ nor vsed in the Primitiue Chuch Therefore the Church of Rome committeth sacriledge in robbing the people of the cup and sheweth her selfe to be of a rebellious arrogant refractary spirit ill beseeming a loyall and obeent wife in ouerth warting and crossing the holy ordinance of Christ and the practise of the ancient Church Therefore â—et vs heerein giue care to him that saith Come out of her my people reu 18. 4 Her argumeÌ„ts are very feeble and ridiculous and cannot abide the touchstone of sound reason and the sun-light of the Lord. False Wares are not for light shops and a true Touchstone will discrie copper CHAP. 21. SEcondly in that the Apostle saith let him â—ate of this bread and drinke of this Cup I conclude Doct. 7 that the Bread and VVine in the Sacrament are not turned into the very body and blood of Christ but doe still remaine as they were before as touching their nature
and substance being changed onely in respect of their vse for so much as they are now consecrated to signifie and seale vnto vs the body and blood of Christ yea whole Christ with all his benefits For the confirmation of this conclusion wee haue first besides this other expresse phrases of Scripture secondly other arguments grounded vpon the word and vpon good reason thirdly the iudgement of the Primitiue Church for many hundred yeares together after Christ For the first Paul saith The cup of blessing which wee blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the body of Christ For wee that are many are one bread and one body because we are all partakers of one bread 1. Cor. 10. 16. 17. And againe As often as yee shall eate this Bread and drinke of this Cup ye shew the Lordes death till hee come Wherefore whosoeuer shall eate this Bread and drinke the Cup of the Lord unworthily shall he guâ—â—tie of the body and blood of the Lord. 1. Cor. 17. 26 27. Here is not a word of any transubstantiating or turning the bread and wine into the substantiall and true body and blood of our Lord but a plaine distinction made betwixt the signes and the things signified without annihilation or corporall alteration And Christ himselfe saith at his last Supper after that he had blessed the cup I will not drinke hencefoorth Matth. 26. 29. of this fruite of the vine c. By which it is euident that hee and his disciples dranke true wine It is true I confesse that Christ saith expresly This is my body but Matth. 26. 26. Christs body is threefold naturall mysticall and Sacramentall without doubt his meaning was not that the bread was truely turned into his body For first it were very absurde to imagine that Christ did eate his owne bodie and therefore also as absurde to say that the disciples did eate it Now the bread is his sacramentall bodie that is the Sacrament the signe and seale this bodie and the word Iâ— is as much as signifieth as in Luke 8. 21. For he and they did eat of one thing Secondly there are other places of the Scripture like vnto this which shew that his speech was not proper but figuratiue and it is strange that they which stand so much vpoÌ„ figures could perceiue none heere Gen. 17. 10. Circumcision is the Couenant that is a signe of the couenant Ex. 12. 11. The Lambe is the Lordes Passeouer that is a signe and pledge thereof 1. Cor. 10. 4. The rocke was Christ that is a signe of Christ Thirdly wee must needes vnderstand a figure in the word Cup and a figure is granted of all euen of the Aduersaries of this doctrine wherefore then should it sound against reason to hold that speech to bee vnderstood by a figure For the second It is against common sense that Christs bodie which is finite and circumscriptible should bee in so many places together so farre distant one from an other and that accidents should remaine without a subject as if the whitenesse of the snow should continue when the snow it selfe is melted It is true indeed that the power of God is great but yet hee neither doth nor wil doe whatsoeuer he is able by his power for to doe He can of stones make children vnto Abraham hee can consume the world at one instant but hee doth not neither will doe And againe there are some things which God cannot doe He cannot lie he cannot deny himselfe hee cannot breake his promise and goe against his word Hee hath said that the heauen must containe Act. 3. 27. Christ till the time that al thngs be restored therefore he shall bee there aboue is not here below Yea further God cannot make one thing to be not to be at one instant He cannot make the aire to be wholly both fire and water at one moment God cannot make the body of Christ to bee both a true bodie and not a true bodie circumscribed not circumscribed to haue dimensions and to bee without dimensions to bee in heauen and vpon the earth also in a thousand distinct places at one and the same Article of time and to be as long as broad and as thicke in a peece of bread as it was when it hanged vpon the Crosse Secondly wee beleeue that Christes bodie was conceiued in the wombe of the Virgine Marie therefore sure it is not made of Bakers bread Thirdly the nature of a Sacrament requireth that there should be an outward visible and corporall signe as well as an inward and spirituall thing signified but the doctrine of Transubstantiation doth ouerthrow the signe Fourthly if wee allow of transubstantiation wee shall not receiue the body that was deliuered to death for vs but some other thing which an houre before was not a bodie but plaine bread Fifthly when a Mouse eateth hallowed bread what eates she doth shee eate the shadow the shape and likenesse of bread For those Alchimists hold that the substance of the bread is gone Now it were absurd to say that a mouse could feed vpon naked accidents or mere colours What theÌ„ doth she eate the body of Christ How absurde and impious were it to imagine It remaineth therefore that the substance of the bread doth still continue If the bread after Consecration bee burnt to ashes and the wine cast into the fire whence come the ashes And whence is the smoke hizzing Surely they cannot come of mere accidents as shape colour dimensions c. Therefore it is safest to hold the continuance of the Elements as touching their substance For the third we haue herein also the consent of the ancient Church Ambrose saith that the signes are the same Quaeerant which they were De sacra l. 4. c. 4. Theoderet saith that those mysticall signes do not goe from their nature after consecration Post sanctificationeÌ„ noÌ„ receduÌ„t a natura sâ—a Diâ— 2. Gelasius saith that the signes remaine in the propertie of their owne nature Gelas-contra-Eutye Augustine saith we cannot with the hand touch Christ sitting in the heauens but by faith we can touch and apprehend him In Ioh. Tract 1. Irenaeus saith that a Sacrament requireth two things the one earthly and the other heauenly Walefridus saith that Christ deliuered the Sacraments or signes and seales of his body and blood to his disciples In panis vini substantia in the substance of bread wine cap. 16. And because many stand vpon the bare words of Christ saying This is my body will admit no exposition but the literall acknowledging no figure in them let vs obserue the iudgement of two or three ancient Doctours Augustine saith that the Lord stucke not to say This is my body in so much as hee did giue the signe of his body Contra Adimant c. 12. Cyprian saith that the SacrameÌ„ts haue the names of those things
of Christ do sometimes meane by a figure his whole obedience actiue and passiue and the benefits that arise from the same The second kinde of things signified are those things which are resembled by those actions of the Minister and communicants According to the foure-folde actions of the Minister foure other thinges are signified First his taking the bread and wine into his hands doth represent an action of God the father by which he did from all eternity seperate and elect his sonne to performe the office of a Mediatour betwixt God and man Secondly his blessing of the Elements wherebe he doth prepare destinate and sanctifie them to be a sacrament of the body blood of Christ doth signifie a second action of the father by which he did in the fulnesse of time send his son to execute the office of a Mediatour vnto which he was before ordained Thirdly the breaking of the bread and powring of the wine doth signifie the bitter passion of Christ the piercing of his body and the shedding◠of his blood and the rending as it were of his soule for our sins for as Esay speaketh he was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities he was plagued for our wickednes Isai 53. 5. 7. Fourthly his destributing of the bread and wine vnto the communicants signifieth an action of the Father offering his Sonne to all but giuing him only to the faithfull To proceede according to the two-folde action of the communicants two things are resembled First the receiuing of the bread and wine signifieth a spirituall action of the receiuer to wit his receiuing of Christ by the hand of faith Secondly their eating and drinking of them signifieth and sealeth their application of Christ to their hearts by faith or their inward and spiritual eating and drinking of his body and blood and feeding vpon him as vppon a most delicate and wholesome dish for the nourishment of their soules For as there are two parts of man body and soule so there are two sorts of feeding the one outward or sacramentall the other inward or spirituall the former is ordained of Christ to resemble and expresse this latter So much of the material cause of this Sacrament The internal and proper forme thereof is the relatiue sacramentall coniunction of the signes and things signified whereby they are made one in respect of resemblance proportion a reciprocal relation and affinity one with another The end of this sacrament is manifold 1. That the death of Christ may be reteined in remembrance 1. Cor. 11. 24. 26. Luke 22. 19. Do this saith Christ in remembrance of me By which apeareth first Christs loue vnto vs for the property of loue is to make the louer desire to liue in their memories whome he doth loue secondly his faithfull foresight is hereby cleared in prouiding that his benefit conferred might truly profit vs for as by forgetting benefits are lost so by remembring of them they are conserued 2. That God might visibly represent his inuisible guifts to our outward sēces our sight taste touch that the whole man being stirred vp both in soule body might with great chearefulnes ioy celebrate this sacred and sumptuous banquet 3. That it might be a signe seale and confirmation of our communion coniunction and incorporation with Christ our head and by him with the father and holy spirit 1. Cor. 10 16. Ioh. 6 56. 4. To signifie and seale vnto vs our spirituall feeding vpon and foode by Christ prouided that we come prepared For as meat or medicines for the body are not onely vnprofitable but also hurtfull if they be not taken as they should euen so it is with the supper of the Lord a meat or medicine for the soule if it be not aright receiued we harme our selues 5. That it might be a token and seale of the new testament or couenant betweene God and vs wherein God doth testifie that he doth receiue vs to fauor and remit our faults for the righteousnes of Christ and for the merrit of his death liuely set forth and shadowed by this sacrament 6. To signifie and seale vnto vs the resurrectiō of the soule from sin the bodie from the graue 7. That it might be a token and Iohn 6. 54 pledge of our communion one with another We all eat of one bread and drinke of one cup or drinke as fellowes in one family and seruants of one Lord. 8. That it might be a publike testimony of our profession and seperation from pagans and Infidels Thus we see the nature of this sacrament these things we ought all to know and we ought to prooue our selues before we do receiue whether wee doe know these things or the substance of them yea or no. If not we must vse meanes to get this knowledge least we come vnprepared and so prouoke the Lord against vs thus much for the first thing whereof we must examine ourselues CHAP. 8. THe second thing whereof we must examine our selues is true faith which is a certaine and perticuler knowledge of confidence in Gods speciall mercy or a sure apprehension and application of Christ and his merrits vnto our selues in particular Prooue your selues saith Paul 2. Cor. 13. 5 whether ye are in the faith This duety is at no time vnnecessary but then very necessary when we are to come to the Lords table For faith is the eye whereby we looke vppon Christ hanging vppon the crosse who is that brazen serpent which cureth our soules in ridding thē of the stings of sin of the poyson of the serpēt Satan Faith is the hand which apprehendeth Christ in the sacrament the mouth which receiues him the tongue that tasts him the teeth that chew him the throate that swalloweth him and the stomacke which digests him Therefore it must in no case be wanting in those that intend to receiue the Sacrament Now as a tree may be knowne by her fruits so may faith be discerned by the fruits and signes thereof He that goeth vp the riuer may in time come to the spring and he that followeth the heat may soone perceiue where the fire is There are three infallible tokens of true faith that I may not number many The first is Loue which as Paul teacheth 1. Timot. 1. 5. proceeds from faith vnfaigned The second is Feare for if a man be perswaded that God doth loue him and that Christ was crucified for his sinnes he wil be afraid to displease them by his sinnes and will stand in a reuerentawe The third is a vehement and constant desire to haue perfect fellowship with and a full fruition and sight of God Father Sonne and Holy Ghost VVhen a man shall vnderstand that some great Prince did so affect him as that he gaue his only sonne to death to saue him from death and that he continueth in his affection stil vnto him he wil long to see him and will willingly bestow himself vpon him that he might
are of yeares and discretion and that by reason of one peculiar end to wit the annuntiation of Christs dcath and of the different circumstance of the action And albeit our Sauiour saith that none shall haue life in them vnles they eat his flesh and drink his Iohn 6. 53 blood yet it doth not follow that the sacrament of his body and blood should be giuen vnto infants for he speaketh not of saâ—ramentall eating and drinking but of that which is meerly spirituall or by faith Neither doth he there meane infants at all seeing they are vtterly destitute of actuall faith which none haue none can haue but those that haue discretion knowledge and vnderstanding This shall suffice for the first Doctrine a second followeth CHAP 17. SEcondly forsomuch as the Apostle commaundeth a man to examine himself I conclude that a mans principall and chiefest care must be to prepare and proue himselfe in porticular The reasons of this conclâ—sion are many First the Scriptures both heere else where doe proue it by expresse precepts Dauid saith Examine your owne heart HAGGAI saith Psalm 4. 4 Hag. 1. 5. CoÌ„sider your own waies in your harts PAVL saith Let euery man proue his Galat. 6. 4 owne worke And againe Proue your selues examine your selues know yee 2 Cor. 13. 5 not your owne selues Now the holy scriptures aâ—e Gods own oracles giuen by inspiration of God For these 2 Ti. 3. 16 and all the other holy men of God 2. Pet 1. 21 our selues in special that by our Vse 1 selues The lord wil haue meÌ„ diligeÌ„t to know the state of their flocks and biddeth theÌ„ take heed to their herds Pre. 27 23 therefore good cause haue we to be diligeÌ„t to know the state of our harts to take heed to our selues Shall meÌ„ prooue their oxeÌ„ try their horses shal not we proue try our selues shall an honest painfull sheepherd obserue attend vpoÌ„ his sheep shal he proue and veiw them diligently that he might haue a sound and fruitfull flock shall not we obserue and attend vpon our selues that wee might haue sound soules shal not we ponder prooue our hearts throughly that we might be fit to receiue Christ that wee might approoue our selues vnto God and present our selues vnto him as we vse to do at the Sacrament in the way of thankfulnesse as an holy and liuely sacrifice acceptable vnto him by Iesus Christ Shal men fit their cattell for faires and markets and shall wee dresse vp our selues when we go to feasts and publike meetings And shall we not prepare and fit our selues and trim vp our soules when we come to this spirituall banquet and market in which we set our selues before the great God and graund Commander of all the world and wherein Christ Iesus and his inualuable and all-sufficient merits are set before our eies and offered to vs which we may buy without golde without monie without marchandize and which wee may touch wee may taste we may eate and drinke faith freely without surfetting without fulnesse and yet to the full We can neuer be so full of them but we may well desire to feele them more to feed and fil on them still They are so sweeâ—e in the mouth and so pleaâ—ant in the maw so good of taste and so easie of digestion Finally shal we dresse vp our houses shall wee in our own persons see al things set in order when we are to receiue and entertaine some great man as the King some noble person or our Land-lord And shall wee not our selues labour to decke and dresse vp our heartes and to order all things aright within vs when wee meane to receiue the Sacrament yea to welcome and entertaine the King of glory the Lord of life on whom wee doe depend and by whom wee haue and hold our liues naturall spirituall and aeternall and the true title vnto and the right vse of all our lands and goods who is also our King to gouerne vs our Intercessour to sue for vs our Shield to protect vs our frieud to counsell vs our food to releiue vs and our God to saue vs. Yea we desire to bee fitly dressed and prepared therefore let vs ransacke proue our selues And let vs doe it our selues For wee can best doe it and it will be best done when wee doe it our selues The heart is best acqâ—ainted with it selfe and either is or should bee most faithfull to it selfe and more studious of her owne good then another either is or can be Thus much for the first vse Secondly this Doctrine serues to correct the curiositie of many men who spend much paines in examining iudging of others but neuer call themselues to a reckoning There are some as quicke sighted aâ— Eaglâ—s to discerne and spie out the sinnes of other men but as blind as Beetles when they haue to do with themselues But if it would please them to looke vpon themselues to turne their eyes into their owne breasts to examine and weigh themselues they would not haue so much leasure to censure and search others If they would take due true notice of themselues they would haue worke enough within doores and might well spare their curious inquisition and vnnecessarie prying into o ther men Wee haue yrons ynough of our owne in the fire we need not curiously and ouer-busily meddle with other mens least our own should be burnt in the meane time I doe not taske those that are called to examine others do containe themselues within the lists and limits of their callings but those onely that are curiously without any calling occupied in this worke or which are wholly taken vp with examining and preparing of others neuer thinking seriously of themselues or sildome and not so often as they should He which examineth others or councels theÌ„ to examine themselues sheweth them how to doe it and in the meane while forgets or le ts passe himselfe is like the man that directeth an other and erreth himselfe hee may bee a meanes of good vnto others as those were that built the Arke and yet perish himselfe if he take not heed as they did Thus much for this second Doctrine A third followeth CHAP. 18. ANd so let him eat In that the Apostle hauing exhorted vs to examine our selues before we come to the Lords Supper doth immediatly adde a newe Commandement or exhortation saying And so let him eate c. I gather these three Doctrines First that it is not sufficient for Doct. 3 a man to examine himselfe and so to rest but that he ought also to allow of himselfe to approoue himselfe to God and to his owne conscience and to be perswaded in his heart that hee may come For whatsoeuer is not of fâ—ith is sinne but no man hath any sure warrant out of Gods word to come vnlesse hee doe approoue himselfe before Proâ—ation without Approbation will stand
A FIt Guest for the Lords Table Or A Treatise declaring the true vse of the Lords Supper Profitable for all Communicants as a preseruatiue against all profanesse and sundry nouell opinions Macarius Homill 27. Offerrur in Ecelesia panis et vinum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carnem eius et sanguinis et sumentes de visibili pane spiritualiter carnem Domini manducant LONDON Printed by Edw Allde and are to be sold by H. Rockit at his shop in the Poultry vnder the Diall 1609. TO THE RIGHT Noble and Honorable Gentleman HENRY CAREY Sonne Heire to the right Honorable Iohn Lord Hunsdon SIR THere are you know three different opinions wherewâ—th the Châ—â—stian World is much distracted concernng the presenâ—â— of our Lorâ— in the holy â—â—charill one orthodoxe and ancienâ— the other nouell and vnwarrantable The first teacheth that Châ—â—st is in his Roâ—y â—â—d Blouâ— there present 〈◊〉 anâ— really in respect both of the Signes and of the Communicants In respect of the 〈◊〉 he is present 〈◊〉 that is not in regard of place and Coextstence but atione sacramâ—nâ—â—li by a â—acramentall reason or relation In respect of the Câ—mmunicantâ— his presence is not 〈◊〉 or locall but spirituall â—eally presenting himself vnto all prepared persons who by faith receiue and apply him to themselues Nam fide tangitur Christus non corpore Ambros The second is of Italian Aâ—chymists that imagin a corporall presence though not visible peâ—mâ—dum quantâ— by reason of a substantial transâ—uration of the â—â—emense into the very holy blood of Christ after the recitation of the words of coÌ„â—ecration But this opinion was first forged vpon the Anuil of their owne brâ—ines at length determined of innocencâ—us the third by name of Transubstantiation in the Laterane Councell 215 yeares after Christ Neither is it so new as â—aughâ— being directly contrary both to Philosoâ—â—y and Theoâ—â—gie Poâ— first â—ne and the 〈◊〉 body cannot occupy many distinct places at â—nâ— and the selfâ—â—same instant One man cannot be circumâ—â—â—stible and incircum scriptâ—t â—in one Articlâ—â—â—time And as Daâ—ascenâ— truely speaketh 〈◊〉 nature is not capable of coâ—â—â—â—itant â—ssentiall â—â—fferences As for Miracâ—â—â— they be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Against nature but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aboue nature Neither doth God alwaies that which he can do reâ—ue potest 〈…〉 Secondly the heauens Act. 3. 21 do conteine him â—the scriptures name no other place neither can there be â—â—â—siâ—able of holy writ with a genuine construction produced to confirme their conceipt The word â—st wherat they stâ—ble be tokens only a sacramentaâ— Esse is as much as Retâ—â—t Reâ—â—asentâ—t siâ—mficat as will be cleared by the due diâ—eâ—â—ssion of many texts of Scripture In tranoeÌ„ legis â—â—cit que salues 〈◊〉 leâ—â—â— senâ—entiam eius circumueâ—â—â— Thirdly by this opinion a very Reprâ—bate may receiue the Body of Christ But S. Augustine truly saith Nullos comedeâ—e corpus Christs nâ—sicos qui sunt in corpore Christs Besides that which entreth in at the mouth goeth downe into the belly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the body Mark 7. 18. 19 and blood of our Lord are no belly cheare they enter not into the Belly but into the Heart therfore the Apostle saith that Christ doth dweâ—l in our hearts by faith And albeit the Fathers called Ephe. 3. 17 the Bread and Wine the Body and Blood of Christ yet did they not meane that they were so properâ—y by transubstantiation But analogically by diuine ordination through which they do become the seaâ—es and symbols of them And to conclude if this must needes be held for truth what shall we thinke of Gregâ—ry the seauenth who thrâ—w the Eucharist that is by their doctrine Christs body in a rage into the fire because it did not answere to his questions And what will they say to the death of Pope Victor and of * 1154. William Archbishop of Yorke and of Henry of Lucemburgh the Emperour all which were poysoned the two former with that which was in the Chaâ—â—ce and the third with the Host which a Monke had poisoned Heere against all reason we see the Body and Blood of our Lord made Venenâ— Vehicuâ—â— and subject to cruell entertainment But our faith doth teach vs that he liueth in the heauens in al honor happinesse maiesty and glory The third opinion is theirs that thinke the Body and Blood of Christ is In With Vnder or about the bread and wine But our Sauiour saith not My body is in with vnder or about this bread but he saith expresly This that is this bread is my body And if there were such a bodily presence as is imagined why should this holy feast be celebrated as a memoriall of him Finally this opinion giues him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bodilesse body ouerturning the charachteristicall and essentiall properties of a body which are as inseperable from it as heat from fire moisture from water and light from the sun True it is that the faithfull receiâ—e Christ in the bread and wine as a thing signified in the signe non 〈◊〉 coÌ„â—entum â—n continenâ—e but not as gold in a bag or as water in a pot Thus a possession may be said to be giuen a man in a Deed or Writing because the Deed doth assigne it to him and not because the Possession doth exist in With or About the Deed. Now the ready way for a man to discerne the truth in this warfare and diuersity of opinions is to seeke to God by praier to walke in humility and sincerity with feare and trembling and not to be peruerse turbulenâ— contentioâ—s for The seccret of the Lord is reuealed to them that Psal 25. 24 feare him and his couenant to giue them vnderstanding The froward is an abâ—ominationto him Prouer. 3. 32 but his secret is with the righteous To this end but especially that vve might be furthered and furnished to the lawfull and audable vse of this blessed Sacrament and so may safely â—aile betwixt the arroneous doctrines of some and the profane practise of others as betweene two dangerous and almost ineuitable Rocks I haue bene bold to publish this little booke where in the nature and right vse thereof is succinctly and vvith perspicuity described The successe vvherof I commend vnto the Lord humbly desiring his Majesty to honor you with all noble vertues in this life and to crowne you with eternall glory in the life to come And thus notdoubting of your kinde acceptance of this my boldnesse I take my leaue remaining euer At your honorable commaund In Christ THOMAS TVKE 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 N. T. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 H. Graij ad Authorem Edatur Momi cur namque Verebere dentes Hic liber a cambus nil quod edatur habet
inioy his presence and haue continuall conuersation and company with him he doth so coâ—â—et to see his face and to haue his fellowship So if a man do truely belieue and know that God the Prince of all Princes did giue his owne and onely sonne to death to preserue him from death eternall and that this his sonne did die most willingly for him and that the Holy Ghost doth regenerate and sanctifie him flinging the gates of Hell from off their hinges within him and refining his soule from the drosse of sinne and printing a fresh the image of God within him he can not but sincerely and incessantly desire the societie of this blessed Trinitie He cannot but eâ—rnestly couet to see God He will wish with all his heart to see Christ to bemore familiarly acquainted with him The consummation of the world and his comming to Iudgement would be most welcome to him as being much wished of him CHAP. 9. THe third thing whereof this examination must be made is our Repentance which is a turning from all euill vnto God For auersion from sin and conuersion vnto God are the two poles or hinges whereon Repentance turneth Now repentance is meet to be made at all times of sinne For sinne ingendreth death buthe that repenteth of his sinne shall not dye but liue Eze. 18. 21. But if a man repent not God remits not God giueth pardon onely to the penitent Pliny Hist nat l. 16. c 34 saith that Iuy is good onely to harbour serpents and most comfortable for their cold constitutions so the heart of man before he doe vnfaignedly repent of his sinnes is in a manner fit for nothing but to make an harbour for the serpent Sathan and a lodge for vncleane spirits But especially must we repent or renew our repentance when we come to the Lords Supper For otherwise we shall come vnprepared He which commeth in his sins commeth to his sorrow He doth not rightly remember Christs death that dieth not to his sinne but liueth therin without repentance He makes himselfe vnworthy to receiue Christ that doth offend him without remorce and sinne without sorrow for sinne The paschall lambe was commaunded to be eaten with sower hearbs Exo. 12. 8. They that would feele the sweetenes of Christs blood must the tartnes of their own sinnes Dauid saith I will washe my hands in inno ency o Lord compasse Psal 26. 6 thine alter so must we do before we come to the Lords Table Men do not vsually receiue their bodily foode without washing their hands from bodily filthines so we ought to wash our hands and hearts from the filth of sinne wheÌ„ we are about to receiue Christ Iesus our true spirituall food and heauenly Mâ—nna No prophane person is fit for this businesse Procâ—â— hinc prâ—culite propham Men prouide not good meat and dainty dishes for Kites or Crowes to feede vppon câ—ryon is good inough for them No vncircumcised Exo. 12. 4â— person might eat of the paschal lamb so none that are of vncircumcised hearts ought toreceiue the Lords Supper It is therefore requisite that before we receiue we examine whether we repeÌ„t or no whether we be dead to sin or dead in sin whether we bâ— in sin or whether only sin be in vs. This will apeare if we finde in vs these three workes of the Spirit appropriated to the penitent First if we hate sin because it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hurt being an vtter enemy to Gods glory and our owne saluation secondly if we do heartily desire God to for giue it and to rid vs from it that it may neither condemne nor conquer vs thirdly if we do striue against it labour to leaue it if we take heed of all occasions and causes therof being also grieued that we do forsake it no more And in one word if we Scelâ—rum si bene peniteâ— Eradenda cuâ—idinu prauisunt aâ—imenta Hor. be carefull to preuent and auoid falling into the same sins againe labouring against the custome of many men who returne like dogs to their vomit and fall to their old trade and bias resembling the Lizards called Stelliones who Pli. 18. c 31 cast their old coats as Theophrastus writeth after that eat them vp againe He that hath performed and as yet doth performe these things truely may assure himselfe that he doth truely repent of his sinnes CHAP. 10. THe fourth thing whereof a man must examine himselfe is of his spiritual hunger and thirst For it be hooueth euery one that coÌ„meth to this banquet to come with a good stomack or appetite The more hungry and thirsty a man is the more welcome he is to the Lord. He that comes with a good appetite shal not returne empty The way to get this good stomack is to pray to God for it secondly to labour to feele the want of grace goodnes thirdly to consider what a danger it is to famish or to pine away for lacke of food to susteine or relieue the soule fourthly to consider how vertuous and wholesome the body and blood of Christ are to feed and refresh it how pleasant they are to the taste of the soule and how comfortable refectory to the heart Lastly as the emptying of the stomacke of flegme and bad humors procureth an appetite to meat so if we would pâ—rge our selues of our sinnes clense our stomacks of the flegme of wickednes we should haue a great deale better appetite to the foode of our soules CHAP. 11. THe first thing wherof we must make our examination is of our humâ—lity For we must come in all lowlinesse of spirit First therefore we must humbly confesse with Nehemiah that we haue Nehe. 1. 7. grieuously sinned and with Daniâ—l that we haue committed iniquity Daniâ—l 9. 5 and rebelled against God and that we are by nature children of wrath Ephe. 2. 3 as Paul aâ—â—irmeth nothing belonging to vs but open shame confusion of â—â—ce as Daniâ—l confesseth Dani. 9. 7 of himselfe and his country-men Secondly we must ascribe all good things in vs if any to the grace of God from whome they â—low as from their fountaine For we are naturally conâ—eiued in sin as David acknowledgeth borne Psal 51. 5 in iniquity and are dead in trespasses as Paul doth testifie Thirdly Ephe. â— 1 we must go out of our selues must strip our selues of al supposed righteousnes and opinion of personall merits and wholy relie vpon Gods mercy christs merits VVe must freely confesse in all humility that we are vtterly vnworthy of Gods loue and of the benefits procured by the death and obedieâ—ce of christ that we are vnworthy to pertake of those elements consecrated to such an holy vse Iâ—coâ— ingeniously confesseth that he is not worthy of the least of all Gods mercies Finally Gen. 33. 10 we must humbly confesse that our purest actions are pudled with sin and that we do but our
duety if we examine and prepare our selues before we receiue this sacrament yea that God if he pleased could finde matter enough for his iustice to worke vpon for the finall confusion of our soules out of our best preparation and strictest examination and that it is his grace and not our goodnes his mercy and not our merit that his wrath doth not kindle against vs while those creatures are in our mouthes and consume vs as it did against some of the Israelites whiles the flesh they coueted wâ—s yet betwene their teeth vnchewed as Nom. 11. 35 Moses hath recorded For our sins are great and grieuous and our worthines is worthy of no better CHAP. 12. THe sixt thing wherof we must examine our selues is thankefulnes For it is meete that we should thank God for ordeining his sonne to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 price of our redemption from sin Sathan and hel-fire Secondly we ought to praise his name for proffering and offering his son vnto vs in the Sacrament and inuiting vs to come and feede vpon him for the preseruatioÌ„ of our soules Tâ—irdly we must giue thankes to christ for giuing himselfe voluntarily to death for vs and for being content to be eaten or receiued of vs by faith for our spiritual reliefe as also for instituting this sacrament for the manifestation of his loue the memoriall of his death and confirmation of our faith Fourthly we ought to thanke the Lord for directing vs in his word how we may receiue the Sacrament aright and shewing how great the daÌ„ger is of vnworthy receiuing thatso we may be terrified from offending in this businesse by vnworthy receiuing and also prouoked to prepare our selues in some acceptable manner Lastly we must search 〈◊〉 selues whether we come with a purpose to be truely thankfâ—ll vnto God for his kindenesse and vnto christ for his loue after we haue receiued and to manifest our thankefulnes afterwards by the reforming of our liues and coÌ„forming our selues to the will of God reuealed in his word Vnthankefulnes is * Inâ—raâ—â—tâ— dâ—â—sâ— mâ—â—â— ruin metropoâ—s et â—â—â—ouâ— fasciculus a mother of much euill As the roote conueieth nourishment to the branches so doth ingratitude affoord food to many sins which are as branches o bowes thereof He that is not thankefull for the foresaide benefits is like the Hog that eats the mast but lookes not vp to the Oake makes himselfe vnworthy to receiue christ who hath done so much so many and so great things for him CHAP. 13. THe seuenth thing wherof we must make our examination is whether wâ— do seriously purpose to serue and obey God This obedience must be sincere not hypocriticall therefore Dauid praieth 2. Chrâ—â—121 Psa 119. 80. Let my heart be vp right in thy statutes that â—be not a shamed Secondly it must be speedy without delay Dauid saith I made bast and delaied not to keepe thy commaundements Psa 119. 60. Thirdly it must be performed willingly and with delight Dauid commands 2. Chro. 139. his sonne Salomon to serue God with a perfect heart and a willing minde Blessed is the man saith the Psalmist that delighteth greatly in Psa 112. 1 Gods commaundements Dauid saith I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches Psâ— 119. 14 Fourthly when it is once begun it must be performed with al diligence Dauid saith thou hast commaunded to keepe thy precepts Psaâ— 119. 4 dilligently Fiftly it must be vniuer sall and absolute to all the Luke 1. 6 commaundements of God walk ye in all the waies which I haue commaunded you Ier. 7. 23. Dauid saith Psam 119. 6. Then should I not be confounded when I haue respect vnto All thy commaundements Lastly it must be constant continuing the whole course of our liues Blessed are they that do righteousnes at al times Ps 106. 3 Gods loue is constant towards vs therefore our obedience ought to be constant vnto him It is a shame to begin in the spirit and to end in the flesh disobedience doth deserue death at all times and rebellion is alwaies as the sin 1. Sam. 15 23 of wich-craft The obedience of children to their earthly parents so farre as it is in the Lord must be constant therfore much more ought our obedience to be to God our heauenly father CHAP. 14. THe eight and last duety wherof we ought to examine our selues is our Loue. We must proue our selues whether we be in loue with all men yea or nay For he is vnworthy to receiue the head that hateth any of his members If a man be out of loue with his neighboure his loue is crazed towards God himselfe do we thinke that he loueth Christ that coÌ„temneth his seruants that derideth maligneth or hateth them doth not the SacrameÌ„t pict ture out the death of Christ doth not his death declare his loue and doth not his loue vnto vs deserue that we should loue one another yea and all for whome he dyed and whome he loueth Are not those then forgetfull of his loue vnmindefull of his death therefore vnworthy of the sacrament that are not in loue with their bretheren We must therefore repent of this sin and turne our hatred or non-louè into true loue if we meane to keep in Gods loue or if we desire to be guests for the Lords Table It is the only debt which God would haue Rom. 13. 8 vs owe one to another therefore we ought to be continually paying it as we must coÌ„tinually owe it Moreouer our Sauiour Christ saith Mat. 5. 23. 44. If thou bring thy guift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thy offering before the Altar goe thy way first be recoÌ„ciled to thy brother then come offer thy guift The like we must performe before we offer vp our spirituall sacrifices of praier and thanksgiuing vnto God which we vse to make at the receiuing of the Lords supper With what face can we desire God to forgiue vs our sinnes while we lye in any knowne sinne and will not leaue it How darest thou sue to God for his loue to thee whilst thou art out of loue with thy neighbor How dare any come to this banquet of loue and there present himselfe before God who is Loue it selfe carrying a cankered and rancorous hart towards his brother the image of God the work of God and the redeemed of Christ How dare we pray forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs if we shall with a spitefull spirit seeke to be reuenged of those haue iniured vs and will not forgiue them Let euery man therefore before he commeth to the Lords Table there to pray to God to praise him and to receiue the signes seales of Gods grace and Christs loue and the benefits proceeding from the same leaue lay down all hatred spleene and
and neglect or respect not the knowledge of Gods word are not vnlike those foolish childreÌ„ which busie them selues in turning ouer the leaues of their bookes to looke for fine letters and painted babies nothing regarding the solide substantiall matter which is conteined in their bookes and not much vnlike Martha who was busied Luk. 10. 41 about many things but not about the best or the Pharisees who tythed Mint and Commin but omitted the waightiest matters Mâ—t. 23. 23 which the law required Let vs therefore search the scriptures as our Sauiour commaundeth and labour to vnderstand the will of Iohn 5. 39 God reuealed in them and so we shall be able to vnmaske our sins and discouer our soules and fit our selues for the Lords Table Dauid saith I wil meditateon thy precepts Psalm 1 â—9 â—5 54 and consider thy waies thy statutes haue bene my songs in the house of my pilgrimage And praieth Blessed 12 art thou o Lord teach me thy statutes open mine eyes that I my see the wonders of thy law and make me to vnderstand the way of thy precepts And the Holy ghost describing a blessed man saith that his delight is in the law of God that he dooth meditate therin day and night As Psalm 1. 2 we therefore respect the commaundment of Christ and the practise and resolution of Dauid and as we desire to be in the rolle of the blessed assured that we are out of the rank of reprobates of vnprepared communicants let vs acquaint our selues with the word of God and make it alone the Touch-stone of our tryall and the line to measure all our actions and the Iudge to determine of all our waies and of our whole estates Thirdly forsomuch as we are commaunded to vse this examination as a meanes to make vs fit for the Lords table we are all taught to take heed that we make not Gods decree a meanes to make vs negligent and secure For there are some desperate and prodigious wretches who make conscience of no duety nor of any religious action because they say it is to no purpose seeing God hath set all thinges downe in an vnchangeable vnresistable irreuocable decree It is true indeed that Gods decree is eternall constant and immutable and yet neuerthelesse we may yea we must vse all honnest lawfull meanes for the effecting of that which is conuenient and good Because as God hath ordained the end so he hath also subordained the meanes wherby it shal be brought to passe Because God hath decreed either the victory or the ouerthrow vnto an army must the captaines therefore be negligent supine and lazye Must the Souldiers therefore cast away or not vse their weapons Must they therefore abstaine from praier from fighting God hath decreed the destruction and desolation of the whore of Babilon so he hath also ordained the meanes to effect it Ten Kings shall hate her and make her desolate and naked Reu. 17. 16. In like manner as the Lord hath decreed that a man shal receiue the Lords supper aright so he hath also to that end decreed that the same man shall prooue and prepare himselfe Paul was not ignorant of Gods decree yet we see that he requireth the performaÌ„ce of this duety which he would neuer haue done if he had iudged it needelesse and of no vse And indeede we must not make Gods decree or secret will the squire and rule of our actioÌ„s but his reuealed wil. Whatsoeuer God commaundeth vs in his word to do that we must do with all lowlinesse of spirit without grumbling disputing His word is our warrant and his precepts must be our practise Abraham must go when God bids him goe though he knowe not whether euen so we must proue our selues seeing God commaunds vs though * But wee knowâ— hyâ— aâ— beâ—ore wâ—s 〈◊〉 we knew not why For God is our supreme absolute Lord his commaundements are not idle or vnreasonable and as Pliny writeth of the Pi. Rom. 13. 8 ralis or Fire-fly that it liueth so so long as it abideth in the fire dyeth if it leape out and fly any thing farre into the ayre so it may be said of vs that by desart we die so soone as we do transgresse any of Gods commaundements and either break downe or leape ouer the pales of his precepts Reue 22. 14 But blessed are they that keepethem for they shal liue they do liue the life of grace and shall liue the life of glory Ezek. 18. 22. Fourthly all those communicants verse 4 are in fault who receiue the Sacrament without due tryal before they come They neither respect the thing they take in hand nor regard the Apostles exhortation and therefore they bewray their disobedience and disloyall hearts and shew themselues negligent and carelesse of their owne peace welfare For what peace is there or what comfort can there be in sinning against God and leauing those things vndone which he willeth to be done Those which know their Maisters will and Iame. 4. 17 will not do it shall be beaten with many stripes Luke 12. 47. And to him that knoweth how to do well doth it not to him it is a sinne Fiftly seeing that examination Verse 5. of a mans self is commaunded to be made before this sacrament be receiued we see plainely that those ought not to be admitted vnto it which are not able to examine themselues as mad men and children and all such as haue either no knowledge of Christ at all or not sufficient albeit they do professe Christian religion Ebrius infamis erroneus atq furentes â—uâ—â— pueris domini noâ— debent sumery corpus For not onely Drunkards Theeues Mad-men Heretiques such as are infamous for some notorious vice but children also and ignorant persons though for conuersation ciuill must not be permitted to receiue this Sacrament For first examination is required of euery receiuer secondly 1 Cor. 11. 25 meditation and remembrance of Christs death thirdly the rites or actions vsed in this sacrameÌ„t are not fitting to infants as receiuing eating drinking Lastly circumcisioÌ„ was vnder the old testament apointed for children so acordingly we baptize children but the Pasouer belonged to those onely that were of age at least to aske what it meant It is true indeed that the Sacrament or signe seale belongeth to those to whome Christ the thing signified doth appertaine but yet onely according to Gods determination and appointment propper to each Sacrament to wit so as that the sacrament of initiation admission or entrance into the church be giuen both to children and men of yeares bu to the male onely in the olde testament and that also not before the eight day but in the new testament that is now both to male and female without limitation of time and that the sacrament of Nutrition and continuance in the Church be giuen to those onely that