seales to strengthen and confirme this my faith in that his mercy promised and offered in his sonne namely his word and two Sacraments Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. The seauenth degree of knowledge In the seauenth place by examination I must find my selfe to know before I presume to come vnto the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper that in a Sacrament two things are to be considered The first is a visible and outward signe the second an inuisible and inward grace signified thereby And in the sacrament of baptisme the visible and outward signe to be water sprinckled vpon the bodie of the partie baptized to the washing away of the filthines of the bodie The inuisible or inward grace signified thereby to bee the bloud of Christ sprinkled vpon the soule by faith wrought by the holy Ghost whereby the spirituall filthines of the soule is washed away and forgiuen the righteousnes of Christ imputed vnto the partie the olde man of sinne mortified and slaine the new man of righteousnes raised vp and reuiued answerable vnto the death and resurrection of Christ by which Sacrament the Lord first of all doth admit vs into his Church and family Also in the Sacrament of the Lords supper the visible and outward signes therein to bee First bread broken and eaten secondly wine distributed and drunke the inuisible and inward Grace signified thereby to be First the Body of Christ broken and crucified Secondly the bloud of Christ shed for to pacifie Gods wrath and to satisfie his iustice for my sinnes Againe that thereby is signified a full satisfaction of Gods iustice and a perfect saluation purchased without any thing wanting because not onely bread is broken signifying his body crucifyed but also wine is distributed signifying his bloud shed Thirdly that thereby is signified the violence of Christes death his soule being drawne and seperated from his bodie because there is seene breaking and diuision of bread Fourthly That thereby is signified our Vnion vniting and growing into one bodie and nature with Christ receiuing him by faith euen as surely and as certainely as the bread and wine which wee eate and drinke in the Lordes Supper are vnited and grow into one bodie nature with vs. And that therefore séeing so by faith we become the true members of Christ Bone of his bone and fleshe of his fleshe and doe growe into one bodie with him euen as Eue being formed and taking of the substance of the bodie of Adam her husband became as it were parte of him nay one fleshe with him That therefore I say it must needes follow of necessitie Christ his Members must needs liue by his spirit that wee must take life from and bee gouerned by one and the selfe same spirit of Christ as all the members of one body take life from Iohn 6. Iohn 15. and are gouerned by one and the same soule Wherupon if followeth necessarily againe the so many as haue not a godly care in their liues conuersatiōs to expresse the fruits graces of the holy spirit but do stil delight slauishly to serue Satan sinne so many do in vaine flatter themselues that they are the members of Christ and that they haue receiued Christ in his holy supper his death and passion to the forgiuenesse of their sinnes Because Christ cannot bee drawne from his spirit neither receiued without his spirit but he that eateth his body and drinketh his bloud truly by faith must needs eate and drinke his spirit also and so consequently expresse the fruits of the same spirit in a regenerate life Secondly because I say who so doe eate the bodie and drinke the bloud of Christ crucified and shed vpon the crosse truely by faith to the forgiuenes of their sinnes they are members vnited vnto Christ they are grafted into Christ they dwel in Christ and Christ in them And they that are grafted into Christ must néeds take part of and liue by the spirit and life which is in Christ euen as the branches which are grafted into the wine do participate and liue of the sap and life of the vine In the fift and last place by examination of my selfe I must find my selfe to know that whereas we doe feede not of sundry kindes of bread and drinke not of sundrie cuppes but al of vs of one bread and one cup in regard of the institution and Sacrament hereby is taught and signified our vnity and communitie one with another also that we ought to be of one bodie that we ought mutually to loue one another as members of one bodie and as those which are fed and nourished by one bodie by one meate by one drinke Here in this Sacrament all are one and one is all All come to one and one is made of all For in an other respect we see of many graines of corne is made one bread of many grapes is made one wine whereby is signified further that an especiall end and drift of this Sacrament is of the multitude of the faithfull as of many members to make one bodie and to knit them togither in one mutuall relation and loue It is reported by Salust a noble humane Historiographer that they which conspired with Catiline against Rome dranke all of them aforehand mans bloud whereby they would all make as it were a Consanguinity and affinitie among themselues whereby they would all bind themselues to will one thing all to meane and doe one thing and not any one to open the conspiracie or to disagree one from another in any sort therein they iumped ioyned together euen vnto the death Now can the drinking of a mortall mans bloud so inuented by mans malice in a wicked practise of a multitude of men make one man of many men make one body one mind one will one consent one heart and bring all to an vnity And shall not the drinking of the bloud of Christ by faith nay the eating of his fleshe also found out by the endles wisedōe goodnes of God for mans redemption make all one First with Christ secondly one with another make all one body make one mind one will one consent one heart and bring all to an vnity in Christian loue mutuall affection and brotherly charitie one with another which is the sūme and whole scope of all christian Philosophie and wisedome Surely light cannot agree with darkenesse nor the spirit of God with the spirit of Belial No more can diuision and discord agrée with vnitie This Sacrament is a Sacrament of vnity therefore it cannot abide neither admit a clouen heart diuided from his brother And thus as by the Sacrament of Baptisme our God doth admit vs into his house and family not as seruants but as children So likewise by this Sacrament of the Lordes Supper as a prouident Father doth hee féede and nourish vs in the same with the liuing breade of his deare sonne vnto a true and blessed immortalitie And this is the
third reason is set downe by the Apostle himselfe in that 1. Cor. 11 and it is drawne from the indignitie or heynousnesse of offence in the vnworthy eating and drinking the Lords supper in this manner That party that eateth and drinketh the Lords supper vnworthily that is otherwise then it becommeth such a supper to be eaten and drunk peruerting the right and pure vse thereof that party is guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord euen as if he should vilely contemne the same and trample it vnder his féete Therefore it behoueth euery one and euerie one is bound of necessitie to examine himselfe afore hand how he is fitted to eate and drink the Lords supper A fourth reason is drawne from the fearefull punishment and woe The fourth Reason which most assuredly they doe pull vpon themselues who doe eate and drinke the Lords supper vnworthily in this manner whosoeuer eateth and drinketh the Lordes supper vnworthily that partie eateth and drinketh his owne damnation as our first parents in paradise did eate their owne death by eating the forbidden fruit Therefore vpon paine of damnation euerie one is bound of necessitie to examine himselfe how hee is prepared to eate and drink the same If you would haue a fift reason it holdeth very strongly frō the lesser to the greater thus The fift Reason If in their earthly affaires and busines men doe thinke themselues bound of necessity before hand to examine and make inquirie as well into the affaires of themselues what and of what condition they be as into their owne selues how they may finde themselues able fit and méete to accomplish the same lest they should take them in hand vnwisely in vaine or with their losse and hurt then who will not much more thinke themselues bound of necessitie to make the same examination and inquiry in spirituall affaires but especially in this so heauenly businesse the eating and drinking of the Lords Supper wherein we cannot offend without the high displeasure dishonour of our God Wherein we cannot offend without the deserued daunger of eternal condemnation and wherin if we consider the meate drinke it selfe with other common meates and drinkes there may no comparison stand betwéen thē in any respect at all Iohn 6.55 My flesh is meat indeed my bloud is drink indeed saith our Sauiour Christ For other meates and drinkes are earthly corporall but this is heauenly and spirituall Other meate and drinke whether wée eate and drinke or not we shal surely die but this meate and drinke hée only doth die which doth not receiue and he doth liue for euer which doth receiue it Other meate and drinke doth asswage hunger and thirst but this meate and drinke I meane still being spiritually and by Faith truely receiued doth more and more sharpen the same bréeding in vs an insatiable desire and longing after them Other meate and drinke are conuerted into the substance of the eatet and drinker but this Not the elements of bread and wine abiding still the same without corruptiō doth cōuert the true religious eaters drinkers thereof into it selfe making thē of humane diuine of carnal spiritual of vngodly minded to leade a life beséeming God Iohn 6.56 For he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood saith our Sauiour hee dwelleth in mee as a member incorporated into the body and braunch into the vine And I in him namely by my spirit whereby he doth liue Other meate and drinke before they be receiued are first to bee examined tried and proued lest by any euill condition in them they hurt vs. But before we presume to participate of this meate and drinke in the Lords supper we must first examine try and proue our selues lest we dishonour them and become hurtfull to our selues through our owne fault Obiect I would to God your reasons were knowne not vnto mee alone here by priuate conference but vnto the whol world also by publike writing For I think they are of force not onely to wrest from the most vntoward and crooked spirit that is a free confession that it is so but also to force out of the hart of flint a floud of teares to bewaile euery former neglect thereof and further to driue it euer heereafter diligently and carefully to put the same in practise and neuer in any case to omit this godly wise and carefull examination of ones selfe before the receiuing of the Lords Supper But good Sir from your present speech nowe mee thinkes doe arise two doubtes more wherein I pray you satisfie mee in a word An. I pray you say on Obiect Is then the examination of others by the Minister before the receiuing of the Lords Supper forbidden or needelesse Ans It is more then plaine by the holy scriptures that examination by the Minister of those committed to his charge where néede shall be Gen. 18. Iosh 24. Ministers fathers and housholders ought to examine their parishioners children seruants by the father of his children by the Master of his seruants is not onely not forbidden but straightly commanded and highly commended howsoeuer alas it bee too carelesly put in practise of such as one day wil tremble and quake to come to their answere for it And so much the more commended if it be done with that care and conscience that it ought namely not for auricular confession and then all is well as the Papists dreame or for custome and shew but for to proue how they knowe their dutie therein to teach them if they know it not yea and not euen then to thrust it into their mouthes when they are to receiue the Supper but in such due season as they may be sure to bee perfect in it Vnto the which examination as euery Minister father and master is bound so likewise is euery parishioner childe seruant reuerendly willingly to submit themselues therevnto before they come vnto the Lordes Table But yet notwithstanding this examination by an other cannot secure neither is any safe warrant for any man for one man may deceiue an other the examined may deceiue the examiner in most points but no man can deceiue the iudgment of his own cōscience Though the former examinatiō of one man by another be néedfull necessary cōmanded commended though one be examined by an other a thousand times yet the examination of ones self is in no wise to be omitted but carefully to bee held fast because it is most certain cannot deceiue and therfore the Apostle saith rather Let a man examine himself in an other place 2. Cor. 13. Examin your selues know ye not your own selues Ob. You haue fully satisfied me herein also But this one question more Is it not required that one do examine and inquire into those with whom he is to communicate that he do find them worthily prepared before hee can safely communicate with them An. Hereto I answer you Some
vnto exhortation to manners and integritie of life thereby plainely affirming as much as you say Namely that Christians must adorne their faith and profession with good workes and that a true iustifying faith is euer abundantly fruitfull in the same good workes Nay that which is more I doe know that many zealous christians euen now in our times doe confirme the same doctrine by their liues and liuings who as they do dayly pray for a true iustifying faith and constantly professe themselues to haue the same so do they also walke in all christian and dutiful obedience to the commandements of God euer endeuoring themselues to doe well and to do good So that when I do lay their outward profession of a iustifying faith on the one side and their liues on the other side together me thinks it doth strongly proue this doctrine to be alwayes infallibly true That a true iustifying faith and good workes are inseperable and not to be found asunder no more then the Sunne can be without his light or fire his heate This I say I do heare this I do know both by the Scriptures and examples of these times and this I do hold for truth But the truth is my selfe as many thousands moe do not yet in reason see how it doth come to passe My last suite therefore vnto you is that you would prooue by some-sound reasons that a iustifying faith whersoeuer it doth rest must needes bee effectuall and fruitfull in holinesse of life good workes For doubtlesse though it be the truth yet because they do not clearely see it by manifest arguments and reasons a great number cannot tell whether they should beleeue it or not And therefore though they haue but only a bare Historicall faith without all respect vnto workes and manners yet they flatter themselues that the same is a true iustifying faith whereas if they were able to conuince them selues by sound reasons many of them I am perswaded would be as ready to forsake their error they would be as willing to embrace the true iustifying faith and to expresse the same by all dutifull obedience to the commandements of God in their liues as euer they were to maintaine a bare Historicall faith with loosenesse of life And now I atend your answer Ans If you desire my answer for your resolution then marke it well None can throughly know what a iustifying faith is but he onely that hath it As no man can vnderstand or comprehend what hony and his séetnes is though you speake neuer so much thereof saue he only that hath séene and tasted it 7. So no man can vnderstand or coÌ„prehend what a iustifying faith and the force therof is saue he onely that hath it and doth beléeue And as hee that hath séene and tasted hony A iustifying faith it selfe is the best reason of all other to proue the effectual working of the same We beleue not thorow the light of naturall reason and vnderstanding but we vnderstand by beleeuing néeds no reasons to proue vnto him the swéetnes thereof so he which hath a iustifying faith and doth beléeue néeds no reasons to proue vnto him the effectuall force and working of the same it will proue and shew it selfe Neither comes a man by reason and vnderstanding to faith and to beléeue but rather by beléeuing hée comes to vnderstanding For in humaine Phylosophy and matters of the world we will first by the light of reason vnderstand the matter to be so and then afterward wee will beleeue it But in spiritual things and heauenly mysteries faith goes before reason and vnderstanding comes after For here by the light of the word we doe beléeue those things which neither sence can perceiue cogitation conceiue nor vnderstanding of the mind comprehend without the word And hence it was Iohn 3. Iohn 20. that Nichodemus and Thomas were so sharpely reprooued of our Sauiour Christ euen because they would not beléeue except they might bee brought vnto it by their naturall reason and sence Now therefore the summe of mine answere to your demaund is this First if a iustifying faith doth not ground it selfe vpon the light of naturall reason to doe that it doth and to beleeue that it doth beléeue but doth effectually worke and do that it doth of iâ—â—â—e without reason beyond the câ—â—â—city of man Then surely it is impossible to shew the effectuall force and working of the same by arguments and proofes of any reason Secondly if none can comprehend what a iustifying faith and force thereof is but hee onely that hath it and doth beléeue then doubtles he that hath it not cannot comprehend the sanctified force and operation of the same in the life and conuersation by all the reasons in the world to him they are all in vaine Thirdly if a iustifying faith bee reason sufficient of it selfe and the best reason of all other to proue the effectuall working thereof in the life of that partie whomsoeuer it doth possesse Then what needs a man to seeke further Then for him which seekes reasons to proue that a iustifying faith must néeds be fruitful in a godly life and workes The best course is to procure vnto him this iustifying faith it selfe which as all other good graces and gifts besides is had and obtained by that strong and euer preuailing meanes with the Lord faithfull feruent The neglect of praier is the Canker of Religion and diligent prayer the neglect and colde practise whereof is the decay and Canker of all religion FINIS A Prayer and meditation before the receiuing of the holy Communion in no wise to be forgotten in thy Chamber priuatly O Eternall almightie and most mercifull Father which of thy tender mercie to thy children hast alwaies fed them with spiritual and heauenly food féeding to blessed immortalitie which is the bread of life and this bread of life is thy sonne as it is written Iohn 6.5 ver 35. I am the bread of life which came downe from heauen he that cometh to me shall not hunger in any wise and hée that beléeueth in mee shall neuer thirst and the bread which I shall giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world O most swéet bread heale thou my sicke soule and féeble heart that I may tast the swéetnesse of thy loue heale mee of all mine infirmities that I delight in no fairenesse besides thée I doe acknowledge O Lord that I am not worthy the least of all thy mercies and most vnworthy to receiue thée vnder the roofe of my soule by participating thy most precious body and bloud For horrible are the sins wherewith I am defiled Woe is me Lord for I am a man of polluted lippes and dwell among people that haue vncleane hearts And yet againe my heart is wonderfully lightned when I call into mind that thou the déere sonne of Almightie God camest not into this world to call the righteous but the sinners to
repentance for they that bee whole neede not the Physition but the sick I humbly therefore beseech thee O Lord by thy holy spirit to worke that in my heart which I cannot worke in my selfe of my selfe though I can try for my belly meat from meate and for my pursse coyne from coyne yet can I not proue and try my conscience so full of blindnes and selfe-loue am I yet this tryall is required and must be had of true Communicantes I beseech thee therfore giue me grace that afore I presume to come to the participation thereof I may examine my selfe by calling my sinnes to mind searching out my waies and confessing my sinnes I may by harty repentance returne vnto thee my Lord least otherwise by concealing my sinnes with Iudas the traitor I eate but the bread of the Lord against the Lord. Power into mee a true and liuely faith that I neuer mistrust thy word annexed to thy Sacraments which promiseth vnto mankind the remission of sinnes for to eate and drinke with the mouth only is to no purpose But faith must come thereunto and apprehend the word with the promises annexed for they are the grounds and principles of this Sacrament O Lord strengthen my faith and helpe me so to vse thy holy Sacraments that my weaknesse may be helped true loue and charity increased my sinfull life amended my soule comforted through Christ my Sauiour to whome with the father and the holy spirit bee ascribed all honour power and glory for euer Amen A thanksgiuing after the receiuing of the holy Communion especially to be vsed in thy Chamber priuatly AS thou hast O Lord giuen me the pledges of thy loue euen thy holy Sacraments and as thou hast giuen me faith effectually to receiue them so good Lord giue me thy blessed spirit grace to be hartily thankfull least I be like the nine vnthankful leapers which our Sauiour clensed But rather let me follow the wise counsell of Iesus the sonne of Sirach Aboue al things giue thanks to him that made thée and hath replenished thée with his goods and what are these goods euen all that I haue or may haue either tēporall or eternal either wtin me or wtout me aboue or beneath me all is the Lords of his mercy I haue them for this blessed meate which thou hast in thy great mercy left to thy Church and to me as one of thy members doth truely witnes that my body sprinkled with the vertue of thy quickning flesh as it were with celestiall dew shall rise againe vnto immortality and euerlasting glory O most pretious and heauenly treasures more to be desired then all the faire gold and pearles in the world Let me neuer doubt of the forgiunes of my sinnes which thou assurest me of by thy body and bloud in thy holy couenant concluded in thy last supper by the breaking of bread and giuing forth the cup to thy chosen disciples and by them to as many as are incorporated into thy Church So that no tribulation nor anguish nor persecution neither hunger nor nakednes neither perils nor sworde neither death nor life may seperate me from my heade whereupon beeing made fast by this holy sacrament receiued I as a liuing member do depende And I beseech thee O Lord at my resurrection from death appoint me a place at thy heauenly table where I may tast the new wine in the kingdome of thy father abiding with thine elect Angels and blessed Saints for euermore Amen FINIS