Christs Last Supper

A Table of the principal matters contained in these Sermons following.

V PON occasion of some abuse committed by the Corinthians, about the receiving of the Sacrament, the Apostle delivers unto them the first institution of this Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. For as one saith well; Where things are reduced to the first institution, all human error then ceaseth.

Concerning the institution of the Lord's Supper, Paul sets down sundry points.

First, the Author of it, namely Jesus Christ himself, the eternal Son of God, and blessed Savior of the world, for none else hath authority to set on the seal but he that makes the covenant.

Secondly, the Apostle notes the time when it was ordained, even the very night before he was betrayed; whereby our Savior Christ would teach his Church and people, that now there was an end to be put unto the Passover, and that this Sacrament of his blessed body and blood was to come instead thereof: as also to testify that his wonderful care of his poor Church and chosen people; that immediately before his death and bitter passion, he was so mindful and careful of their comfort, as that notwithstanding his time was but short, and that his apprehension drew near, he seemeth to neglect himself; and the preparation he was to make for his own suffering, and provides for the comfort and well-fare of his Church.

Concerning the institution, it is said; First, that he took the bread into his blessed hands; to show unto us, that the bread is now set apart from a common use, to a holy and religious use, to be the Sacrament of Christ's body, and so the wine of his blood, v. 23.

Secondly, he blessed them; as Christ did open the institution of this Sacrament amongst his disciples, with the nature and quality of the same, to what end and purpose it was ordained, he teacheth them likewise the right and holy use of it, by blessing it by prayer and thanksgiving to his Father. For these are essential parts of the Sacrament; the opening of the institution by the ministry of the word, prayer to the blessing of the elements, direction in the use of this holy ordinance, and thanksgiving unto God.

Thirdly, after he had thus consecrated the elements, and blessed them, and set them apart for this holy use, he breaks the bread, and pours out the wine, which accordingly must be imitated of the ministers of the word, that so by the breaking of the bread and pouring out the wine, the people may be put in mind of the breaking of the body, and pouring out of the blood of Christ.

Fourthly, Christ delivers it unto the Disciples saying, Take eat &c. Showing that as the communicant doth take the bread and wine with his bodily hand, so he must reach out faith the hand of the soul, and lay hold on Christ. And so spiritually eat his flesh and drink his blood, applying the merits of his death and passion unto his own soul in particular.

Fifthly and lastly, Christ lays down the ende likewise why this blessed Sacrament of his was ordained, namely to Shew forth his death, and to keep in remembrance that his bitter passion unto the end of the world: that so often as we come to this Sacrament, we should freshly call to mind the bitter death & passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. What & how cruel tortures & torments he suffered for our sakes, that so we might be brought to the true sight of our sin, which in no one thing more can appear then in the sufferings of Christ, which were indeed the very Nayles and Spear that put him to death: and might be brought to be more thankful for so great a work of mercy shown unto poor Sinners. These things touching the institution it self of this holy Sacrament, the Apostle hath handled in the former part of this chapter.

Now the Apostle having set down the true institution of the Lord's Supper, and also the ende of it. He doth here labor to prepare the Corinthians and in them all Christians, to the right use of this holy Sacrament. And teacheth that as the benefits is wonderful great, if they come to this holy ordinance in a holy manner, prepared as they ought to be, as meet guests for so holy a banquet. So is the danger great if we come to the same unworthily, and unprepared; such shall be so far from receiving a blessing, as that rather they shall provoke the Lord to plague them with some heavy judgment, or punishment, temporal here, to bring them to the sight of their sins, and to true repentance for the same, if not then with eternal condemnation in the life to come. And therefore our blessed Apostle here is the more earnest in this point to persuade all Christians to take heed how they come to so holy an ordinance.

This text consists of two parts.

First a precept or commandment. Let every man therefore Examine himself, v. 28.

Secondly a reason to enforce the duty. v. 29.

For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily &c.

In the first of these we have 2. things

• 1. A preparation.
• 2. A participation.

In the preparation we are to observe

• 1. The Necessity of the preparation.
• 2. The Subject of it, a Mans own self.
• 3. The duty it self. Examination.

And first for the Necessity of this preparation and examination of our selves, before we partake of this holy Sacrament, it appears in the words of the precept, Let a man examine himself.

The word Let, may seem in our English phrase to be a thing left as indifferent, to be done or not to be done. Let a man if he will examine himself. But it is not indeed so indifferent a thing neither is it least as a thing arbritrary, but propounded as a precept, and implies the necessity of obedience thereto, and so not a matter of indifferency, the word it self in the original, it seems to import so much, for it is used in the imperatiue mood and implies a duty as if the holy Ghost should have said do thou examine thyself. And so the phrase runs as in the Princes Laws and act of Parliament Be it enacted, so that it is a flat precept or commandment implying a necessity of obedience: that if any look to reap any good or benefit by the use of this Sacrament, he must Examine himself.

And that the necessity of this duty may the more clearly appear, we are to consider the reason which may move us to this examination and godly preparation, and the reasons are these.

First of all God's Commandment, then the which what may be more effectual to persuade us to this duty, the Lord hath commanded it, & must be obeyed in this as in all other his Commandments: it is not left as a thing indifferent for a man to examine himself, or not to examine himself, to come, or not to come. But it is a duty imposed upon all to examine themselves, now then seeing it is the Lord's commandment, and he hath power over his Church to command, it is our duty to obey. And as he that sweareth, or killeth, or breaketh any of the commandments of almighty God, is in danger of God's wrath. So is he that doth willingly and willfully break this commandment of God.

Secondly, the Lord hath promised to bless it, as a special means of good unto our souls, so as if we come fitted and prepared in a holy manner in faith, repentance, love, reverence, and and obedience, and seek to sanctify the Lord in his ordinance, we shall then find and feel to our endelesse comfort; the sweetness and comfort of this Sacrament. The Lord hath promised to bless his own ordinance, and will be found of them that seek him, in the conscionable use of the means he hath appointed.

Thirdly the reverence we owe unto these holy things, may move us to this duty to examine our hearts, and to prepare our selves, for if when we come to the table of an earthly Prince or ruler, we will consider diligently what is set before us, and be so careful unto our selves that we do nothing unbeseeming so great a presence, Oh how much more careful ought we to be, to prepare our selves when we come to the Lord's Table, who is Lord of heaven and earth, with whom we are there present and and with whom we sit.

And indeed this table represents the kingdom of heaven, and as we sit here with our bodies, so ought we to set our hearts there in the company of God the Father, Son, and holy Ghost, with the most blessed Saints and Angels: we are therefore to come prepared.

Did Joseph shave himself and change his raiment, when he was to come before Pharaoh an earthly king and sinful man, and shall not we when we come before the king of glory and Prince of power, much more out of our sinful lusts, change our former conditions, and be clothed with the robes of Christ our righteousness? Did the people of the Jews in a solemn manner prepare themselves unto the Passover, as that the Priests were to sanctify themselves, and to prepare the people before they came there-unto, which Passover was but a sign of this Sacrament, and shall we dare to come carelessly, unreverantly, in our old sins, without faith, repentance, and love, unto this Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, which is the substance?

We use great care about our common meat, we will have our dishes, cups, and platters clean and scoured, and our hands and face washed before we eat; and shall we not much more cleanse our hearts, and prepare our selves to the receiving of these holy Mysteries, that we receive them not into unclean hearts, and polluted souls: Oh the danger is great to such an unworthy receiver!

Sancta Sanctis saith a Father, holy things belong to holy men. And the very heathen themselves in their Sacrifices, when they went about them, and the duties of their false religion to their gods, they ever proclaimed and cried out before, procul híc este prophani: Depart away from hence ye profane. And in the Primitive Church it was the practice of the faithful at this time, when they were about to administer this holy Sacrament, to say Who are here? and the answer was made, None but good and honest men and women. As if none but good and honest men and women should partake of such a holy thing.

And this was the charge that Almighty God gave unto Moses and Aaron, that no uncircumcised person should be admitted to partake of the Passover; and the very Levites were to prepare themselves before they came unto it, yet all this was but for the figure & type of this Sacrament, how much more ought we to prepare our selves when we come to the substance; for no unclean person must dare to touch or come near these holy things.

Paul would not suffer an unclean person in the Church: much less may such be admitted to partake of the most excellent priueledge of the Church.

Fourthly, we must examine our selves, and prepare our hearts, in regard of the great benefit and profit that by so doing we shall receive: For if the woman in the Gospel, that did but touch the hem of Christ's garment, was healed of her infirmity, and brought such a benefit unto her that had faith; what benefit shall the true believer receive, who in this Sacrament doth feed on Christ? Surely the benefit and profit that we, shall reap here-hence will be wondrous great: for

[unspec 1] First, This Sacrament will be a special prop to stay our weak faith, even as a weak and impotent man leaneth upon his staff and is supported and stayed up by the same; even so a weak faith is underpropped and relieved by the reverent use of this Sacrament.

Because Christ Jesus is now offered more effectually and particularly to his heart & soul, now is Christ crucyfied a fresh, and more lively represented and set forth before his eyes, yea as the Church crieth out, Oh stay me with the flagons of wine, and comfort me with apples. It is that which ministereth singular comfort to a poor distressed soul.

[unspec 2] Secondly this sacrament doth in regard of God seal unto us Christ and his righteousness, yea it doth assure the true believer of the sweet promises of life and of mercy, that Christ with all the merits of his death & obedience, belongs unto us in particular▪ y ^t even as verily as we eat the bread and drink the wine which turn to the nourishment of our bodies, to comfort and refresh the same. So are our souls by faith much more nourished and refreshed by the merits & obedi • nce of Jesus Christ, which is the • pirituall food of our souls.

[unspec 3] Thirdly, this Sacrament ser • eth to quicken a man and to • ut spiritual life into his soul, • o all good duties of thankfulness and obedience to God and man. For when a man comes • nce to consider God's infinite mercy in giving his Son to • eath, and Christ's wonderful • oue in suffering of death. It will make a heart if there be any love • f God at all shed into it, fearful • o offend God, who hath been • o good and gracious a father • nto him, seeking him up, when • e was lost and gone astray, and • uickning him that was Dead in Trespasses and Sins. And lay •• darkness and in the shadow of death. And so likewise will it make a man most careful and willing to please God, to be loving and merciful unto men▪ because now in this sacramen • we come to renew our couenan • with God, to seal to it afresh that so ever after we might be • the more careful to keep it, thes • and many more are the sweet • benefits that we shall receive, b • coming prepared to this holy ordinance.

The fifth and last reason to persuade us to this duty of preparation, may be taken from th • great hurt and danger which fo • want thereof will follow. Fo • besides the loss of the benefit, there is a fearful judgment threatened to the unworthy receiver, namely such a one becomes guilty of the body & blood of Christ▪ It is not the loss of a man's labor that is all, but the fearful punishment which will fall upon such, should terrify all, such eat and drink their own judgment, such do no better then mock God to his face, because they will seem to make a covenant with God, that God shall be their God, and that they will be his people, but when they should seal this covenant, as every Christian doth in this Sacrament that coms prepared thereunto, they will not be brought to that. This is nothing else but to dally with God, for a man to provoke his maker. Let not such be deceived, God will not be mocked, if we do not sanctify our selves, and sanctify the Lord in our hearts in a holy and godly preparation, when we come to this his ordinance that so we may reap some benefit and comfort by it to our own salvation: let us assure our selves the Lord will be sanctified of us, and we shall serve his justice for abusing so holy and excellent an ordinance to our own condemnation.

In all which respects let us learn to make more conscience of this duty, to prepare our harts, and to examine our selves before we come, that so we may be fit guests and meet partakers of this holy banquet.

We will now make some further use of this Doctrine to our selves.

First, then seeing that examination, and preparation, is so necessary a thing, as that without it, none may dare to come to the Lord's Table. This may serve to [Use. 1] admonish the Ministers of the word, in a necessary duty that belongs unto their places, namely that they labor to help the poor people of God, in furthering them, instructing them, and that in private as public, and in using all other holy helps and means, as preaching, private conference, catichising &c. that so they may fit them for the Lord's Table, and bring them to some competent measure of knowledge fit for this holy duty.

This was the charge the Lord gives to the Levites, that they should sanctify themselves and prepare the people, The Lord lays this duty upon them, they are called to that place, that they might instruct the simple. Their lips must preserve knowledge, and the people must hear the law at their mouth. They must be wary and careful that they admit none of those, whom the Lord doth not admit, such as cannot examine themselves, whether they be old or young, rich or poor, for if they do, what were it but to give holy things to Dogs, and pearls to Swine. Which we are straightly commanded of our Savior not to do.

[Use 2] Secondly, seeing no man must presume to come to this Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, without a serious examination and preparation of himself. This serves to show what manner of persons may not be admitted there-unto, namely, such as for want of skil and knowledge • in the word, cannot examine themselves, and prepare themselves in some good measure, y ^t so they may be meet partakers of this holy mystery. And such are Children, who in regard of the tenderness of their years, cannot examine and prepare themselves, they know not what it is to eat Christ spiritually, and the like may be said of Mad men, Idiots, &c. yea and such who though they be of ripe years, and have the use of reason, and do understand the doctrine of man's redemption, yet if their lives declare that they are vain and profane, such as are contemners of God and godliness, such as are profaners of the Lord's Saboth, drunkards, swearers, unclean persons, or such in whom appears not the work of mortification and sanctification, such cannot be interested into this Sacrament. None must dare to partake of this holy ordinance of God, but only such as for knowledge can, and for conscience do Examine and prepare themselves thereunto.

[Use 3] Thirdly and lastly, seeing it is God's commandment, that none come to this Sacrament, but only such as can and do examine and prepare themselves there-unto. Let this serve then to admonish us all in the fear of God, to enter into our selves, to try our own hearts and Souls, Whether we be in the faith, or not: how we are fitted and prepared to come to so holy a banqvet: let us descend into our own hearts; ask thy heart this question, whether it be purged of sin, of ignorance, malice, uncleanness, &c?

And let this examination be done in a serious manner: For the heart of man is deceitful above all things. Call to mind thy life that is past, examine it by God's law, and by his word, whether it hath becomed the gospel of Christ, whether it be truly humbled, wounded, and bruised for sin, since by thy sins thou hast grieved the good spirit of God, and whether thou hungerest and thirstest after Christ and his righteousness, desirest to be eased of that burden of sin and corruption, that hangeth on so fast, and that presseth down. And if upon examination, thou findest this to be thy case, be not any whit discouraged for thy wants, or too much cast down for thy sins. I will say unto thee, as sometime the Disciples said unto blind Bartimaeus; Behold, Christ calleth thee: For so saith Christ: Come unto me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. Here is the Physician that is able to heal thee, and here is a medicine for thy sick heart, this Sacrament will minister comfort unto thy sorrowful soul.

But if on the contrary part, upon this examination, thou findest thy heart to be fraught with sin, with blindness, ignorance, contempt of God and godliness, pride, drunkenness, malice, &c. oh deceive not thy own soul any longer, but know, that thou canst not receive this Sacrament to thy good and to thy comfort, but with great hazard to provoke the Lord to wrath, to punish thee with both temporal and eternal judgments, with utter confusion, and eternal condemnation.

And thus much for the necessity of this preparation: we are now to speak of the subject of this preparation, and that is a Mans self.

The Apostle here gives a special command, that everyone should narrowly try and examine Himself; that is, that every man enter into his own heart and conscience, and examine himself, how it fareth betwixt God and his soul, whether or no he find his conscience to be at peace with God. q. d. mark and behold in what estate you stand, what is the condition of your own consciences, whether they excuse or accuse, for if our own hearts condemn us, God is greater then our hearts, and will much more condemn us.

[Doct.] Now in that our Apostle biddeth us not to try one another, or our neighbors to try us, but every man to try Himself, we are taught this point of holy instruction; That our principal and special care and diligence must be in knowing our selves, and laboring to discern of our own estates, how it fareth betwixt God and our souls. He bids not our neighbor to try us, or we to try our neighbor, but every man to try himself. Examine your own hearts upon your bed, saith David. This is that holy direction that Paul gives unto the godly Corinthians. Prove yourselves whether ye be in the faith, know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you except ye be reprobates. And to this agreeth that exhortation of the same Apostle to the Galatians: Let every man • roue his own work, that he may have • oy in himself. And this duty be • ongs unto all, from the highest unto the lowest, be a man never • o holy, wise, learned, mighty, &c • et before he must dare to come • o this Sacrament, this is the du • y that is to be performed by him • e must Examine himself. And • reat reason:

[Reason 1] For, first, none can be so cer •• ine of the estate of a man's heart • nd conscience, as a man's own • else. It is true, the Apostle here • oeth not exclude others from • e trial of us; It is lawful for the Pastor to try us, and we must be ready to give an account of our faith, and that hope that is in us, whensoever we shall be required. But other men can never so search our harts as we our selves may; No man knoweth so much by me as I know by myself. No man can be so certain of the estate of the heart, and condition of the conscience of an oath • man, as he himself may. Thou mayest obtain a good report amongst men, thy Minister may approve of thee, think thee a meet Communicant, love thee and delight in thy fellowship and society, yet mayest thou be • a secret hypocrite, and perish fo • all thy glorious profession in the end. When men's outward behavior seems to be sober and godly, we are bound in conscience to judge charitably of such, and to think well of them; but this is not all, it stands every Christian soul in hand to approve himself to God, as to men, for it is he that searcheth the heart, and trieth the reins: He seeth where man cannot discern, and before him all things are naked. In which respect, we conclude, that there is none so meet to try the spirit of man, to search the heart, and to prove the conscience of man, as is man himself.

[Reason 2] Another Reason to show the necessity of this duty, may be this: Because every man must answer for his own sin; and The Soul that sinneth shall die the death. And here unto agreeth that of the Apostle; We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every man may receive the things which are done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil. A man stands and falls to his own Conscience. It all the world should condemn me, and account me wicked, if I have peace in my Soul, and my own Conscience doth acquit me, I may have peace. The world can judge but by y ^e outward appearance, it is the Lord that knoweth the heart. Eli was deceived in Hannah, who in the bitterness of her soul mourned before the Lord, and he judged her no better then drunk; even so, if all the world should justify me, if my own conscience did not bear me witness, and acquit me before God's tribunal, it would auail me nothing at all. So then whether we consider that every man's estate is best known unto himself, or that every man shall answer for his own sins unto God, we conclude the necessity of this duty, that if a man would have comfort in coming to this sacrament, and come prepared as he ought, this duty is to be performed by him, he must examine himself.

[Use 1] This serves to reprove many in these days and times wherein we live, that are very forward and busy in prying into other men, pursuing them with their examinations, and that through a glassie spectacle, wherein every mole seems a mountain, and every more a beam; herein they are Eagle eyed, and quick sighted, but in the mean time, do utterly neglect themselves and those great corruptions and main deformities that are in themselves, and break out in their lives, they cannot behold. But what are they that for the most part are so forward to prye into the faults of their brethren, but such as seldom or never behold their own deformities. But who art thou that judgest another man's servant, seeing he standeth or falleth to his master. The Lord hath commanded thee to Examine thyself, he doth not require that thou shouldst so strictly examine the ways of thy brother▪ the Lord hath reserved that to himself. Let such remember our Savior his check to Peter for his busy inquisition concerning John: What is that to thee? follow thou me. We are carefully to heed our own ways, and our own walking: It is no wisdom to neglect our selves, and to be ignorant of our own estates, and to be so curious in prying into other men's ways.

[Quest.] But may we not examine others at all?

[Answ.] Men are to be considered two ways, either as public, or as private persons.

Public persons may & ought to examine others; and thus Ministers in a special manner are bound to take trial of the estate of the flock that is committed unto them; the Lord himself doth will it so, when he saith: The Priests lips shall preserve knowledge, & the people shall seek the law at his mouth. And so are Parents, & Masters of families bound unto the same duty, to examine the children and families; for their relation to their congregations and families, makes them public persons, and binds them to this duty.

But now for a private person, he ought not so to do, unless by way of conference, so to help to confirm and strengthen their brethren, unto which duty all are bound: And so to give testimony of our obedience, we are likewise bound to give an answer to all that shall ask us, not being ashamed of Christ or his word, according to that of the Apostle Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, and that with meekness and reverence.

[Use 2] Secondly, seeing this duty is so needful and necessary, it shall be our wisdom to put the same in execution, that everyone do search and examine his own ways, who will be so faithful to thee in this duty as thyself? How can he be faithful to another, that is careless of himself? Love ever begins with a man's self. If a man's house be on fire with his neighbors, will a man be so careful of his neighbors, as to neglect his own? I trow not. Oh my brethren, our souls are set on fire with sin, why then should any man so neglect himself, and the welfare of his own soul, and seem to be so mindful of another man's? of such a one it may be truly said, that he doth little mind the eternal good of either. It is no point of good husbandry for a man to acquaint himself with the nature of other men's grounds, goods or chattels, and in the mean time, to be altogether ignorant of his own. Be diligent to know the state of thy own flock, saith Solomon▪ he gives not the like charge in any place concerning our neighbors.

So then, wouldst thou have any comfort in the use of this Sacrament, wouldest thou not have thy hearing, reading, praying, receiving, and the like holy duties, holy I say in themselves, laid unto thy charge, and put in the score amongst the bedrole of thy sins, against the day of reckoning? learn then betimes to make more conscience of this duty of examining thyself, see what leads thee to the performance of them, whether thou doest them in faith, repentance, and obedience, or for custom • ache, and betimes learn to • udge thyself, that thou be • ot judged of the Lord.

And thus much conserning • he subject of this examination and that is a man's self, the duty follows, which we refer to another time. ∵

The Second Sermon.

H ITHERTO we have spoken of the necessity of Examination, & godly preparation, that ought to be made of every Christian before he come to the Lord's Table, as also of the Subject of it Himself. We are now in order to treat of the third circumstance, & that is the duty it self laid • own in this word Examine. Let • man therefore examine himself.

Here is the duty that every • hristian must perform, that • omes to partake of this Sacrament, and desires to be a fit guest • or the Lord's Table, he must first Examine himself.

There is no man that will vn • ertake a business of any im • ortance: but he makes some • ind of preparation there-unto. • f it be but to go to the market, • a Faire, or to his Meales, how • uch more in a matter of this • ature, that so highly concerns • ods glory, and the salvation of • ur own Souls, we are not to go • bout this lightly and vnadui • dly, but with great care and due • xamination of our selves, least • seeking Comfort in coming • nto this so holy an ordinance we bring upon our own head • swift damnation.

It is an usual and common practice of the most, to fail chiefly in the manner of performing of any duty unto God by reason of that ignorance that is in them; their understanding • being not enlightened, and their judgments informed in the truth. And as in all other duties o • God's worship and service, so especially in this. Examination of themselves, either in being ignorant wherein it consisteth, of in performing the same according to the truth. We are therefore to know, that to examine our selves, is to make a narrow and strict search into our own heart • not in a formal manner but substantially, as a matter of y ^e great • consequence & importance, y ^t s • • ow we may uncover and make • aked things that are secret and • idden, and find out how the • ause stands betwixt God and us: what sins we are guilty of, how we stand affected towards them, whether we have labored to subdue them, or have let loose • he rain unto them, commit • ing sin with greediness, as it were with deliberation, plod • ing and devising how we night accomplish wickedness, • nd whether we have still a pur • ose to continue in our former • uill ways.

Such a diligent Examination • oth the Apostle call for else • here, when he saith Prove your • elues whether ye be in the faith ex • mine yourselves. And that of • auid, Examine yourselves upon • ur bed. But especially that of the Prophet Jeremiah Let us search and try our ways &c. The word signifieth such a searching: as if a man were to search for gold or silver in a mine in the earth, where there is much earth, but little oar. Thereby giving us to understand that sin creeps into corners, and lieth close, so that if a man would find it out, he must search & that narrowly, o • else he may miss of it. This made David to cry out, who can understand his faults? Oh cleanse me fro • my secret sins. And Salomo • saith that God made man righteous, but they have found ou • many inventions. In all which respects we see, that it must not be • trivial or ordinary examinatio • that will serve turn, but the mo • diligent scrutiny and searc • that may be, And that,

First, because man's heart is a • ine of deceit, and is as a sea of • ubtilty, and therefore unless a • an dig deep and dive low, • t will not be sounded. The heart • deceitful above measure, who • an find it out? many men's hearts • re like unto a quagmire, rotten within and yet seeming solid without, like unto Jezebel, paint • ng the outside, and making the • oule to seem comely. As let a • an demand any question of his • eart, how deceitful shall the • nswer be, if he bring the same • o trial, as in particular, if a man • ske his heart whether he may • ot safely go to the Sacrament, • t will say with Elisha, go in • eace, whereas indeed there is no • eace to the wicked. And as the A • ostle showeth in the verse fol • owing. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh Judgment to himself. Yet all • who is there in a whole congregation, of so lewd and loose a life that thinks not himself fit for the Sacrament, and all this come • to pass through the deceitfullnesse of the heart.

Besides how many are deceived in their estates, when the • compare themselves with others, and when they see tha • they break not out into y ^e sam • excess of riot with other me • (though God knows they a • but kept by a restraining grace and are besides fraught with all • manner of hypocrycie) they ca • think that all is well, yea an • glory in that estate too: with Go • I thank thee that I am not as oath • men. When they are but mere • Pharisees, painted Sepulcher • and within are full of all manner of corruption.

Secondly, we had need very seriously to perform this duty, because of the straight commandment of almighty God to that purpose: Keep thy heart with all diligence. Now this can never be done unless we view them thoroughly, and search into them with exceeding care. The Governor of a Castle can never defend it from the enemy, unless he have • n eye to every passage that the enemy may make his entry. And • ure it is that we shall never de • end the Castles of our souls, • nles we have a special care vn • o the in-roads of our senses, and • he out-roads of our affections, • y the which as so many doors • nd Casements, sin and Satan • oth wind himself into us.

And again, this is not the least motive to stir us up unto this duty, because of the danger; for the curse of God is liable unto everyone y ^t doth the work of the Lord negligently. There is in no one part of God's worship and service that requires more circumspection, care, and conscience to the right performance of it, then this of the due receiving of this Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. And therefore, as that great Gommaundement of Almighty God, of sanctifying his Saboth, hath a special memento prefixed before it, because by the careful keeping of it, we shall observe the rest the better. So of all other, the ordinances of God given unto his Church, this being the near • and dearest pledge of his love he doth in a special manner require that men should come prepared thereunto.

[unspec 4] Lastly, consider what the Apostle saith in the verses following: That if we would judge our selves, we should not be judged, and by our negligent and careless neglect of this duty, we expose our selves unto the most strict and dreadful examination of the Almighty. Now were it not better that we should judge our selves, then that God should judge us, which the Lord will never do, if we will truly judge our selves. Thus did the Prodigal Son judge himself, when he confessed he was not worthy to be called a Son, and in so doing found mercy at God's hands. But when men come short of their duty herein, the Lord falls to his examination, and men that cannot endure to set sin before their eyes for their conversion, the Lord at the last will set them before his, to their confusion.

Now having considered the reasons to move us to this narrow search and trial of our selves, we now come to speak of the duty it self, which consists of four particulars, without which we can never celebrate the Lord's Supper to the glory of God, the comfortable discharge of our own duties, and with peace unto our souls.

The first is Knowledge, the second Faith, the third Repentance, the fourth Love.

If we find not these things in us in some measure, we cannot be meet partakers of these holy mysteries. Here then is our duty, Examination

And the things that are to be inquired after, are first, whether we have in us the sanctified knowledge of God and of Christ. Secondly, whether we have faith in him. Thirdly, whether we have repentance for our sins, and last of all, love and charity to our brethren. If these things be in us, though but in a weak measure, we may come to this Supper of the Lord, here to have them strengthened and confirmed, the Lord doth invite such poor souls to come unto him, and hath promised to refresh them, and not to break the bruised Reede, nor quench the smoking Flaxe.

But if on the contrary part, we find upon Examination, that our hearts are ignorant of God and of Christ, and of our redemption through him, that we want faith in his promises, that our hearts are not broken and wounded within us for our sins, that we are not in charity with men y ^t have wronged and injured us; Then our estate is most woeful and miserable; thou mayest eat panis Domini, but not panem Dominum, as one saith: Thou mayest get part of the bread of the Lord, but not that Bread the Lord. Thou mayest get it into thy mouth, but not into thy heart: And which shall be so far from turning to thy good and comfort, as that it shall rather add unto thy sins, and bring upon thy own head the greater damnation.

The first Interrogatory in this our examination is, whether we have that true and saving knowledge of God and of Christ, without which there can be no true faith, and so consequently no salvation.

It is knowledge that is the ground of all grace and obedience unto which eternal life is promised, or which is the means to bring us to eternal life, as our Savior witnesseth, saying; This is life eternal, to know thee to be the true God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ. We must be careful at the least to attain to the principles of Religion, as they are laid down in the word: That is, to know that there is but only one God, Creator of heaven & earth, distinguished into three persons, Father, Son, and holy Ghost. We must know, that as God created man after his own Image at the first, in holiness and righteousness; so by his willful rebellion and transgression, he plunged himself into all misery, and made himself guilty of eternal death. And that there was no creature in heaven or earth that could reconcile God and man, but only Christ Jesus, and that he must take our nature upon him, satisfy God's justice for our sins, by bearing the punishment, and fulfilling of the law.

We must know again, that there is no way to partake of Christ, but only by Faith. By Faith we apply unto our selves all the merits of his death and passion. It is the Hand of the Soul, by the which we come to lay hold on Christ, to our own salvation.

And as we must be furnished in some good measure with the knowledge of y ^e word in general, touching God and man, so in particular conserning this doctrine of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, we must be in • t • cted in the true use of it. Who did institute and appoint it, namely the Lord Jesus, where • ore? For to be the spiritual • oode and comfort of our Souls, that it might be a special means to support and strengthen our faith, and to keep in our minds a perfect memory of the death and passion of Christ: and • n what a holy and reverent man • er we ought to come unto it. The knowledge af these things, • s absolute necessary to salvation, and without the which we cannot believe, pray a right, worship God sincerely, hear the word profitably, or receive the Sacrament worthyly Nay, which is more, such Ignorance is the fore-runner of destructiō, & an evident sign y ^t the Lord hath passed by such a Soul and hath reserved it as a vessel of wrath to destruction. And this is plainly proved out of sundry places of y ^e Scripture as, my people perish for want of knowledge. So again Paul saith. That if the Gospe • be hid, it is hid to those that perish, whom the God of this world hath blinded their minds. Oh fearful Judgment of God able to make a stony heart to rend in sunder, if men did duly consider it, what is the woeful estate and condition of men that live in ignorance! it is a manifest sign that such shall pe • ish. For if the Gospel 〈◊〉 hid, it is hid to such as perish. So gain the same Apostle saith in • nother place, that the Lord Jesus all show himself from heaven • ith his mighty Angels, inflaming • e, rendering vengeance to them that • ow not God, and obey not the • ospel of Christ. And again, The • ord was grieved with that genera • on, and said, it is a people that do • re in their hearts, for they have not • own my ways. By all which • aces of Scripture it is most • ear and plain, that he that • ueth in the estate of ignorance, • nd dieth without knowledge, • annot be saved.

Secondly, as we must try and • xamine our selves whether we • aue this true saving knowledge • f God and of Christ in some • easure in us. So must we try • nd examine our hearts, how we grow and increase in the same knowledge. For the child of God is like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that doth ever bring forth fruit and grow. And it is impossible, that such a one should stand at a stay in religion, if we grow not forward we shall draw backward. And indeed, it is a dangrous sign of the want of grace, when men stand at a stay in religion, to be as ignorant and blind in heavenly matters, this year as they were the last year, yea many years ago. This is a mark of God's curse, that unless at the last such a one be called home and plucked as a brand out of the fire. He must needs perish eternally.

The Apostle Peter, bids us grow by the milk of the word. We must then be careful to see • hat by all holy helps and means, such as are the word, Sa • rament, prayer, meditation, • eading, &c: we may find our • nowledg to increase, and y ^t we grow daily in grace and in the • nowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[Use 1] This being so, that knowledge •• so necessary. This may serve to • ondemne that cursed and dam • able doctrine of the Church of • ome: who teach that ignorance is • he Mother of Devotion. And the • ore ignorant, the more de • ote, and Religious. But our Sa • iour Christ which is the chief Doctor of his Church, he teach • th that ignorance is the Mother of sin, rebellion, and damnation: and in every place the word of God, shows the danger of this •• nne. But no marvel though they plead for ignorance as a main pillar of Popish Religion, for so are men kept from discovering their fithy abomination, for if men were not extreme ignorant in y ^e matters of God, & his word, how could they be abused a • they are this day amongst them▪

[Use 2] Secondly, this shows the fearful estate of those that live in ignorance, without the knowledge of God and his word, these men must needs live in all sin and wickedness, and so bring upon their own heads swift • damnation, for such cannot bu • sin in all things they put their hands unto. For whatsoever is no • of faith, is sin. And no knowledge, no faith, for how can a man believe that he is ignoran • of. So that even their best duties they shall be excercised in • s hearing the word, receiving • f the Sacrament, prayer, &c▪ • hese are abomination unto the Lord, and these add unto the measure of their sins, being not performed in a holy manner, in • aith, repentance and obedience, which is altogether impossible • or any that are ignorant to do. And yet alas, though the estate of such as live in ignorance, be so • amentable and fearful as we • ear it is: how many be there • hat seem to have past a state of • heir Souls to ignorance for a • earme of life, as if they had who • y devoted themselves to sin • nd Satan, and that there were • ot a reckoning day to come!

[Use. 3] Lastly, this may serve for our • nstruction to teach us to use all care and diligence to get know • edge especially that knowledge that hath the stamp of grace upon it, and is proper to the people of God. And that we send to heaven for it by prayer unto the Lord. And attend diligently upon the word preached and taught, reading, conference, &c: least it comes to pass that we perish for want of knowledge, and for our neglect and contempt of the same be damned forever.

And thus much touching the first Quere, Knowledge.

The second, interrogatory i • this our examination, is for ou • faith, which is indeed the hand of the Soul, by the which we lay hold on Christ in this Sacrament and therefore is called Sacramentum Fidelium. That Sacrament that belongs only to the faithful. This faith is the Queen of all other virtues, without which our Knowledge shall profit us nothing at all: It is of that nature, that it purifies the heart, and makes it a fit receptacle for Christ, who is said to Dwell in our hearts by faith.

Now this Faith is a gift of God, whereby the elect do apply Christ and the saving promises of the Gospel to themselves • n particular. And according as • man believeth, so shall he receive, as our Savior speaketh to the woman of Canaan, O woman, great is thy Faith, be it unto thee as thou desirest. And unto the woman that annointed Christ's • eete, Christ saith, Thy Faith hath saved thee, go in peace. This Faith was the hand, by which the poor woman in the Gospel that had the bloody issue, touched Christ, and was healed, according to that speech of our Savior unto her: Daughter be of good comfort, thy Faith hath made thee whole. This is it that seasons all our Sacrifices and Seruices that we offer unto God, whether it be to hear the word, receive the Sacrament, prayer, singing of Psalms, thanksgiving &c. It is faith that makes them find acceptation with God, and without Faith it is impossible to please God. This made Abel's Sacrifice, and Noah's Obedience accepted: this made that cup of water, given to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple, to be regarded of God. And the poor Widdowes Mite so acceptable. And without this Faith, there is nothing that we can do, can be pleasing in his sight.

That the holy Ghost speaketh of the word preached, That it profited not, because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it, may be said of this Sacrament, That it profiteth not, because it is not mixed with faith in those that receive it; for it is faith that makes it acceptable, it is faith that bids us welcome to this feast of the great King. It is the evidence of things not seen. It gives us a comfortable assurance of Christ's presence in the Sacrament. Yea, • t is so necessary in the receiving of this Sacrament, that without • t we can never receive aright, or • ruely partake of the body and blood of Christ.

Christ saith, that his flesh is Meat indeed, and his blood is Drink indeed, but we must eat • he same by faith. For faith is the hand of the soul, by the which we apprehend Christ and all the merits and benefits of his death and passion, and are made partakers of the same. Yea faith is the mouth of the soul, by the which we receive Christ within us, the stomach to digest Christ, and that most special part of the wedding garment, without which no man may approach near the Lord's presence.

Now concerning this Faith, we must know, that it is not enough to have a general Faith, as the Papists teach to believe as the Church believeth; but we must labor for a special and particular Faith, to apprehend Christ Jesus and all the benefits of his passion unto our own selves in particular.

The Devils have in them a general faith, whereby they are brought to believe that there is a God, and that Christ died for sinners: But that they shall have any benefit by Christ's death, they want faith to believe: whereas the true child of God must labor for a particular faith, to say with Paul; I know that Christ loved me, and gave himself for me. And again, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the Faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day. The promises of life and salvation, forgiveness of sins, &c. we must believe that they be • ong unto our selves in particu • ar. The Scripture calleth Christ • Redeemer indefinitely, the • rue believer calls Christ a Redeemer particularly. I know that my Redeemer liveth (saith Job): And Thomas out of a special apprehension of God's love to him, saith: Thou art my Lord and my God. And indeed, this particular application of God's favor in Christ, laying hold on him by faith, is the very sum of Christian Religion, it will put life into all our services, and make them acceptable with the most highest.

And thus to believe is the hardest thing in the world, by reason of the strength of corruption within, and the force of Satan his temptations, who seeks by all means possible to hinder the faith of the elect. Indeed it is an easy matter for a natural man y ^t finds no opposition, to say he hath faith, and he would be sory to doubt of God's mercy, which is indeed mere presumption, and no faith. But when Satan shall win now a poor soul, when his own heart shall accuse him, when sin shall lie heavy upon the soul of a man, and when his conscience shall be upon the rack, and the Lord shall seem to write bitter things against him, as Job complaineth, then for a man to stand upright, and to rest himself upon the rock Christ, and to comfort himself in his God, and to say, Though the Lord would kill me, yet will I trust in him. This, • his is the property of a sound faith indeed, against which the gates of Hell shall never pre • aile.

And thus having the godly evidence and assurance of a live • y faith, we may boldly come to the Lord's Table, to this heavenly banquet and feast of our souls.

Neither are we to abstain and to hang back from coming to this Sacrament, because we feel and find sundry wants and defects in our faith, for wherefore hath Christ least this Sacrament to his Church, but as a stay and prop for a weak faith? An earnest and unfeigned desire to be reconciled unto God in Christ, God accepteth, and embraceth, and accounteth the very desire of faith as faith it self. And the very desire of a Christian soul, hungering and thirsting after reconciliation and forgiveness of Sins, shall be available to work out our atonement and redemption.

It is not the case of all the godly • o come to the fullness in Christ, • o say: I am persuaded, that neither • ife nor death, nor things present, • or things to come, neither Angels, • or principalities, nor powers, nor • eight, nor depth, nor any other • reature, shall separate us from the • oue of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Only to this assurance, • hey labor to come, and seek • fter, and so go on from faith • o faith, and strength to strength: • ntill at the last (through God's mercy) they begin to take foot • ng upon the battlements of • eauen, and can bid defiance vn • o the devil, the world, and all • he enemies of their Salvation.

No doubt there were some, • hat with a weak eye beheld the • rasen Serpent in the wilder • esse, yet were cured as well as • hey that saw more clearly, even so he that hath but a little faith in the Son of God, shall never have his Salvation denied him, endeavoring after more faith & more Sanctitie of life. When the Disciples prayed that the Lord would increase their faith, our Savior declared presently unto them, that if faith be but as a grain of Mustard-seed in quantity: it should be effectual unto salvation, promising withal that he would not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. But would rather cherish and nourish the least spark of grace in his children. The Disciples themselves, were ignorant of many things conserning Christ's death & Resurrection, and therefore are called by Christ, Men of little faith. And such likewise was the faith of him, whose child was possessed with • dumb and deaf Spirit, when Christ said unto him. If thou • anst believe all things are possible • o him that believeth. Straightway • e cried out with tears, I believe, Lord help my unbelief. Christ • oth not reject him, nor cast him • ff, because his faith was weak, • ut answereth him in the desires • f his Soul, teaching us thereby • or to be dismayed, though we • nd many wants & imperfections • o be in us, inasmuch as he hath • romised to cover them all, if we • e humbled for our wants, and • eeke to improve those gifts and • races we have already received.

And to that end we may be • irred up the more to labor for • o excellent a grace, consider du •• these reasons.

[unspec 1] First, that without it, whatso • er we do is sin. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

[unspec 2] Secondly we cannot please God in any particular action without it. For: Without faith it is impossible to please God.

[unspec 3] Thirdly, if we want faith, we cannot hear the word with profit and comfort. For: The word which they heard, being not mixed with faith, did not profit them.

[unspec 4] Fourthly, we cannot pray without faith, for the Apostle wills us to pray in faith and waver not.

[unspec 5] And last of all we cannot be saved without it, for thus runs the promise, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.

[Use. 1] Seeing then that faith is so necessary, as that without it we cannot please God, in any particular action that we shall do, that we • annot hear y ^e word with profit, • ray aright, have any assurance • f our own saluatiō, nor receive • is holy Sacrament with any • uit or comfort to our own • oore Souls. Oh how doth this • and everyone in hand to try & • xamine his own heart, whether • e hath this excellent grace or • oe. Prove yourselves whether ye be • the faith: Know ye not that Christ in you except ye be Reprobates. • nd to wait upon God in the • onscionable use of all holy helps • nd means appointed of God, • oth for the begetting as also for • e increasing of so excellent a • race. Least by making light • count of it, we should show • ur selves rebellious against God • nd injurious to our own Souls.

And because the ministry of • e word is the principal means ordained of God, both for the begetting of faith, and also for the daily increase of the same, As saith the Apostle, How shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard. And how shall they hear without a Preacher. And the inference upon that, is this verse, 17. That faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God Therefore everyone must with all care and conscience attend upon that his ordinance: making conscience of the duties of the Sabbath in public and private, as hearing, reading, praying, conference, meditation &c. Which are the means the Lord ordinarily doth use, both for the begetting as also the daily increase of this grace in us.

[Use. 2] And surely this doth discover unto us, that the faith o • many amongst us, is but a mere • magination and fond presump • ion, for why? do not many • oast of their strong faith, and • et live in the continual neglect • nd contempt of the public • inistry of the word, either they • re careless in coming unto it, or • se care not to profit by it. Poor • oules, how do such deceive thē • elues: whose faith one day will • ppeare but a fancy, and in time • f need will then deceive them.

And thus much touching the •• cond Quere, Faith.

[Use. 3] The third interrogatory, in • is duty of examination is for • ur Repentance. For those that • e united unto Christ by Faith, • nd made his members, they • ust needs repent and become •• w creatures, and be holy as • hrist is holy. Such must be truly humbled for their sins, hate and abhor every evil way, and endeavor in heart and life to obey God in all his Commandments.

Now this gift or grace of Repentance, is nothing else but a conversion or change of the whole man from sin unto God. When a man comes to consider, & to examine his own ways, and upon his examination finds his estate to be miserable and cursed, 〈◊〉 he is in extreme danger of God wrath, and eternal condemnation for his sins. This will mak • a man deny himself, and t • seek for help of God.

And this is that pass, th • everyone of us must labor t • bring our hearts unto, if we des •• to come prepared unto th • Lord's Table, and to reap an • benefit and comfort unto o •• Souls by the use of this so holy • n ordinance.

Now if we will duly examine our selves, and search into our own hearts, we shall find, that we have run far into God's score, • nd that our sins are infinite of all sorts, sins of omission, and sins of commission, sins of • nfirmitie, and presumptuous sins, in the time of our igno • ance, and in the days of our knowledge, against God, and against man, yea and against our own souls: for all which, if our harts be not hardened in sin, • nd we our selves come to that height of impiety, to be past fee • ing, our hearts cannot choose but smite us, and we our selves be brought to cry out of our selves, and to say: Alas! what have I done? Which if the Lord do show us that mercy, that we can once thoroughly come to the sight of it, it must needs work in us sorrow for sin, and to seek to make our reconciliation with GOD, whom we have offended.

And because our hearets can never smite us for sin, before our judgment be truly enlightened & informed, that we have sinned, and sin must be seen before it can be sorrowed for.

We must therefore first of all▪ make a narrow search after sin, according to that of the Prophet: Let us search and try our ways, and turn unto the Lord. And this search ought to be strict and narrow, in regard of the deceitfulness of our our own hearts which are deceitful above all • things, and there are in them many secret lurking-holes for sin▪ • hich will be vnespied, unless a • rict search be used. And there • ore the Prophet exhorting unto his duty, saith; Gather yourselves, •• at is, gather your wits toge • er, and fix them upon the con •• deration of your estate.

And this is to be observed as •• e only way to true repentance, 〈◊〉 get a sight of sin, for he that • es his sins thoroughly, will be • aile them heartily. David consi • ered his ways, and what fol •• wed upon the sight of his error •• d wandering: I turned myself in • the ways of thy testimonies. It is 〈◊〉 possible that a straying travel • r should ever return into the •• ght way, y ^t doth not understand •• s error: When God will bring • ome a poor wandering sinner in • y ^e way of life, he giveth him e •• r a heart to question his estate, after this manner, God hath made me a man, endued me with a reasonable soul, affording unto me the means of grace and salvation; what now doth my walking answer this mercy of his? is my life a walking in, or rather, not a wandering from the paths of his commandments? This makes a Sinner with Ephraim to smite upon his Thigh, and to be ashamed, which before was as an untamed calf, and then conclude • he thus after, when I was instructed, I Repented.

And this may be assigned a •• the only cause of that grea • hardness of heart, and sencelesnesse that so reigneth this day i • the world, even that brutish in consideration, that men go o • still in sin, adding sin unto sin, not considering what they do, but flattering themselves • n their evil ways, and abandon • ng the very thoughts that should make their estates questionable; Oh this is the case of many thou • ands in the world, which doeth manifestly declare how far they • re from the practice of true Re • entance.

This is a matter (I confess) • hat would ask here a large • iscourse, if I should speak of all • he parts of Repentance, I desire • ut briefly to observe some • ew passages of the same.

As there must be in the first • lace a sight of sin (as we have • eard), so in true repentance • here must be a sorrow of heart • or the same sins: Neither will • very sorrow for sin serve the • urne, or hath Repentance ac • ompanying it, but only Godly Sorrow.

There is a worldly sorrow that bringeth death, as there is a godly sorrow, the end whereof is life and peace.

The first sort of Sorrow is to be found amongst hypocrites and wicked men, which are many times full of sorrow, but it is not for sin because it is sin, and offends the majesty of God, but because of the punishment which by their sins they have drawn upon themselves, even a guilty conscience, a trembling heart, and wounded soul, and withal, a fearful expectation of judgment. These are the effects of sin, and these wound the heart of the sinner, and makes him to fall out with his sins, or rather indeed with the punishment▪ like unto Cain, Pharaoh, Saul, and Judas, &c. which only were affected with the punishment, and could have wished with all their hearts, that the same had been no sin, that so they might have lived in the same without controlment.

But besides this, there is also a godly Sorrow, which is only to be found amongst the godly: which hath the promise annexed unto it▪ And that is, when the Child of God is grieved for sin, because by sin he hath grieved God, a good and gracious Father in Jesus Christ; and if there were neither hell, nor Satan, nor punishment for sin after this life, yet inasmuch as the Lord is offended, and his righteous laws are violated, this is it that makes the heart of y ^e godly to smite them and they to be humbled for their Sins. And this Sorrow, these sighs and throbs of the godly for sin, are those sower herbs wherewith we must ea • e our new Passover; and such troubled spirits shall be acceptable Sacrifices unto God, and such broken and contrite hearts the Lord will not despise.

Now the means by which this godly Sorrow may be attained unto, are these:

[unspec 1] First, a man ought to take notice of the manifold favors and mercies the Lord hath bestowed upon him, and his own unthankfulness again unto him, and this will be a good means to break a man's heart with sorrow for sin: Thus doeth Nathan deal with David, putting him i • mind of God's mercies in advancing him to be King over Israel, •• d delivering him out of the • nds of Saul, adding moreover, 〈◊〉 that had been too little, he would • aue given thee more. That was it y ^t • rought remorse and sorrow in •• e heart of David. And this was 〈◊〉 that prevailed so with Joseph, • nd kept him from sin, even •• e consideration of God's good • esse, formerly extended towards • im. How can I do this great • ickednesse, and • in • e against God.

[unspec 2] Secondly to call to mind, and • horowly to weigh the ill effects • hat follow upon sin, I mean, • ot only the shame before men, • unishment here, loss of goods • c, but principally y ^e wound of • oule and conscience, dea • ing • nd dulling our hearts and af •• ctions, when we are to per • rme good duties, and making • s a burden to the Church, our selves, the very earth we tread upon, besides the full fruition of God's wrath and eternal vengeance in the life to come.

[unspec 3] Thirdly, to attend diligently upon the word preached, that so sin may be discovered, and the heart may come to smite for the same, and thus were the poor Jews brought to compunction of heart for their sin of crucifying y ^e Lord of glory. And this word is called the Hammer of the Lord, for by it the Lord doth break the hard and stony hearts of men.

[unspec 4] Fourthly, of all Sins, so in • special manner to take heed o • presumptuous sins, for the • are the sins that wound deep and one of them will stand Satan in stead of many This made David to pray in • special manner, that the Lord would keep him from Sins of this nature, saying, Keep thy Servant from presumptuous sins. Knowing that they would at the • ast, lie heavy upon the Soul • nd conscience of that man that • ommitted them, when he • hold come to a true sight of • hem.

But here the weak Christi • n is bewailing his want, that he • annot bring his heart to any • easonable pass to be sorrowful • or sin, but howsoever, that •• ine he would, and withal his • eart he desires that his heart • old dissolve into tears, yet he • ndes that his heart is fat, and • ill not stoop, and this makes • im grieve because he cannot • ieue, yea and mourn because • e cannot mourn.

Let such for their comfort observe.

[unspec 1] First, that the constitution of every man's body is not alike, & there may be true compunction and contrition of heart for Sin, though at all times it do not manifest it self in the eye by tears,

[unspec 2] Secondly, consider that God measureth out this sorrow and contrition of heart unto his Servants, according to their ability and strength to bear, for he i • that most wise and skillful Physician, who knoweth well what a potion of physic will work▪ and more or less will not serve whose promise is, that he wi • not lay more upon us then he • will give us strength to bear.

[unspec 3] And last of all, let such kno • for their comfort herein, tha • • he Lord looks after the manner, • hen the measure of any duty, or grace. And, Accepteth us according to that which we have, not according to that which we have not. And hath promised that he will not Quench the smoking flax, nor • reake the bruised reed. And so • ong as we please not our selves • n these poor beginnings, but • ndeuour after more grace, and • ouet after the best gifts, the • ord doth except both of us and • hem.

[unspec 3] Thirdly and lastly, as we must • abour to see Sin, and to get Godly sorrow for the same: • o that we may reap the • intage and comfort of all, we must add a leaving and for • aking of sin. For he that hath • oue his penance once truly be • ore God, I mean, hath had this hearty sorrow for his sin, it will abandon sin in his Soul, for when this Godly sorrow comes in, sin goes out. A man that hath surfeited of such meat once, will afterwards loath it. This point is very clear by the examples of all the godly, of whom we never read, they fell into the same sins again after their repentance. They made not a trade of sin, as of David, of whom it is said, That David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah. And Zacchaeus, no sooner called by Christ, but left his former course. And great reason: for every true penitent is partaker of Christ's death, and the power of the same, which causeth him that he is now become dead unto sin: and withal hath y ^e spirit of God dwelling in him, whose proper work is to purify the heart, and not to suffer any • ilthinesse to remain where it • oth lodge.

And thus we have seen the • arts of true repentance, and wherein it doth consist: We • re now to speak of the necessi • ie of the same.

The necessity of this duty • ppeares by that speech of our • auiour, Except ye repent ye shall 〈◊〉 perish. And the words are there • ice repeated, to show the cer •• intie of it. And again, If ye will •• t return but continue still in your • s, I will visit you saith the Lord, •• d be avenged on you. Many are pathetical exhortations, in the •• ripture to this purpose, to ex • rt men to repentance. O Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved. And Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart and a new Spirit. And again, Let us search and try our ways, and turn unto the Lord. This is that loving admonition, Christ gives unto the Church of Eph • sus who had lost their first love, she should Remember from whence she: was fallen, and repent. The • and infinite places more do suf •• ciently declare the necessity • Repentance, Seeing without we cannot be saved.

Yea all our Sacrifices and Se • uices that we offer up unto Go • whether it be to hear the wor • to receive this Sacrament, • pray &c. Without repentan • are nothing worth. Faith an • Repentance, makes all our service • o God to be accepted: and that • his may the more evidently ap • ear, consider what the Lord • ayth by his Prophet Isaiah: When you come to appear before me, who hath required this at your • ands, to tread in my courts? Bring • o moe oblations in vain; Incense 〈◊〉 abomination unto me, I cannot • uffer your new Moons, nor Sab • oths, nor Solemn days, nor Assem • lies: And when ye stretch out your • ands, I will hide my eyes from you; • nd though you make many prayers, will not hear. These are fearful • hreatnings that the Lord de • ounceth against the Jews his • wne people: But would we • now the cause of all? the Lord • eclares the same in the very next • ords following: Because your • ands are full of blood. They came in their old sins, without Repentance, and thought that so long as they offered up their sacrifices, all was well, God could not choose but accept of them. But the Lord regarded not the sacrifices of his own worship and service, when men did not perform them in an holy manner, in Faith and Repentance. And therefore the Lord exhorts them thus: Wash you, make you clean, take away the evil of your works from before mine eyes: Cease to do evil, learn to do well. &c. This were the way to have their Sacrifices accepted, to break off their sins by repentance, without which the Lord accepteth of nothing that we do. The truth is further manifested by the same prophet, where he saith, that H • that killeth a Bullock, is as if he slew • man: He that sacrificeth a sheep, • as if he cut off a dogs neck: He • hat offereth an oblation, as if he of • ered swine's flesh. Now what is the • eason of this? did not the Lord • equire these things at the peo • les hand? did not his worship • nd service consist in them? I • nswer yes. Yet for all that, these • hings were abomination unto • he Lord: For in every duty • ere is the Matter, and the Man • er; the Lord never regards the • atter of his service, if men fail 〈◊〉 the Manner, if they do not • erforme the same in Faith, Re • entance and Obedience. And • herefore the Lord lays down • e reason why their Sacrifices • ere rejected, viz. Because their • ule delighted in their abhominati • . They came unto them in • eir sins, which caused the Lord to hate both them & their Sacrifice.

[Use 1] This serves to put the Ministers of the word in mind of their duty, what doctrine it is that in a special manner they are to teach, and to urge upon the consciences of the people; even the doctrine of the law in the first place, and in a special manner; that so men may be brought unto a sight of their sins, and repentance for the same.

And surely, in our days and times, there is more need of the Sons of Thunder then of Consolation, inasmuch as sin doth abound in every place and congregation, and that here be so few that come truly to the sigh • of the same.

[Use 2] Oh then in the fear of God let us try and examine our selve • • eriously in this one point espe • ially, whether we find our harts • o be broken and wounded in us • or sin, for the evils of our life • ast, desiring to walk more holy • y for the time to come. For this 〈◊〉 the end wherefore we come to • his Supper of the Lord, that we • ight be strengthened against •• nne, and be knit unto Christ, • nd so receive the power of his • eath to kill sin in us, and • ight have more power to • ease God.

So that we must try our Re • entance, how we find and feel • ur hearts humbled for our ma • ifold sins and offenses come • itted; whether we be grieved 〈◊〉 our souls, for offending so • ood and gracious a God; whe •• er we come to this Sacrament • ith a hatred and detestation of all our former evil ways, and with a constant purpose, to walk in new Obedience, in all things purposing to please him.

And when we have partaked of this Sacrament, we must then examine our hearts, and see how we prevail against our corruptions. So that though we have repentance before, yet now we must renew our Repentance, and labor to find more powe • and strength against sin the • before.

But if we come in our old • sins, in our ignorance, blindness, hardness of heart, profaneness, lying, swearing, uncleanness, &c. it were better tha • we never came at all, we canno • look ever to reap any benefi • by this holy ordinance of God but instead of a blessing, shall be sure to draw down from GOD some heavy judgment. Let us not then come in our old sins, as Judas in his hypocrisy, least we reap the reward of Judas.

The Jews had four days to • o prepare themselves, and they must eat the Passover with vn • eauened bread and sower herbs, • y which Ceremony they were • aught to come in Repentance, • ith harts grieved for sin, and • o prepare themselves for so • reat a mystery. And the Apostle • xhorteth unto this duty, when • e saith: Purge out the old leaven, • at ye may be a new lump: for Christ • ur Passover is sacrificed for us.

And thus much for the third • art of our examination, viz. Re • entance.

The fourth Interrogatory in this our examination is for our love to man, or reconciliation to our brethren. This virtue, as it is necessary at all times, so especially at this time, when we come to partake of this Sacrament, which is a Supper of love. This is as needful and necessary to the due receiving of this sacrament as the former: For wha • were our knowledge, if we ha • the same in never so great a measure, what were our faith, or repentance, if love to our brethre • be wanting, we may well call th • truth of them all into question, i • we find not our selves ready an • willing to remit and forgive o • brethren their injuries and trespasses committed against us.

This Sacrament is called th • Communion, to teach us this duty how we ought to come unto the same in love, we have one God, one Mediator, and redeemer, one Spirit, one mother the church of God, we be all members of one, and the same mystical body, and therefore when we come to this Supper we should come in love.

That which our Savior saith of Sacrifices, may very well be said of this Sacrament. When • hou comest to the Alter, and • here rememberest that thy brother • ath ought against thee. First be • econciled to thy brother, and then • ome and offer thy gift. There must be first reconciliatiō to our brethren, before the Lord will • ccept of our Sacrifice or Ser • ice. Nay more, the Lord will • aue his own service and wor • hip to cease for a time, till • his reconciliation be performed. I will have mercy, and not Sacrifice, saith the Lord: meaning indeed, that men can never perform aright the duties of the first Table, where they make no conscience of the duties of the second, Love, and services to man.

And hence it is that our Savior doth most diligently exhort his Disciples and in them all Christians unto this duty, saying: By this shall all men know that you are my Disciples, if ye love one another. And again, This is my commandment that ye love one another. Our Savior makes this love a badge or cognizance by the which we are known to be his Disciples, this assures us ••• t we are God's children, and that we are translated from death to life. And, Heereby we know that God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfect in us. And Paul most earnestly exhorteth unto this duty, when he saith, as the elect of God, holy & beloved, put on tender mercy, kindness humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, forgiving one another, If any man have a Quarrell to another: Even as Christ forgave you, even so do eye, And above all things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. Where the holy Ghost doth require us, that we would make it manifest to our selves & others, • hat we are the elect of God, and • hat the love of God is shed into our hearts, that we have tasted of the Lord's mercy towards our own Souls in particular, for the pardon of our sins. Which we • hall do by showing our selves • eady and willing to forgive others, as we have found the Lord both ready and willing to forgive us.

And to this end hath the Lord ordained this Sacrament of his Supper, that it might be a feast of love, and a band or chain to knit us fast one unto another. Wherefore not unfitly is this Sacrament called the Communion, to show that there would be a holy and blessed agreement amongst those that come thereunto y ^t they come in love, with one heart & mind, even as one man, as the Apostle teacheth. We that are many are one bread & one body, because we are all partakers of one bread.

And to provoke us unto this duty, consider.

[unspec 1] First it is God's commandment that we should love one another; This is his commandment, that we should love one another.

[unspec 2] Secondly, it is a mark or cognizance by the which we are known to be Christ's Disciples: By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples, if ye love one another.

[unspec 3] Thirdly, we come all to one Table, drink of the same Cup, eat of the same bread, and so profess the communion of Saints to be amongst us.

[unspec 4] Fourthly, It is a certain mark • nd most evident sign, that we are translated from darkness unto light, from death unto • ife, even our love to the brethren.

[unspec 5] And last of all, this is that grace that seasons all other the gifts • nd graces of God. And as Joseph's brethren were welcome for Benjamin's sake, even so are all duties accepted for Loves sake, otherwise what will it profit a man to hear, to read, to pray, receive the Sacrament, &c: yea though he should give his body to the fire, that it burned, and had not love, it should profit him nothing.

[Use. 1] Seeing then that love, is so excellent a gift & grace of God, as that it ministereth unto us the certain assurance of our election, that we are the Sons of God, that it is it, that seasons all our actions in God's service, and makes all duties accepted to God or man. Oh how should this cause us to labor for this excellent grace, that we Put on tender mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long Suffering &c, and above all things Love, the bond of perfection, otherwise we • ot expect any fruit or comfort • n the use of this Sacrament, or • ny other the ordinance of God.

[Use. 2] Secondly, Seeing love and Charity with man, is so neces •• ry to the due receiving of this • acrament. This may serve to • eproue those that are grown • uen rusty, with rancor and ma • ce towards their brethren, that • ache every small occasion or • espasse, occasion sufficient of • llings out amongst them, such • en deceive themselves, and •• eir own Souls, if they look • r any benefit or comfort in this • acrament.

[Object.] Object▪ I did him no wrong, • e wronged me, and if he would • me and confess his fault, I •• old forgive him, but I will • uer seek unto him. But mark this is the flesh and the Devil, and as yet thou hast taken counsel of none but them, [Answ.] Christ will teach thee another lesson. If thou remember that thy brother hath ought against thee &c. stand not upon such terms but go thou to him, look not for him to come to thee first, and seek reconciliation with him, hereby thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.

Otherwise with what heart cans • thou pray, forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass • against us. Doest thou not pray the Lord to hasten thy destruction, and no way to forgive thee in as much as thy heart is shut up against thy brother? whereas in deed we are taught to love ou • very enemies, after the Exampl • of Christ, who prayed for h •• Enemies, thus unto his Father. Father forgive them they wot not what they do. And that of Stephen, Lord lay not this sin to their charge. Oh this, this is the truth, let us then acknowledge it. And this is the way, let us then walk in it, otherwise let us not look • o reap peace unto our Souls, • or comfort by any of God's ordinances.

And thus (Beloved) you have • cene the necessity of a Christi • n man's preparation, before he • omes to this holy Sacrament. You have seen again • he Subject of it, not another, • ut a man's self. And last of all, • ou have seen wherein this du • y doth consist.

Now if we find our selves • urnished with some competent • easure of Knowledge, Faith, Repentance, and Love, as you have heard, all which are required to the due receiving of this Sacrament, we may then with comfort come unto it. And howsoever these graces be in us but in part, and in much weakness, yet if we be humbled for our wants, and desire to increase in our Knowledge, to be strengthened in our Faith, to be bettered in our Repentance, &c. Here we are called to the living Fountain, from whence we may look to have supply made unto all our wants. But if on the contrary part, upon examination, we find our selves altogether ignorant of God, and his Son Christ, and the means of our redemption, that we have not our harts truly touched with our sins and that we are not at peace with men, better not come; for this were but to abuse so holy an ordinance, to mock God to his face, and to stir him up to wrath against us. And by this that hath been said, it may appear that few come worthily, and prepared as they ought, but ignorantly, and for custom sake, to the great dishonor of God, and abuse of so holy an ordinance.

And thus much concerning the preparation that is to be made by every faithful communicant: the participation follows, which we refer to another time.

The Third Sermon.

W Hen we have Examined our souls, and prepared our harts, and bring the true Wedding garment of Knowledge, Faith, Repentance, and Love: then we are to come to this holy banquet and feast of our souls.

And so let him eat of that bread, and drink, &c.

Here we have the act of Receiuing to be performed by the true Communicant, his taking and receiving of the Bread, and the Wine.

In which action we note

• 1. The Duty it self, Eate, Drink.
• 2. The Qualification of the person, implied in this word, So.
• 3. What he must Eate and Drink; This Bread, Of this Cup.

And first, for the duty it self: As before he was enjoined to examine himself: So here by no • esse straight an injunction to Eate, and to Drink. The Doctrine is,

[Doct. 1] That it is not left to our • hoyce, whether we will come to • his Sacrament, or not, to receive • t, or not to receive it; but it is the will of God, and his commandment, that we should come unto it as often as conveniently we may. And so let him Eat, &c. This is not a bare permission, but rather a precept, and binds all unto obedience thereunto: And therefore as it is our duty to hear the Word, to pray, to sanctify the Lord's Sabbaths, &c. because the Lord hath so commanded; even so hath the Lord commanded us this duty likewise, to come and partake of this holy Sacrament. And the necessity of this will appear, if we do but consider, how straightly the Lord enjoined the people of the Jews the observation of the types of both the Sacraments. Such as was Circumcision under the Law, when the Lord commanded the uncircumcised Man-child (that was not circumcised according to the ordinance of the Lord) to be cut off from his people, as one that had broken the Covenant. And so for the Passover, he that did not keep it solemnly, according to the law was to be cut off from God's people: now then, if it hold so in the ceremony, then how much more in the Substance? But the Reasons that follow, will show the necessity of the same more clear • y.

[Reason 1] First, the receiving of this Sa • rament in a holy manner, is a • rincipall part of God's worship • nd service, which every Christi • n is bound to perform. Now • he Lord will be served accor • ing to his will prescribed in his Word. It resteth not in man to • rescribe or appoint, but to re • aine and embrace that which is taught by him. For in vain do they worship me, teaching for Doctrine, men precepts.

Now one principal part of his worship consists in the due receiving of this sacrament, and therefore in obedience to so holy an ordinance of God, men must come thereunto.

[Reason. 2] Secondly, it is an holy help and means to increase grace, howsoever of it self, it cannot confer grace; for unto some, both the word and Sacraments are but the savor of death unto death. Yet notwithstanding, this Sacrament may truly be said to be a Conduit, to convey the grace of regeneration and remission of sins unto the true believer: Even as the Princes Letters are said to save the life of a malefactor, whereas indeed, they do but signify the Princes pleasure that he shall be saved. And • he Lord working grace in the hearts of his servants, hath • n his wisdom appointed the • ord, Sacraments, prayer &c. to • e the means for the effecting of • he same.

[Reason. 3] Thirdly, this Sacrament is a • onfirmation of our covenant, • nd serves to be a seal of the • ame, between God and us, that • e will be our God, and we will • ecome his people, by the which • s by a most sure and certain • ledge given on God's part, and • eceiued on ours, God of his • reat mercy, doth as it were •• nd himself to us by an euerlast • g decree to be our God, and • ee again bind our selves vn •• him to remain his people, • nd to keep a constant course of obedience before him.

[Use. 1] And surely this condemns those as do wittingly and willfully abstain from the Lord's Supper. As many do offend in coming unworthily and unprepared, so many offend in coming not at all, when occasion & opportunity is offered unto them to come. Doth not the practice of such men beray that they do lightly esteem of God's ordinance. If the King or some other great parsonage, should have granted unto a man the lease of some goodly Manor upon very reasonable conditions, and appoint a day to seal the writings, who would not give attendance, or rather what great ingratitude, were it for a man not to come at the time appointed, but • ilfully to refuse and contemn 〈◊〉 friendly an offer. Oh beloved, • he Lord of heaven and earth, he • ath promised to give unto us Christ and with him all things▪ Hea • en, eternal life, and the saluati • n of our Souls. The very day • nd time of the Administration • f this Sacrament of the Lord's • upper, what is it but the sea • ng day wherein the Lord offers • o confirm his grant unto us, • nd to stablish that his covenant, • hat ingratitude then shall we • e guilty off, if we neglect so • reat salvation.

And surely this Sin of will • ll refusing or abstaining from • e Lord's Table is not all one, • ut it hath many other sins at • nding upon it, and accompa • ying it.

First such men as do willfully abstain and absent themselves, do contemn and despise the commandment of Christ himself, who hath commanded all to do this. To examine, to take, and t • [unspec 1] eat. Now to rebel against God & Christ, is no small sin, Since herein they cannot but declare what a light esteem they hau • of the covenant, God hath mad • with them, & the seal of y ^e same

[unspec 2] Secondly, such make light account and despise the memor • of the blessed death and passio • of Jesus Christ, which he s • straightly commanded us to keep in memory, as wherei • we shall show forth his death v • till his coming again. For so often • as ye shall eat this bread, and drink • this cup, ye show the Lord's death t • he come.

[unspec 3] Thirdly, this willful con • empt in any, doth manifestly • eclare the great unthankfull • esse of such unto God. Who • great measure and deep come • assion towards our poor souls • oth afford us such props and • ayes, to support our weak • ith, as this Sacrament is. For • ch is our weakness while we • e here, even when we have • ained unto the greatest mea • re of grace, and assurance of • r Salvation, that we stand in • ede daily of the word and Sa ••• ments, as to beget, so to con • me and strengthen us in the • ce received: And therefore 〈◊〉 neglect the same, when the • rd doth offer it unto us, doth •• nifestly declare great ingrati • e against God.

[unspec 4] Fourthly, such be guilty of 〈◊〉 contempt of the price of their redemption even the most precious body and blood of Christ, which is offered in this sacrament unto every true believer. This is my body, which is give • for you &c: And the very food of their souls, men so loath, & so lightly regard.

[unspec 5] Fifthly, such men beray their infidelity, & do no less then temp • God as Ahaz did, which refused y ^e sign, the Lord offered vnt • him, & said, I will not ask a sig • nor tempt the Lord. But because • he asked not a sign, therefore h • did tempt the Lord, & what is i • else, but a tempting of God, for • man to neglect the means appointed of God, & make trya • whether he will save him without y ^e means or not. We kno • y ^t the word, and Sacraments, a • y ^e means appointed of God, n • only to beget faith and other graces, in y ^e harts of his children, but are means likewise ordained of God, to help y ^e weakness of our faith, and to neglect or lightly to esteem of these, doth manifestly declare y ^t such men have either no faith, or that they • egard not the increase or con • irmation of the same.

[unspec 6] And lastly such as willingly • nd willfully refuse to come, de • pise the communion of Saints, • nd the fellowship of the Church • nd people of God, and hereby • ut themselves off from Christ • nd his Church. For this Sacra • ent is the Communion of the • ody and blood of Christ, from • e which they cut and sever •• emselues, us unworthy.

And thus you have seen how • any sins such men are guilty of, as neglect the due receiving of this holy Sacrament, which must be duly considered of us, least by the heaping up of these sins now, one upon the neck of another, we bring upon our own heads swift damnation.

Now because there is none that either refuseth or neglecteth duly to come to this holy ordinance of God: But have some excuses for themselves, I desir • therefore briefly to remou • some of the chiefest of them, an • so come to the further uses to b • made of this point.

Objections answered.

This first and most common excuse, men have for themselue • is they are not prepared, & the know that it is a dangero •• thing to come unprepared, succate and drink their own damnation.

[Answ.] I answer, that this objection doth certainly bewray great impiety in the heart of such a one: What, art thou not prepared, and therefore wilt not come? What is this but to pay one debt by another, and to add unto such men's sins, and to make them • xceeding sinful. For know O • hou vain man, that it is thy sin • o neglect to come to the Lord's Table, when occasion is offered • nto thee from the Lord, and • hou hast aggravated thy sin, 〈◊〉 that thou art not prepared to • ome unto it. What do such men • at glory in their own shame? • ur life should be a continual • eparation, and setting of our • ues in order for every Christi • duty, yea such as our daily •• crifice is to be offered up unto • od. And Christians are commanded to be watchful, that so we may be always ready, ever expsecting the coming of the bridegroom. And therefore away with such excuses, which are but demonstrations of a graceless heart, & no better then Fig leaves, that shall never hide thy nakedness from the eyes of the almighty: But the Lord one day will make it an argument against the • that thy condemnation is mos • just, and out of thy own mout • will condemn thee.

[Object. 2] Secondly, others think the have better ground for their abstinence, some business or oath • that is in hand that must be se • unto, like unto those in the go • pel; one that must be excused b • cause he had bought a farm, • nother five yoke of Oxen, a thi • that had married a wife, a • therefore could not come, these have some journey to ride, or one trivial business or other, that is matter sufficient to keep them from the Lord's Table.

[Answ.] Unto such kind of men I will say with Christ: What shall it profit a man to win the whole world, and to lose his own Soul? Is not thy Soul more precious unto thee then thy body? and y ^e welfare of the one to be preferred before the welfare of y ^e other, since the loss of thy Soul, a whole world cannot recompense: make not light account then of y ^e Lord's gracious cal, neither belike those profane Gadarenes, to prefer thy Swine before Christ I mean, the world before thy salvation.

[Object. 3] Other there be that allege for themselves, or rather indeed against themselves, y ^t they are not in charity, and therefore they dare not come: Do you not know, and have you not taught us that we must come in love, otherwise we cannot receive the sacrament worthily; Now such a one and myself, we are not friends, and he hath so wronged me, that I can never put it up.

[Answ.] Oh how do such men bewray both their impiety and hypocrisy! Dare you not come? Dare you pretend Religion and conscience in abstaining, especially upon this ground, that you are not in Charity? Whose fault is it that thou art not in charity • thy own. Art thou not required to forgive thy brother his trespasses, and to go and be reconciled to thy brother? yea though he hath trespassed against thee, and injured thee. Religion and Christianity doth teach the professors thereof to seek reconciliation with their brethren. But of this before in the duty.

Many more are the objections of wicked men, which when they come to be weighed in the weightes of the Sanctuary, will prove to light, and manifestly declare the want of grace in the soul: For where there is true Sanctification in the heart of any, such a one is ever conscionable • n the use of such means as are • ppoynted of GOD, for the increase of grace: Amongst which • he reverent use of this Sacrament is not the least.

There are other objections, • hat are of another nature, made • y weak Christians, who are • uch discoraged in themselves: • nd object against themselves as followeth.

[Object. 4] First, they say they are so far from loathing this Sacrament, as that they long after it, but now their wants are so many, and their infirmities are so great, their faith so weak, repentance so small as that they are afraid to come.

[Answ.] Unto such a one I say with the Disciple to blind Bartimaeus, Behold, Christ calleth thee. Such are fit patients for Christ the spiritual Physician to work on. If this complaint or the like, proceed from an inward feeling of their wants, and from a heart truly humbled for them, having in them a hungering and thirsty desire after Christ and his righteousness, Surely such a one is not far from the kingdom of Heaven. And therefore, for the endless comfort and consolation of such that are thus humbled and dejected through the conscience of their own wants: Consider

[unspec 1] First, that the feeling of the want of grace, with grief for the same, is grace itself, for the graceless and faithless do seldom or never find any such defects in them.

[unspec 2] Secondly, Christ inviteth such poor souls unto him, saying: Come unto me &c.

[unspec 3] Thirdly, that Christ pronounceth such to be blessed, that do • ut hunger and thirst after righ • eousnesse, and hath said, that he • il not break the bruised reed, nor • uench the smoking flax.

[unspec 4] Fourthly, that the Lord doth • ore regard the truth of grace, y ^t • aboureth after perfection, then • he measure of it, as that gift that was so highly commended by our Savior in the poor widow.

[unspec 5] And last of all, that this Sacrament of Christ's Supper, was instituted and ordained for the weak, not for the strong, for the poor, not for the rich, & for the sick and broken hearted, and not for the whole.

Now then, what an absurdity were it for a man to refuse to eat, because he were hungry, and to refuse to drink, because he were thirsty. Do not then discourage thyself more then there is cause, but come, O come unto this heavenly banket & feast of thy soul, where thou hast a promise, that by the conscionable and holy use of this ordinance, thou shalt have thy faith strengthened, thy repentance increased, and all other graces of God confirmed in thee, to thy endless comfort.

[Object. 5] Some again object that the Jews received y ^e passover, but once in the year. In the fourth • eenth day of the first month at even, is the Lord's Passover. And y ^e passover we know was but a • ype of this Sacrament.

I answer, we now compare the • haddowe and the substance together in that particular where •• they are not to be come • ared. For touching this Sacrament of the Lord's Supper it is • is will, that it should be admi • istred and received often, for so • ith our Savior, So oft as ye shall • te of this bread &c, And as for • is Annual communicating, is • ow hatched in time of popery in • e infancy of the Church, and • y no means to be immitated • f us, that live now in the Sunshine of the Gospel.

But to leave these objections we come now to make some further use of the point.

[Use. 2] Seeing then we see the necessity of this duty, that it is not left as a thing arbitrary, to come or not to come, but it is rather a flat precept imposed upon all, To come and eat of this bread, and drink of this cup. Let this serve for our instruction y ^t we learn to make more conscience of this duty of coming to this Sacrament. If the Lord should require as our hands a thing that were hard and heavy, we ought with all cheerfulness to undergo it, and willingly to submit out selves unto it, in regard of his commandment. How be it, this the Lord requireth at our hands, is not hard, but easy, not an intolerable burden, but tha • which may delight the Soul of Christian. And therefore were shame not to do it. It was well • aid of Naaman's Servant to his Master. Master if the prophet had • id thee do some great thing, oughtest • ou not to have done it? how much • ore when he saith wash & be clean. • f Christ should have imposed • ppon us greater things then • hese, ought we not to do them, • ow much more, when he saith, • ache and eat. How will we drink cup of Martyrdom for Christ: • at will not drink the cup of • luation with Christ.

[Use. 3] And last of all this may serve • r matter of singular consolatiō • to the godly that make con • ience of this duty, that hunger • d thirst after this spiritual • nquet, more then their ap • ointed food: such may surely expect a blessing. Whatsoever thy wants are, y ^e Lord will cover them all. Do thou take the Lord's offer when he calls thee to his Table, and come with a certain expectation of good success, and see if the Lord do not open the windows of heaven upon thee, and rain upon thee abundantly the showers of his grace, and refresh thy hungry Soul, with good things.

And therefore in God's name le • this be an encouragement unto us, to Draw near unto God, seeing he will draw near unto us. And although we cannot prepare ou • selves as we would, Yet when we labor after holiness, and Sanctification of life, let us come and not be discouraged, the Lord will be merciful unto us, though we are not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctu • ry.

And thus much for the first • enerall circumstance of the Text, the duty Eate, Drink, we • ome now to the qualification • f the person •• .

And so let him Eate &c.

The qualification of the • erson, is employed in this word 〈◊〉 . Which hath reference to the •• rmer part of the verse, exami •• tion it self. The doctrine is • ear.

[Doct. 2] That after a man hath exami •• d himself as before, and finds •• mselfe in some measure fitted 〈◊〉 Knowledge, faith, Repentance, • d Love, then he may come, yea • s he alone, that hath warrant • come and none other, and is • e required to participate of • s holy ordinance. It is not sufficient that a man come to the Lord's Table, but that he S • come, that is in an holy manner unto such an holy ordinance.

At the Marriage banquet i • the Gospel, ma • were bid • to the feast, and many came, bu • that was not all. If there be bu • one in the company, that come without the wedding garment, b • is discovered, and it was not h • being present at the feast, th • would serve his turn, but in a much as he was not perpar • and fitted thereunto, he is th • sentenced, to be bound hand, 〈◊〉 foot, and to be cast into utter dar • nesse. Judas received this Sacr • meant as well as Peter, from 〈◊〉 blessed hand of Christ: yet b • cause he was not prepared th • unto, it proved his bane, 〈◊〉 gave Satan the more aduan • age, even for the abuse of so ho • y an ordinance, to enter into Judas. The foolish Virgins seemed • o expect the Brid-gromes coming, but in as much as their Oil was spent and their Lamps gone • ut, they were taken vnprepa • ed, and so forever shut out of • he Marriage chamber, and the Bride-gromes presence. These • nd the like examples, whereof • he Scriptures are full, they all • erue as a cloud of witnesses, to • onfirme unto us the undoubted • ruth of this doctrine, that it is • ot sufficient y ^t a man come unto • his Sacrament of Christ's Sup • er, and so join with the rest of God's people in receiving of the •• me, but he must So come, y ^t is •• ted and prepared by a godly • xamination as before.

The reasons follow.

[Reason. 1] First, it is God's commandment as to come, so to come worthyly and prep • red, without which preparation better never come. For we shall but offer th • Sacrifice of fools, Which is abomination unto the Lord. And a • our hearing, praying, receiving▪ &c: When we come unto them for custom sake and fashion sake not in a holy manner, in faith▪ repentance, and obedience, ar • so far from pleasing God, a • that they rather provoke hi • Majesty and stir him up to wrath against us.

[Reason. 2] Secondly, such a one as come prepared as he ought, may safely expect a blessing from God, wh • hath promised to add a blessing to all that come prepared unto his ordinances, and hath said, h • will be found of all them that seek him, in the conscionable use of those means he hath appointed.

[Reason. 3] Thirdly, as it were a sin for a man to receive unprepared, so were it no less a sin for a man to be prepared, and not to receive, for his preparation otherwise were to little purpose.

[Use 1] Seeing then y ^t it is not enough for a man to come, unless he come prepared: Oh how should this humble everyone of us, that have many times come and partaked of this royal feast and supper of the Lord, without our wedding garment; many a time have we received this Sacrament, when we made little or no preparation vn • o it: and this was our case before our calling, in the time of our vn • egeneracy, howsoever it hath fa • ed with us since. And surely it was God's wonderful mercy unto us then, that we were not destroyed for abusing so holy an ordinance, and his gracious & glorious presence therein. And now (my brethren) albeit we have escaped our deserved judgment, which the Lord might then have most justly inflicted upon us, yet now should we judge our selves worthy, then to have been destroyed, and labor to be humbled for our old sins, least they bring upon us new judgments.

[Use 2] Secondly, this may serve for matter of terror unto all wicked and ungodly men, that make no conscience of this duty, who either seldom or never come to this holy ordinance of God, or if they come, come altogether unprepared. What though the Lord in this Sacrament do offer unto them his own Son, and the benefits of his passion, remission of sins, redemption, his Spirit, and Kingdom. They prefer their sins before these, and by no means will be brought to part with them, but have their appetites so taken up with earthly things, that they have no mind at all, or appetite to spiritual things. Oh, the case of such men is most miserable and fearful. How just shall their condemnation one day be, when the Lord shall enter into judgment with them for neglecting so great Salvation.

[Use 3] Thirdly and lastly, this may minister matter of singular joy and consolation unto the godly, that labor to prepare themselves, and seek to put away their sins by godly sorrow. Though this man cannot be so fitted and prepared as he desires, he may not be discouraged, but draw near unto God in his ordinance, who will accept of the poor desires of his servants, and hath invited such hungry and thirsty souls to come unto him, and hath promised to satisfy them: but of this before.

Now because the heart of man is deceitful above all things, and we are ready to deceive our selves herein, I shall very shortly propound such degrees of grace, as are in some measure found in those whose hearts are at all seasoned with grace: and without which no man, can come unto this Sacrament with comfort, or expect any blessing from God.

First, they must see their wants, this is required in everyone, to have their vnderstādings enlightened, by the which they come • o see what God requireth, and how far short they come of that obedience the Lord requires at • heir hands; and this is indeed 〈◊〉 first step to true repentance and • ound conversion, to attain to • he sight of our own wandering, • nd is one of the smallest degrees • f grace that can be in any. And • ecause that wicked men and hy • ocrites may attain unto this, • hat shall never be saved, unto • his more must be added.

And in the second place, this • an must be humbled for his • ants, and not please himself in •• em. And this is it, as I take it, y ^t •• ts the difference between the • oddly Christian and the Hypocrite, though both see and discern sin in them, yet both doth not dislike sin, because it is sin, and offends the Majesty of God. There is ever in the heart of an hypocrite some secret sin or other y ^e which howsoever in his judgment he knoweth to be a sin, yet in his affection he could wish it were no sin, that so he might live in the same without controlment, for this appears by his often relapse into the same sin, whe • as y ^e child of God is content tha • the sacrificing knife of the Law, should be applied to the throat o • every sin, even to his darling and beloved sin, that so he might no • offend so good & loving a fathe •

Thirdly, he is earnest with Go • to pray for pardon, not resting in the former degrees of grace, to see sin, and to be grieved for it but making conscience of all holy means by the which he may obtain deliverance. And because it is God alone that is offended, and his most righteous laws violated, unto God goes he, and desires as earnestly that God would cure his corrupt nature for the time to come, as to pardon his sins that are past in his life: And O Lord thinks he, that I could be more holy, and less sinful; and it is the on • y grief of his heart, that he cannot master his corruptions as he • hold, and as he would.

Fourthly, he resolves heereaf • er to come more prepared; as to • ee and acknowledge his want of due preparation, with grief of heart for the same: So there is a • esolute purpose in his soul, in all things to please God, and for the time to come, to walk in new obedience. These are the least degrees of grace, and in some measure are to be found in the weakest Christian, and in him whose heart is truly seasoned with grace: as for others, they are able to practice more excellent degrees of Mortification and Sanctification.

[Doct. 3] And So let him Eat, &c: That is, being fitted and prepared as before. We may yet observe one note of instruction further. That Circumstances in God's service are to be observed, and good things must be done in a good Manner. This is in effect the same that was handled in the former doctrine; I shall handle the same so much the more briefly.

The Manner as the Matter of God's service is to be looked after, • nd hence is it, that many men • auing performed the outward work of some commendable duty, and failing in the circum • tance of the manner of performing of it, have mard all.

The people of the Jews per • ormed many things in them • elues commendable, yet have • ng their failings in some perti • ulars, the Lord did abhor both • hem and their services, & hence • s it that David giving direction • nto Solomon his son, touching God's worship. Doth prescribe • s y ^e matter, so the circumstances • hat belong unto it, how and • fter what manner he should • erue the Lord. And thou Solomon • y son, know thou the God of thy • ather, and serve him with a perfect • eart, and with a willing mind &c And the same doth Solomon again in his time give touching God's worship, When thou goest into the house of God, take heed to thy feet. How is this thing urged in all the Epistles of the Apostles, that men should regard circumstance in the Act of God's worship, and the manner how they perform it, as the matter, as: The Lord loveth a cheerful giver. So run ye that ye may obtain, and So speak ye, and so do ye, as they that shall be judged by the perfect law of liberty. These present texts of Scripture, and the like, whereof the Scriptures are full, they all serve to confirm unto us the undoubted truth of this doctrine, that circumstances are to be regarded in God's service, and men must regard the manner, as the matter in the true performance of the same.

[Reason. 1] And great reason, for the Lord that hath commanded the one, hath commanded the other, and we have a commandment for circumstance, as well as for substance, and God looks that his work should be well performed, as performed.

[Reason. 2] Secondly, Circumstances of actions may overthrow an action: Give me children (saith Rachel) or else I die. A speech proceeding from a Spirit very impatient of delay. That notwithstanding, the desire it self was not unlawful, yet her manner spoiled the matter; and so in the • andling of the word of God, when men shall leave the foun • aine, the pure word of life, and • tuffe their Sermons with philo • ophy, and the vain fantacies of man's brain, and so in prayer, when men will seem, to Drawe near unto God with their lips, when their hearts are far from him. And to give Alms pharisayical-like to be seen of men, circumstances make or mar all.

[Reason. 3] Thirdly and lastely, God is a Spirit, and he that will worship him, must worship him in Spirit and truth. It is not shows and shadows that will serve his turn, make we never so glorious a show, if we give not the Lord our hearts, all is nothing worth. So then, whether we consider, that God hath commanded the manner, as the matter, that circumstance of an action, may overthrow an action, or that God being a Spirit must be worshipped spiritually, we conclude y ^e circumstancs in God's service, must be regarded of us, that so holy duties may be performed holily.

[Use. 1] And surely this serves in the first place, to reprove such as stand upon the work-done, not regarding any circumstance, or the manner of doing it. How many have we in every congregation, who think they can say enough for themselves, that they they have been at the Church upon y ^e Sabbath, & if they have offered their, there presence once or twice upon that day, God • s much beholden unto them, & • hey have done enough, yea, as much as any, or as the Lord doth require. And so if once or twice • t the most in the whole year, • hey partake of this Sacrament, what would we more? although (poor Souls) in the mean • ime they have but offered the Sacrifice of Fools, and the Lord one day will say unto such, Who hath required these things at your hands? yet herein they think they highly honor God, never regarding how or after what manner they come thereunto.

[Use. 2] Seccondly, this may serve for our instruction, to teach us to learn what circumstances are required in every duty, and how and after what manner we should perform the same, both in public and private, the hearing of the word, receiving of this Sacrament, Prayer, Singing o • Psalms, &c, that so performing them aright both for matter and manner, or at the least so indeuoring, we may bring some glory unto God, and peace and comfort unto our own Souls, th • which we shall never do, so long • s we rest contented with the outward matter of God's service: • nd look not after the right • anner of our performing of • he same, but of this before.

And thus much for the Qua •• fication, of the person that • ust communicate. We come • ow to the third and last cir •• mstance, what he must Eate, •• d Drink: Of this Bread: of this • up.

And so let him eat of this Bread, • d drink of this Cup.

the handling of • is point we are to serve two things.

• 1. What it is to Eate and Drink.
• 2. What we Eate and Drink.

For the first, we must know • t there is a twofold Eating • nally, and Spiritually

The first is an outward partaking of the outward sign of Bread & Wine carnally, which indeed a wicked man may do which doth reap no benef •• nor comfort thereby, as Judah • did, and as all wicked and impenitent persons that live in thei • sins, and want Faith, the han • of the Soul (whereby the true • believer doth lay hold vpo • Christ) do at this day.

The second, is spiritual an • mystical, and that is by faith i • wardly to feed upon the bod • and blood of Christ. And 〈◊〉 much importeth those words 〈◊〉 our Savior. I am the bread of li • he that cometh to me shall ne • hunger. And he that believe on me shall never thirst. And th • to feed on Christ, is to belee • in Christ. And it is an action the Soul, when as we do by faith apply Jesus Christ his death and passion unto our own souls in particular, believing that he died for our sins, and rose again for our justification: According to that of John: As many as received him, to them he gave prerogative to • e the Sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. So then, • o feed on Christ is to believe in Christ.

And indeed, Christ attribueth the same fruit and effect to • hem that believe in him, that • e doth to them that eat his bo • y and drink his blood, to teach • s, that by eating and drinking, • e meaneth nothing but belee • ng. And to this end, to con • me us herein, compare these • criptures together▪ He that ea • th my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life. And This is the will of my Father, that everyone that believeth in the Son, should have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Whereby it appears, how Christ doeth attribute that to believing, he doeth to eating and drinking.

And hence it is that under the Law, before Christ came in the flesh, it is said, that the Fathers did Eate the same spiritual meat, and drink the same spiritual drink the Corinthians did, and other Christians that lived under the Gospel. And how could this be, but only by faith, resting upon the promises of Christ's coming, that it was he alone tha • should take away the sins o • the Worlde. And thus did the believing thief upon the cross • hough he did never receive this • acrament, eat the body, and • rinke the blood of Christ to e •• rnall life.

[Object.] If to believe is to eat Christ, 〈◊〉 what ende then serves the • se of the Sacraments in the Church?

[Answ.] They still retain their use, •• d are most holy and excellent • rdinances of God, to be used of 〈◊〉 for our benefit and comfort: •• d serve, as for the begetting of • ith, and other the graces of • od in us; so for the confir • ation and strengthening of the • me.

Now who hath that grace of • od so firm and perfect in him • ut stands in need of help day • , and of the further confirma • on of the same. Loe this is one 〈◊〉 y ^e most excellentest ordinance of God, that he hath sanctified to the same end, which in all holy obedience we are bound to use, as a thing most necessary while we live here. So then, the point of Instruction is: That

[Doct. 4] The faithful only feeede on Christ in this Sacrament, As a man coming to a feast being hungry, is assured there to be refreshed and strengthened, so the true believer, that hungers and thirsts after righteousness, is sur • here to be satisfied. And indeed • inasmuch as the fruit and benefit thereof doth appertain unto a spiritual and eternal life, wicked men cannot thus partake o • Christ in this Sacrament. The • want a hand to lay hold o • Christ, a mouth to receive Chris • a stomach to digest Christ, a •• can only ta •• of the outward el • ments of Bread and Wine, to the preservation of a temporal life: but can in no wise so partake of them, as they may serve for the strengthening of their souls vn • o eternal life. For herein indeed, is that true which the holy Ghost speaks of the word prea • hed: That it profited not, because • t was not mixed with faith in them • hat heard it. So, even so may it be • aid of this Sacrament, that it • rofiteth not, because it is not • ixed with faith in them that • eceiue it. But this point was suf • ciently declared in that part of • he communicants examination • hich shown the great necessity • f faith to the due receiving of his Sacrament. The uses follow.

[Use. 1] Seeing then that the faithful • nely feed on Christ, in this Sa • rament, we may hence learn, that all men do not receive alike: Some catch only the Shaddowe, some lay hold upon the Substance: Some feed on Christ, others feed only on the elements of Bread and Wine. Some are strengthened in the inward Man, and Christ doth dwell in their hearts by faith▪ Others again have but the body only refreshed, and their souls in the mean time, hunger-star • ued and ready to perish. Unto some this Sacrament is a sauou • of Life unto Life, unto others the woeful savor of Death unto Death: and eating the same unworthily, eat and drink Judgment unto themselves. And thi • is the condition of all such a • want faith.

[Use. 2] Secondly, seeing the faithful reap such benefit by the reverent use of this sacrament, to feed on Christ, and to be nourished unto eternal life. Whereas wicked men that want faith, reap no fruit or benefit by it But on the contrary, this Sacrament is as poison unto them, and proves the very bane of their Souls, so as they eat and drink their own damnation.

This shows what ought to be the care of every godly Pastor • nd faithful Minister, even to • arre from so sacred an Ordi • ance, all such as show themselves unfaithful, and impeni • ent, and in whose lives there ap • ears not the work of Sancti • ication, all are not indifferent • alike to be admitted for that • ere to make y ^e Church of Christ 〈◊〉 Stye of Swine: No, Holy things •• e not to be given to Dogs. A naked sword in the hand of a child or mad-man that cannot use it. Let discipline have her place, and wicked men as rotten members cut off, that so they may be brought to the sight of their sins, and repentance for the same, that the rest may fear, and so be preserved in sound doctrine, and holiness of life and conversation.

Oh, if Ministers would but consider of this, that in giving of these Seals to any, they do thu • much, as if they should say unto everyone whom they do admit; I as the Minister of Christ, and in hi • stead, do by these Seals assure thee that thou art the child of God, •• member of Christ, who is wholly thine, for thy eternal Salvation which to do to a lymb of Satha • how horrible a sin were it.

And for this cause it is well pro • ided in our Church in this and, that the Minister must not only examine such as he admitteth unto the Lord's Table, • ut also refuse such as he findeth • o be ignorant, and can give no • estimony of their faith, be out of charity, or any other ways • e notoriously wicked, and show • o token of repentance. These • nd such like, even by the order • f our Church ought to be de • arred & not suffered to partake • f the Lord's Supper. So y ^t , what Minister can admit such, but • ust incur God's heavy displea • ure, abuse his Sacred ordinance, • reeue God's faithful people, • ncourage others in sin, & make • imself guilty of other men's ini • uities, then the which, what can • e more fearful.

Furthermore Ministers must know that this Sacrament is the Lord's broad seal of eternal life. The keepers whereof are the Ministers of God. Now therefore as the Lord-keeper of the Kings broad seal is guilty of of great offense, if not of treason it self, that should give it without authority from his Majesty: How much more heinous is that Ministers sin, who shall give the seal of God's kingdom to such, as he is not able to justify it before God, that is fit for the same.

This I speak not as though I meant that any man can judge of the heart, for that is proper to the Lord. Only this I say, that God who hath made his Ministers keepers of his seal, hath plainly shown to whom they must deliver it, and hath put as it were a rule and measure into their hands to measure everyone by, that so they may know whom to allow, & whom to disallow.

[Use. 3] Thirdly and lastly, seeing that only y ^e faithful feed on Christ unto eternal life, and that to be • eeue in Christ, is to eat Christ. This may minister matter of singular comfort and consolation unto the Godly, in time of • ryall, tribulation, Sickness and • there adversity, to consider, • hat howsoever by sickness, per • ecution, imprisonment &c, they • ay be kept from partaking of • is holy banquet, they cannot • e kept from partaking of Christ • y faith, and howsoever they • ay be separated from the con • regation and society of the faithful, yet they have still a secret and sweet fellowship & society with Christ their head, who will accept of the will for the deed, and answer the desires of their Souls when they cannot come unto his ordinance, with a gracious supply of his own spirit.

Now as we have heard what it is to eat Christ, viz. to believe in Christ, and that it is a priuiledg that belongs only unto the faithful so to do.

So now we are to observe our spiritual union, which by this means we shall have with Christ.

For this word Eate and Drink serves to set out unto us our Spiritual union and communion that we have with Christ, being made now bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh. That as verily as we see and feel our bodies to be nourished and fed by the outward elements. So, even so undoubtedly are our souls likewise nourished & strengthened, by the body and blood of Jesus Christ, applied by Faith. So as y ^e true believer becomes now assured that Christ Jesus with all the merits of his death and passion, becomes to be his righteousness and obedience, and doth • ruly belong unto him, seeing Christ is his. Even as truly as Bread and Wine is turned into his substance, and becomes his, so Christ and his benefits becomes • is likewise. So that the Instruction [Doct. 5] that doth arise hence to the • ndlesse comfort of every true • eleeuer, is

That Christ Jesus in this Sa • rament of his Supper doth give unto the true believer, a sure possession of himself. And hereby we come to be engrafted into Christ, and to have a spiritual being in him.

So that as the spiritual eateing of Christ, consisteth in faith, by the which the true believer doth truly partake of Christ, so doth it in a consequent and effect of faith, which is our spiritual union and conjunction we have with Christ. And this the Apostle calleth a Great mistery. Speaking of Christ and his Church: for what union can be greater or stronger then that which is between the thing nourshing, and the thing nourished. The cup of blessing (saith Paul) which we bless▪ is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? And the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? And the Bread and wine, are not only pleadges of what shall be bestowed upon • s, but effectual means to con • err & exhibit the things promised unto us. Yet what can be • earer unto us then our Meat • nd Drink. We can have no • reater interest into anything • hen in our food, for that is part • f our selves, and turns into our • ery substance, and there is no •• e member of the body, but • ceiues life and strength from • what then can more lively ex • resse this union and coniuncti • n, y ^t we have with Christ, then • read and Wine, in this Sacra • ent doth.

• am not ignorant, how the spi • of God in the Scripture, doth • der diverse similitudes, labor • set out this our union and conjunction with Christ, as by the Similitude of a Marriage, the strongest conjunction tha • can be betwixt any. By a building, whereof Christ is the foundation. By a tree, whereof Chri • is the Roote, we the branches: Nay more, which is strange, the • is scarce two things in nature come to be made one: But th • spirit of God in someone plac • or other doth borrow a comparison from the same, to express • our union and communion tha • we have with Christ. But amongst all other things none ca • more lively set out the same vnt • us, then this Sacrament doth where Christ doth in a most lively manner communicate himself unto the true believer. 〈◊〉 the which, he comes to be tran • formed, and trans-changed int • into the Godly Nature, making us one with himself.

[Object.] But Christ is in heaven, and we are upon earth, how then can • t be that we are united unto him?

[Answ.] I answer, that though Christ • e in heaven, and we on earth, • o distance of place can hinder his union, inasmuch as it is spi • ituall, and so hath Christ promi • ed to be present with hi • church • nto the end of the world, spiri • ally. We may see this to be • ear, by the members of Christ's • ysticall body, howsoever they • e scattered and dispersed though • wout the whole earth, and have • uer seen each other, yet are • otwithstanding knit together • the bond of one spirit into an • lie Communion, and have in • em a fellow feeling of the miseries one of another.

Then why should we doubt but that the head and members of this mystical body, are also one by the same spirit, though Christ be in heaven, and we upon earth. There needs not any corporal presence for the effecting of this union, his spirit is sufficient while we abide here, which is given to all that truly believe.

Now from this ground of a Christian man's union with Chris • there proceeds many comforts.

First then, seeing we are unite • unto Christ, and made one wit • him, here-hence ariseth a not • ble comfort; That the Lord Jesus Christ, who sanctified o • Nature, that he might assum • it, he will also sanctify us, i • as much as he hath united us unto himself. It is not so left unto us to do, as that the Lord Jesus Christ will be a mere patient, but he hath taken it into his own hand to perform. Moses may marry an AEthiopian, but he cannot change her color: but the Lord Jesus Christ shall make to himself a glorious Church, not having spot nor wrinkle. And from him shall we have such a garment as shall cover all our nakedness from God's sight, Even Christ our righteousness, who being united unto us, and we unto him, shall cover us therewith. For, shall the woman in the Gospel but touch Christ's garment, & be cured, and • hal we be incorporated into his body, and made one with him, and not have the running sores of our corruptions stayed, and more and more solued in us, by the work of God's Spirit that is in us.

Secondly, we have by our union with Christ, a communion of estates; for being united unto him, he must needs be touched with compassion of our infirmities. This is clearly to be seen in a natural body, as the Apostle witnesseth: If one member suffer, all suffer with it. The foot cannot be payned, but the head is affected with it; one finger cannot ache, but all the body suffers pain. Even so it fares in this mystical body: He that toucheth you, touch the apple of mine eye. There being a most sweet and secret sympathy betwixt Christ and his members, so as to persecute them, is to persecute him, he still partaking with them in their weal or woe; a sweet comfort.

Thirdly, we have by virtue of this union and conjunction with Christ, a most certain assurance of the resurrection of these our bodies to life eternal, for so saith the Apostle; If the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. And this is likewise confirmed by that of our Savior, where he saith; Whosoever eateth my flesh, and drinketh my • loud, hath eternal life, and I will • ayse him up at the last day. What • hough these bodies of ours, for • time do taste corruption, they • hall not perish in corruption. Trees, and plants of the earth in • he winter season, appear like dead trees, without leaves or fruit, but in the Spring time they bud, blossom, and bring forth. And the reason is, because of that union and conjunction which they have with the root, where lies the Sap all the Winter season. Even so, by virtue of our union and conjunction we have with Christ, these decayd bodies of ours shall one day rise again, and that to life eternal, where we shall ever enjoy the Lord.

And last of all, this our union with Christ, what doeth it but assure us of the grace of perseverance, that we shall hold out firm and constant unto the ende, so as the gates of hell shall never prevail against us. And the reason is clear: We bear not the Roote, the Roote beareth us. We are fast knit unto him that is the Lord of Life. We are built upon a sure foundation, Christ himself being the chief Corner stone. And Because I am not changed, therefore ye are not consumed, Oh ye Sons of Jacob. And surely in time of temptation, this is a sure stay unto God's people, to consider the manifold privileges that follow such as are united unto Christ. Now the use in a word.

[Use.] Seeing the godly are thus knit unto Christ, and have such an union and conjunction with him, it shows, as the happy and blessed estate of all those that are thus united unto Christ, in regard of their manifold privileges they enjoy by him: So the miserable estate and condition of such as are left in their old sins, as wild Olives, not plucked up, and planted into the stock Christ: Their nature is not change, Christ partakes not with them in their sufferings, but the same is inflicted as a judgment of God upon them. Little comfort can such have in their life, whose hope and glory is but vain, and dieth with them, if not before them: Less comfort in death, inasmuch as Judgment doeth follow, and they are then to give up their account unto God. Poor souls, if such only be happy and blessed, who have the Lord for their God, and are thus knit unto him, oh, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear, that are solyable unto all miseries, crosses, and curses in this life, & hereafter to be separated forever from his glorious presence: But of this before.

And thus much for y ^e first circumstance, what it is to Eate, and what to Drink. The second, fol • oweth, and that is what we eat, • nd what we drink.

Of this Bread: Of this Cup.

It is Bread then that we eat, • nd it is Wine that we drink, • woe of y ^e most excellent creatures • hat God ordained for the use 〈◊〉 comfort of man's life, the one, • strengthen man's heart. The o • er, to glad man's heart. For use • nd comfort, what would we • aue more, and therefore of all • her creatures the fittest for • ch an holy use. Teaching us • us much.

[Doct. 6] That the true believer that • rtakes of Christ, as every true •• leeuer doth in this Sacrament, shall find him every way a sufficient Savior, whatsoever our wants are, we shall here find a Supply made unto them all; for the weak; here is Bread to strengthen them. For the sorrowful here is Wine to comfort them, And thus doth the Lord by his prophet Isaiah make a free and a large profer of his heavenly graces unto his Church, yea such good things as shall make a Supply unto all our wants. H • e everyone that thirsteth, come ye unto the waters: And ye that have no silver come buy and eat, come I say, buy Wine and Milk without money &c. Whereby Wine and Milk &c. are to be understood the graces of God's spirit, yea such good things as will fit every man • turn, according to their several necessities. Some have Sorrowfull hearts, for such he hath wine to comfort them. Some are Babes, for such he hath Milk to nourish them. Others are feeble • nd weak, for such he hath Bread to strengthen them, • thers are grown Christians and • espect their pleasure, and unto • hem he hath Let your Soul de • ght in fatness. So y ^t Christ is all • all unto all, for so saith the A • ostle, It pleased the Father, that in • m should all fullness dwell. And • his fullness we all receive grace • r grace. He is Jesus a Savior •• d shall save his people from their • nes. He is the way, the truth, •• d the life, and there is salvation • none other. Say we then • th the Apostle, Lord whether • ll we go? thou hast the words of • rnall life. It shall little avail to go to Saints or Angels, or the Virgin Mary, to procure a pardon from the Pope, indulgence &c. in as much as for all our wants, of what nature soever, here we may have supply.

The reasons follows.

[Reason. 1] For first, the Lord Jesus Christ he hath satisfied the law fully in the rigor thereof, & by his death hath removed the curse: even that judgment, that was due for sin. As also by his obedience merited our peace and procured the blessing. So that now we may safely reason with the Apostle▪ If when we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death o • his Son: how much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life The reason is clear.

[Reason. 2] Secondly, God the Father i • he that was offended with mankind, for his disobedience, and he it is, y ^t threateneth the curse an • •• flicteth the punishment, now • ath not he appointed his own • on to be our peace-maker? •• work-man's reconciliation? • nd to make Attonment for us? • ow then can he but be pleased • ith his own sacrifice, and ac • ept of the obedience of Christ: • nasmuch as he appointed him 〈◊〉 suffer for the same end.

[Reason. 3] Thirdly, the infinite power • at is in Christ Jesus, and the • onderfull validity that is in his • bedience and sufferings, doth • ear this truth, and to the end • sse comfort of every Christian • ule may settle our judgments, •• d comfort our consciences, •• at Christ is every way a suffici • t Savior unto the true belee • r, that As by ones man's disobedi • ce many became sinners, even so, 〈◊〉 the obedience of one, many be made righteous. The means that Christ hath used, being more forceable to repair our breaches, and to set us at liberty, then Adams si • could be to procure our misery, and to keep us in bondage.

[Reason. 4] And unto all that hath be • said, may be added the wonderful love of Jesus Christ toward his Church and people, who a • he is a Prince of wonderful • riches, power and glory, bein • the Sovereign Lord of all thing • and hath in his power and po • session great varitie of all goo • things. So is he ready and wi • ling to communicate the sam • unto others, calling upon men •• come, and to Eate, and to Refre •• themselves with good things. An • who can doubt of this, that he • that was so willing to lay down • his life a ransom for us, when w • were his enemies, can deny us any good thing, inasmuch as we are now reconciled unto him. Oh no, the Lord is very bountiful and needs not to be sparing as man in his gifts, in as much as in him lie hid all the treasures of life and of happiness.

[Use. 1] This serves, to refute that horrible doctrine and practice of • he Church of Rome, that leave • he fountain, & dig unto themselves cisterns that can hold • o water. I mean which leave • esus Christ, in whom all the • reasures of happiness are hid • nd through whose sufferings a • one we come to have life, and • o rely upon the merits of • aints and Angels, and so patch • nd piece out their own merits • ith others, denying the free iu • ification of a sinner by Christ alone, a Doctrine; then the which, what can be more derogatory to the blood of Christ, when men shall mingle heaven and earth together, the merits of frail men, with the all-sufficient sufferings of Jesus Christ.

[Use. 2] Secondly, this may minister matter of singular joy and consolation unto the Godly; tha • Christ is every way a sufficien • • au iour. Whatsoever then ou • wants and necessities are: Le • Christ be our refuge, and to him let us go, here we may hau • supply made unto them all Christ is a gracious help an • remedy unto all afflicted consciences, he hath promised t • satisfy the hungry, and to refres • the thirsty soul, yea he will fi • us with all good things, an • never send us away empty.

[Doct. 7] Note further here, that the true Communicant is not only to Eate, but to Eate and Drink▪ Christ delivered both these signs, not only the Bread, but the Wine also unto the Disciples. So that the instruction is, That both kinds by the Minister are to be delivered, and both kinds by the Communicant are to be received: not Bread only, nor Wine only, but Bread and Wine.

And great Reason.

[Reason. 1] For first, it is Christ's commandment that we should do • o. After a man hath examined • imselfe, he is enjoined To Eate • f this Bread, and Drink of this Cup. And often are these words used • y Christ; Take, eat, this is my bo • y, which is given for you, and • hich is broken for you. And so for the Wine, Drink ye all of this: and This is my blood which is shed for you. This then being Christ's commandment, and his own ordinance, doeth bind all to this duty.

[Reason. 2] Secondly, the true communicant ought to partake of both signs, and communicate under both kinds, in regard that Christ's blood was indifferently shed for all the faithful; for the Layetie as well as the Clergy, and All are commanded to show forth Christ's death until he come, and how shall this be done, but by eating of the Bread, & drinking of the Wine: for so saith the Apostle; As often a • ye shall eat o • this Bread, and drink of this Cup ye show the Lord's death till he come▪ And again, of the Wine, Chris • saith thus; This is my body, whic • is shed for you, and for many, for the remission of sins. Why then should the blood of Christ, or the Cup, which doth represent the same unto us, be denied them unto whom Christ hath given it. If • hey have part in Christ's death, which is the thing signified, why • hen not in the Sign and Seal • hereof?

[Reason. 3] Thirdly, to receive this Sacrament under one kind, is to make • he condition of Christians vn • er the Gospel, inferior to the • state of the people of Israel vn • er the Law: For what saith the • postle; They did all drink of that • iritual Rock that followed them, •• d that Rock was Christ. But •• at were absurd, to make the •• ndition of such that lived vn • er the shadow, to excel the con •• tion of such as live under, and enjoy the substance, no, no, the Lord doth more highly honor his Church under the Gospel, then so to keep them back from any privilege they enjoyed under the Law.

[Use 1] This doth show how sacrilegiously the Church of Rome doth deal with the people, who will not suffer them to partake of this Sacrament in both kinds, but deprive them altogether of the Cup, separating those thing • which God hath joined together, and so bereave the poor people of GOD of the sweet • comfort of this Sacrament, making them but a dry feast only o • Bread, whereas Christ hath instituted and appointed Wine aswe •• as Bread, to be used in this Sacrament, of all such as come prepared thereunto.

Now if any should ask, why Christ should make choice of Bread and Wine, rather then any other creature, to represent his death and passion in this Sacrament.

I answer, because it is his will: and if there were no other reason to be assigned, this were sufficient, and with this we ought • o rest contented, it is his pleasure, it is his will. As it is said • oncerning the preaching of the Gospel: It pleased God by the foo •• shnesse of preaching, to save them • hat believe.

Yet there may be other rea • ons given, wherefore Christ in • special manner might make • hoyce of these signs in this Sa • rament.

Because Bread is the most ordi • ary food of the body, and therefore called the Staff of man's life, So is Christ the food of the soul, by the which we are nourished unto eternal life: Howbeit these elements do but in part shadow out the same, the one being earthly, the other heavenly, the one serving but to preserve a temporal life, and that but for a time: the other tending to the preservation of a spiritual life, and that forever.

And herein indeed do these signs make wonderfully for God's glory, in that he should make choice of such weak means, that so his glory might appear. If we had been to receive • any other signs, or things of a • higher nature, we should have been ready to have pored so upon the shadow, as that we should have lost the substance, and ou • senses would have been more wrought upon then our hearts, which the Lord in his wisdom hath prevented, in giving us these signs of Bread and Wine.

Of this Bread: Of this Cup.

[Doct. 8] Last of all, observe here that if Christ took, gave, and delivered Bread and Wine, then they must needs retain their former natures, and their former proper substance, and still remain the same elements, even after the words of consecration. Against the doctrine of the Church of Rome, which hold, that after the words of consecration, there remaineth no Bread at all, but that it is transubstantiated into the very body & blood of Christ, a mere fable and fantasie, against all divinity, philosophy, reason, sense, and experience.

[unspec 1] First, it doth overthrow the very nature of a Sacrament, which consisteth of two partes: an outward sign, & an invisible grace. Now then, if after the words of consecration, the Bread & Wine were transubstantiated into the very body and blood of Christ, then the sign must needs be taken away, and the element overthrown.

[unspec 2] Secondly, the Lord leads us to the spiritual use of this Sacrament by sense, thus: that as the substance of the bread and wine received, strengtheneth and comforteth the body, even so Christ received by faith, doeth nourish and strengthen the soul. Now then, to take away the natural use of this sacrament, wherein can our faith be confirmed & strengthened, which ever relies upon this in the use of this Sacrament that as the bread and wine serveth to nourish and feed our bodies, so doth Christ Jesus and the merits of his death & passion feed our souls, so that while they take away the substance of bread and wine in this Sacrament, the very nature and spiritual use of the Sacrament is taken away with it.

[unspec 3] Thirdly, we now that live • nder the Gospel receive the same in substance, which our • ore-fathers did under the Law. But the Manna they eat off, and • he Spiritual Rock they drank • f, was not Christ's body and • loud corporally, because he • as not then come in the flesh, • either had he taken our nature • pon him. Therefore it was by • ith that they fed on Christ vn • er the law. Neither is there any other feeding on Christ under the Gospel.

[unspec 4] Fourthly, if the bread & wine should so miraculously be turned into the very body and blood o • Christ, how could it be, that i • should not appear unto the outward senses? for our senses still apprehend the same to be Bread and Wine. The eye seeth it, the taste deserneth it, to be Bread and not flesh, to be Win • and not blood. And therefor • that doctrine of transubstantiation is most false and absurd.

I might hereunto add dive • reasons of this nature: As namely if that should be granted the • maintain, what absurdity • would follow it. As Hypocrite • should then eat the flesh o • Christ, and so be saved, inasmuc • as Christ hath said. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life.

Besides, what canibals would they make of Christians, to feed upon man's flesh, which nature it self doth abhor.

And to make a natural body • n diverse places at one time, which cannot be.

[Use.] And last of all, as this doctrine serveth to confute our adversaries the Papists, that hold there • s no bread at all in the Lord Supper. So it maketh no less against such as conceive there is nothing • ut bread to be expected there, • nd this is, the condition of many thousands, that come • hereunto. They are not able to • o discern of the Lord's body: • oore Souls, they want the eye • f faith, and this must be spiritually discerned. Whereas the true believer, beholds the Lord truly although not corporally to offer unto him Jesus Christ, with all the precious merits of his death and obedience▪ unto his endelesse comfort, though natural men neither see nor feel it, inasmuch as they being not able to discern of the Lord's body, come unto this Supper as to their appointed and ordinary food.

And thus much for the Apostles precept or commandment▪ Let a man therefore exam, &c.

The Fourth Sermon.

I N the former verse we have heard the Apostles precept, that everyone ought • Examine himself before he • ome to the Lord's Table: and partake of these holy Mysteries. We have heard the necessity of that duty. The subject of it, a man's self. And the duty it self, examination. And wherein the same doth consist.

We are now to speak of the second general part of the text, and that is the reason the holy Ghost doth here lay down to enforce the duty: and the Reason, is taken from the great hurt and danger which for want of this Examination is like to ensue: laid down in these words, For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh his own Damnation.

That is by eateing and drinking these holy mysteries unworthily, that is unprepared and unreverantly, they do thereby provoke the Lord to plague and • unish them with some judge • ent or other in this life, to •• ring them to the sight of their • inns, and to repentance for the • ame: if not, then with condemn • ation in the life to come.

• nd in handling of • is reason, we will • bserue this order 〈◊〉 speak

• 1. Of the persons.
• 2. Of the punishment
• 3. Of the cause of their punishment.

Of unworthy receivers, there • e two sorts, one pertaining to • ods covenant, the other not: • e one, the godly who thorough • egligence and carelessness, may •• me to to this Sacrament vn • ted and unprepared, without • at reverence and due respect • ey ought to show unto such • cellent mysteries. The other, • icked and profane, that want • ith, and so come in their sins, ignorance, blindness, malice &c. unto whom this ordinance of God is a savor of death unto death.

And as the persons do differ so do their punishments, the godly if they come unprepared unto this ordinance, withou • that godly examination and preparation they ought to mak • thereunto, the Lord will not pass • by that sin of theirs, but he will be sure to chastise them so the same, they eat and drink judgment unto themselves bu • what judgment 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 • fflictioni • judgment of affliction, that is such stir up the Lord to wrath, as this Church of Corin • did. For whose irreverent pa • taking of this holy ordinanc • the Apostle saith in the ver • following, that many were wea • sick and some of them taken away by death.

But as for the punishment of wicked and ungodly men, it is certain that such unworthy receivers, eat and drink 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 condemnation, judgment of eternal condemnation unto themselves, that is by that their irreverent and unworthy receiving of this so holy an ordinance, they sin highly against God, which sin of theirs, shall be punished with no less punishment then with eternal condemnation.

Before I enter into these par • iculers, I will propound one in • truction from the scope of the holy Ghost in this text, and that • . Seeing the Apostle hath be • ore exhorted unto that Christian • uty of godly examination and preparation, that every Christian ought to make before he come to partake of this holy ordinance, and now useth such a reason to enforce the duty, as is taken from God's Justice and Iudgments, which for want thereof, he will execute and inflict upon them.

[Doct. 2] We learn, that the consideration of God's judgments should make men perform holy duties in an holy manner: And hence it is, that it is very usual with the Lord by his servants, when he hath exhorted unto any one holy duty, to annex unto the same some forcible reason to persuade thereunto. This is clear by the practice of Almighty God himself with our first parents, Adam and Eve, who having given them but one Commandment to observe, he useth a reason to bind unto obedience, and that is taken from God's Justice: The day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death. And thus doeth Almighty God deal with Cain, one of the Sons of Adam, persuading him first to well-doing, to break off his sin by repentance, even that malice he had conceived against his innocent Brother: But if that would not serve, the Lord adds one reason more, and that is taken from God's justice and vengeance, which otherwise will be sure to follow: If thou do ill, sin lieth at • hy door. And this is that one • y Reason that Moses doeth • se unto the people of Israel; That they should hearken unto • he voice of the Lord their God, which if they would, it should then go well with them, and with their children after them: If not, what then? It shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments, and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: Cursed shalt thou be in the City, and cursed shalt thou be in the field: Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store, &c.

And this is the order that David useth in his exhortation unto Solomon: And thou Solomon my Son, know thou the God of thy fathers, and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind. And he adds a reason to enforce his exhortation, and that is taken from God's Justice: If thou forsake him, he will forsake thee, and cast thee off forever. And what thing else did our Savior intend, when he bade Remember Lots wife: but to move all men to consider her sin, and her punishment, that so fearing the one, we might learn to take heed of the other. And why doeth the Spirit of God in the Scriptures, lay down so many examples before us of God's justice and vengeance upon the Angels which • ept not their first estate: Upon • he world of ungodly men, In • he days of Noah: Upon the Cit • ies of Sodom and Gomorrah, tur • ing them into ashes: but to this • nd, that all men might fear. And this is the reason why the • postle here doeth propound • he judgments of God upon the • orinths, for that their vnreue •• nt receiving of this sacrament, to this ende, that all men that hear of the same might learn to fear, and to come more reverently and prepared there-unto. And great reason, that the consideration of God's judgments should work this effect in us: For

[Reason. 1] First, because of the certainty of God's judgments and vengeance, which otherwise will not be avoided. The Lord is ever the same God, just, & righteous, unchangeable in judgment, and the same sins do ever procure the same judgments. Did the Lord strike the Corinthians, some with feebleness, some with sickness, and some with death, because of their unworthy receiving of this Sacrament, and shall we think to escape? It cannot be: Their judgments must we lay to heart and be warned by them

[Reason. 2] Secondly, the consideration of God's judgments should make us come prepared unto this ordinance, because they are insufferable and intolerable. Our God is a consuming fire. If man will not turn, he will whet his sword, and make ready his bow, and the sinner shall not escape. This is cleared by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, where he saith, that If he that despised Moses Law, died without mercy, under two or three witnesses, Of how much sorer punishment shall he be worthy, which treadeth under foot the Son of God: counteth the Blood of the Newe Testament as an unholy thing: and so despites the spirit of grace.

Where he shows, that God's judgments must needs be heavy upon such as abuse this holy ordinance, by comparing their sin with those that despised Moses Law.

[Use. 1] And surely this may serve to discover the wonderful hardness of their hearts, that are no whit moved with God's judgments upon others, nor those fearful threatenings that are daily denounced against themselves, nothing can terrify them from sinning. It fareth with such, as with the Sons in law of Lot, when Lot spake unto them, he seemed unto them as if he had mocked. They are ready still to skin over the deadly wounds of their Souls with peace, peace, and secure themselves against the judgment to come. Poor souls, their damnation doth not sleep, the Lord will one day visit for these things, and pay, and repay tribu • ation, anguish, and sorrow upon • hem, when he shall come to make good his threatenings, and • ccomplish his judgments upon them, which will prove so much the more intolerable, by • ow much the less they ever • eared them.

[Use. 2] Secondly, this may serve to • dmonish us all in the fear of God, that we do not lightly e •• eeme of God's judgments, ei • her executed upon others, or • hreatened against our selves: • ut make this use of them, that • hey may enforce us unto good • ueties, and bind us unto obe • ence.

I confess that this ought • ot to be the principal motive • to us therein: in as much as the love of God should contstrain us, and our obedience should be free and willing, and not wroung out from us even as the service of a loving and dutiful child the Love of whose Father unto him, makes him most careful to obey, and most fearful to offend. Yet let the thoughts o • his judgments have place in us likewise, that so we may learn to fear him with David. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee: and I am afraid of thy judgments, and to obey him and to walk humbly before him in all holy obedience, in as much as he is a God so fearful and terrible, just in hi • judgments, and true in his word.

Men naturally are afraid o • water, Fire, Rauenous beasts, &c oh let us learn to fear our God who is a consuming fire. And will be sure to punish sin, and take vengeance upon the impenitent.

And what though the Lord do not presently punish us having offended, shall we say with the wicked, Tush God careth not for it. Or is their any knowledge with the most high? oh no, let that be far, from us, but know that it is his mercy to bring us to repentance. Which effect, if the Lord's patience and longsuffering towards us, work not in us, his judgments when they come will be so much the more fearful.

Having now handled the doctrine in general, from the scope of the holy Ghost in the whole verse, we come now to the parts of it. And first for the persons.

There are of the godly themselves, as well as wicked men that may be said to eat and drink unworthily. When they shall come and partake of this holy ordinance of almighty God, without that godly examination & Christian preparation they ought to make thereunto. Neither may this seem strange, that even the godly themselves, may eat and drink unworthily, in as much as they are not at all times alike, careful to fit themselves and to prepare themselves unto this duty; But either the world & the businesses of the same, hath so taken up their affections, and their most precious time, when this preparation ought to be made: or else some secret sloth and drowsiness, hath crept into them, that they have omitted the same. It was the case of this Church of Corinth, albeit God's people, that many amongst them had their failings herein, for which sin of theirs, the Lord did not spare to punish them, with diverse and sundry temporal judgments.

Now as the child of God may eat and drink unworthily, so it follows, that such must needs eat and drink judgment unto • hemselues. Howbeit as I said be • ore, judgment of affliction. Not • udgement of condemnation, for • here is no condemnation to them • hat are in Christ Jesus. And so • ndeede the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth • ignifie not properly condemna • ion, but judgment of afflicti • n, and so is the same word used 〈◊〉 diverse places of Scripture, as • at of Peter, Judgment must begin at the house of God. That is, punishment and correction must begin with his own children, and so our Apostle expounds the same in the verses following. For this cause, many are sick amongst you: and many weak, and some are fallen a sleep. And he addeth further, that we are Iudged of the Lord. That is punished and corrected, That we should not be condemned with the world. So y ^t it is not properly to be understood, as our common translation reads it of eternal condemnation, that God's children might eat and drink, so unworthily, but rather of temporal punishment and correction.

Now then, seeing that the godly themselves may thus eat and drink unworthily, and for that sin of theirs may provoke the • he Lord to correct them with • emporall chaistsements and cor • ections as we have heard. We • earn here-hence, this instruction.

[Doct. 2] That many are punished tem • orally that are not condemned • ternally. The Lord would not • uffer this sin in these believe • ng Corinthians to escape vnpu • ished, but laid sundry sharp • orrections upon them, yet in • e midst of judgment, the Lord • ough upon mercy, they were • dged, (that is corrected) of the • ord. That they might not be con • mned with the world. And thus • d the Lord deal with Moses • d Aaron; inasmch as they had • ouoked the Lord to wrath, the • ord would not suffer them to • ter into y ^e land of Canaan. The • e may be said of Uzzah: that staid up the Ark, who having no calling of the Lord thereunto was stricken of the Lord. And Josiah who albeit he was a good King, and served the Lord from his youth, yet the Lord gave him into the hands of Pharaoh Necho, King of Egypt, who pu • him unto a violent death.

The history of the Israelites in their iournying towards Canaan For whose sin of murmuring the Lord did smite them wit • exceeding great plagues, eve • judgment upon judgment, until he had almost consumed th • greatest part of them: doth mak • this clear. The like may be • said of Manasseh Jehoshaphat, H • zechiah and the like. All whic • testimonies as a cloud of wi • nesses, they all serve to confirm • our judgments in the vndoub • ted truth of this doctrine: That many have been punished temporally, that have not perished everlastingly. And that God will not spare, no not the godly them selves, be they never so near or dear unto him; but if they will sin against him, he will visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquity with scourges. And this did the Corinthians • ind by woeful experience, who • or want of their preparation, • nd godly Examination before • hey came to the Lord's Table, • he Lord did punish them with • ore afflictions, although they • erished not eternally.

[Reason. 1] And the Reason is, that all the • orld may take notice of his iu • ce, that he is no respecter of • ens persons, but is a God that •• th not iniquity, but hates all Sin whensoever, wheresoever, or in whomsoever he findeth it. He accepteth not the person of Princes (saith Elihu), nor regardeth the rich, more then the poor, they being all the work of his hands. And thus doeth the LORD declare himself to be most righteous, and just in his judgments and corrections for sin, that all men to the ende of the world, might learn to quak • and tremble at the committing thereof.

[Reason. 2] Secondly, God doeth oftentimes thus chastise his own • Children in this world, least the • should be condemned with the wi • ked, in the world to come. Sinn • must be judged, and sin • must be condemned. An • surely it is God's mercy unto h • servants, that the Lord w • not let them so thrive and go on in their sins, for so would they multiply their iniquities against him, but doth correct them betimes, and labors to prevent more heavy judgments, which by their sinning they would otherwise draw upon themselves.

[Use 1] This serves then in the first place, to reprove the common course of many men in y ^e world, that judge of God's favor, or displeasure, by outward prosperity or adversity: Whereas Solomon saith; All things happen alike to all, meaning all outward • hings, such as is prosperity and • duersity: yet many will take up • n them to judge & censure men • o be out of the favor of God, • ecause of some outward afflicti • n y ^t lies heavy upon them. But • hus might these believing Corinthians been condemned as wicked, who notwithstanding their temporal chastisements, were not condemned with the world. Who ever had such a load of afflictions, as Christ himself had laid upon him? Why should we conclude then, that such are out of God's favor? No, no. Judgment begins at God's house. And if the Lord do not correct men in this life, it is a sign that the Lord reserves such a one to the condemnation of the rest of the world, and such indeed have just cause to suspect themselves, that they are Bastards, and not Sons, for the Lord doeth chastise them whom he loveth, and no heavier judgment can there be upon any, then to thrive in sin, and grow up in iniquity, & yet to be free from correction.

[Use 2] Secondly, the consideration of this one thing, may be a stay and a prop unto us, in time of temptation, and sore affliction: When the waters seem to have gone over our souls, as David complaineth: And the Lord shall seem to vex us with all his storms, as Job confesseth. Even this, that • his is the portion of all the • aints. It hath ever been the con • ition of the Church. God many • imes feedeth them with the bread • f tears, and giveth plenty of tears • o drink. Yet there shall be no • hing able to separate us from God, nor divide us from his pre • ence. Let us then confess the • and of God in all our troubles, • nd withal confess our sins, 〈◊〉 the procuring cause of all God's • dgements: and amongst the • st of our sins, acknowledge that our want of preparation to this Sacrament hath provoked the Lord to punish us. Little do men think, that this negligence of theirs in coming unto this holy ordinance, and want of Preparation there-unto, hath been the cause of their sickness, troubles, afflictions, &c. but what saith the Apostle? For this cause some are sick, &c. The Lord doth surely chastise for thi • sin of unworthy receiving this sacrament.

Again, inasmuch as the Lord i • thus stirred up to wrath agains • his own children, for this sin o • vnpreparednes, to chastise them so severely with sickness, weakness, yea and with death it self albeit they be not condemn • forever.

We learn by the greatness o • the punishment, to conceive of the greatness of sin. And here hence we may learn; That is is [Doct. 3] no small sin to come unworthily unto the Lord's Table, but it is a very great & grievous sin, such a sin as highly provokes the Majesty of God to anger, and draws God's judgments upon his own Children, that howsoever he will not forever condemn them, yet he will punish them, and correct them for coming unworthily and eating and drinking these holy mysteries, not with that reverence as they ought to do. These Corinthians were the Church of God, embraced the Gospel, believed in Christ, yet because they came vnworthi • y to the Lord's Table, not so fitted and prepared with that reverence as they ought to have done, Paul tells them, that for this very cause, and for this very sin of unworthy receiving of this Sacrament, the Lord sent those judgments amongst them.

[Reason.] The Reason of this point is clear. It must needs be an heavy sin, that procures such a heavy punishment, and the greatness of the sin may be judged, by the greatness of the punishment: Because the Lord is ever just in the distribution of his judgments; He doeth not lay heavy judgments upon light transgressions, nor light punishment, where Sin is grievous.

[Object.] But some will say, this seems hard, that for some neglect and negligent oversight in coming to the Lord's Table, the Lord should punish so severely and sharply.

[Answ.] I answer as our Savior himself speaketh of his Ministers, He that receiveth you, receiveth me, and he that refuseth you, refuseth me. He that offers any wrong, to any Messenger, Legate, or Embasador of a Prince, offers wrong unto the King that sent him, or he that abuseth the kings picture or coin by clipping it, or treading it in the mire, it is • eason against the King himself. Even so, howsoever Christ • e in heaven, and the bread be not transubstantiated into the • ody, & the wine into the blood • f Christ, as the papists teach. • et because these eliments are • y God's ordinance, set a part, or • ained, and sanctified by the • ord, and prayers to be signs and seals of the body & blood of Jesus Christ; the abuse of them therefore redounds unto Christ himself.

[Use. 1] This condemns the practice of most men and women, that seldom or never regard, how they come to the Lord's Table, though they come in ignorance, blindness, and all manner of profaneness and wickedness, in their old sins and abominations, and because that judgment is deferred, think either that they have not sinned, o • that they shall not be punished Oh how do such deceive themselves they may be sure that th • Lord will not so lightly pass • this sin over, but at the least will bring upon the transgressor some temporal chastisement an • correction to humble them, an • to bring them to see and acknowledge this sin of theirs, and so to Repentance for the same, if not, the Lord will be sure to punish the same eternally.

[Use. 2] Secondly, if they cannot escape God's judgments that eat and drink unworthily, even the very servants of God themselves, who come in some weakness and infirmity, without that due examination and godly preparation they ought to make thereunto, oh then, how shall such escape God's wrath & vengeance that contemn this Sacrament, make light account of it, and will not come at all unto it, that think it is at their own choice • o come or not to come, to receive or not to receive. If every • in and transgression receive a recompense of reward. How shall such escape as neglect so great salvation. When Moses did but omit the Sacrament of circumcition, either of some negligence or carelessness, or else as it is thought, for fear of his wife and Father in law, it was like to have cost him his life, the Lord made as though he would have slain him. What punishment then do such deserve, and shall one day draw down upon their own heads, that despise the substance, and make light account of the blood of the covenant, Christ and his righteousness, who is here crucified afresh and offered in this Sacrament unto every true believer.

[Use. 3] Thirdly, seeing this is so great a sin to receive unworthily, we learn here that it is not enough to repent and to be greiued for gross and grievous sins, such as the world cries out of, but we must be humbled for our secret sins, infirmities, & wants. Our carelessness in prayer, hearing of the word, receiving of the Sacrament; yea we must be humbled for our unworthy coming to the Lord's Table, for re • eiuing this Sacrament careless • y, unreverantly, and vnworthi • y;

And hence it is that David • rays that the Lord would par • on his secret sins, and Peter • ils Simon Magus to repent, and • pray that the thoughts of his • eart might be pardoned. The • ord hath threatened a curse to •• em that do his work negli •• ntly, saying, Cursed be he that • th the work of the Lord negligent 〈◊〉 And yet notwithstanding that we have all of us had our failings there in, where is the man that is humbled aright, and saith, Alas what have I done? and seeks to to stay God's wrath and to appease his anger before the decree come forth, and the Lord begins to punish for this sin.

[Use. 4] And last of all, seeing weakness, sickness, yea and death i • self with other sharp corrections are all inflicted for sin and as for other open and grievous impieties, so for this sin o • unworthy receiving of this Sacrament. Learn we then, whe • the Lord sends sickness in body diseases, weakness, and want o • health, or other temporal judgments in our bodies, goods o • names, amongst other cause • let us impute them to be se • of God for sin especially fo • this common sin of ours; the unworthy receiving of this Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. But alas, though y ^e Lord send abroad his judgments, sickness, diseases, weakness in men's bodies, &c, Who thinks of sin as the cause of all, especially of this sin of unworthy receiving of this Sacrament: little do men think, y ^t that is, is cause of all, well the Apostle concludeth thus: For this • ause many are weak amongst you • nd sick &c: And experience • eacheth, y ^t the Lord usual doth • ot send more sickness at any one • ime all the year after, then at • his time of the year, when most • hold or do receive this Sa • rament of the body and blood • f Christ.

Thus much concerning the first •• rt of men y ^t may communicate unworthily, even the godly man himself, for want of this godly examination and preparation thereunto: as also for his punishment.

But now, howsoever y ^e Lord in mercy doth thus deal with his servants, and for this sin of theirs correcteth them here, that they may not perish hereafter. It is not so with the wicked, their unworthy receiving is punished after another manner, They eat and drink their own damnation. Tha • is amongst all other their sins this their unworthy receiving is not the least, but the Lord doth and will impute the same unto them, and this doth help to fil • up the measure of their iniquities, and hasteneth their condemnation.

And now being to speak o • the wicked and their punishment: we will labor to discover the person of the unworthy receiver, and then to speak of his punishment,

Now for the more certain discovery of the person of the unworthy Communicant, and who it is that may most properly be so called, and who it is that doth thus abuse God's holy ordinance, and eat and drink unto his own eternal condemnation; • take it to be needful, first, to • hew who they be that receive Worthily: So shall we come the • etter to discern who they be • hat receive unworthily. For rea • on it self doth teach us, that it • the readiest manner of teach • ng one, to know which is the • rong way, by instructing him •• st which is the right way, for that is but one, whereas other by-ways are many. For whosoever is not a worthy receiver, must needs be an unworthy one, whether he come too short, or go too far.

Now such only receive this Sacrament worthily, who both see and acknowledge their own unworthiness.

Wherein there is first of all, Knowledge required, which is the ground of all other grace: And that is to be considered two ways.

First, more generally, in the knowledge of the principal points of Christian religion.

Secondly, more particularly, in the Knowledge of this Sacrament.

Touching the first of these seven particulars must be known of every worthy receiver.

[unspec 1] First, that y ^e Lord hath revealed in his Word, what we ought both to know, and acknowledge concerning his Will, that all things therein contained are true. Which whosoever knoweth not, cannot be in the estate of grace, much less can be a worthy receiver of this Sacrament.

[unspec 2] Secondly, touching God himself, the worthy receiver must know, that there is but one God, who is of a spiritual nature, most wise, just, mighty, and merciful, who hath ordained all things, created all things, and governeth all things according to his own will. And that this God hath revealed himself in three persons, Father, Son, and holy Ghost, and that these three are but one God.

[unspec 3] Thirdly, concerning man, the worthy receiver must know, that God in the beginning created man in a most happy estate, perfect in soul and body, after his own Image, who by his own disobedience, lost his own happiness, procured God's curse, and made both himself and posterity subject unto all misery.

[unspec 4] Fourthly for our selves, we must acknowledge our selves to be corrupted seed of corrupt Parents, conceived and borne in Sin, and brought forth in iniquity, whereby we deserve God's curse, and everlasting condemnation.

[unspec 5] Fifthly concerning our remedy, the worthy receiver must know, that neither himself, nor any Creature in Heaven or Earth, could free him from that cursed estate, but that God the Father of his mere love and tender compassion, without any desert of man, did send his own Son to take our nature upon him, and in the same, to work our redemption, and to reconcile us unto God.

[unspec 6] Sixthly, the worthy receiver must know, that forasmuch as his redemptiō is wrought by Christ, we must have some means to make that ours which is Christ's, and that is only Faith, for it is Faith that apprehends and applies Christ and his obedience, and makes the same ours, as we had wrought it our selves.

[unspec 7] And last of all, the worthy receiver must know, that this faith • s not in our selves, but it is the • ree gift of God, wrought by the Spirit of God, by the Ministry of the word, and that God hath appointed means, as for the begetting of faith, so for the strengthening, and daily increase of the same in us, such as are the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, &c.

Secondly, Besides the knowledge of Christian religion in general, there is further required in all worthy receivers a particular knowledge of this sacrament, the nature of it, as namely, what he doth receive, how he doth receive, and why he doth receive, all which we have spoke of in the former Sermons,

[Use.] Now then (my brethren) is this knowledge to be required in every worthy receiver, then may we by this first property perceive what an infinite number come to the Lord's Table unworthily, and in so doing, eat and drink their own damnation; for alas, how few do truly know these things, but are altogether ignorant of these main and fundamental points of Christian Religion, without the knowledge whereof none can be saved, much less receive this Sacrament worthily.

This being so, we see what great need there is for everyone that will approach to the Lord's Table, to labor for Knowledge, and to use all holy helps and means whereby they may attain unto it. Least for their ignorance they be judged unworthy receivers, and so be guilty of this fearful judgment, to Eate and Drink their own damnation.

The next thing required to a worthy receiving of this Sacrament is Faith, which cannot be without Knowledge, but must follow it: For here by Faith is meant, not only a giving credit to all those things we spake of before in Knowledge, but a certain assurance of the heart in every Child of God, and worthy receiver of this Sacrament, that all those promises which God hath made unto his Children, pertain unto him.

Now this Faith standeth in two things, as Knowledge did.

For, the Faith that is required of the worthy receiver, must take hold upon Christ, as he is offered in the Preaching of the Gospel, and so of his death, obedience, and resurrection, whereby he comes to have assurance that his sins be forgiven him, and he received into favor.

But besides this, there is another degree of Faith required in this Sacrament, and that is, as Christ Jesus hath and doth most truly offer himself unto the true believer in this Sacrament. So the worthy receiver must be assured thereof: and accordingly takes these outward signs as seals and pleadges, whereby his faith becomes more & more confirmed, then by the bare promise made in the Gospel.

[Use.] Whereby, again we may see how many more Vnworthy receivers there be. Seeing that as the greatest part wants know • edge. So of those that have Knowledge, the greatest part of them want Faith, as • heir lives do sufficiently declare.

The last property that I will stand upon, is Repentance, which proceedeth from a true faith, and is most necessarily required of all those that worthily receive this Sacrament. For mark I pray you, whereas in this Sacrament we be cuppled with Christ, and are made one with him, of necessity now we must become New creatures, and be changed, inasmuch as we are now knit unto Christ. And we must now parte with the practice of sin for the practice of Godliness else how can we have any fellowship with Christ, for to sa • we have fellowship with Chri • & to walk in darkness, we lie • for there can be no agreemen • between light and darkness • Beest thou in Christ, declare, d • clare it, by thy walking, For th • that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

And surely this true repentance, extendeth it self very far even to the obedience of the whole law of God. First, to the hating and forsaking of all things that be evil and forbidden in the Law, as also in the love and practicing of all that which God requireth. And here-hence do flowe all those graces of God, which do so adorn his Servants, as love to God and his children, humility, meekness, patience, &c. which such, as are not knit unto Christ, are strangers unto, and altogether unacquainted with.

Whereby, as by the former, we may see how many more are cut off from the number of wor • hy receivers, even all ungodly persons, who though they have never so much knowledge, and boast never so much of their faith, yet inasmuch as there appears not in their lives, true repentance for sin. Which will show it self ever by the effects of it. Certain it is that their knowledge is but brain-knowledge, not experimental and sanctified knowledge, and their faith they boast of, presumption and not faith.

And thus as shortly as I could, I have shown what is required to worthy receiving. Whereby it may most evidently appear what it is to receive unworthily. For whatsoever is not agreeable unto this, must needs be unworthy receiving, and such do eat and drink unto their own damnation.

Of which sort be all those that be ignorant of these necessary points of Christian religion, who come in their old sins, ignorance, blindness, unbelief, &c, Who, as they are ignorant of God's word and will, so they know nothing of the doctrine of this Sacrament, but are ex • reame ignorant and blind in • hese holy mysteries: not know • ng the institution of this Sa • rament, the matter of it, nor in • hat manner they should come • nto it. Such ignorant souls • ust needs come without the • edding garment, and so eat & • rinke their own Damnation, vn • sse they repent.

[Use. 1] Which must serve to admo • sh all ignorant people, and • ore blind ignorant souls, to • e heed that they do not ignorantly rush upon their own destruction, and eat and drink unto their own damnation, but labor to be instructed, & learn to know how they should come worthily, and prepared thereunto.

Secondly, this may be noted further as a good direction unto the ministers of God, how to be have themselves towards suc • as are ignorant, want faith, an • yet abide in their sins. Such mu • not be admitted unto the Lord Table though they would thru • in themselves thereto. An • to allow and admit of such one, for ought I can see, is to be made partaker of his sin. A • it were to put a sword into a ma • man's hand, is to make himsel • guilty of what hurt he shall do • even so that Minister that sha • know one to be unworthy, and yet admit him, who can account him innocent.

[Object.] But the Minister he doth not know him to be unworthy, he is to have charity towards all.

[Answ.] Nay rather, I say with the holy Ghost that y ^e good shepherd must know the State of his sheep. And every faithful Minister must labor to know the state of his flock, who may be admitted • nto the Lord's Table, and who • ot. And therefore the Lord • equireth this at the hands of • very good shepherd, that he • trengthen the weak, Heale the • cke, Bind up the broken, and • ing into the way all such as wan • er. None of which can he do • nlesse he know the estate of is flock.

Secondly, such eat and drink unworthily, which come in their unbelief without faith in Christ, which is all in all. For faith is the hand of the soul to lay hold on Christ, the mouth of the soul to feed on Christ, and without which, whatsoever we do, is sin.

[Use.] Which may teach all men that desire to come to the Lord's Table, first of all, according to the precept of the Apostle, to Prooue themselves whether they be in the faith. In as much as it is that grace that must bid us welcome, and make both us and our Sacrifice accepted.

Thirdly, such do eat and drink unworthily as come without Repentance, that is, which do not find their harts humbled and broken for sin, in whom there appears not the work of Sanctification and sound Conversion, that are not yet made New Creatures, but live in all Sin. A manifest declaration, that such are not in Christ.

And thus having discovered the person of the unworthy Receiver, compared with the worthy; we will now come to propound a Doctrine or two, from the consideration of the person and the punishment, and so hasten towards an end.

Note here, that wicked men will be eating and drinking of these holy mysteries of the body and blood of Christ, as well as others, howbeit not with the same fruit and effect as others. The Doctrine is clear, that

[Doct. 4] A man may Communicate, and Communicate unworthily, else what meaneth the Apostle here to say, that He that eateth and drinketh, &c. were it not that there are some that eat and drink unworthily, and so draw down judgment upon their own heads.

And as in this, so in all other the duties of God's worship and service, as the hearing of the Word, Prayer, &c. a man may perform them, and yet not in a holy manner, as God commands, and therein the same become sins unto them. This appears by the example of Cain, who offered Sacrifice as well as Abel, yet it was so far from being pleasing unto God, and acceptable with the most highest, as that it added unto the number of Cain's sins. And thus did the people of the Jews offer their Sacrifices in a great abundance, but the Lord tells them, that he had no pleasure in them. This was the case of these Corinthians: Paul tells them, They came together for the worse. And notwithstanding they had met together at the Lord's Table and partaked of this Sacrament, they had been so far from pleasing the Lord therein, as that rather, they had stirred him up to wrath against them. Witness those heavy judgments that were inflicted upon them, for their unworthy receiving. But the Reasons that follow, will further clear this truth unto us.

First, because there are in the Church, that are not of the Church; Secrete and close hypocrites have ever shrouded themselves under the profession of the truth, yet inasmuch as they join with the rest of the Church in God's service, we are not only to embrace their fellowship, but to hope the best of their service, till the Lord shall at the last discover them. Now what is that duty that a wicked man will not join with God's servants in? Especially in public, such as is the hearing of the Word, receiving of the Sacrament, public Prayer &c. And yet for all that, highly provoke the Lord in the doing of y ^e same. But of this before.

[Reason. 2] Another Reason why a man may Communicate, and yet unworthily, is laid down by the Apostle. All men have not Faith. And therefore cannot receive this Sacrament worthily. For without Faith it is impossible to please GOD in any particular action that we do. It is Faith that seasons all our actions that we do in God's service, & makes them to have a gracious acceptance with the Almighty. This made the widows mite accepted, and that cup of water, that was given unto a Disciple, not to lose it reward. But now, wicked men, and hypocrites that live in the Church, albeit they hear the Word, pray, receive the Sacrament. &c, it profits not them, because their persons are not accepted with God, they are out of God's favor, and unto them the Word is but the favor of death unto death.

[Use. 1] Seeing then that a man may Communicate, and Communicate unworthily, how doth this discover the folly of them that stand upon the work done, and never look after the manner of doing the same. Oh, it is the case of many thousands in the world, that think they have highly honored God, if upon the Sabbath day they have presented their bodies before the Lord in his house, and there have heard the word, and perhaps, for company sake, have received the Sacrament with the rest. But as for the manner of performing this duty, they never look after, but hand over head, rush upon them, and rest satisfied with the doing of them. Poor souls, how do such deceive themselves. At the last day, I doubt not, there shall be as many condemned for the ill doing of good actions, as for the doing of those things as are simply evil. As many condemned for ill hearing, as not hearing, for bad praying, as for not praying, and for unworthy communicating, as not communicating, for unconscionable preaching, as for seldom preaching. It shall not avail any to say, these and these things have I done, when men have not regarded how they have done them.

Neither would I be so understood, as if there were no hope that God will accept of our service, unless it be absolute in the manner of performing, God forbid we should so think; for then, what would become of the best duties, even of the best? No, better to hear in weakness, then not to hear; better to pray with infirmity, then not to pray, and to Communicate with some defect, then utterly to forbear. Better it is to limp, and creep in the way, then not to come at all. Yet we must learn to make conscience of the manner of our performing of good duties, and be humbled for our wants therein, least the Lord reject both us and them, and say unto us one day, when we look to have comfort in them; Who hath required these things at your hands?

[Use. 2] Secondly, this Doctrine may afford unto us matter of trial and examination of our selves. When Christ told the Disciples one of them should betray him, everyone began to say, Master, is it I? They doubted the worst that might be in themselves, and out of a godly ielously make question, Master is it I?

So my brethren do we hear, that some may communicate and that unworthily. Eateing and drinking judgment unto themselves. Let us do as the Disciples did say, good Lord is it • l? I have now partaked of this Sacrament, as I have often done hereto-fore: Is not that all; may wicked men, and Hypocrites do the same? and such as shall ever • astingly perish in the end? It be • oues me to look unto it, that I go beyond such in the performance of this duty, least I • eape their reward one day: oh his godly fear and care ought • o be in all the children of God, • hen they come to be exercised • bout this duty, that so they may • ot perform the same formally, as wicked men do, but in a holy and sanctified manner, in Faith repentance, and obedience, that so the same may be accepable unto God.

[Doct. 5] We may yet further take notice of the miserable estate o • wicked men. Vnworthie communicants, even whilst they are performing of this duty, of receiving of the Lord's Supper, a duty in it self commendable, they sin greuiously, and haste • their own judgment, yet herein fill up the measure of their sin • and hasten their final condemnation. The Doctrine is

There is no ordinance o • God so holy, but wicked me • may abuse it to their own condemnation.

As this Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is a heavenly banquet unto the hungry and thirsty soul, that groans under the burden of sin, and desires to be eased & refreshed. So wicked men instead of receiving any spiriturall food: they receive (except the special mercy of God prevent them,) that which will be the bane and poison of their Souls. Cain sinned not only • n slaying his innocent brother, • ut in offering his sacrifice. This • clear by y ^e inditement which Christ brings against the old • orld. They Eate and Drank, Mar • ed, and were given in Marriage. • ll which were things lawful in • emselues. yet became sins • nto them that lived in that • me, and tended to hasten their • estruction; for they only minded their pleasure therein, thei • hearts being set upon carna • lusts, they gave themselves wholly to satisfy their sinful desires and so fell upon those things good in themselves withou • fear, without prayer or thank • giving unto God, as if they wer • no way beholden unto the Lor • for them. And this is forth • cleared by y ^t of Solomon, He tha • turneth away his ears from hear ring the Law, even his prayers sha • be abomination. The meaning i • that the very best duty that wicked man can perform, tha • lives in sin and wants faith, tha • should season all his actions i • God's worship and service, a • not better then abominatio • unto the Lord. And the like i • alleged by our blessed Sauiou • against those filthy Sodomites tha • They bought, they sold, they plan • ed, they built: Things in themselves lawful, but now they become so many sins unto them, inasmuch as they abused them, they bought and sold with co • etuous desires. They built • ot for necessity sake, but to • hewe their pride & vanity. And thus it fares with wicked men in • his sacrament. They cannot but • buse it to their own perdition. And the Bread and Wine which • hey receive, shall be so far from being unto them the body and blood of Christ unto their salua • ion. As it shall rather be as the • op unto Judas, a means in and • y y ^e which Satan shall enter into • uch, unto their condemnation.

The reasons are clear.

First, because wicked men are • gnorant how to use the ordinances of God aright, and stand upon the matter of them, not regarding the manner, I shall not need to press this reason farther, in regard of the affinity i • hath with the former doctrine.

[Reason. 2] Secondly, though some do know that the manner of God • service, as the matter, is to be regarded: Yet their wills are s • froward, that they never s • themselves arigh • about the du • performance of any, like though • stubborn Jews, which said w • will not hear, nor obey. Nay the walk on stubbornly again • the Lord, and against his word and notwithstanding their judgments be often convicted, & the themselves therein contstrain to consent unto this truth: Y • their rebellious wills, not bein • sanctified: lead them away from all obedience. Whose condemnation doth not sleep.

[Reason. 3] A third reason may be that of Paul to Titus, where he doth manifest this truth more clearly, when he saith, that To the pure •• e all things pure. But unto the wicked is nothing pure, but even their minds and consciences are defiled. They are like unto a cold stomach, that turns the best food into putrifaction, and corruption, the most holy things of God are defiled by such, and • urne in the end unto their vt • er ruin and destruction.

[Use. 1] This serves in the first place, • o discover unto us the miserable state of wicked and ungodly • en, whose sins increase day • y, not only by their open and • orrible crimes that break out 〈◊〉 their lives, to the great dishonor of God. But even in th • performance of Good duties their hearing of the word, thei • praying, receiving of the Sacrament &c. The Lord make these things turn to the vtte • ruin and Destruction of wicked men. Oh then how do wicked men increase their sins daily and multiply their iniquities, i • as much as their best duties ar • sinful and cal down judgment upon them. And if to do goo • things in an evil manner be s • farefull a sin, what will one da • become of those, that have don • evil things in a worse man • to be laid to their charge lik • wise▪ Let such consider this thin • well betimes, before they be p • into the real possession of th • judgment, which waytes and a • tends upon them.

[Use. 2] And last of all, let this serve for our instruction, to teach us to fear, and above all things, to look that we perform holy duties in an holy manner, least we incur the judgment that is here threatened. For if when we have been at the Lord's Table, and have received this Sacrament unworthily, we had but only lost so much labor, this were too much, that we should so much dally with God in his ordinance. But alas, that were nothing to this, to eat and drink to damnation! If God should punish us after this manner, to turn the Bread and Wine that we receive in this Sacrament unworthily, • nto a bodily poison, would it not make us to fear and tremble • ow we receive them, were we • o persuaded, that for want of a godly preparation, it would be our last Bread that ever we should eat, and would turn to the bane of our bodies. Oh (my brethren) the Lord hath threatened the unworthy receiver, not with a bodily death for this sin of his: but with a spiritual and eternal death, even with the death both of body and Soul forever; and shall not this move us?

If our bowels and entrails should be in danger to rot within us, for receiving this Sacrament unworthily, would it no • make us look about us? And what? shall we no way regard • what the Lord hath here • threatened, that He that eatet • and drinketh unworthily, eateth an • drinketh his own damnation. Th • were a pitiful folly. The Lor • open our eyes at the last, to see our misery herein, and give us hearts truly to be humbled for our sin.

Hitherto of the persons, and their punishment, we come now to the last circumstance, and that is the ground and cause of the punishment.

In these words, the Apostle comes to lay down the cause of the aforesaid punishment, why men do by their unworthy receiving, eat and drink judgment unto themselves: That is, hale down some judgment or other upon themselves, temporal here, or eternal hereafter: the reason is, Because they discern not the Lord's body.

The meaning is, they put no difference between these Sacramental elements, and other common Bread and Wine. They do not consider that the Bread and Wine, now sanctified and set apart for such an holy use, differs from common Bread and Wine, as signifying and representing unto us the body and blood of Christ, and are as signs and seals to confirm unto us, all those precious promises that God hath made unto us in his Son.

[Quest.] Here then it will be first asked, what it is to Discerne the Lord's body?

[Answ.] I answer, the original word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here used, signifieth to sever something, and to set it apart from the common use and accompt, and to esteem of it more highly and honourably then we do of other things, and accordingly to use it. And so the same word is used else-where: Have compassion on some sinners, and put a difference: That is, put a difference between such as truly repent, and such as be impenitent. So again; Who maketh thee 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to differ.

So then, to discern of the Lord's body in this place, is to distinguish that bread that is used in this Sacrament, as a most precious and blessed sign and seal of the body of Christ, from all other Creatures, and therefore to use it with all reverence and due respect, as a thing set apart of God, by his own appointment and institution to be a sign and seal of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, and of all those benefits which we have and receive by him, and therefore that we come not unto it, as we come unto our common meat and drink, but as to a holy mystery and sign of a blessed benefit.

[Doct. 6] And now in that the Apostle makes this, the ground of that curse or punishment, that wicked men do draw down upon their own heads, even their own condemnation, They discern not the Lord's body: that is, put no difference between those elements thus sanctified, and set a part for such an holy use, from their ordinary food: We learn, That

It is the property of an unworthy receiver, and of such a one as doth eat and drink unto his own Damnation, to put no difference between Bread and Wine in this Sacrament, and common bread and common wine, but eat and devour the Bread and Wine, never looking after, or regarding to feed on Christ, who is therein exhibited to every true believer.

Now what is this else, but to contemn Christ and his merits, and the undeserved love of God the father himself, who hath prepared such a bountiful feast for us, when we will not see nor regard that food by the which we should live forever.

So that, again here cometh to be considered the grievousness of that sin of unworthy receiving, the Apostle calls it, a not discerning of the Lord's body: and here by doth not lessen the fault, but rather teacheth us, y ^t this light esteem, and slight regard that most men have of this so holy and sacred an ordinance, howsoever men make light account of it, and the grace that is therein offered. Yet it is such a Sin, as grievously offendes the Majesty of God, and pulleth down upon men his fearful wrath.

If the King should pass by us, and we know him not, how could we do him that reverence we ought, inasmuch as we could nor discern him, nor know his person. Even thus fareth it with men in this Sacrament, albeeit the Lord be nigh unto his servants that come in a holy manner there-unto, in Faith, Repentance, and true Obedience; And that such feed upon Christ to their endless comfort. Yet it is not so with the wicked, the reason is, they Discerne not the Lord's body. They cannot see nor perceive any difference at all betwixt this bread, and their ordinary food, they want the eye of faith to discern Christ, who is spiritually discerned. And hence is it that they instead of reaping comfort and benefit by this his ordinance, do rather dishonor God, contemn Christ and his merits, and draw down upon their own heads swifte damnation.

[Use. 1] Now then, if all those that be not able to Discerne of the Lord's body. Receive unworthily, and eat and drink their own damnation, this shows in what a lamentable and fearful estate many thousands in the world be at this day; For ask them what they receive in this Sacrament, they make you a marvelous silly and ignorant answer. They receive their Maker. A bit of bread and a little wine, and the like. By which ignorant and profane speeches of theirs, they show that they discern not the Lord's body. But eat and drink unto their own perdition.

[Use. 2] Secondly, let this serve for our instruction, that as we desire to receive this Sacrament worthily, and so as we may find true peace & comfort unto out souls, let us labor to be rightly instructed in the doctrine of it that so we may be able to Discerne the Lord's body. And to apprehend what rich treasures are offered unto every true believe • herein, even Christ with all his merits, and not a piece of Bread as many fondly imagine. And that these elements being set a part by God himself, and sanctified unto us by the word and prayer, are now become unto us, signs and seals of the body and blood of Christ, and of those benefits that come unto us by his passion, and so be able to put a difference between them and common bread, and common wine.

First, because they are set apart by God to a special use, not so much to feed the body, as to Nourish and refresh the soul.

Secondly, because being now sanctified, they serve to be Sacraments, signs and seals of heavenly things, and spiritual mysteries: even of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, and all those singular benefits that come unto us by the same.

And thus much for the Apostles Reason in this 29. verse. To enforce his former duty of preparation. ∵

The Fift Sermon.

O Vr holy and blessed Apostle Saint Paul, having in the former part of this chapter, • et down the true and holy manner of ministering and receiving the Supper of the Lord, as • direction for all good Minister and people to follow. Doth i • the seventh and twentieth verse threaten the unworthy receivers that they are guilty of no less • then high treason against th • blood of Christ, for profaning and unworthy receiving of th • same.

And verse 28. He lays dow • a general rule to be observed o • all, that will come worthily an • prepared as they ought. Let ever • one therefore examine himself, an • so let him eat, &c. First his knowledge, whether it be sound an • sanctified. 2. His faith, whether i • be firm or not. 3. His Repentance, whether he have a dislik • of sin past, a resolute purpo •• and endeavor to avoid sin fo • the time to come, resolving to obey God in all things. 4. whether he come in love and charity to man. All which are absolute necessary in every true communicant, y ^t desires to receive this Sacrament worthily.

Verse 29. The better to awake all careless and irreverent receivers of this holy Sacrament. The Apostle comes to show them the danger of the want of this preparation: viz. That such do not only loose their labor, or the benefit which otherwise they might receive by the use of this Sacrament, but such do indeed provoke God's heavy wrath and displeasure against them, & hereby hasten and procure their own judgment. Because they discern not the Lord's body. That is, they put no difference between the Bread and Wine thus consecrated and set apart for such a holy use, and ordinary Bread, and ordinary Wine.

Now in this 30. verse the words of this text, the Apostle comest o • prove that which he had se • down before: viz. that the unworthy receiver of the Lord • Supper, draws down God • heavy wrath and vengeance by this means upon him, and this he doth by bringing in the Church and people of God in Corinth, to witness this truth who for this very sin of unworthy receiving of this Sacrament, were many of them stricken, some with one disease, and some with another: saying For this cause many are sick and weak &c.

q.d. You yourselves oh Corinthians find this to be true, that the unworthy receiver of this Sacrament eateth and drinketh his own judgment. Seeing that for this sin of yours, the judgment of God is upon you, in punishing many of you with faintness, sickness, yea and with death also. All which judgments of God now resting upon you, are so many witnesses of God's displeasure against you for this sin. This is the some of this verse.

[Doct. 1] Wherein we are to observe how our Apostle applieth particularly, that which he had so generally propounded touching the abuse of this Sacrament. Teaching

That it is the duty of every faithful minister of Jesus Christ, to make particular applications of those Doctrines the which they deliver: not to sooth the people in their sins, but plainly to set them before them, and to show them the judgments of God that are upon them for the same. And thus doth Nathan make a particular application of the parable of the sheep, saying to David, Thou art the man. Thus doeth Elias reprove Ahab: Moses, Pharaoh Paul, Felix: and John the Baptist, Herod, &c. yea, thus doth Christ himself deal with the woman of Samaria, who did but dally with Christ, until he came to lay to her charge her particular sin, that she was a wicked woman, no better then a whore or harlot; and then she was tamed, and began to listen unto Christ's doctrine. And there is great reason that the Ministers of God should deal thus truly and faithfully with men's souls: For

[Reason. 1] First, it is God's commandment, that his ministers should deal so plainly, and faithfully with the souls of men, to lay open their sins, and to acquaint them with the judgment to come. And here-hence it is, that the Lord doth give unto his servants in the Ministry, such names and titles, which serve to put them in mind of their duty herein: as Watch-men, Shepherds, Seers, Remembrancers, &c.

[Reason 2] Secondly, because we know, that conviction is the ready way to Conversion. And the judgment of man must first of all be convicted to see its error, before he can come to leave and forsake the same.

Now then, inasmuch as this is it where-unto all the labors of God's servants in the Ministry, doeth tend to bring men to see their sins, and to repent for the same; this can they not more better effect, then by the particular application of their Doctrines, bringing down the same, and applying it unto the consciences of the hearers.

[Use. 1] And surely this doth serve to show, why so many that labor in the Lord's vineyard amongst us are so unprofitable, and do so little good in their Ministry; the reason is plain, they deliver general Doctrines, without their Uses; they make not a true and particular application of the same unto the Consciences o • their hearers, and so it wants the life of all Application, and falls to the ground. Men having no • their portion out of the same divided amongst them.

[Use. 2] Secondly, this may serve to admonish all Ministers of the Word, that as they desire to see some fruit of their labor, the conversion of their hearers, and those the Lord hath committed unto their charge: So to behold Paul's practice here, to deal faithfully with men's souls, to rip up men's consciences to smite home, to press them with their sins, and to say with Nathan, Thou art the man. For indeed, such is the deceiptfulnesse of man's nature, that unless men be plainly and faithfully dealt withal, we may see, that self-love will make men put off the most wholesome instructions unto others, as if they did no whit concern themselves. This is a good lesson for such, and such a man, I would they had heard it: Whereas indeed, it concerneth none more then themselves. Paul prevents this amongst this people of Corinth, and tells them, That many amongst them were weak, &c. Oh that this duty were duly regarded of all in the ministry, it could not be but we should then find the fruit of the same: much peace in our own souls, in the conscionable discharge of our duty therein, and the good of many a poor soul that is under us.

[Use. 3] Thirdly, & lastly, if this be the duty of God's Ministers, to make particular application of his doctrines, and to press the same up on y ^e consciences of his hearers: You that are our hearers, must be thus content to be dealt withal, and not to storm against the Minister, nor to kick against the word. For this know, that if the word of God be not as an edged sword, to cut y ^e throat of thy sins, it is a sign the Lord hath cast thee off from his care, & intends to glorify himself in thy destruction. And therefore, as you tender the salvation of your own souls, suffer the Lord's Chyrurgians to make incision into your souls, by the sharp razor of the Law, who best know what will be the danger of a festered soul with Sin, and must launce the same before it can be cured: rather say with David: Let the righteous smite me friendly: a good sign of an humbled soul, and broken heart.

Here we have three kinds of corrections & visitations, that almighty mighty God layeth upon this people.

1. Many were weak: That is, had upon them some lingering and faint diseases, as the Consumption, &c.

2. Some were Sick, and so were vexed with more painful griefs: as Agues, Fluxes, Fevers, &c.

3. Some were fallen asleep: that is, the Lord had by his own hand taken them out of the world by death.

[Object.] But here lieth the doubt, how the Apostle knew, that these plagues and punishments sent of God, were for this sin of theirs, their unworthy receiving of this Sacrament.

[Answ.] I answer; First, he was taught and instructed by God's spirit what to say: and therefore might boldly say it. But besides, Paul knew that God had threatened thus to plague his people for this sin, as he threatened by Moses his servant. And had further in all ages, executed sundry judgments upon his Church and Children, for such open and common transgressions. And therefore Paul seeing these judgments upon these Corinthians, and knowing this to be a common sin amongst them, as God's Minister, concludeth thus: For this cause, &c.

And herein I see not the contrary, but the servants of God have warrant to say the like, namely, that when we see a judgment of God upon a place, and withal, do see some great and common sin to reign amongst them; we may safely put them in mind of their sins, and tell them that this judgment of God is upon them for such sins, as are so rife & notorious amongst them. There was good cause then why Paul should thus charge them.

[Doct. 2] Now for the several judgment, it is not needful to search & so to determine what diseases they were, that this Church and people were sick of, and died, It is sufficient for us to know that these sicknesses and diseases which the Lord had sent, were strange diseases, as may appear, in that our Apostle doth take special notice of them, which he would not have done if these had been ordinary. The note that we may observe herehence is

That sickness, diseases &c. are the fruit of sin, according to that of the Prophet Jeremiah: Man suffereth for his sin. And this doth Moses most clearly set down, when he denounceth so many several punishments against the people of Israel, as the Pestilence, Fever, burning Ague, Consumption &c: if they should disobey the the voice of the Lord their God.

But of this we have spoken more fully in the former Sermon. The reasons are

[Reason. 1] First, the Lord is just, and cannot do any wrong. He never correcteth, but their is something amiss.

[Reason. 2] And Secondly, every man is guilty of many sins, the least whereof, deserve all those corrections that are laid upon him. And we have ever cause to say moreover, That it is the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed. Our sins ever deserving heavier plagues, and more greuious judgments.

[Use. 1] Let this teach us then in all our afflictions, to acknowledge our sins to be the cause thereof, and to make a good use of the same to reformation of life. For these diseases of what nature soever, they be but the fruit of sin. This was that counsel that Daniel gave to Nabucadnezzer, Namely to break of his sins by repentance. And his transgressions, by having compassion on the poor. And surely this is the best counsel that one Christian can give to another in affliction, viz. To break of their sins by unfeigned repentance and turning unto the Lord. This is the way to stop the breach of God's wrath, and to move the Lord to revoke his judgments, and without which we shall but weary our selves in vain, for we must first remove the cause of God's judgments, our sins, or else the hand of God cannot be removed.

[Use. 2] Secondly, this condemns that hellish and brutish speech of many, who when they are weak, or sick, or at the point of death, ascribe all to fortune, chance, or this or that cause. But never look unto the correcting hand of God. Job acknowledgeth all these things to come from God, though it was, the devil and wicked men that spoiled him. Oh let us in God's name, learn to be wise herein, to acknowledge that all sickness, and every kind of disease, is God's visitation, sent of God to humble us, to make us to know, and to acknowledge our sin, and to seek unto him for mercy. And surely when we know that sickness comes from GOD, it will make us not only to seek unto him for help and deliverance from trouble, but be a good means likewise to work in us patience, to wait his leisure, when we can persuade our selves that they come from a loving Father, & sent for the good of our Souls.

Hence I might observe diverse things.

[Doct. 3,] First, y ^e merciful and gracious dealing of the Lord GOD towards his children, who rather then they should come to eat of this Sacrament unworthily, and so to provoke him to wrath against them, doth first humble them by sickness, and after takes them away by death. And thus indeed the Lord takes away his children, when they are at the best, and by death he doth prevent many evils in them to come. And thus the faithful are taken away from the Evil to come. And howsoever he may seem for a time to hide his face, yet with an everlasting mercy he hath compassion on his; But I will not stand long on this point.

[Use.] The use, shows what a foolish custom that is amongst the Papists, yea & amongst many other that are ignorant herein, who in time of sickness and weakness must then receive the Sacrament at home in their houses, in their chambers, and on their beds. I do not speak this as that I hold it in all cases unlawful so to do, but that the sick desiring it, may have the same administered unto him, that doth hunger and thirst after the same, and is in some good measure prepared thereunto. But I speak as y ^e same is commonly so used, o • rather indeed abused. For wha • do such else but cross God to his face. For whereas y ^e Lord doth by sickness tie up a man or woman, and doth as it were, round them in the ear, and say, thou mayest not receive at this time thou art unfit, they say oh, but we will receive, and that at home though the Lord say nay. And whereas the Lord hath shut them out of his house, and keep them back from his Table, least they should abuse so holy an ordinance, they notwithstanding are so far from being humbled for their sins, and for their particular failings therein in this duty, as that if the Lord do not strik with the stroke of death it self, they will not be kept from abusing the same still.

I speak not this I say, to dishearten any from receiving of this Sacrament, either at home, or in time of sickness, but to warn men of their superstitious custom therein, who receive the same superstitiously, and consider not that the Lord's hand is even then upon them, for abusing the same before.

[Doct. 4] The last thing that we may observe from this text is, how the Apostle calleth here the death of y ^e godly a Sleep. A point indeed of singular comfort to the godly, in that the death of their bodies is nothing else, but a sweet sleep. They die not, but sleep. And so it is said of David, Solomon, Hezekiah. &c. That they Slept with their Fathers. And so in the New Testament, death is usually termed a Sleep. As when CHRIST came to Lazarus, he saith, Lazarus is not dead, but Sleepeth. And of Stephen it is said, that He fell asleep. And so are the graves of the Saints departed called Beds, according to that of the Prophet: And they shall rest in their Beds, everyone that walketh before the Lord in righteousness.

Now the Reasons of this resemblance are thus conceived:

[Reason. 1] First, as such as lie down in their beds to sleep, do not lie down forever, but rise again much refreshed, and more cheerful then before, to do the work of life: Even so the elect of God, and the bodies of his saints, howsoever they taste of corruption, do not perish in corruption, but are laid in their graves, as in a bed of Down, that so resting from their labors, and from all pain and grief, they may rise again at the last day, to eternal life.

[Reason. 2] Secondly, a man that is asleep, may be awaked out of the same by another: Even so the dead are as easily revived by the voice of God, as the living man awaked out of his shallowest slumber.

[Use. 1] Such then do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God, that teach and maintain, that the body by death is resolved into its first principles, without hope of restoring to life. As also, against all Sadducees, that conclude against the Article of our resurrection: But not to stand on this.

[Use. 2] We learn here, not so much to fear death; For, it cannot hurt the Child of God, there is nothing in death to be feared of the godly: It is the passage into life, the body resting in the grave as in a bed, until that great day of the Lord shall come, when it shall rise again to life. Which may teach us likewise, to moderate our lamentation for the departure of our friends: Brethren, saith Paul, I would not have you ignorant, concerning them that sleep in the Lord, that ye should mourn, as men without hope. Showing, that this immoderate fear of death, and this excessive mourning of many for the dead, it springs from ignorance & want of Faith: For, if we believed this, that they are laid a sleep, and their Souls being in heaven, their bodies lie in the earth, as in a bed of Down, until the judging day, and then that they shall rise to glory, why should we mourn so much for them?

In this verse, the Apostle showeth a reason why the Lord dealeth so sharply with his people, and correcteth them so sorely for this sin of theirs, their unworthy receiving of this Sacrament, namely, because they would not see their sin, be humbled for the same, and condemn themselves as guilty before God, of unworthy receiving of this Sacrament: And therefore the Lord was constrained to take the matter into his own hand, and to correct them for the same.

That is, enter into our own hearts, examine our own ways, and call our own sins unto account, and condemn our selves for the same, then should we not in this manner, be judged, and condemned of the Lord.

Concerning this remedy here prescribed by the holy Ghost, to avoid God's judgment, and eternal condemnation. It stands we see, in the practice of this most needful and Christian duty of men's entering into their hearts and Souls, to examine and find out their sins, and to judge and condemn themselves for y ^e same.

Now that we may perform this duty aright, we must know, there is a fourfold duty to be performed by us: for in judgment there must be examination, accusation, condemnation, and execution. And these four are likewise necessary to the judging of a man's self.

First, there must be a serious examination of our selves, and of our own estates, how it fareth betwixt God and our souls, which is wrought by the law of God, by the which as in a glass, we may behold the sundry sins we have committed, as so many spots and blemishes in our souls, and this examination and trial of our own hearts and estates is so needful, as that without it, it is impossible to judge himself, or to repent truly of his sins: For by the conscionable performance of this duty, coms the knowledge of sin, and of our misery, which is the first step unto true repentance.

And to this end, in the word of God, the Lord doth often call up on men to consider their ways, and to call their lives to account, and that so they may attain unto the sight of their sin, and come to repentance for the same. The Prophet Jeremiah doth often call upon this saying: Know thy sins, O Jerusalem. And again, Wherefore is the living man sorrowful, man suffereth for his sin. Let us search and try our ways and turn unto the Lord. Where he shows that for want of this judging of our selves, men are punished, and because they will not enter into a narrow search of their own souls, they do not return unto the Lord. So David, I considered my own ways, and turned my feet to thy Testimonies. And the like speece is used by the Prophet Zephaniah: Fan yourselves, oh my people. Yea common reason doth require the same, before a man can frame himself to enter into a right course, he must thoroughly be resolved and persuaded within himself, that he hath been mistaken in his former course of life. I might multiply testimonies in this kind, but these shall suffice, to direct us in this duty, how necessary this strict trial and examination of our own estates, is to the judging of our selves.

Only let me add this, that in this our examination we must not only search after our gross sins, but even after our most secret corruptions. For true repentance extends it self not only to the gross euiles of men's lives, but even the most secret corruption of the heart, and of the Soul.

And we must withal consider the Circumstances of our sins, as when, where, & how, we have committed the same, that so accordingly we may labor for humiliation for the same. And herein it shall be safe for us to pass thorough the whole law of God, and take a view of our lives by every particular commandment, that so we may the better come to see and acknowledge our misery, and want.

[Use. 1] First, then this serves to discover unto us y ^e reason why there is so little faith & true repentance in the world, why men are no more humbled for their sins, and do not repent of the same. Poor Souls, they know not that they do evil, such either cannot or do not search themselves, they call not their own ways to account. Now then how can such come to repentance, and to have their sins pardoned, that never yet called their sins to account, nor questioned their estate. Such never came as yet where repentance grew. Well then I say again, mark well this point, do not lightly pass it over, but esteem it as the blessed truth of God, that the sight and understanding of our own wandering, is the first step unto eternal life and salvation, and to judge our selves, that so we may in the ende escape the condemnatorie sentence of the Almighty.

[Use. 2] Secondly, we may observe hence, what a singular a favor of God it is, when he doth open a man's eyes to see his miseries, & to find himself like a lost sheep to have gone a stray. Surely, surely, this is the beginning of all grace & true conversion unto God. Whereas such as are yet ignorant of their own estates, or cannot abide to look into the Law, whereby sin comes to be discovered. It is a plain sign that such a one, is in a most desperate case, past hope, and God himself must be faint to take him into his own hand, for sin must be judged.

And thus much for the first degree of judging of our selves: our examination of our own estates.

The second particular, wherein this judging of our selves doth consist, is Accusation. Or the preferring of bills of inditement against our selves: and to accuse our selves before God for our sins. And indeed, if we would not be judged and condemned of the Lord, we must bring our selves as poor prisoners to y ^e bar of God's judgment seat. And this we do when we set our selves, in the presence of God, and enter into a narrow reconing with our own Souls, and consciences, as if now were the day of judgment. To see what our conscience (which is as a little God and judge in our bosom) would say against us. And surely the often performance of this duty, to bring our selves thus into God's presence, to see what an acnount we can make unto GOD of our lives past, will be a good means to bring us to this duty, to judge our selves, that we be not judged of the Lord: and where men do truly come to the sight of their sins, and unto true repentance for the same, there will ever follow this Accusation for sin. In true repentance there is evermore a disposition to lay to a man's own charge as much as is possible. A penitent sinner needs none other adversary then his own conscience, he himself is his own foe. And this appears clearly by that of David, I have sinned exceedingly (saith he) and done very foolishly. And it is the practice of Ezra in that confession of his, he makes in the behalf of the whole Church: Our iniquities are increased over our heads, and our trespasses are grown up to heaven. And that of the Prophet Daniel is most excellent to this purpose when he saith, We have sinned and committed iniquity and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts, and from thy iudgemens. How doth the Prophet there accuse for sin, by the acknowledgment of the people's degrees of sins: And if we require some examples, we may behold Paul's practice herein, confessing himself to be a Blasphemer, an Oppressor &c. Yea the Cheefe of sinners. And that of the Prodigal, who confessed that he had sinned against heaven and against God &c. All which as a cloud of witnesses, Serue to inform our Judgment, and to settle the same in the truth of this point, that unto this judging of our selves there must be self-accusing▪ and indeed where there is true repentance, there is in some [Use. 1] measure this disposition.

The uses follow.

If this accusing of a man's self be so necessary unto the judging of our selves, that so we may escape the condemnation of the Lord: what shall we say to those that study the Art of mincing and extenuating of sin? poor souls, such never came where repentance gr • we. And yet the world affords thousands of these, who notwithstanding, think themselves to be in good cause▪ that can put upon covetousness, the cloak of frugality and good husbandry: vpō drunkenness, good-fellowship &c, so far are many from accusing themselves for sin, as that they rather justify themselves in their evil ways.

[Use. 2] But let this serve for matter of instruction unto us all, that as we desire the pardon of our sins▪ & to have some good evidence unto our own souls, of our repentance, to aggravate our sins, & to accuse our selves unto God for our manifold impieties. Oh it is an excellent sign of grace in a man, to think he can never lay enough unto his own charge. Oh this is the only way to have our sin covered before God, to confess and uncover the same unto him. For he will justify us if we condemn our selves. He forgets our sins, if we remember them: and when we are vile in our own eyes, we are most precious in the Lord's, and when we are lost in our selves, we are found of him.

The third degree of this judging of our selves, is Condemnation. And that is a passing of Sentence against a man's self, acknowledging that if the Lord did bring upon him swift damnation, he were most just and righteous in his judgments: Like y ^e penitent thief upon the Cross: We are justly punished. And this was David's case in diverse places of his Psalms, saying I said (or determined with my self) I will confess my sin against myself. And so Job: I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. And indeed, herein lieth a principal part of this judging of a man's self, when a man comes so to see his sins, and God's heavy displeasure for the same, as that he can subscribe unto God's justice, even in his own condemnation: acknowledging that God is just, and that he himself deserves far more greater judgment: And never comes a man to be truly humbled for sin in himself, till he be brought to this pass, to judge and condemn himself.

And unto the three former degrees of judging a man's self, there may be added a fourth, and that is Execution, and holy Reuenge. And this is when we beat down our bodies, and mortify our members, denying them that sway and swinge in the ways of vanity: And the undertaking of good duties, that the like occasions may be prevented for the time to come.

By all which we see that this judging of our selves is no small matter, nor easy thing, which should make us so much the more careful to perform the same aright. And thus we have seen what the judging of our selves is, a duty how necessary, appears in the last clause of this verse.

In which words, the Apostle meaneth that we should not be condemned and punished of the Lord, and herein giving us to understand:

[Doct. 5] That the only way to turn away the Lord's wrath, is, to judge our selves, as hath been declared, and might further be manifested by many testimonies, as that of Solomon: He that hides his sins shall not prosper, but he that confesseth and forsaketh them, shall find mercy. And how often doth the Lord by his Prophets tell the people, that if they would turn from evil ways, that he would Repent him, &c. and turn from his fierce wrath he had conceived against them: evident testimonies to clear this truth.

And for this cause, did the Lord call upon his Prophets, to meet the Lord before the Decree came forth, and the Lord's wrath was kindled against his people. To kiss the Son, least he were angry: And to seek the Lord, whilst he may be found, &c. And indeed, the Scriptures afford us diverse examples, of such as by judging themselves, have turned away the Lord's judgment, not only the godly, but even among the wicked themselves, as Pharaoh Ahab, &c. And not only of men, but the same hath been proved true of whole Cities, and Countries: as Nineveh, and of the people of Israel, and the like.

[Use.] This serveth for our instruction, to persuade all men thus to judge themselves, since it is the only way to escape the judgment of God. Which mercy and blessing none can sufficiently prize, but such as have felt what a fearful thing it is, to fall into the hands of the Almighty, and and have themselves felt his heavy hand.

And therefore in God's name, as we desire to escape the judgment of God, let us make conscience of this remedy, to enter into our own hearts, call our own ways to accompt, that so judging our selves, we may not be judged of the Lord.

In this verse, the Apostle makes plain his meaning, and sets down the principal end why God correcteth his children, viz. That they should not be condemned with the world.

Which the Apostle doeth to this end, to answer a doubt that might arise and trouble the conscience of God's Children, to whom this comfort doth appertain. And that is this:

[Object.] If God sent these strange judgments amongst them, for their sin of unworthy receiving, and that because they did not judge themselves: They might by and by gather, that they were out of God's favor, and therefore fear that these judgments were tokens of his wrath, and should turn to their destruction.

[Answ.] To this doubt of theirs, the Apostle answereth in this verse, that howsoever they had indeed deserved the Lord's ouerlasting wrath, yet the Lord in judging them, did not cast them off, or like a rigorous Judge, in fury take vengeance upon them: But rather, as a Father, did chastise them, and that to this ende, that hereby, they might be brought to repentance, and so delivered from condemnation with the world.

Out of these words we may gather three conclusions.

First, that the wicked world, or the world of wicked men, shall assuredly be condemned.

Secondly, that the godly shall not be condemned, but certainly saved: and

Thirdly, that one principal means that God doth use to free his children from condemnation is correction.

[Doct. 6] First that the world, that is the wicked men of the world, who are so called because of their multitude, shall moe assuredly be condemned. And the Lord will take vengeance upon them at last. There is nothing of more certainty then the severity of God's justice upon • ose, who are no way provoked by the abundance & riches of his mercy to repent. And hence is it that the Lord in the Scriptures is called a Judge, and a righteous Judge, to show that the Lord in time will take vengeance upon the wicked. And Job speaking of the wicked saith, His eyes shall see destruction. And Solomon saith that He that justifieth the wicked: and he which condemneth the just, are both an abomination to the Lord. And by the Prophet Isaiah, the Lord denounceth a heavy woe against those which justify the wicked. Now if the Lord do hate it in others, to acquit the inocent and to condemn the just; we may be well assured, it will be far from the judge of all the world to do unjustly. For he is not respecter of men's persons. But will in the ende most certainly execute judgment and vengeance upon the wicked.

And if we would look upon some particular examples, the Scriptures afford us diverse, as evident testimonies of the severity of God's judgment upon the wicked. He spared not the Angels (saith Peter) which kept not their first estate.

He suffered the old world long, but at the last he cleared his justice, and brought a Flood of destruction upon the wicked; and so at last he remembered the sins of the Sodomites. And answered the cry of them with fire and Brimstone from heaven. What though Pharaoh, Saul, Ahab, and Jezebel, flourish for a time, it will be but for a time, their Damnation doth not sleep, nay more to show the certainty of the condemnation of all wicked and ungodly men, our Savior saith, that the wicked are condemned already.

First, in the justice of God who will punish th • transgressors of the law: Cursed is everyone that abideth not in all things, &c.

Secondly, in the court of a wicked man's conscience, wherein God doth begin to execute the sentence of condemnation upon them, giving them either a guilty and an accusing conscience, as it were y ^e flashes of hell in this life; or else hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, which judgment of God is no way inferior to the former.

And thirdly, in God's decree and God's account, they are condemned already: that is, are as sure and certain of condemnation. As if they were already plunged into it.

[Use. 1] This serves, first of all to assure as that there is a day of judgment coming, when every man shall receive according to his works. Against all those blasphemies of the wicked, who say, where is the promise of his coming, for since the beginning, all things continue alike. And thus the wicked that contemn religion, scoff at all piety and godliness, make but a scoff of the judgment day, either that it shall not come at all, or that the Lord will justify the wicked and the sinner in that day. Oh how hath Satan blinded the minds of such. I ask such why that day is called the day of the Lord. And the terrible day of the Lord shall come as a thief &c. And y ^t it is called the day of the Declaration of the just judgment of God. But that the Lord will be exalted in judgment in that day. When he will revenge himself upon his enemies, and upon all impenitent sinners.

[Use. 2] Secondly, this may serve for matter of terror unto all wicked and impenitent sinners, to consider in what a woeful and fearful estate they are in, they are as sure and certain to be condemned (without repentance) as if they were plunged in hell already. What though a traitor that is condemned, have the liberty of the Tower or Castle wherein he lies, and may follow his sports and pleasures there? poor soul, what joy can he have, to think that even in the midst of them all, the King may • all him to the block. Even so what though the wicked abound • n pleasure? what though their •• uses are peaceable and without • ear, and the rod of God be not up • n them. Shall we say their estate • happy? when their sin lieth • t the door. As God told Cain. And their condemnation doth • ttend upon them? Oh but y ^e day • f judgment is not come yet; • t is true because judgment; deferred, therefore the wicked wax bold. But know, Oh know; thou that livest in thy sin, and puttest in this manner from thee the evil day, that the sentence then to be ratified is already pronounced, and that which is then to be executed is already begun, thou art now as it were upon y ^e hurdle, draging along to the place of execution, the rop • is as it were about thy neck, and nothing is wanting but the turning off the ladder. Oh conside • this ye that forget God, least I ta •• you in pieces, and there be none to d • liver.

[Use. 3] Thirdly, this may serve to reprove that vain conceit o • many, that think that God • made all of mercy, and one s • full of clemency, as that whe • they will, they can make the • peace with him, and that a Lord have mercy upon me, will serve the turn, though it be but at the very hour of death. But know, O thou vain man, that strengthenest thyself in thy sinful course, under this hope, that the LORD will show thee mercy at the last: That thou mayest so far abuse his mercy, goodness, and grace, which should have led thee to repentance, as there will be no place of repentance left for thee, though with Esau, thou seek the same at God's hands with tears. Else, what meaneth that, where the Lord saith: Because I have called, and ye refused: I have stretched out my hand, and none would regard: But ye have despised my council, and would none of my correction. I will also laugh at your destruction, and mock when your fear cometh. But to show that the Lord will not regard the cries, and moans that the wicked shall make at the last, that have hardened their own hearts against his gracious call, and turned away their ears, when he spake unto them in his word.

[Use. 4] And last of all, this may teach us not to envy the felicity of the wicked: Poor souls, they rather deserve pity then envy. The reckoning that is behind, will make them pay full dear for these sweet pleasures for a time, and in the midst of all their pleasures, and height of all their pomp and glory, they are but cursed and condemned creatures. And now for a short time, and a little season, what though the Worlde admire them, and they have many to stoop unto them with cap and knee: God hath already condemned them, and they are despised in the eyes of all good men.

And thus much for the first conclusion.

Observe hence in the second place, what is God's immutable counsel and decree touching the godly, he will that they shall not be condemned, and to this ende, doeth many times correct them in this world, that so they may not be condemned with the World. So that, our second Conclusion will be

[Doct. 7] That the godly shall not be condemned, but certainly saved. For, Who hath resisted his will? If the Lord will have the Elect to be saved: And amongst other the means he hath ordained and sanctified to the same purpose, he hath appointed correction to be one in this world, to make his servants escape the condemnation of the wicked in the Worlde to come. The Lord ever effecteth what is the purpose of his own will. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance, whom he loveth, he loveth to the end. His love is perpetual, and therefore saith: With an everlasting love had I compassion on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer. And indeed, this is a most certain rule, that where God beginneth the good work of grace, there is no opposition whatsoever, that can be made by the Devil, the World, or our own Corruptions, shall ever be able to hinder the same. And therefore saith Paul: I am persuaded, that he that hath begun this good work in you, will finish the same, until the day of Jesus Christ. And it is made the very final cause, why God sent his Son into the Worlde, even this: That all that believe in him, should not perish, but have life everlasting. And unto all that I have said, add these Testimonies: I know my Sheep, I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish: Neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. And there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. And that the foundation of the Lord remaineth forever sure. Surely there is no point of Doctrine more often urged, or clearly proved in the Scripture, then this, to show the certainty of the salvation of all the elect, that their life is hid with Christ in God. And that such shall never perish: And hence it is, that Christ is called the Author, and finisher of our faith to comfort and stay the poor sheep of Christ with this, that if the Lord have in any measure begun in them the true work of grace, as he is the author of it; For every good gift, and every perfect gift coms from him that is the Father of light, and God of all consolation. So he will never cease, until he have brought the same unto perfection

And the reasons hereof are

[Reason 1] First, because the Lord that hath from all eternity, willed the salvation of all the elect, is immutable and unchangeable. His gifts are without repentance, his foundation standeth sure. And we are kept by his power unto salvation.

[Reason 2] Secondly, the Elect are sure of Salvation, in regard of the price of the same, and that is the blood of Jesus Christ, which cleanseth from all Sin. And that being given as a ransom for many, what a fearful imputation should we cast upon it, if the same should not be available unto the elect to Salvation.

[Reason 3] And thirdly, it were directly to cross God's justice, which being satisfied in the death of the Son of God, for the sins of all the elect, and to make the same of no validity, if the elect redeemed by Christ, should finally fall away, and perish everlastingly. But not to stand upon these Reasons.

The uses are,

[Use 1] First, to take notice of God's unspeakable love and mercy unto his Church and Children. Who even herein hath magnified his mercy towards us, not only setting us free from the prison of our sins, and from the fearful punishment belonging unto the same, but hath also in deep compassion towards our poor Souls, acquainted us that we shall not come into condemnation, but shall escape from death unto life: To the end that being free from that same bondage, and servile fear, that the Wicked live under; We might learn to serve the LORDE in Righteousness and Holynesse yea with much joy, and comfort, all the days of our life.

[Use 2] Secondly, this serves to discover a wonderful point of folly that reigns in the world; of all the mercies of GOD this is the chiefest, when the Lord doth give unto a man, Christ, and the benefits of his passion, amongst which, this is not the least assurance of God's love, touching remission of sins and our everlasting salvation. And yet (alas) we see of all things this is less sought for, as if salvation and eternal life were not worth the seeking. Herein we are like unto little children, y ^t look after babies in a book, and regard not the matter. Oh why should we be so foolish, to seek those things which cannot continue, and let go those things as are both perpetual and eternal. Do we affect perpetuities, do we desire a glorious, a comfortable, an honorable and withal an unchangeable estate. Behold here is an excellent estate indeed. Eternal Salvation, an Eternal inheritance. An Eternal wait of glory. A Lease not of one and twenty years, but for term of such a life as shall never see death. Why then seek we not after it, and get good evidences of the same, that so at last, Salvation may be our portion.

And thus much briefly for the second conclusion.

The Apostle herein labors to prove, that these judgments of Almighty God (unto them y ^t can make a right use of them) are but Fatherly chastisements and instructions, to keep his children from the condemnation of the world. We are chastised of the Lord &c. q. d. You are even in the midst of your trials, troubles and afflictions, to behold God's mercy towards you, who doth thus correct you, not out of any hatred he bears to any of you: but even as a loving and dear Father correcteth his own child, to prevent more dangerous courses, which might bring him to shame in the end. So God doth exercise you with these temporal chastisements, that thereby he might keep and restrain you from falling into such sins, as might bring you to Damnation with the rest of the world: the Doctrine then is,

[Doct. 8] That one principal means that God doth use to free his Children from condemnation, is correction. For whereas by nature they are corrupt as well as the wicked: God useth this correction as a sovereign Medicine to Purge out their corruption, and so to cleanse them from their sin, to bring them to repentance, and to Salvation. This is intended by Christ when he saith, Every branch that beareth not fruit in me, he taketh away, and everyone that beareth fruit, he purgeth: That it may bring forth more fruit. And most agreeable unto this, is that of the Prophet David, Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest O Lord, and teachest him in thy Law. That thou mayest give him rest from the days of evil, whilst the pit is digged for the wicked. Whereby we learn what an excellent fruit cometh to God's children by correction, even no less then such as accompany eternal life and Salvation. Which cometh to pass, not simply thorough afflictions: For then should the wicked have the same fruit of them, inasmuch as All things happen alike to all. But only thorough the great mercy of GOD, who Sanctifieth the same unto his children, and unto the wicked. The Scriptures are full of proofs for the confirmation of this Doctrine. Excellent to this purpose is that of the Prophet Hosea, I will be to Ephraim as a Lyon, and as a young Lyon to the house of Judah. I, even I will tear and go away &c. Till they acknowledge their offense and seek my face. And this is acknowledged by the prophet David, who could speak herein by experience Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I learned thy commandments. And Paul concludeth thus, For our light affliction, which is but for a moment: causeth unto us a far more excellent and eternal wait of Glory. And great reason, that the afflictions of God's Servants should work this work, in them.

[Reason. 1] First, because the Lord in his own decree and counsel, hath appointed the same for a help and remedy, against our strong corruptions, and these must needs be now as wholesome potions very medicinal, being used by such a heavenly Physician.

[Reason. 2] Secondly, howsoever the works of correction are unpleasant for the present. For no affliction is for the time present, joyous but grievous, yet they are by God's blessing upon them, excellent means to work in us contrition, and true humiliation for our sins. The ready way to conversion. And this appears by the incestuous person upon whom Paul required to be laid that fearful penalty of Excommunication, that he should be delivered over to Satan: And excluded out of the Church until he repented. It appeareth that he was awakened thereby, and so brought to Godly sorrow for his sin.

The uses follow.

[Use. 1] Seeing then, that afflictions are so useful unto a child o • GOD as the effects thereo • do declare, proving as wholesome Medicines, and as Fatherly chastisements to amend and reform us. This may stay the children of GOD, from being too much dishartened in time of affliction: But rather with all meekness submit our selves unto our most wise GOD, whoever correcteth for our good. And chasteneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. How many notwithstanding are there that make many hard conclusions against themselves in time of affliction. As if God had forsaken them, and they clean cast out of his favor. But Oh consider wherefore doth the Lord lay thee upon thy sick bed, afflict thee in thy Wife, Children, Goods &c: Surely for no other ende, then to bring thee unto himself. What cause then hath any to murmur or complain in time of affliction.

[Use. 2] Secondly, this serves to Magnifie the Power, and Wisdom of God, that can and doth so over-rule the nature of all things, that they shall serve for much good unto his children, according to that of the Apostle All things work for the best to them that love God, As the skillful Apothecary, of poison, makes Triakle to expel poison, so can God make the poison of afflictions, (which in themselves are the curse of the Law) to drive out the poison of sin, as we may clearly see in the examples of Manasseh, Ephraim, the Jailor, Prodigal &c: The afflictions of whose outward man: were by God's blessings upon them, good means to save both the outward and inward man.

Yet even herein we must observe a difference betwixt the godly, & the wicked, to the one, they are helps to heaven, to the other forerunners of greater torments, as in the deluge the waters that bore up the Ark for the saving of Noah, drowned the wicked of those times. And this we may often see under the Cross, the godly to pray, the wicked to blaspheme, the dross consumes, while the gold is purified, So much mattereth it not, what is suffered, but what the persons be that suffer.

And thus much for our helps and direction, how to receive the Sacrament, and that worthily.