come to Church draw neer unto the holy Communion Will you so saith the Apostle No first Cleanse your hands yee sinners and purge your hearts yee double-minded As if hee should say never think of drawing neer unto God or setting foot on this holy ground and handling those holy mysteries of Christ unlesse thou first purge thy heart and cleanse thy soule from all thy filthy lusts and cursed corruptions lest otherwise thou coming in thy sinnes with thy uncleannesse on thee and so receiving unworthily thou eatest and drinkest thine owne damnation as our English translation hath it damnation to thy selfe and not to another No God forbid that thou shouldest by thy unworthy coming eate and drink condemnation to another for thou that art a child of God and comest unto the Table of the Lord with repentance and a sound measure of preparation though others that sit in the same pew with thee for their prophanesse eate and drink their own damnation yet thou shalt be sure to receive the seale and assurance of thy reconciliation and salvation with free acceptance of God through the Lord Jesus Christ for every man shall bear his owne burden Reas 4 The last Reason is in regard of the end of the Sacrament which is Christ also For as he is the efficient materiall and formall cause so Christ is also the finall cause of the Sacrament So it is in the 26. verse As oft as you eate of this Bread and drink of this Cup you shew forth the Lords death untill he come Not that Christ may be eaten with the teeth or corporally received in the Sacrament or as if he were there productively or transubstantially as the Papists say no the Apostle shewes that the end of the celebration of this Sacrament is for to shew forth the death of Christ untill he come Object I but say the Romists unlesse we eate the body and drink the blood of Christ really and not the consâ—crated bread and wine how can any man by this unworthy communicating eate and drink his own damnation and make himself guilty of the body and bloud of Christ Answ I answer a man cannot bring this guilt upon himself by eating a peece of bread or drinking a cup of wine but the Apostle hath an answer so fitted for this as that all the Papists in the world shall never be able to gainsay and therefore I pray you to mark it for he hath joyned these two verses together As oft as you eate of this bread and drink of this cup you shew forth the Lords death till hee come Wherefore whosoever eateth this bread or drinketh this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord even for this cause because it is the shewing forth of Christs death till hee come Therefore if thou eatest and drinkest unworthily comming in thy sinnes and resolvest to goe on in them that as thou wert proud before thou camest to the Sacrament so thou art still as thou wert cholerick angry and impatient before so thou art still as thou wert luke-warme and dead-hearted in Gods service before so thou remainâ—st stiâ—l remember I pray thee that as oft as thou hast come unto the communion in those thy sinnes thou hast made thy self guilty of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ Therfore I beseech you to look to it and in time to repent and pray with the Prophet David Ps 51. Deliver me from blood-guiltinesse O Lord even from the blood of thy Sonne left one day it bee laid unto thy charge and required straitly at thy hands For for this cause many are sick among you and many weak Vse 1 Is it so then that the Lord doth so severely punish the unworthy receivers of the Sacrament Take notice I pray you then from whence commeth all sicknesse weaknesse and mortality and the reason why the Lord doth send so many kind of sorrowes crosses and miseries upon men namely because of the unworthy receiving of the Lords Supper So saith Mr. Calvin why doe you wonder to see such warres and rumours of warres that there is so many bloodsheds so many Townes and Cities ruinated and so many Countries sacked and depopulated so many calamities come upon the Churches abroad so many plagues and scourges to over-run Christendome at this day is not the cause plain enough men come unto the Table of the Lord carelesly and unworthily And beloved we shall never see the Lord take away his judgements here from the earth untill we betake our selvs to a more diligent and holy receiving of the Sacrament For this very cause there are so many strange diseases amongst us never formerly known or heard of untill these dayes as the French Pox the English Sweat as they call it that even the Physitians themselves are blunted at them and as Peter Martyr well observes hence are all diseases as plagues pestilences which were late amongst us dropsies bloody Flux Agues Apoplexies Convulsies burning Feavers and impostumes c. and all for this cause One man hath fallen into a Feaver and we wonder at the cause whence he took it but in truth the communion hath cast him into his Feaver and the Lord will avenge himself on him for the same Another is sick and he thinkes that a cold hath brought it upon him but it is the unworthy receiving of the Sacrament that is truely the cause of it A third man dieth before his time even in his full strength before in the course of nature he hath ended halfe his dayes but the cause is unworthy comming to the Communion which hath taken hold of him and cut off the thread of his life Many there be that expound these words in a spirituall sense Many are sick and weak and many are fallen asleep that is to say many have their consciences seared and their hearts hardned c. and this is true also that because men come unpreparedly they have their hearts hardened and their consciences seared and their soules plagued with many spirituall plagues But it is as true also in temporall judgements thou hast had many afflictions and much sickness laid upon thee but thank thy self for it namely because thou hast come unworthily unto the communion thou hast had much weaknesse in thy body which hath cost thee much mony and weakned thy estate but thy unholy comming unto the Sacrament is that which thou mayest thank for it Thou hast been reproached and contemned and endured much shame but take notice of it that it proceeds from the fore-going cause and that is a speciall reason why the Lord hath brought these and many other evils upon thee Thou canst say the commandements for the most part by rote but thou didst never know the mystery of this one commandement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain Beloved the Communion is one of Gods own names and how many thousands are there in the world that take this
of their reformation let me tell them that it shall be one of Christs demands of them in the day of judgement How oft hast thou been at my Table How oft hast thou been partakers of that holy Communion which I gave unto thee Hast thou come preparedly or received worthily or no Hast thou eate bread at my Table with me and lift up thy heele against me Did I command and thou woudst not obey Did I send my Ministers to thee to reform but thou wouldst not be reformed Did I check and reprove thee for thy pride blasphemies drunkennesse covetousnesse anger wrath malice fornication hyporcrisie and hrophanesse in the matter of my worship and yet wouldst thou still live in these sinnes Where are all the Sacraments that thou hast received How hast thou behaved thy selfe Where are the sinnes that thou hast forsaken and pleasing corruptions that thou hast abhorred What grace and holinesse hast thou received by the meanes thou hast enjoyed and how hast thou manifested the same through thy whole conversation Oh! woe woe unto thee yea and a world of woes unto thee and unto all such as shall bee silent and speechlesse to those or the like demands of Christ for they cannot say they have come out of their sins and have been reformed by the means of grace and have received spirituall nourishment and refreshing from the heavenly banquet of the Communion of the body and bloud of the Lord Jesus Christ A man will especially regard the last words of a deare friend who is as a mans soul when he is to speak upon his death-bed and will be carefull to remember them and dost thou not more regard the last Will and Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ We count it a horrible sinne to alter the last Will of a man that is dead Beloved the Lord Jesus before he left this world instituted this blessed Sacrament at his last Will and Testament and hath given us a charge that as we would not eate and drink our owne damnation by bringing the guilt of his body and bloud upon our soules so that we should discerne the Lords body and not come unpreparedly in our sinnes and abominations without reverence and respect of such holy and high mysteries as if there were nothing to be received and looked for after then the bare naked element of bread and wine or as if we did come to communicate with unclean Devils O my brethren if you had but faith you would be able to discerne Christ in the Sacrament and therefore when thou commest unto it thou must prepare and sanctifie thy selfe for to communicate with him in those holy Ordinances and heavenly mysteries of his most pretious body and bloud For if so be that thou retainest thy sins and so come unworthily unto this holy Table of the Lord thou art a great covenant-breaker with God For thou never comest unto the Communion but thou makest and renewest thy covenant with God wherein thou promisest thus much or the like in effect Lord I have been formerly a drunkard but now I promise to give it over and never to be a drunkard more I have been a scoffer at Religion and a mocker and derider of thy children but now I faithfully promise Lord that I will never do so any more I have been wicked and sinfull disobeying and rebelling against all thy holy commandements and respected not thy judgements and thy promises and have beene carelesse of thy glory But now Lord as I eate this bread and drink this wine so I covenant unto thee and promise to thee that I will amend all my sinfull wayes and become a reformed Christian And as I ever look that the body and bloud of the Lord Jesus Christ represented in the elements should nourish my soule unto eternall life so I promise to be disobedient to the Devil but faithfull and obedient unto thee I will stop my ears against the alluring inchantments of the world and wicked suggestions of the Devill but I will open them wide to hearken to thy voyce that I may obey thy commands But now as thou hast made ir so if thou hast broken this thy covenant with God returning to thy former courses of sin and disobedience against him know thou that this covenant of thine which thou hast broken shall stand in full force against thee for God will assuredly require it at thy hands and all the Sacraments which thou hast received thou hast received them but as so many seales and pledges of thy just deserved condemnation Object But some man may object and say Do all that come unworthily unto the Sacrament eate and drink their own damnation Then many hundreds yea thousands are damned Are all damned that have eat and drunk unworthily Answ Ans No but a man may eate and drink his own damnation three wayes First in regard of guilt and liablenesse unto Gods wrath and so he that eateth and drinketh his naturall food his dinner supper or breakfast in his sinnes eateth and drinketh his own damnation yea whosoever thou art that commest unto this holy banquet in thy sinnes in thy pride choler malice wrath or revenge covetousnesse hypocrisie and deadnesse in Gods service thou never eatest a bit of bread but thou eatest and drinkest thine own damnation that is thou eatest and drinkest that which will witnesse against thee another day Deut. 28.16 17 18 19 verses c. If thou wilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God to observe and doe all his commandements then all these curses shall come upon thee overtake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the City and cursed in the field cursed shal be thy basket and thy store Now if thy bread be cursed then thou also art cursed that eatest it Secondly in regard of the seale and obligation in the conscience so he that eateth and drinketh the Sacrament in his sins eateth and drinketh his own damnation that is he eates and drinks that which seals up his damnation against the great day of account And thus many amongst us and I feare the most part of this Congregation have eate and drunk their own damnation But this seale may be broken off and God grant it may Thirdly in regard of sigillation in heaven and so he that eats and drinks unworthily and will not be reformed he that receives the Sacrament time after time but still retains his sins and will not be humbled for them not forsake them he setteth a seale in heaven upon his own damnation that all the whole world can never break off but such a one most certainly is a damned creature And now my brethren God forbid there should be any such here but that this seale may bee broken off And O that God would put some strength into this word that it may be broken off by your godly sorrow for your sin and forsaking of them all for if this seale be set on your damnation why do I yet speak unto you and intreat
drink of that Cup. In these words observe First the matter of the duty commanded that is to eat of that bread and to drink of that cup. Secondly the manner of doing the duty not only to eat of that bread but so to eat and not only to drink that cup but so to drink Thirdly the rule of direction how to come in a right manner to partake of it that is by examining of our selves Let a man examine himself and so let him eate of that bread and drink of that cup. Fourthly and lastly the benefit following that direction and that is in this word But But let a man examine himselfe He had said before He that eats and drinks unworthily is made guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord and he discerneth not the Lords body vers 27. But saith he as if he should say if a man would prevent this if a man would take order that he be not guilty of the body and bloud of Christ that he do not come undiscerningly to these heavenly mysteries but with comfort and title to the promises with hope and confidence and speeding there of the benefits of Christ exhibited then let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. Now I will passe over some of these points namely that we are to eate that bread and drink that cup. There is a necessity that we should receive the Lords Supper I need not stand on this you know it is sufficiently proved by the Sacrament of the Law which was the fore-runner of this Sacrament that soul that did not partake of that was to die the death he was to be cut off from Gods people Num. 9.13 If the Lord was so careful of those Sacraments that were inferior to these and yet they were of the same substance as these that the man that neglected to come to them to partake of them was to be cut off to be excommunicated from the people of God and to be rent off from the Congregation of the Saints then how much more for these heavenly and weighty and glorious Ordinances of the Gospel which are far more glorious then them of the Law But I will not stand upon that I might here take notice too of the frequencie of the duty for so it hath dependance on those words formerly As oft as yee eat this bread and drink this cup yee shew the Lords death and so that is as oft as ye eate do it in this manner This is the command of God that we oft receive the Lords Supper In the Primitive times St. Basil observes that they ate it three or foure times in a week on Wednesdayes Fridaies and on the Lords day but that was a time of persecution I will not stand upon that I think it not needfull But it should bee often wee should not trust it only upon Easter and Whitsontide and Christ tide three or four times in the year Again I might observe here from this mystery received in that he cals it Bread I might observe against the Papists Transubstantiation that the bread received is not transubstantiated it is bread And against that of receiving in one kind So let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup he doth not say so let him eat of that bread only but he directs the command in both kinds But I let this passe and come to the seceond thing that is the manner how we should do this duty So let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. It is not first let him examine himself and then let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup But let him examine himselfe and then SO let him eate implying that examining a mans selfe helps or ought to help a man to a right manner and when he hath gotten a right manner then to eat that bread and drink that cup that he may do not only for matter that which the Lord commands but for manner as the Lords commands Beloved the Lord stands on circumstances as well as duties we are all racers wee run but we must so run that we may obtain 2 Cor. 9.26 So pray that we may speed so hear that we may be converted so reprove that we may be edified so behave our selves in our places and callings that we may glorifie God It is not enough for a man to run but he must so run if he mean to obtain Every man will be speaking and doing good things but so speak and so do Jam. 2.12 The Lord calls upon us to have a care of the manner of duties as well as of the matter of duties It is not enough that a man come to eate of that bread and drink of that cup but so to eat and so to drink of it he must partake of the Lords Table and so as the Lord enjoyns Now the Reasons of this are First because the same Lord that commands the matter commands the manner too The Lord he will have his service well done as well as done he will have the work well performed as well as performed It is not only the thing that the Lord stands upon but the right manner and kind of doing it When David perswaded his sonne Solomon to worship the God of his Fathers he bids him not only do the thing but do it in a right manner And thou my sonne Solomon know thou the God of thy fathers and serve him Is that all No but with a perfect heart and a willing mind 2 Chron. 28.9 He commands him to do it not only for the matter of it but in the right manner of it A man may serve God but if it be not with a perfect heart and a willing minde and with a chearfull spirit if he be not ready to every command if he do not open his eares to every rebuke a man doth not serve God at all The manner either makes all or marres all Secondly another Reason is because circumstances overthrow actions if they bee not rightly and duly observed As for example In Scripture prayer is an action commanded of God the Lord commands us to pray that we call upon his name duly every day in all our needs and necessities upon all occasions continually But now if we pray not aright not in that manner that the Lord hath perscribed if we pray either with a guilty defiled conscience with cold affections with a dead spirit or without departing from iniquity or without a pure heart if a man pray without the right manner of prayer he marres all his prayer it is a howling and not a prayer They did not cry to mee saith God when they howled on their beds that is when they prayed but because they did not pray in a right manner the Lord calls it a howling and not a prayer We roare as Beares in Isay 59.12 the Prophet nicknames it speaking in the person
as if thy own hand in thy own person had been imbrued in his bloud Now we know it is a horrible sin to be guilty of the bloud and murther of an ordinary man yea of a very rogue how much more is it a great and fearfull sin to be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord Iesus Christ the onely and etrnall Son of God yet comest thou to this holy Communion and bringest no lesse then the guilt of the body and bloud of Christ upon thy soule Reas 3 The third Reason is taken from the wofull wrong and injury that man brings upon his own soule that comes unpreparedly without examination of himself in the 20. verse he eateth and drinketh his own damnation that is he maketh him selfe guilty of and liable to the same vengeance that the crucifiers of Christ had inflicted on them Good had it been for that man saith Christ of Judas if that he had never been born So may I say Good had it been for that man and that woman if they had never been born who come unworthily unto rhe Table of the Lord for when they eat of that Bread they eate their owne bane and when they drink of that Cup they drink their own damnation Vse 1 Then cometh he to make some uses of this point and first he condemns those that as they come so they goe away from the Sacrament no more holy no more gracious then before but as they come in their sins so they goe away in their sins they came drunkards and they goe away drunkards they came worldlings and they goe away worldlings they came mockers and they goe away mockers they came in theit wrath anger malice deadnesse hypocrisie and luke-warmnesse and so they go away still never the better but living in them as they did before As in the 17. verse You come together saith the Apostle not for the better but for the worse Whereas if they would have come worthily they should have gone away the better they should have received more grace and holinesse â—o walk with God more power and strength against sin and corruption yea the Lord would have ratified and confirmed his Covenant with them whereas living in contention and not coming with preparation they grow the worse by the Sacrament The Corinthians thought that the Apostle would have praised them for their coming to Church and receiving the Sacrament Shall I praise you in this saith the Apostle I praise you not Vse 2 Secondly He makes an use of terror against all those that dare come in their sinnes unto this holy Sacrament of the Lord for that man that commeth in his sinnes unto the Table of the Lord 1. though he may think he receives the communion yet he doth not for this is not the Table of the Lord but the Table of Devils It is true thou receivest the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ hut yet comming in thy sinnes thou receivest not his body and bloud as of a Saviour to save thee from thy sinnes Indeed thou receivest the body and bloud of Christ sacramentally but it is as the Iudge to condemne thee unto the pit of destruction for thy damned Impudency in coming so unworthily unto this holy Sacrament For that man cannot eate the body of Christ that is not a member of Christ therefore thou must be a limbe of Christ if ever thou wilt receive worthily 2. If a man come unto the Sacrament and come in his sinnes he cometh to his own destruction for though it be a sweet banquet for to refresh an humble and weary soule and to make it walk more cheerfully in the wayes of God all the dayes of his life yet he that commeth unto it in his sinnes and receiveth it in his uncleannesse speedeth thereby his own damnation and receiveth it as his viaticum to hell The Apostle compares Baptisme to the red Sea 1. Cor. 10. from which place Chrysostome saith that as the red Sea was a way for the Israelites to passe through to Canaan so it was as a grave to swallow up the Egyptians to their destruction So the Lords Supper is as a grave or open pit whereby many plunge themselves into eternall destruction but as a chariot to the godly to carry them to heaven Vse 3 Thirdly by comming in thy sinnes thou makest thy self liable to Gods temporary plagues and judgements as appeares in my Text For this cause many are sick and weak among you and many are fallen asleep For this cause which is not oneâ—y a note of conclusion but of the cause For this cause namely because they examine not themselves but come in their sinnes and receive it unworthily One man hath a disease in his body that he liveth not out halfe his dayes another sick and weak neer unto death a third is fallen asleep Wherefore why saith the Apostle for this cause of receiving unworthily the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Vse 4 Fourthly for instruction that because the people of God as well as wicked men are guilty of unworthy comming to the Lords Table therefore he exhorts them that if they would not have the Lord judge them that they would judge themselves as in the 31. verse For if wee would judge ourselves we should not be judged of the Lord. If we would sit down and search our own hearts and trie our own spirits and pry into our bosomes and out with our old corruptions and unclean lusts and enter into a new covenant with God of holy walking before him for after time if we would thus judge and condemne our selves and mortifie our sinnes comming with grace unâ—o this holy banquet then we might come with comfort unto this blessed Sacrament assuring our selves that wee shall escape the judgment of the Lord. For those of the Corinthians whom God struck with sicknesse weaknesse and death it was to instruct others that are well and in health that they venture not to enter upon these holy mysteries with unholy hearts and unclean hands Vse 5 Fifthly he concludeth with a use of exhortation in the 33. and 34. verses Wherefore brethren when ye come together to partake of the holy Communion tarry one for another As if he should have said Away with all your disorders and come not with a temporall but with a spiritual appetite provide not thy teeth but thy heart for these dainties for this is not a feast for the body but for the soul therfore away with all your disorders and unseemly coming unto thiâ— blessed Sacrament take heed and repent of this sin among you and of all other sins which you know your own consciences to be guilty of and so come unto this holy communion Now the verse that I have read to you is a part of that use of terror which the Apostle makes against the unworthy receivers of the Sacrament and it contains Gods severe hand and judgment against those that come unworthily wherein note three things First the cause of their
the Lord doth deliver the Gospel especially the ground-work and master-peece thereof the Lord Jesus Christ and that in the most blessedest manner that ever God exhibited himselfe unto man how much more doth God require purity and holinesse that all such as come to receive the Lord Jesus Christ in the blessed Sacrament should be sanctified purging their hearts and cleansing souls from all their sin and uncleannesse Should not a beast touch the mountaine where God did appeare and darest thou touch the body of Christ and drink his blessed bloud in thy sinnes The very Angels of heaven will curse thee and the clouds of heaven will poure down showres of vengeance upon thee for God hath more severe punishments to inflict upon sinners under the Gospel then he used under the Law though then he struck them with more visible and sensible plagues and judgements then ordinarily he bringeth upon men now as Gebezi for his covetousnesse was strucken with leprosie Corah Dathan and Abiram the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up quick for their rebellion against the Lord Er and Onan were strucken dead for their wickednesse Jeroboam had his hand withered for stretching of it forth to strike the Lords Prophet And though the Lord bring not such sensible punishments now as he did then ye he knowes how to punish the world a thousand times more then he did then at this time As a father hath other kinds of punishments for his sonne when he is grown up then he had when he was in coates and but a child then a twigge or two would serve the turne but if he comes to mans estate and then rebell against his father it may be that he will disinherit him and cast him out of his family So in former time God did scourge and whip his people when they sinned against him but now he hath drawn out his Church to this age even to the age of the Gospel he hath severer strokes of plagues and curses wherewith to confound all prophane and impenitent sinners that dare to abuse that blessed Sacrament of the Lord Jesus Christ The second Reason is in regard of the matter of the Sacrament which is Christ also who as he was the efficient cause so in regard of Sacramentall relation he is the matter of the Communion 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ and the bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ Now the better matter any thing is of the more heynous is the defilement of it A master will not be so angry for casting his earthen vessels into the mire as he will be for casting his rich jewels The Bread and Wine in the Sacrament are the blessed Communion of the precious body and bloud of Christ and darest thou to defile them Knowest thou not that thou dost greatly increase the wrath of the Lord against thy soule thereby That soule whatever it was from Dan to Beersheba that came in his uncleannesse to partake of any of those holy things which the children of Israel hallowed to the Lord whether he were man or woman rich or poore that person was to be cut off from the presence of the Lord Levit. 12. whereto the Lord sets his seale for the confirmation thereof I am the Lord And as sure as I am the Lord so will I see it accomplished So my beloved let me say unto you of England from Dover to Newcastle or from the oâ—e end of the town unto the other that soul who toucheth any of these holy things with an impure heart and cometh to partake of them with his uncleannesse upon him living in his sinnes and wallowing in his lusts casting off the feare of the Lord and making no conscience to walk in Gods wayes that soule shall surely be cut off that cometh so unworthily unto the Table of the Lord not only the hand that taketh it and the mouth that eateth it but even the very soul of him that so cometh shall perish from the presence of the Lord. So Levit. 7.20 That soule that eateth of the flesh of the Sacrifices of peace offerings that pertaine unto the Lord having his uncleannesse upon him even that soule shall be cut off from his people Now you know that all those sacrifices had relation unto Christ but yet under the Law they were but shadowes and typicall relations and were not so lively and effectuall means for the exhibiting of Christ as the Lords Supper is And therefore if such as came in their uncleannesse unto them were punished with no lesse punishment then a cutting off from the fellowship with the Lords people what wrath and vengeance will the Lord bring upon thee that comest with thy uncleannes upon thee unto this holy communion Augustine saith that man that receiveth the Sacrament unworthily receiveth a greater plague to his own soule and a greater torment to his own conscience yea and heapeth up a store of wrath unto himself against the day of wrath Reas 4 Me thinkes thou that livest in thy sinnes and wilt not come out of them when thou hearest these words This is my body and seest the bread broken before thy face it should even make thee tremble and quake for to look upon it more for to touch it and most of all for to tast it for it is the Communion of the body and bloud of Christ and how darest thou come in thy sins for to defile it Reas 3 A third Reason is in regard of the forme of the Sacrament which is Christ too for as he is the efficient cause that instituted it and as he is also the matter of the Sacrament so in the third place Christ is the forme of the Sacrament also wherein the confirming grace of God is sealed up unto thee Now as it is treason for a man to offer contempt unto the Kings broad Seale so certainly is it high treason against this King of Kings to contemne this blessed Sacrament which is the Seale of the righteousnesse of faith If thou shouldst clip the Kings Coine I will say that thou art a Traytor Oh what a traitor art thou then yea an accursed traitor in the account of God and Christ if thou clippest his holy Communion if thou clip it of thy examination and due preparation and so come hand over head not regarding so holy an Ordinance Thou sinnest against the Court of heaven That which Saint James speaks in generall of the whole worship of God Draw neere unto God let me apply it in particular unto this drawing neere unto God in this holy Communion James 4.8 Cleanse your hands yee sinners and purifie your hearts yee double minded Draw neer unto God in the hearing reading and meditating on Gods word draw neer unto God in prayer and in this holy Sacrament and receive it for your amendment of life Draw neere to God I that I will saith the wicked man I will
and beseech you in the name of Christ to come home and be reconciled to him and I desire to stand here as Jehoiadah set Porters at the gates of the City and of the house of the Lord to keep off all those that come in their uncleannesse 2 Chron. 23.19 So I stand this day as the Porter of the Lord to keep the Lords watch that no prophane wretch no proud hearted sinner that means not to enter into a new course of life that no such one come unto this holy communion I charge that as you will answer the guilt of Christs bloud before Gods Throne that thou meddle not with it But now if there should be any that would absent himselfe because he will the more freely go on in his sins let him know that such a one excludes himselfe from the benefits and merits of Christs death and shall never have the benefit of a Redeemer at the day of judgement but shall perish in his sins for his carelesse neglect and fearfull contempt of so effectuall and powerfull means of salvation and purging as is the bloud of Christ truly and really offered in the Sacrament Wherefore if thou comest or comest not woe is thee if so be thou livest and continuest in thy sins and goest on in thy unholy courses And now to conclude as the Cherubim stood before Paradise with a naked sword to keep Adam out that he might not enter and so eate of the tree of life so I bring with me the sword of God to run it up to the hilts in the heart and bowels of every ungodly man every rebellious and impenitent sinner this day that dares presume to rush upon this holy Ordinance of God with a polluted and uncleane heart Therefore let me exhort thee that as thou tendrest the eternall good of thy soul so thou be carefull not to eate the body of Christ nor drink his bloud in thy sins lest thou eate thine owne bane and drink thine owne curse Nay so doing thy misery will bee so great as a good man well weighing and considering of it said I professe I had rather have all my veins cut open and my bloud spilt on the ground then deliver the body and bloud of Christ unto a prophane sinner for why should I deliver his own bane and destruction unto him But now my brethren and beloved come out of your sins come and welcome if you part with your lusts and so you shall be sure to have his bloud to wash your heart and cleanse you his righteousnesse to cleare you and cloath you his graces to strengthen you his spirit to heal and to sanctifie your hearts and natures and the Lord Jesus Christ to supply all good that is wanting in you But if yet notwithstanding all this that hath been said you will go on in your sins and live as you did in your swearing whoring lying and drinking and all manner of filthinesse and as you came unto it unclean so you depart away from it more unclean and never make any conscience of any reformation I pronounce this day before God and his elect Angels that thou shalt surely perish and thy soule and body be damned and tormented in the scorching flames of hell for evermore Therefore hearken unto instruction and give eare unto councell now whiles that the Lord offers it to you that so you may not harden your hearts any more but may heare and obey that your souls may live and so coming together to this holy and blessed Communion for the better and not for the worse you may return home with the blessing of children FINIS THE DVTIE OF COMMUNICANTS OR Examination required of every COMMUNICANT In a SERMON Preached By that vigilant and painfull Minister of the Word WILLIAM FENNER B.D. Sometime Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Parson of Rochford in Essex London Printed by T.R. and E.M. for J.S. EXAMINATION Required in every COMMUNICANT A Sermon preached by Mr. WILLIAM FENNER Minister of Gods Word 2 COR. 11.28 But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. IN the latter part of this Chapter the Apostle treats of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper And first hee reproves the Corinthians for their unworthy comming to it as wee see in verse 18. There were Errors and Schismes contempt of the poore drunkennesse excesse disorder ond unprofitablenesse in the duties of God they waxed worse and worse by the Sacrament All these and sundry other abuses were among them so that they did not eate the Lords Supper aright as they ought Secondly he reduceth them back to the first prime institution of it by Jesus Christ as we see in verse 23. that hereby they might both see how grievously they had abused thy Sacrament and likewise see how they might sanctifiedly use it Thirdly he shewes the danger of unworthy receivers and this he sets out two wayes First by the greivousnesse of the sinne such a person makes himself guilty of the body and blood of the Lord as we see verse 27. Secondly by the dolefull consequence that follows upon it He eats and drinks damnation to himselfe as we see verse 29. Now in this verse that I may not trouble you with speaking of any more matter then what is necessary for the present Theam he shewes how we may prevent escape and avoid this danger how we may take an order that we doe not fall into this greivous sinne that we doe not plunge our selves into this grievous misery Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. A man must examine himselfe sift his owne soule and labour to prepare himselfe before he dare to venture on this sacred businesse In these words before we set upon the particular handling of them we may observe that We must not rush upon the Sacrament There must somewhat be done before we can receive it Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that Bread and drink of that Cup. There are none of the Ordinances of God that a man may safely rush upon Wouldst thou offer any sacrifice to God but thou must stay first and examine thy self whether there be not somthing yet undone It may be thou hast offended God in something or other It may bee thou art out with thy brother thou must first goe and be reconciled to thy brother and then offer thy gift Matth. 5. So wouldst thou reprove thy neighbour It may be there is somewhat out of order some indisposednesse in thee thou art not yet in case to set on this duty it may bee thou art faulty and guilty thy self it may be thou hast a beam in thine own eye First saith the Text pull the beam out of thine own eye and then thou maist see cleerly to pull the moat out of thy brothers eye Matth. 7.5 So wouldst thou reforme thy outward man But it may bee thy
judge the world 155 5 Learn hence also that the Ministers of God by every Sermon they preach shall judge the world 157 Use 2 For to condemn the world who see not an amiablenesse in the faces of the Saints who shall one day be their judges who shall judge both Saints and Angels 157 2 This sheweth the folly of the wicked who prepare not for these Judges 158 Lastly it condemnes all those that do not see glory and majesty in the faces of Gods Saints he that revileth the Saints revileth his judges 159 160 Who shall judge the World 1 God the Father by way of authority all judgement is originally from him 161 2 God the Son by way of dispensation 161 3 God the holy Ghost by way of conviction 161 4 The word of God by way of form it being the platform according to which Christ will judge the whole world 162 5 All the Ministers of God shall sit as Justices in common 164 6 All the Saints from one end of the world to the other shall assist the just Judge of heaven and earth 164 So that the wicked shall not be able to plead 1 Their ignorance 165 2 Nor their poverty 166 3 Neither their sinning at their masters command 170 4 Neither callings nor tradings 167 5 Neither the sinfull times they live in 167 Use 3 First for the just reproof of many of the Saints of God because they are not so circumspect over their wayes as they ought how will they be able to rise up in judgement against the wicked for such sins as they themselves live in 168 2 It may serve to condemne some of the Saints of God in regard of that little difference that is to be found betwixt the wicked of the world and them in their lives and manners that it is hard to tell which is a Saint and which is a reprobate by their conversations 170 3 It may serve to condemn the scandalousnes of many persons in their behaviour and actions 171 The Contents of the Sixth Sermon 1 Cor. 11.30 DOct. 1 from the 18 verse That whosoever will come to the holy Cōmunion they must examine themselves that so they may come worthily 175 The Apostle gives three Reasons of it 1 From the end of the Sacrament 176 2 From the wrong men offer to Christ if they come in their sins 177 3 From the woful wrong that a man doth to his own soul that commeth without preparation 177 The Vses of the point are these 1 For the reproof of those that comming unpreparedly get no spiritual strength thereby 178 2 For terror to unworthy receivers 179 3 To shew they make themselves liable to Gods temporary plagues 180 4 For instruction to examine our selves 180 5 He concludes with an use of exhortation 181 An explanation of the words 2 Doct. God doth most severely punish the unworthy receivers of the Lords Supper 183 4 Reas 1 Because Christ himself instituted it 184 2 Because Christ is the matter of it and therefore the more heynous the defilement 187 3 Because Christ is the form of it wherein confirming grace is sealed to the soul 190 4 Because Christ is the end of the Sacrament 191 Use 1 For instruction shewing whence sicknesse weaknesse c. come 193 2 From whence comes hardnesse of heart c. 194 Use 2 For comfort unto every poor afflicted soul c. 198 Use 3 For terror to those that come unpreparedly 199 Object Do all that come unworthily eat and drink their own damnation Answ A man may eat and drink his own damnation three wayes 1 In regard of guilt and liablenesse to Gods wrath 203 2 In regard of the seal and obligation in the conscience 203 3 In regard of the sigillation in heaven 204 Lastly the conclusion denouncing terror to all those that dare rush upon this holy ordinance 205 But for comfort to all them who with all diligence set upon the preparing of their souls for this great Ordinance 206 The Contents of the Seventh Sermon on 2 Cor. 11.28 The words of the Text explained 210 Doct. 1 We must not rush upon the Sacrament 210 There are none of the Ordinances of God that a man may rush upon without examination 211 Three Reasons Naturally we are no invited guests to the Sacrament 212 2 Though we are invited yet it may be we are not disposed for naturally we are strangers to God and the covenant of God all this indisposition must be wrought off before we can come comfortably to the Sacrament 213 3 This is a solemne Ordinance and therefore an ordinary disposition will not serve the turn 213 Many a reprobate may eat and drink in Christs presence 214 Use To forewarn men lest they unpreparedly rush upon any of Gods Ordinances especially upon the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ 215 The Text divided into Four parts 216 Doct. 2 There is a necessity that we should receive the Lords Supper and receive it often 217 Doct. 3 The manner of performance of duties is to be regarded 218 Five Reasons 1 The Lord commands the manner as well as the matter 219 2 Circumstances overthrow actions if they be not rightly and duly observed 219 It's instanced 1 In prayer 219 2 In preaching 220 3 In receiving the Sacrament 221 4 In brotherly reproofe 221 5 In eating drinking and marrying 221 3 Because only the right manner of doing duties gets the blessing 223 4 Because Christ himself is an example unto us in this he did not only obey his Father in the matter of his commands but in the manner of them 224 5 Because otherwise we canaot glorifie God 225 Use 1 First to condemne that naturall Popery that is in the hearts aef men c. 227 Use 2 For discovery why people are so willing to do duties for the matter and not for the manner 229 The Reasons of it are these 1 Because the matter of duty is easie but the manner is difficult 229 2 Duties for the matter of them may be done with a proud heart 231 3 They may be done with an unholy life 232 4 The matter of duty bringeth not the crosse and many zealous for the matter are persecutors of goodnesse 234 Use 3 To exhort men to labour to perform duties aright 235 Three motives to perswade people to perform duties after a right manner 1 Because no Ordinance at all else can be effectual unto us 236 2 All is but hypocrisie if the manner be not regarded 236 3 It is only the right manner of doing duties that pleaseth God 238 4 Doct. Every man must prepare himself before he come to the Lords Table 239 4 Reas 1 Because the Sacrament is Gods Ordinance 239 2 Because the Lord Christ hath made great preparation in providing it 241 3 Because Christ in this ordinance offers for to come into the soul he looks for good entertainment 24◠4 Because the Sacrament is a part of Christs last wil and Testament therefore when we
one can hardly tell which is a Saint and which is a reprobate If a man deale with a Saint and deale with a wicked man he seeth no difference between them Let a Saint do any action either pray hear or conferre let a wicked man do the like there is such deadnes such carnality such worldly-mindednesse such luke-warmnesse of affection that one can hardly tell which is the Saint and which is the hypocrite Beloved if the Saints did live like Saints there would be as plaine a difference between a Saint and a wicked man in their lives and behaviour as is hetwixt the Judge and the Rogue that is to be judged by him Hast thou not conâ—dered my servant Iob saith God how that there is none like him in all the earth Iob 1.4.8 If a man come to be a Saint indeed there is never a wicked man in the Town and Countrey that lives and doth as he doth and walks as he walks nor prayes as he prayes nor hears the word as he hears it nor that conferres or meditates as he doth that beleeves and repents as he doth that strives against his lusts as he doth there is none like him in all the world Thirdly it condemnes the scandalousnesse of many Professors in their behaviours and actions Oh how do wicked men insult and exclaim hereupon to see a Professor led away and overcome by some lust What say they are these they that are led by the Spirit of God Are these your devout men why they can covet and scrape as well as others they can cousen and lie as well as others I those that are your great Professors and hot spurres they are as covetous as worldly as cruell as others though they will not be drunk nor swear yet they will cousen and lie as well as others The consideration whereof made the Prophets heart to bleed in him and to pray Oh purge me from my murder and adultery and all other my secret sinnes lest I cast mire and dirt in the faces of thy children causing them to beare the reproaches of my sinnes Oh let not those that seeke thee be ashamed for my sake Psal 69. For thy sake that livest scandalously and offensively for thy sake that livest covetously and scraping after the world that art so unjust in thy dealings and promises mire and dirt scandals and reproaches are cast upon the children For thy loosenesse yea for thy carnall liberty it is that the true professors of Religion are reproached suspected and hardly censured in the world What did Jacob when he was to walk with the people of the Land Gen. 35.5.6 he purged his house and saith the text the terror of God was upon all the Cities hee made them all to tremble at him I tell you all the wicked in Ashford would tremble at the Professors that live therein if they did live and carry themselves like Saints indeed Oh if all those that did professe themselves to be Christians were Christians indeed and that professe themselves to be Saints were Saints indeed living in the power and sanctification of holinesse then men would say of themselves of a truth God is in these men Christ dwels in them and the Spirit of God leads and governs them indeed If thou wouldst judge the world take heed so as the world judgeth thee and so thou with the world be condemned eternally It is said that Herod feared John because heâ— was a just man Mark 6.23 So if all thy neighbours did know that thou wert a just man a holy and conscionable man in all thy wayes and in all thy actions and that cannot indure swearing lying and deceit but did see that thou wast just and one that feared God truly they would all fear thee THE PUNISHMENT Of Unworthy COMMUNICANTS At the TABLE of the LORD DELIVERED In a SERMON Preached Decemb. 7. 1628. By that vigilant and painfull Minister of the Word WILLIAM FENNER B.D. Sometime Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Parson of Rochford in Essex London Printed by T.R. and E.M. for J.S. A SERMON OF Mr. WILLIAM FENNERS Upon this ensuing Text. 1 COR. 11.30 For this cause many are weak and sick among you and many sleep THE Apostle in this Chapter taxeth two abuses which were then amongst the Corinthians First the unseemly habit of women in the Congregation from the first ver to the 17. Secondly the prophane usage of the holy Communion both of men and women from the 17. verse to the end of the Chapter And herein from the 23. verse to the end of the 25. he sets down the Institution of the Lords Supper and thence raised a point of Doctrine Doct. 1 That whosoever would come to this holy Communion they must examine themselves that so they may come worthily else it were better that they never came So we read in the 28. verse But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup As if the Apostle had said Unlesse a man examine himself and search his own heart and find out his sinnes and dive into the secrets of his soul to bring out his hidden corruptions confessing them and judging himselfe for them before the Lord let him never presume to come unto this holy Sacrament And then he proves it by three Reasons Reas 1 The first is taken from the end of the Sacrament for it is the remembrance of the death and passion of Christ so it is in the 26. verse So oft as you eate of this Bread and Drink of this Cup you show forth the Lords death till he come It is a reason that the men of this world are not acquainted withall and therefore it was a good wish of a Reverend Father that the Sacrament should never be ministred but there should be a Sermon to teach men the nature of it and to instruct them in the Mystery thereof Wee approach unto the Sacrament hand over head living in our sinnes not showing by our coming that Christ is dead we say and we professe that Christ died for our sinnes and yet notwithstaning our sinnes live in us as if Christ had not died for us or as if we would proclaime that his death hath had no effect in us For were we dead with Christ then sin and the living occasions of sinne would be dead in us also My Beloved we should never come to this Sacrament but we should shew forth the Lords death thereby that is that Christ is dead or rather died for sinne and that sinne is also dead in us Reas 2 The second reason is taken from the damned wrong wee offer unto Christ if we come in our sinnes for we are guilty of the body and bloud of Christ as it is in the 27. verse nay thou sinnest against the Lord Jesus Christ not a jot lesse then Pilat that condemned him then Judas that betrayed him and the Jewes that cryed out Crucifie him crucifie him yea thou art as much guilty
punishment which is the unworthy eating of the Communion For this cause many are sick and weak among you and many are fallen asleep Secondly the punishment inflicted for this sinne weaknesse sicknesse and mortality For it seems saith Peter Martyr that the Lord sent a sore plague and pestilence among them for to revenge himself of them for their abuse of the Sacrament for this cause Thirdly there is the delinquents which are you Corinthians Many are sick and weak among you and in them all others that come unpreparedly to the Sacrament Chrysostome notes here that our Apostle doth not fetch here an Argument or example of judgment from others as he had done in the former chapter but he brings it from themselves who sensibly felt the wrath of God upon them for this very sinne As if the Apostle should have said How is it O Corinthians that you dare venture to come unto the Communion so unpreparedly and that you have no more regard of so weighty businesse as is the receiving of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ See you not the wrath of God upon your dwellings and the curse of heaven to take hold of your towne you see it this very time that some are weak and very sick amongst you neer unto death and others have been struck with death before your eyes and the wrath of God is not removed but lies yet upon you What will you alwayes goe on and never cease to provoke the Lord to indignation and wrath against you for your sinnes untill his jealousie hath utterly consumed you and clean cut you off And howsoever many of you may think that this sicknesse weaknesse and mortality comes upon you by chance as from the infection of the aire or other secondary causes I tell you nay but it is for this cause onely even your unworthy comming to the Supper of the Lord. Whence we may observe this point of instruction Doct. 2 That God doth most severely punish the unworthy receivers of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper He punished the Corinthians here with sicknesse weaknesse feavers pestilence death temporal and God knows how many with death eternal Theodoret observes that the Apostle told them of a thing that was acted amongst them for if he had told them of such judgements as had been hid from them and not manifest before their eyes as if they had not felt the sicknesse in their bodies and heard the bels tolling daily in their ears they might have thought that the Apostle had but lied unto them So the people of Israel as we may read in 1 Cor. 1.2.3 verses they were baptized in the Cloud and in the Sea and they did all eat the same spirituall meat and drink the same spirituall drink yet as it is in the fifth verse with many of them God was not well pleased Nay God was so wroth with them that within the space of fourty yeares many thousands of them were destroyed by death here and God knoweth how many thousands of them in hell For God speaketh of hell as well as of death and their sin was so great that it made God confirme it with an oath that they should never enter into his rest And Saint Cyprian saith that the Lord hath shewed many miracles and declared many fearfull judgements upon the unworthy receivers of the Sacrament Judas who Ambrose thought received the Sacrament though Hilary and others that hee did not but only that he did eate the Passeover and was coming to this Sacrament also but see his doome John 13. as soon as ever he received the sop the Devill entred into him and so it is with all such as come to the Communion in their sinnes without repentance and unfained resolution of walking ever after worthy of the Sacrament I say unto all and every one of them that as soone as ever thou receivest the Bread and Wine into thy mouth thou receivest the Devil together with it as soon as ever it goeth down into thy body the Devill goeth after it and taketh more full possession of thy heart and soul Reas 1 Now the reason why the Lord doth so severely punish both with temporall judgements and with spirituall curses the unworthy receivers of the Sacrament is in regard of the author of the Sacrament who is Christ and that not onely as he was man as the Papists would make us beleeve but Christ as he was God did institute the same So saith the Apostle in the 23. verse The Lord Jesus Christ in the same night that he was betrayed â—ok bread and brake it when he had given thanks and said Take yee and eate yee for this is my body which is broken for you Now if the Lord Jesus did institute it what a cursed thing is it for any to defile it and so sin against Christ It is a damnable thing to sinne against God but to sin against God as he is God in Christ is damnably damnable The holy Ghost in the second Psalm exhorts to kisse the Sonne lest he be angry and so thou perish As if he should say Adore the Sonne Adore the Lord Iesus Christ and so come and eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup for if he be angry thou wilt surely perish and if thou sin against God and so go out of the way Christ upon thy repentance will set thee in again but if thou sinnest against God in Christ who is the Way the Life and the Truth thou shalt surely perish from the right way for there is no other way for to bring thee in again Acts 4.12 Therefore wofull is thy case and miserable is thy condition if thou sinnest against Christ prophaning his holy ordinances which he himself hath instituted and abusest and despisest that blessed Spirit of his that comes to seale unto thee the redemption that he hath purchased by his bloud Better had it been for thee that thou hadst never been born for if he be wroth blessed only are all they that put their trust in him and come preparedly unto his holy Ordinance and that by faith embrace the Lord Iesus Christ But woe unto all prophane persons that live in their sinnes if his wrath be but a little kindled then woe to all drunkards swearers and uncleane persons but blessed is that man that is come out of his sinnes For if his wrath be so terrible when it is but a little kindled O how much more fearfull will it be when it is deeply incensed Therefore if thou comest unto this holy Sacrament in thy sinnes without due preparation and examination what doest thou but even set the wrath of God burning upon thy soul and body from the very bottome of hell When the Lord Delivered the Law upon Mount Sinai he commanded the people to sanctifie themselves yea if a beast did but touch the mountain he must die for the same even be stoned to death or thrust through with a dart Heb. 12. Much more then now when
inward man is not reformed there is sâ—me lust in thy heart some pride in thy will some stubbornnesse in thy spirit some Idoll in thy bosome First cleanse the inside of the platter Matth. 23.26 There is never an ordinance of God that can bee done but there must be somewhat done first a man must doe somthing before As in the choice of Officers as Ministers or Deacons other Officers in the Church first they must bee proved before they be chosen so in all the Ordinances of God Would wee come to the Sacrament There is somewhat must bee done first we must examine our selves and root out all unsanctifiednesse and indisposition that cannot stand with the right communicating in the Lords Supper And so in every other good duty The reasons of this are First because naturally we are not invited guests wee are not such as are invited to the Lords Supper we are children of wrath and as long as we are in such a estate we cannot come aright to the Communion This is childrens bread and it cannot be given to dogges Christ whensoever he sets his dainties before his people he tels us for whom they are Take eate this is my Body that is broken for you This is the Supper that is made for you as it is in this Chapter verse 24. First we must prove our selves invited guests It is true the Lord Christ invites every man to the Lords Supper but he invites him methodically he must bee in such an estate but every man is not so fitted a man must be a member of Christ that means to partake of Christs death he must be one that is in Christ he must be able to prove that he is ingraffed into Christ he must bee able to shew the mark of the Lord Christ on him As it is with some of your great dinners and feasts in this Citie you have tickets and all that are admitted to the feast must shew their ticket before they are admitted So thou must be able to shew thy ticket that thou hast an invitation from Christ thou must have a mark and token from Chtist that thou commest and commest with his warrant A second reason is though thou be invited it may be thou art not disposed If a man will doe a thing that hee is naturally indisposed to there must be somewhat done before of necessitie So the Lords Supper it is a thing that naturally wee are indisposed unto therefore somewhat must of necessity be done first Naturally we are unholy we are unthankfull and carnall we are in our sinnes strangers from God and the Covenant of God and from the seale of the Covenant all this indisposition must be wrought out before we can comfortably come hither If Christ would have the very Chamber first trimmed before he instituted the Passeover and the Sacrament much more will hee have the soule disposed for him and the heart cleansed from all filthinesse If hee that ate of the Peace-offering being indisposed having his uncleannesse upon him was to bee cut off from his people Levit. 7.20 what will God doe to such people as come hither in their uncleannesse and indisposition unsanctified and unqualified Thirdly suppose we were both invited and disposed yet this is not enough This is a solemn Ordinance of God and an ordinary disposition will not serve the turne Though every child of God bee ordinarily disposed to every good word and work to pray and to heare the word of God he is prepared and furnished to every well doing ordinarily and habitually but a man must be disposed further There is a solemne preparation required to the Communion as in Deut. 16.15 there were solemne feasts in the Law so there is this solemne feast in the Gospel and there are solemne preparations required thereto When we come to the Communion to eate the Lords Supper it is not eating and drinking in Christs presence for so may any reprobate doe and yet Christ may say to him Depart from me thou worker of iniquity It is not to come and sit in your Pewes and wait till the Bread come and take it and till the Cup come and drink it so many a reprobate may doe and the Corinthians did that did eate and drink their own damnation But there must be a solemne preparation to it to be sealed with the Spirit of Promise to be righteous by faith in the body and blood of Christ For a man to be humble and empty of his sinne to bee thirsty after the pretious blood of Christ to be fed and built up in the promises It is a weighty thing to come to the Communion a man must bee a worthy man or else he hath nothing to doe here As Solomon said of Adonijah If he be a worthy man not a haire shall fall from his head but if wickednes be found in him hee shall die 1. King 1.52 So if we be worthy men and women not a haire of our head shall fall to the ground none of the curses shall light on us that light on unprepared persons but if wickednesse be found in us if we be guilty of any sinne if we live in any lust not mortfied if there be any prophanenesse in our lives in our families in our courses and callings though we catch hold of the hornes of the Altar though we partake of these holy mysteries yet we shall be so far from having any mercie as that we shall hasten our own ruine we set a seal on our own judgment and make our case worse then it was before Let us take notice of it and never dare to rush on any of Gods ordinances You know what became of the foolish man in the Gospel that when they were invited to come to the marriage Supper he thought it was nothing but to come with them that came to crowd in with them and sit down among the rest he considered not what he went about that he might be prepared accordingly the event was this he was cast out into utter darknesse Matth. 22.13 It is dangerous rushing on any of Gods ordinances To rush upon prayer for a man to fall down upon his knees and to utter any thing before the Lord hastily with his mouth not considering that God is in heaven and he on the earth A mans word may damne his own soule and pull vengeance on his own pate his prayers may prove a curse his prayer for mercy may bee turned into vengeance So the higher the service the greater the danger As the servants of Abigail said to her Consider what you doe when evill was determined against them so consider what you doe when you come to the Sacrament you come to a weighty thing to that that will either set you neerer to the Kingdom of God or to hell and condemnation But I let this passe and come to the words themselves Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and