make us understand how much he detesteth Sin that so also we might detest it and withal he tameth the Rebellion of our Flesh and daily more and more teacheth us Obedience It is good for me that I was afflicted Psal 119. 71. that I might learn thy statutes 3dly God worketh in us that we should learn to pity such as be in distress for no Man hath Compassion or suffereth with another who himself hath not suffered before For We have not an high priest which cannot Heb. 4. 15. be touched with our infirmities but such an one as was in all things tempted in the like sort yet without sin 4thly By Afflictions the Lord shaketh off our Deadness and Drowsiness and doth stir us up the more earnestly to come and call upon him by fervent and hearty Prayer Call upon me in the time of thy trouble Psal 50. 15. and I will hear thee 5thly By them the Lord maketh tryal of our Faith for they do either Consume the Wicked through Impatience or else Harden them through Despair On the other side they Soften the Hearts of the Godly to make them call upon God and to trust the more upon him Blessed is the man that endureth temptation Jam. 1. 12. for when he hath been tryed he shall receive the Crown of life 6thly By Afflictions God doth call our minds away from these Earthly things that we may the more earnestly desire the Life to come Seeing then there is so many Comforts by Affliction My son despise not the chastning of the Heb. 12. 5 Lord neither faint when thou art corrected of him For whom he loveth he chasteneth 6. Q. Why is he said to be Almighty A. Because he is able to do whatsoever he will Whatsoever pleased the Lord that did Psal 135. 6. he in heaven in earth in the sea and in all the depths Yea he is able to do more than he will For I say unto you God is able of these Mat. 3. 9. stones to raise up children to Abraham Q. What Comfort is there in that God is said to be Almighty A. It strengthneth me in my Prayer to him assuring me that he can make good whatever Promises he hath made unto me in his Word Being fully assured that he which Rom. 4. 21. had promised was also able to do it And though I be weak and unable to resist mine Enemies bodily or spiritual and no way able to help or provide for my self yet my heavenly Father is of all Majesty and Power guiding and over-ruling continually Men Angels and Devils and all Creatures to serve for his own Glory and the Good of his Children Yea though I should walk through the Psal 23. 4. valley of the shadow of death I will fear none evil for thou art with me When the ways of man please the Lord Prov. 16. 7. he will make his enemies to be at peace with him Q. What is meant in saying He was Maker of Heaven and Earth A. That he formed and framed this whole World and all the Creatures that are therein only by the Power of his Word and Commandment even of Nothing By the word of the Lord were the heavens Psal 33. 6. made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth Q. What Comfort cometh by this A. That although through Adam I had lost the Right both of Heaven and Earth and of every Creature so as I could have no Comfort in the Use of them yet through my Saviour the Second Adam since I truly Believed in him I am restored to a far better Estate being made in him a right Heir of all and all the Creatures are blessed and sanctified to me that I may have a holy Use of them For if we be children we are also Rom. 8. 17. heirs even the heirs of God and heirs annexed with Christ 2dly All the Creatures in Heaven and Earth are at league with me to help for my Good so far as may stand with his Glory For the stones of the field shall be in Job 5. 23. Hos 2. 18. 1 Cor. 3. 21. league with thee and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee Q. Declare unto me the Second Part of the Creed concerning Faith in God the Son Which is the Second Article A. And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord. Q. What is signified by that Word JESUS A. This Word signifieth a Saviour Thou shalt call his name Jesus for Mat. 1. 21. he shall call his people from their sins Q. Why is the Son of God called Jesus that is a Saviour A. Because he saveth us from all our Sins Therefore he is able also perfectly to Heb. â— 25. save them that come unto God by him Neither ought any Safety to be sought for from any other nor can elsewhere be found Neither is there salvation in any other Act. 4. 12. name â—â—der heaven whereby we must be saved I even I am the Lord and beside me Isa 43. 11. there is no saviour Q. Whom doth he save A. He saveth all and only the Elect and Believers which have been are or shall be even from the Beginning to the End of the World God so loved the world that he gave Joh. 3. 16. his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Q. What Evils doth he deliver his Elect from A. From all Sin So the Angel testifieth He shall save his people from their Mat. 1. 21. sins The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us 1 Joh. 1. 7. from all sin And also from the Punishment of Sin For the Cause being taken away which is Sin the Effect is taken away which is Punishment Now then there is no condemnation to Rom. 8. 1. them that are in Christ Jesus I give unto them eternal life Q. How doth Christ save his Elect 1st He saveth us by his Merit or Satisfaction Because by his Obedience Passion Death and Intercession he hath merited for us Remission of Sins Reconciliation with God and Everlasting Life The blood of Jesus Christ his Son 1 Joh. 1. 7. cleanseth as from all sin By the obedience of one many shall be Rom. 5. 19. made righteous He was wounded for our transgressions Isa 53. 5. he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed He hath made him to be sin for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. which knew no sin that we should be made the righteousness of God in him Christ hath redeemed us from the curse Gal. 3. 13. of the law 2dly He saveth us by his Efficacy Power and Operation Because he not only obtaineth by his Meriting for us Remission of Sins and that Life which we had lost but also applieth effectually unto us by virtue of his Spirit through Faith the whole Benefit of our
remitteth Sins and Trespasses unto another as concerning the Pardoning of the Private Offence Q. Whether is Remission of Sins freely given A. Albeit God remitteth not our Sins unto us except a most sufficient Price or Punishment be first paid for them yet he remitteth them freely unto us for Christ's sake Q. But Christ did Merit Remission therefore Remission is not Free A. It was God's Free Grace to give Christ unto us and therefore whatsoever cometh by Christ cometh freely Q. For what is Remission of Sins given A. Besides the Free Mercy of God Remission of Sins is granted by the Vertue Passion and Intercession of Christ Behold the Lamb of God that taketh Joh. 1. 29. away the sins of the world Christ hath once suffered for our sins 1 Pet. 3. 18. the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God The blood of Christ cleanseth us from 1 Joh. 1. 7. all sin It pleased the Father that in Christ Col. 1. 19 20. should all fulness dwell and by him to reconcile all things to himself and to set at peace through the blood of his cross both the things in earth and things in heaven Ye are come to Jesus the Mediator of Heb. 12. 24. the New-Testament and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel By Christ we have redemption through Eph. 1. 7. his â—â—ood even the forgiveness of sins Q. How could it stand with the Iustice of God to punish Christ for us A. Christ was willing to be punished for our Sins yea he offered himself freely for us Walk in love as Christ hath loved us Eph. 5. 2. and hath given himself for us to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour to God Christ loved the Church and gave himself Chap. 5. 25. for it that he might sanctifie it He gave himself for us that he might Tit. 2. 14. redeem us from all iniquity Q. Doth not Christ as well deliver us from the Punishment as the Guilt of Sin A. Yes as plainly appeareth And therefore what Judgments are executed upon the Elect after Justification are not properly Punishments but Fatherly Corrections and of Love Being justified by faith we have peace Rom. 5. 1. with God Even Jesus which delivered us from â— Thes 1. 10. wrath to come The END of the Catechism A Preparatory SERMON For the Worthy Receiving of the Holy Sacrament OF THE Lord's Supper As it was Preach'd in SERJEANTS-INN-CHAPPEL IN Fleet-street London By JAMES CLIFFORD M. A. Chaplain to the Honourable SOCIETY Psal xxvi 6. I will wash mine hands in innocency O Lord and compass thine Altar LONDON Printed for J. Deacon at the Angel in Gilt-spur-street without Newgate 1694. And are to be Sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster A PRAYER PRevent us O Lord in all our doings with thy most gracious favour and further us with thy continual help that in all our works begun continued and ended in thee we may glorifie thy holy Name and finally by thy mercy obtain everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let us pray for the whole State of Christ's Catholick Church dispers'd over the face of the whole Earth That it may please God to govern it universally in the right way Let us pray for the Lord 's Anointed King WILLIAM and Queen MARY of England Scotland France and Ireland Defenders of the Faith c. For Catherine the Queen Dowager Princess Anne of Denmark and all the Royal Family Let us pray for all the Lords of Their Majesties most Honourable Privy Council all the Nobility Judges Gentry and Commons of this Land * If Sitting more-especially for the Honourable High Court of Parliament now assembled Les us pray for the whole Body of the Clergy whether Archbishops Bishops or other inferiour Priests and Deacons And for a Supply of their Mortality water with the Dew of thy Blessing the Two Famous Universities Oxford and Cambridge and especially for this Honourable Society of Law and Equity Lastly O Lord we return unto thee for a Blessing upon our selves here met together O Lord be present both with Speaker and Hearer bless me O Lord that am to speak bless these thy People that are to hear open unto me the Door of Utterance that I may deliver thy Word plainly powerfully and profitably open we pray thee not only the Ears but the Hearts of these thy People that they may receive the Word not as the Word of sinful Men but as the Word of thee the ever Living God which is able to save their Souls Grant good God that they may hear it attentively conceive it readily apply it wisely lay it up in their Memories faithfully meditate and practice it in their Lives and Conversations conscionably so that it may prove to none of us the savour of Death unto Death but unto every Soul here present the savour of Life unto Life that hereby our Understandings may be enlightned our Hearts purified our Consciences pacified our sinful Lives reformed and our precious Souls eternally saved at the Day of the Lord Jesus These and all other needful Mercies we beg at thy hands for the sake and worthiness of Jesus Christ the Righteous the Son of thy Love in whom thou art well pleased in whose Name and Words we call upon thee Our Father c. 1 COR. xi 27 28 29. Whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lords body THE Apostle having declared the true Institution of the Sacrament and the right End to be observed in the Celebration of it viz. The perpetual Commemoration of Christ's Death in the fore-going Words In the next place he shew the great Danger Men run into by an undue and unworthy Participation of this Ordinance They commit a great Sin which draws upon them great Judgments both Temporal and Eternal unless by a diligent Examination of themselves the Sin be prevented and the Punishment warded off In these Words we have I. The Sin of Unworthy Receiving Ver. 27. II. The Means to avoid this Sin Ver. 28. which is careful Examination of one's self before the Sacrament III. The Punishment which they Ver. 29. incurr who Commit the Sin and Neglect the Means and that is Judgment or Damnation First Here 's the Sin of Unworthy Ver. 27. Receiving laid down Whoso shall eat this bread and drink the cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 1. In which Words we may take notice 1. Of the Sin it self 2. Of the Quality of this Sin First Here 's the Sin it self Unworthy Receiving There 's a Twofold Unworthiness 1. Of
the Person When the Person coming is Unworthy that 's not here meant for so none is Worthy can merit or deserve this honourable Privilege 2. Of the Action When we come in an undue unworthy and unprepared Manner when Men care not with what Minds nor in what Manner they come to the Lord's Supper but rush hand-over-head upon the Ordinance There are Three sorts who Receive Unworthily 1. The Ignorant 2. The Superstitious 3. The Profane and Ungodly Ones 1st Such as are Ignorant That come out of Custom rather than Conscience for Shame of the World because 't is counted a Disparagement not to be admitted to that Ordinance rather than out of any Sense Apprehension or Desire of the Benefit accruing by this Ordinance Such as discern not the Lord's Body are not able to look farther than that which they see with their Eyes They indeed behold Bread broken and Wine poured forth but what the Meaning and Signification of those things are they know not They behold the Ceremony but understand not the Mystery They talk of the Sacrament but know not what it is who instituted it why it was ordained to what End and Use it serves and therefore their Receiving cannot be 〈◊〉 a Rational and Intelligible Rom. 12. 1. Service and so is not acceptable to God 2dly The Superstitiously Conceited that attribute more to the Outward Elements and External Administration than is meet The Papists lead the Van in this Brigade who pervert the simplicity of this Ordinance turning the whole business into a Tragedy or Stage-Play by their abominable ridiculous and absurd Gestures and Actions to the high Dishonour of God and grand Abuse of this Sacred and Holy Institution And next unto these follow many Ignorant and Superstitious Protestants who have many fond Conceits and fantastical Opinions of this Ordinance resting in the Opus operatum or Work done thinking that the bare Outward Actions and Elements are able to sanctifie them That if they go Fasting they have the more if having Eaten somewhat the less Benefit by coming That even the very Receiving of the Elements is of great virtue to a sick Man Or That whosoever Receives upon his Death-bed must needs be saved and go to Heaven 3dly Such as are Ungodly and Profane Proud Covetous Voluptuous Drunkards Swearers Neglecters and Despisers of God's Service Scoffers and Jeerers at the Profession of Religion Envious Malicious False-hearted Deceitful Dissembling Wretches that so they may carry it fair toward the World regard not Inward Sanctity Holiness and Integrity at all such as come in the guilt of these Sins unrepented of unbewailed unresolved against these are Spots in our holy Feasts as St. Jude Ver. 12. speaks Bloaches Stains and Reproaches to our Christian Assemblies and such as give great Occasion of such Multitudes separating and withdrawing themselves from our Congregations many profaneâ— ungodly Persons there are in these days who will be railing and inveighing against Separatists and Independents when they themselves give occasion to the being of such Secondly Here 's the Quality of this Sin It 's very heinous and they that commit it are guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ One would think this were a very hard â—ensure of a Fault that seems not to be very great That coming unworthily to the Sacrament should be Murther and Blood-guiltiness nay Guiltiness of the Blood of the only begotten Son of God and so as heinous a Sin as that which Judas and Pilate and the Jews were guilty of in Crucifying the Lord Jesus Christ the Prince of Glory But the Quality of Sin is not to be measured by ours but by God's Judgment of it God calls it such here and we must believe it to be such But how are they guilty Not as principal Actors and Doers in the business for so the Jews were only guilty but as Accessaries and Abettors For 1. 'T is a slighting of Christ's Death a not laying of it to heart in a due manner It implies that we in the secret of our Souls conceive the putting of Christ to Death was no such heinous Offence whenas we can behold the visible Representation of it in the Sacrament without being at all affected with it as if Christ had been a guilty Person deserving to be used as he was and the Jews had done an Act of Justice in Crucifying him 2. 'T is an Injury and Abuse that reflects upon the Person of Christ as he that shall violate the Picture Seal or Arms of a King offers an Indignity to the King himself and shall be punish'd accordingly so he that unworthily useth this Sacrament or Memorial of Christ's Death doth offer Contempt unto the Death it self 3. 'T is a sign we do not lay to heart the Sin of our Nature which was the occasion of Christ's Dying If Man had not sinned Christ had not died And therefore the Prophet Isaiah tells us That he was wounded for our Chap. 53. 5 transgressions and bruised for our iniquities All we like sheep have gone astray 6. and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Hence it is that in the Sacrament we should exercise Repentance we should look upon him whom Zech. 12. 10. we have pierced and mourn for him as one mourns for his only son 'T is a Tradition That if the guilty Murtherer be brought to the sight of the Party murthered or touch his Body he 'll presently fall a bleedingâ— The Sight of Christ crucified whom we have murthered by our Sins and Transgressions should cause our Hearts within us to mourn and bleed We should undo that by Repentance which we have done by Sin But thus do not such as Receive unworthily and so remain guilty of the Body and Blood i. e. of the Death of Christ 4. 'T is a frustrating of the End of Christ's Death and as to their particular a shedding of the Blood of Christ in vain Christ gave his Body to be crucified and suffered his Blood to be shed that he might nourish and preserve the Souls of the Faithful unto Everlasting Life Hence it is that he says that his Flesh is Meat indeed and his Joh. 6. 55. Blood is Drink indeed But to whom is it such To those that feed on him by Faith This was the End why Christ gave himself that he might become the Bread of Life But so cannot unworthy Receivers and therefore the End of Christ's giving himself as to them is utterly frustrated and disappointed and so they become guilty of the Body and Blood i. e. of the Death of Christ are interpretatively and in effect Christ's Murtherers and Destroyers Now 't is a fearful thing to be guilty of any Man's Blood yea of a wicked Man's Blood how much more to be guilty of the Blood of the Son of God! of the Blood of God! Deliver me O God from bloodguiltiness says David It was a Sin the guilt whereof Psal 51. lay exceeding heavy yea like a
Levites were ashamed and sanctified themselves as before A shame if foul Vessels at the Sacrament dirty Cloth foul Napkin foul Cup. Is it a shame that the Vessels and Linnen should not in their kind be handsomly fitted and decently prepared And is it not a shame not to have our Hearts and Souls prepared Is it a shame to have a foul Cup and is it not a shame to have a foul and filthy Heart â—hall precious Liquor be put into musty and unclean Vessels Shall filthy â—nhallowed unclean Souls be filled with spiritual Comfort 2. Of Danger To partake of the Passover unworthily a very dangerous thing and that made Hezekiah â—pray so earnestly 2 Chron. 30. A dangerous Business to come to the Sacrament a Matter of Life and Death Tremendum Mysterium Holy Judgment 1st Danger He that eats and drinks 1 Cor. 11. 27. unworthily is guilty of the body and blood of Christ Instead of Drinkers of Christ's Blood are Shedders of his Blood instead of remembring of Christ's Death they put Christ to Deathâ— An unworthy and unprepared Receiver becomes guilty of Christ's Blood How so Because he doth as if he shed his Blood he doth so as the Shedders of Christ's Blood did For look as they that crucified and pierced Christ poured not forth his Blood that they might drink it but only that they might pour it â—orth and shed it so he that doth unworthily and unpreparedly drink his Blood receiving thereby no Profit or Benefit he hath rashly and in vain shed his Blood Now what a fearful thing it is to be guilty of Christ's Blood Deliver me from blood-guiltiness saith the Psalmist Woe be to him that Christ's Blood speaks not for but ten thousand times woe to him that Christ's Blood â—peaketh against 2d Danger He that comes unworthily and unpreparedly not only receives no Good but a great deal of Hurt Good he receive's none a vain Sacrament Ordinance blasted and not only so but a great deal of Hurt 1. Instead of receiving Christ receives the Devil The Devil enter'd into Judas after the Sop. Satan fills their Hearts worse than before ten times more Children of Wrath than before 2. Instead of receiving that which may further Salvation receives that which furthers Condemnation The Zech. 12. 2. Cup of Trembling Some poysoned by Poyson put into Wine Mors in Olla Stone instead of Bread a Scorpion instead of a Fish 3d. Danger Bodily Danger 4. It is a very dangerous thing not to come to the Sacrament to neglect God's Ordinance in an unfrequent Use thereof or utter Disrespect of it He that neglected Circumcision was to be cut off Gen. 17. 14. And we see that God would have killed Moâ—es for neglecting his Child's Circumcision Exod. 4. 24. And see the place Numb 9. 13. And we know the Severity of this Punishment that neglected to come to that Supper of the King Mat. 25. 5 7. And to be without the Sacrament and without Christ and without God in the World are joyned together Eph. 2. 11 12. Whil'st they were called Uncircumcision i. e. without God's Sacraments they were without Christ and without God in the World And the Necessity of the Use of the Sacraments appears by this That before the Israelites must enter into Canaan they must be circumcised and eat the Passover Josh 5. 7 10. To teach That all that will enter into the heavenly Canaan must of necessity in Obedience to God's Commandment be Partakers of his Sacraments It is very dangerous therefore to neglect the Sacraments And yet as dangerous as it is not to come to the Sacrament yet it is no less dangerous to come if we come unpreparedly Unprepared coming is as dangerous as not coming at all It is with this Supper in the Sacrament as it was with that Supper of the King 's in the Parable Mat. 22. They that neglected to come and absented themselves they smarted But ver 13. there was one that came to the Supper and yet he seems to be more severely punish'd than those that came not Now shall Men be punish'd for not coming and for coming too this seems to be an hard case I am in a very great Streight may many a poor Creature say that begins to be convinced of the greatness of the Sin of neglecting so holy and useful an Ordinance of God and of the unworthy and unprepared coming to it Yes surely if Men come not as they should their coming will not serve the turn Mark that Question Friend how camest thou in hither Mat. 22. 12. He doth not say Friend how â—atest thou down but how camest thou hither This shews us that his Sin was not some Indisposition that had overtaken him in sitting down but that he did not look to sit and prepare himself before he came in So it is in the Supper of the Lord A Man commits as great a Sin in an unprepared coming as in a profane not coming at all He may expose himself to as great a danger by coming as by not coming There is no Man that comes to the Sacrament but God hath an Eye upon him 〈◊〉 God's all-seeing and all-piercing Eye is upon him God takes special notice of him to see how he comes prepared If he comes unworthily he is like to hear of it to his sorrow We come to the Sacrament to enquire of God to seek his Face and Favour to receive Comfort and Consolation from him But whosoever comes unpreparedly instead of a gracious Answer shall meet with an angry Question Friend how camest thou in hither A Question that put thoroughly home to the Conscience of Men will so astonish and affright 'em that they shall not be able to say a Word for themselves People generally will not endure that their Minister should Catechise them and Question with them to prepare them the better for the Holy Sacrament But let such know God Himself will Catechise them and put such a Question to them as shall strike them dumb and speechless Now is it thus That it is the Duty of all such as desire to be made Partakers of the Holy Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ are solemnly to sit and prepare themselves for it by Examination and that such as come unpreparedly come unworthily Oh! the great Abuse of that Holy and Sacred Ordinance that hath been â—ound among us in admitting unworthy and unpreparedâ— Persons to the Participation of it Surely one Reason and why the Sword this day drinks up so much Blood and devours so much of our Flesh is because we have been guilty of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in our unworthy Receiving of the Holy Sacrament I beseech you therefore for the sake of the ever Blessed and Adorable Jesus who so freely laid down his Precious Life for you and as you prize the Everlasting Happiness of your own Immortal Souls that you would make it your utmost Care and Diligence so to direct your Lives and