haue wronged and iniured vs Then our estate is most wofull and miserable thou mayest eate panis Domini but not panem Dominum as one sayth 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 farre from turning to thy good and comfort as that it shall rather adde vnto thy sinnes and bring vpon thy owne head the greater damnation 1. Knowledge The first Interrogatory in this our examination is whether we haue that true and sauing knowledge of God and of Christ without which there can be no true faith and so consequently no saluation It is knowledge that is the ground of all grace and obedience vnto which eternall life is promised or which is the means to bring vs to eternall life as our Sauiour witnesseth saying This is life eternall to know thee to be the true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ What things are absolute necessary to be knowne to saluation We must be carefull at the least to attaine to the principles of Religion as they are layd downe in the word That is to know that there is but onely one God Creator of heauen earth distinguished into three persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost We must know that as God created man after his owne Image at the first Gen. 1.26 Gen 2.17 Esay 53.5 in holines and righteousnesse so by his wilfull rebellion and transgression hee plunged himselfe into all misery and made himselfe guilty of eternall death And that there was no creature in heauen or earth that could reconcile God and man but onely Christ Iesus and that he must take our nature vpon him satisfie Gods iustice for our sinnes by bearing the punishment and fulfilling of the law Christ partaked onely by faith We must knowe againe that there is no way to partake of Christ but onely by Faith By Faith wee apply vnto our selues all the merites of his death and passion It is the Hand of the Soule by the which vvee come to lay hold on Christ to our own saluation And as wee must bee furnished in some good measure with the knowledg of the word in generall What is to be knowne touching this Sacrament touching God and man so in particuler conserning this doctrine of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper wee must bee inâ—t â—cted in the true vse of it Who did institute and appoynt it namely the Lord Iesus whereâ—ore For to bee the spirituall â—oode and comfort of our Soules that it might be a special meanes to support and strengthen our faith and to keepe in our minds a perfect memory of the death and passion of Christ and â—n what a holy and reuerent man â—er wee ought to come vnto it The knowledge af these things â—s absolute necessary to saluation and without the which wee cannot beleeue pray a right worship God sincerely heare the word profitably or receiue the Sacrament worthyly Nay which is more The danger of ignorance such Ignorance is the fore-runner of destructioÌ„ an euident signe that the Lord hath passed by such a Soule and hath reserued it as a vessell of wrath to destruction And this is plainely proued out of sundry places of the Scripture as Hos 4.6 my people perish for want of knowledge So againe Paul saith That if the Gospeâ— be hid 2. Cor. 4.3.4 it is hid to those that perish whome the God of this world hath blinded their minds Oh fearefull Iudgement of God able to make a stony heart to rend in sunder Note if men did duly consider it what is the wofull estate and condition of men that liue in ignorance it is a manifest signe that such shall peâ—ish For if the Gospell 〈◊〉 hid it is hid to such as perish So gaine the same Apostle saith in â—nother place 2. Thes 1.8 that the Lord Iesus all shew himselfe from heauen â—ith his mightie Angels inflaming â—e rendring vengeance to them that â—ow not God and obey not the â—ospel of Christ And againe Heb. 3.10 The â—ord was grieued with that generaâ—on and said it is a people that doe â—re in their hearts for they haue not â—owne my wayes Psa 59.10 By all which â—aces of Scripture it is most â—eare and plaine that hee that â—ueth in the estate of ignorance â—nd dieth without knowledge â—annot be saued Secondly It is necessary to increase in knowledge dayly as we must trye and â—xamine our selues whether wee â—aue this true sauing knowledge â—f God and of Christ in some â—easure in vs. So must wee try â—nd examine our hearts how we grow and increase in the same knowledge For the childe of God is like a tree planted by the riuers of water that doth euer bring forth fruit and grow And it is imposible that such a one should stand at a stay in religion if we grow not forward wee shall draw backward And indeede it is a dangrous signe of the want of grace when men stand at a stay in religion to be as ignorant and blinde in heauenly matters this yeare as they were the last yeare yea many yeares agoe This is a marke of Gods curse that vnlesse at the last such a one be called home and plucked as a brand out of the fire Hee must needes perish eternally 1. Pet. 2.2 The Apostle Peter bids vs grow by the milke of the word We must then bee carefull to see â—hat by all holy helpes and meanes such as are the word Saâ—rament prayer meditation â—eading c wee may finde our â—nowledg to increase and that wee grow dayly in grace and in the â—nowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ Vse 1 This being so that knowledg â—â— so necessary This may serue to â—ondemne that cursed and damâ—able doctrine of the Church of â—ome who teach that ignorance is â—he Mother of Deuotion And the â—ore ignorant the more deâ—ote and Religious But our Saâ—iour Christ which is the cheife Doctor of his Church he teachâ—th that ignorance is the Mother of sinne rebellion and damnation and in euery place the word of God shewes the danger of this â—â—nne But no maruell though they pleade for ignorance as a maine piller of Popish Religion for so are men kept from discouering their fithy abomination for if men were not extreame ignorant in the matters of God his word how could they be abused aâ— they are this day amongst them Vse 2 Secondly this shewes the fearefull estate of those that liue in ignorance without the knowledge of God and his word these men must needes liue in all sinne and wickednesse and so bring vpon their owne heades swiftâ— damnation for such cannot buâ— sinne in all things they put their hands vnto Rom. 14.23 For whatsoeuer is noâ— of faith is sinne And no knowledge no faith for how can a man beleeue that he is ignoranâ— of So that
The vse shewes what a foolish custome that is amongst the Papists yea amongst many other that are ignorant herein who in time of sicknesse and weakenesse must then receiue the Sacrament at home in their houses in their chambers and on their beds I do not speake this as that I holde it in all cases vnlawfull so to doe but that the sicke desiring it may haue the same administred vnto him that doth hunger and thirst after the same and is in some good measure prepared thereunto But I speake as the same is commonly so vsed oâ— rather indeede abused For whaâ— do such else but crosse God to his face For whereas the Lord doth by sicknesse tye vp a man or woman and doth as it were round them in the eare and say thou maiest not receiue at this time thou art vnfit they say oh but we will receiue and that at home though the Lord say nay And whereas the Lord hath shut them out of his house and keepe them backe from his Table least they shoulde abuse so holy an ordinance they notwithstanding are so far from being humbled for their sinnes and for their particular failings therin in this duty as that if the Lord do not strik with the stroke of death it selfe they will not be kept from abusing the same still I speake not this I say to dishearten any from receiuing of this Sacrament either at home or in time of sicknes but to warn men of their superstitious custome therein who receiue the same superstitiously and consider not that the Lords hand is euen then vpon them for abusing the same before And some are fallen a sleeepe Doct. 4 The last thing that we may obserue from this texte is The death of the godly is but a sleepe how the Apostle calleth here the death of the godly a Sleep A poynt indeede of singular comfort to the godly in that the death of their bodies is nothing else but a sweete sleepe They die not but sleepe And so it is sayde of Dauid Salomon Hezechias c. That they Slept with their Fathers And so in the New Testament death is vsually tearmed a Sleepe As when CHRIST came to Lazarus Ioh. 11. hee sayth Lazarus is not dead but Sleepeth And of Stephen it is sayde Act. 7. that Hee fell asleepe And so are the graues of the Sayntes departed called Beds according to that of the Prophet Esay 57.2 And they shal rest in their Beds euery one that walketh before the Lord in righteousnesse Now the Reasons of this resemblance are thus conceiued Reason 1 First as such as lie downe in their beds to sleepe doe not lye downe for euer but rise againe much refreshed and more chearfull then before to doe the work of life Euen so the elect of God and the bodies of his saints howsoeuer they tast of corruption do not perish in corruption but are layde in their graues as in a bed of Downe Reu. 14.13 that so resting from their laboures and from all paine and griefe they may rise againe at the last day to eternall life Reason 2 Secondly a man that is asleepe may bee awaked out of the same by another Euen so the dead are as easily reuiued by the voyce of God as the liuing man awaked out of his shallowest slumber Vse 1 Such then do erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God that teach and maintaine that the body by death is resolued into its first principles without hope of restoring to life As also against all Sadduces that conclude against the Article of our resurrection But not to stand on this Vse 2 We learne heere not so much to feare death For it cannot hurt the Childe of God there is nothing in death to be feared of the godly It is the passage into life the body resting in the graue as in a bed vntill that great day of the Lord shall come when it shall rise againe to life Which may teach vs likewise to moderate our lamentation for the departure of our friends 1. Thes 4.13 Brethren sayth Paul I would not haue you ignorant concerning them that sleepe in the Lord that ye should mourne as men without hope Shewing that this immoderate feare of death and this excessiue mourning of many for the dead it springs from ignorance want of Faith For if we beleeued this that they are layd a sleepe and their Soules beeing in heauen their bodies lie in the earth as in a bed of Downe vntill the iudging day and then that they shall rise to glory why shold we mourn so much for them For if wee woulde iudge our selues wee shoulde not be iudged of the Lord. In this verse the Apostle sheweth a reason why the Lord dealeth so sharpely with his people and correcteth them so sorely for this sinne of theirs their vnworthy receiuing of this Sacrament namely because they wold not see their sin be humbled for the same and condemne themselues as guilty before God of vnworthy receiuing of this Sacrament And therfore the Lord was constrained to take the matter into his owne hand and to correct them for the same For if we would iudge our selues That is enter into our owne hearts examine our owne wayes and call our own sinnes vnto account and condemne our selues for the same then should we not in this manner be iudged and condemned of the Lord. Concerning this remedy heere prescribed by the holy Ghost to auoyd Gods iudgment and eternall condemnation It stands we see in the practise of this most needefull and Christian duty of mens entering into their heartes and Soules to examine and find out their sins and to iudge and condemn themselues for the same Now that we may perform this duty aright we must know Four things necessary to the iudging of a mans selfe there is a fourfold duty to be performed by vs for in iudgment there must be examination accusation condemnation and execution And these foure are likewise necessary to the iudging of a mans selfe First Examination there must be a serious examination of our selues and of our own estates how it fareth betwixt God and our soules which is wrought by the law of God by the which as in a glasse we may behold the sundry sins we haue committed as so many spots and blemishes in our soules and this examination and tryall of our own hearts and estates is so needfull as that without it it is impossible to iudge himselfe or to repent truely of his sins For by the conscionable perfourmance of this duty coms the knowledg of sin and of our misery which is the first step vnto true repentance And to this end in the word of God the Lord doth often call vp on men to consider their wayes and to call their liues to acount and that so they may attaine vnto the sight of their sin and come to repentance for the same The Prophet Ieremy doth often call vpon this
The Lord euer effecteth what is the purpose of his owne will The gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 Ioh. 13.1 whom he loueth he loueth to the end His loue is perpetuall and therefore sayth Esay 44.8 With an euerlasting loue had I compassion on thee sayth the Lord thy redeemer And indeed this is a most certaine rule that where God beginneth the good worke of grace there is no opposition whatsoeuer that can bee made by the Deuill the World or our owne Corruptions shall euer be able to hinder the same And therefore sayth Paul I am perswaded Phil. 1.6 that he that hath begun this good worke in you will finish the same vntill the day of Iesus Christ And it is made the very finall cause why God sent his Sonne into the VVorlde euen this That all that beleeue in him should not perish Ioh. 3.16 but haue life euerlasting And vnto all that I haue sayd adde these Testimonies I know my Sheepe Ioh. 10.27 28. I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish Neither shall any pluck them out of my hand Rom. 8.1 And there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus 2. Tim. 2.19 And that the foundation of the Lord remaineth for euer sure Surely there is no poynt of Doctrine more often vrged or clearly proued in the Scripture then this to shew the certainety of the saluation of al the elect that their life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 And that such shall neuer perish And hence it is that Christ is called the Author Heb. 12.2 and finisher of our faith to comfort and stay the poore sheepe of Christ with this that if the Lorde haue in any measure begun in them the true worke of grace as he is the author of it For euery good gift and euery perfect gift coms from him that is the Father of light Iames 1.6 and God of all consolation So he will neuer cease vntill he haue brought the same vnto perfection And the reasons heereof are Reason 1 First because the Lord that hath from all eternity willed the saluation of all the elect is immutable and vnchangeable His gifts are without repentance Rom. 11.29 his foundation standeth sure And wee are kept by his power vnto saluation 2. Tim. 2.19 Reason 2 Secondly the Elect are sure of Saluation in regarde of the price of the same and that is the bloud of Iesus Christ which cleanseth from all Sinne. 1. Ioh. 1. And that beeing giuen as a ransome for many what a fearfull imputation shoulde wee cast vppon it if the same shoulde not be auaileable vnto the elect to Saluation Reason 3 And thirdly it were directly to crosse Gods iustice which being satisfied in the death of the Sonne of God for the sins of all the elect and to make the same of no validitie if the elect redeemed by Christ should finally fall away and perish euerlastingly But not to stand vppon these Reasons The vses are Vse 1 First to take notice of Gods vnspeakeable loue and mercy vnto his Church and Children Who euen heerein hath magnified his mercy towards vs not only setting vs free from the prison of our sinnes and from the fearefull punishment belonging vnto the same but hath also in deepe compassion towardes our poore Soules acquainted vs that we shall not come into condemnation but shall escape from death vnto life To the end that being free from that same bondage and seruile feare that the Wicked liue vnder Wee might learne to serue the LORDE in Righteousnesse and Holynesse yea with much ioy and comfort Luke 2. all the dayes of our life Vse 2 Secondly this serues to discouer a wonderfull poynt of folly that raignes in the world of all the mercyes of GOD this is the cheefest when the Lord doth giue vnto a man Christ and the benefits of his passion amongst which this is not the least assurance of Gods loue touching remission of sinnes and our euerlasting saluation And yet alas wee see of all things this is lesse sought for as if saluation and eternall life were not worth the seeking Heerein wee are like vnto little children that looke after babies in a booke and regard not the matter Oh why shoulde wee bee so foolish to seeke those things which cannot continue and let goe those things as are both perpetuall and eternall Doe we affect perpetuities doe wee desire a glorious a comfortable an honorable and withall an vnchangeable estate Beholde heere is an excellent estate indeede Eternall Saluation an Eternall inheritance An Eternall wayte of glory A Lease not of one and twenty yeares but for tearme of such a life as shall neuer see death Why then seeke wee not after it and get good euidences of the same that so at last Saluation may be our portion And thus much breefely for the second conclusion We are chastised of the Lord that wee might not bee condemned with the world The Apostle herein labours to prooue that these iudgments of Almighty God vnto them that can make a right vse of them are but Fatherly chastisements and instructions to keepe his children from the condemnation of the world We are chastised of the Lord c. q. d. You are euen in the midst of your trials troubles and afflictions to beholde Gods mercy towards you who doth thus correct you not out of any hatred hee beares to any of you but euen as a louing and deare Father correcteth his own childe to preuent more dangerous courses which might bring him to shame in the end So God doth exercise you with these temporall chastisements that thereby hee might keepe and restraine you from falling into such sinnes as might bring you to Damnation with the rest of the world the Doctrine then is Doct. 8 One principall meanes that God doth vse to free his children from condemnation is correction That one principall meanes that God doth vse to free his Children from condemnation is correction For whereas by nature they are corrupt aswell as the wicked God vseth this correction as a soueraigne Medicine to Purge out their corruption and so to cleanse them from their sin to bring them to repentance and to Saluation This is intended by Christ when he saith Euery branch that beareth not fruit in mee he taketh away Iohn 15.2 and euery one that beareth fruit he purgeth That it may bring forth more fruit And most agreeable vnto this is that of the Prophet Dauid Psa 94.12 Blessed is the man whome thou chastisest O Lord and teachest him in thy Law That thou maiest giue him rest from the dayes of euill whilest the pit is digged for the wicked Whereby wee learne what an excellent fruit commeth to Gods children by correction euen no lesse then such as accompanie eternall life and Saluation Which commeth to passe not simply thorough afflictions For then shoulde the wicked haue the
vnworthily Eateing and drinking iudgement vnto themselues Let vs doe as the Disciples did say good Lord is it â—l I haue now partaked of this Sacrament as I haue often done hereto-fore Is not that all may wicked men and Hypocrits doe the same and such as shall euerâ—astingly perish in the end It beâ—oues me to look vnto it that I goe beyond such in the performance of this duty least I â—eape their reward one day oh his godly feare and care ought â—o be in all the children of God â—hen they come to be exercised â—bout this duty that so they may â—ot performe the same formally as wicked men doe but in a holy and sanctified manner in Faith repentance and obedience that so the same may bee accepable vnto God Eateth and Drinketh his owne Damnation Doct. 5 Wee may yet further take notice of the miserable estate oâ— wicked men Vnworthie communicants euen whilest they are perfourming of this duty of receiuing of the Lords Supper a dutie in it selfe commendable they sinne greuiously and hasteâ— their own iudgement There is no ordinance of God so holy but wicked men abuse it to their owne condemnation yet herein fill vp the measure of their sinneâ— and hasten their finall condemnation The Doctrine is There is noe ordinance oâ— God so holy but wicked meâ— may abuse it to their owne condemnation As this Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a heauenly banquet vnto the hungry and thirstie soule that groanes vnder the burthen of sinne and desires to be eased refreshed So wicked men instead of receiuing any spiriturall foode they receiue except the speciall mercy of God preuent them that which will be the bane and poyson of their Soules Gen. 4. Cain sinned not onely â—n slaying his innocent brother â—ut in offering his sacrifice This â— cleare by the inditement which Christ brings against the old â—orld They Eate and Drank Mat. 24.38 Marâ—ed and were giuen in Marriage â—ll which were things lawfull in â—emselues yet became sinnes â—nto them that liued in that â—me and tended to hasten their â—estruction for they onely minded their pleasure therein theiâ— hearts being set vppon carnaâ— lusts they gaue themselues wholy to satisfie their sinfull desires and so fell vppon those things good in themselues withouâ— feare without prayer or thankâ— giuing vnto God as if they werâ— no way beholden vnto the Lorâ— for them And this is furtheâ— cleared by that of Salomon Hee thaâ— turneth away his eares from heare ring the Lawe Pro. 28.9 euen his prayers shaâ— be abomination The meaning iâ— that the very best duty that wicked man can performe thaâ— liues in sin and wants faith thaâ— shoulde season all his actions iâ— Gods worship and seruice aâ— not better then abominatioâ— vnto the Lord. And the like iâ— alledged by our blessed Sauiouâ— against those filthy Sodomits thaâ— They bought they sould Luk. 17.28 they planâ—ed they builded Things in themselues lawfull but now they become so many sins vnto them inasmuch as they abused them they bought and sold with coâ—etuous desires They builded â—ot for necessitie sake but to â—hewe their pride vanitie And thus it fares with wicked men in â—his sacrament They cannot but â—buse it to their own perdition And the Bread and Wine which â—hey receiue shal be so farre from being vnto them the body and blood of Christ vnto their saluaâ—ion As it shall rather be as the â—op vnto Iudas a meanes in and â—y the which sathan shal enter into â—uch vnto their condemnation The reasons are cleare First because wicked men are â—gnorant how to vse the ordinances of God aright and stand vpon the matter of them not regarding the manner I shal not neede to presse this reason farther in regard of the affinitie iâ— hath with the former doctrine Reason 2 Secondly though some doe know that the manner of Godâ— seruice as the matter is to be regarded Yet their wils are sâ— froward that they neuer sâ— themselues arighâ— about the duâ— performance of any like thoâ— stubborne Iewes which sayde wâ— will not heare nor obey Nay the walke on stubbornely againâ— the Lord and against his word and notwithstanding their iudgments be often conuicted the themselues therein constraine to consent vnto this truth Yâ— their rebellious wils not beinâ— sanctified leade them away from all obedience Whose condemnation doth not sleepe Reason 3 A third reason may bee that of Paul to Titus where hee doth manifest this truth more clearely when he saith Tit. 1.15 that To the pure â—â—e all things pure But vnto the wicked is nothing pure but euen their minds and consciences are defiled They are like vnto a cold stomacke that turnes the best foode into putrifaction and corruption the most holy things of God are defiled by such and â—urne in the end vnto their vtâ—er ruine and destruction Vse 1 This serues in the first place â—o discouer vnto vs the miserable state of wicked and vngodly â—en whose sinnes increase dayâ—y not onely by their open and â—orrible crimes that breake out 〈◊〉 their liues to the great dishonour of God But euen in thâ— performance of Good duties their hearing of the word theiâ— praying receiuing of the Sacrament c. The Lord make these thinges turne to the vtteâ— ruin and Destruction of wicked men Oh then how doe wicked men increase their sins dayly and multiply their iniquities iâ— asmuch as their best duties arâ— sinfull and cal down iudgement vpon them And if to doe gooâ— things in an euill manner bee sâ— farefull a sinne what wil one daâ— become of those that haue donâ— euill things in a worse manneâ— to be layd to their charge likâ—wise Let such consider this thinâ— well betimes before they be pâ— into the reall possession of thâ— iudgement which waytes and aâ—tends vpon them Vse 2 And last of all let this serue for our instruction to teach vs to feare and aboue all thinges to looke that we performe holy duties in an holy manner least wee incur the iudgement that is here threatned For if when wee haue beene at the Lordes Table and haue receiued this Sacrament vnworthily we had but only lost so much labour this were too much that wee should so much dally with God in his ordinance But alas that were nothing to this to eate and drinke to damnation If God should punish vs after this manner to turne the Bread and Wine that we receiue in this Sacrament vnworthily â—nto a bodily poyson woulde it not make vs to feare and tremble â—ow we receiue them were wee â—o perswaded that for want of a godly preparation it would bee our last Bread that euer wee should eate and would turne to the bane of our bodies Oh my brethren the Lord hath threatned the vnworthy receiuer not with a bodily death for this sinne of his but with a spirituall and eternall death euen with the death both of body and Soule for euer and shal not this moue