that I may not say further that to be set on the right hand of God is to haue a like power and equall glory with God himselfe Againe that the Romish Church is an idolatrous assembly I proue it out of the Romish Masse booke where in the Seruice appointed for Good Friday it is said that the Priest so soone as hee hath put off his shooes and then approcheth to adore the Crosse shall kneele three times before he kisse the Crosse and then afterward the Ministers of the Altar they must also kneele and three times adore the Crosse. II. Arg. That Church which approueth manifest crimes is not the pure Church but the Church of Rome is such Ergo. The Proposition is herein manifest for that the Papists themselues do yeeld sanctity and holinesse of manners to be a note of the Church The assumption I confirme for that the Pope doth dispence for Incest Sodomy and other most grieuous crimes See the Taxes Fines or Nundinations of the Court of Rome described at large in Musculus his Common Places 2. It is confirmed out of Costers Enchiridion where you shall find it written that a Priest committing fornication or keeping a concubine in his house does not so grieuously sinne as he that doth marrie This doth Gretzer allow of in his History of the Iesuiticall order pag 115. Most truly wrote our Coster that a Priest should not so grieuously offend if hee should commit Fornication then if hee should marrie And hee addeth Yea it is truly spoken that a Priest doth lesse sin in committing Adulterie then in marrying a Wife Bellar. 2. lib. de Monach. cap. 30. It cannot be truly said of a Nun that hath vowed continence that it is better to bee married then to burne for both in her is euill to bee married and to burne yea worse it is to bee married then to burne whatsoeuer our aduersaries say to the contrarie that it is written 1. Cor. 7. It is better to marry then to burne Here that is worthy marking which Sleidan sets downe in his first booke that a certaine Italian Bishop Casa by name hath written a whole booke in the praise of filthy Sodomy where we may note for a conclusion that although al those things be granted to the Papists which they most gloriously dispute about the Church yet they can gaine nothing hereby because they ought to make it plaine first vnto vs that the Popedome is the true Church which in that they haue not as yet prooued nor shall euer bee able to prooue it they do but delude themselues with a vaine title of the Church And whereas they say that it is absurd before the point of the Church bee discussed to take in hand to dispute of any of the Articles of faith that also can little auaile them because wee doe dispute and iudge of doctrine and faith by the word of God and it may so bee disputed although that point of the Church be not before handled for the Word of God is before the Church and aboue the Church neither hath the Church any authoritie to wrest the Scripture as we haue formerly proued in the common place of Scripture But here I would haue noted the exceeding fraud of the Popish Writers that when they haue made a great stirre about the Church and stood long vpon it at length they conclude the Church to be a Councell consisting of the Pope the Cardinals and Bishops and so exclude all other which are neither Cardinals nor Bishops from the Church at least remouing them so farre that they shall not make vp the Church properly so called and principally that hereby they might the more establish the insolent pride of their Spiritualtie against the manifest Word of God You haue made plaine the Doctrine of Redemption vnto mee now it followes that you instruct me in the matter of Iustification of man before God wherfore shew me I pray you what is Iustification It is the absoluing of sinfull man from his sinnes or it is a forgiuing of sinnes by the meere grace and fauour of God for the merits of Christ imputed and applied vnto vs by faith What are to bee considered about Iustification Foure things 1. the principall cause 2. the instrumentall cause 3. the effect and fruite and lastly the necessary adiunct What is the principall cause of Iustification before God The principal cause is either primarie or secondary the prime cause is the grace and mercy of God the other cause is the merit of Christ or the death and passion of Christ made ours imputed vnto vs or appropriated vnto vs so truely that the Passion of Christ should besteede vs as much as if we our selues had hanged on the Crosse and had died for our owne sinnes Hereof wee haue manifest testimonies of the Scripture Rom. 5. vers 8. As by one man many were made sinners c. Rom. 4. vers 5 6. Blessed is that man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without the workes of the Law 2. Cor. 5. vers 8. He made him which knew not sin to be sinne for vs that we might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him Gal. 3.15 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the Law whilest hee was made a curse for vs. Philip. 3. vers 8. That I may bee found not hauing my owne righteousnesse but that which is by the faith of Christ. Now there is no opposition in this wee say that a sinner is iustified by the meere grace of God and yet by the merit of Christ because it was brought about by the meere mercie and grace of God that Christ performed that meritorious worke for vs for Christ was in no wise bound vnto vs to die for vs but hee out of his meere grace and mercy did vndergoe death for vs. What is the instrumentall cause of Iustification Onely faith in Christ insomuch as by faith euen as by a hand and instrument we lay hold on and apply vnto vs the merit and satisfaction which Christ hath performed for vs. What is faith Faith is not onely a bare knowledge of the Historie of Christ but it is also a sure confidence of the heart whereby we set downe in our selues for certainty and be perswaded that our sinnes are forgiuen vs of God for the death and passion of Christ. Note here two maine errors of Poperie whereof the first is that faith is onely a certaine Historicall knowledge and no true and sure confidence of the heart whereunto the Scripture it selfe directly speaketh Rom. 8.20 where faith is called a sure trust and perswasion See my Gymnasium logicum wherein you haue this in that Theame Fides somewhat opened The second errour is that we come by the remission of sinnes not by faith alone but also by the merit of good workes contrary vnto those sayings in the Scripture Ephes 2.8 By the grace of God you are saued through faith and not of your selues Rom. 4. Abraham belieued and
the Church to be a glorious appearing company which may by the very senses bee pointed out and acknowledged by the externall pompe of ceremonies as Bellarmine affirmeth The Church is as visible as the common wealth of Venice Contrary whereunto our Sauiour speaketh Luk. 17.20 The kingdome of God commeth not with obseruation where it is apparent enough out of the text hee speaketh of the Church in this world namely that it shall bee no such glorious company as should be knowne by externall ceremonies and obseruations or by solemnities apparrelling of Senatours of Counsellors and other such like What are to bee considered about the Church The Head the Members and the Proprieties Who is the Head of the Church Christ alone is the Head of the Church aswell of the Millitant as of the Triumphant which is confirmed first by a apparāt testimonies of holy writ Eph. 1.22 God hath put all things vnder the feete of Christ and hath appointed him ouer all to bee the Head to the Church which is his body And Eph. 4.15 Christ is the Head by whom the whole body is coupled and knit together Col. 1.18 Christ is the head of his body the church A like place there is Col. 2.19 It is proued secondly by reason because euery head ought to infuse vigor and liuely vertue into all the mēbers as our head for instance infuseth vitall spirits into euerie part of our bodie for sence and motion but Christ alone can infuse that liuely vigour into the members Ergo. True say the Papists Christ is the head of the Church but he is the inuisible Head therefore there is neede of another visible Head who must be Christs Vicar on earth and Peter the Apostles successor to wit the Pope of Rome Whereunto we answer that in this strange doctrine of the Papists there are contained many puddles of errour The first errour is that Christ hath need of a Vicar or Deputie in earth whereunto wee oppose these arguments First there is no Vicar but implyeth the weaknesse of the principall Regent or Gouernor for therefore Kings haue their Deputies because they be but weake men not able to looke vnto all their subiects by themselues but Christ is an omnipotent King Secondly He needeth a Deputie who cannot vpon all occasions be euery where present with his subiects but Christ is alwaies euerie where present with his members as hee promiseth Matthew 28. Wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them that is immediately am I present with them as the Hebrew phrase teacheth The second error is that they thinke it a righteous thing for some one man and hee a Bishop or Minister of the Church to attribute vnto himselfe this power to bee the vniuersall Head and Governour of the whole Church whereunto wee oppose these arguments First because Christ doth plainely forbid primacie in the Church Matth. 20. Luk. 22. Secondly because the Apostles themselues diuided the Office of the Apostleship among themselues for that they saw that one man could not be ouer all Churches as the Scripture witnesseth Gal. 2.7 8 9. where Paul saith When they saw that the Gospell of Vncircumcision was committed vnto me as the Gospell of Circumcision vnto Peter and when Iames and Cephas and Iohn which were counted Pillars knew of the grace giuen vnto me they gaue vnto me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship that we should doe the Office of the Apostles among the Gentiles and they execute the same Office among the Iews 3. Moses who was a far greater mā thē Pope could not beare the burden of iudging the people of Israel alone but was constrained to part it as it is Exod. 18. much lesse therefore can the Pope gouerne the whole Church The third errour is that they faine Peter to haue bin head of the church whereas notwithstanding 1. Christ flatly forbiddeth Peter and his other Apostles to seek after this headship and 2. Paul to the Gal. 2.7 in plaine termes saith that Iames and Peter and Iohn were counted or thought to be pillars that is by an erroneous conceit they were taken to be such by thē who might by the abuse of that title deceiue the Galath They obiect that place Mat 16. Thou art Peter and vpon this Rock super hanc Petrā will I build my Church Whereunto we answer that he saith not and vpon thee Peter will I build my Church but we say this is the intention and scope of Christs speech namely to commend the confession of Peter which hee setteth out by a Paranomasie or allusion vnto the name of Peter as if he said I rightly set vpon thee the name of Peter see the first Chapter of Iohn where Christ gaue Peter his name because thou in the name of the other Apostles hast made such a confession and vttered such a doctrine as vpon which as it were on a Rocke my Church shall bee builded First then Christ commendeth Peter and in the person of Peter all the Apostles for that they belieued Christ to be the Son of God Secondly he sheweth the profit and fruit of that confession to wit for that this doctrine and confession was to be the foundation whereupon Christs Church should bee built so that it should neuer bee ouerturned by Satan Otherwise that Peter neuer vnderstood these wordes of himself as if he were that stone vpon which the Ch. is reared he himself professeth openly 1. Pet. 2.4 where he saith that Christ is that very stone vpon the which the Church was to be built The fourth errour is that they take for certaintie that Peter was Bishop of Rome and so consequently that he was at Rome which notwithstanding is vncertaine neither can it be firmely proued that Peter was euer at Rome but the contrary for that place which before wee cited Gal. 2. is very remarkeable namely in that Paul did so deuide the Apostleship and part it with Peter they shaking hands of the motion that Paul should goe to the Gentiles to conuert them and Peter should labour in the conuersion of the Iewes This promise the right hand being giuen vpon it Peter should haue broke if he had gone to Rome to conuert the Gentiles neither doe we reade that two Apostles went into the same Citie especially it being so farre off to preach the Gospell Wherefore sithence by the confession of all it is apparent that Paul preached the Gospell at Rome what neede was there that Peter should come thither especially at the very same time as the Papists say that they were both at Rome in Nero his time II. Out of the last Chapter of the second to Timoth. v. 16. In my first defence saith Paul when I appeared before Nero there was none that stood to me but all forsooke me I pray God it bee not laid to their charge But if Peter had then beene Bishop of Rome as the Papists will haue
people I answere them first that the Pharisies also did run about both by sea and land to draw men vnto their faith and yet for all that their religion was not true Secondly I say that the Papists haue slaine moe in the Indies then they haue conuerted as you may see by a place which I haue cited in my politiques l. 1. c. 4. that in a very short time a hundred fortie thousand men were murdered by them Thirdly I am sure the Diuell also goes a compassing the whole world and seduceth many yet is hee for that neuer a whit the better Fourthly I auerre that our Ministers also haue taught the true Gospell in America inasmuch as Calum sent thither two Ministers of the Church from Geneua the one whereof was Ioannes Lerius who committed that storie to writing And at this day there are Orthodoxe Ministers in the East Indies which do publikely preach the true Doctrine of the Gospell carried ouer thither by the Merchants of the Low-Countries And doubtlesse toward the end of this world the true Religion shall be in America as God now is preparing the way for it by the English and Low-Countrie Merchants that that of Christ may bee fulfilled Matth. 23. The Gospell shall bee preached throughout the whole World that it may bee a witnesse to all Nations For GOD in all his workes is wont to effect a thing successiuely and therefore first hee sends vnto those nations some light of his essence and his truth by the Papists and afterward will make these things shine more clearely vnvnto them by the true and faithfull Ministers of the Gospel The fourth note the Papists say is vnitie and good agreement I answere Consent and vnitie is but so farre a marke of the Church as the consent is in truth and goodnesse and not in euill and falsehood for such an agreement in euill and falsity is among the very Deuils and what greater agreement consent then among robbers so also among the Turkes there is very great consent so that Mahometisme is farre and neare by them propagated yet doth it not hence follow that Mahometisme is the true Church Secondly I answer that in our Church there is great consent in the truth for howsoeuer after Luthers time there arose many Churches the Diuel being alwaies busie to cast his plots against the true Church and to stirre vp in it diuers hearts yet the Orthodoxe Professours are at good agreement about the Articles of Faith as that excellent Booke called the Harmony of Confessions doth testifie wherein it is manifestly prooued that there is exceeding great consent betwixt the Churches of France England Scotland Bohemia and those which are in Germany neere vnto Rhene and in other Prouinces for that disagreement which is betwixt the Lutherans and the Orthodoxe Professours doth not straightway quite dissolue the vnitie which is betwixt the true church Thirdly I deny that there is so great agreement in the Romish Church as they boast of for it can bee easily showne that the popish Writers agree not in any one Article among themselues as it doth appeare out of Bellarmine who ordinarily disputed against other Papists and alleageth their oppositions and contradictions to themselues this may further appeare by Ioh. Pappius and Matthias Iohn his booke of the Sects and Dissentions and contradictions among Popish Doctours printed at Basil 1565 whereunto the Papists haue not as yet answered Andr. Chrastouius likewise hath written a book he cals Bellum Iesuiticum The good agreement the Iesuits haue among themselues who neither is as yet cōfuted That same booke of Chrastouius was printed at Basil in quarto 1593 it contains 205 Iesuiticall contradictions Which is that bare or secondary proprietie of the Church To the Church of the new Testament this propriety doth also agree that it is Catholick that first in respect of places not because it possesseth many kingdoms but because it is scattred ouer the whole world not tied to any certain place to any determinate country or city Secondly in respect of men because it doth consist of men of all sorts gathered out of the conditiō of all men of al nations Act. 10. Thirdly in respect of times because it shall continue all times euen vnto the end of the world as it is said Mat. 28. I will be with you euen vntill the end of the world Fourthly in respect of vnitie because the Catholike Church is at all times but one to wit in vnity of doctrin consent in that doctrine And thus much wee haue spoken of the proprieties of the Church Now if we shall examine and trie the Popish Church by these proprieties it will appeare to be no pure Church but be very corrupt euen as a rotten apple is an apple corrupted and no otherwise then a man that is infected with the plague is a man but no sound man And that the Popish Church is not the pure Church I will prooue it by two manifest reasons the first an idolatrous Church is not the true pure Church but such a one is the Popish Church Ergo The proposition is euident because God doth abhorre nothing more then idolatrie therefore hee saith Flie from idols and No Idolater shall bee saued The assumption I confirme thus That Church which giues that honor which Dauid giues vnto God the Creator in the very same words vnto the creature to wit the Virgin Marie that same Church is idolatrous But the Church of Rome doth so goe now that the Church of Rome doth attribute that honour which is due vnto God vnto the Virgin Marie I proue it by a most euident testimonie out of that same Psalter of Marie the Virgin which was compiled by Bonauentura who liued 250 yeres agoe and canonized of the Pope of Rome so that hee is accounted among the Saints and the title of a Seraphicall Doctour which is more then Angelicall giuen vnto him This same Psalter was by the permission of the higher powers printed in Latin at Brixia and Bononia in Italy eight yeares since being before printed at Ingolstadium in the Dutch tongue some 20 yeares agoe in the Preface wherevnto it is expressely said that it was compiled the holy Ghost inditing and dictating it And further that very Psalter is in speciall vse in the Romish Church but especially is it currant among the Monkes of Saint Bennets Order which are called Cistercians Now in this Psalter all those things which Dauid attributes to the high and most mighty God are by them put vpon the Virgin Marie as Psal. 51. Haue mercy vpon me O Lady and cleanse me from all mine offences But that of all other is most blasphemous which they apply vnto her out of the Psa. 109. according to that distinctiō The Lord said vnto my Lady sit thou mother mine at my right hand where Mary is made the mother of God the Father as though the Father had bin incarnat made man
not in any glasse behold and know the gronings and afflictions of the Church militant on earth and indeed that the Saints departed are not priuie to our affaires done vpon the earth nor know any thing in specialtie what happeneth among the liuing that place in the 2. of Kings Chap. 22. witnesseth where God saith vnto Iosiah a most religious and holy King I will gather thee vnto thy Fathers that thine eyes may not see all the euils which I will bring vpon this place Esay 57. The iust and the righteous are taken away from the sight of the euill that in his yeares he may not behold the calamities which are to be sent vpon the land for wretched impiety Eccl. 9. The dead know nothing any more to wit of those things which are done vpon the earth Hence therefore is it rightly inferred that the Saints cannot be mediators And indeed we haue no need of them to be our intercessours first because God knoweth our afflictions better then they yea better then the Angels secondly because God is more mercifull then any Saint and more desirous that we should liue then any Saint can be Now that we do vse the intercession of some Noble man or great man vnto Kings which is their most plausible argument it is for the great defect and weakenesse that is in man for that Princes are not acquainted with all mens grieuances secondly because Princes are more affected vnto one man then vnto another but no such respect of persons is there with God as it is said Acts 10. The Papists bring vs in a distinction betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruice and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adoration and say that the one to wit Seruice is due to Saints the other that is adoration is due to God Against which distinction you may reade a most cleare disputation in the exposition of Vrsins Catechisme pag. 739. where it is proued by holy Scripture that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both the one and the other agrees vnto God and neither of them both vnto Saints Onely this one thing I will not let passe that the Papists themselues break downe their owne distinction which I proue by this reason All those things which Dauid in the Psalmes giues vnto God he giues them all by the way of adoration but all those very things which Dauid giues vnto God are attributed vnto the Virgin Marie in Bonauentures Psalter Ergo. The other errour of the Papists is about the worshipping of Images and so also of that worship which they make vnto the Reliques of the Saints And first of all the Papists hold that those prayers which are made in or at certaine set Chappels and Churches and before the Images of the Saints are of greater efficacie and greater worth then those which are in other places powred forth before God quite against the holy Word of God Ioh. 4. The time shall come when the true worshippers shall neither be at Ierusalem nor in this mountaine but in spirit and truth worship the Father Matth. 6. Christ bids goe into our chamber and there the doores being shut to powre out our prayers 1. Tim. 2. The Apostle willeth men to pray in euery place lifting vp pure hands Now against reliques and images let that place bee well obserued Esay 24. My glory will I not giue vnto another nor mine honour vnto the grauen images But we say the Papists doe not worship images and we know that it is said in the second commandement Thou shalt not how downe thy selfe vnto them c. To this what shall we answere but that they say one thing and doe another for we haue already prooued that they fall downe and worship the crosse Behold the signe of the Crosse come and let vs worship it Againe it is impossible that ones whole affection should bee bent and settled on an image and yet that hee should not direct some deuotion vnto the Image as one of the Ancients hath well said It cannot possible be that the affection should be withdrawne from that where on our whole sense is fixed and fastned Therefore Lactunirus saith that there can bee no true worship performed where it is done with respect vnto images Thirdly we say that both these are equally forbidden of God namely the worshipping of the image it selfe and the worshipping of God at or before an image For this you haue a plaine place Leuit. 26. 1. You shall make you none idols nor grauen image neither reare you vp any pillar neither shall you set vp any stone or image within your land to worship before it for I am Iehouah the Lord your God But images say they are Lay-mens Bibles and therefore they may bee borne with as certaine historicall documents for the good of lay people whereto I answere first that it is no little blasphemy to affirme that images are Bibles that is the Word of God for the authoritie of Gods Word and of the Bible is the greatest that may bee and it is vnspeakable But who dare say that the authoritie of images is as diuine and eternall as that of God himself Secondly Images cannot be Lay-peoples Bibles because the Bible containes the true doctrine of God but Images are deceitfull and lying Teachers teaching lyes as it is manifestly written by Ier. 10. and by Habb 2.18 19. Further wee ought not to be wiser then God who hath instituted that his Church should be taught not by dumbe Pictures and Images but by the liuely preaching of his Word and the lawfull vse of the Sacraments And these things be spoken also as touching the adoration of Reliques for the worshipping of them is confuted by those very same places of Scripture by which the worshipping of Images hath been ouerthrowne You haue led mee by the hand through all Diuinitie and so haue holpen mee to some generall knowledge whereby I may insome sort be prepared vnto the holy Supper of our Lord now it remaines that you furnish me with some particular knowledge about the same Supper of the Lord whereunto I desire to prepare myselfe You say well indeed and I will doe it very willingly so be that before all you note that the word Sacrament is no where extant in holy Scripture but there are diuers words aequiualâ—nt vnto it as Romans 4. the word Signe or Seale where Paul calleth Circumcision the seale of the righteousnesse of Faith A Sacrament then is a holy signe or seale annexed to the word of God as vnto tables and letters wherein God promiseth vnto vs his fauour and the forgiuenesse of sinnes by the death and suffering of our mediatour Iesus Christ. Now signes be of three sorts Some there bee which are onely Significatiue and noting out somewhat as the Meare-stone signifieth the fields which it parts to be diuers Some are Memoratiue representing vs the memory of somewhat and exciting our affection and will thankefully to thinke on it
Lords Supper they were obliged to performe workes of loue and charitie towards their neighbours And this is the true doctrine of the Lords Supper drawne out of the onelie Word of God and taken from the nature of Sacraments But contrariwise the Masse is an horrible monster an idoll composed by Antichrist consisting of diuers horrible blasphemies whereby the whole dignitie and excellencie of the Lords Supper is defaced and quite taken away namely while they say that Christ in the institution of the holy Supper before that euer he gaue his body and blood vnto his disciples did vnder the bread and wine offer vp himselfe truly though after an vnbloody manner for the honour of his Father and that he did appoint then his disciples and all Ministers afterward to doe the like As the Masse-priests indeede after a few words vttered like Magical Spels and Charmes after a few histrionicall gestures and ceremonies doe beare vs in hand that they doe And further they blush not to affirme that this Sacrament is a sacrifice a most true propitiatorie sacrifice for the sins punishments and all wants not only of the liuing but of the dead too And so most blasphemously tread as it were vnder foote the Passion of Christ which as formerly we haue prooued is the alone and only propitiation for our sinnes which was onely to bee made and performed by Christ and not often to be reiterated as are the expresse words of the Apostle against that idoll of the Masse worthy to bee obserued Heb. 10.12 Christ hauing made that one onely offering for sinnes for euer sitteth at the right hand of God And vers 14. By that one oblation hath he consecrated for euer those which are iustified You may reade more abuses and abominations of the Popish Masse very plainely propounded in the explication of Vrsins Catechisme at the eightieth question You haue fitted mee for the Lords Supper by knowledge both generall and particular now it remaineth that you prepare mee also by true deuotion What things then I pray you doe appertaine vnto that true Deuotion Two things first that you bethink with your selfe how oft you are to vse the Lords Supper secondly that you consider well how you may vse it worthily How oft must I vse the Lords Supper Very often where truely there can bee no certaine number of times prescribed vnto any man because euery one out of his godly vnderstanding is to set downe that with himselfe But in the Primitiue Church the Christians surely did vse the Lords Supper as often as euer they came together to heare the Word of God as may appeare out of the 3. of the Acts where the Christians are said to haue met to heare the word of God and to the breaking of Bread that is the Supper of the Lord. But it would be very conuenient foure times in the yeare or twise at the least euery yeare to approach the Lords Table and that for these reasons First Because frequent and solemne thankesgiuing is by vs to bee performed for that so excellent benefit which was affoorded vnto vs by Christs passion Secondly because Christ in expresse termes commands How often soeuer you shall doe it in remembrance of me where the word how often soeuer enforceth an often vsage that is So often as often as you shall come so that it presupposeth that wee are often to come 3. And thus farre are wee indebted to our faith that wee often strengthen it so much we owe vnto our consciences that we may often hereby cherish quicken and cheare them vp for by this good helpe and meanes wee stirre our selues vp to leade a new life whilest that we consecrate and offer vp our selues to God by the vse of the Lords Supper Thus much we owe likewise to the Ch. that we may hereby make open profession and giue a publike testimony that we be fellowes members of it Lastly thus much we are bound to performe for the auoiding of corporal punishments for 1 Cor. 11.30 it is said For this cause many are weak sick among you many sleep c. where the Apostle teacheth that God punisht many in the Ch. of Corinth with diseases death because they did not rightly vse the L. Supper Now if God did lay his punishing hand on thē by diseases death for the wrong vse how much more will he punish for the rare vse of the L. Supper Teach me now further how I may worthily vse the Lords Supper and so how my deuotion must be qualified That indeed is it which aboue all other is most necessary because of that most sharp sentence pronounced by the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. v. 7. Whosoeuer therefore eateth this bread or drinketh this Cup vnworthily he is guiltie of the body and bloud of Christ that is he is held guiltie of the violating of this sacred signe and seale whereby the body and bloud of the Lord is represented and withall assured vnto vs. Whereupon hee further addeth Let euery man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eat of this Bread and drinke of this Cup for who so eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation not discerning the Lords body that is not vsing with reuerence those most holy signes and pledges whereby wee are assured of the Lords body and so consequently not discerning or putting any difference between common bread which wee eat euery day at our tables and this bread which by reason of the vse and office of certifying and assuring is made holy and so likewise of the Wine Of what sorts is that deuotion I pray you tell me It must be of two sorts either Antecedent going before the receiuing or Concomitant and ioyned to the receiuing of those holy mysteries How is the Antecedent deuotion called It is called The examining of a mans selfe according to that wee erstwhile vrged out of the Apostle Let euerie man therefore examine himselfe c. What is the true trying of a mans selfe of what parts does it consist The examination or proouing of a mans selfe is nothing else but the sifting of ones conscience what a man thinketh of himselfe and this examination is threefold Which is the first examination The first examination is as touching our misery which againe is either general namely when we consider with our selues the misery of whole mankind which did betide vs by the fal of our first Parents which doth consist in sin the punishment of sin or special when our thoughts are occupied about our own peculiar misery which examinatiō stands in 2 things first in the acknowledging of those sins which thou euery day hast committed either by omitting good things which should haue beene done or committing euill which should haue beene left vndone and that both in respect of Good workes which wee ought to doe as also in respect of praiers and daily inuocating on Gods Name which hath beene either altogether neglected