Thou didst elect mee to life and glory before the foundations of the World were layd thou didst create me after thine owne Image wheras thou mightest haue made me the vilest of thy creatures And when thine Image was defaced thy fauours forfetted my selfe becom the bondslaue of sinne and Satan it pleased thee forth of thy exceeding mercy and compassion to send thy Sonne to be my Sauiour Redeemer and hast with him giuen mee all things belonging to life godlines Thou hast continually preserued me from those infinite dangers into which I haue cast my selfe by the demerit of my manifold offences Thou hast let me liue in these happy dayes of grace and peace wherein the sight of thy Gospell shines most brightly Thou hast vouchsafed mee many temporall blessings whereby my life might be cheerefull to me and my selfe carefull in thy seruice But when I remember thy vnspeakeable loue in that great gift of thine the Sonne of thy loue Christ Iesus and when I consider that thou makest him mine bringest him home to my heart in a wonderfull manner by participation of the blessed Sacrament it makes me say with admiration VVhat is man O Lord that thou art so mindfull of him What am I sinfull wretch that thou shouldest vouchsafe to make me partaker of so great mercies And now O blessed GOD what shall I render to thee for all thy vnspeakeable fauors I haue nothing Lord but the sacrifice of my vnworthy praise and thanks which I desire may be perfumed by the merits and offred vp to thee by the hands of my Sauiour Christ I will euer say to my soule which is all that I can say My soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within thee praise his holy Name Lord make me able willing to offer vp my selfe an holy and acceptable sacrifice to thee Lord pardon my great vnthankfulnesse make me daily more and more thankfull to thee and giue me grace to expresse my thankfulnesse by my obedience that I may walke worthy of thy mercies and liue as one that hath beene brought vp in thy house and fed at thy Table Lord let me finde the power of thy sauing and sanctifying grace by vertue of thy blessed Sacrament whereof through thy mercy I haue at this present beene made partaker Let my Sauiour bee vnto me as a good Corrosiue to eate out my corruptions that the power of sin may be daily weakned and the graces of thy blessed Spirit quickened and strengthened in me that my affections being wayned from the loue of this euill world they may mount vp to heauen and heauenly things that so in this life I may haue fruition of thy fauour and in the life to come be partaker of euerlasting blisse and glory and that through the merits and mediation of Iesus Christ my all-sufficient Sauiour and Redeemer So be it good Lord. So be it A Iustification of the gesture of Kneeling in the Act of receiuing the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ROM 14.19 Let vs follow after the things which make for peace and wherewith we may edifie one another LONDON Printed by ELIZ. ALLDE for Robert Allot 1631. To those who oppose and dislike the gesture of kneeling in the act of receiuing the Sacrament WHen our blessed Sauiour ascended he left this legacie to his seruants Ioh. 14.27 My peace I leaue with you Pacem dedit iturus pacem dabit venturus Aug. in Ioh. tra 77. my peace I giue you At his departure hee bequeathed to his Church peace spirituall and at his returne hee will giue to it peace eternall And for better conseruation of this rich legacie he gaue the blessed Sacrament as a badge and bond of vnity Is it not therefore lamentable to see this rich legacie neglected and that sacred ordinance which should be the bond become the bane of our peace But behold my brethren as it is the excellent worke of God to bring light out of darknesse and good out of euill so is it the malicious endeuour of Satan to bring darknes out of light and euill out of goodnesse For he beeing the first peace-breaker in the World labours continually to vexe the Church of God by raising vp the stormes of contention about the blessed Sacrament not onely betweene opposites who differ in substance but euen amongst brethren onely for matter of circumstance And albeit our gracious Soueraigne who if euer any a meere man may fitly be stiled a King of peace hath by excellent courses seconded that great Peace-maker yet alas through mens contentious dispositions his iust expectation hath beene frustrate and his worthy indeuours haue beene too fruitlesse which might discourage any man for entering into these lists yet when I see Hebrewes striuing together I cannot be silent but say to him that doth the wrong Why fmitest thou thy fellow Exo. 2.13 Not forth of any pragmaticall disposition or loue to contention as all that know me can witnesse but forth of a heart vnfainedly affecting the peace of Sion and desirous by appealing to your better cogitations to effect it That worthy fact of Master Caluin hath euer affected mee much who seeing some take offence at the Wafer cakes vsed in the Church of Geneua Beza in vita Caluini perswaded them not to raise vp any contention about that which was indifferent and shall not I doe so in a matter of like nature Bethinke your selues my Brethren what distractions these diuisions doe cause and can these diuisions be without great thought of heart Iudg. 5.15 whilst we stand like Cato and Scipio in the Senat with mihi videtur mihi non videtur The one approues the other reiects the ordinances of the Church The godly are grieued the weake are troubled the wicked are strengthned yea as Nazian speakes Cur hosti cōmuni gladios porrigimus Nazi aduer Eunoni Oratio Non quia vera sed quia sua est wee by our contentions doe put a sword into the hand of our common enemy Remember I pray you that as Saint Austin saith There is some man who defends his opinion not because it is true but because it is his owne for so selfe-loue doth draw men into error Consider that opinions though grounded on error through time become strong resolutions Bethinke your selues carefully what holds you in opposition Is it a doubt that yeelding may disparage your persons or discredit your Ministery Consider that the Ancients haue neuer gained more honour then in retracting their errors Or is it zeale to Gods glory Consider then I pray you how this affection hath transported diuers very excellent and eminent members of the Church of God and this will make you looke rather how safely then how speedily you sayle Ponder I beseech you seriously how many faithfull and famous seruants of God yea some of which haue layd downe their liues for the testimony of Iesus haue aduisedly and willingly yeelded to this ordinance of the Church And hath it not
beene the Author of Reconciliation betweene God and man so he may be an effectuall reconciler of man to man that it may be said of him as it is of Iacob Gen. 32.28 Because thou hast had power with God thou shalt also preuaile with men Againe such is the excellency of this vertue that it graces seasons all others And as all Iosephs brethren were welcome for Beniamins sake so all Christian duties are accepted for Charities sake Otherwise if a man gaue all his goods to the poore 1. Cor. 13.14 and his body to the fire yet if he haue not loue it profiteth him nothing Againe whereas other vertues haue their period in this life Chrysostome saith Charitas inchoatur in mundo perficitur in coelo Charity is begunne on eâ—rth but perfected in heauen Whereas others euen the great cardinall vertues Faith and Hope 1. Cor. 13.13 doe vanish this excellent vertue of Loue remaines and vnites vs to God to Christ to the Saints and Angels for euer Yea such is the excellency of Loue that God himselfe is called Loue. Though he be iustice power wisedome truth whatsoeuer else is good yet it pleaseth him to be stiled especially by this Name as Saint Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 3.8 God is Loue. In a word as the fire from heauen gaue approbation to the ancient Sacrifices so this feruor charitatis this fire of Loue kindled in our hearts by the Spirit of God makes the Sacrament acceptable to God and comfortable to our owne soules And contrarily as God regarded not the sacrifice that was offered with broyles and teares of discontent Mal. 2.13 so will he not looke vpon that Sacrament which is receiued with an vncharitable heart or hand Hee that receiues the Sacrament in this kinde August serm ad infant de sacram as S. Austin saith receiues not the mysterie for himselfe but a testimony against himselfe Yet behold men dare yea doe come to the Sacrament with hearts full of rancour malice enuy bitternesse alas what comfort can such haue by comming Hierom writes Hieron li. 3. super epist ad Gal. that when St. Iohn was grown so old that he was faine to be led betwixt two and when through feeblenesse he was able to say no more yet would he still ingeminate this exhortation Filioli diligite alterutrum My little children loue one another And so say I my brethren that you may be worthy partakers of the blessed Sacrament Loue one another Lo beloued these are the Anchors you must cast forth these are the Interrogatories whereof you must examine your selues If vpon diligent examination you find in your selues a competent knowledge of those matters and mysteries afore mentioned a stedfast Faith in Christ Iesus serious repentance for your sins and vnfained loue to your brethren then need you not to feare the danger of vnworthy receiuing then need you not dread the strict examination of Almighty God Yea then may you offer your selues to his examination and say as it is in the Psalme Psal 26.2 Examine me O Lord and proue mee try my reines and my heart Then may you come to the Sacrament with cheerefulnesse and receiue it with comfort then shall the Sacrament be a meanes to build you vp in sauing grace in this life that you may be partakers of eternall glory in the life to come A Prayer before the receiuing of the Sacrament O Eternall GOD most gracious and louing Father in Iesus Christ I thy vnworthy seruant doe here humble my selfe and present my prayers before the throne of grace confessing from the ground and bottome of my heart that I am a miserable and wretched sinner If I stood guilty of Adams transgression onely the same were enough to condemne mee but behold my owne personall sinnes are exceeding many and grieuous they are great and heynous that I haue committed against thee in thought word and deed I haue neglected many blessed opportunities whereby I might haue glorified thy name and gained much comfort to mine owne soule and I haue committed many iniquities the least whereof were sufficient to plunge mee in the gulph of despaire Yea I haue deserued by my manifold sinnes to be depriued of all the fauours and comforts that I haue receiued from thy gracious hands to taste in a deepe measure of thy heauy indignation in this present life and to be subiect to eternall condemnation in the life to come But this is my comfort Lord that thou art a gracious and a mercifull God to them that are truly penitent and lay hold vpon thy Sonne Christ Iesus with a liuely faith In regard whereof I am bold to come vnto thee in his Name beseeching thee for his sake to haue mercy and compassion vpon me to pardon and forgiue me all my sinnes to clense me with his bloud and clothe mee with his righteousnes Strengthen good Lord my weake and feeble faith mortifie the corruptions of my vile nature giue me true and vnfained repentance for all my transgressions assist me with thy blessed Spirit agaiast Satans dangerous assaults and the Worlds vaine allurements Yea sanctifie me I beseech thee with that blessed Spirit of thine in soule and body and spirit that I may sanctifie thy Name in holinesse and righteousnes all the dayes of my life And forasmuch as thou hast ordained the holy Sacrament to be an especiall meanes of working these other graces in the hearts liues of thy seruants I humbly beseech thee for Christ his sake that thou wilt vouchsafe both now and at all times to blesse this thy holy ordinance to me and to prepare me for the worthy receiuing of it Lord open my vnderstanding that I may by the eye of faith behold thy deare Sonne and my blessed Sauiour the author and matter of this blessed banquet that my Soule may be imployed in the diligent meditation of these sacred mysteries that by partaking thereof I may find those sweet comforts wherewith my heart may be abundantly refreshed Lord make me able in this holy Sacrament to bâ—hold the death and Passion of my Sauiour and in his death and Passion his wonderfull loue and compassion and that the consideration thereof may kindle in my heart those excellent graces of loue and zeale to thy glory and may stirre me vp to compassion and loue to my brethren Make roome in my heart for the entertaining of Christ and grant me grace to receiue him into the house of my soule like the Centurion humbly and yet like the Publican cheerefully and ioyfully That by this heauenly foode I may haue thy mercies in Christ sealed vp vnto me that so I may be preserued to the glory of thy sauing grace through Iesus Christ my Lord and onely Sauiour Amen Amen Thanksgiuing after the receiuing of the Sacrament I Humbly thanke thee most gracious God and louing Father for all thy blessings benefits bestowed vpon me who am not worthy the least of all thy mercies
spake to Elias Vp and eate come with cheerfulnesse to this holy table I doubt not but some of you haue found much heauenly comfort by receiuing the Sacrament So that you are able to say with the Psalmist Psa 66.16 Come and I will tell you what the Lord hath done to my soule Yet for your further comfort I must wish you to remember that the banquet is onely begunne in this life which shall bâ— perfected in the life to come When Christ shalâ— say in heauen as it is in the fift of the Canticles Cant. 5.1 Come my friends eate and be merry Now the Spouse hath Christ in sacramento but then she shall haue him sine velamento Bern. de Coena Domini now she recâ—iues him in mystery then she shall enioy him apparantly Hic dulce praeludium illic nuptiale conuiuium Here is but the first course like the preludium to a song but there shall be the banket kept with all ioy and heauenly harmony Lastly for as much as Christ is offred to vs in the SacrameÌ„t it shall be very necessary that we examin whether hâ—uing receiued the Sacrament we haue receiued Christ Because as Saint Augustine saith Aug. cant Faust Mani lib. 13. c. 16. Et tract 59. in John there are many which eate panem Domine but not panem Dominum They receiue the outward signes but not the inward grace I will therefore deliuer a few but infaillible markes wherby wee may know whether wee haue receiued Christ First where Christ is receiued he workes mortification in the soule of the Receiuer abates the strength of those corruptions which otherwise would be potent and violent So saith St. Paul in the eight to the Romans Rom. 8.10 If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne but the Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake As a good corrosiue eates away the dead flesh so the body and bloud of Christ doe eate away the fleshly corruptious of dead workes Therefore Chrysostome Chrysost in Gen. hom 1. calls Christ curatorem animarum the Curer of soules And indeede where Christ comes he makes a threefold cure he cures the heart the hand the tongue He banisheth euill motions out of the heart Bern. de Aduent serm 5. bindeth the hand from euill actions and bridleth the tongue from euill speeches A second note of our receiuing Christ is our viuification quickning of our soules to liue the life of God For as the body of the dead man 2. Reg. 13.21 by touching the bones of Eâ—zeus receiued life So by touching and tasting of the body of Christ our soules that were dead in trespasses doe liue the life of grace and our selues are quickned to the performance of all Christian duties Ber in Cant. serm 17. For vnxit Deus vt vngeret therefore was he anointed with the oyle of grace that of his fulnesse we might receiue grace for grace Ioh. 1.16 both the grace of remission and the grace of sanctification so that we are able to lay with Saint Paul Gal. 2.20 Now I liue no more but Christ liueth in me A third note of our receiuing Christ is our alienation and estranging from the world according to that of St. Paul in the third to the Colossians Col. 3.2 If you be risen with Christ set your affections on things that are aboue The young man that onely came to Christ would not part with his wealth bring commanded Mark 10.22 but Zaccheus hauing receiued him into hiâ— house makes a voluntary offer of dispersing to the poore and making restitution Thus if we haue receiued Christ in our hearts the World will be crucified to vs and wee to the World The greatest pleasures and profits of the world will bee dung and drosse euen vile in our estimation in respect of him and the heauenly comforts wee receiue from him 4 Whosoeuer receiues Christ in the Sacrament receiues him into his heart as Zacheus did into his house ioyfully O blessed Iesus saith Bernard Luk. 19.6 Ber. in Cant. serm 32. how oft when thou camst vnto me didst thou comfort my wounded conscience by powring vnto it the oyle of gladnesse As the Sunne arising vpon our Horizon makes it cheerefull glorious so the Sun of Righteousnesse when it ariseth vpon the Horizon of a sanctified heart causeth it to reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable glorious Yea all the blessings of God are made comfortable to vs 1. Pet. 1.8 as it was with those happy conuerts who did eate their meate together with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart Acts. 2.46 For vbi Christus ibi Angeli ibi lux ibi coelum Chrysost in Mat. ho. 49. Where Christ is there are the Angels there is the light of Heauen there is Heauen it selfe Yea the priuiledges are excellent we obtaine by receiuing Christ For as it is a meanes of our adoption so it is a pledge of our eternall saluation As many as receiued him Ioh. 1.12 to them he gaue this prerogatiue to be made the sonnes of God Rom. 8.17 And if we be sonnes we are also heyres yea coheyres annexed with Christ And as the Israelites had a taste in the wildernesse of the fruits of Canaan Nu 13.24 which afterwards they did enioy more plentifully in that promised Land So haue we in the wildernes of this present world the first fruits of that glory which hereafter we shall enioy in the celestiall Canaan more aboundantly for euer A fift note of receiuing Christ is our thankefulnesse of heart stirring vs vp to cheerefull obedience Dauid hauing receiueâ— râ—â—â—efe from Barzâ—llai giues this charge to his sonne Salomon Shew kindnesse to the Sonnes of Barzillai 1. Reg. 2.7 So Christ Iesus furnishing vs with this heauenly foode may iustly chalâ—enge at our hands all that wee can doe to manifest our thankefull hearts for such a singular benefit As the Kingâ—y Prophet saith VVhat shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits bestowed vpon me Ps 116.12 So must we consult all the faculties of our soules and enquire with what we may present our Sauiour Christ for this great mercy and our conclusion must be his resolution I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thankâ—sgiuing Vers 17. and call vpon the Name of the Lord. Thus if vpon the receiuing of the Sacrament we finde in some measure the strength of sinne abated grace augmented our affections estranged from the world our soules filled with heauenly ioy and our hearts stirred vp to vnfained thankfulnesse then may we with maruellous comfort assurance conclude that we haue truely receiued Christ And to such a Communicant I may say as our Sauiour said to Zacheus Luk 19.9 This day is saluation come into this house THE FOVRTH Sermon The Forme of the Sacrament 1. COR. 11.26 For as often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cup c. HAuing spoken of the Author
yet is it said in the seuenty eight Psalme that they remembred not his hand Psa 78.42 nor the day that he deliuered them from the enemy and who doth not condemne their ingratefull forgetfulnesse of so great benefits But if we cause our cogitations to retire vpon our selues and consider the vnspeakable mercy of Christ in deliuering vs from eternall condemnation aad his gracious goodnesse in ordaining this memoriall of our deliuerance I doubt not but we shall find greater cause to tax our selues for our vnkind forgetfulnesse whilst it may be said of vs as the holy Historian saith of Pharaohs Butler Gen. 40.23 yet did not the chiefe Butler remember Ioseph but forgat him When our Sauiour told Peter that he would deny him Mat. 26. Peter promised confidently that he would not but afterwards hauing through humane frailty done it when the Cocke did crow he remembring the words of Iesus went foorth and wept bitterly Behold my brethren haue not we as iust cause to mourn for our shamefull forgetfulnesse who notwithstanding these remembrances doe neglect these great mercies which we should locke and lay vp in our hearts like rich Iewels and keepe them safe as soueraigne preseruatiues If a King hauing ransomed a captiue should giue him a peece of plate and wish him when he drinks therein to thinke vpon the fauours hee had done him how vnworthy were that captiue of this fauour if hee should forget him Loe here our King of Peace hath deliuered vs from a miserable captiuity and hath giuen vs the Cup of saluation requiring vs when we drinke thereof to thinke vpon him Oh how vnworthy are we of this great mercy if we will not remember him We may well say in the Psalmists words Psa 137.5 6. If I forget thee O my Sauiour let my right hand forget her cunning Yea if I doe not remember thee in thankfulnesse let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth Iustin li. 5. The Athenians enacted Legem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a law of obliuion but here Christ hath ordained Legem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a law of remembrance We should oft times haue Christ in remembrance but especially when we come to the Sacrament hee should be the matter of our meditation Lâ—k 22.42 Lord remember mee when thou commest into thy Kingdome saith the penitent malefactor and Christs answere is This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise So let vs carefully and fruitfully remember Christ when we come to the blessed Sacrament and then we may be assured he will remember vs now he is in his Kingdome But how shall we remember him fruitfully Not by oathes and blasphemies not by execrations and cursings not to cherish presumption in our selues for thus onely doe some remember Christ Some alas haue the name of Christ very sildom in their mouthes but when they sweare by him some sildome haue him in their minds but when they do vainely presume vpon him But miserable wretched men they are who thus doe turne the grace of God into wickednesse Which take boldnesse to sin Rom. 6.1 because grace hath abounded and so make a poyson of a Mithrydat But let vs so remember Christ that the remembrance of him may be a preseruatiue against sinne by considering how deare it cost him to redeeme vs and if wee haue fallen through frailty that it may be a restoratiue by remembring that hee is a gracious Aduocate 1. Ioh. 2.1 and the propitiation for a penitent sinner Let vs remember the basenesse of his birth to humble vs the painefulnesse of his life to make vs diligent in his seruice and the bitternesse of his death to confirme our patience Let vs depend vpon him both in health sicknes in life and death In health let vs remember him as a mercifull Redeemer in sicknesse let vs thinke vpon him as a gracious Comforter In health let vs say with the Spouse in the Canticles Can. 1.7 Shew me thou whom my soule loueth where thou feedest for why should I be as one that turneth aside to the flocks of thy companions In sickenesse let vs with Bartimeus cry vnto him Mar. 10.48 Iesus thou Sonne of Dauid haue mercy on mee And in the houre of death let vs with blessed Steuen commend our soules into his hands saying Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Act. 5 9 Loe this is a fruitfull this is a blessed remembrance of Christ And so much for the end in generall now to the end in particular verse 26. For as oft as you eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe you shew the Lords death till he comes These words as oft are here twice vsed and there may be diuers reasons for the same First to put a difference betweene the Passeouer and the Supper The Passeouer was celebrated but once a yeere and at one certaine time of the yeere but the Supper of the Lord may be administred many times and at any time of the yeere And herein also this Sacrament differs from Baptisme which is only once administred and not iterated and reason for as it is sufficient that we be once borne into the World but necessary that wee be often fedde so is it sufficient that wee doe once receiue Baptisme the Sacrament of our new birth but very expedient that wee oft receiue the Eucharist the food and nourishment of our soules Secondly as these words may serue to distinguish betweene this and the other Sacraments so may they also very aptly carry with them an intimation of receiuing often First in that the Apostle saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how oft soeuer which implyes an itteration Again the word being before vsed and here againe repeated cannot but import an often receiuing of the Sacrament But here it may bee questioned how oft a man is to receiue the Sacrament Chrys in Tim. hom 5. For answere whereunto I might say with Chrysostome The Apostle hath not limited this Sacrament with any obseruation of time But for further resolution we will consider First the practice of Antiquity Secondly Hier. ad Lucin Ambr. de sacr li 5. c. 4. Chrys in 1. Cor hom 28. Aug quaest dogm q. 53. the rules of Direction grounded on reason We read that in the Primitiue Church both the East and Westerne Congregations vsed to celebrate and receiue it euery day afterwards euery Lords Day to the which practice S. Austin or whosoâ—uer was Author of the Dogmaticall questions doth exhort Afterwards it came to once a moneth but deuotion waxing euery day colder then other P. Lumb sen 4. dist 12. it was decreed that euery one should receiue it thrice a yeâ—re which was somewhat tolerable But Rome who brags of hâ—r renowned neuer-failing Faith doth in this particular shew a glimpse of her Apostasie and giues euident demonstration of her want of zeale deuotion For the Councell of Trent is faine to come
bee spilt then offer the bloud of Christ to a profane receiuer Againe 2. Seeing the vnworthy receiuing is so dangerous the same may stand vp like the Angell with the flaming sword Gen. 3.24 to keepe Adam from eating of the tree of life It may cause euery one to tremble who offers to come to the Table of the Lord with vnwasht hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodor. Illoâ—a Consci Cyprian I meane with a foule conscience Those that come with hearts full of profanenes heads full of vngodly imaginations and hands defiled with wicked actions how vnworthy are they to be admitted to this blessed Banquet As Iehu said to Iehoram 2. Reg. 9. What hast thou to doe with peace so I may say What haue these to do with the SacrameÌ„t Indeed the Sacrament is a robe to couer the penitent sinner but not a cloake to a wicked profaner of it to such a one it is like the forbidden fruit of Paradise Genes 3. the bane of the eater and like a faire bait swallowed with a deadly hooke the death of the receiuer Who being guilty would drinke of that cursed water Num. 5.22 which made the thigh to rot and belly to swell And who being guilty of grosse sinnes will dare without repentance to take that Sacrament which shall make him guilty of the body and bloud of Christ and become an occasion of his condemnation Who doth not condemne and condole the Iewes for that fearefull execration His bloud be vpon vs and our children Behold hee that receiues vnworthily the bloud of Christ is vpon him to his vtter destruction It is a pittifull thing when that curse befalls any Psal 69.22 Let their Table bee made a snare But that this holy Table should be made a snare to a Christian soule 't is very lamentable Reu. 1.7 It is said in the first of the Reuelation That euery eye shall see him euen them that haue pierced him Not onely Iudas that betrayed him Pilate that condemned him and the Souldiers that crucified him must appeare before him and come to their arraignment but also euery one who by vnworthy receiuing hath made himselfe guilty of the body and bloud of Christ must receiue his fearefull doome Mat. 26.24 Our Sauiour said of Iudas It had beene good for him if hee had neuer beene borne and I may say of such It had beene better for them that they had neuer beene partakers of the holy Sacrament for alas they haue eaten and drunken their owne damnation better had it beene for such to haue eaten some venemous thing or to haue drunke some deadly poyson for that had onely beene the death of the body but they by eating and drinking the Sacrament vnworthily haue damned and destroyed both soule body for euer Lastly this danger may admonish euery Christian to endeuour with all care and diligence to come worthily to the Sacrament Aug. ep 118. For as Manna was to euery mans taste according to his will so is the Sacrament to euery one according to his worthinesse Alas it will not bee enough to say to our Sauiour with them in the Gospell Luk. 13.26 VVe haue eaten drunke in thy company wee haue beene admitted to thy Table But wee must see that we come thither as we should For as the body abounding with euill humors the corporall food doth rather hurt then nourish it Chrys de prodit Iudae So the soule being fraught with vices this heauenly food doth rather kill then comfort it People will bee vnwilling that men should see them come to the Lords Table with foule hands and should they not be more carefull that God do not see them come with foule hearts A man would be loth to let a spake of fire all into a chest that hath rich costly clothes in it so should euery one bee loth that any sparke of corruption should enter into his heart when he is to receiue the body bloud of Christ The Communicants Ambr. de fac li. 5. cap. 3. as St. Ambrose saith must be familia candidata For as none vncircumcised was admitted to the Passeouer Exo. 12.44 so none of vncircumcised hearts should be partakers of the Lords Supper Augustin Hee must be of the body of Christ that eates the body of Christ Adam in his state of integrity had free liberty to take taste of all the trees of the Garden one onely excepted but after his transgression hee was iustly restrained So doth the Lord Iesus admit vs to his Table if we come worthily otherwise wee are no welcome guests vnto him Therefore as it was said to Moses Exod. 3.5 Put off the shooes for the place where thou standest is holy ground So let vs put off the shooes of our corruptions and then we may with comfort approach vnto the Table of the Lord. But here it may be iustly questioned Can any one be worthy of the Sacrament it being of such excellencie as hath beene shewed For answere whereunto we must consider that there is a two-fold worthinesse the one in act the other in acceptation The worthinesse in Act requires a proportionable correspondence betweene the Sacrament and the Communicant But this worthinesse I hope no man is so ignorant to hold so impudent to plead For as Origen saith euery one must say with the Centurion in this case Lord Origen hom 8 in diuers Mat 8.8 I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe And we doe truely acknowledge that wee are not worthy to gather vp the crums vnder the Lords Table In the CoÌ„munion booke The worthinesse in acceptation is when God in mercy without desert on our behalfe doth count vs worthy as it is in the 21. of Luke Luk. 21.35 Pray that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things And this must be our worthinesse when vvee come to the Table of the Lord. Now this gracious acceptation of Almighty GOD though it doe not challenge an absolute worthinesse yet doth it require a certaine fitnesse which in some degree we call a worthinesse And so also the word imports For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some-times signifieth meet or fit Rom. 16.2 1. Cor. 16.4 Col. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as meate is though it be dâ—gnum in the vulgar Latin 2. Thes 1.3 Bellar. de Euchar l 4 c. 18 as we fitly translate it in diuers places Yea the Rhemists though they make themselues slaues to the vulgar Latine yet in the second Epistle to the Thessalonians they haue so translated it Now what it is that makes a man fit or vnfit is duly to be considered Bellarmine labours to proue that no man is fit for the Sacrament but he onely who is free from the trouble or touch of conscience for any mortall sinne So that hee will haue onely those that are whole to come to the