to doe the duties of his calling This is specially to be obserued of Ministers and Iudges Sixtly A religious Fast which a man voluntarily vndertakes to make his body and soule the fitter to pray more feruently vnto GOD vpon some extraordinarie occasion And of this fast onely wee are to treate The Religious Fast is of two sorts eyther priuate or publike 1 Of a priuate Fast. THat vvee may rightly performe a priuate Fast foure things are to be obserued first the Author secondly the Time and Occasion thirdly the Manner fourthly the Ends of priuate Fasting 1 Of the Author The first that ordained Fasting was God himselfe in Paradise and it was the first Law that God made in commanding Adam to abstaine from eating the forbidden fruit GOD would not pronounce nor write his Law without Fasting and in his Law commands all his people to Fast. So doth our Sauiour Christ teach all his Disciples vnder the New Testament likewise By religious Fasting a man comes neerest the life of Angels and to do Gods will on earth as it is done in heauen Yea Nature seemeth to teach man this duty in giuing him a little mouth and a narrower throaete for Nature is content with a little Grace with lesse Neyther doth Nature and Grace agree in any one act better then in this exercise of religious Fasting for it strengtheneth the memory and cleareth the minde illuminateth the vnderstanding and bridleth the affections mortifieth the flesh and preserueth chastitie preuenteth sicknesse and continueth health it deliuereth from euils and procureth all kinde of blessings By breaking this Fast the Serpent ouer-threw the first Adam so that hee lost Paradise But by keeping a Fast the second Adam vanquished the Serpent and restored vs into Heauen Fasting was she who couered Noâ—h safe in the Arke whom Intemperance vncouered and left starke naked in the Vineyard By fasting Lot quenched the flame of Sodome whom drunkennesse scorched with the fire of Incest Religious Fasting and talking vvith GOD made Moses face to shine before men when Idolatrous eating and drinking caused the Israelites to appeare abhominable in the sight of GOD. It rapt Elias in an Angelicall Coach to Heauen when voluptuous Ahab was sent in a bloudy Chariot to Hell It made Herod beleeue that Iohn Baptist should liue after death by a blessed resurrection when after an intemperate life hee could promise nothing to himselfe but eternall death and destruction O diuine Ordinance of a diuine Author 2 Of the Time The holy Scripture appoints no time vnder the new Testament to fast but leaues it vnto Christians owne free choyse Rom. 14.3 1 Cor. 7.5 to fast as occasions shall be offered vnto them Mat. 9.15 As when a man becomes an humble and earnest suiter vnto God for the pardon of some grosse sinne committed or for the preuention of some sinne whereunto a man feeles himselfe by Sathan sollicited or to obtaine some speciall blessing which hee wants or to auert some Iudgement which a man feares or is already fallen vpon himselfe or others or lastly to subdue his flesh vnto his spirit that hee may more cheerefully poure forth his Soule vnto God by prayer Vpon these occasions a man may fast a day or longer as his occasion requires and the constiâ—uâ—ion of his body and other needfull affayres will permit 3 Of the manner of a priuate Fast. The true manner of performing a priuate Fast consists partly in outward partly in inward actions The outward Actions are to abstaine for the time that wee fast First from all worldly businesse and labour making our fasting day as it were a Sabbath day Leuit. 23.28 for worldly businesse will distract our mindes from holy deuotion Secondly from all manner of foode yea from bread and water so farre as health will permit 1 That so we may acknowledge our owne indignitie as being vnworthy both of life all the meanes for the maintenance thereof 2. That by afflicting the body the soule which followeth the constitution thereof may be the more humbled 3. That so wee may take a godly reuenge vpon our selues for abusing our libertie in the vse of Gods Creatures 4. That by the hunger of our bodies through want of these earthly things our Soules may learne to hunger more eagerly after spirituall and heauenly foode 5. To put vs in minde that as vvee abstaine from foode which is lawfull so wee should much more abstaine from Sinne which is altogether vnlawfull Thirdly from good and costly Apparell that as the abuse of these puffes vs vp with pride so the laying aside their lawfull vse may witnesse our humilitie And to this end in auncient times they vsed especially in publike Fasts to put on Sacke-cloath or other course apparell The equitie hereof stil remaineth especially in publike Fasts at what time to come into the Assembly vvith starched bands crisped haire braue apparell and decked with â—lowers or perfumes argueth a Soule that is neyther humbled before GOD nor euer knew the true vse of so holy an exercise Fourthly from the full measure of ordinary sleepe That thou maist that vvay also humble the body and that thy soule may watch and pray to be prepared for the comming of Christ. And if thou vvilt breake thy-sleepe earely and late for worldly gaine how much more shouldest thou doe it for the seruice of God And if Ahab in imitation of the godly did in his fast lie in Sacke-cloath to breake his sleepe by night what shall wee thinke of those vvho on a fasting day will yeeld themselues to sleepe in the open Church Fiftly and lastly from all outward pleasures of our senses So that as it was not the throate onely that sinned so must not the throate onely be punished and therefore vve must endeuour to make our eyes as at all times so especially on that day to fast from beholding vanities our eares from hearing mirth or Musicke but such as may moue to mourne our nostrils from pleasant smels our tongues from lying dissembling and slandering yea the vse of the Marriage bed must be omitted in a religious reuerence of the diuine Maiestie That so nothing may hinder our true humiliation but that all may be signes that vve are vnfainedly humbled Thus much of the outward manner 2 The inward manner of Fasting consists in two things 1. Repentance 2. Prayer Repentance hath two parts 1. Penitencie for sinnes past 2. Amendement of life in time to come This penitency consists in 3. things First an inward insight of sinne and sense of miserie Secondly a bewailing of thy vile estate Thirdlie an humble and particuler confession of all thy knowne sinnes 1 Of the inward insight of sinne and sense of miserie This sense and insight will be effected in thee First by considering thy sinnes especially thy grosse sinnes according to the circumstances of the time when place where
minde is resolued through the assistance of his grace to amend thy faults And then hauing washed thy selfe and adorned thy body with apparell which beseemeth thy calling and the Image of GOD which thou bearest shut thy chamber-doore and kneele downe at thy bed-side or some other conuenient place and in reuerent manner lifting vp thy heart together with thy hands and eyes as in the presence of GOD who seeth the inward intention of thy soule offer vp vnto God from the Altar of a contrite heart thy Prayer as a Morning Sacrifice through the mediation of Christ in these or the like wordes A Prayer for the Morning O Most mighty and glorious GOD full of incomprehensible power and Maiestie whose glory the very Heauen of Heauens is not able to containe looke downe from heauen vpon me thine vnworthy Seruant who here prostate my selfe at the foote-stoole of thy Throne of Grace But looke vpon mee O Father through the merits and mediation of Iesus Christ thy beloued Sonne in whom onely thou art well pleased For of my selfe I am not worthy to stand in thy presence or to speake with mine vncleane lips to so holy a God as thou art For thou knowest that in sin I was conceiued and borne and that I haue liued euer since in iniquitie so that I haue broken all thy holy Commandements by sinfull motions vncleane thoughts euill wordes wicked workes omitting many of those duties of pietie which thou requirest for thy seruice and committing many of those vices which thou vnder the penaltie of thy displeasure hast forbidden Here thou maist confesse vnto God thy secret sinnes which doe most burden thy conscience with the circumstances of the time place person and manner how it was committed saying But more especially O Lord I doe here with griefe of heart confesse vnto thee c. And for these my sinnes O Lord I stand here guiltie of thy curse with all the miseries of this life and euerlasting torments in hell fire when this wretched life is ended if thou shouldest deale vvith mee according to my deserts Yea Lord I confesse that it is thy mercy which endureth for euer and thy compassion which neuer failes that is the cause that I haue not beene long agoe consumed But with thee O Lord there is mercy and plenteous redemption In the multitude therefore of thy mercy and confidence in Christs merits I entreate thy diuine Maiestie that thou wouldest not enter into iudgement with thy Seruant neyther be extreame to marke what I haue hitherto done amisse for if thou doest then no flesh can be iustified in thy sight nor any liuing stand in thy presence But be thou mercifull vnto mee and wash away all the vncleannesse of my sinne with the merits of that precious bloud which Iesus Christ hath shed for me And seeing that hee hath borne the burden of that curse which was due to my transgressions O LORD deliuer me from my sinnes and from all those Iudgements which hang ouer my head as due vnto mee for them And separate them as farre from thy presence as the East is from the West burie them in the buriall of Christ that they may neuer haue power to rise vp against mee to shame me in this life or to condemne me in the world which is to come And I beseech thee O Lord not onely to wash away my sinnes with the bloud of thine immaculate Lambe but also to purge my heart by thy holy spirit from the drosse of my natural corruption that I may feele thy spirit more and more killing my sinne in the power and practise thereof so that I may with more freedome of minde and liberty of will serue thee the euerliuing God in righteousnesse and holinesse this day And giue me grace that by the direction and assistance of the same thy holie spirit I may perseuere to be thy faithfull and vnfained seruant vnto my liues ende that when this mortall life is ended I may be made a partaker of immortality and euerlasting happinesse in thy heauenly kingdome In the meane time O Lord whilest it is thy blessed will and pleasure that I may continue to spend and end that small number and remnant of daies which thou hast appointed for me to liue in this vale of misery Teach mee so to number my daies that I may apply my heart vnto wisdome and as thou dost adde daies vnto my life so good Lord I beseech thee adde repentance and amendment to my daies that as I growe in yeeres so I may encrease in grace and fauour with thee and all thy people And to this end giue vnto me a supply of all those graces which thou knowest to be wanting in me and necessary for me with an increase of all those good gifts whervvith thou hast already endued me that so I may be the better enabled to leade such a godly life and honest conuersation as that thy name may thereby be gloryfied others may take good example by me and my soule may more cheerefully feed on the peace of a good conscience and bee more replenished with the ioy of the holy Ghost And heere O Lord according to my bounden duty I giue thee most humble and hearty thankes for all those blessings which of thy goodnesse thou hast bestowed vpon mee And namely for that thou hast of thy free loue according to thine eternall purpose elected me before the foundation of the world was laid vnto saluation in Iesus Christ for that thou hast created mee after thine owne Image and hast begunne to restore that in mee vvhich vvas lost in our first Parents for that thou hast effectually called me by the working of thy spirit in the preaching of the Gospell and the receiuing of thy Sacraments to the knowledge of thy sauing grace and obedience of thy blessed will for that thou hast bought and redeemed me vvith the blood of thine onely begotten Sonne from the torments of Hell and thrall of Satan for that thou hast by faith in Christ freely iustified me vvho am by nature the childe of wrath for that thou hast in good measure sanctified mee by thy holy spirit and giuest me so large a time to repent together with the meanes of repentance I thanke thee likewise good Lord for my life health wealth foode raiment peace prosperity and plenty and for that thou hast preserued me this night from all perils and dangers of body and soule and hast brought me safe to the beginning of this day And as thou hast now vvakened my body from sleepe so I beseech thee waken my soule from sinne and carnall security and as thou hast caused the light of the day to shine in my bodily eies so good Lord cause the light of thy word and holy spirit to illuminate my heart and giue me grace
that thou thinkest these Prayers to be too long a taske being shorter for quantitie then theirs but farre more profitable for qualitie tending onely to Gods glory and thy good and so compiled of Scripture phrase as that thou maist speake to God as well in his owne hâ—ly words as in thine owne natiue language Be ashamed that Papists in their superstitious worshipping of Creatures should shew themselues more deuout then thou in the sincere worshipping of the true and onely God And indeede a prayer in priuate deuotion should be one continued speech rather then many broken fragments 6 Lastly when such thoughts come into thy head eyther to keepe thee from prayer or to distract thee in praying remember that those are the Fowles which the euill one sends to deuoure the good Seede and the carkeises of thy spirituall Sacrifices but endeuour with Abraham to driue them away Yet notwithstanding if thou perceiuest at some times that thy spirits are dull and thy minde not apt for Prayer and holy deuotion striue not too much for that time but humbling thy selfe at the sense of thine infirmity and dulnesse knowing that God accepteth the willing minde though it be oppressed with the heauinesse of the flesh endeauour the next time to recompense this dulnesse by redoubling thy zeale and for the time present commend thy Soule to God in this or the like short Prayer Another shorter Morning Prayer O MOST gracious GOD and mercifull Father I thine vnworthy Seruant do here acknowledge that as I haue beene borne in sinne so I haue liued in iniquitie and broken euery one of thy Commandements in thought word and deede following the desires of mine owne will and lusts of my flesh not caring to be gouerned by thy holy Word and Spirit and therefore I haue iustly deserued all shame and miserie in this life and euerlasting condâ—mnation in Hell-fire if thou shouldest but deale with mee according to thy Iustice and my desert Wherefore O Heauenly Father I beseech thee for thy Sonne Iesus Christ his sake and for the merits of that bitter death and bloudy Passion which I beleeue that he hath suffered for mee that thou wouldest pardon and forgiue vnto me all my sins and deliuer me from the shame and vengeance vvhich is due vnto mee for them And send thy holy Spirit into my heart which may assure mee that thou art my Father and that I am thy childe and that thou louest mee with an vnchangeable loue and let the same thy good Spirit leade mee in thy truth and crucifie in me more and more all worldly and carnall lusts that my sinnes may more and more dye in mee and that I may serue thee in vnfained righteousnesse and holinesse this day and all the dayes of my life that when this mortall life is ended I may through thy mercy in Christ be made a partaker of euerlasting glory in thy heauenly Kingdome And here O Lord from the bottome of my hart I thanke thee for al thy blessings which thou hast bestowed vpon my soule and body for electing mee in thy loue redeeming mee by thy Sonne sanctifying mee by thy Spirit and preseruing me from my youth vp vntill this present day and houre by thy most gracious prouidence I thanke thee more specially for that thou hast defended mee this night from all perils and dangers and hast brought me safe to the beginning of this day And now good Lord I beseech thee keepe me this day from all euill that may hurt me and from falling to any grosse sinne that should offend thee Set thy feare before mine eyes and let thy Spirit so rule my heart that all that I shall thinke doe or speake this day may tend to thy glory the good of others and the peace of mine owne Conscience And to this end I commend my selfe and all my wayes and actions together with all that do belong vnto me vnto thy gratious direction and protection praying thee to keepe both them and mee from all euill and to giue a blessing to all our honest labours and endeuours Defend thy whole Church from the tyranny of the World and of Antichrist Preserue our gracious King from all conspiracies and treasons grant him a long and prosperous raigne ouer vs. Blesse the Queene Prince Charles the Prince Palatine of Rhene and the vertuous Lady Elizabeth endue them vvith thy grace and defend them from all euill Blesse all our Ministers and Magistrates with those graces and gifts which thou knowest necessary for their places Be fauourable to all that feare thee and tremble at thy Iudgements comfort all those that are sicke and comfâ—rtlesse Lordâ— keepe mee in a continuall readinesse by Faith and Repentance for my last end that whether I liue or dye I may be found thine owne to thine eternall glory and mine euerlasting saluation through Iesus Christ my onely Sauiour In whose blessed Name I beg these mercies at thy hands and giue vnto thee thy praise and glory in that Prayer which hee hath sanctified with his owne lips saying Our Father which art in heauen c. Further Meditations to stir vs vp to praier in the Morning THinke not any businesse or haste though neuer so great a sufficient excuse to omit Praier in the Morning but meditate 1 That the greater thy businesse is by so much the more neede thou hast to pray for Gods good-speed and blessing thereon seeing it is certaine that nothing can prosper without his blessing 2 That many a man when hee thought himselfe surest hath beene soonest crossed so maiest thou 3 That many a man hath gone out of his dore and neuer come in againe Many a man who arose well and liuelie in the morning hath beene seene a dead man ere night So may it befall thee And if thou bee so carefull before thou goest abroad to drinke to fence thy body from ill ayres how much more carefull shouldest thou be to pray to perserue thy soule from euill temptations 4 That the time spent in prayer neuer hindereth but furthereth and prospereth a mans iourney and businesse 5 That in going abroad into the world thou goest into a forrest full of vnknown dangers where thou shalt meet many bryars to teare thy good name many snares to trap thy life and many hunters to deuoure thy soule It is a field of pleasant grasse but ful of poysonous serpents Aduenture not therefore to go nakâ—â— among these briars till thou hast prayed Christ to clothe thee with his righteousnesse nor to passe through these snares and ambushments till thou hast praied for Gods prouidence to be thy guide nor to walke barefoote through this snakie field till hauing thy feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace thou hast praied to haue still the brasen Serpent in the eye of thy faith that so if thou commest not home holier thou maiest be sure not to returne worser then when thou wentest out of dores Therefore though
presumption contrary to my knowledge yea contrary to the motions of thy holy spirit reclaiming me from them so that I haue wounded my conscience and grieued thy holy spirit by whom thou hast sealed mee to the day of redemption Thou hast consecrated my soule and body to be the temples of the holy Ghost I wretched sinner haue defiled both vvith all manner of pollution and vncleannesse My eyes in taking pleasure to behold vanitie mine eares in hearing impure and vnchaste speeches my tongue in leasing and euill speaking my hands are so ful of impuritie that I am ashamed to lift them vp vnto thee and my feet haue carried mee after mine owne wayes my vnderstanding and reasoning which are so quicke in all earthly matters are only blinde and stupide when I come to meditate or discourse of spirituall and heauenly things my memory which should be the treasurie of all goodnesse is not so apt to remember any thing as those things vvhich are vile and vaine Yea Lord by wofull experience I finde that naturally all the imaginations of the thoughts of mine heart are only euill continually And these my sinnes are more in number then the haires which grow vpon mine head and they haue growne ouer me like a loathsome leprie that from the crowne of my head to the sole of my feet there remaines no part vvhich they haue not infected They make mee seeme vile in mine owne eyes how much more abhominable must I then appeare in thy sight And the custome of sinning hath almost taken away the conscience of sinne pulled vpon me such dulnesse of sense and hardnesse of hart that thy iudgements denounced against my sinnes by the faithfull Preachers of thy Word doe not terrifie me to returne vnto thee by vnfained repentance for them And if thou Lord shouldst but deale with me according to thy iustice and my desert I should vtterly be confounded and condemned But seeing that of thine infinite mercie thou hast spared mee so long and still waitest for my repentance I humbly beseech thee for the bitter death and bloudy Passionâ— sake which Iesus Christ hath suffered for mee that thou wouldest pardon and forgiue vnto mee all my sinnes and offences and open vnto mee that euer-streaming fountaine of the bloud of Christ which thou hast promised to open vnder the New Testament to the penitent of the house of Dauid that all my sinnes and vncleannesse may be so bathed in his bloud buried in his death and hid in his wounds that they neuer be more seene to shame me in this life or to condemne mee before thy Iudgement-seate in the world which is to come And forasmuch O Lord as thou knowest that it is not in man to turne his owne heart vnlesse thou doest first giue him grace to conuert And seeing that it is as easie with thee to make me righteous and holy as to bid mee to be such O my God giue mee grace to doe what thou commandest and then command what thou wilt and thou shalt finde me willing to doe thy blessed will And to this end giue vnto me thine holy spirit which thou hast promiseâ— to giue to the worlds end vnto all thine elect people And let the same thy holy spirit purge my heart heale my corruption sanctifie my nature and consecrate my soule and body that they may become the Temples of the holy Ghost to serue thee in righteousnesse and holinesse all the dayes of my life That when by the direction assistance of thy holy spirit I shall finish my course in this short and transitory life I may cheerefully leaue this world and resigne my Soule into thy Fatherly hands in the assured confidence of enioying euerlasting life with thee in thine Heauenly Kingdome which thou hast prepared for thine elect Saints who loue the Lord Iesus and expect his appearing In the meane while O Father I beseech thee let thy holy spirit worke in mee such a serious repentance as that I may with teares lament my sinnes past vvith griefe of heart be humbled for my sinnes present and vvith all mine endeuour resist the like filthy sinnes in time to come And let the same thy holy spirit likewise keepe mee in the vnitie of thy Church Leade mee in the truth of thy Word and preserue me that I neuer swarue from the same to Poperie nor any other error or false worship And let thy Spirit open mine eyes more and more to see the wondrous things of thy Law and open my lips that my mouth may daily defend thy Truth and set forth thy Praise Increase in me those good gifts which of thy meâ—cy thou hast already bestowed vpon mee and giue vnto mee a patient spirit a chaste heart a contented minde pure affections wife behauiour and all other graces which thou seest to be necessary for me to gouerne my heart in thy feare and to guide all my life in thy fauour that whether I liue or dye I may liue and dye vnto thee who art my God and my Redeemer And here O Lord according as I am bound I render vnto thee from the Altar of my humblest heart all possible thankes for all those blessings and benefits which so graciously plentifully thou hast bestowed vpon my soule and body for this life and for that which is to come namely for mine Election Creation Redemption Vocation Iustification Sanctification and Preseruation from my childe-hoode vntill this present day and houre and for the firme hope which thou hast giuen me of my Glorification Likewise for my health wealth food raiment and prosperitie and more especially for that thou hast defended mee this day now past from all perils and dangers both of body and soule furnishing mee with all necessary good things that I stand in neede of And as thou hast ordained the day for man to trauaile in and the night for him to take his rest so I beseech thee sanctifie vnto mee this nights rest and sleepe that I may enioy the same as thy sweet blessing and benefit That so this dull and wearied body of mine being refreshed with moderate sleepe and rest I may be the better enabled to vvalke before thee doing all such good workes as thou hast appointed when it shall please thee by thy diuine power to waken mee the next morning And whilest I sleepe doe thou O Lord who art the keeper of Israel that neuer slumbrest nor sleepest watch ouer mee in thy holy prouidence to protect mee from all danger so that neyther the euill Angels of Sathan nor any wicked enemy may haue any power to doe me any harme or euill And to this end giue a charge vnto thy holy Angels that they at thine appointment may pitch their tents round about me for my defence and safetie as thou hast promised that they should doe about them that feare thy Name And knowing that
thy name is a strong tower of defence vnto all those that trust therein I here recommend my selfe and all that doe belong vnto me vnto thy holy protection and custodie If it be thy blessed will to call for me in my sleepe O Lord for Christ his sake haue mercy vpon me and receiue my soule into thy heauenly Kingdome And if it be thy blessed pleasure to adde more dayes vnto my life O Lord adde more amendement vnto my dayes and weane my mind from the loue of the world and worldly vanities and cause mee more and more to settle my conuersation on Heauen and heauenly things And perfect daily in mee that good worke which thou hast begun to the glory of thy Name and the saluation of my sinfull Soule O Lord I beseech thee likewise saue and defend from all euill and danger thy whole Church the Kings Maiestie the Queene the Prince Charles together with the Princely Count Palatine of Rhene and the religious Princesse Elizabeth his Wife keepe them all in the sinceritie of thy Truth and prosper them in all grace and happinesse Blesse the Nobilitie Ministers and Magistrates of these Churches Kingdomes each of them with those graces which are expedient for their place and calling And be thou ô Lord a comfort and consolation to all thy people whom thou hast thought meete to visit vvith any kinde of sicknesse crosse or calamitie Hasten O Father the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Make mee euer mindfull of my last end and of the reckoning that I am to make vnto thee therein And in the meane while carefull so to follow Christ in the regeneration during this life as that with Christ I may haue a portion in the resurrection of the iust when this mortall life is ended These graces and all other blessings which thou O Father knowest to be requisite and necessary for me I humbly beg and craue at thy hands in the Name and mediation of Iesus Christ thy Sonne and in that forme of Prayer which hee himselfe hath taught me to say vnto thee Our Father which art in Heauen c. Another shorter Euening Prayer O Eternall GOD and heauenly father if I were not taught and assured by the promises of thy Gospell and the examples of Peter Magdalene the Publicane the Prodigall childe and many other penitent sinners that thou art so full of compassion and so ready to forgiue the greatest sinners who are heauiest laden with sinne at what time soeuer they returne vnto thee with penitent hearts lamenting their sinnes and imploring thy grace I should despaire for mine owne sinnes and be vtterly discouraged from presuming to come vnto thy presence considering the hardnesse of my heart the vnrulinesse of my affections and the vncleannesse of my conuersation by meanes whereof I haue transgressed all thy lawes and deserued thy curse which might cause my body to be smitten with some fearefull disease my soule to languish with the death of sinne my good name to be traduced with scandalous reproaches and make mine estate lyable to all manner of crosses and casualities And I confesse Lord that thy mercy is the cause that I haue not beene long agoe confounded But O my God as thy mercy onely staied thy iudgement from falling vpon mee hitherto so I humbly beseech thee in the bowels of the mercy of Iesus Christ in whom onely thou art well pleased that thou wilt not deale with mee according to my deserts but that thou wouldest freely and fully remit vnto mee all my sinnes and transgressions and that thou wouldest washe them cleane from me vvith the vertue of that most precious blood which thy sonne Iesus Christ hath shed for me For hee alone is the Phisition and his bloud onely is the medicine that can heale my sickenesse And he is the true brazen Serpent that can cure that poison wherewith the firy Serpents of my sinnes haue stung and poisoned my sicke and wounded soule And giue mee I beseech thee thine holy spirit which may assure me of mine adoption and that may confirme my faith encrease my repentance enlighten my vnderstanding purifie my heart rectifie my will and affections and so sanctifie me throughout that my whole body soule and spirit may be kept vnblameable vntill the glorious comming of my Lord Iesus Christ. And now O Lord I giue thee hearty thankes and praise for that thou hast this day preserued me from all harmes and perils notwithstanding all my sinnes and ill deserts And I beseech thee likewise defend me this night from the roaring Lion which night and day seeketh to deuoure me Watch thou O Lord ouer me this night to keepe mee from his temptations and tyrannie and let thy mercy shield me from his vnappeaseable rage and malice And to this end I commend my selfe into thy hands and protection beseeching thee O my Lord and God not to suffer Satan nor any of his euill members to haue power to doe vnto me any hurt or violence this night And grant good Lord that whether I sleepe or wake liue or die I may sleepe wake liue and die vnto thee and to the glory of thy name and the saluation of my soule Lord blesse and defend all thy chosen people euery where Graunt our King a long happy raigne ouer vs. Blesse the Queene Prince Charles the Prince Palatine of Rhene and the vertuous Princesse Elizabeth his wife together with all our Magistrates and Ministers comfort them who are in any misery neede or sickenesse Good Lord giue me grace to be one of those wise Virgins which may haue my heart prepared like a Lampe furnished with the Oyle of Faith and light of good works to meet the Lord Iesus the sweet bridegroome of my soule at his second and sodaine comming in glory Grant this good Father for Christ Iesus sake my only Sauiour and Mediator in whose blessed name and in whose owne words I call vpon thee as he hath taught me Our Father which c. Afterwards say Thy grace O Lord Iesus Christ thy loue O heauenly Father thy comfort and consolation O Holy and blessed spirit be with me and dwell in my heart this night and euermore Amen Then rising vp in a holy reuerence meditate as thou art putting off thy cloathes Things to be Meditated vpon as thou art putting off thy cloathes 1 THat the day is comming when thou must be as barely vnstript of al that thou hast in the world as thou art now of thy cloathes thou hast therefore heere but the vse of all things as a Steward for a time and that vpon accounts Whilest therefore thou art trusted with this Stewardship be wise and faithfull 2 When thou seest thy bed let it put thee in minde of thy graue which is now the bed of Christ For Christ by laying his holy body to rest three daies and three
through Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen After euery meale be carefull of thy selfe and Familie as Iob was for himselfe and his Children Iob 1.4 least that in the chearefulnesse of eating and drinking some speech hath slipped out which might be eyther offensiue to God or iniurious to Man And therefore with the like comely gesture and reuerence giue thankes vnto God and pray in this manner BLessed be thy holy name O Lord our GOD for these thy good benefits wherewith thou hast so plentifully at this time refreshed our bodies O Lord vouchsafe likewise to feede our soules with the spirituall foodâ— of thy holy Word and spirit vnto life euerlasting Lord defend and saue thy vvhole Church our gracious King Queene our Noble Prince the Prince Palatine of Rhene and the Lady Elizabeth his Wife Forgiue vs our sinnes and vnthankefulnesse passe by our manifold infirmities make vs all mindfull of our last ends and of the reckoning that wee are to make to thee therein And in the meane while grant vnto vs health peace and truth in Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Or thus BLessed be thy holy name O Lord for these thy good benefits vvherewith thou hast refreshed vs at this time Lord forgiue vs all our sinnes and frailties saue defend thy whole Church our King Queene and royall posteritie and grant vs health peace and truth in Christ our onely Sauiour Amen Or thus WE giue thee thanks O heauenly Father for feeding our bodies so gratiously with thy good Creatures to this temporall life beseeching thee likewise to feede our soules with thy holy Word vnto life euerlasting Defend O Lord thine vniuersall Church the King Queene and their royall Posteritie and graunt vs continuance of thy grace and mercy in Christ our onely Sauiour Amen The Practise of Pietie at Euening At euening when the due time of repairing to rest approacheth call together againe all thy Family Reade a Chapter in the same manner that was prescribed in the morning Then in the holy imitation of our Lord and his Disciples sing a Psalme But in singing of Psalmes eyther after Supper or at any other time obserue these Rules Rules to be obserued in singing of Psalmes 1 BEware of singing diuine Psalmes for an ordinary recreation as doe men of impure spirits vvho sing holy Psalmes intermingled with prophane Ballads They are Gods word take them not in thy mouth in vaine 2 Remember to sing Dauids Psalmes with Dauids spirit 3 Practise Saint Pauls rule I will sing with the spirit but I will sing with the vnderstanding also 4 As you sing vncouer your heads and behaue your selues in comely reuerence as in the sight of God singing to God in Gods owne words But be sure that the matter makes more melodie in your hearts then the Musicke in your eares for the singing with a grace in our hearts is that which the Lord is delighted withall according to that olde verse Non vox sed votum non musica chordula sed cor Non clamans sed amans psallit in aure Dei T' is not the voyce but vow Sound hart not sounding string True zeale not outward show That in Gods eare doth ring 5 Thou maist if thou thinke good sing all the Psalmes ouer in order for all are most diuine and comfortable But if thou vvilt chuse some speciall Psalmes as more fit for some times and purposes and such as by the oft vsage thy people may the easilier commit to memorie Then sing In the Morning Psal. 3.5.16.22.144 In the Euening Psal. 4.127.141 For mercy after a sinne committed 51.103 In sicknesse or heauinesse Psal. 6.13.88.90 91.137.146 When thou art recouered Psal. 30.32 On the Sabbath day Psal. 19.92.95 In time of ioy Psal. 80.98.107.136.145 Before Sermon Psal. 1.12.147 The 1. and 5. Part of the 119. After Sermon any Psalme which concerneth the chiefe argument of the Sermon At the Communion Psal. 22.23.103.111.113 For spirituall solace Psal. 15.19.25.46.67.112.116 After wrong and disgrace receiued Psal. 42.69.70.140.144 After the Psalme all kneeling downe in reuerend manner as is before described let the Father of the Familie or the chiefest in his absence pray thus Euening Prayer for a Familie O Eternall GOD and most graciour Father wee thine vnworthy Seruants here assembled doe cast downe our selues at the foote-stoole of thy grace acknowledgeing that wee haue inherited our Fathers corruption and actually in thought word and deed transgressed all thy holy commandements So that in vs naturally there dwelleth nothing that is good for our hearts are full of secret pride anger impatiency dissembling lying lust vanity prophanenesse distrust too much loue of our selues and the world too little loue of thee and thy Kingdome but empty and voide of faith loue patience and euery spirituall grace If thou therefore shouldest but enter into iudgement with vs and search out our naturall corruptions and obserue all the cursed fruits and effects that we haue deriued from thence Satan might iustly challenge vs for his owne and wee could not expect any thing from thy Maiestie but thy wrath and our condemnation which we haue long agoe deserued But good Father for Iesus Christ thy deare Sonnes sake in whom onely thou art well pleased and for the merits of that bitter death and bloody passion which wee beleeue that he hath suffered for vs haue mercy vpon vs pardon and forgiue vs all our sinnes and free vs from the shame and confusion which are due vnto vs for them that they may neuer seaze vpon vs to our confusion in this life nor to our condemnation in the world which is to come And forasmuch as thou hast created vs to serue thee as all other creatures to serue vs so wee beseech thee inspire thy holy Spirit into our hearts that by his illumination and effectuall working we may haue the inward sight and feeling of our sinnes and naturall corruptions and that wee may not be blinded in them through custome as the Reprobates are but that wee may more and more loath them and be heartily grieued for them endeauouring by the vse of al good meanes to ouercome and get out of them Oh let me feele the power of Christs death killing sinne in our mortall bodies and the vertue of his resurrection raising vp our soules to newnesse of life Conuert our hearts subdue our affections regenerate our mindes and purifie our nature and suffer vs not to be drowned in the streame of those filthy vices and sinfull pleasures of this time wherewith thousands are caried headlong to eternall destruction but dayly frame vs more and more to the likenesse of thy Sonne Iesus Christ that in righteousnesse and true holinesse wee may so serue and glorifie thee that liuing in thy feare and dying in thy fauour we may in thine appointed time attaine to the blessed resurrection of the iust vnto eternal life In the meane while O Lord increase our faith in the sweet
Practise without vvhich all the rest will minister vnto vs no comfort This Action consists of two sorts of duties first such as wee are to performe in the Church or else after that we are gone home Those that we are to performe in the Church are either seuerall from our owne soules or else ioyntly vvith the Congregation The seuerall duties which thou must performe from thine owne Soule are three first thou must be carefull that forasmuch as Christ now dwelleth in thee therefore to entertaine him in a cleane heart and with pure affections for the most holy will be holy with the holy for if Ioseph of Arimathia when hee had begged of Pilate his dead body to burie it vvrapped it in sweete odours and fine linnen and laid it in a new Tombe how much more shouldest thou lodge Christ in a new heart and perfume his roomes vvith the odoriferous Incense of Prayers and all pure affections If God required Moses to prouide a pot of pure gold to keepe the Manna that fell in the Wildernesse what a pure heart shouldest thou prouide to retaine this diuine Manna that is come downe from Heauen And as thou camest sorrowing like Ioseph and Mary to seeke Christ in the Temple so now hauing there found him in the middest of his Word and Sacraments be carefull with ioy to carry him home with thee as they did And if the man that found but his lost Sheepe reioyced so much how canst thou hauing found the Sauiour of the World but reioyce much more Secondly thou must offer the Sacrifice of a priuate thankes-giuing vnto God for this inestimable grace and mercy for as this action is common vnto the whole Church so is it applyed particularly to euery one of the faithfull in the Church and for this particular mercy euery Soule must ioyfully offer vp a particular Sacrifice of Thankes-giuing For if the Wise-men reioyced so much when they saw the Star which conducted them vnto Christ and worshipped him so deuoutly vvhen hee lay a Babe in the Manger and offered vnto him their Gold Myrrhe and Frankinsence how much more shouldest thou reioyce now that thou hast both seene and receiued this Sacrament vvhich guideth thy Soule vnto him where hee sitteth at the right hand of his father in glory And thither lifting vp thy heart adore him and offer vp vnto him the Gold of a pure Faith the Myrrhe of a mortified heart and this or the like sweete Incense of Prayer and Thankes-giuing A Prayer to be said after the receiuing of the Communion WHat shall I render vnto thee O blessed Sauiour for all these blessings which thou hast so graciously bestowed vpon my Soule how can I sufficiently thanke thee vvhen I can scarse expresse them Where thou mightest haue made mee a Beast thou madest mee a man after thine owne Image When by sinne I had lost both thine Image and my selfe thou didst renew in mee thine Image by thy Spirit and diddest redeeme my Soule by thy bloud againe and now thou hast giuen vnto mee thy Seale and pledge of my Redemption nay thou hast giuen thy selfe vnto mee O blessed Redeemer Oh what an inestimable treasure of riches and ouer-flowing Fountaine of grace hath hee got vvho hath gained thee No man euer touched thee by Faith but thou didst heale him by Grace for thou art the Author of Saluation the remedy of all euils the medicine of the sicke the life of the quicke and the resurrection of the dead Seemed it a small matter vnto thee to appoint thy holy Angels to attend vpon so vile a Creature as I am but that thou wouldest enter thy selfe into my Soule there to preserue nourish and cherish mee vnto life euerlasting If the carkeis of the dead Prophet could reuiue a dead man that touched it how much more shall the liuing body of the Lord of all Prophets quicken the faithfull in vvhose heart he dwelleth And if thou wilt raise my body at the last day out of the dust how much more vvilt thou now reuiue my Soule vvhich thou hast sanctified with thy Spirit and purified with thy bloud Oh Lord what could I more desire or what couldest thou more bestow vpon mee then to giue me thy body for meate thy bloud for drinke and to lay downe thy Soule for the price of my Redemption Thou Lord enduredst the paine and I doe reape the profit I receiued Pardon and thou diddest beare the punishment Thy teares vvere my bathe thy wounds my weale and the iniustice done to thee satisfied for the Iudgement which vvas due to mee Thus by thy birth thou art become my Brother by thy death my ransome by thy mercy my reward and by thy Sacrament my nourishment O diuine foode by which the sonnes of men are transformed into the sonnes of God so that mans nature dyeth and Gods nature liueth and ruleth in vs. Indeede all Creatures vvondered that the Creator would be enclosed nine moneths in the Virgins wombe though her wombe being replenished vvith the Holy Ghost vvas more splendide then the starry Firmament But that thou shouldest thus humble thy selfe to dwell for euer in my heart which thou foundst more vncleane then a dung-hill It is able to make all the Creatures in heauen and earth to stand amazed But seeing it is thy free grace and meere pleasure thus to enter and to dwell in my heart I vvould to GOD that I had so pure a heart as my heart could wish to entertaine thee And who is fit to entertaine Christ or who though inuited would not choose vvith Mary rather to kneele at thy feete then presume to sit with thee at the Table Though I want a pure heart for thee to dwell in yet weeping eyes shall neuer be vvanting to vvash thy blessed feete and to lament my filthy sinnes And albeit I cannot weepe so many teares as may suffice to wash thy holy feete yet Lord it is sufficient that thou hast shed bloud enough to clense my sinfull Soule And I am fully O Lord assured that all the daintie fare wherewith the disdainfull Pharisie entertained thee at his Table did not so much please thee as those teares which penitent Mary poured vnder the table I would therefore wish vvith Ieremie that my head were a fountaine of teares that seeing I can by no meanes yeeld sufficient thankes for thy loue to mee yet I might by continuall teares testifie my loue vnto thee And though no man is vvorthy of so infinite a grace yet this is my comfort that he is worthy whom thou in fauour accountest worthy And seeing that now of thy meere grace thou hast counted mee among others thy chosen worthy of this vnspeakeable fauor sealed by thy Sacrament the assurance of thy loue and the forgiuenes of my sins O Lord confirme thy fauour vnto thy Seruant and say of mee as Isaac did of Iacob I haue blessed him therefore hee shall be blessed And that I may say vnto thee
thoughts and sighes The first thought SEeing euery man enters into this life in Teares passeth it in sweate and ends it in sorrow ah what is there in it that a man should desire to liue any longer to it oh what a folly is it that vvhen the Mariner roweth with all his force to arriue at the wished Port and that the Traueller neuer testeth till hee come to his iourneyes end wee feare to discrie our Port and therefore would put backe our Barke to be longer tossed in this continual Tempest we weepe to see our iourneyes end and therefore desire our iourney to be lengthened that vvee might be more tyred with a foule and cumbersome way The spirituall sigh thereupon O Lord this life is but a troublesome Pilgrimage few in dayes but full in euils and I am weary of it by reason of my sinnes Let me therefore O Lord entreate thy Maiestie in this my bed of sickenesse as Elias did vnder the Iuniper tree in his affliction It is now enough O Lord that I haue liued so long in this vale of miserie take my fâ—ule into thy mercifull hands for I am no better then my Fathers The second thought THinke with what a body of sinne thou art loaden vvhat great ciuill warres are contayned in a little world the flesh fighting against the spirit Passion against Reason Earth against Heauen and the world within thee â—anding it selfe for the world without thee and that but one onely meane remaines to end this conflict Death which in Gods appoynted time will seperate thy Spirit from thy flesh the pure and regenerate part of thy soule from that part which is impure and vnregenerated The spirituall sigh vpon the second thought O Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death O my sweete Sauiour Iesus Christ thou hast redeemed me with thy precious bloud And because thou hast deliuered my soule from sinne mine eyes from teares and my feete from falling I doe here from the very bottome of my heart ascribe the vvhole praise and glory of my Saluation to thy onely grace and mercy saying vvith the holy Apostle Thankes be vnto GOD which hath giuen mee the victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. The third thought THinke how it behooues thee to be assured that thy soule is Christs for death hath taken sufficient gages to assure himselfe of thy body in that all thy senses beginne already to dye saue onely the sense of paine but sith the beginning of thy being beganne with paine meruaile the lesse if thy end conclude with dolours But if these temporall dolours which onely afflict the body be so painefull O Lord who can endure the deuouring fire who can abide the euerlasting burning The spirituall sigh vpon the third thought O Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne of the liuing GOD vvho art the onely Physitian that canst ease my body from paine and restore my Soule to life eternall put thy Passion Crosse and death betwixt my Soule and thy Iudgement and let the merits of thy Obedience stand betwixt thy Fathers Iustice and my disobedience and from these bodily paines receiue my soule into thine euerlasting peace for I cry vnto thee with Stephen Lord Iesu receiue my spirit The fourth thought THinke that the worst that death can doe is but to send thy soule sooner then thy flesh would be willing to Christ and his heauenly ioyes Remember that that worst is thy best hope The worst therefore of death is rather a helpe then a harme The spirituall sigh vpon the fourth thought O Lord Iesus Christ the Sauiour of all them that put their trust in thee forsake not him that in misery flieth vnto thy grace for succour and mercy Oh sound that sweet voyce in the eares of my soule which thou spokest vnto the penitent theefe on the Crosse this day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise For I O Lord doe with the Apostle from my soule speake vnto thee I desire to be dissolued and to bee with Christ. The fifth thought THink if thou fearest to dye that in Mount Sion there is no death for he that beleeueth in Christ shall neuer die And if thou desirest to liue without doubt the life eternall whereunto this death is but a passage surpasseth all There doe all the faithfull departed hauing ended their miseries liue with Christ in ioyes and thither shall all the godly which suruiue be gathered out of their troubles to enioy with him eternall rest The spirituall sigh on the fift thought O Lord thou seest the malice of Satan who not contenting himselfe 〈…〉 all the daâ—es and nights of our life to seek our destruction shewes himselfe most bâ—siest when thy children are weakest and neerest to their end O Lord reprooue him and preseâ—ue my Soule Hee seekes to terrifie me with death which my sins haue deserued but let thy holy spirit comfort my soule with the assurance of eternall life which thy blood hath purchased Asswage my pain encrease my patience and if it be thy blessed will end my troubles for my soule beseecheth thee with olde blessed Simeon Lâ—rd now let me thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word The sixth thought THink with thy selfe what a blessing God hath bestowed vpon thee aboue many millions of the world that whereas they are either Pagans who worship not the true GOD or Idolaters who worship the true GOD falsely Thou hast liued in a true Christian Church and hast grace to dye in the true Christian faith and to be buried in the sepulchres of Gods seruants who all waite for the hope of Israel the raising of their bodies in the resurrection of the iust The spirituall sigh vpon the sixt thought O Lord Iesus Christ who art the resurrection and the life in whom whosoeuer beleeueth shall liue though hee were dead I beleeue that whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in thee shall neuer dye I know that I shall rise againe in the resurrection at the last day for I am sure that thou my Redeemer liuest And though that after my death wormes destroy this body yet I shall see thee my Lord and my God in this flesh Grant therefore O CHRIST for thy bitter death and passions sake that at that day I may bee one of them to whom thou wilt pronounce that ioyfull sentence Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world The seauenth thought THinke with thy selfe how Christ endured for thee a cursed death and the wrath of God which was due vnto thy sinnes and what terrible paines and cruell torments the Apostles and Martyrs haue voluntarily suffered for the defence of Christs faith when they might haue liued by dissembling or denying him how much more willing shouldest thou be to depart in the faith of Christ hauing lesse paines to torment thee
life When therefore thou perceiuest thy soule departing from thy body pray with thy tongue if thou canst else pray in thy heart and minde these words fixing the eyes of thy soule vpon Iesus Christ thy Sauiour A Prayer at the yeelding vp of the Ghost O Lambe of God which by thy blood hast taken away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon me a sinner Lord Iesu receiue my spirit Amen When the sicke party is departing Let the faithfull that are present kneele downe and commend his Soule to God in these or the like words O Gratious God and mercifull father who art our refuge and strength and a very present helpe in trouble lift vp the light of thy fauorable countenance at this instant vpon thy seruant that now commeth to appeare in thy presence Wash away good Lord all his sinnes by the merits of Christ Iesus blood that â—hoâ— may neuer bee laide to his charge Increase his faith preserue and keepe safe his soule from the danger of the Diuell and his wicked Angels Comfort him with thy holy spirit cause him now to feele that thou art his louing Father and that hee is thy childe by Adoption and Grace Saue O Christ the price of thine owne blood and suffer him not to be lost whom thou hast bought so dearely Receiue his Soule as thou didst the penitent theefe into thy heauenly Paradise Let thy blessed Angels conduct him thither as they carried the soule of Lazarus and grant vnto him a ioyfull resurrection at the last day O 〈◊〉 heare vs for him and heare thine owne Sonne our onely Mediator that sits at thy right hand for him and vs all euen for the merits of that bitter death and passion which he hath suffered for vs In confidence whereof we now recommend his soule into thy fatherly hands in that blessed prayer which our Sauiour hath taught vs in all times of our troubles to say vnto thee Our Father c. Thus farre of the Practise of Piety in dying in the Lord. Now followeth the Practise of Piety in dying for the Lord. THE Practise of Piety in dying for the Lord is termed Martyrdome Martyrdome is the testimony which a Christian beareth to the doctrine of the Gospell by enduring any kinde of death to inuite many and to confirme all to embrace the truth thereof To this kinde of death Christ hath promised a crowne Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life Which promise the Church so firmely beleeued that they termed Martyrdome it selfe a crowne and God to animate Christians to this excellent prize would by a prediction that Stephen the first Christian Martyr should haue his name of a crowne Of Martyrdome there are three kindes First Sola voluntate in will onely as Iohn the Euangelist who being boyled in a Cauldron of oyle came out rather annointed then sod and dyed of old age at Ephesus Secondly Solo opere in deede onely as the innocents of Bethleem Thirdly Voluntate opere both in will and deede as in the Primitiue Church Stephen Polycarpus Ignatius Laurentius Romanus Aâ—tiochianus and thousands And in our daies Cranmer Latimer Hoâ—per Ridley Farrar Bradford Philpot Sanders Glouer Tailor and others innumerable whose fierie zeale to Gods truth brought them to the flames of Martyrdome to seale Christs faith It is not the cruelty of the death but the innocency and holinesse of the cause that maketh a Martyr neither is an erronious conscience a sufficient warrant to suffer Martyrdome because Science in Gods word must direct conscience in mans heart for they who killed the Apostles in their erronious consciences thought they did God good seruice And Paul of zeale breathed out slaughters against the Lords Saints Now whether the cause of our Seminary Priests and Iesuits be so holy true and innocent as that it may warrant their conscience to suffer death to hazzard their eternall saluation thereon let Pauls Epistle written to the Ancient Christian Romans but against our new Antichristian Romanes bee iudge And it will plainely appeare that the doctrine which Saint Paul taught to the ancient Church of Rome is ex diametro opposite in â—6 fundamentall points of true Religion to that which the new Church of Rome teacheth and maintaineth For Saint Paul taught the Primitiue Church of Rome 1 That our election is of Gods free grace and not ex operibus praeuisit Rom. 9.11 Rom. 11.5.6 2 That we are iustified by faith only without good works Rom. 3.20.28 Rom. 4.2 c. Rom. 1.17 3 That the good works of the Regenerate are not of their owne condignity meritorious nor such as can deserue heauen Rom. 8.18 Rom. 11.6 Rom. 6.23 4 That those bookes onely are Gods Oracles and Canonicall Scripture which were committed to the custody and credit of the Iewes Rom. 3.2 Rom. 1.2 Rom. 16.16 such were neuer the Apocrypha 5 That the holy Scriptures haue Gods authority Rom. 9.17 Rom. 4.3 Rom. conferd Rom. 11.3.2 conferd with Gal. 3.22 Therefore aboue the authority of the Church 6 That all aswell Laity as Clergy that will be saued must familiarly read or know the holy scriptures Rom. 15.4 Rom. 10.1.2.8 Rom. 16.26 7 That all Images made of the true God are very Idols Rom. 1.23 and Rom. 2.22 conferd 8 That to bowe the knee religiously to an Image or to vvorship any Creature is meere Idolatry Rom. 11.4 and a lying seruicâ— Rom. 1.25 9 That we must not pray vnto any but to GOD onely in vvhom we beleeue Rom. 10.13.14 Rom. 8.15.27 therefore not to Saints and Angels 10 That Christ is our onely Intercessor in Heauen Rom. 8.34 Rom. 5.2 Rom. 16.27 11 That the onely Sacrifice of Christians is nothing but the spirituall sacrificing of their Soules and Bodies to serue GOD in holinesse and righteousnesse Rom. 12.1 Rom. 15.16 Therefore no reall sacrificing of Christ in the Masse 12 That the religious worship called dulia as well as lâ—tâ—iâ— belongeth to God alone Rom. 1.9 Rom. 12.11 Rom. 16.18 conferd 13 That all Christians are to pray vnto God in their owne natiue language Rom. 14.11 14 That wee haue not of our selues in the state of corruption freewill vnto good Rom. 7.18 c. Rom. 9.16 15 That Concupiscence in the Regenerate is sinne Rom. 7.7.8.10 16 That the Sacraments doe not conferre grace ex opere operato but signe and seale that it is conferred already vnto vs. Rom. 4.11.12 Rom. 2.28.29 17 That euery true beleeuing Christian may in this life be assured of his saluation Rom. 8.9.16.35 c. 18 That no man in this life since Adams Fall can perfectly fulfill the Commandements of God Rom. 7.10 c. Rom. 3.19 c. Rom. 11.32 19 That to place Religion in the difference of meates and dayes is superstition Rom. 14 3.5.6.17 23. 20 That the imputed righteousnesse of Christ is that onely that makes vs iust
hatred c. Or by an Analogia as when he is named a Lion a rocke a tower a Buckler c. Whose signification euery commentary will expresse Of all these Attributes wee must hold these generall Rules 1 NO Attributes can sufficiently expresse the Essence of GOD because it is infinite and ineffable Whatsoeuer therefore is spoken of God is not God but serueth rather to helpe our weake vnderstanding to conceiue in our reason and to vtter in our speech the Maiestie of his Diuine Nature so farre as hee hath vouchsafed to reueale himselfe vnto vs in his Word 2 All the Attributes of God belong to euery of the three Persons as well as to the Essence it selfe with the limitation of a Personall proprietie as the Mercy of the Father is Mercy begetting the Mercy of the Sonne is Mercy begotten the Mercy of the Holy Ghost is Mercy proceeding and so of the rest 3 The Essentiall Attributes of God differ not from his Essence Because they are so in the Essence that they are the very Essence it selfe In God therefore there is nothing which is not eyther his Essence or a Person 4 The Essentiall Attributes of GOD differ not Essentially nor really one from another because whatsoeuer is in God is one most simple Essence and one admits no diuision but onely in our reason and vnderstanding which being not able to know earthly things by one simple Act without the help of many distinct acts must of necessitie haue the helpe of many distinct Acts to know the incomprehensible GOD. Therefore to speake properly there are not in God many Attributes but one onely which is nothing else but the Diuine Essence it selfe by vvhat Attribute soeuer you call it But in respect of our reason they are said to be so many different Attributes for our Vnderstanding conceiues by the name of Mercy a thing differing from that which is called Iustice. The Essentiall Attributes of God are not therefore really inseparable 5 The Essentiall Attributes of GOD are not parts or qualities of the diuine Essence nor Accidents in the Essence as in a Subiect but the very whole and entire Essence of God So that euery such Attribute is not aliud aliud another and another thing but one and the same thing There are therefore no Quantities in God by which hee may be said to be so much and so much nor Qualities by which he may be said to be such and such but whatsoeuer God is hee is such and the same by his Essence By his Essence hee is wise and therefore Wisedome it selfe by his Essence hee is God and therefore Goodnesse it selfe by his Essence hee is mercifull and therefore Mercy it selfe by his Essence hee is iust and therefore Iustice it selfe c. In a word GOD is great without Quantitie good true and iust without Qualitie mercifull without passion an Act without motion euery-where present without site without time the first and the last the Lord of all Creatures from whom all receiue themselues and all the good they haue yet neyther needeth nor receiueth hee any encrease of goodnes or happinesse from any other This is the plaine description of God so farre as hee hath reuealed himselfe to vs in his Word This Doctrine of all others euery true Practitioner of Pietie must competently know and necessarily beleeue for foure speciall vses 1 That wee may discerne our true and onely God from all false Gods and Idols for this description of God is properly knowne onely to his Church in whom he hath thus graciously manifested himselfe 2 To possesse our hearts with a greater awe of his Maiestie whilest we admire him for his simplenesse and infinitenesse adore him for his vnmeasurablenesse vnchangeablenesse and eternitie seeke wisedome from his vnderstanding and knowledge submit our selues to his blessed will and pleasure loue him for his loue mercy goodnesse and patience trust to his Word because of his truth feare him for his power Iustice and anger reuerence him for his holinesse and praise him for his blessednesse and to depend all our life on him who is the onely author of our life beeing and all the good things which wee haue 3 To stirre vs vp to imitate the Diuine Spirit in his holy Attributes and to beare in some measure the Image of his Wisedome Loue Goodnes Iustice Mercy Truth Patience Zeale and Anger against sinne that we may be wise louing iust mercifull true patient and zealous as our God is 4 Lastly that wee may in our Prayers and Meditations conceiue aright of his diuine Maiestie and not according to those grosse and blasphemous imaginations which naturally arise in mens braines as when they conceiue GOD to be like an old man sitting in a chaire and the blessed Trinitie to be like that tripartitae Idoll which Papists haue painted in their Church-windowes When therefore thou art to pray vnto God let thine heart speake vnto him as to that eternall infinite almightie holy wise iust mercifull Spirit and most perfect indiuisible Essence of three ssuerall Persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost who being present in all places ruleth Heauen and Earth vnderstandeth all mens harts knoweth all mens miseries and is onely able to bestow on vs all graces which we want and to deliuer all penitent sinners who with faithfull harts seeke for Christs sake his help out of all their afflictions and troubles whatsoeuer The ignorance of this true knowledge of GOD makes many to make an Idoll of the true God and is the onely cause why so many doe professe all other parts of Gods worship and religion with so much irreuerence and hypocrisie whereas if they did truely know GOD they durst not but come to his holy Seruice and comming serue him with feare and reuerence for so farre doth a man feare God as he knoweth him and then doth a man truely know God when hee ioynes practise to speculation And that is First when a man doth so acknowledge and celebrate Gods Maiestie as hee hath reuealed himselfe in his word Secondly when from the true and liuely sense of Gods Attributes there is bred in a mans heart a loue awe and confidence in God for saith God himselfe If I be a Father where is my honour If I be a Lord where is my feare O taste and see that the Lord â—s good saith Dauid Hee that hath not by experience tasted his goodnes knowes not how good hee is Hee saith Iohn that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyer and the truth is not in him So farre therefore as wee imitate God in his Goodnesse Loue Iustice Mercy Patience and other Attributes so farre doe vvee know him Thirdly when with inward groanes and the serious desires of our hearts wee long to attaine to the perfect and plenarie knowledge of his Maiestie
haue grace to repent heereafter 2 Math. 11.26 Come vnto mee all you that labour and are heauy laden and I wil giue you rest Hence the lewdest man collects that he may come vnto Christ when he list But he must know That no man euer comes to Christ but hee who as Peter saith Hauing knowne the way of righteousnesse hath escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ. To come vnto Christ is to repent and beleeue And this no man can doe except his heauenly father draweth him by his grace 3 Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus True But they are such who walke not after the flesh as thou dost but after the spirit which thou diddest neuer yet resolue to doe 4 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners c. True But such sinners vvho like Paul are conuerted from their wicked life not like thee who still continuest in thy lewdnesse For that Grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men teacheth vs that denying vngodlinesse and wordly lusts we should liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world 5 Prou. 23.26 A iust man falleth seauen times in a day and riseth c. In a day is not in the Text Which meanes not falling into sinne but falling into trouble which his malicious enemie plots against the iust and from which GOD deliuers him And though it meant falling in and rising out of sinne what is this to thee whose falles all men may see euery day but neither God nor man can at any time see thy rising againe by repentance 6 Isay 64.6 All our righteousnes are as filthy rags Hence the carnall Christian gathers That seeing the best workes of the best Saints are no better then his are good enough and therefore hee needes not much grieue that his deuotions are so imperfect But Isay meanes not in this place the righteous workâ— of the Regenerate as feruent praiers in the name of God charitable almes from the bowels of mercy suffring in the Gâ—spels defence the spoile of goods and spilling of blood and such workes which Paul calles the fruit of the spirit But the Prophet making an humble confession in the name of the Iewish Church when she had fallen from GOD to Idolatry acknowledgeth that whilest they were by their filthy sinnes separated from GOD as leapers are by their infected sores and polluted cloathes from men their chiefest righteousnesse could not be but abhominable in his sight And though our best works compared with Christs righteousnesse are no better then vncleane ragges yet in Gods acceptation for Christs sake they are called white rayment yea pure fine linnen and shining farre vnlike thy Leopards spots and filthy garments 7 Iam. 3.2 In many things we sinne all True But Gods children sinnes not in all things as thou doest without either bridling their lusts or mortifying their corruptions And though the reliques of sinne remaines in the dearest children of God that they had neede dayly to cry Our Father which art in heauen forgiue vs our trespasses Yet in the New Testament none are properly called Sinners but the vnregenerate But the Regenerate in respect of their zealous endeuour to serue God in vnfained holinesse are euery where called Saints Insomuch that Saint Iohn saith that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not That is liueth not in wilfull filthinesse suffring sinne to raigne in him as thou doest Deceiue not thy selfe with the name of a Christian vvhosoeuer liueth in any custommary grosse sinne he liueth not in the state of Grace Let therefore saith Paul euery one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity The Regenerate sinne but of frailty they repent and God doth pardon therefore they sinne not to death The Reprobate sinne maliciously wilfully and delight therin so that by their good will sinne shall leaue them before they will leaue it They will not repent and God will not pardon Therefore their sinnes are mortall saith Saint Iohn Or rather immortall as saith S. Paul Rom. 2.5 It is no excuse therefore to say wee are all sinners True Christians thou seest are all Saints 8 Luk. 23 43. The Thiefe conuerted at the last gaspe was receiued to Paradice What then If I may haue but time to say when I am dying Lord haue mercy vpon me I shall likewise be saued But what if thou shalt not And yet many in that day shalâ— say Lord Lord and the Lord will not knowe them The Thiefe was saued for he repented but his fellow had no grace to repent and was damned Beware therefore lest trusting to late Repentance at thy last end on earth thou be not driuen to repent too late without ende in Hell 9 1 Ioh. 1. The blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne And 1 Ioh. 2.1 If any man siâ—ne we haâ—e an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous c. O comfortable But heere what Saint Iohn saith in the same place My little children these things write I vnto you that yee sinne not If therefore thou leauest thy sinne these comforts are thine else they belong not to thee 10 Rom. 5.20 Where sinne abounded Grace did abound much more O sweet But heare what Paul addeth What shall wee say then shall we continue in sinne that Grace may abound God forbid How shall we that are dead to sinne liue any longer therein Rom. 6.1.2 This place teacheth vs not to presume but that we should not despaire None therefore of these promises promiseth any grace to any but to the penitent heart The grounds of Religion mistaken are 1 From the doctrine of Iustification by faith onely a carnal Christian gathereth That good workes are not necessary he commends others that do good works but he perswads himself that he shall be saued by his faith without doing any such matters But he shold know that though good works are not necessary to Iustification yet they are necessary to saluation for We are Gods workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath predestinated that wee should walke in them Whosoeuer therfore in yeres of discretion bringeth not forth good works after he is called he cannot besaued neither was he euer predestinated to life eternal Therefore the Scripturs saith that Christ wil reward euery maÌ„ according to his works Christ respects in the Angels of the 7. Churches nothing but their works And at the last day he will giue the heauenly Inheritance onely to them who haue done good workes in feeding the hungry cloathing the naked c. At that day Righteousnesse shall weare the Crowne No righteousnesse no Crowne No good workes according to a mans talent no reward from God vnlesse it be vengeance To be rich in good workes is the surest foundation of our assurance to
obtaine eternall life For good workes are the true fruits of a true faith which apprehendeth Christ and his obedience vnto Saluation And no other faith auaileth in Christ but that which worketh by loue And but in the act of Iustification that Faith which onely iustifieth is neuer onely but euer accompanied with good workes as the Tree with his fruits the Sun with his light the Fire vvith his heate and Water with his moisture and that faith which doth not iustifie her selfe by good workes before Men is but a dead Faith which vvill neuer iustifie a mans soule before God But a iustifying faith purifieth the heart and sanctifieth the whole man throughout II. From the doctrine of Gods eternall Predestination and vnchangeable decree hee gathereth that if hee be predestinated to be saued hee cannot but be saued if to be damned no meanes can doe any good Therefore all vvorkes of Piâ—tie are but in vaine but hee should learne that God hath predestinated to the means as well as to the end Whom therefore GOD hath predestinated to be saued which is the end hee hath likewise predestinated to be first called iustified and made conformable to the image of his Son which is the meanes And they saith Peter who are elect vnto saluation are also elect vnto the sanctification of the spirit If therefore vpon thy calling thou conformest thy selfe to the Word and Example of Christ thy Master obeyest the good motions of the holy Spirit in leauing sinne and liuing a godly life then assure thy selfe that thou art one of those who are infallibly predestinated to euerlasting saluation If otherwise blame not Gods predestination but thine owne sinne and rebellion Doe thou but returne vnto God and God will gratiously receiue thee as the Father did the prodigall Sonne and by thy conuersion it shall appeare both to Angels and Men that thou didst belong to his Election If thou wilt not why should God saue thee III. When a carnall Christian heares that man hath not free-will vnto good he looseth the reynes to his owne corrupt will as though it lay not in him to bridle or to subdue it Implicitely making God the authour of sinne in suffering man to runne into this necessitie But hee should know that GOD gaue Adam free-will to stand in his integritie if hee would but man abusing his free-will lost both himselfe and it Since the Fall Man in his state of corruption hath Free-will to euill but not to good for in this state we are not saith the Apostle sufficient to think a good thought And God is not bound to restore vs what wee lost so wretchedly and make no more care to recouer againe But as soone as a man is regenerated the Grace of God freeth his will vnto good so that hee doth all the good things hee doth with a Free-will for so the Apostle saith that God of his owne good pleasure worketh both the will and the deede in vs who as the Apostle expoundeth cleance our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and finish our sanctification in the feare of God And in this state euery true Christian hath Free-will and as hee increaseth in grace so doth his will in freedome for when the Sonne shall make vs free then shall wee be free indeede and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie for the holy Spirit drawes their mindes not by coaction but by the cordes of Loue Can. 1.4 by illuminating their mindes to know the truth by changing their hearts to loue the knowne truth and by enabling euery one of them according to the measure of grace which hee hath receiued to doe the good which he loueth But thou wilt not vse the freedome of thy will so farre as GOD hath freed it for thou dost many times wilfully against Gods Law to the hazard of thy Soule that which if the Kings Law forbad vnder the penaltie of death or losse of thy worldly state thou wouldest not doe Make not therefore thy want of free-will vnto good to be so much the cause of thy sinne as thy want of a louing heart to serue thy heauenly Father IIII. When the naturall man heares that no man since the fall is able to fulfill the Law of God and to keepe all his Commandements He boldly presumes to sinne as others doe hee contents himselfe with a few good thoughts and if hee be not altogether as bad as the worst hee concludes that hee is as truely regenerate as the best And euery voluntary refusall of doing good or withstanding euill he counts the impossibilitie of the Law But he should learne that though since the Fall no man but Christ who was both God and man did or can perfectly fulfill the whole Law yet euery true Christian as soone as hee is regenerated begins to keepe all Gods Commandements in truth though hee cannot in absolute perfection Thus with Dauid they apply their hearts to fulfill Gods Commandements alwayes vnto the end And then the Spirit of grace vvhich was promised to be more aboundantly poured forth vnder the Gospel helpeth them in their good endeuours and assisteth them to doe vvhat he commands them to doe And in so doing GOD accepteth their good will and endeuour in stead of perfect fulfilling of the Law supplying out of the merits of Christ who fulfilled the Law for vs whatsoeuer wanteth in our obedience And in this respect S. Iohn saith that Gods commandements are not burdenous And S. Paul saith I am able to doe all things through the helpe of him that strengthneth me And Zâ—chary and Elizabeth are said to walkâ— in all the Commandements of the Lord without reproofe Hereupon CHRIST commends to his Disciples the care of keeping his Commandements as the trueest testimonie of our loue vnto him So farre therefore doth a man loue Christ as he makes conscience to walk in his Commandements and the more vnto Christ is our loue the lesse will our paines seeme in keeping his Law The Lawes curse which vnder the Olde Testament was so terrible is vnder the New by the death of Christ abolished to the regenerate The rigor which made it so vnpossible to our nature before is now to the new borne so mollified by the Spirit that it seemes facile and easie The Apostles indeede pressed on the vnconuerted Iewes and Gentiles the impossibilitie of keeping the Law by abilitie of nature corrupted But when they haue to doe with regenerated Christians they require to the Law which is the rule of righteousnesse true obedience in word and deede the mortifying of their members the crucifying of the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof resurrection to newnesse of life walking in the spirit ouercomming of the world by faith So that though no man can say as CHRIST which of you can
of my life to behold thy beauty and to visit thy temple therefore will I offer in thy Tabernacle sacrifices of ioy I will sing and praise the Lord. Hearken vnto my voice O Lord when I cry haue mercy also vpon mee and heare mee Doubtlesse kindnesse and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life and I shall remaine a long season in the house of the Lord. And this is that preparation or looking to our feete whereto Salomon aduiseth vs before we enter into the House of GOD. The second sort of duties which are to be performed at the time of the holy Assembly WHen praiers begin lay aside thine own priuate Meditations and let thine heart ioine with the Minister and the whole Church as being one body of Christ and because that GOD is the God of order he will haue all things to bee done in the Church with one heart and accord and the exercises of the Church are common and publike It is therefore an ignorant pride for a man to thinke his owne priuate praiers more effectuall then the publike prayers of the whole Church Salomon therefore aduiseth a man not to bee rash to vtter a thing in the Church before GOD. Pray therefore when the Church prayeth sing when they sing and in the action of kneeling standing sitting and such indifferent ceremonies for the auoyding of scandall the continuance of charity and in testimony of thine obedience conforme thy selfe to the manner of the Church wherein thou liuest Whilest the Preacher is expounding and applying the word of the Lord looke vpon him for it is a great helpe to stirre vp thine attention and to keepe thee from wandring thoughts so the eyes of all that were in the Synagogues are said to be fastned on Christ whilest he preached and that all the people hanged vpon him when they heard him Remember that thou art there as one of Christs Disciples to learne the knowledge of saluation by the remission of sinnes through the tender mercy God Luk. 77. Be not therefore in the Schoole of Christ like an idle boy in a Grammar schoole that often heareth but neuer learneth his lesson and still goeth to Schoole but profiteth nothing Thou hatest it in a childe Christ detesteth it in thee To the end therefore that thou maiest the better profit by hearing marke 1 The coherence and explication of the Text. 2 The chiefe summe or scope of the holy Ghost in that Text. 3 The diuision or parts of the Text. 4 The doctrines and in euery doctrine the proofes the reasons and vses thereof A method of all others easiest for the people being accustomed thereto to helpe them to remember the Sermon and therefore much wished to be put in practise of all faithfull Pastors who desire to edifie their people in the knowledge of God and his true Religion If the Preachers method be too curious or confused then labour to remember 1 How many things hee taught which thou knewest not before and be thankefull 2 What sinnes hee reproued whereof thy conscience tels thee that thou art guilty and therefore must bee amended 3 What vertues he exhorteth vnto which are not so perfect in thee and therefore endeauour to practise them with more zeale and diligence But in hearing apply euery speech as spoken to thy selfe rather by GOD then by man and labour not so much to heare the words of the Preacher sounding in thine eare as to feele the operation of the spirit working in thy heart therefore it is said so often Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit speakes to the Church And did not our hearts burxe within vs whilest hee opened vnto vs the Scriptures And thus to heare the Word hath a blessing promised thereto It is the acceptablest sacrificing of our selues vnto God It is the surest note of Christs Saints The truest marke of Christs sheepe the apparantest signe of Gods elect the very blood as it were which vniteth vs to bee the spirituall kindred brethren and sisters of the Sonne of God This is the best Art of memory for a good hearer When the Sermon is ended 1 Beware thou depart not like the nine Leapers till that for thine instruction to sauing health thou hast returned thankes and praise to GOD by an after prayer and singing of a Psalme and when the blessing is pronounced stand vp to receiue thy part therein and heare it as if Christ himselfe whose Minister hee is did pronounce the same vnto thee for in this case it is true Hee that heareth you heareth mee and the Sabbath day is blessed because GOD hath appointed it to be the day wherin by the mouth of his Ministers hee will blesse his people which heare his word and glorifie his Name For though the Sabbath day in it selfe be no more blessed then the other sixe dayes yet because the Lord hath appointed it to holy vses aboue others it doth as farre excell the other dayes of the weeke as the consecrated bread which wee receiue at the Lord Table doth the common Bread which wee eate at our owne Table 2 If it be a Communion day draw neere to the Lords Table in the Wedding Garment of a faithfull and penitent heart to be partaker of so holy a banquet And vvhen Baptisme is to be administred stay and behold it with all reuerent attention that so thou maist First shew thy reuerence to Gods ordinance Secondly that thou maist the better consider thine owne ingraffing into the visible body of Christs Church and how thou performest the vowes of thy new Couenant Thirdly that thou maist repay thy debts in praying for the Infant which is to be baptized as other Christians did in the like case for thee that God would giue him the inward effects of Baptisme by his Bloud and Spirit Four'thly that thou maist assist the Church in praising God for graffing another member into his Mysticall Body Fiftly that thou maist proue whether the effects of Christs death killeth sinne in thee and whether thou be raised to newnesse of life by the vertue of his Resurrection and so to be humbled for wants and to be thankefull for his grace Sixtly to shew thy selfe to be a Free-man of Christs Corporation hauing a voyce or consent in the admission of others into that holy society 3 If there be any Collection for the poore freely without grudging bestow thine Almes as GOD hath blessed thee with abilitie And thus farre of the duties to be performed in the holy assembly Now of the third sort of duties after the holy Assembly AS thou returnest home or when thou art entered into thy house meditate a little vvhile vpon those things vvhich thou hast heard And as the cleane beasts which chew the cudde so must thou bring againe to thy remembrance that vvhich thou hast heard in the Church And then kneeling downe turne all to a
which was the Lord. Some receiue the spirituall grace without the outward signe as the Saint-Theefe on the Crosse and innumerable of the faithfull who dying desire it but cannot receiue it through some externall impediments but the worthy Receiuers to their comfort receiue both in the Lords Supper Christ chose Bread and Wine rather then any other Elements to be the outward signes in this blessed Sacrament first because they are easiest for all sorts to attaine vnto secondly to teach vs that as mans temporall life is chiefely nourished by bread and cherished by wine so are our soules by his body and bloud sustained and quickned vnto eternall life Hee appointed Wine vvith the Bread to be the outward signe in this Sacrament to teach vs first that as the perfect nourishment of mans Body consists both of meate and drinke so Christ is vnto our soules not in part but in perfection both saluation and nourishment secondly that by seeing the Sacramentall Wine apart from the Bread wee should remember how all his precious bloud was spild out of his blessed body for the remission of our sinnes The outward Signes the Pastor giues in the Church and thou dost eate vvith the mouth of thy body the spirituall grace Christ reacheth from Heauen and thou must eate it with the mouth of thy Faith 3 Of the Ends for which this holy Sacrament was ordained The excellent and admirable Ends or fruits for vvhich this blessed Sacrament vvas ordayned are seauen Of the first end of the Lords Supper 1 To keepe Christians in a continuall remembrance of that propitiatory sacrifice which Christ once for all offered by his death vpon the crosse to reconcile vs vnto GOD. Doe this saith Christ in remembrance of me And saith the Apostle As oft as yee shall eat this bread and drinke this cup yee doe shew the Lords death till hee come And he saith that by this Sacrament and the preaching of the word Iesus Christ was so euidently set forth before the eies of the Galathians as if he had beene crucified among them For the whole action representeth Christs death the breaking of the bread blessed the crucifying of his blessed body and the pouring forth of the sanctified wine the shedding of his holy bloud Christ was once in himselfe really offered but as oft as this Sacrament is celebrated so oft is hee spiritually offered by the faithful Hence the Lords Supper is called a propitiatorie sacrifice not preperly and really but figuratiuely because it is a memoriall of that propitiatory Sacrifice which Christ offered vpon the Crosse. And to distinguish it from that reall sacrifice the Fathers call it the vnbloudy Sacrifice It is also called the Eucharist because that the Church in this action offereth vnto God the sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing for her redemption effected by the true and onely expiatory sacrifice of Christ vpon the Crosse. If the sight of Moabs King sacrificing on his walles his owne sonne to moue his gods to rescue his life 2 King 3.27 mooued the assayling Kings to such pitty that they ceast their assault and raised their siege how should the spirituall sight of God the Father sacrificing on the Crosse his onely begotten sonne to saue thy soule mooue thee to loue God thy Redeemer and to leaue sinne that could not in iustice be expiated by any meaner ransome Of the second end of the Lords Supper 2 To confirme our faith for God by this Sacrament doth signifie and seale vnto vs from heauen that according to the promise and new couenant which he hath made in Christ he will truely receiue into his grace and mercy all penitent beleeuers who duely receiue this holy Sacrament and that for the merits of the death and passion of Christ hee will as verily forgiue them all their sinnes as they are made partakers of this Sacrament In this respect the holy Sacrament is called the seale of the new Couenant and remission of sins In our greatest doubts wee may therefore receiuing this Sacrament vndoubtedly say with Sampsons mother If the Lord would kill vs hee would not haue receiued a burnt offering and a meat-offering at our hands neither would he haue shewed all these things nor would at this time haue told vs such things as these Of the 3. ende of the Lords Supper 3 To bee a pledge and symbole of the most neere effectuall communion which Christians haue with Christ. The cuppe of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ that is a most effectuall signe and pledge of our Communion with Christ. This vnion is called abiding in vs ioyning to the Lord dwelling in our hearts and set forth in the holy Scriptures by diuers Similies First of the Vine and branches Secondly of the head and body Thirdly of the foundation and building Fourthly of one Loafe confected of many graines Fiftly of the matrimoniall vnion twixt man and wife and such like And it is threefold betwixt Christ and Christians The first is naturall betwixt our humane nature and Christs diuine nature in the person of the vvord The second is mysticall betwixt our persons absent from the Lord and the person of Christ God and Man into one mysticall body The third is celestiall betwixt our persons present with the Lord and the person of Christ in a body glorified these three coniunctions depend each vpon other For had not our nature beene first hypostatically vnited to the nature of GOD in the second person wee could neuer haue been vnited to Christ in a mysticall body And if wee be not in this life though absent vnited to Christ by a mysticall vnion wee shall neuer haue communion of glory with him in his heauenly presence The mysticall communion chiefly heere meant is wrought betwixt Christ and vs by the Spirit of Christ apprehending vs and by our faith stirred vp by the same spirit apprehending Christ againe Both which Saint Paul doth most liuely expresse I follow after If that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Iesus How can hee fall away that holdeth and is so firmely holden This vnion he shall best vnderstand in his minde who doth most feele it in his heart But of all other times this vnion is best felt and most confirmed when wee doe duely receiue the Lords Supper For then we shall sensibly feele our hearts knit vnto Christ and the desires of our soules drawn by faith and the holy Ghost as by the cordes of loue neerer and neerer to his holinesse From this Communion with Christ there followeth to the faithfull many vnspeakeable benefits As first Christ tooke by imputation al their sinnes and guiltinesse vpon him to satisfie Gods iustice for them and he freely giues by imputation vnto vs all his righteousnesse in this life and all his
right vnto eternall life when this is ended And counteth all the good or ill that is done vnto vs as done vnto his owne person Secondly their floweth from Christs nature into our nature vnited to him the liuely spirit and breath of grace which renueth vs to a spirituall life and so sanctifieth our mindes wils and affections that wee dayly growe more and more conformable to the Image of Christ. Thirdly hee bestoweth vpon them all sauing graces necessary to attaine eternall life as the sense of Gods loue the assurance of our election with regeneration iustification and grace to doe good workes till we come to liue with him in his heauenly kingdome This should teach all true Christians to keepe themselues as the vndefiled members of Christs holy body and to beware of all vncleanenesse and filthynesse knowing that they liue in Christ or rather that Christ liueth in them From this vnion with Christ sealed vnto vs by the Lords Supper Saint Paul draweth arguments to withdraw the Corinthians from the pollution both of Idolatry 1 Cor. 10.16 and Adultery 1 Cor. 16.15.16 c. Lastly from the former Communion twixt Christ and Christians there flowes an other communion twixt Christians among themselues Which is also liuely represented by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in that the whole Church being many doe all communicate of one bread in that holy action We being many are one bread and one body for wee are all partakers of that one bread that as the bread which we eate in the Sacrament is but one though it be confected of many graines so all the faithfull though they be many yet are they but one mysticall body vnder one head which is Christ. Our Sauiour praied 5. times in that prayer which hee made after his last Supper that his Disciples might bee one to teach vs at once how much this vnity pleaseth him This vnion betwixt the faithfull is so ample that no distance of place can part it so strong that death cannot dissolue it so durable that time cannot weare it out so effectual that it breeds a feruent loue betwixt those who neuer saw one anothers face And this coniunction of Soules is termed the Communion of Saints which Christs effecteth by 7. speciall meanes First by gouerning them all by one and the same holy Spirit Secondly by enduing them all with one and the same faith Thirdly by shedding abroad his owne loue into all their hearts Fiftly by regenerating them all by one and the same Baptisme Sixtly by nourishing them all with one and the same spirituall foode Seauenthly by being one quickning Head of that one Body of his Church vvhich hee reconciled to GOD in the body of his flesh Hence it vvas that the multitude of Beleeuers in the Primitiue Church 〈◊〉 of one heart and of one soule in truth affection and compassion And this should teach Christ 〈◊〉 to loue one another seeing they are all members of the same holy and mysticall body vvhereof Christ is Heâ—d And therefore they should haue all a Christian Sympathie and fellow-feeling to reioyce one in anothers ioy to condole one in anothers griefe to beare vvith one anothers infirmitie and mutually to relieue one anothers wants Of the fourth end of the Lords Supper 4 To feede the Soules of the faithfull in the assured hope of life euerlasting for this Sacrament is a Signe and pledge vnto as many as shall receiue the same according to Christs Institution that hee vvill according to his promise by the vertue of his crucified body and bloud as verily feede our soules to lie eternall as our bodies are by Bread and Wine nourished to this temporall life And to this end Christ in the action of the Sacrament really giueth his very body and bloud to euery faithfull Receiuer Therefore the Sacrament is called the Communion of the Body and Bloud of the Lord. And communication is not of things absent but present neyther were it the Lords Supper if the Lords Body and Bloud vvere not there Christ is verily present in the Sacrament by a double vnion vvhereof the first is spirituall twixt Christ and the worthy Receiuer the second is Sacramentall twixt the body and bloud of Christ and the outward Signes in the Sacrament The former is wrought by meanes that the same holy Spirit dwelling in Christ and in the Faithfull incorporateth the Faithfull as Members vnto Christ their Head and so makes them one vvith Christ and pertakers of all the Graces Life Holinesse and eternall Glory vvhich is in him as sure and as verily as they heare the wordes of the promise and are partakers of the outward Signes of the holy Sacrament Hence it is that the vvill of Christ is a true Christians vvill and the Christians life is Christ vvho liueth in him Gal. 2.20 If you looke to the things that are vnited this Vnion is essentiall If to the Truth of this Vnion it is reall If to the manner how it is wrought it is spirituall It is not our Faith that makes the Body and Bloud of Christ to be present but the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him and vs. Our Faith doth but receiue and apply vnto our Soules those heauenly graces which are offered in the Sacrament The other being the Sacramentall Vnion is not a Phisicall or locall but a spirituall coniunction of the earthly Signes vvhich are Bread and Wine vvith the heauenly Graces which are the Body and Bloud of Christ in the act of receiuing as if by a mutuall relation they vvere but one and the same thing Hence it is that in the same instant of time that the worthy Receiuer eateth vvith his mouth the Bread and Wine of the Lord hee eateth also vvith the mouth of his Faith the very Body and Bloud of Christ. Not that Christ is brought downe from Heauen to the Sacrament but that the holy Spirit by the Sacrament lifts vp his minde vnto Christ not by any locall mutation but by a deuout affection so that in the holy contemplation of Faith hee is at that present with Christ and Christ with him And thus beleeuing and meditating how Christ his Body vvas crucified and his precious Bloud shed for the remission of his sinnes and the reconciliation of his Soule vnto GOD his Soule is hereby more effectually fed in the assurance of eternall Life then Bread and Wine can nourish his body to this temporall life There must be therefore of necessitie in the sacrament both the outward signes to be visibly seene with the eyes of the body and the Body and Bloud of Christ to be spiritually discerned with the Eye of Faith But the forme how the Holy Ghost makes the Body of Christ being absent from vs in place to be present vvith vs by our vnion S. Paul tearmes A great Mysterie such as our vnderstanding cannot worthily comprehend The Sacramentall Bread and
Wine therefore are not bare signifying Signes but such as vvherewith Christ doth indeede exhibite and giue to euery worthy Receiâ—er not onely his diuine vertue and efficacie but also his very Body and Bloud as verely as hee gaue to his Disciples the Holy Ghost by the signe of his sacred Breath or Health to the diseased by the word of his Mouth or touch of his hand or garment And the apprehension by faith is more forcible then the exquisitest comprehension of Sense or Reason To conclude this point this holy Sacrament is that Blessed Bread vvhich being eaten opened the Eyes of the Emauites that they knew Christ. This is that Lordly Cup by vvhich wee are all made to drinke into one Spirit This is that Rocke flowing with hony that reuiueth the fainting spirits of euery true Ionathan that tastes it vvith the mouth of Faith This is that Barly Loafe vvhich tumbling from aboue strikes downe the Tents of the Midianites of infernall darkenesse Elias Angelicall Cake and Water preserued him fortie dayes in Horeb and Manna Angels foode fed the Israelites forty yeeres in the Wildernesse but this is that True Bread of life and heauenly Manna which if vvee shall duely eate will nourish our Soules for euer vnto life eternall How should then our Soules make vnto Christ that request from a spirituall desire which the Capernaites did from a carnall motion Lord euermore giue vs this Bread The fift end of the Lords Supper 5 To be an assured pledge vnto vs of our Resurrection The Resurrection of a Christian is two-folde first the spirituall Resurrection of our Soules in this life from the death of Sinne called the first Resurrection because that by the Trumpet-voyce of Christ in the preaching of the Gospell we are raysed from the death of sinne to the life of grace Blessed and holy is he saith Saint Iohn who hath part in the first Resurrection for on such the second death hath no power The Lords Supper is both a meane and a pledge vnto vs of this spiâ—rituall and first Resurrection Hee that eateth mee euen hee shall liue by mee And then are we fit Guests to sit at the Table with Christ when like Lazarus wee are raysed from the death of sinne to newnesse of life The truth of this first resurrection vvill appeare by the motion vvherewith they are internally moued for if when thou art moued to the duties of Religion and practise of Pietie thy heart answereth vvith Samuell Here I am Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth And vvith Dauid O God my heart is ready And vvith Paul Lord what wilt thou haue mee to doe Then surely thou art raysed from the death of sinne and hast thy part in the first Resurrection but if thou remainest ignorant of the true grounds of Religion and findest in thy selfe a kinde of secret loathing of the exercises thereof and must be drawne as it were against thy will to doe the workes of Pietie c. then surely thou hast but a name that thou liuest but thou art dead as Christ tolde the Angell of the Church of Sardis and thy Soule is but as salt to keepe thy body from stincking Secondly the corporall Resurrection of our bodies at the last day which is called the second resurrection which freeth vs from the first death Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day For this Sacrament signifieth and sealeth vnto vs that Christ died and rose againe for vs and that his flesh quickneth and nourisheth vs vnto eternall life and that therefore our bodies shall surely be raised to eternall life at the last day For seeing our head is risen all the members of the body shall likewise surely rise againe For how can those bodies which being the weapons of Righteousnesse Rom. 16 13. Temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 and Members of Christ. haue bin fedde and nourished vvith the body and blood of the Lord of life but be raised vp againe at the last day And this is the cause that the bodies of the Saints being dead are so reuerently buried and laid to sleepe in the Lord. And their buriall places are termed the beddes and dormitories of the Saints The reprobates shall arise at the last day But by the Almighty power of Christ as he is Iudge bringing them as malefactors out of the goale to receiue their sentence and deserued execution but the Elect shall arise by vertue of Christs resurrectiâ—n and of the Communion which they haue with him as with their head And his resurrection is the cause and assurance of ours The Resurrection of Christ is a Christians particuler faith the Resurrection of the dead is the childe of Gods chiefest confidence Therefore Christians in the Primitiue Church were wont to salute one another in the morning with these phrases The Lord is risen and the other would answere True The Lord is risen indeede The sixt end of the Lords Supper 6 To seale vnto vs the assurance of euerlasting life Oh what more wished or loued then life Or what doe all men more either feare or abhorre then death Yet is this first death nothing if it be compared with the second death neither is this life any thing worth in comparison of the life to come If therefore thou desirest to be assured of eternall life prepare thy selfe to be a worthy receiuer of this blessed Sacrament For our Sauiour assureth vs That if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread that I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world Hee therefore who duely eateth of this holy Sacrament may truely say not onely Credo vitam aeternam I beleeue the life euerlasting but also Edo vitam aeternam I eate life euerlasting And indeed this is the true tree of life which GOD hath planted in the middest of the Paradise of the Church And whereof hee hath promised to giue euery one that ouercommeth to eate And this tree of life by infinite degrees excelleth the tree of life that grew in the Paradise of Eden for that had his roote in the earth this from heauen that gaue but life to the body this to the soule that did but preserue the life of the liuing this restoreth life to the dead The leaues of this tree healeth the Nation of beleeuers and it yeelds euery moneth a new manner of fruit which nourisheth them to life euerlasting Oh blessed are they who often eate of this Sacrament at lest once euery moneth taste anew of this renewing fruit which Christ hath prepared for vs at his Table to heale our infirmities and to confirme our beleefe of life euerlasting The seauenth end of the Lords Supper 7 To binde all Christians as it were by an
oath of fidelity to serue the one onely true God and to admit no other propitiatory sacrifice for sinnes but that one reall sacrifice which by his death Christ once offered and by which he finished the sacrifice of the Law and effected eternall redemption and righteousnesse for all beleeuers And so to remaine for euer a publike marke of profession to distinguish Christians from all sects and false religions And seeing that in the Masse there is a strange Christ adored not hee that was borne of the Vigin Marie but one that is made of a wafer Cake and that the offering vp of this breaden-god is thrust vpon the Church as a propitiatorie sacrifice for the Quicke and the dead all true Christians vpon the danger of wilfull periury before the Lord chiefe-Iustice of heauen and earth are to detest the Masse as that Idoll of indignation which is most derogatory to the all-sufficient World-sauing-merits of Christs death and passion For by receiuing the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we al sweare that all reall sacrifices are ended by our Lords death and that his body and bloud once crucified and shed is the perpetuall food and nourishment of our Soules 2. How to consider thine owne vnworthinesse A Man shall best perceiue his owne vnworthinesse by examining his life according to the tenne Commandements of Almighty GOD. Search therefore what duties thou hast omitted and what vices thou hast committed contrary to euery one of the Commandements remembring that without repentance and Gods mercy in Christ the Curse of God containing all the miseries of this life and euerlasting torments in Hel fire when this is ended is due to the breach of the least of Gods commandements And hauing taken a due surueigh both of thy sins miseries retire to some secret place and there putting thy selfe in the sight of the Iudge as a guilty malefactor standing at the Barre to receiue his sentence bowing thy knees to the earth smiting thy breast with thy fists and bedewing thy cheekes with thy teares confesse thy sins and humbly aske him mercie and forgiuenesse in these or the like wordes An humble Confession of sins to be made vnto God before the receiuing of the holy Communion O GOD and heauenly Father when I consider the goodnesse which thou hast euer shewed vnto me and the wickednesse which I haue committed against heauen and against thee I am ashamed of my selfe and confusion seemes to couer my face as a vaile for which of thy commandements haue I not transgressed Oh Lord I stand heere guilty of the breach of all thy holy Lawes For the loue of my heart hath not so entirely cleaued vnto thy Maiesty as to vaine and earthly things I haue not feared thy iudgements to deterre me from sinnes nor trusted to thy promises to keepe from doubting of my temporall or from despairing of mine eternall state I haue made the rule of thy diuine worship to be what my minde thought fit not what thy word prescribed finding my heart more proane to remember my blessed Sauiour in a painted picture of mans deuise rather then to behold him crucified in his Word and Sacraments after his owne ordinance Where I should neuer vse thy name whereat all knees doe bow but with religious reuerence nor any part of thy worship without due preparation and zeale I haue blasphemously abused thy holy name to rash and customary oathes yea I haue vsed oathes by thy sacred name as false couers of my filthy sinnes And I haue been present at thy seruice oft times more for ceremony then conscience and to please men more then to please thee my gracious GOD. Where I should sanctifie thy Sabath day by being present at the publike exercises of the Church and by meditating priuately on the word and workes of GOD and by visiting the sicke and relieuing of my poore brethren Alas I haue thought those holy Exercises a burden because they hindred my vaine sports yea I haue spent many of thy Sabbaths in my owne prophane pleasures without being present at any part of thy diuine worship Where I should haue giuen all due reuerence to my Naturall Ecclesiasticall and Politique Parents I haue not shewed that measure of duetie and affection to my Parents which their care and kindnesse hath deserued I haue not had thy Ministers in such singular loue for their workes sake as I ought but I haue taunted at their zeale and hated them because they reproued mee iustly And I haue carryed my selfe contemptuously against my Magistrates Ministers though I knew that it is thine ordinance that I should be obedient vnto them Where I should be slow to wrath and ready to forgiue offences and not suffered the Sunne to goe downe vpon my wrath but to doe good for euill louing my very enemies for thy sake I alas for one sory word haue burst out into open rage harbouring thoughts of mischiefe in my heart I haue preferred to feede on mine owne malice rather then to eate of thy holy Supper Where I should keepe my minde from all filthy lusts and my body from all vncleannesse O Lord I haue defiled both and made my heart a Cage of all impure thoughts and my minde a very Stie of the vncleane Spirit Yea the remedie which thou Lord hast ordained for continencie could not containe me vvithin the bounds of Chastitie for by doating on beautie whose ground is but dust Sathan hath bewitched my flesh to lust after strange flesh Where I should haue liued in vprightnesse giuing euery man his due being contented vvith mine owne estate and liuing conscionably in my lawfull calling should be ready according to mine abilitie to lend and giue vnto the poore ô Lord I haue by oppression extortion Bribes cauilation and other indirect dealings vnder pretence of my Calling and Office robbed and purloyned from my fellow Christians yea I haue deceiued and suffered Christ where I vvas trusted many a time in his poore members to stand hungry cold naked at my dore and hungry cold and naked to goe away succourlesse as hee came and when the leanenesse of his cheekes pleaded pitty the hardnes of my hart would shew no compassion Where I should haue made conscience to speake the truth in simplicitie vvithout any falshood prudently iudging aright and charitably construing all things in the best part and should haue defended the good name and credit of my neighbour alas vile wretch that I am I haue belyed and slaundered my fellow-Brother and as soone as I heard an ill report I made my tongue the instrument of the Diuell to blazon that abroad vnto others before I knew the truth of it my selfe I was so farre from speaking a good word in defence of his good name that it tickled my heart in secret to heare one that I
enuied to be taxed with such a blemish though I knew that otherwise the graces of God shined in him in aboundant measure I made â—ests of officious and aduantage of pernitious lyes herein shewing my selfe a right Cretian rather then an vpright Christian. And lastly O Lord where I should haue rested fully contented vvith that portion which thy Maiestie thought meetest to bestow vpon me in this Pilgrimage and reioyced in an others good as in mine owne Alas my life hath beene nothing else but a greedy lusting after this neighbours house and that neighbours land yea secretly vvishing such a man dead that I might haue his liuing or office coueting rather those things which thou hast bestowed on another rather then being thankefull for that which thou hast giuen vnto my selfe Thus I O Lord who am a carnall sinner and sold vnder sinne haue transgressed all thy holy and spiritual commandements from the first to the last from the greatest vnto the least and here I stand guiltie before thy Iudgement-seate of all the breaches of all thy lawes and therefore lyable to thy Curse and to all the miseries that Iustice can poure forth vpon so cursed a creature And whither shall I goe for deliuerance from this miserie Angels blush at my rebellion and will not helpe mee Men are guilty of the like transgression and cannot helpe themselues Shall I then despaire vvith Caine or make away my selfe with Iudas No Lord for that were but to end the miseries of this life and to beginne the endlesse torments of Hell I will rather appeale to thy Throane of Grace where Mercy raignes to pardon abounding sinnes and out of the depth of my miseries I will cry with Dauid for the depth of thy mercies Though thou shouldest kill me with afflictions yet will I like Iob put my trust in thee Though thou shouldest drowne me in the Sea of thy displeasure with Ionas yet will I catch such hold on thy Mercy that I will be taken vp dead clasping her with both my hands And though thou shouldest cast mee into the bowels of Hell as Ionas into the Belly of the Whale yet from thence would I cry vnto thee O God the Father of Heauen O Iesus Christ the Redeemer of the World O Holy Ghost my Sanctifier three Persons and one eternall God haue mercy vpon mee a miserable sinner And seeing the goodnesse of thine owne nature first moued thee to send thine onely begotten Son to dye for my sinnes that by his death I might be reconciled to thy Maiestie O reiect not now my penitent Soule who being displeased with her selfe for sinne desireth to returne to serue and please thee in newnesse of life and reach from Heauen thy helping hand to saue mee thy poore seruant who am like Peter ready to sincke in the Sea of my sinnes and miserie Wash away the multitude of my sinnes with the merits of that bloud which I beleeue that thou hast so abundantly shed for penitent sinners And now that I am to receiue this day the blessed Sacrament of thy precious body and bloud O Lord I beseech thee let thy holy Spirit by thy Sacrament seale vnto my soule that by the merits of thy Death and Passion all my sinnes are so freely and fully remitted and forgiuen that the curses and Iudgements which my sins haue deserued may neuer haue power eyther to confound me in this life or to condemne me in the world which is to come For my stedfast faith is that thou hast dyed for my sinnes and risen againe for my iustification This I beleeue O Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe Worke in mee likewise I beseech thee an vnfained Repentance that I may heartily bewaile my former sins and loath them and serue thee hence forth in newnesse of life and greater measure of holy deuotion And let my soule neuer forget the infinite loue of so sweete a Sauiour that hath laid downe his life to redeeme so vile a Sinner And grant Lord that hauing receiued these seales and pledges of my Communion with thee thou maist henceforth so dwell by thy Spirit in mee that I so liue by Faith in thee and that I may walke all the dayes of my life in godlinesse and pietie towards thee and in Christian loue and charitie towards all my neighbours that liuing in thy feare I may dye in thy fauour and after death be made partaker of eternall life through Iesus Christ my Lord and onely Sauiour Amen 3 Of the meanes whereby thou maist become a worthy Receiuer THese Meanes are dueties of two sorts the former respecting GOD the later our Neighbour Those vvhich respect GOD are three first sound knowledge secondly true faith thirdly vnfained repentance That which respecteth our neighbour is but one sincere Charitie 1 Of sound knowledge requisite in a worthy communicant Sound knowledge is a sanctified vnderstanding of the first Principles of Religion As first of the Trinity of Persons in the vnity of the Godhead Secondly of the Creation of Man and his fall Thirdly of the curse and misery due to sinne Fourthly of the natures and offices of Christ and redemption by faith in his death especially of the doctrine of the Sacraments sealing the same vnto vs. For as an house cannot be built vnlesse the foundation bee first laid no more can Religion stand vnlesse it bee first grounded vpon the certaine knowledge of Gods word Secondly if wee know not Gods will we can neither beleeue nor doe the same For as wordly businesses cannot be done but by them who haue skill therein so without knowledge must men be much more ignorant in diuine and spirituall matters And yet in temporall things a man may doe much by the light of nature But in religious mysteries the more we relye vpon naturall reason the further we are from comprehending spirituall truth Which discouers the feareful estate of those who receiue without knowledge and the more fearefull estate of those Pastors who minister vnto them without Catechising 2 Of sincere faith required to make a worthy communicant Sincere faith is not a bare knowledge of the Scriptures first grounds of Religion for that Diuels and Reprobates haue in an excellent measure and doe beleeue it and tremble But a true perswasion as of all those things whatsoeuer the Lord hath reuealed in his word so also a particular application vnto a mans owne soule of all the promises of mercy which God hath made in Christ to all beleeuing sinners And consequently that Christ and all his merits doe belong vnto him as well as to any other For first if wee haue not the righteousnesse of Faith the Sacrament seales nothing vnto vs and euery man in the Lords Supper receiueth so much as hee beleeueth Secondly because that without Faith we communicating on earth cannot apprehend Christ in heauen For as he dwelleth in vs by faith so by faith we must likewise eate him Thirdly because