The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

1. Cor. 11. 28. Let a man therefore examine himself, and so let him eat of this bread, and drink of this cup.

1. Cor. 11. 28. Let a man therefore examine himselfe, and so let him eate of this bread, and drinke of this cuppe.

These words are ordinary and well known: and they contain a sanction or decree, whereby the Apostle taketh order for every mans examination before the participation of the mystery of the Supper. And two things chiefly are to be stood upon in these words. First, the necessity of examination,¹ and then the manner of it. For the first, it may seem, speaking in the phrase of our teaching: Let a man examine himself, that it is but an advising, or a counsel rather than a commandment: yet in the original tongue, the word runs in that term that Princes Parliament laws, and commandments do use to run in: the word, I say, is as much as if it were said: Be it enacted, be it decreed, or provided; so that the indifferency in our tongue, in the original seemeth a necessity. Now albeit the commandment ought to be of sufficient credit with us, and we without all ado to yield unto it: yet having received it by faith, we are to enter into the reasons of this straight examination, and find out the causes of the execution hereof.

THese words are ordinarie and well knowne: and they containe a sanction or decree, whereby the Apostle taketh order for euery mans examination before the participation of the mysterie of the Supper. And two things chiefely are to be stood vpon in these words. First, the necessitie of examination,¹ and then the manner of it. For the first, it may seeme, speaking in the phrase of our teaching: Let a man examine himselfe, that it is but an aduising, or a counsell rather than a commaundement: yet in the originall tongue, the word runnes in that tearme that Princes Parliament lawes, and commaundements doe vse to runne in: the word, I say, is as much as if it were said: Be it enacted, be it decreed, or prouided; so that the indifferencie in our tongue, in the originall seemeth a necessitie. Now albeit the commaundement ought to be of sufficient credite with vs, and we without all adoe to yeeld vnto it: yet hauing receiued it by faith, we are to enter into the reasons of this streight examination, and finde out the causes of the execution hereof.