The second tome of homilies of such matters as were promised, and entitled in…The second tome of homilees of such matters as were promised, and intituled in…

And if this advertisement of man can not persuade us to resort to the lords table with understanding: see the counsel of GOD in the like matter, who charged his people to teach their posterity, not only the rites and ceremonies of the Passover, but the cause and end thereof. Whence we may learn, that both more perfect knowledge is required at this time at our hands, and that the ignorant can not with fruit and profit exercise him self in the Lords Sacraments. But to come nigher to the matter, Saint Paul blaming the Corinthians for the profaning of the Lords supper, concludeth that ignorance both of the thing it self; and the signification thereof, was the cause of their abuse: for they came thither unreverentlye, not discerning the Lords body. Ought not we then by the monition of the wise man, by the wisdom of God, by the fearful example of the Corinthians, to take advised heed, that we ⟨p. 402⟩thrust not our selves to this table, with rude and unreverent ignorance, the smart whereof Christs Church hath rued and lamented these many days and years? For what hath ben the cause of the ruin of Gods religion, but the ignorance hereof? What hath ben the cause of this gross idolatry, but the ignorance hereof? What hath ben the cause of this mummishe massing, but the ignorance hereof? Yea what hath ben, and what is at this day the cause of this want of love and charity, but the ignorance hereof? Let us therefore so travail to understand the Lords Supper, that we be no cause of the decay of Gods worship, of no idolatry, of no dumb massing, of no hate and malice, so may we the boldlyer have access thither to our comfort. Neither need we to think that such exact knowledge is required of every man, that he be able to discuss all high points in the doctrine thereof: But this much he must be sure to hold, that in the supper of the Lord there is no vain ¹ceremony, no bare sign, no untrue figure of a thing absent:

And yf this aduertisement of man can not perswade vs to resorte to the lordes table with vnderstandyng: see the counsell of GOD in the lyke matter, who charged his people to teache their posteritie, not onlye the rites and ceremonies of the Passouer, but the cause and ende thereof. Whence we may learne, that both more perfect knowledge is required at this tyme at our handes, and that the ignoraunt can not with fruite and profite exercise hym selfe in the Lordes Sacramentes. But to come nygher to the matter, Saint Paul blaming the Corinthians for the prophaning of the Lordes supper, concludeth that ignoraunce both of the thing it selfe; and the signification thereof, was the cause of their abuse: for they came thither vnreuerentlye, not discerning the Lordes bodye. Ought not we then by the monition of the wise man, by the wisdome of God, by the fearefull example of the Corinthians, to take aduised heede, that we