A cloud of faithful witnesses, leading to the heavenly Canaan, or, A commentary upon…A cloud of faithfull witnesses, leading to the heauenly Canaan, or, A commentarie vpon…

but of many, whose years might shame them for their ignorance, if they were not past all feeling of spiritual wants. A second sort there are, who receive the Lords supper, & say they will do so, because they have faith. But these are like the former: for their faith is nothing but honest dealing among men; thinking, that if they bring that to the L. Supper, though they have no more, yet all is well. The greatest sort are of this mind, taking fidelity for true faith: & it is a plain point of popery, so common, as almost in every place, men do embrace it. But these deceive themselves: for another kind of faith is required of those that receive the Lords supper worthily; namely, such a faith, whereby we do not only believe the remission of sins in Christs blood; but also are assured, that the bread & wine received worthily, are signs and seals of the same blessing exhibited unto us by Christ. He that comes only in a good meaning, deceives himself, & receives to his condemnation. And yet alas, many even of the ancient sort, have no other faith, but their good meaning.

but of many, whose yeares might shame them for their ignorance, if they were not past all feeling of spirituall wants. A second sort there are, who receiue the Lords supper, & say they will doe so, because they haue faith. But these are like the former: for their faith is nothing but honest dealing among men; thinking, that if they bring that to the L. Supper, though they haue no more, yet all is well. The greatest sort are of this minde, taking fidelitie for true faith: & it is a plaine point of popery, so common, as almost in euery place, men do embrace it. But these deceiue themselues: for another kinde of faith is required of those that receiue the Lords supper worthily; namely, such a faith, wherby we doe not onely beleeue the remission of sins in Christs blood; but also are assured, that the bread & wine receiued worthily, are signes and seales of the same blessing exhibited vnto vs by Christ. He that comes onely in a good meaning, deceiues himselfe, & receiues to his condemnatiō. And yet alas, many euen of the ancient sort, haue no other faith, but their good meaning.

A third sort there are, who yet go further, and knowing the vanity of this opinion; that a mans fidelity in his dealing with men, should be his faith, to commend him unto God; they hold & know, that true faith, is to believe their own salvation in the blood of Christ: and these are to be commended in respect of the former. But herein they fail; that coming to receive, they bring not with them a lively faith: for, it is not only required in a communicant, that he profess the faith of Christ aright but a worthy receiver must look to his own heart, that his faith therein, be a living faith, such as worketh by love, and shows it self by obedience. Now herein, many that have good knowledge do grievously offend, That howsoever they make a show of faith, in an orderly and religious carriage of themselves on the Communion day; yet when that time is a little past, they return to their former sins again, never else having any care (nay, not so much as making any show) of laying away their sins, save only at the receiving of the Lords supper. And thus do too many of those, who make a fair profession. These men bring faith in profession, but yet their faith is dead; for, if it were a lively faith, it would purify their hearts, & cause a change in them from evil to good, and from good to better, every day more and more. But blessed be God, by whose mercy it comes to pass, that there are some in his Church, who come with such a faith, and thereby communicate acceptably to God, and fruitfully to themselves. Yet we must confess, they are but few in comparison. But as for all the other three sorts of people, they sin grievously, because they bring not the hand of a lively faith, to receive those things which their God offereth unto them. We therefore in this example are admonished, to celebrate & receive the Lords supper in such sort, as Moses did; namely, in faith: and that not in an idle, or dead, but in a lively faith; which may, both before and after the receiving of this sacrament, bring forth good fruits, to the reforming of