A09466:203
A treatise tending unto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of…A treatise tending vnto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of…
A treatise tending unto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of damnation or in the estate of grace and if he be in the first, how he may in time come out of it: if in the second, how he may discern it, and persevere in the same to the end. The points that are handled are set down in the page following.A treatise tending vnto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of damnation or in the estate of grace and if he be in the first, how he may in time come out of it: if in the second, how he maie discerne it, and perseuere in the same to the end. The points that are handled are set downe in the page following.
London: printed by R. Robinson for T. Gubbin, 1590
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
XLVIII.
The second work is, the receiving of1 the Sacraments; of Baptism once only, when a man is admitted into the Church: and of the Lords Supper often. The first, ⟨p. 84⟩sealeth up to the heart of a Christian, that he is united unto Christ, and hath true fellowship with him in being fully justified before God, and inwardly sanctified. The second serveth to seal up in the heart of a Christian the continual growing and increasing of the same graces. This thing every true believer shall have often experience of, either in or after the receiving of the Sacrament: and yet it shall not be so always, for sometimes the Church being pbrought into Christs wine-cellar, shall fall into a sound, and not feel any refreshing there. Yet the believer is not to be dismayed, if he feel not always comfort presently after the Sacrament. A sick man feels no comfort or nourishment, when he eateth meat, and yet it preserveth his life: So the weak Christian though he feel himself not nourish at the Sacrament by Christs body and blood, yet he shall see in time that his soul shall be preserved thereby unto everlasting life. Furthermore when a Christian feeleth no comfort by the Sacrament, let him then humble himself before the Lord more heartily then ever before, confessing his sins and praying for increase of grace, and ⟨p. 85⟩then he shall feel the fruit of the Sacrament.