Before I come to the second thing,1 know this, (by the way) you that receive the Sacrament, That, if you be unworthy receivers, you cannot do your selves a worse turn, then to offer to come to the Sacrament without ⟨p. 102⟩faith, to provoke GOD more, to eat and drink your own damnation. Now examine your selves by such rules as this:2 If you have changed your life; If you have received it heretofore, and continue still in your sins; If you say, it is true, I have done it, I have returned again to my gaming, I have returned again to my swearing, to my looseness, to my company-keeping; but yet I had a good meaning, I intended it at that time, well, that is not enough. If thou hadst faith, thou wouldest do it indeed; do not say, I had a good meaning: for, if thou hadst faith, it would not only work a good meaning in thee, but it would work power in thee to do this,3 that thou wouldest be able to mortify these affections, it would work a real and an effectual change in thee. Consider, how faith doth it: faith takes CHRIST; when you have taken CHRIST, as soon as ever you have him, he sends his Spirit into your hearts, and the Spirit is able to do all this, and doth as Saint Paul saith, when he had CHRIST once,4 I am able to do all things, through Christ that strengthens me. So certainly, when thou hast CHRIST, as thou comest to take the elements of Bread and Wine, if thou hadst taken him indeed, thou wouldst be strengthened to do all things, thou wouldst find thy heart able to do this, thou shouldest find a change in thy heart, that thou wouldst do it without difficulty, thou ⟨p. 103⟩wouldest find thy self turned and changed, thou wouldst have new affections, and a new life. And if thou do not find this, know that thou hast nothing to do with the Sacrament, know it before-hand, and know that thou hast had warning given thee, that thou receivest unworthily, and art guilty of the body and blood of CHRIST;5 that is, thou committest such a sin as those did that killed CHRIST.
Before I come to the second thing,1 know this, (by the way) you that receiue the Sacrament, That, if you be vnworthy receiuers, you cannot doe your selues a worse turne, then to offer to come to the Sacrament without ⟨p. 102⟩faith, to prouoke GOD more, to eate and drinke your owne damnation. Now examine your selues by such rules as this:2 If you haue changed your life; If you haue receiued it heretofore, and continue still in your sinnes; If you say, it is true, I haue done it, I haue returned againe to my gaming, I haue returned againe to my swearing, to my loosenesse, to my company-keeping; but yet I had a good meaning, I intended it at that time, well, that is not enough. If thou hadst faith, thou wouldest doe it indeed; doe not say, I had a good meaning: for, if thou hadst faith, it would not onely worke a good meaning in thee, but it would worke power in thee to doe this,3 that thou wouldest be able to mortifie these affections, it would worke a reall and an effectuall change in thee. Consider, how faith doth it: faith takes CHRIST; when you haue taken CHRIST, as soone as euer you haue him, he sends his Spirit into your hearts, and the Spirit is able to doe all this, and doth as Saint Paul saith, when hee had CHRIST once,4 I am able to doe all things, through Christ that strengthens mee. So certainely, when thou hast CHRIST, as thou commest to take the elements of Bread and Wine, if thou hadst taken him indeed, thou wouldst be strengthned to doe all things, thou wouldst finde thy heart able to doe this, thou shouldest finde a change in thy heart, that thou wouldst doe it without difficulty, thou ⟨p. 103⟩wouldest finde thy selfe turned and changed, thou wouldst haue new affections, and a new life. And if thou doe not finde this, know that thou hast nothing to doe with the Sacrament, know it before-hand, and know that thou hast had warning giuen thee, that thou receiuest vnworthily, and art guilty of the body and blood of CHRIST;5 that is, thou committest such a sinne as those did that killed CHRIST.
- 1Digression for application to the Sacrament.
- 2Rules of examination before and after the Sacrament
- 3Where Christ dwells indeed, he gives power against sin.Where Christ dwels indeed, he giues power against sinne.
- 4Phil. 4.12.
- 5To be guilty of the body & blood of Christ, what.
