The sermons of Master Henry Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his…The sermons of Maister Henrie Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his…

Now it remaineth, that as the Levites sanctified their brethren before they did eat the Passover, so I would prepare you, before ye eat this holy Sacrament, of which the passover was but a sign, The Jews were taught of God before they did eat the Passover to put away leaven out of their houses the day before, Exod. 12. 15. Hath God care of leaven? No: this is it which the Apostle teacheth, 1. Corinth. 5. before the come to the Lords Supper, Purge the old leaven of maliciousness and wickedness out of your hearts: that is the leaven which you should purge out of your houses. Therefore mark what the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians, 1. Cor. 11. I believe it is a matter which you did never consider, For this cause many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep or die. For what cause? Because they received this holy Sacrament unworthily, and unreverently, before ⟨p. 541⟩they were prepared with faith, and hope, and repentance: for this cause many are weak, and sick among you, and many die. Who did ever think that his sickness, or his wants, or his infirmities did grow, for that he received the Lords supper unworthily? Many causes have bin supposed, but this cause was never thought of. Have any of you said in distresses of body or mind, This is come unto me, because I did receive the blessed Sacrament of Christ unworthily, because I came not prepared with that mind, as they which believe and know God? Yet the Apostle, which by his divine spirit knew the cause of these calamities among the Corinthians, doth depute their strange diseases & sudden death, to none other cause but to their unworthy and unreverent receiving of this holy Sacrament. Nay he saith further, That he which eateth and drinketh this Sacrament unworthily, eateth and drinketh his own damnation; that is, he taketh possession of death,¹ hell, and damnation, even while he eats, as the devil entered into Judas while he received. Now, if your Physician should warn you of such a thing, that you take it in season & in measure, or else it is poison, & will kill you; I suppose you would observe the season and measure, and take it in such order as he prescribeth, as near as you ⟨p. 542⟩