A20762:1359
A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties
A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helps enabling & the reasons persuading unto it the impediments hindering the practise of it, and the best means to remove them whereunto are added divers prayers and a treatise of carnal security by John Douname Bachelor in Divinity and minister of Gods Word.A guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helpes inabling & the reasons parswading vnto it ye impediments hindering ye practise of it, and the best meanes to remoue them whereunto are added diuers prayers and a treatise of carnall securitie by Iohn Douname Batcheler in Diuinitie and minister of Gods Word.
London: printed by Felix Kingstone and William Stansby for Ed, 1622
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.
§. Sect. 4 Of our duty in receiving the Lords Supper.
§. Sect. 4 Of our duty in receiuing the Lords Supper.
And if the Sacrament of the Lords Supper be administered, having duly prepared our selves, we are to communicate with the rest of the Congregation; 1and not unmannerly depart from this holy Feast, being invited, when we see it set upon the Lords Table. For it is a part of Gods public service, which is not left as arbitrary at our choice, to do, or leave undone, but expressly enjoined by our Saviour, Do this in remembrance 2of me. It is a notable means of confirming and increasing our faith, being the Lords Seal, wherewith he hath ratified his Covenant of grace and salvation with us; the which being often shaken with tentations, and wounded and weakened with our sins, needeth often to be strengthened and renewed. It is the badge and livery whereby we are known to be Gods servants; and therefore coming to do him service, we ought not to cast it off, when the rest of the family put it on. It is a testification of our thankfulness to God and his Christ, for all their benefits, especially that great work of our Redemption; and a profession of our faith, that we rest upon the mercies of God, and the death and merits of Christ for our justification and salvation, which we are not to neglect when others perform it, but to take all good occasions of testifying our faith, love, and thankfulness unto them. It is a notable means to put us in mind of Christs death, and to apply all the fruits and benefits thereof unto our selves, when as we see him crucified, his body broken, and his blood poured out before our eyes. It is the Sacrament of our union with Christ, and communion one with another, wherein we are knit together in the bond of love, and make profession that we are fellow-members of the same body whereof Christ Jesus is the Head; whereof if we refuse to communicate, having no good and necessary ground for it, we shall make a rent in the body, and deny the communion and profession of our love one with another.