A27107:817
The practice of piety directing a Christian how to walk, that he may please…
The practice of piety directing a Christian how to walk, that he may please God / amplified by the author
London: printed for Edward Brewster, 1695
A27107:817
The practice of piety directing a Christian how to walk, that he may please God / amplified by the author
London: printed for Edward Brewster, 1695
No title page in the transcription: set from the catalogue record.
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.
Though no man living is of himself worthy to be a Guest at so holy a Banquet; yet it pleaseth God of his grace to accept him for a worthy receiver, 1who endeavoureth to receive that holy mystery with that competent measure of reverence that he hath prescribed in his Word.
THough no man living is of himself worthy to be a Guest at so holy a Banquet; yet it pleaseth God of his grace to accept him for a worthy receiver, 1who endeavoureth to receive that holy mystery with that competent measure of reverence that he hath prescribed in his Word.
He that would receive this holy Sacrament with due reverence, must conscionably perform three sorts of duties. First, those which are to be done before he receiveth. Secondly, those that are to be done in the receiving. Thirdly, those that are to be done after that he hath received the Sacrament. The first is called Preparation, the second Meditation, the third Action or Practice.
That a Christian ought necessarily to prepare himself before he presume to be a partaker of the holy Communion, may evidently appear by five Reasons.
First, Because it is God's Commandment. For if he commanded under the pain of death, that none uncircumcised should eat the Paschal Lamb;1 nor any circumcised under four days preparation: how much greater preparation doth he ⟨p. 306⟩require of him, that comes to receive the Sacrament of his Body and Blood, which as it succeedeth, so doth it exceed by many degrees the Sacrament of the Passover.
Secondly, Because the Examples of Christ teacheth us so much;1 for he washed his Disciples F•et before he admitted them to eat of this Supper, signifying how thou shouldest lay aside all unpureness of heart, and uncleanness of life, and be furnished with humility and charity, before thou presumest to taste of this holy Supper.
Thirdly, because it is the counsel of the Holy Ghost;1 Let every man examine himself, and so let him eat, &c. And if a man when he is to eat with an earthly Prince, 2must consider diligently what is before him, and put a Knife to his Throat, rather than commit any Rudeness; how much more oughtest thou to prepare thy soul, that thou mayest behave thy self with all fear and reverence, when thou art to feast at the holy Table of the Prince of Princes?
Fourthly, Because it hath been ever the practice of all GOD's Saints to use holy preparation before they would meddle with divine Mysteries. David would not go near to God's Altar, till he had first washed his hands in innocency; 1much less shouldest thou without due preparation, approach to the Lord's Table. Abimelech would not give,2 nor David and his Men would not eat ⟨p. 307⟩the Show-bread, but on condition that their Vessels were holy: How much less shouldest thou presume to eat the Lord's Bread, or rather the Bread which is the Lord, unless the Vessel of thy heart be first cleansed by repentance? And if the Lord required Joshua (as he had done Moses before) to put off his shoes,3 in reverence of his Holiness,4 who was present in that place, where he appeared with his sword in his hand for the destruction of his Enemies: how much rather shouldest thou put off all the affections of thine earthly conversation, when thou comest near that place, where CHRIST appeareth to the Eye of thy Faith, with Wounds in his hands and side, for the Redemption of his Friends? And for this cause it is said,5 That the Lamb's Wife hath made her self ready for the marriage. Prepare therefore thy self, if thou wilt in this life be betrothed unto Christ by Sacramental Grace, or in Heaven married unto him by Eternal Glory.
Fourthly, Because it hath been ever the practice of all GOD's Saints to use holy preparation before they would meddle with divine Mysteries. David would not go near to God's Altar, till he had first washed his hands in innocency; 1much less shouldest thou without due preparation, approach to the Lord's Table. Abimelech would not give,2 nor David and his Men would not eat
Fifthly, Because that God hath ever smitten with fearful Judgments, those who have presumed to use his holy Ordinances without due fear and preparation. God set a flaming▪ Sword in a Cherubim's hand to smite our first Parents,1 being defiled with Sin, if they should attempt to go into Paradise, to eat the Sacrament of the Tree of Life. Fear thou therefore to be smitten with ⟨p. 308⟩the Sword of God's vengeance, if thou presumest to go to the Church with an impenitent heart, to eat the Sacrament of the Lord of Life. God smote fifty thousand of the* Bethshemites for looking irreverently into his Ark, and killedb Uzza with sudden death, for but rash touching of the Ark, and smotec Uzziah with a Leprosy for meddling with the Priests Office, which pertained not unto him. The fear of such a stroke made Hezekiah so earnestly to pray unto God, that he would not smite the People that wanted time to prepare themselves as they should, to eat the Passover; and it is said, that the Lord heard Hezekiah, and healed the people: Intimating, that had it not been for Hezekiah's Prayer, the Lord had smitten the People for their want of due preparation. And the man who came to the Marriage-Feast without his Wedding-garment, or examining of himself, was examined of another: and thereupon bound hand and foot, and cast into utter darkness, Matth. 22. 12. And St. Paul tells the Corinthians, 5that for want of this preparation in examining and judging themselves, before they did eat the Lord's-Supper, God had sent that fearful sickness among them, whereof some were then sick, others weak, and many fallen asleep; 6that is, taken away by temporal death. Insomuch that the Apostle saith, that every unworthy receiver eats his own judgment; temporal,
Not so, for God hath threatened to punish thea wilful neglect of his Sacraments with eternal damnation both of Body and Soul. And it is the Commandment of Christ; Take, eat, do this in remembrance of me: And he will have his Commandment, under the penalty of his Curse, obeyed. And seeing that this Sacrament was the greatest Token of Christ's love, 2which he left at his end to his friends whom he loved to the end, therefore the neglect and contempt of this Sacrament must argue the contempt and neglect of his love and bloodshedding: 3than which no sin in God's account can seem more heinous. Nothing hinders why thou mayest not come freely to the Lord's Table, but because thou hadst rather want the love of God, than leave thy filthy sins. Oh come, but come a Guest prepared for the Lord's Table; seeing they are blessed, 4who are called to ⟨p. 310⟩the Lambs Supper. O come, but come prepared;5 because the efficacy of this Sacrament is received according to the proportion of the Faith of the Receiver.
Not so, for God hath threatned to punish thea wilful neglect of his Sacraments with eternal damnation both of Body and Soul. And it is the Commandment of Christ; Take, eat, do this in remembrance of me: And he will have his Commandment, under the penalty of his Curse, obeyed. And seeing that this Sacrament was the greatest Token of Christ's love, 2which he left at his end to his friends whom he loved to the end, therefore the neglect and contempt of this Sacrament must argue the contempt and neglect of his love and bloodshedding: 3than which no sin in God's account can seem more hainous. Nothing hinders why thou maist not come freely to the Lord's Table, but because thou hadst rather want the love of God, than leave thy filthy sins. Oh come, but come a Guest prepared for the Lord's Table; seeing they are blessed,
This preparation consists in the serious consideration of three things: First, of the worthiness of the Sacrament, which is termed, to discern the Lord's Body. Secondly, of thine own unworthiness, which is to judge thy self. Thirdly of the means, whereby thou mayest become a worthy Receiver, called Communication of the Lord's Body.
THE worthiness of this Sacrament is considered three ways: First by the Majesty of the Author ordaining. Secondly, by the preciousness of the Parts whereof it consisteth. Thirdly, by the excellency of the Ends for which it was ordained.
Fifthly, Because that God hath ever smitten with fearful Judgments, those who have presumed to use his holy Ordinances without due fear and preparation. God set a flaming▪ Sword in a Cherubim's hand to smite our first Parents,1 being defiled with Sin, if they should attempt to go into Paradise, to eat the Sacrament of the Tree of Life. Fear thou therefore to be smitten with ⟨p. 308⟩the Sword of God's vengeance, if thou presumest to go to the Church with an impenitent heart, to eat the Sacrament of the Lord of Life. God smote fifty thousand of the* Bethshemites for looking irreverently into his Ark, and kill'db Vzza with sudden death, for but rash touching of the Ark, and smotec Vzziah with a Leprosie for medling with the Priests Office, which pertained not unto him. The fear of such a stroke made Hezekiah so earnestly to pray unto God, that he would not smite the People that wanted time to prepare themselves as they should, to eat the Passover; and it is said, that the Lord heard Hezekiah, and healed the people: Intimating, that had it not been for Hezekiah's Prayer, the Lord had smitten the People for their want of due preparation. And the man who came to the Marriage-Feast without his Wedding-garment, or examining of himself, was examined of another: and thereupon bound hand and foot, and cast into utter darkness, Matth. 22. 12. And St. Paul tells the Corinthians, 5that for want of this preparation in examining and judging themselves, before they did eat the Lord's-Supper, God had sent that fearful sickness among them, whereof some were then sick, others weak, and many fallen asleep; 6that is, taken away by temporal death. Insomuch that the Apostle saith, that every unworthy receiver eats his own judgment; temporal, 7if he repents; eternal, if he repents not: and that in so hainous ⟨p. 309⟩a measure; as if he8 were guilty of the very Body and Blood of the Lord, whereof this Sacrament is a holy sign and seal. And Princes punish the Indignity offered to their Great Seal, in as deep a measure, as that which is done to their own Persons, whom it representeth. And how hainous the guiltiness of Christ's Blood is, may appear by the misery of the Jews ever since they wished His Blood to be on them and their Children. 9But then thou wilt say, It were safer to abstain from coming at all to the holy Communion: