Christs Prayer Expounded, Treatise 2
A Communicant prepared to the Lordes Table.
Queſtion.
MY good auditor, after all theſe inſtructions concerning praier and pietie, are you not deſirous to receiue the Lordes ſupper?
Anſw. Yea ſir, I am deſirous with all mine heart, if you ſhal thinke me fit for ſo holy a banquet.
Queſt. What muſt you doe to bee a fit gueſt?1. Sam. 16.6. Pſal. 27. 1. Cor. 21.
Anſ. Samuel bids me to ſantifie my ſelfe, Dauid bids mee to waſh mine hands in innocencie, & Paul bids mée to examine my ſelfe, and ſo to eate of that bread, and after to drink of that cuppe.
Queſt. Howe doe you proue this examination to be néedefull?
Anſ. 1. If the Iewes durſt not eate the paſcall Lambe without it, I muſt not eate of the Lambes Supper without it.
2. I muſt neither pray nor heare Gods word, before I ſée in what eſtate I am.
3. I come in the beſt ſort I can to the feaſt of any great man in this world.
4. He that came without his wedding garment was examined how hée came thither. Math. 22.12.
5. If I eate and drinke vnworthily, I eate and drinke mine owne damnation. 1. Cor. 11.29.
Queſt. What things are required of him that will come a fit gueſt to the Lords table?
Anſ. Thrée things.
The firſt what I muſt doe before I come.
2. What I muſt doe when I am come.
3. What I muſt doe after I hauehave bin partaker of that holy ſupper.
Queſt. What things are required of you before you come?
Anſ. Two things.
Firſt I am bound to examine my ſelfe.
2. I am bound to pray & meditate of diuers things.
Queſt. What is examination?
An. It is a triall of my ſelfe howe I ſtand in the grace of God.
Queſt. What learne you out of this, that a man muſt examine himſelfe before he come to this table?
An. Firſt that children are not capable of this banquet.
2. That ignorant perſons muſt not approach to this table.
3. That madde people are not to bee admitted to this feaſt.
4. That ſuch as intend to liue in their ſinnes muſt not dare to approach vntounto this communion.
Queſt. Wherein ſtands this examination?
An. In fiue things.
1. I muſt examine what knowledge I hauehave.
2. What faith I hauehave.
3. What repentance I hauehave.
4. What obedience I hauehave.
5. What louelove I beare to my brethren.
Queſt. Wherein ſtandes the examination of your knowledge?
An. In two things.
1. What general knowledge I hauehave
2. What knowledge I hauehave in particular.
Queſt. Wherein conſiſts generall knowledge?
Anſ In three things whereof the 1. is What knowledge I hauehave of God.
2. What knowledge I hauehave of my ſelfe.
3. What knowledge I hauehave of the couenant of grace.
Queſt. what knowledge muſt you hauehave of God?
Anſ. I muſt know him to be ſuch an one as he hath reuealed himſelfe in his word, to wit, one inuiſible and indiuiſible eſſence, and three truely diſtinct perſons, namely the Father begetting, the Sonne begotten, and the holy ghoſt procéeding from the father and the ſonne.
Queſt. Muſt you knowe nothing els of God?
Anſw. Yes I muſt knowe that hee is creator and gouernour of all things, a moſt wiſe vnderſtander and knower of all thoughts, moſt holy, iuſt, and mercifull to his creatures, that hee is eternall without either beginning or ende, and that he is preſent in all places.
Queſt. What muſt you know concerning your ſelfe?
Anſ. That by nature I am ſtained wholly with originall ſinne: ſo that my mind is full of blindnes, will of frowardnes, affections of peruerſenes, my conſcience of guiltines, ſo that therby by I am ſubiect to the curſe of God in life, in death, and after death.
Queſt. What things are you ſubiect to in life?
Anſ. By reaſon of this ſinne, in my ſoule I am ſubiect to madnes, in my body to diſeaſes, in my goods to loſſe, … in my name to reproach.
Queſt. What are you ſubiect to in death?
Anſ. To the ſeparation of the ſoule from the body?
Queſt. What are you ſubiect to after death?
An. To be tormented for euer with the deuill and his angels, and to be caſt away from the preſence of God.
Que. What muſt you know concerning the couenant of grace?
An. That Chriſt Ieſus hath deliuered me from this miſery who béeing very God, became man to die for my ſinnes and roſe againe for my iuſtification.
Queſt. What particular knowledge is required of you?
An. I muſt know the nature and vſe of this ſacrament.
Queſt. What then is the Lords Supper?
An. It is a Sacrament wherein by the vſe of bread and wine, thoſe that are ingrafted into Chriſt are nouriſhed to life.
Queſt. What learne you out of this definition?
An. 1. That he cannot eate the Lords body, who is not of the Lords body.
2. That a man muſt come withall cheerefulneſſe to this banquet and not to feare it, as a man would doe poyſon.
Queſt. Tell me now what is the outward matter of this ſacrament?
An. Bread, and wine, by which are ſignified Chriſts bodie crucified, and his blood powred out.
Queſt. Is not the bread & wine turned into the body & blood of Chriſt?
Anſ. No, for theſe reaſons.
1. Chriſt inſtituted this ſupper before he was crucified.
2. Then he muſt hauehave giuen his dead bodie with his liuing hands.
3. The bread after conſecration … diſtributed into partes: but the whole body of Chriſt is receiued of eueryevery ſeuerall communicant,
4. The bread is the communion o… Chriſts body, and therefore not the very body.
5. This were to make the body o… Chriſt of bakers bread.
6. The bread and wine will corrupt being kept after conſecration.
7. We ſée and taſte onelyonly bread and wine.
8. Elſe the wicked ſhould eate Chriſts body, and ſo muſt hauehave eternall life.
9. This takes away the nature of a ſacrament, wherein there muſt be a ſigne and the thing ſignified.
10. It deſtroyes the nature of Chriſts body, making it aliue & dead, in hea…uen & vponupon earth, glorified & vilified, and in many places at one time.
Queſt. But yet may not this be done by a miracle?
An. Prieſts hauehave no promiſe to worke miracles nowe a daies, and that it can be no miracle, it may appeare by this vnanſwerable reaſon.
EueryEvery miracle is ſenſible, as when Moſes rod was turned into a ſerpent, and Chriſt turned Water into Wine.
But this myracle is not ſenſible, for I ſee bread and taſte bread, I ſée wine, and taſt wine euen after conſecration.
Therefore it is no miracle.
Queſt. May you not receiue the bread without the wine?
An. No, for theſe reaſons.
1. This were to croſſe Chriſts inſtitution.
2. It doth diſpriuiledge Chriſts people.
3. It makes Chriſts feaſt a drye feaſt.
4. It takes away the remembrance of Chriſts blood ſhed.
5. The wine ſignifies not Chriſts bloud in his veines, but that bloud which was powred out.
Queſt. What is the forme of this ſacrament?
An. The coniunction of the thing ſignified with the ſigne, the action of God with the action of the Miniſter, & the action of faith, with the action of the receiuer.
Queſt. What doth the action of the miniſter ſignifie?
An. His taking of bread and wine, into his hands, doth ſignifie Gods ſealing of Chriſt to beare the office of a mediator. Ioh. 6.27. His bleſſing of the bread, the ſending of Chriſt to be a mediator: his breaking of bread and powring out of wine, the execrable paſſion of Chriſt, and effuſion of his blood: the giuing of bread and wine to the receiuer: the offring of Chriſt to al, euen hypocrites, but the giuing him onelyonly to true Chriſtians.
Qu. What doth the action of the receauer ſignifie?
Anſw. His taking of bread and wine into his hand, doth ſignifie his apprehending of Ieſus Chriſt by faith.
His eatinge of bread and drinking of wine, for the nouriſhment of his bodie, his applying of Chriſt vntounto him ſelfe, that his true communion with him may be more increaſed.
Queſt. What is the end of this Sacrament?
Anſ. 1. The aſſurance of Gods fauor.
2. The increaſing of my faith.
3. Fellowſhip with Chriſt.
4. Communion with the ſaintes.
Queſt. You ſaid in the ſecond place that you muſt examine your faith, tell me therefore what this faith is?
An. It is a miraculous worke of God, wrought in the heart of a regenerate man, by the preaching of the goſpell, whereby hee doth apprehend and applie to himſelfe particularly, Chriſt Ieſus, withall his benyfites to the pardon and forgiueneſſe of all his ſinnes.
Queſt. Howe may a man knowe, whether bee hauehave this faith?
An. by theſe ſignes.
Firſt if wee can from our hearts renounce our falſe ſuppoſed goodneſſe, and can wholy relie vponupon Chriſt in the matter of our ſaluation: this nature cannot doe.
2. If we hauehave peace of conſcience aryſing from the apprehenſion of Gods louelove in Chriſt, and our reconciliation with him.
Queſt. Which are the wantes of faith?
Anſ. 1. Doubting and diſtruſt of Gods merciemercy.
2. Preſumption and vaine confidence in our ſelues.
Queſt. To come to the third parte of our examination, tell me what repentance is?
An. 1. It is a worke of grace, aryſing of a Godly ſorrow, whereby a man turnes from all his ſinnes to God, and brings forth fruit worthy amentement of life.
Queſt. How ſhall you know whether you hauehave this repentance or not▪
Anſw. By theſe markes.
1. If I hauehave a Godly ſorrow, wherby I am diſpleaſed with my ſelfe becauſe by ſinne I hauehave diſpleaſed God.
2. If there be in me a changing of the minde & a purpoſe to forſake ſinne and euer after to pleaſe God.
3. If I do dayly more & more breake off my ſinnes, and abſtaine from inward practiſe; kéeping vnderunder my corruptions and vngodly thoughts.
4. If I can mourne for the preſent corruption of my nature.
5. If I hauehave bin gréeued, & craued pardon for my late ſins, euen ſithence I was laſt partaker of the Lords table.
Queſt. You ſaid that obedience was the forth part of our examination, can you tell me what obedience is?
An. It is a frée, heartie, vniuerſall, perſonall, & perpetuall kéeping of Gods commandements.
Queſt. Howe many properties are there of this obedience?
An. Fiue. 1. It muſt be frée, without conſtraint.Pſal. 110 3.
2. Sincere, without hipocryſie. 2. Tim. 1.5.
3. Vniuerſall, not to ſome but to all the cōmandements. Pſa. 119.6. Ia 2.10.
4. Perpetuall, till the hower of our death. Math. 24.13.
5. Perſonall, in regard of our perſonal … 1. Pet. 5.1.
Queſt. Which is the laſt part of examination?
Anſ. Our reconciling one ſelues vntounto our brethren if wee hauehave made them any offence. Math. 5.24.
Que. When are we fit to receaue the ſacrament in regard of reconciliation?
Anſw. Euen then when we are fit to ſay in the Lords praier, forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes as we forgiue them that treſpas againſt vsus. And therefore many indāger there own cōſciences in refuſing to receaue, leſt they ſhould leaue their ſins & be reconciled to men. Now ye Lord grant that I may after this ſorte examine my ſelfe, that at all times I may be fit to come to Gods table.
Queſt. I hope you are well Inſtructed in examinatiō. Tel me what premeditation the ſecond part of prepara… is?
Anſw. It is a conſideration of thoſe graces which wée doe receaue by the death of Chriſt, ſignified in the ſacrament of the Lords ſupper.
Queſt. Which are thoſe graces that … muſt conſider of?
An. Our redemption from hell, our deliverance from death, damnation, & … of the lawe.
2. The remiſſion of our ſinnes, whereby wee receaue fréedome from ſinne and acceptation to life. Pſal. 103. 3.4. pſ. 32: 1.2.
3. Which is a fruite of the former reconciliation with God, when we are made friends with him. Col. 1.20.
4. Our communion and fellowſhip with Chriſt. 1. Cor. 10.16.
5. Intereſt and title to eternall life by Chriſt, in whom we are ſonnes. Ioh. 1.12. Rom. 8.13.
Queſt. What fruite ariſeth out of theſe two?
Anſw. A ſpirituall hunger after Chriſt and his benefits: for when a nian hath examined his wants, and hath conſidered the riches of Chriſt, his heart longes after the ſame. Ioh. 7.37.
Queſt. You hauehave wel ſaid al that you hauehave yet ſaid, howe muſt you be diſpoſed in the action of receiuing?
An. I muſt ſeriouſly thinke of theſe fiue pointes.
1. Firſt when I ſée the miniſter ſake bread and wine, I muſt conſider the action of God, whereby he ſent Chriſt to worke my redemption.
2. When I ſee the bread broken, & the wine powred out, I muſt conſider, 1. the bitter paſſion of Chriſt for me in ſo ſuffering. 2. Gods infinit louelove to me, who ſent Chriſt coredeeme me his enimy. 3▪ Gods wrath towards me for my ſin, which nothing could ſatiſfie but the deth of chriſt.
4, I muſt deteſt thoſe ſins of mine, which cauſed Chriſt thus to ſuffer.—
5. When the miniſter diſtributes breade and wine, I muſt conſider, that as it is truly offered vntounto mee by man: ſo Chriſt is truly offered vntounto me by god.
4. In receauing breade and wine, I muſte apprehend Chriſt by faith.
5, In eating that breade & drinking that wine, I muſt apply chriſt particulerly to my ſelfe, & be perſwaded that as that bred and wine is made the nouriſhment of my body, ſo Chriſtes body and blood is made the nouriſhmente of my ſoul. Yea I muſt feele the power of chriſte to mortify the corruption of my nature by his death, to quicken mee in newnes of life by his reſurrection, and to giuegive me power to fight againſt my dedly aduerſaries, the world, the fleſh, & the deuill.
Is there nothing to doe for you, after you hauehave receaued this holy ſacrament,
Yes I muſt obſerue theſe three thinges Firſt I muſt giuegive god thanks for ſo great a benefyt 1 cor. 11.…6.
2. I muſt look to receiue by it, increaſe of faith, & repentance, to riſe from ſin, & to receiue power againſt the deuill.
3. If I feele this preſent comforte, to bee thankful for it: if not, I muſt know that it is becauſe I hauehave not prepared my ſelfe, or becauſe my faith is weak, or becauſe I liue in ſome ſecret ſin: wherefore I muſt goe to god, acknowledge my fault & deſire paron and comfort for the ſame: Now the Lord grant me this grace, ſo to be partaker of his ſacramental table, that I may be partaker of his heuenly table, through Ieſus chriſt my lord, & alone bleſſed ſauior, Amen.
Ille non edit Corpus Chriſti, qui non eſt de corpore chriſti. Auguſt:
He cannot eate the body of Chriſt, that is not of the body of chriſt.
Accede, panis eſt, non venenū: mala res non eſt, ſed malus accipit, Idem.
Come, it is bread not poyſon; the thing is not euil, but an euil perſon receiues it.