Points of Instruction for the Ignorant, Part 4
An Examination before our comming to the Lords Table.
WHat doe you call the Sacrament of the Lords Supper?
Our growing vp withEph. 4. 15, 16 1. …. 10. 16, Math. 26. 27. Christ by faith, resembled in visible signe…, and effectuall seales of bread and wine.
In comming to this Sacrament, what is to be considered by eueryevery well prepared Communicant?
The doctrine thereof, and our ends of comming to it.
What say you of the Doctrine?
It is séens in the nature of the signs which are made Sacraments, or in their vses.
VVhat say you of the nature of the signes?
Their nature is to be seales of theMat. 26. 26, 28 body and bloud of Christ, that is, of the fruits of the same offred to vsus by faith.
Where hauehave you the seale of Christs body?
In the bread.Matth. 26. 26
Where, of his bloud?
In the Wine.Matth. 26. 27
So much for the nature of the signes: what say you of their vses?
They be such as concerne the Brea… … Wine.
What is that concerneth the bread?
It is that which is seene in the breaking and giuing, or in the receiuing and eating of it.
What doth the breaking of bread signifie?Isay 53. 5. 1. Cor. 11. 24
The wounding and breaking of the flesh of Christ for vsus.
What doth the giuing of it signifie?
The giuing of Christ, the true bread,Iohn 6. 51 1. Cor. 11. 24 for our spirituall nourishment.
What doth the receiuing of the bread signifie?
The receiuing of Christ with theIohn 1. 12 Ephes. 3. 17. hand of faith in our hearts, as wee receiue the bread with our bodily hands.
Who are reprooued here?
The Papists, who say and beleeueBellarm. Tom. 2. …. …. gen. de sacr. Euch. … lib. …. cap. 18. &c. that the substance of the bread is turned into the naturall body of Christ, and that the people, carnally, receiue and eat their Maker.
What say you against this grosse opinion?
That a true naturall body, such as Christs is, cannot be in two places atMath. 28. 6. & 26. 11. Heb. 10. 13 Acts 3. 21 1. Thes. 4. 16. one and the same time, to wit, in heauen, and bodily in the Sacrament.
So much for receiuing; what doth the eating of the bread signifie?
That as bread doth nourish our temporall…ohn 6. 54 and corporall life; so this is a Sacrament of our eternal nourishment in the life to come, and of our spirituall, in this life of grace which wee hauehave heere.
So much for the vses of the bread; what be they of the wine?
They bee séene in the pouring out, and giuing, or in the receiuing & drinking of it.
VVhat doth the pouring out of the wine signifie?
The pouring of the …oud out of hisMat. 26. 28 1. Cor. 11. 25 holy body for our sinnes.
VVhat doth the giuing of the wine signifie?
Our full nourishment in Christ offered,Iohn 6. 55 Psal. 104. 15 not in his bodie only, but in his sauing blood.
VVhat doth this teach?
That the Papists did, and still doe,1. Cor. 11 25 with iniurious sacriledge, detract from…. …. 2. tert. con. gen. lib. 4. cap. 22. de …. &c. our assurance and Gods goodnesse, one great helpe of our faith, by taking from the common people the vse of the Cuppe.
So much for giuing: what doth the receiuing of the Wine signifie?
That possession is taken of whole1. Cor. 10. 16 Ioh. 6. 56. Christ, while, after the receiuing of the bread, we, by faith, open our hearts, as1. Cor. 10. 3. 4 vessels, to receiue the trickling drops of his bloud, that nothing be lost.
VVhat doth the drinking of, the wine signifie?
The applying of the comforts ofGalat. 6. 14 Phil. 3. 8, 9 Christs passion to our drooping soules, as wine reioiceth the heart of man.
So much of the doctrine of the Sacrament: what say you of our ends of comming to it?
They be before, or in our comming.
What is that which is before our comming?
Our end before our comming is, toActs 8. 36 Iohn, 7. 37, 38 satisfie the earnest destre that we hauehave, or should hauehave of receiuing the promises of God vnderunder seale.
VVhat bee the endes in our comming?
Such as testifie gifts, or receits.
What be our gifts?
Such as we giuegive to Christ the …, or to the Church his members.
VVhat giuegive you to Christ the Head?
A heart well examined concerning1. Cor. 11. 28 … c 15 21 Mat. 8. 8 our estate before we come, and seriously meditating on Gods goodnesse in Christ, and our owne great vnworthinesse when we are come.
VV…at els?
An …mble oblation of our selues,Rom. 12. 1 soules and bodies to him, with thanksg… at our departure.
… in standeth the hearts exa…?1 …. 11. … 2. …. …. 5 … 22. 12 …. …. 2 …. 1. 21 Heb. 13. …
In the …xamining of our knowledge, …, louelove, repentance, thankfulnesse, and works of our particular callings.
VVhat call you the examination of your knowledge?
Whether I hauehave a competent measure1. Cor. 11. 29 thereof to discern the Lords body, & truly to put difference betwéene the signes, and things signified.
VVhat of your faith?
Whether I bee in the faith; beleeuing2. Cor. 13 5 Math. 8. 13 …hat t…e death of Christ, as it is auail… for all the …, so it is (particularly auaileable for me.
VVhat of your louelove?
Whether I bee in charity with allMat. 5. 44 Rom. 12. 18 men, euen with my very enemies, louing them vntounto, and for their true welfare; and not my friends only.
VVhat of your repentance?Psal. 32. 5, 6. & 51. 3, 4, 5 Math. 3. 8
Whether I acknowledge my sinnes with a sorrowfull and melting heart, and vnfainedly purpose to depart from all practice of them (heereafter) by amendment of life.
VVhat of your thankfulnesse?Psal. 116. 12 Luke 1. 74, 75 1. Pet. 2. 9
Whether I be ready to expresse it in my Christian conuersation, and new life for my redemption by Christ.
VVhat of the workes of your particular calling?
Whether with some greater measureLuke 3. 13, 14 …. 4. 1, 2, 3 1. Cor. 7. 20 … 2. 10. of obedience, and better of better conscience, in all patience and good faithfulnesse, I walke, or do truly purpose to walke therein, to mine owne great peace, and the benefit of those to whom God hath ioined me.
So much for that which you giuegive to Christ the Head, what giuegive you to the Church his members?
A fellow▪ stone in the spirituall building;1. Cor. 10. 17 & 12. 13, 14 Eph. 2. 21, 22 …. 4. 12, 16. that is, a member to help to make perfect the body of Christ.
What doth this teach?
That they that are negligent or prophane commers to the Lords Table, do detract from the per…ion of Christs body, and seuer themselues from the society of his Church.
So much for our giftes: what doe we receiue at the Lords Table?
That, which we receiue there, concerneth our selues alone, or our selues with others.
What is that, that concerneth our selues alone?
The strengthening of our faith and1. Cor. 11. 24. & 10. 16. 17. memory by the reuerent and right vse of that holy action.
How is our faith strengthened, and … …olpen by it?
… …ing that in the Sacrament,1. Cor. 11. 26 …. 3. 1. & 1. Ioh. 1. 1. which … but heare of in the Word, namely, the par…cular offering and receiuing of Christ in his body and sauing bloud, by all bele…ing Communicants.
So much … that which concerneth our selue… alone: what is that that concerneth our selues with others.
It concerneth our growing vp with Christ, and our communion with our breth…en.
How do we receiue our growing vp … Christ?
We receiue it with Christ by spiritual1. Cor. 10. 3, 4 eating and drinking, and by a more full partaking with him and his graces, through faith increased, and that vse … his …dinance blessed vntounto vsus.
How do we receiue our communion with our brethren?
By … our mutuall agréement,1. Cor. 10. 17 in as much as we eate (all) of one bread, and drinke (all) of one Cup.
How else?
By feeding all of the same foode1. Cor. 10. 4. & 12, 13. bodily and spiritually, and by drawing all life from the same fountaine; as the…. 4. 15. life of grace which heere we receiue, and the l…fe of glory, which, in heauen we shall be partakers of.
Amen.
So much for our examination before the Sacrament.
…. 23. 1.
… with a Ruler▪ … thee.