The Worthy Receiving of the Lords Supper, Title page – To the reader
DIRECTIONS FOR THE WORTHY Receiuing of the Lords SVPPER: With ſome few Queſtions to the ſame purpoſe.
By ROBERT IENISON, Batchelor in Diuinity, and Miniſter of Gods Word, at New-Caſtle vponupon Tine.
1 Cor. 11.28.
Let a man examine himſelfe,
and ſo let him eate, &c.
LONDON Printed for Iohn Harrigat, and are to be ſold at the Holy Lambe in Pater-noſter Row. 1624.
TO MY CHRISTIAN Hearers, of the Pariſhes of S. Nicholas and All-Saints, in New-Caſtle vponupon Tine, eſpecially to the yonger and ruder ſort of them, R. I. wiſheth a competent meaſure of the Spirit of Wiſedome and vnderſtanding, of the Spirit of Knowledge, and of the feare of the Lord.
WHat I now in heart, and euer in my hearty and dayly Prayers vnfaynedly wiſh on your behalfe, right deare beloued Brethren, I am not (as you know) neither ſhall I euer, God aſsiſting, be awanting to further by my dayly and beſt endeuours for you, whether it bee by my Preaching, or by my Pen: (though this latter finds enough to doe, to prepare matter for your eares, not eyes.) To which end, as alſo for the publike good of many others, I hauehave not beene vnwilling at the requeſts of ſome, that theſe few directions following (which, nigh ſeuen yeeres ſince, were, at the earneſt intreaty of a neere friend, ſummed vp in haſte) ſhould, after they had alſo ſounded in your eares) ſee the light, and paſſe, euen rudely, as at firſt, (when there was no purpoſe of publiſhing them) they were written, without any alteration, vnderunder the publike cenſure of the world; hoping, yea earneſtly deſiring, men would bring rather humble and hungring hearts, than curious and catching heads to the reading of them; that ſo they may indeed truely profite by them. As I ſhall vnderſtand theſe ruder, older, and haſtier Meditations are accepted of, I ſhall bee encouraged to greater, further, and freſher paines, in publiſhing ſoone after, what, I hope, will not bee vnprofitable to the Church of GOD, whoſe Seruant I doe profeſſe my ſelfe, as alſo,
Yours, in the Lord, Robert Ieniſon. From my Houſe, in New-Caſtle vponupon Tine: Ian. 12. 1623.
To the Chriſtian and carefull READER.
THou ſoule-ſicke Chriſtian, ſolace gather hence,
Who art exil'd, in ſenſe, from Cana'ns Land,
Lo, heer's a Briefe of that true Euidence,
Which God hath pen'd with his moſt holy Hand;
And leſt ſome doubt poſſeſſe thy ſilly Soule,
That ſeale-leſſe Blancks thoſe Copies proue to bee,
Take comfort; for th' inſpir'd, and ſacred Roule
Of Gods great Booke, is ſealed vntounto thee,
With Graces rich inclos'd, both more and leſſe,
If thou, to practiſe This, thy ſelfe addreſſe.
Ad eundem.
Pacis Sacramenta licet ſignacula fiant,
Non; niſi ſint ſacrâ mente recepta ſimul.
C. F.
A BRIEFE DIRECTION FOR THE WORTHY RECEIVING OF THE Lords Supper.
CHAP. I.
Three ſorts of dueties are to be performed of eueryevery worthy Communicant: and three things eſpecially are to be looked vntounto.
THere muſt be an antecedent diſpoſition in the receiuer, and a performance of ſuch duties as may prepare him.
There muſt bee a right behauiour in the performance of this holy action.
There are duties to be performed after.
CHAP. II.
Of ſuch graces as are needfull in eueryevery worthy Communicant.
THis Sacrament, being a moſt holy ordinance of God, belongs not of right indifferently to all, but to ſuch onelyonly as God doth accept and account as worthy in his Sonne Ieſus Chriſt.
We are all of vsus in our ſelues, and by our corrupt nature, altogether vnworthy to partake of any mercy, and eſpecially of that grace which is both offered and ſealed vntounto vsus in the Sacrament.
Yet God in his Sonne Chriſt our Sauiour is ready to accept vsus, if we come clothed with the wedding garment of his righteouſneſſe, putting it on vsus by faith.
Faith then of neceſſitie is required in eueryevery worthy Communicant.
Now true Faith, as it is grounded vponupon ſound and ſauing Knowledge; ſo it is, and muſt be accompanied with true Repentance, and with the fruits thereof, eſpecially Charitie.
Theſe foure graces then are neceſſary in eueryevery worthy Communicant.
1 Knowledge.
2 Faith.
3 Repentance.
4 Charitie.
Neither muſt we onelyonly hauehave them, but we muſt know ſo much: which knowledge is got by examination.