Ten Sermons for the Worthy Receiving of the Lords Supper, Title page – To the reader
TEN SERMONS tending chiefely to the fitting of men for the worthy receiuing of the Lords Supper. Wherein amongſt many other holy inſtructions: the Doctrines of ſound repentance and humiliation, and of Gods ſpeciall fauours vntounto penitent ſinners, and worthy Communicants are largely and effectually handled. The ſix firſt, by I. Dod. The foure laſt, by R. Cleauer. Whereunto is annexed, a plaine and learned metaphraſe on the Epiſtle to the COLLOSSIANS, written by a godly and iudicious Preacher. There is alſo ſet before the Sermons, a ſhort Dialogue of Preparation: containing the chiefe points that concerne the worthy receiuing of the Lords Supper, taken for the moſt part, out of the Sermons following: and collected into a method for the benefit and eaſe of thoſe that deſire direction in this matter.
LONDON Printed by William Hall for Roger Iackson, and are to bee ſold at his ſhop, neere the Conduit in Fleet-ſtreet. 1610.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL, THE LADIE ANNE COPE WIFE TO SIR ANTHONY COPE of Hanwell: and to her vertuous daughter the Lady ELIZABETH COPE wife to Sir WILLIAM COPE of Hardwicke, increaſe of grace and all true happineſſe, &c.
IT is a thing better knowne, then well conſidered of, that in the myſticall body of Chriſt Ieſus, eueryevery member hath his ſeuerall office, whereon it muſt attend, the weakeſt as well as the ſtrongeſt: and in the familie of the great Ruler of heauen and earth, each ſeruant hath his ſeuerall talent, which hee muſt imploy; the meaneſt, as well as the worthieſt. To deny my ſelfe to bee a member of that body, a ſeruant of that family, I cannot without iniurie to God and myſelfe: To profeſſe to bee ſuch a one in word, and in deed to denie it, were no leſſe diſhonourable to my head, to my maſter; then diſcomfortable to my ſelfe. What then is to bee done? I bethought my ſelfe (for the auoiding of theſe rockes) what ſeruice I might performe, and in thinking, this which J hauehave now done, was offered to my conſideration: whereby as an vnderling in Gods houſhold, for want of greater abilitie, I hauehave done my beſt endeauour to put foorth to the beſt aduantage others talents, which elſe (to the griefe of many) would hauehave beene hidden at leaſt, if not vtterly loſt. For the doing whereof, I had rather vndergoe the cenſures of ſuch as are curious and carnally diſpoſed, then depriue thoſe of a benefit, that are religious and ſpiritually minded.
Let it not bee offenſiue vntounto your Ladiſhips that I hauehave preſumed to offer theſe Sermons vntounto publike view, ſheltered as it were, vnderunder your names: for I had ſundry motiues which euē enforced me thus to do.
Firſt, in regard of the matter therein contained, much of it being deliuered in your hearing, and all of it ſuting vntounto your affections, whoſe religious care for the preparing both of your ſelues, and of thoſe that depend vponupon you, for the worthy receiuing of the holie Sacrament, is well knowne vntounto thoſe that are acquainted with your conuerſation in Chriſt Ieſus.
Secondly, in regard of the Authors, whoſe affection I perſwade my ſelfe is ſuch towards you, in ſundry both Ciuill and Religious reſpects, that they would moſt willinglie conſecrate themſelues and their labours to your further building vp in Chriſt Ieſus.
Laſtly, in regard of my ſelfe, who for many ſpeciall fauours receiued, doe acknowledge my ſelfe vnrequiteablie indepted, and indiſſolublie bound vntounto your Ladiſhips. And hauing nothing of mine owne of any worth whereby to teſtifie my vnfained thankefulneſſe, I hauehave borrowed of others for this purpoſe, and withall annexed my hand-writing, that if my ingratitude ſhould heereafter appeare, I might by a publike cenſure bee condemned and made aſhamed for the ſame. Thus hoping for pardon of my boldneſſe, and for fauourable acceptance of my good meaning in this behalfe, I humbly take my leaue, recommending your Ladiſhips to the Lord and to the word of his grace, who is able to perfect that good worke which hee hath begunne in you both.
Your Ladiſhips much bounden and in all Chriſtian duties to bee commanded IOHN WINSTON.
To the Chriſtian Reader.
LOOke not (good reader) to find in theſe Sermons an abſolute diſcourſe of this ſubiect of preparation to the Sacrament: for that was not intended by the authors, but onelyonly the excitement of their preſent auditors, as they ſaw occaſion: whereby yet I doubt not but a Chriſtian heart ſhall finde great furtherance in that worke of preparation.
Furthermore let it pleaſe the Reader to bee aduertiſed, that the texts handled in this booke hauehave neither ſo many doctrines gathered from them, as the authors could hauehave done, nor ſo many vſes enforced vponupon the doctrines, but onlie ſuch as were thought moſt meete for their preſent auditorie.
In this which I hauehave done, I had as the approbation, ſo alſo the helpe of thoſe that preached theſe Sermons following, for the reuiſing and perfecting of diuers things: yet ſo as their leaſure could afford and therefore what defects ſoeuer ſhall be found in the maner of penning, let them bee imputed to mee (if the Printer bee not faultie) not vntounto them, who were content to put a finger, but not their whole hand to this worke.
Iohn Winſton.