A Worthy Communicant, Treatise · Chapter 3
Chap. 3. Of the great danger of comming to the Sacrament without preparation.
CHAP. 3 SVfficient might theſe things already mentioned be to make us carefull to come to the Sacrament after the due Order with preparation. But becauſe our careleſſe hearts are not ſo eaſily wrought upon; try we yet a little further what we may be brought unto by ſhame or feare of danger: for to come to the Sacrament without due preparation, is both a ſhamefull and a dangerous thing.Rogo vos, fratres, diligenter attendite, ſi ad menſam cujuſque pot…ntis hominis n…mo preſumit cum veſtibu… conſciſſis & inquinatis accedere, …u…nto m…is, &c. Aug. De temp. Ser. 251.
1 Firſt, it is a matter of ſhame. It were a matter of ſoule ſhame, for a man to come and ſit downe at a great mans Table in rags and tatters, in his naſtineſſe and filthineſſe: and in ſuch a caſe how would we take and tucke up ſuch an one, Art thou not aſhamed to come to ſuch a mans Table in ſo baſe a faſhion? What an uncivill fellow art thou, in ſuch a garbe to come into ſuch a preſence? And is it not then a matter of fouler ſhame, to come rudely, unpreparedly, and unbeſeemingly, Quid vero annon vides vaſa abluta adeo nitida & ſplendida? His longe mundiores oportet eſſe animas, his ſanctiores, & ſplendidiores. Quare? Quoniam illa propter nos fiunt talia. Illa eum qui ineſt non participant, non ſentiunt. Nos autem participamus, & ſentimus. Nunc autem vaſe quidem ſordido uti nolueris, ſordida autem & immunda accedis anima? foreign. Chryſ. in Epheſ. 1. hom. 3unto the Lords Table? Conſider that 2 Chron. 30. 15. The Prieſts and the Levites were aſhamed, and ſanctified themſelves. And why were they aſhamed? becauſe they had ſo long deferred their ſanctification and preparation, and therefore at length for very ſhame did ſanctifie themſelves. It was a matter of ſhame then that they had ſo long put off their ſanctification. They have cauſe of ſhame that ſanctifie not themſelves in due time for holy duties. And if it be a matter of ſhame to deferre it, though done at the laſt; then how much more is it a ſhame to neglect it altogether, and not to doe it at all? If a foule cloath ſhould be laid on the Communion Table, if the Napkin wherein the bread is laid were not cleane; if the Cup & Veſſels in which the Wine is put, were not made handſome and decent, men wold cry ſhame of it, and would ſay that it is an arrant ſhame that the linnen and veſſels be in ſuch a caſe; that it is an arrant ſhame that theſe things are not provided and prepared to be in more decent and cleanly order. And a ſhame it were indeed: there ought to be an outward decency in theſe things. Our Saviour made no choiſe of any room at adventure to eat the Paſſeover in, but of a decent handſome furniſht roome, Luke 22. 12. He ſhall ſhew you a large upper roome, furniſhed, there make ready. Now then were it a ſhame that the veſſels and linnen ſhould not in their kinde be fitted, and decently prepared: what a foule ſhame then not to have our ſoules and hearts prepared? what is a foule cloth or a ſullied veſſell, to a foule and an unprepared ſoule? Oh ſhame, that men will offer to come to Gods Table with ſluttiſh and unprepared ſpirits! ſhould not we much more be prepared than the veſſels? They containe but the outward elements for our uſe; but we come to receive the body and bloud of Chriſt. Will we have the veſſels prepared, and can we for ſhame come with unprepared hearts?
2 Secondly, it is a matter of great danger to come unprepared to the Table of the Lord: that eating of the Paſſeover of theirs otherwiſe than it was written, 2 Chron. 30. 18. it was a dangerous thing: and Hezekiah was faine to make ſpeciall ſuite for mercy for them. And yet that want of theirs was but an omiſſion of ſome Legall Ceremony. How much more dangerous had it beene if for the inward ſubſtance of preparation they had done it otherwiſe than it was written? To come to the Sacrament without ſuch preparation is dangerous indeed. The dangers are theſe.
1 Firſt, that which the Apoſtle ſpeakes of 1 Cor. 11. 27. Whoſoever ſhall eate this bread and drinke this cup of the Lord unworthily, ſhall be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. The end of the Sacrament and our comming to it, is to ſhew forth the Lords death. But now if we come unpreparedly to it, we make our ſelves guilty of the Lords death. We come to the Sacrament to drink the Lords bloud, but if we come unpreparedly to it, wee come to ſhed the Lords bloud, and ſo inſtead of drinkers prove ſhedders of Qua ratione reus fit indigne aſſumens? perinde nimitum ac ſi ipſe ſanguinem Domini effundat. Vt n. qui tum pupugerunt Chriſtum non ut biberent effuderunt, verū ut effunderent, ſic indigne bibens nihilque inde commodi referens fruſtra ac temere profudie ſangumem. Theophil. in 1 Cor. 10. & Chryſ. 1 Cor. 11. hom. 27.Chriſts bloud. An unworthy receiver is guilty of Chriſts bloud: how ſo? becauſe he doth ſo as if he ſhed his bloud: he doth ſo as the ſhedders of Chriſts bloud did. For looke as they that crucified & pierced Chriſt, powred not forth his blod that they might drinke it, but onelyonly that they might powre it forth and ſhed it. So he that doth unworthily and unpreparedly drink his bloud, receiving thereby no profit nor benefit, he hath raſhly and in vaine, ſhed his bloud. Now do but ſit downe and conſider how fearfull a thing it is to be guilty of Chriſts bloud. It is a fearefull thing to be guilty of any mans bloud, yea, to bee guilty of a wicked mans bloud, how much more then to be guilty of the bloud of the Sonne of God, of the bloud of God? Deliver me, O Lord, from bloud-guiltineſſe, cryes David, Pſal. 51. It is a very heavie thing, to have an hand in mans bloud. That ſame is a ſad Text, 2 Sam. 3. 28, 29. I and my kingdome, ſayes David, are guiltleſſe before the Lord for ever from the bloud of Abner the Son of Ner, let it rest on the head of Ioab, and on all his Fathers houſe, and let there not faile from the Houſe of Ioab, one that hath an iſſue, or that is a Leaper, or that leaneth on a ſtaffe, or that falles on the ſword, or that lacks bread. What an heavie Imprecation was this upon Ioab, and that for the bloud of Abner, who was none of the beſt neither? And if ſo heavie a curſe upon Ioab for being guilty of Abner's bloud, how much more heavie will the curſe be upon him that ſhall be guilty of the bloud of Chriſt? God will require the bloud of a man at the hands of a beaſt, Gen. 9. 5. The Ox that killed a man muſt be ſtoned to death, and his fleſh muſt not be eaten. Exod. 21. 28. Doth God take care for Oxen (ſayes Saint Paul) in another caſe, and doth God doe juſtice, and require juſtice to be done upon Oxen? doth he require mans bloud at a beaſts hand? Then how much more will he do juſtice upon men that are guilty of Chriſts bloud? and how much more will he require his Sons bloud at the hands of reaſonable creatures, that by unprepared receiving the Sacrament, make themſelves guilty of it? Iudas his great ſinne, for which, his ſoule and his memory is everlaſtingly accurſed, was the betraying of innocent bloud, the betraying of Chriſts bloud; his ſin was, That he was guilty of the bloud of the Lord. The horrible ſin of the Iewes which we profeſſe with ſo much indignation to abhor and deteſt, it was the ſhedding of Chriſts bloud: and how remarkable and dreadfull a curſe and vengeance, hath lyen upon their heads for the ſpace of above fifteene hundred yeeres for that very bloud, according to their owne wiſh, His bloud be upon us, and upon our children? And doth it not then deeply concerne men to take heed how they make themſelvs guilty of that bloud? Why then in the feare of GOD take heed of comming to the Sacrament unpreparedly. If thou commeſt unpreparedly, thou commeſt unworthily; and if thou commeſt unworthily, inſtead of being a drinker, thou wilt be a ſhedder of Chriſts bloud. Bloud is a crying ſin, take heed above al things of having bloud cry againſt thee; but eſpecially take heed of having Chriſts bloud cry out againſt thee. Chriſts bloud indeed applied by faith ſpeaks better things than the bloud of Abel: but if wee make our ſelves guilty of it, as we do, if we come unpreparedly and unworthily to the Sacrament, it ſpeakes no better things than the bloud of Abel: it then ſpeakes Quod ſi ipſe pellere non audes, mihi dicas. Non permittam iſta fi…eri. Animam prius tradam meam, quam dominicum corpus alicui indigno: ſanguinemque meum potius effundi patiar, quam ſacratiſſimum illum ſanguinem praeterquam digno concedam. Chryſ. in Mat. hom. 64.and cries as Abels bloud for juſtice and vengeance. Woe be to him for whom Chriſts bloud ſpeakes not; but woe a thouſand times more to him againſt whom Chriſts bloud cries. All which conſidered, were enough to make unworthy and unprepared ones to reſolve with themſelves in the caſe of receiving the Sacrament, as S. Chryſostome did in the caſe of giving it to unworthy ones. I will rather, ſayes he, give my life, than I will give the body of Christ to any unworthy one, And I will rather ſuffer mine own bloud to be ſhed, then I will give that moſt holy bloud to any but him that is worthy. So ſhould this conſideration worke men to thoſe thoughts. Is it ſo dangerous to receive the Sacrament unpreparedly? Shall I thereby make my ſelfe guilty of Chriſts bloud? Then ſurely I will rather loſe my bloud, then by unprepared and unworthy receiving make my ſelfe guilty of ſuch bloud.
2 The ſecond danger is, That a man comming unpreparedly to the Sacrament, he not onelyonly receives no good, but a great deale of hurt to his ſoule. Good he receives none. God blaſts his Ordinance to ſuch a ſoule, ſo that it ſhall not yeeld its fruit and its efficacie unto ſuch an one, Iſay 1. 13. Bring no more vaine oblations. Were not thoſe oblations of Gods owne appointment, and by his owne precept? Why then are they called vaine oblations? becauſe they were to them in the uſe of them but vain. Then a thing may be ſaid to be vaine, when there is no profit in it. Things are vaine things which are unprofitable things, 1 Sam. 12. 21. Vaine things which cannot profit. That is a vaine thing, that yeelds not a man fruit anſwerable to his paines and endeavours. Levit. 26. 20. And your ſtrength ſhall be ſpent in vaine, for your Land ſhall not yeeld her increaſe, neither ſhall the Trees of the Land yeeld their fruits: They ſhould uſe their ſtrength in tilling and planting the Land; and yet all their labour ſhould be vaine, becauſe the land ſhould not yeeld her increaſe, nor the trees their fruits. So here, when a man ſhall uſe Ordinances, come to the Sacrament, and they doe not nor can profit him: when a man comes to the Sacrament, and it doth not yeeld its increaſe and its fruit, then is the Sacrament vaine to ſuch a man: and then the Sacrament yeelds not fruit, when men come unprepared unto it; for want of preparation was the thing that made their oblations vaine, as appeares Iſay 1. 16, 17, 18. For thoſe whom he forbids comming before, he bids them come upon their preparation. Come now, namely, when you prepared your ſelves as is required, Verſe 16. 17. To come to the Sacrament, and not to partake of the benefit and fruit of it is an heavie thing. And it is the caſe of every unworthy and unprepared communicant. The ſame curſe is upon him that was upon the Prince of Samaria, 2 Kings 7. 2. Behold thou ſhalt ſee it with thine eyes, but thou ſhalt not eat thereof. They ſee the plenty that God provides, but yet they eat not of that ſpirituall proviſion with which God ſo richly furniſhes his Table. They are ſpiritually in this caſe under thoſe curſes, Hoſ. 4. 10. They ſhall eat, and not be ſatisfied. Hag. 1. 6. Ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled. There is a Law. Deut. 16. 16. That three times in a yeere they muſt appeare before God, in the three ſolemne Feaſts: And they ſhall not, (ſayes the Text) appeare before the Lord empty. So muſt it be with us when we appeare before God in this ſolemne feaſt at the Sacrament, we muſt not appeare empty before the Lord. He that is voide of that diſpoſition of ſpirit which God requires, he that comes unprepared, he appeares empty. And what will the danger be of appearing empty? Surely as we come, ſo ſhall we goe; God will ſend us away empty. As in another ſenſe, God ſends away the rich and the full empty, Luke 1. 53. ſo in this ſenſe he ſends the empty away empty. Yea, the Ordinance of the Sacrament which in Gods inſtituon comes to us as Paul to the Romans, Rom. 15. 29. And I am ſure that when I come unto you, I ſhall come in the fulneſſe of the bleſsing of the Goſpell of Chriſt, ſhall come empty handed to us, and ſhall prove an empty Sacrament unto us. So that upon our receiving, it ſhall be no better with us, than with thoſe in that caſe, Iſa. 29. 8. It ſhal even be as when an hungry man dreames, and behold he eats, but he awakes and his ſoule is empty: or as when a thirſty man dreames, and behold he drinks, but he awakes and behold he is faint, and his ſoule hath appetite. So ſhal it be wth every unprepared Communicant, he may eat and drinke the outward elements, and may thinke to eat Chriſts fleſh, and to drink Chriſts bloud, but he is but in a dreame, he is never the fatter nor the fuller for his dreame, he came empty without preparation, and he goes away empty without profit; his ſoule is empty. It was a ſad threat againſt thoſe that refuſed to come to the Supper when they were invited, Luke 14. 24. I ſay unto you that none of thoſe that were bidden ſhall taſte of my Supper. They ſhould not ſo much as taſte of it. There be many that come to the Supper in the Sacrament, and yet though they come, meet with that judgement that was threatned againſt them which refuſed to come to that Supper. They come and taſte not of this Supper; taſt not the ſweetneſſe, fatneſſe, and goodneſſe of this Ordinance. And all becauſe they come unprepared thereunto. *Sacramenta quidem, quantum in ſe eſt, ſine propria virtute eſſe non poſſunt: nec ullo modo ſe abſentat divina majeſtas myſteriis, ſed quamvis ab indignis ſe ſumi vel contingi Sacramenta permittant, non tamen poſſunt ſpiritus eſſe participes quorum infidelitas vel indignitas tantae ſanctitudini contradicit. Cypr. de coen. Dom.Not that Gods Ordinance in it ſelf is forceleſſe, & ineffectual, or that Gods hand is ſhortned, that he cannot conveigh a bleſſing thereby, but therefore the Sacrament proves a dry and an empty breſt unto them, becauſe they come ſo unworthily, and unpreparedly to it.
But yet this is not all. It is bad enough to receive no ſpirituall good by receiving the Sacrament, but there is a further danger in it, there is a great deale of ſpirituall hurt received by it, when received unpreparedly. For that is a ſure thing, that when men receive not good by Ordinances, they alwayes withall receive a great deale of hurt, and when they are not the better, they are the worſe for them. So much that of the Apoſtle implies, 1 Cor. 11. 17. That you come together, not for the better but for the worſe. And he ſpeaketh it of their comming together to the Sacrament, as appeares V. 20. So thē when men come to the Sacrament & are not the better, they are the worſe. Men ſhould come together to the Word and to the Sacrament for the better; to be the better for it, to be quickned in their inner man; to have communion wth Chriſt, to receive efficacy and vertue from him, but when they do not come together for the better; and be not the better by theſe holy duties, they are undoubtedly the worſe. They are the worſe, for the Sacrament diſorderly received without preparation, ſpiritually the worſe, and that in reſpect of a double ſpirituall danger.
1 Firſt, inſtead of receiving Chriſt, we receive Satan. We come indeed to receive Chriſt, more quickning and grace from him; but comming unpreparedly, we not onelyonly receive not Chriſt, but we receive Satan, and hardning from him in ſin, and more ſtrength and greedineſſe unto ſin, Ioh. 13. 26. 27. And when he had dipped the ſop he gave it to Iudas Iſcariot the ſon of Simon, and after the Sop Satan entred into him. Indeed it is ſaid, Luke 22. 3. That Satan entred into Iudas before his going to the high Prieſts, and compacting with them, and before his receiving this Sop. He entred then, that is, he began to enter, but now at the receiving of the Sop he fully and wholly entred. His head was in before, but now after the Sop he gat in his whole body. Iohn 13. 2. The divell had put it into his heart to betray him, but now as it is ſaid of Ananias, Nunquid Satana… tamen ante cor ejus intraverat? Omnino fratre, ante buccellā cor Iudae intraverat, ſed affectu, & voluntate tantum: ſed poſt bucc…llā intravit Satanas effectu, & opere, tamen bona fuit buccella. Aug. ad frat. in erem. Ser. 28.Acts 5. He had filled his heart. So that Satan now was more powerfull and efficacious in him, than before, hurries and headlongs him more violently then before, brings him to a ful & ſetled reſolution to practiſe that perfidious villany in betraying his maſter. Satans entry implies a moſt ſtiffe and obdurate reſolution, without any further delay or deliberation, to goe thorow-ſtitch with this miſchievous purpoſe, and therefore, V. 30. He went out immediately. But now marke the time of Satans entry, and the time when the divell brought him to this thorow reſolution of executing his treaſon, After the Sop Satan entred into him. This Sop was the cloſe of the Sacrament of the Paſſeover, which Sacrament Iudas had received, & the ſubſtance of that Sacrament the ſame wth our Sacrament of the Supper now. Now one would have thought that Iudas not deſpiſing the ordinance but having been preſent at ſo holy and religious an exerciſe, it ſhould have Nam in Iudam poſt cōmunicationem menſae diabolus intravit, non quia contemp…erat dominicum corpus, ſed quia impudentia Iudae & malignitas mentis, ut adverſarius in eo habitaret effecit: ut diſcas quod indigna &, fucata mente myſteriorum ſecreta celebrantibus a diabolo praeparantur inſidiae, & magis ac magis aſſimilantur eis qui non aequo animo Communicate feſtinant: & haec dico, non ut vos terream, ſed ut cautiores efficiam. Nemo ſit Iudas in menſa. Chryſ. de proditione Iuda. hom. 30.beene a meanes to have weakned Satans power, and to have holpen him with power and ſtrength againſt Satan. But Iudas comming unprepared, he is ſo farre from getting ſtrength againſt Satan, that Satan gets ſtrength againſt him, and that at the very time of the Sacrament, 1 Cor. 10. 21. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord & the cup of Divels: ye cannot be partakers of the Lords Table, and of the table of Divels. But yet wicked men that are unworthy, and unprepared, becauſe they drinke the cup of the Divel, therefore when they drink the cup of the Lord, are ſo farre from receiving the Lord that they rather receive him whoſe cup they love. Becauſe ſuch delight in the table of Divels, therefore when they come to the Lords Table, Chriſt enters not after the bread, but he enters that enterd into Iudas, he in whoſe table they doe delight. And ſo an unworthy receiver makes the Table of the Lord to be to him a Table of divels, and his cuppe the cuppe of divels, becauſe that after the unworthy and unprepared receiving of the Sacrament, Sathan enters. Sacraments unpreparedly received, are ſo far from making a way for CHRIST to enter, that they doe but prepare and make a way for Sathans entrance. Satan enters when the Sacrament is unworthily received; and brings men from the Sacrament with more hardneſſe of heart, with more power and ſtrength in them to carry thē to their old and former ſins. Now it is a very fearefull thing to have Satan enter into us at the Sacrament: it is fearefull to have him enter into us at any time, in any place; but to have him enter at the Sacrament, at the Lords Table, this is far more fearefull. To riſe up from the Lords Table with greater greedineſſe, and more eagerneſſe after our luſts; to riſe from the Lords Table with more ſtrength and minde than before, to do the divell ſervice, is wondrous fearefull. And doth thine heart tremble at the thoughts of ſuch going from the Sacrament? then let thine heart tremble no leſſe at the thoughts of ſuch comming to the Sacrament, of comming unpreparedly unto it. Loth thou wouldeſt be to have Satan enter but into thine houſe, be as loth to have him enter into thine heart; eſpecially in the uſe of the Sacrament: and as thou wouldeſt be carefull to prevent N…m & Sacramentum ſicut accip…t ad vit…m …ignus, ſic ad judicium, & mo…em prop…m indignu… Sacramentum … ſine re Sacramenti, mors eſt …umen…. Res vero Sacramenti praeter Sacramentum vita ae…rna eſt accip…en…. Bern. in caen. Dom. Ser. 2.ſo great a danger, ſo diſmall a caſe; ſo look to it to come in due order, duly prepared for the Sacrament.
2 Inſtead of receiving that which might further our ſalvation, we ſhall receive Iudgement, and damnation. We come to the Sacrament to further our ſalvation, but comming unpreparedly further our damnation. 1 Cor. 11. 29. He that eates and drinkes unworthily, eates and drinkes his owne damnation. The Paſchall Lambe might not be eaten raw, Exod. 12. 9. Eate not of it raw. To teach that the Sacrament muſt not be eaten unpreparedly. He that receives unpreparedly eates the Sacrament raw, becauſe hee comes rawly and eates it rawly and unpreparedly. Now to have eaten the Paſcall Lambe raw had beene both unwholeſome, and dangerous. He that eates raw fleſh never digeſts it kindly. The eating of fleſh that hath not been ſo well prepared as it ſhould, that hath bin ſomewhat too raw, hath coſt many a man his life. As dangerous as eating of raw fleſh is to the body, ſo dangerous to the ſoule is the eating of the Sacrament rawly, and unpreparedly. It appeares by 2 Sam. 6. 6. That Vzzah put forth his hand to the Arke of God upon a good intention, to ſave the Arke from a fall when the Oxen ſtumbled, or ſhooke it. But his good intention notwithſtanding, there was an error, or a raſhneſſe in it. And for that errour, and raſhneſſe the anger of God was kindled againſt Vzzah, and for that errour and raſhneſſe God ſmote him there, and there he dyed by the Arke. What is the Arke of God to the body, and bloud of the Sonne of God? And if God puniſht him ſo ſeverely for his errour, that he raſhly layde hold on the Arke, which yet he did out of a ſodaine feare of the Arkes comming to ſome hurt and miſcarriage, and without diliberation, there being no place for deliberation in ſo ſudden a chop; if yet God was ſo ſevere againſt him, how much more are they in danger to bee ſmitten for their errour that will raſhly put forth their hand to lay hold on the body and bloud of CHRIST? Eſpecially not doing it raſhly upon any ſuddaine occaſion that puts them upon it, but having time, and liberty for deliberation, yea and doing it againſt ſo many faire warnings as they continually have? Every one that meddles with the Sacrament unpreparedly, meddles with it raſhly, and he that meddles raſhly is in danger of Gods ſtroake, of a worſe ſtroake then Vzzahs was, of a ſtroake upon the ſoule, for he that eates and drinkes unworthily, eates and drinkes his owne damnation. So ſtrangely doth our unpreparednes pervert Gods Ordinance, Ideo que alijs ſunt haec munera odor vitae in vitam, alijs odor mortis in mortem: quia omnino juſtum eſt, ut tanto p… ventur beneficio gratiae con emptores, nec in … dignis … g…atiae pu… faci… ma… nem. …. de …oen. dom.and of an Ordinance of life makes it an Ordinance unto death. That as they ſpake in that caſe, 1 Reg. 4 40. Oh thou man of God, death is in the pot: So it may bee ſayd unto an unprepared Communicant, ôh thou unworthy receiver, Death is in the cup. If thou drinke unpreparedly thou drinkeſt thine owne death. And as God ſpeakes of Ieruſalem to the enemies of it. Zech. 12. 2. Behold I will make Ieruſalem a cup of poyſon or a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, ſo may it be ſayd of the cup in the Sacrament to an unprepared receiver. Inte…j… nefarie necatus veneno per infectum panem ſacrum, Beneconventi, a Bernhardino Monacho…e familia fratrun… pradicatorum qui ad hoca Florentio… e…at conductus Carion. Chronic. lib 5.Behold I will make the cup in the Sacrament a cup of poyſon, or a cup of trembling to all unprepared Communicants.
The Emperour Henry the ſeventh was poiſoned in the bread by a Monk, and Pope Victor the ſecond was poyſond by his Subdeacon in his challice, and one of our Biſhops of Yorke was poyſond at the Sacrament, by poyſon put in the wine. Now if poyſon were mingled with the Sacramentall bread, or if poyſon were put into the cup, would not men tremble to eate that bread? would not that cup be a cup of trembling? would not the very feare and ſuſpicion of poyſon make men tremble to drinke of it? Aſſuredly if thou be an unprepared receiver there is poyſon in thy bread, in thy cup, and it will poyſon thy ſoule to death. And therefore it ſhould make men as much tremble to come unprepared, as Medicus enim non daret venenum, ſalutem medicus dedit, ſed indigne accipiendo, ad perniciem accepit. Auguſt.they would tremble to go away with their ſoules poyſoned.
If a ſonne ſhall aske bread of any of you that is a Father, will hee give him a ſtone, ſayes our Saviour? Luk. 11. 11. We profeſſe when we come to the Sacrament that wee come to ſeeke bread, and foode for our ſoules. And bread, the true living bread that came down from heaven is there to be had, but when we come unprepared, it ſo falls out with us, that in ſtead of bread we have a ſtone given us, a ſtone that will choake us. The Divell would have had our Saviour to have turned ſtones into bread, but contrarily men comming unpreparedly turne the bread in the Sacrament into a ſtone, ſo that not onelyonly no more nouriſhment by it then by a ſtone, but ſo much danger by it, as by feeding on a ſtone, which is no leſſe then death. I will, ſayes David, Pſal. 116. 13. Take the cup of ſalvation. How many in taking the cup in the Sacrament take the cup of damnation? Either take it a cup of ſalvation, or take it not at all.
3 The third danger is bodily danger. Vnprepared receiving brings bodily judgements upon men, as ſickeneſſe, weakeneſſe, yea and death it ſelfe. 1 Cor. 11. 30. For this cauſe many are weake, and ſickely amongſt you, and many ſleepe. For what cauſe? For receiving the Sacrament unworthly, and comming unpreparedly to it: yea and ſome thinke that it might be the Peſtilence that was amongſt them for that ſinne, at leaſt ſome mortality was at that time amongſt them. As for the neglect of his worſhip, and Ordinances, God falls upon men with the Peſtilence, Ex. 5. 3. So no leſſe is he provoked for the undue order of uſing his Ordinances to fall upon men either with pestilence, or other ſickneſſes. There be many when they bee ſicke will confeſſe themſelves to bee ſinners, and that it is for their ſinnes that GOD brings ſicknes upon them. Cuſtome, and faſhion teaches men at the leaſt to ſay ſo much. But if a man ſhould aske them wherein they be ſinners, or for what ſinne Gods hand is upon them, that they know not. I have dreamed a dreame, ſayes Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 2. 3. but he knew not what his dreame was. So, I have ſinned, ſayes many an one in his ſickneſſe, but yet can ſcarce tell wherein, if he were put to it. I will tell you therefore wherein you are ſinners, and for what one ſin amongſt many others God layes ſickneſſes, and that unto death upon you. For this cauſe, for your unprepared and unworthy receiving the Sacrament. For this cauſe God takes away your health, viſits you with ſore, ſharpe, long, mortall ſickneſſes. If we would judge our ſelves we ſhould not bee judged, 1 Cor. 11, 31. Becauſe men doe not by Iudging themſelves prepare themſelves before they come, therefore God doth Iudge them by puniſhing with ſickneſſe and untimely death after they come. It may be there be ſome that greatly regarde not the danger of their ſoules that yet love their healths, and lifes well enough. If Spirituall dangers will not, yet let temporall dangers make men looke about them. When God caſt Adam out of Paradiſe, he ſet an Angell with a flaming ſword to keepe him from offering to make a re-entry. If Adam would have adventured, hee had certainely gone upon his owne death. And ſo hath God ſet all his threatnings againſt unworthy receivers, as ſo many Angels with flaming ſwords, to keep off all unprepared perſons from the Sacrament. And becauſe all this notwithſtanding they will adventure to come in their unpreparednes, therefore they ſmart for it, God kills them with death for it. GODS Iudgements have beene very remarkable upon ſuch as have profaned, deſpiſed, and abuſed either the Table, or Veſſels belonging to the Sacrament, or the Elements themſelves.
For the prophaning of the Table, memorable is that divine vengeance Centuriat. Magdeb. cent. 4. ca. 3. Theod. lib. 3. ca. 11, 12.wch was upon Iulian unckle to Iulian the Apoſtata. He comming into a Church at Antiochia profaned the Lords Table by piſſing upon it in contempt, and ſmote Euzoias the Biſhop who chode him, and ſought to hinder him from ſuch horrible villany. But not long after divine Iuſtice found him out, for he dyed miſerably, being taken with a diſeaſe that rotted his bowels, ſo that his excrements came from him not by the accuſtomed paſſages of nature, but came thorow his wicked mouth, which had ſaid to Euzoias endeavouring to hinder him from that vile act, that the divine providence tooke no care at all of Chriſtians affaires.
For diſpoſing the Communion veſſels, Centuriat. Magdeb. ibid. & Theod.or ſcorning at it that ſuch pretious veſſels ſhould be uſed at the Sacrament, that Iuſtice of God is remarkable upon Felix treaſurer to Iulian the Apoſtata, and himſelfe alſo an Apoſtata, for he beholding in the ſame Church thoſe veſſels which Conſtantine, and Conſtance had given for that uſe, behold ſaith he in ſcorne, En qualibus vaſis miniſtratur Mariae filio.what veſſels the Son of Mary is miniſtred unto withall. But ſuddenly the ſtroake of God was upon him, and he periſht miſerably, bleeding day and night at the mouth.
For abuſe of the Elements: The Donatiſts that caſt the holy Sacrament to the Dogs were themſelves after devoured of Dogs. The Reverend and learned Biſhop that now is of Durham, In his learned booke of the Inſtitution of the Sacrament, li. 5. ca. 3. ſect. 5reports a ſtory upon his owne knowledge of one Sr Booth a batchelour of Arts in S. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, who being Popiſhly affectted at the time of the Commuion tooke the conſecrated bread, and forbearing to eate it, conveyed, and kept it cloſely for a time; and afterwards threw it over the Colledge wall: but a ſhort time after not induring the torment of his guilty conſcience, hee threw himſelfe headlong over the battlements of the Chappell, and ſome few hours after ended his life.
Now howſoever all theſe were ſinners in another kinde then unprepared receivers be, yet thus far theſe examples may be of uſe to our preſent purpoſe, to let us ſee that God is a Iealous God in the caſe of his Sacrament abuſed and deſpiſed, that he will be a ſwift witneſſe, and a ſevere Iudge againſt ſuch. And though unpreparedneſſe, and unworthy receiving be not a ſinne ſo foule as thoſe groſſe prophanations, yet therein there is a prophanation of GODS Name, and Ordinance, and therefore very dangerous, becauſe God will not beare nor brooke profanations of his Ordinance.
4 In the fourth and laſt place, conſider this one thing. It is a very dangerous thing not to come to the Sacrament, to neglect Gods Ordinance in an infrequent uſe thereof, or utter diſreſpect of it. Gen. 17. 14. He that neglected circumciſion was to bee cut off. And we ſee that God would have killed Moſes for neglecting his Childs circumciſion. Exod. 4. 24. And ſee that place. Numb. 9. 13. But the man that is cleane, and is not in a journey, and forbeares to keepe the Paſſeover, even the ſame ſoule ſhall be cut off from his people, becauſe he brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed ſeaſon, that man ſhall beare his ſinne. And we know the ſeverity of their puniſhment that neglected to come to that Supper of the King Matth. 22. 5, 7. They made light of it, and went their wayes, &c. But when the King heard thereof, hee was wroth, and he ſent forth his armies, and deſtroyed thoſe murtherers, and burnt up their City. Not to uſe the Sacrament, and to be without it, is all one. And to be without the Sacrament, and without CHRIST, and without God in the world, are joyned together, Epheſ. 2. 11, 12. whilſt they were called uncircumciſion, at that time they were without CHRIST, and without God in the world. And the neceſſity of the uſe of the Sacraments appeares by this, that before the Iſraelites muſt enter into Canaan, they muſt bee circumciſed, and eate the Paſſeover, Iohn 5. 7, 10. To teach that all that will enter into the heavenly Canaan muſt of neceſſity in obedience to GODS Commandement bee partakers of his Sacraments. It is therefore very dangerous to be without the Sacrament, not to come to it when God invites to it. And yet as dangerous as it is not to come to Etenim ſic vivendum eſt ut panem illum ſemper accipere valeamus, quia vae ei qui ſe alienum fecerit ab eo: Et multum vae illi qui ſpurcus et immūdus acceſſerit. Vtrobi que grande periculum. Ideo magna neceſſitas inſtat ne indigni Inveni…mur. Bern. de ordi. vitae. Non dixit, Cur accubuiſti? ſed ante accubi…um & ingreſſum eum dicit eſſe indignum. Non enim dixit, Cur accubuiſti? ſed cur intraſti? Chryſ. ad Epheſ. ho. 3.the Sacrament, yet it is no leſſe dangerous to come, if we come unpreparedly. Vnprepared comming is as dangerous as not comming. It is with this Supper in the Sacrament, as it was wth that ſupper of the Kings, Mat. 22. They that neglected to come, and abſented themſelves, they ſmarted. But v. 13. there was one that came to the Supper, and yet he ſeems to be more ſeverely puniſht then thoſe that came not. What ſhall men be puniſht for not comming, and be puniſht for comming too? Yes ſurely, if they come not as they ſhould, comming will not ſerve the turne. Marke that queſtion, v. 12. Friend how camest thou in hither? He doth not ſay, Friend how ſateſt thou down, but how cameſt thou in? Thereby implying that his ſinne was not, that ſome indiſpoſition had overtaken him in ſitting downe, but that hee did not looke to himſelfe, and prepare himſelfe before he came in. So it is in the Supper of the LORD. A man may tranſgreſſe as well in an unprepared preſence, as in a profane abſence. And hee may incurre a danger by comming, as well as by not comming. There is not a man comes to the Sacrament but GOD hath an eye upon him to take notice how he comes in, and if he come not in prepared he is like to heare of it to his ſorrow. We come to the Sacrament to enquire of God, to ſeeke his face, and to receive a gracious anſwer from him. But if we come unprepared, in ſtead of an anſwer we ſhall meete with a queſtion, Friend how camest thou in hither? Such a queſtion as will trouble us to anſwer; Such a queſtion as will gag us, that wee ſhall not have a word to ſay for our ſelves. A great many cannot endure their Miniſters ſhould queſtion it with them to prepare them the better for that holy duty, but let ſuch know that God himſelfe will queſtion them, and put them ſuch a queſtion as will ſmite them dumbe, and ſpeechleſſe: ſuch a queſtion, to which becauſe they can make no anſwer, they muſt anſwer it in another kinde, Take him, bind him hand and foot, and caſt him into utter darkneſſe, there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth.