The Right Receiving of Christ, Title page – Contents
THE RIGHT RECEIVING OF CHRIST.
OR, AN APPENDIX To the worthy COMMUNICANT, OR A Treatiſe ſhewing the due order of Receiving the SACRAMENT.
BY JER. DYKE, Late Miniſter of Epping in Eſſex.
Which was intended by the ſaid Author in his life time to be annexed to this Treatiſe of the Sacrament; as appeares in the Epiſtle.
Wherein a Chriſtian may know, whether he hath rightly received Chriſt in the Sacrament or no.
LONDON; Printed by M. Simmons for John Rothwell at the ſigne of the Sunne in Pauls Church-yard.
1645.
TO THE READER.
Chriſtian Reader;
IF wee conſider the exceeding excellency of the whole Creation, reſulting from the conjoyned and combined excellencies of the ſeverall and various ſpecies of creatures, the leaſt we can doe is to admire; and who that admires the whole, can but obſerve this one particular as moſt remarkable? what creature it was which GOD the Creator wound up the Worlds perfection with; and that was man: Man, who though in regard of time, he was made the laſt of all, yet for ſimilitude, the beſt of all, he being made after the Image of God himſelfe, for ſo was the Counſell and Decree of Heaven concerning him before he was made, and ſo alſo was the execution of that Decree when he was made. So God created man in his own Image, in the Image of God created he him. The firſt gives him all the perfections of the reſt; the ſecond a perfection far above them all: The firſt gives him the poſſeſsion and uſe of all this whole inferiour world, being then as an houſe well furniſhed by God with all other ſublunary perfections, for the entertainment of man, and to be tenanted by him: the ſecond, that gives him Dominion Gen. 1. 26.and Lordſhip over all. And both of them ſhew, that as all things elſe were created for man, ſo man for God: then which, what higher perfection could there be? and man thus made, made up the complement and perfection of the whole. Then God looking upon every thing that he had made, ſaw it not barely bonum, as before, but bonum valde, i. e. Gen. 1. 31.very good indeed: then alſo was man, in reſpect of all the other ſublunaries, as the Diamond to the Ring; not onelyonly ſhining and glorious with the beſt excellencies of the more inferiour natures, but alſo glittering and ſparkling with the radiancie of his owne, and that as enriched with the divine, of which in a greater meaſure man at the firſt was made partaker: Man then was the choiceſt plant of all that the Omnipotent hand of God had planted in that Garden of God where he was put; a right generous and Noble Vine. And had he then contented himſelfe with that perfection and tranſcendent excellency of eſtate, which the all-wiſe God had thought fit, for that preſent to conferre upon him, paying duely his rent unto him, as he was made well able to doe; and doing this homage to him, in acknowledging him to be chiefe Lord of all, as it was very fit he ſhould have done; and bringing forth that acceptable fruit unto him, which he might have done; for he had in him the ſeed thereof: then might he have ſo continued without any change or alteration of eſtate, till at the laſt be had gathered to himſelfe, and taſted the moſt delicious ſweetneſſe of the Fruit, not onelyonly of all the other Trees (which for the preſent was allowed him) but alſo of that Tree growing in the midſt of the Garden by the Tree of knowledge of good and evill, even of the Tree of Life, and Gen. 2. 9.that not in the Figure, but in the ſubſtance; which thing he was by hope to have expected and waited for, till Gods time of his tranſlation or removall from an earthly to an Heavenly Paradiſe.
But man, fooliſh man, aſpiring higher then was meet, and prepoſterouſly reaching after a condition above himſelfe, ſo at once, both fell ſhort of what he aym'd at, and of himſelfe; precipitantly falling from an higher excellency then he was any way worthy of (in regard of ſo ill managing his affaires) into a condition far below himſelfe. And ſo now againe you ſee him, who was once the beſt of all, become the very worſt of all; and him for whom once the whole Creation groaned (as labouring of imperfection till he was made) now by his ſin become a Rom. 8. 22burden which the whole Creation groaneth under: I may adde, and that no leſſe then ſuch as preſſeth under it the Creator of the Amo. 2. 13. Iſa. 43. 24.whole; yea, and by preſsing, wearieth him; him, whom once you ſaw Gods tenant to all, now you ſee diſcharged and turn'd out of all: he, who once, under God himſelfe (the chiefe Lord) had dominion over all, is now become the very drudge and ſlave of all, and not the ſlave of all the works of God alone, but which is worſt of all, the ſlave of ſin to his own depraved and accurſed worke: him, whom once you ſaw the choiſeſt plant of all Gods hand, planted by him a noble Vine, and wholly Jer. 2. 21.a right ſeed unto himſelfe, you now ſee turned into the degenerate plant of a ſtrange Vine; a Vine like that the Prophet ſpeaks of, fit for no uſe at all but for a fire. And thus his greater happineſſe before, is now become his greater miſery, the higher perfection of that condition being but the lower defection of this; and the greater excellency of the one, but the greater aggravation of the other: in as much as from the higher pinacle that wee fall (you know) by ſo much the greater the hurt and danger that doth enſue.
But is the miſery then ſo great, as that its paſt all cure and remedy? And is man, who thus had loſt himſelfe, quite loſt for ever? Yes, loſt for ever, and utterly remedileſſe in his miſery, for any thing at all that he can doe to helpe himſelfe: Yet God, not willing to loſe the Maſter-piece of all his works, and that the choiſeſt plant which his hand had planted, ſhould ſo miſcarry, then findes out a way to ſave him, who had loſt himſelfe; and to replant him, who by Satan had been ſo ſupplanted: to which purpoſe therefore, he cauſeth a root of Jeſſe to put forth, and to Iſa. 11. 10. & 53. 2.grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground; into which ſtock or good Olive Tree, man ſo degenerated, Ro. 11. 24.might be ingraffed, and ſo recover his former nobleneſſe and generoſitie: his former nobleneſſe did I ſay? nay doubtleſſe I may be bold to ſay, that as God, to the effecting of this for man, ſhewed greater wiſdome and mercy, then he before had done power and goodneſſe in making of him; ſo that it being once effected, he hath much bettered his condition, and raiſed it to an higher excellency then before; for though man in his firſt eſtate had in himſelfe a principle of life, and by that a ſeed of fruit anſwerable to his preſent condition then, yet ſo as that it was wholly in his own keeping; like to a plant that grows upon its own bottome: yet now is life ſo in himſelfe, as that it is more in another, even in Chriſt, from whom (by vertue of union with him) as from a root or fountain he receives vivificall power and vigour continually to produce all ſpirituall and living actions, and to bring forth the fruits of holineſſe unto eternall life: even as the branch that lives not of it ſelfe, but hath all lively ſap and moiſture, both unto life and fruitfulneſſe, from the root or ſtock on which it grows: and ſo is our eſtate in Chriſt the ſecond Adam, farre more ſecure and glorious then ever it could have been in the firſt: beſides herein is the excellency of man in this condition, even above the Angels themſelves, in that Chriſt by aſſuming our Nature, hath thereby advanced it above theirs, Heb. 2. 16.which he never took upon him; in which reſpect, man is now higher then thoſe glorious and celeſtiall Creatures, who at the firſt was made inferiour to them, though but a little Pſal. 8. 5.lower then they. So that look what difference there ſometimes was betwixt the firſt Temple and the ſecond; the very like may you ſee here betwixt theſe two conditions, if you compare them of man in Adam before his fall, as he was then by Creation, and of man ſince his fall, as he is now by Regeneration: Only there the former houſe did exceed in glory, and that ſo far, as the ancient men Hag. 2. 3.of the Prieſts and Levites, which had ſeene the firſt, when they alſo ſaw the Ezr. 3. 12.laſt, could not but weepe with a lowd voyce to behold the difference; but here now the latter condition exceeds the former, in ſo much that they who ſhall once live to ſee, and experimentally to know the excellency of this above that, cannot but rejoyce with exceeding joy.
And now (Chriſtian Reader) ſhould I here paſſe over in ſilence the farre more exceeding and tranſcendent excellency which is in Chriſt, (the fountaine of all that in the Saints excells in goodneſſe) I might ſeeme to obſcure what all this while I have endeavoured to cleare: for if their excellency in this renewed eſtate be not from him, then is it not ſo great an excellency as I have ſaid: But if it be derived all from him (as indeed it is) then ſhall I neither give him that honour, which is his due, by being ſilent in ſuch a caſe; nor doe thee that right I ſhould, who by beholding of his beauty, mayſt perhaps be enamoured with it, and ſo the rather be brought to fall in love with him, in whom otherwiſe thou mayſt ſee no forme nor Iſa. 53. 2.comelineſſe, nor any thing elſe that thou ſhouldſt deſire him. Tell me therefore:
Is there nothing that thou canſt behold in Chriſt more amiable and lovely, then in the world? Is it nothing that while the world is a lump of vanity and meere vacuitie, Eccleſ. 1. Col. 1. 19.yet that in him all fulneſſe dwels? fulneſſe in other things hath an attractive and invitatory vertue: the full garners drew Jacobs ſonnes downe into Aegypt; plentitude of wiſdome, the Queene of Sheba to King Salomon: and why doeſt thou covet the world, but from a delight de pleno tollere acervo, to take of a full heap? But alas! all this is emptineſſe to the fulneſſe of Chriſt, who hath tranſcendently in him, all that this world affords. One little piece of gold is fuller of worth then many of ſilver, and one little Diamond then an heap of gold, all the petty perfections ſcattered abroad in the creatures, are in him united: that great volume of excellencies ſpread up and downe through Heaven and Earth, is in him epitomiz'd: beſides that fulneſſe of Grace, of which the world hath not a dram. The world, at the fulleſt, is but an Ocean which is leſſened by loſing the leaſt drop; but Chriſt his fulneſſe, is the fulneſſe of fire, which is not one jot diminiſhed, though it gives light to a thouſand Torches. The continuall effluences of vertue out of him, and influences of the ſap of his quickning grace, into all thoſe fruit-bearing branches (though infinite in number) that draw from him, is not the leaſt evacuation at all unto him.
Is it nothing, that while the creature doth allure us from God, our own guilty conſciences, and the dreadfulneſſe of his glorious Majeſty deterre us; Chriſt onelyonly drawes us to him (who is the chiefeſt and only good,) ſo that through him alone we have acceſſe Eph. 2. 18.unto the Father? God is a Sunne, the reſplendent beames of whoſe Majeſty, ſo glorious an object, would overcharge, and even quite put out thoſe preſumptuous eyes, that ſhould dare to looke up to him, unleſſe overcaſt with the Cloud of Chriſt a Mediatour. God is a conſuming fire, and mortall were it for us mortalls, to come neere it without the interpoſed Skreene of Chriſt his Mediation. Firſt muſt wee come to the manger of Chriſts humanity, before we can have an acceſſe with boldneſſe to the Throne of divine Majeſty.
Is it nothing, that while the world, in our greateſt exigents, ſues out a divorce, and then deſerts us, yet that Chriſt is conſtant in his love, having once tyed himſelfe to us with the knot of conjugall affection, which with him is indiſſoluble? Chriſt is our huſband: And hence, how many precious priviledges enſured to us? In law uxori lis non intenditur; what then hath the law, exacting obedience unto life, to doe with Chriſtians? Againe, Mulier fulget radiis mariti: The Husband communicates all that he hath unto his Wife: and even ſuch a community of grace is there betwixt Chriſt and true beleevers; Chriſt his graces and a beleevers differing onelyonly ſecundum gradum, i. e. in reſpect of meaſure or degree; but not at all ſecundum ſpeciem, i. e. in kinde or quality, in which reſpect they are the ſame.
Beſides all which, are all the benefits of our myſticall union with Chriſt, nothing? Hence ſpirituall life: Hence conformitie Col. 3. 3. 4. Rom. 6. 5. 1 Pet. 1. 14. Phil. 2. 5. 1 Joh. 2. 6. Joh. 15. 5. Rom. 8. 35.with Chriſt our head, a triple conformity, in nature, in minde, in converſation: Hence fructification for the preſent: Hence perſeverance for the future, even to the end: Hence glorification alſo in the end; yea, and therein admiſsion of our bodies as well as ſoules into eternall glory at the laſt. And is all this to be accounted nothing?
Many, and many are the excellencies to be found in Chriſt, and to be received from him, which (beſides theſe that I have mentioned) I might inſtance in, and ſo lead thee ſtill on forward in this way, even till I ſhould, as in a maze or labyrinth, loſe both my ſelfe and thee, in the contemplation of them: But becauſe I had much rather, that thou ſhouldſt be found in Chriſt, then loſt in the contemplation of Chriſt; and becauſe my hearty deſire is for thee, that thou ſhouldſt be more a reall Chriſtian, and eſtated in him, then contemplative, and alwayes onelyonly meditating of him; as an excellent meanes therefore amongst many others, to help thee in, and guide thee to the Right Receiving of, and rooting in Chriſt, I can now forbeare no longer, to commend unto thy peruſall this following Treatiſe: Not a packe of Brachygraphicall fragments, and incoherent ſcraps, jumbled together by ſome pragmaticall pen man; but a worke (upon my certaine knowledge) perfectly finiſhed, and that purpoſely for the Preſſe, by the learned and moſt judicious Pen of my Moſt deare and late deceaſed Father, and then intended by him to have been annexed, as an Appendix to that laſt worke of his, which himſelfe publiſhed before his death, entituled, A worthy Communicant, Or a Treatiſe ſhewing the due order of receiving the Sacrament, &c. and this a Treatiſe, intituled, The Right Receiving of, and Rooting in Chriſt; the very Title which he himſelfe did put upon it while he lived. Which fore-named Treatiſe (Chriſtian Reader) with all his Former Works by himſelfe publiſhed (that gracious acceptance which they ever found from thee, and the duty and honour I ſtill doe, and ſhall ever owe to him) made me thus farre to deny my ſelfe, as to adventure (though but a bungler at it) to afford my obſtretricatory aſsiſtance to this Poſthumus Infant, rather then it ſhould alwayes lye gaſping in the Preſſe, ready to periſh for want of helpe.
To ſpeak any thing in the commendations of this Work, its own mouth denyes me; and is the rather needleſſe, in that I have now ſo farre aſſur'd thee of its Author, who himſelfe had thus finiſht it for thy uſe, as thou now receiv'ſt it.
To ſpeak much of the Author, modeſty and my neere relation to him, will not admit of; and to ſay nothing of him, duty forbids me: With the leave of modeſty then will I ſpeake thus much onelyonly and no more; and if any ſhall thinke I ſay too much, I will leave it to duty to excuſe me. For his Fidelity and Impartiality in the Work of his Miniſtery, who knew him, and knowes not, that the Sword of the Spirit was in his hands, a two-edged Sword, which cut every way? not like Sauls, that cut off the leane and worſt of the people and cattell, and ſpared Agag and the fatteſt cattell; but like the Pſalmiſts Sword, which ſpared none. Yet ſo, as that alwayes mens ſinnes, not their perſons, were the objects of his hotteſt thunder-bolts.
I will here paſſe by his rare accompliſhments with all Miniſteriall abilities, as better knowne, then that I need to mention them. Alii pleni, & non loquuntur, hi non pleni, loquuntur: Alii multiſcii, & muti; hi ignari, & ſonori. How he was every way free from both theſe Miniſteriall defects, thou who know'ſt him not in the Pulpit, reade him in the Preſſe, and judge.
For his indefatigabilitie in his labours, and all for other mens eternall profit, more then his own private and worldly benefit, he was one of Saint Chryſoſtoms Bees, Glorioſiſſimum animal, not becauſe it labours, but becauſe its labour is to others profitable.
And for his inoffenſive life, who knowes not that he was none of thoſe ſlimy Lizards, who wipe out the wholeſome Print of their Doctrine, with the filthy tayle of their ſcandalous practiſes.
But here now, though Modeſty did not, yet the Father would take me off, who tells me, now God hath taken the Arke of his bleſſed ſoule out of the moveable earthly Tabernacle of his body, and placed it in the fixed Temple of celeſtiall bliſſe, Imitationem quaerit, Auguſt.non laudes, that my beſt commendation will be imitation. While he lived, God honoured him to be one of Gideons Souldiers, who carried both a Trumpet and a Lampe; the Trumpet of his Miniſtery he let fall, and the light of his practiſe wee all loſt when God cracked aſunder his earthen Pitcher. The greateſt honour I can now doe him, is not to Trumpet forth his praiſes, and make a blaze with his commendations; but to take up both the Trumpet and Lampe which he laid downe, in an holy imitation of him, both in ſoundneſſe of Doctrine, and piety of practiſe: and in this caſe I am ſure, what duty commands me, that Modeſty will not forbid.
And thus, that God would not onelyonly beſtow the mantle, but double the ſpirit of this deceaſed Eliah, upon his ſurviving poſteritie, be it thy daily Petition at the Throne of Grace; and to requite thee, that God would redouble a bleſsing of his ſervants Labours upon thy pious endeavours, ſhall be the humble Supplication of
The Churches devoted Servant,
JER. DYKE.
❧ The Contents.
CHAP. I. It is the dutie of every one that will be a Chriſtian, to receive Chriſt. fol. 6.
CHAP. II. Ignorance of the worth of Chriſt, keepes men from receiving him. 9.
CHAP. III. The great benefit that comes by the receiving of Chriſt. 13.
CHAP. IIII. The great danger of not Receiving Chriſt. 26
CHAP. V. Hindrances to be removed by ſuch as would Receive Chriſt. 32
CHAP. VI. The love of our luſts, a hindrance from receiving Chriſt. 37
CHAP. VII. Falſe and groundleſs feares, a hindrance to the receiving of Chriſt. 41
CHAP. VIII. The Poſitive Duty which muſt be performed of all that will receive Chriſt. 46
CHAP. IX. How to know whether wee have received Chriſt aright. 62
CHAP. X. Whoſoever they are that have indeed received Chriſt, they doe walke in him. 75
CHAP. XI. Trialls of Mens Receiving of Chriſt. 80
CHAP. XII. It is a Chriſtians Dutie to walke in Chriſt. 84
CHAP. XIII. It is not enough for a Chriſtian to profeſſe, and beare the Name of Chriſt, but he muſt be Rooted in him. 89
CHAP. XIIII. What is to be done that wee may get our ſelves to be Rooted in Chriſt. 104
CHAP. XV. How to know whether wee be Rooted in Chriſt, or not. 115