376 AN HOMILY OF THE WORTHY RECEIVING AND REVERENT ES may THE great love of our Saviour Christ towards mankind, good Christian people, doth not only appear in that dear bought benefit of our redemption and salvation by his death and passion, but also in that he so kindly provided that the same most merciful work might be had in continual remembrance, to take some place in us, and not be frustrate of his end and purpose. For, as tender parents are not content to procure for their children costly possessions and livelihood, but take order that the same be conserved and come to their use; so our Lord and Saviour thought it not sufficient to purchase for us his Father's favour again (which is that deep fountain of all goodness), and eternal life, but also invented the ways most wisely whereby they might redound to our commodity and profit. Amongst the which means is the! public celebration of the memory of his precious death at the Lord's table: which although it seem⠀ of small virtue to some, yet, being rightly done by the faithful, it doth not only help their weakness, who be by their poisoned nature readier to remem ber injuries than benefits, but strengtheneth and comforteth their inward man with peace and glad. ness, and maketh them thankful to their Redeemer H 14-27. 28: 1 Cor. xi. 23-26. with diligent care of godly conversation. And, as of old time God decreed his wondrous benefits of Exod. xii. the deliverance of his people to be kept in memory by the eating of the passover with his rites and ceremonies, so our loving Saviour hath ordained Matt.xxvi 26and established the remembrance of his great mercy expressed in his passion in the institution. of his heavenly Supper: where every one of us must be guests and not gazers, eaters and not lookers, feeding ourselves and not hiring other to feed for us; that we may live by our own meat, and not perish for hunger while others devour all. To this his commandment forceth us, saying, Do Luke xxii. 19, ye thus, Drink ye all of this. To this his promise enticeth us: This is my body, which is given for you; 1 Cor. xi. 24, blood, which is shed for you. 20. 25: Matt. xxvi. 27. This is my So then, as of necessity we must be ourselves partakers of this table, and not beholders of other, so we must address ourselves to frequent the same in reverent and due manner; lest, as physic provided for the body, being misused, more hurteth than profiteth, so this comfortable medicine of the soul, undecently received, tend to our greater harm and sorrow. As St. Paul saith: He that eateth Cor. xi. 29. and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh his en damnation. Wherefore, that it be not said to us, as it was to the guest of that great supper, Friend, how camest thou in not having the marriage Matt. xxii.12. garment? and that we may fruitfully use St. Paul's counsel, Let a man prove himself, and so eat of that Cor. xi, 28, bread and drink of that cup, we must certainly know that three things be requisite in him which would seemly, as becometh such high mysteries, resort to the Lord's table: that is, a right and a worthy estimation and understanding of this mystery; secondly, to come in a sure faith; and thirdly, to have newness or pureness of life to succeed the receiving of the same. But, before all other things, this we must be sure of specially, that this Supper be in such wise done and ministered as our Lord and Saviour did that it and commanded to be done, as his holy Apostles used it, and the good fathers in the primitive Church frequented it. For, as that worthy man. St. Ambrose saith, "he is unworthy the Lord that otherways doth celebrate that mystery than it was Je fone delivered by him; neither can he be devout that مامسين Die otherways doth presume than it was given by the Author." We must then take heed, lest, of the memory, it be made a sacrifice; lest, of a communion, it be made a private eating; lest, of two parts, we have but one; lest, applying it for the dead, we lose the fruit that be alive. Let us rather in these matters follow the advice of Cyprian in the like cases; that is, cleave fast to the first beginning; hold fast the Lord's tradition; do that in the Lord's commemoration which he himself did, he himself commanded, and his Apostles confirmed. This caution or foresight if we use, then may we see to those things that be requisite in the worthy receiver; whereof this was the first, that we have a right understanding of the thing itself. As concerning which thing, this we may assuredly persuade ourselves, that the ignorant man can neither worthily esteem nor effectually use those marvellous graces and benefits offered and exhibited in that Supper, but either will lightly regard them to no small offence, or utterly con temn them to his utter destruction; so that by his negligence he deserveth the plagues of God to fall upon him, and by contempt he deserveth everlasting perdition. To avoid then these harms, use the advice of the Wise Man, who willeth thee, Prov. xii. 1. when thou sittest at an earthly king's table, to take diligent heed what things are set before thee. So now much more, at the King of kings' table, thou must carefully search and know what dainties are provided for thy soul: whither thou art come, not to feed thy senses and belly to corruption, but thy inward man to immortality and life; not to con sider the earthly creatures which thou seest, but the heavenly graces which thy faith beholdeth. "For this table is not," saith Chrysostom, "for chattering jays, but for eagles," who flee "thither, Matt.xxiv. 28. where the dead body lieth." And, if this advertisement of man cannot persuade us to resort to the Lord's table with understanding, see the counsel of God in the like matter, who charged his people Exod. xii. to teach their posterity, not only the rites and 26, 27; xiii. 8. ceremonies of his Passover, but the cause and end thereof: whence we may learn, that both more perfect knowledge is required at this time at our hands, and that the ignorant cannot with fruit and profit exercise himself in the Lord's Sacraments. But to come nigher to the matter: St. Paul, blaming the Corinthians for the profaning of the Lord's Supper, concludeth that ignorance both of the thing itself and the signification thereof was the cause of their abuse; for they came thither unreverently, not discerning the Lord's body. Ought 1 Cor. xi. 29. not we then, by the monition of the Wise Man, by the wisdom of God, by the fearful example of the Corinthians, to take advised heed, that we thrust not ourselves to this table with rude and unreverent ignorance, the smart whereof Christ's Church hath rued and lamented these many days and years? For what hath been the cause of the ruin of God's religion, but the ignorance hereof? What hath been the cause of this gross idolatry, but the ignorance hereof? What hath been the cause of this mummish massing, but the ignorance hereof? Yea, what hath been, and what is at this day, the cause of this want of love and charity, but the ignorance hereof? Let us therefore so travail to understand the Lord's Supper, that we be no cause of the decay of God's worship, of no idolatry, of no dumb massing, of no hate and malice: so may we the boldlier have access thither to our comfort. Neither need we to think that such exact knowledge is required of every man, that he be able to discuss all high points in the doctrine thereof. I the substances of Christi Dimity and one abeent. But thus much he must be sure to hold, that in the Supper of the Lord there is no vain ceremony, no bare sign, no untrue figure of a thing absent, Matt. xxvi. but, as the Scripture saith, the table of the Lord, 26, 27: 1 Cor. the bread and cup of the Lord, the memory of Christ, i. 24, 26, 27. the annunciation of his death, yea, the communion of the body and blood of the Lord in a marvellous in x. 16, 21; corporation, which by the operation of the Holy Ghost, the very bond of our conjunction with Iren. Lib. iv. Christ, is through faith wrought in the souls of cap. 34. the faithful, whereby not only their souls live to eternal life, but they surely trust to win to their bodies a resurrection to immortality. The true understanding of this fruition and union, which is betwixt the body and the head, betwixt the true believers and Christ, the ancient catholic fathers both perceiving themselves, and commending to their people, were not afraid to call this Supper, Ignat. Epist. some of them, "the salve of immortality, a sove ad Ehes. Pecc. in Spir. reign preservative against death;" other, "a deifical communion;" other, "the sweet dainties of our Saviour;" "the pledge of eternal health, the defence of faith, the hope of the resurrection;" other, "the food of immortality," "the healthful grace," and "the conservatory to everlasting life." All which sayings, both of the holy Scripture and godly men, truly attributed to this celestial banquet and feast, if we would often call to mind, O how would they inflame our hearts to desire the parti cipation of these mysteries, and oftentimes to covet after this bread, continually to thirst for this food; not as specially regarding the terrene and earthly creatures which remain, but always holding fast Deut. xxxii. and cleaving by faith to the Rock whence we may 4. 13, 15: 1 Cor. x. 4. suck the sweetness of everlasting salvation. And, to be brief, thus much more the faithful see, hear, and know, the favourable mercies of God sealed, the satisfaction by Christ towards us confirmed, the remission of sin stablished. Here they may feel wrought the tranquillity of conscience, the increase of faith, the strengthening of hope, the |