A preparatiue for the new Passeouer very profitable to be perused and read of all those who are called to the holy table of our Lord / by Maister William Cowper ...

The Principall pointes of Doctrine, contained in this Treatise.

WHat a feruent desire christians haue to be vnited with Christ.

s••ct. 1

Death is desired by them in so farre as it is a meane of this Vnion.

1

Inexcusable then are they who neglect this holy sacrament.

sect. 2

How shall it be thought they will suffer with him on mount Caluarie, who refuse to banquet with him in his Parlour.

2

Penitent sinners should waite for this Table with such affection, as these sicke persons waited on the wate rs of Bethesda.

sect. 3

At Siloam poole, onely he was healed, who first stepped downe, not so at Shiloh his Table.

3

Yet there is great danger in comming without preparation.

sect. 4.

Two parts of the precept, fi••st that we trie, se∣condly that wee eate, last part fi••st handled, and why.

sect. 5

We are bound by the Lords commaund to com∣municate.

sect. 6

But an apostate man will eate where God for∣bids him, and will not eate where God commands him.

sect. 7

Beleeuing the Seducer and not the sauiour.

7

Ignorance is the mother of all recusancie to com∣municate.

sect. 8

Some refuse, because they know not the excellen∣cie of this Sacrament.

sect. 9

These are foolish like Naaman, reckoning the Riuers of Damascus better then the waters of Is∣raell.

9

Worldlings refuse not a good gift, although giuen by small meanes.

sect. 10

Farre lesse should Christians refuse this heauen∣ly gift, because it is propined by earthly meanes.

10

The lesse we see in this Table, the more we are bound to beleeue.

sect. 10

Others refuse vpon pretended reasons,

sect. 11

Their reasons refuted: first if it bee want of prepa∣ration, the fault is their owne.

11

Secondly if it be variance with their neighbour, they excuse one sinne by an other.

11

Better excuses thē these reiected by christ.

sect 12

They who excuse their recusancie, because of vari∣ance, are yet further conuinced.

sect. 13

In effect they preferre Barrabas to christ,

sect. 14

who wil rather renounce their communion with christ, then renounce their wicked will.

14

They consent not to the marriage of the Lambe who refuse the smallest token of his loue.

14

They loue not christ, who refuse to communi∣cate:

sect. 15.

Ignorance of both the sortes of Recusants disco∣uered.

They refuse to eate of that bread which christ calleth his body.

16

In this sacrament are thinges of sundrie kindes, which must be distinguished.

sect. 17

Yet are they so to be distinguished, that we destroy not their Vnion.

sect. 18

Three rules to bee obserued in the right dis∣cerning of the Lords bodie.

sect. 19

First rule is, that euerie thing in this sacrament be taken vp in the owne kinde.

sect. 20

Against this rule faile Papists; and how.

20

Against it faile also bastard professors;

sect. 21

Not considering that here the bread and wine are changed.

21

The second rule is, that this sacrament be vsed ac∣cording to Christes institution.

sect. 22

Papists faile against this rule also.

22

Sacrilegiouslie they abstract the vse of the cup from the people.

sect. 23

The Pope and Councell contrarie.

23

The third rule is, that this sacrament be vsed to the right endes.

sect. 24

The first ende of this sacrament, is a thankefull commemoration of Christes death.

sect. 24

Error of Concomitance disprooued.

sect. 25

Concomitance destroyeth the first ende of this sacrament.

25

The second end of this sacrament, is the commu∣nication of Christ, to them who are his.

sect. 26

In this sacrament, christ is truely exhibited & gi∣uen.

sect. 27

Yet is not he receiued of euerie one, who recei∣ueth the bread.

sect. 28

For there is a d••fference betweene exhibition and acceptation.

28

The wicked eat not Christ in the sacrament.

28

Conclusion of the first part of the praecept is, they refuse a greate gift, who refuse to communicate.

sect. 29

The second part of the precept commaundes try∣all before communion.

sect. 30

For the Lord will not that this table bee a snare to vs, as was Absaloms to Ammon.

30

Yet many so make it, not considering who they are themselues.

sect. 31

Banquetters at this Table s••ould bee holy per∣sons.

sect 32

Vnreuerent handling of holy thinges, hath ne∣uer beene left vnpunished.

32

Neither will the Lord shew vs his presence with∣out our preparation.

32

Excellencie of this sacrament.

sect. 33

An exhortation to come vnto it with reuerence.

sect. 34

That we putnot new wine into olde vessels.

34

Comfort for the tender conscience, caste downe with the sight of sinne after tryall.

sect. 35

Two sorts of tryal, one of things perfect, another of thinges imperfect.

35

The tryall here commaunded is a searching out of our imperfections.

35

And therefore should wee not be discouraged, al∣though after tryall wee finde them to bee many

sect. 36.

This comfort confirmed by consideri••g those who were bidden to the banquet:

sect. 37

Banquetters there, were the poore, the maymed,

the hault and the blinde·

37

This tryall is not that dayly and ordinarie tryall required in all our actions.

sect. 38

Dayly tryall moste necessarie.

38

Miserable is their state, who liue without daylye tryall, they die like Achitophel, putting their house in order, not their soule in order.

sect. 39

But a singuler and extraordinarie tryall is requi∣red before communion.

sect: 40

Euerie new sight of our selfe discouereth a newe corruption.

40

What a l••borious worke is inioyned to man, when he is commaunded to trye himselfe.

sect. 41

Man being well tryed, shall appeare a new found world of wickednes.

sect. 42

Foure bands of cogitations, which oppresse the minde.

42

Two thinges necessarie for this tryall.

sect. 43

First the spirit of God.

43

Next the word of God.

sect. 44

For euerie i••perfect thing must be tryed by an o∣ther then it selfe.

44

Many trie themselues by wrong rules, and are deceaued.

44

How we may profit by comparing our selues with others.

sect, 45

It is not enough that Pastors and Elders t••y vs, we must trie our selues.

sect 46

For others cannot know whether thou come to the Table as a Iohn, or as a Iudas.

46

Let euerie man therfore aske for himselfe, is it I Lord▪

46

We shold trie our selues & not other men.

sect. 47

This reprooueth them, who before communion

tryeth faults done to them, more then sinnes done by them.

47

But it taketh not away brotherlie admonition,

s. 48

The chiefe pointes of preparation before com∣munion, are two.

sect. 49

First that we lay aside our olde sinnes.

49

Otherwaies no communion with the Lord.

49

How Esther was purified, ereshe was presented to Ahasuerus.

49

Without diuorcementfrom our olde sinnes, no mariage with the Lambe.

sect. 50

Not a generall confession, but a particular in∣quisition should be made of our sinnes.

sect 51

The second point ofpreparation is, that wee put on the new christian disposition, consisting in these three;

sect. 52

First that toward God we be holy, and heauenly minded.

sect. 53

So that we become wearie of our earthlye pilgri∣mage;

53

And neuer rest til we return to the Lord,

sect. 54

For our soules cannot rest but in him.

54

Two thinges profitable to helpe vs to this hea∣uenly disposition.

sect. 55

Consideration of the place wherin this Sacramēt was instituted.

55

Consideration of the time.

55

The time warneth vs to celebrate this supper like a Passeouer.

55

But moste of all, the meditation of the loue of God is profitable to worke in vs this heauenly dis∣position.

sect. 56

It is not a light Meditation of this loue, that wil raise vp our heartes.

56

Neuer such loue shewed in the world, as Christ Iesus hath shewed vnto vs.

sect. 57

Stronger then the loue of Ionathan to Dauid.

57

Or the loue of any mother to her children.

57

A proofe of Christ his wonderfull loue towards vs.

sect. 58

Christ on the crosse prepared as a food in the sacrament, is exhibited vnto vs.

58

What a notable comfort we haue here, that this banket begun on earth, shalbe fulfilled in heauen

sect. 59

Worldlings if they were touched with a sence of this loue would forsake all & follow christ.

sect. 60

Sinfull women would change their life like Ma∣rie Magdalen.

60

And sinfull men would change their life like Mathew the publican.

60

The second part of our new christian disposition, is that toward our neighbors we be louing.

sect. 61

Without loue we cannot be of the communion of saints.

61

By what effects is our loue to be tried.

sect. 62

Readinesse to forgiue a rare vertue.

62

Christians liue now like Iewes and Samaritans ofolde.

62

As men are mortall, so should their anger be.

62

Readinesse to doe good vnto others is as rare a vertue.

sect. 63

Professors now liue like the sonnes of Anak, churlish Na••all, or the rich Glutton.

63

The third point of our new Christian disposition is, that webe sober & litle in our own eies.

sect. 64

With Mephibosheth, Iacob, the Centurion, the wo∣man of Canaan, and Elizabeth.

64

How necessarie our humiliation is, for our vnion with God.

64

With this inward humili••ie, we should also, haue an hungring for the Lords saluation,

sect, 65

For the Lord will fill the hungrie,

65

None meete banquetters heere, who are not hungrie:

66

The comfortable fruit arising to them, who after prescribed preparation communicate at this holy table:

66