man was made consisted chiefly in Knowledge holinesse and righteousnesse God made man righteous x Eccl. 7. 31. This all must know The second generall Mans fall Knowledge to bee examined concerning man is of mans fall This must be knowne that all men are Principle wholy corrupted with sin through Adams fall there is none righteous no not one y Rom. 2. 10. Every imagination of the thought of his heart evill a Gen. 6. 5 Now this came by the fall of Adam by one man sinne entred into the World b Rom. 5. 12. Adams sinne was the cause by it wee are all defiled and deprived of the glory of God And the Knowledge of this will make us First Take heede to the fountaines of all apostacy Secondly Looke unto our selves and make conscience even of lesser sins wee see what the eating of an apple did Thirdly To get our armour and make all the provision wee can against the Divell for hee it is that thirsteth after mans ruine Fourthly It will teach us humiliation for eternall shame lies upon our nature by this vile offence both in respect of our losse and the fearfull displeasure of God The End of the Third SERMON The Fourth SERMON 1 Corinthians 11. CHAP. 28. VERS Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that Bread and drinke of that Cup. WEE have heard what it is that every man must examine himselfe of that would come worthily to the Table of the Lord he must examine his Knowledge his Faith Repentance Obedience Love the Knowledge to bee examined was either First Generall or Secondly Speciall The generall Knowledge Concerning 1. God 2. Our selves 3. The Covenant of Grace Our Knowledge concerning God to bee examined was concerning First His essence Secondly His Workes Our Knowledge concerning our selves was concerning First Our first estate Innocency Secondly Our fall Thirdly The Curse of God due unto us by reason of the fall The two former of these we have finished it remaines that wee speake of the latter the Curse of God due by reason of it Gods Curse Now the Curse is threefold First Gods Curse in this life Secondly Gods Curse in the end of this life Thirdly Gods Curse for ever after this life is ended First what Gods Curse Gods Curse in this life is in this life Now this Curse is a Curse extending First To mans soule Secondly To mans body Thirdly to mans goods Fourthly To mans good name Soules Curse The Curse of God to mans Soule is madnesse blindnesse hardnesse a Deut. 28 65. Bodies Curse The Curse of God to the Body is weakenesse diseases aches paines b Deut. 28 21. 22 27. Curse to goods The Curse of God to the goods is losses and hinderances c Deut. 18. 16 17. Curse to good name The Curse to the good name it is discredit The second is what the Gods curse in the end of this life Curse is in the end of this life Which is nothing but death the separation of the Soule from the Body The last is Gods Curse due Gods Curse after this life is ended to man after this life is ended And this is eternall death in Hell where he shall alwayes bee dying and never dead seeke hee shall death as a benefit and never shall finde it This is fearefull and lamentable if we doe but examine our Knowledge concerning three things First the degrees of it Secondly The place of it Thirdly The continuance of it First the degrees of Gods The degrees of Gods curse in Hell Curse after this life is ended First the damned they have no communion with God nor participation in any of the blessings of God They shall be punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power d 2 Thess 1. 9. Secondly They have Union with the Divell with whom they have an eternall fearfull fellowship He shall say to them on his left hand goe ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divell and his Angells e Math 25. 41. Thirdly Their bodies shall suffer unexpressible torments which are expressed by their lying in fire and brimstone f Isa 30. 3. 16 Luc. 23 Fourthly They are inwardly affected with incredible horrour and torment of conscience arising from the sense of Gods anger for their sinnes g Rom. 2. 9. 10. The second is concerning The place of it the place where this shall be The place is fearefull a place that in Scripture hath divers names to intimate the horrour of it as Hell the great Pit bottomlesse gulfe prison darknesse utter darknesse and many other terrible titles h Mat. 22. 13. Thirdly concerning the Rev. 20. 1. The continuance of Gods curse in Hell continuance of it Know we must that the torments of the damned in Hell are everlasting the damned must goe into everlasting fire i Rev. 14. 11. The Knowledge of Gods Curse due to us will bring us First To a Knowledge of the danger wee are in by reason of sinne danger in life danger in death danger after death if wee did know this as we ought we would not be so angry when the Minister shewes the danger wee would not rage so when the curses are applyed to us wee would not bee like the Horse and Mule which have no understanding Secondly The Knowledge of this would bring us to righteous living these will draw us to repentance and seeing that we are so undone by the first Adam wee will hast to seeke release from this misery by the second Adam for there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ k Rom 8. 1 Thirdly This will compel us to a carefull practice of duties especially of sixe First Of admiration to Admiration admire the exceeding riches of the tender kindnesse and mercy of God and the great love wherewith hee hath loved us that hath forgiven us so great a debt and freed us from such unspeakable confusion Secondly Of Looking Loooking upon the Lord JESVS who hath done all for us payd our debts and suffered the uttermost in our roomes who was wounded l Isa 53 3. 5. Thirdly Of warning that we are warned to sin Warning no more wee will bee watching that we be not deceived through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Pitying Fourthly Of pitying with all compassion to pity those with whom wee converse that yet live in sinne labouring to the uttermost of our power to draw them out of this fire Fiftly Of enduring and Enduring that of all sorts of afflictions knowing that the Lord if it pleased him might lay greater upon us Sixtly Of remembring Remembring of our miseries and to love the Lord alwayes and rejoyce in him Thus much for the knowledge concerning God and concerning our selves the last generall Knowledge to be examined is concerning the Covenant of Covenant of grace grace wherein God hath
first he be a lover of the truth Wee must love one another not for their riches honours greatnesse but for themselves their good must be sought not their goods we must not love one another as Dogges doe bones for the flesh that is on them or as men doe Trees for their fruite but wee must love them for themselves for this that they are men but especially for that they are vertuous and good men Lastly the Receivers love Constant love must be constant With some friends are like flowers no longer regarded then whiles they are fresh Many mens love is like the harlots love who love while there is lucre and when gifts goe hence their love goes hence they are like the puttocks in the fable that followed the old Wife bearing meate to the market but forsooke her homeward when her meate were sold En ego non paucis quondam munitus amicis A man shall bee loved in prosperity but in adversity as Rats forsake an house when it is ready to fall so his lovers and his friends will forsake him Thus our love should bee holy just true constant this is true Christian love wherein men should keepe themselves this is like unto the Sunne unto the World a Candle unto the house a light for our journey a line for our life and a rule for our reprehensions Si diligis fac quicquid vis if thou beest in love doe what thou wilt speake or be silent exhort or rebuke call or cry so it be in love all is well Beloved much is gotten by love there is much comfort in love I love is the fulfilling of the Law Love is the fulfilling of the Law First Reductive Secondly Effective Thirdly Formaliter First Reductive Because love is the fulfiling of all the Commandements Secondly Effective For hee that loves the Love is beneficiall Lord is ready alwayes to obey him Thirdly Formaliter For all actions should be referred to the glory of God As the benefit is great The estate of those that love not miserable where there is love so the misery of such as love not is great also First They are children of darkenesse and all under the bondage of the first death and in danger of the second Secondly They can never enter into the Kingdome of Heaven every one can say a murtherer shall not bee saved now the Lord hates a man that loves not his brother as a murtherer and the Apostle saith that no murtherer hath eternall life abiding in him h 1 John 3 15. I will conclude with the saying of S. Peter the end of all things is at hand be sober therefore and watch unto Prayer this is good but not sufficient and above all things saith he have fervent charity for charity shall cover a multitude of sinnes i 1 Pet. 4. 7 8. It is love that hides the blemishes of our sinnefull nature and the same Apostle cals upon us to give all diligence to adde to our Faith vertue and to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance to temperance patience and to patience brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse charity k Pet 2. 1. 5 6 7 8 9. And the reason is given because if this be in us we shall not be barren and unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord JESVS CHRIST but he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see farre of and hath forgotten that hee was purged from his old sinnes l 2 Pet 1. 9 Wee have finished the first conclusion that whosoever would receive worthily must examine narrowly Come we to the second That the selfe examiner must bee a receaver Let The examiner must be a Receiver him eate of that Bread and drinke of that Cup. Doe this saith our Saviour m 1 Cor. 11 24. So that it is not left indifferent for a man to come or not to come but commanded I if that wee looke but into the Booke of God wee shall finde that such as were bidden to the Wedding and would not come made light of it were destroyed as well as hee that came without his Wedding garment n Mat. 22. 4. to 13. O that we would consider First Who it is that calls cries It is the Lord by the mouth of the Minister he it is that bids his guests shall he cry come and shall we not come shall hee call and shall not we answer he it is that bids and shall wee make excuses send his Messingers to prepare and shall not we come where all things are prepared Secondly Consider that besides calling bidding sending he offers himselfe and what a fearefull thing is this to contemne this blessed Sacrament When Moses called Dathan and Abiram to come up to the Lord they answered presumptuously we will not come o Num. 16. 12. When the King in the Gospell had invited many and sent his servants at supper time to say to them that were bidden come for all things are now ready they all with one consent beganne to make excuse p Luke 14. 16 17. 18. Beloved doth not the Lord call us as Moses Dathan and Abiram to come up and doe wee not as they did say wee will not this wee not only say but doe Doth he not invite us I the Table is covered the supper is ready yet how doe wee slight it Many will come but it is to looke on not receave what is this Beloved but to have the Minister of CHRIST in derision our Saviour did not say let a man examine himselfe and stay at home or examine himselfe and looke on but let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that Bread and drinke of that Cup. With what face then with what countenance or conscience can these come to the house and Table of God But it may be objected Ob. 1. That often receiving Of enreceaving no more then needes is more then needs Res Those that make this objection shew to the World what spirit they are of for besides the Word of God requiring of us often to receive have wee not our owne wantes crying out unto us I and that aloud that wee have neede to come and surely if ever any of these had tasted of any sweetnesse at the Table of God they would never have objected so absurdly or argued I have often received therefore neede to receave no more but rather I have often receaved therefore will receave againe There is almost none so absurd as to say I have been often at the Church therefore I will bee seene there no more I will heare no more because I have heard a little but as he that knoweth what it is to heare will heare often so hee that knowes what it is to receave the blessed Sacrament will not content himselfe with receaving but will receave often Ob. 1. It may in the second Often receiving without profit a signe we are not good place be objected we have often come and received but wee profit
know the estate of the flocks and will looke well to the heards p Prov. 27. 23. a wise Christian will bee as diligent to finde out the estate of his soule hee will search and try his wayes q Lament 3. 40. Wee may reade how that a stranger to the common-wealth of Israell might not eate of the holy things in the time of the Law r Lev. 22. 10. and surely a stranger to the life of grace ought not to taste of the holy things in the Sacrament in the time of the Gospell The Lord was strict concerning them who were to appeare before him at Mount Sinai in so much that if the beast did but touch the Mountaine hee must be stoned to death Å¿ Exod. 19. 13. If the Lord was thus strict concerning those O what shall become of those who dare approach into Christs presence and come to his Table with beastly affections shall not the y be lyable to judgment if the Chamber was trimmed wherein the Passe-over was celebrated and the Supper instituted t Mark 14 15. how should the Chambers of our Soules bee cleansed from prophanesse and adorned with grace The Disciples feet were washed before they did eat and shall not our hearts If the Lord did thus expostulate with a wicked man for taking his Word into his mouth saying What hast thou to doe to take my Word into thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed u Psal 50. 16. will hee not be angry with those who take his body and blood into their polluted mouthes 3. Good reason there is why we must examine Reasons for examination our selves before wee come First because we are R. 1 so carefull to prepare our selves to come to the table of great men here on Earth w Pro 23. 1. more carefull ought we to bee of coming unto the Table of the Lord. Secondly because God R. 2 will examine us if we will not examine our selves He that came without his wedding garment was examined how he came x Math. 22 11 12. he saith not as S. Crysost well observed how satest thou downe but howcommest thou so that it must bee looked unto before-hand according to that of Solomon looke to thy foote when thou entrest into the House of the Lord y Eccle. 5. 1. Thirdly because the curse R. 3 of God shal be to those that doe his Worke negligently Now to come unpreparedly is to doe his Work negligently therefore dangerous Fourthly because R. 4 the Lord hath commanded us to examine our selvs it is the Apostles charge from the Lord let a man examine himselfe a Cor. 11. 18. O thae there were in us such harts to feare God and doe what he commandeth then should it bee well with us and with ours for ever b Deut 5. 29. Fifthly if wee come without examination we come unworthily and so are Guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord IESVS c 1 Cor. 11 27. To bee guilty of death or the shedding of the blood of an innocent man is a greivous sinne therefore David when hee had killed Vriah prayed deliver mee from blood-guiltinesse O Lord d Psal 51. 14. O then what is it to bee guilty of the Blood of the Sonne of God Sixtly because whosoever come without examination Eate and drinke damnation to themselves not discerning the Lords Body e 1 Cor. 11 29. Now it is a fearefull thing to be damned to have no communion with God no participation in any of the blessings of God f 2 Thess 1. 9. Now for application If it be so that whosoever would come worthily must come preparedly then conclude wee may that the estate of many is lamentable and their condition miserable many adventure to come without preparation and what is this but to eate condemnation to themselves That all men are bound to know the Word of God and to bee skillfull in the Scriptures that therby they may bee made able to try their hearts and to examine themselves g Ioh 5 29 especially there is required of us knowledge in the doctrine of the Law not onely to be able like children to rehearse the words but to know the end and meaning of them h Rom. 3. 20. That many are debarred Vse 4 from comming to the Table Who are debarred from the Table of the Lord. of the Lord. 1. Children Infants who understand not what the Spirit speaketh what God the Father offereth what the Son performeth what Faith receiveth what it is to eate spiritually and to be nourished by him effectually 2. All Naturalls and mad men so continuing 3. All such as are come to yeares and have the common use of naturall gifts yet if they neither have the knowledg of God nor of themselves nor the knowledge of the doctrine of the Sacrament these are not to be admitted 4. All such as have knowledge yet if they remaine prophane ungodly and malicious such are not to bee admitted untill exhorted and perswaded to amendment 5. All such are excluded who are without God in the world all Atheists Infidels Turkes That all must examine Vse 5 Great things cannot bee done without care and indeavour In humane things of any importancy nothing is attempted or atchieved without some preparation more or Iesse before wee eate or drinke walke or talke sleepe something is done and shall we doe nothing before wee receive heare what is said in the Scripture kill the Passe-over and sanctifie your selves and prepare your brethren that they may doe according to the Word of the Lord i 2 Chro. 35. 6. Commune with your owne heart saith the Prophet David k Psal 4. 4. Let the profit that will come unto you move you to examine Let the First Comfort Secondly Fruit. Thirdly Benefit The Comfort is great the Fruit that is excellent the benefit unspeakeable they receive Christ remission of sinnes assurance of eternall life and if the profit will not move you let the danger terrifie you least ye be guilty of the body and blood of Christ k 1 Corin. 11. 27 29. Quest Seeing then that examination is so necessary what is it that every man must examine himself of Answ There are five What must be examinâ—d things every Receiver must examine himselfe of First Knowledg Secondly Faith Thirdly Repentance Fourthly Obedience Fifthly Love 1. The first thing the Receiver must examine himselfe of is of his knowledg Now knowledge to bee examined is two-fold First Generall knowledg Secondly Special knowledg The Generall knowledg to bee examined is threefold First Concerning God Secondly Concerning our selves Thirdly Concerning the Covenant of grace The first generall knowledg to bee examined is concerning God And this knowledg is either First Concerning Gods nature or Secondly Concerning Gods works First he must examin his knowledg concerning the nature of God and that thus First whether hee know that God is Secondly Whether hee know that this