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
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
freely and not of necessity First Our knowledge The World had a beginning to be examined is concerning the beginning of the World Sure it is That the World had a beginning There was a time when the World was not it was not etereall n Gen. 1. 1. In the beginning God created the Heavens and the earth If it had a beginning then it could not be from eternity it is the saying of the Apostle that hee chose us in him before the foundation of the World o Eph. 1. 4. Thus knowledge will bring us to another and that is that the World shall have an end The Heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth and the Workes that are therein shall be burnt up all these things shall be dissolved p Pet. 2 3. 10 11. And this confirmes the former for quicquid finem habet id etiam aliquo tempore initium habuisse constat whatsoever hath an end that also sometime had a beginning The second thing to bee examined is whether wee know that the VVorld and all things therein was made by God made the World God God made the World q 1 Gen. 1. In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth God made the World and all things that are therein r Act. 17. 24 By him were all things created which are in Heaven and which are in Earth Å¿ Col. 1. 16 Now this brings us to to the knowledge of many things First That all things All things had one principle had one principle one cause the Lord. To have two eternall positive beings two principles a good and a bad the good to make light the bad darknesse the good health the bad sicknesse this is absured The Scripture tels us it is GOD that made the World and all things therein and this must bee known that although GOD made the World yet God made not the evill that are in the World he that planteth a Tree planteth not a Worme in the Tree but there it breedeth God created the World there was no death no sicknesse these came by the sinnes of men and Angels He that made man Ab Angelo usque ad vermiculum S. Aug. made him after his owne Image but man hath sought out many inventions t Eccl. 7 31. Further God made all things that hath positive beings sinne hath not beeing the absence of that good that should be in the soule Secondly That God God onely can Create onely can create It is beyond the power of any Creature it is a worke of an infinite power to bring light out of darkenesse man out of the dust and who can do this but the Lord Thirdly This will Creation must bee considered cause us to spend some time in consideration of the Creatures who have such a Maker for the eternall power and invisible things of God are seene by the Creation of the World u Rom. 1. 20. Fourthly This will stirre us up to praise the Lord as David I will praise the Lord for I am wonderfully and fearefully made w Psal 139 14. The next thing to be known is that all were made of nothing They were not made of things which did appeare x Heb. 11. 3. All things were made of nothing know wee must that God made them of nothing no matter praeexistent creation hath nothing for its matter in this it differs from naturall generation which cannot bring a thing out of nothing Now this will teach us First To admire the power and goodnesse of God who is able to draw such an excellent frame out of nothing Secondly To trust unto him hee can worke without meanes hee can doe whatsoever he will The next thing is that All were made by his Word all these were made by his Word onely Hee spake and it was created hee said let it be and it was y Psal 33. 6. By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the hoste of them by the breath of his mouth In the fift place we must All things were made good know that all things in their Creation were made good God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good a Gen. 31. By this we are brought First To consider of the misery that sinne hath brought upon the Worke of God especially upon man all things were made valde bona but what hath sinne donne Secondly To know that the Creatures that are now hurtfull unto man were not so by Creation but by the fall of man Thirdly That whatsoever befalls us wee must call to rememberance our sinnes The sixt principle to be examined God made all things freely is Gods making of all things freely not out of necessity b Psa 115. 3. I all things were made successively and not in a moment In sixe dayes the Lord made Heaven and earth c Ex. 20. 11. All things were not made at once but one after another This knowledge will bring us to the consideration of First The glorious attribute of God his Wisdome in the Creation God began with things that were least perfect as Elements light beasts Secondly This will teach us to proceed from that that is good unto better till we come to be perfect men in Christ Thirdly That God did not create any thing that was needfull for others before he had made things to sustaine them before man all things for man Forthly If God did thus for us before wee were before wee had a beeing that hee will not now forsake us being made he will now have a speciall care of us Thus much for the knowledge of Gods first Worke the Worke of Creation The second is concerning the providence of God and here our knowledge to bee examined is concerning First Gods knowing and noting of all things Secondly God upholding and governing them Thirdly Gods providence reaching to all of them Fourthly Gods speciall care and respect of man Fiftly That the good or evill that befalls man is not without the providence of the God of man First our knowledge to bee God knows and takes notice of all things examined is concerning Gods knowing and noting of all things That God that made all things still knowes and takes notice of all things that hee made the eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evill and the good d Prov. 15 3. Neyther is there any Creature which is not manifest in his sight all things are naked and open unto his eyes with whom we have to do e Heb. 4 13. The second thing to be examined God upholds governâ— and disposes of the world is Gods upholding and governing of all things This must be knowne that God upholds governes and disposes of the World so as all things in the World continue through him They continue even unto this day by thine
by faith by hearing the Word preached ſ Rom. 10. 17. Fifthly Meditate wee must that as the rayne doth not fall upon the earth in vaine t Heb 6. 7 so this divine dew these drops of the Word the Sermons we heare wee are the better for them or the worse for the word of God if it be not the savour of life unto us it will bee the savour of death it is a two-edged sword with one edge it cuts away all sinne from the good with the other all excuse from the bad Sixthly Meditate wee must that the Word wee heare shall Judge us at the great day The second helpe to be used is 2 Meanes is Prayer Prayer to Almighty God that he would be pleased to blesse us in hearing Wee have all of us eyes and eares by nature but in regard of these Divine things they are shut Hence it is that our blessed Saviour saith in the Gospell Let him that hath eares to heare heare It is an excellent thing to have a seeing eye and a hearing eare therfore David prayed open thou my eyes that I may see the wondrous things contained in thy Law u Psal 119. 18. I it is the Lord that opened the heart of Lydia w Act. 16. 14. Now pray we also must for our Ministers that the Lord would bee pleased to assist them in speaking that hee would give unto them the dore of utterance the more the Minister is assisted the greater will our benefit be We are carefull to pray for the Pilate on the Sea for if he miscarry wee lose our lives for the Physitian that he mistake not the disease wee pray for Kings and Princes that under them we may live a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty x 1 Tim ◠2. and shall we not pray for our Teachers And thus much for that that is required before we heare some thing there is required when wee heare What is required in the act of hearing in the act of hearing There are many things required as First Reverence and this 1 Reverence either inward or outward the reverence of the soule and body the inward reverence may bee seene in Cornelius y Acts. 10. 33. we are all said he here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of GOD with all inward reverence the outward reverence you may see in the eight of Nehemia where the people all stood up and lift up their hands and bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground a Nehe. 8. 3. 4 5 6 7. Secondly Attention Heare we must and hearken b Isa 1. 2. Wee must hearken what the Lord our God will speake not a word but we must heare c Psa 85. 8. Judgment as well as mercy but here is the misery whilest GOD hath the eare the Divell hath the heart The third duty is submission 3 Submission A yeelding and captivating of our judgements thereunto and that this may bee the better done we must search the Scriptures whether the things wee heare bee warranted Thus did the men of Berea they searched the Scriptures whether the things were so d Acts 17. 11. Wee must not beleeve every spirit but trie the spirits whether they are of God e John 1. 4. 1. If the things delivered bee the Word of God wee are bound to beleeve them and submit our selves unto them The next duty is Feare Whilst we heare there must be a holy awe feare 4 Feare in the affections to him will I looke that is of an humble spirit and that trembles at my Words f Isa 66. 2. Serve the Lord with feare saith the Psalmist and rejoyce with trembling g Psal 2. 11 If the Lyon roare all the beasts of the Forrest tremble JESVS CHRIST is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah hee it is that speakes unto us let us therfore feare hee is a Lion and a Lambe a Lion to those that will not tremble a Lambe to those that will The last duty is cheerefull Cheerefull alacrity Alacrity Which quickens the languishing stomacks of our soules that wee loath not the Word this Alacrity you shall finde in the people in the eight of Nehemia who were attentive and cheerefully attentive from morning untill mid-day g Nehe. 8. 3. This also may be seene in the people that followed CHRIST and continued with him three dayes Here was their alacrity but alas wee are not tied to follow CHRIST three dayes together but one day in seven and that not in the desart but in the Temple and what doe wee wee sleepe and talke and looke about us and oftentimes are gone before Sermon bee ended If one should bring Commendation from a great friend wee would never bee weary of hearing him speake but the Minister may speake againe and againe from the Lord JESVS CHRIST the cheife friend and how coldly are wee affected this argues that wee love others more then CHRIST earthly things more then Heavenly whereas if there were this alacrity in us wee would love the Word above all things then Gold fine Gold it would bee sweeter to our mouthes then the Hony and the hony Combe Thus much for the second meanes to come to the true knowledge of God The third followes Conference But how is this neglected Conference some are ashamed like those who had rather die then tell the Physitian of their Disease others hate it and had rather doe any thing then confer whereas the Scripture calls upon us to exhort one another dayly whilest it is called to day h Heb. 3 13. Two are better then one if one fall the other may helpe him up if one bee ignorant another may instruct him two eyes are better then one looke into the booke of God you shall finde this commanded the word shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them and shalt talke of them i Deut. 6. 6. 7. This is made a marke of those that feare the Lord that they spake one unto another and it is said that the Lord heard them I and there was a Booke of remembrance k Mala. 16. 17. The last meanes to come to the true knowledge of God is Prayer earnest Prayer For what is all without Prayer this to reade the Word in private to heare it publikly preached to confer nothing without Prayer this is that that fetcheth a blessing all other meanes must bee helped out by this this is therefore placed in the last place that wee may see all the rest without it will doe no good And know we must that all our Prayers must bee sent up to God in the Mediation of CHRIST Nam quid dulcius quà m genitorem Aug. in nomine unigeniti Pray in the name of Christ invocare What is sweeter than to call upon the Father in the name of his onely begotten Sonne And