that which maketh them guilty A. 1. It is some speciall either contempt or light esteem offered or done to the person offices ordinances actions sufferings of our Saviour or too some one of them 2. On to sin against that greatest worke of our redemption and so to partake with the murderers of Christ Q. How is that proved A. To be guilty of bloud is in some sense or other to be a murderer to be guilty therefore of Christs bloud is to be a murderer of Christ Q. How can I be a murderer of Christ he being in heaven and I on earth A. By continuing in known sins with delight thou crucifiest the Son of God afresh and puttest him to open shame Heb. 6.6 10.29 Ob. Those two Scriptures strike at such who fall from faith to infidelity A. It is true and yet when faith purifieth not thy heart it is no saving faith Act. 1â— 9 And when faith produceth not good works it is a dead faith Iam. 2. ult If then thou continuest in known sins with delight thou art a murderer of Christ and thy doome is denounced Mat. 7.22,23 Luk. 13 26.27 Q. What learnest thou hence A. 1. Seeing Abels bloud was so heavy on Cain who murdered him Gen. 4.19 O how intolerable will Christs bloud be upon the soules of such who murder Christ by their sins delighted in and unrepented Rev. 6.15,16,17 2. I may not continue even in the least knowne sin lest I fall from faiths practice and so from faiths profession Seeing that sin is the transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3.4 and that bringeth the curse Gal. 3.10 Q. How doth that contempt or light esteem make receivers guilty A. By eating this bread and drinking this cup of the Lord unworthily Q. How doe receivers eat and drinke unworthily A. In generall it is to communicate wanting our wedding garment Christ Mat. 22.11 for we must be cloathed with Christ Rom. 13. ult otherwaies we may not come to this marriage Mat. 22.2 compared with v. 13. Q. How can I put on Christ A. Doe as Jacob did bring the two kids Gen. 27.9 That is have faith by which Christ lives in us and we live in Him Eph. 3.17 Gal. 2.20 and observance which demonstrates our faith to be sound Jam. 2.18 Q. What are the more speciall means which render unworthy receivers to be guilty A. Ignorance in not knowing the Vertue Worth Use and Ends of this Sacrament Q. Wherein consists its Vertue A. If thou communicate having on thy wedding garment all thy feares occasioned by sense of thy sin will be quite removed 1. If thou complainest thus Alas how shall I get Christ to be my wedding garment Christ answereth Take eat this is my body This is my bloud drinke it by faith and live for ever Joh. 6.47 compared with v. 51. 2. My sinnes multiply daily A. The Lords mercies are new every morning Lam. 3.23 God is the father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 Rich in mercy Eph. 2.4 3. I am dead in trespasses and sins A. Beleeve and thou shalt live Joh. 11.25 But I cannot get repentance for my sins A. Repentance that is sound is Gods work 2 Tim. 2.25 Seek knock and aske for it and God will worke it Mat. 7.7 8. Jam. 1.5 Mat. 9.13 2. This Sacrament being rightly received will resolve all thy doubts 1. Will the Lord save such a lost sinner as I am A. Christ came to seek and to save that that is lost Luk 19.10 1 Tim. 1.15 Ps 50.15 Mat. 11.28 Ioh. 6.37 3. It will cure all thy diseases Ps 103.3 and salves all thy sin-sores Esay 53.5 4. In this Supper thou getst Christ himself who is all and in all Col. 3.11 Q. Wherein stands the worth of this Sacrament A. By worthy receiving we get Christ as his owne words doe witnesse And in getting Christ we get the Father and the Holy Ghost for these three are one 1 Ioh. 5.7 Q. Wherein consists the use of this Sacrament A. That bread and that wine are taken from their common use which is to strengthen and glad mans heart Ps 104.15 To signifie seal and really to give unto all faithfull receivers Christs body and bloud to bee meat indeed and drinke indeed to their soules Ioh. 6.55 And so Christ dwelleth in us and we in him v. 56. Q. What hurt will it bring though we bee ignorant of this Sacraments foure ends A. Great every way both to the Pastor and people 2 Thess 1.7,8,9 For 1. Ministers must be diligent to know the state of their flocks and to looke well to their herds Prov. 27.23 They must not be blinde but seeing nor ignorant but must know nor dumbe but must speak nor sleeping but must watch nor greedy of another mans goods but contented with the Lords allowance nor drunken but sober Esa 56.10 c. Nor daubers with untemperate morter promising peace where there is no peace Ezek. 13.10 They must warne the wicked to forsake his way otherwise the bloud of the wicked will be required at the Ministers hand Ezek. 33.8 They must feed the flock of God 1 Pet. 5.2 And watch for their soules for which they must give an account Heb. ult 17. 2. The people likewise perish for lacke of knowledge Hos 4.6 when they are not taught to know this Sacraments foure ends 1. To imitate the institution in remembrance of Christ 2. To shew Christs death till he come 3. That this Sacrament unites true receivers unto Christ 4. And that it seals the covenant of Grace to all worthy receivers Rom. 4.11 Q. What doth those things teach thee A. 1. The fearfull condition of ignorant communicants for they are murderers of Christ 2. And the terrible state of those Ministers who take no care to catechise their flock Mat. 15.14 Q. We have heard that a light esteem or contempt of Christ The want of our wedding garment and ignorance of the vertue worth use and of the ends of this Sacrament maketh unworthy receivers to be murderers both of themselves and of Christ Now what other sinnes doe worke the same effects 4. A. Want of faith Heb. 11.6 when receivers beleeve not fully that Christ giveth himselfe effectually to all faithfull communicants in this Supper nor that themselves can by faith get Christ in it and yet dare receive the signes that bread and that wine by which they sinne dangerously Rom. 14. ult 5. Superstition beleeving Papist and Lutheran-like that they eat in this Supper the humane body of Christ with their bodily mouth and yet we can only eat him with our soules mouth faith for to beleeve in Christ and to eat his flesh is one Iob. 6.47 compared with v. 51. 6. Sensuality when cloyed with worldly cares with the deceitfulnesse of riches and pleasures of this life Luk. 8.14 They hunger not for Christ Such shall never be filled Mat. 5.6 7. Carnall security when receivers neither expect good in worthy receiving nor evill by unworthy Such are like Laodicea Rev.
3.15.16 8. Presumption foolishly beleeving thâ—… they shall speed as well as the best thought they lacke preparation and sanctification yea and their wedding garment let such read and tremble Mat. 22.11,12,13 9. Want of true love which brancheth it selfe in two severall particulars 1. When men rashly suspect other mens intentions or actions without sufficient warrant This is described Esay 65.5 Stand by thy selfe come not neare unto me for I at holier then thou This is prohibited Mat. 7.1 Iudge not that ye be not judged Threatned v. 2. with damnation Luk. 3.37 Such rash judgers are hypocrites Mat. 7.5 2. Who will not forgive men their trespasses and so the Lord will not forgive their trespasses Mat. 6.15 These are implacable unmercifull Rom. 1.31 Such shall have judgement without mercy Iam. 2.13 10. Temporising receiving for fashions sake Such are hypocrites 2 Tim. 3.5 Those likewise who come to this Supper more for fear of the Magistrate then for fear of the Lord. This is hellish feare even the spirit of bondage Rom. 8.15 11. Inconsideration when receivers thoughts are estranged from the action and â—…re intent upon the world sin lust and such like Such cannot please God Rom. 8.8 12. Prophanenesse scorning the action in not beleeving Christs truth This is my body This is my bloud or scornfully refusing to receive though Christ commands To take eat drinke do this 13. Damnable injustice in adding altering or substracting any necessary thing of the institution All plagues are denounced against such Rev. 22.18 19. Whosoever is guilty of all or of any of these horrible sins are murderers of Christ Q. What is the ground or cause that makes unworthy receivers guilty of Christs body and bloud A. 1. They contemne Christs authority and are therefore accursed Esa 45.9 2. They despise Christ himselfe who gives himselfe freely and fully to all faithfull receivers 3. They despise his merits Heb. 9.14.15 4. They despise Christs three offices His Propheticall office Luk. 10.16 His Priestly office Heb. 10.28,29 And they despise his Kingly office for they will not have Christ to raigne over them Luk. 19 14.27 5. They despise Christs most meritorious worke of mans redemption Rom. 5.8,9,10,11 6. They contemne Christs love who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blond Rev. 1.5 Heb. 10.28,29 7. And they despise the whole Covenant of Grace whereof this is a seale Rom. 4.11 Q. Many received who were ignorant of these things and yet they live and prosper How comes that A. The times of that ignorance God wincked at but now commands all men every where to repent Act. 17.30 Q. What learnest thou hence A. 1. To seek knock and aske without ceasing that I may be cloathed with Christ my wedding garment that I be not one who murders Christ 2. I must zealously and incessantly beg in the name and merits of Christ that the Lord will cleanse my soule and make it clean from all these and all other sins as is covenanted Ezek. 36.25 V. 28. But let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat of that bread and drinke of that cup. Q. What is here to be considered A. Here are the ordinary means to save us from being murderers of Christ And these are our examination of our selves Q. What must we doe in examining our selves aright A. 1. Right examination requireth that we cast totally out of our thoughts all other cares for true examination must take us wholly up We must as in prayer shut our doore Matth. 6.5 2. We must examine our selves in sixe things especially 1. Of our knowledge what we are to receive in this Supper 2. Of our desire of this Sacrament so knowne 3. Of our faith by which only we can obtaine our desire 4. Of our love toward God and our neighbour that we may be sure our faith is sound 5. Of our repentance which proveth out love to be pure 6. And of our observance past present and its purpose for the future which demonstrates our repentance to be perfect Quest 1. Q. What must I know is here to be received A. That as truly as I get bread and wine which are my bodies food So truly I get Christs body and bloud by faith which are my soules only food Joh. 6.47 compared with v. 55. Quest 2. Q. How shall I knew my desires to be reall A. Counts thou all things but dung in comparison of Christ Philip. 3.8 Try if desire which is thy soules appetite doth hunger for Christ Mat. 5.6 Quest 3. Q. What shall I examine my selfe concerning my faith A. 1. That thy faith be not an historicall temporary or a faith of miracles None of those alone no nor altogether can apprehend Christ truly Jam. 2.19 2. That it be a justifying faith which though it be but one simple grace yet it is of a two fold consideration first as it is our spirituall life by which Christ lives in us and we in him Eph. 3.17 Gal. 2.20 2. As faith is a vertue and our duty towards God and so faith is an act flowing from that our spirituall life by which I beleeve all whatsoever the Lord hath propounded in his S. Scripture Act. 24.14 Q. What is faith as it is our spirituall life A. A resting of our hearts on God as on the only author of our life and salvation that is that in God we are freed from all evill and are assured of all that is good Esa 10.20 Ps 37.5 Act. 4.12 Ps 84.11 Thirdly try thy faith in six things 1. In its author who works it 2. In the means by which it is wrought ordinarily 3. Concerning its object 4. In its effects 5. In its ground 6. And concerning its end Q. Must I necessarily know all these A. 1. Yes verily for whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14. ult 2. Without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 3. Gods best ordinances availe not to us unlesse we receive them by faith Heb. 4.2 Q. Who works faith in us A. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12.2 And the Holy Ghost worketh faith in us 1 Cor. 12.9 for the Father through the Son by the Holy Ghost worketh all works which are wrought on the creature Q. By what means is faith wrought in us A. 1. By hearing of Gods word which is a religious receiving of Gods revealed will by whatsoever way we can know it 2. Most ordinarily by hearing the word preached Rom. 10.14.17 Q. Who is the adequate object of our faith A. Christ as he is our redeemer is the immediate object of our faith And God as by his grace we live well 1 Tim. 4.10 is its ultimate object for we live to God through Christ Rom. 6.11 We have hope through Christ to Godward 2 Cor. 3.4 And we beleeve in God through Christ 1 Pet. 1.21 Q. Which are those effects of faith by which I must examine my selfe A. The first act of faith is to beleeve dost thou
beleeve 1. That there is but one God Mark 12.32 2. That this God who is one in essence is distinguished into three Persons the Father Son and Holy Ghost 1 Joh. 5.7 3. That the Lord Christ is equall with the Father in all things Philip. 2.6 save only as he is Mediator Joh. 14.28 4. That creation is ascribed to the Father redemption to the Son and sanctification to the Holy Ghost as it is in the Creed And yet dost thou beleeve that all the actions of all the three Persons of the Trinity on and in the creatures are common to them all and proper to every person Joh. 5.17.19 16.13.14 2. Dost thou by faith role thy selfe and thy waies on Iehovah Ps 37.5 Set up thy hearts rest on holy Iehovah Esa 10.20 And givest thou thy selfe over unto God 2 Cor. 8.5 Iob. 13.15 3. Does faith purifie the heart from the love of all sin Act. 15.9 4. And examine thy selfe if thy faith worketh by love Gal. 5.6 Q. What is that ground on which justifying faith is built A. All the promises which are of mercy in S. Scripture for those only are properly the sure foundation on which our faith is built because those only propound Christ unto us Ioh. 5.39 Rom. 10.4 Q. What end doth faith aime at A. Most principally at the advancing of Gods glory 1 Cor. 10.31 And secondarily the salvation of our soules 1 Pet. 1.9 Quest 4. Q. Wherein must I examine my selfe concerning love A. If thou lovest God above all things Mat. 22.37 and thy neighbour as thy selfe v. 39. Q. How shall I know that I love God above all things A 1. By thy burning desire to be united with God through Christ Ps 42.1,2,3 which is wrought by faith Gal. 2.20 called the love of union 2. By that joy unspeakable and full of glory which ariseth from that union 1 Pet. 1.8 This is called the love of well-pleasednesse 3. By thy zeale to advance Gods glory in all things Ps 69.9 119.139 This is the love of benevolence Q. How can I love God above all things A. When both in affection and all effects thou loves the Lord preferring him above all things in heaven and earth Mark 12.33 Q. How shall I know that I love my neighbour as my selfe A. All things whatsoever ye would that men should doe to you doe yee even so to them Mat. 7.12 Quest 5. Q. What is true repentance A. A godly forrow for offending God with a continued totall change of our will willing nothing but Gods glory and our salvation 2 Cor. 7.10.11 Q. How shall I know that my repentance is sound A. 1. By sorrowing for sin as it offends the Lord more then for fear of any punishment Psal 51.4 2. By confessing and forsaking all sinne Prov. 28.13 Q. How can I repent of my unknown sins A. Who repent distinctly of every known sin doth virtually repent their unknown errours Ps 19.13 Q. Must I repent often of all my sins A. 1. Our by-past sins should never bee forgotten Deut. 9.7 Ps 25.7 51.3 2. Because we sin daily Prov. 24.16 wee must repent daily Luk. 13.3.5 for one sinne unrepented if it be known makes us as if we had never repented of any Jam. 2.10 3. I must repent greatly if my sinnes be great as did David Job St. Paul St. Peter and Mary Magdalen Quest 6. Q. What is observance A. Observance is that by which Gods will is performed in subjection for Gods glory Q. Why is that in subjection added A. Because observance applyeth my will to fulfill Gods known will willingly in respect of his absolute authority over me Rom. 9.21 Q. Doth not obedience the same A. No for observance consisteth as in the externall performance of Gods knowne will So or more in the internall intent of a willingly subjected will unto Gods revealed will in all things 1 Sam. 15.22 2 Thess 1.8 But obedience respecteth the externall act which it often performeth even when the internall intention of the will is wanting As in Galley-slaves and sleepy servants Q. How shall I know that my observance is sound A. 1. By thy esteem of Gods revealed wil more then of all or any mans commands Act. 4 19. This is a sure signe for the life of observance is in our lovingly subjecting our will unto Gods revealed will in all things Reprobates nill they will they must obey but they doe not observe Rom. 8.7 2. By willingly subjecting thy will unto Gods knowne will even when it seemeth contrary to reason Ioh. 13.18 3. By loving these parts of S. Scripture most which most exactly teach observance Ps 119 33. Act. 9.6 4. By fearing to offend God Prov. 28.14 and by flying from all occasions of offence Heb. 12. ult 5. By resolution to persevere in observance though thou lose life and the world Act. 20.24 6. By constant use of all means which can incline thy will unto a willing subjection Iosh 1.8 Ps 1.2 1 Cor. 9. ult Ioh. 5.39 And so let him eat of that bread and drinke of that cup. Q. What is meant by those words A. Being fitted by examination as the word So imports we may without danger of bloud-guiltinesse v. 27. and of damnation v. 29. communicate to our everlasting comfort As those officers said Ioh. 7.46 Never man spake like this man So I avouch Thaâ— never was bread like this bread Nor cup like this cup. Q. But how shall I be assured that I am fitteâ— for receiving even after I have examined my selâ— A. The examination of thy selfe must bâ— continued till thou sinde thy selfe fitted Object The H. Ghost commands not that continued examination A. 1. The word So demonstrates the contrary for So is not an adverbe of time but a note of qualification 2. The H. Ghost commands us To examine our selves till we be prepared So to eat of that bread and drinke of that cup which certainly denoteth continuation 3. He hath never examined himselfe exactly who continueth not his examination until he find these six spirituall graces knowledge desire faith love repentance and observance in some good measure wrought in him which all he may obtaine by zealous prayer according to Christs promise Mat. 7.7,8 Iam. 1.5 4. We must examine our selves because hypocrites may delude the most exact of all mortall examiners 5. Our hearts which are deceitfull above all things desperately wicked Ier. 17.9 can only be examined by God v. 10. and by our selves 1 Cor. 2.11 Q. Seeing that we are commanded to examine our selves why should our Minister examine us A. 1. Because we are commanded to do good to our selves may none other do us good 2. Faithfull Ministers must of all callings be most conscientiously diligent to know the estate of their flocks and to look well to their herds Prov. 27.23 As the salt of the earth Mat. 5.13 they must season their hearers As lights of this world Mat. 5.14 they must shew in doctrine the true light and in