When those externall rites were kept without this spirituall use of them wee know how meanly and contemptibly God speakes of such a mechanicall worship Esa. 1. vers 11. seq He sets forth his displeasure against such services in all termes of dislike and disdaine telling the people That the multitude of their Sacrifices is to no purpose that Hee delights not in the bloud of bullocks and fat of fed beasts that hee requires no such things at their hands that such oblations are vaine and an abomination their solemne feasts and assemblies he cannot away with them that his soule hateth them that they are trouble to him and hee is weary to beare them And wherefore now all this disdaine of such Ceremoniall worship the reason is vers 15. Your hands â—re full of bloud Againe Chap. 66.3 hee sets it out to the full how acceptable such service is to him Hee that killeth an oxe is as if he slew a man hee that sacrificeth a lambe as if he cut off a dogges necke he that offereth an oblation as if hee offered swines bloud he that burneth incense as if he blessed an idoll Nothing can bee spoke with greater scorne and indignation the reason wherof followes in the next words Yea they have chosen their owne waies and their soule delighteth in their abominations So long as they follow this course God detests thhem and all their services Now in the times of the Gospell Christ having reformed the worship of God hath abolished those carnall ordinances and in roome thereof erected a worship of God in Spirit and Truth Wee are to performe a spirituall worship but yet withall some outward bodily observations are required of us now though very few and very easie To fast to bow their knee in prayer to pronounce or heare the Word the administration of the Sacraments in all their outward rites these are externall and bodily exercises which profit little where godlinesse is wanting The Kingdome of God saith the Apostle is not meates and drinkes but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost These things are first acceptable to God and other things for them Outward Ceremoniousnesse is meere hypocrisie where grace and sanctity is not first mover to such observances T is a poore matter to forbeare a meale or twaine and yet take ones fill in sinne till he surfeit to goe softly looke sadly speake faintly and weepe a little too as it were in sorrow for sinne and carry in ones breast a heart unrent unbroken unsofâ—ned by true sense of sinne and worke of grace What profit is it to speake a Sermon or heare a Sermon when onely one mans tongue and the others eares are imployed for that houre when it comes not from the Preachers heart nor pierceth unto the hearers conscience neither the one nor the other intending to practice as they speake or heare To what purpose is it to â—ow the body to God and yet to make ones heart like an iron sinew that 's too stiffe and stout to bend in obedience to Gods Commandements If the tongue goe glibbe the eyes and hands lift up to heaven yet if the thoughts wander the heart and affection lie flat upon the earth will such a prayer be an acceptable Sacrifice What availâ—s it a man to have his face sprinkled with a little cold water but not to have his heart washed from an evill conscience and purged from the uncleannesse of sinnefull corruption to take on him in Baptisme the badge of Christianity yet in his conversation to live like an Infidell in all disobedience to the Lawes of Christ Will it advantage a man any whit that he goes foure or five times a yeere to the holy Sacrament if he be either ignorant of what hee goes about or prophanely carelesse of making good use of what hee knowes If hee remaine still irreligious and impenitent continuing in covetousnesse in swearing in lying in idlenesse in uniust practices to get gaine in common neglect of the exercises of Religion a secret despiser of grace and scoffer at true sincerity with other the like ungodly practices will it helpe or save him that at solemne times hee comes to the Lords Table there eates a bit of bread drinks a little wine heares a few prayers staies till all be done and so away the same man hee came thither No this helpes not but hurts exceedingly having brought upon himselfe the guilt of a fearefull transgression in profaning the holy Sacrament because hee discerneth the Lords Body God who looketh unto the heart and is well pleased in the sincerity thereof regards no Ceremony without obedience but hates such complementall hypocrisie as much as wee doe detest the like dissimulation in a man that vailes bonnet bowes hammes smiles in your face speaks faire and friendly but yet his heart is not with you But we passe from this point having touched upon it heretofore wee come unto the punishment here denounced against unworthy receivers of the Sacrament viz. Damnation He eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe For these words wee are to enquire what is meant by Damnation in this place and what it is to eate and drinke it Damnation in this place signifies two things 1. That punishment of man in hell fire which wee call eternall damnation 2. Those evills which in this life are inflicted upon transgressors which we call afflictions and temporall iudgment Both these are included in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here rendred Damnation That eternall iudgement in hell fire is hereby meant will be made apparant unto us 1. From the nature of the sinne of profanation of the Sacrament which were it but a small offence did yet deserve the wages of eternall death but being so hainous and horrible a crime as it is viz. Guiltinesse of the Death of Christ it must make him that commits it obnoxious to everlasting condemnation 2. From the quality of the persons that commit this sinâ—e who are partly the wicked that continually profane this Sacrament partly the godly that yet sometimes profane it too Such as bee ungodly unbeleeving persons they without doubt bring themselves in certaine danger not of temporall judgement alone but much more of eternall damnation for their perpetuall abuse of thâ—se sacred mysteries whereof they partake without faith repentance or any amendment of life at all As for the true beleevers they doe sometime come unworthily to this holy Table being now and then overtaken with security and seduced by manifold temptations though otherwise holy and godly men This their negligence deserves also the same punishment though God for Christs sake be pleased to turne from them his everlasting wrath making them only to feele a little part of his displeasure in some temporall afflictions wherewith hee chastiseth them for the amendment of their error Now what temporall judgements are signified by this word Damnation is manifest also by the Text in the verse following where the Apostle mentions sicknesses infirmities and temporall
of it Now by the Vnreformed I meane those in whom the use of this holy Sacrament breedes not a proportionable increase of grace and sanctity You heard heretofore that the exercise of many Christian graces was intended in this commemoration of Christs death and where that is wanting all the rest is nought worth The Sacrament is appointed for our nourishment in grace where we grow not by it t is a signe this food was not digested but vomited up againe Where Faith Repentance Thankfulnesse and Obedience are not encreased there Christ crucified was not remembred but forgotten in this Sacrament Where holinesse thrives not by so holy a meanes profanenesse must needs bee very ranke guilty of this great fault were these Corinthians They came to the Sacrament but with what minde They were uncharitable contentious proud despising the poore and which is worst of all they came drunken They are registred for it vers 21. Who would thinke it possible else that there could be such profanenesse that a man when he is drunke would venture to come into the Church and to the Sacrament Such a one was Iudas that came to the Passeover and was or would have beene at the Lords Supper with a minde full of treason and covetousnesse Such are all they that come not having their hearts at all touched with remorse for their sinnes or if for the present they bee somewhat moved yet they presently fall into all their former sinnes againe For such as come with a resolution to hold on in their sinnes it is manifest that they profane the Sacrament extreamely For whereas in the Sacrament wee make publique profession of our obedience to Christ giving up our names in his honourable service by taking on us this badge thereof and so eate this Bread and drinke this Cup in a thankfull remembrance of his death whereby that great blessing of remission of sinnes is purchased for us who now can beleeve that they doe this heartily who in the meane time disobey Christs commandement despise all holinesse continuing with delight and wilfulnesse in those sinnes which Christ died to expiate Is this the use we should make of Christs death Shall wee continue in sinâ—e that grace may abound The Apostle makes the answer God forbid How shall wee live in sinne when Christ is dead for sinne and wee with him should bee dead unto sinne as the Apostle argues Rom. 6. It s therefore but a meere mockery of God for men in the Sacrament to make shew of what they intend not at all Others come haply with a good meaning to doe well in the generall but this resolution holds not longer than a day or two or a weeke afterwards they are as bad as before yea somewhat worse by their reâ—apses The one sort make Christ a patron of their sinnes thinking they may more secâ—rely serve Satan under the protection of Christs livery The other make the Sacrament a payment of the old score that they may the more freely runne on upon the new the pardon of the former sinnes is unto them a licence for lewd practices to come Betweene both sorts a world of people there is that strangely profane this blessed Sacrament never using it to any increase of piety in their soules The same men they came unto it the same they depart thence only herein still the worse because not amended Were they proud before they are so still were they covetous before they are never the more liberall unto the poore members of Christ Iesus for all that Christ hath bin so franke-hearted as to bestow his heart-bloud upon them were they voluptuous before they went they still follow the same pleasures with all greedinesse drunken before and drunken still swearers before and swearers still despisers of Gods service and true Religion scoffers at Christian piety ignorant unbeleeving unfaithfull unthankfull impenitent envious malicious before they went to the Sacrament and they are the same men still They have indeed beene at the Sacrament and there they professe openly to bee of the number of those that Doe truely and earnestly repent of all their sinnes that are in love and charity with their neighbours that intend to leade a holy life following Gods commandements and walking thence-forth in his holy waies they there seeme to confesse that they are heartily sorrie for their misdoings that the remembrance of their sinnes is grievous the burthen of them intolerable yea they go further promising all amendment when they say Heere we offer and present unto thee O Lord our selves our soules our bodies to be a reasonable holy and lively sacrifice Bee not here good words now but what 's the effect of all these prayers and protestations Looke upon them you shall see nothing at all performed of that which was spoken there 's no alteration in them they are still the same men they were What Ieremy spake unto those false-hearted Iewes Ier. 42.20 Surely yee dissembled in your hearts when yee sent mee unto the Lord your God saying Pray for us unto the Lord our God and according to all that the Lord our God shall say declare unto us and we will doe it may bee applied unto these men questionlesse they thought not of what they spake or spake what they did not meane when they thus professed before God and his Church their repentance and resolution for obedience No those were but words of course if the heart had intended what the tongue uttered it had not bin possible for men to tell God a lye unto his face in so serious a matter Was indeed the burden of sinne intolerable was the sorrow for it hearty and earnest then and is yet the practice of the same sins pleasant easie and full of contentment Is any man so mad to thrust his shoulders under that weight which he knowes to be insupportable And what is now become of all that sweetnesse of the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ in paâ—doning that which waâ— past was it never felt at all or is it so soone forgotten or may be so easily recovered Is his love so little worth as thou wilt part with it for every toy or is it so common and cheape that a faire word or two may win it It is not câ—edible that those who have indeed washed their garments in the bloud of the Lambe and made them white would so quâ—ckly dâ—file them againe had they beene of a right breed i. e Sheepe of the Lords flocke and not Swine of another Heard Wherefore now let every one of us descend into his owne heart and trie how the case stands with his soule if his conscience tell him that he is as bad this yeare as hee was last as unreformed after as before the Sacrament that his heart is as full of evill thoughts his mouth of unseemely uncleane and cursed speaking his life of carelesse and irreligious practices as ever let him conclude with himselfe That hitherto hee hath eaten this Bread and drunke this Cup
contentments and hee will be an enemy to all that thus controule him Wherfore you see how dangerous t is to trust our selves wherein without great heed taken we may be Christs bitter enemies when we thinke we are his deare friends Let this be observed by those that are apt to thinke Oh if Christ liv'd on the earth or the Apostle Paul or some other of those famous men were alive to preach unto us wee would honour them with all possible reverence we would kisse the ground they trod on chaine our eares to their lips follow them heare them obserue them doe as they bid vs. Fond conceits of men that know not what they say such was the opinion of the Pharisees touching the old Prophets Oh had we then lived c. such was the rich mans dreame in hell Oh father Abraham but if one come from the dead Wee know how vaine these imaginations were and will alwayes prove Men admire vertue when they see it not and the old proverbe is true Dead men doe not bite The Prophets are dead Christ is gone to heaven Paul preaches no more their names are now most honourable t is a credit to bee their Disciples and as for their writings we can chuse either not to reade them or not to apply them But did we indeed sâ—e the holinesse humâ—lty zeale severity against sinne strictnesse of conversation still living and breathing in these men were Christ againe in that his humbled estate or any of his servants to preach unto us out of our Pulpits should they with their accustomed boldnesse and zeale freely rebuke the disorders that are amongst all sorts of men the Atheisme Infidelity Profanenesse Pride Luxury Oppression c. that are now in the Christian world Christ must be crucified againe and scorned as much as ever Paul should againe be accused by many a Tertullus for a pestilent fellow and mover of sedition throughout the world Act. 24.5 Amaziah would make a complaint upon Amos to Iereboam that Amos hath conspired against him in the midst of the house of Israel and that the Land is not able to beare all his words Amos 7.10 Ahab would againe call Eliah a troubler of Israel and his enemy because hee reproves him of his Idolatry covetousnesse and murder 1 King 13.17 21.20 Looke what measure they found in their times the same they should finde The reason is manifest from that of Salomon the rightious is an abomination to the wicked impiety and ungodlinesse abhorres the fellowship of holinesse puritie they that doe evill will hate the light and that of Christ stands good for ever Ioh. 7.7 The world hateth me because I testifie of it that the workes thereof are evill It hated him then in his owne person it hates him now in his Word Sacraments Ministers and Ambassadors all which are by ungracious men yet calling them for Christians derided scoffed contemned and trampled upon by a thousand indignities and hate him it will still so long as Christ by his Word Ministers shall rebuke men of all their ungodly doings It is not possible that men should ever love those in whom as Salvian speakes Nihil vident suum quoniam Dei totum they see nothing agreeable to their own humours because all things agreeable to Gods will To conclude then let us not thinke that because wee are baptized professe Religion heare the Word receive the Sacrament wee are therefore such as doe truely love and honour the Lord Iesus Christ. No let us goe upon a surer ground and that is that most certaine and infallible rule which Christ gives Iohn 15 14. Yee are my friends if you doe whtsoever I command you Hee loves him truely that loves to obey him and for his sake will bee content to doe any thing he bids him be disobedient and pretend what thou wilt thou art an enemy of Christ and Christ an enemie of thine Thinke of this seriously as many as God shall touch their hearts to goe unto the Sacrament that they may first purge their soules of their inward rebellion and naturall hatred of Christ lest whilst they in the Sacrament seeke for life by his death they become guilty of his death And remember that as the bloud of Christ sprinkled on the soule by an holy faith speakes better things than the bloud of Abel namely for mercy and pardon to bee given us so where t is despised and troden under foot being counted as an unholy thing it cries much â—owder for vengeance than did the bloud of Abel and deserves a sorer punishment than any transgression against Moses Law Heb. 10.28 29. Thus we have seene the nature and quality of this sinne of Vnworthy partaking at the Lords table it followes that we goe forward unto the meanes which the Apostle here prescribes for the avoiding of this sinne and that is diligent examination of a mans selfe before hee come unto the Sacrament This the Apostle sets downe vers 28. in these words Wherefore let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that Bread and drinke of that Cup. The words need not any curiosity in the division or interpretation of them The sence is plaine Here 's a duetie commanded unto us that 's Examination of ones selfe and here the time or particular occasion that requires it that 's Before we come to the Sacrament T is not put to our discretion the words are imperative Let a man examine let him eate He must doe both but first examine then eate The practicall conclusion that hence issues out is this It is a necessary duty of every one first to examine himselfe before he presume to come to the Lords Table In unfolding unto you this point of most excellent practice in Christianity let us ascend a little from the particular to the generall first touching upon the nature necessity and use of Selfe-examination considered at any time then descending to the explication of this duety with its particular relation to the Sacrament To examine ones selfe is in briefe to take a true suruey of our spirituall estate in grace This done by comparing our present condition what wee finde in our selves with the Scriptures The Scriptures are they that supply unto us all Articles to be inquired of telling us what is good and required of us what evill and forbidden to us They acquaint us with the nature of every sinne of every grace making a full discovery of the kindes and properties of both When now a man shall question himselfe upon such interrogatories as these Such and such sinnes are forbidden in the Word and they that love and live in the practice of them are wicked and gracelesse persons Am I one of them that delight in doing such things Againe Such and such graces and dueties are required of all thosâ— that are truely good and godlie men Have I those graces Doe I practice those dueties The conscience being thus examined will returne a true answer to every
if that of Salomon be true Blessed is hee that feareth alwayes By how much more odious is the sinne of those who in their hearts despise this tendernesse of conscience and with their tongues raile revile and curse it deeming it the signe of a silly effeminate mind to be affraid of any sinne especially of small offences But ever let those that beare the faces of men and name of Christians detest such impiety that tramples under foote with scorne and disdaine the most precious comfort of a Christians soule a Good Conscience Those men will then see their errour when God shall coole the heate of their high bloud and rebete the edge of their furious resolutions by casting them upon their beds of affliction and scourging them with the rod of his indignation Then they will confesse that a good conscience softned by grace and purged by the sprinkling of the bloud of Christ from the guilt of sinne is more worth than millions of those unlawfull pleasures wherein only they sometimes thought true contentment was to be found 2. Humility He that shall often looke his face in the glasse of the Law of Liberty which will not make him one jot fairer or fouler than he is but truly discover unto him all his deformities such a one will not be forward to fall in love with his owne beauty When he sits downe to try himselfe by this Law he findes therein all perfection of holinesse commanded but not the thousand part of this holinesse and goodnesse in himselfe He reades in the Law large Catalogues of sinnes forbidden upon paine of Gods eternall displeasure and in his owne conscience hee finds the guilt of all or most of those transgressions When he scans his best workes hee findes they fall farre short of that faith zeale sincerity and perfect charity wherein they ought to have beene performed This examination lets him see that he hath little whereof to be proud now what evâ—â— others may thinke of him he knowes so much evill and so little good by himselfe that hee cannot thinke highly and honourably of himselfe Let him be despised reviled reproched as base and vile it is no corasive to him for why he abhorres himselfe more than another can despise him and is more vile in his owne esteem than he can be in anothers reproaches Thus when he looks on his graces he sees Gods glory when on his sins his owne shame which breeds in him all humble affections of thankfulnesse to God that of bad hath made him good and carefulnesse in himselfe that of good hee may become much better 3. True Peace and Comfort in life and death Often reckoning saith the Proverbe makes long friends T is never truer than in this matter Hee that often cals himselfe to a strict account judging himselfe for his transgressions weeping over them in godly sorrow never ceasing till pardon be obtained this man alone possesseth his heart in peace and comfort Hee knowes God is at peace with him and therefore nothing can pâ—t him to much feare or trouble which makes him with much quietnesse and resolution expect the approach of all adversity of sicknesse of death of judgement Again wheras the joy of a mans heart in this life is that hee shall be saved in the life to come this can never bee sound where no examination is had upon what reasons and certaine grounds this hope is built Many have fel short of that they looked after because they expected heaven when it did not belong to them A severe triall of our selves will prevent this error and give exact notice of the truth of such graces which God hath given us as pledges of future glory that so shall our reâ—oycing in the hope of salvation be full and perfect Lastly our joâ— and peace will be by this means consâ—ant whilest through frequent examination of our hearts and watchfulnesse over our wayes wee shall prevent many sinnes that would wound our consciences and pierce our hearts thorow with many sorrowes Vse You see the duety but all this is nothing worth the knowing unlesse you will practise it The practice I confesse is hard men being loth to see that by themselves which they like not and Satan as loth men should do that which he knowes would doe them good For man t is impossible to him to perswade the heart but oh thou that Blessed Spirit of Grace which speakest to the heart of the unwilling to make them willing to every good work perswade your hearts and mine to the serious practice of this most Christian duety My beloved Brethren I cannot but be earnest in this matter because who can but see and bewaile the backwardnesse and generall neglect of us all in this point T is a shame to see the carelesnesse of most that seeke to know all things but themselves They enquire after all without them nothing within them Their mindes are as ill set as their eyes they can turne neither of them inward Speake I this of the unlearned or of the learned also I would I did not of these But t is no breach of charity to say that there are many among us who know the Histories of a thousand yeares past that yet cannot tell you the particulars of their owne lives men well acquainted with the mysteries of Arts Nature but utterly ignorant of the secrets of their owne soules How many are there amongst us that can say with David Psal. 119.59 I have thought on my waies and turned my feete unto thy testimonies Nay we have a thousand matters to thinke on all the day long the night too the weeke the yeare but who sits downe and thinkes on himselfe questioning thus with his owne heart What am I What doe I How live I Such a course I follow is it good and lawfull Such things I doe not are they my duety yea or no Is God my friend Am I his What hope have I of heaven Say I dye to morrow to day this very houre where 's my assurance I shall bee saved What Apology can I make against the accusations of Satan and my conscience Will Christ be mine Advocate when I shall stand in judgement Doe I grow in grace or doe I decay Doth my Faith my Love my Obedience my Knowledge increase or decrease Am I better this yeare than I was last What sinnes have I conquered now that held mee in combate then What graces have I obtained now that I had not then Do we thus commune with our owne hearts upon our beds or in our studies Surely when God lookes downe from heaven upon us in our severall imployments taking notice of our busie imaginations and enquiries may not hee say to us as hee spake by Ieremy to the Iewes Ier. 8 6. I hearkened and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickednesse saying What have I done every one turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battell Yea this inquirie What have wee