that needs not to bee ashamed Timothy was a studied man a man of rare and singular gifts and endowments and yet for all that if he would bee an approved workeman S. Paul would have him study to doe it he would not have him rest on his habituall preparations but would have him actually fit himself for his work when he was to worke Now thus is the case in the Sacrament there must be an habituall and an actuall preparation to it A man that will receive the Sacrament must first be furnished with such graces and dispositions as a Communicant ought to have and though he have such graces as are requisite to habituall preparation yet may he not therefore all on a sudden rush to the Lords Table and without any more adoe receive the Sacrament but first there must be an actuall preparing and fitting of himselfe for the worke Both must be had or else no due order in the worke or else no fruit from the duty There be that in their fashion do actually prepare themselves that yet are voide of those graces that are required to habituall preparation And there be that are habitually prepared and yet faile in an actuall fitting of themselves To both these the Sacrament proves as Iobs brooks to the Travellers Iob 6. 19. 20. The troopes of Tema looked and the companies of Sheba waited for them as hoping by the waters of those brookes to have beene refreshed but they were confounded because they had hoped they came thither and were ashamed because they came with an hope to have found water in those brookes but they being dried up with the heate of Summer their hope was disappointed and so they went away ashamed of their lost labour So both those sorts of people come to the Sacrament there they looke and wait for some spirituall refreshment by it but they may goe away ashamed because they hoped and their hope is frustrate they meet with no such thing as they hoped for And the reason of their disappointment is that which is spoken in another case Matth. 22. 8. The wedding is ready but they which were bidden were not worthy The wedding was ready but the guests were not ready So the Sacrament is ready and God ready in the Sacrament to do his part but these kinde of Communicants are not ready either not ready by an habituall or not ready by an actuall preparation and because not ready not worthy and because not worthy therefore their hopes disappointed Now though both these be required yet habituall preparation must bee in the first place for no man can indeed actually fit himselfe till he be habitually prepared and in vaine is all actuall preparation where habituall goes not before it This habituall preparation therfore stands in having the soule furnished with all such graces and dispositions as may make a man worthy that is fit for the Sacrament And those graces and dispositions are these 1 Knowledge 2 Faith 3 Repentance 4 Charity 5 Obedience All these must a Communicant be qualified with that in the Sacrament seeks God in due Order and the want of any of these makes him guilty of not seeking God after the due Order 1 The first thing then that is required is knowledge The Apostle makes this a great fault in receiving the Sacrament so to receive it as not to discerne the Lords body 1 Cor. 11. 29. Not discerning the Lords body Therefore that should be a mans care so to come as to discerne the Lords body This Discerning stands in knowledge understanding and judgement of the nature use and necessity of the Sacrament the which because they cannot be known without the knowledge of the fundamentall principles of religion therefore under this discerning the Lords body is included and comprehended a convenient and competent measure of knowledge of all the grounds of Religion and that such knowledge is necessary for every one that desires to come after the due Order will appeare by these following reasons 1 First God prizes knowledge more than the outward acts and performances of his service Yea so highly prizes knowledge above outward performances that if it should needs be that one must be wanting the knowledge of God without publike performances is more acceptable than publike performances Hos 6. 6. I desired the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings Possibly the case might be so that a man could not offer sacrifice as it was with David in his exile yet having the knowledge of God he might be saved But if a man did Sacrifice and offer Burnt-Offerings yet if he had not the knowledge of God hee could not be saved There may bee cases in which a man cannot come to receive the Sacrament but yet a man having the knowledge of God hee may be saved Iohn 17. 3. This is life eternall to know Thee c. But let a man receive the Sacrament ever so often yet if he be voide of the knowledge of God he cannot be saved For God will haue all men to be saved and come he sayes not to the Sacrament but to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2. 4. So that as in that case so in this I desired knowledge of God more than receiving of the Sacramt. Men commonly desire the receiving of the Sacrament more than the knowledge of God But our desires should be suitable to Gods desires As he desires so should we desire and he desires the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings and so by proportion more than Sacraments 2 Secondly a man should so prepare himselfe for the Sacrament as he would prepare himselfe for his death look how he would be loth to goe to his grave so should he be loth to go to the Lords Table A man that would die comfortaby would die with the knowledge of God and a man that would receive comfortably would receive with knowledge It is a dreadfull thing to die without knowledge If a man die without knowledge I know but one way with him It is threatned as an heavie judgement Ioh. 36. 12. They shal die without knowledge And that is an heavie saying Ioh. 8. 21 Ye shall die in your sins that is ye shall die in a damned condition Now to die without knowledge is all one as to die in our sins for questionless he that dies in ignorance dies in his sins and so dying without knowledge dies in a state of damnation And if so fearefull to die without knowledge how fearefull to come to the Sacrament without knowledge For what makes a man unfit to die makes him unfit to receive and what condition is dangerous to die in that condition is dangerous to receive in A man is not fit to receive that is not in a state of salvation as no man is fit to dye that is not in such a state we are not in a state of salvation but so far forth as we have the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2. 4. Who would have all men
action to bee against credit profit his sensuality headstrongly headlonging him upon its satisfaction but yet not between wil and will affection and affection minde and minde no strife in the same faculty as in a beleever And there may bee a victory that an unbeleevers minde and his judgement may have over his sensuality pleading to him his losse of credit profit friends c. which is but a bare restraining of corruption in some one particular but this is far from a victory subduing and mortifying the power and body of sin to bring it into a languishing consumption which is the worke of faith Sin may live yea and rebell in a beleeving heart for it is with lusts in a beleevers heart as with those beasts Dan. 7. 12. As concerning the rest of the beasts they had their dominion taken away yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time They had their lives for a time prolonged but their dominion was taken away So in a beleever his lusts have their lives prolonged for a time but yet their dominion is taken away they live but they live slaves and they dye gradually both they and their rebellions 4 Fourthly True faith growes and increases 2 Pet. 3. 18. Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ yea it growes exceedingly 2 Thess 1. 3. Your faith growes exceedingly and Rom. 1. 17. The righteousnesse of God is revealed from faith to faith Graines of mustard-seed grow to the procerity and spred of trees in which the fowles of heaven may nestle Men may try themselves by this So much growth so much truth of faith But how would it puzzle the most to find any such growth They have beleeved ever since they can remember and yet what beleeve they more now than at the first The faith that grows not lives not the faith that lives not is dead Most mens faith therefore is fit for the grave Lord saies Martha of Lazarus Hee by this time stinketh for he hath beene dead foure dayes And what is theirs then but a carrion faith that hath beene dead more than so many yeeres for what more spirituall strength have they then at first what more experience of Gods dealing what neerer acquaintance with Christ or what sweeter communion with him Not a jot therefore not a jot of true faith 3 Thirdly Effects respecting our brethren and they are these 1 First Mercy Love Compassion and beneficence to the members of Christ in necessity Gal. 5. 6. Faith workes by love as by love to God so also to our brethren Therfore so often joyned together as an individuall paire 2 Thess 1. 3. Psal 5. 1 Tim. 1. 5. And therefore when Tyrus should be converted to the faith she should leave hoarding and heaping up her wealth and should find another manner of imployment for it namely to feed and cloath Gods Saints Isay 23. 18. Her merchandise shall not be treasured nor layed up for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord to eat sufficiently and for durable cloathing When Tyrus should once beleeve she should trade in a new kind of merchandise she should trade in workes of mercy and bounty in releeving and refreshing the necessities of Gods Saints Faith is full of bowels tender-hearted and open-handed to Christs members in want She is a right Dorcas Acts 9. 39. that makes coates and garments to cloath and keepe warme the backs and loynes of Christs servants in want If we finde such compassionate bowels in us hands ready to the good workes of mercy to do poore Christians good for Christs sake in those bowels there lyes faith If we do love a Saint because a Saint that love is of faiths working How doth this one thing damne the common faith of the world They beleeve in Christ that they do but how love they a godly man Is there any whom they more disaffect distast or against whom they shew more imbittered malice This malicious spitefull faith is not the faith of Christians Thus divels beleeve they beleeve and are malicious This is a divelish faith the divels so beleeve as that they tremble and yet tremble not to be malicious against those that doe beleeve And what is their bounty and mercy Alas they are not only close fisted but with the man in the Gospell they have a withered hand not able to stretch out their hand in any worke of compassion Such a creeple and same-handed faith is not the faith that will passe with God 2 Secondly a desire and an endeavour to bring others to the faith It having once tasted and found the sweetnesse and goodnesse that is in Christ and in the wayes of God it cannot rest but it must seeke others to bring them to participate of the same goodnesse with it selfe Phil. 6. That the communication of thy faith Faith is a communicative grace and a generative grace S. Paul once come to the faith hath Timothy his own son in the faith 1 Tim. 1. 2. When Andrew hath found Christ he cals Peter when Philip hath met with he must bring Nathaniel Faith indeed in one sense doth impropriat Christ and speakes as Thomas My Lord and my God but yet though in its application it make Christ her own yet not so as it would exclude others but knowing the all-sufficiency of Christ doth desire to make him common to as many as it can and in that regard sayes Our Lord and our God So far forth then as thou endeavourest to bring on others to faith in Christ so much evidence hast thou of faith in thy self But if others specially such as neere unto thee may be what they will for any care or endeavour of thine it is an evill signe that thou thy selfe wantest that to which thou hast no care to bring others Many other trials might be added for the discerning of our faith but these shall suffice referring the Reader to the larger treatises of such as have bestowed their profitable paines in this argument Chap. 12. The examination of Repentance CHAP. 12 HOw faith is to be examined we have seene let us now see how we may try and examine the truth of repentance How true repentance may be discerned we may know by that speech of Iohn Baptist Mat. 3. 8. Bring forth fruits therefore worthy of repentance fruits meet for repentance such as become and evidence repentance where true repentance is there bee ever such fruits And those fruits are these 1 First shame for sin True repentance is ever accompanied with shame Ier. 31. 19. I was ashamed yea even confounded c. Ezek. 16. 61. Then shalt thou remember thy wayes and be ashamed yea it so individually goes with repentance that it is put for repentance it selfe 2 Thess 3. 14. That they may be ashamed that is that they may repent and reforme their evill course The Heathens said That blushing was the colour of Vertue meaning that it was a good signe to see a
service is not a fixed heart but a wandring stragling heart a kinde of planetary spirit As there bee fixed starres and planets wandring starres so there bee wandring spirits and fixed hearts in Gods service Now Davids heart was a fixed heart an heart firmely prepared not taken up nor wandring after any by-businesse when hee prepared himselfe to that service The second may imply this second duty my heart is fixed and bent with all its power to do the duty and therefore hee awakens his glory his tongue his Psaltery his Harpe himselfe to the worke So should a mans heart be doubly fixed when he fits himself for receiving the Sacrament fixed as not drawne away and drawne about other businesse and fixed as bent wholly with all the powers of it to doe the work of preparation So fixed upon the businesse as he should summon and awaken all the powers of the soule to attend it Awake my understanding and mine affections awake my affections and all that is within me awake and stirre up your selves to attend this great worke in hand Chap. 10. Of Examination CHAP. 10 THe heart thus withdrawne from all avocations and bent upon the worke of preparation let a man in the next place come to the second duty of examination to that duty which the Apostle prescribes 1 Cor. 11. 28. Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. Vnto orderly receiving is required a precedent examination of a mans selfe A duty though to bee done at other times yet never more seasonable then before our comming to the Sacrament and yet a duty to which above al others we are naturally extreamly backward Might some slight formalities serve the turne wee could be contented withal but if men be pinched and pressed to a solemne examination of a strict inquiry into themselves they are ready to snuff at it and to say of this duty as they speake in that case Mal. 1. 13. Behold what a wearinesse is it It is a duty so CHAP. 9 wearisome and toilesome that they have neither list to nor leisure for it That therfore men may be the more cheerefull and willing to it consider these two things 1 This is an undoubted and a sure truth that a mans comfort depends as well upon his knowledge of his fitnesse as upon his fitnesse it selfe It is not enough to be fit and worthy but a man must know it So long as the conscience questions a mans fitnesse and is in doubt whether a man be fit or no though hee bee fit and well prepared yet the doubts of the conscience and the feares it is in will not only allay but quite forestall all the comforts that would arise from his fitnesse To a mans comfortable receiving it is as needfull to know his fitnesse as to have it There is no grace or good thing that a Christian hath but it may be knowne to him that he hath it What is a rich man better than a poore man if he be not privie to his wealth if he have treasure and know it not Wherein are his wants feares cares distractions and disquiets of spirit lesse than a poore mans It was Laodiceas ill condition Apoc. 3. 17. Thou sayest I am rich and knowest not that thou art poore And it is many a mans condition He saith I am poore and knowes not that he is rich This is the safer condition indeed of the two but yet for the present it is but a drooping and uncheerefull estate Therefore as our safety lyes in having Christ and his graces so our comfort lyes in knowing that we have them And know our wealth wee may A Christian not onely knowes God but hee knowes that hee knowes him 1 Iohn 2. 3. And hereby wee know that we know him A Christian not onely is in God but he may know that he is in God 1 Iohn 2. 5. Hereby know wee that wee are in him And 1 Iohn 4. 13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him A Christian may know that he beleeves 1 Iohn CHAP. 10 5. 10. He that beleeves on the Sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe A Christian may know that God loves him 1 Iohn 4. 16. And we have knowne and beleeved the love that God hath to us A Christian may know that he loves Gods children 1 Iohn 5. 1. By this we know that we love the children of God A Christian may know that he is of the truth 1 Iohn 4. 19. And hereby we know that wee are of the truth A Christian may know that God abides in him 1 Iohn 3. 24. And hereby we know that hee abides in us A Christian may know that he hath eternall life 1 Iohn 5. 13. That ye may know that ye have eternall life But now how comes a Christian to know all these things The way by which a man gets the knowledge of all these things is the examination of himselfe A man first tries and examines himselfe in all these and by examination comes to the knowledge of them and from the knowledge of them arises his comfort in them So it is in the case of fitnesse for the Sacrament It is abundance of comfort the heart hath in the knowledge of its owne fitnesse and this knowledge arises from the examination of a mans selfe A man that examines not himselfe for ought he knowes may come an unworthy guest hee knowes not whether he be worthy or no but this he knowes that hee that is unworthy is unwelcome and so cannot come but with a tremulous and an hesitant heart fearing lest instead of a blessing he may meet with a breach It is impossible in such a case that a man should receive comfortably I dare not say of eating the Sacrament as S. Paul speakes in the case of eating some meates Rom. 14. 23. And he that doubts is damned if he eat a man may come with doubts and feares to the Sacrament and come acceptably but this I may say That he that doubts of the lawfulnesse of his comming he exceedingly hinders his owne comfort if hee eate doubtingly doubting whether he be fit to eat doubting whether he may come yea or no eating with such doubtings must needs be prejudiciall to a mans comfortable eating Now the way to prevent such doubtings is to live by that rule the Apostle gives in that case of eating Rom. 14. 5. Let every man bee fully perswaded in his owne minde Be carefull beforehand to take such a course as may assoile and cleere up such doubts take such a course as may assure and perswade your hearts that you are fit in an acceptable measure to come to the Sacrament But what course may be taken to this purpose Let a man examine himselfe The way to put all out of doubt and to prevent such troublesome doubtings when we are come is selfe examination For when a man hath seriously examined himselfe hee shall thereby bee inabled to give a true