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
promised to bee our God and we to be his people by which wee have deliverance from our former evill and the glad tidings of salvation through Jesus Christ Now for the second Knowledge to bee examined and that is the speciall Knowledge concerning the nature of the Lords Supper as our Knowledge First What it is Secondly why it is so called Thirdly The causes of it Fourthly The end of it First it concernes every man that comes to Gods Table The Lords Supper described that hee know what the Lords Supper is Namely a Sacrament of our spirituall nourishment and growth by faith in CHRIST to eternall life Secondly why it is called Wâ—y so called the Lords Supper as Because it was ordained Reas 1 by the Lord m 1 Cor. 11. 22. Because it was instituted in remembrance of the Reas 2 Lord this do saith he as yee doe it in remembrance of me n 1 Cor. 11. 25. Because in the primitive Reas 3 Church it was usually received on the day of the Lord o Acts â—0 7. The principall cause Thirdly we must know the causes of it as First The cause principall Secondly the cause instrumentall Thirdly The cause materiall The cause principall is God Because hee onely can Reas give grace and afoord meanes First Commanding to Minister and receive it Secondly Promising that whosoever receiveth and beleeveth shall be saved The Instrumentall cause Cause instrumentall Cause materiall of it is the Minister The Materiall cause twofold 1. The outward signe 2. The inward thing signified The outward signe The outward signe is twofold First The Elements of Bread and Wine Secondly The actions of the Minister and Receiver First the Elements of Bread and Wine And here is a question to be answered Quaes Why the Lord Jesus Why bread Christ did make choyse of Bread and Wine rather than any other elements to bee Signes of the Sacrament of his Body and Blood Resp For good Reasons the Analogy and proportion that is between them shewing the same And thus it holds First Bread is the principall supporter of mans life now as Bread is of naturall life so the Lord Jesus is of our spirituall bread in regard of the strength of it it is called The Staffe of Bread p Lev. 26. 26. Reason Because as the weake and wearied man is stayed up by the staffe so the weake body is strengthned by bread so saith the Psalmist he bringeth forth of the earth bread that strengthens mans heart q Psal 104. 15. S. Aug. upon which words Saint Augustine after his Allegoricall manner of exposition applies it unto Christ saying quem panem What Bread and answers Christum Christ Secondly Bread takes away corporall hunger and as bread takes away corporall hunger so the Lord Jesus takes away spirituall Thirdly Bread profiteth none but such as are hungry it doth no good unto them that are filled and glutted the Lord Jesus profiteth none but those who hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Quaes Why Wine Why wine Resp First Wine is the sweetest liquor proceeding from the Vine the Lord Jesus the most sweetest liquor He is the true Vine his blood is sweete indeed r Ioh. 15. 1 7. Secondly Wine cheereth up the heart of man Å¿ Ps 104. 15 the promises of the Lord Jesus cheere up the soule and revives it Thirdly Wine mundi fies cleanses the wounds of the body the blood of Christ cleanseth the soule Fourthly Wine takes away fearefulnesse and causeth boldnesse the blood of the Lord Jesus by faith assures us of Gods favour eases us of the Curse of the Law makes us constant in the confession of Christ This the Analogie and proportion is so that Wine The Cup no to be denied cannot without great wrong be denied unto the people the Papists doe it who like the false Mother would have the child divided the Lord is the true Mother and cannot indure it what man will indure in his ordinary refreshing to have the Cup taken from him the blood of Christ is the speciall price of our Redemption for we were not redeemed with corruptible things but the blood of the Son of God as a Lamb unspotted and undefiled Our blessed Lord saith t 1 Pet. 1. 18. drink yee all of this u 1 Corin. 11 25. they will not doe it and what is this but to damme up the Fountaine Christ hath set open for Judah and Jerusalem but herein they deale with Christ and his Church as in other matters they account the Scripture not the perfect rule of faith but patch it up with their Traditions they make Christ but halfe a Saviour I perswade my selfe if the people should deale with their Priests in their offerings accondingly it would either coole their devotion or work a reformation Now for the actions of the Minister The Ministers actions represent the actions of God and Receivers First The actions of the Minister these actions are foure and they represent the actions of God First the taking of the Bread and Wine into his hands signifies the pointing out of Christ by God for the office of Mediatorship Secondly The blessing and consecrating of these Elements to an holy use signifies the actuall sending of Christ and the holy anoynting of him and setting him apart for that worke Thirdly The breaking of the Bread and the effusion of the Wine signifies the breaking of Christs Body on the Crosse and the shedding of his Blood Fourthly The delivering of these outward Elements to the Receivers signifies Gods offering of Christ unto all that will receive him Secondly The actions of the Receiver these represent the actions of the The receivers actions represent the actions of the soule soule and inward man for as the outward man receives the outward Elements so the inward man receives Christ First The taking of Bread and Wine with the outward hands of the body signifies the taking of Christ with the inward hand of the soule Secondly The eating of the Bread and the drinking of the Wine signifies a peculiar applying of Christ unto our soules that even as Bread and Wine being digested in the stomacks of our bodies is conjoyned to the body and made a part and member of the body so Christ received and digested in the Will and Affections is united to us and we to him he becomes our Head and we his members and as the receiving of outward food doth strengthen the body and makes it fit for naturall actions so the receiving of Christ the spirituall food doth strengthen the inward man and makes it fit for spirituall duties Secondly Now there is the inward thing signified and this whole Christ with all his benefits The last thing wee must The end why it was instituted examine our Knowledge of is concerning the end of the Lords Supper and here the question to be propounded is Quaes Why the Lords Supper was instituted Resp For two ends
THE COMMVNICANTS DUTY SET FORTH IN EIGHT Sermons preached at Kings-Lynne in Norfolke By THOMAS PURCHAS Master of Arts. 2 CHRON. 35. verse 6. Sanctifie your selves and prepare your brethren that they may doe according to the Word of the Lord. LONDON Printed by JOHN NORTON for Walter Edmonds dwelling at the signe of the Crowne within Lud-gate 1639. To The Right Worshipfull and his worthy friends Mr. Thomas Milner Major Mr. Thomas Grimell Alderman Mr. Ioshuo Greene Alderman with all the Society of that ancient Incorporation of Kings Lynne Grace and Peace c. Right VVorshipfull THat of Artaxexres King of Persia was never too highly set and prised which said that it was of no lesse kingly bounty and humanity to accept of little things then to give great I have received great things from you and now what have I to offer unto you but even these poore Meditations which if it shall please you to accept you shall more enrich and fill my desire by this receaving then by giving For to an honest minde it is sweeter to be regarded then rewarded and what greater reward can be given unto him that striveth to bee thankfull then to finde himselfe accepted in that in which he seeketh most to please Accept them I pray you favourably and censure them charitably for my part I intend especially though I be of all men most unworthy to further Christs Kingdome which if it may I have my desire howsoever I shall leave it to the blessing of God and your worthy Patronage Now the God of all consolation according to the riches of his mercy blesse you and yours with all externall internall and eternall blessings of his spirit that all your actions may bee prosperous your troubles few your comforts many your life long your death blessed your elections sure and yur salvations certaine Amen Yours in the Lord JESVS Tho. Purchas To The Reader CHristian Reader you have in the eight Sermons the Communicants Duty set forth at large now for the helpe of their memories who desire to attaine to a particular and distinct knowledge of the heads delivered I have collected the summe of them out of the former Sermons and here set them downe by themselves they are truths which every Christian should indeavour to make his owne bee perswaded therefore to use a little diligence in these things which are matters of so great moment First study them to get a particular and distinct knowledge of them committing them to memory Secondly be well grounded in the truth of them by infallible testimonies of holy Scripture Thirdly make that use of them in thy life as God in his word directeth thee that so thou mayst be happy as well in doing as in knowing Thou seest what is thy taske Arise then and bee doing and my prayers shall be that the Lord would be with thee that thou mayst increase in wisedome and abound in the mysteries of godlinesse and in all holinesse Thine in Christ Jesus Tho. Purchas The First SERMON 1 Corinthians 11. CHAP. 28. VERS But let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that Bread and drinke of that Cup. THE blessed Apostle St. Paul perceiving what was in the Corinthians In this Chapter reproves them very sharply as may bee read from the beginning of it unto the 17 vers In the verses following he insistes upon the Doctrine of the Sacrament and their carelesnes in not preparing of themselves to come unto it This corruption of theirs he First propoundes Secondly confutes In the propounding of it he taxeth them with two vices First want of Charity in the 18 vers a 1 Corin. 11. 18. When you come together in the Church I heare that there be divisions among you and I partly beleeve it There were divisions among them even then when they were to aproach unto the table of the Lord this did he heare and partly beleeve Secondly he taxes them not onely for the want of Charity but also of Sobriety and Temperance in the 21 vers in eating saith he every one taketh before other his own Supper and one is hungry and another is drunken b 1 Cor. 11 21. Now the blessed Apostle having propounded their vices he cometh in the second place to confute them and in this he sheweth a dislike of their curses saying Have yee not houses to eate and to drinke in or dispise yee the Church of God and shame them that have not what shall I say to you shall I prayse you in this I prayse you not c 1 Cor 11 22. Now in his confuting he takes an occasion to put them in minde of the first institution of the Lords Supper I have received saith he of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed tooke Bread d 1 Cor. 11. 23. And heere hee sets down two things First what the Sacrament is 1 In the substantiall parts of it 2 In the simple actions 3 In the relative actions 4 What the end is e 1 Cor. 11. 24. 25 26. Secondly In the second place hee sets down what is to be done before they come to the Table of the Lord they must examine themselves f 1 Cor. 11. 28. but let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that Bread and drinke of that Cup. So that wee may now see who they bee that are to be admitted to the Table of the Lord even those who after good examination and tryall have found themselves fit In the words there is a double injunction to a double duty First touching examination Secondly touching our participation after examination In the first injunction there is First the duty that is injoyned Examination Secondly the party nominated A man Let a man saith the Text examine A man this notes the fitnes a man that hath discretion A mans selfe this the propriety of the action In the second injunction for the matter of participation So let him eate of that Bread and drinke of that Cup you have three things First the note of dependency in the word so Secondly the actions Eating and Drinking The words being divided let us come to the sense and meaning of them Let us see First what it is to examine Secondly why it is said let a man examine Thirdly why a mans selfe Fourthly why so let him eate and so let him drink Quaest What it is to examine Resp The word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is sometimes taken in the best sense for a good tryall sometimes in the worst sense for a bad tryall First when in the worst sense it is used for a bad tryall it is in our English tongue properly called tempting Now Tempting is an using of an evill meanes to effect an evill end that is to try if men will thereby be perswaded to doe that that is evill And thus was CHRIST led by the Spirit into the
ordinances for all are thy servants saith the Psalmist f Ps 119. 9. 1. He giveth life and breath and all things for in him we live we move and have our being g Act. 17. 25. 28. The third principle to be examined is of Gods Gods providence reacheth to all things smalest things providence reaching to all of these The providence of God reacheth to all things even the smallest things are governed and upheld by him Are not two Sparrowes sould for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father saith the LORD h Math. 10 29 30. Yea and all the haires of your Head are numbred He it is that covereth the heavens with Clouds and prepareth raine for the Earth and maketh the grasse to grow upon the Mountaines Hee giveth Beasts their food and to the young Ravens that cry He giveth Snow like Wooll and scattereth the hoary frost like ashes he casteth forth his Ice like morsells who can abide the cold thereof hee sendeth his Word and melteth them he causeth the Winde to blow and the Waters flow i Psa 147 8 9 16 17. The next principle to be examined Of all Creatures God hath most care of man is concerning Gods care and respect of man Of all the Creatures that God made he hath most care and respect of man his delights are with the children of men k Pro 8. 31 And here our knowledge to bee examined is threefold First Concerning Gods care in providing great things for man Secondly His care in watching ouer him and his Thirdly His care in disposing and ordering of all things all Acts for his good First wee must examine our knowledge concerning Gods care in providing for man The God of Heaven provides good and great things for man The good Samaritaine is said to have compassion on the wounded man and went to him and bound up his wounds powring in Wine and Oyle and set him on his owne beast and brought him to an Inne and tooke care of him and when he departed he tooke out two pence and gave them to the Host and said unto him take care of him l Luke 10 33 34 35. The Lord IESVS CHRIST under the person of the Samaritaine bringeth the hurt and wounded man which is the sinner into the Inne which is the Church where he delivereth to the Host which is the Angell or Minister of the Church those two pence of his word and Sacraments giving him charge of him till he come againe which charge must bee continued till his second comming Now the care of God in providing is eyther First Temporall for the outward man Secondly Spirituall for the inward man First his care temporall for God provideth for our body the outward man this must bee known Hee provides for the bodies of men Children saith hee have ye any meate they said no and hee said cast out the Net on the right side of the Shippe and ye shall finde they did so and they were not able to draw it up for the multitude of Fishes m Johh 21. 5 6. A Raven shall bring Elias meate Peter shall not want money to pay tribute hee must cast forth and take a Fish with money God provids for our soules Secondly his care for the inward man the soule God provides for that First Hee is a royall God a royall Bridegroome Bride-groome that provids the best apparell for his Spouse I clothed thee with broidred worke and shod thee with badgers skinne and I girded thee about with fine linnen and I covered thee with silke I decked thee with ornaments and put bracelets upon thine handes and a chaine on thy neck and I put a Iewell on thy fore-head and eare-rings in thy eares and a beautifull Crowne upon thy head thou wast decked with gould and silver n Eze. 16. 10 11 12 This is a metaphor expressing the graces wherewith the Lord IESVS adorneth the soule of his people Secondly Hee is a royall Feast-maker making great and choise provision God a royal Feast-maker to set before his guests Hee shall make a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the the Lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the Lees well refined o Isa 25. 6. Thirdly He is a Royall God a royal Generall Generall who provides much for his army the Lord hath provided and layd in much for his his Word his Sacraments Himselfe I they have armour also the armour of God p Eph. 6. 14. 15 16 17. the Helmet of Salvation the Sword of the Spirit the Brest-plate of Righteousnesse the Shield of Faith He makes for them provision First Of comforts Secondly Of graces First Of comforts The Lambs the young Christians hee will put them into Provision of comforts his bosome those that are with young that have breeding fits he will gently lead them q l Isa 41. 1 He is sent to binde up the broken hearted to proclaime liberty unto the Captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound and for those that mourne in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyle of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heavinesse r Isa 62. 1 2 3. Provision of graces Cleansing Secondly of graces First Art thou defiled with sinne he hath provided cleansing grace Secondly Art thou Healing wounded he hath provided healing grace Thirdly Art thou dead in trespasses and sinnes he Quickning hath provided quickning grace himself died that we might live Fourthly Art thou in a Directing â— wildernesse not knowing what path to take he hath directing grace Fifthly Art thou in the Protecting midst of enemies he hath protecting grace for thee Sixthly Art thou at Saving grace deaths dore he hath provided also saving grace Secondly our knowledg must bee examined concerning Gods watching over us and ours The God of Heaven watcheth over and preserveth the sonnes of men He that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleepeth God it is that preserves us First From dangers God preserves from dangers that they come not no evill shall happen unto thee nor plague come nigh thy dwelling Å¿ Psal 91. 9. 10. He it is preserved David from the violent hands of Saul Secondly In dangers In dangers though they come yet they shall not ruin us hee it is saith Iob that shall deliver thee in sixe troubles yea in seven there shall no evill touch thee In famine he shall redeeme thee from death and in warre from the power of the sword t Iob 5. 19. 20. 21. 22. He it was that provided for the Widdow of Sarepta he preserved the three Worthies that preserved Daniell in the denne and it is hee that hath preserved the Church from Abel unto this day Thirdly By dangers By dangers though they come and prevaile yet all shall be for our good what can wee
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
thus Prayers must be powred out with feare and VVith feare reverence our hearts must be raised from the dunghill of the Earth to the glorious throne of Heaven as the Prophet saith let our hearts be lifted up l Lamen 41. Our gestures must bee reverent and humble and kneeling is the fittest gesture Gesture must bee reverent With fervency in Prayer And they must bee delivered with fervency for the Prayer of the righteous avayleth much if it bee fervent Yea in Prayer we must be diligent S. Paul would have the Thessalonians to pray alwayes m 1 Thes 5. 17. Nay Indesinenter orare to pray without ceasing it is said of the primitive Church that they continued with one accord in Prayer One calleth Prayers Gods Grashoppers Gods Nightingales who praise him in the day and pray in the night and good men will pray always Pray alwayes with all manner of Prayers and supplications in the spirit n Eph. 6. 18. O stirre up thy heart that is dull rowze it up to God Prayer is a sacrifice to God Musick unto the Angels a banquet to the saints an helpe to them that pray a remedy for the penitent a weapon against the enemy Te orante fugit daemon When thou prayest the divell takes him to his heeles and is gone resist the divell by Prayer and he will flie froÌ„ you Wilt thou carry al things patiently be a man of Prayers Wilt thou roote up vices be inriched with virtues be a maÌ„ of Prayers Wilt thou overcome troubles be a man of Prayers Wilt thou know the subtilty of Satan and vanquish his temptations be a man of Prayers Wilt thou trample under feet thy corrupt and evill affections be a man of Prayers never knew a man of much praying a man of much sinne no not of the superstitious sort touching the grosse sinne of the VVorld Per preces charitas pascitur fides augetur spes corroboratur spiritus exhilaratur cor pacatur detegitur veritas vincitur tentatio renovantur sensus totus homo immutatur fit melior by Prayer Charity is fed Faith increased Hope strengthned the Spirit exhilarated the Heart pacified Verity discovered Temptation vanquished the Senses renewed and the whole man altered and bettered Looke to this to pray in the spirit pray from the Pray in the spirit heart not from the lippes from the soule not the mouth onely The Iewes prayed with their lippes but not with their hearts therefore God complaineth of them saying this people draw neere unto meâ— with their lipps but their hearts are farre from me o Isa 29. 13 The Prayer that commeth not from the heart and spirit it is a Key-cold Prayer it is frozen before it commeth halfe-way to Heaven David to note his earnestnes in Prayer said that he roared hee spake not but roared cried out p Psa 38. and indeed the Spirit of God is a crying Spirit not a cold Spirit Oh that all men knew this that all had learned that not all Prayers but spirituall Prayers are accepted of God but wee are ignorant and will bee ignorant still filthy and will be filthy still but let us amend this fault and learne at last to pray God hath promised us al good things under his Hand and Seale but yet with a condition so that we pray truely and aske them as we should The first Motive The last thing is the Motive unto Knowledge The excellency of it in it Motive 4. excellency of it selfe it is compared unto light the people that sate in darknesse have seene the light q â—sa 9. 2. The light it comes from the Sunne this light comes from the Sunne of righteousnesse the Lord Jesus Christ The second Motive The good it will doe unto It will doe good to us our selves O how comfortable will it be to know God to be good and gracious full of loving kindnesse abundant in goodnes and truth How wil it terrifie us to know that he is an angry God against sinne and sinners he that walkes without Knowledge he is in continuall danger As he that walkes in dangerous places without a light may loose his life so he that walks without this Knowledge may loose his soule The third Motive The good it inables us Wee will doe good to others to doe unto others VVee will strive to bring others to this knowledge of God also This makes us Physitians of our brethrens soules our brethrens pilats to guide them in the right way The fourth Motive The end of our beeing This is the end of our being for this end did GOD make us that wee might know him here and have eternall happinesse hereafter Thus much for the first generall Knowledge wee are to examine our selves of the second followes and that is concerning our selves Now this Knowledge to bee examined is threefold First Concerning our first estate of Innocency Secondly Our fall Thirdly The curse of God due unto us by reason of that estate First wee must examine our Knowledge concerning our first Estate of Innocency and here there are two Principles that we must examine our Knowledge of 1. Principle That the God of Heaven made man at the first after his own Image 2. Principle That this Image of God God made made man after his Image after which man was made consisted in Knowledge holinesse and righteousnesse It concernes us to examine our Knowledge concerning the first 1. That wee might admire the marvellous love of God unto man which appeares First In the time when The time when man was made he made man he made him last even when he had provided all things for him r Gen. 2. 7 The place man was put in Secondly In the place where God put him in paradise s Gen. 2. 8 Thirdly In the manner of making him First For his body hee did not say let it be but as it were framed all with his own Hands the man of the dust the woman of the Rib b. Secondly For his soule that was inspired he breathed the breath of life into him t Gen. 2 7 And observe wee may that in both he saith let us make man calling all the Trinity to the care and workmanship Secondly It concernes us to examine our Knowledge concerning this that so all of us might earnestly indeavour First To Know God Secondly To feare God Thirdly To resemble God Fourthly To praise the Workmanship of God for these were the end of mans Creation Thirdly this must be knowne that so we might have the more care of our immortall soules that God hath breathed into us It will not profit a man to win the whole Word and loose his owne soule u Math. 16 26. Lastly this Knowledge will teach us 1. Not to wrong man for hee is the Image of God w Gen. 9. 6. 2. To lament our fall The second Principle to bee examined is that this Image of God after which
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
commeth shall hee finde Faith on the earth y Luke 18 8. hee saith not that when hee shall come againe hee shall finde no Faith at all in the earth for he shall finde as many kinds of Faith as there be kindes of Religion in the World neither meaneth he that hee shall finde no saving Faith for he shall finde it in many who shall then be alive at his comming a 1 Thess 4. 15 16. But the meaning is that when Christ shall come to judgement he shall finde few in the earth that have a saving Faith in comparison of them that have it not Thirdly All men have not a saving Faith because all men shall not be saved for as many as are saved are saved by Faith b Rom. 9. 27. Now that all shall not be saved it is plaine for though the number of Israel were as the sand yet but a remnant shall be saved Fourthly All men have it not because First Some make Shipwrack of it c 1 Tim. 1 19 Secondly Some depart from it and deny it d 1 Tim. 4. 1. Thirdly Many cast it off e 1 Tim. 6 10. Fourthly Many erre and are reprobate concerning it f 2 Tim. 3 8. Wee must examine our Faith because the Lord Reas 3 himselfe tries our Faith now wee must not thinke that this God doth as though hee were ignorant of our Faith for all things are naked and open before God but to teach us to trie and instruct us that upon tryall wee shall know whether wee have a saving Faith that God tries wee may see in Abraham who was tryed g Heb. 11. 17. God tryed Abraham and will try us but I neither teach nor thinke that God doth or will try the Faith of all Christians with so great a tryall as was Abrahams Examine wee must our Reas 4 Faith because there is no grace so necessary as this is First Because no grace is acceptable to God without this h Heb. 11. 6. Secondly Because no grace so necessary for this life and the life to come All good things are ours by promise the promise is made ours by Faith and it is Faith onely that layes hold on Christ Thirdly Because it is to bee desired and used above all other graces above all saith the Apostle take the shield of Faith i Eph. 6. 16 Where note that the Apostle contenteth not himselfe with a bare exhortation but with weighty reasons presseth his exhortation both behinde and before First Before comparatively preferring it before all other graces and above all Secondly Behind simply declaring the vertue and efficacy of it whereby ye shall be able to quench But it will be objected Ob. 1. We are ignorant and cannot examine to examine requires wisedome knowledge understanding Obiections Answered True it is many are ignorant but all are not so and though many bee ignorant and simple yet that little wit and understanding that they have if they would imploy it they might doe much craving Gods blessing upon the use of the meanes againe they have a light to direct them the light of Gods Word True but the Word is hard and difficult so that Ob. 2 we cannot understand it Have you not teachers Ministers resort to them Ans you have the Word publikly preached and private conference to helpe you Wee have Trades and occupations Ob. 3 Wives and Children and have no time to spare Many who make this Ans Obection have no lawfull callings or no callings at all but sure it is that there are none who have lawfull callings that are so streightned but that they may set a part some time to examine they spare some time to Eate to Drinke to Sleepe to recreate themselves and shall there bee none for so Holy a Worke as this trades-men spend not all their time in bying and selling but some in casting up their debt-book that they may know how it is with their estates how they thrive and shall there be no time spent to know how they thrive and grow in grace many have great trading and imployments so that it may be in the sixe dayes they cannot let such do it on the seventh the LORDS Day The End of the Fourth SERMON The Fifth 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. HAving shewed the necessity of the examination of our faith and answered some objections It now concernes all to know what saving faith is or faith in Christ Now saving Faith is a Faith described grace of the Spirit of God wrought in the heart of a sinner whereby he trusts in the Lord Jesus for eternall blessednesse And here we must take notice First that it is a grace of the Spirit of God So that it is not onely God that works it in those that have it but also that the Lord in grace mercy favour works it First it is God that God workes Faith workes it It is his gift he is called by the Apostle the Author and finisher of our faith a Heb. 12. 2. as the Athenians were called Inventrices perfectrices omnium doctrinarum the inventers and perfecters of all good learning The Romanes had their learning from the Grecians and the Grecians from the Aegyptians and the Aegyptians from the Chaldees and they from Adam Seth Noah and the old Patriarchs but the Church hath all her Learning Religion and faith from God he gave it at the first and he confirmed it he gave some to be Apostles some Prophets and some Evangelists some Pastours and Teachers for gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ til we meet together in the unity of Faith and Knowledge of the Sonne of God Saint Luke having spoken of Stephens Faith noteth the cause of it that Stephen was full of the Spirit for God worketh it by his Spirit b Acts 7. 22. all good workes are the fruits of the Spirit therfore saith the Apostle the fruits of the Spirit are love ioy peace faith c Gal. 5. 22. and it is reckoned up among the gifts of the Spirit to another is given faith saith the Apostle by the same spirit d 1 Cor. 12. 9. Every good and perfect gift comes from above e 1 Jam. 17 And that which is said of Lydia is true of all the faithfull that the Lord opened the hâ—art of Lydia so that she beleevâ—d And Christ saith that this is the Worke of God f Ioh 6. 29. that yee beleeve not the Worke of the Father alone of the Sonne alone or of the holy Ghost alone but of the whole Trinity for this is one of the Workes of God which are said to be ad extra and therefore attributed to all the three Persons First To the first Person where Christ saith no man can come unto me that is beleeve except
the Father draw him g Joh 6. 44 2 To the second Person where the Apostle calleth Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith h Heb 12. 2. 3 To the third Person where the Apostle reckoneth Faith amongst the fruits of the Spirit i Gal. 5. 22 Secondly God works faith God in mercy workes faith of his meere good will So saith our blessed Saviour it is so Father because thy good pleasure was such k Mat. 11. 26. Now the end at which God aymed in working Gods ends in working faith this grace is two-fold First The setting forth of his owne glory Secondly The salvation of mankinde and therfore Saint Peter calleth salvation the end of our faith Now the Knowledge of this will First Humble us in letting of us see that it is not in our power that Faith is not hereditary God beginneth it and increaseth it and finisheth it The Apostles prayed Lord increase our faith l Luke 17. Now the meanes to get this Faith is double 1 Outward Meanes to get faith 2 Inward First Outward 1 Outward The Word The outward meanes is the Word hereupon saith the Apostle how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10 14. and thereupon thus concludeth Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word preached n Rom. 10 8. And hereupon it is called the Word of Faith o Eph. 1. 13 and Paul saith of the Ephesians that they beleeved after they heard the Gospell and finely saith S. Chrysostome Acc enditur S. Chrysoâ—t fldei lampas igne Divini verbi the Lampe of our Faith is lighted by the fire of the Divine Word And this Faith is wrought in us both by reading and preaching of the Word and both are commended and ordained of God The Word a meanes p Deut. 3. 9. 1. For reading God himselfe commandeth it P and by reading S. Augustine was converted for hee confesseth of himselfe that being inclined to the heresie of the Manichees he heard a voyce saying Tolle lege take up and reade meaning the Booke of God which hee presently did and so by reading was converted for surely the reading of the Word is a meanes appointed of God to the begetting of faith and raising up the kingdom of God in the hearts of men so that to say that bare reading is bare feeding and a thing unable to worke faith in us is to avouch a great untruth Secondly For the Word The especiall meanes ordinary is preaching preached This is the especiall ordinary meanes and the most powerfull usuall meanes this is that which the Scripture layeth downe how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard how shall they heare without a preacher q Rom. 10. 14. and againe it pleased God by preaching to save r Gal. 3. 1. reading is profitable but preaching doth profit more than reading doth Spice when it is whole smelleth sweetly but when it is broken and bruised by the hand of the Apothecary it smelleth a great deale more so is the Word read of us or to us sweet as the hony and bringeth the light of life to many but if the spirituall Apothecary breake it and bruise it cut it and divide it as the Lord hath appointed by preaching then reacheth the savor of such heavenly sweet to many moe in a fuller measure by reason of the blessing God giveth unto it The Eunuch read but he understood not but when Philip preached unto him the sweet brake out to his lasting good Å¿ Acts 8. Secondly the meanes is The inward meanes for faith the Spirit of God inward whereby faith is wrought in us and this is the blessed Spirit of God which softneth and openeth our hearts and maketh them as good ground that when the seed of the Word is cast into them it taketh deepe rooting and bringeth forth the blessed fruit of faith The Apostle saith that his preaching was in demonstration of the Spirit that their faith might 1 Cor. 2 4. 5 be in the power of God and the preaching of the Gospell is tearmed a ministration of the Spirit u 2 Cor. 3. yea hee useth this phrase the Spirit of faith w 2 Cor. 8 15. because that faith is wrought inwardly by the spirit Thus yee see that faith is wrought inwardly in us by the spirit outwardly by the Word Now to propound a question and answer it Quaes How the Gospell How the Gospell works faith works faith Resp When the Gospell is preached First That commands us to beleeve in Christ and promises salvation and when wee come to heare the Spirit of God moves us for to heare and hee opens our hearts as hee did the heart of Lydia Secondly Vpon diligent hearing the Lord inlightens the minde to conceive and understand the way of salvation Thirdly Vpon this inlightning the great God perswades us to beleeve x Act. 15. 7 1 Cor. 3. 4 Fourthly After this God inclines the heart to be affected with the goodnes of the things promised which is salvation and to hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Fifthly The Lord perswades the heart to trust in the Lord Jesus for salvation Now as this knowledge serves to humble us so it will bring us to this knowledge that faith is not common this confutes the Atheists confuted Atheists that think and say so all of them say that they beleeve but faith is a gift yea a most rare gift of God God sent his Patriarchs in the ancientest age of the world and could finde no faith he sent his Prophets in a latter generation and could finde no faith last of all he sent his owne Sonne a man approved of God and approved his doctrine with miracles and signes following and could finde no faith and when the Sonne of man shall come shall he finde faith on the earth y Luk. 18. 8 We reade but of two beleevers in the hoste of Israell a Num. 14. But of eight in all the old world b 1 Pet. 3. 20. But of one family that beleeved in all Asia c 2 Tim. 1. 26. But of a hundred and twentie in all Christs time d Act. 1. 15 But of a few in all Sardis e Rev. 3. 4. Caro sanguis non dant fidem sed Pater in Coelis Flesh and blood give not faith but the Father in heaven Many boast of faith but if they have any it is the Divels faith Nay many beleeve not so much as the Divell doth but say with the foole non est Deus non est Daemon non est infernus non est Coelum there is no God no Divell no hell no heaven And in that some few beleeve it is by grace not by nature Secondly it is said in the description wrought in the heart of a sinner and this must not bee understood indefinitly of any sinner or every sinner for First
The Divels are sin ners and yet they cannot have a saving faith and the reason is because they have no saving promise Secondly Reprobates are sinners and they have it not because it belongs only to the elect By sinners then understand such as know and beleeve themselves to bee sinners and have neede of Christ and Gods mercy such as use all meanes to have Christ that are undone without him these are they in whose hearts the Lord is pleased to work this grace Thirdly it is said whereby a sinner trusts in the Lord Iesus that is rests relies builds upon him cast himself upon the Lord for salvation the sinner owes a debt which must be paid now Christ hath promised to pay it he beleeves it and trusts in him knowing whosoever trusts in him shall be saved Lastly it is said for eternal blessednes Which consists in our deliverance from all hellish and eternall torments and the injoying of everlasting happinesse for soule and body it is called blessednesse because it comprehends all that can make a man perfectly blessed Eternall because it never shall have an end Thus much for faith The third thing that wee are to Repentance to be examined examine before we come to the Table of the Lord is Repentance Now the Reason is because there is a Repentance A false Repentance in the World like true re-Repentance but is not all is not gold that glisters First There is a Repentance which causes a kinde of remorse this was in Saul he lift up his voyce and wept f 1 Sam. 24 15. 16. 17. Secondly There is a Repentance which confesseth sinne this was in Iudas I have sinned saith he g Mat. 27. 3. in Pharaoh I have sinned the Lord is righteous I and my people are wicked h Exod. 9. 27. Thirdly There is a Repentance also which causes praying and fasting this was in Ahab Fourthly There is a Repentance which commeth to restitution Iudas brought againe the silver i Mat. 27. 34. Now all this may bee and yet no true Repentance so that wee may bee deceived and take that for true Repentance that is not true Repentance that changeth the heart Where there is true Repentance there is an aptnesse to ascend the affections are set on heaven and heavenly things k Col. 3. 2. if there were neither heaven nor hell such would be holy it is meate and drinke to them to doe their Fathers Will they will grow in grace and in Knowledge But seeing that there is a false Repentance like true Repentance let us see what true Repentance is Repentance may thus bee described Repentance descrâ—bed to be A present turning from all evill to all good wrought by God in the hearts of all that shall be saved In which description we may spend time in examining of many things as First In examining our Knowledge concerning the Act of Repentance Secondly The time of Repentance Thirdly The termes of Repentance Fourthly The Author of Repentance Fiftly The subject of Repentance First concerning Repentance Repentance Act is turning Act. Now the Act of Repentance or forme of it is turning Obs True Repentance is a turning By the sinne of our nature and practice wee have turned our selves away from God and cannot see his face and favour towards us now it is Repentance that turnes us back againe let us search and try our wayes saith the Prophet and turne againe unto the Lord l La. 3. 40. It is not onely a turning but is more First It is a whole turning Repentance turnes wholly Secondly It is a continuall turning First it is a whole turning the whole man turnes Reason because the Reas whole man is turned away from God and naturally and wholly evill m Gen. 6. The imaginations of his heart are evill all the imaginations of it are evill Secondly as it is a whole turning so it is a continuall Turnes continually turning True Repentance is a continued act of turning a Repentance never to be repented of a turning never to turne againe to folly if this were not the remedy would be short of the disease for the whole man is turned from God by sinne and Repentance must turne the whole man back againe Now the knowledg of this will teach us two things First That man hath ever something within him to turne from a flesh still resisting the Spirit many temptations of Satan many wicked fashions of the World Secondly That he can never get neare enough to God in this life nor ever turne so neare him as once he was and therefore he must proceede on till he doe attaine The second thing to Repentance time to day examine our Knowledge of concerning Repentance is the time Repentance time Now the time of Repentance is present so that Obs True Repentance is speedy Repentance hee that repents truly repents speedily to day whilst it is called to day The first thing the godly-man will set about is to repent he lookes First At God Secondly At himselfe Thirdly At othes Fourthly At his sinnes First hee lookes at GOD True Repentance looks at God First Commanding to day to heare his voyce m Psal 95. 7. First to seeke the Kingdome of God n Math. 6. 33. Secondly Grieving sinne greives his blessed spirit now the godly will greive God no more I as his Spirit to morrow will bee more grieved so his patience will bee more abused and his wrath increased Secondly as Repentance lookes True Repentance lookes at mens selves at God so also at a mans selfe and so begins betimes Reas 1. Because before Repentance wee can neither pray nor heare nor receive the Sacrament to our comfort whosoever will have any thing to doe with God or expects any thing from God must wash and make cleane so saith the Lord by the Prophet wash you make you cleane put away the evill of your doings from before my eyes n Isa 1 61 17 18. Then come let us reason together then come and pray come and heare come and receive Reas 2. Because to morrow wee shall bee more unfit qui non est hodie Cras minus aptus erit To morrow First The heart will bee more hardned Secondly The conscience more seared Thirdly The will more crooked Fourthly Corruption more rooted Thirdly Repentance lookes True Repentance lookes at others at others That they might bee brought into the way That so there might bee one Sheepe-fold and one Shepheard the Lord Jesus Christ Lastly Repentance lookes True Repentance lookes at sinne at sinne And sees it is good to begin betimes the longer it is before wee repent the more sinnes wee have to repent of First More in number Secondly More in strength Sinne is still ingendring and groweth more fruitfull The godly man therefore will not procrastinate It is Satan that tempts men with a delay he dares not say that Repentance is not needfull onely to deceive the simple he
of the same promise Partakers of the same hope Now it is a shamefull thing and full of infamy and reproach to see the Branches of the same Vine Sheepe of the same Shepheard Children of the same Father to contend and strive one against another Beloved there is but little love where are those noble paire of lovers David and Ionathan who had but one soule Eusebius and Pamphilus Martyrs who had but one name Pilades and Orestes who had but one life the one being dead the other died also Ruth and Naomi who had but one grave Saint Basil and Saint Nazienzen of whom it is said anima una erat inclusa in duobus corporibus one soule was included in two bodies Marriage maketh two bodies one but love maketh two soules one yea many soules many bodies but one The Heathens were wont to say of the men of the Primitive Church ecce ut invic em se diligunt behold how they love one another they knew Christians by that badge but we may say ecce ut invicem se â—derunt behold how they hate one another not Christians but Wolves Lyons Leopards Divels nay worse for one Lyon eateth not another and the Divels strive not among themselves but maintaine their Kingdome Let Tygers and Beares and Leopards teare one another let Scythians Cannibals eat one another who know not God nor good humanity let them bee without naturall affections but let us love one another and let the Apostle his precept bee our practise bee of one minde one suffer with another love as brethren be pittifull be courteous not rendring evill for evill not rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse knowing that yee are thereunto called that yee should be heires of blessing a 1 Pet. 3. 8. 9. In no quality doe wee resemble God more than in this Love God the Father is Love God the Sonne is Love God the Holy Ghost is Love God the Father in love gave the Sonne God the Sonne in love gave himselfe God the holy Ghost in love applyeth all this to us Now good reason have Kind of love we to examine our love to man for there are divers kinds of love First The Atheists love Atheists love and this comes from profit or from pleasure which love men as the dog doth the bone but this love proceedeth not ex cordepuro a pure heart therefore it is a love condemned Secondly the Gamesters Gamesters love Drunkards love for to glosse play eate drinke game be no good workes therefore this is not to love Thirdly There is carnall Carnall love love and this is condemned for love in man may be a vice aswell as a grace it is a vice when it is set upon a wrong obiect or is disordered and that three wayes 1. When we love things unlawfull as sinne 2. When we love things lawfull but too much as the world 3. When love is turned into lust and so it is the mother of fornication adultery incest and such like Fourthly There is a Christian love Christian love wee must love one another in the Lord and for the Lord this love is the badge of Christs Disciples by this shall all men know that you are my Disciples indeed if yee love one another as I have loved you b Iohn 13. To this Saint Peter exhorteth above all things have fervent love among your selves for love shall cover a multitude of sinnes c 1 Pet. 4. non expiando non veniam promâ—rendo sed fraternè condonando non vindicando non diffamando not by purging or satisfying for sinne not by deserving pardon and binding God to forgive sinne but by brotherly forgiving trespasses not revenging our selves nor defaming others There is another love condemned the love of Schismaticall Heretiques and Schismaticall love in cathedra unitatis Deus posuit doctrinam veritatis in the chaire of unity God hath put the doctrine of verity they agree as the false Prophets did not in the Lord but against the Lord. Papists boast much of their Councell of Trident and how they agree in all meetings Alas a few Bishops of Italy conspired together but thirty eight Bishops in all not like the Councell of Nice where were three hundred and eighteene or of Arimine where were sixe hundred Bishops nor like the Councell of Constance where were foure Patriarks twenty nine Cardinalls two hundred threescore and ten Bishops forty seven Arch-bishops five hundred threescore and foure Abbots and Doctors at the deposing of Benedict the third But our love let it bee as it should bee Christian love let us love as brethren Our love must bee Christian. and then the God of love and peace shall bee with us and if enemies will not bee pacified recommend the cause to God till wee meete in heaven where all injury shall bee forgotten and in the meane while I beseech you as S. Paul did the Saints of Corinth I beseech you I say by the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that yee all speake one thing and that there be no dissension among you but that yee bee knit together in one minde and in one judgment d 1 Cor. 1. 10. and whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things pertaine to love e Phil. 4. 8. thinke on these things and the God of Love and peace shall bee with you f 1 Thes 3. 12. and the Lord increase your love and make it abound more and more one toward another Christs Commandement is all love his Spouse is all loving and Iohn will preach nothing but love and wee must follow after love and above all have fervent love among our selves for that shall cover a multitude of sinnes Seeing therefore it is not all love that is commended it stands us in hand to examine our love for none receive worthily but such whose love is 1. Holy Loves properties 2. Just 3. True 4. Constant First the Receivers love Holy Love must be holy love It must be for God and not against God under God and not above God for he loves not God that loves not his neighbour with God whom he loves not for God and hee that loves his neighbour more than God is unworthy of God and makes his neighbour to be his God Secondly The Receivers Iust love love must be Iust Wee must not love one another in evil but in good and for good pacem cum hominibus bellum cum vitiis wee must have peace with men war with their vices we must love their persons but hate their manners if they be evill Thirdly The Receivers True love love must be true love Wee must not love in word and in tongue but in worke and in truth g 1 Ioh 3. 18. nemo potest veraciter esse amicus ho minis nisi primitus fuerit amicus ipsius veritatis S. Augustine no man can bee S. Aug. a true lover of man unlesse
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
not by it wee are never the better therefore wee will receive no more Res True it is that many come and come often and are no better but the worse for comming this is a signe that they are not good yet God forbid that wee should so hardly conclude of all that say they can feele no such comfort at the Receiving of the blessed Sacrament for howsoever some doe not for the present and in the Act finde it yet they may finde comfort and have comfort And here it will stand us all in hand to consider of five particulars and to have them in minde 1. That to forbeare comming will make us worse than we are 2. That it is one thing to have grace and another thing to feele grace 3. That every man must with conscience submit himselfe to Gods ordinance 4. That no man was ever made better by not comming to the Sacrament 5. That it is a dangerous thing to stint God to limit God First it concernes all to consider of this That if they should not come to the Table of the Lord it is to bee doubted Not comming to the Sacrament makes men worse that albeit they should not feele themselves any whit the better by their comming to it they should feele themselves many degrees the worse and albeit that they feele not themselves after their receiving as good as they desired yet if they come not at all they shall be sure to finde themselves worse than they were Secondly Consider wee One thing to hâ—ve grace and feele grace must that it is one thing to have grace and another thing to feele grace for a man may have grace and not feele it especially in time of temptation as a man may have life in him though many times hee know it not the godly man hee lives by faith not by feeling Thirdly Consider wee Wee must submit with conscience to Gods ordinance must that every man must submit himselfe with conscience to the ordinance of God and if thus they doe they may assure themselves that in the Lords good time they shall find comfort for as they that are sicke will goe to the physitian take his directions stay his time and in all things bee ruled by him so must every poore sinner that expects comfort for his soule hee must stay the Lords time who knowes when it will doe us the most good and stand us in most stead Fourthly consider wee Withdrawing makes not men better must of this that no man was ever made better by withdrawing of himselfe Beloved if this could bee proved then something might be said but I dare say that it was never knowne that any man was either richer in grace stronger in faith by keeping of himselfe from the ordinance of God Fifthly Consider wee God must not be stinted must that it is a dangerous thing to stint God to limit him take heed we must of setting God a time as now Lord or to morrow Lord let me feele comfort like the unruly patient that will not be cured unlesse he bee cured out of hand O beloved God will try faith and patience to know whether we will depend on him or no. Ob. 3. Some will obiect againe that they would often come to Gods Table but that they have so many infirmities and manifold imperfections and these they say do discourage them their measure of faith and grace they say is so little that they are afraid to come least they should come unworthily Resp If that these things Imperfectionâ— must not hinder us proceede from a good ground these are not to be slighted as the other but we should rather put to our helping hand and put our shoulders under to helpe them beare the burden this indeed is true love and compassion to pity the soules of our brethren it is said of our blessed Saviour that a bruised reede shall he not breake and smoaking flaxe shall he not quench q Mat. 12. 20. Christians must use all the meanes that may bee to nourish the weake ones those that are weake in grace as wee must warne them that are unruly so wee are commanded to comfort the feeble our imperfections though many must not keepe us back seeing that the Lord accounts us worthy and invites us to come unto him And here Receivers may conclude of foure things First this that the feeling Feeling a want of grace with griefe is grace of the want of grace with a grief for that want is grace for such as are altogether gracelesse and senselesse doe not find at any time any defect of grace in them selves Secondly this that no Wee must not please our selues in our wants man must please himselfe in his owne wants nor nourish the weakenesse that is in himselfe for albeit God condemneth no man for his wants nor with-holds his grace from him for his imperfections yet must not man make much of them nor delight in them nor thinke himselfe the better for them Thirdly this that it is a Temptation of Satan dangerous concerning want of gâ—ace dangerous temptation of Satan against our soules when as he counselleth and perswadeth any man to withdraw himselfe from the Communion for wâ—nt of grace if he have any in sincerity albeit it be but in the least measure I but as a graine of mustard-seed it will not bee labour lost if that we would but think of the persons for whom the Supper was instituted we shall finde that it was for the weak not for the strong for the poore not for the rich shall any man now reason so absurdly that because he is hungry therefore he will not eat because thirsty therefore hee will not drinke because wounded therefore careth not for the Physitian would not every one condemne these for unwise men beloved it is no better than a divellish temptation that because wee are weake in grace therefore wee will not receive the strength of grace Fourthly and lastly that the Lord Jesus Christ came Christ came â—o save sinners into the world to save sinners to redeeme that that was lost Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. FINIS The Table The summe of the first Sermon WHat it is to examine Page 7. Why a man must examine 9. Why a man must examine himselfe 10. Why a man must eate must drinke 13. Whosoever would come as a worthy guest must examine bâ—fore he comes 15. How Christians must examine and search 17. Men must examine narrowly 17. Laboriously 17. Willingly 18. Constantly 18. Vse the helpe of others 18. Reasons for examination 22. Their estate lamentable who come without preparation 25. All men are bound to know the Word of God 25. Who are debard from comming to the Table of God 26. All men must examine themselves 27. Motives to move us to examine 28. What it is every man must examine himselfe of 29. Knowledge must be