beleeve 1. That there is but one God Mark 12.32 2. That this God who is one in essence is distinguished into three Persons the Father Son and Holy Ghost 1 Joh. 5.7 3. That the Lord Christ is equall with the Father in all things Philip. 2.6 save only as he is Mediator Joh. 14.28 4. That creation is ascribed to the Father redemption to the Son and sanctification to the Holy Ghost as it is in the Creed And yet dost thou beleeve that all the actions of all the three Persons of the Trinity on and in the creatures are common to them all and proper to every person Joh. 5.17.19 16.13.14 2. Dost thou by faith role thy selfe and thy waies on Iehovah Ps 37.5 Set up thy hearts rest on holy Iehovah Esa 10.20 And givest thou thy selfe over unto God 2 Cor. 8.5 Iob. 13.15 3. Does faith purifie the heart from the love of all sin Act. 15.9 4. And examine thy selfe if thy faith worketh by love Gal. 5.6 Q. What is that ground on which justifying faith is built A. All the promises which are of mercy in S. Scripture for those only are properly the sure foundation on which our faith is built because those only propound Christ unto us Ioh. 5.39 Rom. 10.4 Q. What end doth faith aime at A. Most principally at the advancing of Gods glory 1 Cor. 10.31 And secondarily the salvation of our soules 1 Pet. 1.9 Quest 4. Q. Wherein must I examine my selfe concerning love A. If thou lovest God above all things Mat. 22.37 and thy neighbour as thy selfe v. 39. Q. How shall I know that I love God above all things A 1. By thy burning desire to be united with God through Christ Ps 42.1,2,3 which is wrought by faith Gal. 2.20 called the love of union 2. By that joy unspeakable and full of glory which ariseth from that union 1 Pet. 1.8 This is called the love of well-pleasednesse 3. By thy zeale to advance Gods glory in all things Ps 69.9 119.139 This is the love of benevolence Q. How can I love God above all things A. When both in affection and all effects thou loves the Lord preferring him above all things in heaven and earth Mark 12.33 Q. How shall I know that I love my neighbour as my selfe A. All things whatsoever ye would that men should doe to you doe yee even so to them Mat. 7.12 Quest 5. Q. What is true repentance A. A godly forrow for offending God with a continued totall change of our will willing nothing but Gods glory and our salvation 2 Cor. 7.10.11 Q. How shall I know that my repentance is sound A. 1. By sorrowing for sin as it offends the Lord more then for fear of any punishment Psal 51.4 2. By confessing and forsaking all sinne Prov. 28.13 Q. How can I repent of my unknown sins A. Who repent distinctly of every known sin doth virtually repent their unknown errours Ps 19.13 Q. Must I repent often of all my sins A. 1. Our by-past sins should never bee forgotten Deut. 9.7 Ps 25.7 51.3 2. Because we sin daily Prov. 24.16 wee must repent daily Luk. 13.3.5 for one sinne unrepented if it be known makes us as if we had never repented of any Jam. 2.10 3. I must repent greatly if my sinnes be great as did David Job St. Paul St. Peter and Mary Magdalen Quest 6. Q. What is observance A. Observance is that by which Gods will is performed in subjection for Gods glory Q. Why is that in subjection added A. Because observance applyeth my will to fulfill Gods known will willingly in respect of his absolute authority over me Rom. 9.21 Q. Doth not obedience the same A. No for observance consisteth as in the externall performance of Gods knowne will So or more in the internall intent of a willingly subjected will unto Gods revealed will in all things 1 Sam. 15.22 2 Thess 1.8 But obedience respecteth the externall act which it often performeth even when the internall intention of the will is wanting As in Galley-slaves and sleepy servants Q. How shall I know that my observance is sound A. 1. By thy esteem of Gods revealed wil more then of all or any mans commands Act. 4 19. This is a sure signe for the life of observance is in our lovingly subjecting our will unto Gods revealed will in all things Reprobates nill they will they must obey but they doe not observe Rom. 8.7 2. By willingly subjecting thy will unto Gods knowne will even when it seemeth contrary to reason Ioh. 13.18 3. By loving these parts of S. Scripture most which most exactly teach observance Ps 119 33. Act. 9.6 4. By fearing to offend God Prov. 28.14 and by flying from all occasions of offence Heb. 12. ult 5. By resolution to persevere in observance though thou lose life and the world Act. 20.24 6. By constant use of all means which can incline thy will unto a willing subjection Iosh 1.8 Ps 1.2 1 Cor. 9. ult Ioh. 5.39 And so let him eat of that bread and drinke of that cup. Q. What is meant by those words A. Being fitted by examination as the word So imports we may without danger of bloud-guiltinesse v. 27. and of damnation v. 29. communicate to our everlasting comfort As those officers said Ioh. 7.46 Never man spake like this man So I avouch Thaâ— never was bread like this bread Nor cup like this cup. Q. But how shall I be assured that I am fitteâ— for receiving even after I have examined my selâ— A. The examination of thy selfe must bâ— continued till thou sinde thy selfe fitted Object The H. Ghost commands not that continued examination A. 1. The word So demonstrates the contrary for So is not an adverbe of time but a note of qualification 2. The H. Ghost commands us To examine our selves till we be prepared So to eat of that bread and drinke of that cup which certainly denoteth continuation 3. He hath never examined himselfe exactly who continueth not his examination until he find these six spirituall graces knowledge desire faith love repentance and observance in some good measure wrought in him which all he may obtaine by zealous prayer according to Christs promise Mat. 7.7,8 Iam. 1.5 4. We must examine our selves because hypocrites may delude the most exact of all mortall examiners 5. Our hearts which are deceitfull above all things desperately wicked Ier. 17.9 can only be examined by God v. 10. and by our selves 1 Cor. 2.11 Q. Seeing that we are commanded to examine our selves why should our Minister examine us A. 1. Because we are commanded to do good to our selves may none other do us good 2. Faithfull Ministers must of all callings be most conscientiously diligent to know the estate of their flocks and to look well to their herds Prov. 27.23 As the salt of the earth Mat. 5.13 they must season their hearers As lights of this world Mat. 5.14 they must shew in doctrine the true light and in
3.15.16 8. Presumption foolishly beleeving thâ—… they shall speed as well as the best thought they lacke preparation and sanctification yea and their wedding garment let such read and tremble Mat. 22.11,12,13 9. Want of true love which brancheth it selfe in two severall particulars 1. When men rashly suspect other mens intentions or actions without sufficient warrant This is described Esay 65.5 Stand by thy selfe come not neare unto me for I at holier then thou This is prohibited Mat. 7.1 Iudge not that ye be not judged Threatned v. 2. with damnation Luk. 3.37 Such rash judgers are hypocrites Mat. 7.5 2. Who will not forgive men their trespasses and so the Lord will not forgive their trespasses Mat. 6.15 These are implacable unmercifull Rom. 1.31 Such shall have judgement without mercy Iam. 2.13 10. Temporising receiving for fashions sake Such are hypocrites 2 Tim. 3.5 Those likewise who come to this Supper more for fear of the Magistrate then for fear of the Lord. This is hellish feare even the spirit of bondage Rom. 8.15 11. Inconsideration when receivers thoughts are estranged from the action and â—…re intent upon the world sin lust and such like Such cannot please God Rom. 8.8 12. Prophanenesse scorning the action in not beleeving Christs truth This is my body This is my bloud or scornfully refusing to receive though Christ commands To take eat drinke do this 13. Damnable injustice in adding altering or substracting any necessary thing of the institution All plagues are denounced against such Rev. 22.18 19. Whosoever is guilty of all or of any of these horrible sins are murderers of Christ Q. What is the ground or cause that makes unworthy receivers guilty of Christs body and bloud A. 1. They contemne Christs authority and are therefore accursed Esa 45.9 2. They despise Christ himselfe who gives himselfe freely and fully to all faithfull receivers 3. They despise his merits Heb. 9.14.15 4. They despise Christs three offices His Propheticall office Luk. 10.16 His Priestly office Heb. 10.28,29 And they despise his Kingly office for they will not have Christ to raigne over them Luk. 19 14.27 5. They despise Christs most meritorious worke of mans redemption Rom. 5.8,9,10,11 6. They contemne Christs love who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blond Rev. 1.5 Heb. 10.28,29 7. And they despise the whole Covenant of Grace whereof this is a seale Rom. 4.11 Q. Many received who were ignorant of these things and yet they live and prosper How comes that A. The times of that ignorance God wincked at but now commands all men every where to repent Act. 17.30 Q. What learnest thou hence A. 1. To seek knock and aske without ceasing that I may be cloathed with Christ my wedding garment that I be not one who murders Christ 2. I must zealously and incessantly beg in the name and merits of Christ that the Lord will cleanse my soule and make it clean from all these and all other sins as is covenanted Ezek. 36.25 V. 28. But let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat of that bread and drinke of that cup. Q. What is here to be considered A. Here are the ordinary means to save us from being murderers of Christ And these are our examination of our selves Q. What must we doe in examining our selves aright A. 1. Right examination requireth that we cast totally out of our thoughts all other cares for true examination must take us wholly up We must as in prayer shut our doore Matth. 6.5 2. We must examine our selves in sixe things especially 1. Of our knowledge what we are to receive in this Supper 2. Of our desire of this Sacrament so knowne 3. Of our faith by which only we can obtaine our desire 4. Of our love toward God and our neighbour that we may be sure our faith is sound 5. Of our repentance which proveth out love to be pure 6. And of our observance past present and its purpose for the future which demonstrates our repentance to be perfect Quest 1. Q. What must I know is here to be received A. That as truly as I get bread and wine which are my bodies food So truly I get Christs body and bloud by faith which are my soules only food Joh. 6.47 compared with v. 55. Quest 2. Q. How shall I knew my desires to be reall A. Counts thou all things but dung in comparison of Christ Philip. 3.8 Try if desire which is thy soules appetite doth hunger for Christ Mat. 5.6 Quest 3. Q. What shall I examine my selfe concerning my faith A. 1. That thy faith be not an historicall temporary or a faith of miracles None of those alone no nor altogether can apprehend Christ truly Jam. 2.19 2. That it be a justifying faith which though it be but one simple grace yet it is of a two fold consideration first as it is our spirituall life by which Christ lives in us and we in him Eph. 3.17 Gal. 2.20 2. As faith is a vertue and our duty towards God and so faith is an act flowing from that our spirituall life by which I beleeve all whatsoever the Lord hath propounded in his S. Scripture Act. 24.14 Q. What is faith as it is our spirituall life A. A resting of our hearts on God as on the only author of our life and salvation that is that in God we are freed from all evill and are assured of all that is good Esa 10.20 Ps 37.5 Act. 4.12 Ps 84.11 Thirdly try thy faith in six things 1. In its author who works it 2. In the means by which it is wrought ordinarily 3. Concerning its object 4. In its effects 5. In its ground 6. And concerning its end Q. Must I necessarily know all these A. 1. Yes verily for whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14. ult 2. Without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 3. Gods best ordinances availe not to us unlesse we receive them by faith Heb. 4.2 Q. Who works faith in us A. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12.2 And the Holy Ghost worketh faith in us 1 Cor. 12.9 for the Father through the Son by the Holy Ghost worketh all works which are wrought on the creature Q. By what means is faith wrought in us A. 1. By hearing of Gods word which is a religious receiving of Gods revealed will by whatsoever way we can know it 2. Most ordinarily by hearing the word preached Rom. 10.14.17 Q. Who is the adequate object of our faith A. Christ as he is our redeemer is the immediate object of our faith And God as by his grace we live well 1 Tim. 4.10 is its ultimate object for we live to God through Christ Rom. 6.11 We have hope through Christ to Godward 2 Cor. 3.4 And we beleeve in God through Christ 1 Pet. 1.21 Q. Which are those effects of faith by which I must examine my selfe A. The first act of faith is to beleeve dost thou