for there is none of us all but wee have in us our darling and beloved Sin our own Idol as I may say whereunto we many times doe service to the great offence of Almighty God For the better discovery whereof take these few directions 1 Observe which way the stream of thy thoughts run especially thy morning thoughts whether after the world or this or that lust for Where the Carcass is there will the Eagles be gathered together whatsoever thy beloved Sin is upon that will thy morning thoughts most hover so that if worldâ—ness and covetousness bee thy beloved Sin thy morning thoughts for the most part will bee upon the world and the things thereof how thou maist grow great and rich in the world if pride and ambition be thy darling and beloved Sin then thy morning thoughts will be upon thine advancement how thou maist â—iâ—e in the world and if â—â—clearlness be thy beloved Sin then thy thoughts especially thy morning thoughts will be unâ—â—ean thy â—ead will be taken up with speculative filthiness how thou maist satisfie thy iust for this is a sure rule Every man is what â—ee is most in the morning As hee that is spiritual hath his morning thoughts upon God or upon some spiritual and heavenly subjeâ—â— so hee that is worldly and unclean hath his morning thoughts upon the world and about the satisfying of his carnal lusts 2 Observe seriously what Sin it is thy Conscience doth most and chiefly check thee for especially in time of affliction for Conscience being then awakened will most of all check thee for thy beloved Sin 3 Observe what it is wherewith thine enemies doe most upbraid thee for others many times can sooner discern our beloved Sin than we our selves which like a stinking breath is sooner sented by a stander by than by him that hath it and thus maist thou make a good improvement of the bitterest objections of thine adversaries against thee 4 Observe what Sin it is thou hast least power to resist and with which thou art oftnest and easiliest overcome notwithstanding thy Conscience checks thee for the same thou hast hereupon good ground to conclude that to be thy beloved Sin Having found out thy bosome Sin thou must especially watch against that lest thou bee surprised by it and that for these reasons 1 Because this Sin is so sweet and delightful to a Sinner that he doth very hardly part with it hee will forsake all that he possesseth yea and adventure life it self rather than forsake his beloved Sin and therefore it may fitly be called the Sin that hangeth so fast on as being not easily cast off 2 One beloved Sin in the bosome so alienates the heart that it cannot love Christ as it should as one stranger in the bosome of the Wife so takes up her affection that she cannot love her Husband as she ought II. Thou must with as great care and circumspection watch against the sins of the times and places of thine abâ—de So long as thou livest in this world thou canst not be freed from the society and neighbourhood of wicked and ungodly men but thy care must bee to keep thee as free from their wickedness as thou canst This advice the Apostle Paul giveth in these words See that yee walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise because the days are evil intimating the more evil the times are the more any sin doth abound in the time and places of our abode the more watchful should we be over our selves against those Sins that we may not be infected nor poysoned by them And truely as it is an high pitch of impiety for a man to be bad amongst good men so it is an high pitch of piety for a man to bee good amongst bad men to retain his goodness in wicked times and places Singularity I know is charged upon Gods children as their disgrace but certainly it is their glory that they are a peculiar people separated from the sinful vanities and courses of the world for we read that the Spirit of God in setting forth the height of mens misery in their Natural state describeth it by their living according to the common course of the world and the sinful practices thereof III. Thou must with as great care and circumspection watch against secret sins as against open and publick sins making conscience of sinning in secret even when thou hast the opportunity of privacy for the acting and committing thereof and that for these reasons 1 Because we are more apt to fall into secret than into open and publick sins For if we can hide our sins from the eyes and knowledge of men we are apt to think all is well and safe and thereupon encourage our selves to sin in secret The fear of shame and discredit with men hath great force to restrain men from committing sin in the publick view but in secret few care what they doe and therefore the Murtherer and Adulterer are brought in by Iob emboldning themselves saying No eye seeth us 2 Howsoever we may hide our secret sins from the eyes of men yet it is impossible to hide them from the all-seeing Eye of God who seeth all himself unseen of any being present in all places beholding both the evil and the good Proverbs 15. 3. If then thou wilt sin securely saith Augustine seek out a place where he seeth thee not and there doe what thou wilt But seeing God is present in all places it is impossible thou shouldest hide thy sins from his all-seeing Eye and therefore never be encouraged to sin in hope of secrecy 3 As God here seeth and taketh notice of our most secret sins so he will one time or other discover those deeds of darkness to our great confusion without true and unfeigned repentance if not here in this life yet at the Day of Judgement when our most secret Sins shall be discovered to the view of all for as the Wise man speaketh God will bring every work into Iudgement with every secret thing whether it be good or wheâ—her it be evil There is never a wicked man almost in the world though never so formal but he hath at some time or other committed that wickedness in secret which he would not have known for all the world but know for certain that at the Day of Judgement all the world shall hear thereof for then all thy secret sins shall be discovered to Angels Men and Devils thy secret uncleanness and close adultery thy pilferings and stealings thy false weights and measures shall be brought to the view of all to thine eternal shame and confusion Were our hearts thorowly possessed herewith oh how watchful would it make us over our selves in secret and fearful to adventure upon any Sin though we have the opportunity of privacy for the acting of it IV. Thou must be watchful against the least sin not esteeming any Sin so small and venial as that thou maist
unworthy soever thou art otherwise to be a worthy receiver Having thus shewed the Necessity of the duty of Examination Come wee now to the Extent thereof which may be brought to two heads viz. 1 Thy graces 2 Thy sins First Thou must examine thy self of thy graces more especially of thy Knowledge Faith Repentance and Love Touching Knowledge I shall shew 1 What Knowledge is required of every worthy Communicant 2 The Necessity 3 The Trial thereof I. For the first what Knowledge is required I answer in general Knowledge of all the fundamental Principles of Religion In particular Knowledge of the Doctrine of the Sacrament Fundamental Principles of Religion are such as our salvation is founded upon without the knowledge whereof a man cannot be saved and they are these That there is a God That there is but one God That that onely true God is distinguished into three Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost all equally God That that God is the Creator and Governour of all things That all things were made good by him and are still governed by him righteously That man in particular was made perfectly righteous by him That man continued not long in his happy estate but fell by transgressing the Commandement of God in eating the forbidden fruit That wee are all guilty of Adams sin being in his loins when hee committed that sin That every one of us brought into the world corrupted and polluted natures natures as full of sin as a Toad is of poison That unto this original corruption wee have added a numberless number of actual transgressions and that in evil thoughts evil words and evil deeds That by our sins wee have made our selves liable to the wrath of God to the curse of the Law to all judgements and plagues here and to eternal death and condemnation hereafter That no man can free himself out of that miserable condition whereinto by sin hee hath plunged himself neither can any meer creature help him That God out of his free grace and rich mercy did send his own Son out of his bosome into the world to take our nature upon him that therein hee might become our Surety and Redeemer That Christ was both God and Man in one person That hee was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary That hee died upon the Cross to save his people from their sins That hee rose again the third day from the dead ascended into Heaven sits at the right hand of God and makes continual intercession for us That by Faith wee are made partakers of Christ and of the benefits of his death and passion That Faith is the gift of God wrought in us by the Spirit of God through the Ministery of the Word whereby wee rest upon Christ alone for the pardon of our sins and for eternal life and salvation That it hath pleased God to make with us in and thorow Christ a new Covenant of Grace wherein hee hath promised the pardon of our sins and the salvation of our souls upon the alone condition of a lively Faith Particuâ—ar Principles concerning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper are these That it was ordained by Christ himself as a memorial of his great love in offering up his life a Sacrifice for our sins That this as well as the other Sacrament of Baptism is a seal of Gods Covenant whereby he bindes himself to perform his promises made to us in Christ for strengthening our Faith therein That the outward signs in the Lords Supper are Bread and Wine by which are set forth the body and blood of Christ which the worthy receivers by Faith do partake of in this Sacrament That whosoever eats and drinks unworthily is guilty of the body and blood of Christ and therefore that every one is to examine himself lest he eat and drink judgement to himself Having thus shewed what is that knowledge which is required of every worthy Communicant II. I shall now shew the Necâ—ssity thereof which appeareth 1 Because without this knowledge a man can never attain to any of the other graces for an ignorant man can neither beleeve nor repent nor love God or his neighbour aright 2 Because without this knowledge a man cannot discern the Lords body which if hee do not hee eats and drinks damnation to himself And therefore it is absolutely necessary that all who receive the Lords Supper should discern the Lords body i. e. should perceive that there is more to be received than that which is seen with the eye of the body To the bodily eye there appeareth nothing but Bread and Wine upon the Table but by virtue of the divine institution there is also Christs body and blood if this be not discerned the benefit of the Sacrament is lost But it is not possible without knowledge which is the eye of the soul to discern that body and blood under the elements of bread and wine therefore is the forementioned knowledge absolutely necessary III. For the third particular viz. The Tryal of thy knowledge whether it be a true saving knowledge thou mayest know it by the properties thereof some whereof are these 1 True saving knowledge is Experimental whereby a Christian hath a spiritual sense and feeling of what he knows He hath not only a general and a notional knowledge of God and of his own miserable condition by nature and of Jesus Christ but hee hath likewise an experimental knowledge of God and of his Attributes as of his power in supporting him under his trials and temptations of his faithfulness in making good his promises unto him He hath likewise a sensible feeling of his own wretched condition by nature And an experimental knowledge of Jesus Christ so that he knoweth Christ to be his Saviour and Redeemer and resteth upon his merits alone for life and for salvation By this then try and examine thy knowledge c. 2 True saving knowledge is Humble and joyned with meekness of spirit For the more true knowledge a man hath the more he discerns his own ignorance yea and vileness by reason of his sins And therefore you shall finde those Christians who were most eminent both in knowledge and grace to complain most as of their ignorance so of their own base and naughty hearts as you may see in Paul and others And no marvel considering that true saving knowledge discovers unto a man his own vileness and wretchedness by reason of his sins his own unworthiness yea his own emptiness and nothingness in regard of any goodness of his own Whereas unsanctified knowledge is apt to puft a man up with pride and self-conceit even to the contemning and despising of others which the Apostle plainly expresseth where he saith Knowledge puffeth up By this then try and examine thy knowledge whether it be a saving knowledge or no. 3 True saving knowledge is active and operative being ever accompanied with practice and obedience so that it worketh reformation in the heart
longer than ordinary 3 Sleep refresheth the body of a man so doth death the bodies of the Saints for the body lieth down a weak frail mortal corruptible body but riseth a strong glorious immortal and incorruptible body so much the Apostle Paul plainly expresseth where speaking of the resurrection of the body he saith It is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sown in dishonour it is raised in glory it is sown in weakness it is raised in power it is sown a natural body it is raised a spiritual body 4 Sleep oftentimes cometh upon a man unexpectedly so doth death for how many dye on the sudden when they least of all looked for it and therefore how doth it concern us to live in a continual expectation of and preparation for death 5 Sleep cometh acceptably to some men so doth death to beleevers who welcome death as their best friend next to Jesus Christ. Thus let thy sleep mind thee of thy death and that not as farre off but as near at hand thinking thou mayest this night sleep the sleep of death for how many have gone well to bed and been dead before the morning and that which happeneth unto one may befall another II. As thou art going to sleep commend thy self thy relations wife children servants and all that thou hast into the armes of Gods protection knowing that they are safe whom the Lord keepeth And then labour to fall asleep as thou art meditating of some good thing for then will thy sleep bee more sweet thy dreams more comfortable and thine heart will be in better plight when thou awakest CHAP. XXI Of the Morality of the Sabbath HAving shewed you how to walk with God on the Week days I shall now shew you how to walk with God on the Sabbath Day so as it may prove a comfortable day unto you To this end I shall 1 Prove the Morality of the Sabbath 2 Give you grounds for the change of the Sabbath from the last day of the week to the first proving our Lords Day to be now the true Sabbath 3 Give you Directions how to sanctifie the same 4 Adde some Motives to quicken you up to a conscionable observation of the directions 1 Because there are many who are not convinced of the Morality of the Sabbath and so not of the continuance thereof therefore it is requisite that I first prove the Commandement of the Sabbath to be moral and perpetual and to continue in force even to the end of the world for that is accounted Moral which as a rule of life bindeth all Persons in all places at all times Arguments proving the Morality of the Sabbath 1 Because it was sanctified in the time of Adams innocency as we read Gen. 2. 3 4. now Adam in his innocent estate was a Publick person the great representative of all the World that therefore which was commanded to him in his innocency appertained to all his Posterity even to the end of the world And if God saw it necessary for our first Parents in the time of their innocency to have a Sabbath Day to serve him in that they might more freely and fully give themselves to holy and religious exercises Then what need have we the Posterity of Adam now in our corrupted estate to have a Sabbath to take our thoughts off from our worldly businesses and bestow them wholly on God and the duties of his Worship and Service 2 The Commandement concerning the Sabbath is placed in the number of the Moral Commandements for when God renewed the whole Moral Law delivering it most solemnly on Mount Sinai and ingraved it in two Tables hee placed this Commandement concerning the Sabbath amongst the rest and made it one entire Precept so as if the morality thereof be denied and this Commandement made no part of the Moral Law then the Moral Law would consist but of nine Commandements which is contrary to the Word of God which often maketh express mention of Ten. 3 The manner of the delivery of this Commandement confirms the morality and perpetuity of it and shews that it is of as great force as any of the other Nine 1 For first God by his immediate Voyce commanded this as well as the rest 2 This Commandement was written by the Finger of God in Tables of Stone as well as the other as to signifie the hardness of our hearts so likewise the continuance and perpetuity of this Commandement 3 It was placed in the very heart of the Ten Commandements as that which by a careful and conscionable performance of the duties required therein would give life to the keeping of all the rest And it is a certain truth that he who makes no conscience to keep holy the Sabbath Day will make little conscience of keeping any of the other Commandements so he may doe it without discredit of his reputation or danger of mans Law Look how a man is careful and conscionable in the performance of the duties of piety to God on this Day in like manner is he careful and conscionable in the performance of the duties of righteousness toward his neighbour on the week days Obj I Some object that of the Apostle Yee observe days months and times and years as also that to the Colossians Let no man judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moon or of the Sabbath Day Ans. The Apostle here condemns not the Moral Sabbath which we now call the Lords Day but he speaks of the Levitical Sabbaths which were the first day of every month and the first and last days of every one of their solemn Feasts which were called Sabbaths all which are now abrogated Obj. 2 Some object that to a Christian every day is a Sabbath and therefore say that we should not restrain it to one day more than to another Ans. 1 True it is every day should be a Sabbath to a Christian in two respects 1 In a resting from Sin 2 In a readiness to serve God For as we should at all times rest from Sin so we should bee always in a readiness and disposition to serve God Yet are we not bound to spend every day as a Sabbath by laying aside the lawful works of our Callings and giving up our selves wholly to the solemn duties of Gods Worship and Service which is contrary to the command of God who saith Six days shalt thou labour and doe all thy work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any work where the Lord doth require of us as well to follow the works of our Calling on the six days as to keep holy the Sabbath Day by a conscionable performance of his Worship and Service I deny not but Divine Worship is to bee performed unto God every day as under the Law we read they had their Morning and Evening sacrifice