some certaine and infallible rules whereby we may be assured that wee have or want those graces This I shall doe briefly in every one of them For the triall of our Faith whereby we firmely rest our soules upon the promise of salvation in Christ we have these two certaine markes to discover the truth of it unto us 1. Equality of Obedience unto all Gods Commandements True Faith hath alike respect to every word of God Hee that truely beleeves any one part of Gods will beleeves the rest also because hee knowes all is of God Whosoever therefore shall say That hee doth this good worke or leaves that ill practice out of Faith in Gods Word because he beleeves Gods commands prohibitions and threatnings in such and such particulars this man tells an apparant lie if his eonstent endeavour be not the same in all other particulars wherein his Faith and Obedience stands ingaged unto God as deeply upon as strict termes as in those few things that he observes This point hath beene heretofore more at large handled in its proper place and therefore now I doe but name it Let it alwaies be remembred as an infallible triall of that Faith which is sound and sincere Looke we then every man into his life and take we good heed to our waies whether they bee strait or crooked If thy practices bee uneven that thou obeyest in some things not in others taking liberty to transgresse where pleasures profits or any predominant carnall affection craves service and satisfaction at thy hands doing iust so much of Gods will as may stand with thine own and other mens good liking In this case thou must seeke for true Faith for as yet thou hast it not But if thy courses be regular and uniforme that in all things thou unfainedly endeavourest to bring thy will to Gods will offering thy hearty obedience to every thing that he commands thee to things that crosse thee and the world as well as that content either not caring who be offended so God be pleased by thine obedience In this case thou maist rejoyce in that thou hast a sure testimony in thy selfe that thy Faith is without falshood and hypocrisie 2. Trusting on God in all temporall matters Gods truth is the same in promises of this life as in those of the life to come Wherefore he that affirmes that hee beleeves undoubtedly God will be gracious to his soule according to his mercifull promise in Christ if he tell true hee must also beleeve undoubtedly that God will provide for his boâ—y according to those loving promises which hee hath made in matters of this life Hee then that being placed in low estate seekes by indirect meanes of bribery and flattery to climbe higher disdaining to wait on the provident hand of heaven which will soone finde a fit advancement for him when he is fit for it Hee that is in poverty and will grow rich or that is rich and will become mightie by fraudulent and unjust practices Hee that is wealthy stored with sufficiency in temporall blessings yet still cares and fears lest he should want and fall to beggery He that dares not be liberall to the poor for feare it should impoverish his estate Hee that in adversity makes flesh his arme putting his trust in his purse his wits his friends making haste for his escape by all unlawfull shifts leaping the wal not staying till God open the prison doore He that dares not trust God with his children fearing their miscarâ—iage except himselfe see them well provided for all these and the like have not learned as yet what it is truely to beleeve the promise of mercâ— of Christ Iesus when as they dare not take Gods word for smaller matters T is certaine he doth not indeed trust God with his soule that dares not trust him with his estate But when in all occasions and conditions of this life a man can patiently wait on God using lawfull meanes committing the successe to God preparing himself with contentednesse for every event however God shall dispose of matters this confident and quiet resolution flowes from the stedfast apprehension of that glorious and rich mercy which God hath vouchsafed to his soule which makes him rest assured that all things needfull will bee supplied in season for the reliefe of body and estate This for the triall of our Faith The second Grace to be enquired after is Repentance which we may describe to be A spirituall sorrow for sinne joyned with a true hatred of it There 's inward griefe for the fact and the offence thereby given unto God And there 's inward hatred or aversion of the heart from the foulenesse and corruption of sinne remaining in us This change of the affection is wrought in true Repentance The proper markes wherof are expressed by the Apostle 2. Cor. 7.11 We cannot runne over the particulers let us take the generall summe whereunto they may be cast and that is Amendment This is a sure marke that will never faile hee that in truth dislikes and sorrowes for his sinne he will endeavour to amend it They are alwaies ioyned together Repent and Amend your lives He that can confesse sinne speake against sinne and weepe for sinne yet after a while returne freely to the practice of sinne beleeve him not there 's seven abominations in his heart hee loves sinne in his very soule even then when his tongue and his eyes seem to proclaime his detestation of it There may be I confesse a relapse into the same fault thorough much infirmity and violence of temptation but a willing continuance in an ill course and true Repentance are utterly incompatible Wherefore this triall is easie see what reformation there is in thâ— liâ—e if when thou hast been reproved by the Word for such faults as thou knowest thy selfe guilty of thine heart hath smitten and thy soule beene humbled within thee with that sorrow which hath brought forth a full resolution and constant endeavour of Amendment then maiest thou bee truely called a Penitent Convert but if for the present thou didst cry God mercy and afterward holdest on still in the same ungodly practices then reckon thy selfe to be as thou art an Impenitent and Obstinate sinner This of Repentance Next followes The third grace to be inquired into and that is Charitie This is a large word and hath reference sometime to God sometime to Man Charity or Love towards God is not properly that grace which here wee understand T is true the heart of man ought to bee replenished with heavenly love unto God and Christ in all spirituall exercises and especially in this Sacrament wherein their love to him is so graciously revealed But the triall of the two former graces will quickly shew what true Love of God there is in us He that Obeyes Beleeves He that Amends Repents The very same Obedience and Reformation are the touch-stone of our Love to God according to that infallible Canon set downe by our Saviour
contentments and hee will be an enemy to all that thus controule him Wherfore you see how dangerous t is to trust our selves wherein without great heed taken we may be Christs bitter enemies when we thinke we are his deare friends Let this be observed by those that are apt to thinke Oh if Christ liv'd on the earth or the Apostle Paul or some other of those famous men were alive to preach unto us wee would honour them with all possible reverence we would kisse the ground they trod on chaine our eares to their lips follow them heare them obserue them doe as they bid vs. Fond conceits of men that know not what they say such was the opinion of the Pharisees touching the old Prophets Oh had we then lived c. such was the rich mans dreame in hell Oh father Abraham but if one come from the dead Wee know how vaine these imaginations were and will alwayes prove Men admire vertue when they see it not and the old proverbe is true Dead men doe not bite The Prophets are dead Christ is gone to heaven Paul preaches no more their names are now most honourable t is a credit to bee their Disciples and as for their writings we can chuse either not to reade them or not to apply them But did we indeed sâ—e the holinesse humâ—lty zeale severity against sinne strictnesse of conversation still living and breathing in these men were Christ againe in that his humbled estate or any of his servants to preach unto us out of our Pulpits should they with their accustomed boldnesse and zeale freely rebuke the disorders that are amongst all sorts of men the Atheisme Infidelity Profanenesse Pride Luxury Oppression c. that are now in the Christian world Christ must be crucified againe and scorned as much as ever Paul should againe be accused by many a Tertullus for a pestilent fellow and mover of sedition throughout the world Act. 24.5 Amaziah would make a complaint upon Amos to Iereboam that Amos hath conspired against him in the midst of the house of Israel and that the Land is not able to beare all his words Amos 7.10 Ahab would againe call Eliah a troubler of Israel and his enemy because hee reproves him of his Idolatry covetousnesse and murder 1 King 13.17 21.20 Looke what measure they found in their times the same they should finde The reason is manifest from that of Salomon the rightious is an abomination to the wicked impiety and ungodlinesse abhorres the fellowship of holinesse puritie they that doe evill will hate the light and that of Christ stands good for ever Ioh. 7.7 The world hateth me because I testifie of it that the workes thereof are evill It hated him then in his owne person it hates him now in his Word Sacraments Ministers and Ambassadors all which are by ungracious men yet calling them for Christians derided scoffed contemned and trampled upon by a thousand indignities and hate him it will still so long as Christ by his Word Ministers shall rebuke men of all their ungodly doings It is not possible that men should ever love those in whom as Salvian speakes Nihil vident suum quoniam Dei totum they see nothing agreeable to their own humours because all things agreeable to Gods will To conclude then let us not thinke that because wee are baptized professe Religion heare the Word receive the Sacrament wee are therefore such as doe truely love and honour the Lord Iesus Christ. No let us goe upon a surer ground and that is that most certaine and infallible rule which Christ gives Iohn 15 14. Yee are my friends if you doe whtsoever I command you Hee loves him truely that loves to obey him and for his sake will bee content to doe any thing he bids him be disobedient and pretend what thou wilt thou art an enemy of Christ and Christ an enemie of thine Thinke of this seriously as many as God shall touch their hearts to goe unto the Sacrament that they may first purge their soules of their inward rebellion and naturall hatred of Christ lest whilst they in the Sacrament seeke for life by his death they become guilty of his death And remember that as the bloud of Christ sprinkled on the soule by an holy faith speakes better things than the bloud of Abel namely for mercy and pardon to bee given us so where t is despised and troden under foot being counted as an unholy thing it cries much â—owder for vengeance than did the bloud of Abel and deserves a sorer punishment than any transgression against Moses Law Heb. 10.28 29. Thus we have seene the nature and quality of this sinne of Vnworthy partaking at the Lords table it followes that we goe forward unto the meanes which the Apostle here prescribes for the avoiding of this sinne and that is diligent examination of a mans selfe before hee come unto the Sacrament This the Apostle sets downe vers 28. in these words Wherefore let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that Bread and drinke of that Cup. The words need not any curiosity in the division or interpretation of them The sence is plaine Here 's a duetie commanded unto us that 's Examination of ones selfe and here the time or particular occasion that requires it that 's Before we come to the Sacrament T is not put to our discretion the words are imperative Let a man examine let him eate He must doe both but first examine then eate The practicall conclusion that hence issues out is this It is a necessary duty of every one first to examine himselfe before he presume to come to the Lords Table In unfolding unto you this point of most excellent practice in Christianity let us ascend a little from the particular to the generall first touching upon the nature necessity and use of Selfe-examination considered at any time then descending to the explication of this duety with its particular relation to the Sacrament To examine ones selfe is in briefe to take a true suruey of our spirituall estate in grace This done by comparing our present condition what wee finde in our selves with the Scriptures The Scriptures are they that supply unto us all Articles to be inquired of telling us what is good and required of us what evill and forbidden to us They acquaint us with the nature of every sinne of every grace making a full discovery of the kindes and properties of both When now a man shall question himselfe upon such interrogatories as these Such and such sinnes are forbidden in the Word and they that love and live in the practice of them are wicked and gracelesse persons Am I one of them that delight in doing such things Againe Such and such graces and dueties are required of all thosâ— that are truely good and godlie men Have I those graces Doe I practice those dueties The conscience being thus examined will returne a true answer to every
death as afflictions laid upon the Corinthians for their profane abuse of the Sacrament For this cause many are sicke c. God corrected them to bring them to repentance and amendment of their fault that so leaving their sinne they might escape eternall condemnation This then is the full meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. Eternall and Temporall judgement whereunto all are liable that profane â—he Sacrament in not discerning the Lords Body be they beleevers or unbeleevers godly or wicked Only here is the difference the one sort by this sinne deserve both and have both being punished eternally and temporalâ—y too for the most part But the other deserves both yet feels but one being in mercy chastised with temporall afflictions that comming to repentance they may avoide eternall punishment Wherefore I take it our last Translators have with good reason rendred this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Iudgement but Damnation the highest degree of judgement and that proper punishment which this sin of unworthy receiving doth deserve So that the observation which some here make upon the word that the Apostle here useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereby signifying not exitium aeternum but castigationes temporales is not here to be admitted Neither doth the Analysis of this place require it nor yet the use of the word in other places It being apparant that these words are used indifferently in the same signification Having now sâ—ene what is meant by Damnation it is easie to understand what is meant by eating and drinking damnation which is in plaine termes To commit such a sinne in profaning the Sacrament as deserves both eternall and temporall judgement Not that there is in those outward elements of Bread and Wine any destructive and hurtfull quality or that Christ signified by those elements is become of his owne nature a savour of death and cause of damnation unto any but because in the prophane use of those holy things they commit a fearefull sinne whereby Gods wrath is provoked against them to the punishing of them with temporall and eternall plagues The Sacrament is not as poyson which of its nature workes death in the eater but it is the food of life most healthfull and nourishing unto the soule if it be received into an heart duely prepared for iâ— But as the fruits of that tree of knowledge of Good and Evill might be wholesome in it selfe yet Adam did eate his death when hee tasted of it contrary to Gods Commandement so this Table of the Lord which is a feast of choisest delicates for refreshing of the soule when men come rightly prepared thereto becomes the bane and destruction of soules when men present themselves thereat with unbeleeving impenitent and unholy hearts This the Apostle signifies in that word Hee eateth and drinketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to himselfe damnation to teach us that the cause why these things ordained for our good prove hurtfull unto us is not in the things themselves but in mans sinne that unworthily partakes of them That other interpretation He eats damnation to himselfe not unto Others who communicate with him this sits well against the Schismaticall humours of some who thinke our Sacraments and solemne assemblies polluted by the sinne of those that are wicked amongst us and therefore dare not joyne with us in the worship of God for feare of infection but this fits not so well unto the Text wherein Non quis damnationem incurrat sed quis sit huius exitij author indicatur as Beza truly notes upon this place and word From these words thus expounded I deduce this practicall conclusion The profanation of Gods most holy worship deserves eternall and temporall punishment I frame the Conclusion generally touching every part of Gods worshâ—p as well as the Sacrament T is a high dishonour to the very person of Christ when the Sacrament of his Body and Bloud is abused t is also a horrible sinne committed against the majesty of God whensoever we profanely mocke and contemne him in any of those things wherein he would be sanctified and honoured by us And therefore wee may ascend from the particular to the generall and consider how great a sinne it is to profane any one whaâ—soever of the sacred ordinances of Gods service and what punishment they incurre that doe so All offences become greater or lesse according as the person against whom they are committed is of more or lesse dignity Therefore a sinne agâ—inst â—od is greater than a wrong against our Neighbour Further those offences which immediately touch thâ— person offended are more hainous than those that strike him at the rebound Therefore if we compare the sinnes of the first table with the sinnes against the second in the generall wee may judge those sinnes whereby God himselfe is immediately contemned in this worship are greater than those wherein he is despised mediaté secundariò because wee neglect our duety to man But not to enter into an exact comparison about this point this is for certaine That all offences committed in the matter of Gods worship are of a most provoking nature such as he cannot endure without severe punishment inflicted on the offendors Atheisme Infidelitie hatred of God c. bee sinnes the very names whereof be terrible Idolatry Superstition Wil-worship Profane and Negligent worship these have gentler names but be most hatefull sinnes against which Gods wrath and jealousie burnes to see his holinesse and honour trampled in the dust by base and sinnefull wretches A King must needs take it very tenderly to be dis-regarded in those very ceremonies wherein he lookes for speciall honour from his subiects much more must God be offended if when he hath made us for to honor him made orders according to which wee should shew our reverence and subjection wee shall out of our pride devise other wayes of our owne to worship him or out of negligence and profanenesse of spirit doe those things hee hath prescribed we care not how Against this sinne God hath ever revealed from heaven his fierce wrath upon States and Kingdomes as well as private persons by whom he hath beene despised and neglected in his worship Cursed saith Ieremy chap. 48 10 is he that doth the workes of the Lord negligently This was a particular threatning against those that would spare Moab and not execute the full judgement of God upon that people in their utter destruction but kept backe their swords from bloud Notwithstanding the rule is appliable to all particulars whatsoever in Gods service Cursed is he that doth any thing negligently which God sets him about for it is Gods worke who as he is a bountifull rewarder so is he a severe exactor of faithfull service at our hands He will not balke us in our reward and accordingly he lookes wee should not falter with him in our obedience To sleight him in his worship doing matters by halves seeming more