MOst true is that of Salomon, Pro. 19.2. Without knowledge the mind is not good: &, He that hasteth with his feet sinneth. True, where the mind wants knowledge, the foot will be hasty, Ignorance & Rashnes are inseparable companions: but this is true also, that Knowledge alone cannot make a man good. Where the minde hath knowledge, the foote may be lazie; and where knowledge abounds, negligence may abound too. Now of the two Monoris criminis reatus est, legem nescire, quàm spernere, as Salvian speakes; and an unadvised practise comming from ignorance, is farre more tolerable,De Gub. l. 4. than wilfull disobedience convicted and condemned by know­ledge. There is then a necessity for practice [...]o follow after knowledge, and there is also an excellency wherein pra­ctice goes before knowledge, as the end alwaies deserves more love and praise than the meanes. The younger bro­ther in order of Nature, hath here the preheminency to be [Page 2] blessed above the elder: which I spake not to make divisiō among brethren, and set at oddes these two parts of Reli­gion by a quarrelsome comparison; but that I may have leave at this time to do as Iacob sometime did, when Ma­nasseh and Ephraim were presented unto him by Ioseph: namely to crosse my hands of purpose; and, contrary to my usuall course, lay my right hand on the head of the yonger my left hand on the head of the elder brother: I mean, that whereas in the handling the nature of the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper, a twofold consideration offers it selfe: the one concerning knowledg, in the explication of the nature of the mysteries contained therein; the other concerning our religious practice in the celebration there­of. You will not be displeased if I first begin with practice insisting vpon such holy dueties as concerne us in going a­bout this businesse; laying aside, for a while, such contem­plations about the nature of this Sacrament, as serves only to informe our knowledge. I have made choice of this course, as that which is 1. mere necessary for this Audito­ry, 2. most necessary for this subiect, the Sacrament, wher­of we are to speake. I may in charity hope, that there is none among us so rudely and ignorantly bred up under such governors, as Countrey or Vniversity hath afforded, but that he is furnished with such a competency of know­ledg, as to give a reasonable account of his faith, touching the doctrine of the Sacraments: Yet if there be any whose ignorance in this behalfe may make them blush, to such I wish an increase of godly carefulnesse in their governours that they will provide for the advancement of Religion, as well as Learning, in those that are under them; and also a more conscionable industry in themselves, to hearken un­to instruction, and to make use of all such means as they shall be directed unto, for the attainment of knowledg in this and other points of true Religion. For the Sacrament it selfe, wee shall not erre in following that rule, which holds true in all Divinity, that, Wee shall the better know the nature of secret mysteries,Io [...]. 7.17. by first making conscience [Page 3] to practice our knowne duety. And therefore this Sacra­ment being instituted in the Church for the continuall ex­ercise of many heauenly graces of the Saints, much rather, than for the employment of their wits in long disputes & curious speculations about the nature of this holy ordi­nance; it will bee, I hope, not unfit, first to acquaint you, how this Sacrament serues for the increase of grace in the hearts of the godly, and hereafter, as God shal give ability and opportunity, to unfold the truth in such controverted doubts, as have beene raised touching this Sacrament, ra­ther by the darknesse & superstition of mens braines, than from any true difficulty that can be found in the instituti­on it selfe. I come therfore in the first place, to put you in minde of that which concernes our Christian practice a­bout this Sacrament, where our duety is twofold:

• 1. A frequent celebration of this Sacrament.
• 2. A right remembrance of Christs death, set forth un­to us therein.

Both these dueties are comprised and commended to us in those words of the institution, in 1. Cor. 11.

Againe, Verse 24. This doe ye in remembrance of mee. And, Verse 25. This doe as oft as yee drinke it in remembrance of mee.

Verse 26. For as often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this c [...]p, ye doe shew the Lords death till he come.

These words doe plainely containe those two foremen­tioned dueties, concerning the time when this Sacrament is to be celebrated, and that is, often; and touching the ma­ner or end of its celebration, which is, a perpetuall remem­brance of the death of Christ.

For the first, that its a necessary duty which lies upon every one, often to frequent this Sacrament; it were only to be wished, that our practice were as conformable, as our consciences are generally convicted of the truth of it. Yet if any man list to doubt, these reasons may perswade him that will not be obstinate.

1. The Commandement of Christ, (This doe as often as [Page 4] yee drinke it.) [...] here implies a [...] as often as yee doe it, therefore doe it often; not once in our age, as Bap­tisme, neuer to be repeated; nor once a yeere and no more as the Passeover: but many times in our age, many times in a yeere, according as the Saints in the Primitive Church understood the meaning of these words, and not as some in these times, when Sophistry hath wrangled out Diuinity, would seeme to cavill; that because the words runne (Doe it as oft as yee eate this bread, and drinke this cup) therefore it is at their discretion to doe it as seldome as they please.

2. Their owne necessity may perswade them, if they can be sensible of their spirituall weaknesse and wants. Let them looke inward, and see how great need they have of many and often confirmations of their Faith, renovations of their Repentance, of stirring up the graces of God in the soule, to adde an edge and eagernesse unto all spirituall affections after holinesse, to get unto themselves the most powerfull provocations unto obedience. Every one that hath grace knowes how frequently the power thereof is impaired by temptations, weakned by worldly distracti­ons even of our lawfull imployments, and over-mastered, by the force of sinnefull lusts: so that they must needs dis­cover a great deale of ignorance in their spirituall estate, that feele not in their soules a pronenesse to affamishment, as well as in their bodies; at least they bewray intolerable carelesnesse▪ that finding the emptinesse and leanenesse of their soules, yet neglect to repaire often unto his holy Ta­ble whereon is set forth the Bread of life, whereof when they have eaten, their 1 Sam. 30.12 spirit may come againe, their hearts may be strengthned, their soules may bee repleni­shed as with marrow and fatnesse.

Wherefore give mee leave to perswade you to the pra­ctice of so needfull a duety, and withall to tell you of that fault, whereof this age is extreamly guilty. A very shame it is to compare the slacknesse of our dayes with the for­wardnesse of those primitive times of the Church, in the often celebration of this holy Sacrament. Then it was ad­ministred [Page 5] almost euery Lords day; now we are fallen from fifty times a yeere, to once, twice, thrice, or for the grea­test part to foure times in the yeere. It is true, that as in other, so in this divine institution, Satan hath done much by his malitious policy, to corrupt mens hearts in the ob­servation of it: When the Sacrament was administred of­ten, hee brought it into contempt by the commonnesse of it; now that it is administred seldome, thorough igno­rance, it is abused and neglected as unnecessary. I may not prescribe how often the celebration therof is fit to be used: our Church hath partly left it to the discretion of her Ministers, partly injoyned the solemnization therof at the least See the book of Canons. three times a yeere. Shee hath seene the untoward­linesse of her children, who must be compelled by Law to come in unto this feast, or else the Lords Table is likely to stand unfurnished of guests.

A strange matter that men should neede a Law to bring them to the Sacrament. One would thinke that mens con­sciences should herein be a Law unto themselves, and that there were no necessity to have a Statute for hungry men to eate, or for sicke folke to take physicke. But here is the intolerable infidelity and irreligion of our times; did not feare of Law and shame of the world prevaile more with many, than any benefit which they perceiue is to be gottē by frequenting the Sacrament, they that now come but sel­dome, would come never: they have no appetite to this spirituall bread, their taste cannot rellish this Angels food, and thence the Table of the Lord is contemptible in their eyes, and their very soule loatheth this bread of heaven.

I confesse indeed, that persecution is a sharpe spurre to put men on upon the diligent practice of all religious du­ties: and so it was in the Primitive Church, that the bit­ternesse of afflictions gave a sweeter relish to religion. Ne­verthelesse they must needes be ill nurtured, that will doe nothing without beating; and very strange it is that men should constantly wait upon the service of God, when paine and disgrace terrifie them from it, and then fal off to [Page 6] neglect it, when honour, peace and liberty invite them to it. And what, my brethren, had the bloud of Christ a fre­sher taste in these first ages after it was newly shed? had his sacrificed body a more fragrant smell inviting the Saints like birds of prey, to flye from far with maruellous swiftnesse, unto this dead but yet all-quickning carkasse? Hath it now, through tract of time, lost that swetnesse wherwith hertofore it cheared both God and Man? No; tis we have lost our senses, our faith, our zeale, our love. Christs bloud, like the Manna in the Ark, putrifies not but endureth for ever, to feed us also in these last ages of the world unto everlasting life. That fountain which was ope­ned in his side, runs yet afresh, & hath an everlasting ver­tue to cleanse us from the leprosie of sinne, and to coole the heate of a weary soule, inflamed with sin and the fire of Gods wrath: only if we can be sensible of our thirst, and that our hearts can pant after these waterbrooks, running amaine unto them for refreshing, when wee are furiously chased by our iniquities following us at the heeles. Wher­fore, my beloved brethren, let us be admonished hencefor­ward to make conscience of frequenting the Lords Table so often as by fit opportunity wee may enjoy the benefit therof, lest our lazie sloathfulnesse be at last punished for a profane contempt of the precious bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ.

This be spoken of the first duety in comming to the Sa­crament; the next followes touching that which is to bee done about the celebration of it. Now this is in general, A soleme commemoration of the death of Christ, expressed in those words (Doe this in remembrance of me) and in those (Yee shew forth the Lords death till he come.) Which words doe summarily declare what was the end and intent of Christ in instituting this Sacrament, and what is the duty which he requires of euery Christian in the solemnizing thereof; namely, That therin we should make a perpetuall commemoration of his death and passion unto the end of the world, till hee come againe to iudgement. Now this [Page 7] remembrance of the death of Christ in the Sacrament, is to be taken in a double sense.

1. In opposition to the outward Elements and Cere­monies in this Sacrament.

2. In relation to those spirituall graces of the soule, which are to bee exercised in this commemoration.

In the former must be shewed upon what our hearts & thoughts must be fixed in the holy Sacrament; namely, not on the Elements and actions of the Sacrament: but on Christ and his benefits; all the desires of our soules must be towards him, and to the remembrance of his Name.

In the latter it will appeare, how, & in what manner our soules must be fixed on Christ; namely, not in a bare histo­ricall remembrance of his sufferings, but in a powerfull and gracious feeling of the vertue of his death, working life and holinesse in our soules.

Of these two points in order; and of the first briefly, which is this, That our thoughts are not to dwel upon the outward elements and actions of the Sacrament, but from them to bee raised up to the meditation of Christs suffe­rings, and the benefits we obtaine thereby.

Doe this in remembrance of mee, saith Christ, i. e. of my death, and your redemption by it: not, Do this for it own sake, looking no further than what is visible to your eies in the outward solemnity. Never was any Ceremony, le­gall & Euangelicall, appointed for its own worth, as if ei­ther God were pleased▪ or mans soul [...] edified in grace by such carnall observations. For God is a Spirit, and will al­wayes be worshipped in spirit and truth: and mans soule is a Spirit of a pure and immortal substance, which cannot bee nourishd and maintained in life and strength by any outward fading thing or action; but only by that which is proportionable to its owne celestiall and spiritual quality. Now this alone is the grace and favour of God, the treasu­rie and store-house wherof is the person of our ever-bles­sed Mediator Iesus Christ, unto whom the ancient church was directed in all Leviticall observations, to whom [Page 8] these Evangelicall Sacraments doe still direct us.

Wherefore you are againe to be admonished, those e­specially of the younger sort, That they do attentively ob­serve what that thing is, whereabouts all their meditati­ons are to be employed in this sacred businesse. Remem­ber that here Christ crucified is all in al, in every element, in every action. When thou seest the Bread and Wine se­parated by consecration unto this holy use, thinke on Christ ordained and fore-appointed by the Father from everlasting, unto the accomplishment of our redemption by his bloud-shedding. When thou seest the Bread broken and the Wine powred forth, thinke on Christ torne and rent in his precious body with stripes and wounds, pained even to the death in his most holy soule, full of the wrath of God & indignation of the Almighty, by whom he was smitten for thy sinnes, and plagued for thy transgressions. When the Minister offers to thee the bread & wine, think on Christ given unto thee of God freely, and giving him­selfe unto thee if thou wilt receive him. When thou recei­vest and eatest these elements, think on Christ, that living Bread, that gives life unto thy soule, and by his merits pre­serves it from eternall death. Knit thy heart unto him by the band of an holy faith, throw thy selfe into his armes stretched out on the Crosse to embrace thee; wash thy soule in his bloud, that thou maist bee cleane; hide thy selfe in the holes and clefts of this rocke, from the stormy tempest of Gods wrath, that i [...] m [...]y not touch thee: put thine hands and thy fingers in his side, and the pr [...]nt of the nailes, and cry out with that blessed Apostle in the highest degree of all possible reioycing, MY LORD, AND MY GOD. This is the life of this holy Sacrament, whithout which spirituall applications, all is but a dead and empty Ceremony. Wherfore miserable is their error, who out of ignorance or a wrong opinion, bend their senses & amuse their thoughts, only upon the things which in this Sacra­ment are presented unto their bodily eyes, never looking up unto the graces and merits of Christ, unto whom onely [Page 9] these outward Ceremonies do point. Two sorts there are guilty of this offence: 1. Papists, who, in this and the whole frame of their religion, love to glory in the flesh, and do ate upon carnall outward ceremoniousnesse; rest too much in the opus operatum, the worke done, without all power and life of holiness in the doer. 2. The seco [...]d sort are ignorant Protestants, of whom there be thousands that understand nothing at all of the end and use of these my­steries, It is pittifull to behold the demeanour of the ordi­nary sort of people at the Sacrament: they come thither they know not wherefore, and they doe there they know not what; they cannot tell how to looke, which way to turn themselves about any holy meditations: many times their minds are like a clocke that's over-wound above his ordinary pitch, and so stands still; their thoughts are ama­zed at the height of these mysteries, and for the time they are like a blocke, thinking nothing at all: or else their thoughts fall flat on the earth to base and bodily things, yea some in that wonderful simplicity, as to imagine they come thither for a draught of sweet wine, and a morsell of finer bread: or at best they raise their thoughts no higher than the Communion Table, thinking that if they have receiued the outward elements▪ in a reverent manner, be­haved themselves decently during that action, forborne their worldly businesse before and after, tempered their tongues from all uncivill speech, and demeaned them­selves mannerly for that day, then that they have done a right acceptable peece of service to God. This stupidity of many, whether popish or clownish, cannot but be much commiserated by al those, unto whom it is given to know any thing concerning the mysteries of the Kingdome of God. To conclude this point, let vs remember that admo­nition the Church giveth us in this businesse, calling on us with a Sursum corda, Lift up your hearts, and let's answer in doing as wel as saying, We lift them up unto the Lord. Yea, be wee alwaies mindfull of that generall rule which Christ gives his Disciples, when they, together with the [Page 10] simple Capernaites, hearing Christ call himselfe [living Bread] and [his flesh Meat indeed] and [his Blood Drinke indeede] were much offended at it, as an absurd impossibi­litie; Christ tels them they mistooke his meaning, [It is the Spirit, saith hee, that quickneth, the flesh profiteth no­thing: the words that I speake unto you, they are Spirit, and they are Life.] Ioh. 6.63.

Thus you see whom we must remember, in, and by this Sacrament, viz. Christ, and him crucified: In the next place we are to consider, in what manner this commemo­ration is to bee made, [Doe this in remembrance of mee.] What? in a bare recounting the story of his passion, ampli­fying the indignity of all circumstances, in curio [...]s con­templations about every passage of Christ, from the gar­den to the grave? Is this all? no, nor halfe: You must ther­fore here remember a rule given by Divines, [That in Scripture words of knowledge, in matters betweene God and Man, doe imply the affections,] And as God is said not to know the wicked, because he likes them not; so when we are commanded to know God, to remember our Crea­tor, &c. wee must not streighten this precept unto bare speculation of the Head, but extend it unto the holy devo­tion of the Heart, and obedience of the Hand. In this sense must Christ crucified bee remembred of us in the Sacra­ment, not only as an object of our Knowledg, but princi­pally as the obiect of our Love, our Faith, our Hope, our Ioy, our Thansgiving, our Obedience. These & other hea­venly graces are all to be set a worke, and imployed about this remembrance of Christ in the Sacrament; & it is the increase and exercise of these graces, that our Saviour in­tended, when he instituted this Sacrament, commanding us to observe it in remembrance of him, and by it to shew his death till his comming againe. But that we may goe a little more particularly to work in this point, observe that there are foure principall graces that have a singular use in this holy businesse: they are 1. Faith, 2. Repentance, 3. Thankfulnesse, 4. Love. Touching which, I would not [Page 11] have you expect, that I should here handle them at large, by way of common place: my purpose only at this time is to shew you, what singular vertue may bee drawne from the meditation of Christs death, for to quicken & increase the life & power of all those forementioned graces. I will doe this briefly, desiring the younger sort especially, care­fully to attend unto such generall heads of meditation as I shall propose, to the end their thoughts may have some matter whereon to worke, which otherwise will be too too wilde, and confusedly distracted.

1. First then touching Faith, Christ crucified is propo­sed unto us in the Sacrament, as the object of our Faith al­luring us to a firme beliefe in him, upon these two strong perswasions:

1. That he is a Saviour All-sufficient, having with him plenteous Redemption. One that hath paid the utmost farthing that could be demanded for our ransome, having trodden the winepresse of the fierce wrath of the Almigh­tie; and borne upon his shoulders the whole burden of that vengeance, which would have sunke our soules to the bottome of hell. A Saviour that hath utterly defeated all the powers of darknesse; and spoyled them, leading captivity captive: thereby purchasing for us a Kingdome that cannot be shaken, but sure and stedfast against all vio­lence of our spirituall adversaries, even a stable and firme estate in present grace, and an open and faire passage unto that immortality and glory which shal be revealed. Wher­fore justly hath he in this Sacrament set forth himself un­to us, under the two elements of Bread and Wine, parts of one complete and perfect nourishment: to assure us, that in his merits, there is an absolute all sufficiency to bring us to everlasting life.

2. That hee is a Saviour freely given of God, and gi­ving himselfe unto us. Hee laid downe his life freely, no man having power to take it from him: and therefore he freely gave his flesh for the life of the world; and in the Sacrament he freely offers himselfe to every beleever, to [Page 12] be receiued and embraced by him. Both these are strong motives to qu [...]cken our faith in remembring Christs death: for if either the greatnesse of the worke of redemp­tion, and surpassing difficulty to save a sinner, should terri­fie us; we know what ever it be, he hath finished it: or if our unworthines should discomfort us, we see that Christ stayes not till we can deserve him; but as hee died for us when we were unworthy, so evē whilst we are unworthy hee offers himselfe to us in all the benefits of his death. Wherefore let us in a lively faith fasten our eies upon this Brazen serpent, lifted up on the crosse to cure the fierie stingings of sinne: let our eyes, our thoughts, and our affe­ctions be drawne after him, and learne we, as the Apostle exhorts, to trust perfectly unto that salvation which is brought unto us. This for Faith.

2. In the next place is required the exercise of Repen­tance, to which there is no provocation in the world more powerful, than the serious meditation of Christ crucified. Two motives there are, which commonly best prevailes with all natures, to worke in them sorrow for an offence; and they are both in this matter most lively & vigorous.

1. Mercy wonderfull and incredible to a desperate offender, beyond all hope and expectation of his. When we were of no strength, when we were sinners, when we were enemies, even then Christ in his time died for vs, as the Apostle notably aggrauates the death of Christ, Rom. 5 6.8.10. How hopelesse was the state of us men being once fallen by our first transgression? and yet even in the extre­mity of misery, how proudly and rebelliously did we car­rie our selves against that majesty, whom wee had offen­ded? Yet then behold in God the riches of all patience, gentlenesse and compassion: he is mindfull of us, when we had forgot both him and our selves; his mercifull wise­dome prevents all thought, and care, and possibility in us of providing the means of our recovery. Now where ma­lice and unworthinesse is thus overcome by goodnesse, certainely if there be any sparke of grace, of noble nature, [Page 13] of ingenuity left within us, it cannot bee but our hearts should be overcome with sorrow, for offending so graci­ous a Master, and rent asunder with godly griefe for the displeasure of so loving a Father.

2. The horrible n [...]ture of the offence, which, when it is smal, is sleighted, but strikes the hart with astonishment and confusion, when tis capitall. Now sinne is of the worst deserving quality that possibly may be; and it appeares by nothing so much as the furious displeasure of God infli­cted on Christ, when he bare our sins in his body upon the tree. Trace him from the Garden to Golgotha, and you shall see whole armies of sorrowes ready to invade him, every steppe he treads, the deeper hee wades into a sea of bloud and wounds, and stripes, and waters of affl [...]ction; men and divels, yea and God himselfe fight against him; he is forsaken of God, persecuted, despised, and scorned of all the world, assailed and tempted by all the powers of hell, become the astonishment of Angels, the wonder and amazement even of senselesse creatures. Ah, my Brethren were our soules in his stead, and did wee feele but the least part of that anguish which possessed and incompassed that holy person within and without: how miserable might we judge our case to be? Blessed we are now, that in this we feele it not: but yet wee shall not be blessed alwaies, unlesse wee can compassionate his feeling of it. Where­fore let us turne our thoughts upon our crucified Saviour, and looking upon him whom we have pierced, let us as we are commanded, Zach. 12.10▪ (Mourne for him as one mourneth for his onely son, and be in bitternesse for him, as one that is in bitternes for his first-born.) Let us see the cause of his sufferings to be in our selves, and lament wee for our sinnes that have slaine the Lord of Life. And now let us learne to acknowledge what a detestable thing sin is, which deserved so horrible a punishment, that could turne the favourable countenance of the most mercifull and pittifull God, into frownes and fierce displeasure a­gainst his eardely beloved Sonne, as soone as he beheld in [Page 14] him the person of an offender. Shall the pleasures of sinne be sweete to us, which caused Christ to drink of the bitter cup, even downe to the dregges? Shall wee make a jest of that, that made God angry in the greatest earnest that ever was? Seemeth that a light thing in our eyes, that brought on Christ a burden so heavie, that it pressed the bloud out of his veines, the soule out of his body? Oh how would these meditations dash in peeces the conceptions of lust in their infancie? How mightily effectuall would they be to mortifie our corruptions, and crucifie the body of sinne in us? Know this and remember it, that of all motives to re­pentance, and preservatives against the infection of sinne, there is none so powerfull, as continually in all places and imployments, to beare about with us in our hearts and meditations, The Dying of the Lord Iesus.

And this of Repentance: it followes that wee speake of the third grace to bee exercised in this holy commemora­tion of Christs death, which is Thankfulnesse. A grace of singular use in this Sacrament, which thence takes its name of Eucharistia, whereby it is frequently stiled. Sor­row and joy must here be mingled together; a sorrow for sinne that deserved such sufferings, bu [...] a ioy unspeakable and glorious, in Thanksgiving to Christ for his great mer­cie, in taking upon him such sufferings. And great cause there is, we should be thankfull for the death of Christ in th [...]se three respects.

1. Because by it the greatest blessing that ever was, is purchased for us; namely, pardon of sinne, reconciliation with God, grace and glory.

2. Because there is on our part, the greatest undesert of it that may be. For wherin was God beholding unto us? we were his creatures when we were at best, and then he needed us not: wee were his enemies when wee were at worst, and he had iust cause to hate and punish us.

3. In regard of the infinite disproportion betweene us and Christ who died for us; the iust for the uniust, the Lord for the slave, the King for the subject, the Creator [Page 15] for the creature. All th [...]se are forcible motives to stirre up in us a thankfull rejoycing in the Lord our Saviour, that hath done so great things for our soules. It should make our hearts breake forth into blessings, and thankes, and praises, admirations, and extolling of the wonderfull fa­vour he hath shewed to the sonnes of men. Wherefore if it be possible, let us bring our hearts in tune to beare a part in that new song which the Elders sing before the throne of the Lambe, Rev. 5.9, 10. [Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seales therof: for thou wast slaine and hast redee­med us to God by thy bloud, out of every kindred, and tongue, & people, and nation, and hast made us unto our God, Kings and Priests, and we shall reigne on the Earth.] And for a sweeter harmony, let the Angels be admitted into this quire; with them and the Saints, sing we as it is vers. 12. [Worthy is the Lambe that was slaine to receive power, and riches, and wisdome, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing:] Yea, for a full consort, let us with every creature in heaven, in earth, under the earth, and in the sea, sing as it is in verse 13. [Blessing, honour, glory and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lambe for ever and ever. [And so much also of the third grace: the last followes, which is

4. Love unto Christ, in a holy affection of the soule, car­rying us with full desire to the enioying of him, & making us to preferre our communion with him, before all things that in this world may challenge our dearest respect. All those motives that stir up to Thankfulnesse, provoke also unto Love: the smalnes of our desert, the greatnesse of the benefit, the gloriousnes of the person, al are here in a singu­lar degree, and for them Christ deserves our Love in the highest degree that we can possibly shew it in. Hence the Church in the Canticles can find no names so fit whereby to call her Spouse Christ Iesus, as these; [Him whom her soule loveth, her Beloved, and her well beloved.] Its admi­rable what pleasures she takes in describing and talking of his rare excellencies; here's her full contentment, and the height of her ioy and peace, that shee is able to say, [My [Page 16] welbeloved is mine, and I am his.) Certainely, my Brethren were our hearts truly spirituall, had our soules tasted how good the Lord Iesus hath beene unto us, were our eyes opened to see him at the right hand of God clothed with all beauties of holinesse, glory, and majesty, it could not be but that our sinnes, our pleasures, all the pompe of this world would be most vile and despicable in our esteeme, and nothing but Christ would appeare worthy of our Love, Delight, and Admiration.

These are those heavenly graces of chiefe marke, that receive life and strength from the death of Christ, remem­bred in this Sacrament. And the effect of them all is our obedience in life and conversation, that wee should serve him faithfully, that hath bought us at so deare a price. This is the trial of the truth of all those forenamed graces; when our faith works by Love, our Repentance is appro­ved by reformation, our Thankfulnesse and Love shewne in keeping of his Commandements. This is also the end of the death of Christ, who hath redeemed us from our vain conversation, wherein wee lived in the lusts of the flesh, that henceforth wee should live unto him: who hath de­livered us from the feare of our enemies, that wee should serve him in righteousnesse and holinesse all our dayes.

And thus you see what it is rightly to remember Christ crucified, and to shew forth the Lords death in the use of this holy Sacrament, even to remember him with belee­ving, with penitent, with thankfull, with loving, with o­bedient harts. Not to remember him in this sort, is to for­get h [...]m; not to know the vertue of his death in this man­ner, is to bee ignorant of Christ crucified. An excellent knowledge, but of all most difficult to be put in practice: Tis an easie thing to turn the story into a tragedy, to make a Scenicall representation of the death of Christ, as the Papists use to doe on good-Friday, or to compile a curious declamation of this subject, as Popish Postillers and Prea­chers doe in their Lenton Sermons. I discommend not e­loquence in so excellent a subject, words cannot be better [Page 17] bestowed than here: yet there is an error to be feared, lest the tongue onely be imployed, where the heart chiefly should bee busied; and there is danger also lest such high discourses prove not unlike those of Tragedians, made more to breed admiration of the Poet, than attention and observation of the fact. Thus much I may safely say, that the meditation of the death of Christ requires not so much strength of wit and invention, as the exercise of all holy and zealous affections of the soule to the increase of pietie and obedience. There cannot bee a greater incongruitie, than to discourse of so holy a subject, with an unhallowed heart; to amplifie the indignity of Christs passion, and yet not bee moved at all to remorse of conscience for sinne; to rayle on Iudas and the Iewes, and yet sweare by Christ; to descant upon his Bloud and Wounds in passionate dis­course, and ye [...] to teare these, and trample upon that inex­ecrable blasphemies: to talke of Christ, and yet not to live as a Christian; to relate to others the story of his crucifying by the Iewes; and in the meane while by obstinate impiety and prophanenesse to crucifie him againe unto himselfe. This is far from being a Preacher and a follower of Christ: to such let mee speake in Salvians words a little altered, Christum legunt & impudici sunt, Christum audiunt & inebri­ant [...]r, Christum sequuntur & rapiunt: Sal. de Gub. l. 4. & 5. haec ergo etiam nos qui Christiani dicimur, facimus. What might one of Mahomeds disciples here say, Ecce quales sunt qui Christum c [...]lunt; see the servants of the crucified God, see them luxurious, pro­fane, intemperate, blasphemers, scorners of Religion: it must needs be, wil he then say, they haue a bad master, that are such evill seruants: Si enim bona discerent, boni essent, and, Sancta à Christianis fierent, si Christus sancta docuisset. Thus whilst some prof [...]sse themselves Christians, they are a reproach unto Christ, a disgrace of the Gospell, and shame of all Religion. Wherefore I beseech you perswade your selves of this, that you never know Christ crucified aright, till your hearts can bleed in sorrow for sinne, as his bled for satisfaction, till your Faith embrace him, your soules [Page 18] rejoyce in him, your love bee fixed on him, till his death have caused the death of sinne in you: till then, know that you are but ignorant in this great mysterie of Christs suffe­rings. And now you are to goe unto the Sacrament, take time and care to thinke of these things; so may you goe with comfort, and depart thence with profit unto your soules.

The Apostle after hee hath declared the true institution of the Sacrament, and the right end to bee observed in the celebration of it, namely, The perpetuall commemoration of Christs death, in the words before spoken of; hee goes forward in the next place, to shew the great danger that men run into by perverting this holy institution, and abu­sing of it to wrong ends & purposes. They commit a great sinne, which drawes upon them great judgements both temporall and eternall, unlesse by diligent examination of themselves, the sinne be prevented, and the punishment re­moved. This the Apostle doth from the 27. vers. unto the 33. verse. The resolution of which words is in briefe thus: They containe.

• 1. The sinne of unworthy receiving, vers. 27.
• 2. The meanes to avoide this sinne, which is due exa­mination of ones selfe before the Sacrament, vers. 28.
• 3. The punishment which they incurre, who commit the sin, and neglect the means; now that is damnation or judg­ment, vers. 29.

This punishment as it is temporal, is amplified three waies

• 1. By experiment in the Church of Corinth, wherein God made it appeare by judgments he inflicted upon thē, how much hee was offended at the profanation of the Sa­crament, verse 30.
• 2. By the true cause of those afflictions, the not-judging of th [...]mselves, vers. 31.
• 3. By the right end wherefore these judgements came upon them, which was to bring them to repentance for such their abuse of Gods ordinance, lest otherwise going on they fall into further condemnation, vers. 32.

[Page 19]At this present I shall speake only touching the sinne of unworthy communicating at the Lords Table whereof the Apostle speakes in these words.

Verse 27. Wherefore whosoever shall eate this bread, and drinke the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the bodie and bloud of the Lord.

In this verse we have two generall parts:

• 1. The sin it selfe, unworthy receiving the Sacrament, in those words. [Whosoeuer shall eate, &c. unworthily.]
• 2. The quality of this sinne: tis no small fault, but a bloudy offence, tis to be guilty of murder, and that of the best man that ever was, Christ Iesus: [Hee shall bee guilty, &c.]

Of these in order▪ First let us enquire what it is to eate this Bread and drinke this Cup, i. e. to receive this Sacra­men [...] vnworthily [...]. Vnworthinesse in receiving the Sacrament, may be taken in re [...]pect either of the person, or of the manner of receiving. Vnworthinesse of the person is not here meant, for so tis apparant that no man can come worthily to the Sacrament, forasmuch as the best of men cannot deserve of God the smallest blessing of this life, much lesse so great a favour as to enioy the benefit of the Word and Sacraments to everlasting life. Wherefore in our publique Leiturgie, wee doe iustly acknowledge, [That we doe not presume to come to this Table, trusting in our righteousnesse, but in Gods great mercy; and that we are not wor­thy so much as to gather the crummes under the Lords Table] much lesse to sit thereat as a guest.

Vnworthinesse then is here to be taken in regard of the manner of receiving. A poore man may bee unworthy to be set at a Kings table, but yet he may there carry himselfe worthily, i. e. in such a decent behaviour, as is agreeable to the reverence and maiesty of the place in which hee is. So we are unworthy to sit at this Table, yet when God in­vites us thither, wee may carry our selves worthily, i. e. in such a holy disposition of our hearts, and reverent demea­nour in our outward actions, as God requires of us in so [Page 20] sacred a businesse. The poverty, blindnesse, lamen [...]sse, and the like, is not objected to such as come to the Marriage-feast, Matth. 22. but the matter that is questioned, is the want of a wedding garment. Now you know, that hee which makes a solemne sumptuous feast, cannot but take it as an indignity and dishonour offered to him and his cheere, if any be so rude as to thrust in himselfe among the rest, in his ragged and vile apparrell. Let us then see how we may offend in the manner of celebrating this Sacra­ment: We shall know this by that which the Apostle re­proves in these Corinthians. They had many faults; a­mong them they are here taxed for dissentions, & quarrel­some factions amongst themselves, vers. 18. for prophane­nes, in comming to the Sacrament with as little reverence as they did to their Love-feasts; nay with lesse, having in those feasts first distempered themselves, vers. 21. for ex­cesse in their Love-feasts, and thence comming drunken to the Sacrament, vers. 21. lastly, for pride and disdaine in despising the poorer sort, that had not wherewithall to carry matters in so brave and frolicke manner as them­selves, vers 22. Thus they cared not with what mindes, nor in w [...]a [...] manner they came to the Lords Supper, making the Sacrament an occasion of debate, hatred, riot and luxu­rie, which should have beene a cause of modesty, peace, hu­mility, sobriety, and love. The case was too too bad with th [...]m▪ their disorders being so fowle, that the Apostle pro­fesseth in expresse termes, that this their comming toge­ther could not bee called a celebration of the Sacrament: [This is not, saith he, to eate the Lords Supper] vers. 20. Now what the Apostle reproves in them in regard of the fore­named particulars, holds true by proportion in all commu­nicants, in regard of other the like disorders: whence in the generall, observe this conclusion,

[They that celebrate this Sac [...]ament in any other man­ner, with other mindes, for other [...]nds, than Christ inten­ded in his institution of it, they observe it unworthily.]

For this is a generall rule touching every part of Gods [Page 21] worship, We must serve God, no [...] as we thinke fit, but as he hath appointed; God must bee Iudge of his owne ho­nour: and in all matters of substaunce, there is nothing be­fitting and aggreeable to his good liking, but those things that he hat [...] commanded, observed, and done in that man­ner which he hath prescribed. And therefore in this Sa­crament, tis not what ends and fancies we have of it, but what manner exercise of Religion God hath intended by it, that is acceptable. If this bee neglected, the Supper of the Lord is not celebrated worthily, but unworthily profaned. But not to stay upon generalities, let us see how many waies the Sacrament is thus profaned. 'Twere end­lesse to reckon up all particulars: wherefore observe that there are generally three sorts of people who doe unwor­thily receive it;

The

• 1 Ignorant.
• 2 Superstitious.
• 3. Vnreformed in life.

1. The ignorant, who observe it of fashion, by course of Law, and custome of the Countrey; because they are now at yeares of discretion, and must doe as others doe: but in the meane time know not a syllable what it is, or whereabouts they goe. Examine them, they cannot tell you what a Sacrament is, what the outward signes are, what the graces thereby signified are, what the ends and uses of a Sacrament bee: If you aske them these questions, they understand you no more, than if you spake in an un­knowne language; or if they can answer you out of a Cate­chisme, tis by rote; they doe not know a [...]ot the meaning of what they speake: and you may perceive it plainly, doe but a little vary the question from that which they finde in their bookes. These when they come to the Sacrament, are meerely passive in all that businesse; there their bodies are, there they sit and see, and doe as others doe, but for their m [...]ndes, they cannot tell which way to set them a­worke in any meditation. Were I to speake to an auditory that is not learned, this fault were much to be urged. It de­erves much pity, to see abroad that some are not taught, [Page 22] and more detestation to behold, that for the greatest part, they will not learne their duety, in this or any other part of Gods worship. It must needs much affect the heart of any one that is Christianly disposed, with sorrow & indig­nation, [...]o see those that professe themselves the servants of Christ, know as little of him, as those that are his open enemis. Barbarians and Turkes know the name of Christ, and so doe these: but for their duety in the worship and o­bedience, they both know much alike. This and more might be said, were it not in this place, where knowledge doth abound. Neverthelesse to deale plainely, let no man flatter himselfe, nor another. Let us bee well advised, that none of us be ignorant amongst so plentifull, so easie means of knowledge. A great fault it is in any, in us much greater, who if wee bee not better than others are, and therefore worse, because we ought to be better. Vbi sublimior praero­gativa, maior est culpa, saith Salvian: and hee gives a good reason of it, because Praeter eam deformitatem quam vitium in se habit, ipso sublimitatis nomine notatur. Ignorance in matter of Religion, is of it selfe a notable deformity in e­very one that calls himselfe Christian: but in the learned, their profession makes it much more visible and odious. Those that be free from this fault, are also free from touch of this reproofe; but if any may iustly blame himselfe for being ignorant of this duety, let me bespeak him in Salvi­ans words, Non à mea sibi hoc lingua dici aestimet sed á consci­entia sua; Tis not I, but his owne conscience that reproves him. And let such a one carry hence this lesson to his study, That he thats ignorant, must needs bee wicked, even be­cause he is ignorant: nor is it possible, but hee shall faile in his duety, whatever he goe about. For the Sacrament, tis plaine, an ignorant receiver is an unworthy receiver, be­cause as the Apostle speakes afterwards, verse 29 [Hee di­scerneth not the Lords body,] he knowes not what ends and uses are to be made of this holy Sacrament. We must know that we now have no altars to the unknown God, no wor­ship of a knowne God in an unknowne manner; wee must [Page 23] understand both whom, and how we worship, else our ser­vice of him is not [...], a reasonable service, as the Apostle would have it, Rom. 12.1. but a blinde ayme, and brutish devotion.

2. The Superstitious, who use the Sacrament quite in another fashion, & other intents than Christ ever appointed it. In this kinde those of the Romish Church have intole­rably perverted this holy Institution of Christ, both Priest and People. Theres scarce left any shadow at all of the first Institution, all's perverted and corrupted with fond and impious abuses. Never was there any device more blas­phemous, and more ridiculous too, than that abomination of the Masse. Wherein wee have a Supper for the living, turned into a sacrifice for quicke and dead, a Minister into a sacrificing Priest, a Table into an Altar, Bread and Wine into very flesh, bloud, and bones, eating of bread into de­vouring of a living man, a cup of wine turned to a draught of mans bloud, the remembrance of Christs death, into a­doration of the outward elements, all the simplicity of Sa­cramentall Actions metamorphosed into strange gesticu­lations, crouching, ducking, crossing over the bread, the wine, the Priest, the people whispering, murmuring, wash­ing, shifting from place to place, from this to that side, dip­ping the bread in the wine, mingling the wine with water, lifting up the bread over the Priests head, keeping it like a Bee in a boxe, carrying in procession, bringing it to sicke mens bed-sides to keepe thence evill spirits, carrying it in­to the field in warre to defend from gunshot, with a world of other ceremonies, trinkets, and fopperies, deuised with­out any ground in Scripture or reason, as may be seene in their bookes and practice. By this meanes they have tur­ned the Sacrament into a Stage-play, or Masking shew: where the poore people are spectators only, understanding nothing at all, but feeding their eyes by gazing upon the outside of empty ceremonies and idolatrous pompe. It is a thing somewhat admirable to consider whence, and how so great impiety, should spring from so plaine an Instituti­on [Page 24] as this of the Sacrament is, and how in course of time it should so farre degenerate into such a strange mixture of foolery and iniquity: but as in Gentilisme, the divell having drawn men from the knowledge of one pure invi­sible God, he easily puld them into infinite errors, both to frame unto themselves many gods, and to conceive most absurd opinions of them; so here having once perverted the simplicity and sanctity of Christs institution, he hath by degrees (every age adding some new tricke or other) brought it at last unto that Masse of Idolatrous abominati­ons, which Gentilisme it selfe cou [...]d hardly equall; and Christianity, but that it sees now come to passe, could ne­ver have suspected the possibility of it. Wee are highly to praise Almighty God, that hath delivered us and this whole land, from so great a corruption; and that we have the Sacraments celebrated in our Churches, in that pure simplicity of substance, and that reverend decency of ce­remonies, as is agreeable to Christ his first Institution. Neverthelesse, we ought yet to be admonished, that even we take heed of superstition, that in our secret thoughts we incline not too much unto that conceit of Opus operatum. Let none think the the bare outward actions and elements are able to sanctifie him, or that he is the better for them, and the ground he treads on for that day; that if he goe fa­sting, he hath the more, if having eaten before, hee hath the lesse benefit, or that even the very receiving of the ele­ments, is of great vertue to a sicke man. I confesse tis so to him and all others, if with a pure heart and faith unfai­ned, it be rightly received; onely this would be looked un­to, that Protestants in profession, be not Papists in some part in their opinion, conceiving too highly of the out­ward worke, taking little heed to the inward vertue. A­gainst the superstitious use of this and all other parts of Gods service, let us remember that rule of Christ [In vaine they worship mee, Matth. 1 [...] 9. teachi [...]g for d [...]ctrines mens traditions.] If Scribes and Pharisees, Papist o [...] Protestant, deprave Gods ordinances, or make new of their owne, teaching them for [Page 25] doctrines, whereby, and wherein to worship and please God (Wee speake not now of lawfull ceremonies, that touch not the substance of Gods worship) in so doing they teach an error, and worship God in vaine.

3. The Vnreformed, who haply know what belongs to the Sacrament, and use it not with any superstitious con­ceit, but yet they use it without any amendment and re­formation of life. This kinde of profanation is of all most to be feared amongst us, where knowledge of the nature of the Sacrament, takes away all superstitious opinion in the use of it. Now by the Vnreformed, I meane those in whom the use of this holy Sacrament, breedes not a pro­portionable increase of grace and sanctity. You heard heretofore that the exercise of many Christian graces, was intended in this commemoration of Christs death, and where that is wanting, all the rest is nought worth. The Sacrament is appointed for our nourishment in grace; where we grow not by it, tis a signe this food was not di­gested, but vomited up againe. Where Faith, Repentance, Thankfulnesse, and Obedience are not encreased, there Christ crucified was not remembred, but forgotten in this Sacrament. Where holinesse thrives not by so holy a meanes, profanenesse must needs bee very ranke: guilty of this great fault were these Corinthians. They came to the Sacrament, but with what minde? They were uncharita­ble, contentious, proud, despising the poore, and, which is worst of all, they came drunken. They are registred for it, vers. 21. Who would thinke it possible else, that there could be such profanenesse, that a man, when he is drunke, would venture to come into the Church, and to the Sacra­ment? Such a one was Iudas, that came to the Passeover, and was, or would have beene at the Lords Supper, with a minde full of treason and covetousnesse. Such are all they that come, not having their hearts at all touched with re­morse for their sinnes, or if for the present they bee some­what moved, yet they presently fall into all their former sinnes againe. For such as come with a resolution to hold [Page 26] on in their sinnes, it is manifest that they profane the Sa­crament extreamely. For whereas in the Sacrament wee make publique profession of our obedience to Christ, gi­ving up our names in his honourable service, by taking on us this badge thereof, and so eate this Bread and drinke this Cup, in a thankfull remembrance of his death, where­by that great blessing of remission of sinnes is purchased for us: who now can beleeve that they doe this heartily, who in the meane time disobey Christs commandement, despise all holinesse, continuing with delight and wilful­nesse in those sinnes which Christ died to expiate? Is this the use we should make of Christs death? [Shall wee conti­nue in sin [...]e, that grace may abound?] The Apostle makes the answer, [God forbid.] How shall wee live in sinne, when Christ is dead for sinne, and wee with him should bee dead unto sinne? as the Apostle argues, Rom. 6. Its therefore but a meere mockery of God, for men in the Sacrament to make shew of what they intend not at all. Others come haply with a good meaning to doe well in the generall, but this resolution holds not longer than a day or two, or a weeke: afterwards they are as bad as before, yea some­what worse by their re [...]apses. The one sort make Christ a patron of their sinnes, thinking they may more sec [...]rely serve Satan, under the protection of Christs livery. The other make the Sacrament a payment of the old score, that they may the more freely runne on upon the new; the pardon of the former sinnes, is unto them a licence for lewd practices to come. Betweene both sorts, a world of people there is that strangely profane this blessed Sacra­ment, never using it to any increase of piety in their soules. The same men they came unto it, the same they depart thence, only herein still the worse, because not amended. Were they proud before? they are so still: were they co­vetous before? they are never the more liberall unto the poore members of Christ Iesus, for all that Christ hath bin so franke-hearted, as to bestow his heart-bloud upon them: were they voluptuous before they went? they still [Page 27] follow the same pleasures with all greedinesse: drunken before, and drunken still: swearers before, and swearers still; despisers of Gods service and true Religion, scoffers at Christian piety, ignorant, unbeleeving, unfaithfull, un­thankfull, impenitent, envious, malicious before they went to the Sacrament, and they are the same men still. They have indeed beene at the Sacrament, and there they professe openly to bee of the number of those that [Doe truely and earnestly repent of all their sinnes, that are in love and charity with their neighbours, that intend to leade a holy life, following Gods commandements, and walking thence-forth in his holy waies,] they there seeme to confesse [that they are heartily sorrie for their misdoings, that the remembrance of their sinnes is grievous, the burthen of them intolerable:] yea they go further, promising all amendment, when they say, [Heere we offer and present unto thee O Lord our selves, our soules, our bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and lively sacrifice.] Bee not here good words now? but whats the effect of all these prayers and protestations? Looke upon them, you shall see nothing at all performed of that which was spoken: theres no alte­ration in them; they are still the same men they were. What Ieremy spake unto those false-hearted Iewes, Ier. 42.20. [Surely yee dissembled in your hearts, when yee sent mee un­to the Lord your God, saying Pray for us unto the Lord our God and according to all that the Lord our God shall say declare unto us and we will doe it,] may bee applied unto these men; que­stionlesse they thought not of what they spake, or spake what they did not meane, when they thus professed be­fore God and his Church their repentance and resoluti­on for obedience. No, those were but words of course: if the heart had intended what the tongue uttered: it had not bin possible for men to tell God a lye unto his face, in so serious a matter. Was indeed the burden of sinne into­lerable? was the sorrow for it hearty and earnest then? and is yet the practice of the same sins pleasant, easie, and full of contentment? Is any man so mad to thrust his shoulders under that weight which he knowes to be insupportable? [Page 28] And what is now become of all that sweetnesse, of the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ, in pa [...]doning that which wa [...] past? was it never felt at all? or is it so soone forgotten? or may be so easily recovered? Is his love so little worth, as thou wilt part with it for every toy? or is it so common and cheape, that a faire word or two may win it? It is not c [...]edible, that those who have indeed washed their gar­ments in the bloud of the Lambe, and made them white, would so qu [...]ckly d [...]file them againe, had they beene of a right breed, i. e Sheepe of the Lords flocke, and not Swine of another Heard. Wherefore now let every one of us de­scend into his owne heart, and trie how the case stands with his soule: if his conscience tell him that he is as bad this yeare as hee was last, as unreformed after, as before the Sacrament, that his heart is as full of evill thoughts his mouth of unseemely, uncleane, and cursed speaking, his life of carelesse and irreligious practices as ever, let him conclude with himselfe, That hitherto hee hath eaten this Bread, and drunke this Cup of the Lord unworthily; most shamefully abusing that to profanenes and impiety, which God hath appointed for the exercise and increase of holi­nesse and true devotion.

Hitherto of the Sinne it selfe, how, and by whom it is committed. In the next place wee must consider of the quality of it: Tis very hainous, and they that commit it, [are guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord.] A very hard censure of a fault that seemes not to bee very great. What? to profane the Sacrament, shall it bee coun­ted murder and bloud-guiltinesse? an abetting and consen­ting to the damnable fact of Iudas and the Iewes, in cruci­fying the Lord of Life? A very horrible offence. But here not much out of the way, let us learne one observation that may be of use to rectifie our judgements in this and other the like matters: Tis this,

[The quality of Sinne is not to be measured by ours, but by Gods Iudgement of it.]

As the heavens are above the Earth, so are my waies [Page 29] higher than your waies, and my thoughts above your thoughts, saith God, Esay 55.8. Tis true in all things, and it holds in this also about the nature of si [...]ne; [God seeth not as man seeth, he iudgeth not as man iudgeth.] Tis as natu­rall to man to extenuate sinne, as it is to sinne: to make a small fault of a great, and no fault of a little one. Our love to the pleasure of sinne, blindes our iudgement in discer­ning of its filthy nature. Whence issued that notorious de­pravation of the Law of God, by those favourable and flattering interpretations thereof, which the Pharisees of old brought in, and those of Rome still maintaine, yea na­turally every one of us allow them in our harts. Alas, what great harme can there be in't, to be rashly angry, when a man's urg [...]d to it? to call our brother foole? to looke on a woman with some ill desire and no more? to sweare by Ie­rusalem, by the Temple, the Altar, by ones Head, this Hand, this Light, or such other little oathes? these be small matters, veniall sinnes, and why should we bee so nice, as not to thinke that the Pharisees were in the righ [...]; leaving out such petty matters, as not forbidden by the Law? True most men would thinke so; but our great and onely Doctor, Christ Iesus, whom wee ought to heare, hath taught us another lesson, not to iudge any thing a toy and trifle, that breakes Gods Law, and brings the soule in dan­ger of hell fire. See Matth 5. For a man, whose calling re­quires it, not to reprove his brother, when hee sees him runne into an ill co [...]rse, and by loving rebuke to reclaime him, wo [...]ld be interpreted by most for a courtesie, rather than an unkindnesse, Why should he meddle, and put his friend into melancholy, provoke him to anger and dislike of him, with many pretences? See now what God iudges of this kinde-heartednesse, he ca [...]ls it hatred of our brother in plaine tearmes, Levit. 19.17. [Thou shalt not hate thy bro­ther in thy heart, thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne upon him.] Saul had a faire excuse, one would have thought; the people must have a little content in the spoyle of the Amalekites▪ and God must [...]ave a sa­crifice [Page 30] too: if then something of the best bee spared from destruction, will Samuel take it so hainously? Yea that hee will, and God also, who by Samuel tells Saul, that however he sleight the matter, yet this his offence is Rebellion, and that as bad as Witchcraft, and that his transgr [...]ssion is Ini­quity and Idolatry; and, that which will grieve Saul more than the losse of Gods favour, he shall lose his Kingdome for it, 1 Sam. 15. Its a small thing to eate an Apple: true; but tis a great matter to disobey God, and if Adam trans­gresse, though but in taking of an Apple, he shall dye for it, and all his posterity. Nothing then is small, whereupon depends the sanctity of Gods commandement and our o­bedience. Now here you must remember, that theres a double reason, why wee our selves are not equall judges of the nature and quality of sinne.

1. Because we are the parties accused, and impleaded as guilty of sin; and therfore we cannot be equall arbitrators in our owne cause, where love of sin, and of our selves must needs make us partiall.

2. Our judgement is not the rule of righteousnesse, but only Gods will and Gods law. Hee is Iudge, and the only L [...]-giver that must save or destroy, acquit or condemne. He is the person offended that only can without partiality interpret the quality of the offence.

Let this then bee a caution to make us looke about us and advise what we have to do when wee deale with sinne. We know not what we goe about when we meddle with it; it's like entermedling with State businesses; a small mat­ter, as a word misplaced, a circumstance not observed, throwes a man before hee is aware into a Premunire or Treason. Power is in the hand of a King, and tis hee must interpret how farre hee takes himselfe wronged by the at­tempt. So in sinne, when wee meddle with it, wee meddle with God our chiefest Soveraigne Lord▪ our allegiance to heaven is streight-waies called in question, every offence in this case is Capitall, and incurres the punishment of re­bellion. Wherefore it concernes us so to thinke of sinne, [Page 31] as God speakes of it, and in this point lesse than in any, to leane unto our owne wisedome, but to be rul'd by his. All our Distinctions, Extenuations, Qualifications, Rejecti­ons upon other, good Intentions, with a thousand such o­ther shifts, will vanish away into horror and utter confu­sion, when God shall lay righteousnesse in the ballance, and censure our sinnes according to his most impartiall and exact judgement. Thus much I thought it not amisse to obserue by the way; seeing the Apostle seemes to goe farre in censuring this sinne of unworthy communicating, to be no lesse fault than guiltinesse of bloud: that wee may not thinke the Spirit of God here speaks by an Hyperbole; but that we may learne, as here, so in other things, to bring ou [...] judgements to his, and not to qualifie his by our Rhetori­call devices.

Wee must now proceede to enquire what the Apostle meanes, when hee saith, that such as eate and drinke un­worthily, are guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. By the body and bloud of the Lord, he meanes the Death of Christ Iesus, whose body was crucified, and his bloud shed by the Iewes. But here the question is, how such as pro­fane the Sacrament are guilty of Christs death? I answer, Guiltinesse of a fault, reacheth partly to the Actors, partly to the Abettors of it; such as give counsell and ayd to the doing, or consent to it when tis done. Those are the prin­cipall, these the accessory; and in all crimes that are capi­tall, the same punishment is due unto both. Now the Iewes were the principall actors, and so in the first place guilty of Christs death, at whose hands his bloud innocently shed shall be required▪ But others may be abettors of this their fact; as both the posterity of the Iewes are unto this day, who blaspheme his name, and account him justly put to death by their fathers, as a malefactor and deceiver, for which cause they still feele the vengeance of God upon them, according to their fathers curse; [His Bloud be upon us and our children;] and also many Christians are, who professing the name of Christ, yet deny the vertue of his [Page 32] death and suffering. But is any Christian so wicked as to allow of that fact of the Iewes in crucifying Christ? Yea that there is, even all those that use this Sacrament of his body and bloud unworthily, they allow it, and by so doing are guilty of his death. But how can this be so? Thus: He that profaneth and abuseth this holy Sacrament, doth in a speciall manner offer contempt unto the body and bloud of Christ. Forasmuch as the Sacrament is appointed for this very end, to bee a signe and visible representation of the death of Christ, wherein his sufferings and the benefits of them unto us, are in lively characters figured out before us, and, as by a seale, confirmed unto our use and comfort. Wherefore, when this most solemne and holy commemo­ration of Christ crucified, is celebrated in any other man­ner, than what is agreeable to the dignity and greatnesse of so excellent a person, so excellent a blessing as Christ cru­cified is unto us: then, however wee may thinke wee ho­nour him by our outward service, yet Christ takes him­selfe to be dishonoured, and his death despised. Other waies there are whereby dishonour falls upon Christ; as by disobedience to his Gospell, despising of his Ministers, &c. but this is an immediate contempt of him, when hee is dis-regarded in that very thing which sets forth his death and sufferings: an indignity in this kinde, is a villeny, thats offered properly and immediately to his sacred person and precious merits. As in a like, but much inferior case, when the picture, seale, armes, chaire of Estate of any King, are violated, the disgrace done to them, redounds immediate­ly to the contempt of the Kings person, and the doer of it is punishable, as if hee had attempted violence upon the King himselfe. So hee that unworthily useth this Sacra­ment of Christs death, must needs offer contempt to his death it selfe. Now no man can in any sort dis-esteeme the death of Christ, but he in part consents to the treasonable conspiracies and practices of Iudas and the Iewes, in put­ting him to death, as if it were a matter not ill done, o [...] not so ill done as it was indeed. Yea, hee that sleightly passeth [Page 33] over the death of an innocent person, making a small mat­ter of it; he either makes the innocent to be indeed nocent, one that hath iustly deserved to be slaine, who being slaine deserves so little regard, or at least hee makes himselfe no­cent, breeding a iust suspicion that hee was or would have been consenting to that mans death. You see then, that it is no small matter to profane the Sacrament; but a very hainous offence, which brings us within the guilt of that horrible sinne of murdering the Lord of Life, the thought whereof should make us to tremble, and to detest both them that did it, and our selves too, if we be accessary to it. This should make us very carefull and wary, how wee ap­proach unto the Table of the Lord, seeing as the benefit is great if we rightly receive this holy Sacrament, so the dan­ger is as great if we receive it unworthily, because thereby we become guilty of the death of Christ. I would I might perswade you seriously to thinke of this point: much rash­nesse and impiety in comming to the Sacrament would be prevented by this meanes, if men would duely consider how fearefull a sinne they commit when they come unpre­paredly and unreverently thereunto. All the difficulty lies in this, if they would but beleeve, that this were such a fault indeed. The Apostle we see is expresse, [Whosoever eateth unworthily is guilty, &c.] but yet men can hardly as­sent to this. What? are they not baptized into the name of Christ? are they not Christians professing the Gospell of Christ? doe they not receive the Sacrament in honour of Christ? and will yee yet iudge them such beasts and mis­creants, that they are consenting to the death of their Sa­viour? They were not worthy to live an houre, if they did beare an ill minde towards him, they could wish him ac­cursed, whosoever loves not the Lord Iesus; for themselves they love him, and honour him in their hearts: if any Iew or Turke should revile him, they will fight and die for his sake; yea if any affirme that they hate him, theyle spit in his face, and have him by the eares. Here now bee great words, one would thinke; and men that are thus resolved, [Page 34] can wee judge them otherwise than the very friends of Christ? Wee judge them not: but let us heare what the Scripture saith, [He that eates, &c. unworthily, is guilty, &c.] Guilty hee is not, but by consent; consent hee would not unlesse he did despise and hate Christ; this hee cannot doe and bee his friend: yet this he may doe even then whilst he eats this Bread and drinks this Cup with a good meaning as he imagines, in a honourable celebration of the memory of Christs death. Wherefore that such men may not deceive themselves with vaine imaginations, I will commend unto their observation one conclusion more that ariseth from these words, and then I have done. Tis this,

[Many that professe Christianity, thinking that they love and honour Christ, may yet hate him as much as the Iewes did that crucified him,]

The point is cleere from the Apostles doctrine, where­by we see, that men may thinke to honour Christ by recei­ving the Sacrament of his body and bloud, whilest yet at that very time they may so farre dishonour him, as to bee accounted enemies and haters of him, such as stand guilty before God of shedding the bloud of that his onely Sonne. No Christian, you may be sure, would be so furiously mad, to goe to the Sacrament with such an intent, therein to professe his malice against Christ, and bring upon himselfe the guilt of his bloud: but see how bad tis to trust our own good meanings, and how easily wee may commit a fault, whilst we verily thinke we doe auoide it. The heart of man is wicked, many times making profession of love, when tis full of secret enmity and hatred: withall, mans heart is so strangely deceitfull, that it may sometimes hate, where it directly intends to love. The truth of this is cer­taine, and of singular use in judging truely of our spirituall estate. I will but briefly touch in so much as concernes our present purpose, Exod. 20.5. God threatneth to punish Ido­laters to the fourth generation. Yea but why should God be angry with h [...]s friends? they honour God, and would not for a world robbe him of his glory; tis not the crea­ture, [Page 35] but him they worship in the creature: their piety is so great towards him, that willingly they would alwayes have him in their mindes, and what better than an image to put them in remembrance? They desire much to have their weaknesse helped, and a lively picture is a singular matter to stirre up devotion; besides; their reverence of this majesty is so much, that in very modesty they will not pre­sume into his presence, but by meditation of a Saint or An­gell; and he that honors Gods friend, doth not, they hope, dishonour God. Thus plead they of the Romish Church, and the like pretences had the ancient Idolaters among the Gentiles and Iewes, thinking verily that in thus doing, they had demonstrated much love towards God. But doth God take it so? no, in his wrath and jealousie he will punish them and their posterity, as haters of him: for did they love him, they would have kept his commandement, as it is ver. 6. worshipping him as himselfe had prescribed, not as themselves listed. And this hatred which Idolaters beare towards God, is most manifest, when at any time God shal send his Prophets and Ministers, to charge them with his commandement, and require them upon their allegiance to forsake such their courses, then doth the malice and bit­ternesse of their hearts breake forth outragiously in all de­spitefull contempt and cruell usage of the Lords messen­gers, as all the stories of the Scripture doe testifie. Againe, theres no doubt but the Scribes and Pharisees, thought that Christ used them very hardly and uncharitably, when he told them that they allowed the deedes of their forefa­thers, in murdering the holy Prophets of the Lord, Christ, if he would, might see well enough that they were no such men, nor so bloudy minded, their doings testifie the high opinion they have of the Prophets [for they build the tombes of the Prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous [let their owne words be witnesse of their dislike they have of such foule facts, [If we, say they,Mat. 23.29, &c had beene in their dayes of our fathers, we would not have beene partners with them in the bloud of the Prophets.] No, would not? then tis likely a Prophet [Page 36] shall finde honourable entertainement among the Scribes and Pharisees, if he live in their daies. Now see, tis a Pro­phet that speakes unto them, that great and only Prophet, whereof all others spake; namely, the Messias: if they ho­nour any, theyle sure honour him. Nothing lesse, the very same murderous minde their fathers bare towards the old Prophets, the same doe these their children carry toward this Prince of Prophets; witnesse that of Christ, Ioh. 8.40. [Now yee goe about to kill mee, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard from God.] And as much kindnesse would these men have shewed to any of the Prophets, had they been then living, and as eager in rebuking those vices for which Christ taxed those times. Wherefore, Christ knowing the ungracious temper of their hearts, full of all hypocrisie and wickednesse, iustly pronounceth them guil­tie of their fathers fault, and tells them in plaine termes, that [the bloud of all the Prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, shall bee required of that generation,] as you may read, Luk. 11.47. & seq. Againe, should these Pharisees and other Iewes, who crucified Christ, have beene told before hand, how vilely and maliciously they would use the long expected Messias, whom they so much honoured and desi­red after: with what indignation, thinke you would they have defied him that should thus have called their loyalty in question? Wel, Christ is come amongst them; do they re­ceive him lovingly? No, now their hote love to the Messias is turned to hatred and despight; they vilifie him by base reproaches, and conspire against him by all meanes possi­ble. Whats now the cause of this? did not Christ manifest himselfe even unto their consciences what he was? Yes, but heres that marres all; 'twas another manner of Messias that they lookt for, a magnificent King, under whom they might domineere over all the world, live in state, and enioy their pleasures; such a one they expected, such a one they lov'd: as for Christ, he was a poore man in shew, and little hope they saw of great matters by him; besides, he was, as they thought, too too eager in reforming the monstrous [Page 37] abuses of the Iewish Church; he was, as Malachy prophe­sied of him, [like a purging fire, and like Fullers s [...]pe, sitting himselfe d [...]wn to trie and refine the silver, yea even to purifie the sonnes of Levi, and to purge them as gold and silver, that he might offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousnesse,] Mal. 3.2.3. He fals foule upon the ambition, covetousnes, hypocrisie, & other great enormities of the Pharisees, Scribes, and chiefe Rulers; he spares none, but freely reproves every offendor, and smites at every corruption with that sharp two edged sword, which goeth out of his mouth. This enrageth the corrupt mindes of the Iewes, and quite dasheth all their imaginary love and respect, which they seemed to beare to the Messias▪ the honourable and good affection which they had conceived towards his person, is turned into the very gall of bitternesse, when once his person appeares accom­panied with such circumstances and quallities, as are utter­ly distastefull to [...]heir false opinions and corrupt affections. So that now, as the Prophet Malachy had foretold, so it falls out, [Who may abide the day of his comming, and who may en­dure when he appeareth?] Mal. 3.2. These Iewes could not abide it with any patience, nor can any whose harts are like unto theirs.

Now the cause of all this, why men indeed may hate that good they seeme to love, is from that perpetuall en­mity which is betweene the flesh and the spirit, corrupti­on and grace. A bad man thats unregenerate, may for some respects professe much love and liking of the Gospell and of Religion, and hee may for the present speake as hee thinkes: but in the meane while he is not aware, that still there remaines in him a roote of bitternesse, deeply fastned in his nature, which till it be plucked up, makes all religi­on distastefull to him. Theres in him an habituall corrupt temper of his heart, that stands utterly opposite to God and Goodnesse: and let it bee but once stirred by the preaching and application of the Word, you shall see presently, th [...]t the man who made shew of much love and affection to Christ and his Gospell, now boyles in fierce rage and in­ward [Page 38] malice against them, his heart swels with very scorne and disdaine to be brought in obedience under the com­mands of the Word; and now he testifies to all the world, that he cares not a button for God, for Christ, for Prophet, for Apostle, for Minister, for all or any of them: they are none of his friends: that will crosse him thus in his content­ments, and hee will be an enemy to all that thus controule him.

Wherfore you see how dangerous tis 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; tis 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 s [...]e the holinesse, hum [...]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 [Page 39] 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, Prov. 29.27. [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;De Gub. l. 8. 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 [Page 40] 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 tis despised and troden under foot, being counted as an unholy thing, it cries much [...]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: Heres a duetie commanded unto us, thats Examination of ones selfe; and here the time or particular occasion that requires it, thats Before we come to the Sacrament. Tis 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 [Page 41] 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 thos [...] 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 question, Yea or Nay. Whence it will be easie to give a true censure of our spirituall estate, how matters goe with us in regard of grace or corruption. This is, in few words, selfe-examina­tion: the necessity of which duety will appeare unto you by consideration of a double consequent that followes; one upon the neglect, the other upon the practice thereof.

1. The neglect of this Christian duety, breeds igno­rance of a mans spirituall estate: a fault very easie to be run into, but be yee assured, of very great danger to those that take no notice of it in themselves. Tis true, that mans heart is deceitfull above all things, and tis very difficult to know it thoroughly; besides that, love of sinne and selfe-love makes us unwilling to see our own foule corruptions, or to enquire after such vertues and graces, as we know the want of them would but grieve us, and we suppose withall, that if we had them, they would be but a burthen to us. Where­fore we are apt to cast a vaile upon our understanding, and take up our rest in an ignorant perswasion, that all is well with us, because wee list not to know what wee want. Which resolution how dangerous it is, will soone appeare to any that can understand what mischiefes these are; [Page 42] namely, hardnesse of heart, presumptuous boldnesse in sin­ning, continuall danger to fall from bad to worse, and a fearefull preparation for all future terrors. There is no Mil­stone or Adamant so unyeelding to the stroke of the ham­mer, as is that heart which hath once for all taken up this conclusion, All is wel with me. Counsel him, admonish him threaten him out of the Word, Lapidi dixeris (in another sense) he heares you not, you may hold your selfe quiet, hee is well and warme, what doe you disquieting him? Disco­ver unto him the danger of such courses as hee followes; that if he continue therein hee runnes upon his owne eter­nall ruine and destruction, you move him not a jot, except it be to choler: in which, for your courtesie, he'le returne such an answer as this; Sir, shift for your selfe, care not for mee, I trust to doe well enough for all that you say to the contrary: and so hee goes on presumptuously, till at last he perish in his great folly. Besides, such a carelesse regard of ones spirituall estate, throwes a man every moment up­on a thousand unexpected dangers. Hee that knowes not how bad he is assuredly he cannot tell how bad he shall be. We walke among snares, and temptations are laid for us, which way soever wee turne our selves about: to prevent these, there needs great wisedome and watchfulnesse; hee that hath neither, can hee hope to escape taking? When the prudent are oftentimes caught, what shall become of rash and heedlesse adventurers? Surely experience tells us what is the issue of such wretchlesse and ill-advised men: when God in his righteous judgement shall suffer them to fall upon some fearfull temptations, that fit their secret, but to themselves unknowne corruptions, they take fire at the first stroake, and breake out into those vile impieties, when even themselves aforetime could not thinke of without de­testation. But yet theres a misery worse than all this: when once God shall awake such a sleepy conscience, and teare off that covering wherewith sloath and security had [...]uffled and over-spread it. When by some notable judg­ment fallen on a man, God shall quicken in him the re­membrance [Page 43] of his former iniquities, or when sicknesse shall seaze on him, summoning him to death, and death to judgement, when hee shall see his sinnes set in order before him, and large rolles of inditement written against him, within and without full of sinnes and woes: thinke you not that a man hath then rewarded evill unto his soule, by plunging himselfe into those perplexities, which watch­fulnesse in time would have prevented? Oh what a maze is such a man in, who hath so many reckonings to be made up; when new and old must be reckoned for at once, when so many thousand thousand debts are to be cleared, where­of there is not so much as one poore farthing discharged? Had it not beene wisedome to have lookt into these things betimes, againe and againe to have set all reckonings to right, to have gotten the debt-booke crossed, the obligati­on cancelled, and a discharge sealed up unto our conscien­ces in the bloud of Iesus Christ? This had beene a safe course; and not like desperate Bankrouts to let all things runne at adventure. Then might one have rejoyced in sick­nesse, and triumpht in death, being delivered from all those terrors, which utterly overwhelme those carelesse persons, who in their dayes of peace and health never remembred God or themselves.

This and more also if more can be, is the danger of this duetie of examination, neglected: the benefit that comes by the

2. Practice of it, is on the contrary, a distinct and cleare knowledge of our spirituall estate. By this proofe and exa­mination of our selves, we shall know plainly whether we be in the Faith, whether Christ be in us, yea or no; whe­ther we be dead in sinne, or alive to righteousnesse: wee shall see what graces we have, what we want, what cor­ruption we have overcome, what doe yet overcome us, what godly duties we practise, what we omit, where wee doe well, where wee faile. This will discover unto the whole temper of our soules, what evil affection is strongest in us, in what thing we are aptest to sinne, that so wee may [Page 44] be the more [...]eedfull to prevent a danger: againe, what graces are weakest in us, what most usefull for us, that so we may get these, and strengthen those. This particular di­stinct knowledge of our selves, will bring forth these three blessed effects.

1. Wakefulnesse and tendernesse of Conscience. Hee that is thoroughly acquainted with the state of his body, tha [...] knowes what dish is hurtfull, what healthfull to him; he t [...]at hath found what the danger of a surfeit is, will be, you may be sure, wary of his diet and course of living. Na­ture learnes us this care over a crazie body, and grace will teach as much watchfulnesse over a sinfull soule. Hee that hath taken thorough notice of the great distempers of his heart, how quickly enticed by every temptation to pra­ctise any evill, to neglect any good duties: Hee that hath found how ougly and fearefull the face of sinne is, when it is presented in its true shape, stripped of all its lying pleasures or profits, and accompanied onely with Gods hatred and curse. He that hath found what it is to venter upon sinne, with the losse of Gods favour, the joy of the holy Ghost, the peace and sweetest repose of a good con­science, blame him not, my Brethren, if hee be affraid of sinne. Doe not censure him for foolishly precise, if hee of­ten aske, and inquire, and doubt in many particulars of his practice, not daring to hazzard himselfe where haply hee sees others goe on confidently. Nay, blessed is this tempter of the heart, if that of Salomon be true, [Blessed is hee that feareth alwayes.] By how much more odious is the sinne of those, who in their hearts despise this tendernesse of consci­ence, and with their tongues raile, revile, and curse it, deeming it the signe of a silly effeminate mind to be affraid of any sinne, especially of small offences? But ever let those that beare the faces of men, and name of Christians detest such impiety, that, tramples under foote with scorne and disdaine, the most precious comfort of a Christians soule, a Good Conscience. Those men will then see their errour, when God shall coole the heate of their high bloud, and re­bete [Page 45] the edge of their furious resolutions, by casting them upon their beds of affliction, and scourging them with the rod of his indignation. Then they will confesse that a good conscience, softned by grace, and purged by the sprinkling of the bloud of Christ, from the guilt of sinne, is more worth than millions of those unlawfull pleasures, wherein only, they sometimes thought, true contentment was to be found.

2. Humility. He that shall often looke his face in the glasse of the Law of Liberty, which will not make him one jot fairer or fouler than he is, but truly discover un­to him all his deformities; such a one will not be forward to fall in love with his owne beauty. When he sits downe to try himselfe by this Law, he findes therein all perfecti­on of holinesse commanded but not the thousand part of this holinesse and goodnesse in himselfe. He reades in the Law large Catalogues of sinnes forbidden, upon paine of Gods eternall displeasure, and in his owne conscience hee finds the guilt of all or most of those transgressions. When he scans his best workes, hee findes they fall farre short of that faith, zeale, sincerity, and perfect charity, wherein they ought to have beene performed. This examination lets him see that he hath little whereof to be proud; & now what ev [...] others may thinke of him, he knowes so much evill, and so little good by himselfe, that hee cannot thinke highly and honourably of himselfe. Let him be despised, reviled, reproched as base and vile, it is no corasive to him; for why? he abhorres himselfe more than another can despise him, and is more vile in his owne esteem, than he can be in anothers reproaches. Thus when he looks on his graces, he sees Gods glory: when on his sins, his owne shame: which breeds in him all humble affections of thankfulnesse to God, that of bad hath made him good: and carefulnesse in himselfe that of good hee may become much better.

3. True Peace and Comfort in life and death, Often reckoning (saith the Proverbe) makes long friends. Tis [Page 46] never truer than in this matter: Hee that often cals him­selfe to a strict account, judging himselfe for his transgres­sions, weeping over them in godly sorrow, never ceasing till pardon be obtained; this man alone possesseth his heart in peace and comfort. Hee knowes God is at peace with him, and therefore nothing can p [...]t him to much feare or trouble: which makes him with much quietnesse and reso­lution expect the approach of all adversity, of sicknesse, of death, of judgement. Again, wheras the joy of a mans heart in this life is, that hee shall be saved in the life to come; this can never bee sound where no examination is had, upon what reasons and certaine grounds this hope is built. Many have fel short of that they looked after, because they expected heaven, when it did not belong to them. A severe triall of our selves will prevent this error, and give exact notice of the truth of such graces, which God hath given us as pledges of future glory, that so shall our re [...]oycing in the hope of salvation be full and perfect. Lastly, our jo [...] and peace will be by this means cons [...]ant, whilest through frequent examination of our hearts, and watchfulnesse o­ver our wayes, wee shall prevent many sinnes that would wound our consciences, and pierce our hearts thorow with many sorrowes.

Vse. You see the duety; but all this is nothing worth the knowing, unlesse you will practise it. The practice, I confesse, is hard: men being loth to see that by themselves which they like not; and Satan, as loth men should do that which he knowes would doe them good. For man, tis im­possible to him to perswade the heart; but oh thou, that Blessed Spirit of Grace, which speakest to the heart of the unwilling, to make them willing to every good work, per­swade your hearts and mine to the serious practice of this most Christian duety. My beloved Brethren, I cannot but be earnest in this matter, because, who can but see and be­waile the backwardnesse and generall neglect of us all in this point? Tis a shame to see the carelesnesse of most, that seeke to know all things but themselves. They enquire af­ter [Page 47] all without them, nothing within them. Their mindes are as ill set as their eyes, they can turne neither of them inward. Speake I this of the unlearned, or of the learned also? I would I did not of these. But tis no breach of cha­rity to say, that there are many among us, who know the Histories of a thousand yeares past, that yet cannot tell you the particulars of their owne lives; men well acquainted with the mysteries of Arts & Nature, but utterly ignorant of the secrets of their owne soules. How many are there a­mongst us, that can say with David, Psal. 119.59. [I have thought on my waies, and turned my feete unto thy testimonies?] Nay, we have a thousand matters to thinke on all the day long, the night too, the weeke, the yeare: but who sits downe, and thinkes on himselfe, questioning thus with his owne heart; What am I? What doe I? How live I? Such a course I follow, is it good and lawfull? Such things I doe not, are they my duety, yea or no? Is God my friend? Am I his? What hope have I of heaven? Say I dye to morrow, to day, this very houre, wheres my assurance I shall bee sa­ved? What Apology can I make against the accusations of Satan and my conscience? Will Christ be mine Advocate when I shall stand in judgement? Doe I grow in grace, or doe I decay? Doth my Faith, my Love, my Obedience, my Knowledge, increase or decrease? Am I better this yeare than I was last? What sinnes have I conquered now, that held mee in combate then? What graces have I obtained now, that I had not then? Do we thus commune with our owne hearts, upon our beds, or in our studies? Surely when God lookes downe from heaven upon us in our severall imployments, taking notice of our busie imaginations and enquiries; may not hee say to us, as hee spake by Ieremy to the Iewes, Ier. 8 6. [I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickednesse, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battell.] Yea this inquirie, What have wee done? seemes only to be wanting among so many questions, as are every day scanned by us. Hence it comes, that most of us, [Page 48] when we are brought to the triall, and required by others or our owne consciences, to answer distinctly touching the estate of o [...]r soules, in matters betweene God and us, we shuffle and shift it off, with an, I thinke so, I hope well, I perswade my selfe all shall bee well, I shall doe as well as men of my ranke: but in the meane time, all these hopes and good opinions goe upon no cleare and certain grounds at all. Me thinkes that admonition of the Apostle, Heb. 3.12. should shake us out of this lazie humour [Take heede, Brethren, lest there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe, in departing from the liuing God.] Locke to it, a man may bee starke naught, and yet thinke himselfe good: it stands us in hand to goe upon sure proofe in so weighty a businesse, and not upon blinde surmises and groundlesse presumpti­ons. Here therefore let me exhort you to observe two di­rections.

1. To take all opportunities that shall bee offered us for the exercise of this duty. We are not at all times alike di­sposed to this; there are speciall occasions that fit us for it. Many times one sad accident or other turnes home our thoughts to our selves, and makes us see what we are in o­ther men. The losse of a deare friend, the sound of a passing-bell, the sight of a dying man, hath a strange vertue many times, to compose a disordered heart, putting it into an ex­cellent calmenesse to attend any religious imployment. Sometimes a Sermon hath set us to rights, and sent us home quickned with much holy affection more than ordi­nary. Sometimes vacation from all businesse, lends many a silent and still houre. Sometimes a fit of naturall melan­choly and pensivenesse, makes us apt for inbred speculati­on. Sometimes a wakefull bed calls upon us to examine our hearts. Many such occasions God offers, if wee were wise to see them, and willing to make use of them. Much were gained in this, and all other Christian practices, by the observation of such seasonable opportunities▪ if our folly and sloath did not robbe us of so great a benefit.

2. If opportunities will not bee had of their owne offe­ring, [Page 49] then make some. Spare an houre in a weeke, or a day in a moneth for this businesse. Certainly tis strange how we post over the time of this our short pilgrimage: wee eate away one part, sleepe away another, idle away a third, and of the remainder God hath by farre the least part. Doe we spend two houres of foure and twenty in religious ser­vices? Nay one were a faire allowance with most of us. What shall we say? Is not heaven worth the having? or may a man so easily get thither? or must God give it us when we seeke not after it? Let them blush for shame of their intolerable carelesnesse, who have so much, or so lit­tle to doe, that they never could spare day or houre for these meditations, to set themselves of purpose upon a thorough examination of their owne hearts and lives. Tis singular profanenesse for a man that h [...]th a God to serve, a Soule to save, a Heaven to hope for, a Hell to feare, Sinnes to be avoyded, Graces to be gotten▪ yet not to find an houre spare to thinke of these weighty affaires. Tell mee not thou hast a calling, a study, many businesses that require thy presence and diligence, and thou canst not intend all. Intend thou the chiefest; and that's Religion: Diligence in a calling, knowledge of arts, skill of languages; in a word, Learning will never bring a man to heaven; tis Re­ligion must doe that. That is good in its time and place, this only absolutely necessary: When love of learning and preferments tell thee tis needfull thou bee a schollar, let love to God and thy soule make answer, tis more needfull thou be a Christan: care for that, but not before this. Moreover, know this, that convenient seasons wisely cho­sen and spared from civill imployments unto religious ex­ercises, never hinder but blesse all other our affaires. And perswade thy selfe now of this truth, which one day thou shalt not chuse but acknowledge, That those daies and houres which are spe [...]t in prayer, in fasting, in examinati­on of thy heart, and such other exercises of repentance, will bring thee more true peace and comfort upon thy death [...]ed, than all other times of thy life besides: Where­fore [Page 50] be wise, and redeeme the season: and thou that in thy busiest employments, canst every weeks, every day, finde a spare houre for to talke with a friend, to sport, to doe no­thing, to doe evill; save this waste, and turne it to a better use, and let God have that small part, who deserves all. Beloved, let me heartily intreate you, to reserve to your selves sometime for these purposes. I will stint no man and I thinke, I shall over-burden none, If I should per­swade each one to set apart from all businesse an houre or twaine in a week, a day in a moneth, for this spiritual exer­cise. Our great negligence, gives occasion of despairing, that we shall never equall those rare patternes of holinesse, which this and other ages have commended unto us; who thought it no wearinesse, every night to scan the actions of the day, every weeke, moneth, and yeare, to make surv [...]y of what had been done in that time. Their industry was blessed, and they enioyed the fruits thereof, in al abundant increase of graces and comforts, and the world cannot but acknowledge it. Let us follow them, though wee cannot o­vertake them; and wee also, according to our endeavour, may expect a blessing too, in all increase of grace and peace unto our soules.

Thus of this duety in generall, as fitting to bee used by a Christian at all convenient occasions: let us come to consi­der of it, as it is a speciall preparation before the receiving of the Sacrament, when by no meanes it ought to bee neg­lected. Whosoever will eate of that Bread, and drinke of that Cup, must first examine himselfe.

This 1. Excludes from the Sacrament all such, as tho­rough naturall or casuall impotency, are not able to exa­mine themsels: as Children, Fooles, Madmen.

2. The necessity of this practice, leades us to enquire wherein this examination doth consist, that every one may know how to discharge himselfe therein. In generall, the summe of this triall, is, Whether we come worthily to the Sacrament, or no. Now to make us fit and worthy parta­kers of the Sacrament, there are required in us (as here­tofore [Page 51] hath been shewed) divers spirituall grace, whereof whosoever is destitute, he certainly profanes this holy or­dinance, and by unworthy receiving, makes himselfe guil­tie of the Death of Iesus Christ. Wherefore wee must know what those graces are, and whether they be in us in truth, yea or no. There are chiefly these Graces required in a worthy receiver, Faith, Repentance, Charity: touch­ing which wee are to enquire after 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 [Page 52] 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 bo [...]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 miscar [...]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 merc [...] of Christ Iesus, when as they dare not take Gods word for smaller matters. Tis certaine he doth not indeed trust God with his soule, that dares not [Page 53] 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. Theres inward griefe for the fact, and the offence thereby given unto God: And theres 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, theres 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 th [...] li [...]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 [Page 54] 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. Tis 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, Ioh. 14.15. [If you love mee, keepe my commandements.] He that will not do what God would have, he hates God & Iesus Christ at the very heart, let him make, never so great shewes of love unto them. But we passe from this, to that Charity which properly comes here to be enquired after, viz. that which respecteth man; which in generall, is that affection of the heart, whereby we wish good unto our neighbour as to our selves▪ and are willing, in what we are able, to doe him that good, we would have done to our selves in his case. This affection is branched by the Apostle Peter, 2. Pet. 1.7. into two parts; 1. Brotherly Kindnesse, and 2. Love. Thats more particular, respecting man as a Christian, made one of the houshold of Faith, and of that blessed number of those, whom Christ is not ashamed to call Brethren. This is more generall, respecting man as a man, made like unto us in one communion of Nature. Let us see what may be the triall of our Charity both waies.

[Page 55]1. Of our Love unto the godly. The proofe hereof is this: If it be indifferent, without respect of Persons; if it be constant, without respect of Times. He truly loves a righ­teous man in the name of a righteous man, because hee is such, that can finde in his heart to place his entire affecti­on any where, where God hath placed his, be he stranger or acquaintance, meane or mighty, honourable or base: tis all one, if God have cast his love upon him, thats sufficient to make him worthy of any mans love in the world. Does his estate alter, and fals he into disgrace with the world, in­to persecution, into poverty? Charity failes not for all this. Tis not affliction shal divide between Ionathans soule, & the soule of David. Religion ties no such loose knots betweene Gods love to us, or our love one to another. Nor tribula­tion, nor anguish, nor persecution, nor famine, nor naked­nesse, nor perill, nor the sword, nor death, nor any thing can separate us from the love of God our heavenly Father; and how then should these things worke in those, that are his children, a breach of affection one towards another? But now on the contrary side, He that loves Religion in a rich, gentle, or nobleman, but sleights it in a poore and meane man: hee that loves the company and commerce with those that are Religious, because they are affable, of faire and pleasant conditions, men of excellent endow­ments for learning, policy, &c. because able to doe him a good turne or an ill, or in regard they are such as will deale truely, and not cozen him: hee that can looke strangely upon a good man in adversity, turning him off with a few cold words, when he seekes for some helpe at his hands: hee that of many children hath some truely Religio [...]s, yet in dividing his estate, hath no respect to Grace, to honour that with a speciall blessing: hee that in a marriage desires Religion onely as over-weight to so many pounds of gold; such mens love unto Religious persons is meerely counter­feit, and no better than plaine dissimulat [...]on.

2. Of our Love thats common to all men. Among o­ther arguments of this Charitable affection, wee have [Page 56] these two that are infallible, whereby we may proceed in this triall.

1. When a man can truely grieve in the Evill, and heartily rejoyce in the Good that befals our neighbour. This is a sure marke of a charitable minde, when a man can truely grieve at their afflictions, pitie them in their de­cayes, losses, disgraces, sicknesses; but above all in their Sinnes. When a man can visit them, counsell them, com­fort them, reprove them in love and mildenesse, and pray heartily for them. Againe, in such good things as befall them, if wee can unfainedly rejoyce in them: in their gra­ces, their civill vertues, their learning, their reputation amongst men, their places of preferment, with the like. If we can wish them well to thrive with those good things, and desire that they may doe much good with them. If we can speake well, and thinke well of them, because God, the Church, the State hath use of them, what ever relati­on they have to us; yea especially, though their credit seeme to obscure and hinder ours. This is true Charity, like that of Moses, Num. 11.29. [Would God that al the Lords people were Prophets.] Is he Magistrate, Minister, Schollar, &c. as good or better than I am, Would God not he alone, but all others were so too, that amongst the good, I were the meanest. But on the ot [...]er side, privily to rejoyce in the evils of other men, to repine at their prosperity, to bee displeased with our neighbour for being equall, or better than our selves, and halfe angry with God for making him so; these be symptomes of a bad minde, wherein malice, envie, and spite, have eaten up all loving respect unto our brethren.

2. A minde willing to pardon offences done to us, and to seeke reconciliation where we have given them. This is a very hard matter to put in practice mens minds are so full of pride, scorne, and malice, that they cannot stoope to others: they count it cowardlinesse to put up a wrong done them, and basenesse to acknowledge an injury done to another. Wherefore they resolve to take no wrong, to [Page 57] doe no right. This is farre from Christian Charity, which is alwayes accompanied with a patient, peaceable, and humble minde. Wee see what men will doe, in case they have offended their deare friends, whom they much re­spect; they rest not till by just excuse, or plaine confession, they have reconciled themselves, and wonne their loves againe. Why will they not doe so towards others? Tis be­cause they love them not, nor care for their love; and therefore they are at a point: if themselves receive hurt theyle right themselves if they can; if they doe hurt, let others looke to it, and get satisfaction where they can. But that heart which is charitable, preferres peace and good will amongst men, before all such wilde and furious resolutions. He will doe for man what God hath done for himselfe, who hath freely pardoned him farre greater of­fences; and, though he were the offended party, yet first sought reconciliation with him. Thus much for the exa­mination of our hearts touching these severall Graces. In conclusion I will but name two questions, and answer them in one word.

1. What is to be done, if, after examination, wee finde our selves unworthy?

I answer, They that finde their wants of these Graces, and acknowledge it, mourne for it, pray for the redresse of it, these are indeed worthy, though not so worthy as they would be. But for those that neither have these Graces, nor care to have them such are utterly unworthy. Dogges they are, to whom this Bread is not to be given.

2. What if men finde themselues fit at one time, neede they make no other triall at other times?

I answer: Yea, they must alwaies examine their hearts. The Precept is generall, not limited to this or that time. Sinne is deceitfull, and our hearts may be hardened by such carelesnesse. A godly man is not so priviledged, but hee may receive the Sacrament unworthily, comming to it in a carelesse and prophane manner. And therefore these Graces must ever more be set aworke, and fresh meanes [Page 58] still useth for their increase.

We have done with the sin of Prophanation of the Lords Table, in Vnworthy receiving of those holy mysteries, men­tioned vers. 27. We have also shewed what is the meanes whereby that sinne may be avoided; which is due exami­nation of a mans selfe, spoken of, vers. 28. Wee must now goe forward unto the punishment of this sinne, when men come unto the Sacrament unworthily: this is set downe vers. 29. in these words, ‘[For hee that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe, not discerning the Lords body.]’

These words containe a plaine declaration of that dan­ger whereinto men runne, who neglecting duely to exa­mine themselves approach unworthily to the Table of the Lord. They bring themselves in danger of damnation that do so; and therfore they had need be very wary & circum­spect, with what minde, and how disposed, they venture to come unto the Sacrament.

In the words we have two parts: First, The sin of unwor­thy receiving the Sacrament, mentioned before, verse 27. Here againe repeated with an addition of an interpretati­on, what is meant by eating and drinking unworthily. [For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily,] But how is that done? the last words of the verse shew it [Not discerning the Lords Body.] Secondly, The punishment thats inflicted upon this sinne, which is Damnation, or Iudgement, in these words [Hee eateth and drinketh damnation to him­selfe.)

Touching the sinne of eating and drinking unworthily, we have spoken at large heretofore; for the present, I shall only adde a word or two concerning that clause which the Apostle addes by way of interpretaton, viz· (Not discerning the Lords Body.]

The meaning of the phrase is not obscure. To discern the Lords Body, is to put a right difference between the out­ward Elements in the Sacrament, and common bread and [Page 59] wine. This difference is not at all in substance, but in the use; the one is profane, the other sacred; being set apart to signi­fie unto us the benefits of Christs death & passion. He then that toucheth these outward Elements, without any due regard unto their mysticall use, as they set forth unto us our Redemption by the Body and Bloud of Christ, but u­seth them as he would doe his ordinary food, hee discer­neth not the Lords Body, because [...], he separateth not, nor putteth any distinction between the holy and pro­fane, but useth that which is sacred in a profane manner▪ Of such that doe this, there are two sorts: 1. One Igno­rant, that know not the signification and use of these things, who come unto the Sacrament upon meere out­ward respects, without all regard to the spirituall use of it. They know not poore soules, what it is to feed on Christ by Faith, how his flesh becomes meat indeed, & his bloud drinke indeed unto them, they have no skill in such myste­ries as these. Bread and Wine they see upon a Table, and some extraordinary solemnity in the distribution thereof; and therefore, as at a great mans table, they behave them­selves soberly and mannerly: and thats all the devotion they have, or thinke they need to have. 2. Another sort are Negligent persons, that know well enough the end and use of these things, but by reason of security, with other worldly and wicked affections, they become carelesse and unprofitable partakers of these holy mysteries. They stirre not up their hearts unto the exercise of these heavenly graces unto worthy receiving. They strive not for more assurance of Faith, in laying hold on the promise of grace offered them in Christ; their hearts are not touched with greater sorrow for sinne that hath crucified Christ, nor more ardent love unto Christ, who by his bloud hath washed away their sinnes, nor spirituall joy in Christ, who hath done so great things for them. Their resolutions of obedience unto Christ are not quickned, with more vigor and constancy than before. But in this and all other gra­ces, they are as they were, not a whit amended and increa­sed [Page 60] by this so holy meanes, as God hath of purpose appoin­ted for the nourishment of grace in the heart, and obedi­ence in life. Both these sorts are faulty, in not discerning the Lords Body; the one not doing it at all, the other no [...] as they should doe it. As in the time of the Ceremoniall Law, these that observed the Legall Ceremonies, either without knowledge of their use, or without true devotion in faith and obedience, both did profane them: so is it still in these ceremonies of the Gospell. They doe not discerne Lords Body, who either mistake the shadow for the substance, ignorantly supposing nothing else is to be looked after, but that which is visible in the outward Ceremony: or who know whereto these Sacramentall Ceremonies tend, but out of negligent profanenesse, use them not with that spiri­tual affection, which is agreeable to the institution of God. Of the two faults, tis hard to say, which is greater, and which the Apostle most chargeth the Corinthians withal, or whether both alike. They were a Church, but newly converted from Gentilisme, out of whom twas hard to take away, on a sudden, their former ignorance and pro­fanenesse. They had been instructed, but yet they might in many things be mis-led through blindnesse. Neverthelesse, profanenesse seemes to have borne the greatest sway a­mongst them; offending not so much, because they knew not what was their duety about the Sacrament, as for that they cared not to observe it.

The conclusion that ariseth from these words of the A­postle, is this in the generall.

[The worship of God is then profaned, when the Cere­mony and outward worke thereof is performed, but the spirituall inward service neglected.]

Bread and Wine, breaking, powring out, distributing, eating and drinking, all these things are but sensible repre­sentations of spiritiuall good things; they are the shadow, but the substance is Christ; and therefore if the heart dwell only upon these outward Ceremonies, and Christ be neglected, the Sacrament, without all doubt, is profaned. [Page 61] God hath appointed those things to helpe our infirmity, thereby to ascend unto higher matters; but not to nourish is in our weaknesse, still to gaze on transitory outward things. This is a generall rule, not for Sacraments alone, but in every part whatsoever of Gods most holy worship. The service of God during the time of the Law, consisted much of carnall ordinances, as the Apostle calls the Sacrifices, Meates, Drinkes, divers Washings with such like outward observations in the Iewish Church, Heb. 9.10. But yet then in these carnall ordinances, there was a spirituall worship required; namely, that these things were to bee observed with knowledge, in fath, in zeale to Gods glo­rie, and with reformation of life. When those externall rites were kept without this spirituall use of them, wee know how meanly and contemptibly God speakes of such a mechanicall worship, Esa. 1. vers. 11. & seq. He sets forth his displeasure against such services, in all termes of dislike and disdaine: telling the people, That the multitude of their Sacrifices is [to no purpose,] that [Hee delights not] in the bloud of bullocks, and fat of fed beasts, that hee [re­quires no] such things at their hands, that such oblations are [vaine] and an [abomination,] their solemne feasts and assemblies he [cannot away with them,] that his [soule hateth them] that [they are trouble to him, and hee is weary to beare them.] And wherefore now all this disdaine of such Cere­moniall worship? the reason is, vers 15. [Your hands [...]re full of bloud.] Againe, Chap. 66.3. hee sets it out to the full how acceptable such service is to him, [Hee that killeth an oxe, is as if he slew a man: hee that sacrificeth a lambe, as if he cut off a dogges necke, he that offereth an oblation, as if hee of­fered swines bloud; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idoll.] Nothing can bee spoke with greater scorne and in­dignation: the reason wherof followes in the next words, [Yea, they have chosen their owne waies, and their soule deligh­teth in their abominations.] So long as they follow this course, God detests thhem and all their services. Now in the times of the Gospell, Christ having Heb. 9.10. reformed the [Page 62] worship of God, hath abolished those carnall ordinan­ces, and in roome thereof erected a worship of God Ioh 4. in Spirit and Truth. Wee are to performe a spirituall worship; but yet withall, some outward bodily observati­ons are required of us now, though very few and very easie. To fast, to bow their knee in prayer, to pronounce or heare the Word, the administration of the Sacraments in all their outward rites, these are externall and bodily ex­ercises, which profit little where godlinesse is wanting. [The Kingdome of God, saith the Apostle, is not meates and drinkes, but righteousnesse, and peace, and ioy in the holy Ghost.] These things are first acceptable to God, and other things for them. Outward Ceremoniousnesse is meere hypocrisie, where grace and sanctity is not first mover to such obser­vances. Tis a poore matter to forbeare a meale or twaine, and yet take ones fill in sinne till he surfeit; to goe softly, looke sadly, speake faintly, and weepe a little too, as it were in sorrow for sinne, and carry in ones breast a heart unrent, unbroken, unsof [...]ned, by true sense of sinne, and worke of grace. What profit is it, to speake a Sermon, or heare a Sermon, when onely one mans tongue and the o­thers eares are imployed for that houre? when it comes not from the Preachers heart, nor pierceth unto the hea­rers conscience, neither the one nor the other intending to practice as they speake or heare? To what purpose is it to [...]ow the body to God, and yet to make ones heart like an iron sinew, thats too stiffe and stout to bend in obedi­ence to Gods Commandements? If the tongue goe glibbe, the eyes and hands lift up to heaven, yet if the thoughts wander, the heart and affection lie flat upon the earth, will such a prayer be an acceptable Sacrifice? What avail [...]s it a man to have his face sprinkled with a little cold water, but not to have his heart washed from an evill conscience, and purged from the uncleannesse of sinnefull corruption? to take on him in Baptisme the badge of Christianity, yet in his conversation to live like an Infidell, in all disobedi­ence to the Lawes of Christ? Will it advantage a man any [Page 63] whit, that he goes foure or five times a yeere to the holy Sacrament, if he be either ignorant of what hee goes about, or prophanely carelesse of making good use of what hee knowes? If hee remaine still irreligious and impenitent, continuing in covetousnesse, in swearing, in lying, in idle­nesse, in uniust practices to get gaine, in common neglect of the exercises of Religion, a secret despiser of grace, and scoffer at true sincerity, with other the like ungodly pra­ctices: will it helpe or save him, that at solemne times, hee comes to the Lords Table, there eates a bit of bread, drinks a little wine, heares a few prayers, staies till all be done, and so away the same man hee came thither? No, this helpes not, but hurts exceedingly, having brought upon himselfe the guilt of a fearefull transgression, in profaning the holy Sacrament, because hee discerneth the Lords Body. God, who looketh unto the heart, and is well plea­sed in the sincerity thereof, regards no Ceremony with­out obedience, but hates such complementall hypocrisie, as much as wee doe detest the like dissimulation in a man, that vailes bonnet, bowes hammes, smiles in your face, speaks faire and friendly, but yet his heart is not with you.

But we passe from this point, having touched upon it heretofore; wee come unto the punishment here denoun­ced against unworthy receivers of the Sacrament, viz. Damnation, [He eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe.

For these words wee are to enquire what is meant by Damnation in this place, and what it is to eate and drinke it. Damnation in this place signifies two things.

• 1. That punishment of man in hell fire, which wee call eternall damnation.
• 2. Those evills which in this life are inflicted upon transgressors, which we call afflictions and temporall iudg­ment.

Both these are included in this word [...], here ren­dred Damnation. That eternall iudgement in hell fire, is hereby meant, will be made apparant unto us

1. From the nature of the sinne of profanation of the [Page 64] Sacrament; which were it but a small offence, did yet de­serve the wages of eternall death, but being so hainous and horrible a crime as it is, viz. Guiltinesse of the Death of Christ, it must make him that commits it, obnoxious to e­verlasting condemnation.

2. From the quality of the persons that commit this sin [...]e, who are partly the wicked, that continually profane this Sacrament, partly the godly, that yet sometimes pro­fane it too. Such as bee ungodly, unbeleeving persons, they, without doubt, bring themselves in certaine danger, not of temporall judgement alone, but much more of eter­nall damnation, for their perpetuall abuse of th [...]se sacred mysteries, whereof they partake without faith, repen­tance, or any amendment of life at all. As for the true beleevers, they doe sometime come unworthily to this holy Table, being now and then overtaken with security, and seduced by manifold temptations, though otherwise holy and godly men. This their negligence deserves also the same punishment, though God for Christs sake be plea­sed to turne from them his everlasting wrath, making them only to feele a little part of his displeasure, in some temporall afflictions, wherewith hee chastiseth them for the amendment of their error.

Now what temporall judgements are signified by this word Damnation, is manifest also by the Text, in the verse following, where the Apostle mentions sicknesses, infirmi­ties and temporall 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 [...]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 [Page 65] temporal [...]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 Zanch ob­servat. in con. fess. suam de Relig. Chri­stiana in cap. 16. appor. 10. 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 Ioh 3.17.18.19 2. Thes 2.12. 1. Tim. 3.12. places. It being apparant that these words are u­sed indifferently in the same signification.

Having now s [...]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 i [...]. 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 [Page 66] 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 worsh [...]p, as well as the Sacrament. Tis a high dis­honour to the very person of Christ, when the Sacrament of his Body and Bloud is abused; tis 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 wha [...]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 ag [...]inst [...]od, is greater than a wrong against our Neighbour. Further, those offences which immediately touch th [...] 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 [Page 67] 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 [Page 68] 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 to content our idle humours, than ayming sincerely at his glory, is a foule contempt, and cannot but bring a curse upon us. [Yee have despised my Name] saith God unto the Priests, Mal. 1.6 Wherein, say then? In that [Ye offer uncleane bread upon mine altar▪] verse 7. Matters were come to that passe in this Prophets time, that neither Priest nor People cared a [...]ot how God was served. Any thing they thought would con­tent him; and therefore they presumed to offer that to him, which they durst not present unto their Prince or Governour; the blinde, the lame, the torne, the sicke, any thing which their covetousnesse could best spare, was a sacr [...]fice good enough for God. Yea the whole frame of Legal Ceremonies they were utterly weary of them, coun­ting them base and contemptible, and in effect, nothing but an unprofitable drudgery. Doth God take this well at their hands? No, hee curseth them for this their impiety, [Cursed bee the deceiver, which hath in his flocke a male, and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing.] The rea­son followes, [For I am a great King, saith the Lord of Hosts, and my Name is dreadfull among the heathen.] Wherefore it must needs be a horrible offence in the Iewes, the people of God, thus to vilifie so great a maiesty, when even the Gentiles themselves yeelded a more awefull reverence thereunto.

I shall not neede to stand long in prouing a truth so evi­dent; the time and paines will haply bee better imployed in making application of it to our selves. A threefold use of this point I commend unto your consideration and pra­ctice.

Vse. 1. First, Information of our iudgement touching such evills, as wee see doe befall men in this life. Wee be­hold the best Churches in great calamities, the best men sorely afflicted, and we wonder that God should deale so rigorously with those that serve and worship him. Wee [Page 69] ghesse at many causes, but seldome doe we hit upon the right, which here the Apostle intimates unto, viz. Profana­tion of the ordinances of Gods worship. This Irreligious­nesse in Gods service, is the maine cause, as of other sins, so of all judgements. Vnrighteousnesse against man, issues from irreligion towards God; and therefore in punish­ment we must chiefly cast our eyes that way, if wee will follow the streame up unto it first fountain. We common­ly looke another way, and put off our calamities vpon o­ther causes. If any other but the Apostle had told these Corinthians, that their sicknesses and death was sent up­on them [...]or their profanation of the Lords Supper, they would haue doubted of his opinion. Many were sicke and dyed, but what of that? men cannot live or bee well al­wayes; these things come at adventure, or by course of Nature: twas want of care in their dyet, twas the malig­nity of some unwholsome dish, want of exercise, ill tem­per of the body, infection of the aire, and such like causes, have made them weake and sickly; want of physicke, want of looking to, old age, or some such matter hath brought them to their end. Any thing, rather than what the Apostle speakes of, should be reckoned up as the cause of their present griefes. But hee having a better spirit to judge of matters, tells them plainly, that what ever they may imagine, twas for abuse of the Sacrament, [For this cause] that sicknesses and deaths reigned amongst them.

When the Iewes endured so many miseries, even from their first plantation in the land, to their finall casting out from thence, they were seldome aware of this point, that their corruptions and abuses in Gods worship brought such plagues upon them: If the Philistims, Canaanites, and other Borderers upon them, doe spoile their Country, tyrannize over them, and oppresse them with cruell slave­ry, as they did in the times of the Iudges, they will inter­pret this to be nothing but an old grudge, which these Na­tions bare against the Israelites, for dis-possessing them of their Countrey, for which they were hated, and all occa­sions [Page 70] sought to worke revenge. If the Kingdome be divi­ded, thats nothing but Rehoboams folly, and ill counsell of ill advised Courtiers: If Israel make warre on Iudah, or Iudah upon Israel, thats but policy to keepe downe one another, lest one should encroach upon both Kingdomes: If there be civill warres, thats thorough the factions of potent and ambitious States-men: If a Forreiner invade them, tis nothing but the pride of ambitious tyrants, that cannot be content with their owne, but seeke after glory and greatnesse in the ruine of other Kingdomes. Yea if a Salmanasser or Nebuchadnezzar carry them away captive out of their land, though they may thinke in the generall, that God is not well pleased with them, yet they would resolve these effects into other causes, more proper, as they conceive; Twas weaknesse in their Kings degenerating from their ancient valour, want of good confederates, of good counsellors▪ of skilfull and trusty commanders, of hardy souldiers, they were over-borne by multitude; and these, or some thing like these, were the cause of this mis­fortune: but of their sinnes, they thinke not of that mat­ter. Many there were, no doubt, who iudged better touch­ing the successe of Civill and Ecclesiasticall affaires, whose eyes God had opened to discerne the equall dependance betweene the sinnes and the punishments of the present age wherein they lived; but for the generality of the State, their thoughts went another way after worldly and politicke reasons. Which was the cause that being so of­ten smitten, yet they returned not to God that smote them, because they were ignorant of their sins, for which he smote them. Thence in many grievous calamities of the State, they did what they could by all politick Hos. 5.13. & 7.11. [They call to Egypt, they goe to Ashur.] means to uphold the ruines thereof; but yet there was no refor­mation at all of the horrible corruptions of Gods pure Religion. This they looked not after, as if all had beene well on that side; whereas indeed the maine crakce which threatned the downefall of that glorious state, was not in the roofe, or sides of the building, barely in the Lawes [Page 71] and Civill governement; but in that onely strong pillar, whereupon all rested, viz. Religion, now rent and shivered in pieces. Had wee a history of those times of the Iewish state, compiled by Iewish Politicians living then, and re­lating unto us the same publicke events, which wee finde recorded in Scripture, it would quickly appeare by the comparison, that God iudged otherwise of the causes of those things, than the State then did. Those stories would be like unto these written in latter ages, touching Christi­an Common-wealths, where Church and State are put a­sunder, as having little dependance one upon another; All notable events, prosperous or unhappy, the rising or decay of states, or great men in the state, &c. are curiously enqui­red into, all consells and circumstances scanned and cen­sured; but for Religion, what entercourse it hath with such events, there is scarce so much as a glance that way. So [...]linde and earthly is every man, in discerning aright of Gods iudgements, and the course of his government over all humane affaires. Wherefore, that man may see his er­ror in this point, God hath beene pleased by revelation from heaven, to make knowne unto him the chiefe cause of such calamities, as come upon States and Kingdomes professing true Religion. For which purpose, God raised up Prophets from time to time, to put the Iewes in remen­brance of that which otherwise they would not have thought of, viz. that for their abominable corruptions in Gods worship, and other sinnes proceeding thence, they were thus plagued. These men cryed out loud enough to be heard, saying, as it is 2 King. 17.13. [Turne from your e­vill waies, and keepe my commandements and my statutes.] But then, as now, the poore Prophets preached to little pur­pose; they might talke till they were weary, few men re­garded what they said. Wherefore God hath caused their Sermo [...]s, and the Stories of their times, to be recorded in everlasting monumen [...]s, that all ages of the world may take notice of the true cause of Gods iudgements, Where­in wee see that God lets passe, as scarce worth the naming, [Page 72] all civill considerations, and brings all the prosperity or adversity of Church or State unto this head, viz. the Neg­lect or Regard had unto Religion and Iustice.

The children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord, they served Baal and the gods of the Nations, they forsooke the Lord, they walked not in his statutes, these be the reasons, for which matters goe ill with them, as we may finde it at large expressed, Iudg. 2. & 2. King. 17. & 2. Chron. 36. Yea in this matter God gave unto them a ge­nerall rule, whereby to rectifie their iudgement, and ours in the like case, in the 29. of Deut. Where Moses tells them, that when their posterity, or the stranger from a far land should see the plagues of the Iewes countrey, and the diseases thereof, where with the Lord should smite it, they would aske after the reason of it, and say [Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto his land? what meaneth the heate of this great anger?] The answer followes, [Then men shall say, because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their fathers, which hee made with them when hee brought them forth out of the land of Egypt. For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them: gods whom they knew not, and whom hee had not given unto them. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this booke.] vers. 14, 15, 16, 17. According to this observation wee may judge of the state of the Christian Church, ruinated in the East by Saracens and Turkes, over­run in the West by Goths, Vandals, and other Northren na­tions, then when pure Religion was corrupted by Sects and Heresies, by superstitious abuses brought into the worship of God, especially into the Sacrament, more and more pol­luted by abominable vaniti [...]s, by pride and contention a­mong the Bishops; by negl [...]gence in the inferiour Clergie, by tur [...]ing Religion into regular hypocrisie each one ser­ving God after the statutes of Ahab, and decrees of the house of Om [...]i, I meane, after the rule of his new devised order, but not according to that rule prescribed in the Word, whereby alone all must walke that looke for peace [Page 73] upon themselves and the Israell of God. When thus by su­perstition, profanenesse, impiety, and all filthy corruptions in doctrine and manners, the name of Christian became even to be a dishonour unto Christ, God dealt with them as before he had done with the Iewish Church, delivering them over into the hands of cruell enemies, who vexed and spoyled them on every side. But what shall wee say unto Churches reformed and purged from the leaven of such corruptions? may we apply this rule unto them? Yea wee must even in these daies of distresse and trouble, wherein God dasheth the nations of the earth together, breaking them one upon another like earthen vessels. Now that the Kingdomes of the earth are shaken, and the Church of God persecuted and afflicted with fire, sword, and desolation; We that are yet but passengers, going on in quiet by the way, cannot but behold and bewaile her sorrow, which sitteth upon the ground, weeping sore in the night for these miseries that are come upon her. Oh that our heads were full of water, and our eyes a foun­taine of teares, that we also could weep day and night for the slaine of the daughter of Zion! But now if wee stand still and wonder, and enquire [How doth the City sit solitary that was full of people? how is shee become a widow? Lam. 1. ver. 1. shee that was great among the Nations, & a Princesse among the Provin­ces, [...]ow is shee become tributary?] Heare what answer her selfe will make: [The Vers. 14. yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand, they are wreathed and come up upon my necke] there­fore it followes, [he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered mee into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up] And againe, [Vers. 18. The Lord is righteous, for I have rebelled against his commandements: Heare I pray you all peo­ple, and behold my sorrow, my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.] And againe, [Vers. 20. Behold, O Lord, for I am in distresse, my bowels are troubled, my heart is turned within me: For I have grievously rebelled▪] Yea this is it. Tis the sinnes of a Church that kinde a fire in her palaces; Her sinnes that sharpen her enemies sword to the slaughter, [Page 74] Her sinnes that destroy her strong Hold, and make the rampart and the wall to lament and languish together. Let us not here cry out upon men, complaine upon Princes, blame wee know not whom, nor for what; as if all had been well, had they done, or would they doe as wee have contrived it: but lay we the blame where the fault is, and say we, That they be the sinnes of the Church that kept good things from her, and brought evill upon her. And be we still sighing in silence, for tis the Lord hath done this; even he hath done that which he had devised; he hath co­vered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast downe from heaven to earth the beauty of Israel. In­deede Reformation is a glorious name; a Church refor­med and restored unto purity of doctrine and discipline, is a glorious society. But its one thing to have Gods pure worship established by Law, another thing to have it set­tled in mens hearts, and observed in their practice. The doctrine of a Church may be pure, the Sacraments rightly administred, the government duely ordered; and yet God may be highly dishonoured by that Church, when that which is well adpointed is not yet well used. This is haply the Corinthians case here in the Text; they did not, for ought we can prove, pervert the Institution of the Sacra­ment, adding or omitting any thing materiall to the es­sence thereof: but yet they displeased God in the celebra­tion of it, because they observed the outward forme, but with irreligious and gracelesse hearts, making to them­selves no spirituall benefit at all. So is it with any Church wherein purity of Doctrine, Sacraments, and Discipline is maintained, but this forme of god [...]inesse is without the power of it, no fruits thereof appearing in mens obedi­ence unto the Gospell. I [...]peake not this to accuse our bre­thren, but to warne our selves. They feele the smart, and no doubt, doe know their sinnes. Our duety is to pray for them, that God would speake peace to his people in their affliction, and restore unto them joy of heart for the daies of mourning which they have seene. Well, lets pitie them, [Page 75] and looke wee to our selves, whose priviledges and bles­sings are as many as theirs, and our sinnes haply more. Be we instant in prayer, that God will pardon the deformi­ties of our reformed Church; I meane, the neglect of his Worship, the contempt of his Word, the scorning of his Ministers, the profanation of the Sacraments, the despising of government, the schismes and discords amongst us, the profanenesse of mens lives, the Infidelity, Atheisme, Pride, Intemperance, Injustice, with such corruptions as disgrace Christian Religion, discredit our most Christian Church, dishonour God, and provoke his wrath against the Land. Tis not the power of an enemy, the conspiracy of Iesuits, the malice of hell that shall endanger us, if our sinnes doe not fight more powerfully against us, than the force or craft of any adversary. Spare then O God thy people, and be mercifull to the iniquities of the remnant of thine he­ritage. Pardon our sins and helpe us graciously. So shal thy blessing alwaies continue upon the head of thine anointed, thy favor upon his posterity, thy peace upon this Church, and prosperity upon thy people. I have but one word more to say, and I have done; and that is,

Vse 2. [...]or exhortation, that wee would put in practice what we know touching this point. Profanenesse in mat­ters of Gods worship bring temporall and eternal punish­ments upon a man. Apply this to that condition wherein thou art, whether adversity or prosperity. If affliction be upon thee, on thy body, thy soule, thy name, thy estate, thy friends, come to scrutiny and make search where and what thy sinne is. Say with thy selfe, Doe not I neglect some parts of Gods worship? doe I not use others carelesly? Where thou findest the fault, repent of it, amend it spee­dily, and so God will remove his rod from thee, and in due time make thy paths prosperous. But if they be so already, and thou desirest to have thy peace continued unto thee, here learne the way to enjoy comforts, and prevent many sorrowes. Attend diligently unto the worship of God, doe not slubber it over, doe him service, and doe it faithfully, [Page 76] else tis no service but sloath. Heare the Word, but atten­tively, and mix it with faith; pray, but fervently; fast, but unloose the bonds of wickednesse; receive the Sacrament, but fruitfully. Doe not these things as common businesses, goe not to Church as thou wouldest goe to thy chamber; preach not, nor heare a Sermon as thou wouldest doe an Oration, pray not to God as thou wouldest speake to a man, come not to the Lords Table as to an ordinary re­past. Put on other affections and thoughts in sacred, than thou doest in civill businesses: advise thy selfe before thou meddle with them; in doing of them stirre up thy heart to a regard of God with whom thou hast to doe; of thy soule, whose well or ill-fare depends much upon these things. Know that it is no light matter to mocke God to his face, to come before him with the body, and draw neere with the lips, but turne from him in thy heart, to make a shew of regarding him, but indeed to sleight him. Remember Salomons rule, [Take heed to thy [...]ort, &c,] Eccles. 5.1. when thou goest to the House of God, i. e. to performe any wor­ship to him, take heed to thy footing, be advised where­abouts thou goest, [and be more neare to heare,] that is, to o­bey Gods will declared unto thee in his Word, [than to of­fer the Sacrifice of fooles,] i. e. to observe the ceremonie and outward worship, without obedience and inward grace; as fooles doe, who thinke by such service they please God, whereas in so doing, they doe evill, and sorely offend him. Only this spirituall service in faith and obedience is accep­table; all other without this is vaine, neither pleaseth God nor profits us. This doing wee shall have good pro­sperity, providing well for our comfort in this life, in the escape of many evils that profanenesse would bring on us, and also for our happinesse in the world to come.

Thus much be spoken touching the punishment of the sinne of Vnworthy receiving; namely, that by so doing men runne them into hazzard of temporall and eternall judgements, in this 29 verse. I now proceed unto the 30 verse▪ wherein the Apostle shewes unto the Corinthians [Page 77] the danger of their profanation of the Sacrament, by a particular instance of their present miserable condition, wherein they now were by reason of such their offence. What hee had spoken generally touching all unworthy Communicants, that they eat and drinke damnation un­to themselves, he declares to be most true in a reall expe­riment among themselves, in the words of the 30 verse.

They need not looke farre for a proofe, let them but turne home their eies upon themselves, they might see ap­parant marks of Gods anger against them, for their sinne­full abuse of the blessed Sacrament. The weake and sickly bodies, the dead carkasses of so many amongst them, were witnesses sufficient that God was highly displeased at them for profaning his holy Table. The words fall into two parts: First, a Cause [For this cause] [...], for this mat­ter; namely, a sinne before mentioned, for not discerning the Lords Body in the Sacrament. Secondly, an effect, and that is a particular punishment, described 1. by the persons upon whom tis inflicted, The Corinthians; and that not one or two, but many there were that suffered it [Many among you, &c.] 2. by the qualities and degrees of this pu­nishment, tis Bodily, upon the outward man, in three de­grees, Weaknesses, Sicknesses, and Death. [Many are weake] ( [...]) and sicke ( [...]) and many sleep ( [...]) i. e. are dead. Of these briefly and plainly.

[For this cause.] The Apostle here admonisheth them of that, which of themselves they would not easily have thought of. God punisheth them, yet still they profane the Sacrament; and why? they are not aware that those plagues were sent of God for that their sin. Therefore the Apostle points out unto them the true cause of all their mi­sery, [For this cause] saith hee, are ye punished; whatever else they might vainely imagine, twas their abuse of the Lords Supper that drew on all that mischiefe. To teach us, That

[Page 78][Many men are punished, who yet are ignorant of the cause why they are punished.]

Naturally we are all children of darknesse, and, like men in the darke, wee know nor by whom nor wherefore we are smitten. When God strikes us for sinne, Satan deales with us as the Iewes with Christ, blindfold him, and then bid him prophesie who smote him. So in afflictions, wee commonly grope as blinde men, ghessing at this cause, and that, but seldome fastening on the right. It is the great unhappinesse of our ignorant and corrupted mindes, never to know aright our friends or our foes; and tis the policie of Satan to delude our judgements by carnall reasoning, that when God afflicts us to bring us to repentance, wee should yet then doe more and more wickedly, by not see­ing nor amending the sinne for which wee are punished; that so by sinne we might be brought into misery, and by misery our sinne might be yet increased. This note serves us unto a double use:

1. To let us understand, what, among other, is one true cause of mens Vnprofitablenesse under the afflicting hand of God. Hence their murmuring, and impatience, and want of reformation, because they do not rightly discerne the cause, wherefore this or that punishment lyes upon them. Creatures accustomed unto darknesse, are of all o­ther most fierce and furious; as beasts of prey: so men abi­ding in the darknesse of corrupted nature, have brutish and fell affections, full of rage and wrathfulnesse, when they are provok'd by any smart and paine, they flye upon God, and man, and all that comes next to hand, hoping to rid themselves of their afflictions, not by a reformation, but by revenge. But when once such men are brought forth in­to the light, they grow tamer; then they see the foulenesse of their offences, how much evill they have done, yet how l [...]ttle they s [...]ffer in comparison; whence they truly judge, that tis unreasonable to murmure against God, who hath so great reason to chastise them.

2. To teach us what just cause there is, that we should [Page 79] be corrected of God, to the end, wee may come to the knowledge of our selves. Indeede corrections of them­selves cannot doe this; tis the Word and Instruction that brings us to knowledge of our estates. But ordinarily in­structions pierce not, till corrections have sharpened them A man that lives at peace and hearts ease, is apt to passe by rebukes with very little notice of them, perhaps with con­tempt, because hee iudgeth himselfe well: but when cha­stisements have softned the heart, and awakened the conscience, then rebukes have a keener edge, and they wound deeply. Wherefore Salomon saith excellently, Prov. 6.23. [The commandement is a lanterne, and instruction a light: and correction with instruction are the way of life.] In­structions are the light that guides us in the way; but cor­rections ioyned with them, doe quicken our eye-sight, and make us heedfull to follow the directions of the Word. It is with man in this case, as with dogges and other unrea­sonable creatures, (for every man borne, is, as Iob speakes like a wilde Asse colt) which when they are punished for any fault, wee usually bring them unto the sight of that thing, wherein they have done it, else theyle never amend it. Such is our dulnesse in discerning of our faults, that we seldome acknowledge and amend them, till correction have made us looke about us, and learne that which in­struction alone could not teach us. [It is good for mee, saith the Prophet David that I have beene afflicted, that I might learne thy Law.] Had hee not been taught it before? Yes, but Vexatio dat Intellectum. Adversity was a better School­master than Instruction, and that makes him now to heed, what before hee attended not. Wherefore when Gods hand is any time heavie upon us, let this bee our first care, that [Every one know the plague in his owne heart,] as Salomon speakes, 1. King. 8.38. This knowledge of the sinne is the first step to repentance, and that is the only way to escape the punishment. Let us imitate the Church in the third Chapt. of the Lamentations, first lay downe this as a general conclusion, That sinne brings affliction, [Wherefore doth a [Page 80] living man complaine, a man for the punishment of his sinnes?] vers. 39. Thence goe to a particular application to our selves entring into a serious consideration of our owne waies; to finde the sinne for which we are afflicted, [Let us search and try our waies, and turne againe unto the Lord. Let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the heavens. Wee have transgressed, and have rebelled, and thou hast not pardoned, &c.] vers. 40.41, 42. Without this course observed, there is nothing to be expected from a man in affliction and mi­sery, but only sullen and uniust complaints, with stubborne continuance in his sinne. Hee wil blame God, and curse men, cry out upon the malice of Satan, the malignity of the Starres, the unhappy concourse of second causes, hee will finde fault with all things, and that mostly which is least to be blamed, not considering meane while that his sinne hath procured all this unto him. [Why criest thou in thine affliction?] saith God to the Iewish Church, Ier. 30.15. complaining bitterly of her miserable estate, Why cri­est thou? What doest thou complaine to no purpose? If thou wilt grieve at any thing grieve for thy sinne, never looke to cure thy sorrow till thy sinne bee cured; for so it fol­lowes, [Thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine ini­quity: because thy sinnes were increased I have done these things unto thee.] Now to avoide this mischiefe, observe a few directions, which may help us to finde out our sinne when we lie under punishment: they are these.

1. Diligent meditation in the Word, whereby wee shall learne what are the sinnes that goe before such and such punishments; whereunto wee must ioyne humble prayer unto God for wisedome to discerne of our owne corrupt hearts and lives: that so by the light of the Word, and assistance of the Spirit, we may follow the search till wee finde out the malefactor. When the Israelites were beaten by the Cananites at Ai, and that they were igno­rant for what offence that disaster happened to them, Io­shua and the Elders betake them to fasting and prayer be­fore the Arke. After that, God saith to Ioshua, [Get thee up, [Page 81] wherefore liest thou th [...] upon thy face? Israel hath sinned.] Iosh. 7.20.21. Twas Achans privie theft of execrable goods that had troubled all Israel; till that be expiated, God will not bee with them any longer. Let us doe the like when any unknowne sinne troubles us, when our bodies are di­stempered, our estates vexed, our consciences disquieted, and we know not well wherefore; Fall wee downe before the Arke, goe to the Word & Prayer, aske counsell of God, and hee shall discover unto us what is that Achan, what the secret accursed sinne that workes us all this woe.

2. Consider wee diligently the quality of the punish­ment it selfe; for the rule holds true very commonly, that God punisheth men in the same kinde wherein they of­fend. Whence it will be easie, by the punishment to judge of the sinne: If a Land be smitten with a famine of bread, is it not because plenty hath bred luxury? if with a famine of the Word, was it not because it was entertained with disobedience and contempt? if with poverty, tis because ri­ches bred vice: if David defile his neighbours wife, so shall Absolom deale with his owne concubines; if hee mur­der Vriah, so shall Absolom doe to Amnon, and seeke to doe the same to his father. Is a man vexed with disobedient children, tis likely himselfe was so to his owne parents? if friends be unfaithfull to thee, hast not thou beene so to thine? or hast thou not made flesh thine arme, and put more trust in them, than God? Is disgrace fallen upon thee, and wast thou not proud before? Doe thy gifts of minde or body decay, and is it not because thou art high minded, unthankefull to God,Men sharpliest punished for those sinnes they have committed with greatest pleasure and security. and scornefull of meaner men? In short, looke unto the punishment, and consider it duely; we shall commonly finde, that in the same, or some other kinde neerly proportionable, as we have done in sin­ning, so God hath done to us in punishing.

3. Observe advisedly the inditements, which at such a time thy conscience shall bring-in against thee. Consci­ence is a faithfull Register, and what ever drowsinesse may possesse it in times of peace, yet so soone [...]s its netled and [Page 82] stung with the feare of approaching judgement, or the sense of present smart, it growes very clamarous, and will give us information touching our estate, both true enough and loud enough, if wee list to heare and observe what it saith. If a storm be toward, the sea quickly foretokens it by its working, and change of colour. And in corrupt bodies, the least alteration of the weather, breeds a distemper in them. So doe all outward change,, whether felt or feared, worke strange alterations in the soule thats tainted with the guilt of any foule transgressions. Then be sinnes that were almost forgotten, all mustered up together, and brought to a fresh remembrance, as if done but yesterday: and if wee doe attentively marke what Conscience then pleads against us, wee shall heare it ring in our eares such voices as these, Loe, seest thou not iudgement ready now to take hold on thee for such a sinne, at such a time com­mitted? And thou beest remembred, once thou commit­tedst such a secret abomination, now see God punisheth thee for it openly: So many yeeres agoe such a villany was done by thee, now at last God hath met with thee for it. Admirable is the worke of Conscience in this regard, and very remarkeable in the brethren of Ioseph. They had sold their brother, and cou [...]ened their father, and all was husht up for a long time. After they goe downe to Egypt they are roughly used there by their unknowne brother, imprisoned as Spies, no entreaties nor apologies will serve their turne. Now their sinne revives and their bro­ther Ioseph comes into their mindes; they cannot keepe it in, their traiterous and unmercifull usage of their poore brother, swels in their consciences, and bursts forth at their tongues; they cannot take so much time as till they bee all in private, but even in Iosephs presence they must out with it, [Wee have sinned against our brother, &c.—therefore is this trouble come upon us.] Gen. 42.21. So Iob in his elder yeares, when he fell into those great calamities, though a holy and good man, yet confesseth that he smarted for the sinnes of his youth. [Thou writest bitter things against mee, [Page 83] and makest mee to possesse the sinnes of my youth.] saith hee, Iob 13.26. Sinne may be soone committed, but tis not so soone forgotten: God remembers it, and Conscience registers it, and an hundred yeares after the fact done, a man may heare on't againe, to his woe and griefe.

By these three directions well observed, wee may spee­dily attaine the knowledge of our sinne, for which, at any time, Gods punishing hand lies upon us: that so knowing where the disease lyeth, we may with speedy successe apply the medicine of Repentance and true Reformation. And so much of this point. I goe forward.

[For this cause many are weake.] For the abuse of the Sacra­ment, in not discerning the Lords Body, God plagued them in their owne bodies with diseases and death. Hence the conclusion is, That

[The abuse of spirituall good things, causeth losse of bo­dily and temporall good things.

This is agreeable to reason and equity, That where the greater good is despised, there men should bee punished with deprivation of that good, which is lesse in worth, but more in their esteeme; to the end, that by the want of this, they might learne to have a better regard unto the other. They that abuse spirituall good things, will much more a­buse corporall good things: wherefore God at once both prevents their sinne in these, by taking them away, and also punisheth their sinne in those, by such a deprivation of these. Besides it is the nature of sinne, as it infects the soule, so it hurts the body, and all externall good things. Adams abuse of the forbidden fruit, brought destruction upon his soule, and death upon his body, and a curse upon all [...]he world, which God had given him as his patri­mony and inheritance· No lesse dangerous is the abuse of the commanded fruit (that wee so call Iesus Christ, the Tree of Life) in the Sacrament. They that eate it wor­thily, feed therby both soule and body; they t [...]at profanely use it, bring destruction upon both. [Godlinesse, sa [...]th the Apostle, hath the promises of this life, and that which is [Page 84] to come;] and therefore on the contrary, Vngodlinesse, hath the threatnings of both. [My sonne, let thine heart keepe my commandements,] saith Salomon, Prov. 3.1. If he doe it, they shall bring him increase of daies, prosperity, favour in the sight of God and man, health to his navell, and marrow unto his bones, with abundance unto his barnes and winepresses, as it followes in the next verses of that Chapter. So on the other side, where God is disobey­ed, his Word and Ordinances despised, there nothing thrives well, neither for body, nor name, nor goods, but sin, like a blasting winde, makes all to wither, and fade away like a leafe. This may lesson us two things;

1. That if we would have our bodies and lives to be pre­cious in Gods account, we learn our selves to make preci­ous account of his service and holy ordinances. If wee contemne the sacred Body and Bloud of Christ, and make no reckoning of his death, it is but just with God to give up our vile and sinnefull bodies to bee as [...]ung for the earth, that sicknesse should consume us, and the grave have dominion over us.

No marvell if we be left in bodily weaknesses, when we labour not to feele the strengthening power and comfort of the Sacrament in our soules. If we dishonour God in de­spising his Word, and Sacraments and Ministers, tis equall that hee should poure contempt upon us, and give up our names for a reproach upon earth. They only can expect that God should have a tender regard of their lives, and health, and credit and other good things they enjoy, who have themselves a dutifull respect of his glory, and doe with all thankfulnesse and good conscience, receive and use the fa­vour and meanes of grace he bestowes on them.

2. This shewes the cause, why many times those that professe true Religion fare worse than others, in regard of so many troubles and afflictions as betide them more than others. The reason is, because as the spirituall good things which God bestoweth on his Church, are greater than a­ny other favours which he imparts unto other men; so is [Page 85] their abuse of them more highly displeasing unto God, than others contempt of more inferiour favours. But of this I have spoken largely upon the 29. verse, therefore I doe but name it now. To proceed,

[Many among you are sicke, &c.) Many: The sinne of profaning the Sacrament, was not a particular private sinne of some one or few among the Corinthians; but it was a publike disorder, and a common fault of the greatest part. Now accordingly, the punishment lights not upon a few, here and there one; but upon Many: as there were many that had sinned. But yet touching the community of these judgements upon the Corinthian Church, it is to be noted, that they were not such iudgements as came indifferently upon the City of Corinth. For then they might have re­plyed, that these sicknesses and death came not upon them for their profanation of the Sacrament, seeing they lighted as well upon the rest of the Idolatrous Citizens. Wherefore as the sinne was peculiar unto the Christians that were in Corinth, so also were these punishments, in some speciall extraordinary manner, inflicted on them; whereby it appeared, that God singled them out in speciall for their foule profanation of his most holy worship. The practicall conclusion hence is, That ‘[Common sins, have common punishments.]’

When the Vlcer is spread over the whole body, a Plai­ster is ill applied but unto one part. Where God comes to cure, hee fits his medicine to the disease; and were hee comes to kill, his consuming wrath runnes so farre as doth the over-flowing of iniquity in that place, wherewith hee hath to deale. If hee bee to punish a whole world, after hee hath provided for the safety of his Church, all the rest pe­rish to the last man. If he be to destroy a Sodome, wherein there is not one righteous, they shall die every mothers sonne of them. This may teach us a twofold lesson:

1. That if wee will escape from common plagues, wee learne to live free from common sinnes. Let us not par­take with others in their sinnes, lest wee also share with [Page 86] them in their punishments. [Flee out of the middest of Babel, and deliver every man his soule, be not destroyed in her iniquity,] saith the Prophet Ieremy, Chapt. 51.8. unto the Iewes re­siding at Babylon in Chaldea. [Go out of her my people, that yee be not partakers of her sinnes, and that yee receive not of her plagues,] saith the voice from heaven unto the godly, abi­ding in the mysticall Romish Babylon. Let us now fol­low this admonition, and withdraw our selves from a­mongst all ungodly persons in the world; not in place, for then we must goe out of the world: but in our love and practice of their wicked doings, that in nothing wee have fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse. How shall wee doe this, yee will say? The best way we can fol­low, is this, Learne to mourne for common sinnes, and so thou shalt bee sure to live free from them. Put on that holy affection which was in David. Let thine eyes runne with rivers of waters,Psal. 119.136. because men forsake Gods Law. Make not thy selfe sport with other mens [...]innes; but when thou lookest on them, let thine eye breake thy heart with godly sorrow, for the Irreligious contempt of Gods Word and Worship, the pride, the excesse, the oppression, the swearing, the drunkennesse, that fills every corner of the Land. If there bee any sparke of true love to the Church and State wherein thou livest, if any pity of the soules of thy brethren, let it grieve thy soule to see men post madly unto destruction, and weepe in secret to see the measure of iniquity rising up to the brimme, to the hastening of de­struction upon Church and State. Bee a mourner in Zion, and so escape the punishment of the sinners in Zion; that when feare and confusion takes hold on them, thou maist be marked out to safety and deliverance. Other meanes to provide for thy welfare in common calamities,Ezek. 9.4.5.6 there is none at all. As for such as will continue to be as bad as the worst, and yet hope, by finenesse of wit and policy, to speed as well as the best, let such scornfull men, and mockers of Gods counsell, reade with attention that excellent place, Esa. 28.14. & seq. Where they may see such their vaine [Page 87] confidence pulled downe to the dust, in the example of o­thers that have likewise trusted to it, and bin confounded.

2. Wee learne hence what to judge, of any Christian Church, when once corruptions grow common and over­spreading all. If God begin once to take in hand to punish such a Church, will it be thinke you, some light touch, and easie afflictio [...]? Nay, Flagellum mundans, an over-flowing scourge is then to be expected, a scourge that shall go tho­rough every quarter of the Church, to whip out from thence those that have polluted and defiled it by their abo­mination in every place. These Corinthians were but a poor handfull of people, newly drawn out of Gentilisme, in one no very great City, yet see how sharply the Lord deals with them for this one abuse of the Sacrament. Many of those, that in all were but a few, are severely punished for it. What then, and how sore wil be the judgements of such Churches, which have flourished [...] extent, aboundance o [...] peace, [...] [...]ight and liberty of the Go­spell so long, wherein yet the fruits of Obedience, worthy of so unspeakable mercies, a [...]e not to be found? Iudgement is already begun at the house of God, and wee cannot but with bleeding hearts bewaile the wofull desolations come upon some, and the utter ruine threatned unto all forraine Churches. Oh my beloved brethren, let us pray dayly and fervently, that the Lord would now say to his destroying Angell, It is sufficient, Hold now thy hand. That he would make warres to cease unto the ends of the earth, that hee would give peace to them his people, who want it, that he will continue peace to us his people, that yet enjoy it. That the cup of his furious indignation, wherof so many nati­ons of the earth have beene made to drinke, may not passe over unto us; but the dregges thereof, if any remaine, may rather bee powred out upon the nations that know him not, nor call upon his Name: but amongst us for ever may his Gospell flourish, upon us bee his peace and protection unto the worlds end, Amen, O Lord, for thy Son Christs sake. I come to the last words.

[Page 88][Many weak, & sick, & many sleep.] Here is the punishment in the three degrees of it: 1. Weaknesses, viz. the first lan­guishing of the body, and inclination unto diseases: 2. Sick­nesses, the next degree, when diseases had fully seazed on the body; 3. Death, the last degree and complement of both the former. Now of the two first degrees, which were the lesser evills, the Apostle saith, that [...] Multi, Many were afflicted with them: but of the third, the greater evill, namely, Death, he alters the word, and saith, [...], Satis multi, not a few were dead, though not so many as weake and sicke. From this diversity in these punishments observe we in the last place, That

[God in punishing man for sin, orders his punishments differently, according to the quality of the offence, and par­ty offending.

Some sinnes are of deeper dye than others, and require more washing to [...] them off. Some are like unto hu­mors se [...]led in the body, which require stronger potions to purge them out; others be, as some infirmities, newly fallen upon the body, which are cured by medicines of weaker ingredients.

As when men have made a bargaine, men will haue ear­nest, or so to confirme it; so is the Sacrament to confirme the Covenant.