Directions for a Godly Life, Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Concerning Examination in generall.
FOr our better performance of the duty of preparation, we muſt be carefull to ſet aſide a convenient time before the Communion; wherein, laying aſide all other impediments, we ought ſeriouſly to be exerciſed in three duties. 1. A diligent examination of our fitnes and worthines to receiue. 2. A comfortable premeditation of the benefits, which we are to receiue. 3. earneſt prayer vntounto God for a bleſſing vponupon our endeavours; that ſo wee may be accepted to receiue thoſe benefits.
In our Examination we are to conſider; 1 To whom this duty belongs: 2 how it is to be performed.
The firſt wee learne from Saint Paul. 1. Cor. 11. who biddeth every man to trie and examine himſelfe; ſo that wee our ſelues are to examine our ſelues. Indeede the Miniſters of the word of God, and all ſuch, to whom God hath committed the charge and care of others, ought carefully to trie and examine thoſe, which belong vntounto them; that ſo they may be the more fit: and inferiours ought alſo willingly to ſubmit themſelues vntounto their triall; yea, if it be not offred, to ſeeke their help when they doubt of any thing; that ſo by their directions they may the more cheerefully goe on. Theſe are duties, vvhichwhich God requires at the hands of all; the neglect vvhereof vvill one day fall heavy vponupon thoſe, vvhichwhich ſhall faile in the due performance thereof. Yet this is not ſufficient; for vvee are, for the moſt part, full of hypocriſie, ready to hide our ſinnes from others; yea vve are ſo vvitty in iniquitie, that vve can behaue our ſelues ſo ſmoothly, in reſpect of the outvvard ſhevv, that others ſhall finde no fault in vsus at all; though notvvithſtanding our conſciences doe all the vvhile accuſe vsus of ſome ſins lurking vvithin vsus: vvherefore vve are commanded alſo to try & examine every man himſelf in particular.
This Examination muſt be twofold. 1. Generall. 2 Particular. In the firſt vve muſt examine our ſelues in theſe tvvo things. 1 Whether vvee be in the number of the faithfull or not; vvhichwhich is very needfull to be conſidered, othervviſe vve partake in vaine; for as our bodies can receiue no nouriſhing and ſtrengthening from the foode, vvhichwhich vvee daily receiue, vnleſſe they hauehave ſome life in them before: ſo neither can our ſoules, if they bee voyde of the life of grace, receiue any comfort by this ſpirituall food in the Lords Supper; which doth continue and encreaſe life, where it findes it; but workes none, where there is none before. Let vsus therefore in the firſt place diligently trie whether Chriſt be in vsus or not; of which we ſhall the more fully aſſure our ſelues, if we can finde this perſwaſion in vsus, that we (as our forefathers were) are ſtrangers and pilgrimes here, Heb. 11.13. looking for a citty (as Abraham did) which hath foundations, whoſe builder and maker is God; and that wee are made free from the bondage of ſinne by the Son of God, Chriſt Ieſus. Ioh. 8.36. and ſo with David, put our whole truſt and rely only on his mercy. Pſal. 52.9. 2. We are to make tryall of our readines, whether wee bee willing and hauehave a deſire to partake of the Lords Supper or no. A willing minde God required of thoſe, which offered any thing for the building of the Tabernacle; as it is Exod. 25.2. and of thoſe, which offered him any burnt offerings, Levit. 19.5. If ſo in theſe, which were but ſhaddowes of things to come; much more doth he expect it at our hands in the performance of this duty, which is the ſubſtance it ſelfe. Neither yet let vsus here deceiue our ſelues, thinking that a bare conſent or willing minde is ſufficient; it is an hungry deſire and appetite, as well as a willingneſſe, to receiue meate offered; yea that eſpecially, vvhichwhich teſtifieth a good diſpoſition in the ſtomacke: & God requireth in all his ſervice (therefore in this alſo) that wee ſerue him with all our heart, and with all our ſoule. Deut. 10.12. and bleſſed are they, which hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſſe, for they ſhall bee filled: Mat. 5.6. For vvant of this deſire it is, that many, vvhē they come to the Lords Table, are never the better; becauſe God, as hee inviteth, ſo hee feedeth none but thoſe that hunger and thirſt: Iſai: 55.1. Let vsus therefore trie & examine our ſelues vvhether vvee can ſay vvith David. Pſal. 42.1. Like as the hart deſireth the water brookes; ſo longeth my ſoule after thee, ô God: my ſoule is a thirſt for God, yea even for the liuing God: whē ſhall I come to appeare before the preſence of God? if vve can find this deſire in vsus, then happy are vve: if not; let vsus humble our ſelues before God, and beſeech him to vvorke & ſtirre vp in vsus the good motions of his ſpirit, that ſo vve may attaine to ſome meaſure of this thirſt; and from that goe on farther to a particular examination of our fitnes to receiue.