Directions for a Godly Life, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. The Examination of our Knowledge.
IN our particular Examinatiō (becauſe vve are dull & ignorant in matters, that concerne our Saluation, and alſo hauehave, and doe often offend both God and our neighbours; all which are hinderances to the due performance of this duty, wee muſt examine our ſelues in thoſe particulars, which concerne both our information in matters which we ſhould vnderſtand; & our reconciliation with thoſe, whom wee hauehave offended.
That, which concernes our information, is a good and wholeſome knowledge of thoſe things, which God hath revealed vntounto vsus; which is ſo neceſſary, that it is the very ground of all our ſervice of God: for how can we doe the will of God aright, if wee know it not? Surely that the ſoule be without knowledge, it is not good ſaith Solomon: Prov. 19.2. and therefore God will hauehave all men to come to the knowledge of the trueth. 1. Tim. 2.6. without which wee can reapē no comfort vntounto our ſelues in any thing that we doe; but are as dead men: for this (and this only) is life eternall, that wee know God and Ieſus Chriſt whom he hath ſent: Ioh. 17.3. So that without it there is no life: and hence it is that the Lord himſelf complaines Hoſ. 4.6. My people are periſhed for lacke of knowledge; & hence it comes to paſſe, that many receiue this Sacrament without any benefit vntounto themſelues, becauſe they are not able to diſcerne of it aright. Wee ſhould therefore all our life long carefully exerciſe our ſelues in the word of God, that ſo, when we ſhall come to examine our ſelues concerning our Knowledge, wee may the more eaſily, and with the greater comfort, trie our fitnes in this reſpect; whether we hauehave attayned to a competent meaſure of knowledge in the groundes of religion or not. Which that wee may the better doe, wee are to make triall of a twofold Knowledge, which wee ought to hauehave: the one concerning God, the other concerning man.
Concerning God we are to know, that there is but one, only wiſe, and true God, ſubſiſting in three Perſons; the Father begetting the Sonne; the Sonne begotten of the Father; and the Holy Ghoſt proceeding from both: which is a miſtery farre exceeding our vnderſtanding; yet ſo ſarre are wee to know and beleeue it, as GOD hath revealed it in his word: and therefore firſt are we to Examine our ſelues concerning this knowledge.
Concerning man we are to knowe, that he was firſt created in vprightnes according to the Image of God. Gen. 1.27. but afterwards fell through diſobedience, and was againe recovered by the meritorious death of Chriſt Ieſus. This we are to examine according to the 2 parts of the Word of God, the Law and the Goſpell.
In the firſt wee ſhall playnly ſee what wee are in our ſelues, even wretched and miſerable ſinners, corrupt children of diſobedient parents; & that wee hauehave juſtly deſerved death as a due reward for our manifold ſinnes both originall and actuall; being carnall, ſold vnderunder ſinne, by nature the children of wrath Epheſ. 2.3.
In the ſecond wee ſhall vnderſtand what wee are in Chriſt; and what that covenant is, which God hath made vntounto man in him for the pardoning of their ſinnes which returne vntounto him by repentance, & apply the ſame vntounto themſelues by faith. So that here we are to knowe 2 things: 1 the meanes of our redemption and reconciliation, the Death of Chriſt: whom God in louelove ſent into the world, to redeeme them that were vnderunder the lawe, that wee might receiue the adoption of Sonnes: Gal. 4.5. & ſo hath delivered vsus frō the power of darkenes Col. 1.13.
2. The meanes, whereby we may apply this vntounto our ſelues; namely faith; which is a gift of GOD, begotten and increaſed by hearing the word, and receiving the Sacrament. Let vsus therefore ſeriouſly examine our ſelues, whether wee hauehave learned out of the Word of GOD our firſt innocency, which wee had by creation: our miſery, which wee fell into by tranſgreſſion; and the happineſſe, which wee hauehave obtained againe by our ſweete and bleſſed redemption: for in thoſe things ought every one to bee inſtructed, which approcheth vntounto the Lords Table.
Beſides this Knowledge of GOD and Man, wee are further to hauehave a particular Knowledge of the Sacrament it ſelfe; where wee are to trye, whether wee doe rightly diſcerne the Elements from the Lords Body, and the true vſe of them: wherein wee muſt conſider, that the Bread and Wine, (in themſelues ordinary) beeing ordained of Chriſt, are now become holy; and whereas CHRIST bleſſed this Sacrament at the firſt inſtitution, wee are to knowe that it is a bleſſed Sacrament; becauſe, whatſoeuer hee bleſſeth, is bleſſed; and that it will bee a meanes of great bleſſing vntounto vsus, if rightly receiued and whereas Chriſt gaue the ſame after Supper, wee muſt further knowe, that it was not ordayned to ſatisfie our bodily hunger; for, if any man thus hunger, Saint Paul tells him that hee muſt eate at home. 1 Corinth. 11.34. but it was giuen for the refreſhing of our wearied Soules by the commemoration of Chriſt's Death for vsus, and of our communion with him: but of this particular Knowledge of the Sacrament, more in the beginning of the firſt chapter. In this, as in the former, wee muſt diligently trye and examine our ſelues; for, except wee knowe all theſe things, wee are not to partake at the Lord's Table; becauſe without it, whatſoever wee doe, is but blinde devotion.