A Preparation to the Receiving of the Lords Supper, Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Of the triall of our ſelues in generall.
THe triall and examination of our ſelues in general here required, is a diligent ſearch and inquiſition to bee made, within our ſoules and conſciences, whether we bee ſuch kind of perſons as may be aſſured, that the Lord will bid welcome to this Table.
And this triall is not to be ſleight & curſory, but moſt ſtrict and accurate; ſuch as gold Smiths vſe, when not onelyonly by touch, but by fier & hammer they try whether their Gold and Siluer be pure or no. For ſuch a manner of triall the Apoſtles word ſignifieth.
The Lord cannot bid any welcome to his Table, but ſuch as he is actually reconciled vntounto; and whoſe perſons are acceptable and wel pleaſing vntounto him.
They who are ſuch perſons, hauehave certaine ſpeciall gifts and graces beſtowed vponupon them, from which they may conclude infallibly, that God doth louelove and fauor them: which for diſtinction ſake, from other common gifts are called, Sauing Graces.
Herein then wee muſt labour to ſearch out in our ſelues, theſe Graces; and to try whether they bee in vsus or no. But before we come to particulars; hence we may note in generall,
1 That Gods ſpeciall ſauing graces may bee in vsus, and yet not alwayes apparant vntounto vsus; but may ſometimes lie hidden in the ſoule, vntill by ſome ſpeciall ſearch they be diſcouered; elſe ſuch trials as theſe ſhold be needleſſe. As therfore it is matter of humiliation, to all good Chriſtians, that vponupon due triall, they finde more corruptions in themſelues, then did before appeare vntounto them: So this may bee a ſpeciall comfort, that there are alſo in them (which by diligent triall they ſhall finde) greater graces then euer they imagined to be in themſelues. This therefore ſhould incourage vsus, to ſearch ourſelues ſo much the more narrowly: for if we ſhall (by a carefull ſearch) find in our ſoules, but any one grace, or but any degree of a grace, more then wee did perceiue before; it wil bring more ſound comfort and ioy vntounto our hearts, then if wee had found a hidden treaſure of ſiluer or gold.
2 By this it appeares, that a man (if ſo be hee will carefully vſe the meanes) may come to ſome certain knowledge and inſight of the ſauing gifts and graces of God, which are in his owne ſoule: And therefore it muſt needes bee a great fault in him, to bee careleſſe in vſing the meanes. It is a ſigne hee ſets no price vponupon Gods graces, that makes no inquiry, whether he hath them in his poſſeſſion or no. Men vſe to make diligent inquiry, after hidden and concealed lands and treaſures; much more ought we to ſearch out the concealed graces of God, which lie hid in our own ſoules; and which wee cannot imploy (as wee ought) ſo long as wee know not whether they be in vsus or no.
3 It is in this reſpect, very beneficiall and profitable for vsus, to finde out & know, what gifts God hath beſtowed vponupon vsus, in that (as it appeares by this place) it is a meanes, not onelyonly to preuent fearfull and dangerous ſinnes, but to make vsus more capable of greater graces, which otherwiſe ſhall bee withheld and detained from vsus. For wee hauehave no grounded hope to receiue any new grace, or bleſſing, from any ordinance of God, vntill by a diligent ſearch of our ſelues, we hauehave firſt found ſome former grace in our ſelues, that may make vsus (in ſom degree) fit and worthy receiuers thereof. For to him that hath (ſaith our Sauiour) ſhall be giuen, and from him that hath not, ſhall be taken away, euen that which he hath. The vſe of one grace, is to fit and prepare vsus for the receiuing of an other.
Thoſe ſpeciall gifts & graces which are in all them whoſe perſons are acceptable to God, are Faith and Repentance.
By Faith wee are to vnderſtand a true, ſauing and iuſtifying faith, which is a ſupernaturall gift of God, whereby a man (ſeeing the vileneſſe of his ſinne) relieth only vponupon the merits of Chriſt Ieſus, for the pardon thereof.
From this Faith, doe al other Chriſtian graces proceed, and according to the growth of it doe they grow. Whatſoeuer is done by vertue of this Faith (how ſimple ſoeuer the Action may ſeem to bee) it is pleaſing to God: Otherwiſe (how glorious ſoeuer) it is odious to him. This grace entitles vsus to Chriſt and all his merits. This effectually applyeth them vntounto vsus: This is the onelyonly mouth, by which the Body and bloud of the Lord is eaten and drunken; and therefore a ſpeciall argument of Gods fauour, and a neceſſary qualitie to be in all worthy Communicants. And therefore we are to make ſpeciall ſearch and triall of it.