The New Covenant, Book 3 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. Of the knowledge of God: the firſt part of Examination.
AS we hauehave waighed the neceſsity of preparing and examining our ſelues: ſo let vsus conſider the manner how it is to be performed. Such as will in an holy manner prepare themſeluesaFour points required in Examination of our ſelues. to celebrate the Lords Supper to the glory of God, the diſcharge of their duties, and comfort of their owne ſoules, muſt diligently acquaint themſelues with theſe foure points, with knowledge, faith, repentance, and reconciliatiō to thoſe whom they hauehave offended. Firſt, it is required of all perſons that come to this Sacrament, to know the grounds of religion, and vnderſtand the doctrine of the Sacraments. Secondly, to beleeue in Chriſt, and to looke for ſal…ation in him alone, inaſmuch as there is no other name vnderunder heauen by which we muſt be ſaued. So then we muſt come with faith, which is the hand to apprehend Chriſt. Thirdly, to abhorre and deteſt our ſins, to hate them with an vnfained hatred as our deadly and moſt dangerous enemies, and to hauehave godly ſorrow for them which may cauſe repentance not to be repented of. Laſtly, to louelove our brethren truely and ſincerely, yea euen our enemies. If we finde not theſe things in our ſelues, we muſt carefully vſe all holy meanes appointed for this purpoſe, to begin them in vsus: otherwiſe our eſtate will prooue to be fearefull and dangerous. We muſt with all ſincerity, conſcience, and zeale, vſe prayer, the word read and preached, conferrence, meditation, and ſuch like helpes as may further them in vsus. If we do finde them in vsus, though feeble and in great want and weakneſſe, we are not to abſtaine from the Sacrament, but to come therunto to ſeek ſtrength of faith and increaſe of obedience. Wherefore,bMat. 11, 28▪ our Sauiour calleth ſuch vntounto him, Come to me all ye that are weary and ſore laden, and I will eaſe you: take my yoke on you, and yee ſhall finde reſt vponupon your ſoules: for my yoake is eaſie, and my burden it light. And chap. 12. A bruiſed cMat. 12, 26reeds ſhall he not breake, and ſmoaking flax ſhal he not quench till he bring forth iudgment vntounto victory.
Touching the firſt, we are to obſerue,dThe 1. part of examination is knowledg of Gods word. that ſuch as will come aright to the lords ſupper, muſt hauehave the knowledge of Gods word, which is the foundation and ground-worke of faith. Wee muſt know what to beleeue, and muſt learne the doctrine of ſaluation out of the Scripture. Our Sauiour Chriſt, in that heauenly prayer which hee made a little before his paſsion, vſeth theſe words to his Father,eIohn, 17, 3. This is eternal life to know thee to be the onelyonly very God, and whome thou haſt ſent Ieſus Chriſt. We muſt know how miſerable all men are of themſelues, that we are ſeparated from god, the children of wrath by nature as wel as others, and the verie fire-brands of hell. They that want this knoledge, cannot iudge aright of the parts and vſes of this Sacrament, nor deſire this heauenly meate which nouriſheth to eternall life. So then, knowledge muſt neceſſarily go before faith: for it is the nature of faith to beleeue that which it knoweth, and therefore where there is ſmall knowledge, there can bee but little faith: and where there is no knowledge, there can be no faith: acordingfRom. 10, 17. to the doctrine of the Apoſtle, Faith commeth by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The knowledge required of vsus when we approach to this Sacrament, ſtandeth in theſe twogWhat particular pointes …re neceſſ…tie to be knowne o… al that com to the Communion. pointes: firſt, in the knowledge of God, ſecondly in the knowledge of our ſelues. In theſe two branches ſtandeth the firſt part of examination. And theſe two points are ſo neerely ioyned and knit together, that no man can thoroughly know God, vnleſſe he know himſelfe: and no man can hauehave the perfect knowledge of himſelfe, except he know God in whomhActs 17, 28 he liueth, mooueth, and hath his being. VnderUnder theſe two heads, many particular points are containd, neceſſary to be known of thoſe that offer themſelues to bee partakers of this Sacrament. Firſt, that there is onelyonly one God, that hath made himſelfe knowne in three perſons,Iohn 5, 7. the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy-ghoſt. Secondly, that God made man and all other creatures good, and gouerneth all things well. Thirdly, man did fall through the enticement of the Deuill, and his own wilfull diſobedience in breaking the commandements of God. Fourthly, there are ten commaundements diuided into two tables: whereof the foure firſt commaundements concerne our duties to God, the ſixe laſt our duties toward our neighbour. Fiftly, we cannot keepe theſe commandements, nor anie one of them, but wee breake them daily, in motion, in thoght, in word, and in deed: the breach wherof deſeruethkDeut, 27, 25 the curſe of God, that is, all miſeries in this life, death in th… end of this life, and hell fire after this life. Sixtly; there is no meanes or remedy in our ſelues or in any creature but onelyonly in Ieſus Chriſt the eternall Son of God,lLuke 1, 35 who is God and Man: God that he might ouercom death, and Man that he might die for our ſinnes. Hee hath pacified Gods wrath, fulfilled the righteouſneſſe of the Law, ſanctified our nature, adopted vsus to be the children of God, and maketh our duties (though weake) acceptable vntounto his Father. Seuen…hly, all hauehave not deliuerance by him, but onelyonly ſuch as beleeue in Chr…ſt,m1 Cor. 1, 30. whoſe obedience and righteouſneſſe is made ours by a liuely faith, whereby we are perſwaded that through him our ſinnes are forgiuen, and we made the children of God. Eightly, faith is a gift of God, applying Chriſt and all his merits particularly to our ſelues, and teaching that he is a Sauiour vntounto vsus. Ninthly, beeing ſaued by Chriſt through faith,nLuke, 1, 74▪ we may not liue as we lift: this vnſpeakable merciemercy teacheth vsus to deny all vngodlineſſe, and all worldly and ſinnefull luſts, to liue ſoberly, righteouſlie, and godly in this preſent euill world, and to walke in newneſſe of life,oEpheſia, 6, 5 becauſe no vnrighteous perſon ſhal enter into the kingdome of heauen.
Tenthly, this Faith which bringeth foorth a reformed life, is wrought within our heartes by the Holie-ghoſtpRom, 10, 14. through the preaching of the word, being truely expounded, and profitably applyed with doctrine, conſutation, exhortation, correction, reformation, and conſolation: and it is encreaſed beſides, by reading, praying, and receyuing of the Sacraments. Eleuenthly touching prayer, wee hauehave a perfect platforme left vsus byqMat 6, 9. Chriſt in the Goſpell, which containeth 6. petitions, the three firſt concerning the glory of God, and the three laſt concerning the neceſsities of our owne bodies and ſoules. Twelfely, the Sacraments are another helpe to ſtrengthen and increaſe faith, which are outward ſignes and ſeales ordained of God, to aſſure vsus that Chriſt & all his ſauing graces are giuen vntounto vsus. Theſe are two in number. Baptiſme, the Sacrament of our regeneration and new birth, aſſureth vsus by the waſhing of water, that our ſins are forgiuen by the blood of Chriſt, & we borne anew to God. The Lords Supper aſſureth vsus, that by bread and wine giuen and receiued according to Gods ordinance, Chriſt is giuen vsus to be our ſpirituall nouriſhment to euerlaſting life.
Theſe grounds of religion muſt be knowne and vnderſtood, that we may learne how wretched and miſerable we are by nature, and what remedy God hath ordained for our deliuerance. We ſhall neuer feele the ſweetneſſe of Gods mercy, vntill we finde the greatnes of our owne miſery. We cānot perceiue how greatly we ſtand in need of Chriſt, vntill we know our owne wofull and wretched eſtate by reaſon of ſin. Such then as are ignorant in theſe neceſſary points of Chriſtian religion, and eſpecially in the doctrine of both the Sacraments, can neuer come aright vntounto them, can neuer ſhew forth the Lords death, can neuer diſcerne his body, but blindly run on to the danger of their owne ſoules. Wherefore it ſtandeth all men vponupon, to deſire the ſincere milke of the wordrPet. 2, 10 that they may grow thereby, to ſeeke after knowledge, as for ſiluer, and after vnderſtanding as precious ſtones. A loathing ſtomacke neuer well digeſteth the meat that is put into it: and he that is full, deſpiſeth the Hony-combe. What is the reaſon that they remaine blinde in the matters of God and their owne ſaluation, and as bruite beaſts in vnderſtanding? Surely, becauſe they deſire not the wayes of God, they regard not his feare, they contemne knowledge, as Eſau did the bleſſing, and the Iſraelites did their Manna. For no man truely deſired the knowledge of God and of godlineſſe vnfainedly, but he had the meanes offered vntounto him at one time or other. Cornelius deſiring to be throughly inſtructed in the way of ſaluation, was directed by the Angell to ſend for Peter, ſAct 11, 13.Who ſhould ſpeake words vntounto him, whereby he and his houſhold ſhould be ſaued. Thus Dauid going the way of al fleſh, inſtructeth his ſon Salomon, t1 Chr. 28, 9.Thou Salomon know thou the God of thy Fathers, and ſerue him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: if thou ſeeke him, he will be found of thee, but if thou forſake him, he will cast thee off for euer. This is it alſo which the Prophet proclaimed, 2 Chro. 15. O Aſa and all Iudah & Beniamin, heare yee me: the Lord is with you, while yee bee with him: and if ye ſeeke him, he will be found of you: but if ye forſake him, he will forſake you. Likewiſe the Euangeliſt teacheth, that when Zaccheus ſought to ſee Ieſus, he ſhewed himſelfe vntounto him, he entred into his houſe, and that which is more into his heart,uLuk. 19, 3. &c, and that day ſaluation was begun in him & in his family, being made the childe of Abraham. Hereby is fulfilled that which the Prophet ſpeaketh, Pſal. 145. The Lord is neere aPſal. 145.18 &c.vntounto all that call vponupon him, euen to all that call vponupon him in truth: he will fulfill the deſire of them that feare him, he will alſo heare their cry, & will ſaue them. Where he teacheth, that if we truely deſite knowledge, we ſhall effectually obtaine it. God wil not be wanting to vsus, if we be not wanting to ourſelues. When the Eunuch came to Ieruſalem, & exerciſed himſelfe in the Scriptures, in reading the Prophet for increaſe of knowledge, as he ſate in his chatiot: did not the Lord direct Philip to go to him,bAct. 8, …8 …9 & ioyn himſelfe to his chariot, by whom he was farther inſtructed & baptized? So ſhall it be with all that hunger & thirſt after the doctrin of godlines, they ſhal not be left deſtitute, but be filled with the knoledge therof to their endles comfort. The hand of God is not ſhortned, he is as ready to help vsus as euer he was,cMat 5 6. according to the promiſe of Chriſt, Bleſſed are they that hunger and thirſt after righteouſnes, for they ſhalbe filled. Hereunto tendeth the general promiſe, deliuered in the general words of him that is the author of grace,dMat. 7, 7, 8 A…k and ye ſhall rece…ue, ſick and ye ſhal find: knock & it ſhalbe opened vntounto you: for whoſoeuer asketh, receiueth: & he that ſeeketh, findeth: & to him that knocketh, it ſhalbe opened.
Here we hauehave an excellent comfort and encouragement, to conſider that our holy indeuours ſhall not be in vaine in the Lord.