A Treatise of Self-Judging, To the reader – Errata
A TREATISE OF SELF-JUDGING, In order to the Worthy Receiving OF THE Lords Supper.
Together with a SERMON OF THE Generall DAY OF JUDGEMENT.
By Anthony Burgeſſe Paſtor of Sutton-Coldfield in Warwickshire.
LONDON, Printed by J.H. for T. Underhill at the Anchor, and M. Keinton at the Fountain, in Pauls Church-yard. 1658.
TO THE READER.
READER,
THe ſubject of this ſhort Trea iſe, (which for the comprehenſiveneſs and fruitfulneſs of it, might have ſwelled into a bigger Volumn) is Self-judging: The frequent commands for which in Scripture, as alſo the excellency, uſefulneſs, difficulty and contrariety of it to fleſh and blood, which loveth to ſay, Soul take thy eaſe, do all proclaim the great moment and importance thereof; yea it may be juſtly affirmed, that the neglect of this duty is the cauſe of miſcarriage and apoſtacy in many profeſſors. Certainly Calvin, when he had enlarged himſelf about that curious and exact point, wherein the temporary believer, and the truly godly differ, granting that ſimili ferè ſenſu afficiuntur, they feel almoſt the ſame things with one another, yet addeth, that in the hypocrite this ſenſe of divine things is not ſo radicated, it is alſo more confuſed, then what is in the godly, but hereby they are deceived in their experiences, and one reaſon is, becauſe ſlothfulneſs doth ſo far poſſeſs them, ne cor ſuum probè ut par erat examinent, lib. 3. Inſtit. cap. 2. par. 12. that they do not ſo throughly examine their heart, as is fit they ſhould. Some Heathens, as Pythagoras & Seneca, have made Eſſaies upon this duty: The Jeſuites alſo in their Tractates of devotion do much commend it; but the pillar and cloud that we have in the …cripture, is only able to guide us in this wilderneſs: They only can manage this work with ſpiritual proficiency, who through an holy habit, have their ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern between good and evil. For ſeeing there are three different principles may be working in our hearts, Nature in its improvement, The Devil with his deluſions, The Spirit of God, and that either in a common way, ſuch as hypocrites and reprobates may attain unto, or in a peculiar, diſcriminating way, which the ſincere do only partake of; what heavenly skill, what godly prudence is required to make a diſtinction herein, to difference what is of nature or the devil, from the Spirit of God; yea to go further, and to diſcern what is of the Spirit of God in a common way, and what in a ſpecial way: Such that can do this, muſt be like thoſ… Benjamites, Judg. 20.16. that could ſling ſtones at an hairs breadth, and not miſs. In the protract of this diſcourſe I conſider this duty more particularly, as it is a neceſſary preparative to the Ordinance of the Lords Supper, for this was the occaſion of faſtning upon this ſubject at firſt. My Method in handling of this Point, is for the moſt part, poſitive; waving controverſies, even when the matter did ſeem to call for it. As pag. 126, 127. I affirm, That ſuch who are ſpiritually dead, cannot put forth gracious actings at the Lords Supper, or ſpiritually eat and drink, ſo that they receive no heavenly nouriſhment thereby; not entring upon the Controverſie, Whether the Lords Supper be a converting Ordinance, or not, being ſatisfied in this, That that Ordinance was not inſtituted, either for the exhibition, or obſignation of the firſt, and radical, or fundamental grace, but doth wholly preſuppoſe it: Therefore I think Aquinas ſpeaketh Orthodoxally in this, Comment. In cap. 11. ad Corinth. Epiſt. 1a Lecti 7a, who making this objection to himſelf, That Chriſt is received in this Sacrament, now he is a ſpiritual Phyſitian, & that not the whole, but the ſick need ſuch an one: He anſwereth, That this Sacrament declareth nouriſhment, and therefore none do receive the benefit thereof, but ſuch who live the life of grace, yet we muſt add that ſinners, if humbled, and of broken hearts, ought to addreſſe themſelves to that Ordinance for the ſealing of the pardon of their ſins, to obviate that error in Popery, which denieth remiſſion of ſins to be vouchſafed in the right uſe thereof. Again, pag. 128, 129. I declare That ſuch who have competent knowledge, and are unblameable in their lives, are by Church-officers to be admitted to this Ordinance, though happly not internally ſanctified. Neither is the Church-officer to attend to that, but the command and order of Chriſt, not launching into the Controverſie of the extenſiveneſſe of the adminiſtration of Ordinances, or the qualifications of Church-members, a…quieſcing in that which Ames anſwereth to Bellarmine, Bellar. Enerv. tom. 3. cap. 1. de Sacram. qu 3. (who objected, That if Sacraments were the ſeals of grace, a Miniſter could not baptize any, unleſs he knew he were elected, leſt he ſhould apply the ſeal to a falſhood,) That Miniſters are not to adminiſter Sacraments according to their private knowledge or opinion, but according to the command of God. Let me alſo advertiſe thee, that becauſe of the conſanguinity of the matter, there is annexed a Sermon of the day of Judgement, ſelf-judging being a ſpeciall means to prevent that dreadfull judgemen… of condemnation in that great day. The great Prophet of his people teach thee to profit and make theſe neceſſary inſtructions effectual to thy ſouls good.
Anthony Burgeſſe.
ERRATA.
PAg. 12. lin. 7. r. Cyprian, Inde ſurgat actus noſtri ratio, unde ordo & origo ſurrexit. p. 19. l. 18. r. Ancient did. p. 43. l. 5. r. deſultorious. l. 3. r. true gold. l. 14. dele mettall. p. 49. l. 20. r. foreign. p. 64. l. 19. r. renew. p. 82. l. 17. dele voluntary.
In the Sermon of Judgement.
Pag. 9. l. 11. r. foreign. p. 36. l. 11. dele vertuous. p. 59. l. 20. r. is u. p. 64. l. 17. r. tu rides.