If we should ask the queftion at many communicants, which our Lord asked the two disciples he overtook going to Emmaus, Luke xxiv. 17. "What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk by the way?" What manner of conference and communications were thofe ye had together, when ye went home from the preparation-fermon? Nay, those ye had the very morning as ye walked together to the church to receive the facrament? How afhamed would many communicants be to tell what paft amongst them? There are many who could not answer them with thefe two difciples, v. 19. " concerning Jefus of Nazareth;" we were talking concerning a crucified Jefus, our lovely Redeemer; concerning the advantage of meeting with him in the facrament, and the preparation needful for that end. Nay, it is to be feared, the answer of many would be, if they fhould be ingenuous, we were talking about our corn, cattle, merchandife, families, relations, &c.; these things, alas, many bring in their mouths to the very church-door. But, fhould we search more narrowly, and propose another queftion: "What manner of thoughts were thofe you entertained that night, or that morning, before the facrament?" Oh, the world would cry, Fy and fhame on the thoughts of many if they were known. Well, remember it, our all-feeing Lord knows them all, and you may expect he will answer you according to the idols of your heart. O purge your hearts from vain thoughts and fequeftrate yourselves from worldly bufinefs, if you would rightly prepare for this ordinance, and profit in partaking of it.

DIRECT. VIII. Set fome time apart for the work of felf-examination, before you approach to the Lord's

table.

THIS is a duty indifpenfibly neceffary unto worthy partaking, 1 Cor. xi. 28." But let a man examine himfelf, and fo let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup." The word which the apoftle ufeth here, dokimazeto, fignifies a diligent and narrow fearch into the nature and properties of a thing, as a goldfmith proves the goodness

goodness of his metal. It lies in a close and free communing with our own hearts, by fifting our fouls before the tribunal of conscience, and bringing our state and actions to be tried there by the rule of God's word. Self-examination is a reflex act of the mind, whereby we turn our eyes backward, and take a view of our bypaft life; and alfo inward, in order to ranfack the state of our hearts, and the principles and scope of our ac tions, by putting fuch questions to ourselves as these, "What have we been doing? Wherein have we offended? What are we doing now? Where am I, and whither do I defign to go? What shall I do to be faved? Wherewithal fhall I appear before the Lord ?" This duty fuppofes a ferious paufe of the foul, an arrefting of the thoughts, and an awakening of our powers and faculties to be attentive to this work, that we may proceed with all calmnefs and ferenity, feriousness and deliberation, in a matter fo important, that we may find out the truth of our ftate, and fincerity of our perfor mances, the corruption of our hearts, and enormities of our lives. And this must be an exact and impartial fearch. A general furvey of ourfelves will not fuffice to discover things as they really are; for Satan and our own hearts are very deceitful, and ready to impose upon us in this matter: Therefore we must be very faithful and particular in our examination before the facrament, and not fift in generals, or content ourselves with a fuperficial enquiry. Some, at fuch an occafion, 'act like Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. ii 3. 5. "I have dreamed a dream, (fays he) but the thing is gone from me:" So, fay fome, I have finned, I have come fhort: but fcarce can tell wherein, when put to it.

If you would deal faithfully in this work, you must retire from the world, and fummon yourselves to the bar of your own confciences, accuse yourselves plainly, and try yourselves impartially by the laws of heaven, regiftered in the holy fcriptures. And if you would have a just fentence pronounced concerning your ftate and ways, then ye muft in the first place look up to God for light, direction, and affistance; and then ye must excite and awake conscience to do its office, and to speak and judge

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for God: for though a judge be on the bench; yet if he be deaf, dumb, or alleep, he cannot judge. Confcience then must be roufed up, and charged to act faithfully; and you should pray to God for a lively and tender confcience, that will give just and impartial judg ment. A deaf conscience, that hears nothing, a dumb confcience, that speaks nothing, a fleepy conscience, that feels nothing, is the greatest plague in the world. But O it is a great mercy to have a waking and tender con fcience, that will faithfully do its office in the duty of self-examination, especially before a facrament.

This duty is abfolutely neceffary; for without it we cannot know how it is with us, we cannot know our plagues and miferies, our defects and neceffities; and, till fuch a time as we know these, we will neither value nor apply the remedy provided for us in the facrament. Nay, we will be ready to mistake our condition, and think we are in a good state, that we have true grace, when really we have it not. There is much counterfeit grace in the world, and many are deceived therewith; yea there is no grace but what hath its counterfeit. What did Mofes for a time, but the Egyptian forcerers did the like? Did Mofes bring frogs on the land? fo did they. And the magicians blood and frogs feemed as real as thofe produced by Mofes; and yet they were nothing but counterfeits and external appearances. So there is nothing a true Christian hath or can do, but hypocrites may have and do the fame as to outward appearances. Therefore, it is neceffary we bring our graces and duties to be weighed in the balance of the fanctuary.

O communicants, would you know how matters are with you now, and how it is like to fare with you for ever? Would you have your hearts affected with your condition, and made acquaint with Jesus Christ? Would you have a vifit from Chrift at his table? Would you have grace quickened, and your wants supplied? Would you be worthy receivers, and prevent your eating and drinking your own damnation? Then examine yourselves before ye approach. Many a Chriftian can declare, that the time of their fearching themselves in their younger years, in order to prepare for the Lord's table,

was

was the very time their hearts were firft engaged to Jefus Chrift and ferious godlinefs. O wherefore is it that there are so many dead and formal communicants; why fo many hard-hearted and impenitent finners, who could never yet be brought to mourn for their fins, or tura from them to God and holiness? The reafon is plain from God's word, Jer. viii. 6. Lam. iii. 40. Pfil. cxix. 59. They are ftrangers to the duty of felf-examination.

If you neglect to examine yourselves, remember you have to do with an all-feeing and heart-fearching God, who will not fail to examine and find out every carelefs and unworthy communicant to his utter fhame and confufion. Christ, whofe eyes are as a flame of fire, will certainly come in and fee the guests, and when he comes, he will look uarrowly upon them: And, though the house be full of guefts, he will spy out "one man that wants a wedding-garment, Mat. xxii. 1. In a great ground or multitude, one fingle man might think to fculk and not be found out; but we fee that not one man can efcape his piercing eyes; far lefs then can forty, fifty, or an hundred unworthy communicants think to escape in one of our congregations. Again, remember what was the fate of the man that came to the fealt without the wedding garment. In the first place, we see our Lord not only fpied and fingled him out, but he examined him alfo. The man had come without examining himself before hand whether he had this wedding garment or not; but God fmartly examined him. So that we fee, thofe who will not be at the pains and trouble to examine themselves, God will examine them to purpose: Yea, it will be fuch an examination, as the chief captain commanded Paul to be examined with, Acts xxii 24. viz. that he fhould be "examined by fcourging." Every queftion and interrogatory that God will put to a finner, or any unworthy communicant, will have a lafh or fting along with it. What a Scourging question did he put to that man, Mat. xxii. 12. "Friend, how cameft thou in hither, not having a wedding-garment ?" It was fo fharp, it drew blood of his confcience; nay, it ftunned and confoun

ded

ded him; it is faid, he was fpeechless. Friend, fays he, why? Thou profeffeft thyfelf to be a friend of Chrift, and doft affociate thyself with his friends; but, in thy heart thou art an enemy to Chrift, a traitor that comest to ftab him under the fifth rib, "Therefore bind him hand and foot, and take him away," &c. ver. 13 In the mean time, the man is speechlefs, Chrift-condemned, and felf-condemned; he had nothing to say againft the juftice of the sentence. The man that comes with out a wedding garment on his back, fhall not go without chains and fetters on his feet, his hands, yea, on his heart, his will, his confcience, and his whole foul. Better for the man to have examined himself, and fo to have prevented this terrible examination and fen

tence.

God's questions to unworthy receivers will be nonpluffing and confounding. Confider thefe ftinging interrogatories, Ifai, i. 12. "Who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts ?" Pfal. 1. 16. "What haft thou to do to take my covenant in thy mouth ?" Jer. vii. 9. 10. "Will ye fteal, murder, commit adultery, and walk after other gods, and come and stand before me in this houfe?" These be fcourging examinations, that fetch blood at every ftroke; and you may look for it that God will come and examine thee thus, either by an awakened conscience in this life, or at a dying hour, or affoon as thou entereft into eternity: "And who may abide the day of his coming?" Now, the way to prevent fuch an examination, is to examine yourselves: For, "if we would judge ourselves, we fhould not be judged." David did not fear God's examination, when he had examined himself fincerely be fore hand; nay, with a humble confidence he doth appeal to God to search him, Pfal. cxxxix. 23. 24. Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me, &c. Wouldst thou prevent the terror of God's fearch, then put fearching questions to yourself before hand, and fee how matters are with your foul. It is better to have confcience awakened to fearch thee now, than to have it awakened in hell, where there is no place for repen

tance.