Quest. 2. What is self-examination ? Ans. It is a setting up a court of con- science and keeping a register there, that by a strict scrutiny a man may see how matters stand between God and his soul. Self-examination is a spiritual inquisition, an heart-anatomy, Avhereby a man takes his heart, as a watch, all in jneces, and sees what is defective there. It is a dialogue with one's self, Ps. Ixxvii. 6., " I commune with my own heart." David called him- self to account, and put interrogatories to his own heart. Self-examining is a critical descant or search ; as the woman in the parable did light a candle, and search for iier lost groat, Luke xv. 8 , so conscience is the candle of the Lord ; search with this candle what thou canst find wrought by the Spirit in thee.
Quest. 3. What is the rule by which we are to examine ourselves ?
Ans. The rule or measure we must exa- mine ourselves by, is the holy scripture.
We uiust not make fancy, or the good opi- nion which others have of us, the rule by which we judge of ourselves. But as the goldsmith brings his gold to the touch- stone, so must we bring our hearts to a scripture touch-stone, — " To the law, and to the testimonv," Isa. viii. 20. What saith the word ? Are we divorced from sin ? Are we renewed by the Spirit ? Let the word decide whether we are fit communi- cants or not. We judge of colours by the sun, so we must judge of the state of our souls by the sun -light of scripture.
Quest. 4. JVhat are the cogent reasons why we imist examine ourselves before we ap- proach to the Lord's supper ?
Ans. \. It is a duty imposed ; « let him examine himself.' The passover was not to be eaten raw, Exod. xii. 19. To come to such an ordinance slightly, without exa- mination, is to come in an undue manner, and is like eating the passover raw.
J. 2. We must examine ourselves before ve come, because it is not only a duty im- posed, but opposed. There is iu)thing the heart naturally is more averse from than self-examination ; we may know that duty is good which the heart opposeth. But why doth the heart so oppose it ? Because it doth cross the tide of corrupt nature ; 'tis contrary to flesh and blood. The heart is guilty ; and doth a guilty person love to be examined ? The heart opposeth it : there- fore the rather set upon it; that duty is good which the heart opposeth.
A. 3. Because self-examining is so need- ful a work; as appears, 1. Without self- examination, a man can never tell how it is with him, whether he hath grace or not ; and this must needs be very uncomfortable. He knows not if he should die presently, \vhat Avill become of him, or to what coast he shall sail, whether to hell or heaven ; as Socrates said, " I am about to die, and the gods know whether I shall be happy or mi- serable." How needful thei-efore is self- examination, that a man by searcli may come to know the true state of his soul, and may guess how it will go with him to eter- nity !
2. Self-examination is needful in respect of the excellency of the sacrament. Let him eat de illo pane, " of that bread," 1 Cor.
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OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
xi. 28., — tliat excellent bvcad, that conse- crated bread, tliat Itread uliicli is not only tlie bread of the Lord, but the bread the Lord. Let him drink <Ic Ulo jiocvla^ "of that Clip,"— that precious cn]) ^vhicll is per- fumed and sj)iccd with Clirist's love, — that cu|) which holds the blood of God sacra- mentally. Cleopatra put a jewel in a cup which contained the ])rice of a kingdom : this sacred cup we are to drink of, enrich- ed witii the blood of God, is above the price of a kingdom ; it is more worth than hea- ven. Therefore coming to such a royal feast, having whole Christ, his divine and human nature to feed on, how should we examine ourselves before-hand, that we may be fit guests for such a magnificent banquet !
3. Self-examining is needful, because God will examine us. Tliat was a sad ques- tion, Mat. xxii. 12., " Frieiid, how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding gar- ment ?" Men arc loath to ask themselves the question, " O my soul ! art thou a fit guest for the Lord's table ? arc there not some sins thou hast to bewail ? are there not some evidences for heaven that thou liast to get ?" Now, when persons will not ask themselves the question, then God will bring such a question as this to them, How came you in hither to my table not prepar- ed,— how came yc in hither with an unbe- lievinoj or profiine heart ? It shall be such a question as will cause an heart-trembling. God will examine a man, as the chief caji- tain did Paul, with scourging. Acts xxii. 24. 'Tis true, the best saint, if God should weigh him in the lialance, would be found defective ; but, when a Christian hath made an impartial search, and hath laboured to deal u|)rightly between God and his own soul, Christ's merits will cast in some grains of allowance into the scales.