Quest. What is the reason there is no more rejoicing and thankfulness for Christ ?
Sol. We keep not the wound, I mean corruption, open ; we see that which is unmortified, but we dry it up ; and therefore we do not relish Christ. Sweet is Christ to the soul that is exercised in a search of his own heart and ways. , Quest. But at what times especiall}^ are we to examine ?
Sol. At all times, every day ; because we must feed on Christ every day. Therefore we ought to have these sour herbs, considering that we daily sin, that Christ may relish. Christ justifieth the ungodly every day. We have use of justification ; and therefore we should daily see our corruptions, and judge ourselves for them : then Christ is Christ indeed, and Jesus is Jesus indeed to us. Every day let us do this. We have short memories ; and sin when it is green it is easily rooted out. Therefore,
1, Every day, before sin be rooted, let us judge ourselves. The more we do it now every day, the less we shall have to do when we die, and when we are on our sickbeds ; and therefore do it still, that we may have the less to do when we are weak. Is that a fit time to go over our life, and to censure our courses, when we are in such a case as we cannot think of earthly things ? Oh, it is an ill time to get grace when we should use grace. And therefore, that we may have the less to do when we shall have
« ' Misery ' added in B, C— G. || Cf. Vol. I., note I, p. 289.— G.
t ' The flames ' in B, C— G. ^ Qu. ' above ' ?— Ed.
X ' This ' in B, C— G. ** ' I speak of ' omitted in B, C— G.
i ' Such sliallbe then in ' omitted in B, C— G. tt No ' of ' in B, 0.— G.
judgment's eeason. 93
enough to do to struggle with sickness ; and have nothing to do when we die, but to die and comfortably yield up our souls to God let us be exact in our accounts every day.
2. But more especially we should do so when we are to deal with God, as now we are to receive the communion, wherein we draw near to God.* Those that go to gi-eat persons, they will not go in rags, but put on their best attire, and make all neat and handsome, that nothing may be offensive. Have we this wisdom when we appear before any greater than ourselves ? When we are to appear before God and Christ (especiallyt to have so near communion as we have in the sacrament), let us labour, I say,| to come neat and prepared. When they were to come to the passover, the lamb was singled out beforehand three days, that they might have time to pre- pare themselves in, Exod. xii. 6. But we ought especially § to examine and to judge ourselves when we come near to God in holy communion, to feast with God,j| which is here intended, when we come to receive the blessed sacrament. They should have prepared and have judged them- selves. H Because they neglected it they were judged of God ; and therefore know you that mean to receive now, now is the time when we should judge ourselves, the more especial time.** Though we should do it every day, yet this is the special time. Take heed of superstition though, to thrust all religion into one time, to the time of the communion, as many do. They turn off all their examination to a little time before the communion, and the taking of the communion to one time of the year, to Easter ; and thus they think God will bear with them. Oh, take heed ! ff that is superstition. As I said before, keep a daity account ; every week examine how we have kept our daily account ; and every month examine how we have kept our weekly account ; and when we come to the communion, examine how we have kept our daily account, whether we have slubbered anything before, || especially when we come to take the communion.
Quest. But what shall we do, when we have done all ? When we have examined, and judged, and passed a censure upon ourselves, §§ what shall [we] do when we have done all ?
Sol. When we are condemned in one court, go to another ; as a man that is condemned in the Common Law, he appeals to the Chancery. When we are condemned in the court of justice, fly to God's chancery, fly to mercy. He that hath a sentence passed in one court, he appeals to another : when we have judged ourselves, then appeal to mercy ; for this is to do it in faith ; and when we judge ourselves in faith, then, upon our judging, we know that God will pardon. You know he hath promised, ' If we confess our sins, he is merciful to forgive them,' 1 John i. 9. Say, Lord, I con- fess them, cancel thou the bond, cancel thou the debt. Therefore a Chris- tian's plea is, when he hath judged himself, to fly to God for pardon. Saul, we know, could judge himself ; and Judas could pass a sentence upon his