A preparative to marriage The sum whereof was spoken at a contract, and enlarged…A preparatiue to mariage The summe whereof was spoken at a contract, and inlarged…

This admonished them, that the matter now to be performed, was very weighty, and therefore they were deeply to consider it, for now was the action, and some of all salvation in handling: if they did prepare themselves so before ⟨image 110⟩they did receive the figure of this Sacrament, how should we be prepared before we receive the Sacrament it self? Therefore as Josiah commanded the Levites ¹to prepare the people; so Paul adviseth the people to prepare themselves, that is, to examine whether they have faith, and love, and repentance, before they come to this feast. By this all may see, first that Paul would have every lay ²man so skilful in the Scripture, that he be able to examine himself by it; for this admonition is not to them which minister the Sacrament, but to all which receive the Sacrament. And the rule by which we must examine our selves, is the law which we should obey: therefore if the rule be unknown, the examination must be undone. Our doctrine must be ⟨image 111⟩examined by the doctrine of the ³Prophets and Apostles; our prayers must be examined by the six ⁴petitions of Christs prayer; our belief must be examined by the twelve articles of faith; our life must be examined by the ten Commandments of the Law. ⁵Now, he which hath his Touchstone may try gold from copper, but he which hath it not, takes one for the other. Therefore, before Pauls Examine, you had need to learn Christs Search, Search the ⁶Scriptures, and they will lighten ⁷you to search your selves. This is the doctrine with which I will end, and the necessary point for which I choose this text, to teach you (if I could) that Christian art how to examine your selves.