Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

The chief use we are now to make of it is, to examine ¹and try our selves whether we have grace in our hearts or no, by this property, and character of grace here set down, that it makes a man strong, thou my son be strong in the grace, &c. We must I say examine our selves: for there are two special times wherein the Lord himself makes a privy search (as it were) the one is at the time of the Sacrament, the other at the day of death. Therefore when men come to the Lords Table, the Lord (as it were) goes down himself, and takes a view of the guests, and sees whether they be so qualified as men ought to be that come to his Table: therefore look to your selves now you are bidden, examine your selves.

1. 1Use. To examine if we have grace.

In the Law a man might not come to the passover but he must be circumcised: those you know were but legal types, and resembled somewhat else. You must not come to the Lords Supper, but there must be this circumcision made without hands, there must be such a fitness in you as you may be accepted: therefore you must examine your selves when you come hither.

In the Law a man might not come to the passeover but he must be circumcised: those you know were but legal types, and resembled somewhat else. You must not come to the Lords Supper, but there must be this circumcision made without hands, there must be such a fitness in you as you may be accepted: therefore you must examine your selves when you come hither.

Again another time wherein the Lord makes this privy search is at our entrance into the wedding chamber, at the day of death, When the Bridegroom goes in, then the Lord searcheth whether we have oil in our Lams or no: whether those that offer to enter in have any effects, any tincture of his Sons blood upon them. The effect of