is incumbent on us to attend to this exercise, seeing Paul lays down this rule of examination before our approach, to preserve us from being guilty" of the body and blood of the Lord."

I will endeavour to set before you what self-examination is, and what it should be particularly exercised upon, as it respects the subject before us.

Self-examination is a reflex act of the renewed mind and conscience, whereby a man, as far as assisted by the light of the Word, and Spirit of God, doth discern the spiritual good and evil which is in his own heart, and in each and every faculty, both severally, and jointly or together. By which means he gains an acquaintance with himself, his state, case, sins, corruptions, graces, declensions, and decays, and what real growth into Christ, and communion he hath with God.

This I conceive to be, and consider as self-examination, and it is this which is here urged upon us in these words, "Let a man examine himself."

Which is thus to be performed: Be

lievers in Christ, looking up to the Holy Spirit for divine illumination, and to his written word as their rule, are to turn their thoughts and eyes inward, to reflect and consider the state and case of their own souls, as it respects both corruptions and graces to the intent that from a proper view and knowledge of themselves, they may be disposed to pray most properly, and suitably, as their own peculiar state, cases, and circumstances may require.

Self-examination, as preparatory to the Lord's table, should be diligently exercised concerning what our real views, apprehensions, and sense of sin are, what real sorrow for it, and hatred against it, are found in our souls, and how this is manifested.

What our besetting, constitutional corruptions are. How far they are mortified by spiritual views of Christ, and actual fellowship with him in his death.

Also, it should be inquired into, what real communion we have, and do enjoy in our own souls, with the Father, and the Son, through the Spirit; what state

our souls are in, with respect to the exercise of spiritual acts of faith, hope, and love towards and upon our Lord Jesus Christ, and God our heavenly Father in him.

Also, what we know of this sacred institution, what acquaintance we have with the subject-matter of the ordinance, what our views, motives, and excitements are, which cause us to attend it, and what our hopes and expectations in the Lord are, as to spiritual communion with him at his holy table.

These things being impartially inquired into, upon which, as the proper effect of it, being in a spiritual sense made acquainted with ourselves, our cases, experiences; what our real growth in grace is, and seeing and feeling afresh, how much we want a present communication of grace from Christ, having also an hunger and thirst after him, as the bread of life, and wine of divine consolation, we may come forward to his table: yea, we are commanded by the apostle to come"Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that

cup. Let him come to the table of the Lord and welcome.

I close this part of the subject with saying, that Paul, as speaking in the first place thus to the Corinthians, implies, that the want of spiritual examination was the cause of those miscarriages for which he taxeth them in the preceding verses. And secondly, as he speaks them to us, they shew, that he excludes none from attending to this direction. It is according to him, absolutely necessary at all times, and in all places, to a profitable attendance on the table of the Lord.

I add, by it we are most likely, under the gracious breathing of the Holy Spirit, to exercise those graces upon Christ, which are peculiarly suited to the remembrance of his passion. The exhortation which we have been considering, is backed and enforced strongly and solemnly, "he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself."

Which leads me, secondly, to consider the punishment which falls upon an unworthy receiver, which is pointed out and

expressed in this 29th verse, which is now to be treated of.

You may conceive the apostle as speaking thus in the 27th, 28th, and 29th verses: Seeing such profane the solemn remembrance of Christ's death, and the memorials of his passion, as eat and drink unworthily at the supper of the Lord; let such therefore as would not in like manner be guilty of profaning "the body and blood of the Lord," try and examine themselves, because unworthy receivers "eat and drink their own damnation."

This is the dreadful consequent of unworthy partaking at the Lord's table.

What unworthy receiving consists in, and in what sense such are "guilty of the body and blood of the Lord," I declared and shewed in our last solemn exercise, previous to the celebration of this institution, when I opened and explained the words of the 27th verse," Whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord."

I am now to set before you the punishment which falls on an unworthy receiver: