Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	believe_v	faith_n	object_n	1,927	5	8.5671	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A74987	The glory of Christ set forth in several sermons from John III.34, 35, 36 and V.25 : and The necessity of faith in order to pleasing God, from Hebrews XI.6 / by Mr. Thomas Allen, late pastor of a church in the city of Norwich.	Allen, Thomas, 1608-1673.; Finch, Martin, 1628?-1698.	1683 (1683)	Wing A1046; ESTC R43595	136,370	269

to come and partake of the Lords-Table then we must have some grounds to hope and perswade our selves that we have some right to it or else we cannot partake in Faith Object But you will say This may be a ground of discouragement to many a gracious heart Many a gracious Soul is exercised with scruples of Conscience and may Question whether they have a right or no and such by this Direction must be forced to with-hold from it Answ For Answer briefly we are to know that every doubt and scruple and Question that Christians may have about their coming to this Ordinance is not sufficient for them to withdraw from it or to withhold their presence in it no they are not presently therefore to withdraw and withhold from the participation of it What shall they do then You will say Answ Briefly I pray mind it because it may concern some that are scrupulous and to be exercised with Questions and doubts whether they have right to it or no therefore such are seriously to consider what the ground of their doubt and scruple is whether it be sufficient and warrantable to cause a withdrawment from this Ordinance amongst others the grounds of scruple in this case may be reduced to three heads First Possibly some do Question and scruple their coming to this Ordinance for fear they should eat and drink unworthily and so eat and drink their own damnation that is my fear saies one and therefore I dare not come I fear I may not come I pray now therefore consider this briefly for I may not inlarge but consider this whether a mans Questioning whether he shall eat and drink unworthily be a sufficient ground and warrant for him to withhold from the Lords-Table I pray mind and consider what the Apostle saies 1 Cor. 11.27 28. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself and so let him eat Mark doth the Apostle say that he that fears that he shall eat and drink unworthily shall therefore withhold no but let him be the more solicitous and careful to examine himself and prepare himself that he may not partake unworthily of it that the Apostle doth intimate The Apostle doth not give a liberty upon it to withhold Therefore I say that is not a sufficient ground because we fear we shall partake unworthily but therefore we should be the more Solicitous and careful to examine our selves and to be preparing our selves the more to partake of this Ordinance Secondly Ordinarily some do fear and doubt whether they may partake of this Ordinance or no by reason they find themselves so weak in Grace Oh! saies one my Faith is so weak and my other graces so weak that I fear I shall but sin if I should come to the Lords-Table Now I pray Consider whether this be a sufficient scruple or no for I pray mark Consider the end of this Ordinance and for whom it is appointed what is it appointed for those that are perfect in grace for those that are perfect in Faith and other graces Is it not appointed rather to be a means to perfect and strengthen our graces therefore the weaker we apprehend our graces to be the more need we have to draw near to Christ in this Ordinance for the further Communication of the Spirit and grace to us that we may be strengthened in our inward man and have our grace increased That is the second scruple Thirdly The third scruple may be this which commonly is the greatest of all but suppose that I have no grace at all as I question whether I have any grace in truth or no upon examination of my self I cannot find that I have any Faith is it for me to come to this Ordinance Mark I pray in a word briefly A Soul sometimes under Temptation may be ready to conclude it hath no grace at all but I pray consider thus much though a Soul cannot say that it doth truly believe on Christ yet if so be there be a real hungering and thirsting after Christ a real desire after Christ in such a case a Soul is to come and partake of this Ordinance Blessed are they that Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled Therefore though you cannot say certainly that you have Faith really wrought in you yet notwithstanding if there be a real hunger and desire and thirst after the enjoyment of Christ and communion with Christ in such a case a Soul may may come to partake of this Ordinance and such a Soul hath a right to it This is now a third direction how we may come in Faith to this Ordinance Namely to have some grounds to perswade us to hope that we have a right to it otherwise we cannot come in Faith Fourthly Take a fourth Direction which is this Namely if we would act and exercise Faith in this Ordinance then we must be careful to be found diligent in those things that are required towards our preparation to it I pray mind it it is the proper nature of Faith to put a Soul upon diligence in applying its self to the means for the obtaining of any end it is the proper nature of Faith to put a Soul upon the diligent use of means tending thereunto this is the proper nature of Faith indeed presumption if it have any hope of any Blessing or Mercy presumption leads a man to neglect the means but the proper work and nature of Faith is to lead a Soul to the diligent use of the means to obtain the Mercy or Blessing it hopes for I could give you divers instances in Scripture for this how Faith doth put a Soul upon the diligent use of means that are required for such an end I remember 't is said in 2 Chron. 20. concerning Jehoshaphat he was invaded by a foreign● enemy and thereupon he set himself to seek the Lord in wrestling by Prayer well the Lord is pleased to give him a gracious answer by the Prophet in the midst of the Congregation vers 14 15. And he said Hearken ye Judah and ye Inhabitants of Jerusalem thus saith the Lord be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude for the Battel is not yours but the Lords Vers 17. Ye shall not need to fight in the Battel set your selves stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord with you O Judah and Jerusalem fear not be not dismayed to morrow go out against them the Lord will be with you Now Jehoshaphat having this promise his Faith did carry him out to set himself in Battel-aray as if they were to fight for it he would not neglect the means that God had appointed So you read of Paul in Acts 27. Paul was in danger by Sea in a great Storm in danger to be wrecked and it is said the Angel of the Lord came to him vers 23 24. For

there stood by me this night the Angel of the Lord whose I am and whom I serve saying Fear not Paul thou must be brought before Cesar and Lo God hath given thee all them that sail with thee Wherefore sirs saies Paul be of good cheer for I believe God that it shall he even as he told me Paul had a promise that none that were in the Ship should be drowned but that all should come safe to shore now did Pauls Faith make him careless in looking after the means for his preservation no for mark now the Mariners and Seamen they thought their case was desperate and they under pretence to make use of the Boat did intend to have gotten away Now Paul knew that the ordinary means for their preservation was to have the Mariners to stay to look after the Ship and when they under colour as though they would have cast Anchors out of the foreship let down the Boat into the Sea and were about to flee out saies Paul to the Centurion and to the Soldiers vers 31. Except these abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved What! had he not a promise that they should be all saved Yes but yet saies Paul if you do not use the means dilligently and carefully you cannot look to have the Mercy Faith puts us upon diligence in the use of means whereas presumption doth take a man off from the use of means and make him careless and slothful about the means but Faith doth make a man diligent in the use of the means to attain the end which is the blessing that God hath promised So in this case God doth require in order to our right participation of this Ordinance that we should prepare our selves before hand for this Ordinance now it is the proper work of Faith to set us to work to be diligent in our preparation for it in those ways and means which God hath appointed and what are those Briefly amongst others this is one Namely self-examination saies the Apostle Let a man examine himself and so let him eat c. Examine himself about what Briefly let a man examine himself if he will partake worthily especially about three or four things First What are the special ends of this Ordinance and this indeed is to discern the Lords Body for if so be we do not understand wherefore we come to this Ordinance we do no discern the Lords Body that is we do put no great difference between the Bread and Wine in this Ordinance and common Bread and Wine and so we do not discern the Lords Body therefore I say this is one thing in the examination of our selves consider and examine what are the special ends for which Christ hath appointed this Ordinance And amongst the rest they are these 1st Christ hath appointed this great Ordinance to have us to keep in remembrance his Death his laying down of his life for us his shedding his Blood for us we are very apt to forget this great kindness of Christ and therefore Christ hath appointed this Ordinance for this great end amongst others that we may remember his death 1 Cor. 11.26 As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew forth the Lords death till he come It is a memorial of the Death of Jesus Christ 2dly Another end of it is this namely that we might have Communion with Jesus Christ in his Death and in the merits of his righteousness It is appointed for that end The Bread which we break saies the Apostle is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ and the cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ Hereby now we profess that we have Communion with Christ and it is appointed for this end we must understand this or else we do not discern the Lords Body we must examine wherefore we come to partake of this Ordinance 3dly Another end is for the sealing up of the Covenant of grace to us it is a Seal of the righteousness of Faith as Baptisme and Circumcision was and it seals up that righteousness to our Faith that is held forth through Christ 4thly Another special end of this Ordinance is to profess our near union with all Believers our love to and our union with all Believers Saies the Apostle We are all but one Bread 1 Cor. 10.17 All moulded up into one Body and Christians should be of one heart and one Soul when they come to partake of this Ordinance Now I say if we would come in Faith we are to prepare for it by examining our selves concerning the ends for which Christ hath appointed this Ordinance 2ly We are to examine our selves not only about the ends of this Ordinance but also concerning our Faith whether we do truly believe in Christ or no or what grounds we have to hope that we do truly believe in Christ or that we have an interest in Christ we are to examine our selves concerning that and also about our acting and exercising Faith on Christ and if so be we find our Faith weak as I said it may be so weak as that there may be nothing sometimes but hungerings and thirstings and desires after Christ therefore we should search and examine what our Faith is the weakness of it and thereby be the more desirous to come to this Ordinance that our weak Faith and weak Graces might be strengthened and confirmed And so 3dly Again We are to examine our selves concerning our repentance Namely concerning our judging of our selves for former failings and miscarriages we should be mourning and humbling of our selves for our turnings aside and warping from the Rule and Law of God and so we should desire and endeavour and resolve through the strength of Christ to walk more closely with God and uprightly for the time to come this is the nature of true repentance as to be humbled for sins past so to resolve through the strength of Christ against sin for the time to come And then 4thly Again We are to examine our selves concerning our charity and love to all to consider wherein our love is defective and whether we can be truly reconciled and at peace with all whether we have no grudgings nor no envyings for private and particular offences against one or another and that we are ready to go and seek peace and reconciliation with them that have offended us we are to consider our Love with the weakness of it wherein we are defective in it these things are required of us before our coming to the Lords Table in a way of preparation Now therefore if you would act and exercise Faith remember this Direction which Faith will put us upon namely to be diligent in the use of those means that are required of us in order to the right participation of it And if we be not diligent to prepare according as the Rule doth require we do not act in a way of Faith in it 5thly and

administration of it to look that the person that doth administer it in Christs Name be called and authorised by Christ himself unto the work 2. But then another thing that is requisite for the right administration of this Ordinance is this namely for the manner of it that the manner of the Administration of the Ordinance be according to the Mind and Will of Christ in the Gospel suppose now there be a person that Christ hath called and authorised to the work yet if the Ordinance for the manner of it be not administred according to Christs Institution and Direction truly Christ will not own this for an Ordinance of his because it is not administred according to Christs appointment And it doth concern Christians though in former times Christians have little minded these things about the manner of administration whether it have been according to the Institution of Christ or no the Lord may have passed by infirmities of that kind and winked at infirmities and miscarriages therein but now the Lord hath revealed more light and therefore now it concerns Christians to understand and know the manner of Christ's institution and appointment how he will have his Ordinances administred if so be this Ordinance be not administred according to the Mind of Christ for the manner of it truly Brethren it may be so far from profiting of us that we may be the worse for it As now about other things commonly amongst us if things be not acted legally according to the tenour and manner of the Law a Man may do that whereby he may damnify himself though it may be possibly to recover and take what is his own in some cases as you that have skill in the Law know that in some cases a Man taking his own where he finds it if he doth not take it in a legal way he may hazzard and damnify himself So we think the Ordinances of Christ are ours and we partake of them as our own now if we take our own not according to the Mind of Christ instead of profiting by the Ordinance we may be the worse for it Christ may not own it for his own Institution Brethren know this that the Lord is very exact about the manner of the administration of this Ordinance you know what it cost King Saul Saul would needs take upon him to offer sacrifice 1 Sam. 13. It did belong only to the Priest to offer Sacrifice it was in a strait when the Philistines were ready to set upon him and he calls for sacrifice at verse 9. he would offer a burnt offering but mark what the consequence was when Samuel came and understood what Saul had done says Samuel at vers 13. Thou hast done foolishly thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever but now thy kingdom shall not continue c. And so we read concerning Uzziah 2 Chron. 26. Uzziah would needs take upon him to burn Incense in the Temple the burning of Incense did belong to the Priest but immediately in the very place the Lord struck him with a Leprosie vers 19. the ●eprosie appeared in his fore●●●● 〈…〉 the Priests did drive him out and 〈…〉 also hasted to go out because the ●ord had smitten him vers 20. I tell you the Lord is very exact about the administration of his Ordinances and would have his people to be exact about it you know what David himself said when the Lord had smitten Uzza for laying his hand upon the Ark when they were removing it and carrying it towards Jerusalem it was carried upon a Cart when it should have been carried upon the Priests shoulders and when the Cart shook the Ark and Uzza out of a desire to preserve the Ark from breaking laid his hand upon it to keep it God struck him immediately dead in the place and what was the reason says David afterward in 1 Chron. 15.13 for because ye did it not at the first the Lord our God made a breach upon us for that we sought him not after the due order according to his Institution therefore it is a matter o● great concernment if people will act in Faith in the participation of the Ordinances of Christ to look to the right manner of administration of them Let us be perswaded of that that they are administred according to the Institution and appointment of Jesus Christ both in respect of the person administring and 〈◊〉 ●●spect of the manner of its administration This is the Second Direction Thirdly If a Man or Woman will exercise Faith in this great Ordinance of the Lords-Supper he must then be careful to have some grounds to perswade him or to give him hope that the Ordinance doth belong to him or that he hath a right to it he must act in Faith so far that he must be perswaded or have some comfortable grounds to hope that he hath a right to this Ordinance or el●e he cannot act in Faith See what the Apostle saith concerning eating of ordinary meat in Rom. 14. and last verse He that eateth and doubteth whether it be lawful or no he is damned if he eat though it be but his ordinary meat he that doubteth is damned if he eat Much more in this case he that comes to eat at the Lords-Table and doth eat not having any ground to hope it belongs to him or that he hath any right to it this is now a greater sin and he cannot act in Faith For Brethren it is not for all to partake of the Lords-Table I suppose that is out of doubt it is not for all one as well as another no there is a difference to be put as now those that are prophane they have no right to it they will eat and Drink unworthily we may find this amongst the very Heathens they observed rules in their Sacred and Solemn Rites and Ceremonies it was observed amongst them that prophane persons must not come near them prophane persons were to withdraw as unworthy ones So much more must such withdraw from this Ordinance they have no right to it And again such as are Ignorant have no right to it those that cannot discern the Lords Body in their partaking of it they have no right to it those that are not able to examine themselves before they eat and drink they have no right to it then all persons have not a right to this Ordinance Nay I will say further that those that are unbelievers though they may be civil otherwise yet those that are not believers they have no right to this Ordinance I remember the Apostle hath such an expressiion Hebrews 13.10 Saies he We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat that serve Tabernacles That is those that were unbelievers the Jews that did not believe that Christ was come in the Flesh they were unbelievers and so had no right to eat So that I say it is not for every one