Man that is really and visibly Godly may fall into a scandal and upon that account be forbidden to participate at the Lords Table but when their Conversation is good they cannot be hindred upon that Account A third requisite is that they have knowledge to examine themselves and discern the Lords Body for the want of this Infants are denied the Lords Supper Those Adult Persons that are fit to be admitted into the Church are to be admitted to the Lords Supper All Adult Persons that are fit to be admitted into the Church ordinarily have all those qualifications requisite to the participation of the Lords Supper They make profession of the true Faith and are of good Conversation they have knowledge of the principles of Religion and so are able to examine themselves and if any of them should not understand the Nature of that ordinance they may soon be sufficiently informed Two things are evident in the practise of the Apostles one is that they readily admitted such into the Church as made a profession of the Christian Faith Act. 2. Act. 6. We never read that ever they denied Admission to any Man or Woman that made that profession the other is that all that were thus received by them were admitted to the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 10.17 Act. 2.24 They made no distinction of the Adult Members of the Church into Communicants and Non-Communicants Those that are commanded by God to participate of the Lords Supper are to be admitted to the Lords Supper but all professors that have a good Conversation and Knowledge are commanded by God to participate in the Lords Supper if Men have not these Qualifications they are not obliged immediately to participate in the Lords Supper for it would be a sin if they should But having these Qualifications they are bound provided they have opportunity Christ has laid this Law upon Professors 1 Cor. 11.24,25 The persons here commanded are not only true Believers then none can do it with a good Conscience but those that know themselves to be true Believers then the Church Authority can require none but true Believers to come the Persons therefore required to partake are such professors as carry it inoffensively and if such are bound to come the Church is bound to receive them they may not hinder any Man from doing his Duty There can be no just cause assigned why such Men should be debarred from coming to the Lords Supper they are not to be debarred for not giving the highest evidence of sincerity There never was any such Law in the Church of God that any should be debarred Church Priviledges because they did not give the highest evidence of sincerity nor for want of the Exercise of Faith it is unreasonable to believe Men to be visible Saints from their Infancy till they be forty or fifty years of Age and yet not capable of coming to the Lords Supper for want of the Exercise of Faith they are not to be denied because of the weakness of Grace they that have the least Grace need to have it Nourished and Cherished Such Adult Persons as are worthy to be admitted into the Church or being in the Church are worthy to be continued without censure are to be admitted to the Lords Supper it is utterly unreasonable to deny the Adult Members of the Church the Lords Supper and yet not lay them under censure If they are guilty of any such offence as to be denyed the Lords Supper why are they not censured If they are not worthy to be censured why are they kept from the Lords Supper There are some Scriptures that have been thought to hold forth a need of somewhat further in order to participation in the Lords Supper which if they be examined will be found to be strained beyond the Import of them Psal 6.16 David saith I will tell you what the Lord hath done for my Soul hence it is argued that Men should give an Account of the manner of their Conversion in order to their Admission but if it should be granted that David doth respect the work of Regeneration doth it follow because he was willing to talk of it that they might make a Law to bind him to do it in the Synagogue or doth it follow that David offered to do it in order to his joyning with the Jewish Church Act. 2.37 They were pricked at the heart before they were admitted into the Church but let it be considered that many others were joyned to the Christian Church of whom we read no such thing and here is no living Rule that others must declare that they are pricked at the heart before their Admission yea it is certain that these did not declare their trouble in order to their Admission into the Church but in order to their Direction yea it doth not appear that these Men were under a work of Conversion at this time they might be Godly Men before the thing that stung them was a National sin which in probability they had no hand in For the greater part of them were strangers come up to keep the Feast of Pentecost and were greatly affected with the sin which the Nation of the Jews were guilty of in Crucifying of Christ Act. 9.26,27 The Church at Jerusalem refused to admit Paul to their Communion till they were informed by Barnabas of his Conversion but it doth not appear that Paul did then desire to participate with them in the Lords Supper possibly it might be only in hearing of the Word and Prayer and the reason why they were unwilling to receive him was not any doubt whether his Conversion was sincere but whether he was a Christian As if in a Popish Country one who had been a violent Persecutor should Essay to joyn himself to a Protestant Congregation it would be no wonder if they should be affraid of him until they were informed that he was become a Protestant this is no foundation to require of all that joyn to the Church an Accout about the manner of their Conversion 1 Pet. 3.15 Men are required to be ready to give an Answer to every one that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them but here by the reason of the hope that is in them we are not to understand their experiences of the Grace of God but the grounds of their Faith the reason why they did believe the Christian Doctrine This is evident because he is speaking of Persecution v. 14. and because he directs them to give their Answer with meekness and fear Quest Here it may be enquired whether such Persons as have a good Conversation and a Competent Knowledge may come to the Lords Supper with a good Conscience in case they know themselves to be in a Natural Condition Answ They may and ought to come tho they know themselves to be in a Natural Condition this Ordinance is instituted for all the Adult Members of the Church who are not scandalous and therefore must be attended by them