saith Pythagoras For as Hierocles hath rightly Noted This Hyerocl in Pythag. pag. 210. course will serve very much either to Crown us with Joy for what we have done well or to increase our Repentance for whatever hath been done amiss But never should we be more careful of this than when we resolve to make our Approaches to the Table of the Lord then it is most necessary to lay aside some portion of time to enquire into our Condition with all diligence to peruse the Register of our Actions and to call our selves to an account even for our words and thoughts For hardly doth any Man walk so in this world but that he contracteth some filth daily some Defilements or other are apt to stick to his Heels Even the Conscientious mannagement of our common Affairs and our Lawful Callings though it be in its kind a good Preservative against Sin yet 't is apt to steal away our Hearts from God and to draw us sometimes into a Snare And for this Reason the most Righteous Man among us hath need to sequester some hours from other Employments and to enquire whether he be fit to come to the Supper of the Lamb. 2. BUT then Secondly we must note that this Examination is not required for it self but as a Relative Duty that is an Excellent Means to a farther end that a Man may be able after Tryal and search to make right Judgment of himself and may be provoked and perswaded to Correct the several Errata of his Life And this is the full meaning of St. Paul in that place where he doth chide the Corinthians for their shameful Miscarriages in the Church at the Communion time For first of all when ye come together in the Church I hear that there be Divisions among you saith the Apostle v. 18. And then in Eating every one taketh before other his own Supper and one is Hungry and another is drunken v. 21. These were Vile and Scandalous Actions and when the Apostle Commanded them to Examine themselves his meaning could not be that he would have them enquire whether Matter of Fact was not true or whether the things laid to their Charge were not Evil for all this was plain and open and manifest already and needed Censure rather than Examination But when he Commanded them to Examine his purpose was that they should Reform themselves and for the future take care not to meddle with that Sacred Mystery till upon searching of their Hearts they could approve themselves to God and the Church and to their own Consciences and should find themselves fit to be Communicants Examination here is as much as Approbation and in this Sense we find the word used as well in Prophane as in Sacred Writers The Men of Sparta were wont to be Tryed whether they had well observed the Laws of Lycurgus and such of them as were found to have done so were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 approved Persons Men that were fit and well Qualified to be Citizens And according to this Sense we are to understand that of St. Paul 1 Tim. 3. 10. where speaking of such as were to be chosen Deacons he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them be first approved of let them be Esteemed as Men that are fit for that Function 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persons that are blameless in every respect And speaking of himself being appointed to be an Apostle he useth the same Expression 1 Thess 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we were Approved of by God and thought Meet to be entrusted with the Gospel And many more places there are in the New Testament where the word signifies not only Examination but Approbation or Liking and questionless this chiefly is the meaning of St. Paul in this place Let a Man Examine himself that is let every Man see that he be fit to be a Receiver that he be rightly qualified and disposed that he be such as the Conditions and Laws of the Gospel require him to be His Conscience must not Condemn him for any known Sin Unrepented of He must have this Testimony within himself that his Heart is sincere He must be an Holy Person that makes use of this Mystery one that hath led an Holy Life or at least that hath now Holy Purposes and Vows that he will Redeem the time for the future and yield up the Members of his Body and the Faculties of his Soul as Instruments of Righteousness and Holiness He that hath not any Comfortable Confidence that he is thus Religiously and Honestly disposed ought not to Communicate of these Mysteries 3. FOR in the Third place to shew you yet further the Necessity of due Prepararation the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 11. 27. Whosoever shall Eat this Bread and Drink this Cup of the Lord Vnworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. And again v. 29. He that Eateth and Drinketh Vnworthily Eateth and Drinketh Damnation or Judgment to himself not discerning the Lord's Body In which two Verses the Apostle sets down the Sin and the Punishment of those who go to the Lord's Table as the Corinthians did with Factious Irreverent and Unprepared Hearts Their Sin is twofold 1. First they discern not the Lord's Body meaning that they make no difference between this Supper and an ordinary Meal they De iis erat Sermo qui domini corpus veluti quemlibet alium cibum indiscrete negligenterque sumebant August Tract 62. in Joan. Sic Hieron in Loc. Author Librorum de Cardinal oper Cypriano ascript S. Chrys in 1 Cor. 11. 29. take the Body of the Lord with the same Indiscretion and Negligence wherewith they take Vnhallowed and Common Food not considering the greatness of the things that are Exhibited nor the Amplitude of the Gift that is here given to every well Prepared Soul For no less than the Spiritual Body of Christ is tendered by the Elements And so Secondly the Unworthy and Irreverent Communicant Sinneth directly and immediately against the Body of his Saviour he becomes Guilty of his Body and Blood shewing by his Actions that he hath a very low and mean regard of that most Precious and Salutary Offering upon the Cross Now according to this twofold Sin the Unworthy Receiver hath a twofold Punishment 1. First he Eateth and Drinketh his own Damnation saith St. Paul As the Devout and Sincere-hearted Communicant Receives the Pledges of a Glorious Immortality by Receiving the outward Symbols so doth he that intrudes rudely take that which is the occasion of his Everlasting Ruine without true Repentance The Devil enters in with the Morsel as he did into Judas not to be cast out but by Prayer and Fasting and a strong Repentance For as the Bodily Presence of Christ in the Flesh was an occasion of Condemnation to those who Received him not then by Faith so doth his Mystical and Spiritual Presence here accidentally turn to the Prejudice of such as Receive him
all such as at any time met together in the House of God to hear the Scriptures should be Excommunicated if they stayed not to Receive the Holy Communion Devotion which now is as it were vanish'd into Smoak in those times shined in a mighty Flame The Hearts of Men were on fire and their Zeal was Active and Sprightly in this particular because they reckoned it a necessary piece of Religion I confess the Practice of the Church is not that which maketh a thing Necessary Yet 't is a fair and strong Argument of its Necessity as being a good Comment upon our Lord's Command The continued Practice of the Church from the Apostles downward doth shew that the Wisest and most Learned among them did look upon themselves greatly obliged by the Law of Christ to a frequent Participation of this Mystery Because he said Do this as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me they concluded themselves bound to do it often and lest they should not do it often enough they did it daily BUT I will not urge the Necessity of a daily Communion Yet this we must affirm indefinitely and in general that 't is necessary to Communicate often so that if nothing be wanting but a willing and ready Mind to omit it is a Sin a Violation of Christ's Law And if we think the Primitive Christians did it too often they are infinitely more to be followed yet than many now a days who either do it not at all or at most but once or twice a year and even then it may be questioned whether it be not something else besides the Love of Christ that doth constrain them 2. THUS much may suffice to be spoken of that Necessity which is grounded upon our Lord's Command But besides this we are to consider that the neglect of this Sacrament is Evil not in it self only but in respect of a very Evil Cause whence this shameful Neglect cometh for that cannot well be supposed to be any other than some lurking Sin and Wickedness in Mens Hearts which makes this Sacrament so formidable in their Eyes Since at this Ordinance God offereth to Men all the Mercies of the Gospel and nothing can hinder the conveyance but an Impenitent and Wicked Heart on the Recipient's part Hardly would any Man refuse so great Salvation did not his Conscience tell him that by Reason of his Love of Sin he may take Poyson into his Mouth instead of the Bread of Life It must needs be that the great Contempt of this Sacrament is caused mostly by some root of Bitterness that is in Men's Breasts which renders the Cup of Blessing very unsavoury and loathsome unto them The World generally is Evil and many Love to be so and for that Reason they dare not come to the Lord's Table How else comes it to pass that they croud many times into the Church in Throngs and Multitudes to Prayer and especially with itching Ears after a Sermon when yet we see a very slender appearance especially in some places at the Sacrament Certainly we must conclude or mistrust at least that People are Conscious to themselves of many Vices which they are fond of and willingly allow and indulge themselves in and rather than they will forsake those Vices they forbear this Ordinance because they cannot live Wickedly and Participate too without Eating and Drinking their own Damnation And is not this a most horrible Crime to value a few paltry Lusts above the Body and Blood of Christ And to prefer some Sensual and Bruitish Enjoyments before those Admirable and Astonishing Blessings which are tendred at the Lord's Table It was the Sin of the Jews and that which greatly kindled the Anger of the Lord against them that they slighted the Manna which David called the Food of Angels and lusted after the Fleshpots of Egypt the Cucumbers the Melons the Leeks the Onions and the Garlick Num. 11. Much more will it be lookt upon as an intolerable Crime in us if we make light of the greatest Blessings that Heav'n can bestow as the Comforts of the Holy Spirit the Fellowship of Christ the Pardon of our Sins the Peace of our Consciences an Assurance of a Glorious Immortality and whatsoever is the Felicity of Blessed Souls I say if we slight and reject all these out of favour to our Sensitive Appetites that we may still pursue the Unprofitable Works of Darkness and Enjoy the Pleasures of Sin which are both Beastly in their Nature and very short for their continuance As Maximus Max. Tyr. Ser. 20. Tyrius an Heathen Philosopher argued Who is so Mad so Bewitched so Byassed by his Affections that for the love of small and Transitory Pleasures of uncertain Enjoyments of doubtful Hopes and questionable Prosperities would not change his Life for a Better and betake himself to that which is Solid and Vnquestionable Happiness Yet of such corrupt and object Spirits are they who neither Love nor dare to partake of this Covenant Feast Men of such Debaucht Minds and Impure Consciences that they prize the most fordid Considerations above the Love of God and a Blessed Eternity like unclean Swine that contemn the sweetest Repose in comparison of a Dunghill and a Bed of Mire Were not Men Earthly and Sensual every one wou'd strive to be a Companion at the Altar 'T is a Polluted Heart that hindreth Men's approaches because they that are Wicked will be Wicked still and that is a great Reason why the Neglect of this Sacrament is Sinful forasmuch as it proceedeth from a sinful Cause an Evil and a Rotten Heart 3. I Heartily wish that all Persons who are concern'd would seriously consider these things and be so Provident too as to look upon the sad Consequence of this Neglect and see what an immediate and irreparable Injury they are like to do to their own Souls by it which is the Third and last Consideration For the words of Christ are plain Joh. 6. Except ye Eat the Flesh of the Son of man and drink his Blood ye have no life in you This place of Scripture all the Ancients do with one a Illud in primis animadvertendum occurrit quoties apud veteres agitur de hoc Sacramento verba Domini nostri quae Joan. cap. 6. referuntur caro mea verè est cibus sanguis meus verè est potus Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est Et nisi ederitis carnem silii hominis c. ad hoc Sacramentum omnes applicant Nec audiendi sunt qui tanta nube testium refragante negant illud caput Joannis huc referendum Diallacticon Edit Londin 1688. p. 15. 9. v. consent and mouth apply to this Blessed Sacrament and St. Austin himself urged it to prove the necessity even of Infant Communion which was then a Custom in the Church That indeed was an Error that proceeded from the abundant Piety of those times and the Reason upon which that Custom was grounded was not strong
likely it is a Sin against Conscience which is the Highest aggravation any action is capable of So that let him palliate it as he can it is undoubtedly a Wilful Habit. And because it is so such a Repentance is necessary as changeth the whole frame of his Heart and Life such a Repentance as makes a Man lay aside utterly every vicious Custom such a Repentance as effectually bends his Mind to an entire Practice of Virtue and Religion For the great business of Religion being to transform every one into the Divine Image to make him Partaker of the Divine Nature and to render him according to the Capacities of Humane Nature Holy and Pure as God himself is and sorrow for what is past being the first Beginning of such a God-like Life That Repentance must needs be Trifling and Impertinent which doth not powerfully carry on those Divine Purposes and 't is as impossible for one that persists in an Evil State and Course to be a true Penitent at the same time as it is to make Hell and Heaven meet together in one Repentance is an High and Noble act of the Mind that doth not lye in Sobs and Groans nor meerly in the Anguish and Throws of a Spirit that is upon the Rack for notwithstanding all this Guilt and the Love of Sin may be at the bottom and inward torment may proceed purely from a present apprehension of vengeance which every Man would willingly avoid though he delights in that which brings it upon him No Repentance that is genuine works a total Change turns the Desires towards the Glory of God which is the True and Proper Object of the Mind and so by degrees improves and raiseth up the depraved Nature of Man to those perfections which are in God of whose Glory those Divine Graces which Religion proposeth to our practice are a Copy and Transcript INFINITELY distant from this is the Life of that Man who Loves to wallow in Vice Sensuality and Corruption People of this sort and Temper are so far from having a right to the Promises of Pardon and Peace which are tendred by the Evangelical Covenant and which are Sealed at the Holy Sacrament that the Scripture plainly threatens Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish to every Soul that worketh Evil after this manner to such as obey Vnrighteousness to such as are the Servants of Sin to such as let Sin reign in their Mortal Bodies to such as yield themselves up to Vnrighteousness to such as make Provision for the Flesh to such as obey it in the Lusts thereof to such as walk on in darkness and lye in wickedness and conform themselves to this world by all which Expressions and many more to the same purpose the Scripture meaneth such as continue and persist in an Ungodly course in a crooked way in a vicious Manner and Habit of Life For which Reason when Men intend to go to the Holy Communion where every one is sure to receive something either Mercy or Judgment to himself they should take themselves to a very strict account and impartially observe what that way is wherein they are used to go And if they find themselves so ill given as that they willingly follow their own hearts Lusts and resolve to do so still in spight of God's Word and the checks of their own Consciences they must not in any wise present themselves at the Lord's Table but utterly forbear 'till they have truly humbled themselves under such a sense of their impieties as worketh that Repentance which is the entrance upon a Life of Virtue and True Religion If there be not this Divine disposition of Soul in them they are no more fit to receive the Body of Christ than Judas that Betrayed him or Pilate that Condemned him or the Jews that Mock'd him or the Souldier that stuck a Spear into his Side And if he goes to the Holy Sacrament while he goes on still in his wickedness he doth but take a large step towards his own destruction Such a one despiseth the Sufferings of the Son of God tramples the Blood of the Covenant under his feet and accounteth it an Vnholy Thing as if it were a refreshment for a Beast and he is like one that brings a Swine into the Sanctuary to feed upon the Bread of Eternal Life Therefore before we Celebrate so Great a Mystery we are to enter into the strictest Engagements to bind our Souls with the most serious Vows and to set up very strong and powerful Resolutions of Amendment lest in making too great haste to so Divine and Solemn an Ordinance we make haste to Perish and to be Undone For nothing makes us capable without Repentance from dead Works as * Justin Mart. Apol. 2. Justin Martyr said The food at the Eucharist is not lawful to be received but by such as believe the Doctrines of Christianity to be true and have been wash'd in the Laver of Regeneration and lead their Lives according to Christ's Prescriptions * Habentem adhuc voluntatem peccandi gravari magis dico Eucharistiae perceptione quam purificari S. Aug. de Eccles Dogmat. c. 53. And he that approacheth to the Lords Table with a Design and Purpose to Sin on still instead of being refreshed and purified by receiving is the more heavily Laden and receives a Cup of Bitterness instead of a Salutary Cordial Here a Question may arise whether it be Lawful for one to Communicate upon serious Vows and Resolutions only That is before he has tryed the strength and efficacy of them For it is possible for a Man who has led a dissolute Life to be through the piercing Power of the Word of God struck so on a sudden into the Sense of his Guilt and Danger as to resolve and undertake presently to forsake his Impieties And perhaps too his outward circumstances may be such that if he misseth the opportunity he hath now before him he may be in a very great danger of not meeting with another In which particular case I know no Reason sufficient to debar him from the use of this Ordinance which effectually gives the Benefits of our Saviour's Passion to every true Penitent as our Saviour himself gave them to that Thief upon the Cross who was Converted in a moment Indeed where Men seem not to be straitned in their circumstances but have probably time before them to make some Experiment of their Resolutions it is very expedient for them to betake themselves to their Retirements to weep bitterly to observe what ground they are able to gain of their Habitual Vices what Victory they get over their own Hearts by suitable Acts of Mortification and Self-denyal which are necessary to be undertaken for the eradicating of inveterate Habits By these means they will afterwards come to the Blessed Sacrament with better advantage because with more Comfort with more Confidence and Peace of Mind than such as have not made any Tryal of the firmness and
many infirmities then it is time to cleanse our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit to enter at least upon a Life of Holiness to wash our hands and hearts in Innocence and so to compass the Altar of God BEING thus rightly disposed we are then to behold the Fountain which is opened to us for Sin and for Uncleanness I mean the blood of Christ which purgeth our Consciences from all dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. Now 't is a seasonable time for us to call to mind the coronary Thorns the Scourge the Nails and the Spear which opened this Fountain To remember our blessed Lord's Agony in the Garden his bloody Sweat his Buffetings and Stripes his dolours and most bitter Death upon the Cross To consider that all this was for us sinful Men and for our Salvation to reconcile us to his Father to Redeem us from all Iniquity and to beget us again to a lively Hope to an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for us because he so loved us all that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have Everlasting Life These Holy Meditations are not only proper and seasonable when we are now at the Supper of the Lamb but they are moreover naturally apt to enflame your Affections with the love of Jesus to dissolve and melt you into Penitential showers to ravish your Hearts with a sense of his infinite Goodness to fill you with Divine Extasies and Raptures and to fix your Resolutions of obeying for ever the Author of your Salvation of following his blessed steps with all Meekness and Humility and of bearing not only his Yoak but even his Cross too and in all things of being made conformable to his Image NEXT to the love of God and of Christ let the love of all Mankind replenish and possess your Hearts God forbid that Malice or Uncharitableness or Bitterness and Rancour of Spirit God forbid that any of these or such unclean things should ever be brought before the Altar of Peace and Reconciliation If he so loved us we ought to love one another because he tasted Death for every Man he is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance he is the Saviour of all Men especially of them that believe and seeing every Soul is precious in his sight every Soul should be dear to us and our Love to all Mankind should be extensive and unlimited as his was And to express this Love we should be ready to do good to all desire and endeavour the Salvation of all and devoutly pray as the Primitive Christians did whose Hearts were so warm with the Blood of Christ for the whole Race of Mankind not only for the Church of God and for every part and Member thereof but for all too that are as yet without the borders of the Sanctuary and for all Estates and Conditions of Men that no corner of the Universe may be too remote for our Charity and that however the Uncertainties and Chances or the Evils of this World may sever or distinguish us yet nothing may be able to separate us from the love of those for whom Christ died THESE are Divine things to exercise and employ your Minds at this great Solemnity And as touching your outward deportment there are these particulars which I would recommend to your Christian practice at the time of Ministration 1. THAT ye dispose of your selves as near as may be to the Lord's Table that you may behold what is transacted there For besides the Decency which is in the thing it self when the Children of God humbly present themselves round about his Table this is apt to exalt and heighten your Devotion still and to give your Affections a new warmth when you see as it were Jesus Christ crucified before your Eyes 2. THE Mystery of his Passion being thus visibly represented by the breaking of the Bread the Symbol of his Body and by the pouring out of the Wine the Symbol of his Blood then sursum corda as the Exhortation was in the Primitive Ages of Christianity lift up your Hearts to him who was dead and is now alive for evermore and offer unto him privately these or the like holy Ejaculations O Lamb of God that takest away the Sins of the World grant us thy Peace O Lamb of God that takest away the Sins of the World have Mercy upon us 3. THROUGHOUT the Prayer of the Church wherein you are concern'd be sure to bear your Parts with Heart and Voice too For this doth not only help to preserve a Man 's own Zeal in a due Fervour and to keep his mind fixt and intent and free from distraction but it is moreover an excellent means to raise the Devotion of other Communicants When every one assisteth and all jointly mingle their Devotions the common flame is very much increased every one bringing sparks to the Altar to kindle in each others Heart the love of Christ For the confirmation of this I appeal to every sensible Mans experience who desires to serve God in the Beauty of Holiness How lovely how delightful a thing is it when People meet together to Worship God to send up their Prayers and Praises to him with one Lip And how apt is this to inspire every good Heart with Fervency and to heat every ones Affections each Man catching some fire from his Neighbour How like then is the Church to Heaven and how transported do we seem to be as if we were among that blessed Quire above where St. John in his Vision saw the four and twenty Elders falling down before him that sat on the Throne and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their Crowns before the Throne saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast created all things and for thy Pleasure they are and were created Rev. 4. 10 11. And where should we imitate this blessed and Heaven-like Harmony if not at this Divine Solemnity where we celebrate the memorial of our Redemption too of our Redemption I say the great work of God a work so worthy of God so stupendious so full of the Riches of his Grace that to be unconcern'd among the common Thanksgivings of the Church must needs be an Argument of a Mind very dull and insensate very deeply possest with a Spirit of Slumber 4. WHEN you are now to receive the Divine Food and Jesus as it were coming under your Roof receive with all Humility let every lofty imagination fall and every Knee Bend Not that we may adore the Sacramental Bread and Wine that were Idolatry to be abhorred of all faithful Christians but as an humble Profession of our own great unworthiness and as a grateful Acknowledgement of those infinite Mercies werewith God is pleased to crown us at this time it is no more than what is decent and becoming us to be prostrate