holy ends of God in desiring Communion with them As 1 To enjoy God and hold communion with him in all his ordinances and appointments 2 To worship God there in Spirit and Truth and give him your homage and service in his house 3 To shew and declare your subjection and obedience unto him and to make a publique and open profession of him before men 4 To receive of his Grace to enrich your Souls with his fulnesse and to be sealed by his Spirit unto the day of your Redemption 5 That you may walk orderly and beautifully and shine as Lights in the Churches and in the world before Saints and Sinners 6 That you may be established in the Truth live under the watch and care of Christs Ministers and of fellow Members that by their inspection and faithful dealings with you you may be kept from and brought back from sin to God by their wise Reproofs and holy Instructions 7 That you may yield up your selves in Universal obedience unto Christ and do all things whatsoever he commands you that you may have the right use and enjoyment of all your purchased priviledges and be secured against the Gates of Hell Are these and such like ends in your minds and hearts in your walking in Church-fellowship and can you find the forementioned mark or signs of Grace in you in measure though not so clearly and fully as you would Why then I may boldly and humbly tell you that you are fitted and qualified for Church membership that you are called and invited into the house and Temple of God and that you are indispensibly bound to answer to the call of God and say behold Lord we come unto thee and will freely without delay thankfully without grudying humbly without pride with mourning and rejoycing enter into thy Courts joyn with thy Churches and grow into a holy Temple to thy Praise and Honour We will no longer slight our great priviledges neglect our great and indispensible Duties or walk disorderly as we have done but we do now willingly come and offer our selves unto thee and to enter into a solemn engagement to be thine to walk in all thy ways and do the things that please thee I say that Church priviledges are yours the doors of Gods house stand open for you Christ stands at the door and waites for you he invites you to come in sit down at his Table and you shall be most freely and heartily welcome to your Lord and his people And know that it is your unavoidable and indispensible duty to enter into his house 5. Quest Ought a Church of Christ especially the Guides thereof to let in any that professe the name and waies of Jesus Christ and offer themselves unto them or ought they not to try and prove them first whether they are rightly qualified by the grace of Christ for full membership with his people if so then what are the qualifications they should look for and find in them for their own satisfaction which they admit into the holy Temple of God Answ 1. It is certain that all that professe the name of Christ and his waies ought not may not be admitted into the Lords holy Temples because many if not the most of them are very Ignorant of Christ and his ways and notorious scandalous in their Lives as sad and wofull experience shews 2. It hath been I think sufficiently proved before that not any but real-hearted sound Believers are fit materials for a house and holy Temple of God and if so then a Church or the Guides thereof may not admit any into it but such only as they judge by the word of God and their own charitable discretion are such indeed although 't is possible they may be Hypocrites but they may not admit them if they groundedly know or think them to be such For if they should admit such against their knowledge they betray their Trusts and defile Christs holy Temple by taking in such persons as they know or ought to know Christ would not have there And that they ought to try and prove persons that they may know their worthinesse and fitnesse before they admit them in is clear in Acts 9.26 and because Christ hath committed the keys of his Temple unto them to take in and put out according to his will and Appointment Moreover he blames Some for suffering Tares if meant of persons to be sowen in his Kingdome and not endeavouring to prevent and keep them out Matth. 13.25 says he while men Slept the Enemy came and sowed Tares that is while such as should have kept the Temple Gates shut against them to have kept them out were negligent and carelesse of their duty for they should have done all they could to have kept out the Devils seed for what agreement hath the Seed of the Serpent with the Seed of the Woman the Rebells with the true Subjects of Christ or as Paul saith what concord hath Christ with Belial 2 Cor. 6.14 3. As to satisfying qualifications in persons desiring admission into Churches I say that when they have been well tryed and are found in the Judgment of Charity such as Christ hath received and competently qualifyed for Church membership they ought to receive them in the Lord Rom. 14.1 Rom. 15.7 1. If they can make forth and declare unto the Church their at least seemingly Regeneration Conversion Repentance and Faith in Christ their knowledge of Christ and his ways Laws and Ordinances of their lost and perishing state in Sin and by reason of it and their sincere desires and Resolutions to become the Lords and to walk with him unto all well-pleasing in all his ways 2. If they are sound in the Faith of the Gospel I mean in the chief and principal Doctrines and Truths thereof although they may be ignorant of or err in lesser matters If they have some distinct knowledge and Faith concerning these and other such Truths and matters contained in the word of God As of the state and condition wherein man was first created How he lost that holy and blessed State and the misery he brought himself and all his posterity into thereby Concerning themselves that they are by nature Children of wrath dead in Sins and Trespasses and condemned to eternal Death That they are Enemies to and at enmity with God That they have neither will nor power by nature either to will or do that which they ought and is pleasing to God That they have forsaken God and are under the Curse of the Law and that they are the Children Subjects and Servants of the Devil World and their own Lusts That God left not all men in this State and condition but provided an all-sufficient Remedy namely Jesus Christ and that by an Everlasting Covenant entered into with Christ in the behalf of men before the Foundation of the World Tit. 1.2 2 Tim. 1.9 Prov. 8. and that in pursuance thereof he elected and gave some to Christ that he might
water it for his use that it may bring forth fruit to his Glory And intending to imploy and make such use of them there he enriches all that he sends with his own Ministerial Gifts Eph. 4.8 10 11 12. When he ascended up on high he led Captivity Captive and gave Gifts unto men He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things And he gave some Apostles and some Pastours and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ Here is an account of his Gifts and the person receiving them and also the end for which To the same purpose the Apostle speaks in Rom. 12.6 and 1 Cor. 12. as you may read there at large from the beginning to the end Where you have an account of the several Gifts themselves which are called Spiritual vers 1 2. The Authour or immediate Doner of them 7. as also the end of the Spirits giving them unto men and the place where they should be exercised and laid out 7 28. and in other verses there These Ministerial Gifts are not given to all Believers because they are not intended nor called to the work and Office of the Ministery in the Church but they are intended and given to them whom Jesus Christ sends into his Church and enclines the Churches hearts to call and accept them for their Officers and Ministers Secondly As they must be gifted with ministerial Spiritual Gifts so they must be graced also with special saving Grace for the spiritual and evangelical discharge of their Ministerial work in the Church or else they will never be able Ministers of the New Testament although they may be of the Letter 2 Cor. 3.6 They must be called out of darknesse into the marvellous saving light of Christ 1 Pet. 2.9 and be the Children of Light Eph. 5.8 before they can hold forth indeed the light of the Gospel and grace of Christ unto others They must be first taught of God themselves before they can spiritually teach others and be tutored in Christs School before they will be wise Builders up of the Body of Christ in the Mysteries of his Kingdome Mark 4.11 They must first have the Spirit of God in their own hearts to make them wise unto Salvation before they can make others wise unto Salvation They must not learn their Lessons without in mens or Gods Books but they must also experience and be able to read the Gospel within that they preach to others They must first learn and be acquainted themselves with and in the right way to Heaven before they can be good Pilots and Guides of others thither They must first be quickened and enlivened themselves by with the Life of Jesus before they can claim a right to the Ministry of Christ in his Church or hold forth and rightly communicate the word of Life to others Many think that Grace is not necessary in a Minister or for the Ministry where are ministerial Gifts and as they say a blamelesse conversation but surely the special Grace and Spirit of Christ are the only necessary and useful things if I may so speak for the fitting and qualifying a Gospel-Minister a Church-Officer and Guide But undoubtedly it is a mistake for how can they bring out of their Treasury things new and old for the profit of men if there be none laid in A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things Matth. 12.35 And men cannot gather Grapes of Thornes and figs of Thistles Matth. 7.16 And what are Hypocrites but such Are they not in darknesse and doth not the Lord Jesus call the Scribes and Pharisees and Doctors of the Law Fools and Blind notwithstanding their great Gifts Are not all unregenerate and gracelesse persons ravening Wolves although covered with Sheeps-skins and doth not Christ caution his Sheep against them and charge them to take heed and beware of them Mat. 7.15 And when Christ sends forth labourers into his Vineyard says he to them I send you forth as Sheep in the midst of Wolves Matth. 10.16 Christ doth not say I send forth Wolves in Sheeps cloathing to convert nourish and build up my Sheep unto eternal life Moreover Ministers must not only preach to men from the head the subject of meer Gifts but from their hearts also from strong affections tender bowels of compassion and sincere Love to Souls which they cannot do until they are made new Creatures holy and gracious men For how can they love and pity others Souls who have no love and pity for their own and how can they affectionately perswade men who know not experimentally the terror of the Lord 2 Cor. 5.11 How can such open the Mystery and spirituality of the Gospel unto men who were never taught it themselves and how can they so preach the Gospel of Life who are yet dead in Sins themselves as to enliven others Therefore all the Ministers that Jesus Christ impowers and sends into his Churches in special love and mercy he first graceth with his special light life joyns and unites them to himself and puts some of his own Image Nature and qualities upon them before he sends them or will be with them and blesse them Can or will such take care of the Church of Christ as such to water and break the Bread of Life unto them who take no care about their own Souls nor care what becomes of them And if Jesus Christ will have none but real hearted Believers and living Members of his Body in his Churches as hath been shewed then certainly he will not allow or approve of Gracelesse and unregenerate Guides and Overseers in them and if his Churches are holy Temples appointed for his presence and residence his Glory and delight as they are as hath been shewed then assuredly he will not have carnal and unbelieving Stewards in them to manage all the affairs and concernments of them And if all his Laws and Ordinances which he hath given to his Churches be holy and spiritual as they are and Church-Officers I mean the Pastors and Elders are to be his mouths to them and the Churches mouths to him and to administer his holy and Spiritual matters and things in his Name to his Glory and the Churches Spiritual profit then surely they ought to be holy and spiritual Men. For will he own such for his Ministers as have no acquaintance with him or Relation to him who have no peculiar love for him nor dependance on him who have not hearts to obey him and make him the great end of their work and who never received the Truth in the love of it into their own hearts Will the holy and loving Head and Husband of his Church set over them Christlesse lifelesse and gracelesse men as all unregenerate persons are who neither
evil spoken of 13. Be sure to make good and perform all your peremptory promises to men and take heed and beware of breaking them or failing and disappointing men of their just expectations from you for that also will be scandalous and offensive 14. Take heed of taking into a marriage-bond such as are apparently in an unbelieving and carnal state and condition For that also is very offensive to holy serious men although some make light of it 15. Take heed of idleness and slothfulness in your Callings For that will prove a pernitious and scandalous sin to others and your own souls too 16. Take not up a Report against one another that is scandalous nor give an ear unto Tatlers and busie-bodies nor be you busie-bodies in other mens matters your selves For if you do you will give great offence These are some and but some of the scandalous evils that you must carefully avoid as a duty that you owe to God to your Brethren and to your own souls I could have named many more but I find these the most common amongst Professors Now as you must avoid these and other evils mind and practise the said Duties as Church-Members one to another so you must seriously mind the manner reasons and ends of doing them also The reason of your so doing must be the will of Christ your Head and King because he hath so commanded you And the principle of all you do must be love to him and to the souls of your Brethren The ends must be to please honour and exalt the Lord Jesus and to profit and benefit your Brethrens souls and maintain the Credit and Reputation of the Church and the Worship and Ordinances of God therein and to preserve Peace and Purity among your selves The manner must be thus namely wisely dutifully chearfully obediently freely willingly humbly holily seriously diligently sincerely and perseveringly For you should be as careful of doing your Duties to men in a right manner as you are of performing your Duties immediately to God so I can but mention these things because I have exceeded my intentions in others The Lord God bless them to you all CHAP. VIII Of the Ordinances and Worship of God in a Gospel-Church Quest WHat Ordinances of Divine Worship hath God given to and appointed for a Gospel-Church to be observed by them Answ First walking together in constant Cordial Communion and Gospel Order in a Church-state in Brotherly love peace and oneness of spirit in the frequent and joynt Celebration of all the worship and appointments of Christ is certainly an Ordinance of Christ and their Indispensâ—ble Duty as hath been already shewed Believers may not enter their names among Christ's Disciples and then take liberty to do what they please omit or neglect their place and duty there when and how they will and content themselves with having their names enrolled in a Church come among them and go from them at their own will and pleasure No but it is the will and Ordinance of our Lord Jesus that they should constantly and conscientiously in obedience to his holy will abide and continue there holding Communion or Fellowship together as a united and entire body or spiritual Corporation and joyntly with one mind heart and soul observe and celebrate his Ordinances and Worship Heb. 10.24 25. Acts 2.42 44 46 47. Rom. 15.6 1 Cor. 1.10 Secondly Preaching and hearing the Gospel It is true that this is not a special Church-Ordinance or an Ordinance appointed for and given to Churches or to Believers exclusive of all others For it is the great Ordinance of God for the converting quickning and bringing sinners to Christ Rom 1.16 1 Thes 1.5 By this Ordinance God conveys his special Grace and the spirit of Grace into sinners hearts By it he opens blind eyes unstops deaf cars enlivens dead Souls and convinces carnal men of sin Righteousness and Judgments Acts 26.18 Joh. 5.25 Joh. 16.7 8. And by it he turns them from the power of Satan unto God and works them to and for his own use makes them Vessels of Honour and translates them out of the Kingdom of darkness and the Devil into his own Kingdom Col. 1.13 The great Ordinance of Preaching and hearing the Law and Gospel is given and appointed to make fit and prepare sinful men for Membership with Christ his holy Gospel-Churches For until they are moulded and qualified by the word and spirit they are no way capable of either considering what condition all men are in by sinful nature namely dead blind filthy vile hateful enemies to God Children of Satan under the Law the curse and wrath of God strangers to and ignorant of God Christ Grace Duty and Gospel-holiness But although hearing and preaching the word of God be an Ordinance of God to others namely such as are not en-Churched to prepare them for that State and the Duties and Priviledges thereof yet I think it may be called a Church-Ordinance also For the Lord Jesus hath by his soveraign Authority set this Ordinance in his Gospel-Churches and committed the Preaching of it unto men there namely to such as he is said to impower and send to give unto and set among them for the work of the Ministry 1 Cor. 12.28 Acts 20.28 Eph. 4.10 18. Act. 14.23 1 Tim. 5.17 The Ministry of their Pastors and Teachers is their own Ministry and these Officers being given to them by Christ and set in his Churches for their sakes they may call the Ordinance their Ordinance such Officers theirs and their Ministry theirs as having a peculiar Relation to them which is one of the Churches peculiar priviledges and which they ought highly to prize and bless God for Now as some men are gifted impowered and sent out by Christ to convert and turn men to Christ who may not have any Relation to Churches as their Pastors or Teachers so there is the special and peculiar Ministry of Pastors and Teachers given to and set in the Churches whose work and business lyes there and but occasionally else-where to other men Take heed sayes the Apostle to the Flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God Act. 20.28 The ends of these Officers and their Ministry in the Church is not intended for the calling and regenerating of Church-Members for as was shewed they must be effectually called and regenerated before they can be meet Members of a Holy Temple of God but to build up and carry on the work of Grace in their hearts holiness and fruitfulness in their lives and walkings towards God and men To confirm and establish them in the Truth and Faith of Christ which they have received and to instruct and enlighten them further in all Christ's and their own souls concernments This Ordinance of God is intended and designed by the Lord Jesus and it should be so used and managed by all Teachers and Hearers continually to carry on the work of Grace to convey
it is a Spiritual Gospel-Ordinance for and respecting spiritual things 3. The Institutor of it and that is Jesus Christ him to whom the Father had committed all power and Authority and into whose hand he had given all things Joh. 3.35 Matth 11.27 Matth. 28.18 I say it is an Ordinance instituted by Jesus Christ himself Matth. 26.26 27. 1 Cor. 11.23 For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same Night in which he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my body which is broken for you this do ye in remembrance of me And mark it it is an instituted and a positive Ordinance and duty not a natural or moral one It is not founded on or put in and among the moral precepts or natural Laws of God but it is meerly an Institution of Christ appointed for and given to his inchurched members and none else And therefore it is not an Ordinance for and the use of it a duty incumbent on Unbelievers and persons dead in sins while they remain in that condition but 't is only appointed and intended for Believers in their orderly walkings with God All men as they are reasonable Creatures are bound to pray to God and to hear his Word preached because they are though not meerly and only so Ordinances and duties of moral worship and not meerly of divine Institution as Baptism and the Lords Supper are but all men are not so bound to participate of the Lords Supper and water Baptism 4. It is said that this Ordinance is appointed for and given to inchurched Saints that is that persons in Christ may and they only can partake of it in the way and order of the Gospel For although their relation to Christ and interest in the Covenant of Grace gives them a fundamental right unto it yet it is their orderly walking together in Church-fellowship under the discipline of Christ the care inspection and government of his Church-Ministers that gives them an immediate and orderly right unto it For we never read of any of the Apostles or other Ministers in their days that did or were allowed to receive it but such as were inchurched That it was by the Apostles direction administred and received in the Churches we often find but never that it was so else-where or by Believers out of a Church-state Acts 2.42 ult Acts 20.6 7. 1 Cor. 11.23 24. compared with 1 Cor. 1 2. And Paul tell the Church at Corinth That the Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ the Bread that we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread 1 Cor. 10.16 17. 5. The Matter of this Ordinance is Bread and Wine Luk. 22.19 Matth. 26.26 1 Cor. 11.23.24 Mark 14.25 Matth. 26.29 It is true that it is but carnal matter and that which is common food among men but it is more than Bread and Wine by Christ's Authority and Appointment when they are set apart by the word of Prayer and by Faith dedicated and sanctified to this use and service in the name and by the Authority of Jesus Christ Quest Why is this Ordinance called the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 10.20 Ans 1. It is called a Supper because it was instituted and celebrated at or about Supper-time The Lord Jesus chose that time rather than another as of his Soveraign Authority will and pleasure who may make appoint and change times and seasons as he will so likewise with respect to the Paschal Lamb or the Passover and the time of the Israelites eating thereof which was done in the Night Exod. 12.8 and also that he might abolish and put an end to that Ordinance at that time of its observation by setting this up in the place and room thereof 2. It is called the Lords Supper 1. Because he did personally and immediately institute it administer and eat it himself Matth. 26.26.27.29 2. Because it is appointed and ordained by him to be a constant memorial pledge of his Death and Sufferings Luk. 22.20 But more of this anon 3. Because it is to be received and celebrated in his Name and to his Glory 1 Cor. 11 2â— We read of several things called by his Name as his Day or the Christian Sabbath Rev. 1.10 The Laws and Commands of Christ are so called Joh. 15.10 So likewise we read of the Table and Cup of the Lord 1 Cor. 10.21 So are the Churches and the Teachers of them called by his Name for the reasons before mentioned Quest What is the nature use and end of the Lords Supper or wherefore is it instituted and given to inchurched Saints as it appears it is Ans I shall answer this question in many particulars only in the general I may say that it is instituted ordained and given to the Churches for Christs glory and their spiritual profit 1. But more particularly 1. To be to them a constant sign and memorial of Christs Death and Sufferings for them We are exceeding prone and very apt to forget the Love of Christ and what he hath done and suffered for us which should be matter of shame and sorrow to us But the Lord Jesus in his great love and care to and of his Churches hath provided proper Remedies for these Maladies and hath appointed his Gospel and the Preaching thereof and also Baptism and the Supper to keep alive in their minds and hearts his Death and Sufferings and to be continual signs tokens and memorials of them unto their Souls Rom. 4.11 Luk. 22.19 1 Cor. 11.24 25 26. And as God told Noah Gen. 9.11 17. This is the Token of the Covenant which I have made between me and you I do set my Bow in the Cloud and it shall be for a Token of the Covenant So says Jesus Christ I have entered into Covenant with God in your behalf and in your names to dye and suffer the shameful Death of the Cross for you to redeem you from all Iniquity Tit. 2.14 to wash and cleanse you from the guilt and filth of sin to reconcile you unto God and make you acceptable to him Eph. 5.25 26. 2 Cor. 5.18 19. Eph. 1. This I have done for you I took your sins and guilt your death and punishment on my self by assuming your Nature and substituting my self in your stead and I have paid your Debts made you Righteousness 2 Cor. 5. ult have brought you nigh to God by the Sacrifice of my Life And you may not forget it but have it still in your eyes and hearts Behold I have given you this sign token and memorial thereof Here you shall see by Faith your great high Priest sacrificing and offering up himself to attone divine Justice to appease the wrath of God and here you may see how I was
may know in measure how dearly He loved us and how dear we have cost There we may see our sins Pardoned persons Accepted God Reconciled and Well-pleased there we may hear him saying Deliver them out of Prison for I have found and accepted a Ransom Surely there is not a more powerful means in the World to produce and provoke to Repentance yea pure Gospel-Repentance in Believers than the Lord's Supper is For here are presented to us all the greatest and strongest Gospel-motives to unfained Spiritual and Gospel-Repentance to melt soften the heart It is Love Grace the hopes of Pardon and Acceptance and of being sanctified and saved that provokes and produces Repentance unto Life not Fear and Dread of Divine Wrath and Vengeance Not the bare sight and Conviction of Sin and the Apprehension of future punishment no but 't is the sense or hope at least of our persons being loved and accepted into favour with God and of our being acquitted and justified through the blood of the Covenant that doth it 9. To stir us up to Admire Adore and Praise the great and free Love and Grace of God and Jesus Christ our Lord. They do in and by this Ordinance set off and commend their free eternal and distinguishing Love and Grace unto Believers and thereby give them occasion of Praising Admiring and Adoring it These are some of God's Holy and Gracious Ends in appointing this Ordinance for and giving it unto them and these and what-ever other uses and ends there are of it should be diligently sought out and understood by all Believers And being sound out they should be carefully diligently and faithfully aimed at and pursued by them Well then do you joyn Issues with God aim at and carry on the holy Ends of Jesus Christ in this Gospel Ordinance and by your so doing you will please and honour him and greatly profit your own Souls Quest What are the necessary qualifications and preparations of all worthy Receivers of the Lords Supper or what is required of and ought to be found in them Ans There qualifications and preparations are two-fold 1. A State qualification or worthiness 2. A habitual and practical or actual fitness 1. A State-worthiness or qualification which in brief is this or consists of these two things 1. Regeneration 2. Vnion with Christ by Faith 1. Regeneration or a New Creature 2 Cor. 5.17 This is absolutely necessary as to Salvation Joh. 3.3 5. so to fit and qualifie men to and for every good work Without Regeneration or being Born again we cannot Believe Repent or Obey the Gospel in a right and acceptable manner Without this change of Nature we cannot love God nor fear God we cannot know him rightly nor worship him Spiritually Joh. 4.23 24. Phil. 3.3 for we cannot Worship him with Reverence and Godly fear until we are partakers of the Divine Nature and of his special Grace to do it withal 2 Pet. 1.4 Heb. 12 28. In our Unregenerate States we are blind and dark Eph. 5.8 Dead in sins Eph. 2.1.5 Enemies to God and Strangers to the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 5.10 Eph. 2.12 We are Carnal and Vain Hard-hearted and Impenitent Sinners and are shut up in Unbelief Yea we are Haters of God and the power of Godliness and excessive Lovers of Sin and the World and altogether voyd of the Love of God and of real love and pitty to our own Souls Now then it is absolutely necessary that we be Regenerated and Created in Christ Jesus unto good Works Eph. 2.10 for till then we are utterly uncapable of doing them according to the Will of God How then can we receive and partake of the Lords Supper worthily until we are Regenerated and made New Creatures How can we discern the Lords Body 1 Cor. 11.29 and how can we understand the mystery and take in the profit of Christ his Death to our Souls until we are taught of God How can we receive it in Faith and in Obedience to his Will until the Grace of Faith be formed in our hearts and until our hearts are bowed and melted by Grace into the Holy Will of God How can we Worship God and Celebrate this Ordinance with lively hearts whilst we are dead in sins And how can we apply the Seal to that Grace which we have not Therefore I say it is absolutely necessary that all that receive this holy Seal be Regenerated and made New Creatures For how can that Ordinance feed and nourish that which is not in Being namely the New Creature 2. They must be Vnited to Jesus Christ by Faith also They must be in him and have relation to him as living Members to their Head 2 Cor. 5.17 Col. 2.6 Christ must be theirs and they must be his by Faith or they cannot claim him as theirs nor receive any benefit by his Death for else how can they joyn with Christ in his saying Take eat this is my Body which is broken for you 1 Cor. 11.23 24. But I must hasten 2. They must have an habitual worthiness or meetness for the right Receiving and due Celebration of this Ordinance likewise I mean a holy and spiritual ready and accurate frame and disposition of heart to for it they must have their Sight Faith and Love ready in act and exercise or they are not cannot be meet partakers of the Lord's Table It is not only necessary that they be in a State of Justification and Regeneration but they must be also in or qualified with a habitual frame posture and disposition of heart to receive and celebrate it to the Glory of Christ and profit of their own Souls Tit. 3.1 Their Hearts and Graces must be ready fixed and tuned for the work that they be not to seek of them or at a loss concerning them when they should honour Christ with and get the Seal of the Spirit to them Psal 57.7 Psal 108.1 Psal 112.7 This habitual meetness or worthiness qualification or preparation call it which you will is a matter of great weight and moment especially in this matter and therefore you must labour all you can to obtain it 2. There is a practical and actual meetness and preparedness for the worthy and acceptable receiving of the Lords Supper also That is there is something more than ordinary to be done by them in order to their worthy participating of it This practical preparation I shall briefly present to you in some particulars 1. You must examine your selves 1 Cor. 11.28 But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of the Bread and drink of the Cup. And here 1. You must examine your States and try if you be in the Faith or no If you are indeed at least in a well grounded hope and perswasion in a justified and regenerate state and condition 2 Cor. 13.5 2 Pet. 1.10 and to know whether the Lord Jesus and his special Grace be formed in your hearts Gal. 4.19 This must be effectually done
him that standeth in a calm day take heed that he fall not in a stormy night These are some of the Evils and Sins that you will be tempted to in your Church-state Therefore consider them and make sufficient and seasonable provisions against them lest they take you unawares and overthrow you Obj. But some may say if all these Evils and Dangers uttend Church-members then it is better for us to keep out of it and not be Church-members that we may avoid them and not expose our selves to Sin and Temptation therein Answ That such Temptations will attend Church-members is certain but that therefore Believers should keep out of a Church-state that I deny For 1. It is your indispensible duty as you have heard to walk in Church-fellowship and therefore you must do so and it being your duty you may be sure it is the safest and the most secure way for you to keep you from Sin and prevalent Temptations to it For the way of our duty is ever the surest and safest way as we all know 2. What I have said in this matter is cautionary not to affright any from their duty and priviledges but to quicken and provoke Church-members to the more wise watchful and exact walkings to more Diligence and Faithfulness in making provisions against them that they may be ready armed and fenced against them to resist and conquer them 3. Although you may be more tempted to sin in a Church-state yet you may sin less therein than out of it For you have heard already that a true Church of Christ is invested with many priviledges and advantages against Sin and Temptations to it which if well used and improved by you they will sufficiently defend you and ballance all the weights that may be put into the ballance of Temptations and abundantly store you with provisions against them were they a thousand times as many more For you have heard that in a Church there is more of Christ and of his Spirit and Grace for Believers than out of such a State and Relation And therefore it is much better and safer being there and walking with God therein than to be elsewhere Wherefore let all Church-members see that they walk circumspectly or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exactly cautiously and accurately Eph. 5.15 in their Church-state and Relation Mind and practise what you see before you are bound to do and take heed that you so walk and demean your selves towards God Men and your own Souls that you carefully watch against and avoid all the aforesaid Evils and the Temptations that lead you to them And to move and quicken you so to do be pleased to consider and lay to heart these few Considerations 1. That in a Church-state you have many observers There are many eyes on you and many that watch for your halting The world knows that you have separated from them upon the account of holiness and that by grace you are made better than they They know that you pretend to singular things and that you profess to be called out of the World and from sin to holiness and singular Righteousness and that you left Communion with them on a Religious account They understand that you pretend to more light and knowledge to more communion with God and to greater attainments and enjoyments than they do and therefore expect to see better things from you than from themselves and such as they are They will tell you that to whom much is given of them much is required and that you are in your profession some of them They will tell you that they can no otherwise judge of you than by your fruits and if they be not suitable to your profession and pretences they will think you are but Hypocrites and painted Sepulchres Be sure that you have many that mind and strictly observe all your steps 2. Your Lord and King expects singular and peculiar frames of hearts words deeds from you He narrowly marks your steps and observes your walkings how you carry your selves towards one another how you walk towards and before all men and what your frames and Deportments are towards himself For his eyes behold and his eye-lids try the Children of men Psal 11.4 You know and he tells you that he hath done great and special things for you that he hath been at great expence of blood and treasure on you and all to make you a peculiar People unto himself Tit. 2.14 He hath honoured and exalted you and brought you nigh unto himself and entrusted you with great Talents He hath set you on high and magnified you exceedingly in the sight of all sorts of men and hath made you his golden Candlesticks Rev. 2.1 and his living Witnesses and therefore he may well expect and require special carriages and singular fruits from you Oh! then do not disappoint him of his so reasonable expectations but let the Lord Jesus see in you the fruits of his labour and toyl of his cost and charge and of his blood and travel Let him find you good Stewards of his house and houshold-affairs and meet to be trusted with more of his Treasures 3. Consider that your Brethren and Fellow-members and especially your Teachers and Overseers do expect such walkings fruits and carriages from you Your Teachers expect it earnestly desire it pray for it and labour to make you such Your Fellow-members they also look for it pray for it and earnestly desire it I mean such of them as are holy spiritual persons They especially your Teachers do long and are in travail for it and they greatly rejoyce indeed to see you a holy humble wise zealous meek diligent faithful loving and a fruit-bearing people They are exceedingly troubled to see their labour to be in vain with and to you Your non-proficiency cold worldly and carnal walkings your barrenness and unprofitableness your want of love to God your own souls and to one another are great very great and heart-breaking afflictions to them They mourn for and are grieved at you and your ways because you are not so serious holy exact spiritual zealous loving sweet meek humble useful wise diligent and heavenly as you might be and your Church-state priviledges enjoyments and high professions call for and greatly oblige you to 4. Consider that your own souls are greatly concerned in these things If you walk in these ways practise the aforesaid duties to observe these said Ordinances of divine worship and carefully watch against and avoyd the said evils and temptations to sin that your souls and bodys will reap the benefit and profit of all You will have the peace joy satisfaction sweetness and consolation of your so doing But if on the contrary you be found negligent and careless of the holy will of God and your duties and disobedient unto his holy Laws If you slight and undervalue your great and invaluable priviledges and enjoyments and make not spiritual earnings of them but remain dead cold barren and
unfruitful under them connive at and indulge any of the said Sins or others like them and dally with Temptations you will certainly rue for it and pull on your heads and hearts many evils troubles sorrows and disquietments many fears and distresses incumberances and confusions You will drive God from you cause him to shut up his loving Countenance from you in displeasure and to write bitter things against you Your own souls are very much concerned in your exact holy diligent faithful and circumspect walking with God in all his ways and Gospel-precepts in your Church-state Therefore do you aim at and seek their good and do you so walk and carry your selves towards God and one another as to promote their happiness 5. Consider call to mind and lay to heart the ends for which you joyned your selves to the Churches of Christ as also the solemn profession and engagement you then made to and before God Angels and Men. Remember that they are all Witnesses for you to what you did when you entred in among them and took on you the serious diligent faithful and constant observation of all the Laws and Ordinances of Jesus Christ in them when you took hold of his Covenant owned the Lord Christ for your Head King and Law-giver and promised to yield him all faithful subjection and obedience For if you forget these things neglect your duties or walk contrary unto God know for certain that he will remember all and will testifie against you yea he will make your own Consciences Witnesses against you Oh consider did you not joyn in Church-fellowship that you might be enriched with Grace be filled with the Spirit built up in Gospel-holiness and that you might perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Ask your Hearts and Consciences did we not joyn our selves together in a holy band and bind our selves to walk with God unto all well-pleasing in our Church-state and Gospel-relation one to another surely we did Well then do we now indeed keep these things warm on our hearts aim at and prosecute them in good earnest or do we not Did we not aim at intend and engage to get more Acquaintance and Communion with Christ more Acquaintance with our selves and with the Laws Waies and Promises of Jesus Christ and did we not intend and promise to obey him wait on him honour and glorifie him in and by our so doing Did we not intend and aim at the profit of our own souls the good of one another and of all men and that we might be made fruitful in every good work Col. 1.10 Heb. 13.21 That Lusts might be mortified Sin subdued Grace magnified and our Hearts cleansed and purified 6. Consider and lay to heart the many and great encouragements you have to further you to strengthen your hands and animate your hearts to your duty and so walking in your Church-fellowship You have very many helps and inducement to encourage and quicken you so to do Some are past some are present in your hands and some are yet to come O remember how great things the Lord hath done for you that you might be his People and walk as you have heard When you were accursed and condemned to everlasting Destruction 2 Thes 1. He redeemed you He gave himself a Ransom for you took on him your sins and punishment your work and shame your wrath and reproach to take off the Sentence that was past on you remove the Curse from you and bring you out of Prison from the bondages in which you were Isa 5.3 2 Cor. 5. ult Zach. 9.11 He became your Surety took on him your Debts was arrested and cast into Prison Isa 53. and paid the utmost farthing for you and thereby obtained a general Release for you He found you in your blood and then he washed you Ezek. 16. and he found you miserable and pittyed you He found you naked and cloathed you dead and quickened you sick and he healed you He found you blind and he enlightned you fallen and he lifted you up You were weak and he strengthned you in pain and he eased you sorrowful and he comforted you When you were wandring out of the way of peace and happiness he sought you out and brought you back unto himself he set your feet in the right way and spake peace unto you Ever since you were new-born he hath succoured supported supplied and cared for you He hath entrusted and enriched you with Gospel mercies for your maintenance and comfortable subsistance You have had and still have many of his choise Talents in your hand and he never denyed you any good thing But this is not all that you have to encourage you in the practise of holiness but you have many of his Bonds in your hands for your security of what he will further be to you and do for you You have many Earnests Pawns and Pledges of greater things that he will yet do for you He hath engaged to you that he will abide with you and that he will never wholly leave or forsake you Joh. 14.21.23 Heb. 13.5 That he will care for and water you protect exalt and honour you Isa 27.3 Psal 37.34 and make you perfectly holy That he will supply all your wants Phil. 4.19 guide you by his Spirit fill you full of joy and peace by believing perfect the Marriage-Union come again and receive you to himself and instate you in eternal Glory CHAP. XII Of the Lords Supper wherein several questions are answered concerning the nature use and end of it and the necessary qualifications and preparations of all worthy Receivers of it with several other things relating to the Lords Supper I Shall now give you a brief account of the Lords Supper commonly called the Sacrament of the Lords Supper by Learned Men but I shall call it as the Gospel doth the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.20 and breaking of Bread Luk. 24.35 Acts 2 42. Acts 20.7 This holy and spiritual Ordinance this great Seal of the Covenant the Lord Jesus hath appoi ted for and given to his Gospel Churches for their souls profit and the manifestation of the glory of his Love and Grace to them Quest What is the Lords Supper Answ 〈◊〉 is a Heavenly Feast or a spiritual Gospel Ordinance instituted and appointed by Jesus Christ for and given to his inchurched Saints to be to them a constant Memorial Sign and Seal of his death and sufferings for them 1. It is a Feast yea it is a Feast of fat things Isa 25.6 and a Heavenly Banquet Cant. 2.4 It is the Spiritual Wedding-Supper made appointed by Jesus Christ for his Spouses where he comes furnishes the Table sits down and eats with them invites them to sit down with him and bids them welcome bids them eat and drink abundantly Rev. 3.20 Cant. 5.1 2 It is a Spiritual Gospel-Ordinance not a Civil or a Carnal and Legal Ordinance such as were ordained for the Jewish Church of old but
things and actions love and lovely objects irritates and drawes forth love to them and the more lovely beautiful and glorious they are the more forceably and powerfuly they draw as experiences shews and we all know But then are such objects and things most attractive and powerful when they are our own or when we know that we have a right unto and an interest in them Now in the Lord's Supper you have these glorious objects and things handed out to you and sealed to you in particular Take cat this is my body that was broken and this is my blood that was shed for you 1 Cor. 11.23 24 25. It speaks to sound-hearted Believers thus Here is your glorious Head and King your Redeemer and Saviour Here is the body that was broken and the blood that was shed for you Here is your Covenant and here are your promises sealed ratified and confirmed and here is free eternal and distinguishing love and grace shewed and given to you Oh! how strongly must this draw their love and how powerfully must this enflame their affections to Jesus Christ For this end it is appointed and this it doth in measure effect in holy hearts 6. It is instituted and appointed to strengthen and nourish inchurched Believers and to make them fat and flourishing in the house of God Psal 92.13 14. Psal 132.13 14 15. Psal 84.4 7. Believers have many grace-weakning and heart-wasting-lusts Snares and Temptations and therefore they have need of such strengthning heart-chearing and grace-nourishing means that they languish not but thrive and prosper in the inner man I have spoken somewhat of this before when I shewed you the priviledges of the Churches and the end for which all Believers should walk in Church fellowship and therefore shall not insist on it here Only let me add that you may find in this Ordinance both Food and Physick Here is as in the hand of an Ordinance food for your Souls and nourishment for your Graces and here is Physick for them also Here is the bread of Life and here is the water and wine of Life to feed and comfort you to fatten and nourish you to build you up and establish you and to make you strong men in Christ to encourage and help you and to make you fruitful in every good work Joh. 6. Col. 1.10 And here is not only food but Heavenly and spiritual Physick too Here you may have Purging and cleansing-Physick and here you may have comforting and refreshing Physick also And you do and still you will need both You need Lusts-purging and Heart-purifying Physick and behold here it is for you Christ gave himself and shed his blood that it might purge cleanse and heal us and that it might in and by his own means be conveyed to us I mean the vertue and efficacy of it for that end Eph. 5.25 26 27. Tit. 2.14 1 Joh. 1.7 9. Now in this Ordinance the purging cleansing and heart-purifying virtue of this blood is handed out and conveyed to the Faith of Believers which the Spirit in Christ's behalf applys and which we for our selves are to apply also The Spirit doth it powerfully and efficasiously and we by Faith are to do it dutifully and so it obtains its Ends on us And as it is purging cleansing and heart-purifying Physick to our Souls so it is Cordial Physick also to refresh and comfort to revive and chear our drooping sad and disconsolate Souls Of this Blood and for this End we may drink freely and constantly Here we may have our fill and drink abundantly according to our needs Here you may Augment your Light Faith Peace Hope Joy Courage Zeal Meekness Love and Patience and here you may obtain a measure of all spiritual good Here you may enrich your Souls with Christ Grace Assurance Experiences and Consolations and here you may obtain the destruction of your Lusts Here you will have the Spirit to feed you with the Bread of Life and here you may grow like a Cedar in Lebanon Psal 92.12 13. Therefore make use of this Ordinance for this blessed End also 7. It is appointed to shew and represent unto us the evil of sin also The great God represents sin to us in many glasses and shews it in and by several means He assures us that it is the Evil of Evils the Plague of Plagues and that it is the root and fountain the sink and sum of all Mischiefs that it is unexpressibly and transcendantly evil Rom. 7.13 That it is the object of his loathing abhorrence and hatred as being that which hath turned glorious Angels into hateful Devils and thrown them out of Heaven into Hell as that which hath defaced and marr'd his Image in men and made them Enemies unto and Rebels against God This he declares to us in and by his Word his Law and Gospel as also by the Judgments he executeth in the Earth on Sinners yea the whole Creation here below do loudly proclaim it But the clearest glass wherein God opens and manifests the odiousness and exceeding sinfulness of sin is Christ's Death and Sufferings which the Lords Supper plainly declares unto us and where we may see it displayed in all its most hateful and abominable colours Here you may by Faith see the exceeding great Evil of it and be provoked and stirred up to Hate and abhor it to eschew and avoyd it For by beholding the Curse and Wrath of God poured out on the Soul and Body of his dear Son Gal. 3.13 and by seeing him Reproached Buffetted Contemned Despised Crucified Hanged Nailed to the Cross Cruelly handled Tortured Tormented Pierced Murdered and above all the weight of divine Vengance pressing his precious Soul and wringing out Bloody Sweats and he pouring out his Soul to Death and all for and under the weight of our Sins and Guilt Surely the sight of this by Faith will greatly raise our hatred of all sin and disswade us from it 8. It is appointed and given to encrease and strengthen our Gospel-Repentance too Here we may look on Him whom we by sin have pierced and mourn and be in bitterness of Soul Zach. 12.10 for here is the Blood of the Scape Goat that is able to break the most stony hearts in the world And we stand in daily need of it for we are in danger every day of being hardened through the deceitfulness of sin and the world Heb. 3.13 But the Lord's Supper presents to us a heart-melting Object yea many such Objects There we may see heart-melting Love and there we may behold heart-breaking Grace There we may perceive the Lamb of God making Attonement for our sins and there we may understand that the Lord of Glory hath taken off from us our Sins Guilt and Punishment There we may discern him standing in our stead and between the living God and us Condemned dead men with the Censor of the Sanctuary full of his precious Blood making satisfaction for us to divine Justice There we