provoked to inflict some Judgment upon them 4. Seeing the Lords-Supper is appointed for the increase and strengthening of Grace where it is and not for the working of Grace where it is not and so those that approach it should be only Gracious Persons if they would receive Benefit thereby for we must first live spiritually as well as naturally before we Eat and Drink therefore it is needful that the Pastor inquire also into the State of the Candidates Soul What experience he hath had of the workings of Gods Word and Spirit upon him What Reason he can give of the hope of Salvation that is in him What Evidences he hath of a saving change or work of Grace upon his Heart 1 Pet. 3.15 And for the better discovery of his Souls Condition direct him in that needful and useful Duty of Self-examination and Exhort him to a diligent performance of it and to an Holy Jealousie over his own Heart least he should be deceived by it in a Matter of so great Importance 1 Cor. 11.28 29. The Sacramental Catechism may be very helpful to him in this Work in which he will find the Marks or Signs of saving Grace and thereby may the better Judge of his own Case 4. When the Pastor hath received Satisfaction in these Points and in the Judgment of Charity believes him to have a Gospel-right to and fitness for this Ordinance it seems necessary at least on a prudential account and for the fuller Satisfaction of the Church that the Person be propounded to the Church when met together by Name and Place of Habitation and held as an Expectant for some convenient Time at least from the Time of his Proposal to the next Sacrament-day That the Members may have liberty and opportunity to Inquire whether he be well reported of and unblameable in his Conversation And that they first give the Pastor an Account of what they hear more Privately that if any thing be objected he may further inform himself as to the Truth of it and the Person be kept off until the Objection shall be removed and all concerned receive Satisfaction 5. When the Expectant is actually to be admitted and come before the Church The Pastor may signifie him to be the Person formerly propounded to them desiring to be joyned to them and admitted to full Communion with them requiring that if any Member remain yet unsatisfied he would Now speak or by their silence lifting up the Hand or other Signal testifie their unanimous Consent to his Admission which being done the Pastor may next desire him to make Profession of his Faith and own his Baptismal-Covenant addressing himself to him in these or such like Words Seeing you desire to be admitted into full Communion with this Church of Christ to walk with it in all Gospel-Ordinances and Duties and to partake with it in all Church-Priviledges and it being fit the Church should satisfied that every Person admitted a Member thereof do own and profess the same Principles of the Christian Faith which the Church professeth In Order to this Satisfaction you are desired to make true Answer to these following Questions Q. 1. Do you believe there is but one only Living and True God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost which are Three distinct Persons and each of them God and yet all of them but One God Infinite Eternal and Unchangeable in his Being Wisdom Power Holiness Justice Goodness and Truth A. I do believe this Q. 2. Do you believe that this God from all Eternity ordained whatsoever comes to pass in Time and that in the beginning of Time he Created and made the whole World and all Things therein out of nothing by the Word of his Power in the space of six Days and all very Good and that he doth still uphold preserve and govern it according to his own Will and for his own Glory A. I do believe this Q. 3. Do you believe that God made Man upright after his own Image in Knowledge Righteousness and Holiness with Dominion over the Creatures here below and that he entred into a Covenant of Life with him upon Condition of Perfect Obedience forbidding him to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil upon Pain of Death A. I do believe this Q. 4. Do you believe that our first Parents being left to the Freedom of their own Wills and hearkening to the Temptation of Satan Transgressed the Commandment of God by Eating the forbidden Fruit and so brake their Covenant with God and thereby brought themselves and all their Posterity descending from them by ordinary Generation into an Estate of Sin and Misery A. I do believe this Q. 5. Do you believe that Man thus fallen was not able to recover himself and that God having out of his meer good Pleasure elected some to Everlasting Life did enter into a Covenant of Grace to deliver them out of that Estate of Sin and Misery and to bring them into an Estate of Salvation by Christ as a Redeemer A. I do believe this Q. 6. Do you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ being the Eternal and only begotten Son of God became Man also in the fulness of Time by taking to himself a true Body and a reasonable Soul being Conceived by the Power of the Holy Ghost in the Womb of the Virgin Mary of her Humane Substance and born of her yet without Sin both in his Nature and Life and that so he was and continueth still to be both God and Man in Two distinct Natures and one Person for ever A. I do believe this Q. 7. Do you believe that this Redeemer of God Elect as a Prophet doth Teach his Church by his Word and Spirit the Will of God for their Salvation And as a Priest hath satisfied Divine Justice for their Sins and reconciled them to God by his once Offering up himself as a Sacrifice unto God in Suffering the Cursed Death of the Cross and now continually interceeds for them in Heaven and as a King subdues the Elect unto himself Ruleth and Defendeth them and Restrains and Conquers all his and their Enemies A. I do believe this Q. 8. Do you believe that though this Jesus Christ was put to Death and Buried yet he rose again from the Dead on the Third Day shewed himself to his Disciples and Conversed with them alive and afterward in the sight of divers of them ascended into Heaven where he still remaineth sitting at the Right Hand of God the Father from whence he shall come at the Day appointed by God to Judge the World in Righteousness A. I do believe this Q. 9. Do you believe that God the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son hath fully and sufficiently Revealed the Will of God in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the perfect perpetual and only Rule of our Faith and Obedience And that the same Holy Spirit doth Effectually apply the Redemption purchased by
John 2.12 13 14. In Christs Fold some are Lambs others Sheep as John 21.15 16. Being thus distinguished according to the different Time of their standing in the Church or the different Measure of Knowledge and Grace they have obtained and regard ought to be had to each accordingly in Feeding and Ruling of them that Milk be given to Babes even the sincere Milk of the Word i. e. Such Truths as are Plain and easie to be understood by them who are unskilful in the Word of Righteousness and strong Meat to such as are of full or perfect Age i. e. Such Truths as are more Mysterious Sublime and Spiritual they being Persons who by Reason of Use have their Senses exercised to discern both Good and Evil as Heb. 5.12 13 14. Some Christians are in their Infant-state and so to be admitted only to a Participation of those Priviledges and Ordinances that belong to it Others are in their Adult-state and so have a Right to Partake of the highest Priviledges and Ordinances in the Church Church-History informs us that in the Primitive Times there were several Ranks of Professed Christians the lowest were called Catechumens Catechized Persons of which there were two Sorts 1. Such as were Sinners of the Gentiles or Heathens by Birth but upon the Preaching the Gospel to them inclined to and began to embrace the Christian Faith and were thereupon instructed in the Principles of it or in the Doctrine of Christ These were only in the Church-Porch 2. Such as were the Children of Believing or Christian Parents who by their Birth-right being Members of the Visible Church and under the same Covenant of Grace with their Parents received Baptism in their Infancy as a Seal of the Covenant and were to be brought up by their Parents in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord as Eph. 6.4 Both these Sorts of Catechumens were Instructed in the Christan Religion by a Catechist or Minister whose main Business was to feed these Lambs of Christ and to train them up in the Way they should go and take care of these Young Plants as being the Nurseries of the Church When the former Sort were sufficiently Instructed they desired to be Baptized and then were called Competent i. e. Persons desiring Baptism upon which they gave in their Names and came under a strict even a seven-fold Examination and so were admitted to Baptism Then were called Batptizati Illuminati i. e. Baptized and Inlightned Persons and no longer accounted to be in the Porch but got over the Threshold into the Church owned as Fellow-Citizens and Denisons with the Saints and of the Houshold of God and had their Names inrolled among the Servants of Christ Being thus initiated or entred into the Church they obtained some Priviledges which they had not before of which this was one That the Mysteries of the Sacraments of which they were ignorant while Catechumens or knew but little of them were more clearly revealed to them For the Church then thought fit to conceal the knowledge of them till after Baptism both because they were such high Mysteries and least the knowledge of them should bring them into Contempt and that they might be stirred up to stronger Desires after them say some yet were they accounted but incompleat Christians and might not be admitted to all the Priviledges of church-Church-Members as being yet but in their Infant-State or Minority until they received Confirmation also which was performed by the Imposition or laying on them the Hands of the Minister or Pastor of the Church and Prayer unto God for his Holy Spirit Increase of Grace and their Confirmation or Establishment in the Faith of Christ which they had professed This Religious Rite of Confirmation both the forementioned sorts of Catechumens were obliged to receive and so by it were passed from their Infant-state to the State of the Adult and then admitted to the Participation of all the Priviledges of Church-Members even to the Lords-Supper it self the highest Mystery of Christianity and so became and were declared to be compleat and perfect Christians therefore they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perfect as Phil. 3.15 Not as if they had attained a sinless Perfection in Grace and Holiness But because now they had all things needful to the Perfecting of their Church-state Those that were not Baptized till Adult or grown Persons received Confirmation by Imposition of Hands ordinarily in a short Time after their Baptism to make them compleat Church-Members But such as being the Children of Believers were Baptized in their Infancy were not Confirmed till they were grown up to Years of Discretion and well Instructed in the Principles of the Christan Religion by their Parents and by the Catechists and so capable to give an account of their Knowledge and Faith nor were any judged meet for Admission to the Lords-Table until they had some considerable Time before given Proof of their Manners and Godliness But when they were Confirmed and had received that Ordinance they were then arrived at the highest Form in the School of Christ his Church and then were called Fideles The Faithful That this was the Practice of the Primitive Church is plainly and fully proved by divers Learned Pens and amongst our own especially by Mr. Hanmer and Mr. Baxter to whose Writings I refer such who desire more clear Light and fuller Satisfaction in this Point All that I shall further observe at present as to Confirmation is That this as well as other Gospel-Ordinances was in after-Ages Corrupted and Abused by the Addition of Chrysm or Unction that is Anointing with Oyl and by admitting those to it who were not the meet Objects of it as Persons grosly Ignorant and Propane c. The just Resentment and Abhorrence of these Corruptions hath occasioned a fault on the other hand in many of the Churches of Christ viz. the Total Rejection or disuse of this Pious Rite of which I fear they will be able to give no good account to our Lord Jesus in the Great Day our Duty doubtless lyes between these two Extreams to Reform the Abuses and reassume the Primitive right Use of Confirmation a thing greatly to be desired and zealously to be endeavoured by the Reformed Churches for the Glory that might hence Redound to God and the Benefits that would accrue to the Church of Christ by it As the forementioned Authors have excellently demonstrated and therefore with Nervous Arguments perswade to the Revival of it May there be new Effusions of Gods Holy Spirit on those who are principally concerned i. e. Christian Magistrates and Ministers to put them on the vigorous Use of their Authority and Interest for a more perfect and thorow Reformation in this and some other Points that call for it at this Day that all remaining Corruptions may be swept out of Gods House and Christian Practice at length reduced to and regulated by the Gospel-rule in all things Secondly Mean while I shall next as I promised humbly
Means of Grace or no If so you are doubtless yet strangers to Christ and Grace and in a wretched State 3. You Grieve and Discourage the Ministers of Christ in their Work and give them occasion to fear that all their Labours are lost upon you That you believe not their true Reports of the Will of God nor make due Application of the Word they Preach to your own Hearts and Lives and so receive this Grace of God in Vain This must needs sadden the Hearts and weaken the Hands of the Servants of Christ in their Work 4. You Scandalize other Christians and Tempt them to think that you are but Formalists and Hypocrites taking up only with an empty Name and Profession of Religion but ignorant of the Life and Power of Godliness To be sure if you have Grace the neglect of this Ordinance which is appointed as a Principal Means to strengthen and increase it is a plain Evidence that your Grace is but small and weak and rather on the decaying than growing Hand 5. You set an ill Example before Younger Persons and Tempt them to live in the neglect of this Ordinance also for they are more apt to follow Evil Examples than Good they will be ready through Ignorance to Conclude that it is no Sin because they see you their Elders and Betters do so and that Partaking of this Ordinance is no necessary Duty but a meer Arbitrary Thing that may be done or not done at Pleasure And would you be guilty of leading Young Ones into such an Error Do you not see the malignant Influence of bad Examples on the most of Mankind especially on Youth And do you not know that you Contract the guilt of all the Sins of others into which they are drawn by your Example And have you not Sins enough of your own O therefore beware of partaking with other Mens Sins keep your selves Pure 1 Tim. 5.22 And do not Live in the neglect of this Ordinance any longer for others Sakes as well as for your own Thirdly Consider until you are Joyned to some Particular Church of Christ you loose the Benefit also of divers other Church Priviledges such as Communion with the Choicest and most Experienced Christians an Interest in their special Love their Watchfulness over you and Helpfulness to you by Instructions Admonitions Exhortations Sympathy in your Afflictions Consolations Communication of Experiences Prayers c. And no wise Person would slight such Priviledges and spiritual Helps as these that knows how needful and useful they may be to him in this imperfect State Fourthly Consider until you are Joyned to some Particular Church of Christ you lye more open to Temptations from your Souls Enemies and will be more easily overcome by them for the Sense and Consideration of those solemn and sacred Bonds which you have laid upon your Souls by a Publick owning your Baptismal Covenant and actual Renewing of it in Receiving the Lord's Supper will be apt mightily to awe your Consciences keep you closer to your Duties and make you more watchful and resolute against Temptations and ready to cry out when assaulted How shall I do this great Wickedness and Sin against that God whom I have chosen and to whom I have given up my Self to Love Fear Obey and Serve him in an Holy Covenant for ever Let these and such like Things be seriously Considered until you are Convinced of the sinfulness of your Neglects and humbled for them and convinced also of your Duty and made willing to set upon it I say Willing for I think it very sinful to force Persons into Churches or frighten them into that Participation of Sacraments by Threatning Penal Laws c. Seeing I find not that Christ the Head of the Church hath entrusted any Man or Society of Men with such a Coercive Power or that he would have any prest into his Service Certainly he accepts of none but Volunteers and though none are such by Nature he makes all those such by efficacious Grace whom he receives 'T is true Christ Commanded his Servants Gospel-Ministers to Compel Men to come in to his spiritual Feast Luke 14.23 But surely he means not that they should use any outward Violence to their Persons or drive them in by Staves Whips or Swords No nor with Pecuniary Mulcts or Fines for the use of these belong only to the Civil Magistrate Christ committed no Civil Power to his Ministers Their Business was with Mens Souls which they were to deal with in a Way agreeable to their Rational Nature proposing to them weighty Arguments to invite and perswade them to accept of the Kindness offered and though these alone are not sufficient to prevail upon the depraved Wills of Men yet God Joyning the Inward Powerful Workings of his Holy Spirit to the outward Ministry of the Word makes them effectually persuasive to all his Elect and of unwilling makes them Willing in the Day of his Power as Psalm 110.3 For the Will of Man is not to be forced Indeed the Compulsion there spoken of signifies no more than a Loving Invitation or Bidding and so 't is express'd by another Evangelist Mat. 22.3 Christ sent forth his Servants to call them that were bidden to the Wedding and they would not come Christ doth not say Then force them against their Wills to Come or Punish Fine Excommunicate or Imprison them for their Refusal he will himself call Men to an account for slighting his Invitation in his own Time and therefore I think they ought to be left to him In the mean while I must profess I cannot find any warrant in Scripture for Admission of all Persons though never so Ignorant or Prophane to the Lord's Table Surely the Ministers of the Gospel whom Christ hath intrusted with the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven should not suffer the Lords Table to be made like the Table of a Common Ordinary Free for all Comers nor cast Christ's Holy Things to known Dogs and Swine Who ever dares to do so must be accountable to Christ for it who is Jealous for his own Name and will not hold them guiltless that either pollute or prophane his sacred Institutions or permit others to do it when it is in their Power to prevent it But I shall leave such to Answer for these Crimes at his Righteous Bar who will have no respect to Persons in Judgment And should now proceed to the next Thing intended which is to Instruct such as by the forementioned Considerations are Convinced of their sinful Neglects of this Holy Ordinance and to shew them their Duty But that I meet with divers Objections which some make against their Approaching this Holy Supper which must be answer'd because they lie as Stumbling-blocks in their Way and are sometimes pleaded as Excuses for their Sin They are such as these Obj. 1. Some say we think our selves unworthy to Partake of this Holy Ordinance therefore we come not to it Ans 1. If you mean by
this Ordinance you have no Reason to despair of Mercy as if this did render your Sin unpardonable but your Duty is to renew your Repentance for it to pray for Pardon of it and Power against it and to stand more strictly on your Guard for Time to come Then you have Scripture ground to hope for Pardon 1 John 2.1 2. Psalm 32.5 6. Jer. 3.22 Read and Consider those Scriptures well 5. Beware that it be not a secret Love to some Sin or other and lothness to part with it that keeps you from this Ordinance what ever else may be pretended Be very Jealous of your own Heart for the Heart of Man is deceitful above all Things Examine your selves therefore very strictly least this should lye at the bottom but if you find you are indeed willing to part with every Sin and to obey every Command of Christ though you cannot live a sinless Life yet you have no just Cause to fear coming to this Ordinance Obj. 7. But there are so many different Opinions and Sects among Professors of Religion some saying their Church is the True Church and others saying theirs is so that we are at a loss and know not which to Joyn our selves to Ans 1. It is greatly to be lamented that there are such Differences and Divisions in Matters of Religion among us and Woe be to the Causers and Fomenters of them They will never be able to Answer it to our Lord Jesus in the Great Day for they lay a stumbling-block before the Blind as Lev. 19.14 Making them to wander out of the Way and thereby bring themselves under a Curse as Deut. 27.18 It s to be feared that these Differences may hinder some Persons from Joyning themselves with any particular Church in full Communion though this be the Fruit of their Ignorance Weakness or Prejudice These Differences being no just Cause of nor Plea for the neglect of their Duty For though there be such Divisions among us yet it is certain that some of these Societies of Christians at least 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ue Churches of Christ tho' some may be more Reformed Pure and Sound than others and it s the Duty of every Private Christian to Joyn himself to some Particular Church and where they have Liberty of Choice to those who are justly esteemed by Persons capable to Judge viz. by wise and Judicious Christians the purest and best or such as keep nearest to the Gospel-Rule both in Doctrine Worship and Discipline 2. Consider for Persons to refuse or neglect Joyning with any Church under pretence of fearing least they should not Joyn to a True Church this is to be Guilty of a certain Sin to avoid an uncertain One and therefore no Wise and Good Man would do thus 3. In what soever Society of Christians the essential Marks of a true gospel-Gospel-Church are to be found viz. The Pure Preaching of the Word of God and the due Administration of the Sacraments by a Minister Called Qualified and set a part according to the Rule of the Gospel That Society should be accounted a true Gospel-Church and will be owned by Christ as such Though it may differ from other Particular Churches in some Circumstantial and lesser Things And Private Christians ought not to refuse Joyning themselves to any such Society seeing Christ hath received them 4. It is evident to every Understanding and Impartial Eye That those of the moderate Episcopal Presbyterian and Congregational Persuasions have the Essence of true Gospel-Churches and own the same Doctrinal Articles of the Christian Faith though they differ in Discipline and Modes of Worship Therefore Private Christians may safely Joyn themselves to either of them according as they are persuaded in their own Minds And supposing you have heard the Ministers of each of these Persuasions where you have found the most spiritual Benefit There it is most advisable for you to Joyn if it may be Obj. 8. But says another I am Poor and Low in the World and have nothing to give toward the Maintenance of a Minister and should I seek to Joyn my Self to a Church they may be ready to think I do it only in hopes of a share in their Charity and Reject me for fear I should be burdensom to them this keeps me off Ans 1. This Objection savours of Pride and Uncharitableness which become not any Christians especially the poorer sort Humility and Charity or Love would teach you to think the best and to esteem others better than your selves and to hope that Ministers and Christians do better understand the Will of Christ and their own Duties than to be guilty of refusing Admission of any Person into their Communion meerly for their Poverty and you ought to think thus of them until you find the contrary 2. Were you sure before-hand that they would refuse you yet it is your Duty to offer your self and seek Admission and then if they unjustly refuse you the Sin will lye at their Doors and you will be Free But their Omission of their Duty will be no good excuse for your neglecting your own Duty 3. No faithful Minister of Christ dares to refuse the poorest Christian because he is Poor provided it appears to him that he hath a Gospel-Right to and fitness for Admission to this Ordinance seeing he could not Answer it to our Lord Jesus Christ who refuseth none that come to Him but inviteth all whether Rich or Poor as Mat. 11.28 and John 6.37 And requires his Ministers to do the same Mat. 28.19 and Mark 16.15 16. Mat. 22.9 10. They know that not many Mighty not many Noble are called but that God hath chosen the Poor of this World Rich in Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that Love him as 1 Cor. 1.26 and James 2.5 And whom God hath chosen and called they will not knowingly Refuse 4. You ought rather to be Jealous of your own Heart then Suspicious of others and see that you aim at higher and better Ends in seeking to Joyn your self to any Church of Christ than to obtain some worldly Support as knowing those that followed Christ only for the Loaves were justly blamed by Him John 6.26 If your Ends be Right and Good leave God to take care of your Esteem in the Hearts of other Christians Obj. 9. But say others we hope we may go to Heaven though we never Receive the Lords Supper God forbid that all who Dye without this Ordinance should perish Ans 1. Far be it from me to say or think that none go to Heaven but the Receivers of this Ordinance for I believe the contrary Yea I know that some of those who are Partakers of it will perish for want of a Saving Change upon their Hearts as Luke 13.26 27. I freely grant that neither the Participation of this nor any other Ordinance is absolutely necessary to Salvation seeing God doth nothing by Ordinances but what he can do without them if he please Yet 2.
Spiritual Things should be minded in the first Place as Mat. 6.33 And therefore if you put them off till last you are guilty of Inverting or Changing the Order which Christ hath commanded you to observe and that is sinful 2. No more Worldly Cares are lawful and allowable to you but what are consistent with the more weighty Care of Religion and your Souls while they are moderate and keep within due bounds they hinder not the other but the excess of them is sinful which therefore you ought to Watch and Pray against 3. You may get through the World as soon as get through your Worldly Cares and Troubles for they usually accompany us more or less all our Days as soon as one Trouble is over another succeeds one begets another as Wave begets Wave so that if you stay from this Ordinance until you are wholly freed from them you are never like to Partake of it 4. Many of your Worldly Troubles and Afflictions are procured to you by your own Sins or sent of God to correct you for them drive you from them unto God and make you more mindful of Religion and your Souls concerns so that you make a quite Contrary use of them if they drive you farther from God and make you the more to neglect the Care of better Things Obj. 13. But when you have said all that you can for this Ordinance say others this is but a Ceremony that you Plead so much for and to neglect a Ceremony we hope can be no great Offence but will be easily forgiven while we mind the more substantial Duties of Religion Ans 1. Though it be but a Ceremony it is commanded to be used by the Lord Jesus Christ himself and so of Divine Authority so that the neglect of it is Disobedience to God and that is no small Offence 2. Though it be a Ceremony yet it is a very significant and honourable Ceremony being appointed by Christ to signifie and represent his Death and Sufferings for our sakes in which his matchless Love to Sinners was displayed and therefore to slight and neglect it must be no less than a slight put upon his Love and a Practical forgetfulness of him seeing he requires us to use this Ordinance in Remembrance of Him and â—s this nothing in your Eyes 3. The smaller the Thing or the easier the Duty is that Christ Commands â—he greater is the Sin of such as Disobey â—t Had he commanded far greater Things should you not Obey how much more when he injoyns you so small 〈◊〉 Thing as this What will you deny â—o do an easie Duty at the Command of Christ who refused not both to do and suffer the greatest Things for you Is â—his your Love and Thankfulness to Christ 4. Know That the abuse or neglect of a Ceremony that is of Divine Instiâ—ution may be very displeasing unto God and Dangerous to our Selves was not the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil a Ceremony Yet by our first Paâ—ents abuse of it in Eating the Fruit â—hereof contrary to Gods Law the Wrath of God was brought on them and all their Posterity Gen. 2.17 Was not Circumcision a Ceremony yet Moses his neglect to Circumcize his Son was like to cost him his Life as Exod. 6.24 And as slight as you may make of this Ceremony of the Lords-Supper yet for the abusing of it some of the Corinthians were smitten with Sickness and Weakness and others with Death as 1 Cor. 11.30 Now if God punisheth Men for the abuse of this Ordinance can it be rationally Thought that he will suffer the Neglecters and Despisers of it to go unpunished Obj. 14. But say some the Lords-Supper was but a Temporary Ordinance or to be used in the Christian Church only for a Time that is till Christs coming as 1 Cor. 11.26 For as oft as ye Eat this Bread and Drink this Cup ye do shew forth the Lords Death till he come Now say Quakers for this is their Objection Christ is come to us in Spirit Therefore we use not this Ordinance This indeed is the most sinful and dangerous Objection of all because it strikes at the very being of this Ordinance and seeks the Destruction and Cutting it off from the Churches of Christ and therefore must be the more warily and vigorously opposed For the Confutation of it I shall propose these following Considerations First Consider Though it must be granted Christ doth indeed speak of another Coming to his Church before his Coming to Judge the World as John 14.18 I will not leave you Comfortless I will come to you and this Coming may be called his Coming in or rather by the Spirit which he promised to send in his Name to Teach Sanctifie and Comfort his Church as John 15.26 So that in respect of this his Spiritual Coming he promised to be with it always even to the End of the World as Mat. 28. last Yet I say The Apostle is not to be understood in that Scripture to speak of Christs Coming in Spirit but of his Coming in Person For Secondly Consider Christ was come in Spirit to his Church before that Epistle to the Corinthians was written whether we understand it of that extraordinary and miraculous Coming of the Spirit on the Apostles mentioned Acts 2.1 to 5. or of the ordinary Coming of the Spirit as the Teacher Sanctifier or Leader and Comforter of the Church Blessing his Ordinances to these Ends. Every true Believer hath Christ thus come into his Soul at his Regeneration or Conversion and to be fine the Holy Apostles experimentally knew this Coming of Christ by his Spirit unto their Souls before the Institution of his Holy Supper and so did the sincere Members of those Primitive Churches at Corinth Ephesus Philippi c. who yet kept up the Use of this Ordinance among them Thirdly Consider the whole Current of Learned Expositors in all former Ages of the Christian Church to this very Day understand by that Coming of Christ mentioned 1 Cor. 11.26 to be meant his Coming to Judgment as I could easily shew but that the Quotations of them would take up too much Room here nor have I found any Christian otherwise Minded until the Qunkers Invented this New Sense of those Words to Countenance their Rejection of this Holy Ordinance Now can any wise Man Imagine that Christ would have suffered his Church to erre in this Point for so many past Ages and never have discovered the true Sense of that Text till of Late to this sort of Men who are guilty of rejecting other Ordinances of Christ as well as this as Baptism Singing of Psalms the Observation of the Lords-Day and the Gospel-Ministry Believe it he that can Fourthly Consider if this Opinion were true that when Christ is come in or by his Spirit to Men they should no longer Partake of the Lords-Supper Then none should Partake of it but such to whom Christ is not thus come that is Graceless Persons But
Christ with all the saving Benefits of his Mediation Death and Merits to the Elect by working Faith in them and thereby uniting them to Christ in their Effectual Calling A. I do believe this Q. 10. Do you believe that this Holy Spirit of God dwelleth and worketh in all that are Effectually Called and drawn to Christ And that all Gods Elect being united unto Christ as to their Common Head make up one Catholick Church or Mystical Body of Christ the Members whereof having Fellowship with God the Father Son and Spirit by Faith and one with one another by Love do in this Life partake of Justification Adoption and Sanctification with all the Benefits that do accompany or flow from them And that their Souls at Death are made perfect in Holiness and do immediately pass into Glory but their Bodies being still united to Christ do rest in their Graves till the Resurrection A. I do believe this Q. 11. Do you believe that these precious Benefits purchased by Christ are dispensed to the Elect by the Holy Spirit of God in the Use of his Sacred Ordinances the Word Sacraments and Prayer as being the means appointed by God for the Working Increasing and Perfecting of Grace in their Hearts and that therefore these Ordinances are duly and reverently to be used and carefully improved by Christians to these spiritual Ends until Christs second Coming A. I do believe this Q. 12. Do you believe that in the general Resurrection at the last Day all the Righteous shall be raised up in Glory by Vertue of their Union unto Christ their Head and shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted by him their Judge and so made perfectly Blessed in the Full and Eternal Enjoyment of God in Heaven whereas the Wicked also shall be raised by the Power of Christ but shall be condemned by him and sent into Everlasting Punishment in Hell A. I do believe this Q. 1. Do you also own and heartily Consent unto your Covenant with God in Baptism that is repenting of your Sins against God and renouncing the World the Flesh and the Devil Do you take the only Living and True God for your only God and Chief Good God the Father to be your God and Father God the Son to be your Redeemer and Saviour and God the Holy Ghost to be your Sanctifier Guide and Comforter And do you sincerely give up your whole Self Soul and Body to this one God as his Covenant-Servant to Believe Love and Obey him constantly and faithfully according to his Word and that unto the Death A. I do this sincerely as far as I know my own Heart Q. 2. Are you desirous to partake of the Holy Ordinance of the Lords-Supper as being a Seal of the Covenant of Grace That thereby this Covenant between God and you may be Renewed and Confirmed and that you may thereby keep in thankful Memory the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ A. This is my unfeigned Desire Q. 3. Do you truly Consent and Promise to submit to the Holy Discipline and Government which the Lord Jesus Christ the only Head and Law-giver of his Church hath ordained for his own Glory and his Churches good and in particular to submit to the spiritual Guidance and over-sight of the Pastor of this Church according to the Mind of Christ A. I do truly Consent and Promise so to do Q. 4. Will you also patiently submit to the Christian Admonitions and Reproofs of your Fellow-Members in this Church and conscientiously perform the same Duty towards them if occasion so require according to Christs own command for Church Order A. I will do so the Lord enabling me These Questions thus Proposed and Answered The Pastor may apply himself to the Person concerned in these or such like Expressions Upon this serious and credible Profession of the Christian Faith which you have now made before God and this Church the Renewing of your Covenant with God and the Satisfaction I have had concerning the suitableness of your Conversation * Here I humbly conceive the Imposition of the Pastors Hands may properly take Place I Receive and admit you into full Communion with this Church of Christ to walk with it in all Gospel-Ordinances and Duties and to partake with it in all Gospel-Priviledges And I as the Pastor thereof Exhort and Beseech you yea I Charge and Command you in the Name of the Chief Sheppard our Lord Jesus Christ That you hold fast this Christian Faith which you have now professed and be faithful and stedfast in that Covenant with God which you have now Renewed And that denying all Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts you live Soberly Righteously and Godlily in this present World that you may also be received by Christ and owned by him in the great Day as a living Member of his Mystical Body and God in Covenant may be your God and Portion for ever When Imposition of Hands shall be used it seems proper to joyn a short Prayer with it at the close of this Exhortation for Christs gracious Reception of the Person thus admitted Gods favourable Acceptance of him through Christ the Confirming of his Covenant with him and bestowing the Grace of the Covenant upon him c. Mean while the Pastor may put up such Petitions for him in his Prayer before the Celebration of this Ordinance Si quid novisti rectius istis Candidus imperti Si non His utere mecum If thou know'st what doth more with Rule agree Kindly impart it Or use this with me FINIS BOOKS Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside A Treatise of the Institution right Administration and receiving of the Sacrament of the Lord 's upper By Mr. Richard Vines A True Touch-stone of Grace and Nature or a Discourse concerning Self-examination with Meditations relating to the Lord's Supper By Mr. N. Vincent late Minister of the Gospel A Communicant Instructed or Practical Directions for worthy receiving of the Lord's Supper By Fran. Roberts M. A. Convivium Caeleste or a Discourse concerning the Lord's Supper shewing at once the Nature of that â—acrament as also the right Way of preparing our selVes for the receiving of it c. by the Right Reverend Father in God Richard Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells Sacramental Discourses on several Texts before and after the Lord's Supper By John Shower Sacramental Discourses upon several Subjects to which is added a Discourse of the Life of Faith By Christopher Amirant Minister of the Gospel in Norfolk The Welcome Communicant or a Brief Discourse directing the weakest Christian proceeding from Grace to Grace how he may come with cheerfulness to the Lord's Table The Worthy Communicant or a Treatise shewing the due Order of receiving the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper By Jeremiah Dyke The Fountain of Life opened Or a display of Christ in his Essential and Mediatorial Glory containing Forty Sermons on various Texts 4 to Pneumatologia Or a Treatise of the Soul of Man 4 to Both by Mr. John Flavel Late Minister in Dartmouth Scripture-Light about the Gospel-Ordinance of Baptism in a Letter to some Scrupulous Friends A Treatise of the Lord's Sufferings By Tho. Doolittle M. A. Monthly Preparations for the Holy Communion By R. B. To which is added suitable Meditations before in and after Receiving with Divine Hymns in Common Tunes A Treatise on the Sacrament By Tho. Watson The Poor Mans Melp and Young Man's Guide An Argumentative and Practical Discourse of Infant-Baptism These two by W. Burkitt Rector of Dedham in Essex An Allarm to unconverted Sinners By Jos Alâ—â—â— Discourses concerning the Rich Man and Laâ—arus By Tim. Cruso Late Minister of the Gospel â—n London The Golden Snuffers a Sermon Preached to the Society for Reformation of Manners By Dan â—urgess Proofs of God's Being and of the Scriptures Divine Original with Twenty Directions for the profitable Reading of them By D. Burgess Holy Confidence well improved by Nehemiah and the Jews whose Faith and Spirit were consider'd and applied to the Societies for Reformation oâ— Manners In a Sermon at Salters Hall in London Aug. 16. 2697. By Mat. Sylvester A Looking-Glass for the Unmarried wherein they may see these five Things viz. 1. Thâ— Benefits Helps and Comforts of Marriage 2. How they may proceed regularly in Order to Marriage 3. How to make a Happy Choice 4. How to demean themselves to each other in Order to Family Peace and Concord 5. The Relative Duty of Husband and Wife The Righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel Or an impartial Enquiry into the genuine Doctrine of St. Paul in the great but much controverted Article of Justification to which are prefixed the Epistles of the Right Reverend the Bishops of Ely Worcester and Chester By Mr. John Humfrey Mr. John Humfrey's Friendly Interposer between the Authors of those Papers the one called A Report the other A Rebuke of that Report in Order to a sound Reconciliation between the Presbyterian and the Independents in Doctrinals by preparing a Third Way when both of them are out in theâ—â— own Way The Swearers Doom or a Discourse against Vainâ— and Rash Swearing By John Rost A. M. Rectoâ— of Offwel and Gittisham in Devon A Body of Practical Divinity containing a hundred seventy six Sermons upon the Assemblies shorteâ— Catechism By Tho. Watson Folio An Account of the Life and Death of Mr. Philip Henry Minister of the Gospel near Whit-church in Shropshire