or believe to be in others To whom I Answer That the want thereof doth not make Men Unworthy Communicants it being not necessary that all Christians should be so enliven'd God neither having made a Promise nor commanded it as a Duty that all Communicants should be so endowed I do not deny but God may give sometimes to some Persons these Extraordinary Impulses and Consolation and I do believe that many there are who are able to speak great things of their Faith in and Communion with Christ yea such Complacency as well as Extraordinary Acts of Love and Adoration do they shew therein that one would imagine that their Souls were carry'd up to Heaven and that with St. Stephen they were not only viewing their Saviour by Faith in Figure and Sacrament but by personal sight yea by their Gestures and by their Words which most sweetly set forth Christ's Love to them and theirs to Christ we may be apt to believe that if they had not been in Heaven yet they minded nothing else and were going up to be for ever with the Lord. But however we may admire this in others we are not to judge those as unworthy that can't reach thereto for if we should so judge we should not only condemn a great part of the Generation of God's Children but shou'd cast a stumbling-block before them and render their Case worse than it is For as the saving Influences and Operations of God's Spirit may be where there wants these Extraordinary Impulses and Consolations so a Man may receive the Sacrament to very good purposes without them there being many good Men that by Means of the blessings of the Sacrament are strengthen'd more in the Spirit that are more consirm'd in their Faith in their Love to Christ and hearty desire of Thankfulness and Obedience that yet do not arrive to those passionate heats and flights as others do I think I need not tell you that with many if not most good Christians it is in Holy Duties as it was with the Disciples of Christ in the time of his Agony tho' their Spirits may be willing to serve and adore Christ in the highest manner yet their flesh is weak Mat. 26.40 41. and tho' they don't allow themselves therein yet they find them selves apt to start aside or tyre when their Hearts are lifted up to God and they can hardly watch and pray one hour but something or other either from themselves or the presence of some Worldly Object is apt to give some diversion or distraction to them in their most solemn Acts of Devotion and Worship And yet after all these very Persons may not only have an high esteem of Christ and a real Love to him and his Service but would be glâ—d that they could serve him better And now 〈◊〉 to be suppos'd that God will judge them unworthy who serve him in Sincerity of Heart and are sorry that they can't Worship him so much as they shou'd No surely Christ that bore with the Infirmities of his Disciples that knows our Frame and Constitution that remembers we are but Men will not be extream to mark what we unwillingly do amiss but as a Father pitiâ—th his Children so doth he pity them that fear him Psal 103.13 that set their Hearts to wait upon their Saviour in Ways of his own Appointment tho' they can't Worship him in that perfect and cheerful way as some do sincerity of Heart going a great way to God's Acceptance of our Endeavours as well as to the pardon of our unwilling and repented of Infirmities And indeed herein is matter of Comfort thâ—â— God accepts of men according to the sincerity oâ— their Hearts and Endeavours rather than by the Tyde or heat of Mens Affections which is higher in some than in others even upon Natural as 〈◊〉 as Religions Agitations nay is higher in 〈◊〉 same men at one time than at another And therefore tho' we can't approach to or come 〈◊〉 from the Sacrament with those passionate Trâ—â—â—ports of Love and Consolation as some Mâ—n 〈◊〉 or as we could wish yet if what we 〈…〉 sensible Joys we make up in Truth and 〈◊〉 let us not distrust but God will have 〈…〉 on us and deal with us according to 〈…〉 would and endeavour to be and not by what 〈◊〉 are viz. Persons of Infirmities 〈…〉 were Angels Go◠〈◊〉 expect 〈…〉 Angels from us but as he knows we are but Men so he requires no more than the service of Men who do they what they can have their Infirmities and Failures sometimes and whose Flesh hath its weaknesses be their Spirits never so willing And tho' indeed where God gives it to Men to be fill'd with such Extraordinary Consolation and Efforts of Devotion they are not to hinder or restrain the flowings thereof yet where God is not pleas'd to bestow them as Men ought not to murmur against God so not to condemn themselves as unworthy because they are without them These being Arbitrarious Gifts which God giveth as he seeth good and therefore it being not for us to choose our places and parts at this Heavenly Feast we may reckon it sufficient for us that he gives us his Cup to drink and that we are qualify'd and enabled to partake thereof with the sincerity of a Christian and other necessary Qualifications If therefore I say out of a sense of our Duty to God we come to the Sacrament and endeavour to prepare our selves for and behave our selves at it according to the best of our Capacities and Opportunities and are sorry for our failures we are not to stay away from it though we cannot thereby satisfie all the Desires of our Souls to be and do as others God making it our Duty to receive and that as well as we can but not to forbear it because we attain not to those sensible Joys and Exaltations of Spirit as God for Reasons known to himself may impart to others it being enough for us to make us Communicants and that with his Blessing too when he bestows upon us the Graces of his Spirit and enables us live as Christians But yet if after all I have said in this Matter the Good the Religious Soul is yet afraid of the Sacrament I must leave him to the Grace and Mercy of God which tho' I do not deny him in his Absence from the Lord's Supper yet I must tell him that his sear hinders him the enjoyment of a very comfortable Ordinance to Pious Souls Nay his fear if it is only a snare to keep him from coming to but doth not put him upon a serious and hearty endeavour of sitting him for this Duty as well as seeking for Advice how to remove such fear doth give too shrewd a sign of his decay in Grace However let his fears be as unwilling as can be suppos'd yet they hinder him of an Ordinance which is not only a great Means and Reason for living better when to all other Helps he hath that
a Pattern of Love and Kindness before us in his dying even to save us can we yet be Uncharitable and Cruel One Man beareth hatred against another and yet doth he seek for pardon from the Lord if he that is but flesh nourisheth hatred who will entreat for the pardon of his Sins could even the Son of Sirac tell us long ago Ecclus. 28. v. 2 3 4. But a greater than he hath told us that we must first be reconciled to our Brother in Affections at least before we come with our Gift to the Altarâ— Mat. 5.23 24 25. And again if we forgive noâ— Men their Trespasses neither will our heavenly Father forgive us ours Mat. 6.15 and many such Texts there are to the like purpose nay from the sense of Christ's dying Love we find Christ exhorting his Disciples to the love of each other yea in keeping this Ordinance St. Paul exhorts thâ— Corinthians that they should not keep this Feast with the Leven of Malice 1 Cor. 5.8 And now forgiveness and Charity being so much requir'd at our hands can we think to become Worthy Communicants without it No he who hates his Brother whatever his hopes and pretences are is but a Murderer and ye know that no Murderer till he repents is a fit Guest for the holy and merciful Jesus yea St. John by way of Interrogation implying a denyal asks How it can be that the Love of God can dwell in him who when he hath this World's goods and seeth the needs of his Brother yet shuts up his Bowels of Compassion from him 1 John 3.17 Nay if Christ declares that such as will not give Meat to the Hungry and Drink to the Thirsty Mat. 25. v. 41. shall depart from him and are not worthy of his presence but sit only for the Devil and his Angels it is hard to think how he will accept of the unmerciful and cruel Person as a fit Guest at the Heavenly Feast at this Ordinance of Forgiveness and Charity In short a very wicked Servant is he and no Friend of Christ's who tho' he comes to entreat for the forgiveness of ten thousand Talents doth at the same time keep a resolution of exacting the pence of his Brother surely if the Love and Pity that is due to his Brother will not move him the Consideration of what a Motive it is to his own Forgiveness from God that he forgives others should even make him more kind for his own as well as others sake which if he is not we must needs own he is an unwelcome Guest when he is of so contrary Behaviour to the Doctrine and Example of Christ which to be of as it is offensive to him at all times so much more in the midst of the Memorials of his Love and Good will as well as Gods Forgiveness to us through the Merits of his Son Thus necessary is Forgiveness to make us worthy Communicants as well as it is the Condition of God to us But now least Persons should mistake the Nature of Forgiveness tho' few or none there are but what will own the Duty of it before I leave this Qualification I shall endeavour to shew you what is meant by Forgiveness and what is requir'd of us thereby As 1. By Forgiveness is not meant a bare Declaration thereof or a praying to God to forgive those that have wronged us but an actual forgiving a doing what we say and a Heartiness in our desires Yea it contains the laying aside the thoughts of doing another Mischief as well as the forbearance of a revengeful Act for he that thinks and wishes ill to another shews that he hath Malice in his Heart tho he forbears to execute it Yea he that dares not do another a mischief but yet desires God to be his Revenger according to his Imaginations doth in that shew it is fear or something else that restrains his hand but his Heart is revengefull and it shews that he would revenge if he might and so cannot be said to forgive But 2. By Forgiveness is not only meant a forbearance of revenging an Injury but a Forgetfulness of the Injury too so far as to cease from revengefull thoughts or Expressions For he that remembers a wrong done him so as to heighten his Passion under a new Provocation he doth not heartily forgive in that he keeps the seed of the past Anger and Passion still lurking within him It 's true where a man hath done me wrong I may remember it so sar as to take care to avoyd the like or any other from him for the future yet tho' by way of Caution and Prevention a man may remember a past offence the better to arm and defend himself he is not so to remember it as to make it an addition to his resolutions of Revenge upon a second Offence for indeed so to do is not to put out the Fire but only to cover it in Ashes But 3. By Forgiveness is not only meant an act or state of Inoffensiveness towards others a forbearance of revenging an Injury and a forgetfulness of it so far as to cease from revengeful thoughts or Expressions but also a readiness to shew actions of Civility and Kindness so far as they are due from us even to those that trespass against us It 's true indeed I am not obliged to exercise those particular acts of Friendship with him from whom I have received Injuries and am still like to receive more from the ill will and designs he hath against me nor doth the Duty of Forgiveness exclude our Endeavours after satisfaction in a just and legal way Yet so far doth Forgiveness require our Love and Kindness to Offenders against us that they are not to be excluded our Prayers or our Acts of Kindness to them as they are men tho' we can't own them as Friends Even to our worst Enemies we must do that Good that we would do to all men as men that is we must not only forbear to deal unjustly or cruelly with them but shew them all the Kindness that God by the Gospel and common Rules of Society and Civility hath made it our Duty to shew and especially where there is no reason to the contrary but we may do the same things for them as well as others tho they have offended us we must not see them starve nor perish for want of our Relief for so the Apostle tells us If even thine Enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink yea where we may we are to overcome his evil with our good Rom. 12.20 21. And thus I have shewn in several of the Qualifications of a worthy Receiver or Communicant viz. 1. Knowledge of the Nature and End of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 2. A real and hearty desire to this Ordinance and the Benefits of it 3. Repentance or sincere Resolution of amendment 4. Charity and Forgiveness That if men come without them they are unprepared for the Sacrament and
so eat and drink unworthily And indeed besides these Qualifications of a worthy Communicant there are others without which if we come to the Sacrament we eat and drink unworthily such as Faith and Thankfulness to our Saviour for the Pledges of his Love But these being Graces that are chiefly exercised at the Lords Supper I shall speak of them under the second way which I instanced whereby men receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper unworthily viz. 2d Way When they behave themselves disorderly or unsuitably at it Now men may be said to behave themselves disorderly or unsuitably when they don't shew a due respect to what they are doing but either allow their Hearts to hanker as well as their thoughts to wander after the World or Sin or are prophane in their behaviour at it Nay I may safely say they don't deal with it very worthily that either look upon their Receiving it to be little more than a common or ordinary Eating or Drinking or else undervalue the Bread and Wine as but of little use and purpose It 's true the Bread and Wine are but Creatures as our Church terms them they are but Bread and Wine in their Nature but yet as they are instituted by Christ to be received in remembrance of hiâ— Death and Passion the taking of them according to Christ's Institution is a Symbol or Sacrament of our taking and eating the Body and Blood of Christ and therefore as they are appointed by Christ we are not to undervalue them by thinking we may as well receive Christ and the benefits of the New Covenant without them as with them when yet we have opportunity and invitations thereto which indeed to undervalue is not only to undervalue the Elements but the Wisdom and Authority of the Instituter 2. Those Men may be said to behave themselves disorderly and unsuitably at the Sacrament and so receive it unworthily that receive it without Faith This Sacrament being such an Ordinance that without Faith it cannot be received and therefore it is the Apostles Advice that we should draw nigh it with full assurance of Faith Heb. 10.22 for indeed Faith is not only the hand to lead us unto Christ Heb. 11.6 7. but of applying Christ unto us and making that which was done for many Mat. 26.28 to be effectually conveyed unto us for what doth it signifie for me to Commemorate the snfferings of a dying Saviour by receiving Bread and Wine according to Christ's Appointment If I have not Faith that the benefits thereof belong to me or cannot spiritually feed upon his Body and Blood by Faith it being by Faith that we feed upon him for as to the Corporeal eating of his Body and Blood it is such a thing that could the Papists quit their Avowance of and yet keep up the Authority and pretended Infallibility of their Church many Learned Men think they could easily part with their Opinion or Belief thereof However if it is the Doctrine of the Church of Rome it is not the Doctrine of Christ such being not only contrary to Sense and Reason but to Faith also for as to Faith we are told in Heb. 11. v. 1. it is the Evidence of things not seen Now if Christ be Corporeally present if the Bread that we eat be the very substantial Body of Christ it is then seen and so our Faith being an Evidence of what is seen it is not the true Faith in that it is contrary to the definition of it Nay further this Sacrament ceaseth to be a Sacrament which is to be an outward and a Visible Sign of some Inward and Spiritual thing if so be that after Consecration the Bread and Wine become the Body and Blood of Christ in a Corporeal sence there then remaining no outward Sign or Sacrament But however the Papists are so quick-sighted to see such a Corporeal Presence of our Saviour it is more than we can or more than I read that the Apostles saw in the Bread and Wine of which he speaks when he saith This is my Body this is my Blood when at the same time they saw his Body separate from the Bread he gave them and they plainly discerned that when the Cup of Wine was given them his Blood was not then shed It 's true That Faith sees that in the Sacrament which Reason doth not but yet tho' Reason submits to Faith yet Faith doth not put out our Senses from being Judges where they may as they may be in discerning what is Flesh and Blood and what is Bread and Wine But if any Man will say that our Senses are not to be used in Matters of Faith I think he speaks very rash when even Christ appeal'd to the Senses of his Apostles to confirm their Belief of what he said that he was the same Christ tho risen again that was Crucified Luk. 24.39 Since therefore the eating of Christ's Body and Blood tho real is Spiritual and Sacramental it remains that what we see and taste of him at the Sacrament is by Faith which Faith considers not so much how the Elements feed the Body as how the things represented sealed and apply'd in this Ordinance feed and nourish the Soul And indeed it is by this that we not only view him hanging upon the Cross and shedding his Blood but Feast our selves of him that we may dwell in him and he in us If therefore we come withour Faith we are unworthy of this Ordinance yea we Evacuate it as to our selves But then here let us not be mistaken in our Notion of Faith or think that a bare and true belief of Christ's Presence and Blessings in this Ordinance is the right Belief for it No but the Faith of a good Communicant is a Gospel Faith such a Faith as receives Christ according to the Terms propos'd to us in the Gospel and the Sacrament also Now that which is so receives him not only as one shedding his Blood and giving his Body to save Men from the Guilt and Punishment of Sin but from Sin it self it is such as receives him as a King to rule us as well as pardon and save us yea it receives Christ's Body and Blood that our Bodies may be made clean and our Souls wash'd thereby yea in Christ Jesus the Faith that avails is a working Faith it works by Love Gal. 5.6 and it works by Thankfulness too And therefore in the third place 3. Those Men may be said to behave themselves disorderly and unsuitably at the Sacrament and so receive it unworthily that receive it without Thankfulness The very Business and Nature of it declares that it is a Thankful Memorial of the dying Love of Christ or a shewing forth of his Death 1 Cor. 11.26 So that by no means can they receive it worthily that do not receive it thankfully And how indeed can we but be thankful if we consider what we do and receive in this Ordinance we feast upon the Memorials of his laying down
us of the Wicked that their Sacrificâ— is an abomination to him Prov. 15.8 That his Faâ— is set against them that do evil that he will not heaâ— their Prayers Isa 1.13 15. yea all their action of Devotion and Worship are loathsome in hâ—â— sight Isa 66. ch v. 3. And if so you may imagine they are not in such Cases worthily perform'd when they are so hateful to God and now if that the living in Sin marrs the Duty as well as hinders the blessing of other Ordinances will it nâ— also render us unworthy Communicants Surely if living in Sin makes us unworthy in Prayer it will much more do so in the Sacrament so that Repentance is a necessary Qualification for the Receiving of the Lord's Supper As to Repentance what it is and how much it contains a change of Heart and practice or at least a sincere endeavour to evidence our inward Change by our outward Acts so much as we have Opportunity and Ability I think I need not stand now to shew it being so oft treated of by others and hath been so largely handled in my Parish for the good of which â—his Discourse is primarily intended but shall proceed to shew how the want thereof in any â—an makes him an unworthy Communicant for so long as he retains his Sins he retains that which is an Enemy to Christ and caus'd him to suffer â—ea that which dishonours not only him but his Ordinance too which is an Ordinance of Purity â—nd therefore to be receiv'd with Purity and consequently if he doth not drive Christ away from his Ordinance yet by his Sins he puts a stop to any Fellowship that he may expect with Christ â—hereby there being no Communion with Light â—nd Darkness nor hath Christ and Belial any Conâ—ord 2 Cor. 6.14 15. for to bring our Sins unâ—orrow'd for before him what is it else than to â—ring his Enemies before him and own our Friendâ—hip with them and consequently to affront him And now we must needs think that since they â—ere the Sins of Men which made him suffer so â—uch he can't well bear the sight of them in his â—resence and especially as allovv'd by them â—ho for his sake as well as their own have such â—ogent reasons eternally to hate and forfake them 〈◊〉 short since the very end of this Ordinance is to â—ommemorate Christ's dying for our Sins and to convey the benefit of his Blood which was shed for the remission of them it can't but be an unwoâ—â— thy return to bring our Sins before him unrepented of But why do I stand to prove that Repentance is a Qualification of a Worthy Communicant since even Wicked Men themselves own that it is soâ— and therefore make some pretences to it before they approach to the Lord's Table yea the sense oâ— their coming thereto shall put them into somâ— good Moods and faint resolutions of Amendment 〈◊〉 nay it may be cause them to set a day or two aâ— part beforehand to bethink themselves to reaâ— some good Books or with Ahab to go softly and look mournfully Yet after all here lyes the tryal of our Prepaâ— ration and Worthiness in this Point whether ouâ— Resolutions be sincere entire or constant and wâ— are become new Men in Heart and practice too aâ— far as we have made tryal of our Change wheâ— ther our Sorrow for Sin is like to last longer thaâ— the Communion day and we are like to be gooâ— after as well as before the Sacrament for if wâ— make never so good Resolutions and spend a day or two before the Sacrament never so well in Religious Exercises and yet when we have Communicated return to our old ways if we find that thâ— bent and inclination of our Soul is not alter'd and our zeal against Sin is only Temporary and formal we do not eat and drink worthily but unworthily and for all our outward Communicating Christ may say of us as he did of Judas Behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me oâ— the Table Luk. 22.21 Fourthly Another Qualification of a Worthâ— Communicant without which if Men come to thâ— Sacrament they are unprepar'd and so eat and drink unworthily is Charity Now by Charity I mean not only a Love to God but Love and forgiveness to Men. And First As Charity signifies a Love to God â—e that comes to the Sacrament without it cannot receive it worthily for how can a Man have such a due sense of Christ's Love in this Ordinance â—s he ought and yet remain without Love to him Nay if he is sensible of Christ's Love and will â—ot Love him again the more unworthy he that â—ill not do so much as the Publicans who love hose that love them Mat. 6.46 Yea very ungrateful and so unworthy is he that is going to receive the Pledges of Christ's Love and that of â—is dying and greatest Love for greater Love â—ath no Man than to lay down his Life for his friends except it be a laying of it down for his â—emies for this is Love beyond comparison and â—et such Love did Christ shew when he laid down â—s Life for Sinners For a good man peradventure â—me would even dare to dye but God comâ—â—ded his love to us in that whilst we were 〈◊〉 Sinners Christ dyed for us Rom. 4. v. 7 8. And now â—hen God hath so loved us we cannot â—y we are worthy to partake of his Love if we â—ll not love him that hath endured so much for â—r sakes In short the very Sacrament it self is an Orâ—nance of Love it is a displaying of Christs inâ—mparable Love in dying for Sinners under Saâ—amental Representations If therefore we will â—â—t let our Love bear a part in the Solemnities thereof we are unworthy of it Love being not â—â—ly a preparative Duty but an Ornamental as â—ell as Active Grace therein But Secondly As Love to God is such a Qualificatiâ—â— without which if Men come to the Sacrament they come unprepar'd and so eat and drink unworthily so also is Charity and Forgiveness to Men Now by Charity to Men I mean not only a forbearance of Revenge but a doing of good to those that stand in need of it And truly unless a Man can come in Charity he comes but to his hurt not that the want of Charity is an excuse for our Absence from this Ordinance but a doubling of our guilt in that we stay away upon so sinful account but yet when we come without Charity we come unsuitably to it because this is an Ordinance of Charity It is by this Ordinance that we are made Friends with God and it is by this that we should be Friends one with another that as we are Members of the same Body so we become Members one of another and consequently should not hurt or devour one another What when we feast on the Memorials of the greatest Love when we are not only invited to be reconciled to God but have such