Conclusion, I.

None but Believers are to Enjoy the Supper of the Lord. I am sorry that so much Controversy lies in our way, as we go along; but there MUST BE such things as Truth is to conflict withal. I have now particular­ly advanc'd an Assertion, for which you must have the patience for a while to see me Con­tend earnestly against a sort of men, who tell us, That a bare profession of a Dogmatical or Historical Faith (which Faith and Profession they themselves find it hard enough to de­scribe, but must leave the business in a per­petual confusion) together with a submission to the Government of the Visible Church, will entitle a man to Sacraments! Against this Opinion, I lay down this Conclusion.

That Regeneration is the Thing without which a Title unto Sacraments is not to be [Page 30] pretended unto. Real Regeneration, is that which before God (in foro coeli) renders men capable of claiming Sacraments. And Visi­ble, or Expressed Regeneration is that which before Men, (in foro Soli) enables us to make such a claim. Or, take it so, A probable and credible Profession of a Saving Faith, (and no less than That) must be made by a man, before the Supper of the Lord may be Admini­stred unto him.

I deny not, That unknown Hypocrites may be admitted unto the Table of the Lord, there is no Help for That! we are so much in the Dark about the States and Hearts of many Professors, that the Enemy will sow such Tares in our Fields, & they will continue there till the Judge of the whole World shall at last ap­ply Himself to the Bundling and Burning of them. I do not Affirm, That we can posi­tively tell, who ha's a Saving Faith; but we may tell, who make a Probable and Credible profession of such an one, when we Enquire into it; which we should be able to tell with a more grounded Perswasion, than that which common Charity has concerning every man alive, ubi de [...]ontrario non cons [...]at; and a little careful prudent Enquiry may also not seldome give us an Exclusive Evidence against many, wh [...] [...] well, till upon Trial a Rational [...] [...] pronounce them [Page 31] strangers to the New-Birth. I do not affirm That the Sacraments prove Nullities in all Respects▪ to those that have been the unmeet Subjects of them; but, I say, That those who have the Power of the Keyes are to do their part, That no unmeet Subjects be made Par­takers (which is to be Profaners) of those awfull Things; and I say, That all who do not upon the Tender of Needfull and pro­per Questions to them give Just cause to think, That they are True, Sincere, Converted, Be­livers on the Lord Jesus Christ, are to be de­barred from them. Now to establish this Assertion, let these Arguments be Placidly & Candidly weigh'd in the Ballances of the San­ctuary.

First, That Qualification without which a man cannot Challenge Baptism, is much more to be demanded of them that would approach unto the Supper of the Lord. For no unbaptised person may be a Communicant in This Ordinance; and what is Necessary at the Threshold, is much more Necessary at the Table: they that may not be reckoned as Incipients, much more may not be treated as Proficients, in the House of God. But a man may not Challenge Baptism, without a Pro­bable and Credible Profession of a Saving Faith. The very Form of the words used in Baptism shows, That a man must not onely Beleeve [Page 32] God, but also Beleeve IN God, when he is Baptised. Now [Defferunt, credo Deum, et Credo IN De [...]m] that signifies the Con­sent of the Will, as well as the Assent of the Mind. Yea, The man must Beleeve IN God the Father, and the Son, and the Spirit; and so, he must acknowledge the whole Trinity, in all its glorious Operations. This is the Faith surely which, Hath Everlasting Life. Thus also, the Words used by Philip to the Eunuch, are as full to this Purpose, as is Possible, in Acts 8.37. If thou Beleevest with all thine Heart thou mayst be Baptised. It is a gross Abuse upon the Speech, to say, That it cuts not off the Pretensions of those to Baptism, of whom it may not Reasonably be thought, That they Beleeve with all their Hearts; but unless they Beleeve with Affection as well as Understand­ing, they do it not with all their Hearts. You may add to this, That Repentance and Saving Faith, ever go together. But, without Re­pentance, a man may not be Baptised. Those persons methinks must have the Itch of Dis­puting that will give me any Trouble to make This appear. But for their Satisfaction, let it be Remembred, That our Lord and His Apostles, did still prepare men for Baptism by Preaching of Repentance. What said Peter in Acts 2.38. Repent and [then] be Baptised; Certainly, we should not be more lax in our [Page 33] Baptism, than John was in His. But His Bap­tism was called in Mark 1. 3. The baptism of Repentance; and such a Repentance also, as the Remission of sins was annexed unto. He did not Baptize all that came unto him; only those who did Confess their sins (and give just cause of hope, that they did Forsake them too) were welcome to his baptism, and such as had Fruits to justifie the Repen­tance professed by them; as for them who made no proof of a True Repentance, 'tis re­corded in Luc 7 30. They were not baptized of him. What shall I say more? Baptism is to be accompany'd with The Answer of a good Conscience to all the proposals of the Gospel; 'tis to be accompany'd with a Renunciation of The World, the Flesh and the Devil; 'tis to be accompanied with an Hearty Listing our selves under the banner of the Lord Jesus Christ▪ Now, there is no less than a Saving Faith im­ply'd in such things as these. Wherefore I close this Argument, with the words of the Renowned Gilespy, I believe no Conscienti­ous Minister, would adventure to baptize one, that has manifest signs of Unregeneration; and how shall we bring such an One then to the Table of the Lord? I do, in imitation of my Father before me, account this passage, A passage de­serving to be written in Letters of Gold.

Secondly, That Qualification without which [Page 34] a man may not be taken into Church Fellow­ship, is doubtless to be demanded of them that would approach unto the Supper of the Lord. For, without, a Regular standing in a Visible Church, the Holy Table ought to be Inaccessible; and it is blindness, to imagine, That the Lord has prepared this blessed Ban­quet, for any but those that come into His Holy Mountain. It has indeed been disputed, Whether All Church-Members may presently be admitted unto the Lords Table. We all of us do stigmatize it as a gross Error, in those degenerate Christians, the Abissines, the Ar­minians, the Maronites, and some others, To distribute the Eucharist unto children. And the purest Churches of the Lord Jesus, have ge­nerally not been so large, or so soon in the Administration of the Lords Supper, as of Baptism. One has been given as Milk, when the other, like Strong Meat has been with­held; and the Ancients usually Detained the baptized, a while before they were Confirmed. But no man of sense ever imagined any o­ther than that Only Church-Members might be admitted hereunto. Now a man may not be taken into Church-Fellowship without a probable and credible Profession of a Saving Faith [...]o settle this point; I will not urge the No­tion of some, that when our Lord washed the feet of his Disciples, adding, I have given [Page 35] you an Example, He meant, As I have taken care to have your Feet washed before I entertain you, so I would have you see that the Faith of other people be cleansed before you take them to a communion with you at my Table. I am no more sure of this paraphrase than I am that the Rite of Feet washing should be continued in the Churches of our Lord, as it was at Mil­lain in the Days of Ambrose, or as 'tis too ludicrously at this day among the Greeks. But I suppose, all men will grant▪ that only Disci­ples may be taken in among Church-members. Now none are to be Reputed as Disciples of our Lord, but such as have that character, in Luc. 14. 27. To bear a Cross, and come af­ter Him; and in Mat. 16. 24. to Deny Him­self. The Disciples in Heart, are those that cordially, and the Disciples in show, are those that visibly, forsake all that is contrary to the Son of God. Our Lord says, in John [...] 31. If ye continue in my Word, then are [...]e my Disciples indeed. And the Scripture owns none for Disciples but such as this character was deemed to belong unto. A­gain, Let us Look upon the Materials of the Ancient, Primitive, Apostolical Chur­ches; 'tis undeniable, that they are to be [...]atterns to us. Now, Rotten Timber was not willingly laid in the Foundation of those Churches; but they thought it their [Page 36] concern to turn away from such as had only, A Form of Godliness; and if there were ill-men among them, we are told, They crept in privily and unawares. Concer­ning those Churches, we read, in 1 Cor. 14. 33. They were Churches of Saints; but unless men have upon them the Tokens of a Real Sanctity, 'tis more than a Real Absur­dity to esteem them so. Indeed, there were foul miscarriages that some of them which had been reputed Saints, fell into; but God forbid, that we should count the Churches made up of such Transgressors. What were the Church-members at Rome; but such as, From the Heart had obey'd the Form of Doctrine deli­vered to them? What were the Church-mem­bers at Cori [...]th; but such as were washed and sanctifyed and justify'd? What were the Church members at Galatia, but such as had the Spirit of the Son of God, sent into their Hearts? What were the Church members at Ephesus; but such as Trusted in Christ, and were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise? Or the Church-Members at Philippi, but such as one might be confident, had a good work begun in them? Or, the Church members at Colossi, but such as were made meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light? What were the Thessa­lonian Church-Members, but such as had Turned unto God, from Idols, and received the [Page 37] Word as the Word of God, which effectually wrought in them? Or, the Church-members among the Hebrews, but those concerning whom, one might be [...] perswaded of the Things which accompany Salvation? But I am weary with quoting. Indeed, A Church (as the Greek Name for it allows us to think) is to consist of people called out from the ways of sin, by the powerful and effectual work of God upon their Souls. A main Design of Church-Fellowship, is to represent unto the world, who those are, that the Lord Jesus will have to ascend into the Hill of the Lord, and to stand in His Holy place for ever. A Church is a combined multitude of True Believers; that is the Famosius Significatum of the Name. They that have not a True Faith can but E­quivocally be called Members of it; even, as, a Wooden Leg, or a Silver Tooth may be styl'd Members of the Body. Let me say, after the Judicious Calvin, Quod Exponunt quidam de sola Professione mihi frigidum videtur, E [...] ab usu Scriptur [...] est Alienum.

Thirdly, That Qualification, the Absence whereof, should bring a Communicant under the censures of Church-Discipline, is doubtless to be demanded of them that would approach unto the Supper of the Lord. Certainly, we may not Receive to, the Lords Table, any such persons as we should Suspend from it, if they [Page 38] had already crouded thereunto. But when a person that is already a Communicant, makes not a probable and credible Profession of a saving Faith, our Church-Discipline is to cen­sure him. I pray why are we to Excommuni­cate a notorious and obstinate Offender against the Laws of the Lord Jesus, from the Table of the Lord? The man will perhaps make a Profession of the Christian Faith in spite of our [...]ceth: we canot hinder that. But when we see that his Profession is not probable and credible to be a Saving one, we are to forbid him our Communion; and as the Rule is in Mat. 18.17. Let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man. The Reason, the true Reason, wherefore we are to turn an Offender from the Table of the Lord, is, because the Offender, in his present Im­penitence, is to be accounted unfit for the Kingdom of God; and because the Man brings a just sus­picion upon his Profession, till he be Recovered out of his Distemper. In a word, when Church-Members so carry themselves; as that they have the common symptoms of Unpardoned Souls upon them, we are then to Bind them on Earth. 'Tis quite wrong, that they should be Admitted to Church-Communion, that we know ought immediately to be Rebuked, Refu­sed, Censured in it. For a Mantissa to this Ar­gument, let me say, An Ordinance commu­nicable to none but the Penitent: cannot be de­manded by any but those that make a probable [Page 39] and credible Profession of a Saving Faith. But the Supper of the Lord is an Ordinance com­municable to none but Penitents. This is clear because the Impenitent a [...]e to be excluded from it; else we must agree to lay all Church-Disci­pline aside, which God forbid. And if Diony­si [...]s of Alexandria may be a witness for it▪ The Primitive Churches would not admit a Pe­nitent neither, until having examined him, They discerned his Conversion and Repentance to be such as would be accepted by Him, who wills not so much as the death of a Sinner, as his Repentance.

And the Council of Nice gave this general Rule, That the inward state of Penitents be ob­served in order to their Admission to communion with us. Now, if they that are Impenitent for this or that particular sin, may not come to the Table of the Lord, surely they that may be thought Impenitent for a whole course of Sin, are also to be kept out of Doors, which is to be esteem'd the case of all them whom we may not Reasonably as well as Charitably judg Renew­ed by the Holy Ghost.

Fourthly, That Qualification, without which a man to be there about Examined, is to be supposed as continuing under the Cove­nant of works, is undoubtedly to be demanded of all them that would approach unto the Supper of the Lord. Our God has in two Co­venants dispensed Himself unto us; both of which have had their Sacraments. The old [Page 40] Covenant was not without a Sacrament in the Trees which God then did set such a special Remark upon. But the Lords Supper is purely a Sacrament of the New-Covenant; And it is Folly to think, that until a man accept of the Covenant he may meddle with the Sa­crament. The Lords Supper is a Sacrament provided by the Second Adam for such as be­come united unto Him; as for those that keep their Union with the First Adam still, our Lord sayes unto them, What hast thou to do to take my Sacrament into thy mouth? Now till a person make a Probable and Credible Professi­on of a saving Faith, he pretends to none but the Covenant of Works. He remains what he was, when First born into the World; but the Table of the Lord stands in that Kingdome of Heaven, whereof our Lord sayes unto us, Veri­ly, except a man be born again, he cannot see [he is uncapable of] that Kingdom.

Fifthly, That Qualification, without which they that approach to the Supper of the Lord, are evidently guilty of the most detestable Dis­simulation in the World, must be demanded of them that would approach thereunto. But we encourage a very detestable Dissimulation, if we permit men to approach unto the Lords Supper, without a probable and credible Profes­sion of a saving Faith. When we make way for any person to have Communion with us at the Holy Table, do not we expect, his con­sent [Page 41] unto the terms of the Gospel, and Subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ as his Prophet, and Priest and King for ever? every Communicant with us is to say thus much: The Lord Jesus is my Prince and my Saviour: but without pro­bable and credible Profession of a saving Faith, it is a great LYE for a man so to say. We may not encourage men to ly unto the Holy Ghost, by causing them to speak what (and while) yet they do not Feel; but we must first look to that, Let them (hopefully) Believe, and so let them speak. It is well said by a worthy man, The Sealing of the Covenant unto men, before they understand it, and take hold of it, is the common cutthroat of Souls in our Parishes. The least thing to be exacted of a Communicant is, An Engagement to leave off the wayes of sin. Well▪ he must engage to do it presently, or else hereafter: If he engage only to do it hereaf­ter, there is a most cursed and hellish Impiety in that Procrastination, and the Sinner does therein as bad as declare, That he will remain an Enemy to God all his dayes. I pray, what Sa­crament can belong to such an one? If he engage to do it presently, we shall have cause to judge that either he do's Engage it Sincerely, or that he does it Fallaciously, Deceitfully, Hypocritically. But what Promise did our God ever make, or what Respect and Value did he ever command us to show unto such Engagements? It was [Page 42] the Resolution of David, He that works Deceit, shall not dwell within my House; He that tel­leth Lyes shall not tarry in my sight. And shall we fill the House of our David, with such as (we may be justly jealous) are Deceivers and Lyars in their pretences of Allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ? No doubt, it was the thought of this that made the venerable Chry­sostom, to say, Suppose he were the greatest man in the World, that would receive the Blessed Cup from my hand; I would rather give my Heart-Blood than I would give that cup to him, whilest [...]e approves himself to be NO DISCIPLE.

Sixthl'y, If the Supper of the Lord be not appointed for a converting Ordinance, then a probable and credible Profession of a saving Faith, (or Conversion) is to be first made by them that would approach unto it. They that plead for more promiscuous Admissions to the Lords Table, usually suppose, That the Holy Supper is to be used for the Conversion of such as come unto it. But against this, I assume, That the Lords Supper is not Ex Instituto, a converting Ordinance. That this Ordinance has never by Accident, been sanctify'd for the First Conversion of them that had never bin brought home to God before, I do not now say; tho' I suppose it would puzzle any man to prove [Page 43] that, It ever has. If it have, what of that? I can tell the Name of a man converted by hearing himself Preach; yet I hope the Church will be loth to admit unto the Mi­nistry such as they may not be first well per­swaded about the Conversion of. I have knowe some, whom a Dream has been very instrumental in converting unto God; yet a Dream I suppose, is not now a converting Or­dinance. But this Ordinance is not by Ap­pointment such an one as is to be employ'd for the First Conversion of such as have never yet given themselves up to the Lord Redeemer. 'Tis impossible to tell why the very Heathens are not capable of it, if it were a converting Ordinance; and why we should not be as cha­ritable in driving men to the Lords Supper, as the Papists are in driving them to Baptism; among whom we read of one old Priest that Baptized seven hundred thousand. No, There is Another Ordinance directed thereunto; Faith comes by Hearing, and Hearing by the Word of God; but it is no where said, That Faith comes by Receiving of the Sacrament; nor is there so much as one instance in the Bible to countenance any such expectations. Indeed, this Dog [...] is A New Thing; the Asser­tors run Counter to the common sense of the Church in all Ages, and have an Army to a man against them. I would humbly ask, [Page 44] If the Sacraments had been converting Ordinan­ces, would Pauls Commission have Run that way, Sent not to Baptize, but to Preach the Gos­pel? Baptism it self is no converting Ordi­nance; we do not find in Scripture that it was ever applied unto any but such as had likely signs of the New-birth upon them; 'tis, The washing of Regeneration, a washing only for them that be Regenerate. Certainly, Then the Lords Supper is not intended for inferiour Subjects. I would ask again, if the Lords Supper were a converting Ordinance, were it not a preposterous thing to exclude a­ny person from that Ordinance in order to their being converted? but we have a Divine Warrant so to do. The Corinthians were [...]idden, To p [...]t away a wicked person (who had married his Mother-in-law; while, as it seems his own Father was yet alive) from the Table of the Lord. What was this for? but in or­der to the Conversion, Reduction, Refor­mation of the Delinquent. What was this, but to deprive him of a great Remedy for his Conversion and Amendment, if an Erastian may be credited?

Finally, The Lords Supper is an Ordinance rather Encharistical and Consolatory, than con­verting. 'Tis also an Ordinance principally designed for Nourishment, and that supposes Lise, Bread and Wine bcen't for Dead men. [Page 45] In short, The Lords Supper is a Seal; and it is to Seal our Interest in the Righteousness of Faith, in the Death of Christ, and in the Crown of Life. If it Seal only the Reality of Gods Covenant, and his proffering and pro­pounding it unto us, it seals no more to a Receiver than to a Spectator, or to all Re­ceivers alike. No, it is to Seal our Interest. And there should be the Thing Sealed, before the Seal [...]e us'd. It can Seal no comfortable thing to the Ungodly Man, for it not only Seals the offers of the Gospel, but it also Seals our Tempers towards those Offers. When God gives it, it Seals (at least) His willingness to be Reconciled unto us thro' Jesus Christ,; but when we Take it, it Seals that Condition in which we at present are with reference to that Reconciliation. The Sacrament is a Seal, in regards more awful and exact than the Word can be. 'Tis great ignorance to think otherwise; and hence Luther could say, If I were to call for a Curse upon my greatest E­nemies, it should be this; Let them go hear the Word of God, and then Despise it and Reject it. So let them hasten to the Table of the Lord, and hereby they shall Seal the Stone upon their Grave, and have DAMNATION written in great Cha­racters upon their Foreheads.

Seventhly and Lastly, We have the Best Ex­amples to convince us, That nothing less than [Page 46] a probable and credible Profession of a saving Faith is to be required in those that would be Com­municants at the Table of the Lord. Con­sult the Monuments of Antiquity, and you'l find the Ancients Uno Ore describing their Baptized Ones, as Regenerate, and Renewed by the Inherent Graces of Gods Holy Spirit. And what then were their Communicants? The Primitive Church would not admit Paul into their Society, till they were well satisfi­ed about the Reality of the work of Grace in his Heart, and his Profession was become pro­bable and credible unto them. In the Primi­tive times, they were too strict indeed, ra­ther than too Loose in their Admissions; and they held men a long while Competentes (as they call'd them) before they would gratify their desires of Communion.

Origen expresly tells us, That the Christians did most exquisitely search the Souls of those that asked a full Communion w'ith them: elsewhere he sayes, When men have made such a proficiency that they appear sanctified by the Divine Word, then we call them to our mysteries. And else­where, The mysteries of the Religion of Jesus, are duely delivered only to those who are holy and pure. Lactantius tells us. That Bona mens purum pec­tus, vita Innocens, were in his dayes required of Communicants. In Justin Martyr, who lived in the second Century, writes, That they [Page 47] did examine persons, not only about their Perswasion, but whether they had attained such a work of God upon their Souls, as would enable them to conform entirely unto the Word and Will of God. Cyprian, who lived in the Century after him, could say Vix pleba persuadec—He could not easily perswade the Brethren of his Flock to consent unto the Ad­mission of such in whom Sincerity was questi­onable. Tertullian and others inform us how the Catechumens were dealt withal; and what a Serutinium or Trial they underwent; Whether they did indeed Renounce all their former vanities. It was the Rule, Fiant s [...]rutinia, an verba fide [...] Radicitus corde de fixerint. And Austin signi­fies unto us, That according to the antient custome grounded upon the most evident Truth, none were Admitted into the Church of God on Earth, who were visibly such as the Scripture excludes from the Kingdom of God in Heaven. Moreover, the Agreement of the Pastors in the Days of Constantine about the Discerning of the sincere is very memorable.

And in the latter Ages, 'tis well known what wishes the Eminent Reformers have ex­press'd themselves. The Learned Chamier wishes for much exactness in the Examination of those that seek for Church-Fellowship, Ne, qua [...] fieri pot [...]rit, La eunt simones, that so Simon Magus might not get into the [Page 48] Church, Bucers and Beza's complaints this way, are too long to be repeated. Comenius tells us, That the Churches of Bohemia had an Examen conscientiar [...]m before A [...]missions to the Lords Table. And for a close of all, hear the great Calvin saying, They that give the Bread and Wine to unworthy Ones, are as guilty of Sacriledge every whit, as he that should give the Sacred Body of Christ to be Torn and Eat'n by Dogs, and Trampled on by Swine.

It may be Objected, That Judas was Ad­mitted unto the Lords Supper, notwithstanding our Lords Knowledge, that he was a Devil.

To this, it may be Answered,

First, That though a Divine Knowledge had pronounced Judas a Devil, yet an Humane Knowledge had not penetrated, so far into him; He had not hitherto discovered him­self. And methinks, our Friends do speak a Little too broad, when they seem to plead for our Admitting of a known Judas, a known Devil, a known Traitor, to our Holy Communion: Would they bring any people to an Ordinance, that will be likely to leave them like Judas, more under the power of the Devil than before? It may be again An­swered, That it is very Questionable whe­ther Judas ever did partake in this Ordinance or, 'tis rather past Question, That He did not, at least good old H [...]l [...]ry, besides divers o­thers [Page 49] of the Ancients did not scruple so to say, Observe, Tis said, He Having Received the Sop, went out immediately. The S [...]p was a part of a Rite belonging to the Paschal Lamb. The Sacramental Bread was Broke, but no where Dipt. Our Lord, without any Ex­ception tells the Communicants, His Body was given for them, and His Bleed shed for them. Whereas Judas was Dead and Damn'd, be­fore the Death of our Lord. Our Lord Ex­cepted that Son of Perdition in His Prayers; much more is it Likely that He would so do, in the Symbols of those Benefits, which His Prayers were for the Imp [...]tration of. Let no man then after this be so impertinent,as from the Instance of Judas to Raise an Use of Re­prehension unto the Churches that would not have Hypocrites in them, if they could help it. Brethren, if we could help it, we would not have our Churches to be Betray'd.

It may furthermore be Objected,

That in the Church of Israel, all sorts of persons were Admitted unto the Sacraments; and why should it now be otherwise?

To this it may be Answered,

First, That the Form of the Church then was National; and [...] mans [...]e [...]r being of that Nation might give him greater pre­tensions [Page 50] to Church communion. Whereas, in our Days, A National Church is but a contri­vance of an Humane Invention and Original. But we may with more Efficacy Retort this upon them that make the Cavil. As it was a capital [...] for one that was not a Jew to come into the Temple: and hence Paul once had like to have been knock'd o'th' head, because it was rumoured, That he had a Greek with him there; so 'tis unlawful for one that is not according to the Sacred Lan­guage, A Jew inwardly, to come into a Church of the Lord Jesus.

It may be Again Answered, That even among the Israelites, those that came to the Sacraments were under Obligation to give manifestation of what might be esteemed, A Work of Grace in their Souls. If they would not Express a sense of their Misery and Wretchedness by Nature, and their Need of a Sacrifice and a Saviour, they might not Com­municate. See Deut. 26 5.

It may be further Answered, That a Ce­remonial Holiness was required of all the Isra­elites that came unto the Sacraments; and there were Officers whose Business 'twas to make Exploration of it. Well, And should not Gospel-Churches have the An [...]itype of That? Almost all Things in the Mosaic Paedagogy were Typical; and the Substance of [Page 51] every Shadow there, is, that which we are to be studious of. What have we now but Real Holiness to correspond with the Ceremonial, among the Jews? if a man be morally Un­clean, he must now be thrust from the Holy Things; or else we provoke the God of Hea­ven, by not Distinguishing between the precious and the vile. God forbid, That we should willingly see any under our watch and charge do so self-Ruining a thing, as, To Eat with his Uncleanness upon him.

It may be, Lastly, answered, That the Church of the Jews did use to be most won­derfully Accurate and Scrupulous, in their Trying of Proselytes, before they would ad­mit these to Sacraments among them. Buxtor [...] and Ainsworth out of the Jewish Rabbies, will convince you, That in former Ages, if any one were desirous to joyn unto the Church of the Jews, they would pierce into the very Soul of him, to discern whether he were acted by any carnal Motives in it; and hence, they received fewer in the Days of David and of Solomon, than they would have done in times of less prosperity. They would see, whether the Proselytes were [...] or no; whether they had pure Ends and pure Hearts, in becoming so. Now, 'tis, The Law of the Proselyte, if any part of the Jewish Law, that must be urged as Exempla­ry [Page 52] to the Churches of the Gentiles.

But it may be then Enquired,

What is it that we may safely Judge to be, A probable and credible profession of a Sa­ving Faith?

To this I answer; That we must beware of Unscriptural Impositions in this Affair; we must not impose any Modes of Profession which we have no warrant for. 'Tis a Ty­ranny to Enjoin upon every man, A Rela­tion about the precise Time and Way of their Conversion unto God. Few that have been Restrained by a Religious Education, can give such an one. Nor, is it any other than a cruelty, to Enjoin upon every man, An Oral and a Publick Relation of his Experiences. Every Good man has not such a courage and presence of mind, as can speak perti­nently before a Congregation of many Hun­dreds.

But still; as the Probationers for our com­munion, are to make a Profession of their Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as that Re­deemer in whom all Fullness dwells, and on whom they Rely for communications from that Fullness to their own Souls; thus, we must Look for some justifying circumstance [Page 53] of that Profession. Our Charity towards all men of whom we know nothing amiss is. To Hope all things, and Believe the Best. But when we come to make a Judgment of them that lay claim to priviledges with us, 'tis but Reason that our Charity should require a more positive Evidence of the Qualification on which the claim is made. In the Primitive Times, They made such a Profession at their being Added unto the Church; and the Profes­sion had this Justifying Circumstance in it, that they made it, when they Endangered their very Lives to make it. I make no doubt, but that in such a Time of Persecution, the Like Profession ought to be esteemed sufficient. But in places where the true Religion is in Repute and Fashion, then to look for some other Ju­stifying Circumstance of a Profession, is but a Reasonable Conformity to the custome and manner of the Apostles. Now, Reason can­not r [...]ly dicta [...]e an easier, a [...]irer, a fi [...]ter method for this; than, That a [...] a blame­less and [...] Conversation, should either by [...] o [...] [...], express what [...] the Word of God has had upon his [...] Soul. The Saviour of such a Religion [...], very much manifest the [...] of him that makes it; [...] i [...] more [...]or the [...], for the [...] of His people, than to hear good Christians than [Page 54] making that Invitation, Come and [...] all ye that fear God, and I will declare what [...] done for my Soul. It is true, That after all we cannot be Infallibly sure, that we do not admit an Hypocrite in Heart into our Communion. Nor indeed, after the distinctest profession of a Dogmatical and Historical Faith, can we be sure that the person whom we admit, is not an Heretick in Heart. Nevertheless, no man scarce ever doubted, That Communicants must be Examined about their Orthodoxy. But we should go as far as we Reasonably can to prevent the pollution of Holy Things, by the Unregenerate. In the pressing of this matter, I do not insist on that Celebrated Scripture, in Mat. 7 6. Give not that which is Holy, unto the Dogs; which the Unregenerate may be too much compared unto; tho' Austin long since, and Chryso [...]tom before him, and [...]ertullian before him, thus improved it. But

That which causes me thus to inlarge upon this Article is, because it is of a peculiar Im­portance to these Churches of the Lord Je­sus. The Renowned Owen, hath evinced, That the Great Apostasie of the Christian Church was occasioned by their Letting go this principle, That particular Churches ought to consist of Regenerate persons. Alas, That any Batteries should be made upon this Foun­dation-principle [Page 55] of our Church-Discipline, among our selves. I care not whom it exasperates. That I look upon a Defection from just cares against Mixt Communions, to be a thing fatal unto our Churches, and very offensive to that God, who in fiery Thunders once utter'd such words as those, Ye have brought into my Sanctuary, Strangers, Uncircumcised in Heart, to be in my Sanctuary, to pollute it, which is an Abomination. When once we come to forego that old Protestant Primitive Opinion, That Regeneration is a Necessary Qualification of our Communicants, we may without a meer Fan­cy, over-hear the doleful, woful shout, which was aud [...] sounded from Heaven to Rome, when the Church Doors began to grow as wide as Hell Gates themselves, Hodie Effusum est Venenum in Ecclesiam! Now the Churches are swallowing down their Bane.

Come then, Let not our Dead men be set at the Supper of the Living God. There was indeed an Ancient and a Foolish Abuse of the Sacrament (condemned by a Carthaginian Coun [...]) wherein Dead Corpses had the Ele­ments of the Holy Supper put into their mouths But let not them that are Dead in Trespasses and Sins, be told that they shall reap any Advantage by this Ordinance, till they Arise from the Dead, and Christ shall give them Life. What shall a Can [...]anite have to do in the House of the Lord of Hosts? Let [Page 56] us write upon our Church Doors that Anci­ent Canon, ‘ [...]’

None but a Disciple may be a Communicant. I conclude in the words of the Holy Herbert,Avoid, profaneness come not here Nothing but Holy, pure, and clear. Or, That which Groan [...]th to be so May at his peril further go.

To which words, I take leave to add those of that blessed Ancient, of whom Sophronius testifies, That he never Ly'd; Him whom Theodoret styled, Eximium Terrarum orbis Lu­minare, and when [...]idore styled, [...].

Says he, Tell me, what can a multitude a­vail us? The Desirable Multitude are the Holy, not the Many. I would endeavour that the Church may be adorned work Many; but with many that are Good; if this cannot be, I would have the Good, tho' but Few. In Act.3. H [...].8.

He [...] again. The Multitude▪ is but a more plentiful [...]rel for the Fire. This I say lest any should [...] the Church for its Nume­rousness; Let him rather [...] to make it Good. In Act. Ho [...]. [...]4.

Yea, ever now and then in his famous Writings, He tells us, That the Introducing [Page 57] of Unworthy Multitudes, into the Church, was a thing of most intollerable consequence; that it made the Church, A Fold for Beasts, and A stable for [...]amels and Asses; & brought a most unsufferable Reproach upon the Name of God; and that it had a pernicious Ten­dency to Debauch and infect the whole Fl [...]ck, which such scabbed Sheep were ad­mitted into; and that it would procure unto the careless Pastors, nothing but shame in this, and pain and grief in another World.

Such things were uttered by a Golden Mouth, When the Churches was falling in­to the Degeneracies that some would pre­cipitate us into; but let these Churches now hear them, as, The Warnings of the Lord.

'Tis now more than time that we should pass on to say.

Conclusion. II.

The Supper of the Lord, is to be administ­red only in the ASSEMBLILS of Believers. It is [...]itly s [...]yled A Communion, the Communion of Saints. is most gloriously and admirably expre [...] in i [...]. It is said in 1 Cor.10.17. We [Page 58] being many are one Bread, for we are all partakers of that one Bread. Many Grain [...] make but one Loaf, (and many Drops make one Cup of Wine) even so, many Saints make but one Church, which is the mystical Body of the Lord Jesus. Now 'tis a main scope of the Lords Supper to be a Sign and Seal of this blessed Mystery. To Dispense the Lords Supper, when there is but one or two to communicate thereof, is a thing for which we have neither Precept nor Patern in the Book of God. For one or two by a Bedside, or so, to go to observe this great Or­dinance, is to do an injury thereunto; 'tis a Corruption which God will one day incline His People to the Reformation of. And some Superstitious Notions and Conceits about the Sacrament, have too much Contributed unto the maintaining of this usage hitherto. I think the French, the Dutch, and the Scotch Churches have already laid it aside; and he that shall read Musculus, and B [...]llinger, and Beza, and Danaeus, and Aretius, and others, will find Great Names opposing of it. We are told in Act. 20.7. That there must be a coming together, or an Assembly of pious People for this Ordinance. [...] we are advised in 1 Cor. 11.18,20. There must be a coming together in the Church for it; a Synaxis or Godly People is needful for this intent and purpose; yea, they must be enow to be called, many, there. [Page 59] And hence our Saviour [...] about Him, in the first precede [...] [...] have of this Holy Thing. Where [...]re [...] savoury Admonition, that the excellen [...] [...] has given to us hereabout. Let the we [...] [...] approach to the Supper of the Lord; and let the sick recall to mind, what they formerly enjoy'd in such Approaches, contenting themselves with a spi­ritual Communion; according to that of Austin, [...]cre [...]e et man [...]ca [...].

Conclusion, III.

It is in REMEMBRANCE of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we are to Do this. [And this also adds unto the confutation of that Popish Figment which holds the Real presence here.] We are therefore told, in 1 Cor. 11. 26. Hereby ye shew the Lords Death. The A­postle uses a word, [...], which is frequently used for the Preaching and Spreading of the Gospel; and it alludes to the Haggada at the Passeover of the Jews. The Jews at the Passeover had a solemn Declaration, or An­ [...]unciation of their deliverance from their an­cient Slavery. Thus, at the Lords Supper we have a Co [...]e [...]ration of the Deliverance wrought for our Souls, by the Bl [...]d of the Lord Jesus, who was, the Paschal [...] sacrificed [Page 60] for us. Tis an Ordinance made up of lively shadows, wherein the Mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ is exhibited unto us. Our Lord is gone from us; and as we do by some Token keep up the Remembrance of an Absent Friend; so do we in this Ordinance Retain and Revive the Remembrance of an Absent Lord. We do therein, as it were behold the Death of our Lord Jesus acted over again to the life; and we Remember what He was, we Remember what He did, we Remember what He said, when He was Incarnate here. We read in Joh. 19 5. When Pilate had been Tor­turing our Lord, he brought him forth, saying Behold the Man! Even so, in the Lords Supper our Lord is, as it were, in E [...]gie produc'd un­to us; and we hear that voice, Behold the Man! Behold a preci [...]us and a dying Saviour! O see what He has done, see what [...] hath born for you! Our Lord Jesus in the [...] Ordinance built a M [...]nument for Himself before He died; and the Maus [...]ae [...]m of old, which was c [...]unt­en one of the seven wonders of the World, was inferio [...]r to this, as to the [...] and Glory of it. We were not Eye-witnesses of [...]; But in this Ordinance we have Him [...] before [...] as that: and [...] for Mi­nisters, [Page 61] by lifting up the Bread and Wine tow­ards Heaven to do what has been call'd, Are Elevation of the Host. But yet it is [...], a Commemoration of the great Sacrifice; and it is not only to our selves, or our Friends but it is before the Blessed God himself, that we make the Commemoration. And it is a most Affectionate, Vigorous, Practical Remem­brance which we are now to have of our Lord.

But these Things must Issue in this

Conclusion. I.

An Assurance of a Good State in the sight of God, is a thing Attainable, Profitable Ne­cessary. We may arrive to an Infallible cer­tainty of it, That we are the Children of God▪ and come to no less Confidently than Com­fortably challenge the Benefits of that Relati­on. If an Assurance of a good State could not be attain'd in this Life, why are we bidden in 2 Pet. 1 10. To make our Calling and Election sure. It intends not an Objective Assurance; for all true Beleevers are most surely Called and most surely Elected, in respect of the Thing it self; but it must me in, a Subjective Assurance; q d. ‘Labou [...] to become in res­pect of your own Apprehension and your own Satisfaction Assured of it, That you be­long to God.’ The precept for this thing, in­timates its being Practicable Yea, we find many of the Saints Triumphing gloriously in the Assurance which they have had of their own [...]city. Thus Job could say, I know [Page 88] that my Redeemer lives: Thus David could say, The Lord will Redeem my soul, from the power of the Grave; For He will Receive me! Thus could Paul say, I live by the Faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for MEE! Doubtless these Holy men have their Successors in the World. It is the office of the Spirit, as a witness, to confirm the Souls of Beleivers, in a Triumphant perswasion of their good State before the Lord, see Rom. 8. 18. And such are the Impressions of that Eternal Spirit upon the Souls of many persons every day; and this not only in a way of Re­novation, but in a way of Consolation too; that they can cheerfully say, as in Can [...].2 16 my Beloved is mine, and I am His! Tis up­on the Supposition of This, That the Saints of God are called upon to Rejoyce Alwaye [...], and Alwayes give thanks; to style God, Their Fa­ther; and to long for the second coming of Christ. There were too much of Irony in these Commands if Assurance were not Attain­able.

But how Profitable may we now imagine this Assurance to be? It add's oyl to the Wheels of all our Devotions; and Matchless, Tran­scendent, Infinite is the sweetness of it. The lofty Nebucadnezzar or Artax [...]rxes, that could look upon the Empire of the world, with such a boast, All this is mine; was not so Happy [Page 89] as the man that is provided and Assured of a good State for his immortal Soul. There is no good Thing spoken in the Book of God, but the man in a good State may say▪ This is part of my portion; and there is no Dispensa­tion of Divine providence at any time Rol­ling over him, whereof he may not Reckon, This is a smile of a good God upon me. Yea, such a man may with more Joy than Fear, look the King of T [...]r [...]ours in the face; and he may behold the Sting pull'd out of the Snake, which man kind generally Trembles at the cold coy­lings of. So profitable indeed is this Assur­ance, it may be wondred how any Rational being should not account it Necessary; or how any man a live should Sleep quietly a night without it. Something very Narcotic surely must be in our pillowes, if we can give Sleep to our eye [...], and Slumber to our eye- [...]ids, without some Assurance of Gods being Reco [...]l'd un­to us. What a sad life must be led by them, who see not themselves in such a good State as to be fit for Death! Either they must live S [...]rtishly; and be drowned in a Lethargy by Secular Op [...]a [...]es procur'd unto them; or they must live Sorrowfully; and be like them whom that wo was denounc'd upon, Thy life shall hang [...]n doubt before thee.

Conclusion. 2.

There are Multitudes who count themselves [Page 90] in a Good State, when God knowes, They are far from being so. There are indeed some Self Condemned Hypocrites unto whom it may be said, as it was to Shimei, Th [...] knowest the wickedness that thine own heart is privy to. But there are also some Self▪Deluded Hypocrites, who like some of the members in the Church of La [...]dicca, fancy themselves to Stand in Need of Nothing, while they are in, the want of all things. It is too general a character for the most of mankind, which we have in Jam. 1.26. He seems to be Religious, but he De­ceives his own Heart, the mans Religion i [...] Vain▪ Truly, Tis very rare to meet with a man; but be he never so Ignorant, never so Heretical, never so Wordly-minded, still he counts himself Assured of this, God will not cast me off forever? He that made me, will have mercy on me, and He that formed me will shew me some Favour. In the Old World, no doubt they general'y Dream't of a D [...]y Sum [...]er, when a Desolating Flood was a the Door. In blind Sodom, doubtless they generally Scoff'd at the warnings of Sulphurous Fiery consuming Thunderstorm impending over them. The most of men, are by Security and Pr [...]su [...]i­on about the Good State of their Souls tre­pann'd into Eternal miseries. Very seldome are any convinced, of their being out of the Way; untill their End come upon them; and [Page 91] that End is a very dreadful one, Alas few of those who take up their endless and caseless Lodgings in the Pit below, don't make that their First shriek upon their Fall into the dismal V [...]ult, O [...] little thought I should ever come to this! I am to tell you, that Millions of wary and witty men, that have scorn'd in any thing else to be impos'd upon, have yet been misera­bly Deceiv'd about their Never-dying Souls. Yea, great and high Professors, yea, able and zealous Ministers, and the workers of Mira­cles too, have been at last, The Deceivers of themselves. The World is full of Cheats; but no Cheat so common as This, For persons to be cheated about their own Souls.

Conclusion 3.

For a man to be mistaken about his own Good State is a thing of the Illest Consequence in the World.

If a man be indeed in a Good State, and per­ceive it not; what follows but a world of in­conveniencies? The Person is perhaps like Daniel, one grearly Beloved! yet, not having Assurance of it, be wrongs Himself by perpe­tual Disquietments and Vexations; and albeit he be travelling towards Canaan, he must al­wayes cry out as a Christian in Horrour did, I am in a Roaring Wilderness of Wo! He wrongs [Page 92] Religion too; and brings up an Evil Report o [...] it, among Strangers; as it at were but a Blac [...] Mopish, Melancholly Thing. And he gratified the Divel exceedingly; who because he, do Envy him for, would therefore Deprive him of the Peace which the Lord Jesus has left as His Legacy unto us.

But suppose the man to be not in a good State; Suppose him to be, in the Gall of Bitter­ness, and the Bond of Iniquity; for this man to be now misled by a false Assurance, This un­does him Totally, Finally, and very Terribly▪ The Destroyer of Souls insults over such a man and makes that shout upon his lamentable case Aha, so I would have it! The man is involve in many Labyrinths of wretchedness; he is Preposterous in all h [...]s Applications; like him in Deut. 29. 20. who Blesses himself, saying I shall have Peace, while all the Curses written in this Book do ly upon him And he is under such entanglements, that neither can he pitty him­self, nor can any else that wish well unto him, Reli [...]ve his unhappy circumstances; tis with him, as with that Idolater, in Isai. 44.20. A de­ceived Heart hath turned him aside, that he can­not deliver his Soul, nor say, Is there not a Lyan my Right Hand? It is a thousand to one but the unhappy man will Dy Uncured. And The [...] there will be no Recovering, no Retrieving of a Lost Soul throughout Eternal Ages Tho' he [Page 93] should produce never such [...]mple Testimonials for himself, of his Blameless Living, and Spot­less Credit, they will not shelter him from the confusion of that Thunder Bolt, Thou art a Worker of iniquity, I know thee not.

This then is the first sort of Self-Examination which I suppose by this Time, we see no less important for us, than incumbent on us.

But

Secondly, There is an Examination of our Wayes, under which we are to bring our selves. It is the Repeated charge, in Hag. 1. 5,7. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, consider your wayes [...] One of the Ancients do's observe upon it, That the Prophet there being but a Young man, and so, more liable to be sleight­ed, his Exhortation is therefore set on wide a great Authority, Thus faith the Lord of Hosts. And if the Lord of Hosts require us to Consider our wayes, who dares omit the doing of it? But to Consider them, is to Examine them We should Reflect upon the many Sins that we have been guilty of; and be studious to un­derstand our Errors. I [...] was bitterly complain­ed of, in Jere.8.6. No man Repented him of his Wickedness, saying, what have I [...]? That is a Question that we should often Exa­mine our selves withall, What have I [...] doing of? What have I done, that ha's been [...]re [...]oking [...] my God, and pernicious to myself▪ [Page 94] It was the speech of that good m [...] in Job 13.23. How many are my Iniquities and [...] Sins? make me to know my Transgression [...] my sin. We should pursue [...] that Know­ledge, by a diligent and impartial Examina­tion of our Wayes. As in our Psalter we meet with, A Psalm to bring to Remembrance thus, we should use the Law of God, as Book to bring to Remembrance, and we should Remember all our old miscarriages, with [...] the Humbling Aggravations of them.

Thirdly, There is an Examination of [...] Wants, unto which we are to count our­selves obliged. We are to find out wh [...] Corruptions we yet have to be redressed, an [...] what Perfections we are yet non proficient in We read in 1 Thes. 3. 10. a wish for som [...] To perfect what is lacking in their Faith. We should Examine, what we lack in Grace, and what we lack in Peace, and what we lack o [...] any Mercy from the Lord. By a serious Examination of our Wants we should pene­trate into those Deficiencies, for which we have cause to mourn before the God o [...] Heaven; and we should be disconten [...] with our selves, till we see what we [...] of a Meetness for the Inheritance of the Saint in Light.

But if we Sufficiently manage a Self-Exa­mination [Page 95] on our State, we do by Consequence take in these two other Heads of our En­quiries: it naturally leads us to a View of our Wayes and Wants; which therefore I must now once for all enwrap into the same Denomination.

Wherefore we may now add.