A Worthy Communicant, Treatise · Chapter 2
Chap. 2. Of preparation before the Sacrament, and the neceſſity of it.
CHAP. 2 SInce then our comming to the Sacrament, is not enough, unleſſe we come in due Order: and ſince the danger of comming otherwiſe is ſo great, it will not be amiſſe to make enquiry, & to conſider what is that due Order, and that holy and ſpirituall manner, after which God is to be ſought in the Sacrament.
This due Order therefore of ſeeking God in the Sacrament of the Supper, it ſtands eſpecially in three things, or three kinds of Duties.
In
1 Doing ſuch Duties as muſt go before the Sacrament. Antecedaneous Duties.
2 Doing ſuch Duties as accompany the Action of Receiving. Duties concomitant.
3 Doing ſuch Duties as follow after the Action of Receiving. Duties Subſequent.
1 In doing ſuch Duties as muſt go before the Sacrament. And they may all be reduced to this one duty of Preparation.
The Duty then before the Sacrament, is Preparation. This is GODS Order, and this is to ſeeke God after the due Order, to begin with Preparation: and the man that deſires to ſeek God orderly, muſt firſt prepare himſelfe. A man comming to the Sacrament without preparation, comes not after the due Order. Take heede to thy foote when thou entrest into the Houſe of the Lord, Eccl. 5. 1. Now when we come to the Sacrament, we come to the Table of the Lord: and if it concerne a man to prepare himſelfe, before he enter into the Houſe of the Lord; then much more when he comes to approach to the Table of the Lord. See how David ſpeakes here in this Text, Sanctifie your ſelves and your brethren, &c. for we ſought him not after the due Order. Therefore they that will ſeek God in due Order in the uſe of his Ordinances, muſt firſt ſanctifie and prepare themſelves. It holds good in the caſe of the Sacrament which Samuel ſpake in the caſe of Sacrifice, 1 Samuel 16. 5. Sanctifie your ſelves, and come with me to the Sacrifice. So, Sanctifie your ſelves, and come to the Sacramt. Come, but firſt ſanctifie your ſelves, Pſal. 26. 6. I will waſh my hands in innocency, and So, &c. 1 Cor. 11. Let a man examine himſelfe, & So, &c. It was not enough then to cō paſſe Gods Altar, but it was to be cō paſſed So. It is not enough to eate of this bread, to drinke of this cup, but it muſt be eaten So, drunken So. This ſame So, it notes unto us the due Order of ſeeking God in his Ordinance. We ſeek God in due Order when we ſeeke him So: we eat and drinke in the Sacrament in due Order when we eat and drink So. That is, when we do it So, as S. Paul enjoynes, With due preparation going before. There ought to be no leſſe care in us comming to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, than was required in the Iewes to the eating of the Paſſeover. And ſpeciall care was required of them for preparation, ſee 2 Chron. 35. 6. So kill the Paſſeover, and ſanctifie your ſelves, and prepare your brethren. And if they were in their places to be carefull to prepare others, how much more ought others to be carefull to prepare themſelves? And that is to be obſerved, Exod. 12. 3. Speake unto all the Congregation of Iſrael, ſaying, In the tenth day of this monethmonth, they ſhall take to them every man a Lambe, a Lambe for an houſe. And Verſ. 6. And ye ſhall keep it untill the fourteenth day of the ſame monethmonth. So that the Lambe was taken and ſet apart, foure dayes before it was killed. What might the meaning of that ceremony be? what ever other meaning it had, this might be one thing aimed at therein; to teach them what care they were to have, of preparing themſelves for eating the Paſſeover: if the Lambe muſt be prepared, and be ſet and kept apart from the reſt of the flock, foure whole dayes before; then how much more were they in a ſolemne and an holy manner, to prepare themſelves for the eating of that Lambe? What was all that foure dayes ſeparation of the Lambe, but a continuall ſtanding-Sermon, preaching preparation to them? It was as if God had ſaid unto them, Be ye alſo prepared. It queſtionleſſe teaches that there ſhould be a preparation; and that not a ſudden, but a ſolemn ſerious preparation, ſome good ſpace of time before men come to receive the Sacrament.
Therefore we reade, Iohn 19. 14. That the Iewes had a day of preparation, and it was the preparation of the Paſſeover. And Verſ. 31. Becauſe it was the preparation. And upon that ground was that Act of theirs, In abſtaining from comming that day into the Iudgement Hall, Iohn 18. 28. And they themſelves went not into the Iudgement-Hall, leſt they ſhould be defiled; but that they might eat the Paſſeover. It ſhewes, that upon the day of their preparation, they were to take heed of doing any thing that might defile them, and unfit them for the eating of the Paſſeover: though it be true, that they were not in that caſe ſo carefull to keepe themſelves from morall, as from ceremoniall defilement. And if ſuch preparation were required for the eating of the Paſſeover; why then ſhould not there be as great a care at leaſt, if not greater, to come with due preparation to the Lords Supper? Is our ſacrament inferior to theirs, in inſtitution, excellency, efficacy, benefit, and comfort? Nay, is it not in many regards above and beyond it? and ſhal our preparation be leſſe than theirs?
When we are invited to our neighbours Tables to feaſt with them, how doe we ſpruce up our ſelves, in our comelier and cleanlier apparrell, and how much rather will we chooſe to be abſent, then to come in undecent and homely attire? When we come to the Sacrament, we come to the Lords Table, to a Feaſt of his preparing: and therefore ſhould be no leſſe carefull to dreſſe, trim, and ſpruce up our ſoules, then we are to trim our bodies when we goe to the Tables of men. It is a ſad thing to conſider, what little care and conſcience men generally have of this duty; and how rudely and raſhly men thruſt themſelves into Gods preſence, and unto his Table. Many have the civility and the manners, not to offer to ſit downe at a Noblemans Table, becauſe they doe not judge themſelves perſons of that rank and quality, who are fit to ſit downe at ſuch a mans board. But who is it that doth not thinke himſelfe as fit, and as worthy, to ſit downe at Gods Table as the holieſt, and the beſt prepared perſon that is? Our Saviour put a queſtion to thoſe Diſciples, Mat. 20. 22. Are ye able to drinke of the cup that I ſhall drinke of? And we know how roundly, but yet withall how raſhly they anſwer, We are able. So, put the like queſtion to moſt men; Are yee able and ready fitted, and worthy to drink of the Cup of the Lords Table? and you ſhall have as round and as raſh anſwer, Wee are able, wee are fit and worthy; and yet the Lord he knowes they never have beſtowed one poore houre in preparation: they are ſo far from foure dayes, they have not foure houres preparation; ſo farre from a preparation-day, that there is not ſo much as a… preparation-houre with thē. The preparation, ſpecially of the younger ſort, is to put on their beſt dreſſe, their finer apparell; and to be a little braver when they come to the Sacrament than at other times. But for a ſpirituall preparation of the heart, to fit it for ſo holy and ſolemne a ſervice, it is a thing that is never once lookt after nor thought upon. To quicken men then to this Duty, conſider theſe things:
1 Firſt, According to a mans preparation, ſuch is his profit and benefit. God proportions every mans profit by the Sacrament, according to his preparation to the Sacrament. The more diligent and ſerious preparation before we come, the greater benefit and profit when we come. Preparation is the ſeed time, receiving is the harveſt: every man reapes proportionably to what he ſowes. He that ſowes nothing, reapes nothing. No preparation, no profit. Hee that ſowes little, reapes not much, reapes but little, 2 Cor. 9. 6. Hee that ſoweth ſparingly, ſhall reape ſparingly. He that is ſparing and ſlight in his preparation, ſhall reape but ſlightly and ſparingly in matter of benefit: little preparation, little profit. But the more we prepare our ſelves, and the more time, paines, and diligence, we ſpend therin, the greater benefit and comfort we ſhall meet with in receiving: for he which ſowes bountifully, ſhall reape bountifully. It is in the duty of receiving, as in the duty of praying. The more prepared the heart is to pray, the greater is a mans returne from heaven, Pſal. 10. 17. Thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cauſe thine eare to heare. To have our heart prepared is the due order of ſeeking God in prayer. And the more God gives a man an heart to prepare himſelfe to pray, the more God prepares his owne eare to heare. So in the caſe of receiving; thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cauſe thine hand to give. God ſo enlarges his hand, as we enlarge our hearts; and nothing furthers the enlargement of the heart more, than ſolemne preparation. Then may a man expect a liberall and plentifull bleſſing in the uſe of the Ordinance, when he comes with a ſufficient preparation and ſanctification of himſelfe. Hezekiah, his paſſeover which he appointed to be kept, could not bee kept at the appointed time, but was put off to the ſecond monethmonth; and the reaſon is given of it, 2 Chron. 30. 3. For they could not keepe it at that time, becauſe the Prieſts had not ſanctified themſelves ſufficiently: which implyes, that when the Paſſeover was to be celebrated, the Prieſts were not only to ſanctifie themſelves, but to ſanctifie themſelves ſufficiently. And ſo it holds good for people alſo; that when they come to the Sacrament, they muſt have a care not only to ſanctifie themſelves, but to ſanctifie themſelves ſufficiently. There may be an inſufficient preparation; and where the preparation is inſufficient, there cannot be expected ſuch a ſufficient meaſure of ſpirituall good, and bleſſings, as we deſire. The more ſufficient our preparation is, the more effectuall the Sacrament ſhall be. The efficiency of the Sacrament, is ever ſutable to the ſufficiency of our preparation.
Fill the mens ſacks with food as much as they can carry, ſayes Ioſeph to his Steward, Gen. 44. 1. Look how they came prepared with ſacks & Beaſts, ſo they were ſent back with corne: the greater and the more ſacks they had prepared, the more Corne they carry away: if they had prepared but ſmall ſacks, and a few, they had carried away the leſſe. A prepared heart is a veſſell that ſhall be filled at the Sacrament, Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it, Pſal. 81. 10. Now the more or leſſe the heart is prepared, the greater or leſſer is the Veſſell. According to the ſize and capacity of the Veſſell ſhall it be filled. Fill ſuch mens hearts with ſpirituall bleſſings, with vertue from Chriſt, with the comforts of the Holy Ghoſt, ſays the Lord at the Sacrament, fill them with ſpirituall food as ful as they can hold, as much as they can carry. What a ſweet comfort is that? Who deſires not to carry away frō the Sacrament as much as may be? Then be carefull to prepare our hearts, and prepare Sacramenta ſunt fodinae gratiae. Diſpoſitio eſt vaſculum gratiae, pro majore diſpoſitione, & affectu tuo majorem reportabis. Euſeb. Ne…eml.then to the purpoſe. The larger is our preparation, the larger is our Veſſell; the larger our Veſſell, the larger is our largeſſe and doale at the Sacrament. If we carry not away as much as we would, it is our owne fault, that by preparation we did not furniſh our ſelves with a more capacious veſſell. The poore pittances that many goe from the Sacrament withall, make them droope when they are gone. They may thank themſelves: for if Ioſephs brethren had brought ſmall ſacks, they could not have carried away much corne out of Egypt. Let men come with hearts ſo prepared as they ſhould, and they ſhall be laden and filled with as much as they can carry.
2 Secondly, when we come to the Sacrament, We come to meet God, and to ſerve God. We come to meet God. Now it muſt be in caſes of meeting God in mercy; as it muſt be in caſes of meeting him when he is diſpleaſed. Amos 4. 12. Prepare to meet thy God, O Iſrael. In caſes of juſtice and diſpleaſure, God will meet with men though they prepare not; yea, and becauſe they prepare not; but in a caſe of bleſſing in the uſe of an Ordinance, no preparation, no meeting. They Note 1 that will meet God in an Ordinance muſt draw neer to him, Iam. 4. Draw neere to God, and he will draw neere to you. There muſt be a mutuall drawing neer betweene God and us, if ever we will meet. If God draw neere to us, yet if we draw not neere to him, we cannot meet him. Now unleſſe we firſt prepare our ſelves to an Ordinance, we cannot come neere unto him: but when prepared, then we are in a diſpoſition and qualification to come neere unto him. Marke how Hezekiah ſpeakes to the Levites, 2 Chron. 29. 31. Now ye have conſecrated your ſelves to the Lord, Come neere, and bring Sacrifices, and Thank-offerings into the houſe of the Lord. The preparation of a mans ſelfe is the conſecration of a mans ſelfe; and when by preparation a man is conſecrated and ſanctified, then may a man come neere and draw neere, and ſo meet with God. But if no preparation, no conſecration; if no conſecration, no drawing neere; if no drawing neere, no meeting with God. To the ſame purpoſe is that, Exod. 12. 48. When a stranger ſhall ſojourne with thee, and will keepe the Paſſeover to the Lord, let all his males be circumciſed, and then let him come neere and keep it. So that firſt there muſt be circumciſion, before he muſt come neere. An unprepared perſon is uncircumciſed, and ſuch an one may not come neere; and how can he meet with God that may not come neere? So when we come to the Sacrament, we come to ſerve God: it is a ſpeciall ſervice of his Name. Now no ſervice can be done to God without preparation, 1 Sam. 7. 3. Prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and ſerve him. So that if no preparation, no ſervice. Vnprepared perſons in comming to the Sacrament doe God no ſervice at all. The very Heathens ſaw that by the light of Nature, that God was not to be ſerved at an adventure, or by the foreign. Plut.way; but that men ſhould come on purpoſe to worſhip him, and come prepared from their houſes. If therefore we intend God a ſervice in the receiving of the Sacrament, Come we prepared. All Gods ſervices require a precedent preparation.
Thirdly, it is a comfortable ſigne of uprightneſſe and ſincerity of heart, to prepare our ſelves religiouſly for the receiving of the Sacrament: and the more forwardneſſe and readineſſe in preparation, the greater ſigne of uprightneſſe of heart. When the Sacrifices, and the reſt of that ſervice of God was to be performed, 2 Chron. 29. we find that Verſ. 34. The Prieſts were too few, and the Levites were faine to helpe untill the other Prieſts had ſanctified, had prepared themſelves: but what was the reaſon the Levites were forwarder to ſanctifie themſelves than the Prieſts were? The reaſon is laid downe in the end of the Verſe, Becauſe they were more upright in heart: therefore by proportion it followes, that they that are moſt forward and moſt carefull to ſanctifie and prepare themſelves for the Sacrament, are the moſt ſincere and upright in heart. And as in all Ordinances, ſo eſpecially in the Sacrament, it is good to come with an upright heart. We come thither that it may doe us good, and that we may receive good from God in it: with the more ſincerity we come, the more may we looke for good, Pſal. 125. 4. Doe good, O Lord, unto thoſe that bee good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. God will doe good in the Sacrament to all ſuch as come to it with an upright heart. And they that come duly prepared, come with upright hearts.
Fourthly, no man can come ſo worthily as hee ought, nor ſo fit as he ought; when wee have prepared our ſelves the beſt that we can, yet alas, what a deale of deadneſſe and dulneſſe of ſpirit, what a deale of hardneſſe of heart will come along with us? But here now is one ſingular encouragement to ſeeke God in this Order of preparation. Though a man may have many wants, may come much ſhort of that he ſhould have, and be; yet if the Lord ſee that a man ſets himſelfe ſeriouſly to prepare himſelfe, and that he takes paines in the duty, that he may ſeeke God ſincerely in the uſe of the Sacrament, he will winck at, beare with, and paſſe by many failings, and they ſhal prove no hinderance at all to his profitable and comfortable receiving. Conſider that paſſage 2 Chron. 30. 18, 19, 20, 21. There were diverſe of them that had eaten the Paſſeover otherwiſe than it was written; that is indeed a fault, for that was not to eate the Paſſeover after the due Order; and their faile was, That they had not cleanſed themſelves: they failed in ſome legall and ceremoniall purification: but yet, though they failed in outward preparation, yet they were carefull of the inward and ſpirituall preparation of their hearts. That being done, though the other were overſlipped, Hezekiah prayes for them on this manner, The good Lord pardon every one that prepares his heart to ſeeke God, the Lord God of his Fathers, the he be not cleanſed according to the purification of the Sanctuary. As if he had ſaid, Lord though theſe men have not purified themſelves with outward purification, yet in as much as they have prepared and purified their hearts, ſo long as the main and materiall thing is done, be pleaſed to pardon this faile: impute not this want unto them, neither let it be any barre to thy bleſſing, but that faile notwithſtanding, let thine Ordinance be powerfull & effectuall unto them. And ſee what the ſucceſſe was, V. 20. And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. And Verſ. 21. There followed great gladneſſe of heart in the people, they kept the Feaſt of unleavened bread with great gladneſſe. See then how gracious God is to paſſe by all wants and weakneſſes, to heale them and hide them, when people are carefull of the maine, to prepare their hearts to ſeeke God in an Ordinance. There followes gladneſſe and joy of ſpirit upon it, that was a ſigne of Gods being wel pleaſed with them. And that is ever the fruit of preparation; a prepared heart ſhall be a joyfull heart. See 2 Chron. 29. 35, 36. So the ſervice of the houſe of the Lord was ſet in Order. And Hezekiah rejoyced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people. Here was Gods ſervice ſet in Order, and Gods ſervants ſet in Order, their hearts prepared and ſet in Order; and Hezekiah and all the people rejoyced.