A Worthy Communicant, Treatise · Chapter 4
Chap. 4. Of the neceſsity of knowledge in a Communicant.
CHAP. 4 THus we have ſeene how needfull preparation is to the receiving of the Sacrament after the due order. It followes now to conſider what this preparation is, or wherin it ſtands. The preparation required before the Sacrament, is twofold. Habituall and Actuall: Habituall preparation ſtands in the having of all ſuch diſpoſitions and graces, as qualifie a man for the worke of receiving. Actuall preparation ſtands in the exciting and awakening of thoſe graces and diſpoſitions, and renewing of them when a man is to receive. Both theſe muſt be done by him that will receive in due order. It is here as in preaching. A man that will preach the Word, muſt firſt be habitually prepared for the worke, by having ſuch gifts, graces, abilities, and miniſteriall qualifications of learning and knowledge in the Scriptures, as are required to accompliſh and furniſh a man for that work. He muſt be a man well read, well ſtudied. Now though a man be a furniſht man, and have competent abilities, yet he will not on a ſudden without any ſtudy ſtep up into the Pulpit, take a Text at adventure and fall a preaching; but beſides his habituall preparation in the courſe of his ſtudies, he will ſtudy afreſh upon a particular Text, and for a particular Sermon, and beſtow ſpeciall paines for that particular worke; and that is Actuall preparation. Mat. 13. 52. Every Scribe which is inſtructed unto the kingdome of heaven—bringeth out of his treaſure things new and old. He is inſtructed unto the Kingdome of Heaven, he hath a treaſure of things new and old. There is his habituall preparation for preaching; he brings them out, namely by ſtudy and meditation, he gathers together things apt and fit for the preſent worke; there is his actuall preparation. And there is firſt an habituall preparation before an actuall. He firſt ſtudies Arts, Tongues, Divinity, and then after ſtudies his Sermons: his firſt ſtudy is habituall, his ſecond is actuall preparation. Though a man ſhould ſtudy a Sermon & have an actuall preparation, yet if he had not ſtudied Divinity and other things needful, but wanted habitual preparation, it would prove poore, lank, empty ſtuffe: and though a man had ſtudied Divinity, and had habituall preparation, yet if without ſtudy and premeditation, without actuall preparation he ſhould offer to doe the worke, hee might be guilty of tempting God, might make but wilde and confuſed worke of it, and might come off with a check. Neither of theſe thus preaching ſhould preach after the due Order: and both theſe might be as thoſe Prophets, Zech. 13. 4. It ſhall come to paſſe in that day, that the Prophets ſhall bee aſhamed every one of his viſion, when he hath propheſied. The firſt might well be aſhamed, becauſe he wanted habituall, the ſecond, becauſe he wanted actuall preparation. He is not fit to preach that wants habituall preparation: he may ſay (if called to preach) as Zech. 13. 5. I am no Prophet, I am an Husband-man; for man taught me to keep cattell from my youth. I am not habitually prepared; I have not beene trained up in the Schooles, & amongſt the Sons of the Prophets, but I am a Tradeſ-man, I have beene brought up in the ſhop in a Trade from my youth: and though he be fit to preach that hath habituall preparation, yet if he want actuall preparation he is not ready to preach, not provided for it at ſuch a time. And therefore mark how the Rulers of the Synagogue ſpeake to S. Paul and his companions, Acts 13. 15. Ye men and brethren, if ye have any words of exhortation for the people, ſay on: as if hee had ſaid, If ye be provided for a Sermon, if you have any meditations ready, beſtow them upon the people. He did not deſire they ſhould adventure into the Pulpit with their extemporary effuſions, to powre out what Ad nu…itionem ſpiritualem requiritur non tantum habitus & diſpoſitio fidei, ſed actus etiam ejus exercitus, & exercit…tus, ita ut non omnes fideles ſemper digni ſint convivae in hac coena, niſi fidem quam habent, excitent & exerceant pro ratione hujus inſtituti. Ames. Cat. p. 152.ever came next hand, 2 Tim. 2. 15. Study to ſhew thy ſelfe approved unto God, a workman that needs not to bee aſhamed. Timothy was a ſtudied man, a man of rare and ſingular gifts and endowments; and yet for all that, if he would bee an approved workeman, S. Paul would have him ſtudy to doe it: he would not have him reſt on his habituall preparations, but would have him actually fit himſelf for his work, when he was to worke. Now thus is the caſe in the Sacrament, there muſt be an habituall and an actuall preparation to it. A man that will receive the Sacrament, muſt firſt be furniſhed with ſuch graces and diſpoſitions, as a Communicant ought to have: and though he have ſuch graces as are requiſite to habituall preparation, yet may he not therefore all on a ſudden ruſh to the Lords Table, and without any more adoe receive the Sacrament: but firſt there muſt be an actuall preparing and fitting of himſelfe for the worke. Both muſt be had, or elſe no due order in the worke, or elſe no fruit from the duty. There be, that in their faſhion do actually prepare themſelves that yet are voide of thoſe graces that are required to habituall preparation. And there be that are habitually prepared, and yet faile in an actuall fitting of themſelves. To both theſe the Sacrament proves as Iobs brooks to the Travellers, Iob 6. 19. 20. The troopes of Tema looked, and the companies of Sheba waited for them, as hoping by the waters of thoſe brookes to have beene refreſhed, but they were confounded becauſe they had hoped, they came thither and were aſhamed; becauſe they came with an hope to have found water in thoſe brookes: but they being dried up with the heate of Summer, their hope was diſappointed, and ſo they went away aſhamed of their loſt labour. So both thoſe ſorts of people come to the Sacrament, there they looke and wait for ſome ſpirituall refreſhment by it; but they may goe away aſhamed, becauſe they hoped, and their hope is fruſtrate; they meet with no ſuch thing as they hoped for. And the reaſon of their diſappointment is that which is ſpoken in another caſe, Matth. 22. 8. The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. The wedding was ready, but the gueſts were not ready. So the Sacrament is ready, and God ready in the Sacrament to do his part, but theſe kinde of Communicants are not ready, either not ready by an habituall, or not ready by an actuall preparation, and becauſe not ready, not worthy; and becauſe not worthy, therefore their hopes diſappointed. Now though both theſe be required, yet habituall preparation muſt bee in the firſt place; for no man can indeed actually fit himſelfe, till he be habitually prepared; and in vaine is all actuall preparation where habituall goes not before it.
This habituall preparation therfore, ſtands in having the ſoule furniſhed with all ſuch graces and diſpoſitions as may make a man worthy, that is, fit for the Sacrament. And thoſe graces and diſpoſitions are theſe,
1 Knowledge.
2 Faith.
3 Repentance.
4 Charity.
5 Obedience.
All theſe muſt a Communicant be qualified with, that in the Sacrament ſeeks God in due Order, and the want of any of theſe makes him guilty of not ſeeking God after the due Order.
1 The firſt thing then that is required, is knowledge. The Apoſtle makes this a great fault in receiving the Sacrament, ſo to receive it, as not to diſcerne the Lords body, 1 Cor. 11. 29. Not diſcerning the Lords body. Therefore that ſhould be a mans care, ſo to come, as to diſcerne the Lords body. This Diſcerning ſtands in knowledge, underſtanding and judgement, of the nature, uſe, and neceſſity of the Sacrament; the which, becauſe they cannot be known without the knowledge of the fundamentall principles of religion, therefore under this diſcerning the Lords body, is included and comprehended a convenient and competent meaſure of knowledge of all the grounds of Religion: and that ſuch knowledge is neceſſary for every one that deſires to come after the due Order, will appeare by theſe following reaſons.
1 Firſt, God prizes knowledge more than the outward acts and performances of his ſervice. Yea, ſo highly prizes knowledge above outward performances, that if it ſhould needs be that one muſt be wanting, the knowledge of God (without publike performances) is more acceptable than publike performances, Hoſ. 6. 6. I deſired the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. Poſſibly the caſe might be ſo that a man could not offer ſacrifice, as it was with David in his exile, yet having the knowledge of God he might be ſaved. But if a man did Sacrifice and offer Burnt-Offerings, yet if he had not the knowledge of God hee could not be ſaved. There may bee caſes in which a man cannot come to receive the Sacrament, but yet a man having the knowledge of God hee may be ſaved. Iohn 17. 3. This is life eternall to know Thee, &c. But let a man receive the Sacrament ever ſo often, yet if he be voide of the knowledge of God, he cannot be ſaved; For God will hauehave all men to be ſaved, and come, he ſayes not to the Sacrament, but to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Tim. 2. 4. So that as in that caſe, ſo in this I deſired knowledge of God more than receiving of the Sacramt. Men commonly deſire the receiving of the Sacrament more than the knowledge of God. But our deſires ſhould be ſuitable to Gods deſires. As he deſires ſo ſhould we deſire, and he deſires the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings, and ſo by proportion more than Sacraments.
2 Secondly, a man ſhould ſo prepare himſelfe for the Sacrament, as he would prepare himſelfe for his death, look how he would be loth to goe to his grave, ſo ſhould he be loth to go to the Lords Table. A man that would die comfortaby, would die with the knowledge of God; and a man that would receive comfortably, would receive with knowledge. It is a dreadfull thing to die without knowledge. If a man die without knowledge, I know but one way with him. It is threatned as an heavie judgement, Ioh. 36. 12. They ſhal die without knowledge. And that is an heavie ſaying. Ioh. 8. 21 Ye ſhall die in your ſins, that is, ye ſhall die in a damned condition. Now to die without knowledge, is all one as to die in our ſins, for queſtionleſs he that dies in ignorance dies in his ſins, and ſo dying without knowledge, dies in a ſtate of damnation. And if ſo fearefull to die without knowledge, how fearefull to come to the Sacrament without knowledge? For what makes a man unfit to die, makes him unfit to receive; and what condition is dangerous to die in, that condition is dangerous to receive in. A man is not fit to receive, that is not in a ſtate of ſalvation, as no man is fit to dye that is not in ſuch a ſtate: we are not in a ſtate of ſalvation, but ſo far forth as we have the knowledge of the truth, 1 Tim. 2. 4. Who would have all men to be ſaved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Therefore no ſalvation but where there is the knowledge of the truth. No knowledge then, and not yet in the ſtate of ſalvation; and what have we to doe with the Sacrament that not in the ſtate of ſalvation? That man that is fit for the Sacrament, and duly prepared for it, is fit and prepared for Heaven; and that man that is unfit for Heaven, is unfit for the Sacrament, and that man is unfit for Heaven that is without the knowledge of God.
3 Thirdly conſider what is the end of our comming to the Sacrament. The end of our comming is to have Communion with God in his Ordinance. And therefore there is a neceſſity of comming with knowledge. He only comes comfortably and profitably to the Sacrament, who therein hath communion with God: and one ſpeciall way to have communion with him, is to have the knowledge of him, I… …4 7. I will give them an heart to know me that I am the Lord, And they ſhall bee my people, and I will bee their God: when we are his people, and he our God, then we have communion with him; and this cannot be that he ſhould be our God and we his people till we know him. We have nothing to do with the Sacrament, nor with fellowſhip with God therein, till we be his people, and his people we cannot be, till we have an heart to know him. A man will not have communion with any with whom he hath not acquaintance, with ſuch as are ſtrangers to him. We doe decline familiarity with ſtrangers: where the knowledge of God is not, there men are ſtrangers to God. Epheſ. 4. 18. being alienated eſtranged through the ignorance that is in them. And ſo, no knowledge of God, no fellowſhip with God: no knowledge, no communion. And to what end is it to come to the Communion without communion with God? A Communion without Communion with God, is but a comfortleſſe Communion. As therefore we deſire to have Communion with God when wee come to the Communion, ſo come with knowledge. Knowledge it is true that a man may have, and yet have no communion with God, but Communion with God can no man have unleſſe he have knowledge. A man is not fit to partake of the Sacrament till he be fit to partake of the Covenant; and that which is required to make a man fit for the participation of the covenant, is no leſſe required to make a man fit for the participation of the Sacrament. Now knowledge is neceſſarily required for the participation of the covenant, Heb. 8. 10, 11. For this is the covenant I will make—for all ſhall know mee from the least to the greateſt. That which is required to make us partakers of the covenant, is required to make us fit for communion with God; and that which is required to make us partakers of the covenant, muſt needs be as much required to make us partakers of the ſeale of the Covenant. Such a neceſſity of knowledge there is in him that receives the Sacrament.
4 Fourthly, conſider, how utterly unfit a man is, whileſt he is in ignorance. That appeares in theſe particulars.
1 Firſt, No man is fit to be a partaker of the ſeale of the covenant, who is not in the covenant of grace, neither can ſay that he is ſo. Ignorant perſons cannot ſay that they are in the covenant of grace; for ſuch as are in the covenant of grace have received an anointing, which teaches them of all things. 1 Iohn 2. 27. And they that be effectually called are taught of God, Iohn 6. 45. And they that are in covenant with God they all know him from the least of them to the greateſt of them, Ier. 31. 33, 34. Therefore they that know not God, that are not taught of God, they that are not anointed, are not in covenant with God. Such are all ignorant perſons; they be perſons unanointed, they be perſons untaught of God, they know not God, therefore are they not in covenant with God, and being not in covenant have nothing to doe with the Sacrament: for in the uſe of the Sacrament there is a ſealing of the covenant unto us. Now a man can have no right to have the covenant ſealed unto him, till he be in the covenant; and ignorant perſons are not in covenant with God: ſo that the ignorant mans receiving, is but the having of a ſeale to a blanke. And what is a man the better for that? What is a man the better for having the Kings broad-Seale to a Parchment that hath nothing written in it? He hath nothing but a peece of Parchment and wax, he hath neither land nor living, ſealed and conveighed to him thereby. Iuſt ſo it is in this caſe.
2 Secondly, none have any benefit by the Sacrament, but ſuch as are real and actual members of Chriſts body. The Sacrament is ſpirituall food, and all the members of Chriſts body receive nouriſhment, and growth by the uſe of this food, but yet they muſt bee members of the body, or elſe no nouriſhment, growth, or life. Ignorant perſons are not actuall members of Chriſts body. They are captives of Satan, faſt in the Divels clutches and poſſeſſion. 2 Tim. 2. 25, 26. They that know not the truth are in the ſnare of the divell, and are taken captive by him at his will. Ignorance is the very power of the divell. Acts 26. 18. To turne them from darkneſſe to light, from the power of Satan unto God. That which is called darkneſſe in the firſt, is called the power of Satan in the latter clauſe; ſo that the divell having, and holding a man in ignorance, hath, and holds him in his power. And are ſuch the members of Chriſts body that are wholly in the power and poſſeſſion of the divell? Have they any thing to doe to participate of Chriſts body in the Sacrament, that are no members of his myſticall body? Are ſuch as are Satans ſlaves, vaſſals, and captives, fit to come to the Lords Table, and have fellowſhip with the God of heaven?
3 Thirdly, an ignorant perſon is utterly unfit for the Lords Table. God forbad to offer the blinde; the blinde was an abomination to him. And what difference betweene a blinde offering, and the offering of the blinde. A blinde offerer that hath the eyes of his mind out is worſe, and more abominable then a blinde offering. The Law denyed a Leaper the benefit of civill Society, therefore much more of holy Communion in publike ſervices and ſacrifices. Now an ignorant perſon is a kinde of leaper, he hath one perillous ſymptome of leaproſie, namely that ſame, Levit. 13. 44. The Prieſt ſhall pronounce him utterly uncleane, his plague is in his head. Therefore when a man hath a plague in his head he is utterly uncleane, and therefore to bee ſhut out of the campe. verſe 46. Much more therefore from holy ſociety. An uncleane man is not fit to come to the Lords Table, and every ignorant perſon having a plague in his head is uncleane, and therefore unfit for the Lords Table. There bee two things that ſhew an ignorant perſon unfit for the Sacrament.
1 We judge fooles and children unfit for the Sacrament, and that upon that ground, 1 Cor. 11. 28. Let a man examine himſelfe. Becauſe they cannot examine themſelves; for by the Apoſtles rules whoſoever cannot examine, and try himſelfe ought not to come to the Sacrament. Now therefore an ignorant perſon ought not to come becauſe it is impoſſible that an ignorant perſon, ſhould examine himſelfe. Yea if fooles and children ought not to come, then neither may ignorant perſons, for they are children and fooles both. They be children, Heb. 5. 13. For every one that uſeth milke is unskilfull in the word of righteouſneſſe, for he is a babe, 1 Cor. 14. 20. Be not children in understanding, but in underſtanding be men. And fooles they be alſo, Iere. 4. 22 For my people is fooliſh. And why ſo? They have not knowne me, they are ſottiſh children, they have no underſtanding, Prov. 14. 7. Goe from the preſence of a fooliſh man. But how ſhall I know him … fooliſh man? When thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge. Are babes, children, fooles and ſots fit for the Sacrament?
2 We all confeſſe that he is not fit to come to the Sacrament that comes with an ill minde, Prov. 21. 27. The ſacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, how much more when hee bringeth it with a wicked minde? At the beſt it is loathſome, but when brought with a wicked minde it is worſe by farre. Ignorant perſons uſe to pleade for themſelves that they have not the knowledge, and underſtanding which others have, and cannot anſwer as others doe, yet they hope they have as good meanings, and come with as good mindes as the beſt. Thus ſilly creatures delude they themſelves, and their owne ſoules. Alas what talke you of your good meanings, and your good mindes? Are not your mindes ignorant? Have ye not ignorant mindes? Why then be it knowne unto you that your mindes are naught, ſtarke naught. Will ye beleeve God? Heare what hee ſayes, Prov. 19. 2. Without knowledge the minde is not good. That mans minde then is not good that wants knowledge. And ſo he comes with an evill minde to the Sacrament that comes with an ignorant minde thereunto. Though I be ignorant, ſayes one, yet I thanke God I have a good minde. How ſillily is this ſpoken? as if one ſhould ſay, though I have a blinde eye, yet I have as good an eye as he that can ſee fartheſt. Wherein lyes the goodneſſe of the eye but in the ſight, and the goodneſſe, of the minde but in the knowledge of God? He cannot have a good minde that wants goodneſſe. An ignorant perſon wants goodneſſe. See Rom. 15. 14. Yee are full of goodneſſe. How came they ſo to be? filled with all knowledge. They muſt be firſt full of knowledge, that will be full of goodneſſe. Full of knowledge, full of goodneſſe, voyde of knowledge, voyde of goodneſſe. And what then doeſt thou talke of thy good minde that haſt as little goodneſſe as thou haſt knowledge in thee?
Therefore let all ignorant people be adviſed to take heede what they doe. It is woefull to conſider the groſſe ignorance of many Communicants, it would pity a mans heart, and make his ſpirit bleede to ſee how many come to the Sacrament, and yet are utterly to ſeek in the very grounds of Religion. They heare of Chriſt, and they ſee a Sacrament, but what, or who CHRIST is, what is the end and uſe of a Sacrament, they know no more then ſuch as have ſcarce heard of CHRISTS Name. In the feare of God looke to your ſoules, and get ſome competent meaſure of the knowledge of God, and CHRIST, before you offer to medle with ſo holy an Ordinance. Eſpecially let ſuch looke to themſeles as may be taught, and inſtructed, and yet in a wilfulneſſe, and rebellion of ſpirit will not be taught, nor inſtructed that they may be fitted for the Sacrament, but will continue in their ignorance, and willfully come to the Sacrament therein. As the LORD ſpeakes to ſuch perſons concerning the taking of the Covenant in their mouth, ſo it may be ſaid of taking the ſeale of the Covenant into their mouthes, Pſal. 50. 16, 17. What hast thou to doe that thou ſhouldeſt take my Covenant in thy mouth, ſeeing thou hateſt instruction, ſo in this caſe, what haſt thou to doe that thou ſhouldeſt take the ſeale of my covenant into thy mouth, ſeeing thou hateſt inſtruction, and refuſeſt, and ſcorneſt to be taught, and be holpen out of thine ignorance. The worſt I wiſh to ſuch rebellious ſpirits is, that the time may never come, in which with weeping and howling, and wringing of hands they doe not curſe the time wherein they ſcorned to bee taught, and inſtructed before they came to the Sacrament.