The New Covenant, Book 3 · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX. Of reconciliation to our brethren: the laſt part of Examination.
HItherto, in examination of our ſelues, we hauehave ſhewed what we are to doe in reſpect of God, the root whereof is knowledge, the body is faith, the fruite is repentance. Now to conclude, we are to handle the laſt part, which isaLoueLove toward their brethren is required of al that come to the Lords Table. louelove toward men, and reconciliation of our ſelues vntounto our neighbours, for iniuries, wrongs, and offences done vntounto them, which are as poyſon to this banket. For in vaine we ſhall pretend knowledge, boaſt of faith, glory of repentance, if we faile in duties toward our brethren. Firſt we muſt looke to be at peace with God, and to be reconciled to him. For we ſhall neuer be at peace with our brethren, except we be reconciled to God. The greateſt war is betweene God and our owne ſoules, ſo that nothing can bring peace to vsus, vntill we be at one with him: but when once we are at one with him, we ſhall quickly be at one with all others. For heere is the touchſtone and tryall of all the reſt, euen our obedience to the ſecond Table, which concerneth the duties of louelove toward our brethren. Heereunto commethbMat. 5, 23. the doctrine of Chriſt ſet downe in the Euā geliſt, Mat. 5. If thou bring thy guift to the Altar, and there remembreſt that thy brother hath ought againſt thee, leaue there thy gift before the Altar, and goe firſt be reconciled to thy brother, then come and offer thy gift. Where he teacheth, that he ſo approueth this duty, that he will hauehave his owne immediat ſeru ce ceaſe, and giuegive place for a time, till i… be performed. So in the Sermon which he made to his Apoſtles, before he was betrayed to death, he did diligently beat vponupon this point, ſaying,cIoh 13, 35. By this ſhall all men know that ye are my Diſciples, if ye louelove one another. This is my commandement, that ye louelove one another, as I hauehave loued you: greater louelove then this hath no man▪ that a man beſtow his life for his friends: ye are my friends if ye do whatſoeuer I command you. This likewiſe thedCol 3, 12. Apoſtle teacheth, that we may know him to be the ſcholler of the ſame maiſter, Col. 3. As the elect of God, holy and beloued, put on tender mercy, k ndneſſe, humbleres of minde, meeknes, long-ſuffering, forbearing one another▪ and forgiuing one another, if any man hauehave a quarrell vntounto another, euen as Chriſt forgaue you, euē ſo do ye: and aboue all theſe things put on louelove, which is the bond of perfectneſſe. As eueryevery one hath a comfortable experience in his owne heart of Gods mercy toward him in the pardon of his ſinnes which are many and great; ſo let him ſhew mercy againe, as he hath receiued mercy, and deale vntounto others kindly, as God hath dealt gratiouſly toward him. Our Sauiour Chriſt auoucheth this, Math. 18. in the parable of the lender that had many debters: he called them toeMat. 18, 23 take an account of them, and forgiueth the debt, hauing compaſsion on him that was not able to pay: but when hee was departed, and had found one of his fellow-ſeruants which ought him an hundred pence, he laid hand on him, thratled him, and caſt him in priſon till he ſhould pay the debt. Thē the Lord called him and ſaid, O euill ſeruant, I forgaue thee all that debt, becauſe thou prayedſt me: Oughteſt thou not alſo to hauehave pitty on thy fellow-ſeruant, euen as I had pitty on thee? So his Lord was wroth, and deliuered him to the tormenters, till he ſhould pay all that was due to him. Then followeth the application of the whole, So likewiſe ſhall mine heauenly Father do vntounto you, except ye forgiue from your hearts each one his brother their treſpaſſes.
Now the Lords Supper was ordained of God for this end, that it might be a band of louelove, and a chaine to vnite and ioyne vsus together among our ſelues, that if it were poſſible we ſhould not breake from him: as Paul teacheth, 1. Cor. 10. We that are many, f1 Cor. 10, 17are one bread, and one body, becauſe we all are partakers of one bread. Wherefore this Supper may fitly be called, a Sacrament of vnity, and a ſeale of our agreement one with another. Behold heere a chaine conſiſting of many linkes to knit vsus together, that we breake not from God and our brethren. Do we not all come to one table? Do we not all eate of the ſame bread? Do we not all drinke of the ſame cup? Is not the ſame loafe compact of many cornes? Is not the ſame wine preſſed out of many cluſters? Do we not all ioyne together in the ſame receiuing? Were we not baptized into the ſame baptiſm? What a ſhamefull thing is this, full of infamy and reproach, to ſee the branches of the ſame vine, the ſheepe of the ſame ſhepheard, the children of the ſame Father, the ſeruants of the ſame Maiſter, the fellowes of the ſame houſhold, the heires of the ſame kingdome, the gueſts of the ſame banket, the obtainers of the ſame promiſe, the partakers of the ſame hope, the members of the ſame body, and the profeſſors of the ſame faith, to contend and ſtriue one againſt another, to delight in brawling, fighting, quarrelling, and to nouriſh hatred, malice, reuenge, rancor, ſpite, enuy, biting, & backbiting one of another. If Ephraim be ſet againſtgE…y 9, …1 Manaſſes, and Manaſſes againſt Ephra…m, if brother bee diuided againſt brother, if we bite one at another, let vsus take heed leaſt we be conſumed one of another. The Sons of God are renewed into the Image of God, to reſemble their heauenly Father in true holines, and do all weare the ſame cogni…ance & liuery. For the Sacraments are the marks of Chriſts ſheepe, whereby they are knowne and diſcerned: ſo that al our diſſentions, diuiſions, raylings, …eu lings, diſgracings, and defacings one of another, tend to the reproach and diſhonour of our common …ather, and do giuegive an heauy teſtimony againſt our ſoules with God and his elect Angels. For how do we approach vntounto God? how do we come into his preſence? With what hearts do we pray before him & vntounto him? Are we not taughthMath. 6, 12. to aske forgiueneſſe of our ſinnes, as we forgiue the treſpaſſes done vntounto vsus? If then we be malicious and enuious, and cary the freſh remembrance of wrongs in our hearts to purſue them with reuenge: do we not pray againſt our ſelues? Do we not beſeech God to poure vengeance vponupon vsus? Do we not open our mouthes to our owne deſtruction? For when wee vſe our tongues to ſay,iLuke 11, 4. Lord forgiue vsus, for euen we forgiue, is it not aſmuch as if we ſhould pray, forgiue vsus not Lord, for we do not, we wil not forgiue others? Therefore, after the forme of prayer giuen to the Diſciples, Chriſt addeth, If yee do forgiue Men their treſpaſſes, your heauenly Father will alſo forgiue you: but if ye do not forgiue men their treſpaſſes, no more will your Father forgiue you your treſpaſſes. And as he exhorteth that when they ſtand and appeare before the Altar,kMark. 11, 25 they muſt forgiue: ſo when we appeare at the Lords Table, we muſt forgiue, if we hauehave any thing againſt any man, that our father alſo which is in heauen may forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes Now if we would be direct…d to know whether this louelove bee in vsus or not, we may try our owne hearts by theſel1 Cor. 13, 4. holie properties and bleſſed effects deſcribed by the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 13. LoueLove (ſaith he) ſuffereth long, it is bountifull, louelove enuieth not, louelove doth not boaſt it ſelfe, it is not puffed vp: it diſdaineth not, it ſeeketh not her owne thinges, it is not prouoked to anger, it thinketh not euill: it reioyceth not in iniquity, but reioyceth in the truth: it ſuffereth all things, it beleeueth all thinges, it hopeth all things, it endureth all things.
Heere we may ſee what manner of louelove ought to bee in vsus. EueryEvery one of vsus muſt endeuour that all the parts of this deſcription may rightly agree to euerie one of vsus, and trulie be found in vsus toward all men, euen our enemies, as we ſee Ieſus Chriſt hath left vsus an example of his louelove,mLuk. 23, 35 when hee prayed for his enemies, that crucified and cruelly entreated him father forgiue them for they know not what they do, and this did Stephē to thoſe that ſtoned him, lord lay not this ſin to their charge. This is the truth, let vsus acknowledge it. This is the way, let vsus walke in it: this was their practiſe, let vsus follow it.
Thus we hauehave ſhewed the neceſsity of examination of our ſelues before we come to the Lords Supper, and declared the parts wherein it ſtandeth, and the manner how it is to be performed. If we come furniſhed with theſe things, with ſauing knowledge, with iuſtifying faith, with vnfained repentance, with a louing and longing reconciliation toward our brethren among whom we liue, hauing as muchnRom. 12, 15. as is poſsible, Peace with all men, yea euen our enemies: let vsus not abſtaine from the Lords table, by reaſon of ſome fraileties and infirmities in vsus: for God couereth them, o and wil not bring them into remembrance, as we ſee 2 Chro. 30. A multitude of people had not clenſed themſelues, yet did eate the Paſſeouer, but not as it was written: wherefore Hezekiah prayed for them, ſaying, The good God be mercifull toward him that prepareth his whole heart to ſeeke the Lord God, the God of his Fathers, though hee bee not clenſed according to the purification of the Sanctuary: and the Lord heard Hezekiah, and healed the people. Where we ſee, that becauſe their heart was vpright & ſincere, their wants and imperfections were not imputed vntounto them. For God reſpecteth the truth of the inward parts, and pardoneth their ſinnes that thus prepare their hearts to ſeeke him. So thenpThe ſacrament is not honoured by abſtayning from it. they were greatly deceiued, that thought they honoured the Sacrament by abſtaining from it: it is not honoured, but diſhonoured: not hallowed, but prophaned: not regarded reuerently, but reproched greeuouſly by our wilfull abſtinence,q1 cor, 11, 28 as the Apoſtle teacheth, 1 Cor. 11. Let a man examine himſelfe, and ſo let him eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup. He doth not ſay, let him proue himſelfe and ſo let him abſtaine. For the Sacrament is abuſed, as well by forbearing, hauing examined our ſelues, as by not examining our ſelues, and receiuing vnworthily. And thus much of Examination, and the manner to be obſerued therein.