The Communicants Guide, Chapter 2
CHAP. II. The Necessity and Way to Receive worthily.
HE that eateth not at the Lord's Table must dye, and he that eateth unworthily is in danger of Death: so St. Paul assures us; Whosoever shall eat this Bread, and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord, 1 Cor. 11. 27. and again, v. 29. He eateth and drinketh Damnation [or Judgment] to himself.
If this seem hard to us, it is only because we are unreasonable, and had rather not do any Duty at all, than be at the Pains to do it as we ought. As the Duty is necessary, and yet very reasonable and not burdensome; so to do it worthily is as necessary, and no less reasonable or easie if we have a Mind to be Christians.
The Direction how to communicate worthily we have in these words, Let a Man examine himself, and so let him eat of that Bread, and drink of that Cup, 1 Cor. 11. 28. They who are ignorant, and are not sufficiently instructed, cannot examine themselves, and therefore may not eat, and they who, either because they are afraid to awaken their Consciences and not be able to sin in Quietness, or because they are loath to be at the Pains, or take so much time from their worldly Business or Pleasures, will not examine themselves, may not presume to eat.
What then must such Persons do, for if they eat not they die? The ignorant must be Catechised and learn: if they be ashamed of this, they are ashamed of Christ, and must perish for hating Instruction. They that will not examine themselves, must consider how they can dwell with everlasting Burnings. Eat or Die, Examine or eat not, that's all the Choice our Sins have left us.
Yet Examination is not a thing commanded for it self, but in order to something else. Counterfeit Gold is of no more worth than it was before, for being examined or tryed by the Touch-stone. We must examine our selves, that we may know what we are. Examine your selves, whether you be in the Faith; prove your own selves: Know you not your own selves, how that Iesus Christ is in you, except you be Reprobates? 2 Cor. 13. 5. We might know whether we be Christians or no, would we try our selves, and not be content, like false Gold, to make a shew only. And to this end must we by Examination learn to know our selves, that we may be able to approve of our selves in our own Consciences before God, that we are sincere Christians, that we may not think our selves to be something when we are nothing, and so deceive our selves, let every Man prove his own Work, and then shall he have rejoycing in himself, Gal. 6. 4.
In short, we are to examine what Graces God hath given us, and be truly thankful; what is yet amiss in us, and amend it; what we yet want, and endeavour to obtain it.
The difficulty of this Duty affrighteth many from this Sacrament: and indeed, considering how most of us live, it is no wonder that it seemeth difficult. But we should remember, first, That this Self-Examination is a Duty, necessary, not only now and then before a Sacrament, but at all times, that we may understand how far we are Christians indeed; and therefore the Difficulty may as well affright us from being Christians as from this Sacrament; and so I fear it doth too many, who therefore abstain from the Lord's Table, because they have no mind to be Christians any farther than in Name only. And then, secondly, We must remember, that whatever Difficulty there is in this Duty, it is of our own making, and we may make the Duty more easie if we will. For,
1. We continue willingly ignorant of the Word of God, and its use; and it must needs be hard for us to examine our selves by a Rule which we understand not. But let us take pains to learn perfectly the particulars of our Christian Faith and Duty, gathered from the Sacred Scriptures and explained in easie Catechisms, and often beg the Minister's help for the right understanding and due applying thereof to our selves, opening freely to him all our Ignorances and Doubts, and this part of the Difficulty will be removed.
2. We live loosly and carelesly, not observing well our own Tempers and Actions; and having let them slip without any notice of them, we cannot recall to mind and examine what we never regarded. Let us but once every day take a little time to consider what Inclinations in us have that day shewn themselves, and what have been our Thoughts, Words, and Actions, and comparing them with the Rule of Life, observe how they agree or disagree with it: and heartily blessing God for any Good that by his help we have done, humbly bewailing, confessing, and begging Pardon for all our Failings of Omission or Commission, praying devoutly and seriously for more Strength and Grace to live better, resolve to do our utmost Endeavour to amend and improve daily; we shall soon find all the Difficulty over: especially if we would, as often as we find cause to doubt of any thing, open our Souls freely to our Spiritual Guides, God's Ministers, for their Assistance. Which course till i be taken, we shall every where find too few Christians: but if we would do thus, we should learn to know our selves so well, that it would be a very easie matter to examine our selve… against a Communion.
Now that we may be worthy Communicants, we must examine our selve both whether we be sound Christian… or no, and, whether we be rightly disposed for this particular Christian Duty.
1. We must be of Christ's Family, as Christians, before we may feast at Christ's Table as Communicants. W… are solemnly admitted into the Family, or Church of Christ, by Baptism, wherein we are dedicated to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and admitted into the Bond of a sacred Covenant with the ever Blessed and Glorious Trinity. So long as we continue faithful in this Covenant, so long are we Christians; and therefore this is first to be enquired into, Whether or no we faithfully stand to this Baptismal Covenant?
2. Then are we duely disposed for this Duty of Communicating, when understanding the Nature, Ends, and Benefits of this Sacrament, we find the Affections of our Hearts in some measure suitable thereunto. And to this purpose it is, that we are more especially before our Approaches to the Lord's Table to examine our selves.