The Communicants Guide, Part 6
A Catalogue of certaine groſſe Ignorances touching the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, yet remaining, and reigning in the hearts and mindes of the vulgar ſort of Communicants in moſt places, and Pariſhes of this Land, Purpoſely Set downe, that ſuch ignorant Soules may ſee their Errours, and learne to amend them.
The I. Ignorance. Touching Preparation.
THe Preparation, eſpecially of the younger ſort, is to put on their beſt dreſſe, their ſiner 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 a duty, and ſervice, that is a thing that is never once looked after, nor thought upon.
The II. Ignorance.
Touching their demeanour at the time of Receiving.
IT is pittifull to behold the demeanour of the ordinary ſort of people at the Sacrament; they come thither, they know not wherefore; and they doe there they know not what; they know not which way to looke, or turne themſelves about any holy Meditations. Many times their mindes are like a Clock, that is over-wound above his ordinary pitch, and ſo ſtands ſtill; their thoughts are amazed at the height of theſe myſteries, and for the time they are like a block, thinking nothing at all: or elſe their thoughts fall flat on the Earth to baſe▪ and bodily things: Yea, ſome are ſo wonderfully ſimple, as to imagine they come thither for a draught of ſweete Wine, and a morſell of finer Bread. Or at the beſt, they raiſe their thoughts no higher than the Communion Table, thinking that if they have received the outward Elements in a reverent manner, behaved themſelves decently during that action, forborne their worldly buſineſſe before, and after, tempered their tongues from all uncivill ſpeech, and demeaned themſelves mannerly for that day, then that they have done a right acceptable piece of Service to God. The which ſtupidity of theirs cannot but be much commiſerated of thoſe, unto whom it is given to know any thing concerning the Myſteries of the Kingdom of God.
The III. Ignorance. Touching their comming at certaine times to Receive, though never ſo unpreparedly.
MAny have a conceipt, that if they Cbryſoſt. ad Epiſt. Hom. 3.come at ſuch, and ſuch times, what ever their lives be, yet it skilleth not, the very comming at ſuch times is a diſpoſition ſufficient for the Service they come about. But▪ let ſuch men know, that at what time ſoever they come, if they come not preparedly, be the time never ſo ſolemne, yet ſhall they inſtead of a bleſſing, meete with Gods curſe and heavy indignation. See Iob 20. 23. Pſal. 78. 29, 30, 31. Pſal. 69. 22. but eſpecially 1 Cor. 11. 27. 29, 30.
IV. Ignorance. Touching their good meanings, as if that were a ſufficient Preparation.
IGnorant perſons uſe to pleade for themſelves, that 'tis true they have not the knowledge, and underſtanding that others have, and cannot anſwer as others doe, yet they hope they have as good meanings, and come with as good minds as the beſt.
But poore ſoules, how miſerably doe they delude themſelves? For ignorant mindes cannot be good minds, neither can ſuch mindes have good meanings: for without knowledge the minde is not good, Pro. 19. 2. And the minde being not good, how can the receiving of ſuch a one, but be an abomination to God? See Pro. 21. 27. And therefore let ſuch poore ignorant Soules looke to themſelves, and for all their good mindes, and meanings, labour to get ſome competent meaſure of the knowledge of God, and Chriſt, before they offer to meddle with this holy Ordinance of God. And eſpecially let ſuch looke to themſelves, that have the meanes and may be taught, and inſtructed, but yet in a wilfulneſſe, and Rebellion of Spirit, will not be taught, nor inſtructed that they may be fitted before they come to the Sacrament, but will continue in their ignorance, and wilfully come to the Sacrament therein. For what can ſuch expect, but that God ſhould ſay to them, as he doth to others of the like kinde, Pſal. 50. 16. 17. What haſt thou to doe, that thou ſhouldſt take my Covenant in thy mouth, ſeeing thou hateſt inſtruction?
The V. Ignorance. Touching their Repentance.
THey thinke that if they can ſay, I cry God mercy for my ſinnes; and if they can make a ſhew of ſorrow for them, and be ſad, and demure for the day wherein they Receive, and for that day leave their uncharitableneſſe, their adultery, their Drunkennneſſe, their Swearing, and their other ſinnes, to which they are given, though the next day, or aſſoone as the next occaſion is offered, they fall to them afreſh: they thinke that they have repented ſufficiently for them, and have done as much as God requireth at their hands.
They doe with their ſinnes when they come to Receive, as Abraham did with his Servants, when he went to Sacrifice Iſaac, Gen. 22. 5. for as he then ſaid to his young Men, abide you here with the Aſſe, and I, and the Lad, will goe yonder, and worſhip, and come to you againe: So ſay theſe in effect to their ſins, and luſts: ſtand you awhile aſide, for I muſt goe to the Sacrament, and receive the Communion, doe but ſtand by a while, and when the Sacrament is over, or at the furtheſt, when the Sacrament day is over, I will come to you againe. Or they do as the Serpent is ſaid to doe; who when he goes to Drinke, firſt vomits up all his poyſon, but aſſoone as he comes back againe, he licks, and ſucks it up all againe, and is as venemous as ever he was before.
And in particular with their uncharitableneſſe they deale juſt as Themiſtocles, and Ariſtides are reported to have done Plu…. Reip. Gerend. Pracept.with theirs, for when they went Ambaſſadours, or to lead an Army together, they uſed to lay downe their mutuall hatred in the borders of their Country, and left their enmity behinde them there, till they came home againe, but then they reſumed it, and were as deadly Enemies as ever they were before.
So theſe men, when they goe to the Communion, they can be content to leave their hatred, and malice at home, or perchance at the Church-doore, but when they come out, or not long after, with the Serpent they reſume their poyſon againe, and with Themiſtocles, and Ariſtides, their Hatred Malice, and deſire of revenge.
But this is but meere mockery, and ſuch muſt know, that God will not be thus mocked. Gal. 6. 7. For there can be no true Repentance, where there is not at leaſt an hearty deſire, a full purpoſe, and a ſincere, and earneſt endeavour to leave thoſe ſinnes, which, at our, comming to the Communion, we made ſhew to repent us of. And where ſuch Repentance is wanting, ſuch Receivers (like the Phariſees Proſelite, Mat. 23. 15.) doe make themſelves twofold more the Children of Hell, than they were before, as having added both to the guilt of their impenitency the freſh guilt of the prophanation of Gods Ordinance; and having doubled their hardneſſe▪ and increaſed their ſtrength to follow ſin with the more greedineſſe.
The VI. Ignorance. Touching their comming to the Communion without Charity.
MAny that have no great care, nor make any great Conſcience of comming to the Sacrament without knowledge, Faith or Repentance; yet will ſeeme to make ſome ſcruple of comming without Charity. Yea, many though they will not abſtaine, for that they be common Swearers, habituall Drunkards, uncleane perſons, and the like notorious ſinners in many other reſpects: yet if there be a breach, and a falling out betweene them, and others, they will by no meanes meddle with the Sacrament, but will abſtaine from comming to it purpoſely for that very reaſon.
But if theſe Men out of Conſcience Scruple their comming to the Sacrament without Charity, why then ſcruple they not their living without it too; and their want of thoſe other as neceſſary graces, Knowledge, Faith, and Repentance? For a good Conſcience in one thing, is a good Conſcience in all.
The VII. Ignorance. Touching their not Receiving oftner.
WHen they are told of their negligence in not comming oftner to the Communion: they will anſwer, that they hope they doe well therein; for they beare as good a Soule to GOD, as the beſt of them all; they thanke GOD they love their Church, and ſay their Prayers duely: but indeede they were not wont to receive their Maker ſo often, they come at Eaſter, as their honeſt Neighbours doe, and they thanke God they never miſſed, and they doubt not but that in ſo doing they have ſped as well as the beſt, and therefore that they ſhould be loath now to change their Cuſtome.
The end.
A Catalogue of ſome new Bookes Printed for R. Royſton, at the Angel in Ivy-lane.
THe Reall Preſence and ſpirituall of Chriſt in the Bleſſed Sacrament, proved againſt the Doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation. By Jer. Taylor, D. D. in 8.
Of Schiſme, A defence of the Church of England, againſt the exceptions of the Romaniſts, of fundamentalls in a notion, referring to practice, by H. Hammond, D. D. in 12.
The matching of the Magiſtrates Authority, and the Chriſtians true liberty in matters of Religion, By Wil. Lyford B. D. and late Miniſter of Sherborn in Dorſ. in 4.
The Grand Conſpiracy of the Members againſt the mind, of Jewes againſt their King, As it hath beene delivered in foure Sermons, By John Allington, B. D. in 12.
The Quakers wilde Queſtions Objected againſt the Miniſters of the Goſpell, and many ſacred Acts and Offices of Religion. With briefe anſwers thereunto. Together with A Diſcourſe of the Holy Spirit, His impreſſions and workings on the Soules of Men. By R. Sherlock, B. D. in 8.
Certain Conſiderations of preſent concernment, Touching this reformed Church of England. With a Particular Examination of An. Champny (Doctor of the Sorbon) his exceptions againſt the lawfull calling and ordination of the Proteſtant Biſhops and Paſtors of this Church. By H. Ferne, D. D. in 12.
Englands faithfull Reprover, and Monitour. in 12.
FINIS.
End of the text · Richard Gove, The Communicants Guide (1654)