Worthy Communicating, Introduction · Part 1 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Worthy Receiving not extraordinary difficult, and of unworthiness to Communicate.
The Contents.
To silence the Complaint of extraordinary difficulty in coming worthily to this Sacrament, three things noted. 1. All the particulars of worthy Receiving, are necessary parts of Duty, and of a good Man; so that no more is required to fit us for receiving, than is required to fit us to dye, or to go to Heaven. 2. They are all necessary Qualifications of an acceptable Prayer, Vow, or Thanksgiving; so that no more is required to it, than to a worthy discharge of all other Acts of Religion. 3. However they may be commended, yet are they not necessarily required in more intense, and transporting degrees in it, than in other instances of Devotion. The only unworthiness, which can put us by this Ordinance, is Impenitence: if Repentance will …o down with any man, nothing else need stick with him. This Point of Worthy Communicating summ'd up.
HAving hitherto shewn wherein lies the worthiness of receiving, and what those Qualifications are which fit us for this Holy Feast: I shall now only note some things that may silence all good mens Complaints about the hardship of it, and shew plainly who are unworthy to join in it, and what they must do to fit and prepare themselves for it, and so conclude this Point.
1st, I shall Note some things that may reconcile all good minds to this Feast, and silence their Complaints of the hardship, and extraordinary difficulty of coming worthily to partake in it. And this had need to be done, and may prove of great use when once it is; because one chief thing, which causes even good People to come so seldome, is the apprehended difficulty, and extraordinary▪ solemnity of the worthy receiving.
Now to satisfy all good Souls in this point, and to remove these hard though…s of it, I would suggest to them these three things.
1st, That all these Tempers, which are required to a worthy Communion, are necessary parts of Duty, and of a good Man; so that no more is required of us to sit our selves for receiving, than is required to fit us to dye, or to go to Heaven.
2ly, That they are all required to a worthy Prayer, Vow, or Thanksgiving; so that no more Duties are required to our worthiness in it, than to our worthiness in all other Acts of Religion.
3ly, That however they may be commended, yet are they not necessarily required, as some have imagined, in more intense and transporting degrees in it, than in other instances of Devotion.
1st, I say all the Tempers, which I have mentioned as necessary to a worthy Communion, are necessary parts of Duty, and of a good Man; so that no more is required of us to sit our selves for a worthy receiving, than is required to sit us to Dye, or to go to Heaven.
They are all necessary parts of Duty, and of a good Man. It is necessarily required of every good Man, who would serve God and be accepted with him, that he †Phil. 2.9, 10.honour his Lord and Master Jesus Christ, and be careful to *Luc. 6.46.obey him; that he be †J…m. 1.12.affectionately sensible of all the kindnesses he has done, particularly in dying for him, and most heartily †E…h. 5.20.thank him for them; that he be *M…t. 5.3.humbled under the sense of his own sins, and utterly †…ov. 8.13.abhor them; and resign up himself both †1 Cor. 6.19, 20.Soul and Body, to his Saviours use, who by his own hearts blood has bought him; that, having first †Marc. 16.16.Believed in Christ, he sincerely consent and enter into the New Covenant, performing, and promising that †Luc. 13.3.Repentance, *Phil. 2.12.Good endeavours, and †Heb. 5.9.Obedience which are required by it, in expectation of that Forgiveness, Grace, and Happiness which are proposed in it; and lastly, that he should †Gal. 5.20, 21.lay aside all envy, and malicious Thoughts, and *Mat. 6.15.forgive Injuries, †Ezek. 33.14, 15.repair Wrongs, be at *Rom. 12.18.Peace, and live in †Col. 3.14.Charity with all the world. All these are Duties indispensably required by the Gospel of Christ, as appears by the places referr'd to in the Margine; they are no indifferent things, but absolutely necessary in every Christian, who would secure his Peace with God, and be sure at last to go to Heaven. And they, as we have seen, are the very things, which the Worthiness of Communicating consists of. So so that to be personally worthy for the Communion, is nothing more, than to be an acceptably Good and Religious man: To have all those Virtues which constitute a Saint, and are necessary parts of that Obedience and Holy Living, which must get us all an Interest in Christ, and secure our Title to Salvation. And therefore if any man is contented with those Duties, which God exacts of him to make him a good Man; he has no cause to complain of those, which are necessary to a worthy Receiving. And if he doth repine at them, and refrain from the Lords Table, because he will not be at the pains to acquire them; 'tis plain that 'tis not the hardship of the Sacrament, but of an Holy Life that he is disturbed at; and the same difficulties that drive him from the Communion, if he understand himself, must drive him also out of his Religion and the way to Heaven.
2ly, These Duties, that are required to a Worthy Receiving, are required also to every Worthy Prayer, Vow, and Thanksgiving; so that no more Duties are required to our worthiness in it, than to our worthiness in all other Acts …f Religion. For unless a man Repents of all his Sins, and is in Love and Charity with all his Neighbours, and Believes in Christ and all his Promises, and is ready and resolv'd to obey all his Commandments; and, in one word, unless he is a Good man, which fits him for a worthy receiving; he is not more worthy to say his Prayers, to give Thanks, to make Vows to God, or seal Covenants, than he is to join in the Holy Communion.
He is not more worthy to say his Prayers; for to the acceptance of them all the same things are required of him. If I regard Iniquity in my heart, says the Psalmist, i. e. if I do not Repent of it, and turn away from it, the Lord will not hear me, Psal. 66.18. And if men would pray as they ought, says St. Paul, and as they may hope to be heard, they must have both Faith, Peace, and Innocence to recommend their Petitions, or lift …p …ly hands, without wrath, and doubting, 1 Tim. 2.8. If you forgive n…t men their Trespasse…, says our Saviour, neither will your Hea… ly Father forgive your Trespasses So that when ye pray say—forgive us our …, as we forgive our Debtors, Mat. 6.12, …. God says the same of an ill mans … that he doth of an ill mans …, namely, that he is most unworthy in …, and shall receive a Curse instead of a …l…ssing. For as the Vnworthy, i. e. as h…s been shewn, the Wicked Receiver (the Worthiness required being only that of a good man) eats and drink… his own Damnation, 1 Cor. 11.29. So is it said of the Vnworthy, i. e. of the wicked Petitioner too, that he who turns away his Ear from hearing the Law, even his Prayer shall be an Abomination. Prov. 28.9. and 15.8.
Thus is every man, that is Vnworthy to receive the Sacrament, Vnworthy also to pray to God, the same things being required to both of them: an Impenitent ill man, being utterly unfit for both, but a truly Penitent Good Man, being such as he accounts worthy, and most affectionately invites to them.
Nay he is not only unworthy to pray to God, but also whilst that impenitence lasts, to give him Thanks, to make Vows, to Covenant with him, or to have any Entercourse and Communication in any other actions of Religion. If he tells God he is Thankful for his Mercies, whilst in the constant course of his Life he disobeys him; his Actions plainly give the Lye to his Words, and proclaim him a most Vngrateful Person. If he makes him Vows and Promises, and Covenants to Repent of all his Sins, whilst he still lives Impenitent, and goes on in them; he only speaks him fair, intending no such thing, and therefore doth nothing else but abuse and provoke him. He doth nothing that Honours God as it should, so long as he is an ungodly man, nor must hope in any Services or Religious Performances to be own'd and accepted by him. For God will have nothing to do with ill men in any way, whilst they continue impenitent in their sins; Christ has purchased no Reconciliation for such, nor will he, till they change that course, have any Friendship for, or take any Complacence in them. He will hear the Prayers, and accept the Thanks, and trust the Promises and Engagement of those only, who are fully resolv'd to amend their Lives, and become Good men; so that if any man persists impenitent, which unfits him for receiving, he is also unfit for every thing else, and unworthy to perform any other Actions of Religion.
As for this business of worthy Communicating then, there is no more cause of Complaint against it, for the difficulty and hardship of it, than there is against all Religion. The same Duties that are required to a worthy Receiving, are no less required to make any of us a Good man, to confer a Right to Heaven, to a worthy Prayer, Promise, or Thanksgiving. So that if any Man will not come to the Sacrament, because he is wicked, and will not be at the pains to attain those Vertues which are necessary to a worthy Communion: if he understand himself, he must for the same reason keep back from Prayer, and Praises, and all pretences to Religion. For unless he will labour after these Duties, and perform them, he is unmeet to come to God, and is very unworthy in all of them. And therefore so long as he is unfit for the Sacrament, he is unfit for every thing else, and, if he resolves to continue so, may as well resolve to renounce his Baptism, and the whole Christian Profession.
And as these Tempers, which are required to a worthy Communion, are no more than is required in every Good man, in every worthy Prayer, Praise, or other act of Religion: So is it to be observed,
3ly, That however they may be commended, yet are they not necessarily required, as some have imagined, in more intense and transporting Degrees in it, than in other instances of Devotion.
That which has deterr'd good People from the Sacrament, more than any thing besides, is their too awful Sense and Veneration of it, and placing it at too great a distance from other parts of Worship. They think no Virtues are worthy of it, but what are expressed in Ecstasie and Transport; and that when it requires the same Duties with other parts of Gods Service, it requires them in much greater Perfection, and far higher Measures. So that they imagine they may be worthy to Pray, and Praise God, though they are unworthy to Communicate; and therefore they joyn in them ordinarily as there is occasion for them, when, through the excess of Reverence, they scarce ever joyn in this at all.
But this is a great Mistake, which, though it be well meant, has a very ill effect, and affrights good Souls from Performing this Duty and Service, and paying this Honour to their Saviour, when they have no cause to be afraid of it. For although it be commendable and desirable when it can be had; yet is it not absolutely necessary that so it should be.
It is very Commendable, I say, and much to be Desired, that we should exercise these Tempers in a higher Degree in this Holy Sacrament, than in other Parts of Worship. It will be very well if our Prayers are more fervent, and our Praises more affectionate, and all the Virtues we have place to exercise, more full and flagrant then, than at other times. For there we have Christs Death represented, with the hainousness of our sins which c…used it, and the in…stimable Benefits that come by it; and we me…t on purpose, to f…x our Thoughts and Contemplations on it. And that is the Consideration which gives greatest Force, and adds most Strength to all our Duties; so that when we have most of it, as we must have when we come for that very intent, it very well becomes us for the Honour of it to excell in them. And upon this account it will be very Commendable, and much to be Desired, that we should be more vigorous in all our Virtues at this, than at any other Ordinance.
But although this be Commendable, and much to be Desired in us; yet is it not necessary, or indispensably required of us, but that we may Communicate worthily when 'tis otherwise. For if we have these Tempers in such a Degree, as is necessary to our Eternal Happiness; we have so much of them as will render us worthy and welcome Guests at this, as well as at every other Ordinance.
And this is plain from hence, because when we have them in a saving Degree, which would procure our acceptance in other parts of Gods Service; they sit us for the Communion of Christ, and Glorified Saints in Heaven; and so cannot leave us unworthy to Communicate with him and them here on Earth. If we savingly repent us of all our Sins, and are savingly thankful for all Christs Mercies, and are savingly in Charity with all our Neighbours, and have a saving Faith in Christs Promises; whether these Vertues be the pitch of the Strong, or only of the Weak in Faith, we are accepted with him, since he accepts both. And when once he accepts us, we may approach to him in any Place; when he allows of the measure of our Graces, we may be welcome to shew them forth, and offer a Sacrifice of a sweet smell, when we send them up to him in any, or in all the Parts of his Worship and Service.
Let a man come then to the Communion, though it be without any thing of extraordinary and unwonted Transports, and only in that ordinary exercise of these Virtues, which gains him acceptance in Prayer, or Praise, or other Religious Actions; and then let him not doubt, but that, although more were better, yet is this good, and will render him a worthy Partaker of the Lords Supper.
And this we have great cause to believe the Ancient Christians thought, because they made it not an extraordinary and separate thing, as we do now, but an ordinary and constant part of the Christian Worship. It went usually along with the other Parts of the Service, and they that came to Prayers, came also to the Sacrament; the same Preparation, and the same Persons being admitted to it. Thus in the Apostles times, they met to Communicate, as they met to pray every Day; and breaking Bread, was no less constant a part, than Prayer, and Praise, of their Communion and Fellowship. All the Disciples at Jerusalem, says St. Luke, continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship, and in breaking of Bread, and in Prayers, Act. 2.42. And again, They continuing dayly with one accord in the Temple, and breaking Bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness, and singleness of Heart, praising God, v. 46, 47. And afterwards, when their Members increased, and Stated Days were appointed for the publick Service of God; on the first day of the Week, when they met for other Worship, the Communion always went along with it. Thus 'tis plain it was in the Apostles Days, for then the Sunday Worship was expressed by breaking Bread; which shews it was an ordinary and constant part of it. On the first day of the Week, says St. Luke, when the Disciples came together to break Bread. Act. 20.7. And thus also it continued for a good while afterwards, as is evident from the Ninth of the Apostolical Canons. And to shew how fit they esteem'd all the Faithful, whether Weak or Strong in Faith, who were worthy to joyn in other parts of Worship, to joyn also in this; that Apostolical Canon requires all the Faithful, who come to the other Service, to stay the Communion, and joyn in that also †foreign. Canon. 9. Can. Apostol.. All the Faithful, that come to Church and hear the Scriptures, but stay not to joyn in the Holy Communion and the Prayers for that Service, ought to be separated and shut out from the Lords Table, as they that bring Confusion into the Church. And the like is also injoin'd in the Council of Antioch. *foreign. Concil. Antioch. Can. 2.All that come to Church, say they, & hear the Scriptures, but do not Communicate in the Peoples Prayers, but turn away disorderly from the Eucharist, shall be Excommunicated and expell'd the Church, and not received again, till they confess their Fault, and shew Repentance for it.
And thus we see, however Commendable it may be, that People come to this Holy Sacrament with more Intense Acts, and higher Preparation, than would serve to any other parts of Worship; yet is it not necessary they should do it. They may be welcome and worthy Partakers in this Ordinance, who are worthy to partake in others; so that they are fit for it, who are fit for any other Religious Service. The same Virtues, and the same Degrees suffice to it. For they fit them to Communicate with Christ and Glorified Saints in Heaven, and so must needs fit them to Communicate with him, and them here on Earth. They fitted Christians for it in the Apostles times, when the Eucharist was no extraordinary and separate, but an ordinary constant part of the Christian Worship. For then not only they whose Virtues were most high and perfect, but all the Faithful were call'd upon to Communicate, and they who were judg'd fit to meet at the Prayers and other Services, were thought worthy to meet at the Lords Table too; and since they fitted them for it in those Days, it cannot be thought but that they must needs fit us in ours also.
As for those then who have been wont to think more hardly of the Sacrament than of other parts of Worship, and, how frequent soever they were in them, to come but seldome unto it, by reason of the apprehended difficulty in a worthy partaking of it: If they duly consider these three things, they will see cause to change their mind, and forbear to complain any more against it. For the Virtues that are required of us in a worthy Communion, are all necessary parts of Duty, and of a Good Man; and are as much required to a worthy Prayer, Vow, Thanksgiving, and every other act of Religion; and are not necessarily required in more intense and transporting Degrees in it, than in other instances of Devotion. So that no Good man has any cause at all to repine at it, or abstain from it; it lies hard upon, and can be blamed by none but those, who, for the same Reason, must blame every other Ordinance and part of Divine Service, which requires as much of a worthy Worshipper as this; and who, at the same Rate, as they cast off it, must renounce their Christianity, and throw aside all Religion too.
And thus having noted some things, that may help to reconcile all Good minds to this Blessed Sacrament, and silence the Complaints of hardship in a worthy receiving it: I shall proceed now
2ly, To shew plainly who are unworthy of it, and what they must do to fit and prepare themselves for it, and so conclude this Point.
Now these, in one word, are all that are impenitent, that have committed any Damning Fault; and are not fully set and purposed to amend it. For all the Virtues of worthy Receiving, as we have seen, are necessary parts of Duty, and of a Good man; so that if any Person would Repent of all his breaches of them, and take care thenceforward to endow his Soul with them, he would be worthy to be entertained at this Feast, and fit to be bidden welcome. Besides, if Repentance and forsaking all his Sins will go down with him, there is no man who pretends to Religion, but may perform every thing else, which is required to this Communion. For there would be no great difficulty in paying Christ Honour and Reveverence, and following him with Love and Thankfulness, and resigning our selves up to his use, and abhorring of our Sins, if Repentance and Reformation were not annexed to them; men could Love Christ heartily, and Thank him freely, and Honour him abundantly, and resign themselves up to him wholly, and Believe in him chearfully, if he would not peremptorily require them to amend their ways, and forsake their sins, which are the things they place their chiefest Pleasure and Delight in: So that if any man will not fit himself for Receiving, it is not for the difficulty of other Duties, as if he could not brook them, but only for the difficulty of Repentance, so that Impenitence is truly at the bottom. He will not satisfie those who have suffered by him, or forgive those who have injured him, or be at Peace and Charity with all Men, or renounce that Injustice, Lasciviousness, Drunkenness, or other known sin, which, in confirming the New Covenant, he must promise God he will depart from: It is because his Heart sticks to some of these, or some other such like Transgressions, and will not go off from them, that he is an unfit and unworthy man; whereas, were it not for this, he could do all things else that are required of him.
He therefore, that is unworthy to Communicate, and unfit to receive the Sacrament, is plainly one that is impenitent; that is guilty of some Damning Sin, and is not resolv'd to leave, but intends still to continue in it. He is either a careless man, that lives at large in a constant course of Sensuality and Worldliness, being wholly given to heap up Wealth, or aim at Honour, or follow Pleasure without Conviction, or making any pretence to serious Religion: Or, if he seems to look towards God, and is careful in many things to please him, he serves him not in all points as he ought, but allows himself in some known Sin, continuing unreclaimed in common Swearing, Drunkenness, Vncleanness, Malice, Contentiousness, Fraud, Oppression, Slander, Censoriousness, Evil-speaking, or some other Damning Crime, which he will not be at the pains to leave for Christs sake, or for any thing that he either has, or would do for him.
Now if any of those, who read this Treatise, are such as these, and I put the matter to their own Consciences; I confess they are not worthy to come to the Sacrament till they turn away from such a known Fault, and Repent of it, and would sin against this Holy Feast and their own Souls if they should do it. But then I must tell them withall, that as they are not fit to come to this Ordinance, so, whilst they continue in that Estate, neither are they fit to come to any other, or to any thing else that looks towards God, and their own Eternal Happiness. For so long as they thus espouse any Number, or any one Sin against God, and daily repeat it when they have a Temptation to it, notwithstanding their own Hearts are sensible he has forbid it, or at least would have been sensible of it, unless they had been willfully blinded, or by long use harden'd in it: So long, I say, as they are thus Impenitent in any known Sin, they are not only unfit to come to the Communion, but also as unfit to Dye, or to go to Heaven, to Pray to God, to utter Praise, to make Vows, or to joyn in any other actions of Religion. For an Impenitent man, whilst he continues such, is Gods Profest Enemy, and is welcome to him at no time but when he Repents; so that till that is done, he is acceptable in no Service which he pays him.
This then is the danger of their State, who lye Impenitent in many, or in few known Sins: they are unworthy indeed to receive the Communion; but they are equally unworthy to joyn in Prayers, to give Thanks, or make Vows, or dye in Peace, or hope for Happiness, or do any thing else that shews them to be Christians.
And if any mans Conscience tells him this is his State; his way is not to think there is no harm, if he doth but abstain from the Communion; for, as I say, he is as unworthy in his Prayers, and Praises, and every thing else that belongs to Religion: but forthwith to Repent, and amend that Fault which shuts him out from the Sacrament, and every thing else that looks towards Heaven, that so he may be a worthy and welcome Guest in it, and all of them. This Repentance will restore him to the Favour of God, and gain him acceptance with him; and then he is fit for this, and for every other part of Gods Worship, and may worthily joyn in them.
And by this it appears who is unworthy of this Feast, and what he must do to fit and prepare himself for it. Every man that is Impenitent, is an Unworthy Communicant; but if he will Repent and Amend his ways, he will find no difficulty in other Duties which make up a Believers worthiness, but may then be a worthy and welcome Guest whensoever he has a mind to come to it.
And thus I have done with the Second thing I proposed, namely to shew wherein lies the worthiness of Eating and Drinking at this Feast; which I have stayed the longer upon, because both the irreverent approach of some men to it, and the scrupulous abstaining of others from it, do both take rise from this head, so that it well deserves to be carefully Explained and clearly Stated. And the Result of all that I have said upon this Point is this:
When we come to Eat Bread and Drink Wine at the Lords Table, in remembrance that Christ dyed for us, and in Confirmation of the New Covenant which his Death procured us, and in Ratification of a League of Love and Friendship with all our Neighbours; we must be careful devoutly to Exercise, and Act over these Tempers. We must remember our Dying Lord, with Honour, and Love, and Joy, and Thankfulness, and Resignation of our selves, both Souls and Bodies to his Service, and humble Sense of our own unworthiness, and Detestation of our Sins which caused his Sufferings. We must confirm the New Covenant which his Death purchased, in consenting heartily to the Terms of it, Repenting of all our Sins, and Faithfully promising that intire Obedience which is required in it, and then Believing that for Christs sake we shall be saved by it. And we must Confirm a League of Love and Friendship with all the Christian World, in laying aside all Envy and Hatred, and forgiving those that have injured us, and making just amends to those who have been wronged by us, and giving Alms as our Ability and our Brethrens necessity requires, and so being in Peace and Perfect Charity with all Persons.
If we are able to grasp so many particulars in our minds, and to act them all over duly, and as we ought, at this Exercise; it may be fit to Solemnize this Feast in all these instances of Virtue. But if either our minds would be lost and burdened, or our Devotions enfeebled by the Number of these particulars; 'twill yet be fit at least to express our selves Joyfully and affectionately Thankful for his kindness, especially in Dying for us, and Resign up our selves both Souls and Bodies to his Service, and Repent of all our Sins, making him Faithful Promises that we will amend all our Faults, particularly those which oftest win upon us, and shew our selves in perfect Peace and Charity with all Persons.
All these, whilst the Bread and Wine are in preparing, or whilst others are Communicating, they who have Books to suggest Thoughts, or are able to supply them out of their own minds, may exercise by themselves. And they who cannot, as also they who can, may exercise them in joyning fervently with the Churches Prayers, all these Duties, as we have seen, being so well led on and exemplified in the Communion Service. Wherein, because there will be some interruption whilst others are Communicating, that that time may not lye idle upon their hands, I think it very adviseable for them to joyn heartily in the Prayer which is made at the offering of the Bread and Wine to their Brethren, (as they will be sure to do when it comes to their own turn) if their Devout Zeal is not otherwise taken up by the Psalm, which, at their Pastors Discretion, is wont to be Sung at that time for the employment of those who have done Receiving.
These Virtues being in us, and, at the time of Receiving, being thus exercised by us, both in our own private, or at least in our Devout Concurrence with the Churches Prayers, make a worthy Communion.
And this no man who pretends to Religion ought to Complain of, or think an hard Imposition. For all these Duties, which are necessary to a worthy Communion, are as necessary to make every one of us a Good man, or fit to Dye, or to go to Heaven; they are as necessary to a worthy Prayer, Thanksgiving, Vow, or any other Act of true Religion; and are not necessarily required in more intense Degrees and transporting Measures in this, than in other parts of Worship and Devotion.
These things then are necessary to a worthy Receiving, and no Good man can complain that they are so, since they are equally necessary to all acceptable Goodness, to all comfortable Hopes, and to every other Ordinance, to all the parts of Worship and Religion, and to Gods being pleased with us in every thing that is either the Duty, or Priviledge of a Christian.
And as the Presence, and Exercise of these Virtues makes us worthy of the Communion; so doth the absence of them, but especially of Repentance of all our known Sins, (which is the thing, if any, that will be wanting, and which is the cause why others are, Impenitence, as we saw, being at the bottom of all Unworthiness) make us unworthy and most unwelcome. If we continue Impenitent in many, or in any one known Sin, we are indeed unworthy to Communicate; but then withall we are as unworthy to be thought Good men, to go to Heaven, to say our Prayers, to make Vows, or to have any Dealings with God in any other Actions of Religion. And the way for any Wise man in that Case, is not to take up with abstaining from the Communion, for he ought as much to abstain from Prayer, and Praise, and every other Office of a Christian, God being pleased with him in none of them; but forthwith to Repent and Abandon such ill Course, that so he may be a welcome Guest, and worthy to partake of them.
And thus having endeavoured to give some help to all those who desire worthily to Communicate, by shewing what is the meaning of Eating Bread and Drinking Wine in the Blessed Sacrament, and wherein lies the worthiness of doing it: I shall proceed now in the third Place to exhort and press men on to it, by shewing them how much it is every good Christians Duty to frequent it, and how great the Benefits are that come by it, which should make them seek to it of themselves were it not commanded, of which in the next Part.