The Golden Mean, Case 7 – Case 6
Caſe. 7.
But will not this gratifie the wicked, who are ſo much for this liberty, to come to the Sacrament of the Supper?
Sol. It will not gratifie them at all in their wicked waies, but in a commanded duty, which is incumbent upon them, as well as any other duty; for the ſinfulneſſe of man doth not diſ-oblige him from any duty, eſpecially being part of God's worſhip, as this is. And by receiving them to the Sacrament, we more oblige and ingage them to other duties alſo; as to mortifie ſin, preſſing them to renew their repentance, becauſe by receiving this Sacrament, a Seal of the Covenant, we are to renew our Covenant with God, as we deſire he ſhould renew it with us, by renewing his grace and bleſſings upon us; otherwiſe we tell them this Sacrament will but aggravate their ſins, and alſo their judgments, 1 Cor. 11.30. And therefore as thoſe whom John Baptiſt called, generation of vipers, Luk. 3.7. he notwitſtanding badtized them unto repentance, Mat. 3.11. i.e. to ingage them more thereunto; for hee told them withall, That then the ax was laid to the root of the trees, to hew down every tree that brought not forth good fruit, and caſt it into the fire, ver. 10. ſo may wee adminiſter the Lord's Supper to men unto repentance, to perſwade them to bring forth fruit accordingly.
Hence I ſuppoſe, that thoſe Miniſters who neglect to adminiſter this Sacrament, deprive themſelves of a very forcible argument, whereby they might perſwade men and women to ſound repentance; leaſt going on in their ſin after this Sacrament, they ſhould crucifie Chriſt afreſh, and put him to an open ſhame, as thoſe, Heb. 6.6.
In the next place I ſhall humbly deſire my godly & reverend Breathren of the Miniſtry, who have a long time deſiſted from celebrating this holy Supper, ſadly to conſider how unjuſtifiable their practiſeis in this particular, eſpecially if they ſhould ſtill perſiſt in ſuch a courſe. Many have hinted much in this particular already, eſpecially learned & laborious M. Blake, whoſe bookes of the Covenant, and alſo of the Covenant ſeal'd, are of ſingular uſe for moſt Miniſters, that are at a loſſe in this regard, and the latter book eſpecially, being as a word ſpoken on the wheels to ſuch, as judicious M. Vines hath it, in his Epiſtle before that book.
I wiſh withall, they would conſider, how unlike they are unto the Primitive practiſe, which celebrated this Supper every week, and for ſome time every day in the week, being ſo in love with the Lord Jeſus, whom they knew in the fleſh, and who had lately laid down his life for them; and becauſe they conceived that this would be, not onelyonly profitable to themſelves; but pleaſing unto God, to keep ſuch an holy memoriall of Chriſt's death, and paſſion, certainly they were not ſo ſcrupulous as many are in theſe days, about admiſſion.
And if you conſult learned and laborious M. Mede. M. Mede vol. 1. pag 495. &c. as alſo p. 500. &c.he will aſſure you, that the ancient Churches in their publick meetings, did ſo commemorate the ſacrifice of Chriſt in celebrating this Supper, as that they thought it an eſpeciall means to make all other ſervices accepted; and to that purpoſe alledgeth divers teſtimonies, of Tertullian, and others, and among the reſt Origen. Hom. 3. on Levit. where treating of the ſhew-bread, which was continually ſet before the LORD with incenſe, for a memoriall; that is to put GOD in mind of them, he makes it in this reſpect to have been a lively figure of the Chriſtians Euchariſt, for ſaith he, Iſta eſt commemoratio ſola, quae propitium facit Deum hominibus. Thus far, and much more to this purpoſe, ſaith M. Mede. Sit fides penes Authorem.
If this be true, as his Authors ſeem to prove, then judge you what we our ſelves, and our Churches have loſt, for lack of this Ordinance; and you may well conceive, that it is no marvail, if God forget to do us ſo much good for Chriſt's ſake, as otherwiſe he would do, and hath formerly done, when we forget, or neglect to put him in mind of that propitiatory ſacrifice of his dear Son, by celebrating his ſacred Supper, Ordained for this very end to be a ſpeciall memoriall of his meritorious death, that he himſelfe might be mindfull of us, and mercifull unto us.
Conſid. 5.
Furthermore let it be conſidered, that the main buſineſs of the work of the Miniſtery, ſhould be the converſion of ſouls, to bring them from darkneſs to light, & from the power of Satan unto God. Acts. 26.18. Now by non-adminiſtration of this Sacrament, we greatly diſtaſte a great many, if not moſt that are not really converted, whereby our Miniſtry is made more contemptible, & odious, than otherwiſe it would be, and ſo leſſe effectuall, eſpecially to ſuch as ſtand in moſt need of it. And thoſe that adminiſter, and admit only a few, refuſing a great many, they give farr greater diſtaſte, and cauſe them to harden their hearts againſt them and their doctrin, and make them harken to any hedg-prieſt, that will ſow pillows under their armeholes, and ſooth them in their ſinnes, rather then ſeek to convert them, to the great prejudice of their poor ſoules.
Object. And whereas ſome ſuppoſe, that ſtaying for a while may increaſe their appetite, and make them more hunger after it.
Anſw. I anſwer, that faſting indeed a little while may do ſo, but long faſting quite loſeth on's ſtomack, and wee ſee by ſad experience that it hath done ſo in this very thing, for a great many, who were earneſt for it formerly, are now grown cold, and care not for it, being either ſullen, or ſenſleſſe of their owne myſery.
Again, Thas is wel known to all ancient, and conſcientious Miniſters.by hindering ſo many from comming to this ſacrament, we deprive our ſelves of a great advantage, that formerly we had of the yonger ſort, by way of Chatechizing them befose they come to the Communion. For where Miniſters were conſciencious and laborious, the Younger ſort eſpecially did uſually reſort unto them (not only to pay their Offerings as ſome object) but chiefly to be examined and inſtructed in the grounds of Religion, at leaſt once a year, which made them more mind their Catechiſmes, that now are wholly laid aſide, by moſt of them, ſo that they know nothing in matters of Salvation, but are like Heathens.
Moreover by this meanes we had a fair oportunity to faſten ſo wholeſom exhortations upon them, for their ſoules health; to make them conſider their waies, and walke worthy of this holy Sacrament: and therefore to avoid the common corruptions of the times, as drunkenneſſe, ſwearing, profaning the Sabbath: and the like evill courſes, and alſo evill Company, the bane of thouſands.
All which oportunities are now loſt, in regard of moſt, who will not come to be catechized, becauſe they cannot come to the Sacrament: And we have no power to compell them.
Caſe. 8
But will not this harden them in their ſinnes, to receive ſo many to this Sacrament; as ſom imagine?
Sol. 1 I judge it rather a meanes to make them conſider their waies, and convince them of their ſins, and ſo convert them, and bring them home unto God, as I have formerly proved.
Sol. 2 Secondly, I ſuppoſe this will no more harden them in ſin, than their admiſſion to all other Ordinances, unleſſe it be becauſe ſome erroneouſly conceive, that this Sacrament belongs onelyonly to thoſe that have true grace, which fancy hath been fully confuted.
Sol. 3 Thirdly, we ſee too palpably, that men are more hardened in ſin, ſince this Sacrament hath been ſo ſequeſtred, (as I may ſay) than formerly, when they were more generally admitted. And I verely believe, that the generall excluſion of ſo many from this holy Supper, doth, and will, much more harden their hearts, than generall admiſſion of all Church-members, in the greateſt latitude.
Sol. 4 Laſtly, Add hereunto, that we ſee by experience, in the Countrey, that thoſe who are kept from this Sacrament wax wild; and grow more careleſſe of all Religion; and on the other ſide, thoſe few that are by ſom admitted, when others are excluded, wax wanton, & ſom of them ſo ſwel with ſelf-conceit, that they preſume to teach their Teachers, and lead their leaders: Thinking themſelves too good, to be under any Officers, and ſo have forſaken their own, and all other Churches, and their Teachers, and turned Mountebanks: and ſet up themſelves above all others whatſoever, which is two apparent, both in Old and New England; Witneſſe the Seekers, Quakers, Ranters, and other Rebells againſt God and man.
Caſe 9.
But is not this Sacrament (as ſome ſay) a priviledg that belongs not to Babes, but to ſtrong men, that are able to digeſt ſtrong meat, ſuch as this Sacrament is.
It is indeed a priviledg of the Church, and belongs only to Church-members, no unbaptiſed may eat thereof, as no uncirumciſed might eat of the Paſſeover. Exod. 12.48. It is alſo a duty as well as a priviledg, which all of yeares are bound to performe, that are baptized, as M. Perkins ſaith in his Caſes of Conſcience.
And that it is not ſtrong meat, Perk. Caſes of Conſcience lib. 2. page 95. fol.but even milk for Babes in Religion, I ſhall eaſily evince. My reaſon is, becauſe it is one of the moſt ſenſible Ordinances which Chriſtians have, as Baptiſme is the other; becauſe, (as all Authentick Authors grant) in theſe outward viſible Ceremonies, God is ſaid more to ſtoup to our capacityes, and to help our infirmityes; ſeeing hereby he teacheth us, not onelyonly by the ear, but by other ſenſes; as by ſeeing, and Taſting; Senſes that farr more affect the ignorant, than hearing.
Segnius irritant amimos dimiſſa per aures,
Quam quae ſunt oculis ſubjecta fidelibus.
Things ſlower move the mind ſent by the ear,
Than thoſe made to the faithful eyes appear.
Caſe. 6.
In the laſt place let it be well weighed, how thoſe Miniſters can anſwer it to God and their owne Conſciences, for neglecting ſuch an eſpeciall part of their Miniſteriall Office, as the adminiſtration of the Euchariſt is, Object. and was ever held to be. If they ſhall ſtill reply, It is becauſe they fear they ſhal do more hurt than good to many ſoules, offending tender conſciences, and the like;
Anſw. I anſwer, if that which I have ſaid cannot give ſatisfaction, yet let me perſwade them, to be reſtleſſe, till they be more fully reſolved; I am very ſenſible of your ſad condition, as having been in the ſame perplexity my ſelfe, but I have now by God's gracious aſſiſtance arrived to ſuch a plerophory in moſt of theſe things, that I find abundance of ſatisfaction in mine own Spirit; and therefore I do the more pity my brethen, that want ſatisfaction in this particular, which is one of the main reaſons, that hath moved me to take this matter in hand.