foregoing answer, together with the nature, properties, and effects
thereof[100]; we shall pass them over, and consider the graces of love
to God, desire after Christ, and our using endeavours to approve
ourselves his servants and subjects, by constant acts of obedience to
him: These things are to be the subject-matter of our enquiry, before we
engage in this ordinance. It is very suitable to the occasion, to
enquire, whether we love Christ or no; inasmuch as we are to behold and
be affected with the most amazing instance of love, which he has
expressed to us; Let us therefore enquire, whether our love to him be
superlative, far exceeding that which we bear to all creatures, how
valuable soever they may be to us, how nearly soever we may be related
to them, or whatever engagements we may be laid under to esteem and
value them.
We may also try the sincerity of our love to God, by enquiring, whether
it puts us on performing the most difficult duties for his sake, with
the greatest cheerfulness? And, whether we are hereby encouraged to bear
the most afflictive evils with patience; because it is his pleasure that
we should be exercised therewith, 1 Sam. iii. 18. Let us also enquire,
whether we love him with all our heart, or, whether our love is divided
betwixt him and the creature, whereby our affections are often drawn
aside from him? And, whether it puts us upon improving our time,
strength, and all our other talents to his glory? Whether we have no
interest separate from his, which we cannot but prefer to our chief joy?
whether this be the very end of living? As the apostle says, _For me to
live is Christ_, Phil. i. 21. and, whether we are earnestly desirous to
bring others to him, not only by recommending his glory to them in
words; but by expressing the esteem and value we have for him, in the
whole course of our conversation? Whether we are hereby inclined to hate
every thing that he hates; as the Psalmist says, _Ye that love the Lord
hate evil_, Psal. xcviii. 10. and whether we make those things the
object of our choice that he delights in?
Moreover, we are to enquire, whether we have had any communion with him
in ordinances, and particularly in this ordinance at other times? And
when he is pleased to withhold this privilege from us in any degree,
that hereby we may see that all our comforts flow from him; or, when he
has a design to humble us for those sins that provoke him to depart from
us, whether we are earnestly desirous of his return, and cannot be
satisfied with any thing short of him?
As for our desires after Christ, which we are farther to examine
ourselves about, we must enquire, whether, that, which moves or inclines
us to desire him, be the view we have of the glory of his person, and
the delight that arises from our contemplating his divine excellencies;
or whether we desire him, only for the sake of his benefits, or, that he
might deliver us from the wrath to come? Whether we desire Christ only
when his service is attended with the esteem of men, or, as a means to
gain some worldly advantage from them? Or, whether we desire to adhere
to him, when we are called to suffer reproach, or even the loss of all
things for his sake; which will be a convincing evidence of the
sincerity of our desires after, and, consequently, of our love to him?
And, we are farther to enquire, whether our love to Christ, and desire
after him, discovers itself by renewed acts of obedience to him;
particularly, whether our obedience be universal or partial, constant or
wavering, performed with delight and pleasure or with some reluctancy?
And, whether it puts us upon universal holiness, as being induced
hereunto by gospel-motives? Thus concerning our examining ourselves
about our faith, repentance, love to Christ, desire after him, and our
endeavour to yield obedience to him in all things.
The next thing we are to examine ourselves concerning, is, whether we
have such a love to the brethren, and charity to all men, whereby we are
disposed to exercise forgiveness to those that have done us any
injuries? The Lord’s-supper being an ordinance of mutual fellowship, we
are obliged to behave ourselves towards one another as members of the
same body, subjects of the same Lord, engaged in the same religious
exercise; and consequently, are obliged to love one another, whereby it
will appear, that we are Christ’s disciples, John xiii. 35. This love
consists in our desiring and endeavouring to promote the spiritual
interest of each other, to the end that Christ herein may be glorified;
and it includes in it that charity that casts a veil over their failures
and defects, and our forgiving those injuries which they have, at
anytime, done to us. This frame of spirit is certainly becoming the
nature of the ordinance, in which we hope to be made partakers of the
fruits and effects of Christ’s love, and to obtain forgiveness from him,
of all the injuries we have done against him; therefore it is very
necessary for us to enquire,
[1.] Concerning our love to the brethren, whether it be such as is a
distinguishing character of those who are Christ’s friends and
followers; or which, as the apostle expresses it, will afford an
evidence to us, that we are _passed from death to life_, 1 John iii. 14.
And, in order to our discovering this, let us examine ourselves, whether
we love the brethren, because we behold the image of God in them? Which
is, in effect, to love and _glorify God in them_, Gal. i. 24. Again,
whether our love to men leads us to desire and endeavour to be reckoned
a common good to all, according to the utmost of our ability? As it is
said of Mordecai, that _he was accepted of the multitude of his
brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all
his seed_, Esther x. 8.
Again, we are to enquire, whether our love be more especially to the
souls of men, as well as their outward concerns? This consists in our
using all suitable endeavours to bring them under conviction of sin, by
faithful and well-timed reproofs; the contrary to which, or our refusing
to rebuke our _neighbour or brother_, and thereby _suffering sin upon
him_, is reckoned no other than an _hating_ of him, Lev. xix. 17. We are
also to express our love to the souls of men, by endeavouring to
persuade them to believe in Christ, if they are in an unconverted state,
or to walk as becomes his gospel, if they have been made partakers of
the grace thereof: Thus the apostle expresses his love to those to whom
he writes, when he says, _I travail in birth again till Christ be formed
in you_, Gal. iv. 19. and elsewhere, he signifies to another of the
churches, how _affectionately desirous_ he was _of them_; which made him
_willing, not only to impart the gospel of God, but his own soul;
because they were dear unto him_, 1 Thes. ii. 8.
Again, we must enquire, whether our love puts us upon choosing such to
be our associates that truly fear the Lord; whom we count, as the
Psalmist expresses it, _The excellent, in whom is all our delight_?
Psal. xvi. 3. and, on the other hand, whether we avoid the society of,
or intimacy with, those that are Christ’s open enemies; the contrary to
which, good Jehoshaphat was reproved for by the prophet, when he says,
_Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord?_ 2
Chron. xix. 2. Again, let us enquire, whether our love to men is then
expressed when it is most needed? As it is said, _A friend loveth at all
times, and a brother is born for adversity_, Prov. xvii. 17. Again,
whether we are inclined to all those acts of charity which covereth a
multitude of faults? As the apostle describes it, that it _suffereth
long, and is kind; envieth not; vaunteth not itself; is not puffed up;
doth not behave itself unseemly; seeketh not her own, is not easily
provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in
the truth: Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things,
and endureth all things_, 1 Cor. xiii. 4,-8.
[2.] We are to enquire, whether our love to men be expressed in
forgiving injuries; which is a frame of spirit absolutely necessary for
our engaging in any ordinance; as our Saviour says, _If thou bring thy
gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought
against thee_, Matt. v. 23, 24. that is, if there be a misunderstanding
between you, whoever be the aggressor, or gave the first occasion for
it, _leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be
reconciled to thy brother_; that is, do whatever is in thy power in
order thereunto, and _then come and offer thy gift_. And this is more
necessary when we engage in this ordinance, in which we hope to obtain
forgiveness of the many offences which we have committed against God;
and accordingly the apostle says, _Let us keep the feast, not with old
leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the
unleavened bread of sincerity and truth_, 1 Cor. v. 8. It is no
difficult matter for us to know whether we are disposed to forgive those
who have injured us; therefore the principal thing we are to examine
ourselves about, is, whether we do this with a right frame of spirit, as
considering how prone we are to do those things ourselves, which may
render it necessary for us to be forgiven, both by God and man? and
whether, as the consequence hereof, though we were before this, inclined
to over-look those graces which are discernable in them; yet now we can
love them as brethren, and glorify God for what they have experienced,
and be earnestly solicitous for their salvation as well as our own? Thus
concerning the first duty mentioned in this answer, _viz._ our examining
ourselves before we engage in this ordinance. We now proceed to consider
some other duties mentioned therein, _viz._
II. The renewing the exercise of those graces, which are necessary to
our right engaging in it, whereby the sincerity and truth thereof may be
discerned: Therefore, since faith, repentance, and several other graces,
ought to be exercised in this ordinance, it is necessary for us to give
a specimen thereof, before we engage in it. As the artificer first tries
the instrument he is to make use of in some curious work before he uses
it, so the truth and sincerity of our faith is to be tried before it be
exercised in this ordinance.
There is another duty preparatory to the Lord’s Supper, mentioned in
this answer, _viz._ serious meditation, that so we may not engage in it
without considering the greatness of the Majesty with whom we have to
do, together with our own vileness and unworthiness to approach his
presence: We must also consider his power, wisdom, and goodness, to
encourage us to hope for those supplies of grace from him, which we
stand in need of; and we are to have an awful sense of his omnipresence
and omniscience, as he is an heart-searching God, to excite in us an
holy reverence, and prevent the wandering of our thoughts and affections
from him, or any unbecoming behaviour in his presence; and, more
particularly we are to consider, before-hand, the end and design of
Christ’s instituting this ordinance, _viz._ that his dying love to
sinners might be signified and shewed forth, as an encouragement to our
faith, and an inducement to thanksgiving and praise, as the nature of
the thing calls for it.
After all this it is farther observed, that we are to endeavor to
prepare for this ordinance by fervent prayer, as being sensible, that
when we have done our best, we shall be too much unprepared for it,
unless we have the special assistance of God, when engaging in it; to
which I may apply Hezekiah’s words, _The good Lord pardon every one that
prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his father; though he
be not cleansed according to the cleansing of the sanctuary_, 2 Chron.
xxx. 18, 19. And we are to be earnest with him, that he would give us a
believing view of Christ crucified, and especially of our interest in
him; that we may be able to say as the apostle does, _He loved me, and
gave himself for me_, Gal. ii. 20. and that he would apply to us those
blessings which he has purchased by his death, which we desire to wait
upon him for, when engaging in this ordinance, that our drawing nigh to
him therein may redound to his glory and our spiritual advantage.
Footnote 100:
_See Quest. LXXII. Vol. III. page 97, & seq. and Quest. LXXVI, LXXXV,
LXXXVII._
Quest. CLXXII., CLXXIII.
QUEST. CLXXII. _May one who doubteth of his being in Christ, and of
his due preparation, come to the Lord’s Supper?_
ANSW. One who doubteth of his being in Christ, or of his due
preparation to the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, may have true
interest in Christ, though he be not assured thereof; and in God’s
account, hath it, if he be duly affected with the apprehension of
the want of it, and unfeignedly desires to be found in Christ, and
to depart from iniquity, in which case (because promises are made,
and this sacrament is appointed for the relief even of weak and
doubting Christians,) he is to bewail his unbelief; and labour to
have his doubts resolved, and so doing, he may, and ought to come to
the Lord’s Supper, that he may be farther strengthened.
QUEST. CLXXIII. _May any who profess the faith, and desire to come
to the Lord’s Supper, be kept from it?_
ANSW. Such as are found to be ignorant, or scandalous,
notwithstanding their profession of the faith, and desire to come to
the Lord’s Supper, may, and ought to be kept from that sacrament by
the power which Christ hath left in his church, until they receive
instruction, and manifest their reformation.
In these answers we have an account of those who are the subjects of
this ordinance and ought to partake of it, or of those who must be kept
from it: the former respects, more especially doubting Christians, who
desire to receive satisfaction, whether they ought to engage in it or
no; the latter respects those who are ready to presume that they are
qualified for it, and ought to partake of it; though, indeed, they are
to be excluded from it.
I. As to the case of one who doubteth of his being in Christ, and duly
prepared for the Lord’s Supper: Here are several things that may afford
matter of encouragement to him; and accordingly it is observed,
1. That though this be a matter of doubt to him, as being destitute of
assurance of his being in Christ; yet he may be mistaken in the judgment
which he passes concerning himself: since assurance, as has been before
observed, is not of the essence of saving faith[101]. For a person may
rely on, or give up himself to Christ, by a direct act of faith, who
cannot at the same time, take the comfort that would otherwise arise
from thence, that Christ has loved him, and given himself for him. Many
have reason to complain of the weakness of their faith, and the great
resistance and disturbance which they meet with from the corruption of
nature: And others, who have assurance, at present, of their interest in
Christ, may afterwards, through divine desertion, lose the comfortable
sense thereof; so that we must not conclude, that every doubting
believer is destitute of faith. Such are to be tenderly dealt with, and
not discouraged from attending on that ordinance, which others, who
converse with them, cannot but think they have a right to, and are
habitually prepared for; though they themselves very much question,
whether they are actually meet for it, as being apprehensive that they
cannot exercise those graces, that are necessary to their partaking of
this ordinance in a right manner. However, it is observed,
(1.) That there are some things, which, if duly considered by such an
one, would afford him, ground of hope; though it may be, he cannot
sufficiently improve them to his own comfort. As,
[1.] If he be truly affected with his want of assurance, and, as the
result thereof, is filled with uneasiness in his own mind, laments his
condition, and can take no comfort in any outward enjoyments, while
destitute of it; and, if he be importunate with God in prayer, that he
would lift up the light of his countenance upon him, and grant him the
exercise, as well as the joy of faith. Moreover, if he frequently
examines himself with impartiality, and an earnest desire to be
satisfied, as to his state; and if, notwithstanding this, he still walks
in darkness, and his doubts and fears prevail against him, he has some
ground to conclude, that he is better than he apprehends himself to be,
if he be truly humbled for those sins that may be reckoned the procuring
cause thereof, and determines to be still waiting, till God shall be
pleased to discover to him his interest in forgiving grace, and thereby
resolve his doubts, and expel his fears, which render him so very
uneasy.
[2.] A person has some ground of hope, if he can say, that he
unfeignedly desires Christ and grace above all things, and can find
satisfaction in nothing short of him; in this respect it may be said,
that Christ is precious to him, as he is to them that believe. And to
this we may add, that if he desires to forsake all sin, as being
offensive, and contrary to him; so that when he commits it, he can
readily say with the apostle, _That which I do I allow not of; for what
I would, that do I not; but what I hate that do I_; and from hence he
concludes himself _wretched_; and earnestly desires to be _delivered
from the body of this death_, Rom. vii. 15, 24.
(2.) There are some promises which a weak Christian may lay hold on for
his encouragement; as,
_1st_, If the guilt of sin lies as an heavy burden upon him, and is the
occasion of his doubts about his being in Christ; there are promises of
forgiveness, Mich. vii. 18, 19. Isa. lv. 7, 8.
_2dly_, If he complains of the power of sin, and its prevalency over
him, there is a promise that is suited to his case, in Rom. vi. 14. ‘Sin
shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but
under grace.’
_3dly_, If satan’s temptations are very grievous to him, and such as he
can hardly resist, there are promises suited to this case, in 1 Cor. x.
13. that ‘God will not suffer his people to be tempted above that they
are able, but will, with the temptation, make a way to escape;’ and in
Rom. xvi. 20. ‘The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet
shortly.’
_4thly_, If he wants enlargement, and raised affections in prayer, or
other religious duties; which is very discouraging to him, that promise
may afford him some relief, in Zech. xii. 10. ‘I will pour upon the
house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of
grace and of supplication.’ And, in Psal. x. 17. ‘Lord, thou hast heard
the desire of the humble: Thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause
thine ear to hear.’
_5thly_ If our doubts arise from frequent backslidings, and relapses
into sin, we may apply that promise in Psal. xxiii. 3. _He restoreth my
soul_, &c. And, Hos. xiv. 4. ‘I will heal their backsliding, I will love
them freely; for mine anger is turned away from them:’ And in Isa. lvii.
17, 18. in which it is supposed, that God was wroth, and hid himself
from his people for their iniquity; and they are described as _going on
frowardly in the way of their heart_; yet God says, ‘I have seen his
ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts to
him, and to his mourners:’ And, in Hos. xi. 7-9. where God’s people are
described as bent to backslide from him; yet he determines not to
destroy them, but says, in a very moving way, ‘How shall I give thee up
Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee Israel, _&c._ Mine heart is turned
within me, my repentings are kindled together? I will not execute the
fierceness of mine anger; I will not return to destroy Ephraim; for I am
God and not man, the holy One in the midst of thee.’
_6thly_, If we want communion with God, or his presence with us in his
ordinances; which makes us conclude that we are not in Christ: Let us
consider what is said in Isa. xlv. 19. ‘I said not unto the seed of
Jacob, Seek ye me in vain:’ And, in chap. liv. 7, 8. ‘For a small moment
have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a
little wrath I hid my face from thee, for a moment; but with everlasting
kindness will I have mercy on thee.’
_7thly_, If we are under frequent convictions, but they soon wear off,
which occasions us to fear that we never experienced a thorough work of
conversion, let us consider, Isa. lxvi. 9. ‘Shall I bring to the birth,
and not cause to bring forth, saith the Lord?’ And, in Zech. iv. 10.
‘Who hath despised the day of small things?’ And, in Isa. lxv. 8. ‘As
the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not, for
a blessing is in it; So will I do for my servants sake, that I may not
destroy them all.’
_8thly_, If we are in a withering and declining condition, and want
reviving; or, if we complain of barrenness under the means of grace, so
that we may attend upon them, as we apprehend, to very little purpose;
there are some promises that are suited to this case, as Hos. xiv. 7, 8.
Isa. xlviii. 17.
_9thly_, If our doubts arise from the hardness of our hearts, so that we
cannot mourn for sin as we ought to do, or would do, let us consider
what God has promised in Ezek. vii. 16. Deut. xxx. 6. Acts v. 31.
_10thly_, If we are under the visible tokens of God’s displeasure, so
that we are ready to conclude, that he distributes terrors to us in his
anger; and, as the consequence thereof, we walk in darkness, and are far
from peace: There are many promises that are suited to this case, as
Jer. iii. 5. Psal. ciii. 8,-10. Isa. xii. 1. Joel ii. 13. Isa. l. 10.
Psal. lxxix. 15. and xlii. 11.
2. We have a further account how such, who are at present, discouraged
from coming to the Lord’s table, ought to manage themselves in this
case. And here it is observed, that they ought to bewail their unbelief,
to labour to have their doubts resolved; and, instead of being
discouraged, they should come to the Lord’s supper, to be further
strengthened. This advice is not given to stupid sinners, or such as are
unconcerned about their state, or never had the least ground to conclude
that they have had communion with God in any ordinance; and, especially
if their distress of conscience arises rather from a slavish fear of the
wrath of God, than a filial fear of him; or, if they are more concerned
about the dreadful consequences of sin, than the intrinsic evil that is
in it, I say, this advice is not given to such, but those, as before
described, who lament after the Lord, earnestly seek him, though they
cannot, at present, find him; and have fervent desires of his presence,
though no sensible enjoyment thereof, and appear to have some small
degrees of grace, though it be very weak: In this case a few words of
advice ought to be given to them; particularly,
(1.) That they should take heed of giving way to any hard thoughts of
God; but, on the other hand, lay the whole blame hereof on themselves.
Thus God says by the prophet, “Hast thou not procured this unto thyself,
in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the
way?” Jer. ii. 17.
(2.) They should give glory to, depend on, and seek relief from the Holy
Spirit, the Comforter, who glorifies himself by sealing believers unto
the day of redemption; and, together with this, bestows those comforts
on them which they stand in need of.
(3.) They must endeavour, to their utmost, to act grace, and so go
forward in the ways of God, though they do not go on comfortably, and
not say, “why should I wait on the Lord any longer?” Are they sometimes
afraid they shall not arrive safely to the end of their race, they
should nevertheless resolve not to give out, or to run no longer in it;
and because their way is attended with darkness, or hedged up with
thorns, they should not determine, for that reason, to go backward, as
though they had never set their faces heaven-ward.
(4.) They ought to lie at God’s foot, acknowledging their unworthiness
of that peace which they desire, but are destitute of, and plead for his
special presence, that would give an happy turn to the frame of their
spirits, as that which they prefer to all the enjoyments of life; as the
Psalmist says, ‘There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord,
lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us,’ Psal. iv. 6.
(5.) It would be adviseable for such to contract an intimacy, and
frequently converse with experienced Christians, who know the depths of
Satan, and the deceitfulness of the heart of man, and the methods of
divine grace in restoring comforts to those who are, at present,
destitute of them, agreeably to what they themselves have experienced in
the like case, 2 Cor. i. 4.