What Is Required to the Worthy Receiving of the Lord's Supper?

Answ. It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord’s supper,’ that they examine themselves of their knowledge to discern the Lord’s body, of their faith to feed upon him, of their repentance, love, and new obedience; lest, coming unworthily* they eat and drink judgment to themselves.

Q. What is necessary to a right partaking of the Lord’s supper? A. Serious preparation for it, lively attendance on it, and careful improvement of it.

Q. What preparation for this ordinance is necessary?

A. Habitual and actual preparation, Amos iii. 12.

Qj What do you mean by habitual. reparation?

A. Our having on the wedding-garment of Christ’s imputed righteousness, and havingthehabitsof grace implanted in us, Matth. xxii. 12. Eph. iv. 24.

Q, What actual preparation is necessary?

A. Self-examination, dedication, meditation, and prayer.

Q; Why is self-examination necessary? A. To excite our graces, and prevent unworthy communicating.

Q. Why should we examine ourselves every time we communicate?

A. Because our heart is very deceitful, and our frame very variable, Jer. xvii. 9. Prov. xxviii. 26.

Q. Of what are we to examine ourselves before communicating? A. Of our sins and graces, 2 Cor. xiii. 15. Q. Of what are we to examine ourselves concerniRg our sins? A. What they are, how many, how aggravated, what influence they have on our soul at present, what are our beloved lusts, &c. Lam. iii. 40.

Qj Why is this examination of our sins necessary? A. That we may approach to the Lord’s table with due humility, and sense of our needs, Isa. lxvi. 2. Q. What concerning our grace are we to examine? A. Whether we be in a state of grace 3 and whether our graces be lively or languishing, 2 Cor. xiii. 5.

Q. What are some general marks of our being in a state of grace? A. A deep sense of our un worthiness

of all grace j grief for the low state, and scanty measure of our grace ‘y and an earnest desire to have grace rather than any worldly good, Matth. v. 3, 4, 6. Rom. vii. 24; Q. Of what particular graces are we to examine ourselves .? A. Of our knowledge, faith, repentance, humility, thankfulness, love, and new obedience.

Q. Why are these graces necessary? A. To prove

our right to the Lord’s supper, and dispose us to a proper exercise in partaking of it, 1 Cor. xi. 29.

O. What are we to examine concerning our knowledge? A. We are to examine whether it be sufficient in its quantity, and saving in its quality.

Q. How may we know if our knowledge be sufficient in its quantity? A. If we have some competent knowledge of the divine persons, perfections, and laws j of man’s creation, fall, and inability to recover himself; of Christ in his natures and offices; and of the covenant of g ace and seals thereof, John xvii. 3. 1 Tim. iii. 16.

Q. How may we know if our knowledge be saving in its quality? A. If it discover the vileness of our own

righteousness, humble and purge our heart, and exalt Christ, Isa. vi. 5. and lxiv. 6. Psalm lxxiii. 25, 26. 1 Ff Q. How may we know if our faith is true and saving?

A. If it humble and purify our heart, make Christ precious to us, and work by love, Acts xv. 9. 1 Pet. ii. 7, 9.

Q. How may we know if our repentance is true and saving? A. If our-sin is imbittered to us, by the views

of Christ, and the love of God if we seriously repent of all known sins, and resolve on every known duty.

Q. How may we know if our humility is true?

A. If we reckon ourselves the chief of sinners; are ashamed of both our sins and duties before God; and are grieved for our pride, 1 Tim. i. 15» Ezek. xvi. 63.

Q. How may we knew if our thankfulness is true and gracious?

A. If we study thankfulness for the least of God’s mercies, and chiefly for Christ his greatest mercy; and are afflicted in spirit for our ingratitude, Gen. xxxii. 10.

Q. Of what love are we to examine ourselves?

A. Of our love to God, to Christ, and his saints.

Q. Hew may we know if our love to God be true?

A. If we are careful to please him, afraid to offend hiro, and prize his presence in gospel ordinances.

£). How may we know if our love to Christ as Mediator be true? A. If we love him in all his offices, relations, ordinances, and people; and Jove him as a pattern of holiness, as well as a purchaser of happiness.

Q. How may we know if our love to the saints is a gracious love?

A. If we love them all, poor or rich 5 and even though they have injured us, and maintain some notions different ftom ours $ and love them in proportion to the appearance of C rrstfs image in them, Psal. cxix. 63.

Q. How may we know if our obedience is of a gracious nature? A. If we habitually study obedience to all

the commands of God; and depend on Christ as our only righteousness and strength, for assistance in, and acceptance of our obedience;, Psalm cxix. Isa. xlv. 24.

Q^What shall one do who cannot discern these graces in himself? A. If he is earnestly desirous to have

them, is afraid of disobeying Christ’s dying command, and hungers and thirsts after communion with him, he is a true believer, and so ought to communicate, Matth. v.

Q. What are we to examine concerning the case and frame of our graces? A. We are to try whether thfcse be growing, or on the decay, strong or weak, and what resistance sin is making to each of them in our soul.

£>. Why is this examination of our case and frame necessary? A. That in communicating we may ask, and receive Christ in a suitableness to our present need, and be distinctly thankful for our mercies, 1 Cor. xi. 28.

Q. What is self-dedication? A. Our solemn renouncing the devil, the world, and the flesh; and taking God for our all, and giving up our persons and concerns to him to be accepted only through Christ, and disposed of to his glory, Psalm cxvi. 16. Hos. xiv. 2, 3, 8.

Q. On what ought we to meditate before communicating?. A. Upon our own sinfulness y the love and greatness of God; the person, offices, and relations of Christ y the grace and fulness of the new covenant, &c.

Q. Would not spiritual conference on those subjects also prepare us for communicating? A. Yes, Luke xxiv.

£). For what are we to pray before communicating?

A.. For preparation for it, spiritual assistance and enlargement in it, acceptance of our work, and pardon of our miscarriages therein, 2 Chron. xxx. 185 19.

Q. Why are self-dedication, meditation, and prayer, necessary before communicating? A. To open and

enlarge our heartj. bring Ged*s presence into our soul, enlarge our expectations of his grace, and ex-cite our graces to a suitable exercise, Isa. lxiv. 5. Psalm xlv. I.

Q, Why is so great preparation necessary to our partaking the Lord’s supper?’ A. Because of the great sin and danger of profaning it and because God in it hath made all things ready for us, Matth, xxii. 4.

Q. What great things hath God made ready for us in this supper I A. His house, table, food, blessing,

ministers, angels, &c.; nay, God himself is ready to feast with us, and his covenant to be subscribed by us.

Q. In what manner ought we to approach the Lord’s table? A. With great humility, holy jealousy of

ourselves, ardent desire, joy, and enlarged expectation :of his blessings, Psalm v. 7. and xxvii. 4.

Q. If we approach to the Lord’s table with an apprehension that we are fully prepared for it, what may we expect at it? A. To eat and drink damnation to

ourselves, and receive a curse instead of a blessing*- - Ff 21 Q. If we approach to the Lord’s table with great fear of profaning it, what may we expect at it?

A. That God will fill us with good things and lift on us the light of his countenance, Luke i. 53. Isa. lxvi. 2.

Q. What graces are to be exercised by us in communicating? A. All saving graces as faith, knowledge, love, repentance, humility, thankfulness, &c.

Q. How h our knowledge to be exercised in communicating? A. In our discerning the Lords body. O. What is meant by our discerning the Lord’s body? A. Our taking up the bread and wine as representations of the person and righteousness of a God-rnan.

Q. Is such a view of the sufferings of Christ in their paintulness, as excites our natural sympathy with him, and ang-er at the Jews for so abusing him, a proper discerning of Christ’s body? A. No j it is a carnal one, and profiteth nothing, John vi. 63.

Q. How is our faith to be exercised in communicating? A. In regarding the ordinance as instituted by Christ, and in beholding and feeding on Christ, 1 Cor. x. 16-

Qj What great sights may we by faith behold in the Lord’s supper? A. The worth of souls j the exceeding sinfulness of sin; God’s perfections, particularly justice and mercy, harmoniously displayed and magnified Christ’s love that passeth knowledge, his costly purchase of all blessings, and glorious conquest of all enemies, &c.

Q. What is faith to apply as our food in the Lord’s supper? A. Christ, and all his promises and blessings.

Q. On what promises should our faith be especially fixed in our receiving the elements in the Lord’s supper?

A. On the sacramental promises, Take, eat; this is my body, broken for you. — This cup is the New Testament in my blood, shed for remission of sins to many; drink ye alloftt Vlatth. xxvi. 26, 28. 1 Cor. xi. 24, 25.

Q. Why is our faith to be especially fixed on these promises? A. That we may not only receive Christ, but take the bread and wine as a solemn confirmation of it.

Q. May we not fix our faith on any other doctrine or promise in connection with those? A. Yes.

Q. How is our repentance to be exercised in communicating? A. In mourning for our sin as the cause of Christ’s death, and resolving revenge on our lusts on that account, Zech. xii. 10. Psalm li. 17. Jer. xxxi. 18, lfc

Qj How is our hufnility to be exercised in communicating? A. In looking on ourselves as most unworthy, and admiring the wonders of redeeming love, 2. Sam. vii. IS.

Q. What is marvellous in and about redeen ing love? A. The freedom and richer of it j- the. contrivance of redemption; the person of the Redeemer; with what he is and does, 1 John iii. 1. 1 Tim. iii. 16. Song v. 10< — 16..

Q How is our thankfulness to be exercised in communicating I

A. In our joyful remembering and praising God for what he is, and has, and will do for us; and in devising what to render to him as an acknowledgment of bis kindness, Psal. cxvi. 12, 13.-andcxlv. — cl.

Q. How is our love to God in Christ to be exercised in communicating? A. In our holy desiring and delighting in him as our Husband and exceeding joy ;. and giving up ourselves wholly to him,. Psalm xlii, ixiii

Q. How is our love to our neighbour to be exercised in communicating? A. In our rejoicing that others share

with us of Christ and his benefits; our forgiving injuries and desiring that multitudes may be added to the church.

Q. How is our new obedience to be exercised in communicating? A. In communicating chiefly out of regard to Christ’s command y and vowing, in bis strength,, more perfect observance of his law than formerly..

Q. What particular things are we to vow in communicating?

A. A life of faith on Christ as our only righteousness and strength heavenly-mindedness, watchfulness over ournearts, and against all sins, gross or secret* and particularly against beloved lusts; caTeful performance of the duties of our station, or which we have formerly much neglected, or which especially tend to prevent sin.

Qj, How is our patience and resignation to be exercised in communicating?

—A. In our kindly compliance with God’s will, in whatever method, measure, or season he chooseth for- visiting. «ts with his sensible presence, Psal. xlii.

Q; How is our watchfulness to be then exercised?

A. In our waiting for the breathings of God’s Spirit, and checking the first motions of lusts and temptations*.

Q. What is our general duty after communicating Xl

A. To examine our carnage in communicating, and whether we had communion with God in it or not.

Q. How may we know if we had fellowship with Christ at his table?

A. If we be more sensible of our spiritual plagues, more desirous of Christ’s presence, and more grieved for his absence ihan before, Isa. vi. 6. Rom. vii. 23, 24.

Q. In what manner should such as have found Christ at his table come from it?

A. Admiring and praising God for his love j with fervent love to God and his people with joy in Christ, and sorrow for their own defects j watchfulness against temptations, and prayer for the accomplishment of pro-. mises, and strength to fulfil their vows.

Q. How ought they to order their following conversation? A. By living soberly, righteously, and godly, charitably, peaceably, and heavenly, in this present world,

Q. Why should believers so live after commnnicating?

A. To testify their gratitude, adorn their profession, preserve their comfort, evidence their communion with Christ, 3nd fulfil their engagements to him, Phil. i. 27.

Q. What is the duty of believers who have not found communion with Christ at his table? A. To search

out the sinful cause of their disappointment, justify God, condemn themselves, renew their repentance, double their preparation, and wait upon God on the first opportunity of the like nature, Song v. 2, — 9. Mic. vii. 7, 8, 9.

Q. What are some of these sinful hindrances of believers’ communion with Christ at his table?

A. Carnal thoughts or conference about the time of that ordinance; approaching to it in our own strength, inattention to the divine institution, nature, and end of the ordinance; eyeing our own comfort more than the command and honour of Christ j carnal and imaginary views of C u’ist’s sufferings, &c.

£), What is our immediate duty if we find we have communicated in a graceless state? A. Seriously and

Speedily to consider the exceeding greatness of our sin, pray earnestly lor the Spirit of grace, and quickly embrace God’s promise of pardon, Isa. i. 18. and lv. 7.

£> Why should all this be done speedily?

A. Because if such blood-guiltiness lie long on our conscience, it makes our repentance most difficult.