proaches to thy Holy Table be governed with profound Humility and hearty Decotion. That we are obliged frequently to receive the Holy Communion, appears, I. From the pofitive Command of our bleffed Saviour. Before he entered upon the last Scene of his Sufferings, he celebrated the Jewish Sacrifice of the Paflover with his Difciples, and then, at the Conclufion of it, fubftituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood, as the Chriftian Sacrifice, in the Room of the Paffover; and ordained it as a Rite to invocate his Father by, inftead of the manifold and bloody Sacrifices of the Law; and then obliges all the following Ages of Chrifiians to perfift in the fame Practice by his exprefs Command: Do this in Remembrance of me. How can we pretend to be his Difciples, if we neglect this plain and public Declaration of his Will? How can we call him Mafter, if we do not what he commandeth us? Has the bleffed Jefus inftituted a folemn Worship among Chriftians, and fhall Chriftians refufe to partake of it? Did he leave this laft Injunction to his Followers, when he was laying down his Life for their Sakes; and fhall they, who pretend to be his Followers, never concern themselves in complying with his dying Command? To perfift in the conftant Neglect of this pofitive Precept of the Chriftian Religion, is inconfiftent with the folemn Vow of our Baptifm, and contradicts contradicts that Character we profefs, of being the Disciples of Jefus Chrift. Pardon, O bleffed Saviour, my paft Neglect: I am now convinced that thou requirejt my Attendance at thy holy Table; that thou haft commanded me to commemorate thy dying Love; and I am refolved to give Thee this Inftance of my Obedience to thy holy Will. I am fatisfied that thy infinite Goodness and Mercy will bear with my Imperfections, but nothing can excufe my Neglect of thy exprefs Command. II. From thofe great Wants we labour under. Men must be very great Strangers to themfelves, if they are not acquainted with the Impotency and Corruption of their Nature; they must know but little of their Circumftances in this World, if they are not aware of thofe Enemies which are continually defigning their Ruin: There are few fo happy and fo steady in their Duty, as not fometimes to deviate from it; the Strength of Temptation, and the Violence of Paffion, too frequently prevail upon us. Now if we were duly affected with thofe Wants we labour under, we should certainly apply ourselves to the Úfe of fuch Remedies as are proper to relieve them. To this Purpofe, nothing is fo effectual as a frequent Participation of the Lord's Supper: This will purify our corrupt Nature, by applying the Merits of Chrift's Blood: This will ftrengthen our Weakness, by communicating the Influences of his Grace Grace which he has purchased for us by his Death: This will fupport us under all Temptations, by a lively Representation of those great Things Chrift has fuffered for us: This will reftore that Peace and Quiet to our Souls which Sin robs us of: by ratifying our Pardon, and making our fincere Repentance acceptable to God. This will fubdue the Violence of our Paffions, by fpiritualizing our Affections, and by placing them upon right Objects. The Senfe of my Follies have hitherto, O Lord, difcouraged my approach to thy Altar; but I am now convinced, there is no Remedy that will cure them, but thy Body and Blood; and fince I am refolved to get rid of my Sins, they fhall no longer prevail upon me to abfent myself from thy Table, where the Bread of Life is fo freely difpenfed to thofe that feek it with their whole Heart. III. From the End and defign of this holy Sacrament. Our great End of this Chriftian Sacrifice was, to perpetuate the Memory of the greatest Bleffing that was ever beftowed upon the Sons of Men; to be a franding Monument of the infinite Love of our dying Redeemer, who thought not his Life too dear to purchase eternal Salvation for us. Now if we have a due Senfe of thofe great Things He has done for us; if we value the Wonders of his Love; and fet a juft Price upon that Redemption he has purchased for us; furely we fhall not be backward to do what what in us lies to publifh to all the World this unparalleled Inftance of Goodness, to teftify our Gratitude for fuch ineftimable Favours, and to offer our humble Tribute of a thankful Heart. What Senfe have they, O Lord, of thy Love, who refuse to perpetuate the Remembrance of it? What Regard have they to the ineftimable Sacrifice of thy, Death, who neglect the beft Opportunities of applying to their own Souls the Merit of it? I love Thee, O Lord, and therefore I will approach thy Altar; I am defirous that all the World jhould love Thee, and therefore I will declare the IVonders thou haft done for the Children of Men. IV. From the Danger of neglecting it. We muft confider, it is not an indifferent Thing, whether or no we approach the Lord's Ta ble; and by abftaining, we in vain think to fecure ourselves. It is true, when we do not receive, we cannot draw upon ourselves the Punishment of unworthy receiving; but then we run into another Extreme, which will be equally pernicious to us. To neglect and refufe the Advantages that are provided for us at God's Table, and to which we are fo earneftly invited, loudly proclaims our Contempt of them; we declare our Refolution to continue in our Sins, if we refufe an Opportunity of procuring our Pardon: We are not much concerned to do our Duty, when we avoid thofe Occafions of improving our Strength, Strength, and receiving that Grace, without which it is impoffible to perform it. And can we continue in this Neglect without offending God, who has made it our Duty? Can we defpife his Grace, without increafiing our Guilt, and provoking his Wrath and Indignation againft us? We expofe our eternal Salvation by leaving undone the Things which he has commanded, as well as by doing those Things He has forbidden. Lord, I will come to thy Table, that I may declare how much I value thofe good Things thou haft there provided for me; and that I may avoid that Guilt which Abfence will certainly expofe me to. That you may be qualified frequently to participate of this holy Sacrament, I. Inform yourself carefully in the Nature and End of this facred Inftitution. We can never offer an acceptable Service to God, if our Minds are wholly ignorant of the Nature of those Duties we perform: And therefore that our Approach to the Altar may turn to our Profit and Advantage, our firft Step muft be, to learn what is meant by this holy Action. Now this Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was ordained for a continual Commemoration of the Sacrifice of Chrift's Death, and of the Benefits we receive thereby. Our Saviour, by fuffering Death upon the Cross, made a full, perfect, and fufficient Sacrifice, Oblation and Satisfaction for the Sins of the whole World; and as He intercedes for us, by |