of us is too much neglected; and that is, the taking all Opportunities of coming to the Holy Sacrament.

I have often spoken to you about this Matter, and I now defire to remind you of it. There are little Hopes you will ever make any great Progrefs in Vertue and Holiness, till you can bring yourselves to a frequent and conftant Participation in this Holy Mystery. Because, indeed, this is the folemn Ordinance that Chrift hath appointed for the conveying his Grace to us, and enabling us to overcome our Sins, and grow daily in Vertue and Goodnefs.

I know we have generally many and inveterate Prejudices, to this Matter. But affure yourselves, they are meer Prejudices, and no good Reasons. Every Man that means or defigns honeftly, and endeavours to lead his Life as a Chriftian ought to do, inay certainly, with as little Scruple, come every Month to the Communion, as he may come every Week to say his Prayers, or hear a Sermon. Nay, and I fay further, if a Man do not fo lead his Life, that he may approach to the Sacrament every Month, nay, every Week, nay, every Day, if there be Occafion; I am afraid that he doth not live fo, as to be fit for it, though he comes but once in a Year, or once in Seven Years. For the Duenefs of your Preparation doth not depend upon your setting afide so many extraordinary Days for the forc ing yourselves into a Religious Pofture of Mind, but upon the plain Natural Frame and

Temper

Temper of your Souls, as they conftantly ftand inclined to Vertue and Goodnefs. A Man that serioufly endeavours to live honeftly and religiously, may come to the Sacrament at an Hour's Warning, and be a worthy Receiver. On the other fide, a Man that lives a careless or a fenfual Life, may fet apart a whole Week, or a whole Month, for the exercifing Repentance, and preparing himself for the Communion, and yet not be fo worthy a Receiver as the other: And yet he may be a worthy Receiver too, provided he be really honeft and fincere in the Matter he goes about; and provided that he remember his Vows afterward, and do not fink again into his former State of Carelefnefs and Senfuality,

But to return to my Point. I do verily think that most of the Doubts and Fears and Scruples that are commonly entertained among us, about Receiving the Sacrament, are without Ground or Reafon; and that every welldifpofed Perfon, that hath no other Design in that Action, but to do his Duty to God, and to express his Belief and Hopes in Jefus Chrift, and his Thankfulness to God for him, may as fafely at any Time come to the Lord's Table, as he may come to Church to say his Prayers. And if the Cafe be fo, (as I believe it is) then of what a mighty Privilege and Benefit do they deprive themselves, who, when they have fo many Opportunities, do fo feldom join in that folemn Inftitution of our Lord, which (as I faid) was defigned for no

other

other Purpose, but to be the Means of our growing in Grace and Vertue, in Love to God and to all the World?

O therefore, my Brethren, let me beg of you not to be Strangers at the Lord's Table. But I need not beg it of you; for I am fure you will not, whenfoever it fhall please God to put it into your Hearts feriously to mind the Concernments of your Souls; and to be heartily fenfible of the Need you stand in of the Grace of Chrift, for the leading a holy and pure Life.

I have but one Thing more in the Sixth Place, to leave with you, and I have done. It is not indeed of the Nature of those Things I have laft recommended to you, that is, a Means or Inftrument of growing more Vertuous; but it is a principal Virtue itself: And I do therefore recommend it to you, because it is at all Times ufeful, at all Times feafonable, but more especially it feems to be fo now; and that is, That you would walk in Love, and ftudy Peace and Unity, and live in all dutiful Subjection to thofe whom God hath fet over you; and endeavour in your publick Stations, to promote the publick Happinefs and Tranquillity, as much as is poffible: But by no means, upon any Pretence whatfoever, to disturb the publick Peace, or to be any way concerned with them that do; by no means ever to engage in any Party or Faction, and leaft of all, any Faction in Religion which is grounded upon a State-Point.

I am forry the Pofture of Things among us gives me Occafion to mention this Matter; but it is too visible, to what a Height our Animofities and Discontents are grown; and what the Confequences of them may be, unless there be a timely Stop put to them, I tremble to think.

With Mens Differences as to their Notions about Politicks, I am not concerned; let Men frame what Hypothefes they please about Government, though I do not like them, yet I do not think myself bound to Preach against them: But when these Differences are come to that pass, that they threaten both the Civil and Ecclefiaftical Peace; there I think no Minifter fhould be filent.

Church-Divifions, God knows, we have, and have always had too many; but it is very grievous, that thofe who have always declared themselves the Friends of our Church, and Enemies to Schifm, fhould, at this time of Day, fet a helping Hand to promote a Separation.

And yet it feems to this Height are our Differences come. Some People among us that formerly were very zealous for the Established Worship of the Church, are now, all of a fudden, fo diftafted with it, that they make a Scruple of being prefent at our Service. Nay, fome have proceeded fo far, as to declare, know not upon what Grounds, open War against us, and fet up Separate Congregations in Oppofition to the Publick.

What is the Meaning of this? Hath Schifm and Separation from the Established Worship,

which heretofore was branded as fo heinous a Sin (and deservedly too,) fo changed its Nature all of a fudden, that it is become not only innocent, but a Duty?

Have we not the fame Government both in Church and State, that we formerly had? Have we not the fame Articles and Doctrines of Religion publickly owned and profeffed and taught, without the leaft Alteration? Have we not the fame Liturgy, the fame Offices and Prayers ufed every Day, that have always been? What is there then to ground a Separation upon?

1

Yes, But the Names in the Prayers are changed, and we cannot Pray for thofe that are now in Authority, as we could for thofe that were heretofore.

But how unreafonable is this, when St. Paul has bid us to put up Prayers and Supplications and Interceffions for all Men; efpecially for Kings, and all that are in Authority. Doth he make any Restriction, any Diftinction, what Kings, or what Perfons in Authority we are to Pray for, and what not? Doth he not exprefly fay, we muft Pray for all Men, and for all that are in Authority? And doth not the Reafon of this Exhortation imply as much, if his Words did not? Namely, that we may lead quiet and peaceable Lives, in all Godliness and Honesty.

But I pray confider what this Doctrine leads to. If this Principle be admitted to be good Divinity, then farewell all the Obligations to Ecclefiaftical Communion among Chriftians For what Government is there in the World, that will not meet with fuch Subjects