31. For if we would judge ourselves,

should not be judged. we

32. But when we are judged, we are chaften

ed of the Lord, that we

should not be condem

ned with the World.

But if we would difcriis, by our difcriminating the minate (g) ourselves, that, Ufe of the Lord's Supper, we should not be judged; that is, punished by God. But being punished by the Lord, we are corrected that we may not be nished with the unbelieving World.

pu

Every intelligent Reader must be convinced that it is now impoffible for any Christian Communicant to be guilty of the Crime for which the Corinthians, to whom St. Paul directed his Epiftle, was punished; and that their Punishment was not Damnation, in the common Acceptation of the Word, but Correction, by inflicting temporal Evils, for their Reformation; or, at the higheft, Death, by way of Terror to others. And therefore I cannot but wonder that the Compilers of our Liturgy, who were certainly Men of great Learning and Judgment, as well as Piety, fhould put a wrong Translation of those Paffages, which they took from St. Paul, into the Exhortation, because it must needs lead unlearned People into Errors, and difcourage them from communicating. This is both a natural Confequence, and a known Fact. If

(g) The Word that we render judge, does never bear that Senfe, but always fignifies to diftinguish, or difcriminate; and in this Place it has the fame Signification, and means the fame Thing that it does Ver. 29.

If Mr. Locke's, or fome other fhort Explanation were printed and difperfed in Parishes, it might do good. In the mean Time it is to be hoped, that the Clergy will not be wanting from the Pulpit, and in private, rightly to inform their Parishioners; though this cannot be fo effectual as having a little printed Account, that they may read over leifurely, by themselves, and weigh it well.

Having fhewn that we cannot receive the Sacrament unworthily, in St. Paul's Sense of the Word, after the Example of the Corinthians, let us enquire into the other Sort of Unworthi ness, which confifts in being unfit to receive, for want of the proper Qualifications. As I did be. fore, in relation to the Nature, &c. of the Sacra!ment, I fhall give the Senfe of our Church, as we find it plainly delivered in the Catechism, and in the Communion Service. The Catect men is afked this Queftion: What is required of them who come to the Lord's Supper? The Anfwer is, To examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former Sins, ftedfaftly purpofing to lead a New Life, have a lively Faith in God's Mercy through Chrift, with a thankful Remembrance of his Death, and be in Charity with all Men. In the fhort Exhortation (in the Communion Service) immediately preceding the Confeffion, it fays, " Ye that do truly and earnestly

repent you of your Sins, and are in Love and Charity with your Neighbours, and intend to lead a new Life, following the Commandments of God, and walking from henceforth

"in his holy Ways; draw near with Faith, " and take this holy Sacrament to your Com"fort." Nay, in the other Exhortation, where the terrifying Paffages are inferted, there follows immediately a fufficient Answer to them, and fuch as would effectually make timorous People eafy, if their Terrors would fuffer them coolly to attend to it. "Repent you truly for your "Sins paft; have a lively and ftedfaft Faith in "Chrift our Saviour; amend your Lives, and "be in perfect Charity with all Men; fo fhall "ye be meet Partakers of thofe holy Mysteries." All these three Paffages give a right Account of the requifite Qualifications for a worthy Recep tion of the Sacrament. And now I would defire any one to inform me what there is in thefe Requifites that are not as neceffary Qualifications for our daily Devotions? If we confess our Sins without a fincere Sorrow for them, ftedfastly purpofing to lead a new Life, it is impudent Hypocrify. Unless we be in Charity with all Men, we are not qualified to afk Forgiveness of God; or, if we have the Affurance to afk it, it will be great Folly to expect it. We are commanded to put up all our Petitions in the Name of Chrift; but without ftedfast Faith in his Merits, and a thankful Remembrance of his Death, we have no Right to make Ufe of his Name, or to the Benefits of his Suffering for us: So that if any one be not fit to receive the Sacrament, he is not fit to fay his daily Prayers; and, if fo, he is not in a State of Salvation, whether he does, or does not, come to the Sacrament. If a Perfon wilfully

wilfully commits a Sin, unless he repents of it, it will damn him, though he stays away from the Sacrament. I will venture to affirm, that there is not any one Qualification for making us meet Partakers of that holy Inftitution, but what would have been the conftant Duty of every Cbriftian, if there had been no fuch Inftitution appointed. Self-examination is a daily Duty, a Duty abfolutely neceffary to a Chriftian Life; and therefore, Heads of Self-examination should not be printed in Preparation Books without a Caveat against Miftakes. I am fatisfied, this has led many Perfons to flatter themselves, that unlefs they come to the Sacrament they are not obliged to perform the irkfome Tafk of looking into themselves; but, unless they do it daily, and at fome folemn Times more fully, they cannot be good Chriftians. WHEN this more folemn Examination is to be made, no one can prescribe to another, because it depends upon Leifure and Opportunity. There cannot be a more proper Opportunity than before we receive the Sacrament; but, if we have an Opportunity to receive when we cannot do the other, the Sacrament ought not to be neglected on that Account. Indeed, thofe Preparation Books, for want of a proper Caution, have done great Mifchief in another Refpect; they have induced many well meaning People to think that unless they have Time to go through fuch a Course of private Meditations, and Devotions, they cannot be qualified. I have no Inclination to discourage the Duties of the Closet, which I have elsewhere

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preffingly

preffingly recommended: They are Duties of themselves, without any Regard to the Sacrament, and abfolutely neceffary to a CHRISTIAN Life. Where People have Leifure, and Opportunity, to work up their Minds to as high a Pitch of Piety as poffible, by Meditation and Prayer, before they go to the Altar, it is very right to do it. But, this actual Preparation cannot, at all Times, be of abfolute Neceffity. Where People have not Leifure for it an habitual Preparation is fufficient; and, without that habitual Preparation, all the actual Preparation in the World will fignify nothing: If they be habitually prepared, they are always prepared; for the Sacrament, as well as for their daily Prayers. That this actual Preparation is not, at all Times, neceffary is evident, to Demonstration, from the Practice of the firft Chriftians, who received it every Time they met together for publick Worship: But I will bring the Argument home to their Conception by an Inftance. Suppose a Perfon upon, a fick Bed thould fend to the Minifter, or Curate, to come and give him the Sacrament, and the Minifter fhould defire to be excused, because he had not Time to prepare himself by a Course of private Meditation and Devotion. What would his Parishioner think? Now if an habitual Preparation be fufficient to qualify him, why not any of his People, upon fuch fudden Occafions? If not, the unhappy Perfon muft die without the Comfort of the Sacrament, for, none of the Parish could be qualified to communicate with him: But, if any one, or

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