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of his authority, and our prayers also an abomination to the Lord; for, to profefs ourselves forry for our fins, and refolve to forfake them, when we have no fense of the one, nor are determined to do the other, is the greatest affront imaginable to our maker, by fuppofing either that he doth not know our hearts, or, that he will be pleased when we offer to him the facrifice of fools, in a multitude of words only.

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6. Nor doth the danger of unworthy receiving make it fafeft to abstain from receiving at all, or at leaft to come to receive but feldom; because the danger of neglecting and contemning a plain command of our Saviour is more hazardous to our falvation, than performing it without fome due qualification. The duty therefore being neceffary to be performed, (as I have shewn above on page 55) the true confequence we should draw from the danger of performing it unworthily, fhould be to excite ourfelves to great care and diligence in preparing ourselves for the due difcharge of it; but never to delude ourselves by false reasons to fuch a neglect as will certainly increase our condemnation.

7. Tho' our bufinefs be lawful in its own. nature, yet if it be profecuted to fuch a degree

Eccl. v. I.

as to take men off from the care of their fouls, it ought to be put off, when it interferes with this duty; because the falvation of our fouls is of much greater confequence than any affair that relates to this world; wife men proportion their care of a thing according to its worth; no prudent perfon will spend his time upon trifles, and neglect what may be of the greatest confequence to his foul. It must be owned that our fouls are of greater worth than our bodies, and that we must certainly find a timeto die, however careless and negligent we may be in making a due preparation for death. Befides, the care of temporal concerns and our duty to God are no ways inconfiftent, provided we govern our affairs by christian principles. A great deal of business and the duties of religion may ftand together. Tho' men of business have not leisure for fo

much actual preparation; yet they may have all that habitual preparation upon which the great ftrefs ought to be laid in this duty.

8. We are affured that the confcientious difcharge of our bufinefs is an admirable qualification for receiving the Lord's fupper. We ferve God when we follow our callings with diligence, and obferve juftice and equity in all

our

our dealings, when we manage the affairs of the publick with fidelity and honefty; without felling justice, without oppreffion, and without facrificing them to our private intereft and paffions. Befides, the greater dangers and temptations we are expofed to, the greater need we have of God's grace and affistance, which is abundantly communicated in this holy inftitution... Is it not prudent for those that travel in ways frequented by robbers, to go well armed and to unite companies, that they may be the better able to defend themselves? Thus the man of bufinefs, who has any ferious thoughts of another world, ought more efpecially to embrace all opportunities of receiving, it being best able to secure him against those dangers he daily converfes with, and to fortify him against thofe watchful enemies that lie in wait to deftroy his foul. Therefore as they, who have leifure, ought frequently to receive the holy communion, as the best improvement of their time; fo they that are engaged in many worldly affairs ought to learn how to fanctify their employments by coming often to this holy facrament.

9. The obligation that lies upon any chriftian to receive the holy communion is the plain and D 4

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pofitive command of our bleffed Saviour to do this in remembrance of him; which makes ita neceffary and perpetual duty incumbent upon all christians; and to live in the neglect of a plain law, of the author of our religion, is no way consistent with the character we profefs of being his difciples. The circumflances of this inftitution still bind us to have a great regard to it; for it was the laft command of our best friend and great benefactor, when he was about to lay down his life for our fakes.

Nevertheless great care must be taken, that when a man is habitually prepared, he do not then impofe upon himself so much actual preparation, as shall make him lose an opportunity of receiving the holy facrament, when he has not had time to go thro' with that method of devotion he has prefcribed to himself on

that occafion.

The Hymn for Tuesday Morning.

Of fure truft in GOD's grace through Jefus Christ. Fudge me, Lord, and prove my ways,

And try my reins, and try my heart

My faith upon thy promise stays,
Nor from thy law my feet depart.

I hate to walk, I hate to fit,
With men of vanity and lyes;

The

The fcoffer and the hypocrite

Are the abborrence of mine eyes.

Among thy faints will I appear soroq 20 ya
With bands well wash'd in innocence

But when I ftand before thy bar,

The blood of Chrift is my defence.

I love thy habitation, Lord,

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The temple where thy honour dwells* There fhall I hear thy holy word,

And there thy works of wonder tell.

Let not my foul be join'd at last
With men of treachery and blood,
Since I my days on earth have paft
Amongst the faints in fear of GOD.

Another..

WHen rifing from the bed of death,
O'erwhelm'd with guilt and fear,

I fee my Maker face to face,

O! bow fall l'appear

!

If yet, while pardon may be found,,

And mercy may be fought,

My heart with inward horror fhrinks,

And trembles at the thought.

When thou, O Lord, shalt ftand difclos'd

In Majefty fevereė,

And fit in judgment on my foul,

Ob! bow shall I appear!

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But

Pfalm xxvi. 2

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