to Him, and our resolution to continue His faithful servants, for His mercies bestowed upon us.

And indeed it was for this reason that Jesus Christ ordained this holy Sacrament, that Christians, being often called upon, and obliged to remember the love of their dying Saviour, His bitter passion, the occasion of His death, the misery they have escaped, and the happiness He has purchased for them, might love Him with all their heart and soul; and that doing this as often as ever they should have an opportunity, their love might increase unto their lives' end.

May not one therefore conclude, without any great uncharitableness, that such as do lightly turn their backs upon this ordinance, DO NOT INDEED LOVE THE LORD JESUS; and that, according to St. Paul's direction, they ought to be ANATHEMA, that is, separated from the communion of the faithful.

And though this would be called great severity at this time, yet this was the practice of the primitive Church, and it was agreeable to the Law of the Passover, the great figure of Christ's death, and by God's express command; that is, Numb. 9. that whoever did neglect to observe the Passover, in remembrance of their deliverance out of Egypt, THAT SOUL SHOULD BE CUT OFF from among the people of Israel.

And verily, a Christian, who understands and considers the importance of this ordinance, and is not hindered by some very evil habit, or by having fallen into some scandalous sin, will no more turn his back upon the Lord's Table, than he will dare to deny the God that made him, or the Saviour who redeemed him.

Here are so many reasons to shew the importance, the blessing, and the necessity of observing this ordinance, that it will be needless to urge any more to such as have any true concern for their salvation.

This, therefore, being a duty and ordinance, which every Christian is obliged to as he hopes for salvation, to shew his love of Christ, by commemorating His death after the manner He has appointed, the duty must of necessity be such as every Christian, even the most unlearned, is capable of understanding, and performing worthily.

And indeed so it is. For as the most unlearned Israelite

13.

SERM. under the law, when he was commanded to bring his sacriLXXVI. fice to the altar, to lay his hand upon the head of the beast, Lev. 1. 4. confessing his sins over him; as he did very easily understand, that this was to put him in mind, that death was the punishment due to sin, that he himself deserved the death that that creature was going to suffer, that it was great mercy in God that He would accept such a sacrifice for his sin, which yet he had good hopes he would do, since He Himself had ordained it: as he would very easily perceive, that all this was designed, as a very powerful motive, to humble him before God; to give him an abhorrence of sin, which could not be forgiven without the loss of the life of an innocent creature; and lastly, that it was intended to lead him to the love of God, who would be reconciled to him upon such gracious terms: I say, the most ignorant Israelite could understand this end of sacrifices, and perform the duty required of him, as well as the most learned master in Israel.

John 6. 56.

Even so, every Christian, even the most unlearned, is capable of understanding (if it be not plainly his own fault), and of performing, all the duties of a worthy communicant.

For when he is informed, that this is the true Christian sacrifice, the only means of rendering our persons and all our prayers acceptable to God, of obtaining the pardon of our sins, the assistance of God's grace, and everlasting happiness after death: when he sees that done before his eyes that Jesus Christ Himself did; who, the same night in which He was betrayed, having devoted Himself an offering and a sacrifice to God for the sins of the whole world, did institute this holy Sacrament, by taking bread and wine, and blessing them, and making them, by that blessing, the true representatives of His Body and Blood, in virtue and power, as well as in name:

When he is made sensible, that this service was ordained by Christ Himself, not only as a testimony of His great love for His poor creatures, but as a means whereby He would communicate all the benefits of that death which He was then going to suffer; and by which He would apply the merits of His death to all people and ages of the world:

Lastly; when he is assured, even from Christ Himself, that whoso eateth and drinketh this His flesh and blood after

this holy manner, dwelleth in Christ and Christ in him; that such a one has a right to eternal life, and that God will raise him up at the last day:

Let a man, I say, be never so unlearned, yet he will easily understand, that he is not to look upon, and receive this bread and wine as common food, but as holy representatives of Christ's Body and Blood, made such by an especial blessing of God; that he is to receive it in remembrance of the death of Christ, and to believe assuredly, that the blessing of God will attend his doing so; for it being God's own ordinance, He cannot but bless it, and him who observes it.

And when he is informed, that the Lord Jesus commanded this service to be observed until His coming again, (that is, to judge the world,) he will easily conclude, that he ought to prepare himself against that day, by this holy ordinance, that he may meet his Lord and Judge as a friend, at whose table he has been so often received and entertained.

A Christian, I say again, let him be never so unlearned, will easily see, that this holy Sacrament is most proper to prepare him for that great day, and the account he is then to give; that it is designed to humble him, to bring him to repentance, to make him fearful of offending God, and to make him very thankful for all His mercies.

It will put him often in mind of the sad effects of the fall of man, and of the sin occasioned thereby; since no less a sacrifice than the death of Christ would satisfy the justice of God.

He will easily see what he must expect, if he lives and dies in sin unrepented of, even the severest punishment.

He will easily perceive, that these are blessed opportunities, and never to be lost, of renewing his baptismal covenant, which he knows he has broken, and of making his peace with God.

For he cannot but be convinced, that it must be one of the most prevailing arguments with the Divine Majesty, to represent unto Him the death of His Son, who died to redeem us, and to restore us to His favour, beseeching Him to remember His Son's death in heaven, for our good, as we do on earth in obedience to His command.

And lastly, a Christian, let him be never so unlearned,

LXXVI.

SERM. must know, and be convinced, that the oftener he presents himself before God, to plead His Son's death, in this holy manner, the more pleasing it will be to God, the more graces he will receive from Him, the stronger will be his faith, the surer his hopes, and the firmer his pardon.

He will also very easily see, what duties are required to make him a worthy receiver of this Sacrament.

He will understand, for instance, that so solemn a service, and a service upon which his salvation depends, cannot be well performed without some thought and consideration.

And a very little consideration will convince him, that he must confess and forsake those sins, which cost Jesus Christ His life, to prevail with God to pardon them; that he is to go to the Sacrament with a full purpose of leading a Christian life; that if he does so, he may depend upon God's mercy through Jesus Christ; that the remembrance of Christ's death ought to be very dear to him; and that he is bound to forgive, and to love, and to do good to others, since God is so good and so kind to him.

Every Christian must see, and acknowledge, the necessity of these qualifications; and that whoever goes presumptuously to the Lord's Table without them, will receive a curse, instead of a blessing.

I say, presumptuously; that is, without thought, without concern, and without doing what he is able, to become a worthy communicant.

For this is our great comfort, that God expects no more of any man, but that he make an honest use of that measure of grace and light which He has given him.

If a man does so, though he may have his scruples, and his fears, yet he cannot be in danger, no more than a dutiful child can be in danger from a father who sees him doing his best to please him.

But, forasmuch as many are apt to go to the Lord's Table without due consideration; and too many do make the trouble of examining and preparing themselves a reason for their not going so often as they should do (that is, as often as they have an opportunity); it will be proper to consider, what preparation is required of those that would go worthily to the Lord's Supper.

Our Church has indeed given us a short and sure rule and answer to that question, provided we take pains to understand it; but the truth is, it is too often mistaken, both by those that are presumptuous, and by those that are lazy, and not disposed to consider.

By the presumptuous, it is made a matter of mere form; and by the lazy it is looked upon as a burden, and to be avoided as much as possible. Both these are greatly mistaken, and betray a very great disregard for their own souls. And this we shall plainly see, now we come to consider, what preparation is required of them who go to the Lord's Supper.

And the first step to a good preparation is, TO EXAMINE

OURSELVES WHETHER WE REPENT US TRULY OF OUR FORMER

SINS.

Now, it is to be hoped that every Christian, who has had any tolerable instruction, was, before he first received this Sacrament, made sensible of the meaning and design of this ordinance; and that it was intended to give Christians an opportunity of renewing, and laying claim to, that covenant which our gracious God has made with man. Which covenant is, that God, on His part, will upon our repentance pardon all our sins, give us all necessary grace and assistance to do what He requires of us, and make us happy for ever, on condition that we, on our part, do forsake all our sins; that we sincerely endeavour to avoid every thing that we believe will displease God, and with the same sincerity endeavour to do what He has commanded us.

Any Christian, who was made sensible of this, would easily see, how necessary it was, that he SHOULD EXAMINE HIMSELF before he should presume to receive that Sacrament; that is, that he should look into the state of his soul, and see whether he had in any good measure, on his part, observed the conditions of this covenant, whether he had lived a sober and a Christian life.

And forasmuch as a great deal depends upon this enquiry, even the salvation of our souls, a Christian will not think it too much trouble to examine himself after some such way as this:

Have I considered, that this life is a state of trial; that we are upon our good behaviour, and that we shall be happy