LXXVI.

SER M. or miserable for ever, as we behave ourselves well or ill in this world? that the design of the Christian religion is, to make us holy, that we may be capable of being happy; and that God, who sent me into the world, sent me to glorify Him by an holy life? that He sees all my actions, hears all my words, and knows the very secrets of my heart? that therefore I ought not, at the peril of my soul, to do any thing which I believe will displease Him? that I ought to love God above all things, since it is from Him I expect, and hope, to be made happy? that if I do love Him above all things, I shall always speak of Him with the greatest reverence, honour His name, His word, His day, His ministers, and every thing that belongs to Him? and lastly, that I ought to trust in Him, to pray to Him daily, to give Him thanks, and to submit to all His dealings with me?

If I am conscious to myself that I have not considered these things so seriously as I should have done, and consequently, that I have not feared, and loved, and honoured, and worshipped this great God, as His majesty and my duty required me to do; why then I shall most humbly beg His pardon, and His gracious assistance, that I may do it better for the time to come.

And forasmuch as I ought to make the law and will of God, as far as it is known to me, the rule of my life and actions, I am bound to examine myself, whether I have really done so? Whether I have not hitherto lived in any known sin; been subject to any evil habit, either of lying, or swearing, or intemperance, or impurity, or an idle and an useless life? Whether I do honour my betters, and especially such as have the care of my soul; and do obey the lawful commandments of my superiors? Whether I do indeed love my neighbour, and have neither injured, hurt, or wronged him, in body, goods, or good name; nor taken advantage either of his ignorance or necessities? Whether I have been content with my condition, neither envying that of others, nor endeavouring to better my own by unjust ways?

A Christian, who finds himself faulty in any of these things, will, before he goes to the Lord's Table, sincerely repent of his sin; that is, he will beg God's pardon, and His grace, that he may know and do his duty more faithfully,

most seriously purposing to lead a new, that is, a Christian life.

In order to this, he will take care to avoid all temptations to such sins as he has been most subject to. If through frailty or any violent temptation he happen to fall into sin, he will forthwith confess and forsake it, and be more careful for the future. And, knowing that without God's especial grace all his best purposes will come to nothing, he will be careful to beg that grace and assistance every day of his life.

And that he may be more sensible of the least thing that may displease God, he will endeavour to keep his conscience tender and awake; and keep a watch over himself, that he may not fall into the sins he has repented of.

Now, if this be done sincerely when a person first receives this Sacrament, why then to examine himself every time after is to consider and see whether his life has been answerable to this good beginning?

If so, why then he is, as to his repentance, very well qualified to receive the Lord's Supper worthily, as often as he can have an opportunity.

But if, upon looking into the state of his soul, he finds that he has fallen into any wilful sin; that he has been led away by his lusts, and has used no just endeavours to master them, he must, as he hopes for mercy, take care that his repentance be more sincere: that is, he must lay himself under much stricter obligations, he must make his repentance bear some proportion to the sin of backsliding, and, by fasting and self-denial, make his return to sin more frightful and uneasy, and a Christian life more welcome, and to be embraced before the ways of sin, which require so painful a remedy, before he can hope for any safety.

The next step to a WORTHY PREPARATION is, to enquire into the nature of our faith, WHETHER WE HAVE A LIVELY FAITH IN GOD'S MERCY THROUGH CHRIST. A lively faith; that is, a faith which purifies the heart, a faith which produces obedience and good works; for that is the very life of faith, "Faith without works being dead."

Now, God's mercies to man through Jesus Christ are, forgiveness of sins to all that truly repent of them, the assist

[James 2.

20.]

LXXVI.

SERM. ance of His Holy Spirit to all such as do not grieve Him by their evil deeds, and a sure promise of eternal life and happiness to such as keep His commandments.

A man may indeed think that he believes these promises of God in Christ; but certainly he does but deceive his own heart, if his faith has not its natural fruits, which are, a sincere repentance, in hopes of pardon, an holy life, which alone can secure the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, and such an earnest desire after eternal life and happiness, as puts a man upon his best endeavours to attain them.

When a Christian, therefore, in order to prepare himself for the Lord's Supper, would examine into the truth of his faith, he ought to ask himself such questions as these: Has God's promise of pardon upon my repentance produced in me amendment of life? Do I find that I have been governed by God's good Spirit, by the assistance He has given me to lead a new, that is, a Christian life? And lastly, have I not been diverted from labouring after eternal life, by the false appearances of happiness which we meet with here?

Any Christian, who will but ask himself such questions as these, will easily know whether his faith in the mercies of God through Christ be such as it should be; that is, whether his faith has had its saving effects. If so, then he is always prepared for this holy ordinance.

The next enquiry a Christian is to make is, WHether he HAS A THANKFUL REMEMBRANCE AND SENSE OF CHRIST'S DEATH? And indeed, whoever will but consider how very sad our condition must needs be, when no less a sacrifice would satisfy the justice of our offended God, and restore us to His favour, than the death of His own Son: whoever considers this, cannot but remember that death with a very thankful heart; since, on account of that sacrifice, God is pleased to overlook the untowardness of our nature, to forgive us our sins, to look upon us as His children, to give us all the assistance we shall want; and, if we behave ourselves as becomes His children, He will, for His sake, make us happy for ever.

In short, Jesus Christ, by His death, has redeemed us from damnation. Whoever considers the meaning of that word, cannot but be very thankful. But then let us at the

same time remember, that, as we hope for any benefit by His death, we must suffer Him to redeem us from this present evil world, to make us holy, that we may become worthy to escape so great a misery.

The last enquiry which a Christian ought to make is this: WHETHER HE BE IN CHARITY WITH ALL MEN? And a very necessary enquiry this will appear to be, when we remember, that our acceptance with God, and our salvation, depend upon our having such a good-will towards all men, as becomes members of the same family, of the same body, of the same hope and faith.

Every serious Christian will therefore, before he goes to the Lord's Table, ask himself some such questions as these: Do I know of any person to whom I bear any grudge or illwill? Is there any person whom I have wronged, and to whom I ought to make satisfaction, as far as I am able? Have I any enemies, for whom I cannot and do not pray, and am not disposed to be reconciled to, and to forgive them? Am I ready to shew mercy and kindness to men, that I may be entitled to, and receive mercy from God? Do I pretend to value my soul, and think this too hard a condition?

I will therefore most gladly close with this condition of pardon which Jesus Christ has ordained; I will pray that God will inspire me with the grace of a forgiving temper; that I may live in union, peace, and charity, with all the world.

And now, Christians, you will easily understand who they are that go unworthily to the Lord's Table; and who bring judgments upon themselves by doing so. Even all such as

have no true sense of the blessing of a Redeemer, and consequently no true value or love for Jesus Christ; all such as live in any known sin; all such as are not sincerely resolved to live, and be governed, by the laws of God; all such as live at variance with their neighbours; all such as have done wrong, and do not make restitution and satisfaction according to their power; lastly, all such as go to the Sacrament in mere compliance with the laws and custom, without considering the ends and benefits of receiving: all such go unworthily to the Lord's Table, and return without a blessing.

SERM.
LXXVI. :

But that is not the worst. They bring an evil report upon the ordinances of God, as if no good, no grace, attended them. They harden sinners, confirm infidels, and bring down certain judgments upon themselves.

In short; it is according to the love that we have for Jesus Christ, according to the care we take to obey His commands, according to the sense we have of our deliverance by Him, from sin and hell, according to the love we have for all whom He has redeemed, for all His household and family, that we are worthy or unworthy communicants.

And this will best appear, not by the dispositions only with which we go to the Sacrament, but by the life we lead afterwards. For what an horrid crime must it be, to go to the Lord's Table, as Judas did, in order to betray our Lord! Or as those unthoughtful Jews did, who spread their garments before Him, and owned and proclaimed Him for their Messiah, and five days after called out to have Him crucified!

And so surely do they, who blaspheme God with the same mouth which a while ago received the pledges of His love in the blessed Sacrament, and pretended to give Him thanks for this great instance of His love to mankind.

So do they, who, forgetting all the resolutions, the promises, and vows they made at the altar, return again to their usual liberties; and having, as they vainly suppose, cleared off all old scores, go on, without any scruple, to contract new ones, in hopes of having them easily forgiven the next time they shall go to the Lord's Supper.

But, O blessed Jesus, was this Thy design in appointing this holy ordinance? Was it to encourage sinners to hope for pardon without amendment of life? Was it for this Thou sheddest Thy most precious blood, that men might sin with greater security?

O, no! But it was to convince us, how hateful sin is to God; how unqualified sinners are for heaven and happiness; how dreadful the condition of those is, who die in their sins unrepented of. It was to convince us of these truths and of Thine infinite concern for lost mankind, that Thou, O Christ, becamest a sacrifice for us; to restore us to the favour of our offended God, to prevail with God to accept of our