solves but to do what he can to please God, and to gain His favour, such a person is in a way of salvation, and may come, and ought to come, to the holy Sacrament, and will be a worthy communicant.

And the reason is this: whatever grace or saving knowledge, the best of us have, it is all God's gift. Those to whom God has given much, from them He will require much, and He will be well pleased with little from them to whom He has given little; only this He requires from all, that they should use the grace He gives.

For this is God's way of dealing with men: they that make use of His grace and favour shall have more, and they that neglect it shall be left to themselves.

Now, since faith and the grace of God are ordinarily wrought in our hearts by preaching the Word; I will lay the Word of God plainly before you, that you may see the necessity and the advantage of doing these things, which are required of them that come to the Lord's Supper. And may His good blessing make His own word effectual for the conversion of those that do not yet see their duty?

It may be, you do not find your heart sensible of the great evil and danger of sin, and therefore you cannot truly repent of it. But do but consider what it is to sin: that it is to break the laws of the God of heaven, who has declared, that He will call all men to an account, and give to every man according to his works; and they that have done evil and do not repent, shall perish, shall go into everlasting misery, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. Now, is this a condition that any man in his right mind can be easy in?

On the other side, do but consider what it is to repent: it is to confess that I am indeed a sinful creature, that I have broken the laws of God, but that for the future I will strive against sin, and endeavour to do what I believe God would have me to do, that He may forgive me according to His promise, that He may be gracious to me, and bless me here, and that I may be for ever happy in heaven.

Are not these good reasons why one should earnestly pray to God that He would give us grace to repent, and why we should strive to forsake every evil way?

SERM. LXXVII.

Now, this is the first thing required of those that come to the Lord's Supper.

The second is, that we purpose in our hearts to live like Christians. And sure any man who believes that this is the only way to be happy for ever, will be inclined to do so. There are difficulties, it is true, in a Christian life; but then God, who commands us to live well, can and will enable us to overcome them, if we earnestly desire His help, and do the best we can.

And in the next place, will it not be very natural for us to have a thankful remembrance of Christ's death, when we consider that it is for the sake of Christ's death that God will be merciful unto us, and forgive us our sins?

And lastly; shall we not very cheerfully forgive all that have injured us, when we are asking God to forgive our great offences against Him? Shall we expect a share of God's love, and afford none to our fellow-creatures? Shall God give us a share of the good things of this world, and shall not we give a part to those poor creatures to whom He has denied these blessings?

The meanest capacities must see that these things are fit and necessary to be done. And they that are most apt to fear must be satisfied that there is no danger of receiving unworthily, if a man does but mean well, and do his duty to the best of his power. Such a one may have his fears, but he cannot possibly be in danger, no more than a dutiful son can be in danger from a kind father, who sees him doing his best to please him.

It is required, indeed, that every body should come to the Sacrament with a quiet conscience; that is, he should be satisfied in his conscience that he is sorry for his offences against God and man; that he purposes to do his duty to both for the time to come, to the best of his power, as God shall enable him; and lastly, he is to be satisfied, that if he is sincere in this God will be just to His promise; He will pardon, and assist, and bless him.

IV. And therefore, in the last place, generally speaking, whatever it is that hinders people from coming to the Sacrament, will hinder them from going to heaven. I say, generally speaking, for there may be people under such invincible

scruples or melancholy as may hinder them from coming to the Sacrament, and yet such as God in mercy will pardon; for He knows the secrets of men's hearts. But these cases are few, and those many people who neglect the Lord's Supper, do it for such reasons as will shut them out of heaven if they do not repent and amend.

Such are these following: a downright carelessness, or an indifference about religion, and the great concern of their souls. Or, secondly, an uneasiness to look into the errors of their lives past. Or, thirdly, an unwillingness to reform for the time to come. Or, lastly, an imperfect resolution, that some time or other they will repent, and do what they ought, and so come to the Sacrament.

Whatever is pretended, these are for the most part the true reasons why people neglect to come to the holy Sacrament. And it is too plain that these are reasons which will keep a man out of heaven, as well as from the Lord's Supper.

I should not pretend to say that these are the true reasons of men's staying from the Sacrament, if their hearts were known; but that I know, by sad experience, that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; and will deceive us by pretending that we have reasons for not doing our duty, when very often we have none, but an unwillingness to do what God has commanded.

But this will justify what I have said. If people really have scruples, and are concerned for their salvation, they will endeavour to have them removed some time. They have frequent notice, and are desired to do so, that they may receive with a quiet mind. And if they do not come to be satisfied, it is not any real scruple, but a real fault, a corrupt heart, which will keep them out of heaven. And therefore, I do testify against all such persons as shall wilfully neglect this ordinance, that if they do not apply themselves for satisfaction, they have truly no scruples; but either they are under the power of a sinful life, and are unwilling to repent, or they are careless of themselves and God's ordinances.

I shall only add a few words upon this particular, to shew how much to blame people are for making scruples where there really are none.

SERM.

LXXVII.

18, &c.

One saith, I am not so well prepared as I ought, or as I could wish to be. Why now, learn from God's Word what you ought to do under such fears as these.

The passover was one of the Jewish sacraments, which they were to eat after having duly prepared themselves. 2 Chron. 30. Now we find, that "a multitude of people had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written but Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people." From whence it is plain, that if a man does but set his heart truly to seek God, God will pardon a great many imperfections besides.

But suppose a person has reason for staying some time from this duty; that reason ought not to hinder him a second time. Hear what God appointed to be done in a like case.

The people of Israel are strictly commanded [Numb. ix.] to keep the passover on the fourteenth of the first month; but if any person knew himself not prepared, according to the words of the law, to come then; he was not to fail to come the fourteenth of the second month, or else that soul was to be cut off. Here is a plain direction.

But, saith another, I do not find myself sufficiently humbled for my sins. But you know whether you desire to be so; if you do so in good earnest, you ought to go to the Sacrament; because humility, being God's gift, you are sure to find it in His own way.

But I am, say you, not sure that I can forsake my sins. You are, however, sure that you must leave them some time, or you are undone for ever. Something you can do towards it. You can pray to God to enable you; and let any man be assured of this, that he who against his inclinations forces himself to go to the Lord's Supper, purely because he finds himself unable to keep God's commandments, such a person [Matt. 11. is better prepared than he is aware of. "Come unto Me,"

28.]

saith Christ, "all that travail, and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you."

Here is true faith to come to God, and to depend upon Him for help. For be assured that it is more acceptable to God to do what we can than to do nothing. This the Word of God has decided in that parable where the slothful servant is sent to a severe punishment, because he would not stir one foot to improve his talent, because he was afraid he should not please his lord.

But my heart has deceived me, and I find that, notwithstanding my former purposes, I have fallen into sin. And you desire to know what to do? You shall be judge yourself: a son promises his father never to disobey him; but afterwards he does. What is it that the father expects from this son? Why, that he should renew his promise, and endeavour to observe it better afterwards. Why now, God is our Father, and knows our infirmities, and pities us, and loves us, more than any man alive can love his son. And will not He forgive us, as often as we mean well?

This is our comfort in the midst of our imperfections, that God expects no more from us than He will enable us to do; but this He doth expect from all of us,-that we be sincere in what we profess, and that we go to Him for help.

By the sacrament of baptism, God is pleased to enter into covenant with us; we are made Christians, and are dedicated to God almost as soon as we are born. And that we may not lose the benefit of such an early dedication, the Church of God has provided, that as soon as we are capable of understanding our duty, we shall make good what was promised for us by solemnly taking it upon ourselves before the congregation.

Now, because it is possible for those who have thus engaged themselves to God's service to forget their vows; therefore has our Lord appointed another Sacrament, that of the Lord's Supper, in memory of His death; that in the conscientious use of this, men may satisfy the world and their own consciences that they continue to be members of Christ's Church, &c.

But that men may not dissemble with God and His Church, in coming to this Sacrament without full purposes of living like Christians, God has declared, that the danger is great of those who shall presume to receive unworthily;