11 Kings of the earth and all people: princes and all judges of the world;

12 Young men and maidens, old men and children, praise the Name of the Lord: for his Name only is excellent and his praise above heaven and earth.

13 He shall exalt the horn of his people, all his faints fhall praise him: even the children of Ifrael, even the people that ferveth him.

+

Pfalm 149. Cantate Domino.

Sing unto the Lord a new fong: let the congregation of

faints

him.

O

2 Let Ifrael rejoice in him that made him: and let the children of Sion be joyful in their King.

3 Let them praise his Name in the dance: let them fing praifes unto him with tabret and harp.

4 For the Lord hath pleasure in his people: and helpeth the meek-hearted.

5 Let the faints be joyful with glory: let them rejoice in their beds.

6 Let the praises of God be in their mouth: and a two-edged fword in their hands;

7 To be avenged of the heathen: and to rebuke the people; 8 To bind their kings in chains: and their nobles with links of iron.

9 That they may be avenged of them, as it is written: Such honour have all his faints.

* Pfalm 150. Laudate Dominum.

O

Praise God in his holiness: praise him in the firmament of his power.

+ This Pfalm is a Song upon fome fignal Victory, and fome great Exploits done by the Jews, and therefore it probably relates to the Davidical Times, when

they made the greateft figure, and gained the most con fiderable Victories.

This Pfalm, which is the laft, is all rapture and

A a

2 Praise him in his noble acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

3 Praise him in the found of the trumpet: praise him upon the lute and harp.

4 Praise him in the cymbals and dances: praise him upon the ftrings and pipe.

5 Praife him upon the well tuned the loud cymbals.

6 Let every thing that hath breath: praise the Lord.

tranfport, and feems to have been penn'd on purpose to be a conclufion of the facred Songs, to fhew what is the

cymbals: praife him upon

defign of them all, that is to affift us in praifing God, in which let us all unite now and for ever more:

Wherein thofe FEARS and SCRUPLES ·

About Eating and Drinking Unworthily,

AND OF

Incurring our own DAMNATION thereby,

Are proved Groundlefs and Unwarrantable.

Whereunto are added

PRAYERS and MEDITATIONS

Preparotary to a SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION,

Agreeable to what

The Church of England requires from her COMMUNICANTS.

SHEFFIELD; Printed for W: WARD.

4

THE

PREF A CE

t

THE HE ufual Reafon which Men affign for their not coming fo often to the Holy Sacra ment as they would do, is their Fear of eating and drinking unworthily, and confequently, af, incurring their own Damnation thereby. The Defign then of this foort Difcourfe is, to bra what Sacramental Preparation is, which is abfolutely necessary to qualify Men for a warthy Parti cipation of the Lord's Supper, that fo Men may come without the leaft Fear of eating and drinking Damnation to themselves: For which purpose, I conceive no Rule, no Instruction more fafe, eafyl and instructive, than that of our Church Catechism, which I have endeavoured tɔ explain, and to accomodate for the Uje and Benefit of the meanest Capacity.

The concluding Part of this Difcourfe contains Prayers and Meditations preparative to a Eatramental Preparation; and though they be few in Number, yet I hope they fully answer all these feveral Parts of a Communicant's Duty, according to that Rule and Standard which our Church has fixed for our Guide and Companion to the holy Altar. By the Addition of those Paims, and proper Lessons annexed to each particular Prayer and Meditation, the Communicant may enlarge bis Devotions to what Degree or Length he pleafeth. By which Method you have as much Matter for actual Preparation in this little Book, as in any other Difcourfe of this Nature whatfoever.

A

COMPANION to the ALTAR.

LL. thofe Bleffings which we now enjoy, and hope hereafter to receive from Almighty God, are purchafed for us, and must be obtaine1 through the merits and interceffion of the holy JESUS, who has "instituted and ordained Holy myfteries, as pledges of his love, and "for a continual remembrance of his death and paffion, to our great and endless comfort." Luke xxii. 19. 1 Cor. xì. 24. But then we must remember, that these benefits and bleffings, which the Son of God has purchased for us, are no where promifed, but upon condition that we ourselves are firft duly qualified for them. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is a folemn ratification of our Baptifmal Covenant, where in God for his part hath faithfully promifed "pardon "and remiffion of fins to all true penitents," and we for our parts are therein folemnly bound to be faithful and obedient unto him, 2 Tim. ii. 19. Before then we can promile to ourselves any benefit or advantage from the participation of this folemn Rite and Covenant between God and us, we must endeavour (what in us lies) to poffefs our Souls with all thote divine qualifications which this Sacrament of the Lord's Supper requires to render us worthy partakers thereof.

And what thofe are, it is the defign of this difcourfe to enquire; wherein I fhall endeavour to fhew what that Preparation of heart and mind is, which muft difpofe us for a worthy participation of the bleffed Sacrament: and herein I hope to remove all thofe Fears and Scruples which arife in our minds, about "Eating and ❤ Drinking unworthily, and of incurring our own Damnation thereby," as groundless and unwarrantable; and to do this I fhall take occafion to explain that part of our CHURCH CATECHISM, defignedly intended for our inftruction, with relation to this duty of a Sacramental Préparation; namely,

*

2 What is required of them who come to the Lord's Supper?"

A

A. "To examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former "fins, 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 to be in chari

"c

ty with all men. This is that Sacramental Preparation which our Church (in as few words as is poffible) hath provided for our Companion or Guide to the Holy Altar. The duty then of a devout Communicant confifteth in these fix following particulars Self-Examination; to examine themfelves. 2. Repentance towards God; whether they repent them truly of their former fins. 3. Holy purposes or refolutions of a new life; Stedfaftly purpofing to lead a new life. 4 Faith in God's Mercy through Chrift; to have a lively faith, &c. 5. A thankful remembrance of his death. 6thly and laftly, Unfeigned love or charity for all mankind; and to be in charity with all men.

The firft Part then of a Communicant's Duty is Self-Examination: A duty not