Seventhly, This is a command which tends mightily to procure aud promote love and unity amongst chrftians, as has been before prov'd; and upon that account, challengeth a very particular regard and respect from us. Every member of a fociety is in an extraordinary manner obliged to pay a most exact obedience to those laws, which do more immediately concern the well-being of that fociety of which he profeffeth himself a member; and confequently every chriftian must lye under more than ordinary obligations to obey this command of Chrift, concerning this fupper, because the good of the christian church in general is very much concerned in it. It was defign'd, and is very fit to unite and bind the members of Chrift's church clofer and clofer together, and fo to ftrengthen the main body; and those, who will not join in this, defign plainly to betray the truft repofed in them, and, as far as they are able, defraud all their fellow members of those blessings of love, peace, mutual friendship, &c. which must have been the natural effects of their obedience in this point.

Laftly,

Laftly, This is a command, which we are often put in mind of. We hear of our obligations to it both from the desk, and from the pulpit; we read of them in the church catechifm, and have a fenfible remembrance of them, every now and then, at the communion table. We are frequently exhorted, intreated, and in the name of Christ commanded to attend his holy supper: we are told of the great danger of neglecting it, and both the mercies and terrors of the Lord are made ufe of to draw and compel us to it.

And now, if after all this, we ftill continue obftinate and undutiful, what can we expect but a punishment answerable to our obftinacy? A punishment that fhall no more relent than we have done, but, being deaf to all our prayers and cries for mercy, fhall with the fame continued torments prey upon us, and be to us the fad remembrancers of this fatal obftinacy to all eternity.

CHAP.

СНАР. ІІ.

Of Preparation for the Lord's Supper.

I

N difcourfing on this head, it will be convenient, from the very beginning, to dif tinguish betwixt necessary preparation, without which no man ought to come to the Lord's fupper, and fuch as is only expedient or advifeable under certain circumstances; it being plain from experience, that for want of this diftinction, men have been strangely confounded in their notions about this

matter.

To the necessary preparation, no doubt those words of St. Paul referr'd, Corinth. 11. 28. Let a man examine, try or prove himself, and fo let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup; because this is laid down at large, as a general rule to all christians; and it is here plainly fuppofed, that no man ought to eat of that

bread

bread and drink of that cup, who has not firft examined himself. Examined himfelf as to what? Our church tells us in few words, whether he repents him truly of his former fins, stedfaftly purpos ing to lead a new life, has a lively faith in God's mercy through Chrift, with thankful remembrance of his death, and is in charity with all men.

a

In which words three things are propounded as neceffary qualifications for the worthy receiving the Lord's fupper. First, a fincere and compleat repentance, which fhall not only look backwards with unfeigned forrow for our fins paft, but likewife forward, with ftedfaft purposes to lead a new life for the time to come. Secondly, a lively faith in God's mercy through Chrift, fuch a firm and hearty perfuafion and affurance of God's having redeemed us from fin and death by the death of Chrift, and of his having made our Lord and Mafter, and promis'd eternal life to us upon condition of our obedi ence to him, as fhall work in us a rea. diness of mind to ferve and obey him in all things, and more especially fhall difpose us to commemorate his death, with VOL. III. R

the

the highest gratitude and most affectionate thanksgiving. Lastly, An univerfal love and charity, which fhall extend to all men, even our very enemies; and make us not only forgive all their trefpaffes against us, but likewife bless them, pray for them, and, in one word, do them all the good we can.

Now that every of these is really a neceffary qualification for the worthy receiving the Lord's fupper, will most evidently appear, by confidering them a little apart. And,

Firft, As to repentance, it is plain, even from reason, that without this we muft needs be unfit to join in any of God's ordinances; it being downright hypocrify, and a mere mocking of God, to declare ourselves his fervants by communicating in these outward rites of his religion, when yet at the fame time we are not inwardly difpofed at all to serve him in the most important parts of our duty, living righteously, foberly, and godlily in this prefent world. And therefore we find the fcriptures conftantly representing God, as one that abhorreth and abominateth the fervice of the wicked, and refents