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ted it for a folemn Commemoration of his great Love to us in laying down his Life for us Men, and for our Salvation; and therefore,he commands us to do it in remembrance of him: And St. Paul tells us, that as often as we eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, we do fhew forth the Lord's Death till be come. As for thofe Men then amongst us who profefs themfelvesChriftians,and hope for Salvation by Jefus Chrift, not to pay Obedience to this his Command, is a down-right Affront to his Sacred Majefty; and he may juftly upbraid us Chriftians, as he did once the Jews, Why ell ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the Things which I fay? How unworthy are we of that Salvation which he hath wrought for us, if we deny him fo fmall a Favour, fuch a reafonable Requeft as to commemorate his Death and bitter Paffion once a Month, or at most thrice a Year,' who did humble himself even to the Death of the Cross for us miferable Sinners, who lay in Darkness, and in the Shadow of Death, that be might make us the Children of God, and. exalt us to everlasting Life. In this SacraMens own Interest ment of the Lord's Supper fhould oblige them we have the Pardon and to a conftant Communion, becaufe of Remiffion of all our Sins, its great Benefits. the Grace and Affiftance of God's holy Spirit, and the Hopes of eternal

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eternal Life and Happiness freely offer'd unto us: And therefore,had we no Love, no Regard or Reverence to the dying Words of our crucified Saviour,yet furely the Confideration of our own prefent and future Advantage might prevail with us to be more frequent at the Lord's Table than we ufually are.

Charity with

all Men.

a Communicant.

HITHERTO a Communi- And to be in cant hath been directed to fet his Heart right towards God; but this is not all, he muft proceed further, and enquire how it ftands towards his Neighbour,fince we are Forgiving of Inju exprefly forbidden, Mat. 5. ries expected from 23,24. to offer up any Gift or Oblation unto God, if our Hearts are leaven'dwithMalice,Hatred orRevenge. If thou bring thy Gift unto the Altar, and there remembrest that thy Brother bath ought against thee, leave there thy Gift before the Altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy Brother, and then come and offer thy Gift. Here you fee that Chrift prefers Mercy before Sacrifice. And it's generally agreed on by the Ancient Fathers,that thefe Words of our Saviour do directly point at this Sacrament, on purpose to oblige all Communicants to forgive all manner of Injuries, before they prefume to eat of that Bread or to drink of that Cup. And it's exprefly faid, C 4

Mat,

Mat 6. 14, 15. that our Prayers are not accepted, nor our Pardon fealed in Hea-. ven,until fuch time as we forgive Men their Trefpaffes; and to be fure we can never be welcome or worthy Guefts at this Heavenly Feaft, where Jefus the Saviour of Penitents and the Prince of Peace is fpiritually prefent,unlefsourRepentance reconcile us to God, and our Charity to all Mankind.

Charity to

*

AND this Charity of the the Poor. Heart, in Forgiving of Injuries, muft likewife fhew it felf by the Hand, in relieving the Wants andNeceffities of the Poor. We read, That when this Sacrament was adminifter'd in the Apostles Days, that large Collections of Moneys were then gathered for the Maintenance of the poor Clergy and Layety, Acts 2. 44, 45, 46. and I Cor. 16. 1. And Theodoret obferves, that Theodofius the Emperor, when the time came to offer, arose, and prefented his Oblations with his own Hands. It was not determined how much every Man fhould give,but allMen were exhorted and enjoin'd to offer fomething according to their Ability, which if any neglected, the Fathers cenfured them as unworthy Communicants; and to be fure nothing within our Power can fo effe&tually recommend our Prayers and De

votions

bim

votions like this of Charity: It being well obferved, Mat. 6. that our Saviour hath inclosed Alms between Prayer and Fafting. And therefore they are called its Two Wings, without which it will never flee fo high as the Throne of God. While Cornelius was fafting and praying,we read that an Angel from Heaven was dif patch'd to him,with this happy Meffage, Thy Prayers and thine Alms are come up for a Memorial before God, Acts 10.4. He that bath Pity upon the Poor lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given will be pay again, Prov. 19. 17. Charge them that are rich in this World-----that they be rich in good Works ready to diftribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good Foundation against the Time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal Life, 1 Tim. 6. 17, 18, 19. * Do ye not know, that they whominifter about holy things live of the Sacrifice,and they who wait at the Altar are Partakers with the Altar; even fo bath the Lord alfo ordained that they who preach the Gospel fhould live of the Gospel, 1 Cor. 9. 13, 14. If we have fown unto you SpiritualThings,is it a great Matter, if we shall reap your Worldly Things. Ver. 11. But we may juftly complain with St. Bafil, that we know fome who will Bafil.Hom. faft and pray, figh and groan, yea, in Mat. 19,

and

and do all Acts of Religion which cost them nothing, but will not give one Farthing to the Poor: What Benefit is there (faith he) of all the reft of their Devotions?

AND when the Communicant Prayer. has thus far advanced towards the Altar, in his Examination, Repentance, &C. he muft not forget another excellent Preparative belonging to this Duty of communicating worthily, which although it be not mention'd in our Church-Catechifm, yet it is always implied, as a neceffary Part of our Sacramental Preparation, i. e. Prayer, private and publick; a Duty upon which all our present and future Bleffings depend, Mat. 7. 8. and 21.22. And fo near a Relation hath this Duty of Prayer with this Sacrament, that all those Bleffings therein contained and promifed, are only in Return to our Prayers; and no doubt but that Man who makes a conscientious Practice of this Duty in his Clofet, and at Church, can never be unprepared for this Sacrament, nor want a Title to God's peculiar Favour and Bleffing; For the Eyes of the Lord are over the Righteous, and his Ears are open to their Prayers, 1 Pet. 3. 12. The conftant Exercife of Prayer, is the beft Method to get the Mastery over our evil Inclinations and corrupt Affections,and to overcome

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