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Thofe FEARS and SCRUPLES about Eating and Drinking Unworthily, and of incurring our own Damnation thereby, are proved groundless and unwarrantable.

Unto which are added,

PRAYERS and MEDITATIONS Preparative to a SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION, according to what the Church of England requires from her Communicants.

I will wab my Hands in Innocency, O Lord, and fo will I go to think Altar. Pfal. xxvi. V. 6.

CARLISLE:

Printed by JOHN

HARRISON.

MDCCLXXIX.

THE

PREFAC E.

T

HE ufual Reafon which Men affign for their not coming fo often to the Holy Sacrament as they would do, is their Fear of Eating and Drinking unworthily, and confequently of incurring their own Damnation thereby. The Defign then of this fhort Difcourfe is, to fhew what that Sacramental Preparation is, which is abfolutely neceffary to qualify Men for a worthy Participation of the Lord's Supper, that fo Men may come without the leaft Fear of Eating and Drinking Damnation to themselves: For which Purpofe, I conceive no Rule, no Inftruction more fafe, eafy, and inftructive, than that of our Church Catechism, which I have endeavoured to explain, and accommodate for the Use and Benefit of the meanest Capacity.

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The concluding Part of this Difcourfe contains PRAYERS and MEDITATIONS preparative to SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION; and though they be few in Number, yet I hope they fully answer all thofe Several Parts of a Communicant's Duty, according to that Rule and Standard which our Church has fixed for 0 0 2

our

our Guide and Companion to the Holy Altar. By the Addition of thofe Pfalms, and proper Lessons annexed to each particular Prayer and Meditation the Communicant may enlarge his Devotions to what Degree or Length be pleaseth: through which Method you have as much Matter for actual Preparation in this little Book, as in any other Difcourfe of this Nature whatsoever,

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LL thofe Bleffings which we now enjoy, and hope hereafter to receive from Almighty God, purchased for us, and must be obtained thro' the Merits and Interceffion of the Holy JESUS, who has inftituted 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. xi. 14. But then we must remember, that these Benefits and Bleffings (which the Son of God hath purchafed for us) are no where promifed, but upon Condition that we ourselves are fir.t culy qualified for them. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is a folemn Ratification of our Baptifmal Covenant, wherein God for his Part hath faithfully promited Pardon and Remiffion of Sins to all true Penitents; and we for our Parts are therein folemnly bound to be faithful and obedient unto kim, 2 Tim. ii. 19. Before then we can promife 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 poffels our Souls with all those

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