cy. Here all that we do is Divine Worfhip; the Mystery is a moft Solemn Eucharift, or Thanksgiving; a real and lively Form of praifing God, as Pfalms and Hymns are at other times: And all this is attended with devout Prayer from the beginning to the end; the whole Congregation praying for all Estates and Conditions of Men; the Minifter praying for every particular Communicant; and each particular Communicant confenting to the Prayer, joyning his own fuffrage, and praying in his own perfon for the prefervation of his Soul and Body. So that Adoration and Worship being our whole work at this time, it ought to be performed in an adoring pofture; not only with Eyes and Hands lifted up, but with bended Knees too, which all Nations have ever thought the most folemn and fuitable pofture of Adoration.

3. THE Church hath chofen, it as a Posture that is moft expreffive, of our Gratitude to God for the aftonishing Mercies which all Worthy Communicants receive at this Great Solemnity; Forgiveness of Sin, Peace with God, the Increase of the Holy Spirit, Divine Influences from above, from the Man Christ Jefus; with an Earneft and Pledge of a Happy Refurrection, and a Glorious Immortality. FROM

FROM all which Confiderations every Pious and Humble Soul may argue after this manner. Since this is the Symbol of the blood of God, which was fhed for me, and for many, for the Remiffion of all our Sins, fhall I not receive it upon my Knees Since Heaven is his Throne, and the Earth his Footstool, what place can be too vile, or what gesture too lowly, for Sinful duft and ashes Since we are now admitted to the prefence of the Lamb, and to the Gate of Heaven O come let us Worship, and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker, and Redeemer. If the Bleffed Jefus in his Agony fell down with his Knees placed on the bare ground, how can I now begrudge the bowing of mine? Since the Praifes of God are now to be in my mouth, what better Example can I follow, than thofe Elders in Heaven, who fell down before Him that fat on the Throne, and Worshipt Him that liveth for ever, and ever, faying-Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come? Since my Bleffed Redeemer was pleased to humble himself even to the Death of the Crofs, what humility can be great enough for Me, who am now to gather up my Life and Happiness at his feet? Since I am now to beg for a Blef

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fed Eternity, and to offer up my whole self a Reasonable, Holy, and Living Sacrifice; what more reasonable for me, than to beg God's acceptance of my Prayers and Oblation upon my bended Knees? And fince my Eating and Drinking at the Lord's Table is a Pledge of fo many ftupendious Mercies to come, how can I chufe but kneel, when I take the Seals of his Promises at his hands?

THIS is enough to fhew what a becoming and fuitable posture Kneeling is at this Great Solemnity, and how Naturally it follows, where People entertain right Notions of it, and come unto it with humble Minds. Nor can I fufficiently admire, that of all the Ufages in the Christian Church, this fo Significant, fo Decent a Ceremony, fhould ever become a ftumbling-block, and matter of Difpute. Certainly it must be an ill fign of very Lofty Imaginations, when there is fuch stiffness in Mens Knees.

BUT it is high time for me to proceed.

CHAP.

CHA P. XII.

Of our Behaviour after Receiving.

WH

HEN we have thus devoutly employ'd this bleffed hour, we must not imagine that our great Business is at an end; that we may now drop thofe Religious Confiderations which hitherto took up our time and thoughts; that we may now go home, leaving our Vows and Refolutions behind us in the Church, much lefs may we think our felves free to fall afresh upon our former courfe of Life. I must tell you, the greatest part of our business is yet before us, and to ftop and reft here in the performance of those things which have hitherto employ'd our minds, is the ready way to unravel our whole work, and to defeat the defign of this Heavenly Ordinance. For this Rite of Eating and Drinking at the Lord's Table, though it be of admirable use, yet it is not naturally and intrinfecally good, as thofe Acts and Difpofitions of the Mind, are, wherein the Substance and Excellence of Religion doth confift

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confift; but it is a Relative thing, inftituted by our Saviour as a Means to promote and carry on that Noble End, for which the Grace of God hath appeared unto all Men; that denying all Ungodliness and Worldly Lufts, we should live Soberly, Righteously, and Godly in this present World, Tit. 2. 12. Here indeed we lay the Foundation of a life of Virtue, by devoting unto God the Powers and Faculties of our Souls, and the Members of our Bodies: but as the Ground-work is in order to a Superftructure; fo are our Actions now in order to the further edi fying and perfecting of us, that we may be built up more and more in our most Holy Faith, and being fitly framed together and compacted, may grow and rife up by degrees to an Holy Temple for the Lord, to be an Habitation of God through the Spirit. wa

THIS you will eafily perceive, if you obferve, 1. The Nature of the Ordinance it felf. It is firft, a Representation of the very Death of Chrift; a Representation exhibited to our Sences, by the breaking of the Bread, and the effufion of the Wine. And what doth this mean, but to awaken our Fears, by fhewing us the Terror of the Lord, who for the expiation of the World's Guilt, fpared not his own Son, 'nor would be reconciled to the World at a

low