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low and indulge themselves in; and rather than they will forfake thofe Vices, they forbear this Ordinance, because they cannot live Wickedly, and Participate too, without Eating and Drinking their own Damnation. And is not this a moft horrible Crime, to value a few paltry Lufts, above the Body and Blood of Chrift? And to prefer some Sensual and Bruitish Enjoyments, before thofe Admirable and Aftonishing Bleffings which are tendred at the Lord's Table? It was the Sin of the Jews, and that which greatly kindled the Anger of the Lord against them, that they flighted the Manna (which David called the Food of Angels) and lufted after the Fleshpots of Egypt, the Cucumbers, the Melons, the Leeks, the Onions, and the Garlick, Num. 11. Much more will it be lookt upon as an intolerable Crime in us, if we make light of the greatest Bleffings that Heav'n can beftow (as, the Comforts of the Holy Spirit, the Fellowship of Chrift, the Pardon of our Sins, the Peace of our Confciences, an Affurance of a Glorious Immortality, and whatsoever is the Felicity of Bleffed Souls; I say if we flight and reject all thefe) out of favour to our Senfitive Appetites, that we may still pursue the Unprofitable Works of Darknefs, and Enjoy the Pleasures of Sin, which

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are both Beastly in their Nature, and very fhort for their continuance. As Maximus Max. Tyr. Tyrius (an Heathen Philofopher) argued, Who is fo Mad, fo Bewitched, fo Byaffed by his Affections, that for the love of fmall and Tranfitory Pleasures, of uncertain Enjoyments, of doubtful Hopes, and questionable Profperities, would not change his Life for a Better, and betake himself to that which is Solid and Unqueftionable Happiness? Yet of fuch corrupt and abject Spirits are they, who neither Love nor dare to partake of this Covenant Feast ; Men of fuch Debaucht Minds and Impure Confciences, that they prize the most fordid Confiderations, above the Love of God, and a Blessed Eternity; like unclean Swine, that contemn the fweetest Repofe in comparison of a Dunghill, and a Bed of Mire. Were not Men Earthly, and Senfual, every one wou'd ftrive to be a Companion at the Altar. Tis a Polluted Heart that hindreth Men's approaches; because they that are Wicked, will be Wicked ftill; and that is a great Reason, why the Neglect of this Sacrament is Sinful, forafmuch as it proceedeth from a finful Caufe, an Evil and a Rotten Heart.

3. I Heartily wifh, that all Perfons who are concern'd, would feriously confider these things; and be fo Provident too, as to look upon the fad Confequence of

(a.) Illud in primis animad vertendum occurrit, quoties 4pud veteres agitur de boc Sa cramento, verba Domini noftri que Joan. cap. 6. referuntur, caro mea vere eft cibus, & fanguis meus verè eft potus: Panis quem ego dabo, caro mea eft: Et nifi ederitis carnem filii hominis, &c. ad hoc Sacramentum omnes applicant Nec audiendi funt, qui tanta nu be teftium refragante, negant illud caput Joannis huc referendum. Diallacticon, Edit. Lon

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this Neglect, and fee what an immediate and irreparable Injury they are like to do to their own Souls by it; which is the Third and laft Confideration. For the words of Chrift are plain, Joh. 6. Except ye Eat the Fleft of the Son of man, and drink his Blood, ye have no life in you. This place of Scripture all the Ancients do with one (a) confent and mouth apply to this Bleffed Sacrament; and St.Auftin himself urged it to prove the neceflity even of Infant Communion, which was then a Custom in the Church. That indeed was an Error, that proceeded from the abundant Piety of thofe times;and the Reafon upon which that Custom was grounded, was not ftrong enough; becaufe we cannot fuppofe (whatever St. Au ftin did imagine) that when Chrift fpake those words, he intended that even those fhould Communicate who were not capable of Preparation, and confequently could not eat his Flesh, nor drink his Blood af ter a due manner. However, it feems most manifeft, that the words do refer to this Sacrament; in a fecondary fenfe and conftruction. Primarily they mean the eating

din. 1688. p. 15. 9.v.

of

of Chrift's Spiritual Flefh, and the drinking of his Spiritual Blood, and that after a Spiritual manner; and this a man may do, though he cannot come to the Sacrament. All Divines do affirm, that Chrift may be received Spiritually, when he is not received Sacramentally; meaning,that we may receive vital influences from him (which are his Spiritual Body) though we do not communicate of the Sacred Elements; and I doubt not but that Children, and young Members of the Church do fo. But this is no Encouragement for any Adult Perfons, who are not under any Incapacity, this is no encouragement to fuch, to defpife or neglect this Ordinance; for to fuch as thefe, the Receiving of the Sacramental Bread and Wine is the ordinary Means of Receiving Chrift; without ufing these Means, they cannot have any Reasonable Affurance of fo great a Bleffing, nor fuch folid grounds as others have for their Hopes of Salvation.

PEOPLE may build their Hopes of Salvation upon Faith and Repentance, and the like: and the truth is, these are the Conditions of our Everlasting Peace. But yet there are feveral things which well deferve to be confidered.. That the Promife of Salvation upon Faith and Repentance doth fuppofe, that Men are in the Communion Cz

of

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of the Church, and that they express and
fhew that Communion, by a Regular Ufe
of this and all other Religious Ordinances;
for every one is obliged to do This, as well
as to Believe and Reform his life.
2. That
Man's Faith and Repentance is very much
to be fufpected, who Refufeth to eat of
this Bread, and to drink of this Cup. For
how can the Truth of his Faith appear to
himself, that doth not own and confefs
Christ's Authority over him, by his Sub-
jection to it in this particular? Or, if he
believeth this Ordinance to be Neceflary,
and himself to be obliged to the Obfer-
vance of it, then how can the fincerity of
his Repentance appear, when he continues
in That which he must acknowledge to be
a fin? Obedience to the Evangelical Com-
mands is the only thing that Tryés a man,
and fhews him to be what he really is; and
he hardly deserves the Name of a Chrifti-
an, that declines a Duty which is so easie,
fo comfortable, fo advantageous, to every
one that is a Penitent indeed. Suppose
fuch a man lay upon his fick Bed, with a
troubled Confcience, and the terrours of
Death about him, I would fain know, how
he could fatisfie himself, that he is a Con-
vert in Truth and Reality, feeing he hath
lived in a continual Breach and Defiance
of Chrift's Law? 3. But fuppofe his Faith

and

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