intended to bring Men under the Difcipline of the New Law; Therefore fuch as are Wicked, and refolve to be fo, draw back, and keep themselves off at a great diftance from it, left they should be put to the trouble of Repenting; and then they make that their Apology, which in Truth is their Crime, viz; that they are in a very ill State. A thing, which, instead of being any tolerable Plea, is a most inexcufable Pretence; Becaufe, 3dly, it is a Brutish and Unreasonable Contempt of that, which is a certain Remedy (if duly ufed) against the greatest Evil; and for that very Reason, do Licentious Men reject it, because it is a Remedy. Now who would pity a Man, that will not go to the Fire because he is ready to starve with Cold, or that refuseth to eat for that very Reason, because he is ready to starve with Hunger? Why, fuch is the contumacious Folly of thofe, who contemn God's Pardon at the Sacrament, because they need it; and refufe to be cleansed by the Fountain of Life, because they are Filthy; and reject the means of Recovery, because they are in a State of Death. In this cafe, every Refractory Perfon pleadeth his Disease, to excuse his Unwillingness to accept of Help Such an upardonable Act of Stubbornefs; as if a Man 13 Man fhould fay, he is in extremity of Sickness, and therefore he will not make ufe of a Physician. 'Tis true, most do pretend, that it is not out of Contempt, but out of Reverence, that they dare not approach to the Holy Table; they have a dread upon them, and are afraid (as they fay) of incurring God's Difpleasure, and of Damning their own Souls, by receiving Unworthily. But then I would intreat them to ask their Consciences, why and how it comes about, that they are not afraid to Sin? And why they are not afraid to Tranfgrefs other Divine Laws, as well as to Violate this? Are Men fo Foolish, as to think, that there is only one Path which leadeth to Hell? and that nothing will bring them to Perdition, but Unworthy Receiving? Or that they may Sin fafely, as long as they Sin, and do not Eat? There is every whit as much danger by an Evil Course of Life, as by undue Participation; and a Man may drink his own Damnation at a Tavern, or in his own House, as well as at the Lord's Table; so that when he dreadeth to do that, which he is commanded to do often,he fhould examine the Reafon,why he dreads not that which he is required never to do. 4. It is not the staying from the Sacrament that will ferve an Ill Man's turn; turn; it is an addition to his Guilt, but no diminution of his Wickedness; and whether he Communicate or forbear, his Cafe is very bad, till he makes his Peace with God, by a fincere Repentance, and Reformation of his Life. Into fuch a wretched strait and Snare, do Ungodly and Irreligious Courfes draw Men, that whether they Receive the Sacrament or no, they are Milerable; they Perish with out the Holy Food, and they Perish by Eating it too; fo that they have only this one way left them to fecure them from final Ruine, viz. to Repent them seriously of all their Wickedness, and fo to Eat of this Bread, and to Drink of this Cup. What (fay they) would you have us be Damned, by Receiving the Sacrament, when we are not in a fit Condition for it? No; but we would have you fit your felves, and then Receive: We would have you neglect neither, but do both; because your Unfitness is no Excufe or Bar against your Duty, by Reason that your Unfitnefs is wilful; and your failure in one inftance, cannot excufe, but muft needs aggravate your failure in another. He that Eateth Unworthily, is Guilty in Eating, because he Profaneth Chrift's Body: And he that Eateth not at all, is Guilty in not Eating, because he Defpifeth Chrift's Body. D Body. And thus much of thofe that neglect the Communion through an Évil Confcience. 22. THERE is another fort, of Men that are Guilty of the fame Crime, but upon different Reafons (at leaft they pretend fo) fuch as pafs for Fair and Just Men, but yet are fo intangled with the Cares of the World, that they excufe their abfence from the Sacrament, by pleading that they want time: As if they Lived in fome ftrange and unknown Country, where there are not any hours in the day. NOW as to Matter of Fact, there is no queftion, but that Secular Concernments do hinder many from this and other Offi ces of Religion; upon which account, it is the prime Duty of a Chriftian to Dye unto the World; and fo much Chrift intimated, when dividing his Benedictions, he Bleffed thofe in the first place, who are Poor in Spirit, as you find by thofe Evan gelifts who have recorded his Sermon on the Mount; and the Reafon of it is told us, Matth. 6.24. because we cannot ferve God and Mammon too: And we fee it by every days Experience, that the Love of Greatness and Riches, and the Inordi nate Cares of this Life, are apt to outweigh all other Confiderations. But then if we fpeak de Jure, of the Reasonable nels nefs and Sufficiency of their Excufes, who time after time refufe the Holy Sacrament, under a pretence, that they have not leifure to Prepare themselves for it there are many Confiderations to be offered, which fhew, that this Plea will rather Condemn than Acquit them; for Brevity fake, I fhall pitch upon these. I. That this Plea is very much to be fufpected and question'd, whether it be real, or only a Pretext and a Cloak to cover their Difobedience. 2. But fuppofe, that they are Men of fome Ingenuity, who pretend variety or multiplicity of Bufinefs, Men that are Honeft and Confcientious in their Callings, but yet are carried away with an hurry of Affairs, and are troubled about many things, as was faid of Martha, Luke 10. 41. yet they should often call to mind the next words of our Saviour, that one thing is needful. It is not neceffary to be Rich, but 'tis neceflary to be Religious; and Worldly Matters must ever give place to things that are of an Heavenly and Spiritual Nature, when they ftand together in Competition. Men were better do, as Crates the Theban did, part with all their Gold, than be void of that which is true Wisdom: And it is infinitely more defirable for them to be rid of those Riches which are a clog unto them, and hinder D 2 them |