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CHAP. I.

Of the Neceffity of Receiving the
Holy Sacrament.

T

HOUGH Notions are for the moft part more Difficult,and of far lefs Concernment for men to Understand, than their Duty; yet fuch is the general Curiofity of People, that they are more intent upon Speculations, than upon Practice, and ftudy more to be Mafters of an Opinion, than to inform and keep a good Confcience.

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HOWEVER, in regard that Knowledge is the Principle of Action, and Men are fo governed by their Perfwafions, that their Practice is ever fuitable to their Sen timents, the moft natural way of prevailing upon them to comply with their Duty, is to inftruct their Understandings in the first place, and to furnish them with fuch Notions as may have a due influence upon them, and do naturally tend to B

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prompt them on to that business which lyeth before them.

THIS is the Reason, that when I entred upon the Subject of the Holy Sacrament, I thought it advisable for me to Divide my Meditations; fo that I might firft difpatch the Notional part, which is of the greatest Difficulty; and then proceed to the Practical, which is of the greatest Ufe.

PURSUANT to this Defign, I have formerly discoursed at large of the Nature, of the Ends of the Dignity, and Usefulness of this weighty Ordinance; which things if Men would but seriously confider and carry in their Thoughts, they could not eafily neglect a matter of fuch importance, without offering violence to their Judgments, and acting against their own Reafon.

BUT there is a great deal of matter yet behind, which immediately and directly ferveth to engage all of us to difcharge our Duty in this particular, and alfo to govern us in the difcharging of it. And the first thing that offers it felf to our Confidera. tion, is touching that Neceffity which lyeth upon us, to eat of this Bread, and to drink of this Cup.

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NOW in order to our better proceeding upon this Subject, we must note, that there is a Twofold Neceffity which relateth to

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the matter in hand. 1. First, Some things are Abfolutely and Indifpenfably Neceflary, because they are the fixt and immovable Conditions of the New Covenant, without the performance whereof, Salvation cannot be expected by us. So, to Believe in Chrift, to Mortifie our Lufts, to have à Sanctified Spirit, to be Humble, Charitable, and the like; these things are Abfolutely Neceflary; for without Faith, and Repentance, and entire Holiness of heart, none of us can fee the Lord. 2. Secondly, Some things are Neceffary Refpectively and upon Suppofition; that is, fuppofing that there is fome Command for them, though they be not neceffary in their own Nature, but are required chiefly to try and Exercise Mens Obedience: Or fuppo fing that they are appointed as certain and effectual Means, in order to fome great and Neceflary End; and as Inftruments to bring us thofe Mercies, which our Souls ftand in need of. Now, when we fay, 'tis Neceffary to receive the Sacraments of Chrifts Body and Blood; the meaning is not, that it is abfolutely, fimply, indifpenfably, and univerfally ne ceffary, fo that no Man can poffibly be faved without it. For no Rites whatfo ever are to be accounted of equal moment with substantial Morality;

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things of Pofitive Inftitution, though they be neceffary in their Kind and Quality, yet they are not neceffary in that degree, as thofe things are which are good in themselves, and which carry an eternal Reason and Obligation along with them. In fome cases a Ritual Ordinance may be omitted; and it is not the bare Omiffion, but the wilful Neglect and Contempt of it, that is Criminal in God's account. This is evident from the cafe of Circumcifion, which was of old a Seal of the Covenant between God and the Jews. We find in the fourth of Exodus, that when Mofes wilfully forbore to Circumcife his Son, the anger of the Lord was fo kindled against him, that he met him in his Journey, and fought to kill him; and as fome Hebrew Doctors tell us, did actually fmite him with a fudden Difeafe; and yet we find in the 5th of Joshua, that afterwards the Jews omitted Circumcifion for many years together in the Wilderness: whether it was, because they were then upon their Travel (as fome think) or because they were not yet mingled with the Heathens, and so needed not as yet to be Circumcifed (as others are of opinion) this is certain, that we do not read that God was difpleased with them for not having been

Circumcifed, though he was often displeafed with them for their Infidelity.

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THE fame thing is obferved of the Paff Vid. Selden over it felf; that it was omitted in the Lib. 2.Cap. de Synedr. Wilderness for about forty years together; 2. because the Celebration of it depended upon the use of Circumcifion. For in order to the due Celebration of the Paffover, it was neceffary not only for the Fathers of Families to be Circumcifed themselves, but moreover for all the Males in their Houfholds to be Circumcifed too, Exod. 12. 48, 49. So that Circumcifion being pretermitted for fo many years, the Celebration of the Paffover did alfo of courfe ceafe for that time.

HENCE we may easily collect, that things of Pofitive Inftitution are not equally neceffary with thofe Duties which are naturally and eternally good. In like manner, when the Jews were in Captivity, and could not Solemnly prefent themfelves before God in his Sanctuary, the Law was not executed upon them: As long as they were in thofe fad Circumstances, it was their Unhappiness and Punishment that they could not go with their Lambs to the Temple, but 'twas not their fin that they did it not.

THUS it was with the Jews under the Law, as to things of this Nature; and thus

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