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freely offered unto us: And therefore had we no Love, no Re- Mens own Intereft fhould oblige them gard or Reverance to the dying Words of our crucified Saviour, to a constant Comyet furely the confideration of our own prefent and future Ad- munion, becaufe vantage might prevail with us to to be more frequent at the Lord's nefits. Table then we ufually are.

of its great Be

cant.

Hitherto a Communicant hath been directed to fet his Heart right towards God; but this is not all, he muft proceed farther, and enquire how it stands And to be in towards his Neighbour, fince we are exprefly forbidden, Matt. V. 23, Charity with 24. to offer up any Gift or Oblation unto God, if our Hearts are leaven all Men. ed with Malice, Hatred, or Revenge. If thou bring thy Gift unto the Altar, and there remembereft that thy Brother hath ought against thee, leave there Forgiving of Inthy Gift before the Altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy juries expected Brother, and then come and offer thy Gift. Here you fee that Chrift from a Communi prefers Mercy before Sacrifice. And it is generally agreed on by the ancient Fathers, that thefe Words of our Saviour do directly point at this Sacrament, on purpose to oblige all Communicants to forgive all manner of Injuries, "before they prefume to eat of that Bread, or to drink of that Cup." And it is exprefly faid, Matt, vi. 14, 15. that our Prayers are not accepted, nor our Pardon fealed in Heaven, until fuch Time as we forgive Men their Trefpaffes; and to be fure we can never be welcome or worthy Guefts at this heavenly Feaft, where Jefus the Saviour of Penitents and the Prince of Peace is fpiritually prefent, unless our Repentance reconcile us to God, and our Charity to all Mankind.

And this Charity of the Heart, in forgiving Injuries, must likewife fhew itself by the Hand, in relieving the Wants and Neceffities of the Poor. Charity to the We read, that when this Sacrament was adminiftred in the Apostles Days, large Collections of Monies were then gathered for the Maintenance of the poor Clergy and Laity, A&s ii. 44, 45, 46. and I Cor. xvi. 1. And Theodoret oblerves, that Theodofius the Emperor, when the Time came to offer, arofe, and prefented his Oblations with his own Hands. It was not determined how much every Man fhould give, but all Men were exhorted and enjoined to offer fomething, according to their Ability; which if any neglected, the Fathers cenfured them as unworthy Communicants: And to be fure, nothing within our Power can fo effectually recommend our Prayers and Devotions as this of Charity; it being well observed, Matt. vi. that our Saviour hath inclofed Alms between Prayer and Faiting, and therefore they are called its two Wings, without which it will never fly fo high as the Throne of God. While Cornelius was fafting and praying, we read that an Angel from Heaven was difpatched to him with this happy Meffage: Thy Prayers and thine Alms are come up for a Memorial before God, Acts x. 4. He that hath Pity upon the Poor, lenderb unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will be pay him again, Prov. xix. 17. Charge them that are rich in this word,-that they be rich in gcod Works, ready to diftribute, willing

to communicate, laying up in flore for themselves a good Foundation against the Time to come, that they may lay bold on eternal Life, 1 Tim. vi 17, 18, 19. Do ye not know that they who minifter about holy Things live of the Sacrifice, and they who wait at the Altar are Partakers with the Altar? Even fo bath the Lord alfo ordained, that they who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel, 1 Cor. ix. 13, 14. If we have fown unto you fpiritual Things, is it a great Matter if But we may justly complain we shall reap your worldly Things? Ver. 11. with Bafil, that we know fome who will" faft and pray, figh and groan, yea, and do all Acts of Religion which coft them nothing, but "will not give one Farthing to the Poor: What Benefit is there, "faith he, of all the rest of their Devotions ?"

Bafil, Homil, in Matt. xix.

1

And when the Communicant has thus far advanced towards the Altar, in his Examination, Repentance, &c. he must not forget another excellent PrePrayer. parative belonging to this Duty of communicating worthily, which although it be not mentioned in our Church Catechifm, yet it is always implied as a neceffary Part of our Sacramental Preparation, that is, Prayer, private and public; a Duty upon which all our prefent and future Bleffings depend, Matt. vii. 7, 8. and 21, 22. And fo near a Relation hath this Duty of Prayer with this Sacrament, that all thofe Bleffings therein contained and promifed, are only in return to our Prayers; and no doubt but that Man who makes a confcientious Practice of this Duty in his Closet, and at Church, can never be unprepared for this Sacrament, nor want a Title to God's peculiar Favour and Blefling: For the Eyes of the Lord are over the Righteous, and his Ears are open unto their Prayers, 1 Pet: iii. 12. The conftant Exercife of Prayer is the beft Method to get the Mastery over our evil Inclinations and Corrupt Affections, and to overcome our vicious Habits: It preferves a lively Senfe of God and Religion in our Minds, and fortifies us against thofe Temptations that affault us; it fpiritualizeth our Nature, and raiseth cur Souls above this World, and fupports us under the Troubles and Calamities of this Life, by fanctifying* fuch Afflictions; it leads us gra dually to the Perfection of a Christian Life, and preferves that Union between God and our Souls, which feeds our fpiritual Life with Grace and Goodnels; without it we in vain pretend to difcharge thofe Chriftian Duties incumbent on us, or to profper in our temporal Affairs, which must have God's Blefling to crown them with fuccefs. And as Prayer in general has these great Bleffings and Advantages attending it, fo give me leave to fuggeft to you under this Head, that thole public Prayers and Devotions, which we offer unto God in our Churches, are not only more acceptable to him, but also much more edifying and Prayers readvantageous to ourfelves: They cannot but be more acceptable to God, because

Public.

commended.

See The Devout Soul's Daily Exercife, in Prayers, Contemplations and Praifes; containing Devotions for Morning, Noon and Night, for every Day in the Week; with Prayers and Thanksgivings for Perions of all Con. ditions, and upon, all Occafions. * See The Daily Companion, with Chriftian Supports under the Troubles of this World, &c.

thereby his Honour and Glory is much more confiderably advanced and maintained in the World, than by our private Devotions: By thefe outward Signs and Tokens, we publicly declare to all the World that inward regard and efteem which we have for his divine perfections and goodnefs; hereby we let our Light so shine before Men, that they may fee our good Works, and glorify cur Father which is in Heaven, Matt. v. 16. There is no Duty in Scripture more frequently commandcd, none more carreftly preffed upon us, than this of public Prayer. We have the example of all good Men in all Ages for it, and of Chrift himself, who was daily in the Temple and in the Synagogue, and, no question, frequented those Places at the ufual Heurs of Prayers, becaufe then he had the fairest opportunity, from thofe public Affemblies, to inftruct and to exhort to Faith and Repentance. 2dly, We may expect greater Bleffings and fuccefs to our Requests and Defires, when we join in the public Prayers of our Church, than from private, because our Saviour has in a special manner promised to fuch Affemblies his immediete prefence; that where two or three are gathered together in his Name, there will be be in the midst of them: Which he hath no where faid of private Prayer, though both are very good, nay, both are abfolutely neceffary for the beginning and ending of a Chriftian Life: And it is a very bad Sign of fome evil Principle or other, for any Man to be much a ftranger to the Houfe of Prayer, which is one of the greatest Bleffings and Privileges (if we know how to value the fame) that we can have in this World, and has always been accounted fuch among all wife and good Men. It is certain, that the Turks, whom we call Infidels, go to their public Devotion five times every Day; and fhall not they rife in Judgment against us Chriftians, who cannot afford to go once or twice a Day to God's Houfe, when we have both leisure and opportunity? If Men shall be judged for every idle Word, to be fure they fhall not pass unpunished for all the neglects and omiffions of their Duty of this nature. But to proceed :

To this Duty of fervent Prayer, the Communicant fhould spend fome Portion of Time in Reading, and Meditation, to raise his Soul into a devout and heavenly Temper: The proper Office of Reading is to gain fpiritual Food and Suftenance, and of Meditation, to digeft it. Thofe divine Subjects most proper for our ferious Contemplation on this folemn Occafion, I think, are " our Saviour's Ser"mon on the Mount; the Love of God in the Salvation of Sinners, through "Jefus Chrift; Repentance, Faith, Charity, Death and Judgment; the happy "Condition of a future State of Bleffedness, and the miferable Condition of the "Damned in Hell." Thefe and the like, as they offer themselves unto you, fhould be meditated upon, until fome Sorrow of Mind, fome Ardor of Devotion, some Act of Faith, fome Flame of Love and Charity arise in your Souls.

Thus have I briefly reprefented to you both the Nature and Neceffity of a Sa

See a Sermon concerning the excellency and usefulness of the Common Prayer. By W. Beveridge, D. (D, late Lord Bishop of St. Asaph, at the opening of the Parish Church of St. Peter, Cornhill, London.

cramental Preparation, which in great measure contains the whole Duty of a Chrif tian's Life; namely, "Repentance towards God, Faith towards our Lord Jefus Chrift, and Charity towards our Neighbour." And I alfo hope, whosoever among us will but endeavour to prepare themselves for the holy Communion, according to the forementioned Directions, may (by the help of God) upon all occafions come to the Lord's Table, without the leaft Fear or Danger of" eating and "drinking Damnation to themselves."

The Church

And now fome People may cenfure this Difcourfe as giving too great Liberty and Encouragement to approach the Lord's Table with lefs Preparation than otherwife Men would venture to do. But I know no Ground or Reafon for any fuch Suggestion, if they impartially confider the Excellence and perCatechiim, fection of that Guide and Companion I have followed throughout the Whole: And to represent this Duty of frequent Communion otherwise than what the Church requires, is an Injury both to God and to ourselves: And I dare affirm, that no Part of divine Worthip has fuffered more on this accourt, than that of the holy Communion; Thousands of People not daring, in all their Life-time, (though very good Livers) to partake of the Lord's Supper, for fear of eating and drinking their own Damnation.

For farther Inftruction, fee A Treatife of Sacramental Covenanting with Chrift; fbewing the Ungodly their Contempt of Chrift in their Contempt of the Sacramental Covenant. By John Rawlet B. D. Author of The Chriftian Monitor.

E

PREPARATORY TO A

Sacramental Preparation,

AGREEABLE TO

What the CHURCH of ENGLAND requires from her Communicants.

A Prayer to God for his gracious affiftance and direction in our Sacramental Preparation.

H

OLY, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth, Heaven and Earth are full of thy Majefty and of thy Glory: I the unworthieft of all creatures do here, in all humility of foul and body, proftrate myself before thee, acknowledging my own weakness and infufficiency to do any thing that is good or well pleafing, in thy fight: And therefore, humbly implore the fpecial influence of thy Grace and holy Spirit, to further these my endeavours for a worthy participation of the holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Chrift, which he has commanded me to do in remembrance of him, and of those benefits which we receive thereby. Teach me O Lord, the right way, and lead me in the paths of holy preparation, that I may be received as a worthy and welcome guest at this thy heavenly table. Poffefs my mind with a true fenfe of the greatnets of this mystery, and the excellency of thy mercy in preparing this Table for our fpiritual Food: Infpire my Soul with pure and pious Difpofitions; and inftead of thofe filthy Rags of my Righteousness clothe me with the Righteoufnefs of the Saints, that my Heart may be a clean, though homely Receptacle for my Saviour, and one Day fitted for the bleffed Society of Saints and Angels in Heaven, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Our Father, &c. See Pfal. xxiii. xxvi. cxi.

A

A Prayer for the Gift and Grace of Repentance.

Lmighty and eternal Lord God, who art of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity, and haft more especially enjoined all those who compass thine Altar to wash their Hands in Innocency, vouchfafe me unfeigned Repentance for my past Sins, a hearty Sorrow and Contrition of Spirit to lament my Sinfulness, and most firm and ftedfaft Purposes to lead a new Life. It is the Voice of thy wondrous Goodness and Mercy, that if the Wicked shall forfake his Ways, and the unrighteous Man his Thoughts, thou wilt have Mercy upon him, and abundantly pardon him, O let thy Goodness (whereof I have had fo great a Share, and plentiful Experi ence) lead me to Repentance not to be repented of, that I may be a fit Gueft at thy Sons Table. "Have Mercy upon me, O Lord, and according to the Multitude of thy tender Mercies, blot out all my Tranfgreffions for thy Mercy's fake in "Chrift Jefus, the Son of thy Love, whom thou haft fet forth to be the Propi

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