thofe Laws and Ordinances, which were Enacted then; even fo do we Chriftians Confecrate our felves by this Evangelical Solemnity to the Service of God, and vow Obedience to him, answerable to that way and platform, which he hath laid before us now. This is the meaning of this Mystery; and therefore 'tis called a Sacrament, becaufe 'tis like the old Military Oath, binding all of us to be Faithful and True to the Captain of our Salvation. Now this is that which he hath commanded us by the Mouth of his Apoftle, that as he who hath called us is Holy, fo we also fhould be Holy in all manner of Conversation, 1 Pet. 1. 15. And this we undertake to do, when we Eat and Drink here before the Lord, if we rightly understand what we do. We ftipulate and vow to Obey the Will of God in all things; and promise Solemnly to deny all ungodliness and worldly Lufts, and in exprefs terms do offer and prefent unto God our felves, our Souls and Bodies, to be a holy, reafonable, and lively Sacrifice unto him. Now unless we really intend what we do Profefs, and do ftedfaftly purpose, and diligently endeavour to make all our Promifes good, what else can we be fuppofed to do, but to fet forth our own fhameful Hypocrifie, instead of hewing forth the Lord's Death? Therefore, if

We

we intend to Receive this Sacrament with Profit, and to our Eternal Salvation, we must resolve with our felves to be upright and fincere in Heart; to lay afide all filthinefs of Flesh and Spirit, perfecting Holiness in the fear of God; to take to our felves the whole Armour of God, and to quit and behave our felves like Men. We must refolve to ferve God all our days with Reverence and Fear, and to make him the Object of our Defires, and the Portion of our Souls; to be Holy in our Affections, to be Humble in Soul, to be Meek and Peaceable in Spirit, to be Sober and Temperate in our Delights; to be Contented in all Conditions, and to be Patient under our Croffes, as the Prince of Peace was under his To be Thankful for our Afflictions, to be conftant and firm in our Tryals, and to be Charitable in all our Prayers, as he himself was, who Prayed unto his Father at the very last gafp, for the Forgiveness of his Enemies.. Men must not be fo vain, as to imagine, that they are fufficiently Prepared, if they do but find within themselves fome present Raptures, and Liquorish apprehenfions of the Love of God; if they can but breath out fome Groans, or diffolve themselves into a shower of Water. No; the right Preparation of the Heart confifteth in the F entire

entire Love of Virtue, of whatfoever things are True, and Honeft, and Juft, and Pure, and Lovely, and of Good Report, as the Apoftle speaks, Phil. 4.8.

AND thus much may fuffice to be spoken briefly, of the Quality and Nature of due Preparation in general: It must be an Univerfal Rectitude and Holiness of Heart, an entire Goodness of Difpofition, a fincere Love of that Religion, which is Pure and Undefiled, and fuch a Divine frame and bent of Soul, as utterly Abborreth all that is Evil and Destructive of that Obedience, which is due both to the first and fecond Table of the. Decalogue.

2. BUT then we must Note, in the next place, that as there ought to be this general and habitual Preparation, fo there are fome Farticular and Special Duties, which are now to be performed, because (as I faid) here are Special Objects and Reafons to ftir us up to the performance of them. Here the Paffion of Chrift is reprefented, the Pardon of our Sins is tendered, and the infinite Love of God is Exhibited to us. And accordingly we are to lay hold on Christ's Merits with all our Souls, because his Merits are available to fuch only asdo Believe: We are truly and earnestly to Repent of our Sins, because Sin was

that

that which Chrift Dyed for, and 'tis upon our Repentance that our Pardon is Sealed; and moreover we are to express our entire Love to our Brethren, in all its Acts and Offices; becaufe, if God fo Loved us, we ought. alfo to Love one another, 1 Joh. 4. II. Hence it is, that Divines commonly Prefcribe Faith, and Repentance, and Charity, as most neceffary. Preparatives in order to a worthy Receiving; not as if other Vir tues were to be excluded, but because thefe are Specially to be Exercifed, forafmuch as this great Solemnity doth afford us Special and Eminent Objects for the Exercifing of them. I fhall therefore ob ferve the ufual Method, being now to fhew, how Prepared you ought to be, and what Preparations are fufficient; and for your more Profitable Inftruction, I fhall Difcourfe particularly of those three Qualifications, in their due order.

I. AND firft of Faith, which is the Mother and Nurfe of all True Religion. By Faith I mean here, in the strict Notion of it, an Act of the Understanding, whereby a Man is convinced and fatisfied of the Truth of those things which are propounded to our Belief by Divine Revelation, diftinguishing Faith from Hope and Obedience, and other Acts of the Will, which are included in the Notion of Faith, F. 2 when

when 'tis taken in a larger and more comprehenfive Senfe. Now in the pursuit of this Subject, I fhall do these two things. 1. First fhew, why Faith is required in a Communicant, that we may understand the Neceffity of this part of our Duty. 2. What Faith is required; or what we are bound to Believe; that we may fee the Extent of it. And when this is done, I know not what more will be needful to be spoken, touching this matter.

1. WHY Faith is required in a Communicant? And the Reason of it is obvious; because it is the Principle that doth influence, move, and govern our Actions; it being unconceivable, how a Man fhould be wrought upon, either to put his Truft in God, or to forfake his Impieties, or to do any other Act of Religion, unless he be first perswaded in his Mind, that the Author of our Religion had Authority from God to exact these things at our Hands, and that there is Mercy with God if we be careful to do our Duty; and that nothing but Punishment is to be expected, if we neglect and despise so great Salvation. So that without Faith, as it is impoffible to please God, fo it is impoffible to answer the ends and purposes of this Ordinance ; and confequently, the Elements that are taken by an Unbeliever, can do him

no