Ceremonial Rites, which were made neceffary Preparatives in order to a due Celebration of the Pafchal Feaft, were of Myftical fignification; pointing out that inward and fubftantial Purity, which is now required of thofe that enter into Covenant with God, by taking the Pledges of his Covenant into their Mouths. They muft Circumcife their Hearts, as the Jews did their Flesh: They fhould Examine their Souls and Confciences, as the Jews did their Chambers: They should keep the Feast, nor with the Old Leaven, neither with the Leaven of Malice and Wickedness, but with the. Unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth: They fhould purge and Sanctifie their Affections, as Jews and Pagans were wont to wash their Hands and Feet; and fo compafs the Altar of God, having first cleanfed their Bodies and Spirits in Innocence. Thefe are the Moral Duties, which thofe Ritual Ordinances did fignifie, and which were the fubftance and infide of them. And there

fore perhaps it was, that our Saviour delivered no particular Rules (that we Read of) about this matter; because those Purifications which were every where in the world, ufed in order to a right Participa tion of Sacrifical Feafts, did plainly Indicate to all Chriftians what their Duty

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was; and did speak enough to inform us all, that we ought to be Religiously Qualified, Prepared, and Difpof d, before we approach unto his Table; and thus much he feems to have intimated, when he wafhed his Difciples feet with his own hands, before he proceeded to the Inftitution of this Solemnity.

2. NOW though this be fufficient to fhew the Neceffity of due Preparation in order to a Worthy Receiving of this Sacrament, yet for further proof hereof, "we are, in the next place, to add thefe words of S. Paul, 1 Cor. 11. 28. Let a Man Examine himself, and fo let him eat of that Bread, and drink of that Cup. There is not a Text in all the Scriptures, but this only, which gives us a Command and Direction concerning this thing. But this is full and comprehenfive, if we understand it in its just Latitude, domain is the word in the Original Greek, and it fignifies two things. 1. First, it imports fearching and. trying; every one fhould look into his Breaft, and fee how his Heart stands affected and difpofed, before he goes to the Holy Communion. Seldom is a Man fo well acquainted with himself, but that he hath often Reason (especially before he draws near to God, to Contract for an Eternity) to ask.his Confcience, seriously,

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Is there not any Wickedness in me? The great Sages of Old thought it one of the moft difficult matters, for a Man to know himself, throughly. For fuch is the Pravity of our Nature, that we are commonly very loath to fearch into our Bosoms, for fear we should discover fome ugly Monster there, like ill Husbands that are afraid to look over the Account of their Debts, left their minds fhould be difquieted at the fight of them. And when we do take our felves to task, fuch is our Partiality, that for the most part we pass too favourable Judgment in our own Cafe, and are 'apt to think our felves Clean, though our Defilements are more than the Spots of the Sun. Confidering therefore that at this Sacrament we present our felves, before that Great God who is the Searcher of the Reins, and the Rewarder of all Evil, we are very highly concern'd to rip open our Hearts before hand, and to Examine every Angle of our Souls, left we receive the fame 'Anfwer, which that rude Guest received, who came. Unprepa red to the Wedding Feaft, Friend, how cameft thou hither, Matth. 22. Indeed it would be needful for us, were we not Christians, but Men only, to caft our Eyes back upon our ways every Night, and fee how we have pass'd over the Hours E 2

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Μηδ' ὕπνον μαλακδισιν ἐπ ̓ ὄμμασι προσδέξαπς προ των ἡμερινῶν ἔργων τεὶς ra τον επελθών τη παρέβω; ga, &c.Pythag uov. in χρυσ. ἔπη.

pag. 210.

of the day, before we climb up into our Beds: For this was the grave Advice even of a Pagan Philofopher, That e're we Suffer our Eyes to Sleep, we Thould thrice run over the works of the day paft, and ask our Jelves, Where we have been? What we have done? What necessary thing we have cmitted? So reckoning up the feveral paffages of our Life from the first dawning of the Light, as faith Pythagoras. For Hyerocl. as Hierocles hath rightly Noted, This in Pythag course will ferve very much, either to Crown us with Joy, for what we have done well; or to increase our Repentance for whatever bath been done amifs. But never fhould we be more careful of this, than when we refolve to make our Approaches to the Table of the Lord; then it is most neceffary to lay afide fome portion of time, to enquire into our Condition with all diligence, to perufe the Register of our Actions, and to call our felves to an account even for our words and thoughts: For hardly doth any Man walk lo in this world, but that he contracteth some filth daily; fome Defilements or other are apt to flick to his Heels. Even the Confcientious mannagement of our common Affairs, and our Lawful Callings, though it

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be in its kind a good Prefervative against Sin, yet 'tis apt to steal away our Hearts from God, and to draw us fometimes into a Snare. And for this Reason, the most Righteous Man among us hath need to fequefter fome hours from other Employments, and to enquire whether he be fit to come to the Supper of the Lamb.

2. BUT then, Secondly, we must note, that this Examination is not required for it Self, but as a Relative Duty, that is, an Excellent Means to a farther end; that a Man may be able after Tryal and search, to make right Judgment of himself;and may be provoked and perfwaded to Correct the feveral Errata of his Life. And this is the full meaning of St.Paul in that place; where he doth chide the Corinthians for their fhameful Miscarriages in the Church at the Communion time. For first of all, when ye come together in the Church, I hear that there be Divifions among you, faith the Apoftle, v. 18. And then, in Eating every one taketh before other his own Supper, and one is Hungry, and another is drunken, v. 21. These were Vile and Scandalous Actions; and when the Apostle Commanded them to Examine themselves, his meaning could - not be, that he would have them enquire, whether Matter of Fact was not true, 'òr whether

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