THE great Con­tempt that is cast upon Re­ligion in this Age in which we live, & espe­cially upon this great ORDI­NANCE of the Blessed Sacrament of the LORDS SƲPPER, hath made all undertakings of this nature very seasonable. I question whether there was ever any people, of what Religion soever they were, that ever [Page 2]slighted any Institution which they called Divine, as many thousands of Christians slight the Sacrament.

If there were no other Argument to convince Christians of their duty to Receive, and the danger of Neg­lecting; the Cunning and Subtilty of the Devil, the great Enemy of our Salvation, by which he Cheats men in reference to this Ordinance, might be of great force.

If we had lived with our Saviour in the World, or with his Apostles after his Ascention into Heaven, we could not have imagin'd, consi­dering the plain words of the Institu­tion, and the obliging Circumstan­ces that accompanied it, and likewise the care and constancy of the first Christians to observe it according to that plain Institution, that ever there should be a generation of Chri­stians in the World, who should make any Disputes concerning it.

Who could have thought, that there should have been any Priests [Page 3]or Ministers, who should have kept back half the Sacrament from the People, since we find that our Saviour gave the Cup to all those to whom he gave the Bread? And the Apostle tells the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 11. ver. 27, 28, 29. in three Verses together of their Re­ceiving the Cup as well as the Bread; and in one of them, expresly requires that they should Eat of that Bread, and Drink of that Cup, ver. 28. And yet none will say, that the Corinthians were Priests or Ministers.

Who could have imagined, that ever there should have been such a non-sensical Conceit as Transubstan­tiation, which is contrary to the very nature of a Sacrament? It was very happy for the Primitive Chri­stians, that there was no such Con­ceit known in their dayes; for if it had, it would exceedingly have hin­dred the propagating of the GOS­PEL. If a Christian had come to a Heathen, and told him that a peice of bread after a few Prayers, is no [Page 4]longer Bread, but the very Body of Christ his Saviour, and the Heathen had tasted of it, and found that it was nothing but Bread still, surely he would have tryed to laugh that Christian to death, and to hiss him out of the World. If the Heathens had heard any such thing, they would have concluded, That Christi­ans were a sort of men, who were deprived of their Senses, and that all they said, concerning Christ's Mira­cles, and his Resurrection, his As­cention, and the power of the Ho­ly Ghost which followed it, was as true as Transubstantiation. And if they had said that they eat their God, they would have concluded, That they deserved to be hated of all men, and to be devoured by wild Beasts (one of their Cruelties to the Christians) who devoured their God; Or else they would have desired that they might eat with them: for, they could be contented to tear him with their Teeth, to shew their [Page 5]Hatred against him and his Doctrine. Besides, it is an insignificant conceit, in that no man can imaginet, what good it could do him to eat the ve­ry Body of his Saviour.

Who could have Imagined, that a­mongst the men of our own Religion, there should be a generation that should throw the Ordinance away as useless and insignificant; pretending that they receive Christ in their Hearts, and therefore there is no need of the outward Act: As if none were to Receive the Sacrament, but those that are Unworthy, such as receive not Christ in their Hearts: Or as if those to whom our Savi­our gave it, who had forsaken all for his sake, did not receive Christ in their Hearts: Or as if the Pri­mitive Christians, those Holy and Blessed Martyrs, who were constant Communicants, did not receive Christ in the Hearts. But alas, these poor deluded Creatures are pufft up with a conceit, that they are more [Page 6]holy than those Blessed Martyrs were, and that they know the mind and design of Christ better than they did.

But to come a little nearer to that which is my chief Design, Who could have imagin'd that ever there should be men that expect Salvation by Christ (such as have none of these Enthusiastick Whimseys) who should think it a very indifferent thing, whe­ther they observe this Institution of our Blessed Lord, or let it alone, although Christ commanded that it should be Received?

There are too many amongst us, who are Unworthy Communicants, men that do not fear God, and walk in his wayes, who do not take care to keep their Souls pure and undefi­led, for which the Blessed Sacrament was appointed. But there are a great many more, who are Unworthy Non-Communicants, who live in the con­tinued Neglect of this great Ordi­nance; such as are so far from cry­ing [Page 7]as the Disciples did, Lord ever­more give us this Bread, that they concern not themselves, whether they ever partake of it: And that is not all, but they think they do very well in it; that they consult their own Safety, and befriend their own Souls, by absenting from such a dange­rous Ordinance, as the Sacrament is. Nay, they do not only absent from it themselves, but either blame, or wonder, at least, at them that adven­ture to come to it, as those that know not what they do; and they account that those Laws which re­quire men to receive the Sacrament, are most Tyranical, and no more to be obeyed, than Edicts which should command men, to damn their own Souls. Thus! thus! are men delu­ded by the Devil, and affrighted from that Ordinance, which if they right­ly understood, they would not for all the World, live in the neglect of it.

We are offended at the Church of [Page 8] Rome, as well we may, and pitty the People of that Religion, for being content with half the Sacrament; but what shall we say, when they tell us, that our people are content without any of it?

Had we heard our Saviours Insti­tution of it, with the most endear­ing and obliging circumstances, The same night in which he was Betrayed, which shewed that it was his far­wel-Gift or Token of his Love: Or had we lived in the first and purest Ages of Christianity, and seen with what Constancy as well as Ardency, the Sacrament was Celebrated amongst them; and if any by the censures of the Church, were kept back from the Lords Passover, what a dread­ful condition of Fear and Horrour they were in; how they lay pro­strate at the Church-door, and begg'd with Tears and grievious Bemoanings the Prayers of the Communicants, that they might be Admitted again with them to the Lords Table, we [Page 9]would not have imagined, that ever there should be a Nation, in which the Christian Religion should be profes­sed, that should have thousands in it, who had rather be without the Sacra­ment than have it: Who should think that they can better be Saved with­out it, and that their Receiving of it, would rather endanger, than further their Salvation?

And if we consider likewise, that our Saviours Institution of it was af­ter he had spent the last, and there­fore we account it the best, part of his time in perswading, and com­manding his Disciples to love one a­nother, and to be one as he and his Father were one, which we may take as preparatory to his Instituting the Blessed Supper; and if to all this we add, how careful the Primitive Chri­stians were, to obey them that had the Rule over them, and watcht for their Souls, in observing those Rules which they prescribed for the Admi­nistration of the Sacrament (which [Page 10]Rules are many of them observed in the Church of England at this day): It cannot but seem very strange, and be very grievous to all good Chri­stians amongst us, that there should be such causeless Divisions, and Se­parations from this Blessed Ordi­nance.

To the end therefore, that men may not dishonour their Profession, nor be cheated of that Spiritual Food, which Christ appointed for the nou­rishing of their Souls to eternal Life, upon any pretence whatsoever, I ear­nestly intreat, and beseech all Non-Communicants, seriously and imparti­ally to consider these following things.

I. It is the great Duty, as well as the great Priviledge, of every Chri­stian, to Receive the Lords Sup­per.

It is our Saviours Command, This Do; and it is great and apparent Disobedience in every Christian, [Page 11]who does it not. I think it very ne­cessary, that this should be my first Assertion, because the Practice of most men doth suppose, that e­very man is left at his Libery, and ought to be so; whether he will Receive it or not: And if he Re­ceives not in a whole year, or many years; or not in all his life-time, or not till he is in his last sickness (and then calls for it, not for any love that he hath to Christ, or any delight that he takes in the Ordi­nance, but to make an experiment, whether that will ease his tormen­ted mind, when nothing else will) that in all this neglect he hath not offended God. That if he should come to the Sacrament, he might have cause to repent; but his turning his back upon it, though never so of­ten, needs no Repentance.

There are a great many, who if they are required to come to the Lords Table, answer, That they are not satisfied to Receive. But I would [Page 12]fain know of those men, how they can be satisfied to let it alone and to to turn their backs upon it, when others under the same Obligations, do make their solemn Approach to it.

I am sure, there never was any Divine Institution, concerning which, the people under that Dispensation, thought they were left at their li­berty, whether they should observe it or not. Every Male was Circum­cised. Concerning the Passover, we read, Exod. 12. v. 28. And the Chil­dren of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses, and Aaron, so did they. It is strange to consider, how all the Ritual and Cere­monial Laws were Observed: That Burthen which they were not able to bear, they did not dare to throw off. And yet that the Blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper, should be slight­ed, as if it were no Divine Instituti­on, but only that which our Saviour mention'd, and left it to the pleasure [Page 13]of his Disciples and Followers, whe­ther they would observe it.

I can not Imagine, what exposi­tion the Non-Communicant can make of the words of the Institution, This Do in Remembrance of Me. He can not but say, that it is positively En­joyned, and he cannot but say, that it is of Universal Extent. Our Sa­viour did not say, you may do This in Remembrance of Me, if you please. He did not say, lest the Best of my Disciples do This, those that are strongest, and of the highest Rank, and let others omit it: That had been to leave both unsatisfied: The strongest being humble and modest, would alwayes be suspicious, that they had not Arrived at a Degree high enough, there being no Stan­dard; and the weakest would be trou­bled, that they were not permitted to partake, and knew not when they should. But he said, This Do, with­out any Restriction or Limitation; commanding the Observance of it, [Page 14]by all those who expect Salvation by His Death, and Sufferings.

Besides the Institution of it by our Saviour, that Admonition of the Apostle to the Corinthians, is very Observable, 1 Cor. 11.28. Let a man Examine himself, and so let him Eat of that Bread, and Drink of that Cup. The Apostle doth not say, Let a man Examine himself, that he may know whether he shall Receive or not; That he may either Eat, or let it alone, according as he finds himself dispo­sed in his own mind; If he be Reli­giously disposed, let him go to the Lords Supper, if not, let him stay away; But, Let a man Examine him­self, and so let him Eat, &c. plainly intimating, that the Sacrament was an Ordinance, not to be dispensed with, but to be prepared for; and that no man, can satisfy his mind to neglect it, because he is Unwor­thy, but must prepare and partake of it.

I think I need not say any more, [Page 15]to shew, that it is the duty of every one, who calls himself a Christian, to Receive the Blessed Sacrament. It will be only requisite, that I speak somewhat for the determination of one case, and that is, How often eve­ry one is Obliged to Receive? Be­cause, some may think, that unless they partake at every Communion, they are guilty of a sin of Omission; and if they should, the Number of Communicants being very great, in some places, it is impossible to be performed. To this I may Answer, that in regard, our Saviour made no Determination in this Matter; It is requisite, that every one should take his Measures, from the appointment of the Church, and from his own particular exigences, and necessi­ties.

At first, the Christians met toge­ther, and received every day of the week, their Hearts were Inflam'd with Love to their Saviour, and they were in continued expectation, by [Page 16]Martyrdome to be sent to him. Af­terwards, it came to four times in the week, besides the Festivals. The ap­pointment of our Church is, that e­very one should Receive at least three times in the year; and I conceive that the monethly Administration of it, in great and populous Cities is, partly, that there should not be so great a concourse at the Festivalls, as that it should be impossible to Ad­minister it to all at once, and much more, that those who are zealously af­fected, and find a greater necessity than others do, of Receiving it often, might have the more frequent Oppor­tunities: For, the reason why it is not Administred every Lords-day (as it was formerly, and for that reason, the Communion Service is still con­tinued in the Church when there is no Administration) is not because Christians may receive the Sacra­ment too often, but because the Com­monness of it, may lesson that Re­verence and Esteem, which is to be [Page 17]had for that great and solemn Ordi­nance. It would be a happiness in­deed, if from the number of Zealous Communicants, we should find it ne­cessary to Administer the Sacrament every Lords-day.

II. The danger of Unworthy Re­ceiving is not so great as many think it is, who flee from the Sacrament as that which would bring them in­to a very great, and irrecoverable danger. It is not an unpardonable Sin, but that which may be amen­ded.

I mention this in the second place, for the satisfaction of those who are under such terrible fears of being Un­worthy Communicants, that they Communicate not at all, which I am apt to think, is the common case of Non-Communicants in our Dayes.

These disquieting Fears, proceed from a mistake of two expressions in the Apostles Admonition to the Cor­rinthians, 1 Cor. 11.29. For the that [Page 18]eateth and drinketh Ʋnworthily, eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself, not discerning the Lords Body. They do not rightly understand what is meant by eating and drinking Ʋnworthily, nor by eating and drinking Damnati­on. And for want of a right under­standing of these Expressions, they start from the Sacrament, as if the Lords Table were become a snare. They are so affrighted, that Christs Com­mand signifies nothing to them, nor yet the benefit which he declared to his Disciples they should receive by it. When they hear how former Ages frequented the Sacrament, they re­gard it not, but think that they have discovered a danger which their fore fathers never found out. They think that they are in the surest way to Salvation, that come not to the Sa­crament; and the seldomer that any one Receives, the less danger he does incur to himself. And from a mistake of this place it is, that many very Pious, & therefore Worthy Communi­cants, [Page 19]come not to the Lords Table with that Joy and Alacrity of Spirit, which become the Welcome Guests of our Blessed and Bountiful SAVIOUR, but are oppressed with Fears and Terrours, as if they suspected their coming would be to their Prejudice.

As for the word [...], Ʋnworthy: The sense in which we commonly make use of it is a good interpreta­tion of the Apostles meaning. We do not call a man Unworthy, because he hath not attained to any high Accom­plishments; because he is of meaner or lower degree than others; nor do we call a man Unworthy, because of some Faults that he is guilty of, con­sidering that in many things we Offend all. But we call him Unworthy, who doth a base Act from a base Design. We call him Unworthy who is a Dis­sembler, who pretends Friendship to another for his own ends, but it ap­pears that he hath no real Kindness for him. He is Unworthy, who easts contempt upon him whom he ought [Page 20]to reverence, and honour as his Su­periour. In such a sense as this is, we are to understand the meaning of the Apostle. He is an Unworthy Communicant, who pretends to be the Disciple of the Lord, and takes no care to keep his Commandments. He is an Unworthy Communicant, who pretends great honour and re­verence for his Saviour and his Or­dinances, and yet comes Unreverently before him, which was the Corinthians case.

For the right understanding of this word, no man must make the esteem which he hath for himself to be his Rule; for then we should conclude, that our Saviour made a Feast with a resolution that none should partake of it. The impenitent Sinners Guilt tells him that he is Unworthy, and the penitent Sinners Humility tells him that he is Unworthy; and so by consequence, none must come to the Sacrament. According to this Rule, the Apostle himself was an Unworthy [Page 21]Communicant; for he calls himself the Chief of Sinners. If this were the Rule, every man should be a Wor­thy Communicant, according to the good conceit that he hath of himself. The boasting Pharisee should be Wor­thy, and the poor humble and pe­nitent Publican should be Unwor­thy.

It is great pity, but that every good Christian should understand the true sense of the Word, because, o­therwise those who are most Wor­thy, by reason of their great Humili­ty, and self-Abasement, are most apt to conclude themselves Unworthy. It had been great pity, that the Centurion should have lost his er­rand to our Saviour, because, he ac­counted himself Unworthy that he should come under his Roof. Our Sa­viour would have accounted it great pity, that the woman of Cana should have been rejected, because, she accoun­ted her self as Unworthy, as a Dog. It is a great pity, that any humble Chri­stian [Page 22]should be kept from the Sa­crament because he thinks himself Unworthy of it; for, the sense of his Unworthyness doth shew that he is Worthy.

Those who are under this mistake may be better Informed, by reading the Form of Administration in our Church. We do not come to the Lords Table, and say, ‘Lord, we have now gotten a great Conquest o­ver our sins, we are now Arrived to a high measure of Grace and Piety beyond other men, and therefore now we account our selves Worthy Communicants, and such as are fit to Sup with our Lord.’ But on the contrary, we acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we have grievously committed; we ac­knowledge, that we are not Worthy to gather the Crumbs under his Table &c. By which it appears, that none are to Receive the Sacrament, but those that, in this sense, judge them­selves Unworthy of it.

That every one therefore, may have a right Notion of this Word, Ʋnworthy: The Rule which they must judge by, is the Word of God. Every man must account himself Wor­thy or Unworthy to Receive the Sacrament, not according to what he thinks of himself, but according to what God's Word declares con­cerning him. They are Worthy, whom God accepts of, according to his Covenant of Grace, declared in, and by the Gospel. He that is sin­cerely Penitent, though he cannot think himself Worthy, yet, God de­clares him to be so; and therefore, he is a Worthy Communicant, and is offensive to God and injurious to himself if he comes not to the Blessed Sacrament. He that sincerely desires, and endeavours to walk in the wayes of God and Religion, though by reason of his many failings in his Duty, he thinks himself Unworthy, yet, God accounts him Worthy, [Page 24]and therefore, he ought to come to the Sacrament, and to come with great Joy and Alacrity of mind; and the Sacrament is very proper for him, because, it is an excellent meanes to help him against that which troubles him.

There is a twofold Unworthyness; as to the Person, and as to the man­ner of Communicating. As to the Person, when he is in a sinful and im­penitent State, when he allowes him­self in sensual Practises, and takes plea­sure in them, though he knows that he Acts contrary to the Com­mand of Christ; either trying to sa­tisfy himself with Atheistical hopes that there is no World but this, or else with the hopes of an after Re­pentance, which is the common snare of the Devil. This Person can not be a Worthy Communicant, for, he is at enmity with God in his mind: He is a Rebel against the Law of Christ, which his intention to repent after­wards, doth suppose. He is one who can­not [Page 25]not think himself welcome to Christ, because, he will not suffer him to be his Lord to Rule over him.

There is Unworthyness likewise, as to the manner of Receiving, and that is, when a man doth not Re­ceive with Reverence as becomes him, in that solemn Approach to God. This was a great fault which the Corinthians were guilty of, they came Unreverently and disorderly to the Sacrament from their love-Feasts, forgetting that they were not in their own Houses but in Gods House, and that they were not eating at their own Tables but at the Lords Table. This is the proper meaning of the Apo­stles expression in the next words, Not discerning the Lords Body; an ex­pression which I have heard some Pa­pists make use of, for their whimsey of Transubstantiation, as if they Eat and Drank Unworthily who did not discern by Faith, that it was the ve­ry Body of our Saviour: but most certain it is, that the Apostle had a­nother [Page 26]meaning. The word [...] signifies both to discriminate and to sanctify; and so the properest Ac­count that can be given of it is, that he who doth not Receive after a devout and religious manner, is Un­worthy.

I hope I have said enough to take off the unnecessary, and causeless fears of those who are humble Christians, & that they will not any longer give the Enemy of their Salvation this advan­vantage against them, but that they will take right Measures, and be so far from keeping from the Sacrament because they think themselves Un­worthy, that they will account it a good qualification for their Welcome at the Lords Table. Let such per­sons look into the Holy Gospel, and they will find, that such persons as they are, were not only accepted of Christ, but highly commended by him, and therefore are the most Welcome Guests at the Lords Table.

The next thing to be considered, [Page 27]is, what the Apostle means by eating and drinking Damnation; which is the affrighting expression that makes thousands afraid to Receive the Sacra­ment. The trembling sinner is affraid that this brings men into the condi­tion of those who were guilty of the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost; that they have committed a sin which shall never be forgiven them: That they having received Unworthily, are irrecoverably Lost and Ruin'd. That they have swallowed down Poison to their Souls, and can never vomit it up again. And if these be the in­terpretations that sinners make of those Expressions, that it is very hard to say who is worthy to Receive; and yet if a man be an Unworthy Receiver he is from thenceforth in a state of Damnation: It is no wonder that there are so few Communicants. That I may therefore rectify these mistakes, I desire these things may be considered.

• 1. It was not the design of the A­postle [Page 28]by this Expression, to scare the wickedest men amongst Christi­ans from the Sacrament, but only that they might Repent and come to it. He did not suppose that what he said he would make any afraid to perform their Duty in observing this Ordinance; nor had it any such effect upon those to whom he wrote this Epistle. He was a more faithful stew­ard and Servant of Christ, than to do any thing with design, to discourage those from coming to his Masters Table, who were invited to prepare, & to come to it. If he had, he had been as Unworthy a Minister, as the worst sinner can be an Unworthy Com­municant. It is of great moment, and may exceedingly tend to the sa­tisfaction of the scrupulous, when they read the Scriptures, to consider well what the design of the Pen-man is: for by this meanes they will prevent misapplications, which are of very ill Consequence.
• 2. The word which is translated [Page 29]Damnation, is [...] which signifies Judgment, and doth as well signifie any temporal evil which befalls men in this world as the punishment in the hellish State. And so the mean­ing is this and no more: He that Eateth and Drinketh Unworthily of­fends God, and provokes the Judg­ment of God against himself.
• 3. The case of the Corinthians is to be considered, and that may tend exceedingly to the satisfaction of those that are thus affrighted: 1. They had received Unworthily; but yet the Apostle doth not tell them that they are Damned, or that they are in a lost condition, and must now per­rish for ever; but Admonishes them to be more careful for the time to come, that they might come with better Preparation than they had be­fore. 2. In eating and drinking Un­worthily, they had eat and drank Damnation to themselves in the Apo­stles sense: They had eat and drank Judgment, as appears in the next [Page 30]Verse. For this cause many are weak and sickly amongst you, and many sleep. From which it is concluded, that God sent a Plague at Corinth for their Un­worthy Receiving. 3. It must be con­sider'd, that the Apostle only blames the Corinthians for that Fault which they were then guilty of, which was their Unworthy Receiving. There were no Christians in those dayes that were Non-Communicants. They generally Valued the Sacrament above their lives, and an opportunity of receiv­ing, though it were Administred eve­ry day in the week, above all the en­joyments of the World. There was therefore no occasion for the Apostle to tell them the Danger of living in the neglect of the Sacrament: If there had, no Man in his Wits can imagine but that the Apostle would have threatned Damnation as well to Unworthy Neglecters as he did to Unworthy Receivers of the Blessed Sa­crament.
• [Page 31]4. If this which the Apostle saith of Eating and Drinking Damnation be the cause of Mens being afraid to come to the Sacrament, they may for the like reason, be afraid to perform other Duties of Religion.

If any Impenitent Sinner Prayes to God, without a resolution to avoid the same course of Life, he cannot think but his Prayers will provoke God to punish him, rather then ob­tain favour to him: that he hath reason to expect that the Judgment of God, both in reference to this Life, and that which is to come, should be the consequent of it. he is one who confesseth his sin to God, but doth not so much as intend to forsake it for the time to come: And this must certainly be a great Provocation of the All-seeing God; For a Man to pretend that he is sorry for what he hath done, when he is not resolved to amend.

If an earthly King could know that the Malefactor, who beggs his Life, [Page 32]intended to do the same wickedness for which he deserved to dye before, he would be so far from granting his Petition, that he would hasten his Execution.

The Almighty God, the Great King of Heaven knows this to be the Sinners case, that although he stands condemned for his evil deeds, yet he beggs pardon, onely as a thing in course, without any resolution of a­mendment; and can it be imagin'd that any thing less than Damnation should be the end of this Sinner. There is one case in which the Sinner doth directly Pray Damnation to himself, according to the Apostles Phrase, and that is the case of the Ma­litious and Revengeful Sinner, he Prayers to God to forgive him his tres­presses as he forgives others: That is not at all, It is as if he should say, Lord be thou revenged on me, for I am resolved to be revenged on my Brother: Besides, there is no more cause of Terrour from this Expression [Page 33]of the Apostle by which Sinners are scared from the Sacrament, than there is in that of Solomon by which wick­ed men may be afraid to Pray, Prov. 15.8. The Sacrifice, that is the Prayer, of the Wicked is an Abomination unto the Lord. He that doth that which God loaths, that which is an Abomination to him, certainly can expect nothing but Damnation to be the end of it. I would fain know of the Non-Com­municant whether, if the Apostles expression had been He that Eateth and Drinketh Ʋnworthily is an Abomi­nation unto the Lord, and Solomons expression had been, The Prayer of the wicked bringeth Damnation to himself; that he would have Receiv­ed the Sacrament, but never pray'd to God.

I may likewise instance in that great Duty of hearing Gods Word. Certainly every man will grant, that for a man to come to the House of God, to hear what God requires of him, without any intent to do it, and [Page 34]accordingly comes from hearing Gods Commands with a resolution to break them, can expect nothing less than Damnation to be the consequent of it. And although this be the case of thousands of Sinners, yet they are not afraid to hear Gods Word. There is no more cause of Terrour from this expression of the Apostle to Unwor­thy Communicants, than there is from many Expressions of our Savi­our and his Apostles concerning Un­worthy Hearers of Gods Word. I may instance first, in that of our Saviour, Luk. 8.18. Take heed therefore how you hear; whosoever hath to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have. If our Saviour had onely given the Caution, Take heed how you hear, it might startle the unprofitable Hearer, and give him just cause to expect Judgment if he were not careful? But our Sa­viour adding, For whosoever hath to him shall be given, and from him that [Page 35]hath not, from him shall be taken away, even that which he seemeth to have, is an expression which signifies the conditi­on of a careless Hearer to be so for­lorn, that it may make every such sinner afraid to enter into Gods House. The meaning of our Savi­our by that proverbial saying is, He that is an Obedient Hearer shall grow in Grace and Knowledge, and be in the case of a Rich man who encreas­eth his Riches to a great Estate; but the careless Hearer who doth not give diligent Attention, and who comes to hear without resolution to Practise, is like a man of low De­gree who by taking no care to im­prove his Stock, loseth that little that he hath, and comes to intolerable Begga­ry and Misery. How dreadful is the Condition of that man, who may be said to hear away all that is good? Who, the longer he Hears the less he Regards and the worse he is.

I might instance likewise in the comparison which our Saviour makes [Page 36]between a disobedient Hearer, and the foolish man who built his House upon the Sand, Mat. 7.26. of which he saith, great was the fall of it. We can not imagine the great fall of a Diso­bedient Hearer to be any thing less than a fall into Damnation and ever­lasting Misery: And yet men are not therefore afraid to hear Gods Word who refuse to do it. I may in­stance likewise in in the expressions of the Apostles; St. James saith, Chap. 1. v. 22. Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves. How do men deceive themselves, but by expecting Salvation from Hearing, and Damnation must be their Por­tion for not doing. And yet the sin­ner doth not say, I shall but deceive my self, and therefore 'tis in vain for me to go to Gods House to Hear his Word. There is another expression of the Apostle; 2 Cor. 2.16. To the one we are a savour of death unto death. The Apostle is speaking concerning the Ministry of the Gospel, and the [Page 37]different Effectswhich it hath upon men in reference to another world. It is the savour of death unto death; an expression alluding to strong perfumes which are pleasant to some, but are like poison suddainly destructive to others. It is as if the Apostle should have said, Though to some our Preach­ing the Gospel is exceedingly benefi­cial, yet to others who regard it not it is most certainly destructive, for it brings eternal Death. There is more terrour in this Expression than there is in that of the Apostles eating and drinking Damnation; for that, as I have shewed, signifies any tempo­ral evil as well as the Punishment of another state; But this of the Apo­stle signifies only the Death of the soul in another world; And yet for all this men are not afraid to hear the Gospel Preached to them. By this I hope it hath appeared, that there is no more reason why Chri­stians should be afraid to Receive the Sacrament from that Expression of [Page 38]the Apostle, than they should be to perform other Duties of Religion, con­sidering what the Scripture saith concerning those that are Unworthy Performers of them.

5. I may add in the last place That this Expression of the Apostle how severe soever it may seem to be, is no part of revealed Religion properly so called. Revealed Religi­on is that of God, which we could not know if it were not told us. But this of Unworthy Communicant eating and drinking judgment to them­selves, is that which the Corinthian and all Christans might know, though the Apostle had never said it. Every man by the light of natural Reason knows, that he who doth not live in obedience to the Laws of his God or comes Unreverently before him, is not accepted of him; but on the con­trary, doth provoke him to anger, and consequently to punish that of­fender who doth thus disobey and contemn him.

If Heathens had been negligent or unreverent in their Sacrifices, and a plague had hapned amongst them, as it was supposed to be the case of the Corinthians, they would doubt­less have concluded, that the Plague came because of their Neglect of their Duty. And therefore it is a hard case that men should be so much afraid of the Sacrament, because they are told of a danger which Heathens themselves might have known in the like case

'Tis very probable that the Corin­thians were so apprehensive of the infinite love of Christ, and of the benefit which was to be recei­ved by this Ordinance, that they were not so well aware of the danger of Unworthy Receiving as they might have been; and therefore the Apostle thinks fit to give them this Admonition, by which they might understand that, although the benefit was great to the Worthy Re­ceiver, yet a Man must not be so [Page 40]presumptuously confident of it, as to think that he may come to it without a due consideration of, and preparation for, such a near and so­lemn approach to God.

III. The danger of Unworthy Neglecting the Sacrament is general­ly greater than the danger of Un­worthy Receiving. I know that this Assertion will seem strange to many and may be very offensive to some, who for many Years have heard the Duty of preparing mightily urged, but have never heard that it is a Du­ty to partake. They have heard the danger of Unworthy Receiving strain­ed beyond its due bounds and limits, but have heard nothing of the danger of living in the continued Neglect of this Ordinance. But though I do not speak the Sense of a great many in this vicious and divided Age, yet I hope every one will grant that I speak the Sence of all Mankind in all for­mer Ages, in reference to divine and [Page 41]positive Institutions. Those, who of old were called Gods People, because they had entred into Covenant with him, had positive Institutions from God, which they were duly to observe, and to sanctify themselves for the performance of. We are not to ima­gine that they thought their external Sanctifications were enough, but that there must be an inward Sanctifica­tion of the Heart, to which the other did relate. And although they were defective in this, as appears by the great complaints which God made against them, yet they did not dare to neglect the Observance of Gods positive Institutions; but all the peo­ple were careful to do what God commanded as to the outward Act, though they were negligent as to the inward disposition of their Minds and preparation for it. When our Savi­our came into the World, the Passo­ver was duly observed by those whom he condemned as the worst men in the world, but yet he no [Page 42]where tells them that they should not have observ'd it, or that it had been better that the Ordinance had been wholly laid aside. Though all were not Israel that were of Israel, yet all accounted it their Duty to observe the Ordinances of the God of Is­rael.

If we likewise consider the Practice of the first Christians, we shall find, that they accounted Non-Communi­cating to be the greatest danger. If they had accounted that there was less danger in being Non-Communi­cants, or that they might have been very good Christians though they did not Receive the Sacrament, or that it would be no great danger to their own Souls to live in the Neglect of it, they would not have lain pro­strate at the Church Doors, beg­ging the Prayers of the Faithful, that they might be admitted to the Sa­crament; but have liv'd very conten­tedly without it, as a great many do in our dayes, who it may be will [Page 43]say, that it was the Ignorance of those Christians which made them so fond­ly desirous of it. Excommunication, by which they were debarred from coming to the Sacrament, would have been no trouble to them, but they would have lived very contentedly without it. Besides we find that when the Corinthians had received Unwor­thily, the Apostle charges them to examine themselves, that they might be better prepared; but afterwards, when Christians began to be so remiss as not to receive at all, it was deter­min'd in a Council at Antioch, That all Non-Communicants should be Ex­communicated; they were not thought worthy of the name or society of Christians, who should turn their backs upon the Holy Ordinance of the blessed JESUS, as if it were unneces­sary to observe it. Doubtless the most wicked Christian in the World will not be punished for coming to the Sacrament, simply considered, but be­cause he did not prepare his Mind by [Page 44]leaving off his wickedness. He did that which was required of him, as to the outward Act onely, he did not take care to prepare himself for it. But more particularly.

1. Non-communicating is a more manifest contempt of the Authority of God. A Law-giver is exceeding­ly despised when his Lawes are not observed. It is an Argument that his Authority is disputed, or that those whom he commands are not obliged to obey him. Who can imagine that the Uuworthy Non-Communicant ownes that God hath exalted Christ To be a Prince and a Saviour, and that he hath given him a Nome above eve­ry name, when he turns his back up­on his Institution, as if it were some Usurper that hath said Do this, and one whom Men need not own as their Prince, and as their Saviour? This is such a contempt of Christ's Autho­rity, and such a reproach to the Chri­stian Religion, that I may say Tell it not in Gath, &c. Let not the Hea­thens [Page 45]hear that Christians have so little regard to their Christ, as that they do not obey him in that Com­mand which had a special Relation to what they say he did for them. They have more reverence and shew, more regard and obedience to their Gods which yet are no Gods, as appears by the account we have of their Sa­crifices. Let not the Mahometans hear of it: They are diligent to observe the commands of their Mahomet, in abstaining from what he hath forbid­den, and in their Religious Duties, praying five times every day, because they say that he had Authority from God, and what he commanded they are obliged to do. Tell it not to the Jewes; they observe the Ordinances of Moses to this day in many things, because they own his Authority from God: These Men of other Religions shame Christians, and may conclude if they hear of Non-Communicants, That there are many who call them­selves Christians, who do not believe [Page 46]in their Hearts that their Christ came from God; for they do not account themselves obliged to observe his Rites and Institutions. This contempt of Christ's Authority cannot be so deep­ly charged upon the Unworthy Re­ceiver. That Servant who is not careful to do his duty after such a manner as his Master requires of him, is not so guilty of contempt, as he that turns his back, and doth not do it at all. That Christians, because Christ requires them to be Christians indeed, his Disciples, and because they are threatned with Punishment if they are not careful to perform their Duty as they ought, and as they may do, should think to avoid Punishment, by not doing their Duty at all, is such a way to avoid Punishment, as no Man ever yet thought of, and nothing but the delusion of the Devil could ever put into the Minds of Men.

2. It is a greater contempt of the love of Christ. The love of God the Fa­ther in sending Christ into the World [Page 47]is unconceivably great: God so lo­ved the world, so infinitly, so tran­scendently, so beyond all that Tongues can express, or Hearts conceive: And Christs giving his Body to be broken, and his Blood to be shed, is such an expression of Love, as is only fit to put us into an Extasy of Admirati­on. The Apostle tells us that it hath length and breadth, and depth and heighth, and that it is a love which pas­seth Knowledg. A love which can not be described, and therefore God al­lows us an Eternity to admire it in: That God should become Man, that He should Die to whom it belongs to give Life, that he should Die for Ene­mies, that He should Die such an ig­nominious Death as the Death of the Cross, &c. Now we must know, that this Sacrament is an Ordinance which Christ appointed on purpose to give us a lively Remembrance, and a symbolical representation of that unconceivable Love: And although the Unworthy Communicant is Un­worthy [Page 48]indeed, in that it hath not such an influence upon his Life as it ought to have, yet in regard that he comes to the Sacrament, and by his outward reverence doth acknowledge Christs Love to Sinners (and it may be hath grief in his heart at that time to think that that love hath not obliged him to better Obedience) he is not so much to blame as the Non-Com­municant who turns his back upon the Ordinance, as if Christs love Exhibited and represented by it were not wor­thy of his notice.

3. They cast great contempt upon the Wisdom of Christ, who frequent not the Blessed Sacrament. Their Neglect of it supposeth that they think there is no great need of it, or no great good to be received by it.

There are a sort of People a­mongst us, who upon all occasi­ons declare that they hope to be saved, who yet think they need not Receive the Sacrament; And what [Page 49]do these men less than charge Christ, that this Ordinance, which he appoin­ted as a means to Salvation, might as well have been let alone. It is through their own great Folly that they call the Wisdom of him who is the Wisdom of God into question; their not considering that the good that is to be Received, is only from the Blessing of Heaven upon that Or­dinance which Christ appointed. The Non-Communicant in this case is like Naaman the Leper, 2 Kings 5.10.11. who was willing to go to the man of God to be recovered of his Leprosy; but he was desirous that it might be done without his using any Means for it; especially such as he could not understand should afford him any benefit. Elisha sent a Mes­senger unto him, saying, Go and Wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again unto thee, and thou shalt be clean. But Naaman was Wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, he will surely come out to me, [Page 50]and stand, and call on the Name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the Leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar Rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them and be clean? So he turned and went away in a Rage. In like manner the Non-Communicant knows no reason, why he should go to the Sacrament to be cured of his Leprosy. It is enough, he thinks, that Christ died for Sin­ners, and that he believes it, and that he is sorry for his Sins and asks God Pardon, or intends to do so: He knows no need of the Sacrament, or to what purpose it was appointed. But as Naaman kept his Leprosy till he was perswaded to wash in Jordan; so Sinners have all the reason in the world to expect, that the Leprosy of their Souls should continue till they frequent the Sacrament, it being an Ordinance which Christ appointed, and therefore they have no reason to expect the cure of their Souls with­out it.

The Unworthy Communicant ac­knowledges by his devout Receiving of it, that it is an Ordinance of Hea­ven, worthy of all Reverence (though he fails in examining himself before he comes to partake of it) and that from which great benefit is to be ex­pected; but the Unworthy Non-Communicant slights it as inconside­rable and unnecessary to be obser­ved. And every one knows that in so doing he calls into question the Wis­dom of our Blessed Saviour.

4. Non-Communicants are worse than Unworthy Receivers, in that they cast away the profession of Chri­stianity, and that Publick Declara­tion of the benefit of the Death and Sufferings of Christ, for which this Ordinance was appointed. When our Saviour said, Do this in remem­brance of Me: And the Apostle, As oft as ye Eat this Bread, and Drink this Cup ye do shew the Lords Death until He come; or [...], declare ye the Lords Death. It is very plain, [Page 52]that the Sacrament was not only in­tended for the private good and be­nefit of the Receiver, but to bear up the honour of God and the Chri­stian Religion in the World: That it should be used for a publick Decla­ration, that Christ is the Saviour of the World, and that there is no other Name under Heaven by which a man can be Saved: That his Death and Sufferings was the expiatory Sacri­fice for the Sin of the whole World: And that those who have not the Gospel Preached, but have only the guide of their own Consciences and of natural Religion, are saved by ver­tue of his Death, though they do not know him; because that it is by him that Gods Anger is appeased to wards Mankind. By this we shew forth the Lords Death, what a great and mighty Saviour he made himself by dying for Mankind.

The Unworthy Receiver is exceed­ingly to blame because he failes in the Practice of Religion: But the Non-Communicant [Page 53]is more Unworthy, for he failes not only in the Practice, but in the very Profession likewise. It were not improper to ask him when he turns his back upon the Sacrament what Religion he is of, that we may give an account to them that ask us? If he saith a Christian, why doth he not own it by his solemn Ap­proach to that Ordinance which Christ appointed for that very end? If he saith he goes to Church, so may, and sometimes do Jews and Mahometans, men of other Religions.

5. Non-Communicating is of more dangerous and pernicious Conse­quence than Unworthy Receiving. It is not onely in many respects more offensive to God, but likewise more destructive to the Souls of men. This may appear by a more general or a more particular and special Conside­ration. Non-Communicating is the great Inlet both of dreadful Divisions and horrid Debaucheries; which with sorrowful hearts we have great cause to complain of.

It hath been the great Inlet to all manner of Divisions by which the Church of Christ, which is his Body, is torn Limb from Limb, and, we fear, is never like to be healed in our daies. The case is plain though there were nothing of sad Experience to be alledged.

So long as men keep in socie­ties, though but civil Societies, and are Obliged to observe Rules and Or­ders: If any Controversie arisie, the dissatisfied person, partly by his obliga­tion to those rules and orders, and part­ly by the advice and councel of the rest of the society, doth not present­ly separate but submit; or if he be stubborn and insolent he may be turn'd out of the Society, and be liable to severe penalties, till he be more modest, humble and compliant. But if he thinks himself under no obligation to observe the rules and orders of that Society, and no penalty be inflicted, then he breaks away and makes Parties and brings all into confusion and dis­order.

In the case of the Sacrament: If every one, who is admitted by Bap­tism to be a member of the Church of Christ, doth account it his duty as a member of that Society, to observe the rules and orders of the Church, Peace and Union is maintain'd; but if men think they are not oblig'd, but wholly left at their liberty whe­ther they will partake of this Or­dinance or let it alone, then it's no wonder if the members of that so­ciety be Scattered into as many divi­sions and parties, as the great Enemy of the Sacrament and of their Salva­tion please.

For many years after our blessed Reformation from Popery, there were so many received the Sacrament, that the number of inhabitants in every Parish was best known by the num­ber of Communicants. In those hap­py dayes of the Churches peace, Mas­ters and Mistresses came at one Com­munion, & their Servants after publick Catechising and private Examination [Page 56]by their Ministers, came the next Communion. It could not be Ima­gined but that there were some Un­worthy Communicants amongst them: There were such in the Church of Corinth, and will be in all Churches to the end of the World. But that Evil was nothing in comparison of the mischiefs that have happen'd since men took their Liberties and forsook the Sacrament. Parishes now may better be computed by the num­ber of Non-Communicants, and those that run from the Sacrament, rather than of those that come to it.

I cannot in this place forbear men­tioning the substance of what I late­ly heard from a very Aged, Grave, and Pious Person, who is now very conformable to the Church of Eng­land. We were lamenting that the people would not be perswaded to come to the Sacrament, and that their absenting was occasion'd by the sad Distractions and Divisions that are in the Church: ‘I was, said he, one of [Page 57]those who in the begining of the late troubles found fault with the Sur­plice and with the Cross in Bap­tisme, and there were others who were discontented at those things, who were good and holy men. But I am confident, if they could have foreseen the dreadful mischiefs that have happened unto the Church, they would never have so much as opened their lips, much less have done any thing against the Church as it then was.’

I know there ought to be great care taken to keep off scandalous Com­municants, and there would be grea­ter care taken if the Divisions of the Church did not hinder it. But I think all sober People will say, that if all the vicious men in England came to the Sacrament, it would not be so great a scandal to Religion, as the dreadful Divisions and Separations that have been in the Church, since the People took their liberty to turn their backs upon that holy Ordinance, and many [Page 58]Ministers made it their business to make them afraid of it, by Preaching the danger of Unworthy Receiving, but not of Unworthy Neglecting of it.

Another great Evil which is the Consequence of Non-Communicating is horrid Debauchery and Prophane­ness; such as never was or could be whilst the Sacrament was Frequen­ted. There are thousands in this age who call themselves Christians, and often say that they hope to be saved, but are so far from living like Chri­stians, that they would be abandoned by sober Heathens as unfit for Humane Society. If we look into the Records of antient times we shall find, that though there were grievious Wicked­nesses & Impieties, yet they were atten­ded with some kind of fear and shame; but in our age Wickedness insults, as if it hoped to have a better reputation than Piety and Vertue in the World. The Apostle speaking of the sins of Heathens Eph. 5.11. calls them the Ʋnfruitful Works of Darkness. And in the next [Page 59]Verse he tells the Ephesians, that it is a shame to speak of those things which are done in Secret. But in our age wicked­ness appears Openly, as if there were no fear or shame that belonged to it.

In former times they that were drunk were drunk in the Night, but now tis Scarcely accounted a sin, and therefore is become a Noon-day Entertainment. In former times it was the sin of a rude ungovern'd Rab­ble. When Hannah was falsely ac­cused of being drunk, count not, said she, thine handmaid for a Daughter of Be­lial; Belial signifies without Yoak, and it is as if she had said, I am none of those unruly forlorn Miscreants that will be drunk. I suppose the pro­verb may be very antient As drunk as a Beggar. But now tis the sin (if I may be so bold as to call it so) of Lords and Gentlemen, and is in as much Esteem amongst too many of them, as if it were some brave At­chievement, for which a man is will­ing to adventure the Ruine of himself and family.

Whoredome is another sin which hath exceedingly abounded. It is an Old sin, but the Impudence that attends it is new. In Jobs time the eye of the Adulterer waited for the twilight, Chap. 24.15. The Whore which Solomon speaks of, Prov. 7.9. was only to be found in the Twilight, in the Evening, in the black and dark night, and she was accounted to have an impudent face, v. 13. But how impudent are those Whores who appear in the open streets at noon day, tempting all that pass by to their filthy Embraces? Wee read in the Scripture of the At­tire of a Harlot, but now there is in this immodest age no distinction; but by the shew of women wee may suspect that the Attire of Harlots is all the fashion.

These two Sins have of late years so much abounded, that there are thousands who are so far from living like Christians, that they are degene­rated from the common Principles of Humanity, and would be a shame to Heathens if they lived amongst [Page 61]them. These sins have made many to become worse than beasts in the esteem of all that are vertuous. And I am sure they have made them become Devils to themselves and families.

There is another dreadful Sin which abounds, and that is profane Swear­ing. A Sin which men commit on­ly because the Devil will have it so; for there is neither profit nor pleasure in it. Some are seldom guilty of it but when they are provoked to An­ger, and then they must be revenged by abusing the name of God & destroying their own Souls: which lets us see what fools the Devil makes them that for­sake Religion. Sometimes it is atten­ded with mirth and jollity; Laugh­ter and Swearing go together, as if to abuse the Holy Name of God were a help to Mirth. But the reason of it is this, the Devil will not have his servants to have innocent Mirth; if they should, their Dam­nation would not be encreased as he would have it upon all occasions. [Page 62]Sometimes we observe men swearing in their ordinary Converse as if it were a grace to their speech: Of which the truest account that I can give is; that their Hearts are so full of Wickedness, & of contempt of God and of Religion, that it continually, as a thing in course, runs out at their Mouths.

I may add another Impiety which doth exceedingly encrease, and that is Contempt of Religion upon the Lords Day. Men of other Religions may call it the Devils Day, conside­ring what horrid Wickednesses men are guilty of on that Day. He hath more service done him on that day than in all the week besides. 'Tis be­come the Ale-house-keepers Market or rather Fair-day. If Christians should regard their Souls on that day, they could not pay their Rents.

These Wickednesses and many more have abounded since the days of Non-Communicating. If these Ungodly Wretches had not turn'd their backs [Page 63]upon the Sacrament at first, when they were of years in which they might have been capable of Receiv­ing it, and the Church requir'd it; if they had been under a Necessi­ty of receiving it; no man can ima­gine that they could have been guilty of such horrid Sins, and have lived such wicked Lives. 'Tis possi­ble that they might have been in a sinful State, and so have been Un­worthy Communicants, and thereby have eaten and drank Damnation to themselves; But now they do most apparently damn their own Souls to the bottomless Pit of Destruction, and they damn the souls of others; and in a sense they may be said to damn all Religion.

If these profligate Wretches were strictly required to come to the Sa­crament, they would be under a Ne­cessity of reforming that they might be admitted to it. There would be an Admonition from the Minister. There would be trerible Checks from [Page 64]their own Consciences, which the Sa­crament would rouze and cause to terrify them. And if after (upon their promise of Amendment) they are admitted to the Sacrament, they shall return to their former courses; Other Communicants would take no­tice of them, and give them friendly and godly Admonitions, and if those prevail not, they would at length complain to the Church, by which they should be forced to live better, or be abandoned the society of Chri­stians. But when men turn their backs upon the Sacrament, they are then strangers to their Neighbours, or at least, there is no acquaintance with them as they are Christians. They are little or nothing concern'd with one another in the things of Religion. And if they are reproved, they answer to the Reprover, that he is nothing concern'd with them; which they could not do if they Com­municated together at the Blessed Sa­crament. There is a great complaint [Page 65]of Unworthy Communicants (and I hope it is greater than there is Cause for:) But what a fearful cause is there to complain of the Unworthyness, of the horrid and shameful Wickednesses of Non-Communicants?

The consequence of Non-Commu­nicating may come likewise under a more special Consideration. There are Thousands that are not openly scanda­lous and profane, whose condition would not be so bad as it is, if they fre­quented the Sacrament. There would not be so much guilt and trouble in their minds when they are in health, nor so much fear and disquietment when sickness comes. This is a plain case, and almost every days Experience proves the truth of it. Let every man who lives in any known Sin examine his own Mind, whether, if he were un­der a necessity of Receiving the Sa­crament, he would not be more afraid to commit that Sin; whether he would not be more afraid to neglect his Duty to God both in publick and private? [Page 66]And when he hath Received after a solemn and devout manner, and know that he must shortly renew his engage­ment to God again; He would not be more careful of his wayes? I know there are a great many who are afraid to come to the Sacrament; but if they Examin themselves, and seriously con­sider the state of their own Minds, they will have cause to conclude, That it is from a suggestion of the Devil, and that he makes them a­fraid to Receive, that they might be the less afraid to sin. He may be Unworthy who does Receive, he may be one that lives a sinful Life; but we have much more cause to think him Unworthy and in a sinful state, who Receives not at all.

There is likewise a more dreadful Consequence, in respect of Grief and Sorrow when the Non-Communicant is sick, and forc'd to look back upon his former Life; which I have had such frequent occasion to take notice of, that I visit the Sick with some kind [Page 67]of Fear, lest I should find their Neglect of the Sacrament tormenting their Consciences. I never yet heard any say, that they had damned their Souls by Receiving the Sacrament; although I must confess I have heard some lament, that they did not come to it so qualified as they might have done. I never yet heard any say, I wish I had never received the Sacra­ment; although in some cases, as I shall shew, there may be cause for Persons to wish so. But, that Men and Wo­men have not received, is the Tor­ment of their departing Souls; because then their guilty minds tell them, that they ought to have received it, and might have done it to their great Be­nefit and Advantage. I lately heard this Expression from a Sick bed, which I mention because I think very useful. ‘As for the Sacrament I was afraid in my health to receive it, but I think if I had received it, I should have been more careful of my wayes than I have been.’ We do for the most [Page 68]part find, that Persons are Comfor­ted or Tormented upon their Sick-Beds, according to their Communi­cating or Non-Communicating in the time of their Healths. I know not which is more rare, in visiting the Sick, to find a Communicant troubled in mind, or a Non-communicant that is not.

There is another dreadfull Evil which is the consequence of Non-Com­municating, (which I might have mentioned under the former head) and that is most gross and scandalous Ig­norance. There never was any Age in which there were Ministers more able to instruct the People, and it is well known their way of Preaching the Gospel is most plain and intelligi­ble to the meanest Capacities. And yet The People perish for want of Knowledg. In many places, by reason of the vast number of Inhabitants, it is impossible there can be a par­ticular care of their Souls by Con­verse with them in Private, which [Page 69]is of great necessity and benefit; and there are a great many who would not endure it, but take occasion to run from the Church. In the mean while there are thousands who have lived long enough to be teachers of o­thers, but had need themselves to be taught which are the First Principles of the Oracles of God; Men that can give no Account of their Faith, nor up­on what Account it is that they ex­pect Salvation. And I am sure one great Cause of this, hath been Neglect of Receiving the Lords Supper. For if men were frequent Communicants, they would be under a great Neces­sity and Obligation to enquire after Truth, that they might understand, at least, the Principles of their Re­ligion. They would be sensible of their Ignorance, and come to their Minister, or Converse with other Communicants concerning the things of God and of Religion. The Sa­crament would be a Means by which they would grow in Grace and Know­ledge. [Page 70]But whilst they are only concerned to come sometimes to the House of God, and think that it is enough that they have been there, though they neither know nor Prac­tise more than they did before; and neglect that Solemn Institution, which would make them more deeply con­cerned in the things of Religion: they remain most grosly Ignorant. I do not think that any man will say, that the frequent Communicants are as Ignorant as those are, that never come to the Sacrament.

By this time I hope I have suffici­ently proved my Assertion, viz. That there is generally more danger in Unworthy Neglecting, than there is in Unworthy Receiving; and therefore the Sinner is not secure, unless it be in his Sin, who turns his back up­on this Ordinance from a supposition that he avoids danger, or that of two Evils he doth choose the least: Yet I am not willing to pass to another head of Discourse, till I have earn­estly [Page 71]intreated all Persons, that they would not make an ill Use of what I have said. As the Apostle ne­ver intended, by telling the Corinthi­ans the danger of Unworthy Recei­ving, that any should absent from the Sacrament; So far be it from me to design by shewing the danger of Unworthy Neglecting, that any should come unworthily to Receive it. There is no Need, nor any Reason, for such an ill Inference to be made from it. Besides I have only asserted that it is GENERALLY more dangerous. I do not say that it is so in every Particular Case. It may be there are some who come to the Sacrament on purpose to carry on wicked Designes, that they may be ac­counted not only Upright towards men, but likewise Religious towards God. 'Tis possible, there may be some who come to the Sacrament, that they may covertly carry on Trea­sonable and Rebellious Designes; but I am loath to suppose that there are [Page 72]any such who are no friends to Po­pery. If there be, it had been well for those Judas's that they had never been born, and it would be well for the world too if a Milstone were hanged about their Necks, and they were cast into the Sea. Or it may be there are some who come to the Sacra­ment, that they might be thought fit to be intrusted with the Concerns of Others, and in the mean while intend to cheat them. No man can think, but it had been better for such men if they had never come to the Holy Ordinance: Whether their Designes be against publick or private Persons, (though the first is the most dread­ful Case) It was not Christ and his Commands, but the Devil and his In­stigations that brought them to the Sacrament, and from him they must expect their reward in the place of Torments.

There is (besides open debaucheries) another particular Case, which renders the Condition of men so bad, and is in [Page 73]some the Occasion of so great a scandal to Religion and to the Holy Ordinance, that I will not say but it had been better if those that are Communicants had never been so; And that is, That men should Receive the Sacrament only for the sake of their Employments, and that they may keep places of Trust, which are profitable and be­neficial to them. Christians are to receive the Sacrament, because it is an Ordinance which Christ Com­manded; but these receive it not upon any such account. So long as it was only the Command of Christ, they regarded it not; but when it became the Command of the King they made hast to it.

Christians are to receive the Sa­crament for the good of their immor­tal Souls, that having begun a Religious Life, they may grow in Grace, and be more and more confirm'd and strengthned in the wayes of Religi­on and of Godliness. But this is none of their business: These men come [Page 74]to the Sacrament about a business in which their Souls are nothing concer­ned. And well it were for them if their Souls could be nothing concern'd in it. He that will be a Worthy Com­municant, must Examine himself, whe­ther he can be content to forsake the World, and all the Enjoyments in it for the sake of Religion? He is a Worthy Communicant indeed, who is satisfi'd, that the Love he hath for his Saviour is such, that he had rather quit the World and all the Enjoyments of it, than live without this Ordinance. But this man, upon Examination of him­self, finds, that instead of being willing to forsake the World for the Love he hath to the Sacrament, he could be very well content to forsake the Sacrament, if it were not for the regard that he hath to the World.

If, when men are under a Necessi­ty of receiving the Sacrament, that they may continue in Places of Pro­fit as well as Trust, they take this opportunity to Examine their own [Page 75]Minds, Whether they are in the number of those that fear God, and sincerely minde the things of Religi­on, and find that they might have been Worthy Receivers, and that it hath been their great fault, that they lived in the Neglect of the Sacra­ment, which hath been the Case of many? Or if upon Examination they find, that they are impenitent Sinners, that have allowed themselves in sins, either of Commission or Omission, and do resolve that for the time to come, Sin shall not have Dominion over them, but they will every day Pray to God in their Closets, which our Saviour requires every one of his Disciples to do; and that they will attend the Prayers of the Church with Devotion, and the Reading and Preaching of the Word with honest Hearts? If they are truly penitent for their former sins, and resolve to avoid the Occasions of Evil for the time to come? If in order to these things they go to their own Minister [Page 76]or to some other, whom they may think more fit to give them Advice (which the Church allowes, because it is a very tender Case;) And if they resolve that they will be frequent Communicants for the time to come? They may then bless God for that happy occasion of bringing them to the Sacrament. But if men are Com­municants only for the sake of world­ly Profits, I will not say, but it had been a less evil to have lived in the Neglect of it; It being a great Affront to our Blessed Saviour to come to his Supper for the sake of this world; a great Contempt of the Ordinance, and of very ill consequence to o­thers, who will by such Examples be brought to a very low Esteem of it.

But may it not be Objected, That it is therefore a very grievous thing that the Sacrament should be impo­sed? Is it not that which tends to the dishonour of Religion, and the prejudice of mens Souls?

Ans. I know this is Objected, and there is a fearful Stir about it amongst men of discontented Spirits, who cry, ‘What have Governours to do to de­prive me of the liberty of Receiv­ing then, and then only, when I find my self most fit for it? Why should it be required that All should come to the Sacrament, when it is not to be imagin'd, but most are unfit for it? Can it be supposed, that All men have true Grace in them?’ Do All belong to the Electi­on of Grace? These and such like Questions we meet withal. But I do earnestly desire the Reader, to con­sider in the first place, who they are that are thus offended. I have known none, or very few, but those who Receive not at all, who make this Cavil. And the truth is, there is more Reason why we should pitty and pray to God for them, than that we should otherwise regard what they say. They have two very per­nicious designes in it; One is to in­dulge [Page 78]their Lusts, which make them afraid to Receive the Sacrament, any where; The other is, to do mischief to the Church; for they do thereby en­deavour to exasperate others against a lawful Command, that they might separate from her Communion.

That the King may Command his Subjects to Receive the Sacrament, is so reasonable, that I wonder any should offer to Object against it. I should think him very Arrogant, who should say, that although Christ said, This Do, yet Christian Kings and Princes are not at all concern'd to see it done: That although Kings under the Old Testament-Dispensa­tion, were favoured or rejected of God, according to their Care, that the people should observe the Ordinan­ces of God, or their Neglect in that great Concern; yet under the New-Testament-Dispensation, Kings are not to be concern'd whether the Or­dinances of Christ be observed; but are to leave every one to their liber­ty. [Page 79]I could almost as well say, that Constantine was to blame for setling Christianity in his Dominions by a Law, as that Christian Kings in succeeding Ages are to blame for taking Care, that the Ordinances of that Religion should be duly obser­ved. If any say, that the King must then Command the Receiving it af­ter the manner that our Saviour pre­scribed; I answer, that that Objection will only serve to throw the Ordi­nance out of the World; for nei­ther Christ nor his Apostles prescribed any way. But more of this under another Head.

As to what is said concerning the Qualification of Persons, That all have not the grace of God, All are not of the number of the Elect, &c. I shall give no other Answer but this. When there comes a man to me and tells me, that he is required to Re­ceive the Sacrament, and in order to it he hath striven against his Lusts with his utmost diligence: He hath implo­red [Page 80]the Grace and holy Spirit of God with the greatest earnestness, and yet he is forced to continue under the power of his sin, and must eat and drink his own Damnation: I will then conclude, that the Objection is of great force; but till then I wish that all persons would take care of passing such a Construction of ob­scure places of Scripture, as shall make them contradict the plainest Expressions of it, and the Experience of every man that comes into the world.

This Objection being answered (for the sake of which I have made an unwonted Digression) let me de­sire every one who is required to Re­ceive the Sacrament, as a Test to prove, that he fears God and is fit to be entrusted, take heed that what I have said concerning the great Dan­ger of Unworthy Neglecting, do not encourage him to go to the Sacra­ment without due Examination and Preparation for it. I would be very [Page 81]loath to be the occasion of his Death­bed anguish of mind, when his de­parting soul shall be full of horrour to think that he is going hence, and must appear before the Judgment Seat of him whom he regarded not; but for the sake of this present World.

It must likewise be considered, that I have been speaking of those who live in the Neglect of the Sacrament, and not of those who seldom Communi­cate. I know it is the great fault of Christians in this age, that they do not Communicate so often as the Re­verence which is due to the Ordi­nance, and the Necessities of their Souls do require. But their fault is not to be compared to the fault of those who live in the continued Neg­lect of it. I have no design to exte­nuate the danger of Unworthy Re­ceiving in any: For although I have I hope, made it appear, that the danger of Unworthy Refusing the Sacrament is the greatest; Yet when I consi­der what a fearful thing it is for Sin­ners, [Page 82]who do not fear God, and sa­vour the things of Religion, to come as the true Disciples of Christ, to this Ordinance; I scarce know how to say that their danger is less. Let not therefore an ill use be made of what I have said, but let every one conclude, having often heard the dan­ger of Unworthy Receiving, and now read the danger of Unworthy Neglect­ing; That the Sacrament is a great and solemn. Ordinance which lies in the sinners way to stop him in his broad way that leadeth to destruction, and is a great argument to him to enter into the path of Life. For it is on one hand a dreadful thing, that the Children and Servants of the Devil who yeild Obe­dience to him, should come to the Lords Supper amongst those that are the Children and Servants of God, as if they could come undiscovered to the All-seeing God: That those whom Christ calls his enemies, because they will not suffer him to Rule over them, should come as if they were his Friends [Page 83]and Subjects. And on the other hand for men to turn their backs upon this Ordinance for the sake of their Sins, and thereby to throw away the great Institution of him from whom they declare that they expect Salvation: This admits of greater aggravations. Let every one therefore resolve that he will avoid both these Rocks, by betaking himself to the sincere Practice of Religion, and by frequenting this Holy Ordinance, by which he will enjoy great Pleasure and Satisfaction to his mind in this world, and ob­tain good Assurance of everlasting Glory and Happiness in the World to come.

IV. The Non-Communicant is Un­worthy in that he doth not only cast Contempt upon the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, but upon the Sacrament of Baptism likewise, and so both the positive Institutions of our Saviour are insignificant and of no account to him.

The two Sacraments have a speci­al relation to each other. The Lords Supper is a high Priviledge which Christians have valued above their lives. It is the Souls Feast of Fat Things. It is that Spiritual Banquet with which our Saviour entertaines those who are dearer, than his Life was, to him. Baptism is the Ordinance which opens the door and lets us in to the Banqueting-house: None but those who are Baptized are to be admitted to the Lords Supper. If then the Non-Com­municant regards not the Lords Supper he doth not regard but slights his Bap­tism, at least, so farr as it hath relation to it. He that slights the Feast, must needs slight that which gives Admis­sion to it. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a renewing of that Covenant which we made with God in our Baptism; and is not only a re­newed Engagement on our parts to Believe in God and to Serve him, but on Gods part likewise by which he seals to us the Forgiveness of our sins, [Page 85]that we are his Children and Heirs of Eternal Life. If we care not for re­newing this Covenant, it is a sign that we value not the first Agreement that we made with God in our Bap­tism. Besides, the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a great means for our obtaining Grace to enable us to keep the Covenant of our Baptism. If we come not to it, 'tis a sign that we have no mind to perform what we promised, which of our selves we are not able to perform.

Were it not a little besides my pre­sent purpose, I could easily shew that those who are Non-Communicants, if they had not been Baptized in their Infancies, would never have received that Ordinance. No adult person can be admitted into the Church of Christ by that Ordinance, who doth not own the Faith and Solemnly engage to live as becomes the Gospel. And those that perform this which Baptism en­gages men to, are Worthy Commu­nicants.

If we ask the Non-Communicant how he came to be called a Christian, he must say, ‘My Father made me so when I knew not what was done, and he or others promised that which I never intend to perform.’

I would argue thus with the Non-Communicant. Either you own your Baptism or you do not? If you do not, why do you not declare it? Why do you call your self a Christian, and profess that you expect Salvation from him, who appointed that Ordinance to all that expect to enter into the Kingdom of God? If you do own your Baptism, why do you not take care to perform that reasonable and necessary Engagement which you made in it, by going to the Sacra­ment of the Lords Supper for Strength and Power to perform it?

But I had rather make another di­gression, which I hope the Reader will excuse, considering that it may tend to the satisfaction of many who are in doubt concerning Baptism, as it is [Page 87]now generally used in the Church of Christ. As there are a great many whose Practices shew, that they make no great account of their Baptism, so there are a great many whose Prin­ciples are utterly against it, and es­pecially against Infant-Baptism. And in regard that the practice of the Church depends more upon Grounds and Reasons from Scripture, than from any Express Instances in it; and there are some places which seem, to some, rather to speak against it than for it, and to disallow of it rather than to commend the practice of it; I shall for the satisfaction of those who encline to the Ana­baptists, and are willing to be satis­fied (such as have not taken up an Opinion and are resolved to stick to it what ever any say against it; which is the great Cause of all errours) lay down these following Assertions, which I desire all such persons soberly, and with humble and modest, and not with haughty and stubborn minds to consider.

1. Children were members of the Jewish Church as well as Adult Per­sons, and there was an Ordinance ap­pointed for them which was their great Priviledge: And it is not to be imagined that our Saviour, who took little Children up in his arms and bles­sed them, should allow no Ordinance for them by which they should be ad­mitted into his Church.

Wheresoever God entred into Cove­nant with the Parent, he entred into Covenant likewise with the Children of that Parent, that is, the Children were included in the Covenant, and the Blessing of that Covenant belong­ed to the Children as well as to the Parent

2. Our Saviour took this Ordinance of Baptism from the Custom of the Jews, who were wont to Baptize those who forsook Heathenism and embra­ced the true Religion: And whenso­ever they made Proselites, they did not only Baptize the Parent but the Child likewise, upon engagement that [Page 89]the Child should be brought up in the same Religion: So that it was not ne­cessary, that our Saviour should give an Instance of that which every one to whom he came knew was practi­sed, But it was necessary that he should have declared his Exceptions aganst Infants Baptism if he intended their exclusion.

To what purpose should our Savi­our declare, that Infants should have the Seal of a Covenant, when 'twas never otherwise? Or, how can we imagine, that our Saviour sent to Bap­tize Nations in which Infants had been commonly Baptized before, and yet intended that they should be ex­cluded? If indeed our Saviour had declared that Infants should not be Baptized: Or if we had read of the Apostles Refusal of them: Or if there had been no Infants Baptized before nor any Ordinance for Infants; the Anabaptists opinion had been built upon a good Foundation, but other­wise 'tis very weak.

3. As a consequent of this, Infants were all along Baptized in the Primi­tive Church, by the Holy Martyrs that Suffered for Christianity, of which those who write against the Anabap­tists have given undeniable proof. And we are sure, that if our Saviour had intended their Exclusion, they would never have done it. And it is not to be imagined, that Anabaptists know better what was the Mind of Christ than those Christians did. If those who are now of that perswasion had lived in those dayes, and had conside­red from whence our Saviour took that Ordinance, with the Grounds and Reasons of it; they could not have been of that Opinion which they have now espoused; because then the Original of it was fresh in the World, and the Use and Practice of it was continued by the most Holy men in the World. It is not only great Haughtiness of mind, by which men think themselves wiser than the most Holy and Lear­ned men in all ages of the World, but [Page 91]Ignorance through length of time that makes an Anabaptist.

4. Infants are Believers in a sence or else they could not be saved, nor have any right to the promises of Christ in the Gospel. And if they are in any sence such Believers as are entituled to Salvation, they are such Believers as have a right to Baptism. If the Estate belongs to a Child in the Cradle, the Indentures and Seals of that Estate belong to him like­wise. The Child of a Believer may as well be called a Believer, as the Child of a Proselite was called a Pro­selite. If God gives Children but the Denomination of Believers, it is suffici­ent to entitle them to Baptism.

5. Those that consider the Case of the Anabaptists must needs be of ano­ther Opinion. This in conjunction with the former Arguments must needs be of great force to those that are serious and considerate, and not conceited and resolute in a case which they have espoused.

As the condition of the Jews is a living Argument of the Truth of Christianity, and the badness of their case: So I may say, that the Conditi­on of the Anabaptists and their Un­successfulness in all their attempts to establish their Opinions doth shew, that God doth not, nor ever did shew any such Favour to them, as might give any sober person cause to think that they were Gods Church and People, however they plead his Word to be their Rule; but that Infant-Baptism is an Ordinance which God allows of and hath countenanced ever since there was any opposition made to it.

There is a Writer yet alive who gives a large and strange account of the mischievous Practices of the A­nabaptists in Germany and other pla­ces, what Disturbers and not Promo­ters of Religion they have been wheresoever they have come. But I wave all that can be said against them either in this Nation or beyond the Seas, and will only say, That if I [Page 93]had the highest Opinion of them for their Morals that I have for any sort of men in the World, yet I could ne­ver believe, That all the Primitive Christians who owned and practised Infant-Baptism, and the Martyrs in all Ages, were not Members rightly admitted into the Church of Christ: That not only the Papists, but all the Reformed Churches in the World, are mistaken in this point; and that the Anabaptists are the only True and Rightful Members of Christs Body. He must be very weak and noto­rously partial, who considers these things, and doth not conclude that they are a Sect that Separate from the True Church which God hath owned in all Ages, and not the True Visible Church of Christ. This I thought fit to mention in Conjunction with other Arguments, by which many wavering minds have been established in the Truth; and God grant there may be the like success to those in the like case, who shall read them.

V. Those Excuses which men general­ly make for their not Receiving, are so far from Justifying their Neglect, that they do not so much as extenuate it: Nay, they exceedingly aggravate the Guilt of most Non-Communi­cants. The Truth is, no Excuses must be made in such a weighty matter as the Sacrament is. There may be In­terruptions, but there must be no Ex­cuses. An Interruption is when a man really intends to receive the Sa­crament, but somewhat happens by which he is prevented, and it is a great trouble to his mind that he is so. It is with Christians in this case, as it was with those Israelites which we read of Num. 9.6, 7. who being hin­dred from eating the Passover by the legal defilement of a Dead Corps, were extremely troubled and came to Moses to know what they should do. There were certain men who were defiled by the dead body of a man that they could not keep the Passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before [Page 94]Aaron on that day; And those men said unto him, we are defiled by the dead bo­dy of a man: wherefore are we kept back that we may not offer an offering of the Lord in his appointed Season, among the Children of Israel. Observe how farr those men were from making Excuses for neglecting Gods Ordinance, in that they were extreamly troubled at an interruption which probably they could not help; for he that was in a Tent in which a man dyed, or came into it, was unclean, chap. 19.14. and continued so Seven-days. This being of great moment, Moses said un­to them, stand still and I will hear what the Lord will command concerning you. And we read that God in that Case appointed that they should keep the Passover the next Month. God allow­ed of the Interruption for that time, but there must be no Excuse. We read Num. 9.13. that the man who was not thus hindered, if he did not keep the Passover at the time appoint­ed, The same soul shall be cut off from [Page 96]his people, because he brought not the Offering of the Lord on his appoint­ed Season. A place of Scripture ve­ry fit for Non-Communicants to consi­der, who if they have no Impedi­ments will make Excuses instead of them, they will pretend somewhat to be the cause of their Neglect which is not really the cause; but the little regard which they have for the Ordi­nances of their Religion is the cause of their Neglect. I shall first consider what the General Excuses are, and then consider some more special Ca­ses.

1. Some pretend that the Solemni­nity of the Ordinance is the cause of their Neglect: It is a very great Or­dinance and they durst not adven­ture to make their approach to it. I know that there are some very good Christians to whom this is not an ex­cuse, but is a real Cause of their ab­senting from the Sacrament. They think that it is too great an Adven­ture for such as they are, to come to [Page 97]their Lords Supper, although they are such as love him and do sincere­ly desire and endeavour to keep his Commandments. What I have already said, may give satisfaction in this Case, viz. That Humility and a Sense of Unworthyness is a good qualification for a Communicant; and that as the Sacrament is a great and Solemn Or­dinance, so it is a very great Duty to partake of it; and therefore Christians must take care that they do not com­plement our Saviour, but that the ex­amine themselves, and reverently ob­serve his Institution. Great men do sometimes allow of such excuses when they make Invitations, but the Great God commands when he invites, and there can be no Neglect but it is a great sin, as I have already shew­ed.

But this is not the Case I have now in hand: My design is to speak of those who make this a Pretence for their Non-Communicating. They say the Sacrament is a solemne Or­dinance, [Page 98]and therefore they dare not come to it. But I would have such persons to consider, whither they go when they turn away from this So­lemn Ordinance. If it be to their Lusts, and a continuance in a sinful course of Life, their condition is un­speakably miserable. What an Affront is this to the Great God and our Bles­sed Saviour? I may say to them as the Apostle to the Galatians, Be not deceived God is not mocked. The best that can be said, is; That you do very reverently mock Christ and his Or­dinance: You are afraid to come to such a Solemn Ordinance, and you are not fit for it, and therefore you rather choose to live in the breach of his Commandment, which you find your selves more fit for: This is Hail Master: This is to Crucifie Christ from a Reverent respect to him. And as he is guilty of great Contempt of God under a pretence of Reverence to him, so he is guilty of most prodigious Folly. O foolish Non-Communicants who have [Page 99]bewitched you, that you should think to avoid danger by neglecting a great and Solemn duty; that you should turn from the Sacrament to the Commission of sin to avoid Damnation! The Scripture saith He that comitteth sin is of the Devil. The Non-Communicant absents from the Ordinance of Christ, & goes to the Ser­vice of the Devil to avoid Damnation.

All men should consider, that the Solemnity of the Ordinance is as well a great Reason why men should per­take, as it is why they should prepare; because it is an Argument that God expects the Observance of it, and that his heart is the more set upon it. When Servants are negligent of their Duty, they hope to come off best by neg­lecting that which they think to be of least moment. No man ever said, I omitted my Duty, and I hope to be excused because it was a great Com­mand, and I was required to take great care in the observance of it. Let not any therefore think, that the So­lemnity of the Ordinance will be their [Page 110]excuse for not observing it, but that it will be their great Condemnati­on.

2. A second Pretence, which is a consequent of the former, is, That men are not prepared for it, and therefore they had better let it alone. I ear­nestly desire such persons to consider that,

• 1. This can be no Plea, because they may be prepared if they please. I know that there are a great many who would charge the sin of Non-Communicating upon Almighty God, pretending that he must prepare them for it; or else they cannot receive worthily. But let me tell the sinner, that his Contempt of God which brings destruction to him is of himself. Though no man can be prepared without the grace of God and the as­sistance of his holy Spirit, yet this is not the Cause of his being unprepa­red, for God hath promised his Holy Spirit to them that ask it. And the Experience of every sinner, who is [Page 101]not strangely hardned in his impiety, cells him that in this he doth exceed­ingly provoke God; because he knows that God is so farr from being want­ing to him, that he doth secretly sol­licit him to prepare, that he may wor­thily partake, and he will not. That sinner is in a very evil condition, who charges God of requiring that of him which he can by no means per­form.
• 2. Your not being Prepared is of it self a sin, and therefore it must not be pleaded for a neglect of your Duty. This is to excuse one sin with another. It is as well a Duty to prepare as to partake, and the Neglect of it is a sin which God doth as surely punish, Luke 12.47. That Servant that knew his Lords will, and prepared not him­self, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many Stripes. The man in the Gospel that came to the Feast without the Wedding Garment was Speechless. No man must plead Unpreparedness; because he may be pre­pared, [Page 102]and it is his sin if he be not.
• 3. This is is a meer Delusion of the Devil, by which he would keep men secure in a sinful course of life. This is not an Unpreparedness which brings grief and trouble to the mind, as it ought to do; but it is a contented Un­preparedness. The People love to have it so. He that searcheth the heart knows that the Language there, is, I have no mind to be prepared; and that renders the condition of the Non-Communicant to be very dread­ful.
• 4. This Pretence is endless. Art thou Unprepared, when will it be o­therwise? The longer that any one Neglects the Sacrament, the more Un­prepared he is for it. There are ma­ny, who when they were young plea­ded they were not prepared, are pre­pared now; but it is to scoff at Reli­gion, and to contemn all that is Holy. And those that are not open­ly Prophane are more unprepared than they were, by an encrease of the [Page 103]Love of the World, and the fixing of Evil Habits. The Sacrament is an Ordinance which comes to pluck up Sin at the Roots, and if that be kept off, Sin must needs grow apace. He that being desired to receive the Sacrament pleads that he is Unprepared, may as well say that he never intends to receive, for he is more Unprepared now than he was formerly, and is like to be more Unprepared for the time to come than he is now.

But it may be some will plead, That though every one may prepare, and it is his Duty so to do, and his Sin if he do not; yet the case of many is such that they cannot find Time to pre­pare: There had need be some dayes set a part on purpose for Preparation: What shall Servants do that work all the week from Morning till Night, & have no more than time enough for the necessary supports of Nature, that are forced to rise early and go to Bed Late? And what shall those do that have nothing but from hand to mouth, [Page 104]must they for the sake of the Sacra­ment suffer their Families to want? To this I must answer; that every man hath or may have Time enough to prepare without any prejudice to his Worldly affaires; though the Servant doth not steal time from his Master, nor the poor man from the necessities of his Family, and that may appear if we consider.

1. That which bespeaks a man to be a Worthy Communicant, is not so much his particular Acts of Piety and Devotion, as the general Habit and Bent of his Mind. The great Ques­tion is, whether a man really fears God, and whether he be Spiritually minded? He that lives in known sins without Repentance and Amend­ment of Life, and intends to continue so, cannot be prepared for the Sa­crament, though he spends never so much time in Religious Duties; be­cause he himself is not Religiously dis­sposed. If a man should for many Days and Weeks abstain from Sinful Acts which he hath been Guilty of, [Page 105]and if he should spend as much time in Religious Services both pub­lick and private as preparatory to the Sacrament, without a Resolution not to return to the same course of Life again, it would not render him a Worthy Communicant. This were but for a Child of the Devil to dress himself in the counterfeit habit of Gods Children, and then to return to his Father again. This is a most cer­tain Truth; He that is Religious and Fears God in the General course of his Life, is more fit to receive the Sacrament without any special Prepa­ration for it, than the other can be, how much time soever he sets apart in Order to his Receiving. His come­ing to the Sacrament would not be like the Disciples of our Lord who had left all to follow him, and did by this Ordinance engage themselves to live and dye in the Faith, and in Obedience to his Commandments; but like the Whore which Solomon speaks of, who said, I have paid my Vows, [Page 106]therefore came I forth to meet thee, &c. Prov. 7.14, 15. Some are so disso­lute as to think, that having Re­ceived the Sacrament, and spent some time to put themselves into a good mood in Order to it, they shall ea­sily obtain a Pardon for the time to come, having made even with God for the time past. But as the Whore was a Whore still for all her Vows, so this Wicked man remains a Wicked man still, notwithstanding his Preparation and Communicating, And his Sacrifice was an Abominati­on to the Lord. It is not enough for a man to say, I must not sin this Week, but avoid Temptations, because I intend to Receive the Sacrament; but I must change the habit of my Mind, I must become a New Crea­ture, I must resolve, that because I have done Iniquity, I will do no more, or else all the Preparation that can be made will signify nothing. There is a great difference in the Design of these Communicants. He that is [Page 107]Religious in the General course of his Life, comes to the Sacrament that he may be kept from sin for the time to come. He that is only Religious in Order to his Receiving, comes to it that he may sin again with less regret of mind than he did before. The First is one who desires that Christ may dwell in his heart, and bear rule in him: The Other is one of those who now and then gives God an un­wellcome Visit, and then returns to dwell with his sins again. He must needs be an Unworthy Communicant, that comes to the Sacrament that he may with the greater freedom serve his sin after it. Tis not any particu­lar Preparation, how much time so ever any one hath for it, that bespeaks a man to be a Worthy Communicant, if he be not heartily resolv'd to become a good man.

2. There is no Time prefixed for preparation to Communicate, but men are left to the grace of the Gospel and of the New Covenant. We read [Page 108]in the Old Testament of a special Time which God appointed for Preparati­on, when the People were to make their solemn approaches to him: When God appointed the People to meet him upon the Mount he required two Dayes preparation, Exod. 19.15. When God sent a Summons to the Seventy Elders to appear before him, he requi­red a Dayes preparation. Say unto the People, Sanctifie your selves against to Morrow; & more Instances might be gi­ven. But under the Gospel God accepts the Will for the deed. He that would spend time if it were his own, in a so­lemn Preparation for the Sacrament, is as welcome to God as if he had real­ly spent so much time in order to his Receiving. Where Time is wanting, there may be, and doubtless is a sup­ply from the grace of God. Solomon saith, Prov. 16.1. The preparation of the heart is from the Lord. And it is not to be doubted, but through the Grace of God, those who have but little time to prepare, do receive as [Page 109]much to their comfort, and find as great benefit by it as those who have spent more time in Preparation for it.

I know that some very Pious Mini­sters have so much insisted upon the spending of some considerable Time as preparatory to the Sacrament, that they have discouraged many good Christi­ans from coming to it, who have not had time from their unavoidable Oc­casions, to prepare themselves for it. I will readily grant, that it is of great Concern, that those who intend to Com­municate should spend Time in pre­paring themselves, and the more they spend the more Comfort and Sa­tisfaction it is to them: But this must not discourage Servants and others from Communicating who want time, and whose time is not properly their own. The Scripture hath given no Standard in this case; and from thence it is that some very pious Christians from an humble Sense of their Unwor­thyness and Unfitness to receive, think [Page 110]they have not spent Time enough in preparing, and therefore they will stay till the next Communion; and when that comes they still think they have not spent Time enough; and by this means the most Worthy guests are kept from the Lords Supper. I would have such persons, and all that are pious and devout Christians, to consider the case of the Corinthians before mentioned. They had Re­ceived Unworthily and thereby pro­voked God to Anger: The Apostle admonishes them to Examine them­selves before they received again, but he doth not prescribe any Time that they should spend, nor doth he tell them that it would be Convenient for them to forbear coming to the Sacra­ment for some time; But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that Bread, and drink of that Cup; when 'tis probable there was to be a Communion the next day.

3. It is possible that men in this case of Preparation may be over Righte­ous, [Page 111]nay it is possible they may be Superstitious too. They are over-Righteous who spend that time in pre­paration for the Sacrament, which they cannot spare from necessary Occa­sions. If the Poor man neglects his family, or the Servant his Masters bu­siness, though it be for the sake of the Sacrament; God may say to them, who hath required this at your hands?

Some may be Superstitious in their Preparations: Such as think they shall be accepted of God according to the number of Meals which they have ab­stained from; Or the Hours they have spent in Reading, Prayer or Meditati­on. Whereas, as to the first, Absti­nence in it self signifies nothing. It is only to be used so far as it may keep the mind from being indisposed for that which is good. And to some persons their Constitutions cannot bear fasting, and if they abstain they are more indisposed than if they continue their wonted Meals. And by num­bring the Hours or Prayers (as Papists [Page 112]do) a man may place Religion wrong, and all that he doth in his Religi­ous Service may be without that De­votion of mind, which alone is accep­table to God and preparatory to this holy Ordinance.

Let men take heed that they mistake not; & set bounds & measures where God hath set none. Let them not think, that unless they had so much Time for Preparation, God will not accept of them, for God hath made no such ap­pointments. Tis not Time allowed that is of absolute necessity, but a sincere De­sire and endeavour to obey the com­mands of our Saviour that makes a man a Worthy Communicant.

4. Let him that complains of the Want of Time take heed, that he doth not neglect that time he hath or may have to spend in preparing for the Sa­crament. What man is there in the World who for some additional Ad­vantages would not find time to spare from his necessary occasions? There are many who will work harder than [Page 113]ordinary for the sake of a little Liberty: Others to gain some Profit and Advan­tage to themselves. Surely such persons, if they have a desire to walk in the pleasant wayes of Religion, may make hast to dispatch their business, that they may have a little time to Examine themselves, to bethink themselves of the State of their minds, and how the great affaires stand between God and their own Souls. They may find time to consider what Sins they have to re­pent of, and heartily to begg Gods grace that they may escape them for the time to come, and if they do so they are Worthy Communicants, though they have had but little time for the dispatch of these great Concerns.

I cannot think there is any man so employed but he may find time in the Morning & Evening to pray to God, & if he cannot make it a set Duty, & be alone, and be undisturbed; Yet there may be Fervent Ejaculations, by which he may lift up his heart to God, which God will hear and have a speciall re­gard [Page 114]to: And by the Use of them his mind will be kept in such a Religious Frame and Temper, that he will be a Worthy Communicant, and a welcome Guest at the Lords Table.

5. Let those who make this Ex­cuse, that they want time to prepare, consider the ill consequences of Neg­lecting the Sacrament. They that complain they want Time to prepare for the Sacrament, find time enough to commit those sins which make them unfit for that or any other Religious Duties. Whatever business they have to do, they find time to harden their hearts against God and against Religion, so that no impressions of Good may be made in them. He that at first thought he might not come, because he wan­ted Time to prepare, will afterwards refuse to come, though he hath more time than he knows what to do with. Nay, he will rather throw it away, and his Soul with it, by spending it in the Service of the Devil, than in preparing, that he may be a Wor­thy Communicant.

There is another Pretence for Un­preparedness, and that is the Temp­tations which attend the dispatch of necessary business. Men say they are forced to converse with sinful men, and are unavoidably betrayed to that which is Evil, and therefore it is in Vain for them to think of Preparing for the Sacrament. I desire such to con­sider.

• 1. It may be they complain with­out a Cause, and that in dispatch of their business, they are not Tempted to that which is really Evil. It may be this man thinks, that he cannot Prepare because his business will un­hinge the Devotion of his mind, and put it out of that Religious Frame and Temper which he would keep it in, if he intended to partake. He thinks that a man may not Receive the Sacrament, unless he can for some time keep his mind so free from such Incumbrances, as not to have a Thought of worldly Business enter­tain'd by him. There is no Reason [Page 116]why this should hinder his Receiving. The lawful Dispatch of Worldly busi­ness must not hinder men from the Sacrament, nor must the Sacrament hinder men from the dispatch of Worldly business. We have no such Rule. If a man spends that time with his Customers, which he intended to spend with God in secret Devotion, and there hath been Innocent Mirth, this is no Offence to God, only it is Adviseable that at his return he reduce his mind to Seriousness and Devo­tion in order to his Receiving, and then he needs not fear but he shall be welcome at the Lords Table.
• 2. If in the Dispatch of business men do that which is really evil: If they defraud, or if they are guilty of Drunk­eness (which is become such a Con­comitant with Trade, that there are a great many whom the Devil will not suffer to dispatch their Business with their Customers, unless they dispatch their business with him at the same time) and it happens some dayes be­fore [Page 117]the Sacrament; Let him repent and humble his soul to God, to think that he hath forgotten God and his own Soul at that time when he should have prepared for the Blessed Sacra­ment. And if he be sincerely Penitent he need not omit it. Nay, he hath the more need to receive it, by how much he sees how prone he is to fall into Temptations, that he may be kept from them. And if this hath happe­ned a little before the Sacrament, and so neer to it that he cannot be sa­tisfied of his Repentance, so as to come to the Sacrament the next time of Ad­ministration, let him go to his Mini­ster, and bewail the Cause of his not Receiving: Let him think how hap­py they are that are Worthy Commu­nicants, and what a sad thing it is that he should do that, for the sake of which he dare not appear at the Lords Ta­ble. But if this be the Case, that he hath Neglected to Receive, and hopes that this will excuse him; if he be not in the snare of the Devil, [Page 118]and under the Dominion of Sin, I am sure no man in the World is. He may as well speak plainly, and say, I love my sin better than the Sacrament, and Sinful Companions better than Pious Com­municants. And I suppose these are the men, as well as others, who keep from the Sacrament to avoid Damnation.
• 3. If Worldly Business brings men into ill Company, and is the Occa­sion of Sin, let them make hast to dis­patch it, and tell the company that they are to Communicate. Our Saviour said, If any shall be ashamed of me be­fore men, of him will I be ashamed be­fore my Father. He doubtless spake it in reference to the Derision with which Jews and Heathens thought to make men ashamed of Christianity (which was the reason of the Cross in Baptism:) But in Our age we had need make use of it to encourage one Christian, whom another derides for observing the In­stitutions of our Saviour. If there be any that are so asham'd of Christ and his Ordinance, that they will rather [Page 119]go on to commit sin for Company sake than give such a reason; they are Un­worthy indeed: For it appears plainly, that they are ashamed of the Sacra­ment, but not of their Sin. The Sa­crament was appointed to keep men from sin, but if they may not both be entertain'd, the Sacrament must keep off.
• 4. Let these Persons consider what manifest Contempt they cast upon all other Ordinances of Christ. They can go to Prayers and Sermons all the year long, and it signifies nothing; but they can go to their sinful Compani­ons all the week after, and it may be on the Lords day as soon as the Pub­lick Service is done; as if it were in Defiance of those little things of Religi­on. They can confess their sins, and, instead of forsaking, run to them as soon as they have done. They can pray to the Great King of Heaven for Pardon, and make haste to Rebel again. They can hear what the great God commands, and what he promises, and [Page 120]what he threatens, but it all signifies nothing to them. Pharaoh and Ahab regarded more what Ministers said, than the do. 'Tis only the Sacrament that they are afraid of, because they have some Guilt and Fear which will not suffer them to make that approach to God, which they think is nearer and more Solemn. This shews the Case of the sinner to be very desperate. It appears plainly that he is resolved to live a sinful Life, and that he will not have to do with Religion any farther than it shall leave him Irreligious. Praying and Hearing are weak things which his Sin keeps under, and doth not suffer them to prevail to the sub­duing of it; and because he looks upon the Sacrament to be of greater force, therefore he will not come at it.
• 5. If this be the Case of the sinner 'tis never like to be otherwise. This man doth not intend to leave his Trade, and therefore he intends not to Com­municate.
• 6. Let all Persons consider that the [Page 121]more worldly Business any one hath, the more necessary it is that he should be a frequent Communicant. I menti­on this, because many think that they who have most Leisure from worldly business ought to be most frequent Communicants, and that it cannot be expected from those that have many or great Concerns. This supposeth that the Sacrament is only an Ordi­nance which was appointed, that Christians should pay their respects and acknowledgments to Christ by it, and not that it is appointed also for the good of mens Souls, and to keep up in them a quick Sense of the Love of Christ to them, and to preserve them from the Power of Temptations, which hinders the growth of Grace and Piety. The Rich man or the man that hath many Worldly Concerns should say: ‘I have more need to frequent the Sacrament than others. I am in great danger of loving the World more than Christ, and he hath declared that he will not ac­count [Page 122]such to be Worthy of him. I am in more Danger, than others, of my heart being stolen away from God, and therefore I will frequent that Ordinance, that my Riches or the Desire of them may not ruine me.’ He that pleads Business and neglects the Sacrament, doth plainly declare that the World is uppermost in his esteem, and that the Sacrament must not be regarded, but when the World will give way to it.

To Conclude this; Let me tell every such Pretender, that he casts a most manifest slight and Contempt upon the Sacrament. If the King should send for him, and he were afraid of his dis­pleasure, neither Business nor Compa­ny must hinder, but that Christ com­mands his attendance is a little thing to him. If any news were brought to him of an Estate or Legacy, or any great Worldly advantage, business and company must give way; but the Sacrament is only the concern of his Soul, and therefore it may be let alone.

3. There is another general Pre­tence, and that is the danger of Relap­sing. There are many who would re­ceive the Sacrament, but they are a­fraid they should fall into sin again. Let such Persons consider,

• 1. Their Case is very dangerous whilst they neglect it. It is the Spiri­tual Food of the Soul. Men do not for­bear their nourishment for fear it should breed diseases. It is the Souls Physick to purge away sin. Men do not refuse a Re­medy for fear of a Relapse. He that pleads this doth not consider the Necessity of Communicating, but only the Danger which may be to him that Receives.
• 2. It is not expected that any can wholly avoid Temptations to sin after they have receiv'd, but that they should be the more careful to avoid them. And that they should not allow themselves in them, but repent and amend. If men could be so holy as this Pretence supposeth, no man should need to re­ceive above once. But the Sacrament is appointed to be a continued Means [Page 124]by which men are more and more en­abled against their Corruptions, which supposeth a continued Contest, but not an absolute Victory. Every man may resolve, that he will for the time to come strive against his sin, and when­soever his Conscience accuseth him of sinful Compliances, that he will repent and begg Gods Pardon: and Gods Grace to withstand it for the time to come; and this every man must do that expects Salvation, tho he were not required to receive the Sacrament; and if he do so, he is a Worthy Com­municant.
• 3. Those that enter upon a Re­ligious Life, and resolve to come to the Sacrament, upon serious debates, have no cause to be Discouraged by the fear of Relapses. If indeed a man comes to the Sacrament up­on a sudden Fit, in hope that it will remove some particular Trouble from him, and so make it an Experiment only, and sin after he hath Received; this is no Relapse into Sin, for he [Page 125]never came off from it. But those who from a serious consideration of their Duty, and of their danger whilst they Neglect their Duty for the sake of their Sin, do resolve to enter in­to a new course of Life, and with serious Resolutions and hearty Prayers for Gods Grace and Blessing, come to the Sacrament, they need not fear but they shall persevere in the wayes of Religion. For 1. The Grace of God will not be wanting to them. 2. Those Arguments which induced them to be Religious, will continue & be of no less force for their Perseverance in the Prac­tice of Religion. Such a man cannot say, that when he began to be Religi­ous he did not well consider to what end he should be so, and therefore up­on second thoughts he finds it best to go back again. 3. The Pleasure of Re­ligion will continue and encrease. No man hath cause to say, 'tis such an un­couth and unpleasant thing to be Reli­gious that I had better leave it off: He cannot say the Non-Communicant [Page 126]who slights Religion, and avoids the thoughts of his own condition, hath more pleasure in his mind than he that Examines himself, & so eats of that Bread, and Drinks of that Cup. These things considered, there is no such danger of Relapsing as the Non-Communicant is afraid of. 4. The good Success of Communicating shews that there is no such great danger. It may be said indeed, that there are some who are Communicants who live sinful Lives, but this is no reason why any should keep from the Sacrament for fear of relapsing into such practices; Because 'tis too probable that such Persons re­ceive the Sacrament, chiefly from their regard to the Profession of Christiani­ty, and because it is the Duty of eve­ry Christian, and not that they may be the more Holy and Religious. This is a great Reason why you should Com­municate from Principles of true Pi­ety, but no reason why you should fear relapsing, because they never relapsed but are the same that ever they were. [Page 127]He that suggests this to keep men from the Sacrament, knowes the contrary. If there were such a Probability of re­volting from God, he would not be so busie to keep men from engaging them­selves to him. Where there is one sinner that perisheth by returning to sin, there are thousands that perish because they never began to be Religious.

These are the Pretences by which men turn their backs upon their Sa­viour. By these do men gratify the great Enemy of their Salvation. These are his Devices by which he gets Ad­vantage against men. By these he cheats men of the greatest Pleasures in this Life, and of Pleasures for ever more in the Life to come.

God of his Infinite Mercy grant, that Non-Communicants may consider of it, how much they have Neglected their Duty and their Benefit: What Dishonour they have occasioned to the Christian Religion, and What Destruction they are bringing to themselves, whilest they foolishly [Page 128]think they are avoiding it. There never was a Pretence, nor ever shall he, that will serve a mans turn for the Neglect of his duty. God hath made the way plain before every man, and if he turns out of it, 'tis because he is resolved he will not walk in it. The Sacrament is a very cheap and not a costly Sacrifice. No man is the Poorer, but every man may be the Richer for it. God requires nothing of any man in order to his Obser­vance of it but what he may do, and if he neglects to do this in Remem­brance of his Saviour, he cannot ex­pect to be remembred by him in his Heavenly Kingdom.