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what the church thus teaches in the communion fervice, which the alfo teaches in the thirty-nine articles; namely, that the body of Chrift is given, taken, and eaten in the holy fupper, after a heavenly and Spiritual manner; and that the means whereby the body of Chrift is received and eaten in the fupper, is faith.

The church tells us, that the benefits whereof we are partakers thereby, is the Strengthening and refreshing of our fouls by the body and blood of Christ, as our bodies are by the bread and wine; for, as bread and wine, confidered only as natural food, ftrengthen and refresh our bodies; fo this bread and wine, confidered and taken as memorials of the body and blood of Chrift, our mafter, lead us, by their peculiar tendency, to all fuch thoughts and practice, as are indeed the improvement and health of our fouls and in this ordinance our fouls are ftrengthened by the most folemn exercife of our faith; and other religious acts and by that fupernatural grace, which we receive from this spiritual food, to enable us for the better performance of our Chriftian duty for the future, our fouls are also refreshed by the comfortable af furance, thereby given us of God's favour and gracious goodness towards us: and that we are very members incorporate in the mystical body of his Son, which is the

bleffed

bleffed company of all faithful people; and alfo heirs through hope of his everlafting kingdom, by the merits of the moft precious death and paffion of his dear Son. Now,

From the foregoing account of this facrament, you are to understand, that when you come to the Lord's table, you are to eat the bread in remembrance that Chrift's body was broken for you, and to drink the wine in remembrance that Chrift's blood was fhed for you: esteeming and receiving thefe elements, not as common bread and wine, but as confecrated to reprefent the body and blood of Chrift, to all fpiritual intents and purpofes; and firmly believing that you fhall verily and indeed partake of all thofe graces and bleflings, which Chrift merited for mankind by his death, and which this facrament was defigned to convey to every one that comes holy and clean to fuch a heavenly feaft, in the marriage-garment required by God in holy fcripture.

We are taught by the church, that it is required of them who come to the Lord's fupper, to examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former fins, fteadfafily pur pofing to lead a new life; have a lively faith in God's mercy through Chrift, with a thankful remembrance of his death, and to be in charity with all men. And all perfons are

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more especially to examine into the state of their fouls before they come to the Lord's fupper; because without repentance we are not capable of that pardon which is here offered us: nor can any but believers difcern the Lord's body in this facrament, or reap any spiritual advantage from receiving it. It is a facrifice of praife for our redemption by the death of Chrift, and therefore we are to receive it as by faith, fo with thanksgiving; and foralmuch as it is a feaft of love, and fignifies the conjunction of Chriftians in one fpiritual body, it is neceffary that those who receive it, fhould be in charity with all men. Nevertheless, if, upon examination, a man fhould not find himself thus qualified, that will not excufe him from receiving; because as the graces, now called forth to be vigorously exerted, ought to be the standing temper and habit of our minds; and as one chief defign of this facrament is to confirm and fortify us in them; he who abfents himself, upon pretence of wanting them, does only wickedly plead one great fault in defence of another, and is therefore the more inexcufable. There are fome people got into fuch a way of thinking, as to believe that the peril of unworthy receiving is fo great, that a man had better stay away, than run the hazard thereof. The danger

indeed

indeed is greater to them who will prefume to eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, rafhly and unadvisedly: but it is not lefs dangerous to them who ftand out in difobedience to the last and dying command of their deareft Saviour, and reject his invitation to fo many great and Spiritual advantages, upon pretence of that danger, which it is in their own power to avoid the refult of which is, that there can be no compounding in this cafe; and that our fafety confifts in refolving to do the duty required, and to take the best care fo to prepare ourselves, that the performance may be accepted by God. I will not fay that no accident whatsoever fhould interfere with our obfervance of this duty; but when any unavoidable impediment interpofes, it ought to be removed, and the omiffions repaired, as foon as poffible.

Let us now look into the nature of those duties which are required of them who come to the Lord's fupper, fo as to be received as worthy partakers of that holy table: in the first place, let us confider, that to repent us truly of our former fins is to examine our lives and converfations by the rule of God's commandments; and whereinfoever we fhall perceive ourselves to have offended, either by will, word, or deed, there to bewail our own finfulness,

and

and to confess ourselves to Almighty God, with full purpose of amendment of life: and if we fhall perceive our offences to be fuch, as are not only against God, but alfo against our neighbour, then we must reconcile ourselves unto them, being ready to make reftitution and fatisfaction, according to the utmost of our power for all injuries and wrongs done by us to any other; and this is no other than what we are obliged to by common juftice: But charity goes farther, and requires of us to be likewife ready to forgive others that have offended us, as we would have for givenets of our offences at God's hand. And when, upon examination, we find that we truly and earneftly repent us of our fins, and are in love and charity with our neighbours, and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of God, and walking from thenceforth in his holy ways, we must then draw near without fear, and take that holy facrament to our comfort; firmly believing that Almighty God, for the fake of our bleffed Redeemer, and in regard to the merits of his death, will mercifully pardon and gracioufly receive us as worthy communicants. Befide this, it is further required of us to behave with all poffible reverence and devotion, when we present ourferves among our brethren that come to feed on

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